Utah State University, Logan, Utah
SPOO Y SEASON! Week of October 26, 2020
Page 2 - The Utah Statesman October 26, 202 Black Lives Matter Utah founder Lex Scott speaks in the TSC Ballroom at USU on Thursday, Oct. 22.
PHOTO BY McCall Monson
BLM Utah founder rushed off campus after threat By Kellie Christensen NEWS STAFF WRITER
Lex Scott, founder of Black Lives Matter Utah, was escorted to her car by police after her speech at Utah State University on Thursday. According to Scott, this was because of a death threat against her. Scott had also scheduled a protest at the Logan City Courthouse, which had to be cancelled. Scott, who attended USU her freshman year, said she loves Logan and Utah State. She was raised in Salt Lake City and said there weren’t many Black kids around her when she was growing up. Scott added that the Utah population is only 2% Black. This was one of the things that fueled her activism. “I wanted to help people who don’t have a voice here,” she said. Scott started the United Front Civil Rights organization, which has more than 30,000 members on Facebook. Originally, Scott didn’t want to start a Black Lives Matter chapter. She said that she didn’t feel like she could control someone going out, shooting cops and then saying “I’m with Black Lives Matter”. After some time, she finally started the Utah BLM chapter. The Black Lives Matter movement originally began in
Ferguson, Missouri, but the Utah chapter is not a part of the national organization. Much of Scott’s speech was about the shooting of 18-yearold Michael Brown. According to Scott, Brown and a friend had been walking in the middle of a street in Ferguson when Officer Darren Wilson pulled up behind them in his police cruiser. When Wilson tried to open his door, Brown shut it. Wilson reached for his gun and Brown reached into the vehicle to stop Brown from firing; that is when the first shot was fired, she said. The first shot went through Brown’s hand and into the door of the police cruiser. Brown then started running. Scott’s recitation of the story describes how Wilson chased Brown down the road while shooting at him. Brown turned around and surrendered, however Wilson continued to shoot at him, she said. Wilson allegedly left the body in the street for four hours. The residents of the street took rose petals and made a memorial. Scott said Wilson never filed a police report. She also said that every time a Black person is killed by police, the first thing that the officers do is pull the criminal record of that individual to dehumanize them after they have died. Everyone deserves to make it to court, Scott said. Similar to the Ferguson Police Department, she would
like to have a consent decree in West Valley, Cottonwood Heights, Orem and Ogden. A consent decree is when the police department in a city is considered to be corrupt and the Department of Justice comes in and files a lawsuit against the offending police department. Scott protested in Ferguson, Missouri. She described it as “one of the most beautiful experiences” of her life. She said there were three-year-old children and 80-year-old men on the front line in Ferguson. “It wasn’t people trying to get fame or trying to make money off the movement. It was a beautiful moment where we knew, hey, we are sick of the injustice. We are sick of Black people being murdered at the hands of police and we are standing together against this injustice,” Scott said. This is not the first time a USU speaker has been threatened with physical violence. In 2014, feminist media-critic Anita Sarkeesian had to cancel her speech at USU after a threatening email was sent to the university regarding her speech.
—kellie.christensen@aggiemail.usu.edu Instagram: @kellie_jelliee
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PHOTO BY Shelby Black By Darcy Ritchie STUDENT STAFF WRITER
Clubs and organizations from Utah State University gathered for street painting in the Taggart Student Center loop Wednesday evening.This traditional Homecoming Week event looked a little different from past years due to COVID-19. Only five people from each group were allowed to paint at a time, and organizations were assigned hour-long time slots to avoid too many people gathering at once. Masks were required, and members of the Utah State University Student Association Traditions Committee, the committee over Homecoming week events, were sanitizing regularly. “This street painting looks a lot different from previous years,” said Clara Alder, a member of the Traditions Committee. “It’s still a super fun time. We’re all dancing, and different clubs and organizations are making their mark on the loop.” Each club was given a single square in the TSC loop, a pan of white paint, and a pan of blue paint. They had an hour to complete their painting.
The Pre-Dental Club painted a giant tooth in their block. “We wanted to pick a design that represents our future professions, and it’s something that unifies us, I suppose,” said Spencer Bray, a Pre-Dental Club member. The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association painted the words “hear what isn’t said” in their block to represent their club’s focus on speech and hearing. McKenna Nobis, the president of USU’s National Student Speech Language Hearing Association said she felt the event was put on safely. “I love that everyone’s wearing a mask, and they have everyone socially distanced in groups,” Nobis said. Though students felt the event was put on safely, club involvement in street painting was much lower than in previous years. Only 30 clubs signed up for this year’s event, compared to 70 clubs in 2019. —darcy.ritchie@usu.edu @darcyrrose
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Clubs gather for COVID friendly street painting
Page 4 - The Utah Statesman October 26, 202
New COVID index for the state of Utah
By Kellie Christensen NEWS STAFF WRITER
The state of Utah released new COVID-19 guidelines on Oct.13. The state also released a new index for measuring transmission rates and got rid of the color-coded guidelines. The day that Utah Gov. Gary Herbert released the new guidelines, there were 987 new cases; case counts have been hovering around 1,000 a day in Utah since Oct. 4. In his press conference on Oct. 13, Herbert said, “I, like you, am tired of 2020. I’m tired of emergencies and social distancing, of the loneliness, the anxiety and the worry that each of us face. Especially the heartbreak and loss this virus has afflicted on families who have lost loved ones. But Utah is now facing its most dire episode yet in this epidemic, and frankly it doesn’t matter how tired we are. We must in fact win this fight.” Utah is having one of the worst outbreaks in the country, according to the governor. This new plan is based on critical health data, not fear, he said. The new system will provide trusted guidance based on epidemiology and medical science. Every week the Utah Department of Health will analyze three key data points for each county. Based on that data, the county will automatically be categorized
as a high, moderate or low transmission area. Utah Health Guidance Levels High Transmission Level: Must be greater than 13% seven day average percent positivity, have greater than 325 cases per 100,000 population, greater than 72% statewide ICU utilization and greater than 15% COVID-19 ICU utilization. Moderate Transmission Level: Must be greater than 6-12.9% seven day average percent positivity, have greater than 100324 cases per 100,000 population, greater than 69-71.9% statewide ICU utilization and greater than 6-14.9% COVID-19 ICU utilization. Casual social gatherings High: 10 or fewer people permitted to gather. Moderate: 25 or fewer people permitted unless masks are worn. Low: 50 or fewer people permitted unless masks are worn. Public gatherings High: Limited by ability to social distance between households but masks must be worn. Local officials are allowed to make exemptions but are highly discouraged from doing so. Moderate: Must wear masks and a 6 feet distance between households must be maintained. *The rest of the story is available on the Statesman’s website.
PHOTO BY Karolina Grabowska By Darcy Ritchie LIFESTYLES STAFF WRITER
H
alloween is fast approaching. But with midterms and the global pandemic you may have heard about, a costume might be the last thing on your mind. Here are some last-minute Halloween costumes you can make from items already in your closet. The Morton Salt Lady What you need: a yellow dress and a black umbrella You’re already salty. Take it to the next level with this costume. Jim from “The Office” What you need: a white button-down shirt and three black dots Do you want to look like every other man in Utah on Halloween? Be Jim from “The Office.” You’ll have girls all over you this spooky season telling you how many times
they’ve watched “The Office.” Kim Possible What you need: black shirt, green pants and black gloves Red hair is not required, but it is encouraged. A Ceiling Fan What you need: a white shirt and a sharpie You’ll have people asking you all night, “What are you supposed to be?” Then watch the light drain from their eyes when you explain the joke. Gingerbread Man/Woman What you need: a lot of bread and naturally red hair Red hair is required for this one. Otherwise, you’re just a bread man, which makes no sense. Jake From State Farm What you need: red shirt and khaki pants
What are you wearing, Jake from State Farm? Cereal Killer What you need: a box of cereal and a knife Halloween is the one night of the year where you can carry around a knife and people won’t question it, so take advantage of that with this punny costume. Cat Fight What you need: cat ears, boxing gloves and whiskers Nobody will understand your costume, but that’s okay. You know, and you know that it’s hilarious. — darcy.ritchie@usu.edu @darcyrrose
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Last-minute Halloween costume ideas
Page 6 - The Utah Statesman October 26, 202
Ranking Utah State men’s
By Jason Walker SENIOR SPORTS WRITER
L
ast year the immediate ancestor of this article was published, ranking each of the seven incoming players for the Utah State men’s basketball 2019-20 campaign. With another season approaching and another recruiting class it’s only fitting that the exercise be repeated, especially since the number of newcomers has jumped from seven to nine. As was done a year ago, this won’t technically be ranking just the recruiting class itself, as two players who were on the team last year will be included, one of which was featured on last year’s list. The reason being that both sat the entire season for differing reasons, so they’ll be new to the rotation. Also (and again, similar to last year), this isn’t meant to rank the potential of each newcomer, rather it’s based on how much of an impact they can make this year. 9. Mathew Wickizer Forward | 6’ 9” | 210 lbs. Prep Senior Season Stats (per game) — 8.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 45.5 FG%, 40.2 3PT%, 66.7 FT% This isn’t a dig on Wickizer, someone just has to be last on this list. The former Kearns PHOTO FROM FIBA High School forward will walk on and will Zahar Vedishchev showed off his potential at the 2019 FIBA U-19 World Cup, being named one of five players who blossomed at the tournament. probably only see time if he shows the ability to play small forward at the NCAA level. If fill the gaping chasm in the backcourt rotation on Utah State may be more of a small forCenter | 6’ 11” | 240 lbs. he’s a power forward like he was for most left by the departure of Sam Merrill, Diogo ward. Essentially, he’s a younger Brock Mill2019 FIBA U18 European Championship of his prep days, a red-colored shirt will be Brito and Abel Porter. For those looking eager- er — a volume wing shooter who lacks the Stats — 7.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 0.9 blocks, in his near future. The current depth chart is ly for the next Porter — a walk-on who plays traditional guard skills. The Russian wing 61.0 FG%, 0.0 3PT%, 55.6 FT% stacked to the brim with power forwards at his way to a starting role — this Texas guard has a Lovecraftian shooting motion, but it’s Ranking Zapala this low feels awful given the moment from Justin Bean to Alphonso could be it, as his five assists per game in high produced decent results. In six games at the his potential, but when his immediate comAnderson and another man we’ll get to in a school show he could develop into a fine pass- U18 FIBA European Championship in 2019, petitors in the depth chart are a senior in bit. ing point guard in the future and he’s got a Vedishchev made 40.4 percent of his 3-point Kuba Karwowski and Trevin Dorius, a guy There’s definitely hope for Wickizer to de- capable catch-and-shoot game to compliment attempts while taking 8.7 per game. That who played his way onto the floor as a freshvelop a role on the floor and not as a glorified his playmaking abilities. percentage on that volume is quite the outli- man walk-on (not to mention the star center towel boy. He grew about two inches while Being a walk-on, it seems unlikely Stastny er, but Vedishchev’s 35.3 percent (on 6.6 at- in the starting spot), you’ll see why it is this on his LDS mission, taking him from 6-foot-7 will be one of the guards to win out for play- tempts per game) from his high school years way. The thing that gives Zapala a chance is to a very versatile 6-foot-9. Given that he’s a ing time. But if recent history of the Aggies is still an encouraging number. that last year neither of USU’s backup 7-footcapable shooter, the young forward can easi- under Smith has anything to say, it’s that anyThe potential is there on offense and his ers were able to nail down the backup center ly mold himself into a stretch big at the least one can make it into the rotation if they take 6-foot-6 frame could fare well on defense, spot. Both were given the golden chance to (maybe even a small-ball center) or a solid advantage of opportunities, and Stastny has but there may not be enough room for the prove themselves with Neemias Queta misscombo forward if everything goes well. an opportunity even if it’s a longshot. freshman in the rotation in the small for- ing the opening third of the season but Smith 8. Karson Stastny 7. Zahar Vedishchev ward spot of the depth chart. Miller is likely wound up favoring a Justin Bean/Alphonso Guard | 6’ 4” | 175 lbs. Guard | 6’ 6” | 180 lbs. to fill most of the small forward minutes as a Anderson small-ball frontcourt to either of his Prep Senior Season Stats — 21 points, 6 re2019 FIBA U19 World Cup Stats — 16.5 starter and there are other more viable can- backup bigs. bounds, 5 assists, 64.2 FG%, 45.0 3PT%, 82.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 41.5 FG% didates for the remaining minutes. He may Zapala will get his chance if he can avoid FT% / 40.4 3PT% / 83.3 FT% very well redshirt his first season in Logan. the pitfalls that caught Karwowski and Dorius Stastny is one of six guards who will look to While listed as a guard, Vedishchev’s role 6. Szymon Zapala and kept them off the court, the main ones
being inconsistent rebounding, lackluster paint defense, and an almost negative offensive impact. Film from his 2019 FIBA games shows that while Zapala isn’t a great rim protector, he’s a smart, physical defender in the paint and a solid rebounder, especially on the offensive glass. It would be great to see another freshman center walk in and dominate the way Queta did, and while Zapala shows great potential as a paint beast, he’s fighting a little too much to be a major impact. There are two returning backups at his position and he has to fight off Smith’s tendency to go small with Bean/ Anderson. Unless he truly dominates, minutes will be few and far between. 5. Max Shulga Guard | 6’ 3” | 197 lbs. 2019 FIBA U18 European Championship Stats — 13.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.0 steals, 61.9 FG%, 52.9 3PT%, 67.9 FT% Shulga is a bit of an enigma given a lack of a suitable sample size of the Ukrainian’s pre-college statistics. But what is there is encouraging. At the 2019 U18 FIBA Euro Championships, Shulga showed out as a quality off-guard capable of shooting from deep, slashing to the hoop and occasionally handling the ball. His stats from FIBA shouldn’t be read into too much since it is a small sample size, but it’s hard to not be impressed by someone who shoots north of 60 percent for any stretch of games in fairly high volume. While definitely a contender for a rotation spot, Shulga could wind up being placed at the end of the rotation and perhaps even get a redshirt. Should he play, expect a small role, largely off-ball, sharing the court with a more experienced guard to handle playmaking duties. A lot like Sean Bairstow last season. 4. Steven Ashworth Guard | 6’ 1” | 170 lbs. Prep Senior Season Stats — 16.4 points, 7.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds Of all the incoming players, Ashworth looks the most impressive on film despite having the fewest physical gifts among said incoming guys. Though just over six feet tall and a bit lightweight, Ashworth exudes the GATA (Get After Their *Butts*) mentality Smith preaches over and over. On both ends of the court Ashworth plays smart and with a level of hustle that makes the audience feel tired just watching.
It’s not just about hustle for Ashworth, he also brings plenty of skill. He brings quality ball handling and great passing vision, which allowed him to average north of seven assists his senior season. There aren’t any solid shooting numbers available, but on film Ashworth looks solid in catch-and-shoot scenarios. Of the incoming freshman, Ashworth is one of a couple who have a chance to play their way into a starting spot at some point in the season. His ability to play point guard is unique on a team filled with combo guards who can pass but it’s not among their primary strengths. It’s unlikely he’ll start, barring injury, but solid minutes should be coming Ashworth’s way as a key piece of the backcourt. 3. Liam McChesney Forward | 6’ 10” | 185 lbs. Prep Senior Season Stats* — 21.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.0 steals, 2.0 blocks, 52.5 FG%, 25.0 3PT%, 83.3 FT% Few on the current Aggies roster can match the potential versatility McChesney could bring to the table. He’s rumored to be an elite-level shooter (though all we have are rumors since there is almost nothing available from McChesney’s high school days) with the length of a Division I center and nearly the quickness and game of a small forward. This is a kid who could one day dominate at all three levels of the court. If Craig Smith has one problem this year, it’s finding a way to get McChesney onto the floor. Ideally, McChesney could slide right in at power forward, but Bean and Anderson have those minutes almost entirely claimed. There is the possibility of playing him more at small forward, but it’s a little questionable if he can play there right now as his primary position. Still, it’s the most open position in the depth chart and letting a talent like McChesney sit on the bench another year isn’t something Smith or the Aggies want to do. *Based off four games from 2018 provincial playoffs. Full season stats for McChesney are not available 2. Rollie Worster Guard | 6’ 3” | 200 lbs. Prep Senior Season Stats — 21.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 2.2 steals, 49.4 FG%, 33.0 3PT%, 75.4 FT% Shooting and scoring are two things Utah State is going to need quite a bit of from
its incoming players on the wing. Some 44 percent of USU’s points last season came via Merrill/Brito/Porter and outside of these three the Aggies made just 30.9 percent of their 3-point shots. Worster appears to be the best candidate among the firstyears to fill both of these holes. The 2018-19 Gatorade Player of the Year for Montana is a crafty scorer and adept shooter who essentially held a 20 PPG average for three straight seasons in high school (it was 19.8 his sophomore year). He also shot the ball effectively throughout his entire tenure, shooting 49.2 overall, 36.7 from three and 73.8 at the free throw line. Worster doesn’t hold a significant advantage over the other freshman guards in terms of potential, but he is the most developed, both in his game and his body (weighing in at 200 pounds when most of the other freshman struggle to top 180 is no small thing). The combination of a fairly developed offensive game and frame could go a long way to being the top contributor
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basketball newcomers
among the freshman. 1. Marco Anthony Guard/Forward | 6’ 5” | 225 lbs. At Virginia, Anthony never got a chance to shine thanks to a dearth of NBA talent around him on the wing. With this move to Logan, the stage is set for Anthony to take over as the Aggies’ leading scorer. He’s a physically imposing specimen who can play 1-4 at any given moment. More importantly, Anthony is a natural scorer who did it all every level in high school with senior season scoring average of 25.5 points. He was also incredibly efficient shooting-wise in his prep years with a 66.61 true shooting percentage in three years. At the very least, look for Anthony to be among the go-to options for Smith and at best, we could be talking about Anthony as a potential Mountain West Player of the Year candidate. —sports@usustatesman.com @jwalker_sports
KOCH SCHOLARS PROGRAM The Koch Scholars Program (KSP) is a semester-long paid reading group designed to engage undergraduate students in meaningful discussions. Participants receive $1,000. • Meetings are held on Tuesdays at 5:00 pm over Zoom • Participants are given 15 books • Students of any academic background are welcome to apply Apply online before November 15th Find out more at www.thecgo.org/students
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It’s always sunn
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hat makes something scary? Is it the context? The lighting? The killer-clown jumpscares? Recently, I went to see a horror movie. I was stiff, jittery and before the movie even began, I yelped during one of the trailers. The movie itself, while scary in its own right, did not terrify me as much as I terrified myself preparing for it. The buildup of suspense is what petrifies all of us, torturing us before we’ve actually endured the torturing. It takes courage to enter a haunted house, or text first after a first date (gasp!). But when it’s done and over with, we almost laugh at how easy it turned out to be. Surely, stressful situations in our daily lives— riding in
a car with a bad driver, or walking home alone at night — can be real events that shake us to our cores because, deep down, we know what might happen. Even if it’s the smallest possibility, we all know there’s a chance those real-life horror-stories could happen to us. People are afraid of dying, humiliation, pain and losing loved ones. Those fears are kept away in the dark, so it’s only logical that people are afraid of the dark. That is why so many scary movies take place at night, or inside dark buildings, in order to eliminate the symbol of hope: daylight. But what happens when you meet your worst nightmare in the sun? In 2019, director and screenplay writer Ari Aster, the creator of Hereditary, came out with his psychological-horror, Midsommar. This film takes the audience out of the darkness and into the light of day for some of the most terrifying scenes in modern horror. The story captures graduate students on a trip to a vacation in Sweden. The seemingly eternal sunshine begins to give the audience an ere of impending doom, as the sun never seems to set and the most gruesome events take place in clear day. While Midsommar is not the first movie to force it’s audience out of their “well-lit” comfort zone, it goes so far as to portray a Gunnel Fred in Midsommar (2019) simple dance competition, flower picking,
The HURD calls out after referees’ penalize Utah S 22. The Aggies beat the Falcons, 42-32.
and outdoor feasts as suspense-driven elements. Other films, including Jeepers Creepers, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th: Part 3, The Wicker Man, and Insomnia, also reserve their iconic terror for the idyllic sunshine that audience members would normally crave as a haven from the fear. It reminds us that evil can strike at any time — even in the safety of our own homes, in broad daylight. In order to scare someone, we hide in the shadows. We surprise them. Try to make them jump. Humans have
PHOTO BY Megan Albrechtsen State during play against Air Force on September
Florence Pugh in Midsommar (2019)
always been afraid of the dark; afraid of the unknown. The only thing we’re more afraid of, is what is known. We know what is right in front of us. We know what people are capable of, what accidents we may run into in the middle of the day. In a 2019 BBC article written by David Opie, he stated, “Given how much potential there is to find fear in the sunshine, it’s surprising that more scary films haven’t pushed back the shadows to exploit daylight horror in this way. Perhaps the reason is that it simply makes the
terror feel too real.” Opie describes Midsommar as tackling the sunny-horror trope at its core by enforcing the issues that warm seasons often cause in psychological disorders. While people are made aware of seasonal depression disorder induced in the cold and dark months, people disregard the mania-inducing effects of the constant sunlight of summer and spring. Fear is created by suspense; the build up and expectations that come with horror are expected, thrilling even. But sometimes what we’re expecting, whether it comes from a cemetery or a daisy field, can create dread within us. Scary context trumps scary settings because nowhere is safe; you could be singing in the rain, or being chased by a serial killer in a hurricane. Our actions, thoughts, and intentions define a place and give meaning to it. Isn’t it more eerie to find a random blood splatter in a perfectly neat dining room, than a creaking, rustic, abandoned wood mill? We expect danger in the dark of night, where we can’t see. We’re prepared. But the danger of a cozy beach, a child’s birthday party, or a simple festival full of music and laughter can hide the darkest manifestations we refuse to give any attention to. It’s the only way we can remain sane, convincing ourselves we’re safe. The inevitability associated with the day
is even more terrifying than the dark. Light no longer represents hope and safety, but reality — the scariest thing of all. Megan Cowdell is a freshman opinion columnist studying for a bachelor’s in Communications. She loves music, reading and wants to write books for a living. megan.cowdell@usu.edu
Florence Pugh in Midsommar (2019)
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ny in horrorland
Page 12 - The Utah Statesman October 19, 202
Spooky movies to watch this
By Emily White LIFESTYLES SENIOR STAFF WRITER
L
ooking for a good movie to watch this Halloween season? Here are some good options:
Ghostbusters (Hulu) A group of three parapsychology professors start a business catching ghosts. With Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray (Dan Aykroyd) and Egon (Harold Ramis), “Ghostbusters” provides comic relief and is festive for the Halloween season. The Adventures of Ichabod Crane and Mr. Toad (Disney+) Ichabod finds himself in love with Katrina, but his chances with her are dashed after his mysterious disappearance. I’m not sure if it’s because Bing Crosby narrates and sings or if it’s because I wrote an alternative ending to the short film in the sixth grade, but regardless, the tradition still stands today. Gremlins (Amazon Prime for $3.99) An iconic film featuring Howie Mandel as Gizmo that is practically a reflection of how this semester is going for me. The film follows Billy Peltzer, who receives a mogwai as an early Christmas present from his father. Owning a mogwai comes with a few rules: don’t expose the mogwai to bright light, don’t get it wet and don’t let it eat after midnight. Billy might not be capable of keeping those rules. The Nightmare Before Christmas (Disney+) Jack Skellington? Danny Elfman? Tim Burton? What’s more spooky than that? Probably nothing. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” follows the Pumpkin King on his search for more meaning and exploration of Christmas. Halloween Town (Disney+) A Disney Channel classic that comes with a dysfunctional family. Complete with a mother who doesn’t want her kids practicing witchcraft and her own mother (Debbie Reynolds) who wants her grandchildren to continue the witch tradition.
PHOTO COURTESY OF Pexels
Twitches (Disney+) On their 21st birthday, twin sisters are reunited for the first time since birth. They quickly discover their witchy powers and discover their home is in need of rescuing. Frankenweenie (Disney+) I’m not going to lie, I’m not the biggest fan of “Frankenweenie,” but when you have weird friends you got to watch it during spooky season, so here we are. “Frankenweenie” follows a similar plotline to the original “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley. Victor’s dog tragically dies unexpectedly, and though his family is supportive during his time of grief, Vic-
tor grapples with overwhelming darkness. In light of a science project assigned at school, Victor tries to bring his dog back to life and is successful. If only it had been kept a secret.... Hocus Pocus (Disney+) Max Dennison, joined by his sister and her friend, decide to explore a spooky, abandoned house. Max dismisses the haunting, spooky legends as fables but ends up freeing three evil witches who used to reside in the house. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (Hulu) If you don’t know what this is, I am honestly questioning whether or not you actually had a
@lewnitedstates
@mostlychels
If you hear Chiquitita blasting from my ~Ford F-150~ mind your own f business
(Youth pastor voice) and you know who is sus? The devil. And he, too, is always an imposter among us.
childhood. For once in his life, Charlie Brown isn’t the weirdest kid in the neighborhood, but he still gets rocks instead of candy for Halloween. Linus “wastes” his Halloween waiting for the Great Pumpkin to appear in the most sincere pumpkin patch in his neighborhood while most of the other kids are trick or treating. The Corpse Bride (Amazon Prime for $3.99) This is one of the few Tim Burton films I love. “The Corpse Bride” features an unlikely love triangle between an engaged couple, Victor and Victoria, and Emily, the corpse bride. Victor accidentally repeats his vows to a dead bride, who then rises from the grave and accepts his hand in marriage. The misunderstanding brings Victor to an underworld of sorts and a world of trouble.
Page 13 - The Utah Statesman, October 19, 2020
Halloween season let a bunch of 11-year-old girls watch this movie at 10 p.m. at night, because I can guarantee that at least one of them will stay awake all night, afraid that Karen is lurking in the shadows. Garfield’s Halloween Adventure (YouTube) Garfield and Odie go trick or treating together and stumble upon a 110-year-old man with a dark secret. The Haunted Mansion (Disney+) In an attempt to please his wife, Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) takes his entire family on a vacation, but on their way, the Evers family stumbles upon a haunted mansion with a curse that needs breaking.
Left Hand Free — Alt J
—emily.white@usu.edu
Beetlejuice (Hulu) Barbara and Adam Maitland (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) live perfectly content lives in their beautiful home until a tragic accident leaves them trapped in the house and in need of haunting help from the “bio-exorcist” Betelgeuse.
Purple Yellow Red and Blue
— Portual the Man
If You Could Be Anywhere — Tom Felton
Edward Scissorhands (Hulu and Amazon Prime) Johnny Depp brings life to the gentle and misunderstood creation, Edward Scissorhands. Before his creator could finish assembling Edward, he dies, leaving him with scissors for hands. Edward is discovered by a saleswoman, who lets him stay with her and her family, sparking an unlikely romance begins between Edward and the saleswoman’s daughter.
Daddy Issues — The Neighbourhood
Sweet Talk — Saint Motel
The Sixth Sense (Amazon Prime $2.99) Young, troubled Cole (Haley Joel Osment) is being constantly visited by ghosts and sees a child psychologist (Bruce Willis) to help solve his haunting problem. But Coles’s supernatural abilities have more power than either of them realize.
The End — Misterwives
The Watcher in the Woods (Disney+) Karen disappeared years ago but suddenly begins calling out to a young girl. As a general rule, don’t
@tmonson23 McGonagall: Do you think we should tell Colin Creevey’s muggle parents that their child has been in a coma all year? Dumbledore: Nah, it’s probably fine. Let’s see if his younger brother wants to come to Hogwarts too.
@fr0g_enthusiast Having someone show/send me a tik tok that reminds them of me is my love language
@_punky_brewster I AM PRO OXFORD COMMA
Page 12 - The Utah Statesman October 26, 202
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OPINION
Our “Social Dilemma”
“There are only two industries that call their customers ‘users’: illegal drugs and software.” - Edward Tuftle
W
e live in a world where expansion and growth have come through the advent of new technologies. In the past twenty years, new technologies have exploded into our lives and with that exponential growth of technology came the trillion-dollar giants of social media sources like Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. These social networks have complicated side effects. If you’re not familiar with the new documentary on Netflix, “The Social Dilemma,” let me explain what it has illuminated to me: humans are in trouble. We are in big, huge, scary, terrifyingly real trouble because of our ambition and constant dissatisfaction with what we have. We need more money, more growth, more followers and more love than what we have. We think the grass is always greener on the other side, but as it turns out, the other side isn’t as green as we think it is: maybe the other side is burning. Social media networks that you and I use every day, have three goals: keeping you engaged and interacting with your screen, growing the product and making money. According to “The Social Dilemma,” these goals are met through algorithms on our devices, including nudges to get on our screens through app notifications. While social media and app creators’ intentions were not malicious, the result of these algorithms is negative. Social media networks have created a world with declining selfworth, unhappiness, political polarization and a decline in real human connections. There have been so many studies done to show the negative effects of social media. According to the Pew Research Center, about 70% of people use social media and 97% of teens ages 13-17 use at least one major online social media platform, at upwards of nine hours a day. While the time spent on these sites is alarming in and of itself, it gets worse. According to Emma Chamberlain (on her podcast
Anything Goes) on Instagram, “you chose your best moments, you know your angles … and so, instagram is not real life and that’s the point blank period of it all … social media is just very fake, but what I’ve found is that there is an art in the illusion, right? There’s something fun about the illusion, even looking at other people’s illusions that they’ve created.” The trouble is, kids on social media are not cognitively prepared to understand that posts on social media are inherently manufactured. This “illusion” is arguably the source of dramatic increases in eating disorders, self-harm and suicide in our youth. According to “The Social Dilemma,” hospital admissions for nonfatal self-harm in the United States is up 62% since the growth of social media in 2009 for young girls ages 15-19, and it’s up for younger girls too. Worse yet, the suicide rates for girls ages 15-19 is up 70% since 2010. In the words of Tim Kendall, former president of Pinterest, “these services are killing people and causing people to kill themselves.” If that’s not chilling enough, let’s take a look at our expansive political polarization. One of my biggest concerns as an American is the dramatic increase in polarization due to social media and search engines. With the evolution of technology, social networks have created algorithms that change what we’re looking at on our screens based on where we are and what we’ve enjoyed in the past; our engagement is being tracked and recorded to better predict what’s more likely to keep us on our devices for longer periods so social networks can make more money. There are several issues with this invasive tracking, but one of the biggest ones is that it leads to a polarized view of the world. The political videos and explanations you see might be vastly different from the ones that I see. This system promotes and reinforces extreme viewpoints. Just take a look at our two options for president this election: polar opposites. Why? Because the people in America are growing apart and engaging in extreme politics online. According to “The Social Dilemma,” fake news spreads six times faster than real news. Our social media networks are inherently biased towards false
information. Conspiracy theories, gossip, rumors, fake news — all of it is being reinforced by what we’re watching on our screens every day. Thus, we are growing less unified and more fractured by the minute. Our social dilemma is a big one. We now have a generation of kids who grew up with social media and had it in middle school. We are statistically more depressed, more anxious, more fragile, more afraid than any other generation before us. This is a real generational change, one that doesn’t happen very often and one that no one understands exactly how to deal with. The fact is, humanity is meant for more than scrolling through Tik Tok, Instagram and Facebook. We are here to connect, not to WiFi, but to people. Here to play soccer, to paint, to tell stories and to bake. To laugh, to dance, to cry and to be vulnerable. While I’ve been spending my time on my phone, I’ve been missing out on opportunities to meet some of the coolest people who live right here in Logan. The only remedy seems to be getting off of screens, social media and other networks. However, if it was that easy everyone would already be off of social media. The suggestion in “The Social Dilemma” is a simple one: turn off your app notifications. Not all of them, but the ones that aren’t as urgent — Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest are all examples of apps that you don’t need urgent notifications for. It’s a simple but big step for humanity on the way to beating our addiction to social media, to decrease suicide and self-harm, to fight political polarization and to finally start connecting with people again. Emily White is a third year student studying English and broadcast journalism. emily.white@usu.edu
R
ecent developments in technology, coupled with the pandemic, have led to increased use of facial recognition software in South Korea. The increased government surveillance in South Korea has led to less privacy for its citizens — a tradeoff many South Koreans were ready to make in light of COVID. The South Korean government has been able to collect very detailed information about people who tested positive for the virus and publicized it, such as the name of the clinic they were tested at, the times that they left work, and whether or not they wore masks on the subway, among other information. The level of detail released by authorities allowed the public to identify who tested positive. But could this type of tech lead to unintended consequences? Facial recognition technology is a powerful tool under the biometrics umbrella. There are many potential benefits such as identifying missing persons and wanted criminals. However, there is opportunity to misuse and abuse this technology, thus violating the rights of the people it’s supposed to benefit.
After 9/11, the PATRIOT Act was passed in the United States to protect national security but ended up grossly violating the privacy rights of Americans. A similar phenomenon could occur in South Korea if they abuse this technology. If accurate software becomes commercially available, it could put people in danger. Stalkers could easily obtain personal information about their victims. Additionally, doxxing — the practice of revealing private information such as an address or phone number — could become widespread. Some may argue that this could be useful in identifying and arresting criminals, but this type of software is notorious for not being able to tell people of color apart. For example, Robert Williams, a Black man, was wrongfully arrested for stealing a watch in Detroit back in June. The Michigan State Police had used facial recognition software to identify Williams as the suspect. Williams only found out that the software had been used to identify him after an officer interrogating him made an offhand comment about how “the computer must have gotten it wrong.” Additionally, police install surveillance cameras in minority and poor neighborhoods at a disproportionately high rate, making people of color even more likely to be misidentified by facial recognition software. In Colorado, there are no laws regulating the use of facial recognition software, and most agencies utilizing the technology have not made announcements of its use. The police departments and DMVs in Colorado often will work together on cases to try to identify people involved with a multitude of crimes. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, laws need to be passed to increase GRAPHIC BY Keith Wilson
transparency and regulation of the use of facial recognition in Colorado and the rest of the United States. The laws regulating this software vary greatly at both the local and state level. A consistent policy regarding the use of facial recognition software in both the public and private sectors is needed, and there needs to be a provision included so that people know that their data is being collected. Some states, such as Illinois and Texas, have passed laws that prohibit private companies from profiting off of data collected via biometrics like facial recognition software, which is a good start. Aside from the dangers, misuse and abuse of this software, there are data security issues that come along with it. As previously mentioned, authorities may release the information gathered to citizens, which could endanger an individual’s safety. There is also the risk of hacking that accompanies any data stored digitally. In 2019 alone, there were over 1.5 million data breaches and over 160 million records exposed in the United States. Facial recognition software has evolved greatly over the past decade, and will continue to do so. There are benefits to the technology but there are also significant risks to privacy rights. In order to ensure the rights of citizens, there needs to be a uniform and transparent application of the software whenever it is used for whatever purpose. Ella Olson is an opinion writer at the Statesman. She’s originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota and enjoys reading, debate, and hammocking. ella.olson@usu.edu
Page 13 - The Utah Statesman, October 26, 2020
The dangers of facial recognition
Guest Column
Page 14 - The Utah Statesman October 26, 202
Survey of 2020 Presidential Candidates This 4-minute speech won first place in the Senior Division of Editorial Commentary at the Steven Hunt Classic Debate Tournament. It was created as a speech, meant to mimic a sarcastic radio announcer and point out that no candidate or political party is perfect. For best results, read out loud in a sassy, NPR voice. Also, regardless of who you support, please take advantage of the opportunity to vote!
Welcome back to FM 96.1 Beehive Radio, this is A-bee-gail here to fill you in on the latest buzz in pollen-tical news. Donald Trump recently returned to the White House, following his hospitalization for COVID-19. The Whitehouse reports that he has mild symptoms and is recovering well. In line with his can’t-do-wrong-attitude, he left the hospital prior to discharge to wave at adoring fans. After all, ABC news has confirmed that at least 17 people who have been around the president or Whitehouse have tested positive; so what’s a few more security guys or chauffeurs in the process? After sharing the stage with Trump for the last presidential debate, Joe Biden tested negative. I would call it the presidential debate, but that would imply civility and the ability to wait your turn. In case you missed it, one highlight from the debate was “shut up, man.” And low lights included: “you graduated at the bottom of your class.” If I listed all the personal attacks we’d be here for, well, the length of the debate. I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for one of these guys to be representing our country to the world and making policy decisions with far-reaching domestic implications. This debate could go down in history as one of few times a third-party candidate joined a televised presidential debate. According to President Trump, Chris Wallace joined the debate, representing the moderator party. This phenomenon repeated when third-party candidate, Pence’s fly, joined the vice-presidential debate. And if you don’t want a white, male, 70-something who inflates the truth and borrows words from others, you could vote for – Joe Biden? Scandals related to plagiarism and fabrication were part of what derailed his 1988 presidential campaign. He used 5 entire pages of an already published article in a law school paper. How can you be in law school and not understand plagiarism? How did you get through a political science and history double major and not learn to cite your sources? I guess it just goes to show my major won’t teach me anything anyway. Of course, if you don’t want to vote for either of these guys, there are some great third-party options out there. The Libertarian candidate Jo Jorgensen wants smaller government — shocking, I know. The real stinger is her VP, Spike Cohen, who once campaigned with Vermin Supreme and promised to resign and be replaced by Baby Yoda if after 100 days he did not meet the campaign goals of giving
everyone free cheesy bread, legalizing recreational plutonium, and forcing police to wear Barney the dinosaur outfits. Green Party Candidate Howie Hawkins has lofty goals of Medicare for all, a $20 minimum wage, a federal job guarantee, and sprawling environmental legislation. The 2000 election showed that the Green Party can influence national elections; some say they took enough votes from Al Gore to tip the election in favor of George W. Bush. So, really, we can thank them for the “Bush did 9/11” conspiracy theory. To celebrate the 244th anniversary of our nation, rapper and fashion icon Kanye West announced he was running for president, under his self-invented Birthday Party. Why celebrate once a year, when you could have a Birthday Party in office every day? The Constitutional party, led by former CEO turned convict, Don Blankenship, wants to abolish the IRS, because who actually thinks the 16th amendment was legally ratified? Gloria La Riva, the Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate, wants to close military bases around the world and aspires to follow the incredible example of Fidel Castro. So there you go folks, with all of these great candidates running for office, the future of America has never been brighter. Up next, we’ve got a nice set of music for you, starting with “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister. I’m A-bee-gail, here on Beehive radio. Thanks for listening.
Bryn Voigt is a senior majoring in Political Science and minoring in Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Organizational Communications. This is her second year competing on the USU Speech and Debate Team. If you are interested in learning more about the debate team you can contact Coach Gossner chantelle.gossner@usu.edu.
Page 15 - The Utah Statesman, October 26, 2020
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Page 16 - The Utah Statesman October 26, 202
C CALENDAR OCT 26 - OCT 31
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
USU Inclusive Excellence Symposium 12 p.m. Virtual Event bit.ly/usuinclusive
Corn Maze on the Farm 5 p.m. American West Heritage Center 4025 S Hwy 89-91 Wellsville, UT
Corn Maze on the Farm 5 p.m. American West Heritage Center 4025 S Hwy 89-91 Wellsville, UT
Corn Maze on the Farm 5 p.m. American West Heritage Center 4025 S Hwy 89-91 Wellsville, UT
Leadership Forum: Heidi Melin, Workfront 10:30 a.m. Virtual Event bit.ly/huntsmanleadership
Haunted Hyde Park Hollow Spook Alley 6:30 p.m. 113 E Center St. Hyde Park, UT
Trick or Treat on Main Street in Tremonton 4-6 p.m. Virtual Event Main Street Tremonton, UT
SATURDAY
10/26 10/27 10/28 10/29 10/30 10/31
Faith Challenges Support Group 2:30 p.m. CAPS Zoom Meeting ID: 837 3352 8590 Passcode: 836612 $100 Startup Pitch Competition 5 p.m. Huntsman Hall Room 320 or Courtyard Logan, UT Corn Maze on the Farm 5 p.m. American West Heritage Center 4025 S Hwy 89-91 Wellsville, UT
Online Readers Circle 7 p.m. Virtual Event Logan Library bit.ly/readers-circle
Haunted Hyde Park Hollow Spook Alley 6:30 p.m. 113 E Center St. Hyde Park, UT Jazz Jams 7 p.m. Engineering Quad Logan, UT
HPER Haunt 7-10 p.m. HPER Building Logan, UT
Halloween
Trick or Treat at the Zoo 11 a.m. Zootah at Willow Park zootah.org USU Football vs. San Diego State 7:30 p.m. Maverik Stadium or CBSSN
Haunted Hyde Park Hollow Spook Alley 6:30 p.m. 113 E Center St. Hyde Park, UT Howl Spooky Drive-in 7:30 p.m. West Stadium Parking Lot Logan, UT
ADD YOUR EVENT AT USUSTATESMAN.COM/EVENTS Deadline for calendar submissions is Thursday at midnight.