Opinion

Since November is just a few weeks away, the two opposing forces that will define the month are gathering their arsenals for the final onslaught. Republicans have begun to arm their TIE fighters and power up their Death Star. For them, it is the final stand to maintain a stranglehold on their waning powers. On the other side, Democrats train their youthful Orc hordes in an effort to overwhelm those in control. In the middle of it all stands a man with all of the grace and wisdom of a knight from "Monty Python." His name is Ralph Nader.

As most university students know, participation in some community service project or community service group during high school looks favorable on a college application. Even though community service is auspicious on a college transcript, it's not a requisite for graduation at most public high schools and most students are unenthusiastic about it. In spite of the lack of enthusiasm many high school students have for helping their communities, universities are continuing to encourage it. In fact, they are encouraging it to such a degree that it has become mandatory at some institutions.

For nearly a year, representatives from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 have attempted to negotiate with UC officials for a fair contract for UC service workers—an attempt that has been unsuccessful thus far. However, it is not Local 3299's lack of effort that has made their endeavors fruitless but rather the misguided priorities of UC administrators.

Conservatives have a lot to learn from Ron Paul, at least when it comes to his pull among young voters. Paul was able to garner a massive Internet following that bred a bevy of YouTube videos and other promotional columns to form the foundation of his campaign. It amounted to free publicity, spurring donations in excess of $30 million. Obama's ilk took the right cues, tapping the Internet's myriad caches of free liberal publicity. McCain hasn't done badly on the Internet either, but more is certainly in order.

As I walked to the metro from my summer class at Stockholm University in Sweden, my classmate casually asked me who I am voting for in the American election this fall. My diplomatic answer is always that I am a Swedish citizen, even if I am very patriotic toward the America I moved to at the age of seven months. So my voting powers are void and my candidate preference is limited to a spoken opinion, rather than a cast vote. "Well, I'm rooting for Obama … from a distance," she responds.

In the United States, we've come a long way environmentally; however, anthropocentrism still pervades our society.

In a move that shocked millions of California students, the UC Board of Regents voted to raise tuition 19 percent and threatened to increase tuition and fees, or what Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi called "student taxes," by 30 percent next summer if there are cuts to the education budget because of the war.

Palin, Fiorina insubstantial; Nader contemplates animal cross-dressing; Chuck Norris offers thoughts on "Black Belt Patriotism"; memo from the American Right: knowledge, expertise overrated, unpatriotic.

Steve Doocy; New York Mets; porn industry gaffe.

Student and professor laud UCI Dining for switch to organic eggs.

After a three-year absence, the Anthill Pub is back. You stroll in, place an order for some delectable fire ants and saunter up to the bar to order a drink. But whoops, you are only a lowly 18-year-old and sub human at best. Save the few who have decided to abstain from drinking, we have all lived through the awkward years of resorting to the lowliest of tactics in order to get that sweet nectar.

High textbook prices are nothing new to us college folk. Every quarter I drop by TextMania to suffer a barrage of blows to my bank account. If they don't have what I need, then I trek over to UC Irvine's bookstore and pay even more through the nose. Consider John E. McMurry's "Organic Chemistry." A new copy is listed for $209.95; discounted, it's bumped down to about $150; used copies run $110 and up. Sure, that's $100 in savings, but it's still $110 for a freakin' book.