Time magazine’s cover art doesn’t warrant backlash


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Students will be America’s tomorrow. Today’s education system is failing them. Fortunately, the poor quality of teaching in California is about be a thing of the past. According to last week’s edition of Time magazine, Judge Rolf M. Treu took down California laws governing teaching tenure and other job protections that are more than 50 […]

White House strikes a low blow with Netanyahu insult


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These days, it’s no secret that U.S-Israeli relations are on thin ice. Yet, as strained as the situation might be,​ ​tension doesn’t make ​name-calling​ ​appropriate. Several government officials don’t seem to understand that. Published last Tuesday, a column by The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg revealed that the White House is privately making negative remarks about Israeli […]

“Chickensh-t-Gate” highlights need for more U.S. leadership


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The thing about Bibi is, he’s a chickensh-t.” These were the words The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg attributed to an anonymous senior Obama administration official, made in reference to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, often called Bibi. This inflammatory statement triggered strong reactions from both U.S. and Israeli officials, with many dubbing the incident “Chickensh-t-Gate.” “The […]

Toys “R” Us unfairly targeted Breaking Bad


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On Oct. 21, Toys “R” Us decided to pull Breaking Bad merchandise indefinitely from their shelves amid complaints regarding their appropriateness for children. The toy figures reflect characters from the acclaimed AMC show that revolves around a meth-cooking chemistry teacher, Walter White, and his sidekick, Jesse Pinkman. The decidedly kid-unfriendly nature surrounding these figurines incited […]

Rocket explosion should spark dialogue on role of space exploration


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On Tuesday, the unmanned Antares rocket, built by private firm Orbital Sciences, exploded after lift-off in Virginia. The explosion is the first NASA-contracted accident since the agency cancelled its Space Shuttle Program and turned to the private sector for missions that include ferrying cargo to space stations. It launches into the public discourse the stability […]

Ebola hype fosters the dangers of both panic and desensitization


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For anyone who likes science fiction stories, Hollywood films such as Contagion are always riveting. In such films, the world panics as a deadly virus begins killing millions of people, slowly bringing devastation to the world. The outbreak of Ebola within the United States has drawn quite a parallel to storylines like this. Though the […]

Hong Kong student protesters should retreat from the streets


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Today marks one month since the pro-democracy protests erupted on the crowded streets of Hong Kong. Though Sunday’s cancellation of a referendum for protesters underscores the caution put into each step going forward, it also draws attention to cracks of division  forming within the pro-democracy forces. Without a clear leader, the movement has a spontaneous, […]

Pro-democracy movement needs to first regroup, then fight on


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For the past month, thousands of demonstrators have gathered in the streets of Hong Kong in protest of China’s decision to have an appointed committee screen candidates for the semiautonomous city’s elections in lieu of transparent universal suffrage. The leaders of the movement — dubbed the Umbrella Revolution by some — announced Sunday that they […]

Royals’ underdog hype needs reexamination


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It was 1985 when the Kansas City Royals last went to the World Series. Nylon spandex, mullets and David Hasselhoff were all the rage. Cell phones were the size of my face. Now, almost three decades later, the Royals have entered the World Series arena once again. USA Today called their success remarkable. Their journey […]