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UC Students react to results from Nov. 3 election
Tenney leads Brindisi by a wide margin in NY-22 race BAILEY HRYB NEWS EDITOR Three days after Election Day, Republican challenger Claudia Tenney has a healthy lead over Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-Utica).
Photo: Hannah Steyn HANNAH STEYN S P E C I A L ASSIGNMENTS REPORTER With election stress running high on Election Night, the general vibe of the Utica College campus was apprehensive. Students are not only concerned with the results, but also with what the reaction of the general population might be, regardless of the way the votes might go. Professors urged students in their Tuesday classes who need to vote to leave classes if necessary, in order to do so. Students sported their “I Voted” stickers and encouraged their peers to exercise their rights to vote. Senior Audra Williams admits that going into Election Day, she was nervous. However, being able to watch as results came in helped calm her nerves.
Senior and Student Government Association President Peter Gaughan said, “I am always anxious about elections and this one is no different, so while there is reason to be optimistic, tonight is still high stakes, and the stress is palatable.” As far as predictions going in, Williams didn’t have any solid predictions. “Since this election was different from others in terms of voting, I didn’t really have any predictions,” she said. “Whoever wins it’s going to be a big deal for the country, but I couldn’t say who that is going to be,” Williams says. Gaughan predicted that Democrats will keep the House of Representatives and reduce the gap in the Senate , but probably not flip it. “I also anticipate that the president might end the night in the lead from
in-person Election Day voting but after mail-in votes are all accounted for the former VicePresident will take back the White House,” he said. After watching some of the returns, Gaughan’s views changed slightly. “I was hoping for a fairly large margin of victory, at this point in the night I am still confident in Biden’s ability but I think the margin is going to be slim,” he said. Williams expressed concern over events following the election. “I just worry that whoever wins, people on the opposite side will respond with anger that their favored candidate didn’t win,” she said. Campus Safety, however, has had no reason to anticipate any negative outbreaks on campus, as well as other area law enforcement. Despite not anticipating any outcry, local agencies SEE ELECTION PG. 3
The former congresswoman leads Brindisi by a margin of 128,512 votes to 98,489 votes, according to the state Board of Elections. Libertarian candidate Keith Price received 5,467 votes. Tenney addressed her supporters Tuesday night at an event held at Nothin’ Fancy Cafe in Vernon. “We have to keep fighting every step of the way,” she said. “Our committee needs to be grown locally, building this community back starts right here. Your votes have truly counted. It’s been such a battle, but it seems surreal to be in this position again.” This news comes after one of the most volatile presidential elections in recent history, with the winner of that race, between former Vice President Joe Biden and current incumbent President Donald Trump, also yet to be determined. Major swing states, such as Pennsylvania and Nevada, are still up in the air.
The reason behind the slow results could be blamed on the coronavirus pandemic. An increase in mail-in votes, due to fears of voting in-person in large crowds, means that results need to undergo a long delivery process to the polls where they will be hand opened and counted. In addition, mail ballots in New York state have until Nov. 10 if postmarked on Election Day, meaning results could take another week to be finalized, according to The New York Times. The pandemic has also changed the face of inperson watch parties, making this an election race like no other. Brindisi opted to avoid crowds and addressed supporters remotely via Facebook Live, while Tenney held the in-person gathering. In an interview with The Tangerine on Tuesday afternoon, Brindisi admitted that he expected yet another close race between him and his opponent. In 2018, he narrowly defeated thenincumbent Tenney 50.9% to 49.1%. Specifically, Brindisi won by less than 5,000 votes and the race was not officially finalized until Nov. 20. The NY-22 district covers all of Chittenango, Cortland, Madison and SEE CONGRESS PG. 3
STAFF PAGE 2
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FALL 2020 STAFF
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Editor-In-Chief - Nick McAdam Layout Editor - Stephen Clark News Editor - Bailey Hryb Assistant News Editor - Celeste Gessner Features Editor - Gianna Cognetti Assistant Features Editor - Rebekah Hedeen Sports Editor - Abin Boris Assistant Sports Editor - Matt Breault Special Assignments Reporter - Hannah Steyn General Assignments Reporter - Robert Stevens Photographer - Sidney Domroes Social Media Manager - Alyssa McKenna Cartoonist - Katherine Haight Copy Editor - Hope Russo Tangerine Clerk - Emmalyn Ylaya Adviser - Mary Christopher
About The Tangerine is published weekly during the academic year by and for Utica College students. To reach a member of the staff, email tangerine@utica.edu or call 315-792-3065. All material printed in The Tangerine is copyrighted. The Tangerine was first published as the Utica College News on Nov. 6, 1946. Submission Policy Letters to the editor are welcomed from all members of the Utica College community. Letters must meet fair and accurate publishing standards and contain no libelous material. Anonymous letters to the editor will not be printed. All letters and editorials must meet the print deadline of 5 p.m. on Mondays. Please send all submissions to tangerine@utica.edu. Takeback requests are a form of censorship and therefore not accepted. Advertising Information The Tangerine accepts paid advertisements. Advertising copy is subject to the same professional publishing standards as content. The Tangerine reserves the right to reject advertising that does not meet the standards established, is libelous, is in poor taste or violates discrimination laws. Please direct all inquiries to tanger@ utica.edu. The deadline for publication is 10 a.m. on Tuesdays. The opinions and columns expressed in The Tangerine are those of the individual writers and do not represent the views of The Tangerine or Utica College.
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still have heightened awareness should anything happen, in spite of the fact that the results of the presidential election may not be released for some time. Student Living and College Engagement hosted three separate Zoom viewing parties for students to attend, but there was very low engagement within them. However, Utica College’s Political Science Department hosted their own Zoom meeting, which had higher attendance and participation. “I wish more students stepped into these political conversations because it’s their future, their nation’s rule of law, their health, and their livelihood on the ballot,” Gaughan said.
Oneida counties, and partially covers Broome, Herkimer, Oswego and Tioga counties, a roughly 5,000 square mile area. The district encapsulates residents that live as north as Boonville and as south as Binghamton. When asked what his plans were if he were to not win re-election, Brindisi said he would take time off to catch up with his family, yet says the idea of a possible rerun in 2022 is “not off the table.” It is unclear when final results will be announced. Neither a victory rally by Tenney nor a concession speech by Brindisi has been made. Brindisi says that, re-
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Photo: syracuse.com gardless of who wins or loses, he hopes that the elected official will unite the citizens of this district, rather than further divide them. “Regardless of if you’re a Democrat, a Republi-
can, an Independent, if you voted for me or not, we are all Americans first,” Brindisi said. “As the count continues, we are in for a long couple of weeks. It is important that the people of NY-22 have their voice heard
and send a representative to Congress who shows up, works with both parties, and stands up to anyone on behalf of this community. It is the honor of a lifetime to serve you in Congress.”
CAMPUS SAFETY BLOTTER Incident Date
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Claudia Tenney and supporters eye a successful night in NY-22
NEWS
PAGE 5 FRIDAY, NOV. 05 2020
NICK MCADAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Candidate for the 22nd congressional district Claudia Tenney hosted her party at the Nothin’ Fancy Cafe in Vernon. It’s a night filled with supporters having conversations at the bars complemented with free Tenney and current President Donald Trump merchandise.
A video message from President Laura Casamento was sent via email to students yesterday addressing concerns over student travel during the semester and the mental health break day which was originally set for Nov. 3 and then canceled, according to the administration.
Tenney was set to address the crowd at 10 p.m. Television screens have been scattered across the area eyeing real-time results of the presidential election with Democratic nominee Joe Biden up 131108 on President Trump in the Electoral College so far. Regardless, the energy in the room is relaxed. Concerns of COVID-19 safety involving social distancing and masks have been posted and made aware to attendees. However, several participants have been seen without proper face coverings. Dave and Claudine Laskowski, owners of the Nothin’ Fancy Cafe are still optimistic about the night despite the early results both in the district and in the presidential election. “Tenney has a way of being real personable with us and others that we appreciate,” the Laskowskis said. “She reached out to us directly and asked if she can host
Photo: Nick McAdam this here, which we were honored to host. She even got out and played drums for a bit on stage.” The night is starting to get a little quieter with music drowning out the noise of voices in the room. Trump has gained some traction in the Electoral College with 92 points, though Biden still leads the race with a count of 118. Multiple members of the audience are still sitting without proper face coverings; either with masks completely off or just below their nose. The Laskowskis addressed concerns of COVID-19 safety, though the duo also had masks off in their interview. “Right now our max capacity generally is 350 so 50 percent of that is because it’s not a ticketed event and because of the virus,” they said. “We have to stop at 140 to cap it out early. We also have security walking around the event making sure everybody’s mask is up.” Though
the
couple
mentioned security patrolling the event, nobody has been found enforcing such policy to attendees, aside from volunteers taking temperatures at the door.
Some are residing at the bar, most are crowded closely together at tables near the stage where two music performers are entertaining the crowd with blues music.
Al Lamot, an attendee of the party, was visibly nervous about how the night could end for both Tenney and Trump. Still, he believes in the common good of both politicians to work with the community, police and the military.
“God bless Donald Trump,” the performers said. “God bless Claudia Tenney. God bless the United States of America.”
“Tenney is able to keep jobs in the area,” he said. “She works with law enforcement and respects our troops. I’m all for that. She’s very personable and down to earth like Trump is. Brindisi just sits in his office chair and lounges around all day, Tenney is getting it done.” The New York Times is reporting votes at five percent with Brindisi up 69.3 percent with 11,500 votes to Tenney with 29.2 percent and 4,838 votes. Attendance has capped off at what looks to be just over 100 people.
Though nobody got up for the performance, everybody enjoyed the closing statements. Tenney has yet to make an appearance at the event. She’s made some ground in the race with 14 percent reporting and 38.6 percent of the vote, but Brindisi still has a substantial lead in the early numbers. Sean Kennedy, a spokesperson for the Tenney campaign, is assured on Oneida County’s official count and absentee ballots that, according to him, will push Tenney to victory. Although this may be the case, Kennedy and the rest of the supporters
seemed unsure of the actual count. One of the blues performers got back on stage to report the early results, noting that the count is still early and that both Brindisi and Tenney are “neck and neck.” A person in attendance yelled “It’s 57 to 55 with Tenney leading!” and everybody cheered for the count, even though 57 plus 55 is 112. The musical performances are still going, though the duo seem to be acting as the spokespeople for the campaign by reporting what they believe are the right polling numbers. According to the duo and the crowd, Tenney is still up in the polls. Tenney was scheduled to address the crowd around 10 p.m. As the clock nears 11, Tenney has yet to make an appearance on stage. Tenney is now starting to take a majority with 68 percent reporting. A total of 55.4 percent of the SEE TENNEY PG. 5
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Update: Utica College to implement break days
NICK MCADAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Tenney is up against incumbent Democratic Rep. Anthony Brindisi in what is projected to be another tight race in the district, though it has been reported that Brindisi is running as the favorite for victory early on.
First, Casamento addressed students traveling outside of Oneida County. The president cleared that there is no travel ban for on-ground students, though the administration and campus health authorities would like to be informed of travel plans. “Unquestionably, the safest thing to do is stay in this area,” Casamento said. “If that’s not possible, please be smart about where you go and what you do, and keep us
TENNEY FROM PG. 4 vote belongs to her with Brindisi’s total vote count starting to stagger around 85,883 people for 42.4 percent of the vote. The mood, along with the vote, has completely changed. Everybody seems to be in a positive mood and the crowd is currently taunting Brindisi, chanting their goodbyes repeatedly. Tenney is set to arrive in five minutes, just over an hour and half from when she was originally set to show. Tenney has finally arrived at the event and
informed of your plans.” The college will continue to require students, faculty and staff to fill out the travel report before leaving, informing the college of reasons for travel, return date and the destination address. Second, Casamento turned attention to the mental health break day. The plan to give students a day off on Nov. 3 was canceled due to complaints from a handful of faculty members as a result of short notice while trying to incorporate a break day into their course schedule, according to an email sent by Provost Todd Pfannestiel on Oct. 23. The Tangerine contacted several faculty members for comment throughout the week and did not receive responses, nor were any specific faculty members addressed in the provost’s original email.
is set to speak in front of an ecstatic crowd. “I want to say how grateful I am to everybody in this room right now,” Tenney said. “It’s a really exciting night. My heart goes out to all of you. Going door to door, wearing your masks. I’m feeling confident about the way the vote is going right now. Absentee ballots are going to make the difference.” Tenney also addressed the disappointment after the 2018 loss, but remained confident in the fact that Trump was “top of the ticket.” This, according to her, restored her confidence in running for the seat
Photo: Utica College In response, Casamento has reinstated a break day for students at faculty discretion starting when the email was sent on Oct. 30 to Nov. 20, days before the semester ends. “It’s better than nothing,” Senior Lindsey Rasmussen said. “I think that if you have more than one class a day, you still wouldn’t get the full day off if another professor
decides to have class. I really think having a day off on Nov. 3 would’ve helped get more students to vote as well.” Casamento concluded the address with gratitude toward students, faculty and staff for keeping safety at the top of the priority list as Utica College has consistently kept positive coronavirus cases below 10 people,
according to the college’s coronavirus dashboard. “Let’s commit ourselves to supporting one another and finishing strong,” she said. “And when you return to UC after the long winter break, I hope we can look forward to a spring semester that will seem a little closer to normal, if circumstances allow.”
Photo: Alyssa McKenna again, which she wasn’t going to do until Trump encouraged her to run again. “Socialism is on our doorstep,” she said. “We have to slowly start getting things back to where they were before. Our region has been in struggle. Our region,
however, is America was great again.”
where made
Tenney believes the Republican Party is the party for the working class. She is hoping for Trump to pull through to continue the fight against Nancy Pelosi.
“We have to keep fighting every step of the way,” she said. “Our committee needs to be grown locally, building this community back starts right here. Your votes have truly counted. It’s been such a battle, but it seems surreal to be in this position again.”
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Varga to retire after 37 years of service at Utica College NICK MCADAM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF As we stand and stare at this painting on the wall, I peek over to Varga. It’s easy to tell she’s thinking of her 37 years of service and of memories here at the college. All of the years of success, student interaction and fulfillment are rapidly running in her head like waves washing up on the shore on a breezy, yet warm day. Varga is set to retire from her position, effective on Nov. 30. Her plans after retirement involve being closer to loved ones and to find more time for other volunteer opportunities in the local community, along with volunteer work in the UC community such as the Utica College Choir. Varga joined Utica College back in 1983 and rotated between academic offices, the HEOP office, counseling services, a dean of students role in student affairs and her final spot landed in 2015 as the Dean for Diversity and Student Development, which eventually led to her role currently in as the dean for diversity and
Photo: Nick McAdam
inclusion. Varga also served as a member of the college’s first diversity committee. Her work helped establish the Unity Walk, PioTalks and other forms of student conversation. She also worked on both the Hiring Task Force and the Employee Retention Task Force to ensure a diverse population of faculty and staff. Varga also established and helped define student organizations on campus such as the Gender and Sexuality Alliance, the K. Della Ferguson Womyn’s Resource Center and has served as the advisor for Africa in Motion. “Utica College owes Alane so much, for well over 30 years she has been committed every fiber of herself to loving students, creating a more inclusive campus, and building a better UC community,” Senior and Student Government Association President Peter Gaughan said. According to Gaughan, Varga has been a cornerstone of support for himself and the UC
community: helping him grow professionally, as a student and emotionally.
“Some of my favorite memories are connected to students,” Varga said. “I’m always proud of their accomplishments and seeing them walk across the graduation stage, some who have struggled to get there, but have worked really hard to achieve their dreams.” Varga’s long list of accomplishments top toward the end of the past decade, including the Excellence in Fostering a Diverse Campus Community in 2017, the same year she became the dean for diversity and inclusion on campus and
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UC students and professors discuss online vs in-person instruction HANNAH STEYN S P E C I A L A S SIG N M EN T S REPORTER
“I owe her all my success at this and so many skills and experiences I have had here at UC,” he said. Varga’s list of top memories at Utica College is extensive, but the ones that shine the most are those that involve working with students. Her primary goal was to see students succeed despite the several challenges that campus life can present.
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he says there value these days in being flexible for the sake of health and safety of students and instructors alike.
Are the students and professors who’ve been completely online during the fall semester looking forward to being back on campus? Of course they are, but that may not happen as soon as everyone might hope it will.
Photo: Utica College Archives becoming an honorary alumna in 2018. Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Coordinator for Community Relations Mark Kovacs recalls that Varga has worked around the clock for her colleagues and students. Both Kovacs and Varga came to the college around the same time and according to him, what she’s been able to create and develop here will leave a lasting legacy as a whole. “She has been a continuous person of substance that many students, faculty and staff have trusted and relied upon,” Kovacs said. “Please don’t take that statement lightly. Often her patience, listening and counseling skills, advice, and her attention to details are not called upon only during business hours. Often she works around the clock, and throughout the weekends - for as long as I can remember.” She believes Utica College has a foundation and commitment for diversity, equity and inclusion which, according to her, is involved in the core of what this college ultimately is.
“The steps we have to take moving forward involve what’s already in progress,” she said. “Student conversations involving important topics is something we want to happen organically. I think as an institution it is our responsibility to help foster these conversations and create a sort of infrastructure to give everybody an equitable platform to move forward together.” With everything going on not just on campus or in the local community, but in the world, from climate change to social and racial injustices, Varga believes it’s important to keep a level of sanity by taking the time to focus on the individual. In a sense, it’s important to take a step back for a moment and to focus on what you need to achieve that impacts the greater good. “It’s also important to take action when you feel the time is right,” Varga said. “Engage in protests for causes you care for. Volunteer in local community organizations. Find your place and your space and remember to take care of yourself and those you love around you.”
Many online students and professors have underlying health conditions that would make it far too risky for them to consider returning to campus until a COVID-19 vaccine is widespread and effective. Senior, Dylan Bennett, is one such student who is taking all her classes online. Bennett mentions the challenges that come with online classes, one of which being the fact that she doesn’t have access to study areas, such as the library. “Even though I have the same amount of work in the same amount of time as everyone else, having to spend all my time doing work in my bedroom makes it quite a bit more difficult,” Bennett says. Bennett states that one upside to online classes is the ability to roll out of bed for class and go straight to her computer. “But then, on the other hand, I could also just roll right back around and go to bed,” she added. “It’s so easy to just turn off my camera and go back to bed.” Because of the easily accessible distractions students have when they are learning in an online
“For my own case, I have asthma and so I’m teaching online because I’m particularly worried about my own health, and because I know that there would be extra costs to teaching in a “normal” environment this semester,” he said, noting that the added stress and anxiety that would come with teaching in person made the decision to teach online easier.
Photo: Hannah Steyn environment, many of them feel that they aren’t gaining as much as they would be otherwise. “While I know I shouldn’t play with my phone, it’s right there,” she said. “And the professor isn’t really paying attention to me like they would in a classroom, so I can get away with it.” Bennett also adds that often, because they’re not paying as close attention to students online, professors don’t see when she has a question, and so it often isn’t addressed. Junior Carin Smida has a different mindset on her online classes. She’s elected to take most of her classes virtually this semester for peace of mind. While many students find distraction to be more of an issue when online, Smida says that she finds she can focus better. “I am in my own environment and I can adjust it to suit me,” Smida said. “I typically get distracted in class because of people on their
phones, pencils tapping, and the temperature of the room. That doesn’t happen in the comfort of my own dorm, so I barely get distracted.”
only then will she be able to return to campus. She hopes that her last year, as she finishes up her second major, will be a more normal one.
Smida has also found that her relationships with her professors have suffered with the online format.
“If I had my choice and my health weren’t preventing me from being on campus, I would absolutely be on campus,” Bennett says.
“A lecture online is tough; you try to ask as many questions as possible to hopefully show the professor that you care and are paying attention, but you interact before and after class to develop that relationship,” she said, adding that she believes this is what’s hurting her college experience the most in terms of online versus inperson instruction. Bennett finds that online classes are not only affecting her academics, but also her mental health. She says that her lack of social interactions with fellow students is heavily contributing to depression. Bennett is looking forward to there being a widespread vaccine, as
From the point of view of an instructor, Assistant Professor of Philosophy John Lawless thinks that online classes are no replacement for in person classes, particularly in humanities such as philosophy. “A big part of what we’re doing is helping students develop skills – skills of conversation, exploring topics through other peoples’ perspectives – and it’s very difficult, if not impossible, to reproduce those ways that we can do that in person, online,” Lawless said. Lawless mentions the broader push in higher education to create more online classes and, despite being skeptical of that as a long term project,
Lawless has found it a lot more difficult to keep students engaged and to make discussions and conversations happen. “In a lot of my classes, students don’t want to have their cameras on and I think there are many valid reasons students are making that choice, but it makes the classroom a less personal space so it’s harder to develop the kind of community that’s necessary for real, interesting and honest communication,” he said. In terms of getting to know his students, Lawless says that he recognizes names but finds it far more difficult to put names to faces. “I have a sense of the personality of the most talkative students, but a lot of students hold back in ways that makes it really difficult to get to know them in a way that I would in person,” he said. Due to his health issues, Lawless hopes to teach online again in the spring semester and notes his excitement to get back into the classroom.
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UC students undecided on the iPhone 12 EMMALYN YLAYA STAFF WRITER Apple has been releasing updated and newly designed iPhones since 2007. About a few weeks ago, Apple announced the iPhone 12 release. This iPhone’s design is similar to the iPhone 11, however the iPhone 12 has a feature of 5G network where people will be able to make downloads, stream music and movies without any connection problems. Although the iPhone 12 looks similar to the iPhone 11, the back cameras will look different on the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max based on how the three cameras are designed. The iPhone will have multiple colors available such as black, blue, green, red and white. It will also feature a super retina XDR display with a 6.1 edge-to-edge OLED display. A ceramic shield with four times better drop performance and
night mode on every camera as well as ultra wide and wide cameras.
Even though the iPhone 12 is releasing with new updated features, some students have decisions to make on if they will be upgrading from their current phones. Senior Morgan Grandshaw currently owns an iPhone 8 plus, which she plans to keep instead of purchasing the iPhone 12. “Even if I wanted an iPhone 12, I could not afford it at the moment,” Grandshaw said. The iPhone 12 will cost $799 as a starting price. Anyone interested in purchasing one can preorder one on Friday, Nov. 6 or purchase in stores on Friday, Nov. 13.
Bargabos said he cares more about computer power than a good camera, so as an average user the iPhone SE is just better.
Photo: Phone Arena Depending on which carrier everybody goes for whether they have Verizon, AT&T, Sprint or T-Mobile, everybody can check out the websites of these companies for deals or offers on the iPhone 12. Sophomore Shayla Seymour said the iPhone 12 seems cool, but does not plan on buying it. “I love the iPhone I currently have, so I’m keeping it and not going to purchase the iPhone 12,” Seymour said. “I don’t need to get the newest thing just yet.”
Not everybody upgrades their phone every time a new iPhone gets released with extra features available. Some students believe the iPhone 12 might not be worth the money and upgrade. Senior Carl Bargabos said the iPhone 12 is not worth an upgrade. Instead, he suggests that if anyone who is looking to purchase a new iPhone should get the iPhone SE. “If I were to upgrade my current iPhone to a new one, I would go for the SE,” Bargabos said. “Since the iPhone 12 is very expensive and the iPhone
“For anyone who doesn’t use technology much, it’s simpler for them to use the iPhone SE,” Bargabos said. Senior Chelsea Anderson said her iPhone XS works perfectly fine where she doesn’t need to upgrade to the new iPhone 12. She has had her iPhone XS for about two years. “I think the iPhone 12 is just focused on the design and 5G network where I don’t think it’s much of an upgrade compared to the current iPhones,” Anderson said.
Superconductivity advances at room temperature GIANNA COGNETTI FEATURES EDITOR Superconductivity is a phenomenon where a charge moves through certain materials without resistance. The theory of superconductors is that if used correctly they can help save energy and create something called “perfect efficiency” which means that during the transfer there will be no energy loss to heat. In a perfect world all of our electronics would be using superconductors, but unfortunately there are only certain situations where they can be used. They are most often
used in MRI machines, magnetic trains and other forms of technology. Most superconducting materials cannot be used unless they are in subzero temperatures. This unfortunately has been restricting the use of the superconductors. University at Buffalo’s Charlotte Hsu said in order to create a room temperature superconductor, it will be very challenging to do and will be worthy of a Nobel Prize. As of late there has been many findings and research on
advantages such as benefitting the electric grid, telecommunication improvements and medical technology usages.
Photo: BIT Mesra superconductivity and being able to use them at room temperature. Just recently in October, scientists have discovered a new way to start using superconductors at room temperature. The scientists were able to get the superconductor to work at 15 degrees celsius.
Unfortunately, the superconductor that has been researched has one huge limitation to it. It is only able to survive under extremely high pressures, approximately those at the center of the Earth. In addition to this energy saving device, it is also known to have
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The Verdict: War of the Worlds SE is cheaper than the 12, I feel like it would be unnecessary to purchase the iPhone 12 whereas the iPhone SE is still like a regular iPhone.”
For anyone who has owned an iPhone X or an iPhone 11, face ID will be available on the iPhone 12 as well.
However, there are slight disadvantages to such technology. With the high pressure, it may create thermal temperatures to increase. “When designing pipework in bathrooms, manufacturers need to take into account seasonal changes in the temperature to avoid bursting pipes,” the United States Department of SEE ADVANCES PG. 9
ADVANCES FROM PG. 8 Energy said. Relating to superconductors, seasonal temperatures also play a large role in the efficiency of such technology. Another disadvantage is when a superconductor reaches room temperature, the magnetism is decreased because it is more difficult to function at warmer temperatures. How can colleges and universities benefit from room temperature superconductors? Colleges and universities use a lot of energy to keep their schools running smoothly. Not to mention, when schools lose power during rain and snow storms, the amount of energy used to reactivate everything is immense. Superconductivity can help save energy and can also be used in generators. The future of the superconductor is unknown, yet, can be a very useful thing. According to Interesting Engineering writer John Loeffler, the realm of superconductivity is still relatively unknown. “There is a lot we don’t know about superconductive materials,” he said. “The hope is to one day use superconductivity in power transmissions, which would dramatically reduce energy costs around the world.”
REBEKAH HEDEEN ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR On Oct. 30, the theater department and college radio station, WPNR-FM produced a production of War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells originally aired on October 30th, 1938, 82 years earlier. Dr. Rachel Wolfe and Professor Laura Salvaggio worked diligently to produce an enticing and fun show for all listeners. With a small cast, the production was put together by each member standing in their own individual room within reach of the Strebel Auditorium. This was to ensure the rehearsals were conducted in a safe manner for the entirety of the production. “We didn’t want there to be the sound of muffled voices with masks since sound is all we have for this play,” Wolfe said. “What we landed on was assigning the students their own offices that are entirely closed off but are in range of the theater so they can pick up what we need on our sound system but in each individual room.” The play lasted about an hour and a half with the inclusion of the pre-show in which the radio played music by local artists such as J Swazz and Cait Devin. Because of COVID-19, the theater department had to exercise immense creativity to rehearse together safely as well as incorporate the community through the use of local music. Because the play was entirely vocal, the cast had to train in enunciating their voices and creating
Photo: Tidal emotion through a microphone. With the understanding that each cast member could not see each other while acting, the power of their well developed vocal skills is heightened even further. Throughout the play, the cast demonstrated excellent storytelling and drew the listeners in from start to finish. The hard work and dedication from the cast certainly showed through during this radio play. In addition to the cast using their voices, sound effects were used to add dramatic effect. Some examples would be eerie sounds of tentacles and the ticking of a clock. Each sound had a purpose and not one of them was out of place causing the listener to use their imagination.
The voice actors and sound effects caused the listener to feel as if they were there, experiencing the events for themselves, in turn creating suspense, excitement and resolve in the end. “We are doing the War of the Worlds because it dramatizes a moment in time,” Wolfe said. “At the time that I was choosing War of the Worlds we were in the midst of a sudden overwhelming transition of all human life on earth. We had just started social distancing, there was sort of this assumption that life and society and the way things were was relatively stable.” Wolfe went on to say that the reasoning behind choosing War of the Worlds was to demonstrate the timeliness of this play because it was suddenly
relevant again. When it was first performed, the world was entering an era of discontent that resulted in the second world war. Now that the world has entered another era of discontent regarding the pandemic, this play became one that Wolfe felt was not only possible to perform during this time but also appropriate. “All of the sudden, in the space of a week, maybe a few days the whole world was in quarantine and we weren’t allowed to be within six feet of each other,” Wolfe said. “This change happened so fast and so completely and to everybody that I felt like War of the Worlds became timely again since the time that the idea of martians attacking became laughable sometime in the late 1950s.”
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Theaters reopened, students Op-Ed: COVID-19 won’t ruin Thanksgiving are cautious
Photo: UT News ROB STEVENS GENERAL ASSIGNMENTS REPORTER
many dieticians feel that it still is everyone’s chance to enjoy their holiday favorites.
As Ben’s eyes begin to open, his senses are immediately sparked by the intoxicating smell of a turkey roasting in the oven. The more alert Ben becomes to his surroundings, the more heightened his smell becomes. As he walks down the stairs and into the kitchen, he is met with a pleasant surprise that his nose was alerting to all along; Thanksgiving dinner. Ben suddenly realizes that this holiday is unlike any other. He hasn’t been able to go to the gym in months due to COVID-19. This puts him in a unique scenario. Should he enjoy this Thanksgiving dinner as usual? Should he cut back on the stuffing?
“The holidays are the chance to indulge,” Michael Bill, manager of ASPEN Athletic Club of Cicero said. “They only come once a year which allows people a chance to indulge in their favorite foods. Holidays actually give people a chance to meet all the food groups.”
COVID-19 has impacted everything around the globe, holidays included. As the clock for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner ticks down, people are wondering whether the lack of open athletic facilities should change how they eat for the holidays. Lucky for people who were hoping to see the holidays as a glimpse of normalcy,
The ability to look at the bigger picture of maintaining long-term health has allowed people to treat the holidays as if one was living in 2019. “This whole concept of health and fitness is a marathon, not a sprint,” Fitness Trainer in the Marine Corp, Jordan Frady said. “It is supposed to be a lifestyle change. Having one or two holiday dinners that are outside their normal calorie intake isn’t going to hurt you. Just get back on track afterwards.” Although some people are worried about the impact that the holidays will have on their health and fitness when combined with quarantine, experts are emphasizing the idea of focusing on the lead up to the holidays and immediately after as the
“You’d be surprised at the amount of free information you can just find on Google,” Frady said. “People can put false information out there but if you fact check and see multiple different pages saying the same thing, it might be something to pursue.” If someone is enticed to change their meal, there are plenty of options to look through. Bill talked about the importance of not removing turkey from the holidays. “Turkey is very good for you,” Bill said. “It is loaded with protein and different nutrients. You want lean meat, so turkey is the healthy choice.” If you want to transform your holiday dinners to a healthier diet, the best way to do it is with the sides. According to Food Network, some examples of sides to try are eggplant ricotta bites, winter fruit salad, and low-fat eggnog.
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Photo: Getty Images EMMALYN YLAYA STAFF WRITER As of Oct. 23, movie theaters are back in business and while many students are excited about the chance to watch films on the big screen after months of viewing movies at home, they are also a bit apprehensive since COVID-19 cases are spiking in the local area. Even though the theaters are reopening at limited capacity, Senior Crystal Santiago said it is too early to partake in theater viewing because the holidays are approaching and you might come in contact with people who have traveled from outside the area. Santiago missed going to movie theaters during COVID-19 pandemic. She would usually go to them with friends and family and might go soon if there is a low chance of exposure. “If we keep wearing our masks and social distanced, then we should be fine and excited about this opportunity,” Santiago said. Sophomore Jaydy Hernandez would like to go to a movie theater near
her home in New York City when possible. However, she is fearful that it might be too soon to reopen due to an increase in COVID-19 cases. “We should probably hold off until things cool back down,” Hernandez said. While movie theaters were closed due to the coronavirus. Hernandez would watch movies on demand and look for the free movies since she was watching more TV shows, such as Chicago PD, Blacklist, Investigation Discovery and Cooking Channel programs. “When not on TV, I would then use YouTube or Netflix for watching movies,” Hernandez said. UC also offers a film series every semester for any member of the campus community, continued this semester by Associate Professor of Communication Jeff Miller. Miller teaches a film class at the college and is director of FILM@UC, which would normally allow members of the public to come and watch a diverse selection of movies on campus. SEE THEATER PG. 11
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Bezos’ Blue Origin is shaping the future of rocket technology REBEKAH HEDEEN ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
points in time to make a significant difference. Frady emphasized an equal balance of lifting, cardio and nutrition. In order to maintain a healthy body around the holidays, people need to find a way to workout in ways that are not just cardio based. Using one’s body weight enables them to grow in strength and access their metabolism and burn fat. After that, they need to ensure that their binge appetites are a thing of the past and find information on what food groups to emphasize for their body type.
FEATURES Since the first time man set foot on the moon in 1969 with Apollo 11, NASA and SpaceX among other technologically advanced companies have made attempts to advance even further in their knowledge of space technology. Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon, has founded the Blue Origin Company in which reusable rockets have been made possible. “More than 500,000 pieces of debris, or “space junk,” are tracked as they orbit the Earth,” NASA’s Mark Garcia said. “They all travel at speeds up to 17,500 mph, fast enough for a relatively small piece of orbital debris to damage a satellite or a spacecraft.” Space debris is a massive issue as it can create a minefield for satellites and future space endeavors with each piece of debris traveling approximately the speed of a bullet. A YouTube video from Curious Elephant provided by Professor of Physics, Ryan Miller, describes the impact that space debris has on the atmosphere. “We don’t have many discussions about space trash and this is important with this project because we don’t have much trash due to its reusability,” Miller said. “Safety concerns with THEATER FROM PG. 10 “We had no choice but to close the fall film series to the public,” Miller said. “Students, faculty and staff are able to attend for free.”
one time use rockets are common because all the trash lands somewhere, this Blue Origin Project will decrease amounts of space trash with reusable rockets.” The Blue Origin spacecraft does not shed any large pieces while being sent into the atmosphere and in most tests it has landed standing upright as if to be sent to space again. The importance of Bezos’ reusable spacecraft is not only due to the reduction of debris but also for monetary reasons. “The Department of Defense maintains a highly accurate satellite catalog on objects in Earth orbit that are larger than a softball,” Garcia said. “Currently, about 15,000 officially cataloged objects are still in orbit.” With the large amount of debris orbiting the Earth and being tracked from safety reasons, more and more money is being spent. In addition, the capture and disposal of debris eats up even more funding that organizations such as NASA do not have room for. “NASA’s funding was cut a few years back and they have yet to recover,” Senior Quinlyn Beaver said. “Regardless, when NASA does regain its footing, they will be focused on the science and technological advancements that will be necessary to establish colonies or to travel to Miller’s film class, The Motion Picture, is available every semester for any UC student as a one-credit course. Coronavirus restrictions in place this semester changed Miller’s experiences with the film class, which is a
Photo/Illustration: Hannah Chase Mars. Their focus and energy won’t necessarily be in the area of cargo transport.” Raising an important point, Beaver stated that the focus for the future will most likely be placed on the colonization of Mars. Junior Adam Mosher has similar thoughts. “Obviously it has a huge impact on NASA because they don’t get all the attention and funding that they used to,” Mosher said in regards to the advancements of Bezos’ technology. “More and more private companies are trying to get to space and NASA can’t stop them. It’s almost like another space race.”
sad experience for him. “Seating was limited due to social distancing and sadly I never got to see any of my students’ faces from the eyes down because of our masks,” Miller said. “I derive so
Students who are interested in space travel and the possibility of colonization, Bezos’ Blue Origin has created a route to that possibility. “There are many opportunities for students to get involved in similar projects even outside of mechanical or technological engineering fields,” Miller said. “Psychology students who can observe the impact and mental effects of potential colonization and biology students who can experiment with plants and animals as well as how they react to the atmosphere will certainly be needed when the time for colonization of planets like Mars comes.”
much joy from sharing the films with students and encouraging them to think deeply about what the films mean to them. For the first time in my long teaching career I feel that I barely came to know any of my students.”
For many students, space exploration is exciting and because there is so much unknown, new technologies, like the Blue Origin, are assisting in the locating of knowledge for the future. “As a student I’m excited about the possibility of more space travel including possible space Colonies,” Beaver said. “The technological advancements could very well help us with some of the problems we have on earth including preserving the environment and the need for clean energy sources.”
Since COVID-19 restrictions will still be in place for the spring semester, Miller’s class will be set up the same way.
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U. S. election to rake in around $1 billion in wagers ABIN BORIS SPORTS EDITOR
if they could be waiting more than a few days.
The 2020 United States Presidential Election has drawn some of the highest ratings in recent political history. While the campaigns of each candidate are drawing some of the highest ratings in history, the election is also finding itself in the mix of historic numbers when it comes to gambling.
For Utica College alum Mark Mitchell, it does not come as a surprise to him that this election resulted in this large sum of money being wagered.
According to both USA Today and the New York Post, the 2020 election is expected to have more than $1 billion dollars in bets and wagers. This pool of money will be held in Europe as it is illegal to bet on the presidential election here in the U.S. The possible $1 billion dollars that can change hands due to the election has surpassed the most recent Super Bowl betting pool and will be the biggest decision since the Mayweather-McGregor Boxing match in 2017 for
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Dodgers win World Series, Turner tests positive for COVID-19
“It does not surprise me,” he said. “I think with the lack of sports this year people found other events to gamble on.” This pool of money doubles the amount that was wagered on the 2016 election.
Photo: The Guardian the betting firm accepting the wagers. Utica College Senior Brady SanFilippo believes this election was the race to set such historic numbers when it comes to the gambling side of it. “I think this election drew so many people in because the country is in a
dangerous political state,” he said. “ I think people are betting because they love the risk of it. People are looking at it as high stakes.” It might be a little longer than usual to see who comes out as president for the next four years as going into Wednesday the election is still wide
open. Some swing states are still reporting their official count, while the Associated Press is rumored to make an announcement either Thursday or Friday. People who bet want the answers as soon as possible but again with the current landscape of the election, it looks as
The news comes at a time of uncertainty in the United States with issues surrounding the coronavirus, social and racial injustice, along with economic inequity still remaining at the forefront of the country’s landscape. “People that are old enough to vote made their voice heard,” Mitchell said. “That is what makes our democracy so great.”
Photo: LA Times MATT BREAULT ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR The Los Angeles Dodgers have defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 to claim their first World Series Championship since 1988. The Dodgers finished the regular season with the best record in Major League Baseball at 43-17. After a dominant regular season and postseason, the Dodgers finished off the shortened season with the fourth-highest per-game run differential in the modern era of MLB, as well as their first World Series Championship in three tries since 2017. Utica College Junior and Dodger superfan Alexandra Drake said she was extremely happy for the Dodgers since the last few years for them haven’t been so lucky. “I was so excited to finally
see them win the title after multiple trips to the World Series,” Drake said. “It was just so amazing to see as a Dodgers fan.” The Los Angeles Dodgers have made the World Series in three of the last four seasons. They lost to the Houston Astros in 2017, the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020. A scandal broke out in 2019 that claimed the Houston Astros had stolen signs during the entire 2017 season, the year they happened to defeat the Dodgers in the World Series in a grueling seven-game series. After determining the Astros did in fact cheat, MLB suspended former Astros Manager A.J. Hinch and General Manager Jeff Luhnow for one year, as well as a $5 million fine and the loss of future draft picks for the team.
Utica College first-year student Toni Whyte said that she wasn’t too happy to see the Dodgers win the World Series, but she accepted it because of what they’ve gone through to get there. “To be honest, I was a little bitter because I’m a Mets fan and I’m sick of seeing the Dodgers in the playoffs every single year,” Whyte said. “Although I was rooting for the Rays, I do think the Dodgers played well and deserved this championship, especially after what happened a few years ago with the Astros.” Another one of the teams that defeated the Dodgers in the World Series in recent years was the Red Sox, who were led by American League MVP Mookie Betts. Two years later, Betts is wearing Dodger Blue after he was acquired via trade in February where
the Dodgers received the former MVP outfielder, as well as former Cy Young Award winner David Price. Betts went on to sign a 12-year, $365 million extension with Dodgers a few months after being with the team. Utica College Freshman Jake Guzda said that as a Red Sox fan, he was sad to see him go, but he knew he would help the Dodgers win a World Series. “I think it was only a matter of time for the Dodgers to win it all so I wasn’t really surprised,” Guzda said. “When Boston traded Betts to the Dodgers, I thought he was the missing piece they needed to win the World Series.” When the Dodgers were in their glory celebrating the end to their 32-year World Series Championship drought, news came
in that Dodgers Third Baseman Justin Turner had received a positive test for COVID-19. This positive test was the first one the MLB had seen since before the playoffs had started. After being removed from the game, Turner returned to the field to join the team in a celebration. Many people were shocked and confused when they saw Turner back on the field after the MLB had removed him earlier in the game. “I found it very concerning to see Turner back on the field since he was adamant about wearing a mask and social distancing throughout the season,” Drake said. “I personally think this situation could have been handled better by management as well. I do understand that he was excited to celebrate, but he definitely should have been more cautious.”
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TURNER FROM PG. 13 Some people agree that Turner made a mistake in returning to the field because of him testing positive for a virus that has killed over 233,000 people in the United States. “I found it really ridiculous and irresponsible that he went back onto the field knowing that he tested positive for COVID-19,” Whyte said. “There were families and children on the field during the celebration and I definitely think there needs to be a punishment.” While some people are blaming Turner for going back onto the field, others are saying that it is not entirely his fault, because you have to put some blame on the people working there. “Although I think it was irresponsible for what he did, I think punishment should also be placed on the people that actually let him back on the field,” Guzda said. “I do think they should still probably fine Turner though.”
Photo: CBS Sports Due to the pandemic, this MLB season was cut short. Instead of playing a regular 162 game schedule, this 2020 season only consisted of 60 games. The question people are asking is if the Dodgers will have an asterisk next to their name in MLB history due to the 2020 MLB pandemic season. “I think it is easy to
discount the Dodgers because it was such a weird season,” Whyte said. “But at the same time, all teams had the same opportunity, just like any other season.” Drake said that the reason why people say there will be an asterisk is because of the rule changes that were made for this season.
season was shortened due to COVID-19 as well as other changes like the use of the Designated Hitter (DH) in the national league throughout the season,” Drake said. “I think the potential is there for one, but I hope there isn’t going to be one because the Dodgers played really well in the World Series.”
“There is the possibility that there might be an asterisk because the
The MLB did make some changes this season so the season could be
played. A few of those changes including the National League Designated Hitter and an expanded 16 team playoff system. In this playoff system, the top two teams in each division, plus the two remaining teams with the best records in each league made up the eight-team fields in the American and National Leagues. Instead of the usual five teams per league, the MLB expanded the field to eight teams per league which meant it would be easier for teams to make the playoffs, but harder for them to win in the playoffs. “I think the Dodgers definitely deserved it this year,” Guzda said. “It was a harder playoff structure anyway so I do believe they deserved it 100 percent.”
Photo: USA Today