Opinion

A common argument that people who oppose nationalizing health care make is that they should not hold the burden for other people’s mistakes, such as their own self-inflicted addiction to nicotine or inability to exercise and eat healthy. And although this argument is rational and valid, it does not mean that those with health problems should have to pay a significant more amount than a “healthy” person.

Letter to the campus community from Federated University Police Officers Association (FUPOA)

Fueled by an Occupy Davis rally Tuesday, Nov. 15 that drew approximately 2,000 protesters, students at UC Davis shifted their focus to occupying campus buildings. After being foisted out of their one-night stint in Mrak Hall, UCD protesters regrouped Thursday night, setting up camp in the Quad in protest of the 81 percent four-year fee hike. The news of what happened next has been splashed across front pages, covered by national news outlets, editorialized on our Facebook newsfeeds, retweeted, reblogged and viewed on YouTube millions of times.

Thomas Hobbes is the essential creator of the social contract: the idea that each individual gives up a significant amount of freedom to a greater entity in order to receive security and benefits that alone one individual can not receive. The Supreme Court recently heard oral arguments about whether the Fourth Amendment was violated when a police officer attached an electronic tracking device onto a suspect’s car without a warrant.

“If you want peace, prepare for war.” This Latin phrase sums up Mitt Romney’s plan for halting Iran’s nuclear program. Although it reeks of the typical American machismo response to foreigners, there lingers a scent of pompousness.

“Love the game no matter what.” This is the slogan that the Jordan brand has decided to go with for its latest ad campaign. Its new commercials depict a trio of superstars balling it up in a variety of locales — at a local pickup game, a retirement home and even a park in Beijing.

It’s really no surprise that, yet again, the University of California, Berkeley (Cal) is at the heart of some political controversy. This time is different though. Instead of this ruckus being about students protesting budget cuts, carbon emissions or how many types of granola are available at the cafeteria, it was actually the Cal police who were at the center of this uproar.

“We are the 99 percent,” they cry — the mother of four, the husband working multiple jobs, the college grad crippled in debt. They cry of financial hardship, of how they live from paycheck to paycheck, barely scrapping out a living of long hours and meager wages. They cry of injustice, how the richest 1 percent of America is currently in possession of approximately 40 percent of the nation’s collective wealth — an influence that they then allegedly abuse and exploit to their benefit.

Facebook’s importance in the day-to-day lives of millions of people is no trifling matter. Although there are numerous other social networking and media sharing sites, Facebook occupies a singular place in the Internet’s collective imagination. Twitter, WordPress, Youtube, Flickr, Blogger and other social networking and media tools are all open for anyone to use, but they each occupy a specific place and serve specialized functions.

As a teenager, and especially as a college student, I don’t think I’m alone in having a one-track mind that travels directly to food. Whether I’m cramming for midterms, hanging out late at night, waiting to go home or waking up late for class, food is constantly in the back of my mind — or at the forefront.

Let me start out by saying that it’s very rare of me to support “big government’s” laws forced on the little guy. Legislation telling me how much of a tax I should pay, or how much carbon my car can poison the Earth with, or what drugs I can and can’t use for my mild insomnia are not my favorite.

The United States is known for its generally apathetic electorate and low voter turnout. Compared to other democracies, we just don’t seem to care all that much about self-governance. To counteract this, some advocate compulsory voting.