Ah, sexually transmitted infections. The modern scarlet letter. “Stay away!” we cry. Particularly if it’s herpes. Oh, religious deity, forbid it be herpes. For many, STIs exist on an intangible parallel plane. This or that promiscuous so-and-so might have had it coming, but we’d like to think we’re far removed Read More…
“Kill the Mexicans!” my friend hollered as we watched a movie. Some of my housemates groaned. Others chuckled. I stayed quiet even though I’m Mexican American. We all continued watching the movie; it’s easy to shrug off discrimination when it’s not directly targeted at you. Where I used to live, Read More…
Bookworms, that is. Last month, I left work completely overwhelmed. The 49 wasn’t coming, so I walked home on the hottest afternoon, ever. I’m pretty sure parts of my skin melted off in protest of the high temperature — I have yet to discover the patches they left behind. On Read More…
When we think of the big special-interest groups that wield undue influence in Sacramento, we think of huge corporations — oil, gas, tobacco and pharmaceutical companies. We think of corporate lawyers lobbying for tax breaks and loopholes; we think of fat cats calling legislators they have under their thumbs. But Read More…
I had gone through the longest dry spell of my nonvirgin life while studying abroad. By the time I returned to the good ol’ U.S. of A, my sex drive had all but shriveled up and died due to neglect. I thought I had found a new sort of sexless nirvana. Read More…
One cannot undermine the power of nature to restore itself. The morning after it rains in Berkeley, everything outside looks so fresh. The wood shingles and turquoise tile of Cloyne Court and Soda Hall are clean and vibrant. The sidewalks are damp. Streets glisten. From Northside, I amble downhill over Read More…
I was stuck in an elevator in Barrows for 88 minutes — and then there was a fireball on campus. It wasn’t as scary as it sounds, except for those two seconds in the elevator when I misunderstood the student worker who was helping us and thought she was informing us Read More…
Got questions? Crazy questions, weird questions, questions you can’t ask anyone else? Ask anonymously, but remember your question will be answered through a megaphone. Hey Megaphone, This doesn’t happen that often, but when it does, it makes me feel crazy. Sometimes I dream that my boyfriend did something, but I’m Read More…
What in the world have we gotten ourselves into? On Oct. 1, the government shut down, furloughing 800,000 federal employees and forcing tens of thousands of other workers, including prison guards, air traffic controllers and U.S. Border Patrol agents to work without pay. And we aren’t too far from another Read More…
Leather and latex cover some parts of the bodies at Folsom, but not the parts that society typically asks of clothing. Some folk are bound by rope and chain — others are led by their partner by collar and leash, often wearing full-head leather masks. A woman’s limbs are arranged Read More…