Opinions
Climate Change
We never learned from the Dust Bowl
We teach the Dust Bowl as a cautionary tale. In every American history class, we learn how farmers in the 1920s and 1930s tore up millions of acres of native grassland across the Great Plains to plant wheat, how the deep-rooted prairie grasses that held the soil and trapped moisture were replaced by shallow crops and bare fields, and, when drought came in 1930, how the exposed topsoil turned to dust. Read More
Environment
Renewable energy and the right-wing, as observed by a recent Rochester immigrant
The majority of the populations of both the U.S. and the U.K. evidently understand the need to move towards a renewable energy model for their countries. According to the DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker, 80% of British adults support the use of renewable energy as of the summer of 2025. The Pew Research Center has reported that 86% of American adults support expanding wind and solar power as of May 2025. Read More
Alysa Liu
25 winters later and still making history
Women's figure skating individual finals have taken the spotlight with Alysa Liu’s recent return to the sport leading to the first U.S. women’s gold since 2002. Read More
Basketball
What happened to the NBA Dunk Contest?
I pray Adam Silver does whatever he can to choose the most talented and prepared dunkers, and give players the time they need to put on a creative show. Read More
ICE
ICE in Milan – what’s changed
In light of all these abuses, it’s no surprise that Milan’s mayor, Giuseppe Sala, has made it clear that ICE is “not welcome in Milan.” Hundreds of Italians attended a rally to oppose the arrival of ICE, many holding up “ICE OUT” signs, reflecting the disapproval of Trump and of ICE felt by Europe at large. Read More
campus brat
Campus Brat: Choosing Rochester (The shame of settling)
I had decided at a very young age that I would go to URochester (although it’s always been “the U of R” to me). I would get free tuition and I could hang out with my dad all the time. Read More
cooking
Catering at university, as observed by a recent Rochester immigrant
At my home university, and at most universities in the U.K., we have to cook for ourselves because we have access to kitchens that are more than tiny boxes with tiny ovens and stovetops. Read More
environmentalism
Greenland is not just an island. It is a climate system.
But Greenland is not just a place. It is a planetary thermostat. What happens there over the next few decades will shape coastlines, weather patterns, and human migration for centuries. Read More
Awards Predictions
2026 Oscars Preview: Who will win, who should win, and who already has won
The 98th Academy Awards are still over a month away, but the nominations have already indicated several promising signs for the future of Hollywood. Read More
superbowl
Drake Maye is the better quarterback going into the Super Bowl
Completion percentage and yards per attempt matter in games where every drive is critical, and Maye held the edge in both. Read More
