By Chloe Rockow
March 28, 2011: Representative Ron Paul, often controversial Libertarian, spoke in NC State’s McKimmon Center to a packed auditorium. The 2008 presidential candidate spoke on a variety of issues, from US military actions in Libya to the current financial crisis.
Rep. Paul was hosted by NC State’s Young Americans for Liberty club, who have also been spearheading a “Visualizing the Debt” campaign to bring awareness about the actual size of the national debt. Fiscal responsibility is a topic dear to Rep. Paul. A large portion of his talk …

By Joey Lauer

image courtesy of http://gal.darkervision.com
Pope Benedict XV recently approved the use of condoms in cases where their primary purpose is to decrease the risk of AIDS. This is an unusual relaxation of the absolute ban on contraceptives that the Catholic Church has had for decades. Perhaps the Pope is starting to realize that condoms can prove useful, if not necessarily for the right reasons. In the face of this theological dilemma it may be fruitful to ask: what would Jesus say about the matter?
The Pope’s decision is based on …

By Christina Sun
Despite international sanctions, North Korea continues down the same threatening path regarding its nuclear program. Last November, American nuclear scientist and Stanford professor Siefried S. Hecker visited North Korea where officials showed him a large new facility they had secretly built to enrich uranium.i
The facility, which did not exist when inspectors visited the country in April 2009, is indicative of North Korea’s increasing military aggression. The country is in the midst of a leadership transition from Kim Jong-il to his son Kim Jong-un, who is the grandson …

This article is the first in a series of posts by staff writers from Alliance of Collegiate Editors publications on the subject of unrest in Egypt. These posts will recur every two days for two weeks, with The Gothic Guardian’s upcoming (date TBA). See the second installment here.
By Hihn D Tran
Authoritarian regimes across the Middle East are atremble as popular revolution threatens to engulf a second country in the space of two months. Following the fall of the Ben Ali government in Tunisia, hundreds of thousands of Egyptians have converged …

By Lingfeng Li
Watch out, Ben Bernanke.
Ron Paul, the 2008 Presidential candidate and Texas Congressman (and Duke Med grad), may become the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Domestic Monetary Policy and Technology on the House Financial Services Committee.  For Paul who has long advocated for the dissolution of the Federal Reserve, leading the committee responsible for overseeing the Fed, along with U.S. financial policies, represents a golden opportunity.

Here are three good questions concerning Ron Paul and the Fed for the next year:
Why does Ron Paul want to dissolve the Federal …

By Trent Serwetz
The latest nationwide hullabaloo over the alcoholic drink “Four Loko” provides a poignant reminder of how quick America is to point the finger. Four Loko, for those who are unfamiliar with the beverage, is a 12% ABV drink sold in 23.5 ounce cans which also packs a hefty dose of caffeine. It’s like super-concentrated Smirnoff Ice mixed with Red Bull. The drink is sold at grocery stores and 7-11’s and comes in a variety of fruity flavors.
Last week, New York called for a voluntary ban on Four Loko …

By Lingfeng Li
Both Democratic incumbent David Price and his Republican challenger, BJ Lawson, attended the Chamber of Commerce’s town-hall styled forum in early September. The candidates largely focused on the economy and the role of government in business during the debate.
While both candidates performed adequately, Lawson seemed noticeably more comfortable and concise with his opening and closing statements, and in his responses to questions. On multiple occasions, Price implied that Lawson was relying on “sound bytes” and “buzz words,” rather than actually delivering a thoughtful reply. But …

By Trent Serwetz
In ancient times, warriors fought within meters of their opposition, feeling the sweat and blood of their human enemies. In the modern age, rifles, bombs, and artillery increasingly distanced the human from his/her target, moving the soldier farther and farther away from the gaze of the dead. Today, hundreds can be killed with the push of a button and the deployment of an unmanned orbital missile.
The ever-growing distance between the killer and the killed is not rendered exclusively as physical distance. It is a distance from the human …

By Joey Lauer
The hot-button issue of illegal immigration has bubbled to the top once again over the summer. The SB1070 law from Arizona has sparked politicians into taking another stab at the immigration problem. But what’s it going to take for true immigration reform this time around?
States like Arizona have it the hardest being on the border when it comes to illegal immigration. The flow of illegal immigrants contributes to drug and violence related crime, and also puts stress on services such as hospitals and the public school system. They …

By Chloe Rockow
In August 2005, Americans were reeling from the worst environmental catastrophe in recent memory, and begging for help. The state and local governments were overwhelmed and unprepared for the magnitude of what had to be done. Historic New Orleans was devastated as many pointed the finger of blame at President Bush, calling his response slow and inefficient. Five years later, the country seems to be suffering from a case of déjà vu. An environmental disaster, compounded with mismanagement at the federal level, is crippling the Gulf coast and …