Volume: 60 Issue: 8 by Driftwood

THE COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS Volume: 60 Issue: 8

OCTOBER 26, 2016

unodriftwood.com

UNIVERSITY IMPLEMENTS ALL-GENDER RESTROOMS BY JAMIE LLOYD Driftwood Staff The University of New Orleans is an educational institution nationally-acclaimed and celebrated for its diversity, as well as its commitment to preserving said diversity between all ethnic groups, religious groups, creeds, and gender identities. In the spirit of this camaraderie, UNO has recently implemented the installation of gender-neutral restrooms around campus. The UNO Diversity Cabinet and Unity (the university’s LGBT-plus organization) have spearheaded this change, teaming up with other members of faculty and staff to create a cohesive and cooperative environment that fosters understanding. Anna Gowin, president of Unity, said the university was inspired to implement this gender-neutral bathroom policy as an effort to recognize all gender identities, as seen on a national scale. “There’s been a national push towards eliminating gendered restrooms, especially on campuses and in public spaces. That, combined with a push from Unity and the Diversity Cabinet really showed the university that gender-neutral restrooms are a welcome change at UNO.”

The gender-neutral restrooms are not solely designated for the use of university students. Gowin believes that their presence can serve a broader scope of individuals, explaining that these gender-neutral restrooms “are for everyone. Faculty, students, even visitors to campus. While transgender and non-binary students will obviously benefit a lot from the addition of the bathrooms, they’re not the only ones. Single parents, for instance, and other members of the incredibly diverse student body at UNO.” Eight gender-neutral restrooms will be introduced to the campus— specifically four additions to the International Center, one addition on the first floor of the library, and three in the Education building (one on each floor). While eight restrooms may not seem like much now, it is a step towards including all gender identities and needs on campus, making them a valuable asset to university life and student well-being. While the gender-neutral restrooms are certainly new additions to campus, the actual facilities themselves are not new at all, so the transition from single-user to gender-neutral restrooms is made much easier. “All of the bathrooms are single user restrooms that have always existed, but were previously gen-

Peggy Gaffney, left, director of diversity affairs and assistant dean in the College of Business Administration, and Christy Heaton, director of orientation and programs, discuss the new gender neutral bathrooms. Photo courtesy of UNO

der-divided. The only change that had to be made to designate them as gender-neutral was a change in the sign.” The change will only affect a few restrooms currently, but Gowin hopes in the near future that more will be prevalent on campus. “In a perfect world, I would love to see all the bathrooms on campus be gender-neutral,” said Gowin.

“But realistically, I think it would be great to have a gender-neutral bathroom in every building on campus.” Gowin also shed light on what the university can further expect down the road in terms of fostering a more gender-neutral and inclusive environment. “The executive board has talked in the past about how much we would love to see

gender-neutral housing initiatives through the dorms and Privateer Place. We’re hoping the success of the restrooms will open the door for that to become a reality. We’d also love to see the process become easier for trans and non-binary students to change their preferred name and pronouns through platforms like Moodle and Webstar.”

Anime Genshiken Club holds annual forest Halloween event

UNO Anime Genshiken Club members dress-up for their Halloween event, “Test of Courage,” in the forest next to Privateer Place. Photo by Brennan Probst

BY ROXANNE ARDEKANI Driftwood Contributor This year the University of New Orleans’ Anime Genshiken Club put on their third-annual Halloween event in the forest next to Privateer Place, where students take the “Test of Courage,” a Japanese form of a haunted house where people, usually teenagers,

are paired together and must walk through a terrifying path to prove their bravery. Raphael Mariano, advisor to the club, said, “This event has grown so much from the first time we did it…it’s a lot safer and we have a flow of what to expect working in the forest.” Gabrielle Richard, the club’s president, spearheaded the event.

He said his primary goal was to have something Halloween themed, and the forest was one of the only places on campus he thought was appropriate for a scary Halloween affair. The club’s haunted forest won “Event of the Year” at the Leadership Recognition Ceremony last year. Bren LeMaire and Rachel Geisz, co-head and co-chair of the club, chose the theme of this year’s haunted house: “Japanese Horror,” with inspiration from the Japanese Suicide Forest and the Island of the Dolls. A decrypted old woman, the hag, played by Raphael Mariano, and a funeral woman, played by Bren Lemaitre, dressed in black kimonos and greeted the guests with questions about their coffins. The guests then chose a lantern or a flashlight and were guided toward the entrance of a dark forest and sent off for the Test of Courage. Contemporary Japanese myths begin to unfold as the walk through the ominous forest goes on. Kuchi-

sake-onna, played by Rachel Geisz, is prominent in the forest and asks if she is pretty before pulling her surgical mask down and revealing a slit along her lips. The myth says that if someone answers “yes,” she will cut his or her face like hers; if they say “no,” they are dragged to hell. According to Japanese folklore, if she is thrown candy or answered “you’re average,” she gets confused and leaves. A nopperabo (a faceless man), appears when the entrance is finally seen, and a teke teke (a half-bodied woman), begins to crawl and chase people out. The Japanese myth about a teke teke involves a woman who was run over by a train and half of her body was cut off. She is in an endless search for the bottom half off her body. Mariano said, “Money is always a factor. This is a haunted house. We’re not trying to compete with the House of Shock or the haunted houses locally, we’re trying to do something of our own on campus.” LeMaire said, “As co-head and

treasurer, I can tell you that it was a bit pricey. We had a fundraiser and we used most of the money from it and a little bit of club funds. We also used donations.” Kimonos and the straw hat that were worn by the hag and the funeral woman were handmade by Bren Lemaire. Richard donated the porcelain dolls for decoration, and Geisz donated donated the flashlights that were being used for the haunted house. Many local Japanese-enthusiast stores allowed the club to put up flyers for the haunted house, such as Delgado, Kawaii Nola, +1 Gaming, Crescent City Comics, and Go 4 Games. Richard said, “Our stuff is so open to the public. We like to make people all over the city know about it. This is a haunted forest and it is Halloween season, so we want other people to know about it, not just UNO.”

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

New Orleans mayor signs new gun safety ordinance BY MINDY JARRETT Copy Editor On April 21, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced plans to sign an ordinance aimed at promoting gun safety in the city. In conjunction with New Orleans City Council members Jason Williams and James Gray, the Gun Safety Ordinance passed unanimously at the City Council’s criminal justice committee meeting on August 31 and was signed into law on Sept. 12. “Public safety is our top priority, and in order to keep our citizens safe, we must do everything we can to promote gun safety and reduce

gun violence on our streets and in our community,” said Landrieu. The ordinance does three things. First, it sets new requirements for reporting lost or stolen guns, requiring the owner of a lost or stolen firearm to report it an NOPD officer within 48 hours. A first offense will carry a one-time $250 fine, and subsequent offenses will carry a $500 fine. Second, it makes all New Orleans Recreation Development Commission – NORDC – facilities firearm-free zones, and violators carry a punishable offense of a $500 fine or six months’ imprisonment. This ordinance extends the firearm-free zone to all 104 NORDC facilities throughout the city.

Third, it criminalizes the negligent carrying of a concealed firearm, also punishable by a $500 fine or six months’ imprisonment. “These ordinances, in the larger, deal with the instrumentality that is used, which is a gun. And so, gun responsibility is where this council can have an effect,” said Williams. While state law does not address the issue of lost or stolen guns, it does punish possession of firearms in already-established firearm-free zones: on or within 1,000 feet of a school campus, on a school bus, or at a facility where a school event, such as a prom, is taking place. The negligent carrying of a concealed firearm is a carbon copy of the state law.

Both Williams and NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison spoke regarding the second amendment. “This ordinance is about gun safety and responsibility. In no way, shape, or form does this ordinance seek to take away a firearm from a law-abiding citizen,” said Williams. Harrison said, “What we do not need, what we do not want, and what we will not do, is infringe on anyone’s right to legally own and/ or legally carry a firearm. We’re just asking that gun owners be responsible with the weapons they already have.”

Photo by Nathan Nguyen

Innocent American Muslims pay Bloomberg Terminal offers valuable for crimes they didn’t commit BY ANJANAE CRUMP Managing Editor According to the Pew Research Center, it is estimated that over 3.3 million Muslims reside in the United States as of 2015, and that number is predicted to double by 2050. Though a major component of American idealism is the freedom to practice any religion, when Islam is the choice, America’s acceptance often comes up short. “New Orleans is a heavily diverse city with a large Muslim community, but just drive 30-45 minutes toward any direction, and the discrimination increases dramatically. I have been working in Slidell for a good month now and in those 30 days or so I’ve been told to ‘go back to Syria’ (although I’m Palestinian) or similar ignorant statements after I was heard speaking Arabic with my business partner,” said junior Rabee Hindi. Terrorism’s entire point is to increase tension. The terrorist attacks on 9/11, attributed to the Islamic extremist group Al-Qaeda, are a reminder to Americans every year of the lasting impact these attacks can cause. Still, violent terrorist acts continue to be carried out all over the world, including the most recent major attack here in the United States: the nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, carried out by a self-proclaimed affiliate of the Islamic terrorist group ISIS. These widespread negative representations of Muslims leave many innocent members of this religion victim to the blame here on American soil. “As an American Muslim, acts of terror affect me in many negative ways. I watch the news almost every day, and I cringe every

time I hear the word ‘explosion,’ ‘terror,’ ‘shooting’ or ‘bomb.’ Whenever I hear these words I have to be ready to defend myself from the verbal abuse, harassment and discrimination that will come from people who are my neighbors and peers,” said junior Hanan Hinnawi. Sophomore Rokaya Gharib said, “A lot of people, believe it or not, are [prejudiced], especially in the airport. With TSA, when I go into [security], the alarms don’t go off, but they still double check me; and I thought they do that to everyone because I’m so used to them doing it to me, but I look around and they don’t do that to anybody else.”

of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to end these threats.” In a previous speech, he blatantly called for a “complete and total shut down of Muslims entering the United States.” “[This] bothers me because he’s saying it, and everyone’s watching; it’s on TV, it’s viral, so when he says that…it’s affecting all Muslims, and it just makes us seem really bad, and it makes it worse for us,” said Gharib. Hinnawi said, “Donald Trump is a disgrace to America. America is a melting pot; we have different religions, cultures [and] skin colors that make this country beautiful. The fact that he has even stayed in the running for president is absurd…I am still confused why someone would even think he is fit to run for president. This man is delusional. He is playing with fire, and if he gets elected we will get burned. He is making remarks about Muslims and without consideration. - Rokaya Gharib, sophomore He doesn’t understand that he will be losing support from many “People in the streets are very foreign allies.” [prejudiced]. Like one time I was “I’m not only a Muslim livout during Mardi Gras, uptown, ing in America, I’m an Ameriwith my best friend, and I was can-born citizen that loves this just walking in the crowd, and country. He doesn’t understand this one boy yelled out that I had that if any threat hits our shores, a bomb on me because I had a me and the majority of Muslims backpack on,” Gharib added. in this country will be the first to This attitude isn’t only taken on strap their boots and defend this by everyday people in everyday great, free nation,” said Hindi. situations; Presidential candidate Gharib expressed what both Donald Trump has expressed the Hinnawi and Hindi both ultimately felt. She said, “I just want to same sentiments. During a speech he gave on be equal…I think that people just June 13 in Manchester, New need to learn more about the reHampshire, Trump said, “When ligion and stop stereotyping beI’m elected, I will suspend immi- cause a lot of people don’t know gration from areas of the world anything about Islam, and it’s a where there’s a proven history shame.”

“I was out during Mardi Gras... just walking in the crowd, and this one boy yelled out that I had a bomb on me because I had a backpack on.”

opportunities for business students BY JAMIE LLOYD Driftwood Staff Bloomberg may not be a word that is often synonymous with excitement; however, for business majors at the University of New Orleans, it is a word synonymous with growth and opportunity. For the past three years, UNO has hosted a Bloomberg machine, more formally known as the Bloomberg Terminal, which is a powerful database that allows users to perform business, financial and economic analysis. Here prospective entrepreneurs can get hands-on experience with a machine that performs valuable functions in the world of business such as marketing data and analysis, downloading graphs, and computing comparative statistics in global markets. “Bloomberg Terminal is a big database, a tool for finance where you can download information, get information [and] read graphs,” explained Duygu Zirek, assistant professor of finance at UNO. “We need data to publish papers. We are glad to have it for research purposes.” Zirek has been a Bloomberg advocate for years, having been certified through the Bloomberg Terminal during her time as a university student. Although the terminal is mainly used by Ph.D. students to download data, anyone can be certified. The terminal utilizes a different keyboard and two separate screens that can be split into four, which may seem intimidating to some students, however the certification process is largely selftaught, where users can learn the ropes of Bloomberg at their own pace.

“To get certified by Bloomberg, it takes about six to eight hours,” Zirek explained. “You don’t have to do it all together—you can stop, come back, and start again.” “In my MBA class, I make it a requirement to be Bloomberg certified. For my undergrad students, I make it a bonus to be Bloomberg certified,” Zirek said. “Although it is not required, I tell them that the certification is very useful for industries, specifically.” Additionally, the certification is at no cost for UNO students. Whereas typically a Bloomberg certification may have users shelling out upwards of a hundred and fifty dollars, it is free at UNO. “Because we have Bloomberg here, we make use of it, because it is free here.” Zirek said that in the three years since the university has carried the Bloomberg Terminal, she has seen an increase in undergraduates desiring to be certified, expressing interest beyond just getting extra points for class. “Many business schools have more than one terminal—so it’s great that we have one,” Zirek said. Although some universities have more than one Bloomberg machine, she pointed out that having even one terminal to offer the university is an asset that should be taken advantage of by aspiring business students, opening doors to new prospects down the road. “I am definitely seeing increased interest. When I mention the Bloomberg terminal, people are impressed to hear that,” Zirek said. “We are quite proud to have it as a business school.”

NEWS

27th NOLA Film Festival showcased local talent, received little national recognition

Courtesy of New Orleans Film Festival

BY CHRISTOPHER WALKER Editor-in-Chief On Oct. 12, hundreds of members of the New Orleans Film Society packed into the Orpheum Theater in downtown New Orleans to kick off the twenty-seventh annual New Orleans Film Festival. The opening film of the festival began with “LBJ,” a film direct-

ed by Rob Reiner starring Woody Harrelson, both of whom were in attendance. The New Orleans Film Festival is now a nationally respected festival that came to serious prominence during the last decade when Louisiana created some of the most generous filming tax credits in the world. The New Orleans Film Festival lasted from Oct. 12 -20, and

every day had several full-length features and collections of short films playing throughout the city. Producer John Wood, who put together the short film “Plaquemines” that was one of the larger budget short films of the festival, said, “I found this year’s film festival very interesting since there were a few shorts that I was quite impressed by, but less so by the features. I went to the animation block at the aquarium and was blown away by the entertainment value.” Two notable movies the festival screened were “Moonlight” and “Manchester by the Sea.” “Manchester by the Sea” won the grand prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the most coveted award in cinema. “Moonlight” deals with growing up gay in a poor, black neighborhood and explores the theme of hyper-masculinity in black culture. However, due to the cessation of the film tax credits, Louisiana is not a hotspot for cinema this year. Therefore, many large distributors and studios chose to not bother entering their films in this year’s festival. That meant more local productions got a spotlight at NOFF. “This year had way more very independent films. I think the only true theatrical releases shown this year will be ‘LBJ,’ ‘Book of Love,’ ‘Moonlight,’ and ‘Manchester by the Sea,’” said Wood. “I feel like this year was a much better experience for true artistic films that normally wouldn’t be front and center. I actually prefer this method of programming.”

Jazz Studies student awarded scholarship

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

What are you dressing up as for Halloween? My sister has been pestering me to be the John Adams to her Thomas Jefferson for many years, so I think I might do that.

AMANDA COFFEY English, Senior

For me, I am dressing up as a Pokémon Trainer. I am currently a fanatic when it comes to Pokémon and that’s it. You only dress up in something for Halloween if you’re interested in it, so just go for it.

JOHNNY MCGOWAN Film, Senior

I plan as dressing up as Harley Quinn. I saw Suicide Squad and really liked her style and the movie.

RAINA ANTOINE Sociology, Freshman

I’d probably dress up like a doctor. It’d be cool to see how it would feel just wearing the outfit for a day.

SRILASYA GARIGIPATY Civil Engineering, Sophomore

The Nate and Priscilla Gordon Endowed Scholarship for Jazz Studies was awarded this year to Xavier Reed-Molina at a ceremony during the Jazz at the Sandbar concert on Wednesday, October 19, 2016. Pictured above left to right : Xavier with Nate and Priscilla Gordon. Photo by Don Keller

FOR BETTER OR WORSE

6 killed, 12 wounded this past week in New Orleans gang violence

Saints lose against the Kansas City Chiefs 21-27

AT&T buys TimeWarner for $85.4 billion

Voodoo is right around the corner

Transgender bathrooms get the OK from UNO

I’m probably going to do something like a nerd costume, it’s easy and fun.

SULTAN ALMALKA Mechanical Engineering, Sophomore

Compiled by Nathan Nguyen

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

SPORTS

UNO student-athletes get lessons in diversity and inclusion

Guest speaker Derek Greenfield offers advice to student-athletes. Photo coutesy of UNO Athletics

BY UNO ATHLETICS It was a session filled with joy, laughter, entertainment and tears as student-athletes at the University of New Orleans learned life lessons from guest speaker Derek Greenfield on the power of diversity and inclusion within an athletic department and how it can improve performance in athletics and everyday life. The two-hour session was part of the commitment to developing the total student-athlete at UNO and was organized by Kirsten Elleby, Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Enrichment. “It was just good for our student-athletes to get together, to be able to learn more about each other

and to know they are not alone and we have resources and people in place to support them,” said Elleby. Greenfield’s presentation was energetic, featuring hip-hop culture, which held everyone’s attention throughout the evening. “I loved his style,” redshirt-freshman Corey Vinson said. “As soon as I heard the music, he got my attention. He had very positive vibes along with very exciting motives.” Greenfield, a former college professor, called his presentation “Confronting Ourselves: Diversity, Cultural Confidence and Inclusive Excellence in UNO Athletics.” He described it as an interactive community experience. “When we talk about diversity, we usually start debating ideas, but

I like to start with experiences,” Greenfield said. “I can disagree with you on an idea, and that might drive us apart; but I can’t disagree with your experiences. But when I see you, hear you, and understand you, then we’ll support each other, and we are all better in the end.” Junior basketball guard Randi Brown was impressed with how comfortable Greenfield made everyone feel. “I never would have thought some people would get up and express themselves in front of everybody,” said Brown. “You just never know what people are going through, and it just makes you look at people differently.” Sophomore Danny Cohen said that Greenfield’s message has already helped the team.“I feel like we are going to be a lot closer than before. You understand that everybody comes from some place different and has a different story. We need to understand that, come together and deal with it as a team.” “Dr. Greenfield’s message made them look at themselves and others in a different light,” Elleby added. “They need to know we are a family here and family takes care of each other.” Student-athletes also got tips on nutrition from nutritionist Amy Davis of Swegs Kitchen, a partner with UNO Athletics.

UNO men’s, women’s basketball to play 15 televised contests BY UNO ATHLETICS One day after getting the home crown excited about the 201617 season with the Turn Up At 10 event, the University of New Orleans men’s and women’s basketball teams will have several opportunities to prove themselves to a much more far-reaching audience as the Privateers are slated to play 15 televised contests during the upcoming campaign. UNO will see time on eight different networks, including a combined six games on ESPN3, with the men’s squad will play 10 televised games and the women playing five. When not being broadcast by an affiliated network, the Privateers will be featured throughout the season with audio and video options on-line via the UNO Showcase. The women’s season opener at Alabama on Nov. 11 kicks off the Privateers’ coverage as the contest will be televise on SEC Network Plus. UNO head coach Keeshawn Davenport’s squad will also play a Dec. 20 televised showdown at Texas, which can be seen on the Longhorn Network, while the Privateers’ Southland Conference contests at Lamar on Jan. 5, at Stephen F. Austin on Jan. 29 and at Southeastern Louisiana on Feb. 11 will each be carried on ESPN3. Those three conference showdowns will also feature ESPN3

coverage for the men’s games which follow on each respective date, and head coach Mark Slessinger’s unit will play before a televised audience seven times during the non-conference portion of the schedule. The men’s coverage begins on Nov. 16, when the contest Oklahoma State will be aired on Fox Sports Southwest Plus, and the Privateers will be carried twice locally on Cox Sports Television in home against Tulane on Nov. 29 and Louisiana-Lafayette on Dec. 17. The other televised game for the UNO men are at Southern California on Nov. 22 (Pac-12 Network), at Washington State on Dec. 3 (Pac-12 Network), at Northwestern on Dec. 11 (Big Ten Networks) and at Utah State on Dec. 19 (Mountain West Network). Both teams will have additional opportunities to play on ESPN3 as all of the Southland Conference Tournament’s first-, second- and third-round contests will be carried on ESPN3 live from Katy, Texas. The men’s championship game, which is slated for March 11, will be aired on ESPN2 and the women’s title contest on March 12 will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. For ticket information for the upcoming campaign and future Privateer Athletics events, contact the UNO Athletics Ticket Office at (504) 280-GAME (4263).

FEATURES

Over a million herpes cases diagnosed annually BY ROXANNE ARDEKANI Driftwood Contributor Due to its asymptomatic presence, many who have the herpes virus are unaware that they are carriers. The virus, which comes in two forms: HSV-1 and HSV-2, can be spread by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has the disease. More than half of the U.S. population has type 1, which usually comes in the form of oral herpes. Though it is uncommonly known, herpes simplex type 1 can also be spread to the genitals through oral sex. “There are about 1 million new cases of genital herpes in the United States every year and over 45 million cases in Americans over the age of 12. That’s 1 in 5 Americans who have genital herpes. Over 100 million Americans have oral herpes,” said University of New Orleans Assistant Professor and Director of the Stress, Cognition, and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory Elliott A. Beaton. “Herpes is a disease caused by a group of DNA viruses called herpesviruses, or Herpesviridae. People used to think that one was genital and one was mouth herpes, but they [can] both infect [the] genitals or [the] mouth. You can have mouth herpes and pass it to your sexual partner via oral

sex, and he or she would now have genital herpes. The viruses are not site-specific.” While herpes outbreaks can be alleviated by the use of medicine, the disease itself will never go away. “It’s best to assume that any cold sore or fever blister is a herpes infection,” said Beaton. “It can be passed via casual contact, including a simple kiss between parent and child or two friends sharing food or a drink. Symptoms can be mild, and sores may not be easily visible especially inside mouth, vagina or rectum.” While some may shed, or pass on, the virus, they do it without displaying any obvious symptoms. Those who are prodromal, meaning pre-symptom-showing, can also transmit the virus unknowingly. Autoinoculation, which involves spreading the infection from one part to other parts of the same body, is also possible. Generally, STD screenings do not include testing for the herpes virus; therefore, many walk away without realizing that the herpes virus could still be looming throughout their bodies. “The first three times I was tested, my results came back negative because the viral-culture tests are extremely inaccurate. I went to a different doctor and had blood

work done for an antibody test, and my results showed up positive for HSV-1, and it was clear that I was recently infected,” said an anonymous UNO student. “It is possible to have false positives,” said Beaton. “So, if that person has no history of symptoms and does not engage in unprotected sex, the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] recommends that testing for herpes virus be done with symptoms present.” Herpes can also affect the mental health of people. “I get outbreaks around my mouth much more frequently than on my genitals, and it’s extremely embarrassing because my classmates can see it,” said a student. “I feel upset and down when I have outbreaks because it’s a visual reminder of my disease.” Beaton said, “HSV lies dormant in nerve cell ganglia and it travels back to the skin, usually involving some type of stress to the immune system. Other triggers include too much sun exposure, menstruation, illness and anxiety.” The anonymous student said, “I would say always practice safe sex by using condoms from start to finish, always use condoms and dental dams for oral sex, and get checked for STD’s before and after every partner.”

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

FINANCING YOUR FUTURE TODAY

BY FERNANDO J. SABALLOS Driftwood Contibutor Common stock, as the name implies, is the form of stock that is most easily recognized by the public. However, there is another form of stock that publicly traded companies often make available to the investor: preferred stock. A preferred stock is a type of ownership in a corporation with a higher claim on the company’s assets and earnings than common stock. Preferred shares generally have a dividend that must be paid out before dividends to common shareholders, but the preferred shares usually do not carry voting rights. Think of the preferred as a hybrid between a common stock and a bond. However, unlike bonds, which always carry a maturity date, preferred stock rarely has a maturity

date. They are callable, meaning the company can take the shares away from you after they have paid for them. Similar to bonds, the yields on returns are determined by the credit ratings of the company – the poorer the rating, the higher the risk, but potentially, the higher the yield. Preferred stock can be an attractive investment due to its fixed dividends and relatively low trading price. In some cases, it can be advantageous over the common stock. For example, a company that is trading common stock at $50 per share with a 12-cent dividend per share may also have issues of preferred stock trading at $25 per share with a 26-cent dividend. This scenario yields a lower initial investment cost with a higher dividend income. The dividends are potentially qualified, meaning if they meet certain requirements, they will be taxed at a lower rate than of a typical common stock dividend. A preferred scenario, indeed! Despite the possibilities of being called away, it’s a relatively affordable method of producing regular income, compared to a bond, and it has a reduced risk of volatility compared to a company stock. It’s worth further consideration as an addition to one’s investment portfolio.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

FEATURES

Students experience aftermath of terrorist attack Editor’s note: The effects of terrorism can be long lasting. This summer, as UNO students studied abroad in France, there was a large-scale terrorist attack in Nice, France, close to where they were staying. Some students on the trip were deeply affected by the incident, and still feel its effects to this day. The Nice attack took place earlier this year on the evening of Bastille Day, Thursday, July 7.

BY BRITTANY KARNO Driftwood Staff Earlier that day in Montpellier, the University of New Orleans study abroad group enjoyed the Tour de France parade and watched as cyclists rolled past SupAgro, the university where the program’s classes took place. Sponsors zoomed by miles ahead of the cyclists, throwing hats, bags, magnets, key chains and pillows that publicized each company’s logo to enthusiastic onlookers. “It’s crazy, the Tour of France passed us that morning, and the ter-

rorist attack happened that night. I, or any of the young women and men with and near me could have been hurt,” said junior Ausinikka Hunter. The next day, as UNO students walked across campus from class to the cafeteria for lunch, they noticed a large group gathered in silence outside of the cafeteria. After five silent minutes, a SupAgro professor said a few words to the group. “The moment of silence shows the victims respect and also communicated to those affected that they are not alone,” said junior Sidney Yearling. Some students were informed of the catastrophe when they woke up to missed calls from concerned family members. “It was as if my mom’s nightmare, the one thing she had been dreading about me going abroad, had come true,” said Hunter. Other students did not hear about the Nice attack until the study abroad group left for Paris the next morning. The group boarded a bus that took them straight to Montpellier’s train station. Students were instructed not to draw attention to the group, as public places were on high alert. Hunter said, “The presence of

Assemblée Nationale flags at half-mast in Paris, France following terrorist attack.

French soldiers increased; however, their presence wasn’t threatening at all. There’s a big difference between what I felt in France, compared to any mass shooting in America.” “In many ways, I still felt safe abroad. I can’t quite explain it, but in America, there’s always this re-

alization that you can be the next victim. In Montpellier, there wasn’t any violence, but I do realize that everything looks different from the outside looking in,” said Hunter. Parisians also mourned the 86 dead and 434 injured. French flags flew at half-mast at the National Assembly in the center of Paris in

Photo courtesy of Brittany Karno

the days following the attack. Yearling had similar feelings to Hunter concerning the increased security. “It seemed like everywhere we went there were soldiers ready just in case something was to happen. Believe it or not, I felt safe. Here in the US, that’s something you don’t see everyday.”

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

secure your spot! Live here and meet the University of Louisiana System on-campus residency requirement!

avoid disappointment and secure your room at Privateer Place today!

make yourself at home!

stop searching, start living!

free parking

no meal plan required

housing scholarships accepted

fully furnished units

2000 Lakeshore Drive | Located near the Cove lease online privateerplaceUNO.com call 504.270.1979

swimming pool

*Terms & Conditions apply.

THE PSY.D. PROGRAM IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY AT XULA PREPARES GRADUATES TO MAKE A CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES

THE CHICAGO SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AT XAVIER UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA EDUCATION

INNOVATION

SERVICE

COMMUNITY

THECHICAGOSCHOOL.EDU/XULA

504-656-4833

ENTERTAINMENT

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

Your UNO-friendly Halloween guide to New Orleans’ most haunted attractions BY JAMIE LLOYD Driftwood Staff All dressed up and no place to go this Halloween season? Here’s a UNO-friendly guide to get out there and hit up some of the area’s most notorious haunted attractions. If trick-or-treating isn’t cutting it anymore, consider attending one of these haunted houses.

HOUSE OF SHOCK $25-30

Open Oct. 27-31, from 7 - 11 p.m.

House of Shock has never disappointed thrill-seekers looking for a more high-octane approach to their typical haunted house. The set-up that greets thrill-seekers is more of a delightfully deranged amusement park, or perhaps a more twisted, ap-

palling version of a music festival, equipped with a full-fledged stage show, local heavy metal bands blasting out full-throttled performances, a merch booth, and a bar to entertain (and perhaps sedate) haunted-house goers. Other pregaming entertainment includes sword-swallowers, tight-rope walkers, and pretty much anything else that could give someone nightmare fuel. Of course, the best part is ultimately the house itself—a twisting, 45-minute foray of terror—where houseguests are at the mercy of clowns (no laws here—these clowns are off-leash), fire-breathing creatures, and a few scenes from hell along the way. Think this is all hype? Just ask any of the thousands of people who pass through any given weekend and see why the Travel Channel once dubbed this place “The Most Extreme Haunted Attraction in America.”

THE MORTUARY $25-30

Open Oct. 27-31, from 7 - 11 p.m.

In the not-too-far off area around Canal Street and City Park Avenue lies the notorious Mortuary— famous for once being an actual funeral home. In recent years, however, the Mortuary is known amongst local haunted attractions for showcasing an impressive array of aesthetics, which may not have the production value of the House of Shock, but makes up for it with dark, Victorian charm. While in line for the now-haunted attraction, the hottest new music videos are juxtaposed between frightening promo videos of zombies and flesh-eating monsters; a friendly reminder that this is not exactly a neighborhood haunted house. New terrifying editions in the house include rooms of total and utter darkness and a basement of swashbuckling, undead privateers. The ghostly spiels of poltergeists and vampires by house actors may seem recycled; however, for the first-time

haunted house guest, the Mortuary is still an affordable and ghoulish experience, especially since it’s a ten-minute drive from UNO. Don’t feel like paying the full price for the full scare? Donate blood and get in for free - that’s right, free - and skip the general admission line, another perk and perhaps spook of this haunted attraction.

13TH GATE $25-30

Open Oct. 26-31, Nov. 4-5, from 6:30 - 11:30 p.m.

Just far enough out of NOLA’s city limits, but not too far, this haunted attraction has garnered the talk of the haunted house underworld nationally. The 13th Gate is a full-fledged, sensory-overloaded experience that does not accommodate or apologize for the mas-

sive scares it gives guests. Even the line to get into the attraction is scary, snaking two-thirds of the way around the building on some nights—but the wait is worth it for those who can stomach the tension. Upon entering the 13th Gate, however, the scene vastly changes, and the sights that greet guests become all too real—an ambitious and imaginative gothic landscape that pays tribute to some of the most wellknown horror films—with all of the staples of traditional haunted houses— and a healthy Halloween dose of the macabre. The 13th Gate is brilliantly effective and surprisingly terrifying. No buzz kill here: this is a-one-of-a-kind, fully-interactive attraction that leaves house-goers with shocking after-images and enough adrenaline to get on I-10 and head back to NOLA, only to return next year and take the ride over again with a friend or two. There’s still time to get some scares in before the Halloween season—pick a house to haunt or haunt them all!

Home Box Office bets big on “Westworld,” and it pays off BY LONES GAGNARD Driftwood Staff Home Box Office’s (HBO) new hit show, “Westworld,” premiered on Oct. 2 and has kept audiences captivated ever since. With “Game of Thrones” coming to a close, HBO needs another big-budget series to draw millions of viewers in each week, and they’ve decided to bet big on “Westworld:” The first season cost upwards of $100 million. This new series is adapted from the 1973 film of the same name, which was written and directed by Michael Crichton, the man behind the original “Jurassic Park” novel. HBO’s series picks up where Crichton’s movie left off. Westworld is a Western-themed amusement park for adults, but only for those adults who can afford the single-day price tag of $40,000. Visitors come to the park, which has no rules or regulations, to live out their wildest fantasies, putting robotic hosts through their darkest

nightmares. Everything from horses to prostitutes are created in a high-tech command center before being released into the park where staff can overlook their debaucherous creations. The show revolves around these robotic hosts and the morality dilemmas that comes along with visitors acting as gods. Hosts are stuck in their respective narrated loops, living the same routine every day until a guest kidnaps or kills them. Park staff members update, clean, operate, and even wipe the hosts’ memories to ensure that they are in tip-top shape at the end of each day. However, tiptoeing the line of creation has its consequences. Guests become new versions of themselves upon arrival, often choosing between violent expeditions or carnal pleasures with the prostitutes of the town. The park director, played by Anthony Hopkins, begins installing updates into the hosts so that their gestures pull on past experiences,

Courtesy of HBO

giving them an extra touch of realism. Unfortunately, the park’s hosts do not have the happiest experiences to draw from and begin malfunc-

tioning in ways never seen before. “Westworld” has as much of a psychological analysis as it does action-packed shootouts, keeping au-

diences interested at all angles. The philosophical themes touch on the eternal question: why are we here, and what is our purpose?

IMPORTANT DATES FOR PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Voter registration ended Oct. 11. Early voting is Oct. 25 - Nov. 1 from 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., excluding Sundays. Election day is Nov. 8 from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. Nov. 4 is the last day to request an absentee ballot.

ENTERTAINMENT

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

Ava DuVernay’s Netflix Original Series “13th” shows the journey from plantations to prisons

Civil rights activist, Angela Davis, shares her thoughts on the oppression of African-Americans in America. Courtesy of Netflix

BY ANJANAE CRUMP Managing Editor The Netflix original documentary, “13th,” by award-winning director Ava DuVernay, shines light on the issue lots of Americans choose to push to the side. While out of sight and out of mind for some, it is an unavoidable, damning reality for millions; many of whom wake up in a six-by-nine cell every day because the color of their skin is

deemed criminal before any crime is even committed. The film forces us to re-evaluate the thirteenth amendment and what it truly did for America. In school, we are taught that the thirteenth amendment officially abolished slavery; but in reality, this film makes it apparent that this did not happen as clean-cut as the history books portray. Though the chains were cut and the trees no longer bore strange fruit, oppression continued in an

equally devastating way; moving from overt acts of hatred and restriction to an ingrained system of racial genocide made hidden in the shadows of our own laws. At the forefront of these legal enslavement tactics was the War on Drugs, made popular by presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan, as well as the 1994 crime bill produced under president Bill Clinton. The film explains how laws like these targeted the black community. It is demonstrated perfectly in the

film with a clip of an interview with campaign consultant Lee Atwater in 1981, where he said, “You start out in 1954 by saying, “Nigger, nigger, nigger.” By 1968 you can’t say “nigger”—that hurts you, backfires. So you say stuff like, uh, forced busing, states’ rights, and all that stuff, and you’re getting so abstract. Now, you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is, blacks get hurt worse than whites…” Throughout the film, hard-hitting clips like the one from Atwater are played. There are clips of previous presidents including Nixon and Reagan, past civil rights activists, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Fred Hampton, and clips of riots and protests along with provocative and relevant images. In between these clips is commentary from a well-rounded cast of experts, most agreeing oppression still continues through the prison system. DuVernay made sure, however, to include people from the opposing side as well, such as Michael Hough. DuVernay did a wonderful job drawing parallels between past situations and current ones. She showed the depiction of blacks as hyper-animalistic criminals by playing a clip from the 1915 movie “The Birth of A Nation” and connected it to more recent times by showing clips of various news

stations labeling blacks as “super predators.” An even more recent connection is made when she crosscuts archival clips of blacks being harassed and assaulted with clips showing the same behavior happening at a Trump rally. Most importantly, “13th” shows the transition from plantations to prisons. After DuVernay exposes how the government set out to criminalize and mass-incarcerate blacks legally, she explains how some corporations, specifically those associated with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), seek to influence politicians to make laws that will put more and more people behind bars. Of course money is the motive, and the more hands available to do work for close to no pay, the higher the profit. After all of its sombre subject matter, however, the film ended with a slideshow of positive images of African Americans. There were photos of black families laughing together, black fathers holding their babies, black children dancing and playing. In a time where media is so prevalent and we are forced to see images of our own people lying dead in the streets, DuVernay’s choice to display black happiness was an incredibly impactful one. “13th” is a powerful depiction of a history America hoped we forgot, or should I say, would never discover. Even if you think you know it all, “13th” is bound to reveal more than you could imagine.

Courtesy of Voodoo Festival

Voodoo: Metal fans rejoice; everyone else, reconsider BY LEO CASTELL Driftwood Staff New Orleans’ annual Voodoo Music Festival will be held Oct. 2830, Halloween weekend. The lineup offers a healthy mix of rock, metal, hip-hop, pop and everything in between: old and new alike. Friday’s lineup is probably the weakest, the only eye-grabbing, notable act being The Weeknd. G-Eazy, Kevin Gates, Foals and Mutemath round out the boring lineup. It’s an inoffensive, but otherwise

unexciting start to the music festival. If you have to miss a day, let it be Friday. Saturday’s lineup is when things start to get interesting. Tool is the major act of the day and considering their long absence from the music spotlight, this may be what ends up attracting most people to Voodoo. Swedish Metal outfit Ghost, another metal band, will also be performing. This may very well be the most appropriate band to play the festival. They’re an 80s heavy met-

al revival band with a modern twist, and they’re just as much fun as they sound. Typically, they put on some kind of elaborate stage show during their concerts. It’s definitely something worth checking out. Some of the other acts playing Saturday include Cage The Elephant, Melanie Martinez and The Pretty Reckless, which are all hitand-miss acts. They do have their die-hard fans that will invade Voodoo and make the shows pretty entertaining, though. Saturday will definitely be Voodoo’s best day. If

you only go one day, make it Saturday. Sunday’s lineup is almost as weak as Friday’s, but it is largely saved by Arcade Fire. The band, along with Tool, is probably the most-loved act to see. Since their debut in 2004, Arcade Fire has been reliably putting out quality music every three years, which means they’re solid musicians who should be able to put on a good show. Besides Arcade Fire, the most notable act is Band of Horses. Sunday is a rock-heavy day. If you’re not an

Arcade Fire fan, or if rock just isn’t your thing, Sunday is also pretty safe to skip. Voodoo’s lineup this year is noticeably stronger than last year’s, but it is still rather underwhelming. The three-day ticket costs $165; so unless you’re more in love with the Voodoo experience rather than the music acts, it probably isn’t worth the price for this lineup. A single-day general admission ticket, however, is $79, which is perfectly reasonable if you want to go for one solid day of great music.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

COMICS & PUZZLES by Delvonte Smith

Word Search Puzzle

For

sudoku

Solutions for Distric

What We Oï¬&#x20AC;er

word search D M C V O M X Y J A L W Y Y M

I L I E I O H X D L I Y H G O

L C R L M T D F V T J F V V D

E B S O S I E D D F V O L G V

ANIME ANIME DEBATE DEBATE FILM FILM GUN HALLOWEEN GUN HAUNTED HERPES MUSLIM TERRORISM VICE

I U R E W I N R H D J A Y C S

M L I F Y T E A P E V J S C U

V O O D O O S X E D R H I Q Y

M S I R O R R E T T A P R W B

O H A E E G F V W L O P E P G

HALLOWEEN HAUNTED HERPES MUSLIM

E A G T Y U I O L J G T H S P

G U J A P N V O T O E L D B G

I N K B P L W S H Q M B F U G

M T L E W E Z D O I H O A M U

N E K D E C T G B M E Y Q N Y

X D C N I T B J X O F G E B T

TERRORISM VICE VOODOO WESTWORLD

OPINION

EDITORIAL Airbnb ruling a big mistake The New Orleans City Council finally voted on the long-delayed bill dealing with short-term rentals on Thursday, Oct. 21. Widely considered to be a landmark decision, the council decided short-term rentals could continue in the city with some exceptions. Proponents of the ban on shortterm rentals have criticized the practice of gentrifying poor neighborhoods and turning once-peaceful suburbs into extensions of the French Quarter, with wild tourists now staying in these houses instead of downtown hotels. Driftwood has already published an article dealing with the effects of short-term housing rentals, and we encourage you to go read that extensive piece on our website

(Sept. 14, “New Orleans ready to vote on Airbnb regulations”.) Although short-term housing may have its place in our city, as of right now, there is virtually no regulation and no way to stop these homeowners from exacerbating the already serious city-wide problem of gentrification. Proponents of the continuation of these virtually unregulated short-term rentals propose that it puts extra money in homeowners’ pockets, and a city-wide ban is an unrealistic objective. However, the vast majority of homes rented out on a regular basis are owned by a small group of wealthy owners. Very little of the money tourists are pouring into short-term rentals is going into the

average New Orleanian’s pocket. Moreover, for those citizens whose main argument in defense of short-term rentals is that Airbnb and other massive technology companies are unstoppable, who postulate these companies will never let a city-wide ban happen, New York City just banned Airbnb outright. New York City’s council voted on short-term rentals, concluding that they had no place in the Big Apple. The idea of a city-wide ban is not idealistic, it’s a plausible scenario, now with a major precedent. If the largest city in North America can enforce a city-wide ban on Airbnb, so can a small tourist city. The New Orleans City Council made a serious mistake.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2016

PERSPECTIVES

COLUMNS Gun safety ordinance is illogical

BY MINDY JARRETT Copy Editor Mitch Landrieu’s recent Gun Safety Ordinance is one he’d love you to believe is a step toward progress. There’s no doubt he was attempting to spark an emotional response by announcing the ordinance at Bunny Friend Park, the same location of last year’s shooting that left 17 people wounded. The seed of his press conference is pure politics; it hits you right where it hurts, it makes you feel.

Landrieu wanted an emotional response, not a logical one. Because if you were to think logically about his Gun Safety Ordinance, you’d realize that it is illogical itself. Its three components do nothing new to combat potential violent offenders. Rather than make a proactive effort at policing crime, the first part of the ordinance punishes the victims of stolen or lost firearms if they do not report the incident within 48 hours. Councilman Jason Williams said, “Because people are busy and move on with their lives, it’s not reported stolen.” This assertion is unlikely. This portion of the ordinance might also be illegal. Preemption of state law specifically forbids local government from endorsing “any ordinance or regulation more restrictive than state law concerning in any way the sale, purchase, possession, ownership, transfer, transportation, license, or registration of firearms, ammunition, or components of firearms or ammu-

nition.” Councilwoman Susan Guidry would disagree with this statement, though. “That’s not a greater restriction on the possession of a firearm because you no longer possess that firearm or own it at the time that this law goes into effect.” By Guidry’s assertion, if the ordinance avoids preemption because the citizen no longer possesses or owns the firearm, then the citizen avoids the ordinance. The law is meaningless. The second part of the ordinance extends firearm-free zones. Only law-abiding citizens uphold the rules defined within these zones, clearly a category that would-be violent offenders do not fall under. The final portion of the ordinance simply repeats what state law has already established: those who carry concealed weapons improperly shall be punished. While this law teaches proper responsibility of firearm handling, it is redundant

Gary Johnson wins third debate

BY ADAM POYNER Driftwood Contributor Anyone who watched the third and final debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton would likely agree that “more of the same pettiness” is an apt way to describe the night. The Clinton campaign made an interesting change to Hillary’s debate strategy: she was much more aggressive than in previous debates. Comparatively, she interrupted much less than Donald Trump, and she didn’t talk over the moderator as much as Trump.

Another important difference was the fact that the moderator, Chris Wallace, was much more determined to keep the candidates in line than Lester Holt was in the first debate. He asked excellent, provoking questions. The topic of abortion and reproductive rights was given quite a bit of attention, and the conversation was more detailed than previous debates. Donald Trump attacked Hillary for her support of Roe v. Wade, but he did not expressly say whether the Supreme Court justices he would appoint would overturn the decision. Hillary explained that her platform on reproductive rights and abortion was more complicated and nuanced, as this is a complex issue. Sadly, the topics of the Supreme Court and abortion were some of the only coherent conversations the audience got to watch. Within 40 minutes, the debate divulged into the standard back-and-forth name calling, disrespect, interrupting, shouting, and obnoxious display that has come to be expected of these two candidates. In fact, a number of UNO students said they

specifically did not watch the debate because they had seen some of the earlier debates and did not want to watch anymore because it was just so frustrating. According to realclearpolitics. com, Gary Johnson is polling at 5-8 percent in general election polls, and as high as 10-11 percent in certain states such as New Hampshire and Maine. Given the unprecedented unpopularity of these two candidates, an important question rises: Will Johnson pull more support away from Clinton or from Trump? To get an answer, it’s important to see who is supporting Johnson. His support is largely young people, with 70 percent being under age 50; and about three fifths of his support comes from independents, according to a Sept. 4 article by The New York Times. If Johnson is able to coax more young voters who are disillusioned with the major parties, it will have a large impact on who wins and which party will take control of Congress. After “such a nasty” debate, it may be easier than before.

by Delvonte Smith

Christopher Walker Editor-in-Chief driftwoodeditor@uno.edu Anjanae Crump Managing Editor driftwood@uno.edu Visuals Director | Grant Campbell • • • • • • • • • • • • driftwoodart@uno.edu Copy Editor | Mindy Jarrett • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • mjarrett@uno.edu Adviser | Vickie Kennedy • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • vkennedy@uno.edu Reporters: Leo Castell, Lones Gagnard, Brittany Karno, Jamie Lloyd, Lindsay Maxie, Regine Meridy & Nathan Nguyen Contributors: Roxanne Ardekani, Kelley Davis, Milan Holman & Fernando J. Saballos Illustrators: April Curran & Delvonte Smith

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. Editorials are the opinions of the Driftwood editorial staff and do not reflect the opinions of the University of New Orleans, its administration or staff. 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. Please limit letters to 500 words. Submissions can be emailed to driftwoodeditor@uno.edu and must be sent no later than 5p.m. on the Monday before publication. 2000 Lakeshore Drive, UC 252, New Orleans, LA 70148 (504) 280-6377

UNO Lakefront Arena March 3, 2017 ON SALE NOW