I would like to thank the editors of the Lariat for publishing on Sept. 27 an editorial on public breast-feeding, because they have drawn attention to an issue that is of profound cultural significance, and have had the courage to hold a position on it that is so manifestly unchristian.

Many of us come from hometowns filled with exciting nightlife, big cities or rolling hills. Some of us have even come from abroad—or states so different you feel like you might as well have been abroad.

We have made our long journeys from many different places, all with the common goal of arriving at Baylor — and Waco.

The United Nations General Assembly in New York is giving many international issues more prominence in the media than they normally receive.

Many of these issues are not issues immediately relevant to the average college student.

“When it’s completed in a few months, Solyndra expects to hire 1,000 workers to manufacture solar panels and sell them across America and around the world,” President Barack Obama declared at the Solyndra plant in Fremont, Calif. That was in May 2010, over a year after the Department of Energy guaranteed a $535 million loan to the company, promising a bright future and more jobs for Americans.

Dear old-fashioned, outdated, face-to-face communication: We are no longer in need of your service, but thanks anyways – we have Facebook.

Cell phones, social media sites and computers – to name a few – seem to be replacing authentic, face-to-face communication. I remember the days where sitting at the dinner table each night consisted of conversational replies other than, “Oh, sorry mom, what? I didn’t hear you, I was texting my friends back,” or, “Hold that thought while I post how much fun we’re having on Instagram.”

The first thing that comes to mind when the word ‘anime’ is brought up is typically ‘immature’, or ‘childish’. This is a warranted thought, because some of the first shows considered anime that western audiences are introduced to are “Yu-Gi-Oh” or “Pokémon” (the latter of which some Baylor students STILL enjoy).

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney tasted the proverbial foot last week when secretly recorded footage of his speech at a private fundraiser held last May found its way onto the Internet.

In signature Romney style, the presidential hopeful attempted to convince the wealthy donors present at the event that he was primarily concerned with winning over the “5 to 10 percent in the center that are independents.”

The glitz, the glamour, the fame, the scrutiny.

What makes a big-name actor so popular is their fan base. They happen to perform that one role in just the right way and garners accolades and attention from the public. But sometimes that role can blind-side the thespian and force them to face the ugly side of their admirers.

Democrats argue it was a step “forward” for our country, promising the benefits of fewer uninsured Americans. Republicans, on the other hand, view the act as a step “back”, sacrificing personal liberty while driving up the cost of health insurance for all Americans. According to Mayor Mike Bloomberg of New York City (a figurehead of the No Labels movement), there is an easy solution to reconciling our differing political beliefs.

As you may have heard, the Baylor and TCU’s student governments have agreed to come up with a name for the football rivalry.

As I sat at my computer at the Lariat sports desk, I came up with a name of my own: The Trust Fund Tussle.

They are, perhaps, the most dangerous words ever written:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

I was walking down Fountain Mall last evening when I noticed a little-used area of campus.

It seems as if the world is talking about the violence and protests in the Middle East. With so much news flying around, it can be difficult to make sense of what is going on.

The protests in Libya received the most initial focus, due to the tragic deaths of four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. The cause for this attack was first attributed to an offensive anti-Islamic video that had been posted on YouTube. However, reports have recently surfaced that suggest otherwise.

One would find it crazy if they would stop and think about how far humans have come as a civilization.

We came from very meek beginnings. No matter what your personal belief is concerning the evolution of mankind, no one is contending that the first humans walked around eating Raising Canes, talking about the latest Baylor football scores and debating medical ethics on their new iPhones.

Although some think the economy is improving, another crisis has arisen in various cities around the country.

Due to failed negotiations between musicians and management, many symphonies have officially canceled their concerts for the coming year.

Many of my high school experiences have made me think and wonder about the mentality of my generation.

It has the proverbial elephant in the room of life.

Mayor Malcolm Duncan Jr. told the Waco Tribune-Herald that there may be more animals euthanized at first as the city and the society go through “learning curves.” How many animals have to die for your “learning curve?” Dozens? Hundreds?

Not only will animals die, but people will also lose their jobs.

After two viewings of “2016: Obama’s America”, the new film by Dinesh D’Souza, I want to summarize and offer my thoughts to those of you who either don’t have time to watch or are unable to (the movie is not offered in all theaters).

I am a firm believer that education happens just as much outside of the classroom as it happens within a classroom.

In college, the average student spends probably three to four hours in class a day. That leaves 20 hours a day where we’re left to our own devices.

Of course we have to eat, sleep and study, but those 20 or so hours also include the amount of time we spend on extracurriculars.

Bill Clinton delivered a 48-minute stemwinder to the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night that was so mesmerizing even Republicans praised it. But after the huzzahs for Clinton fade, save a little nod of affirmation for Sister Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK, a Roman Catholic social justice group. She did not speak long — about seven minutes. Her delivery was not particularly powerful. But with the moral authority of her calling, she did something that has sorely needed doing for some weeks now.

First things first: I love my girlfriend.

But playing intramural ultimate Frisbee with her? I wasn’t totally convinced. In the mad scramble to meet the three-woman requirement for our “Boom Goes Da Dynamite” ultimate team, we found a quidditch player, an intramural referee and, yes, my girlfriend, who has never played ultimate Frisbee in her life.

On Tuesday, I received an email from my University Parks community leader, saying a girl in one of her classes noticed we are already finished with 21 percent of

the semester.

international students wandered onto Baylor’s campus for the very first time for their first class at their first American university.

And we thought freshman year was intimidating.

These 220 students are composed of abroad exchange students, graduate students and even freshmen embarking on their four years of an undergraduate experience in a new country. In a matter of 48 hours, these students were introduced to fried food, the word “y’all” and Texas heat.

The Baylor/SMU football game was a great start to the season. The excitement in the stadium began when the largest freshman class created a flood of yellow across the field. With 638 total yards of offense and a fumble recovery TD and two interceptions on defense, the Bears definitely showed that we are going to have another great year.

Behind the scenes, however, there was a different story.

Recently circulated by military organizations and conservative critics is the claim that President Barack Obama is seeking to “restrict military voting rights.”

As Republicans wrap up their convention activities in Tampa, Flo., Democrats converge on Charlotte, SC prepared to conduct official business of approving the party platform and nominating Barack Obama and Joe Biden for re-election.

For most students at Baylor, we have 126,227,704 seconds — or four years — in college.

Only 126,227,704 seconds to figure out exactly what we want to do and get the education so other people will let us do what we want to do.

That’s not very much time. We have to take X and Y and Z and ABCDEFG on top of that and that leaves very little time to really think about anything else.

Fellow students, I must admit that the second week of school has been painful, for many reasons, as I’m sure most of you will agree.

Not only has the excitement and spontaneity of summer become a fading star in our memories, the fall looms before us like a solemn mountain in the distance, threatening us with all the hazy unknowns in our futures.

August 29th, 2005.

On undeniably the darkest day in the rich history of the city of New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina absolutely destroyed the city, its coast and the surrounding area.

The city was filled with standing water of several feet for days, the storm surge reached twenty feet high and sustained winds exceeded 140 miles per hour.

People looted houses, martial law was in effect, businesses were closed, families were separated across miles of state lines, people died from both natural means and from violent ends.

Order was no where to be found.

“I never talk about politics or religion. They just make people angry.” This is a statement I have heard often around campus, usually while trying to discuss deeper issues with fellow students