Fall 2023 Issue 1

Broome County awarded $1.6 million from landmark opioid settlement

The money stems from a $2.6 billion fund won by New York State Attorney General Letitia James.

Broome County has received about $1.6 million in settlement money from pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors to aid in combating the opioid epidemic.

In 2019, New York State Attorney General Letitia James sued pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors like Walmart, CVS and Walgreens, alleging improper practices that exacerbated the opioid crisis. One of the first to sign onto James’s lawsuit, Broome County also filed its own lawsuit against Purdue Pharma

L.P. and Janssen Pharmaceuticals, two large opioid manufacturers in 2017. Of the cases settled in 2022, the settlement will go toward programs that help those in treatment for addiction, patients in recovery and harm reduction and community education efforts.

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, a supporter of the original 2017 case, outlined his plans to distribute the funds to community organizations.

“We will be using every single penny of this settlement money to address this crisis from every angle,” Garnar wrote in an email. “Education, prevention, intervention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery. While it will never bring back the people we’ve lost, it will help us save lives.”

Organizers launch ‘Keep LUMA Free’ campaign

LUMA was founded in 2015 and celebrates the intersection of art and technology.

Arts Festival lights up the streets of Downtown Binghamton. This year, organizers are appealing to the community to prevent a funding shortfall.

A free visual art festival founded in 2015, LUMA typically attracts a crowd of “nearly 40,000 festival-

Binghamton begins 2023 fall season 3-0.

The Binghamton volleyball team went undefeated in their three matchups against Merrimack, Duquesne and Saint Peter’s. defeating Merrimack 3-0, Duquesne 3-1 and Saint Peter’s

3-0 at the Bearcat Classic. In their first tournament of the 2023 season, the Bearcats welcomed the teams to Vestal, New York and took home the Bearcat Classic title.

“We really wanted to kind of mix some lineups up, see what we’re working with, what works, what doesn’t work,” said Binghamton head coach Allie

goers” thanks to “unprecedented community support,” according to a press release. Celebrating the intersection of art and technology, LUMA lights up historic buildings Downtown with animated shorts produced by “worldclass” artists worldwide. This

Volleyball goes undefeated at Bearcat Classic

Yaeger. “Get everybody in and just start to head toward a starting lineup … just be consistent, no bad errors and to win the serve and receive game.”

Binghamton (3-0) opened up the tournament against Merrimack (1-2) on Friday night. The first set saw both squads going back and forth, with the Warriors staying within two points of the

year, the organization’s $40,000 Kickstarter goal is slightly more than halfway met, prompting its leaders to launch the “Keep LUMA Free” campaign. According to Joshua Bernard, the co-founder and operations director of LUMA, the

Bearcats early on. However, a four-point run from BU to go up 15-9 gave the squad the necessary momentum to keep Merrimack at bay for the set, eventually winning 25-21. The next two sets saw Binghamton stay in control throughout, taking both at 2513 and 25-17, respectively, and sweeping the match 3-0.

See VOLLeybaLL page 10

Kickstarter campaign indicates community support to sponsors and government officials. The campaign is “all-or-nothing,” so organizers won’t receive any funding if the goal is not met.

See LUMa page 3

University a finalist to win another $160

in battery funding

Last year, Binghamton University’s New Energy New York (NENY) won more than $113 million. This year, BU’s program was selected as a finalist to potentially win another $160 million in the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines Competition.

Created and funded with federal money, the NENY program seeks to harness and utilize new batterymaking technology to revitalize the Southern Tier’s economy. According to the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the program began as a submission to the agency’s 2022 Build Back Better Regional Challenge, a federal competition that encouraged smaller regions to identify potential investments that would spur growth in the local economy.

See OPIOID page 3 See battery page 4

soccer defeated in home opener,

Every fall, the LUMA Projection

bella daidone ManaGinG editor

caspar carson photo editor

Senior outside hitter Tsvetelina Ilieva was named Bearcat Classic MVP after tallying 32 kills and nine aces in three games over the weekend.

Funds to aid in combatting opioid epidemic

OPIOID from page 1

The Opioid Annual Data Report for 2022, released by The New York State Health Department, revealed the Southern Tier had one of the highest rates of opioid overdose-related deaths in the state. Locally, Broome County had the secondhighest rate of overdose deaths among counties with 20 or more deaths in 2020, when data was adjusted for age and population. So far, James has won $2.6 billion for New Yorkers affected by opioids, from which $4.8 million was awarded to the Southern Tier. According to a Broome County press release, the funds have been distributed to The Addiction Center of Broome County, The Hope Foundation of Binghamton, Mothers and Babies Perinatal Network of South-Central New York, Our Lady of Lourdes Memorial Hospital, Inc., Rural Health Network of South-Central New York, Truth Pharm and United Health Services.

Truth Pharm, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing harms caused by substance abuse, offers direct services that educate community members, prevent overdoses and provide personal care items for those coming from treatment or incarceration.

Alexis Pleus, Truth Pharm’s executive director, explained

how the money will help the organization directly support those struggling with addiction.

“[We] received $150,000 in desperately needed funding,” Pleus wrote in an email. “A portion of it will go toward our direct client services, which is vitally important, as we have considered closing our doors to direct client services for a while now, because we haven’t had funding for them since September 2020. The rest will go toward supporting families who have lost a loved one and families who have a loved one still living and struggling with substance use or recovery.”

Pleus expressed worry over for-profit organizations benefiting from future settlement funding.

“This funding is vitally important to saving lives,” Pleus wrote. “We are concerned that our county is now opening the funding up to ‘for-profit’ businesses, especially since ‘for-profit’ businesses are what got us here in the first place. We are also concerned that the second round of funding is not available to organizations that got funding in the first round. 12-month funding is an ineffective way to support organizations on the front line.”

The billions secured by James will be paid out to

various institutions over the next 18 years. Her lawsuit against Teva also put barriers into place to prevent opioid manufacturers and distributors from misrepresenting their products. These restrictions include bans on high-dose opioids and marketing opioids, as well as restrictions on political

lobbying.

Garrett Lamouree, an EMT at Harpur’s Ferry and a junior majoring in biology, described how he thought settlement funds should be used.

“I think that a lot of money should go back into public health systems to correct these issues,” Lamouree said. “We give

away Naloxone here for people who need it. I think it’s fair that these companies should pay for the damage they caused.”

Yash Bitra, a senior majoring in computer science, acknowledged the negative impact of drugs and the responsibility of pharmaceutical companies to hold themselves

accountable for their actions.

“I definitely think drugs are one of the main problems in society today,” Bitra said. “If companies caused doctors to overprescribe opioids, then they deserve to pay for the damages. I think it’s good that the money is going to organizations that can give people treatment.”

Local arts festival to return this September

LUMa from page 1

Despite the potential funding shortfall, Bernard expressed his enthusiasm for the event in a press release.

“This is year nine of LUMA,” Bernard wrote. “I don’t know that I can say for certain that I knew that we would make it this far, so it’s a thrilling accomplishment.”

The upcoming festival will introduce seven innovations. Among these new features is the introduction of “live synchronized vocals” during every performance from indigenous Siberian songwriter and LUMA debut artist Snow Raven and a combination of nextgeneration laser shows with “an original multimedia laser/projection mapping experience.”

In a press release, Jared Kraham, the mayor of Binghamton, shared his thoughts on LUMA’s evolution over the years and its impact on the community.

“The City of Binghamton

is really proud to call LUMA one of our flagship events,” Kraham said in a press release. “I remember many years ago when there was one projector and one building on State Street, and folks, even before it was called LUMA, were testing out the technology and seeing what could be done. From those first lights and lumens from that projector to what we have now, which is an international showcase of projection arts technology and really the largest event that Downtown Binghamton has every year, has put Binghamton on the map.”

One way LUMA sought to engage local artists was through the Peg Johnston Living Lights Project, named for a late community activist. A “more traditional spin” on mapping, the Living Lights Project doesn’t require 3D animation expertise and will give artists the chance to see their work projected onto a building at LUMA.

Bernard explained the project and emphasized the significance of the project’s

new name.

“We invite members of the community to get involved with projection mapping for the first time,” Bernard said. “We give them canvases and paper outlines and they get to work in whatever form they feel most comfortable with. Then we scan those works of art and project them on a building. We are actually renaming the project in support of Johnston who helped found [the project] with us. Johnston was an amazing activist, artist and organizer. We are incredibly proud to rename the project in honor of [her].”

Nava Sherman, a sophomore majoring in industrial and systems engineering, shared her thoughts on the upcoming festival and the importance of supporting local artists.

“It is a very exciting chance to see artists create art with unique methods like projection mapping,” Sherman said. “It is always nice to be able to support local artists and have fun at festivals like LUMA.”

pipe dream archives

The LUMA festival, called a “flagship event” by Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham, attracts nearly 40,000 visitors every year.

caspar carson photo editor

Money from the settlement will fund programs helping patients in treatment and recovery, as well as harm reduction and community education efforts.

Initiative seeks to establish region as battery hub

The program consists of five different project initiatives and goals — battery-NY, workforce development, supplychain, innovation and entrepreneurship and equity and justice.

Introduced as a part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 — a law passed by the U.S. Congress — the NSF Engines program is designed to spur programs that promote investment in research, workforce training and entrepreneurship in the realm of energy and battery technology, according to U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer. Other

applicants for grant funding involved investments in technologies like artificial intelligence, biotechnology and semiconductor construction.

After first narrowing the competition to 34 semi-finalists, the NSF announced on Aug. 2, 2023 that BU’s NENY program advanced to the final round. Schumer’s office wrote a letter of support for the NENY program urging the NSF to award BU the grant.

“I am pleased to write in support of the application submitted by [BU] to the [NSF Engines] program for their New Energy New York Storage Engine

(NENYSE) proposal,” the letter said. “The Engine’s comprehensive approach will connect key stakeholders across sectors and provide competitive advantages to the ecosystem, helping the United States gain global leadership in advanced battery innovation, development and manufacturing.”

According to the NSF website, a selected NSF Engine would undergo three major development phases over 10 years — nascent, emergent and growth. A chosen engine would first receive an initial grant of $15 million over the first two years, with

the potential for up to $160 million later. The goal is for BU’s NENY program to transform the Southern Tier into a nationally-recognized hub of economic activity for battery technology and sustainable energy.

Along the way, NENY has worked to benefit both BU and the surrounding community. According to an innovation fact sheet provided by NENY, the program has partnered with local start-ups to help battery innovators employ their technologies in the New York energy market. NENY has also helped startups to test facilities and supply-chain connections.

Olga Petrova, the director of the office of entrepreneurship and innovation partnerships at the University, expanded on how the NENY program has benefited the community.

“We are looking to boost research and development around battery storage and clean energy,” Petrova said. “We are also looking to build out more infrastructure in upstate New York and in the Southern Tier to enable the development of more battery and energy storage technologies. We’re looking to attract more companies to the region to support economic development and job creation.”

Students are encouraged to get involved in the NENY Program through paid student internships in fields, including clean energy development and entrepreneurship advancement.

“As of today, we’ve placed over 70 BU students — [graduates], [undergraduates], [business students] and [engineering students] — with approximately 20-25 hightech clean energy startups,” Petrova said. “It has been a very successful program.”

Alumna’s foundation donates $5.6 million

The S.H. Ho Foundation’s gift is the largest from an organization. Vera

Binghamton University has received $5.6 million from the S.H. Ho Foundation to support innovative faculty research.

The funding, amounting to $200,000 per year, stands as the most substantial contribution the University has ever received from an external organization and will go toward research in health services and technology. Potential awardees will be evaluated by a committee within BU, with final selections being made by University President Harvey Stenger, Provost Donald Hall and Vice President for Research Bahgat Sammakia.

“This gift is a powerful endorsement of faculty excellence and an important investment in research opportunities that will have real-world impact,” Stenger said. “We deeply appreciate this transformational gift to enhance [BU].”

Grants will be awarded through an application process that will begin this fall, and funding is expected to be awarded as

soon as January 2024. Hall described how the donation will affect the University and its recipients in a statement to BingUNews.

“Donors advance faculty success and help elevate the University’s reputation for innovative and meaningful research,” Hall said. “This crucial support fosters an environment in which [BU’s] top-ranked researchers can launch or further their projects and could result in the next great breakthroughs in technology or health sciences.”

The Ho Foundation was founded by David and Martha Ho MA ‘78, also the co-owners of Pacific BMW in California. The Ho’s also serve as Campaign Committee members for EXCELERATE, an initiative dedicated to enrich student experiences and faculty research.

Martha Ho reflected on her personal experience as a BU student that led her to want to provide others with a similar education.

“My [BU] education was first-rate,” Ho said. “We are proud to be a part of EXCELERATE and all of the exciting developments to give students access to an exceptional education and to expand opportunities for dynamic and collaborative

research discoveries.”

The Ho’s have a history of philanthropy at BU, having previously instituted a scholarship program geared toward bolstering recruitment and retention at the University. Their scholarship focuses on aiding high-achieving freshmen from New York state.

Téa Hokanson, a freshman majoring in biology, said the contribution reflects the commitment of alumni.

“As a student, knowing that our professors will have the resources to further their research tells me how dedicated alumni are toward BU,” Hokanson said. “This gift doesn’t just fund research — it invests in the collective future of the University, [and its] peers and professors.”

David Chen, a sophomore majoring in biology, expressed that enhanced research will help professors better connect with their students.

“It’s a reminder that our education isn’t just about textbooks and lectures,” Chen said. “More funding for research projects means that more students can take interest in assisting professors in their research projects which will further their academic careers.”

caspar carson photo editor

Supported by U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer from New York, the program was created as a result of the CHIPS and Science Act, passed by the U.S. Congress in 2022.

The ideas of “dark femininity” — “MANipulation” and “ways to make men obsessed with you” — have recently gained traction on TikTok and Instagram reels. Despite its recent popularity and contrary to common belief, “dark femininity” isn’t centered around feminism and is often an excuse to perpetuate sexism.

People who use the term “dark femininity” think of it as an inherent energy inside women that needs to be unlocked. They associate it with sensuality, pleasure, passion, rage and sexual liberation. “Dark femininity” pairs with

OPINIONS

“light femininity,” which women also supposedly naturally have and is associated with softness, healing, nurturing and community. They have opposite energies, but both are needed for the “sacred feminine principle” for more internal harmony with oneself.

“Dark femininity” can be exercised by empowering yourself from a wounded mindset, which focuses on others instead of your own needs and desires, and by practicing shadow work to understand their “shadow” self, which is essentially a darker side of themselves. By understanding this darker, more sultry side, a woman may “overtake” men because she becomes more wild, sensual and desirable.

Dark femininity’s idea

Last

game since it played drastically differently than the previous entries.

Final Fantasy is one of the most long-standing and popular video game series of all time. The first installment was released way back in 1987, and the series has been successful since. The franchise has seen over 50 released games since its start, with 16 main titles and dozens of spin-offs. The most recently released mainline title was the 16th game, which launched in June of this year. Final Fantasy XVI (FFXVI) launched to very favorable reviews, with 87 percent on “MetaCritic,” a popular gaming website that pools reviews for many video games. As the weeks went by, though, various journalists and writers claimed that this game did not feel like a Final Fantasy

While this opinion is very subjective, it could not be further from the truth. FFXVI is without question a Final Fantasy game, sticking to the series’ philosophy of focusing on having a vision unique to the director, and therefore should be considered part of the series.

Final Fantasy is a series that is built on change. The interesting twist about this series is that every numbered installment is a brand new start. The characters, world and stories in FFVI and FFVII are also completely different. Every game in the series has had some kind of major or minor innovation. Some games have changed small things, like the rhythm and pace of combat or the way characters learn new abilities, but every mainline entry is defined

Tuesday, August 29 2023

Monday, April 3, 2017

Monday, October 2, 2017

Thursday, October 5, 2017

of becoming comfortable in your body and desirable to men appeals to many straight women, especially those insecure about themselves and in their heterosexual relationships. Still, much of what dark femininity advocates aligns with the patriarchal view that women ought to instinctively act softer and more nurturing than men instead of being confident and passionate. The idea of “dark femininity” supports the view that women are not innately sex-positive and are unable to openly express their emotions, when the fact is that women just cannot without being criticized or viewed differently by those around them.

Dark femininity ignores societal standards that

harm women and implies that women should be blamed for deficiencies in sexual and body confidence. It ignores the reality we live in — where women are shamed for being strippers, prostitutes or generally sexually confident and are frequently called derogatory terms. It ignores the toxic and pervasive stereotypes that women are more emotional and that PMS-ing is the problem. Dark femininity ignores issues that are inherently holding women down and places the locus of blame on women — and pointing to fictional women created through the male gaze as archetypal examples of this energy certainly does help. By shifting the blame for women’s low confidence onto women themselves

breaks

by change. Naoki Yoshida, director of the fan-favorite FFXIV and producer of FFXVI, had this to say about the controversy — “Final Fantasy is whatever the director making the latest installment thinks is the best game, the best story of the time.” In just this one quote, Yoshida sums up the motto of the series FFXVI marks the greatest change to the series from a gameplay perspective. Every main Final Fantasy game in the series (with one exception) has what is called “turnbased combat” — each character (and enemy) has a set turn and may select one of many actions for their characters, ranging from attack to defense to the use of magic. FFXVI ditches turn-based combat for an action system. Instead of a menu popping up and having characters take turns, the combat is in real time. This means

you have full control over everything the character does. Instead of clicking the attack command, the player must press the attack button. It’s a change that gives the player much more control over the action. This change has been loved by many, but many have also said this drastic change does not hold true to the game’s roots.

FFXVI should not be demonized for bringing such a drastic change to the series. It still stays true to series traditions — the story of every mainline Final Fantasy game is the centerpiece. These games are epics that have runtimes of anywhere between 30 to 50 hours and storylines that are rich and extravagant with diverse and unique characters. Take Clive Rosfield, the main character of the latest game. He is a former prince, whose country was invaded, and eventually, he was sold

instead of society at large, issues with our society remain unaddressed. When influencers and content creators post content about dark femininity, it’s clear that they don’t understand the problematic nature of the term. Content that advocates for dark femininity is centered around women getting men to do what they want by using the excuse of reclaiming their femininity.

“Reclaiming femininity,” as used in this context, is an interesting idea, seeing that it does somewhat address societal standards that harm women by arguing that men take from women and it’s time for women to take back from them. However, it is also based on the idea that two wrongs make a right,

which isn’t true. Content creators excuse their own manipulation of men, with concepts they don’t even understand, to attain them and get what they want. Influencers and content creators on TikTok should do more research and consider what they create before putting content online and spreading it. Even though influencers and content creators only seem to understand a fraction of what dark femininity is, the idea itself could still hurt both women and men. Instead, women should be building their confidence in realistic and attainable ways without making comparisons to other people.

Sydney Lee is a junior majoring in English.

off into being a mercenary and slave. For most of his life, all he has done is kill those his higher-ups have pointed their sword at. Final Fantasy is defined by its lovable yet realistic characters, and FFXVI has them in spades.

Keep in mind, Final Fantasy as a series does not have a holy transcript that every director must follow. The series in itself is open to any new player since every mainline game is a fresh start. It’s understandable if a fan of the classic games does not like where the newest installment goes, but to say it’s “not a Final Fantasy game” is inherently wrong. Remember that exception from earlier? Here it comes into play. FFXV was released in 2016. The kicker here is that it was originally announced in 2006. It took a whole decade for this game to be developed. FFXV was the first game in

the series to have actionfocused combat, and when it came out, many fans were saying how it didn’t feel like a Final Fantasy game. Notice the pattern? When innovation occurs in a long-running and beloved series, there will always be fans and detractors.

FFXVI undoubtedly has an incredible amount of love and passion put into it. I have played many games in this series — both main and spin-offs — and quality stays true to the series’ history. While FFXVI wildly differs from its predecessors, that does not matter. It still holds up the series’ philosophy of being a heartfelt story with innovative gameplay and realistic characters. FFXVI is, by definition, a Final Fantasy game. It’s in the title, and the soul of Final Fantasy is here in spades.

Nicolas Scagnelli is a senior majoring in English.

‘Dark Femininity’ trend is sexist

Dark femininity blames women for gendered societal standards.

Sydney Lee Opinions Columnist

‘Kraven’s

Hunt’

comic book boundaries Comic features mature themes, graphic artwork and a unique narrative.

Nicolas Scagnelli Opinions Columnist

F UN SUDOKU EDITION

We heard you missed Sudoku last week. We know we can never repair the broken trust, but we hope you enjoy this week’s Soduko Edition and accept it as a peace offering. <3

Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ is more than Kenough

The live-action portrayal of the beloved Mattel doll redefines girlhood.

Hudson Burrows asst. arts & culture editor

Greta Gerwig’s liveaction film humanizes Barbie and reflects womanhood in a society built on more synthetic molds than the doll herself. Tugging at heartstrings and infused with next-level satire, it’s no wonder the 2023 blockbuster is officially Warner Bros.’ highestgrossing domestic film.

The movie opens with little girls playing with their baby dolls in a premodern world. Then, as an homage to “2001: A Space Odyssey” directed by Stanley Kubrick, Barbie is supernaturally brought into the scene, interrupting the kids at play. Quickly ditching their babies for the excitement of this new toy, the little girls are introduced to an alien idea about upbringing. Playing with Barbie meant playing with the idea of a future not limited to motherhood.

Flash forward to present day — viewers are toured around Barbieland, a pink utopia of esteemed Barbies, besotted Kens and a fan favorite, Allan. Each Barbie has a designated role, ranging from Doctor Barbie, President Barbie, Scientist Barbie to even Mermaid Barbie. These titles, while sustaining Barbie’s purpose demonstrated in the first scene, are now also supposed to hint at the embedded

‘Oppenheimer’ stands out with its unique approach of multiple narratives and visual effects.

“Oppenheimer,”

acclaimed director Christopher Nolan’s newest film, exploded its way into theaters on July 21, 2023.

“Oppenheimer” is about the life of theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, most known for his work on the Manhattan Project during World War II which led to the creation of the atomic bomb. The film came out

flaws in a supposedly perfect world. For one thing, they minimize the characters to a single attribute, a systemic limitation that Stereotypical Barbie (played by Margot Robbie) starts to realize when she experiences very un-stereotypical changes.

It all starts with a flat foot, followed by expired milk, burnt waffles, “irrepressible thoughts of death” and GASP … cellulite. As it turns out, Stereotypical Barbie is much more than how her title has since defined her.

Talk about an existential crisis.

The titles do more than just allude to inherent limitations — they also nod to the paradox of expectations in a world dominated by the patriarchy. The contrast between Barbieland and The Real World is one that Gerwig cleverly weaves throughout the film, addressing the double standards that are rooted in the foundation of society.

Women should be doctors, but they shouldn’t complain about gender stereotypes and discrepancies in the education system.

Encourage women in STEM! But wait, women should also be mothers and caretakers. Women can be lawyers, but God forbid they’re too loud or demanding. One of the many ways the film demonstrates this catch-22 is by addressing the innate restrictions of the movie itself. The feminist advocacy preached throughout the movie is only as sincere as its scaffolding, which as the movie reveals, is an allmale executive board. By acknowledging the double

standard in consumerism, Gerwig is able to keep a firmer grip on the film’s messages, more so than if she were to breeze over the satiric nature of men profiting off women’s empowerment. While the “Barbie” movie is women-oriented, it is not the pinning of men against women. Rather, this film thoroughly embodies the complexity of identity and the arduous, uncomfortable, beautiful road of selfdiscovery.

Enter Ken.

The feminist utopia of Barbieland is a stark contrast to our maledominated reality, placing Barbies as figureheads and leaders of society and leaving Kens in their shadows with little to no purpose other than “beach” and swooning over Barbie. In addition to creating Barbieland to call at the absurdity of such a dichotomy, it also allows for Ken’s much-needed character development, where he learns he’s more than just Barbie’s lovestruck sidekick.

When Ken follows Barbie into The Real World, he learns about the patriarchy and falls in love with the concept of men ruling all. He brings this idea back with him to Barbieland, changing it to “Kendom” and brainwashing the remaining Barbies to play at the Kens’ beck and call. When Barbie returns, she and the other Barbies eventually reclaim their reign, not just because of the fragility of the patriarchy in Barbieland, but also because Kendom was, at large, simply a mask of Ken’s deeply

rooted insecurities. The composition of Barbieland had perpetuated Ken’s feelings of insignificance, as he was frequently reassured of his meager role in society. This prompts a conversation between Barbie and Ken, where Barbie acknowledges her poor treatment of him, but also how he is much more than his relation to her. While both worlds expect men to conceal their emotions and define themselves by occupation and women, The Real World has yet to really embark on a necessary conversation like the one between Barbie and

Ken. So, among its themes of multifaceted identities and contradicting expectations, Barbie also recognizes the hindrance of male emotion and the ensuing validation found in the patriarchy.

Strung together by an ensemble of A-list actors, a deeply satirical perspective of society’s shortcomings and the unwavering Kenergy throughout the film, the “Barbie” movie establishes itself as an exemplary balance of social commentary and entertainment. Reimagining Barbie into a live-action portrayal has done the doll’s purpose more justice than

ever before, demonstrating the imperfections of our world as well as the imperfections of the perfect doll herself. Mirroring the real world with Barbie is a tactic that reaches a breadth of audiences, with its simple doll approach on complicated human problems. The “Barbie” movie is a pop cultural sensation from every angle, and ultimately a maternal wake up call that we are much more than plastic human shells living in their perfect dreamworld.

Rating: 5/5

on the same day as Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie,” causing the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon on social media, which encouraged people to see both films.

“Oppenheimer” was directed by Nolan, known for also directing films such as “The Dark Knight” and “Inception”. This marks Nolan’s first biopic and second film set during World War II after “Dunkirk”. The film stars Cillian Murphy, a frequent Nolan collaborator, as the eponymous J. Robert Oppenheimer. Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon and Florence Pugh also feature prominently in the film. The film is based on the book “American

Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer,” a biography of Oppenheimer.

While “Oppenheimer” may be a bit of an intimidating film with its three-hour-long runtime and distinction as a historical drama, it manages to break down the barriers of the biopic genre and become a masterful work of art. Even great biopics like “The Aviator” and “Chaplin” fall victim to the fact these films are essentially just the important events of one person’s life being told chronologically.

“Oppenheimer” differentiates itself by telling the story of Oppenheimer out

of order, with three separate timelines progressing intermittently. While this sounds complicated, the audience is able to follow along thanks to the excellent hair and makeup that make the actors feel like they are different ages and the black and white used for the third timeline. The editing of having real-life events told out of order keeps the audience engaged as they must constantly be paying attention and keeping track of which timeline they are in. This leads to an enjoyable experience since the three narratives are perfectly put together at the end of the film. Beyond the editing and

story itself, the performances of the film are phenomenal. Murphy is both the lead and standout performance of the film, as he truly transforms into Oppenheimer, both physically and mentally. His sunken cheeks and piercing blue eyes capture the torment inside of Oppenheimer as he realizes what his creation has been used for. Likewise, Downey Jr. is excellent in his first film role since 2019’s “Doolittle”. Downey Jr. portrays Lewis Strauss, a real-life politician whose Presidential Cabinet hearing is shown on the big screen, parallel to the life of Oppenheimer.

Another aspect of “Oppenheimer” that works well is the use of practical effects in the film. Nolan even stated that there are no computer-generated visual effects in the film, a refreshing change of pace from the current onset of CGI-laden superhero films. Even the Trinity nuclear bomb test was shot completely with practical effects, leading to a sensational viewing experience that feels more real than most films.

“Oppenheimer” is a film that must be seen on the big screen and for better or worse, probably requires multiple viewings to understand. “Oppenheimer” tackles complex themes such as how much control scientists have over their inventions and the ethics of nuclear weapons during

war. Consequently, it may take viewers two or more screenings of the film to fully grasp everything that the film is saying about Oppenheimer and his impact on the world to this day.

One flaw of the film is that the sound mixing of the audio can be confusing at times. There are several points during the film when it is difficult to tell what characters are saying because the background noise and music is too loud. While this is probably intentional on Nolan’s part to give the film a documentary feel of real people talking, it leads to a frustrating viewing experience at certain points because it feels like the audience may be missing crucial lines of dialogue. Thankfully, this can be remediated by watching the film with subtitles, but it is unfortunate that this is necessary to understand all of the dialogue.

On the whole, “Oppenheimer” is one of the best films to come out in recent memory and will most likely go down as one of Nolan’s best films, potentially landing him an Academy Award. From the brilliant editing to the excellent performances and visually stunning practical effects, “Oppenheimer” is a masterpiece of American cinema that pushes beyond the biopic genre.

Rating: 4.75 out of 5 stars

sourced

“Barbie” solidifies itself as the movie of the summer.

‘Oppenheimer’ is unlike any other

biopic

sourced from universal pictures

“Oppenheimer” addresses the complex topics of nuclear inventions and ethics.

Taylor Swift’s mastermind of a world tour

The old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now, but here are the top eight moments from her record-breaking tour.

Lia Richter editor-in-chief

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour has taken over 2023, and with the international shows officially on the road, it is time to look back on the best eight moments from the first United States leg.

1. Night one: Glendale

The first night of the Eras Tour was one of the most special nights because it was the only night where everything was new. Without any articles about what happened the night before — or available live streams — each song, each outfit, each speech, the dive into the stage, the iconic acoustic set — all a surprise. The awe and discovery felt in Glendale, Arizona on March 17 could not be replicated, and it made for a magical night.

2. “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” announcement

Swift has been rerecording her albums originally recorded with Big Machine Records in order to own her own music. These rerecords have become the source of major anticipation from all her fans, and since the “Red (Taylor’s Version)” release in November 2021, Swifites were counting the days for her to speak out about “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).” May 5, 2023 was that day.

During her nightly surprise song acoustic set, Swift announced that “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)” was on its way, and the crowd reaction was huge. This long awaited release left fans ecstatic,

creating an iconic night for the tour.

3. “Bad Blood (Security Guard’s Version)”

Fans have created chants to accompany Swift’s songs for many a tour, and on May 13, another one entered the repertoire.

When a security guard was bothering a fan who was just singing and dancing along to the show, Swift herself called out the guard, telling him to leave her alone. Her impromptu “she’s fine” and “hey, stop” went perfectly with the already angsty, upbeat song, and her yelling became a new chant to scream.

4. Gracie Abrams surprise (song)

Toward the end of the night, every show, Swift would sing two songs not already on the setlist that were unique to that show, and sometimes she would feature some special guests.

While bad weather rarely ever stopped Swift from getting up on the stage, July 1’s storm prevented her opening act, Gracie Abrams, from delivering her set. So, for a third surprise song — which was exciting enough — Swift brought out Abrams to sing “I miss you, I’m sorry” together. This first-time duet made Eras Tour history in more ways than one, and went down as one of the more iconic acoustic sets.

5. Eight minutes of “Champagne Problems”

Evermore was one of Swift’s albums released during COVID-19 and it was a running joke among the fans that this was her least favorite. Her evermore era on the tour proved fans wrong, and every night they rewarded this with applause galore after her performance of “champagne problems” — lasting almost eight minutes one night.

Her Tuesday night show at SoFi Stadium featured a screaming standing ovation that broke the evermore applause record. Swift became emotional, commenting on the insanity of the fans’ support. Eight minutes marked this as a top Eras Tour moment.

6. Taylor Lautner takes the stage “Speak Now” did not just feature songs about Swift’s own heartbreaks, but also the pain she caused partners herself — more specifically, Taylor Lautner — so it was definitely a shock when he took the Eras Tour stage on July 7.

“Back to December” has always been rumored to be about Lautner, but now Taylor and Taylor are good friends, with him starring in her new music video “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault).” His backflip entrance only added to the crowd’s excitement at seeing the two reunite, and July 7 went down in Eras Tour history.

7. Swifties cause an earthquake, literally If the hype surrounding the tour was not enough of an event, the fans caused a literal earthquake.

After two nights of dancing to “Shake it Off”

and more, Lumen Field in Seattle experienced a 2.3 magnitude earthquake, raising the bar for Eras Tour excitement. Need I say more?

8. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” announcement

Last, but definitely not least, Taylor’s Version was not finished with the Eras Tour after “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version).” At the last show of the first United States leg, after much anticipation and potential “clowning” by fans, Swift wore all blue and announced “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” during the surprise set.

Like “Speak Now

(Taylor’s Version),” this album has been long awaited, and fans were ecstatic that their weeks of predictions paid off. “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” will be out Oct. 27 and feature five new songs. The first United States leg was filled with unforgettable moments, and the fun is not over yet. With new music on the way, and the international leg happening as we speak, there is so much more Swift to get excited for.

Hozier’s newest album tells the story of life and death

With a mix of emotions and perspectives, Hozier’s album may just be his best one yet.

Ryan Miller arts & culture contributor

Hozier’s newest release is yet another no-skip album.

Since Hozier’s rise to fame in 2013 with “Take Me to Church,” he has proven time and again that he is one of the best artists out there right now. While it seemed impossible that the Irish musician could top his first two albums, “Hozier” and “Wasteland, Baby!,” he may

have just done that with his new album, “Unreal Unearth,” which was inspired by Dante’s “Inferno” and the nine circles of hell.

The album begins with “De Selby (Part 1),” followed directly by “De Selby (Part 2).” They were inspired by a philosopher character named De Selby, and the songs showcase being lost in darkness. Hozier sings in Irish at the end of Part 1. He explains that he is singing about metamorphosis into darkness before Part 2 begins, switching from a peaceful and beautiful calm song right into a funkier pop tune, continuing with the theme of darkness.

He then moves into “First Time,” which has a more similar sound to his previous albums. Hozier said the song represents life and death, and it has a beautiful upbeat and light feeling. He swiftly transitions into “Francesca,” which he released as a single. The song — which has a different and more rock-like vibe — is inspired by Francesca in Dante’s second circle of hell, highlighting Hozier’s skill as a songwriter when it comes to drawing inspiration from literature while building his albums.

“I, Carrion (Icarian)” is without a doubt one of the most beautiful tracks on the album.

He highlights some of the story of Icarus — the Greek myth — mixed with a love song, stating “And though I burn, how could I fall? / When I am lifted by every word you say to me / You have me floatin’ like a feather on the sea…” The simple instruments and timeless, soft and emotional style is classic Hozier, yet still unique (and almost feels like a Simon and Garfunkel song).

The transition to “Eat Your Young’’ after such a chill song is interesting as he continues with the “Inferno” with a more upbeat sound, further showcasing Hozier’s incredible range and showing fans that he never ceases to impress with his

unique style.

Brandi Carlile’s feature on “Damage Gets Done” adds something unique to the album as well while their voices blend together beautifully. In addition, his skill is clear in “Who We Are,” which begins soft before transitioning into an emotional chorus, “We’re born at night / So much of our lives / Is just carvin’ through the dark / To get so far/ And the hardest part / Is who we are.” He perfectly describes this feeling of being lost not only with his lyrics but with the dramatic and intense instruments as well.

While much of the album thus far represented feelings of being lost, Hozier explained that “Son of Nyx” is the beginning of a switch from darkness into the light. Although it is an instrumental song, it still fits in the album perfectly, allowing for a swift switch into “All Things End,” which shows how even though everything is eventually over, we “should not change our plans” because everything will begin again.

“To Someone From A Warm Climate (Uiscefhuaraithe)” is another slow one, a beautiful song that is mainly just his voice accompanied by piano and some strings. Hozier uses the Irish language again with “Uiscefhuaraithe,” which is coldness from water in what seems to be a love song. He then continues with themes from the “Inferno” with “Butchered Tongue,” a sad tune with violent lyrics.

The tone switches quickly from the slow and sad music from the previous songs into

an upbeat and happy vibe in “Anything But” — although Hozier does explain that the lyrics of this song are not as happy as they seem — further showing Hozier’s range as an artist before he shifts again to a more intense and emotional song with “Abstract (Psychopomp).”

Hozier expresses the feelings that come with heartbreak and the unknown in “Unknown / Nth,” a simple and emotional song. He sings, “Do you know, I could break beneath the weight?

/ Of the goodness, love, I still carry for you / That I’d walk so far just to take / The injury of finally knowing you,” sharing the devastation of still yearning for someone who hurts you.

The final song, “First Light,” is the perfect emotional and intense ending for the album.

It finishes, “Like I lived my whole life / Before the first light / Some bright morning comes,” creating a kind of full circle feeling. Not only do the lyrics bring the album to a close perfectly, it ends with a burst of emotion through the music, ending it with a bang.

The album has a fantastic mix of slow, emotional music and funky upbeat pop, showcasing Hozier’s range as a musician and excellently demonstrating the themes of the album as a whole. He follows so many different emotions back and forth yet still maintains a consistent vibe throughout, producing yet another no-skip album (and a perfect album to listen to this fall in Binghamton).

Rating: 4.75/5

An out-of-body experience, the Eras Tour has made its mark in pop culture history.

Womenʼs soccer draws with Canisius in home opener

Bearcats combine for 18 shots, Williams earns fourth shutout.

The Binghamton women’s soccer team held its home opener on Sunday afternoon against Canisius, looking to rebound from its season-opening 2-0 loss against Fairfield last Thursday. After a back-andforth game, during which the BU spent most of the time on the offense with 18 shots, the Bearcats settled for a 0-0 draw.

“Honestly, pretty pleased overall with the performance,” said Binghamton head coach Neel Bhattacharjee. “I thought our procession was good. We certainly created enough attacking chances, 18 shots, eight corners.

You know obviously we’re disappointed with the final result. I thought by halftime we could have been up two- nothing, [but we] had a crossbar, had a post, the keeper made a couple of nice saves, couple near misses, a little bit of everything except for the ball going [into the] back of the net.”

The Golden Griffins (01-1) got the first kick of the game, but Binghamton (0-1-1) quickly captured possession. The first opportunity to score came from junior forward Hannah Mimas in the sixth minute of the first half. Coming from the right, Mimas aimed for the bottom center of the net, but the Canisius goalkeeper managed to save it. BU was able to get off 11 more shots, with eight on the net during the first half, but failed to score as

Canisius held them off. The Bearcats spent very little time in their zone, as they consistently pressured the Golden Griffin defense.

“Normally, this, you know, would be a game that we’d be able to finish up a couple opportunities [and] get the full three points,” Bhattacharjee said. “[It] just didn’t happen today, not at all disappointed in the performance. Just would hope for a little bit more in the result you know, credit to Canisius, they hung in there and made a battle, gave us a battle in the last third, but again I think this is another performance for us to build off of and we’ll do that, continue to get better and then put some goals in the back of the net.”

Despite spending most of the first half on offense, there were a few moments in which BU faced pressure

from the Canisius offense. During those moments, the Bearcats were able to hold Canisius to just one shot on the net, which was saved by junior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Williams.

After a strong first half by the Bearcats, with 12 total shots, in comparison to Canisius’ two, the Golden Griffins took back some control during the second half. BU and Canisius had a fair amount of time in their respective offensive zones, with several opportunities from both sides to charge the net.

“It’s always a little bit of a different team vibe and a different challenge, but you know what we want to do is can we keep connecting,” Bhattacharjee said. “We can keep creating quality chances like we did today, and [the] emphasis will be on finishing.”

BU was pressured on defense more in the second but was able to prevent Canisius from scoring. Canisius got off three shots in the half, and none made it to the back of the net. Meanwhile, the Bearcats had six shots this half, with only two of them making it onto the net, a decrease from the first half.

“We just need that final pass,” Bhattacharjee said. “That final finishing touch. If we do that, that changes everything, and I thought if we got that first goal, the game would have really opened up, but again just didn’t happen today, that’s just the nature of soccer. Again [I’m] pleased with the performance, pleased with the opportunities — just got to tuck it away now.”

Even though the second half was more balanced in terms of possession,

Binghamton still had more time on offense and more opportunities to score. Despite all the chances, BU was just unable to find the back of the net, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw.

“[Canisius] had ten ties last year, and a decent number of them were zerozero games like this, so I’m not totally surprised,” Bhattacharjee said. “[Canisius] gave us some room, but you know, made it difficult for us, and that last little bit in and around the 18, so we’ll just be a little bit sharper.”

BU is set to hit the road to take on Seton Hall on Thursday, August 24. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. at Owen T. Carroll Field in South Orange, New Jersey.

Emily Ciarlo assistant sports editor

caspar carson photo editor

Junior forward Hannah Mimas got off two shots on goal and four shots total, in BU’s 0-0 draw against Canisius on Sunday afternoon.

Volleyball goes undefeated at Bearcat Classic

Binghamton begins 2023 fall season 3-0.

“We kind of distributed the ball really well,” Yaeger said. “Setting everybody who was in the front row, we were able to get the middles going, the right sides going [and] the outsides going. So we were really in system against Merrimack which really helped us.”

Then, on Saturday afternoon, the Bearcats took on Duquesne (2-1), continuing to build on their momentum from Friday by controlling the pace in the

first set, winning 25-16. The subsequent sets, however, would see momentum shift toward the Dukes. Duquesne held onto the lead throughout the second set and led the Bearcats 22-21 late into the game. However, 4 crucial kills from freshman outside hitter Ella Schabort allowed BU to edge out the Dukes 2523 and go up 2-0. The Dukes would take an early lead once more and keep the pressure on in the third set, holding off a comeback attempt from Binghamton and handing the Bearcats first set loss of the tournament, 25-22.

“We could not get a ball in from the 10-foot line and

neither could they,” Yaeger said. “I mean, both teams were really struggling in the serve-receive game. And so then it turned into an outside game. Who’s outside [was] better? Was it our outsides that were better who can hit out of system or was it their outsides that could hit better out of system?”

The Dukes carried their momentum into the fourth set of the match, going up 4-1 early. Binghamton, however, would even the score 5-5 and set a set-long back and forth into motion, always remaining within striking distance of the Dukes. Entering the final stretch

down 23-20, the Bearcats rallied behind senior outside hitter Tsvetelina Ilieva who nabbed three kills in a fourpoint stretch to bring the Bearcats to match point, 2423. While the Dukes evened it out, two critical errors from Duquesne allowed the Bearcats to win the set, 26-24, and the match overall.

“In that game, I thought I really struggled in serve receives,” Ilieva said. “So I wanted to help my team by serve-receiving better. And at the last set when we had to come back and get the set to win, in my mind was just like, ‘pass the ball and then finish it when they sent [it to] me.’

And that’s what happened.”

BU then took Saint Peter’s (0-3) in its final matchup of the tournament on Saturday evening. After a bit of back and forth between both sides in the first set, the Bearcats would take control and run away with the lead to win 2513. From there, the Bearcats never looked back and took both subsequent sets 2513 and 25-10, winning the match 3-0, and finishing the tournament undefeated.

In recognition of their strong run and tournament title, multiple Bearcats took home tournament honors. Illieva was named the Bearcat Classic MVP, ending the

tournament with 32 kills and nine aces, while Schabort and graduate student middle blocker Anna Sprys were named to the All-Tournament team. “This tournament showed us where we are and what we need to work on,” Ilieva said. “And I feel it … gave us a lot of confidence. And it gives us the confidence that we need because we’re a pretty young team.”

Binghamton will hit the road next weekend to compete in the Buffalo Invite Tournament starting on Thursday, Aug. 31. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Alumni Arena in Buffalo, NY.

Men’s soccer downed by William and Mary 2-1

for its season-opening match. Despite coming out of the gates hot and getting on the board first, BU was unable to maintain its lead.

good fight … it was a tight game, one where we should probably be walking away with a draw.”

The Binghamton men’s soccer team was defeated by William and Mary 2-1after traveling to Williamsburg, Virginia on Thursday evening

“I thought we started quite well,” said Binghamton head coach Paul Marco. “We have five or six new faces on the team to start. I thought the team came together quite nicely to start. I thought our guys showed pretty

After a scoreless 25 minutes to begin the match, Binghamton (0-1-0) got the scoring started in the 26th minute when graduate student midfielder Jack Green connected with junior forward Mael Lopes, who found the back of the net, giving the Bearcats an

early 1-0 lead over the Griffins (1-0-0). However, William and Mary would respond not long after, tying things up at 1-1 at the 38th-minute mark after scoring on a corner kick. Entering halftime, the Bearcats and the Griffs found themselves all tied up at one score apiece.

“We gave up two set-piece goals,” Marco said. “That in itself is disappointing. We gave

up a corner to tie the game and a penalty for them to go ahead. We shouldn’t be giving up setpiece goals … we were there to make plays and we didn’t.”

A back-and-forth pace marked the beginning of the second period, as neither team could really get much going. Then, in the 74th minute, a foul was called on graduate student goalkeeper Dylan McDermott, which gave William and Mary a penalty kick and an opportunity to take the lead. McDermott was unable to make the save as the Griffs cashed in on their opportunity to take a 2-1 lead over the Bearcats.

“I thought our guys showed pretty good fight,” Marco said. “We let the game get a little bit away from us right before the penalty. We let the game get a little bit away from us before the penalty. I thought we looked a little tired.”

BU remained unable to get anything going into the second half, eventually being held scoreless for the remainder of the match by the William and Mary defense. When things were all said and done, the Bearcats found themselves on the losing end of things, dropping their season opener to William and Mary 2-1.

“We had a couple of new

faces on the field,” Marco said.

“Overall I think the guys showed we can start well and play good soccer at times, so it’s certainly something we can build on and try to improve on for sure.”

McDermott finished the match with six saves for the Bearcats. With a bunch of new faces continuing to get accustomed to playing with each other, slowly building chemistry, Marco believes that the team will regroup and aim to look toward the future instead of dwelling on the past.

“I thought [McDermott] made some outstanding saves,” Marco said. “He was very good. He played his part. We’ve had a really good growth in two weeks together so if we can continue to maximize the time we’re together with a growth mindset and a confident positive attitude … it’s more about how we respond to this rather than what actually is going on because we can’t get the game back and I think this group has that in them.”

Binghamton will stay on the road for its next matchup against the defending national champions in Syracuse on Monday, Aug. 28. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at the SU Soccer Stadium in Syracuse, New York.

Jacob Knipes

assistant sports editor

caspar carson photo editor

Senior outside hitter Tsvetelina Ilieva was named Bearcat Classic MVP after tallying 32 kills and nine aces in three games over the weekend.

Bearcats shutout by Griffins in second half after first half tie.

Johnny Yang sports editor

provided by bob keroack

Graduate student goalkeeper Dylan McDermott made six saves in BU’s 2-1 loss against William and Mary on Thursday evening.