Column

Not all monsters are metal   By NADIA IWACH — nmiwach@ucdavis.edu   The days of a taxi-cab industry with robust unions and reasonably predictable pricing are long-gone, with Uber as the undertaker. What began as a promise to revolutionize transit devolved into something much less noble — in its wake, an exploitative platform emerged, cannibalizing […]

Translating language is not the same as translating meaning    By VIOLET ZANZOT— vmzanzot@ucdavis.edu   Language is so funny to me, because it operates in such an all-consuming way, and yet most people ignore its nuances. If you really think about it, our very conception of thought is rooted in language. So much of the […]

Anything is possible with a pickaxe and a dream   By NADIA IWACH — nmiwach@ucdavis.edu   In the era of technological free-for-all, a platform capable of optimizing, monetizing and gamifying every interaction would seem like a glitch itself.  Where Instagram became auto-voyeuristic and Facebook faded into the digital peripheral, the answer to facilitating community, creativity […]

Exploring the historical ontology of fine art   By VIOLET ZANZOT— vmzanzot@ucdavis.edu   Historical ontology. Just reading these two words invoked a complicated and philosophical feeling. It probably makes old white guys feel really important when they talk about it, but it can also be explained perfectly by this upcoming tanning season.  Allow me to […]

Where the five love languages fall short    By MOLLY THOMPSON – mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu   “Your love language is physical touch,” proclaimed the results of my online quiz, displaying a colorful pie chart depicting my “Love Language Profile.” Spanning 33% of the circle, the orange segment representing physical touch was thus deemed my primary love language. […]

Forecast: a heavy downpour and fluctuation in political opinion   By NEVAEH KARRAKER— nakarraker@ucdavis.edu   I’ve never had an official tour of Davis; My first time on campus was a result of spontaneous exploration during a coincidental visit to town. What I did not expect, though, was to be completely drenched head to toe in […]

Parallel play as an adult model of social intimacy   By ABHINAYA KASAGANI— akasagani@ucdavis.edu   So much of my adult life has been informed by the enclosure of my friendships within four walls, stationed in the same room and space. I do not think I understand much about the world outside of two girls sprawled […]

How the Trump administration benefits from fear   By TARA ROMERO — tcrome@ucdavis.edu   On March 8, 2025, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestine activist at Columbia University, for using his right to free speech. A U.S. court has ruled the Donald Trump administration is within their rights […]

Ways technological advancements can be both detrimental and beneficial to the environment   By ELLIE NOH — eenoh@ucdavis.edu   With the plethora of recent technological advancements — from electronics to artificial intelligence (AI) — there are many positive implications in terms of improved environmental measures. However, what are ways in which these technologies might negatively […]

If settling feels like a sin, then perfection is an idol   By NEVAEH KARRAKER— nakarraker@ucdavis.edu   The perfect school. The perfect career. The perfect home. The perfect partner. Most influencers on social media post about their surplus of accomplishments and their outlandish income. No matter the type of perfect we see on social media, […]

The ancient Greek myth of the sirens continues to fuel a harmful portrayal of  women in the media   By JHANA RHODES — jsrho@ucdavis.edu   If Homer’s “Odyssey” taught me anything, it’s that the unfair stereotype of women as “sirens” is inherently dangerous and manipulative, with a long history dating back to ancient myth. While […]

The power of “cold-blooded a cappella”   By MOLLY THOMPSON – mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu   Founded in 1995, the UC Davis Lounge Lizards celebrated their 30th anniversary showcase from May 3 to 4, 2025. The Lounge Lizards are one of the most talented a cappella groups in California, coming in second only to Furmata from the University […]