Department of atmospheric sciences: money well spent

In a recent Focused Excellence proposal by UA President Peter Likins, the department of atmospheric sciences was targeted for complete elimination. As a student of this department, there is obvious outrage at this decision, especially from those who are graduate students within the program. As was stated by Dr. Mullen, head of the atmospheric sciences department, "I have been left in the dark about this decision." With such a statement coming from the head of the department, it is quite obvious the department has no room to defend itself, and its importance to the University of Arizona and the at-large community of atmospheric sciences. Therefore, it seems it is time to learn about the consequences of the closure of this department. [Read article]

The United Nations revealed the extent of its moral bankruptcy Monday when all but three member nations voted Libya ÷ a repressive regime still under U.N. sanctions for financing the 1988 Lockerbie bombing ÷ to chair its top council on human rights.

The United States demanded the vote after African countries, granted their turn by a half-century of U.N. tradition, nominated the North African country to chair the 53-member U.N. Commission on Human Rights. But along with the United States, only Canada and Guatemala voted no, despite the fact that human rights groups consider Libya one of the world's worst abusers ÷ one that has not had a free election since Colonel Moammar Gadhafi seized power in 1969. [Read article]

What follows are excerpts from an interview I conducted on the basis of anonymity with a 20-year-old sophomore Marine at UA who is being deployed today for extended training. I originally planned to use his comments in a column but, after the interview, decided they warranted 700 words on their own.

Are you going to Iraq?
We haven't officially been told, but it's pretty obvious that we are. [Read article]