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(10/03/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Rarely a school day goes by where I don’t see complaints about the IU Campus Bus Service on my Twitter feed.Whether it’s cramped seating, passengers playing their music multiple decibels too loud or their constant tardiness, people just don’t enjoy riding the buses.So, I suppose I’ll just go ahead and say it. No one should ever want to ride the public buses here at IU. Ridership has declined on IU Campus Bus Services for the past two years, and that’s in spite of steady enrollment rates.We have around the same number of students at IU. But more of us are realizing you can’t depend on public transportation, especially with its spotty record for consistency. Now, I’m not saying Campus Bus Services aren’t a necessity, because many students don’t have cars and rely primarily on buses to get to and from campus. I’m sure many students who do have cars at school use buses anyway, considering the costs of gas and owning a car. Those kids get a free pass.The rest of you in walking distance or living on campus have no excuse.There isn’t a single place you can’t get to at IU in 15 minutes if you’re trying hard enough. I’ll give you 20 minutes if your backpack is particularly heavy that day.Now, perhaps it’s my untrusting and pessimistic nature, but given I can make it to campus from my apartment in about eight walking minutes, I see no point in using a bus that’s more than likely running late. Even when the temperatures dip to 20 degrees Fahrenheit and I’m looking out my window into the frozen tundra, I still suck it up and walk to class.Sure, it may be cold, but a little fresh air and exercise never beat anybody up too badly. You may not get a six-pack of abs from foregoing the bus, but burning off a few calories you picked up at the bar last weekend won’t hurt. The next time you’re thinking that walk from the Union to Kelley will be the death of you, or making it from your dorm to a friend’s dorm in a different neighborhood is just too far to muster on your own, think again. It’s not bad at all. Take in the fresh air. Enjoy our beautiful campus. Get a little light exercise in. Most importantly, run on your own schedule that isn’t dictated by the Campus Bus Services. — wdmcdona@indiana.eduFollow columnist Dane McDonald on Twitter @W_DaneMcDonald.
(10/03/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Over a decade ago, a TV show saw viewership drop drastically because of a haircut. It’s a crazy notion, but it happened.“Felicity” was a WB drama where Keri Russell played the title character, a girl who comes back into the second season with a haircut. People went nuts. It’s become a pop culture hair reference, right there with the “The Rachel” from “Friends.”In American pop culture, we care about hair. A lot. It’s no surprise when celebrities like Beyoncé or Miley Cyrus shear their illustrious locks in favor of bold boy cuts and dramatic bobs. What’s surprising is how stunned we are every time it happens.The media went wild when Emma Watson chopped most of her hair off three years ago. We were astonished that Hermione Granger now rocked a sleek, short hairstyle as opposed to her commonly long and wavy tresses.We loved it! We hated it! We all wanted to talk about it!Then we got used to it and nobody cared. After all, she did it for her role in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and to break out of the Hermione mold.So we act shocked every time a woman decides to go against the grain and sport a hair cut commonly used by men. Now, everyone has an opinion they want to share. I’d be out of a job if this weren’t the case.But let’s stop acting so flabbergasted anytime a woman cuts her hair short. People are perfectly free to take to their Twitter accounts and say, “Oh my god, Miley’s hair looks like someone took a wrecking ball to it! #silly.” I’m not here to tell you to stop.But the truth is, Miley’s new cut is awesome. Just like it was awesome when Emma Watson, Anne Hathaway and Beyoncé cut their hair. All haircuts are not created equal, and not every woman is going to look great with a shorter ‘do. But it’s not up to us to judge or to say “well, she shouldn’t have done that!”Hair is a crucial part of anyone’s identity, and you’re a liar if you say you haven’t considered a dramatic, and potentially controversial, hairstyle change at some point in your life. Celebrities are people, too, and people have to cut their hair. Let’s quit acting so astonished whenever someone takes a trip to the salon.
(10/03/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There’s a moment early on in “Prisoners” that will break you.Grace Dover, the mother of a missing child, weeps in bed. She howls. She screams. The scene will crush you, not only because Grace is played by the incomparable Maria Bello, but also because the film looks right in the face of an impossible tragedy and dares to hold an unbroken gaze.“Prisoners” asks how far someone is willing to go when they aren’t satisfied with the powers that are.So, when Keller Dover’s daughter and her friend go missing on Thanksgiving Day, Keller’s hunt for the truth begins.A young cop named Loki, all twitches and tattoos from the underrated Jake Gyllenhaal, apprehends a likely suspect, but he’s bound by the hand of the law and forced to release the suspect for lack of evidence.Suffice to say, Keller doesn’t stand for this. Hugh Jackman brings a monumental fortitude to Keller, a role that could have been all brawn and no brains. He’s terrifying in scenes, but never nonhuman.That isn’t to say he doesn’t dance on the edge of inhumane when he kidnaps and tortures the man he believes responsible for his daughter’s mysterious disappearance.At its core, “Prisoners” is an ensemble drama in every traditional sense. Each actor is given a few key moments to shine, always leaving you wanting more than the script allowed. This isn’t a shortcoming. The film spreads a web of each individual impacted by the loss of a child, coming up with numerous roads to assorted reactions and responses.But the film never drops into melodrama. It remains devoid of hope, beating you with one sucker punch after another until you clench your gut in anguish and wonder if a happy ending is possible. While the cast of characters is diverse, “Prisoners” becomes Keller’s film. Blind to morality, he rockets into the unknown without question.It’s a fascinating journey that will leave you speechless, regardless of whether or not you believe his actions are justified.Similar to last year’s “The Impossible,” this isn’t a film that will be easy for any parent to sit through.It’s a harrowing story of lost souls and the people we become in times of personal catastrophe. So, block out a few hours after you leave the theater to decompress and process your emotions, because you’re going to need it.
(10/01/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I understand the concept of voting with your wallet, and I don’t believe it’s without merit.But that doesn’t mean I have to boycott a product because some ignorant head honcho is imposing his views on his entire business.So when Guido Barilla, the president of Barilla, says he doesn’t want homosexuals in his company’s advertisements, I’m able to peacefully disagree — and still go buy Barilla pasta. Why? Because I like Barilla pasta, and because I don’t believe one person’s voice is representative of every single person who’s benefiting from my purchase. Guido Barilla may not approve of my lifestyle, but I don’t need him to. He’s free to think as freely, and stupidly, as he wishes. We might not agree on homosexuality, but we agree he makes a quality pasta.The same goes for Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-fil-A, who publicly endorses the “biblical view” of traditional marriage. Dan Cathy is behind the times when it comes to diversity and acceptance, but I’ll be damned if those nuggets aren’t the tastiest chicken pieces around. When I buy a product from a corporation who’s leader looks violently out-of-date, I don’t feel as if I’m guilty of anything. I don’t feel as if I’m betraying anybody. It’s my right to determine a product’s quality without considering the ideals of men who make no difference in my world. I can be gay and still eat Barilla and Chick-fil-A. Guido Barilla and Dan Cathy are the ones who have to look like idiots for the rest of their lives. — wdmcdona@indiana.eduFollow columnist Dane McDonald on Twitter @W_DaneMcDonald
(09/26/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Chances are if you were in spitting distance of a radio over the summer, you heard Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” a catchy R&B tune featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams. The song immediately sparked a slew of controversy, justifiably when you consider the potentially misogynistic lyrical content and the overtly salacious music video.If you were at the IU football game against Mizzou this weekend, you heard the Marching Hundred play ”Blurred Lines.” In our neighboring state of Ohio, the Ohio University Marching 110 came under fire for practicing the same song.Given the geographic proximity of the Steubenville High School rape case to OU, it’s understandable that they came under fire for practicing the arguably sexist and “rapey” song.It didn’t help things when pop princess Miley Cyrus twerked on Thicke during his performance of “Blurred Lines” on this year’s VMAs, a routine that placed nearly all the controversy on Cyrus and not Thicke. That is a sexist problem that speaks to the hegemonic culture in America. “Blurred Lines,” as a song, does not. But the lines aren’t nearly as solidly rape-y as some bloggers and media critics suggest. Perhaps I’m overly optimistic, but my ears hear a groovy little song about sexual tension, not sexual assault. I’m not saying the song doesn’t have its problems in light of rape culture and sexism. And I’m definitely not here to wholly defend the music video, which features Thicke, T.I., and Williams fully dressed while female models strut around in various states of undress.But to me, a feminist supporter who believes in gender equality down the line, “Blurred Lines” is handing the power over to the ladies.Thicke coos in the first verse, “Maybe I’m going deaf / maybe I’m going blind / maybe I’m out of my mind.” This describes a man under a woman’s spell, whether that was her intention or not. Early in the song, it appears the female in question holds the power in this sexual dynamic. Thicke goes on to sing, “OK now he was close / tried to domesticate you / But you’re an animal / baby it’s in your nature.” Here is where the lines truly do get blurred.It seems the lady in question may be involved in a relationship in which she is unable to be herself sexually. The blurred lines then become lines of morality. Is it okay for the lady to cheat with Thicke if he promises to liberate her? This may not sound like an equal trade-off from sexism, but it still keeps the power in the woman’s hands.Thicke may be acting as a temptation, for which he may be rightly ridiculed as a douchebag. But he isn’t assaulting this woman. He’s just giving her the option.In fact, many of the song’s lyrics imply it’s up for the ladies to choose whether or not the sexual tension can proceed into the bedroom. T.I. raps, “So I just watch and wait for you to salute.” Thicke sings, “Go ahead / get at me.”These are the men putting it on the line that they want a certain lady, but the ball is in her court. They’re responding to mixed signals and letting her know where they stand. She can choose whether or not she reciprocates the sexual sentiments.There’s no lyric where Thicke, T.I., or Williams imply the female wasn’t giving consent and they were going for it anyway.“Blurred Lines” is hardly blemish free from undercurrents of sexism, and the video was truly a missed opportunity to play with gender roles in society. But give the guys a little credit here. They simply know what they want and hope the ladies feel the same. — wdmcdona@indiana.eduFollow columnist Dane McDonald on Twitter @W_DaneMcDonald.
(09/26/13 2:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Each fall brings a new crop of potential hits and likely misses to our television screens. With hectic class and work schedules, you probably don’t have that much time devoted to catching all the must see TV hitting the airwaves. So I’ve decided to help you out a bit and clue you in to what deserves your procrastination time. Here are the prospective best new shows of the season. Hostages (Mondays at 10pm, CBS)I know you’re thinking that CBS airs nothing both out-of-touch sitcoms and police procedurals, but check out this new drama that brings the gritty family dynamic of “Homeland” to network TV. The story involves a surgeon who must kill the President during surgery or her family will be murdered. The trailers look wicked suspenseful and the cast is led by Emmy-winner Toni Collette and Golden Globe-winner Dylan McDermott. Plus, CBS is taking a cue from cable television and has produced a 15-episode season of “Hostages,” which they promise will tie up all ends by the drama’s freshman season. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (Tuesdays at 8pm, ABC)“The Avengers” restored faith that comic book movies could be fun and smart, and that’s mostly thanks to writer/director Joss Whedon, who also wrote and directed the pilot for “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” Early buzz has been positive and this show seems like the perfect balance to expanding the Marvel universe and keeping the executives at Disney happy. Clark Gregg reprises his role of Agent Coulson from the Marvel movies in a show that looks more in line with “The X-Files” than “CSI.” Consider me hooked.Super Fun Night (Wednesdays at 9:30pm, ABC)ABC tends to drop the ball on any half hour sitcom that isn’t “Modern Family” (RIP “Happy Endings”). But there are only two words you need to hear to spark your interest in “Super Fun Night:” Rebel Wilson. The Aussie actress brings her comedy to the small screen in this show about an attorney and her two best friends who have a standing Friday date night. God bless the continuance of female-driven comedy on television.Masters of Sex (Sundays at 10pm, Showtime)Given the huge success of “Homeland” and “Dexter,” Showtime is the perfect network for this new drama centered on the sexual research of Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Tune in for the promise of titillating sex and nudity. Stay for what is sure to be vigorous chemistry between leads Michael Sheen and Lizzy Caplan and the promise of substance and social critique on the history of sexuality.
(09/19/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Gun control was one of the country’s biggest political debates after the mass shootings at a movie theater in Aurora, Colo., and Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Conn. But in the nine months that have passed since the tragedy at Sandy Hook, we haven’t seen any new federal gun control legislation. Despite more Americans favoring stricter gun control in the aftermath of Sandy Hook than they had in the last decade, nothing was done to reassess gun control.Now, I’m not saying the heartbreaking events at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. are a direct result of Congress and the executive branch failing to enact stricter gun laws. There are many parties to blame.A mental health system in need of reevaluation is to blame. The never-ending bipartisan political game is to blame. But, most important, the American people are to blame. We can’t just spark the gun control debate whenever someone else decides to massacre a bunch of innocent people with a firearm. In the last decade, the most support for stricter gun control was seen after the shootings at Columbine and Sandy Hook. It’s as if we don’t care about people having guns until someone uses one in a school.We can’t let this become the norm. We can’t just care about guns when it’s topical and in the light of a recent tragedy.Especially when the shooting at the Navy Yard hardly gained the news traction that the Aurora or Sandy Hook shootings did.Bringing up the Navy Yard shootings in conversation all day returned me nothing but puzzled looks and ignorant pauses. People didn’t hear about this story. They had no idea what had happened.But why should people care anymore? It isn’t as if they would be surprised.This shooting is just the latest in a slew of mass shootings that seem to crop up every few months. At this point, I can’t help but wonder if we’re finally desensitized to the massacre of innocent lives via firearms.How else could we ignore that since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary about 24,580 people have been killed by guns in the U.S. That comes to about 91 people every day since Dec. 14, 2012.I don’t believe in banning guns outright. Those people who want guns will get guns and use them, just as people who want drugs will acquire them despite their illegality.But something can be done about controlling guns. It just won’t get done if we allow ourselves to become numb to yet another shooting.We still need to talk about guns in this country, and you should be ready to join in on the conversation.— wdmcdona@indiana.eduFollow columnist Dane McDonald on Twitter @W_DaneMcDonald.
(09/19/13 2:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The name of this collaboration album between Elvis Costello and the Roots is an honest and straightforward title. “Wise Up Ghost and Other Songs” is indeed the home to “Wise Up Ghost,” a creepy-good and ethereal song late in the album. It’s also home to some similar, kind of good but not breathtaking, tracks.While this collaboration between two celebrated artists should play like a match made in alternative music heaven, too much of “Wise Up Ghosts and Other Songs” just fails to sound distinctive. It’s the kind of record where the track ends and you don’t pay much attention. You could be listening to “Walk Us Uptown,” a rather funky romp with some great brass themes, and without a thought be another four tracks into the album.It’s undeniable that Costello and the Roots are phenomenally talented artists who know their way around their instruments and a recording studio. You just find yourself seeking innovation on an album that doesn’t feel like it’s breaking any new territory.The oasis in the desert of this album is “Wise Up Ghost,” the rare song that is so mildly fearsome that the hair on your neck will stand. It’s a shame you’re made to amble through 10 other songs before you get to the cool stuff.The talent on this record isn’t up for discussion. Everyone knows exactly what they’re doing and they know they’re doing it well. But that’s exactly why the envelope feels like it wasn’t pushed far enough and you’re craving more than what you were served.
(09/19/13 1:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As an avid fan of the “Harry Potter” series, both on the page and on the screen, I’ve always feared the announcement of new entries to Harry’s story.While rumors and fake press releases have made their way around the Internet for years, we’ve been fortunate that J.K. Rowling has refrained from writing another “Harry Potter” book. Of course I would be the first in line to buy an eighth “Harry Potter” book or to see a ninth “Harry Potter” film. But I really don’t want them made.Harry’s story is finished, and in the most perfect way possible. He defeated the bad guy, he got the girl and he has his two best friends by his side. Why put Harry in more danger? Wasn’t seven years of barely avoiding death and heartache enough?With the announcement that J.K. Rowling will make her screenwriting debut with a film adaptation of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” I have a newfound excitement that doesn’t endorse my fear of new stories for the boy who lived.“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a textbook in the wizarding world. It was released in our Muggle world in 2001 as a companion piece to the “Harry Potter” novels. Though credited to the wizard Newt Scamander, the book was truly authored by Rowling.Rowling writing a proposed film series based on the adventures of Scamander is the perfect answer to keeping the wizarding world alive.Acting as an expansion of Harry’s world as opposed to a prequel or a sequel, these new films will introduce a new slew of magical characters while hopefully throwing in a few semi-familiar faces. Personally, I would love to see young Albus Dumbledore. But that’s as far as it should go.I don’t want to see Harry’s grandparents or past generations of Weasleys running around. At the very most, the Potters or any other familiar wizarding family may be mentioned, but Rowling should not build any sort of story around them.It’s time for fresh paint on the wall. Rehashing any old tropes of Harry’s adventures will only dampen an otherwise exciting endeavor. When the day is done, I put every single iota of my trust in J.K. Rowling. She gave me a childhood full of imagination, and I can say with full confidence that I wouldn’t be who I am today without the “Harry Potter” series.So, I will follow Rowling wherever she leads me.I just hope that with this new series of wizarding films, we get the same innovative storytelling created with the “Harry Potter” series, not a rehash of what has come before.
(09/12/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“There’s a place in Hell reserved for women who don’t help other women.”Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright said that, and it’s a damn good quote.It’s also a nice line to remember when someone like Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., tears down a fellow female politician.When asked about former First Lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s apparent lock on the 2016 Democratic Presidential nomination, Bachmann turned to — who else? — the big man upstairs.This coming from the woman who told us that it was God himself who implored her to run for president in 2012.Bachmann compares Clinton to Goliath, the giant who was defeated by David. I don’t know the story of David and Goliath beyond Bachmann’s retelling, but I’m assuming Bachmann sees herself as David taking down the giant — presumably Clinton — with a single stone. A stone thrown with the force of God’s hand.Now I’m not here to bash religion.Bachmann is free to practice and preach her religion as she chooses. Whether it’s as a private citizen or as a public official, it’s her call.But she just asked for God’s strength to take down Hillary Clinton. And ain’t nobodymessing with my girl, Hillary. “If we repent, if we cry out to God, we have no idea what the Lord will do for us in 2016,” Bachmann proclaimed.I return to the quote from Madeline Albright. In a country where women only hold 78 of 535 seats in the House of Representatives and 20 of 100 seats in the Senate, why would any woman in politics choose to bash another woman? I’m not saying all women need to hold hands all the time and love every other woman unconditionally, but Bachmann and Clinton share a very exceptional merit. They are both women who came fairly close to presidency of the United States of America. An office that has never been held by a woman. Bachmann and Clinton should be supporting each other, not as politicians with opposing views, but as women who have broken through the glass ceiling of a male-dominated society and work environment.I don’t mean to make a special exception for women because politicians deserve to fight on equal footing regardless of gender, ethnicity or any other defining cultural factor. But while we’re still living in a country where the percentage of women in our government hardly mirrors that of the general population, I’d like to see a little more support between the ladies in power and a little less calling for religious intervention to impede them.— wdmcdona@indiana.eduFollow columnist Dane McDonald on Twitter @W_DaneMcDonald.
(09/12/13 3:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>More often than not, a film can say more by saying absolutely nothing at all.That case is true in David Lowery’s “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints,” making his mainstream debut with this quiet meditation on rural life and the bonds we choose to make. In the exposition, we’re introduced to Ruth and Bob, a young couple on a crime spree that ends in blood and Bob’s arrest. But Bob takes the blame for Ruth, who’s pregnant. It’s not as if we haven’t been asked to cheer for criminals on film before. But something about Rooney Mara’s performance leaves you unable to judge Ruth. Mara embodies that same shielded ferocity she earned an Academy Award nomination for in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and earlier this year in the equally fantastic “Side Effects.”We also sympathize with Bob, played by Casey Affleck. The contrast of Ruth’s maternal touch against Bob never having met his daughter forges an undeniable understanding for the lost father. As Bob spends years in jail, Ruth raises the daughter he’s never met. She also strikes up a somewhat ambiguous relationship with the cop she injured, played by Ben Foster. It’s in these indefinite and uncolored relationships that the film finds its minimalistic stride. We aren’t always sure of Ruth or Bob’s intentions or feelings, but this is a strength as opposed to a shortcoming. Lowery trusts his actors and the audience to fill in their own understanding of these complex characters.As tensions pull to the breaking point and the blood begins to spill, the film often leaves the quiet in the dust, and Lowery stages some brilliant chases and shoot outs. But the film never becomes a western with gun slingers and cowboy hats. “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” is too grounded in reality and human connection for that. It’s too busy exploring the bounds people will go to protect one another and, sometimes, even themselves. As with most independent movies, this one may have flown too far under the radar for mass American audiences to pick up on. But therein lies the excitement in seeking out such a raw and emotional roller coaster of a film. It remains something intimate and personal, something you share with a few close friends and maybe sometimes just yourself.“Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” has that effect. It’s a small film with a leviathan impression.
(09/05/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>To most Hoosiers, the blinding lights of Hollywood are merely a twinkling dream in the mind’s eye. This doesn’t necessarily have to be the case, but Indiana’s lack of tax incentives for film production crews makes filming here a burden on the budget. This admittedly cosmetic topic has come to the spotlight as production begins on the film adaptation of John Green’s best-selling novel, “The Fault in Our Stars.” Green, who has resided in Indianapolis since 2007, set his novel in our state’s capital. The story follows two young teens who fall in love after encountering one another at a cancer support group. It has sold nearly 1 million copies since being published almost two years ago.But instead of being able to film “The Fault in Our Stars” in Indianapolis, the production is based in Pittsburgh, where it will be more affordable to film. By filming in Pittsburgh, the film is able to increase its production budget by 10 to 15 percent. I realize that our state isn’t a beacon of filmmaking and notoriety. But consider some of the great films that have been made here.“Hoosiers,” the story of an Indiana high school basketball team, was filmed in various locations in our state by an Indiana University graduate named David Anspaugh. The same director filmed some scenes of “Rudy,” the true story of a Notre Dame football player, in Indiana. The baseball classic “A League of Their Own” was partially filmed down in Evansville, where my stepdad was able to throw a ball around with Tom Hanks’ son, Colin. He also heard Madonna was a huge diva, but I don’t enjoy that story as much.And let’s not forget “Breaking Away,” the Little 500 classic filmed here in Bloomington.So maybe Indiana isn’t a cinematic staple the world over, but we’ve had some cute little sports gems filmed here. People know films like “Hoosiers” and “Rudy” have Indiana roots, and that should be a source of state pride.But seeing as Indiana is one of 11 states not to offer tax incentives to filmmakers, it isn’t likely we’re going to be attracting any major film productions anytime soon. “The Dark Knight” was partially filmed in Chicago, and “The Dark Knight Rises” was filmed in Pittsburgh. Those major urban hubs were able to represent Gotham City given the tax breaks Illinois and Pennsylvania offer.When people know one of their favorite films was shot somewhere, they will travel to see it and bring outside revenue into that area. Many companies in North Carolina offer tours to people wishing to see locations where 2012’s “The Hunger Games” was filmed. This brings tourists willing to drop hard money into the state to see where Katniss braved trackerjackers and evaded her fellow tributes. Legislation could be passed next year to introduce production tax breaks to Indiana, and we can only hope that maybe the next great blockbuster will be filmed in our backyard. — wdmcdona@indiana.eduFollow Opinion Editor Dane McDonald on Twitter @W_DaneMcDonald
(09/05/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>OK, so I’ll admit it. I read “50 Shades of Grey” last summer while I traveled to Disney World for a friend’s 21st birthday.While I certainly enjoyed turning my brain off for a couple days and discreetly devouring the “mommy porn” behind the safety of the Kindle app on my laptop, nobody should fool themselves into believing that E.L. James is producing literature.James is obviously on to something here, and her massive success must be respected. But I can’t help but wonder, does anyone really care? And why would they?Charlie Hunnam and Dakota Johnson were announced as the leads starring in the “50 Shades of Grey” film adaption that will be directed by Sam Taylor-Wood and released in August 2014. According to Forbes, E.L. James is now the top-earning author in the world with reported revenue of $95 million in 2013.So yeah, maybe some people do care.But the zeitgeist that was the “50 Shades of Grey” movement flamed out pretty quickly because once the shock value wore off, there was nothing of substance to fuel the book’s continued relevance. This is exactly how the trajectory of sex stories tend to go. It’s hard to imagine, but in two months we won’t be talking about Miley Cyrus’ performance at the VMAs. She twerked on Robin Thicke and played with a foam finger, but that excitement only lasts so long. The same goes for “50 Shades of Grey.” We were shocked a young, female protagonist could partake in experimental sex acts and that someone would put it in such vivid words. But once we got over that, was there strong storytelling to fall back on? No. Was there a cultural significance that pointed to cultural convergence of ideas? No. There was some high school-level writing and a girl getting consensually tied up for sex.“50 Shades of Grey” belongs on book shelves because freedom of speech is important, and the fact that a female writer has found such success is a cause to celebrate. But let’s not pretend it’s the next great American novel.It’s a temporary cash cow that will be milked dry until the next big, great sex story breaks and leaves James’ books in fifty shades of dust.
(08/29/13 2:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ben Affleck is going to be a seriously awesome Batman in the yet-untitled sequel to this summer’s Superman blockbuster “Man of Steel.”No, seriously, hear me out, because there was a time I would have been institutionalized for saying such a thing, and I would have deserved it.Consider this: Ben Affleck and the Batman filmography have strikingly similar trajectories.Both started with an overwhelming amount of promise. Affleck won an Academy Award with his bro-friend Matt Damon for writing “Good Will Hunting,” and the first two Tim Burton-directed Batman films were well-received critically, according to Rotten Tomatoes.Then, things kind of went downhill. Ben Affleck tanked his superhero performance in “Daredevil.” I barely want to mention “Gigli,” “Jersey Girl” or any of his other misfires. Following Burton’s films, the next reboots “Batman Forever” and “Batman & Robin” were demolished by critics, and the franchise seemed lifeless.But then came the return to form.Affleck fired back from pop culture obscurity and directed a trio of highly respected films. “Gone Baby Gone,” “The Town” and “Argo” all garnered praise and were nominated for Academy Awards. “Argo” even won Best Picture in 2013 and had people up in arms over Affleck’s Best Director snub.Director Christopher Nolan revived the Batman franchise in 2005 with “Batman Begins,” and followed it up with what I consider to be the perfect film about post-9/11 America, “The Dark Knight.” Basically, what I’m trying to say is, once upon a time, Ben Affleck and Batman where hot commodities. Then they weren’t. They were so bad. And now they are again.Sure, that’s probably a lot to do with timing, but you can’t help but be sucker punched by the metaphor, right?So it’s hard to understand why bloggers and anyone with a Twitter is up-in-arms over Affleck’s casting.Let us not forget the Internet backlash Heath Ledger faced when he was cast as the Joker in “The Dark Knight.” He went on to posthumously win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.I’m going to make a prediction and guess Affleck won’t be winning an Oscar as Batman, but he’s certainly going to do a damn good job at playing an older, wiser Batman than we’ve ever seen on film. Not only is he a great actor enjoying a career revival, but now he’s also a celebrated director who understands the nuances needed to produce convincing performances.So, I’m going to sit back and await Affleck as Batman with a modest optimism. He may not be as great as Christian Bale in “The Dark Knight” trilogy, but he’ll bring something new to the table. And that is cause for excitement in the formulaic, sequel-heavy culture of Hollywood.
(08/29/13 2:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There’s a violent, emotional core to Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine.” Her name is Jasmine Francis, a Park Avenue socialite whose life collapses when her husband is incarcerated following his involvement in a Bernie Madoff-esque money scheme.Jasmine is portrayed — embodied, really — by Cate Blanchett, an Oscar winner who might be due for a second trophy come March. The film opens with Jasmine on an airplane prattling to a quiet old woman. As Jasmine drones on, we become aware of exactly what kind of woman she is, or at least used to be.But Allen’s script and Blanchett’s performance never delve into parody or snark. No, the seasoned pair are much too smart for that.Blanchett plays Jasmine like an open nerve with no clue she’s hemorrhaging onto every person she comes into contact with. It’s exhilarating to watch her swig Stoli martinis and wave her engagement ring around on her manicured hand until the government takes it away. The supporting cast is equally dynamic. Alec Baldwin is perfectly cast as Jasmine’s womanizing husband, and Jasmine’s middle class sister is played by Sally Hawkins, who continues her streak of matching subtle comedy with darkly dramatic chops. But this is Woody Allen’s success as a filmmaker. No one can play a cast like Allen can. In the form of Robert Altman or Steven Soderbergh, Allen never underwrites a character or allows one to be simply a catalyst for the leading players. Everyone has a role to play, and Allen has written all the roles phenomenally.As the plot takes its course, Jasmine’s psyche takes a turn. Or maybe it already had.This is more of the clever madness that is Blanchett’s work. It would be unfair to catalog Jasmine’s mental state as a twist, given the fact that it’s so meticulously interwoven throughout the narrative.Nothing ever feels sudden, or like the rug is being pulled out from underneath us. The scenes transition seamlessly but can turn on a dime. That’s the sign of a great director. Whenever Allen directs a film that’s hailed as a “return to form,” it’s easy to forget that most of his work is better than a majority of what modern filmmakers are bringing to the table. Is “Blue Jasmine” his best work in years? Yes. Is that to say Allen ever stopped producing some of the most calculated and invigorating work you’ll see on screen? Absolutely not.
(08/26/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Zionsville is a small suburb of Indianapolis I’ve never been particularly proud to call home. Although it was a fine place to grow up, I spent many of my adolescent years rejecting its whitewashed, Bible-school naivety. But following the death of a Zionsville resident, who was on the cusp of beginning her tenure as an Indiana University student, the solidarity and camaraderie of my community, both in Bloomington and at home, has settled into my unwavering appreciation. It’s a tragedy that seems to blindside our school at least once every academic year. A student goes missing, overdoses, commits suicide or succumbs to injuries resulting from an accident. But in my three years at IU, never has such a tragedy struck me so close to home. I didn’t know Rachael, and I am in no way trying to compare my feelings to her family’s unimaginable loss. But in a small town like mine, it’s no stretch to connect yourself to your neighbors through a few minor degrees of separation.She graduated from the same high school I did. She probably spent her summer before moving to Bloomington in the same whirlwind of nervous anticipation I did. Three years ago I was her, moving into my dorm room with the growing sensation that I was finally breaking free and going places in the world. So when my Twitter feed was flooded with tweets and posts about Rachael’s death, it hit me much more personally than any other tragedy at IU. Rachael was from my hometown. Many of my friends coming to IU this year knew her.Maybe I wasn’t mature enough to realize it before, but when we suffer, we don’t have to suffer alone. Although sadness is often rooted in isolation, seclusion and loneliness, it is often the time in which we must band together. A decade ago in the aftermath of a 9/11, America banded together in a way I don’t believe had occurred since World War II. We rose as one because what other choice did we have? The loss was too great. Separation was not an option. It’s unwise to compare tragedies, but this loss is another reminder of the power of community. The community of Zionsville, the community of Bloomington and the community of IU. If you’ll allow me to get a little preachy here, it’s a chance to remember there’s no community more powerful than that of the human race. I don’t know Rachael’s family, but my heart breaks for them. My heart breaks because I can’t begin to imagine the scenarios running through their heads. What if she hadn’t gone to that party? What if she hadn’t fallen? There are only so many “What ifs ... ?” you can ask before you drive yourself insane with the possibility of the unknown. Of course hindsight is 20/20, but it’s unfair and hypocritical to condemn choices made by people whose shoes you haven’t stood in. Then again, that’s easy for me to say as an outsider with nothing but sympathy and a newfound appreciation for my community. It’s not normally my method of operation to write about somber or serious topics, but I struggled to find another matter to explore. The friends I’ve gained in Bloomington rank among some of the most trustworthy people I’ve ever met. You can meet a stranger anywhere around the world and upon learning they are a fellow Hoosier, your camaradery is instantly concrete. This school year began with a tragedy, but it’s a sobering reminder there aren’t many universities that can build a community of students like IU. — wdmcdona@indiana.eduFollow Opinion Editor Dane McDonald on Twitter @W_DaneMcdonald
(07/25/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sex sells. It just does. Sometimes I really wish it didn’t, but then I catch myself watching the gratuitous nudity each week on “True Blood” and I remember how happy I am sex sells. But that, of course, is in the realm of entertainment. But what are politics if not entertainment with much higher stakes and more ill-fitting suits?So it comes as no surprise when former Congressman and New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner gets caught with his pants down again and the media goes crazy with the story.I’ll spare you the slick jokes and puns about his name and skip right to the meaty stuff. Oops. Never mind.Anyway, Weiner got caught sexting women via Twitter back in 2011 and resigned from Congress. Recently, he’s had a career comeback running for mayor of N.Y.C. and was leading heavily in the polls, but more adulterous activity has surfaced online. Many of his fellow candidates have publicly stated Weiner should drop out of the race, but Weiner has remained stagnant. So here’s how all this fluff boils down. Adultery is not the issue here. I’m not saying adultery is by any means a quality action, but that isn’t what makes Weiner scum. What makes the man scum is the blatant abuse of power given his position. When you read through the exchanges between Weiner and the mystery woman – which I’ve done to spare you the pain – it’s very clear the woman is turned on by Weiner’s position in culture and politics. He’s glad to exploit the woman’s infatuation with his celebrity status, asking her how he looks on television and in pictures. Weiner is hardly the first politician to be caught cheating on their spouse. President Bill Clinton did it back in the ’90s to a much bigger and juicier media dialogue, and he’s been predominantly forgiven by the public. Did Clinton abuse his power? Probably. Should he be ridiculed just as incessantly as Weiner? Most likely.So what’s the difference?The difference is that we’re living in a new age of scandal. Weiner’s extramarital affairs and trysts are written online in permanent ink for the world to see.Plus the guy just kind of looks like a scumbag. At least Clinton had the Ivy League good looks and the “Aw, shucks!” mentality. I don’t mean to sound like I’m covering for dirty politicians everywhere, because I’m not. I only wish that a scandal like this was actually shocking, because how surprised are we really? People have sex. People have sex with people who aren’t their partners. Then we elect those people to public office and have to pretend it’s some great, big revelation when they get caught doing immoral things. I don’t care that Weiner cheated on his wife (although he obviously didn’t learn to cover his tracks better after the first time around). While I feel bad for her, I respect her decision to stay with her husband despite his discrepancies. After all, it’s no person’s duty to say whether she should or should not leave her spouse. What I do care about is that a man who takes the power granted to him by the voting populace sees fit to abuse it by preying on unassuming and naïve (and, in this case, attractive female) constituents. I might vote an adulterer into public office, but you’ll never catch me voting for a man using his power in all the wrong ways. — wdmcdona@indiana.edu
(07/25/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>College students, and by extension college campuses, tend to run on two vital ingredients — anxiety and caffeine. While you might be stuck in your own niche of coffee or tea consumption, it isn’t hard to recognize the other species who guzzle down the stuff in hopes of curbing sleepless nights and curing hangovers. Here’s a brief — and admittedly stereotypical — guide to distinguish your fellow caffeine addicts. Sorority GirlsI have it on good authority that the primped and letter-wearing ladies tend toward ordering passion teas with lots of Splenda and frappuccino of the vanilla bean variety. Some may venture out of the box to order a vanilla latte, but you better believe it will be non-fat and sugar free with lots and lots of Splenda. Whatever they order, it’s going to be sweet, sweet, sweet. Obscure hipsters and writersDirty chai seems to be the forerunner for the cardigan and ironic footwear crowd, which seems appropriate given their chai is probably just as dirty as their unwashed hair. The hipsters tend to head in the opposite direction of the sorority crowd, preferring their drinks bitter as the poetry they scribble in their Moleskine notebooks.Overworked single momsNot true members of the collegiate crowd, but just as overworked and underappreciated. These women have a propensity to order their drinks in the ridiculous Trenta size, needing as much caffeine fuel as possible. Unsweetened green iced teas are a popular favorite given their relatively inexpensive price and unlikelihood to stain teeth. Kelley students and business typesThese micromanagers and future CEOs love their black coffee with no added sugar or creamer, cups upon cups upon cups of the stuff. They’ll occasionally drop a wild card into the mix and add a shot of espresso, but these coffee drinkers are the biggest offenders when it comes to multiple cups a day. After all, they’ll have more time to sleep once they’ve secured those six-figure salaries. Jacobs vocalists and performers If your voice is your instrument, hot tea with lemon and honey is the miracle cure for all throat ailments and issues. Coffee and espresso drinks are too harsh on the vocal chords, so tea reigns supreme as the go-to product for music students. Crazy regulars with their crazy drinksWe all know a person with an absolutely unreasonable coffee order. When they roll up to Starbucks, your can see the fear in the barista’s eye as they call off their regular order. Their drinks are usually something as outlandish as a quadshot vanilla latte with 10 pumps of sugar-free syrup, skim milk, six Splendas and the blood of a virgin baby cow. And a piece of pumpkin bread for the road.
(07/22/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I’ve never really understood the rivalry IU has with Purdue University. Many of my Boilermaker friends crack jokes on the regular about IU, which I don’t really understand, but that’s OK. I do understand a little competition is a healthy and normal thing. But today of all days, I’m just really glad I’m not a student at Purdue. Because that means former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels is not the president of my university.Daniels, who assumed the presidency of Purdue University in January after leaving the gubernatorial office, has come under fire as a series of emails have surfaced demonstrating the former governor sought to censor writings and classes that conflicted with his personal beliefs for the Indiana education system. The writings in question were those of Howard Zinn, an American historian and anti-war writer. Daniels called Zinn’s book, entitled “A People’s History of the United States,” an “... execrable, anti-factual piece of disinformation that misstates American history on every page.”The book in question has been used here at IU in several courses involving teachings on feminist, labor and civil rights movements. Daniels believes Zinn’s book is liberal propaganda and a threat to the Indiana public school system. I’ve never read Zinn’s book, but I still have an issue with any politician, or any person who isn’t really an educator, believing they have the power to dictate what does or does not constitute a proper reading curriculum in the classroom. At the risk of becoming the columnist who waves the First Amendment around anytime he pleases, this just doesn’t sound right. Just because Daniels disagrees with what was being taught in the classroom does not mean he has the authority to change it.Last time I checked, Mitch Daniels was not and is not an educator, which perhaps lends itself to the air of controversy that surrounded his appointment to the presidency of Purdue University. Or maybe the controversy had something to do with the eight board members Daniels had appointed to the Purdue University Board of Trustees, who then hired him at Purdue when his other job ended. I’m sure the controversy maybe had something to do with one of those things. There’s even more unintentional humor when you consider the “open letter” Daniels wrote to the Purdue family in January saying universities have “squashed” free speech instead of promoting it. Sounds pretty funny coming from a guy looking to ban books statewide just because he personally disagreed with their teachings.Mr. Daniels was not exactly the guy I felt comfortable with leading Indiana and I don’t exactly trust him with a university either. But hey, at least it’s not the university I attend. — wdmcdona@indiana.edu
(07/18/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“Heart Attack” Demi LovatoLovato kicked the season off hardcore with the lead single from her new album “Demi.” While the rest of the album mostly fizzed out, “Heart Attack” has the high-energy drumbeat and loaded vocals to keep it on the playlist way into the dog days of summer.“Young & Beautiful” Lana Del ReySay what you want above the polarizing “Bel Air” songstess, but this single from “The Great Gatsby” is her finest work ever. The haunting piano melody and lyrics of a doomed summer romance will have you dreaming of hazy disco halls and air smoky with cigarettes and glitter.“Alive” KrewellaEvery summer playlist needs that song you can blast while you’re running and you just know your legs won’t give out until it’s over. “Alive” is that song this year. It’s pretty generic EDM with even more generic lyrics, but I’ll be damned if that hook and bass drop don’t get me every time. “Blurred Lines” Robin Thicke ft. T.I. & PharrellI’m not saying sexual consent isn’t mildly underplayed in Robin Thicke’s first truly great and sexy single, but show me one person who just doesn’t want to boogie when it plays. That’s right, I said boogie. Plus, I really want to know what rhymes with hug me. “We Can’t Stop” Miley CyrusOkay, yes, the video is a real acid trip and Miley is hell bent on becoming a white Rihanna, but this song is pure pop perfection. I didn’t think she could top “Can’t Be Tamed” or “Party in the U.S.A,” but Miley did. The only argument I need is the lyric “We run things / things don’t run we.” Case closed.“Get Lucky” Daft Punk ft. PharrellPharrell seems to be the man of the summer with his second appearance of the list, and it’s his silky smooth vocals that transport this groovy Daft Punk tune to other worlds of masculine R&B excellence. “I Need Your Love” Calvin Harris ft. Ellie GouldingThis is the closest Harris has come to matching the flawlessness that is his Rihanna track “We Found Love.” Ellie Goulding provides the alien-esque vocals that will have the dance floor packed well after the sun goes down. “Ooh La La” Britney SpearsDon’t let my adoration for the princess of pop get in the way. This single for “The Smurfs 2” soundtrack is mostly bubblegum nothingness built around Spears baby-with-a-chest-cold vocals, but it’s a lot of fun for a song from a movie that looks as unnecessary as the Smurfs sequel.“Don’t Save Me” HaimThe California threesome’s debut album from Jay-Z’s label doesn’t drop until September, but if this single is any indication, we have a lot to look forward to from these girls. The song’s vocals and lyrics are reminiscent of an amped up Steve Nicks, providing a track as chill as it is electrifying. “Bound 2” Kanye West“Yeezus” has floored the critics and made the masses hesitant, but it’s a masterwork and the best song on the album is suggestive of Yeezy’s early “College Dropout” days. West raps himself, “This that prom shit / this that what we do don’t tell your mom shit,” and it’s true. It may not be traditional, but it’s a love song this cynical soul can get down with.