Claire Alongi Staff writer clalongi@willamette.edu In a lot of ways, the Walt Disney Company has been having a banner year (Marvel fans catch that? Banner year?). The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has recently dropped both “Captain Marvel” and “Avengers: Endgame”, the latter of which went on to break “Avatar’s” record as the highest grossing movie of all time. The live-action remakes of “Aladdin” and “The Lion King” were box office hits, and on Nov. 12 Disney’s set to drop their own streaming service called Disney+. In addition to providing already existing content from a variety of Disney owned companies, it will also premier a host of eagerly anticipated original shows and movies. Additionally, the last installment of the new “Star Wars” franchise is coming out in December. So, long story short, they’re pretty much on top of the world. Well, until they lost Spider-Man to Sony and tore the fan community into an uproar. But, quite frankly, Spidey might be better off in Sony’s hands. In the first Spider-Man movie, way back in the early 2000s, Sony introduced actor Toby Maguire to the big screen as New York City’s beloved webslinger. Sony made three movies with Maguire before revamping the character with Andrew Garfield in 2012. That’s when things got rocky. After two movies Garfield was shelved, and Sony and Disney (now at the helm of the wildly popular MCU) negotiated a deal for Spider-Man to appear alongside the other heroes in the extended universe. Thus, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man was introduced in “Captain America: Civil War.” Holland reprised the role four other times, including two stand alone movies, the most recent of which (Spider-Man: Far From Home) came out just over a month or so ago. When the news broke that Sony and Disney had gone their separate ways and left Spider-man in limbo, fans were distraught. Holland’s Spider-Man has been called the best iteration of the hero so far. Some people blamed Sony, others Disney. The truth is there isn’t a lot of concrete information about exactly what went down between the two companies. \According to Deadline and a few other sources, it was likely a monetary issue, with Disney asking an aggressive profit split in their favor that Sony wasn’t willing to go for. While the initial deal was never permanent, it seems unlikely that Spidey will be allowed back into the MCU to get some closure. The website “We Got This Covered” just broke a story alleging that the two companies will be meeting within the next week or two to renegotiate terms. Spider-Man might be better off with Sony. First let me be clear: I am one of those people who believes that Holland’s version is the best. A lot of it has to do with the fact that he was actually a teenager when he was cast. As a self-professed huge Disneyland, Star Wars and Marvel fan, it has become increasingly hard to guiltlessly love those franchises. The number of companies Disney owns is, quite frankly, terrifying and ever increasing. And while Disney+ is rolling out a ton of super cool material, it is also a blatant money grab. While it’s easy to love the heroes (and villains) across Disney media, they’re all part of the massive corporate money-making machine. The rereleased “Avengers: Endgame” is a perfect example of this. The three hour long movie mammoth promised six minutes of new footage, but beyond the addition of a nice tribute to Stan Lee, there wasn’t anything especially revolutionary. Buzzfeed reported that one end credit scene was simply the opening of “Spider-Man: Far From Home” while the other was the Hulk with some unfinished CGI. Not exactly magical. Seeing the company not getting something for once is a bit refreshing. While Maguire’s and Garfield’s portrayals might not quite shine like Holland’s, Sony does have one Spider-Man property for themselves: “Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse.” The 2018 animated film was a a hit in both the animation and superhero genre and showed that Sony could not only do Spider-Man well, but better than anyone had done before. If some of the inventiveness of that movie could be incorporated into another Sony Spider-Man, there would be hope. The best case scenario is that Holland gets an actual farewell to the MCU instead of being explained away in a brief on-screen comment. From there, it’s hard to say. In the end the loser isn’t necessarily one company or the other, but the character himself and the poor actors who keep getting recycled. It was a bit of a joke to do Spidey a third time, and now it seems like a fourth try could be on the horizon. Even his super strength and quippy comebacks can’t get poor Spider-Man out of this bind.

Jasper Jones News editor mgjones@willamette.edu Amarit Ubhi (‘20) will be serving as president of Associated Students of Willamette University (ASWU) for the 2019-2020 academic year. Ubhi is a politics major and philosophy minor from Oakland, CA, who is interested in student activism, local government and youth empowerment. What led you to run for ASWU president? Ubhi: “I have always been someone who really advocates for change and I like taking initiative on a lot of things. I think the campus really needed someone who can see above the issues. Not in the way of ignoring them, but in a way of understanding them in different perspectives and understanding how it affects different people. This is a position that really needs someone who can listen to different groups of students, and not necessarily embody those different and sometimes conflicting values or opinions, but someone that can be able to represent and reflect them in their entirety. I feel like that is something I offer and it motivated me to run.” What projects or initiatives were you involved in as a senator last year? Ubhi: “Last year, I was working with the Class of 2020 caucus to do a wellness campaign. We made posters of how you can make sure you are doing okay during finals. I also spent a great deal of time making care packages for students that were given out on the [first floor of the University Center]. We did lavender spray for pillows and included chamomile tea and little notes and goodies. I was also on the calendar committee. That was a big initiative to make sure that the school is going towards the goal of having more unification between the graduate and undergraduate schools. Especially now that Claremont School of Theology is coming over, it is very important that everyone is on the same page.” What are some of your goals for this year? Ubhi: “My big goals are to make sure that I can have a good understanding of what the students’ needs are, so expect me to be tabling or reaching out for concerns. Also, I plan on making sure ASWU is more in the community. [For example, with committees] this year I am making sure we are on top of minutes and attendance and making sure all of the information comes back to ASWU, so that the student body can be more in the know and has a better idea of what’s going on.” How have your identities impacted your time at Willamette? Ubhi: “I am bicultural. My parents are Punjabi. It was interesting for me to be raised in a household that was traditionally Indian in some ways, and some ways not, and to be born in the very liberal area that is Oakland, CA. I have always thought that helped me understand different perspectives and understand that things are so much more complicated than a lot of people make them out to be.”

Conor Krystad Contributor ckrystad@willamette.edu Many Instagram users have recently been misled by well-meaning online posts raising awareness about the Amazon Rainforest fires. What you might not know is that the posts should read: “The Amazon is being intentionally burned.” Mongabay, a media outlet specializing in environmental news, reports that these fires are being lit to make room for large-scale farming, cattle pastures and soy farms. Because of this, an understanding of their effects on the rainforest are incredibly important. The chair of the Willamette environmental science department, Professor Scott Pike, explained why this is an important topic to understand. “What’s interesting is that Amazon has poor topsoil with poor nutrient soils which motivates the jungle to be burned by farmers due to the fact that they can only get a couple years of farming.” However, the situation is even more dire there than it would be in North America, because fires are not a part of the natural ecological life cycle of the Amazon. Professor of Conservation at Lancaster University Jos Barlow reports, “even low-intensity fires with flames just 30 centimeters tall can kill up to half of the trees burned in a tropical rainforest.” The result of this is that these ancient forests are being destroyed for a few years of farming. You may think that the Brazilian government would want to put a stop to this destruction but they are enabling deforestation to continue. Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro has privatized public lands, funded fewer onsite inspections, and turned a blind eye to illegal land grabs where the jungle is being burned, seeded with grass and sold to ranchers. Fortunately, many posts claim that the Amazon rainforest produces 20 percent of the oxygen we breathe. Actually, according to marine biologist Brenda Soler-Figueroa as interviewed by The Washington Post, all terrestrial forests combined produce about 20 percent of the oxygen we breathe, and the Amazon is only a small percentage of that number. Aabout 70 percent of our oxygen is produced by microscopic phytoplankton in our oceans. Unfortunately, Professor Pike says the real damage is that these fires are “releasing billions of pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere while also losing [the Amazon as] a carbon sink,” further accelerating climate change. More broadly, this will also be a tremendous blow to the biodiversity of life on earth. Biodiversity is important because many of our materials, pesticides, crops and pharmaceuticals were first found in nature. By destroying unexplored and unstudied forests, we may be inadvertently destroying future medical or scientific breakthroughs. As an individual there are actions one could take to help stop this destruction. Since 84 percent of Brazil’s agriculture is sold on the international market, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Global Agricultural Information Network, you might be unwittingly contributing to the deforestation by eating cows raised in Brazil. Fortunately, you can combat this problem by eating local Oregonian beef or buying meat labeled as a “Product of U.S.A.” However, eating beef is still environmentally damaging even without clearcutting forests for pasture. If you are concerned about the environment, going vegetarian is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint while also helping prevent the deforestation of the Amazon.

Sophie Smith Editor-in-chief slsmith@willamette.edu Attending Willamette University without a car can, at times, feel a bit isolating. Areas like downtown Salem and Bush Park are close enough, but the city beyond the edges of campus’ bubble often feel inaccessible, especially to students without personal modes of transportation. For students who are able and interested, riding a bike can be an effective, fun, environmentally-friendly and relatively safe and inexpensive alternative to car travel. This community provides countless resources for students with bikes or those who are interested in taking up the activity. If you find yourself in Salem without a bike, there are plenty of nearby places to buy or rent one of your own. The Northwest Hub is an excellent resource for all members of the Salem community. The nonprofit’s mission is to provide “bikes for all,” according to its website and a sign on its storefront. At The Northwest Hub, folks can buy new or used bikes, bike parts and accessories from the shop, but it also offers bikes in exchange for volunteer hours. After working eight hours at the shop, volunteers can receive a free bike, lock and lights. To volunteer, apply online at thenorthwesthub.org, and stop into the shop on Broadway St. to schedule your hours. The shop provides repair and tune-up services, as well as classes on bike maintenance. The Northwest Hub also benefits from long-term volunteers and donations of old or used bikes. Several local for-profit bike shops exist near campus as well. Shops like Scott’s Cycle and Fitness, Santiam Bikes and The Bike Peddler, all independent shops in downtown Salem, offer high-end bikes sales, rentals and maintenance services. The city of Salem recently introduced Ride Salem, a community bike share program. Bike rental stations are spread throughout downtown including one on campus, on the corner of Ferry and Church streets near Starbucks. To rent a bike, download the Zagster app or text ‘SMS’ to (202) 999-3924. Bikes cost three dollars an hour, but students have the opportunity to pay $15 a year to pay for rides shorter than one hour (rides longer than an hour would then cost two dollars per hour). Willamette’s Outdoor Program (ODP) is currently offering a raffle for bike rentals. According to ODP co-coordinator Ellis Cobb (‘20), winners of the raffle will have the opportunity to rent a bike for one semester for $20. To add your name to the raffle, head to the ODP desk in Montag Center. Drawings will happen on Monday, Sept. 9. ODP also runs the Bike Shop, a student-run program that offers maintenance services to the WU community. If you have a bike, be sure to register it with Campus Safety. In the case that your bike is stolen, Campus Safety will have a log that includes the bike’s serial number and your contact information. Bike theft, as well as the theft of bike parts and wheels, is rampant on Willamette’s campus. The best way to prevent bike theft is to properly lock your bike. Certain locks like cable and chain locks are relatively easy to cut through, so using a metal U-lock or two is a safer option. Campus Safety provides free U-locks to students with bikes. If you live on campus and want to avoid storing your bike outside, residence halls on campus all have their own areas designated for bike storage.Residents can store bikes in these areas fro free, and can ask their Residence Advisors for more information about their buildings. Bikes are a sustainable alternative to car transportation. For some students who live off-campus, commuting to campus by bike not only reduces carbon emissions, but it will also reduce congestion in campus’ packed parking lots and may even save you some cash you might otherwise spend on a parking permit and gas. When biking through town, be aware that several streets do not allocate space for bike lanes, and some bike lanes that do exist are often blocked by parked traffic. Be aware of your surroundings, use proper hand signals and don’t forget a helmet!

Alexandra Bless Contributor akbless@willamette.edu Something that makes Willamette University stand out from other schools is its student-directed and led orientation program, known to students and faculty as Opening Days. Every Willamette student can recall the experience: moving into their residence hall and then attending a group session and their first colloquium class just a few hours later. The rest of the week remains equally as busy, right up until the first day of classes. While many people might question why Opening Days is designed to be such a busy week for first-years, students involved in organizing Opening Days, as well as the students who recently went through the program, agree that the program, despite its hectic schedule, is critical to the first-year experience at Willamette. To Jaelin Sonoda (’20), the 2019 Opening Days Coordinator, Opening Days is much more than just an orientation program. In her experiences as coordinator, Opening Days isn’t a typical ‘Welcome to campus!’ event, which is a common theme of other college orientations. Instead, the program is designed for new students to recognize that “Willamette is a liberal arts college, where you’re going to be a student, but also an activist and leader.” This notion is reflected in the Opening Days program Bearcats Give Back, in which leaders and new students volunteer their time by providing service at a variety of organizations around the Salem area, allowing new students to exercise Willamette’s motto of “Not Unto Ourselves Alone Are We Born” and find what activism and leadership mean to them. Another critical part of Opening Days is Reality Check, a show directed and performed by Opening Days students that covers topics including sexual assault, stress and anxiety, racial and gender-based discrimination and eating disorders. Opening Days leaders and students alike view the show as effective due to its incorporation of humor and ability to offer solutions to a variety of scenarios associated with these situations. In essence, Reality Check is an essential introduction to the first-year experience because it introduces situations that students may encounter throughout their time at Willamette and shares the resources available to them if they need them. Opening Days also helps students find their place on campus and meet a wide variety of people. Cate Leach (‘23), who completed the Opening Days program this fall said, “[I] felt a sense of community building so quickly. Opening Days made it so easy to make friends.” The College Colloquium program allows students to continue building this sense of community and place. Not only do students get a taste of the typical Willamette course structure before the regular academic year commences, but they quickly grow close to their fellow group members by spending significant time with them in and out of an academic setting. Leach can attest to this: “The connection in this class wouldn’t have happened if all our classes had started right away. It would have been a wildly different story if our Colloquium groups hadn’t been the same as our Opening Days groups because we wouldn’t have been able to grow as close.” After three years of being associated with the Opening Days program and assisting in the process of continuously improving it, Sonoda concludes that “Opening Days serves as an introduction not only to campus and resources but also to Willamette’s culture. It’s an interactive experience that shows how Willamette functions as a community. The experiences of this week are much more than being introduced to college and contain lifelong takeaways.”