Check out our haikus on Pages 2! Issue 5
RIMSON The Official Student-Run Newspaper•since
1967
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2019
JESSE VILLAVERDE \\ DESIGN EDITOR
Copy editor
Crimson // Jesse Villaverde
Evan Olsen interviewing Salem Murphy at the showcase.
“It was our way of inviting everyone to a free and inclusive event where we could show some of the types of events our building can support.” According to Richardson, this was their first event that focused on their own creativity, with an attempt on utilizing their own production knowledge. The front lobby was decorated with giant paintings from local artists Christopher Maslow and Mark Gilliam, as well as having a
lighting control booth for guests to interact with featuring colored spotlights. Big LED screens were hinged on the front wall, presenting advertisements and graphics from Florida Tech College Players and Florida Tech Video Productions. Before the main event, a special VIP event was held on stage for
GLEASON on page 4
ISABEL CORDERO and EMILY WALKER \\
STAFF WRITER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
@FTCrimson @FTCrimson crimson@fit.edu
Combating food waste at Florida Tech
Olivia mckelvey \\
Floridians celebrate coming out at Orlando Pride Maria Clara Melo waved a rainbow flag proudly over her head. The crowd was decked out in everything from shiny spandex shorts and tiny tops to overalls and rainbow striped crop tops. She was surrounded by people of all colors, genders, shapes and sizes, and she was proud. On Saturday, Oct. 12, Orlando Pride colored all of Downtown Orlando rainbow, just 50 years after the Stonewall Riots and one day after National Coming Out Day. Orlando’s Come Out with Pride event aimed to remember the events and lives lost during the riots and celebrate how far the nation has come, according to the event description on Facebook. Melo, 21, an Orlando resident, said she feels like Pride has always had a positive atmosphere. This was her third time at Pride, and the first time she brought along her sister, Ana Bentim.
Opinion..................................... 2 News..................................4-5 Entertainment....................6-7 Campus Life.............................8 FALL
Gleason showcases local arts in celebration of 50 years At a school like Florida Tech where STEM is highly valued, the highlight of local arts and new technology within community made its debut at its own auditorium. Gleason Performing Arts Center held their first arts showcase on Oct. 4 presenting an array of space-themed paintings and the display of their new lighting system and LED screens. The showcase also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the auditorium, with about 86 attendees at the event. William O’Steen, the general manager, and Jeffrey Richardson, the assistant manager, created this showcase to not only show their new direction for Gleason but also to display their new equipment and abilities. “We wanted to find an opportunity to thank the campus and community for taking part in the upgrades and improvements we have made,” Richardson said.
INDEX
The Florida Tech
People march to celebrate LGBTQ community in Orlando..
Melo said it’s important to be around people in the same community who get where you’re coming from. “I think it’s really nice to be around people in the queer community that feel comfortable expressing themselves and their sexuality,” Melo said. “It’s really cool and validating” Bentim, 29, said her first Pride was a cool experience as she watched everyone come together in
Crimson // Isabel Cordero
one place. As an Orlando resident, Bentim said she has seen the parades from her home before, but that being at the event was an entirely different experience. “It’s good to walk around and see everyone show a different part of them and who they are,” Bentim said...
PRIDE on page 5
Joker movie review on Pages 6-7
Last year just shy of one million people walked through the doors of Panther Dining Hall. Students, faculty, staff, members of the community, summer camp participants and more enjoyed their buffet-style meals. However, they were also contributing to the 456 pounds of food waste that PDH generates on a daily basis. With a large flow of both on-campus and off-campus students, coaches, professors and more, PDH is relied upon by many. As soon as the doors open to when the dining hall closes, anywhere from 850 to 1250 people might swipe in between breakfast, lunch and dinner. The estimated 456 pounds of pre-consumer and post-consumer waste was determined by using volume-to-weight conversions from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery. To elaborate, there is a clear distinction between pre-consumer waste and post-consumer waste. Anything that comes from meal prep and cooking-related activities, including the non-edible portion of foods such as vegetable trimmings and watermelon rinds, are deemed pre-consumer waste. Post-consumer waste—the majority of campus food waste— consists of the leftovers and discarded items that dining hall goers are putting back onto the trash conveyor. “We attempt to keep our production levels to the point where we have zero pre-consumer food waste, but that isn't always possible,” said Jon Skoviera, head chef at PDH. Stewart and Skoveria also highlighted how PDH has taken multiple steps in attempting to minimize pre-consumer food waste. Implementing techniques such as batch-cooking (a “cook
FOOD WASTE on page 5
Our Mission: Live, discover and report the truth.
2 OPINION ISSUE 5
Lillian lowry \\
OCTOBER 16
Green spaces: relieving stress
STAFF WRITER
Think of the last time you were in a space fully covered by greenery. For many people at Florida Tech, the answer ranges from a few minutes ago to a full day. How we utilize our green spaces could actually make a difference in our mental health. According to Stephanie Byrd, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in relaxation techniques, being outside “opens up our hearts and minds to possibilities.”
She asserts the connection between lessened anxiety and going outside. A connection greater than the self leaves the mind at ease. A factor in this interconnectivity is the air quality of a more lush area. Breathing in fresh air has been positively linked to “feeling good.” Air quality in nature can add a touch of relaxation to a walk to class. Haley Murphy, astrobiology major, said that humans naturally gravitate toward nature as refuge and for familiarity.
Another factor, according to Simon N. Young, a published researcher in the field of psychology, is exposure to the natural cycle of dark and light, which is linked to serotonin re-uptake. From the perspective of a student, the separation from the brick and mortar of school buildings fosters relaxation. As corroborated by Byrd, burdens can be alleviated by spending time outside. Instead of being trapped behind a screen, they can flourish in green spaces. Kicking back with a
book or some music in the botanical gardens is already a widespread pastime. Students report that time spent outside increases focus and sometimes even lessens school pressures. The benefits extend beyond anxiety. The connection with nature provides a method for people to invest time in
something beyond stress. So, whether you spend your time outdoors as a means to walk to class or a quiet escape during hectic days of classes, you could improve your mood. It’s an easy way to brighten your mood and maybe even change your outlook for a little while. Why not “go green”?
Rain
SONJA MICHAELS \\ Staff Writer
A gray sky sheds rain It waits while classes meet Storms again after
Lunchtime SONJA MICHAELS \\ Staff Writer
Open the day’s lunch Pausing from tasks and “to do” A most welcome rest
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Gleason continued ...donors and the school’s administration to meet with Gleason staff and the keynote speaker, Salem Murphy. The showcase opened up with Anja and The Band, an alternative/pop/rock group, for the first thirty minutes. The performance was then followed by the keynote speaker, Salem Murphy, an actress and producer known for her role as the principal in season one of “Stranger Things,” as well as “Abe” and “Reckless.” Murphy graduated from Florida Tech in 1986 in business and finance and was invited through the Office of Development for the showcase. “I was honored to be part of the showcase,” Murphy said. “It was a wonderful opportunity to see all the ways in which Florida Tech has thrived throughout the years.” Evan Olsen, assistant director of dining services, presented Murphy as the keynote speaker and interviewed her on stage. "It was a great
Paintings of a galaxy cluster and a rocket were displayed at the showcase.
experience for me as an MC," Olsen said. "It was my first time being a formal speaker outside of my dining services circle." Murphy explained her experience at Florida Tech, her personal growth and her journey in becoming an actress in the industry. “Just to see how many wonderful things are happening here at Florida Tech is pretty cool,” Murphy said.
Crimson // Jesse Villaverde
Olsen said that he would like Gleason to have more events like these geared towards the student body. "After this event, I'd say there is an opportunity in doing showcase events of various talents, such as comedians and bands," Olsen said. "Even though it's utilized more for formal events, I would like the students to get more involved with Gleason.”
Richardson heard this type of feedback from the audience and is looking into making this showcase a recurring event. “Much of the new equipment we use in our building is shown frequently at events around
campus,” Richardson said. “We make every event we support on campus a way that we can show off some of the new creative equipment that we desire.”
Homecoming committee aims to bring community together ISABEL CORDERO \\ STAFF WRITER
Alex Volkova, a senior in astronomy and astrophysics, and Sam Gallion, a junior in forensic psychology, are running homecoming for the first time this year. They have made some changes to homecoming in order to make it inclusive and exciting for all who wish to participate. Both Volkova and Gallion have made changes to homecoming in order to make it inclusive and exciting for all who wish to participate. “The theme this year, we feel, is something that everyone can relate to,” Gallion said. Gallion said last year the two of them had worked actively with Marianne Amundsen, last year’s homecoming coordinator. They feel this gave them the experience they need for this year. Volkova and Gallion said they have a clear image of what they want this year’s events to look like. Gallion said that she wants students to learn more about each other and work together in a way they
wouldn’t have before. One of the major changes is the Royalty competition, both in changing its name from King and Queen to Royalty, and also in preventing Greek organizations from working with one another. Homecoming has always been a platform for organizations to come together, and Greek Life has been especially active and involved, according to Volkova. She said that they wanted to use the successful homecoming platform to inspire organizations other than Greek Life to participate as well, encouraging organizations who have not worked together in the past to come together now. “All organizations on campus make it a great place, so what better way to show it than to unite different types of organizations in doing things together,” Volkova said. Likewise, the name for the competition was changed to make things more inclusive. “There’s never really
been a rule that says you need to be male and female to do this,” Volkova said. Gallion agreed, saying that changing the name would make it more appealing to those who identify with something outside of the gender binary and could encourage organization pairs with a same-sex pairing. Beyond the Royalty competition, Gallion and Volkova have also added a new event called Big Night Out 2.0, which will take place before a soccer game and reminds Gallion of a high school football game. “You’d get food, you’d hang with your friends,” Gallion said. “It’s really about school spirit and making sure that people go to events that our athletes work so hard to put on for them.” Alumni Affairs and the Florida Tech Alumni Association are also putting on events for alumni, students and the local community to encourage this theme further, said Cindy Berger, the director of Alumni Marketing and Communications. “There’s a little bit of
something for everyone,” Berger said, who’s planning her second homecoming. “It’s a chance for student activities and alumni activities to all come together.” While the talent show for students is Thursday night, Alumni Affairs is having a 5K event during the day. Meg O’Malley’s is serving as the meetup location as well as the location of the post-race party. There’s also the signature concert event on Friday as part of Homecoming Fest in Downtown Melbourne. “A free concert with great music is good for students, good for family and friends and good for the community, so we’re really proud to be a part of that,” Berger said. On Saturday, the football game will kick off with tailgating, and alumni can attend the black-tie Alumni Gala Awards at night during the carnival for students. According to Berger, one distinguished alumni will be awarded the Jerome P. Keuper Award in honor
of Florida Tech’s founder and first president. Berger said that they are trying to make sure the students have great experiences and that they feel engaged so when they become alumni, they are proud to have a good relationship with Florida Tech and Alumni Affairs. “Homecoming is a great opportunity for studentfocused fun and a reason for graduates to come back and look upon their alma mater fondly,” Berger said . According to Gallion, the reason homecoming is so important is because it brings people together. The most important thing, she said, is enjoying the events together and being able to put that unity to good work. Gallion said that the organization they are donating the raised funds to is HeadKnowles for the Bahamas hurricane relief. Both Gallion and Volkova agreed on the purpose of homecoming: bringing people together and helping people in whatever way possible. Volkova said, “We’re all family and we want everyone to feel happy.”
ISSUE 5
OCTOBER 16
NEWS PRIDE continued Melo said Orlando Pride is bigger and more developed that other Pride events she’s been to before, and that there are a lot more physical structures and stands around. “It seems like it gets bigger every year,” she said. The event had everything from food, clothing and flag vendors, to information stations about staying healthy and safe. While Pride is an event that’s able to take place now, the signs present at the event addressed the memory of the events at Stonewall in 1969. Jacob Chesslo is the president of Rainbow Alliance, Florida Tech’s LGBTQ student organization. He said, “Historically, Pride was important due to acting as a protest against anti-LGBTQ prejudice, and acted as a way to support each other in the fight for equality.” Chesslo went on to add, “It’s a way to celebrate the steps we’ve made in equal rights, and a way to show the community love and support.” Chesslo has been involved in Rainbow Alliance ever since starting at Florida Tech, and has
WASTE continued as you go” method), daily meal prep sheets, postshift inventory and using smaller plates than other college campus dining halls to control portions all aid in diminishing food waste. The fact that there are no trays and no to-go option also encourages a system that promotes using all resources in a cost-effective manner. “One of the most important tools that helps with reducing the volume of food waste is the pulper,” said Evan Olsen, assistant director of campus dining. The pulper essentially grinds, compresses and rids the waste of any liquid to make it lighter and easier to throw away. Olsen also mentioned that the pulper helps minimize the university’s carbon footprint and reduces landfill contributions by about 75 percent. While 456 pounds may seem high for a daily measurement of waste,
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been to Space Coast Pride parades, St. Pete Pride and now Orlando Pride. Chesslo, a junior in physics, said that he believes that the country is supportive of the LGBTQ community. “Many more allies are coming out to events and celebrating the gains we’ve made in the fight for equality,” Chesslo said. Still, those who oppose LGBTQ rights are present in 2019. At Orlando Pride, three protestors stood outside of the fence that separated the event from the rest of Downtown Orlando at about three p.m. They held signs saying, “Jesus saves from God’s wrath” and “Turn from Pride to Jesus.” This is not the only opposition. According to the New York Times, the Supreme Court met last week to decide whether the current civil rights legislation allowed employment discrimination based on sexual orientation and transgender status. Title VII outlawed discrimination of race, religion, national origin and sex, and the specifics of “sex” have not been explicitly written to include sexuality and gender identity, according to the
New York Times. Chesslo said the judicial proceedings are necessary, and that without a judicial ruling, the actions against the community will continue. “It’s a necessary process to, hopefully, solidify the human rights that the LGBTQ community has,” Chesslo said. Melo said that the importance of Pride is to provide an event where LGBTQ people can feel proud to be who they are. “I love seeing all the people dress up and be happy and gay,” Melo said. “It’s nice that they can feel safe and comfortable because there aren’t that many spaces where they can be.” The Human Rights Campaign stressed that this is the importance of National Coming Out Day, according to their website. The day is a time to celebrate coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or another orientation. The Human Rights Campaign website states, “Every person who speaks up changes more hearts and minds, and creates new advocates for equality.” Teresa Rago, a junior in mechanical engineering, was one of many who celebrated National
Coming Out Day. To celebrate, she created an Instagram post. “Posting it online gave my friends from back home a chance to support me if they wanted,” Rago said. “It really shows how much I’ve grown and how confident I’ve become and how comfortable I am being myself in front of everyone.” Rago said in high school, she was much less comfortable with her sexuality. However, she was still able to participate in National Coming Out Day during her senior year of high school. “I brought rainbowthemed treats to my teammates for Coming Out Day,” Rago said. “Even though I wasn’t really out back then, I wanted to help form an environment where other potentially closeted teammates could feel safe, which is something I wish I had back in high school.” When coming out is a
concern for many young people, Orlando Pride took the opportunity to make a space where all members of the community could feel safe, especially when LGBTQ members haven’t been so safe in the past. Pulse Nightclub, a gay nightclub, had representatives walk in the parade. They held a banner with the faces of those who died in the shooting on June 12, 2016, with the hashtag #wewillnotlethatewin across the front of the banner. Equality Florida, a civil rights organization for the LGBTQ community, walked as well. The group was led by a man with a megaphone who walked in front of their banner. Through the megaphone, he called towards the crowd following him, saying, “What do we want?” The crowd behind him replied, “Equality!” “When do we want it?” he continued.“Now!”
some students feel that it’s not a tremendous amount in comparison to other universities. “I feel 456 pounds might not be as bad because we have a small undergraduate enrollment, only one dining hall and not every student has a meal plan,” said Carter Juskevich, a senior in sports management and marketing. Other students such as Ally MccArron, a senior majoring in sustainability and the vice president of SOSA, stated that 456 pounds is a lot of mass to comprehend, but “most likely not nearly as bad as some other campuses.” Data from the National Resource Defense Council reports that 22 million pounds of food are wasted each year on college campuses, with the average college student contributing to about 142 pounds in food waste. With that being said, Florida Tech seems to be doing above average in terms of food waste management. On a much larger scale,
data collected and reported on behalf of Michigan State’s Agro-Biology Research lab in 2018 reported an annual 516,818 pounds of pre-consumer and post-consumer food waste. Based on the daily waste, Florida Tech would have an annual pre-consumer and postconsumer food waste of 166,440 pounds. However, there is a large difference in undergraduate enrollment, where Michigan State has just under 40,000 and Florida Tech has about 3,600 undergraduates with only 2,100 of them having meal plans according to Stewart. While Florida Tech facilities has previously attempted to manage food waste by composting just pre-consumer trimmings and scraps, the university has never institutionalized composting for combined pre-consumer and postconsumer food waste. “It’s something we’ve looked into before,” Stewart said. “But in terms
of finding something that is cost-effective and finding a commercial composter in Florida, it’s extremely difficult.” Other issues when it comes to composting such as space, maintenance and quality control have also arisen. “The main challenge about trying to institutionalize compositing is where to put it,” said Quinn Duffy, Florida Tech’s sustainability officer. “We are zoned in the city of Melbourne building code as an institutional property, so the problem is that we have bought residential properties, and we have to be very conscious about smell, noise, traffic, things like that,” Duffy said. In the past few weeks, Florida Tech has been discussing partnering with local farms, community members, clubs, the Brevard Zoo or any other organizations who are interested in setting up a composting program, but don't have the volume of compostable waste that the
university does. According to Duffy, institutionalizing composting on campus “would be likely” within the next six months to a year. This would allow grounds on campus to use the fertilizer for amending soil for plants, or beds and filling in places where there will be higher nutrient landscaping. When asked about how they would feel about composting becoming a reality on campus, Juskevich and MccArron both said they are in favor of it as long as it is economically feasible and cost-effective option. In the meantime, while the campus awaits its first large-scale composting operation, MccArron urges students to be more conscious of what they put on their plates and to monitor what exactly they throw away. “Even if one student goes into the dining hall and says, ‘Oh, I'm going to try working on portion control,’ they create less waste and that's one step in the right direction,” MccArron said.
Women show affection in spite of the protesters.
Picture // Isabel Cordero
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ISSUE 5
OCTOBER 16
ENTERTAINMENT
Nerd News: Why “Joker” is the must-see movie of 2019 DAVID "LAUGHING CLOWN" THOMPSON \\ FAN FANATIC
the same league as Ledger’s and now Phoenix’s.
The Real “Joker” by Todd Phillips Phoenix
is a work of art and deserves tremendous respect and praise. With that being said, film is subjective and this film, in particular, has been under fire for its representation of mental illness and violence. Today, I want to discuss this wave of controversy, share my thoughts on the matter and why I believe “Joker” does a lot more good than bad.
Brief Lesson
History
In 2012, during a midnight screening of “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora Colorado, James Holmes set off tear gas grenades and fired his gun at the audience. Twelve people died and 70 were injured. The Joker wasn’t featured in that film, but it was coming off the heels of 2008’s “The Dark Knight,” where Heath Ledger plays the Joker. Ledger died due to a drug overdose before “The Dark Knight” was released in theaters. His performance was so impactful that he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2009. It is still devastating to think that Ledger never got to see how loved and adored his portrayal of Batman’s most famous antagonist was and still is to this day. Fast forward to 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” where Jared Leto took his turn as The Clown Prince of Crime. I personally didn’t hate his performance as much as many people and even found myself wishing he was in the movie more. With that being said, Leto’s Joker isn’t even near
Arthur laughing on the bus in the movie.
The Laugh Phoenix
reportedly
Dark studied people who suffered
Now before I open that can of worms, no, I am not going to debate whether Ledger or Phoenix had the better Joker (maybe another time). But the fact that Phoenix has a real case for having a better performance than Ledger’s now-iconic portrayal is significant in its own right. There were moments while watching “Joker” where I thought to myself, “This is the best acting I’ve ever seen” by the great Joaquin Phoenix. Now upon further reflection and seeing the movie again, I can confidently say Phoenix should be nominated for Best Lead Actor at the Academy Awards. I don’t want to say he should win without seeing the other performances that will be nominated, but I honestly doubt anyone will be as good this year. Phoenix put his mind, soul and body into this performance and it's so apparent on screen. Firstly and most obviously, he lost 52 pounds for the role and in a recent interview on The Jimmy Kimmel show Phoenix said, “It is difficult at times, but then there is something very empowering about it as well.” This, in a sense, perfectly describes his acting in this film. Phoenix is able to get into the bruised and battered head of his character Arthur Fleck with what feels like such ease. Alright, enough beating around the bush—full “Joker” spoilers time. Leave now and come back after you’ve seen the film or stay and enjoy the sweat.
Picture // Warner Bros. Pictures
from pseudobulbar affect, or PBA. PBA causes those that suffer from it to have sudden outbursts of uncontrollable laughing, crying or both. While doing research for this article, I watched a few videos of real-life people who suffer from PBA and it is stunning how well Phoenix was able to mimic this condition. Whereas when someone normally laughs it comes from a place of joy, this is the exact opposite; it is normally triggered by an uncomfortable situation and can lead to embarrassment, social isolation, distress and depression. Those are all emotions and conditions Arthur is depicted as suffering from in “Joker.” It is never explicitly said what exact conditions Arthur has in the movie, but we do learn that he uses seven different medications and suffered significant head trauma as a child. Arthur even has a card he carries with him that says, “It's a medical condition causing sudden, frequent, uncontrollable laughter that doesn’t match how you feel. It can happen in people with a brain injury or certain neurological conditions." Abuse, isolation, neglect and early loss of a parent are all linked to real-world cases of mental illness and Arthur suffers through all of these in this film. Phillips does a great job of using laughter as a tool, not just a character flaw. We see Arthur painfully laugh at the worst moments; a few scenes particularly stuck out for me. In one of these scenes, Arthur is trying to make a young boy laugh by making funny faces and playing peekaboo. The boy's mother tells Arthur to stop bothering her kid, and after the rude interruption of Arthur’s innocent act, he breaks into laughter. A loud, pained, uncontrollable laugh leads to our first look at his aforementioned card that explains his condition. This is our first time as the audience seeing the laugh in public at full
Arthur putting on makeup for his clown persona.
strength, and it is terribly uncomfortable but makes us feel great sympathy for Arthur. The next pivotal laughing scene is the turning point of the movie. After being fired from his job, Arthur is on the subway heading home and three seemingly drunk men are bothering a woman on the subway. Arthur takes notice of this and between the mixture of his despair from his job and the awkwardness of the situation, he busts out in his troubled laugh. The three guys now direct their attention to Arthur, get uncomfortably close and then begin to fight. Arthur is overpowered and is repeatedly kicked while laying on the ground (a callback to one of the first scenes in the movie). This time Arthur fights back, pulls out his gun and proceeds to shoot and kill all three men that night. We see Arthur’s first real Joker moment, a sudden lethal outburst that he embraces. Nearing the end of the film, Arthur gives the chilling line, “I used to think my life was a tragedy, but now I realize it’s a comedy.” From that point on you see him embrace the laugh and finally have a little bit of control over it for the first time. You even see Arthur become more comfortable in his own skin as he falls further into darkness. The most comfortable you ever see Arthur is when he’s on the Murray Franklin Show with full Joker makeup on and in a very familiar purple suit. Laughing is no longer his enemy.
Is Joker a Hero?
The murder of three Wayne Enterprise
Picture // Warner Bros. Pictures
employees by “a guy in a clown mask” is what triggers the street dwellers of Gotham to fight the wealthy and also raises an interesting question I wanted to discuss. On one of the newspapers that wrote about the shooting, they question if the masked killer was a vigilante. As a nerd, this was a cool easter egg as Batman is often times marked a vigilante by the police and media. In one of Arthur’s fake memories (more on these later) of a date with Sophie (Zazie Beetz), she says that she thinks the person who killed those guys is a hero. I interpret this as Arthur solidifying to himself that his actions had good ramifications. This is one of the examples that show the audience how unreliable Arthur is as a narrator. The other key example is when Arthur imagines himself on the Murray Franklin show while watching with his mother. Nevertheless, no matter Arthur’s unreliability, he performs terrible acts throughout this film. So the short answer is no, he’s not a hero, even though we sympathize with him. Arthur is a tortured character who even says he’s never had a truly happy moment in his life. Despite repeatedly being thrown in the trash and gut-punched (literally and figuratively) by society, there is no excuse for Arthur’s actions. We see him kill six people in the movie and Sophie’s fate wasn’t confirmed, so the kill count could be even higher. Despite his condition and set of circumstances, th ere is no excuse for his actions and because of this, of course, he’s not a hero.
ISSUE 5
OCTOBER 16
ENTERTAINMENT The Controversy
Big movie right now.
Now the big talk heading into the film’s release date was that it glorifies both mental illness and violence, with the fear being that this movie may inspire violent acts, much like Arthur/Joker does by the end. In a time where mass shootings have become a regularity, I understand why people may feel like there’s no place for this Arthur, now Joker, dancing down the stairs.
I personally have a different opinion on its message. I think if anything, this movie shows us how we need to treat mental illness and how serious it really is. Any mental illness should not be ignored, laughed at or overlooked. “Joker” shows us an extreme case that leads to mass violence, but I think it is trying to tell us this is a feasible thing that could Picture // Warner Bros. Pictures
happen, and maybe already is happening. One of the best parts of this movie is just how real it feels. We only ever seen Gotham from a street-level view. Every punch, kick, gunshot, death, laughing attack all feel completely real; no “movie magic” here. I could understand someone having a different opinion than me on the subject, but I think that’s another part of this movie that’s so great: It is extremely fun to talk about and it's impossible to not have an opinion after watching it.
Finals Thoughts
This movie is not a horror film—it is a horrific film. Its intent is not to scare you, it just wants to show what could happen to someone with severe mental illness when society rejects them despite their best efforts. I can’t imagine anyone in this role instead of
Phoenix, and if he’s not at least nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards, I will write a 3000word Nerd News column on how the system is completely corrupt. While I want to say the same for whether “Joker” is nominated for Best Picture, I wouldn’t be surprised if it is snubbed because of how divisive it is amongst critics and fans. Despite the mixed reactions, I believe Phillips completely shook off the idea that he can only direct comedy after directing “The Hangover” trilogy. He creates the most grounded Gotham City in the history of cinema and tells a great characterdriven story that makes the audience sympathize with one of the most famous comic book villains of all time. I almost feel guilty about how much I enjoyed this movie. It is two hours of seat shifting, shock, heartbreak and one of the most chilling scores to a movie I have
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Official movie poster Picture // Warner Bros Pictures
ever heard. I absolutely loved it and can’t wait to see it a third and fourth time in theaters.
The End
So did you make it all the way through? Be honest, I know you skipped some of my over analysis of his laugh, but c'mon, the laugh is one of the driving forces behind the movie! A freaking laugh!
ISSUE 5
OCTOBER 16
8 CAMPUS LIFE
Pay to play for Bahamas relief JULIUS LUCHS\\ STAFF WRITER
With Hurricane Dorian devastating the Bahamas and leaving the country in need of funding for repairs, Florida Tech’s Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society hosted a Bahamas relief fundraiser. According to Ashley Letendre, the president of Phi Eta Sigma, the honor society has previously hosted activities and events to help benefit the community and the school. “We have done community service events before,” Letendre said. “We help bring emotional support dogs to campus
during finals week. We hope to find ways to help students every day.” This time around, Phi Eta Sigma sought to get the student body involved and raise money for the Bahamas. “We wanted to do a fundraiser that we knew a lot of students would come to,” Letendre said. “Volleyball was our choice for an activity because most people can play that sport.” Ashley Faubion, the advisor for the event, said teams paid ten dollars to play while individuals paid five. The tournament was held at Southgate, with pizza being donated by the
Civil Engagement office. The volleyball tournament had first place, second place and third place winners, with prizes being awarded to podium winners. Representatives of the Florida Tech Volleyball Club took first place, while Gabe Quinn and Spencer Somes from Residence Life placed second. Third place went to representatives of SGA. Eric Hu, representative of the volleyball club, took home a pair of wireless bluetooth speakers as his winning prize. “It felt nice to play for a good cause,” Hu said.
Florida Tech volleyball representatives posing with their prizes from the volleyball game.
Letendre said the fundraiser was able to raise 120 dollars. Phi Eta Sigma plans to donate the money to the Salvation Army, which has a direct link to the Bahamas relief effort.
Picture // Ashley Letendre
Letendre said the event was a lot of fun, and it was great to see people come out and support a good cause.
Fishing Club HOSTS SECOND ANNUAL SHARK FISHING EVENT Xingman Jiang & CHRISTIAN MARTINEZ \\ Staff writers
Rather than spending a calm Saturday afternoon leisurely waiting for fish to take a bite on the line, Florida Tech’s fishing club choose a more thrilling pastime while baiting sharks. Spending the whole afternoon at Bonsteel Park on Oct. 5, the fishing club held their second annual shark-fishing event. Two, three-to-fourfoot sharks were reeled in, while another was hooked but snapped the line. Based
on the sharks’ appearances, the club said they believe they were spinner sharks. The event was held not only for fun, but also to tag sharks for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “Once we reel them in, we take measurements, find out the breed and tag the sharks,” said Nicholas Tolentino, the fishing club’s president. “We release them after, and then NOAA takes the data to keep an eye on the sharks.” Since the sharks at the beach aren’t large, Tolentino said, “They aren’t
A participant in the event caught a shark.
Picture // Christian Martinez and Xingman Jiang
likely to attack anyone. Sharks are everywhere, you just don’t see them.” Both spinners were reeled in by fishing club member James Hinson, who has had experience
catching sharks. “I joined the fishing club as a way to make friends on campus and to get me out of my room,” Hinson said. “The fishing club has remained a place
to just gather friends who all enjoy the same hobby of fishing, and spend a day at the beach to get away when you’re stressed.” Anyone is allowed to go shark fishing as long as they complete a free online course by the Florida Fishing and Wildlife Conservation Commission to get a permit. The FWC’s website, which the event’s CORQ page linked to, also includes a list of harvestable and prohibited sharks with limits based on species and size. Breeds allowed to be caught include finetooth, blacknose, bull, nurse, spinners and other small breeds. Prohibited breeds include the likes of lemon, Galapagos, tiger, whale and white sharks. Armed with this knowledge, their permits, fishing rods, spare lines and enough bait to last the day, the fishing club was glad to have anyone join the event. “This is the first time that this event was as open to the public as it was,” Tolentino said. He also said that the only things to worry about were hooking other people and handling the sharks. Fishing club meetings are held every other week from seven p.m. at Olin Life Science room 130. “I hope more people come out to our events and club meetings,” Tolentino said. “It’s chill with no dues or anything. We’re all just out here having a good time fishing.”