The Oswegonian 11-16-18 by The Oswegonian

Look Inside: A6 Midterm election sees voter increase

Friday, Nov. 30, 2018 VOLUME LXXXVIII ISSUE XII SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com

Oswego State professor writes Christmas movie

Photo provided by Juliet Giglio

Kassadee Paulo News Editor kpaulo@oswegonian.com Juliet Giglio, an Oswego State screenwriting assistant professor, had her most recent project, “A Very Nutty Christmas,” brought to life by Lifetime after just 10 months of writing, revising and production. Giglio co-wrote the screenplay with her husband, Keith Giglio, Syracuse University Newhouse associate professor. After a six-year recess of years writing together to focus on their teaching careers as professors, the two began collaborating once more. Together, they worked on “Noah,” “Pizza My Heart,” “Return to Halloweentown” and “Tarzan,” among others. “We bounce stuff off each other very well,” Giglio said. “The great thing about working with a writing partner is if you write something that is funny and they laugh, then you know it’s funny, and if they don’t laugh, you know it’s not funny.” She said in the beginning of their careers, they faced challenges with writing together because they did not quite trust each other entirely in terms of writing yet. But, with this project, they trusted each other’s writing abilities completely and enjoyed the writing process.

CONTENT

See GIGLIO, A6

Calendar...................... A3 Crossword................... C6 Contact Info................ A2 Laker Review.............. C1 News............................. A1 Opinion........................ B5 Sports........................... B1 Sudoku......................... C6

Poet documents SA fails to meet quorum environmental Low numbers of senators result in temporary recess Julia Tilley Asst. News Editor jtilley@oswegonian.com The Oswego State Student Association meeting on Nov. 27 was forced to recess after not having enough senators to meet quorum. They had 12 out of 18 senators present at the beginning of the meeting, so they were able to begin discussing what was on the agenda. However, one senator left in the middle of the meeting, so Vice President Edward Kelly had the meeting go to recess. “The way that it’s working right now is we’re in recess, so we can now discuss really about anything, so if you have questions for bills or legislation, you can still address those to Miranda [Kryskow, director of finance],” Kelly said. Without the minimum 12 senators present, no business can be voted on. So, although the senators could have discussed what was on their agenda, they were

unable to take action on it and would need to re-discuss it the following meeting, which was moved to Thursday. Without 12 senators present, they were not even able to officially adjourn the meeting, so the meeting is technically in recess until they have at least 12 senators present to adjourn it. During the meeting, President Omar van Reenan stepped in to give his suggestions to Kelly. “They can ask Director Kryskow any questions they would like to and have the committee meetings, and on Tuesday, we continue the Senate, and then the Senate can decide [on the bills],” van Reenan said. Some senators were disappointed with not being able to finish their business during the meeting, as the semester is coming to an end. “In my three years of Senate, this is the first time to happen, though we have had to start meetings late due to senators being late,” said senator and president

pro tempore Andre Nichols. “A lot of times, I’ve seen us meet the bare minimum for quorum, which is also an issue.” In order to discuss what was meant to be discussed on Tuesday, Kelly called a special meeting on Thursday to debate a club sport funding bill. On Tuesday, senators had different ideas about what should be done about not meeting quorum. Nichols said he credits some of the quorum to the dedication of the current senators and has a solution to this problem. “We need to have senators that are truly committed to this organization, as I feel some do not take this issue as seriously as others,” Nichols said. “I am also hoping to present a constitutional amendment next semester that will grant unelected Senate seats to members of different student organizations, such as club sports, academic clubs and affinity organizations, like Black Student Union or Caribbean Student Association.”

See LOW, A4

Julia Tilley | The Oswegonian Student Association did not meet the minimum of 12 senators to continue Tuesday’s session and had to recess until Thursday to make quorum.

disasters, stories

Ben Grieco | The Oswegonian

Jessica Wickham Chief Copy Editor jwickham@oswegonian.com Poet Rebecca Dunham visited the Living Writers Series class on Nov. 26 as part of the Fresh Water Initiative on campus, where she talked about her creative process and advice for students on writing about depressing material. Dunham spoke on her most recent poetry collection, “Cold Pastoral,” for an audience of students and visitors at 3 p.m. in the Marano Campus Center auditorium. Her book was introduced to the class for the Fresh Water Initiative, a campus-wide effort dedicated to the study and awareness of fresh water projects locally and throughout the world. In her presentation, Dunham explored possible answers to the question of an artist’s role in an environmental crisis, along with the role she chose of research and documentary poetry. “She does not look away,” said Laura Donnelly, professor of the Living Writers Series class. “She does not document from a distance. Instead, she meets with and listens to and carries forth the voices of the people and places most effected.” “Cold Pastoral” is a collection of poems tackling environmental themes, mostly centered around the BP oil spill in April 2010. The spill remains the largest accidental oil spill in history, and Dunham said it was the first photo that came out of the disaster that drew her to her research project.

See DOCU-POET, A4

Sports

Opinion

Laker Review

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NATIONAL DOMINANCE

ACTIVE SHOOTER DRILLS

HOLIDAY MOVIES

BASKETBALL

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

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Web

Ben Grieco | The Oswegonian

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NEWS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

The only thing worse than the disaster is what happens when the world decides it’s over, all fixed.”

- Rebecca Dunham, from A4

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

Oswego State student wins research award

Local chapter of international honor society recognized Samantha Flavell Editor-in-Chief sflavell@oswegonian.com On Oct. 29, Oswego State senior Manna Job was announced as the winner of a Sigma Xi award in the section of ecology and evolutionary biology. Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society, is an international honor society of science and engineering, and one of the oldest and largest scientific organizations in the world, according to Sigmaxi.org. Research students are able to be inducted into Sigma Xi, so long as they meet a certain GPA requirement and have a faculty recommendation. Job was inducted her sophomore year at Oswego State. The winners were chosen from a number of science and engineering students from across the country who attended the 18th Annual Sigma Xi Student Research Conference that was held on Oct. 26 and 27 in Burlingame, California. “This was an annual conference for Sigma Xi, and the student conference was part of the main conference,” Job said. “About 125 students from various parts of the country took part in the conference. This was a poster session, which lasted about three hours.” Participants were judged on their scientific hypothesis, use of the scientific method, explanation of the research and significance of the objective of the research presented. Job’s winning research was on the effects of a broadly used chemical on local freshwater mussels. Job began this research when assistant professor Poongodi Geetha-Loganathan was a guest speaker in her genetics class sophomore year.

“This particular project was brought up by Dr. Poon because she wanted to assess the effects of a broadly used chemical and its implications on the development of local freshwater mussel species,” Job said. “I found this topic to be very interesting and highly significant since we are constantly exposed to this chemical as well, and this study will essentially help us understand the adversities of this chemical if present.” Job started this research project with her brother Jerome Job, who had been a biology student at the time but has since graduated, under the guidance of Poongodi. This semester, Job was joined by another biology student to take her brother’s place. “This semester, Natasha Lafrance, a junior biology major, joined the project and has been a great addition to our lab,” Job said. Job was one of four Oswego State students to have presented at the Sigma Xi conference. The other students included Bianca Fernandez, Asya Kadic and Jack Marcucci, all of whom presented research findings from working with the biological sciences’ faculty. “It was a beautiful experience, as I met a lot of my fellow peers who were presenting their own research,” Kadic said. “Here we were, presenting in a city, coming from all different backgrounds in the name of science. It was a very motivating, exciting and a rewarding experience.” While the subject matter on which the students presented differed, many agreed that faculty support was instrumental in the success and advancement of their research. “I began to talk to Dr. Artemenko [assistant professor in the biological sciences] about her research on cell migration and found that her studies paralleled

with my interests in the biology field,” Fernandez said. “Because of her personality, work ethic and her research focus on cell movement, I was immediately interested in working with her. I began to conduct research for her lab and have enjoyed learning about cellular biology ever since.” The conference allowed students to practice presenting their research and meet with peers to see what others in their field are working on. The conference was followed by a banquet at which the awards were presented. In addition to Job’s personal work for her research and poster presentation, the local chapter of the international research honor society accepted a Sigma Xi Chapter Program of Excellence Award at the conference. “It was a huge conference, and I wasn’t expecting to win anything,” Job said. “I was very happy for my mentor because she puts in a lot of work, so to be able to represent her and Oswego is very exciting.” Each winner was awarded with a free membership in Sigma Xi for a year, monetary award, certificate and a medal. All participants were also able to receive constructive criticism from the judges on how to further their studies and continue to improve their work. Job said she appreciates the Oswego State faculty she has worked with and the opportunities she has been granted that helped her get to where she is today. “I want to emphasize how thankful I am to be part of such a great department that has highly dedicated and devoted professors that go above and beyond to further their student’s skills,” Job said. “The encouragement and guidance that I received through Dr. Poon as well as other professors is truly appreciated.”

Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Plattsburgh, 3 p.m., Friday in Marano Campus Center Ice Arena

Women’s Basketball vs. Geneseo, 5:30 p.m., Friday in Max Ziel Gymnasium

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Brockport, 7 p.m., Friday in Marano Campus Center Ice Arena

The Village Renaissance, 8 p.m, Friday in The Village Commons

Men’s Basketball vs. Brockport, 4 p.m., Saturday in Max Ziel Gymnasium

Planetarium Show: “The Stars of Winter,” 7 p.m., Sunday in Shineman Center, Room 223

Living Writers Series: Christina Strain, 3 p.m., Monday in Marano Campus Center, Room 132

Oswego Festival Chorus Holiday Concert, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday at St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church

OCO On the Go: Free HIV Testing, 10 a.m., Thursday in Mary Walker Health Center Photo provided by Manna Job Manna Job, Jack Marcucci, Bianca Fernandez and Asya Kadic (left to right) presented their research at the Sigma Xi Student Research Conference.

know. Looking toward the future, Rossi said he hopes the police department can get to know more organizations and clubs on campus. University Police Chief Rossi spoke to Student Association about the university police department. He went into detail about training sessions the police attended, including active shooter, sexual assault response investigation, Title IX training, crisis intervention, SAF training and crowd control. According to Rossi, his is one of the first police departments to have fair and impartial policing. Officers patrol the campus daily, 24 hours a day, on foot, bicycle, vehicle and ATV. Rossi went into heavy detail on the immigration law, saying the campus never has and will continue not to enforce it. Although border patrol cars may be seen on campus, he guaranteed they were just passing through and would never enforce anything without letting him

Student Association is trying to develop a website next semester to better inform the public about who it is and what SA does. To do this, members are looking to hire a web designer. They would work both with SA and the communications department.

The SA meeting was let out early, as there were fewer than 12 senators, meaning they did not reach quorum.

A4 NEWS Low senator attendance Docu-poet discusses research, poems slows meeting process Oswego State Fresh Water Initiative explores issues THE OSWEGONIAN

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

SA from COVER

During the meeting, Kelly expressed similar concerns on attendance as well. “Please try to hold your peers accountable,” Kelly said. “If [senators] are not here and we don’t meet quorum, then we can’t do anything, and that’s an injustice to the students.” Nichols also expressed concern with how Student Association is being run this year under van Reenan. He said he feels van Reenan does not allow for as much collaboration as the president should. “The executive branch, mainly President van Reenen, has made Student Association a hostile environment for students and SA members,” Nichols said. “The Pres-

ident’s aggressive leadership, refusal to allow the Senate to properly conduct business, and his meddling with the Senate process and executive overreach have driven veteran members of the Senate away and stunted growth within our organization.” Nichols said SA runs smoothest when all members work together equally. “While the president is the head of this organization, he must realize this is a student government, with three independent branches all working simultaneously to better the lives of students on the SUNY Oswego campus, and his petty politics and refusal to compromise and get things done is negatively affecting that,” Nichols said.

Julia Tilley | The Oswegonian Student Association executive board members are not counted to meet quorum.

POET from COVER “It was almost beautiful, the way that it looked,” Dunham said. “I think that’s what first grabbed my attention, how awful it was that this disaster could also seem so beautiful.” She said she had not known anything about what went into the project and subsequent disaster before she started researching it. “I had no idea about the difficulty and the scale of what was involved in this deep well drilling out in the ocean,” Dunham said. “[They were] going almost as far down as Mount Everest is up. Until I read that, I was having trouble capturing the scale of this.” Because of the vast amount of research she had to comb through and the nature of the disaster she was documenting, Dunham said she had to make a lot of hard decisions on what to include. “It’s a tough balance,” Dunham said. “Once you have all of this information, there’s so much material, and taking that and selecting what you’re going to use in the poem is hard because you end up leaving almost everything out.” Dunham used her experience from researching the topic to add emotion to what was at first largely fact-based writing. Because she is usually a lyrical poet, she said she wanted to make her poems have a lyrical tone while being factually accurate. This also meant a lot of attention to personal stories, which she said made her poems stronger. “The more that I did research, the more I realized how intertwined the human effect and the natural world, how much they go together, which seems like an obvious thing to say, but I was surprised at how much the human stories kept pulling me in,” Dunham said. Incorporating personal stories was part of what she saw as bringing to light what much of the news cycle had stopped talking about, including the lives of the survivors

Ben Grieco | The Oswegonian Rebecca Dunham, author of “Cold Pastoral,” reads excerpts and explains her research process.

of the Deepwater Horizon explosion that triggered the BP oil spill. “The only thing worse than the disaster itself is what happens when the world decides it’s over, all fixed,” Dunham wrote in her book. “It’s a fact any survivor knows.” The blending of the facts and emotional elements is what makes Dunham distinctive, Donnelly said, which is why she wanted to bring Dunham to the Living Writers Series for the Fresh Water Initiative. “I think her work’s doing something unique in that it is both very research-based and very artistic,” Donnelly said. “While she is a poet, so she’s firmly in the arts, she’s using strategies. She’s making nods to different disciplines.” Dunham’s presentation style of mostly reading her poems and explaining the creative process behind them was notably different from the

styles of other presenters brought to the class – a distinction appreciated by senior psychology major Taylor Earle. “I like how she read a bunch of her poems because other writers had presentations that weren’t really about the book that we read,” Earle said. With such a strong environmental message in her writing, Dunham said she wants students and readers of her book to be aware of the scope of these problems and find their own ways to spark positive change to improve the world today. “I certainly hope that, if somebody read the collection, that they would feel compelled to at least be very, very concerned about what’s happening with the environment,” Dunham said. “One of the things I would hope people took from it was an awareness that we have to see what’s happening.”

NEWS The Oswegonian says farewell to two members

Congratulations, good luck with future endeavors The Oswegonian is both sad and proud to say goodbye to two staff members in December: Julie Loney and Julia Tilley, both of whom are highly valued in the office. Loney will graduate at the end of the semester, and Tilley will be leaving to study abroad in France for the remainder of the academic year. Loney, who double majors in journalism and Spanish, originally chose her academic path due to her passion of going on mission trips to Spanish-speaking countries in high school and then writing about her experiences there. She joined The Oswegonian her freshman year writing for the opinion section and continued producing articles until she studied abroad her fall semester junior year in Costa Rica. When she came back to the U.S., she rejoined the team as a staff copy editor. Loney said she enjoys copy editing because of its puzzle-like nature in how she thinks about

how it can best be arranged. She said it also has helped her become a better writer. Loney has also been involved in Campus Recreation, Habitat for Humanity alternative breaks and Mentor Scholar. After the December graduation, Loney plans to return home to Long Island to prepare to take her GRE exam to go to graduate school to become a Spanish teacher. “I couldn’t have asked for better school than Oswego,” Loney said. “The opportunities I’ve had here have kept me busy, kept me sane and kept me humble. I will not miss the cold, though.” Tilley, who is currently a junior double majoring in broadcasting and French, joined The Oswegonian last spring semester as a staff writer for the news section and then worked as the assistant news editor this semester. On top of her work at The Oswegonian, Tilley has been part of WTOP-10,

Del Sarte, Potterwatch, the theater productions “Boeing Boeing” and “The Wizard of Oz,” and was also a desk attendant. Tilley developed a passion for the French language and culture at a young age and knew she wanted to continue her education in it when she went to college in addition to broadcasting. She said upon joining The Oswegonian, she has become a better writer and learned skills she can bring with her in her career in the media, along with gaining great friends. Tilley will be living in Besancon, France, from January to May. When she returns to Oswego State, she plans to continue with her involvement at WTOP-10 and The Oswegonian and try her hand at radio with WNYO. “Although I am incredibly upset to be leaving Oswego State and everything I do here, I cannot wait to finally live out my dream of living in France,” Tilley said.

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

Photo Brief Scholastic Nostalgia

Julia Tilley | The Oswegonian

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian Asst. news editor Julia Tilley (right) and copy editor Julie Loney are both leaving The Oswegonian and Oswego State this December.

On Nov. 28 and 29, Kappa Delta Pi took to Marano Campus Center to host a Scholastic book fair. Kappa Delta Pi is the International Honor Society in Education, which was founded in 1911. The e-board planned the event, organized what would be sold and ensured there would be members of Kappa Delta Pi to staff the fair throughout the day. “A lot of people have come through,” said Oswego State junior adolescence education and social studies major Madison Seamans. “Professors have bought books for their kids. Teachers have come and bought books for their classroom. People just bought books because [they were] reminiscing of childhood.” The nostalgic factor of the book fair caused some students to stop and look around, remembering the days in elementary school when the Scholastic book fair would be set up. “[The fair] has brought us so much joy,” said senior public justice major Sarah Pittman. “We’ve just been walking and giggling and

contemplating building dinosaurs in class. It’s bringing me back to elementary school. It’s the craziest feeling, just pure happiness.” Seamans said Kappa Delta Pi chose to have the Scholastic book fair because it relates to education and promoting literacy excellence in students, like Kappa Delta Pi’s mission statement, which is to advance “quality education by inspiring teachers to prepare all learners for future challenges.” According to its website, it encourages “quality learning by giving educators the means to implement research-based strategies, continue professional growth, assume leadership and become master teachers.” The fair lasted over five hours, and its location outside of the Marano Campus Center auditorium made it so students saw it during the day, prompting them to stop by. “We were walking through, like, ‘Oh my God, there’s a book fair! Let’s go,” said senior public justice major Kierstin Spooner. “[The nostalgia] is the best part.”

own d n u r the *Hear the staff *Meet ved! l o v n i *Get

m p 3 @ s Friday 39A MCC 1

NEWS A6 Giglio co-writes Lifetime 2018 midterm election results finalized comedy holiday movie New York voter turnout increases by 31 percent for midterms THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

OSWEGO from COVER “I think collaboration is great because it just makes it a stronger script and I think also, because we are putting in the male and the female point of view, that helps us as well,” Giglio said. About a year ago, an opportunity arose for the couple to pitch a Christmas screenplay, and they thought of the premise: What if a nutcracker came to life? While the movie is not an adaptation of the ballet, “The Nutcracker,” which is often performed around the holidays, it does include Easter eggs that allude to the ballet and includes Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s score. Giglio said she does not know where the idea came from, but it could have been from when they were putting away Christmas decorations last year. “You’re never quite sure where the spark is because you quickly start building on it, and it starts developing into this other story, and so we spitballed back and forth,” Giglio said. “By the time we pitched it to the producer, we’d already worked on it for about a month.” They pitched the idea of the screenplay to Paula Hart, the mother and producing partner of the leading actress, Melissa Joan Hart, and then pitched it to Lifetime, which bought it and greenlit the project. She said they were able to write the lead role to match the

comedic abilities of Hart, who Giglio compared to Lucille Ball of “I Love Lucy.” They continued to mold the story and revise it until they sat down to write the full script in March during spring break. “There was a huge snow storm over spring break, which was actually ideal for writing a script because we couldn’t go anywhere,” Giglio said. “We stayed in our house and we just wrote nonstop. We listened to nonstop ‘Nutcracker’ music.” After the script was completed by April 1, they revised it an additional three times. Giglio said the project, which was filmed in Mystic, Connecticut, went into pre-production May 1 while they were still finishing the final draft and went into post-production by June. “Ten months is unheard of. To go start to finish to airtime: amazing,” Giglio said. “We were so lucky.” Giglio said she is very happy with how the director, Colin Theys, and everyone on the crew has brought the script to life. “We were on the set for about three days, and that was a lot of fun because we got to see our words come to life,” Giglio said. “There’s nothing more magical for a screenwriter than getting their script produced.” The film airs for the first time Friday, Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. on the Lifetime network, and Giglio said they are already in the works of pitching more projects and hope to do more Christmas movies.

Photo provided by Julia Giglio Julia Giglio (right) and Keith Giglio (second from left) visited the set of “A Very Nutty Christmas.”

Jessica Wickham Chief Copy Editor jwickham@oswegonian.com

Ending with Mississippi’s runoff election Tuesday, the 2018 midterms hit records across the nation, and some with experience in politics believe the political climate and nonpartisan education are to thank for it. 2018 was the first midterm election in history to top 100 million votes, with 49 percent of eligible voters participating, according to Grace Segers at CBS News. In New York, 42.1 percent of eligible voters participated, up from 29 percent in the 2014 midterms, according to the United States Election Project. With a 31 percent increase in voter turnout in the state, there has been much discussion as to reasons behind it. Grant Reeher, a political science professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, said most of the turnout increase in New York and across the country stems from the controversial nature of President Donald Trump. Many voters, he said, likely went to the polls in sharp opposition to or in strong support of Trump, despite the president not being on the ballot. “You have to start with the election of 2016 and then the presidency of Donald Trump,” Reeher said. “It was just a generally high turnout, so I think all of that sort of stems from a reaction to Trump and then the reaction to the reaction.” Shenandoah Briere, a reporter for the Cortland Standard, said she has seen an increase of interest in this midterm election because people are becoming more involved in the political process. “There’s been more of a nationalization of politics,” Briere said. “If you look nationally, for the first time in years, we’re electing what people would say are people that look like us, that think like us and are more diverse…We’re having more people that are focused on larger issues.” Young voters also turned up in record numbers. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement reported that an estimated 31 percent of eligible voters ages 18 to 29 in the U.S. voted in the 2018 midterms, up from 21 percent in 2014. Allison Rank, a political science professor at Oswego State, said Trump’s presidency has had a powerful effect on young voters to act in a way that aligns with their views - a sort of passion not seen in years past. “For a lot of students and young people having grown up under the Obama administration, for people who share those views, seeing a very different political figure come in has been particularly jarring,” Rank said. “The polarized space actually works to motivate turnout on both ends.” The political climate sparked voters’ interest in learning about the political process, which is where media coverage and nonpartisan election education pro-

Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

grams can play a role in the results. Reeher analyses much of the midterm results on the Campbell Conversations, a radio show he hosts weekly on WRVO Public Media, the central New York NPR affiliate. Reeher said he sees himself providing a unique service to the public on his program, informing them about the candidates and political process in a way other forms of media do not. “I am very concerned and give a lot of thought to the political process itself from the standpoint of citizens and the information they get,” Reeher said. “[The Campbell Conversations are] a form of information that comes from the candidates themselves…but it’s also done in a format that is less controlled by them.” The League of Women Voters also works to inform the eligible voting public about the political process. Joan Durant, director of voter services at LWV of the Syracuse Metropolitan Area, said LWV’s efforts of knocking on doors and informing people of the issues and candidates is part of what is keeping the democracy of the nation going. “The biggest thing that we try to do is to make sure that voters get registered and, second, that they become educated and then they actually perform that civic duty of voting,” Durant said. “It’s very easy for us to lose it and to no longer have a democratic state where people are represented by politicians that…carry out the will of the people.” Vote Oswego, a nonpartisan election education club and class at Oswego State, is meant to encourage young people at the college to cast their ballots. Rank, the professor of the class, said 8.7 percent of Oswego State students voted in 2014, but thanks to Vote Oswego’s efforts, there are signs that number has increased. “I feel confident that we’ve at least hit that 8.7,” Rank said. “I’d even say I’m probably confident well over 12, 13 percent. I’m sure we’re up.” Rank said the increase is largely due to Vote Oswego’s efforts to get students involved, but it was not a perfect nor easy process. Many students expressed frustration with the absentee ballot pro-

cess, with some not knowing when and how they would receive it. “The challenge is that, while we had a lot of students register and a lot of students request absentee ballots, what became clear on Election Day and in the couple days after is that students were not aware of the administrative aspects of casting a ballot,” Rank said. “I’m concerned that we didn’t do enough or didn’t anticipate enough of the questions or issues that students would have.” Rank said she would like to see this level of enthusiasm carry over into future elections, but it is unclear whether that will happen. “There’s a question about whether or not we stay at this really heightened space on elections and midterms or if, in the next midterm, it drops back down,” Rank said. “And I don’t know that there’s a way to predict that.” Reeher said Trump’s effect on midterms will likely carry over to the next presidential election, but turnout beyond that is hard to tell. “2020 is obviously going to get an enormous amount of attention, even compared with other presidential elections,” Reeher said. “Whether that carries over into 2022…is hard to say because that’s four years from now, and that’s really an eternity politically…I’d be surprised if we went back to a midterm that was kind of traditional and standard.” For now, there is focus on how to help the turnout continue to rise. Durant said one of the most important things New York could do to increase voter turnout is change the electoral process by instituting policies like early voting. “We just have to make it easier for people to vote,” Durant said. “And we know from looking at other states that turnout will go up.” Briere said the increased interest in politics this year means an increased coverage in the media, which will cycle into more public involvement in the political process for years to come. “People are becoming more aware of how much politics play a role in their life,” Briere said. “If we’re covering more of these topics, then people are talking about more of these topics, and in turn, we’re covering more of these topics, over and over again.”

OPINION SECULAR HOLIDAY

B5 Photo via Pixabay

SPORTS THE OSWEGONIAN

SPORTS B3 Ben Grieco | The Oswegonian

VOLUME LXXXVIII ISSUE XII • www.oswegonian.com

Editor’s Column Remembering Oswego State all-star

Ben Grieco Sports Editor bgrieco@oswegonian.com Since 2001, the Oswego State Athletics Hall of Fame has inducted several former Lakers into its ranks. One hundred fifteen of the Lakers that stood out among the rest have been given the honor of entering the hall of fame. Some of those legendary names include Max Ziel, who was a coach at Oswego State from 1921 to 1957 for football, basketball and baseball, or Wayne Levi, who was the runner-up in the 1972 NCAA College Division Golf Championships and eventually made it to the Professional Golf Association. One of the lesser-known names is Michael Picciano, who graduated from Oswego State in 1962. He was inducted into the hall of fame in 2004 after being a three-sport athlete during his time at Oswego State. Picciano was part of the baseball, tennis and basketball teams but was known widely for his time on the basketball courts. Picciano grew up in central New York and eventually graduated from Port Byron high school, where he was a standout athlete in the 1950s in football, basketball and baseball. Also in 2004, he was inducted into the Port Byron Hall of Fame. During his time at Oswego State, he led the men’s basketball team to SUNYAC championships in 1960 and 1962 – the team’s first and second titles in program history – and was the 1962 SUNYAC Tournament MVP. He was also a team captain in 1961 and 1962 and led the team in assists in both those years. While he does not hold any major records for the men’s basketball team, Picciano registered 814 career points, which is 37th all-time for the program. Picciano eventually relocated to Weedsport and passed away this past June after a strong fight with cancer. I was able to meet Picciano the winter before I came to Oswego State in 2017. He was good friends with my grandparents, and my grandfather made sure to introduce me after I had decided where I was going for college. Prior to the introduction, my grandfather told me that Picciano was an Oswego State alumni and made his mark on the basketball court in the 1960s. There he was, standing tall, with a khaki baseball cap with a green and yellow “Oswego State” embroidered on the front. After shaking his hand, my grandfather told him that I would be attending his alma mater in the fall. Picciano said, “Oswego is a great place. Make it your second home.” He also told me to “look him up” if I ever wandered through Laker Hall. So, I did, and found trophies with his named engraved on them from SUNYAC tournaments and found his name on the Hall of Fame display. I was able to take some pictures for his family. While I did not know Picciano for very long, what he said to me will stick with me. And hopefully, like I know he did, I will be able to make Oswego a second home for myself.

BRIGHT FUTURE

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

Plattsburgh State makes mark on Div. III women’s hockey Oswego State has uphill battle on Nov. 30, Dec. 1 against Cardinals’ program Luke Owens Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com Dominance—that is one way to describe Plattsburgh State’s reign on NCAA Div. III women’s hockey, and that may be putting it lightly. Since 2007, the Cardinals have captured six national championships. That span included four in a row from 2014 to 2017. The streak finally ended last season after a double-overtime, semifinals loss to Elmira College. Since the Div. III Women’s Hockey Tournament began in 2002, Plattsburgh State has won 35 percent of the national titles. Since 2009, the Cardinals have gone an astounding 225-24-16. The Cardinals are off to a 6-1-0 start this year and head to the Marano Campus Center to take on Oswego State for two games this weekend. Head coach Diane Dillon knows what she is up against. “It’s a huge challenge for us,” Dillon said. “It’s a great measurement for where we are in our development, both physically and mentally.” The Lakers enter play this weekend at 5-0-1, but Plattsburgh State represents the first big challenge for this young squad. Almost half of Oswego State’s roster has yet to play Plattsburgh State, but, since 2009, the Cardinals have dominated the Lakers to the tune of a 22-1-1 record. The lone Lakers win came in 2016 on the road against thenNo. 1 Plattsburgh State. It would be the only loss the Cardinals suffered en route to their sixth national title. The tie came last season, 2-2, at the Marano Campus Center, where Dillon recognized the key for her team in those games. “I think we played sound defense,” Dillon said. “It starts from the net then out, and we’ve had a history of good goaltending. Mariah [Madrigal] stood on her head a couple times for us.” If the Lakers want to com-

Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

pete with Plattsburgh State this weekend, a lot will be on the shoulders of goaltender Rachael Farmer. Farmer stopped 82 of the 92 Cardinal’s shots she faced last season, with a much different defense in front of her at SUNY Cortland. The Lakers will need to protect the front of the net against a Plattsburgh State team that enters this weekend averaging 4.29 goals per game. Scoring against the Cardinals may be the toughest issue for the Lakers. “You have to take whatever is given,” Dillon said. “Plattsburgh doesn’t give up that many good scoring chances, so when you get them, you’ve got to bury them.” Oswego State has struggled at putting the puck in the net. Before the final period against SUNY Cortland in their last game, the Lakers had only scored two goals in the last nine periods. That will have to change against a Plattsburgh State team led by goaltender Kassi Abbott. Abbott

has stopped 136 of the 138 shots she has faced this year, good for a .986 save percentage. The only goals Abbott has allowed this season came against No. 5/6 Adrian College and No. 1/1 Elmira College. Dillon knows the challenge that lies ahead against someone as tough as Abbott. “You’ve got to get to her,” Dillon said. “Plattsburgh has always done a nice job with defending. If you can get some offensive zone time, things can start to break down, and that’s what we’re really focusing on: puck possession, supporting the puck and keeping it simple.” If the Lakers want to keep pace with a high-powered Plattsburgh State offense, it will start with the gritty play down inside the Cardinal’s zone. “We’re not going to have the big ESPN highlight goal most likely,” Dillon said. “We’re more of a grinder team, so we’re working on getting the little things right.” But how has Plattsburgh State

gotten this dominant at the Div. III level? “They have a history of Div. I transfers. Something that we haven’t been able to take advantage of yet very much,” Dillon said. “People like to have success; they gravitate toward it. You’ve got to give coach [Kevin] Houle all the credit in the world.” As is the case for every competitive college team, it starts with recruiting. “When you have that kind of history, it attracts players,” Dillon said. “They want to be a part of that. He’s done an excellent job of recruiting.” Although it is sure to be a huge test for this young Lakers team, there is no better place to begin learning than at home in the Marano Campus Center this weekend. “They’re an extremely wellcoached team, have a history of success, and we’re going to see what we can do against them in our own building,” Dillon said.

Transfer from OCC brings leadership to Laker’s team Britton follows cousins Brian, Eric Hamilton to bring success to Oswego State Lazers at Onondaga Community College. She is now the overall leader in points in the Lazers’ program. “It’s a great honor to have this award,” Britton said. “I’m happy for what I did at OCC and now I’m at a new school learning both a different offense and defensive style. I’m still learning Pinkerton’s playbook, but I’ve been getting better at it as the season has progressed.”

Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

Jake Vanderbroek Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com Samantha Britton is one of the biggest weapons on the offensive side of the basketball. The junior from Buffalo, New York, is averaging just over 10 points per game. “So far in a Laker uniform, she has played really well offensively,” said head coach Sean Pinkerton. “She had a great game against the University of Rochester in which she finished with 15 points on the night.” Pinkerton would like to see more on the defensive side of the ball. “I think it would be best if we saw more production on the boards,” Pinkerton said. “In the first game of the season against

Clarkson, she didn’t attack the boards as well, which is why she didn’t record any rebounds in the game. She’s one of those impact players that can bring energy to this team, and it starts with attacking the boards.” Another thing Britton needs to work on is her ball-handling skills. Britton would like to get better in that area over the course of the season. “All throughout my life, I’ve struggled with ball-handling,” Britton said. “I’m very happy that I was able to get a trainer over the summer to help me with this area. I’m definitely getting better at it then I was in the past. However, it’s still a work in progress.” Before she stepped onto Oswego State’s campus, Britton was one of the biggest stars for the

So, if we all stay positive and keep our heads up, then good things will come our way.” Samantha Britton Oswego State women’s basketball team

After she spent her two years at OCC, she thought it would be best to continue the family trend of the Hamiltons and take her talents to Oswego State. The Hamilton brothers, Eric and Brian Hamilton, were well-known for their efforts on the Baseball diamond. The Liverpool natives combined for many awards, including All-SUNYAC Team and All-academic excellence. They were the reason why Britton committed to Oswego State.

“It’s a family thing,” Britton said. “I wanted to continue the family trend. Their success on the baseball field made me want to come here and do something special for this women’s program.” On the basketball court, it was not just her stellar play that was phenomenal here and at OCC, but also her leadership skills that keeps the whole team positive with one another. “I just try to keep a positive attitude,” Britton said. “Honestly, there is just no need for the negative energy. So, if we all stay positive and keep our heads up, then good things will come our way, and I believe that is going to be the case for us throughout the remainder of the season.” She said it reflects on the court and makes an impact off the court. “Just being a leader in general just makes you a better person in general, and that is something where I have to continue with moving forward into my life,” Britton said. “It just makes you a stronger person, so I do that on and off the court.” Britton and the Lakers are off to a slow start, as they are (1-4) and three of those games were straight losses. This weekend, the team hopes to carry that positive energy as the Lakers will welcome two SUNYAC teams from the Rochester area. On Friday at 5:30 p.m., Oswego State will square off against SUNY Geneseo. The next day, it will host The College at Brockport for a 2 p.m. tip-off.

SPORTS Each week, The Oswegonian Sports beat writers give you their thoughts on each team's upcoming weekend schedule.

Men’s hockey vs. Brockport/Geneseo

Ben Grieco Sports Editor bgrieco@oswegonian.com Following a 3-2 loss at SUNY Fredonia and a 4-1 win at Buffalo State, the No. 6/8 Oswego State men’s hockey team returns to home ice on Nov. 30 against The College at Brockport but hits the road again on Dec. 1 against No. 2/2 SUNY Geneseo. Joseph Molinaro was a key component in the Buffalo State win, after netting a hat-trick for his first three points of the season. Tyler Currie and Anthony Passero also had multi-point nights with two assists each. The Lakers still await the return of senior Cameron Berry after suffering a hip injury during the exhibition games. Last year at this time, the Lakers defeated The College at Brockport 3-0 and tied then-No. 6/7 SUNY Geneseo 2-2 in overtime. The Golden Eagles have received several votes for the national rankings so far with a 7-1-1 record. This weekend, special teams will be crucial. Oswego State has a 32 percent success rate on the power play, while the Golden Eagles are at 24.6 percent and the Ice Knights are at 31.3 percent. The College at Brockport is also on a three-game win streak, while SUNY Geneseo has won its last six. Both teams also had players named SUNYAC players of the week for men’s hockey. The Lakers will be tested once again this weekend in back-to-back games.

Women’s hockey vs. Plattsburgh

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

Brockport presents test for Oswego State Lakers use loss to SUNY Fredonia as motivation for Teddy Bear Toss Ben Grieco Sports Editor bgrieco@oswegonian.com Twenty-five minutes into the 2017 matchup between the Oswego State men’s hockey team and The College at Brockport, 736 teddy bears were sent flying onto the ice for the Lakers’ annual Teddy Bear Toss. The Lakers went on to win 3-0. At the time, Oswego State was ranked No. 5/6 in the nation with a 6-1-1 record. The College at Brockport was not part of the ranking talks, with a 6-3-1 record before it headed to the Marano Campus Center. Now, the tides have turned for the Golden Eagles. While they are not nationally ranked, they have received several votes to be considered. The College at Brockport is also 7-1-1 and on a three-game win streak. Oswego State, ranked No. 6/8 with a 4-1-0 record, has maintained its early season dominance. The matchup between the two teams this season is the annual Teddy Bear Toss. Heading into their sixth game of the season, the Lakers were able to bounce back at Buffalo State following a loss to SUNY Fredonia on Nov. 16. Senior captain Devin Campbell said he was able to use the loss as a motivation factor heading into the coming weekend. “I think it just goes to show you how tight everything is and that anybody can beat anybody,” Campbell said. The College at Brockport scored 28 goals in its first nine games compared to Oswego State’s 20. The defensive output is similar, with the Lakers allowing 10 goals and the Golden Eagles allowing 12. Head coach Ed Gosek, after watching film on the Golden Eagles, said the team has been playing consistently and using depth to its advantage, along with strong goaltending and special teams. “Anytime you have special teams and goaltending, you’re going to be in hunt and you’re going to be competitive,” Gosek said. “They keep things simple and they play hard.” Going into the game, Oswego State is coming off a 1-1 weekend. The Lakers fell 3-2 to SUNY Fredonia but came back to win 4-1 against Buffalo State. The College at Brockport had two games over Thanksgiving break, with a 5-1 win against Anna Maria Col-

Each week, The Oswegonian Sports beat writers give you their thoughts on each team's upcoming weekend schedule.

Men’s basketball vs. Geneseo/Brockport

Mamadou Tall Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com

Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

lege followed by a 3-0 win against Castleton University. Despite the hot streak that the Golden Eagles are on and the shaky weekend the Lakers faced, Campbell said Oswego State is preparing as if it is playing against any other team. “When bounces don’t go your way, and you don’t play your best hockey, it’s what happens,” Campbell said. “I still have all the faith in the world in these guys.” From a coach’s perspective, Gosek said the team is excited to play again after the weekend off during Thanksgiving. He also said he is looking forward to the test of the weekend overall, both against the Golden Eagles and No. 2/2 SUNY Geneseo on Saturday. But Gosek said there is also a lot happening both on and off the ice. As athletes, the players are preparing for their final stretch of game before the winter break rolls around, but as students, Gosek said different finals are looming in the near future. “We certainly want to end in a positive direction,” Gosek said. “It’s crunch time with our schedule with four league games to head us into winter break.” Gosek said he has been using film to help Oswego State prepare for the coming game, both internally and to see what the Golden

Eagles might bring to the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena. He said this weekend, the general mindset is going to be improving the team themselves, all while trying to come on top against The College at Brockport and come out on top. “We’re constantly using film to learn from our mistakes,” Gosek said. “We feel we’re just scratching the surface with where we’re at and we can improve in a lot of areas and make ourselves a better team.” Looking past this weekend, Campbell said he is confident in his team heading into the next couple weeks, with some crucial matchups coming up before the fall semester ends. “I think we are going to come out the next couple weeks here and make some noise and head into Christmas on a roll,” Campbell said. The game against The College at Brockport is about more than just hockey this season. With the Teddy Bear Toss this weekend, Campbell said he cannot wait to see the teddy bears fly should the Lakers score a goal. “[We] scored, so [we were] happy and we went to Berry, and all of a sudden you’ve got teddy bears flying at you,” Campbell said. “It’s a cool scene to have that many teddy bears just fly onto the ice.”

The Oswego State Lakers have started their season off to a resounding 4-0, with four consecutive blowouts showcasing a hot shooting display. On Friday, Nov. 30, the Lakers will be kicking off their run in the SUNYAC competition facing a visit from the SUNY Geneseo Knights. The Knights will come into the game with a record of 3-1 and riding a twogame winning streak. Their last game was against Alfred University, where they won comfortably with a final score of 89-73. The standout player for the Knights this season so far has been guard Terrance Nichols, who went off for 30 points against Alfred and is averaging 20.3 points per game through their first four games of the season. The Lakers will face a back-toback the following day, Saturday, Dec. 1, where they will face a visit from The College at Brockport Golden Eagles. The College at Brockport is 2-1 as of Nov. 29 and will be fresh off a meeting with Cortland University before it plays the Lakers. The last game the Golden Eagles played was against Baruch College in New York City, which they lost 61-49. In that game, the Golden Eagles shot a poor 3-17 from three and 12-21 from the free throw line. The Lakers will be looking to extend their win streak to six games and remain undefeated at home during this home stand.

Women’s basketball vs. Geneseo/Brockport

Campus Rec Report: championship week

Intramural basketball, hockey, broomball heading into final games Luke Owens Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State Lakers enter play this weekend with a tough challenge ahead. Forget the historical dominance of Plattsburgh State - let us talk this year. The Cardinals have only allowed two goals this season through seven games, and both of those came against Top Five nationally ranked teams. For the Lakers, it has been tough to find the back of the net. Their 3.7 goals per game average is inflated by the 15 goals they scored opening weekend. The Lakers have not scored a first-period goal since Oct. 28 against Wilkes University. This narrative will have to change if Oswego State wants to have any chance against Plattsburgh State. The Lakers’ 5-0-1 start is impressive, but Buffalo State was the only team that finished last season over .500 the Lakers have defeated. Simply put, Oswego State has to find answers this weekend. Eryn Stewart, Philomena Teggart and Avery Webster are tied for the team lead with three goals apiece. But the player to watch this weekend is Leah Czerwinski. Czerwinski had six points all of last year but is coming into her own with four already this year. The sophomore had two third-period goals against SUNY Cortland last outing. The first one tied the game, while the second won it for the Lakers. Czerwinski getting involved down low and facilitating the Lakers’ offense would be huge this weekend.

Morgan Meaney Contributing Writer sports@oswegonian.com Playoffs are underway for all intramural sports as the semester winds down. It is time to crown the champions. In the floor hockey leagues, there were some competitive matchups in the men’s competitive league. In the first game of the week, Sunnyvale took on The Nightmen in the fight for the last semifinal spot. sunnyvale came out on top with a 4-0 victory over The Nightmen, securing their spot in the semis. For the two championship spots, The Wizards defeated Jagr? I barely know her 9-2, and Bueller Boys took down sunnyvale in a close 8-7 final score. Bueller Boys enter the championship game with a 5-2 record, while the Wizards have a 7-0 record. In the finals of the men’s competitive league, the Bueller Boys were able to defeat the Wizard with a final score of 5-2. In the basketball leagues, things are starting to heat up in the playoffs. In the men’s competitive league, four teams advanced to the quarter finals. In the first game of the week, DaRec defeated Flint Tropics in a final score of 62-44.

Following them into the semis is Buckets Squad, who nabbed a close win over One Hit Wonders (53-48) and was able to snatch the quarter final spot. Lakeside Guys battled 516 Ballers and came out on top (53-43). Rounding out the quarters is No Cap, who won in a forfeit over the loud pack. The other four teams in the quarter finals were seeded higher, allowing them to advance to the quarters without playing another game. Shifty Shafters, 5th year, Cyclones and Who Want Smoke?! will join the other four teams in the quarter finals. The first team to advance to the semis was Who Want Smoke!?, who defeated Lakeside Guys in a final score of 95-66. Following closely behind were the Cyclones, who defeated No Cap (76-41). The Shifty Shafters secured their spot with a 66-55 win over Buckets Squad. The final team into the semi-finals was 5th year, who took down DaRec in a close final score of 62-57. In the men’s recreational league, wet wet was off to a good start with an early week win over Fiend Team (31-30) and secured a spot in the semifinals. Also securing a semifinal spot was Blazerz, who dominated Free Agents in a final score of 85-51. The semifinal games showed

Photo provided by Morgan Meaney via Campus Rec The Bueller Boys of the men’s competitive floor hockey league won intramural T-shirts.

matchups between Tune Squad and wet wet, with Tune Squad taking home their fourth win of the season. In the other semifinal, Legion of Doom took down Blazerz in a close final score of 46-41. Both Tune Squad and Blazerz enter the championship with 4-0 records. In the corec competitive broomball league, the season is coming to a fast close. Injury Attorney defeated RIP Oneida Screamer with an impressive final score of 6-0. Broom Ballerz, in a similarly impressive fashion, defeated Church Group in a final score of 5-0. Both Injury Attorney and Broom Ballerz advanced to the semifinals. Swiffers took down Special Cay in a final score of 3-0 and locked in their semifinal spot. The final team into the semis was Broom, Roasted, who defeated Australian Monks (5-2). The first semi-final game saw Swiffers as the victors over Injury Attorney (2-1), despite their early week victory. The final two corec broomball games pitted Broom, Roasted and Broom Ballerz against each other, with Broom, Roasted emerging victorious (6-2). In the championship game, Broom, Roasted defeated Swiffers in their eighth win of the season to take home the intramural T-shirts. The score was close (4-3), and both teams laid it all on the line, but Broom, Roasted had the upper hand. The men’s competitive broomball league came to a close this past week, as well. In a hard-fought, close semifinal battle, The Mighty C’s defeated Here Comes the Broom (3-2), allowing them to advance to the championship. Joining them in the championship game was Hit it and Quit it, who defeated Long Lizards to secure their championship position. The final game was competitive, and The Mighty C’s came out on top over Hit it and Quit it in a final score of 7-3, crowning the Mighty C’s as the men’s competitive broomball champions.

Jake Vanderbroek Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com After losing three straight games to Alfred State, Hilbert College and the University of Rochester, the Oswego State Lakers look to rebound as conference play kicks off. This weekend, the Lakers will welcome two SUNYAC opponents from the Rochester area. On Friday, at 5:30 p.m., Oswego State will square off against the SUNY Geneseo Knights. The next day, it will host The College at Brockport Golden Eagles for a 2 p.m. tip-off. Oswego State will have its hands full as it takes on a SUNY Geneseo team that has yet to lose a game this season. Four of SUNY Geneseo’s six wins have come on the road. This high-powered offense averages 73 points per game. The Knights are also good at moving the basketball around the court, as they average over 17 assists per game. Not only is their stellar play on offense, but they are also very strong on the defensive side of the ball. This is a team that can crash the boards effectively, as it averages 43 rebounds per game. The Golden Eagles have been up and down so far. They are entering conference play a game below .500 (2-3). However, no one can count them out. This is a team that can get really hot if it sets the tempo early and carries that momentum throughout the game. If they start out ice cold just like they did in their last two games, then it can be sloppy for the rest of the game.

B B33 SPORTS Women’s rugby undefeated in regular season THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

Photo Brief Molinaro gets recognized

Kyle Hurley | The Oswegonian

After scoring his first collegiate hat-trick on Nov. 17 in a 4-1 win against Buffalo State, junior Joseph Molinaro was placed on the D3hockey.com’s National Team of the Week for the week of Nov. 20. Along with Conlan Keenan of SUNY Geneseo and Marcus Mollica of Williams College, Molinaro was one of the three forwards given the award. Also on the National Team of the Week were goaltender Tommi Ahlgren of University of Wisconsion-Stout and defensemen Braeden Hellems from Adrian College and Max Glashauser of Northland College. Molinaro is one of two of the current Lakers on the men’s hockey roster that have been named to the D3hockey.com National Team of the Week. Junior Josh Zizek was given the honor on Nov. 19, 2017. Last season, Mitch Herlihey was given the award twice, on Dec. 10, 2017, and Feb. 11, 2018. The three-goal performance were Molinaro’s first three points of the season. He is now tied for the team lead in goals with three and is tied with Zizek and fresh-

man Travis Broughman. In the game against Buffalo State, two of Molinaro’s goals were scored on the power play. His first goal came at 15:12 of the first period to open up scoring after assists from Anthony Passero and Tyler Currie. Molinaro’s second goal, which was also the third Oswego State goal, came at 15:57 of the second period also on the power-play. Broughman and Passero both had assists. The final goal of the game also came from Molinaro at 18:07 of the third period on an empty-net goal, after Buffalo State pulled its goaltender for the extra man-advantage. Currie and Josh Nenadal both had assists. This is Molinaro’s second season of play with Oswego State after transferring from NCAA Div. I Niagara University. He recorded 19 points last season, tallying six goals and 13 assists, after appearing in 25 of the Lakers’ 26 games. He missed the lone playoff game against SUNY Fredonia to end the Lakers’ season.

Black Widows fall in elite eight of NSCRO Div. II championships Matt Watling Asst. Sports Editor mwatling@oswegonian.com About four seasons after taking the leap from Div. III to Div. II, the Oswego State Black Widows women’s rugby team made noise, dominating play in the NSCRO rugby conference. After years of struggling, the Black Widows ran the table in the regular season, going undefeated in four regular season games this year. Perhaps the most astonishing number is the combined score of the four games; the Black Widows outscored their opposition 153-5. The five points came on the only try Oswego State gave up all season to Union College. The defense was suffocating all season long, and, aside from talent, its mindset is a crucial part of its success. The defense was a relentless bunch who took it personal when the opposition came their way. “When people come at us as a defense, we don’t want them getting past us,” wing-select Kayla Mazurkiewicz said. “[So we say,] ‘what are we gonna do about it?’” What the team did was an incredible feat that propelled it to nationals in Findlay, Ohio. In the first nationals contest, Oswego State’s dominance continued. It handled The College of Wooster with ease, taking it down by a score of 75-0. In the central region finals, the Black Widows lost a closely fought game in overtime to Minnesota State University at Moorhead by a score of 8-5. Despite the loss, the club was ecstatic with its season. “Getting to the elite eight this year was far beyond what we’d dreamed of for this season,” faculty advisor Toby Malone said. Prior to this season, the club had trouble winning games, but it was still impressive given its situation. Until Malone came around, the program did not have a fulltime advisor, but Malone brings much more to the table. Growing up in Southwestern Australia, Malone has played rugby for over 30 years. He played through college and continues to play to this day. The breadth of knowledge Malone provides is invaluable, especially for a sport that is not common in high schools across the United States. Although Malone is a great asset to the program, he allows the team to run itself. The squad has two captains and two co-captains called selects who run practices, schematics and lineups. “I am not officially the coach… and I want to make it clear that the captains are the ones driving [the team] forward,” Malone said. “I am able to bring in a more complicated concept from rugby they maybe didn’t know... I’ve seen real

Photo provided by Sabrina Shortall The Black Widows allowed only five points during the regular season, while forcing 153.

improvement and I think the main reason we improved so much is that everyone has been so open to getting better.” Slight alterations in the drills and set plays do not automatically yield results of this magnitude. Hard work and natural athleticism are vital to a rugby team and this year, the women’s team added over 10 rookies, many of whom became key contributors by the end of the year. “We were really blessed this year where we had a really [strong] rookie class,” Malone said. “[They are all] really talented, dedicated rookies [who have] all come in and really made a big difference.” Aside from their talent, team president, Sabrina Shortall, commended the young class for their hard work. “We had, I think, 25 new members, and some of them were even starters in our [nationals] games in Ohio,” Shortall said. “To see how quickly they were able to pick up the game and not give up on it [was great].”

Perhaps the most impressive part about the Black Widows is that most, if not all, of the players did not play a single minute of rugby prior to college. As a result, the upperclassmen have to work much closer with the rookies in comparison to more common sports like soccer or hockey. “There’s an amazing mentorship program with the seniors taking the rookies under their wings,” Malone said. “[They teach] them fundamentals–not just the laws of the game, but also how to throw the ball, how to make a tackle and how to take a tackle.” This type of mentorship has bread a closeness that many on the team, like Shortall, believe is unique to the Black Widows. “I look back and I don’t think I would have had the experience I had at Oswego without rugby,” Shortall said. “The girls are just so tight knit and such a family... To see that even when you’re losing, you still care about each other…that’s something I am really proud of.”

Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

After 4 wins to start season, Lakers have high hopes for SUNYAC games Leone says team’s youth, unity, strong play will lead to success in this season, future seasons Mamadou Tall Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State Lakers have started off their season strong and exceeded the expectations many would have for a team with multiple new faces. With the early success the Lakers are seeing, the men’s basketball program is looking beyond the now. With a plethora of new and young players joining the team this year, the future looks bright given the chance for these players to grow together throughout the season. The Lakers have started their season off with a record of 4-0, and each of those wins have come in commanding fashion. The Lakers have won their four games by an average margin of 25.5 points, showing their early dominance. Although the early success is refreshing for the basketball program, coach Jason Leone said it is still early. “...We still have the rest of the season ahead of us, but, of course, our start to the season is important and crucial,” Leone said. Oswego State has added eight new players to the program at the start of the season, with six of them being freshmen and the other two being a junior and senior. Most of these new

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian The Oswego State men’s basketball team has started its season off strong, including winning the Max Ziel Tournament on Nov. 16 and 17.

players have instantly added to the early success of the Lakers’ squad. The likes of senior Quinn Carey, junior Joe Sullivan and freshmen Julien Crittendon and Bo Sireika have all contributed to the early success. Along with the new players, returning players such as Tyler Pierre, Brandan Gartland, Liam Sanborn and Tim Marshall have also played a crucial role in getting the team where they are now. “One of the biggest stories for this season was the commitment of our returning players to put in the work and get

better during the off season,” Leone said. Leone lamented the team’s unity and youth. “The team we have now is building a strong foundation, and the players are all doing the little things to win,” Leone said. With the mixture of youth and veterans on the roster, the team is built to win now and in the future, which Leone spoke proudly about. With the experience and guidance of players like Pierre, Gartland, Marshall, Allen Durutovic, Sullivan and Carey, the team has the experience to get

through tough stretches. With that comes the fact that only two of those players are seniors, and the rest will most likely be returning next season with even more experience. A big key to the Lakers’ off season before their impressive four-game start was recruiting. Leone said the 2018/2019 program recruited well, and with added success to this early start the upcoming years, recruiting classes might mirror this one. The team’s youth gives the Oswego State fans and basketball program a lot to look for-

ward to in future seasons. The future is bright once these players get a chance to learn, grow and be molded by Leone and the rest of his coaching staff. The most notable example of growth and young energy is starting point guard Sanborn, who is only a sophomore. Sanborn has exhibited excellent IQ at the point guard position. Sanborn is a true floor general, displaying control and composure that is beyond what his age would suggest, and being a sophomore with another season under his belt, he can only get better from here. Another highlight and notable aspect in the team’s youth is freshman guard Crittendon, who has been a key player in the Lakers’ impressive start to the season. Serving as a sixth man for the team, Crittendon serves as a spark plug for the team and bench unit, showing he is a reliable playmaker and scorer off the bench. Freshman Sireika has also shown glimpses of being a reliable playmaker with his time and chances running the point. “The team we have now is playing strong together and are looking like we are set for future seasons,” Leone said. With a mixture of young players, experience and talent, this Oswego State Lakers team has a lot to be desired now and for the future.

Shore Report

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

SUNYAC Standings

Men’s Hockey Geneseo Plattsburgh Fredonia Brockport Oswego State Buffalo State Potsdam Cortland Morrisville

Women’s Hockey (NEWHL)

Plattsburgh Oswego State Potsdam Buffalo State Cortland

Oswego State Plattsburgh Geneseo Oneonta Brockport New Paltz Cortland Potsdam Buffalo State Fredonia

Conference 4-1-1 3-1-1 3-1-0 2-1-1 2-1-0 1-2-1 1-2-0 1-4-0 1-5-0

Points 9 7 6 5 4 3 2 2 2

Overall

Conference

Points

4-0-0

5-0-1 3-4-2 2-4-1

3-0-1 2-3-1

7 5 2

Overall

Conference

Streak

0-0

4-0 3-1 3-1 2-1 2-1 2-1

0-0 0-0

2-3 2-2

0-0 0-0 0-0

W4 W2 L1 L1 W2 W1 W1

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

0-3

W2 L3

Conference

Women’s Hockey Saturday, Nov. 17

Streak W6 W3 L1 W1 W1 L1 L2 L1

6-0 5-1 4-1 3-1 3-3 2-2 2-3 1-2

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

1-3

0-0

1-3

0-0

Men’s Hockey Saturday, Nov. 17

OSW:

Czerwinski: 2 goals, 3 SOG Padden: 1 goal, 7 SOG Lindey: 28 saves

OSW:

Molinaro: 3 goals, 5 SOG Passero: 2 assists, 1 SOG Hansen: 19 saves

COR:

King: 1 goal, 4 SOG Gibson: 24 saves

BUF:

O’Connor: 1 goal, 4 SOG Minch: 21 saves

Men’s Basketball Tuesday, Nov. 27

Women’s Basketball Tuesday, Nov. 27

4-0

Women's Basketball Overall Geneseo Buffalo State Oneonta Plattsburgh Potsdam New Paltz Brockport Cortland Fredonia Oswego State

1-3-0 0-4-2

2-4-2

Men's Basketball

Oswego Scoreboard

Overall 9-1-1 3-3-1 6-1-1 7-1-1 4-1-0 3-3-1 5-4-0 3-5-0 2-7-0

6-1-0

NAZ:

Stenglein: 17 pts, 6 rebs Burgio: 16 pts, 2 steals

OSW:

Pierre: 18 pts, 15 rebs Sanborn: 18 pts, 7 assists Sullivan: 11 pts, 14 rebs

62 ROC: OSW:

Ethington: 14 pts, 2 steals Boeheim: 12 pts, 5 rebs Okoniewski: 12 pts, 8 rebs Britton: 15 pts, 4 steals Zimmerman: 9 pts, 3 blocks

Upcoming Events Men’s Basketball Friday, Nov. 30

Women’s Hockey Friday, Nov. 30

7:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m

GEN: 3-1 (0-0) OSW: 4-0 (0-0)

PLA: 6-1-0 (4-0-0) OSW: 5-0-1 (3-0-1)

Men’s Hockey

Women’s Basketball

Saturday, Dec. 1

7:30 p.m.

OSW: 4-1-0 (2-1-0) GEN: 9-1-1 (4-1-1)

Saturday, Dec. 1

6:00 p.m.

BPT: 2-3 (0-0) OSW: 1-3 (0-0)

Laker Athletes of the Week

Around the SUNYAC Men’s Basketball

Men’s Hockey

Women’s Basketball Rachael Windhausen

Women’s Basketball Grad Student | Liverpool

BUF: 1-2 (0-0) SJF: 3-1 (0-0)

DEL: 3-2 (0-0) NPZ: 2-1 (0-0)

GEN: 9-1-1 (4-1-0) WIL: 3-1-0 (2-0-0)

BOW: 2-3-0 (1-1-0) POT: 5-4-0 (1-2-0)

1.75:

After scoring 15 goals in its first two games, the Oswego State women’s hockey team’s offensive production fell to 1.75 goals per game in conference matchups. The Lakers scored multiple goals in one game twice, once against Buffalo State and then against SUNY Cortland.

Quinn Carey

Men’s Basketball Senior | Ponte Vedra, Florida

ITH: 2-1 (0-0) COR: 1-2 (0-0)

Rachael Windhausen scored six points in the 50-47 loss against Hilbert College on Nov. 20 at the Max Ziel Gymnasium. She also posted 10 rebounds, three assists and one block to provide an offensive and defensive balance for the Oswego State women’s basketball team. The Liverpool native leads the team in rebounds, averaging nine per game.

Quinn Carey is the 18th Laker to score 1,000 points in his collegiate career for the Oswego State men’s basketball team. He scored 22 points against Clarkson University on Nov. 20 to seal the accomplishment. The senior has made 19 three-pointers this season. Last season, he led the SUNYAC in threepointers with 91 as a SUNY Geneseo Knights. So far this season, he leads the Lakers in points with 60.

The 2019 schedule for the Oswego State baseball team was released on Nov. 26. The Lakers will play 40 games in the regular season, 13 of which planned to be played at home on the Laker Baseball Field. The season starts on March 2 in Salisbury, Maryland, in a doubleheader against Salisbury University.

During last season’s Teddy Bear Toss, Cameron Berry, of the men’s hockey team, scored the Lakers’ first goal of the game. With that, he sent 736 stuffed animals onto the ice. The Lakers will host the event for the third time on Friday, Nov. 30 against The College at Brockport.

Senior transfer Quinn Carey surpassed the 1,000-career point mark in his collegiate career after the Oswego State men’s basketball team’s win on Nov. 20 against Clarkson University. His total points come from playing at Roberts Wesleyan College, SUNY Geneseo and now with the Lakers.

MED: 1-4 (0-0) FRE: 1-3 (0-0)

40:

736:

1,000:

OPINION

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

GM disap- Children at school to learn, not survive Forcing hugs points with on children Active shooter drills not solution to gun violence in long run electric cars disrespectful Francesca Miesner Opinion Editor fmiesner@oswegonian.com

Photo from Pixabay

Alexander Gault-Plate Managing Editor aplate@oswegonian.com This week, General Motors announced it will be closing five of its production plants in the northern U.S., including one in Ottawa, Canada. The timing of the closing of these plants, as well as the other changes GM is making to its car lineup, are all examples of corporate mismanagement and signify a company with only a vague sense of its future. GM announced its closings, which come with the layoff of nearly 15,000 workers, on Monday. This announcement came as what many economists are suggesting to be the first signs of a slowing economy. While many also say that a recession does not seem likely in the future, it seems the unprecedented growth the American economy has seen in recent years may be slowing down again. Car sales have already shown a steady decline in the past year, so to say that GM could have prevented this or avoided the shutdowns is a bridge too far. However, GM could have taken care of this issue earlier and allowed for more time for the workers in the closing plants to adjust than they have. For the plants to close now is a definite burden to the workers being laid off. At the start of winter, with heating, electric and gas bills being higher than usual, plus the added burden of travel and holiday shopping that come with the holiday season, the workers will suffer more now for the loss of their jobs than they may have with a spring or summer end date.

The Columbine shooting took place in 1999. Fifty shootings later, a former student of Parkland High School in Florida killed 17 students and teachers. This prompted the March For Our Lives, a march on D.C. led by some of the survivors of the shooting. Since the Parkland shooting, which occurred last Valentine’s Day, there have been some state-led movements restricting gun control laws. A major difference that is happening in schools across the board is active shooter drills. Similar to hurricane or lockdown drills, active shooter drills teach students and teachers what to do in a situation when there is a shooter in the building. They learn how to choose the best place to hide, which can be helpful in avoiding potential casualties. At the same time, they are learning how to provide basic first aid in case their classmates get injured. This could, in a real situation, save lives. Oftentimes, the victim of a shooting could survive the initial injury, but by the time medical professionals reach them, they have lost too much blood. The logic behind these drills is that if a child

can properly apply a tourniquet, the survival rate of a school shooting would be greatly increased. The reason children die in school shootings is not because of slow EMT response. The reason is the guns. The first step to protecting children in schools from guns is to take away the guns. Florida, along with other states following the shooting, tightened their regulations on who can get a gun, which is a good start. In many states, there is no background check before a customer can purchase a gun. They could have a history of violence or high risk of threatening to shoot up a school, and a gun shop would be allowed to sell them a gun. That is simply revolting. So, sure, train-

ing children how to hide from a scary situation or how to help their friends not bleed out might save a few lives, but at the end of the day, the way to solve the problem is at the source by not letting anyone buy a gun. Active shooter drills are teaching children and teachers to be paranoid and afraid to be in a learning environment. This, so far, has been proven to be justified, as children have died in their classrooms, but this is not the safe and happy environment students should have to learn in. Children should not have to be taught to be a battlefield medic because our government is incapable of solving the gun crisis in America.

Photo from Pixabay School should be a safe environment for kids, so they should not need to learn how to be a battlefield medic.

Francesca Miesner Opinion Editor fmiesner@oswegonian.com Children, especially around the holidays, are expected to provide physical displays of affection to family members. It does not matter to the parent if the child is comfortable with that or how close they are to the family member. Each child is expected to kiss and hug their grandparents. In a time where young children are being taught to love their bodies and learn their boundaries, parents should not be forcing them to do something they do not want to do.

The lesson is taught in kindergarten to “mind your personal space,” but in practice, children are taught the exact opposite.

SPEAK YOUR MIND, TWITTER! POLLS POSTED EVERY FRIDAY TO @gonianOPN

That will make the shift to electronic more difficult, as people will be used to larger cars with more Winter season for holidays of all denominations power-intensive Saying ‘happy holidays’ not disrespectful to Christmas engines... Alexis Hanna Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

Then there is the issue of the vehicles of which GM will be cutting production. Most of the vehicles being cut are gas-powered cars, alongside the Chevrolet Volt, the company’s only electrically powered sedan. The company said it is shifting in the direction of electric vehicles, which is a generally smart idea in light of the current trends in automotive sales and environmental awareness. However, to cut the Volt says that the company has no short-term aim to hold even its marginal support of electric vehicles. Plus, it is cutting some of its more fuel-efficient options, like the Cruze which boasted a nearly 50 mpg for highway driving. While gas prices are low, many people are opting to purchase larger, more inefficient options. That explains the company’s short-term option, but that is basically offering incentive for people to shift to more gas-hungry vehicles. That will make the shift to electric more difficult, as people will be used to larger cars with more power-intensive engines, and it is just plain bad for the environment. GM would have been better suited to continue to offer its fuel-efficient options, update the Volt to remove its reliance on a gas-powered engine and then transform the Cruze, Impala and other small and midsize options into electric vehicles. That would help sell the cars seeing less interest in this cheap-fuel landscape to a new, electric-minded group, cement the brand as an electric leader, reinforce the image that electric cars are fundamentally the same as gaspowered cars and even save jobs.

Photo from Pixabay

‘Tis the season for twinkling lights, decorated evergreen trees, joyous occasions and the juvenile debate between greetings: “happy holidays” or “merry Christmas.” It is no question nor problem that the U.S. has, in general, become much more inclusive and conscious of varieties of genders, races, lifestyles and religions. It is important to evolve as a society and to accept the human race in every form and (almost) every mindset. This inclusion is seen, spread and fought for year round, except around the holidays. For years, there has been what may be the most infantile argument of our living generations: should we greet one another during the holidays with “merry Christmas,” “happy Kwanza,” “happy Hanukkah” or a simple “happy holidays”? Folks across the country never fail to resurface this argument. One side claims “happy holidays” is a more general, widespread greeting that avoids offense. This side argues the use of holiday-specific greetings “merry Christmas,” “happy Kwanza” or “happy Hanukkah” is not inclusive to those who do not hold the Christian or Jewish religion and are not African. Supposedly, to greet one with one of these exclamations runs the risk of offending those being greeted, as you may be seen as trying to “shove your beliefs down their throat,” resulting in those who do not hold the same as you feeling uncomfortable or wrong for not celebrating the same way. The other side claims holiday-related greetings are not offensive but rather the spreading of one’s personal holiday celebratory joy. To greet one with a holiday-specific expression is not

Photo from Pixabay Starbucks cups are now more secular, which has made some people view it as an attack on Christmas.

an attempt to push a belief on another but rather to express the joy said holiday or season brings. Shouting “merry Christmas” to a stranger, as George Bailey in “It’s A Wonderful Life” does after realizing his luck and riches, is simply a joyful declaration filled with love to be shared. Saying “happy Kwanza” to a neighbor is not an attempt to guilt another but rather a form of salutation given through an exciting season in regards to celebration. “Happy holidays” is not a phrase of exclusivity and omission, but rather inclusivity and joy. Asking the question “merry Christmas” or “happy holidays” is just as juvenile as the debate itself. No one is trying to shame or guilt another by use of a specific phrase or lack thereof. Exclaiming “happy Hanukkah” to a passerby is not an attempt of conversion, but conversation. This argument is as unproductive and wasteful as arguing over Starbucks’ holiday cups. Flashback: a few years ago, Starbucks changed its holiday-themed cups to solid red cups, sending a plethora of Christians into a

frenzy. The discussion here was that Starbucks removing Christmas-related images and designs from its cups was an attempt to “cut the meaning out of Christmas,” a meaning that many today do not celebrate Christmas for anymore. Those who argued against the new cups without Christmas designs argued exclusion and offense, some swearing off the Starbucks franchise as a result of the move toward inclusivity. Getting upset and argumentative over a joyous phrase shared with love is absolutely ridiculous. Getting angry and offended by a cup design is unnecessary and ludicrous. We do not live in a Catholic-based country or society any longer; America has greatly involved, as the world’s “melting pot” should do. Buy the plain red Starbucks cup of coffee. Draw your own design on it, leave it alone or, better yet, do not pay attention to the coffee shop if you are that upset. Use whatever greeting you prefer, whatever makes you feel joy as you shout it passers-by. “Merry Christmas” or “happy holidays”? Why not both?

Of course, children need physical contact to be emotionally happy and healthy. This affection can come from parents and other close family members. This teaches children that their boundaries matter and their bodies do not belong to anyone but themselves. If parents or other family members get angry that they do not get a hug with their hellos and the child is eventually forced to hug them anyway, all that does is make everyone uncomfortable and teach the child that saying “no” does not matter. This is not just for the education of children, either. If an adult tries to pressure a child into hugging them, they do not understand boundaries. The only way to make sure that physical space, even from family members, is respected is by re-teaching. The lesson is taught in kindergarten to “mind your personal space,” but in practice, children are taught the opposite. This mindset is what provides a base for rape culture in the future. The idea of entitlement to someone’s body, with or without a previous connection, is what makes women and men scared to speak against those who touch them without consent. Part of this is if a husband or wife touches their significant other without consent, it is not assault because they are in an established relationship where they have touched each other in this way before. This is, obviously, not the case. If young girls are taught they often need to provide affections when they do not want to, this could cause them to not understand if they are being taken advantage of in the future. Forcing hugs onto children could also lead to them learning that it is OK to give and receive affection when they do not want it. This is, of course, the extreme, but in order for children to truly understand boundaries, they need to be taught as young as possible. This goes both ways. If an adult does not want to hug someone’s child, this is a boundary the child needs to learn as soon as possible.

OPINION RESPECT PERSONAL SPACE

B5 Photo from Pixabay

OPINION

VOLUME LXXXVIII ISSUE XII • www.oswegonian.com

“Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.”

SPORTS B2

UNEXPECTED SUCCESS

Photo provided by Kyle Hurely

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

STAFF EDITORIAL

The Oswegonian, an independent, student-run organization, provides the Oswego State campus and the city of Oswego with current and compelling articles weekly. It is through the hard work of the staff that these 2,500 issues are able to be distributed each week. The Oswegonian staff is comprised of dedicated students from all majors and backgrounds. Together, we not only create the physical paper you see in stands each week, but also expand outreach through social media and are beginning to incorporate multimedia. Working with The Oswegonian provides valuable experience and education that you cannot learn from a classroom. It also allows students to come together and combine their passions to create

something great to share with their community. To run a newspaper, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. There are so many valuable lessons to learn and experience to gain, and The Oswegonian is often under-utilized as the wonderful resource that it is. Perhaps it is because students are unaware of how to get involved or are intimidated by walking into an office of people they do not know. While that is understandable, that is not something that should prevent you from getting involved. To allow fear to hold you back from being involved in something you are interested in is letting it win and setting yourself up for failure for the rest of your life. It is naive to believe that a degree alone will get you a job. Em-

ployers do not want to see that you were able to get C’s in all your classes and squeak by. They want to see that you learned what you were taught and then went out of your way to apply it in a setting outside of the classroom. This extra effort and motivation will go a long way. As this semester comes to a close, keep this in mind. Oswego State has three wonderful media organizations of close-knit students producing material together and learning from one another. Take advantage of these resources while they are available to you. If you are interested in working with The Oswegonian, reach out. There are positions available for the spring semester both paid and unpaid, and getting involved could only aid in resume building.

IN THE OFFICE

Disney attempting to redefine live-action

Remaking old classics with CGI still subcategory of animation

Over the last couple years, Disney has made a habit of remaking its animated classics as live-action films, with some of its most recent efforts consisting of “Maleficent,” “Cinderella,” “The Jungle Book” and last year’s “Beauty and the Beast.” All have proved to be financial juggernauts by capitalizing on millennial’s nostalgia for the original properties, despite not really doing anything new with them. Next year is set to be another tremendous year for Disney, as its roster for live-action remakes consists of three tremendous efforts from three directors with a lot of weight to each of their names: “Dumbo,” directed by Tim Burton (“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children”), “Aladdin,” directed by Guy Ritchie (“King Arthur: The Legend of the Sword”) and “The Lion King,” directed by Jon Favreau (“The Jungle Book”). The interesting thing is, while all three of these are being pitched as live-action films, only two of them are actually fulfilling the traditional idea of live-action. The idea behind a live-action adaptation of a property that was animated is usually to translate the ma-

Dominic Rizzi Laker Review Editor drizzi@oswegonian.com terial across to a new generation in a way that looks and feels different aesthetically while still maintaining the themes and feel of the original. This usually consists of utilizing actual sets and actors as opposed to hand-drawn ones, or in this case, computer-generated ones. CGI has been at the forefront of most blockbusters over the last decade, and this has also contributed to the rise in motion-capture performance, which consists of actors donning body suits, having CG animation constructed around them in post-production and incorporating them into the setting as something that appears real. Andy Serkis and Peter Jackson

really pioneered this technique in the early 2000s with their combined effort to create the character of Gollum in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. In bringing this back to “The Lion King” remake, one of the biggest complaints that emerged from the first teaser that dropped on Thanksgiving 2018 was that, unlike Favreau’s previous big budget CG adaptation of “The Jungle Book,” there are no human elements to this film, as “The Lion King” traditionally had no human characters in it. Therefore, with this new remake, all of the characters will be constructed through computer-generated imagery, essentially making this film just a larger, more expensive animated film. Taking out the nostalgia argument, as well as all the complaints about how this film will simply be a shot-for-shot remake of the original with nothing new to contribute to the story, this does raise several questions about what qualifies as live-action versus animated, as those lines have clearly become blurred and will continue to blur with the rise and further use of this kind of technology.

Trigger warnings not disruptive of movie content Warnings before films allows more accessibility for viewers Samantha Flavell Editor-In-Chief sflavell@oswegonian.com Trigger warnings are a staple to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all viewers while causing no inconvenience. A trigger warning message does not get in the way of a film. It does not take anything away from the movie, but it could save some viewers from serious mental and physical harm. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is very real and can be detrimental to a person’s life. A trigger can cause a person to experience a flashback and have The independent student newspaper of Oswego State since 1935 to relive that trauma over again, causing increased heart rate, anxiety attacks and inability to sleep, according to the Anxiety We want your thoughts on our coverage, campus and local issues, or anything and Depression Association of America. It is bad enough that people experience regarding the Oswego State community. trauma in their lives, and they should not

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Email all letters as Word attachments to opinion@oswegonian.com or mail submissions to 139A Campus Center, Oswego N.Y. 13126 All writers must provide their real name, address, academic year, major and phone number (which will not be published).

have to relive it. Trigger warnings are not only important to prevent possible emotional pain but also to prevent physical pain and possibly death. This past summer, the longawaited “Incredibles 2” came out, and after initial viewings before the release, it included an epilepsy warning for the movie. There were about two minutes in the film in which strobing, moving lights filled the screen. Strobe lights are a common seizure trigger. A seizure is a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. This can cause convulsions, stiffening of muscles and limbs and contorting of the body. Basic life functions such as breathing can stop as the brain is not sending the proper messages and organs, and brain damage may occur in severe causes, which will cause lasting impairments and health issues for the victim. In some cases, death may occur depending on where a person

is when the seizure occurs or how serious their seizure is. Seizures are just one example of why trigger warnings are so important. A simple unobtrusive warning could very well save someone’s life. It is not an exaggeration how important they are. People need to be aware of what to expect and how it may cause them harm prior to being exposed to it. Films cannot be screened without first warning of possible triggers for both PTSD and trauma as well as other medical issues like seizures. Just because some personally do not have to worry about the trigger warning does not make it any less important. Those blessed enough to not have to worry about trigger warnings can be annoyed for the few seconds it takes to announce it before the film because it is far more important to ensure a safe, accessible and enjoyable experience for everyone.

Titus

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INSIDE

C2 Top 10 December film C3 ‘Creed II’ packs punch, C5 ‘Fallout 76’ proves to

releases to watch

Happy Holidays From Laker Review

delivers on emotion

be sloppy, fun mess

FRIDAY Nov. 30, 2018

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

LAKER REVIEW

Top 10 Movies to check out in theaters this holiday season

Running down films most likely to make headlines, box office numbers this December Garrick Groover Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com 2018 may be coming to a close, but Hollywood is showing no signs of slowing down. From blockbuster spectacles to family pleasers and dramatic award contenders, December 2018 is filled to the brim with films worth time and money. Here are 10 of the most noteworthy movies being released this month. “Mary Queen of Scots” (12/7) The first major release is “Mary Queen of Scots,” a historical drama by newcomer Josie Rourke, starring Saoirse Ronan (“The Seagull”) as the titular character and Margot Robbie (“Terminal”) as Queen Elizabeth. There are many elements going for this picture, including a stellar cast that includes two of the most acclaimed actresses in Hollywood and some possible traction for Oscar season. Could “Mary Queen of Scots” be this year’s “Shakespeare in Love”? The film will indeed face stiff competition, and fans of “The Tudors” or “The Borgias” will most likely find enjoyment here. “Mortal Engines” (12/14) Based on the 2001 novel by Philip Reeve, “Mortal Engines” comes to us from producer Peter Jackson, best known for his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. The film takes place in a world where entire cities have become gigantic, motorized vehicles. The adaptation stars Robert Sheehan (“Bad Samaritan”) as a young man from London who gets tangled in an assassination plot with Hester Shaw, a fugitive assassin played by Hera Hilmar (“The Ashram”). Overall, the film’s trailers have been underwhelming to say the least, and having Peter Jackson on as only a producer says a lot about the project. Needless to say, the villain is being

portrayed by Hugo Weaving (“Black ’47”), and that man can do no wrong (unless it is “The Matrix” sequels). “Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse” (12/14) Tom Holland (“Avengers: Infinity War”) may be webslinging in the MCU, but that does not mean Sony is down for the count. “SpiderMan: Into the Spider-Verse” is Spider-Man’s first fulllength animated film, and it definitely looks to be one of the more interesting superhero films of the year. Our main hero is not the iconic Peter Parker rendition, but Miles Morales, an Afro-Latino teenager voiced by Shameik Moore (“The Get Down”). As Morales struggles with teenage life, he finds out that he is not the only Spider-Man in the universe. With an impressive voice cast that includes Mahershala Ali (“Green Book”), Liev Schreiber (“Isle of Dogs”) and Hailee Steinfeld (“Pitch Perfect 3”) and a truly unique artistic style, “Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse” is shaping up to be an interesting descent into the Spider-Man mythos. “The Mule” (12/14) Whether it be behind or in front of the camera, Clint Eastwood (“Trouble with the Curve”) is a Hollywood legend. The two-time Academy Award winner returns with “The Mule,” a crime drama focusing on a World War II veteran who becomes associated with a drug cartel. This is Eastwood’s first acting project since 2012’s “Trouble with the Curve” and his first film following the disaster known as “The 15:17 to Paris,” a film more banal than a post-’90s U2 album. Eastwood has indeed directed some bland misfires in the past, but with Bradley Cooper (“A Star is Born”) and Michael Peña (“Extinction”) on board, “The Mule” will hopefully be more like “Mil-

lion Dollar Baby” and less like “J. Edgar.” “Mary Poppins Returns” (12/19) “Mary Poppins” is one of Disney’s most beloved movies, a classic that will be revered for years to come. “Mary Poppins Returns” takes place a few decades after the original with the Banks children all grown up. Poppins herself is played by Emily Blunt (“Sherlock Gnomes”), and, if the trailers are any indication, the film will be stuffed with the magic only Disney could provide. With a director like Rob Marshall (“Into the Woods”) at the helm, “Mary Poppins Returns” could succeed where other Disney movies have failed. With a gap of 54 years between the 1964 film and this, audiences of young and old will hopefully be enchanted. “Aquaman” (12/21) DC’s cinematic universe is all but dead as “Aquaman” swims into theaters this December. After the disappointment of last year’s “Justice League,” the newest film by horror auteur James Wan (“The Conjuring 2”) looks to be an aquatic epic featuring Jason Momoa (“Braven”) as the titular King of Atlantis and Amber Heard (“London Fields”) as the obvious love interest. Many fans may feel burnt out by DC films at this point, but if the trailers are any indication, “Aquaman” is looking to be anything but

fishy. Warner Brothers is also demonstrating confidence with the project by allowing Amazon Prime members to watch the film a few days early. “Aquaman” is definitely poised to make a big splash. “Bumblebee” (12/21) A “Transformers” movie not directed by Michael Bay (“Transformers: The Last Knight”)? What sorcery is this? After terrible robot flick after terrible robot flick, Travis Knight (“Kubo and the Two Strings”) takes the reigns away from Bay to craft “Bumblebee,” a spin-off centered around the popular “Transformers” character. The film stars Hailee Steinfeld (“Pitch Perfect 3”) as Bumblebee’s companion and John Cena (“Blockers”) as a secret agent. Despite the damage done by the previous “Transformers” movies, “Bumblebee” looks to be a fun ride full of thrills and some ’80s nostalgia. “Welcome to Marwen” (12/21) Robert Zemeckis (“Allied”) has directed his handful of classics, including “Back to the Future,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and the Oscar-winning “Forrest Gump.” After spending the 2000s experimenting with motioncapture, it was a pleasant surprise to see Zemeckis return to live-action filmmaking with 2012’s “Flight.” “Welcome to Marwen” is shaping to be one of the most unique films of December. Not only does

Image from Warner Bros. Pictures via YouTube Warner Bros. hopes to reinvigorate their DC cinematic universe with ‘Aquaman.”

the film feature the versatile Steve Carell (“Beautiful Boy”) as the main lead, but the motion-capture visuals are also a definite upgrade over his former projects. It is hard to tell whether the film will be a huge Oscar contender, but with Zemeckis on board, all we can do is hope. “Holmes & Watson” (12/25) Throughout his acting career, Will Ferrell (“Daddy’s Home 2”) has produced comedy gold like “Elf,” “Anchorman” and “Step Brothers” and comedy mold, such as “Kicking and Screaming,” “Land of the Lost” and “The House.” “Holmes & Watson” is looking to follow the latter. A comedic take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s “Sherlock Holmes” novels, it does not take a detective to see the problems with this film. Judging by the trailer, the jokes spewed by Ferrell and co-star John C. Reilly (“Ralph Breaks the Internet”) look more unfunny than a rejected SNL sketch. “Homes & Watson” looks like another subpar comedy movie in a year of subpar movies. “Vice” (12/25) Coming this Christmas is “Vice,” the newest film by Adam McKay (“The Big Short”), who has certainly been on a roll. After splitting the sides of audiences with his comedy films starring Will Ferrell (“Daddy’s Home 2”), McKay turned his attention toward the realm of drama with 2015’s “The Big Short,” where he won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. His newest film, “Vice,” chronicles the political rise of Dick Cheney as he became the most powerful vice president in American history. Everything about this film screams Oscar gold, including the stellar cast, which includes Oscar winners like Christian Bale (“Hostiles”) and Sam Rockwell, (“Blue Iguana”) as well as the beautiful (and constantly snubbed) Amy Adams (“Justice League”). “Vice” is looking to be a home run in a year devoid of home runs.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

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‘Creed II’ proves strong, emotional addition to ‘Rocky’ series

Brandon Fallat Asst. Laker Review Editor bfallat@oswegonian.com

Director Ryan Coogler’s “Creed” turned out to be a hit both at the box office and with critics and fans of the series. It had an old-fashioned, classic “Rocky” movie feel to it but with a more contemporary style of filmmaking applied. It was bombastic and grandiose, yet the most intimate the series has been since the first entry, dealing with complex fights within the characters’ own minds, not just focusing on the ring. Overall, it dusted off the gloves and showed that what made the series so great in the ’70s cannot only still work today, but also will continue to work for decades to come. Once the film was a hit, like most good things, a sequel was announced, and Coogler could not take the reins, as he was off doing another small indie film that absolutely no one saw, Marvel’s “Black Panther.” So now, director Steven Caple Jr. will also get the Coogler treatment of going from low bud-

get with his first feature, “The Land,” to big budget with “Creed II.” Does the film capture the same magic as the first? Absolutely. Thoroughly entertaining, emotionally stirring and relentless, “Creed II” fires on all cylinders with each punch it throws and does not let up till the credits roll. The film revolves around the big, bad Russian from “Rocky IV,” Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren, “Black Water”), who infamously killed Adonis’ father and Rocky’s friend, Apollo Creed, in the ring. After having lost everything after his fight with Rocky 33 years ago, he is back stateside to challenge our two heroes, and this time, he is bringing his own big, bad Russian, his son Viktor, played by Romanian boxer Florian Munteanu. Michael B. Jordan (“Black Panther”) turns in one of his best performances to date, nailing the complex dimensions of Adonis and his struggles with identity and responsibility, and Sylvester Stallone is to Rocky what Anthony Hopkins is to Hannibal: a match made in heaven. These two have terrific chemistry, and each are given their own arc that

provide closure to the stories left off in the first film. Though audiences knew these two would be terrific, it is both Ivan and Viktor Drago that make the biggest shock in this film. The duo is ferocious, with enough humanity to keep this ship from sailing into “Rocky IV” territory. Because that film worked in the ’80s, it existed in a time where the “Rocky” series was going through an identity crisis, bouncing back and forth from Oscar-worthy drama to beat-em-up montage-music video-fest. The “Creed” films, however, have a very clear objective to keeping things grounded, so going back to that particular well for story points could have been detrimental to the series. Caple Jr. is a master director and brought humanity to the Dragos, examining Ivan as a tragic figure following “Rocky IV” and Viktor as the loyal son who only knows fighting, and to “Rocky IV” as a whole. Because it is a sequel, the film is by no means as innovative and original as its predecessor and settles for a more formulaic route. This film’s overall plot is as if “Rocky II” had a kid with “Rocky

III,” with the backdrop of “Rocky IV,” and had the emotional baggage of “Rocky Balboa” and “Creed.” Yet, it works. In fact, because of this, the film exceeds its predecessor in rewatchability and enjoyment factor. While there is no one-take fight this time around, during the many fight sequences, Caple Jr. keeps the camera moving within the ring, placing the audience in Adonis’ shoes, being all alone in a small area, facing a literal mountain of a man and having to somehow come out on top. When he gets hurt, the audience gets hurt, and when he cries, the audience cries, making this entire ride that much more enthralling.

“Creed II” may be a tad formulaic, but it pieces the puzzle of previous “Rocky” plots together in such a way where it does not feel predictable. “Creed” may be more well-made, but this sequel has higher stakes, a true, complex antagonist and themes of dealing with the past, one’s legacy, what it means to be a fighter and self-worth that bursts through the seams of each opponent’s gloves. This film is a worthy addition to the “Rocky” series, providing both nostalgia and closure to the past of “Rocky IV,” as well as tying up loose ends while opening doors for new beginnings.

Image from MGM via YouTube Adonis Creed and Viktor Drago continue the rivalry started 33 years ago in “Creed II.”

‘Ralph Breaks the Internet’ shatters conventions, still proves mediocre Jessica Wickham Chief Copy Editor jwickham@oswegonian.com

“Ralph Breaks the Internet” is not nearly as good as the first film, but it may be perfect for a parent looking for a funny film to teach their kids some lessons on friendship. The two biggest complaints against the “Wreck-It Ralph” sequel have to do with plot. First, it takes a while to find its central conflict. To its credit, this sequel does not undo the character development and progress made in the first film like a lot of sequels do. This time, a wellintentioned move by the lovable oaf that is Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly, “Stan and Ollie”) breaks Vanellope’s (Sarah Silverman, “Battle of the Sexes”) game right around the same time the arcade finally gets internet access. So, of course, the two venture into the world wide web to fix Sugar Rush – the go-kartracing game of which Vanellope is a quasi-princess. This premise is reasonable, but

Image from Walt Disney Animation Studios via YouTube Wreck-it Ralph (John C. Reilly) and Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) explore the web in “Ralph Breaks the Internet.”

the movie cannot seem to decide how it wants to go about solving that problem. The goal is clear - get the part to fix the game from the almighty eBay, which might as well have a voice actor with how big of a role it plays in the film. How the two achieve that goal, however, is often all over the place. Is it through a pop-up challenge? Nope. What about through discount YouTube? Maybe. By the end, the story eventually settles on a central conflict and path, but the result feels like a desperate attempt to tie all the

loose ends into a messy knot. The second biggest problem with the film is how predictable it is. In “Wreck-It Ralph,” Ralph saved the arcade after accidentally breaking it, and six movie-years later, he is back to save the internet after accidentally breaking it. And the friendship lesson–though great for kids–is practically shoved down audiences’ throats, and it was obvious the story was going for that lesson from the start. A few things are a little surprising, but nothing is refreshingly new.

That said, Disney does a good job continuing its wave of entertaining and endearing movies with a twist, which makes the movie worth at least one watch. Though some product placement in the film is unnecessary, and the Oh My Disney fan service is a bit excessive, it does drive the plot in a fun way. Any person with at least a vague liking for Disney princesses will delight at the way they are used in the movie, so props to Disney for that one. Like quite a few of Disney’s

recent films, “Ralph Breaks the Internet” also pokes plenty of fun at its parent studio, with jokes that mega-fans and newbies alike can enjoy. The jabs about internet culture and online gaming are perfectly accurate too, so audiences will laugh plenty. It pretty much comes down to this: “Ralph Breaks the Internet” was made for a fundamentally different audience than “Wreck-It Ralph.” The first film was made for families with parents who grew up in the ’80s loving video games. There was enough to satisfy the parents’ nostalgia with a great story and lovable characters. This time, though, the film is made for kids and middle-schoolers who grew up on the internet loving Disney. Because of that disparity, it is very likely that plenty of parents may find “Ralph Breaks the Internet” to be the light, lesson-filled movie they have been waiting for, and many kids will likely delight at seeing their favorite characters brought to life. But for those nonparents who loved the first movie, they might leave the theater a little disappointed.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

‘Green Book’ builds on old themes with new friendships

Image from MovieClips Trailers via YouTube Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali shine in “Green Book,” a movie about an unlikely pair traveling the deep south in the ’60s.

Nathaniel Ahart Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Leave it to the guy who directed “Dumb and Dumber” and “Shallow Hal” to give us one of the best movies of the year. Yeah, that guy. “Green Book” is charming, fun-

ny, heartwarming and profound, all due to the direction of Peter Farrelly, the brilliant script and the performances by Viggo Mortensen (“Captain Fantastic”) and Mahershala Ali (“Roxanne Roxanne”). Ali has burst onto the film scene seemingly from nowhere these past couple years, having only small roles in the last couple of “Hunger Games”

films, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Predators” and “The Place Beyond the Pines.” Despite having been a main cast member of “House of Cards” since 2013, it was not until “Moonlight” that Ali truly showed he was a force to be reckoned with and, in turn, won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. It is a good thing too because he may just top his work

in that film here, and it would be fantastic to see him take home the golden statue once again. Mortenson also deserves love for his more-than-believable performance as Tony Lip. Mortenson is not Italian but does an excellent job selling the role of this meat-headed Italian-American, a role that could have easily fallen into caricature status. The thing that stands out the most about Mortenson is how chameleonic he is, between this, his iconic portrayal of Aragorn in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy and his Oscarnominated performances as Nikolai Luzhin in “Eastern Promises” and Ben Cash in “Captain Fantastic.” Him beating out the likes of other fellow actors for a Best Actor nomination such as Ryan Gosling for “First Man” or Steve Carell for “Beautiful Boy” is not yet known, but it would be no surprise if this performance seals the deal. Yes, “Green Book” may follow the buddy-road-trip formula, as an audience member could easily guess the characters will be

changed by the end of the film. However, the thing that sets this film apart from the rest is that these characters are so palpable and layered. There have never been arcs quite like these in any other road film. The character arcs intertwine so beautifully, as they both have to learn things from each other and realize maybe they are more alike than previously thought. It also deals with racial issues, which is one of the primary themes of the film. Unfortunately, some of these issues are still too relevant today, but “Green Book” handles it in a very tasteful and classy way. As far as crowd-pleasing movies go, “Green Book” is as good as it gets. One can walk out of the theater filled with joy, hope and optimism, knowing they have just watched something truly special. “Green Book” may play it safe in a few areas, but it definitely stands a good chance of being crowned as Best Picture at next year’s Academy Awards. 2018 just got really good.

‘Widows’ proves late 2018 dud, sacrifices story for confusion Dominic Rizzi Laker Review Editor drizzi@oswegonian.com

At this point, it is safe to say 2018 has not been a great year for film. It has not even been a good year. Some even say it is one of the worst years for film, and “Widows” depicts this perfectly. “Widows” is directed by Steve McQueen (“12 Years a Slave”) and co-written by Gillian Flynn (“Gone Girl”). It features an allstar cast with the likes of Viola Davis (“Fences”), Michelle Rodriguez (“The Fate of the Furious”), Elizabeth Debicki (Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2”), Cynthia Erivo (“Bad Times at the El Royale”), Colin Farrell (“Roman J. Israel, Esq.”), Brian Tyree Henry (“Hotel Artemis”), Robert Duvall (“In Dubious Battle”), Liam Neeson (“The Commuter”) and Daniel Kaluuya (“Black Panther”). In it, four members of a heist team, led by Neeson’s character Harry Rawlings, are brutally murdered in a botched heist job, leaving it up to their widows to pick up where they left off in order to appease

Image from 20th Century Fox via YouTube The titular team continues where their husbands left off in the aptly titled “Widows.”

the dangerous criminal from whom he stole, who also happens to be running against Farrell’s character for city council. One of the first problems that catches the eye is story pacing and flow, of which there is none. Typically, in a story made for filmmaking purposes, there is an incident to establish the story, followed by the main character having to deal with the fallout, which usually culminates

in them making a decision that propels the story forward. Here, the initial heist goes wrong, but the problem is that after this, rather than following the problems surrounding Harry’s widow Veronica, the film launches into a subplot surrounding Farrell’s political rivalry with Henry, as well as his hateful relationship with his father, played by Duvall. It is not until about the half-hour mark that Davis’ struggle and

turmoil is established, when Henry shows up at her house, demanding she return the $2 million Harry stole from him, which causes her to round up the rest of the widows to get the plot rolling. While this does not seem like much on paper, the big screen causes a slow period in which it feels like nothing is happening because the confounding amount of subplots causes the main tension to become extremely muddled, taking up more screentime than the main one. Subplots in a film are not a bad thing. In fact, they are necessary to fill out a film’s runtime. But too many of them, in the hands of someone who may not have a lot of experience, can cause the story to be confusing. That is just one of the many problems in this film. Now, the overuse of subplots to make the main story confusing is one thing, but the film takes it 20 steps further, attempting to mix in messages concerning racial tensions and political handling of lower socio-economic areas, all of which comes off as forced and out of place in what is supposed to be a heist film. This is

especially apparent in one scene concerning Davis and Neeson’s son. In the hands of a lesser experienced filmmaker, this might come off as lack of experience, but because this is in the hands of not just one, but two people who have turned out some of the best filmmaking efforts of this decade, the problems become even more obvious to those who pay attention. This is made worse by the fact that despite the script being one of the most confusing, jumbled and borderline offensive pieces of toilet paper ever written, the performances are all on point, particularly from Kaluuya, who gives one of the most terrifying performances of the year as Henry’s younger brother and enforcer, easily topping his previous acting efforts. There are films that make no sense, there are sloppy films, there are offensive films, and then there is “Widows.” Something that started off having a lot of promise and ended up being one of the most disappointing efforts of the year. “Widows” falls flat on its face and is easily one of the most disappointing film efforts of 2018.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

Michael Bublé returns to form with most romantic album yet Mary Kate Moylan Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: For many current artists, hiatuses and breaks within a career are to recharge or “find oneself” and take time to spend with family. Michael Bublé, all geared and ready for his 2017 tour for his album “Nobody But Me” the previous year, cancelled his pending tour to put his family first after his 3-yearold son, Noah, was diagnosed with cancer. With both parents halting their careers indefinitely to care for their son, Bublé had remained primarily out of the public eye until this September, breaking his silence with a post on social media. On Nov. 16, the Canadian released his most recent album titled “Love,” depicted by a small red heart on the cover art. Eight studio albums, 15 years and four Grammys later, he sticks to his strengths, singing songs about love and executing the classics. The first released single from the album, “When I Fall In Love,”

Image from Michael Bublé via YouTube Michael Bublé returns to form on his new album with love songs and classic covers.

is a classic jazz song originally performed in 1952 by Jeri Southern. More recognizable covers and re-recordings of it include Doris Day and Nat King Cole. Bublé takes an elegant and gentle approach, with subtle grandeurs of a string orchestra and gracious harp plucking. Known for his higher leaps in range, Bublé keeps it simple and smooth by staying in the lower range of his baritone voice. “La vie en rose” featuring Céline McLorin Salvant is one of two duets on the album. A 1945

classic by French vocalist Édith Piaf, the song can be found in an abundance of films including “XMen: First Class” and “A Star Is Born.” It is extremely recognizable with an introduction of violins and an accordion, conjuring up an image of a couple on a boat while enjoying a late afternoon on the River Seine in Paris. Bublé and Salvant sing a beautiful hybrid of both the French original and an English translation of the song. Elegant sounding and beyond lovely, Salvant nearly overpowers Bublé by the

sheer power and beauty of her voice, regardless of whether she is singing the French or English. The harmonies alone will cast listeners into a nostalgia for a time they have not experienced. Creating a tantalizing air, something that has become a staple for Bublé albumsmuch like his recording of “Cry Me A River” from his past album “Crazy Love”- “My Funny Valentine” delivers a twist quite unlike any other recording of the 1937 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart musical “Babes In Arms” showtune. It is quite subdued. Performed by legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, Bublé has many to go up against with this whimsical and churning classic. He sets the bar high for many to come as he revives and rearranges classics, singing to songs of past generation. Opening the song with a low bass drum pulse, the rhythm manifests into the heartbeat as a full orchestra enters creating the perfect backdrop for any James Bond film. “Forever Now” is the only

song co-written by Bublé from the album. It is a short, sweet song that pulls at the heartstrings and is relatable to any parent. “You know that you’re the one that we’ve been waiting for / We’re gonna keep you safe / First time I held you in my arms / I knew I’d love you all the way.” Vowing to always support his son Noah, Bublé touches lightly on the struggles he wishes his song did not have to endure, but with each struggle comes an equal if not greater possibility and opportunity in life. With two years already passed and his son now on the path toward recovery, Bublé reflects on the journey, with this song and the reasoning behind this album simply being love. With an album nearly as suited for the holidays after his 2012 “Christmas” album, Bublé presents a swelling arrangement of feel-good, heartfelt tunes just in time for the holiday season and cold winter days. He stays comfortable within what he knows, while regaining a fresh start.

'Fallout 76' not as engaging as its predecessors, still fun time Kenny Burnham Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: “Fallout 76” is a game unlike any in the franchise’s history, but then again, this is a series that started as top-down, turned-based RPG. Unlike its predecessors, “Fallout 76” is not just multiplayer, but entirely online, which was a bold and daring move by Bethesda Game Studios, who adopted the title. Users can still choose to play by themselves, though they will be in a world with about two dozen other players. Because the world is approximately four times the size of “Fallout 4,” running into another player is not common outside the starting area. Players have the option of ignoring the player or teaming up to take on the wasteland together, or they can choose to duke it out. The PvP is consent based, having

players deal partial damage (a “slap”) until both players fire on each other. This is an interesting way to handle PvP, but it reeks of indecisiveness and trying to please too many people only to upset them all. Players can still kill other players with just slap damage, but it is not easy. Doing so gets the player a “wanted” status. Wanted players are revealed to other players on the map, who can be rewarded for killing the murderer. The only problem here is there is little to no incentive for players to gain the wanted status, except just for fun. Another reason finding other players is so rare is that other players are the only human characters players will find in “Fallout 76.” The game has no human non-playable characters (NPCs). There is a certain novelty to this idea, specifically for a multiplayer game. Quests that would normally be given by humans are now given by holotapes, a type of in-game data device. While this can be annoy-

Image from Bethesda Softworks via YouTube Unlike previous games in the franchise, “Fallout 76” is based entirely online.

ing at times, it is as not as much of a loss as it seems. Some of the best quests Bethesda has made in previous Fallouts either had no human NPCs in them or had human NPCs that could arguably be replaced or removed. Relative to “Fallout 4”, there are fewer quests that can be boiled down to “go here and kill this.” The crafting system from “Fallout 4” that had players hoarding junk items with reckless abandon is back, though

it has received some changes. There are now multiple ways to learn new weapon and armor mods. Many are acquired through scrapping the item players are trying to mod. Scrapping gives a chance to learn a random mod from the scrapped item. This system can be frustrating, especially at the two extremes. Unlocking specific mods for items that either have very few or a lot of mods available can take hours of col-

lecting and scrapping that item type to get the correct mod. The core problem of this system is how arbitrary it is. The game is as buggy as one would expect a Bethesda game to be. Allowing some to play early through Bethesda’s BreakIt Early Test Application did not seem to help as significantly as some would have liked. “Fallout 76” can also be quite visually stunning, with a large part of the map covered with grass and trees that still have their leaves, since supposedly nobody would want to nuke West Virginia. The performance also seems to have taken an additional hit since “Fallout 4,” which was already taxing enough on consoles. Densely packed areas can cause frame drops at inopportune moments. All is not sure to be bleak for the future of “Fallout 76”, however, as the game is set to receive updates for years to come. An update came out Nov. 19, with another on the way. “Fallout 76” is, in its current state, very fun, but still messy, and, at times, it is a downright broken experience.

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

Crossword Puzzle

Sudoku Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

Down 1. To and ___ 2. Cover 3. Green gem 4. Guarantees 5. “___ Doubtfire” 6. Positive vote 7. Thinker 8. Vegas machine 9. Reluctant 10. Consent 11. Internet access device 17. Ice mass 19. And so forth (abbr.) 21. Wind dir. 22. Kicker’s prop

23. Sister’s daughter 26. President ___ Roosevelt 29. Antiseptic 30. Umbrella 31. Coffee vessel 32. Hair coloring 33. Injection 34. Eden dweller 35. Stroke a guitar 36. Ascend 37. Golfer ___ Woods 41. Whittle down 44. Opposite of pos. 45. Wedding vow (2 wds.) 47. Angeles preceder 48. Compass reading (abbr.)

Across 1. Hopping insect 5. Damage 8. Close noisily 12. Edges 13. Seeded bread 14. Corporate symbol 15. Certain poems 16. Coast 18. Feel regret 20. Divan 21. Begin 23. And not 24. Sewn edge 25. Picking 27. Unites 28. Laughing sound 29. Potato 33. Administrative assistant 35. Took a chair 38. Weeding implement 39. Author Jules ___ 40. Camera support 42. Epoch 43. Tubular pasta 46. Capri or Wight 49. Consumer 50. Maroon 51. Water bird 52. Simple 53. Self-importance 54. Differently

For this week’s crossword answers... Go to Oswegonian.com and click on the Laker Review tab!

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Nov. 30, 2018

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Flashback Friday

Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

Image from YouTube Movies via YouTube

On Nov. 30, 1993, the classic historical drama “Schindler’s List,” which recounted Oskar Schindler’s journey to saving over 1,000 Jews from the Holocaust, premiered in Washington, D.C. The film was directed by legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg and starred Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley and Ralph Fiennes. It went on to win seven Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture of 1994. It is rated No.7 on IMDB’s “Top 250 Films of All Time” list.

Oswego Cinema 7 Weekend of Nov. 30 - Dec. 1 Robin Hood

11:40 a.m. 2:20 p.m.

5:00 p.m.

7:40 p.m.

Creed 2

11:55 a.m.

3:45 p.m.

7:20 p.m.

10:20 p.m.

Ralph Breaks The Internet

11:00 a.m. 1:40 p.m.

4:20 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

9:40 p.m.

Instant Family

11:20 a.m. 2:10 p.m.

4:50 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

10:15 p.m.

Fantastic Beasts: The 11:50 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Crimes of Grindlewald

7:10 p.m.

10:10 p.m.

TO SEE ALL SHOWINGS, GO TO OSWEGO CINEMA 7'S WEBSITE

10:25 p.m.