As the new semester approaches, one concern for students is purchasing new textbooks. Different individuals swear by certain methods or websites that make buying these textbooks at least slightly more affordable. Despite all the ways one can try and save money on books, the Annual Survey of Colleges published by the College Board last year showed that on average students spend $1,200 on textbooks and supplies every year. That number increases to almost $1,250 for students who attend private colleges. The high cost of textbooks is likely to increase. Economics...

Execution as a means of punishment for a crime has been a part of this country’s history since colonial times. While settlers brought with them the tradition of capital punishment from Britain, the U.S. still holds onto this practice despite the abolition of the practice throughout the European Union (EU). Because the Council of Europe (COE) made the abolition of the death penalty a requirement for countries to be admitted into the EU, there has not been a single execution in the Union since 1997. On the COE’s website, they...

  Gun violence in this country has become a growing concern in recent years. There is a growing sense of anxiety about events involving guns, and this has recently combined with the country’s post-9/11 anxieties. On Friday, Nov. 1, a shooting took place at the Los Angeles International Airport. The gunman, who is suspected to be 23-year-old Paul Ciancia, opened fire at approximately 9 a.m. in Terminal 3. He was carrying an assault rifle, which he used to kill 39-year-old Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer Gerardo I. Hernandez, who was...

Families across the country are facing devastating cuts to the food stamp program. Due to the large amount of debt and economic unrest the nation currently faces, there has been an effort to reduce federal and state spending through cuts to many social programs. On Nov. 1, perhaps one of the most devastating cuts was put into effect. The food stamp program, officially called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was cut by 5 percent, or by about $36 less per family per month due to the expiration of the...

Many of this country’s oaths, like the military oath of enlistment and even the Pledge of Allegiance, contain references to God. Despite many legislative pushes to maintain the separation of church and state, such as in the case of marriage equality, these references have remained. Strong religious language is deeply rooted in many of the oaths and pledges recited for official and governmental purposes. The Pledge of Allegiance is one example that is particularly perplexing. The words “under God” were not even a part of the original pledge, but were...

Conservatives have been making ridiculous comparisons between the Affordable Care Act and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. The Affordable Care Act has been a large source of controversy ever since its inception. Republican lawmakers have made it clear that they do not at all approve of the act, even going so far as to compare it to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. President Obama spoke at a community college in Maryland on Sept. 26 in order to address some of these inappropriate analogies. “Over the past few weeks...

The city of Detroit filed for bankruptcy on July 18, making history as the largest city ever to do so. The city’s debt and obligations are currently more than $18 billion. On Sept. 27, the White House announced a $320 million aid package for the city. Fortunately, this announcement took place before the government shutdown, which officially started on Oct. 1. The money comes from a combination of federal and private funds. Portions of the money have been set aside for specific areas of the city. $150 million have been...

The Washington Supreme Court validated the right of individuals to present medical evidence if charged with possession of marijuana. In Oct. 2010, police searched William Kurtz’s home and found more than 40 marijuana plants and 15 ounces of packaged marijuana. Kurtz was charged with manufacturing and possession of marijuana. The jury found Kurtz guilty of both charges and Thurston County Superior Court Judge Carol Murphy fined him $4,000. Kurtz uses a wheelchair due to a hereditary medical condition and was 58 years old at the time of his conviction. He...

If Washington is to truly move beyond coal, harmful coal trains cannot be allowed to run though its cities. Millennium Bulk Terminals Longview (MBTL) is currently proposing the installation of a coal export terminal in Cowlitz County. The Environmental Impact Statement for MBT website states that the terminal would have the ability to process 48.5 million tons of coal each year. One hearing was already held on Sept. 17 in Longview, and more are to be held in Spokane, Pasco and Vancouver. The proposed terminal plant will cause a variety...

On Monday, May 6, a report titled “Over The Line” by investigative journalist John Carlos Frey was featured on the Washington Post. The report deals with the cases of United States border agents shooting into Mexico, killing and wounding innocent citizens. According to Democracy Now!, “A joint investigation by the Washington Monthly and the Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute has found over the past five years U.S. border agents have shot across the border at least 10 times, killing a total of six Mexicans on Mexican soil.” Amy Goodman...

On April 15 an Iranian judge sentenced a man to be “publicly humiliated” by being displayed in the streets dressed as a woman. This misogynistic punishment has caused many Kurdish men to protest by cross-dressing and posting photos of themselves online. A Facebook group, Kurd Men for Equality, was started on April 18, on which hundreds of photos of men dressed in women’s clothing have been posted. The group’s “about” section reads, “Being a woman is not a tool to humiliate or punish anyone‬” and part of their biography reads,...

On Wednesday, the 17th, the Senate failed to pass the Manchin-Toomey amendment. According to CNN’s report on the outcome, this amendment, “would  have expanded background checks to include private sales at gun shows and all Internet sales, while continuing to exempt most sales between family members and friends” The final vote was 54 for and 46 against the proposed amendment. President Obama was clear about this result being very disappointing in his statements to the press after the decision was announced, calling it “a pretty shameful day for Washington.” Considering...