Schools must be wary of Internet expansion


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In the year 2000, a classroom computer was a luxury in my kindergarten class. Yet today as a college student, I feel like the odd one out if I don’t have my laptop out to surf the web in class. Computer technology and Internet access have grown considerably since the advent of the World Wide […]

Super Bowl commercials distract from game


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Though most people use commercial time to refill snacks or browse Instagram, I become mesmerized by the clever catchphrases and celebrity appearances. My affinity for commercials is capitalism at its finest. But I’m not ashamed of it. I wouldn’t have found out about Pillow Pets from anywhere else.   As I type this, Super Bowl […]

Government should support 9/11 museum


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The National September 11 Memorial & Museum revealed last week that the museum would be asking for a $24 admission fee, according to CNN. But those who have resorted to blaming the museum for the high cost are holding the wrong people accountable. The ticket price was set and approved by the memorial’s board of […]

Sept. 11 museum ticket price must be reduced


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September 11, a day of loss and remembrance for Americans everywhere, should never be associated with a price tag. Yet the National September 11 Memorial & Museum has managed to do just that.   Last Friday, to the ire of many critics, the organization set a $24 mandatory admission fee on the 9/11 Museum, according […]

State of the Union must outline achievable goals


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As Winston Churchill once said, “A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year and to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen.” President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address was, as expected, characterized by ambitious proposals. Some of President […]

Schools should enforce lockdown safety drills


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When I was young, my elementary school had an annual fire drill. When my parents were in elementary school, they participated in Cold War-era duck-and-cover drills to protect themselves from atomic bomb threats. Today, proposed legislation in states throughout the nation could have K-12 children performing annual lockdown drills. Such drills, however bold they might […]

Award shows should not determine what is ‘best’


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Never mind college basketball — the new year marks awards show season. During past awards seasons, I’d fill out my brackets for best actor, actress, songstress and television show hopefuls. It would be a year long study of the material and Metacritic statistics filled with disappointments and career resurges affecting my predictions. The best strategy? […]

Society shouldn’t shun the term ‘feminism’


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Like most 19-year-old girls, there’s one individual on this planet who I find more groundbreaking than sliced bread and more mesmerizing than puppies during finals week: Beyoncé. In fact, as I pound away at my keyboard in the early hours of the morning, whipping out my introductory column, it’s Queen Bey who’s blaring through my […]

NSA proposals need greater public debate


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Last Friday, President Obama delivered a widely publicized   speech on NSA reform, according to the Los Angeles Times. Though the proposed ways to swiftly revamp the intelligence agency are, in principle, a positive step toward transparency, few offer truly workable, effective solutions. In moving forward, conversation should be opened to public debate. Under Section […]

NSA reform is a step in the right direction


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For many critics of the National Security Agency, President Barack Obama’s speech last week which unveiled new reforms to the government surveillance program, was likely disappointing. Though not without shortfalls, however, these proposed reforms should be seen as a much needed step in the right direction. In wake of the storm of privacy rights concerns […]