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You are here: Home / Ryan Self

TOMS Rip-off Reveals “Social Responsibility” Dark Side

October 20, 2010 by Ryan Self

There's a new pair of socially responsible shoes in town. Every time you buy a pair of these shoes with a one syllable name, a pair is donated to a child in an impoverished part of the world. The canvas slip-style shoes come in a variety of colors and patterns. Of course, I'm talking about BOBS. Sound familiar? Obviously BOBS, produced by the ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

SAT fails to measure aptitude

September 15, 2010 by Ryan Self

The SAT is useless. Chances are that if you are a student on this campus, you have taken the dreaded SAT. In fact, the initials themselves most likely conjure up memories of anxiety and dread that afflicted you during your final year of high school. The SAT strikes fear into the hearts of many because it has a profound impact on your plans for ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns Tagged With: Enrollment

Column: Rally Underscores False Motives

September 3, 2010 by Ryan Self

Glenn Beck is on a mission. This past Saturday, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his famous " I Have A Dream Speech," Glenn Beck spoke to a crowd of over 100,000 people to promote his show on Fox News - I mean, to "restore honor" to America. Unlike the man who stood on those steps 47 years ago to promote ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Gore exemplifies moral disconnect

April 14, 2010 by Ryan Self

You all remember Al Gore. After losing a vicious battle for the presidency, the former vice president became one of the most ardent supporters of the green movement. His constant presence on television and Capitol Hill, along with his provocative documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, helped change the way we think about conservation and helped spur a ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

TV fathers illustrate moral decline

April 9, 2010 by Ryan Self

Ray Barone just cannot seem to do anything right. To be fair, neither can Jim Belushi, Tim Taylor or most of the fathers in sitcoms and advertising today. None of these men or their cartoon counterparts, like Homer Simpson or Peter Griffin, ever seem to be able fulfill their fatherly duties without making a huge mess of things - a mess their wives ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Letter expresses winter doldrums

March 3, 2010 by Ryan Self

Dear Winter, It pains me to say this, especially since you have been an annual part of my life for more than two decades, but you need to go. It is time to move on. The winter wonderland that once made me think of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer now conjures up images of The Shining. I don't mean to be overdramatic, but I would probably equate ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Introvert confronts misconceptions

February 19, 2010 by Ryan Self

This summer, I diagnosed myself with a condition I knew had been plaguing me since birth. This condition has affected my relationships with other people, my moods, my thought processes and even my sleeping habits. It is a condition few people will admit they have; some aren't even aware that they have it. But this summer I finally had to accept it: ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Texas secession would cause disaster

February 3, 2010 by Ryan Self

Could and should Texas secede from the Union? It's an incredibly bogus question, and yet not one but two gubernatorial candidates are proposing the idea. "There's a lot of different scenarios," Perry said. "We've got a great union. There's absolutely no reason to dissolve it. But if Washington continues to thumb their nose at the American people, ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Scandals should not be celebrated

January 15, 2010 by Ryan Self

Even those of you who have been living under a rock have likely heard the saga of Tiger Woods and his affairs. What began with Woods mysteriously crashing his car into a tree a few yards in front of his house ended with a long line of mistresses coming forward claiming to have a relationship with the professional golfer. Within weeks, Woods, who ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

Computer game offers life lesson

November 13, 2009 by Ryan Self

Like many of my peers, (at least that's what I told myself growing up), I spent much of my free time in front of a computer screen playing The Sims. Perhaps it was a need to feel I was in control of something. Maybe it was because I wanted to live vicariously through the lives of my Sims. Or maybe, it was because I wanted to see how much mayhem ... [Read More…]

Filed Under: Columns

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