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?
Uniting Eco-efforts
by: Kristina Koenig - printed on 02-20-2002
No college campus is perfect from the idealistic perspective of an environmentalist. Everyday, cans and paper are thrown away instead of recycled; paper products are used in excess; people rarely use double-sided printing; annual food waste from campus food services may be enough to feed some small 3rd world countries; faucets and showerheads leak and sidewalks are watered in a way that makes water seem like a endless resource; faulty heating systems create unnecessary wintertime saunas; lights and computers are left on 24 hrs/day; harsh cleaning chemicals and fertilizers are used and fed to our rivers; heavy machinery is used for building and landscaping; students drive across the street to school; non-native species are planted for aesthetic purposes ? the list could go on forever.
Bringing Democracy to the land of Mao
by: Christy Scheuer - printed on 11-28-2001
Dr. Jianli Yang, who spoke at the University of Portland on Thursday, November 15, has been officially charged as a traitor by the Chinese government. In 1989, Dr. Yang helped to lead the Chinese democracy movement, which culminated in the student rally in Tiananmen Square in which 30 students were killed for speaking out against communism in China. Consequently, he was exiled and placed on a list of 49 dissidents who are strictly forbidden to return to China.
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.
Americans packin' heat
by: Jason Talbot - printed on 04-24-2002
Dear Uncle Sam: I am writing in regards to the war being fought against terrorism. My wish is for you, the federal government, to let me help protect our country from other acts of hatred. The protection I need may only be secured through armament. For this reason, each and every American citizen should be sent a gun through the mail as soon as possible. That's right, the American public needs to pack some heat.
Chimpanzees and compassion
by: Christy Scheuer - printed on 09-26-2001
Jane Goodall, the famous Chimpanzee reseacher and founder of the “Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education and Conservation,” was in New York when two planes flew into the World Trade Center.
So when Goodall stood up to lecture at the University of Portland on Saturday, September 22, she spoke not only of love and concern for her chimpanzees, but of her compassion for the human species as well.
Chain reactions will ripple the economy
by: Mono Vergara - printed on 09-26-2001
In a few minutes, hopes and dreams collapsed; with them, many years of prosperity and confidence were buried under the rubble. It was a decade in which foreign trade almost doubled, creation and development were increasing in an unstoppable manner, and the economy was lying with great comfort. Then, right after the attack many factories and shops closed, companies were forced to cut personnel, and consumer’s confidence suddenly crashed.