Column

The Death of education: Morning prayer for Trump in public schools?

By Evan Wang | November 20

Recently, Ryan Walters, the state superintendent of public instruction of Oklahoma, announced that he had purchased over 500 copies of the Bible to be taught in high schools and sent videos of himself praying for President-elect Donald Trump to be shown to public school students. This is in addition to a previous program that sought to purchase some 55,000 Bibles to be distributed to every public school classroom in the state of Oklahoma. Not only is this a travesty and mockery of the American education system and the separation between church and state, which is enshrined in our Constitution, but it is also a slap in the face to Christianity, which should not be taught by teachers who are wildly unprepared for the job.

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Columns

The Oxford Comma: Tutorials 101

By Grace Nelson | November 20

Hi again! It’s Grace, your favorite American in Oxford. Today, I’m going to talk about what many consider to be the main attraction of Oxford: the famous tutorial system.

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Columns

Hey Wait One Second: Nostalgia

By Grayton Goldsmith | November 19

As daylight hours become ever more scarce and a proper wintry chill has finally set in on campus, I find myself longing for summer sun and the impromptu trips to Mystic Lake that once characterized life in the blissful metropolis that is Medford/Somerville. According to researchers at the University of Southampton, this wave of nostalgia that has so suddenly subsumed me in fact has an evolutionary function: Nostalgia can make you feel physically warmer. 

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Column

Rooted Reflections: The importance of showing up

By Justin Solis | November 14

This past weekend, I attended a concert in the Crystal Ballroom of Somerville with a friend. Much to my chagrin, he elected to leave before the opener even stepped foot on stage, citing other commitments. It was then that I knew I had a topic for my column.

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Columns

Minutia Matters: English rights au Québec

By Leo Deener | November 13

I spent the long Veterans Day weekend in Montréal, Québec to escape the polarized, chaotic politics of my country, the U.S. I ended up finding the same thing there but with a fascinating linguistic flavor. While walking around the city and enjoying overpriced coffee and baked goods, I kept seeing political campaign signs that read, “Elevating Educational Heights Defending English Rights.”

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Column

A Jumbo’s Journey: Current objective — survive

By Ben Rachel | November 13

Well, well, well. Here we are again with another column entry this semester about ‘tough times.’

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Columns

Hey Wait Just One Second: Autumn leaves

By Max Turnacioglu | November 13

Crimson and gold cascade down the hill, forming a bristling canopy of color to envelop our campus in an inescapable autumnal energy. Mousy, dimmer leaves lay scattered across the pavement. They give way to a passing footfall in a somber crunch. They rustle listlessly on their own, intimating the passing of a squirrel or, more than likely, a gorgeous Somerville rat. The fall of the leaves is decidedly upon us.

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Column

The Death of Education: Where has the accountability gone?

By Evan Wang | November 13

The focus of our education system often places tangible results above all else. What letter grade can a student get? What is the average GPA? What is the graduation rate? These are the tangible factors that are discussed when implementing school policies. However, in placing so much trust in these seemingly irrefutable numbers, we are forgetting that schooling is a community effort. The environment in which students are taught will influence students as much as the grades they get on their algebra exams. The environment of our schools has increasingly drifted towards a sense of complacency and a lack of responsibility.

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Column

Forgotten Fronts: Hey President Biden, do something about the UAE

By Alexander Degterev | November 12

Before getting into my argument, I must point out that I am far from a supporter of the Sudanese Armed Forces. Despite this, recent atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces after the defection of one of their commanders have reinforced my opinion that it would be best for the country ...

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Columns

Adventures of an A-Lister: Guide to theater etiquette

By Odessa Gaines | November 8

With all the movies I see, I am constantly bombarded with just how much the theater scene has changed over the past several years. Much like live theater, it’s almost as if society returned from our unprecedented times and immediately decided to throw out all the rules. So for those who have forgotten or were maybe never taught, here’s an idiot’s guide to movie theater etiquette.

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Columns

The Oxford Comma: Election from England

By Grace Nelson | November 8

In my previous column, I promised to talk about my experience with the tutorial system at the University of Oxford. That was my intention when I sat down today to write, but it just felt disingenuous for me not to talk about the obvious elephant in the room: the U.S. election. I know this is not a political column, but following the election from the U.K. has been very formative for my study abroad experience.

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Column

Ukraine at War: The adverse environmental impact of Russia’s war

By Mariia Kudina | November 7

The connection between the war in Ukraine and climate change might not be evident at first glance. Discussions of environmental damage brought upon by Russian warfare rarely appear on the front pages of major newspapers. Yet, recent scientific studies highlight that the war not only deteriorates ecosystems in Ukraine, but also accelerates global warming by emitting heat trapping greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere.

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Columns

Wanderlust: Hurricane Helene

By Carmen Smoak | November 4

I am 4,489 miles from home. It sounds like a lot, but sometimes it doesn’t feel far at all. When big things happen back home, I feel as if my brain is separated from my body. My mind soars over the Atlantic Ocean at warp speed, seeing familiar places and faces, feeling as though nothing has changed and as if I never left.

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Column

Rooted Reflections: We can't all go vegan

By Justin Solis | October 30

In recent years, a global movement towards vegan diets has risen to prominence, driven by the idea that going vegan can help save the planet. Researchers have identified that vegans produce an environmental footprint that is at least one-third lower than those who eat meat. They are also responsible for 93% less methane, a greenhouse gas responsible for 25% of global warming.

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Columns

Weekly Wellness: Are seed oils scary?

By Katie Pflieger | October 30

In the past few years, there has been an increase in wellness-related fearmongering about seed oils, which raises the question: Are seed oils really scary? From canola and sunflower to grapeseed and safflower oils, what are seed oils, really, and are they harmful to our health?

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Column

Coffee Table Socioeconomics: Upward mobility is becoming obsolete

By Linda Huang | October 29

Upward mobility has long been held up as a defining factor of generational success, especially in the U.S., where the notion of rising above one’s parents in socioeconomic status is central to the “American Dream.” Traditionally, this concept meant climbing the social stratum — gaining wealth, status or both, often through education or hard work. In practice, upward mobility is sometimes reduced to a simple metric: whether the next generation earns a higher income than the previous one.

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Columns

Hey Wait Just One Second: Tricks and Treats

By Max Turnacioglu | October 29

Trick or treat. Smell my feet. Give me something good to eat. If you don’t, I don’t care. I’ll pull down your underwear. Woah — maybe I wouldn’t go that far, but I am ‘dead’ serious about Halloween. Among the dominant (American) holidays, Halloween sticks out like a sore pumpkin. It lacks a prototypical communal or religious element, like many other notable festivities, instead imbuing celebration with an individualistic and distinctively subversive tilt. To examine this proclaimed Christian and historically pagan holiday from a Jewish perspective: On all other holiday nights, we celebrate joy and contentment, but on this night we celebrate fear. Why is this night different from all other nights?

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