Volume 112 No. 4
October 31, 2021 SPOOKTATOR
stuyspec.com SPOOKTATOR
Costumed Creatures!
The Brain’s Love for the Paranormal
The only thing more terrifying than a monster is… a monster with hairband kitten ears. The Spectator’s Art Department drew some of the scariest creatures known to man in the finest seasonal attire.
No spook, specter, or haunt will ever be safe again. Science writer Riona Anvekar busts a few myths about ghosts.
see pages 21-22
see page 14
By ALEXANDER CHU and ESHAAL UBAID “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAA—” The piercing shriek was heard from the 11th floor pool to the scanners by the bridge entrance. A crowd formed around the fated hallway, where a freshman, now passed out, lay in front of the lockers. A trail of blood seeped through the grate of Locker 666, flowing down the hallway in front of him. Amidst the gasps and faces frozen in shock, a janitor walked past. He took a look, muttered, “I should have taken the job at B-Tech,” and just kept walking. “STEP ASIDE, COMMONERS!” a voice boomed through the corridor. Principal Yu pushed his way through the crowd. “Man, Contreras said that this would never happen again.” He shooed away the crowd, assuring them that everything was fine. The freshman’s unconscious body was carried to the nurse, and Locker 666 was sectioned off from the public. ************* “I’m gonna check the locker
By ETHAN LAM In a harrowing experience, area man Jebeneezer Booge was visited by three ghostly apparitions in his own home. The three ghosts appeared before him to deliver a series of messages, which they claimed would make him change his selfish ways and understand the true meaning of Halloween. The first ghost, the Ghost of Halloween Past, attempted to show Booge a vision of the past but left the premises after Booge forced it to comply with COVID guidelines. As such, the Ghost of Halloween Past opted to apply for a position at Buzzfeed (a prime source of media nowadays) and wrote an article in order to deliver its message, telling Booge to be on the lookout. The article, titled “Top 10 Reasons that You Must Change Your Ways,” was published on October 31. An excerpt reads as follows: “I think Halloween has been excessively commercialized. It’s not about the candy, the costumes, or the decorations. What really matters is family values—such as performing pagan rituals together in order to ward off evil spirits and to
out.” “Do NOT check the locker out!” “Trust me, I know demons. I battle them––internally––on a daily basis. This is nothing.” Eshaal takes a sip of her hot chocolate. “A d m i n ’s not just going to let you waltz into the sophomore bar and check out the locker because you said ‘it’s fun’ and ‘I won’t get hurt, I swear.’” “Pfffft. C o m e on, it’s a haunted locker, and we’re not off-brand Ghostbusters for nothing,” Alexander scoffs. “We got the car and the theme song too.” “For the last time, a glow-in-
Yaqi Zeng / The Spectator
The Chilling Tale of Locker 666 the-dark skateboard is not a car. I don’t care how invested you are in Stuy Skate…” A door slammed as the Student Union vice-president Ryan Lee stepped into the room, never without a dramatic entrance. “Okay!” shouted Lee, slapping an envelope down onto the table. “I got you the file on Locker 666. Will you PLEASE leave the SU room now?” “Only if you make us official unofficial Ghostbusters!” “Get out.” With a shrug, the two investigators from The Spectator (Privates Chu and Ubaid) found themselves sifting through the file of pictures of the hallway, looking through everything from firsthand accounts of Locker encounters to black and white Polaroids of demonic hands snatching kids from the sophomore bar. “Ew,” grimaced Alex. “I think that’s a real skeleton. Or a freshman––I can’t tell.”
A Halloween Carol
ensure a healthy harvest for the following year. Nowadays, we rarely see anyone visit the druid together to find out who will survive the next winter. It’s a tragedy.” Booge responded to the article, leaving a comment stating that “[The article] is a bunch of pretentious nonsense. You’re just trying to sound better than everyone else by criticizing something popular. You’ve never even celebrated a pagan Halloween. You died in 2020. You told me while I was trying to get you to wear a face mask.” Indeed, after perusing through some death certificates, journalists from The Spectator confirmed that the Ghost of Halloween Past died of COVIDrelated issues the previous year. The Ghost maintained that it was still qualified for its position as “Ghost of Halloween Past,” as 2020 is in the past, and will continue to act as such. However, recent sources report that the Ghost is currently unable to perform its duties for the time being due to the fact that it has been hospitalized after contracting the coronavirus again. The next ghost, the Ghost of Halloween Present, appeared
before Booge after the Ghost of Halloween Past had been kicked from the household, stating: “I am the Ghost of Halloween Present! See the present, and see how you affect those around you. Change your ways, or forever repent…” It then proceeded to show Booge a vision of the present by setting up a Zoom call with Booge’s mother. Booge thanked him, admitting that he had grown distant after moving out, and had an amicable conversation with his family. “Yeah, so like, we really need to connect with the fam, especially on the scariest night of the year, y’know? Glad I could help the dude,” said the wraith as it disappeared into oblivion. The final spirit, the Ghost of Halloween Future, appeared to Booge, showing him yet another prophecy. Booge described the scene as a graveyard in the middle of the night, with a headstone that simply said “Here lies Tiny Tim.” Below is a transcript of their conversation. GHOST OF HALLOWEEN FUTURE: Gaze upon the future that will come to pass…
SPOOKYBEAT
“Nonsense, our editorial overlords would never write something as grotesque as a skeleton in this article. It’s probably a plastic one from the Bio Department.” The duo proceeded to stroll to the notorious locker, where Eshaal ran her finger through the red stains that the janitor hadn’t mopped up yet. “Mmm, ketchup.” Alex winced. “That’s blood.” “Oh… ew.” As they approached the infamous Locker 666, rattling was heard. Something seemed to be moving around in there. The vibrations shook the entire locker block and that one computer trolley that the English department has been using since 2003. “Look at how the locker’s vibrating. There’s DEFINITELY a ghost in there,” Alex exclaimed. “A new friend!” Eshaal cried excitedly. “No.” “Well, a new lover seemed like a bit much,, but you do you, Alex.” “I’ll think about that later. Right now, we gotta summon this thing so continued on page 2
BOOGE: NO! HE WAS TOO GOOD FOR THIS WORLD! SPIRIT! HOW DO I CHANGE MY WAYS? GHOST OF HALLOWEEN FUTURE: Listen to me man. There’s only one way. First, you gotta buy Halloween candy. Not those variety packs either. The fullsized bars. Then put them outside your door on Halloween unattended. A “please take only one” sign should suffice for security— BOOGE: Wait. What year is it? GHOST OF HALLOWEEN FUTURE: …2100. [In the background, a casket can be seen being lowered into the ground.] BACKGROUND PRIEST: “Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord: And let light perpetual shine upon them. May they rest in peace. F to pay respects.” continued on page 2
The administration opened up new lunch spots via student request, including and limited to Principal Yu and Mr. Moran’s office. Students will be required to retake the previous school year due to the loss of class time from the COVID-19 pandemic. The DOE added a new question asking students how spooky they feel on the Health Screening. The answer determines admission into the school building. (The correct answer is “yes.”) Upperclassmen who dress up as freshmen on Halloween will earn a 10-point boost to their GPA. Freshmen dressing up as upperclassmen will receive looks of disappointment. To maintain the spooky Halloween spirit, Stuyvesant shuts down all escalators for the week. Teachers are now mandated to curve Marking Period 3 grades down to meet department-specific averages. All afterschool activities have been extended to 3:00 a.m. Students who wish to camp out at the school may bring sleeping bags to the first-floor atrium. Seniors uncomfortable changing in the second-floor bathroom can now change in the basement next to Peter Stuyvesant’s undecomposed and still very racist corpse. Students who are caught using cell phones in the building will be given supplementary classes to compensate for lost productive time after school. Starting spring 2022, the administration will be mandating that students wear Stuyvesant Physical Education T-shirts and shorts as the school uniform. Any students carrying Halloween props as part of their costumes will have their items confiscated by the attendance monitors.
The Spectator • October 31, 2021
Page 2
The Spooktator! This Haunted House Is Lit(erally on Fire)! By KYLE HON CHAN
I’m Jerome Garcia, reporting live for News on the Four. Welcome to part six of our series, “What’s the Hottest Halloween Trend in 2021?” Previously, we touched upon the Squid Game tracksuit craze and the revival of in-person trick-or-treating, but this might be the crown jewel of them all. Ronald Schwarzenegger and Myra Trump, two 11-year-olds from Licmanster, Connecticut, created the “Burning House of Glory,” dubbed “the hottest trend of the spooky season.” Allegedly, they lit their parents’ houses on fire to create this majestic, fiery masterpiece, using a mix of ethanol and “secret spices” to keep the houses lit. Visitors get a chance to experience all 2,000 square feet of the property,
with each ticket priced at only $50. Advertised as a “once-in-alifetime experience,” people from all over the world are visiting to see what the buzz is about. Most notably, many Russians are immigrating to America just for this burning house. At any hour of the day, you can find a group huddling around the house like it’s a giant communal campfire. According to Vladimir Putinovsky, a communal campfire participant, “It’s too cold up there in Russia! Why don’t they have burning houses over there? America’s the best!” Russians aren’t the only ones crowding the house: self-proclaimed Instagram influencers are also hopping on the trend. They say the house creates a wonderful focal point, with the bonus of perfect, warm lighting.
The influx of customers is not only due to its warm setting. Schwarzenegger and Trump are offering a deal where customers who arrive in cat costumes are charged half price—a deal this news organization could hardly refuse. We sent Carmen Pelosi, one of our best reporters, to the house wearing a cute cat costume. Pelosi was apprehensive at first, noting that the trip was “potentially fatal,” but she couldn’t turn down the half-price deal (we also threatened to fire her, and she agreed that being set on fire wasn’t as bad as being fired from her job). Surprisingly, we haven’t heard back from her since she entered the house. She must be enjoying herself so much that she has no desire to come out! Lucky for her, this is also the case with
Schwarzenegger and Trump’s other customers. The pair recognize this and are lenient with visitors’ time: “They can stay for as long as they like! We know it’s a great attraction; you don’t often get to experience something like this!” So, if you’re looking to do something this Halloween, come and visit the “Burning House of Glory” for a unique experience! Jerome Garcia, signing out. Update: It’s been three days, and we still haven’t heard from Pelosi or the other people in the house. The house is still burning strong, and police are beginning investigations on the missing persons. One by one, police have entered the burning house to investigate, but none of them have come out. Firefighters were
The Chilling Tale of Locker 666
continued from page 1
we can get rid of it.” One quick supply run later, they had seated themselves around a circle of various textbooks, No.2 pencils, and one Stuy gym uniform (used, approximately one pandemic old, locker-aged), all doused with Ferry’s coffee in front of the cursed locker. They began the chant. “The FitnessGram Pacer Test is a multistage aerobic capacity test....” The uniform evaporated as the textbooks levitated. A ghostly apparition appeared from the vaporized coffee droplets, one of a young lad in dated clothing: a Red Hot Chili Peppers t-shirt, slightly ripped jeans, and worn-out Jordans. He scoffed. “You DARE disturb me? You make me face this godforsaken
school again? Shame on you.” “OH MY GOSH HI GHOST FRIEN—” Eshaal slappedped Alex’s mouth shut. “Yeah, uh,, hi ghost-person. You’re kind of freaking everyone out right now. You feeling okay, bro? Want to talk it out? Bottling these things up is not healthy.” “No, fools. I’m taking my REVENGE. You think I’d get over my untimely demise? The stairs? CHEMISTRY? You all even have escalators now!” “Clearly you haven’t heard about that whole broken leg incident-” “Actually, it was a toe,” Alex chimed in. “Don’t give him more ideas. Besides, I wanna know why he’s a ghost.” “WHY I haunt your school? I…. well… well actually…I do a little trolling, as the kids say nowadays.”
“Well, you’re doing one hell of a job. People think you’re from Hell.” “This school will NEVER see the light of da—wait, what? Really?” The apparition placed a hand over his translucent heart. “You mean it?” “Well yeah. You got people to avoid the 7-9 escalator for a month with all those ungodly screams. That’s a real achievement.” The apparition wiped a tear away, staring into the distance of the Hudson. “I’m touched. Flattered, even.” “How do you touch a spirit?” Eshaal inquired. “LET ME HAVE THIS MOMENT. Anyway, you see, I’m taking revenge because I was angry at the stairs, at the chemistry department for ruining my will to live, but most of all, the kids. You
all complain time and time again over Wi-Fi or Talos and whatnot. I don’t even know what those words MEAN. I had to write everything down on my arm. Barely showered for the sake of organization! You say I’m from Hell when this place was a real hellhole! I suffered with the technology of my time, and you with all of this privilege still complain?” “Fair enough,” Alexander said. “But will you leave? Please?” The apparition sighed. “Fine. I appreciated the compliment, though.” “Bye, Mr. Ghost!” Eshaal waved. “Please. Call me Carl.” With that, the lad from 1990s Stuyvesant rose into the sky, eventually reaching StuyHeaven, the fated realm where everyone gets an
also called, and they decided to end this thing once and for all. A group of them walked into the building to rescue the thousands of people that seemingly fit inside the house. For some strange reason, they have yet to emerge. We interviewed Chief Firefighter Jeb Wazowski about this situation, and he said, “It’s too risky to hose down the house with so many people in it. I’m sure the firefighters inside are doing a great job making sure everything’s going smoothly. Everyone will be out in a few minutes!” Some critics remain skeptical about this house and the fates of the people in it. When asked about these incidents, Schwarzenegger and Trump just laughed, “Don’t worry about it! We’ll be open all month, so come visit!”
admissions letter into an Ivy League and the Peglegs win every game. The levitating books slammed to the ground. Eshaal and Alexander looked at each other in relief. It was over, and the suspicious ketchup would no longer reign supreme. ********** Principal Yu sat at his desk, tired after winning a rap battle against the Principal of Brooklyn Tech. He kicked off his shoes and fired up ye olde Gmail, only to find a chilling message at the top of his inbox, where there would usually only be dozens of interview requests from The Spectator’s News department. “I’ve modernized! This Halloween’s gonna be groovy. First target: PupilPath. Best, Carl <3”
A Halloween Carol continued from page 1
CROWD, IN UNISON: F. [A sobbing, distraught woman can be seen attempting to fling herself into the hole with the coffin. Multiple people are
holding her back.] WOMAN: LET ME GO! LET ME YEET OFF THIS MORTAL COIL TO BE WITH MY BROTHER! GHOST OF HALLOWEEN FUTURE:
Yeah, so in the future, modern meme slang works its way into the mainstream vocabulary… BOOGE: That’s really unfortunate. And uh, since it’s 2100, I assume my actions don’t cause the death of Tiny Tim.
GHOST OF HALLOWEEN FUTURE: …He dies of a stroke at age 91. BOOGE: You just want me to put out the goddamn candy, don’t you.
GHOST OF HALLOWEEN FUTURE: …Yeah. Booge proceeded to press charges, and the three ghosts were later arrested for breaking and entering.
1-800-HowToNotBeLikeOdysseus By ERICA CHEN and ANIKET ROY Welcome to Crash Course Literature. Today, we’ll be reviewing “The Odyssey.” “The Odyssey” is a classic: one that most English teachers adore, writers call inspiration from, and translators cry tears over. Whether they’re tears of joy or despair, I’m not so sure. Let’s be honest and just rip the Band-Aid off. “The Odyssey” is not a good book. Odysseus, our main character, is not someone to be respected. That dude spent most of his time hitting on teenagers half his age. Instead of discussing the storyline of “The Odyssey,” we’ll be talking about how to not be like Odysseus because that dude has too many complexes for a single therapist to diagnose. Avoid Toxic Relationships What the hell was this dude’s relationship with Calypso? One minute, Odysseus is cursing her out using words that would earn
him a bar of soap in his mouth, and the next minute, they’re doing the Devil’s Tango. Relationship advice: it is not healthy to be plotting the murder of your partner while simultaneously holding a burning desire to rip their clothes off. Pick a lane. Either you want to drown your partner in the Hudson or you want to take them to the Hudson Staircase. Don’t be a hypocrite. Don’t Be a Child Predator Odysseus has some serious issues regarding children. First, he appears stark naked in front of a bunch of teenage girls. Then he flirts with the young, innocent princess in order to gain sympathy. MAJOR RED FLAG! This guy is in his forties while this naive little princess is only about 12 years old. She’s even younger than a Stuyvesant freshman! If You’re Already Married, Try to Stay That Way When Odysseus
finally returns home and is reunited with his “beloved” wife Penelope, he promises her that he will tell her everything about his journey. And he does... except the parts about sleeping with almost every woman he met on his trip. His definition of “everything” is very selective, huh… HE CHEATED ON HER Y’ALL. Poor Penelope. If Odysseus can’t be loyal, who among us can? Choking People Is Bad… Odysseus doesn’t seem to have any qualms about killing the people who raised him. D o n ’ t think that being Odysseus’s rel-
Mandy Li/ The Spectator
ative wins you any goodwill. He CHOKED his nurse, who raised him since he was young, and threatened to kill her. If I did that to my parents, I would never be seen or heard from again. Have some respect for those that raised you (or just people in general). Don’t Sacrifice Your Parents for Gold More presents?? More presents!! Sure, presents are great. Odysseus certainly thinks so. Nothing wrong with that, right? Well, sure––EXCEPT––his dear old daddy is dying because of grief for his missing son. Yet, Odysseus is perfectly fine with returning a year late, under the promise of more presents, and more gold. Never thought I would see the day where a guy would trade quality time with his father for money. Odysseus must have a heart of ice. Try Not to Have an Ego Bigger than the Milky Way Galaxy
Odysseus seems to think the whole world revolves around him. His ego is so huge that he can’t help but make one stupid decision after the next. He tries to fight monsters that he’s been told can’t be defeated, which results in his crewmates dying. Innocent mistake? Not so much. He also sacrifices some of his crewmates so that he can escape from Polyphemus, the Cyclops. Yes, Odysseus, everyone but you can die. You’re worth more than those irrelevant crewmates of yours who break their backs to go do idiotic things with you. Real class act. What should we take away from today’s Crash Course summary? Odysseus is not a Greek hero. In fact, he’s much more of a child predator than a “hero.” I beg of you: don’t be like Odysseus. It might save you from getting canceled, put behind bars, or being generally despised. I also heavily emphasize that choking people is a non-starter.
The Spectator The Stuyvesant High School Newspaper
Volume 112 No. 4
“The Pulse of the Student Body”
October 29, 2021 SCIENCE
stuyspec.com ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
“Why Do We Love Sugar?” Planning on shoving your face with Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, or Snickers this Halloween? Science writer Arin Faruque breaks down why craving sugar is such a fundamental feeling for us all. see page
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“Top of the Morning”: Baby Keem’s Memorable Debut While the energy of Baby Keem’s debut project is high, the rising star rarely delivers on lyrical depth or introspection, leading to mixed results. see page
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Administration Repurposes SU Rooms to Staff Offices By MARY LEE Additional Reporting by Momoca Mairaj
NEWSBEAT Stuyvesant hosted its annual Homecoming Pep Rally on October 22. Biology teacher MengPing Tu, social studies teachers Ellen Siegel and Sheldon Gomes, Mandarin teacher Jia Zhou, math teachers Patrick Honner and Stan Kats, and computer science teacher Topher Mykolyk received the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award. Senior Alyssa Choi was selected as a member of the 2021 NAfME All-National Concert Band for oboe.
Stuyvesant is hosting a schoolwide mock election for New York Citywide positions, including Mayor, Public Advocate, Comptroller, and four ballot proposals. Vote at https://forms. gle/Swk3QJTuNFsYHVHc7 by Sunday, October 31.
ed for the technology team, special education team, and the deans. “What we’re gonna have is the old Spectator space, which is currently at the back corner of the SU room, that’s going to be used by the technology team, the two additional folks that we hired,” Yu said. “In one case, we have put [biology teacher and Assistant Principal of Teacher Development Marianne] Prabhu, the new Assistant Principal, in the ARISTA office.”
store their belongings, homeroom signs, and t-shirt boxes. “When it was the first week of school, we would meet there every day because there was homeroom every day,” senior and Big Sib Chair Syeda Zahan said. “After that, it was at least once a week that we were in the room because we had to make sure that for future events we were planning ahead, and just to communicate with each other how the Big Sib program, in general, was
Stuyvesant Implements 30-Minute Homework Policy By EUGENE YOO, AIDEN ACKERMAN, and LAUREN CHIN After remote learning, many students were worried about readjusting to the school’s workload. To address this concern, the administration established a 30-minute homework policy for all regular, honors, and Advanced Placement (AP) classes for the 2021-2022 school year. This decision, spurred on by Student Union leaders and students, is a response to the major push to address the mental health issues exacerbated during remote learning last year. Traditionally, homework for regular classes could not exceed 30 minutes while AP classes could not exceed 60 minutes. However, the change was implemented to ease the amount of homework students received each night. “The members of the Leadership Team wanted to reduce the workload for students, particularly for those students who were taking AP classes,” Assistant Thomas Principal of Chemistry
and Physics Scott Thomas said in an e-mail interview. “By reducing the homework for AP classes from one hour to 30 minutes, students would be able to focus on the quality of work instead of quantity.” English teacher Maura Dwyer also cited external factors for the change in the homework policy. “[The pandemic] has affected so many Stuyvesant families— in terms of employment, loss, health (physical and mental), and racial prejudice,” she said in an email interview. “Because we are still experiencing the pandemic, the goal, as I see it, is to help mitigate some of the stress of the past 18 months and ease the transition back to full-time, inperson school.” For Dwyer, who teaches AP English, she adjusted accordingly to the homework policy. “I am giving less work in the form of fewer major assignments and occasionally, time in class to start a longer chunk of reading. Because continued on page 4
going.” For The Spectator, the room was used to house boxes of issues and archives of previous issues. “We mostly used it to do work during free periods on The Spectator and otherwise, and we also used it to store all the records, papers, and materials, such as our merchandise and other things we do, but mostly our papers and the archives,” senior and The Spectator Business Manager Jared Moser said. When the change was implemented, clubs were initially not informed of this change. “We were notified on the day that they decided to commandeer our room. It was like a short e-mail that only Syeda got from [Assistant Principal of Pupil Personnel Services Casey] Pedrick, I believe,” senior and Big Sib Chair Aaron Wang said. As the change went underway, many club leaders were frustrated by the short notice and the lack of student input, reporting little communication with the administration. “After my class ended, I went down to see the room and they were already taking stuff out which, like Aaron said, [had] no input from us and [was] just very administrative, just decisions without asking ahead of time,” Zahan said. “We always made sure to respect the area whenever we were in the room for meetings or whatever [...] so we, or at least I, felt a little betrayed that they didn’t give us a lit-
tle bit of respect because we were so respectful to the room they gave us, and for all our contributions to the school.” Some students were notified of the transition through other club leaders. “I just found out because I heard the Spec room was being [repurposed], or taken away, and I heard that people were really unhappy about that within Spec and among the [editorial board],” senior and Big Sib Chair Daniela Maksin said. Yu acknowledged the lack of communication, but also emphasized the urgency of the situation. “When you start making these decisions, sometimes, not every consideration is made,” Yu said. “Ideally, we would have loved to have had conversations and been able to make sure everyone was in the know. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and so we had to make some quick decisions.” As club leaders became aware of the transition, they contacted the administration to address the situation. “In regards to the removal of other clubs in the SU suite, no students were made aware of the transition when the decision was made,” senior and SU President Shivali Korgaonkar said in an e-mail interview. “However, continued on page 2
Stuyvesant’s Tape Murals: A Response to Shared Worries By JENNY LIU and MOMOCA MAIRAJ Walk on the first, second, and 10th floor of Stuyvesant these days, and one would not be able to miss the colorful murals adorning the walls. These pieces of art are murals made of tape created by freshman students of Art Appreciation teacher Jeanie Chu. The project centers around the topic of shared worries among the student body upon their return to school. “The emotional realms or parts of being a student [are] not as kind of dealt with or not discussed as often in a number of classes within high school,” Chu said. “We are inextricably part of a community and we need community, so the tape art murals themselves [were] to allow students to take ownership as a school.” The 25 tape murals are the group portion of a larger endeavor, which includes students’ individual colored pencil works that will also be displayed alongside the murals. These projects explored questions such as: What is the kind of school community you would like to see at Stuyvesant? How can we make the things we struggle with every day visible? What does
it mean to be empathetic? What benefit or power is there in empathy? Because of its free-formed nature, there were few regulations in
Sasha Burshteyn / The Spectator
Assistant Principal for Teacher Support & Development and Data Systems Lead and biology teacher Marianne Prabhu received the MƒA Muller Award for Professional Influence in Education.
The rooms previously occupied by student organizations were often used for storage or meetings. For the Big Sib Chairs, they used their room to hold meetings and
Anthony Sun / The Spectator
Traditionally, the Student Union (SU) suite housed rooms that student-led clubs have occupied, including ARISTA, Big Sibs, and The Spectator. Due to the lack of space for faculty, the administration repurposed the three rooms within the SU suite into offices for staff members. The SU will not transition out of their room because it is used by their faculty advisor, social studies teacher and Coordinator of Student Affairs Matt Polazzo. For the new school year, the administration hired new personnel and looked to create offices for them in the SU room. “We did partner with a few organizations, we hired more staff, and so in the short term, we have to maximize what we can,” Principal Seung Yu said. “Right now, at least under this year, we made the decision that we were going to use some of the space in the SU’s bigger space: two rooms, from my understanding, that were not used very much, so we wanted to at least use them for what we could.” The administration chose the SU suite due to the lack of space elsewhere in the school building. “There are spaces that are currently not utilized because they’re going through renovation, and some
of these projects have been a lot longer than anticipated,” Yu said. “For instance, the robotics lab and the hydroponic lab.” The new offices will be provid-
creating the art. “There [weren’t] any restrictions. It just had to be continued on page 4
The Spectator • October 29, 2021
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News Administration Repurposes SU Rooms to Staff Offices continued from page 1
when we found out, conversations occurred between the SU and administration to ensure that there was direct communication around the future of the SU suite moving forward.” For the Big Sib leaders, the removal of their room did not greatly affect their club procedures. “As of now, our transition hasn’t really been too much affected because our program doesn’t rely on the office itself in order to function since it’s more of a spread out sort of thing across different homerooms,” Wang said. ARISTA had also adapted to using Zoom to hold their meetings, and thus, were not affected largely by the transition. “With all of us being able to work and communicate on different things at the same time, and since we no longer have to worry about the commute home, our meetings can begin late at night and often run over three hours with double the work completed,” senior and ARISTA President Leah D’Silva said in an e-mail interview. “It is much easier to coordinate a Zoom meeting than to bring everyone to the same place for an in-person meeting.” Though students were surprised that their rooms were to be repurposed, they acknowledge the administration’s decision. “While we would like the SU suite to remain a student-only space, we understand that some compromises had to [be] made this year while we transition back to school with new staff and new safety rules,” Korgaonkar said. Similarly, Moser added, “I used to do a lot of work in there, so it’s a little annoying, I won’t lie, [but] I don’t think there’s anything we can do about it at this point. [...] There are other places to do your work, even if they’re not as good as the Spec room. It’s a change, but it doesn’t seem like one we’re given a choice in.” Despite this, the Big Sib Chairs emphasized the club rooms’ sentimental significance. “The room
just has a lot of history in itself as well,” Wang said. “It’s not there anymore but there was a bulletin board inside the room where you could see all the past years of Big Sibs and their handbooks, which we found to be really nice while it was still there. Big Sibs traditionally have this teddy bear stuffed animal that gets passed down with every generation of Big Sibs, and it’s traditionally also been in the Big Sibs room.” The rooms in the SU suite themselves also hold historical significance to the Stuyvesant community. “[The] Spectator, the Big Sib program, and ARISTA just contribute a lot [to the school], and for the longest time the administration had really recognized that and given us this space to do as we please,” Wang said. “But now that it’s suddenly being taken away, I think it’s sort of uncalled for, especially during this transition back from remote learning, where we’re more happy to be in school and finally get to experience places such as our office.” Wang elaborated that the involvement of students is a central aspect of Stuyvesant culture. “[We have] this student-led culture, where a lot of students have this power and voice, and by taking away that office, and especially moving adults, personnel, and faculty into what has traditionally been the student-led space, is really frustrating for a lot of us leaders because that of kind seems to almost infringe on [it],” he said. While the administration understands the historical significance of the rooms, they also place urgency on providing offices for the faculty. “The one thing I would say is there’s a lot of history, so we want to honor that, but also recognizing there isn’t ownership of rooms,” Yu said. “We have to do what’s best for the entire school, and [...] how we can best make sure everyone is getting what they need.” The faculty also recognize the plausible shift in the culture of moving clubs out and moving staff
members in. “There’s a recognition that the dynamic of that bigger [SU] space is probably going to change,” Yu said. “We don’t want to change the dynamic of the big SU space, but we also recognize there’s going to be more adults coming in and out, and we want to make sure we can find the right balance.” As of now, the administration is planning on which rooms will be given to the staff members. “My understanding after speaking with [Assistant Principal of Organization] Dr. [Gary] Haber and such, is that the Big Sibs room, right now, we don’t know if it’s going to be utilized. So that’s still in question because we’re having to see if there’s any other needs [to meet],” Yu said. The administration is also working with the SU to open the SU suite to students beyond the SU and the clubs who were previously affiliated with the rooms. “We are going to purchase different furniture, working with the SU to make it a kind of professional workspace,” Yu said. “Students who do come in and occupy and utilize it can feel like it’s a welcoming space, but also a space where they can work.” In response to the room repurposing, ARISTA has worked with a few faculty members to find a new space for meetings and storage. “Ms. Prabhu has been very gracious and accommodating to the change, and has assured us that we can still use the office for any in-person meetings with other partnerships that we need to have,” D’Silva said. “Since [social studies teacher Eric] Wisotsky, our faculty advisor, is a dean, we are lucky that we can utilize his office for storing all of the ARISTA items that we have.” While the Big Sib Chairs were offered space by staff members, they found it difficult to comfortably hold meetings there. “[Director of Family Engagement Dina] Ingram and Ms. Pedrick did suggest that we can use their office space as well but it’s not the same
Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons and NASA
WORLDBEAT The World Health Organization announced its program to secure pharmaceutical company Merck & Co’s experimental COVID-19 treatment pill, Molnupiravir. North Korea conducted a submarine-launched ballistic missile test for the first time in two years. The World Bank declared Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis as one of the worst financial crises in centuries. The Justice Department under the Biden administration urged the Supreme Court to temporarily block Senate Bill 8, a Texas law that bans most abortions in the state. Rachel Levine was sworn in as the first openly transgender four-star admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. The NYC Board of Health passed a resolution on October 18 that declares racism a public health crisis. kind of experience,” Zahan said. “Also, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that, as much as we love the entire faculty oversight committee, it does feel a little odd to have those kind[s] of meetings when there are some things that we would just want to discuss among just the five of us, whereas other things obviously need to be discussed with them present.” The Spectator has also been given a room, but more as a space for storage. “We do have a new room. It’s just not going to be very big and we’re not gonna have much space to do work. It’s more of a storage room [...] to store our archives,” Moser said. While the administration is unsure of how long they will occupy the rooms in the SU suite,
they stated that they will make decisions based on what is necessary at the moment. “We’ve got a current need here, so we [have] to maximize what we have based on the information we have and the things that we’ve seen, but we will go back to it a year from now to see [if we] can make some adjustments,” Yu said. Moving forward, the administration plans to set out an agenda to help ease the transition and establish communication between the students and staff. “We want to put out a timeline just so we can make sure everyone is clear,” Yu said. “One thing we’ve always learned and will continue to learn is how to improve communication.”
Stuyvesant’s Tape Murals: A Response to Shared Worries continued from page 1
[in] a clear space and anything we [could] reach. We were allowed to choose how big we wanted it to be,” freshman Muna Faruqi said. Her group created the mural in the second floor staircase, depicting the family-school-life balance that many Stuyvesant students struggle to maintain. Students focused on different facets of what it means to be a part of the Stuyvesant community. For freshman Imene Zarouri and her groupmates, whose first-floor project is titled “StuyHeartRadio”
as a derivation of “iHeartRadio,” it meant the importance of checking in on each other. “You should be listening to other people to build a better community, and we kinda took this radio here, and you would be tuning into others, sort of like how you tune into radio stations, you tune into other people,” she said. “That’s supposed to create a better community.” Creating these murals was a new experience for many, especially when using tape. “It’s different because it’s one of the first times I’ve ever put up a mural in a school or worked with others to put up a mural,” Faruqi said. “And, it was my first time working with
tape as a material to make art.” Besides appearing as an unusual medium, the tape had notable characteristics that made it ideal for the project. “The tape itself was direct as well as immediate,” Chu said. “They actually developed their own techniques too, so you will see throughout different murals the handling with the tape and the kind of textures they were able to produce with it.” Despite the simplicity of using tape as an art medium, students still used specific techniques to work with it. “I would do it again so I could work more on the skills [like] making curves with the tape, making texture with the tape,
and [using] color [to] produce a mood,” Faruqi said. Many enjoyed participating in the project as it was a novel experience. “It was definitely something new. I did really like the project because it was my first time working with tape,” Faruqi said. Others agreed and enjoyed the anonymity, understanding that people can enjoy it without the need to attribute the work. “It’s really cool because people could pass by it and [...] they see the progress,” Zarouri said. “It’s cool not knowing who worked on it.” Students outside of Chu’s class appreciate seeing the works around the building. “It’s really
cool that [students] are doing this. I see the murals when I’m walking up to [AP] Art History, and they’re so pretty [and] really colorful, and I like all the little details,” sophomore Sophia Mueller said. In the future, Chu hopes to lead similar projects to bring an impact outside of the classroom. “We definitely [...], for Art [Appreciation] or any kind of art studio courses, [...] are exhibiting; that’s all part of the nature of producing art—it has to be exhibited,” she said. “Right now, I would say nothing said in plans yet, but I’m hoping because I think it has made a difference in our experience as we walk through the halls.”
Stuyvesant Partners with Organizations for Mental Health
As Stuyvesant transitioned from remote to in-person learning, the Stuyvesant Counseling Department, the School Leadership Team, Social Emotional Leadership Team (SEL), and Security Team partnered with three organizations support stu-
dents’ mental health: Counseling in Schools (CIS), My Robin, and Authentic Connections. The administration hopes that the implementation of these organizations will support students and reinforce the existing efforts of the guidance office. CIS looks to support growth within the community and solidify the foundation of social and emotional development. Authentic Connections aims to send
Courtesy of Sapphire Chao
By MAGGIE SANSONE, SAKURA YAMANAKA, JAMES LEE, and EMMA CHIO
comprehensive surveys throughout the school year to understand the relationship between the student body and faculty to better the well being of the Stuyvesant community, the first of which is intended to come out in the upcoming weeks. This past summer, freshman students participating in the Summer Rising Program run by biology teacher and Assistant Principal of Teacher Development and Data Sys-
tems Marianne Prabhu used My Robin, an online platform used to self-reflect and offer assistance to students to enhance their resiliency and find their identity. The SEL includes Principal Seung Yu, Assistant Principal of Pupil Personnel Services Casey Pedrick, Assistant Principal of continued on page 5
The Spectator • October 29, 2021
Page 5
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The Spectator • October 29, 2021
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News Stuyvesant Partners with Organizations for Mental Health World Language, Art, and Music Francesca McAuliffe, Director of Family Engagement Dina Ingram, and Prabhu. They participate in weekly discussions to go over the SEL Reintegration Plan. They will also be joined by social worker Arleen Novarese and CIS therapist Sapphire Chao, who have been working closely with the guidance office to better support the administration. Additionally, social worker Dani Thompson has been brought to Stuyvesant to assist students and aid in filling the gap of mental health help. “I have had friends who are educators at high schools that say that there is such a lack of mental health services in schools overall,” Thompson said. “This could be a very great place to help bridge that gap.” Many of the organizations’ services are available to the stu-
dent body, with each adding a different component of promoting the overall mental health of the student body. For Chao, she will provide art therapy to students as one of her services. Art therapy will be provided in two forms: an Open Art Studio every Tuesday and Wednesday from 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in room 1005 after school starting on October 19 and an Art-based Relaxation group on Mondays from 3:45 p.m. to 4:40 p.m. starting on October 25 in room 236Q. Chao is also dedicated to supporting students who feel stressed and need emotional support in private sessions. “Usually the therapy session is cool. It is more preventive because you don’t need to get any diagnosis to see me. You could [see me] if you feel so stressful, need emotional support, or need to regulate your emotions. I feel like a partner with students to regulate any emotions that they have,” Chao said.
Chao is not only a CIS counselor, but also a licensed New York State Creative Arts therapist. “I can engage with students in creative and playful ways to share information and experience with students,” Chao said. The motivation behind these endeavors comes from recognizing the impact of the pandemic on mental health and believing this project will help bring support to the students. “Partnering with these organizations [will] assist us in our efforts to bolster social emotional programs for our students. We want as much support for our students as possible,” Ingram said in an e-mail interview. As the school year has just begun, many students are slowly adjusting to the in-person rhythm again. As the year continues, the administration finds it likely that maintaining this rhythm will be difficult. “As the academics here go on, stress builds,” Novareese said. “I anticipate the higher need
for support at that time.” Others acknowledge the need
Courtesy of James Lee
continued from page 4
to break the stigma surrounding mental health. “Going to a counselor or therapist when you are feeling sad or overwhelmed should be as normal as going to the doctor when you have the flu. Let’s end the stigma about mental health,” Pedrick said.
CIS feels that their partnership with Stuyvesant is currently making progress. Program Manager for CIS Patty Hennessy is responsible for cultivating the relationship between CIS and Stuyvesant staff, including the guidance department and Yu. “We had a really productive meeting with [Pedrick] and the whole guidance counseling team. That was amazing and I feel like that was part of the relationship building,” Hennessy said. “Everyone I have met so far has been so warm and welcoming and I feel that lends to such an effectively impactful program.” The new staff hope to leave the message that there are services available to support students when needed. “You are not alone. There is support here.” Novarese said. “If [students] are feeling stressed, if they want to talk, if they want a referral for additional support, or if they just want a space to vent. I am there for all of it.”
Stuyvesant Implements 30-Minute Homework Policy continued from page 1
Aryana Singh / The Spectator
the AP English test is very skillsbased, I am not worried about my students,” Dwyer said. “For tests that are very content heavy, I can really empathize with the pressure to cover all of the material, and I hope those teachers are getting concrete, helpful guidance about how to help student stress while covering their content.” Many students found the new homework policy to be fair compared to that of previous years. “I feel less worried that I won’t have any free time and I’m actually able to relax,” sophomore Jowita Walkup said. “Last year, giving more homework didn’t help with the half-day schedule thing we had because they could really only give homework on the things we learned, and it didn’t teach us more. Having consistent but less homework makes more sense.” However, others reported that certain assignments still ex-
ceed the 30-minute limit. “Since we had that gap year with COVID, learning was very interrupted. A lot of the math that I have learned [currently], I’ve had to teach myself and that extra studying bleeds into the 30 minutes,” senior Tamzid Tapan said. “Some of my teachers don’t take that into account that extra
teaching that I have to do and that makes it closer to an hour or an hour and a half.” Junior and Student Union Vice President Ryan Lee hopes that the change will positively impact students. “It’s incredibly important to have a balance between work, extracurriculars, and social life at an academically rig-
orous school like Stuyvesant,” he said. English teacher Eric Ferencz agreed, noting the impact that the policy can have on Stuyvesant’s culture. “I hope that these changes can be permanent,” he said. “Students losing sleep and struggling with mental health is sadly a normalized experience for many at our school. I believe that policies such as this one promote a school culture of prioritizing mental health and I support any initiative that puts our students’ mental health first.” However, from a recent discussion with her students, Dwyer remarks that the amount of time it takes to complete a certain homework assignment varies depending on the student. “I asked one of my AP classes about this and they reported that while they have noticed efforts on behalf of some of their teachers, they believe only the fastest students in the class actually take 30 minutes to complete the [homework]. If it’s a subject that the student
struggles in, it might take closer to an hour, or even two hours,” Dwyer said. Tapan, however, finds that students’ workload does not rest solely on the amount of homework and believes the school administration should also focus on ways to slowly reintroduce tests and quizzes. “I don’t think it’s the homework policy that needs changing. I think it’s the testing policy because we didn’t really have that many tests last year so just coming back to the school and being forced to go back to testing feels really weird and foreign,” Tapan said. “They should have tests that are slightly easier or that have less material so that we can get back into the swing of things rather than normal Stuyvesant tests.” Ultimately, teachers still have yet to evaluate the lasting effects of such a shift. “The leadership team will be evaluating the changes to the homework policy and make further changes if needed,” Thomas said.
Stuyvesant Reopens Physical Education Locker Rooms During online learning, virtual Physical Education (P.E.) classes were ones without P.E. uniforms or locker rooms. Nearly a month into Stuyvesant’s transition back into in-person learning, the administration reinstated the use of locker rooms for P.E. classes. P.E. classes have experienced several changes at the beginning of the year to align with COVID-19 protocols. In addition to increased sanitation measures and outdoor P.E. classes, locker room usage was delayed during the first month of school to facilitate a gradual increase in P.E. activities. “We are being very intentional with the start of locker room use, making sure that all social distancing and health protocols are followed,” Assistant Principal of Security and Health and P.E. Brian Moran said in an e-mail interview.
During the transition, some students enjoyed the flexibility of looser P.E. attire regulations in their P.E. classes. “I really liked not having to use PE uniforms for the first month of school since I take yoga right now and it was really nice being able to be comfortable in my own clothes,” senior Michelle Zhang said. With the reopening of the P.E. locker rooms, locker assignments functioned similarly to that of previous years, though assignments are more distanced. “Students in 9th, 10th and 11th grade have been spread out and seniors are not assigned a locker to ensure social distancing,” Moran said. The administration also added more lockers to help ease crowding and promote social distancing, though this may pose a challenge in navigating through these new lockers. “We’ve gotten more lockers and students should just be a little
more careful in the locker room since it might be harder to locate the new lockers,” P.E. teacher Marvin Autry said. Some students have noticed the adjustments made to adhere
than freshman year. There seems to be less people changing and I have more space to maneuver around,” junior Vivian Su said. Though locker rooms have reopened, some P.E. teachers
to COVID-19 guidelines. “The gym lockers are less crowded
have maintained a more flexible approach regarding the use
CocoFang / The Spectator
By JANNA WANG and ISABELLA JIA
of P.E. uniforms, to which a few students have responded positively to. “We’re still transitioning back to in-person gym classes, so my [P.E.] teacher [Howard Barbin] has been a bit more lenient about changing and focused more on allowing us to spend time outside as we’re adapting,” junior Jasmine Yuen said. “Gym classes feel a lot more flexible at the moment because of this, coupled with the fact that we get a lot more freedom from having our basketball class outdoors.” Overall, Mmny P.E. teachers hope to continue facilitating a smooth transition back into the normalcy of post-COVID P.E. classes. “We’re getting back to normal where the kids go to their locker room, get changed and go to the class as opposed to [going] directly to class and not being prepared,” Autry said. “It creates a safe environment in the gym because everyone’s prepared and ready to go.”
The Spectator • October 29, 2021
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News Stuyvesant Plans Chorus Hallway Art Project One may soon see the chorus hallway, located on the first floor, decorated with art. Health and physical education teacher Dr. Anna Markova has initiated a painting project to take place in the hallway by the music classrooms. While the project is still in its early stages, it plans to incorporate student designs and collaborate with professional artists to paint the hallway with musical themes. The initiative was partially inspired by and will be similar to already existing murals throughout the school. “The pilot is our fifth floor mural created by Japanese street artist Shiro,” Dr. Markova said in an e-mail interview. “She also did a beautiful mural in our
spin studio.” Dr. Markova will be collaborating with choral director Liliya Shamazov on the project. “[Dr.] Markova came to me a couple of weeks ago proposing this idea of enlivening, reviving the hallway in the first floor, in a music theme,” Shamazov said. “We briefly spoke about possibilities for the designs because basically, this floor mostly has music, at least in this area of the school, classes, so we thought it would be a cool idea to paint it [...] around music themes.” One of Shamazov’s roles in this project is spreading the word of the planned painting to students as student input and creations will be crucial to the project. “We could always ask outside artists for ideas, but it’s better if our own students, especially music students, maybe even
art students, [...] actually design the ideas, and maybe [the painting] could be either all of [the designs] put together, or some of
the best ones will be chosen [to be incorporated],” she said. Dr. Markova and Shamazov hope that student contributions
Dorin Flocos / The Spectator
By RAVEN (RUIWEN) TANG and NADA HAMEED
can add a more personalized, welcoming touch to the school. “We have very many talented [students] who can paint and draw, so they can use their talents in decorating our school and make it more ‘user friendly,’” Dr. Markova said. Though the project is still in its first steps, Dr. Markova and Shamazov anticipate that when complete, it can brighten the first floor hallways and represent a celebration of music at Stuyvesant. “If we could have walls with music symbols, music notes, something that celebrates music, and maybe different colors, [...] it might put a smile on your face. So hopefully it will be something that makes the hallways come alive a little bit,” Shamazov said. “It’s a beginning, [the] initial steps of what could potentially be a really fun thing.”
One Month In By THE NEWS DEPARTMENT After 18 months of remote learning, students share their thoughts about their first month returning back to in-person learning. “I find it ironic how Stuy tried to push ‘easing us back into school,’ when I can name maybe one teacher I have who is really doing that. To say it truthfully, I have never seen a group of people more competitive, anxious, burnt out, and depressed. The social aspect, being able to see friends and actually interact with people, is by far the most rewarding part about coming to school in-person.” —Anna Gittardi, sophomore
“The COVID-19 protocols are about what I expected, though the health screening just seems like a formality with little practical purpose. Basically, all students and teachers are following COVID-19 safety rules [...] at all times, which is actually better than I was expecting.” —Sophia Wan-Brodsky, junior “Coming back into school just made the whole experience better because you’re actually able to exercise as you’re going about the classes. [...] I was really worried coming into it that I would get completely lost because I’m very forgetful, but it’s actually been very easy and I like the way the schedules are laid out, and I think overall the community is just really nice.” —Niamh Werner, freshman
Guess the Teacher
“Last night, I went to bed at 3:30 in the morning. I like seeing people, but at the same time, I’m socially exhausted. It’s like I have a social battery and it’s drained every day. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind hybrid [learning].” —Khujista Umama, senior “In-person is more fun because you are talking and having fun with people to their faces, but remote was definitely more convenient timewise.” —Amy Gorreja, sophomore “Every day, I just want to go back to school and see my friends. In my free periods, I like going outside because the weather has been nice for a long time, so I’m going to enjoy it while I can. I go to Rockefeller Park a lot. I sit on the grass and I love looking at nature.” —Kyle Hon Chan, sophomore
“To be honest, I actually enjoyed remote learning a lot more than in-person learning. [...] I [didn’t] have to climb various flights of stairs to get to my drafting class on the 10th floor from my second floor AP World class.” —Amy Zhang, sophomore “I forgot how loud the cafeteria is or what it feels like to be packed so close to other people, and how much time things take. It takes so much time to climb the stairs in between every period and commute to school and sit during your free periods and wake up early. [...] As much as I hated the monotony of Zoom, slowing down really helped me live so my life wasn’t scheduled around the next thing I had to get done. [...] God, I wish I just had time. I’m 17 and I’m already feeling like I’m falling behind in everything.” —Inika Agarwal, senior “I felt like during quarantine, you never really met your teacher in-person. Even if I really needed the help, I would refuse to ever e-mail them because it was so awkward. Now I don’t really feel that.” —Grace Wu, junior
Fun Column Word Search
Answer: Eric Grossman
Hint: this teacher can usually be found on the sixth floor.
Boo
Ghost
Ghoul
October
Orange
Pumpkin
Scary
Spooky
The Spectator • October 29, 2021 Page 8
Photo Essay
Unmasking Stuyvesant By THE PHOTOS DEPARTMENT
Sasha Burshteyn / The Spectator
Thomas Yoo / The Spectator
Anthony Sun / The Spectator
Sasha Burshteyn / The Spectator
Thomas Yoo / The Spectator
Anthony Sun / The Spectator
Sasha Burshteyn / The Spectator
Mumtahana Islam / The Spectator
Anthony Sun / The Spectator
Sasha Burshteyn / The Spectator
Mumtahana Islam / The Spectator
Anthony Sun / The Spectator
The Spectator • October 29, 2021
Page 9
Features Policies in Practice By LAUREN LEE and CALISTA LEE In-person school has largely resumed with the same old schedule, from waking up at unseemly times, encountering subway delays, and running frantically up and down the stairs. However, there have also been several changes to our regularly scheduled programming in light of the pandemic, such as the daily health screenings, a restriction on eating in the hallways, table wiping in the cafeteria, and an updated homework policy. One of the most noticeable changes was the implementation of a mandatory health screening that students must complete before coming into the building each morning. Some students don’t believe that the health screening is completely necessary and would prefer more relaxed restrictions. “The health screening is not necessary every day,” junior Hui Wang said, voicing his concern about the practice. Junior Ziying Jian believes otherwise. “Having to fill out
the health screening every morning and having students go through the questions, even if they might not be reading the questions closely––it forces them to make a conscious effort to evaluate their health,” Jian said. She noted that in preCOVID times, students would regularly come to school sick, but the physical action of filling out the screening can make students more aware of their health status. Plastered along the school’s walls is another COVID policy—signs that state “No eating in the hallways.” Both Jian and senior Rubaiyah Shahrin believe that the rule is a hindrance and should be reformed with the weather getting colder and fewer people going outside. Jian recounted a bad experience with this policy: “I was sitting alone on the seventh floor, and someone came up to me and demanded that I not eat even though there were no people around me [...] I feel like if you find a secluded place in the school and you feel comfortable eating there, you should be allowed to eat
there.” Having the cafeteria be the only location in the building to eat poses a much larger risk, Jian pointed out. Shahrin also tries to avoid crowds in the densely packed cafeteria. “I don’t go to the part of the cafeteria where it’s super dense with students. I usually stay on the side by the entrance where there are not that many students eating at a table at a time,” she said. Furthermore, the cafeteria guidelines, which require students to use wipes to clean their tables before and after eating, are rarely enforced. “I don’t really use the wipes that much, to be honest,” Wang admitted. Anonymous Senior A observed a similar occurrence. “Wiping down tables is effective but most students don’t do it, from what I’ve seen,” they wrote in an e-mail interview. Even with the tools provided, students are not incentivized to use them. “It’s hard to force people to wipe down their eating areas, especially one that they are sharing with others,” Jian stated. The COVID policies
have also attempted to address the challenging transition from remote to in-person learning. The administration took student concerns regarding a chaotic return back to an inperson schedule and academics into account, creating a 30 minute homework policy for all classes, including Advanced Placement courses. Some students have noted a shift towards empathy in many teachers. “The best thing that most teachers have done is that they are much more understanding to students. Especially when we come in late due to commute troubles or when we have to compromise in certain classroom settings, they don’t ask questions because they understand that the pandemic has created setbacks for all of us,” Shahrin said. Shahrin also appreciates teacher efforts to emulate a pre-pandemic classroom environment. “[Teachers have] created a classroom setting that is very similar to the ones we had pre-pandemic. That includes basically everything we’ve done before the pandemic and making it a new
pseudo-normal so that sense of normality can be really comforting to students,” she added. However, the 30 minute homework policy has also stirred discontent among students who find that some teachers are not sticking to the rule. Jian and Senior A both feel that they have little power to confront teachers that don’t follow the policy. “A lot of work that I’ve been assigned has [taken] more than one hour to complete,” Jian said. Senior A believes that the policy could be helpful if more strictly implemented. “The 30 minute policy rule maybe could be improved by having [teachers] submit homework assignments to administration as well,” A suggested. Students and faculty are faced with tremendous challenges at the outset of this inperson school year. Though the administration has put policies in place that aim to keep students healthy, physically and mentally, it is clear that there is still a lot to be done.
Falling in Love with Fall By SHIVANI MANIMARAN and FAIMA SAFWANA ‘Tis the season. Not quite the season to be jolly (fa-la-lala-la), but the season to break out the pumpkin spice and a favorite sweater. ‘Tis the season when everything dies, or, if you take a more jolly view, the season for cuddling in our blankets and watching Halloween classics. Fall is officially underway! Of all aspects of the fall season, the most iconic is, of course, Halloween. Celebrated today with costumes and candy galore, the holiday originated 2,000 years ago among the Celts, who celebrated a holiday called Samhain. “The Celts believed the dead returned to the world of living on this day, so they would all light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off bad spirits and ghosts. [...] The ghosts, haunted evil spirits, and costumes are still associated with Halloween to this day,” freshman Eva Lam explained in an e-mail interview.
For many people, such as freshman Elizabeth Neftin, Halloween is both a favorite holiday and a source of nostalgia. “I was so very big on costumes and trick-or-treating and the whole shebang for Halloween that it’s definitely a very prominent childhood memory,” she said. “It would be just as special an event as Christmas or the other big holidays because all my friends would get together and we’d go throughout the whole neighborhood trick-or-treating for hours.” Halloween’s not the only thing that can send shivers down your spine. The arrival of fall weather brings all the same chills. “The main reason I like fall is really just the weather. It’s also the best season to exercise [during] because it’s not too hot and not too cold,” junior Sophia Shiu said. Fall seems to be the season where everything falls right in the middle. But as far as weather goes, it’s often quite similar to spring. So what makes fall better? “I could’ve picked the spring as my favor-
ite season because it has similar weather but it’s also allergy season and I absolutely hate that,” Shiu explained. Senior Bushra Karim described some of her favorite facets of the season: “I don’t have any specific memories of fall, just the usual crunchy leaves on the way to school and warm tea,” she said. “But, apple cider donuts? Chef ’s kiss. Get yourself some.” While food brings warmth to people’s hearts and bellies, so does spending time with family or loved ones. “The good memories would be the hikes, trick-or-treating, and lately, we’ve been going on family trips for Halloween as well,” Neftin said. “I don’t have very many bad memories because I feel like I get acclimated to school pretty quickly so it’s not a huge deal.” Neftin reminds us about a fall staple that many students dread. September marks the start of “back-to-school” season when students rush to get their school supplies and pre-
pare for the start of a brand new school year. Some are excited to reunite with friends and meet new teachers, while others, such as junior Shanel Zheng, abhor the work that comes with it. “I don’t like the fall,” Zheng said “It’s September and school, and all my stress starts.” Lam is determined, however, to overlook this fault of fall. “School starting in autumn sort of kills the happy vibes I get from the season, but I suppose it’s the best season for school to start in,” she wrote. “It would suck for school to start during winter, after all.” Karim echoed this sentiment: “I feel like if school started in any other season it would be weird,” she said. Of course, for all fall’s virtues, it cannot be everybody’s favorite season. Neftin much prefers winter, but, like many others, can’t entirely decide on one favorite. “In my initial reaction to picking a favorite season, I of course thought of Christmas. [...] But fall in my
mind has the same benefits. It’s a time for getting into nature and getting outdoors more,” she said. On the opposite end of the thermometer, Zheng ardently defended her stance against fall and winter in favor of the warmer months. “Summer’s my favorite season, so fall’s much worse because it means summer’s over,” she explained. “It gets cold once the summer ends and you have to start wearing more layers all the time because it’s cold!” There are a great many people who would disagree with the idea of fall being the best season, perhaps bringing up the sunshine of summer or the flora of spring. Each season holds a little bit of greatness, whether it be the weather, holidays, or traditions. For now, everyone has the opportunity to make the most of the uniqueness of fall. As we approach the peak of the season, remember to stay warm, stomp on some crunchy leaves, and consume as much pumpkin spice as you can.
Thoughts on Autumn Break By ANDREW OH and JUNI PARK As a fast-paced September re-introduction throws students back into the rhythm of school, they are faced with struggles including unfamiliar class schedules, perilous navigation of the Stuyvesant building, and sore legs after routine escalator malfunctions. Students desperately check their calendars, only to be disappointed as they wonder: When will the Department of Education institute an autumn break? While students enjoy a few holidays off in September and a four-day weekend in late November, the fall season lacks a “signature” recess. In the eyes of some students, such as freshman Andy Xiang, this practice is detrimental. “Some pros that are very important are that it, especially since I’m a freshman, gives us a break from the stress that we’ve been
getting from the [workload] that we’ve had to adapt to,” Xiang said. Sophomore Zareen Islam added on to this sentiment. “If it [were] only a week, I think it’d be a nice break. Especially because the beginning of school
would entail. “I feel that we have plenty of days off during the school year,” senior Joseph Lee pointed out in an e-mail interview. “If there were to be a fall break, it would mean more school days added [toward] the end of the year going into July,
tive. “I feel like it’d break up the momentum of the fall,” he said. “Especially because when it comes to building a community, a lot of disruption can get in the way, so I kind of like things the way they are.” As for how students plan to
“Especially because the beginning of school [can] be a little overwhelming, so it’d be a good refresher.” —Zareen Islam, sophomore [can] be a little overwhelming, so it’d be a good refresher,” he said. Despite the advantages that these students find in a fall break, others were critical about what an early vacation
which would be much less favorable for those planning to go on vacation or just trying to decompress before the next school year.” English teacher Minkyu Kim shared a similar perspec-
spend their break, Lee would hope to use this free time to alleviate pressure from the endless preparations of college application season. “During senior year, many seniors ramp up their class load and allocate
time to focus on their college applications, which would come at the expense of their sleep or social life,” Lee said. “A fall break would allow them to catch up on sleep or social life and relieve some stress.” While Lee offers a glimpse into a senior’s stressful experience during the autumn season, sophomore Yarza Aung feels that the underclassmen would not be as productive with their time. “A fall break would be great for some time to relax and catch our breath, especially around November. I could finally stop running on two hours of sleep a night,” Aung said. Though there are benefits to having a fall break for some students, there are negative consequences as well. “There really are two sides to the argument,” Xiang said. “At the end of the day, it depends on the way we take this break.”
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The Spectator • October 29, 2021
Editorials It’s Crunch Time to Address Stuyvesant’s Cafeteria Problem The highlight of a student’s day is often his or her lunch or free periods. Especially for those with packed schedules, these breaks act as a brief respite from the school day—a time to eat lunch, socialize, or complete work. However, the only space available for students to eat inside the building is the cafeteria, where the COVID-19 risk due to the concentration of students has become a concern for many. Students, especially those who live in a multigenerational household, often feel unsafe in the cafeteria since everyone simultaneously has their masks off in a small space to eat. The solution to this discomfort seems simple: eating lunch outside. However, this quick fix isn’t feasible for everybody and especially for low-income students who cannot afford to buy or bring lunch every day. Given the limited grab-and-go options from the cafeteria, students often have no choice but to go to the cafeteria to receive hot food. Other times, students visit teachers during their lunch period or simply do not wish to be outside for the full 41 minutes. What would be most ideal is to be able to eat lunch outside for a portion of the period, then come back into the building. However, the current entrance and exit policy during lunch and free periods—where students can only re-enter the building five minutes before the end of the period—often forces students to choose between staying inside or leaving the building. Students should instead be able to enter and exit the building at
any time of the period. Providing students with this freedom during their free periods will not only give those who feel unsafe in the cafeteria the option to eat outside, but also provide students the flexibility to use the time to their advantage on what they choose to do. Currently, during the start and end of lunch periods, the second floor entrance is completely congested with countless students trying to leave or re-enter the building. Allowing students to swipe in and out at any time eases these crowds, mitigating the potential spread of COVID, rather than having students wait in a cramped entryway by the bridge; this would reduce congestion at the scanners. The current dual-laned entrance system also easily allows for a smooth method of scanning in and out, with one lane dedicated to students leaving and the other for students coming back in. Additionally, with more students going outside, there are fewer students in the cafeteria during lunch, ensuring a safer experience for those who choose to eat in the building. Right now, there is a precedent for this during ninth and 10th periods, when students are permitted to enter and exit freely. For those who choose not to eat outside for lunch, the only presently permissible option is to eat in the cafeteria, since other open spaces within the building, such as hallways and atriums, are plastered with “NO EATING” signs. Considering the concentrated mass of students, lack of social distancing, and
cramped seating areas though, the cafeteria is often not a desirable option. Thus, students typically seek out secluded hallways or eat covertly when adults are not nearby. Students should be able to safely enjoy their lunch periods while not constantly fearing repercussions for breaking the rules. Designating open spaces for eating, such as the sophomore and senior bars, half floor, or second and third floor atriums, is a way to expand options and mitigate congestion. These spaces tend to be more secluded, so eating without a mask there would have a lesser impact than eating in the packed cafeteria. At the same time, this change requires cooperation from students as well. If these areas are to be open for eating, it is imperative that students responsibility clean up after themselves. Another potential fix to lunch options in the cafeteria is to expand grab-and-go options for students who want to eat school lunch, but elsewhere, perhaps outside. The cafeteria currently offers the same easily transportable sandwich options daily. However, hot foods could also be added as a grab-and-go option to encourage students who want to avoid the cafeteria to eat lunch. At this point, many students have found ways around eating in the cafeteria or simply forgoing lunch altogether. While students are already risking themselves by attending school in-person, any extraneous risks should be reduced, especially when eating.
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Letters to the Editor
In response to “Ditch the APs” by Kerry Garfinkel, published in Volume 12, Issue 3. By DAVID HANNA David Hanna is a history teacher at Stuyvesant, the former Head of History at the American School of São Paulo, and an AP Reader. I thought a lot about what Mr. Garfinkel wrote in his oped. I agree with much of what he said. The multiple-choice section on the AP history exams is an insult to the writing and teaching of history. I can’t imagine Gordon Wood up at Brown, or Eric Foner uptown at Columbia, claiming we should subscribe to their thesis on X because “they scored in the 99th percentile” on a multiple-choice exam. It’s absurd. I do like the short answer section that was introduced by the College Board in the latter half of the 2010s, however. The DBQ has become (has always been?) so formulaic that it favors “teaching to the test” rather than teaching the subject. This is my 26th year teaching, and in that time, I’ve encountered plenty of teachers who have fetishized standardized exams, and fetishized preparing students to score high on those exams, over history. Most have been so invested in this approach that they fail to recognize this distinction. I know because I was one of them for
a time. When I first taught the International Baccalaureate at the American School of São Paulo in the early 2000s, I prioritized the exam and measured my teaching by my students’ results. And then one day I realized I was spending more time thinking about strategies to use on the exam, than I was, for instance, on the various terms of the Versailles Treaty and the implications these had for the rest of the 20th century. I’ve never gone back. Like Mr. Garfinkel, I do my due diligence in exposing my students to the various elements of the AP exam. We’re all professionals after all. But in the end, it’s about history. If there was no exam it wouldn’t matter one jot to me. On the other hand, Stuyvesant is a school of reputation, and rigor is central to this. We should never forget it. Mr. Garfinkel’s idea of fashioning our own “advanced topics” type courses is intriguing. Back in 2010, I interviewed at the Dalton School and they had moved entirely in this direction. The following year, I was offered a position at DwightEnglewood across the Hudson, and part of their pitch was also a move more in this direction, though they still offered some AP courses. These are both excellent schools. The
type of schools whose graduating seniors are competing with our own graduating seniors for places in the same types of universities’ freshman classes. As Mr. Garfinkel urged, they have the “confidence” in themselves to move in this direction. Do we? Should we? I don’t know. For what it’s worth, ditching the AP for the IB would be a significant improvement at least as regards the history exams. There’s no multiple-choice, and the writing is a bit (though not entirely) less formulaic. I think it would also make our school stand out more than it already does. But we’d still have the standardized exams waiting for students at the finish, and there is cost involved for the school in adopting the IB model. A change such as that suggested by Mr. Garfinkel would initially require a lot of heavy lifting. We shouldn’t kid ourselves. And it’s not without risk. But the AP does not mean what it once did, if it ever did. I can vividly recall the heads of admissions from UChicago, and from Columbia, saying in person on separate occasions that what matters is rigor, and the grades students receive in the rigorous courses they’ve chosen to take, not their AP exam scores.
By RAYMOND CHEN Raymond Chen is a sophomore at Stuyvesant. Recently, Kerry Garfinkel wrote an Op-Ed in Issue 2 of Volume 112 titled “Ditch the A.P.’s.” Garfinkel tried to get readers to think critically about the College Board’s Advanced Placement (A.P.) program. This response is proof that he accomplished his aim, but I disagree with the conclusions drawn. In the overarching conclusion, Garfinkel proposes that Stuyvesant abandon the A.P. in favor of a Stuyvesant honors system. But that change brings many complications. With a standardized system like the A.P., students across the country can be compared to a single metric. A Stuyvesant evaluation abandons this and offers no replacement. Colleges would be bombarded with disjointed metrics of academic success that could result in students being excluded from admission despite their abilities. Among his reasons for abandoning the A.P., Garfinkel cites the inflexibility of the test and the strain upon the underclassmen. I will first address the inflexibility. For the A.P. to be a clear metric, it has to have a formulaic structure. Thus, it uses multiple-choice and imposes
rigidity on written responses. Criticism of this indicts not just the A.P., but the notion of standardized testing for interpretive subjects as a whole. Those subjects have to be compromised to be observed clearly, and this is the source of frustration identified in the Op-Ed. I will now address the terror of testing. To truly explain that, we must examine the format of testing. Students were given only one chance to succeed in this decisive moment for their academic fate. Even the most prepared individuals will be lying to say that stress completely eludes them. Tests should inform rather than decide. They should be an accessory to academic success instead of its principal evaluator. Tests are the central source of frustration in the Op-Ed, and I agree that they are a problem, not just in the A.P., but in all interpretive subjects. They’re too compromised, unrepresentative, and stressful. I agree with Garfinkel that the A.P. should eventually be abandoned, but it should wait until an alternative is administratively coherent. I would also extend that spirit of change to tests as a whole. To borrow from Garfinkel, “Can we truly stand behind our […] own achievements? I say we can.”
Have a response to any of the articles in this issue of The Spectator? Send a Letter to the Editor to opinions@stuyspec.com.
The Spectator • October 29, 2021
Page 11
Opinions Fight the Big Three By JUSTIN HUANG
By GULAM MONAWARAH
imported insulin from Canada, opposing the notion for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and undermining the Affordable Care Act. Azar simply used his position to continue pursuing the interests of Eli Lilly, which he still had a financial stake in. We must counter this prob-
in lobbying favorable politicians or donating millions to legislatures in exchange for them turning a blind eye. In fact, members of the big three and the government often overlap—former Eli Lilly executive Alex Azar sat as the United States Health and Human Services Secretary from 2018-2021. During his tenure, Azar helped increase the price of insulin by rejecting cheaper
lem by lobbying our politicians to implement insulin price limits and resolve patent loopholes. Showing widespread concern and dismay toward unfair drug policies puts pressure on legislatures. In fact, 13 states have created insulin price controls limiting the monthly out-ofpocket cost to $100. While these cost limits are a step in the right direction, they only apply to
What It Means to Be Gifted
who qualify. It raises standards among students, pushing them to reach their full potential in the classroom. Students in the program feel more motivated to get better grades, and the curriculum’s higher quality of education creates an environment for its students that cannot be replicated in every public
behind the G&T program is similar to other methods of separating students. Grade levels are based on age because an eight year old and a 10 year old have different academic experiences, knowledge, and learning methods. It is not fair to place eight year olds in fifth grade unless they are an exception. This
school. Students in the program experience smaller classes, more challenging curriculums, and an advantage in middle and high school admissions compared to other children in the same grade. However, some feel that it is immoral to separate students based on a school’s definition of “giftedness.” But the logic
idea of equality versus equity is used in G&T admissions: both systems have students at varying math and reading levels—perhaps because they had different childhood experiences or extra tutoring—and the G&T program separates kids not only by age, but also by how much they know and their learning styles.
Ismath Maksura / The Spectator
When I was in first grade, I took the Gifted and Talented (G&T) admissions exam to get into the coveted program that offers smaller class sizes, better resources, and an accelerated curriculum. My parents were ecstatic when I earned a seat because I had previously been ignored in class and now had a chance to receive more attention from teachers. During my eight years in the G&T program, I experienced a rigorous, advanced curriculum that helped me build my confidence. However, on October 8, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced his plan to eliminate the G&T program from NYC public schools. Calls for G&T program reform have been mounting for years, with angry parents claiming that the separate classes increase segregation among students regarding race and perceived intelligence. De Blasio has proposed replacing it with an accelerated program offered to all third graders, in which students will be screened to check if they need more instruction but will stay in the same class. In other words, while all students are in the same classroom, some will be learning different material. However, this replacement program is not a long-term solution. The key to truly integrating all children into NYC public schools is making G&T more accessible so that every child has equal knowledge heading into the exam room. The G&T program has profound benefits for those
the industry also hampers the progress of developing insulin. Smaller companies are more likely to take risks to achieve an edge in the industry, while the big three are profit-driven and less likely to spend money trying to achieve a breakthrough. Large pharmaceutical companies are also heavily involved
Ivy Jiang / The Spectator
Insulin prices have risen dramatically over the past two decades, causing the drug to become inaccessible to the seven million Americans who depend on it to live. A vial of insulin cost about $30 in 2001, while one today can set you back around $250. Large pharmaceutical companies manipulate the artificial market for insulin and gouge prices under false guises to make profit. Meanwhile, Americans who cannot afford such steep prices are forced to ration their insulin at the expense of their health. For a country that claims to prioritize the health of its citizens, this situation is unacceptable. The price of insulin must decrease. People diagnosed with Type I or Type II diabetes need to take insulin regularly to keep their blood sugar levels stable. Without insulin, a diabetic could suffer from serious diabetic ketoacidosis, which causes the blood to turn acidic and the victim to suffer from dehydration, shortly followed by death. Diabetics who cannot afford to pay the price of their needed dosage of insulin are forced to ration their intake. Combined with the fact that approximately 88 million Americans have prediabetes, American citizens are pressed with a massive issue. Insulin was never meant to be so expensive. The first insulin was invented by Frederick Banting in the 1900s. After realizing that the drug would save millions of lives, Banting sold the patent to the University of Toronto for $1, believing it was immoral to profit off such a vital product. He hoped that his
actions would make the drug accessible to those who needed it. His invention has evolved into the synthetic insulin sold today. Nowadays, the “big three” drug companies—Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Sanofi— control nearly the entire United States insulin market. With their domination, these companies have collaboratively manipulated insulin prices and established a fixed market. Using patent evergreening, these organizations renew their patents after making just miniscule tweaks to the medication. This strategy allows the company to keep their hold on insulin for as long as possible. For example, Sanofi has filed 74 patents on their insulin Lantus, which has secured an uncontested market for the next four decades. The big three use this unchecked market to increase insulin prices annually, garnering profit by claiming high costs for research and development and causing prices to multiply 10 times over the course of 20 years. However, insulin has not had major formula changes in the last two decades and instead has been continuously rebranded and tweaked for convenience, enabling patent evergreening. What’s especially upsetting is that small, emerging companies occasionally do come up with patents to introduce insulin into the market at lower costs. However, the big three quickly shut them down by intimidating them with their extensive resources and buying them out or suing them in court, exhausting the opposition with a lengthy process and excessive legal fees. The attempted exclusion of small companies from
De Blasio’s accelerated program would screen students to see if they need an advanced curriculum but keep them in the same classroom regardless, leading to confusion and restlessness among students. Some would be left behind while others would not be academically challenged. But with the G&T program, there is less of this confusion, as students can take the G&T exam multiple times to reflect their growth and adaptability over time. For example, some kids enter the program when they are four, while others, like me, join much later on. The G&T program does have its downsides, however, especially in its lack of diversity. Currently, there is no way to blatantly discriminate against students’ identities because admissions are based solely on scores. On the other hand, parents of underprivileged communities may not know about the G&T admissions process nor have the resources to register their children for it. For me, registration and preparation were an easy process, and my school properly ensured that all students had access to the test. However, it’s important to recognize that this experience isn’t the case for everyone. We must employ guidance counselors or hold conferences so that students are aware of how to prepare for the exam and can do so at home. Parents against the G&T program also point out that Asian American and white students make up 75 percent of classes, despite Black and Latino students making up 70 percent
commercially insured diabetics living in those 13 states. Selfemployed or unemployed citizens, as well as those on Medicare, have to pay the exorbitant full price, despite these groups needing financial assistance the most. Senator Elizabeth Warren has introduced and supported bills like the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Act and the Medicare for All Act of 2019 that would help those on Medicare to afford insulin, but unfortunately, they did not pass. More importantly, we must fix patent evergreening and allow the importation of insulin from other countries. Insulin price gouging is not nearly as bad in European countries and Canada because the governments directly negotiate the price of insulin down. Legislation like the Affordable and Safe Prescription Drug Importation Act would facilitate this process. In addition, we need to support the production of biosimilar insulins from different companies to loosen the big three’s leveraging power. Recently, the FDA approved a biosimilar insulin created by Mylan Pharmaceuticals called Semglee, which is interchangeable with Sanofi’s Lantus but is 65 percent cheaper. We need to act on the potential to create affordable insulin. E-mailing and writing letters to our representatives is a great way to show engagement and bring awareness to this pressing issue. A unified response can finally inhibit drug price gouging and hinder the big three’s grip on the insulin market, relieving the financial and health burdens of diabetics.
of all public school students, supporting the argument that the G&T program perpetuates racial segregation. Yet Asian American refers to students of many different ethnicities, including South Asians, Southeast Asians, Middle Easterners, and more. To group us all into one category does not accurately reflect the actual diversity in the program. The lack of Black and Latino students in the program is a large issue, but phasing out the program is not the solution. Instead, we should focus on the root of the problem: the lack of resources and information among parents and students in Black and Latino communities. The best way to bring more diversity into the G&T program is not to erase its benefits from public schools but to provide more resources about it, which can be done through flyers, booklets, guidance counselors, school board meetings, and interpretation services. For students who do not learn enough to pass the exam, unifying the curriculum of all children in the same grade could solve this problem. The segregation in the G&T program is just a result of unequal education among children—a separate issue. If we truly want to end segregation in NYC public schools, we must pressure the Department of Education to make sure that every four year old has the resources to at least stand a chance of passing the G&T exam. After that, we can assess who truly qualifies as gifted and talented.
Page 12
The Spectator • October 29, 2021
Opinions I Am a Morning Announcer. The Pledge Needs to Go.
By ELIO TORRES
By ASHLEY LIN Jason Hernandez was sentenced to life without parole and 320 years in prison for a low-level drug crime at age 21 in 1998. Mandatory minimums prevented the judge from giving Hernandez a second chance. Lavette Mayes, a single mother, got into a physical fight with her mother-in-law that hospitalized them both. Mayes was charged with aggravated battery against a senior and had to wait 14 months in jail for her court date because she could not afford the $250 thousand cash bail. Though these stories may seem shocking, they are the norm. The United States is the world’s leader in incarceration with roughly 2.3 million people incarcerated. It’s home to only 5 percent of the world’s population but 25 percent of the world’s prisoners. Mass incarceration and the rapid growth of the U.S. inmate population can be attributed to the prison industrial complex, which is the overlap between the government and industries that use policing and imprisonment as solutions to economic, political, and social issues. Through the prison industrial complex, the private prison industry capitalizes on mass incarceration. The rapid increase in incarceration can be traced to policies initiated by President Richard Nixon, instituted by President Ronald Reagan, and continued by Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton. They declared a War on Drugs, pushed for policies centered around law and order, and claimed to be tough
that the pledge likely held after the attacks has largely been lost. Most students do not stand for or see the value in the pledge. Its daily recitation has become more of a mundane task than a moment to rekindle our love for America. While the pledge no longer effectively does what it was implemented to do—that is, pull on our patriotic heartstrings—it
do not identify with a particular religion, the pledge forces them to acknowledge a god they do not believe in. I am not particularly religious, and it feels insensitive when I have to read that our nation is “under God” aloud to the Stuyvesant community. The pledge does not align with the freedom of religion and separation of church and state we pride ourselves on.
is to be read aloud in New York City schools hails back to 9/11, when the New York City Board of Education imposed a requirement that it be shared at the beginning of each school day. While established during the post-9/11 surge in nationalism, the mandate still stands 20 years later. The symbolic weight
is also problematic. My first concern lies with the words of the pledge. Congress added the phrase “under God” to the script in 1954, and upon signing the bill, Dwight Eisenhower praised that it would uphold our nation’s dedication to God. For students who adhere to different religious beliefs or
Moreover, not every student at Stuyvesant is a U.S. citizen. Forcing people to pledge to a country they are not considered legal members of is illiberal. Despite its voluntary nature, reciting the pledge of allegiance every morning also creates social pressure for noncitizens and those with other re-
Sophia Li / The Spectator
I say the pledge of allegiance every morning, even though I do not believe in it. That’s because it’s my job. As the student morning announcer, I recite, “I pledge allegiance to the flag…” while most of the student body remains seated. In fact, if Stuyvesant were to conduct a referendum on its continuation, I bet we’d vote it down. Perhaps more than any other practice, the pledge evokes American patriotism. Its writer—ironically a socialist minister named Francis Bellamy—never actually intended for it to be used by the United States. He omitted any mention of the country in the original copy, and the U.S. inserted itself around 1923. Now that it was readdressed to the “flag of the United States of America,” the pledge had a clear purpose: to instill a sense of patriotism in children. Yes, patriotism is important, inspiring the near 1.5 million U.S. soldiers to defend our country and citizens to pay their taxes. However, I question if the pledge is still the right way to spark inspiration in our younger generations. We shouldn’t have to use propaganda to get children to love their country. After all, the United States is one of the few democracies that mandates the recitation of its pledge of allegiance in government spaces like schools. Historian and author of the book “To The Flag” Richard Ellis notes that most democratic governments don’t require their citizens to recount a
pledge, especially not on a daily basis. Still, the United States ranks 75th in military enrollment per capita, lagging behind democracies like France, Italy, and Greece. This practice is instead reminiscent of authoritarian rule, like in North Korea, which has a pledge that requires its citizens to offer their bodies and minds to the nation. The mandate that the pledge
Caging America
on crime. The War on Drugs ultimately failed and resulted in an explosion in the prison population. When Reagan first took office, there were 329 thousand prisoners. By the time he left, it had almost doubled, with 627 thousand people serving time. Mass incarceration hits communities of color the hardest. Despite equal substance use rates, Black Americans are nearly six times more likely to be incarcerated for drug-related offenses and four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana than their white counterparts. The War on Drugs further increased racial disparities as people of color were targeted, and its consequences still disproportionately impact these communities. The prison industrial complex is not complete without the “industrial” aspect of it, therefore making prison labor an inherent part of the complex and a major contributor to mass incarceration. The most common agents of prison labor are large corporations that sign contracts to receive cheap prison labor. Federal prisoner wages range from $0.12 to $0.40 per hour, far lower than minimum wage. The lack of livable wages contributes to the high profits the private prison industry makes; as of 2015, the largest private prison corporations had made $3.5 billion. These corporations have found that exploiting incarcerated people is much easier than using other means of labor and generates a greater profit. Hence, they lobby for policies that contribute to mass incarceration. One politician the private
prison industry successfully lobbied is Marco Rubio, who has a history of close ties to the GEO Group, the U.S.’s second largest for-profit prison company. When Rubio was the speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, he hired a consultant who had been a trustee for a GEO real estate trust. The GEO Group was given a state government contract for a more than $100 million prison,
The objectives of incarceration include not only punishment and justice, but also public safety. However, mass incarceration and the prison industrial complex have failed to achieve those goals. Time spent in prisons rarely rehabilitates inmates, and the majority of criminals return to a life of crime after they’re released from jail. In fact, 71 percent of incarcerated people released in 34 states in
As long as mass incarceration continues and injustices are perpetuated, America’s prison and justice system will continue to fail Americans. allowing more people to be locked up. Additionally, Rubio received about $40 thousand in donations from GEO for his electoral campaigns. Private prison companies also indirectly support policies that incarcerate more Americans and immigrants by lobbying and donating to campaigns of politicians who back them. Some of the aforementioned policies are California’s “Three Strikes” Law and Arizona’s anti-illegal immigration law, both of which have resulted in increased prison populations. The private prison industry has spent over $26.2 million on lobbying in 16 states since 2012.
2012 were rearrested within five years, and recidivism rates are still high. Public safety cannot be achieved by putting humans in jails where corporations can profit off their labor and where they are not rehabilitated. Additionally, it is difficult for those who were formerly incarcerated to find jobs, making it harder for them to readjust to and reenter society. On average, there are 123 mandatory bans and restrictions per state ranging from employment in occupations or industries to obtaining certain types of occupational licenses for those with convictions. Even if they find jobs, they receive extremely low or no wages; only 55 per-
ligious affiliations to give in and participate. Outside of New York’s generally liberal bubble, where the pledge is supported by 98 percent of the Republican population, social pressure prevents the pledge from being optional. In these places, those who do not find themselves in the pledge’s “target audience” find it impossible to remain seated and silent in a class full of standing students. The message that the pledge asserts is not aligned with the reality of our country. It contends that our nation has “liberty and justice for all,” yet simultaneously, people are profiled for the color of their skin or their identities, and many are imprisoned falsely or for minor crimes. To recite that everyone has justice in America is in poor taste. While some argue that the pledge of allegiance pushes us toward the ideal of justice for all by reminding us of it, the pledge itself is not a tangible way of creating change. Instead, we should explore other alternatives to convey our allegiance to our country. We should focus on becoming moral champions of democracy that citizens naturally want to defend and fight for. The school time we devote to the pledge could be devoted to real conversations about America and our roles within it. We could even start by implementing universal health care and social services or by expunging minor drug offenses. Let’s create liberty and justice for all instead of just preaching it.
cent of former inmates report any earnings, and the median income is merely $10,090. To achieve a fairer prison system, states’ sentence minimums and maximums should be reduced. There is little evidence indicating that staying in prison for decades will rehabilitate an individual. In fact, offenders serving longer sentences often have an increased risk of recidivism. Prison for lower level crimes, though often the default, does not change behavior and should not be the standard. Moreover, it’s difficult to address problems concerning crimes without addressing where they stem from. There should be more investment in low-income communities through increasing funding of schools, reentry programs for prisoners, public health initiatives, youth employment programs, and mental health initiatives, which would in turn help tackle crime rates. For example, when communities have community organizations which aid in improving mental health, increasing youth employment, and helping prisoners return to society via reentry programs, there are decreases in property crime rates, homicide rates, and violent crime rates. Far too many families and vulnerable communities have been ripped apart, and too many individuals have been wronged because of the private prison industry and its exploitation of prisoners. As long as mass incarceration continues and injustices are perpetuated, America’s prison and justice system will continue to fail Americans.
The Spectator • October 29, 2021
Page 13
Opinions The Slow Regression of School Lunch By SHIVANI SHAH We live in a world where we can open an app on our phones and have food from our favorite restaurants delivered to us without leaving our houses. Even with this magic convenience, we do not hold back on our dissatisfaction. Many times, I have complained about the food arriving late, not getting the sauce I wanted, or the food getting cold, disregarding the difficulties that delivery workers have to endure to provide me and countless others with cheap and fast delivery. Delivery workers in New York receive much lower wages than other workers and often face robbery or assault on the job. While New York City has passed six new bills to improve conditions for delivery workers, more needs to be done to ensure fair wages, equality, and improved conditions for these workers. Sixty-five thousand delivery workers work in New York City,
and many are immigrants or part of marginalized communities. These delivery workers continue to face low wages even as food delivery app companies profit, made evident by the increase in food delivery app revenue and users in the U.S. from $22 billion and 95 million users in 2019 to $26.5 billion and 111 million in 2020. New York City delivery workers earn an average of $7.87 an hour before tips and $12.21 an hour with tips, which is still well below the minimum wage of $15 per hour. With this low wage, it is almost impossible for delivery workers to live comfortably in New York City, where the average overall costs of living and housing are 1.87 times and 2.94 times, respectively, the national index. While delivery workers face low wages, food delivery apps continue to make false claims about the rate of pay, leading to misinformation among consumers and the circulation of inac-
Gay Enough By PETER GOSWAMI I came out in seventh grade. When I told my friends, none of them gave an exaggerated reaction. They “kind of already knew” and had “figured it out.” They “could tell I was gay.” I was the only openly gay kid in my grade in my middle school. Before coming to Stuyvesant, I didn’t know other LGBTQ+ people. This idea that others could “figure out” my sexuality and the ubiquity of “gaydar” in our culture made me think there was a specific way to express my sexuality and that I could assume others’ sexual orientations. After coming to Stuyvesant, I met more LGBTQ+ people who celebrated their sexualities much more than I was able to. I felt like I did not fit in and I was not “gay enough.” I always felt the need to repress my sexuality due to bullying in middle school. When I came to Stuyvesant, I no longer wanted to suppress the expression of my identity. I found an environment much more inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community and felt more comfortable talking about my sexuality with others. I sometimes mentioned that I was gay when I introduced myself. This new level of comfort with my sexuality strengthened the conclusion I had made in middle school: everyone could tell I was gay, whether I told them or not. Though I labeled myself as gay, I conditioned myself to let others label me before I announced it. A few weeks ago, one of my straight male friends, who I assumed already knew I was gay, jokingly asked whether I had a crush on a particular girl. I immediately responded: “I’m gay. Did you not know before?” He said, “No, I never knew,” with a hint of surprise but quickly accepted it. Being conditioned to think that everyone could tell I was gay, I felt it necessary to ask this same friend a few days later if he suspected I was gay before I told him. Another one of my straight, male classmates was present in this conversation and said he had no idea I was gay either. He said that I had “no stereotypically gay traits.” After hearing that comment, I started making a list of the gay stereotypes I live up to: most of my friends are female, I act effeminate, and I am dramatic and animated. Because I felt pressured to act stereotypically gay, I told myself that I was being “stereotypically gay
enough” instead of telling myself that I did not need to fit a stereotype in the first place. In Stuyvesant, I met queer people who dyed their hair pink or purple or blue, painted their nails, or had a stereotypically queer fashion sense. In the midst of all of this expressiveness, I felt lost, like I was not expressing myself enough or celebrating my sexuality enough. I started questioning why celebrating one’s sexuality meant fitting a stereotype. The two are fundamentally different. Queer people dress differently and use fashion and makeup to express themselves because they do not want to follow cisheteronormative standards. Many queer men tend to express themselves as effeminate because they do not want to subscribe to norms perpetuated by toxic masculinity. Just because these are common queer modes of expression doesn’t mean they are preconditions for a valid identity. Celebrating one’s sexuality looks different for everyone, and that diversity is what makes being queer beautiful. Though I deconstructed these stereotypes in my mind, I continued asking my friends how stereotypically gay they thought I was. One of my friends told me I was “pretty gay, just not like a white boy.” Though her response may sound politically incorrect, it made sense. White people are able to be more expressive about their sexualities and break cisheteronormative norms in a way people of color, like me, cannot. As a South Asian, I have to deal with the taboo topic of homosexuality in my culture and tackle being constantly reminded to fit into societal norms with classic sayings, such as “What will people think?” I do not have the privilege of being able to dye my hair, wear makeup, paint my nails, create my own unique fashion sense, or do any of the other things that people think would make me “more gay.” People who express themselves in those ways are not any “more gay” than me; they are just expressing and being themselves in the same way I am being myself. I do not need to fit into other people’s perceptions and stereotypes of gayness in order to feel valid as a gay person. I am gay, and that is enough. Everyone who identifies as queer should be able to feel queer enough without someone trying to put a label. I am gay, so every part of me is gay, everything I do is gay, and every one of my traits is gay.
curate data that make it more difficult to assess the conditions that delivery workers face. Approximately 42 percent of delivery workers reported unreliable or late payment, and many face robbery or assault on the job and do not receive worker benefits. About half of all delivery workers crash on the job and then must pay for their own medical care. Many are even restricted from using bathrooms at the restaurants they deliver for. In response, New York City passed a set of six bills to improve some of the conditions for delivery workers and put certain restrictions on food delivery apps. One bill in this set is Int 2296-2021, which prevents food delivery apps from charging workers an additional fee to receive their payment. Another is Int 2399-2021, which allows delivery workers to set parameters on the distance they travel for delivery. Int 2298-2021 requires restaurants to make their bath-
room facilities available to delivery workers, and Int 1846-2020 requires food delivery apps to disclose their gratuity policies to consumers. While the new set of bills improves certain conditions for delivery workers, more steps need to be taken to truly grant delivery workers equal rights. Under the new bills, delivery workers are still classified as independent contractors, preventing them from receiving workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits. Especially during the pandemic, delivery workers are essential to our society and should be given the same minimum wage as others. Many are immigrants with little to no generational wealth and come from marginalized communities. Preventing them from receiving fair wages and benefits further disenfranchises them in a system already designed to put them down. The bills can be improved to allow delivery workers to receive
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the same standard minimum wage as other workers. With the high rate of assault and robbery that delivery workers face, the city must establish bills to give delivery workers compensation and medical benefits so they do not have to pay for their own medical care when harmed on the job. The bills must be more strict on food delivery apps and require them to disclose their payment and gratuity policies to consumers so that if delivery fees increase, consumers understand where the fees are going and how they help support the workers. New York City is a delivery hub of the world. We must create laws that protect and support the workers who provide a service that has become commonplace. As a densely populated and influential city, we must stand as a model for other cities and states to create laws that protect workers across the board.
The Spectator ● October 29, 2021
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Science The Brain’s Love for the Paranormal By RIONA ANVEKAR
ing a dream but can’t move your body. During sleep paralysis, people may hallucinate and see, hear, or feel creatures that aren’t there. Hallucinations are, in fact, very common and nearly five percent of the population has reported seeing or hearing
Nelli Rojas-Cessa / The Spectator
Ghost hunting is an activity that a surprising amount of Americans are highly dedicated to. The belief in ghosts serves more purpose than mere entertainment: many cultures believe in spirits that survive past death to live in another realm. As depicted in the media, such as the famous movie Ghostbusters, ghost hunters use sophisticated technology, like infrared cameras and electromagnetic field detectors, to record or measure spirit activity. Moreover, numerous photos and videos seem to depict ghostly behavior. However, evidence collected thus far has failed to support the existence of ghosts, and scientists have already used reliable research methods to find evidence that ghosts don’t exist. In that case, what is behind inexplicable sounds, images, and other spooky behaviors? Is it possible that they’re all in our head? The human brain is used to being correct, so our first instinct is to believe what we see, no matter how impractical it may seem. This becomes dangerous when the brain experiences hallucinations, involuntary false perceptions that are just as vivid as real sensations. People can experience hallucinations due to drugs, mental illness, progressive neurological conditions, vision loss, and more. Hallucinations due to schizophrenia are likely caused by an overactive auditory cortex, the part of the brain that processes sound, resulting in the generation of random sounds and speech fragments. Similarly, those with Parkinson's disease generally have an overactive visual cortex, result-
ing in the brain generating images that don’t actually exist. Research has also shown that activation of the serotonin 2A receptor, which helps regulate the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, can induce hallucinations. The receptor can
be triggered by hallucinogenic drugs or sleep paralysis, which has been shown to have similar effects as hallucinogenic drugs. Sleep paralysis is a special scenario that can also cause hallucinations. When you dream, your brain uses the neurotransmitter glycine to put the body in a state of paralysis to prevent you from acting out your dreams and possibly getting injured. If you suddenly awake from REM sleep, the glycinemediated paralysis might still be in effect. During this period, you might experience sleep paralysis, where you wake up dur-
things that others don’t. Scientists are still trying to understand “everyday” hallucinations. Approximately 70 percent of healthy people experience benign hallucinations when they’re falling asleep every day, such as seeing someone on the edge of their bed, hearing someone call their name, or hearing the phone ringing. A plausible explanation is that factors like lack of sleep, trauma, grief, and stress, make the brain more vulnerable to hallucinations by disturbing the relationship between the frontal lobe and the sensory cortex.
The frontal lobe is the brain’s headquarters and makes decisions regarding how the rest of the brain works. When these factors are at play, the performance of the frontal lobe decreases, and the sensory cortex has more freedom, leading to hallucinations. Hallucinations are not the only cause of seeing “ghostlike” behavior. Every day, the brain is overwhelmed with information and organizes it in two ways. The first is bottomup processing, where the brain absorbs sensory details and sometimes makes meaning out of meaningless details. For instance, the brain might see a puff of smoke and interpret it as the face of a ghost. The second method of processing is top-down, where the brain picks out the most important information to absorb and fills in the gaps. For example, when you mishear the lyrics of a song, it’s usually because your brain chose to miss that information and fill it in with a meaning that wasn’t there. Similarly, when ghost hunters capture sounds that resemble ghosts speaking, the recording is, in actuality, random noise, but the brain knows it’s supposed to sound like words and will fill in the gaps to make it seem as if there are words being spoken. Furthermore, those with a stronger belief in the paranormal are more likely to experience inattentional blindness, where the brain misses key details due to a state of absorption, and then blame misperceptions on ghosts. There are also patterns concerning groups of people that are more likely to believe in ghosts. Students with higher grades tend to have lower levels of paranormal be-
SCIENCEBEAT NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is the first spacecraft headed towards Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids, the farthest destination of any solar-powered spacecraft, to investigate theories that they hold evidence of origins of the solar system. Scientists are currently exploring why those recovered from COVID-19 have a stronger immune response after being vaccinated than those who have never been infected. COVID-19 antibodies and immunity can be passed from mother to fetus, but male fetuses receive and make lower concentrations of COVID antibodies, meaning that they are more vulnerable to infection. There is debate surrounding the use of K9 sniff evidence in criminal proceedings as research indicates that sniff evidence contains many false positives due to the relationship between handler and dog. liefs. Moreover, those studying in STEM fields are less likely to believe in the paranormal. This is likely because science-oriented students tend to have stronger critical thinking skills, which help them scout out more likely causes for inexplicable experiences than the presence of a ghost. Ultimately, “ghost hunters” prey on the faultiness of their own brains and perceptions of the world when they collect evidence of “ghost behavior.” But don’t fret—we can still entertain the unknown and the uncertain, especially since they lead to some pretty spooky ghost stories!
Zombie Ants By ARYANA SINGH It is half past midnight. Up in the sky is a glistening full moon. There is a certain chill in the air, one that you cannot quite shake off. The russet-colored leaves under your feet crunch with every step, hinting at a moderately chilly Halloween next weekend. Coincidently, you are also standing in the middle of an ancient, abandoned graveyard. Still, there is one thing missing: zombies. Perhaps a couple of rotten-fleshed humans will start climbing out of their graves. Or maybe some zombie ants. In fact, you do not have to resort to fiction to hear about such insects. These so-called “zombie ants” are infected with Ophiocordyceps, a fatal fungus that causes their creepy behavior. When an ant goes out to forage for food, the fungus strikes by attaching its fungal spores to the ant’s exoskeleton. This can stop all muscle movement, leaving the victim twitching and paralyzed. While scientists previously believed that the fungus invades the ant’s brain,
new research suggests that the fungus releases certain biological compounds that can influence the ant’s nervous system and, thus, control its movement. First, the ant is usually forced to move to a more humid climate favorable to the
The fungus’s formidable behavior has only left scientists with more questions. In a study conducted by Charissa de Bekker, a molecular biologist at Pennsylvania State University, and her colleagues, they infected four distinct species of ants with the Ophiocordyceps fun-
(GBA) and sphingosine, which happen to play a role in certain neurological disorders like Parkinson’s Disease. Other studies conducted by de Bekker’s team also suggest that the fungus can recognize different brains in ants and choose to infect its preferred host. While fur-
These so-called “zombie ants” are infected with Ophiocordyceps, a fatal fungus that causes their creepy behavior.
fungus and extremely uncomfortable for the ant. Then, the fungus will force the ant to sink its jaws into a leaf or twig. Unable to move, the ant is forced to wait for death. Meanwhile, the fungus devours the ant’s insides and then uses its corpse to covertly infect other ants, repeating the process.
gus, allowing it to “zombify” the ants, and then extracted the chemicals released by the fungi. Upon inspection, many of the thousands of chemicals were unknown. However, the team managed to identify two specific compounds that are likely responsible for zombifying the ants: guanidinobutyric acid
ther research needs to be done, current information has led scientists to hypothesize a connection between these zombiecausing fungi and future cures for specific neurological disorders. Perhaps by identifying the chemicals that control the ant’s nervous system, scientists can develop treatments that help
subside the symptoms of these disorders. Studying this fungus not only helps in fighting neurological disorders but also provides an insight into how to fight fungal infections. Fungal diseases kill over 1.7 million people a year. Studying this intriguing fungal infection in ants is easier and faster than studying fungal infections in humans, given ants shorter life spans. Additionally, fungi are more closely related to animals than plants. Thus, something that would kill an ant would likely kill human cells as well. For now, we do not have to fear an infection from any fungus similar to Ophiocordyceps. Though it sounds like it came out of a Hollywood horror production, the fungus is not as cruel as it is depicted. In fact, it helps keep the ant population under control—a classic display of nature’s balance. Overall, there are more than 200 types of this fungus that infect a wide variety of insects, including spiders. Perhaps a few zombies are much less scary than a world overridden by spiders and ants.
The Spectator ● October 29, 2021
Page 15
Science Modern Frankenstein By SUBAAH SYED On a dark, rainy night, sounds of thunder are emitted from a dimly-lit attic in Germany. The body of a humanlike being is lifted through the roof and struck by strong electric currents. As the body lowers, the spectators of this eerie episode crowd around the body anticipating something remarkable about to happen. Suddenly, the gnarly fingers of what seemed to be a lifeless corpse twitch. The twitch then develops into a complete arm movement. “It’s alive! It’s alive! In the name of God, now I know what it feels like to be God!” exclaims the scientist, who dedicated two years of his life to resurrect this inanimate body. However, he will quickly discover the brutal consequences that will come with this creation. Mary Shelley’s novel, “Frankenstein,” published in 1818, is a celebrated classic horror story that has since been followed by many play and movie adaptations, most notably the 1931 film adaptation, “Frankenstein.” Shelley’s riveting plot of the evil genius Dr. Frankenstein and the misunderstood creature he creates is rooted not only in her remarkable storytelling, but also in the scientific experiments and advancements of the early 1800s. One such concept is galvanism, the theory of reanimating dead body cells through electrical currents, which was first proposed by the Italian scientist Luigi Galvani. In the 1780s, Galvani used an electrical machine
and a scalpel on the nerves of skinned frogs and discovered that when the scalpel came into contact with the nerves of the animal, muscle contraction occurred. Next, he tried to initiate muscle contraction without the use of an electrical machine, which proved successful when he found that just the mere contact of a copper hook on a frog’s spinal cord led to twitching of the muscles. Today, we recognize this as the reaction of our nerve cells in response to the metal contact. However, Galvani credited this phenomenon to “animal electricity,” the notion that animal tissues hold electric currents which stimulate the muscle contractions that he observed in the frogs. Galvani’s experiments with animals and electricity inspired numerous discoveries regarding our body’s chemical makeup and science fiction culture. Later, with the discovery of “animal electricity,” Galvani’s nephew Giovanni Aldini, transitioned from animal to human subjects to carry out experiments involving muscle twitching and electricity in the early 1800s. The College of Surgeons invited Aldini to perform his experiment on George Foster, a recently executed criminal charged for murder. Up until 1832, executed criminals were sent to the college to be used for surgical procedures and dissections in front of an audience, emulating a theatrical performance. When Aldini was electrifying the subject, spectators saw many facial features move by themselves, such as eyes open-
ing and the jaw quivering. At one point, the legs and thighs were said to be moving on their own. These observations amplified the theory of “animal electricity” and stirred up the idea of bringing the dead back with electricity, eventually inspiring Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel.
and controlling life can still be found not only in popular culture, but also in modern laboratories and the minds of progressive scientists. One field of science that exhibits the way in which humans can manipulate and build organisms to their liking is synthetic biology, which
Though a horror novel from the 19th century, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” showcases a plethora of references to scientific advancements and also voices concerns surrounding the morals of these advancements. While galvanism is now an outdated scientific concept only present in science fiction, electrophysiology, the study of the electrical properties of biological cells and tissues, is an important scientific field with roots in Galvani’s findings. Electrophysiology has contributed to the development of defibrillators, which are used to send electrical impulses to fix the rhythm of someone’s heartbeat, almost like bringing them back to life. Pacemaker defibrillators also manage heart failure by monitoring the rhythm and sending shocks when they sense irregular beats. Additionally, the picture of Frankenstein’s monster and playing God by creating
includes bioengineering and genetic modification. Similar to Dr. Frankenstein’s aspirations, humans can manipulate natural biological systems to meet certain criteria. The rising popularity in tinkering with CRISPR, a gene-editing technology, in debatable applications such as embryo editing brings back Shelley’s concern in the moral boundaries of man’s use of science. This concern also extends outside of just biological fields. The rapid incorporation of artificial intelligence (A.I.) in our daily lives proves another way in which Shelley’s Frankenstein still resonates with modern situations. Just as Dr. Frankenstein assembled different parts of a
human body and brain to create his creature, we engineer robots and technology to imitate human actions and in some cases, emotions as well. This transition to a life centered around A.I. leads to a fear that is shared amongst many: the possibility that artificial intelligence will turn against humans. Ironically, this possibility is called a Frankenstein complex, a reference to Dr. Frankenstein’s eventual demise by his own creation. Though A.I. is encoded with specific instructions from humans, the possibility of a Frankenstein-esque story taking place is an unsettling issue that raises more awareness as the technological world progresses. Coming straight from contemporary science fiction films is the fear that the machines we create may someday surpass the intelligence of our own race. In part to avoid this situation and take heed of Shelley’s cautionary tale, ethical guidelines are set out to preserve the safety of humans, encompassing cases of morality, anti-weaponization, and liability. At the end of the day, it is up to us to uphold the ethics of creating A.I. in an era of continuous scientific and technological endeavors. Though a horror novel from the 19th century, Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” showcases a plethora of references to scientific advancements and also voices concerns surrounding the morals of these advancements. From Galvani’s ideas to the ethical issues of current scientific fields, this classic gothic novel gives us cautionary insight into the future of science.
Why Do We Love Sugar? By ARIN FARUQUE There’s one thing we all look forward to on Halloween: candy. Every year, we come home with buckets full of sugar. But what about these treats makes them so addictive? The answer can be found in our brain’s mesolimbic dopamine system, our body’s built-in reward system. When you take a bite of a piece of candy, your body boosts dopamine levels, which can be traced back to the ancient practice of hunter-gatherers developing high sugar diets to increase energy and their chances of survival. Most of these dopamine molecules are produced in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) located in the middle of the brain. The molecules travel along the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, which goes from the VTA up to the nucleus accumben located in the ventral striatum, a region associated with motivation and rewards. There, dopamine receptors receive the dopamine and produce a feeling of pleasure, leaving you to crave another bite. Your body’s excess of dopamine in response to sugar triggers the desire to repeat this behavior. However, doing so leads to the brain producing
less dopamine, causing you to ingest more sugar to regain the initial feeling of pleasure. Interestingly, our body also has a built-in craving-suppressing counterpart in the same way our body has a built-in reward system to induce sugar cravings. Your liver produces a powerful hormone called fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) that has been linked to the suppression of sugar cravings. In a 2015 study, when the researchers increased plasma FGF21 levels in the mice and monkeys, both species willingly turned d o w n sweets a n d
a l c o holic beverages. Though there are many pathways in the central nervous system that alter sweet and alcohol preference, FGF21 stands out for its powerful impact from
just one dose, triggered right when we ingest sugar. By experimenting with β-Klotho, the co-receptor that FGF21 works with to produce its effect on sugar, researchers have identified the specific mechanism of FGF21. In response to sugar intake, FGF21 is released into the bloodstream where it
Kaitlin Ho / The Spectator
specifically targets the hypothalamus, an area of the brain responsible for energy maintenance and regulating macro-
nutrient intake. FGF21 signals to the glutamatergic neurons, which produce the important neurotransmitter glutamate in the ventromedial hypothalamus, an area associated with satisfaction, to lower sugar intake by increasing their sensitivity to sugar. This lowers the threshold for sugar consumption to reach that “high” and greatly reduces sugar intake. Another study by researchers at the University of Southwestern Medical Center takes a closer look at what happens in the brain during this phenomenon.
When FGF21 reaches neurons in the central nervous system, dopamine levels drop in the nucleus accumbens. When researchers gave mice the choice of either sweetened water or
plain water, they found that the hormone suppressed their desires for the sweetened water. They further showed FGF21’s ability to counter dopamine’s effect, this time on alcohol rather than sugar, by conducting a similar experiment with alcoholic beverages that the mice had already shown interest in. Here, the mice chose plain water after receiving a dose of FGF21, showing its ability to reduce sugar or alcohol preference and overturn already established addictions to substances like alcohol. Not only does our brain have an ingrained system to promote sugar cravings, but it also has a simultaneous counterpart working to suppress them. However, there is still more work ahead in identifying the effects of FGF21 in areas beyond sugar consumption. Research has already begun on the role of FGF21 on diseases including Type 1 diabetes and obesity, which may uncover new treatments for addiction in general. This Halloween, when you contemplate whether to take the next bite of something sweet, think about all the simultaneous molecular processes swaying you to either side.
The Spectator ● October 29, 2021
Page 16
Science Why Halloween Spooks By OLIVIA ZHENG There’s one thing we all look forward to on Halloween: candy. Every year, we come home with buckets full of sugar. But what about these treats makes them so addictive? The answer can be found in our brain’s mesolimbic dopamine system, our body’s built-in reward system. When you take a bite of a piece of candy, your body boosts dopamine levels, which can be traced back to the ancient practice of hunter-gatherers developing high sugar diets to increase energy and their chances of survival. Most of these dopamine molecules are produced in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) located in the middle of the brain. The molecules travel along the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, which goes from the VTA up to the nucleus accumben located in the ventral striatum, a region associated with motivation and rewards. There, dopamine receptors receive the dopamine and produce a feeling of pleasure, leaving you to crave another bite. Your body’s excess of dopamine in response to sugar triggers the desire to repeat this behavior. However, doing so leads to the brain pro-
ducing less dopamine, causing you to ingest more sugar to regain the initial feeling of pleasure. Interestingly, our body also has a built-in craving-suppressing counterpart in the same way our body has a built-in reward system to induce sugar cravings. Your liver produces a powerful hormone called fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) that
tem that alter sweet and alcohol preference, FGF21 stands out for its powerful impact from just one dose, triggered right when we ingest sugar. By experimenting with β-Klotho, the co-receptor that FGF21 works with to produce its effect on sugar, researchers have identified the specific mechanism of FGF21. In response to sugar intake, FGF21
in the ventromedial hypothalamus, an area associated with satisfaction, to lower sugar intake by increasing their sensitivity to sugar. This lowers the threshold for sugar consumption to reach that “high” and greatly reduces sugar intake. Another study by researchers at the University of Southwestern Medical Center takes a closer look at what happens in
From zombies to skeletons, the costumes and decorations that line the streets on Halloween all evoke fear because of their proximity to one thing: our mortality.
has been linked to the suppression of sugar cravings. In a 2015 study, when the researchers increased plasma FGF21 levels in the mice and monkeys, both species willingly turned down sweets and alcoholic beverages. Though there are many pathways in the central nervous sys-
is released into the bloodstream where it specifically targets the hypothalamus, an area of the brain responsible for energy maintenance and regulating macronutrient intake. FGF21 signals to the glutamatergic neurons, which produce the important neurotransmitter glutamate
the brain during this phenomenon. When FGF21 reaches neurons in the central nervous system, dopamine levels drop in the nucleus accumbens. When researchers gave mice the choice of either sweetened water or plain water, they found that the hormone suppressed
their desires for the sweetened water. They further showed FGF21’s ability to counter dopamine’s effect, this time on alcohol rather than sugar, by conducting a similar experiment with alcoholic beverages that the mice had already shown interest in. Here, the mice chose plain water after receiving a dose of FGF21, showing its ability to reduce sugar or alcohol preference and overturn already established addictions to substances like alcohol. Not only does our brain have an ingrained system to promote sugar cravings, but it also has a simultaneous counterpart working to suppress them. However, there is still more work ahead in identifying the effects of FGF21 in areas beyond sugar consumption. Research has already begun on the role of FGF21 on diseases including Type 1 diabetes and obesity, which may uncover new treatments for addiction in general. This Halloween, when you contemplate whether to take the next bite of something sweet, think about all the simultaneous molecular processes swaying you to either side.
Caption Contest
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Got a caption for either of these pieces? E-mail it to morriskaren2021@ gmail.com for a chance to be published in the next issue.
The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
Page 17
Arts and Entertainment Gaming By GAVIN MCGINLEY “Far Cry 6” begins like every “Far Cry” before it: with wanton violence. The game opens with a man having his head blown open five feet to your left and follows with a whirlwind of bullet shells, fire, and shrapnel that leaves you the sole survivor of a bloody massacre. It’s intense, but by no means unexpected from the franchise. In fact, there is almost nothing “Far Cry 6” does that hasn’t been done before—it knows its formula. That being said, for those willing to delve into the insanity and stupidity of “Far Cry” for the millionth time, there’s a lot of fun to be found. “Far Cry 6” takes place in the Cuba-inspired island nation of Yara, which is led by a brutal dictator Anton Castillo (Giancarlo Esposito). You play as Dani Rojas (Sean Rey and Nisa Gunduz), a guerilla rebel fighting to topple Castillo’s regime, which has been enslaving its own people to manufacture a cancercuring super drug. For all the marketing that went into presenting “Far Cry 6” as a serious game about war crimes, revolution, and human rights, it’s surprising how quickly its tone devolves into that of a C-grade action flick. “Far Cry” addresses the real-world political issues in its story with all the tact and intelligence expected from a game that waits fewer than 30 minutes to give you a pet crocodile and a rocket launcher backpack. Storylines about human experimentation, imperialism, and nationalism are mixed in with crocodile hunting, deepsea fishing, and street racing,
Music By ZOE BUFF A ring of lights sparkled above rows of red velvet seats. Bouquets sat on the golden panels of the Isaac Stern and Itzhak Perlman Auditorium. One of the world’s most celebrated stages was lined with black chairs for the musicians of the Philadelphia Orchestra. After 572 days of silence, the walls of Carnegie Hall buzzed once again. The opening night gala on October 6, 2021 was the venue’s first in-person concert in 18 months, the longest it had ever remained closed. Conducted by Maestro Yannick NézetSéguin, the Music Director and Conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the evening was an emotional return to live music. Like other celebrated musical organizations, Carnegie Hall once again opened its doors to the public, and the aisles of the auditorium were filled with fully vaccinated audience members eager to reexperience the power of an inperson performance. The gala began with a
Far Cry 6: Same Game, All Over Again making the politics seem like a drag and the side missions like fillers. Castillo, despite being central to both the game’s advertising and plot, is absent for most of its 20+ hour playtime. Esposito is fantastic when he’s on-screen, but it undoubtedly would’ve helped the game’s paper-thin narrative if he was more present throughout the campaign. One welcome change to the “Far Cry” structure is Dani, the first protagonist in the series’s nine games to be more than a stoic killing machine. Dani is fully voiced as both a man and a woman (though she is canonically female), and fluent in a language other than the testosterone-fueled grunts and the standard one-word answers for video game heroes. This bolsters the story, which is based around her forming relationships with the many revolutionaries of Yara, and also makes the often heavily gamified non-plot related content a lot more immersive. It’s difficult to maintain the illusion of reality when a player can, at any moment, walk into a hotel and flamethrower 40 soldiers, but Dani’s deep connection to Yara and its people goes a long way in making every moment of the game seem significant. Instead of just being an empty vessel for committing atrocities, she serves as a reminder of the world and story of the game, doing her best to stop “Far Cry 6” from being another mindless murder simulator. It doesn’t work—“Far Cry” is, first and foremost, a shooter game. It may, on occasion, emphasize puzzles or plot, but the key to moving forward is almost always found in your
comically large arsenal of machine guns and explosives. And, though the action can lack depth, combat in “Far Cry 6” works well. Enemies are both easy to kill and surprisingly hard-hitting, meaning precise aim and intelligent positioning are rewarded (at least until the player does too many side missions and becomes massively over-leveled). There’s still the typical “Far Cry” insanity—players can hijack tanks, jet pack through the air, and kamikaze into attack helicopters—but it’s supplemented by solid gunplay and stealth systems. The game’s over-the-top action rarely fits into the story in any meaningful way, but it’s fun nonetheless. “Far Cry” plots are usually just sinew, stretching to connect disparate acts of violence committed on the player’s whims, and that’s all they need to be. The few shortcomings of combat are found in the changes “Far Cry 6” tries to make to its formula. In a strange bid to add needless complexity to the already chaotic action, the player is given a seemingly endless collection of extra gear, all specialized ever-soslightly for certain situations. Luckily, the game isn’t nearly difficult enough to necessitate any real use of this relatively shallow item management system; two ammo types and one set of armor are all you really need. While by no means game-breaking, it shouldn’t be overlooked that the saving grace of “Far Cry 6’s” updates is that they can be ignored. More in line with the classic “Far Cry” experience is the game’s massive open-world map that is still a delight, despite
the format being overused by every mainstream release since 2015. Yara is huge, beautifully designed, and chock-full of things to do. Some of the side activities are absolute wastes of time (like the controversial and poorly designed cockfighting minigame), but if you can sift through the junk, you’ll find a few absolute gems. In terms of more core content, the map is also littered with government checkpoints to take over and anti-aircraft guns to blow up, opening up roads or airspace. These missions are a lot more similar to the bullet-spraying action of the main campaign and offer less of a reprieve than, say, going on a fishing trip. However, they give a very tangible reward by making the often difficult act of travel much easier. Yara is full of enemies, patrolled by convoys and men on horseback, so the ability to make your long trips across the map in the safety of a car or helicopter is something players come to value quickly. “Far Cry 6” is a mixed bag. It is, above all, dumb as hell. Despite its attempt at serious, meaningful storytelling, the best it can muster is a few lines about freedom and a few graphic depictions of human rights violations before it defaults back to tried-andtrue extravagant violence. As a game, it’s at its best as stupid fun, when it’s not in over its head with some half-baked political narrative. “Far Cry 6” plays it safe with its formula, never straying far from the well-trodden path, but never making any big mistakes either. There’s nothing new about “Far Cry 6,” but at least it’s copying something decent.
Carnegie Hall Is Back! moving speech by Board of Trustees Chairman Robert F. Smith and Executive and Artistic Director Clive Gillison, welcoming the audience back to Carnegie Hall and thanking them for their support. Met with enthusiastic applause from the audience members, the speakers then introduced the first number on the program, “Seven O’Clock Shout,” a contemporary work by distinguished American composer Valerie Coleman. The piece, characterized by funky syncopation and sweeping, cinematic melodies, is meant to honor the front line workers of the pandemic. It ended with shouts and whoops from the members of the orchestra, depicting the daily 7:00 p.m. racket that rang through the streets of New York in the early days of the shutdown. After Coleman’s work came a 20th century masterpiece, Shostakovich’s “Piano Concerto No. 2,” brought to life by world-class pianist Yuja Wang. Featuring three movements, the piece is
a combination of expressive melodies and playful, stylish passages, embellished with musical ornaments and trills. Wang’s virtuoso rendition was followed by the overture of Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide,” an American operetta based on Voltaire’s 1759 novel of the same name. The work begins with a fanfare of brass instruments, developing into a “battle scene” embellished with witty, sophisticated melodies. Before transitioning to the second half of the program, Maestro Nézet-Séguin picked up the microphone to say a few words. His first remark, “We missed you,” was met with laughter and applause from the audience, his speech emphasizing the importance of the return to live performance and the relevance of both classical works from centuries past and contemporary music, such as the program’s next number, Iman Habibi’s “Jeder Baum spricht” (“Every Tree Speaks”). This modern piece was commissioned to celebrate the 250th anniversary
of composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth. It reflects the catastrophe of climate change and is an everchanging rhapsodical narrative of current events. The program’s final number, Beethoven’s 5th symphony, is one of classical music’s most popular works and was the only piece of the night written before the 20th century. Led by Maestro Nézet-Séguin’s baton, the Philadelphia Orchestra portrayed Beethoven’s work with poignance and triumph, proving once again that they are one of the world’s toptier ensembles. This magical, emotional, and exhilarating evening of live music concluded in a shower of musical sparks and thunderous applause from the audience. This event reminded the world of the special community Carnegie Hall has and how, even after the longest shutdown it had to face in history, it managed to pull through and come back bolder than ever to celebrate the power of live music.
Playlist Petrified by a Pumpkin By THE ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT DEPARTMENT Halloween is here! Frightening decorations at every corner, floods of trick-or-treaters, gory horror movies, and pop-up costume stores can spook the best of us. There’s a lot you can listen to if you’d like to get yourself in the Halloween spirit, but here’s a playlist for when things get a little too scary.
Glitter Tyler, the Creator Hip-hop
A Forest The Cure Gothic rock
Afraid The Neighbourhood Alternative
TAKE ME HOME Vince Staples and Foushée Rap
Beird Jack Stauber Indie Pop
Lovin’ Me Kid Cudi ft. Phoebe Bridgers Rap Be My Mistake The 1975 Alternative Rock
Ribs Lorde Alternative
The Adults are Talking The Strokes Alternative
Like Real People Do Hozier Indie Rock
Oxford Comma Vampire Weekend Alternative Rock
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The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
Arts and Entertainment By LIANNE OHAYON Another year of television means another year of awards— the 2021 Emmy Awards marked the 73rd year anniversary of “television’s biggest night.” To celebrate, the producers did exactly what they always do: script underwhelming jokes, give too little time for winners to deliver their speeches, and hand out awards to the same shows again and again. Though the Emmys highlight standout television, the ceremony has become not only outdated but also boring after years of repetition. The 2021 Emmy Awards came in stark contrast to last year’s events; attendees were together under one roof, as opposed to last year’s virtual ceremony. Cedric the Entertainer kicked off the night by leading the audience in singing a TVinspired rap and tribute to the late Biz Markie. Everyone, from Rita Wilson to Daveed Diggs, was a part of this opener—a display of unity after a long period of separation. However, after that wholesome moment, many of the comedic sketches fell flat. While some unscripted bits did shine, the producers didn’t learn from last year’s comedic faults, and the lackluster skits only brought the quality of
Music By ALEXANDER HINCHLIFFE In the rap world, Baby Keem stands as an anomaly. He’s released music with some underground buzz for a few years, with his mixtapes “Sound of Bad Habit” (2018) and “DIE FOR MY [EXPLETIVE]” (2019) garnering some attention, but never landing him squarely in the mainstream. With hard-hitting trap beats and high-pitched nasal inflections, he crafted a style for himself that walks the line between obnoxious and charismatic. He found some TikTok success with his 2019 track “ORANGE SODA” from “DIE FOR MY [EXPLETIVE],” and piqued the interest of Kendrick Lamar fans after they discovered Keem had writing credits on the Black Panther soundtrack (it didn’t take long for them to find out that Keem is Lamar’s cousin). Keem’s connection to Lamar’s fanbase has been equal parts a blessing and a curse: while the affiliation has created a lot of excitement around his music, Keem has faced scrutiny from Lamar fans for featuring lyrics that are “underdeveloped” in comparison to those of his cousin. Trying to create art under the shadow of one of the most highly-acclaimed artists of this generation has to be hard, but Keem remains unfazed. With his new long-awaited studio debut “The Melodic Blue,” Baby Keem embraces the nepotism with a few big-ticket features but continues to preserve and hone his unique sound. The opener, “trademark usa” begins with a short grim verse from Keem supported by bending guitars and filtered drums before exploding into a driving, gritty banger. Keem raps like he’s
The Emmys: New Year, Same Old Show the Emmys even further down. With people physically present at the Emmys, the concern of COVID-19 reverberated throughout the theater. Seth Rogan, while presenting the award for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, made some snarky yet painfully accurate comments about the pandemic. “Let me start by saying there are way too many of us in this little room,” Rogan began. When the camera panned across the room in the opening number, it was clear that there were hundreds of people there, and social distancing was not in effect (though vaccinations were required). “What are we doing? They said this was outdoors. It is not. They lied to us,” Rogan said. One of the more disappointing aspects of award shows is when shows sweep the awards they were nominated for, and, in typical awards ceremony fashion, a choice few shows did just that. “Ted Lasso” (2020-), Apple TV’s beloved soccer story, took seven comedy awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Jason Sudeikis. “Hacks” (2021), a series about mentorship and second chances, also received three comedy awards, notably Outstanding Writing and
Directing for a Comedy Series. On the drama side, “The Crown” (2016-) was unsurprisingly the big winner of the night, winning Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Olivia Coleman, and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Josh O’Connor, rounding out their impressive night with eight awards. Both “The Queen’s Gambit” (2020) and “Mare of Easttown” (2021) got awards for Limited Series, “Hamilton” (2020) won Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded), and “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” (2014-) received Outstanding Variety Talk Series. Some shows swept, and as usual, others got snubbed. Many people of color unfortunately ended up on the losers list in the 2021 Emmys. Despite a racially diverse panel of nominees, not a single person of color won an Emmy award for acting. While Michaela Coel’s “I May Destroy You” (2020) won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie, Barry Jenkins’s “The Underground Railroad” (2021) won none. Both of these shows were critically acclaimed and received rave reviews from large publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post,
but the Television Academy failed to praise these shows and many others, bringing up the larger issue of validity and expression in the Emmys: why bother to watch the show if instead of showcasing new pieces of television, viewers have to hear the same show’s name repeated again and again? Especially since the integration of more POC into the entertainment industry is progressing, having winners who represent the diversity of the nominees would not only give an even spread of winners but also allow for diversity within the Emmys. Despite the night’s flaws, a highlight was Debbie Allen’s acceptance of the Governor’s Award, which is an honor bestowed upon those who make significant contributions to the arts and sciences or the television industry. Allen has had a lifetime of achievements within television and philanthropy, appearing on TV shows like “Grey’s Anatomy” (2005-) and “Jane the Virgin” (2014-2019), acting in movies like “Fame” (1980) and “Ragtime” (1981), and founding the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, a nonprofit organization that allows students to get exposure to the arts. In her speech, where she notably ignored the clock, she spoke
directly to young women: “It is time for you to claim your power, claim your voice, say your song, tell your stories, it will make us a better place. Your turn,” she said. Another heartfelt moment was Kerry Washington’s tribute to Michael K. Williams, who was posthumously nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in “Lovecraft Country.” Washington noted, “[Williams] was a brilliantly talented actor and a generous human being who has left us far too soon.” While Williams did not win the award, the segment remained one of the most significant this year. Overall, the 2021 Emmys was a mostly uneventful night. The comedy was bad, certain shows sweeping made the ceremony boring, and the lack of diversity within the awards was incredibly unfortunate. If the Emmys keep repeating the same mistakes year after year, viewership will decline further than it already has, and the ceremony may eventually cease to exist. These faults aren’t irredeemable, though. The Emmys must keep evolving as television keeps evolving, and it will be more successful in the end. But for now, the 2021 ceremony managed to drag the Emmys bar another notch lower.
“Top of the Morning”: Baby Keem’s Memorable Debut delivering an impassioned sermon over synth basses and ominous droning flutes behind a thumping 808 pattern. The second verse is filled with some braggadocious quotes before a quick beat switch into another trap groove with a small contribution from Spanish singer Rosalía. The song is a lively start to the album, but the energy doesn’t stay as high with the club anthem “pink panties.” While Che Ecru’s chorus contribution is fun and Keem has some charming moments, the song just feels out of place and could easily be omitted, especially since the next cut “scapegoats,”—a slower and more confessional interlude with a chilling serpentwithfeet sample—feels much more cohesive in the grand scheme of the project. This is a frequent theme of the album: at several points, Keem begins to explore more conscious and meaningful content, but is quick the curtain forward and retreats back into his comfort zone of rapping about shallow, meaningless topics like cars, money, and girls. “range brothers” is another cut that feels like a microcosm of the entire album with its zany trap production and boastful lyrics interspersed with some wise moments, especially in Kendrick’s verse where he talks about investing in one’s family and future. The track starts with an eerie flute instrumental and features Keem with some unusual intonations before triumphant violins come in for the second part. The beat is disorienting and strange with trippy 808s which lay the foundation for the Kendrick Lamar feature, who delivers as he always does. The track feels like a conversation between Keem and Lamar as they rap back and forth, discussing wealth and fame in
the second section. Their voices complement each other well but still feel distinct, as do their perspectives with Lamar taking the role of a mentor to Keem. While the song seems lighthearted, there is an undercurrent of Keem’s troubled past that is never fully explored. It sounds like Keem is holding back—while he may
synth chords and echoey pianos. “gorgeous” has a slickly-produced dark piano beat and some good flows but is largely forgettable, with Keem bouncing between flows and intonation reminiscent of artists like Carti, Travis, and Drake. “family ties” is another Kendrick Lamar-boasting
be saving more for the future, right now it seems that he wants to be young and enjoy himself. He is clearly haunted by his past growing up in Section 8 Housing as seen in brief moments of reflection, but refuses to elaborate on those experiences, weakening the emotional impact of the album. The next few tracks of the album blur as Keem shows off his ability to fit on any production style. “issues” offers a more somber “808s and Heartbreak” (2008) feel, layered with tasteful
highlight with a triumphant Wheezy-inspired horn seaction backing one of Keem’s most energetic verses in the album. While the vocal mixing on this track isn’t anything particularly innovative, Keem’s voice stands out with catchy flows, especially on the first beat switch with a relentless cadence. Keem puts out a solid verse, despite bearing the weight of having to go before Kendrick Lamar on a song. Lamar delivers his first verse in two years acting like he never left, followed by another switch
Rachel Chuong / The Spectator
Television
into a menacing, distorted beat where he changes inflections and voices constantly. It’s incredibly enjoyable with Kendrick going into a Hulk Hogan flow saying his mental is, “amazing, brother.” The album’s closing tracks are a mixed bag. “first order of business” is one of the more personal cuts on the project, where Keem discusses cutting out toxic people in his life and navigating relationships in the context of fame. “16” is the lowkey ending to the album with retro instrumentals and more melodic bars from Keem describing a failed relationship with a girl who came from poverty. Though “16” has more pop appeal than many of the tracks on the album, other tracks could have served as a better closer. It functions as another vulnerable track, but still remains hollow. The album in general lacks a certain depth that would provide a better reason to root for Keem. “The Melodic Blue,” is a competent debut and cements Baby Keem as an artist to watch out for, but often seems underwritten, uninspired and pointless. Despite this, there is undeniable creativity at the base of the project and the ride listening through is enjoyable. Keem evidently wants to stay away from creating a narrative, though it’s entirely possible we could see more lyrical content from him— the line “who I made this tape for?/I tell the story two years later, for now, the case closed” from “scapegoats,” exemplifies his attitude. Chances are, we’ll likely be hearing a lot more from Baby Keem in the future. He doesn’t seem to feel tethered to his cousin’s sound: he’s creating a path of his own rather than following anyone else.
The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
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Arts and Entertainment Sorry, Digital Clothing isn’t the Next Fashion Revolution
By MAYA NELSON With the recent craze over NFTs and virtual art in general, it should come as no surprise that many have turned to fashion as the next digital frontier. Many companies have made online collections designed to be photoshopped onto the customer, creating a cheap, wasteless alternative to luxury clothing. Headlines have dubbed digital clothing the future of fashion, but is it anything more than another short-lived fad? In 2018, Scandinavian retailer Carlings pioneered the concept of digital fashion by launching its first online collection: a 19-piece futuristic series selling for just $20 each. The company posted 3D models of each item, and customers would send in a picture of themselves for the clothing to be photoshopped onto. Since then, several other companies such as DressX and Tribute have adopted the same idea, selling photoshoppable clothes for customers to publish on social media. Recently, these companies have entered the limelight, sparking a debate over the practicality of digital clothing. Many of these companies claim that their mission is to make high fashion affordable. By making avant-garde, ultramodern pieces available for prices ranging from $30-$100,
Music By LUCA JONES By way of introduction, Pink Floyd was a rock band formed in England in 1964. After the ‘65 and ‘68 departures of founding members Bob Klose and Syd Barett, the band’s lineup consisted of Nick Mason (drums), Richard Wright (keyboard/organ), Roger Waters (bass/vocals), and David Gilmour (guitar). In the mid-to-late sixties, Pink Floyd first became known for their psychedelic music, which consisted of long, eccentric, and spontaneous compositions, and caught the eye of several small English venues. However, throughout the seventies, they switched from the improvisation involved in their earlier work to a more formal approach to psychedelic rock, adopting progressive rock: a fusion of psychedelic rock with jazz, the blues, folk, and other genres. By the mid-seventies, Pink Floyd was one of the world’s leading rock bands, having released renowned classics such as “Dark Side of the Moon” (1973) and “Wish You
DressX aims to bring runway looks to the average customer. The clothing itself is cool— who wouldn’t want a dress with holographic spikes poking out of it from all angles? The issue is whether it’s still worth these prices for something you’ll never actually wear. Sure, digital art and even video game skins have a similar concept in that you don’t receive a physical item for your purchase, but your intent for buying these items isn’t functionality. With digital fashion, you’re essentially paying $50 for a cool Instagram post. Companies like DressX have also launched specific digital collections with prices reaching $1,000, defeating the entire purpose of democratizing high fashion. When the entire basis of your brand is making these eccentric runway pieces accessible to the majority, it seems incredibly ironic to launch a line able to be purchased by only people who have nothing else to do with their money. In fact, many companies don’t even bother with affordability or accessibility—Tribute’s entire brand revolves around selling a limited number of pieces for hundreds of dollars. Let’s be honest: digital fashion’s main demographic is becoming the fashion elite because who else would bother spending money on clothes you can’t even wear? To make matters worse,
the photoshop quality often doesn’t match the pricetag,
media, you’ll have to accept the fact that your followers will
with countless customers complaining about the lighting and proportions. After looking at many of these photos, it’s obvious that they are photoshopped, and if your goal is to post them on social
be able to easily tell that your outfit is fake. Obviously, editing photos isn’t easy, especially when editing already unrealistic looking clothing onto people in varying poses, but when you’re paying hundreds of
Justine Kang / The Spectator
Fashion
dollars for digital clothing from more expensive companies like Tribute, it should be done near flawlessly. Another basis that these brands’ market themselves on is eco-friendliness. If you’re not actually making any physical clothes, then there’s no harm to the environment, right? Many environmentalists have labeled digital clothing the “solution to fast fashion,” and DressX even has a tab on its website preaching sustainability. Though this may help prevent people from buying an outfit just to wear it once for a post on social media, the fact remains that people need physical clothes for their daily lives. When you’ve already narrowed down your demographic to people who have excess money to spend on whimsical clothing, you’re really not doing anything to solve fast fashion––most of the people buying from more affordable brands like Shein are doing so out of necessity. Digital fashion’s limited customer base and nonfunctionality mean that it’s most likely not going to be the next fashion revolution. Though it’s a fun medium for artistic expression and can help spice up your Instagram feed, the real world still requires real clothing. The solution to fast fashion must be tangible, and some photoshoppable neonribboned clothes aren’t going to cut it.
Don’t “Meddle” With Pink Floyd’s Most Influential Album Were Here” (1975). Though it may not be as critically acclaimed as “Dark Side of the Moon,” “Meddle” (1971), their sixth studio album, was without a doubt pivotal in the path of the group, acting as a manifestation of Pink Floyd’s change in direction from psychedelic rock to progressive rock in a period during which they were struggling to stay afloat––the group’s last few years had been plagued by poor management and creative disagreements, leaving it without a substantial creative force and direction. In order to revitalize their creative process, Pink Floyd tried something new (these experiments were dubbed Nothings) by separating the members and having them play on separate tracks without knowing what the others were doing. Though this process didn’t yield much, the band found inspiration from a single piano note that Richard Wright fed through a speaker, producing a pinglike sound. From this, the band developed “Return of the Son of Nothings,” which
became the working title of this album and went on to be included in many parts of the 23-minute-long monster track “Echoes.” Though “Meddle” didn’t have a promising start, contributions from all four members helped evolve it into a diverse album, from trippy subliminal sounds to playful, lazy ballads layered over wind sound effects. In typical Floyd fashion, the first song, “One of These Days,” is composed of a several minute long buildup with disorienting wind sounds and a resonating bassline, which rapidly spirals into a lively jazzy rock song––a symbolic representation of Meddle as Pink Floyd’s transitions from a more psychedelic sound to progressive rock. This track beautifully segues into “A Pillow of Winds,” a soft, lighthearted acoustic love ballad. The next song, “Fearless,” largely gives off the same mood as its predecessor with a twist––recordings of soccer team Liverpool FC’s fans singing their anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” fade in and out of Gilmour’s calming
vocals. “San Tropez” continues the happy vibe evoked throughout the album. The jazzy, playful tone set by this pop hit makes it one of Pink Floyd’s happier songs. “Seamus”, the last song on the A-side of this album, is a twominute bluesy track featuring a dog named Seamus howling in response to guitar music. It really isn’t anything to write home about, but if any group can make something ridiculous work, it’s Pink Floyd. The entire B-side of the album consists of the 23-minute epic “Echoes.” Starting with the same highpitched ping that streamlined the creative process for “Meddle,” the song drifts into a calm melody with a seriously addictive riff, similar to those from “Dark Side of the Moon,” accompanied by soft vocals and Nick Mason’s drumming. After 10 or so minutes, the song shifts to desolate, haunting howling wind effects, eventually drifting back again into something reminiscent of
“Brain Damage/Eclipse” from “Dark Side of the Moon.” This monumental track quite literally serves as a musical predecessor to many of the tunes heard in Pink Floyd’s most critically acclaimed album––a stepping stone in itself. Although it only peaked at #70 on the Billboard 200, “Meddle” is one of Pink Floyd’s most important albums, serving as inspiration not only for their later work, but for progressive rock as a whole. Countless artists and bands, including Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree), Radiohead, the Smashing Pumpkins, and My Bloody Valentine––have been influenced by Pink Floyd’s music, especially by “Dark Side of the Moon,” which would not have come about if it weren’t for its 1971 predecessor. The mixture of psychedelic sounds and jazzy rock typically associated with progressive rock made “Meddle” an organic segue from nascent Pink Floyd to the world-beating Pink Floyd everyone knows and loves.
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The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
Arts and Entertainment Music By LEVI SIMON Sufjan Stevens & Angelo De Augustine - “A Beginner’s Mind” Legendary singersongwriter Sufjan Stevens returns to his roots on his latest collaborative album, “A Beginner’s Mind,” with Angelo De Augustine. The album fuses the breathy vocals and sparse, reflective instrumentation of “Carrie and Lowell” (2015) with the grand scope and layered ornamentation of classics like “Illinoise” (2005). The gimmick behind “Beginner’s” is simple: each song derives its lyrics and themes from an influential film in history. Stevens and Augustine cite “Mad Max” (1979), “Silence of the Lambs” (1991), “Wings of Desire” (1987), and more to convey the lyrical themes of the project, which include moral anarchy, faith, and the human conscience. However, the main draw of “Beginner’s” is beyond its cryptic film-inspired poetry. From, front to back, Stevens and Augustine craft an album so deeply beautiful that it defies any impulse for further analysis. It’s much easier to sink into the gentle acoustic strums and plucks, angelic falsetto and delicate supporting chimes, piano, bass, synths, and drums. Tracks like “Lacrimae,” “Olympus,” and “Fictional California” conjure beauty in simplicity by focusing on winding, emotional upper register vocal melodies, while “The Pillar of Souls” and “You
Television By SUBHA BHUIYAN As one of the most beloved holidays, Halloween is a day many entertainmentaficionados look forward to. The elaborate house decorations, coupled with the autumn weather and seasonal food, create a fantastically nostalgic atmosphere. To commemorate Halloween, here are some great nostalgic shows and movies to help you enjoy the spookiest time of the year. 1. “Halloweentown” (1998) “Halloweentown,” directed by Duwayne Dunham, chronicles the lives of Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown) and her siblings when they discover that they’re born from a family of witches. The movie is entertaining but also not unbearably corny (unlike countless other holidaycentric Disney productions) and definitely worth a watch. The score, composed by Mark Mothersbaugh— who also scored “Rugrats” (1998)—gives the movie a whimsical and magical touch.
The Month in Review: A Selection of Album Appraisals Give Death A Bad Name” have thick atmospheric instrumental bases that add climactic heft to the otherwise quiet project. The sonic variety convokes a wide range of musical scenery, ranging from a fantastical verdant purple forest clearing with jeweled foliage and rainbow skies to hallowed grey ruins where the protagonist ascends to challenge their destiny. The mixing is balanced perfectly, giving each instrument just the right amount of space to breathe without impeding upon the role of any other. Following his unsuccessful forays into ambient and electronic music over the last few years, “A Beginner’s Mind” is a return to form for Stevens. It’s a simple album, but its execution is so masterful that it warrants a listen. Injury Reserve - “By The Time I Get to Phoenix” On “By The Time I Get to Phoenix,” Phoenix hip-hop collective Injury Reserve distills their frenetic experimentation into one of the most unique albums of the decade thus far. It’s debatable whether or not “By The Time” is even hiphop anymore. If it is, it pushes the definition of the genre to its limits. The project is built upon synth lines and samples that bend and contort into unthinkable shapes, rhythms that self-destruct and put themselves back together, and fiery fragments of vocals that straddle the border between human, alien, and
robotic. Lyrically, the project is just as abstract. Much of the seemingly disjointed imagery of toaster strudel, growing up, and natural disasters alludes to last year’s tragic passing of group member Stepa J. Groggs, whose inputs posthumously influenced “By The Time” greatly. While recording, Groggs famously insisted that the group’s goal was to “make some weird [EXPLETIVE],” and “By The Time” is Injury Reserve to living up to that promise. As such, the tracks that most directly tackle Groggs’ passing are the project’s most impactful. “Wild Wild West,” “Bye Storm,” and “Postpostpartum” channel apocalyptic chaos with cascading, clicking glitches to resemble the sense of swirling dread that the group feels. On “Top Picks For You,” they reflect on unwilling digital immortalization: “Your blood runs through this home/ And your habits through much after/Grab the remote, pops up something you would’ve watched, I’m like ‘Classic.’” Group member Ritchie with a T’s emotional response to Groggs’ favorite shows popping up on his suggested Netflix feed is hard to confront. Groggs was so entwined with his life that even Ritchie’s attempts at escapism are soured with the memory of his friend’s death. “Knees” is an especially powerful and beautiful track, featuring a posthumous Groggs verse about his alcohol addiction and a striking chorus on aging and
the futility of pain. However, the album’s peak is “Superman That,” a mind-blowing barrage of kick drums, clicking glitches, autotuned crooning à la “808s and Heartbreak” (2008), and a sample from post-rock band Black Country, New Road. The song sounds like it makes no sense—and at first it doesn’t— but in time, it smooths into a catchy, layered, genre-defying track that occupies a mysterious niche all on its own. “By The Time I Get to Phoenix” might not appeal to everyone. It’s a challenging listen, but it may be among the most rewarding of the year for those that resonate with the patchwork sonics and cryptic atmosphere. Wiki - “Half God” Wiki is among the most quintessentially New York rappers working today. His depictions of city life capture the bustling energy that only a New Yorker would know, and his down-to-earth attitude builds infinite relatability. On his newest project, “Half God,” he opts to build his bars over the rising trend of lo-fi, smoky, soulful instrumentals pioneered by artists like MIKE and Navy Blue, the latter of which produced the entire album and features on the track “Can’t Do This Alone.” While the vanguards of said aesthetic sink into their instrumentals to create a sense of confusion or depression, Wiki is composed and confident, riding on top of the melodious plucks and warm chords, secure in his identity.
Perhaps his conviction stems from his veteran status—Wiki’s been at it since 2014 and has spent seven years perfecting his craft, which is evident with his excellent command of both the pen and mic. Tracks like “Not Today” and “The Business” demonstrate Wiki’s poise as he breaks down gentrification and materialism. His relaxed, almost conversational flow masks the biting lyrics: “You got it twisted, this ain’t yours just ‘cause this is where you buy/You the gentrifier, terrorizer, not the terrorized.” As refined as Wiki’s political commentary is, the core of “Half God” is a series of vignettes in which Wiki centers himself in his ever-changing city. On “Home,” he describes his nomadic conception of home: he doesn’t need any specific apartment when he has the soul of the city to keep him company. “Roof ” is an obvious homage to his roof, his refuge from the overload of New York stimuli. On “Promised,” Wiki reiterates that in spite of fake friends and financial troubles, “a spicy chicken sandwich from [his] akhi” is his anchor. Wiki’s attempt at a love song, “Never Fall Off,” is a success—it’s easily one of the most tender, honest love songs of the year. Navy Blue’s contemplative, starlit sampling ties the track together wonderfully. All in all, Wiki’s maturity shines on “Half God,” and he crafts an essential New York album. Each track evokes a warm feeling of camaraderie and city pride.
Shows & Movies for the Halloween Spirit It’s a nostalgic and carefree Halloween movie that the whole family can enjoy.
3. “The Addams Family” (1991) There is much to admire about “The Addams Family,” directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. Though it isn’t downright terrifying, its humor, Morticia and Wednesday Addams’s quick witted one-liners, and the gothic fashion make it a classic film to rewatch during the fall season.
2. “The Craft” (1996) Directed by Andrew Fleming, “The Craft” is a fantasy/thriller film following four high schoolers who uncover a world of witchcraft. This movie features a slew of well-developed f e m a l e characters, a stellar wardrobe that encapsulates ‘90s fashion, and an overall thrilling plot. It was the catalyst for various movie trends Reya Miller / The Spectator surrounding witches and witchcraft “Goosebumps” (1995for years to come. It also 1998) incorporates teenage struggles Based on the best-selling alongside its exploration of book series, this anthology the paranormal and occult, TV show still remains an giving its supernatural story a integral part of an entire note of relatability. generation’s childhood. The camp and general weirdness
of “Goosebumps” certainly make it memorable, and though not frightening now, the show’s strange and outdated stories are still a lot of fun. 4. “Are You Afraid Of The Dark?” (1990-1996) Similar to “Goosebumps,” “Are You Afraid Of The Dark” is a horror anthology series where members of a secret org anization, the “Midnight Society,” tell suspenseful g h o s t stories as they sit around a campfire. Its stories are consistently original and often fall closer to the thriller genre than straight horror. It’s essentially “The Twilight Zone” (1959-1964) but with more approachable episode concepts made to frighten younger audiences. 5. “My Bloody Valentine”
(1981) Directed by Geoge Mihalka, “My Bloody Valentine” is more than just a slasher film. It’s well written, with creative and genuinely repulsive special and practical effects. The movie is fastpaced and scenes are never drawn out enough to bore viewers. The film centers around a folktale where a murderer kills those who celebrate Valentine’s Day. To the characters’ surprise, the folktale turns out to be true. An ‘80s classic with some memorable and gory heart removals, “My Bloody Valentine”’ is everything you would want a classic horror film to embody. 6. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993) One of the most classic Halloween movies––and a cult favorite––“The Nightmare Before Christmas” has a beautiful soundtrack and an immersive story, with a unique art style; it’s a quintessential family-friendly Halloween movie. Enough said.
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The Spectator ● October 29, 2021
Costumed Creatures By THE ART DEPARTMENT
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Art
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The Spectator ● October 29, 2021
Art
The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
Page 23
Sports Spread
The Scariest Athletes on Planet Earth By THE SPORTS DEPARTMENT Sports writers list their picks for the scariest players in sports right now, from horrifying heavyweight champions to spooky safeties. “Cristiano Ronaldo. Widely considered one of the best soccer players of all time, Ronaldo was the leader of the Real Madrid team that won three Champions Leagues in a row from 2016-2018. The best teams from Europe participate in the Champions League, and Real Madrid has had their backs against the wall many times. Madrid lost the first leg in Germany 2-0 against VFL Wolfsburg in 2016. But Ronaldo rallied back and scored a hat trick, winning the tie 3-2. With countless more moments like this, Ronaldo is surely the scariest footballer on the planet.” —Johan Wielaard, junior
“Kam Chancellor. Though injuries led him to retire early, he was the soul of that Seattle Seahawks Legion of Boom. Though he is not the biggest general athlete in the likes of current stars like Derrick Henry and DK Metcalf, each of his hits was a contribution to NFL concussion research. From Rob Gronkowski to Vernon Davis, Chancellor has beaten fear into the league’s toughest players. If it weren’t for injuries, we would still see him on Sundays, punishing receivers for their sins.” —Efe Kilic, junior
“Arnold Schwarzenegger is as physically scary as any athlete in the world. The Terminator, at 235 pounds of pure muscle, was able to capture Mr. Universe and Mr. Olympia before moving on to entertainment and political endeavors. He will continue to be an icon of scariness through many generations. Hasta la vista, baby.” —Ethan Kirschner, senior
“Luis Suárez. No one expects to be bitten while playing soccer, yet it has happened. Three times. Suárez is known for his biting as much as his play and has bitten opposition on several separate occasions. The Uruguayan may have finally learned his lesson, having gone five years without biting an opposing player on the field, but he still instills terror.” —Krish Gupta, senior
“Michael Jordan. His competitive fire and desire to win were unrivaled in his time, to the point where he’d even make up stories in his own head about things other players said, just so he’d have a reason for going after them on the court (talk about psychotic! Search his ‘altercation’ with LaBradford Smith if you’re interested to learn more). Paired with his 6’ 6” athletic build and 48-inch vertical, he may as well have been the boogeyman. Just hope you don’t hear his iconic phrase, ‘It became personal,’ in your nightmares.” —Jeffrey Tan, junior
“Though he retired long ago, I would have to say Mike Tyson. He was a killer in the ring. He made the most feared fighters on the planet look like chumps. Out of all the athletes who have ever lived, he is the only one that I would be afraid to take a picture with.” —Nakib Abedin, junior
“The world of sports has many scary figures: heavyweight champions, shredded defensive ends, and actual criminals. However, it is hard for me to name anyone here other than Simone Biles. What her competitors must feel when they enter the gym, knowing full well that they are not only going to lose, but also be humiliated, that feeling, the one you feel when you have to go toe-to-toe with a woman who has all the hardest tricks named after her, is the scariest one in sports.” —Max Schneider, junior
“Stephen Curry, with a 6’ 3”, 190 pound frame and a nice smile, does not look particularly intimidating or dangerous. His skill on the court, however, is absolutely deadly. Curry is the embodiment of ‘limitless range,’ and once he gets a streak going, it’s over for the opposing team. His ability to make shots from anywhere on the court truly makes him one of the scariest in the league.” —Taee Chi, junior
Sports Editorial
Fans Are the Real Game Changers continued from page 28
their emotions plays quite a significant role in the outcome of games. Similarly, fans have the biggest impact on the energy and intensity of a game, sometimes even more than coaches or fellow teammates. The more invested the fans are, the more drive there is for the players to deliver. This notion tends to be circular: when fans are more invested, their team plays well, and in return the home
team follows with better play, thriving from the stadium’s energy. During last year’s no-fan seasons, bigger leads felt less overwhelming, and, while demoralizing, game-winning goals tended to have less of an effect on the losing team. Why? Because players didn’t have to look up at the faces of thousands of disappointed, shocked, dejected fans. It wasn’t nearly as hard to shrug off. Since the return of fans, it makes perfect sense that games began to pick up in intensity and general enjoyability. Even
TV viewers expressed a noticeable change in the feel of the game, as the atmosphere of the arenas and the attitude of athletes could be felt through the screen. Athletes and coaches, including Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, echoed this statement. “It was electric. I know our players, they feed off it. They love the energy the fan base brings,” he said. Visiting athletes may also thrive from the jeers of the crowd. Take Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks’ superstar guard: after being jeered all night by
Knicks fans, Young made the game-winning shot of Game 1, silencing the crowd. The Hawks later eliminated the Knicks in MSG, and, upon the game’s finish, Young took a bow to all the Knicks fans there. Some players crumble under the pressure put on them––both by their own fans and opponents’––but others, like Young, thrive off it. Overall, fans clearly amplify the intensity of the game. It’s hard to emulate the noise, the unwavering support, and the motivation that comes from having fans present. An MLB
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Happy Halloween, Stuy!
player expressed this feeling perfectly: “The audience is the drug.” Athletes’ mental performances are at their peak when fans are out of their seats, cheering them on. It’s what makes the presence of fans in sports so unique: they can impact the outcome of any game almost as much as an individual player. It’s clear to see why athletes thrive off fans, and why they were so heavily missed. Simply by transforming a stadium into a pulsating, exhilarating arena, fans can change the game entirely.
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The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
Sports NFL
The NFL’s Most Feared By KRISH GUPTA The National Football League (NFL) is known for its hard hits, horrendous injuries, and massive players. Former players have gone on to be UFC fighters, hardened criminals, and even serial killers. This Halloween, here’s a profile on the 10 scariest players currently in the NFL. Trick or treat! DK Metcalf, Seattle Seahawks Budda Baker’s tweet from 2020 just about summed it up: “DK [METCALF] HAWKED MY [EXPLETIVE].” Baker was the latest victim of the Seattle wideout’s antics. A physical specimen, Metcalf measures up at 6’ 4’’, 235 pounds, metrics unheard of for an offensive skill player. His pre-draft workout picture went viral, making him one of the most feared players in the league even before joining. When Baker’s Cardinals faced off against Metcalf ’s Seahawks last season, a rare errant throw from Russell Wilson led to an interception by Baker. Baker looked to have a clear path to the endzone for a pick six, but Metcalf came out of nowhere after chasing him for over 50 yards and blanketed him, taking him down from behind. This play instantly went viral and was just one example of Metcalf ’s physicality. Throughout his young career, Metcalf has been terrorizing defenses with his stiff arms, trucks, and overall power. There’s not a cornerback or defensive coordinator in the league who would want to cross paths with him. Jason Pierre-Paul, New York Giants Kids, that monster under your bed might just be Jason Pierre-Paul. A 6’ 5’’, 275 pound menace, he has been a terror in this league for years. His ca-
reer saga is something out of a Marvel movie. After he blew one of his fingers off working with fireworks during a Fourth of July celebration, his Super Bowl-winning career was suddenly in question, and many feared that this accident was the untimely end of Pierre-Paul’s time on the gridiron. Instead, he doubled down and is still a top defender in the league, a menace playing alongside Tom Brady, who was harassed in encounters with Pierre-Paul in the past. Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns Myles Garrett has quickly built his reputation as one of the most feared players in the league. The NFL sack leader and candidate for Defensive Player of the Year has also been known for his dirty offfield tactics, epitomized by when he got into a scuffle with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph. Garrett hit the Pittsburgh quarterback in the head with a helmet, earning both players suspensions. This October, Garrett posted a photo on social media of his new backyard lawn design, a graveyard with tombstones of all of the quarterbacks he has terrorized (with 5’ 10” Kyler Murray’s noticeably being the shortest). Aaron Donald, Los Angeles Rams Aaron Donald is indisputably the best defender in the league and in the conversation for one of the greatest of all time. Double teams and triple teams often aren’t nearly enough to cover Donald, as he gets to the quarterback, stops the running back in his tracks, or bats down a ball at the line. With “99” emblazoned across the chest, it’s hard to miss him on the field. Watching him on a Rams defensive drive is simply terrifying for even the best
visiting players, a testament to the fact that with Donald and a good offense, the Rams are Super Bowl contenders. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans Derrick Henry is, without question, the best and hardest runner in the league. Henry’s height and weight are those of a defensive back, making him nearly impossible to tackle (just ask Josh Norman). King Henry is posting 2,000 yard seasons consistently with no signs of slowing down. He does the football equivalent of putting a player on a poster with his powerful stiff arms, jukes, and brute force on the weekly. In an age when running backs have been known to be less durable and have shorter careers, Henry is changing the ground game on his own terms. Meanwhile, Norman and dozens of other defenders still have nightmares about Henry. Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rob Gronkowki is known just as much for his presence off the field as his presence on the field. Gronk took a brief sabbatical from the NFL two seasons ago when he won a WWE fight and danced alongside popular rappers on stage during concerts. Now, he is back to football, doing what he does best. He is still the gold standard for tight ends, with his signature yards after catch often dragging defensive players at his feet. He’ll reel you in with his lovable charisma, but no defender wants to be responsible for the man who fundamentally changed the tight end position in the NFL. Not to mention, he is a touchdown machine and just like his career quarterback, Brady, has not missed a step. Odell Beckham Jr., Cleveland Browns
Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the most flamboyant players in the NFL. Beckham Jr. made his name in New York with his ridiculous one-handed grab that will go down as one of the greatest catches of all time. Since being traded to Cleveland, he has struggled with injuries, but he is still quite a character. Known for his frequent spats with opposing cornerbacks, he was once seen kicking down field goal practice posts in anger on the sidelines. His trash talk and touchdown celebrations still make him a force to be reckoned with. One particularly memorable celebration was when Beckham got down on all fours and mimed urinating like a dog on the opposing team. One wouldn’t want to be a piece of gear on the sideline when he’s angry. Antonio Brown, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Antonio Brown, self-proclaimed to be “BOOMIN’” after all he’s done and gone through, is still one of the top wide receivers in the NFL. He is also one of the most enigmatic players in the league. After an award-laden career in Pittsburgh, Brown made his way to the Raiders and then quickly joined Brady in New England… for one game. Now, he is booming on the Buccaneers alongside Brady, who let Brown stay in his mansion with him when he moved to Florida. Off the field, Brown’s behavior is just as volatile. In his brief stint with the Raiders, Brown reportedly had a heated altercation with General Manager Mike Mayock. Then, after being signed by the Patriots, the NFL opened an investigation into several sexual assault allegations against him. He was suspended for the rest of the season and joined the Buccaneers, where, in the opening weeks of camp, he made head-
lines for throwing his bicycle at a security officer, sending threatening text messages to accusers, and stealing a car. Richard Sherman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers A founding member of the Seahawks’ vaunted Legion of Boom secondary, Richard Sherman is known for his brash attitude, lockdown defense, and flying dreads. After the Seahawks beat Brady’s Patriots, Sherman followed Brady postgame and asked him, “You mad, bro?” Now, they’re teammates. With two hardened Florida men with intense past rivalries, what could possibly go wrong? Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers The GOAT may not look like your typical NFL trash talker. But over his two decades in the league, Brady has developed some of the best lines in the game. Here are a few of his most memorable ones: - On Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel: “[Vrabel]’s a real [EXPLETIVE] when you get to know him. He went to Ohio State. Obviously, I don’t like him. There’s a healthy rivalry between us, even though he’s kind of fat and out of shape. Physically, he’s really declined to a pretty sad state.” - On Aaron Rodgers’s golf game: “Two old guys against the young bucks @PhilMickelson. @b_dechambeau better get used to laying up because we know @AaronRodgers12 isn’t going for it.” - On strawberries: “I’ve never eaten a strawberry in my life. I have no desire to do so.” And, if he doesn’t kill you with his jokes, he will finish you off with his play (Unless you’re Eli Manning). Just about no one wants to play against the Old Man Tom. Not even Father Time.
Sports Editorial
Fans Are the Real Game Changers By KAEDEN RUPAREL Sports are, to paraphrase Yogi Berra, a mental game first and a physical game second. That is exactly why the energy that stems from the emotions that accompany fandom is so influential on an athlete’s performance. At the end of the day, athletes are human. They feel emotions and thrive from human connection, just like the rest of us. Much of their mental health, therefore, relies on fans. Fans cheering on athletes at home, or even fans jeering them, fuel players to perform at their best. So there was an obvious shift during the 2020 return-to-play in the NBA and NHL, especially as athletes were closed off from the world and even from families. The concept of homecourt advantage was completely
lost for the bubble period, and for most teams, the beginning of the 2021 season, which was detrimental to athletes’ mental health and performance. Fans are the most important contributor to home-court ad-
Lakers’ superstar Lebron James said, “I play for the fans. If I show up to an arena and there are no fans in there, I ain’t playing.” And it’s easy to understand why: according to research conducted by FiveThirtyEight,
of defeat in empty stadiums. But why? Sure, athletes prefer playing in front of fans, and the data supports it, but what is it about a filled stadium that directly impacts athletes? The answer is simple: they
Athletes thrive off of the positive energy pulsating from the stadium, off the chants and the boos from fans––a concept, coined by psychologists, called emotional contagion. vantage, and athletes know it. Before the recent, pandemicaltered season, Los Angeles
NBA teams won by an average of 2.13 in front of their fans, contrasted with a 0.39 margin
respond to fans. Athletes thrive off of the positive energy pulsating from the stadium, off
the chants and the boos from fans––a concept, coined by psychologists, called emotional contagion. It’s that unexplainable element that fans bring to games. As the home team begins to fall behind, the fans start to lose hope, a feeling echoed amongst the athletes. This explains why certain leads start to feel insurmountable as the game progresses. It’s this same feeling that makes comeback games so exhilarating: as the game stretches on, fans become more worried and invested, and the home team wants to deliver. Athletes, just like all of us, respond to human emotion, so the idea that fans have an impact on the game is real. Fans may not be the ones taking that final shot or scoring that winning goal, but the intensity of continued on page 27
The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
Page 25
Sports Girls’ Volleyball
Vixens Set Themselves up for Playoffs After unexpectedly losing their first game of the season against Lab Museum United (LMU), the Vixens, Stuyvesant’s girls’ varsity volleyball team, began a mission to bounce back. The Vixens had gone undefeated in two of their last three regular seasons, giving this year’s players an overwhelming amount of pressure to meet high expectations. Instead of dominating the top of the standings, they left their game against LMU at the bottom looking up. Led by seniors and co-captains Jenny Liu and Leila Ferguson, the Vixens stand at four wins and two losses, pushing forward despite the challenges they have faced so far. Just six months after the shortened 2020-2021 season, this upcoming season gave the Vixens a shorter turnaround than usual. In preparation, the team had to adjust to an influx of new players and the departure of many mainstays. First-year players make up more than half of the team,
forcing the Vixens to build chemistry in a short amount of time. “When I was on the team freshman year, I felt very disconnected from the other players. There was a dividing line between the upperclassmen and the underclassmen which made it feel impossible to connect with them. But this year, that is not the case. We are all just one big family,” junior and outside hitter Venus Wan said. On top of the fact that there are only two seniors on the team, the Vixens are also playing without two starters, junior and libero Jocelyn Mo and sophomore and opposite hitter Sanjida Sultana, who are both out on injury leave. This absence has challenged the depth of the team and forced players to fulfill roles they are not accustomed to. “Everyone has gotten so much better, especially since last year, [when] we had a season randomly in the spring,” Ferguson said. “Just seeing others step up and play has been really fulfilling,” Liu said. Instead of folding and letting their losses inhibit the rest
of their season, the Vixens were able to overcome hurdles, winning four games to establish
plex, sophomore Ellen Yu led the way with six aces, 10 service points, and four digs. Junior and
themselves in second place of the Manhattan A West standings behind LMU. In the Vixens’ four wins, they have swept two out of three series and won each match by an average margin of 8.25 points. In their most recent win against the Lady Titans of Bayard Rustin Educational Com-
setter Shivani Shah also played a key role by dishing out 10 assists. In their win against Fiorello H. Laguardia High School, Yu and Shah led the team again in service points and assists, respectively. Wan served up four aces of her own and also excelled with four kills alongside junior and outside
Courtesy of Jenny Liu
By SHIVALI KORGAONKAR and JULIAN DURAN
hitter Emma McGee, who tallied the same amount. Although the Vixens lost against LMU and A. Philip Randolph Campus High School, Coach Vasken Choubaralian said, “I am most proud of [our] great games against two strong opponents. We lost those games, but our great performance made it feel like a win.” Overall, this season’s unique circumstances have brought the athletes together, allowing all to shine in their contributions to the team. Sitting in second place with a winning record, the team still has lofty goals ahead of them. The Vixens have clinched a spot in the playoffs, but it’s up to them to persevere against competitive teams. “I believe that having energy during games affects how we play, and sometimes we don’t have a lot of that. So that is one big factor that might determine the outcome of our season,” Wan said. The Vixens hope to take advantage of their final four regular season games to make their presence known, and feared, across the city as playoffs roll around.
MLB
Are Umpires Murdering Baseball?
By MAX SCHNEIDER For the century and a half that baseball has existed, few things have stayed constant. Everything, from the team names to the number of balls in a walk, has changed. For decades, baseball has been the nation’s true national pastime. At some point, every rule has been tweaked, taken away, criticized, and changed again. However, those rules have always had a constant—a need to be enforced. That enforcement has always come from the 31st team in the MLB, the umpires. Umpires have witnessed every great play, every error, every no-hitter, and every walk-off in baseball’s storied history. For a long time, umpires were the closest thing to fair, accurate adjudicators that we had
at our fingertips. However, that is no longer the case. As camera quality has risen past the level of the human eye, we now have alternatives. Those alternatives may go against the traditional tendencies of baseball’s increasing old fan base, but they are too important not to address. There is a Twitter account called Umpire Scorecards that releases reports on every home plate umpire’s performance in terms of strikes and balls. The account provides a percentage of correct calls and adds a metric for runs added or taken away from a team. The profile also does us the great convenience of putting all the data it has collected into customizable CSV (comma-separated values) folders. From the data, one can discern that umpires this season turned
in a 93 percent success rate and a 96 percent rate of consistency. Additionally, they influenced the game by about 0.4 runs each. The alternative to traditional umpire roles is a new system called TrackMan. TrackMan is an advanced camera system that uses image processing to establish the correct strike zones and determines whether a pitch is a strike or not. TrackMan and other technologies like it are being used in the minor leagues, and early returns have been positive. Currently, this technology can measure the strike zone to one-eighth of an inch, declaring virtually perfect calls every single time. This accuracy means 100 percent success, 100 percent consistency, and 0.0 added runs. This performance begs the question: how important are the runs
the umpires unintentionally add? Umpires changed the outcome of 52 games this season. While this number seems minimal since it adds up to fewer than two games per team, not all teams were affected equally. According to the analysis, while five teams did not lose a game because of poor calls, the Chicago Cubs were the most unfortunate, losing a whopping six games because of them. Were these calls made correctly, the league would see many changes in the AL playoff picture. The biggest change would have been the Wild Card Game, which in reality saw the Yankees play the Red Sox. After the changes, we would have instead seen the Mariners take on the Blue Jays. While this situation is a large difference in and
of itself, we can see this effect trickle throughout the playoffs. At the time of writing, the Red Sox have already won their series over the mighty Tampa Bay Rays and are battling the Astros for a spot in the World Series. If these changes were made, none of these games would have happened. However, these changes are not an exact science. We cannot say for sure that the umpires stole the season from anyone because none of these takeaways are definitive. The only definitive takeaway is that umpires have a massive effect on the game of baseball. While we can never eliminate the umpires, as they are needed to judge out or safe and deliver the robot’s verdict, we can’t keep relying on them when a better alternative exists.
NFL
Costumes of the NFL By TAEE CHI and JULIAN DURAN It’s almost that time of the year: October 31, Halloween. You might think your favorite football players will be in the gym, practicing on the field, or celebrating with their families. However, what you might not know is that, for many months now, they’ve been meticulously planning their Halloween costumes. And they’ve been in collaboration with our very own Stuyvesant High School! If you want a sneak peek at some of the best Stuyvesant-inspired Halloween attire to be worn at the end of the month, look no further. Aaron Donald, defensive tackle for the Los Angeles Rams: Three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year,
seven-time Pro Bowler, Rams all-time sack leader. At 6’ 1”, 280 pounds, no one is getting past this defensive powerhouse. He blocks anyone who dares attempt, which is why he’s decided to dress up as a security guard at the bridge entrance this year. Many students try, yet very few succeed in clearing these ID checks. At half past noon, the line is long. Ten minutes later, it’s just as long. Donald will don the badge and cap and channel his innate blocking ability this Halloween. Alex Smith, former quarterback for the Washington Football Team: Ask any football fans, and they’ll tell you he is a hero. The 2005 number one pick suffered a fracture to his right tibia and fibula in 2018, forcing him to sit out through the 2019 season. He returned
to the team in 2020 and was named the Comeback Player of the Year. So, he’s going as Pegleg Pete this Halloween. Peter Stuyvesant carried his own battle mark, his leg that he lost in a gruesome cannonball attack. Smith will rock the wooden leg this October, and maybe his portrait will be on the second floor someday too. Saquon Barkley, running back for the New York Giants: It’s no secret that Barkley has had his ups and downs, just like his Halloween costume this year, the unpredictable escalators at Stuyvesant. Not only do they rise and fall, but they often just don’t work at all. Barkley suffered a torn ACL in week two of the 2020 season and is currently out because of an ankle injury. His unreliability has required others to step up, much
like the escalators when they unfortunately fail. However, he can be a real lifesaver for his team, provided that he’s not on injury reserve. Apparently, Saquon’s costume is complex with a motored belt. He’s had a lot of free time. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, quarterback and tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers: This undeniably dynamic duo seems to never lose and never get old. They just keep coming back and winning. Brady and Gronkowski are defending league champions, a lot like the Stuyvesant girls’ swim team, the Penguins. The former won the 2021 Super Bowl, and the Penguins won their PSAL championship. Thus, Brady and Gronk will be donning Speedos inspired by the school’s undefeated swimmers. From Pirates
to Penguins! Jimmy Garoppolo, quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers: Though we all love Garoppolo, we might not all agree with his contract. He’s signed with the Niners for five years at a whopping $137.5 million, with a bonus and money guaranteed. This number amounts to a salary of $27.5 million per year. The average annual salary for an NFL player is $2.7 million, just one-tenth of Garoppolo’s. So, it’s maybe a little bold for a team that has two wins? Thus, this year, he’ll be the man at the halal cart by Chambers Street, beloved yet not cheap in his demands. Priced more than the average meal here in the city, the cart makes a hefty sum selling food. Rumor has it Garoppolo is selling L-shaped falafels with the costume.
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The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
THE SPECTATOR SPORTS Boxing
The State of the Heavyweight Division By NAKIB ABEDIN The heavyweight division of boxing was once the most popular in the sport. At times, its immense popularity branched into aspects of American culture and history, from Muhammed Ali’s contributions to the civil rights movement to the Rocky film franchise. Over the last few decades, however, the heavyweight division has stagnated. There has not been a unified heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis in 2000. To make matters worse, boxing politics have stopped many fights between champions from taking place. These factors brought about a decline in viewership. Thankfully, though, two major heavyweight fights in the last month have brought a spark back to the sport’s most historic division. Usyk vs. Joshua The first fight was one between former undisputed cruiserweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua. With both of them being Olympic gold medalists, the match was highly anticipated, and it did not disappoint. Usyk went into the bout as a major underdog. Nobody doubted his skill, but most pundits thought that Joshua’s sheer size, which has been his selling point, would overpower his opponent. However, Usyk shocked the world
with a world-class performance. He completely outboxed Joshua with expert movement and ring IQ. At the end of the 12th round, Usyk almost knocked
Joshua out, with the latter only avoiding a knockout because of the bell. Joshua showed tremendous heart to finish the fight on his feet, but Usyk had shown why he was a worthy champion. Via unanimous decision, Usyk was named the new heavy-
weight champion of the world. In devastating fashion, Joshua had suffered his second career loss. The result sent shockwaves across the division. There
was a new wolf in the pack, one that cannot be underestimated. Usyk won three out of the five heavyweight belts in just one night. Fury vs. Wilder Only a few weeks after Usyk
vs. Joshua, Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder had a trilogy bout that would put an end to their long-standing rivalry. Their first fight was a classic, ending in a
greatly debated draw. The second encounter was not nearly as close. Fury dismantled and embarrassed Wilder, eventually knocking him out in the seventh round. Their third fight was arguably the best of the trio. Fury came out strong in a match that
ended up highly reminiscent of the second fight. In fact, he even knocked down Wilder, which led many fans to believe the fight was all but over. However, like a true warrior, Wilder came back in the fourth round, knocking Fury down twice within a few minutes. For some time, it looked like Fury was in serious trouble, but Fury proved why he was the heavyweight champion. He outlasted Wilder and slowly beat him down until eventually, in the 11th round, he knocked Wilder down for good. The iconic trilogy came to a close with Fury on top, having outlasted Wilder in all three fights. The true winners, however, were boxing fans, who were able to see two gladiators put their lives on the line to put on an epic show. As things stand, Usyk is contractually bound to give Joshua a rematch. If Joshua comes out on top, then they will likely head toward a third fight, one that will be a battle for the ages. Once that rivalry concludes, it is likely that we will finally see a bout between the winner of Usyk vs. Joshua and Tyson vs. Fury to finally unify the heavyweight division after two decades of inactivity. Whoever ends up with that title will most likely be declared the best boxer of this generation and may even rank highly among the all-time greats, Ali, Lewis, and Mike Tyson.
NBA
Kyrie Irving: Flat-Earther, Conspiracist, and… Anti-Vaxxer? By TAEE CHI No one can deny that Kyrie Irving is a fantastic NBA player. The Brooklyn Nets point guard is a seven-time AllStar, a Rookie of the Year, and even an NBA Champion. He’s also a flat earther, an avid conspiracist, and, most recently, an anti-vaxxer. Irving has come under fire from critics over the last few weeks for his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine, yet he remains firm in his decision. But why is he so determined to remain unvaccinated when it goes against the New York City mandate? Is he really willing to give up his NBA career for his unfounded beliefs? What on (flat) earth is truly going on in his head? Over the years, Irving has become notorious for his peculiar behavior and statements, such as the time he claimed that steak doesn’t come from “anything natural.” He has remained persistent in his war against science, and common sense, in his most recent stance against vaccination, steadfastly refusing to receive the COVID-19 vaccine despite playing for a city that requires all its players to get vaccinated before stepping on the court. His choice has generated tension among the players and coaches on the Nets, and there is much uncertainty heading
into the start of the 2021-2022 NBA season on whether Irving will ever touch the court. Nets General Manager Sean Marks released a statement regarding the situation on October 12, saying, “Given the evolving nature of the situation and after thorough deliberation, we have decided [...] Irving will not play or practice with the team until he is eligible to be a full participant. [...] Currently the choice restricts his ability to be a fulltime member of the team, and we will not permit any member of our team to participate with part-time availability.” Marks made it clear that the Nets aren’t interested in a part-time player, and they certainly don’t want a distraction heading into a season that they are expected to be championship contenders in. Needless to say, Nets fans were dismayed to hear that their starting point guard would be absent from the upcoming season. “We want him here for games, practices, away games, shootarounds, all of it, so hopefully we figure this thing out,” Irving’s teammate and star forward Kevin Durant said. Despite the pleas of fans and fellow players, Irving appears to have remained unconcerned about the situation, not speaking even once to the media since the Nets announced their decision. He did,
however, go live on Instagram to discuss his thoughts about the predicament, and in addition to confirming his unvaccinated status, he claimed that he was promised an exemption from the vaccine by the league and that he would be playing this season. More information about this exception is yet to be released, but it is highly doubtful that Irving will be permitted to step on the court this season without receiving a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In his livestream, Irving insisted that his decision to remain unvaccinated was a “personal choice” made without political motivations. Some are hypothesizing that Irving is anti-vaccine in order to support employees who have lost their jobs because of vaccine mandates at their workplaces, while others simply think that he doesn’t trust the science behind the vaccine. Whatever the reasons may be, Irving’s decision is extremely reckless and selfish and will undoubtedly have negative consequences on both himself and his team. Based on the current rule agreed on by the league and the National Basketball Players Association, unvaccinated players stand to lose 1/91.6 of their salary for each game that they miss. For Irving, this rule means missing out on a substantial $380
thousand per home game. The greater ramifications of Irving’s decision, however, are on the Nets, as they will have to figure out their updated point guard rotation quickly and adapt to the new changes. Based on the Nets’ preseason, it seems likely that fourth-year journeyman Jevon Carter or NBA veteran Patty Mills will take over the majority of Irving’s minutes. While starting either player over the more talented All-Star is less than ideal, the Nets will have to hang on without Irving for the time being. Irving’s future in Brooklyn is
uncertain. The odds that Irving gives in and receives the vaccine are pretty slim, but no possibilities should be ruled out just yet. “I don’t know that I want to address the hypotheticals of what may happen in the future here. [...] The hope is that we have Kyrie back. We’ll welcome him back in open arms under a different set of circumstances,” Marks said during a press conference. Hopefully, Irving will have a change of heart and get vaccinated, not just for himself, but for his fans, teammates, and the basketball community at large.
SPORTSBEAT The NBA is back! The New York Knickshave started off strong with a 3-1 record, while the Brooklyn Nets are struggling with a 2-2 record without point guard Kyrie Irving. The World Series began, with the Atlanta Braves defeating the Houston Astros to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Chicago Sky are the 2021 WNBA Champions after a Game Four victory in the finals against the Phoenix Mercury. Following a loss from the Dallas Cowboys, the Arizona Cardinals are the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL. The Alabama Crimson Tide suffered their first loss in nearly two years against the unranked Texas A&M Aggies 41-38.
The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
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The Spooktator! The Forgotten Legend: Jerry Lobotomizes Two Windows There’s a story that's been passed down ever since this school was established. “On the last day of October, one shall arrive late… holding a gift of epic horror, which shall act as bait, for the events that ensue terror.” This prophecy slowly faded into a mere legend as it never came true. Until this fateful year… --Halloween, the holiday when people of all ages dress as the things they fear and go around asking strangers for candy. It’s also the only day where you don’t need a white van to steal little children––just a few loose Skittles. Seriously, how has Halloween not resulted in more lost kids? Nothing was odd about the school day on October 31 at Stuyvesant High School: the escalators were still broken, the freshmen were crying on the half-floor because they received 99s on their tests, and Moran was committing devious licks of people’s cell phones. However, nothing could prepare anyone for what happened in a sixth period European Literature class. The class started off boring, as per usual. But oddly enough, everyone in that class soon felt a gust of wind blow against their face, despite the windows being closed and the AC being off. They figured it was just the COVID-era ventilators acting up,
and continued on with their class. Just then, a student (going by Jerry to maintain anonymity) barged into the classroom. He was carrying a paper bag holding a single slice of Hawaiian pizza, which he handed to the teacher as a bribe to excuse his lateness. It was strange for one to bribe teachers with pizza, not to mention Hawaiian pizza, yet Jerry did exactly that. Unexpectedly, when the teacher took out the slice, there was a tarantula on top. The teacher screamed and reflexively threw the pizza at the door. As for the tarantula… it flew through the air and met its untimely demise as its body crashed against the hard, cold wall next to the door. Did Jerry plant the tarantula on the slice as a Halloween prank? No one knew, and no one ever learned. The tarantula was swiftly forgotten, but the event that had unfolded had not been forgotten. Jerry’s blood boiled when he saw his teacher throw the pizza at the door. He couldn’t believe anyone would waste such a perfectly good slice of ’za. Filled with extreme rage, his skin turned red, and his eyes glowed a whitehot crimson. Jerry flipped over his desk and shouted, “LONG LIVE THE PIZZA!” He rushed toward his teacher, hoping to knock them over. All the same, the teacher (being an ex-Olympic Toe Wrestler) had quick reflexes and sidestepped the enraged human projectile. Jerry was now headed for the classroom door. Too infuriated
to reduce his momentum, he met the door at a speed faster than even the speed of light.
before his head hit the floor. When asked about what happened that day, Tom said, “I
Jerry’s head collided with the glass frame of the door with a crack. He proceeded to topple over. Respected veteran Tom Cat was quick enough to catch Jerry
always knew Jerry had a thick skull. But I didn’t know it was thick enough to shatter reinforced glass.” Nobody in the classroom
knew what to say or do. Jerry just sat there by a wall and acted strangely… Well, more strangely than usual. A nurse came to examine Jerry, gave him a pack of ice for his head (the Nurses’ Union’s mandated solution to every possible injury), and verified that he didn’t have a concussion. As the clock ticked forward, Jerry acted more and more bizarre. A firsthand witness of this occult behavior, and the later events, was a student going by the name of Nibbles. “Jerry started running around the classroom in a frenzy, and suddenly, there was a loud crash. Jerry was nowhere to be seen; it was almost as if Jerry had never been in the classroom. He had completely shattered another window. Later, we found out that Jerry had jumped into the Hudson River… never to be seen again,” Nibbles said. The next day, the same message was carved onto the walls of every floor: “I sincerely apologize for lobotomizing my head and the classroom door. I assure you that I shall no longer send myself barreling at glass and to forever keep in mind that objects in motion stay in motion until all momentum is gone.” Was this Jerry’s apology? How did Jerry write this if he is no longer with us? Where is he now? These are the questions people are still pondering to this day, and will still be for many years to come. But the one concrete takeaway is that a human head is capable of shattering double paneled glass.
Iris Lin / The Spectator
By ERICA CHEN and ANIKET ROY
Two-Sentence Horror Stories By THE HUMOR DEPARTMENT In the spirit of Halloween, the Humor Department shares some chilling two-sentence horror stories… Jasmine Wang: You enter Stuy through the bridge entrance and swipe your ID. You have earbuds in.
Erica Chen: You go to the library during your lunch period to study for the chemistry test next period. It is, in fact, not your lunch period.
Kelly Yip: You are sitting in class, working on an exam with three minutes left in the period. As your teacher walks behind you, she takes a peek at your paper and shouts, “Make sure to watch out for careless mistakes, guys!” Alexander Chu: You really need to use the bathroom. But you’re sitting in Spanish class, and you forget how to conjugate “poder.”
Aniket Roy: You go to your first period class as a senior, but no one is there. You take out your phone to check the date: 11/1…
Eshaal Ubaid: You’re ready to start your homework due sixth period. Suddenly, the warning bell for fifth peals through the fluorescent halls.
Asa Muhammad #1: “Girls,” we say in longing unison. She’ll never know I mean her.
Kyle H. Chan: You just had a great lunch at Ferry’s, but your ninth floor chemistry test is approaching. You prepare to run up the escalators after you scan in, but they’re both going down.
Asa Muhammad #2: You take a seat for class. The chair is warm; the chair is wet.
Ying Chen / The Spectator
DEAD ART
Ethan Lam: They say that the undead patrol the halls of Stuy, but you brush it off as a rumor, sipping your coffee to remain conscious while taking an AP course that you have no interest in so you can major in a field your parents told you to. The undead are silly urban legends, and we’re totally alive inside.
Nora Miller: You buy a container of cut-up fruit from the lady on the train in a desperate appeal to your 6:00 p.m. post-school urges. You don’t have a fork.
Aaron Wang: You’re replying to a gradewide email chain from the guidance office. You press “reply all” instead of “reply.”
Logan Ruzzier: You rush into the ninth floor bathroom, clutching your stomach and cursing last period’s halal cart splurge. As you shakily take a seat, the drone of a fire alarm pierces the air.
Oliver Hollmann: You go to the wrong room for your origami club. You feel like an idiot.
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The Spectator ● October 31, 2021
The Spooktator! Gosh, You’re So Boring, Mr. McGee By KRISTA PROTEASA Mr. McGee sits and stares down his porch. “Oh, the humanity,” he thinks as he watches the neighborhood delinquents skate by on their skaters and scootboards. He’s always hated the neighborhood youth for engaging in youthful activities. He sits on his elevated porch smoking the same cigar he seems to have been smoking for the past 40-odd years. Alas, Halloween approaches Mr. McGee at full speed, and he has nowhere to hide. The autumnal-toned decor of orange-leaved wreaths, ghastly skeletal lawn inserts, and absolutely scream-inducing vinyl ghost banners materialize around his small town. He is filled with such utter disgust. Those vinyl banners were used to shield his vision while a perpetrator nabbed his candy stash all those years ago. A horrid shadowy figure dressed up as Ronald McDonald did the nabbing, haphazardly covered in a great many warmtoned leaves for dramatic effect. Ever since the tender age of 17, Mr. McGee has despised Halloween and all its subscribers. As Mr. McGee tours his local pharmacy, Value Depot, in search of an off-brand arthritis medication (of course he’s not paying full price, who do you think he is?), he finds the candy aisle. “Oh, the horror,” he thinks. He almost projectile vomits across the fun-sized Snickers shelf. However, Mr. McGee thinks of a devious plan. In-
stead of egging the trick-ortreaters when they float to his doorstep as he usually does on Hallow’s Eve, he shall destroy the souls of the youth even more violently: through despicable sweets, more trick than treat. Mr. McGee scrams out of the Value Depot and hops in his 2002 Honda Accord, speeding down the service road at a whopping 35 miles per hour. He screeches into the parking lot of Everything’s Small, the store where everything is small, and picks up 50 units of comically small toothbrushes and comically small packages of carrots. “Oh, this’ll get ’em this time,” Mr. McGee thinks. As McGee checks out, he sees comically small toothpaste tubes and proceeds to buy 50 of those as well. On the fateful eve, Mr. McGee gets into position. The naïve youngins waddle unstably to his bland oak door and ring the doorbell. “Trick-or-treat!” they say cheerily yet monotonously, like a cult chant. Mr. McGee resists the urge to grab his dozen eggs and instead, grabs the bowl next to his door. The parents of the youthful beings, having some semblance of decency, had forced their poor children to approach the mangled steps of Mr. McGee’s ancient home. “Here you go, children,” Mr. McGee says with a maniacal grin on his face. As the children peek into what maleficent goodies Mr. McGee has provided them
with, they cry. frame, covering his face and “But why must you be so nearby furniture evenly in boring, Mr. McGee?” unborn chickens. they whimper as they “Have you… make their way down have you just his porch. egged me?!” he Mr. McGee screams into simply laughs and the abyss of slams his door. the neighborHe sits down in hood road. The his decades-old perpetrators La-Z-Boy recliner simply run away, and relishes in his knowing full well pride. The sheer conthat Mr. McGee canfidence boost not reach them he gets every even with his year is unoff-brand ari m a g i n a b l e. thritis mediHe could very cation. well be a realM r . life Jack SkelMcGee lington, but needs a he’s not that new plan. charismatic, as This was you can probthe first ably tell. Nevtime any ertheless, his soul had ever goal of putting revolted against a damper on this torment. Halloween, even He looks at his minutely, has sucwrinkly skin, ceeded. Oh, Mr. Mcdroopy eyes, and Gee, the pain and torclotted veins and ment you cause. decides it’s time Before Mr. Mcfor a change of Gee can consider pace. He packs his job complete, his up his one suitMonk marathon on case he’s had Hallmark Murders since 1927 and & Mysteries is rudeheads on out ly interrupted. He the door, eggerupts out of his in-face. Mr. chair with a fright McGee imas his doorbell mediately rings. Mr. Mcsprints at a Gee walks to the whopping door, but before two miles he can even regper hour all the ister who is there, Nada Hameed / The Spectator way to Johnny at least a dozen eggs Johnson’s house, make their way past his door- for he is absolutely certain
that Johnny was the wretched child who dared to disturb his tranquil cruelty. Expecting Johnny Johnson to be at the door, as the door opens, Johnny Johnson’s father, Johnson Johnson, appears. “Johnson, is that you?” “McGee, oh how lovely it is to see you! Could I get you somethi—” Before Johnson even finishes his question, Mr. McGee puts two and two together. Seeing the tattered leaf-covered Ronald McDonald costume behind Johnson, Mr. McGee throws the five eggs he put in his pocket at Johnson. It was Johnson who mugged him all those years ago. Johnson was Mr. McGee’s supposed best friend, yet he had betrayed him. All over an overwhelming proportion of Charleston Chews. “The true horror, my friend, is standing right in front of me.” With that, Mr. McGee slowly pivots his now-slimy polished Oxfords and hobbles down the road, feeling like Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson wrapped up into one medically unstable individual. Johnson’s lawn flamingos catch on fire from a nearby neighbor tripping while trying to light a cigarette, and Mr. McGee has an epic explosion to walk away from while looking straight at a nonexistent camera. McGee is now cured of his urge to only cause problems, for he has gotten his truest revenge. In Memory of Mr. McGee, 1921-2021.
Fast Food Restaurants’ Halloween By OLIVER HOLLMANN As the Halloween season settles in, it seems like just about everyone is getting into the holiday spirit! On apartment steps, windows, and Google, spooky sentiment is everywhere to be found! For what has become somewhat of a holiday tradition in recent years, fast food chains are getting into the swing of Halloween, populating their menus with holiday-themed food! However, in many areas, this rollout seems to have gone a bit too far. The first to introduce Halloween-themed items to their edible catalog was Dunkin’ Donuts, which despite their usual autumnal enthusiasm, issued a relatively tame limited-time selection. Following a trend that started in the mid-2000s, this wave of Halloween-themed products began in January. The manager of a local chain, Brent Hamlin, noted that “People went crazy last year over this Halloween stuff. To be honest, I’m more of a Thanksgiving guy. But
hey, when isn’t a Pumpkin Spice Latte delicious? No really, when? It’s becoming a problem.” McDonald’s, on the other hand, has gone full madlad for once and amped up their Halloween menu to the peak of spookiness. They’re offering the “Frankenstein” combo, a meal with Beef French Fries,
decreases the terror that the clown incites in many a young child’s heart. There’s also the new “McMystery Burger.” This item is marketed as a delicious surprise, but according to customers, it is perhaps more reminiscent of cow liver. Amidst this downright tomfoolery, recent investigations have hinted
in U.S. Tax Law. The FBI is likely to move in soon. We’ve come a long way from The Hamburglar, folks. Costco, to the surprise of many, has thrown its hat into the Halloween ring, stocking its shelves early in October with Kirkland brand “spooky” hot dogs, flashlights, and tires. Additionally, for a brief three
“People went crazy last year over this Halloween stuff. To be honest, I’m more of a Thanksgiving guy. But hey, when isn’t a Pumpkin Spice Latte delicious? No really, when? It’s becoming a problem.” —Brent Hamlin, Local Dunkin’ Donuts Chain Manager
a McPotato McBurger, and Chicken Chicken Nuggets. Ronald McDonald has donned a classic skeleton outfit, which only slightly
that this sudden move to Halloween-themed meals may be part of a corporate ploy that exploits a loophole in the “Edible Bone” clauses
days leading up to October 31, Halloween product purchasers were eligible to receive costumes in bulk. A recent customer remarked,
“Listen, I just bought one 2x4. And now they give me five Harry Potter costumes? What kind of group costume is five Harry Potters? Botched fanfiction?” Subway, emulating every elementary school Halloween fair, has turned its buffet-esque ordering style into a “Mystery Touch” attraction. Here, you can feel “human remains,” which may feel suspiciously like cold lettuce and meatballs. In select locations, miniature “Haunted Houses” are set up, where Subway employees terrify customers by making them order anything but a meatball parm. Finally, Wendy’s has done nothing except reveal that the secret “MOM” in their logo is actually “WOW” upsidedown. A surprise and shock, certainly. So yeah, Halloween fast food has gotten weird and wacky as of late. But honestly, who cares? Your inner spookster will darkly compel you to devour that spider donut. Why fight it? It’s pretty good.