The Wildcat comments on the weekend’s news

Murder in Moscow

One year ago yesterday, Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya was found dead in the elevator of her Moscow apartment building. Politkovskaya, widely known for her relentless coverage of Russian conflict in Chechnya and her outspoken criticism of Russian president Vladimir Putin, was gunned down in an assassination with all the hallmarks of a contract killing – and her widely publicized death was just one in a series of fishy murders of Russian journalists last year. Now, the independent newspaper for which she used to work – along with Russian prosecutors investigating her death – claim to have identified her killer. Unfortunately, it’s not enough merely to catch the gunman who pulled the trigger. Politkovskaya’s death was clearly ordered by powerful higher-ups who should be held accountable, but will likely go unnamed in the corrupt culture that pervades Russia today. Justice won’t be served until the shadowy authorities who set up her death are finally exposed.

Primping your paycheck

Up for a big promotion at work? Don’t bother perfecting your resume or preparing for the high stakes interview – if you want to succeed in business, go for a haircut and a manicure instead. According to a study recently published by a pair of economists at Elon University, extra time spent preening before work pays off. For men, an extra ten minutes of grooming time in the morning results in a 6 percent higher weekly wage, and although the grooming effect for women is less significant – a little over a one percent pay increase for an extra ten minutes in the powder room – there is still a positive correlation between primping and pay. What does the finding mean for modern society? As the researchers who authored the study conclude, “”perhaps the recent ‘metrosexual’ phenomenon is a rational response to market forces.”” So go to class with disheveled hair and week-old stubble while you still can – before it starts taking a toll on your wallet in the workforce.

Always low…emissions?

You know who you are – you’re eco-conscious and concerned about a coming climate calamity. You want someone to “”take action,”” but you just can’t bring yourself to give up cheap – but inefficient – incandescent bulbs. Now, the world’s largest retailer is poised to throw a wrench into your climate calculus. That’s right: Wal-Mart – the company viewed by many left-wingers as the embodiment of corporate evil – is going green. Using its massive market power to undercut competitors, the big-box chain is offering energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs at dirt-cheap prices. Despite Wal-Mart’s bad international rap, even ardent eco-warriors are impressed. In an article published Friday in the Christian Science Monitor, one Greenpeace director called Wal-Mart’s new green conscience “”pretty cool.”” We agree – there are plenty of complaints to be made about Wal-Mart, but making environmentally friendly products more accessible isn’t one of them.

Upending the appendix

For years, the appendix has been an outcast in the world of internal organs, relegated to obscurity as a useless tract of digestive tubing. But scientists now think the appendix may not be irrelevant after all. According to an article published in the Journal of Theoretical Biology, the human appendix may actually have evolved as a valuable germ bank for the human body. The digestive tract is filled with a complex balance of bacteria that help the body’s own biological processes. Nasty diseases can wipe out the bacteria and disrupt that balance – but the appendix offers a safe hiding place for bacteria that can replenish the digestive system in times of crisis. Unfortunately, most humans don’t need the appendix anymore, since bacteria are quickly replenished by the daily human contact in most modern societies. Looks like that troublesome little guy in your gut is actually a powerful reminder of human progress.

OPINIONS BOARD: Editorials are determined by the Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Allison Hornick, Sarah Keeler, Connor Mendenhall, Jeremiah Simmons, Justyn Dillingham and Allison Dumka.