Mount Hood

Three true crime podcasts to stream

Chrys Weedon | Entertainment Editor

“Criminal”

Launched in 2014, “Criminal” is an award-winning podcast that takes a holistic look at crime and how it intersects with sociology and history. The host, Phoebe Judge, has a journalistic style that always cultivates a profoundly human element in each episode. Judge’s voice is soothing, and her questions honest and vulnerable, carrying the listener safely through each story no matter how strange.

Where to listen: This podcast can be listened to anywhere podcasts are found, including thisiscriminal.com. There are original illustrations for every episode of “Criminal,” which can also be found on their website.

Photo courtesy of thisiscriminal.com

 

“True Crime Garage”

Co-hosts Nic and the Captain cover both solved and unsolved true crime cases on their podcast, launched in 2015. These two men conduct impressively in-depth research, and educate their listeners about every version of events and possible theory surrounding each crime they discuss. The tone of the show is more informal and comical, but the pair of hosts still remain respectful of the cases and their seriousness.

Where to listen: A complete anthology of episodes can be found of the Stitcher radio app. A select number of episodes are available for free on the website truecrimegarage.com and are available for purchase on iTunes.

Photo courtesy of truecrimegarage.com

 

“My Favorite Murder”

Similar to “True Crime Garage,” this podcast is self-described on their website as a “true crime comedy.” The newest of the three podcasts, “My Favorite Murder” was launched in early 2016 by Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff. The show is full of the host’s dry, blunt sense of humor and exhibits a number of female-centered stories. The co-hosts also include information about their personal lives, which balances out the heaviness of the true crime material and may be why they’ve made such a connection with their loyal fanbase.

Where to listen: This podcast can be found on iTunes, Stitcher radio, and Player FM.

Photo courtesy of myfavoritemurder.com

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Transportation options

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

College, on its own, is a stressful time for many. On top of this, some students have the additional problem of figuring out transportation. Those don’t own a car face the regular challenge of finding arrangements whenever they have need to get around or out of town. Though Western is conveniently placed near downtown, walking or biking may not be an option when the destination is farther away or later in the evening. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to do so that are available to Western students.

 

Wolf Ride

Wolfride is a free transportation service for Western students. All that’s needed is a current Western V number. Hours of operation are during afternoons and evenings. Full details can be found at https://wou.edu/student/wolf-ride/.

 

UCarShare

UCarShare is another option provided on Western’s campus. This service allows students to rent cars by the hour and include cards for purchasing gas if necessary. All that is required is signing up on the app, which is how students can pay for their rentals.

 

City Bus

Public transportation is another option for getting to locations in Monmouth or Independence. The city bus stops conveniently outside Hammersly library and takes riders through Monmouth and Independence. A full map and schedule is posted at the stop.

 

Amtrak and Greyhound

Amtrak and greyhound trains and busses, which can both be found in Salem, are inexpensive ways to do long distance travel. Their websites allow for reserving trips in advance and have various routes and schedules for each destination.

 

Contact the author at howlifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Tips for writing a cover letter

Rebecca Meyers | Lifestyle editor

Many students are reaching a point in their life where they’ve begun to think about the future and their careers. Some, however, may still feel somewhat unprepared for the job of pitching themselves to an employer. The skill of writing a cover letter is an important tool both for students starting out in their career and students who just need to pay the bills until they get there.

The first point to remember is to make sure a cover letter isn’t just a repetition of a resume. Employers usually ask for both, so being redundant won’t help applicants stand out. Instead, try to add something that didn’t really fit in a resume but is still relevant, such as long term goals with the potential employer. This is especially important when applying without much experience relevant to the position. If the resume is lacking in experience, the cover letter is an extra opportunity to present oneself as a viable candidate.

Another thing to remember is to make sure it’s conveyed that the position being applied for is fully understood. If possible, address the letter to the person in charge rather than ‘hiring manager.’ Be sure to also mention specific aspects of the job that relate to the skills or experience listed in the resume.

If still unsure about how exactly a cover letter should look, it can be helpful to look up examples. There are various templates that can be used as a starting point. These can be adjusted according to the position being applied for.

Resume and cover letter writing is an essential skill for young adults. Tackling an application can be intimidating, but with the right starting point it can be easier than it seems.

For more help, students can visit the Service Learning and Career Development center (SLCD). Information can be found at wou.edu/slcd.

 

Contact the author at howlifestyle@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

Western volleyball loses to Alaska Fairbanks

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Hopes were high for the Wolves coming into their final home game of the season. The season had been a rough road for Western as they had only found themselves in the winning column six times of their 23 games so far. Despite this, the Wolves looked to put on a show at home for the departing seniors.

Before the matches began, each of the leaving players were honored with a few gifts and words spoken about their athletic achievements at the school and hopes for the future. One of the players playing their last game in Monmouth was junior psychology major Morgan Haskett.

“Since I had just decided to graduate in three years, I feel pretty (bittersweet) about the whole situation. I’m pretty excited to be done with college and move onto bigger things, but I am so in love with so many aspects of the sport… so that’s going to be pretty tough to leave,” said Haskett.

The first match was utter dominance for the Wolves. Jumping out to a 3 point lead, Western looked unstoppable. University of Alaska Fairbanks trailed the entire first match. The Nanooks needed to take a couple of timeouts to attempt to slow the raging momentum of the Wolves, but this was to no avail.

After a dominating win in the first match, the Wolves momentum seemed to immediately die. The Nanooks took control of Western and led the entirety of the second match. Alaska Fairbanks warded off several comeback attempts and won the second match with ease.

The Wolves never saw themselves back on top for the rest of their matches. The Nanooks controlled Western’s offense and tore their defense apart.

“We started really strong and I just don’t think we played mentally tough enough to get the win that day,” said Haskett.

The Wolves continued fighting to tie up the score, but despite their best efforts they couldn’t get back into any of the matches.

While this isn’t the end the seniors were looking for, many will miss playing in Monmouth.

“I’ll miss playing at a place where a lot of my family and friends were able to come watch, they’ve been such a big part of my volleyball career,” said Haskett.

After this loss, the season looked to be over for the Wolves. Mathematically, Western stands a chance to make the postseason tournament. However, making the tournament would rely on other teams dropping matches; meaning, the postseason hopes of Western is not in their hands.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Wolves’s Lacrosse takes a loss in 2018 annual alumni game

Lake Larsen | Sports Editor

Familiar faces gathered together Oct. 27 for the annual lacrosse alumni game. Players from past years, of the last graduating class to those long graduated, strapped on their helmets to battle it out against Western’s newest roster.

With the first whistle it was evident that the older alumni were out to have have some fun while also wanting to show the younger guys who’s boss. In the previous years, the alumni team has been laden with players on All Conference and All American teams and this year was no different.

The alumni team quickly took advantage of the young Western team, bullying them around with powerful hits and lightning quick dodges. Despite the hard play, banter and light-hearted trash talk could be heard between passes. With every ball thrown wide of the goal or long sprint of an alumni, Western could be heard chirping the older players.

“It was fun to play against former teammates that you haven’t seen in awhile. It’s good to catch up (on) the field and maybe give ‘em a good whack,” said senior history major Alex Eidler, midfielder for the 2018 team.

It was a afternoon full of high powered offenses as the Wolves and alumni both scored whopping 15 goals apiece. By the end of regulation, the score was all tied up and both teams were ready for overtime.

With a strong defense effort from the Wolves, it was no easy task for the alumni to set up their offense. However, the alumni was able to dodge their way to a opening for a laser shot, ending the game in a 16-15 victory.

Even with the loss, the Wolves are hopeful for the upcoming regular season.

“I think this year the team is on the up with the new freshman. We got a lot of new talent this year that will help define this team for the next few years,” mentioned Eidler.

The Wolves fall season ends soon with one final game at the University of Oregon on Nov. 9.

 

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Paul F. Davis

Visiting lecturer Dr. Asoa Inoue discusses white language in education

Natalie Dean | Freelancer

Imagine if the pressure to perform to the highest standard in school was completely removed. An “A” could be earned through the amount of effort put into the material, rather than frantic memorization. A “D” was no longer reflective of things done wrong, but rather of the amount of labor put into an assignment. By exploring these alternative grading methods, Dr. Asoa Inoue, a professor at the University of Washington Tacoma argued, it is directly challenging institutionalized racism within education.

These are themes that Dr. Inoue spoke about on Oct. 29. As a professor and the Director of University Writing, Dr. Inoue is well-versed in the impact of unchanging grading systems. He elaborated that the current grading system is failing students — specifically students of color — through hidden white supremacist values. This is due to the fact that our grading policies for writing and linguistics prioritize enunciated speaking, formal tones and rigid dialects — and the opposite is seen as “uneducated” or lazy.

He explains this as a direct result of the colonization of the US, which favored white-centric ideals early on. Code-switching, the act of flipping from one language to another midway through during a conversation, such as from English to Spanish, has been looked down upon as a failure to fully assimilate into American culture. American culture is often referenced and made an example of in our education systems; language and culture hit the same vein.

Dr. Inoue reminds students that these values are not set in stone and that institutional change can happen. By analyzing where these expectations of writing and literature come from, it can allow for alternative grading methods, such as labor-based grading contracts.

Labor-based grading is an agreement between the students and professor that states if students meet specific criteria, they will earn a certain grade. It focuses on the content of the course and how it’s evaluated and “graded.” So if a student fails, they are held directly responsible for the effort put into the project.

With this method, students can take an active role in their learning, while fully understanding the work and dedication that goes into an “A.” When asked about students’ reaction to this program, he stated that 8/10 students are willing to at least try this alternative method and many have found it helpful for their writing overall.

“I’m going to go into High School Education for English,” said senior humanities major Madeline Hannah, who was in attendance. “And it definitely opened my eyes to some of the problems that affect a lot of students of color. I’ve been looking into different ways to assess and grade, and this gave me an option that could be more equitable for everyone.”

If students or faculty have any questions regarding the impact of white supremacist language in today’s educational systems, Dr. Inoue can be contacted at asao@uw.edu.

 

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Math major profile

Bailey Thompson | News Editor

Of the 52 majors offered at Western, sophomore Josh Salsbury has chosen to be a math major. After finding success and being awarded Outstanding Freshman in Mathematics last year by the Math Department faculty, Salsbury currently works as a tutor in The Math Center and as the Finance Director for Western’s Residence Hall Association — both positions that relate directly to his major.

When asked about his motivation in becoming a math major, Salsbury reflected back on experiences he had before coming to Western.

“I had a really awesome calculus teacher when I was in high school,” said Salsbury. “It was that combined with learning that the way math is taught in schools isn’t a good reflection of what math actually is. Learning that there was a lot more to (math) really inspired me to learn more about it.”

In learning about math, Salsbury shared that there is more to the process than many people initially think.

“With a math major, it’s not just about being able to do math,” Salsbury said. “A lot of what it teaches you…is doing things efficiently or finding the best way to do something.”

According to the Mathematics page on Western’s website, there are a number of career opportunities that are available to a math major. Amongst them, a few options listed include computer scientist, cryptographer, business operations specialist, elementary and secondary math teacher and financial analyst.

Salsbury is still deciding which pathway to pursue within mathematics.

“I was originally going to go for a career in software engineering because I’m also getting a computer science minor…but I’ve been talking to a couple of professors and they think I’d make a really good professor…(and) it’s something I’ve been considering.”

Besides the future possibilities the major holds, Salsbury also values the Math Department for another reason: the people involved.

“The Math Department is one of my favorite communities on campus,” said Salsbury. “And that’s a combination of both the faculty and the students. It’s a small enough department that it’s really easy to make friends and get to know people.”

Salsbury also praised the math faculty who help make the program what it is.

“I don’t think I’ve met a group of professors so dedicated to getting to know their students and helping them succeed in life,” said Salsbury.

Whether students are interested in math or not, however, Salsbury offered a piece of advice:

“If you look hard enough you will find your community. There are always more places to explore, people to get to know. And, in my experience, it’s been really easy to make close friends. And the more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to find those people that you really care about.”

 

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Ashlynn Norton

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