The Miscellany News October 8, 2020
miscellanynews.org
Vassar College’s student newspaper of record since 1866 Volume 154 | Issue 6
Uptick in COVID-19 cases sparks campus-wide concern Lucille Brewster
Assistant News Editor
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fter two weeks of zero active COVID-19 cases on campus, members of the Vassar community were shocked to see the Vassar Together online dashboard report five new cases on Sept. 25. President Elizabeth Bradley shortly thereafter sent an email explaining that the five students who had tested positive for COVID-19 were isolated. Bradley wrote that contact tracers identified 10 close contacts of those who tested positive, but that the test results did not seem to be connected to a single event. No one was more shocked by the test results than the students who tested positive. One such student (who asked to stay anonymous due to privacy concerns) said they were confused by the results because they had been cautious and were following all the rules, such
as staying on campus and not attending unmasked gatherings. They explained that the contact tracers also expressed disbelief about the results—none of the students were experiencing symptoms, the students who tested positive were not in close contact with each other and they all testified to following safety precautions. Dean of the College Carlos Alamo-Pastrana elaborated, “We do not know how these students may have gotten exposed. Contact tracing and our investigation showed that they do not live in the same house, do not have classes in common and all attest that they have not left campus. It is because of this that we investigated these cases.” Matters were further complicated when the students who tested positive were retested. The anonymous student confirmed that they See Cases on page 3
The Alumnae House, pictured above, where some students who tested positive for COVID-19 on Sept. 25 were required to isolate. Many believe these cases to be instances of false positive test results. Via Wikimedia Commons..
Student bands play sunset concert Nina Ajemian
Assistant Arts Editor
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Nina Ajemian/The Miscellany News.
he sky over Noyes Circle is a perfect, clear blue. Puffy clouds are slowly washed over in pink with the setting sun, and excitement pulses in the chilly fall air. The dry grass is dotted with concertgoers peacefully lounging on picnic blankets. They’re here for the music, but they’re also here for that indescribable feeling of closeness that only an outdoor concert can provide. On Friday, Oct. 2, Vassar’s Student Music Union (StuMu) organized an evening concert on Noyes Circle with performances from The Morning Moon, yarn
and Alouette n da Boyz, as well as a set from DJ The Ghost of Allen Ginsberg. Pre-quarantine, Vassar’s music scene was flourishing. Alex Koester ’23 (Alouette n da Boyz) detailed: “There was really something being built with the Tiny Desk concerts, with the art TH, with so many great bands on campus…And this year, it kind of seems like we’re piecing it back together and…I think we’re doing a good job at it, but it’s been more of a challenge to continue all this crazy progress that was made last year.” Alouette Batteau ’23 (Alouette n da Boyz) added, “Last year it was
kind of just growing exponentially, and I think everyone was getting so excited and then it kind of just was killed with quarantine.” Friday’s concert, however, was reminiscent of last year’s music scene. Sitting on the grass listening to the bands, it was easy to forget that just earlier this semester, a gathering like this would not have been possible. Instead, I was transported back to last year, to a time when life was less complicated and when crowds of people were something to flock towards, not shy away from. This sentiment was shared by See Concert on page 5
Amid a strong fall semester, Vassar looks to the spring Olivia Watson News Editor
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s campus settles into a new normal with a consistently low COVID-19 case count, the Vassar administration is looking to the spring semester and preparing for the unique challenges of the winter season. In a recent email to the student body, President Elizabeth Bradley asked for students’ feedback on three potential plans for next semester. Plan A entails students returning in late January and potentially beginning classes exclusively on Zoom until the weather warms. Plan B would include students staying home and participating in classes remotely until the end of February, at which point students would
Inside this issue
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ARTS
A 1970s art collection offers a glimpse into Vassar’s past
return for in-person classes. Plan C would have students stay off campus until March, and then return for a delayed semester with in-person classes. For Plan C, graduation would also shift back to mid-June. An additional email detailed a fourth option, one in which students would move in during mid-February, begin classes in late-February, and then finish classes on time to have graduation on May 31. While the current three phase plan and ongoing social-distancing restrictions seem to have proved successful for the fall semester. Dean of the College Carlos Alamo-Pastrana shared that the forthcoming cold weather and flu season will present novel complications.“Weather is a
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significant factor in the considerations of a plan for the spring, given how important outdoor space was during our return this fall semester in allowing our students to eat safely with roommates or meet in small groups,” said Alamo-Pastrana.He continued, “We are also still in flu season during January and February, so that is something else that we need to consider. Right now, students who present with flu-like symptoms are treated similarly to a positive COVID case until they are cleared through testing. This can potentially strain some of our systems. Given all of this, our key Throughout the fall semester, Vassar has successfully used outdoor tent challenge here is how to balance classrooms to facilitate safe and socally-distanced in-person learning. But starting at a reasonable date while these spaces may be unfeasible in the spring semester due to colder weather. still working to preserve the physiGrace Rousell/The Miscellany News. See Spring on page 4
Procrastinating writer advises on how to (literally) HUMOR hide from your responsibilities
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Vassar’s about to change some rules. Why mess OPINIONS with a good thing?
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October 8, 2020
COVID19 AT VASSAR
OCTOBER 8TH DATA VIA VASSAR TOGETHER
02 02
Total Tests Administered
Total Active Cases
For daily updates on Vassar's testing and cases, visit https://www.vassar.ed u/together/dashboard
31
Total Student Cases to Date
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MANAGING EDITOR SENIOR EDITORS
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Total Employee Cases to Date
8,771
THE MISCELLANY NEWS
Thursday
October Connecting with our Ancestors Join Rabbi Bryan and other Jewish students on campus to learn about the tradition of inviting ancestors into the Sukkah. 4 p.m. | Cushing House lawn
Qigong Zoom Class Learn to manage your energy to create peace, balance, and harmony with Qigong—an ancient Chinese health care system that integrates physical postures, breathing techniques, and focused intentions. This one-hour class, held every Tuesday and Thursday, is for all levels. No experience necessary! 6:15 p.m. | Virtual Event
Hudson Valley’s TMI Project pressents Voices from the Margins: An Evening of Storytelling and Exchange The evening will feature 6 individuals from historically and structurally marginalized communities sharing personal stories of their struggles with injustices and their ongoing efforts to build and sustain courageous and meaningful lives with dignity and hope.
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Friday
October
October Farmers’ Market Four popular vendors will be offering baked goods, desserts, and other treats, available for purchase with V-Cash. 10 a.m. | Noyes Circle
The CDO presents: Exploring Your Future Whether you’re a first-year or a returning student, the Career Development Office (CDO) may be an unfamiliar Vassar office to you. Come to this workshop to learn how the CDO can help you achieve your professional or advanced degree aspirations. From health practitioners to veterinarians, social justice pioneers to artists, economists to lawyers, academics to still-not-sure-what-I-want-tobe explorers, we’re here to help you discover your paths. We’ll review the resources available to you through our office and how you can receive various forms of guidance from us.
Saturday
Higher Education in the Era of Pandemic President Elizabeth H. Bradley will moderate a panel discussion about the impact of COVID-19 on higher education globally, and prospects for future innovation and sustaining of this sector. Registration required. 11:30 a.m. |
Tiana Headley Olivia Watson Lucille Brewster ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Janet Song FEATURES EDITOR Jonas Trostle OPINIONS EDITOR Sawyer Bush ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR Meghan Hayfield ARTS EDITOR Nina Ajemian ASSISTANT ARTS EDITOR Isabella Migani HUMOR EDITOR Madi Donat ASSISTANT HUMOR EDITOR Alex Eisert SPORTS EDITORS Dean Kopitsky Natalie Bober SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Alison Carranza ASSISTANT SOCIAL MEDIA Sherry Liao ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS Grace Rousell Jacqueline Gill COPY EDITORS Phoebe Jacoby Caitlin Patterson Juliette Pope GRAPHICS EDITOR Alexis Cerritos VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER Alex Barnard AUDIO EDITOR Mrin Somani ASSISTANT AUDIO EDITOR Ben Scharf LIVE EVENTS CHAIRPERSON Emma Tanner BUSINESS MANAGER Logan Hyde ASSISANT BUSINESS MANAGER
COLUMNISTS
COPY STAFF
Virtual Event
CJC Deli Night in the Sukkah Celebrate Sukkot with the CJC in the Sukkah. There will be food!.
Aena Khan Ted Chmyz Taylor Stewart Abby Tarwater Duncan Aronson Jessica Moss Holly Schulman
NEWS EDITORS
REPORTERS
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Lucy Leonard
CROSSWORD
Delila Ames Alysa Chen Olivia Diallo Rayan El Amine Sara Lawler Leila Raines Francisco Andrade Sawyer Bush Madison Caress Doug Cobb Rohan Dutta Helen Johnson Xin Rui Ong Taylor Gee Jason Han Jake Johnson Emma Kahn Tiffany Trumble Frank
6 p.m. | Cushing House lawn
12 p.m. | Virtual Event
CORRECTION POLICY The Miscellany News will only accept corrections for any misquotes, misrepresentations or factual errors for an article within the semester it is printed.
The Miscellany News is not responsible for the views presented within its Opinions pages. Staff editorials are the only articles that reflect the opinion of a two-thirds majority of the Editorial Board.
7 p.m. | Virtual Event
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
October 8, 2020
NEWS
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Five new active COVID-19 cases prompt worry, suspicion Continued from Cases on page 1 were retested twice in the following days after receiving the positive test result. One of these retests went through a different laboratory than Bioreference Laboratories, the lab the college usually uses for COVID-19 testing. Both retests came back negative for this student, and for the four others that had received positive results the same day. To this student, this was confirmation that they did not have COVID-19. They recalled thinking, “Okay, can we go now?” False positives are rare, but not impossible. Vassar uses the molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, which is widely considered to be the most reliable. While the data is not conclusively known, studies have shown the false positive rate of molecu-
“The determination of the investigators was that these positive tests were valid and not compromised.”
Both retests came back negative for this student, and for the four others that had received positive results the same day. To this student, this was confirmation that they did not have COVID-19. lar PCR tests to be anywhere between .3 percent and 3 percent. Dean Alamo-Pastrana emphasized that when testing a large number of asymptomatic people, there will inevitably be a small number of false positives. He further explained, “Our protocol in handling all positive test results is to follow state health guidance. That guidance is that the students must remain isolated.” Because molecular PCR tests only react to COVID-19 RNA, the most likely explanation for false positives is contamination of the testing sample. President Bradley explained in an email to the Vassar community on
Courtesy of nadia_bormotova via Getty Images. Sept. 30 that an investigation was launched by the local and state health departments in collaboration with Bioreference Laboratories and Westchester Medical Center Valhalla Lab after the suspicious positive tests. The results of this investigation showed that the positive results were not run in the same batch, were not handled by the same test administrator and were not collected at the same time. Bradley wrote, “The determination of the investigators was that these positive tests were valid and not compromised.” New York State guidelines required that these students isolate for the remainder of their quarantine period. “The first five days of isolation in the Alumnae House were very uncomfortable,” the anonymous student explained. Along with the stress of having to quarantine, the student felt unsure about when they would return to campus. However, they also em-
phasized the competence and empathy of Vassar’s administration throughout such a complicated situation. The anonymous student remains doubtful they had COVID-19 because of their diligence with social distancing and their lack of symptoms. When asked further about the specifics of the investigation and retests, Dean Alamo-Pastrana commented, “In order to preserve confidentiality, we cannot discuss testing results beyond what was reported on our dashboard.” While students may take comfort in Vassar’s consistently low incidence rate, relying on relatively new testing methods inevitably leads to some degree of uncertainty. Positive cases on campus have since decreased to two active cases as students follow social distancing guidelines, giving hope that the Vassar community that campus will remain safe.
How COVID-19 is changing the college admissions process Danielle Recco Guest Reporter
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s high school seniors prepare their college applications, there is undoubtedly more uncertainty in the process than ever. Seniors wonder how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact their chances of admission to their dream schools, while juniors and sophomores wonder how to prepare their applications when clubs, summer activities, grades and internships have been put on hold. Many colleges and universities have announced test-optional policies for the 2021 admissions cycle. However, there had already been a trend of eliminating Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and American College Testing (ACT) requirements due to persistent inequalities in the average scores between minority students and more privileged students (due to private tutoring and quality of education, among other factors), scandals and the desire to look at applications more holistically. Schools such as Yale, Brown, Williams, Barnard, the California Institute of Technology and Vassar have followed suit in light of the unprecedented global crisis. However, are these tests truly optional as these institutions claim? Vassar Director of Admissions David Toomer shared that if a score benefits a student’s application, then they are welcome to submit it. However, he added, “Truly we do not require the tests, and we do not want students putting themselves at risk to take a test. We hope it decreases the anxiety around the process and that students truly take to heart that it is unnecessary to test this year.” Over 500 colleges and universities, including Vassar, signed a statement claiming that becoming test-optional genuinely
means that submitting test scores is unnecessary. Williams College has also signed the pledge. Williams College Assistant Director of Admission Kate Heekin said in an emailed statement, “We will not require SAT or ACT test scores this year (and we really mean it!). We have always read applications holistically and see it as an honor to go over all of the parts of the application that students send.” Time will tell if this
“Simple acts such as helping to register voters or writing notes to frontline workers is an achievement in this time.” change is permanent. Toomer wrote that the program will be reviewed at the end of 2021. Due to this change, students wonder whether the overall criteria for admissions will be altered. Heekin shared that academic rigor and intellectual curiosity remain paramount in Williams’s admissions review. “We definitely recognize that the pandemic has caused so many disruptions to students’ activities and routines,” said Heekin. “We aren’t concerned with selectivity rates—we simply want to find
a new group of students who are eager to contribute in the classroom and our small community.” Brown University also assured students that they are aware of the pandemic’s potential impacts on applications: “We will consider the many elements impacting and shaping your experiences as a result of COVID-19 … We want to see what you have accomplished with the resources and opportunities available to you in high school, as well as evaluate your potential to thrive within the unique offerings of Brown University.” Similarly, Toomer notes that the overall application process remains the same. He also noted that there is no penalty for not being able to engage in extracurricular activities or for changes in grading policies that are outside of a student’s control. If a student is worried about this, they can write about their pandemic-related challenges in this year’s Common Application, which has a prompt related to COVID-19. Students aren’t the only ones for whom the admissions process has changed. Admissions officers must now connect virtually with high schools both domestically and internationally to convey the essence of their school, all while perhaps avoiding face-to-face connection. Williams College has created regular virtual info sessions and Q&A chats with tour guides on Zoom, as well as virtual tours and open houses. Brown has created live virtual tours with a student guide. “There are so many ways to talk to current students and admission and financial aid officers,” said Heekin. “We have also focused a lot more on trying to show campus and student life on Instagram. Most admission teams have dedicated a lot more time to making sure students and families can connect to us in the way
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
that feels most comfortable!” Apart from the admissions process itself, colleges and universities have been responding on a deeper level to the crisis: over 300 schools, including Vassar, have signed this statement regarding expectations for the coming admissions cycle, which involves prioritizing self-care and family/volunteer engagements, as well as emphasising the context of a student’s application. According to the statement, simple acts such as helping to register voters or writing notes to frontline workers is an achievement in this time. In regards to academics, they will be primarily based on those prior to the pandemic. Toomer shared this advice for high school juniors and seniors: “Admission professionals are trained to read files thoughtfully and with nuance. Because of the holistic review process, test scores are only one piece of the puzzle. Consistently strong grades in challenging courses tends to be the most influential factor.” He noted that while admitted students generally have high averages in rigorous courses, “Students who challenge themselves in high school, are engaged beyond the classroom, are intellectually curious, and care about the world around them will make for the most compelling applicants.” In other words, though current high schoolers currently face immense challenges, the most important elements of a college application remain unaffected. Continue academic integrity, throw away the SAT book if it’s a stressor, keep asking challenging questions, keep exploring passions, practice self-care and to find ways to stay engaged with the community, whether that community is one’s school, town or family.
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NEWS
October 8, 2020
From flu season to cold weather, spring poses novel challenges Continued from Spring on page 1 cal and mental health of all of our students.” Peer colleges are facing similar decisions about the upcoming semester. Colby College, which also welcomed students back to campus for Fall of 2020, has yet to announce their plans for the spring. Smith College, which went remote for Fall of 2020, released a statement stating that they hope to allow more students on campus for the upcoming semester. Regardless of the plan Vassar ultimately chooses, Alamo-Pastrana shared that students will still have the opportunity to study completely remotely. He is unsure whether the number of remote students will increase or decrease, but suggests the number might remain the same. However, Alamo-Pastrana also noted, “Because we have shown it is possible to have a safe, in-person experience
for this semester, some may feel more comfortable returning to in-person for the spring semester.” Students have responded with differing opinions to the proposed plans. Sulekh Fernando-Peiris ’22 believed that Plan A seemed like the most reasonable option because taking classes remotely from home can prove challenging.“I like [Plan A], which allows us to return and do the first couple of weeks at school. I say this plan because I think at the end of last semester we saw how hard it was for some students to do online work at home,” he said. Caeli Porette ’22 expressed via text message that she prefers Plan C because it reduces weeks of Zoom-only classes and provides the opportunity for a more traditional semester. “I prefer Plan C because it gives us the best option of possibly having a vaccine at that point and being able to live out a more
“I prefer Plan C because it gives us the best option of possibly having a vaccine at that point and being able to live out a more normal semester. Also, January to the beginning of March can be brutally cold and given the present COVID guidelines, social life would be even more limited.”
“I like [Plan A], which allows us to return and do the first couple of weeks at school. I say this plan because I think at the end of last semester we saw how hard it was for some students to do online work at home.” normal semester. Also, January to the beginning of March can be brutally cold and given the present COVID guidelines, social life would be even more limited and it would be really tough on the mental health of so many students to be cooped up in one room for basically two months, especially those who don’t have roommates.” Alamo-Pastrana shared that regardless of the final plan chosen, spring break would either be shortened or removed. He said that the administration recognizes the need for breaks, and that much like this current semester, the college will implement “Community Care Days.” These are various days throughout the semester wherein classes are canceled, and Vassar hosts events promoting wellness and mental health. However, some students say they will miss the traditional spring break, and would prefer a shortened spring break over no spring break at all. “I think breaks are essential. Even now, I think it’s important to note how midterms have thrown all of us into a state of stress, in addition to the stress we have
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
from the ongoing issues in the world. I honestly don’t think one day in the middle of the week is enough,” said Fernando-Peiris. Porette expressed a similar sentiment: “Canceling spring break, though it makes sense in order to try and keep students from leaving campus ... would be a bad idea overall.” She continued, “Personally I was really surprised and upset that we didn’t have an October break this year. I know myself and many other students rely on these breaks as a means of being able to relax and recharge mid-semester, especially for those in classes with stressful midterms.” While Alamo-Pastrana stressed that plans for the coming semester are fluid, he is grateful for the way students have followed social-distancing protocols and kept campus relatively safe: “Students seem to have internalized ‘we’ precedes ‘me,’ and we are very grateful for this. The spring semester will bring its own set of unique challenges and so we appreciate your patience and understanding as we think and work through these together.”
October 8, 2020
ARTS
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Outdoor concert reunites, reinvigorates student music scene Continued from Concert on page 1 the performers themselves. StuMu president and yarn guitarist Liam Manion ’22 elaborated: “I was definitely blown away by the amount of people that [were] there. It’s kind of a problem from a StuMu perspective, but then pretty awesome from a performance perspective. It felt normal, I guess.” Normalcy is such a foreign feeling these days, as is the sensation of having fun. It can be easy to forget that pure, free, uninhibited fun is essential; its absence leaves a noticeable hole and has certainly been felt by music-lovers on campus. John Fraizer ’23 (Alouette n da Boyz) noted, “I feel like everyone’s so scared of just doing anything, like hanging out with anyone. So yeah, that was just nice…A big part of it is music, like we love playing music, but it was just nice to have that many people together.” While the event itself may have harkened back to more “normal” times, bands are now facing a new set of challenges that didn’t exist last year. One struggle has been finding practice space. Both Manion and Batteau explain that they were asked to stop playing at the observatory after receiving noise complaints
from a professor. Without permanent, physical space, it’s easy to feel a bit lost or devalued as a group. Luckily, groups are now able to practice at one of the Commencement Hill tents and may soon have a space in Blodgett. Max Eliot ’21 (The Morning Moon) spoke to another challenge faced by his folksy band: sound. “The issue is that sound, especially vo-
“With everything going on in the world, we need live music more than ever.” cals, just don’t carry outside. We practice all acoustic, so even if you’re singing really loudly and you’re 12 feet away from them with a mask on, it’s hard to hear them, especially if you’re playing an instrument yourself.” While these challenges make routines
such as collaborating and practicing less straightforward, they also force artists to be creative and work together, sharing equipment and ideas on how to deal with their constraining circumstances. Ben Scharf ’22 (DJ The Ghost of Allen Ginsberg) [disclaimer: Ben Scharf is the Live Events Chairperson of The Miscellany News] frames these restrictions as a positive: “Because all shows have to be outside, it’s forced us to make the shows even bigger, louder, better. StuMu, VCSS and the Misc all help each other out to put these bigger shows on. Everyone pitches in—it takes a village.” These restrictions may also allow for new artists to be welcomed into the fold, whether they’re first-years or, as Batteau hopes, more non-male musicians. Batteau remarked, “I think it’s really important for women and non-binary people to feel like they can be inluded in the music scene. The people who happen to be in charge of the music scene on campus, or who are the connections that you need to be able to get shows, happen to be white, heterosexual men…I think it would be great if we could get more representation. Everyone who played last [Friday] night was white or white-passing, so I think just
representation overall is very much needed in the music scene at Vassar.” With everything going on in the world, we need live music more than ever. Manion said, “Music is a really good community-building tool; that’s a little bit of a nerdy way to put it, but it’s definitely something that people can use to kind of just sympathize with each other, and it can transcend normal boundaries. Definitely people feel love and feel a togetherness that’s really important, especially during something like a pandemic.” Similarly, Eliot remarked, “I think music is cool because it’s very public and it’s ephemeral in that...unless you’re actually making a studio recording, once you play something it’s gone. So much of our lives these days are recorded or online— things that don’t have that sort of in-the-moment quality...Maybe that’s just part of what people are missing is experiences that you have to be in-person for.” Experiencing live music in-person is an irreplaceable experience, and Friday night’s concert showed how deeply Vassar students missed this sense of connection. While music is always evolving, its presence is a constant. Scharf put it best: “COVID can’t stop the music.”
Studio art classes creatively adapt to COVID guidelines Leila Raines Reporter
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trokes of vibrant paint against a blank canvas. Empty sketchbook pages tattooed with charcoal and graphite. Clay molded into familiar objects. Moments captured on camera. The various forms of visual art provide valuable opportunities to release bottled-up emotions, especially during a time in which they seem to build up stronger than ever. Despite the uncertainty of the new semester, students have dived right back into the assortment of studio art classes that Vassar offers. Whether it’s through imitating landscapes and figures in drawing or immortalizing picturesque stories from the world around them through photography, student artists enrich their creativity and unleash their passion through the medium of their desire, all while honing their skills thanks to the instruction of their professors and feedback from peers. Some studio art classes have taken advantage of the outdoor tents for meeting; students in painting classes have had to journey all the way across campus to convene and paint together in a tent near their old haunt of New Hackensack. For Kali
Courtesy of Melanie Carolan.
vom Eigen ’23, being outside and meeting in person has been a positive experience. “It’s nice to be able to be somewhere painting from nature, and then to have a professor there giving you feedback as you’re working on something,” vom Eigen noted as we discussed the format of her painting class. While art classes like painting meet in person, others meet solely on Zoom. Nina Ajemian’s [disclaimer: Nina Ajemian is the Assistant Arts Editor at The Miscellany News] ’23 Color Digital Photography class is completely remote; students come together twice a week on the platform to look at and discuss each other’s photos. “It can be hard to focus on a Zoom call for two hours straight,” Ajemian admitted. “We take a break at the hour mark… but it’s a long time to be staring at your screen, I mean, even for like any class I feel like that’s true for.” Ajemian also shared her concerns with finding inspiration, since students don’t have the option to explore other places off campus. “I was kind of worried about the fact that all of my photos are going to be of Vassar,” Ajemian commented, “but also it’s kind of like a challenge…Trying to make a place that you see everyday and the same buildings, the same trees, same everything you walk by countless times, how to make that interesting and feel not like the same boring thing that you always see.” Challenging oneself artistically and expressively turned out to be a common thread among student artists; after taking Drawing I last year, Melanie Carolan ’23 decided to venture into the realm of three-dimensional art this semester and signed up for Sculpture I. Like Photography, the class meets twice a week in two-hour blocks on Zoom, and class time usually consists of discussing the students’ work. But Carolan’s excitement for the class shined through as she discussed her experience with Sculpture so far. “It’s so satisfying to imagine something and then have it be real, especially in Sculpture, because things that I’ve drawn
sketches of are all of a sudden three-dimensional forms and I can actually see them in the world, which is not something that I usually do, because I haven’t done much with sculpture,” Carolan explained. Although the class is on Zoom, students still have access to the Sculpture studio to work on their assignments for class. For Carolan’s first project, she created a set of lungs using papier-mâché. As she worked, she drew a lot of inspiration from what’s going on around her and the current events of the nation, including the pandemic and the fires raging across California. “I started incorporating a lot of symbolism into the lungs as I was making them,” Carolan commented. To expand on the symbolic meaning of her piece, she stuffed one of the papier-mâché lungs with green leaves and the other with red ones, to depict a healthy lung and an unhealthy lung. Vom Eigen also drew inspiration from her surroundings, using the natural world as a basis for her paintings. “A lot of painting is just kind of painting from observation,” she said. “I’ve definitely found a lot of inspiration, I guess, from the natural world, since we’re spending so much time outside, like way more time than we normally would.” After months of social isolation, being back in a classroom setting, even if it is online, revives the sense of community among the artists, as they are once again able to critique and engage with each other’s work. “What I really like about art classes is usually they’re not super big so you kind of get to know people in your class, and there’s something kind of, like, nice and bonding, I guess, about being in a space together and looking at each other’s work,” Ajemian said. “It’s a little different over Zoom, but I think also it’s still nice to get to see other people’s work ‘cause it kind of connects you in a way...We’re all in very different places, but, like, we get to come together over the photos that we’ve taken.” During this stressful period, the classes provide students with a gateway to emo-
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
tional release. “Art has always been a way of communicating with others and interacting in a way that’s not just talking,” vom Eigen said. “So I think it’s definitely helpful as almost like a coping mechanism now, because there’s so many frustrations and difficulties in this time.”
Nina Ajemian/The Miscellany News.
ARTS
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October 8, 2020
Dance orgs reimagine recruitment, rehearsal, performance Katie Gebbia
Guest Reporter
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espite Vassar’s recent shift into Phase Two, many student organizations still feel restricted by current safety regulations. Of the countless clubs operating this semester, performing arts orgs are perhaps the most affected by the pandemic. Mask-wearing and physical distancing, though necessary precautions, complicate the lives of student performers who use their voices and bodies for creative expression. But with some technological tweaks, unconventional rehearsal strategies and a little ingenuity, dance organizations at Vassar are discovering new ways to share their art without spreading COVID-19. Many Vassar students felt apprehensive about returning to campus and adhering to COVID-19 guidelines after nearly six months in quarantine. Vassar Repertory Dance Theatre (VRDT) member Emily Tieu ’24 admitted to feeling nervous about adapting to these restrictions in addition to starting college and joining a new company. She explained, “When corona started, I danced a little bit at my home studio with a mask on, and it’s definitely very different. You’re like, ugh. You get really tired really easily and you get very sweaty.” VRDT, the faculty-run dance company on campus, strives to give students professional-level experience in choreography and performance. This semester, some worried that pandemic protocols would impede that goal. Director of VRDT and Chair of Dance John Meehan shared these concerns. “People are socially distanced in the studio, we have only a certain number in the studio at one time, there’s no touching at this point, there’s no dancing close to each other. With all of that in mind, we had a very anxious summer wondering how it was going to work,” he stated. Artistic Director Maliya Faulstich ‘21 and Tech Director of the multi-genre dance org FlyPeople Leah Rebarber ’21 were also wary of these limitations, and almost suspended recruitment. “We were actually debating whether or not we were going to have auditions at all this semester beforehand because of COVID,” said Rebarber, noting that FlyPeople is the only student-run group that holds auditions. Normally, the process involves close group interaction, including the entire company piling into the audition room to encourage prospective members. With social distancing in effect, this tradition wasn’t possible. However, the directors soon realized the importance of admitting new members, not just for adding numbers, but
for the incoming first-year dancers. “We were thinking, you know, the freshmen coming in with COVID [restrictions], this sucks already, and their social interactions are definitely not what we had … We wanted an opportunity not only to get to know them, but also to let them get to know us,” explained Faulstich. She and Rebarber both described FlyPeople as a tight-knit community made up of dancers from all genres and training levels— a community that they didn’t want to close off to new members just because they had to maintain physical distance. In response to these challenges, Faulstich created a COVID-safe audition plan with the goal to “not just accommodate, but have a sense of normalcy and still give everyone a fair chance.” In addition to the socially distanced dances at Kenyon Hall, FlyPeople also allowed for virtual auditioners, integrating three remote members. All potential recruits were asked to send in a home video of their own “personality walks” to give the group a glimpse of their individuality without the obstruction of a mask. The plan was a success, and the group recently welcomed seven first-year dancers to the FlyPeople family. For VRDT, the audition process for underclassmen was altered to ease the program’s transition. Meehan explained that the entire company would have to re-audition for a spot in the program under normal circumstances. This year being the exact opposite of normal, he shared, “[The faculty] just auditioned people who hadn’t been in the company before, which is mainly freshmen and sophomores. And, you know, we figured it out!” Many of the non-audition groups on campus experienced a similar need for imaginative recruitment. Co-Creative Director of hip hop ensemble HYPE Ilana Frost ’22 explained that new members in past years usually came from tabling at the org fair, which was virtual this semester to avoid large crowds. Although promoting the org exclusively online was a strange transition, Frost was happy with the outcome. She wrote in an emailed statement, “We did that this year on Zoom, which was different, but worked out!” Korean Dance Crew (KoDC) President Sam Sze ’21 agreed that the online turnout was better than she expected. She was initially concerned that the group would remain under the radar at virtual events: “Because it was online, people would have to have, like, an interest and kind of know what we do before they signed up,” Sze explained. Despite this virtual hurdle, KoDC held its ground. The org added about 45
HYPE members practice distanced dancing. Courtesy of Onyinyechi Attah.
new students to its email list from the online “table.” After adopting COVID-safe recruitment processes, the next challenge for dance organizations was finding a safe way to rehearse with new members. During the first few weeks, the student orgs relied entirely on virtual meetings for ensemble building. “We’ve had, like, Zoom events and we basically played games and we had ‘Meet Our Arranger Team,’” Sze shared. When Kenyon Hall Studios One and
“We were thinking, you know, the freshmen coming in with COVID [restrictions], this sucks already, and their social interactions are definitely not what we had … We wanted an opportunity not only to get to know them, but also to let them get to know us.” Two opened to students, the groups were eager to kickstart real rehearsals in a familiar, physical setting. But despite glimpses of normalcy from in-person practice, rehearsing during the pandemic has proven to be anything but typical. “There’s a restriction on how many people can be in the studio, so we have to check in and stay 6 feet apart (there are marked boxes for that.) We also clean after we’re finished,” Frost noted in her email. The check-in, Faulstich explained, is to ensure limited capacity and allow for contact tracing. She also mentioned the thorough post-rehearsal clean-up. “You have to cut rehearsals short by about ten minutes because you have to wipe down all the floors, sanitize everything, and clean out the windows.” To accommodate the reduced capacity rules, FlyPeople has taken to renting out both studios during the same hour and teaching the same choreography to two separate groups for each piece. “I’d say the main difference is that we’re not able to have everyone in one room which definitely does create a disconnect,” Rebarber shared. While mixing up the Studio One and Studio Two groups each week does help spark new connections, she and Faulstich agree that the split has proven challenging. The precautions are strict, but most dancers don’t mind the physical limitations as much as the emotional block that comes with them. In a pandemic dance space, not only is the choreography required to be separate, but the performers
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themselves are forced apart. “It’s kind of difficult because a lot of ballet has to do with touch … As dancers you wanna like— or just as people—you wanna hug people and say hi,” Tieu admitted. Student leaders feel the strain as well, especially when trying to connect with first-year dancers. For student groups like KoDC, FlyPeople and HYPE, General Body (GB) meetings are a regular opportunity to bond as a group and get to know each other while learning the group piece choreo. Now, the usual excitement of GBs is dampened by limitations on social interactions. “The challenge I think we’re most running into, besides just how we run rehearsals, is how we’re fostering a sense of community again, and how we’re going to do bonding activities and continue to stay in touch and get to know each other while maintaining safe distance,” Faulstich said. Sze described splitting KoDC’s first in-person GB rehearsal into two groups based on interest. She shared, “We basically booked both Studios One and Two and we held two different pieces during that to be taught. And so people signed up and ranked their preference.” And while the logistics were successful, she described the energy as “sparse” without a full group presence. KoDC also split the executive board between the two studios during GBs to make the best use of time and space, which Sze admitted has “dampened the energy.” As for future performance plans, all traditional fall semester showcases and dance org events have been canceled at the moment. However, that hasn’t stopped student groups from being creative. “We’re transitioning a lot of our performance pieces into potential video projects,” Sze said. Plus, according to Sze and Frost, KoDC and HYPE are in the process of organizing an in-person, COVID-safe collaboration with other student-run groups. In an emailed statement, Frost hinted, “There may or may not be an outdoor ~flash mob~ at some point ;)”. VRDT is also making the best of the performance limitations. While Meehan doesn’t see an outdoor flash mob in VRDT’s future (“it’s going to be too cold to dance outside!”) he’s confident that the company’s rehearsals will pay off in the future. “What we’re trying to do at this point is think about developing choreographic material in the fall and then, if restrictions are eased enough in the spring, we’ll manipulate the work we’ve done to choreography that doesn’t have to keep to these protocols,” Meehan said. Despite the challenges that come with physical and emotional distance, most dancers are just grateful to be back in the studio. Faulstich described her experience as, “One of those things where you don’t know you need it, but once you do it, you’re like ‘oh my God, I feel so much better.’” Beyond personal catharsis, simply being surrounded by other students who share a love of art and performing can sometimes be the best medicine for quarantine blues. Tieu called the experience humbling, and said, “When you’re dancing in a room with people, you’re so inspired by them.” While coronavirus protocols have made the studios at Vassar a little sparser, and the dancers a little more spaced apart, the inspiration for dance organizations to express their art has only been magnified by the limitations they’ve encountered and overcome. As Faulstich said, “We’re gonna do it because we love to dance.”
October 8, 2020
ARTS
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A nostalgic glimpse into Professor Nesbit’s favorite Loeb collection Amaavi Miriyagalla Guest Reporter
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reached out to Professor of Art Molly Nesbit with a simple question: “What is your favorite piece from the Loeb?” Little did I know, her answer would take me on a journey from the endless rows of books in the Art Library back to Vassar in the early 1970s. I began with a quest for her answer: “Twenty Six by Twenty Six,” a collection of works compiled by Vassar Art History students and faculty members born of a one-of-a-kind art exhibition of the same name that came to Vassar in spring 1971. It was a collection of sculptures created by artists from the SoHo area in New York City seeking to expand the boundaries of contemporary sculpture, and it had been featured at the Museum of Modern Art. The sculptures paralleled social movements of the time by altering the ideals of what people perceived to be “public” art. Its unique connection to the natural environment questioned preconceived notions of art. Rather than simply placing the sculptures outside as other exhibitions have, the artists brought nature into the pieces. Some used sticks, beeswax, feathers or water, slowly allowing the materials to decay and reform. Others echoed natural processes with subtle hints of movement and growth. Mary Dellahoyd, curator of the Vassar Art Gallery, the Loeb’s predecessor,
explained, “No resurrection of any past artistic premise or forms can be charted, because these artists are in a dialogue with the present, rich in diversity and fluid in definition.” I started my conversation with Professor Nesbit by asking about her experience seeing this exhibition as a first-year Art History student at Vassar in 1971. She excitedly recalled the buzz around getting such an experimental debut. While many young art students and professors eagerly anticipated the show, Professor Nesbit explained that it upset some people as it broke certain social barriers. However, senior Art History students at Vassar assisted the artists in putting their work in the gallery in late April. At the time, the Loeb Art Center did not exist, so the pieces were placed in Taylor Hall and extended onto the library lawn. Professor Nesbit recalled the first piece that stood out to her in the gallery: a collection of Lynda Benglis’ polyurethane drips. These seemingly otherworldly creations were formed of wax, latex and foam. As they rolled down the gallery’s stairwells in the gallery and tumbled out the gothic windows, they appeared to mimic the natural world, albeit in an unexpected way through its marriage to the built environment. The works presented natural wonders like the slow drip of beeswax onto a flower petal or sap falling from a tree on a much larger scale. Nesbit remembers these
Via the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center.
Via the Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center. distinctly synthetic, yet eerily natural pieces as a wonder for unsuspecting passersby. Just beyond the Art Library, a very different artistic creation was taking shape in the same year. Gordon Matta-Clark, an American artist who had been invited to showcase his work on Vassar’s campus, had just ascended one of the trees in front of the chapel. After establishing sets of rope ladders, tree bark swings and various thin, netted cocoons across all parts of the tree, he began the work that would become known as “Tree Dance.” He first declared to the Vassar community that he would be living in the newly established tree for the one month the exhibit was to be showcased. Unsurprisingly, in the eyes of the college administration and insurance, this was an absolute disgrace. They felt that they could not have a free spirit living in a tree on their campus when every other member of the community had proper housing and students were “diligently” studying for their final exams. Professor Nesbit laughed as she explained that the college had also just gone co-ed two years prior in 1969, so the idea of a man living in a tree on campus did not sit well with many people. It was decided that Matta-Clark would be allowed to climb the tree once after properly placing all of the ropes and accessories. Taking full advantage of this moment, he and some contemporary dancers from Vassar ascended the tree. Together, they performed an elaborate, improvised acrobatic routine, complete with swings, ropes and a
live audience that included Professor Nesbit. This whole routine was filmed by Matta-Clark while in the tree, who used the footage to create “Tree Dance,” a 10-minute short film. The video heavily integrated the Vassar campus, synthesizing its natural environment and the students’ creativity and ingenuity. Unfortunately, the tree is no longer here, but the memory still lives on in the film, which can be found on YouTube. In addition to sculptural art, “Twenty Six by Twenty Six” contains an image of Gordon Matta-Clark’s tree configuration. The black-and-white sketch outlines the hammock in the center with a swing visible on one of the sides. However, we also see more intricate markings with various symbols and designs across the tree branches. They almost appear to be cryptic lettering, with what looks like a key for the various symbols on the upper left hand corner. The sketch is complemented by Matta-Clark’s connection of the piece to the dance, where he explains, “The climbing body keeps going up its movements conquer living space stop waiting—wrapped— suspended…” Looking around Vassar today, it’s striking how different the campus appears in the film while still remaining recognizable. After concluding my conversation with Professor Nesbit and my search through the pieces in the 1971 art exhibition, I walked home, deep in thought about Vassar’s evolution and grateful for this window to the past.
Rick Owens SS21 Womenswear “Phlegethon”: a grim gaiety Massimo Tarridas
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Guest Columnist
ick Owens is a designer who works entirely in a little world of his own creation. Each collection pushes the boundaries of this world ever so slightly, but never wanders too far from being gothic, muted, brutalist and somehow deeply glamorous. His newest Spring Summer 2021 womenswear collection might be one of his more vibrant, mottled with bubblegum pink and urine yellow. But the title itself, “PHLEGETHON,” is a reference to one of the rivers of the underworld in Greek mythology, which Owens interprets as “not quite the center of hell but on the way there.” To be clear, Owens’ work has always been apocalyptic, but now he truly has a reason to be: In reaction to this situation, he has chosen to include the gaudiest colors I’ve ever seen him work with. It’s an attitude best summarized by his show notes, which he most generously uploads for every collection: “a grim gaiety.” It’s fascinating how Owens interpolates two great crises, COVID-19 and climate change, into the staple pieces of the collection worn by every model in every look
presented. The first piece is a version of his towering platform heels where the leather upper has been extended up past mid-thigh, nicknamed “waders” for the imaginary protection they would provide from sea level rise. After all, the show was held in Venice. Dante’s Inferno, also mentioned in the show notes, describes Phlegethon as a river of blood that places sinners at a depth in accordance to the level of violence they committed, at which point it’s important to note that the all the “waders” come up to different heights, a few of them colored red… The second piece is the face mask, which fits Owen’s aesthetic so effortlessly that it barely seems out of place, given that he’s previously included them in his runway shows, most notably with the tentacled face mask in his Spring Summer 2019 “Babel” menswear catwalk. Owens constantly references and repurposes his own previous work, and the masks from his Fall Winter 2012 collection “Mountain” are upcycled into fishnet knitwear for “Phlegethon.” He also continues to extend the limits of shoulder pads, going a little beyond his previous efforts in Fall Winter 2020 “Performa,” a choice which
he calls “an exaggerated middle finger to doom.” It’s this move that makes the finest silhouette of this collection an extremely skinny upside-down triangle, best illustrated by look 13 (my personal favorite). If his penchant for mythology holds—and given the amount of cotton poplin tunics and togas included, it does—this emphasis on aggrandizing the shoulder might well be an allusion to Atlas holding up the sky on his back for all of eternity, a punishment which Owens is more than happy to help alleviate. “Phlegethon,” however, is hindered by lack of variation. Of course, Owens is always going to work within his signature style, but past collections have been more imaginative. The constant use of the “waders” and micro-shorts, though thematically consistent, becomes stale halfway through. This is partly because such a thick platform equalizes all of the models’ walks into clunky stomping. It also gives the bottom of half of almost every look the same silhouette, such that after a certain point, all of the interesting material comes draped only from above the waist. His shows generally use the same footwear throughout, but the combination of repeating the same shoes
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and the same bottoms throughout comes across as laziness rather than adherence to aesthetic continuity. But maybe this dogged adherence is purposeful, even if its effects are harmful. The show’s first inspiration came from Thomas Mann’s “Death In Venice,” a novella in which the main character is so ascetically devout to beauty and youth that he, as Owens puts it, “ends up dying on the beach from cholera during an epidemic with desperately age-defying hair dye running down his face in the hot sun.” With this in mind, Owens might be portraying himself. He spends his summers in Lido, the very same place where both the main character stays and where the presentation was held. As he’s pushing 57, I very much doubt that his mane of pitch black hair doesn’t also contain a copious amount of dye to run down his face should the days get hot enough. It’s not an insult—is his own situation not the same? Owens is an author of clothes, whose most important contribution to fashion is the statement “Working out is modern couture,” who is willing to risk putting on a show in the midst of a pandemic for the sake of beauty and youth.
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October 8, 2020
Loeb exhibit juxtaposes statues, questions historical narratives Alysa Chen
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Reporter
first used the word “juxtaposition” in middle school, when I was taught to place two opposing things side-by-side to tell a story. Like a detective, I would juxtapose two conflicting characters of the same novel and uncover the greater underlying significance. In a similar vein, Vassar’s Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center’s new Focus Gallery exhibit, “Monumental Misrememberings: Photographs and Statues of Contested Histories,” juxtaposes two well-known statuettes that expose the contested realities of U.S. history: glossy and bronzed versus harrow and molten. The Loeb’s new exhibit contrasts two statuettes with similar configurations, at least from afar: Kara Walker’s 2019 Fons Americanus at the Tate Modern in London and Hammatt Billings’s 1889 National Monument to the Forefathers. Both are erected on a rectangular base platform with four figures on each side, symbolizing the four pillars of society. Both feature a main figure poised at the top, illustrating either the absence or totality of power. Both attempt to set forth their own versions of U.S. history concerning the morality of the nation. Instead of a Queen Victoria figure gracing the top of Fons Americanus, Walker replaces her with Venus, a priestess of Afro-Brazilian or Afro-Caribbean religion. Below her, “Queen Vicky” cradles a coconut to her chest while laughing. A smaller man, Melancholy, personifies her sorrow, crouching next to her. A tree with a noose stands alone as one of the memorial’s pillars. Haitian Revolution leader François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture represents another pillar. The result is a counter-monument personified; images of slavery, lynching and the Black Atlantic in this piece punctuate a very different version of history than its counterparts. “This is a piece about oceans and seas, traversed fatally,” Walker said in an interview with Tate Modern. “My work has always been a time machine looking backwards across decades and centuries to arrive at some understanding of my ‘place’ in the contemporary moment” (Kara Walker’s Fons Americanus, 2019, Tate Museum). The allegories present in Fons Americanus reflect Walker’s bold and suggestive
art style. Walker, an African American multi-media artist based in New York, is known for her silhouette cutouts, drawings and films that explore domination and resistance related to Black history and identity. “While both maquettes draw on the visual conventions and motifs of Western European art and feature heroic and allegorical figures meant to symbolize the power of a particular view of history, the earlier work celebrates a dominant history while Walker’s work imagines a monument that commemorates untold, hidden, or forgotten histories,” described Loeb Deputy Director and the Emily Hargroves Fisher ’57 and Richard B. Fisher Curator Mary-Kay Lombino. Facing the statuettes on the opposite wall are “Questions to Ask of a Monument,” a plaque written by Professor of Political Science on the Frederick Ferris Thompson Chair Katherine Hite. “I had a chance to visit the sculpture last year, and I was blown away by its depth, pain and power,” she recalled. “Who got to decide that the monument be placed on the square? What monuments would truly represent ‘we the people’?” Even a glance at her thought-provoking questions can help guide discussions toward the space to which Walker opened the door, a space meant for remembering the misremembered. Hite’s involvement with “Monumental Misrememberings” stems from her own scholarship and personal interests. She has studied and written about how states do or do not address their violent political pasts through truth-telling, symbolic reparations and prosecution. Most of her work focuses on Latin America, but she has recently begun to shift to the U.S., specifically to Texas, where Confederate monuments are increasingly contested. “Most of my writing focuses on memorials, on the different ways that memorials can open up important, albeit difficult, fraught conversations,” she said. “It is up to us as visitors to engage with the pieces and with one another, to take the art seriously, to process it toward imagining otherwise—that the deep racist violence of the Transatlantic slave trade and its ongoing repercussions here in U.S. economic, educational, housing, criminal-legal institutions must go.” Hite is also involved with Celebrating the
African Spirit: Honoring Enslaved Africans and their Descendants in Poughkeepsie (CAS), a Black-led community organization whose mission is to represent and educate people regarding the historical contributions by enslaved Africans and their descendants in Poughkeepsie and how to address current issues facing the local Black community. It grew from the longstanding Black History Project Committee of Poughkeepsie, which embraced a proposal based on Community Engaged Learning (CEL) research by Sarah Evans ’18. Political organizing and Black leadership are also important elements of the exhibit itself. Complementing the two statuettes are images and media from this summer’s Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests displayed on screens in the Focus Gallery. The resurgence of protests has renewed fervor around dismantling monuments all across the globe—the same monuments that Walker challenges and criticizes—making the exhibit exceptionally responsive and relevant to today’s political climate. “Museums certainly are not neutral spaces, which is one reason the Loeb is interested in mining its own colonial history to tell a more inclusive story. I believe that The Loeb can best serve its communities by examining critically its own history and working continually towards dismantling systemic racism and discrimination,” Lombino said. “We can do that by using our position on campus and in the community to amplify the voices of underrepresented artists and present alternative narratives that promote dialogue in and around our exhibitions and collections.” Andrew W. Mellon Curator of Academic Programs at the Loeb Elizabeth Nogrady added, “The politics of a museum are most visible in the selection of works they choose to display. In this instance, I personally see the Loeb as serving as a platform for the complexity of Kara Walker’s work. When paired with the earlier 19th-c. sculpture by Hammatt Billings and contemporary photographs of BLM protesters removing and reimagining monuments, Walker’s work makes the Loeb a place to have conversations about contemporary politics and other issues brought out by the works of art.” By being transparent to museum visitors about how their collection was formed and
about their goal of increasing the number of works by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) artists, Nogrady hopes that visitors will recognize the historical failings of museums as institutions as well as their potential for constant growth and greater inclusivity. Estella Zacharia ’23, who visited the exhibit for a class with Hite, has always believed that art is a form of radicalism, whether that means challenging existing perceptions or constructing entirely new ones. “I think museums have a responsibility to show the dark side of history and rise to the challenge of facing the horrors that many of us do not confront ourselves,” Zacharia shared. To Zacharia, the Loeb’s new exhibit is a small step towards decolonizing their collection and ending exclusionary museum practices. She is hopeful that the Loeb’s significant influence on campus and ability to shape classroom curricula will continue to encourage dynamic conversations among students and professors. “I’ve always been fascinated with [Walker’s] work and the way that she as an artist combines her knowledge of history with her ability to tell stories. She is very much aware of the way she subverts traditional American conceptions of history, hence her description of herself as an ‘unreliable narrator,’” Zacharia said. “On a national scale, Walker’s piece and her art overall holds paramount importance, especially in the context of the BLM movement and modern lynchings of African Americans by police. Before we can heal as a country, we must first open our eyes to the darkest periods of our history and acknowledge the systemic consequences of slavery and our treatment of African Americans throughout history.” Statuette of the National Monument to the Forefathers, 1867 was given by the Pilgrim Society in Plymouth, Massachusetts to the grandfather of architectural historian and former Vassar professor Henry-Russell Hitchcock, who inherited it and donated it to Vassar’s collection in 1965. Fons Americanus, by Kara Walker, was offered to The Loeb and purchased from Walker’s New York Gallery with funds earmarked for art acquisitions (Mary-Kay Lombino). “Monumental Misrememberings” will be on display in the Loeb until Jan. 10, 2021.
Pumpkin bread to cozy up this fall Helen Johnson Columnist
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all has always been my favorite season. I think it has to do in part with growing up on a family farm in the town of Decorah, tucked away in a beautiful little corner of northeastern Iowa. Decorah is surrounded by bluffs and rolling hills instead of miles of flat corn and soybean fields like much of the state. It is situated in what is known as the “driftless region,” so named because when glaciers moved through the Midwest and made everything flat, they missed a tiny spot. Decorah is known for its hiking and bike trails. The Upper Iowa River cuts right through the middle of the town, providing tubing and kayaking during the summer and picturesque scenery all year round. Nature and trees are plentiful, and nothing is as lovely as when the air becomes crisp and the leaves begin to turn with the onset of autumn. Add the fact that I grew up on a Christmas tree farm and you pretty much get the setting for a Hallmark small-town, Thanksgiving-themed, corny romance movie. Fall, to
me, means my dad making chili, my mom baking pies and me personally running around from cross country to musical practice with periodic stops at the local coffee shop, Java Johns, for a fall-themed beverage. I grew up helping out with the garden, making fresh apple cider from the apples in our orchard and selling Christmas trees to customers beginning in late November. Fall is the season that makes me the most nostalgic when I’m away from home. I don’t know if it’s the weather getting colder, the sense that the world is shutting down in preparation for winter or the cozy, autumnal vibes that just make you want to be curled up next to the fire at home (this isn’t a metaphorical fire—we actually heat our house with a wood stove). Maybe the reason fall makes me miss home so much is the fact that nowhere else in the world can quite match a Johnson family Christmas tree farm fall in Decorah, IA. The trees are beautiful at Vassar and the air has that same crisp feeling, but there’s nothing quite like a tiny Midwestern town and an 1853 farmhouse. Maybe that’s why I’m so elated that my
mom sent me some of our homemade apple cider and pumpkin bread, which I am sipping and nibbling as I write this. This little taste of home makes me feel instantly better, no matter what is going on in my life. The pumpkin bread is a family recipe from my grandma, and it’s truly my favorite fall treat. It’s also made with simple and straightforward ingredients: As long as you have a bread pan, an oven and grocery delivery for the ingredients, it should be easy to replicate on a quarantined campus. Or save it until winter break; everything pumpkin and spice is scrumptious all winter long. It would even be a perfect Thanksgiving dessert! I hope it makes you feel as cozy and autumnal as I do when I’m devouring a warm slice of pumpkin bread. Ingredients: • 1 3/4 cups flour • 1 teaspoon baking soda • 1 teaspoon cinnamon • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg • 1/4 teaspoon ginger • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
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• 1/2 cup butter • 1 cup sugar • 2 eggs • 3/4 cup canned or cooked pumpkin • 3/4 cups chocolate chips • 3/4 cups chopped walnuts Instructuons: 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 5 by 3 loaf pan. 2. Combine the flour with the dry ingredients (except the sugar) and mix well. Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl, gradually add sugar and cream at high speed until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs. 3. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the pumpkin at low speed, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Blend well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts if desired. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 350°F degrees for 65-75 minutes. Enjoy the delicious taste of fall! I highly recommend devouring alongside hot apple cider or coffee.
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Gwen Ma ’24
October 8, 2020
I live in Irvine, California, a city in close proximity to various beautiful beaches. My family likes to go to the beach on weekends. I’m fascinated by the retro style beach towns and stores that are surrounded by the modern city buildings. This always makes me feel like I went back in time and ended up in a secluded paradise.
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HUMOR
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Paul Blart, Mall Cop: the hero we deserve
October 8, 2020
FOOD CATS by b Gomez
Madison Caress Columnist
I
usually enjoy stirring up some controversy with my film reviews, so why should this one be any different? “Paul Blart: Mall Cop’’ is the best evidence I can possibly give against the defunding of the police. If we defund the police, men like Paul Blart (portrayed by sexy comedic genius Kevin James) will never get the chance to be heroes! Men like Paul Blart will never get the chance to save the day from a group of diverse hoodlums who want to rob an entire mall! Men like Paul Blart will never, ever get the chance to make their mothers (with whom they live) proud! The Paul Blarts out there will have to choose another occupation, and we all know that the last name “Blart’’ looks best on the badge of a mall security officer. In my total and immersive exploration of “Paul Blart,” I have come across some pretty scathing reviews. Many film critics have noted that this film is “juvenile,” or “stagnant,” or “not funny,” or, most notably, “not even a film I would show to my 4-year-old son who is still very into ‘Captain Underpants.’” While I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinion or whatever, I have to say that the aforementioned reviews prove that I am the only critic that truly knows how to watch comedic films. Us reviewers are not here to tell the public if things are “good” or “funny,” but rather whether they are indicative of a larger cultural conversation. This broader resonance is absolutely present in “Paul Blart.” We, as a society, are not discussing the real issues: the safety of mall security guards, the fact that Segways are kinda hard to ride and most importantly…hypoglycemia in middle aged men. I would be completely remiss if I didn’t mention the stellar cast and production in this film. To say Kevin James is the perfect Paul Blart would be like saying that hot dogs are the perfect mid-day snack, both of which are just true statements that I don’t think anyone would be willing to argue against. James brings nuance to each role. Take “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry,” for instance. Look, I’m not saying that “I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry” paved the way for gay marriage to be legalized, I’m just saying that the film came out in 2007 and gay marriage was legalized in 2015. You do the math. Besides Kevin James, “Paul Blart” most notably features Jayma Mays (aka Emma Pillsbury from “Glee”) and Raini Rodriguez (aka Trish De la Rosa from the Disney Channel original series “Austin & Ally”). There has never been a film cast this influential and talented. And before my readers ask, yes I have seen the “Twilight” films. They don’t compare! When production on this film started, the film crew hit a snag. The mall that they planned to shoot in actually declined to give them a permit. I can only imagine that this is how the conversation went: “Hey, can we have a permit to shoot in your mall?” “No.” The film pitch likely didn’t help. An unofficial summary of the film could read: Paul Blart rides on his Segway for 90 minutes and breaks some air vents because he had a nacho eating competition the day before. While this summary may seem crude or reductive, the nacho eating competition is actually the point at which I realized that Paul Blart is not just the hero the audience wants, he’s the hero the audience needs. We don’t deserve Paul Blart, but boy did we get him. I am eternally grateful for that. If we dig deep into our personal psyches, I think we can all find a bit of Paul Blart in ourselves. Don’t get me wrong, some people definitely have more Blart in them than others, but on a deeply personal level, I truly believe that we all have a bit of Blart. For that, and because I want to give Paul Blart a hug, I give this film 15 fat jokes out of 16. You have done a great service to us all, Mr. Blart!
Top 10 Places In My Room To
by Bla
It’s October now, the season for spookiness and existential terror triggered by increasing class workloads. With spaces such as the library and college center no longer available for sitting and doing work, many students, such as myself, are struggling to focus and engage meaningfully with their homework while doing it in their own living spaces. Fortunately, there is a solution: run away from your responsibilities. Many might wonder: “how do I do that when I can’t leave campus?” To help, I’ve included a handy list of my top 10 places in my room to hide from my responsibilities. 10. Under my bed This is on here as an homage to a classic hiding place that has never worked for anyone. If Liam Neeson’s daughter in Taken couldn’t successfully hide under a bed, you can bet this will be the first place your responsibilities try to find you. Of course, it’s always worth a try—especially if the underneath of your bed is anything like mine, you might buy yourself a few extra minutes before your responsibilities track you down. 9. Behind my door
“A letter opener. That functions as a knife.” — Rowan Brooker ’23
Much like hiding under a bed, hiding behind a door is not my go-to. It works ok if your responsibilities are in a rush and won’t look for you too closely, but if they’re being even just a little bit observant they’ll probably hearing you breathing right away or see your feet underneath the crack between the door and the floor. This is certainly an option, but it’s never my first choice. 8. Under my rug Hiding underneath a rug is quite simple as soon as you learn how to make yourself two dimensional. Here’s how I do it: I collapse all my bones like a cat until I lay perfectly flat on top of the floor, then do my best to inch my way forward underneath my rug. I could probably just start as my normal four-dimensional self underneath the rug and collapse there, saving myself some unnecessary inching, but honestly it’s kind of fun. Hiding things under rugs is still pretty predictable, though, so it still is not my first choice but it works in a pinch. 7. Behind my curtain Ok by this point in the list you’re probably saying, “Blair, these aren’t the top 10 places in your room
“A Post-it note. They could be used as disks, but also they’re sticky, so there’s a distracting element, or element of surprise.” — Nina Ajemian ’23
to hide from your re even like the first thre of this piece, and I res because I don’t find th to hide from my respon won’t be effective when responsibilities. Plus a hiding spots, and this w list without them. I wi behind my curtain is a one trying to hide from curtain is semi-transpa see someone’s shadow my responsibilities onc er shadow puppetry. I a ty badly last time by p but my go to is usually ow of a tree.
6. Right underneath m
Technically this isn’t in good hiding spot. Whe ties coming, I just quic dow, crawl out, and da dow sill. This way, even room, and even if they look out to see if I’m o
“A notebook, so I could whack the person repeatedly. It’s a good shield too, so if they start attacking, it’d be like, ‘You can’t hit me, ’cause there’s a notebook!’” — Leila Raines ’23 Banner design by Frankie Knuckles.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
HUMOR
October 8, 2020
Frog and Toad are Frenemies by Julianna + Olivia
Page 11
HOROSCOPES Madi Donat
Astral Projector
ARIES
Mar 21 | Apr 19
You don’t feel like yourself this week, which is normal—everyone has off days. On the other hand, you might be possessed. If you think this might be the case, write “we need to talk” on your mirror in lipstick and wait. TAURUS Apr 20 | May 20 Spiritually, you need to stand in a cold river while the water trickles over your bare feet. Physically, I’m not sure you can do that right now, so take an ice-cold shower instead and try not to get hypothermia. GEMINI May 21 | Jun 20 Tidy your workspace; you’ll feel extra productive. Let the mementos you find remind you of the transience of life, and how we can’t relive a single moment, no matter how we try… Recycle papers you don’t need. CANCER Jun 21 | Jul 22
o Hide From My Responsibilities
air Webber
esponsibilities--you don’t ee!” This is a valid critique spond by saying that just hem particularly effective nsibilities doesn’t mean it n you try to hide from your lot of these are just classic wouldn’t be a valid Top Ten ill say, though, that hiding pretty good place for anym my responsibilities. My arent, so it is pretty easy to through it, but I’ve fooled ce or twice with some clevactually scared them pretpretending to be a dragon, pretending to be the shad-
my window sill
n my room, but it’s a damn en I hear my responsibilickly throw open my winangle from below the winn if they’re sure I’m in my y come to the window and outside, they won’t see me
because I’m being very sneaky hiding below the window sill. 5. Behind my door but holding onto and dangling from the the frame Much like dangling from the window sill, dangling from the door frame is a much better strategy than simply hiding behind the door. It eliminates the chance that my responsibilities will see my shadow below the door frame at any point, meaning they’re less likely to check behind the door in general. Plus sometimes it feels nice on my shoulders just to dangle from things. 4. Among my laundry on the floor This is where the hiding places get advanced. Some people might call keeping a pile of dirty laundry on your floor “gross,” but I call it “being prepared.” As it gets bigger, it gets easier to camouflage yourself among the discarded clothes quickly. It also masks your scent to hide under your own clothing since the bloodhounds your responsibilities have brought to track you down will just think you are your own dirty laundry.
3. Inside my mattress While admittedly this won’t mask your scent as well as your dirty laundry, it is much harder to kick aside an entire mattress. A pile of laundry draws attention to itself, which can both be a good thing and a bad thing, but a mattress, particularly topped with a large blanket, blends right into the room. Having a hollowed out mattress does make sleeping on top of it a little less comfortable, but it’s worth it for the quick and easy hiding place when your responsibilities come to find you. 2. Pretend to be a poster on my wall Ever heard of hiding in plain sight? I probably don’t need to explain this one much further if you have. Basically, you just hold really still in front of your wall and hope that your responsibilities mistake you for some kind of decoration. It works much better than you’d think. 1. At my desk Sometimes the best way to escape my responsibilities is just to face them.
Which stationery item would help you win in a fight and why?
As it gets colder out, reassess your jacket game. Will you be effectively conveying your ideal cozy-yet-fashionable aesthetic? This season, try out problem patterns! It’s 2020; wear plaid with floral. Who cares? LEO Jul 23 | Aug 22 I’ve been thinking about aliens recently. A lot of scientists are genuinely confused that we haven’t found any yet. Assess your friends this week; they may be among us. Watch “The X-Files” and take notes. VIRGO
Aug 23 | Sep 22
You don’t have to be perfect all the time. The only thing you get when you’re perfect is enemies. Use this week to let out all the pent-up mistake-making you’ve been too worried to do lately. Literally, fuck up everything. LIBRA Sep 23 | Oct 22 Nostalgia can be a dangerous game, but listening to your middle school playlist is always a good idea. Let the soothing sounds of early Rihanna, Taio Cruz and Mr. Worldwide take you back to a less stressful time. SCORPIO Oct 23 | Nov 21 It’s the season of realization. If you haven’t started realizing things yet, you soon will. Look out for signs from the Universe that make you go, “I get it now,” but in a way where you aren’t too happy about it. SAGITTARIUS
Nov 22 | Dec 21
Your energy is admirable, but you don’t have to do everything all at once. There’s still so much time to get done all you want to do! For example, you can wait until next weekend. Or even next month. CAPRICORN
Dec 22 | Jan 19
A healthy amount of anxiety is good, but don’t let your worries consume you. If you’re looking for de-stressing techniques, try a long walk, or cooking, or retail therapy. Or sex. AQUARIUS
“A stapler, because you could hit people over the head with it and also shoot staples at them, which I think would be helpful.” — Mea Vesci ’24
“Stapler, because shooting staples is quite fun. My second option would be scissors because they are sharp.” — Jane Lipper ’24
“My original idea was something sharp or pointy, but I wouldn’t want to injure somebody so terribly, so I would probably say a textbook, so I could hit them but not really hurt them too bad. I don’t want to send anyone to the hospital.” —Ruby Garcia ’24 Madi Donat/The Miscellany News.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
Jan 20 | Feb 18
You probably don’t believe in astrology, but isn’t this fun? I know everything about you. I’m just not going to tell you because then that would spoil the surprise. Just know, though, that I know. Yaknow? PISCES
Feb 19 | Mar 20
Learn from someone unexpected this week, and never shut yourself off to new knowledge. Find YouTube tutorials for things you would never dream of attempting. Absorb the information anyway. Grow those synapses!
OPINIONS
Page 12
October 8, 2020
Vassar’s early restrictions are working: Don’t throw them all away Ted Chmyz
Senior Editor
S
o far, Vassar’s administration has much to be proud of in its COVID-19 safety policies for the fall semester. While other schools have struggled to even stick to a plan, let alone execute it successfully, Vassar’s favorable results are hard to argue with. It has been (mostly) smooth sailing from the beginning, with the school’s top-rated COVID dashboard showing just a handful of positive test results over the last month. You read the headline though, so you know there’s a “but” coming. Looking ahead, the administration’s plan seems to lose much of the common sense that has helped it succeed thus far. Throughout the early stages of this semester, Vassar’s plan has been twopronged: Keep the virus off the campus by not allowing students to leave or visitors to enter (essential visitors, aka your UberEats driver, notwithstanding) and prevent outbreaks via social distancing and masks if it does reach campus. However, heading into the second half of this semester, the administration seems to be planning on throwing both these tenets out the window. From the title of the final on-campus phase, “Phase 3: Structured Group Student Off-Campus Travel Permitted,” it is clear
that as soon as it has proven its reliability, the Vassar bubble will be popped. According to the Vassar Together web page, permitted off-campus trips will include class trips and college-sponsored performances. The list of changes scheduled for Phase 3 also features opening the campus grounds to visitors, although buildings will still be off-limits. Meanwhile, inside the bubble, restrictions are also getting looser, even before the official shift into Phase 3. Starting this week, some varsity athletics teams will be holding full-contact (though still masked) practices. While all student-athletes taking part in full-contact practices will be tested weekly (as opposed to once every 14 days for other students), this will obviously increase the chances of the virus spreading quickly throughout a whole team. The fact that it’s athletics and not any other campus organization (say, any of Vassar’s multiple dance orgs currently being forced to choreograph socially-distant routines) benefitting from loosened restrictions is likely part of a larger trend of the administration favoring athletes— but that’s not my main issue with these policies. The main issue is that loosening on-campus restrictions while at the same time allowing more off-campus interaction is a recipe for disaster.
If the administration is feeling confident in how the semester has been progressing and wants to move towards relative normalcy on campus, that would be one thing, but they must ensure all organizations and students are given equivalent access to these new freedoms and be more transparent with their implementation (the new policies for varsity practices are nowhere to be found on the Vassar Together webpage). Assuming we can continue to maintain single-digit (or better yet, zero) cases on
“The main issue is that loosening oncampus restrictions while at the same time allowing more off-campus interaction is a recipie for disaster.”
campus, allowing a bit more freedom in student interaction isn’t a terrible idea on its own. What is a terrible idea is doing this while also increasing the campus community’s exposure to the outside world. While allowing full-contact sports practices could be fairly safe if Vassar were to remain isolated and have zero active cases, this all falls apart if students are also leaving campus. The same goes for other policies that could increase on-campus transmission rates, like the indoor dining currently scheduled to begin in Phase 3. By the numbers, Vassar may be lucky to have made it this far even under the stricter Phase 1 and 2 guidelines. If Phase 3 and the on-campus loosened restrictions are both implemented, the college administration will truly be flirting with disaster. All it would take is one student on a Vassar-approved off-campus trip to contract the virus and pass it to an athlete taking part in full-contact practices for the campus to have a full-fledged outbreak on its hands. Vassar’s decision-makers are trying to have their cake and eat it too. If they want to continue easing restrictions, they must pick one area—off-campus access or on-campus freedom—in which to do so, not both. To continue on the current path risks dire consequences for the entire campus.
Americans want food on the table, not a presidential sideshow Jonas Trostle
Opinions Editor
I
wanted to write about a potential second stimulus bill. The unemployment rate is at 8 percent after starting the year at around 3.5 percent and four out of 10 renters nationwide face eviction if no stimulus bill is forthcoming. This second stimulus bill is a pressing issue for millions of Americans, and it deserves the time and care required to unpack the long- and short-term ramifications on all factions of the American populace. Everyone should be wondering why the first stimulus bill passed so easily while this second one has not even seen a vote in the Senate. Instead, we all have to focus on the complete clown show that is now literally spreading from the West Wing. Let me set the stage for the sheer scale of this asininity: The President of the United States of America was in the hospital, taking experimental treatment, for a disease that has killed over 200,000 people in the United States (and over a million worldwide), while his staff and doctors are giving contradicting accounts of not only
his health but the timeline of events and where the president was after he’d tested positive for COVID-19. The simplest account would start at the beginning, but it’s unclear where the beginning is. According to the two timelines, each given out by people working closely together in the same building, President Trump could have been diagnosed anywhere between midday on Sept. 30 to the evening of Oct. 1. This may not seem like a big difference, but within that time period Trump held a rally in Minnesota, went to a fundraiser, flew halfway across the country and had another meeting with donors in New Jersey without a mask. I need to stress that this is just the diagnosis of COVID-19 that is unseated in time; the timeframe for the actual onset of COVID-19 is even murkier. As far back as Sept. 26, Trump was around at least six people who have since tested positive for COVID-19. Three days later, three days after holding a superspreader event in honor of Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Trump went on the debate stage, without being tested, and endangered the only other major pres-
President Trump has had several photo-ops since entering Walter Reed Medical Center, but they only provide fleeting glances into the reality of his stay. Courtesy of the White House via Instagram.
idential candidate. Again, I will point out that regular Americans are having trouble finding jobs and paying their rent and would really like some governmental assistance but instead are forced to sit around and wonder how much our governance system can take. People would like to be able to eat and have a place to come home to at the end of the day, and not have to worry about the stability of the federal government. A Supreme Court seat is empty, several senators who are vital for filling that seat and for passing a stimulus bill are infected, and the president just left the hospital in the midst of conflicting reports on his health. That’s all three branches of government destabilized during a time that is as deadly for Americans as World War II and more financially crushing than the Great Recession. It is not a healthy situation for a country to be asking, “Who’s in charge?” Who is in charge? That’s not a rhetorical question; we really don’t know. The White House says it’s still Trump, but the White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said on Saturday, “We’re still not on a clear path yet to a full recovery,” and Trump’s vitals were “very concerning.” Trump is ostensibly in charge, but outside of a few planned appearances on camera we don’t even know if he’s conscious. If Trump is incapacitated for any length of time, then Vice President Pence would take charge, but that hasn’t seemed to have happened. The tweets sent out from the president’s Twitter account could spark a war or cause a financial meltdown, and the scary thing is we have no idea who’s sending those tweets right now. Returning to the time of diagnosis, there’s an even greater grievance to be laid at the feet of the president if he was diagnosed positive on Sept. 30: He was aware of the danger he posed to others and disregarded it. He willfully crisscrossed the country and exposed those around him to COVID-19. If he was diagnosed on Sept. 30 and not Oct. 1, he could be legally liable for endangering those around him. If he had the knowledge that he was positive, and he still chose to hold rallies and fundrais-
The opinions expressed above do not represent those of The Miscellany News as a whole.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
ers, shake hands and mug for the camera with others, he should be charged with a crime—be it in Minnesota, New Jersey or the District of Columbia. He recklessly endangered those around him and should be prosecuted accordingly. Of course, that’s only if he was diagnosed on Sept. 30. Sources conflict, and they are all part of a shroud of lies that surround the White House. Should we really believe anything the White House spokesperson says? Is a COVID-19 vaccine coming in the fall? Is it floating down the river with a bunch of illegal ballots? The answer to all of these questions is no. No vaccine is coming before the election, there were no ballots in a river and the White House spokesperson is not going to give us anything we can believe when it comes to the timeline or condition of the president’s health. We might trust the doctors, but we might also recall that they called President Trump, who is 74 and technically considered obese for his height, the fittest president ever. The White House Chief of Staff might be believed, if he wasn’t talking out of the side of his mouth half the time as an anonymous source. There is nobody who can be believed about the state of the president’s health. This should go without saying, but, in the current partisan polarized climate I have to say it: I don’t wish death upon the president. I wish he was a better person, or that he was out of power. I don’t wish he were dead, though he probably deserves to be. Normal Americans, those who aren’t crossing state borders while carrying a deadly, infectious disease, just don’t want their home foreclosed on or their food assistance to run out. They don’t particularly care whether the stimulus is $2.2 trillion or $1.5 trillion, they want to make ends meet and live to see another day outside this pandemic. They haven’t seen their families for months, they’ve lost loved ones and they’ve sacrificed so much. What they’ve gotten for that sacrifice is a front row ticket to a tragedy of errors. The election is in 27 days and this is the best foot the current White House could put forward.
October 8, 2020
OPINIONS
Page 13
Why Joe Biden deserves more than just “Ugh, fine” Ben Fikhman
Guest Columnist
N
o leader or candidate can be flawless. Every politician has shortcomings, be it in their record, policy proposal, character or insufficient open-mindedness, and the story of American democracy has revealed the truth of this statement. The idea that a leader is perfect is in fact an authoritarian one—to be perfect would mean that they deserve uncompromising loyalty from all. It has been six months since Senator Bernie Sanders suspended his 2020 presidential campaign. Consequently, former Vice President Joe Biden clinched the Democratic nomination almost one year after jogging up to the podium and kicking off his campaign in front of a Philadelphia crowd. The Democratic nominee has repeatedly asserted that his wake-up call to run was Donald Trump’s claim that there were “Very fine people on both sides” during the violent Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville in 2017. Now, Biden is favored to win the presidency. Despite encountering seemingly decisive failures, especially during the New Hampshire primary, the Biden campaign consolidated a coalition of “moderate” voters and eventually soared ahead of Sanders in the delegate count to victory. Voices across the political spectrum have questioned Biden’s morals and cited his past misdeeds to argue that he is unfit for the position of president. Alice Woo’s claim following Sanders’ withdrawal that Biden and Trump are part of the same elitist circle of politics is misleading. First of all, climate change does not care about elitism. Secondly, it cannot be ignored that Biden has gone through very painful moments in his life and came from humble beginnings, which have defined his politics and persona in the fight for the working class. Although Doug Cobb wrote in response why we must vote for Biden, given the increasingly conservative nature of the Supreme Court, the unrelenting pandemic and a horrendous border control situation (among other issues), he claims, “All progressives should be disappointed with being forced to vote for Biden.” Now realizing the stakes in the midst of the pandemic, climate change and increasingly divisive rhetoric of the president, a growing number of these “never Biden” voices have decided to “settle” and vote for Biden, in a Scylla and Charybdis lesser-of-two-evils approach. I am here to argue, however, that Biden, who is undeniably the current leader of the opposition movement against the first presidential campaign that is “discussing contingency plans to bypass election results,” deserves more of our enthusiasm and optimism rather than attitudes of mere settlement. Those like our Commander in Chief, who demonizes others, are purposefully exploiting people’s personal frustrations to sow division, but Biden’s ability to unify has played a significant role in his success in the Democratic primaries. Biden repeats, without hesitation, that Americans have more in common than what divides us. He is absolutely right. In fact, a More In Common poll in August reveals that although the percentage of Americans who believe that the country is unified is in the single digits, 94 percent of respondents said that they want a leader who can bring people together, and 96 percent said that it’s more important to support a country than a party. People feel a shared recognition of the working class’s importance. A vast majority of people surely do not want to feel compelled to take part in the hostility, and yet the amplification of disinformation on social media and the renewed development of populism and nationalism have encapsulated our society in a new era of stark political division. I firmly believe, and see it within my family and
a part of my own community in Brooklyn, that for many Americans it is not their fault that there are elaborate domestic and foreign systems that feed on people’s societal concerns to manipulate them. The ones who are truly not well-intentioned are those who knowingly spread disinformation in an effort to take advantage of disillusionment and cynicism. We should be looking forward to a Biden presidency, where he plans to weed out and stop the spread of false information that is causing these artificial divides between us all. Biden, unlike Trump, refrains from weaponizing the political “-isms” (capitalism, socialism, fascism, communism, etc.) that have pitted otherwise like-minded people against one another. His campaign has not only been encouraging people to vote for him, but has also been working to help educate people, without fearmongering, on how to vote in the midst of a pandemic. Even while increased voter turnout usually points to an increased likelihood of Democratic victories on a state level, promoting this cherished part of our democracy is always something to applaud. Biden is well-known for his tendency to reach across the aisle to eventually achieve the goals needed in fighting the good fight. He has shown that, despite his lifelong service to the Democratic Party, he doesn’t have the ideological or partisan rigidity that causes many politicians to steer away from practical and conspicuously less dangerous decisions. Biden has been in public service for 47 years, and there were times when his strategy of reaching across the aisle led to mistakes that continue to haunt him today. Biden worked with two segregationists in the 1970s and 1980s in what he called an era of “civility,” which was also when supporters of segregation held much political power. He opposed the notion of non-orderly racial integration and federally mandated busing, one of the key components of racial diversification and equality in education. Biden approached the issue of segregation from a standpoint that was too logistics-focused, short-sighted and out of touch with the Civil Rights movement. His past work with white supremacists got in the way of the uncompromising spirit one must bring to the fight against racial inequality, but Biden has made it clear that as president he would work to end systemic racism throughout the United States. Biden has made it part of his legacy to reach decisions that result in a less hostile country. Bipartisanship can save more lives than congressional inaction. He has demonstrated growth in his acute sense of moral reasoning, ability to listen and passion for justice. Seven months ago, former Congressional aide Tara Reade alleged that Biden sexually abused her in the spring of 1993. We live in an America that struggles to grapple with allegations of sexual assault, especially when it comes to the narrative of believing all women, and we need to continue having discussions about these kinds of things in order to find an end to the trauma and damage that results from them. Every single allegation, no matter how powerful the potential perpetrator may be, must be taken as seriously as possible. If Tara Reade is telling the truth, then Biden should be ashamed of his actions. Society needs to demand that of him, and what is our aim in doing that? Part of it is, or it should be, a way of helping him realize the damage that he has done, and it is not because we share some kind of strong sanctimony. It is because we choose to go on a path that will protect more women in the future, but a difficult truth we should grapple with is whether or not to forgive someone after a sole allegation. I believe we should. Despite being criticized for a reputation of
incrementalism in approaching problems, Joe Biden has proven that when deemed necessary, he is determined to press for swift change, as seen in his calls for a national mask mandate and an ambitious plan for the repurposing of American policing, which is geared towards addressing the immediate problem of saving lives and rapidly accelerating the slow-moving progress of police reform. Despite cautious approaches in the past, Biden strongly supports the decriminalization of marijuana, and vows to work for the complete erasure of prior cannabis-related convictions, promote rehabilitation over punishment and push for further research into marijuana’s therapeutic potential with federal funding. Given his slowly increasing support of progressive policies, I think a victorious Biden would eventually support the legalization of marijuana. In addition, he has become a voice for the struggle against systemic racism in policing, wealth inequality, education, voting and climate change, all the while opposing Trump’s aggressive attempts to obscure the reality of each of these being race-related issues. Biden’s support of the war in Iraq in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks is also a major point of criticism. But what we know now is that he has a plan to concentrate on battling terrorists rather than continuing to be significantly involved in the costly and abiding struggle in Afghanistan. As opposed to a president whose eyes are set on autocracy and capital, Biden vows to finally end military support for Saudi Arabia, which has thrust Yemen into an unimaginable humanitarian crisis and civil war funded by the United States. Coupled with his foreign policy vision and extensive experience as Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, the prospects for a more humane future seem bright. There is no doubt that Biden has a complicated past, and there are parts for which he should apologize, but what does it mean when a party nominee with the most progressive agenda in American history is still treated with condescension by a significant number of people who recognize the same fractures in society as he does? Is he really a flat-out racist when he recognizes voting accessibility as a race issue and extended the Voting Rights Act for 25 years, among other historic legislation as senator and Vice President? The point is, Biden is still on the side of racial equality, even if he sometimes mistakes issues of racial inequality with those of pure policy. He doesn’t deserve to be vilified for these kinds of conventional disagreements. Constantly imagining a political spectrum to determine a person’s worth is not a pathway towards progress. He grows, he listens, he accepts, he progresses, and one of his latest moves in doing all of that is choosing Kamala Harris as a running mate, somebody who has confidently and straightforwardly called him out for opposing busing to his face on live television. Amid the coronavirus pandemic and school closings, people seem to have forgotten the scourge of gun violence and mass shootings. More than 350 students, teachers and staff have fallen victim to school shootings since 2009. Those are 350 lives, and thousands of more people are grieving to this day. In 1994, despite failings and other flaws within the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, Biden’s support helped to secure a 10-year ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines through its passage. Biden has continued to be proactive in proposing legislation for gun control during his vice presidency, leading the Obama Administration’s task force on gun violence. Along with his progressive agenda, a person who has always strived to counteract the National Rifles Association’s incessant hunger for profit and negligence of mass shootings
The opinions expressed above do not represent those of The Miscellany News as a whole.
MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
in America deserves our support. To briefly depart from governmental politics, I find a powerful appreciation for the way in which Biden’s political growth and influence has partially stemmed from the awful experiences that he has had to endure. From the financial difficulties his family faced when he was a child in postwar Scranton, to the once debilitating stutter with which he continues to grapple, to the car crash that killed his wife and daughter, to his brain surgeries, to his son Hunter’s trauma-induced drug addiction, to the death of his son Beau, Biden has developed an ever-growing compassion and awareness that are especially lacking from the incumbent. I was inspired by Biden’s display of assertiveness and fortitude while facing Donald Trump’s insulting comments towards his sons on the debate stage. In response to Trump, Biden faced the camera, looked at the American people, and found common ground with those whose loved ones have suffered from drug use, proclaiming that he is “proud of [his] son” for working on overcoming his addiction. This compassion can be seen in his staunch protection of Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act as a part of his plan to end the opioid crisis. I was also moved by artist Jenny Towns’ opinion piece for NBC News Think, in which she wrote that Biden reminded her of her own father and his help as she continues her own recovery from alcoholism. I find the lesser of two evils approach, and citing Biden as one of those evils, to be an unfortunate trend among voters within and outside of Vassar. Despite eventually bubbling in “Joe Biden” on the ballot, the lingering lack of hopefulness hurts his campaign. The political system is broken, and some may even argue that it needs to be scrapped entirely, which for them justifies the vilification of Biden. But forgiveness towards someone who is campaigning on promises to triple funds for predominantly low-income schools, expand health care with the eventual goal of making it affordable for every single American, support automatic voter registration, execute an already elaborate plan on mitigating the effects of climate change, continue his battle for greater gun control, protect women’s rights to abortion as an essential health service, renew and bolster cooperation with international bodies to better public health and democratic coalition and pass a national mask mandate to help save as many lives as possible, while also acknowledging that all of these aforementioned issues are disproportionately impacting marginalized communities in America, is a virtue. A Biden presidency is a promise of warmth. We could have a White House that understands that protesting for justice can be synonymous to love for country. We could have a White House embracing the idea that patriotism does not have to come at the expense of other people’s liberty or pursuit of happiness. We could have a White House that can be seen as more of an ally than a crook. Democracy is more robust when we have a more open mind. In promoting a more just country, it isn’t wrong to dislike Biden for some of the things he stands for or his past. I see him, however, as a candidate whose prospects and way of direction for this country, if not individual merit, should bring a smile to more people’s faces, and maybe even a greater encouragement to spread the word, phone bank or help register friends and family to vote. Active support is not equivalent to a pledge of loyalty. Convince others to bubble in “Joe Biden” to send the message that this is a proud vote to prevent the country from sliding into autocracy, rather than “Ugh, fine.” The fight for a better future is best when fought with enthusiasm and conviction.
SPORTS
Page 14
October 8, 2020
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat, or why the Jorge Adames Reyes Guest Columnist
A
fter the Sunday night tilt between the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers, one thing was clear: the Heat would not be swept. In the 2020 NBA finals, they began the night down two games to none,hoping to avoid a historically insurmountable 3-0 deficit. Even teams that fall behind two games in a series only come back to win a mere 93.6 percent of the time. The only teams in the last 18 years to have been swept in an NBA Finals series are both Lebron James-led Cavalier teams (2007 vs San Antonio, 2018 vs. Golden State). Holding a comfortable 2-0 lead, and with the Heat’s two leading scorers from the previous series sidelined with injuries (Heat stars Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic shot a combined .525 ver-
sus Boston), it was looking promising for the now-Laker James, who had only ever been on the wrong side of Finals sweeps, to blow this series wide open and pour a bucket-full of lighter fluid on the perennial GOAT debate. Enter Jimmy Butler. The 31-year-old veteran out of Marquette posted only the third 40-point triple-double (James has one of the other two) in NBA finals history and carried the Heat to a 115-104 victory in Game 3, being involved in 73 of the Heat’s 124 points in the contest. In a postgame interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, Butler was asked how his team was able to pull off this win. Without missing a beat, Jimmy “Buckets” delivered a candid response: “We rebounded.” Butler continued, “That’s going to be the key going forward. We [have to] keep those guys off
the boards and get those second chance points.” He could not have been more right...and more wrong. No doubt about it, one of the keys for the rest of this series will be rebounding. But if the Heat manage to stay alive in this series and push it to six or seven games, they will have done so not because of their rebounding prowess, but in spite of it. In the 2020 NBA bubble, 11 out of the 14 playoff series have been won by teams that outrebounded their opponents. The Heat are already a notable exception to this trend, as they lost the rebounding battle against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals and found ways to take the series anyway (thank Tyler Herro for that one). But the Lakers are not the Celtics, not by a longshot. The Lakers took the first two games of the Finals while dominating the glass
handily with margins of 54-36 in Game 1 and 44-37 in Game 2. Even in the third matchup, the Lakers took the proverbial “L” but managed to keep the rebounding margin at 43-37 in their favor. So when Butler attributed the Game 3 win to his team’s ability to control the glass, I genuinely had no idea what he was looking at. We can break this down even further. In basketball, especially in the NBA where the margin for error is so thin, second chances on the offensive side of the ball are crucial; Butler alluded to this in his postgame interview. In Sunday night’s game, the Heat were only able to grab 3 offensive rebounds, a number that pales in comparison to the 11 offensive rebounds the Lakers had that night, and the whopping 16 they had the game before. Now, in fairness to the Lakers, they have been a stellar offensive
Despite new strategy, baseball toes the line on COVID-19 Doug Cobb Columnist
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ell, they made it. Almost. Major League Baseball (MLB) survived its chaotic, shortened, 60-game season and has begun its postseason. And this may have been the strangest year in MLB history, which is saying something. The MLB has seen multiple strike-shortened or otherwise altered seasons, including the 1994 strike-induced cancellation of the end of the season and World Series (sorry Expos, they really did you dirty), a season shortened by World War I and multiple seasons played uninterrupted throughout World War II (despite the absence of several players due to service, such as all-time great Ted Williams). Because of COVID-19, the regular 162-game schedule was cut down to 60 games, most of which were between division and interleague rivals somewhat geographically close to each other. Other changes included adding a designated hitter to the National League, starting all extra innings with a runner on second base (to shorten games and produce quick runs) and changing double headers to seven-inning games. But the real game-changer is the new playoff format. In a normal year, 10 of the MLB’s 30 teams make the postseason, five from the National League (NL) and five from the American League (AL). Following the one game wild card playoff between the four- and five-seed wild card teams in each league, the first full round of the playoffs would be the best of five League Division Series’ (LDS) of which there are two in each league (two LDS’ and four teams in each league). The winners of the three divisions from each league were seeded 1-3 based on team record and given automatic entry to the LDS. The final team to make it to the LDS in each league was decided by the wild card game mentioned earlier. The winners of the two LDS’ in each league would then face off in a best of seven League Championship Series (LCS) and finally the winners of the two LCS’ would meet in a best of seven World Series. This year, however, to account for the randomness of the shortened season, the MLB decided to expand the playoffs to 16 teams, eight from each league. The eight teams from each league were division winners (1-3 seeds), second place teams from each division (4-6 seeds) and the usual two wild cards (7-8 seeds). The teams were then all matched up, lowest seeds against highest seeds (i.e. 8 vs. 1, 7 vs. 2 etc.), for a best of three Wild Card series. This then left each league with four teams for the Division Series as usual but with some added spice: There is a bubble. The people running the MLB must have read an article or two from a clever and knowledgeable journalist emphasizing the
importance of a bubble to a sports league’s success during these trying times (you’re welcome baseball, and for that matter, America). A bubble is the smartest, safest choice, and the MLB was not going to take a chance on the potential $1 billion dollar revenue that will be generated by their postseason. The MLB bubble is only now beginning, following the conclusion of the Wild Card Series. The eight remaining teams will play all of their playoff games in one of four stadiums: San Diego’s Petco Park, Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, Texas’ Globe Life Field and Houston’s Minute Maid Park. All the AL playoff games will be held in the two Southern California ballparks, and all the NL playoff series’, in addition to the World Series, will be held in the two Texas ballparks. During the LCS and LDS there will be no days off—all games will be played on back to back nights. But the World Series will still have its planned two days off: one after the first two games and the final day off after the fifth game. Holding all the playoff games at just four stadiums will reduce travel and allow for real bubbles to be formed. Yet the rules of the bubbles are a little strange. There has not been and will not be any real quarantine period for the players. The rule is that the last week of the regular season was supposed to be a quasi-quarantine, where players from all contending teams were required to stay in a team hotel at all times except during games. The players were tested every day, and now that we are down to the final eight teams, the players are all in their hotel bubbles at each of the four sites where games are being held. Family members will be allowed to see the players after they have completed a supervised seven-day quarantine, but will be forced to stay in a separate bubble for families and will only be able to interact with the players during supervised outdoor visits.
On the surface, this seems like a pretty solid plan. But while it is definitely better than the way the MLB went about the regular season, it does have some glaring flaws. First of all, the quarantine period is too short: The CDC recommends a 14-day quarantine, even if you test negative, as symptoms can sometimes take a while to show up. We have seen other leagues go with that 14-day recommendation for their quarantine, but it looks like the MLB was in too much of a hurry to do things right. Additionally, the quarantine for the players wasn’t even a real quarantine; they were playing against other teams, some of which are not in the final bubble. It should be noted that this strategy of locking the players in hotel rooms and only letting them out for their team’s games did significantly reduce the risk of an outbreak, since the quarantined players couldn’t go to places outside the bubble (such as strip clubs). Having said that, this was a half-assed quarantine effort designed to save time. Even though the players under quarantine couldn’t go out, this was not a tight bubble, and some teams that weren’t in contention anymore and didn’t have to quarantine were entering and exiting the bubble every time they played contenders. The MLB must be feeling confident since the end of the regular season went pretty smoothly, but they are playing with fire. Forty-five games were postponed during the regular season, and for one weekend in August, things seemed pretty dire for the league. On the bright side, since from here on out the players will only be interacting with each other, this strategy doesn’t pose much of a risk to the rest of the public. Or so we thought. Despite not allowing fans at any regular season games, the MLB plans to allow 11,500 fans per game during the World Series and NL Championship Series. This is because these two series are being held
Juliette Pope/The Miscellany News. MISCELLANY NEWS | VASSAR COLLEGE
at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, and Texas is one of the few states that are allowing spectators to attend sporting events this year. To me, this once again seems like the MLB being greedy and cutting corners. Having any amount of fans at sporting events right now seems dangerous and irresponsible, but both the NFL and MLB are hosting fans at their events because I guess they really need that extra bit of ticket revenue (the MLB and NFL are known to have very slim budgets after all). In all seriousness though, this should be an interesting case study. So far we have seen that when you don’t put any guidelines in place, everything is a disaster, and when you put really strict guidelines in place, everything seems to work out pretty well. Now we get a chance to see what happens to the MLB, with a plan that lands somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. I will always advocate for being overly-cautious instead of under-cautious, but maybe it doesn’t really take that much effort to greatly reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. The main reason the United States failed so miserably to reopen during this pandemic is because people were stupid when handling the situation. No, that’s not an accurate assessment; people were beyond stupid, gathering in large groups without masks, pretending the virus didn’t exist and just going on with their normal lives as if nothing was happening. Maybe even just a little bit of effort can yield good results. Only time will tell. This has been one strange year, not just for sports, but for everything and everyone. It is easy to focus on all the negatives (trust me, I do that plenty), but we should be excited by the fact that baseball made it through the regular season and seems to have a good chance of completing the postseason. The NBA and WNBA have just a few games left in their finals, the NWSL successfully completed a full tournament earlier this summer, the US Open (tennis) went as planned and the Stanley Cup has been lifted in the NHL. Not bad, considering that just a few months ago we were unsure if we would have any sports at all this year. Because of the strangeness of the MLB season and the expanded playoffs, I think we are poised to see a mediocre team win it all. I am calling it: The Miami Marlins are going to win the World Series this year. As frustrating as it may be to see a less deserving or less talented team win the World Series, maybe there is a lesson in there for us all: When life hands you strange circumstances—and clearly it will— you can choose to lie down and accept defeat or you can capitalize on the surprise and unpreparedness of others and pull off a great upset. Either way, might as well give it a shot and find out, right?
SPORTS
October 8, 2020
Page 15
e 2020 NBA finals trophy will be made of glass rebounding team all year, especially in the postseason, a fact that is incredibly evident when you take a look at their team Offensive Rebound Percentage (ORB%). ORB% is a metric that estimates the percentage of available offensive rebounds that players grabbed while on the court. The way to calculate this is a bit more involved: (Offensive rebounds/(Offensive Rebounds + Opponent Defensive Rebounds)) The reason ORB% is so useful is because it helps teams gauge how often they are getting opportunities at second chance points. If a team has an ORB% of 0, they are not grabbing a single available rebound. If a team posts an ORB% of 100, that means they grabbed every possible offensive board. Out of teams that played more than four games this postseason, the Lakers led
Jimmy Butler. Via Getty Images.
with an ORB% of 25.9, grabbing a little over one out of every four of their own shots back. On this same list, the Heat rank 10th with a tad over 18 percent. This disparity in rebounding is one of the reasons why the Lakers are able to lead in playoff point differential per 100 possessions. This is just the net difference in points for and against a team per every 100 possessions. The Lakers stand at +7.3 while the Heat play catchup again with a score of +3.3. The fact of the matter is the Lakers are a larger and more physical team, and so, while it is that much more impressive that the Heat were able to steal a game when two of their stars were out and 20-year-old phenom Tyler Herro shot 6-18 from the field, they must know this is not a sustainable way to win. Erik Spoelstra knows this too. The Heat head coach talked about how
The Miscellany Crossword by Frank
ACROSS 1.frosted, Tony the Tiger mascot 7. program available on phone or computer 10. nickname for Salvatore 13. hostile to the point of harm 14. rage, fury 15. good thing or established expert abbr 16. home of Dwight D. Eisenhower 17. “... the four nations lived together in harmony” 19. monetary unit of Cambodia and Indonesia 20. traditional Hawaiian party 22. to remain awake after bedtime 23. -while, meaning formerly 25. small devil or goblin 26. ‘cups’ in French
27. fertile, water-rich spot in desert 29. between Much and About Nothing 30. division or dagger symbol, plural 33. relax, sleep 35. to make acquaintance 39. over-equipped for battle idiom 42. show someone around a place 43. preposition from the ‘Golden Rule’ 44. sensation from poison ivy/mosquito bites 45. appropriate, or having a tendency towards 47. furious, enraged 49. Princess’s home 52. court division or tool for catching 53. krispies, ‘snap crackle pop’ 57. relating to bone or skeleton 58. gelatinous chunk
Butler bailed out his team in what he called a “very desperate urgent game” at his postgame press conference. This is a Heat team that forced 10 turnovers in the first quarter of Game 3 and were only up by three at the end of the period. Missed opportunities have been the theme through the first three games of the NBA Finals for this team. The question for them now is, do they bank on a few more historic performances from their star players? Do they get their team to crash the boards on both sides of the floor to even the scales of the rebounding battle? Or do Lebron James, Anthony Davis and the rest of the Lakers put together two more wins with their overpowering work off the glass and ride that to another ring for their story-book franchise? If I were a betting man, I’d go with the latter.
“Cereal in a Surreal Time”
60. to artificially change color 61. not a brand new vehicle 63. beginning of or first letter 65. mid-day short sleep 66. sense of dignity or confidence 67. countries or people groups 68. ‘... but a scratch’ or ‘... the season’ 69. car insurance higher for this color 70. appoints to office by vote
DOWN 1. strand of material 2. gird them! 3. in totality, everyone 4. capsize or collapse 5. French disinterest or boredom 6. hot water tool used to get rid of wrinkles 7. trouble or afflict in mind or body
8. rectal g-spot 9. group of five 10. sterilizes animal by removing ovaries 11. to debate, quarrel, or bicker 12. multi-color Fruit cereal 13. holds flowers 18. large container of natural or town gas 21. frustrating, distressing 24. permitted or allowed despite negative feelings 28. help, especially in monetary form 30. honey bunches of them 31. stereotypical form of address between jocks 32. big running bird 34. where water meets land on beach 36. European Economic Community, abbr 37. archaic verb suffix 38. ‘... will be done’ 40. under the instruction of 41. bird or boob 46. person who positions or arranges 48. sound without a key 49. title of the mascot of chocolate cereal 50. used in tempo directions, ‘very much’ 51. increments of stairs 54. dumbass, fool 55. green-blue color, plural 56. electric fish 59. chomp, nibble 62. spare this to spoil 64. tiny parasitic blood-sucker
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