Sunday Viewpoints
Oceans are in deep water
WASHINGTON— Off the coast of Washington state, mysterious algae mixed with sea foam has killed more than 8,000 seabirds, puzzling scientists. A thousand miles off California, researchers have discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a swirling vortex roughly twice the size of Texas filled with tiny bits of plastic and other debris. (Updated: 11/15/09 8:08 AM )
Afghan women need help to sustain fragile gains
HERAT, Afghanistan—I came to this city of clean, tree-lined streets, near the Iranian border, to write about Afghan women. The subjugation of women under the Taliban, which forbade them to work, attend school or leave home without a male relative, once galvanized Americans’ emotions. The freeing of women was a big achievement of the Taliban’s ouster. But that issue is receiving little attention as the debate heats up over what our Afghan strategy should be. (Updated: 11/15/09 8:08 AM )
Setting the record straight on Transfiguration Church
Whenever there is a published report regarding the sale of Catholic Church properties, critics are quick to point to the condition of the former Transfiguration Church on Sycamore Street in Buffalo, making ridiculous claims that the Diocese of Buffalo is being negligent in the sale of its properties. They erroneously state that other properties that have been sold or those that will be sold will meet a similar fate. (Updated: 11/15/09 8:08 AM )
City control board still is needed to achieve fiscal stability
As my tenure as chairman of the Buffalo Fiscal Stability Authority comes to a close, I would like to take a moment to thank the control board and staff, who have provided me with tremendous support over the last two years, and praise the efforts of everyone who has assisted in achieving the financial success the city and its covered organizations have attained over the last six years. However, lest anyone forget where we were in 2003 and how fragile our current financial situation remains today, I would be careful about “pounding our chests” too often. (Updated: 11/15/09 8:08 AM )
Blogzerpts / Opinions from buffalonews.com
Excerpts from reader commentary on News staffers’ online blog postings last week. Online comments come from registered users, but — unlike reviewed and verified Everybody’s Column letters — can be posted under pen names. (Updated: 11/15/09 8:08 AM )
Pentagon aims to recruit more chaplains
For much of the previous year, the Rev. Joe Porpiglia had a grueling routine— and he wasn’t even running his parish of St. Benedict’s in Eggertsville. The native of Dunkirk was in Afghanistan as a U. S. chaplain, racing across a rugged and war-torn landscape in massive helicopters and transport planes, celebrating Mass and bringing the sacraments to thousands of soldiers, but also offering counsel and comfort to anyone who sought him out. (Updated: 11/09/09 2:55 PM )
Eugene Robinson: Obama’s record so far is impressive
t’s been a year since a healthy majority of American voters elected Barack Obama to change the world. Which is precisely what he’s doing. (Updated: 11/09/09 9:05 AM )
Afghani citizens are key to defeating Taliban
In July 1963, as an Army captain, I took command of a battery of heavy artillery, stationed in a dusty compound enclosed by barbed wire five miles from the Demilitarized Zone between South and North Korea. (Updated: 11/08/09 8:29 AM )
Blogzerpts / Opinions from buffalonews.com
Excerpts from reader commentary on News staffers’ online blog postings last week. Online comments come from registered users, but — unlike reviewed and verified Everybody’s Column letters — can be posted under pen names. (Updated: 11/08/09 8:29 AM )
Fallen troops return Should the media or military cover ceremonies at Dover?
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del.—When the first Bush administration banned the media from covering the arrival of the fallen at Dover Air Force Base during the Persian Gulf War nearly 20 years ago, the stated reason was to protect the families’ privacy. (Updated: 11/01/09 6:45 AM )
Margaret Sullivan: Political endorsements provide a reality check
The Buffalo News, its critics will be quick to tell you, is one of those ultra-liberal newspapers. Its editorial page is way left of center and it hasn’t endorsed a Republican for any office since William Howard Taft. (Updated: 11/02/09 11:05 AM )
Watercolor perfectly captures feel of Bethlehem Steel
Recently I visited the Burchfield Penney Art Center. I had a “eureka moment” as I stood in front of Buffalo artist Robert Noel Blair’s watercolor with pencil sketch of a place where I had spent part of eight years of my life. The title of the work was “Bethlehem Steel, Open Hearth, Lackawanna, circa 1946-47.” (Updated: 11/01/09 6:45 AM )
Blogzerpts / Opinions from buffalonews.com
Excerpts from reader commentary on News staffers’ online blog postings last week. Online comments come from registered users, but — unlike reviewed and verified Everybody’s Column letters — can be posted under pen names. (Updated: 11/01/09 6:45 AM )
Lawsuit to stop investigations responds to half-truths, innuendo
Why are we suing our opponents? Because we’ve had enough. (Updated: 11/01/09 6:45 AM )
Should government mandate swine flu shots? - Forced immunizations violate civil liberties
WASHINGTON—The rush to approve the vaccine for the H1N1 flu—also known as swine or novel flu—was based on a combination of the greed of the pharmaceutical industry and uninformed decisions by the awkward alliance of public health and federal emergency management officials. (Updated: 10/26/09 11:18 AM )