A late look at guns on campuses

I know its a bit late to blog about this story, but I ran across a Loyolacentric article in the Gambit today regarding guns on campuses.  Louisiana House Resolution 199 proposed that Universities should no longer forbid the concealed carrying of weapons by licensed citizens.  This resolution was defeated and never became law, but it was contentious enough that Loyola University President Kevin Wildes, SJ took a public position on the matter (against).  

Apparently not all of Loyola was not in agreement with the President.  The article details the impending creation of a Students for Concealed Carry on Campus chapter at Loyola University with support from Dr. Walter Block.  Block was quoted in the article wondering why the pro-gun feminist voice was lacking from the discussion, stating that guns are a great equalizer in the physical differences between men and women and would decrease the number of sexual assaults on female students.  Dr. Marcus Kondkar pointed out that such a statement implies a fundamental misunderstanding of sexual assault on college campuses, as only 9% of sexual assault at Loyola occurred at the hands of a stranger.  

The article is a very interesting read indeed.

Lower your carbon footprint with factory farming?

Any casual environmentalist would tell you that local food is more sustainable than factory farmed food shipped from across the country.  And it makes sense - there's nothing eco-friendly about a soot-belching diesel semi blazing across the interstates of America.  

But is eating locally actually a less efficient and therefore more energy intensive activity than eating those delicious Chilean grapes in December?  

Art Carden of the austro-liberatrian Mises Institute thinks that is the case.  While Carden admits there are many reasons to eat locally, getting the lowest possible carbon footprint is not one of them.  He suggests that a more effective step in reducing ones carbon footprint would be to simply reduce consumption of meat and replace it with vegetables.  I couldn't agree more, Art.