The Buffalo News : Opinion

Recently, the City College School of Education was approached by two private organizations wanting to enter into a partnership agreement to mount an innovative teacher training program. Although portions of each program had merit, after much discussion it became clear to our faculty that these organizations were not interested in a partnership; rather they wanted us to serve as their teacher certification agent — without our having any significant involvement in the structure and content of the program.

Like millions of parents, the birth of our daughter Natalie in 2006 was a cherished and long-sought moment. Having a baby is one of life’s true joys. For too many working families, however, a new baby can also mean a difficult struggle to make ends meet.

On Monday, the price of a first-class stamp will rise by a penny. With gas now costing nearly four bucks a gallon, a 42-cent stamp may not sound like much. But while stamp prices climb, the Postal Service keeps offering sweetheart deals to bulk mailers and the postal labor unions.

The fact that the United States is experiencing a severe energy crisis should not surprise anybody. Still, many, including American automakers, have chosen to bury their heads in the sand, hoping the problem will self-correct as it has in the past. It will not! President Jimmy Carter in the 1970s tried to seriously address this problem, but was rebuked by Congress and the big oil companies that cared only about windfall profits.

The repeated characterization of the residents of Gaza as “victims” of “collective punishment” does not make it true, but represents a determined effort to undermine Israel’s right to self-defense. Israel is under no legal obligation to maintain an open border or trade with a hostile entity that has as its declared purpose the eradication of the State of Israel.

This is a challenging time for the local Catholic Church, however, that is because Bishop Edward Kmiec was left the unenviable task of right-sizing a diocese that should have commenced decades ago.

Today, as we enjoy Mother’s Day in my Italian family, we have many reasons to celebrate. Two years ago, my mom chased a squirrel feasting on the prized tomatoes she raises from seed for tomato sauce. She missed a step and fell down the back stairs. In an instant, our lives changed.

As Mother’s Day approaches, I think back to a Saturday in the mid-1990s. My mom and I sat in a bustling restaurant in the Boulevard Mall eating lunch. She asked if I still wanted to have children.

People have different reasons for buying a house. Some strive for the American Dream and believe in long-term investments. Others think their residence is too small or too big and look for adjustments. As an old proverb says, “Different strokes for different folks.” My husband and I had a reason, too. We needed space for our two cars.