Volume 110, Issue 5 by The Stuyvesant Spectator

The Spectator The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper

OPINIONS

A&E

Unexpected Adversaries

Not Too Cold, Not Too Hot

Opinions writer Maya Dunayer discusses the impact that indoctrinated women have had in the war on terror.

Arts & Entertainment writer Morris Raskin gives his take on what the directors of “The Good Place” need to do in order to give the show a satisfying conclusion.

see page 9

Volume 110  No. 5

“The Pulse of the Student Body”

see page 16

November 22, 2019

stuyspec.com

By EVELYN MA and ALICE ZHU

Freshmen Satvik Agnihotri and Iravan Bhattacharyya were elected Freshman Caucus President and Vice President respectively, for the 2019-2020 school year on October 28. The Agnihotri-Bhattacharyya ticket won the election with a total of 145 votes, while their runnersup, freshmen Andrey Sokolov and Daniel Jung, finished with 125 votes. Outside of Freshman Caucus, Agnihotri is a member of the Congressional debate team and was on his middle school’s debate team. Bhattacharyya plays for Stuyvesant’s varsity baseball team and was part of his middle school’s student government cabinet. Agnihotri and Bhattacharyya’s policies are based on three pillars: diversity, inclusivity, and continuity. Their campaign team was diverse in terms of both racial backgrounds and interests, which they believe will allow them to effectively serve as the voice of the freshman student body. “Using all this ground that we cover, we can really be relatable to a large amount of the student body and that, I think, makes for an ideal middleman between the staff and students,” Bhattacharyya said. Concerning inclusivity, Agnihotri and Bhattacharyya hope their policies will embody the needs of the entirety of the freshman student body. Additionally, they believe in taking into account both the wishes of the administration and the students when drafting proposals. In terms of continuity, Agnihotri and Bhattacharyya want to continue working on and improving

proposals initiated by past caucuses, as well as implement the foundation for new policies. Such plans include pushing for earlier re-entry for students during their lunch or free periods, which was an initiative started by sophomores and former Freshman Caucus Co-Presidents Cynthia Tan and Emma Wong. Agnihotri and Bhattacharyya hope to achieve other policies as well, including allowing students to have one earbud in the lunchroom. While they realize that earbuds may possess a safety hazard, they also believe that the one earbud policy would be reasonable, as the administration “know[s] a lot of kids have to do homework,” Bhattacharyya said. Students like freshman Ruby Lin, who voted for the AgnihotriBhattacharyya ticket, hope Agnihotri-Bhattacharyya can successfully push for a change in the rules surrounding headphones. “[I hope] Iravan and Satvik [can convince the administration to allow] headphones around the school because I’m tired of hearing people blast music during my free periods while I’m trying to study,” she said. Though aware of the constraints set on the caucuses by the administration, Agnihotri and Bhattacharyya remain optimistic about the capabilities of Freshman Caucus. “We know from the past history of caucuses that the administration has been a particular setback in limiting the powers of the Student Union. I think what needs to happen is [that] we need to be stronger. We need to be more upfront and pushier in order to get what we want,” Agnihotri said. Furthermore, Agnihotri

Matt Melucci / The Spectator

Agnihotri and Bhattacharyya Elected Freshman Caucus President and Vice President

and Bhattacharyya recognize their advantage of being newcomers to the Student Union (SU). “Something that [SU President] Vishwaa [Sofat] told us at our first cabinet meeting [was that] Freshman Caucus is really where you can get the most done,” Bhattacharyya said. As freshmen, they have a different perspective compared to those who have already become accustomed to Stuyvesant, and they can see the “blatant reality that others may not be able to see,” Bhattacharyya said. Agnihotri and Bhattacharyya also believ e the persistence and hard work they showed during their campaign session will be necessary in the coming year when pushing for their policies. “Every single day for two weeks, we would spend hours on the phone as a group, discussing our next campaign move.

We spent days and days perfecting every word of our policies,” freshman and campaign manager for the Agnihotri-Bhattacharyya ticket Elizabeth Black said in an e-mail interview. “Everyone put their all—their heart and soul—into this campaign, and our team took it from nothing but ideas in Satvik and Iravan’s heads to a huge success. It was hard work, but it was beyond rewarding.” Agnihotri and Bhattacharyya are proud to represent the freshmen and are excited for the year ahead. They also commended the other tickets for their hard work. “We know how hard it is to get a website up and running, get a successful social media platform up and running, and [make] your peers aware of what you’re doing as a team. So we really respect all the campaigns and we’re again honored that [the

Escalators Undergo Full Construction By SUBYETA CHOWDHURY, CHLOE TERESTCHENKO, and KAREN ZHANG The city recently approved a request to construct new escalators, advocated by the administration, parents, and students of Stuyvesant. Rather than undergoing repairments and retrofits, as have been done repeatedly in the past, the escalators will be completely removed and replaced with modern ones. The replacement of all the escalators is one of the most expensive capital improvement projects to be done in the school thus far. The request for a replacement of the escalators became more prominent after the two-to-four escalator malfunctioned and injured several students last fall. However, there have been issues with the escalators for several years, which the administration hopes will finally be resolved with this full replacement. “I’m very glad to know that we are finally moving forward after a very long time of not having escalators that were operational, with a level of dependability that was never there,” Principal Eric Contreras said. After hearing the concerns of members of the Stuyvesant community, Contreras met with Assistant Principal of Security, Health, and Physical Education Brian Moran, the school construction au-

thority, the escalator manufacturer, the Division of School Facilities, the custodial engineering, and the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) to organize the construction. Construction on all 14 escalators began in early November, starting with the two escalators between the third and fifth floors, and then moving upwards. Each phase of the construction should take approximately 14 weeks, or three to four months per set of escalators. The estimated time of completion for the two escalators between the third and fifth floor is by December break. The odd escalators will be done, then the even escalators, and lastly, the two-to-four escalators will be completed. Contreras believes that the escalator reinstallation will be complete by the end of 2020. “I’m thinking that [the installers] will do two to three additional sets during the summer and then be done by the middle of the next year,” Contreras said. “The worst-case scenario, we’re looking at the end of [the] next [school] year for all 14 escalators to be replaced.” While the escalators between the third and fifth floors are under construction, the other escalators, except for the ones between the second and fourth floors, will continue to operate as they have been to avoid hindering students in their day-to-day lives.

To ensure that the escalators will be installed in a timely matter, Contreras has asked for the bulk of the work to be done during holiday and summer breaks. “The more intensive installation will be during the summer, [when] we ask the building to be closed. We typically host summer school [...] and we will ask that they do a summer program somewhere else so that way, we can accelerate the process here,” he said. The administration has taken steps to ensure that noise from the construction will not disturb the Stuyvesant community as much as possible. The school has assembled full barricades from floor to ceiling to be put up around the escalators under construction to minimize disruption, and has also set up a schedule for construction times. “In order to not impact instruction, almost all of the noisy work will be done between 6:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m.,” Contreras said. “Some construction will happen during the day inside the barricades.” Should the noise become a problem, Contreras, Moran, and the chapter chair of UFT will communicate with the installers about the issue. The escalators’ lack of consistency impacts students in several ways. “I don’t have [a] fear of escalators, but every time I hear a little jolt, it scares me a little bit,” said junior Rafal Chociej, who was injured in the two-to-four escala-

tor incident. “[The construction] is just an inconvenience to us. [...] It’s more of a nuisance than anything.” Though the construction on the escalators has resulted in more traffic in the stairwells and other difficulties, it is ultimately for a long-term safety improvement. “As a community, we’ve learned to adjust to shutdowns and moreso, we’ve begun to adapt to them,” senior and Student Union (SU) President Vishwaa Sofat said. “The brighter side of things is that with these replacements, we’re able to avoid situations like the one we saw last year, and we don’t want to have those events every year or be scared of getting on an escalator. We’re moving in the direction where we won’t have to do that.” Junior and SU Vice President Julian Giordano hopes to keep the students aware of all the new updates on the escalators. In order to address students’ concerns on the schedule of the construction, he said, “I’ll be talking with Mr. Moran and the administration shortly so that we can get some outlined schedule for the students so that they know when the escalator work is happening, [and] so that everyone is in the loop.” Sofat is hopeful for the student impact of the fully-functioning escalators. “The long-[term] outcome [from the construction] is that we can go back to [using] escalators so that students can use them and be

freshman student body] chose us,” Bhattacharyya said. Agnihotri agreed, saying, “I feel honored that we were the chosen candidates to be the representative[s] for 900 kids. That means something. It’s not a meaningless title.”

able to get from class to class without worrying that they might be late for a test,” Sofat said. Though there may have been initial complications in replacing the escalators, Contreras is looking forward to the final outcome. “I hope the short-term sacrifice is worth the long-time benefit of having new escalators with modern features, and I’m so hopeful that the impact won’t be too great,” Contreras said.

“I’m very glad to know that we are finally moving forward after a very long time of not having escalators that were operational, with a level of dependability that was never there.” —Eric Contreras, Principal

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

News An Interview with Rodda John

By KATIE NG and SUBYETA CHOWDHURY

Course selections for the spring term were released this past Wednesday, bringing Talos to the attention of students once again. During its two years of programming for Stuyvesant students, Talos has encountered various issues, ranging from website crashes to scheduling issues and has been the subject of students’ ire as a result. In hopes of informing the student body on the inner workings of the programming office, The Spectator has interviewed Tech and Programming Aide and Talos co-creator Rodda John to learn more about what he has in store for the system and what students should anticipate for the spring programming. Q: What are some new changes and features that have been added to Talos? RJ: It [now] does lockers, Argus, and a lot of parent stuff. It handles the e-mail list and has a parent blog. It has a lot of communication pieces, which you guys maybe don’t see. There’s a portal for the School Leadership Team—the SLT—where you can view their minutes, and all documents are uploaded through it. You can also submit forms such as out-ofbuilding [requests]. Course contracts for math are all through there. Yeah, there is a lot. Q: Are you working on any new features to be added to Talos in the future? RJ: Yeah, there are a lot of new features. The version of Talos is going to switch, and I think we are going to do it over Thanksgiving. The entire interface will change, but most of the functionality will stay the same. It adds a lot of organizational capacity on our end. There are many features that you don’t necessarily see because they exist on the back end and aid with organizing large numbers of students. You should see what that has in store. Q: What are some of the common issues that students have been seeing with Talos? RJ: A scaling problem [is that] if you have too many people on [the website] in too little of a time, [the website will crash]. There aren’t really any other technical issues, per se, because that is singularly a technical issue: it has to do with the server. There are lots of little issues, like [a given] course doesn’t show up, which is very easy to fix. We probably messed something up, and we can just fix it. I’m not sure what other technical issues exist, but one thing that the new Talos does nicely is that it can fix the frequency of the import of new data, [including] transcript data and attendance data. They will be updated more frequently because we are changing the way it does imports. Q: Students on Facebook have discussed differences in the guidance counselors’ interface compared to that of students, since guidance counselors can actually see more remaining seats in a given class. Why is there this disparity between the information? RJ: You’re making reference to Talos Admin, a separate piece of software that exists during program changes. The reason why that discrepancy in seats exists is because we operate on the back end system, which stores the most up-to-date information on seat data, and what happens is that gets synced to normal Talos every hour or so. What this means is if a change was made after the last sync, that won’t be up-to-date on your end, but it will certainly be updated on the guidance counselors’ end. Q: Has the Program Office experienced any difficulties on their end? RJ: I get bug reports from people, and those I can fix expeditiously

because they usually don’t tend to be major. Most of the feedback I get is just feature requests, and those get prioritized into a stack and get dealt with when I have the time to deal with them. Q: What will the process be like for programming for the spring? How are program requests prioritized? RJ: It’s never been “first come, first serve.” Students have a period by which they put in their requests, and this is managed by guidance counselors and assistant principals when they review the requests. You would have to ask every person how they prioritize it, but it’s not by time. They actually don’t have a mechanism by which to see the time these requests were put in. The speed at which your guidance counselors work is distinctive from “first come, first serve,” and what I will say is this: any sort of issue along that axis is not an issue endemic to a particular piece of software or tool set. It exists regardless of what the tool is. For example, you have two individuals, and [they] are both making program changes in person. Let’s say one works faster than the other, and there’s this line of 10 people on both people’s lines. If line one is moving quicker, they will be helped first, but this has nothing to do with the mechanism by which you do the program changes. I will say there are a number of ways in which Talos is superior to the [traditional] system, first in terms of equity. It applies the same rules to every student; there is no mechanism by which to say, “Ignore this rule for [Student A], and don’t ignore this rule for [Student B].” If, for example, you are trying to do a teacher switch, it would have to be approved by the same people in every case. Secondl, we can also mask certain pieces of information with regard to the time in which requests are submitted, but you aren’t able to do this in [in-person] program changes. With in-person program changes, it is dependent on the time you show up, who you can nudge out of the line fastest, and whether your teachers will let you out of class to make program changes, whereas when you have a week to do it online, theoretically, everyone has the opportunity to do that, and those could all be handled rather fairly and without unreasonable prejudice. And I say unreasonable prejudice because there are certain prejudices, like seniors being handled before juniors, but that is not first come, first serve. That’s a set of criteria that the school has deemed important to program changes and says they want to allow seniors who don’t have the opportunity to take a course in the future to take a course now. Q: Is there anything else you would like the students to know? RJ: I don’t know how much of this exists now because [Talos] has been around for two years, but it’s important to remember the systems that came before, or rather the lack thereof, and how much more control this gives the students than the previous systems did. It’s very easy to say, “Oh look, it doesn’t do X and it doesn’t do Y,” but it’s more difficult to make that claim if it does many other things that you didn’t use to be able to do. So, it’s comparative.

Q: Can students come by and drop suggestions to you about the website during the day? RJ: No, I think that’s crazy because then there would be a long line outside of my door. People can e-mail us if they really want [to], but I think the better mechanism is to talk to a guidance counselor, to talk to an administrator, who can then filter requests in a reasonable manner. It’s not really any of our jobs to play public service and to filter things. I want to spend as little of my day interacting with people and as much of my day programming as much as possible.

NEWSBEAT

WORLDBEAT

Juniors Kausar Alkaderi and Andy Chen were accepted to The Junior Academy at the New York Academy of Sciences.

Former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg is preparing to enter the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.

Stuy Legacy placed third at the Reign or Shine Dance Competition on November 10. Assistant Principal of World Languages Francesca McAuliffe ran in the TCS New York City Marathon on November 3. Stuyvesant’s Model United Nations team competed at the Brown University Simulation of the United Nations (BUSUN). Sophomore Maya Dunayer won Best Delegate, senior Joseph Yusufov and Julia Pepper won Outstanding Delegate, and senior Claire Tempelman, and sophomores Ian Graham and Charlize Trostinsky won Honorable Delegate awards.

Voters in New York City passed five ballot measures on November 6, one of which established ranked-choice voting as the system that will be used in future primary elections. Germany passed a law for climate protection in efforts to meet its 2030 goal to reduce carbon emission levels from the 1990s by 55 percent.

FAQ: Impeachment Question: Does impeachment mean the President stops being President? Answer: Not necessarily, no. The removal from office procedure has two parts, of which impeachment is just the first. Impeachment is decided upon by the House of Representatives (usually simply referred to as “the House”), the house of Congress with 435 members, where each state gets a number of representatives reflective of its population. Currently, the House of Representatives is controlled by a Democratic majority under the leadership of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. If the House impeaches President Donald Trump, there will be a trial in the Senate, the house of Congress with 100 members, where each state gets two representative, whether its population is just under 40 million (as with California) or 600,000 (as with Wyoming). Currently, the Senate is controlled by a Republican majority under Senate Majority Leader Addison “Mitch” McConnel. If the House impeaches President Trump, it will be the Senate that decides if he gets to stay in office. Question: What exactly is President Trump accused of ? Answer: President Trump is accused of abusing US foreign policy tools to advance his own domestic political goals instead of or even in detriment to the country’s interest. Specifically, he is accused of having refused to give military aid to Ukraine unless the country conducted a publicized investigation into Former Vice President and 2020 Democratic Presidential Candidate Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s son Hunter Biden. Question: Well, what did he do to merit the accusation? Answer: Months before Trump did anything, Congress appropriated nearly $400 million to military aid for Ukraine, which has been fighting off an invasion from Russia since 2014. In July, however, Trump ordered that the aid be frozen. That was at least a week before his July 25 phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. In that phone call, he told Zelensky that the United States gives a lot of aid to Ukraine, more than countries in Europe do, and that the two countries’ relationship wasn’t “reciprocal.” He then asked Zelensky to do more to address Ukranian corruption, telling Zelensky that he would have former New York City Mayor and his own personal attorney, Rudolph W. Giuliani (who does not hold a federal government position, in foreign policy or otherwise), and Attorney General William Barr reach out to him before bringing up Hunter Biden as a person Zelensky should have investigated. Since the phone call came out, more has followed. A plethora of officials in the Trump administration, largely members of a foreign policy civil service establishment who stay in office through Republican and Democratic administrations. Various officials have testified in a combination of closed-door and open-door proceedings that there was a systematic effort within the administration to pressure Ukraine not only into investigating Hunter Biden but to publicly announce the investigation. To impeachment’s supporters and sympathizers, that makes it look like Trump was more interested in hurting Vice President Biden’s political prospects than in actually combating corruption. You may recall that there was a lot of controversy surrounding the question of whether President Trump “colluded” with Russia to win the 2016 Presidential Election. That’s basically over—Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III did not find evidence establishing that the Trump Campaign knowingly coordinated with the Russian government; The current controversy is separate from “Russiagate,” at least for now. Question: So what’s the evidence? Who’s testified against Trump? Answer: After an official within the administration filed a whistleblower complaint against Trump, the administration released a transcript of the July 25 phone call, though it’s important to note that the “transcript” is based on recollections and notes and is not a verbatim transcript. That was the first solid piece of evidence, after the initial (fairly vague and nebulous) whistleblower complaint. The officials who have testified since include Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman, who has testified that he was concerned by the unofficial channel to Ukraine consisting of Giuliani, Barr, and Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland and that he was present for and concerned by the July 25 call; former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, who has testified that she faced a coordinated smear campaign in the Spring of 2019 when she resisted Giuliani’s channel, eventually leading to her firing by Trump; Deputy Assistant Secretary of State George P. Kent, who has backed up Yovanovitch’s testimony that Giuliani coordinated a smear campaign against her; and Ambassador William B. Taylor, Jr., who has testified that other Administration officials, including Sondland, told him that President Trump personally wanted pressure to be put on Ukraine to investigate the Bidens. More recently, Taylor has testified that one of his aides overheard a phone call between Sondland and Trump in which Trump asked Sondland about the investigation. That aide, David Holmes, also says that when he asked Sondland what Trump thought about Ukraine, Sondland replied that Trump cared more about the Bidens.

Pronoun Identification to be Added to Talos By EMMA DONNELLY, MADELYN MAO, and ZOE OPPENHEIMER

Talos is releasing a new feature allowing students to choose their pronouns, which will be displayed as part of their student profile. Students will be able to choose from a drop-down menu consisting of the 12 most common pronouns— including she, he, they, ze, sie, zie, ey, and per—as well as an option for those who do not adhere to a pronoun or conform to an unlisted pronoun. The feature is designed to eliminate discomfort in academic settings and create a welcoming environment for Stuyvesant’s gender non-binary community. Sophomore and Student Union (SU) Deputy Chief of Staff Theo KubovyWeiss introduced the idea of adding pronouns to Talos. “I had the idea about a month ago, after I attended some of the Stuy Unity meetings with [SPARK Coordinator] Angel Colon. I realized that, especially with Stuy Spectrum, we have such a large LGBTQ+ community at our school [...] and in terms of record-keeping and identification, there is very little accommodation for people who don’t identify with the pronouns he/him or she/her,” he said. “I thought it was something we should try to change in order to be accommodating of Stuyvesant’s relatively large LGBTQ+ population.” After coming up with the idea, Kubovy-Weiss brought it to the administration. “I spoke with [Assistant Principal of Organization] Dr. [Gary] Haber and Assistant Principal of Pupil Personnel Services [Casey] Pedrick and other members of the administration. I talked about how we could implement gender specification and non-binary gender preferences into school documentation, and we arrived at the conclusion that Talos would be a great first step in order to create a more welcoming environment for our gender non-binary community,” Kubovy-Weiss said. Dr. Haber and Pedrick later discussed the idea with Rodda John (’17), who created Talos. “A member of the SU had reached out to Dr. Haber about it. Dr. Haber had brought it to the administration team, which is a group of administrators who meet every weekend and discuss policy. First, he talked to me and asked, ‘Hey is this possible?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, of course,’” John said. “[The pronouns] are going to be implemented in the next version push.” A student’s choice of pronouns can be modified easily. “This is going to be

changeable and, to my knowledge, viewable to teachers when they pull class lists,” John said. Proponents of the pronoun implementation believe that it will allow students and teachers to maintain a safe and transparent relationship. “Our biggest and more direct goal is to eliminate discomfort in the classroom. Faculty and teachers would be able to look up students’ pronouns on Talos to avoid discomfort as a whole, whether in meetings with guidance counselors or administrators or in the classroom. We can show that we are welcoming to members of the LGBTQ+ community and are accommodating to their preferences,” Kubovy-Weiss said. Senior Kiran Vuksanaj believes there is a need for this change. Currently, she contacts her teachers herself, in order to avoid any conflict. “Every year, I have sent e-mails to my teachers before the school year started, asking them to use the proper pronouns before I get to class, because it’s a situation [that] I very much want to avoid and can cause a lot of pain if the wrong pronouns are used for me,” Vuksanaj said. “It makes me feel really uncomfortable and exposed to the class, and I have to confront them after class, in a way that is a lot of times uncomfortable for them and definitely for me.” She agrees that adding pronouns will help alleviate similar situations. “If the information is available from an official standpoint, a teacher can’t excuse themselves […] because [the student’s pronoun preferences are] in Talos and in records they can see,” Vuksanaj said. “While it’s not a perfect solution—there are still teachers [who] will be difficult about this—it’s still a step in the right direction.” Students like senior Star Garcia, however, question the transparency and effectiveness of choosing a pronoun on Talos. “Something I’m worried about is would the parents have access to this information? Also, do the teachers check Talos often enough? Would they pull it up every time they wanted to talk to someone? They would have to check Talos every single time until they memorize it, and I don’t know if every teacher even uses Talos all that much,” he said. Vuksanaj agrees, and worries that parental access to pronouns may expose students. “[Parents being able to see pronouns on Talos] is a very important caveat in my opinion, and if there is a way for students to be able to access that information on their Talos account [without parents being] able to access [it], that would be the ideal way forward with this,” she said. “In my

personal situation, I’m out to my parents and I’ve been out for the entirety of my time here at [Stuyvesant]. While it doesn’t affect me personally if my pronouns are visible to my parents on Talos, I’m friends with many of the students at this school who would want their teachers to know about the pronouns that are correct to use, without their parents being able to access that information. I know it’s definitely possible in Talos to separate the accessibility of this information, and I think that should be the way forward with this initiative.” Vuksanaj is also concerned that some teachers will not change their behavior. “I’ve never had a teacher that just straight up said no, but I have had teachers who have not made any sort of effort. […] I know other people who have heard from teachers, ‘I’m probably not going to use they/them pronouns’ or something along those lines,” she said. To prevent this, she proposed that there be more accountability for teachers. “If a teacher is hurting a student in this way, eventually there should be repercussions for those teachers. There should be training on a teacher level on how to properly address trans students on a classroom level and not single them out,” Vuksanaj said. However, Garcia believes that the school’s effort to make all students feel accepted should not go unnoticed. “I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction. It shows that they are trying to be more understanding; they are trying to make sure everyone is referred to the way they should be, and it’s a small step but it’s a good one,” he said. If a student feels that their choice of pronoun is not represented, they can request for it to be implemented on Talos. “We are also giving students an option to email Dr. Haber if they identify with a pronoun that is not listed, so we are trying to be as accommodating as possible in a variety of different ways,” Kuboy-Weiss said. While Talos is currently the only platform in which pronouns are being introduced, advocates of the plan believe that it is a stepping stone for future change. “We’re not hoping to just finish with Talos,” Kuboy-Weiss said. “We’re hoping to expand [the pronoun initiative] to other services both internally and externally, and hopefully we can serve as the first step in a more general movement to normalize pronoun specification and create a more welcoming environment for people who are gender non-binary. Hopefully this is something we can add to attendance sheets or other official documentation.”

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Page 3

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Features Binge-Worthy TV Shows

We asked students about their favorite television show to binge-watch. Read their responses below: By The Features Department

Nora Archer, “End of the [EXPLETIVE] World” “It is very chaotic and messy. The characters are pretty self-aware but dumb at the same time.”

Jenna Mackenroth, “Euphoria”

“It’s super interesting; the color scheme is unique and engaging, and the storyline is also fun and poignant at times.”

Roshni Patel, “Friends” “I love ‘Friends.’ I think it’s better than ‘The Office,” and I know people disagree, but I don’t care. It’s awesome that ‘Friends’ has episodes for all my moods and is generally a feel-good show. Plus, I could never be tired of Ross and Rachel drama.”

Rafi Chowdhury, “Avatar”

Loretta Oei, “The Flash”

“I think that Barry is a very interesting character, and when I watch it, I immerse myself in the superhero world. It allows me to escape from school and reality.”

Zoe Shah, “The Office” “It’s so funny, and Jim and Pam’s relationship is adorable; their wedding made me cry.”

My favorite show to binge-watch is probably ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender.’ The show has been a huge part of my childhood, and it’s fire. The flying squirrel monkey is also cute.

Abir Taheer, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

“It has an interesting and sometimes dramatic plot while still being able to maintain a light sense of humor. It’s a great show to get my mind off things and just relax.”

Emily Seto, “The Office” “There are so many episodes. There’s an episode for any mood I’m feeling. If I’m feeling sad, I could be watching an episode of Jim pranking Dwight, and I’d feel better.”

Justine Kang, “Red vs Blue”

Jeff Huang, “Big Mouth” “Everyone loves a good cartoon, but I especially love this show for all of its raunchy humor and its unique, lovable characters. The show 100 percent doesn’t let the bounds of political correctness limit it, and there have been so many times while I’ve watched the show where I’ve had to do a double-take because of how bizarre the episode is, and I just start laugh-crying.”

“I love its plot and artistry, and the fact that it’s been running since 2001, has 17 seasons, and is still going.”

Daisy Lin, “Gilmore Girls” Kasey Chan / The Spectator

“I love the wit and sarcasm of the characters. It’s a show that never gets old, and no matter how many times I watch it I always find something new to laugh at. Also, I’m not sure if this counts as a show but, recently I’ve been really into cheese ASMR, so I just thought that I would mention that too.”

Vivien Li “The Untamed” “It’s a Chinese-drama, but it’s also on Netflix. It portrays a really emotional love story between two guys while adhering to the film censorship laws in China. I’m really emotionally attached to the characters.”

Revived Art

Rajhasree Paul/ The Spectator

Jason Lin / The Spectator

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Page 5

Features By NICHOLAS MARTIN

studied, in addition to her native Spanish, since coming to New York at the age of 12. Ambía’s spent her teenage years in America, though she always maintained close ties to her Spanish roots and artistic

clerk at health food shops and Putumayo, a store dedicated to spreading the culture of Latin American communities through various pieces of clothing, food, and music. Ambía’s jubilant spirit was

been now phased out and were very different from Stuyvesant. “[Stuyvesant] students are eager to learn, and they do it quite fast,” she said. This allows her to devote less time to getting students’ attention and more time

“When you do you, you’re happy and your joy will spread to the class.” —Frida Ambía, Spanish teacher

upbringing, participating in the dance group “Así baila mi Perú” (This is How My Peru Dances) and acting in a Spanish production of Huasipungo, a native Andean play. She then went to Hunter College, where she pursued her interest in Spanish language and culture while studying to become a teacher. The most interesting portion of her life, however, are the jobs she held while earning her bachelor’s degree. Ambía worked as a tutor and an assistant to the Dean of Romance Languages at Hunter, while working as a cashier and

movie “Avatar”: “There’s a part where the follicles connect to some neural network, and [the characters] can understand each other at a more profound level.” In this way, she helps bring a diverse city a little closer together. In addition to her love of teaching and dedication to sharing her culture, Ambía has a variety of interests that seem greatly influenced by her past. For example, her fascination with nutrition and health goes back to the ways of her paternal grandparents, who frequently created their own remedies and used more traditional cooking techniques with natural ingredients. “Things like not overcooking the veggies, not frying things, avoiding artificial seasonings, not over sweetening things,” she shared. This explains her choice of work with health foods (though she does enjoy baking a few sweets once in a while). She also loves reading, meditation, and self-care. “My house is full of herb books and natural healing books,” she said. She also enjoys writing, yet she has less time to do so now than when she was in college, where she had poems and an article published in Spanish. In a final snippet of educational wisdom, Ambía advises new teachers to reflect their own personality in how they teach: “When you do you, you’re happy, and your joy will spread to the class.”

Matt Melucci/ The Spectator

From Lima to New York, theater student to store clerk, Spanish teacher Frida Ambía has a wealth of experiences to share. Even though she grew up in a small town in Peru, Ambía was exposed to theater, dance, and art classes thanks to her beloved Aunt Juanita, who had the money and connections in the Department of Education to get classes for her niece. Ambía grew up around many of her relatives in her grandparents’ house, alongside a number of animals ranging from chickens to sheep to guinea pigs. Without television or the Internet, the town’s children went door to door to gather enough people to play together, revealing a tight-knit community. This might explain Ambía’s playfulness in the classroom: she often jokes or plays games such as charades with her students, improving their skills while also engaging with those who might feel uncomfortable with a new language. Her classrooms quickly become communities where students can laugh and learn together in a relaxed, supportive environment. Ambía’s career choice makes a lot of sense to those who look to her family: five of her aunts and uncles were teachers, including Juanita. Also tying in to her career is her passion for the Romance languages, such as the Italian and Portuguese she

Making Spanish Sweeter

visible even then: “I loved pretending I was a mannequin on the window display and startling the drunk Saint Patrick’s day parade-goers, who would insist that the mannequin had moved, but [I] was perfectly still when everyone else looked—they were all drunk, so they couldn’t tell.” This sense of humor has ever since been incorporated into her teaching career at Stuyvesant, which is now 19 years long and is going strong. Before coming to Stuyvesant, she taught at Seward Park and Norman Thomas High Schools, both of which have

to creating fun class activities. These activities, such as short dance lessons or skits, are what makes Ambía’s classes stand out, as they weave Spanish culture into the curriculum. She frequently puts on performances, plays Spanish songs relating to the current lessons, and encourages students to dance along to the beat, reviving the love of theater and dance that has remained with her since childhood. When asked about why she thinks teaching Spanish is important, she responded with an unexpected comparison to the

You Have 10 New Facebook Notifications An Investigation Into How Stuyvesant Students Use Facebook

By SAMMI YANG, CHRISTINE CHANG, RAYMOND WU, AMANDA BRUCCULERI, and SUAH CHUNG

Facebook groups also bring together students across various grades, providing a place where underclassmen’s concerns and questions are answered in a matter of minutes by upperclassmen.

platforms, Facebook’s organized structure allows for mass communication. “Facebook helps me communicate with my classmates and get to know what’s going on around Stuy[vesant] since it’s such a big school,” freshman Keara O’Donnell said. For example, Facebook allows students to create large groups and send mass messages. “We can make big groups such as the ‘Dear Incoming Stuyvesant Class’ groups whereas other social media don’t have as many features for gathering big groups,” Kim said.

“[Facebook] definitely helps me connect more with people and find out information really easily, but at some point it can get too addicting and interrupt study time,” sophomore Zoe Buff explained. “I felt more connected to the students at Stuy[vesant], but that doesn’t mean [Facebook] is positive or negative,” junior Ruoshui Mao said. “It was sometimes convenient for me to ask for information, and there were times that I asked classmates or friends to send me notes or help me with

other things. However, it did take a lot of time away from me that I used to use for other things.” Though widely used, not everyone was familiar with Facebook prior to coming to Stuyvesant. Many students got Facebook after being urged to do so by their Big Sibs or peers: “My first impression was that [Facebook] wasn’t necessary, and I actually didn’t want to get it for a while, but my friends eventually convinced me to. At first, I barely used it but after a while I started to see the benefits,” Buff said. Even some teachers encourage their students to get a Facebook account. Mao shared, “What really pushed me to use [Facebook] was my sophomore year English class, when [Assistant Principal of English Eric] Grossman asked a student to post the model essays in the class’s Facebook group chat. I wanted to look at the model essays, and that made me start using Facebook.” In fact, Facebook is so embedded into Stuyvesant’s culture because upperclassmen encourage underclassmen to make an account, thus spiraling a new generation of students to use the platform. Despite its reputation as “an app for old people,” as Chen called Facebook, it continues to be used by new classes of Stuyvesant students every year. “Almost as soon as I got into Stuy[vesant], my cousin, who also went to Stuy[vesant], advised me to get Facebook,” Chen recalled. Though Facebook is viewed as such an integral part of Stuyvesant culture, there are still some students who do not use it. “Honestly, I don’t trust myself using Facebook because I know I can get distracted easily,”

Yaqi Zeng / The Spectator

While most of the world is asleep, Stuyvesant students still buzz with activity as posts and comments flood the “Dear Incoming Stuyvesant Class” advice groups late into the night. Facebook, a vital tool for the vast majority of the students, allows them to remain in contact with each other virtually 24 hours a day. Whether to view news, ask questions about classes, communicate with classmates, or promote a club, students often have a reason to turn to the platform that has become so essential to Stuyvesant life. It is hard to find many students who do not have a Facebook account, regardless of whether they’ve used it previously or only created one upon coming to Stuyvesant. So the question is, why Facebook? Facebook is different from other communication platforms students might use; for example, it does not have the professional and somewhat intimidating aura that email does. “Whenever I send an email, I feel an obligation to sound formal, so I take more time to write them,” junior Josslyn Kim said. “On the other hand, on Messenger, I can contact my classmates more casually.” At the same time, Facebook is not as casual as other social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat. Sophomore Sabrina Chen shared, “I used to use Instagram a lot more before coming to Stuyvesant. But

after I was introduced to Facebook, especially [at] a school like Stuy[vesant], I shifted toward using Facebook more instead because it was more ‘educational.’” Unlike other social media

sophomore Tamzid Tapan said. “One obstacle is not being able to communicate with the sports teams that I’m on because they all use Facebook and Messenger. I think that it is helpful in Stuyvesant, but you need to be able to balance your time out.” Junior Michelle Liang also does not use Facebook. “When everybody else started getting Facebook, I didn’t really have the time to make one, or I wasn’t really interested in it,” she explained. Though Liang does not have Facebook, she does use Instagram, which she finds inconvenient as a communications tool. “When I want some information about clubs or about teachers, I have to ask people on Instagram to tell me what’s happening on Facebook,” she elaborated. Regardless of how often or why each Stuyvesant student uses Facebook, it is clear how fundamental the platform has become to students. This unique dependence on Facebook goes to show how connected the Stuyvesant community is despite its large size. However, it is not only the educational and communication benefits that make Facebook so fundamental to the Stuyvesant community. “Facebook doesn’t exist at Stuy[vesant] for purely educational purposes. It also allows students to show who they are outside of school as well. I think that’s part of what makes Facebook so connective and interactive,” Kim said. Active as both an effective communication tool and social platform, Facebook will most likely remain an essential aspect of Stuyvesant’s culture.

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Features

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Teacher’s Take on Talos By JULIE WEINER and CLAIRE TEMPELMAN

The creation of Talos, a website that allows students to access a comprehensive overview of their current status at Stuyvesant, including grades, locker information, and textbook data, in June 2018, by Rodda John (’17) has received both positive and negative feedback from Stuyvesant students, who are often very vocal in their complaints about the website’s speed and the lack of transparency about teachers. Perhaps what Talos is most famous—or infamous—for is its new role in program changes. Students’ course requests, Advanced Placement course selections, and schedule changes are now all completed through the website rather than in-person. This process, in particular, has received strong backlash from the student body. What do teachers and administrators think about Talos?

Eric Grossman -Assistant Principal of English Eric Grossman’s role as both an Assistant Principal (AP) of the English Department and an English teacher himself requires him to be very involved with Talos. Overall, he is very positive about the introduction of the system and all of its assets. “It’s allowed me to want to have a more birds-eye view of what changes students are asking for and why,” Grossman shared. He expressed his approval of having an online system as opposed to an in-person one: “Because it’s online, it makes it really easy for me to see that kids want to take a class [...] I can look online and see their first choice.” As an AP of a department, Grossman also believes that the Talos website provides information that helps him administer program changes in a more equitable manner. He went on to explain how Talos helps him more fairly decide what actions to take when two students are applying for one open seat in a class: Talos allows Grossman to see which student ranked the class as a first choice and which student already got a first choice. “That [information is] useful information for me [...] it allows me to be a little more fair in solving that problem,” he shared. Grossman expressed the sentiment that Talos presents solutions to many of the issues Stuyvesant previously had when dealing with in-person program changes: the switch to an online system was intended to make the program change process more equitable and time-efficient for all students. “One thing [is] that pre-Talos was really inconsistent. If your counselor had a long line, you wouldn’t get a program change, and if you knew someone in the program office, maybe you would,” he explained. “It eliminates that whole scene we had in the auditorium or the cafeteria, where people had these numbers and then couldn’t get seen and were waiting for hours.” In addition, one mainstream online platform like Talos allows program changes to be understood and processed in a more efficient manner between both guidance counselors and APs. Grossman said, “Often when there were blocks before, it wasn’t clear what step along the way they had happened. Now we can see instantly the AP needs to approve, the counselor needs to approve, or the problem is that the seat was filled, or whatever it is, and we know what’s possible and what’s not, and we can kind of fix a lot of jams a lot more quickly.” Grossman also acknowledged some of Talos’s key features that make it a useful and effective system. “One of the things that is cool and unusual about Talos is having the [...] creator of the site here in the building a lot of the time,” he said. John’s availability throughout the day to make changes or work out kinks in the system quickly and immediately is very beneficial. “[Talos is] completely customizable, and with Rodda John in the building he can make these changes rather quickly, like if we see something that needs to be improved,” he shared. Additionally, Grossman likes the feature that requires students to list the reasons why they’re hoping to make a certain program change. “It kind of weeds out the students who [...] don’t even know why they want a change, just somebody said something and they think that they need a change… but being forced to articulate it is, one, useful for students, and two, it’s a way for my colleagues and me to kind of sift through the legitimacy of the request,” he explained. “And sure, yes, students can make up stories, and I can’t swear that nobody’s ever pulled one over on me, but I think I have a pretty good sense of what’s authentic and what isn’t.” Grossman stressed that this key feature of Talos that the communication between students and the administration goes both ways: counselors and APs are also required to list why a student may not be getting a request approved: “[APs and counselors] also are told to list a reason, like when a student gets denied a change, we want them to see the reason why they are not getting that program change, and they can see that all happening [on Talos],” he said. Overall, Grossman had mainly positive things to say about Talos. “Really the transparency of the system is just far more fair and equitable distribution of classes. It’s a way for programming to be done in a more organized format,” he concluded. And while Grossman recognizes and understands the basis of students’ frustrations with the system and under, he stressed that “any system [...] is an imperfect system by definition.”

Dina Ingram -Director of Family Engagement Students most likely know Director of Family Engagement Dina Ingram from her emails. However, she also works alongside John, and expressed similarly positive views to Grossman regarding Talos. She said, “It’s completely customizable, and [...] with Rodda John in the building he can make these changes rather quickly [...] if we see something that needs to be improved.” Ingram also supported Grossman’s idea that Talos made programming more equitable “because the APs and the counselors [...] can see why somebody wants a change, but they also are told to list a reason [...] when a student gets denied a change.” Despite students’ concerns, Talos makes programming more convenient for everyone. “Before, when you made choices for classes only the program office could see your choices, so the APs and counselors didn’t know what your first, second, or third choice was. [Now] everyone can see exactly what you listed as all of your choices for all of your subjects, and it’s all centralized in one place.”

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Page 7

Features How Much Does It Take? The Financial Cost of Being a Stuyvesant Student By TALIA KAHAN

Minimum: $25 (gym uniform) $14 (gym locker) $7 (locker) $230 (senior dues) $47.50 (SAT test)* -------------$276

Additional Costs: $7 * 3 (lockers) $94 * 3 (Advanced Placement tests)* $44 * 3 (SAT Subject Tests)* $50 (ARISTA membership)** $20 (team uniforms/club apparel) $15 (SING! dues) $220 (Senior prom) $35 (drafting kit) --------------------------------------$775

$740 + $276 = $1,041 The average Stuyvesant student spends around $1,000 over their four-year tenure here. Though this number seems small in comparison to the average private high school tuition ($18,000), it is a significant financial burden on many students. In the 2018-2019 academic year, 1,545 students (46 percent of the student body) were “economically disadvantaged,” meaning they qualified for free or reduced lunch. A family’s annual income must be below $39,000 or $47,000 for a three and four-person household respectively, to be labeled as “economically disadvantaged.” Despite these statistics, Stuyvesant does not qualify for Title I funding, since the threshold for Title 1 funding is for at least 60 percent of the student body to qualify for free or reduced lunch. If Stuyvesant did qualify for these funds, they could be used for a variety of causes, including lowering the prices of lockers, increasing teachers’ salaries, and enhancing the social work services offered at Stuyvesant.

Senior Debi Saha said, “Thinking about the percentage of free and reduced lunch at Stuy, I think it’s a little ridiculous that we have to pay [for lockers].” In fact, lockers are free at the majority of public high schools, including Bronx Science, Beacon, and Hunter. At Bronx Science, students are given

Junior Grace Ye has also found ways around the high costs. “I don’t think lockers are all that expensive if you split them,” she said. “[My friends and I] are splitting it with other people. They are also not necessary, but are nice if you have a winter coat.” Students are required to pay three fees during Camp Stuy Part 2: a locker for freshman year, a gym locker, and a gym uniform. The gym uniform, which costs $25, has been met with the most resistance from the student body. Junior Emma Donnely explained, “I do feel like personally, I have to spend a lot of money at Stuy, more than I would have wanted to. For example, the gym uniforms. I’ve had to buy them multiple times.” Of course, Donnely’s

Anna Ast / The Spectator a new hallway locker every year situation isn’t the case with the at no additional cost. However, Saha has found majority of students but is still help from multiple in-school notable. Freshman Emma Lu, organizations: “Something too, was not expecting to puramazing about this school chase anything during Camp is the Alumni Association. I Stuy: “I was surprised,” she re[couldn’t] afford the Big Sib called. “Especially for the qualshirt, and my mom just lost her ity of the shirts and shorts, $25 job, and they really helped with seemed like a lot.” In addition to these mandapaying for that.”

tory fees, many school-related events cost exorbitant amounts of money. Most notably, senior prom costs $220. “For prom, it’s your senior year; you should be able to go regardless of your financial background. I’ve been thinking [about] what I [should] do. That’s been my dilemma,” Saha explained. “I would really like the chance to go to prom, even if it was just for half the time or even if I didn’t eat anything, just for the experience.” Ye agreed. “I think it should definitely be cheaper; it’s just not fair,” she said. “Everybody should have the opportunity to go. They could lower the cost if they asked [alumni] to donate; there are so many different ways to save money.” Though the cost of senior prom is

similar at many other public high schools, other schools have created other initiatives to make prom an option for all students, regardless of financial status. For example, at Bronx Science, where prom tickets cost $164.16, financial aid is available via an application. In addition, Bronx Science partnered with Adrianna

Pappell, a clothing company, to provide free prom dresses to all those who are interested. Another opportunity that more students should have the ability to attend is SING!. SING! tickets currently cost $30 for both the Friday and Saturday night performances and $20 for the New Haven performance on Wednesday night. Saha, who was the junior SING! Coordinator last year and SophFrosh SING! Coordinator in 2018, expressed dissatisfaction with these prices: “I think upwards of 30 is ridiculous. We’ve been doing an initiative to get it down to 25. It’s really heartbreaking for me to see people who work so hard never to be able to watch it,” she said. However, the Student Union has been working with SING! coordinators to add a Thursday performance of the same caliber and standard of those on Friday and Saturday. All three shows, then, would cost less. *These prices are the normal fee. All SAT and Advanced Placement tests are free for students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. **As of 2019, ARISTA membership is $15 for those who qualify for free lunch and $30 for those who qualify for reduced lunch.

Talking With Stuyvesant’s “Fancy Dropout” By TALIA KAHAN, JONATHAN SCHNEIDERMAN, and OLIVER STEWART

This coming June, the Stuyvesant Class of 2020 will throw their college-decorated caps into the air outside Carnegie Hall. After the four-year journey through Stuyvesant, the moment will have finally come when all 850 students can officially declare themselves Stuyvesant graduates. This year, though, they will be joined by one solitary junior— Theadora Williams, who will be grad-uating early, having completed the New York State graduation requirements after only three years. Williams chose to graduate early because of her potent antipathy toward high school, which she sees as an absurd bu-reaucratic system. “Over the summer I realized […] ‘I can just graduate early.’ So I decid-ed, screw this, and I looked at it and I only needed like three classes to graduate. I’ll just take those,” Williams recalled. “I cannot stand high school.” However, there are some aspects of Stuyvesant that Williams does appreciate.

She describes herself as a workaholic in a few classes, most notably English, history, and computer science. “I actually like doing lots of work. I’m probably to an unhealthy level a workaholic, but that’s only for classes I like,” she explained. In fact, having taken Advanced Place-ment (AP) Computer Science during her sophomore year, she is spending this year filling her schedule with upper-level computing classes usually reserved for seniors and is currently enrolled in Artificial Intelligence and System Level Programming—two high-level, post-AP classes—and plans to take Computer Graphics next semester. But Williams’ disinterest in many required classes and her dislike of the school system outweigh these benefits. “The problem is, there’s quite a lot of classes which I don’t [like], which the school requires,” she said. Furthermore, Williams “cannot stand the mindless bu-reaucracy,” referred to admin-istrative figures as “a few stuffy people in suits,” and gave an overall impression of deep disillusionment

with the high school system. Williams did admit that there are some notable drawbacks to graduating a year early. “Well, if you graduate early, your sophomore grades tend to take the role your junior year grades would normally take. They’re the ones that colleges look at,” s he explained. “I am somewhat doubly [EXPLE-TIVE] now because I have to look really good now as a junior and do college, as opposed to the seniors who did it last year and can just slack off now.” She has also dropped her Advanced Regents diploma, which would not have been necessary had she passed one more semester of Spanish. She did not want to pursue the Stuyvesant diploma: she noted, “Last year I decided to drop the Stuyvesant diploma after I realized it was worthless.” Williams has made her plan and intends to hold to it, but it has not been easy. Perhaps predictably, given the widelyknown experiences of students who attempt to drop the Stuyvesant Diploma, the administration has either ignored or stonewalled her.

While her college counselor, Elizabeth Hughes, has provided some help, she relayed that the school has refused to put her on senior mailing lists, cutting her off from the information that has otherwise been deemed important or necessary for soon-to-be graduates. Members of the administration, however, took a slightly different view of the situation, saying that Williams has not approached them about mailing lists since September of this year and that they are unsure what crucial information she believes herself missing. Williams said that she is missing senior-specific notifications, such as updates about senior photos and senior dues. "Well, I’m still trying to figure it out right now because no one in the school is telling me anything,” she said about the process of graduating early. “I have to do it alone.” As for next year, Williams hopes to travel or study computer science before continuing on to college.

“I do wish to travel [to] Europe, and Asia. Maybe South America. I can stow away,” s he said. Another alternative is continuing to work at Yabla, which s he described as “a local electronic language learning app. Kind of like Memrise, but we don’t get paid as much.” Williams acknowledged the risks of taking this step, explaining that “you have to be willing to accept the consequences” of graduating early, adding with both humor and resignation that she is not sure what exactly those conse-quences were. At the same time, s he discussed her future lightheart-edly, even saying that she “had given some joking thought to joining the YPG,” using an acronym for the Kurdish inde-pendence army. The contrast between these carefree, off-the-cuff answers and her more serious plans, such as applying to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for software development, paints a picture of Williams as a unique character with an interesting future ahead of her, whatever it may hold.

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Editorials Going the Distance Stuyvesant welcomes students from all five boroughs, many of whom often travel great distances and sacrifice time and money just to get to school. According to this year’s freshman survey, slightly more than 10 percent of the freshman class lives in the Bronx or Staten Island. An additional 40 percent lives in Queens, of which some parts are practically in greater Long Island, and another 31.5 percent of students in Brooklyn, some of whom live in further out neighborhoods such as Canarsie or Coney Island. A typical Stuyvesant student might wake up around 6 a.m. to take the train or the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to get to school on time, partake in extracurriculars after school, make the hour-long commute to get home around or after 7 p.m., and then spend the rest of the night completing homework and studying for upcoming tests. Though we tend to focus on the academic pressures of life at Stuyvesant, some of us spend up to three hours solely on our commutes, making them a significant aspect of our day-to-day lives. Because of Stuyvesant’s location in Tribeca and the fact that more time-efficient commuting methods, such as express buses and the LIRR, are far more expensive, the time spent on commutes is a major burden for a large segment of the student population. This burden is especially taxing for students interested in participating in extracurriculars, many of which meet after-school and on weekends at Stuyvesant. Furthermore, the unreli-

ability of the Metropolitan Transport Authority (MTA) and the frequency of train delays exacerbate the difficulties students face when commuting to and from school. The administration has already begun implementing changes to address such issues; Principal Eric Contreras has expanded the locations where he holds parent meetings to encourage attendance from families that live far away. Nonetheless, it is clear that more needs to be done if we hope to accommodate for student commutes. A potential solution is to switch to a daily schedule that starts later, which would not only provide students with more time to plan for unexpected transportation delays, but also enable those with long commutes to dedicate a portion of their travel time to catch up on sleep. It is important to note, though, that a later day would mean a later dismissal time, which could negatively interfere with schedules for extracurriculars like PSAL sports. A slight modification, in this case, would be for the program office to grant a free first period to those who live a reasonably long distance from the school. There are also policy changes that should be implemented above the school level; for instance, it should not be the case that the only students for whom transit is free are those who live within a reasonable commuting distance by subway or standard bus. Students living in Staten Island or in the further reaches of Queens should not have to choose between losing sleep to a longer com-

mute and losing money to the high price of transit. To that end, the MTA should make LIRR passes free for New York City public students, and student MetroCards should cover Express Buses. The MTA should also consider expanding public school student transit passes to work on weekends. Getting students to school is not the only value of having students able to get around. Enabling students, particularly those who might not otherwise be able to afford it, to get around the city on weekends would serve to enrich the cultural lives of the city’s youth. Give students the ability to go to museums, performances, and concerts in other boroughs for free, and you’ll get more students going to museums, performances, and concerts. Don’t, and more students—particularly those who live on the (frequently less well-off) margins of the city—will stay at home. Now, these reforms might cost a fair deal of money. The MTA already has more than enough problems—a mountain of debt and broken and outdated equipment, for two—, and these reforms might seem like they would cost too much. And indeed, maybe they would. In fact, the MTA could make weekend student fares reduced, but not free—something that might actually increase revenue, by encouraging students who might not otherwise use transit on the weekends to use it; it might also consider not spending $250 million on new police officers.

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

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Opinions By LAMIA HAQUE and JUSTIN MURDOCK The City Council approved plans to shut down Rikers Island, home to New York’s infamous 400-acre prison complex, on October 17. Notorious for its mismanagement and cruel conditions, the complex has been the subject of rumors of an impending shutdown for the last two years. It is only now that Mayor Bill de Blasio has received enough support to put his plan into action and potentially reform New York’s broken criminal justice system. Conflict over Rikers Island began long before it became a jail complex. Magistrate Richard Riker, who owned the island in the 1800s, used his Magisterial position to sign off on paperwork that allowed free black men, women, and children to be kidnapped from New York City’s streets and trafficked down South as slaves. This operation continued until the Civil War, when the island was used as a training ground for Union Army regiments and strangely enough, a slaughterhouse. New York City bought the island with the intent of building a workhouse in 1884, but it lay unused until 1932, when the island was turned into the jail complex that it is today. Containing nearly 10,000 inmates and with over 100,000 admissions a year, Rikers Island is the nation’s second largest jail facility. Lo and behold, Rikers is infamous for

Rikers: For the Prisoners or for the Public? two things: its lack of humane treatment and the disproportionate size of innocent minorities held in the prison, which proves to have debilitating effects on its victims. One such prisoner was Kalief Browder, who spent three years on Rikers Island without being convicted of a crime. In the spring of 2010, when he was 16, Browder was arrested for a robbery that he insisted he had not committed. Regardless, he could not afford the $3000 bail and was away from his legal representative, forcing him to wait nearly three years for a trial. During that time, he spent two years in solitary confinement, where he attempted suicide several times because of the mental and physical abuse to which he was subjected by officers and other prisoners at Rikers. His experiences haunted him, leaving him unable to adjust to life outside of jail, and in June 2015, he committed suicide. Stories like Browder’s have exacerbated the need for reform in Rikers, which de Blasio seeks to address in his new $8 billion plan, replacing the Rikers complex with four smaller jails, one each in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx by 2026. The jails would be in open areas such as a subway yard in Queens and in the shadow of City Hall in Manhattan, surrounded by the residents of New York City. Each would hold 3,300 prisoners daily, downsizing the number of inmates by over half, and pro-

vide job training, mental health counseling, and education services. They would also be closer to courthouses, which de Blasio predicts will speed up court hearings, as defendants would be closer to their legal representatives. While Browder’s situation could not be reversed, those of others could potentially be prevented. Though the stories of prisoners such as Browder’s are indeed pitiful and disgusting, dividing the jail into four smaller jails will not have any impact on its present conditions. While some argue that the shutdown of Rikers will rid New York of a symbol of discrimination and cruelty, the symbol may live on in the new jails. Without some preventative measure instilled in the new jails, there is nothing to prevent the continuation of abuse against prisoners. Thus, reforms done within Rikers are a better alternative to the building of four new jails with conditions that may parallel those of the past. The modifications of Rikers itself would be a top priority. Many of those who were unfortunately housed in Rikers faced harsh, severe punishments compared to the crimes that they may have committed. The intentions of these new jails are to house more space for prisoners and provide more humane spaces for them, both of which the city could implement within Rikers without using more of its resources. The environment of

Rikers is unbelievable filthy— grime over all the walls, dead rodents, and severe overcrowding. Therefore, creating an initiative to refurbish and cleanse the conditions of Rikers would prove to be more cost-effective and beneficial for the public and prisoners in the long run. If housing were to remain a problem, offering to build other facilities on the island could prove to be far more efficient and worthwhile than risking an $8 billion project that faces incredible controversy. The public good must also be taken into account. Most people have no desire to lower the property values of their neighborhood, let alone diminish their public safety with the establishment of a prison in their own backyards; one key function of the criminal justice system is to incapacitate criminals and keep them from continuing to perform heinous acts in the community. Not only does this go against the purpose of the criminal justice system, but it also causes underlying problems to real estate. As is the case with electrical plants, sewage treatment plants, and homeless shelters, nobody wants to live near a jail, which means that residents will be inclined to move away, and the value of properties near the jail would decrease, leading to a downward spiral in real estate. For these reasons, City Council member Robert F. Holden has criticized the feasibility of the plan to close Rikers and build new jails. As he

has said, no neighborhood would willingly host such a jail, making it key to reform and invest in changes in the deteriorating Rikers Island facility. Dispersing Rikers prisoners and building intimidating jails in four of the five boroughs would be detrimental to the public. The cost of this project is an incredible $8 billion, which seems impractical at the very least—and wasteful and foolish at the very most. The unsanitariness and overcrowding of Rikers are undeniably inhumane, especially with traumatizing cases such as Browder’s, but the addition of four new jails is not the solution. Conditions would not necessarily change and could potentially get worse. I agree with City Councilman Holden that modernizing Rikers is a fairer and beneficial plan than spreading prisons across the city, which would unfairly burden the neighborhoods in which they are built. More importantly, an initiative to improve Rikers’s conditions would ensure prisoners of their basic human rights and potentially create more living space for prisoners on the island. Rikers can be improved without imposing severe negative impacts on our communities; improving Rikers to make it more humane is necessary, but downgrading our own communities and risking the potential failure of a controversial project to accomplish this is not.

The Growing Role of Women in Jihadi Terrorism

By MAYA DUNAYER

The television screen blinked rapidly, sending a stream of words almost too quickly to read across the blue ribbon at the bottom of the broadcast. Standing before the television in my Halloween costume, I tried to process the words that were in front of me. Several phrases jumped out at me. TERRORIST ATTACK. 8 DEAD, 11 INJURED. SUSPECT IN CRITICAL CONDITION. Over and over again, those words raced across the screen, bringing with them a sickening sense of fear which settled in my stomach. An image appeared on the screen, momentarily covering the line of blue tape. My stomach dropped. I knew exactly where the attack occurred; right by the Hudson River, steps away from the high school I had just applied to attend. It was October 31, 2017, and Sayfullo Saipov had just killed eight people along the West Side Highway “in the name of Allah.” Saipov was not the first Islamic extremist to commit a terrorist attack, and nor was he the last. He was a classic example of a jihadi terrorist—a person who subscribes to a strict, fundamentalist interpretation of Islam and who believes that violent action is necessary to rid the world of non-believers. Whether it be ISIS claiming responsibility for Omar Mateen’s shooting of 49 people at a Florida nightclub, or Al-Qaeda on 9/11, jihadi groups continue to terrorize civilians across the nation and across the world, creating a widespread culture of fear and paranoia. As the problem of jihadism grows ever larger in significance and danger, it also evolves. One recent evolution is the emergence of female terrorists on the enemy lines of the war on terror.The jihadi movement has long since been a patriarchal one, placing an emphasis on the actions of men as opposed to those of women. The

role of women in jihadi organizations has traditionally been limited as a result of the jihadi interpretation of the Koran. There are multiple verses in the Koran that can be interpreted to mean that the woman is inferior to the man in a relationship. This leads to the expectation that jihadi-involved

Though it is suspected that Iris was more motivated by nationalism than by religious fervor, she supported Hamas, a Palestinian party considered by many analysts to be an extremist group due to its use of military force against Israel. After Iris’s attack, more and more women became involved in

Susannah Ahn / The Spectator

women remain at home and take on domestic duties. Older doctrines expected women to raise their children and instill in them the ideas of Islamic extremism while educating them on their religion. They were not expected to be involved in combat and were generally prohibited from recruiting other jihadis or from plotting attacks. Yet, jihadi women have increasingly taken a more visible and involved role in the Islamist terrorism plaguing the world. The first recorded female Islamic extremist attack occured in January 2002. It was orchestrated by Wafa Iris, a 28-year-old woman who was born and raised in a refugee camp as a staunch supporter of Palestine. Iris was responsible for a suicide bombing in downtown Jerusalem that killed one man and wounded many others.

Islam-inspired terrorism. By 2003, Hamas and Palestinian jihadist forces had begun regularly using female bombers, as they were able to avoid the Israeli security measures usually were reserved for men. Women have recently begun to play a large role in Boko Haram, a jihadi terrorist group based in Nigeria, which exploited the advantages of using women as terrorists to great effect. Out of 434 suicide bombers deployed by Boko Haram between April 2011 and June 2017, at least 56 percent were women, making it the terrorist group with the highest proportion of women involved in military pursuits. This problem may seem to be one that only affects the Middle East and Africa. However, the threat is far closer than we realize, as female extremists have begun

to pop up in Western nations. The most notable examples of women involved with jihadi terrorists come from France, a country that has been recently plagued with a number of devastating terrorist attacks. Over the span of three months in 2016, three terroristrelated incidents were planned by radicalized women. The first was a parked car stuffed with gas canisters set to explode a few blocks away from Notre Dame Cathedral. The two perpetrators, Inès Madani and Ornella Gilligmann, had recently been sentenced to 25 to 30 years in prison. The second was a plot to attack a Parisian train, and the third was the planned recruitment of two young adults by a woman with known relations to ISIS. It is only a matter of time before terrorist plots such as these succeed; the evolving nature of jihadi terrorism places nations across the world in ever-greater danger. Many women in America have also been involved with ISIS since 2011. Though many leave to become “ISIS brides”—women who marry members of ISIS in order to gain security, money, and status—some women have been taking on roles usually associated with men. One such example is Samantha Elhassani, a former U.S. citizen who has been accused of aiding and abetting individuals involved with ISIS by giving them material support. Elhassani, born in Indiana, met her husband Moussa in July 2012 and moved to Syria, where he served as an ISIS sniper. After Moussa was killed in 2017, Elhassani and her four children were taken into custody by the Kurds and extradited to the U.S., where Elhassani is currently awaiting trial. There are also many women involved in counterterrorism efforts throughout the Middle East, particularly in Kurdistan (an unofficial region in Northern Syria and Iraq dominated by Kurdish peoples). It is estimated that 30 to 40

percent of the Kurdish counterterrorist forces are women. Many of them are devout followers of Abdullah Ocalan, the leader of the Kurdistan Worker’s Party, and take his words literally: “The land cannot be free when women are not free.” The rise of women in nontraditional roles in Islamic extremism and non-extremism calls into question the cultural standards that have long been in place in

One such evolvement that has recently arisen is the emergence of women who have decided to become jihadi fighters on the front lines as opposed to promoting jihadi views and culture behind the scenes. these societies. Female jihadis must be acknowledged as being just as dangerous, if not more so, than male terrorists. In a post9/11 global society, this is not a threat to be taken lightly. It is clear that our counter-terrorism efforts must shift to accomodate this new threat. The stereotype that women do not commit terrorist attacks or are not dangerous on the battlefield must be abandoned immediately, and women should be more involved in Western counterterrorism efforts just as they are in Kurdistan. If this issue is addressed while still in relative infancy, it can be stopped before it grows into a threat just as dangerous as any which have arisen in the devastating, global war on terror.

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

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Opinions By CARTER LEY

drug mixtures and apply for new patents in order to overcome patent expirations. By

are known as “pay-for-delay” agreements. For example, in 1995, the patent of a drug used

Higher drug prices are not simply a burden for taxpayers who have to foot the bill for

This is indicative of a larger trend: Big Pharma is consolidating its power over the U.S. healthcare industry, and its influence is only growing. changing a nonactive component of a drug, corporations are able to completely reinvent

to treat Parkinson’s disease, Sinemet CR, expired. That same year, however, its manu-

public healthcare programs, however. High drug prices affect people on an individual

the product from a legal standpoint, only to continue to market the drug in the exact same way with its patent-protected, exorbitantly high prices. Another tactic is far more straightforward: bribery. Drug companies simply pay generic manufacturers to not manufacture their drugs in what

facturer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, paid generic manufacturers to refrain from producing their drug for another 11 years. This is not an isolated event. In total, these delay agreements cost U.S. consumers $3.5 billion in higher drug prices every year because they restrict the presence of generics in the market.

level, especially those most reliant on prescription medication. This impact cannot be overstated. Forty-five million Americans cannot fill their prescriptions because the costs are too high. To lower drug costs, many have suggested creating a single-payer healthcare sys-

Sunjung Bok / The Spectator

In the past decade, drug prices in America have risen to exorbitant levels, pushing basic health care out of reach for many citizens. Annual drug hikes have averaged 10.5 percent, and American households have increased their pharmaceutical spending twentyfold since 1980 (adjusted for inflation). This indicates a larger trend: Big Pharma is consolidating its power over the U.S. healthcare industry, and its influence is only growing. The sad reality is that this trend results in Americans not receiving the health care they need and deserve while pharmaceutical corporations continue to rake in profits upwards of $300 billion a year. The key to lowering drug prices is generic manufacturing, which involves the mass production of the drugs invented by the research divisions of pharmaceutical companies. Unlike big pharmaceutical companies, which must go through the lengthy and complex process of submitting drug patents for approval, these generic manufacturers can produce drugs at a low cost because they do not need to invest in research. Since they can save on research and development, generic manufacturers are able to undermine Big Pharma’s share of the healthcare industry, which is why the latter goes to great lengths to maintain total control over its patents. Large pharmaceutical companies also abuse loopholes in the U.S. patent system to control drug prices. One such loophole is known as evergreening, in which manufacturers subtly tweak existing

America’s Pharmaceutical Dilemma

tem or enacting national price controls over increasingly expensive yet vital drugs. These measures, which are particularly popular in progressive circles, are not the appropriate solution. A single-payer system would simply shift the burden of financing healthcare to other consumers rather than addressing the underlying cause: the fundamental lack of competitiveness in the pharmaceutical industry. Revitalized competition in drug markets can only be achieved if generic manufacturers are given a chance to produce drugs in large amounts at moderate costs. To accommodate this, patent expirations need to be better enforced by the government, and pay-for-delay agreements must be strictly banned. One way to do this is to mandate the percent of novel content in drugs. Some experts have suggested that new drugs must be 90 percent different from existing patents in order to qualify for new patent protection. Alternatively, the Department of Justice could apply anti-trust laws to evergreened patents, setting a precedent for low-cost generic drugs. Banning pay-for-delay deals is even easier, as Congress can simply pass legislation outlawing such contracts. The solutions to the fundamental problems with America’s pharmaceutical industry lay just at our feet. If the people of this nation were to come together and demand that Congress enact these solutions, they would be taking an enormously important step to taking back control of their own drugs, and therefore their own lives.

“Philosophy: An Antiquated Method of Explanation”

By ELIO TORRES

Humankind’s earliest thinkers, as ancient written records indicate, were infatuated with existence and the desire to explain it. These fundamental concerns of humanity have been echoed throughout history, and philosophers have generally addressed these queries by providing their own interpretations: interpretations of human behaviors and thoughts that lack an explanation, or even at the time, seem inexplicable. Though we still have a widespread recognition of these philosophies, the strong scientific basis that lies at the core of contemporary understanding has provided more accurate answers to our concerns about reality and undermined the authority of philosophical thought. The idea of a select group of figures responsible for postulating humanity’s ultimate truths is elitist, because it goes against the standards of democracy and individualism that are fundamental to a balanced society. In researching a definition of philosophy to form a base for my thinking, I concluded that its definition is the subject of substantial disagreement, and that is part of the problem. The intentions and objectives of philosophy are obscure—they lack cer-

tainty. Besides asking questions about our existence and reality, there is little practical application for philosophy, not because its ideas do not carry any merit, but because by nature, there are no objectively correct answers in philosophy. This is not to say that

pose than speculation. In the current philosophical climate, philosophy also contradicts itself. Philosophy confuses truth and reason, often proposing one logical argument and then finding an argument to support the opposing side. In an

Philosophy is dangerously close to undermining scientific progress and modern values; as much as a pursuit of knowledge is important, recognize that philosophy is bound to fail the test of time. the quest for knowledge is unimportant—it is—but as written by Igmar Persson, a professor at the University of Oxford’s center for practical ethics, “there is rarely a singular coherent point that philosophy is working toward, and thus it is bound to be inconclusive.” While philosophers often turn to the point that it is the journey and the “grappling” with issues that make philosophy worthwhile, I find that “tackling” these issues yields a more utilitarian outcome: an outcome that in an age of information, has more immediate gratification and pur-

article published in the Pittston Education Chronicles, writer Kevin Steves argues, “The practice of contemporary philosophy implies not merely that there are two sides to every issue, but that there are two equally good sides.” This practice of having both an opinion and counter-opinion blurs the purpose of philosophy as a tool of reason and ultimately results in a lack of conclusivity. Philosophers like Plato and Aristotle earned their reputations in a world lacking scientific sophistication, a world that was desperate for intelligent minds

that could provide explanations for what could not be fathomed by ordinary men. It goes without saying that this desperation and lack of scientific knowledge no longer weighs down our greatest thinkers. The distinguished physicist Stephen Hawking claimed at a Google conference, “Scientists and new theories lead us to a new and very different picture of the universe and our place in it.” While philosophy is intellectually liberating and the discussion of its principles yields powerful conversation, it takes its roots in a time of idle speculation, while our modern society has scientific evidence and theories that offer more precise explanations. An example of such is philosophy’s contribution of creation stories, presumably fictional stories that seek to address our existence, and these have been disproven by tangible evidence and discoveries of the Earth’s true development. Alexander Spirkin, a Russian psychologist and author of “Philosophy as a Worldview and a Methodology,” proclaims, “Science and philosophy have always learned from each other [that] every major scientific discovery is at the same time a step forward in the development of the philosophical methodology.” Many philosophical statements are based on scientific conclu-

sions—the findings of Euclid, Newton, and Galileo, whose ideas would go on to be used as evidence by philosophers, for example—and this validates the assertion that science does not owe its existence to philosophy. The concept of philosophy has generally been confined to those in high social standing, and as a result, it is elitist and out of sync with our modern values. Humanity seems to care a lot about its existence and thus philosophers, the “self-proclaimed deciders” of human nature, have a lot of power. There are few philosophers whose names have become an archetype of the profession, and that is because only so many theories can be presented and accepted by the world. Each individual is respected, yes, but most come from a privileged social standing. In a contemporary society that prides itself on democracy and diversity, this noble ideal of a single individual preaching our invaluable truths cannot last. Philosophy is dangerously close to undermining scientific progress and modern values; as much as a pursuit of knowledge is important, recognize that philosophy is bound to fail the test of time.

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

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Opinions By ELENA HLAMENKO The recent spike in hate crimes, xenophobia, and religious intolerance in the U.S. reflects an undeniable trend: we are forgetting how to work together. So it’s unsurprising that corporate America invests over $8 billion every year into seminars teaching employees how to set aside their differences. “Diversity training” has been around for nearly eighty years, but only recently have its inherent shortfalls come to light. To deliver the ideas of diversity training in a digestible manner, training administrators rely on online courses, group activities, or a combination of both. According to the Harvard Business Review, the ultimate goal of such programs is to “facilitate positive intergroup interaction, reduce prejudice and discrimination, and generally teach individuals who are different from others how to work together effectively.” Following its introduction after World War II, a time during which returning male workers had to adjust to the influx of women in the workforce, diversity training attempted to combat issues stemming from racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination. In the present day, nearly half of all midsized companies continue to administer diversity training, with all Fortune 500 companies following suit. Through 30-minute to fullday classes, diversity training aims to reverse decades worth of prejudice, implicit bias, and unconscious perceptions among coworkers. Aside from the impracticality of relying on such an alarmingly short time span to solve problems rooted in the subconscious, the format of diversity training makes

A New Approach to Diversity Training

it improbable that significant change could take place at all. Questionnaires designed to be passed require little more than common sense to locate the correct answer, which makes diversity training mostly ingenuine and a waste of time. The little effort needed to succeed in such programs is reflects the shortfalls of current diversity training curricula used in the corporate world. As a result,

ing aspect of diversity training; by presenting biases as common and a pressing concern, employees may leave training with an exaggerated perception of the frequency and rampancy of biases amongst their coworkers. Researchers have also found that when people believe everybody else is biased, they feel free to be prejudiced themselves. In one study, a group of managers was told

ed over the past half-century points to the same conclusion: diversity training just doesn’t work. While a clear, universal alternative has yet to be popularized, certain initiatives taken by various corporations have shown early signs of success. In the previously lawsuitridden media company Bedia, diversity training was replaced with communication training for managers and executives,

Not only does exposure to existing labels and categories heighten employee awareness of potentially dormant yet harmful biases, but it also facilitates an environment of hyper-sensitivity where productivity, honesty, and trust are compromised for fear of offending a colleague. employees show resentment toward a program that preaches surface-level information they already know or can guess themselves. Diversity training is outright ineffective at eroding biases or encouraging a respectful company culture.

that stereotypes were rare, while another group was told that stereotypes were common. Both groups were then asked to evaluate male and female job candidates. The managers who were told that stereotypes were common were

leading to a 10-year-long halt in workplace discrimination lawsuits. What made Bedia so successful was their rejection of a blanket approach in addressing deep-seated issues; they tailored their diversity programs to build upon understanding

Incorporating communication, perspective role-playing, and goal-setting exercises into training curricula is more likely to make meaningful and lasting changes to discrimination in the workplace. Not only does exposure to existing labels and categories heighten employee awareness of potentially dormant yet harmful biases, but it also facilitates an environment of hypersensitivity where productivity, honesty, and trust are compromised for fear of offending a colleague. Other research has pointed to another concern-

more biased against women. In a similar manner, employees who are told their coworkers are inherently biased against them feel more comfortable making harmful judgements themselves. Why retain a moral high ground when that integrity is not present among your coworkers? Similar research conduct-

the impact of one’s actions. Incorporating communication, perspective role-playing, and goal-setting exercises into training curricula is more likely to make meaningful and lasting changes to discrimination in the workplace. More recently, Brian Welle, Google’s director of people analytics, has initiated a new type

of diversity training known as unconscious bias training which is used for avoiding the instillation of guilt and blame among its participants. As part of the workshop, Welle first introduces a presentation on the science of bias, stating, “Yes, we’re all biased. Yes, we’re all trying to fight it, and don’t worry—it isn’t your fault.” With this mindset, Welle believes that all discrimination, conscious or not, can be neutralized through awareness. As part of his workshop, Welle encourages employees to use consistent criteria to measure success, rely on data rather than on gut reactions when evaluating others, and most importantly, call out bias when they see it—even when the culprit is their own boss. Since the introduction of Welle’s workshop, about 75 percent of the 75,000 employees working at Google have taken the course, with other companies following suit. In the U.S. alone, around 20 percent of all companies now offer unconscious bias training, including almost all big tech firms. By some estimates, 50 percent of all American corporations will offer unconscious bias training in the near future. Though such training has yet to provide evidence of definitive success, the search from companies across the U.S. for diversity training alternatives is a welcome sight. Yet, large corporations will make few changes inside their workplaces if they were to bear the burden of alleviating tensions among different groups on their own. Smaller companies and local businesses must adopt similar programs in place of diversity training and must ultimately address their complacency and “checkmark” attitudes toward a broken system.

Revived Art

Emma Donnelly/ The Spectator

Jason Lin / The Spectator

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Opinions Give Black Trans Women Their Lives and Voices!

By JENNY HUANG

Muhlaysia Booker was threatened at gunpoint and suffered violent transphobic attacks by a mob on April 12, 2019 (The Dallas Morning News); her assault was videotaped and went viral on social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Thirty-six days later on May 18, The New York Times reported that Booker was found dead near a golf course in Dallas after having been fatally shot in the head in an unconnected attack. The brutality of Booker’s assault in the video inspired national outrage and horror over transgender violence; her unconnected murder cemented in the public eye the image of a battered young black trans body, rendered lifeless by the ceaseless transphobic abuse against trans women. The former shocked the public with its violence and grossly transphobic slurs; the latter is now keeping it fixated on the image of Booker’s lifeless body, with a gunshot wound in her head. Yet, the extent of violence toward black trans women should not be shocking. Black trans women have faced and continue to face stunningly disproportionate violence. The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has tracked more than 150 transgender deaths due to violence since 2013. Over two-thirds of the victims have been black trans women. 2019 has already seen at least 21 transgender or gender nonconforming individuals murdered, with a stunning 20 out of the 21 being black trans women. The HRC reported that Brianna Hill, murdered on October 14, was the latest victim of this antiblack, anti-trans violence. All this points to an ongoing trend of abuse toward the black trans women community, but black trans women’s vulnerability is only visible to us when there is gruesome violence or when the image of death is associated with their bodies. Without visible violence captured in a personal manner, black trans women remain invisible despite the fact that they

By JONATHAN SCHNEIDERMAN

Especially for non-philosophers, it can be difficult to talk about philosophy without sounding like something of a pompous ash. Even a philosophy professor can only use so many phrases like “categorical imperative” and “ontological argument for the existence of God” before it becomes insufferable. The reason for this difficulty is that philosophy has an extraordinarily broad scope. It encompasses issues like the meaning of life, the existence of God, and the whole field of ethics—which is to say, the question, “What’s the right thing to do?” But those issues are ones that, for better or for worse, humans have to tackle. And all humans do, indeed, answer them; one could not get through life without doing so. Their answers provide the foundation for all action and existence. What philosophy does is allow us to question and think critically and deeply about those

struggle at the intersection of racism, transphobia, and sexism every day. Transphobia is entrenched in our cisnormative—assuming that a person has a gender identity that matches their biological sex— and heteronormative culture, but black trans women are especially vulnerable because transphobia intersects other parts of their identities, exposing them to high risks of violence and depriving them of a safety net in the face of violence or partner abuse. Transgender people, for instance, face higher rates of unemployment,

to violence associated with sexual assault or harassment. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), black trans women also suffer extremely high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV). Black women suffer disproportionate deaths from IPV because of the intersection of racism against the black community, and sexism, both out of and within the community. Black feminist and writer Michelle Taylor writes in her article, “Why Black Women Struggle More With Domestic Violence,” that black women

both black men and women. Black trans women involved with intimate partner violence must deal with the intersection of their trans identity with the sexism and racism faced by black women. According to Adele Morrison, a professor of law, black trans women are quite far from society’s default image of a battered victim of abuse: a “white, heterosexual, middleclass woman.” As a result of their trans identity, they are even less likely to seek help from an abusive relationship than cisgender black women because of both

Transphobia is entrenched in our cisnormative— assuming that a person has a gender identity that matches their biological sex—and heteronormative culture, but black trans women are especially vulnerable because transphobia intersects other parts of their identity, exposing them to high risks of violence and depriving them of a safety net in the face of violence or partner

earn less than cisgender people, and face discriminatory housing practices due to transphobia. Many trans people also fail to finish schooling because they are unable to withstand the transphobic bullying that pervades schools. Hence, many trans individuals find themselves impoverished and lacking stable shelter, which puts them at a higher risk for transphobic violence. This risk of violence is compounded when the trans individual is a black woman, because black women are even more likely to be denied housing and employment because of racism. According to the HRC, while trans people are more than four times as likely than the general U.S. population to live in extreme poverty, black trans people are more than eight times as likely than the general population to find themselves in extreme poverty. This can translate to black trans women being forced to take up survival sex work that furthers their exposure

are less likely to seek help when abused by their partners. “Because many black women and men believe racism is a bigger issue than sexism, black women tend to feel obligated to put racial issues ahead of sex-based issues,” Taylor said. When the entire black community is oppressed under white supremacy, abused black women refuse to surrender their black partners to a system that operates against them as a whole. Despite still being deprived of essential rights, black men under patriarchy have gained few rights and claims—however limited these claims are—to their own bodies. They have done so in ways that black women will never be able to. Black women continue to struggle to gain the same rights extended to black men and grapple over the right to their own bodies. Male privilege and sexism continue to exercise violence on black women, who are oppressed by patriarchy but must stand against the racism that oppresses

their distrust in a racist authority and the risk of being criminalized even when they do seek help. In Kae Greenberg’s “Trans Women and Domestic Violence,” she states that the Department of Justice found that “members of the LGBT community complained that NOPD officers subject them to unjustified arrests for prostitution […] Police responding to domestic violence calls from trans women also have been known to profile them as sex workers and refuse to help.” In addition to potentially being criminalized as sex workers and refused help, black trans women fear that the police may refuse to acknowledge their transition and insist on misgendering them. The HRC’s efforts to track down black trans women victims of violence are often deterred by the police or the media’s insistence on misgendering and deadnaming, making it difficult to identify these victims who are known by a different name and gender af-

Philosophy Will Always Be Relevant

answers, to grapple with the issues rather than just tackle them. Reports of philosophy’s death ignore philosophy’s depth, tending instead to view it narrowly as a tool for finding knowledge of the universe’s absolute facts—its origins, its mechanics, et cetera— long since surpassed by science in usefulness. It’s not difficult to see where these reports are coming from: philosophy, literally defined in ancient Greek, can mean “love of wisdom.” But there is a lot more to life and thinking than narrow definitions and etymologies, and there’s a lot more to philosophy than mere knowledge. Take, for instance, ethics and morality. Science can aid us quite a bit in our studies of these ideas. For instance, psychology might tell us about the behavioral relationship between morality and empathy, but it does not tell us if morality really exists or, if it does, what it consists of; all it tells us is what motivates us to be moral, and that’s a very different thing— or maybe it isn’t, but arguing that

it is would require some philosophy. Philosophy does more than deal with questions that science can’t answer: it gives science the tools and methods it needs to function, and the justification it needs to exist. The European Scientific Revolution of the 17th century was much more than simply a revolution in known facts: the massive increase in knowledge that it wrought was brought on by a change in how people thought about knowledge—that is, a philosophical change into a more empirically-based paradigm. And the centrality of falsifiable hypotheses to the scientific method was introduced in the mid-20th century by philosopher Karl Popper. Science may cover facts, but philosophy covers the nature of facts and what makes them knowable. There are limits to philosophy’s usefulness to science. The late, great physicist Stephen Hawking made headlines a few years before his passing when he

told a Google conference that “philosophy is dead.” His argument, while ultimately wrong, was not entirely without merit: developments in physics over the past half-century in areas like quantum mechanics have challenged conventional thinking about the nature of reality itself. What Einstein called “spooky action at a distance”—a derisive term for entanglement, which is the idea that objects can have direct effects on the fundamental properties of other objects across the universe to which they are “entangled”—is now the scientific consensus. But these developments have not changed how most people—or at least most people whom I’ve encountered— think about philosophy. Hawking’s adherents would do well to remember that science owes its foundation to philosophy. This is not just a statement of history—the divergence of philosophy and science as disciplines is a relatively recent development—but of contemporary

ter transition. Compounded by the lack of alternative housing options and poverty, black trans women remain entrapped by their abusers and violence. Black trans women are at high risks of violence daily because of the way transphobia interacts with racism and sexism. Yet, we are unaware of the violence they face until we witness their violent ends. Booker’s death was so impactful because it forced us to witness the sickening violence and abuse up close, albeit through the lens of a cell phone camera. But the deaths of black trans women have since become increasingly silent because of the lack of visible violence. To prevent the disproportionately high deaths of black trans women, their struggles against transphobia, compounded by racism and sexism on a daily basis, must be addressed and made visible. While violent murders provoke understandable outrage, public and media attention should shift to ongoing black transgender struggles. Non-discrimination laws should be more strictly enforced in shelters and workplaces, and the police should be held to higher standards of bias training to provide black trans women with alternatives or help in the face of violence. In addition, police and media must stop their misgendering and deadnaming of trans victims. More government funding should be set aside to support LGBTQ justice centers and communities that actively provides LGBTQ individuals with the resources and desperate safety net they need when they have nowhere else to turn to. While there should be more funding to support black justice organizations, these organizations also have an obligation toward both black women and black trans women, who are often abused by their misogynistic partners but silenced by the racist authorities. The vulnerabilities of black trans women should not be told through hypervisible violence and end with their deaths; black trans women should live to tell their stories with their own loud and visible voices.

fact. Why is the scientific method the best way to learn about the universe? Why, indeed, is learning about the universe even a worthwhile pursuit? These philosophical questions are fundamental to the existence of science. If the answer to either is “it isn’t,” then science either cannot exist in its current form or shouldn’t exist in the first place. And let us avoid the arrogance of thinking that we’re done with philosophy because we’ve answered all these questions. Our answers aren’t final—they’re part of a much larger, overarching dialectic. Indeed, Popper’s all-important falsifiability is now being questioned by some philosophers of science. If there were more to life than the ruthless pursuit of knowledge, then philosophy would still have a place. If there weren’t, we would need philosophy to explain exactly why that is the case. In any event, philosophy is necessary, and we’d be pretty forking lost without it.

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Page 13

Science By ARTHUR LIANG Azra Raza, an oncologist at Columbia University, has recently published her second book, “The First Cell: And the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last.” Having lost her husband and many of her patients to cancer, she incorporates her firsthand experience into her book, describing “how hard it is to reconcile compassion with science and hope with realism.” She examines the way oncologists in the U.S. currently treat cancer and simultaneously looks ahead, discussing what she thinks future treatment may come to be and how we should strive to arrive there. Raza describes how ineffective current cancer treatments are, citing the statistical ineffectiveness of chemotherapy against metastatic cancers despite its hefty price, which averages around $100,000 per year of treatment. It gives false hope to desperate and suffering fami-

By GERARD LIN Meet Mila Makovec, an eight-year-old living in Colorado with her mother Julia. Mila had been like any other toddler until she lost her ability to see, eat, and even hold up her head on her own. Julia learned in December 2016 that her daughter had a disease called Batten disease, a rapidly progressing neurological disorder. Mila began having symptoms of Batten disease when she was three years old. She suffered up to 30 seizures a day and required the use of a feeding tube to survive. Strangely, Mila only had one defective, disease-causing gene instead of the two usually needed for Batten to manifest. Dr. Timothy Yu and his colleagues at Boston Children’s Hospital found an explanation for this anomaly in March 2017. They discovered that, despite possessing a fully intact second gene, the gene had a small piece of extra DNA at the end that interfered with the production of an important protein, which led to the development of Batten disease. Three years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

By SHAH NABIL Since the beginning of civilization, humanity has always strived to advance to the next level. From the development of irrigation systems to the creation of artificial intelligence, we’ve always been at work trying to make our lives as efficient and our tools as advanced as possible. Yet we may very well come to a point where the energy available on Earth (whether derived from fossil fuels or alternative sources) is simply not enough to meet human needs. This is where the idea of the Dyson swarm comes into play. The Dyson swarm is a derivative of the Dyson sphere, a conceptual megastructure first theorized by Freeman Dyson. The idea of the Dyson sphere involves the large-scale collection of solar energy for human use through the construction of

Are We Treating Cancer Wrong?

lies, who are sometimes even willing to dip into life savings for the aforementioned treatments which may, at best, grant only a few more years of life. Raza quotes research done in the U.S., mentioning that “42.4 percent of the 9.5 million cancer cases had lost all of their life savings within two-plus years.” She poses the question as to whether a couple of more months or years on the ventilator are worth a family’s life savings. The patient’s opinion should be considered too. Keeping them on the ventilator may make them feel like a burden—a burden that’s dragging the family down but could easily be lifted. Associating the emotional loss of a loved one with the loss of physical value may only make it harder to move on. This also substantiates the possibility that public sentiment may tend toward an ill perception of doctors, as radicals who believe that current medicine is not worth such immense amounts of money are sure to

voice their opinions. Additionally, Raza mentions that the many stories of those who die are overlooked, whereas the story of the occasional miraculous survivor is almost always far-reaching. These stories mislead the general public into believing the fantastical notion that medical science, in its current state, can really cure anyone and anything. Raza also calls out modern molecular biologists as being arrogant and self-assured of their own abilities. Her explicitness is her way of encouraging people to explore other possible treatments or more effective paths. To comprehensively improve cancer treatment, Raza suggests allocating more funds into researching the first cancer cell and early changes before a tumor develops. This underemphasis on late-stage and metastatic cancer research implies Raza’s strong position on giving up on “incurable cancers”—the idea that doctors should take

patients off of their ventilators at that point of incurability. This new way of looking at how we treat cancer requires a huge leap to be socially accepted in a country like the U.S., which generally has an “optimistic culture and a commercially driven health care system.” Doctors, including Raza, often develop an emotional connection with their patients, trying to give them hope for life while explaining the realities of their conditions. They operate again and again under the protection of the law and at the request of ignorant, bereaved families. This, however, only postpones the inevitable day that the doctors spell out the truth to them: that the patient’s cancer is incurable. This ultimately leads to what Raza believes is the main problem with the U.S.’s way of treating cancer: “grotesque overtreatment of very sick people.” Though Raza’s concern over the treatment of late-stage cancer patients is very much a real

Milasen: The First Custom Drug

approved Spinraza, a drug that treats spinal muscular atrophy, another rare neurodegenerative disease. Spinraza works by blocking the effects of the gene mutation that causes spinal muscular atrophy. Dr. Yu believed that he could make a custom version of Spinraza for Mila by adapting Spinraza’s active ingredient to block the extra DNA Mila had. In just 10 months, Dr. Yu created and delivered “milasen,” named after the only person who would ever receive it. Within just one month of treatment, Mila’s mother noticed that her daughter’s condition was less severe. Mila experienced fewer and shorter seizures with each passing day. After continued treatment, Mila experienced zero to six seizures a day, many of which did not last for long. Now, she rarely needs her feeding tube and can eat pureed foods. Though Mila is still unable to stand on her own, she can hold her neck and back straight when held upright. Though milasen will not cure her Batten, it will help stop the progression of the disease and prevent Mila’s untimely death. Despite the happy ending to Mila’s story, the creation of the

first “custom drug” raises many ethical questions. Many of these questions lie in the fairness of custom drugs. Pharmaceutical and insurance companies have little incentive to spend time and money researching and developing a drug that would be taken by only one person. The burden of paying for the creation and use of such a drug would therefore fall on the family of the patient. In Mila’s case, her mother managed to raise enough money to fund her daughter’s treatment. However, not every family can do so. Only families who can gain the support of foundations or raise large sums of money would have custom drugs as an option for treatment. The possibility of custom drugs creates a greater disparity between the rich and the poor, where the rich would have access to these drugs while the poor would be shut out completely. Currently, scientists do not have the technology to produce custom drugs quickly and cheaply. Developing all-new medicines, therefore, takes huge amounts of time: regular drugs take a decade to develop, with many of those years spent on clinical trials. For custom drugs,

there is no need for repetitive safety trials, as only one person will receive them at a time. However, the efficacy of a custom drug cannot be measured for the same reason. A patient may wait for several years for their drug to be developed, only to find that it barely improves their quality of life. The onset of custom drugs also brings up the uncomfortable notion of queues. It is difficult to determine who should have their potential cure developed first and therefore receive their drugs first. There are many factors in making this decision, such as the number of people with the disease or the severity of it, as well as the life expectancy of a person with a certain disease. A disease with many patients would appeal to researchers seeking a treatment plan, as a custom treatment for one person could be adapted for another person with the same or similar disease. In an ideal world, each person with a rare disease would receive the treatment they deserve. However, in the pharmaceutical world, one governed by money, this creates a dilemma in which certain groups of patients would be left without treatment

The Dyson Swarm: Humanity’s Future?

a massive megastructure around the Sun, built with energy-absorbing materials. The Dyson sphere, however, would not be the optimal way to capture a star’s energy due to the exorbitantly high cost of creating a mostly solid sphere around the Sun—a project most likely too expensive for the resources of all nations on Earth, let alone any one country. The Dyson swarm is more plausible, as it would essentially involve individual solar panels surrounding the Sun and absorbing its light energy into solar collectors for practical use. Furthermore, this would minimize the amount of materials needed and provide a more stable structure than a project like the Dyson sphere. The primary benefit of building the Dyson swarm is that it would provide an enormous amount of energy compared to what we as a species produce annually. According to Ibrahim

Semiz and Salim Ogur, who work at the Department of Physics at a Turkish university, “[The Dyson swarm] would receive all the power of the Sun, 3.8 × 1026 W, in contrast to the power intercepted by Earth, 1.7 × 1017 W.” Fundamentally, the Dyson swarm would provide us with a critical source of energy that would neither harm our environment nor run out for the foreseeable future. A paper published by Stuart Armstrong and Anders Sandberg goes into the specifics on how to accomplish building the Dyson swarm. Their idea is to acquire the materials from the metal-rich planet Mercury to produce the solar panels and collectors by building a planetary base there. Then, an automated process would send the finished parts to orbit the Sun to be assembled later in space. The energy needed to start the process could continuously be supplemented by using the

Sun’s energy at Mercury through these solar panels. As a result, the creation of the solar panels would exponentially increase, as each one would power the automation process to create another, then the two would power two more, and within a mere decade, we would be able to encircle our entire star with solar panels. If we are able to construct the Dyson swarm, it would launch us to a Type II civilization: a society that can control a star’s energy. This is part of the Kardashev scale, which was created by Nikolai Kardashev to measure a civilization’s level of scientific advancement in terms of energy. As of right now, we are at Type I civilization, and the Dyson swarm brings the potential of going into Type II. With the Dyson swarm, we could easily power the energy needed to travel to other planets, and the time it takes for new technological developments and ideas

problem, she does gloss over new lines of research being published today. For example, extensive research on cancer immunotherapy is extremely promising, with many new signals, proteins, and viruses with positive medical implications being found on a regular basis. Just last month, a study was published in the peer-reviewed journal “Immunity,” which described the discovery of a virus engineered to kill tumor cells and support immune cells. Clearly, there is no one straightforward path researchers should go down to find the sure-fire way to combat or even approach cancer. Cancer researchers hoping to one day cure all cancers have an arduous journey ahead of them, requiring the collaboration of both brilliance and open-mindedness, but Raza’s “The First Cell” shines a disturbing light on the culture of cancer treatment in a commercialized and massproduced society.

options. The ultra-rich would be unaffected once again since they would be able to pay their way through treatment. “Abandoning” patients whose diseases are unprofitable could very well lead to social tensions resulting from the unfair distribution of healthcare. However, there is still hope for personalized drugs. The advent of new medical innovations has given hope to those suffering from rare genetic diseases. Researchers have understood the functions of obscure sections of the human genome in genetic diseases, and this knowledge may one day lead to accessible treatments. The FDA has acknowledged the significance of personalized medicine by integrating it into their regulatory policies. The FDA has also outlined steps they would have to take to include genetic and biomarker information for clinical use and drug development. Mila’s story has become one of hope for those suffering from rare diseases. Despite the ethical questions surrounding custom drugs, proof of concept has been shown, which is all that is needed to give hope to millions of families around the world.

to be made would lessen with an essentially infinite power source. There are several drawbacks and obstacles to the creation of the Dyson swarm: the possible disagreements and conflicts between countries due to political issues that would distract us from construction and the amount of technical innovation from automation needed to complete the process. The project may well take centuries to complete, which brings the possibility that the project may never be started. However, if in the future we were to work together as human beings striving to advance our species, then the Dyson swarm would be an efficient way of jump-starting it. The potential benefits of building the Dyson swarm would pave the way for expansion toward other planets in the solar system and allow for more technological innovation, turning what is now science fiction into reality.

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Arts and Entertainment Television By JULIE GRANCHAMPDESRAUX Last summer, Netflix aired “Insatiable,” one of its most controversial shows after accusations of being fatphobic and homophobic. The show follows Patty Bladell (Debby Ryan) as she struggles with bullying for being fat. But after being punched by a homeless man and having her jaw wired shut for three months, Patty loses a ton of weight, leaving her thin and “beautiful.” While meant to be funny, the show’s first season stirred up controversy as thousands of fans were left offended by lines like “I was at home, stuffing another hole,” “I just figured everyone would think I’m a slut. Now they think I’m a lesbian and that’s way worse,” and “Bisexuals don’t actually exist.” In addition, the use of a fat suit to depict Patty and the insulting portrayal of her obsession with food enraged viewers. Despite all the controversy, if Netflix was looking for a way to redeem itself after “Insatiable”’s first season, they definitely found it with season two. This season follows Patty as she tries her best to win pageants, fight her food addiction, and not go to jail for homicide. Season two picks up right after season one, with Patty and her pageant coach, Bob Armstrong (Dallas Roberts), attempting to dispose of the body of a major character in season one, whom Patty murdered. This is the first time viewers get to see the extent of Patty’s issues; prior to this moment, Patty mainly dealt with her body image and eating disorders. Patty’s first murder sets the stage for season two, as Patty finds herself being accused of crimes she did not commit, and desperately trying to cover up the ones she did. As Patty competes in pageants as a way of coping with her first murder, she continues to struggle with food. Though originally in denial about actually having an eating disorder, Patty listens to her best friend Nonnie (Kimmy Shields) and attends Overeaters Anonymous meetings, where she discovers her depression causes her obsession with food. The way in which the show tackled eating disorders in season two was much more developed than their approach in season one. In the latter, Patty’s issues were merely established. Depicted as constantly binge eating and blaming all her problems on being fat, Patty’s character had upset many viewers. This season, writers established several important points such as how eating disorders—or any disorders—aren’t the same for everyone. Dee Marshall (Ashley D. Kelley), Patty’s sponsor in OA, is the first person to explain to Patty that her issues are valid regardless of the way that they present themselves. She tells Patty that she doesn’t have to be incredibly skinny or throw up everything she eats to have an eating disorder. This information goes against what Patty has believed in: she feels as though her obsession with food can’t be a problem since it doesn’t fit the traditional ways in which people define eating disorders.

Finally Satiated

Writers also prioritized the discussion of mental health through the OA meetings and Patty’s reflection on her actions and how they influence her eating habits. By being honest with herself, Patty is able to make some progress when she’s with her sponsor. Instead of starving and punishing herself like she used to, she starts to understand why she does these things and stops doing so. She realizes the difference between eating because of hunger and eating because of emotional stress. These moments of progress, however, clash with moments that force Patty to fall back to square one: Every time she loses a pageant, upsets someone, or gets stressed out, Patty turns to food, throwing her progress out the window. While the show mainly focuses on eating disorders, it also touches on topics like the struggles of biraciality in America, overcoming anxiety, and gender nonconformity. One of my favorite scenes was when Magnolia Barnard (Erinn Westbrook), who is half black and half white, lashes out at two other black girls after they made her feel like she was never accepted in black or white communities due to her being biracial. Even though she had a black mother, growing up with a white father meant she was never actually accepted by other black kids for not being “black enough.” As the demographics of biracial Americans continue to grow, more people can relate to the feeling a detachment to one’s identity. Watching that frustration finally be expressed on TV resonated with me and was refreshing. What makes the show especially interesting is how well it balances its dark aspects with bits of comedy. While Patty might’ve killed many people by the end of season two, several subplots are born to lighten the mood. For example, Coralee HuggensArmstrong (Alyssa Milano), Bob Armstrong’s wife, starting a tampon company called “Tampazzle,” whose tampon products are attached with tassels so that tampons can be found, distracts from the fact that pageant girls are dying left and right. Dixie Sinclair (Irene Choi) finding out that her mother, Regina Sinclair (Arden Myrin), actually kidnapped her from a mall takes the spotlight off of a character who was thought to be dead but suddenly reappears in the show. These side stories, though somewhat ridiculous and crazy, are crazy enough to keep things funny, especially as Patty begins to deal with a mysterious pageant killer who seems to be killing anyone who beats Patty in competitions. At first, Netflix’s “Insatiable” seemed like it would never be liked among audiences for its insensitive comments on weight and sexuality. However, by balancing out its funny and dark aspects, representing characters of different ethnicities and sexualities, and tackling various societal issues in positive ways, the second season of “Insatiable” seems to have been the perfect form of redemption for the show’s ignorance in season one.

Film By JACQUELINE THOM Black and white. Square frame. Grainy film. It sounds like a piece from the early days of cinema where, soundlessly, people of the past move rigidly across the screen. “The Lighthouse” emulates that, though it has its fair share of dramatic dialogue and overwhelming sound. Utilizing archaic techniques summarizes the film’s personality: old-fashioned, chaotic (good), and uneasy. “The Lighthouse” is only director Robert Eggers’ second feature film, but it shows off a mastery of experimental filmmaking that can only be described as intensely cerebral. The movie immediately dunks viewers into the sea just as main characters Winslow (Robert Pattinson) and Thomas (Willem Dafoe) get ready to land on an isolated New England island. They waste no time taking over the shifts of two faceless lighthouse keepers and dumping out the contents of their singular trunk in their quarters. All the while, there’s a piercing, blaring foghorn in the distance—think AT-ATs from “Star Wars” (1977)—that rarely fades out. It’s not long before Winslow starts seeing visions: a mermaid, body parts, and tentacles within the lighthouse’s lantern room. The first part of the movie goes by fast and with few oddities. Thomas dominates, quickly claiming lighthouse duty for himself, doing the cooking and bookkeeping, and yelling at Winslow to get a move on. Winslow does his tasks slowly, with a consistently forlorn look that overshadows his drooping mustache. He cleans the island’s barren buildings, transports barrows of coal to refuel the light, lugs around barrels of kerosene, and performs whatever extra duties Thomas dumps on him. Nothing is out of the ordinary, except for Winslow’s repeated encounters with a one-eyed seagull and observations of Thomas stripping naked in the lantern room every night. The latter is a clear warning: all is not as it seems, though Winslow never confronts Thomas about his strange behavior, instead begrudgingly carrying on with his work. It’s clear the two men don’t get along, but their required month on duty together passes quickly. It’s only when they’re met with a raging storm that prevents them from leaving do things get outrageously out of hand. Eerily, the air conditioning in the small theater picked up at the same time as the storm. To distract myself from the cold, I focused even harder on the screen, accidentally making myself more uneasy and claustrophobic as the black borders seemed to close around the increasingly drunk Winslow and Thomas. Whereas Winslow had at first steadfastly refused to drink with Thomas during dinner, their newfound situation as wickies stuck at sea

Beware the Lighthouse with only liquor for extra rations soon reveals Winslow to be an avid drinker. His layers of mysteriousness and quiet fly off. His desolate look is replaced with artificial brightness and energy from the alcohol. Even his previously carefully trimmed mustache and stubble grows wild. Thomas takes advantage of all this, engaging Winslow in raucous sea shanties and jigs throughout the film that emphasize Thomas’ gritty Somerset and Pattinson’s light Northern Irish/American Midwestern accents. Thus ensues a film that turns into a surprising tale of identity and masculinity amid the throes of insanity. As evidenced by the grimy turtlenecks and wool coats, we’re in the 19th century. There’s none of the focus on femininity like in Eggers’ “The Witch” (2015). Coinciden-

Serena Chan / The Spectator

tally, there was also an overwhelming male presence in the theater to match the onscreen ones. I can only wonder if it made the sensuality of the movie that much more disturbing. From the get-go, Winslow masturbates ceaselessly while holding up a mermaid scrimshaw that he finds in his mattress. Thomas refers to the lighthouse as a quiet wife and gets naked in the lantern room while breathing hard and staring bug-eyed at the light. Later, when the movie finally reveals Winslow’s tainted past from when he was a timberman in Canada, Winslow blacks out while nearly punching Thomas to death. He imagines himself inside the preVictorian mermaid (two tails and a vagina) he envisioned earlier. Each time, the sound effects are crisp, too crisp. Winslow’s phlegmy grunts, Thomas’ numerous farts, and the ocean waves truly make it feel like there is no escape. The sound design is almost unanimous with film composer Mark Korven’s collection of sirens and what I can only describe as pseudo-Chewbacca moaning. It is not unlike György Ligeti’s “Requiem,” which accompanies a majority of “2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968). While the film’s eroticness is a major part of it, it’s by no means done just for the sake of having erotica. It’s instead a clever way of discussing identity. When we learn that Winslow’s quiet demeanor is a mask for his troubled state of mind—forlorn gazes are suddenly violent—it’s easy to see Winslow’s lack of identity. He reels against Thomas’ fullblown dedication to wickie life and waves away the old man’s superstition about seagulls. In one scene, Winslow ventures up to the locked lantern room while Thomas is on duty. We can only see Thomas’ bare feet and hear the hint of groans. Something slimy drips through the grates past Winslow. But then the sexual innuendo becomes monstrous when Winslow sees, or rather

imagines, Thomas transforming into a giant, barnacled, squid-like creature whose tentacles block out the light of the lantern. Winslow is so caught up in his own world that whenever he encounters something that he can’t bear, his mind translates such scenes into visions that match his sense of discord. After continuously being pestered by a one-eyed seagull, Winslow slings the bird into the rocks with voracity, unheeding of Thomas’ warnings that killing seagulls is bad luck. Later, a scene akin to the axe-wielding one in “The Shining” (1980) takes place. Winslow comes out on top, but quickly succumbs to the consequences of raging isolation. The film ends with Winslow finally seeing what the lantern looks like. Like a moth, he reaches toward it, just as bug-eyed as Thomas was in the beginning, but unlike Thomas, dies in the process. Cut to W i n slow, still alive but barely breathing, intestines strewn across the rocks while seagulls peck at his steaming innards in a Prometheus-esque ending. Like the one-eyed seagull he killed, now Winslow is reduced to the same pulpy state with only a singular eye to see his death coming. It hints that Winslow really was depraved this whole time. Feeling guilty about the mysterious events of his timberman past, he kills Thomas in a fit of bottled-up rage that is evident throughout the film, and then proceeds to starve to death after his rations run out from being stranded for so long. I watched “The Lighthouse” with a friend and at the movie’s conclusion, we had vastly different reactions. My friend questioned the reality of the whole thing. It seemed unfathomable that being isolated with someone could induce such murderous reactions. I disagreed. When the only characters are two irritable men, a fictitious mermaid, and an enigma of a lighthouse, accompanied with a lot of alcohol, it becomes clear that there is absolutely no certainty in the film. Even the moments when Winslow and Thomas seem to be getting along well hint at a brewing tension underneath. The climax is when their quarters flood on the storm’s last raging day, another sexual metaphor, and the end of a long one-time connection. If this wasn’t enough, Thomas claimed that his previous lighthouse partner died shortly after losing his sanity. Just like Winslow eventually does. “The Lighthouse” is confusing as hell, and I wouldn’t blame you if nothing in this review makes sense even with all the spoilers. I highly suggest watching it yourself though, as the experience is eye-opening, cerebral, and psychologically chilling. Surprisingly enough, the film is also enjoying a wide release despite its art house roots, which means it’s probably watchable.

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Page 15

Arts and Entertainment Confederate Generals and Culture Wars: playlist Rumors of Wars Displays a New OverwhelmAmerican Hero of the public would. What I felt that the entertainers and advertis- direct allusion to General J.E.B. ingly Rock during my visit remains powerful, ers were there, as they are a staple Stuart’s monument on Monuif slightly muddled by the ambi- of Times Square, whether New ment Avenue, Virginia. Many ence of a very average day in New Yorkers enjoy or despise their have called for this statue to be and Teen York. company, and it would’ve been an torn down because Stuart was a The massive sculpture, made odd experience if they weren’t. Confederate general who fought of what I assume is dark stone The title of the installation for the right to own slaves. Those Angst or plaster, depicts a black man “Rumors of War” is a Biblical who called for the removal of the

Thinkpiece By JAVED JOKHAI

Fashion By SAMIRA ESHA The ‘90s is one of the most memorable decades for fashion. From grunge to preppy to street style, the ‘90s had numerous fashion subcultures. The resurgence of these trends has resulted in a new clothing item making a comeback almost every month. Many people wear ‘90s inspired clothing in their everyday lives without even knowing it. From ‘90s TV shows to music videos, we have picked up countless fashion trends from the ‘90s, and it looks like this era will continue to influence the fashion of at least another decade. Mom Jeans: From Urban Outfitters to your local thrift store, mom jeans can be found almost everywhere. Just a few years ago, skinny jeans were everyone’s goto denim option. In 2003, “Saturday Night Live” popularized the phrase “mom jeans” in one of their sketches. They emphasized in particular the high zipper and the fact that only older women wore them. From that sketch alone, mom jeans were deemed uncool. But for the past few years, teenagers have transitioned to the more comfortable, baggier option of denim jeans. They come high-waisted and in several different washes of denim. Famous models, including Bella and Gigi Hadid, often include mom jeans in their “model offduty” looks on the streets of Los

in modern streetwear and Nikes striking a heroic stance atop a mighty horse, which is placed on a giant rectangular pedestal of

allusion to the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 24:6 states, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not

Javed Jokhai / The Spectator

Black men in 1692 were not allowed to own horses, much less ride them. Isaac Murphy became the first black horse jockey to be inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1955. And, in 2019, world-renowned artist Kehinde Wiley displays his first piece of public art in Times Square, a sculpture of a black man dressed in streetwear posing boldly on a horse. Kehinde Wiley is one of the most prominent figures in the art scene right now, despite not being a household name. He is known for depicting average African Americans and more recently, people of color from other nations in ways that are usually reserved for high-status Caucasians. Though his name has yet to be in the public’s collective conscious, his work is surely recognizable. Wiley’s most noteworthy work to date is his White-House-commissioned painting of President Obama. A month ago, two statues posed gallantly for the tourists enjoying the lively ambience at the heart of Times Square: one of New York infantry soldier and Catholic priest, Francis P. Duffy; and one of composer, playwright, producer, and actor, George M. Cohan. As of right now though, there might as well be one statue, since both of these statues seem miniscule and irrelevant compared to Wiley’s newest installation, “Rumors of War.” The piece was theatrically introduced on September 27. Hundreds of artists, tourists, journalists, high-profile figures, and proud black Americans gathered at the monumental unveiling event, which was serenaded by Malcolm X Shabazz High School’s marching band. I decided to go after the hullabaloo, so I could experience the piece in the same way most

granite where the piece’s name is engraved. The colossal size of the statue gives the subject a mythic stature which is elevated by both the powerful gaze of the man as he looks behind him and his one-handed grip of the horse’s tether. Despite the statue’s grandiosity, it has more or less been absorbed into the background of New York. People sit on its foundation, resting, looking at their phones, and ignoring what towers above them. Seeing as it would be a place that many tourists would congregate around, the statue was surrounded by entertainers in costume and those paid to hand out leaflets for bus tours. I would be lying if I said that the aggressive business tactics didn’t, in some small way, lessen the weight of the experience. Yet I was glad

alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” The verse serves as a description of the man depicted in the sculpture. His face is turned as though he had heard something, presumably the rumors of war, but his face remains calm and fearless. This begs the question, “What war are the rumors referring to?” The war could be construed not as literal combat but a “cultural war,” a buzzword used by both the left and right. A cultural war is a conflict between those of different ideals: one is currently being fought in America as it grapples with its bloody and racist history. This way of dealing with the past often manifests itself in equestrian statues, clearly not unbeknownst to Wiley. “Rumors of War” is also a

monument argue that the statue idealizes those who hoped to subjugate and oppress people of color as well as the racist ideals of America’s past. The opposition to this claim is that no matter how ugly, the past is part of America’s history and has a right to remain there as such. However, the choice between maintaining the status quo and erasing the past is a false dichotomy, as Kehinde Wiley demonstrates. “Rumors of War” represents a third option: recognition and revision. Wiley’s statue does not hope to erase the work that it was based upon. In fact, the impact of “Rumors of War” relies on knowledge of the Stuart statue that romanticizes racism. The work instead aims to codify the new progressive ideals of America. If I were to work with the presumption that the man depicted in the statue serves as a metaphor for the black American community, the way he looks behind himself embodies this message: He looks at what he was moved past gallantly and remains dauntless. To ride a horse is a demonstration of power according to the American canon. It was an act meant for cowboys and generals, people who the public considered great—at least in the canon. Even if I were to acknowledge that these heroes were meant to inspire people that don’t look like me, I don’t believe that yanking these idols off their high horse would help me in any way. As artists like Kehinde Wiley demonstrate, our new America requires new heroes of all creeds, races, and nationalities to inspire us.

The Comeback of ’90s Fashion Angeles. Mom jeans are definitely cool and are not just for moms to wear. Fanny Packs: Everyone has seen that one picture of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson with a chain, black turtleneck, and most importantly, iconic fanny pack. This picture has become somewhat of a meme now, and many were quick to call the fanny pack “ugly.” First seen in 1954 in “Sports Illustrated,” fanny packs were advertised as a way for athletes to carry items around their waists to eliminate the stress of a backpack. They became a popular fashion item in the ‘90s, but after that, they were only worn ironically. Now fanny packs are an essential for any concert or music festival because they allow you to dance your heart out without worrying about your belongings. This comeback has caught the eye of several big name brands such as Adidas, Patagonia, and Gucci. They come in several different shapes and colors and can be worn around the waist or over the shoulder. The versatility and function of this bag are what make this item a fashion statement. Plaid: Both Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) in “Clueless” (1995) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) from “Friends” (19942004) have worn their fair share of plaid-patterned clothing. Plaid can be printed on many different clothing items from button-up

shirts to mini skirts. The popularity of this pattern is largely due to the fact that it matches with so many different styles of clothing. Red plaid pants could be paired with a grunge look, while a plaid mini skirt could be used in a “soft” look. Fall, a season that is commonly associated with plaid, is a great time to start incorporating it into your wardrobe. Scrunchies: Commonly associated with “VSCO” girls, scrunchies are no doubt the most popular hair accessory at the moment. Walking down the hallways of any high school, you’ll find scrunchies on high ponytails or around wrists. Popularized in the ‘80s, scrunchies remained trendy into the next decade, fitting both casual and colorful looks. However, after the ‘90s, scrunchies disappeared for a while and were replaced by hair elastics—until now. Scrunchies are popular again due to their convenience. Scrunchies allow you to put your hair up into a high ponytail without pulling it. Notably, in the hit movie “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” (2018), Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) gives her scrunchie to Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) to show the people at their school they’re dating. From movies to Tik Toks, it’s clear that scrunchies have found their way back into pop culture. Bucket Hats: The summer

of 2019 marked the return of the bucket hat. These funky-looking hats come in many patterns and can be found at any price point. Not only have they reached the wardrobes of everyday people, but they have also been seen on the rich and famous. Just last month, black bucket hats were seen paired with all different kinds of outfits on the runways of Paris Fashion Week at the Dior show. Designer Nina Ricci put her own personal twist on the trend and put models on the runway in actual buckets that were made into hats. Kendall Jenner was also seen with a black bucket hat in late February 2019 on the streets of New York City, which conveniently blocked her face from paparazzi. So, if you’re ever having a bad hair day, a bucket hat is a fashionable and easy way to cover that up. Alongside the trends mentioned, there are several other ‘90s fashion items that have crept into this decade. A large part of this comeback is due to the ‘90s music, films, and television shows that are relevant to this day. As the last defining decade of the 20th century, the ‘90s make people nostalgic and hopeful for a revival. Go to your local thrift store, scavenge through your parent’s old clothes, and immerse yourself in the clothing of the ‘90s.

By THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DEPARTMENT “You don’t get it, do you? Society nods its head at any horror the American teenager can think to bring upon itself.” ight For Your Right Beastie Boys Rock Alien Boy Oliver Tree Alternative Rock Fell In Love With A Girl The White Stripes Rock Smells Like Teen Spirit Nirvana Grunge Rock Tired of Living and Scared of Dying Negative XP Punk Rock Why Do You Feel So Down Declan McKenna Indie Pop Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea Fall Out Boy Rock C7osure (You Like) Lil Nas X Alternative Rock Trapdoor Twenty One Pilots Pop Rock Generational Synthetic Beach Fossils Chill Rock California YUNGBLUD Alternative Rock Here Alessia Cara Pop changes XXXTENTACION Rap Ballad Salt Bad Suns Pop Sixteen Blue The Replacements Punk Rock Mr. Brightside The Killers Alternative Rock

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Arts and Entertainment Television

By JACQUELINE THOM “A u u u u h g h g h ghnnnnnnnuhnnnnnnauuuughhhwaaahhumphhhhhghhhh!” This is the first line we hear in Paul Rudd’s new Netflix show “Living With Yourself.” It’s a memorable one, and a line that immediately lets viewers know what kind of show they’re watching. While Rudd is merely making a loud sound of fear, to us, it is a scream of anguish, hurt, regret, and even a little hilarity: themes which form the whole premise of the show. “Living With Yourself ” chronicles the debacle that ensues after Miles Elliot, an ordinary man whose work life and relationship with his wife are deteriorating, decides to go to a mysterious spa that is supposed to make him, and therefore his life, perfect. After a “small” mishap, Elliot wakes up from his spa treatment to realize that he’s been cloned, and there’s not enough in his life to go around. If a spa that purports to make you into your perfect self doesn’t already sound pretty crazy, writer and creator Timothy Greenberg makes it all the more so by creating a cast of comically serious but realistic characters. Elliot is familiar to all of us: he’s unkempt, constantly tired and confused, and feels like he’s

Television By MORRIS RASKIN WARNING: SPOILERS Everything Is Fine Ever since those words first appeared on viewers’ screens in 2016, audiences all over the world have been captivated by the supernatural sitcom “The Good Place,” a unique show that deals with the ethics of the afterlife. The series focuses on Eleanor Shellstrop, a small town woman from Arizona with a big problem: She is dead. Throughout the first season, she grapples with a form of Heaven called the Good Place, where she soon realizes that she does not belong. After many trials and tribulations, she and three other Good Place inhabitants realize that they aren’t in the Good Place at all. Rather, they’re in the Bad Place (a version of Hell), a simulation being run in an attempt to trick four unknowing participants (Chidi, Tahani, Jason, and Eleanor) into believing that they are in the Good Place, while simultaneously ruining their afterlife in the process. The rest of the series mostly revolves around their escaping the Bad Place, as well as reforming the Heaven/Hell placement system in order to fix long-standing injustices. While the nittygritty of theoretical afterlife politics may not sound like the most gripping of plots to base a TV show, “The Good Place” quickly proves this to be false. Led by an all-star cast of new and familiar faces, including Kristen Bell, Ted Danson, Jameela Jamil, William Jackson Harper, and D’Arcy Carden, the show balances comedy, ethics, and a breakneck-paced story to provide a completely unique viewing experience. However, as the series finishes its fourth and final

Paul Rudd x 2 = “Living With Yourself ”

in constant limbo at work and at home. Clone Elliot, on the other hand, is well-dressed, engaging, outgoing, and living the time of his life. He’s the “perfect” Elliot. Opposite Rudd is Irish actress Aisling Bea, who plays Elliot’s wife, Kate. “Living With Yourself ” takes great care to represent her side of the story as she experiences life with the original Elliot and their fraying marriage, before taking her own steps to get her life together. Bea is phenomenal in her role where even her facial expressions say so much about how she’s feeling. Unlike with Elliot, the music changes to reflect Bea’s moods, from upbeat Irish music to more somber tones as things seem to be in upheaval. As with many of the films that Paul Rudd stars in, he is a major creative force behind his projects, bringing greater depth and spirit to them. That hasn’t changed for television. Rudd shows off his adaptability throughout the series; though he plays two characters, the chemistry between them is realistic and entertaining as episodes alternate between the viewpoints of dreary, pessimistic Elliot and charming, bright-eyed Clone Elliot. Paul Rudd no longer represents the underdog whose kindness, occasional clumsiness, and good humor helps him prevail.

This time, he seriously puts his versatility on full display. Bea, like Rudd, also doesn’t hold back her talent. Though she is better known as a standup comedian and sitcom actress, Bea can just as easily take on dramatic roles. In fact, it’s Bea’s ability to do just that—deliver funny lines with the utmost seriousness and skepticism—that enables her character to be so relatable and deep. When Kate unknowingly meets Clone Elliot, who is a dramatically happier and more loving person than she’s used to, Kate’s sarcasm levels are through the roof, furrowed brows and Irish accent making it more so. Her increasingly erratic behavior when she finds out about the existence of the two Elliots, and how she decides to cope with it all, is unleashed in a fierce dialogue between Kate and herself. She’s not sure which Elliot she wants to stay or if she can even forgive Elliot for cloning himself. This kind of acting that seamlessly traverses different emotions in a way that is so very human is exactly what makes Bea stand out as an actress, one that will hopefully manage to break out onto more American screens in the future. Together, Rudd and Bea make a fine team. Their chemistry truly enables viewers to feel

like they’re watching a couple in the throes of a five-plus year failing marriage. It also helps take away from how absurd this show actually is. Though Elliot’s world is just like ours, the mythicality of the whole doppelganger shtick quickly wears away as Elliot and Clone Elliot briefly freak out before trying to come up with a system for sharing the same life. The show sets itself up for a ride of unknown proportions as Greenberg and directing duo Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris try to place Elliot and Clone Elliot in as many weird and awkward stints as possible. It’s a refreshing take on doppelganger-dom. Elliot’s interactions with Clone Elliot never feel redundant, and the hopefulness that both of them have for the future brightens the show whenever it gets as dark as it does. “Living With Yourself ” is more than your regular comedy about a man having to literally live with his mistake. Intertwined with its story about the consequences of Elliot’s mishap, the show tries its best to handle the themes of marriage and change through Elliot, Clone Elliot, and Kate’s relationships with each other. The idea of how much adulthood can change people hits home. Perfectionism is overwhelming and unrealistic.

And then there’s the old cliché where the best solution comes through talking it out. Tying everything together is the show’s title card itself. The intros to each episode become more and more chaotic and colorful in a reflection of the characters’ spiraling out of control. The Elliots and Kate work to their own ends, often in conflict with each other, creating a winding plot that is neither confusing nor stale, only vastly entertaining. Nothing is as black and white as it seems, and it gets harder to fully support any one character because of their increasing misdeeds and justifications for their wrongdoings. Altogether, the show is a lot more complex than it seems. Its promotional trailer doesn’t do it justice. “Living With Yourself ” is about a man and his clone who have to figure out how to navigate life together, just not in the way anyone would expect. In eight episodes, the series manages to dabble in all genres, from romance to drama to comedy, while giving a refreshing take on the “life turned upside down” and “doppelganger” tropes. Paul Rudd, Paul Rudd, and Aisling Bea successfully traverse these themes in a heartwarming tale that can easily be as happy-golucky as it is dark and existential.

The Final Season of “The Good Place”

season, fans are curious to know how it’s all going to end; if any show deserves a good ending, it’s this one. When dealing with the ending of any form of entertainment, it is imperative that the showrunners get every detail just right. A disappointing ending can taint the viewing experience for fans forever—just look at “The Office” (2005-2013). “The Good Place” has created such a high standard of quality for this show by consistently having funny, emotional, and thought-provoking episodes, that the bar is nearly unattainable for this final season. Pobody’s Nerfect. However, I believe that by adding a few key elements to the mix, “The Good Place” can have a truly satisfying conclusion. Showrunner Michael Schur has consistently provided us with surprises at every turn: uncovering the Good/Bad Place mixup, finding out that the gang was part of a Bad Place experiment at the end of the first season, and realizing that demon meddling has prevented new Good Place inhabitants for over 500 years. While there have been minor revelations in the fourth season so far, I believe that in order to stay true to its roots, season four needs a killer twist that would make even the cleverest fans second-guess everything they thought they knew about the show. Perhaps the whole plotline of season four, an experiment that is run by our protagonists in order to decide the fate of millions of future afterlife

inhabitants, is a facade run by the Bad Place demons in order to torture our heroes further. Perhaps the Judge who’s running the whole experiment (charmingly played by Maya Rudolph) is actually a demon in disguise. Whatever the twist, it’s imperative that something even more drastic than the Janet catastrophe goes down. It’ll be one last reminder of why we fell for the show way back in the first season. Another aspect of the season that could give the show the ending it deser ves is the re-

Adrianna Peng / The Spectator

union of Chidi and Eleanor. At the end of the third season, the couple are forcefully split up after Chidi wipes his memory in order to save the experiment from certain failure. While Chidi stays in blissful ignorance of his relationship history with Shellstrop, the latter is painfully aware of the hard goodbye she had to say to her former lover, so a reunion is just what the show needs to pull off the two’s collective story arc. How they reunite is up to the writers, but it is clear that they must reunite, not only as an act of fan-service, but also because it’s the right thing to do. However, I do not believe that a

perfectly happy ending is the best thing either. While the show finds a way to stay fun and comedic throughout, at its core, it deals with incredibly heavy topics such as death, moral imperative, and free will. To brush these aside and give our characters everything they’ve ever wanted in the final episode would be a complete 180 from the show’s direction for the last four years. While I don’t think that all of the protagonists should end up miserable, it would be a betrayal of the show’s main values to provide every single one of the characters with exactly what they wanted. The first four episodes of the final season of “The Good Place” have thus far been slow in comparison to the rest of the show, which is alarming to many fans. However, if you watch the episodes looking for little clues in the background and see past what meets the eye with many of the plotlines (Glenn coming to warn the heroes about Michael, Michael not taking off his skin suit, etc.), it is clear that the showrunners are preparing for something big. Some things just don’t add up, and you can be sure that this is all going to blow up in the faces of some unsuspecting viewers at any moment. However, there is a delicate balance between giving the fans what they want and giving the characters what they deserve. I believe that with the above points, Michael Schur and his “Good Place” team can build up the final episodes into a satisfying and well-deserved conclusion. Even if the show ends up going in all Jeremy Bearimy directions, you can expect season four of “The Good Place” to be a wild forking ride no matter what.

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Page 17

Arts and Entertainment Television

Interviewed by JACQUELINE THOM After an eventful experience listening to “The Five Dollar Album,” I was intrigued by the creative process behind such a lengthy, unconventional, and varied project. I interviewed one of the album’s contributors, Humor Editor Olly Stewart, in an attempt to understand: Why the “Five Dollar Album”? Piracy is not okay Jacqueline Thom: Hello. Why the Five Dollar Album? Olly Stewart: It costs $5. JT: Does it really? It’s free on SoundCloud. OS: Yeah, but if you wanna buy the audio files, it’s $5. JT: I can just download it using a third-party app. OS: That’s called piracy. The FBI tracks you down if you do that. JT: Okay, so what does the $5 fund? OS: Lentils and definitely not bribing Humor writers. Humor takes on SoundCloud JT: What inspired the album? OS: We made a SoundCloud the night before recruitments last year, so we could say we were the only department with a SoundCloud. And we figured there’s no point in having a SoundCloud without any music, right? So the inspiration was born. Some plans do not go according to plan JT: How long did it take to finish? OS: Too long, I think. We announced it right before last year’s Spec trip, which was in like March or something, and we only finished it a couple weeks ago. Lots of hiccups along the way. JT: What hiccups? Most of the songs just seemed like recording ambience on a whim. OS: We had a plan for a diss track that never materialized,

Behind “The Five Dollar Album,” in Interview

which held up production for a long time. We wanted to include some more musical music, so it took a while for us to put that together. JT: So you originally planned for the entirety of the album to be music? OS: No, definitely not. Lentil soup was one of the first songs we recorded. We knew from the start that a lot of it would be ambience, etc. But we did want to include at least some more proper music, which took a long time. JT: And you do have proper music, which is nice. OS: Thank you.

Again, piracy is not okay, even in London JT: This album is also really heavy on the instrumental. I got the sense that Victor wasn’t too confident in showing off his musical abilities. OS: He was reticent at first, definitely. I think his skill really shines through on some of the tracks, though. He was definitely the biggest influence on the instrumental portions of the album. JT: So was finishing the album a matter of when Victor felt that his pieces were okay? OS: Partially, but it wasn’t all, or even mainly Victor. We all felt like it needed a bit more before we felt we could call it finished. JT: Who’s this “we all”? OS: MC Bizkits, Victor, Olly, Bono… JT: Who the hell is Bono? I mean, who’s Bono? OS: *shows me a picture of Bono from U2* And you call yourself an A&E editor? JT: Oh, this Bono. I wasn’t expecting that. How did you get ahold of him? OS: Email. JT: Okay. This Bono thing is very interesting. I don’t remember hearing him on the album. OS: He played more of a consulting role. JT: No offense; surely he’s never heard of the Humor department? And he doesn’t have

a track record of collaborating with lesser known artists. OS: He’d heard of MC Bizkits, and when I explained the project to him, he was excited to work with humor as a consultant. JT: Interesting how you’re working with multiple nationalities here. Would you mind telling us a little bit more about MC Bizkits, since I know some readers might have not heard of him before. OS: Yeah, England, Ireland, United America, lots of places involved. MC Bizkits is a stage name for Callum Goldberg, which is me. I became quite a sensation on the British rap scene after I released my EP, “Union Jackass.” JT: Is Callum Goldberg your alter ego? OS: No, he’s Callum Goldberg. Which is me. JT: MC Bizkits is Callum Goldberg is Olly Stewart. OS: Callum Goldberg is not Olly Stewart. JT: MC Bizkits is Callum Goldberg. Callum Goldberg is Olly Stewart. MC Bizkits is not Olly Stewart? OS: No, MC Bizkits is not Olly Stewart. They’re associated acts, known to collaborate. JT: Why are you referring to yourself in the third person? OS: To explain it better. Also because I’m tired because I just flew back to London, and I’m jet lagged. JT: What’s happening in London? OS: Taking a break from tour to go home for a week or so. JT: The Five Dollar Album tour? OS: That’s part of it, but I’m also wrapping up my tour for “Union Jackass.” JT: That’s kind of an old EP isn’t it. How do you think you managed to stay on top for so long? OS: I mean, the EP was a hit in England, so I kicked off a world tour to promote it. JT: Can I listen to it? OS: Another time, perhaps.

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I’m still working on the American release. JT: My VPN says I’m in the UK. Can I listen to it? OS: No, that’s piracy again. MC Bizkits is strongly against it. Piracy. JT: I can see why. Unrelated: What are Bizkits’ views on Brexit? And can I call him just Bizkits? OS: Yeah, that’s fine. I think Brexit is rather lame. JT: But what does Bizkits think about it? OS: I’m Bizkits. I think it’s rather lame.

An actual discussion of music JT: We’ve really strayed from the “Five Dollar Album.” Can you tell me what your favorite song on it is? OS: There are a few that stand out to me. “Lentil Soup” was the real classic. That’d probably be my pick. I do also have a particular attachment to “Crumbs.” JT: Yes, the first song of the album is very striking. There seems to be a recurring theme where you don’t sing with your normal voice and interject with conversational bits. OS: For sure, yeah. We liked that on the first few songs we recorded, so we decided to run with it for a bit. JT: Noticeably so. All the real musical ones seemed crammed in the beginning. What helped you determine the structure of the album? OS: Well I don’t necessarily know if they’re all towards the beginning. I mean, it ends on the “Guitar Demo.” But there’s definitely a high concentration towards the start. JT: Why though? OS: I think we wanted to make a strong impression with our musical talent in the beginning before segueing into our more experimental work. Music production 10/10 JT: Was editing work put into the other songs? Besides the more obvious ones.

OS: Most of them are a little come-as-you-are with minimal editing, but I think on songs like “I Just Love Her,” you can see that the production value shines through when it needs to. JT: For sure. I was pretty impressed by the rhyme scheme. What are the songs with the Russian person? I couldn’t tell if it was you doing the voice. OS: Bono is one of the voices on those. I also did some of it. JT: Did you notice that “Russian My Chemical Romance” was actually a cover of “I Want It That Way”? OS: We found it ironic, so we kept it in. Song titles 1/10 JT: I have an important question: Why didn’t folk lentil soup work? OS: I think Jonathan [Schneiderman] actually explains it in the song. And it wasn’t folk. It was klezmer. That song was mistitled. JT: Then who titles your songs? Most of them are particularly ill-fitting. OS: I will not name names. JT: There are a lot of titles with expletives. OS: We are pro-expletive. JT: And yet you are antiround Spongebob *referring to “Spongeboi Me Bob!”* OS: We are pro-objectivity, and that is objectively untrue. Humor’s next album is coming soon JT: It looks like we’re running out of time here, so one last question: Will there be another album in the future? OS: I can’t say for sure, but I think more music in some form or another is definitely in the cards. JT: Thanks for letting me have this interview. It was very enlightening. OS: No problem at all. You can stop writing in bold now

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Page 18

Humor These articles are works of fiction. All quotes are libel and slander. By EMILY CHEN and ZIYUN ZHANG WOOHOO GUESS WHAT TIME OF THE YEAR IT IS!!! Yes, marking period one has just ended; your homeroom teacher is going to be giving out your report card while silently (or not so silently) judging your grades, and YES, inspect element does work and you CAN change those U’s into E’s before your parents check their e-mail. But do you really want to? There is extremely trustworthy scientific evidence that supports the hypothesis that I’m an extremely trustworthy science person here to tell you about the completely factual link between grades and your worth. Why wouldn’t you trust me? I got my degree off of Craigslist; some little girl offered me a certificate for 30 cents and a lollipop.

What Your MP1 Grades Say About You

How could I refuse? But anyway, how does this game work? Easy, it’s just simple math. For every E you’ve gotten, add one point; for every S, add two; for every N, add three; and for every U, add four. Add up all your points and match the number with the following intervals. If you couldn’t complete this step, don’t worry, I have a section for you too. If you couldn’t add: I feel you. This is not your fault. You’re either part of the “SHE DOESN’T EVEN GO HERE” section of our audience or the “I flung my TI-84 Plus CE against the wall while playing Pacman so I’m really at a disadvantage” crowd. You’re a whole 9.9e^34562381/10. Imagine doing unnecessary math just because some random article in a school newspaper told you to. Who even does that? What are you, a teenage

girl from a Disney movie with a pear phone, filling out every existing magazine quiz? A millennial on BuzzFeed figuring out what color cat hair she is based on her personality? NO, no, you are not and I’m proud of you for it. You’re an independent person and this quiz will totally (not) define who you are as a person, so don’t waste too many tissues sobbing over your score :) 7 - 16 (Wow, what a try-hard): You’re either mostly 1s and 2s, or you got a couple of 4s and 1s. I don’t know, I haven’t thought about the math that far. You get a sticker for being a good student, even though you’re probably boring as hell and have no life outside of your schoolwork. If you are in the 1s and 2s category: this is your brain cell count. Why, you ask? Because you used up the rest of them trying to cram for that AP Bio test

that you ended up doing so well on but oH nO mY 99 aVerAgE wHaTevEr sHaLL I dO??? I bet this is the lowest grade you’ve ever gotten on a test (and I’m absolutely thrilled that it was because of me)! Now you can tell your parents that there are worse things than your Aon that English paper and marching to Principal Eric Contreras’s office will not solve this incredible dent in your academic career. Just kidding, you’re on that Harvard grind, so I’ll give you a three, I guess. 17 - 24 (Extra but ordinary): You’re kinda average but here’s your time to shine! A whole 9.98/10. Not much to say about you; I guess you’re an okay student. I bet you wish you could be like the try-hard, but you give one less damn than they do about their grades. Admirable. 25 - 32 (Average, I guess): I’m

tired of doing the math to see who would get this score. BuzzFeed hasn’t hired me yet, so I’ll get back to you. My sincerest apologies. For now, you’re just that student who neither gets praised nor yelled at by the teacher (AKA you’re basically invisible), but that’s a superpower in and of itself, so you’re good. 33 - 40 (The hidden genius): A whole 9.9e^4234587645698, I won’t even put the “/10.” You’re that one person who doesn’t go to school because “you can’t fail your tests if you don’t take them.” You’re the true success story in this school; maybe donate a few brain cells to your friends in the 7-16 category. You’ve reached some next level of enlightenment, dude. >40 (Is this possible?): Sis, how many classes are you taking, dang. Are you a Capricorn or something?

Stuyvesant No Longer Legally Considered A School

By CHRISABELLA JAVIER

The New York City Department of Education (DOE) instituted new standards for what a school must do in order to legally be considered “a school” on November 1, 2019. According to the DOE, “A school is classified as a place where people are able to learn about things and get grades, even if it is dumb-ass learning and dumb-ass grades.” Unfortunately, this brand new classification of “school” means that many schools, including Stuyvesant, are no longer considered as such. The schools in question underwent reassessment in October. Agents from the DOE visited these schools and inspected to see

By EMILY CHEN

if anyone was learning and whether any types of grades were being given. When they came to Stuyvesant, the first thing they checked was the Talos website where all grades should’ve been distributed. However, they found that the website was broken beyond repair. Any and all attempts to check grades would cause the website to lag for approximately an hour until the Internet browser just gave up. In an attempt to see if there was a fixable technical error, the agents asked to see the servers. The school instead guided them to the basement and locked them in. The second group of DOE agents then came to both check whether any learning was going on at Stuyvesant and find out what

happened to their co-workers. To do this, they monitored classes and randomly picked students to interview about their experience at school. When they monitored the classes, they found a pitiful scene. Kids who were supposedly in a Pre-calculus course were unable to answer simple questions such as “What is one plus one?” and “How do you spell your name?” Freshmen were found in their biology classrooms chanting “The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.” When asked what the sentence meant, the freshmen would stop, tear up, then begin to bang their heads over and over again while repeating “Can’t compute. Error. Can’t compute.” The interviews with randomly

selected kids went just as poorly. The question and answer session usually went like this: DOE Agent: So, do you think you are learning anything in your classes? Student: Honestly, I think I get dumber the longer I is here. DOE Agent: Do you know your grades? Student: I know the fake ones I give to my mom so she will let me eat. DOE Agent: Final question: Have you heard any sounds of people trapped within this school? Just out of curiosity. Student: Oh, I think I blocked out the noise of my classmates around the middle of freshman year. DOE Agent: This interview

is over. After going over the results of Stuyvesant’s inspection, the DOE made the decision that Stuyvesant High School would no longer legally be considered a school. However, this does not mean that Stuyvesant will have to shut down. Principal Eric Contreras has said that Stuyvesant will still act as a place for teenagers to go to classes and have mental breakdowns. “It’s gonna be just like ‘AP’ Physics. Okay? All we have to do,” Contreras said, “is just call it Stuyvesant High Schoole. Now it’s no longer a ‘school,’ whatever that means. But it will still be the same mentally destructive, dumb-of-ass Stuy that our students, or ‘studentes’ as they will now be called, know.”

What I Really Mean During Open House Tours

After my first experience giving tours during Open House, I’ve quickly come to realize that the sheet they give you with all the tour information is actually completely trash, lauded with things like “blah blah blah science floor, we have labs” and “look, we put things in the walls.” As a good Samaritan who cares about things besides volunteer hours, and the wonderful ARISTA member I am, here’s a quick guide to what Open House tours really consist of. 1. The senior bar: Stuy does… non-science things? That’s right, a BAR. And it’s painted. Every morning as we non-senior plebeians enter the school, we get a glimpse of this Holy Grail and imagine the day that we

get permission to step foot onto the sacred tiles. Got into Stuy in March and want to show how cool you are to your friends? Instead of bragging about how little sleep you’ll get and how many APs you’ll take, simply tell them your school has a sacred bar. It doesn’t have any alcohol (I hope), but your friends don’t need to know that. 2. The third-floor gym: Don’t all schools have this? Why do you find this so interesting? Ah yes, here we see a wild freshman in their natural habitat wearing their P.E. uniforms, some of which have not seen a washing machine since the invention of cotton. 3. The cafeteria: Woah, look, we have… windows? Recycling bins?

Dirty tables? People storming the cafeteria because they can’t stop all of us? Wait, never mind, they have the whole scanner thing now. Dang, Stuyvesant is so special. 4. The library: Nap time Blah blah blah some dude donated money, BUT this is the best napping spot in the school, you can’t change my mind. Trying to get in, however, is like attempting to find a seat on the train during rush hour. 5. The seventh floor: BIOLOGY!!! If you happen to get in, this floor will be the bane of your existence during freshman year. You know what doesn’t help? Sleeping with your textbook under your pillow and hoping to learn things through osmosis.

Why? BECAUSE OSMOSIS IS FOR WATER. IF YOU WANT TO LEARN THINGS IT’S THROUGH DIFFUSION, YOU SIMPLETON. 6. The eighth floor: Please refer to “AP Physics is a Sham.” This is where you may commonly see juniors frantically flipping through notes and worksheets two minutes before a test. Other common sightings may include the occasional freshman going to her locker and fellow juniors having a mental breakdown about ph-, phy-, physi-, oh god, I can’t even say it. 7. The ninth floor: DIHYDROGEN MONOXIDE = DEATH Remember that evacuation we had? Now I would

like to know which incompetent person failed to open her Bunsen burner correctly. P.S. Stop sending lab answers in group chats, do y’all ever learn? 8. The tenth floor: Every! Day! Is! Leg! Day!

And of course, the human interaction part of it. To me, the parents seem to have the most questions, and I don’t have the brain cells to formulate a well-worded sentence of comprehensible English, so here’s the answer to a good 75 percent of the questions. Feel free to print it on a T-shirt. YES Stuy is work, YES it is stressful, YES I’m not getting sleep tonight, and for legal reasons and the hope that the New York Post isn’t spying on us, NO we don’t all do drugs and NO we DO NOT cheat.

Liberal Nonsense: Eric Trump Isn’t a Cy Young Award Finalist Just Because He Isn’t a Baseball Player

By OLIVER STEWART

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America released its shortlist of finalists for the prestigious Cy Young Award, an honor given to the best pitchers in baseball, on November 4, 2019. This year’s shortlist included World Series pitchers Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander, as well as Charlie Morton, who pitches for the Tampa Bay Rays. Noticeably absent from the list: Eric Trump. Liberal Trump detractors will say that Trump isn’t eligible for the prize since he has never pitched in

Major League Baseball and is not in any sense a baseball player. This, however, is a sham of an argument that ignores the real reason why Trump wasn’t shortlisted for the Cy Young Award: the mainstream media’s consistent smear campaign against Trump’s efforts to make it onto the shortlist. On her MSNBC show, Rachel Maddow went so far as to say that the idea of Trump winning the Cy Young Award was “ridiculous” and that “the award is for baseball players, not the President’s idiot son, unless that idiot son plays baseball

really well.” Maddow came right out and said what many liberals are thinking: Eric Trump doesn’t deserve the award just because he doesn’t play baseball. This sort of mindset exemplifies America’s increasing breakage along partisan lines and shows that radical left Dems are now willing to put party over country and refuse Trump his rightful nomination for baseball’s most prestigious pitching honor. This split in American politics has emboldened liberals enough for them to come right out and say that they are willing to deny

Trump the Cy Young nomination on the grounds of his lack of pitching ability with no legitimate reason to do so. Perhaps even more worrying than the shocking treatment of Trump at the hands of the corrupt press is the fact that this is no isolated incident. With George W. Bush being denied the 2019 Nobel Prize for Chemistry and Henry Kissinger losing this year’s Pulitzer Prize, is there any honor that the freedomhating, award-granting elites are not willing to deny an American patriot?

We must stand up and say no longer will we tolerate the rulers of the free world being refused accolades on the basis of merit. For too long we have stood by and watched as Americans have been passed over for prize after prize, and for too long we have accepted the old excuse that a lack of meaningful contribution to a field means you don’t deserve that field’s highest honor. Today is the day that we join together and demand that the Baseball Writers’ Association of America add Eric Trump to the shortlist for the 2019 Cy Young Award.

Page 19

The Spectator ●November 22, 2019

Sports MLS

Toronto FC vs. Seattle Sounders: Chapter Three By MATT MELUCCI The 69,000 fans watching the MLS Cup Final cheered with ecstasy as the Seattle Sounders’ recent transfer Raúl Ruidíaz took advantage of a clearance and chipped a goal over Toronto FC goalkeeper Quentin Westberg. That was it. The Sounders had sealed their victory over Toronto with a threegoal lead by the 90th minute, winning their second MLS title. Even though Toronto’s recently injured striker Jozy Altidore hit a header in extra time to finally get Toronto on the scoreboard, the Sounders held on to their lead, ultimately conquering Toronto 3-1. Toronto faced the Sounders for the third time in the past four years in this final. Each team won one of their two previous games in the 2016 and 2017 MLS finals and both teams failed to make the final last year. This match was the culmination of one of MLS’s greatest trilogies, one that had the Sounders scoreless for 267 min-

utes in their two prior championship matches. The Sounders went into the final match as slight favorites since they were playing at CenturyLink Field in Seattle. With them being one of the most passionately supported clubs in the MLS, the Sounders’ record attendance before the 2019 final was a turnout of 67,000 spectators for a match against local rival Portland Timbers. This time, tickets for the match were sold out within 20 minutes of their release. In their previous MLS final matchups against each other, the Sounders won 5-4 in penalties after a 0-0 game in 2016, and Toronto won 2-0 in 2017. The only match this year between the two came in June, when Seattle defeated Toronto 3-2 at CenturyLink Field. However, Will Bruin, the Sounders’ top goalscorer that night, suffered an ACL injury shortly afterwards and was out for the season. USA international striker Altidore, who scored both

goals for Toronto that game, had also been injured recently, but he recovered to join the final this year and was the only Toronto player to find the back of the net. Toronto defender Omar Gonzalez was fit enough to join the starting 11 in the final after an injury prevented him from a postseason debut. Both teams featured a number of players who participated in the previous two MLS Cup Finals between these two teams. Eight of the Toronto squad were still with the team, while six of the Seattle team that lifted the trophy in 2016 were still on the club’s roster, providing adequate and necessary experience to both sides. Michael Bradley, Toronto’s captain and one of their Designated Players, was in the final year of his contract. The highest-paid player in the MLS last season behind Zlatan Ibrahimovich, with a salary of $6.5 million a year, Bradley had a clause in his current contract stating that if Toronto won the MLS Cup, he would have

to commit to the club for at least one more season. This was Bradley’s last year with Toronto if he chooses to sign elsewhere. The Sounders started the finals with a defensive playing style and attempted to capitalize off of counterattacks. Toronto dominated the first half with 65 percent possession, creating various threatening opportunities. They quickly tore the crowd’s hopes down as they continuously attacked with more than double the number of passes than the Sounders made. The first half ended 0-0, and the Sounders knew they had to increase their energy and aggressiveness. In the 56th minute, Ruidíaz swung the ball out of pressure across the pitch to Sounders’ right-back Kelvin Leerdam. Leerdam took an excellent touch off his chest into the box and took a shot that ricocheted off of Toronto defender Justin Moore’s left leg into the goal. The Sounders had broken their spell of no goals

scored in any cup final match, and the record-breaking crowd woke up from their slumber, creating an electrifying atmosphere that pushed the Sounders forward. Encouraged by the chants radiating through the stadium, Lodeiro supplied Sounders midfielder Victor Rodriguez with a perfect layoff, allowing him to pinpoint a shot into the inside of the right netting. Even at a two-goal disadvantage, Toronto never lost hope, since they had won their first three playoff games with a goal past the 75th minute. Altidore entered in the 68th minute and scored a fantastic distanced header in a final attempt at a comeback. As Lodeiro fell to the ground holding the ball, the whistle blew, and the Sounders had seen through their dream. After a season filled with adversity, they had won it all. The next thing Sounders’ captain Lodeiro held was the Philip F. Anschutz trophy with the rest of his team, showered with confetti and joy.

NFL

The New Kids in the League By KRISH GUPTA Going into the 2019 season, NFL fans already had a list of rookies to look out for: Kyler Murray. Nick Bosa. Josh Jacobs. And if a fan were to wake up today from a coma dating back to September 3, they would find that the list of most successful rookies thus far is strikingly similar, besides a few breakouts. Kyler Murray. Yawn. Josh Jacobs. Yup. Nick Bosa. Of course. Gardner Minshew? Hold up. Double take. The Surprises Gardner Minshew, drafted with the 178th pick, was on no one’s radar going into the season. The Jacksonville Jaguars seemingly had their quarterback situation figured out, with Philly’s miracle worker Nick Foles at the helm. But when Foles broke his collarbone in Week One, a guy named Gardner with a curly mustache took the reigns and mesmerized the football world. Ever since, Minshew has been stunning for Jacksonville, with 13 passing touchdowns and two interceptions before his Week Nine matchup. Unfortunately, despite exceptional performances in the majority of his games, Minshew was benched for Week 10 with the return of Foles after a subpar Week Nine game. Minshew headlines a group of lateround afterthoughts turned stars. Terry McLaurin is another unexpected bright spot, drafted

in the third round by the Washington Redskins. McLaurin has blossomed into the top receiver for the Redskins, and already has five receiving touchdowns despite Washington’s quarterback carousel; McLaurin has already caught passes from three different quarterbacks in his young NFL career. Another pass catcher that has been a pleasant surprise for his team is the Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf, picked at number 64 overall. He has enjoyed a career year from Russell Wilson, with 403 yards receiving to go with four touchdowns on the season. Other rookies have risen stock in recent weeks and look to break out in the last half of the season. Hunter Renfrow has established himself as a potent threat in the Oakland Raiders offense. The fifth-rounder will look to build on his national-title winning Clemson career and continue to develop a rapport with quarterback Derek Carr. Another rookie that has shone in recent weeks is the second round Eagles running back Miles Sanders. Sanders is a triple threat for Philadelphia, returning kicks, running, and catching passes. Heading to the Eagles’ bye week, Sanders is riding high. The Early Picks The fateful night of the 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville was not devoid of drama (Daniel Jones, anyone?), but the dust has finally settled and talented rookies have

proven that they were worth a valuable pick. The first player off the board, Kyler Murray, has been everything the Cardinals wanted. He has seamlessly transitioned into Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid offense after leading the high-octane Oklahoma Sooners offense back in college. A year after Arizona went 3-13, Murray has the Cards at that same number of wins just over halfway through the season. The number two pick out of Ohio State, Nick Bosa, has perhaps been the most successful rookie thus far. He has been downright scary for opposing defenses and has been a vital cog for the defense of the undefeated San Francisco 49ers. Bosa has already racked up seven sacks to go with an interception as well as 25 tackles. He emerged from the Niners’ Week Four bye especially ferocious, tallying six sacks and the impressive interception in the five games since. He is in the discussion for the Defensive Player of the Year, and should be a shoo-in for Defensive Rookie of the Year. The next three picks, Quinnen Williams, Clelin Ferrell, and Devin White, have proven to be solid but unspectacular assets for their respective teams. Williams has been on the rise of late and should become a top talent for the Jets. Ferrell just has one sack in the seven games he’s played. White has been solid for the Buccaneers thus far and many

predict him to be a breakout candidate in the second half of the season. At number six overall, the Giants’ picking quarterback Daniel Jones was the storyline of the draft. Jones has shown signs of excellence, with an electrifying debut and another inspiring performance against the Lions. However, his inexperience has shown, magnifying his turnover and ball security problems. The NFL world largely anticipated the Giants to select Dwayne Haskins, but they passed on Haskins for Jones and the Redskins scooped him up. With very limited playtime thus far in the season, Haskins has been erratic at best. Needless to say, the Giants are happy with Jones at the helm. Other first-rounders who have been superb for their teams include Josh Allen (seventh overall), Devin Bush (10th overall), Brian Burns (16th), Dexter Lawrence (17th), Darnell Savage (21st), Josh Jacobs (24th), and Marquise Brown (30th). Jacobs has been a workhorse for the Raiders and is the current frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Bust Candidates It seems a little early to run a bust column, but there are some players that have potential to become cautionary tales of draft day mishaps. The number four overall pick for the Oakland Raiders, Clelin

Ferrell has underwhelmed in his first season as a pro. He hasn’t been bad, per se, but he certainly doesn’t have the look of a defensive superstar, which is what teams would expect from earlyround defensive picks. Nick Bosa and Josh Allen, in contrast, have proven that they were worth the early picks. Haskins, selected number 15 overall by the Redskins, is another potential bust. He has been just another mediocre thrower on the Redskins’ quarterback carousel. He owns an atrocious 42.2 QB rating with four interceptions, despite not starting a single game. The Big Picture Swamped with stats and labels, many rookies don’t get the credit they deserve. Through just eight or nine games, it is ridiculous to expect rookies to immediately adjust to the NFL. Sophomore season breakouts are extremely common (see DJ Chark), and many players emerge even later (Chris Godwin). Inevitably, the upper echelon of the 2019 rookie class will change in the years to come as players transition from college to the big leagues. Many rookies this year have wowed the league with unexpected maturity and some have already climbed into the top tier of NFL players. Fresh out of college, these young talents have charged their teams with optimism for the future.

MLS

Peglegs Drop Homecoming Game in an Offensive Shootout By PAUL LIOU and ROHAN SAHA At the start of every football season, there is one day everyone in the Stuyvesant community circles on their calendars: Homecoming. It was that time of year again on Friday, October 25, with numerous festivities

having taken place throughout the day, including a pep rally, a faculty versus student dodgeball game, and a questionable dance performance by the Peglegs, Stuyvesant’s football team. All this was in the rear view mirror once the Peglegs took the field under the Friday night lights for their final home game of the

regular season. The game was bittersweet for the seniors who stepped onto Pier 40 wearing the grey, red, and blue Pegleg jerseys for the final time. Each and every Pegleg knew at kickoff that this game meant much more than could be understood by those on the outside looking in. On the oppos-

ing sidelines stood the William E. Grady football team, which entered the game with a record of 6-1 and a share of second place in the League Cup Conference. With the season at its latter end, every game’s meaning increases exponentially (playoff seeding is at stake). The Peglegs came in with a 4-3 record, put-

ting them in the middle of the pack. A win could move the Peglegs up the rankings, even possibly earning them a firstround bye in the playoffs. The momentum was undoubtedly in the Peglegs’ favor, coming off a continued on page 20

The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Page 20

Sports MLS

Peglegs Drop Homecoming Game in an Offensive Shootout continued from page 19

41-14 blowout win against the Warriors of Alfred E. Campus, with a large showing made of fellow students, staff, family, and alumni. Nevertheless, the anticipation amounted to yet another loss, as the Peglegs fell to William E. Grady in a 76-50 thriller. The basketball-like score conveys the narrative of the Peglegs night: excellent offense met with lackluster defense. It was only fitting that senior Lucas Dingman statistically had the biggest game under center of his Peglegs career. As expected, Dingman got it done in the air and on the ground. The southpaw amassed a career-high 520 passing yards and four touchdowns, doing so very efficiently with a 63 percent completion

percentage. Dingman was also the top rusher for the Peglegs with 96 rushing yards and one touchdown. A performance like this was much needed for Dingman as he was struggling for much of the season. Dingman’s favorite target throughout the season, senior and wide receiver Clement Chan, showed out in a like manner. Chan also set a career-high with an unprecedented 303 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Owen Potter didn’t shy away from the limelight either, posting his second straight 100-yard performance, with 106 yards and two of the seven touchdowns. Senior Franklin Liou continued his solid season in the backfield, displaying his abilities as a multifaceted back. Liou yet again recorded over 100 yards from scrimmage with

67 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards, accounting for the Peglegs’ other two touchdowns. Despite the Peglegs’ best offensive showing of the season, there was nothing to show for it in the wins column due to flat defensive and special teams play. The Pelegs’ secondary was able to limit William E. Grady’s passing game, giving up a measly 82 yards in the air. Though this statistic may be impressive, Grady’s offense had come into the game with the reputation of a run-heavy team, and run they did. The Peglegs’ largest hole in regards to their defense was exploited, as Grady accumulated 496 rushing yards for eight touchdowns, overwhelmingly the most given up by the Peglegs over the course of the season. Much of the struggles can be blamed on the front

seven’s play at the line of scrimmage, recording a single tackle for loss throughout the whole game. Consistent poor play at the line resulted in backs making their way into the secondary, and in turn, big plays. The longest runs for Grady’s two leading rushers, William Stoney and Tyler Francis, were 65 and 45 yards, respectively. Though the secondary played a stellar game, they were not immune to big plays. Grady’s only receiver to record a reception, Kevin Robinson, had two receptions, each for 46 yards. The Peglegs’ offense was forced to play from behind the entire game and was not aided by the special teams play. The aforementioned Stoney was the primary kick returner for Grady during the game. Over four kick returns, he accumulated 153 yards. The

big blow: an 85-yard return for a touchdown that drained the Peglegs of all momentum following a scoring drive. The Peglegs will look to add to the win column next week in their regular season finale against the Tigers of Evander Childs Campus. This game will have serious playoff implications, as the Peglegs currently find themselves near the bottom of the top 12 in the Cup Conference, the teams that qualify for the playoffs. A win will improve the Peglegs’ playoff seeding, but may also be necessary to clinch a playoff berth with many teams knocking on the door of the top 12. Expect the highlighted seniors to play with a sense of urgency, hoping to end their Pegleg career off on a positive and memorable note.

Athletes of the Issue

What Makes These Relay Fast Swimmers Flow, An Interview with Natasha Moeslinger and Samantha Zheng By AKI YAMAGUCHI Natasha Moeslinger Grade: Senior Height: 5’4 Eye color: Brown Hair color: Brown DOB: August 18, 2002

1. When did you start swimming? SZ: I started swimming when I was six and I don’t swim outside of school. NM: I also think I started swimming when I was six, maybe seven. I have been swimming on an outside team at the same time as the school team. 2. Going into the final rounds of playoffs, are there any things you have to do specifically? NM: Though each specific swimmer has its own goals, we always want to make sure we are united as a team and have our focus on the same goal. If we can get that engraved into everyone’s minds, then that’s great and will probably help us succeed. Up to this point, we have been working out every day after school, even on the days we have off. On Veterans Day and the other holidays, we come into school and swim, so at this point in the season, it’s up to the girls to get the job done. We either got it or we don’t. SZ: Yeah, we just want to make sure everyone gets enough rest and is eating properly. Making sure everyone knows their job and is focused on trying to win. NM:

3. Have there been struggles on the team, and how have you dealt with it? SZ: We lost a lot of our sophomores—they would have been sophomores this year. We lost half of our freshman class from last year (NM: Four.), and it was kinda hard because we were desperate to try to recruit a better class of incoming freshmen. I think that this year everyone has stepped up, though, and it wasn’t as big of a deal as we thought it was going to be. 4. What were your goals for the season and have they been achieved? SZ: Our team goals were always just to get to finals, which we did yesterday, and to win the PSAL Championships. NM: That’s this weekend—our season is still ongoing. We wanted our girls to also be more committed this year. Last year, we had a lot of problems with that. SZ: We also want to make sure the girls feel included all the time and have fun. 5. What race do you swim and why? NM: I always swim the 200 YD Individual Medley, and I don’t really know why. SZ: It’s because she’s good at everything and that’s the only one that covers everything. I swim either the 50 YD or the 100 YD because I can’t swim long distances. NM: Samantha is like our team spirit captain, too. We’re a dynamic duo. 6. How has the captaincy changed your playstyle and outlook on the game? SZ: Now, we have to take into account everyone else because when you are just part of

the team, you are just looking out for yourself and not other people. Now as a captain, you have to make sure everyone is on top of their game and if someone has a problem, Natasha and I are always the first ones to know about it, and we have to fix it. We can’t let the rest of the team know because we don’t want to overwhelm anyone else. NM: Especially if we personally are going through something, we always have to tough it out because we obviously don’t want to show any weakness to the rest of the team. It’s a lot more for me, at least mentally, when you are guarding a team and it feels like everyone else is watching you always. We just have to always be good role models. 7. How do you deal with swimming and your schoolwork? Do you have any tips? SZ: For swim season, we always put swim a little above schoolwork just because it’s a short season. It’s only three months. This year, we really preached commitment so we both didn’t want to be hypocrites. We were doing college app[lication]s the same time as the quarterfinals and thinking about both at the same time. It just goes to show that you can definitely balance it, but sometimes swim comes first because we just want 21 girls to be super happy. NM: Yeah, it all comes down to time management— that’s basically it. If I were to give advice to upcoming seniors, it would be to do your common app over the summer. It was so time-consuming and you just don’t have time to focus on it during your season. 8. Favorite memory or moment? SZ: I think it would have to be sometimes after practice when we go out as a team to

Joseph Yu / The Spectator

Samantha Zheng Grade: Senior Height: 5’4’1/2 Eye color: Brown Hair color: Black-Brown DOB: May 28, 2002

It’s also been hard balancing academics too, but we always get through it.

lunch or brunch. One time—I think it was this season actually—we went out after practice on a Saturday at 8 o’clock and we went to Big Daddy’s for brunch. It was so good and there were so many girls. We ate so much and it was just a great team bonding day. NM: I guess for me, it would be this year when we got the AUX cord finally working in the office, and so sometimes during 10th, you might hear music blasting from the pool. It’s because we are blasting music. It’s just one of the more uplifting parts of practice when you turn around and see girls jamming it out and swimming hard. It’s just really hard—it’s the little things. 9. Something you are going to miss about the team? SZ: I’m going to miss the team more than swimming. I’m going to miss being able to talk to everyone because I reme,ber that the first friends I made and my best friend were on the swim team. Even to this day, all my closest friends are on the same team and I couldn’t imagine being at any part of Stuyves-

ant without them. I’m always at the pool office. Literally, I live there. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. NM: I can’t find one thing but I guess seeing my whole team in one place. After the season ends, there are so many events I’m going to miss, like how our team feels at the moment. I’m lowkey going to miss teasing Samantha and seeing her every day because outside of swimming, I don’t get to see her a lot. This is the one time I do, so yeah. Drink of Choice: >NM - Water >SZ - Bubble tea Favorite food: >NM - Ice cream >SZ - Chicken Parmigiana (it just hits different) Motto to live by: >NM - If you aren’t going to put your whole heart into it, don’t do it. >SZ - That’s what she said. Fun fact: >NZ - I’m the swim team hypebeast. >SZ - I enjoy watching Food Network, and I’m the brunch food queen.

The Spectator ●November 22, 2019

Page 21

Sports NCAA Athletes

College Athletes: They’re not part of the Business, They are the Business By SUNAN TAJWAR The NCAA Board of Governors released a statement on October 29, 2019 that they had unanimously voted to allow college athletes within its 1100 member schools to profit off of their “name, image, and likeliness.” Since California passed a similar law regarding college athletes a few months prior, this decades-long power struggle between the NCAA and college athletes finally culminated in a victory for the student-athletes. These student-athletes put on

a show for some of the most dedicated fan bases across the country, in both professional and amateur sports. Looking back into the record books, one could only imagine how drastically different the worlds of college football and basketball would have been if these new regulations were in effect in the ‘80s and ‘90s. If this were the case, we would have never seen Brian Bosworth’s infamous “National Communists Against Athletes” shirt, the Miami Hurricanes football dynasty may still be thriving, and the Uni-

versity of Michigan would still have those Final Four Banners in their rafters from the “Fab Five” era. Some may question what pushed the NCAA into succumbing to this momentous change after hanging onto their outdated rules for the greater part of a century, and it ultimately comes down to the new wave of pressure on the system formed by professional athletes in the media and high school athletes finding alternative routes to the pros. Christian McCaffery, a NFL MVP candidate, and Nick Bosa,

ALCS

the likely Defensive Rookie of the Year, both decided to part ways with college football (Stanford and Ohio State respectively) a year early in order to physically and mentally prepare for the NFL Draft and protect themselves against injuries. Both players understood that preserving their bodies for the NFL scouting process allowed them to secure their position as high draft picks and the large check that comes with it. It was as if the NCAA’s nightmare had come true. Two of the most exciting football prospects in college football

came to the realization that there was no benefit to risking an injury or setback in college knowing they were already on draft boards by the time they were seniors in high school. It did not help when top basketball recruits like Lamelo Ball and R.J. Hampton both decided to spend a year playing professional basketball overseas in Australia instead of playing in college. Following the blueprints set by foreign players like Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jusuf Nurkic, these players saw continued on page 22

Boys’ Bowling

Why the Yankees Can’t Make The Fall Classic

By SAM LEVINE

“ALTUVE! HAS JU-” That’s when I shut the TV. 10 seconds later, Jose Altuve cleats touched home plate, shutting the door on the Yankees’— and, therefore, my—2019 baseball season. Only 10 minutes earlier, I was jumping up and down celebrating DJ Lemahieu’s game-tying ninth-inning home run. Now, though, the Yankees were done, going home to think about what they could’ve been. The Yankees were unquestion-

out, once again stranding key base-runners. This is something that plagued the Yankees in the last two postseasons, but after the first 165 games the Yankees played before the ALCS, it looked like that problem had finally been solved. Even after game one, in which Gleyber Torres came through twice with RISP, it looked like the Bombers were much improved. Nope! In the series, the Yankees were an abysmal 6-35 with RISP, good for a .171 batting average.

The Astros seem to have this figured out. Hopefully, the 2020 Yankees will as well.

ably a great team in 2019, battling injury after injury and living off the “next man up” mentality. But when it came to the ALCS, a rematch of their 2017 series vs. the Houston Astros, they were proven to be good, but not great. Many of the things that they had excelled at in the regular season and in their steamrolling of the Twins in the ALDS like bullpen pitching and driving in runs didn’t carry over when they faced the Astros juggernaut. Their loss can’t be blamed on one particular at-bat or even on a specific player or two. It was a range of different shortcomings that they’ll need to address over the winter. First and most importantly, they couldn’t come through with runners in scoring position. A great example of this is when Didi Gregorious came up to bat with bases loaded in game three, and couldn’t come up with anything except a weak dribbler to the right side. He would later bat with first and second, and line

Compared to their .294 line during the regular season, that is simply atrocious. They left 42 runners on base! Most teams are lucky to get 42 baserunners in a series. The Yankees did that and just left them there. This is something that definitely needs to be fixed before next October. Secondly, Aaron Boone made some questionable decisions throughout the series. Take game three, for example. Facing Cy Young candidate Gerrit Cole, someone who went on a 25 game streak without taking a loss and someone against whom teams were lucky to get a few baserunners in a full game, the Yanks managed to get backto-back hits in the first inning. Brett Gardner stepped up to the plate. Everyone in the stadium knew a bunt was the obvious next move to advance the runners into scoring position. Everyone except Boone, that is. So Gardner flew out, momentum shifted, and the Yanks proceeded to score one run all game—

and none in the first. All season, Boone lived and died off of the home run ball. The Yankees were one home run shy of a Major League record. The playoffs are a different animal, though. Runs need to be manufactured. During the whole series, Boone looked like he was just waiting for someone to hit that home run to give the Bronx Bombers momentum and some runs. But Judge, Sanchez, or Encarnacion couldn’t deliver that lucrative homer, and Boone didn’t seem to know how to do the little things it takes to put runs on the board. There were barely any stolen bases, and there were no hits, no runs, and no bunts. Boone also made some questionable decisions on who to play. Gary Sanchez was lost at the plate; yet, he played every inning of every game while his backup, Austin Romine, languished on the bench. Boone also paid a price for going to icecold reliever Adam Ottavino in several close games, who ended up blowing them all. Finally, the Yankees usually strong defense let them down in the series. In game four, the right side of the Yankees’ infield made four errors. Four, Including two by Gold Glove candidate Lemahieu! Those could’ve been an aberration, but the defense of Sanchez behind the plate was not. He let a seemingly endless array of pitches go by him and sometimes just didn’t seem like he understood the game. Sanchez also wasn’t framing pitches that well, again begging the question: why not put in Romine? At the very least, it’s a fresh set of legs and a new look for the Bombers. While we’ll never know if that would have made a difference, Romine’s fielding would have almost certainly been better. Still, the Yankees had a phenomenal season in 2019 and have a lot to build on. But to finally take the leap and get to the World Series, they will need to find a way to figure this all out. It’s a slim difference between good and great. The Astros seem to have this figured out. Hopefully, the 2020 Yankees will as well.

Spartans Spear through Regular Season By RUDOLPH MERLIN The Stuyvesant boys’ varsity bowling regular season recently came to an end. Despite not yet playing their first game of the postseason, the Spartans’ season has already been full of achievements. They have clinched a playoff spot for the sixth year in a row, proving that last season’s 6-4 record was a fluke, by winning the Manhattan AI Division with an 11-1 record. Last year, they only took the first two sets in three games. This year, they did so in eight of those 11 victories. All of this was accomplished in a much more competitive Manhattan Division, populated with notable teams like the Hunter High School Hawks and Beacon High School Blue Demons. Despite the stronger competition, the Spartans remained calm and focused on their game. “We [also] definitely improved our mental game, and we were able to pull out some clutch wins by just staying focused on what we were doing and not worrying about our opponents,’’ senior Samuel Fang said. Furthermore, last season’s end brought about the loss of two senior players, leaving a gap in the “A” and “B” sets. Undeterred, the Spartans filled the gap by improving their game, and soon enough, the entire Spartans roster was able to showcase its strength. The two most outstanding players on this roster have been Fang and senior Matthew Huang. As juniors, the two started in the “A” Sets and continued to do so this year, putting up the highest scores in nearly every game. As a result, their scores have improved tremendously over the past year, and together, they are a powerful duo. Fang finished the regular season averaging 185.07 pins, a vast difference from his 161.40 pin average last season. Huang also improved his pin average by nearly 20 pins and recently bowled a personal best of 204 pins against Hunter. One of the Spartans’ best performances this season, his showing allowed Stuyvesant to not only beat the Hawks, but also clinch first place

in the Manhattan AI Division. Fang and Huang rank second and fifth, respectively, in pin averages in Manhattan, and Fang’s pin average sits 23rd out of over 300 bowlers in the entire city. The “A” Sets have also seen players such as junior Joshua Kim, who, despite having played in only two games, has averaged 155 pins. Junior Eric Kim has been averaging 133.8 pins and holds the team’s third-best individual performance of 191 pins. Finally, senior Harshul Singh, who mostly bowled in Set “B” last year, has been a near-permanent member of Set “A,” and finished the regular season on a high note with a strong 163-pin game. This is not to disregard the bowlers of the “B” Sets. Senior Jackson Ngo has improved the most on the team, and has gone from averaging 92.6 pins last year to averaging 130 pins. He also had two games where he put up scores above 150. Several other bowlers such as senior newcomers Andy Weng and Yu Hin Yu have been consistent in their performances, and both hold high scores of over 150. If there was a theme with the team this year, it would have been improvement. “With a few more talented members getting picked on the team this year and our returning players scoring quite a bit higher than last year, it allowed our A and B team to dominate the division,” Fang said. The Spartans’ talent is reflected in their playoff seeding. They are currently ranked 11th in the city, which is the highest that the team has been in the last four years. The Spartans have been unable to get past the round of 16 in recent seasons. This year, they just recently beat Goldstein, which occupies the 22nd seed, and they have advanced to the round of 16 matchup against sixth seed Midwood. “Making it past Midwood will definitely be a challenge, but if there was any year we could do it, it would be this year,’’ Fang confidently said. Nevertheless, regardless of how far they go, this season will be remembered as one which the Spartans dominated Manhattan.

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The Spectator ● November 22, 2019

Sports NCAA Athletes

College Athletes: They’re not part of the Business, They are the Business continued from page 21 the value of playing against professional athletes. It helped them physically and mentally adjust to a pro-lifestyle involving training, traveling, and dieting. All the while, they were free to explore endorsement and promotion opportunities in addition to being paid a professional salary. When compared to the more demanding and less profitable NCAA, playing overseas is a lot more enticing for athletes who have been noticed by professional teams. Though college sports still provides under-recruited players with the ability to prove to scouts that they can play at the next level, the NCAA has conducted itself like a business since its creation. With this structure in place, they understand that they cannot afford to lose the big name draws who can bring in millions of dollars in television revenue alone every year, such as McCaffery, Bosa, and Ball. They also cannot afford to make enemies of sporting giants like LeBron James, who has been

the loudest advocate for college athletes being able to profit off of their name. However, this is exactly what the NCAA did with the so-called “Rich Paul Rule,” which states that athletes cannot have agents who do not have a bachelor’s degree. Rich Paul, agent to many NBA AllStars such as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Ben Simmons, is a perfect example of what the NCAA does not want interfering with their business. Paul in an op-ed wrote, “NCAA executives are once again preventing young people from less prestigious backgrounds, and often people of color, from working in the system they continue to control.” Thus, the question arose on whether this was just another desperate attempt to keep non-paid college athletes grounded in the NCAA system by isolating them from external revenue and future opportunities, fields in which Rich Paul has excelled in to become the most recognizable agent in the sporting world. This pushed James, who has been heavily critical of

the NCAA rules, over the limit. Athletes ultimately follow in the footsteps of their idols, and by making an enemy of the King of Akron, a once in a lifetime player and someone these young stars grew up watching, the NCAA inadvertently propelled the campaign against their own rules by generating a new wave of professional athletes and high star recruits who are ready to fight for the financial rights of college athletes. For the first time, college athletes and their families are beginning to understand that they have a certain degree of leverage over colleges when deciding where they will take their talents in order to prepare for the professional game. The rise in social media protests against the old NCAA rules and the growth of American sports overseas have put the NCAA in a position where they need the draw of the talent and personalities of these high star recruits as much as the athletes need the NCAA. But as Lebron James tweeted when the new law was passed, this is “not a

victory but a start!” And right on schedule, after the new law was passed, the NCAA once again made headlines for all the wrong reasons. James Wiseman and Chase Young, the prospective number one draft picks in the 2020 NBA and NFL drafts, respectively, were recently suspended due to accusations of receiving money from boosters within the same week. Wiseman was accused of making his decision to play at Memphis University under the influence that coach Penny Hardaway would help move his family out to the city, and Young was accused of taking money, which he has paid back in full since, from a booster so that he could fly his girlfriend out to the Rose Bowl for his game. Though the argument is there to be made that boosters take away from the process of recruiting that makes college sports unique and at times protect athletes in the future transactions, the story written in the headlines will still scream “NCAA separates college athletes from families.” Cur-

rent players like James, analysts such as Stephen A. Smith, and ex-players such as Jalen Rose and Jay Williams have all expressed their disgust at the situation. The fact of the matter is the NCAA has already developed a reputation as the greatest enemy to college athletes. Regardless of some rules that may be in place to protect athletes from the likes of binding transactions between boosters and bribes, their long inflexible stance on the financial rights of college athletes will make it hard for them to plead their case to a growing population of support for athletes looking to protect and build themselves as an asset. With the growing controversy over the NCAA suppressing top college recruits in addition to showing signs of vulnerability by succumbing to the recent rule change, college and professional athletes in America can smell the blood in the water, and they know now is the most opportune time to capitalize on their leverage over the NCAA.

NHL

The Battle of the Hudson Quagmire By JOSHUA SPEKTOR Pretty much every hockey pundit had assured us that this season would mark the renaissance of the Hudson River rivalry, and on paper, both the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils came out of the summer as big victors. Both teams’ biggest offseason moves were made as if motivated by some epic arms race. The Rangers lured over superstar playmaker winger Artemi Panarin in free agency seemingly as an answer to Devils 2017-18 league MVP winger Taylor Hall, but New Jersey responded by trading for fellow Russian winger Nikita Gusev, who, like Panarin, tore up Russia’s KHL with SKA St. Petersburg before making the move to North America. Less than a week after the Rangers pretty much stole 50-point defenseman Jacob Trouba from the Winnipeg Jets, the Devils acquired their own disgruntled elite right-handed blueliner, the electrifying P.K. Subban, from the Nashville Predators—also for pennies on the dollar. And the kicker? Both teams were also the biggest winners at the NHL draft lottery, giving the Devils the chance to pick American phenom Jack Hughes at No. 1 and the Rangers the chance to take Finnish wunderkind Kaapo Kakko with the second choice. After an additional slew of cheap depth signings and callups, it was all but official that the rebuild stage for these two teams was no more. With the much more competitive rosters came much higher expectations from both fans and the pending unrestricted free agents such as Hall and New York’s speedy winger Chris Kreider, whose futures at their respective clubs are still uncertain. Fast forward to a month into

the 2019-20 season, though, and many hands are already circling the panic button. The Rangers and Devils occupy the last two spots in the stacked Metropolitan Division, and though their extremely unusual schedules have not allowed them to play as many games as other teams in the league, there’s already a sentiment within both fanbases that this is yet another wasted year. While there is still a lot of hockey yet to be played, here are some issues that have plagued the Rangers and Devils through their first dozen games. NEW YORK RANGERS One word: inconsistency. That seems to be the ultimate side effect for a Rangers squad suffering from peculiar lineup management decisions, chemistry issues, and obvious inexperience. With only half of the Rangers roster staying on the team from last year and the lowest average age in the league (25.3), there realistically wasn’t much to expect from this group in the first place, even with a bolstered roster from the offseason (though Rangers diehards would like you to believe that they’re playoff bound). Despite all the shiny additions, the Rangers’ forward group still lacks a lot of depth, especially the center lane. Yes, Mika Zibanejad is gradually revealing himself as a bonafide No. 1 center, and ever since he got injured, Ryan Strome has contributed rather nicely as his replacement. But Strome will eventually come back down to earth with his scoring, and the lack of experience in the Rangers bottom two center slots will become the prime focus. And though it’s not to say that ice time should be stolen from younger players, it would benefit the team greatly to

have a more formidable one-two punch up the middle. Think the 2016-17 Toronto Maple Leafs, who were in the same place as the Rangers before this season, coming off a stinker of a campaign but returning with a slew of exciting youth. The Leafs entered that year with a solid triumvirate of elite talent Auston Matthews, hard-nosed goal-scorer Nazem Kadri, and reliable veteran Tyler Bozak down the middle, and they ended up making the postseason. The Rangers have the talented wingers, their number one scoring defenseman, and great goaltending, but they just aren’t strong enough at center to repeat the Leafs’ feat. Winning their first two games of the year only distracted from issues like this. Their 6-4 game against the Jets, while thrilling, didn’t particularly constitute a good performance; the Rangers gave up multiple leads in quick succession and allowed a whopping 47 shots on net (no other team allows more average shots per game [35.9]). And their 4-1 performance against the lastplace Ottawa Senators was pretty much as expected. As soon as Zibanejad’s eight points in those two games were no longer something the Rangers could rely on, they started losing, and the focus returned on the shooting galleries and defensive ineptitudes, various examples of mishandling their rookies, the overuse of bottom line skaters in inappropriate situations, and the team’s general struggle to find a grip on games. One game, the team can look like a puck-moving machine, while the next, they’re a defensive nightmare and can’t stay out of the penalty box. That is what brings us to their 5-6-1 record through the first dozen. It’s difficult to decipher what this team is at this point, and it’s likely they don’t

know their own game enough. One thing is becoming clearer, though, and it’s that this team is not ready—yet. They need to build character. They need games against contenders like the Boston Bruins in which they’ll get their teeth kicked in, but they also need that occasional gutsy shootout win. And now that their young, talented core of the future is set, they have to keep the mindset that it’s all up from here, especially if they can find and keep a system that works. NEW JERSEY DEVILS One blown lead, two blown leads, three blown leads, four. How many more can Devils fans take? The inability to close out games on home soil has played a large role in the Devils carrying the worst record in the Metropolitan (3-5-4) a month into the new campaign. They had started off their season with a shambolic 0-4-2 before ironically defeating a Rangers team still rusty off playing only three games in two weeks. It’s no secret that the Devils’ goaltending tandem of Cory Schneider and Mackenzie Blackwood is their Achilles heel, and though their play has been decent in blotches, it just hasn’t been good enough to give them a chance to win on a game-togame basis. With both sitting on a sub 0.880 save percentage and the de facto starter Schneider fielding a horrendous 4.71 goalsagainst-average, neither netminder lands in the league’s top 31 in either category. The Devils desperately need at the very least league average goaltending to secure them some games, especially considering that they allow the second least shots per game in the league (28.5). Despite that pleasant met-

ric, the Devils defense has been nowhere near perfect, as shown by their inefficiency in keeping pucks out of the net. On countless instances, the Devils have been guilty of clumsily leaving wide-open gaps in their neutral and defensive zones, allowing opposing players to just walk in and shoot on a screened goaltender. Their style of collapsing right in front of the net on rushes has given offensively talented opponents like the Winnipeg Jets and Florida Panthers enough fuel to stage their monumental comebacks. Though there has been no shortage of criticism for head coach John Hynes for putting little emphasis on good counterattack defense, the fact that the team needs him to motivate them to not give up multigoal leads with half a game left suggests that the Devils need better leadership from within. Sure, being rotated through several different line combinations a game by Hynes doesn’t help the team’s chemistry moving forward either, but there absolutely needs to be somebody who will take the charge from the front, whether that be an MVP-caliber Hall, a tenacious sniper like Kyle Palmieri, or a long-tenured stalwart like Travis Zajac. Giving up on the season now just because of a few disappointing games completely undermines the talent level of the Devils’ roster, and overhauling the team’s identity by getting rid of Hynes is most likely not the best solution to the team’s woes. Rather, by being more patient with less experienced players (like Hughes and Gusev) and establishing a clear blueprint for the share of responsibilities on the team, the Devils can play more cohesive hockey that maximizes the whole group’s potential.

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The Spectator ●November 22, 2019

Sports Nationals Win Back-and-Forth World Series to Claim Franchise’s First Championship By JEREMY LEE and OWEN POTTER

The Washington Nationals fell to 19-31 on May 23, capping off an embarrassing four-game sweep against the lowly Mets. With the fourth worst record in baseball—12 games under .500—everyone had all but written off the Bryce Harper-less Nationals. One hundred and sixty days later, the Nats are World Series Champions. After winning the World Series in 2017 and falling just short in the ALCS of 2018, the Houston Astros came into the 2019 season with high expectations. Those expectations rose even higher when they acquired former Cy Young Award Winner Zack Greinke at the trade deadline, and they emerged as the clear favorites, finishing the season with the best record in baseball. Houston did find themselves in some tough spots throughout the postseason, such as in the ALDS against the wild card Tampa Bay Rays. But, they got by, and thanks to some late-game heroics from Jose Altuve in Game Six of the ALCS, the Astros found themselves in their second World Series in three years.

In the second year since the MLB decided to determine home-field advantage by record rather than the AllStar Game, the Astros found themselves with an extra home game. This only continued to fuel the narrative that the Astros would breeze through the World Series

commanding 2-0 lead, and the Astros needed to win at least two of three on the road in order to stay alive. They accomplished this and more, thanks to an awakening of the bats, notably Alex Bregman, who had been struggling in the postseason, and strong outings from both

road. Early on, it looked as though Houston would once again be crowned champs, as they went up 2-0 in the first. But the never-say-die Nationals persevered for what seemed like the 10th time this postseason. Anthony Rendon, who put up MVP numbers in the regular

With the fourth worst record in baseball—12 games under .500—everyone had all but written off the Bryce Harper-less Nationals. One hundred and sixty days later, the Nats are World Series Champions. and emerge as champions. However, after the Nationals won the first two games (in Houston) behind the 1-2 punch of Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg, it became clear that this was going to be a series, one which the Houston juggernaut might be taken down. Returning home to Washington, the Nationals held a

rookie Jose Urquidy and ace Gerrit Cole. Houston had accomplished a feat that few expected, from down 2-0 to up 3-2 in the series, hoping to return home to finish the job. In Game Six, the pressure was on the Nationals. Somehow, someway, they needed to get a win against Houston ace Justin Verlander on the ADVERTISEMENTS

season, slashed an impressive three for four with five RBIs, alongside a solo shot from 21-year-old rising star Juan Soto. Stephen Strasburg went eight and a third innings while giving up only those two first-inning runs before handing it off to Sean Doolittle to close it out. Max Scherzer vs. Zack Greinke. Game Seven. This

would be the first time in World Series History in which two former Cy Young award winners would face off in the winner-take-all finale. Houston jumped out to a 2-0 lead, looking to win their second World Series in three years. Greinke was practically untouchable from the get-go, but after a solo home run in the Seventh, he was pulled, a questionable decision by manager AJ Hinch. With Gerrit Cole in his back pocket, Hinch chose to call upon RHP Will Harris from the pen. His second pitch was a fastball in the zone, and Nationals 34-yearold second baseman Howie Kendrick went deep to right for a go-ahead two-run homer, putting the Nationals on top 3-2. They never looked back, putting three more runs on the board and blanking the Astros for the rest of the game, thanks to relief help by starter Patrick Corbin. Nats closer Daniel Hudson put down George Springer and Jose Altuve before striking out Michael Brantley to end it all. The Nationals took their first World Series Championship back to D.C, and capped off a historic run against all odds.

The Spectator ●November 22, 2019

Page 24

THE SPECTATOR SPORTS Boys’ Soccer

By AKI YAMAGUCHI and SHIVALI KORGAONKAR

The Start of a New Chapter for the Peglegs the first round of playoffs, being the underdogs didn’t discourage them; instead, it motivated them. This team’s progression from last year is one they should all be very proud of after failing to make the playoffs last year. Now, senior captains Henry Kotkin and Jeremy Moller seem to be focused on the future of this team. Losing 12 seniors, the Peglegs will once again have to restructure their team a tremendous amount in order to match this year’s success. One of their greatest losses will be Sorobay, who saved 57 shots this season, earning him a spot in the PSAL Mayor’s Cup game. He has been crucial in tightening up the defense in recent years, but he believes that the success can continue in the future. He says, “If they still want to compete on a level ground with someone of the city’s finest, they have to keep up the work ethic they have displayed and only go forward from there.” In addition to finding a goalkeeper, Moller says, “The key will be to develop chemistry and find a goal scorer.” With leading scorer Moller gone, the Peglegs will have to find someone to put the ball in the back of the net. At the same time, many offensive players will have to change positions and play defensively. All in all, the entire lineup will have to be rearranged by Coach Vincent Miller. The team will certainly look to leadership from Ander-

Olivia Tedesco / The Spectator

For the first time in six years, the Stuyvesant Peglegs, the boys’ varsity soccer team, claimed their spot in the second round of the playoffs. Even as the underdogs, the boys, seeded 19th, defeated Benjamin N. Cardozo High School—seeded 14th—after a game-winning goal by senior Paul Yunje Chung. But this performance wasn’t good enough for this driven team. Endless afternoons of practice had led up to their secondround playoff game where they needed to push their limits in order to win against the third seed, Brooklyn Tech. Even with junior and starter Amane Anderson injured from a recent game and the starting lineup needing adjustments, the team was ready. The game began; the immediate desire to win was displayed by both sides. Senior defenders Thibaud Roy, Lewis Woloch, Zameer Hoque, and Benjamin Avrahami provided the strong backbone the team clearly needed. Brooklyn Tech’s strong defense made it almost impossible for sophomore and forward Leo Rahn to break past the half-way line. Almost all of the Stuyvesant team was saturated in defense, which led to the Brooklyn Tech boys taking control of the field right away. However, in the last five minutes of the first half, Tech were able to

chase past defenders and score. The Peglegs were down by one goal. Though the goal was slightly discouraging, as the boys circled up during halftime, it was evident that they weren’t going to give up. They were riled up and ready to give Brooklyn Tech a fight. As the second half progressed, the Peglegs began to lose their unity, as passes became sloppy and defensive support became obsolete. Along with these mistakes, a miscommunication led Tech to receive a penalty kick. Coaches, teammates, and spectators were all on the edge as senior goalie Stefan Sorobay attempted to psych the kicker out. The kicker remained calm and when the whistle was blown, he shot the ball into the bottom left corner while Sorobay dove right. 2-0 Tech. The rest of the game flew by, and the Stuyvesant Peglegs reached the end of a long, difficult season after losing 3-0 to Brooklyn Tech. Despite a disappointing game, in the grand scheme of things, the Peglegs were able to conquer everything they had desired. The progression of the team is evident in its ability to remain composed in high-risk situations such as those of playoffs. In their regular season, they were able to earn a draw against the notorious Beacon team, a goal nobody expected them to accomplish. In

son, who was one of the top scorers on the team with eight goals. Though he was injured in the last game of the season, he will be back by next season to once again propel the team. Furthermore, the team has undergone such drastic changes recently when the class of 2018 had 10 graduating seniors. At the end of last year, after missing the playoffs cutoff, the Peglegs were looking in bad shape for this year’s season. However, they bounced back and overcame the obstacle of the first round of the playoffs, showing that nothing is ever over. Despite these challenges, the next season is far from hopeless for the Peglegs. At the begin-

ning of this season, many people were hesitant about the team’s prospects, but they have proven everybody wrong. Their passion and focus took them far, and who’s to say it can’t take them just as far next year. If Miller is able to elect captains as dedicated as Kotkin and Moller, then the Peglegs may just find themselves another successful season ahead. Kotkin says, “With the loss of 12 seniors, it’s definitely going to be a rebuilding year for the team, but they have the tools to make the playoffs again. The number one thing is that the team continues to play with the same fight and grit that we played with this year because that was our key to success.”

Girls’ Soccer

Mimbas Ousted Out of Playoffs After a Great Season By BENJAMIN HAMEL and ETHAN KIRSCHNER

Susan Wagner was a mirror image of the Mimbas’ games against the elite competition this season. During the season, the Mimbas had great all-around games against the most elite competition. The Mimbas held Beacon and Bronx Science, the two best teams in the division, to a combined total of three goals. This team had a great all-around defense in those games with great saves from the senior goalkeeper, Emory Walsh. However, though they played solidly, they could never get over the hump and struggled to finish in the final third in order to upset one of these powerhouses. Throughout the season, the Mimbas had players in terrific goal-scoring form: sophomore Lucinda Bryce and Yamaguchi. The goal-scoring was a strength of this year’s Mimbas team that can hopefully carry into next season. If the goal-scoring remains, the Mimbas are poised to have one of the most dangerous offenses in the 2021 PSAL A

Francesa Nemati / The Spectator

The Mimbas had been preparing all season for their moment—the moment where all the hard work would finally pay off and they would make their school proud. This moment came in the Stuyvesant Mimbas’ first-round playoff game in the Class A playoffs. At Forest Hills, the girls were playing in a hardfought game against Fort Hamilton High School. Backed by the terrific play of co-captains Aki Yamaguchi and Selene Kaehny, the Mimbas used grit and toughness to come out with a 4-0 win in a tough environment on a Saturday morning. As a result, the Mimbas advanced to the second round of the playoffs where they would face the fourth-seeded Susan Wagner. The Mimbas had a quick turnaround to prepare for another win-or-go-home match. On Monday afternoon, the

Mimbas were fired up for the potential upset that was before them. They felt they were ready. But at kickoff, the whole mood changed. Susan Wagner began maintaining possession and controlling the tempo of the game at their own will. Throughout the game, the Mimbas failed to gain momentum and lost 2-0 after a defensive and well-played game. The girls were upset, as they have the right to be, but they knew the caliber of their opponent would be difficult to overcome. Yamaguchi credited Susan Wagner’s play, saying, “Susan Wagner is a great team and we played with all we got.” Throughout the game, the Mimbas lacked offensive firepower and could only piece together a few shots on goal. The Mimbas also got dominated in the midfield as Susan Wagner maintained a greater percentage of possession and better team shape, advancing the ball with ease. The way Stuyvesant played

division. However, on the back end, things don’t look as promising. The defense is going to need an overhaul, as both starting center-backs Selene Kaehny and Sophie Nichol will graduate later this year. Underclassmen defenders Allison Chan and Francesca Nemati will have enhanced roles and large shoes to fill next season. In addition, the heart and soul of the defense, Walsh, will be graduating this spring as

well. The Mimbas have had a great season marked by a great playoff win and many competitive league games. But most of all, the Mimbas had a season filled with joy and laughter that has now come to a close after a heartbreaking playoff loss. But, they will be back with next year looking to avenge this year’s unfulfilling end.

SPORTSBEAT -Cleveland Browns defensive Myles Garrett is suspended indefinitely for assaulting Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph with his own helmet during Thursday Night

Football. -Tua Tugavailoa, Alabama Quarterback and projected top 10 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, is ruled out for the season after being carted off the game against Mississippi State with a hip injury. -MLB is pursuing an investigation of the Houston Astros after former pitcher Mike Fiers accused the Astros of stealing signs during home games. -A host of NFL teams attended Colin Kapernick’s private—later turned public—workout in Atlanta. -The Portland Trailblazers sign Carmelo Anthony. -Liverpool defeat Manchester City 3-1 at Anfield to go ahead nine points clear at the top of the table of the reigning champions.