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(02/12/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I am a sucker for a good Buzzfeed photo scroll of cute dogs.When I came across some supporting pieces of paper with their names written over a crossed out “biological waste” I had to do more than “oh” and “ah.” It was a comment made by Alexie Sorokin that started this furry petition. Sorokin is the owner of Basya Service, a private company hired by the city of Sochi to exterminate stray dogs. He called them “biological waste.”Call me crazy, but if anyone dared to call my dog “biological waste,” there’s a good chance I would find myself in handcuffs.Animal rights activists estimate that between 5,000 and 7,000 dogs have been killed in an effort to clean the streets of Sochi. I don’t need to say that this is horrible. But I will — this is horrible. If I wasn’t disgusted with the simple-minded Russian government before, I definitely am now.Some of these animals used to be pets. They had families who loved and cared for them. But when the government needed to mow down homes to build the Olympic facilities, families were compensated with apartments. Pets aren’t always ideal in small areas, and families were forced to abandon them. I am not at all saying that it’s acceptable for people to ditch their pets. I understand that life happens and it throws you curve balls, but abandoning your pet in the city is ridiculous. When you choose to take in an animal you accept certain responsibilities, which includes finding a suitable home for your pet when you can no longer care for it. But in this particular case, I’m putting most of the blame on Russia’s government. The reality is that Sochi wasn’t ready to take on the responsibility of playing host to the Olympics. And all the while, they knew that Sochi was overrun by stray dogs. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, has acknowledged the high population of stray dogs in Sochi. It is nothing new to them. In spite of that, Russia neglected to take the proper time it needed to prepare, acting like a teenage girl trying to clean up her mess by shoving all the dirty laundry under the bed. But the laundry is dogs and they’re being killed. Another aspect of this issue to look into is the way the dogs are being killed. Sorokin claims his company uses traps and poisons to euthanize the animals, because apparently in Russia poisoning is humane. Dogs are not rats. They are man’s best friend, and killing your best friend is frowned upon. If Russia wants to look pretty to impress the international cool kids of the world for two weeks, it needs to find a humane way to do so. Stop hogging all the Chobani yogurt and build some animal shelters.— lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(02/06/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When we see a movie about a family, we expect them to be a little crazy. There are the borderline psychotic Hoovers in “Little Miss Sunshine” and every family in every Tyler Perry film.But the Westons in “August: Osage County” may take the cake.Tracy Letts has written the most intricate, complex storyline I have ever tried to follow.Actually, it’s a story web. Which is perfectly fitting, considering the Weston family is deteriorating as a result of the web of lies and secrets it has been spinning for decades. It all starts when the family patriarch, Beverly Weston, played by Sam Shepard, goes missing. The family is called back to Oklahoma by his wife, Violet Weston. Violet is a chronic pill-popper battling oral cancer. But the cancer does nothing to dull her sharp tongue, a weapon her three daughters — Barbara, Ivy and Karen — are all too familiar with.Eventually, Beverly is found dead in a lake, and it’s suspected he committed suicide.It’s at the dinner after the funeral when all the trouble truly begins and the web begins to unravel.Violet, played by the ever-perfect Meryl Streep, goes on a drug-fueled verbal rampage, attacking her daughters and her late husband until Barbara (Julia Roberts) lunges at her in an attempt to seize the pill bottle in her hand.The production of the film perfectly compliments the writing. Regardless of all the drama, the story is still about an unassuming family in middle America. There is a tremendous amount of natural lighting, which is to be commended. Wells’ use of shadow seems to be a metaphor for the complex personalities of the characters.If the film has a flaw, it’s the lack of an antagonist.There is no one villain in “August: Osage County.” Everyone has sinned. If one is bad, they’re all bad.As unsatisfied as the movie leaves you feeling, it’s an absolute must-see. This film is what all screenwriters should strive to create. If that’s not enough incentive, it will at least prove your family isn’t as crazy as you might think.
(02/05/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I complain a lot about the useless required classes I’m forced to take, and I’m not alone. I hear many students express the same contempt toward the education system. I heard it through high school, middle school and even in elementary school.In all this time, nothing has changed.We still wonder why we’re forced to suffer through classes that have no appeal to us. One example most IU students can relate to is Finite Mathematics. It’s a kind of torture I would wish only on my worst enemy, and even then I’d feel bad.This system is unfair, and we need to get rid of it, now.My mom posted a video on my Facebook timeline. It was the music video, so to speak, of spoken word-artist Suli Breaks’ poem “I Will Not Let an Exam Result Decide My Fate.”Breaks is known for his lyrics that condemn the standard education system. His poem brings up every thought, every problem, every controversy we’ve expressed toward the system. Society almost demands we go to college, yet tuition increases every year. We take classes which will supposedly land us a good career, then never use half of the material in our adult lives. We stress ourselves out about exam results as if they determine our future, but the job applications we’re going to school to one day fill out never even ask about them.In January, the Editorial Board published an editorial about the lack of jobs for college graduates. In that reality, it would make more sense to skip college. But no one looks up to the kid who decided to keep her job at Wal-mart. The boy who went straight to work at the factory will never be as respected as the boy who dug himself into a $50,000-deep hole of debt to find a useless degree waiting at the bottom.We’ll keep digging because that’s what they tell us to do.But who is the “they?”They say we need a college education, they say these classes lead to a good career and they say this would prepare us for adulthood.”We don’t even know who “they” are, but we listen to their every word. “They” could be our parents, our school counselors, our college professors, our university president, the Board of Trustees or the Department of Education.I want to know who “they” are. I want to know what their qualifications are to think they can hide out of sight, tell us what to do and say what we need to know for our individual futures.I want to know why they get to decide that the kid who scored below 1,000 on his SATs will never be successful. I want to know why they can say that the girl who barely escaped calculus with a D is just lazy and doesn’t care enough.No one can tell us what to care about. And you can’t make yourself care more about a subject you have no interest in. As long as society and the mysterious “they” are going to pressure us to pursue a college education, we shouldn’t have to pay for the classes we aren’t interested in. Let us learn what we want to learn.—lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(01/29/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I want to complain about how cold it is. I want to whine about how all the slush and salt on the ground is eating my shoes away like starving termites on a piece of plywood. I want to nag about how unfair it is that we have to go to classes when it seems that every other school in the state has been cancelled — or at least delayed.I want to express my undying frustration toward Provost Lauren Robel for the ruthless email she sent us that dashed our hopes of a snow day, but my choice of words would either be censored or get me fired.I know I’m not the only one outraged by the lack of mercy the University has been showing us during this second coming of the polar vortex. Last week, the IU Bloomington Twitter received a vicious backlash after their tweets confirming classes for the following day.The innocent puppeteers behind the Twitter account were feeling the heat and responded with a tweet basically saying not to shoot the messenger, complete with an unexpected Game of Thrones reference. The tweet was later deleted.But I took a screenshot and like to reread it as confirmation that our complaints are affecting someone.IU has a depressing reputation for never closing. Even as students complain about having to trek across the frosty campus, the rant usually ends with something along the lines of “but it shouldn’t be a surprise. IU never cancels classes.” The University has closed 12 times since 1908, according to a post in the IU Archives. Eight of those times were directly related to cold weather, including the two-day shut down during break Jan. 6 and 7 of this year. School wasn’t even in session during that one. That’s cheating, IU.There were other closings not as directly related to severe cold, such as no heating in buildings in 1908 and a coal shortage in 1978.I was hoping to find inconsistencies in the times IU has chosen to close. But in reality, what we’re going through is nothing compared to the classes here for the blizzard of ’78. This doesn’t mean I’m going to stop complaining or making snarky remarks toward the administration for their useless emails that translate in my head as “suck it up or transfer to Florida State.”This doesn’t mean I’m not going to roll my eyes every time IU tweets about how handy the bus tracking system is. I’m still going to mean-mug the gross, optimistic people who say, “It’s not that bad. Just go. You can do it.” I’m going to continue doing all of those things because I’m young, blessedly immature and its nine degrees outside. And when you get tired of my complaining, feel free to ask if I want some cheese with my whine. But you better be able to back up your offer.— lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(01/23/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Increased hits on fanfiction website Archive of Our Own. Red eyes from gazing upon Tumblr blogs too long. Spontaneous imitations of posh British accents. Coat collars flipped up dramatically. A renewed obsession with hats with earflaps and scarves. My deductions lead me to one answer: the return of BBC’s “Sherlock.” We last saw the irritating but beloved consulting detective tiptoeing on the ledge of a building, leaving his suicide note via phone call before jumping to his death. As we sobbed and rode out the tsunami of emotional trauma, time elapsed to weeks later and the camera found John Watson standing before Sherlock Holmes’ headstone. He delivered a speech that twisted the knife already plunged into our hearts.And then, plot twist: Sherlock is yards away, listening in. Alive.“The Empty Hearse” opens too quickly, and bring us up to speed.Sherlock has spent the past two years traveling the world, dismantling the network of his deceased arch nemesis, Moriarty. But when a terrorist group threatens the safety of Britain, Mycroft Holmes steps in to bring his younger brother home.Back in London, John is just moving on from the shock he suffered two years ago with the help of his girlfriend, Mary Morstan. But it’s obvious he’s still haunted, as he has acted out in the worst possible way: he’s grown a horrid mustache. But no worries — it doesn’t last long.Sherlock and John are reunited. It’s a violent reunion, but nevertheless a spark of life shows in John once again and, most importantly, the mustache vanishes.Peace is never given the time to settle. John is kidnapped, and whoever is behind it is also responsible for the terrorist threat Sherlock is supposed to be working on.Written by Mark Gatiss (who plays Mycroft Holmes) “the Empty Hearse” is a rush of wit, action and mustache jokes. The episode does a fantastic job of integrating social media. Detective Anderson (Jonathan Aris) embodies Sherlock fans on Tumblr and elsewhere in his crazed attempt to solve how Sherlock must have lived. The almost-kiss between Sherlock and Moriarty has AO3 written all over it.The use of the hashtag #sherlocklives was trending in reality even before it flashed across the screen.The acting was flawless. Benedict Cumberbatch didn’t miss a step walking back into the role of arrogant Sherlock Holmes, bringing the perfect amount of social awkwardness and biting disdain of people. Martin Freeman plays a conflicted John Watson, who evolves from a depressed husk of a man to a furious ticking time bomb and back to the content, slightly stressed dear Watson we know best.Two episodes remain in the series. You can bet with Steven Moffat behind the scenes more heartbreak is inevitable. But at this point, we practically live off the pain. It’s elementary.
(01/21/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There are several different ways to spend Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Some people do nothing. It’s just a day out of school or off work. Maybe they’ll direct a simple “thank you” toward a photo of King they’re bound to see and move on with their day.Some people will attend seminars or events that celebrate the legacy of King. Figures who lived through the civil rights era will give accounts of their experiences. They’ll reflect on the progress America has made.Folks who don’t like going out might watch touching documentaries. I was among that group this year, spending a lot of time watching Black Entertainment Television.I normally try to avoid BET. I feel that a number of its shows play off of black stereotypes that are insulting and often overly exaggerated. But during the weekend of MLK Day, BET broadcasts some fascinating documentaries. They tell the stories and struggles of black people in history other than MLK, Malcolm X or Rosa Parks — not that they’re at all excluded — which can be refreshing when every other channel is a montage of those three faces.Perhaps you’re the type to celebrate the peace King brought to our country by throwing a celebration of your own. I just hope you designed better invitations than some I found online.BET gathered and made a list of six disrespectful King party flyers. One flyer for a party called “Free at Last” featured King decked out heavier than Flavor Flav flanked on each side by Nicki Minaj. The others included more horrible Photoshop jobs almost as insulting as the content itself combining King with rappers like Lil Wayne, half-naked women and hand signs. But it’s OK. When King risked his life for our freedom, I’m sure that definitely included our “Freedom to Twerk.” And then there are those who use MLK Day as a way to bring in the dollars.Appreciating racial equality is little to nothing compared to buy one, get one free with the code MLKFREE at Delias, or 70 percent off sale items at Ann Taylor.Forget listening to a Freedom Rider at the Buskirk-Chumley, get me to the mall. I can’t condemn the consumer for these sales. Shopping happens every day. They can’t be expected to resist a good deal when it arises. But for retailers to sponsor these sales is tacky and pulls the attention away from the true meaning of this day. This day is bigger than saving customers 15 percent at Macy’s — but seriously, Macy’s, only 15 percent? Talk about putting a price on freedom.People can be different, but on this day I don’t think it’s too much to make it about King’s legacy. I don’t expect anyone to give thanks to King every two minutes or write essays explaining how he’s affected your life. But if you’re going to do something in his honor, make sure it’s done respectfully and is meant to bring honor to his legacy.Don’t just save a few bucks on a pair of shoes at Payless.— lnbanks@indiana.eduYou can follow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(01/15/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Jarret Garrison walked into Fairview Elementary a typical third grader and came out a depressed first grader.Fairview introduced a “restructuring” as they’re calling it. ISTEP and IREAD exam scores were combined with classroom assessments to create a scale determining a student’s reading level. According to an article in the Herald Times, students who met grade level reading standards or excelled will remain in a normal classroom setting with up to 25 students. Those who scored below grade level were moved into groups of six to 12, in which teachers will focus on the students’ reading levels.For Jarret, who has dyslexia, that meant two years of schooling down the drain.Jarret’s mother, Keri Garrison, was one of many furious parents. Her anger didn’t stem solely from her son’s education demotion. The parents of Fairview Elementary students weren’t notified of this change until last Friday, the very day the change was implemented.Students were given letters from Interim Principal Tammy Miller to deliver to their parents at home. No email, no courtesy call, no friendly postcard, no appropriate forewarning whatsoever. This was the last straw for the Fairview parents. They spent Monday picketing outside the MCCSC building.After growing a gathering of about 50 people, the protesters were invited inside the boardroom, where they were addressed by Superintendent Judy DeMuth.She apologized, took the blame for how badly the situation was handled and played typical angry mob gentler.The parents demanded their children be put back in their original classes. They shouted that this action was “disrespectful.” They demanded blood — not really — just the principal’s job.But in this economy, it’s practically one and the same.There is nothing wrong with trying to increase a school’s reading scores. Schools have been integrating increasingly difficult curriculums for years to prepare kids for the future. Society demands more of kids than it did 10 years ago.But Fairview missed the mark.Not just because they didn’t inform the parents properly, but the program itself is flawed. It leaves no room for consideration of students like Jarret who have learning disabilities or other handicaps. Jarret’s mother said in the article that her son has scored fine in other areas of the ISTEP exam. Yet, because of a low score in a category bound to be hindered by his dyslexia, he’s knocked back with a bunch of kids who just stopped eating glue.This isn’t a fair system. MCCSC needs to go back to the old ways and let the year finish out normally. They should take the time to come up with a better idea, or students like Jarret won’t return to Fairview. The parents won’t allow it.— lnbanks@indiana.eduYou can follow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(01/10/14 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>My family celebrated its Christmas overrun by kids for the first time in seven years.Our hip-hop Christmas tunes and drunken slurs were turned down and drowned out by the tiresome squeals of three toddlers and the not precious cries of a 4-month-old baby. One of the toddlers was a 2-year-old boy. We’ll call him Ivan.This was my family’s first Christmas with Ivan and we had a hard time adjusting to a certain quirk of his.Ivan loves “Dora the Explorer.” It is his absolute favorite TV show. Dora is his girl, and that’s all he wanted for Christmas.I’ve already gone through the “Dora the Explorer” movement with my little sister and that little Spanglish-spouting adventurer is at the top of my hit list.The theme song is forever burned into my brain and red boots make me quiver in fury to this day.I couldn’t figure out what Dora could offer anyone, but especially a boy. Instinctually, I thought “Dora the Explorer” is for girls. My family felt the same way. This sparked a ridiculous, yet controversial, debate in my family. Should they buy a 2-year-old boy “girl toys?”It’s stereotyping. We use toys to separate boys and girls from childhood. The toys teach us about our inevitable roles in life once we’ve grown to adulthood.Boys have boy toys like Nerf guns and Hot Wheels and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures to teach them how to kill and drive fast getaway cars.Girls have Barbie dolls and Easy Bake Ovens to teach them disappointment and how to cook brownies in a battery-operated glorified microwave. We’re told these lessons are vital to development. You can’t just buy a boy a “Dora the Explorer” plush purple backpack. That could destroy the very foundation on which reality sits.Once you cross that line there is no going back. His whole future is ruined.He’ll have difficulty relating to other boys. Middle school will be spent writing poetry instead of playing sports. He’ll wear flower crowns instead of baseball hats. He’ll watch DIY bracelet weaving videos on Pinterest instead of porn. Then come high school prom he’ll show up in a dress he bedazzled himself. That’s the crazy extreme fear.The reality is that he’ll be a 2-year-old boy with a purple backpack that he pretends speaks to him.He’ll run around the house talking to an invisible monkey and yelling at an invisible fox dressed like Zorro. And by next Christmas, he probably won’t even remember that he had the backpack because 2-year-olds go through toys like an alcoholic with a 12-pack. They don’t last long.We are beyond the day and age where we put genders on toys. It doesn’t matter what a kid plays with.You can’t trample on their likes and loves because you don’t think it’s right for a boy or girl. Let kids be kids.
(01/10/14 3:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>My family celebrated its Christmas overrun by kids for the first time in seven years.Our hip-hop Christmas tunes and drunken slurs were turned down and drowned out by the tiresome squeals of three toddlers and the not precious cries of a 4-month-old baby. One of the toddlers was a 2-year-old boy. We’ll call him Ivan.This was my family’s first Christmas with Ivan and we had a hard time adjusting to a certain quirk of his.Ivan loves “Dora the Explorer.” It is his absolute favorite TV show.Dora is his girl, and that’s all he wanted for Christmas.I’ve already gone through the “Dora the Explorer” movement with my little sister and that little Spanglish-spouting adventurer is at the top of my hit list.The theme song is forever burned into my brain and red boots make me quiver in fury to this day.I couldn’t figure out what Dora could offer anyone, but especially a boy. Instinctively, I thought “Dora the Explorer” is for girls. My family felt the same way. This sparked a ridiculous, yet controversial, debate in my family. Should they buy a 2-year-old boy “girl toys?”It’s stereotyping. We use toys to separate boys and girls from childhood. The toys teach us about our inevitable roles in life once we’ve grown to adulthood.Boys have boy toys like Nerf guns and Hot Wheels and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles action figures to teach them how to kill and drive fast getaway cars.Girls have Barbie dolls and Easy Bake Ovens to teach them disappointment and how to cook brownies in a battery-operated glorified microwave. We’re told these lessons are vital to development. You can’t just buy a boy a “Dora the Explorer” plush purple backpack. That could destroy the very foundation on which reality sits.Once you cross that line there is no going back. His whole future is ruined.He’ll have difficulty relating to other boys. Middle school will be spent writing poetry instead of playing sports. He’ll wear flower crowns instead of baseball hats.He’ll watch DIY bracelet weaving videos on Pinterest instead of porn. Then come high school prom he’ll show up in a dress he bedazzled himself. That’s the crazy extreme fear.The reality is that he’ll be a 2-year-old boy with a purple backpack that he pretends speaks to him.He’ll run around the house talking to an invisible monkey and yelling at an invisible fox dressed like Zorro. And by next Christmas, he probably won’t even remember that he had the backpack because 2-year-olds go through toys like an alcoholic with a 12-pack. They don’t last long.We are beyond the day and age where we put genders on toys. It doesn’t matter what a kid plays with.You can’t trample on their likes and loves because you don’t think it’s right for a boy or girl. Let kids be kids.
(12/12/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There’s a stigma that every movie dealing with Nazi Germany is going to be a bloody and depressing tale. You expect to see emaciated bodies avoiding soldiers with red patches on their uniforms. You may envision the kind of brutality and gore that made you cringe in “Saving Private Ryan.”That’s not the case in “the Book Thief.” At least, not completely.Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nélisse) is a young girl adopted by German couple Hans and Rosa Hubermann (Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson). She befriends her neighbor and classmate Rudy Steiner (Nico Liersch). At school she is made fun of for not being able to read, but she slowly learns from Hans, fostering their close relationship. Liesel adjusts to her new life and seems to be growing up as a normal German adolescent until Max Vandenburg comes to her parents for help. Max (Ben Schnetzer) is Jewish and the son of a man Hans fought with in World War I. He and Liesel grow close and through a love of books and words, Liesel begins to truly doubt the views of her country’s government.There was a surprising amount of humor in “the Book Thief.” From simple marital teasing to making fun of Hitler’s mustache, the comedic relief makes you forget that miles away there’s a concentration camp, and militaries are invading somewhere nearby.“The Book Thief” deviates from other World War II films because while such a big part of the plot is Liesel’s family hiding and protecting a Jew, it has nothing to do with the Holocaust. We see little of the war happening around them.It is wholeheartedly a story about a girl growing up, finding her beliefs and sticking to her values. Brian Percival directed a beautiful film that revealed a new side of World War II, a side we either don’t think of or refuse to consider. He showed us that in the “bad guys” there were “good guys.” There were kind old men who played the accordion and innocent children who just wanted to read.I would definitely put it somewhere near the top of your “must see” list. And bring tissues with you.
(12/11/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last week a Foster Quad bulletin board posed an amazingly annoying and ignorant question: can Santa Claus be a black man? My fellow columnist Andrea Zimmerman addressed this issue last week. She found the question as ridiculous as the rest of us. I agree that the asking of the question revealed the racism still evident in our society, I didn’t agree with her answer. She said “why not?” Why can’t Santa be anything but white? The answer is simply no. No. Absolutely not. Not possible. Completely absurd. Get over it. Let’s move on.I’m not being racist for refusing to consider this possibility. It’s not racist to assume that Santa Claus is white. The idea of Santa is based off of historical figures, such as Père Noël of France, who descend from countries mainly consisting of white people. But the actual race of Santa is not important. What’s important is understanding why people feel it’s necessary to pose such stupid questions. Racism is not gone in this country. But an overwhelming majority of our current society does frown upon it. More than ever, people believe in equality between genders, social classes and races. We believe in a world that’s free and fair, and so we develop laws for voting, programs for equal housing, affirmative action policies and so on.But now even those don’t seem to be enough. Now we need university committees and programs that think of ideas to make it look like minorities are being treated well.We are afraid of being viewed as racists. Universities try to promote their diversity like they do the aesthetics of their campus. I don’t care how diverse a university is, just like I don’t care how many flower gardens and water fountains it has. I care about the academics, and I want the university to care about mine.I want to know that I was accepted into a university because of my grades and hard work, not because my father is African American. And I want to know that the people I am learning with are here for the same reasons.“You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race ... and then say, ‘You are free to compete with all the others,’ and still justly believe that you have been completely fair.” Those were the words of President Lyndon B. Johnson when he first enforced Affirmative Action in 1965. Affirmative Action was intended to be a temporary way to level the playing field between white people and minorities. I think its expiration date has come. A lot has changed since 1965. The playing field has been leveled drastically. We need to stop manufacturing equality and handing it out. Just be equal. Just be fair.— lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(12/04/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 2012, Anna Baley, an IU Northwest assistant professor, applied for tenure and a promotion. Instead, she was terminated at the year’s end.When I first read the headline, I’ll admit I assumed she was claiming racial discrimination. Racial discrimination claims seem so common nowadays that they’re almost a joke. I remember kids in my high school trying to get themselves out of a detention by asking the teacher, “Is it because I’m black?” as if they could guilt the teacher out of punishment. But Anna Baley isn’t black, or of any colored race from what I could tell in the article. She is a lesbian. It is so rare to see an article about a gay woman, even though the IDS frequently publishes stories about the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community. It’s well known that Bloomington has an amazing tolerance for LGBT individuals. In my media classes, both in the journalism school and in the telecommunications department, we study stereotypes and demographics. When we talk about LGBT individuals, the lectures always lean toward men. It’s like news media are in denial that lesbians exist. We see LGBT, but it’s like we skip right over the “L.”So I’m extremely disappointed that the first article I’ve seen all year solely about a lesbian is about the discrimination she’s faced at a branch campus of our University.We see IU as this Mecca of tolerance toward any sexual orientation. Even before it announced its disapproval of HJR 6, IU has had a reputation of being gay-friendly. This kind of news could hurt IU’s reputation.Maybe we need to consider that it isn’t IU that’s so friendly. Maybe it’s Bloomington. Maybe we were just lucky to be placed in a town that would shape its views toward the plethora of young liberal minds coming to study here. Or, mostly liberal minds.I’ve never heard of the sister campuses doing anything that supported LGBT. I haven’t heard about South Bend or Fort Wayne or Kokomo throwing a giant symbolic wedding for their gay communities. Not so much as a face-painting booth.Bloomington did. Not IU, but Bloomington as a city. This isn’t my way of saying that if Baley had worked at IU-Bloomington this never would have happened. Luckily, she worked for a public school because Indiana law only protects government employees from employer discrimination based on sexual orientation. She would have had a hard time with her case had she worked in the private sector, where sexual orientation discrimination is not protected against.I’m just saying that as this case goes on we need to separate city from school. Don’t let this incident tarnish your opinion of the University as a whole. Unfortunately, Bloomington’s acceptance can’t extend everywhere. Each campus is different, just like the town it’s housed in. We should just be thankful that we at IU-Bloomington chose the one with the more open mind.— lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(11/21/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Movies began as a way to help people forget. They walked into a dark room to leave behind their hard lives and lose themselves in moving pictures. Most movies these days seem hell-bent on making us remember. And rarely are the portrayals of pleasant events.“12 Years a Slave” wastes no time transporting the audience into one of the worst times in human history.It is a story based on the book written by the main and title character, Solomon Northup. Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a free black man in the antebellum era of the United States. He is a professional violinist with a wife and two kids, living a comfortable life in Saratoga, N.Y.Northup meets two men who convince him to travel to Washington for a gig. During a post-performance celebration dinner, Northup drinks too much. He is put to sleep in a bed and wakes up with shackles on his wrists. Northup is hurled into slavery, forced to learn to relinquish his pride, while retaining his dignity in the custody of several masters, some kind and some cruel.His first master, William Ford, is one of the former. Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a plantation owner in New Orleans. Northup gets along with Ford, but after a scuffle with an overseer Ford sells Northup in order to save his life. Edwin Epps isn’t as kind. According to Ford he is known as a “slave breaker.” Epps (Michael Fassbender) is a harsh cotton plantation owner. He believes his right to abuse slaves is more than law; it’s biblical. By the time Canadian carpenter Bass (Brad Pitt) arrives, Northup looks ready to give up. But when he hears Bass express his aversion toward slavery Northup scrapes up the courage to tell Bass his story. Bass sympathizes with Northup and agrees to carry a letter north on his behalf, leading to Northup’s rescue.This film is full of powerful scenes that leave you trembling. One of the most climatic scenes is when Northup is forced to whip Patsey (Lupita Nyong’o), a fellow slave. The thick crack of the whip, the increasing agony in Patsey’s cries and the disgust in Northup’s face create a moment so tangible you can’t help flinching in your seat every time Northup raises his arm.There is no doubt that Northup’s spirit is broken, and Ejiofor portrays that change brilliantly, from his posture to his eyes. One almost feels sympathy for Fassbender’s role. He plays a racist, a rapist and a sadist, and the skill in which he portrays his part is almost disconcerting. Director Steve McQueen has created a masterpiece. He didn’t shy away from a single aspect of slavery, and he didn’t try to soften it with humor or ridiculous effects. He stayed true and raw and as a result has created what will be known as one of the most emotionally and physically painful films to ever be seen.You sympathize with every drop of blood running down their backs at the kiss of a whip. Every tear that hits your cheek is well worth it.
(11/20/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I bled black and gold until I learned Purdue University didn’t have a journalism school. It doesn’t matter much now that I’ve switched majors, but I’ll stay true to the Hoosiers.But I read an article that’s making my inner Boilermaker whistle.Purdue’s University Senate and Student Government have come out in opposition to the proposed Indiana same-sex marriage ban. Which means they’re just like us. Chew on that for a minute.By now, most have learned or have at least become annoyed with any mention of House Joint Resolution 6. HJR6 would make it so that only a marriage between one man and one woman can be considered valid in the state of Indiana. Indiana also would not be allowed to recognize civil unions or similar partnerships, though that portion didn’t specify gender.The funniest part of the amendment is that it specifically states “one man and one woman,” which I take as ruling out polygamy.IU opposed this amendment in late October by joining forces with Freedom Indiana. Freedom Indiana is a bipartisan coalition in partnership with national gay-rights organizations. At the time, Ball State and Purdue refused to join, so IU hit it first and became the first institution of higher education to unite with the coalition. But key voices within Purdue, with the exception of its president, have finally broken their silence. Its University Senate, comprised of students, faculty, staff and administrators met and said “no” by a wide margin. Finally, a senate that can finish actual business. Notably absent from the consensus was Purdue University President and former Governor Mitch Daniels.IU and Purdue’s University Senate expressed similar reasons for opposing the amendment. We both feel the proposed amendment contradicts our respective school values and policies. Both universities seem to pride themselves on their beliefs in equality and respect for others. The amendment expresses blatant intolerance and discrimination that the universities should refuse to support.Now, I’m not saying that the refusals stem exclusively from enrollment, but I’m sure enrollment plays a part. The Indianapolis Star article on Purdue mentions the harm this amendment could do to university recruitment. Younger generations appear more liberal and open these days, and a school that supports unfair stipulations on something like marriage isn’t likely to get as big a flood of applications in the fall.It’s important to remember that this amendment wouldn’t just affect same-sex couples. If you can’t do it for the gays, do it for the polygamists. Do it for the people getting civil unions, because apparently people actually do that. Just say no to marital stipulations. Not letting people marry because of gender is no different than refusing to let people of different races marry. And without interracial relationships there would be no Halle Berry or Beyoncé. Is that what we want, America? A world with no Beyoncé? Even if it is just for recruitment, I’m glad that important voices within Purdue have finally taken a stance and have chosen the same side as IU. Those Boilermakers aren’t so bad after all. Can’t we all just come together and bake cakes out of rainbows and smiles and be happy? No? Too far? OK then. I tried. — lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(11/13/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Thanksgiving break is slowly approaching and I’m ecstatic, as I assume
most students are. We’re all looking forward to real food, no homework
and free laundry.But I have to admit the part of every break I
most look forward to is walking through the door, dropping my bags and
getting sucker punched in the stomach by my dog.Oh, and seeing my family. That part’s good, too.I
know I can’t be the only one who fangirls over her dog. Our generation
has an unnatural and adorable obsession with our pets. And there’s no
shame in it. We like to brag about how cute they are, what
tricks they can do and their funny quirks. When we see other dogs, we
think of what our dogs would do in that situation. You’ll have to forgive the bias toward dogs. I’m not a cat person.I
could go on for days about my dog. In fact ... His name is Kingsley.
He’s a boxer. He’s anti-social, loves pizza, is allergic to nature and
enjoys long ear rubs. So basically he’s me in dog form. Except for the
ear thing.And my best friends have similar relationships with
their dogs. In fact, that’s how we became friends. Our dogs were our
conversation starter. And the conversation hasn’t ended since.I
use my dog to connect with other people, whether it’s during an
icebreaker in class or a random conversation somewhere. One fun fact
about me? I named my dog after a Harry Potter character. You like
carrots? My dog hates them. Oh, wow, you’re a neuroscience major? My dog
can high-five.I’ve tried to psychoanalyze why our generation
feels this stronger affinity for animals, and it pretty much boils down
to Disney.Talking to animals stopped being crazy when Disney
princesses started singing to them. After crossing that barrier, our
relationships with animals became limitless. Up until bestiality. Don’t
cross that line. I’ve figured that there are two basic types of movies about animals.The
first tells the story of the animal and focuses mostly on its
relationships with other animals, not people. For example, there’s “101
Dalmatians,” “Fox and the Hound,” and “Lady and the Tramp.” They’re
all told from the perspective of the animal. Though there are people
involved, they aren’t as important. Through these movies we, as
children, learned to sympathize with animals. The voices lent to them
through the animation made them more human, and we continue to think of
them like that.The second type is movies about an animal’s
relationship with a human. Think of “Old Yeller,” “Homeward Bound,” and
“Air Bud.” “Air Bud” isn’t Disney, but it’s about how a dog helps a
lonely boy find self-confidence. In “Homeward Bound” the dogs
and cat literally go on a journey to get their humans back. And the
relationship between Travis Coates and Old Yeller will rip your heart
out and push it through a paper shredder.In these movies, the
animals were more than just pets. They were best friends and family. And
so that’s how we grew to view our own pets. And I think
treating our pets like family is perfectly healthy. You might get crazy
looks if you’re like me and refer to yourself as your pet’s mom, but
you’re expressing love, and there’s nothing wrong with that. — lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(11/07/13 1:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Dan Fogelman took a sharp turn from his Disney hits such as “Tangled” and “Cars” when he wrote “Last Vegas.”A film about four elderly men in Sin City would usually sound the alarm. But director Jon Turteltaub handled it with the perfect level of immaturity and a cast with which he couldn’t go wrong: Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline. He had me at Freeman. The movie opens with a blast to the past. Our main characters Billy (Douglas), Paddy (De Niro), Archie (Freeman) and Sam (Kline) are playing in a photo booth in an old fashioned drug store. The audience sees right away that they’re a tight-knit group of buddies from Brooklyn.And then there’s Sophie, the girl Billy and Paddy are fighting over, and we’re left to wonder who won.Flash forward 58 years — the boys are old men and separated. Billy is a rich big shot in Los Angeles. Archie is suffocating under his son’s care in New York. Sam is living the old man’s nightmare in Florida. And Paddy has remained in Brooklyn, still mourning the death of his wife, Sophie, a year later and stewing over Billy’s betrayal.Now, lifelong bachelor Billy is getting married, and the boys plan to honor him with the party of the century in Vegas.A bachelor party in Vegas makes my cliché senses tingle. But unlike in films such as “The Hangover,” we are well aware of what the characters are going through and what else they’re searching for on the trip. Any film shot in Vegas is bound to have some great establishing shots. The film takes a refreshing turn from famous hotels like Caesar’s Palace, going to the Aria instead. And they even show us a less luxurious side of Vegas, in a tiny hole-in-the-wall casino where they meet a special singer that changes everything.The continuity of the film is to be commended. Turteltaub did a great job of showing the character’s elderliness through bad eyesight and hearing and maintained the flaws throughout the film. Cultural differences were also addressed through the men’s reaction to prices and even how to properly ask out a girl.Overall, the film was adorable. With old men in Vegas, drag queens, Cirque du Soleil and 50 Cent, how could you go wrong?Grab your grandpa, and get ready to “party like it’s 1959.”
(11/06/13 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I’m a sucker for online quizzes.I found a quiz on the New York Times’ website about one’s ability to read emotions. The quiz consists of several photographs cropped to only show a pair of eyes. Every set of eyes is different. Four emotions are listed under each photo. The quiz-taker’s goal is to decipher which emotion the eyes show. The grading scale broke down into three general areas of skill. Anything under 22 meant you probably have a hard time interpreting someone’s emotions from their facial expressions. A score between 22 and 30, where I scored, is average. And anything above 30 meant you are likely very adept at sensing and understand someone’s mental state. I scored 30 out of 36, much to my surprise, which put me at the highest end of the average range. I was one point away from practically being a mind reader. The quiz was created as part of a new research study about social skills. The study found that people who read more literary fiction have a greater gift for understanding emotions. Psychology professor Emanuele Castano and doctoral candidate David Comer Kidd are the masterminds behind the study. They had people from ages 18 to 75 read different works of literature and then measured their emotional intelligence, social perception and empathy through tests, like the photo one. Those who read literary fiction scored higher.According to the researchers, this is because literary fiction makes the imagination work harder. Readers have to pay close attention to how a character is feeling. You have to put yourself in that character’s shoes. Before you get any crazy ideas, popular fiction does not count. The study found that those who read popular fiction before taking one of the tests scored as badly as those who had not read anything at all. More proof that “Twilight” rots the brain. Thank you, doctors.I don’t know about you, but social awkwardness is one of my best personality traits. Coupled with my gift for sarcasm, I’m a volcano of charm that will likely remain dormant and never speak to you.Talking to people is hard. It’s tiring to think of what to say to someone else, especially someone you don’t know. You just start asking them all these questions like a crazy interviewer or a nosy stalker. I don’t want to seem like a crazy interviewer or a nosy stalker, so I keep my mouth shut. I’m still left wondering how this will help people in social situations. In the middle of your preparations for a night out are you supposed to take a few minutes to read? Finish a chapter after your makeup and you’re set?But then what?Being able to read emotions doesn’t make you a better socializer. It doesn’t make it any easier to speak. It may give you a little more insight into what another person is thinking or feeling, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be comfortable enough to remark on it.If the key to good social skills is being sought after, personal expression needs to be the focus. The biggest cause of social awkwardness is not knowing how to express yourself, not knowing how to converse or how to express emotions.If you want to be a better socializer you need to look at yourself before other people. Knowing what someone is thinking is no help if you’re too scared to even say “hi.” — lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(10/30/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>I’ve only succumbed to peer pressure once. But once is all it takes to start a habit.I was bullied in school for being a goody-good. I was never late to a class. I never got detention. I addressed my teachers as “ma’am” and sir.” I gave my teachers homemade Christmas candies each year. And I didn’t cuss.I chose not to cuss because that’s how I was raised. My cousins and I weren’t even allowed to use the word “hate” as children because it was considered “too strong a word.” If one of us tried to mumble a no-no word we would have a bar of soap in our mouths before we said the second syllable.But that doesn’t mean the adults in my family had clean mouths. My mom can give the cast of “Family Guy” a run for their animated money. It was simply understood and accepted kids weren’t allowed to curse.For some reason, my lack of a sailor mouth was a concern to my fourth grade peers. It was their mission to corrupt me. But I resisted until seventh grade when my raging hormones weakened my defenses, and I said “hell” for the first time.From there it’s gotten progressively worse. It’s a full-blown habit and not one I’m particularly proud of. But I don’t think cursing is necessarily bad. Kids are more desperate to grow up faster than ever before. Peer pressure is getting stronger and riskier. It’s coming through media like the Internet. It’s getting harder for kids to resist. There are worse habits for kids to give into than cussing.There are 600,000 teens who begin smoking each year. The life expectancy for a smoker is at least 10 years less than that of a nonsmoker. Last time I checked, cursing didn’t shorten one’s lifespan. In 2012 it was predicted 21 percent of 16-year-olds were drinking. And we all know drinking can lead to liver damage and high blood pressure. I like to think cursing lowers blood pressure. One F-bomb can really take a load off.Also, teens are becoming sexually active at younger ages. Then they are more at risk to become pregnant, leading to increased abortion rates and teen moms dropping out of school. At least, that’s the way it happens in my head.Compared to going out and forming an addiction to cigarettes or alcohol, getting high and having sex, I think cussing is a much safer and smarter habit to give into. They’re just words. There’s a time and a place for them, of course. You probably shouldn’t cuss when you meet your boss for the first time. That’s common sense. And try to restrain yourself around your grandparents. That’s respect. But it’s time to stop shaming people with a dirty mouth. They could be doing much worse. — lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(10/23/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Riddle me this: why do IU students park with the precision of drunken monkeys?I’ll give you a hint. It has to do with the atrocious lack of parking spaces.I’m going to be immature about this subject. If you’re looking for a sound, reasonable argument, I suggest you direct your eyes to a different corner of the page because it’s about to get middle school up in here.I’ll start by blatantly stating that IU parking sucks.There are not enough spaces. The IUB Parking Operations map claims there are 155 parking lots/garages within a one-mile radius of IU. The map also kindly provides the number of spaces each lot provides. According to my handy dandy iPhone calculator, that comes to a grand total of 10,905 parking spaces. And keep in mind that some of these lots belong to apartment complexes and other odd places like the power plant. And while going through the list, I counted at least three listed lots that had zero parking spaces. Someone needs to update their website.But that’s not all, folks. I have more numbers to throw around. There are 42,731 students attending IU as stated by colleges.findthebest.com. And then there are the 23,000 plus employees to consider ranging from professors to custodians. So we’re talking almost 65,000 people to 10,905 parking spaces. Then subtract the amount of spots we, as students, can’t park in like the coveted A and C spaces. The odds are not in our favor.It doesn’t help that IU keeps giving away areas that could make convenient parking lots. There’s no way I could address this subject without bringing up those ugly wastes of space the Kelley and Jacobs schools constructed. I don’t care they’re lucky enough to have rich alumni that can afford to donate millions. I don’t care if they need the extra storage or practice space. I can tell you where to store your saxophone without taking away a potential parking lot that hundreds of students would benefit from.And now they’re constructing the global and international studies building, which has invaded Herman B Wells Library parking lot. Brilliant thinking, IU.I paid $158 for my D permit, and the blood bath I go through each night to park my car isn’t worth it. By continuing to take students’ money for spaces they didn’t have, IU took advantage of students, which is unacceptable. It feels like IU sold more parking permits than spots it has available.Finally, there are the IU parking Nazis who benefit from handing out misery in the form of tickets. Do they realize that their job is purely to cause people a bad day? No one looks forward to seeing them. Ever.And the only reason their job exists is because of IU Parking Operations’ pathetic amount of availability and stupid regulations. It would be lovely if IU Parking Operations would be more cooperative with students. But if I was making more than a million dollars a year just off parking tickets, I’d probably keep being a douchebag, too.It all boils down to money. No surprise there. But if IU is really that desperate I recommend getting on its knees and begging or finding a corner to work, because taking advantage of students like this is getting old.— lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.
(10/16/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>You know those people who go insane over Christmas decorations with billions of gaudy lights and baby-scaring sweaters? That’s how I feel about Halloween.This obsession couldn’t have been avoided. I grew up in farm country, which meant a lot of haunted hay rides and wicked bonfire celebrations. The Sleepy Hollow Bridge was 10 minutes away. The state’s largest haunted corn maze was one town over. My aunt converted her garage into a haunted house every year.Halloween has become focused on fear. It’s all about scaring people half to death.You grab some friends and go to a haunted house for kicks. You arrange to ambush someone in a cemetery because you think it’ll be funny. You watch a “Halloween” marathon on TV.I hate being scared.I avoid haunted houses like the plague. To this day, I have never and will never watch a Michael Myers movie. There is nothing thrilling about thinking I’m being murdered by a mummy.So yes, I am a Hallo-weenie. And I am a proud one. And I know there are others out there like me who want to celebrate this spooky holiday without soiling their underwear. There are four key aspects to consider for a scaredy cat-appropriate Halloween.Location Go home if possible. All campus has to offer are haunted houses and Halloween parties.Movies This part is essential. I have a specific Halloween movie playlist I stick to, though this year I’m opening myself to some new ones.Start with your basics: “Hocus Pocus” and “Halloweentown.” “Hocus Pocus” is awesome. Just accept it.It’s only necessary to watch the first two “Halloweentown” movies. The other two were crap, and we all know it.Kick it up a notch with “The Lost Boys.” Not actually about Halloween, but it has vampires and it’s from the 1980s, so it’s classic.“The Bride of Frankenstein” because, duh. “Sleepy Hollow” because Johnny Depp. And this year I’m having an Alfred Hitchcock marathon. We’ll see if I survive. FoodIf you don’t spend October getting fat off ghost-shaped sugar cookies and pumpkin seeds, I don’t understand what you’re doing with your life.ActivitiesCarve a pumpkin. Go on a normal hayride. Wind your way through a fright-less corn maze.Have a bonfire and tell ghost stories. They usually don’t get too scary. Go trick-or-treating.If you’re ashamed of your age, take a younger sibling, cousin, neighbor, and dress up when you go. Don’t be that douchebag who thinks they’re too mature or too cool to put on a costume for a few hours. We’re more likely to forgive you for putting glitter on your face and going as Edward Cullen than for not doing anything at all.If for some reason your horrible friends drag you to anything haunted, all I can only offer two tips: groin kick and eye gouge.Then you tear your way to safety like a bat out of hell and plot your revenge for April Fool’s Day.It’s going to be okay, Hallo-weenies. With some common sense and Netflix we’ll get through this month in a descent mental state. — lnbanks@indiana.eduFollow columnist Lexia Banks on Twitter @LexiaBanks.