The Tufts Daily - Tuesday, November 10, 2020

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Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Health Service tightens COVID-19 testing procedure

by Madeleine Aitken Deputy News Editor

LYDIA RICHARDSON / THE TUFTS DAILY

Testing center label maker and testing tubes inside of a Tufts University COVID-19 testing site are pictured on Nov. 8.

Although COVID-19 testing has been required twice a week for Tufts community members, including students, faculty and staff since the beginning of the school year, the procedure has changed multiple times.

In recent weeks, the procedure that was originally used at the beginning of the school year was readopted. When a student enters the testing center, they scan their ID card and hand it to an attendant, who checks their picture and their date of birth. The attendant prints out a barcode with the student’s information and attaches it to the test tube.

Marie Caggiano, medical director of Health Service, emphasized the pressure on Health Service to ensure testing is going smoothly and the process is working well.

“The Health Service is responsible for reviewing all the test results for students on the Medford/Somerville and

SMFA campuses,” Caggiano wrote in an email to the Daily.

In the past, however, there was a more independent system in place, where students scanned their IDs and attached their printed barcodes to their own tubes without the assistance of the attendants.

The shift from this system now requires staff to be more attentive and creates more traffic, as it takes longer for each student to proceed when their photo and date of birth have to be checked.

“We have an obligation to ensure the accuracy of our testing program, which includes ensuring that the tests being submitted are accurately connected to the individual taking the test,” Caggiano said.

There have been rumors about security concerns with the independent testing procedure, hence the switch to the new method. However, Caggiano explained that this is not the case; the switch is just part of the Health Service’s responsibilsee SERVICE, page 2

JumboVote, Tisch College host panels for Election Day

by Marianna Schantz Contributing Writer

JumboVote, an organization dedicated to promoting civic engagement and voter turnout, hosted a series of Election Day panels co-sponsored by the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life.

The panels included conversations with professors from the Department of Political Science and researchers from Tisch College, as well as student organizations around campus, according to the Tisch College election week event website.

Lidya Woldeyesus, student co-chair of JumboVote, said the organization has been planning this election programming for over a year.

“Our first meeting was in January and we started talking about what we would want to lead up to Election Day … We wanted to make sure that we’re supporting students in the best way possible,” Woldeyesus, a junior, said.

However, COVID-19 forced JumboVote to change its plans for outreach, recruitment and Election Day events, according to Matthew Tolbert, who leads the Democracy Representatives

NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY

The Tufts cannon is pictured on Sept. 24. The cannon was painted with a message encouraging people to vote in the 2020 presidential election. program and is the former student co-chair of JumboVote.

“Things have been shifting constantly this semester so these plans actually came together in a pretty short amount of time …

We’ve had to continuously adapt to the needs of this semester,” Tolbert, a senior, wrote in an email to the Daily.

The first panel, “How to Watch Election Night Like a Pro,” fea-

tured Brian Schaffner, professor of political science and civic studies. The panel, which took place on the afternoon of Election Day, reviewed which states to watch as election results

ARTS / page 4

FEATURES / page 3

SPORTS / back

‘The Mandalorian’ is back. So are old favorite characters

Jumbos uphold democracy as poll workers

Keeping up with the 617: Does Alex Cora deserve another chance?

came in, as well as how to follow trends, how results are reported and how networks call states for candidates. see PANELS, page 2 NEWS

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FEATURES

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ARTS & POP CULTURE

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FUN & GAMES

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OPINION

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THE TUFTS DAILY | News | Tuesday, November 10, 2020

THE TUFTS DAILY Alex Viveros Editor in Chief

EDITORIAL Rebecca Barker Hannah Harris Managing Editors Jake Freudberg Associate Editors Jilly Rolnick Alejandra Carrillo Maddie Aitken Jessica Blough Tom Guan Liza Harris Alex Janoff Matt McGovern Sara Renkert Sarah Sandlow Anton Shenk Carolina Espinal Sam Klugherz Alexander Thompson Alicia Zou

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New COVID-19 testing system increases student traffic SERVICE

continued from page 1 ity to make sure all testing is accurate.

However, the system is not flawless. Sophomore Katherine Barrasso reported that when she went to get tested, the attendant was not sure the photo on her ID card was her.

“I scanned my ID and [the attendant] said, ‘Do you have a picture that looks more like you?

Do you have another form of ID?’

I showed her my driver’s license and then she asked for my birthday,” Barrasso said.

Barrasso said she was happy to comply but was caught off guard.

“I was a little confused, like, what would happen if you didn’t have another form of identification?” Barrasso said.

With cases on the rise in Massachusetts, including the university’s host communities of Medford and Somerville, Health

PANELS

continued from page 1 Beginning at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, JumboVote held panels, with the final one starting at midnight.

The first evening panel featured Alan Solomont, dean of Tisch College, and Peter de Guzman, research program coordinator for the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement and the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education. Solomont and de Guzman covered the youth vote and their impact on the results of the 2020 election.

The next panel, “Real-Time Results with JumboVote,” fea-

tured Schaffner alongside Deborah Schildkraut, chair of the political science department.

The panel included a discussion and analysis of the election results as they came in.

“Politics and Student Organizing at Tufts: A Panel By & For Students” had representatives from various Tufts student organizations, including Tufts Democrats, Tufts Republicans, Tufts Community Union Senate and JumboVote. They discussed planning for Election Day and what the results mean for their separate organizations and for Tufts as a whole.

JumboVote Democracy Representative Jane Romp

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Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations, said the spring testing program has not been finalized, but information will be communicated when available. It should not look too different from the system in place now.

“We will continue to use The Broad Institute and work with them closely to ensure an accurate and efficient testing process for our community,” Collins wrote in an email to the Daily.

explained the importance of having Tufts professors and students provide insight into the election results rather than only news networks.

“I think it’s another thing to have a professor that you know and that you trust … they let you ask questions on a chat feature of the Facebook Live and they would answer it and you can’t replicate that by watching CNN or NBC,” Romp, a sophomore, said.

Romp believes the JumboVote panels were successful, garnering participation from many students.

Woldeyesus said that JumboVote has been working

hard in its outreach efforts and sharing its message with students.

“Our metrics have shown that we’ve registered more voters through our voter registration database,” Woldeyesus said.

“We’ve had … thousands of visitors to our website in the month of October alone.”

Woldeyesus said JumboVote will continue to promote civic engagement and help people find ways to get involved in their communities.

“Civic engagement doesn’t stop at the ballot box … you should be participating in democracy every single day yearround,” Woldeyesus said.

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Service’s responsibility in this area is heightened. Caggiano underscored the increased importance of testing to make sure the positivity rate on campus stays low.

“We are taking extra care across the board with all elements of our COVID-related health and safety measures including making sure we are all following social distancing, masking, hand hygiene, and testing protocols,” Caggiano said.

Professors offer real-time analysis for students during election night events

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Features

3 Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Students fill poll worker shortage in 2020 election

by Amelia Becker

Girl talk

Features Editor

Tufts students engaged with the election in a number of ways this semester, from working on campaigns and phone banking to get out the vote efforts and sharing information on social media. Working at the polls on election day was one way students got involved.

A number of students reached out to JumboVote and the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life asking if there were ways to get involved as poll workers and if there was any training available.

In August, Tisch College sent out information about the Safe Elections Network poll worker training in a newsletter. Daniela Sanchez (LA’20), student outreach coordinator at Tisch College, initially reached out to Massachusetts Voter Table to see if it could facilitate a training on working the polls for Tufts students. That’s when Sanchez was referred to Kristina Mensik (LA’19) at Common Cause Massachusetts, which was excited to give a presentation.

Mensik is responsible for organizing, advocacy and research at Common Cause Massachusetts, where she is the assistant director. Her political philosophy is partly shaped by her experiences at Tufts, particularly a philosophy class she took with Peter Levine, associate dean of academic affairs for Tisch College and Lincoln Filene professor of citizenship and public affairs.

The class entrenched her belief in democratic reform, expanding the electorate and access to the ballot as her theory of change.

These beliefs have influenced her work at Common Cause Massachusetts.

After COVID-19 hit, Common Cause Massachusetts shifted its focus to how to have safe and participatory elections during the pandemic, Mensik said. Over the summer, Common Cause Massachusetts worked on legislation, voter education and a state-wide campaign to ensure that individuals who have the right to vote while incarcerated are able to exercise it.

Mensik gave a presentation to JumboVote about Common Cause Massachusetts’ poll worker program and working at the polls. She also gave presentations to other Boston-area schools, including Boston University and Harvard University.

The presentation included information about how to be a poll worker, as well as the opportunity to be a poll monitor or social media monitor, Sanchez said. The poll worker training itself, through the Safe Elections Network, matched individuals with precincts.

“The thing that I really liked with the Safe Elections [Network] poll worker training was that they would then match you to a

Jenny Lu Tuff Talks

D

NICOLE GARAY / THE TUFTS DAILY

A Tufts student drops their ballot into a mailbox on Oct. 17. precinct because it’s hard to just reach out, especially as a college student and be like ‘hey Medford, I want to be a poll worker.’ That’s kind of scary,” Sanchez said.

This year there was a significant poll worker shortage because of the pandemic. Many of those who usually work at the polls are older and more at risk for COVID-19.

Even with the expected shortages, students in Massachusetts helped to fill in.

“Students in Massachusetts have overwhelmingly responded to the call for poll workers to the extent that after we put this program together we’ve hardly had to do anything and virtually every municipality in the Commonwealth has said that they are set on poll workers and actually had to ask us to stop sending students their way,” Mensik said.

Mensik hopes the interest in working at the polls experienced this year continues. The issue of poll worker shortages isn’t new, just the extent of the shortage.

She also hopes students continue to stay civically engaged.

“I want to make a plug always for the fact that the wheels of democracy keep on turning and redistricting begins in 2021 and we have legislative battles next session,” Mensik said. “I hope that the level of engagement that we’re seeing in this election carries over to all of these other processes that impact our own political power and our government.”

A number of Tufts students worked at the polls this election cycle. That includes students who are not on campus and worked the polls in their home states, Sanchez said.

Junior Molly Gould was one student who worked at the polls this semester. She first heard about working at the polls from watching “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” (2015–) over the spring. When Noah films the show from home, he promotes a cause at the end of each

episode. He highlighted the need for younger poll workers because of the heightened risk for older people to work this election year. This was coupled with the long lines for voting and fewer polling locations that were expected.

To sign up to be a poll worker in Massachusetts, Gould had to fill out a short form with her name and address. She was then assigned to a precinct in Medford.

On election day, Gould got an early start, with an Uber ride to Temple Shalom of Medford from her off-campus house. She arrived there at 6:30 a.m. before the polls opened at 7 a.m.

Gould was grateful for her fellow poll workers, as she had received little training prior. One woman she worked with helped her learn the system during the initial rush of people.

“I just sort of showed up at 6:30 a.m. and I was like ‘I’m here to work’ and they were like ‘ok good, you can just sit over there and talk to people,’” Gould said.

Gould was responsible for going through voter roll books and checking off names as people arrived. Around half of the precinct had voted early, so Gould had to check to make sure people hadn’t already voted. She also stayed after the polls closed to make sure all ballots were accounted for.

To Gould, the process was very smooth. After the initial rush in the morning, people flowed in throughout the day.

It was also less busy than prior years because of the number of early voters this year.

Some people in the precinct were on edge because of a threat to the polling location, a Jewish temple, from Trump supporters claiming they would come to watch the polls. There was a police officer present, but Gould said the whole day was not as stressful as expected.

Despite that, Gould felt a strong sense of community and enjoyed the fun environment

provided by her fellow poll workers and voters.

“I feel like I have heard that voting went very smoothly everywhere which surprises me actually. But it was very smooth and everyone was really nice, like we got a break for lunch and people were like do you want coffee and went to go get Dunkin’ Donuts, so it was very nice and genuinely a fun environment,” she said.

After the fact, Gould said she would do it again since she had such a positive experience. The only downside is the long hours.

“It was a good experience, I would recommend it. Everybody was very nice and I feel like it’s a good way to be distracted during a stressful time,” Gould said. “But I did not get a lot of sleep for that period of time.”

In March, Mensik herself worked at the polls. Common Cause Massachusetts works on policy reform in regard to voting, so Mensik felt she needed to understand what it’s like to work at the polls to be able to advocate for changes to be made.

When Mensik worked at the polls she saw Tisch College faculty come in and vote, highlighting the community aspect of voting and working at the polls.

“You experience a sense of community that I think, it’s cliche to say in the modern world, but in the modern world it’s harder and harder to find,” Mensik said.

For her, the experience reinforced the value of democracy.

“It’s really hard to walk away after working at the polls without having gotten a deeper and clearer sense of the value of participatory democracy and making voting as straightforward and accessible as possible,” she said.

“It’s this core civic function that is fully nonpartisan and a way to ensure that all voters can make their voice heard in our democracy. It’s really hard to work at the polls and not come away a little bit more concerned with the outcome of the election.”

ear J: Why do guys not like me? I am definitely not ugly, but it seems like no one approaches me.

J: Girl, I am sure that you are beautiful. There could be a million reasons that we could nitpick, but most likely the culprit isn’t you. I asked some of my female friends and they agreed that it’s rare to just be ’approached’ in a direct sense in person. Any flirting usually comes after starting off as friends and not from strangers. The most common way to be ‘approached’ is on Tinder, but that makes sense because people are on dating apps in order to get approached.

Social media is also a common place to get hit on, but honestly, I’m not sure those are the guys that you want to attract.

You should try to take the initiative and be the one to approach guys. This will give you full control over whom you’re talking to. It’s easier said than done, and it’s nerve-wracking for anyone to face rejection, but I think you’ll find that most guys will be flattered. Just be casual and ask if you can study together for an upcoming test or get coffee.

Other than that, my only other advice is to maybe be more outgoing. I’m not one to believe that you should, in any way, change yourself to be more ’attractive’ to guys (please don’t!), but there is something to be said about having an open vibe that will make you more approachable to anyone. Sometimes people will mistakenly not approach someone because they seem emotionally unavailable (i.e., in a relationship).

Dear J: My boyfriend smells weird and I don’t know what it is; how do I tell him that he smells peculiar?

J: This is one of those things you should just be upfront about. Don’t be mean about it, but the more direct, the better, especially if this is not a onetime thing and he has been smelling weird for a while as your question suggests. You could try saying: “Hey babe, you’ve been smelling strange lately — do you agree? Have you changed something in your shower/hygiene routine?” Take the conversation from there, and make sure he showers or addresses whatever has been causing the smell. If something still doesn’t change, he should consider going to the doctor because it could be a medical problem.

Jenny Lu is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Jenny can be reached at jen.lu@tufts.edu.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2020

‘The Mandalorian’ continues to focus on parenting, brings in fanfavorite characters

by Christopher Panella Arts Editor

This review contains spoilers for season 1 and the first two episodes of season 2 of “The Mandalorian.”

2019 was perhaps the biggest year for “Star Wars” since the franchise’s inception: the release of the final Skywalker film, an acclaimed video game, plenty of comics and the 20th anniversary of “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999) gave every fan something to celebrate. But the launch of Disney+ marked a new era. In particular, “The Mandalorian” (2019–), a live-action series exclusive to the platform, proved that the future of “Star Wars” could very well be in streaming.

About a year after the show’s incredibly successful first season (awards, memes about Baby Yoda, plenty of tie-in media and future spinoff talk) comes the first two episodes of its second season: “Chapter 9: The Marshal” and “Chapter 10: The Passenger,” which dropped on Oct. 30 and Nov. 6, respectively.

Both are great reentries into the world of “The Mandalorian.” We’re given exciting setups for the new season, full of franchise familiarity and new possibilities.

But first, let’s recap: The first season, set five years after the events of “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi” (1983), follows a lone Mandalorian bounty hunter named Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) as he tracks and later protects The Child (otherwise known as Baby Yoda). Djarin and The Child have plenty of adventures throughout the eight episodes, which include interacting with characters like Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), Cara Dune (Gina Carano) and Moff Gideon (Giancarlo Esposito).

The season was much slower than the usually fast-paced franchise; chalk that up to the creative minds of Creator and Executive Producer Jon Favreau and Executive Producers Dave Filoni and Kathleen Kennedy. Their approach makes sure that every element of “The Mandalorian” adds up to a rich storytelling experience. The show is heavily Western; Djarin takes on an outlaw role, traveling from desert planet to spooky town, all the while fulfilling plenty of the genre’s tropes.

It is also a technical marvel with virtual sets and 360-degree video walls which can be attributed to Lucasfilm’s dedication to innovation and creativity, as well as the series’ insane budget.

The end of the first season left Djarin with a mission: to return The Child to his own kind. And that could mean either species (Baby Yoda, as the nickname suggests, is of Yoda’s currently unnamed species) or Jedi (Baby Yoda was revealed to be Force-sensitive in the first season). It’s a journey to home and family, wherever and whatever that may be. And it continues in

VIA IMDB

A promotional poster for “The Mandalorian” (2019–) is pictured.

“The Marshal,” with Djarin traveling back to Tatooine to find another rumored Mandalorian on the planet. He’s looking for others to help him bring The Child where he needs to be.

Djarin meets the rumored Mandalorian in Mos Pelgo. It is Cobb Vanth (Timothy Olyphant), who, despite not being a Mandalorian, dons Boba Fett’s armor. He bought it off some Jawas and has become Mos Pelgo’s Marshal, protecting the people from mining corporations. But the armor doesn’t help him against a greater krayt dragon, which has been terrorizing townspeople and nearby Tusken Raiders. Based on Western genre tropes, it’s clear what happens next: Djarin, Vanth, the Raiders and the townspeople team up to destroy the dragon, sharing the meat and appreciating newfound safety.

Just because “The Marshal” is perhaps the mostWestern-inspired episode of “The Mandalorian” yet doesn’t mean it isn’t full of exciting action. There are some interesting interactions between the Raiders (who have a long history

in the “Star Wars” franchise) and Djarin. But what’s got everyone talking is an appearance from a surprise character reveal that has been rumored for months. Indeed, “The Marshal” ends with a shot of Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) watching Djarin on a speeder bike. We needn’t be reminded that Fett’s last appearance in the saga was “Return of the Jedi,” during which he fell into the mouth of the Sarlacc pit. He clearly escaped, with many scars to show for being slowly digested by the Sarlacc’s stomach acid.

Fett’s return not only makes it very likely that “The Mandalorian” will feature other rumored characters — like Ahsoka Tano and Sabine Wren — in season 2, but it also deepens certain elements of the show. “The Mandalorian” is particularly interested in themes of fatherhood. It’s focused heavily on Djarin’s adoption of The Child — he’s become a parent, slowly learning to care and love. What once was a bounty job has now shaped his entire outlook and purpose.

It’s exciting to think about the idea of fatherhood in the context

of Fett and his father, Jango Fett, who was last seen in “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” (2002). Will the relationship between Djarin and The Child remind Fett of his father? What has Fett been up to and how lonely is he? Will Fett try to take The Child or is he a redeemed — or redeemable — character?

That development will certainly add layers to Fett’s character, which is already developed thanks to his appearances in the television show “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (2008–2020). And while “Star Wars” dads are always a mixed bag, their dual roles between domestic life and intergalactic conflict shape their children’s identities (a clear example being Han Solo and Kylo Ren/Ben Solo).

We can certainly look forward to more discussions on fathers in the coming episodes of “The Mandalorian,” but the second episode of the season focuses on motherhood. “The Passenger” follows Djarin as he decides to transport a Frog Lady to Trask, an estuary moon where her husband awaits to fertilize her eggs. Djarin

is not too keen on the idea — it requires him to travel outside of hyperspace because doing so will destroy the eggs — but Frog Lady insists that there are Mandalorians on Trask, so it’s worth the journey.

Along the way, the group encounters plenty of issues. The Child munches on some of Frog Lady’s eggs (a comedic trope that doesn’t land, considering how important the eggs are to Frog Lady — more on that later). New Republic patrol officers chase Djarin onto the nearby ice planet Maldo Kreis. After Djarin’s ship crashes into a cavern, a hoard of krykna — weird spiders, very akin to those of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” (2002) — attack the group. They fend off the krykna — thanks to the New Republic officers from earlier — and fly off to get Frog Lady home.

The episode is rich with details to analyze. When Frog Lady connects to a droid and uses it to communicate with Djarin, which she previously couldn’t do due to language barriers, she goes on a monologue. She needs to get her eggs to her husband as soon as possible. Djarin tells her the deal is off and she questions his Mandalorian honor and ethics. It hits at the core of the show and reminds us of Frog Lady’s duty as a mother (and Djarin’s duty as both a Mandalorian and a father). She must reunite with her spouse and continue her line. She holds the future in her hands. Djarin must uphold his Mandalorian honor and keep The Child safe.

Frog Lady’s refreshing introduction in “The Passenger” is a reminder of the roles of mothers throughout “Star Wars.” Mothers are something plenty of fans have been analyzing through platforms like “What the Force?” a meta “Star Wars” podcast and website. “The Mandalorian” reminds us that not only are parents the backbone of the saga (we could say it’s especially focused on fatherhood), but also that mothers should be vital to characters healing, growing and becoming who they are meant to be (think Leia and Kylo Ren/Ben).

For a saga that has always focused on the next generation (something felt in the roles of Luke Skywalker, Leia Skywalker Organa Solo and Han Solo in the sequel trilogy), Frog Lady’s role is right where it should be.

As the second season of “The Mandalorian” continues, it will be interesting to see how parenthood continues to shape as a theme and identity for Djarin. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Frog Lady’s sheer dedication to her offspring rub off on Djarin. Likewise, a confrontation between Djarin and Fett would prove exciting — what will Fett, fatherless and childless, look like when compared with Djarin?

“The Mandalorian” streams exclusively on Disney+, with new episodes every Friday.

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Tuesday, November 10, 2020 | Arts & Pop Culture | THE TUFTS DAILY

Puscifer’s latest project is one of 2020’s most well-layered albums

by Geoff Tobia Jr. Arts Editor

Puscifer has become known as an eccentric band, due to its constant lineup shifts and its obscure artistic approach. It’s the expression of frontman Maynard James Keenan, also known for being the lead singer of legendary alt-metal band Tool and rock supergroup A Perfect Circle. Puscifer serves almost like a solo project for Keenan, exploring different sounds and lyrical themes, this time with the help of producer Mat Mitchell and vocalist Carina Round on their latest project “Existential Reckoning” (2020).

While there is a lot to unpack with this record, its sound is as solid as any of Keenan’s other work and is a strong return after over four years since their previous release.

The COVID-19 pandemic certainly had an effect on the recording process of this project, as Keenan actually contracted the virus in late February while touring with Tool in Australia and New Zealand. In a recent interview with New Musical Express, he revealed that he is still suffering from the consequences of the virus. Keenan suffered lung damage while he had the virus and has had daily coughing fits since. In the same interview, Keenan addressed his view on the pandemic, saying, “There’s logic attached to just looking out for each other. I have a lot more questions than answers, honestly.”

Regardless, Keenan was still able to pull his group together and continue working on Puscifer with “Existential Reckoning.” In an interview with Forbes, interviewer Steve Baltin described the work as “The X Files meets Hunter Thompson,” to which Keenan replied, “Hunter S and X Files, I like it, with a little bit of Kraftwerk and Devo mixed

in.” If you manage to imagine what that could sound like, you’ll be surprised how accurate the description is. The lead single for the album, “Apocalyptical,” was released in May with a music video of Keenan and Round dressed up in suits, with makeup and sunglasses on, while a masked person in a hazmat suit rides a Onewheel around Hollywood. While there is some sort of government spy theme going on, COVID-19 is also frequently referenced throughout the video, showing the graphic of the virus on the screen, along with Keenan handing the boarder a roll of toilet paper.

As it turns out, the pandemic did not stall Puscifer’s output, and the group released an inspired record. The opening track “Bread and Circus” is a constant synth/drum combo that allows Keenan and Round to sing an intricate melody. Keenan and Round’s chemistry is remarkable.

Their alternating turns singing and background vocal samples throughout the song add to its open and mysterious atmosphere. “The Underwhelming” is another really impressive moment on the album, this time mostly featuring its instruments as opposed to its synth.

Its groovy bass line allows for Keenan and Round to sing a great chorus, easily one of the most memorable.

In an atmospheric sense, “Grey Area” and “Bullet Train to Iowa” seem to contribute the most to the “Men in Black”esque attitude that the group had been portraying through promo. There’s something about the guitar chord progressions and the synths that make these tracks sound right out of a spy movie. The tracks “Personal Prometheus” and “Postulous” serve a different purpose for adding atmosphere to the album. It’s

VIA AMAZON

The album cover for Puscifer’s album “Existential Reckoning” (2020) is pictured. almost as if they’re more representative of the alien drawing on the album. In a way, they make the album more mysterious.

The song “Theorem” sounds almost like a longer, alt-rock inspired version of a Tool interlude. The distorted vocals and sweeping synths don’t do the album much of a service, despite the cool guitar tones and drum sounds on this track.

“UPGrade” is an interesting change of pace, with some of the most unique synth tones on the entire record, with another great display of chemistry between Keenan and Round.

On the last leg of the record we get “A Singularity,” a progressive and slowly chugging song.

Its artificiality mixed with some heavily distorted guitar create an incredibly heavy and epic song. “Fake Affront” is the most in-your-face song of the album, with Keenan and Round giving a sharp and direct delivery, in place of one that blends better with the synth pattern. “Bedlamite” is a decent closer, almost like the closing credit song on this movie of an album.

The albums overall timbre is mostly created by a Fairlight synthesizer, as Keenan explains on

the Joe Rogan Experience podcast this past October: “There’s very specific sounds that come out of these, and there’s a learning curve to go with it … but the cool thing is it kinda paints you into a sonic corner, and then you start layering on that.”

Its mix of synth patterns and instrumental elements create a very deep and cohesive record. While occasionally too obscure to understand, nothing on the record seems out of place or unnecessary. Its variety of approaches give the album its intended atmosphere: deep, mysterious and intriguing.

6

THE TUFTS DAILY | Fun & Games | Tuesday, November 10, 2020

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Elizabeth Buehl Sombremesa

Why the youth vote matters

W

hen an adolescent turns 18 in the United States, they are granted the ability to serve on a jury, open a bank account and, most notably, to vote. Historically, this wasn’t always the case. On July 5, 1971, the voter age in the United States was officially lowered from 21 to 18 after teenagers were outraged that they could be sent to fight in

Opinion the Vietnam War but had no say in determining their political leaders. These threads of American advocacy toward voting rights are present throughout American history, from the fight for the 15th amendment to the women’s suffrage movement.

Thanks to advocates like John Lewis and Sojourner Truth, millions more Americans can vote today than ever before. After seeing a record voter turnout in the 2020 election despite the pandemic, it is evident that our nation as a whole has come to embody what is at the core of political efficacy: the idea that every vote counts.

Following this victory, it would be easy to just ride the wave of high voter turnout and bask in

the glory of upcoming change in the White House. It would be easy for all citizens to feel as if we have arrived at success.

But in the words of the late John Lewis, an esteemed statesman and civil rights leader, “Ours is not the struggle of one day, one week, or one year. Ours is not the struggle of one judicial appointment or presidential term. Ours is the struggle of a lifetime, or maybe even many lifetimes, and each one of us in every generation must do our part.” As Americans, we must take John Lewis’s words to heart. We must continue on the never-ceasing, transformative journey toward the betterment of this nation.

Just as the United States has transformed the spectrum of eli-

7 Tuesday, November 10, 2020

gible voters many times in the past, Americans today revisit the question of who should be given the right to vote in order to restore political efficacy. Some influential political figures, including Andrew Yang, have shown public support for lowering the voting age to 16 to increase civic engagement and voter turnout.

Studies show that 16-yearolds possess the cognitive capacity necessary to cast a well-informed ballot. From large-scale actions like the March For Our Lives to smaller scale actions like phone banking, young people are stepping up to the political plate to do their part. According to Tufts’ Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, youth voter turnout

has increased in recent years and youth played an integral role in determining the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Those opposed to lowering the voting age dismiss young people as uninformed, rash decision makers. In response to skeptics, we must ask ourselves: “are modern youth really too fallible to cast their ballot?” If youth are informed enough to pay taxes, volunteer and advocate on a national scale, they should be given the power to make the ever-important political decisions that influence the future of our nation.

Elizabeth Buehl is a first-year who has not yet declared a major. Elizabeth can be reached at elizabeth.buehl@tufts.edu.

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8 Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Matt Goguen Keeping up with the 617

The return of Alex Cora

O

n Friday morning, the Boston Red Sox organization announced the rehiring of former manager Alex Cora on a twoyear contract. Although it seemed like a surprising move to many, it appeared inevitable that Cora would end up in a Red Sox uniform again. Prior to their negotiations with Cora, the Red Sox made no splashes in the managerial market until they were able to open up talks following the conclusion of this year’s World Series.

In addition, they personally flew to Cora’s home country of Puerto Rico to conduct an interview for their vacant position. Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom is hoping for a retool of this promising roster, and he believes that Cora is the right manager for this current squad.

The re-signing of Alex Cora is a double-edged sword; on the one hand, he led the Red Sox to a franchise record of 108–54 and finished the year with a World Series ring. However, his name was linked to the Houston Astros cheating scandal that rocked the baseball world just under a year ago. His involvement in the disgraceful and intricate cheating scheme resulted in a one-year ban from MLB, and an immediate dismissal from the Red Sox. If you focus on Cora’s talent, charisma and Baseball IQ, he is the perfect fit for the Red Sox; he continues to hold strong relationships with some of the players following his one-year suspension, and the passionate Red Sox fan base believed he was the ‘chosen one’ during that magical 2018 World Series run. His transition to next season will be perfect for the Red Sox, a team searching for its identity. Cora will provide strong support and managerial experience, hoping to inject some life into a struggling Boston Red Sox organization.

Meanwhile, Cora is fresh off serving a suspension for a sign-stealing scandal. Although the art of sign stealing is an integral part of baseball, the methods the Astros used to gain an advantage were disgraceful to the sport.

There were reports of cameras in center field, banging on trash cans and even buzzers attached to players’ bodies. To make matters worse, Alex Cora was behind the scenes for all of this and continues to deny allegations that were already proven to be true.

Personally, I feel like this is not the right move ethically for the Red Sox. I understand that cheating, whether it’s performance-enhancing drugs, sign stealing or pine tar, has been a part of baseball since its beginnings. However, they’re ruining the dignity of the game and the organization with this hiring. As much as I want to believe that Alex Cora is a ‘changed man’ and will deliver on his promises, he is still partially to blame for the Astros cheating scandal.

Look, I still love Alex Cora. Although he did lose my respect following his actions with the Astros organization, he did bring a championship to Boston and was an unbelievable manager during his brief stint with the Red Sox. As a Red Sox fan, it’s relieving to see a familiar face back at the managerial helm, but Cora shouldn’t deserve a managerial position right now. The punishments handed out by MLB to the Houston Astros were awful to begin with, and now Alex Cora has a chance to redeem himself. If he’s able to deliver on another parade down Tremont Street, this move will be praised by this fan base. Right now, however, this is not the best move for this organization. Let’s hope 2021 doesn’t crash and burn for the Red Sox.

Matt Goguen is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. Matt can be reached at matthew.goguen@tufts.edu.

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