Forums
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- Forum: Natural gas key to smart energy policy
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Forum: Now is time to fight gun lobby
The aftershocks of another mass shooting are rippling across the landscape.
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Forum: Kids at edge of fiscal cliff
As the federal "fiscal cliff" approaches, we're hearing more about how various scenarios would affect politicians, defense contractors, high-income taxpayers, seniors, and other constituencies.
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Forum: Palestine a dilemma for U.S.
Two peoples share the goal of having Palestine as a homeland: the Israelis and the Palestinians.
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Forum: Restricting access doesn't solve problems
Michigan's anti-choice legislators are celebrating the passage of two lame-duck bills, HB 5711 and SB 975. HB 5711 is a "super bill" that purports to regulate abortion services for the health and safety of women.
Continued ... - Sunday, December 16, 2012
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Forum: Racist acts are also teaching acts
As I recently boarded a flight home from Chicago O'Hare to Traverse City and before take-off, I had the unfortunate experience of being confronted with racial and inflammatory comments regarding Native Americans from individuals seated behind me.
Continued ... - Friday, December 14, 2012
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Forum: Flood insurance follies
Flood insurance was enacted by Congress in 1968, and required federally-insured mortgages in flood areas to carry insurance. It applied to any property located in a "100-year flood plain."
Continued ... - Tuesday, December 4, 2012
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Forum: Supportive housing helps people stay sober
Recently, the Record-Eagle published stories about those who are homeless and the challenges we as a community face in trying to help people in this situation.
Continued ... - Thursday, November 29, 2012
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Forum: Testing doesn't tell whole story
While teachers in Chicago have returned to the classroom, the strike has raised many educational issues. The most important and pressing is the universal reliance on standardized tests to evaluate the nation's school children.
Continued ... - Wednesday, November 28, 2012
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Forum: Revamping school law misguided
Another end-run around the will of the people seems to be shaping up in Lansing.
Continued ... - Sunday, November 25, 2012
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Forum: Planet Death is not acceptable
The Petition Project website offers a breakdown of the areas of expertise of those who have signed the petition. Of these signers 0.1 percent have a background in climatology." That's about 30. Not 30,000. Of these 30, none show any publication in a peer-reviewed journal of climate science.
Continued ... - Wednesday, November 21, 2012
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Forum: Institute lost true friend
The Michigan Land Use Institute lost a dear friend last week in Helen Milliken.
Continued ... - Tuesday, November 20, 2012
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Forum: TCAPS board will learn
The Board of Education for the Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) recently asked voters to approve a bond proposal for the financing of a long-term capital infrastructure plan.
Continued ... - Sunday, November 18, 2012
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Forum: A piece of music does not make peace
On Nov. 10 at First Congregational Church, halfway into the dress rehearsal for a performance of The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace by Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, the choir, soloists and orchestra were informed that the second movement, "Call to Prayers," would not be performed due to Pastor Walls' objection that "Muslims worship a different God, and as Christians, they couldn't abide a profession of belief in Muhammad within their church."
Continued ... - Wednesday, November 14, 2012
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Forum: Ethics in election?
We have just witnessed the most expensively funded election in the history of the world.
Continued ... - Monday, November 12, 2012
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Inside the First Amendment: True effect of big campaign spending unclear
There's one result from the election that we likely won't know for months or even years: the full meaning of this year's massive run-up in campaign spending.
Continued ... - Thursday, November 8, 2012
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Forum: Social Security ain't broke
Social Security is more popular than sliced bread. And it should be. Our Social Security system is the foundation of our families' security: We work hard and pay into it with every paycheck so each of us can retire with dignity.
Continued ... - Monday, November 5, 2012
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Does cheering for God erase church-state line?
In Kountze, Texas, there's not much daylight between God and football on Friday nights.
Continued ... - Sunday, November 4, 2012
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Are there safer ways to drain a reservoir? Yes
What caused the Brown Bridge Dam failure? As a semi-retired engineer who has specialized in dam and hydroelectric projects, I have been reading with much interest the articles about the recent failure of the Brown Bridge Dam.
Continued ... - Friday, November 2, 2012
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Forum: Women's rights shouldn't be political
There are many issues at stake in this election year; the rights of minorities, gays, lesbians, immigrants, women are a few examples. As a medical professor at a state university, I was paid less than my male counterparts. They hired a man after they hired me; less qualified than I, paid him more.
Continued ... - Thursday, November 1, 2012
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Forum: Central High's antiquated auditorium
For five decades, people have sat in Central High School's auditorium anticipating a great performance when they're hit with that strange odor akin to what emanates from a box that has sat untouched in your attic since grandma's prom.
Continued ... - Wednesday, October 31, 2012
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Forum: TC-TALUS supports Division proposal
After hearing from City of Traverse City officials, Division Street Steering Committee members and the Michigan Department of Transportation, the board of the Traverse City Area Transportation And Land Use Study (TC-TALUS) voted to support the City's ballot proposal regarding Division Street.
Continued ... - Tuesday, October 30, 2012
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Forum: Prop 3 will grow state's economy
On Nov. 6 Michiganders have the opportunity to create jobs, boost economic growth and drive new investment to the state by voting "yes" on Proposal 3 to increase Michigan's renewable energy standard to 25 percent by 2025.
Continued ... - Friday, October 26, 2012
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Forum: Proposal 2 protects paychecks
Tough times are nothing new for Michigan workers. We were first into The Great Recession, after all, and may be the last ones out.
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Forum: Calif. blows Michigan's wind policy
Campaign finance reports show that November's ballot Proposal 3 to cement a 25 percent renewable energy requirement in Michigan's Constitution was paid for by well-moneyed groups from California, some with close ties to Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. (Source: Gongwer News Service, Volume #51, Report #145)
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