The Montage

MONTAGE

The

Serving the St. Louis Community College - Meramec community since 1964 • ACP Award Recipient VOLUME 58, ISSUE 2

OCT. 6, 2022

WWW.MERAMECMONTAGE.COM

From left to right: Jayden Jones looks out towards a teammate; Justin Keuss at bat about to hit the baseball heading toward him; Jonathan Melendez takes in his surrondings.

STLCC ARCHERS RETURN TO BUSCH STADIUM

Archers Baseball falls short, but still get to play on the field of dreams

I

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

n what has become a yearly tradition, Archers Baseball returned to Busch Stadium to play a game on Sunday, Sept. 18.

Last year’s game was delayed twice due to inclement weather, and finally took place two weeks after its originally scheduled date. The game did not take place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year’s game took place following the St. Louis Cardinals losing effort against the Cinncinatti Reds.

The Archers also fell short against Lincoln Trail College. However, according to new St. Louis Community College (STLCC) Athletic Director Sharon Marquandt, there is no official score posted for the game as it was considered a scrimmage game by the National Junior College Athletic Association.

Archer’s Baseball will return to Busch next fall. More pictures from this event can be found on page 8 of this issue.

RIGHT: Three members of the Archers Baseball team take in the action and the scenery from the Cardinals team dugout.

Photos by: Dakota Pulcher and ADDIE TUDOR From left to right: Eddie Hacker at bat waiting for the ball to be pitched to him; Christian Harvey putting all of his weight into a pitch; Harvey gearing up to throw the ball once more.

A T

M E R A M E C

The Music Program at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students.

Classes are available for general education credit and the Associate in Arts degree with a concentration in Music to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music program. ** SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE **

COURSES

MUS 101,102,201,202 MUS 103 MUS 113 MUS 114 MUS 115,116 MUS 121,122,221,222 MUS 128 MUS 130 MUS 138,139,216 MUS 141,142,241,242 MUS 150 MUS 152 MUS 154 MUS 211,212

Join the Team Meetings every Tuesday at 3 PM via Zoom or in Student Center, Room 220A

Music Theory I,II,III,IV Basic Music History of Jazz Music Appreciation Class Voice I,II Class Piano I,II,III,IV History of Rock Music Beginning Guitar Jazz Improvisation I,II,III Applied Music (Lessons) I,II,III,IV Fundamentals of Music Technology Audio Engineering Music Recording with ProTools I Music History I,II

Interested in performing in an ensemble?

All Meramec students may participate. No audition is required!

MUS131, 132 and 134 are CORE42 performance courses!

ENSEMBLES

Music 131 – Concert Choir Music 132 – Orchestra Music 134 – Symphonic Band Music 138 – Jazz Improvisation All ensembles hold a seat/part assignment hearing during the first rehearsal.

Members of the Concert Choir may audition for the Chamber Singers.

For more information, contact Music at Meramec Dr. Jerry Myers, Program Coordinator, gmyers34@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7638

Contact Shannon Philpott-Sanders at ssanders147@stlcc.edu for more information.

NEWS 3

Oct. 6, 2022

STAFF JACOB POLITTE MANAGING EDITOR

Dr. Ware is For the Students

New VP of Student Engagement seeks to foster growth

DAKOTA PULCHER PHOTO EDITOR FAWWAZ ASHRAF STAFF MORGAN DANIELS STAFF OWEN FARRA STAFF RUBY FOLKNER STAFF MACY GILLICK STAFF KAYLEE HAMILTON STAFF ADELAINE TUDOR STAFF EMILY WEBER STAFF BRADY YANKO STAFF

Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser

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The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122.

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Up to 10 additional copies available, $1 each, at the office of The Montage, SC 220. Bulk purchases may be arranged with circulation manager.

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D

BRADY YANKO STAFF WRITER

r. Keith Ware is Saint Louis through and through. He was born in the city, he spent some of his educational time at St. Louis Community College (STLCC) and he both taught and worked in Saint Louis. So, naturally when undertaking his new position of Vice President for student engagement and chief affairs officer at Meramec, he thought of the city’s largest community college students as his priority.

According to Dr. Ware, the most important event in history “for me [..] from an academic standpoint, it would be Brown v. Board of Education.” This answer to a very broad question is representative of what Ware wants to accomplish in his time here. He said he wants an equitable, fair time for all the students of St. Louis Community College. However, Ware said he believes that there is no pressing issue of a broad problem where students are, at large, receiving unfair treatment.

“What makes STLCC great,” Wear said, “is the fact that we do acknowledge that we have variants of students.

Could things be done better for some?

Yes, but that is at every institution.”

Dr. Ware said he believes that the college is in a good place. The institution at large is providing help for all students; no matter their ethnicity, sexual orientation, or specific circumstance, through ‘STLCC Transformed,’ he said.

His experience as the Associate Director for the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville’s East Saint Louis center allowed him to, “work to create what was best for the

PHOTO COURTESY OF STLCC students down in that environment.”

This changed his view on how higher education, and STLCC can function, he said.

The office he presides over will attempt to foster an environment that assists in the “growth and development” of students, not just look to create the best environment for students during class, said Dr. Ware. The intention is to provide students tools, and help them take care of their actual needs.

In addition, they also wish to help students improve their quality of life through any possible means, whether that be a certificate, an associate, or the ability to transfer.

Dr. Ware said he wants students to be able to tell people, ‘You need to come to STLCC!’ Not because the college environment during class is great, but because they helped students do something that improved their life.

He said his office wants to understand what you, the student, believes is best for you.

According to Ware, this philosophy doesn’t just extend to the students of STLCC; the entire staff is included.

“I think if there is anything that the pandemic taught us, people are happy in their roles when they feel as if the institution looks out for them and their best interests,” said Dr. Ware.

NEWS BRIEFS FAFSA Frenzy Events Financial aid will once again host FAFSA Frenzy events for students needing assistance completing the 2023-2024 Free Application for Student Aid. Specialists will be on hand from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 5 in BA 105, 4-6 p.m. Oct. 19 in BA 105 and 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 8 in BA 105. Contact mcfinancialaid@stlcc.edu for more information.

Meramec Hosts Pop-Up Closet The Student Advocacy and Resource Center is hosting a pop-up closet for students who need professional attire for career fairs from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 6 in BA 105. All clothing items are free.

Fall Career Fair Set for Oct. 19 Career Development is hosting a district-wide career fair from 1-4 p.m.

Oct. 19 at the Forest Park campus.

Students are encouraged to bring copies of a resume, dress professionally and plan ahead of time.

Employers include SSM Health, Amazon, Missouri Department of Corrections, Stifel, Urban League and

more.

For questions or more information about the St. Louis Community College Fall 2022 Career Fair, please call 314-539-5888 or email careerdevelopment@stlcc.edu.

Peterson Photography Lecture Series Returns The ninth annual Peterson Photography Lecture Series, hosted

by St. Louis Community College Foundation, will feature a panel conversation with members of Photo Flood Saint Louis, moderated by Jamie Kreher, artist, educator and a founding member of the organization. Panelists include Jason Gray, Ann Aurbach and Mike Matney of Photo Flood Saint Louis.

The gallery opens at 5 p.m. Oct. 6 in the Meramec Art Gallery and the lecture series begins at 7 p.m. in LH 103.

The photo exhibit will run Oct. 6-27.

STLCC Transformed Updates As the Meramec campus prepares for demolition of Communications South, BA and SS, the following

changes will occur over the next few months: The library and Academic Success and Tutoring will be relocated to the Student Center. The deans’ suite and the business department will be relocated to the Applied Sciences building. Communications will be relocated to the English department and humanities will be relocated to the Social Science building.

Early College will move to Communications North and the information technology department will be relocated to the PE building.

Most of the renovations will be minor, others will take more time as we engage an external contractor for the work— demolition, drywall, etc. The PE area is planned to be a permanent move and the timeline remains to be decided.

The construction timeline for the swing spaces begins Nov. 14. Therefore, many spaces (SC 200/201) will not be accessible during this period.

With construction in SC 200/201 now planned, no events will be scheduled in those rooms after Nov. 14.

Library space will be available through Feb. 1.

4 ART & LIFE

Oct. 6, 2022

‘The Dumb Waiter’ Hits The Meramec Stage

The cast and crew of Meramec’s latest production give a preview of what’s to come

T

EMILY WEBER STAFF WRITER

he Meramec Theatre Company is in the midst of its run of “The Dumb Waiter,” directed by longtime Meramec Professor Keith Oliver. The production runs through Oct. 5-9.

The Dumb Waiter is a one-act written by Harold Pinter and it tells the story of two hired assassins named Ben and Gus while they wait in a basement room for their target to appear. In their boredom, the two hitmen bicker about trivial issues and rehearse the murder.

Meanwhile, their sense of reality begins to falter, and strange events start to unfold inside the basement.

“The two-man show offers an interesting way to perform,” said Actor Tariq Malik. “It’s interesting because with a large show you have a sense of a big family. But with a small show there’s a sense of more detail,” Malik said.

This is Malik’s first year at Meramec, but he has been in eight productions.

He plays the character Gus. “It’s fascinating because you learn how they think, what they do, And why they do it. Now ol’ Gus just lives upstairs,” Malik said.

“She helps me to relax and I am worried about her in the coming weeks,” said Malik of Stage Manager Weber. “I never really met anyone like Jarek,” said Malik of Templeton.

Jarek Templeton plays Ben and said he enjoys working with Malik.

“We have good chemistry and play off on each other,” said Templeton.

“I’d say it’s very investigative. It’s like journalism to me. What goes through my mind the most and what my main concern is about the nuance of the character. The idea is not to stay in one place for too long, otherwise the character will stagnate. I want to give this character depth so finding places

Photo by: Dakota Pulcher

Tariq Malik (left) and Jarek Templeton (right) rehearse a scene on Sept. 14, 2022.

to take him is what my director and I have really been working on from day one. For example: he may feel a certain emotion and he may need to be in that state for a while-how can I justify that and try not to make him seem like that’s

all there is to his character? How does my character justify it? Does he justify it? With this character, specifically, I’d say these questions are most useful,” said Templeton.

“Keith is a fun, laid-back, and a great

guy,” said Lexie Weber, stage manager.

This is Weber’s first year at Meramec, but she has been a part of fourteen productions, having even worked with Malik on five previous shows. “He’s a good actor; a really good actor and he has a lot of potential. It is a bonus that we are friends and that we’ve known each other for so long. He’s a fun guy, he’s really fun,” said Weber of Malik.

“I think it’s cool because the cast can really get to know each other and play off of each other,” said Macy Gillick.

This is Gillick’s first year at Meramec, but she has been a part of around thirteen high school productions.

The productions Director, Professor Keith Oliver, spoke on what he thought the audience would gain from this play.

“Well,” he said, “for me this play has on many levels a humorous examination of human nature and what we will do to endure the small ‘between’ moments.”

Oliver elaborated further, “We wait.

It is said that outside of sleep and moments we are in motion, attentive to a task – we wait. Approximately six months in an average lifetime waiting… on hold for customer service, in line, traffic…etc. Gus and Ben wait, and I believe the audience will understand the many perspectives each character has about their shared wait in ‘real time’ for something to happen in the play.”

He continued, “The characters of Gus and Ben are cramped into a restrictive basement space. They talk about the outside world, but are not connected to many people’s emotions or understanding about what is happening in the world outside of their jobs. [And] finally, the aspect of dark humor in the play. This play has a menacing quality about it, which at its core is about laughter surrounded by a state of chaos and ruin.”

The show is free of charge, and the show times are Oct. 5-8 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 9 at 2:00 p.m.

Oct. 6, 2022

ART & LIFE 5

New CIO looking to keep STLCC ahead in the digital age

Feng Hou is looking toward the future to meet student needs

T

FAWWAZ ASHRAF STAFF WRITER

echnology is constantly moving forward so having a leader that can keep St. Louis Community College (STLCC) moving alongside it is imperative to our college’s success. That’s where Feng Hou comes in.

In June 2022, Hou became the new Chief Information Officer (CIO) for STLCC and has been working diligently to not only keep STLCC’s technology modern but also accessible.

The Montage recently spoke with Hou to learn more about his background, new role, views on new technologies, current projects, and goals.

Although Hou didn’t initially plan on going into the IT field during his undergraduate career; instead he shifted more into the field when he pursued his master’s degree in instructional design at Virginia Tech.

Hou said he “specifically picked a program that is across the discipline between education and computer science.” During this time, he worked on a teachers’ summer development workshop. As a result, he got the attention of a superintendent who hired him to be the computer services director which got him started in IT management.

Since then, he’s accrued more than 20 years of experience in the field, most of which was spent as CIO for other, mostly community, colleges around the US. His role before joining STLCC was as Chief Digital Transformation Evangelist for Maryville University, a special position created specifically for him.

In this role, he helped organize a roadmap and introduce new technologies to the school, such as digital student IDs, digital employees, and digitally verifiable transcripts and diplomas via blockchain technology.

This technology helped Maryville move towards a contactless standard, therefore playing a critical role in keeping Maryville safe during the pandemic. He also taught a few classes in this role.

As the CIO of STLCC, Hou manages

the entire IT operation. That includes infrastructure, security, technology solutions, support services, and media services. In this role, he is working on many projects to improve both the quality and accessibility of technology for STLCC students.

One of the projects he’s working on

for other reasons. HyFlex is a happy medium for students who can’t participate physically while acting as a standard class for commuter students.

Hou is also continuing to further the accessibility of education through the loaner technology program. This loaner program gives students laptops

Photo COURTESY OF STLCC is the HyFlex program. This program allows students to attend class physically or virtually and still get the benefits of live lectures. Hou said that HyFlex will make it “easy for students to participate in their learning activities wherever or whenever they need.”

For many students, arranging and paying for transport to an STLCC campus can be a significant roadblock to getting an education, but many students also find that fully online classes lack the engagement needed for effective learning. This program also helps students who need to quarantine, take care of children, or can’t attend

to borrow while at STLCC. He said, “we purchased, immediately, several hundred if not a thousand of those computers.” The loaner program also offers other technology such as calculators and recording devices which can be borrowed from the library.

Another, more subtle change has been the expansion of Wi-Fi coverage on STLCC’s various campuses. Now, Wi-Fi will cover more outdoor areas like parking lots and sitting areas.

To help ease the transition between high school and college, Hou is also working on the Grade 13+ initiative.

This will help students with the transition to STLCC by digitizing much of the admissions process.

He said, “In this process, every high school student, if they choose to come to STLCC, [we’ll] already have their information.”

Hou said that he wants people to continue their education as if they’re just entering a new grade, hence the idea of grade 13. The plus represents students who take some time off of school and want to resume later.

Hou ascends to the CIO role in the midst of a huge change for the college.

Although he didn’t initiate STLCC’s transition to Canvas, he’s experienced with the platform.

“If they [the students] have any questions [or] concerns about how to use canvas technology,” he said, “please let us know.”

Outside of STLCC, Hou is an active member of the technology community, and he’s a strong advocate for blockchain technology, especially for its adoption in education.

He plays essential roles in multiple large organizations relating to blockchains and education. He’s also taught courses on blockchain technology and even contributed to questions for a blockchain certification exam.

Hou is currently learning more about how blockchain technology can be leveraged to improve the experience for the students. One example is the digitally verifiable document program he implemented at Maryville.

Another is using smart contract technology to automate business processes. This can help get more done faster and easier and allow operation outside of normal business hours.

Using blockchain technology for these problems also helps with security and immutability.

Hou has big plans to help bring STLCC into a new era of technology, but also make sure that technology is available to everyone.

He shared a lesson from John Chambers, a co-founder of Cisco, that sums his views up perfectly: “Technology is a societal equalizer, just like education.”

6 ART & LIFE

Oct. 6, 2022

‘There’s Just One Problem’ but lots of great stories This pro wrestling autobiography takes a different angle than most

B

Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR

rian Gewirtz isn’t a name a lot of people may know, even if he’s had a more prolific career in his field than most.

Currently a vital part of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s production company “Seven Bucks Productions,” he was a long-time employee of the pro wrestling company World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).

For sixteen years, he helped put together weekly television for the company as a writer, and had a direct influence on much of what made it onto the screen… and some of what didn’t.

Pro wrestling autobiographies are not in short supply, but pro wrestling biographies by someone who was on the writing staff are.

In “There’s Just One Problem” (a title taken from something said by an angry Bill Goldberg) Gewirtz recounts his beginnings of his wrestling fandom, which would eventually lead to a career with the company that lasted from 1999 until 2015.

His tenure corresponded with wrestling as a whole becoming a more scripted form of entertainment, which did not always endear him to some of the talent he had to write for. Gewirtz pulls no punches, and recounts all of this in great detail. He does so with humor, ownership of his actions and ideas (not all of them great) and most importantly, with dignity.

Gewirtz, while having a very important role in the direction of the company, preferred to stay in the background. His introverted nature both helped and hurt him during his time there, and it’s something he had to grapple with continuously as he progressed further into his tenure.

In the book’s very first chapter (a sort of Mock Trial called “Wrestler’s Court”), this struggle is highlighted, as certain friendships he made made his

life difficult.

He recounts many stories with a large cast of people, most frequently The Rock. During his time as a writer, he formed a close working relationship and friendship with the charismatic wrestler which eventually led to other opportunities outside of the business.

He also details a heartwarming friendship with childhood idol Roddy

Piper, which provides one of the book’s funniest and saddest chapters.

Along the way, he recounts tales of the numerous interactions over the years with other wrestlers, including current high-level WWE executives Bruce Prichard, Triple H and now former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Vince McMahon, who retired in disgrace shortly before the book’s

publication.

He also fondly recounts his working relationship with current Co-Chief Executive Officer and Chairwoman Stephanie McMahon, who was his direct superior for much of his time with the company. Gewirtz’s interactions with the McMahons throughout his tenure are covered throughout the book, as he had more access to them than most wrestlers may have.

This is especially true for Vince McMahon, as the relationship between the two fractures somewhat in the book’s closing chapters. It is perhaps the most unique look into what Vince McMahon was like off-camera; not much is known about Vince’s life outside of wrestling. While the book doesn’t offer any groundbreaking information, it does mostly portray Vince in a fatherly, compassionate light.

There are also some stories that don’t have anything to do with wrestling, even if they have significant wrestling tie-ins.

In one of the book’s most interesting chapters, Gewirtz recounts his brief stint working in the disastrous first incarnation of the XFL football league, a project spearheaded by Mr. McMahon.

Gewirtz does not hide from the fact that he did not want to be there, something reinforced when vignettes he produced fall below standard. All of this makes it somewhat humorous (which he admits) that he may be involved with next year’s reincarnation of the league anyway, albeit under The Rock’s ownership.

Overall, “There’s Just One Problem” may not be a book that appeals to nonwrestling fans, but for wrestling fans that do pick it up, it may prove to be quite a treat.

For non-wrestling fans who read it, however, it may come across as an unprecedented look behind the scenes of a unique television production.

TOP CLUBS/ORGANIZATIONS AT MERAMEC OF THE MANY CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS ON CAMPUS TO JOIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST UNIQUE CRU (CHRISTIAN MINISTRY)

This club is a community of students interested in strengthening their relationship with God. Students from all different backgrounds gather to discuss the Bible and Jesus’ life.

Advisor: rpescarino@stlcc.edu

Veterans Club This club is where Veterans and their supporters come together to build a network of service within the STL community. Members in the club are dedicated to help veteran’s transitions, promote successful completion of educational goals and overall wellness, lead in their community by community service, and bring camaraderie and fun into everything happening.

Advisor: gherrera3@stlcc.edu

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY This club is for students who are interested in chemical sciences. Events include performing chemistry demonstrations and activities for schools, monitoring stream quality in conjunction with Stream Team, hosting halloween science shows, participating in trunk or treat, sponsor science performers,hosting science webinars, celebrate chemistry week, and leading earth day activities.

Advisor: tfrost@stlcc.edu

BOARD GAME CLUB

This club is for students to have a space where they can hang out with new people and unplug from technology. Students are welcome to bring in their own games as well.

Advisor: dvoss@stlcc.edu

socratic society This club is also known as the Philosophy Club.

Participants hold informal conversations during which we say what they think and question their beliefs together.

Advisor: sjoakim@stlcc.edu

MUSIC CLUB

This club is for any student interested in any type of music. Students share music with each other like live performances by students themselves, recordings of a student’s favorite artist, attend concerts on campus, and explore all different types of music.

Advisor: gmyers34@stlcc.edu

MACY GILLICK STAFF WRITER

OPINIONS 7

Oct. 6, 2022

TECH TALK WITH FAWWAZ

Breaking down the latest tech news

A New Kind Of Library

RUBY FOLKNER STAFF WRITER

W

hile a school can exist without a formal Library, it is hard to continue learning.

STLCC-Meramec will continue to have a library following the demolition of the storied building that’s scheduled for later this spring. Sometime this coming February, the library and its services will move into a smaller, temporary space inside the Student Center. A new science building will be built on the former library grounds at some point, if the plans for ‘STLCC Transformed’ continue to remain unchanged.

No permanent home for a new library has been decided. And when it returns, there’s a good chance it won’t be the kind of library that Meramec students have become used to.

I went to an all-girls private school where we did not have a library, we had a place called “the commons.” It was a place where you could go to study and do school work. In my experience, it was far from that; it was often loud from people’s conversations and talking over each other. This was fine for me, to a degree, because I work better when there is a small amount of sound.

However, it often got very loud in this place and became more of a social setting rather than a workplace setting. I agree that libraries are outdated and need to be revamped.

I think it can be both a library and a common area.

For example, my favorite area in the library is the quiet places on the second floor. I propose we keep the second floor a more “traditional” library like it is now while keeping the first floor a common area.

This would be very similar to the way Lindenwood University has its library. Keeping these two things separate also allows you to keep books students need for classes or casual fiction books that are in. As a kid through elementary school and middle school, the library was a semi-quiet place of safety. I didn’t have that in high school. When I chose colleges I knew the school I went to needed a library.

I was so excited that Meramec has a library, and soon … it won’t.

Not really. At least not for a while.

A

FAWWAZ ASHRAF STAFF WRITER

lot of things are happening in the tech world. Apple unveiled upgraded and new accessories, and Ethereum and Nvidia also recently announced significant operational changes.

Apple Event: The new iPhone 14 models bring quite a few notable changes with no price increases. First is their new satellite SOS system allowing users to contact emergency services in areas without cellular connectivity. This feature will be free for two years for all iPhone 14 users in the US and Canada and can also be used to share one’s location with friends and family via “Find My” (a new App that merges Find My Friends and Find My iPhone). All models also now feature car crash detection. If one is detected and the user fails to respond to a prompt, the phone will automatically request emergency services. Next, Apple introduced a new image processing pipeline dubbed the “Photonic Engine,” which significantly improves low light performance, a new video stabilization feature via Action Mode that delivers gimbal-like smoothness, and autofocus for the front camera. Lastly, the iPhone 14 Pro received an upgraded camera with a 48 MP sensor and redesigned display with the front camera and sensors now integrated in the new “Dynamic Island”. This new area will surround these sensors with information such as music, sports scores, and navigation directions, so the space doesn’t feel as intrusive.

Apple unveiled three new accessories at this event: AirPods Pro 2, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra. The new AirPods feature a new processor, better noise cancellation,

and increased battery life for the earbuds and the case. The new Apple Watch now has a temperature sensor with the ability to track ovulation, a low power mode, and, like the new iPhones, it has the ability to detect car crashes and call emergency services. The Apple Watch Ultra is the only brand new line of products this year and is tailored for extreme conditions. The watch boasts a titanium case capable of withstanding temperatures below 0°F and above 130°F and water depths of up to 100m.

It also features more specialized bands, an improved GPS, a larger screen, and cellular connectivity by default.

However, its $799 starting price makes it a questionable purchase for anyone who isn’t interested in pushing their watch to the limits, especially considering the Series 8 starts at $399 and the SE, the budget model, starts at $249. Both of these cheaper alternatives offer just about every feature a casual user would need without the Ultra’s chunkiness.

Ethereum Merge: Ethereum has recently switched from a proof-of-work to a proof-ofstake system. People make money on the Ethereum network by validating transactions. Validators were chosen based on how much computational power they had, but they are now chosen based on how much of the currency they’ve staked in the network.

That’s a surface-level overview, but the main impacts for the general public are that miners will no longer hoard GPUs, and power usage of the Ethereum network should fall by around 99%.

Ethereum and crypto as a whole have received significant backlash in recent years regarding both of these issues, so this could encourage more mainstream adoption of these technologies.

However, this is only one of many issues. This change is not expected to have any effect on the cost or time to make a transaction, so its practicality in everyday use is still limited. It’s a great step in the right direction, but Ethereum is still many merges away from becoming a mainstay.

Nvidia: Nvidia has announced the top end of their 40 series GPUs, but not before losing one of their biggest partners. The new GPUs are the 4090, 4080 (16 GB), and 4080 (12 GB), and like expected, they all boast significantly better performance than their predecessors with 2-4x performance increases according to Nvidia. While all three cards boast significantly higher clock speeds than their predecessors, the 4080 (12 GB) model actually has less CUDA cores then the 3080 leading to speculation the 12 GB model was actually going to be the 4070. This makes sense considering the current oversupply of 30 series GPUs. Releasing a card with better performance and price while partners still can’t get rid of the old product would create a lot of problems, especially with Nvidia’s already tarnished reputation for treating partners poorly. In fact, EVGA recently cut ties with Nvidia and shut down their GPU division entirely citing obnoxious practices such as withholding of critical information and assets until near release.

Jake’s Take: Rollins Deserves Better

Kelli Giddish’s SVU exit is disappointing, rather unnecessary.

JACOB POLITTE MANAGING EDITOR

N

ews broke in late August that actress Kelli Giddish would be departing “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” (SVU) later this year.

Normally, an actor or actress leaving a television show isn’t and shouldn’t be big news. But this is not any ordinary situation.

Giddish has portrayed Detective Amanda Rollins on the show for 12 seasons now, and worst of all, the exit was reportedly not her decision. In fact, there were active plans in place to kill the character off during the recent three hour Law and Order crossover

event (during an hour that wasn’t even an SVU episode no less), before lead actress Mariska Hargitay stepped in to make sure that didn’t happen.

Along with Hargitay, the rest of the cast and crew doesn’t seem to be happy about Giddish’s departure. The new showrunner and his team appear to have been blindsided by the decision.

The only one who is in favor is the man who calls all of the shots: Dick Wolf, who rumors state thinks that Giddish is overpaid.

She’s been on the show for 12 years and has turned in countless memorable performances on a show that often doesn’t specialize in that trade these days. She should be paid rather well.

But as a result of Wolf’s demands to

rid the show of Rollins, and barring a sudden change of heart from that particular Dick, Giddish will depart following episode 9 of the current season this December.

While it’s been publicly stated that Rollins’ character will have a happy ending, the disrespect shown to Giddish is beyond defendable. Giddish has worked on the show since 2011, and is one of the longest tenured cast members. Through the years, while the cast has constantly rotated outside of Hargitay and Ice T, Giddish has been a reliable performer and Rollins has been often the most relatable character to the show’s audience.

SVU will be worse off without her.

8 SPORTS

Oct. 6, 2022

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

AT LEFT: Fans attending the STLCC game at Busch Stadium can see the action on the jumbo screen. AT RIGHT: In-Fielder Owen Constantineau runs the bases during the game.

AT LEFT: Archers cheer on team members. AT RIGHT: Pitcher Christian Harvey winds up.

STLCC ARCHERS RETURN TO BUSCH STADIUM

Photos by: DAKOTA PULCHER AND ADELAINE TUDOR

TRANSFER INFORMATION SESSION Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 4–6 p.m. CST

AFFORDABLE, PERSONAL AND TRANSFER-FRIENDLY At Webster University, we offer a personalized approach to education that starts with your admission experience. Our staff and faculty are excited to meet you at our Transfer Information Session, where you will discover more about Webster University!

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REGISTER TODAY! webster.edu/admissions/ugevents

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• Transfer & Scholarship presentation • Q&A Faculty Panel • Speak 1:1 with a Transfer Admission Counselor