Mount Hood

The best Earth Day films

A list of movies and documentaries to celebrate Earth Day

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Documentaries about saving the earth:

  • “Kiss the Ground” — Scientists, farmers, and politicians are joined by celebrity activists in an effort to save the Earth’s vital topsoil, narrated by Woody Harrelson. 
  • “Ice on Fire” — Explores how to prevent extinction level events by reducing and reversing our carbon footprint, narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio. 
  • “Mission Blue” — Follows the journey of Dr. Sylvia Earle, a marine biologist, oceanographer and environmentalist, as she works to create marine sanctuaries. 
  • “David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet” — Attenborough outlines what he’s observed of humanity’s impact on the planet throughout his prolific career, and details solutions to these problems. 
  • “Chasing Coral” — Scientists and divers embark on a journey to discover why the coral reefs are dying. 

Documentaries about the small wonders of the world: 

  • “Dancing with the Birds” — Birds of paradise show off their most impressive courtship moves in a colorful display of feathers. 
  • “Fantastic Fungi” — A visually stunning take on how fungi can heal and sustain life on Earth, narrated by Brie Larson. 
  • “My Octopus Teacher” — Follows the unique bond between diver Craig Foster and a curious young octopus over months of visits to her den. 
  • “Life in Color with David Attenborough” — A three-part series showing the captivating colors animals use to survive and thrive. 
  • “Animal” (2022) — A docuseries following the creatures of the Earth in their natural habitats, narrated by celebrity guests like Pedro Pascal and Rebel Wilson.   

Movies about the apocalypse:

  • “2012” — During a series of catastrophic natural disasters, a man and his family flee to the safety of a secret government fleet of arks meant to save the elite.
  • “The Day After Tomorrow” — A climatologist tries to find his son and his friend as a global superstorm overtakes the world. 

Movies about living after the apocalypse:

  • “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (2008) — An alien and his robot counterpart are sent to Earth to decide if humanity is worthy of living on the planet. 
  • “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015) — In a world where water and gasoline are scarce, a warrior liberates the fives wives of a tyrannical warlord and teams up with another former captive to bring them to freedom. 
  • “Snowpiercer” (2013) — During a man-made ice age, the last remnants of humanity live on a train organized by social class, where the richest live in luxury and the poorest in squalor under armed guard. 
  • “Io” — The Earth’s atmosphere is toxic, and most people now live in a space station near one of the moons of Jupiter, but a scientist who stayed behind hopes to cleanse the air and make Earth livable again. 

Movies about corporate greed, evil intentions and the earth:

  • “Avatar” (2009) — On an alien moon, a marine tasked with infiltrating the indeginous population to uncover their mineable resources must question whether he is fighting on the right side.  
  • “Okja” — A young girl must embark on a mission to save her genetically engineered super pig best friend, who was repossessed by the company that created her to boost the food industry. 
  • “Kingsman: The Secret Service” —  A new recruit to a secret spy organization must stop a billionaire from launching his plot to end climate change by killing everyone on the planet he deems unworthy.  

Animated movies about saving the planet: 

  • “Wall-E” — A lonely waste allocation robot living alone on Earth falls in love with a probe sent by humans living in space, who leads him to the adventure of a lifetime. 
  • “The Lorax” — After happening upon a stranger while searching for a sapling, the object of his crush’s desires, a boy listens to his tale of greed that destroyed nature. 
  • “FernGully: The Last Rainforest” — When human deforestation and those who thrive on it threaten a fairy’s homeland, she and her human friend must work together to stop them.

 

Favorite season for a reason

Western students answer the question: “What is your favorite season and why?”

James Fowlkes | Freelancer

Contact the author at jfowlkes18@wou.edu

 

Name: Will Ollenbrook 

Age: 23 

Class Standing: Junior 

Pronouns: He/Him 

Major: Computer Science 

Favorite Season: Spring 

Reason(s): 

“I think it’s probably due to, just like a lot of personal reasons. I’m Irish so, included in Spring usually comes like Saint Patrick’s Day and things like that. Also, I had my birthday recently. That’s another thing that happens around Spring. It’s relatively chilly but not like super cold weather around Spring. It’s a bit more rainy around here in the Pacific Northwest but I don’t really tend to have an issue with that.” 

Name: Xavier Glenn 

Age: 20 

Class Standing: Sophomore 

Pronouns: He/Him 

Major: Physical Education 

Favorite Season: Winter 

Reason(s): 

“Probably winter just because I like to go out and play in the snow and stuff, and it’s probably the best season for dressing, like layers and things like that. Also, I just like the holidays too, so like Christmas time. I guess Thanksgiving kind of counts in winter too, maybe like fall, but holiday family time as well. I think winter is also good because there’s just a stronger, like, sense of community I think and people are trying to get through the hard winter as a family or things like that.”

 

Name: Cedar Davis-Frankfort 

Age: 21 

Class Standing: Junior 

Pronouns: He/Him 

Major: Elementary Education 

Favorite Season: Summer 

 

Reason(s):

“I just enjoy the warm weather and I’m a distance runner so I like running during the summer ‘cause it’s warm out and I don’t worry much about school so I can just run whenever. I enjoy traveling and there’s more time to travel and explore new places.” 

Name: Brittany Waligroski 

Age: 21 

Class Standing: Junior 

Pronouns: She/her 

Major: ASL Interpreting 

Favorite Season: Fall 

 

Reason(s):

“I really like when the leaves on all the trees change colors. It’s just super pretty and then it also has my favorite kind of days that are (sunny) but cold.” 

 

Name: James Ceciliani 

Age: 22 

Class Standing: Senior 

Pronouns: He/Him 

Major: Criminal Justice 

Favorite Season: Spring

 

Reason(s):

“It’s always good to look forward to summer. Sun starts to come out again and we can start going outside a lot more. It’s not super hot and I’m not a big fan of blistering heat but I usually go out and go on hikes and such. (It’s) just sunny, and the days get longer, that’s a big one. And seasonal depression starts going away. I’m an umpire, so baseball starts up again and it’s just gonna be outside.”

 

headline: Recap of 2022 Masters

A summary of the Masters golfing tournament

Mollie Herron | News Editor

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

The 2022 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Course in Augusta, Georgia finished up on Sunday, April 10. Here are the most notable things that happened at the tournament.

25-year-old Scottie Scheffler won the tournament with ten under-par claiming his first major title. He not only received the priceless green jacket but a record setting $2.7 million from the $15 million purse.

Rory McIlroy, from Northern Ireland, finished second with a score of negative seven. He took home $1.62 million from the purse. McIlroy started the final round at 1 over and 10 strokes behind Scheffler in ninth place. He kicked it into high gear and shot a front-nine 32 and ended the back-nine with an incredible hole out from the bunker leaving him with a score of 64.

Not long after McIlroy’s bunker shot, Collin Morikawa ended the eighteenth hole with his own chip-in bunker shot. Morikawa ended with a total tournament score of four under-par in fifth place.

Tiger Woods made a strong comeback after his car accident in 2021 that almost cost him his leg. He pushed through and played the full 72 holes despite his noticeable limp, finishing No. 47 overall with a score of 13 over par. The injuries he sustained did not seem to affect his swing much, but changed the way he moved through the course and followed his ball. Woods has won five green jackets and this weekend was about his comeback rather than winning the tournament.

Once a golfer wins the Masters tournament they win an invite back for every future year. So, with this win, not only did Scheffler bring home a new jacket and millions of dollars, but the opportunity to bring more home in the years to come. The 87th US Masters will be held in Augusta again between April 6 – 9, 2023.

Turning around teriyaki

How to make the most of Yang’s Teriyaki leftovers

Jude Bokovoy | Lifestyle Editor

Contact the author at  howllifestyle@wou.edu

Yang’s Teriyaki is one of the most beloved restaurants to communities near Western’s campus. Yang’s Teriyaki is known for their filling cuisine, great prices and friendly staff. Typically any large combination meal can be used to create three full portions depending on the person. Once the leftovers hit the three day mark, one may want to revamp their leftovers. Below is a recipe to boost leftover Yang’s Teriyaki chicken and rice.

 

LEFTOVER YANG’S TERIYAKI CHICKEN AND RICE

Start to finish: 7 minutes

Yields: One serving

Portion of Yang’s Teriyaki chicken

Portion of Yang’s Teriyaki sushi rice

2 eggs

½ Tablespoon of chili oil

Furikake, optional

Sriracha or Yang’s Teriyaki hot sauce, optional

Kimchi, optional

Cook eggs sunny side up in a small frying pan. Once halfway cooked, top with chili oil and place a lid over the top. Heat remaining Yang’s Teriyaki rice and chicken in the microwave for one minute and thirty seconds. Then add hot sauce and furikake. Once eggs have a thin white layer over the yolks place on top of the rice and chicken. Place kimchi off to the side. Feel free to add or take away anything if desired.

 

San Diego’s Little Italy is worthy of a visit

Notes from foodie adventures in Little Italy, San Diego, California

Jude Bokovoy | Lifestyle Editor

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

 

One of the most well-known tourist attractions in San Diego, California is Little Italy. This strip of business captures the style, cuisine and ambience of Italy. Little Italy has much to offer for all ages and interests. There are a multitude of restaurants to choose from with a range of different price points. 

For those looking for a quick meal on the cheaper side, Mr. Moto Pizza is a great place to stop by. They provide plenty of options when it comes to sauces, meats and vegetables to choose from along with a friendly staff that will reheat slices in their pizza oven. Looking for a refreshment? Get free sparkling water from their soft drink machine.

Searching for a fancy Italian happy hour? Allegro Restaurant will go past one’s expectations. They make simple dishes, such as grilled artichoke, an elaborate experience by having their waiters pour a white wine sauce onto each individual patron’s plate. Both toast options they offer are out of this world. Their five dollar Classic Buratta does just the trick containing savory flavors and plated with a dramatic drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette and flower petals. The Fig and Prosciutto Crostini will remain on one’s mind for the rest of time. The balance of sweet fig jam, creamy fresh mozzarella and salty prosciutto is a happy hour masterpiece. 

Sorrento’s is the place to go for a nice dinner. All of the waiters adhere to Italian-American culture by bringing around a pan full of parmesan cheese to add to everyone’s plates. Their menu contains great appetizer portions with lots of vegetables and good quality olive oil. Each of their pastas are worthy of a chef’s kiss.

Day or night, Little Italy is a great place to take a stroll. One is surrounded by Italian flags, the smell of baked bread filling the air while music plays from every direction.

Little Italy is the perfect addition to a trip to San Diego.

How to expand one’s TikTok profile

Advice about growing one’s TikTok account from a paid content creator

Jude Bokovoy | Lifestyle Editor

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

The TikTok app is known as one of the most addicting social media platforms. TikTok is a platform where people can post short clips of them doing anything and everything. Their algorithm is mostly unknown, so this article will provide a few tips to enhance any page.

Take each clip or video on one’s camera roll. This prevents time from being wasted opening the app, as well as accidental deletion of previous clips. This way, one can quickly pull out their phone, take a second or two to record, then continue on with their day. 

Be as specific as possible. Participating in trends can be fun, but videos are more likely to go viral if they have brought something new to the table. Examples of this can include participating in an event, demonstrating specific skills, traveling to different destinations and much more. 

No need for crazy editing. Effects or filters are not necessary. Simply adding music to a video does the trick. To enhance a video, sync a fun sound to clips and add some colorful text.

Keep in mind that everything stays on the internet forever. No one has control over what goes viral or what people will see. It is important before posting to re-evaluate. 

Ask oneself:

  • Would I be okay with a parent or boss seeing this? 
  • Would each viewer understand references included in the video? 
  • Could anyone be negatively affected by posting this video? 
  • Does this create a positive persona for myself?

These questions also apply to what hashtags one decides to include in the captions of their videos. Adding the most popular hashtags can be such a mindless addition to any TikTok, but do creators know what these hashtags are supporting, or what they truly mean? To avoid potential hashtag havoc, keep it simple. Use hashtags that are related to the video. This way it will reach those who relate and enjoy the activities that are promoted in the TikTok.

Unlocking the creator fund. Doing this is not something that is out of reach, but it can be out of one’s control. To access the personal requirements to join the creator fund, go into “Creator Tools” on the TikTok app. After that, click the light gray creator fund icon. There, one will see a list of tasks that need to be completed within 30 days. A task could be as simple as posting three videos, or as out of one’s hands as gaining 100,000 views on their page. After completion of the personal tasks, one will have to complete paperwork. This includes sending in a driver’s license as age verification and filling out tax information. Once everything is approved, one will be paid for the views up to three days prior, as well as future content. From then on, funds can be checked on a daily basis to see how much has been earned. 

At the end of the day, TikTok is a creative platform for everyone to express their passions, memories and talents. Have fun and be safe.

 

To see an account that uses this format check out @judy.the.foody on TikTok.

How to improve your resume

Tips to improve your resume for career applications

Mollie Herron | News Editor

resume

Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu

The 2021–22 school year is coming to an end, which means that for many students the next step is applying for “real jobs.” As students start applying for more prestigious jobs, their resumes need to reflect their new education experiences. Here are some tips to improve a resume to impress future employers.

The most important role of a resume is to showcase the most relevant information and skills of an applicant. Many people graduating from college have experience in a wide variety of jobs including retail, customer service, fast food and coaching. If someone has worked in all of these different positions but is applying for something specifically food-related, it might not be as important to include the retail or coaching experience. The fast food and customer service experience would be a great description to include in the past employment section due to the requirements.

While it may feel strange to omit a school from a resume, high school education does not need to be listed. Unless having a diploma from a specific high school increases the chances of getting the job, there is no need to include it in the education section. This would be most helpful in positions like coaching or teaching, where a connection to the community is valued in employees.

At the beginning of every resume there should be a brief summary or profile of the applicant that provides a brief introduction as well as the relevant qualifications that fit the job they are applying for. Later in the resume, the specifics of the qualifications can be listed in the form of bullet points so that more information can be included.

A resume is all about the applicant, so it may be tempting to use the word “I” when describing oneself. The bullet points make it easy to avoid using “I” and to explain all requirements of past jobs.

Western offers many resources to help students looking to prepare for future applications. Visit the Service Learning & Career Development Center for help with all career advising needs. Career counseling, resume critiques, workshops and more are offered in person and even more are offered online. Drop in the Werner University Center room 119 or visit wou.edu/slcd for more information.