WEDNESDAY 1.21.15
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Cats hold off Commodores Aaron Harrison’s strong second half keeps Vandy at bay
PHOTO BY JONATHAN KRUEGER | STAFF
The UK bench celebrates after Aaron Harrison hits the game-sealing three during the second half of the UK vs. Vanderbilt game at Rupp Arena on January 20, 2015.
UK basketball maintained its perfect record Tuesday night and is performing like KYLE the wellARENSDORF Kernel Columnist oiled machine we saw early in the season once again. But one hitch in UK’s step, and its savior on Tuesday, continues to be the Jekyll-and-Hyde play of sophomore guard Aaron Harrison. The Cats’ 65-57 victory against Vanderbilt was a glaring microcosm of that
point. After making “the shots” in last season’s NCAA tournament, Harrison was hailed as this season’s clutch shooter, one of UK’s leaders and perhaps its best NBA prospect. But after a slow start to his season, failing to reach double-digit points in six of his first nine games, Harrison began to be overshadowed. Not only was he failing to progress as quickly as his counterparts in the starting lineup, but he was being surpassed by several members of the second platoon as well. He’s managed to turn around his poor play lately,
however. Since that early stretch, Harrison has scored more than 10 points in seven of his last nine games, including netting 26 in a double-overtime win against Ole Miss. Against the Commodores though, Harrison didn’t have a point going into halftime. In fact, the only two stats he managed in seven minutes of play were a rebound and a turnover. Playing great is difficult to begin with, but playing at an all-time great level after you’ve struggled for most of the season is nearly impossible. But despite his lackluster start, the 6-foot-6 guard did-
n’t waver. Harrison’s 14 second-half points were more than any of his teammates scored in the entire game, and they came at the most opportune of times for UK throughout the half. “Aaron basically threw dagger after dagger,” said head coach John Calipari. Harrison’s most deadly dagger came during a possession with just over two minutes remaining in which he dove out of bounds to save a ball, then re-entered play to sink a corner-three that created an insurmountable seven-point UK lead. He then hit two closing free throws with 33 seconds
left when the game was just out of reach for the Commodores. His brisk halftime turnaround is an anomaly, however, in the scope of his entire season. For the most part, when Harrison is up, he’s one of the best guards in the nation. But when he’s down, he stays down. It hasn’t thwarted the Cats thus far though simply because he’s not the primary scorer, or shooter, on the team anymore. That moniker belongs to freshman guard Devin Booker, who continues to show an intensity and a finesse that Harrison just doesn’t possess
when his off-games rear their heads. Harrison has had more of the ugly Mr. Hyde showings recently than the good Dr. Jekyll outings, but those bad games are still about. Just four days ago, he laid an egg in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and only managed two field goals in 23 minutes of play. Time will tell whether Harrison will continue his aggressive play and climb in the ranks amongst his UK counterparts. But despite a promising showing Tuesday against one of the worst teams the SEC has to offer, he remains in danger of being left behind.
‘Dear White People’ director UK sells to visit UK for free screening research facility for $30 million DEAR WHITE By Anne Halliwell
ahalliwell@kykernel.com
Late Night Film Series collaborations will bring two directors to screenings in February. LNFS and the MLK Center worked together to bring “Dear White People” director Justin Simien to campus on Feb. 17 for a screening and question-and-answer session, said Alex Wright, who works with social media and graphic design for LNFS. On Feb. 20, “Liahona” director and UK graduate Talena Sanders will attend a screening and session in a collaboration with the College of Art and Visual Studies. “Especially with a film like (‘Dear White People’) ... you get to see a talented artist’s perspective. People walk out of movie theaters after they go to see a movie ... and they can’t ask questions,” said Wright, who also works in the UK director’s office. “Now we can give them a chance to do that.” “Dear White People,” which premiered in 2014, follows the story of four African American students at an Ivy League school, according to IMDb. “I think it’ll be good in sparking a conversation about
race in America,” Wright said. “And it’s quite a good film stylistically.” Wright credited the MLK Center for their work in bringing “a director with that caliber” to the university. Wright said that College of Art professor Sarah Wylie A.
“
I think (the visit) will be good in sparking a conversation about race in America.” ALEX WRIGHT
LNFS graphic designer
Vanmeter has collaborated with LNFS for film series in the past and suggested bringing in a director in 2015. “We checked out (Sanders’) films and were very impressed,” Wright said. “She’s making really interesting, innovative films.” The 51st New York Film Festival webpage describes 2013 film “Liahona” as an “experimental documentary exam-
ining the culture, history, and lived experience of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, often referred to as the Mormon faith.” The film, according to the web page, explores Mormonism and public perception of the religion, as well as religious landmarks and personal experiences. According to her website, Sanders graduated from UK with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2007. She is currently an assistant professor at the University of Montana School of Media Arts. Wright added that despite the compensation for the directors to appear at UK, the films and subsequent question-andanswer sessions will be free for all participants. Wright said Sanders was the first-ever LNFS film coordinator when the group began about 10 years ago. He said showing her how the student organization has progressed should be exciting for the current staff. “Her story is a pretty fantastic (one),” Wright said. “She’s doing what she wanted to do, she’s getting to make films ... it really does show that if you go to UK, you can go anywhere.”
PEOPLE When: February 17, 2015 6:30 p.m. Where: Memorial Hall
LIAHONA When: February 20, 2015 7:00 p.m. Where: Worsham Theater
International company buys Coldstream laboratory UK will sell a property within the Coldstream Research Campus for about $30 million, university administration announced Thursday. The 735-acre biotechnical and pharmaceutical research park sits at the intersection of I-75 and I-64 at the Newtown Pike exit, according to UK’s website. Coldstream Laboratories Inc., the property and company being sold, lies within the campus. Piramal Enterprises Limited, an Indian pharmaceutical company, will pay about $24 million for Coldstream Laboratories Inc., according to Linda Blackford of the Lexington Herald-Leader. The remaining $6 million will pay for the building on McGrathiana Parkway. “I think it’s clear that
this is a strategic acquisition for them,” UK spokesperson Jay Blanton wrote in an email to the Kentucky Kernel. “CLI already has FDA pre-approvals for clinical trial work, something that takes years to do, and is wellpositioned in the marketplace. Piramal is entering into the North American pharmaceutical market. So a purchase of a company that has these approvals and positioning already done saves lots of time and money, potentially.” The Piramal Group encompasses companies that work in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, specialty packaging and real estate. Piramal Enterprises is the flagship corporation in the Piramal Group, according to the company’s website. The company moved See RESEARCH on page 3
2 | Kentucky Kernel | 1.21.15
SPORTS
Threes not enough for Vandy By Joshua Huff jhuff@kykernel.com
Vanderbilt did its best to dethrone No. 1 UK on Tuesday at Rupp Arena, but a hot hand from beyond the arc was not good enough to knock the Cats off the short list of remaining unbeaten teams, as UK won 65-57. The Commodores shot 7for-18 from the three and used their transition game to open up freshman guard Riley LaChance, who went 3for-4 from beyond the arc. The game plan for Vanderbilt was beating UK back in transition and feeding the perimeter players. “As good as it is, you need to try and beat it before it gets set up, as far as I’m concerned,” Vanderbilt head coach Kevin Stallings said about UK’s defense. “That felt like as good a chance as any for us to get down there and try to beat them before they got it set.” The seven made three pointers can attest to the fact that though Vanderbilt lost, the transition game was effective for the Commodores. Freshman guard Matthew Fisher-Davis went 4-for-7 from the three as he and LaChance single-handedly kept Vanderbilt within striking distance of UK. But it was the burst of energy from UK forward Marcus
PHOTO BY TAYLOR PENCE | STAFF Dakari Johnson and Marcus Lee dive for a loose ball during the first half of the game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Rupp Arena on January 20, 2015.
Lee and the clutch shooting of guard Aaron Harrison that kept Vanderbilt at bay. The rest of the Cats struggled to find a shot as they went 43 percent from the field as a team, but Harrison scored all 14 of his points in the second half to lead UK. Even the often-reliable shooter Devin Booker cooled off as he scored only six points in five shots. However, it was the six consecutive points from Lee in the second half that held the
Commodores at arm’s length. “He was terrific,” UK head coach John Calipari said of Lee. “I thought he did well.” As well as Lee played in the game (seven points and six rebounds), his free throw shooting, though improved of late, was the reason why he did not see substantial minutes down the stretch. With Vanderbilt playing hack-andslash during the waning minutes, and with the score close down the stretch, Calipari re-
sorted to playing his veterans. That plan worked as Andrew Harrison delivered with less than two minutes left. With UK up just five points, the sophomore’s drive through the paint clinched the game for the Cats, putting them up by eight and forcing Vanderbilt to foul for the remainder of the game. “They played well, they shot well,” Calipari said of Vanderbilt. “They weren’t afraid. Until the horn went off, there was no quit (in them).”
NEWS
ROTC to bring back youth drill competition By Cheyene Miller news@kykernel.com
For the first time in four years, UK will host the Pershing Rifles Drill Meet, sponsored by the UK Pershing Rifles C-1 organization that includes 25 cadets from the Army and Air Force ROTCs. “We’ve been planning this through all of first semester,” said Pershing Rifles Sergeant Michael Vallerie, who said the event “used to be the main (drill) competition in the area.” The drill meet will be held on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in three locations on campus: the Grand Ballroom in the Student Center, Alumni Gym and Buell Armory. The event features both drill and ceremony and color guard competitions, which place emphasis on the formal aspects of military lifestyle, like wearing dress uniforms, marching in sync with other
cadets and displaying proper military etiquette, as displayed in actions like salutes. “We were given the option to either grow as an organization or continue this competition,” said Vallerie, a history sophomore, about UK’s absence from the meet. Vallerie noted that the absence of the event allowed the organization to grow and expand until they eventually decided to reinstate the event. According to the National Society of the Pershing Rifles Company C-1 webpage, the organization was founded in Nebraska in 1891.The UK Pershing Rifles were formed in the early 1930s. Its female counterpart, the Kentucky Babes, a baton team, was formed in 1965. It is listed as the official co-ed counterpart to the Pershing Rifles, though the ROTC group accepts both men and women. According to Vallerie, 14 teams from 12 high schools
will compete. The event features JROTC units from the surrounding area, with members of both Pershing Rifles and the UK ROTC judging the events. The drill and ceremony and color guard competitions are judged on factors like ability to keep a steady gaze, cadence with the other members and tight, crisp movement. The units can compete as platoons, squads or individuals, according to Pershing Rifles Lieutenant J.P. Cecconi. A squad is typically comprised of four to five members and a platoon is four squads. Cecconi said that when judging a drill and ceremony competition, he looks for “small errors in the drill. How they march, how they do faces, and things like that.” Pershing Rifles is expecting about 350 cadets, Cecconi said. The event is free to all UK students.
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1.21.15 | Kentucky Kernel | 3
CLASSIFIEDS
For Rent 4 Bedroom 1-9 Bedroom
2-15 BR homes. Excellent service, variety of nice homes, locations all around campus, starting at $345/person. Leasing@KampusProperties.com. Call/Text (859) 333-1388. Condo, great security and great location. 1 BR/$645. 2 BR/$795. All utilities included, and a pool! Close to UK, St. Joe and Central Baptist. Call Brad at (859)983-0434. Great properties for rent, walk to campus. W/D included. (859) 619-3232. www.myuk4rent.com.
Student Housing August 2015-16 1-6 bedrooms Great quality Good prices Better landlord Dennis (d.sills@live.com) www.sillsbrothers.com 859-983-0726 Walk to Campus Houses 1- 6 Bedroom. Wayne Michael is now pre-leasing 1-6BR houses for the Fall 2015 semester. www.waynemichaelproperties.com. (859) 513-1206.
WALK TO CAMPUS! 3-6 BR houses. Porches, parking, W/D, DW. Very nice! Waller, State, University area. Choose early for best selection. Lease begins 8/1/2015. (859)539-5502.
2 Bedroom
1117 Turkey Foot Rd #4: 2 BR/1 BA, stove, refrigerator, DW, disposal, W/D, patio enclosed w/privacy fence. Off-street parking. Ext maint included. $775/month. Classic Real Estate, (859) 313-5231. 2 & 3 BR/2 BA deluxe apartments, 250 Lexington Ave. 8-minute walk to campus. Low utility bills. Available now, leasing for August 2015. Electric kitchen, coin laundry, assigned parking. Near High Street YMCA. No pets. $1,200/month. (859) 277-4680 or (859) 619-2468. 2 BR/1 Ba on 1903 Fontaine Rd. Backs up to Shriners Hospital. Roomy, quiet and clean. Duplex, both sides available. $950 + utilities. (859)396-5911. 2 BR/1BA, 211 Waller. Incudes all utilities, Wi-Fi, and W/D. $990/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454. 353 Oldham Ave #1: 2 BR/1 BA, stove, refrigerator, walk to campus. Lawn care included. Off-street parking. $695/month. Classic Real Estate, (859) 313-5231.
3 Bedroom
4 BR/2 BA house - six month lease. 1,000 feet from UK Hospital. First time rented, super nice condition with recent renovations. Offers big bedrooms, W/D, dishwasher, bike-friendly shed, high-efficiency HVAC for low bills. Off-street parking. 32x12 foot split-level screened deck. Big yard, pet friendly, garden. $300/person. Call or text DB at (859)351-2363. 4 BR/2 BA renovated, 288 Clay Avenue. $1,600/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454. 4 BR/2 BA, 323 Lafayette Avenue. $1,400/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454. 4 BR/2 BA, 219B (back) University Ave. $1,600/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454. 4 BR/2.5 BA New Luxury townhouse on Broadway next to JDI Tavern. Designer kitchens, large bedrooms, all appliances, all electric, off-street parking. Walking distance to UK, security systems and garages. $575/student. (859) 489-0908. 4 BR/2.5 BA. Large, energy-efficient with W/D in unit, deck, garage, eat-in kitchen. On quiet cul-de-sac close to UK campus. Off street parking. Lawn service provided. Available now. 630 Big Bear Lane. $975/month. (859) 278-0970. 4BR/3 BA duplex half available August. Near campus on Crescent Ave and Transcript. W/D, all appliances. Recently updated, new flooring. Parking. $1,500/month. Call Sarah (859) 559-2474.
5 Bedroom
5 BR houses. Large nice homes with private yards/decks, close to campus off Virginia/Broadway area. Ample parking. Excellent service. $340-$400/person. Leasing@KampusProperties.com. Call/Text (859)333-1388. Newer 2-5BR homes. Only a few left. Near UK. Pet friendly. From $349/person. www.lexingtonhomeconsultants.com Contact James McKee at (859) 221-7082 or jwmckeebroker@msn.com.
Attention
BAHAMAS SPRING BREAK: $189 - 5 days. All prices include: Round-trip luxury party cruise. Accommodations on the island at your choice of 13 resorts. Appalachia Travel, 1-800-867-5018. www.BahamaSun.com.
For Rent
Newer 2-5BR homes. Only a few left. Near UK. Pet friendly. From $349/person. www.lexingtonhomeconsultants.com Contact James McKee at (859) 221-7082 or jwmckeebroker@msn.com.
Help Wanted
LLM is seeking candidates interested in working part-time for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Weekend & Afternoon hours are available. Starting at $10/hour. Full-time salaried management positions also available. Apply online: www.lordslegacyministries.org or call (859) 245-2233. PPM is now hiring Lifeguards, Pool Managers and Swim instructors. PPM is hiring for country clubs, water parks and Home owner associations in Lexington, Richmond, Winchester, Danville, Frankfort, Shelbyville, and Louisville areas. Pay ranges from $8.50-$15/hour. Email Brad at Brad40965@aol.com for application. Property management company seeks part-time leasing and office admin assistant. 20-30 hours per week. $10-12/hour. Please forward contact information and resume to mprentals@netbusiness.com. PT Operator needed immediately for Glenn Auto Mall. Computer experience needed. 3:30-8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Tuesday, Thursday alternating weeks. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and 2-8 p.m. Saturday alternating weeks. Please apply in person Monday Friday at Glenn Infinity of Lexington, 3390 Richmond Rd. Ask for Mischelle or send resume to mlowe@wgautogroup.com. PT receptionist needed for property management company. Must have excellent computer and communication skills. Apply at 860 South Broadway, Lexington, KY 40504. Researchers at the University of Kentucky are conducting studies concerning the effects of alcohol and are looking for male & female social drinkers 21-35 years of age. Volunteers paid to participate. Call (859) 257-5794. Researchers at the University of Kentucky are looking for individuals 21–34 years of age who have received a DUI in the last 5 years to participate in a study looking at behavioral and mental performance. Participants are compensated for their time and participation is completely confidential. For more information, call (859) 257-5794. The Cellar Bar and Grille is hiring servers, hostesses and cooks. Please apply in person. 3256 Lansdowne Dr.
Roommates Wanted
1-4 roommates needed. 4 BR/2BA house, 6 month lease. $300/person. See ad under “4 Bedrooms.” (859) 351-2363. Roommate needed. Female student looking for same. Non partier. Available anytime. Landlord Dennis, 859-983-0726. Sillsbrothers.com
3 BR/1 BA, 221A University Ave. $1,200/mo. August. Call or text (859) 619-5454.
Call 859.257.2871 to place an ad | Ads can be found at kykernel.com DEADLINE - 3 p.m. the day before publication The Kentucky Kernel is not responsible for information given to fraudulent parties. We encourage you not to participate in anything for which you have to pay an up-front fee or give out credit card or other personal information, and to report the company to us immediately.
HOROSCOPE SUDOKU To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries ( March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Teamwork powers your project, so spend extra attention on clear communications with Mercury retrograde for the next few weeks. Things can get lost in translation. Taurus ( April 20-May 20) — Today is a 7 — Review old material for new ideas over the next few weeks with Mercury retrograde. Revise your resume. Old promises could come back to haunt you. Double-count the numbers. Gemini ( May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — The travel bug has bitten. Breakdowns and delays provoked by Mercury's retrograde don't scare you. It doesn't need to be expensive. Allow extra time for interesting deviations. Cancer ( June 21-July 22) — Today is a 7 — There is no shortage of benefits, if you apply for them. Ask for what you want. Do the paperwork early to avoid breakdowns. An opportunity window is open now that could benefit your family. Leo ( July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Teamwork and partnership thrive with nurturing, and provide great results this month. Breakdowns occur when misunderstandings go unaddressed and fester. Keep communication channels open. Schedule carefully. Avoid stirring up jealousies. Virgo ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — You're on fire at work this month, and there may be some fires to put out over the next few weeks with Mercury retrograde. Misunderstandings stop the action. Clear them immediately.
RESEARCH Continued from page 1 from textile coverage to pharmaceutical work in about the late 1980s and has since expanded to more than 30 countries. According to UKNow’s article from January 15, Piramal may base its North American Pharma Solutions Formulations headquarters at Coldstream and look for ways to collaborate with UK’s College of Pharmacy. According to UKNow, CLI itself was incorporated in 2007. It currently specializes in clinical trials to commercial manufacturing of liquid and dried medicines.
Libra ( Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is a 7 — For the next three weeks with Sun, New Moon and Mercury (retrograde) in Aquarius, practice, practice, practice. Work out breakdowns and mistakes. Cut costs by simplifying. Improve your playing by putting in the time. Scorpio ( Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 7 — Home is where you heart is, especially over the next few weeks. Breakdowns in domestic projects (especially regarding electronics and appliances) could require attention. Fix things before they break. Sagittarius ( Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is an 8 — Establish new channels of communication this month, and keep them clear and operational with vigilance. Resolve misunderstandings as they occur. Check in frequently with social accounts and conversations. Capricorn ( Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 9 — There's plenty of money to be made, and opportunities abound. Keep good records. Review financial statements to catch errors that could arise with Mercury's retrograde. Aquarius ( Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — Mercury retrograde breakdowns in confidence could throw you off your stride. Don't pay attention to self-doubt. Remind yourself of your own accomplishments and talents. Create a new theme song. Pisces ( Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 6 — For about three weeks with Mercury retrograde, revisit your old meditation or yoga program. Enjoy nostalgia and retrospection. Dance to old songs you used to love. You're gaining wisdom. Think, plan and review your objectives. Prepare for uncharted territory. MCT
Piramal is interested in keeping CLI’s current “employment level” of about 97 employees averaging about $60,000 salaries each year, Blanton wrote in the email.
“
I think it’s clear that this is a strategic acquisition for them.” JAY BLANTON UK Spokesman
He later wrote that he understands that the corporation plans to retain the current employees. Blanton added that it is
too early to tell how the jobs might change over time with Piramal’s acquisition, but he does not know of any plans or projects that will end prematurely. According to the Herald-Leader, UK has put about $47 million into the property since 2006. Coldstream Laboratories Inc. was part of UK’s College of Pharmacy until 2007, when it became private. Blanton wrote in the email that since UK Healthcare put most of the money into Coldstream Laboratories, most of the proceeds from the sale will go back to Healthcare and its reserves. Staff Report
4 | Kentucky Kernel | 1.21.15
OPINIONS
Top 10 movies of 2014 KYLE ARENSDORF Kernel Columnist
Editor’s note: Kyle Arensdorf reviews movies for the Kernel. Here are the first five of the Top 10 movies of 2014. Check tomorrow’s paper for the rest of the list.
10. “Beyond the Lights” (Gina Prince-Bythewood) Due to a completely misguided marketing campaign, “Beyond the Lights” was dealt an unfairly poor hand and had a fleeting tenure on the big screen late last year. But there wasn’t a film all
year that was as pertinent as this one–a searing indictment of today’s misogynistic culture of celebrity and excess, our willingness to blindly indulge it and the struggle to break away from those bonds to become an artist. And with attentions fixed on the lack of diversity among the Oscar nominations, Gugu Mbatha-Raw delivers one of the most effortlessly precise depictions of the year. 9. “Nightcrawler” (Dan Gilroy) It’s difficult to make people care about such a repellant character as Jake Gyllenhaal’s Lou Bloom. He cheats, he steals, he lies, he does anything he can to get
on top, and then everything to stay on top. His meteoric rise through the ranks of Los Angeles’ crime journalism scene relays Gilroy’s problem with the media as a whole. The film breaks down into a satire, but the morbid picture it paints of the future of crime journalism may be more imminent than we think. 8. “Whiplash” (Damien Chazelle) Miles Teller plays Andrew Neyman, a young jazz drummer with lofty expectations of becoming the next Buddy Rich. Throughout the film he verbally (and physically) spars with J.K. Simmons’ Terence Fletcher, a
hard-nosed drill instructor of a professor more suited for military camp than the confines of a liberal arts school. “Whiplash”’s greatness lies in its filmmaking. The way it’s cut leads you to believe it was made by a directing veteran — close ups and long shots strung together with a fluid ease — but it’s only Chazelle’s second picture. He may be green in the world of film, but the confidence he exudes is remarkable, sticking the landing of each chance he takes. 7. “How to Train Your Dragon 2” (Dean DeBlois) Making a great animated movie that appeals to all generations is difficult to do.
Pope wrong about Hebdo
Back in October, I wrote an opinion column praising Pope Francis as a convener of all people, CHEYENE including the MILLER Kernel Columnist non-religious like myself. Up until this point my praise and support for Pope Francis has been nearly unwavering– until he gave his thoughts on the Charlie Hebdo office shooting in Paris. On his way to the Philippines, Pope Francis said in an interview, “You can’t make a toy out of the religion of others.” This of course is in reference to the staff at the Hebdo publishing satirical cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, which is widely believed to be the inspiration behind the attack. Islam often forbids
the depiction of Muhammad. Pope Francis defended the freedom of speech and expression, but implied that those freedoms have limits– which apparently in his mind
“
No one’s views are free from criticism ... The staff at Charlie Hebdo understands that and the Pope should too.” are at the point where you insult someone’s faith. This is the first significant disagreement I have had with Pope Francis. His opinion, though
well intentioned, is harmful. We live in a society that is supposed to value the right to speak freely. And while we also have the right to practice whatever religion we want, we also have the right to be as irreligious as we want. If the staff at Charlie Hebdo had been calling for mass violence against Muslims and Islam, then I would say that Pope Francis has a point. But that’s not what they were doing. They were publishing satirical cartoons in a satirical publication. People in the satire business should not have to fear for their lives considering how important their duty to the public is. Satirists and comedians keep powerful figures in check. I’m glad that we live in a country where the staff at Saturday Night Live can openly mock Jesus, the central figure of Christianity, without
Oscars should diversify
This year’s Oscar nominations brought many disappointments, most noticeably the lack MARJORIE KIRK of racial diversity in the Assisant Opinions Editor actors and actresses nominated for awards. In fact, if it wasn’t for the Foreign Language Film category, I would be surprised if any of the directors, actors or actresses who will walk away with awards are not Caucasian. Much of the criticism for the lack of diversity has been placed on the fact that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is strikingly monochrome. The organization is estimated to be 94 percent white and 74 percent male, according to a study by the Los Angeles Times in
2012. President of the Academy Cheryl Boone Isaacs responded to the backlash at the nominations by saying she, “would love to see and look forward to see a greater cultural diversity among all our nominees in all of our categories.” While I cannot say the racial makeup of the Academy doesn’t affect the choices of films nominated, I don’t believe it encompasses the entire problem. The problem has roots much deeper in the industry. For the purpose of brevity I would like to focus this column on the problem as it relates to the African-American community, not because they are the primary targets, but simply because I am most familiar with their struggles in the film industry. Major advances to motion pictures in film history were undertaken by white directors, actors, actresses, producers
and engineers. The industry was created with ideas of making advances that suited white men in the roles of director, actor and producer. Most African-American actors, actresses, directors and producers have had to overcome societal, political and ideological boundaries to get the same opportunities that have been available to their white counterparts for years. All the while, the Academy and industry ingrain this system of give and take between the majority of white men in the Academy and the white members of the industry.
having to worry about getting gunned down in an act of vengeance. I’m also glad that the Hebdo office went right back to work the very next week, publishing scathing cartoons and editorials. If we lived in a world where no one could insult organized religion and faith in general, we would still be stuck in the Dark Ages, prisoner to superstition and fairytales, suppressing science and the hunger for knowledge. No one’s views are free from criticism and no one should allow violence to coerce them from criticizing an institution they deem harmful. The staff at Charlie Hebdo understands that and the Pope should too. Cheyene Miller is the assistant news editor of the Kentucky Kernel. Email opinions@ kykernel.com
There are certain rules and stipulations that you must follow to appeal to kids, but there are also certain ones you must break to appeal to an older generation. DeBlois’ first installment of the series was a step in this direction, but he struck gold with this visual masterpiece that takes on a myriad of issues such as family and sacrifice, diplomacy and loyalty, and female empowerment. It also isn’t afraid to get a little dark, a quality that should be sought out in animated features. 6. “Top Five” (Chris Rock) I wasn’t expecting much going into this film, but I was blown away by its sharp, skewering narrative.
Chris Rock wrote and directed this small but surprisingly great film about internal struggles within the world of one’s fame; excess vs. credibility, validation vs. failure. “Top Five” reads and feels like a Woody Allen film, but sings when Rock’s patented brand of comedy is sprinkled into its plot. I realize it’s difficult to care about the feelings of celebrities, but there just hasn’t been a film that has peered into their minds quite like this one does. Kyle Arensdorf is the opinions editor of the Kentucky Kernel. Email opinions@ kykernel.com