M&c oct 7fin by Mace and Crown

WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015 | MACEANDCROWN.COM | Vol. 58, Issue 6

Bangladeshi renowned photographer Ismail Ferdous speaks at ODU on Sept. 24.

Josh Boone

Getty Images Grant Winner Ismail Ferdous Visits ODU Wes Dildy Contributing Writer

World-renowned photographer and human rights activist Ismail Ferdous visited Old Dominion to speak to students about his experiences behind the camera and share his thoughts on the negative effects of capitalism on Sept. 24. Ferdous, who was the first photographer on the scene of the Rana Plaza garment factory incident on April 24, 2013, has since become a notable figure in the world of documentary photography and human rights activism. Ferdous was inspired by the tragic collapse that took place at the eightstory garment factory in Rana Plaza in the suburbs of Dhaka, Bangladesh. The horrific accident resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 garment work-

ers, most of them women who were trapped inside the building. After photographing the tragic aftermath, he set out to use his photography to be a part of something bigger. After the collapse at Rana Plaza, Ferdous traveled to New York’s fashion week. It was then that he noticed something disturbing: the same clothing brands that were on the tags littered throughout the rubble of Rana Plaza were being displayed prominently in advertisements and storefronts. Instantly, Ferdous was reminded of the death and destruction that he witnessed in Bangladesh. “Photography forced me to see these events,” Ferdous said as he recounted being exposed to the side of the tragedy that is often unseen. Ferdous felt that the consumers of these brands were tragically unaware

of the atrocities that took place to manufacture the brand name clothes. As a result, he aspired to use his work to bring awareness to the situation. After realizing this mission, Ferdous co-founded the Cost of Fashion initiative, which seeks adequate compensation for garment workers in third-world countries who are largely underpaid. Ferdous helped bring attention to the exploited laborers behind the clothing companies by projecting his photographs of the incident onto the storefronts of the perpetrating companies. Groups of protesters chanted on the sidewalks below. Images of families torn apart, immense sorrow, countless deaths and total destruction shone throughout the streets of New York until Ferdous was ordered by police to end the pro-

test. He believes that photography is a powerful social instrument. “We’re not living in the era where one picture will change the world. One picture isn’t going to end the war. It’s more complex than that,” Ferdous said. Having documented one of the deadliest earthquakes as well as the worst accident in the history of clothing manufacturing, Ferdous explained that these events left him feeling traumatized and feeling deeply for the victims. Despite the traumatization Ferdous has experienced, he firmly believes that his photography is meant to document the lives of those affected by catastrophes. When he photographs these events, Ferdous says the subjects of his photos are very appreciative of what he does. His work is

justified by the stories that only he is able to tell. “After Rana Plaza,” Ferdous’ photographs of the survivors and families of the victims, earned Ferdous the firstever Getty Images Instagram Grant. He intends to use the grant to further his career as a photographer and as a humanitarian. “Photography is making an impact. It’s making people aware,” Ferdous said. As Ferdous grows as a photographer, he realizes the true importance of creating awareness. To Ferdous, photography is the most effective method of storytelling there is. The more photographers there are, the more stories there are being told.

To Vote or Not to Vote: State andLocal Elections Matter David Thornton Copy Editor A distressing trend has emerged amongst Virginians, and students at ODU are no exception. With the election for all 140 state legislature seats less than a month away, very few Virginians are aware, and even fewer are likely to vote. Yet students have the capacity to influence major change in the state legislature if they become engaged, organized and actually vote. According to a recent poll from Christopher Newport University, “only 41% of voters say they have

given quite a lot or some attention to the upcoming elections, while 58% say they have given little or no attention. Only 34% of voters say they have followed news about the candidates for House of Delegates and Virginia Senate, while 66% say they have not followed news very closely or at all.” Voter turnout during non-presidential elections has been fairly low in Virginia for the past 20 years. Since 1995, the amount of registered voters that actually cast ballots in off-year elections averages around 40 percent. The CNU poll projects turnout this year to be around 26 percent. This is distressing because, while

national elections may get more public attention, the Republicancontrolled Congress is gridlocked and at odds with a Democratic president, making policy reform on the national level extremely difficult at best. Meanwhile, state legislatures are frequently the battleground for social and financial issues, and this is where policy that most directly affects the average citizen is made. When the federal government can’t or won’t step in, states are where decisions occur. Recent policy battles that are being decided in state legislatures across the country include gun control, marijuana legalization,

abortion rights, Medicaid expansion and higher education, among many others. Adding fuel to the fire, the 2015 Virginia legislative session will be a budget year, meaning state representatives will be deciding exactly how much money will be devoted to each issue. “What you’re going to see in this coming session is all sorts of people standing in line fighting over every last dollar. It’s intense,” Stephen Heretick, the Democratic candidate running unopposed for the 79th district of the House of Delegates, said. The 79th district includes part

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of ODU’s campus, and much of the Lambert’s Point neighborhood. Jesse Richman, associate professor of Political Science at ODU, said that unless the current balance of power shifts in the Virginia legislature, most of these social issues won’t be debated. Currently, the Virginia Senate has 19 Democrats and 21 Republicans, and the House of Delegates has 33 Democrats and 67 Republicans. (Continued on A5)

M&C| WEDNESDAY | 9.9.2015| MACEANDCROWN.COM

Joaquin floods nor folk

#JoaquinODU to be featured in our social media!

Mace & Crown Staff : Sean Davis Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@maceandcrown.com David Thornton Copy Editor Dthor013@odu.edu Josh Whitener News Editor news@maceandcrown.com Amy Poulter Arts & Entertainment Editor artsandentertainment@maceandcrown. com Zachary Chavis Photography Editor photo@maceandcrown.com Ross Reelachart Technology Editor technology@maceandcrown.com Sabrina Brooks Senior Graphic Designer sbroo029@odu.edu Jason Kazi Advertising and Business Manager advertising@maceandcrown.com Jugal Patel Digital Editor jpate016@odu.edu Matt O’Brien Sports Editor mobri013@odu.edu Chris Circeo Distribution Manager ccirc001@odu.edu

An onslaught of coastal flooding drove water onto ODU’s campus and the surrounding community this past week, underscoring the university’s precarious location locked between the tidally influenced Elizabeth and Lafayette Rivers. It prompted amusement for some students, while others were left stranded. Residents of Rogers, Gresham and Whitehurst were particularly reminded by the hazards of their waterfront dormitories, as the rivers claimed parking lots and nearby streets. The highest flood elevation occurred on Sunday as Hurricane Joaquin, along with persistent northeast winds drove high tides well beyond the typical ground level. The flooding occurred two weeks after ODU students met to brainstorm ideas to adapt the campus to its worsening flooding problems from the impacts of both natural and manmade climate change.

Staff Writers:

Adam Flores Alex Brooks Amy DeLaura Connor Norton George Plank Jessica Perkins Michael High Veronica Singer

Staff Photographers: Brian Vliet Dawit Samson Jason Kazi Joshua Boone Joshua Caudell Schyler Shafer Shamon Jones

Mace & Crown is a newspaper published by and written for the students of Old Dominion once a week throughout each semester and once in the summer. Originally founded in 1930 as the The High Hat, the paper became the Mace & Crown in 1961. The Mace & Crown is a primarily self-supporting newspaper, maintaining journalistic independence from the university. All views expressed in this collegiate paper are those of the author, not of the University, Mace & Crown, or the editors. Phone: 757-683-3452

Photos by Jason Kazi, Sean Davis and Jugal Patel

M&C| WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015| MACEANDCROWN.COM

NEWS

For updates, check out our Interactive Crime Log on maceandcrown.com

CRIME LOG SEPTEMBER 28TH

A sexual assault was reported to have occurred on September 28th between 2:45 p.m. and 5:55 p.m. at this approximate location. The case remains open.

OCTOBER 1ST

A robbery was reported to have occurred on October 1st at 2:00 a.m. at this approximate location.

SEPTEMBER 30TH

A hit and run incident was reported to have occurred between September 30th at 12:30 p.m. and 4:23 p.m. at this approximate location. The case remains active.

SEPTEMBER 27TH

A sexual assault was reported to have occurred on September 27th between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. at this approximate location. The case remains open.

OCTOBER 1ST

A robbery was reported to have occurred on October 1st at 10:15 a.m. at this approximate location.

OCTOBER 3RD

A shooting was reported to have occurred on October 3rd at 1:50 a.m. at this approximate location.

OCTOBER 3RD

A vehicle theft / break-in was reported to have occurred on October 3rd at 3:00 a.m. at this approximate location. As reported to ODU and Norfolk Police

Date/ Time Reported

Date/ Time Occurred

Location

Category

09/27/2015

09/27/201512:43am

4200 Blk Parker Ave

Liquor Law Violation

2015-ODU-001028

Clear by Arrest 09/29/2015

09/27/2015

09/27/2015 3:00am 09/27/2015 4:00am

1500 Blk W 40th Street

Sexual Assault

2015-ODU-001031

Active 09/29/2015

09/27/2015

09/27/2015 10:51pm

4600 Blk Powhatan Ave

Narcotics Violation

2015-ODU-001032

Judicial referral 09/29/2015

09/28/2015

09/25/2015 7:00pm - 7:15pm

1400 Blk W 49th Street

Larceny

2015-ODU-001037

Active 09/29/2015

09/28/2015

09/28/2015 2:45pm - 5:55pm

1700 Blk W 48th Street

Sexual Assault

2015-ODU-001038

Active 09/29/2015

09/29/2015

09/28/2015 2:00pm - 09/29/2015 12:00pm

1000 Blk W 47th Street

Larceny

2015-ODU-001039

Active 09/30/2015

09/30/2015

09/28/2015 8:30am - 09/29/2015 5:00pm

1200 Blk W 43rd Street

Larceny

2015-ODU-001040

Active 10/02/2015

09/30/2015

09/25/2015 5:00pm 09/28/2015 8:00am

1200 Blk W 43rd Street

Larceny

2015-ODU-001042

Active 10/02/2015

09/30/2015

09/30/2015 12:30pm 09/30/2015 4:23pm

1000 Blk W 45th Street

Hit and Run - Property Damage

2015-ODU-001045

Active 10/02/2015

09/30/2015

09/28/2015 5:00pm 09/29/2015 08:00am

1200 Blk W 43rd Street

Larceny

2015-ODU-001043

Active 10/02/2015

10/01/2015

10/01/2015 2:00am

4900 Blk Killam Ave

Burglary

2015-ODU-001047

Investigation by other Agency 10/02/2015

10/01/2015

09/16/2015 11:00am - 4:00pm

1000 Blk 49th Street

Larceny

2015-ODU-001049

Active 10/02/2015

10/01/2015

09/30/2015 11:00pm 10/01/2015 09:00am

1000 Blk 49th Street

Larceny

2015-ODU-001050

Active 10/02/2015

10/01/2015

09/30/2015 8:00pm 10/01/2015 11:00pm

1600 Blk W 49th Street

Hit and Run - Property Damage

2015-ODU-001052

Active 10/02/2015

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Incident Number

Disposition

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USAC

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Discover where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll study abroad at usac.unr.edu.

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NEWS

Check out our student org funding infographics at maceandcrown.com

Cuban, American Past Highlighted in Lecture Jacob Hall Staff Writer

Dr. Robert Holden presents “The Nearest Enemies: Cuba’s Revolution and the U.S” on Sept. 30, 2015. ODU OIR

The United States recently reinstated its diplomatic relationship with Cuba. Despite being only 110 miles apart, the U.S. has maintained a commercial, economic, and financial embargo on the the island nation for the past 54 years. Surrounded by symbols of Latin American culture, Dr. Robert Holden, a professor of Latin American History, presented “The Nearest Enemies: Cuba’s Revolution and the U.S.” which was sponsored by the Office of Intercultural Relations. The presentation revolved around the relations between Cuba and the U.S. but, more specifically, the lack of relations. After being cut off from each other for 54 years, Presidents Barack Obama and Raul Castro visited together, the first time the leaders from the two countries met since

1961. “To give you an idea on how long ago that was, try to imagine me at the age of 13,” Holden said. With the long break of relations, Holden believes it will take just as long to bring diplomacy fully back. “It is clear that Cuba and the U.S are still many years away from achieving a normalization of relations,” Holden said. The Office of Intercultural Relations was filled near capacity for the lecture. “I’m undecided so I figured I’d attend events and find something I’m interested in,” Rachel Resh, a freshman, said. “I know international relations is a major here, and I’m interested in that.” Besides looking into majors, Resh finds the situation between the two countries fascinating. She is most curious about what will happen to

families who were affected by the two nations cutting ties. “A lot of people had families split apart…there were also U.S citizens who lost property and holdings in Cuba,” Resh said. “[Reconciliation] is really good for those families…I’m interested in what will happen to fix those situations.” Out of the many steps required for reconciliation, Holden believes, one is the most important. In his eyes, the people and the governments of both countries must learn to forgive their past transgressions against each other. “It ultimately depends on this double process of reconciliation between the United States and Cuba,” Holden said. “Reconciliation requires looking backward and tracing the way the past continues in the present.”

A Conversation with SGA About Student Org Funding Jason Kazi Staff Writer Every February, the Student Government Association accepts budget requests from hundreds of student organizations. For the 2015-2016 academic year, 179 student organizations requested $2,019,087.02; while the university and state allocated $665,003.00 to distribute amongst the organizations for their annual budgets. The funding for student organizationcomes from the Student Activity Fee, which for the 2015-2016 academic year was set by the Board of Visitors at $756.33 per semester, up 1.5% compared to 2014-2015. ODU has Virginia’s second highest student activity fee after the Virginia Military Institute (SCHEV). I spoke with SGA’s Director of Finance, Lydia Burch, to get the inside scoop on student organization funding. Burch spearheaded the process which took place roughly from February to August of 2015. Jason: Can you tell us more about the funding allocated to student or-

ganizations this year?

was very successful and I plan on doing it for the coming budget season as well.

Lydia: My goal as director is to establish several things: 1) Maintain communication and

transparency with student organizations regarding all the funding resources offered by SGA. 2) Encourage organizations to make their budget requests as detailed as possible. I would much rather obtain a budget request of 15 pages with summaries of events and price quote attachments, than having just 2 pages with the bare minimum. This is how I had my committee and myself determine how much would be allocated where. This money comes from the students so we want to make sure it is being put to unique and effective programs and conferences that will end up benefiting the student body and ODU as a whole. 3) Helping organizations through the budget process. As part of the points and standards, we do require organizations going to a budget workshop (offered in the Fall and Spring); but that only shows how to request a budget and that information can be lost. This year we had a “Budget Party” in the U-Center, where students could request a budget on behalf of their organization, with the help of the SGA Finance Committee. This

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Lydia: This year, a lot more money was requested compared to last year. To try and fit $2 million into $660,000 is very difficult but that’s why we have a committee of volunteer students (mostly SGA Senators) and faculty involved in helping with the process of allocating money to all organizations. This process happens throughout the whole summer, and can be very time consuming and at the end we do hope to please everyone; but the reality is, we can’t approve everything everyone requests. In regards to the fairness of the process- excluding the outliers – SGA, Student Activities Council (SAC), ODU Homecoming, Mace and Crown, and WODU Studios, it is fair. Jason: Can you tell us more about your goals as Director of Finance for 2015-2016?

Jason: How does SGA determine how much to allocate to each organization? What requirements are they required to fulfill? Lydia: There are two ‘cutting’ phases the Finance Committee goes through when reviewing budget requests. The first stage is when SGA cuts funding that does not align with the Financial Bylaws. It is outlined and available online at MonarchLink for student organization leaders. The second stage is when Points and Standards (also available online on MonarchLink to student organizations) are applied. Organizations receive a percentage of what the Committee recommends based on how many Points and Standards are completed. Once those are applied, they have to ensure that the amounts do not exceed how much the university has allocated from student fees to grant to organizations. If it’s over the

amount, they have more to cut. This is the most difficult part due to SGA’s wariness to cut any more than they have to, although it is often considered an annual requirement. Jason: What’s different in the process in comparison to last year? Lydia: This year, there were less organizations that completed 100% of their points and standards and less new organizations applied for funding. In comparison to last year; SGA did not allocate as much as they wanted to, yet managed to make the best of the situation. They even cut the contingency and co-sponsorship funds to $14,000 for each so that they could grant as much as much as possible for budgets. For a more visual representation of student organization budgets, please visit: http://www.maceandcrown. com/budgets/.

M&C| WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015| MACEANDCROWN.COM

NEWS

(Continued from A1) Although Republicans control the state legislature, they are up against a Democratic governor with veto power, making Richmond a microcosm of embattled Washington politics. According to Richman, one of the major financial battles will be over education, and Heretick agrees. “You’re going to be hearing a lot of talk about education,” Heretick said. He pointed out that education is one of the first things to get cut every year, adding, “You guys feel the brunt of the political games being played in Richmond.”

“I think, given the irresponsibility of major parties in providing choices, that apathy is justified, but it could be transformed into activism,” - Jesse Richman, Associate Professor

Find out more about the candidates at maceandcrown.com.

According to Richman, the state budget will face significant challenges in 2015, which may lead to more cuts. “The state faces ongoing budgetary headwinds from weak federal spending,” he said. He added that recent layoffs, including Newport News Shipbuilding and BAE systems, two shipyards and major local employers, could start affecting the state budget. Heretick blames stubbornness and shortsightedness in Richmond as the major challenges to funding important programs, even if it means raising taxes. “There’s a lot of people who don’t see beyond the next budget,” Heretick said. “You’re not cutting through flesh, you’re cutting through bone.” So what can students do to influence change in Richmond? Heretick won the primary election in his district with roughly 2500 votes. “If only one-third of ODU voted, they could have taken that election and done what they wanted,” he said. In fact, 2500 is closer to onetenth of the total ODU population,

and a little more than half the number of students living on campus. While only a fraction of those students live in Heretick’s district, it’s still sobering to realize how much political clout students could wield if they were more informed, organized and engaged. “Most of the people who vote are over the age of 50,” Heretick said. “As long as they have control over the ballot box, nothing will change.” In Lynchburg, Va., Liberty University students were able to propel a local politician to the House of Delegates in a 2009 election. Around 3,200 students were eligible to vote in Lynchburg, and the university canceled classes and provided busses to take students to polling locations. Scott Garett won by only 200 votes, largely attributed to students. One of the major obstacles students face is simple apathy. Many students don’t know about the election, don’t care or don’t think their votes matter. “I think, given the irresponsibility of major parties in providing choices,

that apathy is justified, but it could be transformed into activism,” Richman said, citing the number of legislative candidates running unopposed in the election. Instead of simply opting out, students could instead opt to organize, engage, and exercise real power in the electoral process. Heretick touted the power of social media as a major potential tool for political organization among students. “Richmond doesn’t keep up with that. Students can use that to follow issues, organize, and harness significant power. You’ll see a fundamentally different Richmond,” Heretick said. In 2010, a William and Mary student was elected to the Williamsburg city council largely due to student support and a campaign that focused equally on traditional campaigning tactics and coordinated use of social media. Another thing students can do, according to Richman, is vote absentee. Students have the option of registering to vote with either their ODU address or their home address.

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If students register with their home addresses, they can cast absentee ballots rather than driving home to make their votes in person. The representatives for both House districts that cover ODU are running unopposed, meaning student votes in these districts will make no difference. Although the sixth Senate district (which encompasses ODU) is a contested race, student votes will probably have more impact if they are cast in their home districts, as more of these elections are likely to be contested. Richman also warned that students should be aware of voting requirements, including deadlines and necessary identification. The deadline for voter registration is Oct. 13, and the deadline to apply for an absentee ballot by mail is Oct. 27. The full voting requirements can be found at elections.virginia.gov, and students can register online at vote.virginia.gov.

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Misterwives thanks the crowd following their performance at the NorVa on Sept. 29, 2015.

Zach Moeller Contributing Writer Six -piece group MisterWives rocked the NorVa Tuesday, Sept. 29, and there was not a frowning face in the venue. The New York City-based band is embarked on their Scrapbook Tour, and Norfolk was the band’s third stop. The troupe combines different musical aesthetics to create a distinct sound. A saxophone and trumpet blare over bass lines that reflect motown groove from the ‘80s. Lead singer Mandy Lee uses her wide vocal range to accompany this groove, and every song they played fueled the crowd to dance along. Lee took the stage, which was adorned with flowers and makeshift power lines, immediately asking the crowd if they were ready to have some fun. It was evident everyone in

MisterWives Shakes the NorVa

attendance was ready as the crowd answered her question with a deafening roar. MisterWives wasted little time, jumping straight into their song “Best I Can Do.” At the conclusion of each song, Lee told the crowd how happy she and the rest of the band were to be in Norfolk for the first time. MisterWives have been busy lately, playing festivals including MusicfestNW and Boston Calling. The Scrapbook Tour follows their summer tour, which concluded in St. Louis on Sept. 13. Following stops on the tour will include shows in the south, as well as the west coast, finishing up with a final show in their hometown of New York City. Regardless of little downtime, the band showed no signs of fatigue as they danced all over the stage. Lee and fellow band mates got down and held hands with attendees several

times, referring to the audience as “[our] friends.” The band posed on stage with the crowd in the background as the band’s photographer took a picture to add to their scrapbook, from which the tour took its name. Several songs into the set, the group sat down together on stage for an intimate performance of “Coffins,” taking a moment to shift their stage presence from indefatigable to relaxed. The crowd quietly sang along, before Lee smoothly transitioned into a cover of “Landslide.”

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“At the conclusion of each song, Lee told the crowd how happy she and the rest of the band were to be in Norfolk for the first time.”

Fleetwood Mac was not the only artist covered, however, as the band also played “PYT” by Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” During the Houston cover, Lee invited one lucky fan on to stage to sing and dance with her. As the night began to come to a close, MisterWives played some of their hits. Putting a reggae twist on “Reflections,” the band remixed how they normally perform the song, before returning it to its original form. “Our Own House” also roused the crowd, who only became more enthusiastic as all six members performed a giant drum solo. The encore to the show was equally wild, as the band jammed on stage, allowing each member to have a solo on their respected instrument. At the conclusion of their encore, they all came together to bow to the audience

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Zach Moeller

and tell them how much they loved them. Before leaving the stage, Lee told the crowd that Norfolk had been the most fun show they had played in a long time. At the beginning of the performance, Lee had mentioned that this was the first time they had played at the NorVa. By the end, Lee assured the audience that MisterWives will absolutely be back.

M&C| WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015| MACEANDCROWN.COM

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MISTERWIVES AT THE NORVA

Misterwives shakes shakes the NorVa on Sept. 29, 2015 Zach Moeller

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A member of the band gets silly-stringed at the concert on Sept. 19, 2015.

Shamon Jones

Audiostrobelight Celebrates Ten Years Together at The NorVa Cassandra Lynch Contributing Writer Audiostrobelight’s ten year anniversary show on Sept. 19 took excited fans for a whirlwind. The local band took the stage at The NorVa right where it all began. Excited fans and friends gathered for a show to remember. Openers were local bands that have become friends with or have been influenced by Audiostrobelight. Kicking off the evening’s music was Dyska, followed by Drop the Girl, Distress Call, Such Great Heights and Laureate. The opening bands successfully amped up the crowds as anticipation for Audiostrobelight’s set grew.

The show was full of surprises. As Audiostrobelight began, the crowd was surrounded by white flags with the red bird from the band’s logo waving in the air. Next to the stage were two masked roosters, holding larger versions of the flags, adding to the excitement of Audiostrobelight’s set. The visual effect expanded the stage, making it more open for audience members as the show took off. Fans weren’t just watching the show; they became a part of it. Breaks in between the set showcased a puppet show playfully discussing the history of the band. The puppets mimicked group member’s styles in an over the top fashion. They discussed major historical events jokingly claiming

them to be Audiostrobelight’s history before talking more about the band’s real beginnings. The night progressed as past members of Audiostrobelight were introduced to celebrate the mark of ten years playing together. The show grew more intense as villains the band has faced before tried once again to ruin their show by taking away the fun. Tax forms fell from the ceiling as the villains sneered. Audiostrobelight of course did not let this continue, and a smack-down battle ensued. The band also released their own beer brew for the occasion. The band worked with Young Veterans Brewing Company to create “Anchors Aweigh StrobAle” to add to the festivities of

the night. The themed beer was a special release and was only available during the show. Audience members were able to see even more of the band’s brotherly love as they inducted in their newest member Brian Zawacki with a silly string attack by past and current band members. As the evening came to a close, balloons showered the stage and audience members. After fans chanted for an encore, Audiostrobelight closed out their show singing “California Gold Rush” as fans sung along excitedly. Their latest album “History as Written by the Defeated” reworks old songs they have released over the past

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ten years and shows how they have grown as artists. From stage presence to connection between the members, Audiostrobelight can be seen by fans as not just a band but a family in the cheesiest way. From fan reactions, it is clear that the next ten years for this band will be just as successful as they continue to entertain their dedicated fanbase.

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AUDIOSTROBELIGHT AT THE NORVA

Audiostrobelight Celebrates ten years together at The NorVa on Sept. 19, 2015.

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Shamon Jones

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MUSIC REVIEWS

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Mac Miller’s ‘GO:OD AM’ Is No Snoozefest Wes Dildy Contributing Writer Courtesy of Atlantic Records and Meg Myers

Meg Myers Debut Album ‘Sorry’ Needs No Apology Adam Flores Staff Writer The 28-year-old Tennessee-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter, Meg Myers has nothing to apologize about. Her much anticipated debut album, “Sorry,” was released on Sept. 18. The alternative/pop music artist brings to the table sultry, yet terrifyingly beautiful vocals and lyrics that can be interpreted in only one way: brutally honest. This no-holds-barred approach in Myers’s songwriting started with her earlier works. “Daughter in the Choir,” an EP released in 2013, made people notice her compelling voice with cuts like “Monster” and “Adelaide.” More so, it was her 2014 “Make a Shadow” EP that spawned the single “Desire,” which peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. Within the recent advent of “Sorry,” Myers demonstrates her full potential as an intense, emotional force. The fullness of her fresh voice reveals its dark intimacy on tracks like “Lemon Eyes” and “Motel.” Along with the album’s title track and the all-consuming “Desire,” Myers delivers a raw, uncompromising portrait of her soul. At a young age, Myers’ parents divorced and she spent the next several years moving from town to town. It

was during this time that she began singing, writing songs on the keyboard and teaching herself to play guitar. As an escape from having to grow up too soon, it was her safe place where she could say whatever she wanted. At 20, Myers moved to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. Her talents caught the attention of remixer, Andy Rosen, better known as his music producer moniker, Doctor Rosen Rosen. Their songwriting partnership resulted in the culmination of her “Daughter in the Choir” and “Make a Shadow” EPs. In 2013, Myers signed with Atlantic Records, a move that helped in the release of her EP, “Make a Shadow.” Doctor Rosen Rosen continued working alongside the fervent songstress with collaboration and producing credits for “Sorry.” Drawing on influences such as Sting, Led Zeppelin, and James Taylor, Myers applies herself to the art of well-crafted songs. Mixed with her teenage fascination with bands like Nirvana and Alice In Chains, we can hear these inspirations in her sound throughout the new record. “Sorry” not only shows off the singer’s seething vocal abilities, but also catchy instrumental motifs and, at many times, sparse musical arrangements. This supports her focus on the simplicity of a great song she desires

to emulate. The song structures bring her voice and message front and center. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Myers spoke about the title track, “Sorry.” “You love someone so much, and it just falls apart for no reason. And that’s life. In a nutshell,” Myers said. For the “Sorry” music video, Myers did not want to be portrayed in a sexual way. She worked with director Andrew Donoho to give a new twist to the theme of the song. The video reveals her young adult angst as she takes a baseball bat to her childhood home and destroys anything within her reach. This proved a clever move delivering more depth and meaning to her listeners. As she further revealed to Rolling Stone, “I didn’t want to do the whole love interest thing for the video because it felt cliché. And I think it’s important for young girls to see videos that aren’t just centered around a love interest, when we’re all such complex people. Plus, just having people my age would be boring,” Myers said. “Sorry” is a 10-track collection that will have you confronting your own emotions and not afraid to feel. A raw album that is fiery and honest, perhaps the only apology Myers can give is that she can’t say more.

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Rap artist Mac Miller released his third studio album “GO:OD AM” with Warner Bros. Records on Sept. 18. The album has appearances from Black Hippy member Ab-Soul, rap and spiritual icon Lil B “The Based God,” the self-proclaimed king of Chicago Chief Keef and the soulful voices of Miguel and Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon. Miller has always been known for his technical flow and relaxed style of rapping, and there is no shortage of wordplay and vibes on the new album. He uses every opportunity to flex his lyrical abilities, which are above average compared to many of today’s rappers, but are not without fault. There are times in the album where it feels like Miller broke out the duct tape and superglue and prayed that they would dry in time for the album’s release. Weaker lines like “I was a nobody, now my name in they mouth. Came for a steak, but I left with a cow” are hidden throughout the album, but by no means is Miller a weak lyricist. Ab-Soul is arguably one of the most lyrically gifted rappers in the game, but Miller easily raps circles around him in the song “Two Matches.” Unfortunately, this is the only lyrical match-up featured on the album. Chief Keef definitely brings his Agame on the grim warning track “Cut The Check,” but Chief Keef ’s best verse sounds like something Mac Miller might yawn immediately after waking up in the morning. Lil B is also featured on the album, but instead of rapping he simply offers spiritual advice straight from the word of Based God. Thank you, Based God. Because of the notable lack of features, “GO:OD AM” isn’t as exciting

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as Miller’s previous album. There are so many capable rappers now that many fans have come to expect these sparring matches, and if a rapper doesn’t engage in them, fans are left feeling let down. Not only are features important in satisfying fans, they also help the album market itself. The album has no pull factor other than it being “The New Mac Miller,” a statement which doesn’t live up to its implications because there isn’t anything particularly “new” about Miller’s style. Between this album and Miller’s last release, there is no growth or decline. While it is a disappointment, the incredible amount of variety in Miller’s flow and his choice in production is more than enough to keep fans satisfied for the time being. Miller is one of the few rappers who can transition from rapping as if he’s a living, breathing dictionary on laid back tracks such as “Break the Law” to spitting as if his life depended on it with harder tracks like “In the Bag” and “When In Rome.” Miller is not averse to rapping on any type of beat whether it be traditional soul, trap or ethereal. There is practically nothing Miller won’t tackle. There’s something on this album for every type of hip-hop connoisseur. Fans of the joint hip-hop and R&B sound will enjoy Miguel’s feature, while the Little Dragon feature on “Festival” will appease the consumers of the electro-soul sound. Miller manages to bring disparate sounds together to form an incredibly solid album. He is one musician who still respects the art of hip-hop and is vying for a spot amongst the top performers in the game. For GO:OD AM to only be the third studio album under Miller’s belt, he is well on his way to a very long and successful career.

M&C| WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015| MACEANDCROWN.COM

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E N T ER T A I NM E N T

The Dead Weather Come Back to Life with ‘Dodge and Burn’ Adam Flores Staff Writer Alternative rock supergroup The Dead Weather are alive and well with their highly anticipated new album, “Dodge and Burn.” Released on Sept. 25, it is the third studio offering by the band that was formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2009. “Dodge and Burn” is riding on the huge success of its previous two studio releases. Their debut album, “Horehound,” released in July of 2009, entered the Billboard 200 Album Chart at No. 6. Their immediate sophomore follow-up, “Sea of Cowards,” released in May of 2010, peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. The first single from “Dodge and Burn,” the highly charged “Open Up (That’s Enough),” was released digitally back in January 2014. The

rebellious cut, “Buzzkill(er),” was later released in November 2014. The music video for “I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)” was released on Aug. 21 displaying the relentless sound and feel of the album. The Dead Weather consists of lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and keyboardist Alison Mosshart of The Kills and Discount, Queens of the Stone Age guitarist, keyboardist and backing vocalist Dean Fertita, bassist, backing vocalist and drummer Jack Lawrence of The Raconteurs and lead vocalist, guitarist and drummer Jack White, formerly of The Raconteurs and The White Stripes. Though the band seems to have all their bases covered within their plethora of talents, the group currently have no plans on touring in support of “Dodge and Burn.” Other than an occasional live reunion such

as their recent performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Aug. 28, they seem content to fall back into their day jobs and other side projects. Frontwoman Mosshart, influenced by the stage presence and personas of Janis Joplin and Patti Smith, delivers sensual and deliberate vocals. The culmination of her vocal style can also be heard as a reincarnated female version of legendary Led Zeppelin frontman, Robert Plant. Like Plant, she croons and wails each lyrical phrase with intense, emotional force. Musically, The Dead Weather lock into many grooves and riffs that are a mix of different styles and tastes. What dominates “Dodge and Burn” is the eclectic mix of Zeppelin-esque motifs infused with blues, big unison rhythm lines and the Hendrix, Electric Ladyland vibe. “Dodge and Burn” opens with the

track, “I Feel Love (Every Million Miles)” in which Mosshart cries out, “I feel love every once in awhile.” The unmistakable Jimmy Page sounding guitar riffs and the group’s playing with musical time hook you into the record’s infection tone. Midway into the set, the mood of “Open Up” is a roller coaster ride of emotion driven by inner conflict and angst. Propelled by a massive guitar riff reminiscent of an early Rush record, Mosshart asks, “Have you noticed the rivers and the clocks, they’re not moving?” The track is another huge serving of introspection that is found in most of the songs of “Dodge and Burn.” Other tracks such as “Lose the Right,” “Mile Markers” and “Cop and Go” further demonstrate the band’s diverse musical tastes and abilities. There is not a dull moment in listen-

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ing from track to track, the bombastic, carefree energy and range of haunting lyrics and melodic phrasings. “Impossible Winner,” the album’s closing track, takes a different turn from the album’s previous sonic themes. Mosshart’s straight-ahead vocal approach accompanied by the lush piano pad, building string ensemble and rising rhythm section is a melancholy ballad that pays homage to the Queen sound and those moments in a Broadway show as the climactic emotional piece. “Dodge and Burn” is a great addition to any music collection that reflects not just The Dead Weather’s sound, but their myriad of musical influences. After a five-year studio hiatus, it has been well worth the wait.

M&C| WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015| MACEANDCROWN.COM

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E N T ER T A I NM E N T

A Monarch’s Guide to Going Vegan Kadedra Holmes Contributing Writer Have you ever thought about giving up meat and going vegetarian? Or even ditching the animal products all together for a cruelty-free vegan lifestyle? Whether it’s starting with meatless Mondays or eating vegan for one day out of the week, going vegetarian or vegan on the ODU campus is now easier than ever before. At Café 1201, you can enjoy a vegan meal using your meal plan. The café now has tofu options at the stir fry station. The café also has meatless Gardein burgers and includes vegetarian and/or vegan entrées at lunch and dinner time. The main lunch hall is also adding more vegan and vegetarian friendly options. However, there are some vegetarian favorites at Café 1201 that have always been on their menu, including cheese pizza, veggie omelets, stir fry without meat, waffles and even ice cream. Going vegetarian or vegan at the Webb Center dining hall is easy and included in your meal plan. Want coffee with cruelty-free creamer? Starbucks has vegan hot chocolate. Both Einstein Bros Bagels and Starbucks offer soy milk for your coffee, and you can also add soy milk to any beverage, including a Frappuc-

cino or latte. But wait, be warned; some Starbucks and Einstein syrups are made with animal products, so ask the barista if you have any questions. Add an everything bagel topped with peanut butter from Einstein’s for an even better vegan breakfast experience. When you’re tired of dining at Café 1201, you can enjoy a vegetarian or vegan meal at the restaurants right on Monarch way. Tropical Smoothie has Beyond Meat Chicken, which is a meat alternative that can be replaced on any of their wraps and sandwiches. Restaurants like La Herradura, Sakura and Jimmy Johns also have vegan options. The P.O.D. has vegetarian pizza, vegan and vegetarian wraps, and even vegan sushi rolls. If you’re venturing off campus, you can grab some yummy vegan food from restaurants right on Colley Avenue. Starving Artist Café has a colorful oatmeal and fruit breakfast that’s cheap and filling. Luna Maya has an incredible vegan quesadilla and burritos, and Cogans Pizza has vegan cheese and Gardein meats for vegan pizza. When the semester starts to wind down, the flex points and meal swipes begin to dwindle. Did you know you can still enjoy easy-to-make vegan options at home while saving money?

If you have a blender, try an onthe-go breakfast with a strawberry banana smoothie. If you don’t have a blender, or any kitchen appliances for that matter, oatmeal, avocado and toast or cereal (just to name a few) are great ways to fuel up for that 8 a.m. class. For lunch and dinner, you would be surprised how many options there are to have a hearty, cruelty free meal. Spaghetti with meatless sauce, oriental flavored ramen noodles, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Doritos chili flavored chips, stuffed sweet potatoes and even veggie stir fry make being vegan on a budget easy to do. Visit plantbasedonabudget.com to get the ins and outs on eating vegan on a budget. New to campus this year, students can now join Vegans and Vegetarians of ODU. This club is a community of vegetarians and vegans who want to learn more about the lifestyle. They have free food at every meeting and offer great volunteer opportunities.

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Kadedra Holmes is the president and founder of the Vegans and Vegetarians of ODU.

Abby Thurber poses for her Monarch Style

Clare Benedetto

Monarch Style: Abby Thurber

Clare Benedetto Contributing Writer

Abby Thurber Major: Pyschology and Communication Year: Sophomore Spotted: Dragas For a double major with a lot on her plate, there is one very surprising fact about Abby Thurber: she does not own a single pair of jeans. When she has to grab something quickly out of her closet, she reaches for “neutralcolored pants, but a colorful shirt that stands out.” Thurber describes her style as “modern, outgoing, and warm,” and says that it ranges from “casual to professional.” When spotted, she was dressed in an eye-catching assortment of items, including a pair of black pants patterned with pink and red roses, a black and white striped wrap, and a silver key necklace. “Any time you see me, I’ll always be wearing some type of key, even if

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it’s just my dorm key. I’ve always been inspired by ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ I used to be very into bows, now I’m into keys,” Thurber said. Thurber faithfully keeps up to date with the fashion world and follows fashion shows, but when asked whose closet she would raid, she does not cite a celebrity or model. Instead, she mentions the fashionable students she sees around campus. “I would love to talk to them and ask them about their clothes, see into their closets,” Thurber said said. Before she wore it nearly to pieces, her favorite item in her wardrobe was a shirt with several necklaces woven into the collar. Thurber has been taking more risks with her style lately by trying to incorporate more colors into her daily clothing choices, as she was doing when spotted in this outfit. A type of clothing she notes that she would like to see more often around campus would be interesting skirts. “Ruffled skirts, flowy skirts, and skirts with depth,” Thurber said.

M&C| WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015| MACEANDCROWN.COM

Wednesday, October 14th CAR SMASH

Kaufman Mall | 12PM-3PM

Around the World in 85 Years 2015

WOMEN’S FLAG FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP SRC Field | 5PM

MEN’S CHEERLEADING SRC Field | 5PM

KING OF THE COURT SRC Court | 6PM-8PM

COMEDY SHOW North Cafe | 8PM

ODU ODU HOMECOMING

Thursday, October 15th MONARCH DAY

Kaufman Mall | 11AM-3PM

NPHC STEP SHOW

Wednesday, October 7th

The Ted | 7PM

WOMEN’S FLAG FOOTBALL

Friday, October 16th

SRC Field | 6PM-11PM

Thursday, October 8th OPENING CEREMONY

Kaufman Mall | 12PM-3PM

PAW THE PAVEMENT

Kaufman Mall | 12PM-3PM

HOMECOMING CONCERT W/ JEREMIH AND RAE SREMMURD The Ted | 8PM

Saturday, October 17th PARADE OF NATIONS 49th & Hampton | 11AM

LSI FOOTBALL TAILGATE Kaufman Mall | 12:30PM

ODU VS. UNC-CHARLOTTE Foreman Field | 3:30PM

HOMECOMING BALL HOMECOMING@ODU.EDU | 757-683-4209 | @ODU_HOMECOMING

North Cafe | 8:30PM-12AM

Old Dominion University is committed to ensuring equal access to all participants. If you require special accommodations for any of these events, please contact LSI at 683-3446 within one week of the event so arrangements can be made.

M&C| WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015| MACEANDCROWN.COM

Sports

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Tale of Two Struggling Teams: Charlotte at Old Dominion Benjamin DeRonde Contributing Writer After another disappointing loss against Marshall University, the Old Dominion Monarchs will face University of North Carolina Charlotte 49ers in two weeks time. The Monarchs, now 2-3 overall and 0-1 in Conference USA, will be looking to break the three game losing streak that has plagued them these past few weeks. The 49ers have suffered a similar fate and have an identical record

to the Monarchs. Ray Lawry, Old Dominion sophomore and running back, leads the Monarch offense. Lawry started this season as the number one running back in the country, a fact that opposing teams have not missed. With recent opponents, Old Dominion’s biggest threat has been slowed slightly but not completely stopped. When Lawry is not able to make plays, the Monarch’s rushing game is strained with low numbers from the other running backs.

ODU Mens Soccer pose for a group picture after their game

Monarch quarterback Shuler Bentley seems to have struggled to find his footing in recent games, having completed just 37 percent in his most recent game and 54 percent for the season. Having been sacked 6 times in the past 3 games Bentley’s protection has struggled as well. While the numbers are more consistent for yardage and average yardage, the passing game for Old Dominion has also struggled, obtaining 590 yards for the season. On the offensive side of the 49ers,

running backs are also foremost. Kalif Phillips, a junior running back, leads the 49ers with 505 yards for the season and 2 touchdowns. While Phillips dominates the ground game, he is followed up by Andrew Blue, a senior with 222 yards. While Charlotte has a competent rushing game, their passing game is able to produce good numbers. 49er’s junior, Austin Duke, leads his team with 304 yards this season and fellow junior, Trent Bostick, is second with 123 yards. Charlotte has a capable

quarterback in junior Matt Johnson, who has thrown for 491 yards. Johnson’s success and the success of the other two 49ers quarterbacks is brought down by the number of interceptions; 6 for Johnson, 6 for McNeill and 1 for Barden. Old Dominion is 1-2 at home, while the 49ers are 1-1 on the road. Though the 49ers have the better record for road games, Old Dominion’s history of sell out games and with the events of homecoming on campus, the home field advantage should be present.

Jon Harding

Monarchs Win in Double Overtime Thriller Matt O’Brien Sports Editor The Old Dominion men’s soccer team entered their second conference matchup of the season Saturday. The Monarchs remain the no.12 ranked team in the country (6-0-1) having not lost since August, 28. The men dominated Florida Atlantic down in Boca Raton, FL however it took two overtime periods to get the deciding goal. After having a game cancellation on Wednesday and having issues getting on the practice field there was some question that the team might

be out of a groove. “It was a shame VCU was postponed. they would have been a nice test for our guys as we continue conference play,” said head Coach Alan Dawson. ODU was limited on the practice field on Wednesday and Thursday due to inclement weather but seemed to benefit from some warm weather in Florida. The Monarchs got off to a quick start after a goal in the 23rd minute from Junior midfielder Cole Stringer. The goal came off a free kick set up by none other than Captain Ivan Militar. It marks the fourth time this season Militar has assisted

or scored on a free kick this season. The assist is the 18th of his career, tying him for eighth all time in ODU history. The offense did not stop there. The monarchs demonstrated quality ball control and kept the opposing defense very busy generating nine shots in the first half. Monarch defensive backs hardly allowed any opportunities on their end, surrendering just one shot into the half. Despite the offensive domination, FAU struck even just a few minutes into the second half. Elijah McDonald was able to dribble past monarch defenders. It seemed it was their only

blunder during an otherwise stellar defensive performance. With FAU still searching for their first victory of the season the desperation in their play became apparent. The Monarchs best chance to seal the victory in regulation came off a Michael Nelson header in the 72nd minute. Nelson’s header just missed the back of the net and ricocheted off the crossbar. The two teams would remain deadlocked for another 30 minutes as one period of extra time was not enough. With just four minutes remaining in the second overtime period, sophomore defender Garret Walke

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floated a ball from just outside the box over FAU goalkeeper Josh Nolan, giving the Monarchs a thrilling 2-1 win. Walke has only appeared in one game this season, coming off the bench against Charlotte. The game winner was the first goal of his career. With the win the Monarchs remain undefeated in conference play (2-0-1) putting them in second place in the conference. “It’s a huge win for us. We have some great momentum going forward and we should be serious contenders in the conference,” said Dawson.

M&C| WEDNESDAY | 10.7.2015| MACEANDCROWN.COM

Technology

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Courtesy of Davey Wreden

“The Beginner’s Guide” Review: Getting to Know Someone Ross Reelachart Technology Editor When “The Stanley Parable” was released in July of 2011, it was met with critical acclaim. The game’s excellent use of narration and subversion of players’ expectations turned a mere “walking simulator” “art game” into something that was enjoyable without being irritating or too pretentious. The lone developer, Davey Wreden, went from a nobody to a minor video game celebrity with “The Stanley Parable,” and so his next game, “The Beginner’s Guide,” came in with high expectations. The best tone-setter for “The Beginner’s Guide” is the game’s own announcement, which came out on September 28, a mere 48 hours before its release on October 1. The game had nothing in the way of marketing except for a single-page website that contained the game’s title, release date and that it was being released by a new publisher, Everything Unlimited Ltd. Wreden releases a scant few enigmatic screenshots on Twitter with no context. There was

a brick building in the middle of an untextured white environment and a theater stage, but no explanation. To say that “The Beginner’s Guide” was a mysterious game was a bit of an understatement. The lack of marketing and hype could have been chalked-up to the independent nature of the game. But after playing “The Beginner’s Guide,” it’s clear that the lack of information going into the game was intentional. Just like “The Stanley Parable,” “The Beginner’s Guide” is best experienced completely blind and possibly in one sitting. They are both minimalistic narrative-driven games played from a first person perspective with little gameplay beyond moving around and looking. But the ongoing narration carries both games. The former being a hilarious subversion of video games, the latter being a tense character study of a game maker. In “The Beginner’s Guide,” the player is immediately greeted by the voice of Wreden himself. It’s immediately obvious that this is a game that knows it’s a game, and that Wreden is using the medium for a specific purpose. Said purpose is to show-off the

levels and half-finished games made by an enigmatic friend of his named Coda. By touring through Coda’s games with Wreden’s narration, we gradually learn who Coda is and what relationship he has with Wreden. From there, the game spirals down the rabbit hole of introspection and discovery with a tone that borders on psychological horror. Games like “The Beginner’s Guide” often receive criticism for that “walking simulator” nature and lack of gameplay. Players are often tasked with just walking around, looking at stuff, as a narrator reads lines that are supposed to be deep and meaningful. These games are often short (“The Beginner’s Guide” was finished in less than 90 minutes) and stuffed with pretention. Where so many “art games” fail is that they attempt to convey meaning and thought beyond their actual capacity to do so. Often their overall narrative is not actually strong enough to maintain the player’s interest over the length of the game, or purposefully obtuse gameplay distracts players’ attention.

Sometimes “art games” also lack an inherent sense of humanity that allows a player to empathize with the narrative, and thus players can never make the necessary emotional connections to actually care about what the game is trying to say. “The Beginner’s Guide” sidesteps those issues gracefully. The framing device of Wreden himself introducing the player to games developed by a friend allows the player to understand Wreden’s own mission to understand the mysterious Coda. The short length of the game means the game does not overstay its welcome, and the individual portions of the game are only just long enough to get their point across. Then there’s the strength of Wreden’s spoken narration. As the game goes on, the player learns just as much about Wreden as we do about Coda. The inherent symbolism and metaphors within the game are usually obvious enough, and even blatantly explained by Wreden. But that’s when the meaning passes from the game itself to Wreden. Soon it becomes difficult to discern if Wreden is talking about Coda,

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about himself, game development or even the notion of creativity and art itself. His voice and words become less confident and less “read,” as if he is actually acting and reacting as the game goes on. This creates a deeply personal end game that borders on uncomfortable. By the end, it becomes difficult to tell if the game is biographical, autobiographical or even fictional entirely. “The Beginner’s Guide” may not be for everyone. The lack of gameplay will turn off many and pretension can still be found by those players not accustomed to a narrative-focused game. But the game is cheap and short, so trying it out is almost no problem. If an actual good art game is something that interests you, and you’re willing to let yourself get uncomfortably close to someone through a video game, “The Beginner’s Guide” will not disappoint.

Technology

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Courtesy of Apple, Inc.

The Many Voices of Talking Phones Audra Reigle Contributing Writer Voice recognition is not just for iPhones and other Apple devices. Users can also find voice recognition on Androids, Windows Phones and even through devices Amazon has released. Voice control, which allows people to ask questions or make phone calls without having to go into the internet or phone apps, is meant to change how we think of computers. Talking to a computer in the past may have been a weird, unusual idea. Why would anyone do it? Comput-

ers couldn’t talk back, after all. Nowadays, it’s more common to see a person talking to their phone, asking where the nearest pizza place is so that they can get lunch. It’s becoming so common that it’s going to become one of the main ways people interact with computers. It’s called ambient computing, and it involves a robotic assistant, like Siri, to do whatever it’s asked to do, whether it’s answering a question for the user or giving an event reminder. Amazon has introduced Echo, a device that sits wherever one wants

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it to be, the kitchen or the bedroom or anywhere else, and does what it’s asked to do. Think Siri, but instead of it being on a phone, it’s a stationary, cylindrical device. It wakes up when one says “Alexa: and can also turn on the lights, play bingo and keep up with multiple calendars. The addition of being able to check multiple calendars is a newer feature that can be enabled through the Alexa app. Cortana is the Windows Phone equivalent of Siri that made her debut with the release of Windows 8.1. She’s

powered through Bing, and is more or less just like Siri in the things that she can do. She can even find news that she thinks you’ll be interested in. However, she works best when she’s given more information about the user. The more information the user gives, the more she can help the user out. Google Now is the voice recognition software for Android users. Like its iOS, Amazon and Windows counterparts, Google Now does the same things that Siri, Alexa and Cortana do.

It was released in 2012 with Android’s Jelly Bean update. Instead of the user speaking to their phone to activate it, they press and hold the home button to do so. Google Now will then provide information based on whatever the user’s looking at on a card at the top of the screen. However, while speaking doesn’t always activate Google Now, the user can still speak to their device to get information using what’s already provided on the screen.

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Queer Column Medal to Pope Francis: But Let’s Not Forget Kim Davis Connor Norton Staff Writer As anyone with half an eye on the television could recollect, Pope Francis recently paid a very recent visit to the U.S. During his visit, many kindhearted and generous actions were shared across the country; as well as a noble choice to ignore the political fires by staying clear away from those settings during his service. However, this was not totally unavoided when massive press surrounded a meeting of Pope Francis with Kim Davis, the notorious Kentucky county clerk who has been defying the law by refusing same-sex marriage licenses. It was reported, by the Kim Davis camp and conservative news outlets, that Pope Francis’ congregation invited Kim Davis to speak and meet with the Pope during his visit in DC. After the fact, a media firestorm consumed

the US stating that the Pope was in support of Kim Davis. “Just knowing the Pope is on track with what we’re doing and agreeing, you know, it kind of validates everything” well this quote may have had some merit….if the Vatican hadn’t been so willing to speak the truth for a change. Not long after the comments were issued, the Vatican stated that the Pope met with “several dozen” other people in a very brief meeting with nowhere near enough time to enter into details with Davis on the situation. Vatican spokespeople said “I have difficulty believing that 15 minutes was spent with one individual. Because there simply wasn’t enough time.” The overwhelming statements from the Vatican had one strong voice, there was no knowledge, planning, or thought behind the meeting of Kim Davis; while the other side would like

to argue the opposite. Kim Davis’ lawyer had stated that the Vatican had extended the invitation to them on Sept. 14th which was accepted and confirmed on Sept. 23rd. Allegedly, a private vehicle was sent to help Kim and her latest husband sneak into the DC embassy in order to have an audience with the Pope. The council supporting Kim Davis stated that the Pope “thanked her for her strength” and encouraged her to “stay strong.” Since then, this entire story has been discredited, but investigation has led the Vatican to believe this was not all folly, some of the situation was set-up in truth by envoys of the Vatican, by His Excellency Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò. Viganò, the Archbishop and envoy of the Vatican to the US allegedly was the one responsible for inviting the guests to the embassy;

and has retained a reputation against LGBTQ marriage and equality. The Archbishop now potentially faces firing from his position due to the severe politicizing of this circumstance, an act that is most heavily avoided during the Pope’s visits. The issue this overshadowed is one that seems to be getting severely capitalized on, and that is that the Pope was meeting with an ex-student of his, Yayo Grassi and his husband. Footage can be seen of Yayo and the Pope embracing and the Pope being introduced to his former student. Congratulations, wonderful news, give this guy a medal for something he was already planning to do and justify something he had no intention of doing. The simple fact is that there is still a glaring problem here that no one is talking about; that we as a society are so quick to assume

and conclude that the Pope would support Kim Davis over LGBTQ equality. And furthermore, that we as a society are so passively satisfied that we can forgive something like that because the Pope shook hands and hugged a gay person. There is a lot more work and accountability needed if we are going to show the world that equity of humanity is more important than religious views on sexuality. This is a moment where we as people tend to say “that’s fine, accept the little steps as progress and maybe someday change will come from it” but we shouldn’t, because that’s complacent, the more we continue to say that things will change if we’re patient, and write off such simple gestures as ‘ground-shaking’ or ‘permissiongranting’ then we will be waiting for progress for a long time.

Opinion

To submit your opinions about issues on campus, e-mail sdavi116@odu.edu.

In Response to “Ashamed to be a Monarch” This op-ed was submitted as a response to “Ashamed to a be a Monarch.” By Anonymous My fellow Monarchs, I am typing to you with a great sadness in my heart because I am surrounded by injustice. In another article, the faculty and staff here were criticized for their inability to conduct a civilized discussion about the injustices that we as students face on a daily basis. This article will not focus on the staff here but the students and their contributions to the problems faced here as well. Students, you are in no way off the hook for how you conducted yourselves at the meetings that were supposed to unite us. As young adults, you should have been more mature with the way you listened and the way you spoke. Every day, we attack others whenever we hear something that we don’t particularly want to hear. Attacking an individual for their

thoughts and beliefs is a form of persecution that haunts America’s history as well as the history of many other nations. I address America directly because it is a story that we all know, a story of people colonizing here as a means of escaping persecution. Unfortunately, we have uprooted the foundation laid before us and have become persecutors ourselves. Taking on the role of persecutor, we have attacked people for their race, religion/beliefs, gender and sexual orientation. Everyone believes that they are entitled to equality and they are supposed to be given that by birth right. My deepest pain stems from each of these four things that we attack each other on a daily basis. Most people fighting for their own groups’ equality do not advocate for any other group’s equality, which in my opinion is the heart of the issue. The mentality that I see here on campus is the desire for equality for our specific group and not identifying the needs of other groups. How can we advocate

equality when we only advocate for that which affects us daily? In the meeting, I saw a lot of disrespect of one another as well as disrespect for the staff, which is unacceptable. We cannot preach peace and unity when we use words to attack us. Calling someone a racist, a misogynist, a sexist, a bigot or a homophobe because of their beliefs doesn’t help. Name calling and bashing others only continues to add fuel to a fire that needs to be burned out. Attacks with words go against everything that those meetings were supposed to stand for. Those who were in the meeting, you are not the only guilty ones on campus; the campus is composed of more people with the same problems. To return to an earlier point for those who feel like they are being disrespected on campus, where I come from respect is earned. Asking the school for respect and help in one breath and attacking it with the next is not something that helps progress.

The school has done its job and has respected us in the sense that we are allowed to express our ideas, beliefs and feelings of injustice. We in return have not offered the same respect by publicly criticizing them for not doing enough. I would like to bring the real issue that I have about respect that addresses a few people, how can we ask for respect and continue to conduct ourselves in a manner that doesn’t earn us that respect that we yearn for? How can we ask for respect but continue to disrespect others? Another huge thing going on at ODU that breaks my heart is our inability to talk about issues that we see being portrayed in the media. It’s okay to have positive feelings, negative feeling or even no feeling in regards to the issue. We have to remember, although this may hurt the groups that we are affiliated with, we were not there. We are not able to act high and mighty or pass judgment because in reality, we take attention away from what has happened by inserting our-

selves into the equation. Our society has one court of law and although we may not always agree with the laws or decisions of these cases we have to respect the beauty of the justice system laid out before us. Remember making jokes about someone’s race, religion/beliefs, gender or sexual orientation is another thing that adds to the problem. Attempting to address difficult situations with humor is something that we all have done in the past, but those too are subtle attacks that can shake a nation. Sure, a joke doesn’t seem serious, but the harsh reality is that any form of intolerance whether it is a joke or otherwise works against creating unity. When is enough, enough? What can they do to make us feel happy? These are a few of the questions that the school probably has for its population; the correct answer is that it will never be enough and they can’t make us all happy. We as humans are hardwired to want but not to give.

Some counsel from Matt Williams Wiki

Fire Matt Williams Alex Brooks Staff Writer The Nationals came into the season with sky high aspirations. They were picked as the favorite to win the World Series at the beginning of the season by analysts on major sports networks like ESPN and the MLB Network. Midway though the season the Nats looked as though they were going to make that title run that every DC sports fan had dreamt of since the 1992 Redskins Super Bowl victory. If you are looking for the last time the District of Columbia saw a World Series trophy, you have to go back to the 1924 season. The team did relocate and just recently moved back to the capital but the 22 year drought of any championship is still mind boggling to those who follow DC sports

closely. This year was the year the drought ended… until the New York Mets happened. It’s easy to say that the Mets just got scorching hot at the right time, but that wouldn’t be the truth. Yes, the Mets’ trade deadline moves propelled them to a phenomenon second half of the season but the cold hard truth is that the Nationals skipper Matt Williams may be the worst manager in baseball. Midway though the season he had a potential Cy Young winner in “Mad” Max Scherzer along with a strong second arm in the rotation, Stephen Strasburg (when healthy). He also had one of the five top players in the league in Bryce Harper, a man who just flat-out lit it up this year and had a potential shot to win MVP until the crippling collapse of the Nationals as

well as a solid squad to fill in behind, like Jason Werth, Michael Taylor and Ryan Zimmerman to name a couple. Yet, Matt Williams could only manage to win just over 80 games and looks to be finishing around the .500 mark. So a team that was projected to win it all dealt with a couple of injuries here and there like every other team but couldn’t make the playoffs? If you were told you had a team headed by Scherzer, Strasburg and Harper yet you would miss the playoffs by over five games you’d be asking for the managers head. And that is exactly what needs to happen. The colossal failure can only be described as that, a failure. Matt Williams lost the locker room at some point during the season and it was very apparent. The fact that your

backup reliever feels like it is okay to try to literally choke out the best player on your team for not running out an infield pop out shows the chaos that lurks inside of the locker room. There is no leadership from the management, no sense of direction given from Matt Williams. Anyone in Harper’s position would have done the same thing. In his prime he wants to compete for a World Series title and while he did everything in his power to do so, the rest of the team was not managed properly in game situations. There was never a point in the season where you could tune in for an entire Nats series and watch them play and honestly believe that they looked like a team that could win a World Series. Yet, the talent is just oozing from the franchise. Young stars with

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the ability to do amazing things for the franchise were hampered by the incompetence of Matt Williams trying to manage a baseball team on a day to day basis. Harper only has a couple years left on his contact and there is already talk that he would ditch town for another big city, New York. The only thing that is different is that New York has shown that they can win baseball games to even get to October. So in the end it comes down to keeping a star like Harper or Scherzer, or keeping the worst manager in baseball who can’t seem to grasp the concept of building and managing a winning baseball team. Hey Nationals, it’s time you fire Matt Williams.

Satire

To submit your opinions about issues on campus, e-mail sdavi116@odu.edu.

Faux News is Good News: The Terrible Truth About Pumpkin Spice George Plank Staff Writer For many fall doesn’t begin until they’ve had their first pumpkin spice latte. The spice is in everything from coffee and creamer to muffins and cookies, but what is lurking just underneath that creamy exterior may shock fans of the spice. Dr. Hon-Ki from the Vietnamese Institute of Science has brought for-

ward new findings that suggest that the autumn treat may be doing irreparable damage to your skin. “In the human skin everyone has cells called melanocytes that are responsible for producing melanin. When pumpkin spice is entered into the human body it releases enzymes that stimulate several nerve endings at once leading to a feeling of euphoria and triggering the portion of the brain that deals with addiction. However these enzymes

Creative

also consume the melanocytes that your body has naturally.” Dr. Hon-Ki stipulates that the enzymes partnered with the colder temperatures could leave many lacking in melanin. While this is not lethal or particularly dangerous to many people’s wellbeing it can still be disheartening. Dr. Hon-Ki has also laid out some recommendations to directly combat the adverse effects that pumpkin spice takes on the skin.

First, when exercising be sure to over exert yourself. Choose activities that involve a lot of stretching such as yoga or meditation. If you do engage in these activities be sure to wear proper attire. Invest in a pair of yoga pants and for best results wear them through the duration of the day. Second, as said before, avoid over exertion, this includes talking, so feel free to shorten words or use initialisms such as, “OMG, WTF,

LOL” to get your point across. Third, a good deal of heat is lost through the feet and having cold extremities can lead to rapid advancement of the condition. Look for a pair of boots, preferably fur lined. If you follow these steps you will be well equipped to handle the toll pumpkin spice takes on your body. Know the risks and be prepared this autumn.

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