Year: 2018

Donation drive for migrant caravan

On Dec. 6 student activist groups gathered at the quad to collect supplies for the migrant caravan that is assembled along the U.S-Mexico border. Nathaniel McGuigan, minister of communication for the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) and biology senior, helped spearhead the event.

“We are out here collecting donations that will be sent down to the border to support the migrant caravan coming from Honduras and other countries,” McGuigan said.

The donation drive was put on by members of PSL, Earth Guardians and Moviemiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan (MECHA). McGuigan said that the donations will be driven to southern California and given to the Border Angels, a volunteer non-profit organization advocating for human rights along the U.S-Mexico border, on Dec. 16.

The caravan includes people from a variety of Central American countries. Members of the caravan first started their journey north around mid-October. President Trump infamously sent 5,200 troops to the border just before the midterm elections to “secure the border and make America safe.”

However, the way the federal government has been handling the migrant caravan is one of many reasons people showed up to support those coming to the U.S. Annie Bond is double-majoring in art education and studio arts and showed up in the quad to support the migrants.

“Everyone deserves a place on Earth and we are pushing them out of their countries through corrupt political practices,” Bond said.

Bond believes countries need to expand to be a global community because of the problems of climate change. A recent report from the World Bank Group found that by 2050, “over 143 million people…could be forced to move within their own countries to escape the slow-onset impacts of climate change.” The report also highlighted that “the poorest and most climate-vulnerable areas will be hardest hit.”

Human rights advocate Jack Nounnan said he came to show support for migrants and to protest the federal government’s family separation policy.

“The event is a vendetta against [the government] taking away children,” Nounnan said.

Early this year, it was reported by major news outlets that the federal government had separated 2,654 children from their parents. The family separation policy has ended, but a family detention policy is still in place. Bond and McGuigan believe that U.S. policies are contributing factors to why people are fleeing Central American countries. Bond thinks the U.S. needs to do more to help migrants coming here.

“We can’t keep being separatists,” Bond said. “It’s important to show solidarity because it is the foundation of humanity and community. At the end of the day [solidarity] is the end-all-be-all of why community exists.

People can contact Simone McGowan of Earth Guardians if they would like to drop off donations anytime before Dec. 16

srm830@humboldt.edu

Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Mass shooting threat at CSUN

California State University, Northridge face mass shooting threats during finals week

There have been threats of a mass shooting to take place at California State University, Northridge on Dec. 12. The first threat was written on a wall of a building that stated “mass shooting in Sierra Hall 12/12/18,” with a swastika drawn under the date.

A second threat was made in the form of a hand-written note that has been widely shared on social media. In the note the author states ,“I am writing this to inform the people of CSUN that I will kill everyone on the 12 of December 2018. I am aware that I will probably shot and killed… (sic)” The author goes on to blame teachers and professors for “making students depressed and giving us (expletive) work that will never serve us good in life.”

However, the campus plans to stay open. After phone call to Carmen Chandler, Director of Media Relations, she referred to a media post on CSUN’s homepage for all inquiries.

The post, signed by CSUN president Dianne F Harrison Ph. D, states the campus will remain open “based on the threat assessment and current information gathered by law enforcement.” CSUN police will be actively patrolling campus and investigating the incident alongside LAPD. The post also states that faculty has been instructed to “provide alternative examination options for their students that would not require students to be physically present on campus.”

The post also states, “law enforcement officials continue to believe that there is no imminent threat,” and that if anyone has any information that should contact CSUN Police at 818-677-2111.

Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Too soon to tell

Humboldt State University looks to cut classes earlier for low enrollment

Clarissa Cardenas is a first year student double-majoring in French and international studies. Initially, she enrolled in the wrong French class and had to switch and enroll into a different class a couple days into her first semester. If that class had been cut due to enrollment she would’ve never had the opportunity to enroll late.

For spring semester Humboldt State University is attempting to cut classes earlier for low enrollment than previous semesters, putting situations like Cardenas’ in jeopardy. Before classes wouldn’t get cut until after winter break and up until the first day of the semester, sometimes longer.

“I get nervous because the French program is small and if they cut those classes before school even starts then students have to scramble looking for classes,” Cardenas said.

Vice provost of the dean for undergraduate and graduate studies Rock Braithwaite said cutting classes is routine and happens every semester. It occurs in the transitional stage between the end of one semester and the beginning of the next. Braithwaite said they’re trying to do a better job identifying and assessing class enrollment so they can address cutting classes sooner.

“I’m almost embarrassed to say it but cutting classes happens up to the first day of the semester,” Braithwaite said. “Students are contacted if and when substitutions are needed.”

Cardenas said that cutting classes early is taking away the opportunity for students to enroll in vital classes if they enroll late. She knows logistically the university has to cut classes, but said students get the short end of the stick.

“Students enroll late in classes all the time and to cut those classes is very one-sided,” Cadenas said. “We shouldn’t be punished for enrolling late and should be given the opportunity to search for classes.”

Junior film major Alfonso Trejos said cutting classes early can potentially affect students’ financial aid. Trejos said it’s a better outcome if the school cuts classes later so students are already enrolled and qualify for financial aid. If the class is cut due to low enrollment while he is already enrolled a professor can show open classes to take.

“School is expensive and it comes down to the money most of the time for people,” Trejos said.

Maria Sanchez is a junior in social work and plans on interning her last semester. Sanchez said she doesn’t want to overload herself while interning, so she’s taking more than the unit cap of classes. She has to petition for the extra units she enrolls in and that takes time.

“Sometimes I’m not even able to enroll in a class until the first day of the semester,” Sanchez said.

Screen grab of social work course rotations.

The more time students have to search for classes without fear of having them cut, Sanchez said is best. She said it isn’t a huge deal to wait to cut classes like the school has been doing but for students cutting classes early is detrimental.

“In my department if you don’t get in or pass a class you have to wait an entire year to take it again,” Sanchez said.

Thursday, December 6, 2018
Unknown beginnings

Editor’s Note: Lumberjack reporter Ju’Wan Murphy is on the Humboldt State University football team.

After the final game against Simon Frasier, Humboldt State University coaches set up a showcase to help players show off their talents

Forty plus coaches came from near and far to scout HSU football players as they showcased their agility and athleticism. Coaching staff, Josh Irvin helped set up the event for his players.

“It was an opportunity for college players to perform and interact with teammates, regardless if they weren’t able to play in games this year,” Irvin said. “They’ve fought for me all year long, and I’m not going to stop fighting for them until they found a new home.”

The coaching staff also sent out an updated list to almost every college in the nation. The list had athletic accomplishments, academics, and eligibility standing. Players, fortunately will not receive the normal transfer penalty of being forced to sit out a year. Instead, they will be granted full access as soon as they enroll in the new college. Players also met with the compliance officer to explain the process. Irvin believes the showcase went well and is committed to mentoring players that need it.

“It’s always an honor when players trust you enough to ask your opinion about the future,” Irvin said.

The next few weeks are critical for players because, decisions will be made and new homes must be decided. Many factors are at play for athletes including year, eligibility, out of state tuition, and scholarships. All this before they step on their new team’s field.

For junior defensive back Ereon Nash, the time of football ending isn’t ideal. He’ll have to navigate credits and scholarships he’s received are all out of state schools in South Carolina, Nebraska, and Colorado. Nash had a season in which his numbers doubled in important defensive back stats like pass deflections and tackles.

“I got to make the best of it,” Nash said. “My plan is to go somewhere my units transfer over so I’m not too far behind in school and where I would be good financially.”

Family is also important to Nash’s decision because of the distance away from home.

“My family thinks this whole situation is unfortunate but they will support me no matter where I choose,” Nash said. “I’m still undecided if I want to leave in January or after the spring semester.”

HSU Lumberjack gets tackled by Western Oregon opponent on Oct. 27. | Photo by Matt Shiffler.

Other players like redshirt sophomore linebacker Demetrick Watts could find success in the change due to his eligibility for two more years. Watts had a breakout season getting his first opportunity this year to start all 10 games and left his mark in all of those in some fashion. Watts finished this season with one defensive touchdown, second in tackles, and made the first team all-conference.

“The situation that happened with the program is messed up, I’m the type of person to finish what I start and I won’t be able to do that here,” Watts said.

His decisions during the break will be looking over his official division two offers from Central Washington, Central Missouri, and the University of Central Oklahoma. These schools are a high caliber of division two football but Watts will wait till just past Christmas to decide. The division one schools are his main focus right now because of the year he had at the Redwood Bowl.

“Just keeping my options open,” Watts said. “Sam Houston, Portland State, and Samford are on the list.”

Freshman defensive lineman Tajma Magee was a walk-on in the spring earned his playing time this fall and has to start that process all over again. Magee is not like Watts or Nash who was recruited, he chose Humboldt out of high school for academics. Magee had a nice spring which propelled him to come back in the fall and for the 2018 season. Now Magee is just like the other athletes searching for a new home. Magee has been in contact with a few schools but the only schools that offered scholarships are Ottawa University, Tabor College, and Kansas Wesleyan University.

Even though Magee has to start his recruitment process all over it he feels like it’s an honor being wanted by other universities after overcoming everything he has been through.

“Coming out of high school I didn’t really have any schools interested,” Magee said. “Now having the opportunity to have school paid for is a blessing in disguise.”

Redwood Bowl is nearly empty at HSU football program comes to an end. | Photo by Amanda Schultz.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018
EDITORIAL: Overcoming this final stretch of stress

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Stress and anxiety are an everyday part of student life. But with the final weeks of school upon us, there are more triggers than ever to make students feel stressed. The Lumberjack knows several tips to ensure that you perform your best in the last days of the semester.

It’s easy to neglect the self and only focus on the tasks you’ve been assigned. Although your projects and homework are important, it’s critical to consider your physical and mental health as you finish up the semester.

Many CSU students struggle with getting enough sleep. Exhaustion makes it harder to maintain a low level of stress, and higher levels of stress make it difficult to sleep, so the cycle continues.

Make sure to get enough sleep during the final weeks, as insufficient amounts will affect your performance on final projects and exams. It’s counter-intuitive to sleep less while trying to get more done, as the quality and speed of work will be lower than if you had enough sleep.

If you’re having trouble relaxing your mind and body to sleep, an effective, healthy method to calm yourself is drinking a mug of hot herbal tea. Not all teas will help you sleep, though. The best teas for relaxation and sleep are herbal teas like lavender, chamomile, peppermint and Valerian root.

Caffeine is a popular choice for college students when it comes to finals week studying. While a cup or two of coffee can definitely enhance focus and drive to complete a tedious task, it can also have unpleasant side effects, especially when too much is taken quickly. It’s especially important to moderate your caffeine levels during these busy times.

Think for a second, is that fourth cup of coffee or second yerba mate tea really worth it? Too much caffeine can cause extreme anxiety and restlessness, making it even harder to stay mentally healthy during these last weeks. Drinking caffeine too late in the night can also make it difficult to get quality sleep, making challenging finals even more intense.

Just because finals are here doesn’t mean school is all you should focus on. It’s smart to take breaks and have time to yourself, where your studies aren’t the priority. It’s unrealistic to think we can devote all our time and energy into academia. Treat yourself to something nice and relaxing, especially if your anxiety levels are soaring through the roof.

Remember folks, it’s not the end of the world and you can get through this. Moderate your caffeine consumption, do something nice for yourself and don’t forget to breathe. It will be over before you know it!

For additional stress relief, in the coming week HSU will be hosting a few different events throughout campus including a game night, the annual pancake dinner and therapy dogs visiting the library.

Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Devouring dermestids

Visiting HSU’s Vertebrate Museum

In a dark room flesh-eating beetles consume dead animals. That sounds like a scene straight out of a horror movie, but this is a room on campus at the Humboldt State University Vertebrate Museum.

Melissa Hawkins. is the current curator at HSU’s Vertebrate Museum. She has always been interested in animals, and told her parents she wanted to be a veterinarian at the age of six.

“I did my masters in reptiles and have done bird research as well,” Hawkins said. “I just love vertebrates.”

Melissa Hawkins poses next to a whale bone outside the beetle room at the HSU Vertebrate museum. Photo by Walter Hackett

Hawkins got her bachelor’s and master’s degree at Western Illinois University and her PhD. at George Mason. She applied for the museum curator position at HSU toward the end of 2016, and said she was excited to come to Humboldt.

“The first thing I said to myself was, ‘Wait a second, is that a redwood tree?’” Hawkins said.

Aside from her curator duties, Hawkins teaches mammalogy and evolution. Much of her research focuses on next-generation sequencing methods. She loves the discovery aspect of her research.

“For a moment in time you’re the only person that knows a fact in the the scientific world,” Hawkins said.

Stuffed and preserved chipmunks catalogued in a collection room at the HSU Vertebrate Museum. Photo by Walter Hackett

We left her office and move down the hall to one of the collection rooms. Hawkins pulled out a drawer containing rows of small chipmunks, each one splayed out neatly and accompanied by a catalog tag.

“Feel how soft they are,” Hawkins said.

At this point the small rodents in the drawer have all been stuffed with cotton and preserved, a lengthy process that is carried out at the museum itself. Some of the specimens in the drawer date back to the early 80s.

“I call it creepy arts and crafts,” Hawkins said.

From there went to see the flesh-eating beetles. The beetles remove all the flesh from the bones for any specimens the museum wants to preserve. They do the work that human hands cannot.

Dr. Nicholas Kerhoulas is the HSU Vertebrate Museum collections manager and is responsible for looking after the Dermestid beetle colony.

“Don’t stay in there too long,” Kerhoulas said. “It’ll stay on your clothes.”

We went outside and entered a small dark room. The powerful smell hits your nostrils instantly.

“Here’s the local talent,” Hawkins said.

Hawkins walked over to a box against the wall and opened the lid. A soiled rag resembling a burlap sack is inside. She removed a cover to reveal a snake carcass covered with beetles.

“They like to feel snuggly and warm,” Hawkins said.

Kerhoulas said the snake has taken the beetles some time to get through.

“I think a combination of cooler weather and perhaps that snake not being their favorite is making it take a while longer than I would have expected,” Kerhoulas said.

We headed upstairs to the museum prep room, where the team worked to prep a dolphin specimen for the beetles. Removing as much flesh as they can before giving the bones to the beetles will speed up the process. The team has to be careful though, because if they leave the bones with the beetles too long they’ll start to eat into the bones.

“Once the colony gets going they are hungry little buggers,” Hawkins said.

Dr. Nicholas Kerhoulas removes flesh from a striped dolphin carcass in the HSU Vertebrate Museum in preparation for the beetle colony. Photo by Walter Hackett

The prep room smelled like fish. This particular specimen is a striped dolphin that washed up in Crescent City and died shortly after washing ashore. Hawkins explained that these dolphins are typically found in the deep sea and the team is curious to find a cause for the beaching.

Kerhoulas and with Stella Yuan, a graduate student that works with Hawkins in the museum, are equipped with gloves and knives and removed as much flesh and blubber from the bones as they can.

“I hope you don’t have a weak stomach,” Hawkins said.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018
They mean business

Two former Humboldt State students run their own companies

Over the past year, two former Humboldt State University students Oscar Perez and Tex Keith created and manage their own Humboldt County based companies at the ages of just 23 and 21.

Perez and Keith started off as football players for the HSU Lumberjacks but then decided earlier in the year to take a break from enrolling in classes in order to pursue their careers. Though both men’s companies are vastly different, they both enjoyed the idea of being their own boss.

“Seeing the way my old boss ran his shop looked really fun, but I’ve never liked authority,” Perez said.

Oscar Perez, owner of The Speakeasy Hair Lounge on K street in Arcata gives client a haircut on Nov. 29. Photo by Amanda Schultz

Since freshman year of high school, Perez had always had a passion for cutting hair as a barber. He knew he wanted to one day open his own barber shop. It wasn’t until just a couple of months ago when Perez spontaneously decided to take a chance as he found a storefront available in a popular location in the middle of Arcata on K street. A month and a half later, The Speakeasy Hair Lounge opened up on Oct. 2.

“I’ve always dreamed of opening my own shop,” Perez said. “The opportunity came up quick. I saw the shop and just ran with it.”

As CEO of Inertial Media, Keith also manages a corporation within Humboldt. This business maven and marketing agency provides expert consulting, brand strategy, and social media management to help their clients. As Inertial Media grew larger Keith became more successful. Keith was awarded top 10 entrepreneurs and had his company featured in Entrepreneur Magazine.

“I’m using this as momentum to keep on growing and helping out other people,” Keith said.

As a college athlete, Keith had hopes of starting a career in the NFL. It wasn’t until after buying two laptops with extra financial aid money and discovering digital marketing did he make the decision to commit most of his time toward business.

Former HSU student Tex Keith is the new CEO of Inertial Media. Photo courtesy by Tex Keith

As Keith learned more about marketing, he was sought out by one of the most successful self-made entrepreneurs in America, Tai Lopez.Keith continued to learn and grow in Lopez’s program which ultimately landed him a spot in Tai Lopez’s Exclusive 300 Group which consists of his best students. Keith is also planning to teach in one of Lopez’s upcoming courses.

“Going from seeing his YouTube videos in 2015, to being in them is pretty cool,” Keith said.

Keith has strengthened his team at Inertial Media by hiring other young like-minded marketers and brokers to keep things running smoothly. Perez also hired like minded barbers with similar hair cutting styles.

“I have a barber from Florida, Central California, and Riverside,”Perez said. “I never actually met any of them. I hired them through Instagram and gave them my pitch.”

Efrain Rosario is one of The Speakeasy’s barbers. Perez first saw Rosario’s barber skills as he posted pictures of his work on social media. After a few conversations, Rosario was convinced to stay in Humboldt County for a fresh start in the industry after moving from Florida.

“My experience working here so far has been pretty fruitful,” Rosario said.

Both companies have plans to expand and further their business along in the future. Perez and Keith have put in countless hours and given up many nights of sleep to get these companies to where they are today. The grit and determination of these two men have started to inspire others to also follow their dreams of starting up a business.

“Don’t hesitate,” Perez said. “Ride with the momentum and just go for it.”

Monday, December 3, 2018
Something in the sauce: Humboldt Brews

Humbrews’ wings make students’ stomachs happy

Arcata can get fairly chilly once the sun goes down. In response, many flock to Humboldt Brews on Saturday nights for drinks, food and to hang with friends.

Located on 856 10th St., Humboldt Brews (or Humbrews for short) is a great place to immerse yourself in the Arcata lifestyle. With 25 beers on tap, award winning hot wings and a banquet room/nightclub for shows, there aren’t many places around to get a more complete college town vibe.

As you walk in, there is an instant feeling of Humboldt State University as many of the patrons are wearing HSU gear while they wait for their drinks. There are sports broadcasts on all televisions with a distinct focus on the Bay Area’s teams like the Golden State Warriors or San Jose Sharks.

Not too many people yet as its only 7 p.m. but the servers do well in making sure everyone has their drinks filled. Along with a pool table, seating for the restaurant and even some old school arcade games, Humbrews has everything you’d want from a college bar. The bar transforms from a mellow early dinner setting to a more energetic “party” setting as more people start to pile in to escape the cold.

What better way to warm up from the cool breeze than with hot wings?! Humbrews offers a basket of wings including a side of french fries and some celery as a palate cleanser for $10. The sauces vary depending on the bravery of the customer, but for the fan of traditional wings you can’t go wrong with the hot buffalo sauce. A perfect amount of spicy earns this wing its “award-winning” title as soon as you take a bite.

Portions are sized reasonably to what you’re paying and you’ll have extra hot buffalo sauce to dip your fries in after. This goes great while treating yourself or watching a game with friends on the large projector screen in the back of the restaurant.

For those who dare, you can also try Humbrews’ handmade “Suicide Sauce” which is made from many different spices including the notoriously hot “ghost pepper” for an extra $2. Ask for the “Suicide Sauce” on the side to enjoy at your own pace. If you don’t mind sweating through your shirt, this sauce will definitely have you breathing fire.

Ordering a pound of wings ($12) with a side of “Suicide Sauce” can be fun with a large group as everyone grabs a wing and a dab of sauce to see who can ride the bull without getting kicked off. Wash it down with one of Humbrews’ many beers or ciders. One of the best is from Eureka’s own Humboldt Cider Company called Hibiscus Hemp Cider. A pint of Hibiscus Hemp cider ($6) along with a pound of wings will have you full and feeling good all for under $20.

Humbrews sets itself apart from other Arcata bars with its variety of quality food choices and upbeat vibe. It is also well lit so you don’t get the creepy, “dingy” feeling that other Arcata bars give off. It’s open daily at 11:30 a.m. until 2 a.m. on most nights. Stop by after class and you might be able to catch happy hour from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. for drink specials.

Overall, Humbrews is a staple bar for the HSU student or any Arcata resident with its exceptional drink choice and consistently well-made food, not to mention the hottest wing sauce you can find in Humboldt County!

Monday, December 3, 2018
America’s tallest living Christmas tree continues to shine bright

Ferndale gets into the holiday spirit on Dec. 2

Like a flare in the dark night, America’s tallest living Christmas tree was lit up. Once the tree was glowing in the night, the energy spread through the crowd. Christmas time was here at last.

On Dec. 2 the city of Ferndale continued its 84th annual Christmas tradition of the lighting of America’s tallest living Christmas tree.

Crowds of people were scattered around town, going into mom and pop shops. As soon as the sun went down and the Christmas music became louder, everyone started to make their way to the tallest living Christmas tree.

Main street Ferndale became a collection of people huddled together, trying to keep warm on the chilly night. As soon as 5:30 p.m. hit, the anticipation for the lighting of the tree had grown, and newly appointed Mayor of Ferndale, Michael Sweeney took the stage to start the festivities.

“I want to thank everyone for coming out to this year’s annual Christmas tree lighting,” Sweeney said. “This tradition that we have held since 1934 has always brought Christmas spirit to the city of Ferndale and I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas.”

After Sweeney’s message to the crowd, the Chameleon singers took the stage to begin Christmas caroling. The carolers began with “Jingle Bells” and encouraged the crowd to sing along. As soon the carolers and the crowd became synced together, everyone felt the Christmas spirit.

Soon after the caroling ended, the lights that lit the festivities where cut, and anticipation grew as a countdown ensued to the lighting of the tree.

President of Ferndale Chamber of Commerce, Paul Beatie attended the lighting ceremony.

“Ferndale seems to capture that essence of Christmas spirit each year we do this lighting,” Beatie said. “The small-town American feel, Christmas decorations everywhere, along with free hot cocoa, how can one not get into the Christmas spirit here in Ferndale?”

Immediately after the lighting fake snow was scattered on the crowd, and Alvin and The Chipmunks, filled the ears of the crowd. Free hot cocoa and homemade cookies were provided by the 4-H and Ferndale’s Community Pride, making the atmosphere more invigorating.

Angela Chism was at the lighting ceremony with her husband and her two kids. They have attended the Ferndale tradition since they moved to the area from San Francisco six years ago.

“Down in the bay area you can always tell when it’s Christmas because of all the decorations and crazy traffic from shoppers,” Chism said. “Here in Ferndale, not only can you tell its Christmas, but you can actually get into the Christmas Spirit.”

Sunday, December 2, 2018
Deven’s top seven pump up songs

Seven songs that’ll electrify your soul

Whether you are about to go out for the night, practicing for the big game, or getting ready to ask that person out, we all have our songs that pump us up and get our blood flowing in anticipation. Here are my top 7 pump up songs:

1. “Eye of the Tiger” – Survivor
We start with the quintessential pump up song from Rocky III. You will always feel epic when listening to this song. Channel your inner Sylvester Stallone and take on the day!

2. “Get on the Floor” – Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson has a lot of pump up songs, but this one doesn’t get the credit it deserves. It’s groovy, it’s funky, and it always gets me out of my seat and onto my feet.

3. “Learn How to Watch” – Carnage, Mac Miller, and MadeinTYO

Whenever this song plays, I immediately feel like I am walking into a wrestling ring as someone is taking off my robe and yelling in my ear to pump me up. Nobody can mess with you when you’re playing this song

4. “Glowed Up” – KAYTRANADA and Anderson Paak

This is a song for when your just simply feeling yourself. You look good today and you know it. You’ve come a long way and you are killing it. Also KAYTRANADA’s house-esque hip hop beats blend amazingly with Anderson. Paak’s raspy but soothing voice.

5. “Sabotage” – The Beastie Boys

The Beastie Boys also have a wide catalog of pump up songs, but this one stands out the most to me. With the multiple breakdowns and build ups, chunky guitar chords and a record scratching solo, this song was destined to be one of the best pump up songs.

6. “Good Vibrations” – Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch

The song and video are incredibly cheesy, but every time it comes on it always lifts my mood. Part of it might be how it’s so fun to watch a young Mark Wahlberg rapping and dancing around. And to top it off, everyone who knows the song always sings along to chorus.

7. “Final Countdown” – Europe

Just in time for finals, this is one of the most important pump up songs in history. You could add this song to the background of anything and it immediately becomes more impressive. The opening riff that is sustained throughout a lot of the songs is one of the most instantly recognizable riffs of all time. And just like with Good Vibrations, your going to get everyone in the room singing “It’s the final countdown!”

Sunday, December 2, 2018
The Educated Landlord and Tenant Program has been brought to the table

Tenants, landlords and community members were invited to discuss the development of the ELT Program during town hall meeting

A study done by the CSU office of the chancellor found that one in five Humboldt State students reported being without housing one or more times last year.

Humboldt State’s off-campus housing coordinator, Chant’e Catt hosted a meeting on Nov. 30 in the Great Hall on campus to discuss this major concern of housing and other potential issues that lay ahead for student renters and landlords in Humboldt County.

“We’re looking to get feedback and create connections in the community,” Catt said.

Catt has been collecting data since Aug. to develop a program called the Tenant and Landlord Education Program. This program is centered around educating local landlords and student tenants. Catt’s goal is to raise awareness about equitable practices and cohesion between the two sides.

“We want to create open communication and bridge the gap between the community and campus,” Catt said.

A frustrated community member goes on about privatization in housing while event organizers Ashley Bradshaw and Chant’e Catt listen in the back. Photo by Sean Bendon

Sasheen Raymond, a support administrator in the social work department on campus, explained the need for good communication between tenants and landlords. Raymond also called attention to the issue of finances in some cases.

“The goal is coming to some sort of agreement between students and landlords,” Raymond said. “ We want to know where the middle ground is for both sides.”

Raymond and Catt have been working to create a donor supported stipend that could be applied to student housing deposits in the future. This could help create a better system for student housing and alleviate some of the pressures students face when looking to find off campus housing.

Humboldt State’s associate director of housing, Todd Larsen supports the idea of the program.

“They’re trying to create a better future for the students,” Larsen said.

Ashley Bradshaw listens as a community member voices their concerns at the landlord and tenant town hall meeting held in the Great Hall. Photo by Sean Bendon

Catt and her associates have been working to reach out to students about their concerns by emailing well over a 1000 students and holding open meetings in the UC Quad. Students and landlords alike have come forward to express their fears in hopes of finding a balance.

“Today’s meeting was a synthesis of all the concerns students and landlords presented us with,” Catt said. “We asked them what they didn’t like and now we’re working on it.”

Friday, November 30, 2018
Meet the Professors: Amber Gaffney

Social psychology professor Amber Gaffney opens up about her hobby and profession

Dr. Amber Gaffney, social psychology professor at Humboldt State University, has traveled all over California for her studies. She received her bachelor’s degree at HSU in 2006 and her doctorate at Claremont Graduate University in 2014. In between she traveled to Mexico and Canada for her past hobby, professional bike racing.

“I like to be athletic,” Gaffney said. “The idea of riding my bike professionally came when I was in grad school, which is pretty late in the career, but I wanted to do it.”

Gaffney participated in many tournaments in her professional cycling career. While it was expensive, it was all worth it for her.

“Since teaching here at HSU, I have not been able to go cycling professionally anymore, but I still like to go for runs when I get the chance,” Gaffney said.

Gaffney comes from Denny, California a small town east of Willow Creek.

“It’s a town in the middle of nowhere,” Gaffney said. “People won’t understand rural towns until they go to Denny”.

Gaffney became a psychology professor at HSU after years of studying. She teaches social identity and social influences. Her expertise is how social identity is affected by political party alliances.

“We research on how your political alliance can shape your view of the world,” Gaffney said.

One of her research papers was on the 2016 presidential election. She looked at how the Trump administration grew to represent the Republican party.

“We called that concept ‘prototypicality’,”Gaffney said. “We looked at pre-2016 election, and it was fairly low, but post-2016, it increased. So that meant that more Republicans viewed Trump as representative of the Republican party.”

Dr. Gaffney explains the textbook definition of prototypicality is ‘a set of attributes that best defines your group in a specific context with respect to another group’. In the context of Gaffney’s research, the aspects of the Republican party can be shaped because of Donald Trump’s leadership.

Gaffney is very passionate about teaching social psychology, and as a psychologist she has fun lecturing and teaching in her classes.

“I want students to look at the psychological mechanisms of why people support certain groups,” Gaffney said. “When we talk about prejudices, when we talk about inter-group relations, when we talk about inter-group bias, these are things that almost everyone has experienced.”

This story was corrected at 9:56pm on Dec. 6. The previous version of the article listed Gaffney as only having graduated with a masters degree from Claremont Graduate University.

Friday, November 30, 2018
A budding industry

A look at students who work in the marijuana industry

Humboldt State University senior Brianna Chapman is the floor manager at the Heart of Humboldt marijuana dispensary in Arcata. On Fridays, Chapman spends the morning organizing products, preparing the cash registers and getting things together for the shop’s opening at 10 a.m.

“My grandma had a (California Proposition 215 card) as soon as she could and I watched how much it helped her,” Chapman said. “I was taking her to Chemotherapy every week and I saw the value in medicinal cannabis. It’s definitely a family business for me. My sister and I have both worked in dispensaries for the last five years.”

Chapman started worked in the cannabis industry right after high school. Chapman said the marijuana industry has always played a vital role in her life.

“I didn’t smoke in high school or anything,” Chapman said. “So, it’s kind of funny that I grew up in this stoner family, but I waited until I was fully ready.”

California Proposition 215 passed in 1996 allowing the legal use of medical marijuana. Since then, marijuana has seen a bumpy road on its path to legalization in California in 2016. Raids from the federal government and a back and forth on policy from the federal Attorneys General have contributed to an environment that left many wondering where legislation stands.

But throughout all of the confusion, the marijuana industry of Humboldt county remained.

Marcia Brownfield owns and operates Heart of Humboldt alongside her husband Danny. Both of them are Humboldt natives and believe in giving back to their community. Recently, they started a campaign to give $5 for every t-shirt sold to the Sequoia Park Zoo.

“I wasn’t sure the zoo would be thrilled to be associated with us,” Brownfield said. “So, I called them and said we would love to advertise that we are donating $5 from every t-shirt sale to you and they said let me check it out. They called me back and said it’s a go.”

Brownfield said she is from an older generation where marijuana still isn’t fully accepted the way it is with the Millennial generation.

“A lot of people my age, and a lot of educators and people in those jobs, are uncomfortable coming into a dispensary; it has that stigma for older people,” Brownfield said. “And more and more that is getting dispelled. It’s an innocent plant that has somehow been demonized. It has so much medicinal value that people shouldn’t think of it as a negative thing.”

Abel Anaya is another HSU student who works in the marijuana industry. Anaya is a junior majoring in journalism and works for Humboldt Legacy Organics in the processing department. Anaya said that the job mainly consists of cutting down plants and hanging them up to dry, cutting buds from the stem–or “bucking” as it’s known in the industry– and preparing hash, live resins and wax.

“I’ve been doing this for about two to three years now,” Anaya said. “I did it back home in the (Central) Valley, but being up here is a lot more complicated because there is a large number of plants we have to work with.”

Anaya said he used to work in the industry when it was still illegal, but was just trimming at the time. However, since he moved to Humboldt county he has found the vast benefits of working in the legal industry.

“Now that it is legal, it has been a benefit to me because I’m getting payroll now,” Anaya said. “I’m able to use my W2s and my taxes now. I can use it as a job now. It is opening up the whole job industry.”

Marijuana is still illegal on the federal level and students who get charged with certain marijuana offenses are at risk of losing their financial aid. The current question on the FAFSA form states: “Have you been convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student (such as grants, work-study, or loans)?”

This question leaves some ambiguity for students in states where marijuana is legal. But according to Sergeant John Packer of Campus Police, their policy is clear.

“Literally nothing has changed for us whatsoever,” Packer said.

Packer, a 15-year veteran of the Campus Police, said they still cite individuals who are caught with marijuana. He said anything under an ounce is considered a misdemeanor, while anything over an ounce, as well as concentrates, could result in a felony charge. Anaya said the ambiguity in the law has given him some pause.

“If I get locked up I can ruin my whole college career,” Anaya said. “I’m not a bad person, I don’t have a criminal record. You could say I am an average person just working and stuff.”

The marijuana industry provides a legal and steady income for many in Humboldt county and Chapman wants to continue a career in it long after she finishes school this year.

“We want to make sure people are getting the products that are best suited for them because we know it works and we’ve seen how much it works,” Chapman said. “I am at a real place, at a real job. I pay my taxes, everything is so normal, it is so mild mannered. The worry is not nearly as much of a thing. Definitely not nearly as afraid as we used to be.”

Humboldt State University communication major Brianna Chapman stands behind the counter at Heart of Humboldt where she is the floor manager. Chapman said there isn’t a “one size fits all for cannabis” when it comes to the right amount or strain for someone. | Photo by Freddy Brewster

Madison White, an alcohol sober student at College of the Redwoods, makes a purchase from Humboldt State University student and floor manager Brianna Chapman on Nov. 16. | Photo by Freddy Brewster

Abel Anaya bucks down marijuana at a grow ran by Humboldt Legacy Organics. Photo courtesy of Abel Anaya

Thursday, November 29, 2018
Basketball travels south for a doubled matched weekend

Humboldt State Women and Mens’ basketball team travel south as they look for victories in their second and third conference play

They will match-up against Cal State San Marcos and Cal State San Bernardino.

The Lady Jacks (3-1, 1-0 CCAA) started off their conference play on Nov. 23 in Rohnert Park with a 68-56 victory over the Sonoma State Seawolves.

Junior Madeline Hatch led the team with 26 points, and lifted a career best with eight of those shots being three pointers.

The Lady Jacks were not going down without a fight in their first conference game. After a two point trail in the third quarter, HSU fought for a 23-2 run, and it paid off with a victory against the Seawolves.

Junior guards Alexia Thrower and Tyra Turner showed dominance as well on Friday night. Thrower finished with 19 points and 11 boards, and Turner with eight points and six assists.

Although the Lady Jacks traveled back home with a victory, the men’s team did not. In a tough game against the Seawolves, the Lumberjacks (3-3, 0-1 CCAA) lost with a final score of 69-66.

Due to the lack of completed shots, the Lumberjacks trailed 38-20 at halftime.

The second half was a little more exciting as the Lumberjacks found their footing and connected on 51.6 percent of their shot attempts. Senior forward Justin Everett and senior point guard Kameron Curl each led with 16 points and senior Calvin Young II followed with 11.

On Thursday, Nov. 29 the HSU women’s team will play San Marcos at 5:30 p.m. and the men at 7:30 p.m. Both teams will play San Bernardino on Saturday, Dec. 1, women at 1 p.m. and men at 3 p.m.

Thursday, November 29, 2018
Students present the Margaret Kelso short play festival

Six original 10 minute plays directed and written by Humboldt State students

A student based team of six directors, six playwrights, 15 actors and a crew of 12 people backstage, launched the preview of the Margaret Kelso play festival on Nov. 28.

Production manager Michael Thomas said the Margaret Kelso Play Festival has been around for decades but only happens occasionally.

“The festival is named after Margaret Kelso who taught playwriting,” Thomas said. “We wanted to thank her for many years of service and contribution to dramatic writing.”

Actors Rosemary Allison-Brown, and Victor D. Para acting out a scene from the play”Contrary.” Photo courtesy by Michael Thomas.

The festival consists of six 10 minute plays that are written and directed by HSU students. The director of the play “Contrary” is theatre arts senior Sammi Stowe. Stowe said the job of the director is to create the world of the play. She is also excited to see new faces in crowd during opening night on Nov. 29.

“It’s always exciting to see someone’s first reaction,” Stowe said. “There’s nothing quite like watching someone’s first time seeing your art.”

Actors Brianna Fergus, and Katie Lem acting out a scene from the play “Injection.” Photo courtesy by Michael Thomas.

Freshman biology major Katie Lem played the role of Juliet in the play “Injection.” Lem feels very excited for opening night. She’s happy that everyone is doing their best and looks forward to see how everything turns out.

“I want there to be a big energy coming out into this show, and I want everyone to accept it with open arms,” Lem said.

Theatre arts senior, Madison Glee, was apart of the play “Adjustments.” She was nervous in front of the preview crowd but she said the nerves washed away. Glee is looking forward to working with her co-actor during opening night and gauging the reactions and energy with a different audience.

“It’s different every night but it’s beautiful every night,” Glee said.

The opening show will be on Nov. 29 at 7:30 pm in the Gist Theater.

Screen grab of dates and times of the Margaret Kelso short Play Festival.

Thursday, November 29, 2018
‘SpongeBob’ creator dead at 57

Alumnus Stephen Hillenburg makes permanent mark at HSU before passing

Stephen Hillenburg, Humboldt State alum and creator of Nickelodeon cartoon “SpongeBob SquarePants,” has passed away.

Nickelodeon confirmed the news in a Tweet on Tuesday.

“We are sad to share the news of the passing of Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants,” the network wrote. “Today, we are observing a moment of silence to honor his life and work.”

The 57-year-old Hillenburg revealed March of last year to Variety Magazine that he had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, or ALS.

Hillenburg and his wife Karen gifted $135,000 to HSU back in Sept. to grant awards for students doing research with faculty in the marine sciences. The couple used the money to create the Stephen Hillenburg Marine Science Research Award Endowment fund.

According to an HSU press release, Stephen Hillenburg furthered both his knowledge of marine biology and his talent as an artist while he attended HSU. The creation of SpongeBob SquarePants was a natural merging of Hillenburg’s passion for art and the ocean.

The animated series first aired on Nickelodeon in 1999 and features a square yellow sponge named SpongeBob SquarePants. He lives in a pineapple under the sea with his pet snail, Gary, in the city of Bikini Bottom on the floor of the Pacific Ocean.

SpongeBob SquarePants has won both U.S. and British Emmy Awards and has been translated in more than 60 languages, including Urdu, Azerbaijani and Maori.

Hillenburg is survived by his wife of 20 years Karen Hillenburg, son Clay, mother Nancy Hillenburg and brother Brian Kelly Hillenburg.

Tuesday, November 27, 2018
884 acres of opportunity

University receives forest land for student research

Humboldt State University is about to receive an 884 acre forest 12 miles from campus with old growth trees.

The forest will be used for field work, research and revenue generation. The land, roughly the size of Central Park, is nestled along Jacoby Creek between Fickle Hill road and Kneeland road. The forest has stands of second growth coastal redwood and old growth western red cedar.

David Greene, forestry professor and the chair of the forestry department at HSU, said the new property will provide amazing opportunities for the College of Natural Resources and Sciences.

“The forest will be heavily used by our departments,” Greene said. “We now have a forest we can actually manage.”

Creek and riparian zone on HSU’s new Jacoby Creek forest on Nov. 25. | Photo by Walter Hackett

Creek and riparian zone on HSU’s new Jacoby Creek forest on Nov. 25. | Photo by Walter Hackett

The university has been using the campuses neighboring Arcata Community Forest for much of its forest field work. Greene said the new site will eventually provide a means for revenue.

“Eventually we’ll create a timber harvest plan,” Greene said. “For now let’s let it grow.”

According to Greene, this will be great first hand experience for forestry students who can work on creating a timber harvest plan and see the whole process through. The harvest plan will leave the old growth trees alone and eventually take “a little” of the 60-year-old wood.

Greene credits the city of Arcata for creating the new opportunity for the university. After the land went up for sale, the city worked to secure it through funding opportunities from California Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Conservation Board, grants, and a significant donation from the landowner R.H. Emmerson and Son LLC.

A giant moss covered old growth western red cedar along on HSU’s new Jacoby Creek forest on Nov. 25. Photo by Walter Hackett

A giant moss covered old growth western red cedar along on HSU’s new Jacoby Creek forest on Nov. 25. Photo by Walter Hackett

Arcata Director of Environmental Services for Arcata, Mark Andre and his team have been working on this project since 2009.

He said the city has had a longstanding and productive relationship with HSU in regard to the Arcata Community Forest.

“This project will enhance and help continue that tradition,” Andre said. “HSU students and faculty are a tremendous and integral asset to the city’s forest management program.”

Andre and his team initially became interested in the property when they heard the landowners were planning putting the property up for auction. The city owns land that neighbors the new forest, and became concerned about potential subdivision and how it could affect the environment and wildlife.

“There are 10 separate parcels on the property so the project will prevent fragmentation and diversion in perpetuity,” Andre said. “We want to buffer our existing assets.”

During a sale, there could be 10 different owners each with different goals and management strategies. Andre said that this acquisition will prohibit subdivision and residential development, prevent significant water withdrawals, promote mature riparian and late succession forest reserves, and guarantee that these lands will be managed for sustainable forestry in conjunction with ecological land management.

“We mainly want to keep the integrity of resources land for coho and steel head as well as maintain a working forest,” Andre said. “We want to maintain wildlife corridor and ensure that the land remains a carbon sink over time.”

Wildlife-wise, the new forest provides habitat for threatened and endangered species including the Pacific fisher and the northern spotted owl.

Recent black bear tracks on HSU’s new Jacoby Creek forest on Nov. 25. Photo by Walter Hackett

Recent black bear tracks on HSU’s new Jacoby Creek forest on Nov. 25. Photo by Walter Hackett

“It’s a wilder feeling than our community forest,” Andre said.

Matthew Pedrotti, senior biology major with an ecology and biodiversity emphasis, said he was excited when he heard the news about the new forest.

“It will give biology students an opportunity to measure the impacts of a freshly logged forest,” Pedrotti said.

Currently the forest is in escrow. After it closes at the end of the calendar year, it will be transferred from the city to HSU to be jointly managed through a cooperative agreement. The city and the university will work together on the roads, forest data, scientific studies and public access.

“A bunch of us are alumni here so it was a pleasure to work on this because it felt like we were giving back to the university that set us up,” Andre said.

Fungus thriving on a fallen log in a bed of western sword ferns in HSU’s new Jacoby Creek forest on Nov. 25. Photo by Walter Hackett

Fungus thriving on a fallen log in a bed of western sword ferns in HSU’s new Jacoby Creek forest on Nov. 25. Photo by Walter Hackett

Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Prison inmates help battle fires for little pay

The number of deaths in the Camp Fire have increased to 85 people as of Nov. 26 with 993 people unaccounted for. More than 150,000 acres have burned with 18,804 structures destroyed.

The Woolsey Fire has burned nearly 100,000 acres and destroyed 1,500 structures. The Woolsey fire is now 100 percent contained as of Thanksgiving day.

CAL Fire has stated the Camp Fire is the deadliest fire in California history and Woolsey the eighth most destructive.

Cal Fire firefighters are not the only ones fighting the many fires burning in California. Alexandra Powell, public information officer for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said as of Wednesday November 21, there were 594 inmates and 66 CDCR staff members deployed to assist with wildfires around California.

“All inmates receive the same entry-level training that CAL Fire’s seasonal firefighters receive, which includes both classroom and field training,” Powell said.

There are 43 conservation camps, or fire camps, in 27 counties in California. Powell said these camps are minimum-security facilities that house 3,700 inmates who qualify for the fire camp program. There are three fire camps that are a part of the Humboldt-Del Norte Fire Unit: Eel River and High Rock Conservation Camps in Humboldt County and Alder Conservation Camp in Del Norte County.

“When not fighting fires, inmate firefighters perform conservation and community service projects,” Powell said. “They work Monday through Friday for eight hours a day performing a wide range of duties.

Powell said there are 96 inmates housed at High Rock and 91 at Eel River. The CDCR, or California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, states there are 109 inmates at Alder. California criminal defense attorneys, Greg Hill and Associates, said that every fire camp has at least 85 firefighters ready to fight fires.

High Rock, established in 1954, is one of the oldest conservation camps in California. Eel River has been active in since 1967 and Alder opened in 1961.

According to the CDCR website it is estimated Eel River Conservation Camp provided cost avoidance in excess of $1 million per year to the taxpayers of California.

“Taxpayers spend a yearly average of $81,458 per inmate,” Powell said. “Which covers things such as health and dental care, food, housing, as well as education and other rehabilitative opportunities while serving their time.

Powell said fire camp inmates earn an average of $2 a day, with an additional $1 an hour when fighting an active fire.

According to Glassdoor, the average base pay for a CAL Fire firefighter is $63,174 a year. The Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee’s second demand during the recent nationwide prison strike was to immediately end prison slavery. They called for all persons imprisoned to be paid prevailing wages for their labor.

“Inmates who volunteer to serve their sentence in a fire camp also receive additional time off their sentence,” Powell said.

The pay for inmates at fire camp is high compared to other prison labor. According to a 2018 CDCR report, depending on skill level an inmate will make $0.08-$.37 and hour. Powell said to be transferred to a fire camp an inmate must volunteer and have a minimum custody status.

This status is based on inmates’ good behavior in prison, conforming to rules within prison, and participation in rehabilitative programming.

High Rock and Alder Camps have college and other education course support and Eel River has music appreciation programs and gardening projects. All three have substance abuse meetings.

“Each volunteer inmate is evaluated individually to ensure that all those selected for the fire camp program are willing to be team members with nonviolent behavior, even if their original conviction was for a violent crime,” Powell said.

Powell said since 1983 there have been six deaths of fire camp inmate firefighters as a result of injuries sustained while actively working on containing a fire. She said the families of inmate firefighters may file a claim for death benefits in the event that the inmate dies from work-related injuries.

According to The Marshall Project, closest relatives are informed of loved ones’ deaths through voicemails, text messages and letters and can take anywhere from days to weeks to be notified, if at all.

“Just as with any job in prison, each inmate firefighter is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for injuries sustained during work, and/or if those injuries result in proximate death,” Powell said.

Visit https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Conservation_Camps/ for more information.a

Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Wildwood music never stops

Humboldt State Alumnus keeps small music shop legacy alive

Music is a big part of Arcata and Wildwood Music has been an Arcata staple for 40 years.

Errol Previde, an HSU alumnus, owns and runs the Wildwood Music Stores, which first opened its doors back in 1974.

Arcata is a creatively gifted town with artists from all walks of life.

You would be hard pressed to walk downtown on Friday nights and not see a plethora of musicians performing in the streets or at local businesses. Local bands also perform at the Farmer’s Mark every Saturday.

Previde bought the store from its previous owners on the 30 year anniversary of its opening.

“I had worked here in college so I was friends with them from back then.” he said. “I was having my first kid right around that time, so it just sort of worked out for me.”

Previde’s focus for the store since he took over has been primarily on the sale and repair of instruments.

“We sell used stuff, we sell new stuff, we’re a dealer for Martin and Taylor guitars, two really big guitar lines,” he said. “We try to carry a little bit of everything. We get a lot of trade ins, with people wanting something we have and they having something they want to get rid of.”

Previde said he has four or five permanent employees working at the store.

One of his employees, Anthony Taibi, began working at the store 10 years ago. Taibi was a musician moving in to town and happened to know the old owners, but Previde was the one that hired him, turning him from a customer into an employee.

“I used to come in a lot and sell my gear here,” Taibi said. “They liked what I was selling and figured I might be a good fit for the shop.”

At Arcata’s center, Wildwood draws people in with its free nature. Errol has no issue with people coming in and trying the instruments, even the expensive ones. He also said the increase in students coming in to the city every autumn helps the store. Business booms every year during that time.

One of the regular customers who often plays at Wildwood Music is Taz Trancid, who goes by his artist name “Tazmaniac.”

“I’ve been playing music for a very long time so I know what I’m doing,” Tazmaniac said. “I think for me, music is just a feeling.”

Tazmaniac plays in several bands and hopes to one day be a Metaliniost. He said whenever he is in town, Wildwood is the only music store as far as he is concerned.

Although it’s becoming increasingly difficult for local businesses to stay open, the artistic community of Arcata band together to support Wildwood Music, allowing them to keep their doors open for forty years and more.

Monday, November 26, 2018
MOVIE REVIEW: Less Than Fantastic

A weak installment in the Fantastic Beasts franchise

Coming from a huge Harry Potter fan, I wasn’t looking forward to this revival of the Harry Potter universe. I said my goodbyes senior year of high school when “Deathly Hallows Part 2” came out.

Now there’s a new story to come out in theaters that not many fans asked for. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” was a fun revisit to the universe that showed more characters and creatures that the books only brushed on.

However, four movies seems an exhausting excuse to delve into a period of the wizarding world that is important but not as pertinent as other stories that haven’t been well explored (still waiting on a story about the Marauders). “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” dips into an important part of wizarding history, but doesn’t have the focus to make it interesting.

Returning to Newt Scamander and his magical creatures, he is banned from international travel due to the events in the previous film where he was blamed for nearly destroying 1920s New York. Scamander is beckoned to Paris where he believes Tina Goldstein (future wife) is working to find a long lost descendant of a pure-blood family. Grindelwald, the original Voldemort, is also seeking this descendant to use them on his team to conquer the world.

There are too many plot lines to keep track of and it would be more confusing for those who haven’t watched the previous Fantastic Beasts film. There’s a conflict of Newt Scamander and his love for Tina Goldstein, then there is an added love triangle with Leta Lestrange. There’s a whole story about Credence Barebone, who may or may not be an important descendant and capable of killing Albus Dumbledore. There are a lot of old politics at the Ministry of Magic in multiple countries.

Then there’s Grindelwald himself. Johnny Depp’s inconsistent accent was the least of the problems. His Grindelwald wasn’t as scathingly evil as Ralph Fiennes’ Voldemort was. Grindelwald was trying to be a more relatable evil, notably when he says that he does not hate the non-magical people. This sounds similar when Donald Trump’s campaigns had him say that he believes that some Mexican people are presumably good people after calling them rapists. Relatable, but doesn’t strike fear.

Jude Law’s casting as young Albus Dumbledore was a good fit. Not the best, as I was hoping for Domhnall Gleeson but Law had the softness and mischievous nature Dumbledore has.

The new creatures the film introduced were fascinating, particularly the Chinese Zouwu was adorable and want to see more of than nifflers.

Otherwise, the film was too long to fit in so much information that wasn’t set up before like in books or maybe on Pottermore. If this was meant to be a five-part series, then it should set up it’s time better and made more accessible for new fans to join the wizarding fandom and not alienate them.

Monday, November 26, 2018
OPINION: We deserve a W

Drop date deadlines too strict and for students to decide on keeping a class

As I end my academic career, I reflect on the ways I could have been a better student, and how Humboldt State could have better assisted me in learning and navigating my student experience.

My biggest concern is that academic deadlines need to change. Add/drop dates need to be extended, and reason for withdrawing from a class should not be as difficult as it is. Being a student is more than just being in the classroom — we must also manage learning outside the classroom.

We must learn to navigate on our own for the first time in our lives and learn to provide for ourselves as adults. We need to learn how to balance school and work, and to prosper in both activities. For this reason, academic deadlines should be more flexible for students.

We need more than two weeks to decide whether or not we can stay in a class. We cannot definitely know in two weeks if we can endure a semester’s worth of school and work. We need time to adapt. The add/drop date should be edited to a month rather than two weeks.

If we are unable to stay in a class for whatever reason (personal, fiscal, family, mental or emotional health reasons), it should be our right as students to be able to receive a W in our transcripts. The policy for withdrawals are concrete. According to Humboldt State’s website, the following constitutes a withdrawal from a course:

•Psychological issues

•Inappropriate behavior of someone else in the class

•Severe illness or injury

•Called to military service

•Death of a close family member

•Loss of care of dependents

•Serious reversal of your financial situation

There are even restrictions for what are NOT considered “serious and compelling or catastrophic in nature:”

•Deciding to change majors after the deadline to add/drop classes

•Not being aware of a deadline

•Anticipating you may earn a low or failing grade

•Taking too many units

•Being too busy with other classes to do the work

•Work or extracurricular activities

•Not liking the class

•Not knowing how or when to drop

Of course, this also poses the argument that students should not be working while attending school, but in some cases students do not have the luxury to not work. We need more assistance from our university.

We deserve more from our institution. It is overwhelming enough to be a working student and if it happens that we slip up and cannot keep up with course work, we should be able to receive a W.

Sunday, November 25, 2018
Top 5 Hangover Remedies

Are you looking for a quick solution to feel better? Here are the top five quick fixes for hangovers

The day after a night of drinking…your head spins, the room spins, and the toilet becomes your comrade. On days like these, it’s useful to have a remedy to help battle that stinking hangover and to shorten the time where your body becomes sluggish. Below are some handy remedies to tackle pesky hangovers given by bartenders and a liquor store owner.

1.

Yerba Mate , Advil , and coconut water set on a terrace in McKinleyville. Photo credit: Bailey Tennery

Owner of Arcata Liquors Jeff Nagan’s hangover remedy is Advil, coconut water, and yerba mate.

“Advil helps with headaches,” Nagan said. “Coconut water helps with electrolytes, and yerba mate, well that gets you back into the game.”

Electrolytes from coconut water helps to replace the salt and potassium that you lose when drinking alcohol.

2.

Bacon cheese burger from the restaurant Stars in Arcata. Photo credit: Bailey Tennery

Darren Sumption, a bartender at the Alibi, says greasy food and gatorade helps a hangover.

“Gatorade and greasy food. If your stomach can’t handle greasy food then you’re on your own,” Sumption said.

3.

Can of Bloody Mary in the Hutch liquor store in Arcata.

Owner of Central Station Mary Acres’ hangover remedy is a good old fashion Bloody Mary.

“A good Bloody Mary helps because the tomato juice and veggies help hydrate you,” Acres said. “A Bloody Mary gets rid of all the sugar you’ve been pumping into you the night before.”

4.

Jagermeister logo on a fridge behind the counter at Hutch in Arcata. Photo credit: Bailey Tennery

Bartender at Toby and Jacks Val Graham’s hangover cure is Jägermeister.

“The sugar and alcohol, from Jägermeister gets back into your system and fools the body and your brain. Never been one for a Bloody Mary.”

5.

Bugs Bunny sitting at a bar drinking a glass of carrot juice .
Image credit: tumblr

Sidelines bartender for nine years, Kelly Ridgway, hangover remedy is hair of the dog.

“Hair of the dog, drinking whatever you were drinking the night before,” Ridgway said.

The phrase “hair of the dog” means that whatever troubles you, you should have more of. So, if vodka troubles you when you wake up, you should have more vodka.

Saturday, November 24, 2018
Project addresses prison as system of slavery

Liberate the Caged Voices comes to Humboldt State University to shed light on criminal justice system

Most people in their 50s do not suddenly turn to social justice activism.

They don’t organize marches to support prisoners rights. They don’t travel around the state informing ordinary citizens of solitary confinement.

But when Nube Brown hit her 50s she had what she calls “a midlife awakening,” and did just that.

Brown is the creator of Liberate the Caged Voices, a project formed out of the California Prison Focus that provides a platform and structure to get incarcerated voices heard. California Prison Focus is an Oakland non-profit that advocates for the immediate stopping of all solitary confinement.

They publish a quarterly newspaper, Prison Focus, that is written by and for incarcerated individuals, their family and friends. They travel regularly to Pelican Bay and Corcoran state prisons to document conditions on the inside, they keep correspondence with incarcerated individuals and have a radio station.

“This project is beyond the reports,” Brown said. “It’s literally just to get people behind bars known by people outside the bars.”

Brown started volunteering with California Prison Focus about two years ago and knew this is exactly where she wanted to be. Brown, who also works a full time job in San Jose, said this work has opened her eyes to modern day slavery that is still going on. Letters are constantly flooding in at California Prison Focus and Brown said the content in the letters especially moved her and eventually prompted her to start Liberate the Caged Voices.

“I was blown away by the letters, so much intelligence and talent,” Brown said.

Brown started Liberate the Caged Voices earlier this year with the first in San Jose. Brown said there is a basic structure to the event but she keeps it very flexible. She said at a Liberate the Caged Voices event people read letters from incarcerated individuals and create an open space for awareness.

On Nov. 16 Brown hosted Liberate the Caged Voices at HSU with the help of Nathaniel Mcguigan, member of Humboldt’s chapter of Party of Liberation and Socialism and M.E.Ch.A and Deema Hindawi, member of Students for Quality Education.

“Humboldt is a racist but also progressive place,” Brown said. “Completely other energy that is malleable and open to human rights and justice.”

Brown’s mother, Karpani Davis, brought the idea of bringing Liberate the Caged Voices to HSU to Mcguigan and Hindawi at a Justice for Josiah committee meeting. Both agreed it would be a perfect event for the campus and decided to help organize.

Nathaniel Mcguigan became active in Humboldt’s chapter of Party of Liberation and Socialism or PSL in 2017 because he said it was a bigger platform with like minded individuals who were fighting for justice. Mcguigan, who is a prison abolitionist, said there is a lack of mentors because older people are being incarcerated for their freedom fighting

“There are a lot of comrades in the movement who have been imprisoned by the state,” Mcguigan said.

Deema Hindawi, also a prison abolitionist began her school career pursuing law enforcement but soon learned it was not for her and switched to criminology. She said the learning material and experiences changed every outlook in her life.

“In criminology you’re either a reformist, abolitionist, or ignorant,” Hindawi said.

Brown said she is excited to bring Liberate the Caged Voices to a university campus. She said it’s important to get students involved and to educate them to understand what is happening.

“We’re putting kids away in the juvenile system for bad grades and missing school,” Brown said. “It’s disgusting.”

This will be the fourth Liberate the Caged Voices in an on-going series. Brown said after Humboldt it will be a once a month event and hopefully just keep on continuing in different places.

If she could, Brown said she would do it every week but with a full time job it limits her time.

Brown said the idea for Liberate the Caged Voices future is to have other people host them in their areas. She said she is just building a base, a working template so other people can do it that is unique to those involved.

“I don’t really call it the criminal justice system,” Brown said. “Its a system of slavery.”

Saturday, November 24, 2018