Opinion | PogChamps reinvigorates chess
By Matthew Krauter, Columnist
September 17, 2020
While the rest of the sporting world has been frozen amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a high stakes tournament pitted stars against each other in front of a live audience of 87,000 with $50,000 at stake. I’m describing, of course, the Pogchamps chess tournament on Twitch. Many might hear chess and begin to ...
Opinion | America must choose between economy or public safety
By Evelyn Delgado, Columnist
September 16, 2020
2020 hasn’t been our year. There will be many stories to tell from our time. The surreality that came and went these last few months is insane to think of. I can only assume the crisis we’ve dealt with thus far isn’t going away anytime soon. And I'm sorry to break it to you, but the actions of t...
Opinion | Break free from one-inch barrier
By Dylan Gray, Columnist
September 15, 2020
With the recent success of Bong Joon-ho’s “Parasite,” foreign cinema has perhaps never been more in the spotlight in the United States. In a recent speech, Ho mentioned the “one-inch barrier of subtitles” and that people must overcome this in order to enjoy the wealth of excellent foreign c...
Opinion | Cats remain vastly underappreciated
By Andrew Prozorovsky, Opinions Editor
September 14, 2020
Regarding the stereotypical personalities of a “dog-person” or a “cat-person,” I certainly align with the extroverted, energized caricature of a “dog-person.” And I adore our K-9 companions. But I am not special in that regard; most people love dogs. Cats, however, deserve to be held in a ...
Opinion | Word Art always disappoints
By Ellen Barczak, Senior Columnist
September 14, 2020
We are surrounded by art at all times. The clothes we wear, the music we hear, the shows we view, the works hanging on our walls. Not all art is created equal, though. I have long considered “word art,” or as some call it “sign art,” the least of all the art forms. One might encounter thi...
Opinion | James Patterson deserves literary commendation
By Noah Nelson, Senior Columnist
September 14, 2020
When you think of the most prolific writers in history, names like William Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain and J.K. Rowling should always come to mind. As those wordsmiths have made their mark on the world, so has mystery novelist James Patterson, who shows no signs of slowin...
Opinion | Stop complaining about politics being in sports
By Nick Johnson, columnist
September 11, 2020
For an enormous number of people, sports are seen as an escape from the “problems of the real world.” Ardent sports fans — myself included — can attest that kicking back in a comfortable chair with a cold drink in hand to watch your childhood team compete on live television invokes a feeling of...
Opinion | One should appreciate Disney Channel Originals
By Noah Nelson, Senior Columnist
September 10, 2020
Is there anything negative to say about a Disney movie? The superhero always saves the day. The princess always falls in love at the end. Everyone lives happily ever after. There’s no doubt that Disney movies have kept their reputation for greatness since Walt himself first created “Steamboat Willi...
Editorial | Be logical with COVID-19 vaccine
By The Daily Illini Editorial Board
September 10, 2020
There has been a lot of speculation on when and how a vaccine might roll-out to the general public. Estimates on the release of a vaccine span from two months to over two years, emphasizing the uncertainty regarding the details of a vaccine timeline. Optimistic estimates have many worried about the possi...
Opinion | Greek Life may irresponsibly bring death
By Tara Pavithran, Columnist
September 10, 2020
The recent release of Chancellor Jones last Massmail is a surreal wake-up call to many in the University community. In our attempts to understand how the University is just as susceptible to shutting down prematurely as any of our higher institution counterparts, students are finding themselves in a fin...
Opinion | Change requires incremental conversion, not overhaul
By Tara Pavithran, Columnist
September 9, 2020
Over the five-month period from when lockdowns first initiated to school reopening, we’ve been looking for ways to keep busy. People have turned to fitness challenges, obscure diets and mental health care to try to fill the time. There has also been a gradually increasing emphasis on pressing ethical is...
Opinion | Fans needed Phineas and Ferb comeback
By Noah Nelson, Senior Columnist
September 8, 2020
Whatcha doing? If you asked me that question on Aug. 28, I would proudly tell you I watched the premiere of Disney Plus’ latest film “Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candice Against the Universe” and the comeback of a great Disney show fans needed. In 2007, right after the premiere of “High Schoo...
