Zach and Trevor episode six: The return of the compromise - We began our series of political articles with the intention of proving that political success occurs because of compromise, instead of rigid ideologies. We thought we could prove our current politicians wrong. If some uneducated high school journalism students can... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 11, 2012.

Minority rights under a majority rule - A founding tenant of democracy is the idea of minority right and majority rules, meaning that legislation is passed with a majority of the populations consent but, at the same time, the rights of minorities are not forgotten. America has... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 4, 2012.

DV school paves way for opportunities - Yes, I'm a lifer at FC. Usually when I tell people that I have gone to this school my whole life, they picture me literally going to school in a glass dome where I am totally cut off from the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 2, 2012.

Point three: Remodeling the nation's budget - Growing tired of increasing discourse in America, columnists Zachary Diaz de la Cuesta and Trevor York have decided to combine their efforts to discuss key issues the nation is currently facing. In this column, the two seniors will put aside... This article first appeared in The Feather online, April 10, 2012.

The political ideology of a centrist Christian - For years I have been surrounded by students who have been politically shaped by the opinions of their parents. Because of this, I began to see myself as a mere political drone, only adapting to the views of my parents... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 23, 2012.

Point two: Building up our national defense - Growing tired of increasing discourse in America, columnists Zachary Diaz de la Cuesta and Trevor York have decided to combine their efforts to discuss key issues the nation is currently facing. In this column, the two seniors will put aside... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 2, 2012.

Point one: Solutions to fueling our nation's future - Growing tired of increasing discourse in America, columnists Zachary Diaz de la Cuesta and Trevor York have decided to combine their efforts to discuss key issues the nation is currently facing. In this column, the two seniors will put aside... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 16, 2012.

Mending a generation of mediocrity - I'm sure you've heard it for years: "in my day, we worked hard," or "kids these days." Let's be honest, our parents, grandparent and educators all see us as a generation of luxury. We have never been in a world... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 26, 2012.

U.S. espionage requires new forms of intelligence-gathering - In 1947 the United States government created the Central Intelligence Agency, or the CIA. The CIA was placed in charge of "coordinating the nation's intelligence activities and correlating, evaluating and disseminating intelligence affecting national security." Since its creation, the American... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 25, 2012.

Tiger Mom discusses 'hyperpowers' at lecture series - Amy Chua, the writer of the hit controversial book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, spoke at the San Joaquin Valley Town Hall Series, hosted at the William Saroyan Theatre, Jan. 18. Chua's book, published in 2011, describes her parenting method,... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 20, 2012.

Sorkin shares statistics, suggestions for U.S. economy - In 2008, a financial meltdown occurred in the United States that affected nearly every Americans' lifestyle. Business giants such as AIG and Citibank collapsed and had no other option but to accept government bailout money. Even the largest corporation in... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 12, 2011.

Occupy protest stretches to Fresno - A major event took place in the financial district of New York City, Sept. 17: Occupy Wall Street. This movement began with a group of people who are protesting the questionable financial practices that occur on Wall Street. The peoples' unrest... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 8, 2011.

Scandals blemish public figures - On June 17, 1972, five men broke into the offices of the Democratic National Committee on a mission to gather evidence and plant wire-taps in the phones of the offices. These men were found to have been connected with the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 2, 2011.

CNN analyst addresses courts, unbiased journalism (VIDEO) - The San Joaquin Valley Town Hall Lecture Series hosted CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin to delve into the Supreme Court and its complexities, Oct. 19. Toobin's lecture was titled "The Supreme Nine: Black Robbed Secrets." During his talk, he... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 1, 2011.

Higher taxes, cuts to useless programs will restore economy - This summer, Congress passed a bill to raise the debt ceiling while simultaneously cutting spending. This bill, possibly one of the most publicized acts of Congress all year, was intensely debated and eventually ended with both parties giving something up.... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 4, 2011.

Counselors reflect on camping experience - Each year, a small number of high school juniors and seniors volunteer their time for a week as counselors at the eighth grade Calvin Crest retreat. In this article, seniors Trevor York and Julianne King recount their experience at the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 26, 2011.

Female candidates represent conventional, partisan politics - This election season, the Republican party is putting forth some of the most diverse candidates that the American people have seen in many years. This would include Mitt Romney, a Mormon; Sarah Palin, a female and former governor of Alaska;... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 1, 2011.

Rules of finer dressing: Spring style - I introduced my installment of Rules of finer dressing: Part I in the fall, followed by Part II in the winter. Both columns discussed the intricacies of dressing in nice attire, and, while I do love ties and dress shirts,... This article first appeared in The Feather online, May 2, 2011.

Caffeine debate compares benefits, negative effects - Caffeine is a chemical stimulant that many Americans consume every day, typically to start off their morning. Caffeine is found in a variety of drinks, including sodas, energy drinks and coffee. For years, people have debated the effects of these... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 25, 2011.

Netflix offers movie-watching convenience - On any Friday night, students can be found engaging in a variety of activities such as going on a date, hanging out with friends or renting a movie for a quiet night at home. Typically, for the latter, the way to... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 7, 2011.

Alumnus shares perspective on Egyptian revolution - Egyptian protesters have flooded the streets of major cities, such as Cairo and Alexandria, in hopes of deposing their President, Hosni Mubarak, who has been in office the past 30 years. Since the riots, the death toll is said to... This article first appeared in The Feather online, March 7, 2011.

California's education system: The problem and solution - The California education system once thrived, and California was known as one of the more educated states in the U.S. However, in recent years, California has shown signs of drastically changing for the worse, and now stands at the bottom... This article first appeared in The Feather online, February 3, 2011.

State of the Union 2011: A student's perspective - On Jan. 25, President Barack Obama gave the annual State of the Union address, entitled "Winning the Future," before Congress and America. The address lasted about an hour and a half and was broadcast on all major networks. Typically, the purpose... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 27, 2011.

Meet Speaker John Boehner - Power in Congress changed on Jan. 5, 2011, as ... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 26, 2011.

Giffords tragedy calls for political cooperation - In the midst of a peaceful assembly in Tucson, AZ, a gunman opened fire on a group of public officials, one of which was U.S Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, D-AZ, who was shot through the head. As a result of the... This article first appeared in The Feather online, January 19, 2011.

TSA standards invade passengers' privacy - Many find themselves dreading air travel during the holidays for various reasons: tremendous crowds, the fear of lost luggage or the possibility of losing children at an airport. It seems that situations have now gotten worse, and instead of worrying... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 16, 2010.

Rules of finer dressing: Part II - This column is the second in a two-part series on men's fashion. Read the first installment: Rules of finer dressing: Part I. No formal or formal-casual wardrobe could be complete without the proper use of pants and shoes, which are essential... This article first appeared in The Feather online, December 14, 2010.

Rules of finer dressing: Part I - This column is the first in a two-part series on men's fashion. Check back soon for the second installment. Some guys find it challenging to skillfully put together a stylish shirt-and-tie combo. However, there are several guidelines that make the dressing-up... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 23, 2010.

Midterm election results, student reactions - For the 2010 midterm elections, Nov. 2, major races took place across the country for local, state and federal positions. As senators, representatives and governors were elected, millions of Americans tuned in to watch the results. After winning an additional 61... This article first appeared in The Feather online, November 3, 2010.

Brown, Whitman engage in final debate - The third and final gubernatorial debate between Democrat Jerry Brown and Republican Meg Whitman took place at Dominican University, Oct. 12. The debate, hosted by NBC News, was moderated by Tom Brokaw. It aired locally at 6:30 p.m. on KSEE 24. Candidates... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 13, 2010.

Gubernatorial candidates debate in Fresno - For the second gubernatorial debate of the election season, Democratic candidate Jerry Brown and Republican candidate Meg Whitman faced off at California State University, Fresno, at 11 a.m. on Oct. 2. The debate, hosted by Univision, was the first debate in... This article first appeared in The Feather online, October 8, 2010.

Brown, Whitman debate at UC Davis - Gubernatorial candidates Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown faced off in a debate at UC Davis, Sept. 28, for the first of three such discussions planned for the election season. The event was televised by KCRA-TV and broadcast on radio by Capitol... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 30, 2010.

Concussion concerns impact contact sports - Junior Austin Rurik sprints down the field while guarding the soccer ball. He attempts to dodge an opposing player, who slide-tackles him. As a result, Rurik's head is thrust to the ground, causing his brain to collide against the wall... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 27, 2010.

Senior captain shepherds team - At the first varsity game of Andrew Evans' junior year, he took a devastating hit, tearing part of his quad and hip flexor. Due to this incident, he played most of the season with an injury, but chose to work... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 24, 2010.

Gubernatorial candidates demonstrate potential - This November our country will hold elections for many positions at the state and federal level. Most governor seats are up for election, and the race for the governor of California proceeds as an especially heated one. In past years California... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 23, 2010.

Obama ends Iraq combat mission - In the past seven years, the U.S. government has spent billions of dollars and many other resources in the Iraq War. However, President Barack Obama's Aug. 31 address confirmed the end of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq. Combat forces... This article first appeared in The Feather online, September 8, 2010.