Category: News

After nearly two years of campaigning for both parties, the 2024 presidential election is finally over. Although votes are still being counted days later, the election was called for Donald Trump earlier than possibly anyone expected. Nearly every poll and aggregator claimed the election was extremely close — Nate Silver, statistician and founder of poll-aggregation site 538, claimed to have run 80,000 simulations on his forecasting model and found the results to be “literally closer than a coin flip” with Harris having a 50.015% chance to win. Journalists and citizens alike bemoaned a possible repeat of the 2000 election, with drawn-out discourse over the true winner and possible recounts.

Nevertheless, the results were clear—and they were as surprising as they were devastating to Democrats.

Not only did Trump win the electoral college, including all of the “tipping point” swing states (Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia), but he beat the odds and took the popular vote as well.

Furthermore, nearly every state had a noticeable shift towards the Republican Party in its voter results, with California and New York holding the strongest shift at 12%.

No bones about it — it was a blowout, the belated “red wave” that conservatives had promised in 2022.

Both candidates made unique speeches Wednesday touching on their top issues.

Kamala Harris’ speech focused on the future of American democracy, which was the top polled voting issue for Democrats this election. Harris was sure to point out that “A fundamental principle of American democracy is that when we lose an election, we accept the results.” This is no doubt referring to the attack on the Capitol in 2021 spurred on by Trump’s insistence that the 2020 election had been stolen. Though she conceded that America may well be “entering a dark time”, Harris reassured voters that “the light of America’s promise” would endure.

Trump’s speech started out a bit differently. “We have a country that needs help, and it needs help very badly,” Trump said at a rally in Florida Wednesday morning. “We’re going to fix our borders, we’re going to fix everything about our country.” The language leaned towards an image of an America that had been thoroughly broken, and had even been taken over by foreign, un-American entities: “This will forever be remembered as the day the American people regained control of their country.” Although Trump claimed “It’s time to put the divisions of the past four years behind us,” he may not have been referring to anyone on the left at all–in the same speech, he praised Vice President elect JD Vance for voyaging “into the enemy camp” for Vance’s interviews on CNN and MSNBC.

It’s hard to reconcile a supposed message of unity with this and Trump’s vague, often ominous promise to purge “the enemy from within”. So, what’s next for America in 2025? The most talked-about potential policy change this week is Trump’s proposed tariffs on all foreign goods. The current plan is to place tariffs up to 60% on goods imported from China, and a universal tariff of 10% or more on all other imports. Though tariffs are meant to encourage consumers to buy products made in their home country, America has offloaded so much of its manufacturing that consumers may just have to deal with the increased prices.

Many American manufacturers also use parts and materials imported from other countries, so even domestic products will likely see a price increase. Even those who voted for Trump are reportedly feeling uneasy about what this means for their personal finances. While the economy was the issue that likely pushed Trump over the top in this election, many liberals are more concerned with “Project 2025” a game plan written by some of those closest to Trump’s administra-tion that could prove devastating to social and economic progr-essivism in the United States. Among the proposed policies are a move towards a national ban on abortion, legislation aimed at restricting birth control options, cutting environmental regulations drastically, removing legal protections for all LGBT+ people, dis-mantling federal programs like Medi-care and Medicaid, and even getting rid of the Department of Ed-ucation altogether. The plan could cripple the working class by destroying America’s social safety net, and make the country an extremely dangerous place for women and minorities. And jud-ging from Google search result trends, with “what is Project 2025” spiking after Trump’s election, many voters were not informed that this plan even existed. Ultimately, as with every new administration, we’ll have to wait and see which campaign promises are fulfilled, and which were made to be broken.

Blood donations are crucial to maintaining the health and well-being of patients across the country, and with the need for blood constantly rising, there has never been a better time to give. On Wednesday, November 13, the Red Cross is providing an excellent opportunity to allow those who wish to donate blood. At 9:00AM through 3:00PM in the Bulmer Telecommun-ications Center (BTC), students and staff are able to schedule an appointment for the donation through the Red Cross website.

To ensure that blood donations are managed efficiently and safely, it’s required to schedule an appointment ahead of time.

When booking an appointment, there will be two options: Power Red or Blood. These appointments mean different things and are different types of donations. Power Red donation does collect the red blood cells but returns most of the plasma and platelets to the donor. To do this, there are specific requirements such as having type A Neg, B Neg, or O blood. On the other hand, Blood is the most common type of donation where one pint of blood is usually taken.

There are some requirements that need to be taken into account when someone is interested in donating blood. The person must be in good health with a maintained iron level. Moreover, there are height and weight requirements for those who are 18 or younger listed on the Red Cross Website. Those donating blood should weigh 110 lbs or more. It is also important to have forms of ID like a student ID or driver’s license. If unsure about the eligibility to donate, the Red Cross website provides an excellent webpage about the requirements for those interested at “Eligibility Requirements – Red Cross Blood”.

Veterans Day was yesterday, November 11th, and as the nation pauses to honor those who served in the military, HVCC is committed to recognizing the contributions and sacrifices of our veterans and active-duty service members. This day is an important reminder of the courage and dedication that these individuals demonstrate in serving our country, often at great cost. As a college community, there is great importance in the acknowledgment of their efforts, and providing support as they may transition to civilian life or continue their education.

On campus, the Vet-Roc (Veterans Resource and Outreach Center) plays a vital role in assisting veterans.

The center offers a wide variety of services tailored to the unique needs of veteran students, including academic advising, counseling, and help navigating benefits such as the GI Bill. Additionally, the center provides a welcoming space where veterans can connect with one another, share experiences, and build a sense of community. This support system is crucial for many veterans as they adjust to academic life, often after their military service.

The Vet-Roc also helps educate the campus community about military culture, encouraging all students to understand and appreciate the challenges faced by those who have served.

By fostering this awareness, the center ensures that veterans feel recognized and valued on campus, creating an inclusive environment

where they can thrive both academically and personally.

Throughout this week following Veterans Day, The Hudsonian and Hudson Valley invites the entire college community to reflect on the bravery and dedication of our veterans and active-duty military members. It’s an opportunity to thank those who have served and to reaffirm our commitment to supporting them in their journey forward.

Through campus resources and the shared spirit of respect, we stand united in honoring veterans- not just on one day, but throughout the year.

Four Arrested Amidst Devices Found Onboard a Plane in a Germany Airport…

Western Security Officials have spotted two incendiary devices placed on passenger aircraft from Europe to the U.S., and Russia is the suspected perpetrator. Four people have currently been arrested for the scheme, and an investigation is still pending. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report on this matter, and Polish authorities have taken the suspects into custody.

The incendiary devices were tracked by the DHL while at Leipzig/Halle airport in Germany, and state that there is no current threat to U.S.-bound aircraft. The White House and CIA declined to comment at this time. There were two other incidents in July reported by Britain and Germany that were also suspected to be of a Russian plot. This incident was “to test the transfer channel for such parcels” (NBC). The U.K. counterterrorism police also decline to comment at this time.

Many nations of Europe have recently accused Russia of aggressive sabotage campaigns, which are presumed to aim at disrupting Western support to assist Ukraine in the ongoing war.

This attempted sabotage was also set to hurt Germany by a plot to ‘bomb or set fire to military bases in Germany.

International spokespeople of Russia have denied these accusations and have claimed that all of the information is fake and that the sabotage against United States aircraft was ‘one of such fakes’.

The feud between Russia and NATO continues with the war in Ukraine, and it is possible that Russia is heating up the conflict through these sabotages.

Photo Credits: ENS Schlueter/Getty Images

The city of Albany’s newly installed school zone speed cameras have issued a stunning 12,000 speeding tickets in just 10 days. Located near school zones, these cameras are active during school hours and have a strict tolerance, drivers going even just over the limit receive a ticket. Each fine is set at $50, which adds up fast, considering the volume of tickets issued in this short time.

The speed cameras aim to make school zones safer for students by deterring speeding and raising awareness about speed limits in high-traffic areas.

However, some Albany residents feel the cameras are catching too many people unaware, especially since they were recently introduced. As Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan pointed out, the city has a responsibility to make school areas safe, and the cameras are a direct response to the increase in reckless driving observed in these zones.

Yet, some drivers feel the strictness of the system is too much and too fast. Critics argue that the city should give more warnings before issuing fines and question if the cameras are more about revenue than safety.

According to city officials, however, the cameras are meant to serve as a deterrent, and the fines are just a consequence of drivers failing to follow posted limits.

Albany officials are monitoring public feedback, but with safety as the priority, the cameras are likely here to stay. Whether or not ticket numbers decline in the coming weeks will show how effective these cameras are in achieving their goal of slowing down drivers and protecting students.

Recent reports of a small house located in Rome, lacking an atrium but decorated with preserved frescoes has been discovered in the roman city of Pompeii, which was destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79.

Pompeii was a flourishing resort city in the south of Rome, that was built around 8-9th  century B.C. by the oscans. But along the coast of the city was the shadow of a volcano called Mount Vesuvius where its famous eruption occurred which devoured the city in ash and rubble in 79 A.D.

Photo credits: Archaeological Park of Pompeii

Aside from the famous eruption, Pompeii was most known for its buzzing city life, from the artifacts, the cult of Isis, Fashion, and its art. Mostly it’s frescos. Frescos is an art technique that consists of its mural painting, the process would include mixing water and powdered dye pigment  with a plaster that would be applied to a wall, which would result in a mural.

The site has been named “The House of Phaedra” after the mythological queen of Athens, who is depicted in one of the paintings with her stepson Hippolytus, who refuses her advances.

On the other walls depicting patterns, scenic views from nature, an encounter between a satyr and a nymph, and gods who may or may not represent Venus and Adonis. Unlike many of the houses excavated at the site, it was not built around the traditional atrium, which is an open space with a pool for collecting rainwater. Despite its small size, the house is stated to “strike us for the high level of its wall decorations,” which means they were of similar quality to much larger and more opulent homes near the discovery, which lies at the center of the site.

Squatters, a term used to describe someone who takes over the ownership of someone’s house by staying in their house long enough to be considered a resident, allegedly took over the home of Colorado Springs residents this past week. William and Arlene Towns, a couple well into their 70s, are now fighting what they are considering to be squatters to win back their home of 50 years.

Squatters have become legal trouble nationwide, people who find loopholes in property law by staying in a house for over a month. By definition, once they stay in the house for over a month and get mail delivered, they are the legal tenants of the property.

This is especially difficult to deal with for landlords, as they now have to go through the eviction process. This tale is no different for William and Arlene. 

     “Living on a fixed income, William and Arlene cannot afford the extravagant legal costs, while the squatters receive free legal aid,” says a GoFundMe post, supporting William and Arlene. The squatters have also been accused of running the water and lights unnecessarily to give the Towns “skyrocketing utility bills”. 

     The squatter was originally presumed to be a homeless lady, offering to do chores, with whom William had trusted. The daughters state that the lady had “taken advantage of our dad and his compromised mental state and now has moved many of her belongings into his home.” The couple is currently living off of their social security checks, hoping that the law will do them justice. 

Photo Credits: Yahoo! News