The 6420-Spring 2023

ISSUE NO. 13 | SPRING 2023

STAFF MEMBERS Editor in Chief

Staff Writers

Contributors

Katrina Crumbacher

Nathan Fox

Jacobey Brossie Blaine Murdock Sean Penn* Dakota Schick Brandon Scobey Faith Taylor

Delle Cruzan Jeremy S. Fields Conner Jones Adrian LaPointe William Little Ivette Suarez-Montero

Photo Editor

Website Editor

Layout and Design

Michael Palacios

Zak Royka

Adviser

Cartoonist

Darcy Delaney-Nelson

Peter Monden

Assistant Editor Valerie Scott

Sports Editor

Katrina Crumbacher Nathan Fox Michael Palacios Valerie Scott

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.”

– Booker T. Washington

Top left to right: Nathan Fox, Dakota Schick, William Little, Peter Monden, Jacobey Brossie Bottom left to right: Darcy Delaney-Nelson, Michael Palacios, Katrina Crumbacher, Valerie Scott, Zak Royka (Photo by Michael Palacios)

*writes under pseudonym

CONTENTS 2

Letters from the Editors

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Tribute to RJ Long

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The Tale of TikTok

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The Future of Currency

10 Music You Really

Should Be Listening To: The Chameleons

14 Opinion: Prison, It's 33 Top 6 Places More Complicated Than You Think

18 Vanity en Vogue: A Book Review

22 Sorry, You're Just

Not the One For Me

to Visit in Oklahoma City

38 Indiana Jones

and the Infernal Machine: A Review

40 Comics

24 10 Rules to

Survive Your New Haunted Ranch

Letters to the Editor: The 6420 welcomes and encourages letters to the editor. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and are subject to editing for obscenity, clarity and space. Submissions must include name, major and phone number. The 6420 reserves the right to not publish submitted letters.

Letters to the editor may be hand-delivered to FA110.

Policies:

The 6420 is a designated public forum. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. Columns, commentaries and letters to the editor are personal opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of The 6420 or other students, faculty or administrators of the college.

Anyone having a complaint may contact the editor in chief, (405) 733-7400.

The 15th Street News and The 6420 are a member of OCMA, OPA, ACP and the Society of Professional Journalists.

This publication is printed by Mercury Press, issued by RSC and authorized by the Advisor of Student Publications.

RSC in compliance with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Executive Order 11246, as, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and other federal laws and regulations does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, disability, sexual orientation or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures.

This includes, but is not limited to, admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services.

LETTERS FROM THE EDITORS

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he last three weeks of this semester have been among the hardest in my life and many students' lives as we all have tried to find a way to return to some sense of normalcy. Therefore, we as a staff would like to dedicate this issue of the magazine to Robenie "RJ" Long. May his memory live on inside each of our hearts.

It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve as the editor in chief of The 15th Street News and The 6420 Magazine for the past eight months. The theme we went with for this issue was a sort of Oklahoma City showcase.

The cover was designed by Michael Palacios, our resident photo editor, and is meant to resemble a retro travel magazine.

Throughout this issue, you will find submissions from students across degree programs. Many of the submitted photos are of locations across Oklahoma. We are also proud to announce the publication of our very first short story, "10 Rules to Survive Your New Haunted Ranch," which, you guessed it, is set in Oklahoma. I enjoyed reading it, and I am sure you will too.

I want to thank Professor Darcy Delaney-Nelson for all the support she has given me. I would not be where I am today if not for her. She is one of the people I will miss the most when I leave Rose State College for new horizons. I also want to thank my staff for all their hard work. Making a magazine is not easy, and it is impossible to do it alone.

Finally, thank you for choosing to pick up this magazine. We write to be read. Please, if anything in this magazine piques your interest, give it to your friends and family and pick up another copy for yourself. If any students would like their work published in the fall issue of The 6420 Magazine, feel free to submit to 15thstreetnews@gmail.com.

Katrina Crumbacher, Editor in Chief

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hen I first started at Rose State, I had no idea how many surprises, friends, lessons and opportunities waited for me. Being the assistant editor of The 6420 Magazine is a gift I will cherish forever.

As I leave Rose State in May, I hope new faces will continue to enter the newsroom. We need the voices of the youth to carry society forward.

I thank my fellow peers within the newsroom who have encouraged me during my college journey. I also give special thanks to Darcy DelaneyNelson. She always does her best to ensure her students have the help they need. She inspired me to find my place in the world of journalism and makes sure The 15th Street News publishes the best work possible.

I encourage students to visit The 15th Street News at Rose State in the Fine Arts Building. I believe the power of speech can change the world. I encourage students to make their voices heard.

Valerie Scott, Assistant Editor 2

A Classmate, A Friend, A Hero

By Blaine Murdock

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obenie “RJ” Long had so much in store for his life. He graduated from McLoud High School in 2021 and became a Marine Corps reservist while he attended Rose State College.

Long was one of the friendliest and most upbeat guys at McLoud High School. An avid gamer and anime fan, he always wore Dragon Ball and video game shirts to school.

He never said a foul word about anyone he encountered.

Everyone who came in contact with Long loved him because of his contagious personality.

Long was a devoted follower of Christ during his time on Earth.

He was an active member of Crossroads Connections Church in Harrah. In May 2021, Long preached at the church as a guest speaker. He shared his testimony and how Jesus had changed his life for the better.

The message received over a thousand views after the events at Rose. According to the pastor at Trinity Salvation Ministries, the message even reached someone in India.

It is by the grace of God that Long is in a better place. Long believed Jesus was his hero, and now he gets to glorify Him for eternity.

Long touched the lives of so many during his time on Earth, and the Rose State College community has come together in his memory. He loved roses, and there will be a memorial rose garden planted in front of the Humanities building in his honor. A scholarship has also been established in his name.

Long's legacy will live on for generations to come. We will forever remember the impact he left behind.

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Every waking morning, someone starts their life that has nothing to do with yours or mine.

Yet someone seems to find a way to find something wrong with what we say, with what we do or how we live, as if they have nothing better to give.

At the end of the day when you lay your head, are you content with the words you have said?

At any moment, were you free to believe?

Or imagine a world filled with peace?

How someone finds the best version of themselves should be celebrated and trusted before anything else.

Because in the end, all we can do is live, and love seems to be the easiest thing to give.

A Better Gift

By Jeremy S. Fields, liberal arts/interdisciplinary studies major

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The Tale of TikTok

by Valerie Scott

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s security concerns surrounding TikTok only grow, the United States and several other countries are pushing against the popular social media platform.

ByteDance, the Beijing-based company that owns TikTok, is subject to Chinese national law, which mandates “any organization” to assist or cooperate with intelligence work, while “relevant organizations ... may not refuse” to comply with evidence collection for investigations. In March, these fears prompted the Biden administration to demand that TikTok’s Chinese owners divest, or sell off, their stakes in the app or face a possible federal ban, according to the Wall Street Journal.

But partial bans across the U.S. have already begun.

In February, the White House banned the use of TikTok on all government-issued devices, gave federal agencies 30 days to remove the app and strongly discouraged downloading the app on employees’ personal devices. In rare show of bipartisan support, Gov. Kevin Stitt signed an executive order banning TikTok from all state networks and state-managed devices in December 2022. As a result, many higher learning institutions across Oklahoma were also required to comply by blacklisting TikTok on all wired and wireless networks and uninstalling the app on any and all institutional devices.

And it is not just the United States. Canada, Taiwan and the United Kingdom also banned TikTok on government-issued devices. In 2020, India banned numerous Chinese-owned apps, including TikTok,

WeChat and 57 others, citing privacy and security concerns. Because of China and India’s shared border, tensions have been high for decades. In 2022, the Taliban banned the platform for “leading youth astray.” Pakistan has also temporarily banned TikTok four times now for fear that the app promoted “immoral” content.

All the debate surrounding TikTok has left content creators who earn their living on TikTok wondering what a possible ban could mean for them and their careers.

According to Forbes, creators can make up to $250,000 for a sponsored post.

“So who’s gonna tell the Biden administration that some of us have built our literal careers on TikTok, and if it gets banned, we will actually have nothing?” tweeted @Spirituali_tea, a TikTok content creator with over 325,000 followers.

After TikTok’s international release in 2017, the shortform videos quickly became a popular social media platform. In 2018, TikTok replaced Musical.ly, a similar platform popular for its lip-sync videos, which had been released four years prior. Intent on growing its global audience, ByteDance acquired Musical.ly and merged the app’s widespread userbase with TikTok. Needless to say, the future of TikTok is uncertain. With its overwhelming popularity as a social media platform and the countless people making a living off TikTok, it is clear that the repercussions of a federal ban in the United States would ripple across the world.

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Nature’s Majesty

by Adrian LaPointe, chemistry major

“Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat. In our mad rush for progress and modern improvements, let’s be sure we take along with us all the old-fashioned things worthwhile.”

- Laura Ingalls Wilder

“Parting Clouds” This photo was taken during a heavy thunderstorm just as the sun was setting. The clouds split, creating this amazing scene.

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“Golden Skies and Orange Clouds” This amazing sunset was captured near my home just as a storm was leaving the area.

“Bradford Pear-fection” This is a Bradford Pear blossom that I found on the Rose State College campus when the trees first started to bloom at the end of winter.

“A Sunrise in a Pansy” This pansy was captured at Oklahoma City’s Myriad Botanical Gardens on their beautiful walking paths.

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The Future of Currency

By Nathan Fox and Michael Palacios

Cryptocurrency is beyond polarizing. Those in favor herald cryptocurrency as the future of finance, while naysayers see it as a waste of time and resources.

Regardless of anyone’s personal opinions, there is no denying that the world of cryptocurrency is both incredibly captivating and endlessly puzzling.

Created by a group of anonymous computer programmers under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin was released in January 2009. The first of its kind, Bitcoin launched a whole new era of investment trading.

In 2011, purchasing Bitcoin became extremely popular when its valuation finally reached $1. Many investors saw the opportunity for what it was and purchased hundreds of dollars of Bitcoin, which caused its value to increase even further as a result, making many people very rich very fast. But soon the initial excitement dwindled, and investors began selling off their Bitcoin investments to preserve their profits causing rapid devaluation.

At the time, many experts and analysts warned against investing in cryptocurrencies. Now, new cryptocurrencies are commonplace, and ads for cryptocurrency purchasing and trading are everywhere.

Companies like Robinhood and Crypto.com have run massive ad campaigns showcasing the ease of investing in cryptocurrencies.

There are a few ways to obtain cryptocurrency. Investors can buy whole or fractional shares of cryptocurrency at market value, or interested parties can also mine cryptocurrency. However, miners must be aware that mining cryptocurrency increases the circulation of that particular cryptocurrency and reduces its overall value.

As high inflation persists, many people may look to cryptocurrencies to bolster their investment portfolios.

The backbone of currencies and investment trading in general is confidence. If enough people agree something is valuable, then it becomes more valuable, but the opposite is also true. Markets crash when the public loses confidence. It is this brittle faith that causes

volatility in the markets of stocks, bonds and currencies.

Cryptocurrency is vastly different from any standard nation-based currency as no central government body can regulate its value, creating a truly free market where the value is determined by investors and investors alone.

This promises a currency that lives up to the futuristic ideals of a digital economy.

However, the less a particular cryptocurrency is circulated, the more volatile the value of that cryptocurrency. While this volatility can make investing in cryptocurrency quite lucrative, cryptocurrencies become more stable as they increase in popularity. This has been a point of contention for the past several years.

Cryptocurrencies can be used to purchase items around the internet and in-person at select businesses.

While these currencies are not as widely accepted as legal tender, several companies have made it possible to purchase products using them. But the cryptocurrency economy is still heavily unregulated, so it could be a long time before anything cryptocurrencybased is formalized. There have been several cases of “organizers” of budding cryptocurrencies that have attracted investors with claims of a high rate of return on their investments only to rug pull entire projects.

Amidst increased government surveillance and threats of privacy invasion, cryptocurrencies are also often used to purchase goods and services on the dark web.

Since transactions are logged digitally and are spread across multiple servers, users can retain anonymity. As such, cryptocurrencies have gained popularity from the moment they were first made available to purchase.

Looking toward the future, cryptocurrencies could replace cash and card transactions en masse. In the United States, credit cards continue to be the most popular payment method, according to a 2022 Worldpay report. While 12% still prefer cash, 71% prefer to use debit or credit cards, meaning a widespread switch to cryptocurrency payment methods could be right around the corner.

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Music You Really Should Be Listening To:

The Chameleons Story and Art by Peter Monden

T

hough The Chameleons have always had a respectable following, the British post-punk/goth rock band has never been as popular as say The Beatles or The Who. And you have likely never heard of them.

The Chameleons have a unique sound, high production value, intricate compositions, thought-provoking lyrics, excellent vocals and remain fairly accessible, arguably more so than some of their more successful contemporaries. The Chameleons are easily recognized by their rhythmiclayered guitars and signature “ethereal” sound topped with suitably melancholic vocals.

The Chameleons are my favorite band of all time. If you love music, read further as I will be giving a brief overview of each of their studio albums and ranking each one.

In 1983, The Chameleons released their debut album, “Script of the Bridge."

While it opens strong with the three songs, “Don’t Fall,” “Here Today” and “Monkeyland," the fourth track, “Second Skin,” really steals the show. After those first four songs, the album declines slightly in quality, but there is not a single song on the album I do not like. And I would be doing you a disservice by not mentioning “View from a Hill,” “As High as You Can Go” and “Less Than Human.” Overall, “Script of the Bridge” is a great album, introduction to the band and an easy recommendation.

After the limited success of their debut album, 1985 saw the release of their second studio album, “What Does Anything Mean? Basically.” This album in particular holds a special place in my heart because it was my introduction to The Chameleons. The album opens with a brief instrumental followed by “Perfume Garden,” one of the highlights of the album. The third track, “Intrigue in Tangiers,” is flat-out the best song on the album and one of the best in their whole discography. “Return of the Roughnecks,” “One Flesh” and “In Shreds” are also great songs. As a whole, this second album is very close in quality to the first but with higher highs and slightly inferior lows.

“What Does Anything Mean? Basically” is a solid entry point for anyone interested in the band.

It was two years before The Chameleons released “Strange Times," their third studio album. The band broke up later that year. This album has a noticeably different sound and darker tone compared to the two previous albums.

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The album opens with “Mad Jack,” which is pretty solid, and is followed by “Caution,” a great track. From there, “Tears” and “Soul in Isolation” build that strong introduction into a great first half of the album. “Swamp Thing” is another good track worth mentioning. “Strange Times” has great songs all the way through while managing to defy expectations. It gets a recommendation from me, it might not be the best entry point for new fans, considering it is not officially streaming on any platform in the United States.

The Chameleons eventually reunited in 2000, and in 2001, the band released their final studio album “Why Call It Anything.” This album was a more wistful take on The Chameleon’s typical style. The first track, “Shades," is everything you could ever want from a Chameleon’s song. “Anyone Alive?” and “Indiana” make for a reassuring opening, but “Lufthansa” really steals the show immediately after. While the rest of the album is pretty good, “Dangerous Land” and “Truth Isn’t Truth Anymore” being particular standouts, unfortunately, there is a nine minute and 13 second mistake hiding in the back of the album.

“Miracles and Wonders” is an anomaly on an otherwise great album.

The song starts with promise but quickly reveals its hand. I do not know if Mark Burgess (the band’s vocalist) just got tired of singing or what, but the band decided to interchange his vocals and guest Kwasi Asante’s. While Asante’s performance is not bad, it is not a good fit for The Chameleons.

Post-punk and reggae are two genres that do not easily mix, and this song is no exception. The outrageous length of this song makes it even harder to overlook. While most of the songs on "Why Call It Anything" are good, I don’t think they are as easy to get into as the other albums, and you should probably just skip the ninth track.

When it comes to ranking, my first pick is “Strange Times.” It was a tough decision between the first three albums, but I can honestly say "Strange Times" has the highest overall quality. My second favorite album is “Script of the Bridge.” The band’s debut album set a high bar and is a solid listening experience through and through. My third favorite is “What Does Anything Mean? Basically.” I like this album a lot. The songs “Perfume Garden” and “Intrigue in Tangiers” are what convinced me to go through The Chameleons’ discography. I would still say the high points of "What Does Anything Mean?" stand out more than their first album. I gave this album third place because aside from the highlights, I find the rest less enjoyable, which hurts the overall quality of the album. Finally, my least favorite album is “Why Call it Anything?” If it were not for the song “Miracles and Wonders,” this album could have had a shot at second place. Regardless, it is far from a bad album.

All in all, The Chameleons produced a substantial number of great songs throughout their brief lifespan and even shorter reunion. With four studio albums, an EP and dozens of early recordings, there are many great songs to enjoy. Unfortunately, a fairly significant portion of their discography is not officially available to stream or even digitally purchase in the United States.

“Strange Times” and the bonus tracks included in certain releases are the most egregious example.

The Chameleons are easily my favorite band of all time, and I think they deserve more recognition. Listen to "Intrigue in Tangiers." I promise you will not regret it.

All images used are artistic representations of two of The Chameleon's album covers, "What Does Anything Mean? Basically" and "Strange Times."

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Opinion: Prison, It's More Complicated Than You Think

By Valerie Scott

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he United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world. The proof is in the pudding, so here are the numbers.

While the U.S. accounts for a mere 4.2% of the world’s population, roughly 20.6% of the world’s population are incarcerated in the “Land of the Free,” according to World Prison Brief. The U.S. incarceration rate rests at 664 per 100,000 people, equating to roughly 2.2 million prisoners. That’s more than the population of New Mexico and twice the population of Rhode Island. In comparison, Rwanda ranks second with 580 per 100,000 or roughly 78,000 prisoners.

The debate on how we should treat these convicted criminals varies heavily depending on who you ask.

If you ask me, it seems there are far too many violent incidents, and there is not enough effort put toward being an active citizen. But there are dissenting opinions.

Oklahoma City Police Officer Brent Shetley is a prime example of someone who thinks prisons need strict policies. “Some people should stay locked up and not be rehabilitated or let out,” he said. Shetley is just one of numerous Oklahomans who support the idea that some

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prisoners should stay in prisons and do not deserve a chance for rehabilitation.

According to the Prison Policy Initiative, the U.S. spends $80.7 billion on correctional facilities alone. However, even with all that money going into the prison system, it would appear that these resources are not used efficiently.

It is not effective to simply keep criminals from spending time in prison. It would be economically wise to look into rehabilitating felons into contributing members of society, thereby increasing the workforce, creating more taxpayers and reducing the overall cost of incarceration.

For a prison system to be truly invested in the well-being of the public, rehabilitation must be the foremost concern.

And not only rehabilitation, we need preventative measures to keep citizens from being incarcerated in the first place and prisoners from returning to prison.

When it comes to keeping people out of jail, even bail bond agencies have their part to play. Once people are charged and entered into the prison system, they pay bail if they can afford to and go home. And for those successful few, paying bail is easily an option. However, those who are financially insecure must either rack

While the U.S. accounts for a mere 4.2% of the world’s population, roughly 20.6% of the world’s population are incarcerated in the “Land of the Free.”

World Prison Brief From 2008-2018, the National By of Valerie Institute JusticeScott studied Assistant Editor recidivism across 24 states.

They found about 66% of prisoners released in 2008 were arrested within three years, and 82% were arrested within 10 years, meaning only 18% managed to stay out of prison. up debt by contacting a bail bond agency or face jail time solely because they could not afford freedom. On average, bail bond agencies rake in roughly $2 billion each year, according to a 2017 report by the civil right nonprofit Color of Change and ACLU's Campaign for Smart Justice.

The “War on Drugs” is just one of many policies to needlessly inflate the U.S. incarceration rate. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, nearly 45% of federal inmates are in custody for drug charges.

Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is that more often than not, released felons reoffend and return to prison.

From 2008-2018, the National Institute of Justice studied recidivism across 24 states. They found about 66% of prisoners released in 2008 were arrested within three years, and 82% were arrested within 10 years, meaning only 18% managed to stay out of prison.

Eighteen percent. Think about that. This begs the question: “Why do we have so many reoffending criminals?” To me, the answer is clear.

Once a citizen is incarcerated, it is incredibly difficult, next to impossible, to return to being a regular citizen. It

is natural to lose touch with the outside world after being locked up for years or maybe even decades. We need to implement more opportunities for inmates to learn how to function as regular active citizens. Released criminals will always have a record attached to their name for future employers, landlords and housing lenders to consider. Therefore, it is incredibly important that they be given aid in job placement, in learning a trade, presenting themselves professionally, paying taxes and keeping track of their expenses. All these things would significantly increase the chances of a released criminal succeeding outside of prison.

Ultimately, we must implement an efficient method of rehabilitation for prisoners. It is clear that we have a problem with released prisoners not knowing how to properly reintegrate into society. While we should imprison those who murder, rape, terrorize and other extremes, our regulations on drugs could be revised.

I believe that the lengthy sentences for minor cases need be reconsidered. To better our society, our prison systems require redirection and our upmost attention.

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Solace in the Blues

by Ivette Suarez-Montero, fine arts major

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his piece was made with oil paint mixed with linseed oil as the medium. It is a piece made for both my Painting II and Art Capstone classes. I wanted to focus on color emphasis and mundane objects I could find around my house for my capstone and have incorporated these themes into my Painting II class as well. I decided on these themes because growing up, I found myself drawing more portraits than anything else, and I thought it would be a nice challenge to take notice of objects laying around and creating still lifes.

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Accidental overdose from opiates and fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for adults ages 18 to 45. If you see someone in distress, you can help. Call 911 and use naloxone right away.

Here’s how you can get it for free.

Visit OKIMREADY.ORG/OVERDOSE today.

Scan to get free naloxone.

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Vanity en Vogue

Story by Zak Royka Photo by Michael Palacios

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nother semester, another book review. This time around, let us dive into William Thackeray’s seminal satire, “Vanity Fair.”

Initially serialized from 1847-48 in “Punch,” a weekly British magazine focused on humor and satire, “Vanity Fair” is a harsh and thinly veiled critique of the British caste system of the Victorian Era. A master of satire, Thackeray used his razorsharp wit to highlight the flaws and hypocrisies of English society, particularly its obsession with wealth, status and power.

“Vanity Fair” is also a satire of human nature.

Thackeray exposes the selfishness, greed and hypocrisy inherent in everyone regardless of social status or background. By showing people who will do whatever it takes to get ahead, often at the expense of others, he challenges the idea that there is any real moral superiority to be found in the upper echelons of society.

A standout feature of “Vanity Fair” is how he explores the nature of ambition. Becky Sharp is a social climber who will do anything to get ahead. A commentary on the limited opportunities available to women in the early 19th century, she embodied the cruelty and greed deemed necessary to succeed.

Seeing no other alternative, she manipulates and schemes to try and improve her circumstances.

While on the other hand, Becky’s lifelong friend, Amelia Sedley, is quite passive and submissive. A critique of the narrow and oppressive gender roles of the Victorian Era, getting married and being a good wife and mother is all Amelia wants in life.

This contrast exemplifies just how complex ambition can be. Sharp is a fascinating character precisely because of how far she is willing to go to achieve her goals, even if it means sacrificing her own integrity. Thackeray does not condemn her for this, but he also does not sugarcoat the consequences of her actions.

Finally, let us talk about the overall impact of “Vanity Fair.” The book has been a classic for over 150 years and for good reason. Thackeray’s exploration of human nature and the flaws of society still resonate with people today, and his writing is as fresh and engaging as it was when it was first published. His prose is elegant and witty but scathing when it needs to be. The characters in this book are vividly drawn, and they feel like real people. You will find yourself rooting for them even when they are at their worst.

If you are looking for a classic novel that will challenge your assumptions about the upper echelons of society and really make you think, then “Vanity Fair” is definitely worth your time.

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Tidal

By Delle Cruzan, electrical/computer engineering major

And then my knees buckle I’m falling, falling Don’t fall with your arms out they say!!!

The waves I can see them rolling in Coming to wash away my sense of self and every memory of a different reality And then instead of being drowned and dried in the cool saltwater, I’m washed ashore with a gentle hand I can’t stand up, But I’m still on a firm foundation I can feel my spine again The sand in my hair grounds me My wrinkled hands seem to feel every grain, And I’m grateful When I breathe, I keep breathing More of a miracle than I once appreciated My lungs push against the brown sugar that’s holding my body together And it all goes back to where it was escaping Who I love Why I am loved Who loves me When I live They cover me in a kindness I haven’t given myself in years I’m grateful And I see the sun Sunrise Sunset The earth is my anchor I did it all wrong Fell with my arms wide open Splayed Twisted Towards the earth I’ve always wanted to capture and keep

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Fell into ocean blues and greens and crystal foam Heard the cries of the different altitudes Ruining pages of my life with their salty tears Fell through Fell over Translucent shells and slices of coral Cutting into the soles of my feet It’s going to kill me I scream To the sky, To the sea, To the seagulls, Anyone My last breath it seems going towards my inner despair Deep breath in Eyelids washed over with the bubbles of a riptide I can feel my eyelashes brush my cheek Neck snaps back My hair is seaweed tentacles Don’t know how Don’t care Cannot reason Cannot breathe Break.

Pulled over the spray Warm weather today I was given a stick of light Winds still I am unconscious yet aware I fell, But I landed Falling never killed me Or maybe…

I was meant to live.

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O

nline dating is as ubiquitous as online shopping—it’s everywhere.

Available to anyone with an internet connection, online dating allows singles to meet each other without having to leave the comfort of home, but dating never used to feel so isolated.

Prior to online dating, singles either hedged their bets on meeting other singles in the wild or perused the newspaper’s personal section. Many people wrote personal ads about themselves in the hopes of meeting their special someone. This common-at-the-time practice even inspired the very popular song “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)”

by Rupert Holmes. Before personal ads (roughly 1840), singles met each other through even more “analog” means at a shop, restaurant or social function.

Then about 155 years later, the first online dating website, Match.com, was born. Designed to “help singles find the kind of relationship they’re looking for,” Match.com has since spread to 24 countries and territories and hosts websites in 15 different languages. Many people have found love online, but there exists a sinister underbelly to the institution of online dating.

“Catfishing” is, by far, the most common abuse of online dating platforms. A “catfisher” is someone who falsifies personal information on a dating website to appear as someone they are not. This can be something as benign as lying about height or weight, or it can be as depraved as completely duping prospective daters by using stolen pictures. These individuals can completely take on a new persona.

Prospective daters are oblivious to the fact that they are taking an interest in someone who is not who they say they are.

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sorry, you’re just n the one for me :

not :/

by nathan fox

Even more sinister than catfishers are violent people. After analyzing the records of nearly 2,000 sexual assault victims from 2017–2020, a recent study

by Brigham Young University in Utah found that 14% of the attacks occurred after meeting on a dating app. In a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, 56% of adult women under the age of 50 reported receiving sexually explicit messages and pictures they didn’t ask for while using online dating platforms.

When users consider the possibility of threats and violent action, it’s no wonder women are trepidatious about accessing online dating platforms.

Another cause for concern with dating apps is accountability. Many of these apps do not require background checks to create a dating profile. Furthermore, there is the danger of coming across a convicted sex offender when browsing through online profiles. While some of the more popular apps include some safety measures, the general consensus is they aren’t doing nearly enough. Make sure you are aware of app safety policies before interacting with other users.

Whatever the case, always practice safe dating techniques and never be afraid to ask too many questions.

The world of online dating is not always scary, not always. However, behind every profile picture is a real person who is capable and could be willing to do terrible things. The most important thing to remember is you can never be too careful. You have the ability to police these potential dangers on dating apps.

Do your research. If something makes you uneasy, question it. If the situation continues to cause discomfort, report the person. You can never practice too much caution when it comes to dating.

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September 2006.

Nowhere You’d Know, Oklahoma.

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10 Rules to Survive Your New Haunted Ranch story and photos By Conner Jones, theatre major Edited by Katrina Crumbacher 24

he plan was to move and change my life, but it didn’t turn out quite like I expected. I expected to move from dreadful New York City to somewhere much more rural, away from the hustle and bustle. I ended up doing exactly that, but...

Well...

You’re just going to have to read a bit further.

My name is Alan, and I write horror stories for a living. (Didn’t think I’d end up in one, but moving on.)

Recently, I bought a 500-acre ranch in Oklahoma. The deal was so good, it was practically theft! (I did not steal anything. Don’t sue me.) When I first arrived at the ranch, I looked around and saw beautiful plains, hills, and forests as far as the eye could see. When I turned to look at my new home, well, the pictures online didn’t do it justice.

Red. Practically crimson.

Everywhere.

Crimson staircase. Crimson porch.

Crimson door. Crimson mailbox.

Even the flowers.

There was a letter sticking out of the mailbox as it hung next to the front door. Intrigued, I removed the letter, but not a moment later, I swore I saw something move in the woods nearby. I caught just a glimpse, but it looked like one of those cowboys from those old John Wayne movies. (At the time, I thought it was just my imagination.

Clearly, I was wrong. I did say this was a horror story, didn’t I?) I was greeted with a peculiar sight as I took my first step inside the house. It was fully furnished, almost like the last owners were rushing to leave. Thinking nothing else of it, I decided to enjoy myself on the unexpected couch and relax after my very, very long road trip.

With not much else to do, I opened the letter and started reading.

21 Dear rofAlan, sgniht lufrewop era semaN .terces eman sTI peeK .eman sTI uoy sllet .gnitirw ni TI sa TI ot refer yldniK .erutaerc siht Please enjoy this property!! ta .m.p 6 erofeb hcrop eht no krop war fo sdnuop 01 ylesicerp evaeL :4# It features er’uoy naelake hw krifopyou ehtcan evefind irterit.ylnBe o lcareful, liw serutthere aerc eare hT .also htnomany m a eccrevices no tsaeland cavesyescattered hT .rood eacross ht kcothe l dnaranch, ylkciuand q edit’s isnieasy nur ,tomefall ht ein. es uThere oy fI .are yawsome a gnibizarre kool animals era son roothe d ehproperty. t erus ekaI mwill tsudescribe J .ruoh how na tutoobhandle a rof uomost y rofofedthem istuo here, tiaw lbut liw there are some redwandering nu evil yehTcreatures .dionamuthat h dnare a ,ymuch nniks too ,eladangerous. p era serutaAvoid erc ehthem T .deat kcoall l costs. yltcirts era dna hteet prahs evah yehT .sedaced rof evah dna hcrop eht At the end of the letter, I will put my phone number in invisible ink. .suoWhen rovinrthe ac time is right, it will reveal itself along with the rules for the property. Please read them well, EDIand H ,ekeep cnatsthe id ehlist t non i syhand. obwoc Iteetakes s dna asdlot nuotorgmanage eht gnirthis olpxeproperty, era uoy fand I :5#the consequences reed dcould etrevnbe oc dire. dna dnuora sgol nellaf ynam era erehT .YLETAIDEMMI I had to take a moment to compose myself. Finally, I understood why the property came so cheap. I kept reading.

#1: tcepNO xe MATTER ,thguac tWHAT, eg od ustay oy fI in.ythe sae house ffo hctbetween ac yeht e3-4 noyna.m. a tel The revencreatures nemelttawill c try to lureotyou enihoutside s a ekaor t lpersuade liw TI ,ykcyou ul eto ralook uoy at fI .them esrowby ro imitating ...gel a rothe mravoices na esofolyour ot loved ones. USE EXTREME CAUTION. .ffo nemelttac eht eracs dna uoy #2: AERsmall OFEBwhite 7# EEenvelope S( .kcabwith tuo daeprepaid hs eht nidebit elcihcard ev dain or-your ffo nname a si erwill ehTarrive :6# in the mail sometime -ffotoday. eht ekaItt will tsumcontain uoy ,yaenough dsendemoney W yrevEto)buy .DEH50S pounds EHT GNofIRraw ETNEmeat monthly. will stnuYou omacan llahave ms poitrddelivered, dna taem or revyou otfecan l ehgo t lltoa hthe tiwstore dedayourself. ol elcihevAny daomeat r do though ot desuImsuggest eht steag variety dna seruastadifferent erc suoiracreatures v sdeef sihprefer T .hcndifferent ar eht tuomeat. hguorht eb tub ,ecneserp ruoy etarelot yltsom lliw yeht ,skeew owt retfA .tnecs ruoy #3: Once a week, you will need .uoytonodeposit deef otfive edicpounds ed syawoflabeef nac into yehtthe sa lake. luferaDo c NOT even step into the lake within the first month. IT sees you and will need time to acclimatehtotoyour b si tIpresence. .htiw delIffirITt etakes b ot ganiliking htemoto s tyou, on si refer kcab ttouorule deh3b. s ehT :7# nehctik eht ni dehs eht ot yek eht dnif ll’uoY .suordnow dna suoregnad t3b: sumIfuIT oy takes ,dehs aehliking t retntoe oyou, t tnaITw will uoy introduce emitynA .eitself gdirfsometime eht ot tseafter solc rethe warfirst d 30 days so.sgDon’t eb tor sum nireffbe o eafraid. sehT .gnYou’re ireffo nnot a sin a hany sif ldanger. lams ro sIT’s gub big fo pbut uc aharmless, tneserp and as uolong y nehasW IT.sestays tunimfed, evifITnawill ht sbe selaongood rof tfriend fel dnaand rooprotector. d eht fo tnHold orf niITdeclose calp if IT

3 egap ,d’tnoc

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cont’d, page 2

21 tells you ITs name. Keep ITs name secret. Names are powerful things ,nalAfor raeD this creature. Kindly refer to IT as IT in writing. !!ytreporp siht yojne esaelP #4: Leave precisely 10 pounds of raw pork on the porch before 6 p.m. at dnaleast secivonce erc ynaamonth. m osla eThe ra ecreatures reht ,lufewill rac eonly B .tiretrieve dnif nacthe uoypork fi ekwhen al a syou’re erutaef tI errlooking azib emaway. os era If ereyou hT see .ni lthem, laf ot yrun saeinside s’ti dnquickly a ,hcnaand r ehtlock ssorthe ca ddoor. erettaThey cs sevac ereht twill ub ,wait ereh outside meht fofor tsoyou m elfor dnaabout h ot wan oh hour. ebircseJust d llimake w I .ytsure repothe rp edoors ht no sare lamina .stsoc lllocked. a ta meThe ht dcreatures iovA .suoreare gnapale, d oot skinny, hcum erand a tahumanoid. ht serutaerThey c gnirlive ednaunder w emos era the porch and have for decades. They have sharp teeth and are strictly emit ecarnivorous. ht nehW .kni elbisivni ni rebmun enohp ym tup lliw I ,rettel eht fo dne eht tA meht daer esaelP .ytreporp eht rof selur eht htiw gnola flesti laever lliw ti ,thgir si eh#5: t dnIfa ,you ytreare porpexploring siht eganthe amgrounds ot tol a and sekasee t tI cowboys .dnah nointsthe il ehdistance, t peek dnHIDE a ,llew IMMEDIATELY. There are many fallen logs around.eand rid converted eb dluoc sedeer cneuqesnoc blinds with locks. Find one of these spaces and pray they don’t find you. The ot yrt llicattlemen w serutaernever c ehT let .m.anyone a 4-3 nthey eewtcatch eb esuoff oh easy. eht niIfyayou ts ,TdoAHget W Rcaught, ETTAM expect ON :1# devol ruto oylose fo sean cioarm v ehtorgnaitleg... atimi or ybworse. meht tIfa you koolare ot ulucky, oy edaIT usrwill ep rtake o edisatushine o uoytoerul you and scare the cattlemen off. .NOITUAC EMERTXE ESU .seno eht ni e#6: virraThere lliw em is aan n roff-road uoy ni drvehicle ac tibedindthe iapeshed rp a hout tiwback. epole(SEE vne et#7 ihwBEFORE llams A :2# taemENTERING war fo sdnTHE uop SHED.) 05 yub oEvery t yenoWednesday, m hguone niayou tnocmust lliw take tI .yathe dotoffemitemos liam lliw taemroad ynAvehicle .flesruloaded oy erotswith eht all ot othe g naleftover c uoy ro meat ,dereand vileddrop ti evsmall ah naamounts c uoY .ylhtnom throughout .taem tnethe reffranch. id referThis p serfeeds utaervarious c tnerefcreatures fid sa yteand irav gets a tsethem ggus Iused hguotoht od your scent. After two weeks, they will mostly tolerate your presence, but be TON oDcareful .ekal as ehtthey otnican feebalways fo sdnudecide op eviftotifeed sopedonotyou. deen lliw uoy ,keew a ecnO :3# ot emit deen lliw dna uoy sees TI .htnom tsrif eht nihtiw ekal eht otni pets neve #7: The .b3shed elurout ot rback efer is,unot oy osomething t gnikil a sto ekabet Ttrifled I fI .ecwith. neserpItrisuoboth y ot etamilcca dangerous and wondrous. You’ll find the key to the shed in the kitchen 03 tsrdrawer if eht reclosest tfa emtoitethe mosfridge. flesti eAnytime cudortni you lliw want TI ,uotoy oenter t gnikthe il ashed, sekatyou TI fImust :b3 dna ,spresent selmrahatcup ub gofib bugs s’TI .or regsmall nad yfish na nasi tan on offering. er’uoY .diThese arfa eofferings b t’noD .must os ro sbe yad TI fi placed esolc TIindlfront oH .rof otcthe etordoor p dnand a dnleft eirf for doognoaless eb lthan liw TIfive ,deminutes. f syats TIWhen sa gnoyou l sa

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cont’d, page 3

43 return, there should be a bright yellow lantern floating above the door, and you can ehT .sthe uoreshed. gnad Ifylthe bidelantern rcni eb nisaany c sevother lesmecolor ht skoorobnot ehTentirely .noituathere, c emerleave txe and now enter oD .back seihpalater. rgoib DO suom ynoATTEMPT pe rieht tiTO bahFORCE ni igaMENTRY. krad yThere nam fowas stironce ips laan udattempted iser come NOT a tfeon l evthe ah property, I .ti dnatsand nac all uoythat tnedwas ifnoever c erafound uoy ssof elnthe u skintruder oob esehtwas hcuaotneatly ton theft yrarbil pile eht of fo bones tfel ehint ofront t hcnof ebthe ehtshed. no fo yEvery raw eThursday, b dluohs uoyou y skwill oob find eht fmoney o tsil to stacked ereyour ht ,yweekly rarbil ehexpenses t tuohguatop orhTthe .ereworkbench. ht flesruoy dJust nif rbe evesure uoytodlgive uohsthe snedcreature rag cover eht meat slaevenow r ylnand o yrthen. arbil eThe ht tgas ub ,for semthe ot coff-road igam neddvehicle ih ynam a erbe a taken scrapsotofmraw willoslalso hcaerof.uoPlease y fi/netreat hw rathe elc eshed mocewith b lliwrespect. lla sa tnDo eitnot ap ebehave B .slliwasgnthough orts htithe w esshed oht or care .myou. utcnaYou S rewill nnI often eht find rather the creature posing as the shed has no want to harm gold and jewels strewn across the shed, and this is very important: TAKE NO MORE eerYOU f eraNEED. uoy ,yItradvise eporp eyou ht ntoodnot nabtake a ot hthese siw ulightly. oy fi ,tsaIfelyou tondo, tubbeware. tsaL :01# THAN The shed eb ltoliwbetncompensated emyap eht dnwith a ”,payment SOS“ yas of ,wequal oleb revalue. bmun eht llaC .os od ot will expect ot esoohc od uoy fI .syad ssenisub 4-2 ni tnuocca ruoy ot kcab derrefsnart tceAs toryou p otwander tnemeeraround ga erusthe olcsiranch, dnon athere ngis tare sumaufew oy ,ycreatures treporp ehyou t hsmight iuqnilcome er #8: nopu eAlblong aliatime va si tago, nemaegpowerful nupxe yrocreature meM .deheld vlovnresidence i seitrap lhere. la fo stThe seremighty tni eht across. .tsat euqleast. er creature’s name was Alcazar. He was a gigantic humanoid, a mile tall

He made his home in the countryside and maintained this land. Though powerful, ,ecivres with ruoy another tA Alcazar was not invincible. After a particularly intense disagreement of his kind, he fell injured. All the creatures nearby rushed to feast on the dying giant.

2110a-game 555 )2of02chess ( at His consciousness now exists in spirit form, and he prefers to play least once a week. He is also a distinguished teacher of magical arts. If you play with him enough, you may start to show particular abilities. Do not be scared and thank him for these gifts. This means Alcazar has chosen you to be ultimate successor of this land, a responsibility that is much more difficult to explain. If this comes to pass, you can expect another letter from me 5-7 business days hence. #9: There is an excellent library buried somewhere along the grounds. Trust me, you’ll know it when you see it. It looks as if a golden staircase descends into the earth, but you will only find it when the library deems you ready. The library was Alcazar’s study. The shelves are made of unblemished bronze, and the books are old

cont’d, page 4

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43 nac uoyyet dnacompletely ,rood eht eintact. voba gnThe itaobooks lf nretell tnalofwthe olleyancient thgirb history a eb dluofohthese s erehlands, t ,nruter dna evbut ael ,use erehextreme t yleritncaution. e ton ro The rolocbooks rehtothemselves yna si nretcan nal be ehtincredibly fI .dehs ehdangerous. t retne won detpmeThe tta residual na ecno sspirits aw ereof hTmany .YRTNdark E ECMagi ROF Oinhabit T TPMEtheir TTA Teponymous ON OD .retbiographies. al kcab emoc ylDo taenot n a touch saw rethese durtnbooks i eht funless o dnuoyou f revare e saconfident w taht llayou dnacan ,ytstand reporpit.ehIthave no tfeht ot yleft enoma dlist nifofllithe w uobooks y ,yayou dsrushould hT yrevbe E .wary dehs of ehon t fothe tnobench rf ni setonothe b foleft elipofdethe kcats erutlibrary aerc ehgardens t evig ot should erus ebyou tsuJever .hcfind nebkyourself row eht pthere.Throughout ota sesnepxe ylkeethe w rulibrary, oy revoc nekat ethere b oslaare lliwalso elcihmany ev dahidden or-ffo emagic ht roftomes, sag ehTbut .nethe ht dlibrary na wononly taemreveals war fothem sparcs ro dtoehthose s eht with hguohstrong t sa evwills. aheb Be tonpatient oD .tceas pseall r hwill tiw dbecome ehs ehtclear taertwhen/if esaelP .you fo erac dnif nereach tfo llithe w uoInner Y .uoySanctum. mrah ot tnaw on sah dehs eht sa gnisop erutaerc eht rehtar EROM ON EKAT :tnatropmi yrev si siht dna ,dehs eht ssorca nwerts slewej dna dlog dehs eh#10: T .eraLast webbut ,odnot uoyleast, fI .yltifhyou gil ewish seht etokaabandon t ton ot uthe oy eproperty, sivda I .Dyou EENare UOfree Y NAHT to do so. Call the .number eulav labelow, uqe fo say tnem“SOS,” yap htand iw dthe etaspayment nepmoc ebwill ot tbe cepxe lliw transferred back to your account in 2-4 business days. If you do choose to emrelinquish oc thgim uothe y seproperty, rutaerc wyou ef amust era esign rehta,hnondisclosure cnar eht dnuagreement ora rednawtouoprotect y sA :8# the ythginterests im ehT .of ereall h eparties cnediseinvolved. r dleh eruMemory taerc lufexpungement rewop a ,oga isemavailable it gnol A .upon ssorca .tsrequest. ael ta llat elim a ,dionamuh citnagig a saw eH .razaclA saw eman s’erutaerc ,lufrewop hguohT .dnal siht deniatniam dna edisyrtnuoc eht ni emoh sih edam eH fo rehtonAta your htiw service, tnemeergasid esnetni ylralucitrap a retfA .elbicnivni ton saw razaclA .tnaig gniyd eht no tsaef ot dehsur ybraen serutaerc eht llA .derujni llef eh ,dnik sih ta sse(202) hc fo em 555-0112 ag a yalp ot sreferp eh dna ,mrof tirips ni stsixe won ssensuoicsnoc siH htiw yalp uoy fI .stra lacigam fo rehcaet dehsiugnitsid a osla si eH .keew a ecno tsael I was reeling. I felt my heart tighten, and my breathing greeting, I paid for the order and thanked the man as knahshallow. t dna deracs eb ton oD .seitiliba ralucitraI pleft. wohs ot trats yam uoy ,hguone mih became sihThen t foitrhit ossme. eccuI sstumbled etamitlon u eabmiracle, ot uoyand nesIocouldn’t hc sah razThe aclAfifty snapounds em sihTof.sraw tfig meat esehtwas rofheavier mih than I believe I was so lucky. It took me several minutes to expected. As a professional writer living in New York calm uoy down. ,ssap oI tneeded semoctosimake ht fIa.decision, nialpxe oquite t tlupossibly ciffid eroCity, m hIcnever um sihad tahmuch t ytiloccasion ibisnopsfor er aheavy ,dnalifting, l and I the most important decision of my life. was never one for the gym. With more than a little effort .ecnthink eh syIareally d ssenknew isub 7and -5 eamlotmoforresolve, f retteIlfinally rehtomanaged na tcepxtoe nliftacthe burlap (Thinking back on it now, I don’t

what I was getting myself into.) sack into the car.

It was about 10:30 a.m. when I arrived, and it was I had originally planned to stay at a hotel in town until roughly noon when I finished reading the letter.

I my ,em tsurT .sdnuorg eht gnola erehwemos deirubfurniture yrarbiarrived. l tnelleSeeing cxe naassithat ereplan hT :was 9# no longer checked the mailbox for the debit card, and it was there. necessary, I stopped for lunch and some groceries then eht ohow tni sIdmissed necsedit earlier. esacriats nedlog a fi sa sstarted kool tIthe .tilong ees drive uoy nback ehwhome. ti woAbout nk ll’15 uoyminutes in, I don’t know The nearest town was an hour away. When I I saw what looked to be some sort of roadside circus. saw yrarbil ehT .ydaer uoy smeed yrarbil eht nehw ti dnif ylno lliw uoy tub ,htrae arrived at the local butcher’s, I found out the order Yellow, green, and blue tufts of feathers flew about every was dlosomehow era skooalready b eht dprepared, na ,eznolike rb dthey ehsiknew melbInwas u fo ewhich dam eway. ra sItevwas lehas sight ehT .toydbehold uts s’for razsure; aclAhowever, I coming. “May the light of the shining sun and stars couldn’t recall seeing it on my way into town. (I still do not su tuyou b ,sand dnashall l esethe ht fsea o ynever rotsihrise,” tneithe cnashop eht fohave lletanskexplanation oob ehT .tfor cathis tni by ylethe telway. pmoThe c telikelihood y rain e upon of clerk said. More than a little confused by the strange “because magic” is high, but I don’t really know.)

28

I made it back home without incident. In the kitchen with more hats join the first one until more than fifty cattlemen the letter laid out in front of me, I opened up the burlap were behind the brush line. It wasn’t more than a minute sack to find the meat already individually bagged and later that the first one broke through the brush line, and labeled. Fortunately, I found a deep freeze in the garage. I bolted. They must have seen or heard me because I was For the next couple days, I explored the ranch. I actually immediately pursued. Somehow, I managed to stay at got lucky and found the lake my second day. The path least a bit ahead, but the cattlemen seemed to have no leading to the lake was lined with the most beautiful trees problem giving chase. And some of them had horses!

I had ever seen. Pink and purple leaves combined with (Damn exercise. Why couldn’t I have been into track or the surrounding greenery created a mosaic of nature cross-country? No… I had to be a writer.) unlike anything on this earth. (Now that I think about it, I ran until I couldn’t anymore. As my resolve gave out, I think I stepped into a whole different dimension. Note I thankfully came upon a deer blind, and the door was to self: brush up on quantum physics.) The lake itself still open. I darted inside hoping to save myself from stretched for what seemed to be hundreds of miles. As whatever monstrous fate would’ve awaited me in the far as I could tell, the pink and purple trees surrounded hands of the cattlemen. As I slammed the door and the lake, and I think I saw some sort of giant fortress on locked myself in, I heard the sound of the cattlemen the other side. running up to the blind. They kept banging on the door Considering I didn’t know the last time IT had been to no avail. fed, I figured I had better feed IT before IT tried to eat The deer blind itself was very different from your me. I promptly returned to the house to retrieve the standard blind. With no windows or shooting holes to five-pound bag labeled “BEEF” and thought (for the speak of, it was incredibly dark. Where the oxygen to very first time mind you) about what I had truly agreed breathe was coming from, I had no idea. to. Feeding and living amongst Turning on my cell phone creatures from a fairytale (or flashlight, I turned around to see Feeding and living amongst nightmare) could either be the my new living quarters and heard most beautiful or the most stupid a sickening crunch. I backed creatures from a fairytale thing I had ever done. away and looked down to see (or nightmare) could either be something I never, ever wanted When I finally returned to the lake, I reopened the letter to the most beautiful or the most to see: a detached arm. It was so refresh myself with the rules gray and stone-like. Curious, I stupid thing I had ever done. concerning the lake. I made sure reached out to touch it, and the to stand far enough away from fingers moved. (I know. I know. the lake, removed some of the beef from the bag, and Rookie move. Alan, you know better than to touch the threw it as far as I could. I did this again and again until weird detached arm when you’re trapped in a small the bag was empty. (I know it would have been easier enclosed space!) Wanting to ignore it for the time being, to just chuck the whole bag into the lake, but I don’t I found, well, an arm-sized box, placed the arm inside, like to litter.) It was a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, locked it, and set the box in the corner of the blind as far but I swore I saw an enormous feathered water dragon away as humanly possible. briefly break the surface of the water to eat the beef I Whoever designed this blind really thought of everything. had just thrown. I was absolutely enamored. I stood There was a lantern and matches, probably enough rations there gawking for quite a while before I remembered the to last a month, a cot, a wooden table, some chairs, an warnings and promptly scurried away to the safety of electric outlet next to the table, and any kind of phone the pink and purple trees. (Yes, I scurried. I’m not proud cord you could think of in a container nearby. In no desire of it.) to let my phone die after the harrowing incident with the It wasn’t long before I saw the familiar sight of normal- cattlemen, I plugged my phone in and set it off to the side. looking forest trees and wide open fields in the distance, My legs were so tired. I was tired. I dragged myself but that’s when I heard it. over to the cot and just collapsed.

Someone walking across the forest floor, snapping Some time later, I awoke to see a giant of a man looking twigs and pushing bushes aside. I turned to look, and down at me. Standing at least 10 feet tall with his head all I could see was a cowboy hat above the brush. It was touching the ceiling, I was stunned and rather completely a cattleman. out of it until he spoke. “Hello, fair heir,” he said, his voice I froze. gruff. “You have braved some terrifying things already, Fortunately, I was still hidden, but that wouldn’t last. I but be not afraid as eventually, these pitiful creatures needed to escape. To make matters even worse, I saw even will mean little to you. If you can bring me the head of 29

a cattleman, I will teach you some secret arts of a time long forgotten.”

With the confidence of a man who had lived millenia, the giant seemingly manifested a chessboard out of thin air. “Would you like to play?” he asked.

“Sure,” I shrugged. I had nothing better to do.

A chess player of the highest order, he made short work of me, but before he left, he gave a warning. “Those cattlemen belong to an ancient race that once angered an Archfae. Their entire race was then cursed to follow the whims of that Archfae, wandering aimlessly and killing anything they see. Be careful if you do not want to lose your head.” (It was some time later after I collected myself that I realized just who that giant was.)

As I left the blind, I reflected on my whirlwind of a day. My life had changed immensely. Although I was excited about the future, I knew that even one slip-up could kill me. The rest of the way home was peaceful and, thankfully, uneventful. As I stepped out of the forest and saw the sun setting beneath a stunning Oklahoma sky, it gave me a chance to reaffirm just how beautiful this place was. The land consistently demanded your gaze and never failed to captivate. The trees swayed in the wind. The plains seemed to go on forever, and I could see the house from here.

After 29 days had passed, I had to go into town for some business. It was nearly 5:30 p.m. by the time I got back to the house, and since I had been putting it off after the events of weeks past, I decided it was finally time to feed the creatures living beneath the house. (I know. Stupid Alan. I was busy. I had story deadlines.) I grabbed the bag labeled “PORK” from the deep freeze in the garage and made my way back to the porch. The stench of death suddenly filled my nose as I looked at the clock.

5:55 p.m.

I was out too long. It had been nearly a month, and I hadn’t fed them 30

yet. I rushed to the front door throwing it open with the pork spilling out of my hands. I saw the creatures as they filtered from beneath the house. They came out early.

Just like the letter said, the creatures were skinny and tall, too tall, standing at almost 10 feet. Their bony, stretched-out skin bent and broke in places, spewing blood and leaving behind a sludge-like black blood residue. As they crept closer, the smell became even more pungent. Their leader stood at over 12 feet. It had huge antlers and more body sores than any other. As it pinned me by the neck, I felt my consciousness fade. I realized then that I had made a grave error.

When I awoke, I couldn’t believe I was alive. It was pitch black outside, and there I was just lying rather peacefully on the porch. One of the creatures had even balled up the empty pork bag as a pillow beneath my head. I tried to sit up, but I fell.

Hard. Onto my left side.

I had to take a moment to collect myself, but then I saw it.

They didn’t let me go. They just took their toll. My left arm was gone, cleanly cut and cauterized. It didn’t hurt. It was just gone. I was horrified by the sight. I pulled myself to my feet with my right arm and rushed into the house.

My arm was gone, and at the time, all I could think was how I couldn’t keep going. Yet something started to call out to me. Whether it was revenge, ambition, or stupidity, I did not know. I went upstairs to just lie down. I had decided to think about my next move in the morning. After ensuring all the windows and doors were locked, I went to sleep.

At 3 a.m., I woke up hearing voices that sounded like my mother, telling me to come outside. Clearly, some of the wandering creatures were trying to lure me outside, but I was smarter than that. (My mother would never come to Oklahoma, not even to visit me. Born and raised in Rhode Island, she likes the ocean far too much to ever think of coming to a land-locked state like Oklahoma.)

I covered my ears with a pillow in an attempt to go back to sleep. It was complicated with my arm situation, but I managed. When I woke up, I felt a sharp pain as a voice called to me in my head telling me, practically ordering me, to visit the shed. Honestly, the shed was less like a shed and more like a barn, and in my first visit to the “shed,” I found that the “off-road vehicle” mentioned in the letter was actually a dune buggy.

After following the “shed directions” as I had taken to calling them, I entered the shed to see gold and jewels laying about in piles on the floor, and I saw something resting in the driver’s seat of the dune buggy. I stepped forward to take a closer look and saw that it was a prosthetic arm of all things. There was also a note attached to it.

My dear boy, I’m sorry about the incident the other night.

It’s a regrettable situation. I took care of your wounds and prepared this for you.

It should graft right onto your body, and I have modified it to aid you in your task. Press the button on the side.

Take Care, Alcazar Just as the note said, the moment I put the prosthesis to what’s left of my shoulder, it immediately grafted onto my skin, quick, easy, and painless. It was a perfect fit.

I pressed the button on the side and visibly jumped as a long blade etched with runes and carvings suddenly burst forth. I looked at the carvings, and they all seemed to depict heroes as they slayed various fantastic beasts.

(I swear Alcazar is secretly a Newt Scamander fan. If you look closely, I’m pretty sure there’s a little Bowtruckle etched into the wrist.)

As I stepped back outside and looked out towards the open plains, forests, and the impossible lake, I knew that the fight to keep the property had just begun.

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We are a YouTube channel dedicated to bringing you the highest tier of garbage.

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Top 6 Places to Visit in Oklahoma City

by Dakota Schick

1. Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

(Photo by Katrina Crumbacher)

2. National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum 3. Oklahoma City Zoo

and Botanical Garden (Photo courtesy of Oklahoma City Zoo)

4. Science Museum Oklahoma 5. Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark

(Photo by Nathan Fox)

6. Oklahoma City Museum of Art 33 33

Tasteful Memories, Vol I.

by Michael Palacios

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Grand Leisure A wonderful vista captured on the high balcony of a magnificent resort off the Florida Keys...

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Arborea Above The liminal veil has begun to dissipate into nothingness, revealing the brilliant glory aloft.

Nirvana draws nearer.

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The Silent Cartographer Soft tones of ocean waves and distant echoes of indiscernible voices carry throughout the villa.

Is this a dream?

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E

verybody knows Indiana Jones, an unassuming archeologist/professor by day and liberator of precious artifacts lost to time by night. And more often than not, you see Indy uncovering secrets that many would rather see hidden away.

In a most curious way, the same has happened to the franchise itself (movies aside). And I do not mean that Nazis are taking the corpse of the franchise and trying to resurrect it, so they can steal the last bits of value from its tomb and desecrate the burial chamber. The lost gems I am talking about are the various media surrounding the franchise-the books and games. These other media are often overlooked by most fans, especially the average enjoyer of Dr. Jones’ adventures.

There are many amazing books, but I won’t be going over those now. The video games are my concern today. I mean, who does not like a good video game? "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis," "Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventure" and "Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb" are just a few of the many amazing Indiana Jones video games out there.

And these games are each 20 years old or more. Did you know there has been an Indiana Jones game on every console generation? That is crazy. But there is one game in particular I want to talk about, "Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine."

I can hear that one reader in the back, “What about the Emperor's Tomb? That game is just as amazing!”

Well, you are completely right! It is a delightful game, but we are going to focus on "Infernal Machine" for now. I might come back and write an review about that one or all of them at a later time.

"Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine" is an action-adventure platformer for the Nintendo 64, PC and Game Boy Color. You play as Henry “Indiana” Jones as he treks across the world fighting Russians and hunting down mysterious Babylonian artifacts.

You explore reefs, volcanoes, the Himalayas and the beautiful Utah mountains. This game takes substantial inspiration from "Tomb Raider," which works out well. You climb up rocks, jump across ledges and use various weapons to fight off enemies.

You can even drive Jeeps and other vehicles to explore jungle areas.

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Story and Photo

by Sean Penn*

To get a better idea of the game, here is a summary from the game’s page on Steam, “The year is 1947. The Nazis have been crushed, the Cold War has begun, and Soviet agents are sniffing around the ruins of the fabled Tower of Babel. What are they up to? The CIA recruits renowned archeologist and adventurer, Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones, to find out. Grab your whip and fedora and join Indy in an epic globe-spanning race in search of the mysterious 'Infernal Machine.'"

The game makes you feel like Indy, and I love it for that fact. But there are many who dislike this game. The main reason is the graphics. To be blunt, they are dated, but it gives off the old '90s charm that I personally love. As a critic, I must say that the graphics are clear and communicate what you need to know. For the Nintendo 64, that is rare. And some of the locales are also quite impressive and beautiful.

They truly inspire a sense of awe and wonder.

The sounds of this game are what drew me in. The sound is such a fantastic aspect often overlooked by other reviewers. Music is used very sparingly and only at important moments creating a cinematic experience when it does kick in. The sound effects are so well done. The whip gives a beautiful crack when used. The guns feel powerful. Even driving around feels fun because of its sound. But the sound effects are only half the fun. It is one of the few Nintendo 64 games to be fully voice-acted. Every character has lines, and they are all meaningful. Indy is voiced by Douglas Lee, who also voiced him in "Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis." Sadly, Jane Jacobs, the voice actor for his companion, Sofia Hapgood, did not return, but Tasia Valenza does an amazing job portraying her.

With the renewed demand for Nintendo 64 games, the price for "Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine" has skyrocketed in the past few years, especially since the PC version has hideous controls.

But "Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine" is an amazing game. If you own a Nintendo 64 or want to try to bear through the controls on PC. Please go try it. I cannot say for sure what you will think, but I think, “It belongs in a museum.” *writes under pseudonym 39

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W

hen I set out to make “Eating Worms,” I knew it would be a tremendous amount of work to get the strip to the point I wanted it to be. In some ways, I am still chasing my initial vision.

One of the main focuses of my strip has been to represent reality and the types of people I interact with every day. Small moments are seen as something to be avoided in most forms of entertainment. For most people, life isn’t defined by peaks and valleys but by the vast stretches of unremarkable routine. Because of this, a lot of entertainment comes across as out of touch. Downtime is seen as something to be avoided at all costs, rather than being creatively harnessed for more relatable scenarios. Everyday people are depicted as selfish and absorbed in their own insufferably vapid melodrama, and character flaws often skew towards one extreme or another.

I often find representations of introverted people in the media to be lacking in nuance. Introverts often make awkward interactions more awkward by remaining quiet as the awkwardness escalates. Someone who is socially awkward, but not introverted might manage to deescalate the situation by apologizing for being awkward or introverted. Many people seem to confuse social awkwardness with being introverted, but it is possible to be one without the other. I hope to harness this misunderstanding to carve out a niche for “Eating Worms.”

For those interested in starting a comic, here is some advice. I usually experience limited success when simply brainstorming for ideas. Much of my writing process consists of just going about my life waiting for something to happen or for an idea to pop out of thin air. This “process” looks an awful lot like doing nothing, because it basically is. I believe virtually every idea has been done before, so my goal is to convey my ideas in a unique way.

Comedy is the other main focus of my strip. I suppose I have an odd sense of humor, which I hope is an advantage. Most of my jokes come from reflecting on an event and realizing something that would have been funny to say if I had thought of it then. Sometimes something comes to me during an interaction, so I take a shot at it. In both cases, I write down the material, so I can work it into a comic. Sometimes, I make up a whole scenario. This can be more difficult, but it is often necessary to do so.

In any case, it can help to write with a specific person in mind. A positive reaction can be very motivating, especially if it is from someone you’re trying to impress.

Additionally, I have a handful of friends that I always show my work to for input. You want to find people who will let you know if an idea is not working.

Standing out is difficult when anyone with an internet connection can post comics online. Any edge you can find that will set you apart from the competition is worth considering. My method is to avoid the obvious or at least subvert it. Sticking to pen and paper is another thing that sets my work apart. I utilize more traditional methods because that is what keeps it interesting for me, and I like the aesthetic.

I have not prioritized the spread of “Eating Worms” lately for a couple of reasons, but I have attempted it before and will do so again very soon. I have learned that strategies and having a routine are very important.

Reddit seems to be the best place to find new readers, but retaining followers on Reddit is difficult. Webtoon is better for getting followers, but regular updates are necessary to keep readers from losing interest. Weekly posting is what I recommend. Both platforms benefit from deliberate timing and bombardment. I don’t condone outright spam, but posting many different comics at a rate of one an hour during a platform's most active hours is generally permitted and will give you an advantage. Promoting with platforms you do not normally engage with is typically a waste of time. I recommend sticking with platforms that you actually use.

I prefer promoting “Eating Worms” through one-onone interactions. Striking up conversations creates a personal connection that makes people much more interested than if they were to encounter a comic on their own. I have made many friends this way as I find it easier to talk to strangers when I have something I am passionate about discussing. Discord is a great way to do this kind of promotion online. I have realized I should try to utilize Discord more in my promotion because I use it frequently, and it plays to my strengths of oneon-one interactions. I even met one of my most-trusted consultants for the comic on Discord.

Finally and most importantly, you have to love what you do. You cannot sell readers on your work if you aren’t passionate about it. If you go in motivated solely by the idea of success, you will fail. Success is not earned easily, and motivation is fleeting. You have got to be willing to put yourself out there, and that means more than posting your comic. You need to connect with people. Motivation and sparks of inspiration are not always forthcoming. You will not always be able to make yourself do the work, even when part of you wants to. Also, negative feedback will affect you more than positive. Whatever motivated you strongly at one time will inevitably lose its effect on you.

Again, you have to love what you do. That is the most important part.

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find your voice.