Opinion

Recession? Turndown? Complete collapse? What should we call the current state of our economy? If it's not a depression, it sure is depressing. Chalmers Johnson, founder of the Japan Policy Research Institute and a former CIA analyst, has been saying for years that the United States has little to no national industry. The only thing that the U.S. currently has to offer the world, he claims, is war and the machines to make it. By that rubric, our current economic depression might not be as bad as we think. Since the bottom dropped out of the U.S. economy in October, every branch of the U.S. armed services has reported windfall recruitment surges. The economy is getting so bad, it seems, that the hells of Iraq and Afghanistan seem better than the purgatory of unemployment. It is boom times indeed for the wagers of war.

The debate on abortion can never yield a winner. Giving people the right to have an abortion never feels like a victory since it allows for the snuffing out of potential lives. Taking away the right to abortion is even less appealing because we attack rights pertaining to reproduction, a gift bestowed by evolution. Taking away the right to abortion also forces children into already overcrowded families and into the arms of parents who may do considerably more harm than good. Our new president is taking the best possible steps in terms of both his policies and the manner in which he is treating the issue.

Broke bankers; "refugee run" at Davos; black the new black, survey says; Blagojevich grasps at straws.

Illinois impeaches Blago; Neo-Nazis clean up highway in Kansas; Navy trains Flipper to hunt scuba-diving terrorists; all House Republicans vote against stimulus package (which passes anyways).

Almuni Warns that UC Board of Regents Proposal Harms Us All; Green That's Too Extreme: Failing to Understand Your Audience; Relationship Educator Finds Divorce Article Touching

President Barack Obama gave his first interview since he's taken office to Al-Arabiya, a Saudi news network on Jan. 26. There is no doubt that the move was both impressive and constructive. The old face of imperialism, which characterized the Bush administration, has left some hope for change in our relations with the Arab world. President Obama has kept some notable promises since he has taken oath, namely closing down the infamous Guantanamo Bay and meeting with the war cabinet to discuss the withdrawal of troops in Iraq by May 2010. He has made it clear that he'll hold the age-old mantra of "Peace in the Middle East" to his name.

Fox News scores douchebag of the week; United States to begin pursuing foreign policy involving actual diplomacy?

Boxer tries to cheat; internet entrepreneur writes bull castration memoir; internets fraudster gets off, 'cause of "the insanity"; UCSB archeology student discovers pygmy mammoth tusk.

We all get those pesky e-mails at the end of the quarter that remind us to fill out five different faculty evaluations for our professors and teaching assistants. And frankly, a lot of us don't. As a result, a great flurry of e-mails collect in our inbox, many rife with exclamation points reading, "Window Closing!" However, with a couple clicks of the delete button, we continue on our way with final papers and exams. For a moment, imagine that your professors anxiously await your feedback. They're not just pleasantly interested; they are twiddling their thumbs in excited anticipation to read what you write about them. Why, you might ask? Perhaps they are motivated by a personal desire to improve their teaching skills. Now, add the additional motivation of a $10,000 bonus...

Back-stabbing; conniving; manipulative; bitch: We all know the stereotypes of strong and successful women in the workplace. However, what if these so-called "ill-founded" images weren't really that off-point? As young girls in Girl Scouts and then as members of sororities in college, women are taught the importance of sisterhood, solidarity and friendship. Yet, many women in the workplace have been known to put aside these vital lessons in hopes of a pay raise or promotion. It is unfortunate that in the workplace, many women are known to sabotage rather than help fellow female co-workers get ahead.

While by no means a comprehensive list, here's an alternate list of things each and every one of you can do to resist the negative impact you have on our ecosystem. Incorporating these suggestions into your everyday life may be difficult, even painful, but it is possible and absolutely necessary for the survival of the planet and the plants, humans and non-humans inhabiting it.

Our Iraq War veterans face increased risks of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) without sufficient medical treatment. PTSD is a common but often overlooked illness in the United States today and is defined as a mental disorder caused by a disturbing psychological event. It is a debilitating condition that disrupts one's functioning in everyday life and is usually exhibited in war veterans who often wake up screaming from nightmares about combat 30 years after their service.