An Open Letter to Burger King [by Leila Cohan]

  Dear Burger King,

As you probably don’t know, since we’re not exactly tight, I consider myself to be both a rather liberal feminist and someone who hates humorless liberals. As such, I am exceptionally worried by any suggestion that I might be over-sensitive. I'm willing to forgive a fair amount in the name of irony.

All that being said, I'm completely offended by your new ad. The commercial changes Helen Reddy's "I Am Woman" to "I Am Man" and talks about how the new Burger King sandwich is man food.

Tango [by Matthew Phillippe Michaud]
A dream awakens me to an ominous azure sky. Sumptuous clouds hop like potato sacks with invisible children in them. Then it hits me like a fist sized bee sting. Thwack! Thwack! My back numbs, my hands praise in a caught thief’s pose. Prostrated in the sky by the claws of formal reasoning. Blood runs from my wrists, hot it tastes the air, but it cools so quickly. Slowing as it blobs down to my elbows: Drip, drip. I can both think in English, French and gibberish; but, how is it that I can think black? Can I think in Japanese or Thai? I have always thought only in English and white. Yet here I am, chained to a tree. Whips slash at my back, a ground beef Jesus I imagine. A cringing slave to what? I hear the mumbles of a southern man calling me nigger and no good! Yet I see my feet and I can see that crusty crimson blood clings to pale white feet.

It's not my job to free tibet... [Essay by Skye Thomas]

 It's not my job to free tibet... I hate saying that. It feels so very wrong. It's not that I wouldn't like to help them. It's not that I am not appalled at what is happening over there. I have been wrestling with my guilty feelings lately. What have I done to make the world a better place? I started by taking inventory of the areas that I'd love to 'fix'. My to-do list looks like this: Free Tibet Heal the hole in the ozone layer Cure Cancer Save the endangered species Overhaul the public school system Raise my own kids Defend the gays and lesbians Teach people how to be happy Solve world hunger Find loving homes for the orphans Save the rainforest Rid the planet of pollution Implement a clean economical fuel system Design a quality inexpensive health care system End divorces and broken homes Clean out the political system Create world peace Find Atlantis and solve the mystery of the pyramids Scientifically prove somebody's religion is true Psychologically heal the inmates who want it End all superficial fakeness Save the children Stop racism Bring an end to lethargy Stop terrorism Save the coral reefs Change America's focus from being 'politically correct' to becoming 'spiritually correct' and I'm not talking about religion.

Hillary Clinton vs Condi Rice... Is the US ready for a woman president?
[Essay by Tanya Jonker-Bryce]

As Hillary Clinton moves her as-yet unofficial 2008 presidential campaign into higher gear over the coming months, this question will increasingly come to dominate our political discussions.

Trying On A New Lifestyle [Essay by Paul Babs]

The lure of riches in a foreign land, the potential of awesome new opportunities, dreams of what might be - all these sometimes entice people to immigrate to a different country. Being reunited with a loved one or just longing for adventure are also strong reasons for immigrating. Sometimes, rather than being drawn to a new country, one is pushed: religious persecution, starvation when the crops have failed, escaping unbearable family situations. Certainly wars, revolutions and political unrest have caused thousands to try to find a peaceful existence elsewhere. And decades ago, many were forced against their will to live in a new country as slaves or as prisoners.