3 Oct 2018

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

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THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Volume: 62 Issue: 6

OCTOBER 3, 2018

unodriftwood.com

Aizuri String Quartet Visits and Stuns

BY HOPE BRUSSTAR Editor-in-Chief

On Wednesday, Sept. 26, four young women visited the University of New Orleans (UNO) Recital Hall to transfix a 100-some audience with striking, modern classical music. Before the concert began, department of music chair Charles Taylor informed the audience that they were about to hear a “very, very energetic and highly expressive concert.”

Ariana Kim and Miho Saegusa were on violins, Ayane Kozasa was on viola, and Karen Ouzounian was on cello. At times, Saegusa also used a melodica.

The talented quartet opened the evening with “Carrot Revolution,” a piece by Gabrielle Smith, who once read the anonymous quotation, “The day will come when a single, freshly observed carrot will start a revolution,” and said, “I knew immediately that my piece would be called ‘Carrot Revolution.’”

Smith wrote the piece in 2015 for the Aizuri Quartet, saying that she “envisioned the piece as a celebration of that spirit of fresh observation and of new ways of looking at old things, such as the string quartet.” ”Carrot Revolution” began with many unorthodox means of creating sounds with the instruments, including dragging and plucking the strings and hitting the bodies of the instruments. The music thrummed like a wordless rock concert, the only consistent aspect of the piece being the driving beat itself. The musicians often swayed and jolted with their instruments, dancing with the unusual music.

Toward the center of the work, the music dimmed and grew introspective, but eventually regained energy. The strings zipped, the piece ended and the audience clapped and whooped.

Said composer Smith, “The piece is a patchwork of my wildly contrasting influences and full of strange and unexpected juxtapositions and intersecting planes of sound.”

After a tuning interlude of about five minutes, the women returned to the stage with “Blueprint” by Caroline Shaw.

The Aizuri Quartet are named after “aizuri-e,” a style of Japanese woodblock printing that uses a blue ink. Said Shaw, “‘Blueprint’ [also] takes its title from this beautiful blue woodblock printing tradition as well as from that familiar standard architectural representation of a proposed structure: the blueprint.”

Photo by Hope Brusstar From left to right sit violinist Ariana Kim, violist Ayane Kozasa, cellist Karen Ouzounian and violinist Miho Saegusa.

Shaw had intended for the piece to be a sort of “blueprint” of Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 6.

“This piece began its life as a harmonic reduction — a kind of floor plan,” she stated.

The work had an urgent, sharp beginning that echoed Beethoven’s more dramatic side, and it continued with a steady pace.

Then a plucky, bubbly conversation between the instruments arose. If “Carrot Revolution” was running, “Blueprint” was skipping along.

A continuous, arpeggiating melody in the background added constant motion for a while behind the hubbub, and then the instruments fell quiet, with only one clock-like, plucking voice to break the silence. Then followed a low, declining sound, like the gears of a music box slowing down and falling apart. All this was followed by something familiar, and in the music could be heard something indeed like Beethoven’s work.

Suddenly, the piece swept into a rushed flurry, and just as suddenly, it fell silent. The musicians gave a flippant two plucks on their instruments, and the piece was over.

The piece is the namesake for the Aizuri Quartet’s debut album “Blueprinting,” which went on a pre-release sale at that night’s concert.

Said cellist Ouzounian, “[Shaw] peppers her piece with all these [funny] instructions for us.” A line of music might have the note “stoic, like a marble bust,” or “Quaker meeting vibe.” At this revelation, the audience laughed uproariously.

“RIPEFG,” the third piece of the night, involved a non-string instrument: the melodica. The melodica is a wind instrument, but it looks like a small keyboard with a mouthpiece emerging from one end. It is handheld, like a clarinet, but the black and white keys

clearly delineate how notes are made. This is an instrument popular in music education and the piece’s inspiration, Ethan Frederick Greene, “liked to demonstrate his compositional ideas [on] the melodica” said violist Kozasa.

Violinist Saegusa took on the task of learning how to play the instrument for this piece. “It definitely brought some unexpected issues,” she said on stage, acknowledging that a high-altitude concert in Colorado challenged her lungs. “As a violin player, I never think much about my breath.”

“RIPEFG” stands for “Rest in Peace, Ethan Frederick Greene,” and it was written by Yevgeniy Sharlat.

“In the midst of composing this piece, I lost someone who meant a great deal to me — my former student at the University of Texas, fellow composer, dear friend, deep thinker, maverick artist, and a real mensch,” said Sharlat, speaking of Greene.

The piece had two unnamed movements, the first of which began with a whining ruckus.

Kozasa had mentioned that “there are a lot of world elements to the piece,” and several melodic influences from the East could indeed be clearly distinguished.

They didn’t last long, but they were beautiful.

The second movement began with what sounded like Kim trying to tune her violin by plucking. The beginning was slow, almost apprehensive, with plucking that combined into what seemed like raindrops in a drizzle. Throughout the movement, Saegusa had to

switch between her violin and the melodica.

Here, the sounds were those which some may never have imagined could come from string instruments. The piece developed into a violent, persistent passion, including Eastern melodies, then changed into a pure, extremely high-pitched harmony. This found its way into a silence that felt as if the piece had driven the audience furiously to, and left it abandoned in, the middle of a vast, cold, windy steppe.

The entire audience applauded heartily.

“I so wish Ethan could have heard ‘RIPEFG,’” wrote Sharlat in the program. “He would know exactly what to say about it.”

After an entertaining, funny raffle ticket drawing during the intermission, “LIFT” finished the evening. The piece was written by Paul Wiancko, whom Kim called a “dear friend.”

“He has a really interesting way of composing,” said Kim. Wiancko does not carefully theorize about rhythms and harmonies, writing down notes, trying them out, and then reworking them.

Instead, “he improvises and then writes it down,” said Kim. She also noted that when a piece is too difficult to be performed, musicians usually have the ability

to refuse a piece. “We can’t do that with Paul, because he has already played it.”

The work has three parts, the last of which bears the note “Glacial Maniacal - Lift.”

“In the middle [of the piece], there’s a surprise attack,” Kim told the audience. The entire work, she declared, was “a musical exploration of joy.”

The ending, as the third movement’s note might have hinted, really was crazy.

The standing ovation at the end of the concert was extensive and emphatic.

Taylor informed the audience that the University of New Orleans’ Musical Excursions series, which occurs throughout every academic year, would have eight concerts this season, featuring “up-and-coming artists, unusual repertoire, and ensembles that don’t usually make it to New Orleans.”

He made sure to thank the various sponsors of Musical Excursions, including the UNO Student Government Association, WWNO, the Harper Family Foundation, The Maison Dupuy, Muriel’s, Provost Mahyar Amouzegar, President John Nicklow, and College of Liberal Arts Dean Kim Martin Long.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

NEWS

A visit from the Iowa International Writing Residency Program

Tehila Hakimi reading from her fiction while the other speakers look on.

BY ERINN LANGILLE Copy Editor On Thursday, Sept. 27, 10 distinguished writers from the University of Iowa’s International Writers Residency Program came to UNO to speak to students about global literature and their experiences as writers outside of the U.S. The writers either read from their work or participated in a panel discussion. The event was held at the University Center in the Atchafalaya Room and had

over 60 attendees, mostly English and creative writing students.

The mission of the International Writers Program is “to promote mutual understanding by providing writers from every part of the world the necessary space, physical or imaginative, for creative work and collaboration in an intercultural setting.”

Neal Walsh, director of the Creative Writing Workshop at UNO introduced the panelists: Gina Cole of New Zealand; Macedonian writer Rumena Buzarovska; Rasha Khayat of

- Photo by Erin Langille Germany and Saudia Arabia; and Umar Timol, a poet and fiction writer from Mauritius. The hourlong panel discussion focused on their favorite books and how the books have influenced their work. Khayat, author of “For We Are Elsewhere Now,” stressed the importance of children’s literature in the development of writers and said, “Books I read or was read to when I was really young are still important.”

Cole agreed but argued, “I was reading books by white men from Europe, and so I never thought

writing had anything to do with me.”

It wasn’t until Cole read a Maori short story collection that she recognized herself in the literature. “[It was] the first time writing had something to do with me.

There are so many indigenous girls and boys who need to see themselves in literature.”

The author from Macedonia, Buzarovska, also spoke to the experience of exclusion.

“The issue of recognition in your writing, or finding yourself in the narrative — more and more I realize how frustrated I was as a child. Intimate narrative of women didn’t count. Now I prefer to read to girls; it helps me in my writing. My literature is politically motivated in that, and I don’t care.

Writing is political.”

The second session was devoted to readings by five other authors: poet Aušra Kaziliunaite from Lithuania; fiction writer Takiguchi Yusho of Japan; Aram Pachyan, a fiction writer and essayist from Armenia; Nigerian writer Amara Nicole Okolo; and poet, fiction writer and graphic novelist Tehila Hakimi of Israel.

Each read for 10 to 15 minutes from either a piece in progress or

a translated section from a recent collection of their work. With English as a second, or sometimes third, language, the writers read portions of their work in the original language and then in English. This prompted a discussion amongst the readers and audience on the difficulties of translation.

Some of the writers had visited classes earlier in the day to share their work with students. Poet Aušra Kaziliunaite from Lithuania attended Assistant Professor Carolyn Hembree’s poetry class and discussed her poetry work with the group.

The comfort between Kaziliunaite, Hembree and the students carried over into Kaziliunaite’s reading, the last of the evening.

She bantered and told jokes before launching into her final poems.

Afterward, drinks and food were served on the balcony, and students chatted with the visiting writers.

Neal Walsh sent a thank-you out to all the participants and said, “We had over 60 people in attendance for the panel, and 40 for the readings. I received glowing reviews of our program and hospitality from the writers and IWP administrators.”

Wild Photos

Girl Scout Troops come to UNO for STEM engagement -Photos by Terry Shields On Sept. 27, many different Girl Scouts troops came to UNO’s campus to learn more about the arts and sciences and gain a better insight into their possible futures.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

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Question of the Week

What’s your favorite class you’ve taken and why?

WITH CLAIRE SARGENT

Lionel Nosacka Senior, English

Olivia Wells Post-baccalaureate, Pre-vet

Grace Keith Freshman, Business

Austin Nunez Sophomore, Marketing

Josh Zickler Freshman, Biology

“English 3394 was my favorite course because it was really chill. We only had nine people in the class, so it was a more personal learning experience.”

“I’ve enjoyed all of the biology courses I’ve taken, especially biology II, because I enjoy learning about organisms and how they function.”

“Taking theater in high school made an impact on me because my director was really hands-on after my former director left. We ended up going to regionals and state competitions!”

“HRT was my favorite class because it taught me a lot about the tourism industry in New Orleans, and it taught me how to plan events.”

“Ethics was my favorite course because I loved the topic. I like discussing moral and philosophical issues, and Dr. Schalow is amazing.”

Iyara Pittman Sophomore, Pre-nursing

Tyler Loop Freshman, Mechanical engineering

Jackie Parks Freshman, Pre-nursing

Madison Fisher Sophomore, Chemistry

“My favorite class so far is general psychology because it was a challenging course, but my professor helped me learn a lot.”

“English 1157 with Ms. Hogan was my favorite course, because we got to be open about our personal lives during class, and it was therapeutic.”

“English 101 my senior year of high school was great because I learned not just about English, but I also learned about the inner workings of life.”

“Calculus I in high school was my favorite because it was a dual-enrollment course and we had a small class. Our teacher also brought us food a lot and made us feel important.”

“Advanced painting is my favorite because it’s my concentration, and I enjoy using paint to make art.”

Maddy Kelly Senior, Fine arts

What’s YOUR favorite class you’ve taken and why?

We want to hear YOUR opinion.

Check out our Facebook page @UNODriftwood

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

FEATURES

Delta Zeta Presented Sunflowers for Starkey

- Photos by Claire Sargent Delta Zeta sisters working at their event, Sunflowers for Starkey.

BY CLAIRE SARGENT Reporter Delta Zeta hosted their first-ever “Sunflowers for Starkey” fundraising event at UNO on Sept. 27 in the library breezeway. Students bought sunflowers while walking to and from class to support the sorority’s philanthropy. The event sold out of sunflowers within the first hour of tabling, and the sorority had to supply more from local grocery stores to keep up with the demand.

“Sunflowers for Starkey is Delta Zeta’s newest philanthropy event to raise money for those who are less fortunate and cannot afford hearing aids,” said Erica Yaeger, Delta Zeta’s philanthropy chairwoman. “Starkey Hearing

Foundation travels to almost every continent to help better the world and give the gift of hearing.”

Yaeger coordinated this philanthropy event and has coordinated other Delta Zeta philanthropy events at UNO. Maddy Kelly, a Delta Zeta sorority sister, came up with this new philanthropy event.

“We wanted to do something different, and we decided on this in particular since it was a fun and unique idea,” Yaeger said. “[Maddy] specifically thought sunflowers would be a big hit for this event, and it worked out really well.”

Yaeger also gave some insight into how much work goes into planning a philanthropy event.

“Without the help of my sorority’s executive board, I

wouldn’t have been able to do this. We all work together to make events happen by using our different strengths to come together and make events such as Sunflowers for Starkey a reality.

It takes a few weeks of planning, but the planning time can vary depending on the philanthropy event. Our major spring philanthropy event, Claws for a Cause, had a lot of details that had to be worked out in order for it to happen, so that event took a few months to finally pull it all together,” said Yaeger.

Delta Zeta’s national philanthropy is the Starkey Hearing Foundation, and all of the proceeds from Sunflowers for Starkey went to the Starkey Hearing Foundation. According to the Starkey Hearing Foundation, their purpose is to give

the gift of hearing to those in need, and they empower those who are hearing-impaired to reach their full potential. They also made a commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative in 2010 to provide one million hearing aids this decade. The Starkey Hearing Foundation works in every continent except for Australia and Antarctica to provide hearing aids globally.

Starkey Hearing Foundation has three different phases of community-based health care that they offer. In the first phase, they identify and train partners and healthcare workers, screen and give primary ear-care services to potential hearing aid candidates, take ear impressions, and create custom ear molds. The second phase consists of providing hearing

devices and custom ear molds for qualifying hearing aid patients, and then train hearing aid recipients, student ambassadors, teachers and patients on how to properly care and operate the hearing aids. They also choose and train local program teams to execute ongoing program activities. Phase three is their AfterCare program, which provides monthly services at a central location to give patients access to additional care, monitors and evaluates the program and team members, collects data and identifies new hearing aid candidates for a future phase one to begin.

“We appreciate everyone who comes to support our events, and Delta Zeta wishes to give back to our community as much as possible,” said Yaeger.

FEATURES

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

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Swampball: UNO ambassadors have another successful event

Students playing Swampball in the muddy waters in the quad.

BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ Managing Editor On Saturday, Sept. 29, the UNO Ambassadors held their annual Swampball competition. Many teams signed up and crowds of people came to both play and watch teams battle it out in the muddy water. This years theme was safari and many teams showed off it with team outfits.

Swampball is one of the largest events that UNO hosts during the fall semester. This event is a volleyball tournament played in two big pits of muddy water in the quad. Teams play against each other until only one is left. If a

student wants to play Swampball, they will pay a fee of $10, but this includes food and two games of Swampball. The UNO Ambassadors are the ones who organize and run the event. They make the teams, create the space and provide food.

The profits that the UNO Ambassadors earn with Swampball go into the many scholarships that they have for the students.

These scholarships can help many students start or continue on with their education. These are given out based on merit, leadership or financial need. The scholarship applications for the 2018 year are over, but proceeds will go forward

-Photos by Terry Shields toward the 2019 applications when they resume in early 2019.

Anyone can join in on Swampball: students, alumni or the community at large. There is a minimum of six players on a team, but students can have up to eight.

The UNO Ambassadors will find teams for players who don’t have one. All students have to do is leave their contact information with the UNO Ambassadors.

The tournament also offered drinks and food, such as hamburgers and hot dogs, for the many people who are playing.

Meredith Knauer is a grad student at UNO and studies psychology. She attended Swampball with

her sorority and was on campus with her team early in the morning. This was also her first time playing Swampball.

“I didn’t have a hard time making a team for Swampball. A bunch of people in my sorority already wanted to play. They just passed around a sheet and I put my name down, saying [that] I want to do it,” Knauer said.

Swampball is not only for the expert volleyball player, but for players of all levels. “It wasn’t hard to prepare for swampball. We paid about 10 dollars and we had to get duct tape for our shoes,” Knauer said.

Shoes coming off in the water is one of the challenges that participants face when playing Swampball.

“It hasn’t happened to anyone yet, but that’s probably because I have duct tape on my shoes. But they won’t let you get in without

the duct tape,” Knauer added.

If the time commitment is a problem, Swampball doesn’t have to take the whole day.

“You can leave when you’re done, but you can always stay and watch other games,” said Knauer.

Swampball will happen again next fall with a new theme and will welcome new challengers to the tournament.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

UNO Ambassadors’ Swampball 2018

-Photos by Terry Shields Many students came out to enjoy a game of Swampball with friends and family while sparking up friendly rivalries with the other teams. The UNO Ambassadors host this event every year to fundraise for scholarships.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT

Student writers given a chance to perform

- Photos by Cassandra Jaskiewicz

Left: Dhuha Darweesh reading her poetry. Right: The crowd waiting for the event to begin.

BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ Managing Editor On Thursday, Sept. 27, the English department had its first “Yeah, You Write” reading series in the Cove, with six student writers participating.

This event is a way for undergrad students to perform their writing in a comfortable atmosphere. English instructor Robyn Hoskins opened the event with a warm welcome and gave introductions for each of the readers.

Bernel L. Davis, Marvin Bryant, Cayla Royster, Lionel

Nosacka, Dhuha Darweesh and Sofia Gilmore-Montero all presented pieces of their writing at this event. These authors wrote and read pieces of non-fiction, fiction and poetry, some of which was semi-autobiographical. They read their work center-stage with nothing but a microphone, a chair and a spotlight.

For some of these students, this was the first time that they had ever read in front of an audience. For others, it was a chance to come back and refine their skills as orators and writers.

The new layout of the Cove gave more comfortable accommodations for the performers and the audience. The new chairs and couches made a tremendous amount of difference for both the atmosphere and engagement of the audience.

The event offered free food and drinks for the guests that attended, and the Cove was selling its regular menu items.

There were no strict requirements for submitting pieces for “Yeah, You Write,” and many of the student readers came in with different majors.

Gilmore-Montero, a foreign

language and English major in her final semester, read a fiction piece about pirates for the event.

“It was my last semester as an undergrad, and I enjoyed [“Yeah, You Write”] so much the first two times that there was no way I was going to miss it again,” Gilmore-Montero explained.

Many students who read once return again to try out new ideas and new stories that they had written.

“My piece was inspired by conversation I had with my friend and my professor,”

Gilmore-Montero explained.

For first-time readers, Gilmore-Montero had advice: “If you’re nervous, have a friend or loved one there to support you, have your fave drink or food beforehand and have the piece printed out in front of you because it gives you something to focus on.

It’s easier than reading off of your phone.”

If an aspiring writer missed out on reading at this event, another “Yeah, You Write” will be held next semester, and will accept writers of all levels.

platform shoes to demonstrate her leisurely lifestyle and sexual nature. Emelia was dressed more conservatively and in accordance with the time period.

The stage was decorated with laundry hung in the rafters, across the floor and on projector screens displaying key images of the play; there were no set changes during the 95-minute show. While the projectors sometimes felt out-of-place, they emphasized the important components of each scene and the emotions that were meant to be conveyed.

However, the endings of scenes were indicated by danc-

es between characters on stage.

Sometimes these dances indicated relationships that were tense, friendly or superficial.

While initially these dances felt out-of-place, as they would start without warning or explanation, by the end of the play, they felt more seamless and more meaningful.

“Desdemona: A Play About a Handkerchief” will continue till Oct. 6 and is free for UNO students and faculty, but $10 for UNO alumni and seniors, while general admission is $15.

This show is definitely worth seeing and very accessible for UNO students.

UNO Theater presents: Desdemona

BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ Managing Editor

On Wednesday, Sept. 26, the UNO Theatre presented its opening performance of “Desdemona: A Play about a Handkerchief.”

Many may be familiar with the Shakespearean classic “Othello,” but this version of the story dives deeper into the tragedy of Desdemona’s death and the circumstances that lead her there.

This play also highlights Desdemona’s relationships with her servant Emilia, the wife of Iago, and her good friend Bianca, a prostitute, by combining the bawdy tales from Bianca and Desdemona, the playful banter between Desdemona and Emilia and antagonistic conversations between Bianca and Emilia. This demonstrates the intricacies of female friendship and female rivalries as well as the painfully strict roles that were enforced on women of the 1600s.

This play was directed by L. Kalo Gow, assistant professor for film and theater at UNO, with three students giving great performances. Desdemona was played by Rachel Morris, Emilia was played by Emelie Lasseigne, Bianca was played

by Emily Bagwill and all of them are making their debuts on UNO’s stage.

There were only three characters in this play, making the

- Photos by Cassandra Jaskiewicz Above: An empty stage waiting for the performers to begin.

Right: Desdemona, played by Rachel Morris, and Emilia, played by Emelie Lasseigne, having a heated argument on stage. connection between the actors very important. Every scene built on the relationships, motivations and beliefs, making Desdemona’s final night alive tragic in a new way. These actors worked hard to ensure believable relationships with each other, as well as with the

audience.

The play showed a unique interpretation in costume design. Desdemona’s pink hair was perfectly curled with a matching pink dress and heels to show off her free spirit and high status. Bianca had a gaudy purple outfit with glittery gold

COLUMN

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

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#MeToo: the movement’s second wave

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford swears an oath in court.

BY ERINN LANGILLE Copy Editor We are in what some might consider a second wave of the #MeToo movement. Consider the first wave of the #MeToo movement to be marked by ‘revelation:’ the admission that sexual harassment, assault and rape culture are common and pervasive, and the revelation that such sexual violence and gender discrimination infect our most beloved and revered institutions.

The discovery of high-powered perpetrators like Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Louis C.K., Kevin Spacey, Jian Ghomeshi and others added to the sense that abuse of power was breaking open. For most women, this revelatory stage was in fact neither revelatory nor shocking. As conceptual artist, Jenny Holzer conceived back in 1983 that “Abuse Of Power Comes As No Surprise.”

So now what? Do we give those who abuse power a second chance?

“There was a sentiment among them that, regardless of any legal exoneration, I was almost certainly a world classprick, probably a sexual bully, and that I need to be held to account beyond simply losing my career and reputation,” argued Ghomeshi in the highly controversial essay “Reflections from a Hashtag,” published in the Oct. 11, 2018 issue of The New York Times Review of Books.

In 2011, Ghomeshi was fired from the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (the Canadian equivalent of NPR, making

-Photo via Wikipedia

Ghomeshi an Ira Glass-like public figure) after evidence arose that he was physically abusive to a woman. More than 20 women eventually accused him of sexual harassment, with six accusations resulting in sexual assault charges. He lost his career and his reputation, but he was acquitted on five of the charges. The last was settled out of court, with a peace bond and a public apology.

If the first wave has been marked by revelations, the second wave of the #MeToo movement could be characterized by these ‘fallouts’ or ‘second chances.’ In recent months and weeks, several examples have surfaced.

On Aug. 26, disgraced comedian C.K. made a surprise appearance at New York’s Comedy Cellar bar and performed a 15-minute set. In months prior, C.K. admitted to masturbating on women without their consent, using his fame and power to sexually harass and bully women. He subsequently lost various comedy gigs, TV shows and appearances and then faded from the limelight, until a controversial comeback nine months later.

On Sept. 25, Cosby, accused by more than 60 women of sexual harassment and rape, was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand.

On Sept. 27, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford gave testified during the Senate confirmation hearing that she was sexually assaulted to by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. To add to the list, Ghomeshi’s ar-

ticle, online currently, is to be published in print Oct. 11.

The article was so polemic because many felt that Ghomeshi lacked remorse, was guilty and unjustly acquitted and should never again be given such a powerful platform to vocalize his opinion.

It was unjust that Ghomeshi did not accurately detail his accusations, offering instead a false account that glazed over the damning facts so he would look better and less culpable.

These omissions were called out by fact-checkers and fellow citizens, and examined in follow-up articles published in Slate and Canadaland.

Ian Buruma, the editor at The New York Review of Books responsible for publishing the Ghomeshi piece, was deemed factually negligent, and left the magazine during the flurry of public outcry. In Ghomeshi’s ‘second chance’, which he didn’t deserve, it was Buruma who took the loss.

A supportive letter was written and signed by many important writers condemning Mr. Buruma’s exit. Among them was Joyce Carol Oates, who agreed with the critics of Ghomeshi’s essay, but stated in a Sept. 29 Guardian article, “I thought that terminating Mr. Buruma’s contract so abruptly was not a good or necessary decision. Mr. Buruma (whom I don’t know) is a distinguished critic, writer and editor who is certainly to be defined by far more than a single misstep. We would all wish to be given a second chance.”

Again, the notion of the second chance. What do you do with these men after they have been exposed? In the best-case scenario, the hope is that they are brought to justice, tried in a court of law and sent to jail.

Cosby would be an example, and perhaps Weinstein will be.

How do we determine which actions are single missteps, and which are patterns, systemic, ruinous and unworthy of a second chance?

What is the fallout around their behaviour if their actions are legitimately violent, harassing or non-consensual (as with Ghomeshi, who admitted this, and Louis C.K., who apologized) but are unable to be prosecuted or have been legally exonerated? What if someone is predatory, abusive, aggressive or just plain creepy? How long it long enough? Is it ever?

It depends on the case, but in order to affect real societal change, it seems that we should defend those who haven’t had a first chance at justice before defending those seeking a second chance.

“What you truly feel in the first days after being publicly accused is fear and anger,”

wrote Ghomeshi. He omitted key elements of his accusations to better his image, but in that sentiment I believe Ghomeshi was honest: fear and anger, and also rage, bubble up in men when their power is threatened.

Rage was clearly visible in Kavanaugh, clearly visible in several senators too. Their rage matters, but not in the way they would hope.

In this world, as human beings, we want to believe that we matter and that what we do matters. We want to have agency, the power to change things and to be effective. What we forget is that what matters isn’t just the good stuff, our positive achievements.

Kavanaugh insisted he “busted [his] butt” and got into the prestigious Yale University. He coaches his daughter’s basketball team. Ghomeshi described himself as “a doctriniate activist [who] wrote progressive songs.” Rapist Cosby was America’s favorite TV dad.

These accomplishments are used to justify second chances.

The question of what matters is particularly relevant in light of Ford’s testimony against Kavanaugh on Sept. 27. Should such a person accused of sexual assault, whether it was in high school or yesterday, hold a position on the U.S. Supreme Court? Should such a person be determining the lives of American citizens? — not just the girls and women hoping to have agency over their own bodies, but the millions of men who are affected by such institutionalized rape culture? Kavanaugh’s sense of entitlement and hostility was palpable.

There is this idea that Kavanaugh is being dragged through the mud, and might have his career ruined over Ford’s testimony and accusation. This comes from a growing fear, particularly amongst men, that

can’t one bounce back from accusations of bad behaviour.

But C.K., and Ghomeshi are examples of comebacks, however fraught and controversial those comebacks are. Some might say Kavanaugh is already getting a second chance.

The FBI investigation brought

by Senator Jeff Flake gives Kavanaugh and his supporters a chance to put the sexual assault allegations to rest.

Even Flake’s decision to force an FBI investigation led many to believe it was done because of a confrontation he had in the elevator with two victims of sexual assault. The women pointed fingers and demanded Flake look at them while they recounted their abuse. Maria Gallagher, one of the women confronting Flake said, “You’re telling all women that they don’t matter.”

In the realm of fallouts and second chances, who matters?

In a Sept. 1 article in The Guardian about C.K.’s return to the stage, writer Arwa Mahdawi asked, “Do people deserve second chances? Of course.

But the more important question to ask is why some people get second, third and fourth chances, while others are never even afforded a first chance.”

This second wave of the #Metoo movement is a quagmire of fallouts and second chances. For many women and survivors, they are not afforded any opportunity to bring accusations to light, let alone perpetrators to justice.

For many, the power remains in the hands of the high-profile and privileged. Many recognize that the FBI investigation is Ford’s first chance to have her claims truly justified.

Hopefully, as we wade through the realm of fallouts and second chances, what we do and say really will matter.

- photo via Wikimedia Commons Ghomeshi, previously employed by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, was fired after being accused of sexual assault.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

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Editorial

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2018

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Everyone deserves to disconnect

Studies show that after-work emails cause stress and anxiety, even if you don’t open them.

The same goes for school-related emails, and emails from your fraternities, sororities, extracurricular activities and clubs.

We all send and receive emails, and we usually do it whenever we feel it necessary, or when it is convenient for us. We don’t always think much about how it affects the receiver. However, when the expectation is that you are available all the time, the borders between work and rest erode.

Creativity and connection suffer, and we actually lose ideas and productivity.

One study, titled “Killing Me Softly: Electronic Communications Monitoring and Employee and Spouse Well-Being,” was co-authored by William Becker, an

associate professor at the Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business.

“Every time you check your email or glance at your phone to see if you have an email or other communication, your brain actually shifts back to work mode,” said Becker. “And so what can happen is you can get stuck in work mode all the time.”

But work mode doesn’t actually mean being productive.

Studies, like those on the default mode network of the brain done

by Mary Helen Immordino- Yang and her coauthors at the University of Southern California, show that the generative moments in the creation of a project, the best or new ideas around one’s work, often come when the mind is otherwise at rest, or in ‘nonwork mode’. We are unable to

focus on problem-solving and creative tasks when the minutia of emails floods the line. This isn’t to say that one should ignore responsibilities or skip work, but optimizing productivity often means working fewer hours, more intensely.

On Jan. 1, 2017, France established a law that protected workers’ “right to disconnect.”

Companies with more than 50 employees have hours when staff should not send or answer emails. The aim was to help employees be fairly paid, as their work is confined to recognizable hours, and prevent the burnout from incessant connection by increasing private time.

What about the emails students send to professors, in a panic at 2 a.m. the night before the assignment is due? The tone

Column

Places to haunt in October

BY CASSANDRA JASKIEWICZ Managing Editor October has started, and that means Halloween is only a few weeks away. Many places are amping up their spooky decorations and their connection to the great beyond. New Orleans in particular has many options opening up to the public for having a good scare and a good time.

The Mortuary is a self-guided tour through a haunted house located on Canal Street. The Mortuary has been scaring people since 2007 and this year is no different. Many students should have already seen flyers for it all over campus.

While they had a few days at the end of September that allowed guests to walk through their haunted halls, they open again on Oct. 5. and continue until Oct. 31.

The theme this year is described on their website as “Darkness spreads across the land. Lawlessness reigns. Chaos runs amok …

As the clock strikes 12, murder becomes legal!”

If driving isn’t intimidating, another horror house called 13th Gate can be found in Baton Rouge. Guests can explore 13

realms featuring different horror themes that are designed to scare and terrify.

13th Gate opens its doors on Oct 4. and continues all the way through halloween. Their theme is a carnival featuring terrifying clowns, pirates and more.

Ghost City also gives a Haunted Pub Crawl around the French Quarter. If students choose to go on this tour, they can see the many haunted bars on Bourbon Street and hear stories about Jean Lafitte and the ghosts of Tujague.

This is a tour meant for people over 21, as it allows for many stops along the way to get alcoholic beverages. Other non-alcoholic options include the “Killer and Thrillers” tour and the New Orleans Cemetery tour.

If a haunted house is too much, there are many other options to explore within the city. Prytania The-

ater will have a special showing of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” on Oct. 26 and Oct. 27 at midnight, and twice on Oct. 31 at 10 p.m. and midnight. This will also be a great opportunity to dress up and get crazy. Be sure to get there early, as the line gets long quickly and finding seats will become very difficult. Sometimes they let moviegoers buy online and other years had be at the door only.

Another cheaper option is to take another trip to movies to see the new “Halloween” movie that marks the return of Jamie Lee Curtis to the franchise. While “Rocky Horror Picture Show” is only offered for a limited time, people can take their time seeing this one, as it will come to theaters Oct. 18 and remain there for a while. For a cheaper night, people can even marathon the original movies to get excited.

of these emails is often overly casual, demanding or downright disrespectful, but it is especially dismissive of the professor’s life and time when the email comes in at a witching hour. Professors often have research or writing work of their own to do in the off-hours of school, as well as their family and social lives to consider.

Professors should be able to disconnect from student and administrative demands for certain hours of the day. Teaching assistants and adjunct faculty are particularly at risk of abuse and burn out because they are paid little, their jobs are insecure, and they usually carry other personal workloads.

Students can feel overwhelmed by the combination of school and extracurricular activities. A limit

on the times emails can be sent or received by school, professors and classmates can help, as well as limits put on extracurricular email communication.

Is it vital to email the event coordinator at 1 a.m. that the group went with green instead of yellow balloons, when they have a meeting with the coordinator the next day?

The fear of failing, disappointing people or even retribution infects the downtime of students.

Breaks from email could actually help students get much-needed rest, increase brain function, and strengthen connection with family and friends. A 12-hour window of time that is email-free would help students and professors with productivity, creativity and connection.

DRIFTWOOD Staff

2000 Lakeshore Drive, UC 252 New Orleans, LA 70148 (504)280-6377 Hope Brusstar, driftwood@uno.edu......................Editor-in-Chief Cassandra Jaskiewicz...........................................Managing Editor Crystal McCay..............................................................News Editor Erinn Langille...............................................................Copy Editor Kimberly Williams.................................................Visuals Director Nate Nguyen...............................................................Layout Editor Brennan Probst..........................................................Photographer Matt Stennis........................................................Business Manager Missy Wilkinson...................................................................Adviser

Driftwood is produced solely by students of the University of New Orleans. Driftwood publishes every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, with the exception of holiday breaks and midterms/finals week.

Letters to the Editor and columns are the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinion of the Driftwood editorial board. All letters to the Editor are subject to editing for length, style and grammar.

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