The Quinnipiac Chronicle, Volume 95, Issue 10

‘The

art of polling’

By

For 32 years, the Quinnipiac Poll has been supplying the nation with polling data on public policy issues and elections. Heading into the 2024 presidential election, these polls are as important and analyzed as ever as commentators and the public attempt to find any inkling of which way America will vote Nov. 5.

Doug Schwartz, director of the Quinnipiac Poll, has been leading the charge at the poll since 1994, expanding to a nationwide polling institute in 2001.

But 2024 may be the most challenging year yet when attempting to get a political snapshot of the country.

“We reflect the news, we don’t try to influence public opinion,” Schwartz said. “We ask voters what they’re thinking about the campaign and the candidates and who they’re going to vote for but our role is not to influence voters.”

The Quinnipiac Poll had been compiling polling data for months based on what it

Quinnipiac donates $152K to restore Hamden’s public tennis courts

By CARLEIGH BECK

Associate News Edtor

Quinnipiac University donated $152,000 to aid in full restoration of the tennis courts on Mix Avenue in early 2025.

The courts were closed until July for temporary repairs as cracks in the current courts caused a safety concern for the Hamden community and Hamden High School students.

The restoration, also funded by Hamden’s bonding money, includes new lighting, resurfacing, paint lines for pickleball and new fencing.

“We’re really, really fortunate to have a supporter in town like Quinnipiac that’s able to come and help out students, student athletes,” said Tom Dyer, director of athletics at Hamden High School. “Not only that, the community, because tennis courts (are) not something that just affects student athletes. It’s a lifelong sport that a lot of a lot of people play.”

Racket sports are a part of the curriculum in Hamden High School’s physical education program. Students played these sports indoors this school year during the temporary repairs and will have to do so during the upcoming restoration.

“They’ve tried to teach it in other ways,” Dyer said. “It’s just not the same as being out (on) the tennis court. For some kids, it’s their first experience doing that. (For the) community at large, I think it really affects because there’s a lot of people from younger kids just learning about the sport, to all the way to senior citizens. There’s

a lot of people playing tennis, pickleball, things like that.”

On top of the physical education program, Hamden High School uses the courts for girls and boys tennis teams’ home matches. Recently, they have held their matches at Hamden Middle School’s tennis courts.

“We transport the kids to our middle school, and both teams practice on a six court situation, which is not ideal, because most tennis matches are seven matches,” Dyer said. “For a tennis team to split six courts and you have two teams, makes it a little bit more dynamic or a little bit more of an issue at times, but our kids and coaches persevered and were able to be very competitive last year.”

Quinnipiac’s Building Bobcats program, which partners with Quinnipiac Athletics, focuses on the development of youth athletes. The program was created when Hamden residents noticed a decrease of student athletes after the pandemic.

Quinnipiac also made a donation to the Hamden Middle School athletic program as part of Building Bobcats.

Bethany Zemba, vice president for strategy and community relations chief of staff, said that Quinnipiac chose to donate money because of the Building Bobcats program and their previous donation to Hamden Middle School.

“Because we showed such a strong interest in supporting athletics and the development of those, they came back to us with this opportunity to help with the tennis

courts,” Zemba said. “(These) tennis courts will be used by the entire community. It was in need of (an) update in order to make them so that they were playable, so they were safe, and so we were very happy to be able to do that.”

Quinnipiac worked in partnership with Hamden Mayor Laura Garrett, Chief of Staff Sean Grace and Deputy Chief of Staff Alexa Panayotakis to facilitate the donation.

“It was a conversation with (Quinnipiac President Judy) Olian and with the town hall,” Zemba said. “And we just coordinat -

ed amongst what (Hamden) felt was helpful and useful, and we were able to secure the donation. And we just made a donation based on the amount that they needed. So it was just really seamless.”

Details such as how long the restoration will takeare still in the works, but the community is looking forward to the new courts.

“I think the town’s really fortunate for a donation,” Dyer said. “And you know, I think it’ll be great for the kids and for the community. So (I’m) very excited about it, and hopefully get the project going soon.”

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TRIPP MENHALL/CHRONICLE

Hamden tennis courts on Mix Avenue will be fully restored after cracks in the surface posed a danger to students and the public.

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The views expressed in The Chronicle’s opinion section are those of the respective authors. They do not reflect the views of The Chronicle as an organization.

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CNN Correspondent discusses ‘The Past and Present of the 2024 Presidential Elections’

By AVA HIGHALND Staff Writer

Leah Wright Rigueur, a CNN correspondent and established scholar on race and election consideration, spoke at Quinnipiac University’s Critical Conversations Speaker Series on Oct. 31.

Wright Rigueur discussed “The Past and Present of the 2024 Presidential Election.”

Charles Collier Jr., the founding assistant dean for equity, inclusion and diversity and director of health career pathways at the Quinnipiac University Frank H. Netter School of Medicine, moderated the discussion.

The Critical Conversations Series discusses various topics, giving attendees a space to listen and participate in meaningful and intellectual conversations.

“Information, as I often say, is truly the currency of a well-ordered democracy,” said David Fryson, interim vice president of equity and inclusion. “And it’s an important element in establishing an atmosphere or respectful and positive dialog for our nation after the election.”

Wright Rigueur has numerous other accomplishments under her belt. She wrote the award-winning book “The Loneliness of the Black Republican.”

Wright Rigueur’s writing and commentary have been featured in several different media outlets including MSNBC, CNN, CBS News, CBS, NPR, The New York Times, Washington Post, C-SPAN and many others.

On election night, Wright Rigueur will

be part of the election analysis team for Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR).

Wright Rigueur began the event by addressing the audience, creating a framework for the discussion with Collier. She spoke about her background, career and began to discuss past and present elections.

Wright Rigueur noted the importance of asking questions to deepen one’s understanding, especially during the 2024 election.

“In the kind of election cycle that we’re having, questions actually do a lot of the work of getting us to these new kinds of analysis,” Wright Rigueur said.

Wright Rigueur also discussed changes that have recently risen from this election cycle.

“We are seeing new types of polarization and partisanship,” Wright Rigueur said. “We are seeing new ideas of race and gender and class. But we are also seeing different kinds of intersections, intersections in terms of how race, class and gender play out.”

In the past, it was easier to predict how different demographics would vote. However, with these changes, it has become increasingly more difficult.

Wright Rigueur has found “dramatic revolutions” in the areas of democracy.

“Democracy is not a concept that is easy, democracy is something great that we largely take for granted within our country,” Wright Rigueur said. “But actually look a little closer at it, democracy is something that is constantly being remade.”

Technology has changed how people understand American politics, nationally and glob-

ally. Wright Rigueur urged the audience to pay close attention to advancements in technology and how they affect the current election.

The event then moved into questions, beginning with what Wright Rigueur has found most significant about the 2024 election.

Wright Rigueur has found one problem to be a need for 24-hour cycles seeking to fill air time, but also spinning minor happiness into “a crisis of epic proportions.”

“The reality is that most of these things are relatively irrelevant,” Wright Rigueur said. “In the grand scheme of things, there’s a lot of noise and there’s a lot of chatter.”

Wright Rigueur has also found significance in growing differences between Americans that have college education and Americans that do not.

“There is a direct correlation between polar political partisanship and the kind of politics of policy that you support and education attainment,” Wright Rigueur said.

Wright Rigueur later delved into a precedent being seen today from the standpoint of a historian. She noted similarities to the 1960 presidential election.

“It was an election that was marked by social unrest, social protest, multiple assassination attempts,” Wright Rigueur said.

She later explored the differences between Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden.

“The biggest difference I can tell you is that Kamala Harris ran a campaign and Joe Biden did not,” Wright Rigueur said. “And I don’t say that to be flippant or dismissive, but part of what we see in presidential campaigns, particularly where there is an incumbent president, is that it is really really hard to run a campaign hard while also running a country.”

Wright Rigueur discussed the gender gap that is widening. She explained this specifically regarding the aftermath of the Dobbs Decision.

“For the majority of American women, roughly 80% of American women, they saw the Dobbs Decision as an attack or assault on their reproductive rights,” Wright Rigueur said.

Wright Rigueur explained that women’s response to the Dobbs Decision is not only policy-driven, but also “rhetoric and engagement in the political process.”

One member of the audience asked about the impact of presidential candidates’ social media on young voters.

“One of the best ways to reach young voters and to reach young people is through social media, because young people do not consume traditional media,” Wright Rigueur said. “So there are all of these new social media approaches that the candidates realize.”

Through this event, Wright Rigueur delved into an analysis of the current election season from the perspective of a historian.

Wright Rigueur is an associate research professor at the Agora Institute and also works in the Department of History at Johns Hopkins University. She was formerly the Harry S. Truman associate professor of American History at Brandeis University and former associate professor of public policy at Harvard Kennedy School.

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Associate Professor of History at Johns Hopkins University and CNN Correspondent Leah Wright Rigueur (right) speaks about the election as a part of Quinnipiac University’s Critical Conversations speaker series on Oct. 31.

Quinnipiac professors and students present Artificial Intelligence prototype at Technology Conference

By NEVE WILSON Staff Writer

Quinnipiac University computer science graduate Jack Duggan ’24, graduate cybersecurity major Michael Ruocco ’25, computer science professor Chetan Jaiswal and occupational therapy professor Karen Majeski presented an artificial intelligence prototype for AccessiMove at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ 14th Global Humanitarian Technology Conference on Oct. 23-25.

AccessiMove uses artificial intelligence face-tracking and gesture recognition to increase the accessibility of computers for people with physical disabilities. Current applications include operating a wheelchair and communicating between health professionals and patients in hospitals and gaming.

The project was inspired by a former student of Jaiswal’s, Sylvia, who is blind and motivated him to look for ways to make daily life easier for people with disabilities. Sylvia is now an engineer at Apple Inc.

For Ruocco, computers are something that he has enjoyed using his entire life. He wanted to bring that same enjoyment to people who previously could not access it.

The initial idea for AccessiMove came about from discussions at the annual “Adapted Play” conference, created by Jaiswal, Majseki and the Quinnipiac occupational therapy department in 2022.

Jaiswal recruited Duggan and Ruocco from the school of computing and engineering to build the prototype. Brian O’Neil, associate professor of computer science at

Quinnipiac, also helped invent the project.

Majeski was asked to join in order to bring a health science perspective to the project.

The interdisciplinary nature of the AccessiMove helped it stand out at the IEEE’s conference. While at the conference, Majeski encouraged other participants to add health science professionals to their teams.

“The invention (of the AccessiMove) is stronger because of the collective knowledge,” Majeski said.

Jaiswal agreed, calling the collaboration across fields the “best part” of the prototype.

O’Neil is proud that the AccessiMove can be used with a built-in or off-the-shelf webcam, making it more accessible for users.

“When we looked around at what already existed, we found that many of the comparable tools required specialized hardware – a high-end webcam, or an XBox Kinect,” O’Neil wrote in an email to The Chronicle.

Ruocco said that many people at the conference were curious to learn about the AccessiMove: “We got a lot of questions for it, so I think that’s a good sign.” Jaiswal said that out of a 40 minute Q&A session after four separate presentations, “probably 32 minutes were Q&A for our work,” Jaiswal said.

The goal of the annual conference is to address “critical issues for the benefit of the resource-constrained and vulnerable populations in the world,” according to the IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference website.

Ruocco said that one of his biggest takeaways from the conference was that “you

can still have fun and be creative while also, like, doing something mundane like computer science.”

The team first began working on the AccessiMove prototype in Fall 2023. In October they filed a U.S. patent for the invention that is currently pending. Going forward they plan to work with the Hartford Healthcare Center for AI Innovation in Healthcare and Connecticut Innovations. A key step to improving their prototype is securing funding.

When it comes to artificial intelligence, like everything Jaiswal says, it “comes with two sides, so good and bad.” It is up to developers to use it “for (the) betterment of everyone.” The AccessiMove is one example of the good that artificial intelligence can do in improving people’s quality of life.

O’Neil wrote that some concerns about AI are “well-founded,” such as plagiarizing humans and the environmental impact of development, but he has witnessed his students using it productively: “I’ve been really impressed with some of the ways that students use tools like ChatGPT.”

O’Neil developed a new minor in Artificial Intelligence at Quinnipiac which aims to educate students about the applications and implications of artificial intelligence.

Majeski agreed that AI is very “impressionable,” so it is important that it is taught the difference between right and wrong. As an educator and healthcare professional, she feels a sense of responsibility to help shape artificial intelligence as a tool to help people.

thought would be a presidential election between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. But in August 2024, when Biden stepped aside and Vice President Kamala Harris gained the Democratic nomination, plans had to change.

“The first thing that comes to mind in terms of unique challenges is that this is such a short window for one of the major parties to select a new nominee,” Schwartz said. “The fact that Harris became the Democratic nominee in August, that’s never happened before. And you know, there were a substantial number of people who really didn’t know her very well.”

The presidential election’s historic shakeup in August isn’t even the biggest challenge for the poll — it’s getting people to pick up the phone.

“As far as reaching people, it’s a challenge. It has been for many years,” Schwartz said. “One of the good parts about polling during an election is that historically, more people want to participate in the poll. So it’s just more exciting. People are more interested in, let’s say in September and October and so for response rates, even though they’re still low, they’re better than they typically are.”

Even when a caller picks up the phone, that doesn’t mean they are ready to spill their political views with the person on the other end of the line.

“I’ve had days where I just dialed and

dialed and dialed and got no surveys,” said Dawn Bacote, a Quinnipiac University Polling Institute caller in an interview with NBC News.

For the 2022 midterm elections, the poll redesigned how it asks questions and saw one of its most accurate polling cycles ever.

do you actually get who’s really going to vote? And every pollster does it differently, and that’s why I call it an art. There’s no one right way of doing it.”

Once the poll can collect and publish the data, the media runs wild with it, sometimes being too quick to point to assumptions. It’s something to take into account when most polls have the tion within just a few points — in the margin

on national television, discussed how hard it was to break down a poll during an installment of Quinnipiac’s Critical Conversation Speaker Series Oct. 7.

“In terms of data, we can look at the polling that’s out there, but in a poll of 1000 people or something, there’s only so much you can kind of slice and dice what you’re getting,” Kornacki said.

Over the past months, Schwartz has been up close and personal in the polling process, and with this being the sixth presidential election since the poll went nationwide, he’s seeing some key trends to look out for Nov. 5.

“A lot of times in

dia, they ignore the ror, they don’t count,” Schwartz said. “I think that’s misleading for the public.

istered voters. When asked, most people say they are going to vote, but they never actually do. Schwartz and the poll’s job is to find that happy medium.

“Not everyone does vote. Many people don’t,” Swartz said. “So the art of it is, how

The commentators, they just ignore the margin of error and say, ‘Oh, this candidate is leading this other candidate by one point or two points,’ even though it’s statistically insignificant.”

NBC News analyst Steve Kornacki, famously known for dissecting polling data

“One of the things that I found interesting, not just about our poll, but a lot of other polls, is that you’re seeing more young people voting for the Republican candidate Donald Trump than historically have voted for the Republican candidate,” Schwartz said. “You’re seeing more black and Hispanic voters voting for Donald Trump than they have historically voted for the Republican candidate.”

That said, these are only trends, whether they prove to be leaning in the correct path will largely depend on voter turnout.

“Are we going to see some sort of major shift in party allegiance among young people and black Hispanic voters?,” Schwartz said. “I’m really curious. It also could end up being that you see lower turnout among these groups. So I’m kind of curious to see what happens on election day.”

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED BY CHETAN JAISWAL

(From left) Jack Duggan, Chetan Jaiswal and Karen Majeski at the Technology Conference Oct. 23-25.

ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA

QUINNIPIAC POLL from

Opinion

Voices unheard: Victim offenders are being failed and forgotten

By LILY PHILIPCZAK Staff Writer

Imagine if you were to spend the rest of your days imprisoned as a teenager or young adult before your life even started. As troubling as this sounds, this is a reality for many victim offenders in the U.S. criminal justice system — especially women.

Victim offenders are people who have experienced both victimization and offending. There are many forms of victimization such as child abuse, hate crimes, domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual assault. Systemic victimizations exist resulting from societal issues and within institutions such as educational, governmental, legal, religious and cultural.

The criminal justice system’s treatment towards individuals who have been both victims and offenders varies depending on the nature of the crime, whether it was violent and the jurisdiction of where it had taken place. Arguably so, there is also bias due to the age, race and gender of the individual.

Overall, the effort to rehabilitate and support them is inadequate. The American criminal justice system is punitive and tends to view offenders as threats to society. Holistically, the system does not consider offenders who are victims themselves.

The system can improve through traumainformed and gender-responsive treatment. Legal representation and law enforcement would consider the victims’ history in sentencing and diversionary programs, along with providing support services to address their offending behavior and victimizations.

In the U.S., there are 1.9 million people in-

carcerated in state and federal prisons, local jails, juvenile correctional facilities, immigration detention facilities and more, according to the Policy Prison Initiative. It is unknown how many victim offenders there are because many do not disclose their victimizations.

Historically, prisons have been designed for men and have neglected the unique and particular needs of incarcerated women. Inadequate access to healthcare, the lack of trauma-informed interventions by correctional staff, facilities and the architectural environment are all designed for men. It is no wonder that these female victim offenders suffer — the criminal justice system does not take them into account.

Women identify trauma exposure as instrumental in their pathway to crime. In other

words, victim offenders may commit crimes as a direct response to their victimization. This is the experience of more female victim offenders than we know because their victimizations are vastly underreported.

Roughly 191,000 women are incarcerated, according to Women’s Mass Incarceration 2024. Women who are incarcerated are statistically more likely than their male counterparts to report a diagnosis of a mental health condition, be a victim of domestic violence or experience emotional, physical or sexual abuse as a child.

In 2006, Cyntoia Brown was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison at 16-years-old. Brown maintained that the murder was an act of self-defense, as she was forced into prostitution by her abusive boyfriend who

Hall of hypocrisy

was sex-trafficking her.

Human trafficking is the recruitment and movement of people through force or deception, with the purpose of exploitation for profit. Victims of sex trafficking are often vulnerable, enduring severe psychological and physical trauma as they are manipulated by traffickers.

While Brown was incarcerated, she earned her GED, completed a bachelor’s degree and mentored at-risk youth. At 31 years old, Brown was released from prison and granted clemency by former Gov. of Tennessee Bill Haslam. Not every victim offender is granted clemency or receives attention. While Brown spent nearly 15 years incarcerated, she now has her life back. A majority of victim offenders, regardless of their gender, do not. For example, the Menendez brothers are serving life imprisonment after they were convicted of first-degree murder for killing their parents.

Lyle and Erik Menendez — who were 21 and 18 years old — disclosed during their trial that they experienced violence and childhood sexual abuse by their parents. Since the 1980s, the criminal justice system has widely changed the way child abuse victims, particularly those who are male, are perceived.

Rev. Sharon White-Harrigan, who presides over Columbia University’s Justice Labs, was formerly incarcerated on a manslaughter charge for self-defense against a sexual assault.

As best put by White-Harrigan, “There is justice without punishment. You can hold people accountable without leaving them worse than when they came in.”

Cooperstown’s contradictions need reassessment

By BEN BUSILLO Associate Opinion Editor

The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, is the capital of sports excellence. As the oldest sports hall of fame in the world, it not only serves as the ultimate shrine to the sport of baseball, but also as a symbol of America’s passion for sports themselves.

The Hall of Fame has long upheld a set of values that it claims are essential to induction, but its selections over recent years reveal a glaring hypocrisy in the Hall of Fame’s voting process and by Major League Baseball itself.

Pete Rose is the king of hitting. During his 24 seasons in the majors, Rose amassed an MLB record 4,256 hits, one that will likely never be broken. On the field, he was a hardnosed warrior, earning the nickname “Charlie Hustle.” Plowing through catchers at home plate and tackling infielders to prevent them from turning a double play are just a few examples of what Rose was about.

Off the field, his personality and ego were in direct correlation with his playing style. Rose was a product of the raunchy pop culture in the 1970s. During his career, he had mistresses in every city, admitted to occasionally doing amphetamines before games and even appeared in Playboy Magazine.

In 1989, MLB banned Pete Rose for gambling on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds, a punishment intended to protect the sport’s integrity. Initially, Rose fiercely denied the allegations, lying through his teeth despite the plethora of evidence against him.

After Rose was banned, the Baseball Hall of Fame enacted its own rule which permanently banned those who were on MLB’s “ineligible

list” from being inducted. Rose’s failure to take accountability for his actions left a poor taste in fans’ mouths, but more importantly, the Hall of Fame jury.

Meanwhile, baseball’s attitude toward gambling has shifted dramatically. MLB now partners with major betting companies like DraftKings and FanDuel, promoting sports betting as an integral part of the fan experience.

Rose died on Sept. 30. He served his time, 35 years to be exact. Murderers have received shorter sentences than that. In fact, football has one in its own Hall of Fame.

Another dilemma lies in the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Due to their involvement in the steroid era, legends like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGuire, and Sammy Sosa have been shut out of the Hall of Fame.

The reality is that MLB knew about steroid use long before the public did. Throughout the

1980s and 1990s, the league was fully aware of the rise in PEDs, but turned a blind eye as home run records were shattered, attendance soared and television ratings climbed.

The MLB front office could have implemented measures such as a testing pool or stricter policies to curb PED use early on, but they didn’t. Instead, they let it spiral into an epidemic. Today, players like Bonds serve as scapegoats for the league’s own complacency in the steroid era.

But if PED use is truly an unforgivable offense, then why was David Ortiz, who tested positive for steroids in 2003, inducted without hesitation?

With Ortiz in Cooperstown, the line is blurred beyond recognition. If one suspected PED user is allowed in, why not the others? The Hall of Fame’s selective forgiveness has turned it into an institution that no longer reflects excellence alone but rather a popularity contest subject to the biases of the writers.

The Hall of Fame voting process, controlled by writers, has allowed personal biases and media favoritism to cloud the selection criteria. The system disproportionately rewards players who were well-liked and punishes those who were seen as antagonistic, creating an unfair and subjective standard.

It begs the question: If Bonds and Clemens weren’t notorious jerks to the media, would they have a better shot at a plaque in Cooperstown?

It shouldn’t matter. They should be in regardless, but the Hall of Fame’s inconsistencies extend beyond players with doping or gambling controversies.

Roberto Alomar was placed on MLB’s ineligible list in 2021 following a sexual misconduct allegation from a MLB employee. Despite being banned from all MLB events and stripped from several team honors, his plaque still stands in Cooperstown, untouched.

Cap Anson was a pioneer of the game in the 19th century and is considered to be the first baseball superstar. However, when you dive into his other contributions to the game, you’ll find that he played the leading role in establishing baseball’s color barrier.

Anson’s staunch opposition to Black players was instrumental in enforcing segregation within the sport, setting a horrid precedent that lasted for decades. Yet the Hall of Fame, while citing “character” as a key value, continues to honor a segregationist without any reconsideration of his place in baseball’s legacy.

The Baseball Hall of Fame can either do one of two things: It can either legitimize the requirement of integrity by stripping plaques of players who don’t uphold baseball’s values, or cut the moral high ground act. I choose the latter.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAWPIXEL

The U.S. criminal justice system priortizes punishment over rehabilitation.

STUART LIROFF/FLICKR JAYNE KAMIN/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS PHOTOILLUSTRATION BY BEN BUSILLO

By LILLIAN CURTIN Opinion Editor

Opinion

Self-care after the election

On Nov. 5, America voted. But, as we so obviously know, America is also divided. There will always be winners, and there will definitely always be losers. So it’s important to take care of yourself in order to face disappointment and potential heartache.

Since some of the issues at stake can be very personal, it’s important to practice selfcare in the wake of such an intense event.

It’s crucial to stay up to date with news — but if you know you’re going to be emotionally vulnerable, you should limit your media coverage in the aftermath.

Seeing fake news in a time where you’re grasping for straws at any piece of confirmation that your preferred candidate won isn’t healthy, and is, instead, dangerous. It only causes more pain for yourself in the process, and potentially brings others down with you.

Avoid intense conversations about politics. Thanksgiving this year is going to be a difficult one. Don’t start family arguments when we can’t go back in time.

Be sure to surround yourself with people who can understand how you’re feeling.

Economic policies and policies regarding healthcare are commonalities within parties. It’s OK to be upset if you know it’s not going to go your way and meet people who are disappointed at policy decisions.

But at the same time, make sure these people aren’t feeding into delusions. Accept the decision of the people and move on. You can’t put yourself in a position where you are susceptible to being roped into bad decisions.

The presidential election isn’t the end of the world. Take your voice and use it to promote the policies that you want to see. The president works for the people, not the other way around. Continue to fight for what you believe in and don’t give up because you’re disappointed.

This election isn’t the only one. Pay attention to your state elections, and get involved in advocating for or against them — voting isn’t just something you do every four years.

When you feel hopeless, and think your vote doesn’t even count, try getting involved within your local government or volunteering for a good cause. This way, you can see first hand how your political impact is helping people.

Care for other people too.

Steer clear from jokes, because there’s almost always something serious behind a political jest.

It’s going to be rough for a lot of people. So overall, be kind. Look past politics and see the people who are hurting because they feel as though they aren’t represented on both ends.

There are people struggling to provide for their children because of grocery store prices. There are expectant mothers whose lives are on the line because they can’t get access to the appropriate healthcare. Some issues the president can’t control, but they are blamed for. Whether this is wrong or right, political views are personal, and these are personal issues. The president represents that. So while it may be celebratory, the next president will represent pain too.

Battle of the bars

Always seated at

‘The Mayor’s

Table’

By MICHAEL LAROCCA Staff Writer

Some of the most beautiful places in life are often the most unassuming.

Side Street Bar & Grill, located at 15 Dickerman St., is one of, if not the most underrated spots in Hamden, Connecticut. Its exterior might not seem like much, a small, beige building with parking lots flanked on each side. However, once you set foot inside, you are transported to a realm unlike any other.

If you are lucky, you may be met at the entrance by the owner and operator, Dave DeNicola, who will greet you as if you were family, whether it’s your first visit or 400th. Novelty signs, posters and beer taps line the walls, taking you back to a time in history where we might not have taken ourselves so seriously.

The most iconic landmark in the dining room happens to be “The Mayor’s Table,” complete with a plaque cementing its importance. At Side Street, you don’t have to be Lauren Garrett to be treated like the mayor.

In fact, a deep history is another thing that makes this place so special, even when people don’t know much about it.

“(The DeNicola’s) are like Hamden political royalty,” former Hamden mayoral candidate Walter Morton IV said on Nov. 3, 2023. “Their grandfather was the first mayor of Hamden when we switched over from selectman to mayor. Their father was mayor, and then their aunt Barbara DeNicola was the last Republican mayor of Hamden in 1999.”

Traditional American fare is always served on the menu, and its most well-regarded item happens to be the chicken wings — bone-in or boneless, they never disappoint. And for those of age, there are enough beers on tap or in bottles to try a new one every time you visit for an entire academic year.

No other restaurant is as well regarded by members of the Hamden community than this authentic dive bar.

“Any time you go to Side Street, you feel like family,” Morton said.

Two of the establishment’s most iconic days bookend the average college workweek. Mondays are Trivia Night, where students and locals alike team up to win a modest cash prize. Every other team at least wins something out of their magical prize box.

Thursdays are for karaoke, which is, quite frankly, self explanatory. You know you’ve made it when you get the entire dining room to sing along with you as Thursday Night Football ticks down on the televisions right beside you.

Hold on to your ‘Hard Hat’

By TYLER PLATZ Staff Writer

Competition brings out the best in businesses — and Hard Hat Cafe is no exception. Located at 65 Old Broadway E. in North Haven, Connecticut — just six minutes from Hamden, Connecticut — it offers great food and a welcoming atmosphere, making it perfect for a night out.

Step inside, and you’ll be greeted by the classic dive bar vibe — a counter lined with drinks and taps, barstools and tables packed tightly as servers maneuver around and TVs showing games on every wall.

Not too different from your typical local bar — until you step out back. That’s where Hard Hat Cafe sets itself apart from the rest.

A long pavilion-style roof stretches over the

And no, restaurant management played no part in influencing the narrative of this piece, each opinion comes from the heart. When an establishment puts out an experience that is greater than the sum of its parts, it is no longer just a location, but an event.

There is no one thing that makes Side Street great, but it’s a dedication to treating people the way they deserve that will keep it running for decades to come.

area, reminiscent of summer camp as a kid. Beneath it are outdoor couches and chairs, similar to patio and deck furniture likely found at home. When you look around, you’re not reminded of anyone’s history but your own.

But what’s so special about this outdoor area isn’t the space; it’s how the space is used.

A staple of a fun night out is karaoke, and Hard Hat Cafe has taken karaoke night on Thursdays to the next level. Under the same pavilion where people are seated and enjoying

their food and drinks, there’s a stage lit with bright lights, waiting for those who desire to sing their hearts out.

It doesn’t feel like karaoke; it feels like a concert. Take it from me: I recently took the stage in front of patrons and staff and sang a rendition of Great White’s “Once Bitten, Twice Shy.”

It was absolutely electric — not on my part; by no means am I a singer — but in the energy. Everyone was welcoming, which is perhaps the best trait for belting your lungs out in public. The best part is that you still have something to look forward to after exiting stage right — the food.

The menu features classic American bar food, including typical sandwiches, fries, mozzarella sticks and nachos, headlined by “Doob” style wings named after regular customer Johnny “Doob” Chiari. These wings are cooked on charcoal grills, with sauce added on afterwards.

Hard Hat Cafe might advertise its signature “Doob” wings, but you can’t go wrong with the All-American burger served with fries, well worth the $16 price. Will you spend more on a meal at Hard Hat Cafe? Probably. But rest assured, the quality justifies the price.

Aside from the menu and the vibrant setting — especially on karaoke nights — it’s the little things that set Hard Hat Cafe apart.

It might be cold, but if you want to sit outside, no worries; they have a folding patio door that keeps the heat in. Worried the server forgot your order amidst the crowd? Nonsense! I watched one of the cafe’s servers take orders from two entire picnic tables and remember them all — no notepad, no writing, nothing.

And I can’t forget to mention that the CocaCola was the best soda I’ve ever tasted.

Hard Hat Cafe has been a local restaurant for some time, but with the addition of the pavilion and the outdoor experience, it has emerged as a new player on the scene for your local night out.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FREE MALAYSIA TODAY

Over 150 million Americans are expected to vote in the presidential election.

ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL

Arts & Life

ASMR: The strange appeal of brain tingles

By GINA LORUSSO Associate Arts & Life Editor

In the rapidly evolving and changing realm of social media, trends come and go every week.

A trend that has been continuous for the past few years, however, has been videos of people tapping and scratching on objects, making mouth sounds and role-playing spas and makeup artists. It sounds weird, but it’s actually quite relaxing.

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a chills-like sensation to the head and neck experienced in response to audio or visual triggers. Used as a stress relief method for many, people have reported improvements in mood, better sleep and less anxiety, according to WebMD.

Speaking from personal experience, I have banned myself from watching ASMR during the day because I get too relaxed and end up falling asleep when I have piles of work to do.

Some common triggers involve tapping on glass jars, wooden coasters and plastic — all simple things we may find ourselves doing throughout the day. When these sounds are amplified in a microphone followed by whispers or soft-spoken dialogue, it tends to put the mind at ease.

Other triggers include — my favorite — personal attention. Personal attention is when the influencer is role-playing and speaking and directly doing things at the viewer. These types of videos feature hair brushing, skincare, cranial nerve exams and “follow my instructions” videos.

Of course, they’re imaginary scenarios, but they evoke a sense of comfort, allowing viewers to feel like they’re being attended to and cared for.

ASMR can cause the brain to release neurohormones like dopamine, oxytocin — the “love” or “happy” hormone — and endorphins responsible for mood improvement, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Watching calming videos also helps people practice mindfulness, according to Calm.

Mindfulness is the practice of being aware and present in what you’re doing, but without feeling overwhelmed or overly reactive.

I was never fond of other mindfulness practices like yoga or guided meditation, but when I discovered ASMR, it completely changed the game for me.

Some of the most well-known ASMR influencers on TikTok and YouTube include @asmrberlin, @SafeSpaceASMR, @ asmrrebecca and @oceansasmr. These accounts offer a media library stacked with videos for all sorts of ASMR experiences, creating a space where relaxation is prioritized.

emerging art form that combines creativity with mental health and well-being. Like traditional forms of art, ASMR contains the ability to extract emotional responses and reflections.

When creators experiment with sound layering, visuals and role-playing techniques, it turns a simple video into an immersive experience for viewers. Some people even use high-quality lighting, props, cameras and microphones to develop a complex production that allows their performative art to come to life.

As ASMR continues to become more mainstream, it provides an outlet for people to escape their daily lives. I discovered ASMR in 2018 and it has become a part of my daily routine to watch or listen to a video or two before bed.

Many influencers cater to audiences that may have different preferences.

For example, in each video, a creator will perform a variety of trigger assortments and post both short and longform versions of the same thing. This way they can appeal to a wider range of

viewer tastes, ensuring everyone has something that suits their preferences.

Unlike some trends and influencers on social media, ASMR is an

ILLUSTRATION BY REBECCA COLLINS

ASMR can be helpful, but it’s certainly not for everyone.

While some people find ASMR profoundly relaxing, it doesn’t work for all. ASMR is dependent on an individual’s sensitivity to certain sounds and visuals and how their brain can process them.

Someone may watch an ASMR video and not feel the slightest tingle, but another person can watch a 30-second video and be drifting into a deep sleep.

ASMR is a unique experience that has the potential to be therapeutic, but its impact remains subjective.

The value of ASMR lies in its ability to offer comfort and relaxation to those who resonate with it, but diversity in relaxation is just as varied as the people who seek it.

'Say it in the street, that’s a knock-out'

Jason

Kelce retaliates against hate speech

By AMANDA MADERA Arts & Life Editor

While I’m all for freedom of speech, people must learn that freedom of speech doesn’t mean freedom from consequences. Your words may elicit a negative reaction from someone else.

And if they do, can you really blame the other person?

On Nov. 2, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce was walking the streets of Penn State University after watching its Saturday football game. He was bombarded with students and fans asking him for pictures and yelling at him. One student in particular took things a step further.

He followed Kelce shouting “Kelce! How does it feel your brother’s a faggot dating Taylor Swift?” Kelce then took the phone out of the student's hand and smashed it on the ground, yelling back “Who’s the faggot now?”

The initial interaction — as well as Kelce’s reaction — has sparked an overwhelming amount of controversy on social media, especially TikTok. Many believe that the student had it coming, while others believe the destruction of property was too far. Many are upset with Kelce for

yelling the homophobic slur back.

Under @shailyusa’s TikTok post, people left comments saying Kelce owes the student a new phone, that as a public figure, he should set a better example and that he is a grown man who shouldn’t have escalated the situation. Some members of the LGBTQ+ community feel Kelce’s defense was directed more at his brother than at the offensive language, and that using the slur — even in anger — still stings.

As someone a part of the LGBTQ+ community, Kelce’s use of the word doesn’t bother me that much. It’s clear to me that he only used it because the student said it first and there wasn’t any malicious intent toward the community. He was showing that words and actions have consequences. It was clearly the heat of the moment, and he was defending his family.

Kelce does have an overwhelming amount of supporters, as comments under @ gabetothejordan’s TikTok video say things like “Slay” and “Jason Kelce for president.”

I don’t really understand why people go out of their way to disrespect Taylor Swift. It’s fine if you don’t like her music, nobody is making you listen to it. But going after someone and harassing them and then playing

the victim when they retaliate is absurd — especially when you don’t even know which Kelce brother you were talking to.

Kelce could’ve reacted in a worse way. However, he did show some regret in a comment under an Instagram post while standing his ground.

“I probably got too mad, but I don’t agree with that kinda language and to speak about my family that way man,” Kelce wrote.

It’s refreshing to see Kelce setting boundaries with his supporters. Ignoring the student’s behavior could’ve sent a message that it’s OK for fans to approach celebrities with vulgar comments. Celebrities are often harassed or even bullied under the guise of “fan interactions,” and setting clear boundaries is sometimes necessary.

There’s a fine line between practicing free speech and inciting violence, and if you don’t believe the student crossed that line, you’re part of the problem too.

It’s 2024. It’s disheartening people my age are using anti-gay speech and think they’ll get away with it. If you were in a similar situation, I’m sure you’d want to do more than smash the other person’s phone. I know I would.

JOE GLORIOSO/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Jason Kelce stands up for his brother's relationship at a Pennsylvania State University football game on Nov. 2.

By GRACE CONNEELY-NOLAN Associate Arts & Life Editor

Addison 'Rae'naissance

Very few celebrities can successfully pull off a rebranding. Constantly in the eye of the media, it’s difficult to redefine your image.

But 2024 brings a new wave of pivotal rebrands. Turning heads and challenging expectations, Addison Rae is one rising star I did not expect to be rooting for this year.

Rae is now the fourth most followed TikTok account, with just over 88 million and nearly 35 million on Instagram after rising to fame in 2019.

She has pushed the boundaries of TikTok and is on her way to becoming a pop star and style icon.

However, this is not the first time she has tried to rebrand herself. Moving across industries, Rae launched her beauty line “Item Beauty” in 2020 and made her acting debut in Netflix’s “He’s All That” in 2021. Both efforts had little success in uplifting her fame, leaving fans skeptical of her ability to succeed in new fields.

It turns out she can. After a series of mid-range songs like her 2021 debut single “Obsessed,” she exploded with her hit single “Diet Pepsi,” released on Aug. 9.

With over 150 million listens on Spotify, “Diet Pepsi” is changing her narrative. With sharp lyrics and more refined vocal performance, her sound is a sleek synthpop. After finding her footing, she proves she has more to offer than her TikTok fame.

“Diet Pepsi” is helping her tap into a new authentic version of herself, transforming her image. Her new close connections provide a foundation for her to be the next “it girl.”

In September, Rae had a surprise performance at Madison Square Garden with Charli XCX and Troye Sivan for their “Sweat Tour.” She sang to a sold-out stadium, elevating her image among current pop icons and increasing her exposure.

Earlier this month, Rae continued to surprise and cement her place in the music industry with an arguably stronger and more unique single than “Diet Pepsi.”

On Oct. 25, she released “Aquamarine,” a sensual and catchy track — written by Rae, Elvira Anderfjärd and Luka Kloser. Her voice is ethereal, like a siren luring you in with robotic undertones. The “Aquamarine” cover art features a blurred cigarette dangling from Rae’s pink lips.

The overall message of “Aquamarine” is Rae’s self-discovery. “I’m transforming and realigning,” and “I’m not hiding anymore/ I won’t hide.” The song ends with a strong declaration of: “I’m free.”

Sean William Price directed the music videos for both “Diet Pepsi” and “Aquamarine.” The visuals evoke themes of maturity and sexuality with direct cinema style. This narrative film allows for authentic, raw sets of shots for both videos.

Rae’s look and stylistic expertise help bridge the gap between her young fanbase and older generations. Stylist Dara Allen crafted her first MTV VMA awards. Rae wore one of the most talked-about outfits of the night: a custom Miss Claire Sullivan bra, panty set with feathers and a tulle tutu.

Their motto is that any outfit of hers needs to embrace experimentation.

Rae's rebrand is carefully curated. She’s connected with top producers, songwriters

and mentors within the industry while remaining authentic to her fan base.

Rae was overexposed in the past — everyone knew of her, not about her. She wasn’t known for anything but being an attractive girl from Texas, making TikTok dances that anyone could do.

Rae stepped back from the media and aligned herself visually and aesthetically

with what she wanted her brand to reflect. After being accessible online for so long, her break gave her an aura of exclusivity. Now, fans don’t know what she’ll do next, but they’re eager to find out more.

As she rises and grows up in the music industry, she could become a true, memorable star.

I didn’t expect it, but I am so here for it.

Sometimes you need to hear it from someone else How de-influencing is taking over the internet

By GINA LORUSSO

Video after video, ad after ad — influencers are trying to get consumers to pounce on the latest micro-trends.

“Run, don’t walk,” they all say — because apparently, there’s nothing better than a cheap knockoff from TikTok Shop.

On platforms dominated by influencers promoting unnecessary products, there’s a group of more genuine creators who are actually trying to de-influence consumers.

These creators dedicate their pages to investing in new and rising trends and then uploading honest reviews on why you shouldn’t waste your money on it. When influencers challenge the glamorization of overconsumption, people avoid consumerism and make more sustainable decisions that are better for their bank accounts and the world around them.

In a sense, de-influencers are redefining what it means to be influential in a society so heavily reliant on a random person’s opinion from the internet.

As users are constantly fed with enticing content, it’s refreshing to have a video pop up of someone telling you what you shouldn’t buy. Whether it be overpriced, bad quality or unreliable, sometimes all you need is to hear it from someone else so you don’t feel tempted to purchase. With these influencers, you won’t feel like you’re missing out if you don’t buy the one thing everyone is talking about.

De-influencing validates the little voice in the back of your head that’s giving you doubts when considering a new purchase. It’s OK — and often better — not to buy into every trend on your feed.

Alyssa Barber, @newlifestyleabb on TikTok, is a sustainable living, community and climate education influencer who takes more of a stop-and-think approach to de-influencing. Barber posts content that forces people to ask themselves if they really need something and then encourages them to make sure they don’t have a similar product already or something that serves the same purpose.

Products commonly targeted by these influencers include skincare and makeup, technology, clothing and fast fashion, restaurants and subscription services.

High-end skincare brands, for example, promise overnight, transformative results but de-influencers reveal that basic alternatives offer similar benefits without a steep price tag.

Similarly in makeup, especially around the holiday season, limited edition products are deemed unnecessary by rebellious internet personalities. They often question the short-lived appeal of products, emphasizing that the endless cycle of upgrades and additions to your vanity isn’t worth it.

In shaping this movement, de-influencers are

creating a more well-rounded online community that offers something other than promotional content. Although they’re still influencers and are trying to get us to do or not do something, it comes across as more reliable and honest. This small shift builds trust within an audience who are tired of feeling pressured to constantly buy, consume and upgrade.

When someone only makes you aware of the pros of a product, it makes it seem like that’s the only option. Next thing you know, you just spent $800 on a baby pink knife set to match the aesthetic of your kitchen. Sure it looks nice, but how long do they last? Is there a cheaper option that’s just as good, if not better? Will this purchase make you happier or is this just a temporary thrill?

The most important thing to remember next time an influencer is telling you to buy a product is that they’re most likely being paid for it.

De-influencing isn’t just about being against certain products, it’s challenging the modern-day culture of instant gratification and consumerism through social media.

By focusing on ways users can cut back on spending and reduce piles of useless items in their homes, de-influencers are promoting a healthier relationship with material possessions.

A growing number of users are searching for authenticity on the internet, especially in what they consume.

De-influencing offer a refreshing counterbalance to remind people that they don’t need every new product to be trendy.

When everyone else is pushing “yes,” it’s OK to say “no.”

THEOFFICIALPANDORA/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Addison Rae's shift toward the music industry launches her rebrand.

Associate Arts & Life Editor

ILLUSTRATION BY TYLER MIGNAULT

A killer on camera

'Woman of the Hour' highlights how misogyny shields predators

By GRACE CONNEELY-NOLAN Associate Arts & Life Editor

When I first heard about Netflix’s “Woman of the Hour,” I was curious to see Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut. As a relative fan of hers, I didn’t have many expectations, but I am glad to say that she did not disappoint.

Set in 1978, the thriller follows struggling actress Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick), who goes on “The Dating Game” to kick-start her career. While on television, she unknowingly matches with serial killer Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto).

It adds a more intense layer to the storyline because it's inspired by a true story. Truth is scarier than fiction. You can’t comfort yourself by saying there are no such things as monsters or ghosts —multiple girls were killed and raped without consequence for years.

“Woman of the Hour” jumps from Cheryl’s experience to many of the girls Alcala tortured. It’s a lot to focus on, but it's a clear way to see his tactics. As a photographer, Alcala complements his victims' beauty and expresses his need to capture it. He then lures girls to an isolated place to take their photos where no one will catch him.

Watching the way he crept in on girls made my skin crawl.

The film’s dialogue and relationship dynamics clearly reflect female insight. Kendrick did an amazing job of showing the discomfort of the male gaze.

“Woman of the Hour” lingers on everyday moments, such as the many times men touch Cheryl’s neck or hair without her permission. Cheryl is constantly looked at as just a pretty face.

Even though Cheryl acknowledges that “The Dating Game” is beneath her, she

needs any television coverage she can get, no matter how misogynistic it may be.

The game has multiple rounds, during which Cheryl asks three hidden bachelor's dating questions to see if they have chemistry. She goes through the first round, asking shallow questions that make her look dumb and desirable.

Miserable with how she appears on camera, the backstage crew eventually reminds her that this experience is supposed to be fun. Cheryl starts changing the

game wraps up, none other than Bachelor Three, Alcala, is chosen for his intuitive answers to Cheryl’s questions.

Zovatto’s performance as Alcala nailed the persona of the serial killer. We are placed into his psyche — he acts normal and charismatic one moment — and shifts into a cruel, unstable maniac with no compassion in his eyes the next. It’s almost as if he’s switching into predator mode.

Before he kills his victims, Alcala takes their picture. Wrapped up in bloody bandages covered in bruises, we see several

waitress for another round of drinks, but the waitress locks eyes with Cheryl. She shakes her head no and the waitress tells Alcala they just missed the last call.

I like how “Woman of the Hour” highlights the universal language between women, especially when a potentially dangerous man is present. Silent exchanges, looks or gestures that convey discomfort are a survival mechanism.

This film shows several instances of survival instincts in play, with women fighting back and doing whatever they can to escape Alcala.

After the show ends, Alcala takes Cheryl out on a date. This part of the film is fictional; in real life, Cheryl felt uncomfortable and said no to

However, in the film, Cheryl agrees to go out for drinks, but the date soon becomes uncomfortable when she makes a joke that bruises Alcala’s ego.

He experiences a shift in behavior and his persona

He asks the

Cheryl immediately tries to wrap up the date and gives him a fake phone number to leave safely. But she proceeds to have a nail-biting walk to her car as we see Alcala slowly stalk her from behind. He stops her at the door, but she’s saved by a crowd of people walking out of the studio.

At the end of “Women of the Hour,” we learn that Cheryl leaves California and goes on to live a quiet life, settling down with a family.

At first, I felt like something was missing. The storyline felt a little unfinished.

But the end credits reveal that despite reports to law enforcement from survivors and other private citizens for over a decade, Alcala was only convicted of seven murders. Now, authorities estimate the real number to be around 130 victims.

The film's length felt like an ode to the number of crimes Alcala was tried for compared to the true damage he did. Cut too short, it represents the injustice of the hundreds of other victims that he killed.

“Woman of the Hour” is a reminder of the true dangers hidden in plain sight — the consequences of overlooking male violence and dismissing women’s experiences.

'Punish' by Ethel Cain is a reward for fans

By AMANDA MADERA Arts & Life Editor

As the fall season settles in, there’s one artist who effortlessly brings me into the spirit of these darker, cozier days: Ethel Cain. With her latest release, she’s managed to deepen that mysterious, almost haunting feeling.

Cain released her lead single from her second studio album, “Perverts,” on Nov. 1. The album is set to come out on Jan. 8.

The song was first heard June 3 at Le Trianon in Paris, and was then performed over 10 times as part of the "Childish Behaviour" tour, giving fans a raw, live experience of what was to come.

Even though I’m a relatively new fan, Cain’s music is an immersive and emotional experience. She drags you into a dramatic story of a girl who was kidnapped and sold into prostitution and eventually killed and cannibalized by her murderer, a man who supposedly loved her.

OK, that seems a little dark, but I’ve honestly never listened to music that moves me in quite this way — it’s like stepping into an experience rather than just listening to songs.

That story is told throughout her first album, “Preacher’s Daughter,” and is continuing into “Perverts.” And after

hearing “Punish,” I’m ecstatic for the rest of the album.

However, “Punish” seemingly introduces a new character.

Her voice is beautifully haunting. She discusses religious guilt, a prevalent theme throughout her discography. The song opens with a slow and dark piano and her voice echoes as she sings “Whatever’s wrong with me/ I will take to bed/ I give in so easy/ Little death like lead/ Poisonous and heavy/ It has always been this way.”

The character will shove their problems down until they can’t anymore and it’ll chew away at them. Their feelings are human nature, but the force of their partner is too strong and they always give in. They’re being “punished by love,” she can’t help but mistake lust for love.

Similar to the fallen angel, Ashmedai, who in the Bible was cast out of heaven for being too lustful. The idea of committing unspeakable acts in the name of lust is no doubt the theme of this song.

She continues by singing “He was a natural Plauché, saying ‘You won't forget this’/ Shame is sharp, and my skin gives so easy/ Only God knows, only God would believe/ That I was an angel, but they made me leave.”

Gary Plauché was a man from Louisiana who was convicted of murdering Jeffrey Doucet, a child molester who kidnapped and abused Plauché’s son. She draws a comparison to the story of Cain who went through similar trauma. The shame and loss of innocence becomes unbearable.

Cain’s signature sound, complete with intense electric guitars and heavy beat drops, makes another strong appearance in “Punish.” She builds the track slowly, her voice growing more impassioned as she repeats, “I am punished by love.”

The sound intensifies with layers of static and distortion, but this time, instead of delivering a cathartic drop, the track settles, almost leaving you in suspense.

At six minutes and 48 seconds, “Punish” is a work of art. The storytelling, the gradual build-up, the raw instruments and Cain’s haunting voice make for an unparalleled listening experience. It’s rare to find music that lingers with you and that continues to stir emotions long after the song has ended.

Cain has a unique gift for making music that leaves a lasting impression.

As we move closer to “Perverts” release, I can't wait to see how this story unfolds, bringing new depths to Cain’s already mesmerizing discography.

ISHOULDGOOUTMORE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Ethel Cain's second studio album, "Perverts," is set to be released on Jan. 8.

ILLUSTRATION BY KATERINA PARIZKOVA

A.J. and Big Justice get 'a big doom'

By RYAN JOHANSON Associate Sports Editor

I don’t have my own Costco membership, but my parents do. As a kid, we made a deal that if I went shopping with them, I could get a chicken bake. While eating I would look around and not see many people had the same meal.

Years later, I still go to Costco with my mom and we have the same deal — sometimes the chicken bake comes before shopping — but I've noticed more customers eating them and I wondered why. Then I opened TikTok.

There on my feed was a father and son duo in a Costco doing the famous “We’re *blank* of course we *blank*” TikTok trend. The first one was the son — Big Justice — who chose the chicken bake as his go-to item, while the father — A.J. — opted for a double-chunk chocolate cookie.

How did this duo reach 56.5 million views on that video, making it the mostwatched on their page, which has now amassed 2.2 million followers?

Your answer is as good as mine because I have no clue.

With that video, the “Costco Guys”

phenomenon was born. They’ve created a range of content, including boom or doom, where they rate foods with a "boom" if it’s good or "doom" if it’s bad. Recently, they've switched it up by making the “boom meter” where instead of just saying boom or boom they rate the food from one to five booms — like one to five stars for normal rankings.

In each video, the father-son duo blankly stares at the screen and barely blinks, acting like a robot.

This has led to their main catchphrase “We bring the boom” which has now turned into a song.

“We Bring The BOOM!” was released on July 3 and has 1.9 million listens on Spotify and 830,000 views on YouTube.

When you look further into their TikTok page, it’s filled with their signature dances to the song that has swept the world by storm — and even my friend group,

unfortunately. While the dance is catchy and easy to do, it is getting too mainstream than what it

Even athletes have fallen victim to the trend.

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers, Detroit Lions kicker

Jake Bates, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey and even LeBron James — yes, LeBron James — have danced to the trend.

The music doesn’t stop there, though. The duo has four more songs, one would’ve been enough. They have a second solo “STILL BRINGIN’ IT” that was released on Oct. 3, thankfully with no dance attached, yet. They also have three group songs including their family and their close friends, The Rizzler, Jersey Joe and FaZe Rug.

Now, let's talk about The Rizzler. He's a kid who got

famous off of doing the “Rizz Face” and has hopped on as the third in what is now a trio with Big Justice and A.J. He’s my favorite of the three because he doesn’t make me cringe as much as the other two do.

While I do see how the duo has pushed their fame to the max, I think the time is up. Especially now that The Rizzler appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” I sat down and watched it with my housemates, and from the jump, we knew it was not going to be a great use of our time. Over the seven-minute and 28-second interview, the word “boom” came out of someone’s mouth 70 times, 10 “booms” per minute.

The first time that A.J. said “boom” you could see Fallon wasn’t on board with the catchphrase overload. Then at the end of the show, the trio got behind Fallon and asked him to rate the double-chunk chocolate cookie and of course, he had to give five big booms for it.

I respect the hustle they have with building their brand as the “Costco Guys,” but it’s time for them to hang up the chicken bake and double-chunk chocolate cookies.

My rating for Big Justice and A.J.? “A big doom.”

Lil Uzi Vert crashes and burns with 'Eternal Atake 2'

By MICHAEL PETITTO Staff Writer

Last year, Lil Uzi Vert released the underwhelming "Pink Tape," which put immense pressure on their next release as a make-or-break moment.

On Nov. 1, the Philadelphia rapper released a sequel to their publicly acclaimed 2020 album “Eternal Atake” which many saw as a step in the right direction. Uzi's most critically and commercially successful project to date, "Eternal Atake," can be seen as the highest point in their career.

However, upon release, it might be time to ask whether or not Uzi can still make quality music. The albums just aren’t hitting the same.

Like every Uzi album, the intro song “We Good” was a highlight and the rapper returned to the style of music that made them so popular in the first place. On the track, Uzi directly addresses their battle with nitrous oxide as it’s been publicly known for months they’ve struggled with addiction.

Uzi raps, “They thought I was a dead guy/ I was on that NOS/ Smallest car was a Redeye/ Smokin' gas, don't cough.”

The second track “Light Year (Practice)” is one of the few standout songs on the project. The song sees Uzi use the energetic and upbeat flow that fans fell in love with during the mid-2010s.

After the first couple of songs, the album takes a downhill spiral. Uzi appears to be copying Playboi Carti’s newest style on several tracks.

Carti, who debuted his “deep voice” style on Travis Scott’s 2023 track “FE!N”

has been synonymous with this new style of rap for the past couple of years. It feels unoriginal for Uzi to be directly copying this style while also using it to make bad music.

A lot of the tracks feel repetitive, with Uzi repeating the same mind-numbing

lyrics over and over again. The terrible mixing doesn’t help matters either, which goes hand in hand with the production. I felt like turning off the album after about seven songs, but I endured until the end despite it feeling more like a chore than

a source of excitement.

For half of the album, the production feels bland. The hyper-centric beats show no distinction between one another and it feels like listening to the same song over and over again.

That is until the second half of the album, where Uzi tries (and fails) to maneuver to a melodic route.

And it’s not just me, the general public agrees as well. During its first day, “Eternal Atake 2” debuted with 22.1 million Spotify streams, a 30 million stream decrease from their last album “Pink Tape” which debuted with 54 million.

Despite stating that they will retire from music altogether in the past, Uzi stated in a rare interview with Complex that “Eternal Atake 2” will not be the end.

“It’s crazy because I was very misinformed about what quitting music is,” Uzi said. “If I'm over here really letting you know that my life is music, it's like why would I sell myself short on a blessing.”

When asked during an interview with Rolling Stone if people should expect more frequent releases in the future, Uzi revealed they’re on a mission.

“Yeah. I’m on go. I’m not even lying.”

Before the release of “Eternal Atake 2,” the rapper had promised fans albums such as “Barter 16” and “Luv Is Rage 3” with neither seeing a release. So a promise of more consistent releases is a good sign.

But if this is the new tone Uzi sets for their albums, I only have one thing to say: Leave the game before the game leaves you.

FRANK MORALES/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Lil Uzi Vert releases a sequel to their third studio album "Eternal Atake," titled "Eternal Atake 2," on Nov. 1.

ILLUSTRATION BY TRIPP MENHALL

From to navy and gold

Akintola Akinniyi’s path to Quinnipiac

By RYAN JOHANSON Associate Sports Editor

It’s Christmas morning, and Akintola Akinniyi is in third grade. The Denton, Texas native is awoken to a basketball hoop in the driveway from his parents — a gift his sister asked for the previous year.

“From that first made shot, I just kind of fell in love with it,” Akinniyi said. “I just started playing the game, and it got to a point, like every day, for four hours, I was just out there on that driveway, just getting shots up and it kind of just started my journey.”

At Guyer High School in Denton, the now sophomore forward received three Division I offers — Army West Point, University of Tennessee at Martin and Nichols State. Ultimately, he chose Army West Point with the help of his parents.

“My family was very gung ho about (going Division I), and very sold on the idea of me going to West Point,” Akinniyi said. “Everybody wants to make their parents proud. So even though I knew within me, it might not have happened to be my first choice, kind of just made that decision to follow their instruction and follow their will.”

Life at West Point brought a grueling schedule. During the school year, Akinniyi started his day with formation at 6 a.m. — 5 a.m. during boot camp — followed by classes, training, survival swimming and practice, keeping him busy until 10 p.m. To gain an extra hour of sleep, Akinniyi won a battalion powerlifting competition where he had to lift at least 1,000 pounds between bench press, squat and deadlift. He lifted 1305 in total.

Even with that extra 60 minutes of rest, it wasn’t long before Akinniyi debated whether he

wanted to continue his routine or look elsewhere.

“After a month or so, the Army wasn’t really for me, I’m definitely not against Army West Point in any manner, but I feel that if that’s something you’re going to do, (it’s) something that you have to be fully committed to and I was only really committed to the basketball aspect,” Akinniyi said.

After deciding to leave Army, Akinniyi initially set his eyes on Abilene Christian University. However, with the coaching staff being unresponsive about meeting with Akinniyi, he kept searching. It wasn’t until he talked to his little brother who was going through recruitment that he mentioned Quinnipiac.

“He starts talking about Quinnipiac and their play style in every scene, talking about how athletic they are and all this stuff,” Akinniyi said. “I reached out, and the timing was perfect that (Quinnipiac) ended up playing Army.”

Akinniyi now had to be discharged from the Army, which is a process that takes two to three months to complete. At that point, he didn’t have any offers and was betting on himself to find a new school. With Quinnipiac in town to take on the Black Knights, it was an ideal time to talk to the coaching staff, which then prompted an official visit during Thanksgiving break.

“Once I met the staff, once I went through the campus, and also knowing that my brother goes to Yale, so that family being so close, it just really ended up being the perfect fit,” Akinniyi said.

Standing at 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he had the build to compete at the top level. Quinnipiac saw Akinniyi’s potential and he joined the team for the second half of the 2023-24 season, slotting in as a backup forward amid injuries.

“We were kind of thin at the big spot, losing a couple of bigs early on, and so you realize the need for (Akinniyi) to kind of help and improve the quality of life within our forwards last year,” assistant coach Bradley Jacks said.

Joining a new team midseason is never easy, and transitioning from a military environment added another layer of adjustment. Even the small differences Akinniyi took for granted.

“I remember my first week here, whenever I was texting old friends and people from back home, I was telling them ’Yo, I got to dress myself today, like I got to pick out my own outfit,’” Akinniyi said. “I’ve been able to express myself through what I wear.”

One way Akinniyi found his place at Quinnipiac was by bringing the Christian faith that his parents instilled in him to his peers. Akinniyi was part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes during his senior year of high school and a member of the Gospel choir at Army.

At the end of his first semester in Hamden, the president of the Quinnipiac Christian Fellowship program was transferring. Akinniyi jumped at the opportunity and became the leader of the services held on the York Hill Campus.

“He started the student-athlete Christian Fellowship program here on campus. He has a couple of our guys that attend meetings weekly,” Jacks said. “It’s awesome to see a guy that just isn’t basketball focused, able to do things he’s very branched out to different networks.”

Akinniyi may not play as much as his other forward counterparts, but his faith and upbringing make him a “likable and a

very humble guy,” according to Jacks.

It’s a fitting description for Akinniyi, who lives by the verse of Roman 12:20 — “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”

“It’s about loving everybody, even the people who don’t show you love, loving your enemies, those who persecute you,” Akinniyi said. “I feel that by reacting positively, that it’s only gonna send good karma your way.”

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY AKINTOLA AKINNIYI

TYLER RINKO/CHRONICLE

Sophomore forward Akintola Akinniyi warms up before a game against Albertus Magnus on Oct. 30.

Beyond the net

Matej Marinov’s adjustment to American culture

By AMANDA DRONZEK Sports Editor

Two summers ago, sophomore forwards Mason Marcellus and Andon Cerbone picked up sophomore goaltender Matej Marinov from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York to bring him to summer training in Hamden.

But it wasn’t Marcellus’s first time meeting Marinov, and it wasn’t Marinov’s first time in the U.S.

Before Quinnipiac, the Nitra, Slovakia native skated for the USHL’s Fargo Force for two seasons, where he initially met Marcellus.

“I knew him from prior years, I played against him probably 15 different times,” Marcellus said. “So it was kind of easy because you have a lot to talk about.”

While in North Dakota, Marinov combined 57 regular and postseason games between the pipes with a .905 save percentage. He was also selected for the U20 Slovakian World Juniors team in the 2022-23 season.

But things were different when Marinov suited up for Quinnipiac in his rookie outing. The reigning national champions picked up senior Boston University transfer Vinny Duplessis, the intended and eventual starter.

Some might assume that an international student-athlete would struggle with acclimating to a new country, or that they would automatically latch on to other international teammates to find common ground.

But there wasn’t much common ground for last season’s European athletes to find — forward Iivari Räsänen ‘24 of Finland mainly spoke Finnish, while Quebec defenseman Charles Alexis-Legault was predominantly French-speaking.

“I grew up in France, and the French from France is different from the French (in Canada),” Marinov said. “As a European player, sometimes (it’s) a little easier for us to understand each other, which helps a bit.”

So no, it wasn’t entirely a walk in the park interacting with teammates, but it also wasn’t overly challenging. After all, he’s approximately 4,400 miles from home.

“We didn’t really have to do a whole lot with Matej,” Marcellus said. “He’s pretty independent and kind of figured it out on his own. We’ve talked about differences in

cultures, but I feel like he’s pretty aware of surroundings, and then just kind of knows what’s going on and adapted.”

Last season, Marinov recorded 11 games and 10 starts, including a shutout against AIC on Oct. 14, 2023.

“I played goal(ie) my whole life, I knew what my position was coming here,” Marinov said. “So I was ready for it.”

Heading into the 2024-25 campaign, it looked like Marinov was slated to be Quinnipiac’s next starting goalie. But enter freshman Dylan Silverstein, and that starting slot was suddenly a question mark.

Marinov is 2-1 on the season with a .871 save percentage, already tallying one-fifth of his minutes from his freshman year. At first, it seemed like head coach Rand Pecknold was rotating goaltenders as he often does during weekend series.

In four games — and consecutive starts against New Hampshire from Oct. 25-26 — Silverstein posted a .940 save percentage.

It hasn’t been a perfect month for either netminder, but Marinov doesn’t think that way.

“I try to focus just on the present moment,” Marinov said. “Just go step by step. Like, let’s say if we lose, or if I play a bad game, just try to forget it and make sure I’m ready for the next one. It wasn’t the best start, but I know we’ll do better.”

That ‘we’ extends further than the team on the ice. Marinov receives help from several members of Quinnipiac hockey’s staff, including clinical sports psychologist Devin Markle, strength and conditioning coach Brijesh Patel and goaltending coach Justin Eddy.

“The coaches and everyone knows how to take care of us and if we need help, they always want to help us,” Marinov said. “Everyone I know here helped me a lot to make it easier for me (to be) here.”

That includes getting help outside of the sport as well. From time to time, Marinov borrows his roommate’s car.

“Cars are different (in Europe),” Marcellus said. “They have smaller roads, so he’s like, ‘It’s much easier to drive here with the roads and everything.’”

Navigating American roads is one thing, but what about attending U.S. schools? Playing hockey for a nationally ranked Division I NCAA program in the States?

“You also have to remember, the difference from juniors (to) now is that you have to go to university as well in your second language,” junior forward Alex Power and one of Marinov’s roommates said. “I can only imagine, (it’s) very tough.”

Marinov isn’t afraid to admit he’s faced adversities as the only European on Quinnipiac’s roster. But he also came to America three years ago and couldn’t speak a lick of English. Now, it’s his third language.

“It was Christmas when I first came here, playing (for) Fargo in the USHL,” Marinov said. “At the time, I didn’t speak English or anything so (it) was a little harder.

“It’s just a huge change compared to back home, like, the mentality, the people here and everything, which make it a little bit harder to adapt at first,” Marinov said. “Once I got used to it, it was much easier to come back for the next season.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS

Sophomore goaltender Matej Marinov has a 2-1 record on the season, starting two games and appearing in a third.

Last season, Marinov recorded 11 appearances, including one shutout against AIC on Oct. 14, 2023.

Women’s cross country completes MAAC three-peat

By AMANDA DRONZEK Sports Editor

They were the favorite all season long; now, Quinnipiac women’s cross country are MAAC champions for the third consecutive year, claiming the crown Saturday afternoon.

“One of our coaches always tells us that pressure is a privilege, so this was an opportunity for us to seize the moment and see what we can do,” graduate student Alessandra Zaffina said. “We know we had a target on our back coming into it, so we just had to stay confident within each other and just keep doing what we’ve been doing.”

Zaffina led the pack with a secondplace finish in 20:45.6, surpassing Quinnipiac’s highest performer last fall — senior Corinne Barney who earned third — by 15 seconds. Three more Bobcats rounded out the top 10, juniors Rachel St. Germain (fifth) and Sierra Gray (sixth) and senior Lauren Selkin (seventh), with Barney slid -

ing into 11th. Each of the afoermentioned runners were All-MAAC selections.

The Bobcats tallied 31 points in the meet, matching their total last season — good enough for a third ring and head coach Carolyn Martin’s second straight MAAC Coach of the Year Award.

“It’s amazing,” Martin said. “We have some tremendous athletes in this program. And even our alumni came to watch from past years, and it’s been fun to see the team and culture cultivate into a nice tradition for the women.”

For someone like Zaffina, it’s time to trade the Quinnipiac jersey for a sweatshirt, one she can wear for years to come to watch the program flourish with fellow alumni.

“I really was just trying to take it all in today,” Zaffina said. “I just tried to be a sponge and absorb everything and like all the time I have left with everyone. So I just really tell myself, ‘what do I have to lose?’

Might as well just go out there and see what I can do.”

In 2023, Quinnipiac became the second MAAC team to take back-to-back victories. Now, it’s risen to powerhouse status, on the heels of six-time champion Iona who held the title from 2016-2021.

“I mean, (Iona) men haven’t lost, it’s probably been 25 years, and (the) women are really strong too,” Martin said. “So for us to do this and be competitive with them for the last three years has been really exciting. And I definitely think it gives us higher level athlete(s) that (are) starting to look at our school now to say, ‘hey, this is a great program, look at what they’ve built.’’”

On the surface, cross country screams ‘individual sport.’ A race has a single winner, whoever crosses the finish line first. But there’s a team aspect that requires each individual to race for something bigger than themselves.

“The more we focus on the team aspect, the less pressure it puts on any one individual,” Martin said. “Then one individual doesn’t (think) ‘you’re not getting the job done to the team,’ you all have to do this together, and we’re stronger together.”

The way things look right now, the Bobcats should keep getting stronger. A threetime conference champion doesn’t sound too shabby to the recruitment pool. They’re the most consistent team at Quinnipiac for a reason.

“It really shows that the work we’re doing is paying off and that all the little things they do matter, and just like staying on top of things it was all full circle,” St. Germain said.

And Quinnipiac isn’t done yet. On Nov. 15, it travels to Hopkinton, New Hampshire for the NCAA Regional Championships beginning at 11 a.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS

Left to right: graduate students Corinne Barney and Alessandra Zaffina, junior Sierra Gray, graduate student Lauren Selkin and junior Rachel St. Germain earn All-MAAC honors.

PHOTO COURTESY OF QUINNIPIAC ATHLETICS

Women’s cross country showers head coach Carolyn Martin with water after clinching its third consecutive MAAC title on Nov. 2.