COMMENTARY

Bush administration should spread wealth by raising minimum wage

The Republican-led Congress continues to push a central theme of Bush administration economic policy: Help the ultra-rich whenever there's a window of opportunity, but don't throw a bone to the working poor unless it's an absolute political necessity. House GOP leaders are striving to exempt more multimillionaires from the estate tax after failing to win its outright repeal in the Senate.

COMMENTARY

Problems still exist with certain alternative fuels

The opinion column, "United States must take head out of sand, research other fuel sources" by Shane Krouse, (SN 6/21), overlooks significant problems with certain alternative fuels.

COMMENTARY

Science can't include god; impossible to test faith

In his letter, "Bice's letter on intelligent design doesn't cite evidence," (SN 6/26), Josh Rilko makes a case for the inclusion of a god in science.

COMMENTARY

Web site to reach voters

It's very likely that your classmates use the Internet on a daily basis. It's also very likely that this same group of people is more technologically-savvy than older generations.

COMMENTARY

Global warming important issue, affects everyone

Jeff Wiggins, who was quoted in "Planetary meltdown," (SN 6/23), claims if global warming were so important, everyone would know more about it.

COMMENTARY

Bush administration demands privacy for itself none for U.S. citizens

For five years now, Americans have been trading their freedom and privacy for safety. Since Sept. 11, 2001, President George W.

COMMENTARY

What's the plan in Iraq?

From a young age, we set goals. Whether it is to ride a bike or climb Mount Everest, we all have something we would like to accomplish.

COMMENTARY

Bice's letter on intelligent design doesn't cite evidence

With the latest string of evolution and intelligent design opinion columns and letters in The State News, I figured we should be hearing from our good friend John Bice.

COMMENTARY

Spirituality, mind-body medicine plays valid role in health, healing

The concept of spirituality to study quality of life and health is not new, but has returned to the scene during recent years and has gone through an evolutionary process.

COMMENTARY

Letter writer's war parity also lacking, missing points

Brett Mellin's letter, "War comparison doesn't work; numbers not equal," (SN 6/22), is correct in that one cannot easily compare the wars in which the United States has fought.

COMMENTARY

Turns out it's impossible to produce cat from scratch

Kirby Rials' column, "Intelligent design makes sense, complexity of life not accidental," (SN 6/20), made my day.

COMMENTARY

Almighty, awesome ethanol

You might not like how vegetables taste, but they can save you money. Ethanol gas, commonly called E85, is made of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

COMMENTARY

Increasing evidence for intelligent design theory

Once again there is a hot debate and controversy over the validity of a certain scientific theory. I can understand why people would shoot down an emerging theory that challenges decades of scientific consensus, especially one that permits the supernatural and unobservable.

COMMENTARY

War comparison doesn't work; numbers not equal

Caitlin Scuderi, who wrote "War cycle repeats itself; shouldn't we have learned from previous mistakes?" (SN 6/19), must work on her comparisons. To compare Vietnam to Iraq, when there were about 20 times as many American casualties in Vietnam, is irresponsible.

COMMENTARY

Modern day romance breaks barriers

It's been said that love has no boundaries. There is no distance it cannot span, no hurdle it cannot overcome.

COMMENTARY

Beware of bird flu; virus more dangerous than you might think

The influenza pandemic of 1918-19 killed more people than World War I. Thought to have originated in China, this form of the common flu was particularly virulent.

COMMENTARY

Creationists have flawed reasoning full of fallacies

Despite relentless efforts by creationists to obscure the facts, the religious underpinnings of intelligent design remain painfully obvious, particularity to anyone capable of discerning the difference between a firmly established scientific theory and mere opinion, personal philosophy or empty religious assertion. When creationists attempt to undermine evolutionary theory with various fictions, myths and deliberately obtuse misunderstandings, the transparently religious and fallacious mindset at the root of intelligent design is made especially clear. The recent error-ridden opinion column by Kerby Rials, "Intelligent design makes sense, complexity of life not accidental," (SN 6/20), offers a nice example. In my experience, hostility toward evolutionary theory invariably stems from ignorance of the scientific evidence or strong religious beliefs — usually both.

COMMENTARY

United States must take head out of sand, research other fuel sources

The United States is in dire need of increasing its funding for alternative fuel sources. Energy is our future, and the future begins with the present.

COMMENTARY

Mutations can be good too; columnist makes mistake

In the highly inaccurate column by Kerby Rials', "Intelligent design makes sense, complexity of life not accidental," (SN 6/20), one fundamental mistake the author makes is that genetic mutations are never fortunate, suggesting only things like cancer and birth defects are mutations.

COMMENTARY

Intelligent design not real science, columinist lacks proof

Kerby Rials' use of satire in his intelligent design column, "Intelligent design makes sense, complexity of life not accidental," (SN 6/20), was blindingly brilliant.