8/29/19 Full Edition

News: OGB memorializes Jessica Rivers Page 4

Opinion: Climate progress requires shifting Overton window Page 8

Sports: Men’s soccer prepares for another championship run Page 9

Life: Disney, Sony unable to negotiate over Spider-Man Page 14

Old Gold&Black

WAKE FOREST’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1916 VOL. 106, NO. 1

T H U R S DAY, AU G U ST 2 9 , 2 019 “Cover s the campus like the magnolias”

wfuogb.com

Volleyball coach Bill Ferguson resigns Ferguson had been on leave since March, when the college admissions scandal broke

BY LILLIAN JOHNSON Editor-in-Chief johnlg16@wfu.edu

Bill Ferguson, the volleyball coach who had been indicted in the national college admissions scandal earlier this year, has resigned, the university announced in a statement last Thursday.

Ferguson had been on administrative leave since news of the scandal broke on March 12.

“It’s essential that I step aside so that the team and coaches continue to move forward while I focus on the case and focus on my family,” Ferguson said in the statement.

“I look forward to the success the program will enjoy.”

See Ferguson, Page 5 Photo courtesy of wfuogb.com / screenshot taken from Winston-Salem Journal

Left: Najee Ali Baker, a Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) student, was killed on Wake Forest’s campus on Jan. 20, 2018. Right: His mother filed a wrongful-death lawsuit on May 7, 2019.

Wake Forest seeks dismissal in wrongful-death lawsuit The lawsuit was filed by the mother of Najee Ali Baker, who was shot on campus in 2018

BY LILLIAN JOHNSON Editor-in-Chief johnlg16@wfu.edu

Following the filing of a wrongfuldeath lawsuit by the mother of Najee Ali Baker, attorneys for Wake Forest have sought to have the case dismissed.

Baker, a student at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), was shot and killed on campus on Jan. 20, 2018, while attending a party hosted

by Delta Sigma Theta at the Barn.

A fight reportedly broke out inside the Barn and guests began moving outside. According to Winston-Salem

police, Jakier Shanique Austin, now 22, shot Baker as Baker and another WSSU student left the party and as Malik Patience Smith, now 17, pointed a gun at the crowds. Neither Smith nor Austin were students at Wake Forest or WSSU. Malik was arrested in January 2018 and released from jail in April of this year. Austin was arrested and charged with Baker’s murder in April 2018.

Baker’s mother, Jemel Ali Dixon, filed the wrongful-death lawsuit May 7 against Wake Forest, the university’s chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, which hosted the party, and Rhino Sports & Entertainment Services LLC, which provided private security for the party.

The lawsuit seeks at least $75,000 in damages.

The court papers allege that Wake Forest failed to provide adequate security measures, such as checkpoints and security guards, at the event. The lawsuit accuses Wake Forest of ignoring signs following previous dangerous incidents at the Barn and still reducing security, which allowed the fatal shooting to occur.

In early July, attorneys for the university disputed the allegations, according to the Winston-Salem Journal, in a motion filed to have the case dismissed. One of the attorneys, Shana Fulton, said that Wake Forest cannot be held liable for Baker’s death, as the shooting was “literally unprecedented.”

See Lawsuit, Page 4

Hatch establishes commission on race The initiative comes on the heels of several racist incidents last semester

BY WILL MAY News Editor mayws16@wfu.edu

President Nathan O. Hatch announced on July 31 the administration’s newest initiative for campus: The President’s Commission on Race, Equity and Community.

He issued the news in an email to the Wake Forest campus community.

“This work includes … conducting a thorough review of policies and practices that may have contributed to inequity within our community [and] identifying other aspects of Wake Forest that do not support the university’s commitment to diversity and inclusion,” he said.

See Commission, Page 5

OGB

OGB puts Sci“& Tech section on temporary hiatus This column represents the views of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board.

We feel confident that our stu- Additionally, we look forward to Becoming a part of our staff does not dent body will produce another adding members of the Class of 2023 require a prolific prior background in group of capable journalists to to our staff. Among the members of journalism. All of us learned skills as replenish our ranks ... " our newest class are several future ed- we went along, so do not be afraid to

Last year, the Old Gold & Black introduced a new Science & Technology section intended to highlight STEM-related news as well as student and faculty research on Wake Forest's campus.

This semester, however, the Editorial Board has come to the difficult and unfortunate decision that the section must be put on a hiatus for the time being.

Our newspaper is currently facing its own version of a challenge undergone by local newspapers across the country — understaffing — as a record number of our editors are studying abroad this fall. As a result, we do

not have adeqaute personnel to man the section.

We will continue to cover the important and groundbreaking research undertaken by many of Wake Forest's faculty and students in our News section. In addition, we invite any students interested in the confluence of STEM fields and journalism to come speak with us at the Involvement Fair on Sept. 3 and at our interest meeting or to reach out to via email.

Old Gold &Black

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WAKE FOREST UNIVERSIT Y SINCE 1916 LILLIAN JOHNSON EDITOR-IN-CHIEF johnlg16@wfu.edu

REN SCHMITT PRINT MANAGING EDITOR schmwm16@wfu.edu

>> NEWS Will May, mayws16@wfu.edu Assistant: Caroline Walker, walkct18@ wfu.edu

>> SPORTS Rafael Lima, limara17@wfu. edu

>> OPINION Kyle Ferrer, ferrka16@wfu.edu

>> LIFE Emily Beauchamp, beauea17@ wfu.edu

>> DIGITAL MEDIA EDITOR Mary-Hallet Culbreth, culbmh16@wfu.edu

>> ADVISER Phoebe Zerwick, zerwicp@wfu.

itors, and we cannot wait to meet the next generation of Old Gold & Black staffers.

If you bring a unique perspective to our campus, and each of you do, then you have already taken the first step toward becoming a journalist. Some day soon, your perspectives will be the ones driving the content that we publish, and we look forward to learning what issues the newest members of our Wake Forest community will tackle.

put yourself out there and try your hand at writing if you feel that you have something to contribute.

Unlike local newspapers, our staff will replenish quickly. New members will join our ranks and our abroad friends will rejoin in the spring. We are hopeful that, even in this desperate-seeming time, we can grow our staff in record numbers.

Our Science & Technology section's hiatus will be temporary, and we look forward to its swift return.

FOLLOW THE OGB ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK.COM/OGB1916

GRACIE FIRESTONE

BUSINESS MANAGER

firegk16@wfu.edu

AMANDA WILCOX ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR wilcaf16@wfu.edu

>> POLICIES

The Old Gold & Black is published Thursdays during the school year, except during examinations, summer and holiday periods, by Triangle Printing of Durham. © 2014 WFU Media Board. All rights reserved. The views expressed in all editorials and advertisements contained within this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the OGB. As part of our commitment to reporting news fairly and accurately, we will not remove any previously published content. If an error in either our online or print content is brought to our attention, we will revise the originally published article with an appended correction. In order to facilitate thoughtful and appropriate debate, profane, vulgar, or inflammatory comments on our website are not allowed and will be deleted. For more information on our commenting policy, please see our website. We reserve the right to reject advertisements deemed inappropriate. Our full policy, and how to advertise with the OGB, can be found on our website.

>> SUBMISSIONS

The OGB welcomes submissions in the form of story tips, columns and letters to the editor. Letters to the editor should be fewer than 500 words, and columns should be around 500 words. Send yours via e-mail to johnlg16@wfu.edu the Monday before publication. We reserve the right to edit all letters for length and clarity. No anonymous letters will be printed.

>> ONLINE MEDIA

Web: wfuogb.com Facebook: facebook.com/ogb1916 Twitter: @wfu_ogb Instagram: @wfu_ogb Snapchat: @wfu_ogb

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News | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, August 29, 2019 | Page 3

Deacon Profile: Mellie Mesfin

just walking around and if I’m walking to class, someone could stop to walk with me and talk about something, like, “I don’t know what to do about this, but I know you’re involved with Student Government, maybe you could do something.”

Beyond that, it's been really nice to see how many people within the faculty and administration that I've been able to have conversations with that have been fairly transparent and fairly honest, from my perspective.

BY CAROLINE WALKER Asst. News Editor walkct18@wfu.edu

Senior Mellie Mesfin will serve as the Student Government president for the 2019-2020 academic year. She is a Business and Enterprise Management major with a concentration in business law and a minor in sociology.

What was it like to run for the position of Student Government President?

From the work perspective, I don’t think I was scared of what it was going to be like. I knew it was a lot. The mental picture I had of what it was going to become has matched up to what it has been. So, I think I did a good job of mentally preparing for that during the election. I personally knew, even if some others didn’t have that faith initially, that I was really well connected to the student body. I was involved with so many groups that I felt confident in my abilities and relationships to bring those forward into the job. From that perspective, it was nice to learn about Student Government and the intricacies about it and see what’s happening because it’s always been that way with the student body.

The actual process of that week and a half was pretty hellish — not going to lie, I didn’t sleep much and didn’t eat much — but obviously, I think it was worth it. It was really cool, honestly, to see the support that came out that I didn’t expect. I think it was really cool and that showed me the breadth of my relationships and made me even more grateful for those people and for having had them in my life so far.

[As for] the technical pieces of it ... that was kind of difficult for me to come out of my natural place, which I think is letting my work speak for itself. My dad always told me that if we are going to get things in life, it should be by our own merit, not by the fall of others. So, some people I knew running beforehand and some I didn’t. Overall, I pushed this message that I don’t want people talking negatively about anyone else. Not only is that a campaign rule, but I don’t think that’s an ethical way to win anything in life.

Are there any specific components of your campaign that you aim to focus on this year?

My campaign was three-pronged, the first piece being really internally Student Government-related. I think we’ve already begun that even

With all of the new attention, is there a central message or any pieces of advice that you would like to impart to the student body?

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest University

in our appointing process. When we were appointing people, we decided whether these people were going to be proactive. As freshman Student Government elections come up and it comes time for Student Government senate appointments, we're also looking at who’s in the room and who’s not in the room and actively seeking out the voices of those not being represented and not waiting for them to come to us. So, that’s already been in the process, and we’ve been working on building networking sheets with different student leaders around campus to make sure we’re really plugged in. I think being active and engaged in Student Government has already been well on its way, and it’s been really nice to see how many people internally want that exact same thing.

On the piece of diversity and true inclusion, it’s been nice that the school is also shifting its focus to be in a similar position with the new commission and committees that President Hatch announced. I’ll be serving on one of them and definitely keeping close tabs on what’s going on in the other ones. Some things that I’ve also been focusing on within diversity and inclusion is looking at the bias resports and seeing how that process works. I’ll be meeting shortly with leaders in that field to talk about what happens and why it happens. This is where students are feeling short-changed. We can see how we can help this and what’s part

of the process, while also doing our best to communicate these truths so they don’t just feel left in the dark.

Also, I’m hoping to talk to admissions about how they’re recruiting students and how we can increase diversity later on down the road and in years to come. I’ve also been building my relationship with the Student Government President of WSSU (Winston-Salem State University).

Is there anything that surprised you when you stepped into your role?

Yeah, the social component honestly has been the most surprising piece. It's very different beforehand, I think, because I walk around campus and I see people I know and if someone's looking at me with this vague recognition, it’s probably because we had a conversation once in a friend's dorm or they've been in a class of mine — not so much anymore. Obviously, that still happens, but there’s a lot more recognition and awareness of people that I don't know who know who I am, so that’s been really odd. I’m used to walking around and having anonymity — that doesn’t quite exist as much anymore. It's been a little challenging to kind of get used to, because I think I prefer to fly under the radar. But, I tried to look on the bright side of that. Now, at least if people know who I am, when I'm

On the message front, if I could say something to everyone, one is that I really do want to help speak for students and advocate for students, but I also would love for people to reach out to me and come talk to me and see me as really accessible. I see myself as a fairly friendly person, so if someone sees me or wants to talk to me, shooting an email or a text, coming by office hours or whatever way works for others, I truly don’t ever think I’ll say, “No, I don't want to talk to you.” See me as accessible, whether it's, “I have a question about this, do you have the answer?” or “This is something that’s really been troubling me. I don't know how to get it resolved” or even just someone to talk about frustrations with.

[For] advice, something that’s really big for me that I’ve learned in college is to be intentional. Don’t just do things because that’s how they’ve always been done. Don’t accept the fact that I’ve been here for two years, so that’s how my experience at Wake Forest always will be and these are who my friends are. Take a really active role and make it the life you want for yourself.

That’s how I ended up in this position — I looked around at my life and what I was engaged in, and I said, “Is this what’s best for me? Is this the most that I can do for myself?" And the answer was no. So, I went out there and I was like, "I’m going to change that, and this is the life that I want and I’m going to try to become the person that I want to be." I think that being really aware of that, being both self-aware and intentional, is one of the best things you can do at college and beyond.

That’s the way to be satisfied with your choices at the end of your four years.

Page 4 | Thursday, August 29, 2018

Old Gold & Black | News

In Memoriam: Jessica Rivers

The campus community mourns the loss of psychology research assistant and master’s program alumnus Jessica Rivers.

Jessica passed away on July 2, and she is still remembered fondly by her colleagues, professors, friends and family members. Students struggling to cope with loss should contact the counseling center at 336-758-5273.

BY WILL MAY News Editor mayws16@wfu.edu

Jessica Rivers was a research assistant and graduate student in the Wake Forest Department of Psychology who passed away on July 2. She is remembered as a kind and hardworking student and researcher.

“We grieve Jessica Rivers’ death,” said the Office of Communications and External Relations in an email to the student body. “[We] extend our condolences to her family and friends, as well as those at Wake Forest who had the opportunity to know her.”

Jessica came to Wake Forest in the spring of 2017, after earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Radford University. Once there, she took part in a program that recruited students for master’s research, and interviewed with several professors to find a good fit. She soon began a research collaboration with Professor Christian Waugh.

“She was very, very kind,” he said. “And always willing to help people. She wasn’t very extroverted, but she always had a quick smile for people.”

Her master’s research covered an array of topics in psychology. Waugh said she was especially interested in studying the methods people use to cope with stressors; an endeavor that employed a variety of designs and analyses. She interviewed caregivers about their stressors, and even used virtual reality equipment in some of their experiments. She received her master’s degree in May 2019.

Her work in this area would assist her in her studies with Professor Eranda Jayawickreme, who was her supervisor for her Research Assistant position.

“She always had a ‘can do’ attitude,” said Jayawickreme. “And she always had kind words for people.”

He went on to say that her desire to help others persisted through her work as a research assistant, including personality change studies, the study of the factors that shape one’s identity. He said he also recalls his casual chats with Jessica fondly, saying that they would talk often about music festivals, and her favorite indie bands.

“She made me feel old,” he said lightheartedly.

Waugh said Jessica planned to attend physical therapy school after she finished working for the psychology department, which he characterized as a more handson approach to fulfilling her need to help people cope with the ailments of living.

Jessica worked as a research assistant through the summer of 2019, helping both undergraduates and her fellow graduate students, until her life was tragically cut short on July 2.

“She was a wonderful student. I was lucky to work with her and publish a paper with her,” Jayawickreme said. “It’s just such a shame. I don’t know how else to say it. To be honest, I feel like I’m still processing it.

I’m still trying to make sense of it.”

He also said he was planning to have a talk with his lab group the subsequent week to help them all cope. Waugh corroborated this sentiment, saying that everyone’s way of processing tragic events is unique.

“My way has been to really focus on appreciating the things that we did together,” Waugh said. “I like to think about how, for those two years that she was here, she was happy, and enjoyed it and felt fulfilled.”

A memorial service was held for Jessica on July 20, at Huff Funeral Home in East Bend, N.C. Department Chair Dr. Eric Stone organized a smaller memorial, for those who could not attend the former, in the psychology department on July 22.

Photo courtesy of gofundme page Jessica River’s Memorial Fund

Photo courtesy of gofundme page Jessica River’s Memorial Fund

News | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, August 29, 2019 |Page 5

Ferguson: Coach resigns from WFU Continued from Page 1

He pled not guilty on March 25, when he appeared in federal court in Boston, Mass., and was released on conditions, including bond and restricted travel.

“With the volleyball season about to begin, we appreciate and respect Bill’s wish to put the interests of the student-athletes and the program first,” Athletic Director John Currie said in the statement.

In the admissions scandal, dubbed “Operation Varsity Blues,” federal prosecutors allege that wealthy parents, such as actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin, bribed athletic coaches and standardized test insiders in order to gain admission for their children into elite universities, such as Yale, Stanford, Georgetown and the University of Southern California (USC).

According to the Winston-Salem Journal, Ferguson is one of 12 coaches, either at universities or private athletic groups, involved in the case. Some coaches have pled not guilty while others have pled guilty.

“I loved our time at Wake [Forest], and I believe the volleyball program is in very good shape for the future,” Ferguson said in the statement. “Wake [Forest] is a wonderful place. I am proud of the players Steven Senne/AP Photo and assistant coaches who came through our pro- Bill Ferguson appears before the federal court in the aftermath of Operagram and those currently here.” tion Varsity Blues, last year’s nationwide college admissions scandal.

Randi Smart will remain as the interim head coach. “[Smart] has done an excellent job of leading our ership of the program as we [prepared] for our first against Georgia last Saturday,and will officially begin its season on Aug. 30, with a game against Presstudent-athletes through this period of uncertainty,” home exhibition match.”

Currie said. “We are grateful for her continued leadThe volleyball team played an exhibition match byterian College.

Commission: Initiative tackles race on campus Continued from Page 1

“[It also includes] developing recommendations for credible opportunities to make Wake Forest a more welcoming community of learning for all students, staff and faculty.”

The commission is co-chaired by Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer José Villalba and Associate Dean for Faculty Recruitment, Diversity and Inclusion, Erica Still. Hatch clarified that it would be initiated along with the Committee on Slavery, Race and Memory, a project designed to accurately characterize the university’s relationship to slavery throughout history, and the Committee on the Intersection of Bias, Expression and Conduct, a coalition designed to re-evaluate the university’s response to bias incidents and freedom of expression.

This initiative is under some scrutiny from both students and faculty members, largely due to a number of racist instances, including a racist Instagram post and a resurfacing of old yearbook photos depicting students in blackface and current university deans posing in front of Confederate flags when they were students in the 1980s. The thoughts of many of the students and faculty were succinctly presented by Professor Joseph Soares of the Sociology department.

“There is racism on campus,” he said.

“And there is certainly an insensitivity on the part of the administration in responding to it in a public, transparent, and forthright way.”

Soares’ students in his Sociology 391: Social Memories: Nazi Holocaust and U.S. Civil War class collaborated with the rest of the sociology department and the Wake Forest School of Divinity to hold a commemorative event for the 1860 board of trustees’ auction of slaves for Wake Forest’s first endowment on May 7. A video of the event is on the divinity school’s Facebook page.

Soares said that he hopes the President’s Commission will address Wake Forest’s past, citing Georgetown University’s extensive scholarships and reparations programs for the 8000 descendants of their purchased slaves, indicating that Wake Forest should create a similar plan.

He also suggested they reconsider the various on-campus buildings named after racists and eugenicists, and the continued existence of the Kappa Alpha Order, a fraternity that honors Robert E. Lee, and known white supremacist Thomas Dixon, Jr., among other issues.

However, Soares also expressed a general skepticism about the President’s Commission, citing vague language in Hatch’s email and a lack of further concrete information.

“They haven’t been transparent about clarifying what the agenda is,” said Soares.

“Universities can sometimes actually address a problem through a commission like this, but commissions like this are also great ways to bury issues. You have a bunch of people who hold meetings and talk and look at all sides of a problem, and

Photo courtesy Wake Forest Archives and Special Collections

A number of enslaved men, women and children were used to pay for WFU’s first endowment in the 1800s. at the end of the day, make very few proposals for anything different.”

The lack of current information may be due to early timing of the announcement, as indicated by sophomore and student committee member Ally Swartzberg.

“The information is pretty vague right now,” she said. “I think President Hatch’s email was more of a cross-section of what they are trying to do.”

She said that while it was far too early to determine whether or not the commission would be effective, she expressed high hopes and a great deal of confidence in her

fellow committee members and advisers.

“I think the whole thing is going to have a big focus on well-being,” she said.

Students not involved in the committee have also expressed a cautious optimism.

“I think there’s always improvements that can be made. There’s no way one committee or one event is going to change the whole student body’s atmosphere,” said senior Jasmine Roby. “But a series of events, with a more open-minded process can. Once more people start thinking that way, a chain reaction can occur. I think that’s the key.”

Page 6 | Thursday, August 29, 2019

Old Gold & Black | News

Lawsuit: University denies neglect

Continued from Page 1

In the motion to dismiss the case, Fulton argues the dangerous incidents mentioned in the lawsuit were only fistfights.

She also argues that the university’s actions did not directly have anything to do with Baker’s death.

Fulton could not be immediately reached for comment.

Rhino Sports & Entertainment LLC also filed a written answer in July that denied allegations of neglect, the Journal reported.

In response to the motion to dismiss, one of Dixon’s attorneys, Jonathan Fazzola, argues that Wake Forest had plenty of warning to prepare for such an occurrence on campus, says the Winston-Salem Journal.

Fazzola and the original lawsuit cite

an external audit of Wake Forest police completed in August 2014, after black and minority students complained that university police were racist in their handlings of events hosted by minority groups.

According to the Journal, the report recommended several items, such as the insurance “that university law enforcement and administrators handle event management at the university and not students.” Fazzola argues that administrators ignore these recommendations.

Neither Fazzola nor Jay Ferguson, another attorney representing Dixon, could not be immediately reached for comment.

No trial date has been set.

The Barn has been closed to stuPhoto courtesy of Winston-Salem Journal Photo courtesy of Winston-Salem Journal dent events since last year following Jakier Austin is charged Malik Smith is charged with possession of a firearm. with the murder of Baker. the shooting.

Class of 2023 moves into the Forest On Wednesday, Aug. 21, a total of 1,371 first-year students moved into Wake Forest’s South Campus residence halls. The class was admitted from an applicant pool of almost 13,000; the freshmen comprise the fourth class of the past five in which fewer than 30 percent of applicants were admitted.

Photos courtesy of Wake Forest University Flickr

OPINION

T h u r s d ay, Au g u s t 2 9 , 2 019

PAG E 7

Online Editor:

at : w w w. w f u o g b . c o m

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The views expressed in all opinion columns represent those of the article’s author, not the opinions of the Old Gold & Black Editorial Board

“ take its climate cue from Europe The U.S. should Climate Change

If the United States wishes to continue to be a global leader, it must act on climate issues

Olivia Field

Staff Columnist fielor17@wfu.edu If you have logged onto any form of social media in the past few months, you’ve seen the posts and read the articles: “The Amazon rainforest is on fire. Here’s what that means for the environment”; “Record-shattering heat wave scorches Europe: ‘It’s scary. This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.’”; “Climate change: 12 years to save the planet? Make that 18 months.” And, if you are in any way like me, just reading these headlines sends you into a spiral of existential dread. I’ve been sharing said thoughts with friends and slowly realizing that we all have pretty similar opinions about the state of our planet (read: overwhelming panic) and the politics needed to fix it. Yet, at least in the United States, it often ends there.

This begs the question: Why is there no large-

We, as young Americans, are in a position to take the seeds that Thunberg has planted ... and finally begin demanding change ...” scale, grassroots-level environmental activism here in the United States?

I spent two and a half months in France this past summer, living through the two recordbreaking heat waves that plagued Europe.

Experiencing first-hand how much the high temperatures affected these countries, I was directly exposed to the results of our globe’s rising temperatures. Now, this isn’t necessarily the only impact of climate change that has hit home for me. As I am from Miami, the threat of rising sea levels is a pervasive point of discussion when talking about the future with family and friends.

Although equally worrisome, these two consequences of climate change have reverberated in radically different ways within their respective societies. In Miami, civil engineers are working to prevent as much damage as they can. With residents following in tow, local governments in Florida are recommending the usual: carpooling, the 3 R’s and planting trees. Meanwhile, in Europe, the reality of climate change has finally

given way to something much more powerful: widespread, consistent activism.

Started by Swedish student Greta Thunberg, Fridays for Future, also known as the School Strikes for Climate, have been taking place since August 2018. I saw the dedication to this movement while attending a French protest in May. I spoke with high schoolers who have been striking on Fridays for months straight and getting their parents to join them. Further, the environmental political party had the largest share of votes from younger generations in the recent European Union elections. Although hundreds of cities in the United States participated in the two global protests, held in March and May, our activism does not yet compare in terms of size and consistency to those in Europe. To bring it close to home, there have been no climate-focused protests or large-scale participation in Fridays for Future in WinstonSalem, a city filled with young people. On the flip side, there have been multiple protests in Afghanistan, Togo and Montenegro.

That being said, I am becoming more hopeful. There are more than 100 strikes planned in the United States for each coming month, compared to the 42 that were registered this past April. Even before these strikes began, the movement to divest from fossil fuels has taken hold on many college campuses. We, as young

Americans, are in a position to take the seeds that Thunberg has planted across the world and finally begin demanding change at the same level as our international counterparts.

In some ways, I can understand why we have not been a leading force in this movement. Our rights and safety are being threatened on many levels right now, from the lack of gun control to the passage of extreme anti-abortion laws. In other words, we are currently spread thin in an attempt to address the injustices in this country.

Even so, I implore you to consider the lack of regulations on fossil fuels, the lack of a Green New Deal and the lack of a climate-forward conscience within the federal government as a profound and unacceptable form of injustice.

With a president who is planning on pulling out of the Paris Accord and who skipped the G7 session about climate change in just this past week, we need this movement to take hold in the United States now more than ever.

The least you can do is vote. Vote for a 2020 presidential candidate who will fight for our future, as the present threat of climate change is becoming more and more unchangeable. However, I beg you to take your feelings of dread and frustration and channel them into this movement. There can never be enough pressure for positive change, so educate yourself and start to demand progress before it’s too late.

other celebrities. Piped into morning commutes across the nation, Maron earned himself a cult of fervent listeners.

A different structural example is Chris D’Elia, a relatively successful comedian, arguably funnier on his podcast, Congratulations with Chris D’Elia, than as a standup. On Congratulations, D’Elia becomes a cultural critic who embeds himself in the newest inanity, pedantically unleashing his thoughts on Kodak Black, Robert De Niro in Copland and various pointless ephemera. The visual element of Congratulations (there is a YouTube channel with clips from every episode called “Clips for the Babies”), allows D’Elia’s bug-eyed astonishment and kinetic instincts to appear in all their physical glory. Done with a dash of self-awareness, -effacement and -amusement, D’Elia comes across as lightly-calculated wingnut who never takes himself too seriously.

Although both Maron and D’Elia can convert you at first listen, they thrive as developing photographs. The longer the exposure, the sharper they come into view. Notable others, too, like Joe Rogan, Bill Burr, Tom Segura and Christina P., effortlessly convey themselves as tonal phenomena. The strange lightning of organic thought and, in Maron’s case, compelling conversational momentum, as opposed to the concision of a routine, forms a longer-lasting auditory communion. Speech, once it becomes an

almost immutable tone wrapped around a new set of words, registers as intimately funny instead of obliquely well-wrought.

As we adapt to the podcaster’s cadence, we achieve (or perceive) a more complex relationship with their mind. They become themselves (funny people), instead of just comedians, and they seem less like paid entertainment than long-term friends.

It’s no secret that great stand-ups are able to establish this quasi-kinship in the first few minutes, but the podcast seems to have either taken this skill and forced its evolution, or demanded a more genuine connection. For the same reasons we find our friends funny — their humor, twined with disparate personality traits — audiences cathect to the comedy podcast. Levity is shaded by implicit seriousness, a secret history that complicates the joke and the person. This knowledge is a kind of interpolation, and that the person allows it, trusts you with it, generates respect. The move from professional to person (or, as is probably partly the case, the persuasive illusion of such a move) becomes paramount to success. Either way, Maron and D’Elia are another reminder that it never hurts when performers include themselves among the painfully human. Flaubert said, “We must not touch our idols; the gilt sticks to our fingers.” He’s right, but maybe in this case it’s not such a bad thing.

“ Comedy transformed from concision to communion Evolution of Art

Podcasts have evolved comedy from rigid routines to extended conversations

Kyle Ferrer

Staff Columnist ferrka16@wfu.edu

It seems Shakespeare’s old bon mot about brevity and the soul of wit is going through a process of inversion.The comedy podcast, a new medium (at least compared to stand-up comedy) has helped bloom a new kind of intimacy between performer and consumer. Tight stage bits are less alluring and appear staid compared to the extended (and imagined) community of the 90-minute podcast.The old t-shirt slogan “it’s not a wrong note, it’s jazz,” is apt, because the comedic podcast is a form of improv, largely dependent on tone and manner, not always masterful articulation. The medium has become the lusterless lodestar of the comedic world whose quotidian, semi-precious brilliance defines instead of detracts from it. Appeal stems from glamorous and unglamorous moments alike, a mic’d up life

Tightly (or even loosely scripted) routines have collapsed into a preference for entertainers picking through their cluttered intellects.” compared to a polished confession from on high. Tightly (or even loosely) scripted routines have collapsed into a preference for entertainers picking through their cluttered intellects, and allowing their thoughts to ricochet around a room without regard for time or import. It sounds lazy and unwieldy, but it seems to create a more honest product. Tolerance for stand-up has waned in favor of regular, improvisational concerts hosted by very funny men and women.

I like to use Marc Maron and the emergence of his WTF podcast as an example.

An unwitting pioneer of the medium, Maron started WTF as a remedial career choice. He was a stalled comedian with moderate success and a bleak horizon, so he started interviewing people in his garage — mostly his funny, more successful friends — and publishing their conversations.

Soon, Maron’s free-wheeling monologues, colored by his acerbic tone and sensitivity, about politics, culture and the state of his personal life, allowed a listener unrestricted access to his kooky mind and sometimes, through brutal communion, the minds of

Opinion | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, August 29, 2019 | Page 8

Technology“degenerates the English language Language and Life

Our linguistic shorthand, aided by technology, has decreased our ability to emote

John Manos

Staff Columnist manojd18@wfu.edu In the present day, we see before us a seemingly idiotic and blasphemous dialect of English spoken among the general population. It is dictated with a degree of simplicity, brevity, but primarily stupidity that permeates through to our everyday life and interactions. There is nothing surreptitious about it, either. It’s a blatant, linguistic gesticulation of ignorance. Disguised as quick and concise, the manner in which we speak is breaking into a novel level of idiocracy. Accustomed to textmessage bubbles and social media captions, we speak in such a brief sense that we now lack all substantial components of an advanced language. Adjectives are reduced to profanity, pronouns to blanket phrases and conjunctions to double and triple-letter conglomerations.

A titanic portion of time has passed since many of us have completely typed out the phrases, “I do not know,” “what about you?” or “on my way.” We are now left with tiny congregations of consonants;

We see now before us a linguistic catastrophe, perpetuated by our ever-growing 'happy ignorance' as a vast and diverse population." they can claim allegiance neither to abbreviations nor acronyms. An American youth will reiterate the phrase “like” a dozen times before ever uttering an adjective of remotely sufficient merit. Whenever an intelligent, unfamiliar or even slightly composite word is introduced within a social group, however, it inflates immensely.

Much like a trend, it is used over and over by adolescents for hopes of sounding more intellectual, until it has lost all flavor, and its use then connotes abuse. We see now before us a linguistic catastrophe, perpetuated by our ever-growing "happy ignorance" as a vast and diverse population.

Dialect is a dynamic phenomenon.

It alters itself based on time period, region, mood, creativity, party and various other factors. Someone in Alabama does not use the same verbiage as someone in Massachusetts. Likewise, one born in the year 1619 would not have used the same dialogue as a millennial. It is largely subjective; however, our vehicle of communication appears to be becoming subjectively less intelligent. Is our Earth losing intelligence? I do not believe that this is the case. In my opinion, intelligence follows, partially, a law parallel to the Law of Conservation of Mass. To explain my point: intelligence, if to adhere to a cer-

tain metric, may very well exist eternally, in a fixed amount. This meaning that it can never be created nor destroyed. So, if the amount of intelligence on Earth is static, where is the rest of it nowadays? I am convinced that a good portion of it is now harbored in technology. Frequently referred to as "Artificial Intelligence," the technology that we utilize every day is evidently "smarter" than we (as can be seen as I type this piece and my computer is correcting every 11th word that I inscribe). Intelligence has not reduced itself … it has, instead, migrated elsewhere.

Is there a reason that we can’t talk anymore? Part of it has to do with our lack of smarts. But it also has to do with the fact that we’ve gotten so much lazier. Technology exists to make everything easier, and that’s exactly what it’s doing. Except it’s making everything dangerously easy.

Our phones, our computers, our watches put everything at our fingertips. This quickness is something that we’ve become accustomed to. We, especially those of us in the West, expect everything to come and go quickly. Conveniently. And language gets caught in the mix. What’s better about “K coming” than “Okay. I am coming”? It’s faster. We humans have gotten all caught up in beating time, and now our brilliant language of commerce and global interaction is turning into a garbage can of slang and symbols. Language isn’t for interaction anymore; it’s for communication. No more getting to know each other. Only getting to know the details. Because we don’t care about

each other. We only really care about the logistics.

On and on we hear how our phones and too much screen time is bad for us. But we don’t really know how bad.

It makes us more brief and less sincere.

A good example is thanking people.

"Thank You" notes used to be a pretty big thing. Now, a real, “Thank you so much for everything you do!” is turned into “ty.” “Okay, I appreciate it,” is now “K.” That’s not good. It feels insincere, if it feels at all. Noticing that language has gone from such an emotional thing to more of a type of communication is kind of sad, but it’s true, and it goes to show the direction we’re headed in. Our decline is easily seen through how stupidly we speak to each other.

To be honest, I do it too. I talk short.

It’s OK sometimes, but it’s still bad. Like i guess it’s bc of our surroundings and stuff. The world has gotten faster, more developed. What do we expect? Idk. It’s weird. Real weird. I wish English werelike it used to be. The connection between ppl was important, but we lost it, and that like really sucks. R we getting stupider? If so, what happens if we keep getting so stupid? Probably something real bad. Imagine if we, like, continue on this slope? I wonder what can happen from it? Scary thought. idk. I like used to think it was nbd, but now im kinda scared its gonna end up bad. I’m worried. I’m concerned. R u?

Greta’s newfound prominence in the public eye coincided with a summer that brought some of the most extreme weather Europe has ever seen. Record, deadly heat engulfed the continent the past two months; for example, the high temperature in Paris reached 109 degrees one day in late July. Yet like most Americans, most Europeans hold tight to their driving and consumption habits. While over time, more of the public has come to understand anthropogenic climate change — only 13 percent of Americans and fewer Europeans say that human activity is “not responsible at all” for global warming — most climate activism hasn’t proven enough to translate belief into action. Provocations and disruptions are needed. Esoteric scientific analyses of what will happen to our planet when the concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere rises above 400 parts per million simply don’t rally the public to demand more from their elected officials as powerfully as the looming specter of self-extinction.

Herein is a new practice that Greta and other major climate activists, particularly in Europe, have come to embrace. It’s known as shifting the Overton window, or the range of ideas tolerated in public discourse. When the political landscape shifts in startling ways, what was once an obscure idea gains relevance and falls

into the window of political possibility. Grassroots mobilizers like Greta, not politicians, are often the best at expanding the Overton window because they are unafraid of bold, new ideas.

It’s the job of politicians to understand where the Overton window lies. Broadening the debate is by far the best way to turn climate policy from nibbling at the problem in a miserly way to actually solving it. While some may deride Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) for the supposed impracticality of the Green New Deal, part of the point of ambitious action like their resolution is to put a finger on the pulse of what the public will support. The answer is much more than what the lackluster pace of climate policy progress would have you believe; data proves that the vast majority of Americans support the decarbonization of the electricity sector.

By and large, the people have not yet been heard above the consolidated wealth and power of the entrenched energy industries. But as the impacts of climate change become more obvious and immediate, we will need to start demanding a lot more from our leaders and prove to them that the Overton window has shifted dramatically. Those who are finally heard will sound a lot like Greta Thunberg.

“ animates lagging climate action Radical candor Present Dangers

The catalyst for environmental protection comes from the reality of imminent extinction

Amanda Wilcox

Staff Columnist wilcaf16@wfu.edu

Last August, then-15-year-old Greta Thunberg of Sweden decided not to attend school until that year’s general parliamentary elections in order to bring attention to the wildfires and heat waves that had accompanied her country’s hottest summer in 262 years. Instead, every day for three weeks during school hours, she sat outside of the Riksdag, Sweden’s Parliament, protesting the fact that the Swedish government had not done enough to reduce carbon emissions in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement. The leaflets that she handed out read, “I’m doing this because you adults are sh*tting on my future.”

Children in other European capitals joined her. “Fridays for Future,” as the hundreds of weekly school strikes across the globe have come to be called, have given Greta worldwide prominence.

She has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize, helped to lift the European

Broadening the debate is by far the best way to turn climate policy from nibbling at the problem in a miserly way to actually solving it."

Greens in elections across the continent, addressed the United Nations climate conference in Poland and met Pope Francis. Yesterday, she arrived in New York Harbor after a two-week journey sailing across the Atlantic in a zero-carbon racing yacht to speak at the United Nations Climate Summit (she refuses to fly due to the carbon emissions associated with commercial jets).

So, what has made Greta one of the world’s first political leaders born this century (as well as a lightning rod for criticism from conservative climate change deniers, despite being a 16-yearold girl with Asperger’s syndrome)? Her politics rests on two extraordinarily effective tenets. First: simplification. “The climate crisis has already been solved,” she said at a TED Talk in Stockholm this year. “We already have the facts and solutions. All we have to do is wake up and change.” Second is sowing panic, as she explained at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland last year. “I want you to act as you would in a crisis,” she said. “I want you to act as if our house is on fire. Because it is.”

SPORTS

T H U R S D AY, A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 9

PAG E 9

Online at: www.wfuogb.com Twitter: @sports_ogb Editor: Rafael Lima, limara17@wfu.edu

OLD GOLD & BLACK

Men's soccer is ready for another championship run After two preseason wins, the Deacs look to keep their winning ways for the start of the season

BY JAMES BLOOD Contributing Writer bloojj18@wfu.edu Is 2019 the year the Wake Forest Demon Deacons return to the National Championship in men’s soccer? Four-time and reigning ACC Coach of the Year, Bobby Muuss, has all the building blocks for a championship team: experience, new talent, rising stars and a winning culture.

Over the past four years Wake Forest has had the best record of any program in the country, winning four ACC Atlantic titles, two ACC tournament titles and two Hermann Trophies (college soccer’s version of the Heisman). Despite the tremendous level of success, the Deacons have not won a National Championship since 2007. After a disappointing early playoff loss in the NCAA tournament in 2018, the question for 2019 is if the Deacs can rebound and get over the final hump to capture their first National Championship of the Muuss era.

Wake Forest lost four starters from last season including Hermann trophy semifinalist and ACC Offensive Player of the Year Omir Fernandez who signed with

the New York Red Bulls. Fernandez had 12 goals and six assists for the Deacs in 2019 and dazzled spectators with his creative and imaginative play. Luckily for Wake Forest, they have developed a program that reloads, not rebuilds. Highlighting the freshman class is national Gatorade Player of the Year Omar Hernandez from Dalton, Ga. Hernandez scored 16 goals and had 17 assists in route to a state championship in his senior season.

Returning contributors for the Deacons include senior midfielder Bruno Lapa, who won the ACC Midfielder of the Year award last season and was a Hermann Trophy semifinalist. Lapa recorded 10 goals and nine assists in 2018 and is expected to be one of the top players in the country this upcoming season. On the defensive side, redshirt junior Michael DeShields is a key name to watch out for along with seniors Alistair Johnson and Eddie Folds. After starting 13 games last season, sophomore midfielder Aristotle Zarris is expected to take a larger role on the team and build on his freshman campaign in which he had five goals and five assists.

Senior goalkeeper Andreu Cases Mundet, who previously played for FC Barcelona’s U19 team, is back for Wake Forest but has been banged up this preseason. If he is unable to play redshirt, sophomore Andrew Pannenberg is expected to start.

National preseason polls have the Deacs cluding one with two minutes remaining in ranked fourth in the country (with 4 out the game. While the preseason games were of 27 first place votes) and as the highest not overwhelming victories, they did provide a valuable experience for the team. ranked team in the ACC. The Deacons open up the season on FriOverall, the ACC has four teams in the top 10 and six in the top 25. The ACC is day night against UCF and open up ACC widely considered to be the best conference play on Sept. 13 against Pitt. With the comin the country this upcoming season. In the bination of an accomplished head coach, ACC preseason coaches poll Wake Forest returning stars and bright newcomers, the was picked to win the Atlantic division and sky's the limit for the Wake Forest Demon received one vote to win it all. UNC received Deacons and this very well may be the year nine out of 12 first place votes, while Duke they break through and win the ultimate and Virginia each received a vote. Wake For- prize. est faces tough competition on the journey for an ACC title, but if the past few years are any indication, the Deacs are up for the challenge.

Wake Forest played two games during the preseason winning both by one goal. The first game against Furman featured a thrilling finish as sophomore Kyle Newcomb scored with under five minutes left in the game to give the Deacs a 2-1 victory. Wake Forest’s first goal came off a corner kick in the 58th minute. Michael Deshields headed the ball into the net off of Omar Hernandez’s pass.

Wake Forest's second game ended in a 3-2 victory over Army. The Deacs got off to a 3-0 lead after goals by Justin McMaster, Zarris and Lapa. The first two goals were scored Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications within the first 10 minutes of the match while the last was scored in the 64th minute. Sophomore Kyle Holcomb scored the Army answered back with two late goals in- game-winning goal against Furman.

Premier League roundup: Liverpool stays at the top Through three weeks of fixtures in the Premier League, the Reds are the only team with a perfect winning percentage

BY RAFAEL LIMA Sports Editor limara17@wfu.edu

The beginning of the 2019-2020 Premier League had a familiar feel to how the competition ended last season, with both Liverpool and Manchester City going on incredible runs that saw both teams pile up blowout wins along the way.

It surely seemed to be the case early during opening week, in which both teams won their affairs by at least three goals of difference. However, thanks to a City 2-2 draw at home against what seemed to be an overmatched Tottenham squad in match week two and Liverpool’s latest 3-1 crushing of Arsenal at home, the Reds sit atop the Premier League table with nine points through three games. Here’s what happened in the Premier League’s third week of fixtures.

Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal A fresh new Arsenal squad with the additions of forward Nicolas Pépé, midfielder Dani Ceballos and center-back David Luiz looked to avenge the 5-1 trouncing they suffered the last time they visited Anfield in 2018. However, this time around, although there were some positive signs to take from the 3-1 loss, like Pépé’s performance, the overall result did not change much from one year to the other.

Liverpool controlled much of the game and was the side constantly creating attacking opportunities. The

Reds had a total of 25 shots on goal against only nine

by Arsenal. Forward Mohamed Salah gave fits to the Gunners’ defense all match long, to the point that David Luiz, not being able to stop the Egyptian, clearly dragged him down by his shirt inside the penalty area.

The referee awarded the penalty kick, and Salah scored the first goal of what would become a brace for the Egyptian in an easy win for Liverpool.

Norwich 2-3 Chelsea The Blues finally got their first win under new manager and club legend Frank Lampard in what was arguably the game of the week at Norwich City. Chelsea struck first with a beautiful finish by striker Tammy Abraham after a cross into the middle of the penalty area by right-back César Azpilicueta. Norwich delivered a blow on their own only three minutes later with Teemu Pukki assisting Todd Cantwell for an easy finish next to the left post. Chelsea would strike again with another youngster, this time around with a brilliant dribble across the penalty area by midfielder Mason Mount, who ultimately notched the ball in the right corner of the goal, giving no chance to Norwich’s keeper Tim Krul. Yet, Norwich leveled the score once again with a finish past Chelsea's keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga to the left side.

The Finnish forward has been having an amazing start of the season for Norwich. After three matches, he is tied with Raheem Sterling from Man City for most goals in the league with five. He has also been directly involved, either scoring or assisting, in all six goals scored by Norwich in the Premier League.

However, Pukki’s heroics were ultimately not enough to secure points at home against Chelsea. In the 68th minute, Abraham dribbled past Norwich defenders Ben Godfrey and Jamal Lewis with ease just outside the penalty area. He then shot in Krul’s backfoot toward the left side to put Chelsea up 3-2 and seal the victory for his squad. This was the first time an English player scored a brace for Chelsea since Frank Lampard did it himself back in 2012. Despite the Chelsea victory, both teams should feel really good about this game.

Norwich has proved so far that it has enough firepower to compete to remain in the Premier League, while Chelsea is seeing its academy players rising to the occasion in a tumultuous transfer ban year.

See Soccer, Page 12

Photo by David T. Foster, III/Charlotte Observer/MCT

Liverpool fans standing and cheering on their squad during a friendly match in Charlotte, N.C.

Page 10 | Thursday, August 29, 2019

Old Gold & Black | Sports

Welcome our neighbors on opening night Editor's note: this letter was published on behalf of the Athletics Department.

Dear Wake Foresters: Welcome back to Mother So Dear! As I told the Freshman Class last Thursday at Deacon Olympics, I’m a freshman too as I begin my first year as your Director of Athletics. Of course, I’m not new to Wake Forest — I am a proud member of the class of ’93 — yet Wake Forest has evolved quite a bit! I’m amazed at the growth of the campus and the breadth of the student body, drawn from across the country and the globe. One thing that remains constant, though, is the Wake Forest spirit. I’m proud to return to my alma mater and find that Wake Foresters still care about each other and our community.

Dr. Hatch welcomed the freshman class last Friday with these words: “Generations of students have found this place generous, inviting and hos-

pitable.” He went on to say hospitality “implies a place of safety and refuge for the stranger or person in need. Hospitality means extending welcome to those who, for whatever reason, may feel that they are strangers.”

On Friday we celebrate a new football season with a festive Opening Night against an excellent Utah State team. I welcome all students to come early and showcase Deacon pride to a national audience on the new ACC Network. For your entertainment, we have a free live pregame concert in the new I’m a Fan Zone on the west side of the stadium next to the Deacon Stadium, featuring the Big Daddy Love Band, beginning at 5:00 p.m. We’ll also salute the Class of 2023 as they Wake the Demons and then charge onto the field pregame and Open The Gates for our football team.

And, we are honored to welcome Winston-Salem State University’s award-winning “Red Sea of Sound” Marching Band to join with the Spirit of the Old Gold and Black in a historic halftime per-

formance! Generous Deacon Club members have purchased tickets to host our student, faculty and staff neighbors from WSSU, and we are excited to have a packed stadium to kick off the season!

Wake Forest football is a great way to bring the entire Winston-Salem community together. With Vice President of Campus Life Penny Rue, I ask you to extend the warmest welcome to our Winston-Salem State and Utah State guests by opening up your tailgates, making introductions to your friends, celebrating the talents of the Red Sea of Sound and showing our neighbors the right time to cheer “Go Deacs” during the fight song. We look forward to seeing you at BB&T Field on Friday night!

Go Deacs!

Sincerely, John Currie (Athletic Director) & Penny Rue (Vice President for Campus Life)

MLB: Awards race intensifies at the end of the season As the 2019 MLB regular season approach- AL Cy Young es its conclusion, emerging players rank This race might be one of the more unusual among familiar faces in the awards races in recent memory. Those who lean primarily on

BY REN SCHMITT Print Managing Editor schmwm16@wfu.edu

With just about a month remaining in the 2019 MLB regular season, the herd of players with legitimate shots at an end-of-season award has thinned. Just like any year, the list of remaining candidates in 2019 features perennial MVP-caliber players — looking at you, Mike Trout — and a healthy smattering of breakout stars.

AL MVP Speaking of Trout, the Angels centerfielder stands alone ahead of the pack in the AL. He has finished first or second in MVP voting in all but one of his previous seven full seasons, and he will almost definitely walk away with his third AL MVP award this season. He leads all of baseball in home runs, OBP and fWAR, and his 181 wRC+ would be tied for the second-highest of his career.

Trout is still as good as he has ever been, if not better.

NL MVP Despite recent stories suggesting that a potential 40-40 season from Ronald Acuña, Jr. could carry him to an MVP award, this one is still a twohorse race between Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger. Bellinger edges Yelich out by a slim margin in fWAR, 6.9 to 6.7, primarily due to a favorable valuation of Bellinger’s defense. Yelich’s bat has been slightly better — his 171 wRC+ leads the NL — but if the two finish with such similar numbers, expect Bellinger to take home the hardware. Awards voters usually favor players on playoff teams, and Bellinger’s Dodgers are historically great, while Yelich’s Brewers continue to slide out of the NL Central race.

21 homers and managed a .329/.420/.703 slash line. Alvarez’s production will be tough for anyone in the AL to catch, so the 22-year-old slugger will likely add another award to the Astros’ growERA to evaluate pitchers might assume that Jus- ing trophy cabinet. tin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Charlie Morton — each of whom boast ERAs near or below 3.00 NL ROY — are the clear leaders. Advanced metrics, however, muddy the water. The WAR formula at FanWhile the Mets’ season has seen its obligatory Graphs and Baseball Reference each rank one of share of ups and downs, one consistent bright the Rangers’ surprising performers atop the board.

At Baseball Reference, Mike Minor leads the pack spot has been rookie first baseman Pete Alonso. with 7.0 bWAR, with Justin Verlander in second Alonso will take home the NL Rookie of the at 6.0 bWAR. FanGraphs rates Lance Lynn as the Year award by a landslide on the back of his 148 league’s most valuable pitcher with 5.8 fWAR, wRC+ and franchise-record-breaking 42 home with Cole ranking second at 5.2 fWAR. Realisti- runs. Had budding superstar shortstop Fernando cally, most voters will probably go the safe route Tatis Jr. stayed healthy, this race may have gotten and select one of Cole, Verlander or Morton, but interesting, but now, “Polar Bear Pete” will beexpect Lynn and Minor to steal some votes from come the Mets’ first ROY since deGrom in 2014. the more analytically-inclined BBWAA members.

In short, this is a wide-open race.

NL Cy Young Though not quite as crowded as the AL Cy Young race, there are cases to be made for multiple pitchers in the NL. Hyun-Jin Ryu stands out as the favorite, and it’s justified. Ryu leads all of baseball with a 2.00 ERA, and if his ERA dips below 2.00 again before season’s end, voters will have trouble denying him first-place votes. Should his ERA inflate a bit, though, Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom would receive real consideration.

Scherzer leads the NL with a 2.18 FIP and 5.7 fWAR, and deGrom, the reigning Cy Young winner, has recovered nicely from a somewhat slow start, posting a 2.56 ERA on the season with an 11.50 K/9. It is Ryu’s race to lose, but with an ERA as low as his, one bad start could shake the race up considerably.

AL ROY Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s victory in this category seemed preordained before the season, but his weak first half left the door open for Astros rookie Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times/TNS DH Yordan Alvarez, who has been nothing short Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout of incredible. In just 60 games, Alvarez has slugged is poised to win his third AL MVP award.

Sports | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, August 29, 2019 | Page 11

Spotlight: Justin McMaster

BY RAFAEL LIMA Sports Editor limara17@wfu.edu

Coming out of Kingston, Jamaica, Justin McMaster was a highly-touted recruit with offers from soccer giants such as Wake Forest, Clemson, Virginia and Villanova. McMaster has represented Jamaica in both the U-15 and U-17 CONCACAF Championship, attended the U.S. U-18 National Team Camp in 2016 and played amateur soccer in the U.S. for the Philadelphia Union Academy. During his freshman year, he showed some promising runs with assists in each of his first two matches at the collegiate level.

He finished his freshman year with two goals and three assists. His sophomore season saw another jump in production with six goals and four assists in 18 games. He had game-winning goals against Clemson and No. 6 Virginia, both games on the road.

However, his second year was hampered by injuries, which prevented him from notching even better numbers. Now, in 2019, he expects to capitalize on a healthy summer and help bring a national championship back to Wake Forest for the first time since 2007.

Rafael Lima: We’re just two days away from the begining of soccer season. What are your expectations for the first game against UCF and for the season in general?

Justin McMaster: I have good expectations. I believe that the team is really prepared. We had a tough preseason and went through some tough training. I feel like this has helped us to be ready to go up against UCF. RL: Is there anything specific that you all have to pay attention or try to limit from UCF’s game?

JM: We went over the film and we know how they play. We have some expectations about [the way they play].

During our training we tried to prepare for them, for their playing style and [during] the game we’ll just have to adapt to them.

RL: In 2018, you had a season full of ups and downs with some brilliant mo-

ments, but also some injury problems.

How do you think this upcoming season will unfold for you?

JM: I’m hoping to have a good season, a strong season. I’m just focusing on staying healthy because that is the most important thing [due] to how short the season is, [especially] the NCAA [tournament]. Overall, just trying to stay health and getting into a good groove scoring goals and helping our team to move forward.

RL: The men’s soccer team seems to have a really good connection on and off the pitch. Do you spend a lot of time together outside of training and the classroom?

JM: Yeah, outside of the classroom, if we’re not trainning, you know, the guys come over to play FIFA and play some video games. We also go get food [together] and we all talk [to each other], so we definitely have a strong relationship on the team.

to have all the talent needed to do it.

What is the team’s mindset for 2019?

JM: Our mindset for this year is just being disciplined. We have a disciplined mindset. We’re working hard for each other on and off the field. Just showing respect for ourselves and always respecting our opponents [by] just giving each oppoent our very best every single time.

RL: Is there anything that you would like people to know about the men’s soccer team that they might not know on the surface?

JM: We have some very humble guys. If y o u see us

RL: Your been pretty to winning it all in the past and you definitely seem

team has close

Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica Class: Junior Accomplishments - Played for Jamaica in the

2013 CONCACAF U-15 Championship and the 2015 U-17 CONCACAF Championship - Attended the 2016 U.S. U-18 National Team Camp - Scored eight goals and seven assists in 38 collegiate games played

RL: Which team do you play with on FIFA? JM: I use Bayern Munich. They have some skillers and some pace on the side like [winger] Kingsley Coman and they also have [Robert] Lewandowski up top to finish off the goals. So, that’s pretty good for me.

RL: Who are you most excited to play alongside this season?

JM: I think I’m most excited to play alongside Machop Chol up top. He and I have a strong connection. We have good chemistry. We’re both attack-minded players. We like to move forward. I feel like we would play well together.

Personal Profile

-ACC champion in both 2016 and 2017

walki n g around campus you can always come and talk with us. Yeah, I’d say we’re very down-to-earth.

I think this has a lot to do with the mix of a lot of cultures on our team.

We got people from all different types of countries.

I feel like we have a good mix of people.

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Deac Notes Women’s soccer defeats No. 19 Santa Clara 2-1

Football team prepares for long-awaited opening night

With scores by Estelle Laurier and Abby McNamara the Deacs got their second win of the season against 19th-ranked Santa Clara. Wake Forest jumped out to an early lead with a pair of goals and counted on their goalkeeper Mac Carmichael to hold off a late surge by the Broncos. Carmichael recorded five saves en route to securing the win after conceding only one goal.

The Wake Forest football team is putting the finishing touches on their preparation for their Friday night clash against Utah State at BB&T Field. The expectation is to have a huge crowd for the opening night game with a flyover show during pregame activies and a fireworks show at the end of the fourth quarter. The Demon Deacons enter the season on the back of a third-straight bowl game victory.

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Photo courtesy of Wake Forest Athletic Communications

Thursday, August 29, 2019 |Page 12

Old Gold & Black | Sports

NBA: Super duo under scrutiny in Houston After a busy offseason full of trades and free agency movements, no new pairing intrigues more than the one in Houston

BY NIKO KOLEV Staff Writer kolens18@wfu.edu

For NBA fans, the 2019 summer offseason trades and player contracts/extensions have left the the NBA landscape feeling entirely fresh and full of possibilities. All-stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant look to be one of the biggest superstar duos the league has ever seen once Durant returns from a ruptured right Achilles tendon. With Anthony Davis being traded to the Lakers to be paired up with LeBron, a new pair forming on the Clippers in Paul George and Kawhi Leonard and many other pairings it seems that superstar duos are the way to go in the league now.

Despite all the glimmer and hype that these duos have generated, not every newly-formed duo has as bright of a future as the ones residing in Los Angeles. The new duo under scrutiny is formed by former Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook who joined James Harden in Houston. One word haunts the careers of both Harden and Westbrook: inconsistency.

Harden has cemented himself as an MVP-caliber regular season player that can lead a top-seeded team in the stacked Western Conference. But, as the playoffs have shown us over the years, his production and efficiency considerably dips during postseason

play. In the 2016-2017 postseason, one that saw the Rockets take the reigning champion Warriors to the brink of elimination in a seven-game series, Harden’s game was brilliantly complimented by players like Eric Gordon, Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green. Ariza averaged 44 percent on his pull up 3-pointers that postseason and Gordon averaged 47.7 percent per NBA stats on catch and shoot opportunities beyond the arc. Part of what made Houston’s offense so successful during the 2016-2017 regular season and playoffs was that Harden was surrounded by lightsout shooters who were ready to shoot and spread the floor. He also had a surprising spark plug addition to the team in Gerald Green.

Flash forward to 2019, and Harden was playing much more isolation ball and did not have the same kind of sharpshooting core around him. This made Houston’s offense come to a complete standstill as Harden tried to flounder his way to a foul or burp up a wasted shot opportunity.

The real issues for the 2019-2020 season will be who, between Westbrook and Harden, will take the ball handling responsibilities, and will Westbrook be able to step up and improve his 3-point shooting percentage? Westbrook’s overall 3-point percentage for the playoffs in 2019 was an abysmal 33 percent, per NBA stats. His issue is simply that he takes too many risky shots early in the shotclock. His issues are not limited to the 3-point line either, with his overall field goal percentage being a sad 36 percent. He has the energy and intensity to be a great addition to the team if he gives his all on the defensive end and plays

much smarter and more team-oriented on the offensive. However, it’s hard to say whether Houston will be able to overcome Westbrook’s negative tendencies and persevere, but a change of pace and scenery could be good for him.

Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT

Harden and Westbrook were teammates in Oklahoma, but their chemistry was questionable.

Soccer: Premier League giants disappoint at home Continued from Page 9 Two teams that should feel less optimistic about this week’s results are Manchester United and Tottenham.

Both were expected to score some points with easy home fixtures against Crystal Palace and Newcastle respectively.

United dominated all facets of its game against Crystal Palace with more ball possession (71.3 percent), more shots created (22 against three by Palace) and more passes (568 against 231).

Yet, when it comes to shot on goals, they tied Palace with only three. A missed penalty kick by Rashford and a defensive miscue by star keeper David De Gea in stoppage time encapsulate what was a frustrating Saturday afternoon at Old Trafford in a 2-1 loss to Crystal Palace. Manchester United will now focus its attention to an away matchup against Southhamptom at St. Mary’s Stadium.

Spurs, much like the Red Devils, had the upper hand

Jeff Wheeler/Minneapolis Star Tribune/TNS

Tottenham suffered an extremely disappointing home loss to a weak Newcastle squad.

statistically against Newcastle throughout the whole match. However, a lack of finishing touch to deliver on some promising attacking opportunities saw the North London squad unable to capitalize on its superiority against an overmatched Newcastle. A perfect cross by Newcastle’s midfielder Christian Atsu to striker Joelinton was all it took for the visitors to jump ahead by 1-0 early in the first half, and the goal ultimately proved to be enough to secure Newcastle’s first win of the season.

Bournemouth 1-3 Manchester City Manchester City, on the other hand, had another routine win against Bournemouth, 3-1. Striker Sergio Agüero received a bounce pass from midfielder Kevin De Bruyne to open the score for City with an easy finish from the penalty mark. This was De Bruyne’s fourth assist of the season, leading all players in the category so far. Sterling increased the visitors’ lead with a well-placed shot past goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, after a nice feed by midfielder David Silva. Bournemouth was able to cut back City’s lead back to one thanks to an absolutely perfect free kick on the 48th minute by midfielder Harry Wilson, who placed the ball in the top right corner giving no chance to City’s goalkeeper Ederson Moraes.

Wilson’s efforts, though, were not enough to avoid the defeat as Agüero sealed the 3-1 win another tap in from the goal area. Manchester City will face next Brighton and Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium looking to close the two-point game separating them from leaders, Liverpool.

Matchweek four will open on Saturday, August 31 with Southampton hosting Manchester United at 7:30 a.m. ET on NBC Sports. The most anticipated matchup of this upcoming week should be Arsenal against Tottenham at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, with both teams trying to rebound from bad results. This game will be broadcast by both NBC Sports and Telemundo at 11:30 a.m. ET.

Photo by Imago/ZUMA Press/TNS

Both De Bruyne and Silva were instrumental in Manchester City`s triumph over Bournemouth.

LIFE

T H U R S D AY, A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 9

PAG E 13

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at : w w w. w f u o g b . c o m e d i t o r : E m i l y B e a u c h a m p , b e a u e a 17 @ w f u . e d u

OLD GOLD & BLACK

Tarantino, Aster’s movies are sub-par Both Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood and Ari Aster’s Midsommar bore many summer movie-goers with their leaden scenes

BY KYLE FERRER Opinion Editor ferrka16@wfu.edu

Summer, traditionally, is a cinematic wasteland. All that the squinting eyes and coiled, sweaty necks see are mirages of art inside an icy darkness. So instead of picking through the dumpster, I want to highlight two films worth scrutinizing through the bacon-waved air.

These films, Ari Aster’s Midsommar and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood, make for an interesting comparison and analysis. They are both distinctly mediocre and are examples of a creative feast becoming too rich to digest. Though I hesitate to assail Aster and Tarantino, especially amidst the tumble of refuse, they are two proven artists who have previously delivered welcome oases. It was inevitable that any new work would be ravenously consumed by art-moviegoers who now wander, starving, through a carnival of Marvel’s explosions.

Films obsessed with milieu, whether that milieu is fictional or historical, always provide a specific happiness. One can admire the creative virtuosity of Beetlejuice just as much as the historical veracity of Lincoln.

Both types of film sing with the positive energy of the artist, animated by an assiduous intellect and creative enthusiasm. The theatrical result clamps down on the medium with vigor, a hold that slowly leaks atmosphere onto audiences and characters alike, joining all in a nearly imperceptible symbiosis. Both Tarantino and Aster’s new films create these environments of intense artistic commitment, but either crowd them with dialogue or belabor them into obsolescence.

It is well known that intertextuality for Tarantino is a kind of climbing fever. The director wears his influences on his sleeve, and so rangy is his nerdy fiefdom

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

that one marvels at the superfluity, secretly fist-pumping when they sort out a reference. The film-historical lives in the sensational and the lurid, producing artistic novelty where before there existed an appreciable but remote act of formalism. This makes his environments at once immersive and slightly evasive, though ultimately creating a gestalt of perverse academic gratitude where the visceral machinations are sharpened by the director’s encyclopedic mind.

Knowing this made me giddy with anticipation when I heard about Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood, Tarantino’s new film, released July 26. Hollywood history, late-sixties L.A., the Manson murders — all elements that seemed to promise the formative friction of a now-sanitized culture. If nothing else, the film’s conceit prickled a queer, collective nostalgia I hoped would be innervated with the director’s signature flourishes.

Aster, known for the switch-backing menace of 2018’s Hereditary, relies on disparate convictions, smolderingly sinister visual concoctions oozing a kind of Venetian rot à la Thomas Mann or Nicholas Roeg.

Slowly involving vision through steps of ritualistic immersion, his films are like an incessant chanting, mesmerizing viewers through the strange inevitability of creative dominion. Aster is the filmmaker of encroachment, releasing incoming circles that blot out all other artists, letting us in on his creative secret.

Like Tarantino, Aster’s films authenticate themselves through commitment to aesthetics and high-brow creative indulgence. And like Tarantino’s, Aster’s newest film, Midsommar, becomes a tedious, leaden bore.

I knew nothing about Aster’s film, but remembered fondly the imminent dread and refined species of fear he created just a summer before in Hereditary. The new film, about a group of students who travel to Sweden to observe and partake in the summer rituals of a rural community, is a different experience from the nerdy whir of Tarantino’s film.

But I came out of each thinking vaguely the same thing. Each was a bloated, pain-staking behemoth fed out of control by willing producers and undisciplined directors. Once Upon a Time suffers from multiple twenty-five-minute-plus, set-piece scenes, meant to

be, above all, humorous. The disappointment? The scenes aren’t funny. Tarantino’s calling-card, violence, is belated and too-heavily deployed, as if Tarantino realized, by the end of a dithering, dialogue-driven film, that he didn’t sate audience’s hunger for his slapstick carnage. So, by injecting his resolution with some smash-mouth choreography, he avoids chagrin, although not quite.

Midsommar remained interesting longer, mostly because of the film’s commitment to slow-marching dread. Whereas Tarantino’s films fling themselves across the theater, Aster’s settle in our bones. That is, until around the hour-and-forty-five-minute mark of Midsommar, where incoherence ceases to engross and topples into endless, desultory confusion. Left holding a tense position for too long, I eventually broke into quivers, and then eventually into a resigned blob.

Because there was no payoff. The film is so experimental it balloons into nonsense. Tarantino’s, the opposite; he found a subject he loves so much that fell into the trap of talking too much about it, unable to transport the compelling novel in his mind onto the screen. Scenes dragged, actors worked to make them not drag, and yet they fitfully dragged, crackling with the wit of a marshland. Aster’s epoch-length sequences without a word tipped over, past a fever pitch, into death, where the living stopped caring so long ago they remarried and had kids.

A comparison of Midsommar and Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood is useful because of the uniqueness of each’s failure. They represent two divergent visions of film that have, in the past, busted onto the landscape and altered or stimulated discourse. While one director sees film as a continuum of influence, musing on the historical with almost conspiratorial specificity, the other uses a tenuously-historical phenomenon to incorporate his mind’s lurid psychedelia, riffing on nothing other than his own writhing creations and duplicative imaginings. One is a revolutionary whose knowledge of the regime is so comprehensive as to upend it, another is a student with a terrible grade-point average whose mind operates with a childish insolence and a painter’s instinct for color. Both, unfortunately, this summer, failed at creating rousing works of art.

Old Gold & Black | Life

Page 14 | Thursday, August 29, 2019

Album Review | Immunity

THE HOT Clairo pours emotion into music LIST Immunity maintains dreaminess and it shows artist’s growth

BY OLIVIA FIELD Staff Writer fielor17@wfu.edu When Clairo released her debut album Immunity in August, it had been exactly two years since she uploaded the minimalist music video that led her song “Pretty Girl” to go viral. Although the intoxicatingly girly voice and intimate style of delivery that defines her early music have not been abandoned, Immunity has established Clairo as a mature and thoughtful creator.

Under the stage name Clairo, Claire Cottrill has been creating music since she was an early teen. Now 21, Cottrill has not only matured as an individual, but as an artist. This can be heard almost immediately in the first track of the album, “Alewife.” Somewhat abandoning the constraining “bedroom pop” style she was known for, “Alewife” is a delicate combination of polished piano playing, rhythmic drums and crisp vocals. Even further, it tells the story of a friend stopping her from commiting suicide — creating a new foundation for more storytelling in her songs.

This growth, both musically and lyrically, was distilled and perfected through the help of producer Rostam. Having previously worked with Frank Ocean, Danielle Haim and being a former member of Vampire Weekend, Rostam

is a powerful force of musical genius (to say the least). With Immunity, you can see how his particular touch takes Cottrill’s talent to another level — he brings her vocals to the forefront, rather than hiding them behind the instrumentals; he clarifies the strums of Cottrill’s guitar that were often muddled in her early tracks. Simply, Rostam elevated many of the elements already present in her music.

Released as singles, “Bags” and “Sofia” are standout tracks that show just how well Cottrill and Rostam work together.

While they are both about her growing into her sexuality and her first experience with a girl, they each take a different path. “Bags” is much more serious — the lyrics seeping with worries about telling a friend how she feels, and that person ultimately leaving because they don’t feel the same way. Harkening back to “4EVER,” “Sofia” is much more playful. In a tweet, Cottrill wrote that the song was inspired by famous women she had crushes on: “This was my way of making a celebratory song about this discovery while maintaining the cheesy/corny lyrics you’d normally find in songs where you profess your love.”

After listening to this album from start to finish more times than I’d like to admit, I truly don’t have the urge to press skip on any of the songs. “Impossible,” the second track, is both deeply personal and universally relatable — a conversation with an old partner that ends up dredging up emotions, feelings and past love while trying to seek closure. The last and longest song on the album, “I Wouldn’t Ask You,” pushes almost seven minutes.

Including a children’s chorus — which is the only feature on the album and is incorporated into other songs — the piece is divided into two distinct parts. Creating a powerful shift, it explores how her severe rheumatoid arthritis has both affected her own psyche and her romantic relationships with others.

Immunity is really impressive. All of the work and emotion put into this album is so palpable — it pours out of each and every word and beat. Ultimately, Clairo was launched into the forefront of the Indie-pop scene because of her ethereal voice and lo-fi beats. Now, however, she has established herself as a true creative and earned a spot in the hearts of many, musicians and appreciators alike.

BY EMILY BEAUCHAMP Life Editor beauea17@wfu.edu Like many others, I’m a huge Marvel fan. With that being said, I was devastated and frankly angry when I first heard about the decision to take back the rights to Spider-Man. Sony’s first iteration of the SpiderMan movies were a huge success. Sony made almost $2.5 billion from Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man. After the failure of Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man, Sony decided to enter into an agreement with Disney’s Marvel Studios. Sony shared Spider-Man rights with Marvel, which gave Marvel the ability to add the hero into the MCU. Once Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was introduced in Captain America: Civil War, fans wanted more Peter Parker in the MCU. This was met with several more movies including Spider-

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

Disney gives back the rights to SpiderMan after a deal with Sony falls through

1.

An 89.9 is a B+, I don’t round Attendance is “mandatory”

3.

Don’t email me to make up assignments

5.

The disaster contingency plan

7.

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Clairo’s debut album, Immunity, was released in early August.

Disney, Sony unable to negotiate Man: Homecoming and the newest Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Far From Home surpassed Skyfall as the highest grossing Sony film when it made $1.1 billion. As a result, Disney wanted to split the revenue made

It’s syllabus week, so I’m sure you’ve read your fair share of these “iconic” lines professors tend to write.

Office hours are from 2:152:30 on Tuesdays

I don’t post the slides on Sakai

Lifestyle Column | Disney-Sony Controversy

Peter Parker will no longer appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Top 10 Things Professors Say in their Syllabi

by any future Spider-Man films 50/50.

When Sony wouldn’t agree to this, Disney removed Tom Holland’s SpiderMan from the MCU. Many fans were outraged and blamed Sony, and, as more information came to light, other fans blamed Disney. Who’s right in this debate is hard to say, however the general consensus is that fans want Spider-Man in the MCU. Far From Home was left as a huge cliffhanger on many fronts. The first being Peter Paker’s identity and the second being the question of who will succeed Iron Man. Unfortunately, unless Sony and Disney are able to work things out, we may never know the answers to these questions.

Personally, I wish Disney and Sony would put money aside and do what’s best for their customers. However, I know this isn’t realistic.

Hopefully, we’ll at least be able to see more of Tom Holland as Spider-Man in a new iteration of Sony films. Maybe Tom Hardy’s Venom could become Peter Parker’s new mentor.

Either way, it’s sad to say, but it may be time to accept Spider-Man’s fate and move on.

Participation is a BIG part of your grade Please do the readings

9. No electronics Follow the Honor Code or you go to jail

DRINK OF THE WEEK

• 2 scoops of rainbow sherbet • 1 cup of Sprite • Whipped cream Scoop the rainbow sherbet into a glass then fill to the brim with Sprite. After, garnish with some whipped cream and optional rainbow sprinkles.

Courtesy of Amanda Wilcox

Life | Old Gold & Black

Thursday, August 29, 2019 | Page 15

Travel Column | Camino de Santiago

Spain offers hiking opportunities

Hiking the Camino de Santiago in Spain is a remarkable experience that anyone can do

BY KATE TENDER Staff Writer tendke18@wfu.edu

About this time last year, my mother called me and asked if I wanted to backpack around Europe. Admittedly, I was surprised because she isn’t the adventurous type, but of course I readily agreed.

This idea evolved into a three-week trip to Spain, where we would visit three different cities and then backpack the last 100 km of the Camino de Santiago.

The Camino de Santiago originated as a Christian pilgrimage to the city of Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of St. James are said to be buried. However, while it is still a “pilgrimage,” people from all over the world do it for various reasons. For my mom and me, it was for the adventure and to prove to ourselves we could. There are multiple starting points, but the required distance to receive the “Compostela,” or certificate of completion, is at least 100 km.

Since we were limited on time, and my mom was unsure of her physical abilities, we started in Sarria, which is 114 km away from Santiago. We had chosen to complete the Camino in five days, which had us staying in Sarria, Portomarin, Palas de Rei, Arzua, Pedrouzo and finally ending in Santiago. This made the most sense for our timeline, and it was very doable.

Our days consisted of waking up early, around 6:30 a.m., to begin walking.

After an hour or so, we would stop at a café on the way to eat breakfast and fuel up. Usually, we would wait until we arrived in the town we were staying in to find lunch and dinner. We were walking about 14 miles per day, but our longest day was 19 miles. For this we had to take plenty of breaks to rest our feet and take care of any blisters (duct tape works wonders).

Each night we stayed at an albergue, which is similar to a hostel, but many times they are run by people who have completed the Camino in the past and feel connected to it. Everyone is very friendly, and many albergues host communal dinners, which allow you to get to know your fellow pilgrims. It is best to

silence with your thoughts. I also got the chance to meet people from all around the world, ranging from Missouri to Australia. Even though everyone was coming from different backgrounds and languages, we were united through the common goal of completing the Camino.

If I could offer any advice: Do it! Even if you are unsure about your physical capabilities, it is doable for anyone. We saw a 10-year-old boy doing it and also a 75-year-old man. Take it at your own pace and don’t be afraid to take a rest day if you need one.

Make sure you have a blister kit with more than you think you will need. My hiking shoes had never given me blisters before, but they did on the Camino.

Luckily, my mom was very prepared on this front.

Kate Tender/Old Gold & Black Make new friends! Talking helps pass Hikers must walk at least 100 km to the time more than anything else. Everyreceive the certificate of completion. one is very friendly. Many people travel alone and make new friends who walk at call ahead for a reservation, but for some the same pace. you can just check to see if they have Take the time to truly enjoy your jouravailability when you get there. ney. Yes, this sounds cheesy, but take the It was a remarkable experience and al- time to sit and have a coffee. Take time lowed for a lot of self-reflection along the to enjoy all the amazing food and new way, since many times you are walking in friends. It goes by so fast.

Album Review | Lover

Taylor Swift’s album contains Easter eggs Swift’s new album explores relationship struggles and the pains of life

BY LOGAN RICHARDSON Contributing Writer richlb17@wfu.edu Taylor Swift released her seventh studio album, Lover, on Aug. 23. Throughout her career, Swift has been known to leave Easter eggs, or hidden references, in her lyrics and music videos. This album was no exception.

The release of the single, “ME!” featuring Brendan Urie of Panic! at the Disco, was teased in the album reputation when she sings “reputation precedes me.” The music video for “ME!” then foreshadowed the release of “You Need to Calm Down,” her second single off the album. The music video for this song also contained many Easter eggs for the album.

In Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” music video, viewers can see a sign reading “Mom, I am a Rich Man” hanging in her trailer. This is a reference to an interview Cher conducted in 1996, and it also alludes to the fourth track of the album, “The Man.” This particular track is about the double standard that exists for women in pop culture.

You may be thinking, there’s no way there can be any more Easter eggs; however, the “You Need to Calm Down” video is filled with even more hidden references. Around the one-minute mark, Swift is shown skipping down 16th Avenue, which is a reference to a lyric from her track titled, “I Think He Knows.” In yet another Easter egg, an arrow

was fired at a target, landing on a bullseye labelled “5.” This was a reference to Swift’s third single off the album and fifth track, “The Archer.” In another scene, Adam Lambert is seen giving Ellen DeGeneres a tattoo that says, “Cruel Summer,” which is another track title off of Lover.

Swift also has many Easter eggs hidden throughout the lyrics of her album. In the song “London Boy,” Swift states, “don’t threaten me with a good time.” This is a reference to the Panic! at the Disco song by the same name. As mentioned earlier, Urie was featured on the album in the song “ME!”; however, Urie was not the only celebrity referenced in the album. Swift also name-drops designer Stella McCartney in the same song, perhaps alluding to the line of merchandise they released together.

One of Swift’s subtler references on the album comes from “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince,” which on its surface appears to be a song about a high school romance, but on further review carries heavy political undertones. Swift publicized her political views in an article from The Guardian earlier this year, and this song further speaks on political issues.

Swift also quotes her earlier albums on Lover. The titular track of her album Red contains a lyric that states love was “burning red.” She revisits this lyric on the final track of her album, “Daylight” by saying she “once believed love would be burning red, but it’s golden like daylight.”

Many fans have also speculated that Swift was alluding to a recent engagement to her long-time boyfriend Joe Alwyn on this album through tracks such as “Lover” and “Paper Rings.” Swift includes references to the wedding tradition of something bor-

Photo courtesy of amazon.com

Swift incorporates Easter eggs into her song lyrics and music videos. She references other artists and celebrities while also referencing her own songs. rowed and something blue as well as utilizing the language traditionally typical of wedding vows. She also states, “I like shiny things, but I’d marry you with paper rings.” While Swift has not confirmed this rumor, fans will be eagerly waiting for her to address it.

This album represents a sound unlike anything Swift has released before. In my opinion, it contains some of her best work both lyrically and sonically, and it manages to be unyielding in its honesty. Swift opens up about the struggles of a relationship and fighting with the person you love but working it out. While she has previously written about break-ups, as well as many lighthearted

songs about her relationships, this represents something new. She seems happier than she has previously, and the love she represents in this album is unlike that shown in the others. Many of the lyrics in this album struck a chord with me, with “Cruel Summer” conveying the pain of a toxic relationship and “I Forgot That You Existed” representing the point at which you have finally been able to move on from someone — passing into a state of indifference. My top three favorite songs off the album are “Afterglow,” “Death

By A Thousand Cuts,” and “Daylight.” I believe this is Swift’s best album to date, and I would encourage everyone to listen to it.

Page 16 | Thursday, August 29, 2019

Old Gold & Black | Life

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