Kathy Dittrich - The Daily Cardinal

Lorenzo Zemella, Lorenzo Zemella

OPINION

Students drown in debt

By Kathy Dittrich | May. 4, 2010

It's that time of year again, when young recent college grads with little-to-no work experience are set loose, diplomas in hand, on the so-called ""real"" world where one's value is measured in salary digits and employment perks. Recent economic activity, according to those self-proclaimed experts in the ""science"" of the relationship between humans and money, suggests that things are looking brighter out there in the job market. American consumers are feeling more confident, loosening their purse strings and buying shit. And we all know there's nothing Americans love to do more than buy shit. And theoretically, the more shit Americans buy the more jobs there will be. Right?

Americans should be wary of radical rhetoric

Lorenzo Zemella, Lorenzo Zemella

OPINION

Americans should be wary of radical rhetoric

By Kathy Dittrich | Apr. 27, 2010

Socialist, Nazi, Muslim, terrorist, extremist, baby killer, tyrant, dictator, un-American... and that's just the beginning of a long list of hate-filled words used in political and public conversation when talking about the ""opponent."" There is a reason kids are taught not to use ""bad words."" It is because language does matter and word choice is important. In an era where the F-word has virtually lost all meaning to such an extent that it has become a member of our conversational lexicon, we need to take a step back and realize that the words we use are powerful, charged with meaning, and as such we need to think carefully about how we use them.

News

New Beer Thursday--Ale Asylum Bedlam IPA

By Kathy Dittrich and Sam Morgan | Apr. 20, 2010

Too often these days it seems flavorful beers are inevitably and gut-bustingly stodgy, making it difficult to enjoy more than one without feeling like it's Thanksgiving or Brat Fest. But just in time for summer, sunshine and gut-rot-free drinking, Ale Asylum has brewed up Bedlam IPA, a Trappist-style IPA that's easy to drink without sacrificing taste. Brewed in the Trappist monastic tradition dating back to the Middle Ages when beer ruled over water, Bedlam is both refreshing and full-flavored.

Arizona immigration legislation lacks reform

Lorenzo Zemella, Lorenzo Zemella

OPINION

Arizona immigration legislation lacks reform

By Kathy Dittrich | Apr. 19, 2010

Last Tuesday the Arizona House of Representatives approved anti-illegal-immigrant legislation that, pending approval of the state Senate and the signature of Governor Jan Brewer, will set the bar for immigration reform and the treatment of illegal immigrants nationwide. The legislation has been lambasted by a New York Times editorial for being ""mean-spirited,"" an editorial which went on to argue the legislation ""would do little to stop illegal immigration"" but would rather, ""lead to more racial profiling, hobble local law enforcement, and open government agencies to frivolous, politically driven lawsuits.""

OPINION

Ideas on sex must change

By Sam Karp and Kathy Dittrich | Apr. 13, 2010

April is Sexual Assault Awareness month, bringing needed attention to the issue. However, I don't think sexual assault is something we should be thinking about and fighting against just one month out of the year. As a nation, we need to be fighting against societal notions of gender and the violence pervasive in American culture that leads to sexual assault. Gone are the days when women were taught that sexual assault was confined to serial rapists in dark alleys. Today we know that the majority of sexual assault occurs between acquaintances in perceived ""safe"" locals. Sexual assault occurs in marriages and committed relationships. Women (and men) are battered and forced to have sex with someone who is supposed to love them.

Lorenzo Zemella, Lorenzo Zemella

OPINION

Library snag may mean opportunity

By Kathy Dittrich | Mar. 23, 2010

Plans for a new Central Library were altered last week when Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Fiore Companies called it quits over negotiations concerning construction of the new building downtown. But even the disappointed must be breathing a sigh of relief now that all the uncertainty surrounding the future of the Central Library is finally over. There is no more worrying to be done regarding the location or architecture of a building, the costs of a construction company or developer, or role of public works and the taxpayer's dollar. In fact, one could say that new life has been breathed into a project bogged down for two years with red tape and planning.

Video didn't kill the radio star, but Uncle Sam might

Lorenzo Zemella, Lorenzo Zemella

OPINION

Video didn't kill the radio star, but Uncle Sam might

By Kathy Dittrich | Mar. 15, 2010

The most recent chapter in the saga of radio royalties played out earlier his month when more than 400 broadcasters visited Washington D.C. and lobbied Capitol Hill in opposition to the Performance Rights Act. The PRA has passed both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees but has not yet been scheduled for a vote in either body.

News

New Beer Thursday--Rising Moon Spring Ale

By Ryan Dashek and Kathy Dittrich | Mar. 10, 2010

Blue Moon's spring seasonal Rising Moon has hit liquor store shelves in an attempt to capitalize on drinkers lured in by the beer's suggestion of winter's end, warmer weather and Terrace music. However, Rising Moon's emphasis on ""smooth and balanced taste"" results in a one-dimensional brew more suited for beerophiles requiring training wheels than the discerning micro-brew lover.

Lorenzo Zemella, Lorenzo Zemella

OPINION

Open classrooms to discussion

By Kathy Dittrich | Mar. 9, 2010

Our private lives and personal beliefs follow us everywhere we go. This includes the classroom. Students and teachers do not check their biases, preferences or opinions at the door; but too often such aspects of character are absent from our classrooms and our education.

Abortion opponents must stop underhanded tactics

Lorenzo Zemella, Lorenzo Zemella

OPINION

Abortion opponents must stop underhanded tactics

By Kathy Dittrich | Mar. 1, 2010

The release last week of undercover video footage taken by the group Live Action at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Wisconsin, which supposedly reveals a Planned Parenthood employee breaking a state law, has drawn attention again to the contemptible and derisory tactics of conservatives. This latest attack is one reminiscent of another on the antipoverty group ACORN last fall. These attacks on Planned Parenthood ignore the benefits of the organization's work and just contribute more vitriol to the debate.