The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Category: Opinion

  • EDITORIAL: Understanding consent first

    EDITORIAL: Understanding consent first

    Sexual harassment can be difficult to understand and process on any level: as a victim, as an offender and even as a bystander. Treating sexual harassment allegations with discretion and well-researched judgment is vital. However, they must begin with an understanding that there is no clear interpretation for what defines consent.

    Movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp that highlight sexual assault, misconduct and harassment in the entertainment industry are proving that awful behavior does not just happen to private citizens, but to public figures as well.

    What these movements should do is make conversations about sexual harassment and assault easier, as well as give victims the confidence and empowerment to speak up.

    What these movements should not do is create an opportunity for the media or the general public to interpret the definition of the word consent. Full consent is one big, sober y-e-s. The second any hesitation, discomfort or change of mind occurs, consent is lost. This should be the only way consent is observed in the face of any story, no matter how large or small. The most important thing to consider when assessing these situations at any level is that affirmative consent is not up for debate.

    After grasping this point, we can attempt to break down a situation and understand what happened. In the instance of comedian Aziz Ansari and his encounter with a woman anonymized as Grace, this is extremely important to understand. The feminist site Babe.net reported on Grace’s date with Ansari in a way that lumped him in with repeat offenders such as Harvey Weinstein and Roy Moore. Though his behavior was wrong, it is still worth noting that this man, unlike that of Weinstein or Moore, was allegedly unaware of his aggressive behavior. Ansari was not fully aware of his alleged wrongdoings after she had expressed it via text the next day. Readers can hate him, believe him, not believe him or react how they please. What they should not do is attack Grace for her decision to speak up. Her decision to speak up was warranted, because she felt that the date was terrible and therefore changed her mind. Nothing can change her firsthand experience that night.

    What can be done after understanding consent is to process Ansari’s decisions and pay attention to what he decides to do next as a self-proclaimed male feminist. What can also be done as a bystander is to know the difference between assault and harassment without believing that one is more okay than the other. Instead, try to find ways to minimize the opportunities of both offenses.

    Understanding the problem with Ansari’s behavior towards Grace involves his disregard for his celebrity status and the kind of influence he may have on others. The problem was that he needed a better understanding of affirmative consent. This is where there are clear differences between Ansari and Weinstein.

    Most of us are bystanders to these movements and celebrity allegations. As such, we have an obligation to seek out and recognize affirmative consent. Further, we need to intervene when others fail to acknowledge it. Practice good judgment when examining these situations only after understanding consent.

  • Smoker discretion advised

    Smoker discretion advised

    Smoking marijuana recreationally is now legal in California. However, before you take your stash with you as you head out the door, take caution. Changes to marijuana legislature is happening on a state level, not a federal level. When it comes to which laws carry more weight, federal trumps state.

    California voters passed Proposition 64, also known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, to begin the process of governing the drug on Nov. 9, 2016. The legal sale and taxation of recreational weed took effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

    Smokers who believe they can just light up wherever they please should slow down and consider legal limitations.

    Smoking At School

    Public colleges are state-funded and federally funded. This means you’ll get into trouble if you bring your legal weed with you to school grounds, according to USA Today. In fact, most students are receiving frantic e-Memos from their school’s administration ensuring students who come back from winter break that weed is still not allowed on campus. How diligent campus safety is is another story. Try not to be to angry with your college campus as it needs money to function and runs the risk of having federal funding pulled completely. This is especially true if they allow their students to smoke marijuana freely and not abide by federal law.

    Smoking at Work

    In a nutshell, if you can’t show up to work drunk, you also can’t show up to work high. Whether one is safer than the other is not the question here. Both are considered the same level of being under the influence. Your boss still has every right to fire you if you show up under the influence, even if it is for medicinal purposes. A company can still deny you employment if you decide to fail their mandatory drug test, because you did not want to stop smoking. There is no legislation stating businesses should follow suit with state law and federal jobs will definitely not allow recreational use of marijuana.

    Smoking in Public Places or While Driving

    This is a similar story to work and school. Medical marijuana cards may have granted some freedom here, but smoking in public or while driving has always been a risk weed smokers take when they travel. Even though weed is open to all to smoke recreationally, not just those with a medical marijuana card, it should be kept at home for recreational use. According to Politifact, taking it on the road under the new law is like having an open bottle in your car. If you can’t drink in public, you shouldn’t be high in public. Both are disturbances of the peace or driving under the influence, violations that warrant a police citation. Just like driving with an open container, you’ll face probably face some trouble if you get pulled over if your weed is not sealed. Legal weed must be in a sealed container. If that container is not sealed, it must be locked away somewhere, such as the trunk of your car. With the legalization of marijuana comes extra attention. Law enforcement will be looking for marijuana violations to a greater extent, especially when it comes to driving under the influence, according to Shouse Law Group and California Vehicle Code.

    The law itself will change and adapt as the state and federal law differences sort themselves out over time. Practice smoking discretion before smoking as you please.

  • Persevere in education

    Persevere in education

    Take it from a two-time Humboldt State University drop out: do not give up. One of the greatest disservices college will do for you is force you to choose a major at an age you’re not even positive what your dating preferences are yet. At an age when you’ve had under a quarter of a century of life experience and maybe two jobs, if any, having to choose a major that will dictate your career for the rest of your life is downright unfair.

    So if you find yourself at the age of 21 or 22 still working through college courses, on your third major switch or not decalred, do not freak out.

    “Education is a journey, not a race,” is an adage students should familiarize themselves with sooner than later.

    Some will graduate high school, jump right into choosing an academic focus with no problems and move on in four to five years. They will achieve exactly what they expected, and this is perfectly okay. On the other end of the spectrum, it is perfectly okay to take six to eight years for students to find out what they excel at or are passionate about before finally achieving the grades that reflect that passion.

    I had to fail out of HSU twice to land myself at Citrus College in Glendora with the blank slate I needed to discover what I was good at. I had tried choosing business administration as a major. I had switched to communications and, for multiple outlying and personal reasons, still found myself moving home to Southern California in 2013 as a declared failure.

    Four years later, I am returning to HSU with two associate transfer degrees in communications and journalism and a passion. I have peers and colleagues who are way farther ahead on their academic journey than I am. But with my return, I bring recognition, expertise and a work ethic that took four extra years than the average student to develop. I am back, and I come with pride for the extra time and work I had to put in to get here at the ripe age of 26.

    My advice to other students struggling to find their way is to ask for help, utilize school resources and above all, know when you may need to take a break and do some soul searching. When you’re ready, jump back into college and let your studies help you find your way.

  • Talking about my snowflake generation

    Talking about my snowflake generation

    Right wingers love to call liberals “snowflakes,” a popular slang used to describe self-absorbed, thin-skinned millennials.

    For instance, you might be labeled a snowflake if you are easily offended by someone calling another person “gay” or “retarded.” This is true even if the words were not intended to be a direct slur against the LGBT community or people with disabilities, but rather an alternative way to describe someone or something as being stupid.

    “They’re only words,” comedian George Carlin said. “It’s the context that counts. It’s the user. It’s the intention behind the words that makes them good or bad. The words are completely neutral. The words are innocent. I get tired of people talking about bad words and bad language. Bullshit! It’s the context that makes them good or bad.”

    In his 1990 HBO special “Doin’ It Again,” Carlin continues his rational bit about euphemisms, or “words that conceal reality.”

    Though Carlin attempts to make sense about sugarcoating language to the point of total political correctness, derogatory expressions have been normalized for too long. This is especially true and accentuated in the days of the Trump administration.

    Herds of hateful Americans have come out of the woodwork to protest against leftist values since Donald Trump took office. Many of them reckon it is their time to shine following the presidency of Obama, especially Richard Spencer. They also feel empowered to be blatant assholes, which are validated by mutually intolerant values.

    It’s easy to call someone a snowflake, a narrow-minded redneck or what have you. We hear what we want to hear and impulsively strike with insults. It’s also easy to leave snide remarks about an entire community rather than understand why an individual is sticking up for marginalized people.

    While it’s not necessary to be constantly politically correct, try to understand why it’s not appropriate to undermine those defending marginalized people by just labeling them snowflakes. It’s a case-by-case issue that demands good judgement and respect.

  • Big Brother is still watching you

    Big Brother is still watching you

    Personalized ads, location tracking services and obsessive use of social media. Technology is on track to outgrow human intelligence as it continues to ingrain and spread itself throughout our increasingly globalized society. In recent years, George Orwell’s “1984” about a dystopian world of mass surveillance has become our reality. What feeds Big Brother’s insatiable desire for global brainwashing and espionage is our growing dependence on technology.

    The current world population of 7.6 billion is expected to grow to 9.8 billion by 2050. Consequently, the growing population ensures that there will be future consumers to continue the dependence on technology. Overpopulation in combination with more smart phones, computers and other surveillance devices means that there will be more documentation of our private lives.

    Digital technologies are woven into our classrooms, offices and personal lives. We rely on it for communication, GPS and a myriad of other apps that make our lives easier. But Big Brother is tracing everything we do on these devices. Information is mined, processed and sent to ad agencies to seduce us with products we don’t need. Moreover, consumerism distracts us from the issues happening all around us every single day. A population of latent minds is exactly what Big Brother wants.

    “We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of,” said propaganda expert Edward Bernays.

    This is happening without our consent and with little concern to us. Civilization is full of sheeple conforming to Big Brother’s values, agenda and desires. The future isn’t looking so bright either. Some futurists predict artificial intelligence dominating the human race. Unless tenacious, drastic and global measures are taken, we will inevitably succumb to its irresistible powers. Until then, Big Brother is still watching you.

  • Universities should model accountability

    Universities should model accountability

    The sudden retirement of HSU Athletics Director Daniel Collen raises unanswered questions of accountability. How did administrative oversight fail to anticipate and mitigate Athletics’ budget crisis threatening the football program? Did Mr. Collen’s political campaign and election to the Northern Humboldt School District Board interfere with directing the athletics department? Did Mr. Collen hold appropriate academic credentials for a top university post? (Does his replacement?).

    Did Collen negotiate a secret settlement to immediately retire after facing lawsuits alleging misappropriation of donations for his fishing trips to Ketchikan, Alaska with two other HSU executives; or, the lawsuit by long-term HSU athletics employee Dan Pambianco alleging he was demoted for exposing Collen’s extravagant university-funded travel; or, Collen’s termination of 25-year track coach Dave Wells resulting in a $250,000 settlement?

    Apparently, no reforms were enacted since the infamous $15 million fraud committed by HSU executive John Sterns in 2001, and the secret settlement from the class-action lawsuit filed by Education Department professors. Following these scandals, former HSU President Alistair McCrone negotiated a retirement settlement by accepting a temporary “consultant” position at his full president’s salary. Sterns’ immediate supervisor, Vice President Don Christensen, became a university administrator in Oregon. (CSU auditors concluded that HSU’s fearful workplace enabled Stern’s financial fraud and embezzlement to continue for 3 years!).

    Humboldt County has extraordinary recreational resources: rivers, forests, shoreline, parks, trails, lagoons, harbor and wetlands, yet, McCrone and former HSU president Rollin Richmond authorized hundreds of millions of dollars over 2 decades on new and remodeled facilities for recreation, leisure, entertainment and sports, requiring more staff, faculty, management and maintenance while simultaneously cutting academics. Expanded leisure activities attracted wealthier students despite high participation fees… until a declining economy persuaded families to rediscover the value of academics closer to home, leaving HSU today with fewer students and a fully funded “resort.”

    Divesting in HSU academics produced overcrowded classrooms; elimination of numerous courses and entire degrees in nursing, industrial technology and German language; early retirement of the most experienced professors; the highest athletics fees in the CSU system; and three decades of relentless tuition increases culminating in debilitating debt for graduates. HSU’s high-security “campus resort” with pretentious locked-gate housing, rock climbing walls and library lattes are the LAST things needed by hundreds of homeless students (and thousands more working-class) who rely on administrative leadership to focus on relevant academic resources required to succeed.

    The public deserved to hear responses to unasked questions of accountability from Collen, Richmond, McCrone, Christensen and many others.

    Prioritizing accessible academics over a class-centered resort is essential in preparing graduates for the looming realities of environmental, economic and social crises from climate change and perpetual wars for foreign oil, minerals and oppressed labor. Achieving carbon reduction and full employment from a green, U.S.-made economy would require prerequisites in urban planning and social, political, economic and environmental activism tailored to every degree. These include prerequisites in citizenship, labor history, contract law, diplomacy and negotiation that are fundamental in developing confidence and assertiveness within student’s chosen career; in demanding accountability at work, school, community and personal relationships, or in signing countless contracts for housing, employment, transportation, credit cards and healthcare.

    Accountability at HSU requires transparency. For example, administrator’s academic credentials, compensation and pensions are not being reported. In fact, HSU cancelled publication of its annual directory listing everyone working on campus and their titles. Incompetence, nepotism, favoritism, fraud and corruption, like mycelium, thrive in darkness and costs millions!

    The Bay Area firm Strategic Edge Consulting, hired by HSU last year, noted communication problems between former HSU Athletics director Collen and other departments raising broader questions about campus leadership and professionalism. Few ironies are more astonishing than a public university led by administrators lacking advanced degrees in public administration or communication who are charged with promoting and governing “academic excellence” for teachers and students. A credible vision for academic excellence could come from administrators recruited from hundreds of adults graduating with honors on U.C. campuses each year with advanced degrees in public administration, public finance and human resources; individuals more capable in avoiding budget chaos and recurring failures to integrate due-process employment rights into personnel practices. Until then, HSU’s lack of vision and its history of unaccountable multi-million dollar scandals, lawsuits and secret settlements will continue.

    Without basic skills, experiences, and responsibility in demanding accountability where we live, work and learn, every community’s local government, university and media will continue to cooperate, legitimize and empower this nation’s fascist drift that Donald Trump’s reelection and “Alt-Right” policies rely on.

     

    Sincerely,

    George Clark

    HSU Liberal Arts graduate 1982,

    (My debt-free education met the requirement for an “accessible public education” guaranteed under the U.S. Education Act of 1965).

    HSU Center Accounting Technician 1979-1989

     

  • Surviving and thriving in a post-internet world

    Surviving and thriving in a post-internet world

    By｜Ian Thompson

    In preparation for the worst case scenario that net neutrality is reversed and the internet simply becomes a massively censored shitpile of corporate mind control and political propaganda, I have made a list of how to survive and enjoy life in a post-internet world. Don’t worry, it will be like living in the 1980s.

    1. Learn how to rent a movie at a video store. Now that you can’t binge watch hours of your favorite shows online, it’s time to brave the outside world and somehow get to the video store without using your GPS. You’re going to have to learn how to pick movies for yourself. You could ask the clerk to place a Certified Fresh label or Rotten Tomatoes ratings next to the the DVDs if it helps with the transition. You could also ask the clerk to yell a percentage at you when you pick up a movie, if that’s easier. But it’s best if you learn how to choose movies through trial and error. Yes, you will end up getting movies that suck, and you won’t be able to quit watching immediately and switch to a different movie.
    2. Invest in arcades. Your days of “pwning” 12-year-old South Korean kids on Call of Duty is over. Now that you can’t play online games, it’s time to go to your local arcade and challenge kids face to face in the arena. Arcades are awesome. You actually have to socialize with people when you’re there. You’re also standing up and walking around so you won’t be an immobile blob who never leaves the couch.
    3. Learn how to ask people out in person and go on awkward dates. Yes, you will have to learn how to meet people by actually going out and being part of society. You will have to learn how to get to know people beyond a snapshot they put on Tinder. You can’t rely on the algorithms of online dating sites or the superficiality of hookup sites. You’re going to have to learn how to ask someone out face to face. It won’t always be great. Sometimes you will be denied, other times you will realize that the person is too much like your annoying aunt or uncle. You may actually have to get to know the person by spending time with them before you decide if you like them or not. It’s okay, that is normal. Yes, you are more vulnerable than just scrolling through pics on an online dating site, but being vulnerable is a vital part of love. And sometimes it pays off.
    4. Cultivate your own opinions. Don’t be scared to try the Indian food place that people think is sketchy or the new taco truck that isn’t as good as the one that got a five-star rating on Yelp. Remember, you are living in a post-Yelp world. Like so much of life now, you will have to live through trial and error. Would it really kill you to try a new restaurant that you may not know has insanely good reviews? Just eat the food and figure it out for yourself! Not everyone has the same taste buds or tastes in food, music, art and fashion. There is no such thing as an objectively good restaurant, so eat whatever the fuck you want! Don’t be scared to honestly ask yourself how you feel about a certain cafe, movie or business. You will need to use critical thinking which may have been weakened by relying on online reviews and others’ opinions for too long.
    5. Say goodbye to fake Facebook friends and old high school acquaintances. This may be one of the best parts of living in a post-internet world. No, I don’t care that a girl I had a crush on in junior year of high school now has three kids and just got promoted to senior sales associate at Forever 21. I don’t care that one of my old drinking buddies is now an ultra evangelical Christian who married his pastor’s daughter. And that’s ok. Just because you don’t want to keep up with people who are no longer a part of your life doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or that you hate them. It means life is short and you should invest time in people who are in your lives now who you love and care about.
  • 7 ways to de-stress while studying

    7 ways to de-stress while studying

    By｜Phil Santos

    Finals are here and it’s time to do something about it. The biggest obstacle at this point is the sense of overwhelming dread you feel when looking at the work cut out for you. Major projects are daunting at first, but it gets better when you make a structured plan. So take the time to structure how and when you’ll study. Breaking things down into smaller sections and having a generic plan reduces the overwhelming feeling of defeat when looking at a stack of unstudied material. Here are 7 things you can incorporate into your study plan.

    1. Study Break

    An integral part of studying is not studying. Some of us understand this a bit too well. But for the last minute crammers, remember that the mind needs an occasional break – or it will break. Stepping away from study work lets you reset a bit and lets the material soak in. I find that a 10-15 minute break every hour works well for me.

    2. Smoke a bowl

    We should all follow state and federal laws (wink!). Cannabis affects different people in different ways, but smoking a bowl is one way for some of us to de-stress. Those of us who know we don’t study well when high will not be finding that out for the first time this fall. So if cannabis works for you, then go for it. If not, don’t blame this article for helping you forget that cannabis and college don’t blend well when it comes to tests.

    3. Take a short walk to the community forest

    Taking a walk in our forests is something people travel the world to do. So if you’re one of the few who haven’t done so, interrupting your study sesh to change that is a great idea! Exposure to what we define as nature (parks, ocean and non-human built stuff) can change you by: decreasing stress, increasing focus and your sense of vitality and it can even boost creativity.

    Just remember that mountain lions are most active at dawn and dusk. Although a mountain lion attack is a pretty good excuse to miss a final…

    4. Study at the community forest or local beach

    The weather this week is slated to be rather rain-free. This is a nice window to take your study gear to the outdoors, allowing you to do your work without missing the nice weather. You can reap all the above mentioned benefits of exposure to nature while studying! If you can make it out to the beach with your study gear, you should. There aren’t many colleges where you can drive 15 minutes to study on an empty gem of a beach. This gives you a two for one experience – you get a beach day and a study day.

    5. Find your jam

    I am bothered by the slightest of noises and I feel crazy for it. The person next to you needs to turn their page more quietly. Someone behind you is hitting their keyboard with hammer hands. You can hear someone breathing and it’s almost in harmony with the sniffle across the room. All of these noises are very normal, but also very agitating, so I carry headphones with me wherever I go. If it’s too noisy to focus, I find my jams and enter a wonderful world of music. I favor various YouTube mixes of an hour or more.

    Here are a few different mixes that I study to:

    Makes you feel like you’re holding Simba over the safari:

    I feel like I’m at a rave:

    Philosophizing:

    Reggae:

    Trap Rap:

    6. Talk to your professor

    It’s easy to build a persona around our professors, but believe it or not, professors are people too. If there’s an aspect of your final that freaks you out, try talking to your professor about it. They may be able to clarify something for you and alleviate some of your worries. They might also tell you you’re a complete failure, but wouldn’t you rather hear it from the source?

    7. Check your perspective

    What is most immediate often seems most pressing. But don’t fall prey to this logic, it’s not true. The finals before you might seem like they will determine your future, but that’s like saying you went to HSU, because your mom ate a burrito exactly 10 years before you were born. It doesn’t make sense. Finals are a small step in your infinite future. Although you might not pass a class if you fail, and even not graduate as a result – what happens next is anyone’s guess. A closed door is permission to tear down the walls – that’s something to be excited and optimistic about.

     

  • WTF is net neutrality?

    WTF is net neutrality?

    By｜Phil Santos

    Most of us are probably asking, “what the hell is net neutrality anyway?” Here is a short breakdown of what it means and why it matters.

    The internet is made possible by ISPs (internet service providers) and content companies. Netflix and Hulu are content companies. In their case, the content is video. ISPs pave the road of the internet and content companies use them to truck their services across the web.

    Currently, ISPs treat all content providers equally. YouTube videos stream just as fast as Hulu videos. Every content provider is bound to the same speed limit. This speed limit is the foundation of net neutrality.

    Net neutrality demands that all content is bound by the same speed limit.

    Opposers of net neutrality believe that they should be given preferential treatment. They want the ISPs to make a private high speed toll road to deliver their content faster.

    The toll for these high-speed lanes will not be cheap and an increased cost at the top will result in an increased price at the bottom. This means that if net neutrality is abolished, you’ll be paying more for the same services you already receive. If net neutrality is removed, you pay the price.

    Aside from individuals, small businesses will suffer too. If a business can’t pay for a fast lane, it has to function at a slower speed. While Netflix is gliding down the fast lane, these small businesses will be choking in the gridlocked web traffic with everyone else who can’t afford to pay for preferential treatment. When Netflix streams a TV show twice as fast as Hulu, nobody is going to wait twice as long as they have to. This will create a mass exodus to the content providers using this fast lane.

    By restricting small businesses with this two-tiered system, we are putting our internet content in the hands of a select few.

    A world without net neutrality is a world where the natural democracy of the internet is up for purchase. Internet traffic will be concentrated into a handful of companies that can afford to do business in the fast lane. Imagine the implications if three companies dominated everything on the internet.

    The internet is a rarity in that it’s a decentralized technology. We all have relatively equal access to it and no one owns it, yet. For the freedom of the internet to be preserved, neutrality is a must.

     

  • Don’t go missing

    Don’t go missing

    By | Reza Sadeghzadeh

    Humboldt County reported 352 people missing in 2015, and according to ABC News, “That’s more people missing per capita than any other county in California.”

    It would be fair to say that the black market of the cannabis industry is a probable reason behind the high rate of missing people in our county.

    Students and “trimigrants” become vulnerable when they decide to go in the hills to trim, which subsequently makes them dependent on their “employer” without any recourse.

    “Students from the nearest college, Humboldt State University, return from a summer of trimming marijuana buds with takes of being forced to give their boss a blow job to get paid,” said Shoshana Walter of The Huffington Post. “During one harvest season, two growers began having sex with their teenage trimmer. When they feared she would run away, they locked her inside an oversized toolbox with breathing holes.”

    Money is a huge factor for many college students and cash-paying trimming gigs can help tremendously. But you must be aware of the potential outcomes.

    Consider these following things before trimming for a grower:

    First and foremost, who are you going to be trimming for and how well do you know them? It is not wise to trim for a stranger, so make sure you know who you are dealing with.

    “We have Russian mafia up here, we have Mexican mafia up here and we have Asian triad gangs up here, because the marijuana industry is money,” said Humboldt County Sheriff’s deputy Greg O’Rourke.

    Most HSU students are not informed about the involvement of these criminal organizations in Humboldt’s cannabis industry, which is why it is important to know who you are trimming for.

    If you decide to go in the hills for a trimming gig, make sure you know where the farm is located. Also, let a friend or family member know about your plan prior to your departure.

    In all fairness, some growers are law-abiding citizens and treat their trimmers with decency, but that might not always be the case. That’s why you should be cautious before accepting any job offers. If you don’t, there is a chance you might go missing.

     

  • Hit the road, Jacks

    Hit the road, Jacks

    Finals are upon us, but so is winter break. It’s time to make travel plans again.

    Some people huff at the thought of making travel arrangements, especially since many of us just got back from a long-awaited and well-deserved Thanksgiving break. Needless to say, we’re also readjusting to the home stretch of this semester.

    In spite of that, we encourage you to invest some of your downtime thinking about the places you’ve always wanted to visit and make it happen during winter break. Write down the destinations, pull up Google Maps or TripAdvisor and start researching your fantasy voyage. The simple act of routing that one landmark you must finally check out with the restaurant you need to try could be more fun than you expected. The ultimate goal here is to try new things in new places and maybe meet inspiring people along the way. This can be anywhere between the pub down the street you’ve been meaning to visit or backpacking through Europe. Either way, you’d essentially step outside of your comfort zone and gain new experiences. These are two invaluable components of growing up and expanding your mind in a world full of narrow-minded blockheads.

    A few of us are strapped for cash or don’t drive, but don’t fret. It’s not completely hopeless.

    Humboldt State’s Homeward Bound Bus Charter Program “provides students with discounted round-trip transportation from Arcata directly to San Francisco or Los Angeles.”

    If that doesn’t work for you, consider HSU’s carpool program, JackPass, Zagster, Zimride and Zipcar. Visit parking.humboldt.edu for more details.

    The pressures of finals will surely stress us out, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Plan accordingly and don’t forget about the potential road constructions due to winter conditions. Good luck, safe travels and enjoy your upcoming adventures.

  • As American as denial

    As American as denial

    By | Phil Santos

    Donald Trump was a champion of feminism and a hero of civil rights. It’s not hard to imagine that printed in history books 10 years from now. American society has woven plenty of lies into its mythology, so why wouldn’t they enshrine Donald? From complete falsifications to “unintended” misrepresentations, American history comes in many flavors and most of them are built upon an astounding foundation of denial.

    Denial is a primitive and childish defense mechanism that eases things in the short term. But it doesn’t bode well over time, so a country in denial is in trouble if it plans on being around for long. Denial is as American as apple pie and genocide. Whether it be the past, present or future, America has a problem accepting what was, what is and what will be.

    Recently, most of us celebrated Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a perfect embodiment of the historic denial which plagues the American memory. You probably grew up thinking that the pilgrims sat down and had a jolly feast with the Wampanoag to celebrate their merry coexistence. This is a lie which denies the genocidal founding of America. Thanksgiving draws its roots from a feast which celebrates the massacre of hundreds of Pequots. If this is the first time you’ve heard that then behold – this is the power of American denial.

    One could say that history has been accurately recognized because there have been several occasions when the government has apologized for historical events. But most of these apologies were insincere – one (addressed to Indigenous nations of the lower 48) was tucked into the 67th page of a congressional spending bill which was signed, but never spoken by former president Obama. The reluctance to apologize is just another symptom of denying what actually happened.

    The problem with denying the past is that it makes it easier to deny the present. You can’t know where you are if you don’t know where you came from. If you turn to various news outlets, you’ll find debates about whether or not racism is systemic. There is no debate. The genocide against Indigenous nations in North America was justified by the Doctorine of Discovery which considered Indigenous Peoples as less than human. The “founding fathers” participated in this genocide and crafted the Constitution which all U.S. law is derived from. So law itself is contaminated by racist sentiments which were originally meant to privilege white settlers. This is the law that governs contemporary society – denial of history is the only way anyone can argue that structural racism doesn’t exist with us today.

    America also has trouble recognizing what’s happening globally as well. Climate denialists reject the insurmountable evidence that the future is grim if climate change isn’t addressed. This is on a public and governmental level, which is astounding. To deny hard science in such a fashion delves into the realm of the psychologically impaired.

    Denial in the fashion I’ve outlined is never a healthy thing. I think that the present chaos which plagues America is the result of two hundred years of it. Denying our genocidal history, denying rampant racism, denying climate change – they all add up to a world wrought with conflict where common ground is sparse. If we were to have reconciliation, we first need truth. But truth and denial are exclusive – the choice is clear.

     

  • Your first amendment is under assault

    Your first amendment is under assault

    In an effort to crack down on the fast-growing global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, pro-Israel U.S lawmakers across both aisles are trying to pass a bill that criminalizes the boycott of Israel.

    Inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement, the goal of the BDS movement is to pressure Israel to end its violations of human rights and to comply with international law. According to the United Nations human rights council, Israel is the world’s top human rights violator.

    Israel Anti-Boycott Act bills (S.720/H.R.1697) were introduced in both the House and the Senate earlier this year. Now more than 43 senators and 247 house members support these bills.

    According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the law will make it a felony to boycott both Israel and its illegal settlements in occupied West Bank if the bills passed. In addition, U.S persons who boycott Israel can face up to 20 years in prison and fines up to one million dollars.

    Dylan J. Williams of J Street, a pro-Israel advocacy group based out of Washington D.C., wrote a letter to Congress in regards to the Anti-Boycott Act.

    “The penalties associated with these offenses are serious, potentially including substantial fines and prison time of up to 10 years,” Williams wrote. “This bill could give Attorney General Jeff Sessions the power to prosecute any American who chooses not to buy settlement products for a felony offense. That kind of authority should not be given to any administration, let alone one that has engaged in extreme rhetoric against political opponents, including threats to ‘lock [them] up.’”

    The ACLU wrote a letter to members of the Senate urging them to oppose the Israel Anti-Boycott Act.

    “We [ACLU] urge you [senators] to refrain from co-sponsoring the legislation because it would punish individuals for no reason other than their political beliefs… This bill would impose civil and criminal punishment on individuals solely because of their political beliefs about Israel and its policies.”

    This unconstitutional bill represents a serious threat to people’s right to boycott. Freedom to boycott is part and parcel of freedom of speech protected by the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

    About 23 states, including California, have already passed laws against boycotting Israel. California Assembly Bill 2844 was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown. This Califonia law requires those who enter into contracts with state agencies to certify that they are not boycotting Israel as well as not supporting the BDS movement or any of its programs. This straight up goes against freedom of speech.

    I’m not in any way, shape or form implying that I boycott Israel, nor am I encouraging anyone to do so. However, I believe that freedom of speech is a fundamental human right that shouldn’t be undermined. I strongly oppose the Israel Anti-Boycott Act. If you too think that the first amendment and freedom of speech shouldn’t be undermined, then go and write your representatives on Capitol Hill. Ask them to oppose any bill that may jeopardize your freedom of speech.

  • Trump and the Weinstein effect

    Trump and the Weinstein effect

    Now is an appropriate time to have a serious discussion about sexual harassment. Dozens of celebrities have come forward to reveal their stories of sexual harassment, assault and rape. Louis C.K. and Kevin Spacey are just a sample of the latest household names who have been accused. Further, the viral Me Too hashtag has given confidence to millions of victims to follow suit on social media.

    Here’s the thing. Celebrities like C.K. and Spacey quickly lost their jobs and credibility. The same goes for Harvey Weinstein, Terry Richardson and so on. Outside of the Hollywood bubble, Alabama state judge Roy Moore was recently accused of sexual misconduct with multiple minors.

    If the allegations are true, President Donald Trump said Moore “will do the right thing and step aside.”

    That’s a funny thing to say if you happen to recall the numerous accusations of sexual harassment against Trump. Remember the “grab ‘em by the pussy” comment? What a class act. Why hasn’t he lost his job? Why was his “locker room talk” swept under the rug? Why isn’t he doing the right thing and stepping aside?

    To put it another way, Trump said during an interview on The Howard Stern Show that he could “get away with things like that.”

    That’s the thing about privilege. While other high profile figures continue to face the consequences of their action, people like Trump continue to get away with it.

    The truth is, there will be less media coverage of sexual harassment as time goes by. That’s the nature of the new media, it’s fickle. Despite that, it’s important for us to continue this discussion rather turn a blind eye. By doing so, we can create a more welcoming environment for those who feel inclined to share their stories.

  • Reject the smoking ban

    Reject the smoking ban

    By | Phil Santos

    HSU students should take the campus tobacco ban, roll it up and smoke it. The ban prohibits any tobacco products from being used on campus property. This ban intends to promote air quality and general health, but that comes at a cost.

    The ban means that smokers have to travel long distances to be compliant with city and campus policies.

    HSU student Michael Erickson said, “The campus police say to go about a mile into the community forest, because that’s where it becomes city, not university property.”

    Let’s think about the implications of this from a smoker’s perspective in a hypothetical situation.

    It’s late at night and you’re in your dorm craving a smoke. Instead of heading down to the well-lit gazebo to smoke, you now have to traipse a mile into the community forest. So you suit up, pray the charge on your phone will light your way and head out for a late night hike into the forest alone. This sounds like the beginning of a horror movie!

    “Being by yourself can be kind of sketchy with some of the people out there,” said Erickson. “There are definitely safety concerns.”

    A smoking ban that forces smokers into vulnerable situations like solo night hikes must be revised.

    I can just see the headline now, “HSU student assaulted in community forest while smoking.”

    This is only one unintended consequence of the blanket ban on tobacco. And if there is one unintended consequence, there are certainly others.

    Another consequence of the ban is an increase in loose cigarette butts.

    “People are going to smoke no matter what you do,” said HSU student Marek Halaj. “But now there are cigarette butts all over the place, because people no longer give a shit.”

    This is because without designated smoking areas, smokers have resorted to unconventional locations.

    When asked about the impact of loose cigarette butts, Erickson, who is an environmental science and management major, said “the big thing would be water pollution.”

    Cigarette butts contain concentrations of various chemicals like arsenic, lead, acetone, ammonia and so on. They eventually wash into our waterways after they’ve been flicked on the ground. Those chemicals are then leached from the butts into the water. Let’s be real here, Halaj is right when he says that people are going to smoke no matter what you do. So if we don’t want people putting these chemicals in our lungs, why pass a policy that puts them in our water?

    Where else are students putting their butts?

    “In trash cans,” said Erickson. “There’s more of a fire risk now.”

    All it takes is one cigarette left unextinguished for a campus fire to break out. Additionally, if students need to disguise their smoking, chances are they’ll look for well-covered areas, which means places where a fire could be started. When it’s peak fire season, do we really want students sneaking into the trees where a dropped ember could mean a forest fire?

    So what are the alternatives? The CSU policy is a full smoking ban, so there are none. This means all of these issues will continue to be a reality. Erickson and Halaj both agree that designated smoking areas are a must.

    “Properly placed smoking sections away from major areas shouldn’t be a problem” said Erickson.

    This would ensure that asthmatic students or otherwise have greatly reduced their exposure to smoke while satisfying smokers with designated areas. How we can make that happen is a hard call as the CSU is likely firm on the smoking ban. But I’m a fan of civil disobedience, which speaks loudly. My suggestion? To hell with it. Smoke ’em if you got ’em!

     

  • #metoo

    #metoo

    By | Iridian Casarez

    Victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment need to continue to tell their story. It cannot stop here. It wasn’t until the #metoo movement that people began to acknowledge how sexual assault and sexual harassment was prevalent and happening everywhere. Everyone felt supported enough to tell their stories, including men. Men who, according to society, can’t get raped. Men who are victims of sexual assault don’t report it. The National Sexual Violence Resource center says that about nine percent of men are victims of sexual assault.

    53 thousand people and counting participated in the “#MeToo” movement. The hashtag “me too” was used by victims of sexual assault or harassment. All people did was post the hashtag and that was it. It was known to everyone that they had become a victim. It shed light to the fact that anyone could be a victim of sexual assault.

    We have seen sex scandals happening way before the Harvey Weinstein allegations. This past February, Uber was under scrutiny after a former engineering employer, Susan Fowler, claimed that she was sexually harassed, as previously reported by Bloomberg Technologies.Kesha, the singer/songwriter, sued her music producer, Dr. Luke because of how he sexually, verbally, and physically abused her. We saw a big rape case a year ago at Stanford University in which an unconscious woman was raped behind a dumpster by Brock Turner. She read a letter outloud to her rapist in open court that was reported by Buzzfeed. But it wasn’t until after more than 2 million posts that we started to listen.

    We cannot let this movement die. Rape, Abuse, and Incest Network Statistics (R.A.I.N.N.) says that every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. R.A.I.N.N says that women who are college-aged are at higher risk for sexual assault.

    I have someone close to me that is a victim of sexual assault. I have listened to their stories and I can see the effects of sexual assault. It’s devastating.

    #metoo is making it clear that sexual assault, abuse, harassment is always happening. #metoo lets us see the reality of sexual abuse and it must come to an end. We need to continue to tell our stories and we need to seek justice for those who have been sexually abused. We must teach everyone that you need to have consent. Yes, means yes.

    If you have been sexually assaulted there is the Campus Advocate Team provided by North Coast Rape CrisisTeam.Support is available for all survivors, no matter when the assault occurred, no matter what age or gender. They can be reached at (707) 445-2881.

  • Please kneel for our national anthem

    Please kneel for our national anthem

    The meaning of patriotism evolves as our divided nation continues to quarrel about taking a knee.

    Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick gained widespread attention in the past year for kneeling during the national anthem prior to NFL games. His polarization spotlighted the ongoing racism in our country.

    For instance, Donald Trump called Kaepernick a “son of a bitch” for taking a knee, yet he defended white nationalist protesters as “very fine people” following the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

    In addition to the “son of a bitch” comment, Trump said that “players [should] stop disrespecting our Flag & Country” or risk getting the boot.

    As a result, NFL players locked arms and kneeled during national anthems, which signified a big middle finger to an unfit president while siding with Kaepernick.

    The peaceful gesture of taking a knee represents the suppressed truth of the American flag as a symbol that “oppresses black people and people of color,” said Kaepernick.

    It was also in particular response to police brutality and the criminal justice system against African Americans in the United States. However, not everyone is positively moved by his influential gesture.

    Naysayers believe that kneeling during “The Star-Spangled Banner” is just a slap in the face to our military veterans, but they fail to recognize the bigger picture. Kneeling before the national anthem isn’t targeting the people who fought and died for our country, but rather the hypocrisy of patriotism.

    “It baffles me that our protest is still being misconstrued as disrespectful to the country, flag and military personnel,” said strong safety for the 49ers, Eric Reid. “It has always been my understanding that the brave men and women who fought and died for our country did so to ensure that we could live in a fair and free society, which includes the right to speak out in protest.”

    Patriotism means devotion to one’s country, but it’s much more involved than its conservative, flag-waving point of view. Honoring our troops is one thing, but black homicides by racist white cops prevent me from being a proud American in every respect. U.S. Navy veteran Mohammed Jahanfar was burdened by Trump’s discriminatory travel ban earlier this year, which also stigmatizes the idea of unconditional patriotism. These and a myriad of other problems in our society make me a halfhearted patriot.

    All in all, the prevalent oppression of people of color is embarrassing. They put to shame the customary concept of patriotism when you factor in these contemporary realities.

    The national anthem is still relevant to honoring our soldiers and veterans, but that’s not what taking a knee represents. It’s about refusing to pledge allegiance to racial injustice and persecution of marginalized peoples. Think about the hate-filled rally in Charlottesville, Virginia the next time you decide to express your wholehearted loyalty to the U.S. Think about Eric Garner who repeated “I can’t breathe” as police choked him to death on a sidewalk. Until these enduring social issues come to an end, I can’t fully agree to be a proud American.

     

     

  • Fake soldiers and cultural appropriation

    Fake soldiers and cultural appropriation

    By | Phil Santos

    There’s no point in explaining cultural appropriation to the military community. This isn’t because it’s futile, but rather the opposite. I served in the Navy for long enough to say that the military community has an intimate understanding of what cultural appropriation is, particularly when it’s their culture. But there’s a possibility that they don’t know this is the case as the military doesn’t come up in these conversations.

    Cultural appropriation is hard to explain because there’s not really a definitive line where it is or isn’t happening. But in short, it’s when one culture takes elements from another culture without permission. It’s problematic for a number of reasons. Two of them are that cultural appropriation creates a type of cultural reverse engineering. It allows others outside a culture to benefit from the identities that don’t belong to them.

    With cultural appropriation, it’s important to ask who is doing the taking and why. Most of the time, the culture that takes is the dominant culture (mainstream society), while the culture which is taken from is usually a marginalized culture (Indigenous, Black, Asian and so on). The result is a dominant culture that rejects marginalized cultures at large, except for select elements that become attributed to or “reinvented” by the dominant culture. Translation: /rock-n-roll is attributed to white people, but its pioneers were Black.

    A more individualized example of cultural appropriation is easier to understand when we consider a specific kind of imposter. In 2009, under the guidance of James Arthur Ray, three people died during a “sweat lodge ceremony” he held in Sedona, Arizona. Imposters like Ray cherry pick elements of various cultures to sell to others in the form of “spiritual retreats” or “healing ceremonies.” They may call themselves a “medicine woman” or a “certified shaman.” They often go as far as claiming the culture they appropriate.

    This is where the military comes in. Ask someone in the military how they feel when someone pretends to be a veteran or active duty member. The responses you’re likely to get will echo the conversations surrounding the topic of cultural appropriation. The military community even has its own term for this: Stolen valor.

    Stolen valor happens when people pretend to be military members or lie about their military background. If you search “stolen valor” on YouTube, you’ll find plenty of videos showing military members confronting imposters who have appropriated their identities. Putting yourself in the shoes of a soldier who lived through war makes it easy to understand why stolen valor is outright wrong. The imposter didn’t earn the uniform, they didn’t go to war, so they should take it off. They might want to be part of military culture, but they’re not. They have no place pretending like they are.

    If stolen valor is so easy to understand and relate to, what’s the hiccup with cultural appropriation? I think it’s because people understand and respect military culture more than other marginalized cultures. But they are all cultures, and one isn’t better than the other. You can say being Asian isn’t the same as being a soldier. This is the same as saying that cultures are different from one another, which is obvious and redundant. If you can understand why no one should wear a fake Medal of Honor, you understand why no one should wear a fake headdress. They both hold cultural significance that no one else is entitled to. So if you ever find yourself having difficulty explaining cultural appropriation, a comparison to the military might be what you need.

  • Standing Rock Reflection

    Standing Rock Reflection

    By | Phil Santos

    We brought prayers to a gunfight, and we won. I’m talking about the water protectors who stood against military, police and mercenary forces last year at Standing Rock. We were there to protect the water, to preserve the future and to stand against those who would see our precious earth destroyed for a dollar. We were there to stop the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline.

    It was around this time last year that I had been released from jail. I was one of about 150 water protectors arrested on Oct. 27, 2016 during the invasion of Standing Rock. It’s 2017, and the pipeline has been built. So, how did we succeed?

    While I cannot speak for everyone, here is my individual take.

    Standing Rock demonstrates the active presence of a powerful Indigenous community. Historic and contemporary narratives often portray Indigenous culture as a part of the past. I’ve met people who didn’t know Indigenous Peoples still existed. I think Standing Rock has made this much less likely. Thousands of Indigenous protectors from hundreds of Indigenous nations from all over the world came together at Standing Rock. The media coverage of Standing rock sent a loud and clear message that Indigenous nations are not passive and that they are here and now.

    Standing Rock created alliances that might have otherwise never have been forged. The Sacred Fire of the Seven Councils was lit, something that hadn’t happened since the 1800s. Indigenous nations from all parts of the world came to show their solidarity. Groups from every race united under Indigenous leadership. I saw Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike all acting for one cause. This is an image that captures true power. I met like minds from across the world. I found lifelong friendships in a matter of hours. Although I’ve returned from Standing Rock, the reason I went carries forth.

    Standing Rock brought attention to Indigenous issues. Over 300 cities in the U.S. joined in to slow the construction of the pipeline. Newscasters across the world cast light on the continued violation of Indigenous rights, of Treaty rights and of the continued history of violence against Indigenous nations. The issue of environmental racism was explicitly raised and people were engaged. Footage showing the willingness for state and federal governments to utilize violence for the benefit of private companies broadcasted across the world. The U.N. sent human rights investigators. All of these events contributed to raise awareness of Indigenous issues which are typically marginalized.

    Sure, the pipeline was built – so one could say the movement at Standing Rock was actually a failure. But the protectors at Standing Rock who aren’t still in jail continue to forward the call, which brought them there in the first place. Thousands of protectors have been changed forever. You don’t forget something that has made you who you are, and Standing Rock is now a part of who I am. Standing Rock was not a defeat. It was empowering and gave me the courage to challenge the structures around me. I’m not the only one, and that is why I think we won.

     

  • Pondering on Pizza

    Pondering on Pizza

    By | Phil Santos

    Do it well or don’t do it at all. That’s what I’m thinking everytime I go out for a slice of cheese pizza. This town has a surprising number of pizza joints (six), but they all have one thing in common: their cheese pizza game could use some work. With so many places to get pizza, why can’t my cheesy needs be met?

    It’s my suspicion that this is because Arcata is a rural town. Most HSU students hail from urban areas, be it Los Angeles, San Diego or other metropolitan areas. As someone who has lived in LA and San Diego, I can say that one of the perks of city life is the range of choice you get. Finding a place that bakes a a top-tier slice of cheese pizza is a lot easier if there are more places to choose from. It seems like we have choices in Arcata, but it’s an illusion and you can’t get away from it. In a city, you can go somewhere else if you don’t like what you find. However, if you don’t like what you find in Arcata, you quickly realize that you’re six hours away from any well- established city. This is the rural trap that HSU students are stuck in.

    Sometimes the cynical side of me wonders if this is why the pizza game in Arcata needs improvement. Is the pizza here subpar, because business owners recognize that HSU students have no other options but to buy their pizza? I doubt that’s the sole driver behind the issue in pizza quality, but I’m sure it’s a factor. Regardless, it doesn’t change the reality that we are residents in a rural area who are essentially confined to the limited choices offered by Arcata businesses.

    What I would like to see change in Arcata is much in alignment with my opening statement. With understanding the need for price diversification, I’d like to see less pizza places and better quality pizza. I understand that some establishments wouldn’t be able to “do pizza” at all if they had to do it well. But I don’t think that justifies why several of them get to “do pizza” okay-iish.

    Bill Withers once sang a song that might’ve been about this very issue where he says, “Just do what you do, and do it good.”

     

  • My culture is NOT a costume!

    My culture is NOT a costume!

    By | Reza Sadeghzadeh

    Some people might think it’s sexy to wear a Pocahontas costume for Halloween or funny to dress up like a Muslim wearing a thawb with a fake bomb strapped to their chest.

    But ask a Native American woman if she thinks it’s sexy to dress up like a subordinate Disney character where Native Americans are portrayed as a second-class citizens. Ask her if she thinks it’s sexy to dress up like Pocahontas when Native American women have the highest rate of rape and assault.

    Ask Mohammad Maleki, a former HSU student from Iran, if it’s funny to dress up like a stereotypical Muslim suicide bomber when he was unable to come back to America during Trump’s travel ban earlier this year.

    Those who like to use other people’s cultures as costumes might claim that they are only choosing to dress as such just for the sake of Halloween. They’ll add that they don’t mean to promote racial stereotypes. But their intention is irrelevant.

    That is why the My Culture is Not a Costume campaign has been brought to our campus with the endeavor of students like Deema Hindaw to raise awareness about this issue.

    “My goal with this campaign is to show people that cultural appropriation is not a joke,” said Hindaw. “The culture of others shouldn’t be a costume that one gets to wear for a night.”

    Hindaw and other students from the MultiCultural Center have also put together a workshop to inform others about the distinction between cultural appreciation and appropriation.

    My Culture is Not a Costume is a nationwide movement. It is not just about a costume, it is also about “putting on other people’s skin for that one night as a prop,” said Elizabeth Phillips, a Communication student at HSU. “And at the end of the night, you get to take it off and maintain your privilege while other people have to deal with their cultural reality… the reality that our society has viewed skin color in a hierarchy.”

    Every culture is beautiful and slightly different from one another. But at the end of the day, we are all humans who want the same things in life. Cultural appropriation is a systematic ideology implemented by those who are advocates of racial segregation and the scandalous rhetoric of “divide and conquer.”

    Cultural appreciation is a framework for solidarity, because it helps us admire our cultural differences that is used as guidance for a healthy dialogue regarding race. Finally, culturally appropriated costumes discourage us from having any type of healthy dialogue about our different cultures.

  • We ain’t afraid of no ghost

    We ain’t afraid of no ghost

    Ghosts are figments of our imagination.

    That strange presence you’ve felt is your mind playing tricks on you. Chances are there is a rational explanation for that mysterious noise you heard in the middle of the night. The prickly feeling on the back of your neck that raises the hairs on your arm is probably due to a minor neck sprain, not a sign of a ghost. But some of us are not willing to engage in a practical analysis of unexplained phenomenons. The unwavering faith in ghosts is too fantastic to rule out.

    When people claim to witness paranormal activities, they either hallucinated during the moment or fabricated the story.

    For instance, the ghostly apparition may have been caused by inhaling black mold or carbon monoxide, which is known to cause hallucinations. Suffice it to say that there is no shortage of mold in Humboldt County. Other causes of hallucination include sleep paralysis, side effects of medication or mental illness.

    Paranormal reality television shows like Ghost Hunters are duping you. Ghost hunters are as qualified as Scooby-Doo and the mystery gang. Hollywood continues to release terrifying movies about ghosts to cater to the impressionable imagination. All in all who knows how many ghost stories are out there?

    Ghosts have captivated people for centuries. The mysticism of spirits walking among the living continues to have a powerful effect on the psyche. After all, the idea of life after death is more comforting than eternal oblivion. However, believing in ghosts is like taking Star Wars or your favorite superheroes literally. The same can be said about the bold certainty of nothingness after we die. The point is, neither science nor religion can prove that ghosts exist.

     

     

  • Letter to the editor

    Letter to the editor

    It has been an unfortunate few days for me since the Lumberjack published a distorted article on the state of composting at HSU. Your article has effected more than our campus community – I have been contacted by people from other parts of the country, by HSU administrators and by students, and I have had only limited success in getting the author to correct the misinformation within this article. The article was printed above-the-fold on the front page, and there it is in big, bold print: “HSU compost goes to the landfill.” I can understand how readers see this and think, “Why bother putting my food waste in the compost bin?” Especially if the reader does not continue past the big bold title and the first paragraph, which states “there’s no alternative in sight.” The fact is, even as you read this, our next load of food waste is being prepared for composting at a worm farm. The author overlooked the significant successes in food waste reduction and food recovery. In the food recovery hierarchy, composting is really the last resort before landfilling. The focus is on reducing food prep and recovering leftover food for human consumption, and by working with HSU Dining and the OH SNAP food pantry great strides have been made in this area. Because of these efforts, HSU won a best practices award in Innovative Waste Reduction at the 2017 California Higher Education Sustainability Conference. Additionally, the author did not give any helpful tips or suggestions on what readers can do to reduce food waste and to compost or otherwise assist the campus and their communities in this effort. He mentions there is trash in our food-waste (which has always been far below the threshold acceptable to our worm farmer), so why not make the connection and suggest to readers that they NOT throw trash in the compost bins? This article has set us back, in our relationships with our campus and off-campus partners, and in our efforts to get people to reduce food waste generation and to help us effectively divert food waste to compost.

    Morgan King

    Climate Action Analyst

    Humboldt State University