THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Volume: 62 Issue: 12
NOVEMBER 28, 2018
unodriftwood.com
SAINTS CONTINUE TO SMASH THE COMPETITION
This Thanksgiving, the Saints took on their biggest rival for a satisfying win, scoring 31 points to the Falcons’ 17.
BY JOSEPH BELLOTT Contributor The Saints are doing really well. They are doing so well that the games are starting to feel like religious festivals. This week, they beat the Falcons, perhaps the team’s biggest rival. The Falcons flew into town with their worst record through ten games —four wins and six losses — since 2014. The game commenced with an 18-yard run from Alvin Kamara. The momentum of that run carried over to the rest of the drive, which finished with a 28-yard pass from Drew Brees to Tommy Lee Lewis. You’d have to be an attentive fan to know about him. Lee had not had a single catch or touchdown the entire season before that play, although he did play as a kick returner in week one versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Falcons’ first possession went well up until the end. With
the help of a few catches from Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu, Matt Ryan, the quarterback, took the Falcons all the way down the field from their own 25 to the Saint’s 11. On the third down and two at the Saints’ three-yard line, Matt Ryan was stripped of the ball by Marcus Williams. Unfortunately, the Saints turned the ball over just three plays into their drive, from a Brees pass intended to Keith Kirkwood. Albeit, a potential pass interference call was missed. In support of that, Rodney Harrison, a commentator for the game said, “I look at the cornerback and he was grabbing and holding the wide receiver…” The Saints’ defense frolicked back to the field with no complaints and held the Falcons to only a field goal, thus creating more momentum for the Saints because the Falcons were already in field goal position to begin the drive. As the game went on the “who’s who” continued as players contin-
ued to score. First, it was Lee; then it was Austin Carr, and after that it was Dan Arnold and Keith Kirkwood, all of whom were undrafted. “Undrafted, drafted, it don’t matter. If somebody found you on Poydras and you put a uniform on him, it don’t matter. You know everybody’s here for a reason, and they’re doing their job,” said Kamara. With Sean Payton creating the plays and a future hall of fame member throwing the ball, it can’t be that hard, right? Brees has always scanned the entire field for open receivers, and more so in this game than any other game of recent memory. This is a trait that the great quarterbacks have always had. Some notable stats from the game: Brees threw for 171 yards from his 15 completions off 22 attempts. Arnold led the Saints in receiving, going for 45 yards on four catches. Michael Thomas followed
De-stress with the ASPCA and their friendly dogs -Photos by Destiny Carter
On Wednesday, Nov. 28, the New Orleans branch of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) stopped by to welcome all students to a free petting session with three dogs, two young and one old. About once every semester, ASPCA volunteers spend a couple of hours in the quad to help students relieve school-induced stress by meeting a few dogs.
-Photo provided by flickr user David Reber
with 38 yards on four catches. The rookie catalyst Tre’Quan Smith, however, was out for the game. Alvin Kamara rushed for 89 yards on 14 carries and Mark Ingram got 52 yards on 11 carries. The Falcon’s Matt Ryan threw for 377 yards from 35 completions on 47 attempts. Julio Jones got 147 yards from his 11 catches. Calvin Ridley had 93 yards off of eight catches, and Mohamed Sanu caught four for 78 yards. Tevin Coleman rushed for six yards on eight carries. The Saints defense played “lights-out.” They held Atlanta to just 26 rushing yards, which is the lowest rushing yardage allowed for any game played this week, and they also created four turnovers. Their defensive performance kept them at first place in rushing yards allowed per game — 73.2 yards, well ahead of Da Bears, who allow 80.2 rush yards per game. Also, Da Bears and the Saints are way ahead
of the pack with the next team, the Ravens, who allow 92.1 rushing yards per game. Incredible. Sacks, fumble recoveries, interceptions, pass break-ups, and more were created by the Saints’ defense. Each player contributed; no player was getting “exposed” or “having a bad game.” The leaders played as expected. Cam Jordan racked up two sacks and three tackles for a loss; Sheldon Rankins had a key sack and two big tackles for a loss, while Marshon Lattimore had two pass break-ups and caused a huge fumble from stripping the ball from Ridley when he was just a couple yards away from scoring. Also, Demario Davis violently hit Ryan five times. 70,017 people were jammed in the Superdome Thursday to witness the game. They say defense wins championships. We’ll see. The next victory will be on Thursday, Nov. 29 in Dallas.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
NEWS
The search for another “Earth” with Dr. Angelle Tanner
exoplanets via transit pho- ample, by studying the radius of an exoplanet, astronomers tometry. “Kepler has discovered can try to determine the comthousands of transiting plan- position of that planet’s atets and revealed that small mosphere to find out whether planets are abundant in the the atmosphere is friendly to Galaxy,” stated NASA on a lifeforms. “We’re actually talking dedicated webpage. The observatory was anticipated to about what plants might look last about three years, yet it like on other planets,” noted lasted over nine years and Tanner. This is the work of an was coincidentally deactivat- astrobiologist, a person who ed on Nov. 15, one day after studies life in the universe. For example, a dim dwarf star Tanner’s lecture. “...Microlensing can find might be orbited by a planet planets orbiting stars near the whose plants are black so that center of the galaxy, thou- they absorb as much light as sands of light-years away,” possible in order to photosynstates the Planetary Society. thesize. “There should be a few ex-Photo by Terry Shields When a distant star passes in Professor Angelle Tanner has been on the search for exoplanets that can facilitate life since she was young. front of another star, gravita- citing discoveries in the next tional effects cause the ema- few decades,” said Tanner. “The first observation of a the life of a grad student,” she BY HOPE BRUSSTAR nating light from the in-be- She pointed out that one of Editor-in-chief transiting planet was made said deadpan. tween star to be dramatically Saturn’s or Jupiter’s moons “Oddly, only a few planets with a telescope in the parkThere are more planets out- have been discovered via di- ing lot of the University of increased in brightness for a might hold life, like Enceperiod of time. This makes it ladus, Europa or Titan. side of our solar system than rect imaging,” Tanner said. Colorado,” said Tanner. “I personally think that the easier to observe that star’s we can count, and some frac- Stars are so bright that they She also mentioned one first detection of life is going tion of them match the condi- easily outshine the planets or- mission to launch a space ob- behaviors. Meanwhile, the process of to be in our own backyard,” tions for hosting life. biting them, making it much servatory called Kepler into On Wednesday, Nov. 14, more difficult to look at plan- orbit around Earth, with the deciding which of these ex- she stated. the physics department ets directly through optical specific goal of identifying oplanets can facilitate life requires yet more work. For exwrapped up its lecture series telescopes. “Direct imaging is by presenting a talk on how playing catch-up to [the other astronomers find planets, methods].” and then how they begin to Doppler spectroscopy deidentify which ones are in pends on how our view of the the “habitable zone.” This is star’s light is affected by the a category with some special planet. requirements, including the “As the star moves away type of sun, the planet’s dis- from us, light waves leaving tance from its sun; and the the star are ‘stretched’ and planet’s size, composition move towards the red end of and atmosphere. the [light] spectrum,” said Angelle Tanner, a professor Tanner. With this method, the of physics and astronomy at observer is not seeing light Professor Angelle Tanner is on Twitter as @astrochic73. Mississippi State University, from the planet but is instead lead the lecture. “I am the di- seeing the star respond to the rector of the Howell observa- movement of the planet’s tory, so I [use] the telescope mass. As a result, the planets all the time,” she stated. “It which have more effect on gets about 130 degrees inside the star’s movement — the the dome.” planets with higher mass and Tanner covered multiple more proximity to the star — ways in which astronomers are the ones which are easiest go about detecting new plan- to find. Following, there is a ets. These include direct im- bit of a detection bias: those aging, doppler spectroscopy, planets get detected more oftransit photometry, and mi- ten. crolensing. Transit photometry in“We were expecting these volves measuring the dim[planets] to take a long time ming of a star’s light as its to orbit,” said Tanner. The planet passes between the star telescope time required to and the Earth. As the planet watch a star before being able orbits around the star, during to clearly identify its planets, the time it spends directly in therefore, could take any- front of the star, visible light -Photo by Terry Shield After her lecture, Tanner answered questions from students and faculty. UNO physics professor Leszek Malkwhere from 11 to 22 years. from the star drops off. inski is to Tanner’s right. “Which is a little more than
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
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Creative Writing Workshop hosts poets Melinda Palacio and Neil Shepard
-Cover by Salmon Poetry
Neil Shepard and Melinda Palacio conversing before the start of the event
BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ Managing Editor On Nov. 14, the Creative Writing Workshop hosted a poetry reading featuring two authors, Melinda Palacio and Neil Shepard. This event was made possible by the creative writing department and the Poet and Writers Grant. Both Palacio and Shepard are very successful poets and read from some of their most recent works that evening. Originally from South-Central Los Angeles, Melinda Palacio attended UC Berkeley and studied Comparative Literature. She later earned her graduate degree at UC Santa Cruz in the same field. In 2009, Bilingual Press accepted her novel manuscript “Ocotillo Dreams” for publication. Palacio had won Kulupi Press Sense of Place 2009 competition for her poetry chapbook, “Folsom Lockdown.” Tia Chucha Press published her first full-length poetry manuscript, “How Fire Is A Story, Wait-
ing.” The book won first in the 2013 International Latino Book Awards in the English category. Her poetry and fiction have been widely published and anthologized, including “Latinos in Lotusland: An Anthology of Contemporary Southern California Literature,” “Southern Poetry Anthology IV: Louisiana, the Mas Tequila Review,” Naugatuck River Review, Pilgrimage Magazine and “Strange Cargo: An Emerging Voices Anthology.” Shepard is originally from Fitchburg, Massachusetts. He received his Bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont, his Masters’ degree from Colorado State University and his doctorate from Ohio University. He has taught at several schools, including Louisiana State University, Johnson State College in Vermont and Rider University in New Jersey. Currently, Shepard teaches in the low-residency MFA writing program at Wilkes University. Shepard is also the
-Photo by Cassandra Jaskiewicz senior and founding editor of the literary magazine Green Mountains Review. Shepard has published several books of poetry, and many of his poems and essays have appeared in popular literary magazines. A recipient of the 1992 MidList Press First Series Award for Poetry, Shepard garnered fellowships from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and the MacDowell Colony. He routinely participates in poetry reading events throughout the United States and was willing to make UNO one of those stops. He even offered his time to the creative writing classes at UNO to help the students grow and enhance their poetry. The evening started when Palacio read from her most recent book, “Bird Forgiveness.” The cover of the book has a special connection to UNO. Silvia Santa Maria, an art student at UNO, designed the cover. Palacio chose a theme that combined nature and human na-
-Cover by Three: A Taos Press ture for her poetry collection. Some of the poems that she read that highlighted this theme were “Praying Tree,” “How to make a mediocre poem sing” and the title poem, “Bird Forgiveness.” Shepard read from his poetry anthology “How it is: Selected Poems.” Many of his poems are based on his own experiences, passions and beliefs. While many of Palacio’s poems were serious and introspective, Shepard’s poems had more levity and
expressed a lesson with a smile. Shepard read the poems “Dutza,” “Oh! On an April morning,” and “ A Comprehensive Ass.” Both of these poets read their most popular poems, some that still held special connection. The evening ended with a question-and-answers period, and the audience asked the poets about their work and any advice they had to offer the aspiring poets in the crowd.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
NEWS
Dr. Golz Paving the Way for Queer Students BY JACK WAGUESPACK News Editor Carolyn Golz, dean of students and associate vice president of the University of New Orleans, is already making waves during her first few months on the job. She moved to New Orleans from Santa Cruz after working at the University of Santa Cruz for a little over four years — a big adjustment, but it has not stopped her from pursuing her goals to make the campus more inclusive. Following President Trump’s remarks on removing transgender rights from Title IX, Dr. Golz has started multiple discussions on the safety and awareness of transgender and queer students, while offering ways to have a more inclusive culture on campus. She has set out to include the voices, no matter how big or small, of everyone. G: Dr. Carolyn Golz J: Jack Waguespack J: What was your motivation to help the transgender and queer community on campus have their voices heard? G: It started when I saw some
comments on the UNO Social app. Seeing that there are some students on our campus that are marginalized every day and really struggling to be seen, I met with a small group of students to listen to their experiences and realized that before I start making changes, I need to listen to everyone. A small group of students can’t speak for the masses that we have here. J: Have you gotten any positive or negative feedback? G: The only feedback I really got was to make the meetings at different times, which was reasonable, but there will never be a time where everyone can go, so I decided to make two different sessions. I also wanted them to know that I am more than willing to meet with them in my office, outside of these discussions. J: What are some of your other ideas to help transgender students at UNO? G: The first one might be seemingly minor but could help to change culture on campus, which is getting used to the idea of saying your name and pronouns when you first meet
someone. Just to get rid of the assumptions. For instance, when you introduce your name as “Jack,” it’s not really “Jacqueline,” it’s just Jack. And then I understand we have a gender-inclusive housing option for the dorms, but I’ve been told it was introduced at the very last minute. Privateer Place is now creating a gender-inclusive space, and we are currently talking about how we can really implement this and make sure everyone is included going forward. J: Are you focusing solely on students or faculty as well? G: My focus is students, because that’s my job, but I also recognize that your experience here is impacted by administrators and faculty. So hopefully, we can bring awareness to trans and queer issues, which could make campus culture more inclusive and a better place for all students. For me, it starts with the students, and then [asking], “How do we branch out and offer opportunities for other people to be engaged?”
-Photo courtesy of UNO Dr. Carolyn Golz, Dean of Students for the University of New Orleans
NEWS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
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The First Generation Student Experience
-Photo courtesy of Jack Waguespack Driftwood staff members Claire Sargent, Cassandra Jaskiewicz, and Jack Waguespack posing with UNO’s first generation students board at Fall Fest.
BY JACK WAGUESPACK News Editor A first-generation student
is someone who is the first in their family to get a college degree. First-generation students
are still seen with one of the highest dropout rates in the U.S. According to the Institute of Education Sciences, 54 percent of first-time students left college without a degree due to financial standing. It is also reported that the majority of first-generation students come from low-income homes, some making $20,000 or less, compared to continuing-generation students or students whose parents are also college graduates. Universities have responded to these high dropout rates by offering programs to help students in the ways their family might not be able to. UNO has initiated multiple programs and incentives to encourage first-generation students to apply. In 2014, UNO started a new volunteer-based mentoring program for first-generation students. Trevor Nathan, a senior with a major in Jazz Studies, spoke about the process of applying for college and his full experience with advice for incoming first-generation students. T: Trevor Nathan J: Jack Waguespack
J: Did you have any problems when applying for college? T: I never really had problems with college applications because my parents were always super proactive with making sure I knew all I needed to for college. I also was pushed by them into taking honors classes in high school, so I was always around people that were savvy about the process, so I was never in the dark for the most part. J: How was the process when you applied for TOPS/ FAFSA/Student Loans? T: Financial aid and TOPS were pretty tricky to figure out because there were a lot of things left unclear until the middle of my senior year. But again my parents were the support network, they had friends who were sending their kids off to college and dealing with the complicated mess that is financial aid so help was never far away. J: What were some of your main challenges during your first few semesters? T: I feel like my habits as a student have definitely changed, being a first-gen col-
lege student. In high school it was easy to find time for academics and playing music, so I was always on top of things and had time to get lost in other hobbies. Nowadays I realize how hard the balance is, and it was something I didn’t comprehend due to not having anyone … able to let me know [about] the paradigm shift. My time management has gotten much better, mainly out of necessity, which has made me much better in all aspects of life. J: Do you have any advice for incoming first-generation students? T: I’d tell other people in my situation to never be too proud to ask for help. No one with a good heart will want to see you fail, so ask questions often and pick peoples’ brains whenever you can. The more perspective you can gain about this whole experience, the better. Also, don’t forget to have fun when you can! Stress won’t help you get through difficult times so know when to relax and [when to] get back on the grind when it gets rough.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
UNO ART GALLERY
OPENING
-Photos by Brennan Probst Stop by and visit the art building on campus to view the newly-hung end-of-semester and senior projects that UNO’s best art students have been working on. UNO also has a gallery at 2429 St. Claude Avenue, known simply as the UNO St. Claude Gallery.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
ENTERTAINMENT
Food and culture in New Orleans: an anthropological perspective BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ Managing Editor On Nov. 15, the Diversity Engagement Center hosted a talk on food in culture in New Orleans. This talk was led by Ann Kos Edwards, a retired professor from UNO. She focused on the history of food and its connections to history and culture. “One cannot study food without studying culture,”said Edwards. Edwards started off the talk focusing on the history of the state of Louisiana. She looked at the influence of the Spanish and the French. Edwards explained that many different aspects make up culture. Religion, economic status, politics, marriage and education all affect the development of a community’s culture. “Culture tells us when to eat, how to eat, what to eat and with whom we should eat,” remarked Edwards to her audience. Edwards gave the example of the Spanish tradition of siestas and their influence on when communities decide to eat. Many Spanish families would eat, then take a midday nap, a
“siesta,” during the hottest part of the day. This makes this midday break an easy way to escape harsh weather. The question of what to eat seems easier to understand: “Traditionally, we eat what is available to us,” Edwards explained. In Louisiana, corn, rice and fish were the most readily available foods. These items appear in many of Louisiana’s most popular dishes. Nowadays, better technology, better global transportation and more efficient economic trade mean there are easier ways to obtain foreign food or ensure higher-quality products. Edwards then looked at the dominant ethnic groups within New Orleans. The two communities whose influence she emphasized were the Creole community and the Cajun community. The Creole community came from descendants of French and Spanish colonies that mixed with descendants of African slaves. The Cajun community, meanwhile, was originally made up of French settlers from Nova
Poem Submission: Mighty Explorer
Humankind before the dawn.
-Photo courtesy of Wikipedia
Scotia, Canada that were exiled by the British in the mid-18th century and gradually developed to become what they are today. Creole dishes are considered “city food,” as they blend many exotic spices that can be found in the market, while Cajun dishes are considered “country food,” as most of their ingredients were found directly around them. Access to resources defined each community’s approach to food. The other important ethnic communities in New Orleans are French, German, Irish, Italian, Vietnamese, Spanish, Mexican, Nicaraguan and Guatemalan. Edwards asked the audience to identify famous foods from New Orleans. She showed pictures of famous dishes like jambalaya, crawfish and oysters, as well as iconic desserts such as bananas Foster, king cake and beignets. Edwards emphasized the importance of eating right and offered classic southern food to the students. Next semester, the Diversity Engagement Center will be sponsoring more talks like these, and all are welcome to join to learn and enjoy the food.
Photo by Cassandra Jaskiewicz Top: Crawfish is one of the many dishes unique to Louisiana. Photo courtesy of Flickr user Nieve44. Left: A fried fish poboy. Photo courtesy of Flickr user shelnew19. Right: Ann Kos Edwards giving her presentation on the food and culture in New Orleans.
BY MARVIN BRYANT JR. Contributor
How courageous this creature is to rant to nature.
Mighty this creature is with bravery, Long are the legs of this creatures Such a shame this creature is in slavery.
This creature, so weak, and so strong, Doesn’t belong off the plantation. Escape the blue planet and face a god nation.
Kingdoms, tools, and emotions are features, Bound to the blue planet, this creature a grateful slave. Escape the blue planet and face a star sized ocean wave.
What is this creature to a black hole? What is this creature to a galaxy sized star? What is this creature to a sentient parasite?
How courageous this creature is to an ant. How courageous this creature is to a plant.
Fright dwells in the heart of this creature. Nature is this crude being’s teacher. The creature, a grateful slave to the blue planet.
Fall 2018 Mineral Auction
-Photos by Terry Shields Students gathered to shop from a wide array of rocky formations on sale at the mineral auction, held at the Sandbar.
ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
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Book review: “Crudo” by Olivia Laing BY MILENA MARTINOVIC Contributor
-Photo courtesy of W. W. Norton & Company Crudo by Olivia Laing was published on June 28.
Lovers of personal essays and nonfiction may be familiar with Laing’s multilayered works, such as “To the River: A Journey,” “The Trip to Echo Spring: On Writers and Drinking,” as well as the critically acclaimed “The Lonely City,” a brilliant personal exploration of loneliness, isolation, heartbreak and creativity. Her intellectually dense yet intimate work may be reminiscent of some of the works of Rebecca Solnit and Maggie Nelson. Even though “Crudo” is Laing’s first work of fiction, it blends the personal and the public. It feels much like her nonfiction, in a more experimental, yet overall disappointing manner. The novel writes about the protagonist as if she’s alive in the summer of 2017. Kathy Acker was the real-life postpunk novelist who died in 1997, who pastiched classics such as “Great Expectations” in her own writing. It is clear Laing uses the real-life Acker as a thin veil
to tell her own story, but with a more intimate bravado taking place over her summer vacation in Italy. All of this leads up to her wedding to a poet thirty years her senior, with whom she is in a vaguely open relationship. The novel, much like the overall state of dismay, dances between the political and the personal. The neo-Nazi attack in Charlottesville, Trump’s threatening tweets to North Korea and the flood in Houston are all included and reflect the writer’s state of apocalyptic fear, her existential dread, her personal choice of getting married, and the future in general. In a way, the dismaying tone of the mundane reflects Knausgaard’s writing; add a failed attempt at Woolfian inner monologues sans insights, and you get a kind of intellectual pretentiousness only the upper class possesses. Laing is heavily British after all, no matter how much she seems to be in love with the other, the non-British. Laing, or Acker, seems to be in the constant state of restlessness, obsessing over the news and a desire to be somewhere else. While
this may be relatable to many, the depiction here falls short of interesting. The thoughts are just not that insightful, or perhaps it is that the personal comes off a tad too dry, too British. For example, the casual mention of her lover, the name-dropping of British elite, the sophisticated food and the parties and awards ceremonies. It is as if the distant tone of the novel contradicts the intimate subject matter, and thus fails to articulate the rawness of the emotion.There is a certain irony, then, since “Crudo” means “raw” in Italian, and is commonly used to describe the type of raw fish on menus. Is the author suggesting a dead fish metaphor for the state of the author? Or feeling raw? The reader may feel an even closer resemblance to dead fish after reading this thin novel. The last page in particular comes off as highly unbelievable, for the author all of a sudden cherishes love and the future, as if the rest of the book were a complete deception of herself and the reader. My advice is read “The Lonely City,” and read it again.
Album Review: Prince’s “Piano & a Microphone 1983” BY DYLAN MININGER Entertainment Editor Do you remember the last time you cried while listening to an album? I do. It was about 10 minutes ago as this album crackled through my speakers. The voice of Prince will no doubt live forever, in the same way his peaking vocals will linger in my brain as I lay in bed this evening. “Piano & a Microphone 1983” is an album of unreleased recordings of some of his more popular and lesser-known songs. All the recordings are just as the title states: it’s Prince, a microphone and his piano. Recorded around the time of the filming of “Purple Rain,” Prince recorded this single-take cassette performance in his studio. Coming in at about 25 minutes, some of the renditions are absolutely heart wrenching considering his all too recent passing. The album begins with Prince calling to his sound engineer as Prince moves into his song “17 Days,” one of my personal favorite B-side tracks from his discography. In this version, it’s like he puts on a clinic of how to handle a piano solo. Many of the songs on the album showcase his vocal range, but this song in particular reflects his massive talent on the piano. Upon my first listen, I had no idea what to expect from a posthumous album, even though it’s widely stated that he has he has enough music recorded to put out an album every year for the next century. But the chill I felt down my spine as “Purple
Rain” played, a song that only runs for about 1:27, confirmed it as one of the most powerful tracks I have ever heard. There is this sense of immense pain in his voice. There is so much pain in the original, I never thought a different version could sound even more painful. He flows through the song with a softness to his voice and a weight to his fingers as they lay down on the keys. Although the majority of this album is supposed to just be a rehearsal, it doesn’t matter; it’s Prince. It comes off like the greatest performance one might ever hear. Some of the tracks on the album really will make a serious Prince fan tear up: “Purple Rain” and “Mary Don’t You Weep,” both tracks just speaking to the soul as sketches of a man who understands his talent. Some of the more upbeat tracks contain more improvisation, hearing Prince’s heavy chain-clad motorcycle boots tapping a beat from underneath the piano as he glides along the keys. The track “Cold Coffee & Cocaine” is the perfect example of Prince’s genius on this album. He powers through the song in the voice of his early pseudonym Jamie Starr, jive-talking and nasally. This is one of my personal favorite tracks on the album, along with “Purple Rain” and “International Lover.” The album was released in late September, and I was incredibly reluctant to write about it. I had to mull over the album for quite some time, listening frequently over the course of a couple months. At first its release felt like some
-Photo courtesy of Prince Estate/ Allen Beaulieu When looking back on his previous album covers, you’ll notice none of them have the same realism and rawness that this one has.
cheap ploy from his estate, but as I mulled the record over, I realized the true intent; to provide a way for fans to cope with his death by gifting a series of recordings that show Prince in his prime state. The man was a true genius, and this album proves it. I can’t think of very many artists who could release a one-take, recorded and improvised
rehearsal from their early days and have it sound so profound. I waited to write this review because I truly had no words that would do this incredible musician justice, especially after his passing. Reviewing this album is my way of honoring the late Prince Rogers Nelson, and to thank him for all the incredible music he gave us.
For those who are unfamiliar with Prince or want to hear more of his work, I recommend the following albums: Purple Rain (1984) Sign ‘O’ the Times (1987) Prince (1979) The Hits/ B-Sides (1993)
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
inklings
COMIC & PUZZLES
Sudoku
BY HOPE BRUSSTAR
Word search
PALACIO SHEPARD POETRY BOOK QUEER GENERATION
FIRST SEX ALBUM SAINTS FOOTBALL GOLZ
FOOD CULTURE ORLEANS EDWARDS CRUDO PRINCE
Happy Holidays from the Driftwood Staff
OPINION
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2018
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COLUMN
Let’s get it on: Why aren’t people having sex anymore?
BY ERINN LANGILLE Copy Editor Millennials are having less sex than previous generations. It might seem like the world is saturated with sex, but while the imagery of sex is prevalent, people aren’t actually doing it much. Recent studies by The Centers for Disease Control, General Social Surveys and Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego University, collectively identify a serious ebbing in the sex lives of Americans, specifically the millennial generation. Americans aren’t the only ones not having sex. Nationally organized studies examining the sex lives of Brits, Finnish, Aussies, Dutch and Japanese all stress the same thing—people, especially, millennials, are having less and less sex. Isn’t this a good thing? Teen pregnancy rates have dropped, rape culture is getting called out, and people seem more unwilling to participate in sexual experiences that lack consent and consideration. While the borders of sex, inclusive of genders, desires, kinks and polyamory, seem to have expanded, they haven’t translated to more intimacy. The lack of sex and intima-
cy is deeply troubling. Sex is a healthy and vital part of human development. Along with good sex come intimacy, connection and confidence. Kate Julian writes in a recent article in The Atlantic, “Signs are gathering that the delay in teen sex may have been the first indication of a broader withdrawal from physical intimacy that extends well into adulthood.” So what is to blame? There is a wide confluence of factors offered: economic pressure, hook-up culture, the swell of anxiety disorders and “psychological frailty” among young people, access to porn, helicopter parenting which prevents kids from hanging out alone together, dating apps like Tinder and Grindr, smartphone use, marrying later, living at home with parents, TV streaming, incels, the rise of vibrators and masturbation, the #MeToo movement and feminism, a lack of real sexual knowledge and prudishness about bodies, amongst other things. The musical project Oneohtrix Point Never just released an EP called “Love in the Time Of Lexapro,” suggesting that antidepressants and other SSRIs are dulling desire. Deeply unhappy with dating options, or just plain scared to interact, it seems millennials turn to what’s easiest instead: their phones and the unbridled access they have to sexual release via porn, hook-up culture and vibrators. That, or celibacy. No one approaches anyone in public anymore; to be asked out by a stranger is “creepy” and “rapey.” The impulse to be safe is important, but how has it stifled our ability to experiment in love? A withdrawal from intimacy sure seems evident on the UNO campus. I look around and wonder: where do students
even meet? From what I can tell, the majority of students go from their cars in the parking lot and directly to class, then back to their cars. When I first went to college 20 years ago, there seemed to be a myriad of places designed specifically for students to meet up. Dating was a normalized experience within college. The college bar was always jam-packed; there were cafeterias and coffee shops, games rooms and movie nights where I could see students joking around, talking, and frankly, flirting and hoping to have sex. These interactions helped us fumble our way into the hearts, and sometimes into the beds, of fellow students. UNO has many organized events, from the Welcome Back Luau to the SUCbAUF, but I notice a distinct lack of vibrant places for people to meet and socialize on campus. The Galley has the ambiance of a tired food court, and it closes early. The Sandbar itself was closed at the beginning of the year, when new students would usually be introduced to the bar as a place to hang out. Still, the lights are often so low, and it is so empty in The Sandbar, I can’t imagine the bar inspiring so much as a random “Hello,” let alone a good time. The most active scene there is the Jazz at The Sandbar series, and I’m not here to discourage it, but it draws a much older crowd. There are other elements of UNO which work against student connection. The high percentage of off-campus students and the absence of a large campus-residing student body contribute to the emptiness of the bar, eateries and coffee shop. It’s just not realistic to stay open. The location, far from the downtown action, prevents a smooth transition from day-
to-night activities. Maybe sex isn’t that important anymore. You can die from lack of food, oxygen and water, but a lack of sex? I think for most, a lack of sex just means a certain loneliness, and the world is already really lonely, so we’ve gotten used to it. It’s easy to understand why some are celibate. Who wants to screw when you’re marginalized, fearful, disrespected, scrutinized, terrorized, held to unrealistic standards, swamped with work and threatened by climate change? All this doom makes sexual relations a low priority. But the intimacy and connection from a swath of positive sexual re-
lationships, starting naturally in young adult development, could do much to strengthen people against such difficulties. It takes work to put oneself out there, to build confidence and connection. It takes work to love and be intimate with another. It also takes opportunities for intimate exchange — social engagements, dates, activities IRL. We’d be wise to put down our phones, turn off the Netflix and the porn, get out of our parents’ houses, and get out into the world and spend time with friends. What begins as fun and friendship could safely turn into something-wink wink-more?
DRIFTWOOD Staff
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