2016 09 20

INSIDE THIS ISSUE NEW MEN’S TENNIS COACH JEREMY FELDMAN SETS HIS EYE ON A SUCCESSFUL SEASON FOR THE TEAM PG. 5

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OP-ED: COLIN KAEPERNICK’S CHOICE TO KNEEL DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM CALLS FOR CHANGE AND DEEPER DISCUSSIONS ON REAL WORLD ISSUES PG. 8

SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

IN ANTICIPATION OF THE UPCOMING FILM ADAPTION, DISCOVER THE WORLD INSIDE ‘MISS. PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN’ PG. 14 VOL. 29, ISSUE 3

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Salina Dickie, Mia Shelton, Pooja Pasupula, Andy Gustafson, Alex Sands, Angie Baquedano, Daniel Head

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ADDITIONAL STAFF Annie Young, Isa Knapp, Varun Krishnan, Eddie Angelbello, Stephanie Trefzger, Sarah Martin, Candice Kelly

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SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

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PROFESSOR AWARDED FOR EXCELLENT TEACHING Engineering Professor Dr. Peter Tkacik becomes most recent recipient of Bonnie E. Cone Early-Career Teaching Professorship ANNIE YOUNG STAFF WRITER

Dr. Peter Tkacik, a UNC Charlotte mechanical engineering professor, was awarded with over $3 million for research funding through the Bonnie E. Cone Early-Career Teaching Professorship.

This award is given to a professor who goes above and beyond teaching.

They enrich, motivate and lead students through their education.

Tkacik is described as all of the above and more from his students and coworkers.

Ph.D. student Jerry Dahlberg states, “He is part of the reason I stayed at UNC Charlotte to pursue my graduate degree … He spends countless hours every week in the lab mentoring numerous senior design teams, above and beyond what is expected.”

When asked to describe what motivates Tkacik’s passion and creativity in the classroom, he responded with a childhood story.

“When my Lotus sports car caught fire in 1978, my uncle said he would trade a busted Porsche for it. When I said I couldn’t fix it, he said he could so if I tried and got stuck, he would unstick me. It was great and I use that logic to get my students to take on bigger projects than they are comfortable with. With support and guidance, you can do anything.”

Tkacik has been at UNC Charlotte since 2007 teaching mechanical engineering. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Engineering/ Technology for Caraustar Industries, but says that “becoming a professor was about the best thing that ever

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happened to me.”

Tkacik spent 12 years at Michelin Research and developed a Tire Mechanics course based off of the knowledge gained from his experience.

He believes that when you combine all types of engineering you get mechanical engineering.

His Tire Mechanics course illustrates just that.

“My mechanical engineers can Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Joan Lorden presents award to Engineering Professor Dr. Peter and have done Tkacik. Photo courtesy of Dr. Peter Tkacik everything on Science Technology Engineering allows me to apply for a wider range from Mathematics (STEM) education of research,” said Tkacik. programming and wiring like to attract new students to UNC To list a few of his past projects: an electrical engineer, statistical super-sonic Schleiren flow production studies like an industrial, Charlotte and the Engineering department. measurement in rocket nozzles, to heavy iron work like a civil.”

As of right now he does not have ultrasonic medical sensors for Tkacik will receive $100,000 of his specific future plans but is excited blood pressure, passenger car $3 million research grant every 4 about the various options waiting to production plant capabilities, heavy months. be explored. truck aerodynamics and tire axle He is helping develop a military “I expect that the range of improvements, the only Tomographic technology course with the Office experimental topics I’ve mastered PIV (3D flow) system in the nation. of Naval Research and has worked SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

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POLICE BLOTTER SEPT. 13-16 ACCIDENT SEPT. 13

• North Deck, officers took a report referencing a vehicle accident. Subject stated a note was left on his vehicle apologizing and included a phone number.

A week of events in recognition of University’s growth leading to future changing announcement

SEPT. 14

ALEX SANDS

• West Deck, while attempting to park, driver of vehicle one struck vehicle two, which was parked and occupied. No injuries were reported.

SEPT. 16

• Fretwell Loading Dock, while turning right onto Van Landingham from East Deck two, driver of vehicle one struck vehicle two causing damage to vehicle one. No injuries were reported.

ASSAULT SEPT. 14

• Martin Hall, victim stated that she is receiving threats via the KIK app.

CALLS FOR SERVICE SEPT. 16

• McCall House, officers took a report of a fight.

FRAUD SEPT. 13

• Online, officers took a report in reference to a possible fraud of a student who applied for a job online.

LARCENY SEPT. 16

• Kennedy Building, IT reported the larceny of a hard drive.

For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us

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Founder’s Celebration to commemorate 70 years of UNC Charlotte ASST. NEWS EDITOR

On Sept. 23, 1946, the doors opened to The Charlotte Center, an evening college center created in response to high education demands after World War II. When the University opened, 278 students were enrolled. Seventy years later, nearly 28,700 students walk the bricks of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte campus and proudly call themselves ‘fortyniners.’

Not long after it’s opening, The Charlotte Center was taken over by the city school district and renamed Charlotte College. In 1964, the N.C. legislature approved bills that made Charlotte College a four-year, statesupported college. In the following year, legislature approved bills that the institution named, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Today, UNC Charlotte is known as North Carolina’s urban research university and holds the title of the fourth largest institution within the UNC school system. There are over 120,000 living alumni with the University today, adding around 5,000 more each year.

Most N.C. residents agree that UNC Charlotte is one of the fastest growing schools in the system; there are plans to build a new health and wellness center, a science building and the current construction of the light rail extension that will connect the main campus to the center city campus in uptown Charlotte. The construction of the light rail on campus is part of the Blue Line Extension and will allow for new ways of connecting with the surrounding city and community.

“Since graduating in 1996, I’ve visited the campus a number of times on various occasions. The campus today hardly resembles the one I knew back in the 1990s,” said alumni Jill Holshouser, whose daughter is currently a sophomore at UNC Charlotte. “I’m amazed at the beautiful architecture and the number of buildings that

have sprung up over the years. It is now a breathtaking campus.”

To celebrate the 70th anniversary, the 2016 Founders Celebration will feature multiple events from Sept. 2024.

The events will kick off on Sept. 20 at noon with the burial of a commemorative time capsule in Belk Plaza. The time capsule is scheduled to be opened in 2046, during the University’s 100th Anniversary.

Former Secretary of Defense and best-selling author Dr. Robert Gates will be speaking at the Chancellor’s Speaker Series on Sept. 21 at 3:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Student Union. Gates will be covering the topics of leadership and politics.

On Sept. 22, a 36-hour social media-driven fundraising campaign, called #NinerNationGives, will encourage the UNC Charlotte community to support and give back to the University. The launch picnic will take place at 11:30 a.m. at the plaza between the College of Education and the College of Health and Human Services. Food will be provided.

A major announcement that is said to affect UNC Charlotte’s future will be delivered Sept. 23 at “An Exponential Celebration” in the Student Union Rotunda at 12:15 p.m. In addition, Dubois and University leaders will be naming the Student Union in honor of two alumni who have shown generous support for the University.

The events wrap up Sept. 24 with the 41st annual International Festival, which will run from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center. First held in 1975, the festival now stands as a campus tradition that attracts over 20,000 attendees each year and represents roughly 50 nations.

“I’VE VISTED THE CAMPUS A NUMBER OF TIMES ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS. THE CAMPUS HARDLY RESEMBLES THE ONE I KNEW BACK IN THE 1990S.” ALUMNI JILL HOLSHOUSER

SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

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Charlotte area ranked No.5 in country for rent decrease Report shows apartment rents in Charlotte dropped 7 percent last month NICK CROPPER NEWS EDITOR

Rent price in the Charlotte area experienced a 7 percent decrease in August, making it No.5 in the country, study shows.

The study was performed by ABODO, a Real Estate company that provides online apartment listings. ADOBO releases studies every couple of months with updated rental information for cities in the United States.

The data shown in their most recent study is from August to September.

The study National Apartment Report: September 2016, reveals that the average rent for singlebedroom apartments in Charlotte dropped from $1,242 to $1,152 last month.

“With construction at its highest level since the 1980s, we believe that a steady decline in rent prices in metro areas like Charlotte may be on the way,” said Sr. Communications Manager of ABODO Sam Radbil.

Charlotte was fifth in the

“WE BELIEVE THAT A STEADY DECLINE IN RENT PRICES IN METRO AREAS LIKE CHARLOTTE MAY BE ON THE WAY.” SAM RADBIL

rankings behind No.1 Seattle, which experienced a 13 percent decrease this past month. San Jose experienced the second largest decrease by 12 percent. Behind San Jose was Los Angeles, which experienced a an 8 percent decrease.

Boston was ranked fourth in the listing sitting at 7 percent, narrowly beating out Charlotte.

Although Boston saw the same decrease in prices, the cost of rent is still roughly double that of Charlotte.

Despite the price drop, rent decreases in Charlotte appear to be slowing down after experiencing a slight increase, according to data released earlier in the summer by ABODO. “We anticipate that the rent growth might begin to slow in large cities like Charlotte, because of the huge boom in multifamily construction. The development and construction of new rentals will ultimately bring more units to the

market for local renters and limit the demand,” said Radbil.

On the opposite end of the spectrum Miami, Bakersville, Calif., Philadelphia, Fresno, Calif. and Detriot experienced the largest increases in rent the past month.

Miami saw the greatest increase at 9 percent.

According to the National Apartment Report, July 2016, rent prices in Charlotte had dropped 14 percent. Charlotte had the largest decrease in rent prices in the country from June to July. The average apartment rent dropped from $1,182 to $1,016.

Data taken from the study reflects the average rates for single-bedroom apartments.

While Charlotte and other large metropolitan areas experienced decent decreases in rent prices, the national trend is on the rise. In August, the national average was $932, which crept up to $940.

Senate update: Chancellor speaks about University updates ISA KNAPP INTERN

The UNC Charlotte Student Government Association (SGA) held its weekly student senate legislative meeting of the year Sept. 15.

During the meeting, UNC Charlotte Chancellor Philip Dubois spoke to senators regarding important updates regarding the University.

He also spoke on the University’s growth.

Visit from the UNC Charlotte Chancellor Dubois spoke as a guest at the meeting. He talked at length on the growth of the university as well

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work that the Campus Congestion Task Force is doing.

Different ideas to alleviate congestion on campus have been brought up like expanding the main exits of the university, closing Craver Road during peak hours and improving the bus system. None of these ideas have been decided on yet.

Dubois also spoke of upcoming construction projects on campus.

The earliest construction project scheduled to begin will be the redesign of the Belk Plaza. Other projects include renovating the

Denny Complex, a new science building, a new Health and Wellness Center, a new Counseling Center and expanding the Career Center into the current location of the counseling center.

Guest speaker Executive Branch Treasurer Hayden Smith was also a guest speaker at the meeting that night.

Smith provided a budget overview and discussed changes to the budget.

He also discussed making grants more accessible to student organizations.

SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

Approved grants A financial bill supporting student organizations has been approved.

Five organizations including Voices of Eden Gospel Choir and Alpha Omega Epsilon received a total of $5,174.58 in grant money.

Message from student body vice president Student Body Vice President and Leader of the Senate Carrie Nowell reminded the senate that freshman elections are coming up and that bios of all candidates can be found on the SGA’s website.

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SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

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NEW COACH? NO PROBLEM New men’s tennis coach Jeremy Feldman has his eyes set on winning

TREVOR WILT SPORTS EDITOR

Sweat beading down his face and sprinting from court to court with a neon stringed racket.

This is likely the scene during a Jeremy Feldman tennis practice. Feldman, newly hired men’s tennis coach for the Charlotte 49ers, can often be found and heard at practice working just as hard as the boys that he’s coaching.

“Motivated and focused,” said Carl Solik, describing his new head coach. “There are coaches that do not want to spend as much time as him on the court. He’s just really motivated in making us better.”

Feldman inherited a very young team when he was hired on June 21 of this year, with eight underclassman, something that the head coach embraces as a strength in his young coaching career.

“With being so close in age to the players, I understand what these guys are going through,” said Feldman.

Feldman was once in his player’s shoes, but before his playing time at Cornell, he was once just a young boy trying to have a fun 10th birthday party with his friends and family.

“I had a tennis birthday party, embarrassingly enough, for my tenth birthday,” said Feldman. “The pros there at the time were watching me play and they went up to my parents and told them I had a little bit of talent and potential. From then on, I started to pursue tennis and that’s how I got my start.”

The young Feldman found early success on the court, but there was a moment where Feldman didn’t know if his size would catch up to his competitors.

“I went through a bit of a slump when I was playing 16-under tennis.

I didn’t grow until I was about 17 years old, so all the other guys were a lot bigger than me. I was physically outmatched for a bit, but I eventually got there.”

Once Feldman’s game continued to impress in his high school days, college coaches started to pay attention to him. Nearby Cornell University was one of those schools that caught Feldman’s eye.

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“Visiting the school and the university, it was a very beautiful place. I actually knew a lot of the guys on the Cornell team prior to my visit, so that helped in my decision as well,” said Feldman.

“I knew they had a great academic reputation.

I felt like there was an opportunity for me to do something special there.”

Feldman definitely did something special at Cornell.

He went on to become the 2008 Ivy League Rookie of the Year after an undefeated singles record in conference play. Feldman also earned a 2010 first-team All-Ivy league doubles selection.

After his stellar playing career at Cornell and graduating with a degree in economics, Feldman went on to work on Wall Street. While he enjoyed his time staying in New York, Feldman knew he had something more to give to the game of tennis.

“I never really thought about coaching, even in college. The only person who thought I could be a coach was my mom. I always told her that I didn’t know if I could and she always told me I should do it,” said Feldman. “I guess mom knows best.”

Trying to get back into the game he loved, Feldman got in contact with his old coach at Cornell, Tony Bresky, who got hired as the head coach for Wake Forest. Bresky brought Feldman down to Wake as a volunteer coach for the 2012-2013 season.

After getting his feet wet with the Demon Deacons, Feldman found a spot as an assistant for the University of Denver, where he coached for the 2013-2014 season.

Enjoying his time at Denver, Bresky and SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

Wake came calling back to Feldman, with an assistant coach job on the line. Feldman accepted and went on to expose himself as one of the best assistant coaches around.

“I had a great experience at Wake,” said Feldman. “Coaching at that level, you see a lot of high-end tennis every day. We got to work with some really good players there. Got to learn from one of the best in Tony.”

After his successful stent with the Deacons, Charlotte came calling. This time though, wanting a head coach. Feldman quickly said yes to athletic director Judy Rose and became the 18th head coach in 49ers history.

“We are definitely trying to bring a lot from what I learned over at Wake to Charlotte,” said Feldman. “We are definitely looking for kids who have professional aspirations. In order to be successful, you have to strive to be the best. And to be the best, that is at the professional level.”

When asked about what he learned from his previous coaches at Denver and Wake, Feldman said, “Work ethic. Both were preaching to their players about preparation and what it took to be successful and also the time and effort they put in as their job as coach.”

The 49ers won’t start their regular season play until the spring, but Feldman, his assistant Andrew Thomson and the rest of the team are already putting in the hard work now so they can compete at a high level as soon as the season rolls around.

“He is really organized and cares about his players. He established a very disciplined and organized program and has already helped me transition to the Division I coaching level as well,” Thomson said.

Feldman sees this Charlotte tennis program going in the right direction and seeing nothing but a bright future if they can stick to the process.

“I mentioned to the guys at our opening meeting that our goals are to compete for conference championships and compete at the highest level nationally. We’re just going to stay focused on the process and getting better. I think if they understand that if they put everything that they have into everyday of practice, at the end of the year, we will be putting ourselves in a good spot.”

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RISING TO THE TOP Ranked 9th in the nation, take a look at what makes the 49ers so successful on the field

KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR

Sunol-Rojas, Harrison Steadman and Callum Montgomery are tied with three goals apiece. Next comes Daniel Bruce with two and Matej Dekovic who had the game winning goal against Coastal Carolina.

In total the Niners have racked up 14 goals in their four matches, averaging out to four a game.

What allows the 49ers to score is the frequency at which they take shots. As a whole the team has taken 56 shots, 27 of those shots on goal creating a .482 percentage.

Saving the day

Matej Dekovic celebrates after scoring a goal against Coastal Carolina. Dekovic and his teammates are ranked first in the country in scoring offense. Photo by Chris Crews

The men’s soccer team has hit the ground running this season, starting out 4-0-0 and they have yet to allow any goals. This is the first time the 49ers have started out 4-0 since 1998 when the squad began the season with a 5-0 run.

The squad sits inside the top 10 in national polls; however the 49ers are accustomed to the national spotlight. In 2011 the group made the program’s first ever appearance in a national championship when they lost 1-0 to in-state foe UNC. In total the 49ers have made an appearance in 11 NCAA tournaments and spent a majority of their season in the national polls.

There are three main areas in which the 49ers excel, propelling them to the top of the national rankings.

Lending a helping hand One thing contributing to Charlotte’s successes is the assist.

Currently the 49ers lead the nation averaging 4.33 per game. The

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assist is a valuable stat to be ranked in, indicating solid ball movement and teamwork on the field.

Senior Brandt Bronico leads the charge in assists, being attributed four so far in the season. Marco Sunol-Rojas is not far behind his teammate, claiming responsibility for three assists in the four games played.

Matej Dekovic falls next in line with two while Daniel Bruce and Ryan Spaulding each claim one assist.

Moving the ball around the field as much as the 49ers do allows other players to become open, giving them a chance to take a shot at the goal.

Capitalizing opportunities In the four games played in the season the guys in green have put up 14 goals in total. Charlotte’s offense has not gone unnoticed, as it is ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Five players on the Charlotte roster have found the net and tallied at least one goal this season.

After being redshirted last season, goalkeeper Elliot Panicco has made his presence known on the field.

So far this season the redshirt freshman has not allowed any goals, pushing 49ers to the top of the leader boards in save percentage, shutout percentage and team goals against average.

He has not accomplished this easily, making 10 saves thus far. By building an impermeable barrier in front of the net, the 49ers can move the ball with more ease.

What’s up next?

The 49ers take a trip to the beach, facing UNC-Wilmington for a matchup Tuesday. The Seahawks aren’t an easy opponent. They currently are ranked second in the nation in scoring offense, second to the 49ers. They are also behind Charlotte in points per game, coming in at second. Finally they rank third in the country in assists per game.

Charlotte comes home in time for a home matchup against in-conferece foe FIU on Saturday. The matchup begins at 7 p.m. on Transamerica Field.

SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

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ADVANTAGE CHARLOTTE With a new assistant and a large senior class, the women’s tennis team is ready for tournament play KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR

Tennis is a year-round affair, putting its players to work in the fall and continuing through the spring. The women’s tennis team has been practicing and perfecting their game for the past few weeks and finally will see some action as tournament play begins.

The 49ers are coming off a 10-10 2015-16 season. Last season two of Charlotte’s returning players, Tai Martin and Macy Vonderschmidt were named to the third-team All-Conference USA squad.

It was the first time in the history of the program that multiple players were named to an All-Conference team.

This year the squad is headlined by four seniors, making up almost half of the group.

Having a solid group of veterans that know the standards of the program allows the younger players on the team to learn how the team is run from their example.

“They know what the season will be like, what we expect as coaches, what we’re looking to do and what we’re trying to accomplish as a team.

They can take the younger people under their wing and show them the way it should be done,” head tennis coach Michaela Gorman said.

One of the seniors, Vonderschmidt, is already seeing the effects of senior leadership before tournament play even begins.

“We’re almost 50 percent of the team, so we can show the new people and the younger players how they should be acting and playing. I think they are already performing in a way that we want them to so that’s nice,” Vonderschmidt said.

There is a new vibe coming for the women’s tennis team this year according to Vonderschmidt.

“Our team dynamic is completely different from last year in a good way. We’re all really excited and we’re all working really hard,” Vonderschmidt said.

In addition to three new players this season, the 49ers welcomed a new assistant coach, Caroline Price. Price played four years of tennis at Carolina where she was named an AllAmerican her junior season and became the first women’s tennis player to receive the prestigious Patterson Medal.

She spent last year as the volunteer assistant for the team and was promoted to full-time assistant coach for this season. Price just came

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off of a 10 week internship with the USTA and is bringing a new energy to the courts.

“The transition has been really easy, which is great. She was a great college player and she had an awesome internship this summer with UTSA so she got the see the best of the best in terms of players and competition. She’s here, she’s hungry and we’re excited,” Gorman said.

The first weeks before tournament play started the team has been working on conditioning and tightening up their game.

“I’ve been proud of the way they’ve been working. I’ve been pushing them really hard with a lot of fitness and small group stuff. They’ve really been pushing each other which is great.

We’ve been focusing on your fitness and making sure we’re good to go,” Gorman said.

The tournaments the 49ers will partake in for the remainder of the fall allow the coaches to get a glimpse of what their players look like when going against strong competitors.

“The tournaments are designed to give the players a lot of matches, a lot of competition.

We’ll play against some of the players we will see again in the spring but it gives us a first look at how we are in competition mode, see things we need to work on, things we’re good at,” Gorman said.

The 49ers saw action this past weekend in the COFC Invitational. Alexandra Lee also found her way to the championship round of B1 singles, taking home the title. Martin showcased her talents winning her way to the A1 Singles championship round, falling short claiming second place.

In doubles play, Briana Bodner and Alexandra Lee won in the quarterfinals but fell short in the semi’s taking third. Megan Smith came in third in the B1 singles. Pierina Imparato and Tai Martin came in seventh place in A1 doubles.

Bodner also took home third place in the B3 singles. The 49ers go to Wilmington to partake in the UNC Wilmington Invitational this weekend.

They will face schools from around the Carolinas.

Senior Briana Bodner returns a volley during play last year. Bodner is one of four seniors on the women’s tennis team this season. NT File Photo SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

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STYLE AT THE COST OF LIVES VARUN KRISHNAN INTERN

Life has a weird sense of irony about it; it has a way of driving in its point at unexpected times.

A few days back my friend and I were discussing a trip he had once made to a particular race track for people to test-drive on. Apparently the only reason why he was denied permit was that he only had a protection jacket on with the knee and elbow caps instead of the required complete leather bodysuit, not unlike the fancy ones we see in movies like Rush. My friend grumbled on about how his friends had a good time but what really struck me was that in our so-called modern society leather is still seen as a style statement, and in this case, as a “requirement.”

It’s not exactly a secret that our ancestors used animals for survival.

By used, I mean in totality: the meat for consumption, skin for clothing, horns for weapons and all the works. You get the picture.

Come 2016, despite the growth of resources and science, why is it that when somebody wears a chic leather jacket, along with it they don a smug smile? Of pride, I suppose, or perhaps satisfaction? Or maybe it’s because they’re gonna look sexy in their next outing!

Bullshit, and that’s the kindest word I’ve got in my repertoire. What that person is wearing is the hide of another living being that shares the same planet as us, which is perhaps the sole sin they may have committed. Technically speaking, we came after them, so we are the ones who encroached. The rosy picture painted in front of the eyes of us “animal-lovers” is that when animals are killed for meat (a topic on which I have more than a few words to share) the left over skin is used for leather. While not totally convincing, this sort of shuts those hypocrite mouths that don’t have the time or energy to expend some effort

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on finding the truth.

It was my aunt who brought me, somewhat forcibly, down the line of artificial leather. It gave me an easy excuse to shift to a “non-animal” product due to the significantly lower pricing, and due to the added fact of me being a vegetarian I proudly plastered upon myself the tagline of “animal-friendly.” It was then that I put my lazy self to work into finding out the truth, which I eventually found has in common only one feature with that of a rose: color.

internet to research out how leather is made, and find words for yourself to describe and reason this senseless and heartless slaughter of these creatures just to don some fancy garment.

A billion and counting; that is the number of animals raised and slaughtered for our fancy leather suits and fur coats. I find it even more disgusting when a salesman pronounces with great pride “pure leather,” which has been made even more repugnant due to the tagging of the type of leather which

Sarah and Mikey Brannon have started a faux leather company in Los Angeles. Photo via Tribune News Service

Red, the color of love (and of the wine I love) is also the color of that blood which stains the walls of the slaughterhouses that house the raw material of perhaps one of the most commercially booming and profitable industries. Unlike what was held as popular belief, animals are specially raised for the sake of being skinned alive. I repeat in simple words, leather is not a byproduct, instead in itself is a highly commercialized commodity. Instead of looking for fancy adjectives like macabre or grotesque, use the

comprises of almost all animals that were housed in “The Ark.” Cows, buffaloes, bison, elephants, dolphins, seals and many more animals are meant to grace the oceans and open lands now “decorate” our households or bodies. The even more “exotic” collection includes kangaroos, crocodiles, alligators; the motto has become “you name it you have it.”

If you were thinking on my lines then yes, even cats and dogs aren’t spared. To add icing to an already “decorated” blood-bath, the skin also comes from alligators and calves

SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

that are barely a year or two old, and in some cases even from animal fetuses.

Enough of my passion. Let me bring down some hard “scientific facts” that may stir you into interest, if the above mentioned alone doesn’t make your skin crawl. Everybody loves alcohol, so even more invited is a cocktail, yeah? Let’s look at the “cocktail” leather gets to gulp during its manufacture in brief. I don’t consider myself Walter White, but what I do know is that tanning (one of the three steps of making hide to leather) consists of pretty “friendly” chemicals such as ammonia, cyanide-based dyes and arsenic, which only constitute of few of the toxins released in the land they are made in and water nearby. Blindness and skin diseases only form the trailer of the nightmare that ensues.

These cancerous toxins have spelled out these consequences: - 20-50 percent risk factor of cancer for tanning workers in Sweden.

- 15,000 gallons of water wasted per ton of hide.

- 2,200 pounds of solid waste per ton of hide.

- 50 years of life expectancy for tanning workers.

For those who want to shift to some other form of fashion which looks equally appealing as leather and fur may look at synthetic leather, also called faux/artificial leather or else vegan leather which makes use of polymers, but it is to be noted that not all polymers are made of equally good material. Many of them contain oils and pure plastic that once again is not going to help the “environmental cause.” Science has also cast the die, retrieving cells from living animals in order to engineer the tissue into leather. So if you can’t help the environment at least don’t damage it any further, spare animals. Come on and show

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IT’S TIME FOR CHANGE

In favor of deeper, humanizing discussions and against mindless, political reflexes EDDIE ANGELBELLO INTERN

A few days ago I set out to write an opinion-based article about the recent wave of NFL silent protests during the national anthem. As I sat down and opened my laptop, however, I quickly ran into an inescapable problem—I was not entirely sure what my opinion was. Always a huge believer in the right to protest—a right derived from the same freedoms that enable me to freely publish my opinions in articles like this one—I respect Colin Kaepernick for his decision at the start of that important pre-season game. That respect came dangerously close to tumbling down a steep cliff when the quarterback decided to walk into a press conference the following day sporting a shirt that depicted the meeting of Malcolm X and Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Below the images of the two leaders were the words, “Like minds think alike.”

Though my anger mostly arises from my bias as a CubanAmerican, anyone in this country should understand the reason his wardrobe choice had me up in arms. If Kaepernick were to travel just 90 miles south of the States and attempt to protest any of the countless injustices of the Cuban government in similar fashion, he would meet much tougher response than the wrath of millions of self prolaimed patriots armed and ready with locked and loaded YouTube accounts. Regardless of my response to Colin’s shirt, let’s return from my brief wardrobe-themed digression and focus instead on the nation’s response to the wave of anthem protests that followed in Kaepernick’s wake, because my opinion on his protest or on his shirt means nothing to all of you who have undoubtedly already formed your own. My opinion on how we as a nation respond to these incidents, however, might prove more intriguing. So let’s focus not on Kaepernick, but on the social mediawielding responders.

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As with most anything that happens in today’s world, the media quickly announced the most recent national gossip to millions of Americans already hunkered down in their respective trenches. With fingers still sore from the last battle, the rapid fire of keystrokes began.

Even as tweets came whizzing at lightning speed across the online battlefield, it was easy to see that in recognizably American fashion, two distinct sides were quickly materializing. It was sincerely surprising how rapidly the public began to forget what they were even fighting about. Actually, in retrospect it seems that there was nothing to forget, because every single soldier in the virtual battle missed the point from the very beginning, just as we have for some time amidst the political debacle plaguing our nation.

I decided not to join the online trench warfare with an article that clearly settled on one side of the debate, but to instead attempt to expose the fact that we use these small and unimportant battles to constantly distract ourselves from the real problems at hand. The pattern is obvious. For every event that could possibly occur in this nation, we have been programmed to respond in ways that place us on opposite sides of the battlefield.

I’ve realized that this polarization of beliefs is beginning to pervade even the most trivial of subjects.

Cat videos that used to be a safe refuge from the online warfare I described above are now riddled with commenters digging a second trench and accusing innocent catowners turned cat-videographers of animal abuse, but I digress.

Somehow while we stand in the middle of constant political warfare, we forget that although we may not agree on the means, we usually agree on the end. We may never reach the end if we waste our time arguing about the manner in which people protest instead of the issues they are protesting. The self-inflicted

diversions are understandable. We humans will do anything we can to ignore problems that are not contributing to our extinction.

In World War I, traditional warfare tactics began to become obsolete with improving technology.

The war quickly settled into a stalemate between the French and the Germans, each dug deeply into their trenches. The area between the two enemies was called “no man’s land.” The reason that World War I was perhaps the most grueling war in recent history is that both sides could lose hundreds of thousands of men and advance less than a hundred yards. One of the greatest war films of all time, “Paths of Glory,” highlights the dehumanization that occurs in situations like this. The most moving scene in the movie is the final scene, in which French soldiers are moved to tears by the voice of a young German woman singing a folksong in her native language. The tears come from the realization that they

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are fighting to kill men who are in most ways no different from them. It was simply easier to pin the people on the opposing side as animals, but at a certain point we can no longer ignore the reality of our situation.

I am risking an overdramatic comparison, but if today we continue to dig deeper into our own virtual trenches and refuse to hear the voices on the other side of “no man’s land,” then we will never resolve any of our actual problems. It is easy to burn a Kaepernick jersey. It is easy to then stamp out the flames and shut him out just as you ignored his valid argument. It is difficult to speak out about actual issues.

In conclusion, I think it is about time we bring some humanity back.

It is time we turn our focus to real issues. It is time we talk about what we need to start doing right instead of what Kaepernick or anyone may be doing wrong. It’s time to emerge from our trenches and realize that not everyone who disagrees with you is an idiot. It is time for change.

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Photo by Brick Stowell

THE DIVINE FEMININE

Mac Miller delivers his most surprising and accomplished album yet STEPHANIE TREFZGER STAFF WRITER

Mac Miller isn’t Divine Feminine. He isn’t trying to define femininity and this album isn’t an attempt to examine feminism in any way. He isn’t being flippant or woke. As a matter of fact, he isn’t even trying to explore what being a woman is like in any sense in any of these texts. “The Divine Feminine,” a sort-of concept album is in obvious contrast to 2015’s “GO:OD AM”; it’s an album about love and its relation to the female form and more, as Miller has referred to it, “the feminine energy of the planet.” It uses smaller topics circling around romance and connection, trying to understand the universe at large.

When Miller talks about “The Divine Feminine,” he thinks about the universe, the distance between people and figuring out love on an ideological level. He’s mentioned playing the record for a couple and slowly observing them coming closer together in a room as it progresses.

“I want people to put on the record and it’s a date in itself,” he told i-D, “I want people to love to this record and realize they can love to it.”

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There’s a real connection to these ideas of space and intimacy. It’s about contact and togetherness, closing the gap between people; about being in unison and growing apart and all the stages in between. It pares and exposes the many layers of love—romantic, sensual, carnal, wilting. It’s easily his most exhilarating album yet, a journey of soulful songs cutting back his large and diverse soundboard from the last couple of years into something more cozy and pleasant.

Mac Miller has put in a lot of work to establish himself as a serious rapper since the release of his emotionally and sonically flat debut “Blue Slide Park,” sharing a significant amount of wordplay and befriending all the right people since his expansive breakout “Watching Movies with the Sound Off” in 2013, but much of that work came off as brown nosing or even worse, too serious. In the past few years, he’s become more comfortable in his own skin with each release, which could have been an issue here, given the title. However, “The Divine Feminine” is hands down the most SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

established he’s ever been. There aren’t any plays to satisfy or flatter any specific group of listeners.

There aren’t any lyrical exercises or overthought exhibitions of verse structure and execution, no plays to prove himself a rapper’s rapper–there’s actually almost more singing than rapping. But this is his most subtle release, an album that abandons personal stories and somehow reveals his individuality in the process. He does it all with just a little help from his friends.

The album interlaces a wide array of musicians without losing the main theme. Ariana Grande’s fingerprints are all over the record: backup vocals, feature vocals, voiceover work and her positive influence on him shows. Cee-Lo Green lends his indisputable vocals and energy to “We,” which bubbles just over the surface of drum kicks. Miller and Kendrick Lamar move together on the epic closer “God Is Fair, Sexy Nasty” without any competition or tension whatsoever. Students from Juilliard play strings on the album, accenting the arrangements well. He even gets noted libertine

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Album art courtesy of Warner Bros. Records

53 Mahmoud’s PLO predecessor 54 Lose freshness

Ty Dolla $ign to play a gentleman (or at least as close to that as he gets) on “Cinderella.”

As a group, led by Miller’s pronounced vision, the guest vocalists create the ultimate lover’s guide to the universe, painting in tiny and pristine brush strokes from a warm and familiar palette. “The Divine Feminine” has a definitive set of sonic reference points: the easy yet heavy funk of Anderson .Paak’s “Malibu,” flexed with bits from Dâm-Funk and .Paak himself on songs such as “Dang!”; specs of the Social Experiment’s juke and jazz (especially on “Stay”); even the electro-fused alt R&B of a producer like Kaytranada. It’s heavily indebted to the growing fusion jazz rap movement with contributions from pianist Robert Glasper, Brainfeeder bass maestro Thundercat and trumpeter Keyon Harrold, sometimes appearing in the record’s margins, but usually as full-fledged performers (the first two also played on “To Pimp a Butterfly”). “The Divine Feminine” curbs Mac Miller’s wide-ranging taste, combining aesthetics and fully realizing his artistry.

It’s worth noting that “The Divine Feminine” has the fewest tracks of any Mac Miller album (and less than most albums in general)

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and that it is the most clear, most compact record of his career; that’s a correlation, not a coincidence.

The project started as an EP, but it became a full album as Miller continued to augment its ideas.

Across its 10 songs, it observes love as a part of the human experience without forcing any beliefs on the listener, dealing mostly in the building blocks of feelings. “Dang!” and “Stay” play back-to-back and closely examine loss of love. The Grande duet, “My Favorite Part,” is essentially the downtempo reprise of One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.” The album’s emotional and sonic center is “Planet God Damn,” about becoming vulnerable, a sentiment echoed by Njomza on the hook: “Tell the truth/Show me you.”

As the closer, “God Is Fair, Sexy Nasty,” trails off into Glasper piano chords, a widow recounts how she fell in love with her husband, punctuating her story with a mantra: “How important it is to love, respect and care for each other.”

That kind of union is something Miller clearly aims for, something he calls “the best love story in the world.” “The Divine Feminine” doesn’t just chase that, it bottles the very essence.

Rating: 4/5

ACROSS 1 Studio department 8 Fills with mortar, as tile 14 Invite 15 Traditional slow cooker 16 1963 Best Actor 17 ‘70s-’80s sitcom roommate 18 “By all means!”

19 Central California county 20 Contract details 21 Slips on 22 Put down 23 Latin I word 24 Pen output 25 __ warning 26 Formulation in Newton’s “Principia”

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30 Jokingly 31 “Coming Out of the Dark” singer 35 Height is an exception to it 37 Stylish beach resorts 40 Sanctuary part 41 Eponymous 2001 album 42 MBA subject 43 Part of a name on the 1989 album “Dr. Feelgood” 44 Congo jungle denizen 46 Sprint and others 48 Ice cream baron William 49 NSA home 50 “You had your chance!”

51 Certain permit holder 52 Pitching pro?

DOWN 1 First person indicator 2 Without dissent 3 Rundown areas 4 Revered emblem 5 Brown is one of them 6 Triage basis 7 Lab warning 8 First, second and third 9 Norah’s dad 10 Like solitaire 11 Hue and cry 12 Uvula neighbor 13 Regular 15 “Paradise Lost” style 19 Bart Simpson’s grandma 21 One whose business is growing 24 No gentle giant 25 Novel ending 27 First book of the Great Plains trilogy 28 Key chain attachments 29 “Say no more” 32 Roller coaster named for a mountain 33 Like some storage shelves 34 Wetsuit material 36 Sonata, e.g.

37 Heave 38 Summer beverage 39 Middle Eastern stuffed vegetable dishes 43 Software whiz 44 They’re often involved in murders 45 Serf of Sparta 47 Mr. Peanut trademark 48 Doofus 50 Touch and go?

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BOOK REVIEW:

‘Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children’ SARAH MARTIN INTERN

If you are tired of reading a regular book, pick up a copy of “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” The book has many differentiating characteristics that make it unique, such as hundreds of old photos throughout the book, a plot twist and a spooky story. “Miss Peregrine’s” was first published in June 2011, and for the past two years the book has been a New York Times bestseller. The author, Ransom Riggs, has definitely put a spin on the classic novel.

The novel’s protagonist is Jacob Portman, who seems like a basic teenager at first, working, going to school, nagging parents, and a crazy grandfather who claims he sees “things.” Jacob soon finds out his grandfather is not crazy and has been telling the truth about all these “things” he sees, including the odd children he talked so much about. Sadly, Jacob only realizes this after his grandfather is tragically killed. But the big question, is by whom, or what? Jacob wants answers, but to get them he must undermine his parents. Jacob saw his grandfather the night he was killed and thought he saw some sort of animal, or vicious creature staring at him, something his grandfather always described, but no one ever believed him. Jacob tells his parents that he saw whatever it is that had killed his grandfather. Obviously, they want him to go to

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therapy because they think he is insane. He goes to therapy and the therapist is nice, helpful and convinces Jacob to try and find answers.

Jacob does just that and goes to help his parents clean out his grandfather’s house, hoping Grandpa Abe left him some clues. He finds some old, and very strange photographs, and a letter written to Abe from Emma, and a picture with ‘Miss Peregrine’ written on the back. Who is Emma? Who is Miss Peregrine? Abe makes Jacob basically go through a scavenger hunt, trying to find all the clues to find out the truth. Because of the clues Abe left him, Jacob is convinced there is an island and he must go there to find out what is going on. His parents are finally persuaded after Jacob’s therapist tells them it would actually be a good idea, but Jacob’s father decides to go with him. So Jake and his father travel to this remote island near Wales to find Miss Peregrine and all of the peculiar children in the photos, including this Emma character. Once they arrive, Jake finds the house that Miss P, and the children lived in, but was surprised to hear that the home was destroyed by bombs during WWII. Jake has not given up just yet, however and decides to just wander around the house to see if he finds anything. As he was exploring the house, he sees some kids walking around and hears them. He SEPT. 20 - SEPT. 26, 2016

chases after them, and follows them into a tunnel.

One of them was Emma, and the tunnel is a secret time portal that brought Jacob back to the day the house got bombed, back in WWII. From this point on, Jacob realizes all the mysterious things about the island, and all the secrets it holds. For the rest, you will have to read it!

It was a really interesting book, although in some places it seemed a bit juvenile. I really enjoyed looking at all of the old, edited strange photos that accompanied each peculiar child.

There are a lot of plot twists, but one I didn’t see coming towards the very end. I couldn’t just lay in bed and read this, I had to sit up; it was that intense at times. It is a perfect spooky and adventurous book especially for the season approaching (Halloween!). The movie is coming out later this month, and that will hopefully convey the book well.

The book is available at almost every store that sells books, Barnes-&-Noble, Amazon, etc.

The movie comes to theatres on Sept. 30th, 2016. Go check it out!

Enjoyed “Miss Peregrines?” Check the next two sequels, “Hollow City,” and “Library of Souls.”

Rating 4/5

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FOOD MYTHS BUSTED

The lies everyone has told us about eating right CANDICE KELLY STAFF WRITER

Many people are jumping on the ‘health craze’ bus, as we are becoming a much more health-conscious society. But with so much information circulating the web, it can be tricky to figure out what a balanced diet actually looks like. Here are a few of the most commonly held health myths and why they are complete bologna.

The less food the better

There is a commonly held misconception that the more food you eat, the more weight you gain, and therefore the opposite must be true.

But actually different kinds of foods contain different nutrients making some healthier than others. Cutting back on food in general will not make much of a difference health wise. After all, binge-eating five rice cakes is better than eating five doughnuts. Same amount of food, but they offer vastly different nutritional values. Try to be conscious what kinds of foods you are eating and cut out unhealthy indulgences. Many fad diets try to sell the idea of portion control and calorie counting, but it is possible not to eat enough.

The average daily calorie intake is about 2,000.

Calories act as fuel for your body and when you don’t get enough, your body can go into starvation mode and begin storing food as fat, to keep you from starving, which can actually cause you to gain weight. We need food to live, so make sure you are eating enough.

A cleanse will make you pure

A new trend in “healthy living” is this idea of detoxifying your body by only drinking different variations of water or protein shakes. Many of these so called “miracle cleanses” have been endorsed by countless movie stars and models to the point where they can seem very compelling. The problem with these diets is that they deprive your body of important nutrients and vitamins. You are basically starving yourself, which ultimately does more harm than good. As for removing toxins in the body, our kidneys and liver already filter out any dangerous substances that enter the body. So there really is no need to put your body though such a harsh process.

Fresh beats frozen

The fresh vs. frozen debate has been circulating for decades. Many people feel that frozen and canned produce loses some of their nutrients and vitamins during the freezing/canning process. But actually, most veggies are flash frozen right after they’re picked in order to preserve the nutrients inside, and allowing them to last much longer on the shelves. Fresh fruits and veggies on the other hand have a much shorter shelf life and can result in much more product waste.

All natural = healthy

Just hearing the word natural makes us feel healthier. It comes from nature, mother earth,

therefore it must be good for me. But slapping an all-natural sticker on a bag of chicken nuggets adds absolutely nothing to their nutritional value.

Many big name companies created this idea of calling food “all natural” in order to appeal to a health conscious clientele, without actually altering their product. If you want a more nutritious food choice, go with an organic food item. Foods labeled as “organic” are regulated by the United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA). This means they must be free of pesticides, preservatives and chemical fertilizers, ironically making them the more natural option.

Certain foods can cause or prevent cancer

We have all seen the pop-ups: ‘Twenty superfoods that can prevent cancer, ‘Twelve everyday foods that can cause cancer, “Three foods you should never eat.” The truth is all of these lists and websites are just advertising propaganda trying to convince consumers to buy their product or service. Bacon is not going to give you leukemia, microwave popcorn is not going to give you breast cancer. There is not a single cause of cancer, as research is still finding many different possible causes. There are many different biological and environmental factors that may contribute to causing and treating the disease. A simple snack choice is not going to be a life or death experience.

ANGIE BAQUEDANO ASSIT. LIFESTYLE EDITOR

“If I had to pick one word to describe myself I would say I’m pretty vanilla. What do I mean by that? It’s not just because I’m white (laughs for a little then continues) I just think I’m pretty simple, and you get what you see. I seem to often stick to my routines; you can call me the Sisyphus of my time. Do you know what the myth of Sisyphus is? It’s about the King of Ephyra trapped in a repetitive cycle pushing a rock up a mountain, it falling back down and continuing to push it back up for eternity. Although the gods seemed to think it was the greatest punishment I think he somehow finds some sort of happiness in the monotonous cycle that is his existence simply because he has no choice.

It sounds a little dark, but I can really relate to that just because I am creature of habit and yes, I have long-term goals, but perhaps I don’t focus enough on the present. I want to be a rapper someday, call myself White Mocha because I’m smooth, rich and creamy (laughs again) or at least I like to think so.”

-Ivan Heichtman

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