Dear Avani,I'm taking an online class that requires me to work in a group project. However, one of the three group members doesn't like to show up to our meetings or respond to e-mails. The project is...

Life is colored in shades of gray. Nothing is entirely right or wrong. And the ends often do seem to justify the means.Does the desire to help Haitian children in distress justify 10 Baptist missionaries'...

One of the few reality TV shows I watch is "Toddlers & Tiaras." There is something grotesquely fabulous about tiny children, usually girls, prancing around in tacky, thousand-dollar outfits, fake hair...

Imagine a world where politics are about policy. Voters would struggle to become informed and abstain from voting on issues about which they're ignorant. Decisions would be based on subtle cost-benefit...

The world is coming to an end.Don't take my word for it. Just ask the "experts," like ancient Mayan historians, religious fundamentalists, global warming advocates or lifelong Saints fans.The consensus...

Our political system is broken.This is a recurring theme in the realms of political columnists and the blogosphere. The Democratic Party has been utterly stymied on health care reform (at least for now)...

Talk about a wake-up call.I was lumbering toward the Quad this morning en route to my 9 a.m. class in my normal half-asleep manner when I saw a small gathering of people pointing at something.A few steps...

The ever-popular and often cliché "mission trip" can be a noble endeavor. Traveling to a foreign land, immersing oneself in the culture and humanitarian work are all noble things to be encouraged...

New credit card regulations Congress initiated last May go into effect today. These regulations are a commendable, common-sense measure to prevent the tragic exploitation of unwary consumers.And college...

There have been several disputes lately in the media about the U.S.-Iran relations in the wake of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's misleading statements about Iran's nuclear program.As a matter of fact,...

"If you're conservative when you're young, you're heartless. If you're liberal when you're old, you're brainless."So goes the old adage, reflecting conventional wisdom on age and politics.But, in the wake...

The Crescent City, NOLA, The Big Easy, The City that Care Forgot, Paris of the South.New Orleans is known by many names, and its reputation as a city rich in history with a love for nightlife is common...