Author: The UTD Mercury
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Comets play the Feud
The UTD Athletics department introduced a virtual tournament for student athletes called “Comets Feud” over the summer break, inspired by the Family Feud-style game show format. To play, each UTD sport contributes a team of five players who compete against other teams in brackets, progressing from quarterfinals to semifinals to championships. Assistant Athletics Director Dave…
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Esports program now offering scholarships
The UTD esports department is now offering scholarships to student-players once they join the team. Esports coach Greg Adler said that providing scholarships had always been a goal for the department since he arrived, and that this was the year to start after establishing a foundation as an esports program within the community. “We’ve got…
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Semitic BLM Semantics
The powerful cries of “I can’t breathe” and “Israel, we know you murder children, too” have joined hands to bring justice to those who are suffering the most. By contrast, certain pro-Israel groups have embraced the BLM movement whilst failing to acknowledge discrimination against Palestinians. Since the establishment of the Israel state on May 14,1948,…
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‘Black Swan’? More like ugly duckling
We cannot perfectly predict the future. Many try. Some even build their careers on risk analysis and prediction. However, on a macro scale, our models don’t always account for the improbable. Though in his study of the uncertain, “The Black Swan,” Nassim Nicholas Taleb argues that we must ignore empirical predictions to embrace the unknown,…
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Being a better brother
Before I began attending UTD — and before the thought of rushing a fraternity had even crossed my mind — I had been told multiple times by friends about certain fraternities and sexual assault allegations. I didn’t realize the extent of the problem at that time, but after joining my own fraternity, I realized how…
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Pentakills can’t replace touchdowns
With a gap in traditional sports during quarantine, isn’t it time for esports to rise? After all, esports is still doing better than ever, and without the ability to broadcast traditional sports, esports have been acting to fill the content void. However, arguing that esports can be a replacement for traditional sports directly is foolish,…
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Ask Sophie
Take a look at the world around you. In such a chaotic and unprecedented time, who isn’t struggling to preserve their sanity? Nobody is immune to pain, and anyone and everyone — regardless of their race, gender, sexuality or socioeconomic status — can struggle with their mental health or be diagnosed with a subsequent disorder. …
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Mercury Morning News – 07.06.2020
Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction, opening thoughts 3:06 – discussion of news piece “Your tuition, by the numbers” with reporter Aleena Hassan 14:11 – discussion of opinion piece “UTDon’t Open” with columnist Snipta Mallick 25:54 – discussion of news piece “‘If those 90 days pass, they lose their status and they have to go home’” with…
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Virtual introduction to campus
With the onset of COVID-19, the necessity to avoid large gatherings and keep safe social distancing resulted in amendments to summer 2020 incoming student orientation. For the first time, freshmen are experiencing orientation virtually, with online pre-orientation modules through eLearning and small group video chats through Microsoft Teams, rather than physical informational sessions and tours.…