The Pulse - December 2022

From Student to Staff: An Interview with Abby Hassett

By Annissa Khanna

“Harvey was a great experience for me as a student, and it was a great environment for me. As a professional, I thought the same rules could apply, but now I’m able to look at the school from a different lens and be able to help a school that helped me.” — Abby Hassett, The Harvey School Class of 2013, Communications Associate

The Pulse was fortunate enough to interview Abby Hassett, Harvey’s new communications associate. In doing so, we were able to understand the professional background that led to M. Hassett’s return to Harvey as an alum.

Upon graduating from Harvey in 2013, M. Hassett attended college in Beverly, Massachusetts, studying marketing, communications, and photography. Following that, a series of internships (including two production companies and one public relations internship) taught M. Hassett the workplace, and Abby described the time spent learning as “a very formative experience, traveling to London and studying at the University of Westminster, and taking some media classes.” There is quite a lot to understand in the new light of what media has provided for this generation, and the next, which is a vital skill in promoting a place such as Harvey.

M. Hassett moved to Brooklyn as a freelance worker at an advertising agency as a junior designer, telling to The Pulse, “The world of advertising in New York City is very cut-throat and very fast.” While in the city, M. Hassett brought an interesting story to light: “I was fired from a coffee shop because I was too honest with them. In Williamsburg, in Brooklyn, coffee is taken very seriously. I was asked what my future in coffee looks like, and I candidly told them I didn’t see a future in this. That comment ultimately caused me to be let go; it was an honest 21-year-old mindset and a rightnow job. In New York City, that is a career.”

Spending time in New York, doing freelance work, and working at a photography production house in Brooklyn, New York (Root Studios), the professional experience proved itself vital to coming back to Harvey

and returning to work at the same high school, this time with more experience and knowledge.

M. Hassett told The Pulse what was behind the decision to return to Harvey, stating, “Most recently, before I was here [Harvey], I was working at a nature preschool. It was totally different, and while I was there, I helped them with their marketing and social media. I found this intersection of doing social media and using my communications background, while also being in a school setting. That’s how I found myself at Harvey. My background and what I was looking for all met up with this.”

The culmination of a spreadout background, with time spent on diversions that bring enjoyment into a career, is necessary to develop a strong skill set, while still spending time doing what you love. M. Hassett explained to The Pulse, “One of my biggest passions, and something I’d always want to pursue, is film photography. I’d love to have a show of my work … to me, film photography is the more classical essence of photography.”

M. Hassett described the role of a communications associate to The Pulse, stating, “I am behind the Harvey social media accounts, and I’m also helping with the admissions and marketing team, making promotional videos for prospective and current students, to show the different opportunities the school has.”

Harvey has changed time and time again. M. Hassett stated, “The school as a whole just feels a lot bigger… Harvey has the same essence as when I went here… I really enjoyed being able to do everything.”

Two distinct moments M. Hassett recalled of Harvey serving students for the better were the annual Wells Speech Contest and the Michael Lopes Poetry Recitation Contest. M. Hassett shared a moment where these speeches were beneficial, as they were the officiant of a close friend’s wedding: “I got really comfortable with public speaking at Harvey. What I always credit to Harvey is the speech contest and poetry contest, which

helped me be able to speak in front of groups on different scales. When people asked if I had officiated a wedding, I hadn’t done it before, but I was able to say I had practice speaking since eighth grade.”

What brought M. Hassett back upon graduating was the professional knowledge picked up from spending the time at Harvey: “When I read the job description the first time around, I knew I had done all of this, and it was the first time I had done a job where I directly met the requirements.” M. Hassett continued, “I always had the chance here. That’s helped me with this role and made me understand a student mindset. So, I can help give a more accurate communications point. I have the professional experiences from being able to try so many different things in adulthood. That is directly linked to Harvey.”

In conclusion to our interview, M. Hassett left some words for our younger selves and any student pursuing their ambitions at Harvey: “There is so much that the faculty wants to help you with and do … that’s really special. You don’t really realize that until you’re out of here … take advantage of what you have here and the people you have here.”

Photo of Communications Associate M. Abby Hassett

The Pulse Staff

Editor-in-Chief/Layout

Should Parents Let their Children Play Contact Sports?

Dear Editor-in-Chief,

As information has trickled out about the effects of head injuries, many parents have become hesitant to let their children participate in contact sports. Although there is an obvious risk of injury within these sports, I believe that the benefits young men and women take away from sports like football, rugby, and hockey far outweigh the potential risks.

Sports Editor

Over the last 10 years, there has been a noticeable drop in the number of children playing tackle football. According to Science Daily, “The largest decrease in tackle football participation has been among children ages 6 to 12, who showed more than a 20% decline from 2008 to 2018, according to one study.”

Considering that I’ve played football since I was in fifth grade and rugby since 10th grade, I have formed a strong passion for physical sports. I believe that these sports lead to a stronger bond between teammates that cannot be formed in other sports. Since these sports are physical, there is a heightened sense of danger, so trust and communication between teammates is a priority.

In rugby, for example, if teammates don’t have strong trust in each other, they will be less likely to go into contact because they don’t know that their teammates will ruck over and protect them. Many similar examples can be said for football, as well. For instance, a bond is formed between a quarterback or running back and his offensive line.

When a young person sets up a goal for themselves and then is able to achieve this aspiration through passion and hard work, it shows them the importance of vision. Once the athlete has developed a goal, they then must dedicate themselves to diligently training in order to achieve this goal.

This training often must be carried out independently, which encourages the athlete to develop a routine. If a young athlete is able to develop and stick to a strength and conditioning program or set aside time to watch game film, they will become more disciplined, which will translate to success in other avenues of their life.

Another lesson that contact sports can teach young people is the need to overcome adversity. This adversity is often presented in the form of pain, injury, or failure. Although no parent wants to hear that their child is at risk of injury or suffering pain, these setbacks are very beneficial in the long run, because they teach someone how to adapt to a difficult situation and overcome setbacks.

Although the concern for injuries has escalated in recent years, the reality is that contact sports have never been safer. In the NFL, there have been strides to make the game safer through innovation. NFL Player Health and Safety states, “Cutting-edge football helmets, data-gathering sensors, and a turd testing machine called the BEAST are just a few elements of the behind-thescenes revolution making the game safer for NFL players.”

The common thread between all elements of the NFL’s push for player safety is data. For instance, the NFL has used data to identify potentially dangerous tackling methods and make necessary rule changes. Overall, the NFL has successfully reduced the risk of concussions by 25% over the past three seasons. Over time, many of these rule changes and innovations will trickle down and make an impact on the high school level and below.

Although contact sports inherently contain risks, I believe these risks are outweighed by the valuable life lessons these sports contain. In the future, parents should continue to encourage their children to participate in these sports, because they are continuing to become safer, and players will develop meaningful relationships.

Sincerely, Dan Gasch Sports Editor

Emma Galgano

Dan Gasch

Spencer Elkind

Annissa Khanna Bradley Lederer

Sophie Peters

Jackson Saccomanno

Razi Tanksley

Jonah Weinstock Hudson Zamacona

Faculty Advisor Virginia Holmes

Fishing Industry Shocked by Cheating Scandal

By Dan Gasch

On Friday, Sept. 30, Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky were caught cheating in an Ohio Walleye fishing tournament on Lake Erie. The pair was exposed for shoving lead weights down the throats of Walleye they had caught in a tournament.

According to Meat Eater, suspicion began when the pair weighed in a 30-pound 5 fish limit on what many considered a tough fishing day. Skepticism was heightened because the fish the men had turned in looked significantly smaller than their supposed weight.

When tournament director Jason Fischer saw the fish, he knew something wasn’t right, and after grabbing one of the Walleye, he decided it was necessary to cut the fish open. He found lead weights inside the fish that were as large as 2 pounds. In total, Fischer found over 8 pounds of lead after cutting the remainder of the Walleye caught by Runyan and Cominsky. The weights had been wrapped in Walleye filets so that they would not bulge on the fish’s skin.

It is believed by many that the pair’s dishonorable scheme started years before they were caught. Meat Eater states, “The real story actually starts more than a year prior. This team-out of nowhere-starte dominating walleye tournaments, like Tom Brady playing on Friday

nights at your local high school.”

During their run of successful tournaments, other anglers began to question that the fish these men weighed in were actually as heavy as the scale read. Despite the skepticism, there wasn’t much that could be done, and the men continued to “win” large sums of money. According to Meat Eater, “Things really came to a head when one of the alleged cheaters failed a lie detector in one of the fall big fish derbies, but the same angler passed the other circuit’s lie detector.”

According to CBS Sports, on Oct. 26, Cominsky and Runyan pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted grand theft, cheating, unlawfully owning wild animals, and several other charges. In addition tothe multiple charges the men faced, Cominsky had his boat and trailer seized, since it was used during the Ohio Walleye fishing tournament.

It is expected that the two will have their fishing licenses suspended, and they could be permanently banned from participating in competitive fishing. If convicted, both men could serve up to 12 months in prison and be fined $2500 for each charge.

As a result of the actions carried out by Runyan and Cominsky, another tournament, known as

The Rossford Walleye Roundup, has been canceled. According to ABC of Toledo Ohio, “Rossford Mayor Neil Mackinnon III says the decision to cancel for 2023 was agreed upon by Bass Pro Shops and the Rossford Convention and Visitors Bureau.”

The tournament’s legitimacy was brought into question, because Cominsky and Runyan had also won it in a previous year. Mayor Mackinnon went on to state that as a result of the fisherman’s unlawful actions, “The entire circuit has been all shook up due to the cheating scandal and we don’t know the future of walleye fishing tournaments.”

People have cheated their way to large prizes in professional fishing since organized tournamentsbegan, and, unfortunately, cheating will most likely happen in the sport forever. For example, in October 2018, a pair of anglers weighed in fish from another body of water.

Scientists were able to determine the fish did not come from Lake Powell (where the tournamentwas held) by using forensic science. According to Wired2Fish, “The scientists were able to sample the otoliths from the fish brought to the scales by these two anglers the first day to confirm they were, in fact,from Quail Creek Reservoir and

Remembering Russell

By Bradley Lederer

with the Celtics just three years later in 1969. He became the first Black coach to win an NBA championship during his three-year coaching stint, and he paved the path for other Black coaches and players in the NBA and other sports.

After his time in Boston, he moved on to coach two more teams, the Seattle Supersonics and the Sacramento Kings, but he did not have as much success coaching them, as they did not win the NBA championship.

winning U.S. Olympic basketball team.

According to Celtics Wire, Bill Russell donated $5.1 million to charity, benefiting organizations like MENTOR and the Boston Celtics United for Social Justice, which is created to fight social and racial inequity in and around Boston.

not from Powell.”

Avid Harvey fisherman Hayden Smelser had strong words when The Pulse asked him his thoughts on the situation. He stated, “I totally disapprove of these scandalous actions.” The decisionsmade by Jacob Runyan and Chase Cominsky are very unfortunate and put the legitimacy of pro fishing into question.

On July 31, 2022, Celtics legend and 11-time champion Bill Russell passed away. The National Basketball Association (NBA) has been around for nearly 76 Years. As people have seen the 75th-year anniversary pass and go, fans worldwide continue to cherish and remember great past players, like Bill Russell, from years ago.

Russell is best known for his time playing for the Celtics but also for being a coach and activist in the Black community. Russell was the first Black coach in the modern era of sports, according to Britticana. com. He first coached the Celtics in 1966 and ended his coaching career

During his career as a player, Russell averaged 15.1 points, 4.3 assists, and an astonishing 22.5 rebounds per game, according to Basketball Reference.

Russell was born in Monroe, Louisiana but grew up in Oakland, California where he attended school. During his high school years, Russell won two state championships and eventually went on to play at the college level.

In college, Russell attended the University of San Francisco and had a strong collegiate career, winning two NCAA championships. He was also captain of the gold-medal-

Russell has been married four times during his lifetime and has three children. When Russell died, a statement went out to all his social media platforms informing people about his passing. In the letter, it stated that “Bill Russell, the most prolific winner in American sports history passed away peacefully today at the age of 88, with his wife, Jeannine, by his side.”

Russell was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975 but did not accept the award until 2019, because he thought he was undeserving. He was also one of the founding inductees into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

When Russell passed away, it seemed like the world stopped, and people mourned his death. Players

such as Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry, and Jaylen Brown took to social media to show their gratitude, mourn him, and show respect for his family. Kareem Abdul Jabar, arguably one of the best centers along with Russell, wrote, “Bill Russell was the quintessential Big Man - not because of his heart but because of the size of his heart. In basketball, he showed us how to play with grace and passion. In life, he showed us to live with compassion and joy. He was my friend, mentor, my role model. RIP to my friend. My dearest to his family.”

Before the Celtics opening game of the 2022-23 season, before the game started, they commemorated Russell. Jaylen Brown, who is one of the Celtics best players, gave a heartfelt speech about Russell. Brown’s speech talked about Bill Russell, the player, coach, activist, and father, while respecting his greatness on and off the court.

Russell was arguably one of the best Centers and players of all time, and he will be missed. Yet, his legacy continues to shine, and fans will cherish the past moments of this great man.

Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament director Jason Fischer displays lead weights removed from the Walleye caught by Chase Cominsky and Jacob Runyan following a championship weigh-in. Photo taken by Richard Simms

Photo of Bill Russell throughout his career.

Photo Courtesy of Fox Sports

Harvey hosted four athletic games this Homecoming, which was held Saturday, Oct. 15. Girls Varsity Volleyball, Boys Varsity Soccer, Girls Varsity Soccer, Varsity CrossCountry, and Varsity Football all participated that day.

The teams went 3-1, including a win by The Harvey Boys Soccer team, who defeated New York Military Academy 9-0. In addition, The Harvey Girls Soccer achieved their first win of the season against Oakwood Friends.

Varsity Cross-Country was the day’s first match, and they did astonishingly well. Five of our runners came placed ahead of the other teams. Hudson Chris had an amazing race. Hudson’s time was 18:17 during this 5k, which is 3.2 miles. He came in first for the whole event. Jordan Freund came in second with a time of 20:23.

Coach Coscio was proud of the work the team did to win this race. This also kicked off an amazing day for The Harvey School.

The next game of the day was The Harvey Girls Varsity Soccer team. They played Oakwood Friends School, which led to their first win of the season, 7-1. It was a hard-fought game by both teams.

Harvey News

Harvey Comes Home

By Jackson Saccomanno

Sarah Zeigler, the one of the head coaches of the Harvey Girls Soccer team, coached the girls well and got most of her players in that day. The two main players who scored that day were ninth grader Molly Weisberger and senior Juliet Jaques. But everyone participated in this win with their passing, defense, and playmaking.

The third game of the day, also in the middle of the day, was Boys Varsity Soccer. The boys won 9-1 in an incredible game. They were placed onto RK Field in order to set up for the football game. But despite Boys Varsity Soccer playing on this field, which is the far side of campus, they still had a fan base who showed up for them. This game brought their incredible record of 7-4.

Sophomore Jonah Kass was placed in goal, and for his first year playing goalie, he did well. Eli Cornell also played exceptionally well along with Clayton Collum, who were the team’s top scorers.

Harvey School Football started the year off undefeated at 2-0. Their Homecoming game was an out-of-division game against Dalton. Dalton is an 11-man team, and Harvey is an eight-man team.

So, this game was excep-

tionally challenging for the young team. They started off well in the first quarter and were only down by eight points. Dalton took away the game during the second quarter and started to run away with the score.

Football ultimately lost in the end and scored 14 points. QB Jackson Saccomanno threw one touchdown to Jared Effinger, and QB Sam Levine threw a touchdown to Daniel Gasch. Both of these throws and catches were exceptional.

The fifth and final game of the day was the Harvey Girls Varsity Volleyball game. They played Watkinson and won 3-1, in three brutal back-and-forth matches. Denis Arnautovic, the coach, was pleased with the girls’ performance at the Homecoming game. Arnautovic told The Pulse, “I am incredibly proud of the team for doing their best and taking this Homecoming win.”

This was their second win against Watkinson. This win was more entertaining than the first because of the team’s newfound chemistry. The Harvey Varsity Volleyball has grown a lot since the beginning of the season, and this

Our Happy Harvey Homecoming

By Sophie Peters

Saturday, Oct. 15 was Harvey’s annual Homecoming. This is a really big day for the Harvey community every year.

The kick-off to the Homecoming was Spirit Week. Each day, the students of The Harvey School participated in different themed days. Examples included “Everything but a Backpack Day,” “Color Wars,” and “Decades Day.”

The Harvey Pep Rally was held Friday, Oct. 14, the day before the major festivities. The administration assembled all students and faculty and led them to the Fenstermacher Athletic Center. The fall sports teams were gathered on the other side of the gym and ran out as a group to be introduced by Student Government presidents Aaron Providence and Khalil Aguilar.

What students were most excited about was the faculty versus seniors dodgeball game. Many of the teachers participated in this event, and the students really enjoyed spectating. The faculty won the game, but it should be noted that students were only allowed to use their left hand.

The last event was a relay race. About six students were chosen to participate in the relay race and won Harvey merchandise.

The students really enjoyed the week before Homecoming, because most of them had not experienced this celebration at Harvey before. The Pulse interviewed senior Aleah Ford Sussman, who said, “This year’s Homecoming was a great event for both alum and current students to come together and support our dedicated sports teams.”

Sophomore Anthony Galtieri told The Pulse, “It was extraordinary.”

The second event to come before Homecoming was the dance itself. It was held Friday, the day before the Homecoming games.

This was a formal dance that was held in the Lasdon Theater. All of the students really enjoyed

the festivities, such as dancing and singing. Everyone really enjoyed the music, and students were able to request their songs of choice, such as “All Too Well” by Harry Styles, and 90s hip-hop hits such as “It Was a Good Day.” After the dance, everyone went home, knowing that the next day would be the day we had all been waiting for.

On Saturday, when visitors arrived on the campus, the first thing that caught everybody’s eye when they first arrived at The Harvey School was the lively tents and Mr. Morgan’s band “The Big Happy.” The vendors had arrived early that morning to set up their individual tents.

The first tent of the line housed Mr. Lazzaro’s homemade pizza. Mr. Lazzaro, along with a few other faculty members, worked together to serve delicious pizza for the Harvey community.

Everyone was so excited about the next tent: the puppy adoption tent! The adoption agency was The Incredible Pups Pet Rescue. This tent had a litter of new puppies, as well as rescue dogs open to be adopted by the public. The last few tents were shopping, snacks, as well as Harvey merchandise.

There was a Performing

game was a great opportunity for the team. They came together and won, even with the giant crowd being loud and showing spirit.

Spirit was a common theme throughout all of these games and was one of the main reasons for so many of the teams’ successes. A lot of students that attend The Harvey School came out and supported their friends and teams. The stands were filled with joy and laughter, even in the mornings.

Overall, all of the Homecoming games were played well and added to the teams’ triumphs in their season. Please continue to come and support your Harvey Cavaliers this year!

Arts tent, too. Seniors Emiliana Knauer, Kara Freedman, and Jordan Latta volunteered to paint people’s faces to represent Harvey pride, along with a few other underclassmen. A few volunteer parents also made customized shirts to give out to people.

Along the side of the Performing Arts tent was the food tent, filled with all the appetizers and snacks that were provided throughout the day. Many parents were there volunteering to work the food tent. Hot dogs, hamburgers, and essential barbecue foods were served at Homecoming, which was very much enjoyed.

One of the biggest hits of the entire day were the two bouncy castles. Many students, as well as family members and friends of students, participated in races down the slides. Our student-athletes enjoyed having a little bit of a break during their few minutes off.

This week was a bounce back to the past for Harvey Homecoming. Everyone who was there and who participated in Homecoming was so thrilled with how the whole event turned out. Homecoming 2022 was definitely a time to remember for the Harvey community!

Senior Eve Doran playing in the Girl Varsity Homecoming Game

Photo taken by Abby Hassett

Seniors Juliet Jaques and Liz Hurley at the Homecoming Pep Rally. Photo taken by Abby Hassett.

Years ago, The Harvey School had a special slot in the middle of Day 5 dedicated to clubs. COVID-19 took that away. But now, Harvey clubs are back in action!

In early October, students were given the option to join a club or the opportunity to start their own, ranging from interesting topics such as Jewish Culture and Blacktop Basketball. Before clubs were initially canceled, they were an instrumental part of the Harvey experience.

A reason it took so long for clubs to return was, in the words of former Dean of Students Gary Dunn, “finding a plan for everyone to meet during the academic day.” Back then, the pandemic caused serious changes to the daily school schedule, and now that we have moved past obstacles, we have more opportunities for social interaction.

Clubs returning serve as a reminder of how far Harvey has worked in order to return to our beloved school traditions that were robbed from us during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. To many upperclassmen, this will be their first experience in clubs, and for seniors, it will serve as a reinstatement of activities that haven’t been possible

Clubs Are Back

By Razi Tanksley

since the 2019-2020 school year.

An example of a new club offered this year is Blacktop Basketball, which I myself lead along with English teacher Mr. Tucker Kiessling. I started this club to offer students a place to enjoy basketball before the season starts, during the season, and after the winter sports season ends. Today, we have over 16 enthusiastic members.

A club that has returned after a hiatus is the Jewish Culture Club. To members such as club president Zach Anisman, a reason for the club’s importance is to spread “the knowledge that I have of the Jewish culture and get more people involved in Jewish community.” During meetings, members learn aspects of Hebrew traditions such as food, prayer, and holidays. Meetings also offer a fascinating viewpoint for those who are not members of the Jewish community but are eager to learn more.

Sara Adelman, who is a part of the Feminist Club, is an avid member because of the club’s shared belief that “women need to be supported anduplifted, and it creates a good environment to do so. Also, we

try to help different organizations that help less fortunate women than us, so it’s really empowering.”

Another important club that has a vital influence on Harvey students is the Community Service Club. Students such as Mya Dias and Hudson Chris believe in the club because it helps the world around us. Mya said that the club offers “a positive impact by helping others in need.” The Community Service Club and another club, the Environmental Club, may differ in their focus points, but both provide a way for students to work together

A quality that all these different organizations share, while they vary on topics, is a space where teachers and students can unite in their shared interests. Clubs like The Big Questions, Reading Club, Writers Club, and Puzzles provide the Harvey community with the opportunity to learn more about grand subjects in public discussions, profound literature, and their mental capacity.

The Princeton Review has stated that interests such as these serve an important purpose in our lives, because “no matter which clubs you join—or launch—you

will have the opportunity to develop important skills.” Also, many clubs are “very likely to add value to your high school experience and create amazing memories!”

With this in mind, from bonding with friends to expanding your interest into different fields, club meetings can be extraordinary.

Favorite

Ms.

Hudson: “Elf”

Favorite

Dan:

Benji: Latkes

Emma: Cannolis

Favorite

Bradley: “Sleigh Ride”

Photo of Razi Tanksley during Blacktop Basketball club. Photo taken by Denis Arnautovic.

The Just Stop Oil and the Letzte Generation climate-activist organization have sparked controversy worldwide through their forms of protesting. Advocates from their organization have thrown food and glued themselves to cherished pieces of art like Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” painting, Claude Monet’s painting of “Haystacks” and Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” This act of protesting fossil fuels leads to the question: Is this effective protesting or just vandalism?

Just Stop Oil is a coalition of groups that works together to demand that the U.K. government makes a statement that will immediately halt all future licensing and consent for the exploration, development, and production of fossil fuels. Even though Just Stop Oil is based around ending the use of fossil fuels in the U.K., their form of protesting has influenced people’s hearts worldwide.

According to The Atlantic, one of Just Stop Oil’s protests that hit the world by storm was on Oct. 14. Two young advocates, wearing shirts that said “Just Stop Oil,” visited London’s National Gallery and threw tomato soup on Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflower” painting. The two advocates glued their hands to the wall and yelled, “What is worth more: art or life”

As reported by Smithsonian magazine, one of the advocates, who was later revealed to be 21-year-old Phoebe Plummer, continued and yelled, “Is it

A World Filled with Art or Life?

By Emma Galgano

worth more than food? Worth more than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people? The costof-living crisis is part of the cost of the oil crisis. Fuel is unaffordable to millions of cold, hungry families. They can’t even afford to heat a tin of soup.”

The video of these two advocates went viral on social media, and the two advocates were arrested. Luckily, the painting was covered in glass and was undamaged. Mel Carrington, a representative for Just Stop Oil, told The New York Times’s Alex Marshall that the group intended to generate publicity and spark debate. She says they selected the “Sunflowers” because they knew it was protected by glass and wouldn’t be damaged by the soup.

According to The Guardian, this caused a lot of positive and negative attention. Some people believe that vandalism or not, this form of activism was a way to draw attention to impending ecological catastrophe. One commentator of the event, George Monbiot, stated, “Protests will be ignored unless they cross a line that many find unacceptable.”

Others feel that it was just vandalism and that choosing to throw soup at van Gogh’s painting is silly, since his passion was to reveal the extraordinary beauty of nature to those who could not see it.

As stated by The Atlantic, nine days after Just Stop Oil emptied tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” at the National Gallery in London, two activists from Letzte Generation entered the Museum Barberini and doused Claude Monet’s “Haystacks” with mashed potato before gluing their hands to the wall.

It was later revealed that four people were involved in the event, and because the painting was enclosed in glass, the mashed potatoes didn’t cause any damage. The painting went back on display a week later.

After the event, a member from the Letzte Generation organization tweeted: “We are in a climate catastrophe, and all you are afraid of is tomato soup or mashed potatoes on a painting. You know what I’m afraid of? I’m afraid because science tells us that we won’t be able to feed our families in 2050.”

Then, 10 days after the Letzte Generation threw mashed potatoes over Claude Monet’s “Haystacks,” two activists wearing “Just Stop Oil” T-shirts superglued one of their shaved heads to the Vermeer’s painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” While the other glued himself to the painting, the other activist poured tomato soup over his head.

One of the activists then shouted, “How do you feel when you see something beautiful and priceless being destroyed before your eyes? Do

you feel outraged? Good. Where is that feeling when you see the planet being destroyed?”

According to CNN, some political and climate-focused analysts have passed around studies arguing that the extremism of the acts could be effective by drawing attention to the issue and building more robust support for more moderate factions of climate activists. Others have flagged studies indicating that it could backfire by alienating potential supporters.

The Just Stop Oil and Letzte Generation climate-activist organizations have taken the world bystorm. Their extreme forms of activism lead to the question: “What is worth more, art or nature?”

Marvel’s Multiverse Saga Breakdown

By Spencer Elkind

Ant-Man as he faces the villain of the entire Saga, Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror. Early 2023 will also see “Secret Invasion,” an event series starring Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, and the second “What If?” season hitting Disney+.

Legendary director James Gunn will helm “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3,” releasing May 5, 2023. Set to be the final Marvel project for Gunn and many cast members, this will be an emotional finale that some characters might not survive. Also coming to Disney+ around this time is “Echo,” starring Alaqua Cox as the MCU’s first deaf hero.

episode reboot series “Daredevil: Born Again,” starring Charlie Cox as Daredevil.

The MCU returns to theaters May 3, 2024 with “Captain America: New World Order,” featuring Anthony Mackie as Captain America and Harrison Ford taking over the role of Thunderbolt Ross from the deceased William Hurt, facing off against Tim Blake Nelson reprising his role as The Leader.

sibly a project to set up or introduce the X-Men.

2022 will mark the end of Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Though not entirely beloved, Phase Four still did major work introducing new characters and setting up future stories for Marvel’s Multiverse Saga. And in the next four years, audiences worldwide will see that Saga play out through the movies and streaming series of Phase Five and Phase Six.

(Writer’s Note: The following are all the current projects Marvel has revealed for their next two Phases. Release dates are subject to change.)

Phase Five begins with “AntMan and the Wasp: Quantumania,” releasing Feb. 17, 2023. Directed by Peyton Reed, this film stars Paul Rudd as

The summer of 2023 will feature “The Marvels,” a sequel to 2019’s “Captain Marvel,” starring Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel, and Teyonah Parris as Spectrum. The second season of “Loki,” starring Tom Hiddleston, will be released later in the summer.

Following the summer, Marvel will begin a 10-month cinema break with no new movies. However, three new shows will be released during this time. The first is “Ironheart” in fall 2023, starring Dominique Thorne as Ironheart and Anthony Ramos as the Hood. Winter 2023 will feature “Agatha: Coven of Chaos,” starring Kathryn Hahn. Finally, spring will feature the 18-

July 26, 2024, will introduce a brand-new team to the MCU with the film “Thunderbolts,” led by Julia LouisDreyfus as Valentina Allegra De Fontaine. The film will feature the Thunderbolts team, consisting of Sebastian Stan as Winter Soldier, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kaman as Ghost, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, and Florence Pugh as the Black Widow. Harrison Ford will also reprise his role as Thunderbolt Ross. Phase Five will then end on Sept. 4, 2024 with “Blade,” starring Mahershala Ali.

Phase Six of the MCU will begin about two months later. However, as of Nov. 2, only four projects in Phase Six are known. Expect Phase Six also to feature other projects, such as new Special Presentations or Disney+ shows for characters such as Nova, sequels to Phase Four characters such as Shang-Chi, the Eternals, and Moon Knight, and pos-

On Nov. 8, 2024, Phase Six will begin with the highly anticipated “Deadpool 3,” directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Reynolds. The only character from Fox’s X-Men universe to be moving to the MCU, “Deadpool 3” will also feature Hugh Jackman reprising his role as Wolverine from those films. Following “Deadpool 3,” a film featuring the debut of the Fantastic Four will release on Feb. 14, 2025, and will be helmed by Matt Shakman.

Phase 6 will end, similar to Phase 3, with two Avengers movies.

“Avengers: Kang Dynasty” releases May 2, 2025, and will be directed by Destin Danial Cretton. Almost exactly a year later, “Avengers: Secret Wars” will be released, written by Micheal Waldron and concluding Marvel’s Multiverse Saga.

Looking at this upcoming slate, it’s clear that Marvel has big things planned for the next few years. Fans will have lots of new content to enjoy as the Multiverse Saga continues to its eventual conclusion.

Activists from the Just Stop Oil organization throw tomato soup on Van Gogh’s Sunflowers at the National Gallery.

Photo Courtesy of the Guardian

The official logo for the Multiverse Saga. Photo courtesy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki.

A Substance to Die For

By Hudson Zamacona

Brooklyn, New York is a city full of art, food, and an unlimited quantity of things to do. For skateboarders and street artists, there is a skatepark that is just for you.

If you like graffiti and skateboarding, hit up Substance Skatepark located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. You would never expect to find an indoor skatepark for vert and street skaters on a little street in Brooklyn.

Substance is accessible by car or train. You will have to walk a little bit if you take the train, and better keep your fingers crossed for a parking spot. From Grand Central Terminal, take the 6 Subway train to East Williamsburg and walk to Scholes Street, where you can find the park.

314 Scholes Street Brooklyn, New York, is where you will find this skatepark. Scholes Street is a cool New York street with all kinds of graffiti styles.

In the first part of your experience, you will enter the shop to sign in. They have a skate shop on location, which serves all skater’s needs. They have skate shoes, decks, trucks, wheels, bearings, grip tape, and every other accessory to make a skater satisfied.

Behind the shop is the first ramp which is a halfpipe. Behind the first halfpipe is a 20-foot halfpipe. Next to the 20-footer, there is a ledge, a mini halfpipe, with other ramps.

Once you take that gnarly fall and want a chiller session, there is a manual pad ledge next to the 20-footer. This is a great spot to practice grinds and slides. There is a mini half-pipe, quarter-pipe, and other smaller ramps on this side of the park as well.

Skating the vert part of the park for hours would bore the heck out of a street skater like me, which is when my buddies told me to follow them across the street to the Lady Liberty door (Skating vert is basically skating ramps). The session began once the door was opened.

It felt like waking up on Christmas morning as a youngster with a pump of excitement. All of us learned more than enough tricks.

There is graffiti on every inch of the skatepark, which is so beautiful. There are couches for lounging on the left side of the park for when you become tired. They also have bean bags, which are a useful crash pad when you are too lazy to walk to a couch.

There are obstacles everywhere from bump-to-bars to kickers, to ledges and beyond. It’s a total place to nerd out if you skate. You can get more than enough clips in this park to make an edit.

The street section feels like an underground layer from the 80s because of the art and layout.

If you really want a vibe, bring a speaker and play some old-school New York hiphop. Nothing screams New York louder than that.

After skating for a while, dip down on the couch, order some pizza and fizz, chill with your homies, and skate some more. That is a perfect day.

Substance offers a membership that gives members a code to the skatepark meaning if you want to skate at 3 a.m., you can skate at 3 a.m. Pretty cool, huh? On top of that, Substance donates 1% of sales to forest and ocean conservation. If you like skateboarding and Mother Nature, you can support both if you skate at Substance.

Overall, Substance is a really dope experience. The dudes who work there are laid back and swag and the locals who skate there are pretty nice as well. Substance Skatepark gives skateboarders a hip place to skate while donating to charity to protect our planet.

Seriously, if you find yourself doing nothing one day, go to Substance to get blown away.

A Travel

Guide: Ithaca, New York

By Annissa Khanna

A stay in upstate New York along Cayuga Heights is promised to be filled with breathtaking views and memories with your loved ones. Ithaca is an absolutely gorgeous city on the south end of Cayuga Lake known for its natural beauty. Here are the places to visit:

Stewart

Park

You’ll fi nd the most heavenly views here — this is the place with floating docks and sunsets that you ought to fall asleep to. Once part of the James Renwick family estate, Stewart Park was granted to the Revolutionary Army in July 1790 as military lot No. 88. The sun sets over the southern end of Cayuga Lake, making it the perfect place to stay for a while.

What Google reviewers are saying:

“A lovely place to sit and watch the sunset with someone you love.”

“A beautifully maintained park with plenty of benches under willow trees to sit and witness one of New York’s most beautiful bodies of water.”

“Beautiful. Exquisitely breathtaking.”

Sunset Park

Cayuga Heights is home to the beautiful Sunset Park and is the place for everyone to take in at least once. All year around, for every time of the year and season, this is the place with views that will stop your breath every time. The view looking over Cayuga Lake is a favorite for all those in the area, and it is a wonderful place to meet people.

What Google reviewers are saying:

“I love going here at night and looking down at the lights.”

“Lovely spot to sit, chat, and watch the sunset over Cayuga lake.”

Ithaca Farmers Market

The most loved and wonderful part of Ithaca; this seasonal weekend market is filled with relaxing energy and hospitality that promises you a good time. It’s a must-visit market.

What Google reviewers are saying:

“This place is so charming. I adore visiting every time I am in Ithaca on the weekends. This isn’t like your typical farmers market, but rather it’s an adorable experience. There’s often live music by the water, and you can stroll for hours and get an incredible lunch or coffee.”

Cinemapolis Movie Theater

This upstate New York hot spot is for residents to fi nd the heart of film and celebrate debut and fi rst-run independent programming. You’ll fi nd all the latest releases here, with open movie theaters and unheard-of hospitality. Cinemapolis is the ever-so-loved place in the commons.

What Google reviewers are saying: “A memoir of what movie theatres used to be.”

“A spectacle among the modern cinema experience .. a theater with a cozy atmosphere.”

Odyssey Bookstore

This bookstore is a welcoming, quiet atmosphere with an underground bookstore of enjoyable reading spots. They

offer a wide variety of books, ranging from everything trending to independent presses, which makes this locally owned bookstore a place of its own. Located on Green Street, it’s in the center of the commons, and it is a wonderful place to enjoy a good book.

What Google reviewers are saying: “Cozy ambiance and great selection. The recessed lighting on every shelf makes you want to curl up with a book right there. If you haven’t found time to go, treat yourself this winter season and get a good book.”

The Greenhouse Cafe & Cocktail Lounge

Labeling themselves “true New Yorkers at heart,” the most wonderful servers work here. The Greenhouse Cafe serves homegrown meals that celebrate the local harvest. Their mission is to provide “thoughtful drinks and provisions that pay homage to the state we call home, and to taste the food and sip the drinks to feel the spirit of New York pulsing through you.”

What Google reviewers are saying:

“A beautiful vibe, great drinks and food, and just the most wonderful place in Ithaca.”

Moosewood

This is the perfect place to meet a loved one, and it’s warm and welcoming, with acknowledgement for its delicious vegetarian and vegan entrees. Moosewood was rewarded with one of the 20th century’s most influential restaurants by Bon Appetit magazine, and dining there is a nostalgic comfort to many.

What Google reviewers are saying: “A very hearty, home-style cooking type of spot.”

“Moosewood is a total paradise.”

Kilpatrick’s Pub

A classic, rustic pub next to the Hilton Garden Inn, known as the “place for everyone,” visiting or living in the area. Right in the hot spot of the Commons, Kilpatrick’s is located on E. Seneca Street.

What Google reviewers are saying:

“This is the best restaurant/bar that is attached to a hotel I have ever been to. I currently spend a lot of time in Ithaca, and I eat here most nights.”

The leisure by day combined with the enjoyable nightlife offered to residents makes all of Ithaca and the Cayuga Heights a home to many. Any time of the year, this is the place to visit!

Cayuga Lake (Stewart Park, Ithaca NY)

Photo Courtesy of Annissa Khanna

Hudson Zamacona doing a V-plant Wall walk Courtesy of Ethan Drumgold

The Blazer Burger

By: Jackson Saccomanno

Have you ever wanted to go out to dinner but craved a location that still feels like home? That is how I feel about The Blazer Pub, a restaurant located in North Salem, New York, just 10 minutes away from Harvey. The Blazer is right off Route 22, which is a spot that attracts lots of people.

The Blazer has a variety of food and drinks for children and adults. They are famous for their burgers and fries. Their steak fries are made fresh and are always hot. Their burgers are overwhelmingly large, juicy, and delicious every time.

The most famous burger they have, and the most delicious burger, is The Blazer Burger. This burger consists of cheese, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, bacon, and a hard roll. But it is the way the food is cooked that makes it truly stupendous. The burger is bigger than most people’s heads and can barely be eaten. You never go home hungry, and you are always satisfied.

The fries that come with these monster burgers taste incredible. Some people believe you don’t even need ketchup or barbecue sauce on them because of how tasty they are. Unfortunately, fries are not a part of your order, so you need to pay for them separately. However, they are worth the extra money.

The sauces that The Blazer has, in my opinion, aren’t the best, such as their barbecue and honey mustard sauce. Overall, though, these sauces are pretty good and aren’t going to ruin your meal or your night.

The best thing at The Blazer is the Cape Cod Reuben. It consists of panko encrusted cod, Blazer made tartar sauce, and grilled rye with melted Swiss cheese. This meal melts in your mouth!

The tartar sauce is homemade and always fresh. Also, the Swiss cheese is melted to perfection. When I go, I don’t even look at the menu, because I know exactly what I want.

Fellow Pulse writer Sophie Peters describes The Blazer

as a “welcoming and friendly environment.” During her first time visiting The Blazer, she got a burger and immediately fell in love with the people and the food.

The people who work here are also the friendliest people you could ever meet. They are welcoming, and even if it’s your first time, they treat you like family. Even if The Blazer is slammed with customers, the staff still makes an effort to give you the attention you deserve and make your service delightful.

The bartender even gives candy to the children and makes them feel homey and safe. At one of the tables, there is a spider he can drop down that gives everyone at the table a little fright and then a good laugh.

The owners are also always there, sometimes even serving you food, which shows it’s a family-owned place. It’s a great example that they really care about their customers and the people eating their food.

There are also games provided for your children, so they don’t get bored. One game that I even enjoy is the bowling game. This game is a mix of air hockey and bowling. You slide the disk down the lane, and it triggers a switch that knocks the pins down. Children will play this while they are waiting to be seated or waiting for their food.

Parents also have a good time at The Blazer, because they have sports games on their televisions, which makes it the perfect place for everybody. It is not too loud for the children, so they won’t be whining about wanting to go home, and the parents can still watch the Sunday football games or watch soccer tournaments, too.

So, give The Blazer a try and enjoy all of their delicious food that will always fill you up!

The Pain of Fame

By Jonah Weinstock

On Friday, Sept. 16, 2022, Netflix released, “I Used to Be Famous,” directed by Eddie Sternberg, with actors Leo Long and Ed Skrein. In this movie, Ed Skrein stars as Vince, a desperate former pop star who wants to make a career in music again.

One day, Vince is playing keyboard in a courtyard, where he meets and jams with drummer Stevie Sparks, played by Leo Long. Stevie is a drummer on the autistic spectrum who forms a musical friendship with keyboardist Vince. It turns out that somebody films their duo,which gets thousands of views on social media. Vince is intrigued and tries to hunt down Stevie.

Vince goes after Stevie when he is in a neighborhood music program. The music program is a fun drum circle lead by Dia, who is played by Kurt Egyiawan. Vince tries to convince Stevie to form a two-man band and play a gig at a local dive bar. Stevie’s mother is worried that her skittish son will not be able to cope with the noise and pressure of performing due to his autism, but she agrees to let him do the gig. The duo rehearses original music outside Stevie’s house or in his apartment.

Eventually, they play at the pub, where it’s crowded and loud, which is a lot to handle for someone on the autism spectrum. The duo starts playing, but the audience boos them off the stage. Not being a good night for the two, a random man makes fun of Stevie for his odd facial expressions that suggest he has some sort of disability. Vince is offended by the man’s comments and decides to jump off the stage and attack him.

While Vince is entitled to be upset at the audience member’s offensive comments, he shouldn’t have been so physically aggressive toward the man. Because of his actions, Vince and Stevie are banned from ever playing at the pub again. Vince is an immensely talented musician who had a great career at the time. Nowadays, it’s very hard for musicians to get back into music and make a career again. It’s already very hard to start a career in music in the first place, and trying to restart a career in music again is even more difficult.

As a drummer myself who plays all kinds of music, I think Stevie plays like any other high school drummer would. I wouldn’t say he is a “prodigy,” by any means. He seems

to have good time and a good feel. He does not have what I call “blazing chops.”

Also, Stevie plays just a basic rock beat. For someone who wants to go to music school, he should be able to play all styles of music at a very high level. We never see any written sheet music. I know it’s just a duo, but in the real world, if someone has original music, it will most likely be written on staff paper, and you’ll have to read it.

People on the autism spectrum often are sensitive to loud noises. That being said, the drums are the loudest and the softest instrument, dynamically. I am surprised that Stevie is sensitive to people making noises, but not while banging his drums. For Stevie, playing the drums gives him a sense of relief from the heartache of him being on the autism spectrum.

It’s understandable that Stevie’s mother has concerns about her son playing and going on tour. However, it’s good for Stevie to conquer his fears and get used to playing in crowds, since he wants to become a professional musician. From my guess, I’m assuming Stevie is selftaught.

I think Stevie could be a lot better if he received professional instruction from a world class drum teacher. However, I think Stevie is pretty good for someone in high school. I think Vince is inspirational for trying to start a career in music again. I also thought the acting was good, but at the same time a little too much. The actor playing Stevie, Leo Long, does a decent job portraying some of the struggles of being on the autistic spectrum. Vince’s character was a bit too over the top, however.

Vince’s optimism and work ethic are good, but at the same time, he can be volatile and too pushy with other people. I thought both characters conveyed their emotions well when it came to working together, though. Stevie and Vince form a nice musical friendship that spirals into great success and happiness for one another. Overall, this movie is pretty good, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to see a touching film.

Ed Skrein (left) as Vince and Leo Long (right) as Stevie in “I Used To Be Famous.”

Photo Courtesy by The Envoy Web

Photo of the exterior of The Blazer Pub Photo courtesy of Pinterest