Vol. 92, Issue 1

No uterus, no opinion! No uterus, no opinion!

No uterus, no opinion! No uterus, no opinion!

No uterus, no opinion! No uterus, no opinion!

No uterus, no opinion! No uterus, no opinion!

No uterus, no opinion! No uterus, no opinion!

No uterus, no opinion!

No uterus, no opinion!

One student’s take on No uterus, no opinion! No uterus, no opinion!

Pg. 2

Texas’ Heartbeat Bill

Amarillo College's News Source Since 1930 acranger.com

Volume 91, Issue 10

September 16, 2021

Campus construction in full swing

SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger

Steady progress on the excavation behind the College Union Building. Construction on the Washington Street Campus started Spring 2021. Upon completion, the art department will be relocated to a newly-built basement, the Badger Cafe is to be upgraded into a small scale restaurant, as well as other various cosmetic remodeling.

New parking, renovated facilities coming to Washington Street Campus

By JEFF SANCHEZ and DANIEL AMBRIZ Staff Reporter Renovations to Amarillo College’s Washington Street Campus are in the works. Over the next couple of months, students and staff will see changes to the College Union Building, Student Services Center, Russell Hall and Carter Fitness Center.

“We have seven projects either 100% designed or under construction,” Danny Smith, Master Plan program manager, said.

The renovations to Carter Fitness Center will include a new workout area, locker room, office spaces, an intercollegiate competition

women’s volleyball venue, new lighting, air conditioning and a new look inside and out.

AC will be adding concessions for the intercollegiate volleyball games. Academic adviser, Pamela Valdez, said she is looking forward to the makeover. “I’m excited about the changes, I believe our staff and students deserve it and I think the new concessions will be great. I heard they will make protein shakes and I would love to try one.”

Carter Fitness Center will be closed this semester but students who were looking forward to starting their gym routines this fall will still be able to, despite the renovations. “A small fitness center is going to

be relocated to the Bible Chair on 22nd Street,” Smith said.

Students said they are ready for the changes. “I feel like it will be great for people who do actually go in there and workout or even just to have some fun with friends,” Melanie Herrera, a business administration major, said.

College officials also plan to relocate the fine arts department to what is known as the College Union Building, or CUB, basement. This project has led to the temporary relocation of the bookstore and Badger Café. “It should be completed by October and everybody will have to find it again, back in its original location,” Smith said.

He noted that COVID has

impacted construction. “We are currently experiencing some delivery time delays, The CUB project is about a month behind schedule,” Smith said.

Another aspect of the project is focused on increasing parking. Smith said the college is negotiating with the City of Amarillo to rebuild Parking Lot 10 and construct about 50 to 60 new parking spots between the Byrd Business Building and Memorial Park.

Parking Lot 9, located on the corner of Jackson and 32nd Avenue, will be reconfigured to open up more spaces.

That lot will be held off so it can serve as a staging area for the Washington Street Campus HVAC project,

Smith said. “We don’t want to set a bunch of heavy equipment, tractors and forklifts and tear it all up right after we rebuilt it.”

AC students said they are looking forward to the expanded parking. “I actually get here super early so I can find a close spot,” Ricardo Romero, a biology major, said. “One of my classes is at 10:30 a.m. and I usually get here at 7:30 a.m.”

“It is very crazy especially with how some people park,” Julian Hernandez, a law enforcement major, said. “I have seen a lot of cars that are halfway out into the parkways.”

College officials plan to be done with the construction by next year.

Who you gonna call?

COVID Clean-busters!

By RYLEE GLAZNER and ERICA VANBUSKIRK Staff Reporters Amarillo College has been able to bring back on-campus learning this fall with safety as the number one priority, according to college officials.

Joe Wyatt, AC communications coordinator, said the college has stepped up cleaning and sanitization to control the spread of the coronavirus.

“Not a day goes by that I don’t see or experience firsthand somebody from

the physical plant here at the college coming around spraying and cleaning in addition to all the normal activities that would go on before COVID,” Wyatt said.

Other areas of the college such as the library have incorporated additional cleaning habits.

“We sanitize after every student has left,” Emily Gilbert, the director of the library, said. “I’ve had some students come up to me or go up to others and thank us for sanitizing.”

Neither masks nor vaccinations are mandated at AC. “We encourage everyone to get vaccinated, but it is not a requirement,” said Becky Burton, the associate vice president of academic learning and student health liaison.

Burton also encouraged students, “Wear a mask and social distance where you can.”

Some students said they feel the college is taking adequate precautions.

“I think it’s enough,” biology major, said. “The See COVID, page 3

SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger

Korte Jones, left, and Juan Maria, members of the AC Physical Plant COVID cleaning team, take a moment to pose for a photo during their campus cleaning routine.

September 16, 2021

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SELF CARE METHOD? JANEE ANGUIANO Photography

“I like to wake up early when no one else is up because it’s calming. I’ll study and workout because when I’m productive I feel better about my day.

My self care is leaving my house.”

JIMMY OBREGON General Studies

“I usually hang out with my girlfriend and go get our nails done. I like to go to the skate park and hang out with my friends there. Overall, I just chill.”

STORM SANDOVAL Pharmacy Tech

“I take a day off completely. I sleep-in and take a really long shower, I’ll clean my room so I won’t feel overwhelmed and charge my crystals.”

AMANDA BROWN Graphic Design

“I get massages every once in a while, bubble baths with bath bombs, I get a pedicure once a month, I try to eat healthy and sleep at least eight hours."

Reviewer

Co-Editors

DeMarea Hill

Raygan Lopez, Ruth Martinez

Columnists

Design Manager

Nick Bandy, Raygan Lopez

Shawn McCrea

Graphic Designers

Page Editors

Isaac Galan, Shawn McCrea, Bailey Troublefield

Andrew Velasquez, Isaac Galan, Bailey Troublefield

Photographers

Online Editor

Nick Bandy, Shawn McCrea

Jo Early

For a complete staff listing, visit The Ranger online at www.acranger.com Student Media exists to serve you — the students. The Ranger staff urges you to get involved by submitting ideas, photos, videos at therangereditor@gmail.com.

The Ranger is an independent student publication. Material published in the Ranger does not necessarily reflect the views of Amarillo College administrators or employees.

By RAYGAN LOPEZ

Illustration by ANDREW VELASQUEZ | The Ranger

Stop blaming Biden EDITORIAL Over the last year and a half, moves have been made

by President Biden and former President Trump to end the 21year long, United States military presence in Afghanistan.

As the presidency has shifted, so has much of the weight and blame surrounding this situation.

We, as a staff, believe that Biden is receiving much more blame than is warranted for the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, as it is a decades-long issue that has just happened to fall into the hands of our current president.

Much of this finger-pointing stems from the control efforts being made by the Taliban that have led to bloodshed, the failure of Afghanistan's government and the evacuation of their president, Ashraf Ghani.

Although these situations are horrible and heartbreaking, Biden is not the sole individual responsible, as he is only attempting to ease a situation laid upon him by Trump and presidents before him.

The push to remove U.S. forces from Afghanistan began long before Biden's presidency in late February 2020, as the United States, led by Trump, signed an agreement with the Taliban to have all troops removed

by May 1, 2021.

The Taliban had not held up to their agreements to decrease violence in the area, and it began to look less likely that the U.S. would be capable of having all troops removed by the agreed upon date.

This left Biden in a predicament that many presidents

Stop the war on women

Co-Editor

On Sept. 1, Governor Greg Abbott signed Texas back into the 1970s. Senate Bill 8, also known as the Heartbeat Bill, also known as a violation of women's rights, is the strictest abortion law ever passed.

This bill bans abortions at about six weeks. This tyranny also authorizes any person in the country to sue a person who helped a patient access an abortion or a person who performed an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy.

Six weeks pregnant means your menstrual cycle is two weeks late. Most women do not even suspect pregnancy at six weeks due to irregular cycles, which are caused by a multitude of things. Stress, nutrition, birth control, hormones, exercise, medication, body fat, sexually transmitted diseases, a new sexual partner, polycystic ovary syndrome, any change to a woman's body can affect the regularity

of a woman's cycle.

By the time a woman might even think she is pregnant, it is too late to consider an abortion.

Men in politics do not know a damn thing about a woman's reproductive system. This is not about saving the unborn, this is about controlling women.

I am pissed. I am infuriated. I am livid. Every synonym for mad, that is what I am. The punishment for abortion is harsher than the punishment for rape. For example, Max Helm from Fiji Fraternity has yet to

OPINION

There is a penis attached to every abortion. If the physician is getting punished, then the sperm donor should be punished too.

Child support should start at six weeks and the absent father should be imprisoned for not paying child support.

Illustration by RAYGAN LOPEZ | The Ranger Senate Bill 8 places a target be punished. Austin James on women. Men Wilkerson from the Univertell women, “Well, don’t sity of Colorado has yet to have sex if you don’t want to be held accountable. Shane get pregnant.” How about you Piche, Brock Turner, Daget a vasectomy if you don’t vid Becker, Nicholas Fifield, want to get a woman pregnant.

John P. Enoch and the hunThis is not about abordreds of thousands of rapists tion, because if it were then have not been punished. the U.S. would discuss earPeople with a uterus do ly and continuing sex edunot impregnate themselves. cation, provide free birth

before him had experienced.

He could either continue the presence of troops in an area where we had already spent far too much time, funds and military resources. Or he could remove them, ending a 21-year war that had burdened our country.

Biden should not solely face the blame for the consequences of our troops' removal. The plans had been set before him and efforts to reduce conflict would have resulted in further occupation of a country we have had military forces in for far too long.

Understanding the complexity of this situation, rather than attacking the sitting president is essential. Finger-pointing further divides our already divided nation.

We need to use our critical-thinking skills.

control, health care for all, make child care financially feasible, mandatory parental leave, increase the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, mandate harder sentencing for rape, fix the foster care system and make adoption more accessible.

This bill is not pro-life, it is pro-birth and Texas lawmakers did not consider life after birth. Texans, stop using the Bible to justify your reasons for banning abortion. What a woman does with her body is none of your business.

Last time I checked, church and state are separate in the United States so get your religious beliefs out of my uterus and the uterus of 12.6 million other women. Be pro-life for you and your body but not mine. Oh and no uterus, no opinion.

For more information about abortion providers visit www.abortionfinder,org

September 16, 2021

Award creates opportunities

By JO EARLY

Online Editor

COURTESY PHOTO

The Smash Burger will be one of the meals offered on the new Badger Central Cafe menu. Two beef patties, lettuce, tomato, “smashed” between two butter- toasted buns.

Cafe closed, coming soon

By RAYGAN LOPEZ Co-Editor

The Badger Central Cafe at Amarillo College’s Washington Street Campus is remodeling and upgrading.

Fall II will bring a new layout, new cooking equipment and new menu items.

“One of our goals was to create a new exciting and inviting space for students, faculty and staff. As soon as you enter the College Union Building, the cafe and bookstore will be one open space where you can get a cup of coffee and browse the bookstore,” Andrew Flores, director of Badger Central Bookstore and Cafe, said.

A digital menu, acoustic tiles hanging from the ceiling in order to reduce echoes and a lighter paint scheme are part of the upgrades, Flores added.

“One of the most anticipated additions will be our self-serving station of coffees, teas and fountain drinks. In the kitchen, new cooking equipment will al-

low us to make our own coffee syrups, cook fresh food and host a variety of events in the space,” Flores said.

A pizza oven, convection oven, freestanding range, countertop griddle, smoker oven and fountain drinks are new additions to the cafe’s equipment.

“Right now we’re coming up with different types of specials that could kind of fit everybody’s likes,” Kyle Keffer, chef and cafe manager, said.

We’ll have everything from vegetarian to vegan options,” Keffer said.

“Personally, I have been working on several recipes to get a good, quick burger and we’re also going to have an assortment of salads. We’re going to have breakfast burritos, breakfast tacos, a breakfast platter, biscuits and gravy and a breakfast sandwich,” Keffer said.

The cafe is working on an assortment of tea flavors, fountain and bottled drinks and a special blend for both hot and cold coffee.

“We’ll have mango black,

standard black tea, earl grey, tahitian vanilla, as well as regular sweet and unsweet tea. A different flavor of coffee every day and we’re in the works with a local roaster to have our own personal blend,” Keffer said.

“Of course we will have Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Coke, Diet Dr. Pepper, Diet Coke and I’m looking into having a poll for the students to see what the last two drinks should be,” he said.

The construction has left students with few food choices on campus. Some snacks are available at the temporary location in Russell Hall.

“There are a few restaurants and places to eat near campus,” Chris Sharp, vice president of Business Affairs, said “There’s Subway, Dairy Queen, Taco Bell and Thai Express all on Washington Street between I-40 and I-27. Heading East, there’s the La Campana restaurant near 24th SE Ave.,” Sharp said.

Food is limited in the vending machines and the ChickFil-A truck has not made a commitment to return to campus, Sharp said.

Adios virtual learning

By BROOKE MCKINNEY Staff Reporter After two years of primarily online class delivery, AC has returned to in-person classes. Students say they are happy to experience college in real life.

Some students said they are grateful for the social interaction. “With my in-person classes, I am forced to see people and make friends,said Emily Cardeneas, an engineering major.

“It’s a great way to get me out of my comfort zone,” Cardeneas said Other students said in-person classes offer more opportunities for career preparation. “With being a business finance major, my job is to do lots of networking and meeting new people,” Sean Meadows said. ”It teaches me how to be outgoing and is honestly a great experience,” he said.

Some students said they found learning online more difficult. “Not only is it harder to learn the setup for surgical technology in an online lab, but I am a handson and visual learner not an auditory learner,” said Sierra Buse, a surgical technology major.

Mackenzie Moreman, an undeclared major, finished her senior year of high school online and said she is grateful not to be taking remote classes in college.

“I hated being online. It was very impersonal and unmotivating,” Moreman said. Sometimes I question how I even passed considering I didn’t do most of the work assigned to me.”

While many students have decided to come back to wcampus in-person, some have decided to take both online and face-to-face courses.

“With my online courses I

am able to do things more at my own pace,” Rae Salazar, an early childhood education major, said.

Salazar said that she finds in-person classes more time consuming. “With online I don’t have to worry about running into my professors and them asking how my assignments are coming along. With face-toface, however, I have to see them multiple times a week,” she said.

While many students said they are excited to be back on campus, they also said that they are worried about high COVID numbers moving courses back online.

“I hated the online courses so much that I almost dropped all my courses to just work and take time away from school until we were able to go in person again,” Buse said.

Amarillo College has earned a spot in the top five from a pool of more than 1,000 U.S. community colleges. In a virtual ceremony May 18, the college was awarded the Rising Star award from the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, which works to advance higher education practices.

The Rising Star award recognizes colleges that have shown improvement in areas including student outcome, institutional performance and student retention.

The Aspen Institute acknowledged the staff and faculty of Amarillo College for their efforts connecting students to the college’s many resources. Along with the award, the college received $100,000 prize money and garnered national attention. Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, president of AC, said the college has already seen an impact since the May ceremony.

“It has opened doors; we’ve received many calls from funders and foundations. It gives us a location of power and influence that we wouldn’t have had otherwise,” Lowery-Hart said.

“Receiving the award means so many things. It’s an acknowledgment of how hard and intentionally everyone has worked to serve our students, of our innovation and

our unity as a college.”

Cara Crowley, vice president of strategic initiatives, praised the effort of the entire college for receiving the award.

“It was our first time even in the top 150, then to get into the top 10 and be named a Rising Star on our first try was such an amazing honor for Amarillo College, and I think it really reflects the dedication of our staff, our faculty and our students,” Crowley said. “I’m just proud to think that on our first try we got into the top five and received the Rising Star Award. I think we should embrace that and be proud of ourselves,” she said.

As for the college’s next steps, Crowley said, “I think for us it’s really going to be about reworking and reimagining our economic development here in Amarillo and how we can continue to have national impact and continue to make Amarillo College the rising star it is.”

Students said they weren’t surprised to hear the college had been recognized for many resources it provides for them. Information about the college’s resources is spread through frequent emails, listed on posters through the halls and on course syllabi.

“It definitely feels like they are trying to help you succeed, they really push for your success and for you to graduate,” Ethan Lanham, a cinematic arts major, said.

COVID: Battle against the pandemic Continued from page 1 can only do so much at some point.”

Other students said they wish the AC would require masking.

“I feel like a mask mandate maybe should be put in place,” Elyjah Evins, an environmental science major, said.

“I think it is kind of confusing because I think we all should wear masks or we should not at all,” Angela Erving, a music major, said.

Wyatt said he supports masking. “I think that wearing a mask is uncomfortable and annoying, but it’s for the greater whole of our society.”

Many professors are continuing to wear masks on campus. “In the lecture classes, I wear a mask into the class, but take it off when lecturing, keeping my distance from the student,” said Don Abel, a mass media assistant professor.

Students and staff members have differing opinions about COVID vaccinations. “I’m all about science. It makes sense to me, Wyatt said.

Others said they feel that vaccination should be a personal choice. “If you want to get it, get it,” Simpson said.

“If you don’t want to get it, then don’t get it.”

Burton said that anoth-

er way the college protects students is by requiring students to report exposure, pending tests or quarantining due to COVID. “Students are doing a good job reporting when they are quarantined or positive,” she said.

When classes first began, AC was requiring entire classes to quarantine after a student who attended that class reported a positive test or COVID exposure. “Both of my classes got switched to online,” Daityn Whittaker, a graphic design major, said.

After the first week of semester, in response to the large number of classes that had been moved online, AC officials changed the quarantine procedures.

According to AC’s COVID protocol webpage, students who have tested positive are still required to quarantine for at least 10 days. If a large number of students decide to quarantine, the professor can choose to shift to online.

Many seem to be in agreement that Amarillo College is taking necessary measures to ensure safety.

“I just want us all to think about each other and I want everybody to be safe,” Gilbert said.

September 16, 2021

AC Theatre hopeful this year

SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger

From left to right: Steve Parker, theatre major; Michael Villarreal, theatre major; Jordan Bohannon, theatre major; and Zak Vangalder, theatre major.

By CODY SCOTT Staff Reporter

After two years spent dealing with the impact of COVID-19, the Amarillo College theatre program will launch its season with the musical “From Up Here.”

The performance will be Oct. 7-10 in the Experimental Theatre.

“Last year was very tough on us like everyone else. Our first show was canceled two weeks from opening because COVID hit our cast,’ said Monty Downs, an instructor/technical director of theatre arts. “When it comes to the pandemic, we encourage all of our students to think

about the other person and wear masks when possible.

We spend so much time together and have a limited production period. This virus can be extremely detrimental to our program.”

So far, Downs said, fall semester rehearsals have not suffered any serious setbacks due to the virus.

“We work our students very hard — the usual is classes in the morning, building sets, costumes, props, sound, lighting, video in the afternoon and rehearsals at night,” he said. “We try to help them understand what their future in this business will be like whether they go into the profession-

RAYGAN LOPEZ | The Ranger

Officer Morice Jackson safely conducts traffic and helps students cross 24th Street during the first week of the fall semester.

Police puts safety first

By IAN SLAUGHTER Staff Reporter

With the return of fully in-person classes, student safety when traveling to and from classes or activities is one of the highest priorities for the Amarillo College police department.

Officers say they plan to engage more with students to make the campuses feel safer and more homelike.

“We plan on getting out there, being more approachable and more accessible,” Scott Acker, AC police chief said.

“We’re here for the preservation of life. If anyone comes on campus whether it be a student, faculty or staff, their visit here will be a safe one,” Acker said.

With the addition of 12 bi-

cycles from the University of Southern California this summer, officers say they hope to be more approachable while riding around on campus.

AC employees and students say they have noticed the increased police presence.

“They do a very good job at building rapport with the students,” Aaron Faver, a government professor, said. “They make it very well-known that they have a lot of resources that the students can use.”

Acker said helping students and staff is the department’s top priority.

“We want to make sure we build that partnership with the AC community, make it stronger, let the people know were here and available,” Acker said.

“You can count on us anytime.”

SHAWN McCREA | The Ranger

Zak Vangalder, theatre major, sings a song from the musical “From Up Here.” The musical is about a group of people who interact with each other from the top of a skyscraper.

al world, academia or something totally disconnected from theatre and how to set their own priorities.”

According to Amarillo College’s website, “The Theatre Arts program is one of the many dedicated to providing students with quality education supported by an abundance of invaluable practical experiences.”

Many theatre majors go on to successful careers in the arts, business, education,

government, performance, publishing and much more.

“Another goal, which is a yearly one, is to help our students be successful - not just in our program, but in transferring or moving on from here,” Downs said.

“We work to keep strong avenues open to numerous four-year institutions and try to help each student find the right fit while providing quality productions for our community.”

While the pandemic has impacted theatre majors, Camille Nies, the chair of music and theatre, has a positive outlook. “We are very fortunate during the pandemic to be able to continue to hold our music and theatre classes in person to perform together,” she said.

“We are very excited and our plans are to continue to offer the quality of curriculum that we have been known for a long time here at AC.”

Amarillo College hits homerun

By GARREN BASTAMANTE Staff Reporters

Amarillo College has already started building its team for the baseball program. Last year, the team was officially announced and gameplay will be starting the season of 2022.

“We want to get signing kids before they start their senior year in high school,” said Brandon Rains, the head coach for AC’s new baseball team. “We have about five guys that have verbally committed to us already.”

Officials say people are looking forward to the new team. “The community’s excitement about the program has been overwhelming,” Mark White, the AC athletic director, said.

White said student ath-

letes may sign binding contracts as soon as this November. He said that so far the team has five athletes interested in signing.

According to White, the team will be playing in region five of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Some of the teams AC will play include: Clarendon Community College, El Paso Community College, Frank Phillips College, Howard College, Midland College and Odessa College.

Rains said students can expect to see athletes on campus in September 2022.

With players comes trainers, “We will have trainers on campus every day. Mostly in the afternoon, but yes our athletes will be taken care of as far as all that goes,” said Rains

The recruiting system for AC has begun. “We will start in Amarillo and then we will expand outward. There’s good base talent in the Texas Panhandle,” Rains said.

Mason Ladd, who can play both catcher and shortstop, said, “Coach Rains has made me feel like a big part of the program already and I think we will win a lot of baseball games.”

Ladd has verbally committed and plans to sign for the 2022 season.

The games will be on Fridays and Saturdays with two games a day, according to White.

“And something that will be really fun is that we will have a live mascot,” White, said, “like Ruckus for the Sod Poodles,” he said.

Student Life makes an impact

By TANNER HART and GARREN BASTAMANTE Staff Reporter

According to many Amarillo College students, the student life department makes an impact on their journey. Everyone there wants the best for each other and the student body as a whole. In the process, we make lifelong friendships,” Josiah Raab, a radiation therapy major, said.

Mackenzie Linpeng, a nursing major, said she has gained a great deal from her involvement with the department. “I was shy and quiet, now I am loud and outgoing.

Memories are made, relationships are built. Everything we do is for the students, not only that but also to help our community,” she said.

A leading role the student

life department fills is supporting student clubs. “They are really great, they help advertise, allow freedom to our club, including trips we are allowed to take as a group,” Elyi Marquez, the vice president of the Hispanic Student Association, said.

“Student life also offers social awareness events, such as Mental Health Awareness and Hispanic Heritage Month,” Miranda McHugh, the student life department administrative assistant, said.

Intramural sports is under the student life umbrella. The month of September is focused on flag football, with games at 5 p.m. every Thursday. The college will also hold a campus wide tag game called Gotcha.

“All participants will be given a photo of a random student and a can of silly string. Their objective is to find the student

they have a picture of, and tag them with the silly string,” Trent Oneal, the intramural sports coordinator said.

Oneal said he is excited about the events planned, particularly since many of last year’s activities were canceled due to COVID. “Just the kids actually out here is exciting. I tried to do some virtual stuff last year but it didn’t work.”

The department has had to make some adjustments because of the pandemic. “Student Life very much cares for the health and safety of our students,” McHugh said. “We also recognize the importance for social interaction and engagement for many students, so we will continue to offer both virtual and in-person events throughout the year for students to attend the ones they are most comfortable with.”

September 16, 2021

Shang Chi strives despite pandemic REVIEW

By REBEKAH HIGGINS Current Editor

A familiar Marvel logo comes onto the screen as I take my seat in the theater. A woman begins the story in Mandarin, and the story of ShangChi and the Legend of the Ten

Rings unfolds.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, ShangChi is the second movie to be released in Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The movie was originally announced to come out in February 2021 but was delayed due to Covid-19. The seventh-month delay was worth the wait.

This movie broke a record for Labor Day weekend. The movie grossed $94 million in the United States and Canada alone, making it the highest-grossing movie

on Labor Day. The movie itself is a wonderful nod to Chinese culture and it is stunning with its special effects, cinematography, and well-choreographed fight scenes.

Chinese-Canadian actor Simu Liu, portrayed ShangChi in a way that created a sense of relatability and rawness to the character. The lead female character, Katy, who was played by Awkwafina, provided the movie with humor and a wonderful character arc. Together they made the movie very entertaining to watch.

While the movie was, for the most part, amazing, it did have its flaws. Trevor Slattory played by Ben Kingsley was an absolute throwaway

ch aracter.

It seemed like they were trying to make the movie more comedic, but they didn’t need a character like this especially when Marvel had an actress as hilarious as Awkwafina. For such an amazing movie it also had a soundtrack which was lacking. It caused some of the fight scenes to not feel as exciting as they should have and the most interesting parts

COURTESY PHOTO

of the soundtrack occurred during the end credits.

Even though the movie had some flaws it was fun to watch. The MCU introduced its first Asian superhero in a way that has audiences on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Drakes new album brings back old school vibe.

REVIEW

By DEMAREA HILL Staff Reporter

COURTESY PHOTO

‘Clickbait:’ worth clicking REVIEW

By JO EARLY Online Editor

Netflix’s miniseries “Clickbait” skyrocketed to the top of the trending list and held its place for weeks. It’s an exciting, mysterious thriller that keeps you engaged from the first 10 minutes on. The word clickbait refers to using an interesting and dramatic title or thumbnail to draw viewers into disappointing and unrelated content, but “Clickbait” the miniseries delivers everything it promises in the trailer.

The plot begins when a video of beloved family man Nick Brewer, played by Adrian Grenier, goes viral. In the video, a clearly injured but silent Nick holds a sign that says “I abuse women,” followed by one reading “if this hits 5,000,000 views, I die.”

Each episode is told from a different point of view of the people involved in investigating Nick’s circumstanc-

es. The style changes for a few characters, making you feel more in their heads. Everything turns hazy and slightly dreamy for an unhinged character, choppy and anxious for the fast-moving reporter.

The cast is led by Zoe Kazan, who plays Pia Brewer, Nick’s stubborn and determined sister. Pia forces the investigation forward any time it stalls, and she isn’t afraid to run into the front lines. Betty Gabriel also gives a strong performance as Sophie Brewer, Nick’s worried wife who is protecting a few secrets.

The family deals with internet trolls, invasive press and a judgmental public during their search for the truth. With every episode, we’re introduced to a new suspect and possible motive, while Nick’s view count keeps creeping up closer to the limit. Each episode ends on a cliffhanger, all but commanding you to hit “next episode.”

The only disappointment I had with the series was the final episode. For such a perfectly paced, edgeof-the-seat miniseries, the ending feels like going from running on blacktop to treading high water. It kept sticking and losing plotlines, forgetting to tie a few up. Even so, the final twist is lovely, and gave me an uncomfortable feeling of conflicted sympathy.

Overall, the show is great to binge-watch. I’d recommend you avoid looking at the episode titles, as they spoil one of the first big twists. Speaking of twists, each one is set up to keep you swinging between loving and hating Nick. It keeps you wondering; does he deserve what’s happening?

Each of the eight episodes runs about 50 minutes long, so if you’re looking for a weekend binge, look to “Clickbait.”

On Sept. 3 artist Drake released his long-awaited album “Certified Lover Boy.” The hiphop/rap album has had fans going crazy.

In 2019, Drake announced he would be releasing another album in which fans had been waiting for since 2018.

“Certified Lover Boy” features several artists like Giveon, Lil Baby, Lil Durk, JAY-Z, Travis Scott, Future and Young Thug.

Some of his songs also features artist he has collaborated with in the past like Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj make an appearance on the album.

Drake did not choose to go completely “new school.” The album is a perfect mix of Drake’s old album “Scorpion” and a new kind of more hip Drake. This album shows Drake can do both and

still manage to keep his fans happy.

Even though Drake gave us a perfect mixture of old school and new school, the album could’ve done without a few songs. “ Knife talk” featuring 21 Savage and Project Pat is a song that the album could’ve done without. I think if 21 Savage would’ve been taken off the song it might have made the song better. It was repetitive and doesn’t fit the vibe of Drake’s music that his fans are used to.

“Papi’s Home” is a song that definitely needed to be on this album, it’s a vibe the Drake fans are used to but it also has a vibe of “new school.” In “Papi’s Home” Drake references things that were a trend this year.

Nicki Manaj also made an appearance on the song, which was a surprise for some fans. I would give this album a 4 out of 5 stars.

COURTESY PHOTO

September 16, 2021

Illustration by ISAAC GALAN | The Ranger

“Overwatch” fans, foes clash

Controversy surrounding game sparks debate

By NICK BANDY Page Editor

Ethical consumption is by no means a new discussion.

It’s a topic that is most commonly viewed through the lens of a consumer just like you or I, attempting to navigate a free market while also trying to align our morals with where we spend our money.

But as much as we all like to think that we have the power to ‘vote with our wallets,’ many times it results in very little impact because of the lack of organization, accountability and interest that the common consumer has.

I believe that it is the responsibility of teams and individual players to acknowledge and speak to the wrongdoings that have taken place at the video game publisher Activision Blizzard. Over the last two months Activision Blizzard has been hit

with a lawsuit from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing after investigating the company for years.

The investigation detailed horrible accounts of sexual harassment and workplace abuse toward women, and draws a pretty clear picture of the hurdles that woman and other marginalized groups within the company constantly have to jump over.

Activision Blizzard is the creator of the popular video game “Overwatch,” played by many Esports organizations across the world including the team at Amarillo College. I believe that it is important for organizations like these to address these situations because it directly affects the culture and members of their programs.

The video game industry has historically been held down by misogyny and has had many accounts of inequal-

ity whether it be in esports, video game development, media or even just fandoms.

As a leader of a team or organization you cannot ignore such issues and claim to be ‘pro women’ within Esports or video games.

Failing to address problems like these communicates that women still do not have a place in these spaces, and that they will not be treated as such.

Having team members who fight this idea openly shows the shortcomings of organizational leaders who have failed to cultivate a culture of inclusivity, resulting in the same systematic issues that have plagued the industry since its inception.

Women belong in these spaces and they are needed in these spaces. It is the job of those who have a voice to use it to break down those barriers to make a better industry for everyone who cannot.

By TRE BYERS

Staff Reporter

Over the past couple of months, Blizzard Entertainment has come under fire with sexual harassment charges.

These are serious charges, however, people are starting to boycott the game.

I only have to ask….why?

Yes, what those people did was awful, but there so many innocent people who spent hours, day, months, years working on the game.

They missed birthdays, holidays, just to make sure people like us could enjoy the game.

So why, I ask, because of the action of a couple of individuals, do we have to give up something so many people worked so hard for, and so many others enjoy?

It’s only a game, get mad at the people who did the crimes, not the game itself.

Face-Off is a Ranger feature where writers offer opposing viewpoints on issues. Do you have a topic you’d like to disscus?

Please email The Ranger at therangereditor@gmail.com

Training game designers of tomorrow

By SEASON CRAVEN Staff Reporter

Attending college to create video games sounds like a dream come true for some.

Now it can be a reality for students at Amarillo College.

A new program, which began this fall, is teaching students how to design, develop and build their own video games.

Video game design is one of the many certificate programs offered through AC’s computer information systems department.

Game design can be completed in only 18 semester hours, according to the program website.

Mark Nair, one of the game design instructors, said he is excited about the program’s future. “My dream is that these students can build their own game design companies right here in Amarillo,” Nair said. “This program creates a supply chain for talent.”

What makes this program stand out, according to Nair, is that it takes a new approach with classes

that mirror the actual market, both conceptually and in design. AC offers classes that focus on game design, animation, programming and 3-D modeling.

“My goal is to step into a video design career,” Ashton Payton, a game design major, said.

Nair said the video game design program integrates with AC’S new VFX program. VFX stands for visual effects used in film, television and gaming.

Because the game design program will tie in with

VFX, Nair said he sees the game design program’s potential to expand and offer more options in the future.

The adviser for the program, Payton Noel, said the response from students has been positive. “I’ve been in contact with many new and returning students,” Noel said. “It’s been a pleasure to hear about their interests and curiosities surrounding design and creation of games.

These students have varied backgrounds and goals uniquely grounded in pro-

gramming, the arts and storytelling.”

There are three major course requirements, all focused on game design and game engines, but there are also options for students to choose areas of specialization.

For instance, students can choose to take basic animation or they can take a different route and choose beginning webpage programming. The certificate program can be specifically tailored to a student’s interests in this way.