The Pulse - March 2024

THE PULSE | MARCH 2024 ISSUE

DAN MAHONEY

AND THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

Gratefully, on Friday, Jan 12, my parents surprised me with a visit to Oklahoma to see my favorite National Basketball Association (NBA) team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. I traveled with my family to see The Thunder play against the Orlando Magic, and while we were at lunch, we received a response back from the Oklahoma City Thunder giving me the opportunity to obtain an interview for The Pulse with Dan Mahoney, the vice president of broadcasting and corporate communications for the Thunder

According to the website TheOrg.com, in his role as vice president of broadcasting and corporate communications, Mahoney oversees the Thunder’s public relations efforts, the website (okcthunder com), and the broadcasting operations. Previously, Mahoney served as a public relations consultant for the Professional Basketball Club, LLC and the New Orleans Hornets He also worked in radio television as a news director for 18 years

By Brandon Levine

While interviewing Mr Mahoney, I could tell right away that this isn’t just a job for him; it is his passion. His zest for this career is truly inspiring, because if you have a passion for something, you have to pursue it Mahoney stated, “I was you 45 years ago, writing for the high school newspaper ” This really meant a lot, showing that everyone starts somewhere, and many of us have similar paths.

The highlight of my interview was getting to know Mahoney and understanding his journey He detailed how he started in radio, television, news, and sports. Mahoney stated, “I knew I wanted to pursue this career beginning at the age of 7 years old ”

When asked about his path leading up to this position with the Thunder, Mahoney said, “I had my own public relations firm. When the New Orleans Hornets had many issues with Hurricane Katrina, I was brought in for public relations ” In 2006, the owner of the Oklahoma City Thunder bought the Seattle Supersonics, and this was the start of his journey. Mahoney stated, “I went to work as a consultant for Mr Bennett ” In 2008, when the relocation of the Oklahoma City Thunder happened, Clay Bennett made an offer for Mahoney to work for the team. Mahoney told The Pulse, “I jumped at the chance. This was a dream job for me ”

What does this job mean to Mahoney? Mahoney continued to tell The Pulse, “I love to see the impact the Thunder have on our community ” He also said that the way they can help people in need truly inspires him to put his full heart into this role

Mahoney is a huge part of the Oklahoma City Community. The team runs a program called Thunder Cares When Mahoney was asked about this endeavor, he gave me a very meaningful response He told The Pulse, “When you have players feeding Thanksgiving meals to the less fortunate and people who look up to our players, it is truly special ”

As vice president of broadcasting and corporate communications, Mahoney has an important role in communicating with the front office, as well. He mentioned that it is mostly on the basketball side more than the business side while working with the front office Mahoney is a very vital part of this Oklahoma City Organization and community.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dan Mahoney

Page 1, Brandon Levine

Winter Production Page 2, Logan Kreisberg

Harvey Baseball & Softball Page 3, Luke McCarthy

Our Strange New “It Girl” Page 4 & 7, Ellie Florin

A Holiday Brings a New Beginning Page 5, Cindy Wang

The Value of Local Business Page 6 & 7, Connor Harrington

A MET-amorphosis Page 8, Olivia Barsky

‘Palworld’ Experience Page 9, Dylan Gueli

I am incredibly thankful for the chance to learn more about the franchise that I have been a diehard fan of for almost 11 years and about the people behind the scenes that impact everyday lives. This interview truly was an opportunity of a lifetime THE

Annissa Khanna

Olivia Barsky

Ellie Florin

Connor Harrington

Logan Kreisberg

Brandon Levine

Luke McCarthy

Cindy Wang

Faculty Advisor

Virginia Holmes

Photo of Mr Dan Mahoney and Brandon Levine

Photo taken by Lucas Levine

HARVEY NEWS

THE PULSE | MARCH 2024 ISSUE

WINTER PRODUCTION DOUBLE FEATURE: WELCOME TO 12 ANGRY MOONS

In February, Harvey’s performing arts department put on both “12 Angry Jurors” and “Welcome to the Moon” in the Lasdon Theater While Harvey typically performs one play in the Winter Term, the abundance of talent and interest for this term’s production ultimately demanded two In hopes of showcasing the wide range of artistry at their disposal, directors Ms. Holmes and Mr Morgan decided to perform two vastly different plays

“12 Angry Jurors,” based on the 1950s play and movie, “Twelve Angry Men,” tells the story of 12 ordinary citizens called to jury duty to consider the guilt or innocence of a young boy convicted of murder As the dozen individuals attempt to make a unanimous decision, Juror 8 (Łukasz Daszczyński) persuades members of the jury that there is reason to believe the boy did not commit the murder.

Since the characters are sequestered into a room for the majority of the play, “12 Angry Jurors” was an incredibly challenging production to stage Ms Holmes explains, “This is the first time I’ve ever directed a play where the entire cast is on the stage from beginning to end ” For that reason, it was crucial for every cast member to be strong and focused during every runthrough

Most notably, senior Łukasz Daszczyński gives an unforgettable performance as Juror 8 Every time Łukasz spoke a monologue, he authentically convinced all the characters on the stage, in addition to every audience member, of his truth 12th grader Chloé Ramsey Lavoie outstandingly portrayed Juror 4, a character that serves great importance to the play.

By Logan Kreisberg

10th graders Olivia Barsky and Eli Klagsbrun also gave performances that were fascinating, yet realistic Playing the parts of Jurors 10 and 7, Olivia and Eli took on roles that were unrecognizable to anyone who knows them personally, and they perfectly encapsulated the emotions and behaviors of the characters. Similarly junior Ted Clement effectively brought the important role of Juror 3 to life.

Other members of this ensemble include seniors Alexa Williams and Iva HadžiMihailović, juniors Addie Silva and Tinsley Valenti, sophomores Lucy LaGattuta and Stella Runyan, and ninth graders Meiora Adler and Morgan Marable.

Altogether, Harvey’s production of “12 Angry Jurors” masterfully conveyed everyday individuals who are tasked with making a difficult decision As a result of the production’s talented performers, passionate director, and valuable crew, this play is certainly one that audiences will remember.

Alongside the opening performance of “12 Angry Jurors,” the cast of “Welcome to the Moon” began their run An anthology comprising six scenes, or “vignettes,” this production tackles a wide range of characters and stories, all tied together through one motif: the moon

When asked about putting on this production, director Mr. Morgan shared, “The process has been really cool A lot of the actors have never been in a play before, or even performed in front of the audience So, it was really gratifying to see from auditions to the ending process how all the actors developed and really embraced the production ”

The vignettes of this play include “The Red Coat,” “A Lonely Impulse of Delight,” “Down and Out,” “Let Us Go Out into the Starry Night,” “Out West,” and the title scene, “Welcome to the Moon ”

Since everyone involved in the production had so much to do in this show, it is difficult to highlight standout performances. However, a special shoutout goes to 10th grader Maya Taub who fearlessly stepped in during tech week to take on the character of Stephanie in the final scene Other actors who participated in the production include senior Jason Nelson, junior Natalie Delessio, sophomores Delilah Hickson-Bilotta, Jacob Harkins, Lena Boyce, and Steve Liu, and ninth graders Sophia Thilo, and Kyler Warner

“Welcome to the Moon” might be classified as an absurdist play, yet each actor found a way to discover the heart in their characters. In every scene, it was common for audience members to laugh, cry, and cheer all in the span of minutes

Overall, both productions were filled with incredible talent and enormous potential; The Pulse is excited to review more remarkable shows to come and recommends readers attend future performances in the Harvey performing arts department in 2024.

10th graders Delilah Hickson-Bilotta and Jacob Harkins in "The Red Coat," playing the characters of Mary and John respectively Image by Benji Cutler

12th grader Łukasz Daszczyński powerfully portraying the character of Juror 8 Image taken by Benji Cutler.

HARVEY NEWS

THE PULSE | MARCH 2024 ISSUE

A LOOK INTO THE UPCOMING HARVEY BASEBALL & SOFTBALL SEASON

With Punxsutawney Phil predicting an early spring, Harvey spring sports are coming sooner than you think. So, let The Pulse give you a rundown of what to expect this year from both our varsity baseball and softball teams

Last year, the baseball team was very senior-heavy. There were only two juniors on the team at the time. Those juniors, now seniors, are Edwin Sanchez and Luke McCarthy (the writer of this article) It’s not every day that you see a varsity team with only two seniors, but the team looks forward to having a fun and hopefully successful season with a younger roster

There was a head coach opening at the end of last year, and the players were excited to find out who their new coach would be. We were pleasantly surprised to hear that Mr Lacen, the athletic director, will be our new head coach Mr Lacen was a baseball player throughout his entire academic career and even played at the collegiate. Having someone like him coach our team is a great opportunity for players to learn the game in a different way

There have also been quite a few new students who have transferred to Harvey with the intention of playing baseball Freshman Darius Brown and junior Liam Tarpey have been playing baseball for as long as they can remember They are both exciting players with promising talent and, by the looks of it, will make a massive impact on this team.

By Luke McCarthy

Coming off a rough season last year, the baseball team is looking to start off on a strong note and get the momentum going early The team is full of players who are friends with each other, so the bond is already there, but with the loss of 10 seniors, there could be some struggles early on. Players will need to find their rhythm on the field and figure out where they’re comfortable

Having been repeating HVAL champs multiple times in the past three to four years and making the NEPSAC tournament, the team is looking forward to the challenge of having new players trying to keep the winning culture that is known for Harvey baseball alive.

Softball, on the other hand, is a unique situation Two years ago, the team went undefeated and won the HVAL championship, but with the graduation of many players, there weren’t enough last year, so there wasn’t a softball team. This was a sad story to hear, so The Pulse reached out and talked to Gabby Bonilla, captain of the softball team, about this upcoming season.

Gabby is a senior at Harvey who also plays softball outside of school She travels all around the country, playing in tournaments So, when The Pulse heard the softball team was back, we wanted to hear her input on the whole situation.

Gabby said, “I’m excited to be able to play softball for Harvey in my senior year. We won the HVAL championship in my sophomore year, so to be back again is very thrilling This year is a rebuilding season, in a sort of way, due to an absence of all the players from two years ago, but we have an enthusiastic group, and we seem to be on a great track for the start of something new.”

Both baseball and softball are looking forward to the spring season and are ready for what’s to come All players hope to start on a hot streak and build momentum for the long run The future is looking very bright for both baseball and softball.

THE PULSE STAFF

Harvey Varsity Boys huddle up after a big win

Photo Taken by Unknown

In 2015, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, along with her internet boyfriend, killed her mother. After eight years in federal prison, at the age of 32, she is now the internet’s new “it girl ”

Blanchard lived in Springfield, Missouri, with her mother, Claudine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. In Springfield, Dee Dee and Gypsy were beloved by all. Dee Dee was a dedicated and caring mother, and Gypsy was a sweetheart, both worked through their intense hardships together.

According to the website biography, Gypsy was just a baby when her mother first claimed she had sleep apnea By the time she was 8, she supposedly suffered from leukemia and muscular dystrophy and required both a wheelchair and feeding tube As Gypsy grew up, this list only grew, to eventually include seizures, asthma, and both hearing and visual impairments.

Because of Dee Dee’s claims about her daughter’s health, Gypsy had to take many different medications and use a breathing machine. She was forced to undergo multiple surgeries, such as the removal of her salivary glands and teeth

But the truth was Gypsy could walk, she didn’t need a feeding tube, and she didn’t have any of the illnesses Dee Dee said Gypsy had. When Gypsy would go to the doctor, tests would show inconclusive or contradictory results, but Dee Dee would never go back to a doctor if they questioned her Because so many people believed Dee Dee, the Blanchards received many healthrelated benefits, such as Make-A-Wish, and other charity-sponsored benefits

REPORTS

THE PULSE | MARCH 2024 ISSUE

OUR STRANGE NEW “IT GIRL”

By Ellie Florin

As Gypsy grew up, Dee Dee would instruct her not to speak to the doctors and would also begin to lie about her daughter’s age, even altering the dates on Gypsy’s birth certificate so Gypsy would be younger. Dee Dee told everyone her daughter had a mental age of 7, even when Gypsy had completely normal intelligence.

Experts now believe that Dee Dee suffered from Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental disorder in which a person acts as if an individual they are caring for has illnesses when in truth, the person is not really sick.

As Gypsy grew older, no matter how much Dee Dee wanted to prevent it, she wanted out She began rebelling by eating junk food and gaining access to the internet, both of which Dee strictly forbade

In 2011, Gypsy even ran away with a man she met at a science fiction convention But Dee Dee soon found them and brought Gypsy home, smashing her computer and restraining her to her bed Gypsy even claims that her mother would hit her and deny her food.

Also according to the Biography website, after this incident, Gypsy got back online, where she met Nicholas Godejohn The two fell in love, and Gypsy soon told him all about her mother’s true nature. Together, they planned Dee Dee’s murder

In June 2015, Godejohn came to the Blanchard home and stabbed Dee Dee while Gypsy hid in the bathroom with her ears covered. The two then fled to Godejohn’s home in Wisconsin, where they were soon found by police

In 2016, Gypsy pled guilty to seconddegree murder and was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and in 2018, Godejohn was found guilty of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life

Despite all of this happening almost 10 years ago, the story has recently resurfaced and completely blown up, because after only eight years in prison due to good behavior, Gypsy Rose has been released

Once the world heard about her release, the internet became obsessed with her. In just a little more than a month after her initial release, she boasted 8 2 million followers on Instagram and 10 million on TikTok. Her release from prison was flooded with paparazzi, and both she and her husband, Ryan Anderson, have been constantly followed by them since

CONT. ON P. 7

THE PULSE ACKNOWLEDGES

the conflict in the Middle East. Our thoughts are with all those who are affected. We hope for peace.

Gypsy-Rose Blanchard in her first TV interview after being released from prison

Photo Courtesy of ABC News

Have you heard of Lunar New Year? In China, it is as well known as Christmas in the United States. It is the most anticipated holiday of the year and symbolizes the beginning of new life.

The Lunar New Year of 2024 is from Feb 10 to Feb 17, with different activities on each day If you also want to experience an authentic New Year, keep reading!

On New Year's Eve, the day before the start of the Spring Festival, one should clean the house, prepare many snacks, firecrackers, gifts for friends, and Spring Festival couplets

Couplets are the way people express their wishes and blessings for the new year through rhyming poetry Regarding the Spring Festival couplets, they are divided into upper (on the left side) and lower (on the right side), which refer to the decorative paper with calligraphy pasted on the door. The upper and lower couplets are two lines of poetry written on red rectangular paper and pasted on both ends of the door, followed by horizontal scrolls Generally, they are four words that can summarize the upper and lower couplets, or evaluations of the upper and lower couplets

The middle of the outer door should be labeled with the word "福, " which means "good luck " Flipping this word upside down and pasting it on the door means blessings have arrived

On the first day of the New Year, people will set off firecrackers and fireworks. On this night, every place will be brightly lit, and the lively atmosphere will last all evening As long as you go out, you can see brilliant, charming, and vivacious fireworks exploding in the night sky like twinkling stars.

REPORTS

THE PULSE | MARCH 2024 ISSUE

A HOLIDAY BRINGS

A NEW BEGINNING

By Cindy Wang

In addition, today you can also make dumplings by hand, roll out the dough, make meat fillings, wrap them up, and then boil them in water. Eating hot dumplings can make people feel good. Some people put a special dumpling on a plate of dumplings, which look like other dumplings, but inside there are some small surprises, symbolizing that those who eat this dumpling will welcome blessings in the new year.

The second day of the Lunar New Year is a day for direct relatives to meet Adults will prepare money for their children and put it in paper envelopes, which are red envelopes. Almost everything in the new year is red because it looks very festive and brings good luck

In addition, children who receive red envelopes should not spend their money immediately. They should keep the red envelope under their pillow overnight, symbolizing that they can suppress their financial luck and spend the money the next day

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, there is a custom of going to bed early and getting up late to maintain energy and welcome the new year In addition, some regions believe that this day is the birthday of Foxtail Millet (the deity of agriculture) and choose to eat vegetarian and meat instead of rice.

On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, people usually visit non-direct relatives and friends and receive red envelopes between relatives to promote relationships between the entire family.

In addition, on this day, you also have to eat stewed vegetables, stewing the leftovers from the previous few days together and eating the snacks prepared for the Chinese New Year, symbolizing that you will not have to worry about food and clothing for the new year

The fifth day of the Lunar New Year is considered the birthday of the God of Wealth. Therefore, we need to offer tribute to welcome the God of Wealth and pray for him to bring good luck and prosperity

On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, some shops will break away from their annual leave and start working because it is a good day for business. People will place oranges, which sounds like Lucky in Chinese, in hopes of good luck and a prosperous business in the new year

On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, the last day of the new year, people call this day Human Day, which means human birthday On this day, people should eat longevity noodles to bless people's long lives.

There are seven days of a wonderful new year, and everything has its own meaning, indicating that everyone is eager for a good omen Let’s experience the authentic New Year!

2012 Lunar New Year. Photo by Cindy Wang.

For more than a decade, the public has been swayed toward shopping online This major shift began due to the convenience of shopping from home and was magnified during the COVID pandemic. As a result, online shopping corporations like Amazon have a monopoly on everything from books, toys, home essentials, to even groceries This shift to online shopping has caused many locally owned businesses to shut their doors after years of serving their communities.

Pleasantville, a small town in Westchester, New York, has been a victim of this shift Try and Buy, a family-owned toy store, closed its doors nearly 10 years ago after 41 years of business. After years of loyalty from their customers, people started to make the switch to online shopping

Try and Buy was forced to shut down as a result, leaving the community shocked. In an interview with ABC 7 NY, Allison Steinbauer, a former customer, commented, "Everyone shops online and does all that, and it's sad because you lose places like this "

However, The Village Bookstore, located just down the street from the former Try and Buy location, has continued to thrive even after the COVID pandemic, begging the question, “How?”

The Pulse reached out to Jennifer Kohn, the owner of this homegrown bookstore, to converse about the value of local businesses, the effect of corporations on small businesses, and changes they made to continue to thrive

REVIEWS

THE PULSE | MARCH 2024 ISSUE

THE VALUE OF LOCAL BUSINESS

By Connor Harrington

Although The Village Bookstore has been open since the 70s, Jennifer Kohn had acquired the store from the previous owner as recently as 2018 When asked what prompted her to pursue a career in small business, Ms Kohn responded, “I was a chief marketing officer in my late 40s at a larger business, and I wanted a lifestyle change. I didn't really know much about the publishing industry, but I always enjoyed going to this store I thought it would be an interesting challenge and a good community business ”

The Pulse asked Ms. Kohn what she's done to connect with the community. She stated, “Over COVID, we also started doing an online book club with the Mount Pleasant Public Library, which has since changed to in-person Since then, it has evolved to a local author book club; we invite an author who is fairly local and discuss books with the author. We also do a lot of work with the Hudson Valley Writers Center, who do poetry readings They’re a great community partner and a great place to go hear poetry read in a live setting ”

The Pulse inquired if she has made connections with the local schools to prompt reading in adolescents, and Ms Kohn said, “We offer a gally club for high school students Galleys are advanced copies of books before they are published, so we have a group of kids from the local school and neighboring schools. Last year, we did a middle school party where the school was shut down to the public. We invited middle schoolers in to browse and take over the store That was positive, and we’re going to continue that this year ”

The Pulse acknowledged how online shopping, particularly through Amazon, could hinder business, but Ms. Kohn remarked, “Indie bookstores attract people who want a more personal experience. They want to browse. They want personal recommendations and to chat with other people in the community It’s just a different experience ”

After recalling the closure of the Try and Buy toy store nearly a decade ago, Ms Kohn was asked if that loss may have served as a wake-up call for the community to better support local businesses. Ms. Kohn responded, “It’s crucial to have that community behind local businesses. I think during COVID, people were very focused on shopping locally and understanding that to keep businesses open they needed to support them I think that continues to some extent today ”

Caption: Photo of the exterior of The Village Bookstore in Pleasantville Courtesy of Shelf Awareness

CONT. from P. 4

According to The Guardian, the infatuation seems to reside around her cluelessness with social norms and social media. Because of her uber-sheltered childhood, this is her first time being exposed to freedom. The internet is obsessed with how she’s reacting to it

Gypsy’s Instagram reinvents herself as a confident, glamorous city girl. Since her release from prison, she’s visited multiple New York City landmarks, seen a Broadway show, sat down for high profile interviews, and had her nails done. She also shows off her husband, Louisiana teacher Ryan Anderson, whom she met and married while in prison.

As the internet often does, users built her up to her highest point before beginning to tear her down Posts calling her “queen” and “mother” frequented social media leading up to and immediately following her release, and fans began treating her like a pop star There were fan edits, “release parties,” and a fandom formed calling her their idol.

But just a few weeks after her release, public opinion began to turn After she made some controversial comments and videos of her shushing and clinging to her husband began going viral, the internet began hating on her; TikTok comments calling her a “mini Dee Dee” and saying “she’s just like her mommy.”

CONTINUED

THE PULSE | MARCH 2024 ISSUE

TikTok creator Veronica Skaia posted a video analyzing Gypsy and the “influencer pipeline,” saying, “we want her to perform for us.” She thinks once Gypsy gains “too much” fame and popularity online and starts receiving brand deals, people will turn on her, wanting her to be “humbled ”

Turning someone who has experienced such intense trauma into a social media star never ends well, and putting her on a pedestal just to tear her down when she does something wrong is counterproductive.

The internet will inevitably get bored and move onto the next “it girl,” which might be good for Gypsy. Giving someone a second chance at life is always better than canceling them, and maybe Gypsy is here to prove that her past does not define her future

CONT. from P. 6

Recognizing the strain COVID had on local businesses, The Pulse asked what changes they made to the business to allow them to continue to operate during COVID “During COVID, we offered new services to alleviate some of the issues We did outdoor pickups, online ordering, and delivered books to people within a 10-mile radius of the store. Lots of people still use our website, and we still deliver to people who are homebound The previous owners didn’t have a website or any digital presence. We had already launched a website We just hadn’t activated it for shopping online. I think the website was going to be there regardless, but COVID certainly accelerated it ”

Ms. Kohn concluded on the connection between a community and local businesses, specifically bookstores, stating, “I think all indie bookstores impact communities in a positive way, since there are not too many indie bookstores I think the presence of an indie bookstore, in any town, gives people the opportunity to come in and browse and look at curated things that aren’t created by algorithms to feed you what you should be looking at.”

THE PULSE ACKNOWLEDGES

the conflict in the Middle East. Our thoughts

While online retailers like Amazon have monopolized many business markets, local businesses have continued to thrive from the support of their communities. Unlike online shopping, small businesses truly care about curating a product you will enjoy, unlike big businesses urging you to spend more and more

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a highly acclaimed, iconic institution on par with international landmarks such as The Louvre and The British Museum To say the museum is large would be an understatement its collection represents nearly 5,000 years of history However, an important part of this extensive collection had been closed to the public for five years due to renovation and reorganization efforts. According to The New York Times, this renovation was a $150 million investment

Spread out over 45 galleries and representing more than 700 works of art spanning 500 years of history, The European Painting galleries met the public eye once again on Nov 20, 2023 Faces painted by masters such as Caravaggio, Raphael, Giotto, Van Eyck, and Goya within this iconic wing finally got to awake from their lengthy slumber. However, this half-a-decade hiatus was much needed as The Met took the opportunity to create change within their museum and better represent European history

“It’s open-heart surgery and the patient is awake,” said Max Hollein, director of The Met to The New York Times. While many famous art institutions have been under fire recently for possessing stolen pieces, censoring artwork, and generating political controversy, The Met recognized its own errors and reformed itself from within without being pressured by public aggression According to the museum’s website, this reopening is “giving renewed attention to women artists, exploring Europe’s complex relationships with New Spain and the Viceroyalty of Peru, and looking more deeply into the histories of class, gender, race, and religion ”

REVIEWS

THE PULSE | MARCH 2024 ISSUE

A MET-amorphosis

By Olivia Barsky

Instead of solely focusing on the acclaimed “Old Masters” of the continent, The Met aims to give a broader image of Europe and its global reach from 1300-1800 CE. In fact, not every piece was made in Europe, but they were all certainly influenced by the land mass Pieces from New World European colonies shed light on colonialism, westernization, and the spread of European tradition

Photograph of the painting

“Our Lady of Valvanera” courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Groups and minorities who had not been traditionally represented in the context of European art are suddenly brought to light in the museum’s revision A painting of the Virgin Mary from Peru is displayed in a gallery dedicated solely to art of the Americas after Spanish colonization. A relatively new member of the museum’s collection, “Our Lady of Valvanera” (1770-1780 CE) by an anonymous Cuzco artist, beautifully illustrates the cultural influence of Spain in Peru. Although created by a Peruvian painter, the image depicts a Spanish legend and even a well-known monastery from Spain is shown in the painting’s background.

Another standout of the refocused collection is “Joanna de Silva” (1792) by William Wood, acquired by The Met in 2020 This piece is a portrait made in England of a Bengali woman wearing Indian textiles. The painting bears an original inscription which reads, “Joanna de Silva, a native of Bengal, the faithful and affectionate Nurse of the Children of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Deare.” Faces and stories like these show the true diversity of Europe, and the British Empire in particular, during a time of so much trade and globalization.

Not only have the themes of the collection been revised, but the manner in which the art is displayed, as well In continued efforts of inclusion, The Met has revisited the way they visually tell the story of European Art In gallery 619, a visitor can see El Greco’s “The Vision of Saint John” sandwiched between two Picassos These two accomplished artists lived 200 years apart, yet within the paintings’ brush strokes and dynamic color schemes, it is easy to see the influence one painting had on the other two.

This renovation is not the only major change at The Met Other departments are being touched up, as well Mexican architect Frida Escobedo is currently in the process of executing The Met’s dream of “The Tang Wing,” a home for contemporary and modern art, estimated to cost $500 million. And, on the other end of the timeline, The Met is, as stated on their website, “Reimagining the Galleries for the Art of the Ancient Near East and Cyprus ” Personally, I very much miss stopping at these galleries on my Met visits, but I cannot wait to see the final product in 2026. Recently, the museum opened “The 81st Street Studio,” a space (free of admission charges) for members of the institution’s younger demographic. The studio offers opportunities for art making, exploring sound through instruments, a specially curated collection of diverse children’s books, and storytime sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art might seem like an untouched, unchanging palace of art But this isn’t true A museum is a mirror held up to society and culture, and because of that, the institution must change along with the world it represents Projects like these showcase the museum’s strength to keep up with an ever changing society, instilling an appreciation for art and history in each generation Perhaps that is the true masterpiece after all

The video game world got better, as a new game, “Palworld,” was released This multiplayer game is playable on PC and Xbox consoles This game is an open world game, in which you run around and collect little buddies that can join your team.

Your goal is to be able to catch everything you possibly can but also search the whole map so you can discover everything. “Palworld” was released Jan. 19, 2024, and it costs $30. The gaming community was excited for its release, causing it to be sold a lot on all the different platforms

“Palworld” is a game that takes a lot of time to master, as there is a huge map you are able to discover. There is also a big Paldeck that shows all the creatures you are able to capture The further down you scroll, the harder it is to obtain that certain buddy

There are also levels above the head of the creatures, meaning, the higher the level, the harder it is to take down unless you are around the same level of the creature The more you play, the more you are able to level up to be able to fight these high-level creatures.

There are multiple ways to level up by catching the creatures or battling them, which gives you a lot of experience so that you may level up Once you level up, you unlock more items to help you later on

Once you start playing, you pick a plot of land where you want to start your base. You start with minimum items, but once you level up, you will unlock new buildings you can put down to help you get better over time.

REVIEWS

THE PULSE | MARCH 2024 ISSUE

‘PALWORLD’ EXPERIENCE

By Dylan Gueli

With this base, you can put your creatures to work to help get materials to build new things to help yourself out, such as tools, weapons for battle, and even armor to make sure you have more health when going to battle

You can even level up the base, which allows you to add one creature each time The way to upgrade the base is by putting down certain buildings that the game tells you to do. So, each time it gets harder and harder to upgrade as the buildings become harder to obtain

Most people know what “Pokémon “is, which is a very famous game. “Palworld” is just like that one, but it is better and with a twist. The creatures you are able to capture are just like little Pokémon that get to join your team and help you explore the rest of the map

There are also various types of creatures that help you in different scenarios. The creatures are all different elements such as electric, dark, grass, water, fire and so on You want to get all the types so that you will be able to counter other creatures

For example, fire creatures do extra damage to grass because fire burns the grass So, you always want to make sure you have the right creature equipped so that you can counter any other creatures around the map

From personal experience, this game is amazing, as it has so many features that other games do not have. As a person who plays video games, I know that there have not been many good games out recently, so this game changed the world of video games in 2024

At a cost of $30, which is much lower than most other video games that come out, ”Palworld” is one of the best bang for your bucks. Being an open world game makes you able to do whatever you want and causes you not to be stuck to a specific storyline.

As I have played this game by myself and with friends, I have had the most fun on video games in such a long time The best part is being able to play with up to 20 friends and build up your own world together.

All in all, “Palworld” is an open world game with amazing features. You all should go buy this game now if you are bored and don't have any other games to play As someone who has been playing since its release, I can say it's my favorite game, and I wish I had more time to play it

Photo of different Palworld creatures out in the open world

Photo courtesy IGN Africa