British court values human rights over diplomacy


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Last week, the British court ruled in favor of releasing US intelligence documents on Guantanamo Bay torture cases, sparking an international uproar. Of course, there are the real-world issues of whether or not releasing the documents could compromise the “special relationship” that Britain enjoys with the United States. More important in this case, however, is […]

Many on fence for health care reform


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Growing up in largely Latino Southern Arizona directly exposed me to how a large portion of the population deals with their health care needs — they drive for 45 minutes down to south of the border to take advantage of less expensive health care and pharmaceuticals. Has American health care become so expensive that we […]

Letter to the UC student: Expect to pay more


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Dear prospective applicant of the University of California class of 2014, What do you want to be when you grow up? A successful businessman? Lawyer? An engineer perhaps? All solid choices, no doubt. But before you answer, you should know that your decision will have a huge impact on your time at any of the […]

Law too difficult to follow for Shriver


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When the California Senate passed a law banning cell phone use while driving, citizens all over the state agreed that this was a sensible and well-reasoned law — that no one would ever, ever follow. It’s like a law that forbids people from making bad eating choices. It’s good for us! It’s better for the […]

Letterman deserves more than wrist slap


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Once you’re a member of the Hollywood club (or the Washington club, for all intents and purposes), you automatically become a target for public scrutiny. In other words, people can rip apart your wardrobe, demand you go on a diet or place you in an imaginary couple without any of your say. If you’re walking […]

Demise of small banks an undervalued threat


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It wasn’t so long ago that Washington bailed out the largest banks in the United States, prompting a wave of criticism from many quarters. But today, the banking system is seeing the effects of non-intervention, which has allowed for the collapse of 100 small American banks in 2009 alone. With these developments, the small bank […]

28th Street closure could cause headaches


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To close or not to close? That is the question — or is it? Recently, Greek senators in the Undergraduate Student Government decided to re-examine a past proposal that would effectively close off 28th Street to automobile traffic, with the exception of Department of Public Safety vehicles and emergency transportation. The pitch for a blockade […]

Will people pay for what was free?


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Every Thursday afternoon, I return home from a mentally taxing hour-plus of political philosophy (Marx, anyone?), cozy up in my bed with my laptop, click on my bookmarked link to Hulu and watch the most recent episode of Glee. With this routine, I can get through even the darkest of weeks. Glee, no doubt the […]

Government tax on soft drinks gets canned


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We are fat. This is according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that reveals 63 percent of adult Americans have a body mass index in excess of 25.0, and are therefore overweight. And the fact that obesity in American children has tripled in the past 30 years. Or a […]

Do-it-yourself projects leave many dangling


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Ikea tapped into an incredible market when it decided to sell inexpensive, nice-looking furniture to anyone willing to assemble it and explain to their friends why their sofa is named “pëgfardj.” But Ikea furniture is a shortcut like any other, and what you get when you lug home a box of lumber pieces is a […]