Read for pleasure lately? Doubt it—in college, chances are that students have very little time to dedicate to reading material that is not required for a class, and here at Puget Sound, many students lack the time or motivation to even indulge in reading what is required. This trend reflects the habits of a majority of adult Americans. When I do occasionally crack open a required reading for a class (i.e. midterm in two hours), I often notice something interesting: that my mind is completely blown. Such books and articles...

On Feb. 18, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an amendment to ban Planned Parenthood from receiving any federal funding, with a vote of 240 to 185. This amendment, which Planned Parenthood CEO Judy Tablar has called “an extreme and dangerous piece of legislation,” will likely have devastating consequences for our society if it passes in the Senate as well. The bill, proposed by Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), targets Planned Parenthood specifically because it is known as the go-to institution for abortions and contraceptives. Many House representatives are wary of...

It seems like everyone is under attack for their beliefs these days. Whether it’s pressure from your parents, fostering a political agenda or simply fuming in your bedroom over a conversation you’ve just had or something you’ve seen on TV, the tension between different groups of people and their ideas is impossible to escape. This tension is particularly prominent between two groups: the fundamentally religious and the bombastic atheist. The mutual intolerance often held by both extreme atheists and extreme fundamentalists is not only limiting to compromise and progress, but...

This article is inspired by Conan O’Brien’s bod. On Dec. 2, 2010, O’Brien donned jeggings for the entirety of his acclaimed late-night talk show, “Conan.” For those who aren’t aware, jeggings are denim or denim-ish leggings that have been increasing in popularity since mid-2010 and they are very, very tight. Watching O’Brien strut with grace and sarcastic confidence about the stage as he bared his long, slender legs before a floored audience took me completely aback. I was surprised by the shape of his legs, lean yet somehow unfeminine, and...

h, l’amour. In this aviary of lovebirds that we call Puget Sound, the swift approach of Valentine’s Day (Monday, folks) may be both highly anticipated and cause for sickening dread. Undoubtedly, many are speculating frantically about how to utilize this annual opportunity to make someone feel aptly special, to suavely secure a date or even a relationship or to simply get laid. However, an undeniably large percentage of our undergrad population consists of awkward, bumbling young adults with naught for experience but brief or mishandled experiments in the realm of...