This week's winners ... and losers

The bomb: The Arizona Board of Regents' idea for and Gov. Napolitano's support for a measure that would increase UA funding if the graduation rate improves. It seems logical to reward success, and such a measure would only encourage the administration and faculty to work harder to get the most out of students.

A bomb: The spitter. Apparently, there's a man who has been verbally assaulting and spitting on women at the UA the past several weeks. The Wildcat stands firm in its anti-spitting policy, and will be happy when justice is delivered to this disturbed individual.

The bomb: An additional $360,000 for HIV/AIDS research on campus. The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, named after a young man who succumbed to AIDS over a decade ago, is responsible for the donation. It's greatly appreciated.

A bomb: Wednesday's poor turnout at the human Israeli flag event - and the protesters who attempted to soil the "flag" with fake blood in a distasteful symbolic gesture. The event had been advertised for weeks, and the low turnout had to be disappointing for those who bothered to come. By the same token, there's nothing wrong with a peaceful protest, but what some did to try to disrupt the event crossed the line of good taste.

The bomb: Henry Liaw and the Arizona men's golf team. The Wildcats won their first Pacific 10 Conference Championship since 1991 and the third in the history of the event, which extends back to 1960. Liaw, a UA freshman, finished first in the individual standings. Way to go, gentlemen.

A bomb: The proposed 2 percent Tucson renters' tax. A similar measure was shot down in Arizona years ago, and for good reason: It's absurd to tax the same property twice. Besides, a lot of apartment renters are college students who are already having a difficult time making ends meet. Come up with something else.

The bomb: Arizona's Sen. John McCain and Rep. Jim Kolbe for supporting UA technology to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. The UA Aerial Robotics Club may be called on to provide computer-run airplanes to more effectively patrol the border. This is the kind of exposure the UA needs.

Opinions are determined by the Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Shane Dale, Caitlin Hall, Saul Loeb, Jason Poreda, Justin St. Germain and Eliza Tebo.