The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Opinion

  • Catcalling Can’t Continue

    Catcalling Can’t Continue

    Verbal harassment toward women is about control and the assertion of gender discrimination

    Overall, 81% of women have experienced sexual harassment or assault in their life, according to Stop Street Harassment. This comes in the form of unwanted touching, being followed, being hollered or whistled at or vulgar gestures.

    People often minimize the effect catcalling has, usually through now-tired and almost memetic clichés.

    “What were you wearing?” some might ask. Or, “How late was it?”

    Some may attempt to advise the recipients of such advances to simply ignore them. Such advice ignores cases of women being killed for doing just that.

    As explained by HS Insider of the Los Angeles Times, the downplay of the effects of catcalling reinforces rape culture.

    “Although catcalling is street harassment, it can be really difficult to report the perpetrator, which also creates the mindset of getting away with something and trying to see what else one can get away with, which can be more violent forms of sexual harassment,” author Karen Rodriguez wrote.

    Even if catcallers claim they’re simply having fun or messing around, they demonstrate disregard for the safety and rights of women.

    Men who catcall use the institutional power they hold that protects them from behaviors that should be seen as inappropriate. They reinforce the idea that men should hold a level of control over women and that women should be subservient. They see resistance to such unsolicited advances as a negative reaction to their exercise of that power.

    “The issue of catcalling and street harassment isn’t an issue on security and protection,” Rebecca Meluch wrote for The DePaulia, the student newspaper at DePaul University. “It should be an issue on the way society shapes people to view groups of bodies as accessible and degradable.”

    “Having to double-check the people walking behind me shouldn’t be routine for me.”

    Paula Ortiz Cazaubon

    HuffPost published a video in which men attempt to explain why they catcall. Most of their responses can be simplified to a man finding a woman attractive and the man instinctively calling out to her. The same men who defended their behavior instantly said they wouldn’t like if women they personally knew were victims of harassment.

    The attitude that men are simply having fun as long as they’re personally and emotionally removed from the victim, reinforces stereotypes of gender inequality and power dynamics. The asserting of one’s power is the real intention behind catcalling, regardless of what perpetrators claim.

    These actions are far from harmless, and they are damaging to women in the long run.

    “Having to double-check the people walking behind me shouldn’t be routine for me,” Paula Ortiz Cazaubon wrote for The Beacon, the student newspaper at the University of Portland.

    This is why education on street harassment is necessary. It starts with holding men accountable for their behavior. Rape culture is not something to be fetishized or taken lightly.

  • Major League Marijuana

    Major League Marijuana

    Why I don’t think marijuana is everything it’s cracked up to be in baseball

    Major League Baseball is an organization that prides itself on having great talent on and off the field. Players are drug-tested fairly regularly and subject to different levels of punishment if caught with opioids or other banned substances. That is all changing with the legalization of marijuana in baseball.

    Marijuana graces the covers of magazines and virtually everything in sight in modern culture like a groundbreaking scientific discovery. Seemingly everyone will go to great lengths to defend the devil lettuce’s honor if one attacks it. In general, marijuana is looked at like a god. Sure, people have benefited from it, but its usage has gotten out of control and the relaxed restrictions of marijuana in baseball are just more nails in the coffin.

    With the increase in American marijuana users comes the increase of ramifications. While there are many compelling arguments for normalizing marijuana usage, there are also legitimate health concerns around it.

    As a matter of fact, marijuana-induced emergency room visits have jumped up, particularly in more left-leaning states.

    According to the Colorado Hospital Association, a collection of more than 100 hospitals in the state of Colorado, “the prevalence of hospitalizations for marijuana exposure in patients aged nine years and older doubled after the legalization of medical marijuana,” and “emergency department visits nearly doubled after the legalization of recreational marijuana.”

    That is scary stuff. Maybe marijuana can wash away anxiety or depression temporarily, but to risk the added side effects is foolish.

    Returning to the realm of Major League Baseball, we find ourselves in the midst of an organization that is trying to appeal to a younger audience by making games more enjoyable and watchable. After all, the kids are the future of the sport.

    Yet the idea that loosening the grip on marijuana in baseball will do no harm couldn’t be more wrong. It is common knowledge that youth look up to ballplayers as role models in many different facets.

    If marijuana is more debilitating to one’s health than beneficial, we should be making it clear that any, and I mean any, drug or substance will not be tolerated in baseball no matter how harmless it may be marketed as. I certainly wouldn’t want my kids to form the idea that they can get away with smoking weed like it’s no big deal. Marijuana and e-cigarettes are already being passed around like packs of gum in middle and high schools and it’s only getting worse.

    “Drugs work very well, at first, for mentally ill people. If you’re anxious, it’ll go away with a couple of hits, a beer. It’s like magic. But then, the tolerance sets in. So, not only do they need to drink more to relieve the anxiety, but every single time they try to stop, the underlying anxiety comes back worse.”

    Dr. Alex Stalcup

    Beyond setting a bad example for the younger generation, people are using marijuana for non-medical purposes and leaning on it like another shoulder. Especially in Humboldt County, people are socially smoking marijuana and claiming it’s saving their lives.

    I recognize there are some individuals who actually need it to function, but nonetheless, it’s spread like a wildfire and now it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t smoke it or consume edibles.

    Mental health issues affect the extent to which people get addicted to marijuana or other substances, according to Dr. Alex Stalcup, medical director of the New Leaf Treatment Center in a 2016 interview with Healthline Magazine.

    “Drugs work very well, at first, for mentally ill people,” Stalcup said. “If you’re anxious, it’ll go away with a couple of hits, a beer. It’s like magic. But then, the tolerance sets in. So, not only do they need to drink more to relieve the anxiety, but every single time they try to stop, the underlying anxiety comes back worse.”

    Stalcup went on:

    “Fifty to sixty percent of the people with an addiction to marijuana whom [my] clinic treats have some sort of underlying mental health condition,” he said.

    Granted, it is only one clinic, but the point is an overwhelming amount of people across the country who abuse weed are dealing with a mental health crisis of some kind.

    I will admit that I am in the same boat with a lot of these folks, but I will never use weed as a solution to my problems. There is an abundance of other remedies and treatments available to cure internal issues.

    I can’t control what you do. I can’t control what Major League Baseball does. But I hope that baseball will go back to looking at marijuana as a banned substance that could incur fines and treatment.

  • Ask Evergreen: Sensitive Sleeper

    Ask Evergreen: Sensitive Sleeper

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of The Lumberjack

    Dear Evergreen,

    I’m a sensitive sleeper. How do I stay asleep all night?

    Dear Sensitive Sleeper,

    Falling asleep and staying asleep can be challenging, especially if you live in a community environment like dorms or apartments. There are a few things you can try before heading to bed that may help you sleep through the night.

    Use earplugs or other noise-cancelling items. Earplugs are a blessing when you have noisy neighbors. Pop a pair in your ears and listen to your heartbeat and breathing. The rhythmic melody of these two sounds may help distract you from outside noise.

    Use white noise to help you sleep. The Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division of Rhode Island conducted a study on the effects of white noise on patients’ sleep in intensive care unit environments that are a cacophony of noise. The study found white noise facilitates less sleep disruption. You can conduct a similar study on yourself. Try turning on a fan or downloading a white noise app and see how it affects your sleep.

    Have a warm drink. Old wives’ tales suggest having a warm glass of milk to help you sleep. For those who don’t drink milk, try having a hot cup of non-caffeinated tea. There are even specific tea blends to aid restful sleep. I recommend a tea blend with chamomile, mint or lavender elements.

    Get all your priorities out of the way so you don’t worry about them. If you don’t have assignments to worry about, you might sleep better and skip those crazy school panic dreams. Try completing as much work as you can to put your mind at ease. Give yourself some time before bed to relax away from your work to let your brain have a chance to disconnect.

    Don’t use your phone before bed and avoid screens. A study by the Lighting Research Institute in New York found blue light from phone screens and other digital devices can disrupt your body’s natural melatonin release habits. Give your body and mind a decompression period away from screens before trying to fall asleep.

    Get a heart monitoring device. Fitbits and Apple Watches can record your sleep patterns and resting heart rate. While these devices can be pricey, they also offer other life applications that can make them worth it. If you already have one, start paying attention to that sleep data.

    Sweet dreams!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • We’re All Lonely But It’s Not Our Fault

    We’re All Lonely But It’s Not Our Fault

    Shifting the blame of loneliness from individuals to institutions

    There’s an epidemic of loneliness in modern America. It’s a trauma encompassing political, economic and social realms. We’re all alone, but it’s not any one person’s fault.

    Imagine the stereotypical millennial: they moved home after college, unable to find a job or afford a home of their own. It may sound pathetic. But maybe they’ve found the home they need.

    The alternative for the millennial generation is living alone in an overpriced closet. It leaves them fragile and alone. A 2018 national survey by the healthcare provider Cigna found 46% of Americans felt alone some or all of the time. Adults aged 18-22 responded as the loneliest age group. A 2010 AARP survey had similar findings.

    Lonely people are vulnerable. Alone, a small problem becomes a crisis. That crisis festers and becomes a trauma that stays with a person for life. Without a support network, a minor issue can snowball into an avalanche. Studies have linked loneliness to depression, distress, suffering, poor sleep, high blood pressure and death.

    Loneliness almost feels normal in a society that sees the world in terms of the individual. Privacy can feel like success. Appearing independent is an achievement. And we see weakness in a cry for help.

    We weren’t always this way. Prior to modern industry, humans often lived in close-knit communities, whether related by blood or not. Fast-forward to the 1950s, and the nuclear family emerges. There’s the working husband, the stay-at-home wife and the two or three kids. It might have been romantic then, but a 2020 article from The Atlantic by David Brooks shows this small, private family wreaked havoc on our social lives.

    Jump forward 60 more years and you get the loneliness epidemic. One could criticize nuclear families for pages—read Brooks’ piece for a full account. But as they relate to loneliness, they popularized small families and mistrust of anyone outside of those families.

    Small families can produce lonely individuals. Imagine a single child. Imagine their parents pass away. That child then has to live on their own, without the support of a family around them. Financial, personal or professional stresses can lead to a free-fall when you have no safety net.

    Small, nuclear families disintegrate, and children are left on their own.

    Youth are finding new ways to survive the aftermath of a nuclear family disaster.

    The good news is we seem to be adapting. We are, in some sense, valuing extended families again. Pew Research Center found a record 64 million Americans living in multigenerational households in 2018. In 2016, Pew found the most common living arrangement for the 18-34 age group to be living with parents.

    We’re also expanding families beyond biological boundaries through shared housing units and groups for single parents. These new arrangments provide a way forward that doesn’t necessitate stay-at-home wives or gender discrimination. We’re finding ways to balance our want for individual freedom with our need for a family.

    Living together doesn’t necessarily make for less lonely people. We should be cautious about praising housing arrangements that can be born out of economic necessity, but research suggests many are choosing less lonely housing by choice. Living together is a good first step toward a more stable society.

    Youth are finding new ways to survive the aftermath of a nuclear family disaster. Make fun of the millennial in their parents’ garage if you want. But it looks to us like they might have found shelter from modern loneliness. They’re going to be OK.

  • The Light at the End of the Speeding Metal Death-Box

    The Light at the End of the Speeding Metal Death-Box

    The United States needs better regulations on rear car lights

    There is a frightening flaw in American car design clearly visible during every trip to the grocery store. United States auto regulation does not require brake lights to be a different color than turn signals. They should be.

    The colors and positions of rear lights may seem like a small detail, but it has deadly consequences. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 36,560 people died in motor vehicle crashes in the United States in 2018. Given this statistic, one would hope we are doing everything possible to ensure the safety of drivers and their passengers.

    Tight and statistically informed regulations on the auto manufacturing industry are important when making something so necessary but so dangerous for the modern worker’s everyday life.

    The lights on the rear of a car are designed to do a lot of jobs, the most important of which are to indicate when the driver is braking, when they’re turning and when they’re reversing. Seeing as communication between drivers is one of the most important requirements of safe driving, these signals must be as clear as possible. A simple system designed to effectively communicate these three actions already exists.

    A three-color system makes driver intent clear. Red brake lights indicate a driver is slowing, white back-up lights indicate a driver is reversing and amber turn signals indicate a driver will be mixing up their position a bit. This is where America stumbles. Back-up lights are required to be white and brake lights must be red, but turn signals can be either amber or red. Worse, they do not have to be separate from the brake lights.

    Turn signal color and separation may seem trivial, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found in a 2008 study that cars with amber turn signals may be up to 28% less likely to be struck while maneuvering in a way that involves the turn signal.

    A 1995 study by the same agency found reaction time to brake signals decreases significantly when the braking driver possess amber turn signals. This remained true even when the braking driver wasn’t using their turn signals.

    Even using the most conservative estimates in safety increase, there is no doubt amber turn signals would save lives.

    We’ve known for at least 50 years red lights aren’t the best choice for communication. Red light can appear to be further in the distance than it really is. It is also difficult for the human eye to see differences in red light intensity. A blinking red light is less noticeable than a blinking amber light, which is something that should be taken into consideration when creating fast, metal death-boxes.

    There are more studies with similar results. The weight of the evidence for better turn signals is overwhelming. Most other countries require amber turn signals. Cars sold in the United States without amber turn signals have them in other countries. The United States and Canada stand virtually alone on this. The question is clear: why are American cars not required to have amber turn signals?

    Is it cost? It’s tempting to think this is yet another example of the auto industry cutting corners. In this case, it’s probably not. Amber turn signals are not significantly more or less expensive than red turn signals.

    Even using the most conservative estimates in safety increase, there is no doubt amber turn signals would save lives.

    It could also be aesthetics. Nothing says boring like safety. The fear of death is just part of what makes driving exciting, apparently. We want sleek, sexy cars. Our most expensive cars look angry and aggressive. They aren’t designed to pick up kids or run to the store. They are accessories or fashion statements, not tools.

    Maybe Americans just enjoy the freedom to refrain from changing simple things that would increase the quality of life for everyone around them. The rest of the world may do something in a way that’s objectively better and uses the same amount of effort, but we’re Americans and we’ll be damned if we let the United Nations tell us what to do.

    Maybe it doesn’t matter. Driving around Humboldt County, one wouldn’t know turn signals are mandated at all. If we do away with turn signals altogether, this isn’t an issue. American ingenuity triumphs again.

  • Biden’s Recent Slip-up is Not His First

    Biden’s Recent Slip-up is Not His First

    The South Carolina gaffe is only his most recent in a series of slip-ups

    In a speech given in South Carolina Feb. 24, Joe Biden asked for support in his campaign—but he may have forgotten what exactly he was campaigning for.

    “My name is Joe Biden, I’m a Democratic candidate for the United States Senate,” Biden said, a Democratic candidate for the United States presidency.

    This, however, was not the first time that Biden has slipped-up on the campaign trail. During the Nov. 20 Democratic debate in Atlanta, Georgia, The Guardian reported Biden said he was supported by the only African American woman to be elected to the Senate, Carol Moseley Braun.

    “We have this notion that if you’re poor, you cannot do it. Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.”

    Joe Biden

    Senator Kamala Harris, who was on stage with him, had to chime in and remind him she was also an African American woman elected to the Senate.

    One of his most glaring slip-ups was during a town hall meeting in Iowa hosted by the Asian and Latino Coalition. According to a New York Times article, Biden was talking about education and challenging students.

    “We should challenge students in these schools to have advanced placement programs in these schools,” Biden said. “We have this notion that if you’re poor, you cannot do it. Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.”

    He did attempt to amend his statement when he continued.

    “Wealthy kids, black kids, Asian kids, no, I really mean it,” Biden said.

    This isn’t the only gaffe that puts into question his views on race. On June 18, 2019, during a fundraiser event in New York, Biden recounted his time in the Senate in the 70s. Specifically, working with Mississippi Senator James Eastland and Georgia Senator Herman Talmadge, two senators who opposed civil rights and desegregation, according to CNN. He was comparing the Senate from that period to the Senate today.

    The big question regarding this most recent slip-up is whether or not it will affect his poll numbers that currently have him sitting in second place behind Bernie Sanders.

    “At least there was some civility. We got things done. We didn’t agree on much of anything. We got things done. We got it finished,” Biden said. “But today, you look at the other side and you’re the enemy. Not the opposition, the enemy. We don’t talk to each other anymore.”

    Kamala Harris spoke out again against Biden.

    “To coddle the reputations of segregationists, of people who, if they had their way, I would literally not be standing here as a member of the United States Senate, is, I think it’s just, it’s misinformed,” Harris said.

    Even before this election cycle, Biden has made questionable remarks regarding race. According to an article by CNN, when he started his 2008 presidential race, he referred to Barack Obama in a way that drew scrutiny from many people.

    “I mean, you got the first mainstream African American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy,” Biden said during an interview with the New York Observer.

    The big question regarding this most recent slip-up is whether or not it will affect his poll numbers that currently have him sitting in second place behind Bernie Sanders.

  • Mike Bloomberg is Democratic Trump

    Mike Bloomberg is Democratic Trump

    Mike Bloomberg is just another billionaire with outdated views looking for attention

    We’ve all seen the campaign ads. “Mike will get it done,” they profess. What exactly has he done? He’s had 64 sexual harassment cases brought against him. He’s expanded the infamously racist stop-and-frisk policy in New York. He’s spied on the Muslim community. And he has bought his way into the primary.

    Not to bring everything back to another bigoted New York billionaire who got bored with having too much money and went into politics, but Mike Bloomberg certainly does remind me of someone.

    Were it not for the mark on the ballot calling him a Democrat, people would assume based on his fiscal policy and social track record that he was at least a centrist-Independent, if not a conservative-Republican.

    Despite being a registered Republican from the beginning of his political career up until 2007, and an Independent until 2018, he chose to run as a Democrat. Presumably, to gain the support of both Republicans and party-line Democrats.

    He’s an authoritarian, plain and simple. Party isn’t the real issue here. He cares about power.

    Bloomberg has a long history of bigotry. While his predecessor, Rudy Giuliani, first implemented stop-and-frisk, it was under his watch that the program grew to the widespread excuse for police brutality and racial profiling.

    When it was brought up by critics that New York police officers were disproportionately targeting black and brown communities, he gave the rationale that, “That’s where all the crime was.” In addition, he justified having undercover officers stalk Muslim New Yorkers as preventative measures against another 9/11.

    “We had just lost 3,000 people at 9/11,” Bloomberg said in an interview with PBS Feb. 27. “Of course we’re supposed to do that.”

    If anything, Bloomberg is a more dangerous version of Trump. He’s smart. He knows that putting up a polished front and playing up the establishment card will make him look like the opposite of the current president.

    Aside from his dubious past, Bloomberg’s current policy proposals are anything but progressive. While his website claims that Bloomberg will defend equal rights for LGBTQ+ Americans, he has stated as recently as 2019 that he considers transgender individuals as just “some guy in a dress,” or “he, she, or it.”

    On his website, aside from a reference to overturning the military ban, he has nothing to say on transgender rights. By considering equal rights for the transgender community to be reaching too far, he betrays the entire LGBTQ+ community.

    Being progressive is about supporting the oppressed and the marginalized. No ally insults the people they claim to stand with behind their backs and considers the value of their identities negotiable.

    According to his website, his plan for climate change is to “restore America’s leadership in fighting the global climate crisis, propel the United States toward a 100% clean energy future, make environmental justice a national priority.” These promises are all incredibly vague, and his campaign has been silent on the specifics of how they’d achieve any those goals.

    General promises of somehow solving climate change aren’t going to help us. If we want this planet to be livable for ourselves, our children and our grandchildren, we need to take serious and quantifiable steps to ensure it. The science says we need ambitious action. All he offers are glossy advertisements.

    If anything, Bloomberg is a more dangerous version of Trump. He’s smart. He knows that putting up a polished front and playing up the establishment card will make him look like the opposite of the current president.

    I’m not afraid that he couldn’t defeat Trump in an election. If Bloomberg wins the Democratic primary, the general election won’t matter. It’s a self-serving billionaire in office either way.

  • My Hair is Not a Dress Code Violation

    My Hair is Not a Dress Code Violation

    Natural hairstyles are often shunned, but these hairstyles keep hair healthy while representing cultures

    “You would look so pretty if you straightened your hair,” is something I heard a lot growing up. So much so that for two years I straightened my hair everyday. It took three years of haircuts and deep conditioning treatments to get my hair back to normal.

    That comment along with others like, “Your hair gets in the way,” seem small but take a toll on an individual’s self esteem. A lot of care goes into textured hair. Someone tearing it down hurts.

    “It’s discouraging to know that there are not a lot of people that like or can handle your hair,” Humboldt State University student Dimitri Mark said.

    There are still some schools in the United States that ban natural hairstyles such as braids or dreadlocks because they violate dress codes. I’m not sure how they violate dress codes—these hairstyles keep your hair back and can even keep your hair healthy.

    In 2018, a video surfaced on the internet of a 16-year-old boy crying as his dreadlocks were cut off for him to participate in his wrestling match—it was either that or forfeit.

    Hair comes in many different textures, lengths and colors, and should always be taken care of and accepted. Hair doesn’t get in the way. Get over it and stop trying to pick on people of color.

    Girls have also been suspended, sent home or given detention in Boston, Atlanta and Terrytown, Louisiana for their hairstyles.

    At the 2015 Oscars, Zendaya sported dreadlocks to go with her hairstyle. Giuliana Rancic, a host on “Fashion Police,” wasn’t a fan of Zendaya’s locks, which she said smelled “like patchouli oil and weed.” This comment almost led to the end of Rancic’s career. Rancic’s prejudiced words hurt, and they caused a riot against her.

    The reason natural hairstyles such as big curly hair, afros, dreadlocks, braids and twists are a problem is because they’re considered dirty. Things like accents are considered dirty too, unless they’re coming from a blue-eyed, white boy. Many places in Africa, Italy, and Greece once considered braids to be a sign of wealth. Braid-making hairdressers were worshiped and highly trusted.

    It’s understandable why schools have certain dress codes, but hair shouldn’t be part of them. If a school said I had to have my hair in a ponytail everyday, I’d probably fight it everyday and then get kicked out. Hair comes in many different textures, lengths and colors, and should always be taken care of and accepted. Hair doesn’t get in the way. Get over it and stop trying to pick on people of color.

  • We Still Need to Talk About Consent

    We Still Need to Talk About Consent

    Consent is crucial, but some just don’t get it

    Sexuality, sex awareness and sex etiquette are constantly in the spotlight, and yet, we still need to talk about consent.

    Humboldt State University recently experienced a disruption in its supposed safe space when allegations arose against a faculty member by a student. The investigation into that case is ongoing. Unfortunately, violations against consent aren’t limited to our own campus.

    Convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein’s case reveals consent still isn’t understood in the modern world. Weinstein was convicted of taking advantage of and sexually assaulting multiple women.

    Regardless of the circumstance, consent is crucial.

    Consent isn’t complex, but its idea continues to perplex those who fail to understand its simplicity. Yes means yes, and nothing else qualifies as a confirmation unless a yes is explicitly given.

    Affirmative consent needs to be practiced, not just by sexually active people, but by all people, whether or not it pertains to sexual activity. The ability to revoke consent also needs to be understood.

    Consent is far from a one-and-done response. It can be withdrawn at any moment.

    Even in professions where one uses their body for monetary gain, the right to revoke consent at any time remains. The refusal to take further action is linked to the right to control one’s body without interference from another.

    Everyone is born with this right. This universal entitlement to ownership of one’s body transcends all differences between individuals. All communities are entitled to their own bodies and to define consent in their own ways.

    In cases where verbal consent isn’t an option, written consent can suffice. Those in deaf and nonverbal communities can look to signing or reading a partner’s physical signals to help prevent confusion and facilitate mutual, nonverbal consent.

    It’s important to remember proper sex etiquette at all times. The following examples illustrate the ways in which consent is given and revoked:

    • Always ask your sexual partner if they’re ready and willing to engage in a sex act, without coercion.
    • You should cease sexual activities when someone says “Stop” or any other iteration of “No.” Expressing discomfort with an act is also a sign of hesitation, and should be considered before proceeding.
    • Anyone can withdraw consent at any time, even when a sex act is underway.
    • You should only engage in sex when all parties involved are in a coherent headspace, without the involvement of drugs and alcohol.
    • Body language doesn’t indicate consent to an act. Sexual arousal isn’t confirmation.
    • Do not use your position of power to persuade someone into any type of sex act. Professors, bosses, managers and even counselors have a responsibility to conduct themselves professionally, without sexual desires or encounters.

    Regardless of the circumstance, consent is crucial. You can never be too presumptive when asking about someone’s comfort, and you can never be too cautious when verifying consent.

  • Ask Evergreen: Respectful Rejector

    Ask Evergreen: Respectful Rejector

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of The Lumberjack

    Dear Evergreen,

    How do I learn to say no?

    Dear Respectful Rejector,

    Sometimes it’s hard to say no for fear of disappointing someone or seeming incapable of accomplishing a task. But saying no is a healthy way to protect yourself from unwanted stress. There are a few ways you can retrain yourself to accept the art of rejecting.

    You shouldn’t feel ashamed to say no, no matter the question. You don’t have to please everyone, so don’t worry about letting someone down. You aren’t being selfish by declining a request. You’re being self-considerate.

    Have a solid reason for why you can’t agree to do something. We all experience apathy from time to time, but don’t let laziness be the cop-out for stepping away from an activity. Maybe you’ve spread yourself too thin and just need a chance to collect your thoughts. Remember to not overbook yourself by agreeing to things before recognizing the reality of your limited time and energy.

    It’s important to set boundaries when it comes to limiting your willingness to participate in activities you’d rather not do or don’t have the time for. Express your discomfort at a request. Maybe you don’t feel safe doing a task, or the person asking for assistance doesn’t truly appreciate you for your work. It’s okay to put yourself first.

    Don’t let people take advantage of you for favors, and don’t let people continue to do so just because you’ve agreed upon things in the past. Be kind and assertive with your decline, and make sure they understand how they’re making you feel obligated.

    Always remember you have the power to say yes or no to whatever you choose. Anyone who undermines your decisions or tries to convince you otherwise is a manipulative force who shouldn’t be allowed to deviate your conclusions.

    No, you can!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • What It Means When You’re “Going Through It”

    What It Means When You’re “Going Through It”

    Breaking down the common modern phrase

    Being a college student, adult and overall human being on this planet can be very difficult sometimes. Whether we can explain what we’re going through or not, we very well know that we are going through it.

    “Going through it” is a phrase that has come up in today’s culture and is spelled on social media as “going thru it.” Regardless of how it’s spelled, it usually means a certain aspect of your life, or maybe everything in your life, is getting the best of you and you’re feeling weighed down.

    “Usually when I’m going through it there are a lot of things going on around me and it makes things harder to do. My mind is taking over everything.”

    Emily Lopez

    “When I say I’m going through it, I’m just kind of not feeling it,” Xochilt Reyes said. Reyes, 22, believes the phrase has a lot of emotion behind it. Reyes said you can usually tell someone is going through it before they tell you that they are.

    “You can hear it in their voice and see it in their face,” she said.

    Emily Lopez, 20, is a third-year criminology and justice studies major at Humboldt State University. Lopez agreed when she is going through it, it’s a state of being overwhelmed or sad that makes everyday tasks hard to do.

    “Usually when I’m going through it there are a lot of things going on around me and it makes things harder to do,” she said. “My mind is taking over everything.”

    Going through it is just a simple way for us to share how we’re feeling without having to go super in-depth into how we’re actually feeling. It’s three words that explain why we might have been slacking. This three-word phrase says enough to where we are able to understand our friend either needs a little space or a little help to get through the day.

    Going through it is an unpleasant experience, but one that we have all gone through at least once.

    Although this phrase has a negative connotation, the brand Viva La Bonita, who is known for creating clothes to empower women of color, turned the phrase going thru it into growing through it. The growing implies things might be rough right now, but they lead to a learning experience from which we grow and move forward. We use the experience to handle futures in which we find ourselves going through it again.

    Personally, it makes me look back at times where I was going through it and evaluate how I’ve grown from those times.

    Going through it is an unpleasant experience, but one that we have all gone through at least once. The important thing to know is that you’re not alone and that almost everyone knows what you mean when you say you’re going through it. Resources are out there if you ask for them, and friends are almost definitely there when you need them.

  • We Need the Wisdom of Wikipedia

    We Need the Wisdom of Wikipedia

    Wikipedia shows collaboration is crucial for accuracy

    We’ve all been there. You’re sitting in a class. Your professor wants you to write a paper on the different types of asexual reproduction of the Sanderia malayensis jellyfish or some other arcane drivel. Your first reaction is to hit up Wikipedia. Then comes the kicker. You can’t cite Wikipedia. You scowl and snarl under your breath.

    Wikipedia deserves more credit than we give it. Turning a blind eye to Wikipedia as a reliable source is shortsighted and has implications beyond the realm of encyclopedias. Distrusting Wikipedia represents academia’s unwillingness to open the gates of collaborative truth-seeking.

    Scientific papers, meanwhile, are far from perfect.

    Contrary to what your professors may tell you, Wikipedia, as a source, is statistically just as accurate as published encyclopedias for most of its content. A 2005 study by the Nature research journal, “Internet encyclopaedias go head to head,” found errors in both encyclopedias, but among the entries tested, the difference in accuracy was small.

    Wikipedia, in their signature self-aware style, has reported on their own reliability as well. Wikipedia does not guarantee validity, but it is an invaluable research resource.

    Inaccurate information on Wikipedia is usually corrected quickly. Hyperlinked citations back up nearly every claim made on an entry. The Sanderia malayensis jellyfish’s page hosts six sources from international professionals, biologists and a handbook on poisonous jellies.

    Scientific papers, meanwhile, are far from perfect. Soft sciences have suggested cures to unhappiness or boosts to confidence through simple behavioral change, but as other researchers try to replicate the experiments, their conclusions are significantly different. This indicates a serious error in the scientific method. If science isn’t replicable, science is null.

    In the last few years, a plethora of papers have fallen under criticism after researchers have failed to reproduce their results—it’s been called the replication crisis. The crisis may have a few sources.

    Mistakes happen on Wikipedia too and it is always essential to be critical of anything read.

    First, it’s not hard to get published. The University of World News said in 2018 that too much scientific research is being published. It estimated nearly 30,000 scientific journals are in circulation, publishing approximately two million articles each year. They said the volume burdens the peer review system and makes it dysfunctional.

    Second, the media likes to be the first to report on news, including science news. Journalists can be wrong and often are when it comes to reporting on science, especially when they’re grasping to be the first to report on new findings. These bad practices report inaccurate, unconfirmed, flawed science to their audience before the study can be replicated.

    Mistakes happen on Wikipedia too and it is always essential to be critical of anything read. Search around, find supporting articles for any claim made and be aware that there may be flaws. But be able to recognize valid and sound knowledge.

    Critical review by the editors of Wikipedia—who can be any person—is what makes Wikipedia so powerful and so accurate. It’s the world’s largest encyclopedia—about 50 times larger than Britannica—with over six million entries and over 200,000 contributors. Wikipedia should serve as a banner for collaboration—especially between diverse groups.

    In “The wisdom of polarized crowds,” a 2019 study from Nature Human Behavior, researchers found politically-diverse teams created more accurate entries than teams with less political diversity.

    Wikipedia comes in clutch, often. Using it as a source may be frowned upon by professors, but a short chat with most of them and they’ll say Wikipedia is an excellent place to start. The website is a tool, not a cheat code. It would be ignorant to ignore it, but if it’s used appropriately, maybe, just maybe, we could learn something about jellyfish.

  • Ask Evergreen: Busy Bee

    Ask Evergreen: Busy Bee

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of The Lumberjack

    Dear Evergreen,

    How do I manage my time when my schedule is jam-packed with work and school?

    Dear Busy Bee,

    It’s always good to be productive and a hard worker, but don’t run yourself ragged by foregoing a much needed break. You can schedule in some “you time” by organizing and maintaining a healthy and punctual schedule.

    Do your homework before relaxing and turning on Netflix. You should reward yourself only after accomplishing certain tasks. Set realistic goals for yourself, like reading two pages from your textbook before checking your phone notifications.

    Find a space where you can feel comfortable and concentrated. If you are able to complete your school work in a stress-free environment, you might power through it faster and be able to relax sooner.

    Don’t go home straight after class if you know you won’t work on homework once you get there. It’s easy to get distracted or lazy in a home-setting, so make sure you commit yourself to finishing, or at least starting, assignments before you leave campus.

    When it comes to work, don’t work more hours than you possibly can. We all need money, but don’t sacrifice your time by working more and focusing on school less.

    Communicate with your boss or manager about your time restraints because of school. Don’t agree to work more and neglect your school priorities. Give yourself time to breathe in between work shifts and classes.

    If your employer isn’t as forgiving to you as a student, then it could be wise to find a more respectable employer. If that isn’t an option, you should still set boundaries, even if that means taking less hours or bad shifts at work.

    The ultimate time management tool is a planner. You can plan your weekly schedule hour by hour to see when you’ll have downtime to get other things out of the way or even relax.

    Write down your class times and work schedule, and fill in the gaps with study sessions and break times. If you can visualize your week, you’ll be able to discern the best times to be productive or peaceful.

    Don’t waste the little free time you may already have. Use your free time wisely by getting ahead of assignments. Chip away at projects bit by bit when you have the chance. You’ll thank yourself later when you’re in a time crunch.

    You’ve got this!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Parking Pisses Me Off

    Parking Pisses Me Off

    The trials and tribulations of finding parking on campus

    Parking on campus sucks. And I’m not the only one that thinks so.

    I try my best to walk or take the bus whenever I can. Sometimes I’m just too slow in the morning and have to drive to avoid being late. The problem is that between the hours of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. it’s ridiculously hard to find an open parking spot on campus.

    Usually I end up parking on a residential street nearby. To put that into perspective, my apartment is a 21-minute walk from campus according to Google Maps. From where I usually end up parking, it’s an 11-minute walk to get to class. When I add the four minutes it takes to drive there, I only end up getting to class six minutes faster. Sometimes, that’s exactly what I need to make it to class on time.

    “If people have to pay even more for parking permits there HAVE TO BE SPOTS AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO PARK IN.”

    Parking Survey Response

    A 2018 study by Walker Consultants included an anonymous survey on the state of parking on campus. The full results of this study are available, and boy, a lot of people were mad about parking.

    “Prices as they are, are already ridiculous. One should not have to pay $315 a year to only find parking between 7:00-8:00 a.m and after 5:00 p.m.,” one person wrote.

    The survey had multiple respondents to the parking issue.

    “If people have to pay even more for parking permits there HAVE TO BE SPOTS AVAILABLE FOR THEM TO PARK IN,” another person wrote.

    In addition to the sentiments behind these two comments, a large number of the comments suggested building both on-campus parking structures and off-campus parking with shuttles to campus.

    One question on the survey struck a nerve with many respondents when it suggested the cost of parking passes may have to be raised in order to meet the demand. Many of the answers to this question were filled with colorful language.

    “What in the world do you do with all the money that you are unable to sustain the program without raising prices again?” one of the less expletive-prone respondents wrote.

    Another respondent offered to try and get the extra funds themselves.

    “Perhaps we can lobby the state for funds? I’ll go to talk to Jerry on behalf of HSU. Dunno if he’ll see me, but I’ll go,” wrote the hopeful respondent.

    Unfortunately, Jerry Brown is no longer our governor, so if this respondent had it in with Jerry Brown, that won’t work anymore. Even more unfortunate is that this is an issue that is going to take a lot of work from the school if it’s going to be fixed. It’s also likely that even if it is fixed, it’ll take longer than many of our students will be here. In the meantime, it’s still a great excuse for being late to class.

  • Ask Evergreen: Lootless Lover

    Ask Evergreen: Lootless Lover

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of The Lumberjack

    Dear Evergreen,

    What do I do for my significant other on Valentine’s Day when I’m broke?

    Dear Lootless Lover,

    Valentine’s Day is this Friday and with that comes the societal expectation to shower your lover in materialistic gifts. But for those with limited funds, making an extravagant gesture isn’t always possible. There are many creative ways to express your love this Valentine’s Day that don’t involve spending loads of cash.

    If you’re a wizard of words you can charm your valentine with a thoughtful card of appreciation. Words are free, so come up with a clever poem for your partner to make them feel special. Bust out your artistic talents and create some art from the heart. You can even doodle some cute cartoons inside a card for a more personal touch to a standard Valentine’s Day card.

    With spring inching closer and closer, flowers have already started blossoming. Take a walk and gather some wildflowers and foliage to make a bouquet. Be careful not to pick any poisonous plants. You wouldn’t want to infect your valentine with anything other than love.

    Baking a sweet treat for your sweetheart is sure to satisfy. Check your cupboards for basic baking ingredients and whip up something good. If you aren’t the best baker you can easily make chocolate-covered strawberries to set the mood.

    Chances are you already have some type of streaming service, so put on some Netflix and chill with your valentine. Pop some popcorn and cozy up with your favorite movie or show. Light candles or incense for an extra touch. Soon enough you’ll be having consensual fun while Netflix asks if you’re still watching.

    You can also try going out and sightseeing with your partner instead of a movie night. Go on a scenic walk or take a stroll with your lover somewhere beautiful. If you can swing it, try planning a picnic on the beach or in the redwoods to share some quality, heart-to-heart time together. There’s nothing more pure—and free—than talking with someone you care about.

    Think outside the box this year. Whether you can afford it or not, there are plenty of thoughtful and creative ways to express your love.

    xoxo

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Ballot Burning for the Modern Meddler

    Ballot Burning for the Modern Meddler

    Why we need to stick with physical ballots

    In 1960, the Kennedys tried to steal the White House. A Kennedy ended up living in the White House, so they may have succeeded. Maybe they stole the election, maybe they didn’t. But because we have the physical ballots, no one can dispute that they tried. In the modern world of voting machines and election apps, we might never know who tries in the future.

    If you wanted to rig an election in 1960, you needed a plan, a large team, a smokey basement in Chicago and a lot of money. You needed someone to go to a graveyard and register corpses to vote. You needed to catalog abandoned houses and figure out how many dead or fake people you could put in each one. You needed to physically go out and beat up a few voters—possibly even commit a murder or 20. You needed a large operation full of trusted members willing to do all of this. And perhaps most importantly, you needed to be fine with everyone knowing that you just tried to rig an election.

    Stealing an election was incredibly difficult, dangerous, obvious and almost completely ineffective if one candidate had a significant lead. Voting with a paper ballot clearly isn’t a perfect system, but the attempted rigging of the 1960 election is almost common knowledge. We have the paper to prove it.

    We know what paper is. We hold it in our hands almost every day. Casting a ballot is an anonymous and easily-understandable physical action. It’s traceable at every step of the way, and we can tell if the ballots don’t make it to their destination.

    Conspiracy with physical ballots is possible, even probable, but not effective on a large scale. Certainly, physical ballots aren’t perfect, but they are hard to mess with in a way that will significantly affect an election. There are doubts that, even with all the tampering and violence, the attempted rigging of the 1960 election even changed the result.

    Electronic voting, on the other hand, is vulnerable in ways paper voting is not. When you stand in front of a voting machine, there are some questions you probably have.

    The most important part of getting people to vote is the trust that the vote goes somewhere. It’s counted. The vote is verifiable, and the process is easily understandable.

    Who made the voting machine? Who paid for it? When you press a virtual button on a screen, how do you know the machine tallies it, or gives it to the right candidate? How do you know it reaches a database where it will be counted? Do you know what the software being used is, how it works, if it’s secure, how to tell if it has been tampered with, if the machine is connected to the internet — as many inexplicably are— or if it has been calibrated properly?

    The odds are that you don’t. I don’t. Nobody does. Nobody besides the people who managed to remotely change a voting machine’s final tally. Nobody besides interested parties in our own system who might want the election to turn out a certain way. Voting machines are incredibly vulnerable. They are outdated upon release, not tested properly, easy to manipulate and often connected to the internet for some reason.

    You don’t have to call on the crime syndicates of the country anymore. You don’t have to organize a massive conspiracy. All you need to rig an election is to know how to hack a virtually-undefended voting machine.

    The most important part of getting people to vote is the trust that the vote goes somewhere. It’s counted. The vote is verifiable, and the process is easily understandable.

    Electronic voting doesn’t just open our system up to attacks from malicious parties. It erodes the trust between the voter and the system. This would be true even if everything was perfect—even if there was no one meddling. But there is someone meddling. We know there is. There always has been and there always will be. It wasn’t just 1960 and it wasn’t just Democrats. The question isn’t, “Who would rig an election?” It’s, “Who wouldn’t rig an election?”

    If someone’s going to attempt to rig the 2020 election in the same way as the 1960 election—and they possibly already have—I want them to have to work for it. I want them to have to go out to graveyards, get their hands dirty and threaten some grandmas. I was disappointed by the Iowa caucuses. These days it’s hard to tell the difference between epic, mind-blowing incompetence and election theft. If these elections are going to be a complete farce, ditch the apps and voting machines. If there’s going to be ballot burning, I want to see the flames.

  • Let’s Make Media Coverage Equal, Always

    Let’s Make Media Coverage Equal, Always

    Emphasizing equity and integrity in the media February and beyond

    Humboldt State University celebrates Black Liberation Month, which promotes black excellence and achievement, every February.

    People of color are often covered by the media for achievement in athletics and entertainment, but rarely for academia, volunteer work or simple successes unless they’re a trailblazer in their field. More often than not, Blacks face the most discrimination in media.

    At HSU, Black Liberation month emphasizes the great achievements and progress in the Black community—but these often fall out of the public eye once February is over. This is a failure—the celebration of the Black community should extend through the year and into perpetuity. At The Lumberjack, we acknowledge the lack of representation blighting the mainstream media and our own newsroom. We strive to break the toxic cycle of misinformation and misinterpretation and promote the achievements of the Black community at HSU.

    “Blacks represent 37 percent of criminals shown in the news, but constitute 26 percent of those arrested on criminal charges. In contrast, news media portray whites as criminals 28 percent of the time, when FBI crime reports show they make up 77 percent of crime suspects.”

    Travis L. Dixon

    Modern media organizations filter the truths of the world, a behavior that has a significant impact on their audience. The way we absorb news depends on the way it’s delivered. Emphasizing equity and integrity in the media February and beyond

    The study, “A Dangerous Distortion of our Families,” by Travis L. Dixon, Ph.D from the University of Illinois, looked into media coverage from local and national media outlets and found they often warped the reality of Black families to fit the narrative of the big screen.

    “Blacks represent 37 percent of criminals shown in the news, but constitute 26 percent of those arrested on criminal charges,” Dixon wrote. “In contrast, news media portray whites as criminals 28 percent of the time, when FBI crime reports show they make up 77 percent of crime suspects.”

    The study, sponsored by The Washington Post, found that at best, media outlets promoted racially biased portrayals and myths that pathologize black families and idealize white families with respect to poverty and crime.

    At worst, the study found that media outlets amplified those inaccurate depictions for political and financial gain. They said such reporting reinforces debunked narratives that justify police brutality or promote economic policies that hurt not just Black families, but all families.

    Throughout February, throughout the year, into the next decade and into forever, we shall strive to accurately report on and represent the lives and achievements of the Black community at HSU. We commit ourselves to journalistic accuracy and integrity. We commit ourselves to the celebration of the liberation of our oppressed communities and we commit to support them on their path to self-realization.

  • Why the Oscars Lack 2020 Vision

    Why the Oscars Lack 2020 Vision

    The Academy Awards are broken—here are some ways to fix them

    The nominees for the 92nd Academy Awards were recently announced in the lead-up to the ceremony, which will take place Feb. 9. The nominees are, for the most part, very easily predictable to anyone who is familiar with the kind of films that tend to win Oscars or other similar awards. That isn’t in itself a bad thing, but it does raise the question of how relevant the Oscars really are, and if they really live up to their supposed purpose of granting the “highest honors in filmmaking” to the “best films of 2019.”

    In recent years, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has been under its fair share of criticism for its notably conservative and traditional values. Indeed, the Academy does seem much more inclined to nominate and award reassuring, easily accessible films and blockbusters than they are to consider better, but less successful films.

    A film has to play for at least one week in a theater in Los Angeles County, and its theatrical release has to be the first time that it’s shown.

    Of course, as with all aspects of art, the quality of any film is subjective. But the choices made by the Academy, which is comprised of around 6,000 industry professionals, invite the questioning of their practices.

    The criteria for a film to be considered by the Academy is extremely limiting. For starters, a film has to play for at least one week in a theater in Los Angeles County, and its theatrical release has to be the first time that it’s shown. It can’t be shown on television, released to DVD or Blu-ray or streamed before that.

    Nominees like “Marriage Story” or “The Irishman” would have instantly been disqualified if they hadn’t been shown in theaters before being made available to stream on Netflix.

    This might not sound like a major obstacle at first, but that’s mostly only true for American films with a wide release. Having a decent budget and big names attached doesn’t hurt a film’s chances either. Any independent or foreign film that can’t secure a release in one area of one country is instantly not considered, regardless of how good the reviews are.

    This is just one of several of the Academy’s rules for eligibility, but it’s the most easily-understood example of how limiting the criteria is for one of the most prestigious awards a film can receive.

    Even getting past the extensive list of rules, the Academy is known for usually nominating specific types of films. On this year’s list, only two of the nine Best Picture nominees, “Little Women” and “Parasite,” are not predominantly made by and starring white men, who have been the center of the majority of films that the Academy tends to nominate and award. This is a circumstance that has been the case due to both the criteria for Academy consideration and because the Academy’s board is comprised of, in large majority, white men—a point that is often made into memes with the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite.

    “Little Women”, while receiving nominations for Best Picture, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actress and Costume Design, did not receive any nominations for Best Director or Best Cinematography despite being an incredibly strong film in those categories. An article by Vulture explained how these rare films being nominated cause them to be, possibly unfairly, depended on to please all their demographics.

    “I will say that Greta Gerwig and the film are put in the impossible position of having to represent all things to all women when she became the ‘presumptive representation of all-female directors,’” Angelica Jade Bastien said. “No film can shoulder such a burden.”

    Defenders of the Academy—those who are perfectly content with the nominations—will claim that it’s simply a meritocracy—that the nominations truly represent the best films of each year with no barriers.

    However, the numerous barriers, biased board and skewed representation severely limit which films are considered for one of the most widely recognized honors a film can receive. However, unintentionally, this influences how the film-going public decides what they want to watch and how they interpret what they watch.

    Until the Academy gets some new blood into their board, stops immediately disqualifying films and more frequently overcomes the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, their choices will never fulfill their ostensible purpose.

  • Ask Evergreen: Cornered Cohabitant

    Ask Evergreen: Cornered Cohabitant

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of The Lumberjack

    Dear Evergreen,

    What do I do when my housemate makes an advance on me?

    Dear cornered cohabitant,

    Every now and then we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations due to an unwanted admirer. Of course, it’s easier to avoid this when the admirer isn’t your housemate.

    You can steer clear of any further awkward encounters by trying the following.

    First, if your housemate has made it known they’re fond of you by making unwarranted physical advances, be sure to tell someone you trust or an authority figure. Having someone cued into this predicament can help you if your housemate decides to retaliate.

    Reach out to friends for moral support. They might be able to back you up when it comes time to telling your housemate off. You can even consult the school counseling services if you’re feeling agitated about the situation, or campus police if you feel in-danger around your housemate.

    Second, set boundaries. Make it known that you don’t appreciate the way they make you feel. Your most sacred space is probably your bedroom, so be sure to tell them to respect your limitations so you can maintain your safe space.

    Don’t let the familiarity or comfortability of a housemate relationship become a way for them to continue their actions. You don’t have to be friends with your housemate, especially not if they’re making you uncomfortable.

    Third, be kind but steadfast in your rejection. While you don’t owe your housemate an apology, you should be cautious with your rejection execution so you don’t aggravate the situation. Rejection brings out vindication in some, so be careful when breaking it to your housemate that you’re not interested.

    Lastly, talk with any other housemates you may have. See what they have to say about the predicament. They may be able to step in to deescalate things. You could all decide to have a household meeting where you can discuss how to best make a safe and comfortable home environment.

    Remember, you don’t have to do this alone.

    Good luck!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Ask Evergreen: Single and Seeking

    Ask Evergreen: Single and Seeking

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of The Lumberjack

    Dear Evergreen

    How do I meet people without using online dating apps?

    Dear single and seeking,

    People still find connections through real life interactions despite the prevalence of dating apps.

    Although the existence of dating apps can help speed up the connection process, it’s desensitized many of its users to meaningful connections. Nevertheless, you can navigate through the chaos of cuffing season—or the season in which people pair up—without the digital drama.

    If you are completely against using the web to find love you’ll have to start putting yourself out into the world and approaching people. Start striking up friendly conversations with people at your favorite coffee shop or while you’re on your next hike in the Arcata Community Forest.

    While it may seem brazen to talk to strangers, you’re getting into an immediate conversation rather than thinking of a pickup line or waiting for them to make the first move on an app.

    This way may require thicker skin to deal with face-to-face rejections, but it also helps you learn the art of conversation and confidence.

    Don’t be ashamed to approach someone in real life, but don’t intrude on someone who looks like they would rather not be bothered.

    While you don’t need an app to tell you who to like, dating apps do help you to know who is available while also giving you a faint glimpse into the personality of a possible partner.

    Many online dating users intend to seek sex and nothing more. However, if you’re searching for a more meaningful connection, dating apps can still help. You can also find connections through the internet on places other than dating apps—just be cautious.

    As a student, you’re in a prime location for eligible singles. It’s just a matter of figuring out who’s looking for the same thing as you.

    If you haven’t already, explore a dating app just to see who is out there. Maybe someone from a class or a regular at your favorite coffee place is seeking too. You won’t know who’s out there until you look.

    If you are inclined to keep things organic, try to hang out in the library more often or sunbathe in the art quad.

    If all else fails, ask some trustworthy friends to set you up on a blind date.

    Good luck!

    Sincerely, Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.

  • Memes Communicate Modern Messages

    Memes Communicate Modern Messages

    How memes provide comedic relief in times of conflict

    When a war with Iran suddenly seemed imminent in early January, the people of the Internet reacted the only way they knew how—they made memes. The memes, whatever you think of them, helped people approach a difficult discussion through humor.

    President Donald Trump ordered the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani on Jan. 3. When Iran retaliated by attacking United States Army bases in Iraq with missiles, talk of World War III went on the rise.

    Many of the resultant memes revolved around the idea of men between the ages of 18-26 getting drafted to go to war.

    If the United States did go to war, there is a possibility that a draft could take place. In World War II, about 20% of men were drafted.

    While serving in the United States military has been voluntarily since 1973, an act of Congress could call for a draft. Male U.S. citizens between the ages of 18-26 and immigrants who are living in the U.S. still must register for the Selective Service System.

    Of course, no one wants to think about a draft. Instead, people address the issue through jokes. This might not be ideal, but at least people are talking about it.

    Should we joke about the hundreds of thousands of people who might die going to war? No, but we should be talking about it and this is a start.

    Using humor and memes to talk about what’s going on in the world isn’t a bad thing. Choosing to only laugh and failing to educate yourself on the issue you’re laughing at is where people go wrong.

    The memes could even be deemed as parody news. From what I learned in a parody news class last semester, people use humor to talk about serious topics without making them sound as serious, so that people can digest what’s going on. Parody news is often described as taking real subjects and making a joke out of them to get people laughing and thinking.

    The draft memes ranged from how women were going to try to get out of the war by being a housewife, to men offing themselves before they got drafted, to how to distract Iranian soldiers so your friends can get away. There were even meta memes about these memes that went something like, “Me laughing at war memes even though it’s probably going to happen.”

    Memes are as prevalent as ever. There seems to be a meme regarding every aspect of this possible war, and for almost every bit of modern life. If it makes news, the memes will follow. Everyday on social media you see memes regarding the upcoming presidential election, climate change, health care and more.

    Often times, I see memes about current events before I even see news coverage. I found myself laughing at the memes about WWIII before I even knew what was actually going on. When I saw the memes, I decided to research why people were saying we were going to war. The memes were my first point of contact on the events with Iran—they informed me.

    Using humor and memes to talk about what’s going on in the world isn’t a bad thing. Choosing to only laugh and failing to educate yourself on the issue you’re laughing at is where people go wrong. The problem isn’t on the people making the memes. It’s on the audience failing to educate themselves and do more with a meme than laugh.

  • Stand-up Comedy Etiquette for Dummies

    Stand-up Comedy Etiquette for Dummies

    Keep your commentary to yourself and let me have a laugh, please

    Sitting in the audience of a comedy show, I expect laughter. After dealing with long shifts at work, assignment deadlines that are past due and staggering grades, that’s what I want.

    After living in Humboldt County for a little over a year, I was ecstatic to hear about Savage Henry Comedy Club from my former classmate and local comedian Peter Nelson. Never would I have imagined such a beautiful place to exist and to remind me that it’s okay to laugh at anything.

    It became my mission to attend more comedy shows and try out some material for more open mic nights at Savage Henry. In November I was blessed with attending my first late night comedy show featuring Kyle Kinane. The night started off perfect as the air filled with laughter. But the mood changed when some audience members felt the need to be included in the comedian’s routine.

    It’s not a rare occurrence for audience members to disrupt a comedy show.

    If I had a dime for every time a movie theater reminded me to silence my phone and exit the area with my non-existent crying child, I would have enough for another movie ticket.

    Unfortunately, comedy shows have always faced problems with talking audience members. Common sense seems to vacate the premises when it comes to comedy. Who thinks that just because they paid money to see an act, they’re entitled to becoming the most hated person in that venue?

    Thankfully, comedians are usually experienced with enduring this kind of behavior, with the exception of Seinfeld star Michael Richards.

    However, for Kinane it was a cake walk dealing with a dreadlocked couple and their redundant responses during his routine. My mood the entire night was a mixture of laughter, anger and finally relief as the obnoxious couple got up and left (but not without loudly announcing that they had a baby at home).

    Had I known this earlier, I would have called Child Protective Services to alleviate the audience of this comedy sabotage.

    Kinane was a trooper and finished strong. He received an applause not just for his resilience, but also for putting on a late show since his Friday and Saturday night shows sold out.

    It’s not a rare occurrence for audience members to disrupt a comedy show. I’ve been present when these atrocities are committed and I’m relieved when they’re dealt with. My favorite distractions are people texting during a comedy show and getting called out, especially since the responses are usually ridiculous.

    When I saw Al Madrigal live a couple summers ago, I sat next to a woman who couldn’t seem to put her phone down. When she was finally called out by one of the opening acts, she tried justifying her actions.

    “My friend is having a baby right now and she’s keeping me updated,” she said.

    Instead of showing sympathy, the opening act trashed her for the remainder of his set.

    If you can’t fathom the idea of someone else speaking, perhaps you need to reevaluate yourself and forego the comedy show.

    I will never understand why people feel they have the right to interrupt a comedy show. Standup comedy is my way of taking a breath of fresh air from a rough week. For it to get obstructed by someone that doesn’t respect the art of making people laugh is just blasphemy.

  • Ask Evergreen: Fretful Fueler

    Ask Evergreen: Fretful Fueler

    Ask Evergreen is a weekly advice column by the students of the Lumberjack.

    Each week we answer anonymous questions sent in by readers about anything and everything.

    Dear Evergreen,

    Is driving to Eureka for Costco gas worth it?

    Dear Fretful Fueler,

    Gas prices in California are some of the highest in the nation, with prices often spilling over $4.00 a gallon, but Costco offers some of the cheapest gas.

    Costco is a popular gas supplier, and here in Humboldt we are fortunate to have one locally. But although Costco gas is an option in the area, it’s not accessible to all.

    To get gas from Costco you must have a membership or a Costco gift card. As someone who doesn’t have a Costco membership, I can’t say for certain that Costco gas is the best alternative.

    For those who can afford the $60 yearly subscription, it makes sense to go to Costco if you’re already using their other services. However, if you plan on getting a membership just for a gas discount, I wouldn’t suggest it.

    If you aren’t a heavy commuter then Costco gas definitely isn’t a good source for fuel. According to Business Insider, the price of a membership won’t be paid off with your gas savings until you gas up around 37 times.

    Costco gas stations are also notorious for having chaotic waiting lines and times. If you do consider Costco gas, be mindful of the time of day you head over, as rush hour times are often busier. It would be counterproductive to wait upwards of 10 minutes for gas while idling in your car wasting fuel.

    If you aren’t inclined to fuel up at a Costco gas station, there are other places you can gas up at. You can find local gas prices with the site and app GasBuddy, which can help you shop around for the best option.

    In Arcata, the cheapest gas can be found at the Patriot station for $3.87 a gallon on Giuntoli Lane. In Eureka, the most affordable gas is from the Costco station which is currently $3.49 a gallon.

    Happy gassing!

    Sincerely,

    Evergreen

    If you have any questions you’d like to send in, email us at contactthejack@gmail.com. We won’t publish any names and you don’t need to use one.