Column

So long, farewell? Or is Maduro not the problem? Since National Assembly leader Juan Guaidó declared himself interim president of Venezuela last month, news of Venezuela’s escalating political and economic crisis has been difficult to avoid. While writing this piece, I attempted to avoid it for just a little while, choosing to rest my exhausted […]

Mounting student loans are pushing back the prospect of marriage There was a lot of talk about America’s improved economic status during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address last week, but curiously missing from the dialogue was one particular $1.5 trillion elephant in the room — student debt. Unsurprisingly, the ongoing student debt […]

Some Catholics, Native Americans and Black Hebrew Israelites walk onto the Mall… After video of what appeared to be a group of MAGA hat-wearing Catholic teens taunting a drum-playing Native American went viral, more videos emerged over the next few days that contradicted the original interpretation, presenting a clearer picture of the event. A wave […]

How the marriage of market capitalism with social progressivism trades the interests of the worker in favor of profit While it may have already fallen out of relevance in our ever-accelerating news cycle, Procter and Gamble Co.’s Gillette ad targeting so-called toxic masculinity stirred up yet another culture war frenzy last month. The commercial, praised […]

A populist progressive enters the presidential race You may have missed it among the many Democrats who declared their presidential bids this month, but Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has voiced her intention to run for the highest office in the land — and she may be the most interesting candidate yet. A young, charismatic woman […]

The reality of recruitment means everyone deserves a chance to serve It wasn’t long after my freshman year of high school that I developed a plan that’s exceedingly common for young men trying to figure themselves out: I would join the military. There would be no question because it runs in the family. My great-grandfather […]

Counterintuitively, plastic roads increase our dependence on single-use plastics As the global population increases, the production of plastic does as well, with an average increase of 8.4 percent per year. This has lead to an astonishing amount of garbage collected on land, along the coasts and in oceans — culminating into disasters like the Great […]

California has the worst air quality in the nation — mostly due to nitrogen oxide emissions Fertilizers for crops have been an achievement that has propelled society forward:  about half the population of Earth is currently fed by the innovation of crop fertilizers. But the magnitude of this tool also has its implications. Plants can […]

Why Carlin’s jokes work and why today’s PC police might crucify him regardless Benjamin Porter — bbporter@ucdavis.edu As one of my high school English teachers always said: “Technique is content.” For this reason, I think it’s essential for comedians to justify every stylistic choice they make. Too many comedians today are excessively profane, vulgar and […]

The withdrawal of American forces from Syria finally moves the U.S. away from its catastrophic military endeavors It’s time to give credit where credit is due. President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw American forces from Syria, in addition to halving the number present in Afghanistan, has largely been met with universal disdain from both sides […]

What “deaths of despair” can teach — and warn us — about America’s future When Kate O’Neill wrote her sister’s obituary in October 2018, she never imagined that it would generate nationwide attention. In fact, she never thought she would ever be writing one to begin with. Like so many other Americans, O’Neill’s sister, Madelyn […]

Texas’ Israel loyalty oath is a form of political coercion and a blatant attack on Americans’ right to freedom of speech In Texas, a state long heralded as a center of libertarian conservatism, free speech matters –– until you criticize the wrong country. Speech pathologist Bahia Amawi, an American citizen, has been employed by the Pflugerville […]