Opinion

Editorial: 1/18/13

In
By Editorial Board

Euphemisms — polite ways of saying something unpleasant — are helpful in decreasing discomfort in our day to day lives, but much more dangerous in political spheres. Their use is so conventional and widespread in our society that we often aren’t even aware that we are using them. If someone dies, we usually say that he or she “passed away,” not that he or she died. People are “let go,” not fired, and are subsequently “between jobs,” not unemployed. If you’re obese, you’re just “big–boned.”

We Can Hear You: 1/18/13

In
By Clara Beery and Margot Friedman

“I still say you’re going to be the first one eaten by the zombies.”

Jon Stewart vs. Steven Colbert

In
By

Stewart Strives to Inform, not Simply Entertain
By Lucas Fanning-Haag

Borz-lyfe: 12/7/12

In
By Alborz Yazdi

After a successful revolution last year, demonstrators once again broke out in the streets of Egypt this week, protesting the new president, Mohamed Morsi. A member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Morsi recently announced a declaration of absolute power, essentially making himself dictator. This reminds us that when we in the West support revolution in foreign countries, we won’t always get what we want.

Petraeus’s Personal Life Tied to National Security

In
By Lucas Fanning-Haag

On September 6, 2011, General David Petraeus was sworn in as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Before he took his position at the CIA, Petraeus had a celebrated, 37–year military career, which began with his graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1974 as a distinguished cadet in the top five percent of his class, and ending with the rank of four–star general. Soon after his West Point graduation, Petraeus quickly ascended the ranks.

Disney Will Ruin All Future Star Wars Films

In
By Julian Shen-Berro

George Lucas, owner of one of the most successful independent production companies of all time, sold out to Walt Disney Studios on October 30, 2012. Lucasfilm, responsible for the legendary Star Wars and Indiana Jones sagas, is now under new ownership and an abundance of new movie plans have already been announced. Following the completion of the deal, the plan to film Star Wars Episodes VII, VIII, and IX was revealed. These movies will expand upon the already–completed storyline of Episodes IV–VI in ways which could ruin the overall experience of the saga.

Preliminary Compromise Key to Mitigating Fiscal Cliff Crisis

In
By Tom Battles

If you’ve been paying attention to anything written, spoken or tweeted regarding politics in the last few months, then chances are you heard something about the fiscal cliff. And if you are anything like me, you have no clue what the heck everyone is talking about. So before we dive right in on what should be done to address the so called “fiscal cliff,” let’s take a minute to explain what the fiscal cliff actually is.

Editorial: 12/7/12

In
By Editorial Board

Berkeley prides itself on being one of the most diverse cities in the nation, where people of many different ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and — to a certain extent — socioeconomic statuses come together. It’s true that Berkeley’s diversity is an impressive reality that has lent the city a wider variety of cultures and perspectives. At the same time, we’ve all heard of the “Berkeley Bubble”: the idea that as citizens of Berkeley, we lead politically sheltered, separate lives from the rest of the country.

We Can Hear You: 12/7/12

In
By Clara Beery and Margot Friedman

“I tried to make my mom do my Spanish homework for me, but she wouldn’t.”

Social Messages Not Always Necessary in Art

In
By Jack Pertschuk

Although art forms of all types (music, visual, cinema) often include broader social and political messages, artists have no responsibility to include said messages in their work.

Since prehistoric cave painters decided to decorate the walls of their archaic dwellings, art — both visual and performance — has been present in every society. Art can be an investment in status; during the Renaissance wealthy families such as the Medicis and monarchs like Louis XVI spent vast amounts to patronize the work of a wide variety of artists they deemed talented.

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