Wise Monkey News is here to provide young people an opportunity to discuss the issues that affect their lives. We hope that, through your participation, this website serves as a forum for the development, exchange, and expression of ideas that will prepare us to assume our positions as the leaders of tomorrow's world. Have something to say?

The birth of a monkey

by: Eduardo Mono Vergara - printed on 04-25-2001

It was probably one of those Saturday afternoons, when Ryan and I used to try to solve the problems of the world with not much success. It was under the Chilean rain, navigating down south, were everything started. We wanted to integrate college students from all over the world and have a place for them to discuss issues that affect their lives. The idea did not sound that hard, but we were still in college and it was a project that was maybe going to take a few years.

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Monologues help women

by: Sruthi Mathews - printed on 09-25-2002

It was on a whim really. I had no idea. I wasn’t prepared for the depth of experience and truth which would resonate the theater walls on the day of auditions. Some of the women recalled the basic and occasionally humorous frustrations of simply belonging to the female gender— PAP smears, tampons, etc.—

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Importance of Gender

by: Kevin Damore - printed on 09-25-2002

When I was first asked to write a piece about gender issues for this fine publication I figured that it was about as good an idea as giving a four-year-old pyromaniac his first Bic lighter.

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The Death Penalty is state sponsored murder

by: Kawai Washburn - printed on 03-06-2002

What is justice?

Stop and think about it for a second, because it's a difficult question to answer. Often, what may seem fair, right and just to one person is nothing of the sort to another person. What is the appropriate response to a crime? Indentured slave labor in barren wastelands has been tried. Solitary confinement in a sensory deprivation cell is another alternative. Then, of course, there is always the option of just killing the criminal.

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Siesta Lessons

by: Brooke Anderson - printed on 02-28-2001

Siesta. A time to think, to reflect, to slow down, to relax . . . moreover, a time to simply breathe. When I first arrived in Spain, I wasn’t aware how deeply ingrained siestas were in the Spanish culture. I had heard the term before, but never considered it a practiced tradition in any country. I quickly learned that in the south of Spain, a siesta was not only a tradition, but a daily ritual. At exactly 2:00 every day, the stores pulled down their chain-link barriers, offering a sign that the siesta was approaching.

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What exactly is the meaning of the mystical word 'mantra'?

by: Kelly Maggi - printed on 10-24-2001

Since the debut of this column two months ago, readers have brought one question to me repeatedly: “What in the world is a mantra???” I hope that this will answer your question.

The Modern Mantra:

I use modern mantra in this column. A modern mantra consists of a simple phrase or a couple of words that are meant to help one get through the day or a particular situation. You probably already use these without knowing it.

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