Opinions

by Claire Meyer In our modern university culture, we put an emphasis on making everyone feel welcomed and included despite their differences, whatever they may be.  We especially focus on embracing the LGBT community, people of different backgrounds and ethnicities and financial backgrounds. Accommodating these groups is important, yet in our effort to include them we have left out another minority.  It is no secret that among college students here at Puget Sound, the majority identify with a more liberal viewpoint. However, what may surprise you is that a notable...

by Michael Greenblatt California is currently facing such an extreme drought that, for the first time in its history, mandatory water restrictions are in place. The problems afflicting California are nothing new, as most of California is desert and routinely struggles with low water supplies. Now, though, the drought is the worst it’s ever been, and California is running out of water altogether. Official estimates of California’s remaining water supply foresee only one or two more years’ worth of water to sustain pre-conservation usage levels. Even though here in Western...

The 90s are making a comeback. It’s undeniable. Countless trends, from television shows to clothing to music, are revived in today’s culture. Most of us students were too young to experience these trends initially—even the seniors this year were born in 1992 or 1993—but the latest fad is present nonetheless. For example, we take a look at the recent Netflix release of the entirety of the TV sitcom, “Friends,” which has caused a surge in viewership. Matthew Perry, who plays the role of Chandler in the show, said in a...

It was one of our most anticipated and popular, indeed, one of our only, traditions that we have at our school: Midnight Breakfast. Until this year, on the last day of classes every semester, ASUPS would give out free breakfast food to students late at night while bands played, games were offered, and students celebrated the end of classes. As fun as it was, Midnight Breakfast was not without its issues, so this year the event has been canceled as ASUPS considers alternatives and improvements to Midnight Breakfast. The problem...

Governor of Indiana Mike Pence recently signed a new religious freedom law that has stirred more controversy around the U.S. than most could have predicted. Opponents say the law would allow business owners in Indiana to turn customers away if the owners felt that the customers were violating their religious freedoms. Specifically, opponents believe the law could allow business owners to turn people away based on someone’s race, age, sexual orientation, gender, religion and other protected classes. From the CEO of Apple, to the head of the NCAA, to Hillary...

Apple’s most recent product is the iPhone-congruent smart watch with the charming moniker Apple Watch—it has not been dubbed the iWatch (with an emphatic not). The prefix has come to be adored and is known to have defined the digital era, the snappy and effective ‘i.’ According to the Daily Telegraph, Apple has jettisoned the accessory in order to target consumers more concerned with style than technology.  College Humor created a YouTube sketch titled “Apple: Call It the iWatch and We’ll Kill You.” Apple’s gadget-turned-accoutrement is able to access text...

Founded by Jonah Peretti in 2006, BuzzFeed has emerged as one of the most prominent social media websites used today. As stated on the BuzzFeed website, with a global audience of more than 200 million, BuzzFeed provides articulate and up-to-date breaking news, entertainment, original reporting on a number of topics and an array of ways to interact and connect with the social media community. BuzzFeed’s success comes from the way the information is colorfully presented along with the site’s use of trending social and political topics. Many news sites can...

In the last few years, crowdfunding has become an increasingly popular means of raising money for both personal and creative ventures. Many sites have become commonplace, such as Kickstarter, GoFundMe, Indiegogo and RocketHub, and provide opportunities for virtually anyone to contribute money to a variety of causes. The two most popular websites are Kickstarter and GoFundMe, which can be distinguished by the different purposes they serve. The former provides opportunities mainly for creative purposes and has been used by celebrities such as Zach Braff, Whoopi Goldberg and even Neil Young...

Some people love it, some people hate it. Either way, most people are going to step foot in a gym at some point in their lives. And whether you’re a friend or a foe, there are some standard rules that everyone should abide by in order to make the gym-going experience more enjoyable (or at least tolerable) for everyone involved. We’re at the gym, so please don’t talk to me. I’m just saying. I’m hot. I’m sweaty. I look like shit. Anything that you have to say to me can...

That peculiar human desire to control what confuses us is steadily gaining in popularity.  We’ve all experienced this feeling at some point—the tendency to result in absolute, merciless tyranny when dealing with train connections, perhaps the occasional bus schedule.  Or, maybe even others’ religious behavior. This has certainly become a favorite among University administrations. About a month ago, Hampton University student Melonna Clarke went through the embarrassing experience of being denied access to a college ID on the premise of what she was wearing. “I went to go get my...

Conversations about race both on and off campus have been going on for a while. On campus, a new dialogue about mixed race has started. In navigating the many complexities of race, people of mixed race have the unique ability to identify with different ethnic identities. Being of mixed race is also starting to become more and more common. The 2010 Census showed that people who reported multiple races grew by a greater percentage than those reporting a single race. According to the 2010 Census brief The Two or More...

The energy and spirit felt in the fieldhouse while our women’s basketball team hosted the first round of the Northwest Conference Tournament against Whitworth University was amazing. It was one of the few times in my two years here that I felt like the student body united over a single event. On that night, it seemed that everyone was proud to be a Logger. In the past few weeks since that win, I’ve spoken with several students regarding the lack of campus-wide events, and the overall “cliquey” culture at our...