November 21, 2019

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THURSDAY 11.21.19 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU ||

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

ODAC Champions

Amber Matalus|Courtesy The Virginia Wesleyan volleyball team captured their first ODAC Championship in program history on Nov. 9 against their conference rival Randolph-Macon.

BY MAKIAH ELLIS mellis@vwu.edu MEGAN SHERMAN mrsherman@vwu.edu

The Virginia Wesleyan volleyball team boasted their most historic season to date, but it came to an end in the first round of the NCAA Championship on Nov. 15 against Juniata College. The Marlins lost in the fifth set to the Eagles who were nationally ranked 22. Despite the tight loss, this Marlin team set the record for

wins in a season, placed five on the AllConference team and won their first ODAC Championship. The team won the ODAC Championship against Randolph-Macon on Nov. 7 by a score of 3-1 on the Yellow Jacket’s home court. This was the first conference championship in the history of the volleyball program at Virginia Wesleyan. In a similar winning fashion, senior Amber Matalus earned a spot on the All-ODAC First Team while head coach Andrea Hoover-Erbig was named the ODAC

Coach of the Year. “This is the first time our program has ever won a conference championship. As a team, this season we have set the record for the most wins ever in a season,” sophomore Kathryn Yeager said. This is the second-straight year that Matalus earned a spot on the First Team. This is also the second year in a row that she snagged First Team All-South Region and was an All-American Honorable Mention honoree. Matalus had 369 kills this season, which

not only led the team but also was the most of any middle hitter in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. “We all worked really hard every week and to be recognized by the ODAC as an individual was a really cool accomplishment. Especially because it was the last week of the season, it gave me a confidence boost at the end of the season,” Matalus said.

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High schoolers vie for Batten Honors spots

Brendan Ferguson | Marlin Chronicle

When you wish upon a streaming service BY MILES CHRISTIAN mmchristian@vwu.edu

Janice Marshall-Pittman|Courtesy Prospective Batten Honors students compete in a group activity. They were given 20 minutes to construct a vehicle out of various objects and each group was measured on how far it traveled. BY CONNOR MERK ccmerk@vwu.edu

On Thursday, Nov. 14 through Saturday Nov. 16, prospective students from all over the country traveled to Virginia Wesleyan for the first Batten Honors competition of the year. This is the third year of the Batten Honors College, and this year is different because there will be three competitions instead of two. There is this one in November, then there will be two additional competitions in February and March. The students will participate in several activities and social events, such as at The Slover Library in Norfolk, Virginia Beach Aquarium, group 1Front.indd 1

interviews, while also learning about the program and the university. Sophomore Lindsay White is the Batten Honors College work study worker had the duty of preparing for the competition. “My job was to plan the student volunteers and schedule them for jobs, call and prepare the prospective students joining us, come up with and plan the student activity, supervise volunteers throughout, and make sure everything runs smoothly throughout,” White said.

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As more and more people start to use streaming services for their entertainment on the television, cable TV is dying faster and faster. Not only is it too expensive, but it also has many commercials that feel like a lifetime in between every scene of your show. “I don’t want cable anymore because I can save a whole bunch of money and still have the ability to see my favorite movies and TV shows with streaming services,” Jonathan Croft said. As numbers show, streaming services are the future of television and are growing tremendously day by day. Currently, most people that use streaming services use Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu to fulfill their wants. Most recently, Apple TV+ launched on November 1st and Disney+ launched on Nov. 12, which boosted those numbers even more.

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2 Thursday November 21, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

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Virginia elections: the results are in The November election results are in. It is time to look at how the races fared and what impact the Wesleyan community had on Election Day.

BY DALTON POWERS dmpowers@vwu.edu

According to The New York Times, following the Virginia General Election on Nov. 5, there has been a major shift in our representation. The Virginia State Senate now consists of 21 Democrats and 19 Republicans. The Virginia House of Delegates now consists of 54 Democrats and 43 Republicans. The Washington Post wrote, “Because Virginia has a Democratic governor, Democrats will have full control of Virginia’s government for the first time in 26 years. This gives the party nearly unfettered power to redraw state legislative and congressional districts, setting the course for Virginia politics for the next decade.” In Virginia Beach, Senate District Seven, Republican Jen Kiggans won the seat with 50.4% of the votes to Democrat Cheryl Turpin’s 49.6% according to The Washington Post. For the House of Delegates in Virginia Beach, District 83 Republican incumbent, Christopher Stolle, lost the seat to Democratic candidate Nancy Guy by .2% according to Ballotpedia. Many Virginia Wesleyan University students turned out to the polls and submitted absentee ballots. Among them was Justin Robins. “I always thought that living in a democratic society, voting is the best way to help out,” the junior said. “Overall, I thought the election results went well. Usually my emotions are mixed about the results, but I think that this one went well … My emotions are usually mixed because I usually feel like people get elected based on personality or their party rather than on issues, but this one was different.” “I feel like there were a lot more environmental issues addressed. Where I live, the watershed is a big part of life. A lot of the candidates elected were big on fixing the environmental issues that matter to me … Environmental issues here affect the rest of the world because the Chesapeake Bay is such a huge port ... even people from New York drink our water.” “Social equality and environmental issues are the most important to me, so I believe

DO RECYCLE THESE! Aluminum Cans and Foils Cardboard Envelopes Glass Bottles and Jars Magazines & Newspapers Paper

Paper Bags Rinsed Plastic Bottles Shrink Wrap Steel & Tin Cans Unwanted Mail Wrapping Paper Source: vwu.edu

that the shift from Republican to Democrat is a good thing because while neither side has it all right, the work that needs to be done to repair social and environmental issues will benefit from a Democrat house and senate,” Robins said.

Marlins Vote|Courtesy

DON’T RECYCLE THESE! Materials with Food Waste Aersosol Cans Thick Post-it Notes Stacks Most Batteries Diapers Paint Cans

Plastic Bags Most Printer Cartridges Wood Products Yard Waste

Source: vwu.edu

Recycling in Hampton Roads While the outlook of recycling in the region faces obstacles, Virginia Wesleyan University’s commitment to sustainability persists.

Brendan Ferguson|Marlin Chronicle A recycling receptacle featuring the TFC logo sits on campus.

Brendan Ferguson|Marlin Chronicle A TFC Recycling truck traverses the area collecting recyclable materials.

BY ALEX POWERS ampowers@vwu.edu

Recycling in the Hampton Roads area has a difficult challenge ahead. Recycling is becoming more integral to community plans for sustainability, but it is also becoming more expensive. How to save these recycling programs is the next question to answer when it comes to sustainability. One of the key issues in the recycling conversation is where the waste goes. Much of American waste and recycling materials were being sent to China to be processed. Now, China has cut back on accepting these materials due to their own environmental concerns, to the point where American cities have tough decisions to make. The Virginian-Pilot tackled this issue head-on, reporting this change in American recycling and looking at the city of Chesapeake as an example. As of the end of October, Chesapeake was the only city without a fee charged to its citizens to collect their waste and recycling materials. That might change if the finances continue to disappear for recycling companies like Tidewater Fibre Corporation, the Pilot reported. If these companies cannot sell their collected materials, then the operating costs for recycling plants might shift to the city residents, or disappear altogether. For Chesapeake’s city manager James Baker, the idea of cancelling TFC’s recycling services is reportedly “seriously considered.” Should the current program cease, in accordance to the cost-benefit analysis that city officials are executing, the materials still need somewhere to go.

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If costs for the program are not raised, “a supervised recycle dumpster program” or the “Wheelabrator, a waste-to-energy plant in Portsmouth” could be sufficient substitutes for the time being. Chesapeake produces 14,500 tons of recycling materials per year to be processed by TFC, the Pilot noted. As a whole, the Hampton Roads region produces 400 tons of recycling materials a day - just shy of 150,000 tons per year at such a rate. For now, recycling is not necessarily leaving the coastal Virginia scene. However, there are some notable issues with recycling costs and processes that need to be addressed. In the meantime, consumers can turn to what TFC owner and president Michael Benedetto and the Pilot outlined as tips about recycling for consumers to keep in mind: - Clean food waste from materials - Recycle plastics only labeled 1 or 2 - Reuse plastic bags, do not recycle them - Take the cap off bottles before recycling - Think: “Paper, bottles, and cans” It is no secret that Virginia Wesleyan makes sustainability an important initiative on campus. The VWU website makes note that recycling is as much a priority as its other “green” efforts. It emphasizes that proper recycling takes place not only at the institutional level, but at the individual level. VWU’s recycling materials indeed are processed by TFC, much like the rest of the region’s. There is a focus that the VWU community can place on its recycling habits

to make recycling easier on everyone involved. Educating oneself on recyclable materials is important. Beyond that, Benedetto advises against the practice of “‘wishful recycling,’” per the Pilot. “When in doubt, throw it out,” Benedetto said. “It would save us a lot of money and a lot of risk.” Following the above tips published in the Pilot in general is a good start to proper recycling in Hampton Roads. Readers can also consult the “Recycling at VWU” page at https://www.vwu.edu/about/sustainability/recycling-atVWU.php for a complete guide on what can and cannot be recycled. Part of this page is included in the green boxes above. Around campus, the blue containers demarcate the proper recycling receptacles. VWU’s efforts do not stop with good practices day-today. Marlins Go Green, the campus’ premier sustainability club, frequently engages in green activities. The next major event will take place on Dec. 7, when cardboard sheets will be placed on the lawn outside of the Greer Environmental Sciences Center “to organically kill the grass in preparation for the campus garden”. As a whole campus, the university will be participating in RecycleMania this coming spring. RecycleMania is nation-wide competition for colleges and universities to employ the best recycling and sustainability practices in their communities. In addition to contextualizing VWU’s practices among other institutions, RecycleMania gives VWU a prime opportunity to educate and build awareness about recycling.

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Thursday November 21, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Luck of the draw An unkown local Norfolk resident won a major lottery prize, causing others in the area to reflect on what the money could mean to them.

BY VALERY CARABALLO vecaraballo@vwu.edu

It’s 11:49 p.m. and you’re still finishing up your paper that is due at midnight, your hand reaches into your jacket pocket which contains the winning lottery numbers that had been announced earlier that day, and yet you are still debating whether you will claim the win. Surprisingly enough, claiming a thousand dollars a day is not a concern for some lottery players, or so recent lottery winner had us think, when all six numbers announced on Nov. 4 Cash4Life drawing had matched a purchased ticket that at this moment has still not been claimed. According to WTKR News 3, The winning lottery ticket had been purchased in Norfolk Virginia at Park Avenue Market. These winning numbers are 4-13-4849-53 while the cash ball number was 3, with the winner receiving their choice of either $1,000 per day for the rest of his or her life or a one-time cash option of $7 million. It has been claimed that the odds of winning the top prize is 1 in 21.8 million yet our winner of all 9 other states resides somewhere in Virginia. There has not been much research on why people want to stay anonymous. Sources on 13 ABC News elaborated on the fact that many states make it impossible for winners to stay anonymous because the never ending amount of publicity that the lottery winning gets usually making it so that the winners have to show their face on the news. With big winnings like those found in major lottery prizes, it is not hard to believe some winners wish to remain private. As seen in the New York Times article, winners in states like Arizona, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Texas, North Dakota and Ohio allow the winner to remain anonymous as long as it does not exceed a certain

Flickr|Courtesy The Virginia Lottery logo illuminates a storefront. dollar amount. Though we can attempt to picture what this winner may look like, some students have a clear opinion on what they

would do with the money if they played the lottery. Eric Tideman said “I would much rather use most of my money in stocks and split my money amongst my family while making sure I am financially well off.” Tideman and other Wesleyan students expressed their entrepreneur-like beliefs when a large number of them commonly said they would invest in stocks. Mary Riggs gave us a glimpse into how money changes the idea of expectations, saying, “With a thousand dollars? I would worry less about amounting to anything.” Finally, when students were asked to come up with answers beyond simply paying off their student debt, many of them were stuck trying to think of other ways to use the money. Abby Winters’ answereed “ I would probably shop, but, oh wait, I have to pay tuition too.” Jean Mahon said “I think paying off your debt is just common sense and I would put my money into property while investing in the market”. In reality, a little debt can definitely decide what you would do with a large amount of money but our university alone may be hiding a few business majors. For those financially fortunate enough to not have student debts, some other responses were offered. For example, Daisy and Samson Leung, a married couple at a local 7 Eleven said, “ I would pay off my house and invest in my children’s education.” Ultimately, most respondents were more concerned with paying off debts and securing financial stability rather than they were eager to spend frivolously or spontaneously. College debt is especially of these large and very common financial burdens. Regardless, $1000 a day for students and faculty alike could go a long way.

NATO war simulation engages students Over a dozen Virginia Wesleyan students spent the week at the NATO Innovation Hub, working alongside military officials to simulate a war game. BY DALTON POWERS dmpowers@vwu.edu

Virginia Wesleyan University’s unique relationship with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) was exhibited when students took part in a decision-making simulation at the organization’s Innovation Hub Nov. 4 through Nov. 8. Gabriel Vallier, Staff Officer in the Innovation Hub of NATO for capability and development was responsible for the organization and hosting of the event. “NATO has two Supreme Allied HQ in the world, one in Europe and one in [the] United States in Norfolk … the HQ here in Norfolk is for transformation, the future. So my job is to be part of the innovation branch,” Vallier said, meaning that the opportunity to take part in an activity in an Innovation Hub is very rare. According to Vallier, the event served the purpose of allowing NATO officials to observe the students’ thought processes, and “to be able to make a proposal for future analysis tools,” the main purpose was to help the people at the NATO HQ come up with a plan to respond to Maritime Mine Warfare, which needs fresh thinking to be addressed. The simulation also served the purpose of benefiting the students. Vallier said that it provides a deeper understanding of what NATO does, and how it acts according to its values. It also provides a unique opportunity for students to get experience with working in a strategic military environment which can improve students’ communication and professional skills. “[The NATO war game] brings you out of your comfort zone. At university...you know your daily business, and you know what to do and how to be. Here, it’s something different because we expected a lot from you … for some of you, it will be your first time working at such a level,” Vallier said. Students who were included in the NATO simulation game agreed that it was an incredible intellectual experience. “I was a player, which means my team and I were given scenarios and we had to come up with solutions. Working at the NATO Innovation Hub with my classmates [was my favorite part],” senior Lora Fara said. Working at the innovation hub provided students with the opportunity to step out of the classroom and get some hands on experience. “My favorite part of this experience was working with NATO officials who really helped me understand the topic, naval mine warfare, and my classmates who brought interesting ideas to the table,” junior Katherine Brockenbrough said. However, Fara and Brokenbrough both had some minor grievances with the logistics and scheduling of the simulation. “I would do it again because my NATO officials were amazing and very helpful,” Brokenbrough said. Both Fara and Brokenbrough suggested changes to the program. They said that it would be beneficial to the program if the students were able to take the lead more, and if the topics changed each day to keep brainstorming fresh. Looking to the future, Vallier said. “we don’t have any plan(s) right now … the previous event like this was in 2013, so it is very rare but I hope we can organize another one.”

Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle The Innovation Hub at the Old Dominion University Research Park plays host to the NATO DTAG Simulation in which students and military officials collaborate.

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Community

Thursday November 21, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

The

MARLIN CHRONICLE

BATTEN CONTINUED FROM PG 1

Editor-in-Chief Megan Sherman mrsherman@vwu.edu Managing Editor Tony Tann tdtann@vwu.edu News Editor Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu Community Editor Nicholas Mundy namundy@vwu.edu Sports Editor Austin Edmonds acedmonds@vwu.edu Weekender Editor Tony Tann tdtann@vwu.edu Photo Editor Layne Nooner lnnooner@vwu.edu Illustrations Editor Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu Online Editor Nel Hart nlhart@vwu.edu Copy Editor Tara Truax tmtruax@vwu.edu Business Manager Megan Sherman mrsherman@vwu.edu Advertising Manager Jasmine Demir jkdemir@vwu.edu Adviser Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@vwu.edu

Janice Marshall-Pittman|Courtesy Current Batten Honors students volunteering at the Slover Library in Norfolk. The most difficult part of the competition for White was creating the volunteer list. “It’s like putting together a puzzle, but I love doing it! Once I have everyone’s availability, I do my best to diversify each major event, the receptions and panels by major, cohort, ethnicity, gender and involvement,” White said. “The biggest thing after this is communication with the volunteers. Each competition we are learning what works best and we use a combination of emails, texts, and meetings with volunteers to make sure everyone is 100% clear on what their duties are.” During her competition as a prospective student, she was extremely nervous, “It was ran so well, and the volunteers were so kind that it made me feel super welcome and I had a blast,” White said. “I felt compelled to make sure every student was able to have the same experience that I did when I attended my competition.” After each competition, the organizers make notes for what to improve on the next one. Additional changes over the years are explained by White, “We like to change the group activity from year to year so they students are always surprised. We have also made smaller changes such as the addition of floaters throughout the day, different moderators for student panels and different ways of going about housing tours.” One thing that White hopes the prospective students take away is the idea that the Honors

Janice Marshall-Pittman|Courtesy Prospective Batten Honors students compete for a spot.

competition. “We discussed the amount of students allowed to speak at the different panels and determined how many students can attend the various off site competition locations, as well as what to wear to the different events,” Imhof said. Imhof volunteered because the competition was one of the reasons why this school piqued her interest. “I want the students to know how welcoming the students and faculty are, as well as how to put together and studious the environment is,” Imhof said. “Students hopefully after this competition will be excited to thrive and help build this program.” On Friday night, a few of the students who came to the competition without a family member went over to Imhof’s townhouse to have dinner and meet other students. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to get Janice Marshall-Pittman|Courtesy feedback about the competition, as well as eat Maynard Schaus, vice president of academic some good food,” Imhof said. “To start the affairs addresses potential students. night and break the ice we all watched High College is like one big family. “It’s super School Musical: The Musical: The Series and cheesy, I know, but that feeling of being so enjoyed the soup, and finished the nights with close between the upperclassmen is one of laughter and smiles.” There are two more competitions going on the factors that compelled me to come here,” during the spring semester. The next one is White said. “We are all so different and come on Valentine’s Day weekend, Feb. 13-15. The from different walks of life, and yet we are able final competition of the year begins on March to function as one big group, and I would love 5. to share that community with the prospective Editor’s Note: Connor Merk is a freshman students that come visit.” Batten Honors student. Merk is a political Freshman Emily Imhof serves on the Honors science major. Council and assisted in evaluating last year’s

Eco-organizer leads first symposium

The Marlin Chronicle is the official student newspaper of Virginia Wesleyan University. Staff meetings are held every Tuesday at 5:40 p.m. in Batten 217. Signed submissions are welcome, but subject to the discretion of the editor. Letters are not edited for content, but may be edited for length and mechanics. The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper may not necessarily reflect the views of the entire staff of The Marlin Chronicle or Virginia Wesleyan University. The Marlin Chronicle Virginia Wesleyan University 5817 Wesleyan Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757.455.3311

“As a former collegiate student newspaper editor, professional journalist and long-time advisor for the Society of Collegiate Journalists, I understand the role and value of student media at a liberal arts institution. Virginia Wesleyan University proudly supports the editorial independence and press freedom of student-edited publications. We believe that student editors have the authority to make all content decisions and consequently, assume full responsibility for decisions they make.” --Scott D. Miller, Ph.D President

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Markaysha Bryant|Marlin Chronicle Patrick Berard Jr. at the environmental symposium.

Markaysha Bryant|Marlin Chronicle Students and guests attend the first climate conference in the Goode Center.

BY MARKAYSHA BRYANT mrbryant@vwu.edu “Smart, hardworking and polite” were all words used to describe Patrick Berard Jr, a senior at Virginia Wesleyan University. In high school, he participated in the dual-enrollment program, which allows students to take college courses while still in high school. He would have never imagined that a “Humans in the Environment” course would help him find his calling. After taking that course, he became an advocate for a cleaner environment. Berard is majoring in Earth and Environmental Science and is the Advertising Officer for Marlins Go Green, an environmental organization on campus. “Patrick is a team player. He gives me the encouragement I need to move forward, and he keeps the energy alive in me,” junior Ashley Roehrman, President of Marlins Go Green said. Berard played a pivotal role in planning and executing Virginia Wesleyan’s first climate change symposium. The Gunn Group gave Berard their vision, which was to host a climate change symposium and to have experts from various fields participate and educate others. They trusted him to fulfil the vision. Some of his duties involved reserving the location, creating the two panels and coordinating the career fair. “The planning process for the symposium took a little over nine months. It was challenging, but quite rewarding” Berard said. The Climate Change Symposium took place on Friday, Nov. 8, 2019 from 12 p.m.- 4:30 p.m.. He was pleased with how many students, and members of the surrounding community participated in the symposium.

At the symposium, it was announced that the Marlins Go Green organization had received a grant from Virginia Wesleyan University Earth and Environmental Science Endowment Fund. “Patrick has been a vital member of Marlins Go Green, and he has been an essential leader for the grant proposal for the campus garden. He has worked relentlessly to find various donors and to find guidance on how to turn this dream garden into a reality. There’s no way we could’ve done it without him,” Roehrman said. “He is a connector of people, and the way he was able to gather all of these different groups of people together is just a testament to what a great kid he is. We are thrilled to know him through his association with our internship program, and also to be here supporting him today,” said Janet Weyland, the Deputy Director for the Tidewater Department of Environmental Quality. After graduating, Berard plans to go to graduate school and major in engineering, specifically water resource engineering. “I feel as though there are not enough black male spokesmen advocating for African Americans, from an environmental standpoint. I want everyone’s ideas to be heard,” Berard said. Due to the underrepresentation of African Americans, Berard wants to start an environmental business, focused on environmental justice.

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Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

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Turkey time for VWU students

BY CONNOR MERK ccmerk@vwu.edu

From the first Thanksgiving in the 1600s to the 2000s, it has remained a holiday that celebrates the ideal of being thankful and a closeness between family and friends. It took many years for Thanksgiving to takes its permanent place in American culture. The first Thanksgiving took place in Plymouth Colony, in present-day Massachusetts, in 1621. More than 200 years later, President Abraham Lincoln declared the final Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving. Congress finally made Thanksgiving Day an official national holiday in 1941. As technology and time have progressed, Thanksgiving traditions have changed throughout the centuries. Freshman Charlotte Weinstein always begins Thanksgiving by waking up early to start cooking. “We eat super early, around 1 or 2 p.m., so that we can have plenty of time to scan the Black Friday ads before hitting the stores,” Weinstein said. Weinstein calls her family members the Black Friday Brigade, and is the best Thanksgiving memory she makes each year. “The eight people in my house all sit at our dining room table with different colored sharpies, circling what we want from the newspaper ads and frantically throwing the ads across the table to each other,” Weinstein said. “It’s complete and utter chaos, but it’s so fun to compare deals and form a plan of what stores we’ll go to and in what order.” As a young child, Weinstein traveled once for Thanks-

giving. “My parents took me and my sisters out to visit my family in Pittsburgh and agreed after that, they would never leave home for Thanksgiving ever again because the traffic is awful,” Weinstein said. “Although, I’ll have to travel this year over break to get home.” Junior Dazjae Johnson’s family has the Thanksgiving

Emily Uzzle | Marlin Chronicle

tradition of the women cooking and the rest of the family in the living room. “My grandmother, mom and aunts are all in the kitchen cooking and sharing old stories, while the children and males are in the living room area

watching the Macy’s Day Parade,” Johnson said. “It’s truly one of the best memories I have.” Johnson recently lost her grandfather and he was the one who prayed before the family ate each year. “A moment I remember from previous years is hearing my papa’s voice pray over the food,” Johnson said. “I am extremely thankful for this memory.” Johnson believes there will be interesting things to talk about during the Thanksgiving meal. “With the Johnson family, there are always interesting and intriguing questions coming up at the Thanksgiving table,” Johnson said. “However, my mother just got engaged, so I believe there will be a lot of wedding talk this year.” Freshman David Browne’s family has a custom that requires a lot of energy. “One Thanksgiving tradition that we have is running the Turkey Trot 5k on Thanksgiving morning,” Browne said. “A moment that I remember from Thanksgiving is being called ‘old’ by our youngest cousins. They were 6 and I was 17.” This year, Browne will be traveling to Maryland. “I’m traveling to my aunt’s house in Maryland for Thanksgiving, and we do this every year. It’s about a six hour drive from my house in New York,” Browne said. “The conversations at our table are almost always entertaining, as it’s mostly my grandpa and uncle making fun of my cousin Breanna for doing things like wearing ripped jeans and drinking Starbucks.”

Who killed Kylie Jenner? Students solve the mystery BY CONNOR MERK ccmerk@vwu.edu

The Wesleyan Activities Council (WAC) hosted a murder mystery event for students on Friday, Nov. 15. This event was created with the collaboration of WAC and Mission Improvable productions. The event began with attendees being greeted with a nametag of a celebrity that they will act like for the remainder of the night. There was roughly 10 minutes of mingling and eating hors d’oeuvres. The action began sharply with a scream and “detectives” running into the room who were yelling at people to put their hands up. The detectives announced that there has been a murder. They proclaimed that Kylie Jenner was the one murdered. The investigators called on many attendees to try and figure out who murdered Kylie. They would respond by blaming other “celebrities” and what they did in regard to the murder. Additionally, they asked the audience to look for clues, and one person found a manila folder under one of the chairs. They discovered a cut and paste ransom letter that was from the “killer.” Each table group then drew what they thought the killer looked like. Table members had to take turns drawing the face, ears, nose, eyes and other features. Then, the detectives distributed evidence packages to each table with all of the evidence of the night for the attendees to try to guess the killer. They concluded the night by reading each

End of Fall Wesleyan Activities Council Events Thursday, Nov. 21 WAC Townhall

Time: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Location: Boyd Dining Hall

group’s guesses. Four groups had the correct answer: Rihanna. The ransom note included the word Barbados, the clue Umbrella. Freshman Josh Heller enjoyed the event, and had different expectations for the activity. “I expected this event to be like the game body-body, or murder mystery in the dark,” Heller said. “I felt like the murder mystery theme was really enjoyable with a lot of humor. It was a great interactive activity that I have never experienced before.” Freshman Kellee Wilson thought it was an excellent event. “I definitely think WAC should do an event like this again, and I am looking forward to the glow roller rink event this Friday,” Wilson said. Coordinator for Student Activities Programming Alia Banks believes that looking back on previous events, our university has never had an activity like this. “We have brought hypnotists, mentalists, live bands, but we have never had something like this. This takes game show to a different level because it is so interactive.” For the remainder of the semester, WAC will have a couple more events: Glow Roller Rink on Nov. 22, Christmas Tree Lighting on Dec. 6, Spa a La Marlin and Late Night Breakfast on Dec. 11. Next Thursday, Nov. 21, Banks will be hosting a WAC town hall from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Boyd Dining Hall. “I will allow students to come and talk

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Friday, Dec. 6 Christmas Tree Lighting Time: 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Location: Behind the Chapel

Wednesday, Dec. 11 Spa A La Marlin

Time: 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Dance Studio

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Time: 8 p.m. - 11 p.m. Location: CMAC

Layne Nooner | Marlin Chronicle Heller investigates clues at the murder mystery event.

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Friday, Nov. 22 Glow Roller Rink

to me with any ideas they have, and any collaboration that students would like to do,” Banks said.

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Wednesday, Dec. 11 Late Night Breakfast

Time: 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. Location: Boyd Dinning Hall

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Thursday, November 21, 2019

Soccer ends in ODAC Finals

Sports Information|Courtesy The VWU women’s soccer team fell to Randolph-Macon in penalty kicks during the ODAC Championship match. BY NICHOLAS MUNDY namundy@vwu.edu

Virginia Wesleyan Women’s soccer lost in the final penalty kicks against RandolphMacon in the ODAC championship. The loss came after a scoreless regulation and two overtime periods. The Marlins’ season ended when they failed to get a bid in the NCAA tournament. Women’s soccer finished 13-3-4 in the regular season and 7-2-1 in the conference. A resilient team was able to exceed expectations even after the season-ending injury to Alex Davidson. One player remarked on how far they were able to go with this group. “We played so well this season. Going from 6th place to 3rd place, to competing in the ODAC finals, we really played so well as a team. Of course, we wish that we

were still playing and that we made it to the NCAA tournament, however I could not be more proud of how hard we worked as a team this year,” Junior Anna Krussow said. The Marlins won the first two matchups of ODAC play. They started off the tournament with a win against Shenandoah at home. In the semifinals, they defeated Washington and Lee in a close battle 1-0 with a goal by Marli Hayward. They would go onto lose on the final penalty kick to the Yellow Jackets: “I think overall we played an amazing game. One of the best games we played all year. We just got unlucky on the offensive end,” Senior Tristen Roberts said. There were five members of the team that were able to win All-Conference for

their play in the ODAC. Mia Meinhardt and Shae Geary were nabbed spots on first team All-Conference, Kennedi Anders earned second team honors and Camryn Terry and Sam Crawford collected third team honors. Crawford also received ODAC Rookie of the Year. The Marlins will look to rebound next season after a really tough loss to the Yellow Jackets. The Marlins will lose eight seniors, but with a strong junior class coming back for their senior year the expectations are at a high “I think next year they are a really strong team that can win ODACs and bring home the trophy,” said Roberts.

Wesleyan welcomes new head coach BY KARLEIGH WARREN kawarren1@vwu.edu

Attention Virginia Wesleyan in order to promote change within the coming years,” Wolverton said. University… get on your marks, get program is accountability. Weiner said, “If Although the Cross Country and set, and get ready to meet the new Cross everyone holds themselves and each other Track and Field program recently lost Country and Track and Field head coach, accountable everything will click.” The their former coaching staff, Weiner is a Jesse Weiner. He is a former head coach Cross Country and Track and Field team great new addition to the team. Although at Alderson Broaddus University for the will be preparing to host these meets by Weiner is the new coach, the Littleton’s last eight years, and is coming to Virginia getting the track ready, “You will be able to will be remembered throughout the Wesleyan University to program. remembers conduct change within the the Littletons by Cross Country and Track saying, “The motto and Field programs. The the Littletons put Cross Country team has behind the program, been on a roll this past “We build winners season by taking third at in life” is something the ODAC Championships that will live on in the for the men’s team and by program.” In regards taking 30th at the NCAA to the new coaching Regional tournament staff, Wolverton is for the women’s team. excited to see new Weiner is excited for a changes within the new start with a group of program. “With talented runners at Virginia Jesse Weiner at the Wesleyan University, “I wheel, I expect to am blessed that President see an improvement Miller and Athletic in recruiting for the Director Tina Hill have team. His positive chosen me for this position attitude and good and would like to thank humor, along with a them both. I see this team reputation as a good competing for an ODAC recruiter will help Title and having some the program grow.” National Qualifiers,” Wolverton believes Sports Information|Courtesy Weiner said.Weiner that Weiner has the Jesse Weiner was named the Director of Cross Country and Track & Field. has had some previous skills to lead the coaching experience. team to success. “His He completed his background at ESU Graduate Assistant Coaching at the see a lot more of equipment coming to the and his time coaching at other universities Division II East Stroudsburg University. track over the next year.” This will allow gives him vital experience and knowledge He continued his coaching career at the VWU to host High School and Collegiate to coach track and field.” Just like other Division III Adrian College. Weiner then meets as well as conference meets,” sports, Cross Country is a technical sport. went on to become the head coach for Weiner says. The Virginia Wesleyan “This sport requires a great knowledge Cross Country and Track and Field at University Track and Field team will also to be successful. The job of coach in this Alderson Broaddus University for eight be hosting the ODAC Outdoor Track & sport is one that teaches and guides the years. Virginia Wesleyan University was Field Championships in April of 2021. athlete in the most productive direction on the search for a new head coach when Senior Abel Owusu, a thrower on the while keeping each athletes goals in mind,” they came across Weiner. “I thought it was Track and Field team, mentioned his Wolverton said.“I am excited to have a new a great opportunity,” he said, “Virginia concerns for funding, “Funding for the face added to the program. Coach Jesse Wesleyan University has a great group of program has been a great struggle for our seems like a good fit for a program ready athletes that I know can win a conference team over the years. I hope in the future for some change.” The need for change is title in the near future.” Weiner is greater importance will be placed on the a constant theme that is heard throughout focused on creating an environment that program.” Senior Louis Wolverton, a the members of the program. Owusu is is revolved around one team by uniting distance runner for the Cross Country team, one member who is vocal about needing the women’s and men’s teams, “I’m not elaborates on the concerns for funding. “A change. “I expect there to be a clean up going to change a lot but WE will be ONE track and field team requires a lot of athletes of the program since leadership will be TEAM. In the past there was a Men’s considering the many different events, and changing, providing a whole new look for team and a Women’s team.” Weiner wants this requires a large budget. With roughly the track team.” Owusu said. to ensure that his teams work together in 12 competitions for track and field and Virginia Wesleyan University’s Cross becoming successful and understands how 18 for the distance runners, that is a lot of Country and Track and Field teams are to make that happen, “We will practice travel, meet fees, food and hotels. In order ready for a better future within their and travel together as a start.” The one to fund this work needs to be done in order program. character trait that each runner must have to be able to travel as the team grows in the

7Sports.indd 1

7

AT A GLANCE W. Basketball Nov. 23 vs. Averett @ Rocky Mount, NC. 5:30 P.M. Nov. 24 @ N.C. Wesleyan 4:00 P.M. Nov. 30 @ Randolph* 2:00 P.M. Dec. 4 vs. Bridgewater* 7:00 P.M. Dec. 7 vs. Hollins* 2:00 P.M. Dec. 15 vs. CNU 1:00 P.M. M. Basketball Nov. 26 @ Salisbury 7:00 P.M. Dec. 1 vs. Ferrum* 2:00 P.M. Dec. 4 @ Mary Washington 7:00 P.M. Dec. 7 @ Guilford 3:00 P.M. Dec. 15 v.s. CNU M. Swimming Nov. 24 Yellow Jacket Invite @ Richmond, VA 10:00 A.M. Dec. 7 @ Greensboro 1:00 P.M. W. Swimming Nov. 24 Yellow Jacket Invite @ Richmond, VA 10:00 A.M. Dec. 7 @ Greensboro 1:00 P.M.

11/20/2019 11:13:07 AM


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Sports

Thursday November 21, 2019 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

The Full

VOLLEYBALL

Count

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

AUSTIN EDMONDS

is a senior majoring in communication

Sports Information|Courtesy The Marlin volleyball squad huddles up before a match. This is Hoover-Erbig’s second time receiving the honor of Coach of the Year. This is her fourteenth season as head coach for the Marlins and in 2019 she led the team to the most wins in program history with a final record of 28-8. “Our coaching staff stresses serve, serve receive and defense as the most important parts of the game. We worked on these aspects of the game as well as preparing for each of our opponents,” Hoover-Erbig said. Matalus was one of five players to earn All-ODAC recognition. Along with her was junior Greta Coss on the Second Team, who had 275 kills on the year. Rounding out the third team for the team was seniors Lauren Topper and Alyssa Taylor and freshman Haley Sutton. Sutton led the team in assists with 675. Taylor was the team’s primary libero this

season and notched 532 kills on the year. In her Marlin career, she earned 1272 digs and 181 assists. Overall, the Virginia Wesleyans women’s volleyball had their best season to date. “As a team we really struggled in the beginning of the season to be emotionally consistent but the awesome thing about that is that we fixed it. We worked really hard to find what was doable for us and how we could put our best foot forward. It worked really heavily in our favor at the end of the season because we got better at responding to error and remaining consistent,” Matalus said. The volleyball team graduates a loaded senior class in Matalus, Topper, Taylor, Elizabeth Britton, Meghan Wood, and Sarah Brush. However, they do retain key players such as Coss, Sutton, sophomore Sydney Collins and Kathryn Yeager.

On Nov. 12, 2019, the baseball world was still suffering from its World Series hangover when current Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers, who was with the Houston Astros during their 2017 championship run, spoke up about his former ballclub by claiming that the club used cameras in their home Minute Maid Park in 2017 to steal signs. Fiers said in an interview to The Athletic, “That’s not playing the game the right way. They were advanced and willing to go above and beyond to win.” Fiers was one of four Astros sources to confirm these accusations but the only two to go on the record. Fiers said that he let the teams that he played for know what he saw when they played in Houston. Upon further investigation by the MLB there have been reports that the Astros set up a camera in center field zoomed in so that someone watching could see what signs were relayed to the pitcher. A TV in the hallway leading to the dugout had the feed, and when they thought they had figured out the opposing signals a message would be relayed to the batter via a bang from the dugout to let them know what pitch was coming next. At this point no decision has been made in regards to these accusations and their is an ongoing investigation through Major League Baseball. The MLB has already begun to investigate current Houston Astros manager AJ Hinch, former Houston Astros bench coach and current Boston Red Sox manager Alex Corra, and former Houston Astros Outfielder and newly hired New York

Mets manager Carlos Beltran who are all said to have played key roles in helping deliver signals to the batter. For the casual fan who doesn’t know, sign stealing has always been a part of baseball. However, it had never been done electronically to directly relay exactly what pitch was coming to the batter either. The entire baseball world is eager to see how the MLB decides to handle this situation. As one can imagine, once the news broke via The Athletic, baseball twitter was in an uproar giving their opinions on what should be the final decision should be on the situation. It was very popular amongst fans to call for the ban of Astros Manager AJ Hinch from Major League Baseball. Hinch has yet to comment on the issue, as the MLB has pushed the Astros to not comment on anything until the investigation has wrapped up. The Boston Globe reached out to Corra in regards to the situation, but he declined to comment. Chaim Bloom, who was recently hired by the Boston Red Sox as chief baseball officer; also declined comment at the GM meetings on Wednesday, Nov. 13. Beltran has yet to comment on the accusations. Brodie Van Wagenen also referred to the MLB by saying, “Anything that happened, happened with another organization… with Houston. I have no idea if anything did or did not occur, but at this point I don’t see any reason this is a Mets situation.”

Spotlight Henry Tasker '19 English

Q: What did you do? A: Val Miller, Peyton Auxt, and I completed a research project and presented it at the College Media Association Convention in New York City in March 2019. The research involved surveying students to find out how accurately they judge a journalism piece to be news or sponsored content.

Q: What did you learn from presenting your research at an academic conference? A: Never be afraid to ask for help, and don't fear rejection. If you want something, ask for it. That's the only way you'll get it. Also, don’t doubt yourself. It's easy to slip into a negative state of mind, especially when you're watching other people and thinking, "Wow, their presentation is really good, and their topic is interesting." Don't lose hope.

Q: What was your most memorable moment? A: Winning the Apple Award for Undergraduate Research! When we were in the ballroom listening to the speaker read the winners’ names, we were on the edge of our seats. We knew the other presenters delivered professional presentations, so we were tense. As the first award was announced, we waited for what seemed like an eternity. And then our names were called! Q: What did you do to prepare for the conference? A: We received guidance from Dr. Lisa Payne, who told us that the project would be worthy of presentation at a conference. Also, Dr. Soraya Bartol and The Lighthouse were incredibly helpful in getting us to the conference, including providing funding. Q: What did you find most surprising about presenting your research? A: The thing that surprised me the most was how quickly everything happened. From the first email conversation with Dr. Bartol about going to the conference to winning the award, it felt like one non-stop rollercoaster ride. I wish I could go back and savor the moment we won. It was a very good feeling.

Val Miller and Henry Tasker with their Apple Award at the College Media Association Convention, New York City, March 2019

Q: What advice would you give other students who want to undertake research? A: Just do it! It may seem daunting, and it may take a long time. But you have no idea where it may take you. I don't think Val, Peyton, or I would have thought that the research was worthy of an Apple Award when we began, but it turned out to be.

For more information on internships, undergraduate research, and study away, contact The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration & Discovery.

8Sports.indd 1

11/20/2019 11:13:50 AM


november

THEWEEKENDER

21, 2019

PAGE 9

Wishing You A Happy Thanksgiving

N W O D

G IN

M A E

R T S

W O H S

Brendan Ferguson | Marlin Chronicle

Disney CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 On Nov 1, Apple TV+ launched and it is ad-free for only $4.99/mo with a 7-day free trial. Apple TV+ also has a deal that if you’ve purchased a primary Apple product (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, Mac, Apple TV) after Sept 10, then you will get Apple TV+ free for a year. From setting up the product you’ve bought, you have 3 months to claim the free year. Students who have the Apple Music Student Plan can also get Apple TV+ with no additional cost. With one subscription you can add up to 6 additional people who can enjoy Apple TV+ along with you. Apple TV+ includes Apple Originals with big stars such as Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jason Momoa, Oprah and more. These originals will be shown in 4k HDR and with Dolby Atmos sound. “I really like the Netflix Originals, so I’m very interested to see what the Apple Originals will be like,” Ryan Mason

said. Apple TV+ has said that they will release new shows often, but there is no word on if they will have shows or movies from other companies. The Apple Originals won’t release seasons at a time, but episodes. A little over a week after the launch of Apple TV+ launched, Disney+ launched, and people are raving about it. At $6.99/mo or $69.99/yr, Disney+ also has a free offer to Verizon customers that have Verizon Unlimited or the new Fios 5G home internet services. But the big deal is the bundle with Disney+, ESPN+ and Hulu for only 12.99/mo. With this bundle of ESPN+ ($4.99/mo) and Hulu ($5.99/mo) you can save almost $6 every month. Disney+ will include content from Disney, Marvel and National Geographic. Also available on 10 different devices, with the ability to watch four different shows on four different devices. “I’ve always loved Disney and I

am most excited to re-watch the Disney princess movies,” Caroline Domo said. Netflix had many Disney shows and movies, could they be in trouble? Probably not, Netflix has many other shows and has recently announced a deal with Nickelodeon to film originals with new and old characters. This would help them tremendously to compete with Disney+ and Apple TV+. As of now, many people are choosing Disney+ over Apple TV+ simply because they know what they are getting. “I chose Disney+ over Apple TV+ because I can get more content for a better deal,” Dillon Dunn said. Although they know what they are getting, there is no risk with Apple TV+ because of the 7-day free trial. The excitement continues to rise as streaming services are becoming more and more popular.

VALERY’S GALLERY

Bing.com| Courtesy OPINION BY VALERY CARABALLO vecaraballo@vwu.edu

Valery Caraballo is a sophomore political science major with an interest in writing and music. This column will include a number of untouched media that peak the interest of many college students, because who isn’t worried about drama and music? Speaking of music, Tory Lanez’ new album just dropped on everything from Apple Music to Soundcloud. Tory Lanez samples some of our favorite 2000 R&B songs in his latest album, “Chixtape” along with including some well-known artists in the tape as well. The hour-and10-minute-long album includes 18 songs that create a smooth throwback vibe. Though Lanez is extremely talented, he would not be able to accomplish this vision without the featuring of Lil Wayne, T-Pain, Ludacris, Chris Brown, Snoop Dogg, Trey Songz, Lloyd and Ashanti, Jagged Edge and Fabolous, Slim and Nyce. Lanez is no stranger to creativity

9Weekender.indd 1

and he makes this clear when he gives us a blast to the past with phone calls, story lines and skits throughout his album. This latest mixtape has fulfilled the 2000 R&B mix that listeners crave. The album is not only catchy, but brings us back to much simpler times; who knew we missed some of the greats so much? Tory Lanez definitely did. Each song on the album allows for a smooth alteration while still incorporating a different yet creative era we still adore It was genuinely refreshing to hear the old beats clash with his new R&B style. The songs fit perfectly, from “Jerry Sprunger” featuring T-Pain, which is our 2000 love song interest to “Beauty in the Benz,” featuring Snoop Dogg, which touches the heart of all our inner rappers. He is not only a rapper, but expresses his talents as a vocalist in as well. Overall, his newest album has reintroduced us to the Tory Lanez we knew in the beginning of his career.

11/20/2019 11:16:05 AM


THEWEEKENDER

PAGE 10

Wishing You A Happy Thanksgiving

november

21, 2019

PREMIUM PODS

Emily Uzzle | Marlin Chronicle BY JORDAN WILSON jmwilson@vwu.edu

Remember when it was a really big trend to have a pair of Airpods? People who had AirPods were looked at as people with money. Now that everyone has invested in trying to get a pair of AirPods, it’s not the same hype when you see somebody with a pair on. That is why Apple created AirPod Pros. Seniors Devin Wallace, Collin Jones and Lamont Steward have AirPods and they were asked the same three questions. Do they know anybody with AirPod Pros, Do they think they’ll ever upgrade to AirPod Pros, and do they know the differences between the regular AirPods and the AirPod Pros. All three said they don’t know anybody with a pair. All three also said they may possibly make the upgrade to pros. For the last question they all had different answers. Wallace said the air bud piece, Jones said they may come in different colors and Steward said they have different colors, different shapes and they are waterproof. The actual differences between AirPods and AirPod Pro sand which products are better in certain departments. When its comes to prices it is clear that AirPod Pros are more expensive because they just came out. AirPod Pros begin at $250. Regular AirPods cost around $159-$199 range depending on wired or wireless charging. So in the

price department the regular AirPods would be the way to go if you want to save money. A new feature the AirPod Pros have introduced is noise cancellation. The noise cancellation helps with the noise from the outside world. So, if you want to listen to music around a crowd of people it will turn them into whispers. The regular AirPods don’t have this feature. When it comes to battery life between regular AirPods and AirPod Pros, the regular AirPods actually have more battery life. The battery life for regular AirPods last up to 5 hours with 19 more added by charging the case. The Air Pod Pros have a little less battery life with 4.5 hours and 19 more added by charging the case. When it comes to the fitting of both the AirPods and the AirPod Pros, the AirPod Pros have a better fit. Regular AirPods are supposed to fit anybody’s ears because that’s how Apple designed them but sometimes that’s not the case and theres no adjustment levels to them. On the other hand the AirPod Pros have a silicone tips with a range of sizes for a much more customizable fit. Not only do they have a better fit, they’re also water resistant unlike the regular AirPods. Both AirPods and AirPod Pros have great bluetooth

HAPPY THANKSMAS

UN MARVEL-OUS

OPINION BY TONY TANN tdtann@vwu.edu

Alex Powers | Marlin Chronicle OPINION BY TONY TANN tdtann@vwu.edu

Imagine it’s Oct 31 around 11:50 p.m. You’re up, for whatever reason, and look at the clock. It’s almost November 1st. You can feel it coming like winter in Game of Thrones; Christmas. As the Grinch said while he stood atop his mountain perch, “Christmas. It’s practically here.” With the oncoming onslaught of holiday cheer, there are those who love it, those who hate it, and those who don’t care either way. Personally, I hate it. However, all options on how to act are valid. As to why this is even an occurrence? Short answer? Commercialism. Christmas creep is a merchandising phenomenon in which merchants and retailers introduce Christmas-themed merchandise or decorations before the traditional start of the holiday shopping season, which in the United States is on the day after Thanksgiving. However, those dates have been pushed back further and further as the years go by. Christmas is literally creeping up on other holidays. If I don’t hear “All I Want For Christmas” by Mariah Carey before turkey day, it’ll be a Thanksgiving miracle, because it’s in November. It seems as if seeing the decorations in store is almost seen as an okay for it being a good time to put up Christmas decorations in our own homes. It’s not. It’s really not. I read that there was a study about putting up Christmas decorations earlier made people feel happy. That study sounds like it was bought and paid for by the conglomerate of Target and Walmart. If we could go back in time and check our social media outlets there were memes of Christmas talk as early as mid-October. It’s a bit much. A simple month reprieve is not too hard to ask. Thanksgiving has a history. One that we aren’t quite (or at least shouldn’t be) proud of. We all know that Thanksgiving is less popular than Christmas. But I don’t think it justifies canceling. In some families, Thanksgiving is seen as a family get together. Tons of family come from distant lands to share in a feast. You can do that with Christmas, but Christmas also involves gifts. Would you rather share food with 20 guests or 20 presents? As college students, nobody has the time or the money for that. Save Thanksgiving. Keep Christmas in December.

10Weekender.indd 1

connectivity and neither have an advantage over each other. Another difference between these two have is how they are controlled. The regular AirPods are touch sensitive, that’s how the music is changed and paused. With the AirPod Pros there is a small ridge on each side which you squeeze to change and pause songs. Both are still able to command Siri by saying, “Hey Siri.” For people who really enjoy listening to music the sound quality is an important feature. Between the two the sound quality is better on the AirPod Pros and here’s why. The AirPod Pros focus more on the details making the sound smoother. Also, they perform better when noise cancelling feature is turned off. So if music is one of your hobbies, going with AirPod Pros might be the better choice. Overall there are plenty of different features added to the AirPod Pros that make them worthy of upgrading from the regular AirPods. Let’s not forget the cons: there are also lots of the same features from the regular AirPods and the AirPod Pros and the AirPod Pros are a little more expensive. Neither one is a bad option but depending on preference choose carefully.

Alex Powers | Marlin Chronicle

In an interview with Empire, Martin Scorsese addressed the culture-dominating influence of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. To put it mildly, he finds them...less than appealing. “I don’t see them. I tried, you know? But that’s not cinema,” Scorsese told the magazine. “Honestly, the closest I can think of them as well made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn’t the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being.” I highly disagree with his sentiments. Cinema is ever-changing and fluid in what can be dubbed “cinema.” This sounds more like anger towards the simple saturation of films that are popular and that people want to see. Movie theaters have limited spaces to show movies. Popular movies stay longer as they keep bringing in revenue while movies that don’t do so good have a shorter span in theaters. Scorsese’s last two films produced by his company Sikelia Productions, The Irishman and Rolling Thunder Revenue were released on netflix and the last movie to reach theaters, The Souvenir, grossed $1,713,707. Vs marvel films grossing numbers in the upwards of $300 million, it’s understandable to be a little green with envy. To be fair, Scorsese’s legacy of Cinema with a capital-c does seem fairly incompatible with the streamlined, quip-heavy, crowd-pleasing, popcorn fare that comprises the MCU. But “Joker” director Todd Phillips has namechecked grimy Scorsese faves like “Taxi Driver” and “King of Comedy” in his press tour — and even went so far as to bring in “King of Comedy” star Robert De Niro for a part in “Joker.” Later Scorsese expanded on — but didn’t walk back — his recent remarks in which he called Marvel movies “not cinema,” telling Entertainment Tonight On Oct 26 that they are “a new art form.” he went on to say big-time comic book movies are a “good thing” for families that enjoy going to amusement parks. Scorsese added; “It’s something different from films that are shown normally in theaters, that’s all.” Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Even if it’s aged and out of touch. We’ve seen marvel movies address issues everyone deals with issues of race, mental health, job loss, government corruption, war and the state of the economy, all things that Scorsese addresses in his own movies, just in his own way. Just like he does things his own way, Marvel does things their own way. There’s space for both his films and Marvel films to coexist. Marty just has to get with the times.

11/20/2019 11:34:30 AM


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