The word “cult” is like the word “love”; both have been overused to the point of senselessness. Everyday, people say they “love” things that they certainly wouldn’t marry or die for. Pop culture elements that tout a dedicated group of fans are quickly dubbed as a “cult” following, though the fans likely wouldn’t drink poisoned Flavor-Aid to show their devotion to, say, Rocky Horror Picture Show. To be fair, with Rocky Horror fans, you never know.

We need to celebrate Veterans Day, not only on one day, but every day. I’m writing this paper because a survey came out that says 22 veterans commit suicide every day. I am a veteran of the United States Marine Corp. and on Aug. 4, 2019 I had surgery on my knee. On Aug. 26, the first day of school, all hell broke loose.

By legal definition, Facebook and Alphabet are not monopolies. Facebook doesn't have a stranglehold on online communication, as there are other ways of connecting to others through sites or apps like Discord, Twitter, or even Snapchat. Google is the most dominant search engine in the world but there are others like Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Yahoo. Facebook and Google aren't the only options in their respective industries, but while they aren't technically monopolies, this doesn't stop them from engaging in monopolistic behavior.

We live in one of the most accessible cities in the United States. Across all of Los Angeles, there are numerous commute options to get to school, work, or just to try a new coffee space. But with the celebrity name, L.A., comes the celebrity rumor, L.A. traffic. With so many options to choose for transportation, much of our community still decides to drive everywhere.

When one goes to the movie theater to see the new “Joker” movie, it's no surprise to see a couple police officers guarding the perimeter of the cinema. Although some theaters nowadays will usually check bags before people come in, extra precautions are being put in place with this new contentious movie. Controversy sparks from the violence portrayed, and has caused paranoia that this in turn will give people the idea that they, too, should create violence in the real world.

The Turkish government refuses to acknowledge the Meds Yeghern as a genocide. Their education system paints Armenians as traitorous defectors who were a threat to the Ottoman Empire, and they continuously lobby foreign governments to prevent the spread of public knowledge about the genocide.

Within the next couple of weeks, Santa Monica College (SMC) students will be undergo the worst portion of the semester: midterm exam time. During this time period, SMC students will experience sleepless nights, stressful mornings, and long days. Many will be drowning in class notes and textbooks, forming large study groups.

As the election to determine Canada’s next Prime Minister - and hence the political landscape of the country itself - emerges, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is embroiled in a series of controversies that threaten to undermine the Liberal parliamentary majority.

It’s back-to-school season for kids across America. As the new school year welcomes prospective students, Sandy Hook Promise released a PSA video on Sept. 18. The video depicts cheerful schoolchildren parading ordinary school essentials for the academic year that may now come in handy when fending off an active shooter.

In Hong Kong, pro-democracy camp's protest marches have filled the streets for over one hundred days. The often violent clashes between Hong Kong citizens and riot police cracking down on protesters is a thorn in the side of Beijing. The authoritarian regime on the mainland desires to display the face of calm unity in its celebration of the 70th anniversary of the declaration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) on Oct. 1.

One would think with all the shoddy work the Trump Administration has done and with all the ridicule they've received, there would be no more new ways to mock them. Then Walmart comes in to enact gun control measures in their stores after two major shootings affected their branches. Meanwhile, the U.S sits at around 300 mass shootings with no major solutions, according to the Gun Violence Archive website.

Digital nomads are people who can work from anywhere, using technology to perform their jobs. This career path is becoming more popular and more common. The job market is changing as more companies switch to online platforms. As such, college students should take at least one semester of online classes to prepare themselves for the benefits and challenges of a remote job.

During the week before the semester begins, you promised yourself that this school year will be better than the last one. You vowed that you were going to sleep earlier, eat healthier, and study harder. Now, 12 weeks have passed into the semester and you’re in distress because your grades are suffering. 

It is now the end of 2019’s long and arduous political Summer. The G-7 has come and gone, having met in Biarritz, France earlier this week, and the nation’s that constitute it are no closer to effectively dealing with many of the myriad issues facing the democratic world than they were before. With the United States continuing to oppose any involvement in climate change meetings, and the United Kingdom on the brink of a “no-deal” Brexit, tensions were high.

This summer was the first summer in four years that I spent mostly drug and alcohol free, and it truly changed me for the better. For a little bit of context, I have struggled with drug and alcohol abuse since my freshman year of high school… But this summer was when I decided to stop using drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism, my only coping mechanism.

Over the past six months, eight states have passed the most elaborate anti-abortion laws that America has seen in decades. On May 15, Alabama passed a bill that prohibits abortion in the most restrictive fashion of any current law in the country.

I am not a confrontational person. I do, however, enjoy debate and sharing ideas, arguing about views of life, and dissecting what behavior is moral and what isn’t. People around my age generally agree with me on most things, particularly politics. Thus, I seek people older than I, who will challenge me in my thinking, resulting in a discourse more fruitful because we will disagree.

Abortion has always been a controversial topic in America. However, with the US recently forcing the UN Security Council to rewrite a resolution on sexual violence in wartime to essentially prohibit abortions, this is now forcing other countries to follow a pro-life stance; a stance that has no plan for the amount of issues that come with childbirth and care.

You may be wondering what I mean when I say dumb as a rock. There is a lot of shame around learning disabilities. People might be ashamed that they have a learning disability. Like me. I have a learning disability. I didn’t think that I would be able to make it in college, and now I am preparing to transfer to a four year university.

Climate change is wreaking havoc on the planet. Climate scientists have adjusted the "point of no return date" from 2100 to 2050. The U.N. has announced that they know for sure that arctic temperatures will have risen at least three to five degrees Celsius (37-41 degrees Fahrenheit) by then, with devastating effects globally..