THE TRIBUNE'S VIEW
Port ownership
By HENRY J. WATERS III, Publisher, Columbia Daily Tribune 
A company called Dubai Ports World has bought management rights from a British company at major U.S. seaports in Baltimore, Miami, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York and Philadelphia.

JOHN DARKOW CARTOON

OPEN COLUMN
Snyder was valued mentor, had a positive effect at MU
Editor, the Tribune: To Coach Quin Snyder: I am very sad to learn you have stepped down as our basketball coach. I know this has to be an incredibly difficult time for you and your family. Most of us cannot begin to imagine the enormous media and public pressure head coaches face on a day-to-day basis.

OPEN COLUMN
Darkow Muslim cartoon not reflective of our values
Editor, the Tribune: The Feb. 10 Tribune carried an editorial cartoon by John Darkow, commenting on international Muslim protests against the Danish caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. The Tribune’s cartoon is grossly offensive in its depiction of "Muslims" - a group of six turbaned men with bulbous noses, hairy lips, beady eyes and broken teeth. This stereotype is eerily similar to racist illustrations of Jews in German Nazi propaganda.

OPEN COLUMN
Uncovering bricks would make downtown inviting
Editor, the Tribune: Did you know that the old brick streets still exist in downtown Columbia? They are hidden underneath the asphalt throughout the entire district. Brick streets really add to a warm, unique feel and look to central downtown areas.

OPEN COLUMN
Snyder reign an expensive chapter in Mizzou history
Editor, the Tribune: OK, now that the University of Missouri-Columbia’s 39-year-old wunderkind basketball coach is headed for the exit, it would be instructive if someone would tally up just what his tenure at MU has cost Missouri taxpayers. No, I’m not even counting the embarrassment the university has suffered at the hands of particular players, coaches and related cover-ups: Just let us know how many millions the out-of-pocket cost has been these past seven years.

OPEN COLUMN
Criticism from Wineteer proves point on centrism
Editor, the Tribune: In his Feb. 4 response to my Jan 29. editorial titled "Claim common ground," Gary Wineteer proves my point: To those on the right, the center appears left. His failure to recognize my criticism mainly of liberals and Democrats exposes his own conservative bias.

Residents can act to preserve rural areas
By TOM VERNON
Not long ago, Columbia and Boone County residents expressed a strong interest in preserving the natural beauty and rural character of Boone County. This was clearly the most common sentiment expressed by participants in the 2000 Boone County Vision Project. Before that, a 1995 survey of 1,000 randomly selected city and county residents found that active preservation and controlled growth were favored by roughly a 2-to-1 margin.

City should court young professionals
By CARRIE GARTNER
Whenever I tell people that Columbia needs to attract more young singles, I get some odd looks. Don’t we already have plenty of young college students? True, but how many of our nearly 30,000 students actually remain here in Columbia? You could say that talented young people are Columbia’s No. 1 export.

Indoctrination of our youths must stop
By WALTER WILLIAMS
Let’s start off with a few quotations, then a question. In reference to President George W. Bush’s State of the Union: "Sounds a lot like the things Adolf Hitler used to say." "Bush is threatening the whole planet." The "U.S. wants to keep the world divided." Then the speaker asks, "Who is probably the most violent nation on the planet?" and shouts "The United States!"

Linking of teen sex, abuse is a crime
By ELLEN GOODMAN
Some years ago, Rolling Stone magazine published a survey on the attitudes of baby boomer parents. The gist of it was that the people who had gone through the sexual revolution did everything, regretted nothing and wanted their children to do none of it.

Downhillers share slopes with weenies
By DAVE BARRY
When you’re 47 years old, you sometimes hear a small voice inside you that says: "Just because you’ve reached middle age, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take on new challenges and seek new adventures. You get only one ride on this crazy carousel we call life, and by golly you should make the most of it!"

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