Opinion

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Opinion

Opinion | Self-Defense on YouTube and TikTok is harder than it looks

By Taras McCurdie | March 22

Regardless of who someone is or what they look like, everyone is susceptible to being attacked. In Washington during 2020, 29% of cases involved an offender and 26% involved a victim between the ages of 20-29, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Crime Data Explorer. Seventy-eight percent of the cases involved a male offender while 55% involved male victims and 44% involved female victims.

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Opinion

Opinion | Ukraine invasion: why students should care

By Max Larsen and CJ Tonnes | March 19

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has, undoubtedly, been the most dominant news story in the world. It has been both shocking and unsurprising to the rest of the world, and what many want right now is global support for Ukraine and its people. 

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Opinion

Opinion - Removing mask mandates could come back to bite us

By Max Larsen | March 10

States across the nation have begun removing their mask mandates in varying severity over the last few weeks and our own Washington State will do the same come March.

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Opinion

Letter from the editor | March 7

By Katie McNabb | March 7

Here are three facts about me completely out of context that will only make sense after you finish reading this. Fact number one: I tend to be very late to every popular trend. Fact number two: I’m very committed to my morning routine, almost religiously. Fact number three: I have recently become obsessed with Wordle.

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Opinion

Letter from the editor | March 3

By Al Hartt | March 4

Was “Cats” (2019) actually as bad as the public remembers? I set out to answer this question and determine if “Cats” truly was as terrible as theater-goers claimed or if it was a campy, fun musical adaptation that audiences in 2019 just didn’t get.

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Opinion

Letter from the editor | Feb. 28

By CJ Tonnes | February 27

Metaverses are virtual worlds in which you can have meetings, socialize or play games. The commercials during the sizable game made it seem like you could do these things in a world made of purple light while being a tiger, large dog or whatever creature suits you that day.  The Metaverse is not real in two senses. 

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Opinion

Letter from the editor | Feb. 21

By Julia Brigolin | February 20

 I’ve thought long and hard about what I’ve wanted to write, and I found myself coming back to this topic time and time again: the thoughts I have about the state of the world and what “normal” is supposed to mean in response to it.  When I say “normal,” what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? 

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Opinion

Opinion | Local police use for-profit company accused of stymying Black Lives Matter movement goals

By Carolyn Stewart | February 15

The summer of 2020 saw the streets of cities and towns across the United States swell with demonstrators rallying for racial justice and against police violence. The Black-led revolt in the U.S. catalyzed global movements against policing with millions marching across the world. The protests demanded the abolition of the police. Since that summer the public has turned a more critical eye toward policing, and elected officials began to discuss reforms.    

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Opinion

Letter from the editor | Feb. 14

By Liz McLane | February 14

 So, naturally, I combined my expertise for shitty films with the knowledge that we’re all at different places mentally this Valentine’s Day. And BAM! I created a list that offers an easy, distracting and fun activity for us all. It’s my love letter (get it, because it’s Valentine’s Day? Love? Love letter? Like a Valentine. Get it?) from me to you. 

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Opinion

Electric vehicles may be the future, but not yet

By Max Larsen | February 8

For as much as the electric car market has grown in the past decade, the future of transportation remains as uncertain as life itself. 

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Opinion

Letter from the editor | Feb. 6

By Milo Openshaw | February 6

 “Perfume” by Patrick Suskind is a book about a serial killer who is motivated by his acute sense of smell to try to create the ultimate perfume that will make everyone fall in love with him. All serial killers are incels – yes, we know this – but why perfume?  

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Opinion

Letter from the editor | Jan. 31

By Cameron Martinez | January 31

 On Jan. 20 2022, Mars Incorporated changed the design of their iconic animated M&M’s. In particular, the shoes worn by the “female” M&M’s. 

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Opinion

How to not make a fool of yourself at your next bar-hop

By Alison Poppe | November 24

A psychology major, a friend visiting from the University of Washington and the birthday girl walk into a bar. Awed by the low-light planetary fixtures in shades of muted red, orange and white, the group hangs in the back — contemplating the cost of cocktails chalked into the board on their right. 

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Environment

Letter from the editor: Nov. 22: The Climate Frontier

By Cliff Heberden | November 22

Just as the COP26 ended in Glasgow this week, Whatcom County witnessed the floodgates of the climate crisis unleashed as an unprecedented storm hit our shores and swole our watersheds to breaking point. 

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Campus

Letter from the editor | Nov. 6: Zoe's is overrated

By Cameron Martinez | November 6

My first year at Western was right before the pandemic hit so I remember those last normal moments when students would fill the room to get in line for bagels. If I’m being honest, I think it was overhyped.

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Campus

AS Productions shows “Little Shop of Horrors” for Fall Family Weekend

By Sam Pearce | November 3

In honor of the Halloween season, Associated Students Productions of Western Washington University hosted a showing of the film “Little Shop of Horrors” as part of this year’s Fall Family Weekend on Friday, Oct. 15. 

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Opinion

Poetry | 'Unnamed Apartment Complex in Bellingham' (Pt. 1 and 2)

By Tim Donahue | October 29

I live in the eye of the sore. Demarcated by white walls that marble, countertops gleam Each new surface that whispers “Visit me.”

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Opinion

Letter from the editor | Oct. 26: Spooky election season

By Nate Sanford | October 27

It’s no coincidence that spooky season and election season occupy the same few weeks in America. There’s something about October that makes people want to dress up as someone else — a zombie, a bassoon playing ghost or a politician who cares about the working class. The yellow leaves and shortened days all point to change.

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Opinion

Comic | Halfway House Show: 'Wall Fleur'

By Finn Donnelly | October 25

 In a new comic series, artist Finn Donnelly explores the perils of spending an entire show glued to the wall. 

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Opinion

Opinion | Born in Bellingham

By Kamalla Kaur | September 3

I was born in 1955 at old St. Joseph’s Hospital at Forest and Beech Street, right below the Western Washington University campus in Bellingham. My family lived at 416 N. Forest, across from the old Spanish villa house.