Volume 51/Issue 16 4/9/21
4/9/21 Welcome to The Bridge’s bi-weekly magazine, a collection of stories from thelcbridge.com. Check back every other week for early access to Bridge stories, games, photos and more. The Bridge is by and for Lewis and Clark Community College students, but we hope everyone can find something to enjoy at The Bridge.
Alex Johnson Editor-In-Chief
What’s on the cover?
“Dungeon Master” was created to evoke the thrill of the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons using Acrylic paint on canvas. This piece required careful mixing of black and white to create shadows and highlights to show dramatic depth. Art by Mary Curvey
The Bridge is... Alex Johnson
Dillon Neibel
amjohnson@lc.edu
dneibel@lc.edu
Editor-in-Chief
Lead Reporter
Ashtyn Britt abritt@lc.edu Associate Editor
Gary Chapman
Hannah Kahl
gchapman@lc.edu
Entertainment and Technology Reporter
hkahl@lc.edu
Moreena Hall
Copy Editor
mrhall@lc.edu
Nathan Tucker nrtucker@lc.edu Sports Editor Krystie Morrison
Illustrator and Cartoonist Kaleigh Grace kagrace@lc.edu
Photographer and Graphic Designer
Breanna Sak
Lakyn Gardner
bsak@lc.edu
lagardner@lc.edu
Photographer, Graphic Designer and Writer
Web editor, Graphic Designer, Photographer, Writer
Nickolas Brooks
Sophia Blagoue
nibrooks@lc.edu
Graphic designer, writer, podcaster Mary Curvey mcurvey@lc.edu
Illustrator and Cartoonist Caroline Hussey chussey@lc.edu
Writer
kmorrison@lc.edu
Web Editor and Social Media Manager Jenna Shelton jshelton@lc.edu
Ad Manager and Writer Page 1
Megan Lanham mrlanham@lc.edu
Adrienne Lane amlane@lc.edu
Graphic Designer, Writer
Photographer
Anthony Brown
Ryan Pierce
antdbrown@lc.edu
rmpierce@lc.edu
Podcaster and Illustrator
Graphic Designer, Photographer
sblagoue@lc.edu
Graphic Designer Lynn McDonald lmmcdonald@lc.edu
Graphic Designer, Photographer Evelyn Smith evdsmith@lc.edu
Graphic Designer Craig Johnson crajohnson@lc.edu
Web Specialist, Illustrator, Photographer Louise Jett ljett@lc.edu Advisor
Table of Contents Campus News, Pg. 3 News, Pg. 5-6 Opinion, Pg. 7 Entertainment, Pg. 8-18 Sports, Pg. 19-21 Cartoons and Games, Pg. 23-30
A campfire at Stump Lake in Grafton, Ill. Photo by Krystie Morrison Page 2
A NONSTOP IMPROV COMEDYFEST: STUDENT ACTIVITIES FREE DAPS EVENT Story and Layout by Megan Lanham mrlanham@lc.edu
On March 25, 2021, the ‘FREE DAPS’ Zoom virtual event took place. It was hosted by the Illinois Community College Student Activities Association (ICCSAA). Eight schools agreed to come together and organize this event, and students from these institutions showed up virtually. Live music was performed by a group called ‘FREE DAPS’. ‘FREE DAPS’ is a group of freestyle rappers and improvisers who use hiphop to create an entertaining experience. Actively engaging with their audience, they use their skills to create a one-of-a-kind musical comedy experience each time they perform. This time it was no different, with over five segments and skits that were performed within the hour. They started off the event with the three performers, Heath, Isaac and Jordan, doing an improv/rap warm up. The audience was encouraged to type words into the Zoom chat and made rhymes for about five to ten minutes. Immediately afterwards, Page 3
people were again encouraged to participate by getting up and looking for objects around the room to hold up to the camera; the objects were used to create rhyme sequences. One student held up a flute, which she was encouraged to play. Later, the group did a Whose-Line Is It Anyway type skit which involved two of the performers trying to woo an imaginar. The details of the girl -and who wins her affections via a rap battle -- were left up to the audience. In this instance, the girl they were trying to woo was Becky, a Swedish, general practice doctor who played kazoo in her spare time and wanted to go to Disney world. At the end of the romantic rap battle, a member of the audience was asked who they believed wooed Becky via the ‘toot’ of a kazoo. The winner was the aptly named Red Neck character, much to the chagrin of V Neck.
question and answer session with the audience. During the Q&A, it was revealed that the three performers have over 10 years of experience in both improv and rap. They have performed all over the United States and Canada, including Disney World, Universal Studios and some NBA playoffs. ‘FREE DAPS’ was an absolute delight to see perform. The three entertainers were incredibly upbeat, friendly and energetic. They kept the audience engaged and demanded attention, all the while keeping it fun and the audience on their toes. Even though the event lasted an hour, it was so entertaining it felt longer. If you’re interested in content created by ‘FREE DAPs’, they have a TikTok under the same name. Many skits can be found on it.
This event was just one of many Lewis and Clark Student activity events. If you are interested in other events like this one, you can visit the Student For the remainder of the hour, the per- Activity Facebook for more. You can formers had a rap battle over food also find them under the My Organiitems that were put in the chat and a zations tab in Blackboard. Campus News
o t o e t r u e s r BBee su he t e h w t o l ffoolllow ok!! T k k o i T T k i C T LL&&C
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M O V I E
THEATER Opens at Alton Square Mall by Gary Chapman gchapman@lc.edu A movie theater opened at Alton Square Mall in Alton, Ill. on Tuesday, Mar. 30, with showings starting on the following Wednesday. The theater is in the space formerly occupied by Sears, which closed in 2012. The theater is run by the Neighborhood Cinema Group chain, who are also opening a theater in Waterloo, Ill. The theater opened to the media with screenings of “Wonder Women 1984” and “Tom and Jerry”. This is the first theater to be in the city of Alton since the Wehrenberg Alton Twin Cine closed in March, 1998. The press conference was hosted by Andy Likes of the Van, and had talks from NCG Cinema CEO Jeff Geiger, Alton Mayor Brant Walker, second ward alderman Carolyn MacAfee and Alton Director of Planning & Development Greg Caffey. Page 5
News
The theater was a public-private partnership and funded by a special district tax with the mall, according to Mayor Walker. “This is a great day for Alton,” MacAfee said, “City Officials have worked for decades to bring residents a new movie theater, and today, we are seeing those efforts become a reality.” Every theater has reclining seats and the concessions are selfserve. The popcorn is dispensed via a machine, with buttons releasing the popcorn and the butter topping. They also sell cheese popcorn and caramel corn as well as beer and wine. You can order concessions online. Andy Likes of the Vanvadier introducing the press conference. Photo by Gary Chapman.
You can not enter the theater from inside the mall, as the former Sears entrance is blocked on that end. The theater is open as of writing, with the current films playing being “Godzilla vs. Kong”, “Nobody”, “Tom and Jerry” and “Raya and the Last Dragon”
Brant Walker, NCG Theater CEO Jeff Geiger, Second Ward Alderman Carolyn MacAfee, and Greg Caffey cutting the ribbon. Photo by Gary Chapman. In a press statement, Mayor Walker stated that, “It gives the public a chance to take a break from the current stresses we all face and enjoy a show. NCG and this theater also create dozens of jobs critical to our local economy.”
Wonder Women 1984 playing on the new theater, with new seats. Photo by Gary Chapman.
Mayor Walker also added that tenants have been interested in renting space in the mall, and that the Hull Group, who own the mall, have been doing a good job in running it and backed Alton with the movie theater. Jeff Geiger noted that the HVAC system was state of the art and that it cost “hundreds and thousands of dollars” due to the infrared cleaning system. He also stated that private theater rentals are available, and that party rooms, which can hold 15 people, can be rented. News
The new projection system at the Alton theater. Photo by Gary Chapman. Page 6
Telephone Scams: How They Happen and Where They Come From
A column by Gary Chapman gchapman@lc.edu Picture this: Grandma Ethel is sitting at home watching reruns of her favorite shows when a person calls. She answers and is told that her computer -- which her grandson usually takes care of -has been hacked and that she needs to get their security system. They make her download a piece of remote software, take her to a website that looks like it was made in a few hours and then make her purchase the “premium security package” for $599. Little does she know, she has just been scammed by people who do the same thing to thousands of people across the US and around the world. There are two major types of scams that are done by this unscrupulous bunch: the tech support scam and the refund scam. The tech support scam is usually a person cold-calling/leaving a message or making a webpage that freezes the browser with a pop-up that has a phone number saying that they are from Microsoft. The scammer claims the user has gotten a virus or that their computer has been locked due to activity like pornography and the like. They then do some tactics to make it seem like there is a hacker or virus on the computer (usually using the “netstat” command or pulling up event viewer) and say that in order to prevent this activity, you’ll need to buy their special “security package”. If the person hasn’t wised up to the fact that it’s a scam, they will pay the organization either through PayPal or by using gift cards, which are easily laundered. YouTuber Jim Browning revealed that, when you pay them, they will uninstall any previous antivirus software and replace it with one that they have a group licence for (i.e. McAfee) or download free programs like CCleaner or MalwareBytes, which is a major security risk. Sometimes though, certain places will place malware on the person’s computer, disabling their security programs. Page 7
The other type is the refund scam, here’s how it works: An automated robocall will call the victim and say that the services they have bought have been discontinued, as they are going out of business (they aren’t). This may be a follow up on the tech support scam, as scammers tend to mark the successful ones in a spreadsheet and sell them to other scammers. The robocaller could also say a purchase has been made on Amazon or another web store. The victim will call the scammer regarding the robocall. They will then make them download multiple remote access programs (this is important), and ask them to log in to their online banking. They will then ask the person to mark down their balance as they need to for the refund, and then black out their screen. The scammer will then use the inspect element tool, and change their balance and make the victim (who still can’t see the screen) type out the amount that they should be refunded. The scammer will then deliberately add an extra digit to make them seem like they accidentally got too much. (i.e. refund was for $200 and the “accidental” amount was $2000.) The scammer will then make it seem like it’s their fault, using either the threat of calling them a thief, using sympathy by saying they risk losing their jobs, using banter or complimenting them to establish trust or just downright bullying the person. They will then propose that they can fix it. Either they will go to the bank (they coach them to not mention a phone call or a refund as banks have gotten wise) or make them get $2000 in gift cards (stores have gotten wise too, with the cashiers being told to ask).
They call the number and read off the card numbers, the cards are then laundered, leaving the victim with no way to get their money back. According to the Federal Trade Commision, older adults are five times more likely to fall for tech support scams and are less likely to report them (most likely out of embarrassment). In 2018, the FTC reported 143,000 reports with totals of 55 million dollars being taken from individuals due to scammers. While most people associate tech support scammers as being from India, this scam is happening from various countries. It’s just that India has a large amount of them targeting the US and the UK. The BBC interviewed a former employee of one of these scam call centers who said, “I was making more money than an MBA graduate and I don’t have a college degree [and that] I used to drink a lot, party a lot, what are you going to do with all that money when you literally you don’t have any future plans?” There are people who are actively trying to stop people from being scammed. People like Kitboga waste the scammers time by using a voice changer and pretending to comply. Another YouTuber, known by the alias Jim Browning, reverses the scammer’s remote connection to record and confront them, with several places being taken down. Mark Rober and him have collabed to catch money mules (the people who collect the money in the US to send to the headquarters in India). If you want to report a tech support scam, please contact the FTC at https:// www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ Opinion
Cartoon Callback: Liberty’s Kids By Megan Lanham mrlanham@lc.edu
For the past five years, taking a story from the past and retelling it to a modern audience has been all the rage, especially on the musical scene (I’m looking at you Hamilton and Six: The Musical.) Though, before any of these properties were even conceptualized, there was a show on PBS that brought the past to its young audience. That show is called Liberty’s Kids: American Revolution or just LIberty’s Kids. Liberty’s Kids originally broadcasted by PBS on it’s PBS Kids block from Sept. 2, 2002 to April 4, 2003. Reruns were often airing on most PBS stations until Oct. 8, 2004. The show only had 1 season, lasting a span of 40 episodes. The episodes ran a halfhour, including commercials. The series was based on an idea by Kevin O’Donnell; it’s purpose was to teach its viewers the origins of the United States. Liberty’s Kids tells of young people in conflicts surrounding the major events in the days of the Revolutionary War. Entertainment
The plot of the show follows Benjamin Franklin and four fictional associates of his in their experiences during the American Revolution. These four associate are Sarah Philips, a 15 year old girl who travels the thirteen colonies in 1773 in search of her father;James Hiller, a young American colonist who works as an apprentice journalist for Franklin’s Newspaper; Henri Richard Maurice Dutoit LeFevbre, an energetic, rambunctious french boy that ends up caught in the revolution; and, at last, Moses, an african boy who was brought in chains as a slave and sold on the block in Charleston, South Carolina. The series spans 16 years from the Boston Tea Party in 1773 to the ratification of
the U.S. Constitution in 1789, though no main characters appear to age apart from Benjamin Franklin. Many historical figures are featured throughout the series, spanning from cameos to full episodes; George Washington, John Laurens, Marquis de Lafayette, Joseph Brant, Alexander Hamilton and many more from all sides of the revolution. This is a show I often remember being put on during history class as a child. It offered a window into the past through the eyes of children like me. As such, I felt more of a connection to the past thanks to this show. It did a wonderful job fulfilling the purpose Kevin O’ Donnell intended it for. It still holds up to this very day as an entertaining and educational watch regardless of your age. If someone who likes Hamilton, I’d definitely recommend this show. All the episodes for this series are open and free to watch on YouTube. Page 8
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Retro Review: Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker By Lakyn Gardner lagardner@lc.edu Welcome back to Retro review. Today’s article will be more “review” than “retro”. This week we’re looking at Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; this was the tenth installment in the Legend of Zelda series, developed by Nintendo for the GameCube and released in 2003. This game was one of the first Zelda games I could fully comprehend and appreciate as a child. The cell-shaded graphics, the bright colors and the theme of adventure had me deeply intrigued. As a child, I put many hours into completing this game over and over again. Anytime I was sick I would just start a new game and then beat it that day. The game was re-released for the Wii U in 2013, which is a dream come true for me to see my favorite childhood game brought back to life in HD. Page 9
The game is a pretty cut and dry Legend of Zelda story. Our hero Link sets out on an adventure to save the world. However, this world is not the traditional Hyrule we’re used to. This world is completely submerged in water with only a few islands to inhabit. First, you must go off and find 3 different pearls to obtain the master sword and after that, you must go collect 13 pieces of the Triforce. I enjoyed traveling around the ocean like a pirate in search of the pieces. Getting to go back and replay the game and relive it was so nostalgic. Wind Waker was developed for the GameCube, which to this day has one of the best gamepads ever made. The gamepad for the GameCube was -- and still is -- used in many fighting game tournaments. The controls for this game were flaw-
less, it had plenty of variety in the weapons, amazing characters and cool abilities to learn. If you take this game at face value and don’t go around completing the sidequests, it’s a pretty generic game; however, the replayability of this game, I believe, is infinite. Once you beat the game, there’s a hero mode, which is a more difficult version of the game for those who want a challenge. Throughout the game, there are many side quests and mini-games to play to keep you entertained. Additionally, for replayability, there is a randomizer made for this game which is amazing and has tons of community support. Overall, I give this game a 10 out of 10. Entertainment
Retro Review: Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy By Lakyn Gardner lagardner@lc.edu Welcome back to Retro Review! Today we’ll be covering “Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy”. “Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy” was released in Nov., 2003 for the GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox; it was published by THQ. However, I must tell you, I played the remastered version released for the PC for this review, but I did play it on the PS2 when I was a kid.
Overall, I give this game a 9 out of 10. The only downfall is that it’s too short.
“Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy” is an action platformer that was meant to take on big names like Legend of Zelda. Although this game does a lot of stuff right, it’s not Legend of Zelda. Essentially, the sphinx and the cursed mummy, the main characters, are given the task of retrieving a legendary blade, but they wind up in a spot that they’re not supposed to be. I’m trying to save the story as much as possible because this game is something that you need to play for yourself. I gotta start by saying this game is phenomenal. It has a dual role system in which you play as two different characters to beat puzzles. Each character has a unique set of skills, whether it be parkour or fighting. As a kid, this was my first time experiencing a dual role game, which I was just in love with. Playing it as an adult with lots of experience playing video games, it’s still quite uncommon to see a dual role like this. This gameplay is very smooth in the parkour is downright perfect. Although, playing on an updated system, the controls do feel a little bit wonky; it takes a minute of adjusting before you realize how perfect it is. The character interaction in this game makes it so quirky and unique.
Entertainment
The PlayStation 2 box art for Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy.
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The Game Table LIGHTNING ROUND By Nickolas Brooks nibrooks@lc.edu
(SPOILER WARNING! Do not read this review if you are interested in playing these games for yourself!) Happy Easter weekend everybody! I would like to welcome you all to my first Lightning Round! When a Lightning Round Review occurs, it includes four to five games created by indie developers or games that are smaller in terms of gameplay time and development. These reviews will be shorter and will not include anything too detailed.
First Game - Superliminal
“Superliminal” is a first-person puzzle game developed and published by Pillow Castle, this being the only game they have made so far. It was initially released on Nov. 12, 2019 for Windows and MacOS on Steam. It got a console release on July 7 a year later for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The game received mixed to positive reviews. While it received praise for its core mechanics, it was criticized for its lackluster story and overall lack of potential.
Plot/Overall Opinion The player is a test subject for dream technology called SomnaSculpt at the Pierce Institute. This technology is designed to provide dream therapy for any future patients if the test is successful. When the player is put to sleep, they are placed in testing environments inside the dreamworld. In this dreamworld, the player is able to change an object’s size based on perspective view. However, when the player fails to wake up at the time they were supposed to, they end up stuck in the dreamworld. The message behind the game is to think outside the box and to not be afraid to think of different solutions to fix a problem. If you keep going for the same solution that doesn’t fix said problem, then you won’t be able to grow as a person, something I very much agree with. The soundtrack is so beautiful and relaxing to listen to! My favorite being Indefinity Cinema. I’m giving Superliminal a 9/10. The level design, soundtrack, gameplay, mechanics and the message behind the game were outstanding; it reminded me of Portal in a way. While the game only takes two hours to beat, it is a very worthwhile two hours.
Plot/Overall Opinion The plot is short and sweet. A character named “Boyfriend” must beat several other characters in rhythm-type rap battles so he can date his love interest, “Girlfriend”... That being said. The game sparked popularity when YouTubers CoryxKenshin and Kubz Scouts made several videos on it. There is surprisingly a good amount of lore and fun facts regarding the characters of the game. Such as Pico (one of the biggest icons of Newgrounds since the ‘90s) being Boyfriend’s ex-... boyfriend. Get it? Or, what Boyfriend’s real name could be. Or, Girlfriend’s favorite video game being Tetris.
You can play Superliminal on Steam, PS4, Xbox One, or on the Switch.
Second Game Friday Night Funkin’
“Friday Night Funkin’” is an indie rhythm game developed by Newgrounds users Ninjamuffin99, Phantom Arcade and evilsk8r. Kawai Sprite is the composer for the game’s soundtrack. It was released on Nov. 1, 2020 as a free-to-download Page 11
game on itch.io and is currently available to play on Newgrounds.
My favorite song out of the soundtrack is South, which is the second song for the Skid and Pump level (Skid and Pump are guest characters created by YouTuber Sr Pelo. Check out his “Spooky Month” videos to learn more). The instrumental Entertainment
of the song gives me heavy Memphis, Tenn. rap vibes. It also reminds me of the soundtrack for Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition (a street racing game created by Rockstar Games).
they pre-record podcasts about their work on Kingdom of Loathing, other games, pop culture and advice. The game received positive reviews from critics and fans alike for its humorous writing, music and its surprising detail in design.
The gameplay I am mixed on since the difficulty for this game don’t exactly hold back. Having to go through the same song after messing up on the keys can be time consuming, and not in a good way. This game also has huge mod support! Some of my favorites being the Whitty mod, Mid Fight Masses, CG5 and Elegant Night Dancin’. I give this fun little game a 7/10. This is what happens when you take Dance Dance Revolution, PaRappa the Rapper and Jet Set Radio and mix them together in a pot. I am happy that a game like this exists; it screams “Newgrounds” and no other website.
Plot/Overall Opinion The game takes place within the Kingdom of Loathing universe, but in a western setting where the player (you get to name the character) must leave their home and journey out west to seek their fortune and help anyone in any way they can.
You can check out Friday Night Funkin’ right now on Newgrounds or on the itch. io link provided above.
Each character that you run into has some sort of wacky tone to them, or an overall interesting personality. Your character’s personality is based on the decisions you make.
Third Game West of Loathing
The soundtrack for the game is quite awesome too, since it’s a western themed game. The two issues I do have with this game is that it can be a little slow and I tend to get sidetracked with the high amount of side quests that I do.
“West of Loathing” is a western, comedy, role-playing game developed and published by Asymmetric Publications, who also developed Kingdom of Loathing. It was initially released on Aug. 10, 2017 for Steam. It would then be released for the Nintendo Switch on May 8, 2018 and on July 1, 2020 for Stadia. They also hosted games and attractions such as Infinity Plus One, Bee On Drugs and Krakrox the Barbarian. Asymmetric currently owns a podcast called “The Hot Dog Network” where Entertainment
I am giving West of Loathing an 8/10. For someone like myself, who is not into RPG games that much, this is an exception. For a game with such humorous writing, to the point that it almost can’t be taken seriously, there is a lot of detail put in. Specifically, in its gameplay. It is turnbased, but it still looks so silly.
ic Inc. (who has also published Firewatch and Nour: Play with Your Food). It was initially released on Steam and the Nintendo Switch on Sept. 20, 2019, then released nearly three months later, Dec. 17, 2019 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game received positive reviews for its humorous, yet creative gameplay, but was criticized for being shallow and repetitive.
Setting/Overall Opinion Untitled Goose Game is set in a village that could be similar to one in the United Kingdom. You play as a domestic goose going around annoying humans and doing tasks like setting up a picnic, shopping and dressing up a bust. Once you are done doing tasks in a certain location of the village, you move on to the next location. The only two issues (one major and one minor) I have with the game are how the goose maneuvers when I am turning left or right while running and how some of the tasks given can be difficult to complete due to humans getting in the way. I am giving Untitled Goose Game a 9/10. Simplicity can sometimes be a positive when it comes to gaming. Minecraft, Thomas Was Alone and BIT.TRIP RUNNER are games that are simple and wonderful. I would throw UGG in there too!
You can play this game on Steam, Nintendo Switch or Stadia.
Fourth Game Untitled Goose Game
Untitled Goose Game is a puzzle/ stealth game developed by House House (who also developed the game Push Me Pull You) and published by Pan-
Untitled Goose Game is currently available on Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Page 12
Workout Review: Will Tennyson By Lakyn Gardner lagardner@lc.edu Welcome back to workout review! Today, we’ll be covering my favorite fitness YouTuber, Will Tennyson; Tennyson has taught me about nutrition, how to budget calories and how to maximize your lifting potential. Because of his YouTube videos, I’ve been able to grow physically as well as mentally. I already know this workout is going to be amazing.
The Workout •Incline DB Press 4x10-12 •Barbell Row 4x10-12 •Flat DB Press ( superset) Lat Pulldown 3x12-15 + drop set •Machine Row (superset) Cable Fly 3x12-15 + drop set
Alrighty, well that workout kicked my butt. This workout differs drastically from what I usually do because of the drop sets. A drop set pushes you to complete fatigue in that dedicated muscle. I can guarantee you after this workout I will be incorporating drop sets into everything I do. Even though it’s only been a day, I feel like my muscles have doubled in size. Seriously, this workout has been amazing. I intend to incorporate bits of this into my regular workouts, and I haven’t had a change in my routine in quite some time. I would recommend this workout to anybody. I don’t think you need to be an advanced lifter for this workout; I would recommend it to anybody who’s wanting to start a routine. It’s very basic compound movements that will show great results. Additionally, go give Will Tennyson a look on YouTube, he has amazing recipes and awesome workouts. Also, I’ve decided to add a fun little tidbit at the end of each article, here is the first: Did you know 3500 calories is one pound?
•Barbell Curls 4x12-15
Workout!
Art by Emily Schroeder
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Entertainment
Layout and Article by Breanna Sak
Anime is not just for children. There has been a long held stigma surrounding anime, stating that these shows are comparable to American cartoons intended for children. This idea has deterred many from testing the waters to see what anime has to offer. I am here to help make the jump into anime feel less scary and more approachable by showing a close-up view of what you can expect from a few select shows. Having been a part of the anime community for almost 8 years, I know which shows are sure to get your heart pounding with anticipation all while each episode feels like it is flying by. I am also pairing each of the shows with another so, if you enjoy one of them, there is a strong probability that you will also like its counterpart. While this anime recommendation series is intended for newcomers, it also embeds sneaky ploys to keep even long-term anime fans interested. In this issue, we will be taking a look at some animes that have darker themes, a well developed cast of characters and subtle intricacies that link the story together beautifully. There will be minor spoilers throughout, however they will be kept to a minimum so that the full journey is left for you to discover and explore on your own. Entertainment
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Author: Hajime Isayama |Animation Studios: Witt & MAPPA|Seasons: 4|Genres: Action, Post-Apocalyptic|
Attack on Titan The Attack on Titan anime is based on the manga series, Shingeki no Kyojin, written and drawn by Hajime Isayama. It has been a stand out story for newcomers to get a feel of how anime is able to tackle thought-provoking stories with the dark themes that it fully envelopes. This anime is brimming with fast-paced episodes, head-spinning plot twists and intricately designed characters.
Characters While there are plenty of admirable characters scattered throughout this show, our small ragtag group -composed of Eren Jaeger, Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlet -- is who the story focuses on. The trio is introduced together in the first episode through the menial tasks in their everyday lives, just before calamity strikes.
Early on, you will see that Mikasa distinguishes herself from the others by being the most skilled and strongest member on their team, equipped with an unnatural amount Image Source: MAPPA Page 15
of raw talent. Then, we have Armin, the mandatory Entertainment
intellectual strategist that
Story
Despite the sheer amount
devises the strategies for Attack on Titan’s story of things that go down in his team. However, with a develops in a masterful way, the show, the pacing is heart of gold, Armin finds with each step meticulously immaculate, having just himself encumbered with planned out to provide a the right amount of time the weight of any sacrifices lead up to other events in between fight scenes he makes to get to his goal. and plot points as to not Eren rounds out the party by
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Entertainment
Image Source: MAPPA
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Jujutsu Kaisen Jujutsu Kaisen is another masterfully
show
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Image Source: MAPPA
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you
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Author: Gege Akutami |Animation Studio: MAPPA|Seasons: 1|Genres: Action, Horror, Supernatural|
In Jujutsu Kaisen, hardship, curse, he ends up being regret, shame and other completely negative
ineffective
emotions in combat. While he has
become curses that lurk in a desire to save others our everyday lives. Curses and lead them towards run rampant throughout a proper death, Itadori is the
world,
capable
of quickly forced to accept
leading people to terrible that he’s not strong enough misfortune and even death. to save everyone. As a way This leads to a disturbance to face his inexperience, at Yuji’s school, where he Yuji is admitted to the finds a classmate, Megumi Tokyo Jujutsu High School Fushiguro, already on the of Sorcery and is guided by scene
and
decides
to a powerful Jujutsu Sorcerer
assist.
who shows Itadori the way to achieving his goals.
However,
since
Itadori
knows absolutely nothing There is just no watching
Image Source: MAPPA
about the power system them fast enough and in place, which dictates with each episode running that curses can only be for about 20 minutes, it’s exorcised Entertainment
by
another incredibly easy to binge. Page 18
Unfortunate Ends and New Beginnings By Nathan Tucker nrtucker@lc.edu This edition of Blazer Beat starts off on a rather somber note, highlighting and cataloging what was a rather forlorn season for Lewis & Clark’s indoor sports. Worry not, however, as I save the good Trailblazer sports news for last, and there’s plenty to be optimistic about. I’ll start on the basketball court, and I would be remiss (and frankly not doing my job as a semi-objective sports reporter) if I didn’t mention the struggles on the court that the Trailblazers had in this strange season. Perhaps, the strangeness contributed to that performance; at times, the silence of Riverbend Arena was deafening. Both the men’s and women’s teams ended their season early and abruptly due to positive COVID-19 cases among the teams. Both teams were forced to cancel the last three games of their schedule and what would have been the last games for Trailblazer sophomores. Both had games cancelled during the season as well, due to symptom scares and temperature checks. Page 19
Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams at Lewis & Clark won just a single game this season, both by slim margins in home games. The women’s team won their first game with about a half season to spare, but couldn’t find another. The men’s team waited till their very last action of the season to bring home a win, something a freshman-heavy team can take into next year. Moreover, a thin roster hurt both the men’s and women’s Trailblazer basketball teams this season. The best Trailblazers, those making big impacts on the score sheet and the game, were often run ragged. Not at any fault of the coaches, but more just a product of the situation both squads had to deal with this season. In fact, those coaches, in my opinion, stepped up to the task of managing what were at times shorthanded teams and managed them to the point of competition. In such a tough region and conference, that could be considered a positive. Now sure, competing in games
doesn’t count in the record books the way winning games does, but it’s a stepping stone to building something better. As briefly mentioned earlier, the Trailblazer men were mostly freshmen, save for sophomores Jiwen Taylor and Deonte Edmonds. The women’s team tells a similar story, with only three sophomores, Marshala Shelton, Deija Carter, and leading scorer Mary Penland-Holmes. If I had to take my pick to nominate a player of the year from each team, a player who shone bright though a dreary season, I’d have to go with Mary Penland-Holmes for the Trailblazer women and Zidane Moore for the Trailblazer men. Penland-Holmes was the center of the Trailblazer women’s offensive attack and can score in a number of ways. Stronger than many of those who try to guard her, Mary Penland-Holmes can make cuts to the basket for easy points, but is also a lethal three-point shooter, Sports
shooting 45.9 percent from beyond the arc, 7th best in NJCAA Division II among those who’ve taken more than 50 three-point shots. Zidane Moore was the straw that stirred the drink for the L&C men, a team that often looked lost if Moore wasn’t able to get going. Zidane Moore served as the primary point guard for the Trailblazers, often running the offense out of the pick and roll. Moore’s strength was driving to the basket, drawing fouls and getting to the line. On a Trailblazer team that was often outmatched for size, Moore’s driving was crucial, and made teams think twice about the way they guarded him down low. Volleyball also had a rough season at the Riverbend Arena and abroad, and sadly didn’t have the chance to nab a victory this season. Their best chance at a win was probably their Feb. 19 home contest against Lincoln Trail, where they won two sets to force a tie breaking fifth set, but couldn’t close the door late. A similar story here, a team often overwhelmed as a result of being shorthanded; a two month season can begin to feel like a bit of an uphill slog. The volleyball Trailblazers lost their last seven in straight sets, and in the games I was able to cover from my camera perch, you could feel Riverbend Arena deflating as the contests went on. It’s a tough end to the Trailblazer tenures of sophomores Abbi Davis, Alexis Liles, Tiana Wiseman and libero Skylar Kuntzmann. The 2019 season wasn’t necessarily peachy with a 6-23 record, and taking a step back to 0-13 for this shortened season is obviously not how these three wanted to end their time in Trailblazer blue and white. Kuntzmann, from the early days of her freshman season, took on a vocal leadership role on the hardwood for L&C. Down the stretch of this tough 2021 campaign, Kuntzmann’s voice was a Sports
constant around Riverbend Arena, urging her team on just the same, no matter the scoreline.
the game itself, but becomes a mental hurdle, affecting each pitch and each action on the field for the Trailblazers.
For her efforts in that situation, Kuntzmann would be my nominee for L&C Volleyball player of the year, and I’d tend to think that’s how coach Bron Wilkerson and her teammates would feel as well.
Home cooking doesn’t seem to be helping much either with L&C winless at home, gaveing up 34 runs in two games to Danville Area Community College during their last homestand. Friday, April 9 against Parkland, and Sunday, April 11 against Spoon River, the Trailblazer softball team trying to right that wrong and get their first win on home soil.
What becomes interesting moving forward for Bron Wilkerson and the Trailblazer volleyball team is recruiting and building the team for the future. With the departure of those sophomores and only five freshmen on this team, Wilkerson would probably like to bring in at least four new faces to the volleyball side, and those faces will have to make an impact in a hurry. Getting out to Godfrey Ball Park now, it brings me no pleasure to report that the Trailblazer softball team is also struggling out of the gate this season. 1-13 as of this April 7 writing, the lone win coming at Mineral Area on Mar. 31, a 13-9 battle. A cursory glance at the box scores tells you that the problem hasn’t been the L&C offense, though they’ve struggled to get bats going at times, but the pitching and defense. On the same day they won their lone game of the season at Mineral Area College, they lost a game in which they had 20 hits, largely due to their 9 errors in the field. Coach Rhonda Hampton will tell you that’s simply unacceptable softball. An offensive display that should comfortably win a ball game ruined by sloppy defensive play that puts unnecessary pressure on the Trailblazer pitchers. Many games simply haven’t been close. Eight of the L&C losses this year were short game, run-rule losses before seven innings of softball could even be played. Digging a hole that deep so early isn’t just a hurdle to overcome in
Now, travelling across the gravel parking lot to the home of the baseball Trailblazers, who are a hair under the .500 mark on the season but have had a flair for the dramatic in several of their wins. The Trailblazers sit at a respectable 9-11 on the year, currently on the back of winning three straight games and are starting to find their stride offensively and on the mound. Friday, April 2 saw two great pitching performances in two different games from L&C starters, Adam Stilts and Pierson Graham. Stilts was unfortunate to lose his game the opener of the doubleheader, but that was no fault of his own. Graham threw three innings of one run baseball and struck out four in the process, setting his team up to win the back end of the twin-billing. What stole the show this weekend for the Trailblazers was the bat of Nick Wilke on Sunday. Wilke hit two solo homers and a double in Sunday’s game against North Central Missouri College, the most important of which being a walk-off home run in the extra innings to win the ballgame for L&C, 12-11. Wilke batted in three runs, two of which were himself, on the day. The only real problem I can pinpoint for this baseball team is the defense, which I thought would be a strength going into the season. Yeison Serrata has not looked as sure-handed at shortstop Page 20
as I’ve seen from him in the past, and at times he’s been benched in favor of moving Alex Zimmerman over from second base. There’s probably some questions about pitching toward the bottom end of L&C’s potential pitching roster, but that’s to be expected, and there’s a lot of baseball left in April and May to sort that out. The baseball team is back at it this weekend with a home-and-home four game series against Heartland. Last but certainly not least, our tour of Trailblazer sports stops at Tim Rooney Stadium, where the men’s and women’s soccer teams both got off on the right foot against Division II Triton College on April 3. The women’s team won big, and really overwhelmed their opponent. Candace Parziani looked as sharp as she did in the 2019 season and picked up right where she left off, netting a couple goals that were probably a bit too easy for someone of her skill. A handful of L&C’s goals on the day were products of being fitter, faster and simply better than the team they were facing. From my radio commentary position watching the game, I felt a bit of sympathy for Triton’s goalkeeper, Priscilla Ortiz, who performed admirably given the circumstances. She saw a lot of goals go by her, but there was largely nothing she could do to stop those, and if not for the saves she did make, L&C would have scored ten or more. Who would want to be a goalkeeper on days like that? Against a team that good? Have I mentioned that this Trailblazer women’s soccer team is very good? Like, ranked third overall in NJCAA Di-
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vision I good? Despite the loss of NJCAA record breaker Boitumelo Rabale, known by those around the team as “B” for simplicity’s sake, this team of largely local soccer products is poised to be threatening the top ranks of juco soccer yet again after finishing third in 2019’s NJCAA Division I season. Losing Rabale takes out a large chunk of the offensive production, but also opens up L&C’s front line and midfield for other names to get on the scoresheet more and more this season. While Rabale is incredibly gifted, there are a number of talented players on this team who are eager and capable of filling some of that goalscoring void. A 5-0 win on the road to Parkland was more toward what we expect to see from L&C in their games against regional opposition this season. The biggest and realest test of the season for the L&C women will be on April 11, as Eastern Florida State travels from Florida’s Space Coast to beautiful Godfrey, Ill. to Tim Rooney Stadium. Why is this game such a big test, you ask? Well, Eastern Florida State is one of two teams ranked higher in NJCAA than Lewis & Clark this season, starting off ranked second overall. Third in NJCAA hosting second, it’s a juicy prospect and should be a great game on Sunday afternoon. The men’s soccer team, also nationally ranked in preseason at #12 in NJCAA Division I, won 4-2 against Triton College in their opener, in a clash that was a bit closer than the women’s game. Triton actually scored first in the game, but L&C sured up the defense, and eventually broke through Triton’s defenses to take control.
More of a credit to Triton than L&C, the game was tight, and until the latter stages didn’t really feel like a sure Trailblazer win. Triton, a Division II team, gave Ryan Hodge’s side all it could handle in the first half of a game that got a bit chippy at times. Chippiness even spilled over to the benches, as Triton’s manager was given a red card for arguing with the referee and forced to watch the game from the main stand across the field following his ejection. Expectations are big for the L&C men’s soccer team this season, with a high early season ranking and some really skilled players on this team in 2021. Tony Bodul is back up top, holding the line for the Trailblazers, and his holdup play helped create multiple goals against Triton. Spencer Barber netted a hat trick and looked electric running up and down the wings and in the channels. For my money, Edward Mensah might be the best player on this L&C team, and his skill level showed in the victory against Triton. Mensah, a defender who was at NCAA soccer powerhouse SLU, left the Billikens soccer team in search of playing time and has inherited a starting center back role at Tim Rooney Stadium. Mensah showed experience and composure in defense, and was rewarded for his efforts by getting to take and convert a penalty shot, giving him a goal in the victory last weekend. The men’s soccer team is also in action on April 11, travelling to Belleville to face SWIC. That concludes a rather lengthy Blazer Beat, with more to come throughout the season! For more information on L&C sports, visit LC.edu/athletics.
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Cartoons and Games
A FAIR FIGHT? By: Ryan Pierce SCISSORS VS. PAPER
S C I S S O R S S . R O CK V
PAPER 2.0 VS , ROCK FINAL FIGHT Why did I agree to go first?
How is this fair?
Hey guys, I think I’m fine!
Cartoons and Games
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MARVEL CROSSWORD BY: RYAN PIERCE
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4. Howard _____ created Captain America’s shield 5. Star-Lord’s real name is Peter _____ 7. Thanos’ daughter and one of the Guardians of the Galaxy 9. Black Widow’s real name 10. Peter Parker’s best friend 11. Has the Mind Stone in his forehead 13. Bucky Barnes’ real name 16. The Soul Stone was found on the planet 20. Wiped out half of the universe with a snap 21. Wanda Maximoff is from 22. Scarlet _____ has the power of telekinesis 26. Doctor Strange was a ____________ 28. Captain America’s shield is made of _________ 30. Tony Stark’s favorite band 32. Blue glowing cube containing the Space Stone 33. Loki is a _____ Giant 34. The other Avenger who can hold Thor’s hammer Section Title
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Down 2. Black Panther is from
3. The Space Stone’s color is ____ 5. Peter Parker is from ______ 6. Tony Stark’s first A.I. assistant was called ______ 7. The Infinity _______ holds the Infinity Stones 8. The _____ Stone is yellow 12. Thor’s hammer is named _______ 14. Loki is the god of ________ 15. The cat in Captain Marvel is named _____ 17. Thor mistakes Rocket Racoon for a ______ 18. Hawkeye’s weapon of choice 19. The ‘I’ in S.H.I.E.L.D. stands for ____________ 23. Captain America fought in __________ 24. CEO of Stark Industries 25. The ’S’ in S.H.I.E.L.D. stands for _________ 27. _____ rays turned Bruce Banner into the Hulk 29. The leader of S.H.I.E.L.D. who has an eyepatch 31. The time where half the population was gone from Thanos’ snap is called the ____ Page 1
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Cartoons and Games
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