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Iron & Wine bill stirs mixed emotions

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Charles Gaines, SA president It has come to our attention there are mixed emotions regarding the Iron & Wine bill which provides concert tickets to students. While some of our peers are excited, others have expressed frustration and confusion. On behalf of the Students' Association, I would like to address the issue, being upfront and ... [Read More…]

Local government should remain open

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Hushed voices. Furtive glances. Covert meetings. Secrecy might be appropriate for an Orwellian novel, but there is no place for it in city government - at least according to Texas law. During an Abilene City Council meeting Nov. 18, council members discussed joining 15 other Texas cities in a lawsuit that challenges the Texas Open Meetings Act. ... [Read More…]

Absolute openness causes chaos

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Our nation's founders understood only a relatively small group of people can communicate and evaluate ideas to successfully make an informed decision. We elect individuals to represent us in Congress and city councils, so the majority of taxpayers' opinions should be represented. Most would agree these representatives are obligated to be honest ... [Read More…]

Transparency key to building trust

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Picture Capitol Hill without people. Not a tourist or lobbyist in sight. A sign on the door of the Capitol Building reads, "Government closed until further notice." Except unlike the 1995 shutdown, Congress hasn't gone home. Representatives are still proposing, debating and passing legislation - legislation the public has never heard of, much less ... [Read More…]

Beverage offers therapy for body, soul

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You can use it for an upset stomach, a headache or a sore throat. It has the potential to alleviate cold, flu, allergies and almost any other unnameable illness. It can wake you up as effectively as it can put you to sleep, or satisfy hunger without any caloric intake. It can prevent a variety of diseases and health problems from heart disease to ... [Read More…]

Internationals improvise during break

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As if living in a foreign country was not hard enough, international students at ACU have to contend with something most students look forward to each year: holidays. Imagine. You're floating blissfully through the fall semester, meeting every deadline, sleeping nine hours each night and spending time with friends. Now, come back down to earth. If ... [Read More…]

Hidden expenses warrant doubt

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I'm finished giving away the benefits of my doubt. Verizon customers who actually look at their bills might have noticed a $1.99 fee at some point. Fees are fees. Maybe the $1.99 is some kind of maintenance charge. The two-buck fee is labeled "data" - which includes text, picture and video messaging, web browsing, daily alerts and downloads - so ... [Read More…]

Technology trumps human contact

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Nov. 6 marked the beginning of a clash of the techies, as digital connoisseurs began to compare the features and capabilities of the newly released Droid, made by Motorola and sold by Verizon Wireless, with those of Apple's iPhone. The commercial is as epic as The Lord of the Rings and leaves the impression such an amazing piece of technology is ... [Read More…]

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