[The Stute] November 5, 2021 (Issue 9, CXIX)

The Stute

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JORDYN!!!!

We write Stevens history

VOLUME CXIX No. 9

HOBOKEN, NJ | NOVEMBER 5, 2021

The student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck. www.thestute.com Instagram @thestute facebook.com/stevensthestute NEW STUTE EVERY FRIDAY • EST. 1904

SGA buzzing with activity New Senators

BY DANIEL YU AND TREVOR DAMEIKA

BY GRACE MIGUEL

These cybersecurity measures at Stevens blocked a staggering 22,999,912 potential attacks/probes and just over 36,000 phishing emails in the past 90 days, according to data presented during the virtual event. Additionally, IT conducted 158 investigations into issues that could have turned into security incidents such as malware attacks or reports of unauthorized logins.

At the end of September, several students became Student Government Association (SGA) Senators after elections were held to vote in new members. Firstyears who have joined the SGA and became Senators include: Aditya Bhangale, Nicole Certisimo, John Graham, Michelle Jacob, Benjamin (Benny) Katz, Andrew Krasinski, Olof Persson, Arminder Singh, Nicholas Smith, Alexander Stanczak.

There were also vacancy elections for sophomore, junior, and senior classes, which resulted in the election of sophomore Jason Yu and junior Charles Beall. No new seniors were elected.

Bhangale, Katz, Yu, Graham, and Persson detailed their experience to The Stute about their time in the SGA so far. Jacob and Certisimo were also contacted, but The Stute did not receive a response.

Q1. How have your first few weeks been as an SGA Senator?

Bhangale: “My first few weeks as an SGA Senator have been mainly learning about the roles in student government and how I’m going to fit into that, as well

While most students were off-campus during the past year due to COVID-19, two new student organizations have spurred and gained traction.These clubs are Stevens Linux Users Group (SLUG) and the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), among others.

The process to become a new registered student organization is run through the Student Government Association (SGA). The clubs mentioned above applied in the Fall 2020 semester and have just recently been able to hold events and gain wider representation across campus.

These clubs were developed for a common reason: they felt Stevens was missing something that the student body could benefit from and had interest in.

SLUG is an organization dedicated to the education and support of free and open source software (FOSS) development and the use of open source operating systems at Stevens.

Tyler Kaminski, a 3/3 Computer Science major and founder of SLUG, said, “There’s a lot of classes that ask you to know this stuff.

SEE SECURE PAGE 2

SEE SENATE PAGE 3

SEE CLUBS PAGE 3

PHOTO BY KATIE NG FOR THE STUTE

CYBERSECURITY POST-2019 CYBERATTACK

Stevens switches to Okta, looks to harness AI to strengthen security

BY BEMIN SHAKER Digital Manager Just a month before the start of the Fall 2019 semester, Stevens was the victim of a major cyberattack that shut down its wireless network and impacted major services for weeks. Ever since, the Stevens Division of Information Technology (IT) has been working to strengthen its digital infrastructure with a new “Protect Stevens” program

Hoboken general elections

BY ARIANNA GEHAN

Contributing Reporter On November 2, Mayor Ravi Bhalla declared victory in the Hoboken mayoral race. Bhalla, now preparing for his second term as mayor, ran unopposed. According to NJ.com, this was the first time a candidate ran unopposed in Hoboken in over 68 years. However, this is not the first time Bhalla achieved something historic. After he won the 2017 election, he made history by becoming the first Sikh mayor in the state.

His work in the community started before he was elected mayor. Bhalla served as a councilman where he reduced municipal taxes, secured funding for a second flood pump, and assisted in saving the Hoboken hospital.

Bhalla is also connected with the Stevens community — during his campaign four years ago, he came to campus to speak with students in addition to speaking with President Farvardin to oppose the naming of Gianforte Hall.

In addition to mayor

under the leadership of Tej Patel, Chief Information Officer, and Jeremy Livingston, Chief Information Security Officer.

On Friday October 29, IT hosted a “State of Cybersecurity at Stevens” virtual presentation to discuss the Protect Stevens initiative as well as answer questions from the Stevens community.

Within the Protect Stevens Program is the Security Operations Center that provides 24/7 monitoring

and alerts of any security threats as well as the ability to immediately take action to mitigate any harmful attacks on Stevens systems.

Network segmentation based on user roles helps prevent the spread of malicious software. Additionally, the Vulnerability Management Program, annual audits and penetration tests by third-parties, as well as certificate-based Wi-Fi access collectively ensure that the Stevens network is at its most secure state.

Annual Out of the Darkness walk returns to Stevens

BY KATIE BLOOMER

Contributing Reporter The annual Out of the Darkness Walk took place on October 24, 2021, concluding National Depression and Mental Health month. The Out of the Darkness Walk was a collaboration between Stevens, the City of Hoboken, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

Melissa Zarin, the Assistant Director in Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), was in charge of recruiting student volunteers. She stated in an email to The Stute, “so much of the success of the

event rest on our students not only participating but volunteering.” Zarin also encouraged faculty and staff participation.

Kenneth Nilsen, the Dean of Students, also had a major role in planning the Out of the Darkness Walk.

Nilsen coordinated campus logistics involving organizing the necessary outdoor spaces and obtaining mandatory city permits. He also worked with campus security to secure the walk route and coordinated with President Farvardin’s office to notify them about information regarding the event.

The walk was a success with 630 participants registered and over 600 walk-

NEWS (2)

SCIENCE (4)

OPINION (6-9)

Read more about cybersecurity efforts and the Out of the Darkness Walk

Pig kidney transplant For years, researchers have been investigating how to transplant suitable organs into humans by growing them in pigs.

The Stute Editorial Mind of a Freshman Senioritis Spoiler Alert Off The Press Book of the Week

NEWS (3)

Read more new SGA Senators and clubs ALPFA offers business students an opportunity to join a professional society tailored to their area of study.

ers at the event. Next year, Zain hopes “to continue to raise more awareness and funds to support AFSP’s mission to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.” This walk was the conclusion to other events Stevens held for National Depression and Mental Health month.

“During this month CAPS provided many programs for students in an effort to demystify depression and suicide, while encouraging and destigmatizing help-seeking,” expalined Zarin.

This year, the walk raised nearly $58,000

SEE WALK PAGE 2

PHOTO COURTESY OF @PHISIGSTEVENS ON INSTAGRAM

SEE RAVI PAGE 3

SCIENCE (5)

Feeling sleepy?

There’s a time during the day when our con- centration starts to be- come more scattered...

PULSE (10)

Roving Reporter Crossword

New clubs Staff Writer

40 things to do next week at Stevens | November 7 – 13

BY MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM Editor Emeritus

The time to get involved is now! Check out this list of events open to undergraduate students from November 7 to November 13.

Disclaimer: This list is always changing. To include an event in this list, contact eboard@thestute. com, or upload the event to Ducklink at least one week in advance. Contact hosts directly for event information.

Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021 • 11:30 a.m. – Sunday Brunch @ Pierce Dining Hall (hosted weekly by Stevens Dining; meal plan required) • 3:00 p.m. – Broadway Show: “The Lion King” @ Minskoff Theatre, NYC (hosted by Entertainment Committee; $20, Ducklink pre-registration required) • 7:00 p.m. – SGA Senate Meeting @ Babbio Center 122 (hosted weekly) Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 • 11:30 a.m. – Meatless Monday @ Pierce Dining Hall (hosted weekly by Stevens Dining; meal plan required) • 4:00 p.m. – StevensTHON: Panera Bread Fundraising Night @ Panera Bread, 310 Washington St (co-hosted by Stevens-

THON and Delta Phi Epsilon) • 5:00 p.m. – Court Meeting: Intermediate – Advanced @ CPH Tennis Courts (hosted by the Stevens Tennis Club) • 7:00 p.m. – Newman TV Night @ Babbio 219 (hosted by the Newman Catholic Association) • 9:00 p.m. – SITTV GBM @ White Door on the Side of Humphreys (hosted weekly) • 9:30 p.m. – KSA GBM #5 @ Babbio 210 (hosted by the Korean Student Association) Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021 • 5:00 p.m. – The Stute Production Night @ Student Center 302 (hosted weekly by The Stute – join our team!)

• 9:00 p.m. – SGDC GBM @ Gateway North 204 (hosted by the Stevens Game Development Club) • 9:00 p.m. – Newman Night @ Babbio Center 320 (hosted by the Newman Catholic Association) • 9:15 p.m. – The Stute GBM @ Student Center 302 (hosted weekly by The Stute – join our team!)

Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021 • 3:00 p.m. – Conflict Resolution & Communica-

SEE TO DO PAGE 3

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News Masthead Volume CXIX No. 9 Executive Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF......................................................................NATALIE TODARO ‘22 BUSINESS MANAGER................................................................JORDYN RAMELLI ‘23 MANAGING EDITOR....................................................................SANJANA MADHU ‘23 LAYOUT EDITOR.................................................................................KEENAN YATES ‘24 OUTREACH CHAIR................................................................GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24 DIGITAL MANAGER...........................................................................BEMIN SHAKER ‘23 SECRETARY.........................................................................ZANE THUMMBORST ‘23

Editorial Board NEWS EDITOR...........................................................................TREVOR DAMEIKA ‘23 SCIENCE EDITOR..................................................................RAYNA INDELICATO ‘23 OPINION EDITOR...................................................................ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 HEAD COPY EDITOR.............................................................GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24

Operations Board HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER....................................................CAROLINE MONTANA ‘22 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER........................................................VANESSA HUERTA ‘23 WEBMASTER....................................................................................JOANA FARDAD ‘22

Staff & Contributors Aleksandar Dimoski Arianna Gehan Daniel Yu Diem Trinh Estefania DeCaires Grace Miguel Julia Dwight Julia Wierzbicki Katie Bloomer Katie Ng

Matthew Brantl Matthew Cunningham Olof Persson Rafael Lee Li Sara Deuidicibus Stephen Pachucki Tasha Khosla Winston Lee Zoe Hack

Contact Us GENERAL EMAIL...........................................................EBOARD@THESTUTE.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF..........................................................EDITOR@THESTUTE.COM ADVERTISING............................................................BUSINESS@THESTUTE.COM OFFICE................................................................STUDENT CENTER ROOM #302

SECURE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 One of the most notable projects undertaken by IT is modernizing the sign-in process. The university transitioned to a more modern single sign-on (SSO) authentication system through DUO during the Fall 2020 semester.

That solution was short-lived as it was announced in October 2021 that Stevens had partnered with Okta for a new “NextGen” identity and access management (IAM) system.

A major reason for the switch was that Okta replaces several separate systems and consolidates the authentication process.

According to Jeremy Livingston, Okta enables a much more secure log-in system because it looks at 11 different factors such as a user’s IP address and location. Another major difference between DUO and Okta’s single sign-on feature, is that Okta enables a user to login only once to access all of their different Stevens applications, such as Onedrive and Canvas, on the same device.

Once all applications are integrated with Okta, it is planned that the familiar myStevens homepage will be replaced with an Okta portal. Additionally, students will be able to use Okta to change and reset their passwords.

IT notes on their website that the transition will be gradual and that DUO will be eventually phased out.

Cloud security is also increasingly becoming a top priority for

WALK

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Corrections

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FULL LIST OF POLICIES ON thestute.com

which is a new record. “The funds raised by AFSP through the Out of Darkness Walks primarily go toward research and development of incredible resources,

Information Technology as more systems move to the cloud. Patel said that the biggest challenge to cloud security is to “consolidate some of the data footprint we have created at Stevens to allow more reliability [and] flexibility for our faculty, staff, and students” all while making it more secure. Livingston added, “You can’t secure the data if you don’t know where it is” pointing to a data discovery program that is set to be launched in the coming months to identify where data, specifically sensitive data, resides in order to supply adequate security controls.

Looking towards the future, Livingston and Patel both expressed optimism for the role artificial intelligence will play in the cybersecurity program. In fact, Patel predicted that AI will become almost necessary as data continues to expand and the systems grow more complex, stating “As the attackers become more sophisticated, [...] I don’t think it’s humanly possible for anyone to sit in front of a dashboard to keep track of all of these attacks.

So, AI and machine learning will definitely be the key.” More specifically, Patel expects automation will be leveraged to not only monitor threats but also block attacks in real time.

Jeremy Livingston echoed those remarks calling true artificial intelligence a “game changer.” However, he cautioned that “as soon as there’s AI on the defensive side, someone is going to repurpose it for offensive.” That means potential threats will become increasingly more sophisti-

cated and difficult to detect.

Resources available to members of the Stevens community include security bulletins that provide information on the latest scams, training for both students and staff, as well as a free antivirus software for personal devices.

many of which we use at CAPS. The resources are helpful for anyone whether affected by suicide loss, or simply as part of an effort to help end the stigma associated with seeking help for one’s mental health.” Donations will be accepted through the end of 2021.

Planning for the Out of the

Darkness Walk next year is soon to be underway as the year-long planning process begins. Zarin explains “We follow-up with our volunteers and then start meeting again in the spring and late summer. Once the fall starts we invite the student groups to a planning meeting and it goes from there.”

TEJ PATEL, CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER. COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU

FROM THE 2019 CYBERATTACK COURTESY OF THE STUTE

TOP: PHOTO COURTESY OF @STEVENSDUCKS ON INSTAGRAM BOTTOM: PHOTO COURTESY OF @SIT_SIGDELT ON INSTAGRAM

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Friday, November 5

News SENATE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 as getting to meet new people in the organization. I’ve enjoyed getting an insider look into the intricacies of our school.”

Yu: “The first few weeks of being an SGA senator have been great. You really get to see the inner workings of how stuff like events get organized, how funds are being dispersed to clubs and other organizations, and more.”

Katz: “I actually really like it [...] At first I was very intimidated, but so far it’s been very fulfilling working behind the scenes and seeing how the school works.”

John Graham stated he has enjoyed his first few weeks as an SGA senator and he’s “been learning a lot about how the SGA works at Stevens and all of the roles and responsibilities of senators.”

Persson: “They have been pretty fun, because I have discovered how much power we have as students to make the change we want at Stevens.”

Q2. What are your impressions on the structure of the SGA? Bhangale: “I think that the structure of the SGA seems mostly efficient, with the elected positions allowing for a streamlined system for leadership combined with the chosen cabinet ensuring that qualified people lead specific efforts.”

Yu: “The SGA meetings are run very professionally and done well. My only critique is that they are on Sunday nights but there’s nothing we can do about that.”

Katz: “I think it’s pretty bureaucratic and structural, but it sort of has to be. I did student government in high school so I have experience with how it works so it’s not too bad. I think that the upperclassmen and senior members do a good job teaching the new senators how it works.”

Graham: “Overall, I’m impressed with the scope of influence that the SGA has. My high school’s student government did

TO DO

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tion Skills @ Babbio 204 (co-hosted by Undergraduate Student Life and Diversity Education) • 3:00 p.m. – “SCC: 102 – Resume Writing” @ Online via Zoom (hosted by the Stevens Career Center; pre-register online at Ducklink) • 3:00 p.m. – Alumni Panel: Lessons From Abroad @ Babbio Center 321 (hosted by the Office of International Programs) • 3:00 p.m. – Workshop: “Managing Your Money” with Wells Fargo Representative @ Student Center Commons (co-hosted by 1st Gen Ducks, Undergraduate Student Life, STEP, Diversity Education, and the SGA Diversity and Inclusion Committee) • 4:00 p.m. – “SCC: 202 – Interviewing” @ Online via Zoom (hosted by the Stevens Career Center; pre-register online at Ducklink) • 4:00 p.m. – Presentations on Zoom @ Online via Zoom (hosted by the Writing and Communications Center; pre-register online at Ducklink) • 5:00 p.m. – Weekly Group Run @ Babbio Patio (hosted by the Stevens Running Club) 6:00 p.m. – Stevens Chess Club GBM @ Babbio Center 203 (hosted by the Chess Club) • 9:00 p.m. – SCF GBM @ Babbio Center 122 (hosted by the Stevens Christian Fellowship) Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021 • 5:00 p.m. – Court Meeting: Beginner – Intermediate @ CPH Tennis Courts (hosted by the Stevens Tennis Club) • 6:00 p.m. – Networking Night @ Online via Zoom (hosted by the Society of Women Engineers) • 7:00 p.m. – SCF Small Groups Bible Study @ North Building 102 (hosted by the Stevens Christian Fellowship) • 8:00 p.m. – GraviTea Trivia Night @ Kidde 228 (hosted by the

nowhere near as much as the SGA does. I really appreciate how the SGA can effectively advocate on behalf of the students.”

Persson understands that the structure of the SGA is set in place to make changes, but he has “noticed that there isn’t enough interest by [students] outside of the SGA. The amount of things that the SGA can do to help the student body should [encourage] more people to participate in meetings and give their own opinions so we can work on improving Stevens.”

Q3. What are your plans going forward in the SGA? What initiatives do you have in mind?

Bhangale: “I personally want to see more opportunities and directions for starting clubs as well as just generally more involvement in SGA as a whole. I currently don’t have any set initiatives per se, but I do plan on being involved in legislating and working on the SGA constitution to enact some of the changes that might make the organization a better flowing and more effective governing body.”

Yu: “Going forward, we plan to have new events, install new things on campus, listen to the student body’s concerns and questions, and more.”

Katz: “Right now I want to put garbage cans in Pierce and for there to be more hand sanitizer dispensers around campus, I feel bad about having to throw my trash out onto the conveyor belt.”

Graham: “I’m already a member of the SGA’s budget committee, and I plan on joining the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and I hope to gather a lot of ideas for initiatives from my work in these committees, as well as through communicating with my peers about their experience at Stevens.”

Persson: “I am working on right now trying to get the final exam schedules to be released earlier. [This is so that] out of state students like me would be able to schedule flights and such earlier at cheaper prices. This would also help people that live close by too.”

Society of Physics Students) • 9:00 p.m. – Stevens Dramatic Society Presents: “She Kills Monsters” @ DeBaun Auditorium (free with Stevens ID) Friday, Nov. 12, 2021 • 1:00 p.m. – Jummah Prayer @ Student Center Commons (hosted by the Muslim Student Association) • 1:00 p.m. – StevensTHON: For The Kidz Friday @ Babbio Center (hosted by the StevensTHON) • 4:30 p.m. – Sushi Fridays @ Pierce Dining Hall (hosted by Stevens Dining; meal plan required) • 7:00 p.m. – SCF Fellowship Night @ Peirce 220 (hosted by the Stevens Christian Fellowship) • 8:00 p.m. – Stevens Dramatic Society Presents: “She Kills Monsters” @ DeBaun Auditorium (free with Stevens ID) • 9:00 p.m. – Midnight Munchies @ Chi Phi, 801 Hudson St (co-hosted by Theta Phi Alpha and Chi Phi) • 10:00 p.m. – Pancake Night @ Phi Sigma Sigma, 835 Castle Point Terrace Saturday, Nov. 13, 2021 • 8:00 a.m. – Third Build of Semester @ Paterson, NJ (hosted by the Habitat for Humanity; email habitat@stevens.edu for more information) • 11:00 a.m. – Weekly Group Run @ Babbio Patio (hosted by the Stevens Running Club) • 2:00 p.m. – Stevens Dramatic Society Presents: “She Kills Monsters” @ DeBaun Auditorium (free with Stevens ID) • 3:00 p.m. – Entertainment Committee: “Escape Room” @ Escape the Room NYC, 24 W 25th St (hosted by Entertainment Committee; $20, Ducklink pre-registration required) • 4:30 p.m. – Steakhouse Saturday @ Pierce Dining Hall (hosted by Stevens Dining; meal plan required) • 8:00 p.m. – Stevens Dramatic Society Presents: “She Kills Monsters” @ DeBaun Auditorium (free with Stevens ID)

CLUBS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 They don’t teach it so we have to go outside of the class to learn it.

That’s where this club comes in.”

The other founders include Jacob Gerega, Mitchell Reiff, and James Labayna.

In a different vein, ALPFA offers business students an opportunity to join a professional society tailored to their area of study.

ALPFA is a Latino-based, but not exclusive, national professional business society. Their mission is to empower and develop Latino men and women as leaders of character for the nation, in every sector of the global economy. Its founders are Ivan Arias, Camilo Lobos, Nicole Veraja, Ivy Robalino, and Marissa Conde. Ivan Arias, a 5/5 Business and Technology major and founder said, “The business school is growing rapidly, yet we don’t have a nationally recognized professional society on our campus.” ALPFA differs from the Society of Hispanic Engineers (SHPE) because it is tailored for business students at its core. Their resources include but are not limited to investment banking, marketing, entrepreneurship, and management. SHPE is focused on engineering—“a lot of our founding members were part of SHPE (2 of us are previous E-board members), and in many ways our mission and vision are very closely related,” said Arias. The two clubs share the same cultural demographic and mission, but that is where their similarities end.

Kaminski and Arias both admitted that it was an uphill battle in the early phases of club devel-

opment. Each semester, the SGA Vice President of Student Interests (VPSI) announces the beginning of the Interest Period in which any individual interested in forming a new Student Organization (SO) must submit a New Organization Request Form. Once it is submitted, the proposer will have a meeting with the VPSI and a staff member from the Office of Undergraduate Student Life.

Following the meeting, there’s a vote which must be unanimous.

Because SLUG and ALPFA went through this process during the pandemic, once they entered step two, they found it difficult to gain traction.

According to the SGA’s New Organization Process 2020 document, during step two the new organization must do the following: • Develop positions for an Executive Board or other system of officials (e-board); • Think of purpose-relevant events; • Draft a constitution; • Establish a rough budget, and; • Quantify student body interest.

In Winter 2020, both SLUG and ALPFA moved to step two.

Kaminski said, “During COVID we couldn’t have GBMs but we just talked to people to gain interest.”

The founding members also set up a Discord server that potential members and interested students could join to discuss open source projects. They currently have over 100+ members in the server which can be accessed at this link. They are currently working on a website, and the code can be found in their Github at this link.

Not only were the founders faced with the difficult task of creating a club during quarantine,

but they were also facing personal challenges that arose due to the pandemic. Arias said, “A lot of us had to step back and take care of our own before we could be focused on school again, let alone a new organization.” They have received immense support from ALPFA on a regional and national level which has made them feel more at ease. Being that ALPFA is a national organization, the founders must be sure they are on track and up-to-date with Stevens and ALPFA requirements.

This semester, ALPFA has hosted an Opening GBM, a Cover Letter Workshop, co-hosted Part One of the Building Equity series with AΦA and NSBE, and co-hosted a consulting speaker event with multiple chapters in their region.

They want to bring change and representation to campus by hosting events such as these.

Currently, SLUG is in step two of the new organization process and ALPFA is in step three preparing applications for step four.

The SLUG founders hope to move forward to the next step to branch out into more software/hardware projects and fundraise for more comprehensive open source global projects. They also hope to host workshops to help students gain skills they do not get in their classes “like Git. It is a bit of an involved process, and professors don’t want to teach that.”

The expansion of clubs on campus gives Stevens students a wider variety of clubs that suit their interests. Students interested in creating their own organization should keep an eye out in the beginning of each semester for an email from the VPSI announcing the Interest Period.

LEFT: COURTESY OF IVAN ARIAS, 5/5 BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY MAJOR AND A FOUNDER OF ALPFA. RIGHT: COURTESY OF TYLER KAMINSKI, 3/3 COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJOR AND A FOUNDER OF SLUG.

RAVI

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 elections, 10 candidates ran for Hoboken City Council. Councilwoman Emily Jabbour, Councilman Jim Doyle, and Joe Quintero came out victorious. All of these candidates were endorsed by the mayor and were a part of his campaign.

Elected in 2017, Emily Jabbour has focused on pedestrian safety, affordable housing, and the improvement of the overall quality of life for residents. Jim Doyle was first elected councilman in 2009. He is an employee of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and one of his top

priorities has been implementing Green Infrastructure in Hoboken.

Many of the projects he seeks to implement aim to better protect the city from flooding. A New Jersey native and Hoboken resident of 15 years, Joe Quintero’s priorities include making Hoboken more affordable, improving local parking, and creating better plans for Hoboken’s development.

Having this support in the City Council will make it easier for Bhalla to accomplish the goals on his agenda and fulfill his duties as mayor, which include appointing municipal officials and approving or vetoing ordinances established by the council.

On November 2, Team Bhalla’s

Spokesman Rob Horowitz put out the following media release: “This was an overwhelming victory tonight for Mayor Bhalla and the Team Bhalla at-large Council slate of Councilwoman Emily Jabbour, Councilman Jim Doyle and Joe Quintero. Hoboken voters sent a message that they strongly approved of the performance, policies and new proposals of Mayor Bhalla and his Council Team. Team Bhalla thanks Hoboken voters for the strong mandate they provided—one that will create momentum for leading Hoboken forward. Team Bhalla congratulates all the Council opponents for their hard work and the good campaigns they ran.”

MAYOR RAVI BHALLA, COURTESY OF THE NATION.

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Friday, November 5

Science FIRST SUCCESSFUL KIDNEY TRANSPLANT OF PIG KIDNEY INTO HUMAN

BY DIEM TRINH Contributing Reporter For years, researchers have been investigating how to transplant suitable organs into humans by growing them in pigs. As technologies like cloning and genetic engineering are advancing, they are turning this vision closer into reality. Furthermore, for the first time in September, doctors successfully transplanted a pig kidney into the body of a brain-dead patient at NYU Langone Health medical center. Researchers have come to believe that this could be the first stepping-stone to alleviate severely ailing cases in the future with the new supplies of organs.

According to the Reuters, the procedure “involved the use of a pig whose genes had been altered so that its tissues no longer contained a molecule known to trigger almost immediate rejection.”

Surgeons then attached the pig’s kidney to the patient with the consent of their family and took the measures of the kidney’s

ROBERT A. MONTGOMERY, MD, PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY AT NYU LANGONE AND DIRECTOR OF THE NYU LANGONE TRANSPLANT INSTITUTE. PHOTO COURTESY OF NYU LANGONE HEALTH

DOCTORS SUCCESSFULLY TRANSPLANTED A PIG KIDNEY INTO THE BODY OF A BRAINDEAD PATIENT... ...THE PROSPECTS OF THIS SURGERY ARE STILL BEING DEBATED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE GOING TO BE TEMPORARY OR LONG TERM”

function in the patient’s body for 54 hours. The test results were “pretty normal,” as stated by Dr. Robert Montgomery, the director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute. According to him, the amount of urine and waste product produced by the transplanted kidney was as expected.

Although the kidney was not implanted in the body, the problems with this type of transplantation, which is called xenotransplant, usually take place “at the interface of the blood supply and the organ, where human blood flows through pig vessels,” according to The New York Times. However, Dr. Montgomery said that because the kidney worked perfectly outside of the body, it could as well function inside of the body.

Furthemore, according to the New York Times, as the supply of pig’s organs become stabilized and will eventually include hearts, lungs, and livers, they “would offer a lifeline to the more than 100,000 Americans currently on transplant waiting lists, including the 90,240 who need a kidney.” In addition, 12 people on this waiting list die each day and it takes approximately three-to-five years for a kidney to be ready to be implanted.

Researchers have tried to figure out ways to avoid the instantaneous rejection of animals’ organs by the human body, but have struggled to yield successful results. “Animal to human transplantation has been something that we have studied for decades now, and it’s really interesting to see this group take that step forward,” said Dr. Maryam Khosravi, a kidney and intensive care doctor that is active in the UK. Dr. Montgomery’s team speculated that if they removed the pig gene for a carbohydrate that triggers rejection—a sugar molecule, or glycan,

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NYU LANGONE HEALTH

called alpha-gal—then they would decipher the problem.

“The genetically altered pig, dubbed GalSafe, was developed by United Therapeutics Corp’s (UTHR.O) Revivicor unit,” Reuters noted. “It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2020, for use as food for people with a meat allergy and as a potential source of human therapeutics.” However, other researchers are still considering whether GalSafe pigs could be the sources of organs for human patients.

In an effort to prevent the immune reactions to the kidney, Dr. Montgomery and his team also transplanted the pig’s thymus, a gland that is involved in the immune

THE TEAM BEHIND THE TRANSPLANT | PHOTO COURTESY OF NYU LANGONE HEALTH

system. After the kidney was added to the blood vessels in the upper leg, the surgeons covered it with a shield in order to study it and take tissue samples over the course of 54 hours. “There didn’t seem to be any kind of incompatibility between the pig kidney and the human that would make it not work,” Dr. Montgomery said. “There wasn’t immediate rejection of the kidney.”

On a note about ethics, Dr. Khosravi believed that just because this transplantation’s result exceeded our expectations, it does not mean that we should continue doing it in the future; “Just because we can doesn’t mean we should. I think the community at large needs to answer these questions.”

Although this transplantation has rewarded many possibilities in the medical field, it raises questions about animal welfare and humans’ utilization. “Pigs aren’t spare parts and should never be used as such just because humans are too self-centered to donate their bodies to patients desperate for organ transplants,” the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stated.

Because the kidney was left for only three days, the prospects of this surgery are still being debated about whether or not they are going to be temporary or long-term.

However, this transplantation has paved the way to find more treatments for critically ill patients in the future.

5

Friday, November 5

Science Why does productivity decrease in the afternoon?

BY ESTEFANIA DE CAIRES

Science Writer

There’s a time during the day when our concentration starts to become more scattered, our energy goes down, we become increasingly tired, and we are not as productive.

For college students, this can happen right in the middle of class.

This slump, or crash, occurs between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. when our bodies naturally make us feel less energized.

There are multiple causes that lead to a decrease in energy during the afternoon.

The most significant one is due to our circadian rhythm, or what most people call our body’s internal biological clock. The circadian rhythm is associated with the body’s natural hormone production, appetite, and cell regeneration during a 24-hour cycle. Specifically related to sleep, the circadian rhythm is influenced by the production of melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that

helps us feel more relaxed and helps us regulate sleep. The production of melatonin is controlled by the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN), which is a part of the brain that responds to both external and internal changes. The internal change that increases the production of melatonin is the drop in body temperature.

This happens twice during the 24-hour cycle; once, right before we go to sleep at night and the other time is in the afternoon between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The circadian rhythm is different in teenagers than in adults, which means that the afternoon slump occurs at a slightly different time.

For teenagers, the afternoon slump occurs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and for adults, it occurs from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

In many different parts of the world, it is customary that during some of the afternoon hours there is time for a break. Many Med-

iterranean countries have some form of afternoon break. For example, in Spain, their afternoon break, la siesta, is a very important part of their culture. From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. businesses are allowed to close and people are expected to take a break. The same occurs in Italy where their afternoon break is called riposo; and much like in Spain, businesses close during this time. Japan has their own version of an afternoon break. They practice inemuri, which roughly translates to “being present while sleeping”. As a result of Japan’s fast-paced society, businesses don’t close for long periods of time like in Italy or Spain; instead, people take naps in the subway, in parks, and at the workplace. These afternoon breaks often result in many health benefits, like better cognitive performances and better mental health. Afternoon breaks have been a part of the culture of many places

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES

around the world for years, but it has yet to take off in the United States. A study done

by Redbooth showed that after lunchtime productivity steadily decreases and completely falls off after 4 p.m. However, taking extended breaks from work is frowned upon in the U.S. There are certain

things we can do to help mitigate the effects of the dip in our energy levels during the afternoon. The first one is to eat foods that will give you sustained energy; this means that sugary snacks are not the best option since it usually ends with a crash.

The second is to take a break, preferably

outside with the sun because the vitamin D from the sun helps the body feel more energized. The third: take a quick power nap, if possible.

The next time you are struggling to concentrate and struggling to stay awake during an afternoon class, don’t worry, it’s not really your fault.

Vaccine boosters & doses for children

BY SARAH DEUIDICIBUS

Staff Writer On Friday, October 29, 2021, the Pfizer vaccine was authorized for emergency use for children ages 5-11. The approved dosage for children is one-third of what is given to adults, and it will be administered in two doses with three weeks in-between each. Despite the recent approval, it will take time for the program to ramp up and give every young child access to the vaccine; this is likely to occur by the week of Novem-

ber 8. Jeff Zients, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, says that the federal government will be able to supply all 28 million eligible children with doses of the vaccine. For children under the age of five, Pfizer is currently conducting clinical trials to ultimately be able to give children as young as sixmonths old the vaccine; their consensus can possibly be made before the end of the year.

As young children are about to start getting their first dose of the vaccine, those ages 18 and above are increasingly becom-

PHOTO COURTESY OF VULANKUNGU.CO

ing eligible to receive a booster shot. The Pfizer and Moderna booster shots are currently available for all people ages 65 and older, or those 18 and up who live in longterm care settings, have underlying medical conditions, or work/live in high-risk environments. Someone who meets such criteria is only able to get their third dose after six months following their second dose.

For the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, all people ages 18 and up are eligible to receive their booster dose after two months following their first dose. Interestingly,

the CDC states that it is acceptable for people to mix and match which type of vaccine they receive for their booster.

For people who have had COVID as a result of a breakthrough case, there’s currently no data that shows any differences in levels of immunity.

Still, Inessa Gendlina, the Director of Infectious Diseases at Montefiore Health System, recommends that those who recovered from a breakthrough case should still get vaccinated since T-cells are difficult to measure and antibodies begin to fall after a “month

[or] two” since an infection. Contrarily, Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University, said that an infection with COVID can possibly provide “a significant protective boost because it exposes the immune system to more of the coronavirus than just the spike protein targeted by vaccines.”

Meaning, those who have hybrid immunity (are fully vaccinated and recovered from a COVID infection), don’t necessarily need to receive a booster shot since they have had, essentially, three exposures to the virus.

There is still much to learn about the impact and efficacy of the various COVID vaccines in children, the necessity of booster shots by age and health, as well as the strength of hybrid immunity. Just like everything else during the pandemic, new information will emerge day-by-day and all we can do in the meantime is wait and stay healthy and safe.

For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website.

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7

Friday, November 5

Opinion THE STUTE EDITORIAL

The importance of the upcoming SGA presidential election Around this time last year was the 2020 presidential election. My editorial from that time unsurprisingly indicated I was “glued to the TV from November 3 to November 8 [...] my week of intense news watching and listening.” Oh, what a wonderful time!

This week, Mayor Bhalla of Hoboken was re-elected after running unopposed. New Student Government Association (SGA) Senators were recently elected.

Soon, SGA presidential elections will be underway. It’s voting season I guess you could say!

I hope that the SGA is regaining its footing. After resignations, efforts to restructure, the writing of a new constitution that failed to pass, vacancies in the Cabinet, and a presidential election during a pandemic, all of which have happened in just the last year, the organization has surely taken a hit.

But there have been some positives too: 5 out of the 6 Cabinet

members are women for the first time in Stevens history; 10 firstyears were elected as Senators; experiments in outreach to the student body are happening with Quae; committees have committee heads; and so on.

I’m not a part of the SGA, and I never have been. I can’t say for sure what outreach tactics have worked for them and which ones haven’t, or what they’re currently doing to make the organization work in a more efficient way. But genuinely, I do want them to succeed, and I think a big chunk of their success depends on the student body. But from what I can tell, the pandemic and the aforementioned obstacles have caused many students to lose touch with what exactly the SGA is and how their participation, even if from a distance, can help improve Stevens.

Students behind Quae are trying to address this issue with their digital platform–an app that

allows students to post poll-style questions and others to respond by voting on which choice they favor. One recent example was the question “How late should buildings stay open?” posted by the SGA, or “Add a Fall Break to the F22 semester.” Right now there are just about 100 students using the app, but if students really work to bring this number up significantly, Quae could be an incredibly effective tool for reaching the student body and making the SGA more known on campus.

For the past few SGA presidential elections, there’s always been a pair of students running as a joke alongside others who are serious. While a lot of people find it funny, I honestly think it’s a slap in the face to the people who are seriously running. It overshadows the students who have worked hard enough to even consider themselves qualified to be at the top of the SGA, and by running as a joke, it quite literally sends the

message that the SGA is a joke.

Some students don’t care at all about helping to improve campus during their time at Stevens, others care a lot, and some are in the middle or closer to one end over the other. All of these positions are valid. But for those who make it known that they don’t care, who may run for SGA President as a joke, know that your actions do nothing but spread the wrong message about the SGA that is ultimately continuing to send campus life backward instead of forward.

You don’t have to be involved in the SGA, but recognizing that student government is an essential part of any college campus is vitally important. The next presidency and 2022 can be a turning point for student life, with the University Center opening soon and campus coming back to life after remote learning. With presidential elections coming up, I truly hope people take it seriously.

Natalie Todaro ‘22

Editor-in-Chief

MIND OF A FRESHMAN

SENIORITIS

Sustainability, college, and being patient with yourself

Becoming Professionals

BY KATIE BLOOMER ‘25 About one year ago, I had a life-changing realization. I was taking a shower, following my usual shampoo and conditioner routine, and suddenly I realized that every single product in the shower was plastic. Plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash, and shaving cream lined my shower’s shelves.

Not only was my shower routine generating a ton of trash, but I was paying for these bottles that would eventually be recycled or thrown away. What a waste of money!

I had always thought of myself as a fairly environmentally-conscious individual. I turned the lights out when I left the room, used a refillable water bottle, and recycled paper. I was even part of my high school’s recycling club. Wasn’t that enough? Well, in that moment in the shower, I real-

ized that, in fact, it was not enough. So many parts of my life were creating waste, and I had been oblivious to it for years.

After this epiphany, I was left distraught and confused.

If I couldn’t use plastic, then what could I possibly use? A single bar of soap was not going to suffice, and everything in typical stores seemed to use disposable packaging.

Over the next few days, I began doing a little bit of research, a.k.a. scrolling through waste-free inspiration Instagram accounts.

I was welcomed into a new world that involved completely plastic-free products.

It turns out that most disposable packaged items can be replaced with compostable or reusable alternatives.

I decided to make my own Instagram account (@waste. free.katie) and post about my journey towards being more sustainable. My posts vary from product reviews to outfits of thrifted clothes.

As I entered college, I was optimistic that I would be able to continue this journey and perhaps even ease further into it. I imagined myself grabbing an entirely vegan meal from the dining hall on my way to pick up trash on the side of the road.

Well, maybe that exact image wasn’t in my head, but I definitely had plans to adopt

a more plant-based diet and continue to reduce my use of plastic.

As it turns out, this is way more challenging than I anticipated. Low-waste living usually involves a lot of reusable products which are expensive, take time to clean, and require storage space.

Being a college student typically means being broke, overly busy, and living in a dorm room with a minimal number of drawers. So, you can see how these two things do not exactly work together.

I have been trying my best to continue the low-waste swaps I adapted before college, such as using shampoo bars, a refillable water bottle, and thrifting my clothes.

However, it has become apparent that it will be a while before I am settled into college enough to begin changing more drastic aspects of my life, such as becoming a vegetarian.

How does this apply to you? Well, for starters, look into some ways you might be able to reduce your environmental impact! I promise, it is easier than you think.

More importantly, this is a reminder that it is ok to not constantly make progress, and it is even fine to go backwards sometimes. Whether it is a goal you have or just a hobby, be patient with yourself.

It never ceases to surprise me how much my life has changed over the years. I used to be a high schooler waiting for the moment I could get a driver’s license; and here I am, several years later, about to graduate college and enter the workforce.

I’ve been working at Baumer of America, a business in my hometown, for a few years now whenever I have extra time, and I’ve developed a lot during my time there. It took me all these years to realize that I’m a professional now. People defer to my judgement, ask me for help, and work with me on projects. I have become somebody who knows what they’re doing, which is a strange sensation. A lot of the time, I feel as though I shouldn’t be the

authority on something, but that seems to be the way things have turned out at that job.

There’s also a certain level of responsibility associated with working on something. When you’re working on a big project and it has to get done by a certain date, you have to put in the extra hours in order to get the job done.

When we were about to go live with our new company resource management software, my supervisor and I had to spend a week of what would normally have been both of our winter breaks inputting new companies into the system. It’s nobody’s fault that it ended up that way, but we had a job, and we got it done on time.

Another thing that I’ve learned is that I always want to do my job in a way that I can be proud of.

Anything that I work on should be something that I would be glad to present to my colleagues, whether they see it or not.

In the span of a few years, I’ve learned so much, but to my suprise, very little of what I’ve learned has been from classes.

Occasionally there’s been a good class or two that’s a magical

combination of interesting, important, and challenging, but these are few and far between. Instead, most of what I’ve gained at college has been from clubs and friends. Talking about code with my roommates and studying with my friends have been some of the most academically rewarding things I’ve done at Stevens.

Going beyond purely technical work, working on a variety of e-boards for different clubs has taught me a lot about leadership. I understand the underpinnings of what is required to manage different kinds of organizations, and I learn more every day.

But all of these things make me wonder what I’ll learn next. I couldn’t imagine how far these past few college years would take me, and I still can’t imagine where the first few years of life in the industry will take me. I hope that my time working will be as productive as my time at college, if not more so, but it’s hard to say for sure. Life takes us down unpredictable paths, and sometimes we just need to follow through and do our best to make the most out of it.

change Facebook’s “boomer-oriented” image to one that appeals to younger generations through virtual reality. From a regulatory standpoint, Facebook is already under high scrutiny with its current algorithms, data practices, and mergers and acquisitions. And perhaps, while regulators are scrambling to divvy out fines and court cases, it gives Facebook just enough leeway to slip into new spaces which have not been slammed with heavy regulation yet, like AR/VR. But in the end, renaming does not equal rebranding.

While Facebook has attempted to distance itself from the name Facebook, its technologies continue to remain controversial and its leadership has remained unchanged. In fact, I believe that the best way for Facebook to truly rebrand and

distance itself from its controversial past is for Zuckerberg to pass the baton of either Facebook or Meta to someone else. (Although knowing Zuckerberg’s past, I am confident that he’d want to remain top dog.)

Furthermore, I am struggling to see how renaming produces isolation between Facebook products. In an interview with The Verge, Zuckerberg said, “You’ll have a Facebook account and you’ll have an Instagram account. You’ll also have an account with the company that’s the top level. So that way if you don’t want to use Facebook, you don’t have to.” And yet, Meta is still Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp are still overseen by the same company that oversaw them before, and absolutely nothing changes. While you may not have an account with

Facebook, the social media app, you may still choose to have an account under Meta, which bears the same risks of using Facebook.

Personally, it’ll take me a long time to truly acknowledge Facebook as Meta.

First, in a literal sense, we’re in that weird grey area where it’s too early to permanently refer to Facebook as Meta because it’s still new. Second, in a practical sense, many people will simply prefer to use the original nomenclature, just how many still refer to Alphabet as Google. Also, the switch to me seems like an effort to rebrand without actually acknowledging or fixing any fundamental issues. Rebranding to Meta seems like a sad attempt to distance itself from past issues, but then again, it wouldn’t be Facebook if they didn’t take the easy way out.

BY ALEKSANDAR DIMOSKI ‘22

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

Renaming != Rebranding

BY SANJANA MADHU ‘23 “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” Or in this case, replace “a rose” with “Facebook” and “sweet” with “sour.”

In a grand attempt at corporate rebranding, Facebook has reshuffled into a parent company known as Meta. The name Meta, which was announced at Connect 2021 by Mark Zuck-

erberg, is derived from the concept of the metaverse, a platform that allows people to connect virtually.

This renaming follows years of Facebook being a widely controversial company. The technology giant has managed to implement controversial algorithms into its social media apps, allow for the theft of millions of users’ data, involve itself in multiple eye-raising mergers and acquisitions, and ultimately breach the three cardinal rules of ethical tech (as presented in my last three columns). In the past weeks, former Facebook data scientist and recent whistleblower, Frances Haugen, has leaked thousands of Facebook internal documents and testified before Congress, claiming that Facebook “harms children, sows division and undermines democracy in pursuit

of breakneck growth and ‘astronomical profits,’” according to NPR. To be honest, with this amount of sullying controversy, I’d want to change my name too.

While I’m not the biggest fan of Facebook (and the decision to rebrand), I must admit that the new features that Meta plans to produce are extremely exciting.

Zuckerburg’s vision of virtual reality and other immersive digital technologies succeeding the mobile internet seems like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. But critics are skeptical of how innovative these features will actually be, or if they’ll actually transpire.

Despite the mixed buzz around renaming, I do believe that renaming was a smart decision for Facebook. From a demographic perspective, rebranding to Meta could potentially

8

Friday, November 5

Opinion LIFESTYLE HACKS

SCIENTIFIC CURMUDGEON

Apartment living

Who wants to live in Facebook’s “metaverse”?

BY ZOE HACK ‘24 Something I have recently come to realize is that if I had not chosen to attend Stevens, it is very unlikely I’d be in the situation I am now—living in an apartment not owned by the school and not being on a meal plan.

As a second-year student, this is definitely an independence that I enjoy after being on campus last year, but it can also be overwhelming at times.

The most notable difference I find in the transition from dorm to apartment living is cooking for myself.

I have always enjoyed cooking and baking, so I have not found the task of feeding myself particularly difficult, but I still struggle to main-

tain a cooking schedule at times. For me, I am glad to have cut my ties with the dining hall because I have a lot of new food restrictions (as of this summer) that make it nearly impossible to eat anything that I have not prepared myself. Additionally, I live about a 15 minute walk from campus, so going back and forth to eat my meals at the dining hall would be anything but ideal.

So how exactly do I balance cooking, 17 credits, multiple clubs and organizations, living far from campus, AND remembering to eat?

That’s a very good question and I honestly ask myself that very often. Here are my general tips for apartment living (mainly revolved around cooking with a dash of time management strategies).

1. Make a list of all of the (healthy) foods that you like to eat I frequently get food fatigue, so having a list of foods I know I like and can rotate through helps me not get tired of eating the same

foods. Foods on my list include ground turkey tacos, shredded chicken tacos, strawberry protein smoothie bowls, chickpea pasta with meat sauce, scrambled eggs, strawberry protein oatmeal, a gluten-free bagel with Nutella and peanut butter, and some fruits and vegetables for snacking. By rotating through these different possible meals, I get less tired of what I’m eating, and I don’t have to spend too much time going through choices before deciding what to eat.

2. Make a concise yet comprehensive shopping list It is easy to over-buy food for the week and end up having to throw out half of what you buy. It is equally as easy to under-buy and end up needing to run back to the store before the end of the week. Neither option is that great considering as a college student, I focus on both saving money and conserving my time, so one grocery trip a week with no excess waste is what I aim for.

3. If you’re not a chef,

you can learn!

One of my favorite resources for recipes and cooking guides is the BuzzFeed Tasty App! I’m sure we’ve all seen a BuzzFeed Tasty tutorial video on our Facebook or Instagram feeds at one point or another, and the app is such a helpful compilation of all of these recipes along with blog posts and many more features. I personally consider this app a necessity, and it is so helpful for finding meals specific to dietary needs, time constraints, and cooking ahead for the whole week.

4. Keep trying until you find something that works for you!

There are so many different ways to keep yourself fed throughout the week. You can buy frozen meals, microwavable mac and cheese cups, or you can prep your own frozen meals. I usually buy a bunch of frozen veggies to keep in the freezer, set aside a day of the week to cook a bunch of different foods, and freeze them for the week ahead.

OFF THE PRESS

Stevens Planning Epic Party

BY OFF CENTER —SATIRE— In a surprise move after the raucous Halloween weekend just last week, President Farvardin announced that Stevens would be hosting an epic party in the coming weeks that would consume the entire campus. The whole school will be turned into an absolute madhouse of hype and energy, with Farvardin himself leading the rave.

Such an event requires some special planning, which we were excited to be a part of. It should be noted that hours of madness will comply with all safety protocols by being outside, maintaining distancing, and having OSHA-mandated safety rails at all slopes over a 1% grade. We went to see how we could help with the party and caught up with the construction workers who were installing some of these rails.

“Yeah, they decided to

stop all work on the University Center so these could be installed in time,” one power drill specialist told us. “There’s gonna be a diving board off the Howe Center,” said one two-by-four operator. Those guys then worked together to assemble a handrail with remarkable speed. When our editor asked if he could help, they directed him to the food management table after he drilled his shirt to the beam on his first try with the drill.

The food table was way more fun than building handrails because government bureaucrats cared about our safety. Instead, we got to make plans that fly directly in the face of the faceless government bureaucrats at the FDA, who think they know what I should be eating. One of the main sources of food will be candy confiscated from rule-breaking trick-or-treaters last week, although Farvardin will be holding onto the 100 Grand and PayDay bars.

We were able to participate in taste-testing everything under consideration for the hundreds of snack tables that will be laid out.

Our favorites were Stevens’ exciting “innovation candy” and the doubling of our funding had nothing to do with that statement. Of course, Compass One is providing all the food, so you may need to use your compass to do some navigating and find something good (except the innovation candy). We thought the most efficient way to taste all the food in terms of quantity of food per unit time would be an eating contest, and called Nathan’s Hot Dogs for their expertise on how to set up such an event. Unfortunately, the food organizers were not interested in our proposed eating contest, and shooed us off to the DJ station. Luckily, we did get Nathan himself to come to the party.

Music is expected to include hot hits like Miley

Cyrus’s 2009 Party in the U.S.A. due to its references to “Party”s and “the USA,’’ where of course Stevens is located. One of the six DJ’s told us that “the Jay-Z song was on” would be changed to “the Bob Jovi song was on” and “hopped off the plane at LAX” would be changed to “hopped off the plane at Newark.” Also, instead of butterflies flying away, squirrels would be scampering away, and not everyone would seem so famous.

Of course, if you want to see a real party with supplies from Party City, then you should come to Party City In The USA, Off Center’s final sketch show of the semester tonight at 9 p.m. in B118 where there will be free food and party poppin’ prizes. As The Washington Post does whenever they mention Jeff Bezos, we now issue the disclaimer that Off Center does own Off The Press as one of its offshoots, but the show will still be really good.

603 Washington Street, Hoboken NJ 07030

Looking for delivery person and employees

BY JOHN HORGAN

CAL PROFESSOR Passing through a park in Manhattan recently, I spotted a plaque with a poem on it, “Nature Poem,” by Tommy Pico. It includes these lines: When Nature palms my neck I can’t tell if it’s a/romantic comedy or a scary movie I feel a similar ambivalence contemplating the “metaverse,” a concept being floated by Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and other tech moguls. It calls for a much more immersive experience for consumers of social media, games and other digital technologies. The metaverse gets us into the sci-fi territory of The Matrix, in which evil robots pump a fake reality into the brains of captive humans. Is the metaverse so implausible that it’s silly? Or is it scary? I can’t decide.

According to tech pundit Ben Thompson, Neal Stephenson introduced the term metaverse in his science-fiction novelSnow Crash in 1992. Stephenson describes the metaverse as a three-dimensional virtual reality generated by goggles worn by the novel’s hero, Hiro.

The metaverse is “a computer-generated universe that [Hiro’s] computer is drawing onto his goggles and pumping into his earphones.”

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella mentioned the metaverse at a conference last May, but only after Zuckerberg discussed it last July did it really generate buzz.

Zuckerberg describes the metaverse as “an embodied internet, where instead of just viewing content–you are in it. And you feel present with other people as if you were in other places, having different experiences that you couldn’t necessarily do on a 2D app or webpage, like dancing, for example, or different types of fitness.” That sounds like a rom-com version of The Matrix.

Zuckerberg might be touting the metaverse to distract the public from his company’s ongoing scandals. The latest whistleblower, Frances Haugen, testified to Congress that “the company’s products harm children and stoke division,” as National Public Radio put it.

If the metaverse is a public-relations ploy, not everyone is fooled. In August Jessa Crispin, a columnist for The Guardian, published a fiery critique of the metaverse.

Lumping it together with the space programs of Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, Crispin calls the metaverse another escapist fantasy of “tech billionaires trying to leave the world to evade responsibility for their malevolent influence on it.”

As the Netflix film Social Dilemma points out, Facebook and other tech companies care more about profits than social well-being. These companies already wield enormous power over us, which grows as they gath-

er more data on us, and the metaverse could amplify that power. Tim Sweeney, founder of Epic Games, warned in 2017 that the metaverse could become a dystopian nightmare if it is controlled by a small number of corporations. And Sweeney has promoted the metaverse.

The metaverse poses technical as well as public-relations problems. The most immersive current interface for digital simulations is virtual-technology goggles of the kind produced by Oculus, which Facebook purchased in 2014. Tech companies are exploring so-called brain-machine interfaces that go beyond virtual-reality goggles. These interfaces could further blur the line between us and our devices.

Some brain-machine interfaces detect neural signals via external electrodes or optical sensors attached to the skull or other parts of the body. Such interfaces can also manipulate thoughts with transcranial electromagnetic pulses. These non-invasive devices, however, enable only crude mind-reading and mind-control.

Tech firms are investigating far more ambitious interfaces, which work via electrodes implanted into the brain through holes drilled in the skull. The devices can read signals from and transmit them to neurons directly, potentially enabling the kind of precise mind-reading and control envisioned in The Matrix and other science fictions. Facebook has funded research on both non-invasive and invasive brain-machine interfaces.

I’ve raised doubts about the potential of brain implants. Implants designed to treat depression and other mental disorders by stimulating neural tissue have not lived up to their hype. And influencing mood via direct neural stimulation should be much easier than creating detailed hallucinations and boosting intelligence, memory and other cognitive capacities.

Facebook has reportedly discontinued, at least temporarily, research on brain-machine interfaces, which has produced disappointing results. But other companies, notably Elon Musk’s Neuralink, continue to develop implanted interfaces. Here’s another disturbing fact to keep in mind: The Pentagon has pumped tens of millions of dollars into research on brain-machine interfaces.

I wish I could dismiss the metaverse—and especially the version based on brain implants–as silly techno-hype. But scary things, which once seemed inconceivable, have been happening lately. A thuggish buffoon becomes the most powerful man on earth. A plague sweeps across the planet, killing millions and forcing survivors to wear masks and keep a wary distance from each other.

Given the world’s unpredictability, I have a hard time ruling out the possibility that an unholy alliance of big tech and the military will foist an implant-enabled metaverse on us. After all, as the real world gets scarier, the metaverse might become more and more appealing.

In our frightening future, the metaverse, not religion, might serve as the opiate of the masses.

9

Friday, November 5

Arts & Culture SPOILER ALERT

THE COLLEGE GOURMET

Squid Game: A true foreign trailblazer

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Join the club.

BY JULIA WIERZBICKI ‘23 I know so many people that refuse to watch foreign films purely because they have subtitles. There are countless amazing films that don’t get the publicity they deserve due to the fact that people don’t like subtitles or don’t like the look of it dubbed. Pan’s Labyrinth and Parasite are two that immediately come to mind as some of my favorite foreign films to date. However, when I heard that Squid Game was gaining popularity, it gave me some hope that it might introduce people to the idea of watching a foreign film with English subtitles. Sure enough, as the series quickly approaches becoming the most popular show in Netflix history, I think it might have accomplished just that.

Much as I’m slightly ashamed to admit it, I actually first heard about Squid Game through TikTok. All I knew about it was that there was a competition where people who were severely in debt competed in games that seemed simple, but if they lost, had deadly consequences. It sounded kind of like a Korean Hunger Games. But after finishing the series, I can confirm it was so much more than that. Not only was the cinematography stunning and the story riveting, but it also provided some very interesting insight on the human psyche and ended up being truly thought-provoking.

Even from just watching a short trailer for the se-

ries, the large role that color plays in Squid Game quickly becomes apparent. All of the sets for the “games” (which were actually built in real life, mind you) are colorful and bright—a stark contrast to the things that will be occurring there. Additionally, the second to last game takes place in a circus-style theater, symbolizing the fact that the people who run the competition view this all purely as a twisted form of entertainment. There are also several references to The Matrix throughout the series, specifically the red and blue pill. In the first few episodes, our main character Seong Gi-Hun is shown wearing almost exclusively blue. This is referencing the fact that he’s accepting the game and choosing to shield himself from the truth. In the very last episode, where it’s implied that he’s going to return to the game to try to shut it down, he dyes his hair bright red. This is an indirect reference to the red pill in The Matrix when the person who takes it chooses to accept the truth. Although there hasn’t been another season confirmed quite yet, the open-ended ending has left the door open for the

story to continue if the director chooses to.

Easily my favorite episode in the entire series is episode two, titled “Hell.”

In it, the remaining survivors decide by majority to stop the games after game one. They all end up going back to their normal lives for a few days. During that time, we get to see the horrible conditions these people are living in. We slowly see them all come to the realization that they would rather be dead than continue living that way. This means that their only way out is through the Game: either they win the money and are liberated from their debts or they die.

Either way, they’re freed.

Honestly, I could go on and on about this series.

Even though I finished it last week, I cannot stop thinking about it and I definitely want to rewatch it. I’m so happy that Squid Game is truly making its mark on the Netflix community and, hopefully, paving the way for many foreign films/ series in the future. Squid Game has taught me one thing for sure, though: if a strange man in a suit comes up to you and invites you to play ddakji, just say no.

SQUID GAME COMPETITOR KANG SAE-BEYEOK, PORTRAYED HOYEON JUNG

BY JULIA DWIGHT ‘22 I’m officially in peppermint mode now. I’ve taken off my costume and donned my Santa hat. I already have the ham in the oven. Don’t give me pumpkin unless it’s in pie form.

I’ve always been a holiday lover, and just when one passes, I’m already getting ready for the next one. Once sweater weather comes around, I start thinking about Christmas dinner and all the delicious snacks leading up to it. Visions of sugarplums dance in my head alongside gingerbread, cranberry sauce, and candy canes.

There’s something special about food changing as the seasons do. As the temperature goes down outside, we warm ourselves up with soups and stews galore. Holiday menus act like warm blankets for our appetites.

This year, I’m particularly excited about my Christmas cookie lineup. Creating the perfect holiday dessert menu is like making a dodgeball team in gym class: you have to find the perfect balance of players. Too much chocolate can be too rich, but too much vanilla will all blend together.

My snickerdoodles are the star of the show every year. I have a secret recipe I’ve been using since high school, with a blend of creamy and cinnamon-y flavors that goes well with anything. I can’t go through the holiday season without making them.

Last year’s newcomer

BOOK OF THE WEEK

The Remains of the Day — Kazuo Ishiguro: The book you read to realize you should not live your life through someone else

BY RAFAEL LEE LI ‘24 “Quietly devastating.”

This comment written on the back of the book could not be closer to the feeling left after finishing the book. Here, what is not told tells the story.

This is a book of selective memories packed with the “what could have been” angst. A book where the protagonist-narrator is looking back into his past in order to justify and find meaning in his mediocre life caused by his inability to express emotions, his refusal to accept his true emotions, and his projection of purpose onto someone else’s life.

Now for the setting: England. Transition between wars and the fall of the grandeur of the old aristocracy which consequently led to the decline of butlers. Stevens—our protagonist, not our school—is a butler.

Ishiguro uses him to paint

an image of a stoic who prides themselves on effectively suppressing their emotions and putting their profession above everything and everyone.

He buried his emotions so deep he lost the love of his life and the chance to grieve for his father. It is torturing to see him realize that.

Stevens thought that helping someone in the fulcrum of the world would equate to him being in the same level of importance as them. As if by serving a lord who served humanity, he would therefore be serving humanity as well. All he got out of it was a mediocre life where he found meaning in the servitude of a decaying aristocrat related to the Nazis.

Now Stevens has to figure out what to do with the remains of his days.

A recipe of sheer anxiety.

Again, quietly devastating.

was an Oat and Pecan Brittle Cookie created by Claire Saffitz, the ex-Bon Appetit star now known for her YouTube channel Dessert Person. My dad is a big oatmeal cookie fan, so I thought these would be a fun spin on the classic.

They’re unique in that they take at least two full days to make, with the dough chilling overnight. While this is a good trick for any cookie to allow the flavor to develop, it’s necessary here to get the perfect crispy-chewy texture. They were a huge hit with my family and got my seal of approval.

However, no holiday menu should be stagnant, so I’ve begun my brainstorming period for this year. After the success of Saffitz’s other recipe, I’m excited to try her Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies. They’re the perfect alternative to a gingersnap if you’re looking for something softer.

I’m also looking to start a project I’ve had my eye on for a while: rainbow cookies, the tri-colored delicacies often found in Italian bakeries. They’re notoriously tricky to make due to their careful composition of layered sponge cake and jam.

That’s why I’m choosing to start early, as no rehearsal

stage is better for Christmas dessert than a Thanksgiving feast.

Alongside some harvest-themed cookies, ‘tis the season for breaking out your old family pie recipe. I got into pie-making during the pandemic and hope to test my skills this year for an audience larger than my parents. One of my favorite tricks is for apple pie. Melt butter with white sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon, then pour directly over the apples. Brush any extra liquid over the top crust to get it extra golden brown.

If I can give you one suggestion this holiday season, it’s to go the extra mile and make your own crust.

It’s so satisfying to do and a complete game changer.

Once you’ve tasted those crispy-thin layers with silkysmooth butter, you’ll never want to go back to storebought.

Before the holidays really kick into gear, take these next couple of weeks to brush up on your baking skills. Throw in one last pumpkin concoction before you crack open the peppermint bark. Your grandma will be so proud when you’re the star chef of the family get-together.

CLAIRE SAFFITZ’S OAT AND PECAN BRITTLE COOKIE. PHOTO BY ALEX LAU

10

Friday, November 5

Campus Pulse

Polina Odintseva ‘24

Aleese Mukhamedjanova ‘22 “Any org that has good values like Torch.”

“Nothing. Zero. Can they give me money?”

Hector Fuentes ‘25 “Maybe 1K.”

ROVING REPORTER Catalina Abusada ‘23

“I think they should be donating to me.”

Stephanie Anaya ‘24 “Do I have to?”

How much would you donate to Stevens?

Kyra Kozar ‘23

Kayleigh Bowler ‘24

Corey Batchelder ‘23

“I don’t know. Do I even have money?”

Digits by Off Center

Digits by Off Center

“Hahaha.”

“I would donate my time.”

ACROSS DOWN 3 Largest three-digit number 1 Eighty-four minus fifty-five 5 Brief countdown 2 Six DOWN times two ACROSS 7 Notable incorrect answer to 3 What to dial in case of an 3 Largest three-digit number 1 Eighty-four minus fifty-five questions: "What is nine plus ten?" emergency 58 Brief 2 many Six times Callingcountdown code of the U.S. and 4 How pointstwo you would earn 7Canada Notable incorrect answer to after three 3 What to dial in in case of an perfect games bowling questions: is nine plus ten?"

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20 Three modulo two 24 Twenty-four is this number 21 Number of cards in an Uno deck factorial or the number of stitches on an MLB baseball 23 Labor Day 2022 date

LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD ANSWERS: Across: 1) RATA 5) ROBOT 10) BFFS 14) ONEL 15) AMANA 16) COLA 17) ANNI 18) CACTI 19) CRAT 20) RUESTERHOLZ 23) EMU 24) ALTTAB 25) EWE 26) HIN 27) TIS 28) MII 30) ATTEND 32) BABBIOGARAGE 35) SHIA

38) INK 39) ODOR 40) EIGHTHSTREET 45) MANTRA 46) AYS 47) WAC 50) ITA 51) AGA 53) EOCENE 55) RUT 56) CASTLEPOINT 59) ASIA 61) THEAX 62) TRUE 63) REUP 64) NELLA 65) ADAR 66) ESSE 67) ASSAM 68) NOLA

Down: 1) ROARAT 2) ANNULI 3) TENETS 4) ALIST 5) RACEBIB 6) OMAR 7) BACH 8) ONTOE 9) TAILWAG 10) BCC 11) FOREHEAD 12) FLAMINGO 13) SATUNDER 21) TAMA 22) ZETA 29) IBIS 31) TROT 32) BAHT 33) INT

34) OKRA 35) SEMIRARE 36) HIATUSES 37) IGNATIUS 41) TRAC 42) HAGATNA 43) EYEEXAM 44) ESOP 47) WEIRDO 48) ANNUAL 49) CETERA 52) ASHES 54) COTAN 57) TELS 58) LALA 60) APE