October 7th, 2021 | Volume 125 Issue 7
News Page 2
Diabetes more common amongst young adults
Variety Page 4
Herd&Horns Homecoming Parking Lot Party
Opinion Page 6
Covid Vaccine boosters
NDSU homecoming Bison outlast UND, await Panthers on Homecoming returns Events and activities are held for students to celebrate NDSU
NDSU |Photo Courtesy
Anne Kesler
Head News Editor N D S U ’ s homecoming has already started this week with opportunities for students, staff, faculty and alumni. Homecoming events are occurring October 4-9 through campus and the community. Events are occurring throughout the week to spread school spirit and Bison Pride. Since the 2020 homecoming did not occur last year due to the pandemic, students have been eagerly awaiting the events this week. This year, NDSU is able to work around the pandemic in order to safely have events for students. Over the past two years, students have lacked a typical homecoming whether it was at their highschool or at a university. This year students are able to “have some of those traditions that you talk about for the rest of your life,” said Rian Nostrum, Director of Residence Life and Homecoming Committee Co-chair.
“This is a really good opportunity to reconnect, meet new people and to feel like you are still part of the NDSU family,” said Nostrum. Participating in the events allows students to connect with students, but also discover what NDSU is all about. Homecoming also allows students to be at NDSU for more than just academics. “Being here is not just about being in the classroom,” said Nostrum. Homecoming began in 1921 at NDSU and has occurred annually except for 1943, 1944 and 2020 — last year breaking the 75 year streak of events.
This week’s events
The kick off began on Monday with the Homecoming BBQ, and provided lunch for students. On Tuesday students will have the chance to give back to the community through an all-day volunteer opportunity called Serve with the Herd.
Continued on Page 2
Ian Longtin Sports Editor
The word that comes to mind when trying to describe the premier Missouri Valley Football Conference matchup between the Bison and the school up North is ugly. The nice way to put it would be to call it a defensive battle. Throughout the game both squads were seemingly begging the other team’s offensive to seize control. Neither team could, and the result was a 1610 final score that went the way of the Bison. This was the Herd’s first visit to Grand Forks since 2003. To their credit, UND fans made life tough for the green and gold. “It was tougher
than I thought it was going to be,” said Bison signal caller Quincy Patterson “We prepared for noise, but we couldn’t prepare for what it was.” Patterson also noted having communication problems, specifically with the offensive line. These problems were evident as the Bison attempted just 11 passing attempts throughout the game, completing less than half. Even the players on UND sideline could feel that the atmosphere was different than other home games. UND linebacker Devon Krzanowski said, “It was the best atmosphere I’ve ever played in.” This was an in-
state, in-conference game between two top-10 teams that do not like each other. It was one of those games that just matters more than others, and both sides knew it. With the Bison air attack grounded, the Herd was forced to lean almost exclusively on their elite run game to move the ball against the Fighting Hawks. The Herd’s 223 yards on the ground were enough to move the ball consistently throughout the game, but UND’s bend-don’tbreak defense held the Bison out of the end zone for the game’s first 58 minutes. The lone Bison touchdown came on a three-yard touchdown by Patterson with just
over a minute remaining to seal the game. With the Bison offense struggling to put up points, the Herd’s defense stepped up once again. Two key fourth down stops in the fourth quarter helped swing the momentum, and the game, in NDSU’s favor in the second half. Through four games the Bison defense has given up just 23 points. This was the Herd’s fourth straight win This was the Herd’s fourth straight win against UND. With NDSU being, well, NDSU, Continued on Page 9
NDSU’s production of ‘Edges’ is an earnest and entertaining watch The cast of four pulled out all the stops in this sung-through musical
Delaney Halloran Opinion Editor
NDSU’s fall musical is the sung-through production of “Edges,” written by the duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, known for their work writing the music and lyrics for projects like “Dear Evan Hansen” and “La La Land.” This local recreation has a Covid-era twist, as it’s performed outside in the patio between the Memorial Union and Ag. Glenn Hill. This past Friday, rainy weather brought the show inside the Askanase auditorium, requiring the performers to wear masks, making their vocal feats all the more impressive. I walked into this production with no foreknowledge of the musical and, to be totally honest, very
little expectations for what the show would end up being. Well, I walked out fairly floored with the talent of the cast and a little stunned that I got to watch four individuals work so hard when I got my entrance ticket for free. The story of “Edges” touches on the concepts of identity, love, humor and navigating the increasingly technological world. But the real attraction to this production is not the music or the story, but the four cast members: Sammie Bonko, Braden Miller, Karine Otteson and Drew Relling as they bring charm and effort to the piece.
‘Edges’ company member Karine Otteson seen outside the Memorial Union in their performance space.
of a pianist, Drea Greenawault. While the cast members took turns singing certain numbers, Greenawault played straight through, The music frankly, I’m The entirety of this and sung musical was sweating just thinking performed with only about it. the accompaniment
NDSU Theater |Photo Courtesy
“Edges” was certainly more contemporary than most and the score required
Continued on Page 4
The turtles are damned no matter how many metal straws you own Delaney Halloran Opinion Editor
Metal straws, tote bags, shorter showers, recycling, meat reduction, electric cars and reusable everything—the ways individuals are told to reduce their carbon footprint seem at times endless, but are nonetheless perceived as a noble effort to single-handedly save
the planet. The depressing reality is this: you and your efforts don’t really matter. (Cue the sad music and introspective single-tear.) Individual efforts to solve climate change, reduce carbon output and yes, save the turtles, are a piece of dust in comparison to the shitstorm that is global greenhouse gas emissions produced by
large corporations. Figures for where the earth is heading are daunting: if we continue down our current path, climate change could result in billions of dollars of damage to the U.S. economy, the loss of homes to nearly two billion people and before the year 2100, cause up to 250,000 deaths a year.
These realities are grim and the instinct to run out and buy whatever recycled feather duster or vibrator Gwenyth Paltrow is pushing is totally understandable. If we as individual citizens really were totally responsible for the future state of the planet, then the push to change our personal consumption habits
makes a lot of sense— but by and large, we aren’t. That’s not to say we should start huffing fossil fuels and opening up our own fracking MLM, but it does mean we need to acknowledge that turning the responsibility of climate action from the corporations responsible to
ourselves is a deliberate and planned move designed by these corporations to keep us from guessing who really has the power to make change. Individual versus corporate carbon footprints I remember fondly nearly 14 years ago sitting in my secondgrade classroom Continued on Page 6
News
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October 7th, 2021
NDSU Experts see 95% increase homecoming of diabetes in young adults returns North Dakota experts say about 200,000 residents have prediabetes with type 2 around the corner, here’s how to prevent it
Continued from front cover “The volunteers network has lined up a number of different volunteer opportunities,” said Nostrum. Students will be able to sign up to work with an organization through NDSU. This is a great way to serve the FargoMoorhead community and get involved with community groups. Online voting for the homecoming court will occur on Monday and Tuesday. Initially nominated by student organizations, homecoming court nominees went through an interview process and were then narrowed down to the semi-finalists. This year NDSU will not have a Queen and King but rather showcase a group of 6 students to represent the university. On Wednesday night the Memorial Union will host trivia night. Students can show up with a team, or come and be placed into a team and have the chance to win prizes. On Thursday, NDSU provides a chance for students to donate at the blood drive. There is also the homecoming show and coronation where homecoming court is crowned based off of student votes. The Theatre Department also begins their performance of “Edges,” on Thursday and will perform on Friday and Saturday
night as well. President Dean Bresciani gives the State of the University Address on Friday morning. This speech addresses where the university stands and shows what NDSU has worked towards in the last years. “You get to hear a lot of the successes that have happened in the past year that you haven’t necessarily read about or heard about,” said Nostrum. Students can also learn about future plans for the university. Friday also holds the homecoming parade where FargoMoorhead community members come Downtown to support NDSU. Student organizations build floats for the parade to represent NDSU groups. Throughout the week, residence halls and Greek life are holding a spirit contest. By attending events, participating in activities and volunteering, students can earn points for their hall. A digital scavenger hunt through the Goose Chase apps is also an activity for students to get involved in. Students can put in access codes for other students to find things and take pictures to get through the chase. “Homecoming week is a great way to reconnect to why you are at NDSU,” says Nostrum.
Anne Kesler
Head News Editor With the increasing number of young people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it is important to educate the community about early signs and symptoms of the disease, and more importantly how to prevent it. The Centers for Disease and Control (CDC) says that every one in 10 Americans has been diagnosed with diabetes. A Reuters study also states that the rate of young people ages 10 to 19 with type 2 diabetes increased by 95% from 2001 to 2017. According to North Dakota State University (NDSU), diabetes is a major concern in North Dakota. Approximately 200,000 North Dakotans have prediabetes. “With no intervention, 15% to 30% with prediabetes will develop diabetes in the next five years,” Molly Soeby, NDSU Extension’s family and community wellness agent in Grand Forks County told NDSU. “On average, medical expenses are 2.3 times higher for those with diabetes than for those without diabetes.” More than $900
million is spent annually on diagnosed diabetes costs in North Dakota, and over $190 million of that is indirect costs from loss of people’s productivity. Delaying or preventing one person from developing diabetes would save about $8,000 per year in medical costs, according to Soeby. “I’ve been working at Sanford for over 20 years in the diabetes area and we’ve had an average of nine to 12 new onsets every year. Last year we had 11 for the whole 12 months. This year, it’s just the end of August and we’ve already had 24,” Sanford Health Bismarck Diabetes Program Manager Donna Amundson told KFYR News in August. According to the CDC, an estimated 88 million adults have prediabetes, which accounts for 34.5% of the U.S. adult population, more than 84% of them don’t know they have it. Prediabetes is blood sugar levels that are higher than normal but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. However, having prediabetes can raise your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. The CDC labels diabetes as a longlasting health condition
Doctors encourage patients to check blood sugar levels.
that affects how the body turns food into energy. When food is being digested in the body, most of it is broken down into sugar and released into the bloodstream. When one’s blood sugar goes up, it signals the pancreas to release insulin - the key to letting the blood sugar into the body’s cells for use as energy, according to the CDC. If the body does not have enough insulin or cells stop responding to insulin, too much blood sugar stays in the bloodstream. Other than prediabetes and gestational diabetes found in pregnant women, there are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is thought to be caused by an autoimmune reaction that stops the body from making insulin. Of the population that has diabetes, only 5-10% have type 1 with most cases found in children, teens, and young adults, according to the CDC. Preventions for type 1 diabetes are unknown and insulin is needed every day to survive. About 90-95% of people with diabetes have type 2. Type 2 diabetes prevents the body from using insulin well and can’t keep
blood sugar at normal levels. People may not notice symptoms, so it’s important for them to get their blood sugar tested if they’re at risk. Type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with healthy lifestyle changes, such as losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active, according to the CDC. Although the cure for diabetes is yet to be discovered, the CDC says individuals can prevent or delay diabetes by losing weight, eating healthy food, and being active. Taking medicine as needed, getting diabetes selfmanagement education and support, and keeping health care appointments can also reduce the impact of diabetes on people’s lives. Students at NDSU with diabetes, experiencing symptoms of diabetes or are at risk of diabetes can visit or contact the Student Health Center for their dietitian services. There are no additional charges for dietitian consultations for enrolled and eligible students. Appointments can be scheduled online through the Student Health Portal or by calling (701) 2317331.
Gia Willow Alexa Annermarken |Photo Courtesy
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the Spectrum | October 7, 2021
Immigration reform under Biden administration scrutinized Courtney Entzi Contributing Writer
President Joe Biden ran on promises of immigration reform and the stop of inhumane treatment of illegal immigrants. Now close to a year into his presidency, Biden has made some controversial decisions regarding the current immigration system. During an interview with National Public Radio, an expert on policy with previous experience working under former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations, Theresa Cardinal Brown, stated she believes deterrence at the border is the issue and that there are other solutions to immigration. “We are still trying to manage migration that is basically of people who are so desperate, fleeing for their lives, seeking protection,” said
Cardinal Brown. “And no level of deterrence that the United States is frankly willing to do is going to really affect that.” There has been a chain of issues when looking back at the last three presidencies, which Cardinal Brown pointed to as reason for needed change. “President Obama had his kids-in-cages moment. President Trump had his moment when he was separating families and kids,” said Cardinal Brown. “And now President Biden has Border Patrol on horseback. We need to change the process at the border. We need to recognize this is different.” On his personal website, Biden promised the following actions towards immigration reform: “Take urgent action to undo Trump’s damage and reclaim America’s values, modernize America’s immigration system, welcome
immigrants in our communities, reassert America’s commitment to asylum-seekers and refugees, tackle the root causes of irregular migration and implement effective border screening.” Biden’s first promise has most recently come into question after the incident on the Tex. border between Haitian migrants and Border Patrol agents on horseback. The Biden administration’s response to the growing camp of migrants at the border was to use a Trump-era rule regarding public health, which is why many Biden supporters are questioning his first promise. The amount of encounters at the Tex. border is at a 21-year high, according to the Pew Research Center. “Migrant encounters refer to two distinct kinds of events: apprehensions, in which migrants are taken into custody in
the United States to await adjudication, and expulsions, in which migrants are immediately expelled to their home country or last country of transit without being held in U.S. custody,” according to Pew Research. Pew Research says the amount of expulsions under Trump’s Title 42, have lead to an increase in repeat attempts to cross the border. According to U.S Customs and Border Protection, 27% of encounters have had at least one previous encounter. This has caused criticism around the validity of actions by Biden to maintain the use of Title 42. The Biden administration has taken action in court to maintain the policy that was enacted to create grounds for expulsion due to Covid-19 spread. Another theory for why Biden has been unable to please some
of his constituents is that he has been unable to gain traction within legislation. The recent Democrat push for immigration was initially supposed to be contained in their Infrastructure bill, but after resistance from Republicans and the halting of the project by Senate Parliamentarian
Elizabeth MacDonough they have been unsuccessful. Many fear the lack of success on his promises around immigration will continue unless Biden is able to create an immigration plan that will be able to lead to a bipartisan decision.
Creative Commons|Photo Courtesy
Potential Texas like legislation creates fear for pro life citizens a wide range of tension across the state. The rally was initiated by Planned Parenthood, calling hundreds of rallies across the country North Dakotans may be facing a similar outcome to that of
Texas as Republican legislators and prolife supporters seek to create a similar bill. “Since this rally was just a chapter of an even larger movement happening all around the country for reproductive justice,
Community protest for reproductive rights in Downtown Fargo.
Alex Light|The Spectrum
Courtney Entzi Contributing Writer
On Oct. 2 a rally was held in Fargo for abortion justice. The recent bill passed in Texas regarding abortion has created
given all events put together, [the rallies] will show support towards a woman’s right to choose what happens with her body,” rally-goer Megan Schmidt said. “I think that specifically in the state of North Dakota it will show our state government that this is an important issue, and that we should not follow in Texas’s footsteps” N.D. State Senator Jane Mydral, a supporter of antiabortion legislation, has recently stated she believes it is only a matter of time before N.D. attempts to follow in Texas’s footsteps. Mydral also believes that the Supreme Court’s decision to deny the block of the Texas law is a
sign the court may overturn Roe v. Wade. N.D. is one of few states who have what are known as trigger laws that would make abortion illegal if Roe v. Wade is overturned. N.D.’s current law states that abortions after 20 or more weeks past fertilization are banned, except in cases of health or life endangerment, but many Republican law makers hope to change that. The rally was not only to show support nationwide, but in Schmidt’s eyes, a message to N.D. legislators hoping to create a more strict abortion law. “Bills such as SB8 are unconstitutional, not only does it violate the precedent set by Roe v.
Wade which legalized abortion procedures but it violates bodily autonomy rights,” said Schmidt. “North Dakota has one center in the whole state that can give legal abortions, the Red River Women’s Clinic in Fargo. If a similar bill passes in North Dakota that will increase unsafe abortions instead of decreasing the overall number of abortions.” S c h m i d t commended on the atmosphere of the rally and believes it is important for the state government to see how important the issue is to its citizens, and that citizens are against the Texas bill and do not wish to follow in their footsteps.
Variety
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October 7th, 2021
NDSU’s production of ‘Edges’ is an earnest and entertaining watch
Continued from front cover an extremely broad just when I thought I musical theater majors range of performers. With long vocal belts hanging in the upper and lower echelons of that range, the actors were able to make up for those notes that were—at times—outside of their personal capabilities, with an eagerness that was endearing. The fact that these four individuals were able to carry an entire show by themselves was quite the feat, but they did so in a way that played on the strengths of the musical: its humor and informality. While the first few numbers might leave the audience wondering where things are going, the song, “Be My Friend,” included the entire cast and instantly got performers and viewers alike a lot more comfortable. Bonko got to show off her skill in delivering songs both entertaining and funny via the number, “In Short;” a bit about exes that featured a lengthy monologue that had one audience member in tears. And
was watching the most heterosexual musical to grace this planet, Bonko’s, “Man of My Dreams” was the notso-self-aware bop to carry some laughs through to the end of the show. Miller gave a touching rendition of the song, “I Once Knew,” a ballad that proved even more powerful than the opening number, “Become” and its subsequent reprises. And of course, the real songs to watch out for and a reason alone to go see the show: Otteson’s singing in “I’ve Gotta Run” and “Ready to be Loved.” Truly, she was giving big-stage, sold-out show-level performances for a crowd of about 30. After the final note of “Ready to be Loved,” I loudly took the lord’s name in vain, but it couldn’t be helped, it was damn impressive.
The acting
trying to hit their marks and remember their lessons, and instead feel like they’re watching a story unfold. This musical did occasionally oscillate between these two extremes, but the acting is always what brought it back to the story. Small-scale dance numbers, jokes made with good timing and all-out effort were executed well due to the acting skills of the cast.
“The real attraction to this production is not the music or the story, but the four cast members: Sammie Bonko, Braden Miller, Karine Otteson and Drew Relling as they bring charm and effort to the piece.”
The show required College theater often all four members to is at its best when the step into different roles audience members can and characters, so the forget their watching
‘Edges’ company member Karine Otteson seen outside the Memorial Union in their performance space. ability of the cast and carried the heart of the director, Jess Jung, to show. deliver a coherent story Go see the show couldn’t have been As I’ve already said, easily done. Not to the cast is the reason to mention the ability of see this show, and they Otteson to do her entire were giving 100 percent performance in a pair for an enthusiastic, but of rubber Doc Martens an all-too-small crowd. and a tight leather The fact that NDSU jacket—perhaps the students get to see this squeakiest outfit on the show for free seems planet. like a crime in and of Bonko and Relling itself, but the fact that completed their roles students haven’t been with humor, keeping showing up just blows the audience engaged, me away. and Miller and Otteson There are
NDSU Theater |Photo Courtesy
performances this coming Thur. through Sat. at 7:30 p.m.. Bring your friends, bring your parents; hell, it’s outside, bring a blanket and some cocoa if it will make the experience more comfortable. As for me, I’ll probably be seeing the show a second time, and I will continue to give praise to this small but vibrant show until the opportunity to see it is gone.
Herd & Horns’ NDSU Homecoming Parking Lot Party Local favorite bar and restaurant offers music, food, drinks and more Grant Ayers Variety Editor
As NDSU students, along with nearly every other community member in the Fargo area, prepare for the annual homecoming celebration, local favorite Herd & Horns is looking to join in on the fun. This weekend, Herd & Horns will be participating in the Bison festivities with their Herd & Horns Homecoming Parking Lot Party. The party will bring great food, drinks and live music to one of the most Bisonfestive bars in the area that just so happens to be directly across from campus. While many of the students may fear that they are unable to participate in the fun, it’s important to highlight that the event is open to all ages so that every Bison fan can take part in the fun. On Friday evening, Herd & Horns will
be hosting the live band known, Front Fenders, for all ages at 7 p.m. The event will directly follow the homecoming parade that begins at 5:30 p.m. less than two blocks away from the bar and restaurant. Known for their delicious food and welcoming atmosphere at one of the best college-oriented bars near campus, this event is too good to turn down. On Saturday as well, Herd & Horns has no shortage of activities planned. The bar will be live streaming the game for those that wish to keep track of every play but couldn’t manage to get tickets to see the Bison play live and in person. Immediately following the game, another band known, Electric Rehab, will begin their anticipated performance. On Saturday, those 21 and older are allowed outside, while all ages
The celebrations will run on both October 8 and 9. are allowed inside tailgating and seeing in a family-friendly the homecoming environment. Both football game live and days’ activities are in-person once again tentatively going to be after a previous season a smash hit, should the filled with restrictions weather permit. and setbacks, there are While many students also plenty of other are looking forward to opportunities being
Herd and Horns Facebook |Photo Courtesy
served up by other community members. Herd & Horns is just one of many local businesses that are taking part in this year’s Bison celebrations. With students living on-campus being a short
10-minute walk away from Herd & Horns following tailgating, the Homecoming Parking Lot Party is too good of an opportunity to pass up during this year’s festivities and celebrations.
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the Spectrum | October 7, 2021
Review: Lil Wayne & Rich The Stack-Up: Along Came The Kid’s ‘Trust Fund Babies’ A Spider The first collaborative album between the two shines at times, yet also disappoints
Patrick Ullmer Staff Writer
Novelist James Patterson has amassed a seemingly endless plethora of books covering various genres. Among his most recognizable works is the series of mystery novels featuring the brilliant African American detective Alex Cross. The first of these books is “Along Came a Spider” published in 1993 and adapted to film in 2001.
The Book
Grant Ayers Variety Editor
When ‘Trust Fund Babies’ was announced to be the first collaborative project between Lil Wayne and Rich The Kid, most didn’t know what to think of it. Was Lil Wayne becoming a has-been? Was he stooping down to Rich The Kid’s level to find a new audience in a younger generation? While it wasn’t clear at first, it became immediately evident off the first listen what this project is for. It seems as if Lil Wayne and Rich The Kid found themselves in the studio together and simply wanted to have some fun. Creating a single together slowly turned into developing an EP, which in turn came out to be a full 10-track joint album. Across the whole project, there lies a sole feature from the Compton-based rapper YG. While it’s far from one of his best verses, he still halfheartedly delivers, likely out of respect for Lil Wayne as one of the “greats” that came before him. With a lot of filler
songs across the album with a lack of replay value, there is still a handful of songs that have the potential to stay in the general public’s rotation for a few weeks to months. Songs such as “Headlock”, “Shh”, “Bleedin’” and “Buzzin’” all have a certain level of aggression and catchiness that hold some level of replay value depending on the listener. Sadly, however, much of the album blends together through similarly styled production and flows. Tracks such as “Feelin’ Like Tunechi”, “Yeah Yeah” and “Still” are perceived as forgettable right after the first few listens. One of the standout aspects of ‘Trust Fund Babies’ is the production of certain tracks. Notably, the beat on “Headlock” must have been created with the same ingredients that nightmares are made of. Both aggressive and distinguishable, Lil Wayne finds a pocket that few others can and dives in deep on the track.
Rich The Kid Twitter|Photo Courtesy
Overall, Rich The Kid tried to hold his ground alongside a rap titan in the industry, but couldn’t hold his footing on the project. It may be some of his best work, but he still gets overshadowed by Lil Wayne. Wayne, while still miles ahead of many other popular rappers, seems to be out of his lyrical prime. Nobody can hold a candle to his 2005-2008 run of music that cemented his legacy, but it’s still disappointing to see a rapper of his caliber release halfhearted music compared to decades before. The album can’t be critiqued too seriously in the end, as it’s clear that it was made between two respective artists looking to have fun in the studio. While ‘Trust Fund Babies’ may not have been expected by the two to put up massive numbers on the charts, it will certainly keep their names relevant and in rotation across the music industry until their next solo LPs are released.
Review: 2.5/5
H o m i c i d e investigator and forensic psychologist Alex Cross investigates the murders of three individuals as well as the kidnappings of two rich, young children at a private school. The perpetrator is Gary Soneji, a serial murderer with split personalities who has just turned his hand to kidnapping hoping to commit the crime of the century similar to the kidnapping of the Lindbergh child. Cross begins a relationship with his female partner, Jezzie Flannagan, and things take a darker turn when he suspects she has something to do with these crimes. Patterson tends to be brutal in his descriptions of violent and appalling acts to the point of overkill (in more ways than one). So abrasive can his descriptions thereof be, that I wonder what his family life is like. Does he greet his relatives saying, “Hey nephew. Today I wrote a chapter where a young
boy your age gets kidnapped, buried alive and killed before his corpse is molested by the killer and dumped in a river. Want to play basketball? How about we order Chinese for dinner?” Patterson is a writer you either love or hate, and his books are likewise. He is a skilled storyteller who makes good prose. The plot of this story is intriguing with one plot twist after another. The action never stops, and you have to suspend your disbelief to enjoy this book. However, as I said earlier, I am not a fan of his grotesque descriptions of pedophilia and necrophilia themes, and the book would have been passable if having avoided such.
Review: 2/5 The Film
Directed by Lee Tamahori and starring Morgan Freeman as Cross with Monica Potter as Jezzie, this film steps into gear from the ominously presented opening credits. After losing his partner in a sting operation gone wrong (with likewise CGI) Cross is pulled back into action by a taunting phone call from Soneji (Michael Wincott). Cross is pulled into the deep, dark web of Soneji’s machinations involving more kidnappings. Aside from this outline, the film’s trailer is far more faithful to the book than the actual film. The film’s plot centers around the sole abduction of Megan
Rose, the daughter of a U.S. senator and how Cross seeks to rescue her. More changes include Soneji’s pedophilic history and tendencies from the book being scrapped (Thank God for that) as is Jezzie being a romantic love interest. I am not against these changes, mind you; in fact, I enjoyed this film immensely more because of them. The film is not a thicklyplotted story rife with social commentary nor deep dives into a killer’s psyche as the book is, but is instead a taut, exciting thriller and nothing more. It was after this film that I started to think questions like, “How does the director of this competent thriller later make the ridiculous ‘Die Another Day’ (a title in the James Bond series eerily prophetic for the franchise if the upcoming entry fails to gross $900 million)?” And “How does lead actress Monica Potter go from starring alongside acting legend Morgan Freeman to vanishing from the spotlight almost entirely?” Or “Why do people say the film is never better than the book since this certainly was?” I know these are silly questions, but as Freeman would say in his latest History Channel commercials, “Curiosity moves the world.” Now I’m curious as to whether or not I have way too much time on my hands to know all this.
Review: 3.5/5
Opinion
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October 7th, 2021
The turtles are damned no matter how many metal straws you own
Continued from front cover
learning about the reduce-reuse-recycle program. That plan is still a major focal point for many individuals in their efforts to conserve, which is concerning. If I’m meant to personally save the planet with a plan I learned while wearing sparkly Crocs with enough Jibbitz on them to anchor a small boat, we aren’t doing much in the way of improving our efforts. Herein lies a central issue: we have been given a ‘roadmap’ to help revive the planet that is set up so we feel our actions are inadequate and that is our fault, and thus, it is because of us the climate crisis worsens. Nevermind the fact that just 100 companies are the source of more than 70% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions—no
it’s me, with my faulty knowledge of different recycling numbers and love for sushi that will send us to our doom, not those few companies responsible for nearly three-fourths of the entire planets output. I’m just the worst! Don’t get me wrong, the average American will make a ton of waste in their lifetime—16 tons to be exact. That is truly a disturbing amount of waste and damage to the planet. But, and this is a big, fat but, large companies produce so much more damage than one person could even imagine. Take the company ExxonMobile. In 2019 alone, they produced 120 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. That means, in one year, this company produced the amount of waste it would take you 7.5 million
lifetimes to produce, and this is only one example. Our guilt is a tool Let’s return to my young days filled with questionable fashion choices when I first learned about recycling. Even with Mr. Big Bad Corporation, recycling is still a good move, right? Recycling helps the planet, right? Recycling is backed by and pushed for by environmentalists, right? Well, maybe not so much. NPR found that the recycling industry worked to convince the public that the majority of plastic would be recycled. Well, it wasn’t, and the same people pushing recycling made billions off of selling more plastic. Larry Thomas, the former president of the Society of Plastics Industry said, “If the public
Wikimedia Commons & Alex Light |Photo Courtesy
thinks that recycling is working, then they are not going to be as concerned about the environment.” When we feel guilty, we feel bad and blame ourselves for climate crises. Recycling is a tool that can play off that guilt, telling us, “You’re doing great, friend! Look at you with your special garbage can. Greta Thunberg who? You’re the real climate activist.”
Sure, recylce, make smart changes, cut back on meat every once in a while if you can. Do all the things that would put earth-conscious VSCO girls to shame. But please, also harass your local and state senators to make necessary changes for the enviroment (it’s way more fun anyways). The commercials that promised us that plastic was special and we should recycle it made us feel good for ‘doing our part.’ Unfortunately, those ads failed to mention that they were paid for by the plastics industry. But it’s not just companies forming how we configure what ‘doing our part’ really means, it’s companies
forming what we think about climate change and personal responsibility in general. Climate change denial is the scourge of every zero-waste environmentalist, but more than this, it is funded by fossil fuel interests. IF you feel like you can change the state of our slowly dying world, you’ve fallen victim a national campaign to mislead the public about who is responsible for climate change. When people either don’t think climate change is real or think they are the one’s leading the charge to halt it, they give these companies exactly what they want: anonymity. At the same time, just in case people do get wise, fossil fuel companies are lobbying for trillions of dollars in government subsidies to make fossil fuels cheaper and make renewable energy sources harder to implement. So individual efforts truly don’t matter. We are responsible for our behavior, which is something, but our ability to stop companies from funding climate change denial, massive greenhouse gas emissions, lobbying to make renewable resources harder to access— these are the big
players in the game and they are out of our reach. So what do we do? While we might not be able to make these necessary changes, our politicians and government can. They have the power to enact legislation that could force industry standards to be more sustainable. Your not using straws or making the switch from plastic to paper is something, but making an effort to elect politicians who will enact policies that will force companies to be held accountable for destroying the planet might be far more worth your time. If we want to be true champions for earth, we need to demand an elimination to fossil fuel subsidies. It’s a lot more jargon-y and technical than, “Save the turtles,” but maybe it will actually save the damn turtles. Support carbon taxes, green energy and pushes in the energy market for fair competition. Sure, recycle, make smart changes, cut back on meat every once in a while if you can. Do all the things that would put the earth-conscious VSCO girls to shame. But please, also harass your local and state senators to make necessary changes for the environment (it’s way more fun anyways).
Covid vaccine boosters are a must The CDC is recommended now recommending Covid-19 booster shots a medical conditions you have a significantly answers and Kilee Blume Staff Writer
Covid booster shot? To some, it’s a must. The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention have authorized a third shot of the vaccine made by Pfizer Inc. and BionTech SE for a big percentage of the population, says Wall Street Journal. On Friday, Sept. 24, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization P r a c t i c e s ’
booster shot for those who got the Pfizer vaccine earlier or to those who are at highrisk occupational and institutional settings. By allowing booster shots, the CDC says it “allows for millions of Americans who are at highest risk for Covid-19 to receive a Pfizer Covid-19 booster shot to help increase their protection.” The CDC recommends the booster to people 65 and older, residents in longterm care, people 50-64 who have underlying
and those 18-49 years old who might have an underlying medical condition. Those of us at college, aged 18 and up, are at an increased risk for Covid-19 exposure and transmission and may receive a booster after six months of receiving their last dose. Even though there is still a 9% chance you can get Covid-19 after being vaccinated, your chances of being in urgent care are much less. The CDC says if you get vaccinated,
smaller chance of being in the hospital or even dying. According to the Mayo Clinic, the Pfizer vaccine is 91% effective in preventing the Covid-19 virus with symptoms in people age 16 or older. According to Dean Bresciani, about 55% of NDSU’s on-campus student population is vaccinated. If you have questions about the Covid-19 vaccines, Student Health Services on campus is able to provide
resources.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the Pfizer vaccine is 91% effective in preventing the Covid-19 virus with symptoms in people ages 16 or older.
I am sick of wearing a mask and I’m sure you are too — so get vaccinated. We trust doctors and scientists with so many things,
why can’t we trust them with the Covid-19 vaccine? And if you have already been vaccinated, thank you. I would recommend looking into the booster shot and asking your doctor if they recommend you getting one. Although I already talked about vaccines this year, this is just a friendly reminder that it is cold and flu season, and we should be getting vaccinated for that as well. Stay healthy, Bison.
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the Spectrum | October 7, 2021
Mental illness is real
Becoming aware of this crisis can save your life and someone else’s
Riley Dorau
Contributing Writer According to Health Feedback, “More children have died by suicide than by COVID.” No one seems to talk about this, yet it is the second leading cause of death for those aged 10 to 24. I do not know what life was like 100 years ago, but I do know the pressure we have now is not comparable to back then. In instances like mental health, pressure is a contributing factor to the illness. Most of society, especially teens, have some sort of social media; countless hours spent scrolling through apps can inspire questions of why they can’t do that, why they can’t look like that or can’t have that. This is in addition to the daily pressure experienced in school districts from peers,
Riler Dorau | Photo Courtesy
teachers, professors and parents leads to a spiraling effect that results in depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance use and more. Mental illness is real and we are suffocated by impossible-toachieve standards. The problem is that people are hiding their sufferings. In order to bring awareness to this we must understand the symptoms, seek professional treatment and know recovery is possible. Take control of your life and be there for one another. People tend to only bring awareness to this illness once it is too late. If you or someone you love has struggled with mental health, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. It is time to be proactive instead of reactive.
Haiti is hurting right now Haitian migrants trying to enter the U.S. has brought about controversy
Kilee Blume Staff Writer
My heart goes out to all Haitian citizens right now. I can’t imagine the fear, distress and anger they are experiencing while they search and plead for freedom, as their country is in complete despair. Last week, 2,000 Haitians were deported from southern Texas back to their homeland. According to The Guardian, those who have been deported have been living in Chili and Brazil since a 2010 earthquake shook their world near the capital, Port-au-Prince. The 2010 earthquake had killed over 200,000 people and Haiti is yet to recover – 11 years later. Desperate Haitian migrants set up a camp of about 12,000 and were taking a chance of living in the U.S. The camp of Haitian migrants was set up under the Del Rio – Ciudad Acuna International bridge near the Texas border. What caught my eye were images of border patrol officers on horseback attempting to catch all those who were crossing into the U.S. The world was scarred from seeing these officers charging at Haitian migrants who must have been scared out of their mind. The White House was not impressed with these images that were flying across the media. Vice President Kamala Harris called the treatment of Haitian migrants “horrible” and said, “Human beings should never be treated that way. I’m deeply troubled about it.” While President Biden’s White House Press Secretary,
Jen Psaki said, “He believes that the footage and photos are horrific. They don’t represent who we are as a country. And he was pleased to see the announcement of the investigation.” With all the chaos of the Texas border crisis, the whole world is watching. No one deserves to be hurt when trying to come to America.
My heart goes out to all Haitian citizens right now. I can’t imagine the fear, distress and anger they are going through as they are trying to work their way through freedom, while their country is completely distraught. While these Haitian migrants are hoping to come to America, the U.S. should not be deporting them back to Port-au-Prince. Many of these migrants haven’t lived in Haiti since 2010, as they have been coming in from different countries and do not have homes in Haiti.
Right now Port-auPrince, and Haiti in general, are hurting. Day-to-day life in Haiti includes bloody protests for food and fuel shortages. The Haitian president was assassinated in July, and it doesn’t stop there – Haiti has been hit with quite a few earthquakes as well. Nightlife in Haiti includes gunfire and warring gangs throughout the capital. Violence is huge in Haiti right now and my heart hurts for all the good citizens of Haiti and all Haitian children; many of their homes don’t even have running water. In 2020, before the Covid-19 pandemic, I was supposed to go on a mission trip to Haiti. We were planning on visiting the elderly, to hang out and spread love to all of the young children as well as bringing water to the villages of those that don’t have the opportunity to have clean, fresh water. I have friends who have gone on mission trips in the past and seeing the pictures of Haitian children and volunteers working together is awfully inspiring. With 12,000 Haitian
The city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti where many Haitian migrants have lived.
migrants attempting to enter the U.S., the images of border police officers on horses and many people watching is a disturbing issue. Haitian migrants should not be sent back to Haiti to struggle but rather they should be given the opportunity to work and be safe. Whether it is in America or where they have been the past 10 years. I hope in the long run, Haitians can get their American citizenship and become citizens of our country. I hope the White House administration can work out the Texas border issue without hurting anyone. And while this is happening, I hope the news puts some positive images out there, there are so many young ones watching the news and seeing what is happening. To conclude, I hope these Haitian migrants are okay and can find a safe place to stay in the meantime. I hope their country gets a little peace soon and that the U.S. can work with other countries to find a safe place or a good strategy for these Haitian migrants trying to come to America for work.
Wikimedia Commons |Photo Courtesy
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October 7th, 2021
MLB Postseason preview
October baseball with full stadiums is back
Andrew Haugland Staff Writer
With the regular season over, the MLB plays are upon us. Every game from here on out will be crucial for teams who want to extend their postseason bid.
White Sox vs. Astros
The Chicago White Sox will begin their playoff run against the notorious Houston Astros. The Astros have been a
controversial team since the sign-stealing scandal following their World Series winning 2017 season. The Astros are led by veteran players Yuli Gurriel and Michael Brantley. Both players hit over .300, and will be key to Houston jumping on White Sox pitchers. Mix in Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman and the Astros lineup is as lethal as ever. The White Sox won their division by
13 games separating themselves from the monstrosity that was the American League Central. Veterans Yasmani Grandal and José Abreu will attempt to lead the White Sox to postseason glory. Both players provide the power to a loaded lineup, as well as veteran leadership. One player that could be a menace to the Houston rotation is Luis Robert. Robert has put up outstanding numbers for the White Sox including bolstering a .338 average and 93 hits in only 68 games played.
Braves vs. Brewers
Posey and the Giants are hoping to win first World Series since 2014.
Wikimedia Commons |Photo Courtesy
The Atlanta Braves are back in the playoffs season and enter the National League Division Series against the Brewers with a little more confidence and experience. During the season the Braves lost one of their top stars, Ronald Acuna Jr., after he tore his ACL in July, but the Braves still have a solid ball club. Atlanta has a lot of power in their lineup, with three players hitting over 30 home runs. Austin Riley
had a fantastic season hitting .303 with 33 home runs. At only 24, Riley will continue to be an integral part of the Atlanta lineup. The Braves will have to utilize their power across the lineup if they want to have success against the Brewers. Milwaukee’s pitching staff was among the best in the MLB, so the long ball will be a difference-maker. For the Brewers there isn’t too much to say, the team bats around .240 overall, they don’t hit too many home runs and they are often prone to striking out. The Brewers have superstars like Christian Yellich and Jackie Bradley Jr., but the pair aren’t having the greatest seasons. Willy Adames currently leads Milwaukee with a .285 average, and Avisail Garcia hit 29 home runs during the season. The Brewers have a lot they need to do if they want to move on to the NLCS. They need to be aggressive at the plate, with that low of a team average they need to make contact and get on base. Milwaukee also needs to play very
clean baseball, and not give the Braves any free bases via errors or passed balls. The remaining field The two top seeds in the AL and NL are the analytics-driven Tampa Bay Rays and the 107 win San Francisco Giants. The Rays are set to square off against the Boston Red Sox after the Sox took care of business in the AL wild-card game against the Yankees. Tampa Bay will enter the series as the heavy favorites. It’s hard to pinpoint a weakness on this Rays roster. Tampa Bay hasn’t missed a beat despite losing their top three starting pitchers following last season’s World Series run. The acquiring of Nelson Cruz at that trade deadline has worked out as well as the Rays could have hoped adding power and veteran leadership to a team ready to get over that World Series hump. Mix in all-world rookie Wander Franco, and you have a lineup that can go toe to toe with anybody in the league. However, the worry
is Boston gets hot and goes on one of those weird, out of nowhere deep playoff runs they seem to have every other season. There’s little doubt World Series winning manager Alex Cora will have his team ready to play, so don’t expect the Sox to go away quietly. On the NL side, the San Francisco Giants await the winner of the Cardinals and Dodgers wild-card game. The Cardinals and Dodgers game will be over by the time this article is published, but whoever wins will have their hands full with this Giants team that posted the best record in baseball in the regular season. The Giants field a team loaded with veteran leaders. Buster Posey continues to provide steady leadership behind the dish, but the real story has been the Giants bullpen. San Francisco relievers posted a sub 3.00 era on the season, and could very well be the difference in a World Series run, and a disappointing finish after a magical regular season.
NBA season preview
Nets and Lakers are favorites as a new NBA season is right around the corner Mason Urban Staff Writer
The NBA preseason is officially underway as teams are gearing up for what should be another exciting season. As usual, there is no shortage of storylines heading into the new year, as the NBA has mastered the ability to grab people’s attention. Nets and Lakers headline each conference It isn’t usual that the two defending champions from each conference don’t start the following season as favorites to win it again. However, the Nets and Lakers are the consensus favorites to win their respective conferences. The Nets were arguably inches away from being champions last year. Now, they
boast a deeper and more talented roster to go along with their big three of Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving (more on him later). The additions of Patty Mills, Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge will allow the Nets to rest their stars and still have the ability to rack up wins in the regular season. Meanwhile in L.A., the Lakers made a blockbuster move, trading for Russell Westbrook. This gives the Lakers a big three of Lebron James, Anthony Davis and Westbrook. They were also able to add Kendrick Nunn and Malik Monk in free agency, while also bringing back Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo after a one-year hiatus from the team. If everything goes
how we think it will, a Nets-Lakers Finals could be one of the most entertaining Finals of all time. Ben Simmons situation Since I covered this last week, I won’t go too in-depth into what is going on in Philly. There has been a new development though, as the Sixers decided to not pay Simmons the $8.25 million that he was owed on Oct. 1. Simmons, however, remains committed to wanting out of Philly and won’t show up to the team until he is traded. The Sixers also remain committed to seeking out a deal that makes sense for them, and a trade before the season starts is unlikely. This situation will probably last until at least mid-December, as players who signed
a new contract in free received the vaccine, with the team or play agency can’t be traded and those reports were in home games until until Dec. 15. true as he played in he is. This would be a Vaccination status the Warriors’ first big loss for the Nets, as of the league preseason game. they would be missing While some players Irving, on the other their third best player were in the headlines hand, has not been for at least 41 games, for their thoughts on vaccinated yet and will and also every home the Covid-19 vaccine not be able to practice game in the playoffs. last week during media day, 95% of players have received the vaccine according to the NBA. Two players were most notably under fire for their vaccination status: Andrew Wiggins and Kyrie Irving. This is because in order to play in New York City or San Fransisco, you must be vaccinated or else you won’t be allowed to play. This rule is for players of the home team only, so unvaccinated players for the away team will still be eligible to play. Wiggins should be good to go as it has been reported that he Newest Laker Russell Westbrook could be this seasons X-factor Wikimedia Commons |Photo Courtesy
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the Spectrum | October 7, 2021
Bison outlast UND, await Panthers on Homecoming Continued from front cover
Brady beats Pats, passes Brees for passing record Brady also became the fourth quarterback to beat all 32 NFL teams
Mason Urban Staff Writer
This week Tom Brady added another accomplishment to his resume. He is now the NFL’s alltime leader in passing yards, reaching 80,560 total. And the best part about this record, he was able to do it in front of his former team, the New England Patriots. Brady spent the first 18 years of his career in New England, where he won them six Super Bowls before leaving for Tampa Bay and winning another. Everyone knows Brady has a very special spot in the hearts of every Patriots fan, so it must have made it a bittersweet moment when he broke this record as a member
of the Buccaneers. When the schedules this season came out, every NFL fan put this Buccaneers at Patriots week four matchup onto their calendars. People were quick to notice there was a good chance that Brady could break the record where his career started. Brady’s return to Foxborough was hyped as the biggest revenge game since Brett Favre wiped the floor with the Packers back in in 2009. The NFL played commercials showing some of Brady’s best moments to the tune of Adele’s ‘Hello’ in a week long marketing campaign of one of the seasons most anticipated matchups. Add in excerpts from sports writer Seth Wickersham’s book “It’s Better to
Be Feared” being released, and the result ends up being one of the most watched Sunday Night Football games of all-time. Wi c k e r s h a m ’s book, which releases on Oct. 12, gives a behind the scenes look on the Patriots nearly two decade long dynasty. One part of the book that was released early tells a story of how Belichick did not meet with Brady in-person before Brady left for Tampa Bay. The book claims that Brady called Belichick for one final meeting, but apparently Belichick was busy and could not. N a t u r a l l y, Belichick claimed the story was a bunch of hogwash, but it only added fuel to the fire.
In the Buccaneers’ first drive of the game, Brady threw for only 14 yards and ended up punting. Then, during their second drive, after a few short completions totaling 26 yards, Brady threw a pass to star wide receiver Mike Evans for 28 yards — breaking the record. Brady ended the game with 269 yards. He also holds the record for most passing touchdowns with 591, and just last week Brady became the most sacked quarterback in NFL history being sacked for his 528th time on Sunday. I mean you can’t have a Tom Brady story without slandering him a little bit, right?
John Swanson |Photo Courtesy
The Herd finish first month of the season unbeaten. and UND’s program continuing to climb amongst some of the best in the FCS; chapters in this storied rivalry are still to come. Next up for the Bison are the pesky Panthers of Northern Iowa in NDSU’s Homecoming game. The 16th ranked Panthers are coming off three straight three-score wins after narrowly losing to the Big 12’s Iowa State in week one. It feels like every time the Panthers and Bison square off it’s a big game, and that remains the case here. MVFC is loaded (shocker) so a loss here would be detrimental to any hopes of winning the conference. We know Northern Iowa is good, the question is how good. Playing Iowa State in a close game was impressive, but the Panthers have had
three cakewalks since. It will be fun to see Panthers quarterback Theo Day square off against this ferocious Bison defense. Day replaced Will McElvain in the second half of UNI’s 34-16 and has not looked back. The Panthers have outscored opponents 105 to 17 since Day was implemented as the starter. Sure, one of those opponents was St. Thomas, but the fact remains this: Panthers offense offers the biggest test yet for the Herd’s defense. That being said, I do not see the Bison dropping this game at home. A letdown after an emotional win can sometimes be worrisome, but I am confident that Matt Entz and his coaching staff won’t let their players sleep on the Panthers.
AXIS clinical is now recruiting studies paying from $450 up to $6,000
the Spectrum | October 7, 2021
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