“Uncut Gems” turns 2010s anxiety into great cinema
Daniel Walker dawalker@ursinus.edu Pandemonium. Chaos. Shoving matches, petty violence, conflict, sex, money, and other things I can’t mention here. No, it’s not a typical Friday night on campus - it’s “Uncut Gems,” the newest thriller from New York-based directors Josh and Benny Safdie. Since its release at the tail end...
The fall of the house of “The Bachelor”
Jen Joseph jejoseph@ursinus.edu Dear readership, I come before you today with the most genuine realness imaginable when I ask: is it time for NBC’s “The Bachelor” to end? Most regular viewers of “The Bachelor” seem to be in agreement that the show has gone a bit off the rails in...
Personification of brands has gone too far
Kevin Leon keleon@ursinus.edu Brands have increasingly used social media to come off as more personal and in tune with today’s zeitgeist. Accounts like Wendy’s, or in a recent case Planters, have used Twitter to tweet jokes using many of the memetic formats that gain popularity seemingly every few days. In...
A dream deferred? On MLK’s legacy
Jen Joseph jejoseph@ursinus.edu A few weeks ago, on MLK day, I sat down with a group of invested teachers, deans, and other staff to discuss the importance of Martin Luther King in the modern era. In particular, we discussed whether Martin Luther King Jr’s principle of nonviolent social activism is...
Ursinus’ judicial system is broken
Garrett Bullock gabullock@ursinus.edu We need an appeal process to determine which resolution options and decision-maker a student may pursue when participating in the judicial process. This appeal process would ensure we receive due process as defined by the handbook. Per the Student Handbook, the due process clause “assures written notice...
“Harriet” is a triumph of a biopic
Jen Joseph jejoseph1@ursinus.edu Sometimes when I’m about to watch a biopic, my opinion tends to lean towards the cynical. What ways is this movie going to sashay away from the more upsetting elements of the past this time, or else exploit those elements to the point where they feel almost...
NY fare evasion laws harm marginalized groups
Kim Corona kicorona@ursinus.edu Recently, viral videos surfaced on social media displaying police arresting New York subway riders for fare evasion. These brought attention to police tactics and created an open discussion about how low-income riders and people of color are more often subject to punishment. In response, protests in New...
A coup by any other name: on Bolivia
Kevin Leon keleon@ursinus.edu On Sunday, November 10, Evo Morales abruptly stepped down as President of Bolivia after protests against the recent election that declared him President again intensified. This came after his presidential campaign’s recent win over Carlos Mesa. Opponents of Morales claimed that the election had been tampered with...
More like Saturday Night DEAD, am I right?
Daniel Walker dawalker@ursinus.edu In times of crisis, we often find ourselves looking for guidance. Specifically, guidance from some disembodied cultural power, because God knows none of us in the real world have any idea how to fix our problems. One way we do this is through comedy. Many people depend...