Author: Carson Lewis

By PAUL J. WEBER, Associated PressTexas is lifting its mask mandate, Gov. Greg Abbott said Tuesday, making it the largest state to no longer require one of the most effective ways to slow the spread of the coronavirus.The announcement in Texas, where the virus has killed more than 42,000 people, rattled doctors and big city leaders who said they are now bracing for another deadly resurgence. One hospital executive in Houston said he told his staff they would need more personnel and ventilators.Federal health officials this week urgently warned states to not let their guard down, warning that the pandemic…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing EditorBaylor Photography provides a variety of content for the university, and despite some minor challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been proceeding without much trouble. Usually working from the university’s Clifton Robinson Tower before the pandemic, student workers for the department were issued kits with a camera body and lenses at the start of this year and were instructed to upload their photos electronically. The department, under the University’s Marketing and Brand Strategy team, has evolved over the years. Under the watch of Robbie Rogers and Matthew Minard, Director of Photography and…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing EditorBaylor’s TikTok account aimed at potential new students might soon become obsolete as the app’s future in America remains uncertain, with the platform on the brink of unavailability on Google and Apple app stores across the U.S.District Judge Carl Nichols from the District of Columbia, halted this, allowing the app to remain available. It is yet to be seen if the app will survive past November 12, when the app will be bereft of any American companies’ services, making the app impossible to use in the States.President Donald Trump has criticized the app…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing Editor2020 has been a nightmare, disrupting social life and any sense of normalcy on the planet. During such a time, it might be of some solace to gaze toward the night sky. From early astronomers to the Hubble Space Telescope, humans have long loved the constellations as a way to practice mathematics or recreationally consider the possibility of life outside of Earth’s atmosphere. While many opportunities to see the stars have been limited due to COVID-19, it’s still possible to have incredible experiences spending nights with eyes raised. For prospective astronomers, the Paul…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing Editor2020’s political battles will likely decide the new future of American politics. In the middle of unprecedented challenges caused by massive social upheaval and a mishandling of a global pandemic, the country is on the brink of something bigger. Disciples of QAnon, a collection of right-wing radical and ever-changing conspiracy theories handed down to them by an anonymous “Q,” supposedly in the American government, believe in a storm that’s approaching the American political space. This storm will strike against various political and social elites, who allegedly participate in a global cabal of child…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing EditorThe pandemic has ruined social lives as many used to know them. Parties and get-togethers have been canceled, and many are practicing the rituals of the past — watching sporting events or attending religious services — from the comfort of their homes. It can be hard to get a large group of friends together today, with some people unable to due to their schedules and some feeling uncomfortable gathering with other people. Many have turned to video games, utilizing consoles like the Xbox One or Playstation 4 to connect with their acquaintances. However,…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing EditorWith only a $400 budget and limited time, the crunch is on for Film and Digital Media students working in groups from two separate classes.While students in one class, Short Film Production, are developing film stories, their group mates in another class, Film Production & Set Management, are learning about the various positions on a film set, preparing to maintain and order the chaos of shooting. These two classes will work together to produce short films.According to Film Production & Set Management professor Daniel Beard, the successful cooperation of creatives and set managers…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing EditorIf you like to turn your video off during your zoom classes, this article probably isn’t for you. However, if the thought of being the most well-lit and colorful person on the Zoom call intrigues you, then I have some advice on how to make the most of your online class time while also preparing for the digital-streamed workplaces of your future — all on a college budget.VideoThe most important part of any setup is video. It’s important to get a camera that will show your zoom audience your best side all the…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing Editor Martin Museum reopened to the public last month, and attendees can now view the “Floating World” exhibition, which premiered last semester for only one day before being forced to close due to the spread of COVID-19. The museum itself has adapted to better accommodate the safety and comfort of its visitors. Director Allison Chew said that the museum has been changed in a variety of ways, including the removal of seating in the gallery and a reduction in the number of visitors that can be in the exhibition space at once. “We…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing EditorStreaming services have been growing for years, but social changes caused by the pandemic have exploded the medium’s popularity. Disney Plus, a new competitor in the streaming media environment, released Mulan, a live-action remake of the 1998 animated classic, last Friday.The film, originally intended for release in March, was delayed until it was eventually released on Disney Plus for a $30 premium fee in addition to the subscription plan already required. Fans who wish to see the movie before it becomes available for regular subscribers on December 4, 2020 must pay the additional…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing EditorThe music department sounds relatively the same as it did before the pandemic, but signs of the times can be seen where young performers and artists used to gather. Group seating areas are plastered with signs prohibiting close gatherings, and many stairwells and hallways direct passersby with one-way only warnings. On a piece of paper taped to all rehearsal spaces and practice rooms is written “STRICT LIMIT OF 1 PERSON IN ANY PRACTICE OR SMALL ENSEMBLE ROOM AT A TIME. NO GATHERING OF CHAMBER ENSEMBLES OR GROUPS IN ANY REHEARSAL SPACE.”What hasn’t changed…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital EditorMental health is a more important topic now than it has ever been, and with the possible return to a fully online campus looming this semester, I’ve found many reasons to look introspectively at how I treat my own mental health. One thing that I’ve noticed is how often I practice unhealthy ways of coping with stress or self-care. As a guy, it can be hard to express emotions and disappointments. I tend to bottle things up inside and I don’t realize that I’ve had problems and negative images about myself that need to…

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By Carson Lewis | Assistant Digital Managing EditorMany major changes have been made to the American lifestyle due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mask wearing, social distancing and an upending of the sports world are just some of the biggest changes to our daily lives. However, some of the adjustments that will affect society for decades to come have yet to be seen.I believe that labor and the American workplace will be profoundly affected by this pandemic. When students graduate from college in the next few years, they will be lucky to hold a job — and that job will likely…

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By Carson Lewis | Page One EditorThe tragedy of 9/11 changed life in America drastically. I was only a baby when the attacks of Sept. 11 occurred, but the implications of the event drastically affected my upbringing and the course of my life dramatically. I can’t help but relate the events of that day and the impacts of this current virus. Here’s just three implications I thought of, but I would love to hear more from other students and faculty about what they believe will change for life at Baylor.1. A tenser political environment, especially entering into election seasonWhile the…

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By Carson Lewis | Page One EditorJohn Hartley’s recent exhibition “Played in America” explores the relationship between people and objects. The exhibit will be open until March 1 in the Martin Museum of Art. The exhibit’s artist reception was held at the Martin Museum of Art Wednesday night, featuring the artist’s thoughts on his work — a collection of photographically inspired oil paintings. Hartley’s 40-minute talk fluctuated from a question-and-answer session to his descriptions of the pieces in the exhibit, interspersed with short stories from his life and how they inspired the artwork. “I’m going to go down some rabbit…

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By Carson Lewis | Page One EditorThe outbreak of coronavirus has people frightened, reasonably or not. Despite the fact that the virus is likely only to kill those who are already frail, such as the elderly or the sick, many Americans are reaching levels of fear resembling the terror seen during the past decade’s Ebola outbreak. This fear has been amplified by the confirmation of several cases in the United States. Some have taken this concern and used it for lighthearted means: creating memes and jokes about the spreading virus. Some of these memes have taken a more “racial” focus,…

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By Carson Lewis | Page One EditorThe Martin Museum of Art hosted an opening reception for the Biennial Faculty Exhibition Thursday night, featuring works from 19 faculty on staff in Baylor’s art and art history department. The exhibition opened Tuesday and will be available to the public until March 1. Art historian presentations started the evening before the official opening reception at 5:30 p.m. in the museum, located in the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center.Faculty members submitted pieces of their work to the exhibit, which also featured a quote to accompany their artwork. The professors’ quotes ranged from their experiences in…

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By Carson Lewis | Page One EditorThe Dr Pepper Museum opened a new exhibit Friday, “Spirited: Temperance, Prohibition, and Soda Pop,” which teaches guests about the history of prohibition and the impact that the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment had on the U.S. The museum welcomed the exhibit to its second floor with an event in Friday evening, where for $30, guests could eat and drink before viewing the exhibit. After the guests spent time chatting and savoring the food on the first floor, the second floor opened up so guests could start to wander the exhibit. The exhibit was…

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By Carson Lewis | Page One Editor I can remember when I first arrived on Baylor’s campus. The visitor center had a wonderful video to welcome me, with bright, sunny depictions of the campus and images of friendly students going to class and sitting in conveniently beautiful areas around Baylor. It’s something I’d seen before. I toured colleges across the nation during my high school years and had visited 20+ by the time I graduated. It seemed that most of the methods of enticing students to come to college were shared across the board. Schools would show a short video…

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