Musical theater deserves due credit

I secretly like musicals.Probably shouldn’t have said that, right? Whenever I tell people, they give me looks like I’ve just told them I’m in a Nickelback tribute band or have just expressed an interest in naked ice skating. Musician friends of mine shake their heads and judge me. It’s not real art, they say. And furthermore, it’s kind of embarrassing.

Cartoon for Nov. 10

Every squash and turkey has a story

Everything we eat has its own story. By the time you take your first bite of squash casserole this Thanksgiving, the squash has developed a story of its own. The same goes for the turkey, the stuffing, and, yes, the cranberry dressing from the jar.

Parade was enjoyable, but lacked student attendance necessary to make it classic Homecoming event

Student Body President Jasmin Jones’ efforts to revitalize the Homecoming parade focused on the concept of making students more active in the celebration of Homecoming.But this vision failed to materialize Saturday morning. Few students made their way to Franklin Street to observe the parade.

No direction home: Building affordable housing for UNC faculty and staff should be a priority for the University

Faculty and staff members deserve an affordable place of their own near UNC’s campus. An ongoing housing study has identified four locations that the University could build or revamp into houses within the next few years: Odum Village, University Square, Carolina Commons and Carolina North.

Share the tuition burden: Graduate senate should vote to support equal tuition increases for in- and out-of-state students

The tuition and fee advisory task force should encourage UNC administrators to vote for equal tuition increases for all graduate students instead of placing the entire burden on out-of-state students.

Students not so artful: CUAB and student artists should do a better job to ensure that gallery exhibit doesn’t leave wall bare again

Citing complaints from student artists about a lack of space to show their work on campus, the Carolina Union Activities Board’s art gallery committee decided to showcase student artwork in the Union gallery this semester. But when the time actually came for students to submit pieces for the gallery, only 10 sent anything in to be displayed.

Bridge the divide: Close race means mayor-elect Kleinschmidt should work with Czajkowski-oriented business community

 The race is over. The election is won, and now it’s time for us as a town to come together behind mayor-elect Mark Kleinschmidt.That being said, it’s important that Kleinschmidt realize he’s dealing with a divided electorate — two groups that have distinctly different visions for Chapel Hill’s economic future.

Getting crushed by a crush can help

Do you remember your first crush?I had a late-night talk with a friend of mine earlier this week on how to deal with her unwanted suitor. It was the usual story of a boy’s mindless love taps and the girl’s flat-out rejection.I used the opportunity to tell her and a few of her friends about my theories on infatuations and why men and women act the way they do.

Stores harm town’s image

Earlier this year, Chapel Hill was named the most livable small city in the country by the United States Conference of Mayors.Free public transit, a sustainable environment and local businesses all contribute to Chapel Hill’s small-town atmosphere and make it a great place to live. They make Chapel Hill unique.

Sales tax revenue needed

Chapel Hill is undoubtedly a charming place to live. Although it is not far from Durham and Raleigh, Chapel Hill has maintained its small town atmosphere, making it an appealing place to go to school or raise a family. But some residents believe that preserving the town’s charm means rejecting the presence of “big-box” stores like Wal-Mart and Target, and this rejection comes with a price.

Facebook presents perils in job search

I had a Facebook identity crisis last week.After submitting my application for a competitive post-graduate opportunity, I decided it might be a good idea to deactivate my Facebook account.

Billions at stake in ‘biologic’ medicines

Expensive medicines can make lifesaving treatments unaffordable. We allow drug companies to sell at monopoly-level prices to help them recoup investment, but these high prices come at the expense of our welfare. Fortunately for traditional drugs, generic competition can quickly and dramatically reduce prices after the monopoly protection provided by patents expires.

Cartoon for Nov. 5

QuickHits for Nov. 5

Tree fallingThumbs downA large oak tree fell on campus, inflicting minor injuries on two people. This incident answers the age-old question: If a tree falls on a college campus, does it make a sound?FloatsThumbs up

Chapel Hill Town Council should appoint Matt Pohlman to vacant seat to ensure democratic process

The election has made it clear: Matt Pohlman deserves to be appointed to Bill Strom’s former seat on the Town Council. In Thursday’s election, Pohlman finished fifth. He was just 201 votes behind Gene Pease. The two garnered 12.93 percent and 13.65 percent of the support, respectively.

Students should have say: Student Congress should pass bill allowing students to weigh in on UNC-CH’s ASG involvement

With the help of Student Congress, students might finally get to vote on UNC-Chapel Hill’s continued participation in the Association of Student Governments.A bill making its way through Congress right now would provide for a special referendum on ASG to be held Dec. 2.

Out-of-state, out of mind

Students should demand a fair, proportionate tuition increase for all students at the next tuition and fee advisory task force meeting Nov. 11.The N.C. General Assembly has mandated in-state tuition rise by only $200, or 5.2 percent. But under the most recent plan, out-of-state students would be subject to a 6.5 percent increase — $1,414.30 for the next school year.

Assault on Democracy: High number of appointed legislators a problem

The N.C. General Assembly must change current election law to uphold the democratic values to which it is sworn to protect.Of the 170 state legislators currently serving in the General Assembly, 31 were originally appointed by party leaders, not elected by their constituencies.

Safety matters more

Every Halloween, the town of Chapel Hill seems possessed by a single statistic — the size of the crowd on Franklin Street. But this is the wrong metric for measuring the success or failure of the tradition. So here is an alternative proposal: Forget about the size of the crowd. Instead, focus on its safety and the conduct of its participants.