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In the fall of 2021, Amarillo College officials announced they were partnering with T-Mobile to provide the T-Mobile for Education Plan for students, and started loaning out phones in the spring of 2022.
The plan provides phones with unlimited hotspots to students who are in need of internet access off campus. “The goal is to ensure that students who lack reliable connectivity, which may put them at risk academically and personally, have an opportunity to connect,” Frank Sobey, associate vice president of academic affairs, said.
All currently enrolled students who don’t have dependable access to the internet are eligible to check out a free phone. Emily Gilbert, director of the Lynn Library, said students who are interested in getting a
phone through the program need to take a photo ID to the library - AC student IDs are acceptable.
Students also need to have an account in the library system to be eligible. Library staff members can help students create an account and get in the system.
Students can keep the phones as long as they’re enrolled in classes, but the loan has to be renewed at the beginning of each semester. The phones come pre-configured with Blackboard and AC connect. They also have unlimited data, talk and text, a protective case and a charger.
There has been positive feedback from students who have taken advantage of the program. “In our experience, the hotspot program has been really beneficial for students who did not have reliable internet at home,” Jordan Herrera, director of social services, said. “Students have told us in the
past that they were no longer able to afford internet at their home, so they would come to campus to use our Wi-Fi before this program launched.”
Herrera said there have been approximately 100 phones checked out, but there are still 250 available.
“I didn’t know about the program,” April Woods, a surgical technology major, said. “I think it’s pretty cool for those that don’t have that accessibility. Especially for accessing certain things on campus because not everybody has a laptop, or access to those kinds of things.”
Officials say they are still trying to advertise to students that the phones are available. “Consequently, we have been working with T-Mobile and Amarillo College Communications and Marketing to get word out,” Sobey said. “Additionally, the program has been promoted in Badger Beginnings.”
Some Amarillo College instructors are spending their time teaching in prison. College officials are looking to expand the prison education program, which was reinstated in 2019. AC had taught in the prisons previously, but that program ended in 2003.
“These students are our community members,” David Hall, the associate dean of technical education, said. “Now they can get out back into the world, get their second chance and go do something with it.”
Before AC sends instructors into the prison, they first have to pass a background check and complete some clearance training. The inmates also go through a rigorous selection process.
“To become a student in the program, they first have to meet several requirements,” Hall said. “There are a lot of variables, but they can’t have any kind of disciplinary
issues in the past year and they are what we call a trustee level.” The Texas Department of Criminal Justice sets the rules that dictate whether or not an inmate is allowed to be admitted into the program.
Currently inmates only have the option to take courses in diesel mechanics, but AC officials plan to expand the program and eventually offer a wider variety of degrees and even some online courses. “We really are trying to provide a second chance for these people. We want them to have a skillset that they can come out of prison with and immediately go into the workforce,” Becky Burton, the associate vice president of academic affairs, said.
A recent change in national law will make incarcerated individuals eligible for the Pell Grant. While this change is not set to go into effect until July 2023, AC was recently the recipient of a $100,000 grant given by Ascendium Education Group’s Ready for Pell
Initiative. The objective of “Ready for Pell” is to help institutions like AC, which provides higher education in the prison systems, get ready to better handle the upcoming changes to the Pell Grant program.
“The problem is really that we’re in a limited space, and that we only offer one program,” said Burton.
“But with Second Chance Pell, it does give us the opportunity to provide other programs. We are looking at expanding into some general education and
maybe a general studies degree.”
The Ready for Pell grant will help fund a staff member to coordinate the prison programs. The grant also will assist with students’ tuition.
Since 2019, AC has helped 18 inmates obtain intermediate certificates in diesel maintenance technology and prepare to enter the workforce. “Our purpose is to grow the education attainment level of our community, so it’s a natural step,” Burton said.
"Inflation has impacted my priorities first and foremost, bills first, eating out and having fun has had to be put on the back burner. Increased prices have made it harder to pay for things. At least gas prices are finally going down."
Platinum Ware Biology
"Inflation has definitely added to my stress over the struggle of everyday expenses I used to take for granted, like my daily essentials, food, gas and my annual school needs.”
Nicole Hutton Business management
"In general, it’s been a tough year with needing to buy a new car, so inflation has really impacted me in such a way that I decided to return to AC to finish my degree to better focus my career.”
By ANDREW TERRY The Current Editor
In Grand Island, Nebraska a local high school newspaper was shut down by school administration after publishing an edition dedicated to queer issues with two columns dedicated to the topic.
Journalists have been facing increasing hostility for covering controversial topics including queer issues. Attacks on the free press at any level leave people in power with essentially free reign to engage in corruption and gross overreaches of power.
Independent and ethical journalism is the backbone of any democracy. Further than that, journalists raise awareness on all types of issues that community members may not have known about without press attention.
Student journalists should not be required to pander to the interests of the school they are in. Student publications are not the voice of the institution, their purpose is to report on those institutions and, in order to do that, they must remain independent.
Censoring student journalists is not only pathetic, but it is an attack on one of the fundamental pillars of our democracy.
Journalists have always been an inconvenience to people who wish to control the flow of information, and they will continue to be. The censorship of information regarding queer topics is nothing new of course.
Books on transgender medicine were among the first the Nazi’s burned, but it is not 1940 nor Nazi Germany. All over the country queer literature is being banned from school libraries. The First Amendment exists to protect all citizens equally.
Student journalists are journalists. They are equally as vulnerable to libel lawsuits as any other journalist, similarly they are protected by the same laws as any other journalist. If the Washington Post’s parent company disagreed with something they published and shut them down because of it there would be massive public outrage. Student journalists provide a voice to the student body and they deserve the same protections as any other journalist.
According to the founding documents of our nation, all humans are born with the inalienable right to pursue happiness, so then why is our country hellbent on denying citizens the ability to climb out of generational poverty, higher incomes or even the chance at higher education?
On Aug. 24 President Joe Biden announced that the government would forgive up to $10,000 in student loans and up to $20,000 in loans for Pell Grant recipients. There is no doubt that this debt forgiveness will allow so many Americans to worry a little less and finally get started with their lives, but Biden's solution is a band-aid on a severed limb.
In a few years, a new generation of Americans will be in the exact same place that Americans a few weeks ago were.
During the pandemic, 56% of college students said that they could no longer afford to pay tuition, according to a survey by One Class. At public four-year colleges, tuition has increased 258% since the 91-92 school year, according to data from The College Board, and in a report by The Institute for College Access and Success 62% of college graduates had student loan debt. Higher education is not affordable to most Americans without taking on debt.
The United States of Ameri-
ca has decided that elementary through high school education is important enough to be, not just accessible, but mandatory.
Whenever a person could get a job that could sustain an entire family with just a high school diploma this worked out well, but now even a college degree is no guarantee that a person can get a job that allows them to live even somewhat comfortably. If a person needs a bachelor's to be considered for an entry-level job, it is time that higher education is guaranteed to everyone in the United States.
Colleges and universities should not be in the money-mak-
ing business. Their place is to give people the education that they need to be able to contribute to our society and our economy. People cannot possibly break the cycle of poverty if they are guaranteed to be paying off their student loans with a job that barely pays above minimum wage and requires a college education. Loan forgiveness is a start.
It is a great relief, but without addressing the fundamental problem, the next generation of college graduates will be just as saddled with debt. There will be no real change, the money keeps flowing and the poor are still poor.
Social media has been a vast echo chamber for the confidently incorrect for as long as Twitter has limited Tweets to 160 characters.
Users need to get points out quickly and concisely, so being a part of the conversation can also mean leaving yourself open to misunderstandings and outright lies.
For instance, a clip from the "Good Bro, Bad Bro" podcast went viral recently due to a host claiming that lifting weight is easier for women than it is for men, because men must “resist Earth’s gravity.” This implies that women float daintily into the gym for the sole purpose of mocking the laws of physics.
The internet is rife with hilarious examples of mansplaining,
aaap OPINIONfrom the subreddits r/badwomensanatomy and r/nothowgirlswork to most of the TikToks that Drew Afualo stitches.
Unfortunately, the mansplaining and misogyny that noncis men deal with in their offline lives is far from hilarious.
Historically, men have felt entitled to authority and knowledge, while everyone else has been taught to be polite and passive.
We were told that submission will keep us safe, while men were told that the alpha must dominate for the good of the pack.
But we’re not dogs, nor are we in the Renaissance anymore. And we’re sick of the patronization.
Mansplaining is so frustrating for the recipient. In the workplace it raises tension and wastes time, sometimes causing selfdoubt on either side. And when a professional or authority figure
subjects someone to his misogynistic takes, it can cost their lives.
A judge mansplained rape and told victims they were mistaken about what they felt. Doctors often dismiss pain and delay diagnosis, even sending women home while they suffer a heart attack.
We suffer through IUD insertions and cervical biopsies (getting a part of your cervix ripped out with forceps) all without anything stronger than an Advil.
The bias toward white men in clinical trials leaves everyone else vulnerable to overdoses and unstudied side effects. The world is frustrating enough. If you don’t want to be part of the problem, stop and ask yourself one question. Did they ask?
And if you want to be helpful, flip the script and ask someone else for a change.
The Amarillo College Badgers have forfeited an amount of bookstore space for an expanded cafe, (plus menu) and upcoming events.
Amarillo College’s Cafe has undoubtedly changed with the addition of a large kitchen to accommodate the rising number of students and more spaced seating. The expanded menu offers students a variety of items for breakfast and lunch.
Expanding the café menu has led to challenges, Kyle Keffer, the café manager, said. “Some of the challenges faced from an expanded menu is trying to keep up with the volume of orders that come in during breakfast and lunch.”
But Keffer explained the benefit, “I like to think that it benefits students by giving them a larger selection to choose from so they don’t have to
worry about having the same thing every day.”
Another addition to the Cafe has been a Happy Hour from 2-4 p.m. instead of offering an employee discount. Andrew Flores, the director of the cafe and bookstore, explained, “Kind of felt not quite right when employees are getting a better discount than the students. So, we thought that was a really good way to kind of meet in the middle where students and staff get a better price on drinks.”
Michelle Gonzalez, a nursing major, also said she likes happy hour, “not every student has a job at the school to get the employee discount, so this way everyone has the same opportunity to get the discount.”
And what could students do while sipping on a drink or to have some downtime from studying? Games, games and more games. For instance, the “Harry Potter School of Magic Night,” set for Sept. 15, will
be paired with a Dungeons & Dragons game. Students can order Harry Potter themed drinks for the whole month of September, and play supernatural themed games at the same time. “So, it’s just kind of a supernatural fifth that we’re going to be running a few campaigns of inspiration from that during the month of September. It gives a chance to introduce a kind of college experience in the world of D&D to college students,” Flores said.
Keffer said he expects a big turnout for these nights. “There are not many places in Amarillo that host events like this so we are hoping that students and the surrounding community can enjoy it.”
Flores said more is in store for the café. “We’re not done yet. It completely changed the dynamic of what the bookstore was. We want people to come and hang out with us to talk about their favorite hobbies, to nerd out with us.”
This fall, Amarillo College is going through a process to reaffirm its accreditation, which ensures students are able to transfer their credits and qualify for financial aid. Numerous AC faculty and staff members are involved in preparing documentation showing the college is meeting accreditation standards.
In September, reviewers from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) will visit the college to ensure the accreditation standards are met.
SACSCOC is the body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states.
AC is already accredited and every 10 years a panel from SACSCOC comes to evaluate the school to see if it still meets the 72 standards put in place. “The basic preparation is a documentation of what we do with the
college for the students and what we do toward compliance,” Tina Babb, the director of institutional effectiveness, said. “We have groups of internal committees that work on sections of standards for SACS. And every year, they provide documentation and evidence of the work that they’ve done. They’ll provide reports of what they’re doing in their areas to make improvements. And all of that is used to demonstrate compliance with our quality, integrity, and ongoing improvement of the college.”
Becky Easton, the dean of liberal arts, said accreditation is important for the students and the community. “If we weren’t accredited, besides being extremely embarrassing, it would also mean our students would not qualify for financial aid. if a college is not accredited, those colleges and universities are not likely to accept our credits. That’s why probably one of the main reasons that we need to stay accredited to help out a lot with the students,” she said.
Accreditation also helps with student resources. Denese Skinner, vice president of student affairs, said accreditation ensures that students have services to support their academic journey. “It is important for us to be able to demonstrate that we do have in-depth and thorough and helpful resources to support our students Things as the Tutoring Center, Counseling Center, Career Services Center and Disability Services. Not only does the SACSCOC Accreditation make sure that the curriculum is up to standards but the way in which these colleges are able to help their student more,” Skinner said. Although few students know about the accreditation process, it is something always in the back of the college staff and faculty members’ minds. Skinner said she hopes students realize that there are people making sure that their education and resources meet high standards. “That should bring pride to the AC community as a whole.”
As inflation rates continue to rise there is one particular group of people who really feel the struggle. Amarillo College students are faced with tough decisions when it comes to everyday life.
With costs of goods and services on a constant rise, it is difficult for students to set aside finances for leisure.
“I am having to save a whole lot more, which doesn’t allow me to have fun time for myself,” Sharese Byrd, a criminal justice major, said. With costs of goods and services on a constant rise, it is difficult to set aside finances for leisure activities.
It has especially been difficult for students who are supporting themselves. Some have had to look for additional sources of income. “I live on my own, so all of my checks go to my rent and bills,” Byrd said. “I do have to work two jobs just to keep up with my bills and groceries and I am worried about this because sometimes even with two jobs, I still come up short.”
Increasing gas prices have been a nationwide topic over the last few months. Gas prices in Amarillo have been decreasing over the last couple weeks, with the average
standing at $3.28 per gallon. But students say those gallons add up. “Sometimes it comes to a difficult decision to choose between putting gas in my car so I can get back and forth from work and school or to buy food for myself and my dog for the week,” Danielle Vasquez, a biology major, said.
“It’s upsetting to think about the people who aren’t so lucky to have the extra money to pay for expenses, as well as those who live on a fixed income, that isn’t nearly enough to provide basic necessities,” Octavien Skeen, a computer science major, said.
There are resources available for currently enrolled students on the Washington, West, East, Hereford and Moore County campuses. The Amarillo College food pantry, allows students to place a grocery order with options consisting of non-perishable food, baby food, personal hygiene products and diapers. The food pantry can be accessed twice a month.
There are also other options outside of AC that can assist in providing relief. “I am currently looking into energy assistance to help with my utility bills that have also increased over the past few months,” Vasquez said.
By AIDEN BLANKENSHIP Student Reporter
This semester, Amarillo College has a new mental and physical health program in the counseling department. Run primarily by counseling center coordinator Jerrod Hinders, TimelyCare offers completely free healthcare to all current AC students and staff. However, TimelyCare is not available for continuing education students or for high school dual credit students. This service is available 24/7, to allow people to get help with issues at any time that works for them, including on weekends and late at night. The goal of making this service available at any time will allow students to work around their schedules much easier.
“We don’t want students to have to choose between coming to class and seeing a doctor or seeing a counselor,” said Hinders “We also don’t want them to have to choose between coming to class and getting care for their children or for their husband or their wife.”
TimelyCare is divided into two sections. One section is for clients with physical issues and one is for clients with mental issues. Physical issues are handled similarly to going to a family practitioner. Working with a doctor to discuss your current health status and what the problem may be.
On the mental side, it’s similar to meeting with an in-person therapist. “Sessions will be 15 minutes between the therapist and the student,” Denese Skinner, Vice President of Student Affairs, said. “They’ll decide what are the treatment goals, and what is the stu -
dent wanting to work on and then address what the student’s need is.”
The doctors and therapists that students meet with can also prescribe medications at a discounted price, making medication more affordable on top of TimelyCare being a completely free service.
The idea of TimelyCare came from people’s need for health care from remote locations, something that became popular in 2020. “Really since COVID, we saw a huge increase in the demand for telehealth services. And it’s a really great equitable option for our students and that a lot of our students need options that are in the evenings or on weekends,” said Hinders.
Patients get to choose how they meet with their doctor or therapist. They can choose to meet over the phone, by text or by video. This allows for TimelyCare to reach all AC campuses including Dumas and Hereford. There are even some students already using TimelyCare all the way from Oklahoma and New Mexico according to Hinders.
“I actually didn’t know that AC offers those free programs,” said Kaytone Melton, a psychology major, said. “I think it’s truly amazing that they implemented them for faculty and students for free. I believe that these programs are going to benefit and help a lot of people all over the campus, and it’s nice to know that someone will be there if I ever need help.”
More information about TimelyCare can be found on the AC website, or contact Jerrod Hinders in room 227 on the second floor of the Student Service Center.
By JO EARLY Online Editor
Relief. That’s what President Biden promised during his 2020 campaign, and when he announced a plan Aug. 24 to forgive up to $20 thousand in student debt for millions of Americans, graduates across the country felt that relief.
“I felt excited, relieved, and a little bit shocked,” Hannah Houser, an Amarillo College alumnus who earned her master’s in communication disorders this year, said. “I didn’t think it would be a reality, at least not for a long time. I’m happy for not only myself, but for all the others I know who will be positively impacted by this decision.”
Others had mixed emotions about the announcement. “I immediately went to the thought that it doesn’t make any sense at all, to continue to give out these loans while canceling the exact same loans,” Garrett Eggleston, special projects coordinator, said. “It’s really good to get some money back in circulation, give people a little bit of breathing room. The bigger thing that stands to be said, I think, is that the predatory nature in which these loans are given and that unbanked, corruptible system that still exists.”
Houser expressed a similar opinion. “I think the student loan system is incredibly
predatory,” she said. “Speaking as a low-income, first-generation student, we are the ones most negatively impacted by student loans.”
Biden’s administration also continued the pause on student loan payments through the end of the year, which includes a halt on collections of defaulted loans and a freeze on interest.
“I think the continued pause on payments is a great benefit for people at the current time, mainly - if nothing else - for the stop on interest growth during the pandemic,” Jackie Llewellyn, speech communications instructor, said. “I think the amount granted in relief is going to be especially helpful to those who have been working to pay down the debt, but simply didn’t have the income to make a dent in it while interest was accruing.”
The momentary relief can be life-changing for some, but many still criticize the system that caused students to need debt forgiveness to
begin with.
“I’m not sure that universal education and free college for everyone is the right answer,” said Eggleston. “I’m not sure that complete forgiveness of these loans is the answer. I just know that if they’re deeming them dangerous enough to forgive them, they should stop giving them out.”
“I love the idea of open access to education or at least affordable education, as we have here at AC,” said Llewellyn. “Our society wants a smarter community, and we need to help more people have access to the education required to achieve that goal.”
The Department of Education already has relevant income data for nearly 8 million Americans who qualify. If they don’t have your income information, applications will be available in early October. The application deadline is Nov. 15 to receive relief before the pause expires on Dec. 31.
A new student engagement software has been implemented at Amarillo College. Watermark SS&E, formerly called Aviso, is a retention tracking platform that helps students with time-sensitive tasks and alerts.
“It helps faculty and staff guide students to the resources they need to be successful,” Pamela Madden, director of Title V project, said. “This software can help us as faculty and staff identify, communicate and follow up with students. Students will get the most out of their college experience by engaging with the app and utilizing it to contact their success team when they have questions or concerns.”
Although new to AC, many professors and administrators anticipate good things coming from the software.
According to Madden AC, along with many other institutions, struggle with retention. AC is committed to improving retention numbers. Retention is a student’s continuous enrollment year-to-year until they complete a program or transfer to a university.
“Many of our students drop out or just stop coming to college without any notification,” Madden said. “AC decided to find a way to help students before this happens. We are being proactive in our processes and utilizing a software retention platform will help us be
proactive and help students at the first sign of trouble. Sometimes students don’t tell us what is going on, but some signs are there that will allow us to start the conversation with our students who did not show up to class or suddenly are not doing well in their class. We are able to work with them to get them to tutoring or other resources they might need. We are also using this tool for attendance tracking in all classes.” She said.
Although AC has not had much time with this software, many students and professors have formed their own opinions. “I’m an 80s baby, so I’m used to pen and pad, so like this new technology is not really for me, so I’m kind of, what’s the word these kids use now? I’m not woke or hip yet,” Bryson Walker, a mass media major, said.
“I’m trying though. I feel like it slows down the process because of the internet. It’s kind of a hit or miss where sometimes it crashes and sometimes it doesn’t. So, I mean it’s a 50/50 type thing. So, I don’t really like it.”
Watermark allows instructors to access data on students, like GPA, test scores and attendance. The app also allows direct communication with students through email or text.
“It seems like it’s there to collect data for us, which is going to help us serve students better to understand their needs to understand
their presence on campus so that if somebody is struggling than another, somebody else will be able to hopefully help with the retention of students and getting that number to where we want it, so if it helps students, I’m all for it,” Aaron Faver, a government instructor, said.
“I do like that it sends an alert off because, by the time I get around to contacting the student, a lot of the time, they’re not checking their emails anymore,” Stefanie Decker, a faculty coordinator of social sciences, said. “So at least the advisers probably have a lot of ways to get in touch with them. I like that. It gives a way to communicate if they are missing class and we don’t know where they are. They’ve just disappeared,” she said.
Watermark is one part of the QEP or Quality Enhancement Plan, the purpose of which is to increase student fall-to-fall retention to 75% by 2025, according to Amy Pifer, first year experience director.
“It is AC’s goal to help our students get to their end educational goal of a certificate, associate’s degree or transfer program at a 4-year institution or into a career or job in that area.” Madden, said. “Our goal is for students to complete all goals, so if this app helps the students by connecting them with the college, then yes, it will further the future of AC.”
“Stray” is a game that released July 19 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Windows platforms, that follows a cat as it is separated from its family in a post-apocalyptic world where robots have learned to mimic human behavior and all the humans have died out due to disease.
The game also features a little robot drone, with the consciousness of a human stored in it, that helps you communicate with the robots and better understand what has happened to the world around you, though it does make one wonder if those robots are actually just mimicking human behavior.
The world-building, story and gameplay are amazing and as someone who grew up with cats in my life, I can say
that the game did a fantastic job at portraying real-world cats. As I played through the game, I felt like I was a real cat exploring this mysterious world. The world feels so real and the story is intriguing and makes you want to continue playing even after beating the game.
The graphics of this game are phenomenal and the animation is so well done that some might even mistake it for a real cat. It’s amazing how well this game captures the true heart of a cat and allows someone to play as one and explore the world from its point of view. The game is sweet and short and doesn’t overstay its welcome and ends on a satisfying note that leaves it up to the player’s interpretation.
There were not many issues I had with the game. There were few glitches that I no-
ticed as a casual player and the mechanics of the game were easy to follow with few button inputs required to play. I had a bit of trouble navigating at times and would not know where some items were meant to be used but it wasn’t too difficult to figure out.
The only other issue I had was that if you wanted to replay a chapter for trophy hunting or collecting anything that you may have missed, you had to play the entire chapter over again with no easy way to get to an area where you know you missed something.
However, since the game is fairly easy and short it wasn’t too big of a deal and wouldn’t stop me from recommending the game to others. I’d give this game a solid 9 out of 10 and say that it’s the perfect game for cat lovers.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Gurgle. So goes the opening scene of Jordan Peele’s “Nope.”
It’s a rather shocking, heart-pounding moment that sets viewer expectations for the rest of the movie. Refreshingly original, and almost disgusting in its use of violent spectacle, this movie is totally bonkers.
Peele is incredible at building characters that feel and react like real people. Throughout this movie, every action taken by the characters feels like something someone that has actually seen a horror movie would do.
Why confront these unknowably strong forces, when you can fight around them? Traps that don’t require sacrificing one’s self and cameras that record off-site are things real people would use.
Though I praise the clever use of cameras, the reality of the film is that they never actually confront anything at all. All of their planning, setup and action is around catching video so they can later monetize it.
Everyone in this movie has been traumatized through violent spectacle, an almost running gag, and like the monster, no one actually confronts these traumas. They’re jaded by life and its seeming unfairness, so why not make
some serious cash instead?
Like all of Peele’s work, there is a message he’s trying to get across. “Nope” brings about a lot of them, none quite as subtle as people want to believe and hammers you with them, right in the face.
The major point Peele addresses, part mentalhealth critique, part parody of celebrity news cycles, is shoved right in your face. Exploitation of animals in the name of human entertainment is another. One could almost say that one pounds you in the face. Over and over.
While these are explored well, their actual impact is sacrificed, almost ironically, in the name of Peele’s obsession with creating a spectacle. This movie, and its exploration of humanity and its inability to emphasize beyond the ‘next big thing,’ feel more like something Peele thought up in an act of insanity, rather than an act of trying to put something coherent on the big screen.
Credit where it’s due, Peele made the movie he wanted. No corporate meddling here. If you can get past the gratuitous violence and the almost parodying levels of human greed, this movie is perhaps Peele’s best. I know, ‘What the hell? You’ve been trashing this movie something fierce!’ I know. But trust me, go see this movie.
“DC League of Superpets” has brought back the beloved Krypto The Superdog, who originally had his own animated series in 2005, but has not been seen since the two-season series ended.
Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s latest album “Let’s turn it into sound” is weird. The album is wonderfully idiosyncratic, Smith creates a gilded foreign world of sound that endlessly pushes the listener to discover more.
Smith is a Los Angeles -based composer, performer and producer who works primarily with electronic synthesizers. She has produced a wide range of music from yoga soundtracks to an album based on the human lifecycle, from birth to death, titled “The Kid.”
“Let’s turn it into sound” is ceaselessly energetic. The music never quite lands in a restful place. The first song on the album “Have you felt
lately” begins with an onslaught of sound reminiscent of 8-bit video game boss music, then, as quickly as it came, transitions into an airy choral arrangement and once again the song melts down into a church organ soundscape. The album never loses the vivacity of its intro track.
Smith said that she was first introduced to the Buchla, the brand of synthesizer she prefers to make music with, while setting up her neighbor’s studio, according to an interview with Red Bull Music Academy.
She said that her neighbor used to teach electronic music at NYU and let her borrow a Buchla 100 for a year. “That Buchla 100 was a very limited modular system with 12 modules and no sequencer or keyboard. It was really amazing. It taught me how to actually listen to music because it only
had two oscillators. I would just turn them on and hear how they pulsed against each other,” she said in the Red Bull interview.
Consistently throughout the album, the songs stop and start on a whim. A song will start with an explosive arrangement and without warning switch to an airy choir or a cascade of percussion. One track is more like three or four songs with a few unifying themes tying them loosely together.
“Let’s turn it into sound” embodies exactly what experimental music should be. It’s weird, it’s unafraid to push limits but it does not go too far to be entirely unrecognizable. Smith lets the listener loose into an alien world full of mysteries that will never be explained and that’s OK because simply witnessing it is enough to see the beauty.
As someone who watched the original cartoon growing up, I was both excited and skeptical at the release of news that Krypto would be coming back in a movie starring Dwayne Johnson as Krypto and Kevin Hart as Ace the Bat-Hound.
In my mind, Krypto already had a world that was well built and enjoyable to watch, so seeing a new start made me wonder if they would mess things up and to my surprise, they didn’t.
Now the movie wasn’t perfect but it knew what it was doing. It was a complete overhaul of the original, meaning the only familiar face was Krypto and the DC heroes and had no connection to the original cartoon. It did not make light of the matter either, as the original series was released as a box set for the first time alongside the release of this movie. Telling fans of
the original that it hasn’t been forgotten and that this is just an alternate universe for telling a new story.
The story was a bit cringy at times, but it didn’t make the movie unwatchable as there were some good moments.
Krypto was powerless for most of the movie and had to rely on his new animal friends and their newly obtained powers to help save the day. He also helped them understand and use their powers but as this was Krypto’s first time having no powers for an extended period of time and having to rely on others, he wasn’t the best teacher.
Eventually, Krypto would come to terms with everything and realize how much potential his newfound friends had and it would all work out in the end. As a fan of the original series, I felt pretty good about this movie. It didn’t ruin anything from the original and can just be seen as a separate entity with no need to compare the two.
It was an enjoyable experience and I recommend it to those who have young children or just like animated movies as well as fans of the original as it’s more of the Krypto that we all know and love.
‘Let’s turn it into
finds delight in a neon tinged alien soundscape
By SAMUEL MALONE Student Reporter
Amarillo College’s Student Life Program is leading this year’s international trip to Switzerland, Italy and the French Riviera.
Traditionally, Student Life has worked with and helped organizations with student travel. “This is usually led by faculty every year, but international travel stopped when COVID arrived,”
Amber Hamilton, Student Life director, said.
“Now that
we’re on the other side of the pandemic, Student Life was asked to kick off international travel again for the college.”
The trip will take place over 11 days and students will get to experience the Lucerne region of Switzerland, Verona, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre and the French Riviera, according to the webpage for the trip.
In order to participate students will have to be enrolled in at least six credit hours for the fall and spring semesters and maintain a 2.0 or higher GPA.
According to Hamilton, AC has a history of not only encouraging student travel but supporting it.
Students and staff are both interested in international travel because of the benefits. “It’s a great way to interact with different cultures, become a better global citizen, network with peers and professionals in your field of study and see the world from a different lens than what you just see from your hometown,” Hamilton said.
Presidential Scholar and engineering major, Isabella Contreras, feels the same. “I’ve never been outside the country before so that will be a new experience for me.”
Presidential Scholars is an honors program “that gives high achieving and motivated students the opportunity to participate in student-centered learning experiences that promote intellectual growth, cultural appreciation, professional focus, lead-
ership development and civic participation,” according to the webpage for the program, is taking a trip to South Africa in the spring semester.
Linda Navarrete, a presidential scholar and general studies major, is not only excited to learn about other cultures but also for the opportunity to serve was one of the main draws into the program, such as “the community service that we are going to get the opportunity to do, like in South Africa,” Navarette said.
Last year, Sara Clinesmith traveled with Presidential Scholars to Poland and enjoyed the bonding aspect because she felt like she was traveling with family.
“Traveling internationally for 10 days will bring y’all very close together and you always feel like you have someone to turn to if you are in need of something or you just want a friend to talk to,” she said.