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The student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School

The Rubicon

The student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School

The Rubicon

The student news of St. Paul Academy and Summit School

The Rubicon

Columnist Riley Wheaton bids farewell in his last column for The Observatory.

The Legacy of a Moment: Wheaton bids farewell

Riley Wheaton, Columnist June 6, 2016
Columnist Riley Wheaton explores the legacy of a moment in his final column for The Observatory.
Columnist Riley Wheaton answers the last questions of the suggestion box.

Anthology of Answers IV (The Mic Drop): We close the book box on suggestions

Riley Wheaton, Columnist June 1, 2016
Columnist Riley Wheaton's last installment of answers to the suggestion box.
The suggestions box is located outside the Deanery.

Anthology of Answers III: We do not shy away

Riley Wheaton, Columnist June 1, 2016
Columnist Riley Wheaton tackles the most difficult questions readers asked in the third installment of answers.
A trolley can either run over 5 people or 1 person if you pull a lever. What would you do?

The Responsibility to Do Good: How far would you go to make the world a better place?

Riley Wheaton, Columnist May 17, 2016
Columnist Riley Wheaton explores the trolley problem and absolutism vs. utilitarianism.
Today 55% of Americans pray daily and 79% pray at least occasionally according to a study by the Pew Research Center. In a nation of 300 million people those prayers must echo across the land but in so diverse a nation what form might those prayers take?

The Courage to Pray: National Day of Prayer is an opportunity for open-mindedness

Riley Wheaton, Columnist May 4, 2016
A national holiday devoted to faith: how do we handle National Prayer Day in a sensitive way?
As part of a promposal this year, an SPA senior constructed this 3D prop and sang.

The real truth about asking someone to a dance, with guest co-author Mary Grant

Riley Wheaton and Mary Grant April 27, 2016
Riley Wheaton answers a suggestion box entry, "How to ask a girl (or anyone) to a dance", with guest co-author Mary Grant.
Columnist Riley Wheaton answers suggestions from the suggestion box for his second installment of "Anthology of Answers".

Anthology of Answers II: The Answering

Riley Wheaton, Columnist April 19, 2016
Columnist Riley Wheaton returns to the suggestion box to discuss red hats, the high holy days, people museums, languages, and more. Read more to find out how to get candy from Riley Wheaton.
Lord claims that policies like affirmative action that divide by race promote racism. “There’s a reason we don’t pass out tampons to men and we don’t give erectile dysfunction medication to women," columnist Riley Wheaton said.

Are Democrats “the party of racism”?

Riley Wheaton, Columnist April 12, 2016
Jeffrey Lord, a former member of the Reagan administration and a political strategist argues that Democratic policies that target race make the
Stereotype threat is a psychological term used to describe a situation in which a person is aware of a negative stereotype attached to a group to which they belong and they behave differently because of their understanding of that stereotype.

Diversity: How to fight stereotype threat in our world and in ourselves

Riley Wheaton, Columnist April 6, 2016
Stereotype threat influences our actions and limits interactions. Diversity helps.
Pine cones have symbolized fertility, rejuvenation, and rebirth in ancient civilizations.

Pine Cone Unmasked: Observatory Readers Unravel the Mystery of the Giant Pine Cone

Riley Wheaton, Columnist March 29, 2016
Junior Phoebe Pannier weighs in on the giant pine cone.
The suggestions box is located outside the Deanery.

Anthology of Answers: Riley Responds to Slew of Suggestions

Riley Wheaton, Columnist February 16, 2016
A column about corn, pine cones, and butts
Iowa should no longer be first in the nation. Rather, Illinois should begin the nomination process since it is not a caucus state, about the right size population, demographically representative of the country, and often predicts winners.

(Part II) Caucus Kickoff: Please Not Iowa

Riley Wheaton, Columnist February 1, 2016
Iowa is far from the best choice for "first in the nation"for the nomination process. But who is?
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