Volume 76, Special Issue 1
A year since COVID By: Samantha Simmons Broadcast Editor
March 13th, 2020 was most students’ last time on the HVCC campus. Since then, the world has seemed to “open” and “reopen” dozens of times and many students and staff have been left feeling drained from Zoom classes. Students and staff alike ran into many challenges as they were all forced to move completely online in the last half of the Spring ’20 semester. This was new for everyone, as the widely used Zoom was not familiar to most at the time. Since the start of COVID-19 in the United States, the whole country has seen shifts in how people communicate to what hobbies people have. For students and staff, going out after class or work a huge part of daily life, whether it was to the store, to see friends or a gathering of some sort. Everyone has seen a change in almost all of their daily activities. Many students feel as though they were left behind when everything moved online. Carson Simmons, a mortuary science student said, “we have not been able to complete our required labs for our national boards.” For students in this program, this means that they have to retake labs to meet lab hour requirements. Professors have had to make some changes to their schedules too. Michelle D. Bannoura, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology said she has not had to change much of her curriculum but made some changes to the style in which she
April 26, 2021
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Student waits at COVID Testing station.
gives out assignments. Instead of an assignment every two to three weeks, she believes that weekly assignments have kept her students more involved with the class and the materials. “I don’t do nearly as much group work or changing of activities during Zoom,” Jessica Brouker, English Professor, said. She thinks it does not work as well through breakout rooms and finds it takes longer on Zoom than it would in a classroom. Brouker continued to state that there have been fun group activities that she has had to cut out of her curriculum adding that having full class discussions is not ideal over Zoom for students who are afraid to share their thoughts either. In many classes, students are unable to gather the information that they would have if they were on campus. Bannoura said in her Experimental Psychology classes students are unable to collect data in the real world because of the
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virus. Before Covid, her students would be observant on campus and record data for research proposals. Now, they are creating data making the class less interesting. Journalism students are not able to get out and interview people as per usual due to being afraid of Covid-19 and all of the restrictions that go along with this deadly virus. Communications student, Angel Rivera-Barrett said regarding learning, “I’m not learning anything really. I’m getting the work done but only getting the work done, I’m not retaining the information.” Just like many students, he feels as though learning online is nowhere near the same quality as learning in a classroom. Many students feel Zoom lectures, especially being at home, allows for more distractions than if they were in a classroom.
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Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a heightened look at real leadership in America. For many, Governor Andrew Cuomo was the poster child for that leadership. From his viral press briefings to his impassioned television monologues, Cuomo became coined by the media as the gold standard for COVID-19 leadership. Many Democrats called Cuomo a front runner for the 2024 Democratic nomination for President. Late-night host Stephen Colbert coined the term “Cuomosexual.” The Governor won a commemorative Emmy award for his actions regarding COVID-19. At the height of the summer, amid the pandemic, Cuomo published his book about leadership. In light of recent events, however, many are taking a second look at the Governor’s handling of the situation. In March, a report from the New York State Department of Health advised against patients infected with the virus being placed in nursing homes. Despite the caution, Cuomo proceeded with plans. This led to some deaths being allegedly covered up or not counted as COVID-related deaths. Recent news stories have been casting doubt on the Governor’s political future. New York Attorney General Letitia James is a Democrat who was previously endorsed by Cuomo. She published
a recent report indicating that nursing home deaths may have been 50% higher than what was previously reported. Cuomo himself has consistently denied any cover-ups that took place. “Who cares [where they died]? They died.” Cuomo said at a recent news conference Many high-level New York officials, including members of Cuomo’s party, have been calling on him to be investigated. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called for a full investigation into Cuomo’s actions. Heather Mott, an employee at Barnwell Nursing Home in the town of Valatie witnessed the effects of Cuomo’s controversial policy first hand and spoke exclusively to The Hudsonian about her experience. “Everybody started getting sick and then they had the COVID tests going around in there. So they did a lot of COVID tests, they had to wait for the results and a lot of the residents suddenly had COVID. The floor I was serving on had no PPE at first or anything, people were coughing and they didn’t sound good at all. They looked sick. They looked really bad and I was like, ‘Are they alright?’ and they were like, ‘Oh. Yeah, sure. They’re fine’. A couple of days later, when they got tested, there were seven people on the floor with that,” Mott said. “There were, I believe, a hundred-and-something people there with COVID because of what [Cuomo] did,” Mott said.
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‘Shoplifters of The World’ The Smiths’ inspired movie filmed in Troy
By: Lomie Blum News Editor Nolan Cleary Editor-in-Chief “Shoplifters of the World,” a new movie written and directed by critically acclaimed and Sundance award-winning writer, director, and documentarian Stephen Kijak was filmed in Troy and features local Troy landmark the River Street Beat Shop record store. Kijak is best known for directing music documentaries on artists such as Judy Garland, the Rolling Stones, Scott Walker, and the Backstreet Boys. He discussed shooting the movie, his return to narrative, and filming in Troy. “I loved [Troy]. I just loved it. It was a really fun experience,” Kijak stated. “It’s got really great vintage architecture. And, you know, it’s this little small city streets feel of
another time, you know, and some of the houses and neighborhoods just felt like, you know, we had stepped back into the 80s.” Kijak also talked about how he discovered Troy. “Some local crew who were from the area and I know a lot of production is moving into the Hudson Valley area. I just kept going up and looking at Troy and Albany, it hasn’t been filmed too much and it’s got a beautiful time capsule feel,” Kijak said. The most notable Troy location in the film is The River Beat Shop, a record store. The store is where The Smiths fan who infiltrates the radio station works, and where fans go because he lets they shoplift them without notifying anybody.
Continued Shoplifters Page 4
Ellar Coltrane as Dean in the drama/comedy SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD, an RLJE Films release.
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What’s more shocking is what Mott later experienced one day Career Conversations on the job. with the Career and “The administrator at the time Transfer Center showed up to work while [he was] 2:00 PM COVID positive,” Mott continBoard of Trustees ued. “He had told staff at Barnwell Committee and that he had it and was asymptomMonthly Meetings atic. They let him come to work 4:30 PM while COVID positive because Kickboxing Classes they needed him. A lot of us were 6:00 PM really scared. People [at the nursing home] started crying, I started Student Senate having anxiety.” Elections Mott also mentioned that many All Day employees left over the controverInstant Admission Day sy and others wanted to go home 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM immediately. Siena College Advisor “There was a couple of residents Visit that demanded to go home and 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM the nurses were saying, ‘You can’t Spring Fest because you need to be treated.’ 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM And I said, ‘Well, I don’t want to Career and Transfer die. ’ ” Center “Walk-In” Mott describes herself as a Wednesday Democrat but believes Cuomo 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM was playing games with people’s Yoga lives in the facility. Mott often felt 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM like Cuomo had no regard for the American Sign Lanelderly. guage Club Meeting “We really felt like [Cuomo] 3:00 PM was overstepping his boundaries EOP Interest Meeting and he had no right to be makfor New Students ing those rules up because he 3:00 PM was putting a lot of people’s lives Investment Club at risk, a lot of vulnerable people Meeting and it’s like he was basically say3:00 PM - 4:00 PM ing ‘Survival of the Fittest’ like Trivia Game Night this is a game. I just want justice 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
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to be served for these families that had to put their family members in the ground a little too early. I knew one of the families and had just seen them in the cemetery recently and were just talking about how it’s messed up and all Cuomo’s fault and I was like `I believe you, I really do, because she wouldn’t have gotten that sick if it weren’t for him.” Mott resigned from her position at Barnwell Nursing Home in late April. We reached out to other nursing home professionals but didn’t receive any comment. Mott believes that some nurses and front-line workers may be scared to tell their stories. On top of massive criticism from many in the political scene, some of Cuomo’s allies have also been turning on him. Lorree Sutton is a retired U.S. Army Brigadier General and the former Commissioner of the New York City Department of Veterans’ Services. She is currently running for Mayor of New York City as a Democrat. Sutton knew Cuomo well when he was U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the 1990s, but now she has harsh words for the embattled Governor. “He brought this tragedy on himself when he repeatedly obstructed and covered up and lashed out and tried to clear
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the media as well as his elected colleagues to be part of the cover-up,” Sutton said in an exclusive interview with The Hudsonian. “If the governor had just been able to say, ‘This is heartbreaking. This is unimaginable for the sons and daughters and grandsons and the daughters and nieces and nephews, everyone who’s involved here, who has lost a loved one,’ under these circumstances and he couldn’t do that. As we know, he said ‘Who cares, they’re dead.’ So it just makes me hurt. There’s nothing to gloat about with this tragedy,” Sutton added. Sutton herself is a military medic. At the beginning of the pandemic, she offered to put her Mayoral campaign on pause to use her experience and expertise to help Cuomo’s administration deal with patients being hospitalized. Her offer was reportedly ignored. Now, Sutton says Cuomo must face justice. “Given his timeline and given his actions which are really irrefutable on the Governor’s part, he must be held accountable,” Sutton said. Cuomo’s troubles may not end at the nursing home scandal. Democratic Assemblyman Ron Kim claims there was a coverup and that Cuomo threatened him on a phone call. Sutton believes Kim’s allegations against Cuomo
ought to be taken seriously. “Whenever someone comes out with, whether it be telling their story about discrimination, or sexual abuse or harassment, or any such claim of wrongdoing, my position is that I will always take these voices seriously and these claims seriously and subject them to due process,” Sutton said. “I don’t know if Mr. Kim’s claims are accurate, I do know that they are serious and they must be subject to due process, we’ll see if others come forward,” Sutton said. Sutton’s quote was recorded on February 28 before claims of sexual harassment against Cuomo surfaced to the public. Sutton did say, however, that Cuomo was difficult to work with when they were both in the Bill Clinton administration. “He is very difficult to work with and these kinds of comments and intimidating techniques have been reported by multiple people, but it should be a part of the due process.” Cuomo continues to maintain that he did nothing wrong in regards to nursing home deaths, but with two sexual assault allegations now adding to other ongoing controversies, the walls seem to be closing in for the Governor. el, in-person and on Zoom because it seems to work well with her teaching style. Over a year later and a majority of classes still have not returned to campus. It is a possibility that in the Fall, there will be more on-campus class offerings. Brouker summed up most people’s thoughts with the statement, “Zoom is EXHAUSTING.”
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Whether it is because of parents or because there are just too many stimulants around. Brouker discussed that some of the hardest things to figure out about online learning are figuring out how to substitute lessons into an online lesson that would otherwise require students to be
in the same room as one another. Lomie Blum, The Hudsonian’s News Editor, is in the 24-credit hour program which allows her to receive college credits while simultaneously earning her high school diploma equivalency. For her, the switch was no big deal, she prefers online learning be-
cause it gives her the time and freedom to work on her schedule. Blum thinks the staff at HVCC have done a great job of handling transitions to Zoom as well as handling the technical side of it despite glitches from time to time. Brouker hopes that as restrictions continue to get lifted the school will keep the hybrid mod-
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April 26, 2021
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New York legalizes adult recreational use of marijuana By: Kevin Conley II Staff Contributor After years of attempts and efforts to make this possible, Governor Andrew Cuomo has legalized the adult recreational use of marijuana in the state of New York. Under the new law, adults of ages 21 and older are allowed to possess a limit of 3 ounces of marijuana for recreational use Students and staff have responded to the legalization of marijuana on behalf of its positive and negative effects it could have in New York State. Some support
the idea of legalizing marijuana while some have not. HVCC student, Ben Parker said, “I think it’s good because not only because of the obvious medicinal purposes but with COVID going on, I don’t want to say it’s a release because it shouldn’t be, it should be something to do for fun.” Professor Louis Coplin, Vice President for Student Affairs said “many people think that it was inevitable.” Coplin also said, “We already have a safe mandated policy that’s probably about 6 years old.” Sandra J. McCarthy, the campus judicial coordinator for the
judicial due process, said “with only 6 states having marijuana fully illegal, the tide has already turned.” “My hope is that the legal market will be more responsible overall to our citizenship than the illegal market,” McCarthy added. Even though adults over 21 may be allowed to use marijuana for recreational use. Campuses such as Hudson Valley may create conditions to keep everything regulated for students, staff and teachers. Despite legalization, marijuana usage on campus will be prohibited much like vaping, smoking and tobacco.
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As a reminder of Campus Regulations 5.3.16, Sandra J. McCarthy stated that “the use or possession of marijuana on College Premises is strictly prohibited.” McCarthy also expressed that “any violation of state or local law is prohibited which includes driving under the influence,” according to campus regulations. “No person who may appear to be intoxicated... is allowed on the College campus,” McCarthy added. Louis Coplin discussed consequences if a student does decide to smoke or vape “When somebody in public safety, for instance, like a faculty member, reported that one of their students was caught smoking in the hallway, cannabis, cigarettes, or vape, cause they’re all against our code of conduct,” Coplin said. “It would be considered an incident report,” Coplin concluded. Marijuana is known for its positive health benefits, such as decreased cancer risk (along with health for the lungs and heart), decreases in anxiety and eases chronic pain. Some civilians even use marijuana for health purposes. “Personally, I suffer through anxiety,” Parker said. “It does help calm people and I do also have a knee injury that I would probably use for pain medication,” Parker said
There have also been positive responses to marijuana being legalized due to how it could financially change the state of New York. “It’s another opportunity to find revenue streams particularly in challenging economic times because of covid,” Coplin stated. “Governments (local governments, state governments, county governments) struggled and not being a politician or a lawmaker, I think this is an opportunity to find another way to collect revenue legally because now it’s legal to offset other social expenses” Coplin also said. HVCC theatre arts student, Kiley Patterson, in response to marijuana being legalized in the state said “my opinion of legalization of marijuana is largely positive. I think that the legalization, selling and taxation of marijuana is sure to bring in more funds for the state.” Kiley also said, “I believe that less will be spent on court costs because there won’t be a reason to arrest those who possess it.” As the legalization of marijuana begins, who knows what changes will await for anyone in New York. This ranges from college students, like at HVCC, or any other person who would use it for health benefits, or fun. It’s important to be responsible for how it can be used and how it can be managed.
Women empowerment is strong and alive at HVCC By: Isabella Smarro Managing Editor What is women’s empowerment to you? The official definition is “the process of empowering women. Empowerment may be defined in several ways, including accepting women’s viewpoints or making an effort to seek them, raising the status of women through education, awareness, literacy and training.” Since the moment women opened their mouths to speak their opinion for the first time, the world around hushed them. Women of all races, colors, religions and sexualities were told that their thoughts came second or not at all. Civil rights activist, author and poet, Maya Angelou, writes, “You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise,” in her poem “Still I Rise.” Whenever I read that out loud, it empowered me as a young woman to never stop speaking my mind even though everyone might not want to hear what I say. Luckily, at Hudson Valley Community College I am not the only one who has something to say. I spent the last couple of weeks asking female staff members their personal opinions on Women Empowerment, The #MeToo movement and issues about sexism in the school environment. Julie Hecht, an Adjunct Instructor at HVCC, said that conversations developed in her classes throughout the years. “Last year, we read a story in Short Fiction where a young male grocery store worker is ogling over some teenage girls who are shopping. One young man in
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my class spoke up and said how wrong it was and that young men have learned not to act that way,” Hecht recalls. I have had the chance to learn under Professor Hect this semester in her poetry class. Some of the poems we read were written around the early 1900s a time were women had very little to no equality or even rights. Throughout certain works, false and sexist thoughts are provoked. “One teachable moment I often find myself in is when we are reading materials that are more classic and maybe a little dated. It’s so interesting to note the way the world has changed,” Hecht said. The fight for women’s rights and equality has improved greatly through the generations but it’s not even close to done. For many women, safety and being taken seriously are two huge problems they still face daily. “While teaching ASL we cover all areas of gender equality as well as any other cultural diversity awareness we can with signs. All are connected, the more aware people are, the more connected we can become,” Melissa K Adams-Silva, the school’s sign language teacher said. Teachable moments are often found in times where people weren’t looking to be taught at
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all. A passionate revolution that has been sparking change around the world is known as the #Metoo movement. The #Metoo movement is a social movement against sexual abuse and sexual harassment where people publicize allegations of sex crimes. Luckily neither teacher I’ve spoken to has faced or seen any form of sexual abuse or harassment in the workforce. Sadly not all students can say they feel the same way, that’s why Hudson Valley has multiple resources for anyone who needs support. “They should talk to someone, get help, at HVCC there are people to talk to, places to go to get help. You should not have to hold it in, feel embarrassed, nor should you feel powerless,” Adams-Silva said. “I would recommend a woman or trans student who feels victimized in any way to turn to a trusted instructor for help. I’m
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not exaggerating--the staff and faculty at HVCC are so open and approachable. There is no way a student in that position would ever be ignored or “brushed off,” Hecht said. I also spent some time looking through the school’s main website to find anything that would support issues in this topic. On HVCC’s catalog option you can find a page titled SaVe and Violence Against Women. Here, you can find an introduction to what these issues such as stalking and sexual assault mean. The second link sends you to support systems. At the end of the day, the only way women empowerment and respect will become a daily lifestyle is if women speak up for what they want. These two teachers are just some powerful female advocates I got to talk to. HVCC is filled with both students and staff members who support and desire change, I know I’m one of them.
April 26, 2021
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Shoplifters
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“You know, like that record store. I mean, that’s right there in Troy, almost as if it’s like the coolest place to be, Beat Street records.” Jim Barrett the owner of the River Street Beat Shop and HVCC alumni discussed what it was like having the film shot in his store. “Somebody fell in love with the store, they absolutely loved it. They said it was the most authentic record shop they’d seen in years. You know it’s kind of a throwback. And then Stephen came in personally,” Barrett said. Barrett reflected on the first time seeing the film and how it presents the store. “We saw the movie. You get kind of goosebumps because it was the reason we must have been doing something right. Because there’s so much of what they shot still here. You know, it’s not like they took everything out of here and they shot the movie with all this stuff. And it’s pretty cool. The story really made me very happy and my son, who is my [business] partner,” Barrett said. “Stephen Kijak is one of the best film directors in the country, and his key thing is the music. He knows what he’s doing when it comes to movies and music,” Barrett added. Despite being filmed in Troy, the movie takes place in Denver because the story is loosely based on an urban myth about the after-
math of the breakup of the band, The Smiths. The film follows four friends partying to mourn the breakup of their favorite and beloved band, The Smiths. At the same time as this night of celebration and loss occurs, another passionate fan infiltrates a radio station with a gun holding the disc jockey hostage forcing him only to play Smiths’ songs. The movie stars Helena Howard, James Bloor, Nick Krause, and Elena Kampouris and features the music of Manchester post-punk and new wave band, The Smiths. The Smiths are an English and post-punk band formed in 1982 by lead vocalist Morrissey, and guitarist Johnny Marr. Many of the Smiths’ lyrics include topics such as death, isolation, veganism, and unrequited emotions along with jangly guitars as a musical backdrop. The band broke up in 1987. However, their influence can be heard in artists such as Oasis, The Killers, and Radiohead along with a deeply devoted fanbase still obsessing to this day. BBC News’ Ian Youngs once stated that The Smiths were “the band that inspired deeper devotion than any British group since the Beatles.” On the inspiration Kijak comments, “the inciting incident of the holdup is an urban myth based on something that almost happened in Denver at that time. A fan truly wanted to hold up a radio station
PHOTO COURTESY OF RLJE FILMS
[L-R] Ellar Coltrane as Dean and Helena Howard as Cleo in the drama/comedy SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD, an RLJE Films release.
at gunpoint and force The Smiths on the air. He never did it. He actually chickened out, but was literally in the parking lot with his rifle and had a security guard call the police on him, to get him to help that he very much needed at the time.” “That little story over the years blossomed into this myth of an actual holdup,” Kijak explained. Kijak also expressed his personal connection to The Smiths film, coming of age in the eighties, and queerness which is a major theme explored throughout the movie. “I didn’t really come out until I
was in college, so there’s this image of queerness in the eighties because it’s very personal, you know, I think it’s really kind of hard to explain,” Kijak said “We had other modes of expression, you know, like our tribal connections to music. And, you know, the new wave gave us a whole new palette. We could express ourselves sometimes our sexuality or even our confusion about our sexuality through the bands we listen to, the clothes we wore, or the people we would hang out with,” Kijak said. “There was a lot of freedom to
kind of explore ourselves without having to necessarily name it,” Kijak added. “I wanted to kind of capture that because I think within the friendships there was a lot more understanding that might not have been fully expressed, but it was there, you know?” Kijak said. “I was one of those kids [in the movie]. I mean, I am a first-generation new waver, and I grew up in that time, and there was like a bomb going off [in my] life,” Kijak explained. “Shoplifters of the World” was released on March 26th.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RLJE FILMS
[L-R] James Bloor as Patrick, Elena Kampouris as Sheila, Helena Howard as Cleo, and Nick Krause as Billy in the drama/comedy film, SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD, an RLJE Films release.
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Writer/Director Stephen Kijak on the set of the drama/comedy film, SHOPLIFTERS OF THE WORLD, an RLJE Films release.
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April 26, 2021
CREATIVE
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Connor’s Corner
Wandavision a win for Marvel fans By: Kevin Conley II Staff Contributor “Wandavision” is the first continuation to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (2019), almost two years after being pushed back, it’s finally released on Disney+ exclusively today. “Wandavision” is the story about Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Vision, played by Paul Bettany, and they return to a small suburban town, living in a wonderful home, and try to have a normal life while hiding their true identities from their new neighbors. But as they attempt to live their lives in their new home, their lives are reenacted by the style of sitcoms by each decade from the 50s to the present, and they discover that everything is not what it seems. “Wandavision” is a series that blends both comedy, heart, mystery, and most of all, adventure. It’s the type of show that can give any Marvel fan what they want, or what they don’t expect. One of the best things about this series is how well each episode perfectly replicates one of the most memorable sitcoms that most sitcom-fans are familiar with, while also giving the right amount of mystery for viewers to be on the
edge of their seats. Sitcoms, such as “I Love Lucy”, “Bewitched”, and others are perfectly replicated with the costume design and hairstyling with the characters. Along with the show being filmed with a live studio audience gives off a perfect effect on creating a new kind of sitcom to view today, even if it looks familiar to many sitcom fans. The show also introduces new fan-favorite characters, who also give off strong performances and enough entertainment to give viewers a good time. Characters like Jimmy Woo, from “Ant-Man and the Wasp”, played by Randall Park, Darcy Lewis from the Thor movies, played by Kat Dennings, and new arrival, Monica Rambeau, played by Teyonah Perris. The show also contains enough heart and character development to completely have audiences care about the characters within the show. Along with revealing new twists that could surprise many fans. The biggest success that “WandaVision” has accomplished is the fact that this is the MCU’s first attempt to creating a story in the form of a Disney+ original series, along with the show being the first to become completely different from the other films of the MCU by it’s story, the way it was made, and the possibilities it could bring
By: Conner Danz Creative Editor
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to the franchise. As the show continues the franchise to move forward, it will also build up more upcoming Marvel stories that will now be exclusive on Disney+, with more films will also be released on the same day when they are released on Disney+. Stories like The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and Black Widow are coming their way this year. “WandaVision” is a fun, entertaining, and welcoming return for the MCU franchise to continue its roots to delivering more stories to Marvel fans, Disney+ users, and to film and TV lovers alike. It’s the type of show that could surprise audiences, along with having fun at the same time.
I did many things that I enjoyed doing over my Christmas vacation back in December, biking, running, writing and my favorite, spending time with my family. One way my family spends time together, especially on a cold winter’s night, is to snuggle into comfy clothes and watch a movie together. For this occasion, my mom was the one who got to pick the movie and it would end up being “The Dead Poets Society”. This is a movie my mom loves this movie but held it in the bag for a few years before showing it to me. The reason is that she believed that for some movies, such as “The Breakfast Club” and this one, you should have some life experience under your belt to fully “get” the movie. As I have gotten older, I agree, I appreciate these movies much more than I would have if I watched them when I was younger. For those who don’t know, the movie is set in 1959 and is about a group of boys at an elite, all-boys prep school that trains the boys to be firm, single-minded, and rigid
individuals. This is until they get a new English teacher, John Keating, a graduate of the school, who teaches the boys how to think freely and for themselves, not be shackled to the plans their parents had for them. It is an incredibly inspirational story about boys learning to think for themselves and becoming men thanks to their new teacher. This was thanks to the teaching style of Mr. Keating who went off the well-worn path of most teachers with their hardheld curriculums and instead, doing very atypical activities for his English position. I firmly believe that every student, no matter what kind of school they go to, public, private, or even boarding school, at the end of their time in school, can say they had their own Mr. Keating. At some point or another, everyone has had a teacher who deeply inspires them and has a fundamentally different style than other teachers that simply makes them stand out amongst the crowd.
Continued Connor Page 6
Let’s Talk Disabilities with Isabella Smarro By: Isabella Smarro Managing Editor
Illustration about how smoking can kill pets as well as people
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I am excited to announce that this is my new column debut! As a student at Hudson Valley who has multiple learning and health disabilities including Autism and a rare genetic growth disorder called Russell Silver Syndrome, college life has been very hard. During my high school career, I got constant support for all my classes. I was passing each year with epic grades, my GPA was at about 3.5. To be honest I felt that college would be super easy but the moment I started my classes, everything went downhill from there. I was so used to having support just given to me that I had no clue how to ask for help, especially during zoom. So for the first two months of the Fall 2020 semester, I was failing all my classes without even knowing. Lucky my mother was a huge support, She helped me make up all of my late work but I needed to also find adults at HVCC to teach me how to improve my work ethic. It took time since I wasn’t fa-
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miliar with their online website. After a while, I found the CAAT office. CAAT or Center for Access and Assistive Technology is a program that helps students with disabilities. On the page, the main purpose is said- “We attempt to coordinate the students’ needs with services and resources available within our college system and to ensure accessible educational opportunities for students according to their individual needs”. During the ending of the Fall 2020 semester, I scheduled a meeting with a member of that program via zoom. It was professional and the lady I met was kind. We spent a half-hour talking about what I felt I was struggling with. We then came up with some ideas of how to work on them including study guides and a planner. I met with her from about November till the last day of classes, because of her help I was able to get all caught up in my classes and even passed them with As. If
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you want to get connected with someone from the CATT office, it’s very easy. All the information is found on the main page of the HVCC website. This is also the link. https://www.hvcc.edu/caat/ index.html During a short period, I also met with a man from the writing center. During our zoom hours, we went over my essays for classes before I handed them in. He told me what I could improve on to get the best grade. We also went over what words meant-mostly big words you don’t hear often.
A Boring Day At HVCC
The writing center is found on your blackboard page. If you want more information on how to do a zoom meeting, this is the link to the page. https://www.hvcc.edu/ studentservices/academic-support/learning-centers/writing-r esearch.html HVCC has more support systems for specific issues you may face but these are the two I’ve used myself. I hope that this first column has helped you, if you have any more questions please don’t mind sending me an email at I-smarro@hvcc.edu
LIBS
By: Nolan Cleary Editor-in-Chief
Connor
April 26, 2021
FROM PAGE 5
In my case, the first teacher that helped me learn to express myself, the one who started me on my path to being a free-thinking individual, my Mr. Keating, was my seventh-grade history teacher, Mr. Gilooly. For me, he truly was the teacher who stood out from the rest at that point in my life, and looking back, I can see how much his class changed me for the better. As with Mr. Keating, his class was very atypical from the status quo, Mr. Gilooly ran our class like a college course, where we would have to take our notes, write weekly papers to improve both our writing and argument ability and open discussions to express our ideas. This incredibly alien class structure was hard to adjust to at first, but not only did I learn to thrive in it, but it also taught me many things about myself. The weekly essays we wrote helped me learn to enjoy writing and
the principles of forming a good argument. Most importantly for me, the new style of note-taking helped me realize that I memorize material best when I had written it like it is imprinting on my brain. Mr. Gilooly’s style of teaching was also incredibly engaging and gave me the urge to try and always participate in his class. Not every day was cut and dry lectures from him, on the days leading up to quizzes, we would infamously do games of pie face with quiz questions. Whoever would get a question wrong, had to give the game a crank until it ended up pieing someone in the face. This was amazingly fun and truly did help reinforce the material for the kids who got and right and were pied. And believe me, I got pied quite a few times… He taught us all to work hard every day. You might have been a rockstar on one exam but don’t get cocky because tomorrow is a
new day and new chapter. Going along with that was don’t let your failures let you down. Tomorrow is a new day and your hard work can make it a better one. However, the most beautiful things in life are the things that don’t last, in “The Dead Poet’s Society”, Mr. Keating is forced to leave the school after a tragedy involving one of his most dedicated students. This Valentine’s Day marks the fourth anniversary of Richard Gilooly’s passing from a sudden heart attack. He was a herculean inspiration to me, being one of the people in my life who has helped shape me into the person I have become today. UDSONIA EH N H T
I couldn’t believe it! 8:30? I’m late for Professor ____________’s class at HVCC! name
I forgot to _________ my homework! verb
Just as I __________ to the bus, a(n) verb
___________ thing happens to me. I can’t adjective
believe this __________! A ___________ noun
noun
approaches me. Just as I try to escape, my __________ gets ___________________ noun
verb in past tense
in __________. Then _____________ comes noun
person
down to __________ me! As I __________ to verb
verb
school, I think I’m saved. Just as I open the door however Professor ____________ name
shouts “You’re _______________!” Oh adjective, verb or noun
____________! adjective
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April 26,27, 2021 January 2021
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ud-oscope
A short story: Days Gone By
By: Tatianna Morange Staff Contributer
Gemini: The Moon (May 21- June 20) Your mind is powerful and so is your intuition. Trust your instincts as they will lead you to uncover everything in the dark and bring it into the light. Cancer: 6 of Machetes (June 21- July 22) The next phase of your life is in motion. Take time to self-reflect on what you’ve learned and what you desire for you future. Leo: King of Pentacles (July 23- August 22) As king of the jungle, you’re in a place of stability. Be patient and things will come to you. Virgo: 9 of Pentacles (August 23- September 22) As a detail-oriented person you can get caught up in the little things. Don’t forget to take a step back and see the big picture. Revel on your good fortune and be thankful for the materials and love in your life. Libra: King of Cups (September 23- October 22) You may have just gotten over an emotional time. Rest to recover but don’t dwell on the past. Scorpio: The Sun (October 23- November 21) Smile! This is the best card in the deck. Everything is on the up and life will only get sweeter.
Sagittarius: Temperance (November 22- December 21) This card is in tune with your nature as it represents Sagittarius in the Major Arcana. Be careful not to overindulge. You may need to incorporate more balance in your life. Prioritize your responsibilities and your objectives. Capricorn: 7 of Cups (December 22- January19) Don’t get lost in the sauce. You’ll need to work hard and focus on your priorities to achieve the ambitious goals you have for yourself. You may need to pair it down and remove some things from your plate. Aquarius: 8 of Cups (January 20- February 18) Don’t be afraid to distance yourself from toxic relationships or your problems. You’re making changes and it’s for the best. It’s okay to be sad but not okay to give in.
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OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF HUDSON VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Pieces: 6 of Pentacles (February 19- March 20) Extra money is coming to you. Create good karma by making a donation or helping a friend. But don’t forget to also spend some on yourself.
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Taurus: 5 of Brooms (April 20- May 20) You may have to compete for what you desire. If you stand your ground and stay true to yourself, you will be victorious.
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Deck used: Ghetto Tarot by Alice Smeets and Atis Rezistans
He was the hottest name in all of town. J. Barney Pritzker. He’d directed the biggest movies of the 20s and 30s. He was the meanest son of a gun in all of Hollywood. Whether it be “The Emerald Bracelet”, “The Planet of the Spiders”, “Death Whistle”, “The Phantom Mistress”, you name it, he directed it all. Top dollar. Pritz was on the set of “The Glass Mystery”, the newest film he was working on. Amanda Price was one of the most gorgeous actresses in Hollywood. With that type of body she could get any man she wanted. She’d been cast as Marradith in Pritz’ new motion picture. “Oh George, don’t stay in this junk heap. You can join Me, and Martin and the others. “You know I can’t Marradith. If anyone were to ever find out it could be the end of us.” “Oh George!” “We’ll always be together Marradith. In my heart.” “And cut!”
Pritz called the shot. “Scene! Take five folks!” Pritz walked off the set. Amanda approached him. “That was a mighty fine directing.” Amanda said. “That’s the art of the job.” Pritz responded. Amanda smoked a whiff of her cigarette. “That was some mighty fine acting skills you got there. Really movin’, truly.” Pritz told her. “Well a good actress is only given the material from the captain of the ship.” Amanda responded. “Can I take you out to dinner?” Pritz asked. “I thought you were a married man?” She inquired. “Married? What’s marriage got to with dinner my dear? One’s a union between two people who love each other, is takin’ a sweet dame like yourself out for a bite to eat.” She giggled. As the years went on, Pritz constituted to gain glory. 12 Academy Awards, 22 nominations. Films like “The Purple Valley”, and “The Dark Mask” became hits at the box office. But all that began to fade over time. The old sport began to decline in
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Mystic Temperance is a tarot reader in tune with her intuition serving as a vessel to communicate the guidance the universe has for you. Tarot cards are a tool to help tap into your own intuition and the wisdom of the universal energy that guides your life. Mystic Temperance has pulled a card for each zodiac sign for the month. Find your horoscope below to read into the universes’ message for you.
By: Nolan Cleary Editor-in-Chief
Aries: 9 of Cups (March 21- April 19) This is the time to treat yourself. Indulge in a pamper day or an extra scoop of ice cream. Life feels just a bit sweeter, and you deserve to experience all it has to offer. Be careful not to overindulge as you still have responsibilities, and everything has a consequence.
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April 26, January 27,2021 2021
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popularity. One bomb after another. Only fitting I suppose. It’s only so long a person can go on through the ringer. It was only fate he’d eventually deteriorate. Things became bad at home as well. His ol’ wife, Marie became impatient with what she read in the papers. A drinking, flirtatious, ranting lunatic. He’d been kicked off the set of “The 17th Mile” after a meltdown with producers. “I’m concerned J. The press ain’t friendly toward you.” Marie said. “Hush down now Marie, things’ll be alright. They always are.” Pritz assured her. “No. Not this time. Not this time J.” Pritz attempted to look away from her. “I’m sick of this. I’m sick of your drinking, your partying, your whimsical platonic relationships.” She told him. “Well come now Marie…” Pritz was stopped by wife. “You listen here Jerome Barney Pritzker. I’ve had enough. I’ve put up with your games for too long. I’m out of here.” Marie began to storm out. “Marie what’s the meaning of…” “I’m leaving you J. What the hell else would it be?” His wife, career and relationships all seemed in taters. Pritz had become a shell of his former self. Making matters worse, his next release, “St. Agatha’s Cathedral” was a flop, and worse, the 1940s had begun and a war was brewing. No one had the time or the money for Pritz’ game or Glory. After a series of scandals involving Pritz’ drinking, and a car accident that rocked the publications, Warner Brothers removed their contracts with Pritz. His lady was gone, his mov-
ies were no more. His career was finished. At last it seemed the death nail had been sounded for Jerome Barney Pritzker. George was now having regular
get-tog e t h ers with his old f r iends at parties. I n
Nicolas, their old friend at the party asked. “Next film? What don’t ya read more about it in the Funny papers won’t ya?” Pritz responded. His friends collectively laughed. “Really though, I haven’t seen one of your pictures on the big screen since… when w a s i t ,
1938?” Nicolas asked. “1939.” Pritz re-
his later years he’d become old and grizzled. This wasn’t the same Pritz they knew, this man seemed like some cheap copy of the giant who once was. “Well, I told Marianne I’d buy the nicest necklace if I had the chance.” Amanda told her old pal Sally. “Say Pritz, when’s the next film coming?”
sponded. “Yes, 1 9 3 9 . What happened?” Nicolas continued to inquire. “Well what’s it to you friend?” Pritz further asked. “Well, it’s 1950, Pritz, you’re getting old, not much longer to make an impact.” Nicolas had crossed a line. “Impact? Let me tell you
pal, I’ll show ya impact!” Pritz punched his old friend in the face. “Pritz!” Amanda shouted. Amanda rushed to hold Pritz back. Nick’s old gal Sally did the same. “Now you listen here ya old son of a gun, I’ve had more of an impact that you’re sorry face will ever have! get out of my house!” Pritz demanded. “Well good golly can’t a fella ask a question?” Pritz asked. “Get out!” He demanded again. The two began to leave, Amanda apologetically attempting to excuse her man. “Are you crazy?” She asked. “Right about now, I
think we’re all crazy!” Pritz responded. “Nothing’s worth a damn anymore.” “You were like this in Hollywood!” She proclaimed. “Listen princess, does any of this look like Hollywood to you?” “The world’s different now, the whole darn game is different. The world isn’t the same, we aren’t the same. What else is a different old dame?” Pritz stormed up the stairs. Amanda continued to shout his name as he walked up the stairs. As he walked up, Pritz entered the upstairs bathroom and began to see a reflection of himself. The reflection was of a different man. A younger man, a freer man. He walked out of the bathroom. In the upstairs guest bedroom lies a stack of old movies he directed. He took out the films and in-
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serted them into the projector. On the screens was a capsule of another time. Pritz played all the classics. “Monday In London”, “The French Maiden”, “Frank Durby’s Cottage”. Pritz began to feel a strange sense of nostalgia. A longing for the good old days. As the tape went on, the tape became more and more haunting. Pritz’s feelings went from youthful and optimistic to bitter and enraged. Reality sank harder and harder for the old man. This was the end, Nicholas was right. The good ol’ days were long behind him. Pritz stormed into the other room. He knew there was one option left for him. Opening a box he found a revolver from the set of “Indian Hunter Jack”. John Wayne held the gun when Pritz had directed it. But this wasn’t just a prop, this was the real deal after all. Pritz loaded the gun. Having done so, he aimed it at his temple. Nothing to lose now old sport. Just as he proceeded to pull the trigger… Amanda. His golden goose had seen what had happened. “No please Pritz, don’t do it!” She hugged him and begged him. “Please do it for me!” Amanda insisted. “I know we don’t have Hollywood anymore Pritz, but we have each other.” Pritz dropped the gun and kissed her passionately. In the months ahead, Pritz’ life went back to normal, no new offers or arrangements until an offer came at his door. “Baton Rouge’’ was a proposed period romance film with a screenplay written by Frank Capra. That genius bastard, he’d stolen “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington” from right under Pritz’s feet. RKO Pictures had picked up the rights and J. Barney Pritzker was just the man they were courting for the job. Day 1 of filming began. Pritz had the camera ready. Whatever happened now was fate and fate alone. “And action!”
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