The Alestle Vol. 77, No. 22

Nursing alumna overcomes challenges and sets sail

by Michal Kate Castleman / online editor

Jenny Decker graduated from SIUE’s nursing program in 2006. Now, she is setting out to be the first person with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease to solo sail around the world.

Decker said Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, or CMT, is a degenerative disease that affects the peripheral nerves of the body.

“My brain is sending signals to my body and it’s not really getting a response,” Decker said.

Decker said she had difficulties walking as a child and was often carried. At one point, she said she was misdiagnosed with cerebral palsy.

“Shriners hospital decided to do a pro bono surgery on my legs [despite] not having a diagnosis,” Decker said. “Shriners hospital is probably the only reason

why I’m an independent walking human today.”

Decker has been an intensive care unit nurse for eighteen years and said there are many medical professionals who have never heard of CMT. She said CMT does not have a cure, but it has become one of her life goals to create awareness around the disease.

Decker said she is collaborating with the CMT Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that is focused on delivering treatments and cures for individuals who have CMT.

“How are we supposed to raise funds toward research for a cure for a disease that no one’s heard of? In this day and age, you have to do crazy things to get an audience’s attention,” Decker said. “It’s not about the attention for the trip, it’s more for someone behind me. It is also … a solo endeavor for myself to complete.”

Decker named her trip “Just a Lap,” which she named after a playlist she listens to while sailing. Decker said she considers “Just a Lap” to be a mindset for herself during her journey.

“‘Just a Lap’ is my Guinness World Records attempt to be the first per-

son to solo sail around the world with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease,” Decker said. “‘Just a Lap’ is 30,000 miles over three years. Each sail, I’m traveling five to six miles per hour for 30,000 miles.”

Decker said she has been working on achieving this goal since 2017. She said her goals were to be debt-free, to buy a boat and to save enough money for the trip’s expenses along the way.

“I worked traveling nursing assignments. I even went to Alaska and commercial fished for two seasons to make sure I even liked being on a boat, on the sea, exhausted and tired,” Decker said.

Decker said she eventually bought her boat in Florida and arrived in the Bahamas on March 12, 2020. She said two days later, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world and created a roadblock for Decker’s trip.

“I was stuck on my boat in another country with no way to move forward,” Decker said. “I waited two and a half months with the country telling me to be prepared to stay indefinitely with no assistance.”

see SAIL on page 3

Men’s basketball knocked out in quarterfinals of OVC tournament

AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor

For the fourth consecutive year, SIUE men’s basketball clinched a spot in the Ohio Valley Conference championships held at Ford Center, Indiana, last week.

The sixth-seeded Cougars took on the seventh-seeded Eastern Illinois University Panthers in the first round on Thursday.

The Cougars began with a strong first half, in which redshirt junior guard Ray’Sean Taylor led SIUE with a 2-point shot within the first minute of the game. However, the Panthers caught up by the 4-minute mark, tying the teams at 2-2.

After two free throws from EIU and a dunk from fifth-year guard Shamar

Wright, the teams were tied yet again at 4-4.

Swiftly, Shamar Wright overtook the final tie of the game with a free throw, giving the Cougars an extra push to lead for the rest of the first half.

Taylor locked in the lead by scoring a 3-pointer in the last second of the half, which resulted in a 39-22 score at halftime.

Despite a slower second half in which EIU ultimately scored more points than the Cougars did, the Cougars concluded the game with a 68-57 overall victory.

Notably, Taylor scored a total of 25 points, making him the highest scorer of the game. Junior guard Damarco Minor also set a career-high record of 14 rebounds.

The Cougars were set to take on third-seeded Morehead State University in the quarterfinals the next day.

The first points of the game came in the first 30 seconds from the Eagles. The Cougars missed their first four shots, but a good layup from junior forward Terrance Thompson was able to set the Cougars back on track.

Unfortunately, the Cougars could not catch up to the Eagles, and by halftime, the score was 21-34.

The Cougars did not let this discourage them, as the second half was much closer than the first.

This time, the first few points of the half came from Shamar Wright. However, nearly 20 seconds later, EIU scored a three-pointer.

The rest of the match became neck and neck. As one team would score, the other would quickly follow up with a score of their own. Despite a tough fight from the Cougars, they ultimately fell to the Eagles, 63-78.

Taylor led the Cougars again with 19 points — one point away from being the highest scorer for the second consecutive game.

Shamar Wright scored 12 points, making him the third-highest scorer in SIUE history with a total of 1,549 points. With a total of 154, he is also the all-time leader in games played.

Morehead State University went on to secure the 2024 Men’s Basketball OVC Championship title.

photo courtesy of Lia-Lucine Cary

Trump seeks delay in hush money trial

MOLLY CRANE-NEWMAN

New York Daily News (TNS)

Donald Trump on Monday sought to delay his upcoming trial in the 2016 Stormy Daniels hush money case, arguing that it shouldn’t go forward until the Supreme Court rules on his presidential immunity claim.

In Manhattan Supreme Court filings, Trump’s lawyers said evidence prosecutors intend to present at the criminal trial — set to be Trump’s first of four and potentially the only one he attends before the election — is related to his outstanding immunity claim before the nation’s high court.

“Although [prosecutors] did not describe the evidence they intend to offer in detail, it appears that the evidence includes public statements by President Trump and posts to his official Twitter account, as well as testimony from unspecified witnesses,” Trump lawyers Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche wrote.

They added that that evidence “implicates presidential immunity because President Trump was President of the United States at the time of those actions in 2018.”

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on April 25 before deciding whether Trump’s actions as president were immune from criminal charges brought by special counsel Jack Smith in his federal election subversion case.

It’s unclear how long the justices will wait to rule after hearing arguments, but it could be months.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office did not immediately comment.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felonies in the case that alleges he covered up reimbursement to his ex-lawyer Michael Cohen for a hush money payoff to Daniels in 2017 to disguise a “catch and kill” scheme illegally orchestrated to secure his presidential victory the year before.

KNOW YOUR vote:

Get to know your elected student officials

by Dylan Hembrough

Nina Harris

Senator for Military, Veteran Affairs

Members of the military at SIUE can look to Nina Harris, who is pursuing her master’s degree in higher education, for answers to their questions.

“Military on campus needed a voice,” Harris said. “[I wanted] to see what Student Government has to offer to veterans and general students. I thought it was a good opportunity.”

Harris said one of her initiatives this year is establishing a fall affinity graduation event for military students.

“We have a military graduation, but it’s mostly provided in the spring, and not fall,” Harris said. “I want the fall students to feel that they also can have a graduation, since they do all the other affinity celebrations each semester.”

Harris said many military students experience issues with deployment policy and scheduling their schoolwork.

“There are some professors who don’t recognize that we can leave at the drop of a dime,” Harris said. “I’ve literally been pulled from school. Please honor us in our own way.”

Harris said her hobbies include building with Legos and playing board games.

Ray Ehrenhaft

Senator for the School of Nursing

Nursing-related questions and issues can be directed to junior nursing major Ray Ehrenhaft.

“I wanted to make an impact on the overall wellness of SIUE. I feel like that’s the overall job of a nurse,” Ehrenhaft said. “I wanted to increase the retention rate of the student nurses because there’s a high dropout rate.”

Ehrenhaft said he follows a holistic approach to ensuring the well-being of nursing students. Currently, he is channeling that into a new organization that will meet at the Fuller Dome.

“What I’m currently working on is creating a new organization on campus with a group of … other passionate individuals,” Ehrenhaft said. “It’s called the Fuller Center Seekers, or FCS. We haven’t officially created it yet, but we’re getting all the pieces together.”

Ehrenhaft said he sees his work as a stepping stone in bringing the community together.

“I just see my role as helping move the ball forward and doing my part,” Ehrenhaft said.

Ehrenhaft said his hobbies include painting, writing and paddleboarding.

Biden warns Israel against military action in Rafah

MARISSA NEWMAN GWEN ACKERMAN FARES AKRAM Bloomberg News (TNS)

U.S. President Joe Biden warned Israel against an invasion of the city of Rafah in southern Gaza as talks about a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas remained deadlocked at the beginning of Ramadan.

The U.S. had been hoping for a breakthrough in the negotiations before Islam’s holy month, which began after sundown on Sunday. The deal, as envisioned, would see a six-week pause in fighting and the release of dozens of Israeli hostages in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Negotiations remained at an impasse, however, with Israel accusing Hamas of stalling in a bid to inflame violence across the region during Ramadan, and Hamas saying more Israeli hostages had died in captivity than earlier believed.

Israel has threatened to invade Rafah, the last bastion of Hamas in Gaza and where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering, if the negotiations fail.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has said Israel won’t stop its campaign until the Iran-backed militant group is destroyed, with its main leaders killed, captured or exiled.

In an interview with MSNBC on Saturday, Biden expressed hope that a cease-fire agreement may still be reached and warned that an Israeli invasion of Rafah would represent a “red line.”

Biden’s comments came as

U.S. Central Command began sending supplies to Gaza to build a temporary dock to deliver large quantities of humanitarian aid by sea. Ships will carry food, water, medicine and other supplies to the coastal enclave.

The U.S. has been pushing for increased aid for Palestinians in Gaza, where a hunger crisis has developed during the five-month war, and sought to rein in Israel’s military activity.

Biden, in a statement released on Sunday to mark the beginning of Ramadan, said the U.S. will continue to lead international efforts to get more humanitarian assistance into Gaza by land, air and sea.

“We’ll continue to work with Israel to expand deliveries by land, insisting that it facilitate more routes and open more crossings to get more aid to more people,” he said.

The war has been raging since Hamas operatives killed 1,200 people and abducted 250 during their Oct. 7 massacre in southern Israel.

More than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October, according to the enclave’s health ministry.

The most recent temporary truce was reached in November, during which dozens of Israeli hostages were released from Gaza in exchange for prisoners held in Israeli jails.

“We cannot have another 30,000 Palestinians dead,” Biden said on MSNBC, adding that Netanyahu “must pay more attention to the innocent lives being lost as a consequence of the actions taken.”

“He is hurting Israel more

than helping Israel,” Biden said in some of the criticism he’s leveled against the Israeli leader.

Netanyahu, in an interview with Politico, asserted his policies are supported by most Israelis.

“I don’t know exactly what the president meant, but if he meant by that that I’m pursuing private policies against the majority, the wish of the majority of Israelis, and that this is hurting the interests of Israel, then he’s wrong on both counts,” Netanyahu said, according to a transcript distributed by the Government Press Office.

Biden said he would never cut off weapon supplies to Israel and affirmed Israel’s right to fight Hamas.

Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, which is handling the negotiations, said talks were ongoing to “narrow the gaps” between Israel and Hamas.

“At this stage, Hamas is

03.02.24

An officer responded to a report of a soda machine possibly being tampered with in the Student Success Center.

03.10.24

An officer responded to a report of feminine hygiene products being destroyed in a MUC men’s bathroom. This is the first incident of March and the seventh this year.

03.12.24

An officer responded to a report of children kicking vehicles in the Woodland Hall parking lot. The officer said the children were gone when they arrived on the scene.

holding to its position as if it was uninterested in a deal and is striving to ignite the region during Ramadan at the expense of the Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip,” Mossad said in a statement.

Hamas is believed to be holding about 130 Israeli hostages taken in the Oct. 7 raids. A Hamas official, in an interview with Bloomberg, claimed dozens have been killed by Israeli fire.

“At least 60 of the occupation’s prisoners have been killed at the hands of the occupation army during the continuous bombardment all over the Gaza Strip,” Husam Badran said. The claim couldn’t be independently verified.

Netanyahu’s office said a special delegation of hostages’ families would leave Sunday for New York for a special U.N. Security Council discussion focused on the Oct. 7 attacks.

ISRAEL

Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel will continue its military campaign in Rafah, despite recent urging from President Joe Biden and other world leaders not to do so.

HAITI

Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry has said he will resign when he is able to do so. Henry stepping down comes after months of violence and calls for his resignation.

UKRAINE

The U.S. is sending $300 billion in military aid to Ukraine. The money is coming from savings from Pentagon contracts, and it is going to mainly provide funding for ammunition.

NEW ZEALAND

A Boeing 787 flying from Australia to New Zealand suddenly started diving mid-air, leaving 50 people injured after they hit their heads on the roof of the plane.

ROMANIA

Andrew Tate, the online creator notorious for bringing about the “manosphere” trend, was detained due to allegations of sexual aggression. After his trial, Tate will be extradited to Britain.

Information courtesy of Reuters / AP

President Joe Biden speaks while campaigning in Pullman Yards on March 9, 2024 in Atlanta. | Megan Varner / Getty Images

SIUE alumna sails the sea to bring awareness about degenerative disease, set a world record

SAIL | COVER

Decker said she decided to pull up the anchor and return to the United States, hoping the country would allow her in. Fortunately, Decker said she was able to return to her home country and took nursing assignments until the end of the lockdown.

“In 2021, I set sail from the Florida coast and I took off, checked into the Bahamas and set sail again,” Decker said. “I was literally sailing in the middle of nowhere, and I heard the loudest crack I have ever heard in my life, and then darkness.”

Decker said a small chain plate on the front of her boat had crevice corrosion that was unseeable to the eye. While she was sailing, the chain plate cracked off the deck and the sails fell on Decker in the cockpit of her boat.

Decker said she had to make the decision to cut everything on her boat loose to save herself and her boat.

“I had put 5 years of my heart and soul and money into a boat that I left [during] COVID and then I left again and lost everything,” Decker said. “I watched my hopes and dreams float to the bottom of the ocean.”

After returning to the United States once more, Decker said her friend Dustin Reynolds, who was the first double-am-

putee to solo sail around the world, offered to sell her his boat.

Decker purchased the boat from Reynolds and set out to repair and perform maintenance for the new vessel, including buying a new engine. Decker said she was scammed into buying an engine that could not withstand her journey.

“I woke up angry. I was not going to let this guy steal what I have worked so long for,” Decker said. “It was 2023. I have been working for this since 2017. The only person that’s going to decide if I do this trip or not is going to be me.”

Decker said she began messaging companies on LinkedIn and received responses from YANMAR, which donated her a new engine. Decker said K&C Marine installed her new engine for her. She said their help saved “Just a Lap.”

“I watched this entire community think my journey is worth it, giving all of their time, effort and money to help me get on my way,” Decker said. “I was able to leave June 28, 2023.”

Decker said she will depart from Fiji in April and sail towards Vanuatu. She will sail to Indonesia through the Torre Straits to begin crossing the Indian Ocean.

Decker’s trip can be followed on her “Just a Lap” social media accounts. Decker also has a GoFundMe under the same name.

Shooting for the stars: Poet Laureate Ada Limón reads poem written for NASA, among others

GRACE GENTEMANN reporter

Renowned poet Ada Limón, the first Latina United States poet laureate and author of six poetry books, visited the SIUE campus for the first time for a po etry reading in celebration of Women’s History Month.

As the poet laureate, the main goal is to advocate for poetry. There are three main roles the laureate is expected to carry out: give a speech or presentation at the start of their term to be in augurated, select the two Witter Bynner Fellows at the Li brary of Congress and close their term with another speech or presen tation. Laureates are encouraged to travel and expand beyond their role, but have a lot of their own freedom within the role.

As a bilingual person, Limón said that many aspects of writing and language have become somewhat of a barrier in her writing.

“[To] write in English would be colonizing yourself, but to write in Spanish would also be doing that. There is a level in which all languages are limited,” Limón said. In her role, Limón has been given many different opportunities to share her poetry.

Up” and “The Conditional,” which she described as “an apocalyptic love poem.”

ed her in many ways to femininity.

| Pedro Henrique G-M / The Alestle

Limón worked in conjunction with SIUE, the Edwardsville Public Library and Edwardsville High School to host this event, which was held at 7 p.m. in the Morris University Center and had a large crowd.

This year, working with NASA, Limón is having one of her works, titled “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa,” engraved in her own handwriting on a spacecraft and sent to Jupiter’s moon Europa.

“It is the hardest prompt I have ever written,” Limón said. “How do you speak for yourself, but also [for] the world.”

During the event, Limón read excerpts from some of her books, including her poems “Instructions On Not Giving

“It’s a poem that I wrote for spring. I’m not a winter person, and I’ve always told my husband that his job is to get me through winter and my job is to get him through summer. We meet somewhere in the spring in the fall,” Limón said. “I realized that I love the spring with all the color that comes.”

“

“I really enjoyed her pieces today. It was all very authentic. I like how she was real about her work but also incorporated nature,”

I was not super familiar with her work, but I found it making me look at the bigger picture and of humanity and what we are trying to do with the world around us.”

Limón also answered questions in a formal Q&A. When asked what other poets she draws inspiration from, she said some of her inspirations include Juana Inés de la Cruz, a Mexican-born Spanish poet, and Gabriela Mistral, a Chilean poet.

Joe Kohlburn Assistant Professor Lovejoy Library

Many faculty and students who attended the event found her work to be insightful and impactful.

Candace Wiley, who is working on her master’s degree in computer science, said she enjoyed many aspects of Limón’s poetry and how her expressive nature connect-

Wiley said.

Assistant Professor at Lovejoy Library

Joe Kohlburn said Limón’s work was incredibly moving and was enthralled by the way she could make this idea of the human project be summarized into a few words.

“I was not super familiar with her work, but I found it making me look at the bigger picture and of humanity and what we are trying to do with the world around us,” Kohlburn said

SIUE is planning more events this month that will continue to highlight the great accomplishments of women of all walks of life throughout history.

Edwardsville High School teacher Kirk Schlueter (LEFT), Ada Limón (MIDDLE) and SIUE English instructor Lauren Gerber (RIGHT) during the Q & A portion of the event. Limón answered questions about her life, career and inspirations.

| Pedro Henrique G-M / The Alestle

‘DUNE: Part Two,’ do you need to read the book?

‘Dune: Part

MAXIMILIAN LENHART photographer

Two’ is not the messiah you believe it to be

Hasn’t read the book

Editor’s Note: This review contains spoilfor “Dune: Part Two.”

Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” political warning that ironically proves point about the dangers of unchallenged propaganda thanks to its overly enthusiastic audience.

Already hailed as a perfect movie and time’s “The Empire Strikes Back” by talk show hosts and Internet cinephiles, the flm seamlessly resumes Villeneuve’s adaptation Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel.

As viewers were left with a massive cliffhanger in 2021, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) continues his quest to learn the ways of the desert and avenge his father’s death.

From the very frst second, Director of Photography Greg Fraser demonstrates he won an Oscar for the frst installment expands on its greatest strength: beautifully crafted cinematography.

Endless desert landscapes are painted perfectly color-graded shadows and highlights for the majority of 2 hours and 46 minutes and fail to ever seem repetitive or bland alongside Hans Zimmer’s breathtaking soundtrack.

During a sequence revolving around Harkonnen antagonist Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler), Fraser captivates his audience with an arena fght entirely flmed on black and white infrared cameras — and he succeeds. His bold choice emphasizes the contrast between worlds and transforms the Harkonnen home planet Giedi Prime into a soulless environment that matches Butler’s artistically conveyed brutality.

As the plot thickens and the Fre perceive Paul as the Lisan al-Gaib,

the voice from the outer world who will lead them to paradise, author Frank Herbert’s intended message of the “Dune” saga becomes evident.

The long-planned propaganda plot of Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) maliciously portrays her son as the messiah and results in the overthrow of the emperor, igniting a holy war that will take billions of lives.

All Fremen except for Paul’s love interest Chani (Zendaya) were too quick to follow a false prophet, which highlights the dangers of charismatic leaders offering the promised land to desperate people.

Unfortunately, Timothée Chalamet’s career-defning performance is partly overshadowed by a script that fails to comprehensively visualize his rise to a religious leader.

While Paul is primarily concerned with his fear of power and its unintended consequences throughout “Dune” and the frst half of “Dune: Part Two,” he abruptly turns into an overconfdent and aggressive savior fgure within the span of a few minutes. Simply referring to Paul’s consumption of a mind-opening potion, the flm struggles to suffciently communicate the resolution of his suddenly eradicated inner turmoil.

In the fnal moments of Villeneuve’s latest sci-f milestone, Paul’s anti-heroic nature is expressed as a grieving Chani departs from the Fremen. Nevertheless, he emerges as the ultimate plot winner and fails to truly horrify the viewer with his frightening transformation.

The overwhelmingly present faw leading to this seems to be the general lack of provided back ground knowledge which se verely affects how intensely the characters and their relationships

are perceived. While readers of the novel might be more comfortable with brief introductions, the remaining part of the audience suffers.

Feyd-Rautha’s depth does not surpass dunderheaded aggression and misses out on the opportunity to convincingly intimidate on a psychological level; his role only suffces thanks to Butler’s personal input, particularly the spontaneous expression of blood thirst in the form of licking his knife.

The overall shortcoming of script-based emotion is especially felt between Paul and Chani. While romantic dialogue between them is present, the combination of two long-winded movies has not provided enough time for on-screen development that would justify feeling for them as a couple and resenting Paul after he asks Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) to marry him.

Seemingly disregarding a defcient script, the overwhelmingly positive reception of “Dune: Part Two” appears to partially result from visual greatness, but it simultaneously captures the current state of Hollywood.

As production costs have signifcantly increased in a post-pandemic world and many consumers have shifted to streaming services, the fnancial risk of experimentation is unsolicited in a declining industry. Past suc-

converted into proftable TV spin-offs that tear viewers away from the big screen.

Since David Lynch’s original “Dune” movie from 1984 was widely considered a failure, Denis Villeuneuve’s adaptation was practically expected to innovate and fnd new ways of telling an established story. Even though the promising frst movie slowly dragged half a book’s plot over the span of 2 hours and 35 minutes, artistry-deprived viewers have been longing for the arrival of a new sci-f savior ever since.

Rather than carefully dissecting the much-anticipated sequel and giving it time to age, however, the starving flm community ignores the intended takeaway and instantly sees Hollywood’s messiah in a movie that criticizes blind fanaticism.

A questionably shaped popcorn bucket and the mere thought of a celebrated director uniting an Oscar-winning cinematographer, an accomplished cast and Hans Zimmer’s otherworldly compositions created enough hype to demonstrate how strongly people still believe in passionately crafted cinema during the age of streaming. And to some extent, they were rewarded for their excitement.

Regardless of all faws and the severe lack of his audience’s rationality, Denis Villeneuve has undeniably created an immersive and adrenaline-loaded experience that

Fear is the mind-killer: ‘Dune’ appeals to raw emotion on a universal scale

DYLAN HEMBROUGH editor-in-chief

for “Dune: Part Two.”

that taps into the most fundamental of human emotions: fear.

years in the future, when humanity has spread across the universe, and Earth is nothing more than a legend of the past. The setting can seem confusing and the confict unrelatable, but the characters’ reactions their situations reinforce the essence of what it means to be consumed by fear.

Fear is a very present force in the “Dune” universe, as indicated by Lady Jes(Rebecca Ferguson), who often repeats mantra “fear is the mind-killer” in an attempt to calm herself in stressful situations.

“Dune: Part Two” follows the ascent of Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) to the of messiah over the Fremen, a deeply religious group of people who have adaptto life in the desert. However, Paul is incredibly reluctant to accept this fate, actively resisting it through much of the mov-

ie. This creates tension between Paul and the Fremen and sets Paul up as a “reluctant savior.”

Paul’s fear to step up to this role stems from his premonitions. He sees visions of a very bloody future many times throughout the movie: billions of corpses killed in his name in a holy war. He recognizes this as his fate, but is held back by fear. This is also fairly similar to the book, but differs in that his reluctance is far more visible in the movie. For example, he directly tells several Fremen that he is not their messiah, whereas in the book, he tends to keep his thoughts to himself.

Although fear briefy delays Paul from fulflling his destiny, it gives him a modicum of free will. Paul is more or less thrown around by the hands of fate and seems to be unable to control his own future. His fear allows him to control his future – or at least convince himself that he can – until he eventually gives in to his destiny.

Paul’s sense of free will turns out to be illusory, however, after a discovery that he uses as an excuse to “act like the Harkonnens.” Paul accepts his role as messiah and dons a new, more villainous persona. He seems to be less concerned about the mass killing his actions would unleash. In a way, Paul had it in him the entire time

to act like the Harkonnens, but refused to act on it until he could justify it. This is quite a bit different from the book, which depicts Paul’s acceptance of his role as a much more gradual process. The movie justifes it well with this plot point, but it can still feel somewhat jarring to viewers.

Paul’s foil in the movie is the character who embodies fear more than anyone else: Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen (Austin Butler), the nephew of Baron Harkonnen. Feyd-Rautha is depicted as a violent, sadistic monster. The flm’s introduction to the character takes place on the industrial wasteland Giedi Prime, the homeworld of House Harkonnen, as Feyd-Rautha murders three members of House Atreides in a colosseum-like setup. All the scenes on Giedi Prime were shot in infrared, giving the setting a washed-out look that accentuates the horror that is Feyd-Rautha.

This is a bit different from the book, which treats Feyd-Rautha as a bit more of an afterthought. He is still a major player in the plot, but the primary antagonist is Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, not Feyd-Rautha. I’m not usually a fan of major deviations from the original book, but I think this worked fairly well. While Feyd-Rautha’s insatiable bloodlust is a tad over-the-top, he makes a

better villain on screen than the practically immobile baron.

Feyd-Rautha’s on-screen villainy also plays into the sense of fear that other characters (and the audience) are meant to feel from him. In the book, Baron Harkonnen is a more remote, existential fear that rarely spends time as the main character. His physical depiction in the movie is fairly book-accurate, and I personally liked seeing more scenes with him in the spotlight.

These two characters, the reluctant warlord and the reckless killer, were both adapted to the screen from the page. Paul’s inner thoughts in the book are realized as dialogue in the movie, which was likely a stylistic choice to more easily convey his feelings. Much of the horror of Feyd-Rautha is visual, which works on the screen, but would be incredibly diffcult to pull off in a book.

The masterpiece that is “Dune” intertwines fear, fate and free will in a beautifully brutal way that doesn’t necessarily have a good ending. Paul does avenge his family and restore their power, but he is at the whim of destiny the entire time. The plot carries a bleak message: in the fght between fate and free will, fate always wins in the end.

AVA GALBAN

reporter

Happy Women’s History Month to all the girls in the world! We see and admire you as you are in all you are. Women’s History Month serves to celebrate the experiences, accomplishments and efforts taken by all who identify as women. As a tribute to you and all the amazing women before you, here’s a collection of songs encompassing the beauty and hardships of the experiences of womanhood.

‘You Don’t Own Me,’ Lesley Gore

This song is an older anthem discussing control held in relationships, and the reclamation of one’s autonomy and life within constricting circumstances.

‘Your Best American Girl,’ Mitski

This song is a beautiful exploration of one’s cultural identity and the feeling of being an outsider while yearning for acceptance.

‘Normal Girl,’ SZA

Arguably one of her best songs, “Normal Girl” details the conflict between questioning societal standards of femininity while longing to be loved authentically for who you are.

‘Rebel Girl,’ Bikini Kill

This song is a punk rock rallying cry for women who seek to be free of societal constraints.

‘Pelo Suelto,’ Gloria Trevi

This song is about going against the grain, whether via small individual choices in expression or the path you take in life.

‘Under The Table,’ Fiona Apple Relationships are hard. Apple’s song articulates the frustrations of navigating relationships while refusing to conform to others’ standards.

‘Bag Lady,’ Erykah Badu

This song is a beautiful introspective song about the emotional baggage carried by women, urging them to let go of past pain in order to move on and find inner acceptance.

‘Worth the Wait,’

Kali Uchis ft. Omar Apollo

This song discusses sexual exchanges between two people, highlighting Uchis’s individual desires for deeper love, letting her partner know she isn’t someone who they can toy with.

‘Under The Table,’ Fiona Apple Relationships are hard. Apple’s song articulates the frustrations of navigating relationships while refusing to conform to others’ standards.

‘Like a Girl,’ Lizzo

Ever doubting who you are? Listen to this song if you need a reminder that you are not only deserving of respect, but you are also strong and capable.

‘labour,’ Paris Paloma

This song is about escaping from a domestic world where the speaker is subject to the mental load of being forced to dedicate their life solely to their spouse.

‘Q.U.E.E.N.’ Janelle Monáe

An empowering track highlighting queerness, Blackness and other socially discriminated identifiers, reclaiming them as beautiful and powerful.

Songs by women, for women, about being a woman

‘Woman,’ Diana Gordon

This song is a very 2016-esque song about the importance of independence and the power of women.

‘COZY,’ Beyoncé

This is a banger, and I know bangers. This track is not only guaranteed to get stuck in your head, but also provides a strong message of the celebration of intimacy and sensuality on a woman’s terms.

‘Deceptacon,’ Le Tigre

This is a song you’ve definitely heard but never knew the name of, or paid attention to the lyrics to. The song is super high-energy, critiques gender norms and challenges listeners to face conformity they navigate in their everyday lives.

‘La Siguanaba,’ Sara Curruchich

This song is based off of a Central American horror story, twisting the rhetoric of it to depict the experiences of betrayal, resilience and the importance of being non-compliant.

‘Oh No!’ MARINA

This is a track that shows a more vulnerable side of MARINA, where she opens up about her relationship with success and the pressures on her to both know what she wants to do and who she is.

Find this playlist and more on the Alestle Spotify. Scan this code to see the whole playlist.

TV

shows I wish I could watch for the first time again

OLIVIA WHITLOCK copy editor

While I’m more of a movie buff, I have a few TV shows that I hold near and dear to my heart. If you haven’t watched any of these yet, consider yourself lucky! If I suddenly lost my memory, these would be the first shows I would want to experience for the first time again.

Please check out websites such as “Does the Dog Die?” to check for potential triggers and sensitive topics before viewing any TV show on this list.

‘Pretty Little Liars’ (2010-2017)

There was something so formative about watching “Pretty Little Liars” in middle school and buying the episodes on iTunes for $1.99 each.

A group of friends go their separate ways after the disappearance of their friend Allison. They begin receiving unsettling text messages from someone named A a year later.

The dark mystery of “Pretty Little Liars” continuously caught me off guard and had me throwing my hands to my mouth, gasping in shock. The intricate web of secrets and unknowns really keeps you hooked! To say this show is crazy would truly be an understatement.

‘Bones’ (2005-2017)

A special thank you to my brother who pirated the final season for me as it was airing!

The brilliant but rigid Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist, works alongside the confident and charming Special Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI. Together they solve complex murder cases and form an unlikely, yet very effective partnership.

‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (19972001)

Before there was Team Edward or Team Jacob, there was Team Angel or Team Spike.

Buffy Summers is the Chosen One, destined to battle the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness in fabulous outfits. She must juggle her Slayer duties to save the world, alongside finishing last night’s English homework.

Now, a little transparency! The first time I tried to watch Buffy, I turned it off after not even five minutes when I saw how corny the ‘90s vampire makeup was. But once you get past that, you’ll understand why Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a cult classic and has heavily influenced pop culture and empowered women over the years.

‘Scandal’ (2012-2018)

A president having a steamy relationship with one of their staffers? That sounds awfully familiar, doesn’t it?

The unpredictable plots and thrilling twists of “Scandal,” coupled with the chemistry between ex-White House communications director and media consultant Olivia Pope and President Fitzgerald Grant, had me eagerly anticipating each episode with excitement.

‘Veronica Mars’ (2004-2007)

There will be no discussion about the 2019 season or the movie, only the original series!

Outcast Veronica Mars is the coolest chick in Neptune, California, known for her sharp tongue and no-nonsense attitude. Her fearless demeanor and quick wit have all the students at Neptune High coming to her office (the girls’ restroom) for her private investigation services.

Set up for failure: Society expects us to make financial missteps

THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

The world is set up in such a way where it is easy to fail — accumulating debt and charges are ready as soon as you walk out your door in the morning. The current economy sets you up for financial failure.

An example of this is college. For many, college is the only option branded into kids’ brains.

Going from high school and directly into college, many people will realize that they are dangerously out of their element and that they have no interest in getting a college education. Students drop out realizing there was no point in going to college, accumulating nothing but debt, causing them to lose time

and money.

College is portrayed in many forms of media as the best option, despite there being other options available. People can go directly to the workforce, go to a trade school or take a break altogether while figuring themselves out.

Finishing college doesn’t mean success either. You still have to find a job, and that gets harder every day. You may not even get a job that involves your degree at all, even if that was your original plan. This can put people into a rough spot if they can’t get a job in time to start paying off loans.

After getting a job, there is another thing that can get in the way. Maybe it won’t affect you, but the glass ceiling can take

opportunities away from you. The glass ceiling affects people in minority groups. It is a metaphorical barrier used to denote minorities that are blocked from rising through the ranks in their career. Such a thing can prevent people from reaching higher positions within a company. It is yet another obstacle in your way and another thing to cut you down.

It doesn’t help that most companies view their employees as expendable pieces. The company wants the perfect employee who can easily not have any sick days or time off. They look for hard workers who can work as the company intended. Most employers will try to make the most money out of their employees and leave them to dry. It doesn’t help that the cost of

living is so high that employees are willing to take whatever job they can get out of fear.

Finally, the cost of living causes people in the workforce to suffer as well. Most people live paycheck to paycheck as it stands. You don’t feel successful if you are only living paycheck to paycheck while being wrung dry by your employer.

Some people have to take up extra jobs in order to stay afloat. They are unable to live off of one paycheck, and they have to earn more than one to survive.

It’s hard to feel successful when you are trying your best to keep yourself afloat in a rough economy. It is hard to succeed when you still have to pay off debt. It is all too easy for individuals to fail.

The privilege of spring break: Beyond the beach parties

AVA GALBAN reporter

For many, spring break serves as an opportunity to party, spend time on the beach and carelessly indulge. For many college students, it’s a much-anticipated recess from classes, homework and other responsibilities.

Most students look forward to the week-long pause as an opportunity to recharge before facing the rest of the semester.

However, the underlying truth of the long-held spring break tradition is that not everyone has equal access to it. It is a privilege.

At first glance, spring break appears to be a universal college experience. However, that is unfortunately far from the reality of it. The ability to take a week off of classes and travel to warm, beachy locations is not a luxury many students are able to afford.

For some students, the cost of transportation and accommodations take them out of the

running for any possible vacations. This financial barrier has prohibited many students from experiencing this “pinnacle” college experience.

The ability to experience a traditional spring break extends far beyond financial ability. For low-income or first-generation students, taking time off may not even be an option. Many of these students often face familial responsibilities they cannot neglect. For them, spring break is not an opportunity to relax and unwind, but a continuation of their daily work and studies.

With no classes, many students’ work schedules open up, giving them a chance to take on more needed hours. Lack of resource availability is also a prominent issue, with many students not having access to passports or the proper documentation needed to make the trip.

Even for those who are able to take time off and relax during spring break, their experience can be vastly different depend-

ing on their socioeconomic status. While some fly off to Florida or Mexico, others may spend the week at home with family. Here, familial relationships also play a key role in this, as students with unhealthy home lives may opt to remain on campus over break, as they have nowhere else to go. This disparity in experiences highlights the unequal experiences many young adults face while attempting to pursue meaningful life experiences as well as their higher education.

Spring break travel is also vastly different for international students. While many have the opportunity to travel while on break, it is more complicated than just planning a spontaneous trip with your friends.

There are certain requirements needed for them to keep in mind so that vacationing runs smoothly, some being documentation requirements and restrictions. Factors such as visa restrictions, and eligibility to travel present challenges we might not even think about. For many, the

break may additionally be too short to justify the trip home.

There is an inherent privilege that comes with the ability to partake in spring break as a whole, it’s important to highlight our individual responsibility while on vacation. Popular vacation spots often become overrun and degrade as vacationers damage properties, litter and overall don’t respect the places they’re inhabiting. Individuals taking off time to travel have an obligation to maintain the spaces they travel to. Travelers should be mindful of the impact that actions have on communities. They should respect local cultures and customs, and advocate for others to do the same.

In the end, spring break is more than a week off from school filled with fun and sun — it’s a reminder of the opportunities we individually possess and the responsibility that comes with it.

When you are enjoying your time off, it’s important to remember that not everyone can do the same.

Baseball falls short in three-game series against Omaha Mavericks

This is all it took for the team to get their momentum going.

Baseball has retreated to a 3-13 record following a three-game series against the University of Nebraska Omaha last weekend at Roy E. Lee Field.

The first game of the weekend began with a strong start for Omaha. The first inning remained scoreless, but the Mavericks secured four points in the second inning.

The first point from the Cougars came from freshman infielder Ryan Niedzwiedz.

By the bottom of the fifth inning, the Cougars and Mavericks were tied 4-4.

The Cougars came in full swing at the top of the seventh. With all bases loaded, junior outfielder and pitcher Lucas Spence and sophomore infielder Ethan Willoughby were able to score points back-to-back.

The Mavericks were unable to catch up, and the Cougars claimed a 6-4 victory.

“[There were] some good performances out of guys who were at the top of the line

up,” Head Coach Sean Lyons said. “Ethan Willoughby [continues] to swing the bat well, and I’m excited about what he’s doing.”

The second game proved to be less successful for SIUE. Omaha came out strong, immediately scoring two points at the top of the first inning. Willoughby was able to secure a single to centerfield at the bottom of the first — the only hit from the Cougars for the entire game.

The Cougars remained scoreless for the remainder of the match, and the Mavericks dom-

Thursday, 03.14.24

inated, ending the game with a score of 0-20.

The third and final game of the series was the closest in terms of score. It began similarly to the past two games, in which Omaha were the first to claim points. The Mavericks scored once in the second and another in the fifth. The Cougars gained their first and only point in the ninth inning, leading to a final score of 1-2.

“We just couldn’t get much going offensively all weekend,” Lyons said. “On days like this

and weeks like this, you [have to] find the positives.”

Spence was a key player in this match with an innings pitched score of 7.0. He also gave eight strikeouts, a new career-high.

Ultimately, the Cougars lost the series 1-2. The Cougars will take on Gonzaga University for the first time at 4 p.m., March 13, at Roy E. Lee Field.

“[Gonzaga is] a cool name to have come and visit,” Lyons said. “We just try to continue to get better week by week.”

View from the Sidelines: Can SIUE be a sports school?

SAM MUREN reporter

As winter sports conclude with the end of the basketball season, it’s time to focus on the spring sports teams and see if they can maintain recent athletic success.

This could be one of the most important spring sports seasons for SIUE in recent years. Throughout the academic year to this point, SIUE has seen relatively strong athletic performances.

SIUE men’s soccer completed their season with a dominant record during the fall. Head Coach Cale Wasserman led the Cougars to the NCAA Division 1 Playoffs. Despite their firstround exit, the Cougars were 14-0-3 in the regular season and captured the Ohio Valley Conference Championship.

Success continued for SIUE

into the winter as well. Multiple SIUE sports managed respectable records in their conferences.

Wrestling is leading the winter sports success. Wrestling is not completely finished with their season; junior Caleb Tyus keeps their season alive with his qualification for the NCAA Division 1 Playoffs.

Men’s basketball, volleyball and club hockey also saw strong performances.

Both volleyball and the club hockey team had impressive home records and drew significant attendance. Men’s basketball also worked to draw more crowds and made a decent run in their fourth consecutive year in the OVC playoffs.

The complete success of multiple sports teams throughout the fall and winter raises expectations for spring sports.

Each sport’s main goal

is to win, which remains the ultimate objective for the spring teams, but another achievement is to garner the most attention.

If SIUE wants to continue to grow a successful athletic reputation, the spring sports teams need to carry the mantle of success.

Baseball and softball will be the primary focus. They are the spotlighted sports during the spring season and will be crucial for maintaining a successful athletic year.

It will not be easy to live up to the men’s soccer or basketball season, but having a strong performance this year will cement the idea that SIUE performs well in the top sports.

Both the men’s and women’s track and tennis teams are other sports to keep in mind. Tennis is the team to watch and could be SIUE’s best spring team in 2024.

The team is 8-2 outside of conference and their first conference game is against Tennessee State University on Sunday, March 17, at the SIUE tennis courts.

Hopefully, baseball and softball can turn their seasons around as well once their conference games start.

Baseball’s abysmal 3-13 start to the year needs to turn around. Their first OVC game is against Lindenwood University on Friday, March 22, at Simmons Baseball Complex. Softball stands a little better at 9-12, but they need to work on their record as well. Unlike baseball, softball has a 1-2 record in the OVC. All three games were against Lindenwood, so hopefully, they can work to get over a .500 record.

Overall, the pressure should be on all these teams to maintain the success SIUE has had in athletics this year. It is clear

that SIUE Athletics is pushing to grow sports at the university, and the key to growing sports is winning.

Establishing a winning culture can be difficult to do, but winning in multiple sports is the best strategy to become notoriously successful.

The success of every team is vital to growing and further improving in the future. All the teams each season must continue to do well.

Currently, tennis is showing the importance of this. Tennis does not retain the level of attention of soccer or basketball, but consistent success could swing attention their way.

Each team wants the spotlight for being SIUE’s best team and pushes every team to be at their top performance. SIUE wants competition amongst its teams because that is what builds a positive athletic culture.

AUDREY O’RENIC sports editor

SIUE right-handed pitcher Andrew Ressler pitches the ball to the University of Nebraska Omaha during the second game of the series on March 9. The Cougars lost 0-20. | Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle

SIUE right-handed pitcher Gabriel Nutter attempts a hit during a 0-20 loss to Omaha on March 9. | Maximilian Lenhart / The Alestle