Perspectives
Fix our bridges already
The four-lane Interstate 5 bridge over the Skagit River near Seattle seemed to be in good shape for a 58-year-old structure. Inspected as recently as last November, it wasn’t even on the list of bridges judged “structurally deficient.” Yet in May, it suddenly ...
The silent jobless
Jobs are slowly coming back, but that’s small comfort to more than 13 million Americans who remain unemployed. For every current job opening, four people are still looking for a job. Many others have given up even trying to find work...
Harry Potter explores life’s big questions
Parents who take their children to see the Harry Potter films enjoy a fun family night. But unless they dig deeper into the stories, parents miss a great opportunity to explore life’s biggest issues with their children...
FCC breaks Obama’s promise on net neutrality
On Dec. 21, the FCC passed new rules — written by corporations — that will end net neutrality. For the first time in history, the U.S. government approved corporate censorship of the Internet, putting the future of online free speech at risk. Unbelievably, the person...
A Super Bowl ad we can do without
Today, there are few corners of our communal life untouched by rancorous political division...
The secret history of Boulder’s socialist book store
American young people (or those aged 18 to 29) have a more positive attitude toward socialism than to capitalism, according to a recent Pew poll. We are in the middle of “an era of tumult and protest” against global capitalism in the U.S. and abroad, argues ...
Winds of change in the Middle East
On Feb. 11, 1979, Islamic revolutionaries took power in Tehran. On Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden and his al- Qaida terrorists launched their attacks on New York and Washington, killing nearly 3,000 Americans. On Feb. 11, 2011, Hosni Mubarak resigned as president of...
Renewable energy threatens big utilities
Solar power and other renewable energy technologies may destroy U.S. investor-owned utilities...
Walmart is still bad for the planet
In May, Walmart was hit with $110 million in environmental fines after pleading guilty to improperly dumping pesticides, fertilizer and other hazardous materials into public sewers and landfills. The Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section said that it was ...
Washington must prioritize jobs, not cuts
This is a dangerous time. In Washington, the country’s Richie Riches are stirring up a panic about a so-called “fiscal cliff.” If they succeed, we’ll get a “grand bargain” that will give them millions in corporate welfare while America’s meager “social safety net” is...