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Opinion

 

Season's greetings and what Picturesque shows us about Rapidians so far

Submitted 12-21-2010 under OPINION

It's been half a week since Picturesque went up, and we've gotten over 30 submissions in the meantime. A few things that are coming across in the photos: Even in the winter, Grand Rapidians feel a strong connection to the lake. When I tell folks I...

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$446 million Michigan taxpayer dollars to teen pregnancy each year

Submitted 12-16-2010 under OPINION

In the United States, statistics about teenage sexual activity are staggering. A study in Vital and Health Statistics by Abma, et. al., shows that by age 15, 13% of girls and 15% of boys have engaged in sexual intercourse, and by 18, nearly 60% of...

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A picturesque show-and-tell: What do you like about West Michigan winters?

Submitted 12-14-2010 under OPINION

From The Rapidian staff: Snow banks. Rust. Black ice and endless gray. The grumbling has commenced, so let's mix it up. Fellow Rapidians, what do you love about West Michigan winters? This Thursday, Dec. 16, is the start of The Rapidian's first...

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Taking a closer look at homelessness

Submitted 12-09-2010 under OPINION

In Grand Rapids, more than 5,000 people are considered homeless, half of whom are part of homeless families. Homelessness is a problem that stems from multiple causes including job loss, jail time, being released from foster care with nowhere...

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It Is Fine, Everything Is Fine! Actor/Director Crispin Glover speaks, performs, screens films at UICA

Submitted 12-08-2010 under OPINION

I had not heard of Crispin Glover until 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon. Since listening as he read his books at a slideshow live at Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (UICA - 41 Sheldon SE), I have watched countless YouTube videos, trailers to...

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Pollution in the Grand River

Submitted 12-07-2010 under OPINION

"Filthy water cannot be washed."    - African Proverb If you’re familiar with downtown Grand Rapids, you’ve likely been exposed to the deteriorating quality of the Grand River. Poor water quality prevents people from fully...

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[REVIEW] The Bad Plus at Royce Auditorium

Submitted 12-04-2010 under OPINION

The avant-garde trio The Bad Plus (Ethan Iverson, piano; Reid Anderson, bass; Dave King, drums) opened their set at St. Cecilia's Royce Auditorium Thursday night with Igor Stravinsky’s “Apollo” and encored to enthusiastic...

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The Urban Shopping Experience

Submitted 12-03-2010 under OPINION

Downtown retail is an indicator of a healthy city. The suburban ethos of the 50s and 60s left Grand Rapids, like many other cities, with deteriorated business cores that were primarily only used as commuter office spaces on a nine to five schedule....

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Apparently, Rapidians are Sticky

Submitted 11-30-2010 under OPINION

From The Rapidian staff: The Rapidian is an open platform where the community self-selects the news and information to be shared and reported. The original intent was to increase community engagement and encourage connections in the community. The...

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Don't go mental?

Submitted 11-26-2010 under OPINION

I was reading an article a while back which reminded me that many members of the general public have little knowledge of what psychiatric conditions are really all about. At least many people are not sensitive to the very real pain associated with...

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