Opinions: Editorial Board — Net Neutrality under fire
Edge: Hohman — Justice League dissapoints
Sports: Weber State Wildcats put an end to Leathernecks.
Monday, November 27, 2017 - Vol. 118 Issue 38
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
By Emily Stieren assistant news editor
The State of Illinois’ first firearm deer season was Nov. 17 – 19. Although hunters have different motives for engaging in the outdoor sport, they all have one thing in mind, to shoot and kill a deer. Brandon Weidner, 21, of Waggoner, Ill., shot and killed a 10-point buck, his biggest deer yet, on the last day of the state’s first hunting season. “It felt great,” Weidner said. “It was the best feel-
ing ever because I hunted all weekend, and I didn’t get the chance to see many deer. All of a sudden, this 10-point buck comes jumping along, and I shot it. Now I am going to get the skull and the antlers mounted on the wall. It’s going to be a good decoration that’s going to be in me and my girlfriend’s house.” While most hunters participate for the elated feeling, some just enjoy the calm and quiet atmosphere of deer hunting. Alex Brockamp, 21, of Morrisonville, Ill., who has been hunting since he was 12 years old, favors the
outdoor environment. “I like getting out and sitting in the woods,” Brockamp said. “Now that I’m going to an in-town college, I don’t really get the chance to be outside and clear my mind, so it’s good to go out and just be by myself for a little while.” Brockamp said he does end up eating the venison (deer meat), as do many hunters. Weidner said he enjoys a variety of aspects of deer hunting, including eating the meat after it has been processed. “I like hunting deer because
it’s an outdoor activity that I get to use my knowledge of the outdoors and my skill with a gun to take a deer legally,” Weidner said. “The benefits are that I get a trophy deer rack that I can put up on a wall and remember that hunt, and that I get to use the meat to feed my family all year around.” However, some participants hunt for a different purpose. Kevin Waldeck, 44, of Waggoner Ill., chooses to partake in the activity to lower the deer population to prevent any further destruction they cause.
“Deer do an incredible amount of damage,” Kevin Waldeck said, “They do hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage in this county (Montgomery) alone in vehicle damage and property damage.” Deer are known to eat crops, ruin gardens and run into moving cars. Kevin Waldeck said he thinks the deer population could be lessened by expanding the time allotted for deer hunting in Illinois.
Hunting page 3
Dunkin Donuts project makes progress
ANGEL STRACK/PHOTO EDITOR
The over a million dollar Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins project makes progress as the infrastructure on the corner of West Jackson and Sherman Avenue is expected to open before the year's end.
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Monday, November 27, 2017
NEWS
WesternCourier.com
Fredrickson inspired by Hall Government
MATTHEW ARMOUR/COURIER STAFF
Joshua Frederickson found passion within the residence hall government, where he assumes leadership as the Thompson Hall president.
By Matthew Armour courier staff
Western Illinois University sophomore Joshua Fredrickson has dedicated his scholastic career to extracurricular activities, serving up to three oncampus organizations. “I’m currently on the board for the Feminist Action Alliance, hold a chair position in Unity and I’ve recently started the WIU ‘It’s On Us’ student organization and being active in residence Hall Government meetings,” Fredrickson said. Fredrickson’s heavy activity on campus increased his confidence as he decided to move onward and upward, receiving a nomination to run for president of Thompson Hall. “I was only present for two meetings before being nominated for the position of president,” Fredrickson said. “Having no experience in collegiate government, I initially declined the nomination. After my background in leadership, I decided to go for it and try something new.” According to Fredrickson, he worked endlessly to ensure Thompson has sus-
WC
tained high maintenance levels and to accurately represent residents. “My primary responsibilities as president are to run the weekly Thompson Hall Government meetings and attend Inter-Hall Council meetings as a representative for Thompson,” Fredrickson said. “I’m also looked at to assist with Thompson events, like homecoming events and safe trick-or-treating.” Fredrickson said his corresponding board is the primary reason he is able to sustain the magnitude of responsibilities that come with the demanding position of president. “I think the biggest difficultly I’ve encountered was taking on this position with no direct experience,” Fredrickson said. “On top of that, the rest of the board all have little to no prior experience and our advisor is new to campus.” Despite trials and tribulations, however, with Fredrickson’s leadership the Thompson Hall Government was able to solve any issue they may have encountered. “Going into presidency, I was very nervous, but we pulled together almost immediately and I really feel
STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Nicholas Ebelhack NA-Ebelhack@wiu.edu news editor Isaiah Herard IA-Herard@wiu.edu assistant news editor Emily Stieren EN-Stieren@wiu.edu opinions editor Shannon Norris SA-Norris@wiu.edu
Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall. Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press
like we’ve been rocking it. The best thing we’ve done has been to lean on each other when needed.” While having a great support team has certainly been helpful, Fredrickson said that his involvement on campus has made him accustomed to a productive lifestyle. “I am very involved around campus, so I’m used to living a busy lifestyle. As you can see by my involvement, I do quite a bit, and these organizations are where my focus is,” Fredrickson said. “Because of that, and the realization that I’m not as focused on classes and getting my degree, I have made the decision to leave Western after this semester. It’s been a really hard decision, because I really love Western and everything I’ve been able to accomplish here, but I’m here for the wrong reasons.” Although he faced tough decisions, Fredrickson said he made his impact here at Western, and was able to extend some words of wisdom to the next individual who takes on the position of residence hall president. “Just go all in and have fun with it,” Fredrickson said. “If you’re not enjoying yourself, you shouldn’t do it.”
sports editor Mat McClanahan MD-McClanahanw@wiu.edu assistant sports editor Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu edge editor Alyssa Hohman AM-Hohman@wiu.edu copy editor Joshua Defibaugh JG-Defibaugh@wiu.edu proofreader Valerie Clemens VN-Clemens@wiu.edu
proofreader Alexis Lowe AL-Lowe@wiu.edu proofreader Tacuma Venzant T-Venzant@wiu.edu photo editor Angel Strack AE-Strack@wiu.edu assistant photo editor Pedro Avila PJ-Avila@wiu.edu production manager Jessie Matias JM-Garcia@wiu.edu business manager Faith Rucker F-Rucker@wiu.edu advertising manager Patryk Mazur P-Mazur@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu
PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION
The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb. The WC is printed by The Galesburg Register-Mail in Galesburg, Ill.
COPYRIGHT 2017
No reproduction or reuse of material is permitted without written consent of the WC. All rights reserved. To request permission to reprint any material from this publication, please contact Nicholas Ebelhack or Will Buss at 309-298-1876.
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CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The WC needs your help to maintain accuracy. If you find a factual error, call the WC office at 309-298-1876 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please ask to speak to an editor to ensure the inaccurate information can be corrected as quickly as possible.
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Hunting from front page
"(Nov. 18) the weather was so bad that it wasn’t fit to hunt,” Kevin Waldeck said. “That is why I think that instead of giving people two permits and telling them to go hunt these two weekends out of the year, they should just allow one permit and let them hunt for two months until they get their deer.” Yet, Weidner disagrees and does not think that the firearm deer season should be extended for population purposes. “Hunting with a gun is quite a bit easier than hunting with a bow and arrow,” Weidner
Monday, November 27, 2017 said. “Normally when you gun hunt, you can typically get a deer. As I saw this year, the deer population, I would say, is probably down. It’s fun for everyone to hunt, but if everyone got a deer with their gun, there would be no deer left.” Doug Waldeck, 67, of Farmersville, Ill., has been hunting for approximately 30 years. He believes that deer hunting is a good sport for all ages. He said he thinks that everyone should have experience with handling guns. “I just think that more people should get involved with hunting, firearms and firearm safety,” Doug Waldeck said. “It’s just me being a
NEWS 3
good member of the NRA (National Rifle Association).” Weidner agrees that more individuals should have an open mind toward guns, especially if they are used in an appropriate manner, such as hunting. “My guns are my guns,” Weidner said. “They are not just guns, they’re my property, my collectibles, they cost a lot of money and I like them. I would have guns even if they didn’t work because they are something cool to look at, and they’re an investment as well. Without guns, I wouldn’t be able to go deer hunting or any kind of hunting really. I would have to get a bow and arrow.” Illinois’s second firearm deer season for this year is Nov. 30 through Dec. 3.
•On Nov. 7 at 12:14 p.m. a student came to Mowbray Hall to report the theft of a WIU identification card. The card was then used for $38.56 in fraudulent charges. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 7 at 2:01 p.m. a student reported she was sexually assaulted Sept. 17 in a residence hall by someone known to her. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 7 at 2:35 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in the Bayliss/Henninger dining area. The alarm was activated by a grease fire on a grill and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 8 at 1:02 a.m. non student Austin Gladd, 20, of Lacon, IL, was arrested in Tanner Hall for unlawful use of weapons and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 1:13 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Nov. 9 at 7:06 p.m. an employee reported criminal damage to government property on the fourth and fifth floors of Corbin Hall. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 10 at 1:36 p.m. Jada Beatty, 18, of 724 Tanner Hall, was arrested in Mowbray Hall for theft under $500 and disorderly conduct. She was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 1:47 p.m. where she was lodged pending bond. •On Nov. 10 at 8:34 p.m. non student Donshay Posey, 20, of Oak Park, was arrested in Q-Lot on a McDonough County warrant for failure to appear. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 8:51 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond. Non student Shauna Harris, 19, of Oak Park, was issued a notice to appear Dec. 12 for a Macomb city ordinance violation for possession of cannabis. •On Nov. 11 at 1:37 p.m. one student in Tanner Hall was judicially referred for behavior. •On Nov. 11 at 8:49 p.m. non student Makayla McGee, 20, of Galesburg, was arrested in the 300 block of West University Drive for driving while license suspended. She was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 9:01 p.m. where she was lodged pending bond. •On Nov. 12 at 10:39 p.m. a
University employee reported the theft of approximately $23 worth of food from the Tanner C-Store. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 12 at 10:43 p.m. one student in Tanner Hall was judicially referred for illegal possession of alcohol by a minor and one student was judicially referred for possession of cannabis. •On Nov. 13 at 11:30 a.m. a student came to Mowbray Hall to report the theft of her bicycle, no value given, from the Tanner Hall bicycle rack. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 13 at 7:52 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Olson Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 16 the Office of Public Safety and the Macomb Police Department arrested three individuals. At 6:16 a.m. Abel Abrego, 21, of 627 W. Adams St., was arrested for possession of stolen property. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 7:15 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. At 6:44 a.m. Jason Rodriguez, 19, and Andrew Galiano, 19, both of 904 Bayliss Hall, were arrested in Bayliss Hall for theft over $500, possession of cannabis, manufacture and delivery of cannabis, and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were transported to the McDonough County Jail at 7:23 a.m. were they were lodged pending bond. Additional information can be obtained from the Macomb Police Department. •On Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Tanner Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Knoblauch Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 16 at 6:42 p.m. Marquis Sims-McCoy, 22, of 712 Reeveston Dr., was arrested for theft of lost or mislaid property from Stipes Hall. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 6:47 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond.
Monday, November 27, 2017
4 OPINIONS
WesternCourier.com
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
The face of the internet may change forever. On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released its plan to dismantle internet regulations, known as net neutrality, and instead require that internet service providers (ISPs) be transparent about their practice. FCC Chairman and former Verizon Lawyer Ajit Pai instead wants to impose voluntary conditions that internet users cannot expect ISPs to comply with. These regulations serve to prevent ISPs from discriminating against the content consumers can view on the internet, and protect content creators and web companies from ISPs slowing access to their websites. Without these regulations, the internet as we know it is in jeopardy. Right now, with present internet regulations, you can browse whatever you want at the same speed. It doesn’t matter if it is a cat video, a social media post, an online shopping site, pornography, television streaming or an article from your college’s student newspaper. Data is data, and ISPs cannot slow down your access based on what that data is being used for. Think about how you pay for and use electricity. You pay for access to electricity, and then you can
use it for whatever you want. The electric company does not get to dim your lightbulbs or stop electricity from reaching your computer because they want to charge you more to use their service for different appliances. But that’s exactly what ISPs want the ability to do. Without net neutrality, companies such as Verizon and Comcast will be able to dictate what websites you will have access to and which websites you will be able to access faster. For example, say Comcast decides that they want to slow down their users’ access to Netflix because they want you to use their streaming service. Without net neutrality, Comcast can create internet “speed bumps,” slowing your access to its competitors. Comcast has previously said that “We do not and will not block, throttle or discriminate against lawful content.” But they already did. Comcast secretly slowed Netflix speeds in 2014, an action that prompted the FCC to enforce net neutrality by reclassifying broadband as a telecommunication service. But in 2017, net neutrality is under attack once again. ISPs want to put the content you view on the internet behind a paywall. Without it, your internet bill could
start to look more like your cable bill, itemizing access to individual websites in packages, rather than allowing you complete access to everything the internet offers like it does now. Imagine having to pay for access to social media, email, online shopping, video streaming and online gaming separately. ISPs want to have the ability to charge you more based on what you want to browse. Additionally, smaller internet organizations will have a difficult time competing in this new discriminatory marketplace. Without net neutrality, large internet companies such as Facebook and Google will have an unprecedented advantage over smaller internet startups, simply because they can afford to pay ISPs to allow faster access to their websites. But what is most despicable about the elimination of net neutrality is that it has the potential to rob communities of their ability to organize and promote social change. Without it, ISPs can silence communities by blocking access to certain sites, or by putting them behind paywalls. Movements which advocate for LGBTQA+ rights, expose racial and gender inequalities and promote social change could be silenced. Many movements such as Black Lives Matter and the rise of the Bernie Sanders campaign could not have existed without the free and open internet. We, the Western Courier Editorial Board and aspiring content creators, want net neutrality to stand and Pai to reexamine exactly who
he is supposed to be representing. The FCC is in place to protect people, not companies. The last thing that the internet needs is to be regulated by Comcast, a company that has been ranked in the top three in Consumerist’s “Worst Company in America” contest six out of the last seven years it ran. Stand up for the free and open internet with us by letting the FCC
outrage. Seemingly, having to pay for the services, i.e. the bandwidth that you use, is a terrible crime these days; somehow, it is fair that someone who checks their email three times a month pays the same as the person who streams Netflix and plays video games for hours at a time. This, of course, digresses from the main point: the threat of the throttling of content by ISPs. ISPs have no reason to care about content; they have every reason to care about bandwidth according to a previously established peering system amongst providers. Any notion that ISPs will throttle Netflix – when Netflix is 35 percent of what customer bandwidth is used for – and not face negative consequences for that throttling by customers immediately jumping ship
is entirely outlandish. Net neutrality, a term rooted in blatant propagandism in the first place, is nothing more than a solution searching for a nonexistent problem. Further, it completely destroys any incentives to drastically increase available bandwidth and advance internet technology, something that competition in the marketplace will actually provide. Those fundamentally unaware or unwilling to accept the very foundational ideas in economics – that competition provides better products at substantially lower prices – are likely those supporting the keeping of net “neutrality.” The fact that massive companies like Comcast, AT&T and Verizon happen to support the keeping of net neutrality seemingly matters not. That they would undoubtedly benefit by maintaining their positions as huge market players seems to be of little concern to supporters of net neutrality, even as those very same people rail so heavily against firms like Comcast, AT&T and
Verizon. Ironic. The argument then, is a rather straightforward one. Would you prefer that the government have control over your Internet? Even if the current rules may seem neutral, the possibility remains that the government could censor certain websites by disallowing ISPs to provide bandwidth to certain content. Say President Trump believes that CNN has gone too far, or a Democratic President thinks Breitbart should not be allowed to publish what it does. Do you want the potential for the government to able to regulate the Internet in that kind of fashion, with literally zero recourse? I’d much prefer to give that ability to ISPs, in that we, the customer, can immediately stop purchasing our Internet packages through firms that throttle bandwidth to certain services or websites. The recourse lies immediately with the consumer, instead of having to wait four years in the hopes of getting an administration that will open the Internet. Looking at the situation in this way
know that you are in support of net neutrality. Tweet Pai at his twitter handle @AjitPaiFCC, submit a complaint at www.gofccyourself. com by clicking “express”, and contact congress directly through www.battleforthenet.com. If net neutrality is repealed, the internet will likely never be the same again. Make your voice heard now, before it is too late.
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
Net neutrality is holidng progress back A lot has been said in the past
few weeks about the FCC’s decision to repeal Net Neutrality, a 2015 Obama-era policy which forced Internet service providers (ISPs) to treat all data equally, regardless of the bandwidth that it used, along with disallowing ISPs from charging consumers differently based on the Internet that they use, the content they produce or the methods of communication they employ. Of course, doomsayers came out of the woodwork immediately to decry the decision, using scare tactics and other means to claim that the ending of the Internet was near. The fact that ISPs did not throttle data before the 2015 policy was implemented, and would face huge pushback from customers if they did so now, apparently does not factor into the
makes the decision an easy one: end “net neutrality.”
November 27, 2017
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E2 EDGE
Monday, November 27, 2017
Thor from E1
“Thor: Ragnarok” takes place a couple years after the “Avengers: Age of Ultron” has taken place. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) have been dropped on separate planets by their long-lost, evil, elder sister Hela (Cate Blanchett). Thor has had his hammer destroyed and in order to get back to Asgard he must win a gladiator style battle against his former friend and ally,
Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). The film is full of action that doesn’t really evoke any reaction from the audience, but has a whole lot of important details for the Marvel Universe. I was excited to see this film, Thor is always a good time and the trailers had the fans believing that the movie would be hilarious, however, they showed most of the funny scenes of the film and the whole thing felt awkward. During the entire movie it felt like the writers were trying to make
every single line funny, and it fell flat. There were some saving graces though. In this film, we finally get to see some personality out of Thor. Instead of being a total straightedge, serious, polite, even uptight, god of Asgard, he cracked jokes and actually seemed like a person. Fans are also introduced to several new characters, including rock creature Korg (Taika Waititi) who provided innocence and was actually one of the funnier characters. It was an overall mediocre film.
Justice League from E1
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DC vs Marvel from E1
In the box office, neither film is making headlines. “Thor: Ragnarok” still blew “Justice League” out of the water during its opening weekend, even though the film landed in 28th place in the line up of biggest opening weekends for the box office, while “Justice League” is in 55th. “Justice League” was beat out by Disney’s most re-
WesternCourier.com
“Justice League,” the newest film to the, DC Comic universe has not lived up to expectations. It fell short in the box office and has not been well received by fans. This most recent movie is just another flop in the DC Universe. Other recent DC films that have had major hype prior to release that do not live up to their expectations include “Superman vs. Superman,” “Green Lantern,” “Suicide Squad” and many more. “Wonder Woman” is the exception to the DC rule and actually lived up to and even surpassed what
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people expected out of it. So when “Justice League” was released, I was not anticipating anything stellar. The film was just not that great. From the overly complicated plot to the unbalanced characters, the movie fell flat. Superman (Henry Cavill) was way too powerful in this movie, there doesn’t seem to be a point to all the superhero’s joining together, if one all powerful superhero could do all the work. Superman is given so much power that he is able to take out all of his colleagues single-handedly. The ending of the movie was also completely dominant on Superman, yet he was hardly in the film.
cent release “Coco” with its opening weekend and is doing better overseas than it is domestically. Superhero films are usually something people look forward to and even if they do not have a huge opening weekend, generally cleanup well in the box office for their total revenue, yet “Justice League” at the very least, looks like it will continue to fall in theaters. Maybe the “Teen Titans, Go!” film, to be released in July, will do better.
The rest of the acting wasn’t much better, with the only shining star being Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman. The Flash (Ezra Miller) was made to be much too nerdy and he wasn’t believable as a superhero. Additionally the character was super awkward when I think he was supposed to be funny. The worst thing about the movie was the unity boxes. This felt like a direct rip-off of Marvel’s infinity stones. The infinity stones in the Marvel Universe are these all powerful stones that when together are an unbeatable force, the unity boxes are basically the same thing, and it was not good.
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Want to write for EDGE? Contact am-hohman@wiu.edu
Edge 3
Monday, November 27, 2017
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After 14 years “Incredibles” sequel date released FLICKR.COM
The long awaited sequel to the universally loved Disney/Pixar’s film “The Incredibles” has finally arrived. The official teaser trailer for “Incredibles 2” came out earlier this month and has fans of all ages anticipating the release of the film in June of next year. The first look at the sequel has already mustered more than 113 million views, making it the most watched trailer debut ever for an animated film, and that’s only
the teaser trailer. The original film, which was released on Nov. 5, 2004 gathered quite the fan base. Luckily for the film, that fan base has stuck around even into their mid 20’s. The original film had some very memorable voices, like Samuel L. Jackson who voiced the part of Frozone and Craig T. Nelson who was the voice of Bob Parr. The new film will still feature these veteran voic-
es, but because of the 14 year gap in-between films some voices needed to be recast. What we do know for sure is that 1) there will be new heroes, all the main voice actors will be returning as well. 2) We will also discover that Jack-Jack has many more powers than we realize. 3) Everyone’s favorite fashion designer Edna Mode (vocied by Brian Bird) will be back! 4) The animation will be better than ever, as to be expected after a 14year break. 5) Elastigirl will see plenty of action, unlike in the first film where she stayed home and took care of the children. The character Dash (now
voiced by Huck Milner) had to be re-cast because the original actor, who was 10 at the time of the first Incredibles, is now 24. While the actor who voiced Dash may have grown up, the new film will be continuing right where we left off 14-years ago. According to the film’s official plot summary, “It’s a tough transition for everyone, made tougher by the fact that the family is still unaware of baby Jack-Jack’s emerging superpowers. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the family and Frozone must find a way to work together again; which is easier said than done, even when
they’re all Incredible.” “Incredibles 2” can be added to the list of sequels to be put out several years after the originals. Some other films include “Cars 3” which came out in 2017, “Finding Dory” which came out in 2016, and “Toy Story 4” which is to be released in 2019. All these films have an original fan base who have been around since they were kids, now most of them are adults and some with children. These newer sequels of “old classics” give an older generation the opportunity to relive their childhood memories. Since it has been so many years in the making, many fans can bring their own children along too.
E4 EDGE
While my Christmas hype started back on Nov. 1, now that we have finally trudged through Thanksgiving no one can complain about the timeliness of Christmas decorations, music and most of all, movies. Freeform will be presenting the annual “25 Days of Christmas” month-long marathon of Christmas movies this year, but not every Christmas movie is created equally. Thus, the idea of a true “Christmas Movies Top 20” was born. The rules for qualifying are simple: The movie must be shown at least once during the “25 Days of Christmas Marathon,” and it must contain at least one Christmas scene (for example, “Frozen” doesn’t count, even though it is in the lineup, and “Die Hard,” doesn’t count either, because even though it has a Christmas scene, it’s not in the lineup). 20. “Disney’s A Christmas Carol”: A relatively new film compared to some of the more classic movies on this list, but a sleeper pick for the top 20. Jim Carey as Ebenezer Scrooge brings one of the best renditions of Dickens’s famous Christmas story to big screen, and beats the original Disney retelling with Scrooge McDuck by a mile. 19. “The Nightmare before Christmas”: Would I rather watch this movie before Halloween? Absolutely. Will I still watch it two months after Halloween is over? Yes. Jack Skellington brings his own kind
Monday, November 27, 2017
of Christmas magic and Wonder that differentiates itself from the rest of the pack, breaking away from the traditional Christmas movie tropes. 18. “Unaccompanied Minors”: Most people wouldn’t expect much from this comedy, especially considering Lewis Black is the least “Christmas-y” actor many would probably think of, but this comedy still leaves me laughing. I strongly recommend watching it with a small child, since I guarantee this would be one of only a few movies you’d get to see them experience for the first time on this list. 17. “Fred Claus”: This movie did not turn a profit at the box office surprisingly, missingit’s budget by just over $2 million. Regardless, the movie is hilarious, but it ranks at the bottom of the “unconventional Santa Claus” movies. 16. “Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer”: I have a feeling that I’ll get a little bit of hate for this ranking, but honestly it has not aged very well. While it’s unforgettable and the best rendition of the Rudolph story, it cannot compete against other more popular Christmas films, not to mention that this movie’s Santa Claus is meaner than any other one on this list, all the other ones would have made sure Rudolph could play in the reindeer games. 15. “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause”:
Let’s just all agree that this movie saved the series after Santa Clause 2. Martin Short as Jack Frost and Tim Allen as Santa have a dynamic set of interactions in this film, and it features a lot of strong secondary characters as well. 14. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”: The cartoon version, obviously, not the creepy garbage liveaction version. It doesn’t matter if you are big or small, the Grinch is the most likeable Christmas villain of all. Plus, the whole thing rhymes, meaning that you can’t possibly have a better time. 13. “Merry Christmas Charlie Brown”: By far the best Charlie Brown movie of all time, and although it’s one of the oldest films on this list, unlike Rudolph, the movie has aged so well because of its display of relatable Christmas conflict and attractive art style. 12. “The Muppet Christmas Carol”: It’s the Muppets, the kings of family-fun comedy. Combining their comedic stylings with the traditional tale makes for a fantastic story that’s still grounded in the gang’s wacky antics. 11. “Frosty the Snowman”: The songs from this movie are the least forgettable compared to anything else on this list, and if you tell me you don’t shed a tear every time Frost starts to melt, you are lying. 10. “It’s A Wonderful Life”: The old-time fantasy still brings the Christmas spirit each year. For a 71 year old film, I don’t think that any other Christmas movie holds a candle to this film, especially considering it was nominated for 5 Oscar Awards. 9. “The Santa Clause”:
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The original and best rendition of the “unconventional Santa Claus” story, Tim Allen proves that he is one of the best family-comedy actors in this film. “The Santa Clause” is one of the funniest Christmas films of all time and still stands tall 20 years after its release. 8. “A Christmas Story”: Whether you’re sticking your tongue to a street pole or you’re begging for your official Red Ryder, carbine action two-hundred shot range model air rifle this movie will remind you of just how hectic the holidays can be, and is one of the closest thing to a true depiction of Christmas that you can get in a film. 7. “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas”: This movie has a very special place in my heart. I think I might be able to quote each of the three timeless stories word for word. Each of the three stories are touching displays of compassion and cheer, and while short in length, the movie packs more of Christmas magic into just over an hour than anything preceding it on this list. 6. “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York”: Ranking “Home Alone 2” so high may seem a bit odd, but the setting compared to the original allowed for more creativity in this classic Christmas flick. Professional critics may hate it but the series as a whole has been one of the most creative Christmas portrayals, not to mention that it reminds me of a time when Donald Trump was just a real estate mogul. 5. “The Year without a Santa Claus”: Out of all the stop-motion Christmas films, this one has the
most heart, and some of the best original music from a Christmas movie. The contrast between Heat Miser and Snow Miser might make for two of the most memorable songs, and the voice acting is solid throughout. 4. “National Lampoons Christmas Vacation”: Sometimes you don’t need discipline in your Christmas comedy, you just need mindless, continuous laughs that can only be given by the Griswold family. It has nothing meaningful to take from it, but considering how stressful the holidays can be, I suggest that everyone take the time to laugh at their constant misfortune. 3. “Home Alone”: The original “Home Alone” is one of the best Christmas films of all time. Based on a ridiculous but slightly probable story, watching Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) use his wits to defeat the intruders as he figures out how to have Christmas by himself is highly entertaining. 2. “Elf”: “Elf” is the best non-traditional Christmas movie. It’s goofy even by Will Ferrel’s standards, but right out of the gate the movie hits you with joke after joke, and it’s hard to find a Christmas film that balances comedy with a sense of heart just as well as “Elf” does. 1. “The Polar Express”: The best Christmas movie of all time is the captivating journey of a group of youngsters on their way to visit Santa. The movie is theatrical, whimsical and brings together enough Christmas magic to be appreciated by all young and old.
Monday, November 27, 2017
@WesternCourier
OPINIONS 5
President‘s social media puts our security at risk JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
When do you really become an adult? I feel it is safe to say that most of us here on campus are at least 18 years old (the freshmen class may still have a few who are 17), so we are, for the most part, all legally adults. While this is a fact, I will be the first to admit I don’t really consider myself an adult. Although I have definitely become more mature over my time in college, I am still just a kid. When it comes to older students who are teaching assistants, club presidents or have other big leadership roles, I refer to them as adults. Of course, when it comes to faculty, I also think of them as adults. But faculty are simple. Most are married, many have kids. They do adult things like be parents and teachers, pay their bills, have their own house and shop for their own groceries. However, it is harder when it comes to students. Some people do all the same things as faculty members. They have a job, their own house or apartment, pay their bills and buy their own groceries, yet may not consider themselves adults, or may not be considered adults by other
people. I personally live away from home and buy my own groceries, but I am far from an adult. So what is the difference? When do you really become an adult? While when you turn 18, you can do some pretty adult things, I don’t believe most 18-year-olds are really adults. Some are; Some move out and get jobs and live on their own. That’s adulting. But when it comes to university, things can be a bit different. I believe that true adulthood comes with independence. If you are in school and paying for your own tuition and housing, as well as paying your other bills, that is adulthood. The state I am in is not adulthood. Yes, I am away from home, and yes I pay the cost of most of my own things, but I have help. I am supported by my parents, who pay for my schooling. I am not an adult. Although being an adult is mostly about being independent, it is also a state of mind. Adulthood not only comes with independence, but also with maturity and knowledge. Being honest, even if I was independent, I wouldn’t know
the first thing about how to be a real adult. I don’t know how taxes work, how to buy a house or even how to balance a checkbook. Perhaps these are things that should be taught to us in school, but that is a separate issue. My point is that the knowledge has to be there to be successful on your own. I think most people go into adulthood without really knowing what they’re doing, but the knowledge comes gradually through experience (and probably some phone calls to your mom). Additionally, someone needs to be mature enough to know how to handle finances to keep themselves afloat. All in all, there is not really one set age where people become adults, although I do think what your next step after high school is seems to have a bit of influence. It seems that those who go into the workforce after high school become adults at a younger age than those who go to college. Of course, it depends on the person and the situation, but it is simply a trend I have noticed. For those of us in school, it seems that the best indicator of adulthood is independence. When Mom and Dad are no longer paying your bills and you are really on your own, it is pretty safe to say you are an adult. It seems that I have a few more years of being a kid ahead of me.
Social media plays a large role in today’s society, it contributes to news and the latest trends. Lately, the one thing that social media has been avidly showing off, is the tweets President Trump publishes. Recently, the most hilarious one would be that of Trump declaring to TIME magazine that he should be chosen as Person of the Year. In my opinion, this has be one of the funniest things I’ve read this evening. A man who spends most hours of the day tweeting aggressively about his haters and non-allies of dangerous leaders, wants to be dubbed Person of the Year. It’s ridiculous. With so much going on in the world, as our President, the most important thing to the man is a title from a magazine. Just days ago, there was another report of an ISIS related incident, and our President wants to fuss over something so trivial. It almost makes it laughable that even with such a title, Trump still continues to act as if he never won his presidency. As a leader of the country, there are so many responsibilities and roles. Fussing over a mere title shouldn’t even be considered as important or equivalent to everything our country needs. It’s understandable that one might feel that they deserve such a title, it’s another to actually partake in actions that would make others see them in that light as well. Sadly, Trump hasn’t done much to prove himself true to such a title. As a businessman who has grown to be extremely wealthy and successful, I expected money issues to decrease, not to log onto twitter to see all my friends making fun of the President’s tweets.
Twitter is a place to freely voice your opinion, but there’s a certain line that is crossed when you’re the president of the United States. And when what you’re voicing your opinion against in a pejorative fashion are enemies with missiles. Not only is it immature of a 71-year-old man, it’s extremely bold and dangerous. As the president of the United States especially, words become more powerful than artillery, and Trump has brought out his militia. Twitter is supposed to be a fun place, but so far, I seem to fear and cringe at the possibilities of what I could see on my timeline from Trump. I never thought there would come a day that what I would see on my CNN app would be the same news as my Twitter. At first, it was funny and a bit exciting from all the commotion it created. Then, after that died down, all it did was invoke fear. Not in America’s enemies, but in the people of the United States. Many are afraid of what might be literally set off due to our president’s actions. And all we can do is sit and wait until the next tweet is posted. Standing idle to what you know is a dangerous situation is a horrible feeling, especially when you’re under the impression that someone else is far more capable of handling the situation. But there seems to be nothing for Americans to do at this point. We have to wait four years to see if we’ll even survive our president’s actions. Until then, all there is to do is stay strong and keep our Twitter notifications on.
Monday, November 27, 2017
6 SPORTS
CFP from page 8
That will change come Monday, and if they win the Big Ten championship game against Ohio State University, the will represent the Big Ten in the CFP. Now, with everyone in the power five conferences, excluding Wisconsin, having a loss, who will make the playoff? The number one seed, after each conference’s championship games will end up being Oklahoma. The college football savior and future Heisman winner Baker Mayfield will take the Sooners
Men’s hoops from page 7
The second half of the matchup between the Leathernecks and Cyclones started out in a very similar manner as the first half. Western struggled to put points on the board, mainly due to the strong defensive presence coming from the Cyclones. The Cyclones had a mighty 11-point run before the Leathernecks put any points on the board, putting them at an even greater point deficit, making it difficult to
all the way up to the number one seed and represent the Big 12. The second seed will be the only unbeaten team; Wisconsin will dismantle Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship and prove to be worthy of a top four rank. The Hurricanes will take their turnover chain into the third spot of the CFP because of their strength of schedule. In the last spot of the CFP will be Auburn. Auburn will be the first two loss team in the CFP because they knocked off the top ranked team in Bama and beat the Sooners. Yes, I committed the cardinal sin and dethroned Alabama,
WC
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but they are not worthy of an appearance in the CFP. Bama’s best wins are Louisiana State University, who has three losses, and Mississippi State University, who has four losses. The Crimson Tide could not roll past one legitimate contender, and they will get rolled by any of the teams listed and a few others that did not make the playoffs either. Miami took a tough loss to Pitt, but they have the resume to back up their only loss on the year. According to ESPN, they had the toughest schedule in all of college football. If the Hurricanes beat Clemson, like I believe they will, they
will represent the ACC in the CFP and have a chance to win the whole thing. When it is all said and done, I do not think any of those teams will actually be able to beat my first ranked team. Mayfield and the Sooners are better than any team they will face. Even with their one loss, they will redeem themselves against the only team that beat them. Auburn and Oklahoma will meet in the National Championship game and Baker Mayfield will throw for over 400 yards once again and ultimately win by more than three touchdowns.
come back. Western continued to struggle with their shots during the second half, sliding farther and farther away from the threshold of winning as the clock wound down. The Leathernecks ended the night with a loss against the Iowa State Cyclones, final score 45-70. The Western’s basketball team will face off against Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis this Tuesday Nov. 28th in Western hall at 7pm. Twitter: @beccalangysxo
CLASSIFIEDS Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu
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Sports 7
Monday, November 27, 2017
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College Football Playoff shaken up
It is the most wonderful time of the year! Not only is it Christmas time, but the NBA is in full swing, the NFL bye-weeks are over and us football fans can smell the playoffs. But more importantly, the College Football Playoffs (CFP) final rankings are right around the corner, and in the most intense weekend of the year, rivalry week, the top teams in the poll were shaken up. On the eve of rivalry week, the top four teams were respectively: University of Alabama Crimson Tide, University of Miami Hurricanes, Clemson University Tigers and Oklahoma University Sooners. The top two teams, Alabama and Miami, were unbeaten, and the Rolling Tide seemed primed for a perfect streak of making the CFP all four years that it has been created; “The U” also was ready to take their turnover chain to make a run in the playoff for the first time in program history, but neither team was able to stay perfect. Alabama was the number one overall seed for all but one week this college football season. However, in the Iron bowl against the Auburn University Tigers,
Bama fell miserably. Auburn did not waste time and attacked Alabama with a touchdown, but the Rolling Tide scrambled into the end-zone to tie up the game. Auburn got back on top with a field goal, but Alabama jumped on the back of 6-foot-2 junior running back Bo Scarborough to take their first lead of the game 14-10. Alabama’s offense was stalled for the rest of the game and Auburn scored 16 unanswered points to knock off the top seed. The second seed was Miami, who seem to have the strongest case to remain in the top-four teams in college football. The Hurricanes were knocked off by the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, who really controlled “The U” the whole ball game. With the top two teams in the country taking their first loss, only one team remains unbeaten, the University of Wisconsin Badgers. The Badgers have been disrespected all year and were ranked fifth coming into rivalry week.
CFP Playoffs page 6
Oklahoma quarterback and Heisman favorite Baker Mayfield shows off the pearly whites.
Soonersports.com
Men’s basketball drops first game By Becca Langys courier staff
Dalan Ancrum pulls up from outside the arch in a home game.
pedro avila/assistant photo editor
AMES, IA- The Western Illinois men’s basketball team (4-1) took their first loss of the season this Saturday Nov. 25 to the Iowa State University Cyclones (4-2). The Leathernecks were looking to maintain their undefeated record, but came up 25 points short as the final buzzer went off, finishing the game 45-70. Western Illinois had their minds set on another win when the game began, both because they wanted to keep their perfect record and because Iowa State is a historically good team that has uncharacteristically started out their 2017-2018 season very slowly. The Cyclones began their season with two straight losses, which is not what you generally see coming from a team like Iowa State. The Leathernecks had hope that if they could keep up with the aggressive gameplay style that the Cyclones generally bring to the court, they had a good shot at adding yet another loss to the ISU record. Iowa State has historically been a very good team defensively, and the Leathernecks knew that in order to come out on top, they had to be on top of their game offensively. As the first half of this matchup began, both the Leathernecks and the Cyclones struggled to put points on the board. The Cyclones were the first ones to put up
points, making multiple shots and putting the Leathernecks at an 8-point deficit. Junior center Brandon Gilbeck was the first Western player to put points on the board, making a shot in the paint. The Leathernecks slowly clawed their way back into the ball game, tying up the score at 12-12 with 9:37 left in the half. After tying up the score, Western Illinois took a lead of 14-12, resulting in a successful shot from senior forward Dalan Ancrum. Quickly, however, the Leathernecks had that lead swiped away from them as the Cyclones went on a heavy 12-point run that put them well ahead of Western. During this rally, ISU sunk three three-point shots that made a huge impact on Western’s momentum. The Leathernecks were unable to regain the lead, and finished off the first half with a score of 25-29. The Leathernecks only made 10 out of 28 attempted shots during the first half of this matchup, and the Cyclones only made 11 out of 33. While both teams were missing the majority of their shots, the big difference was that the Cyclones were successful in sinking three-point shots while the Leathernecks struggled with theirs. Only 3 out of 13 threepoint shots were made by the Leathernecks during the first half, Ancrum making two out of those three.
Men’s Basketball
page 6
Monday, August 21, 2017
Necks fall in first round
ANGEL STRACK / PHOTO EDITOR
Jaelon Acklin smiles after a record setting year in purple and gold.
By Devon Greene
assisstant sports editor The Western Illinois University Leatherneck football team lost in the first round of the playoffs after a hard-fought game with the Weber State University Wildcats. The Purple and Gold started the game off with the ball and saw a penalty flag fly on their first snap. A delay of the game left the Leathernecks in a hole from the very start, but after short gains on first and second down, senior receiver Jaelon Acklin preformed a spectacular one-handed catch for a 39yard gain that put Western at the Wildcats 38-yard line. Another false start penalty put the Leathernecks out of field goal range, and they were forced to punt. Western Illinois’ defense held strong on their first possession on the field forcing a threeand-out. But Weber State’s senior punter Jacob DeMaio sent a booming punt that pinned Western within their own 20yard line. Junior quarterback Sean McGuire led his offense to their
first scoring drive of the day with two consecutives first downs on passes to Acklin and junior tight end Adam Conrady. Junior running back Steve McShane also started to get going on the drive with two solid runs for first downs. The offense stalled at the Weber State 27yard line and sophomore kicker Nathan Erickson nailed his longest field goal of the season at 44 yards. The Wildcats finally found their first touchdown on their third drive of the day. Senior quarterback Stefan Cantwell started to show off his athleticism, scrambling 3 times for a total of 24 yards. It was a trick play that broke the ice for Weber State. Cantwell threw a dart to receiver Drew Batchelor off a flea flicker that gave the Wildcats a 7-3 advantage. Western’s next drive ended in misfortune after McGuire attempted to throw the ball away. He was unable to get the ball far enough outside, and senior cornerback Xequille Harry snagged the errant ball. The Purple and Gold defense caught a lucky break after a failed fake punt pass was dropped and We-
ber State turned over on downs. Western’s offense continued to struggle, only gaining 4 yards off the turnover, and Sam Crosa came onto the field to score the 45-yard field goal. Weber State found a huge play on their next drive from their senior tight end Andrew Vollert. Cantwell found the streaking Vollert in the middle of the field and hit the 6-foot-5 tight end in stride for a one-handed catch that resulted in a 50-yard gain. Cantwell went on to pass to Batchelor on the next play for a 3-yard touchdown. Western went into halftime down 14-6, but Head coach Charlie Fisher never lost confidence in his team, considering how many times they’ve been down at half and come back this season. “We’ve been such a good second half team and we’ve come back against so many good teams in Illinois State and Northern Iowa.” Fisher said. “You know, I trust our football team and I told them at halftime, ‘I’m not sure what’s wrong with us, but we’re not playing well right now but we have a half of football left and
we have to stay poised and play better.’” The Leathernecks found the first touchdown from either team at the end of the third quarter. McGuire found redshirt freshman running back Clint Ratkovich on a 7-yard touchdown that put Western down 14-12 after a failed twopoint conversion. The Wildcats answered immediately with a touchdown drive that was fueled by two huge penalties on a roughing the passer and unsportsmanlike conduct that gave Weber State 30 yards and placed them at the Leathernecks 21-yard line. Cantwell found Vollert with a perfect pass for the 21-yard touchdown that stretched the lead to 21-12. The Weber State coaching staff confused every fan in the stadium by faking a punt on their own 38-yard line. The attempt failed, but they caught a lucky break after McGuire stumbled on a scramble and fumbled the ball. Senior linebacker Brett Taylor and the defense held strong and forced a three-and-out and gave McGuire and the offense some
time to strike. Acklin came up big once again with a huge catch on 4th and 3 that kept the drive alive. Junior tight end Tyler Slamans caught an 18-yard touchdown pass that shrunk the lead to 21-19 with 4:55 left. The Weber State run game proved to be too much in the end for the Leatherneck defense, as they were able to run the clock out and secure the first-round victory. The Leathernecks scored well below their season average of 34 points per game and Acklin knew that was their downfall. “We really hurt ourselves a lot at the beginning of the game with a lot of mistakes,” Acklin said. “But that’s football, we’re going to make mistakes but we have to bounce back. I feel like we bounced back sometimes, but other times we didn’t. We ended up with 19 points, that’s unacceptable, we have to score more and we’re more talented on offense than that but we just came up short.” The Leathernecks are saying goodbye to 22 seniors including Acklin and Taylor after the first-round loss. Twitter: @devondeadlysins