Column

Here’s what’s really missing from the Olympics   By MALCOLM LANGE — mslange@ucdavis.edu Ding, ding, ding. The first round is over. Both boxers are bruised and tired. They both return to their respective corners, take a sip of water and wipe the sweat off of their moist foreheads. They both exit the ring and sit […]

Is the looming ban an infringement on free speech or a national security necessity?   By JOAQUIN WATERS — jwat@ucdavis.edu   So. TikTok. For at least six years, if not going all the way back to its 2016 launch, it has been the most popular social media platform in the United States. It is a […]

You know how to ball, I know too much about Taylor Swift’s new album   By MOLLY THOMPSON — mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu    Taylor Swift may just be the most known and seen person in America right now, even in the greater Western world. She’s been incredibly central for more than a decade now, and we’ve all […]

The quest for meaning is counterintuitive to art’s true purpose   By JOAQUIN WATERS — jwat@ucdavis.edu   My favorite book I read for my high school English classes was “The Great Gatsby.” I know, I know, basic as heck, right? But hear me out. Most analyses of the book focus on the titular Gatsby, and […]

Despite historical and social barriers, female athletes deserve adequate pay and attention    By CLAIRE SCHAD — cfschad@ucdavis.edu    Recently, women’s sports have finally been getting the attention they deserve. Whether it’s the unprecedented viewership of the Women’s NCAA basketball championship or the recent success of the Women’s Professional Hockey League, women in sports have […]

Video killed the radio star   By MOLLY THOMPSON — mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu     Our current media landscape revolves around a constant stream of content. There are more posts than a single person could ever keep up with — it would take over 18,000 years to watch every video currently uploaded on YouTube. The expectation of entertainment […]

We must remain realistic as we fight to reverse global warming    By MAYA KORNYEYEVA — mkornyeyeva@ucdavis.edu   Recently, the United Nations (UN) Climate Chief Simon Stiell announced that “humans only have 2 years to save the world,” a prediction that paints irreversible climate change as practically inevitable. I met this announcement, to no surprise, […]

Why do viewers seem to miss what “Dune” is really about?   By JOAQUIN WATERS — jwat@ucdavis.edu   “Dune: Part Two” is only a month old, yet it may already be the movie of the year. The film has taken the entertainment industry by storm, leading many to declare the sci-fi franchise the next “Lord […]

TikTok is creating a well-read society    By MOLLY THOMPSON — mmtthompson@ucdavis.edu    If you’ve never been on “booktok,” you’re missing out. It’s a subcultural corner of TikTok that discusses, promotes, reviews and whole-heartedly embraces books and literature; and it’s a lovely space to be in.  As a result of booktok and other similar social […]

What leads even the smartest people to be so stupid?   By MALCOLM LANGE — mslange@ucdavis.edu   “Everyone is stupid!” This is an exclamation that most, if not everyone, has made at some point in their life. Unfortunately, this declaration of frustration is pretty much true. Everyone is stupid, even the smartest person you know.  […]

From an abrupt ending to a long-delayed celebration   By JOAQUIN WATERS —- jwat@ucdavis.edu    When the world shut down in March 2020, I often thought that my high school graduating year — the class of 2021 — got the worst of the whole mess. We went on to spend the better part of a […]

What does this change mean for both customers and employees?   By MAYA KORNYEYEVA — mkornyeyeva@ucdavis.edu   As of April 1, 2024, all fast food workers in California received a significant minimum wage increase, with a base pay of $20 per hour. AB1228, the law that permits this change, was signed into effect by California […]