Mount Hood

Campus Voices

By: Jenna Beresheim

Question: How do you feel about gender neutral restrooms?Screen Shot 2016-04-17 at 9.29.34 PM

  1. “I think they’re great – you can use them whenever you want without worrying about a line for a specific gender bathroom.” Jesus Hernandez, junior early
    childhood special education major.
  2. “I like them better because they’re more private.” Mark Drevdhl, first year education major. (*We have already had him in an issue, I believe, so let me know if this is still acceptable or not. Thanks!)
  3. “Genderizing single bathrooms is stupid.” Asia Cohen, junior ASL studies major.
  4. “I don’t even know.” Shelby Keesler, junior pre-interpreting major.
  5. “I think all bathrooms should be gender neutral, everyone has to go to the bathroom – it doesn’t matter which parts you’re using to do so.” Jenesa Ross, senior biology major.
  6. “Great idea. I think we need to be an all-inclusive campus.” Martha Kools, fifth year criminal justice major.

Democrats on the issues

By: Conner Williams
Editor-in- Chief

There’s no doubt that much of the two Democratic candidates’ political rhetoric (and personal antics) are aimed towards younger generations. After Obama’s overwhelming success that was directly related to his use of social media and web analytics that allowed his team to create targeted messages to voters, Sanders and Clinton have developed platforms that largely spread through the use of social media communication. The two have certainly gone to extraordinary lengths to present themselves as relatable to younger generations, but just what do they stand for? Despite many media outlets portraying political figures as celebrities, there’s still the actual policies to focus on. Here are the Democrats on the top five issues, as per their campaign websites.

Bernie Sanders – berniesanders.comScreen Shot 2016-04-17 at 9.26.59 PM

  1. Income and wealth inequality – closing the gap between the upper and lower economic classes
  2. Tuition and debt free college – ending for-profit student loans and subsidize tuition through taxes on Wall Street speculators
  3. Campaign finance reform – repealing the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling and outlawing Super PACs
  4. Rebuilding infrastructure through increased jobs – investing $1 trillion over 5 years to “modernize our infrastructure”
  5. Higher wages for workers – increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour nationwide

Hillary Clinton – hillaryclinton.com (issues are listed in alphabetical order on website and may not reflect level of importance)

Screen Shot 2016-04-17 at 9.29.14 PM

  1. Alzheimer’s disease – providing a cure for the disease by 2025
  2. Campaign finance reform – overturning Citizens United, eliminating unaccountable sources of money, and establish a federally-funded system to match small donations
  3. Campus sexual assault – providing support to survivors and increase prevention programs
  4. Climate change and energy – creating jobs in clean energy, install 500 million solar panels, and bringing greenhouse gas emission to 30 percent below the 2005 levels
  5. New College Compact – refinancing current student loans at lower rates, enforce affordable tuition rates, and ensuring no student “has to borrow to pay for tuition, books, or fees to attend a four-year public college in their state.”

Many of the programs proposed by the Democratic candidates have been shunned by those on the right because of their inevitable cost to the taxpayers. Reducing college tuition, addressing greenhouse gas emission standards, and rebuilding the infrastructure do call for a significant investment in the future. And that’s the way we should be thinking of it: as an investment, not a cost. Investing in education, infrastructure, healthcare, and other public-interest programs will benefit huge denominations of people. Economically speaking, building a giant wall will do nothing to improve the American economy, even if Mexico were somehow coerced to pay for it. We need to address large-scale economic issues that affect people all across the country from all denominations and levels of income. The catch, however, is that the Democratic candidates promise that much of the bill for these investments will be footed by those at the top-end of the income spectrum.

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalEIC

My Slightly Diatribic Soapbox

By: Jenna Beresheim 

Okay, everyone, today’s topic makes me roll up my sleeves and dust off the old soapbox for a good cause in need of advocating. This hot topic is especially close to my little gendernoncornforming heart, so buckle up, buttercups.

The issue at hand is in regards to people being so uncomfortable with their bodies (and those bodies around them) that god forbid they have to deal with a transgendered* human sharing the same restroom. What is the fear here stemmed from? In my lifetime, I have never seen another human’s bits while using the restroom, and if I have, it was my own fault. The only occurrence I could think of would be accidentally stepping into a stall that was not locked properly, in which we both made mutually shocked faces at one another and apologized in such a stream of syllables that I had no chance to actually see anything besides the whites of their eyes. Nor did I want to see anything, mind you.

Certain states are so uncomfortable with the thought of letting someone pee that they have began to ID individuals at the door. I mean, kudos for creating the completely useless job of a bathroom bouncer. But if you were going to employ someone to check your genitals, why not simply employ someone to keep it safe from the assumed (and completely nonexistent) threats of the Trans* community? Some have even gone so far as to encourage children in schools to rat out Trans* humans using the restroom that does not correlate with their assigned birth gender.

Hold up.

So, instead of letting someone use the restroom like a human being, we are now blocking and even denying, a basic human right. Trust me, transgender* individuals just want to use the bathroom – get in and get out. Just like everyone else. Especially as the gender that said individual identifies with. Imagine being forced into the opposite bathroom of what you identify with – it would be loads of uncomfortable for both parties. You’re a girl now crammed into the guy’s restroom, and vice versa. There would be heated looks, crude comments, and no doubt a shriek or two.

As a human who identifies as genderfluid, my gender fluctuates on the daily and often ranges anywhere from masculine to feminine, and wherever the hell I feel like in between. It’s a nightmare for my wardrobe, but it’s how I feel, and it took me years to develop enough understanding of myself to be okay with that. If I am dressed in masculine attire and identify more along that gender, I typically choose gender neutral restrooms. Even outside of the restroom it can be tough – I have had dressing room attendants inform me that I had picked out male pants (probably because their measurement system is much better, duh) and little old women explain to me how I would look much better in a dress and some makeup.

Thankfully Western is fairly accommodating and the people around me are understanding, but other areas are not so trusting or understanding. I may be a lesbian, but I use the bathroom like everyone else (not to dispel rumors that all LGBT*Q+ individual’s waste is rainbows and sprinkles). And, like everyone else, I use the bathroom just for that. To go to the bathroom, maybe check quaffed hair meticulously like a neurotic parrot, fix clothes, and strut out like I own the place. Sometimes I cut down the steps if I’m in a rush, but note that at no point was I a threat to, or even interacted with, anyone else.

This is exactly the problem. The focus is on a completely nonexistent issue. Sexual predators typically do not choose bathrooms of all places to attack someone, and it is a typical event for people who do not even identify in the specific gender-assigned bathroom to use it in emergency situations. How many times have you seen a girl give up waiting in the line of 20 plus people and just hop into the men’s instead? If we can choose to use whichever one we want to, why can’t the Trans* community have that same choice?

Everyone has to pee, so get over it. There is no statistical evidence regarding all of this “bathroom bill” hubbub. So, go about your business, and only yours, and flush your bias on the way out.

Contact the author at jberesheim11@wou.edu or on Twitter @woujournalnews to share your thoughts and feels

Republicans on the issues

In the overwhelming amount of political rhetoric that occurs, it seems as if the Republican candidates are always talked about in a sarcastic, joking manner. That makes for good headlines and clickbait material, but it often increasingly polarizes the two parties and leads to the apprehension of obtaining information simply based on the fact that the Republican candidates are made out to be so ridiculous. This story focuses on the three Republican candidates’ top five key issues and a short explanation, as per their campaign websites.

Donald Trump (donaldjtrump.com)
1. Building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico – eliminating illegal immigration
2. Repealing Obamacare – creating a new free-market system that gives affordable care
3. Creating new trade policies with China – making China admit to currency manipulation and eliminating trade tariffs
4. Veteran’s Administration reform – ensuring veterans have benefits they need
5. Tax reform – simpler tax brackets and the elimination of an income tax for some

Ted Cruz (tedcruz.org)
1. Restoring the Constitution – giving power back to the states and limiting the power or the federal government
2. Protecting Second Amendment rights – ensuring that citizens have the right to bear arms
3. Securing the border – ending amnesty and increasing deportations
4. Defending the nation – rebuilding the military, defeating ISIS, and protecting the homeland
5. Standing with Israel – maintaining American-Israeli alliance in the Middle East

John Kasich (johnkasich.com)
1. The Kasich action plan – reducing the size and scope of the federal government
2. Electability – Kasich believes he has the best chance at beating the Democratic nominee
3. Education – leaving standards up to the states and local municipalities rather than the federal government
4. National security – defeating ISIS, strengthening the military, and working with world allies
5. A Conservative approach to better healthcare – repealing Obamacare and “providing better care instead of more care”

These are the issues that our Republican candidates have deemed to be the most pressing as they have been listed on their respective campaign websites. Much of these issues have little to no explanation on how they will be enacted, which I think says something in itself. It is interesting because often politicians tell us what are the most important issues to be focusing on, and then run their campaigns around those issues, rather than the citizens choosing what issues are most important, and then backing a candidate that best reflects those interests. Personally, I do not identify with any of these candidates’ platforms because none of their ideas align with my own; there is no talk about higher education and student loan debt reform, no plan for reducing income inequality or closing the wage gap for women and minorities, and nothing on addressing climate change. Despite my own personal opinions, this column was not meant to sway you to vote red or blue, but rather to show what these candidates have decided are the most important issues facing the United States right now. It’s up to you to decide if you agree with them, or not. Stay tuned for next week’s column from the left side of the aisle.

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalEIC

Know Your Candidates

By: Carly Fister
Designer

As you may or may not be aware, there is a presidential election going on. You probably haven’t heard anything about it. But it is our job to be a well-informed public and elect a leader that won’t have the rest of the world laughing in our faces and is also up to the task of running our country.

Putting the politics aside, there is more to consider than you may think when choosing our next president. Perhaps you know their policy inside and out, but have you thought about the next four years with their stupid face staring back at you? For every press conference, public address, State of the Union, and every other minute thing that we broadcast you are going to watch and listen to them speak. And for some this may be harder than any of us could possibly anticipate.

As I watched a Republican Town Hall in mid-February with a group of coworkers, we began looking at the different hand movements of each candidate. Now, while there are probably some drinking games we could associate with these, I went in a different direction. I spent my Spring Break watching videos of each candidate speaking and singling out their “tick,” so to speak. Below are the fruits of my labor. So, let’s meet the candidates, shall we?

Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz is the Zodiac Killer

Ted Cruz can’t seem to stop wandering somewhere over the rainbow. He often will put his palm out in front of him as shown above and moves it across his body to illustrate his point, almost as if drawing the “imagination” rainbow Spongebob Squarepants style. Or maybe that’s just how the Zodiac Killer does things. We’ll never know.

John Kasich

Kasich is still in the race, apparently

I have to admit, I keep forgetting Kasich is still in the race, not having heard much about him, well, ever. And while watching this Ohio Governor speak, it is easy to see why. His movements, and his personality, seem to be very moderate. A gentle open palm facing up and flattened out seems to be his go-to. Not too difficult to watch every speech, but we also have to care what he says. We’ll see if anyone ever does.

Donald Trump

We make good gifs. The BEST gifs, I tell ya.

Everyone knows Donald Trump, and many of us are afraid of him, and that’s the way he likes it. His movements are full of authority with sharp jabs of his hands and waving his arms as he complains about his fellow candidates, the media, and pretty much everything. Oh, and of course, China.

Hillary Clinton

H is for HILLARY, folks

I don’t have the preconceived notions about Hillary Clinton that many voters do since I first knew her as the 2008-election-Hillary. But I will say when watching her it is apparent that Hillary has been coached on how to speak and how to animate herself. Her strange point with her whole hand type of movement that she uses to emphasize random words seemed a little too rehearsed to me (and a touch out of rhythm with what she is saying) and she never looks entirely comfortable with the motions. Maybe this is her attempt at bringing her personality into her campaign and her years of ridicule make her hesitant to commit? It’s hard to tell.

Bernie SandersPut a birb on it

Ahh, Bernie Sanders. I have a soft spot in my heart for this human Birkenstock, as he’s been called. Any 75 year-old man that reminds me of an 18 year-old who would live in a tree to keep it from being cut down just makes me smile, you know? Especially when said person has a heavy Brooklyn accent which is all peace and love. Bernie wants you to take action! And join the revolution! He emphasizes this with a lot of hand waving and sharp, prodding motions and pointing at the audience, calling them to action. Will you answer?

Healthy food on a budget

recipe layout online

 

Caramel Apple Salad
By: Jenna Beresheim
News Editor

Ingredients:
2 Apples
2 Dates
½ Lemon

This salad makes a quick, easy, and healthy snack, or the foundation for a creative creation. It requires two apples (I prefer Granny Smith for the tartness, but any will do), two to four dates (depending on how sweet you want it), and lemon. The lemon is optional, but helps the apples from turning brown and also adds a sour to the sweetness of the dates. I would suggest soaking the dates for a short period of time beforehand to make them easier to cut – and remember to remove the pits as well. A simple slice down the center of the date will do to remove them and splay open the fruit. Dates are a great source of fiber, potassium, and copper, while lemons and apples are both cleansing foods great for detoxifying. This salad takes around 10 minutes to prepare, and can take on different flavor flares depending on what you’re in the mood for – try adding dried coconut for a contrasting texture and more tropical flavor. This snack is also easily adjustable for portions and taste preferences, all while costing under $10.

Lifter's Bowl
By: Conner Williams
Editor-in-Chief

Do you want to gain weight? Lose weight? Or maybe just actually have some food available to you when you have to be on campus for hours at a time so you don’t die? Then look no further!

This recipe isn’t anything flashy; it’s literally chicken, green beans, and rice. Exciting stuff, I know, but it’ll beef you up or lean you out depending on how much and how often you eat it. It’s also super cheap to buy in bulk and prep your food ahead of time, and if you’re like me, you’re a cost-conscious college student. Or maybe not. Kudos to you. If you do it right, each meal comes out to less than $2. If you eat three or four times per day, that’s pretty cheap. I recommend shopping at Costco, since they hands-down have the best deals, and you can buy in major bulk. you’ll also want some tupperware for storage and transportation. I recommend ones that hold at least 16 ounces of food. Now let’s get started.

I cook about 1.5-2 pounds of chicken per day and eat 4-5 of these per day, excluding breakfast. I weigh out all of my food so I can distribute it evenly, but eyeballing it works too. So, each meal has about 6-7 ounces of chicken in it, bringing in around 45 grams or so of protein. Keep in mind that raw chicken weighs a bit more than cooked because of the loss of retained water and salt. That takes care of our protein. For carbs, I usually stick to rice (brown or white is left up to your preference and goals) because it’s easy to cook and store. I eat about 1 cup of white rice per meal, which is about 40 grams of carbs per meal. I recommend getting a rice cooker/steamer because it will make your life a hell of a lot easier when preparing food, but steaming in a pot on the stove works as well. For veggies, I do green beans because they’re pretty cheap, and all you’ve got to do is toss 2 cups in the microwave for 5 minutes and you’re good to go. For healthy fats, add about 2 tablespoons of virgin olive oil into each meal.

Ingredients for 4 meals:

Chicken breast: 16 ounces – $2 per pound at Costco (buy frozen)

Rice: 4 cups cooked – about $8 for a 25 pound bag at Costco

Green beans: 2 cups – about $1.25 per pound at Costco (buy frozen)

Extra virgin olive oil: 8 tbsp – about $12 for a gallon at Costco (will last forever)

Seasoning – your discretion, but I use stuff with low sodium

Now cook your food. For the chicken, you can toss them in the oven or grill them on the stovetop. I choose the stove because I think it tastes better and cooks faster. Chop the raw meat into cubes first, and it’ll cook in about 8 minutes. Start the rice beforehand, because it’ll take about 20-25 minutes to cook, and the veggies will take about 5 minutes. Once you become a pro, you’ll be able to time it all out.

May the gains be with you!

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalEIC

Musings from a woman on the edge

By: Katrina Penaflor 
Managing Editor

It’s dead week and, yes, I’m completely, 100 percent, totally dead.

The burnout of week 10 has hit me the hardest this year. Maybe it’s because I’m a senior, maybe it’s because I only have one more term left after this, or maybe it’s because the work load for my classes has piled up so high I can’t see past it.

I always thought dead week was the time where classes basically stopped and my only focus was worrying about my upcoming finals the following week.

But sadly, that isn’t the case. I’m still chipping away at a paper due in two days that I have a substantial amount of work left to do, organizing a term’s worth of homework for a 100 level LACC—yes, I am the senior who put these kinds of classes off until the last minute—and struggling to start or even think about any of the things I have to turn in next week, or the tests I have to take.

I can only imagine the struggle of the students who are graduating at the end of this term. By week 10 of spring term I imagine the last thing on my mind will be the homework and projects I need to turn in before graduating.

I understand my column this week is basically me just complaining—okay, it’s totally me just complaining—but sometimes when it comes to school, students just run out of juice.

I can only handle so many eight page papers and class projects. I can only handle so much reading and writing. I have all this to worry about and work on top of that, as well as everything else going on in my life.

Just a week’s more worth of work before spring break. That’s it. Dead week you’ve temporarily killed me again, but I’ll be up and running again at the start of week term.

Countdown to graduation: three more months.

Contact the author at kpenaflor12@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalkatrina