In the almost 19 years since I was born I’ve learned to really enjoy the planet on which we live. With ample amenities such as lots of air, nearly endless water, a dense atmosphere, and plants and...

A day before Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad announced his intention to run for a sixth term, he began the new year in earnest with his Condition of the State address on Jan. 14. In addition to new initiatives...

Things to do while forgetting anything involving the New England Patriots. • Watching the river freeze over. No, really — it’s exciting watching those electrons slowing and slowing and slowing,...

Fran, I promised myself I wouldn’t write you (I couldn’t be that needy, could I?) but I’ve watched you hit the big time, and I guess I’ve got something I need to say. I want to...

It’s a Wonderful Life As we enter the homestretch toward Christmas, it is nearly impossible for someone in this country to not to be exposed to the glut of holiday films populating our idiot-box...

Twitter is a live platform that allows those of us in the margins to be heard — not to fulfill some egotistical desire but to express ourselves on relevant issues in our lives. Our 140-character thoughts...

It’s that festive time of year when everyone feels obligated to list off all the wonderful stuff they’re grateful for, often in the most cliché and uninteresting way possible. Personally,...

Earlier this week, members of the American Studies Association voted to impose an academic boycott on Israeli universities to protest the Isreali government’s discriminatory policies against Palestinians. The...

This past Tuesday, the estimated Mega Millions Lottery value was a whopping $636 million, the second largest total in the lottery’s history. The lottery has been around for the entirety of my conscious...

In an increasingly competitive postgraduate job market, it sometimes seems as though an undergraduate degree isn’t enough to set a candidate apart. Thus, many students turn to graduate school to...

After a push for voter-ID laws across the nation, 12 states now require voters to show photo IDs at the polls. Iowa Secretary of State Matt Schultz is determined to make Iowa next. In July 2012, he launched...

It’s 11:46 p.m. Monday of finals week. I’ve just entered the Main Library. I’m first greeted by a wall of monitors, all tuned to Facebook newsfeeds. I make my way to the northeastern...