The persistent hum of a lathe, loud enough to make conversation difficult for those in any room, is barely audible outside of Harned 142.  Switch it off, and little can be heard at all—maybe the occasional crackling hum of a welder, or the squeal of a protesting screw. The machine shop and accompanying wood shop, tucked away in the lower corridor of Harned Hall, rarely garner much attention from students at the University of Puget Sound. Of course, this isn’t entirely unexpected. The University is firmly committed to a liberal...

Your domestic dilemma: “My house doesn’t look like anyone lives there!” Crafty Connie’s Solution: Oh, your roommate’s parents just visited, too? That explains the vast expanse of flat surfaces, the glistening sink, that suspiciously bulging closet door. It’s time to embark once again on everyone’s favorite Sunday activity: Not Cleaning the House. You’ll regain that “lived-in” look in no time, without spending money on stupid things like art or light fixtures. Professional not-cleaners start at the bottom, and work their way up. This is the most efficient way to do...

Abgail Taitano doesn’t sit still. She walks quickly from room to room in the upper floors of McIntyre Hall chatting with tutors, engaging older students and making sure the younger ones don’t get too rambunctious. The atmosphere is hectic and informal, but the business is serious: preparing Tacoma youth for higher education. As the director of the Access Programs, Taintano is responsible for bringing students from Tacoma schools together with tutors from the University of Puget Sound on Tuesday evenings, as well as running summer programs, plugging higher education in...

Your domestic dilemma: “I’m hungry.” Crafty Connie’s Solution: I’m actually really hungry now too. I have no idea what to do. Let’s figure it out together. But really. No. No, I go there all the time. I’m sick of... yeah, actually, screw it. Let’s just go to the Taco Truck. No, the health permit is only expired by a few months. Stray cats? No, I haven’t seen any near there lately. It’s a $3 burrito, man. Look, there’re really only two considerations at work in resolving this domestic dilemma: time...

Oppenheimer Café is now open until 9 p.m., giving students a new evening hangout alternative to Diversions.  A bustling terrarium by day, the Café is transformed at night into a softly lit space at the south end of the Harned courtyard. Inside, the hanging light fixtures reflect endlessly off the glass facets of the building, making for a starry night even on cloudy evenings. As usual, a cooling breeze flows from the fans above, and the doors sit propped open to let in air and undercaffeinated customers. Located inside the...