Fall 2019 Issue 7

Read about the best of Bing’s wings See page 5 Monday, September 16, 2019 | Vol. XCVI, Issue 7 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

The Free Word on Campus Since 1946

Students voice concerns as LSATs go digital Lecture

to discuss refugee crises

Online testing format poses challenges for preperation Nicole Kaufman news intern

The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) is facing one of its biggest changes since its creation in 1948, as the entire test will now be administered through a digital interface — a shift that students are concerned could impact their results.

According to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website, the organization that writes and administers the LSAT, the content and structure of the exam will remain the same, but starting Sept. 21, the majority of the exam will be delivered through tablets provided by testing centers. The features on the tablet include a five-minute warning before the end of the test, highlighting and the ability to flag questions, which aims to help test-takers keep track of questions that they wish to revisit later.

Jeff Thomas, Kaplan Test Prep’s executive director of pre-law programs, said the LSAC has spent years studying and designing the digital interface.

“Digital testing should allow for a more consistent test-taking experience and for scores to be in students’ hands faster,” Thomas wrote in an email. “In fact, LSAT is somewhat playing catch up in this area — the other major graduate level admissions exams like the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) have been digital for several years already.”

The LSAC announced they plan to release the scores for the Sept. 21 exam

Annual Bonzani memorial event features BU alumnus Lakhsmi Chatterjee pipe dream news

exam, and the test-taker must identify themselves before taking the exam by holding a valid, government-issued ID to their webcam. They will also have to scan the room with their webcam to ensure there are no other people or prohibited devices, such as cell phones and other digital items present. The LSAC will

The third installment of the John & Lawrence Bonzani Memorial Law Lecture will feature Binghamton University alumnus Eric Schwartz, ’79, president of Refugees International, as its main speaker, holding a discussion on refugees and surrounding political issues.

The John & Lawrence Bonzani Memorial Law Lecture is an annual event, created in 2017, which aims to help educate students who are interested in pursuing careers in law. It covers topics such as career exploration and development, law school, specialization within the field and current events facing the field of law. It was established with a donation by alumnus Andrew Bonzani, ’86, and Marie Christine Bonzani in the memory of his brothers, John and Lawrence.

Leah Joggerst, ‘02, director of constituent relations in Harpur College and one of the main organizers for the

see lsat page 3

see refugee page 3

taylor hayes pipe dream illustrator

on Oct. 14, but they anticipate that they will be able to get scores out more quickly in the future since the exam is now online.

Another difference, as of June 2019, is that the test day for the LSAT will be shorter. According to the LSAC website, the writing portion will now be administered separately and online through a secured proctoring software

that test-takers will have to install on their computers. Using the new software, test-takers will be able to take the writing portion of the exam outside of a testing center. The software can only be launched

by Google Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Internet Explorer. Other browsers, such as Safari, are not currently supported.

The LSAC will have access to the testtaker’s webcam while they are taking the

BU Student uses crowdfunding to pay cost of tuition Freshman Omaya Shahata relies on GoFundMe donations Leora Schwadron

assistant news editor

There are many different ways students go about paying for their education, including applying for loans and scholarships or working jobs throughout high school. But for Omaya Shahata, a freshman majoring in social work, paying for school meant starting a GoFundMe page to raise funds for their Binghamton

University tuition.

GoFundMe, a free crowd-sourced fundraising platform, can be used for nearly any cause, according to their website. Shahata’s page features updates on how much funds have been raised, as well as the story of their financial struggles and why they need to raise college tuition funds.

“As a first generation, EgyptianAmerican coming from a working-class immigrant family who lives paycheck to paycheck, opportunities weren’t often open to me,” Shahata wrote on their page.

“I have looked through every avenue that

I thought could help me and I was told that even if this whole crowd-funding thing didn’t work out, that I should try anyway because at the end of it all, I’ll be back in Virginia with a whole lot of people telling me that they ‘told me so.’”

In an email, Shahata explained why they decided to create the page and spoke about how BU’s Office of the Ombudsman helped come up with the GoFundMe idea.

The University ombudsman’s primary job is to provide confidential and impartial aid to the BU community, as well as act as an advocate for fairness and equality. The ombudsman also aims to help individuals

resolve any conflicts or problems they may have surrounding their education.

“I looked at probably dozens of loan options but each time I turned away from them either because I don’t have a credit history or my parents are unable to cosign,” Shahata wrote. “I got the idea to use GoFundMe through the Ombudsman.

She was the last advising resource I went to about my situation and after hearing my story, she went through several ideas on what I could do, one of them being ‘put your story out there.’”

Shahata is not the only student who faces difficulty in paying for their

tuition, and the University has a variety of resources available for students in similar situations, such as the TRiO Programs, which provides support and advising to low-income and first-generation students.

Jazmine Powell, a TRiO academic counselor and one of the advisers Shahata spoke with about their situation, wrote in an email that financial constraints are a common issue she helps advise students on.

“When working for a program that provides support to first-generation and

see gofundme page 3

Talk highlights local hemp farm Matt Baker founds online fashion blog First BU Forum event aims to connect University, community Erin Kagel

Track and field standout discusses style inspiration

pipe dream news

Hemp was the main subject of the first Binghamton University Forum lecture of this year, featuring Geoffrey Whaling, co-founder and president of Hemp Development Group, LLC, who is building his first Hemp Industrial Park (HIP) in Broome County.

Industrial hemp production is an increasing agricultural industry in the United States, after the passing of the 2018 U.S. farm bill that removed hemp from the list of Schedule I controlled substances.

It has allowed for a resurgence in hemp production in the United States after about 80 years of it being illegal. Hemp is a cannabis plant with less than 0.3 percent tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, and can be used in the production of cars, building materials, medications,

see hemp page 3

Samantha Marsh

assistant sports editor

sidney slon assistant photo editor Geoffrey Whaling, co-founder and president of Hemp Industrial Park (HIP) Developments LLC, speaks about the creation of the new headquarters for Hemp Development Group, LLC in Broome County during the Binghamton University Forum lecture on Sept. 13.

ARTS & CULTURE

Senior Matthew Baker has been a standout jumper on the Binghamton men’s track and field team for the past three seasons, making it into the America East (AE) all-conference team five times, placing in the top three in the AE Indoor Championships in triple jump three years in a row and jumping as far as 46-6 ½. He puts in 12 and a half hours a week of practice, but for Baker, it’s not about the numbers.

“My coach and I would have beginning of the year meetings, and he’d say, ‘What are your goals for this year?’” Baker said. “And I’d give him a number goal for how far I want to jump, but then I realized it’s just

OPINIONS

not about that. I can go jump a cool distance and get a school record, and it wouldn’t mean anything if I was a completely terrible human being.

If you’re not bettering the people around you as well as yourself, then what are you really doing?”

While Baker has spent his time at Binghamton University trying to better his teammates, he realized his junior year that he needed to do something to better himself. So he switched his major from biology to English and created an affordable fashion blog called Baker’s Rebellion.

Baker said he knew from a young age that he was interested in fashion and the arts and began to idolize musicians for both their music and their style.

“ASAP Rocky was my favorite artist for a long, long time,” Baker said. “I watched all of his interviews, listened

see baker page 7

SPORTS

A review of (Sandy) Alex G’s new album “House of Sugar,”

Bullet journal your way to a successful semester,

Comedians shouldn’t be censored by their audience,

Volleyball swept at Black Knight Invitational,

Women’s soccer earns pair of nonconference victories,

SEE PAGE 5

SEE PAGE 5

SEE PAGE 4

SEE PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 8

PAGE II Monday, September 16, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

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FALL 2019 eDitor-in-Chief* Sasha Hupka editor@bupipedream.com

MAnAging eDitor* Katy Wong manager@bupipedream.com

news eDitor* Jake Kerr news@bupipedream.com Asst. news eDitors Valerie Puma Leora Schwadron Jeremy Rubino

opinions eDitor* Evan Moravansky opinions@bupipedream.com Asst. opinions eDitor Elizabeth Short

Arts & Culture eDitor* Gabriela Iacovano arts@bupipedream.com Asst. Arts & Culture eDitors Calendra Scahill Patrick Earns sports eDitor* Justin Zion sports@bupipedream.com Asst. sports eDitors Edward Aaron Samantha Marsh photogrAphy eDitor* Ariel Kachuro photo@bupipedream.com

Asst. photogrAphy eDitor Sidney Slon

max samson art director

Word Street on the

What is your favorite fall activity?

fun eDitor* Annabeth Sloan fun@bupipedream.com Asst. fun eDitor

Daniel Eisenhower

Design MAnAger* Kade Estelle design@bupipedream.com Design Assts.

Mikayel Harutyunyan Kailtlyn Scanlon Copy Desk Chief* Lia Berger copy@bupipedream.com Asst. Copy Desk Chief Cherie Litvin

Candice O’Connor a senior majoring in psychology

“Definitely drinking hot apple cider with a cinnamon stick. It has to have a cinnamon stick though.”

Tyler Behar

an undeclared freshman “Biking. I usually bike around my town. I’d probably bike here if I had a bike.”

Andrew Horihan

Gilad Adar

Emily Rail

“I don’t really do anything in the fall. I like carving pumpkins, I guess.”

“Hiking. Here, I usually go to nature parks up north. I also just like going to the quad and playing sports and stuff, like throwing a football.”

“Playing volleyball. I prefer to play indoors. I’m on the volleyball team, and I just like being in season.”

a freshman majoring in computer science

a junior majoring in mathematics

a junior majoring in psychology

DigitAl eDitor* Kimberly Gonzalez digital@bupipedream.com newsrooM teChnology MAnAger* Michelle Tan tech@bupipedream.com

Art DireCtor* Max Samson

Business MAnAger* Maryam Soomro business@bupipedream.com

“I don’t think it’s an outrageous parallel to say look at the work we’re doing now with the opioid companies … That tobacco, cigarettes and now these vaping e-cigarettes, it’s still nicotine. And nicotine is what’s addictive.”

—— Gov. Andrew Cuomo at a press conference on Sunday, Sept. 15 in Manhattan, where he announced the signing of an emergency executive action to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in New York state amid a high-profile investigation into vaping-related illnesses.

This Day in History Sept. 16, 2013 A lone gunman fatally shot at least 12 people in a mass shooting inside the Washington Navy Yard, a secure military facility in Washington, D.C.

Business AssistAnt Samantha Agnoli businessassistant@bupipedream.

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stabilizing:donuts

reslife:destabilizing

Pipe Line CAMPUS NEWS

BU, UHS partner for sports injury training On Sunday, Binghamton University hosted its fifth-annual Sports Injury Management and Equipment Removal Training with United Healt Services (UHS) at the Events Center, according to WBNG. The training is designed to teach local first responders how to handle emergency situations on the field. The event included a lecture from Dr. Micah Lissy, medical director of sports medicine at UHS, and hands-on demonstrations to familiarize emergency responders with the

different types of sports equipment athletes commonly wear and how to safely remove them.

LOCAL NEWS

Prospect Mountain construction to impact Binghamton traffic Starting on Monday, multiple streets and exits will be reduced to one lane near Interstate 81 and Route 17 due to ongoing construction, according to WBNG. The construction will allow the New York State Department of Transportation to perform sign and pavement marking work in

preparation for a new, temporary traffic pattern taking effect later in the week. Officials are cautioning drivers to expect long delays while the roadwork is underway.

The area has been under construction since 2011.

STATE NEWS

Cuomo bans flavored e-cigarettes in New York following vaping-related illnesses Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Sunday that he is signing an emergency executive action to ban the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in New York state, according to

USA Today. The move comes as the state continues to investigate several cases of vaping-related illnesses in New York state, and just months after state lawmakers passed legislation to raise the age to buy tobacco and e-cigarette products from 18 to 21. The age change will take effect in November. While announcing the executive action, Cuomo called flavored e-cigarettes a “health crisis” and accused sellers and manufactures of targeting underage youth.

Stony Brook professor pleads not guilty to stealing funds A professor at Stony Brook Uni-

versity, who was arrested Thursday for allegedly stealing $200,000 meant for cancer research, has pleaded not guilty to a sevencount indictment, according to The Daily Beast. Federal prosecutors say Geoffrey Girnun, 48, an associate professor of pathology at Stony Brook University’s Renaissance School of Medicine, is accused of stealing funds for personal expenses, including mortgage payments on his house. Officials from Stony Brook University said in a statement the school is “outraged and appalled” by the allegations. Girnun was released on $250,000 bail on Friday.

bupipedream.com | September 16, 2019

NEWS

3

Eric Schwartz, ‘79, highlights refugees, human rights in talk refugee from page 1

PROVIDED BY refugees international Binghamton alumnus Eric Schwartz, ’79, president of Refugees International, will hold a discussion on the refugee crises as part of the John & Lawrence Bonzani Memorial Law Lecture series on Sept. 18 in the Fine Arts Building.

lecture, said Schwartz was chosen as a speaker because he is an example of a successful alumnus who went on to become a leader in human rights issues.

“I don’t think I need to tell you, but just in case you’ve been living under a rock, humanitarian, human rights issues, refugee crises around the world, including the crisis at our borders present immense challenges in today’s world,” Joggerst wrote in an email. “I think many people on this campus and in the community have concerns about these issues and want to gain a better understanding of what’s happening and how these issues are being addressed.”

Refugees International is an independent humanitarian organization that advocates for displaced people. According to Joggerst, it mainly works to promote solutions to displacement issues around the world.

Before Refugees International, Schwartz worked as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration from 2009 to 2011, was a senior human rights and humanitarian official at the National Security Council during the Clinton administration and served as the United Nations deputy special envoy for tsunami recovery after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

For the past two years, the Bonzani Lecture series has featured law professionals who gave tips on how to be a successful lawyer and law student.

Schwartz, while discussing his career in government and nonprofit work, will lead a broader discussion on refugee issues different countries are currently facing.

Stephen Ortiz, an associate professor of history, is encouraging students in his College-in-the-Woods learning community class to attend the lecture.

“Our responses to this crisis — as individuals, as nations and as members of the global community — can make a huge difference,” Ortiz wrote in an email. “Hearing from people at the forefront of the issue such as Eric Schwartz, president of Refugees International, is a great place to start to understand it.”

Kira Hawes, a sophomore majoring in environmental studies, plans on attending the lecture so she can learn more about what the refugee situation currently is, as she said the issue has stopped getting as much news coverage recently.

“I think the refugee crisis was a very popular issue in the news a year ago, and nobody found a solution to it, so everyone moved on and stopped talking about it,” Hawes said.

The lecture will take place at the Casadesus Recital Hall in the Fine Arts Building on Wednesday, Sept. 18 starting at 5 p.m.

Financial struggles lead to BU pre-law students student seeking donations oppose digital test format gofundme from page 1 low-income students, financial concerns is unfortunately often the norm,” Powell wrote. “If students in our program are faced with financial concerns, we explore all of the available options together.”

But at times, the options students have for financial aid can be limited.

“We first advise [students] to go to the Financial Aid office, as they are the experts and have the most accurate and up to date information available to them, and then we explore other options like private loans and scholarships (although most scholarships deadlines end during the spring semester),” Powell wrote. “We try our best to support students, but sometimes even after exhausting all available resources there is still a financial gap.”

When these financial gaps become too large, students might be forced to leave the institution.

According to Shahata’s GoFundMe account, they first started the page when they had six days until they would be forced to leave the University if they were unable to raise the money needed for tuition.

“Right now I am in Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York and I currently have six days until I am getting kicked out,” Shahata wrote on their page on Aug. 30.

With the funds Shahata has currently raised through the GoFundMe page, they were able to go to the BU financial aid office and show they were actively working on collecting the money necessary for tuition. The office then gave Shahata until Oct. 5 to pay off their semester fees, at which point an alternative payment plan will be offered to Shahata if they still cannot pay the full tuition.

Shahata wrote that their specific goal of the GoFundMe page was to establish an online presence so more people would learn about the situation.

“I don’t really use social media … but that got me thinking anyway; I don’t have a presence on any social media but I can make a presence on GoFundMe,” Shahata wrote. “Everyone knows someone and if this was shared enough, then maybe someone … out there would see and help me out.”

Through various shares on social media, other students have learned about Omaya’s financial struggle.

Brooke Grossman, a junior majoring in psychology, said she first read about Shahata’s story when a classmate shared the link to the GoFundMe page on Facebook.

“I saw the page when someone shared it in one of those big Binghamton University chats,” Grossman said. “I know a lot of students have financial struggles and seeing the way it can impact

someone enough where they might have to leave the school is a real problem.”

According to Powell, TRiO is working with the University to better help students struggling financially in the future.

“Many students often have to take out private loans, rely on friends and family or unfortunately have to leave the institution if they are unable to come up with sufficient funds,” Powell wrote. “Our director, Steve Rebello, is in conversations with the University to hopefully better help students who are in similar situations.”

Beyond the GoFundMe page, Shahata is currently looking for a work-study job on campus and actively applying to scholarships to help cover the costs of their tuition. They said students facing financial struggles should tell someone before giving up.

“Make someone you trust aware of your situation, whether it be your suite-mate, professor, adviser, or mentor,” Shahata wrote. “There’s always someone you can go to and maybe even someone who’s been in your predicament before.”

As of Sept. 15, Shahata’s GoFundMe page has raised $5,135 of their $9,691 goal. The page has been shared 45 times on social media and 112 people have donated. Shahata intends to keep the page up until the total $9,691 is reached.

lsat from page 1 have access to the webcam while the test-taker is taking the writing portion to ensure no c heating occurs.

For the non-writing portion of the exam, test-takers will only be taking the multiplechoice sections at the testing centers. Along with the provided tablets, there will be additional LSAT technology onsite at the testing centers to monitor the status of each tablet, according to Thomas.

“From everything we’ve heard so far from the soft launch of the digital LSAT this summer, technical glitches have been few and far between,” Thomas wrote.

“In the rare instances where it does happen, administrators can and will swap out hardware and give additional time to ensure every student has exactly 35 minutes.”

But students looking at law school have not prepared for a digital exam, and some, like Stephen Perez, a junior doublemajoring in political science and sociology, have worries. Perez plans on taking the LSAT in summer 2020, and said the new digital format is concerning, given all the work is done on a screen.

“The new format makes me worried because I have always disliked reading and doing my work on a computer screen,”

Perez wrote in an email. “I have been studying with printed out practice tests and ‘LSAT Bibles.’ I like to take notes in the margins and use the page, so I am going to have to develop new testtaking and study strategies.”

Scratch paper and a pen will be provided to test-takers at the testing centers, according to the LSAC website. A stylus will also be provided to allow for test-takers to underline and highlight text on the tablet.

According to Thomas, many law schools are in support of the move to digital from pencil and paper.

“In Kaplan’s 2018 law school admissions officers survey, nearly 80 percent of the Juris Doctor (JD) programs we spoke with think this move is a good idea,” Thomas wrote. “With the exam going digital, it’s possible students will receive their scores back faster, which should not only alleviate any posttest angst, but also help them put their applications together more quickly.”

Although law school admissions approve of the idea, Victoria Viola, a senior doublemajoring in political science and history, said she is concerned she will have to adjust her study techniques to a new format.

“I am nervous that the test will be entirely digital,” Viola said. “While I have had digital assignments before, I’ve never

taken a standardized test, or any test for that matter, without pen [or] pencil and paper. Hopefully, familiarizing myself with the format and adequately preparing for the test content will ensure that my score is not affected by the digitalization.”

Another concern, Perez wrote, is that it could be more difficult to keep track of progress on a computer screen.

“I think that the digital format will be great for getting scores out faster to students,” Perez wrote.

“Oftentimes, students find that they did not do as well as they expected, and do not have enough time to take another LSAT by their law school application deadlines.

That being said, it is a step back in terms of accessibility. There are [helpful] features to help those who have trouble reading the small font, but nothing beats the good old pencil and paper.”

Once students begin taking the new, digital LSAT, Viola said she is anxious to learn from their experiences.

“Since the digital test is so new, I haven’t been able to gather as much information about what it’s like to physically take the test,” Viola said. “Many of my friends have taken the old LSAT, but not as many have taken the digital one. I hope to learn more about the test as people I know start to take it this fall.”

Hemp production aims to help Broome County economy hemp from page 1 fabrics, landscaping and more — including cannabidiol (CBD) oil, which is commonly used to treat health issues, such as anxiety.

Whaling, a Canadian native and dual citizen, first heard about hemp being used for medicinal purposes in 2013 from a news story about parents in Colorado administering CBD oil as the only aid available for their children’s epileptic seizures.

“Unlike most people, I had the wherewithal to pick up and go meet with those families and listen to their stories,” Whaling said. “They talked about how they were extracting this essential oil from marijuana, but marijuana that had no THC. So as I flew back to Pennsylvania from Colorado, where all these families were, I was doing more research and thought, ‘I can’t believe they don’t grow hemp in America.’ So I took it over. I tried to find out who was out there advocating for it and what research was being done.”

That research and work led to Whaling founding Hemp Development Group, LLC. He said he hopes the new production plant will increase the growth of the hemp industry and benefit economic growth in the Broome County area.

Over six months ago, Stacey Duncan, executive director of Broome County Industrial

Development Agency, received an inquiry about the potential to develop a 300-acre agricultural business park in Broome County.

Following that lead, Duncan met with Canopy Growth Corporation, the company that oversees Hemp Development Group, LLC. “We discussed his vision for HIP, so for us, it was very exciting, because we knew about all the work at the state and federal level to begin to reintroduce hemp as a commodity crop,” Duncan said. “So we quickly galvanized our team and started looking at the available space that could accommodate what his vision was.

Over the period of six months, we reviewed different properties and vacant lands, and they ended up on the Pine Camp location.”

The vision for Whaling, according to his lecture, is to see hemp return to the American landscape as a commodity crop similar to corn or soybeans. But before that can happen, he said more research needs to be done.

“To move forward, we have to research it, and universities are going to be really key in advancing that,” Whaling said. “As part of our hemp site here, we will create a Center of Excellence, which is going to be a research hub.

So not only local universities, but, in a collaborative fashion with agricultural schools and technology schools, universities across the country will use

our center here to advance the hemp crop.”

Robin Alpaugh, ‘96, director of operations for the New York State Senate 52nd Senate District, is a member of the BU Forum and attends the events as a way to learn more about the community.

He has learned about the hemp industry and has heard Whaling speak before, but he said there is always new information about the industry.

“It’s really an incredible product, and I think forums like this are such a good way to get that information out to the community,” Alpaugh said. “It

seems like the sky is really the limit on what it can be used for, not just medicinal.”

Whaling is looking to the future of the hemp industry in America, hoping that the new HIP in Broome County will be the research facility it needs to expand the industry to its full potential.

“It is a trillion-dollar opportunity if we get it right,” Whaling said. “Five years from now, we’re going to start to be building that industry, we will have done all the research. Ten years from now, we will be well on our way to a multibillion-dollar national industry, and 20 years

from now, I’ll be long gone, and people will be saying, ‘what was the big deal?’”

The next BU Forum event will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. at the Binghamton Holiday Inn hotel, where speaker

Ed Stack, chair and CEO of Dick’s Sporting Goods and a Binghamton High School alum, will share his personal story of building a successful business with community consciousness.

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OPINIONS Monday, September 16, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

The line of what is offensive should be redrawn Comedians shouldn’t feel limited by their audience Sophie Miller Contributing Columnist

Last week, Pete Davidson performed at Binghamton University. Davidson, who is known for his dark sense of humor, made a few comments during his set that stood out from the rest. At one point in the show, he said something along the lines of, “It’s just a joke, you guys can laugh. You don’t have to look around and make sure it’s okay to laugh.”

Sometimes, it does feel like you have to glance over your shoulder and make sure it’s appropriate to laugh at a joke.

He also mentioned how difficult it is to be a comedian in this day and age because of how sensitive some audiences are — especially college students. As a result, Davidson will no longer be performing at colleges.

Many people want comedians to censor themselves, and stop joking about topics that are deemed offensive or distasteful.

After the show, I saw a fellow BU student had tweeted that they thought a girl was cute until she said she thought Pete Davidson was funny when he joked around about suicide. Davidson has been very open about his struggles with mental health and thoughts of suicide in the past, just as he

was at this show. Many college students struggle with anxiety and depression, and may be able to relate to some of the jokes Davidson makes about it. What is wrong with laughing about your pain and your struggles? While it may offend some to hear Davidson joke about the tragic issue of suicide, it may help others to know they are not alone. Davidson is essentially publicizing the topic of suicide and letting audiences know that it is okay to struggle with your mental health and speak out about it. By censoring Davidson on the topic of suicide, and judging others for relating or thinking there can be humor in dark things, you stigmatize the subject and silence those who use comedy as a means to talk about it.

Another issue comedians face is not necessarily their subject matter, but the language they use when discussing the subjects. For example, journalist Jon Ronson told the BBC that audiences no longer pick up on the nuances of jokes, saying that “Nobody seems to be able to tell the difference between a racist joke and a liberal joke that comments on racism.” People are so often on the lookout for statements that are politically incorrect that they overlook the context and are offended regardless.

Additionally, comedians making jokes that are deemed offensive does not actually mean that these comedians hold

offensive beliefs. Comedy is a form of art and entertainment, and the people making these jokes aren’t necessarily people with bad beliefs. We should draw our attention to stopping those people who confuse comedy with an opportunity to say hurtful things — ‘canceling’ these racist, sexist and homophobic people instead.

On the other hand, I should note that when it comes to comedy, I do not believe that all bets are off. Simply standing on stage with a microphone does not give you the right to be problematic.

For example, new Saturday Night Live hire and costar to Davidson, Shane Gillis, is currently under fire for using racial slurs. While I do think there is a place in comedy to push boundaries and shock audiences, Gillis and his racial slurs are not funny and push no boundaries. It is one thing to joke about yourself or call out the privileged in society, but blatant racism cannot be excused. There is a clear difference between using comedy to make social commentary and being offensive for the sake of being offensive.

Lastly, if you don’t want to be offended, avoid watching notoriously offensive comedians.

I agree with Davidson’s decision to stop performing at colleges because there is no point in performing to an audience that finds the material problematic rather than funny. There are obviously people out there who find Davidson funny and it is

provided by rolling stone magazine Pete Davidson performed at Binghamton University on Monday, Sept. 9, just weeks after he used the R-word during a comedy set at the University of Central Florida.

better that he perform for them rather than defend himself against college students.

Comedian Lisa Lampanelli summed it up well by saying, “If you like safe, generic comedy, that’s fine. Go on a cruise ship and crack up listening to the comedian point out the hilarious differences between loafers and shoes with laces. But don’t go to one of my

shows and be outraged by what you hear. Going to my show and expecting me not to cross the line of good taste and social propriety is like going to a Rolling Stones concert and expecting not to hear ‘Satisfaction.’”

We need to work to understand the differences between being funny and being offensive.

That line isn’t the same for

everybody, and it may never be, but discussing where that line lies can help determine what humor is really acceptable. With that in mind, not everything that seems problematic on the surface always is, but we should continue fighting against things that are genuinely hateful and hurtful.

Sophie Miller is a junior majoring in English.

The Nature Preserve stands in the way of parking The solution to the parking deficit lies in BU’s unused land Sahar Akhlaq Guest Columnist

My earliest class this semester starts at 10:05 a.m. I live in a U Club apartment, which means I have a pretty convenient commute to Binghamton University’s campus.

While the bus is my first choice in commuting most days, there are many days where I have work or other plans after class.

In these instances, it makes the most sense for me to drive to and from campus. However, on such days, I know I need to leave my apartment around 8 a.m., two hours before my class starts, to be guaranteed a parking spot.

If I delay, I can expect to drive around campus looking for a parking spot and be late for class.

I’m not the only one who

gets a headache trying to park on campus. I have had friends show up late or miss classes solely because they could not find parking. In fact, recently, there were a number of cars parked alongside Parking Lot M — not blocking any car — and Transportation and Parking Services had a field day tucking $40 tickets into their windshields. Some of my friends received a ticket that day, and when asked why they parked there, they replied, “We were not going to miss a quiz just because we couldn’t find parking.” There are people who paid $140.55 for an annual commuter parking permit, including that mysterious $25 registration fee, and end up paying to park in paid lots because they cannot find a spot and are running late to work or class. I am curious as to why virtually all the lots closest to the main campus are paid: the parking garage, the lot in front of

Mohawk Hall of College-in-theWoods and the two lots near the library. Parts of Parking Lot M, the Anderson Center and the new Parking Lot G1 are all paid.

A peer of mine previously wrote a column for Pipe Dream arguing that students should take the bus or find other means of commuting to campus. Buses are cheaper than driving, we already pay a transportation service fee and they are also less environmentally destructive.

However, too many people know the struggle of waiting for a bus that completely drives past them or not being able to get on a bus because it’s full. In these situations, students drive to campus, which adds to the influx of traffic already there.

Once commuter lots are filled up, these commuters begin spilling into residential lots, making life harder for residential students, who can only park in residential lots, making the bus solution no

solution at all.

If you search “parking” on Pipe Dream’s website, you get 46 pages of results. Many of the articles that come up are of students complaining about parking and University officials trying to remedy parking by opening up paid lots or stating there is no more room. I had to stop looking once I hit the year 2009 because I got tired of scrolling, but it didn’t stop there.

Why is it that the University has not struck the right chord when it comes to addressing the parking problem on campus? Is it because the University does not cap the number of parking permits that they sell? Is it because they plan to increase the number of students admitted each school year? According to BU’s website, there are about 17,900 students enrolled for the 2019-20 school year — there’s certainly not enough parking for a sliver of those attending.

Maybe part of this is because the University is constantly looking to expand inward. When you look at the campus as a whole, there are over 600 acres of undeveloped land belonging to the Nature Preserve. One hundred eighty-two acres of this land is the bulk that makes up the Nature Preserve that people know. Although the Nature Preserve is one of my favorite parts of campus, when push comes to shove, I believe the University should utilize some of it to expand outward. Some parts of the Nature Preserve are inaccessible by foot while other parts of it succumb to students looking for a place to smoke or throw their trash. If the University builds into select portions of the Nature Preserve, they can create new lots for students to park in.

They don’t have to stop at new lots either — they can build a new dorm building for the influx of new students and solve

the forced-triple situation that happened just last year.

The Nature Preserve is one of the features that attracted me to this school. How many other schools have such a vast natural area that is readily available for students to walk, hike, photograph or run through?

But, at the same time, how many universities constantly have to have a conversation about parking? Realistically, does BU really need all 600 acres of virtually unused land? Parking is a problem that will not fix itself, as evidenced by the many, many years of complaints and the increasingly burdensome influx of student cars each semester will only elicit more. The University needs to fix this by expanding outward into a Nature Preserve that is currently not completely utilized, not by slapping a BandAid on it.

Sahar Akhlaq is a senior majoring in biology.

Watching a movie is not a substitute for reading a book Novels are more enriching than any on-screen production could ever be Nicholas Walker Columnist

A feeling of anxiety, sadness and overall gloom takes hold of me; I dread what comes next. No, I am not referring to the start of the semester, but to the end of a novel. I am struck with thoughts of, “What am I going to do when I finish this book? What am I going to think about during the day? When I wake up? Before I go to sleep? How will my life go on without the exquisitely crafted journeys of Count Alexander Rostov, stuck in Moscow’s Metropol Hotel?”

I find myself frequently lost

and depressed once I finish, or am close to finishing, a great book, and “A Gentleman in Moscow” is just that. I am in a free fall until the next story saves me from Netflix. Why must books end? Can the author not ramble on for a few hundred pages more, like Disney does with its obsession with the Skywalker family?

It’s not like movies, where only two hours are devoted to a story and its characters. Passages are not re-watched, and a hero’s journey is not followed for days to weeks at a time, as it is in books. A character and their personality are reflected upon over many days, its decisions weighed as if you made them yourself. An inextricable bond is created with relatable and beautifully crafted characters, as I, and many others, have with

Alexander Rostov. Perhaps you have developed one with Daenerys Targaryen as she suffered many a fool, and fell in love with one too.

Or maybe you became enamored with Amy Dunne as she revealed her masterfully executed plan to destroy her husband. The bonds you make with characters from your favorite books can never be replicated in other mediums.

Watching the movie before reading the book is a capital crime, betraying the written language for nothing more than an abbreviated summary. Freshman year, my friend group watched “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn. I read the book during high school, and my surprise upon reading “Day 1, Gone” cannot be overstated.

Needless to say, such surprise was not replicated on the faces of

those watching for the first time.

You cannot just rewind the film while watching with others in the room or at the theater. Rereading thought-provoking passages can help digest information and form opinions on the adventure, or it can be done to appreciate a unique part you never noticed before.

A book can transport us into faraway realms of fictional characters, a tool to distract us from the ordinary reality of our own lives. How amazing that is: to read through someone else’s mind of characters and scenery. An alternate reality easily achieved with only several hours of time invested; far less dangerous than taking a mind-altering drug and far more impactful. I still ruminate about Katniss Everdeen’s decision to kill President Coin, years after I

first read it.

There are the legions of fake Game of Thrones fans that spent months of Sunday nights binging on the show, giving money away to HBO. All the information, family history and character development is skipped in the show in favor of frequent trips to the brothel and the normalization of incestuous relationships on the throne. Not that these are bad, but they don’t accurately portray the intricate world of Westeros — so intricate, in fact, that the author of “Game of Thrones,” George R. R. Martin, is not even close to finishing the series as HBO has just done. Condensing complex stories into minimalist versions of the original have probably led to the record-low levels of pleasure reading we’re now seeing

in the United States. According to the Washington Post, between 2004 and 2017, the amount of Americans age 15 and over reading for pleasure on a normal day dropped from 28 percent to 19 percent.

With reading falling out of favor, there’s a lot more that’s lost than gained. Although you may love characters like Captain Marvel or Black Panther, imagine what they could have been if first created in a novel. Next time you decide to binge a major series like “Handmaid’s Tale” on Hulu or “Game of Thrones” on HBO, consider immersing yourself fully into their worlds with paper instead of a screen.

Nicholas Walker is a senior majoring in biomedical engineering.

A Buffalonian’s guide to the best at Binghamton Wingfest The eighth-annual festival brought the heat Saturday Patrick Earns

assistant arts & culture editor

Each year, thousands of Binghamton residents crowd into the baseball diamond of NYSEG Stadium for the city’s annual Wingfest, and this Saturday was no different. Featuring more than a dozen wing vendors, live music from local bands Hot Dogs & Gin and Wreckless Marci and a mechanical chicken wing meant to be ridden like a bull, the event offers plenty of opportunities for diehard chicken connoisseurs to enjoy. The most important part of Wingfest, however, is the declaration of the “King of Wings,” an award given to the vendor deemed most deserving by the event’s judges, as well as a “People’s Choice Champion” award decided by the votes of attendees.

While I don’t mean to diminish the hard work and expertise of the judges, I believe I’m qualified to offer my own opinions. Being from Buffalo, I’ve grown up in something of a mecca for drums and flats. The Buffalonian, a solemn creature raised by dismal weather and even more dismal professional sports teams, will never have to venture far to find some of the best wings in the world. I consider myself an expert on the art of the

chicken wing, and I believe my countless hours spent in dive bars throughout the western New York tundra gives me the authority to tell readers which restaurants in Binghamton are worth their time. I tried every vendor at Wingfest, and here are my thoughts on each of them: Sake-Tumi: A Japanese restaurant located on Court Street, Sake-Tumi offered two flavors of wing: garlic and Thai chili. I opted for Thai chili, and I quickly became a fan. The drum was well cooked and crunchy, and had a taste that resembled sweet and sour chicken. It’s a less traditional take on a wing, but it’s done well enough that it is a strength rather than a weakness.

The Relief Pitcher: The choices available were medium garlic and sticky sesame, and I went with the former. While the heat was solid for a medium, I found that the garlic was subtle at best. It was an enjoyable wing, but you might as well avoid garlic altogether and just go for a classic medium.

Trax Pub & Grill at Greek Peak: Representing the bar in a Cortland mountain resort, Trax is a formidable contender as the reigning “King of Wings.” I tried the Nemesis Dry Rub, which was interesting in that it seemed to eschew heat entirely, focusing on spices and a crispy texture. While I didn’t mind the taste, it ended up being more like fried chicken than a classic wing, which some

may find appealing.

Social on State: Social offered one type of wing, the Nashville Hot Honey Fried Chicken. In my opinion, that’s a lot of flavors to try to get in one wing, and I found the taste somewhat overwhelming. The honey added

added a great crunchy texture.

In a diamond of hot wings, The Colonial still managed to bring the heat this year.

Dos Rios Cantina: Opting for a dry rub wing covered in white sauce and lime juice, Dos Rios went for a more authentic

alex gross contributing photographer Wingfest offers a wide range of flavors in its annual competition.

a sweetness that gave the drum a dessert feel.

The Colonial: Coming off of a “People’s Choice Champion” win in 2018, The Colonial brought high expectations. They kept it simple, offering house sauce and a dry rub. The house sauce was a delicious mix of sweet and spicy, and the Parmesan coating

Mexican flavor. The presentation was very nice, but I found the lime a little strong and I don’t think it mixed well with the sauce. In my opinion, this is a good example of trying to do too much instead of focusing on doing one thing well.

Hacienda Pizzeria: Hacienda brought Mexican spicy sauce as

their sole flavor. This was the first wing that genuinely impressed me with the heat, but the wing itself was disappointingly cold.

Despite this, I thought Hacienda offered a good taste that you couldn’t find anywhere else.

The Belmar Pub & Grill: I have to admit, I was blown away

by Belmar. I tried their sriracha chili sauce, which came with fresh-made blue cheese, the only correct condiment for a wing.

They nailed both the wing and the blue cheese, and immediately became the place to beat while gaining a new customer for their Wednesday Night Wings special.

Coop’s Latin & Soul Food: Their jerk chicken wing was solid, a surprise to me as I don’t normally care for jerk wings.

This seems to be the year of the crunchy wing, and Coop’s does it as well as anyone else.

Kampai Japanese Steakhouse: Better known for their sushi, Kampai brought Konnichiwa wings, coated in honey, yuzu and sriracha. I think Kampai was underappreciated, and it felt strange that there was barely any line at all for what I would call a top-five wing.

Food & Fire BBQ~Taphouse: The barbecue influence was easily noticeable on their dry rub wing, which tasted smoky, almost like it was cooked over a fire. It tasted quite similar to a rib, which was a pleasant surprise.

Peterson’s Tavern: Their Peterson’s Steakhouse wing was

OK, but I’d be lying if I said I’d remember it next week. It’s a little unfair because it was pretty good, but Wingfest offers so much variety that you either have to be great or unique to draw interest, and I’m not sure they did either.

Caribbean Patty World: Having the longest line by far, I expected a lot more out of the jerk barbecue wing I eventually received. It was a fine wing, but in my opinion, it was worth neither the 30-minute wait nor the hype.

The Stadium Sports Bar and Grill: Based 30 miles northeast in Oxford, New York, Stadium had a high-quality traditional hot flavor available along with garlic Parmesan and honey barbecue. While I love all of Wingfest’s variety, sometimes you can’t beat an old-fashioned hot wing.

While I was impressed with the diversity and competition at Wingfest, there was only one vendor that earned my vote without a doubt, and that was The Belmar Pub & Grill.

The judges seemed to agree, crowning Belmar the 2019 “King of Wings.” The “People’s Choice Champion” went to The Stadium Sports Bar and Grill, an equally well-deserved victory.

All in all, the eighth edition of Binghamton Wingfest was well worth the cost of admission, featuring cutthroat competition and not a drop of ranch in sight.

(Sandy) Alex G’s sweet return to off-kilter indie-pop “House of Sugar” was released Friday the 13th Gabriela Iacovano

arts & culture editor

What does the candy house of the Brothers Grimm’s “Hansel and Gretel” have in common with a riverfront Philadelphia

casino? Both are houses of sugar and stops on (Sandy) Alex G’s recently crafted journey into the natures of gluttony: desire and dependence.

“House of Sugar,” aptly released on Friday, Sept. 13, is the newest album from 26-year-old Alex Giannascoli, whose gutsy, sonic palette has resulted in eight vastly different studio LPs. “Beach

provided by stereogum.com

Music,” his first release with Domino Recording Company in 2015, gave his storytelling prowess and Elliot Smith-style vocals a darkly fantastical, pitch-shifted makeover, while “Rocket,” in 2017, honed in on roots-rock and country flavors years before “yeehaw” culture entered the indie consciousness.

Giannascoli’s latest confidently blends all these elements in his most polished album to date, as imaginative and singular as ever.

“House of Sugar” sticks to Giannascoli’s most recently developed sonic trademarks with the help of frequent collaborators, old friend Emily Yacina and girlfriend Molly Germer, supplying vocals and violin, respectively. “Southern Sky” melds its clanging, disjointed piano introduction into a melodically beautiful, but deceptively creepy folk tune.

“Gretel,” wherein the album’s title is sung amid a foreboding cacophony of bells and whistles, and the percussive, twangy “Bad Man” create similar effects. As per usual, Giannascoli balances his eccentricities with catchy hooks and plenty of heart, opting for more conventional formats on tracks like “Hope” and “Cow.” “House of Sugar” is not

as stylistically cohesive as some of his other albums — he takes a sharp turn halfway through with the hypnotic “Near” and glitchy “Project 2,’’ two tracks reminiscent of his recent work with electronic producer Oneohtrix Point Never. The album’s ominous climax, “Sugar,” could easily soundtrack some scene of backcountry violence in a Western or horror film, and the closer, “SugarHouse,” a Springsteen-style live cut complete with wistful saxophone solos, is sure to throw fans for a loop. It’s a perfect aesthetic match for the album art, a figure skater under the stars that could grace the cover of a pithy young adult paperback circa 1985.

“House of Sugar,” with its production historically reliant on American slavery, functions easily as a shifting symbol in Giannascoli’s dreamscape of twisted Americana. His native Philadelphia was a hub for sugar refinement in the 19th and early 20th centuries — in fact, the SugarHouse Casino for which the closing track is named was built on the site of an old sugar refinery. In a recent interview with The FADER, Giannascoli touched on the album’s dealings with gluttony: “Everything that I

do, and everything that everyone does — you’re just gobbling up everything around you.” “Taking” and “Bad Man” point to literal indulgence as their narrators devour a “spoonful of sugar” and a “pillar of fat.” Giannascoli’s alternate universe “Gretel” leaves her brother to die in the witch’s house, momentarily tempted back not by guilt, but by the prospect of eating more candy — “It’s calling me back / House of sugar.” Like most (Sandy) Alex G records, the album is rife with spellbinding repetition, evidenced by the mournful opener “Walk Away” (“Someday I’m gonna walk away from you / Not today”) and the obsessive “Near” (“All I want is to be near you”). Both evoke the pull of an addiction. Other elements, like the recurring image of flamecolored skies in “Southern Sky,” “Bad Man” and “Cow” are tied less clearly to metaphor, but serve nonetheless to immerse listeners in the idea of a warped frontier.

“House of Sugar” depicts pieces of Giannascoli’s life alongside his fiction, peppering the track list with returns to reality. “Hope,” named for a street the songwriter used to live on, earnestly tells the story of a roommate’s fatal overdose. “In My

Arms” brings the recurring topic of impulse control to a familiar context as he sings, “You know good music makes me wanna do bad things.” In the tender, sweet “Cow,” “you big old cow” becomes a term of endearment as the narrator gorges himself not on sugar or roulette, but on love. In these three gentler tracks, which describe a scene of comfort, dreams of gentle admonishment from the sea and Giannascoli himself honoring a fallen friend, he shares a glimpse not only of transgression, but of salvation.

Unlike most fairy tales, “House of Sugar” denies its listeners an explicit moral. Giannascoli’s work is generally less about takeaway than atmosphere, far easier experienced than explained.

When “SugarHouse” brings us at last to the casino, a classic symbol of vice and an otherworldly landscape in its own right, our narrator’s language is rife with clichés, kissing dice and calling bluffs. The last lines though, leave us with a cliffhanger, another nursery rhyme touched by dark magic: “I won’t be forgotten / Let ‘em bury me in the sand / When our children go digging for answers / I hope they can put me together again.”

Organize your semester with these bullet journaling tips Channel your creativity with a DIY planner Makoto Toyoda staff writer

Imagine this: It’s the beginning of the school year and you’ve decided to organize your life. In past years, you’ve let class assignments, papers and club meetings fly completely under the radar until it was too late.

You’re tired of feeling like you’ve never been on top of things and you’re sick of scribbling your to-do lists on the back of your hand. You want to be organized, but store-bought planners either don’t have enough space, match your aesthetic or have the features you’re looking for.

If you’re facing these problems, why not give bullet journaling a shot this semester?

It’s fun, completely personalized and as quick as you want it to be.

Here are some tips on starting your first bullet journal from a seasoned journalist.

Know yourself Before you embark on your bullet-journaling experience, ask yourself a few questions about your lifestyle. This will help you understand what you’re looking to organize, and help you stick to consistent journaling. In my experience, I really enjoyed taking the time to plan out my journal, but I just didn’t have time to do so in my day-to-day schedule.

For this reason, I tend to plan out my journal when I have extra time, such as over breaks. I also plan out multiple months to a semester in advance, so all I have to do when the semester begins is fill out my journal instead of constantly having to plot out the days of the week, month and other details. I kept my journal fairly minimalist to save time and keep it organized, and opt for a polished look with some

embellishments. To get started, think about what you’d want in your ideal planner — perhaps that’s a calendar spread at the start of every month, an expenses tracker, a habit log to keep you accountable, a study schedule or a page for goal setting.

Find inspiration It can seem daunting to start a bullet journal because every choice is up to you. You might be wondering what notebook to buy, how to format your year and much more. Luckily, bullet journaling is a popular trend, meaning the internet has a trove of bullet-journaling articles and how-to videos where creators walk you through the process step by step. They’ll even show you the specific pens, paper and tools they use, as well as how to decorate and embellish your journal with calligraphy.

Use dotted paper If you want the neat look of lined paper, the freedom to

doodle on unlined paper and the accuracy of grid paper, consider getting a notebook with dotted paper. If you look online for examples, you’ll probably find that dotted paper is the most-used type of paper for bullet journaling because of its versatility — you can draw in everything from calendar boxes, to charts, to flowers.

Get a ruler If you prefer the neat look of straight lines, consider buying a mini ruler on Amazon. They’re super cheap, portable and usually come in packs, so there’s always a spare if you lose one. Some of the most popular notebooks for bullet journaling, such as the Leuchtturm1917, have a little pocket on the inside cover so you can slip stickers or your ruler into it.

Have fun!

Let’s be real — the bullet journal is only going to work for you if it actually makes you

want to use it. This may sound silly, but after trial and error, you might realize that certain features make your journal feel like a chore, and that’s totally okay! Remember that the bullet journal is there to serve you, not the other way around. Draw

away and add extra features if you know you’ll enjoy it, but know that there are various great styles that can suit your needs.

Don’t over-stress about making it perfect or super pretty. Instead, add things that will help you destress your life.

kim gonzalez digital editor Organize your schedule with these creative bullet journaling tips.

F UN

Monday, September 16, 2019 Thursday, Thursday, Monday, Monday, September October October April 3,2,5, 2017 28, 2017 2017 2017

More like “suck-it” hat

Daniel Eisenhower

Run by Awolnation

Sudoku

Daniel Eisenhower

By The Mepham Group

Level: 1 2 3 4 Solution to last issue's puzzle

Orange you glad this comic sucks?

Sarah Teper

© 2019 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

Release Date: Monday, September 16, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

It’s free real estate

Mr. Krabs is in there

Ashley Sanchez

Annabeth Sloan

ACROSS 1 Really big hit 6 Numero uno, with “the” 10 One always ready with quick comebacks 13 W.C. Fields persona 14 Strand during a sleet storm, say 16 Green prefix 17 Football nonpassing offense 19 Fish eggs 20 __ the table: arrange silverware and such 21 MBA or MFA: Abbr.

22 Behind, or hit from behind 24 Farm song refrain 26 Hasenpfeffer, e.g.

27 Open-and-__ case 30 Get one more card for twice the bet, in blackjack 34 36-Across skunk Pepé 36 Warner Bros. creation 37 Author Tolstoy 38 European peak 39 “Gosh, look at the time” 42 Sundial seven 43 You, to Goethe 44 “Peter Pan” dog 45 Sediment 47 Car engine measure 51 Arthur of tennis 52 “Unforgettable” singer 53 Peter, Paul or Mary 55 Philosophy school with no classes?

58 Biol. or geol.

59 “Bingo!”

62 Australian bird 63 Opening kickoff, say, and what both parts of 17-, 30- and 47-Across can be 66 Sailor’s “Help!”

67 Woodsy path

68 Deed 69 Gallery hangings 70 Bldg. with a pool 71 “I Am of Ireland” poet DOWN 1 Lat. and Est., once 2 Grimace 3 Em, to Dorothy 4 Nine-digit ID 5 Alpine heroine 6 Astros Hall of Famer Craig __ 7 Cardio readout 8 Blacken 9 Schedule opening 10 Human/canine shape-shifters 11 Screen symbol to click on 12 Open-__ shoes 15 Tidied, as a room 18 Require 23 Cabernet color 24 Summer in Lyon 25 Western bad guys 27 Cut drastically, as prices 28 Prefix for “sun” 29 Elite group

31 Fancy neckwear 32 Mull over 33 Bam, bang or boom 35 Sommelier’s menu 40 Complex woven textile 41 __-Caps: candy 46 Backstabber 48 Fenway team, familiarly 49 SoCal Latinx

neighborhood 50 Puerto __ 54 Really cool 55 Big butte 56 Love, in Lima 57 Hat-tipper’s word of address 59 Opposite of baja 60 “Stop right there!”

61 Shipboard yeses 64 Rocker Ocasek 65 Dessert pastry

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

By Paul Coulter ©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

09/16/19

09/16/19

bupipedream.com | September 16, 2019

SPORTS

7

Student-athlete finds passion in affordable clothing baker from page 1 to all of his music and he was known as a really good artist who also had a fashion sense, and I was like ‘Alright, I can’t make music like this because I don’t know how to rap, I don’t know how to make beats, I don’t know how to do any of that kind of stuff, and I’m in the middle of Rockland County, so who am I gonna access and get the connections that he does?’

But his style, I thought ‘Okay, I can do some of this stuff.’”

Baker realized that while he could recreate the styles of these artists, he did not have access to clothing they were buying and wanted to show others how to pull off these looks for cheaper, so on June 6, 2018, Baker posted for the first time on his website to help others in the same position.

“My first couple of posts were literally just selfie in a dirty mirror, this is what I’m wearing, this is how much I got it for, that’s about it,” Baker said. “I try to emphasize that style is something that transcends any fashion trend and that you can have good style and shop at Target or Kmart. I stress the affordability thing, because it’s just way more

realistic. It’s not realistic for the average college student to afford a $1,000 T-shirt or even an $100 T-shirt.”

Now, Baker has made 15 blog posts, interviewing others interested in affordable fashion and creating his own YouTube channel. Baker’s first video interview was with Ziggy Mack Johnson, a 23-year-old in the fashion industry.

“Ziggy Mack Johnson has done modeling with Dolce and Gabbana, Barneys, Vogue, things like that, so he’s so much higher up than me fashionwise, so interviewing him was as intimidating as ever, especially as my first interview,” Baker said.

Before Baker moved on to video interviews, however, he did a written interview with BU senior Halle McMahon after the pair created their own pair of pants. The two met during Baker’s freshman year of college, and when he had the idea to take a white pair of pants that he found at the thrift store for less than $20 and do a design on them, he knew exactly who to contact.

“While I thought of the idea, [Halle’s] execution of it is its own thing,” Baker said. “She drew the

entire thing out and literally did the entire thing on the pants from hand, from scratch. I watched her sit there on hands and knees and literally draw on these pants. I knew that she would be the best person to execute something that was just an idea, a figment of my imagination.”

Not only is Baker doing video interviews and creating clothing, he is also taking his advice to the stage, as he will be styling a fashion show for the first time ever on Sept. 20.

“Instead of being a model this year, I wanted to be one of the people on the board who figure out styling for the show,” Baker said. “They usually have us wear black pants and shoes, so I’m going to try to figure out what can I contribute that would make the outfits look a little bit better, because while I can’t be like, ‘Oh, everyone buy this,’ I can contribute some stuff of mine in an effort to make the show look that much better.”

While Baker’s blog began just over a year ago, it has come a long way. His first post was simply titled “You Feel Me?” and talked about his struggles to determine what he was going to do with

PROVIDED BY matthew baker Senior Matthew Baker designed pants in collaboration with senior Halle McMahon called “THE REBEL.”

his future.

“I kept my first blog post there to show where I tried to start this and the point where I actually started writing about affordable

fashion,” Baker said. “I kept it there on purpose, because it just worked. I like that it’s my first post, because it’s representative of how far I’ve come.”

Baker still wants to go further, and his ultimate goal is for people to think of him as Baker’s Rebellion instead of Matthew Baker.

Volleyball falls in three matches, remains winless

MLB should respect the Mets’ 9/11 uniform request

BU swept in each match at Army

League’s decision results in fan backlash

Daniel Metz

contributing writer

The final two sets against Bryant came down to the wire, with Binghamton holding a two-point lead at the end of the second set before Bryant scored five of the last six points. In the last set, Binghamton rallied three straight points to tie it at 24, but fell when the Bulldogs scored two straight points.

Next weekend, the Bearcats will again be searching for their first win of the season at the Georgetown Invitational. They will have this week to prepare for their final nonconference tournament of the season. The team will play in three games, starting on Friday with

Florida International, then host team Georgetown and finishing out with Morgan State on Saturday.

Afterward, just one nonconference matchup remains prior to the start of the conference season.

Considering the team’s struggles so far in the season, there are several areas to work on for Kiriyama’s team.

“We need to work on serving, receiving and connecting better with the server and hitter,” Kiriyama said.

First serve in the tournament opener is set for 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 20 at McDonough Arena in Washington, D.C.

The Binghamton volleyball team was swept this weekend in the Black Knights Invitational, extending its losing streak to nine games and leaving it still searching for its first win. The team was unable to win a set against Kent State, Army or Bryant this weekend and the team has won just one set in its nine games played thus far in the season.

With many leaders graduating after last season, BU head coach Glenn Kiriyama said the team has been left with a lack of experience.

“Experience is an important factor,” Kiriyama said. “There are a lot of variables in volleyball that can only be taught through experience.”

Some of the freshmen on the team put in strong performances in the tournament. In the first match, freshman outside hitter Audrey Haworth led the Bearcats with nine kills, while freshman middle hitter Anna Sprys had six kills on only eight attempts, in addition to five blocks. Kiryiama seems to think that these young players will develop into leaders who will push the team through games in the future.

“Audrey, she’s doing a lot for us already as a freshman, playing all around on both front row and back row, making smart choices,” Kiriyama said. “It’s fun to watch.

She will develop into a top player in sidney slon assistant photo editor the conference.”

Senior outside hitter Victoria Keghlian had seven kills in Binghamton’s loss to In the first two matches, the Bryant on Saturday afternoon. team struggled to execute plays efficiently down the stretch. Against the Golden Flashes, the team led the second set late at 22-20, but eventually lost the frame and the match. Against Army, the team led the third set with an even larger margin of 18-10, but could not hang on to avoid the sweep.

Despite losing all three sets against Bryant, the team appeared to show more fight. Junior outside hitter Francela Ulate and senior outside hitter Victoria Keghlian pulled their weight as upperclassmen, pacing the team with eight and seven kills respectively. Keghlian also recorded a .429 hitting percentage. Younger players, such as sophomore setter Kiara Adams and Haworth, contributed as well, Adams with 17 assists and Haworth with doubledigit digs at 10.

“Last game against Bryant, we had more fight,” Kiryiama said. “We were more active on the court communicating a little CIDER • DOUGHNUTS • CANDY APPLES • ETC. better, taking a couple points here and there to turn things around.

We kept it close for a long period of time with nice aggressive play by [Keghlian]. [Ulate] is up there in aces.”

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Spencer Lubell Contributing Writer

On Sept. 21, 2001, the New York Mets played their first game in New York City following the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The team wore special hats to honor the brave men and women who sacrificed their lives to save others and who were working tirelessly to find more survivors. These hats contained logos for rescue organizations such as the NYPD, FDNY and the Port Authority of New York, among others.

The Mets won the game on what is considered to be Mike Piazza’s “greatest” home run in the eighth inning and helped propel the nation back to a sense of normalcy.

Now, 18 years later, the MLB refuses to let the Mets wear those memorable hats to honor the men and women who gave and continue to give their lives for others and for their country.

It is a shame that the MLB won’t let the Mets and the Yankees represent the first responders in this format because of the league’s red tape.

While the league did have the teams wear caps with special patches for the anniversary, it still isn’t enough.

The attacks on 9/11 are

still relevant today. First responders continue to suffer the consequences of their brave deeds, yet the league continues to deny the Mets and the Yankees the opportunity to honor those who gave it all they had.

This isn’t an issue of there being a specific uniform rule.

The Houston Astros were allowed to wear their special Apollo 11 hats to honor the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, but the New York teams, for some reason, have been unable to wear those specific 9/11 hats.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred should be ashamed.

People are still suffering and families are still mourning the loss of their loved ones 18 years ago.

In 2011, Joe Torre, the chief baseball officer said, ”We just felt all the major leagues are honoring the same way with the American flag on the uniform and the cap. This is a unanimity thing.”

What Torre, who was the Yankees’ manager on the day of the attacks, seems to forget is that the attacks were mainly centered in New York City.

Yes, we’ve tried to move on.

Yes, we built a new tower where the old ones stood. However, the fact of the matter is that the motto of 9/11 is “we will never forget.” Well, the MLB is forgetting. It is forgetting that they were a major part in helping this nation recover from the worst attack on

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American soil since World War II. So it is time that the MLB puts an end to this. Let the New York teams wear their historic first responder hats.

Show the world that your league will never forget the men and women who sacrificed everything to help others. It is the least that the league can do.

Pete Alonso of the Mets brought the team specialized 9/11 cleats to wear for the 18th anniversary of the attacks. The Mets wore the cleats, won the game 9-0 and had 11 hits — a Hollywood ending if there ever was one.

Instead of us talking about the fact that Alonso brought the team special cleats for the day of remembrance, or the facts that the Mets scoreboard read 9 11 0, we are talking about whether the league will fine the Mets for wearing those cleats.

The thought that the Mets could be fined is absurd. It isn’t like the Mets would be wearing something as a sponsorship to make money themselves, they would be doing it as a way to honor those who gave and continue to suffer.

So maybe next season, the MLB will make the right choice and will let the Mets and Yankees wear their historic 9/11 first responder hats.

The league has its own problems. This shouldn’t be one of them. This should be an easy decision for Manfred.

Let the Mets and Yankees wear those hats.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Women’s soccer downs Wagner, Fairleigh Dickinson

Junior midfielder Ivana Pjetri assisted on all three of Binghamton’s goals in its victories over Wagner and Fairleigh Dickinson this past weekend.

Bonney scores fourth goal of 2019 in Thursday’s win David Julien

contributing writer

After a pair of hard-fought home games, the Binghamton women’s soccer team remains undefeated at the Bearcats Sports Complex this season. With the nonconference slate nearing a close, the Bearcats (6-2) defeated Wagner and Fairleigh Dickinson this weekend in two onegoal games. Among the major contributors to these victories was junior midfielder Ivana Pjetri, who assisted in every goal scored for the Bearcats.

On Thursday, the Bearcats were able to shut out the visiting Wagner Seahawks in a 1-0 victory.

The game was an uphill battle for the Bearcats, where they were evenly matched with the Seahawks (2-5) for the entirety of

the first half. The Wagner defense proved to be a challenge for BU. “Wagner really pushed us tonight,’’ said BU head coach Neel Bhattacharjee.

“Their defensive pressure was really difficult to play through. It was something that we were not ready for at the get go, but it was a great game for us. We had to fight through, compete and make adjustments at the half. In the second half, I thought we really started to get into the flow with numbers around the ball and good supporting runs.”

In the second half, the Bearcats found their stride and applied continuous pressure to the Seahawks. In the 51st minute, after a pass outside of the box from freshman midfielder Olivia Meier, Pjetri sent a sharp ball tunneling toward the far post, clearing Wagner’s center back and bouncing into the sixyard box, where junior forward Essie Bonney was able to deliver

the Bearcats a lead with the only goal of the game. This gamewinning goal was Bonney’s fourth score of the season, tying her with freshman midfielder Olivia McKnight as the leading scorer on the team. Currently, the two are tied with sophomore forward Jasmine Colbert of Albany as the leading scorers in the conference.

BU was able to keep its foot on the gas and largely dominated the Seahawks for the remainder of the contest, holding a 14-8 shots margin for the last 45 minutes of the game.

Sunday’s matinee game against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights proved to be another tough victory for Binghamton. It was Senior Day for the Bearcats, and all six seniors started the game.

Coming off a winless stretch of games, the Knights (1-43) held onto a majority of the ball possession for the first 10

minutes of the game. However, the Bearcats soon found their stride. In the 26th minute, Pjetri was able to gain control of a clearing attempt and provide a through ball to sophomore forward Stefania Piantadosi, who had checked into the game merely four minutes prior.

Piantadosi’s initial shot was blocked by junior goalkeeper Cassandra Marcoux of FDU, but she kept the pressure on and converted her second attempt into the goal that put BU on the board, giving the Bearcats a 1-0 halftime lead.

With several substitutions in the game, Bhattacharjee seemed to believe that his focus on a steady rotation was one of the keys to Binghamton’s success in the game.

“It’s pretty important, especially for a Sunday game,” Bhattacharjee said. “We really had to work and crawl in our game against Wagner. We

alex gross contributing photographer

typically go deeper on Sundays and we absolutely need that. We have depth in every position so we always have someone ready to show up.”

Going into the second half, the Knights appeared to gain back some of their initial momentum after a saved penalty kick from junior midfielder Dora Hayes and an equalizing goal in the 52nd minute. However, the Bearcats stayed persistent and continued to apply pressure to the FDU defense.

In the 61st minute, after Piantadosi was able to draw a 35-yard direct free kick, Pjetri delivered the free kick toward the far post where Hayes was in position to head it past the keeper, giving the Bearcats the lead and eventual victory over Fairleigh Dickinson.

“We actually talked about this exact moment in the preseason, what happens when someone misses a penalty,” Bhattacharjee

said. “If there is someone who feels like they have failed in that moment, you’re probably gonna lose them for the entire game. What I love is that our team lifted Dora right up in that particular moment and she was able to stay plugged in and give us the game-winner.”

The Bearcats will have their final nonconference game of the season this upcoming Wednesday against Cornell, and Bhattacharjee is hoping to improve the team and continue their winning streak.

“It was a little bit of a choppy game today, we had to deal with a lot of physicality,” Bhattacharjee said. “What I love is that our team rose up to the challenge and that is critical. We were able to make adjustments and that is a sign of a good-quality team.”

Kickoff against Cornell is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept.

18 from Berman Field in Ithaca, New York.

Men’s soccer shut out by Iona in road matchup, 3-0 Bearcats struggle without Luescher, McKnight Kyle Reina

pipe dream sports

The Binghamton men’s soccer team was unable to break its recent losing streak this Saturday, as it fell to the Iona Gaels in a 3-0 shutout. The Bearcats (1-4), who have been dealing with injuries, were missing redshirt freshman midfielder Parker McKnight, sophomore defender Aidan Sullivan and junior midfielder Noah Luescher.

“We knew the game was going to be difficult for us without our three essential starting midfield players, as Parker, Noah and Aidan were all out for us,” said Binghamton head coach Paul Marco. “I thought our guys played pretty well. We’re asking guys who have not played long spells in the game to play those longer spells.”

The Bearcats were solid throughout the entire match, minus a key 15-minute window which the Gaels seized, tallying the only three goals of the game

in that span.

“Fifteen minutes of being poor on our part in a 90-minute match, about 15 minutes — I don’t think it was more than that,” Marco said. “I was disappointed in how we played the first goal — that was just bad defending — and that has not been typical of us.”

It was early in the second half when the Gaels recorded two quick goals at around the 55-minute mark and a third in the 63rd minute.

The first half of the game, on the other hand, was a backand-forth affair, with both teams finding angles and opportunities to score. Iona registered 13 shots during this period, four of which were on goal. The Bearcats had chances of their own, but were unable to capitalize on their solid offensive pushes throughout the match.

“We were just a bit unlucky,” Marco said. “We created a couple of really good chances. We smashed a couple of balls that got blocked. The goalkeeper made two great saves. The first 45 minutes were really good — very even game, both teams had good chances and both teams didn’t

capitalize on those.”

Binghamton played more accurately in the second half, with three shots on goal, two of which were made by freshman midfielder Sean Molloy, who filled the void at midfield left by Luescher and McKnight.

The Bearcats had early success facilitating their offensive pushes through freshman defender Oliver Svalander, but failed to successfully feed the ball to him consistently throughout the match.

“We wanted to get Oliver the ball more — he was very good in the game today,” Marco said.

“We needed to feed him the ball more, so we decided to get it to him on every third pass. We did that a little bit and when we got it to him, we were very effective. So, the guys need to maybe realize what’s going well during the game and then, capitalize on that until they stop it and then, get into something else, and then, go and take that. We are not making those decisions quick enough right now.”

Despite playing without their top midfielders, the Bearcats did return one of their stalwart

defenders, graduate student defender Stephen McKenna, as well as junior forward Jack Muller.

“We got McKenna back, as he was out for a few matches,

but he ended up playing the full minutes,” Marco said. “We got Jack back, who played probably longer than we wanted him to.”

The Bearcats plan to end their losing skid and secure their

second win of the season against the Lehigh Mountain Hawks on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. from the Bearcats Sports Complex in Vestal, New York.

rose coschignano photo intern Binghamton struggled in its away contest against Iona, missing several key players and dropping the match 3-0.