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Showing posts from November, 2008

Art and Propaganda

By Luis Feliz The following quote is from the essay “Why I Write” by George Orwell: “What I have most wanted to do throughout the past ten years is to make political writing into an art. My starting point is always a feeling of partisanship, a sense of injustice. When I sit down to write a book, I do not say to myself, ‘I am going to produce a work of art.’ I write because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention, my initial concern is to get a hearing.” Is the function of literature “to get a hearing?” Please share your thoughts by posting your comments below and don't forget to write your name when you posts your response.

A Pretty Penny

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By Frances Israel There isn’t a day that goes by that you don’t read in the newspaper or hear on the news about how the American economy is being managed improperly and how as a result segments of the American stock markets are defaulting. Most cynical Americans believe the devastating economic crisis seems more like a self fulfilling prophecy, ironically, unnecessary around the time of the elections, and that the economic situation is only going to get worse before it becomes better. However, American consumers are suffering due to the ever plummeting U.S dollar. More and more Americans are becoming tight fisted when it comes to coughing up the cash. Many are finding alternative ways to penny pinch to get more for their dollar. For the entirety of the year, the U.S economy fluctuated, varying from good to bad to now worse. The strain on the economy has trickled down and has affected college students, who can no longer pay for school and some of the basic necessities that come with a

The Fate of Our World in their Hands?

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By Jocelyn Perez In the midst of this chaotic election season, I have sought to find answers to questions on how the candidates will deal with our environmental crisis. With only weeks to go, I began to research their policy outlines religiously and the worries many voters may be facing. I have narrowed down the spectrum of my research to answer the main question I have been confronted with: What will the candidates do to confront global warming caused by carbon emissions and energy deficiency? First, both candidates have accepted that global warming is a reality, and the fact that we are experiencing fluctuations in climate directly associated with the effects of global warming is a positive turn in the discussion of environmental issues. Secondly, they have drafted environmental policies outlining their plans to address the issue in the most effective manner possible. However, their proposals vary in terms of priority and elaboration. For example, Democratic presidential candidate Ba

Joe the Plumber and the undoing of John McCain

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By Umberto Lorcan John McCain’s failed run to clasp the office of the Presidency of the United States was a fait accompli long before the votes were counted on November 4th, the pundits will say. Had he ran a different campaign, he might have won, other insiders will say. It was the vice-presidential pick of Sarah Palin that cost him the support of independent voters, talking heads will angrily shout to each other on CNN. Senator John McCain has found it difficult to find a clear message, or more precisely, an alternative to Senator Barack Obama’s message of change. Therefore, he has capitulated to the worst factions in the Republic party. The cause of this is simple: desperation. As William Burroughs puts it, “desperation is the raw material of drastic change. Only those who can leave behind everything they have ever believed in can hope to escape.” This quote captures the pathetic and ubiquitous references to “Joe the Plumber” in last week’s debate between Sen. Obama and Sen. McCain

Letter from our far-flung Transfer Correspondent

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By Aaron Hudson To all who shall see these present greetings… Wait, rewind, this is not a military formation! But I will say that the transfer process required the same discipline that any military formation requires; a unified purpose, patience, stamina, and a strong will to complete a task started. Hello all once again! This is your former classmate, Aaron J Hudson reporting to you on my experience as a LaGuardia alum who has completed the transfer to a four-year institution. I cannot speak for all who have taken this path to continue their education but Syracuse University has made this experience a pleasant one. Life here at the “Cuse” is what I always expected of the “campus feel.” The greenery, the architecture, the common areas, the frat parties, the diversity of students, and even the school spirit for a football team which, for the lack of better words….sucks! I know it sounds like I paint a picture of nothing but the good side of the college life, but I can honestly say that