Entertainment

Time to Mask Up!

Krystie Morrison kemorrison@lc.edu

As the beginning of the semester nears, many people are wondering what precautions are being taken for safety as students are allowed back on campus. Don’t fret because Dr. Sean Hill has sent out a mass email regarding this subject. Lewis and Clark students are set to return to the grounds on Aug. 23 and are being required to mask up despite their vaccination status.

Covid is on the rise again and the Delta variant is traveling through the country. To keep students safe, Lewis and Clark Community College is asking that everyone continues to practice safe social distancing and wear a mask when inside and when social distancing is not possible.

Not only is LC requiring masks, but they will instill the same precautions they have since the beginning of the pandemic. Some classrooms, like in Wade Hall, will continue to have dividers to maximize the protection against Covid for students. Hand sanitizer will be found in every classroom and different areas on campus. Surfaces that are highly frequented will be disinfected multiple times throughout the day. Special air purifiers have also been brought into the main complex to improve ventilation and air quality and will be installed for the start of fall classes. Aside from the universal mask requirement, LC is also requiring that all on campus team members and students receive the vaccine. Those who do not wish to get the vaccine or are unable to will be required to get weekly COVID tests to ensure the safety of those attending face to face courses. The first dose should be administered to all individuals by September 5th. Included in the email is a link to the CDC’s website where students, faculty and staff are able to find out more information about the vaccine.

As Dr. Hill states in the email to students, “we need to continue to look out for one another so that we can continue to have a safe and fun semester.” If you’re wondering how to go about getting vaccinated, please check out www.vaccines.gov and enter your zip code to find a vaccination location near you.

Lewis and Clark Community College appreciates your compliance and support of the mask wearing guidelines. If you have any questions or concerns about these new updates, please contact Dr. Hill at shill@lc.edu.

Table Talk: Dungeons and Dragons

By Andrew Agney aagney@lc.edu

Many people in the world hear about tabletop gaming and think it’s some kind of obscure, nerdy hobby, and while everyone can have their own opinions, I think tabletop gaming is something most people might enjoy. It spawns an outlet where everyone can be creative and let their imaginations run wild in a way that no other form of media can. To demonstrate my point, and hopefully convince you to give tabletop gaming a chance, I’m going to go over the various games I’ve played and my experiences with them, starting with the most popular and widely known game, Dungeons & Dragons.

Starting in 1974, the Dungeons and Dragons game, referred to as D&D, is now up to its fifth edition. This is sometimes referred to as 5e, with each new edition having changes to rules, classes, and abilities while keeping the same general fantasy theme between each version.

In D&D, players create characters that are known as adventurers. They start at level one, where they’re just fixing some small town’s issues, such as a goblin infestation. Hopefully, they can reach up to the maximum level of 20, where they’re tasked with stopping world-ending threats.

To create a character, the player must first choose their race. The chosen species then determines benefits.

Second, they determine a class. There are many to choose from, but it boils down to whether the player wishes to swing a sword, cast magic, wield the holy power of their chosen deity, or shapeshift. Next, players must determine their abilities, a set of numbers that dictate how good they are at various fields of life. The abilities consist of the following categories: strength, a measure of your character’s physical power; dexterity, a measure of your character’s agility and how well they can dodge or sneak; constitution, a measure of your character’s physical heartiness and ability to fend off disease; intelligence, how smart and knowledgeable your character is; wisdom, your character’s street smarts, or ability to read people and see through trickery; and charisma, a mix of your character’s natural charm and how well they can bend magic to fulfill their whim.

Once the character is made, they’re ready to start adventuring. You may be wondering, how do you play? Well, it’s quite simple. The Dungeon Master, or DM, will explain the situation that your character is currently in and you describe how they handle said situation. If there is a chance that you could fail that reaction, the DM may ask you to roll dice to determine the outcome of your attempt. Typically they will ask you to roll a single 20-sided die, referred to as 1d20. Once you roll the die, you add your applicable ability to that roll (for example: for pushing a boulder, you would roll a 1d20 then add your strength.) Based on the result, the DM will tell you if you succeeded or failed.

And that’s all the basics about D&D that you really need to get started. If you are interested in joining a group and playing D&D, you could try visiting your local game/comic shop and asking if they have any groups looking for players; there’s also online groups that play over programs like Discord or Roll20, or you could just pick up the basic rulebook for yourself free online and grab a couple of your friends!

THE PIASA BIRD

By Krystie Morrison kemorrison@lc.edu

Alton, Ill. is the home of the McPike Mansion, Robert Wadlow and other mysterious and interesting stories. One particular tale that locals love to talk about is the Piasa Bird. The story of the Piasa, which stands for “a bird that devours men,” has been passed from generation to generation of Illini Indians and locals from the Alton area.

As the legend states, many warriors from the Illini and surrounding tribes tried to vanquish the beast, but failed time and time again until along came a chief by the name of Ouatoga.

Chief Ouatoga decided to separate himself from his tribe, fast in solitude and pray to the Great Spirit for protection of his people. At the end of his fasting period, the Great Spirit came to the chief in a dream and told him to gather 20 warriors with bows and poison arrows and hide them in a place where the Piasa Bird could not find them. However, one brave soul would need to stand in the middle of an open field as a sacrifice for the monster. That brave soul would be chief Ouatoga.

The fateful day came upon the tribe and everything was in place. Chief Ouatoga could see the beast and noticed that it was eyeing him as prey. Ouatoga began a chant that is known as a death chant among warriors and the bird took off towards him. The Piasa Bird was just within reach of the chief when arrows sailed through the sky and struck it in midair. The Piasa gave one last scream that echoed throughout the area and fell to its death from the bluff.

As a way to commemorate this great feat, the tribe painted a visual of the beast on the side of the bluff where he was defeated once and for all.

In 1673, Father Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet called the “Piasa” a bird-like monster upon seeing it painted along the bluffs of the Mississippi river. A journal entry found from one of the men had a detailed description of the monster. The entry went as follows: “as large as a calf with horns like a deer, red eyes, a beard like a tiger’s, a face like a man, the body covered with green, red and black scales and a tail so long that it passed around the body, over the head and between the legs.”

Today the painting of the Piasa Bird can be seen by visitors coming over the Clark Bridge and driving along the Great River Road, though the version that is seen today is not the original Piasa Bird that had been painted by the Illini tribe. During the 1950s, construction workers used explosives to remove rock from the riverside and destroyed the painting. A replica was put up in 1968 on the side of the bluff, but then removed again in 1995 due to onlookers admiring the great beast and causing traffic issues.

The City of Alton and the community decided that it was time to give the Piasa Bird a final resting place. In 1998, a man by the name of Dave Stevens resurrected the 48 foot long, 22 foot high painting on the bluff and the city created a viewing area for visitors to come and learn about the intriguing legend. The Piasa Bird will forever look over the Mighty Mississippi and welcome visitors from all over the world.

Lunch with Lin

The Meatloaf that Haunted Trimpe

By Linsa Dean lndean@lc.edu

On the first day of school, Aug. 23, 2021, I was eating lunch in the second-floor student lounge of Trimpe. I had brought leftover meatloaf and microwaved it. There I was enjoying my lunch when the Student Success Specialist, The Trimpe Tutor, Niki Busler, jumped her whole body through the door and exclaimed “OMG IF THAT IS YOUR LUNCH IT SMELLS AMAZING!”

Me being slightly humble went “It’s just meatloaf.”

Well, it turns out the whole floor ended up smelling amazing according to Louise Jett.

So, I decided I would share two versions of my recipe with everyone. I will be sharing an easyto-follow beginner recipe and a more advanced version. As well as tips for customizing it to your tastes! This recipe is really forgiving and versatile. If you add too little or too much seasoning simply adjust it the next time you make it! Some fun additions to this recipe would be adding a dash of cayenne powder, chili powder, or Italian seasoning. Many people also enjoy a glaze on top of their meatloaf, so I’m including my uncle’s glaze recipe!

This recipe is super simple and you can buy many of the ingredients, like the onions, prechopped or change them to a powder form.

For the basic recipe you will need: 1lb of ground beef (can be replaced with a different protein) 1 Small onion, diced into approximately ¼ in pieces 8oz Mushrooms (I used fresh, but you can use canned), chopped finely 1 Large egg ¼ Cup to ½ Cup Panko breadcrumbs (can be

omitted) 2 Tablespoon Ketchup 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce ½ Tablespoon soy sauce ½ Teaspoon granulated garlic ½ Teaspoon salt ½ Teaspoon pepper

For the advanced recipe you will need: 1lb of ground beef (can be replaced with a different protein) 1 Small onion, diced into approximately ¼ in pieces 3 bulbs or 1 tablespoon garlic, minced 8oz Mushrooms (I used fresh, but you can use canned), chopped finely 1 Tablespoon butter or olive oil 1 Large egg ¼ Cup to ½ Cup Panko breadcrumbs (can be omitted) 2 Tablespoon Ketchup 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce ½ Tablespoon soy sauce ½ Teaspoon salt ½ Teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit ADVANCED RECIPE ONLY: sauté mushrooms and garlic in butter or olive oil until caramelized. Combine everything but the Panko in a large bowl. Once combined gradually add your Panko. You are looking for a firm consistency that holds its shape well when formed. Form a loaf on a baking sheet or in a loaf pan, try for an even-sized loaf Bake for 50-60 minutes uncovered, a food thermometer should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the center of the loaf. If you don’t have a thermometer look for the edges to be a bit crispy and the loaf to be well browned. Remember- you can always cook it longer! Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving, a longer rest time will help it hold together. To reheat: Place in microwave-safe dish and microwave for 2 minutes until steaming hot

For the optional glaze: Mix ½ cup of Ketchup with 1/8 cup of honey. Halfway through the cooking time begin covering the top of the meatloaf with the glaze every ten minutes or so. I also have it on good authority that the glaze makes a great sauce!

I hope you all enjoy this family favorite of mine, and may the smell of many wonderful meatloaves haunt the halls of buildings across campus.

Pokemon Unite: An Unexpected Success

By Jordan Jones jordanjones@lc.edu

Nintendo is celebrated as one of the largest staples in the gaming industry. Producing household names such as Super Mario Brothers, Animal Crossing, and several editions of the Pokémon franchise, they remain as a fan favorite across the hearts of players worldwide.

A recent edition to the Nintendo Store left fans stunned, however. The release of Nintendo’s first-ever attempt at their own multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA), Pokemon Unite, caught players by storm upon its release on July 21, 2021.

Prior to its release, hopes for the game were low by critics and fans alike. This game would feature only a small cast of choosable Pokémon, and early teasers failed to secure a release date for the game, as well as showcasing an underwhelming display of mobile-exclusive mechanics, completely leaving their switch players left to wonder.

Leading up to its release date this summer, many fans were doubtful Pokémon Unite would serve as a compelling edition to the MOBA genre. Several pointed at leaked pay-to-win features that could damper the game’s integrity, and some called it a disappointing edition to the Pokémon franchise as a whole. On release date, however, many fans — including myself — put their complaints aside to give the game a try. And we were not disappointed!

Pokémon Unite exceeded all expectations and amounted a total of 225,000 peak live viewers on Twitch, a giant in the online streaming space for gaming. The game would also net somewhere in the ballpark of 2.5 million hours watched on its release date, nearly netting itself into the top ten most watched games of all time on Twitch.

Not only was the gameplay fun, addictive, and an absolute thrill to play with friends, I would go as far as to say that it was one of the most successful releases Nintendo has ever had in its recent years of gaming. Pokémon Unite is full of quirky cosmetics to design your own characters, badges, and even the Pokémon themselves!

If you have yet to give this game a try, you’re absolutely missing out. The game is completely free to play and includes enough content to keep its fanbase busy and immersed. After playing for nearly three weeks now, I still find joy in scrolling aimlessly through the shop trying to find new clothes to match my character. Key word: Try!

Regardless, I hope to see you on the battlefield! Thank you.~