Opinion

February 12, 2013

A Student’s Call to Arms: Divest Now, Reap Mother Nature’s Rewards Later

By Eli Arata-Reshes

Following the example of those who protested the South African apartheid divestment campaign of the 1980s, students in the U.S. are advocating a nationwide divestment of university endowments in the fossil fuel industry....

February 11, 2013

Gaming with the Sergeant: You Too Can Respond to the Call of Duty

By Mark Signa

  Hello to everyone! I’m not sure how I feel about the fact my last article was one of my more complimented ones. I really must have hit a chord with the declaration that I am a jerk. Apparently a lot of you agree...

February 8, 2013

Dirty, Oily Money Students Voice Concerns Over Regents’ Environmentally Un-Savvy Investments

By Risa Jensen

Currently, the UC Board of Regents has hundreds of millions of dollars invested in the fossil fuel industry. Because these investments go against our UC value of sustainability and the efforts of students and staff to ma...

February 8, 2013

When In Doubt (Or When Global Warming Bears Its Fiery Teeth), Optimism Is Always A Cop-Out

By Ben Moss

U.S. News & World Report, a website I use primarily to scoff at universities ranked below UCSB, happened to run an article recently headlined, “Study: Global Warming Can Be Slowed By Working Less.” The accompanyi...

February 7, 2013

The First Amendment, Amended: We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident, That All Opinions Are Not Created Equal

By Mark Strong

After years of denial, it’s time we faced the facts: 9/11 was a conspiracy orchestrated by the United States government. For 11 long years, the public has ignored the truth. The fall of the Twin Towers in New York City...

February 6, 2013

What Happens Before Sex (And, No, This Time We’re Not Talking Foreplay)

By Hayley E.

Come hither, my brethren, let us unite once more over our love of all things saucy. As Valentine’s Day is approaching, and is thus undoubtedly on the minds of most women out there, I feel a slight mix-up in the itinera...

February 5, 2013

Colonialism Isn’t Dead Yet (Well, Not in Mali)

By Michael Dean

For those who have followed the situation, and even for those who haven’t, the story being told about Mali will be both convincing and familiar. It goes like this: In a part of the world known for instability, terroris...

February 5, 2013

Breaking News: The French Win a War

By Jeffrey Robin

Since I don’t expect that many of you would have noticed (and for good reason), I have a news flash for you: The French have actually won a war. Okay, maybe it wasn’t really an actual war, and the French have won man...

February 4, 2013

HPV, Alcoholism, Allergies… We’ve Got It All

By mferris

Q: Apparently, HPV is rampant among college students. As a female, I’m afraid of getting it and then developing cervical cancer. How can I protect myself against contracting HPV? Is the Gardasil vaccine a good idea and...

February 1, 2013

Minorities May Not Rule, But They Still Deserve A Say

By Travis Vail

Why do atheists try to exert so much influence on public opinion if they know they are a minority?   In brief, you don’t need to be in a majority to have principles worth sharing. Whether or not skepticism spreads...

January 31, 2013

Moving Forward Is Hard When You’re Always Looking Left or Right

By Mark Strong

Two years ago, I traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in a youth leadership conference. Over the course of a week, I had the privilege of exploring our nation’s capitol along with a group of like-minded and incr...

January 30, 2013

Come One, Come All! The IV Housing Circus Is Back In Town

By Maya Salmon

With Community Housing Office (CHO) as your ringleader, you won’t get “clowned” during the Isla Vista housing shuffle. Here are some dos and don’ts regarding choosing roommates, finding a place and signing a leas...

January 30, 2013

Some Fruit Just Shouldn’t Be Labeled: Why You Can’t Name, Frame or Slap a Sticker on Sexuality

By Luc Gendrot

This week I think I’ll talk rather seriously about labels, how stupid I think they are and the definition of sexuality. I apologize in advance, dear readers, for the lack of witty one-liners. I tend to get irritated by...

January 29, 2013

[Left Said] President Obama: Master of Rhetoric and the Status Quo

By Michael Dean

Last week President Obama gave liberals the speech they wanted to hear: His rhetoric was lofty, historically conscious and unabashedly progressive. Now that the goose bumps have settled, however, we will have to wait and...

January 29, 2013

[Right Said] Obama is Back and More Liberal Than Ever

By Jeffrey M. Robin

Just in case you missed it or decided not to tune in, the president made another bluntly polemical campaign speech last Monday. No, the 2014 midterm elections haven’t already started (yet). I am, of course, referring t...

January 28, 2013

Sergeant Signa Is A Jerk. …And Other Information Any Card-Carrying Isla Vistan Should Know

By Mark Signa

Yes, I know it is hard to believe, but I am a jerk. Actually, it should be another more descriptive word, but this is a family-friendly newspaper. Well, except for on Wednesdays. By the way, the Opinion Editors at the Ne...