The Anchor - February 4 2019 by The Anchor

Volume 92/Issue 2

February 4th, 2019

THE

ANCHOR

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

The hard hits of tax return season in a Trump driven nation

Erica Clark Assistant News Editor As Americans start to file taxes, they may consider: How will the government shutdown affect tax returns and refunds? For starters, President Trump is refusing to sign a

spending deal that doesn’t agree to include five billion dollars for a wall at the US-Mexico border. This resulted in the month-long government shutdown. The IRS (Internal Revenue Service) planned to keep 12.5 percent of its employers, which is lower than 10,000 workers.

While 46,000 employees were being called back to work without pay, many did not show up. The tens of thousands of additional IRS employees were disallowed, so they were no longer getting paid or obligated to show up to work for the time being. Many tax-

payers calling with concerns faced delays of over an hour. While many employees returned to their jobs this past Monday morning, it will take time to get parts of the IRS running smoothly again. Many workers’ time on the clock could be brief, with this shutdown being a temporary measure funding the government expires in just two weeks. If Republicans and Democrats are unable to reach an agreement by Feb. 15, President Trump indicated that he, without doubt, would shutdown the government once again, or declare a national emergency, which the White House argues is necessary for the security of America. A lot of big questions emerged about the 2019 tax season. The $1.5 trillion tax

overhaul that took part in 2018 lowered individual income tax rates and capped many tax breaks, such as both the state and a local tax deduction. Overall, this overhaul causes a vast amount of confusion over the exact amount to withhold in advance from workers’ paychecks. The actual impact of those changes will only be confirmed once the returns are processed. The bank’s economists expect an approximate $62 billion in additional tax refunds attributable to change from the tax overhaul. This, in total, would be a 26 percent increase over the last year. Usually, three-quarters of tax filers receive refunds. Last year, more than 102 million See “Tax season”, page 5

“Kingdom Hearts 3”: Government Shutdown: Why long-standing Will history repeat itself? franchises can mean so much

Enrique Castaneda-Pineda Senior Layout Editor

In December 2005, I was eight years old, without a care in the world. That Christmas, I was unaware that being gifted “Kingdom Hearts” would leave such a lasting impression on me into 2019. Throughout the years, media has continuously evolved into something people can latch onto for entertainment. Whether it is the older generation still excited about “The Young and the Restless” or the younger generation excited about the next Marvel film. For me and many others, this month marked an important milestone for gaming, with the release of “Kingdom Hearts 3.” Released in 2005, “Kingdom Hearts 2” the game was exciting for an eight-year-old like me who was familiar with the crossover Disney characters that

were in it. I received a Playstation 2 with both “Kingdom Hearts,” which I proceeded to play for days. After spending hours on the games, I realized that I went into the games excited for Disney and came out loving the original characters. Explaining to someone the idea of “Final Fantasy” characters and Disney characters in a full-fledged story together is crazy enough; the fact that it works well is even crazier. Thirteen years later, the next full installment has been released, while the last sub-game was released in 2012. Fans have been clamoring for a new release to push the overarching narrative to its next chapter, while it was confirmed that this game will finalize the “Dark Seeker Saga.” Announced in 2014, the knowledge of a new game and the finale for this story led fans aching for the See “Kingdom Hearts 3”, page 12

Aaron Isaac Anchor Staff In the whirlwind of media coverage it can be difficult to understand the whys and hows of the government shutdown. Never fear! That’s why The Anchor is here. On Dec. 22, the Senate failed to pass a spending bill after President Donald Trump insisted on including $5.7 billion to add fencing to the US-Mexico border. This resulted in the most recent shutdown. However, because some other spending bills had already passed and other programs are legal-

Photo Courtesy of CNBC ly protected, like Social Security, only about a quarter of government operations shut down. National parks, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration were all defunded as a result of the shutdown and cutback on their inspections. After the Democrats officially claimed the majority in the House of Representatives on Jan. 3, they offered a spending package with $1.3 billion for border See “Government Shutdown”, page 7

Organizational Information Editorial Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Samantha Scetta | editorinchief@anchorweb.org

MANAGING EDITOR

Jessica Gauthier | managing@anchorweb.org

BUSINESS MANAGER

Lucille DiNaro | business@anchorweb.org

ART DIRECTOR

Samantha Malley | artdirector@anchorweb.org

NEWS EDITOR

Tim Caplan | news@anchorweb.org

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Erica Clark | asst_news@anchorweb.org

A&L EDITOR

Alec Ematrudo | lifestyles@anchorweb.org

ASST. A&L EDITOR

Jonathan Weaver | asst_lifestyles@anchorweb.org

OPINIONS EDITOR

Catherine Enos | opinions@anchorweb.org

ASST. OPINIONS EDITOR

Alison Macbeth| asst_opinions@anchorweb.org

SPORTS EDITOR

Jake Elmslie | sports@anchorweb.org

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Joseph A. Griswold | asst_sports@anchorweb.org

PHOTO EDITOR

Britt Donahue | photo@anchorweb.org

ASST. PHOTO EDITOR

Thomas Crudale | asst_photo@anchorweb.org

GRAPHICS EDITOR

Wiley Sadowski | graphics@anchorweb.org

ASST. GRAPHICS EDITOR

Victoria Rose | asst_graphics@anchorweb.org

SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Charlotte Abotsi | senior_copy@anchorweb.org

ASST. COPY EDITOR

Angela DaSilva | copy@anchorweb.org

SENIOR LAYOUT EDITOR

Enrique Castaneda-Pineda | layout@anchorweb.org

ASST. LAYOUT EDITOR

Ralston Najarro | asst_layout@anchorweb.org

ADS MANAGER

Lily Gallo | ads@anchorweb.org

Anchor Staff Aaron Isaac Mike Dwyer Derek Sharlock Joshua Magnone Thomas Yakey Jr. Alison Darmetko Jake Deblois Sophia Guerrier Kaitlin Dobson Sean Richer Joshua Percy

(401)456-8544 ads@anchorweb.org

Editor-in-Chief Samantha Scetta

(401)456-8790 editorinchief@anchorweb.org

TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR Victor Martelle | technology@anchorweb.org ONLINE MEDIA MANAGER Marisa Lenardson | web@anchorweb.org CIRCULATION MANAGER Janelle Gomez | circulation@anchorweb.org

Professional Advisor Jim Hummel The Hummel Report

Faculty Advisor Michael Michaud mmichaud@ric.edu

The Anchor is student-run and published weekly during the academic year. Editorial decisions for The Anchor are made by a majority vote of its student editorial board. No form of censorship will be imposed by the college. Any material found to be unsuitable or unacceptable in the board’s opinion will not be published. The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island College’s faculty, administration or student body. The Anchor is not funded by and is independent from Rhode Island College. The first copy is free. Each additional copy is $2.25. Newspaper racks on the Rhode Island College campus are the property of The Anchor Newspaper. Only The Anchor Newspaper publication will be permitted on these racks. Any other publication or advertisement that is placed on the racks will be given one (1) warning for violating this policy. After two (2) violations, the business/publication will be billed at the rate of a full page advertisement. Copyright © 2016 The Anchor. All rights reserved.

Legalities:

News

Protestors at state capital represent both sides of abortion debate Tim Caplan News Editor

Pro-life and Pro-choice advocates of the newly proposed opposing Rhode Island abortion bills showed up to the State Capital to let their voices be heard on Tuesday, Jan 29. The debate about abortion is a very polarized subject in American life, and that showed this week on Smith Hill. Hundreds of people came to protest and testify to the House Judiciary Committee for both the pro-abortion and anti-abortion bills being proposed. The Rhode Island Reproductive Healthcare act is a bill proposed by Democratic Representative Edith Ajello, and co-sponsored by 39 other representatives. Governor Gina Raimondo Tweeted a letter to Chairman Robert Craven in which she expressed her “strong support” of the bill, stating that she “support(s) efforts to protect Rhode Island women’s rights to reproductive health care.” The bill would get rid of abortion restrictions in the state of Rhode Island. It would repeal a law about spousal notice during an

abortion procedure (forcing the mother to tell the father about the abortion) as well as a repeal of Rhode Island General Law Chapter 24 section 4.12 concerning “partial birth abortion.” The law banned the action of a partial birth abortion, which, according to the law is “an abortion in which the person performing the abortion… delivers a living human fetus before killing the infant and completing the delivery.” One of the two opposing bills is called the Rhode Island Right to Life Act, which is only one page long and bans the abortion of a child outright. The bill states that “the right to life is guaranteed by the State of Rhode Island and vested to each person at fertilization.” This bill was introduced by Rhode Island state Representatives Mclaughlin, Hull, Corvese, Serodio, and Vella-Wilkinson. Another bill proposed by Representatives Corvese, Azzinaro, Vella-Wilkinson, Fellela, and Costantino would ban “Dismemberment Abortions” in Rhode Island. This is a very hotly contested subject and that manifested itself in the emotional testimonies at the capital.

Pro-choice advocates believe that abortion is a fundamental right of privacy and taking it away would be a violation of the rights of a woman to make choices about her body. Pro-life advocates believe that abortion is the killing of an innocent child. These strongly opposed views were apparent throughout the proceedings, when Rhode Island Democratic Party Women’s Caucus Secretary Melanie Dupont proposed an amendment, she stated that the members of her party who didn’t support abortion should be “ashamed” to call themselves democrats. Dupont also made a statement during her proposal to fellow Democratic Representative Gregory J. Constantino in which she said “I contend that, anytime Gregory J. Constantino tries to abridge my rights as a woman, and endanger my life, I… should return the favor and abridge his rights as a man and endanger his life.” This comment was seen as a threat on his by Representative Constantino and he preceded by contacting the Rhode Island state Police, who are investigating the incident according to NBC 10. House members are still considering the bills and have yet to bring them to a vote.

Protests in the State House, photo courtesy of The Providence Journal, Kris Craig

Protests at state capital, photo courtesy of WJAR

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

News

This archived article is from the April 11, 1989 issue of The Anchor.

Catherine Enos Opinions Editor

There are just some issues that will always be hot button issues--Democrat or Republicans? Pro-life or Pro-choice? Pro-vaccine or anti-vaccine? And, of course, Coca-Cola versus Pepsi, which was the hot button issue up for debate in The Anchor 30 years ago. The school decided they were going to change things up with a Pepsi contract instead of Coke, and The Anchor thought this was front-page worthy news. In a poll The Anchor conducted, Coca-Cola was favored by 73 out of 75 students polled. An interesting part about this 30 year old story is the fact that history has repeated itself. Just this fall, Pepsi invaded RIC as it did in 1989. However, perhaps it isn’t as

big a deal as it was in 1989. Americans aren’t drinking as much soda as they have in the past. Soda consumption has declined in recent years, with people opting for bottled water or coffee instead and the campus hasn’t gotten rid of either of those. Even if soda consumption was at the same level as it was 30 years ago, maybe people’s priorities have just changed. After all, there are more important matters to deal with as students, like the prospect of free tuition, the upgrading of decrepit campus buildings, and, of course, staying on top of classes. Sometimes, you have to pick your battles. The battle The Anchor chose in this 1989 issue just happened to be about soda.

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News

U.S. and Taliban begin negotiations for peace Sean Richer Anchor Staff After 17 years, America’s longest overseas conflict may be showing signs of an end, as American and Taliban envoys met in Doha, Qatar last week. The negotiations are being led by Zalmay Khalilzad, the U.S. diplomat to Afghanistan. After four days of communication, a draft for the framework to peace has been established. The Taliban is a radical Islamic extremist group who have been accused of brutal human rights violations by numerous human rights groups and journalists. These include using child soldiers, committing suicide bombings, and the repression of women. Within this framework, American troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan. In exchange, The Taliban would agree to not allow other militant groups like Al Qaeda and ISIL from using the country as a staging ground. However, exact specifications as to how many troops or supplies would be withdrawn, or if support for the current Afghan government would be withdrawn,

Graphic courtesy of Reuters remain unclear. Along with these prospective conditions, the framework also includes an exchange of POW’s (Prisoners of war), as well as a ceasefire between American and Taliban forces. Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen, an Afghani political analyst said, “The discussions have been focused on two issues... the withdrawal of the troops and that the soil of Afghanistan will not be used against

anyone.” Currently, the negotiations have been held exclusively between the Taliban and the United States. While the current Afghan government has not been included within this framework, officials said that all final terms must be concluded between the current regime and the Taliban. However, the Taliban insurgents have since rejected this idea, since President Ashraf Ghani’s administra-

tion has not been recognized by the militia. The deal is not without its critics, however. Many consider the act of negotiating with the Taliban un-American, and many believe that leaving the country so rapidly, is a betrayal of the Afghan Central government and surrender for the United States. Ryan Crocker, a former ambassador to Afghanistan and opinion contributor for the

Washington Post wrote, “This current process bears an unfortunate resemblance to the Paris peace talks during the Vietnam War.” Many also believe Pakistan has the right to participate as well, as the Taliban have been operating there for years as well. However, no concrete agreement has been reached, and there are still many variables to be addressed between the negotiators.

nomic growth in the first quarter since workers and contractors were left without pay and vast amounts of government work went undone. The government’s unfulfilled duty of paying their workers had a large scale impact on significant consumers pending in the economy. Contractors and business owners that cater to government employees have suffered a large loss. Many economists analysts agree that first-quarter growth will be several tenths of a percentage point lower than they had predicted. The government shutdown made a lot of Americans confused about possible setbacks in paying deserved refunds. The new Trump tax brack-

ets didn’t apply until the 2018 tax year, which you will file by April 2019. The brackets will stay the same, but the income thresholds will change slightly to keep up with inflation. If you’re wondering how the tax changes affect your specific tax situation, there are various sources to estimate what you can expect to pay under the new plan.

There are various resources online that can assist you to navigate your taxes this year, such as TurboTax’s tax reform calculator. If online tools aren’t enough, there is always the option to speak with an accountant to make sure you know what to expect and how to prepare for this tax season.

“Tax season”

Continued from cover tax filers got money back. The refunds totaled roughly $285 billion, with an average refund being $2,800. This is the money most citizens use to get through the last cold months of winter. If you are to receive a lower refund, with the new tax code, companies and taxpayers made better assumptions on how much they owe the government. Though, some Republicans in Washington are concerned taxpayers might not see it from that perspective, and that smaller refunds will cause many Americans to think they were scolded, not assisted, by the new tax code. Opinion polls show the law has struggled to attract support from a majority of voters.

High-income taxpayers in states including New York, New Jersey and California could be at high risk for unexpected tax liability. This is because those taxpayers are more likely to have claimed a larger amount of deductions on their federal returns. President Trump’s law capped that deduction, known as S.A.L.T. (State and Local Tax), at $10,000 per household each year. You should also be expecting a large tax cut if you’re among the country’s highest earners, carrying 37% kick in at $500,001 for single people and $600,001 for married couples, according to smartasset.com. The government shutdown is also expected to sap eco-

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

News

Democratic hopefuls begin to stack up for 2020 bid Tim Caplan News editor

Just as the Republican primary candidates came out in droves for their 2016 nomination, the Democratic party has a plethora of individuals who have announced their campaigns and even more who are expected to announce for the party’s 2020 presidential bid. On Dec. 31, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren announced that she had formed an exploratory committee for a potential 2020 run. Warren released a YouTube video shortly after in which she describes her platform as fighting for a middle class that is “under attack,” pursuing economic reforms and going after Wall Street and large oil companies, who she claims have ruined the American economy. Warren is generally considered as being part of the progressive wing of the democratic party, a group farther away from the establishment ideals of the traditional Democrats. Progressives in to-

day’s Democratic party are working toward a Medicarefor-all system, a “Green New Deal” (having to do with lower emissions and fixing the environment through federally funded jobs) and using the socio-economic models of countries like Denmark, Sweden and Norway as templates of the kind of America that they would like to see. Kamala Harris has also made her progressive ideals well known as she announced her 2020 campaign on Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Day utilizing the platform of Good Morning America. She followed up her announcement with her first campaign rally in her home city of Oakland, California. Harris is the Junior Senator from California, as well as the former District Attorney for the City and County of San Francisco, and the former Attorney General of California. Similar to Warren, Harris has centered her campaign around environmental reforms and

Medicare-for-all. Harris even went so far as to say she wanted to abolish private medical insurance companies in a CNN town hall on Jan. 28, a statement which her campaign spokespeople have slightly backtracked on. The third major player in the 2020 Democratic race so far is New Jersey Junior Senator Corey Booker. Booker announced his primary run on Feb. 1. In a statement to the press in Newark, he talked about his record on education reforms, and declared to Politico how his intention was not to focus on Republicans or his opponents, but to “Unite” Americans from all walks of life. All three candidates were members of the “Hell No” caucus, a group of senators in 2016 who opposed the cabinet nominations of President Trump including Mike Pompeo and Rex Tillerson. When it comes to the progressive political sphere in which these three potential candidates occupy, Booker

is the perceived frontrunner. Elizabeth Warren has received criticisms from both sides of the aisle after an attempt to prove her Native American ancestry through a DNA test was seen as offensive. Chuck Hoskin Jr., Cherokee Nation Secretary of State released a public statement referring to the incident “Using a DNA test to lay claim to any connection to the Cherokee Nation or any tribal nation, even vaguely, is inappropriate and wrong. It makes a mockery out of DNA tests and its legitimate uses while also dishonoring legitimate tribal governments and their citizens…” A major issue on the progressive agenda is criminal justice reform. Senator Harris has a prosecutorial record that has come under fire by progressive activists like Phelicia Jones. According to The Washington Times, Jones claimed “San Francisco has always incarcerated more black men than anywhere else, and it didn’t

really change under her leadership. Now she wants to do criminal justice reform?” Jones said. “She never did say anything about the police brutality of African-Americans and just the outright harassment and racial profiling of black and brown people here in San Francisco. Now those are huge issues.” Some of the less wellknown candidates who have announced their campaigns are Hawaiian Representative Tulsi Gabbard, former Mayor of San Antonio Julian Castro, and Maryland Representative John Delaney. A series of Democrats are expected to announce their candidacies in the near future, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, and former Vice President Joe Biden. For now, the Democrats have a large pool of candidates to choose from, but will they be able to garner enough support to beat the Trump reelection effort? That answer is not yet clear.

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News

Supreme court approves transgender military ban Alison Darmetko Anchor Staff

In recent years, many strides being made towards equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community have instead changed direction under our current administration. While some may think of the efforts by the Trump administration to dial back the Title IX protections in schools, the transgender community came to another hurdle on January 22 when the Supreme Court of the United States granted a request by the Trump administration to renew one of its more controversial policies: the transgender military ban. For those unaware of what this policy entails, on July 26 in 2017, President Trump sent out a series of Tweets stating that transgender individuals would no longer be permitted to serve in the United States military in any

capacity. Claiming he spoke with his generals on the subject, President Trump justified his policy citing the costs to the military in providing medical care to assist in gender reassignment surgery as being too great of a burden to the military budget. This was a drastic juxtaposition to a 2016 policy under President Obama allowing transgender citizens to serve openly in the military without needing to lie about their gender identities. This policy, which was previously blocked by courts on the grounds of discrimination, largely faded from the public eye following President Trump’s constant controversial statements. The policy made its return when the Supreme Court voted five to four, with the court’s five conservative judges in the majority, on January 22 to stay two different injunctions from district courts that were blocking

the policy from taking effect while also allowing the policy to temporarily go into effect. While it is important to note that the policy does not technically immediately force soldiers from the military for identifying as transgender, the policy does put those who seek to transition or wish to serve openly after beginning their transition at a risk for being discharged from the military. While this policy only restricts transgender citizens from serving in the military, the environment that creat-

ed the policy is something to take note of. President Trump is known for associating with individuals who support very conservative agendas who are not friendly to the political ideals of the LGBTQ community. Vice President Mike Pence is well known for his efforts to pass a Religious Freedom Restoration Act during his time as governor, a law that has been criticized as an effort to condone discrimination against LGBTQ individuals by permitting private businesses to refuse service to any in-

dividuals on the grounds of religious beliefs. The law states “a governmental entity may not substantially burden a person’s exercise of religion... [unless it] (1) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.” Additionally, with a majority of the current Supreme Court justices being conservative in their political ideals, only time will tell what will follow the transgender military ban.

the halls of the U.S Senate. Agencies, such as the National Science Foundation, began to consider not paying their workers until the government reopened. On Jan. 13, Republican Sen-

ator Lindsey Graham suggested Trump should temporarily reopen the government without the border funding. Trump rejected that offer, but later offered to extend temporary protections to DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) recipients in exchange for the border fencing. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected the deal and Democrats criticized Trump for offer protections he had previously revoked. Under increasing pressure from Congress, federal employees, who were on track to miss their second paycheck, and hours after air traffic controllers called in sick in mass, effectively shutting down airlines, the government was reopened. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the shutdown slowed down economic growth. Much of the lost output will be recovered

over time, and although workers are set to receive back pay, the CBO estimates around $3 billion, 0.02 percent of Gross Domestic Product, will not be recovered. There was a also a political cost to the shutdown as well. A Gallup poll shows Republican favorability has dropped from 45 percent in September to 37 percent near the end of January. Meanwhile, support for Democrats remained still (from 44 to 45 points). Currently Congress is continuing negotiations, until Feb. 15th to keep government open. However, Trump continues to threaten a national emergency if a settlement cannot be reached and Democrats do not seem willing to provide the funds for the fencing. What happens next is uncertain, but it is possible we see another shutdown after Feb. 15th.

“The government shutdown” Continued from cover security, but not for Trump’s proposed fencing. The next day, after rejecting the spending package, Trump said he would declare a national emergency to circumvent Congress to fund the fencing. Democratic leadership later accused Trump of using “fear, not facts” over funding. Some Republicans had blamed Democrats for not addressing the issues at the southern border. In the Senate, Democrats called for opening parts of the government which were not involved in the fencing negotiations. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to take those bills to a vote because Trump would not sign them. McConnell said the votes were “absolutely pointless.” After Jan. 12, this shutdown became the longest in history. Approximately 800,000

federal employees missed their paychecks. According to The New Yorker, thousands of government employees went to food banks to get their next meal, and even formed a protest against the shutdown in

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Arts & Entertainment

An Interview with RIC Alumni and Music Artist, Roz Raskin Esther Watrous Anchor Contributor

Rhode Island College Graduate, Roz Raskin, began a solo project in 2017 called “Nova One” and released the EP “Secret Princess,” in June, 2018. You might have seen Raskin’s iconic hot pink hair in the local Providence band, Roz and the Rice Cakes. During a decade of touring and recording music, Raskin graduated from Rhode Island College in 2016 with a degree in Gender and Women’s Studies. The Anchor: You Started Roz and the Rice Cakes in 2008 and Nova One in 2017. How do you think the music industry and scene has changed in the past decade? Roz Raskin: I think things have changed a lot. I would say, you know, I feel like it’s such a cliché at this point to say the internet changed things, but it definitely was MySpace, PureVolume, all that sort of communication and type of interaction on the internet when I was first playing music. A lot of my connection to the scene was through social media stuff. When I first started, I felt like I wasn’t sure how to move in the community. A lot of the music was super cisgender white dude dominated stuff. So it was very challenging to feel like I had a place to go with my music. My band and I decided that since it felt that nobody wanted to The Anchor: So the peach wigs were an accident? play with us, we needed to dig out our own scene and our own community of people who didn’t feel welcome in certain spaces. Roz Raskin: It was an accident. When it came, I fell in love with it and The Anchor: What inspired you to begin a new project with a different style I thought, this is the one. I really had a strong vision for a black silhouof music? ette and it seemed easy and that all sizes could fit into this big black tee shirt. The vibe of Nova One really exists in Nova One. It feels like Drag Roz Raskin: If you can imagine writing music when I was 17, and then being 28 when I perform in it. It’s this hyper feminine version of myself. and 29 and singing songs that I wrote when I was 17, it felt like I was in a transition in my life and I needed to move forward with my art in a different way. A The Anchor: What’s something new that you’ve learned about lot of people called it a “band break-up,” but I would always try to correct people yourself and your music through creating Nova One? and say, well it’s really a hiatus, it’s just, right now, this doesn’t feel like the right thing to be making. I had some extra material that didn’t feel like it fit with the Roz Raskin: I think that probably one of the larger movements of my Rice Cakes and it felt like it was becoming its own thing. So when I made the life, in a really positive way, was acknowledging that I’m a Non-binarecord, it was one of the highlights of my life in the last ten years. ry person. Putting on this costume in this particular performative way, there was something that was super therapeutic about it. A lot of what The Anchor: What was your idea behind the pink wigs and the black uniI was going through at that time was analyzing how I really felt about forms? myself, my sexuality, and my gender. So I think Nova One was a vessel for a lot of that thought. Roz Raskin: So for this music video I made for a song called “Your Girl,” the vision of that was to be me dancing with two other versions of myself. The original idea was to have people look like me. The wig thing is kinda funny because I had The Anchor: Are you planning anything new in the upcoming ordered another wig and it didn’t come on time because they ran out, but they year? had this other wig. I wanted a pink wig but this was a peachy kind of wig. Roz Raskin: Yes. I’m starting to make a new record, February first, and I’m going to be doing a tour in March. The Anchor: You were a student here at Rhode Island College. How did school affect your career as an artist? Roz Raskin: Going to Rhode Island College was a very important step for me because it made me realize how much I wanted to stay in Rhode Island, specifically stay in Providence, and cultivate a career and community here. The Anchor: Do you have any advice for current students who’d like to go into music while they’re in school, but don’t know where to start? Roz Raskin: There are so many ways to approach music these days. Some people record songs and put them on YouTube and that’s it. Some people want to tour. Some people want to go to local shows and meet local bands. The most important thing is for people to go to shows. That’s the way I started, I’d go to shows and talk to bands afterwards. So much of it is really just going and putting yourself out there.

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Arts & Entertainment “Graphic Design: Konkuk University,” a global interpretation of promoting ideas

Abigail Nilsson Anchor Contributor

Whoever said “a picture is worth a thousand words” must have been talking about the artwork on display at Bannister Gallery in Robert’s Hall at Rhode Island College, on view now through February 15. The show, “Graphic Design: Konkuk University” was facilitated by Professor of Graphic Design Heemong Kim and features selected works by graduated students from Konkuk University in South Korea. I walked into the gallery and on my left was a small display of carefully placed bath salts alongside transportation packaging, pictures hanging from the walls and ceilings, and a few other products on display tables. I immediately knew I walked into a gallery full of messages that will reach the masses. Instead of subliminal messages on television and highway

Photos courtesy of Thomas Crudale billboards, this show puts advertising at front and center. As final projects, students at Konkuk University in South Korea developed graphic de-

signs to demonstrate views of everyday products and global issues. One piece that caught my attention is a simple design

in three colors: black, white, and blue. At the top is an outline of a weeping polar bear whose tears are dripping on another polar bear, who is

further melting into another. The graphic design demonstrates the effects that global warming has on wildlife, which has been conveyed for years by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Another piece that I found intriguing was a of a vintage photograph of two people. In the image, their bottom halves are intact, but their top halves are being whisked away. The caption may be in Korean, but the message is obvious: Alzheimer’s is an ever-present and devastating disease. The Bannister Gallery provides hosts who help guide you through the translation. Some of the pieces hanging on the walls are ads ranging from everyday products such as yogurt and aspirin to global issues such as obesity, Alzheimer’s, global warming, and sexual violence. Other work consists of photo displays of product positioning and carefully placed products on display. Even with the language barrier, the message in “Graphic Design: Konkuk University” is clear, poignant, and worth a look. “Graphic Design: Konkuk University” is on display at Bannister Gallery in Roberts Hall through February 15th. Gallery Hours are Mon.-Fri. 12 noon- 8 p.m.

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Arts&Entertainment

“Kingdom Hearts 3” - Continued from cover

Graphic courtesy of Enrique Casteneda-Pineda new game. After development hell, fans patiently waited until now. The meaning behind films, games, and other media being so important to someone boils down to nostalgia.

However, despite nostalgia being a factor and blinding fans to the sometimes corny writing for the game, ideals are a large part. The game is a constant battle of darkness vs. light, good and evil, right

and wrong. In a society so divisive, the idea of shutting everything out to play a hero whose strengths are love and friendship is exciting all over again. The inclusion of Disney and Pixar,

companies that are known for creating heartfelt animated films, bring people back to their childlike innocence. After waiting years, the fandom wants to return to a familiar place where everything

feels right, and for at least a few days, pretend like Sora, Donald and Goofy’s journey are their only problem. “Kingdom Hearts 3” is now available for Xbox One and Playstation 4.

“That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” and its unlikely mash-up of elements Enrique Castaneda-Pineda Senior Layout Editor

Friendship and fighting are typically on opposite ends of the spectrum until a show like “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” comes along and proves otherwise. Released in October, the show has amassed a large following in a short amount of time, especially with the anime streaming service “Crunchyroll” promoting it in the U.S. The show starts off with a huge twist, but as the title suggests, it is about reincarnation, so the first few minutes set-up the main character’s new life as a slime monster. In the world of video games and the show, slimes are regarded as low-tier monsters. However, throughout the slime’s journey, he learns more abilities just by eating,

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swimming and fighting other monsters. For those fans of video games, the slime learns abilities that mirror popular RPG (role-playing games) titles like “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” and “God of War.”

Unlike those games, as the slime encounters others that can communicate with him, he tries to avoid being immediately hostile. As the slime progresses and learns, the power of the slime continues

to grow, which does not go unnoticed by others. An unexpected virtue of the series is the precise animation with every move the slime makes, including his big fights. The choreography

Graphic courtesy of Crunchyroll

of the fights and the creative ways that the team behind the show devised the slime’s fighting style never ceased to surprise me. The show consistently seems as though it is going to go in one direction, but the absolutely pure and fun mind of the main character always takes it in a unique and creative direction. The balance of an incredibly powerful being and someone who just wants everyone to get along makes the main character’s inner monologues somehow incredibly relatable. Having a healthy mix of great fights and constant plot development, there are barely, if any episodes that do not move the plot forward. The show is currently streaming on Crunchyroll with subtitles, or on Funimation for the English dub.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Arts&Entertainment

Marisa Lenardson Online Media Manager

Thursday Feb. 7 College Rock Climbing Nights A night of indoor rock climbing at a discounted price. Rock Spot Climbing Providence $5 // 5-12 a.m.

Friday Feb. 8

Saturday Feb. 9

Trippie Redd - Life's a Trip You Are Not Alone: Healing Tour with a Side of Ham With Coi Leray and special guests. The Strand Ballroom & Theatre $35 // 8-1 a.m.

This comedy event focuses on bringing humanity and humor to the realities of mental illness. Providence Improv Guild $5 // 8-9:15 p.m.

Sunday Feb. 10 RIPYO Winter Concert The Rhode Island Philharmonic Youth Orchestras present their second concert of the season. Featuring works by Borodin and Beethoven. Roberts Hall $7 // 1-3 p.m.

Screening of Martírio Filmed over the course of 40 Swan Point Cemetery Tour Providence Bruins vs. years: While fighting against Bridgeport Sound Tigers the Brazilian Congress in Take a special tour of the order to not be evicted from Mausolea & Columbaria at The Providence Bruins take their homes, 50,000 Swan Point Cemetery with an on the Sound Tigers. indigenous people demand optional lunch afterwards. the demarcation of the space Dunkin' Donuts Center that belongs to them. Swan Point Cemetery $14-$35 // 7 p.m. FREE // 12-2 p.m. 111 Thayer Street, Box 1970 FREE // 7-9 p.m. Knead Love Treat yo self to a yoga class focusing on self love and a selection of gourmet doughnuts. Knead Doughnuts $28 // 6-8 p.m.

Winter Wellness

Writing is Live A festival of new plays in progress written by playwriting students. 83 Waterman Street FREE // 5-7 p.m.

RIC Flicks: Ralph Breaks the Internet

Nominated for Best Looking for motivation during Animated Feature, the the dark winter months? sequel to Wreck it Ralph Participate in workshops on follows the title character creating a vision board, selfand Vanellope von compassion, and more. Schweetz on their journey to the World Wide Web. Sprout Coworking FREE // 5:30-7:30 p.m. Gaige 100 FREE // 7 p.m.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory See Willy Wonka and his chocolate factory come to life onstage, including songs from the original film. Providence Performing Arts Center $51-$109 // 7:30 p.m.

PVD Flea Winter Pop-ups Vintage, artisans, makers, live music and food trucks. Providence Flea FREE // 10-4 p.m.

Winter Trail Walk Join in a winter walk around the woodland trails of Roger Williams Park. Dalrymple Boathouse Roger Williams Park FREE // 2-3 p.m.

Lord of the Flies

Hecate Market

Adapted for the stage; a group of boys and girls are stranded on a remote island and attempt to govern themselves.

This market brings together RI’s women and non-binary owned businesses to shop from and network with. Find anything from disco jumpsuits to geological artisanal jewelry.

Angell Blackfriars Theatre Smith Center for the Arts Providence College $5 // 7:30-10 p.m.

Ogie's Trailer Park FREE // 3-7 p.m.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

Arts&Entertainment Blown away by the wind ensemble Thomas Yakey Jr. Anchor Staff

Last semester, the wind ensemble truly blew the music department away with their fantastic sounds. They were under the direction of Joseph Foley who has not conducted the group in a few years. Under his direction, the group performed pieces in two concerts, one of which commemorated civil rights icons including Rosa Parks and John F. Kennedy in a truly “All American” night.

Due to the growth of the group under his direction, they were able to perform a difficult wind ensemble arrangement of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” which demonstrated the group’s technical and artistic abilities; the result was a graceful sound. The group continued the same drive and ambition from last semester, already being given a larger number of difficult pieces, ranging from marches to other great works. Alec Ellsworth, a freshman B.A. music major with flute as his primary instrument commented, “[The RIC Wind Ensemble] has super good energy and many of the players, as well as myself, are excited to perform the pieces we have been given. You should all come to the concert, because I know and promise it will be fantastic!” The wind ensemble’s first concert of this semester is titled “Around the World” and is programmed with works for wind ensembles which have been composed

globally. This concert will show various sounds from different areas of the world, bringing a little touch of different countries to RIC. It will be performed Friday, March 1, 2019 at 7:30 p.m. in Sapinsley Hall, located in the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts. Their second concert will be on Friday, April 19, 2019 at the same time and same place. However, this concert is entitled “Homegrown and Hindemith” and their future performance of Paul Hindemith’s 1951 “Symphony for Band” is worth noting. This piece originates from Germany and is truly “epic.” If you need more reason to go see their second concert, this piece will be worth the trip. For both concerts, general admission is only $10, and tickets are free for RIC students. For more information about these concerts, including ticket pricing, please visit RIC’s website or check out future editions of The Anchor.

And the silence that follows Poetry written by psychology major Victoria Rose, The Anchor’s Assistant Graphics Editor My voice box has shrunk into A doorstop And with each slam I am both the crack And the silence that follows. I shoutOnly to keep myself from disappearing Entirely. To keep hold On whatever is left Of my reflection In mirrored surfaces. The inverse of my face In your coffee spoon Is the only proof I exist. These days, My heart is made of paper And with any water damage I writhe Like crinkled straw wrapper under A diner cola Free refill. These days, Everything is changing Shape.

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In one minute my lungs Will turn to Cold porcelain dinnerware Cracking On the kitchen floor. My body Will scatter Into a million Tiny pieces And no matter how hard you tryA little bit of me will always be over looked One day, You’ll sweep under the fridge and find A piece of me you missed The first time. You’ll try to recall my face, But I’ll be Too rounded, Too Obscured, Only remembered in the flash before You lift your spoon, And stir your coffee.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Opinions

Stand up against animal testing Kennedy Ryan Anchor contributor

In the United States, we are obsessed with our pets. We love taking our dogs for walks, putting hats on our cats and watching our little hamster run on his wheel. We place our pets on a pedestal, so why are we allowing over 115 million animals to be abused and tested every year? Animal testing became a legal staple in the U.S. in 1938, when the United States Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act placed a law that certain cosmetic materials be tested. For Americans, the simple solution was to test these chemicals and materials on innocent animals. This can include testing for allergies on the skin, injection or even forcing animals to digest materials and potentially die. While other countries are creating laws that ban animal testing, the U.S. still

uses cruel testing on bunnies, cats, dogs and other animals every day. Not only should people be concerned about the wellness of these animals, but also the morals of these companies. For animal testing to be required, new or suspicious materials need to be tested. Companies are resorting to cheap, suspicious chemicals that are an easier solution for their products. In result, they are not only harming animals when testing, but also potentially harming consumers who purchase their goods. There are many common household brands that still actively test on animals. Johnson and Johnson, Proctor and Gamble, Garnier, Woolite and Mars are just some popular brands that still test on animals. While these brands are affordable and convenient, they use cruel

Alexis Rapoza Anchor Contributor

J.K. Rowling has created a completely immersive world with characters that people have fallen in love with over the past two decades. As with any fantasy world, there are different social and cultural norms that we learn about as we read and watch the

Graphic courtesy of Queen Mob’s Teahouse ingredients that not only put animals at risk, but also consumers. People can do their share to peacefully protest animal testing. All cruelty-free products have a symbol of a bunny

to illustrate that they have not been tested on animals. As a protest, people can check the bottle on products when purchasing everyday items such as toothpaste, shampoo and body wash. There are many

brands that provide alternatives to animal testing using safe, organic ingredients. Doing your part will not only protect your wellness, but also the wellness of the living things around you.

Prejudice in the Harry Potter series

With 7 books, 8 movies (10 if you include “Fantastic Beasts”) and a theme park, it’s hard to imagine a series with more cultural impact than Harry Potter.

movies. However, one of the underlying themes in Harry Potter is something that relates to the very real society we know. Prejudice is something that is very prevalent in the Harry Potter series and it’s something we learn very early into the books. In “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” we learn that 11 year olds are sorted into four houses, all revolving around different personality traits. If you’re smart then you’re in Ravenclaw, the loyal are sorted into Hu f f l e p u f f , the brave into Gryffindor and the cunning (more often portrayed as evil) go into Slytherin. It hon-

estly seems extremely problematic that at 11 years old you’re separated from your peers based on nothing except what a century old hat thinks your best personality trait is. As Rubeus Hagrid stated, “There’s not a single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin.” Throughout the series, those in Slytherin are often displayed as inherently evil, which we know to be untrue. However, Harry and his friends seem almost entirely convinced. It’s not fair to generalize an entire group based on a select few people who went bad. When discussing the different houses, people often tend to forget the fact that there were indeed wizards and witches who weren’t in Slytherin that did go bad. For example, Peter Pettigrew and Professor Quirrell who were in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw. When we have preset beliefs on people based on where they come from we often chose to ignore anything that contests those beliefs.

This is also represented by the wizarding world’s prejudice towards those from non pure-blood families or different races. Remus Lupin was shunned his entire life because he was bitten by a werewolf as a child. Although he is a kind and loving man and professor he has trouble finding work because of his werewolf status. Andromeda Tonks is removed from her family for marrying a muggleborn. Draco Malfoy uses slurs such as mud-blood in order to express his superiority over those of lower blood status, and the Slytherin Quidditch team seems to refuse to allow girls to join. Reading these books as an adult has opened my eyes to what I believe is J.K. Rowling’s commentary on race relations and other modern issues in today’s society. Racism, misogyny and ableism are all issues we deal with in our reality. I think it’s a really great idea to use fantasy to portray bigger issues in our world and help people think about things with an open mind.

Graphic courtesy of Pottermore

The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island College’s faculty, administration or student body.

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Opinions

2020: The (de-)evolution of politics Catherine Enos Opinions editor Election day, November 3, 2020, is not that far away. Like a typical presidential election, a slew of candidates have announced their candidacy for the Oval Office already. But this is not a typical presidential election. This is the election after THAT election-- after what happened in 2016. The midterm elections last year were eerily typical (in terms of what politics has been like the past few years) and there were no races as extreme as the Trump vs. Clinton showdown. Now, 2020 is creeping up on us and we should know what to expect. But it seems like the Democrats have not gotten that message yet. Trump won the 2016 election in part by appealing to those who don’t like politics and don’t normally vote. And although it’s very early in the election season to judge how candidates are performing, the idea that politics have change is an important one to keep in mind.

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Though some of the Democrats that have announced their candidacy are not unknown politicians, they are still politicians. None stand out from the crowd. That’s not to say that these politicians aren’t highly-qualified, eloquent and intelligent people. Clinton was all of those things and she isn’t the pres-

ident. But she, apparently, represented what America doesn’t want (not entirely, though, since she won the popular vote). Trump has been holding non-stop rallies and has essentially been campaigning since day one. Whether you like the President or not, he has revolutionized running

for political office. He defied every “rule” for running a campaign and still won. As a result, his “base” is untouchable-- if they haven’t been appalled by his blatant disrespect for the office, they’re not going to ever be appalled. So the Democrats running have all of these new “rules” of campaigning to

keep in mind, but it seems as if they’re all running with the old “rules.” In the following months, something revolutionary needs to happen for these politicians to capture the hearts of Americans -- or at least the ones that aren’t Trump fans.

Opinions

No more millionaires for 2020

Alison Macbeth Assistant Opinions Editor With the former CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, hinting at a presidential campaign, Americans are left wondering if our open campaigns are a joke. First, it was Donald Trump who was followed by an influx of millionaires in the executive branch. Then Kanye West’s presidential proclamations. Then the CEO of Disney,

Robert Igner, hinted at the political race. Now it’s Howard Schultz. Is it just me or have the millionaires decided to come out of the woodwork and are now racing to become president? Historically speaking, the forefathers didn’t want the United States to be ruled by the elite, but they were also fearful of an ignorant majority that would hinder the country’s success. So they favored the wealthy and many

of the forefathers were elites themselves. Today we see a correlation. Many members of Congress and presidential campaigners have also come from wealth. Howard Schultz is just another example Schultz has run a successful global company, but this does not mean that he is qualified to be a president. Trump used the same qualifications to run for presidency. Ultimately, this capitalistic mindset won the vote. Is Schultz

just another millionaire with more liberal values? Schultz has more progressive ideas which would appeal to liberal voters. Maybe they would include corporate tax breaks on tea and coffee. Maybe Starbucks will be the official drink of the U.S. But here is the bottom line - just because you have a lot of money does not mean that you are qualified to run a country. Our democracy, since its inception, has been

jeopardized by ruling elites. I believe it is time that more Americans exercise their democratic freedom, retain active citizenship and rise as political leaders. We don’t need Trump towers or Starbucks to run our country. We the people dumped tea (and maybe some coffee) into the harbor as a declaration of freedom. We must resist the rule of the bourgeoisie and look for something better in 2020.

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Sports

All Elite Wrestling: the latest challenger to a global juggernaut Joshua Percy Anchor Staff For the last few years, there has been four major wrestling companies. WWE is number one, followed by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), Then Ring of Honor (ROH) and finally, Impact Wrestling. What happens when you combine wrestlers from all four is you get the new company All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

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The owner of AEW is Shahid Khan, who is also the owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is teaming up with former WWE Superstars Cody and Brandy Rhodes and the NJPW and ROH stars the Young Bucks to create a brand new wrestling company that they hope will become an “alternative to going to WWE.” They already have 3 major players

joining their roster. Former Bullet Club members Adam “Hangman” Page, former WWE Champion Chris Jericho and former WWE Superstar Neville also known as PAC. These seven superstars alone can put on five-star matches every night, and their company is just starting. The addition of AEW to the list of wrestling com-

panies is great news for the general wrestling fan. No company has come close to creating the amount of viewership the WWE regularly earns, but AEW may have found the answer. Adding proven stars like the Young Bucks and Hangman Page alongside future Hall of Famer Chris Jericho, and bringing in underutilized fan favorites

like PAC and Cody Rhodes forces fans to become interested in the underdogs and gives the mistreated stars a chance to shine. AEW ‘s first official event will be called “Double or Nothings” and is scheduled to take place in Las Vegas on May 25, 2019. Should WWE be afraid of AEW taking the spotlight away from them? Probably not right now, but how well the company performs in the next three years will determine if this company will actually become a threat in competing with WWE, or if it will fail to become competitive like so many other companies before them. For now, wrestling fans should rejoice as a hot startup wrestling company is stepping up to the plate against the evil empire that is WWE.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928

Sports

NHL slips up during All-Star Weekend Joseph A. Griswold Assistant Sports Editor One step forward, four steps back. That seems to be the mantra most major league sports are working under when it comes to gender equality. This year the National Hockey League invited four female players from the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) to participate in the 2019 AllStar weekend located in San Jose, Calif. Brianna Decker, a player for the Calgary Inferno member of the U.S. women’s national team, competed in the premier passing skills event and posted a blazing unofficial time of 1:06 which bested the eight NHL players in the competition. The closest time was Edmonton Oilers’ forward Leon Draisaitl who posted a time of 1:09. Normally, the player with the fastest time is awarded $25,000; however, since Decker was not officially in the competition, she was not awarded the prize and the money was awarded to Draisaitl. Fans were outraged after the money was not awarded to Decker, and took to Twitter causing #PayDecker to start trending. Rather than make the appropriate move and pay Decker, who makes only $22,000 in an entire year, the NHL decided to carefully review her time to show that she, in fact, finished slightly after Draisa-

NHL player, Brianna Decker, Photo courtesy Deadspin itl who is set to make $9 million this year. The NHL then attempted to save face by donating $25,000 to the charity of her choice. Luckily for the fans and for Decker, hockey brand CCM tweeted, “We’re going to #PayDecker,” citing her tremendous performance and their support for the women’s hockey. Following the tweet by CCM, Decker responded thanking the fans and CCM for their support, “Thank you for supporting the men’s and women’s game equally.” Despite the invite, the way the NHL handled the Decker situation

is a black mark, especially considering it comes barely a week after the NHL celebrated “Hockey Is For Everyone,” a week aimed to highlight the uniting and inclusive nature of hockey. The NHL is the latest league to prove that major league sports are still a long way from gender equality. Hopefully, the NHL sees this as a learning opportunity and will allow female players to actually partake in the competition next year, rather than a publicity stunt.

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |

Sports

The King of Rio rises again

WHAT'S BLACK, WHITE, AND RED ALL OVER?

Photo courtesy of USA Today

Tim Caplan News Editor The last time the “King of Rio” Jose Aldo Jr. fought in his beloved home country of Brazil, he was knocked out in the third round in front of thousands of his fellow Brazilians by current featherweight (145 lbs.) champion Max “Blessed” Holloway at UFC 212. Aldo lost his world championship belt for the second time that night, by knockout, the same way in which he lost his belt a year and a half earlier to Conor Mcgregor at UFC 194 in Las Vegas. Jose Aldo held the featherweight since the UFC introduced the weight class in 2011 and defended it seven times against the best the sport had to offer at that weight. After Aldo’s final title defense against Chad Mendes at UFC 179 in 2014 he went 1-3 in his next four fights, losing all three by knockout. Saturday night gave Aldo an opportunity at redemption in front of his home crowd for the first time since losing to “Blessed.” UFC Fight Night 144 was held in Fortaleza, Brazil at the Centro de

Formação Olímpica do Nordeste. The main event was a rematch between the number two and three ranked fighters at 135 pounds, Rafael Assuncao and Marlon Moraes, both native Brazilians. Many fans and media alike believed Aldo’s best days were behind him. Even after an electrifying body shot knockout against perennial featherweight contender and hard-nosed veteran Jeremy Stephens in August, Aldo was still expected to fall to the up and coming Brazilian star Renato Moicano. Moicano was the perfect pick for UFC matchmakers to face off against the style of Aldo. Moicano is smart, lanky, and held wins over Jeremy Stephens and number seven ranked contender Cub Swanson, with his only loss out of 14 professional fights coming by way of split decision to number one ranked featherweight Brian Ortega. Moicano had six submission victories leading into the fight with Aldo, all by rear naked choke. Aldo had an uphill battle to come out on top in a fight in which he was

a -130 betting underdog. The fight started off slow, with Moicano searching for an opening to land a left high kick and Aldo utilizing his patented head movement and leg kicks to keep the pace of the fight slow. Aldo seemed to have trouble closing the distance in the first round as Moicano popped his jab steadily in the face of Aldo. The second round was just 29 seconds in when Aldo landed a looping left hook that stunned Moicano, and followed up with a vicious knee and upper cut which caused the referee to stop the fight and Aldo, per usual, ran into the stands to be with his countrymen. The King of Rio had made his triumphant return, even amidst rumors of his retirement looming. Aldo has stated that he wants to fight three times in 2019 before hanging up his gloves for good. Saturday night was a great night for the natives of Brazil, as veteran grappling specialists Charles Oliveira and Demian Maia won by second and first round submissions, but the real surprise came in

the main event, a rematch between the two top bantamweight contenders, the winner of which would likely receive the next title shot. Moraes wasted no time as he came out swinging and floored Assuncao with a brutal series of overhand rights before finishing the fight by guillotine choke at 3:17 of round one. Moraes has established himself as the clear number one contender, calling out champion T.J Dillashaw in his post-fight speech. A Dillashaw-Moraes will most likely be in the works for a fight between the middle and end of this year, if Dillashaw chooses not to rematch 125 pound champion Henry “The Messenger” Cejudo. The next UFC event will be a pay-per-view event for the middleweight(185 lbs.) championship at UFC 234: Whittaker vs. Gastelum

Rhode Island College’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1928 |