Column

Carl’s Jr.’s Beyond Famous Star burger offers a more environmentally-friendly option in Davis There I was: driving my friend back home from the emergency room at midnight. Starving. I missed my meal-prepping time window, so I had nothing to eat at home. I knew there was nothing open in small-town Davis, much less something to […]

Club Penguin established the social foundation on which the social, multiplayer games of today are built We’re living in the era of the digital world as an always online, dominant social space. Intimate moments are shared through an iMessage or DM. Close friends can be made through random matchmaking in a standard game of “Fortnite.” […]

The success of women is often judged on sexist terms I’ve had the privilege of being called “badass” a few times. Usually coming with an eyebrow raise or a nod of approval, it’s an expression of someone impressed, a compliment. And it’s sexist. Ubiquitously used to describe women who succeed, “badass” concentrates all the stupidity […]

Apple removes screen-time restriction tools, citing privacy, while selling a wife-tracking app The New York Times recently published an article on Apple’s year-long campaign of purging and restricting parental-control apps that allow users to restrict their children’s screen time. In defense of this move, Apple spokeswoman Tammy Levine cited privacy concerns, alleging that the apps […]

In times of constant, pervasive horror, we seek out cinematic incarnations of terrifying realities I am afraid now, more often and with more potency than in years past. House parties are storm clouds, raining lechery and Rohypnol. Concerts harbor men with rifles around every corner. Fire alarms wail like air-raid sirens. Sunny days are greenhouse […]

Through a concerted political effort, foreign countries are utilizing extensive financial ties to influence academia Talk about foreign interference in American politics seems to be everywhere these days. From allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election to debates over the role of  the Israeli and Saudi lobbies in persuading Washington politicians, discussion about the […]

“Time’s Up Healthcare” has the potential to smite the patriarchy The Time’s Up movement is like a hashtagable, outsourced HR nonprofit endeavor. The state of affairs reached an actionable tipping point similar to that of the #MeToo movement when it finally became so apparent that Human Resources departments failed colossally in ensuring safe, equitable workplaces […]

Kids have the willingness to take action if given the chance and knowledge When did you first learn about climate change? Most of my fellow environmentalist friends first learned about climate change in their AP Environmental Science classes during high school or in community college. I didn’t learn about it until my third year in […]

Indie games offer thoughtful experiences and support passionate creators who build them I haven’t played nearly enough indie games in my life. Growing up, I was never exposed to indie games (or even knew what an indie game was), so my experience with them has only come recently. My overall time spent with them has […]

Crowds of people taking pictures of the California super bloom has caused damage to the flowers, calling into question the role of pictures and social media in nature The “super bloom” of wildflowers in California this spring has been gorgeous; it’s undeniably special to see the normally dry, brown hills blanketed with colorful blossoms, especially […]

Public shaming can only teach part of the lesson on wider issues of prejudice The age of technology and rise of social media has allowed us to share and interact with others immediately and globally, connecting people and communities all over the world. The immediacy of sharing stories and posts affords many things — keeping […]

Nearly 30 years ago, Francis Fukuyama famously declared that liberal democracy would be the final stage in human social development. Now he’s reconsidering. In 1992, Francis Fukuyama declared humanity reached its final stage in ideological development, an “end of history” moment in which the collapse of the Soviet Union and the triumph of the West […]