Here begins a series of articles I previously published in my old online diary at www.easyjournal.com . I am only reprinting pieces of general interest, so don't worry about having to wade through my personal life. Here is an old humor piece I wrote for a composition class. Enjoy! 2.20.2003 // How to Save the World, Lose Five Pounds, and Become Certifiable (On a College-Student Budget) If you’re like many young people, you probably entered college expecting to find a sense...

**A not-too-old piece talking about some of my political leanings. In particular, it details how the two-party system we have now is depriving voters of their power, and offers one possible solution.** 5.3.2004 // Why I'm an Independent Posted at 4:05 PM I don't belong to any political party. Why is that? Well, the very short answer is that I don't like any political party out there, but that wouldn't be entirely correct. A slightly more correct answer is that I don't like the idea...

Freedom of the press is essential to a healthy democracy. It's a statement that might emit some "duhs" when I say it, but think over it. Why is freedom of the press so important? News sources--where we get our information. And absolutely vital, because if we don't know the issues, events, and candidates of our day, we cannot make an informed vote. News=Informed voters=healthy democracy. Why, then, does this noble institution drag us to such lows? When we seek information, we find no...

I'm not entirely sure what makes a person one or the other. You can be conservative and hate Bush. You can be liberal and in favor of the war on Iraq. You could be either one and be pro-life or pro-choice. Has anyone ever written anything on what makes you definitively conservative or liberal? Because both espouse change, just change in different directions. Arnold had his speech saying "you might be a Republican if..." with many points I agreed with--and many I didn't. Plenty of times I'...