Opinions - The Spectrum

OPINION

Letter to the editor

By Mike Brown | Sep. 13, 2018

The theme of this year's National Suicide Prevention Week is the Power of Connection. Although there is no single cause of suicide, one of the risks for suicide is social isolation, and there’s scientific evidence for reducing that risk by making sure we have strong connections with one another. It’s also about the power of having real conversations about mental health with people in our everyday lives.

OPINION

Surveying your options

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Sep. 12, 2018

Over the summer, I completed over 100 tasks a day at my job. My hands were always busy, and every day required more and more of a laser sharp focus on my part. But I didn’t work an internship, no sir, I sat on my bed and did surveys in my free time — and earned about $1000 in the meantime. After I completed my Bachelor’s in May, and after two companies declined me internships (to their loss), I jumped onto Amazon’s Mechanical Turk platform for the second straight year.

OPINION

SA Fall Fest’s new format raises questions

By Editorial Board | Sep. 10, 2018

SA’s changes to this year’s Fall Fest have left many students feeling frustrated. While students voice their opinions of the Student Association’s Fall Fest lineup every year, SA’s format changes and lineup this year have raised many questions. The new SA e-board said it made changes it has considered for a while, but many students felt left out in the process.

OPINION

Anonymous letter unleashes paranoid president

By BRIAN EVANS | Sep. 10, 2018

Rather, banter and daily doses of insanity have run rampant throughout the White House. This has become the new normal, with President Trump taking to Twitter on a daily basis to voice objections to anyone, and anything, he sees fit. The problem is that President Trump’s opinions, mindsets and fits of rage change both topic and targets from moment to moment, let alone day to day.

OPINION

A college engagement

By KIRSTEN DEAN | Sep. 9, 2018

We were outlet shopping in the morning when my boyfriend, Nate, started rushing me to finish so we could continue on our road trip to Michigan to visit my family. If you know me, one of my least favorite things is having to shop on a time limit and I was not having it.

OPINION

‘Kamikaze:’ the album to help forget ‘Revival’

By BRIAN EVANS | Sep. 6, 2018

Eminem is far from the pinnacle rapper of the modern era. For the last ten years, Eminem has acted as though he’s chasing something greater and more tangible than continued success.

OPINION

Marshall, this ain’t it

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Sep. 6, 2018

Eminem, the character, is a rap golden boy. Slim Shady, B-Rabbit, I could go on and on. The Detroit rapper is impressive when he gets into one element, when he plays with wit and wholeheartedly embraces himself in everything from violent to vulgar archetypes.

OPINION

Finish in three

By KIRSTEN DEAN | Aug. 30, 2018

I came to UB my freshman year at a sophomore standing, with 24 credits already under my belt from high school AP exams.

OPINION

Tinder-Gate: A string of mistakes for dinner dates

By SAMANTHA VARGAS | Aug. 29, 2018

This past August, I realized the dynamic of the world was way different when you’re single. I spent the summer swiping on Tinder, partially out of spite and partially out of boredom from the comfort of my childhood home.

OPINION

Letter from the editor

By HANNAH STEIN | Aug. 29, 2018

The year I was born, The Spectrum celebrated its 47th year. Today it’s 68 and yet, it’s still vibrant, young and thriving.

Senior news editor Max Kalnitz looks out on Kenai Lake, part of the Kenai Peninsula on Alaska's southern coast.

OPINION

Visit your national parks before they're gone

By MAX KALNITZ | July 2, 2018

In 2017, the United States population was roughly 324 million people. That same year, more than 330 million people visited national parks.

OPINION

Researching research

By KIRSTEN DEAN | July 2, 2018

Getting into undergraduate research is an essential part of college for science students. It helps teach practical knowledge and life skills, makes you stand out from your peers when competing for internships, jobs and graduate schools, and helps you figure out what you want to do with your life. When I began searching for colleges in high school, I knew I wanted to study biology.

Co-Managing Editor Dan McKeon catches a slice of pizza in this photo illustration. The pizza was not edited in.

OPINION

An open letter to freshmen Long Islanders

By DAN MCKEON | July 2, 2018

Hello all incoming freshmen from the pizzeria-strewn, lighthouse-encircled island that everyone loves to hate: Long Island. As a reformed Long Islander myself, I get where you guys are coming from. When you fly into town, you’ll scoff at Buffalo’s one terminal airport.

OPINION

Letter from the editor: The Spectrum stands with The Capital Gazette

By HANNAH STEIN | June 29, 2018

On Thursday afternoon, a gunman broke through the glass at Maryland’s Capital Gazette daily newspaper and killed five reporters. This was a targeted attack, an act of distinct hatred -- a tragic attack on our society. The five staff members went to work for the sole purpose of serving the public and will not return home to their families, will not return to their duty of telling the stories to the public or live to see justice.

OPINION

Check the disclaimers

By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | May 10, 2018

On Sunday night, I talked with my grandpa about a recent purchase he made. It was just one of many conversations we have every week, but usually it’s one-sided.

OPINION

Learning to let go

By MADDY FOWLER | May 10, 2018

This year, I learned a lot about letting go of things that are no longer right for me, no matter how much I love them. I have written for The Spectrum for two full academic years.

OPINION

Letter from the editor

By HANNAH STEIN | May 10, 2018

In today’s issue, we reported on our front page about a UB senior adviser in the Educational Opportunity Program who used his office to have sex with a student and text the student sexually suggestive photos and videos. We printed his name despite strong pressure from university officials who feel we should not have done so. We have thought deeply about the implications of including and not including his name, and believe printing his name is in the public interest.

OPINION

Just a guy

By DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA | May 10, 2018

I graduated from UB in December with a degree in media study and a journalism certificate, because I don't want to make any money, I guess. I’m still here because our editor-in-chief asked me to finish out the year as managing editor. I was hesitant, mostly because I was afraid of being just a guy.

OPINION

Bit by bit, putting it together

By Pierce Strudler | May 10, 2018

I walked through the doors of The Spectrum three years ago as an assistant creative director.

OPINION

SA e-board should eliminate one of the annual music festivals

By Editorial Board | May 10, 2018

The Student Association’s annual Fall and Spring Fests are costly, and the price will likely only increase as the music industry becomes more expensive.