The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Delaney duarte

  • A Q&A with the “Sexist ‘Riddle'” Creators

    A Q&A with the “Sexist ‘Riddle’” Creators

    The students behind the sign comparing Humboldt to genitalia discuss their curated material

    Humboldt State University has been abuzz in the last few weeks with speculation about a photo of a joke written on a sign by women. This photo, taken by myself, was printed in a parody newspaper, The Dumberjack. The Dumberjack, while produced as parody of The Lumberjack, is created as part of a separate class.

    The stated intention behind the sign was to poke fun at the Humboldt County climate by relating the rainy weather to female genitalia. Six girls, Caroline Voorhees, Marian Porter, Rashell Martell, Sabrina Ott, Shannon Coburn and Whitney Burns, live in a College Creek apartment together. The original creator of the sign was Caroline Voorhees, but all of the girls have their own take on the sign’s meaning.

    Question: What are your feelings toward the sign?

    Marian Porter: “I personally thought it was funny. There definitely were no negative intentions for the sign. Before Caroline puts out a new sign, we all give our consent to what is being represented to our dorm.”

    “I guess I am sort of happy the school takes things seriously, but they should focus on other things because there are other things more important than a dorm sign.”

    Rashell Martell

    Caroline Voorhees: “I felt bad that I might have hurt someone’s feelings and hurt their day. Being the person who wrote the sign, I never would have thought about it as being non-consensual. I wouldn’t want to hurt someone’s feelings or make them feel like I was making light on their bad situation. That wasn’t what I was trying to do, I was trying to talk about sex culture and have fun.”

    Whitney Burns: “I also think anyone can read anything and take it in a wrong way which shouldn’t stop people from making jokes.”

    Rashell Martell: “I was actually the one to find out our sign was the one being talked about in the email and I mentioned it to everyone in our group chat. More or less I found it funny. Even though I didn’t make the sign, I gave consent for the sign to be put out. I guess I am sort of happy the school takes things seriously, but they should focus on other things because there are other things more important than a dorm sign.”

    Shannon Coburn: “I didn’t think anything of it and I thought we had so many worse signs. I could see how you can take it that way if you wanted to, but it was weird that they focused their time on a sign and not things that are actually happening on campus.”

    Sabrina Ott: “It seems like they blew things out of proportions and it doesn’t seem like something people are focusing so much on. I also felt really bad for the newspaper. We were more worried that the newspaper took fault for something we did.”

    Question: Did you think the sign meant what HSU administration decided it meant?

    Caroline Voorhees: “When you are in a frame of mind to read something negatively you will. Whoever misinterpreted my joke must have been having a bad day, or had a friend that had a bad encounter, and that wasn’t the purpose of the sign. I feel bad for those people who are going through something in their life in order for them to think that statement was negative, because it was a positive statement.”

    Question: How did you personally come up with the joke?

    Caroline Voorhees: “It started off as just a joke living in Humboldt where it is raining all the time, but the other part came about because I did a paper on sex positivity and culture about sex and how it is not talked about often. It is definitely shamed, for women especially. So I tried to incorporate that with the weather and being sex positive and how you should enjoy yourself before you have sex with someone and how everyone should be happy all the time.”

    A message from the whole dorm: “We do take people’s opinions and complaints seriously and we are sorry that we hurt anyone’s feelings, but that is not going to change our sense of humor and we will try to be more mindful in the future.”

  • Get Your Spooky On with These 6 Snacks

    Get Your Spooky On with These 6 Snacks

    Heading to a party or just chilling at home, try these six snacks to get into the ‘spooky szn’ mood

    Munching on a snack is a must when watching a movie but since it’s spooky season, having a spooky snack while watching a Halloween movie is even more festive. There are many seasonal snacks in your local grocery store but not many people know what snacks to grab. Here are the top snacks to remember to get in the Halloween mood:

    1. Bags of Bones Flamin’ Hot Chips/White Cheddar

      If you are sick and tired of pumpkin spice flavored everything, these snacks are the perfect thing for you. If you like cheesy or maybe just a bit of a kick, make sure to grab these when you’re at the store later.

    2. Oreos “BOO” Edition!

      These are sure to get you into a festive mood with an October take on the classic Oreo. The filling of the Oreos is colored orange and acts as something sweet and spooky!

    3. Pillsbury Sugar Cookies (but the Halloween editions, of course)

      If you aren’t in a rush to eat some grab and go snacks and you’re down with waiting for fresh baked goods, these warm treats are just right for you. They’re sweet, festive and perfect for cuddling up and watching a Halloween movie.

    4. Spooky Cereals (Boo Berry, Count Chocula, and Franken Berry)

      Morning after Halloween got you down? These are less of snack and more of a breakfast treat. Just because it’s November doesn’t mean spooky season needs to end!

    5. Spooky Veggie Chips

      If you want a cute and semi-healthy treat, these will satisfy your salt craving and your taste buds. These bat and ghost shaped chips are almost too cute to eat, but I’m sure you’ll come around.

    6. All the Candy!

      Reese’s Eyeballs, M&M’s Cookies & Scream, Butterfinger Cup Skulls, and any of the large array of gummies shaped like brains, guts and ghouls! Just like you’re never too old to trick or treat, you’re never too old to munch on some themed candy.

    Honorable Mentions:

    Pumpkin Spice Any and Everything

    While personally I am not a fan of pumpkin spice, I feel like I had to put this in here just in case. The fall and spooky seasons bring all the pumpkin spice to the scene. Pumpkin Spice Oreos, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin spice bagels, pumpkin spice pop tarts, etc. If pumpkin spice is your thing, make sure to grab a few of these themed favorites before they’re off the shelves.

    Candy Corn

    Although I’ve never been too fond of the little orange and white cone-shaped candies, I appreciate them for existing. And I’d be a fool, or shall I say ghoul, not to mention the classics.

  • 6 Movies to Watch for Spooky SZN

    6 Movies to Watch for Spooky SZN

    In preparation for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, these six movies are fun to watch with family and friends

    October is notoriously known as spooky season, and in honor of Halloween and Dia de los Muertos, here are six of my favorite movies to get in the mood. So put on some warm socks and grab some snacks before curling up to watch these six Halloween movie picks!

    “Coraline”

    If you’re looking for something that’s creepy and cute, this movie is perfect for you. the beginning features a stop-motion scene of a doll being created and is extremely satisfying. Just remember to always say no if someone asks you sew buttons on your eyes.

    “Hocus Pocus”

    A Halloween classic. If you’re craving a typical Halloween movie with witches and pumpkins this movie is just right. From nasty spells to heart warming, original Disney songs, it makes you want to cuddle up and grab some popcorn.

    “Monster House”

    A highly underrated movie that more people should really check out. This one falls on the scarier side as far as kids’ movies go, with jump scares and eery twists. If you’re easily scared and looking for a good laugh this movie is your match.

    “Corpse Bride”

    One of my favorite movies of all time. Corpse Bride is classic, creepy Tim Burton at its finest. The film’s beautiful animation and captivating storyline will keep you hooked from beginning to end. Everything about this movie is heartwarming and worth the watch.

    “Nightmare Before Christmas”

    This might be one of the most overrated movies on the list, but it is a forever classic. If you’re one of those who begins prepping for the Christmas season right after Halloween, then this movie suits you like no other. If you enjoy fun animation and musicals this movie then this is likely already on your list. Combining both holidays into one has never been better, because of course, two is always better than one.

    “Twitches”

    This iconic throwback Disney movie stars the famous twins, Tia and Tamara Mowry. Twitches gives you the munchies, so get cozy and grab those snacks because you’re in for a spell. And if you’re watching with a sibling or a close friend this heartwarming movie can be a lovely bonding moment.

  • Netflix Closes Scranton Branch

    Netflix Closes Scranton Branch

    NBC is set to make its own streaming service, taking “The Office” off of Netflix

    On June 25, Netflix announced the removal of “The Office” from its streaming services. “The Office” will officially be removed by Jan. 2021. NBC decided to pull out its shows and create its own streaming service to compete with Hulu and Netflix. Many fans were upset about the news, including myself. “The Office” is a popular show loved by many, so popular that it was streamed for over 52 billion minutes last year alone.

    “The Office” is a globally popular show that many return to watching when other TV series come to an end. Personally, I have rewatched this show over 20 times from start to finish. This is a show that can be rewatched over and over. The jokes are still as funny as the first time you heard them, thanks to its balanced use of comedic tropes.

    For many people, the show is background noise to fall asleep to.

    On Twitter, there are millions of tweets on how people fall asleep to “The Office” every night. Including Derek Peth who tweeted, “I need a sleep mode in Netflix so the intro and credits on “The Office” don’t wake me up every 24 minutes.” His tweet received about 1.2k retweets and 14.3k favorites.

    Anyone who falls asleep to “The Office” knows that the sound of the intro and credits is loud enough to wake the dead.

    This show has had a huge impact on many people’s lives, whether it results in having a good laugh after a long day or it just plays as a favorite binge watch series on a Sunday afternoon. “The Office” is so impactful that there are groups online dedicated to talking about it all day, every day.

    There’s a group on Facebook called “The Office Addicts,” which has 156,220 members and boasts daily posting from everyone within the group just talking about the show. This show also has fan accounts posting scenes from “The Office” on Instagram and Twitter. There’s even a petition, on change.org, signed by 69,011 people to keep the show on Netflix.

    It is ridiculous to have to pay for another streaming service just for the one show, but some of us just might. I think Netflix is just fine for the simple fact that it has a variety of shows and movies from multiple TV networks, but we are losing a beloved show thanks to NBC’s corporate greed. Make sure to watch “The Office” as much as you can before it leaves Netflix in January 2021.

    As Michael Scott once said, “I don’t hate it. I just don’t like it at all and it’s terrible.”

    Sign the petition here.

  • Issa Look!

    Issa Look!

    HSU students pick rad fits to start the fall semester

    Students wear interesting outfits to class everyday. Their outfits are often noticed, but rarely talked about. For those that are into fashion, we often try different styles or search for new clothes that represent our personality. The Lumberjack acknowledged a variety of students around campus wearing fashionable outfits during the first two weeks of school. HSU doesn’t disappoint when it comes to making rad fashion statements.

    • Jaime Cocking rocking an edgy, yet groovy look. Most of her clothing is thrifted. Her top is from Miranda’s Rescue and she cropped it herself. Her pants are from a friend’s dad who works at Cents, the shoes are from the Van’s store and she tops off the outfit with some sunglasses from Forever 21. Cocking says she tries to style a lot of her clothes like this because it makes her feel good and confident. She thinks this outfit is ‘very her’ to match her personality.
    • Sophomore Ethan Villalta struts his snazzy fit out in the quad. He got his jacket second-hand from his dad and the hat is a hand-me-down from his grandpa. He snagged the pants from the Dickie’s store and he bought the shoes at Vans. He feels this look is pretty casual and it was his first appearance in this outfit so he was pretty excited to show it off.
    • Brianna Myrick, a first year student at HSU, catches everyone’s eyes with her summery vibes. Myrick got her top from Brandy Melville, her skirt from Urban Outfitters, her shoes from Journey’s and she hand made her jewelry. She feels like this is an easy going outfit but she hates wearing tight clothing so she wouldn’t consider this her favorite outfit.
    • HSU senior Joseph Shanahan sits back, chill as ever, in his fit. His sweater is a hand-me-down from his uncle. He found his undershirt in a laundry room and cut it himself to make it more his style. Shanahan’s jeans were thrifted and he bought his sandals from REI Garage. He likes to dress comfortable and is always ready for any sudden weather changes.
    • Freshman Gabby Garza struts her comfy-yet-cute look to kick off her first year in college. Her shirt is from Brandy Melville, pants are from Avatar Imports, shoes are Fila Disruptor II’s and her necklace is from Forever 21. She wanted to feel comfy at school but still have style, and according to Garza, the looser the clothes, the comfier you’ll feel!
    • Robert Gonzalez, a first year student at HSU, kicks off his first of many college years with rad outfit. Gonzalez’s jacket is from Forever 21. Turtleneck and backpack are from Zara, jeans were thrifted and his Doc Martins are from Urban Outfitters. He feels confident in this outfit knowing other people like what he is wearing.
    • Sandra Zepeda, a junior at HSU, shows off her groovy outfit on campus. Her top is second-hand from a friend, the jacket was thrifted, she found the skirt at a Goodwill in Southern California and she bought the shoes online from T.U.K, an online retailer specializing in punk-rock fashion shoes. She feels confident in this outfit and according to Zepeda, this is the ‘Sandra Vibe’.
  • Seasonal Work Discrimination

    Seasonal Work Discrimination

    When companies refuse to hire temporary workers, desperate times call for dishonest measures

    Many students seem to have a hard time finding a summer job. In my experience, those who struggle the most are the students that go to college away from home and return only for the three months of summer. Unfortunately, I am one of those students.

    According to the National Center for Education Statistics 81% of part-time undergraduate students are employed at the same time they’re enrolled in school, and a large percentage of these students also look for work during their time off.

    These college students often depend on a summer job to help pay for their schooling and basic needs. To qualify for a minimum wage job, it takes more than just filling out an application and waiting for an interview. Companies want reliable workers that plan to stay for more than just three months and don’t seem to consider summer seasonal workers.

    A lot of companies look at training someone for only a couple months of work as a waste of time. There are some companies that do hire students for the summer but more often than not, they only give you a minimal amount of hours per week. It is almost like they are already preparing for you to leave as soon as they hire you which creates an uncomfortable work environment.

    “I had eight interviews with jobs that paid minimum wage and not a single one hired me. McDonald’s even sent me a rejection letter.”

    For me, last summer was tough. I had eight interviews with jobs that paid minimum wage and not a single one hired me. McDonald’s even sent me a rejection letter. It was at that point that I realized I made the mistake of telling these companies that I would only be around for the summer. But it shouldn’t be that way, I shouldn’t have to lie just to provide for myself during those three months.

    Many students not only work to provide for themselves but for their families as well. Some young adults need to support their parents, children and even their siblings. I think companies don’t understand the dependance that college students have on a summertime job. It is a time for us to worry about work only, whereas during the school year there is more than just our eight-hour shift on our mind.

    Companies should come up with plans for seasonal hires no matter the kind of job. Whether or not there is an influx or outflow of individuals, summer is a season of change. Many people use the few months of warm weather as time for vacation, families are out out for summer and in California summer is prime tourist season.

    This summer, I switched up my technique. During interviews, I said I was a new transfer student in the area and sure enough, I was hired in no time. Working all day, every day can be stressful but not being able to find work is a different kind of stress.

    Being in an environment where you aren’t welcomed doesn’t feel good. There are college students all across the country who go homeless because they don’t have enough money and then on top of that, can’t seem to find a job.

    Though it shouldn’t be this way, it seems the thing to do when applying for a summer job is to tell the company that you’re there to stay. College students are often young adults trying to get a handle on their responsibilities and it is unfortunate that the world has persuaded us to lie in order to survive.

  • Sun’s out, buns out

    Sun’s out, buns out

    With the weather heating up in Humboldt County, students at HSU flaunt their favorite warm-weather looks

  • Let’s taco bout Cinco de Mayo

    Let’s taco bout Cinco de Mayo

    Don’t portray yourself as Hispanic when you have no right to

    Hear it straight from the mouth of a Hispanic woman: it is frustrating to see people use Cinco de Mayo as an excuse to get drunk and wear sombreros.

    White people who complain about illegal immigrants coming into the country and not doing a single thing should not be celebrating on Cinco de Mayo.

    Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862 led by General Ignacio Zaragoza. Cinco de Mayo is frequently mixed up as Mexico’s independence day, which actually celebrated on September 16.

    Caucasian men and women are the worst perpetrators of this cultural appropriation. I don’t agree with people who think Cinco de Mayo is an excuse to drink and be Hispanic for a day. It baffles me that these exact people make fun of Mexicans, and all Hispanics for that matter. There are groups of Caucasians who say that Hispanics who came across the border to have a better life don’t contribute to the nation. Meanwhile, as they are getting drunk, Hispanics are working to support themselves and their families.

    My dad came into this country illegally. He is a gardener who supports three kids. He also pays for my tuition. He is not a stereotype, he is a hardworking man with a family he supports and loves.

    Additionally I want to address all white people: do not act like you belong in this culture and portray yourself as a Hispanic when you have no right to. There is a huge difference between supporting us Hispanics and using our culture as a fun event to be part of a “trend.”

    White people are also practicing cultural appropriation when they dress up like Mexicans. Putting sombreros on and wearing ponchos is not “cool” or “funny,” you are mocking Mexicans and all Hispanics. I believe Cinco De Mayo can be celebrated, just not how everyone wants to view it as “celebrating.”

    You don’t have to put anything on to represent Mexicans and mock them as if they are a funny gag. Caucasian people, please remember Cinco De Mayo is not an excuse for you to get drunk and dress up as a Mexican and this is not Mexico’s Independence Day.