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Boo to the “birther” movement. On Wednesday, President Barack Obama released his long-form birth certificate for the nation to see. This move should have quelled the conspiracy theorists like Donald Trump, but they just keep going. Obama, who is sometimes a little too rational for the American public, released the birth certificate because he is tired of this issue distracting from the real problems facing our country, and in anticipation of the emerging Republican candidates for 2012. Another disappointing aspect of this story is how much the media perpetuates it. Due to its significance, we have to address it, but we refuse to give it more than this paragraph.

Bravo to environmental engineering professor Bruce Rittmann for winning the Environmental Engineering Excellence Award from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. Next week he will travel to Washington, D.C., to accept this award. This prestigious honor is certainly deserved — Rittman invented a device called the hydrogen-based membrane biofilm reactor. It can remove harmful chemicals like nitrate, perchlorate, selenate, chromate and trichloroethene from drinking water. These chemicals are toxic — perchlorate is found in rocket fuel — but Rittmann’s invention has incredible implications in making the world’s water safer to drink.

Boo to the tornadoes that have ravaged the South. The death toll was near 300 by the time this issue went to the press. Of those deaths, 196 were in Alabama, the state hit hardest by the storm. Tennessee, Texas, Mississippi, Virginia and Kentucky were also hit. Thousands were left homeless and entire towns were left in ruin. The nation must respond with love, compassion and hospitality. Our fellow citizens are displaced and grieving. Should you have the chance to volunteer or help out those in the South, pay it forward.

Bravo to the last full week of school. Right now our lives include too many cups of coffee, essays that we should have started weeks ago and exams that somehow crept up on us (even though they were on the syllabus). In a few short days though, things will subside as we slowly but surely wrap up the school year. Remember that as you try not to lose your mind studying for finals and writing your final papers. And to all those seniors graduating — you made it. Congratulations and we wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Boo to Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s veto of a bill that would have made every centennial of Arizona a paid holiday for government employees. The bill would have only made this paid holiday effective every hundred years. We understand that she doesn’t want government employees to be seen as having special treatment, but let’s be honest. It’s not every day a state turns 100 years old. It would behoove Brewer to make Feb. 14, 2012 — the state’s hundredth birthday — a day special in another way if this bill isn’t good enough.

 

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