Associated Students (A.S.) has a new chief of staff. James Pilkington, 20, a junior economics major was appointed by A.S. President Abel Pacheco. Pilkington is the first to hold this seat in the past two years as previous A.S. presidents chose not to fill the position, said Leanne Vincent, A.S. coordinator of student leadership. The chief of staff position is filled at the discretion of the standing president, she added. “I just knew that from the very beginning when I… Read more

One of the most anticipated sporting events of the year takes place on February 7. Either for the game or the commercials, most people are looking forward to the Super Bowl. It provides all the reason one needs to have a party. This can be a well thought out extravaganza, or it can be as simple as a potluck. Since I know a little bit about the game and because I think Super Bowl Sunday should be a national holiday,… Read more

Last week, the Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance that will shut down hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries within the next few months. Medicinal marijuana use is legal, but any move around this subject spurns greater debate of the legalization of recreational marijuana use in the city and state. There is an enormous amount of information to analyze that supports both sides of the argument. Examples include cost of regulation, tax revenue potential, a possible rise or decrease in… Read more

Many baseball fans remember the weekend the Detroit Tigers lost their division lead last season. They were four games ahead and were playing a three-game series against the White Sox. First baseman, power slugger and American League MVP contender Miguel Cabrera went 0 for 11 that weekend and the Tigers ended the season with a memorable collapse. The morning before the Tigers blew their division lead, Cabrera blew a .26 in a breathalyzer after a night of partying. He somehow… Read more

Upon first meeting Elizabeth Jurgensen, a first-year grad student, most noticeable is the way she speaks with purpose and determination.  It is these specific characteristics that keep her on the path to a graduate degree and a new chapter of her life. Jurgensen was putting her business and finance undergraduate degree to good use, but the grind of her career was a strong motivator to go back to school. “I did not want to go back in to the business… Read more

Chances are most of you saw at least one movie over the semester break. Chances are you remained emotionally unscathed as a result. Chances are, though, some of you have fallen prey to the “Avatar” blues. When I first heard about this epidemic, I rolled my eyes so high and far back in my head it hurt. Let me explain in case you haven’t seen this in the news or read about it in the blogosphere: Many people who have… Read more