Lila Kooklan

Former Irvine Mayor Beth Krom announced her bid for Congress against incumbent Congressman John Campbell on March 9. Although the Republican congressman has been challenged before by Democratic candidates like Steve Young, who ran for two terms unsuccessfully against the better-known Campbell, none of them have ever been able to have a fighting chance due to lack of funds or lack of reputation.

Whenever it seems like Orange County can't get any more conservative than it already is, it goes ahead and surprises me. The Orange County Board of Supervisors recently voted to suspend the county's education contract with Planned Parenthood because the organization performs abortions, despite the fact that county money is not used to perform them.

Picture this: You wake up each morning in a dirty cell and are hung by your wrists and interrogated while a government operative holds a gun to your head. This same operative takes a scalpel to your body, makes incisions and then pours stinging liquid into your open wounds.

Last week President Barack Obama directed regulators to move forward on approving applications made by California and 13 other states to set strict auto emission and fuel standards.

Back-stabbing; conniving; manipulative; bitch: We all know the stereotypes of strong and successful women in the workplace. However, what if these so-called "ill-founded" images weren't really that off-point? As young girls in Girl Scouts and then as members of sororities in college, women are taught the importance of sisterhood, solidarity and friendship. Yet, many women in the workplace have been known to put aside these vital lessons in hopes of a pay raise or promotion. It is unfortunate that in the workplace, many women are known to sabotage rather than help fellow female co-workers get ahead.

Most of us at UC Irvine are familiar with pop sensations Rihanna and The Pussycat Dolls. Songs like "Don't Stop the Music," "Disturbia," "When I Grow Up" and "Buttons" are upbeat dance hits that not only have catchy lyrics, but also unique and creative music videos and dances that attract large audiences. The performance value and sex appeal that pop stars offer is often greater than their sheer musical talent. When we see stars don skimpy threads here in the United States, it often doesn't gain a second glance. However, when these singers perform overseas (such as in Muslim countries) it can often be the cause of controversy.

INTERNATIONAL: Graduate student Esha Momeni has been prevented from leaving Iran for over a month.

Profanity takes center stage as the United States Supreme Court reviews a case regarding the use of four-letter obscenities on broadcast television. Specifically, the court is considering whether the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) crossed the line when it began issuing hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fines for any on-air use of the words "fuck" and "shit." This will be the first time in 30 years that a decision will be made regarding regulations over television content.

Author Thomas Tusser said, "He who goeth a borrowing, goeth a sorrowing." Despite author Tusser's archaic 16th century lingo, he makes a very good point. Those who borrow often face difficulties in terms of paying off their debt, especially when the borrower happens to be in college.