Opinion

Opinion - Topics from January, 2018

The overview effect

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in Opinion

Wednesday, January 24. 2018

By Mike Ruffin

We’ve lost three astronauts in recent months.

Paul Weitz died on October 22, 2017. He piloted Skylab II, which was the first manned mission to America’s first space station, in 1973. He was also the pilot for the first flight of the space shuttle Challenger in 1983.

Richard Gordon died on November 6, 2017. He walked in space twice while orbiting Earth on Gemini 11. As Apollo 12’s command module pilot, he circled the moon while the other two astronauts landed on and traversed its surface. [Full Story »]

The Bulldogs are back!

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Walter Geiger

in Opinion

Thursday, January 18. 2018

By Walter Geiger

I have consciously refrained from writing about UGA football this year because, after the fast start, I did not want to jinx them. Now, after close observation of the 13-2 season that ended in overtime in the national title game, I can tell you for certain that the Bulldogs are back.

Under former coach Mark Richt, the Dogs teased. They were up and down. Richt never put a premium on recruiting linemen, particularly offensive lineman, and, as a result, his teams could be counted on to wet the bed against an inferior opponent at least once a year.

Going into big games, I just assumed Richt’s teams would lose and was happily surprised if we did not. Richt has been thoroughly exorcized from the program now and, after its second season under new coach Kirby Smart, that program is ascendant.

[Full Story »]

Like a rose

Posted by

Walter Geiger

in Opinion

Wednesday, January 10. 2018

By Mike Ruffin

Early in the morning of June 17, 1972, police arrested a group of men who had broken into the offices of the Democratic National Committee in Washington, D.C. Thus began the scandal that became known by the name of the building that housed those offices: the Watergate.

I was just shy of 14 years old when the break-in occurred. In 1973, I got to participate in a week-long government studies program in Washington. A leader of the program suggested that we subscribe to some national news magazines. I did. Before long, I was obsessed with Watergate. I read everything I could about it. I even bought a record called The Watergate Comedy Hour (featuring Jack Burns, Avery Schreiber and Fannie Flagg, among others), some of which was funny. [Full Story »]