Column

A 40-year debate comes to a close, but there’s still hope drilling will be stopped I wish I had a funny anecdote to make talking about oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge less depressing. I don’t. The tax bill has been approved, along with one of the saddest provisions to affect the environment […]

Stringent visa policies harm the average citizen more than we realize Let it be known that travel visas are a nuisance. Sure, they mark passports in exotic hues of purple, green and red like trophies in your own personal case. To some, indeed, a chalked-up passport is the ultimate beacon of globetrotting success. Yet visas […]

How parenting styles affect us as students — and why we don’t need to be subjected to them Many of us have read Amy Chua’s provocative Wall Street Journal article “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior.” Chua was the original Tiger Mom — fearlessly describing what was a hidden reality for many students. On this campus, […]

In male-dominated professions, women confront a culture where they’re devalued and discouraged When I was a 7-year-old girl, I unwillingly held tightly to the impractical Barbies that oblivious family friends bestowed upon me, while I watched in envy as the 7-year-old boys were given building sets and scientific experiment sets. When I was a 15-year-old […]

Only by keeping an aura of fairness can journalism reclaim its former glory President Donald Trump announced on Dec. 6 that the U.S. would officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and relocate its embassy to reflect the change in policy. Although hardly shocking — indeed, the last several American presidents made campaign statements supporting Israel’s […]

Men remain silent on their mental health due to lack of resources Mental illness can affect anyone regardless of age, race, socioeconomic status or background. It doesn’t strongly target one group over another, making every case equally important. However, it’s easy to recognize that there are groups that don’t get the same amount of attention […]

Migrating cranes turn to farmlands and preserves to make up for wetland loss in the Central Valley The Sandhill cranes start out as black strands on the horizon — just silhouettes against a hazy pink sky. They drift down into the flooded fields at sunset with their feet below them, like parachutists. They stand in […]

I almost took the path to Trump. Here’s how — and what stopped me. I almost voted for Donald Trump. Not in the physical, cast-your-ballot sense. I proudly cast my real vote for Hillary Clinton on that fateful November day last year. Following her election loss, I was angry at my neighbors for voting Trump […]

Movies must avoid glorifying war and instead show the damage they do to humanity Twelve years ago, I stumbled upon the movie “Saving Private Ryan” on television and figured that I could watch it. It seems rather bad for an 8 year old to watch people get their legs blown off. But since I liked […]

We’re headed for trouble unless we can overcome cynicism and learn to work together It’s like a bad episode of “Intervention”: 16,000 scientists from 184 countries issued a second “warning to humanity” earlier this month, exposing the consequences of the world’s dependence on pollution-causing industries and hoping that we’ll see through years of denial and […]

Nonprofits help those who struggle with mental health feel less alone It’s easy to feel alone while struggling with mental health. On one hand, the feeling of being alone is better than being surrounded with people because no one wants to negatively impact another’s positive mood. But on the other hand, being alone is not […]

Hobby, political groups seem a lousy replacement. Or are they? Of all the intellectual topics thrown around the dinner table or coffee shop, religion is one of the most compelling. Everyone speaks political language these days, and there’s nothing more cliche than opening a conversation — or a column — with a snark on Trump […]