North Texas Daily 8/23/18

History professor to attempt record-breaking lecture NEWS: PAGE 2

Serving the University of North Texas and Denton since 1916 VOL. 113 No. 8

Fouts to be leveled for parking, new bus station

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018

CVAD to cut fibers major

By Rebecca Najera @RebeccaNajera42 More than 1,000 new parking spaces and a new bus transfer station are slated to be built upon completion of the demolition of Fouts Field, according to UNT officials.

“The demolition of Fouts Field was part of the long-term planning for Apogee Stadium,” said Traci Jones, UNT system project manager for the Fouts Project.

“This is not a just-now decision.

The events that were held at Fouts are now facilitated by Apogee and the new track and field stadium.”

The plans for the Fouts Project include demolishing the remaining concourse, removing the track and field and then preparing the area for a new parking lot. The parking lots already existing to the east of Risk Management will be resurfaced and restriped.

Along with creating additional parking, the new bus transfer station will be built in that area.

“The biggest benefit from this project is the 1,100 additional parking spaces,” Jones said. “The bus transfer station benefits the school, students and the citizens of Denton because this facility serves city bus routes, as well as campus routes.”

Digital retail and merchandising senior Alexis Williams believes that the additional parking will be of significant help to students.

“I [think] it would help a lot of people with getting to class,” Williams said. “I oftentimes leave 40 minutes early just to find a parking spot.”

When it comes to the new bus station, Williams sees both positives and negatives.

“I think there will be slight confusion at first, but overall, I see this as a positive for the Denton

SEE FOUTS ON PAGE 2

Fouts Field will be demolished and turned into additional parking and a new bus transfer station. Dillon Montes

UNT recently finished construction on the Welch Street side of the new part of the art building. UNT decided to drop the fibers concentration in the CVAD major. Trevon McWilliams

CVAD students with a fibers concentration were notified last week via email of the discontinuation of the program following the end of the 2018-2019 academic school year.

By Devin Rardin @DevinRardin The College of Visual Arts and Design, CVAD, is discontinuing the fibers major at the end of the 2018-2019 school year, and a number of Fiber students are speaking out.

On Aug. 15, less than two weeks before classes start, CVAD Dean Greg Watts sent an email to all CVAD students announcing the closure of the concentration.

“We cannot, in good conscience, offer a program without also being able to dedicate to it the appropriate space,” the email stated.

Despite a new $17 million facility, which is nearing completion, there was no financial avenue to create the needed space for the fibers program. Fibers had about 15 people majoring in the program, three of which spoke on the subject. The Daily also reached out to UNT officials, however request for comment was not

returned.

Myranda Newnan-Noah, a fibers and art education senior, was planning to go to grad school for fibers until the announcement a few days ago.

“It makes me really sad to see a program end that has enriched not just my life but other people’s lives a lot,” NewnanNoah said. “It’s like they don’t care about us anymore. We started out as a small program, and we are still a small program.

Just because we are small doesn’t mean we don’t make a big impact.”

Last year, fibers students were told their classes would be located in the Welch building, the old art complex.

“They said there is not enough money for [fibers], but they built a giant building worth $17 million, and when they built that building, they knew we were not going to be in there. It is kind of disrespectful.

That’s what it feels like.”

Phoebe Adams, fibers and art history

SEE FIBERS ON PAGE 3

Sculpture junior Lexis Thompson welds on a table in UNT’s new CVAD building. Trevon McWilliams

Quilt shop celebrates re-opening

By Emily Olkkola @EmilyOlkkola

Denton police officer Shane Kizer gives a lecture on what to do in the event of an active shooter. Jessika Hardy

Active shooter training for city

By Shane Monaco @ShaneMonaco1 Early in the morning, just a short time after dawn, residents of Denton and the surrounding areas gathered at Denton Bible Church’s Student Ministry Center — not for service, however, but for a seminar.

While the seminar may look similar to other events, the key difference this time is the large police presence, which stood off to the side next to booths advertising security services.

This event that all these people have gathered so early in the morning for is the Denton Police Department’s Crime

SEE SEMINAR ON PAGE 4

North Texas Daily @ntdaily @ntdaily

NEWS

Walking into Minding My P’s & Q’s Quilt Shop is like walking into a rainbow – except that rainbow is an assortment of neatly organized bolts of fabrics all throughout the store.

This quilt shop recently celebrated its grand reopening in honor of being a Denton quilting staple for eight years and for its relocation to a newer, larger space. Jill Baxter, the owner of Minding my P’s & Q’s Quilt Shop, originally opened her shop when Linda’s Quilt Shop closed in Denton about 10 years ago.

The shop’s newer, 800-square-foot larger location is now located in the Stonehill Center near the I-35 and Highway 380 intersection.

“We’re celebrating the move,”

Baxter said. “That’s why we’re calling it our grand reopening. I just finally got my sign up – the quilt shop sign – so people can

Minding My P’s & Q’s Quilt Shop is around 50-75 years old.

“They’re like me,” Baxter

SEE QUILT ON PAGE 5

A line of customers ready to check out and a line of fabrics during the grand reopening of Minding My P’s and Q’s Quilt Shop located in Stonehill Center in Denton on Aug. 19, 2018. Emily Olkkola

IN THIS ISSUE

Village Church charging for parking permits this fall pg 3 This fall the Village Church will charge students $200 for a parking pass for the school year.

find me. That’s why I’m doing it now.”

Baxter said the typical customer who goes into

ARTS & LIFE

OPINION

North Texas teens start scrunchie business pg 4 The best friend-duo stay on-trend and find their footing in entrepreneurship.

Bartending is a popular gig for college students pg 7 Read about the job’s secret “perk” that may encourage harmful and addictive habits.

NEWS Page 2

North Texas Daily Editorial Board

UNT is waiving the $75 application fee for prospective Saudi Arabian students in response to the Saudi Arabian government withdrawing their students from Canadian schools and suspending their scholarships.

“It was just one of a few things that would make it easier for these students to apply and get a quick decision,” said Alecka Myre, director of sponsored student programs and UNT international. “The fee waiver is a polite gesture to students who are anxious about finding a new program of study.”

News broke on Aug. 13 that students from Saudi Arabia will be relocated from their Canadian universities, this is due to political strife between the two countries.

Tensions rose when Canada demanded the release of human rights activists from prison in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, straining diplomatic relations between the countries.

Canada’s ambassador was also asked to leave Saudi Arabia, and Saudi Arabian Airlines canceled all flights to and from Toronto.

News Editor Parker Ward @parkerdfw ParkerWard@my.unt.edu Arts & Life Editor Kaitlin Pennell @k_itlinn KaitlinPennell@my.unt.edu Opinion Editor Rachel Herzer @coolrachdoritos RachelHerzer@my.unt.edu Visuals Editor Kelsey Shoemaker @kelesmis KelseyShoemaker@my.unt.edu

Production Team Design Editor/Copy Editor Kiera Geils @KieraGeils KieraGeils@my.unt.edu Designer/Copy Editor Parisa Nasiripour @risanasiri ParisaNasiripour@my.unt.edu

By Cory Allen @AlmightyCBoogie

Business

Director Adam Reese 940-565-4265 Adam.Reese@unt.edu

Faculty Adviser Randy Loftis 940-565-3495 Randy.Loftis@unt.edu

To pitch a story or contact the Editor-in-Chief, please email northtexasdaily@gmail.com

Trending on Twitter

The Big Bang Theory CBS, Chuck Lorre Productions and Warner Bros. announced Wednesday that “The Big Bang Theory” will end with it’s upcoming 12th season.

Lois Lane

Lois Lane will make her debut this December in an Arrowverse crossover on The CW, which will also feature the debut of Ruby Rose as Batwoman.

Ted Cruz

A new report states Democrat Beto O’Rourke trails incumbent Republican Ted Cruz by four percentage points in the Texas Senate race.

Thomas Juneau, an assistant professor at the University of Ottawa, told The Globe and Mail he thinks Saudi Arabia’s main purpose is not to harm Canada, but to send a message.

“This is a message to Western countries: stop criticizing us on human rights or else we will retaliate,” Juneau said.

This dispute affects 15,000 students according to The Globe and Mail. The number rises to more than 20,000 when families are taken into consideration.

These students will be relocated to schools in the US or the UK. Many colleges across the country are waiving their application fee for students affected including Louisiana Tech University, Valparaiso University, Portland State University, UNT and more.

Myre said the students from Saudi Arabia with spouses and children add another layer of difficulty to the situation, but UNT is hoping to facilitate the transition and admission of these students the best they can.

She continued to say the waiver will not impact students from Saudi Arabia immensely

Banners for UNT’s international office around Marquis Hall say “Peace” in different langauges, including Arabic. In 2016, there were 262 Saudi Arabian international students at UNT, according to the International Student & Scholar Services Statistics Summary.. Anna Engelland but is a gesture to show them they are welcome.

“We want Saudi students to know that they are welcome here at UNT if they want UNT to be their next academic home,” Myre said.

Pia Wood, vice provost and dean for international affairs at UNT, said international students attending UNT are greeted with high-quality academic programs, a friendly community, support services

through international student organizations and a college town environment.

“Many Saudi students have studied and thrived at UNT over the years and have gone on to be successful in engineering, business and other careers,” Wood said.

Students from Saudi Arabia can get involved in organizations such as the Saudi Student Association and Saudis in Denton.

Myre says UNT tries its best to ease the transition for international students.

“In addition to excellent academic programs and a broad scope of degree offerings, we have a great support group here for these students, which makes the transition from country to country, university to university, and program to program, less daunting,” Myre said.

Professor to try record-breaking 24-hour lecture

Senior Staff Illustrator Austin Banzon @Austinbanzon99 austintroybanzon@my.unt.edu

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders called the accusations against the president “ridiculous” and that he “did nothing wrong” following Michael Cohen’s accusations.

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UNT waives fees for students from Saudi Arabia

By Devin Rardin @DevinRardin

Editor-in-Chief Alec Spicer @spicer_alec Alec.Spicer@unt.edu

Sarah Sanders

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018

UNT history professor Andrew Torget will attempt to set a Guinness World Record by teaching for 24 hours beginning on Aug. 24.

The lecture will be held at the UNT Union Lyceum and live streamed on the Portal to Texas History website, and if completed will be the world’s longest history lecture.

Torget hopes the world record will help UNT libraries raise funds to support the Portal to Texas History, an online resource that provides free access to materials with information about Texas history.

“I will be teaching all of Texas history, from cave people until last week, in a single, nonstop marathon session”, Torget said in an email. “We are doing this to raise awareness and support for the Portal to Texas History, a massive and wonderful online archive of historical documents related to Texas history.”

The portal is run by the UNT Libraries, and the record attempt is an effort to draw attention to the portal and encourage people to donate money to keep it around. UNT Libraries received a $500,000 challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2015. To keep getting the support from the grant, the library needs to raise $1.5 million to match the grant, and so far, it has collected $768,000.

“I’ve been interested in attempting a world record ever since I was a kid,” Torget said. “Reading the Guinness Book of World Records with my friends always fired our imaginations about

what might be possible in setting a record. Now my own kids are doing the same with the Guinness books and watching them reignited my interest in attempting a record.”

A four-hour lecture for Maymester is the longest single lecture Torget completed. Torget mentioned this would stretch his vocal chords beyond where they have been before, and there were logistical challenges involved in preparing for this attempt.

“I’ve been practicing lecturing for long periods to prepare my throat,” Torget said. “I’ve also given up caffeine (which dries your vocal cords), kept up my running, and prepared my notes and PowerPoint slides. As it stands, I have about 500 pages of lecture notes and about 1,600 PowerPoint slides.

I’ve been working hard on reviewing and preparing all of that material in advance.”

A team at Willis Library has been working to ensure they can meet all the documentation requirements set

by Guinness, that they have logistics planned carefully for both Torget, and the students during the attempt and that they all have enough to eat and drink for the duration of the lecture.

Students will only be able to bring along notebooks, no laptops. At least 10 of his students will have to stay engaged and awake by the end of the lecture for the attempt to count. They must pay attention, answer questions and not just simply stare.

The Guinness World Record organization will have two independent witnesses rotating every four hours. A time-stamped video will also be sent to Guinness for authentication.

For every hour they complete,

History professor Andrew torget will be teaching a 24-hour history lesson about Texas History trying to break a world record for the world’s longest history lecture. Courtesy UNT Torget and the students will get a five minute break. Torget will officially set the record at the 24 hour mark if all requirements are met.

“He took a subject that most find boring and turned it into something that people came to class eager to learn,” said Ryan Vargo, director of operations for UNT Women’s Basketball. “I think the attempt is awesome for him in his personal development and for us as a University.”

Students who have had Torget in other history classes believe that the

lecture will be successful.

“He is unafraid to challenge the commonly held beliefs and misconceptions about events of the past,” UNT alumnus Baron Samedi said. “I believe that people like Professor Torget bring it to life for those whose experiences in history classes have left them uninspired. I think that this record-setting lecture will bring due recognition to real Texas history, the impressive digital archives of the UNT library system, and Andrew Torget.”

UNT to turn old stadium into 1,100 new parking spots FOUTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 area and UNT students,” Williams said. “It will be easier for students to access their jobs that may not be on campus. I’m thinking pairing [the transfer station] with DCTA [routes] will be a great idea.”

English junior Kaycee Byers works off campus and has used the buses to

get around Denton since her freshman year.

“The new bus hub sounds awesome,” Byers said. “Especially for student workers who don’t drive, having this hub and transfer system available on campus rather than just the bus station is a life saver.”

Commutes to and from work used to be long for Byers.

“My commute to work my freshman year included two transfers and a full hour, whereas this might solve that problem, depending on how many routes stop there,” Byers said. “I think the bus [fee] is one of the most valuable uses of our tuition, and it’s what has made life possible for me in Denton as a non-driver, so I’m 1000 percent for anything that makes it easier and

more available for the public.”

The new bus transfer station will be completed with covered waiting areas, vending and restrooms and will be built where buses already pick up and drop off students. The project will cost approximately $8.8 million to complete and construction is set to be completed by August 2019.

NEWS AROUND THE US Denton Police narrow search to 6 candidates After former Denton Police Chief Lee Howell accepted a new police chief position in Saginaw, 112 people applied for his former position, according to the Denton Record-Chronicle. Ralph Anderson and Associates, a human resources firm, assisted the city in it’s nationwide search for candidates.The city will hold a forum called Meet the Candidates on Aug. 30 and a decision will be made in mid-October..

Cohen pleads guilty to 8 charges

The President’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to eight criminal counts, stating the president directed him to pay two women in order to stop them from publicly speaking about affairs, the New York Times reported. In the U.S. District Court in Manhattan, Cohen admitted to the incident, along with pleading guilty to breaking campaign finance laws and bank fraud.

By Devin Rardin

Category 5 hurricane to hit Hawaii Hurrican Lane, a category five hurricane, is moving closer to Hawaii. The State is currently under a hurricane warning while Maui County and the island of Oahu are on a hurricane watch. Lane is expected to move to the center of the islands between Thursday and Saturday, according to NPR. The hurricane has reached winds of up to 160 mph, but those are expected to lessen over the next 48 hours.

Microsoft finds new evidence of fake political sites

Facebook removes 652 fake accounts

Microsoft said Tuesday they found new evidence of Russian hacking leading up to the primary election, according to The Associated Press. A group connected to the Russian government created fake websites to mimic two conservative organizations. Other websites were found to be fake sites for the U.S. Senate.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said there is no proof and that Microsoft is on a “witch hunt.”

Facebook removed 652 fake accounts, pages and groups after discovering they were made with the intent at misleading people, according to The New York Times. These accounts came from Iran and Russia, and targeted the U.S., Latin America, Britain and the Middle East. Facebook worked with FireEye, a cybersecurity firm, which stated the pages and accounts go beyond U.S. politics.

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018

Page 3

Village Church will begin charging $200 for parking on Oak Street during school year

By Cory Allen @AlmightyCBoogie The Village Church of Denton’s parking lot,which has long been used by UNT students, will begin selling parking passes for the fall semester, according to church officals. The lot, located on Oak St. was causing traffic for the church members.

The church hopes to lighten the workload for the facility manager.

“The administration for the lot was becoming too burdensome on our facility manager,” said Village Church of Denton Pastor, John Warren. “He was having to get up here at six o’clock in the morning to shut the lot down on certain days, as well as monitor people parking illegally in our lot”.

Over the years, students have used the lot to attend school or visit the businesses on Fry street.

As the parking lot became fuller, the church tried to add restrictions that did not work which led to the addition of parking passes.

Anyone can show up and purchase passes starting at 8 a.m. on Wed. Aug 29 at the church office.

The cost is $200 for the school year for a guaranteed spot. There are 193 open spots and that is the number of permits they will sell.

“The church was my only hope last year, but now I’ll have to park far behind the dance building just to attend class,” Converged Broadcast Media Senior, Keia Black said. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that walk in the sun.”

The church has closed the lot for this week as well as Monday and Tuesday of next week. They will also keep many entrances closed through September to

draw attention to the change.

The church will place a reader board along Oak Street and new signs will be posted at all entrances the church said that they will also keep many entrances, closed through September to draw attention to the change.

New signage will be posted at all entrances “The entire lot will be open unless it is designated for something else; church only, Chinese church only and a few resident spots,” Pastor John Warren said.

“There will be no discounts either.”

Although the parking passes will be scheduled to release next week, the change is effective today according to Warren.

“At least it’s cheaper than UNT’s parking permits,” Communications major Malik Douglas said. “That parking spot at the church will help me make it to class on time and attend all events on campus. I think it’s worth it.”

Only people with a paid parking pass will be allowed to park in their lot. Car owners will be towed at their expense if they park without a permit.

Options remain for those still looking for housing

By Rebecca Najera @RebeccaNajera42 With the fall semester beginning in a few days, many students may be left in a crunch while trying to find a last minute housing option.

While UNT does offer assistance on its offcampus housing page, there are other places students can turn to when trying to find a last minute home.

“Social media can be your best friend when it comes to emergency situations like this,” senior business major Ana Garcia said. “It’s quick and people are always on it. There’s this one Facebook page that one of my neighbors used when they were trying to find someone to take over their lease.”

Of the many Facebook pages to turn to, Denton Rooms for Rent is a common go to. The group has more than 2,500 members in it and multiple moderators.

“People are posting on there at all times of the day and everyone is really desperate, honestly,” Garcia said. “That whole poor, struggling college student stereotype plays out on that page.”

The page typically consist of people, mainly students, trying to get their leases taken over, with the occasional person making a post to seek out a housing opportunity. There are a large number of places to choose from.

“We all need help sometimes, and there are always people there that can be of some kind of assistance,” Garcia said. “Whether it be by actually taking over a lease or maybe referring someone to another apartment or something.”

When it comes to looking for someone to take over a lease, sophomore human development major Emely Guevara believes that persistence is key.

“Never place an ad about your apartment on sites like Craigslist,” Guevara said. “It’s such a dangerous site full of [a lot] of people with bad intentions.”

To get the word out, she utilized social media, tried messaging multiple people and posted flyers on campus. “[It was] really hard to find someone, and I don’t think it’s fair on the apartment to put all the pressure on us since they are the ones who get people coming in daily looking for an apartment,” she said. “I would advise people to [post their lease] earlier since most of the people I messaged already found a place.”

Though she had success using her methods, other students have a different way of handling these situations.

“I would say, one, be proactive rather than reactive and get your housing early,” psychology junior Alex Dickson said. “Two, what’s going to be left, you’re going to want to jump on, so you’re going to have to put a lot of your wants below your needs.”

When time is limited, Dickson feels that students don’t have time to be too picky.

“You’re just going to have to choose from what’s out there because [the housing] will be gone and you’ll have to live in your car.”

If she were searching last minute, Dickson recommends checking crime rates of potential neighborhoods and learning bus routes of student living areas.

“I would honestly first look at student housing because at this point, they’re trying to cover the rooms, if they have any left,” she said. “Next, I would go out as far as your radius will let you.

Usually, 15 to 20 miles from campus and start there because those are going to be the places that have any availability.”

As the fall semester is about to begin, students can experience last minute options for housing. The best way to find a home is to look online, ask around, or look on UNT’s Off-Campus Housing assistance. DiMaggio Escobedo

Correction: In the Aug. 9 edition, a story with the headline, “Emergency poles aim to help prevent violence,” stated that there was an additional 12 rape cases on top of the 13 that occurred on campus according to the 2017 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Story has been updated to reflect that of the 13 reported rape cases, 12 of them occurred on campus in residential facilities and one took place on university public property. The Daily regrets this error.

Top:The Village Church’s parkling lot has long been used by students who are attending class.

Right: Though they had not charged in the past, the church will begin selling parking permits for $200 in the fall. The church is located on the corner of Oak steet and Fulton street.

Photos by Will Baldwin

CVAD cuts fibers major less than two weeks before fall classes start FIBERS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 senior, said UNT has the last fibers program in Texas, and it’s difficult to find a program like it anymore. She also spoke about her passion for fibers.

“My art history background is what kept me interested in fibers, especially in today’s political climate,” Adams said. “The female makers who have been such a rich part of the history of textuals has been really empowering to me and empowering to a lot of people in our department.”

The fibers major is small, but Lauren Gray, a fibers and fashion design senior, said it affects other majors in the CVAD. Students in new media, drawing and painting and printmaking are all required to take a fibers class as part of their coursework.

“I don’t think they are getting the full picture of how many students we affect, not just within fibers, but across CVAD as a whole,” Gray said.

Claire Watkins, a painting and drawing and art history senior, agreed, saying she has used the skills from fibers in her major.

“A lot of people who go through a lot of critique in painting and drawing have some element of fibers in their work. I think it is really sad we won’t be learning those same techniques anymore.”

Lesli Robertson, a former lecturer in fibers at UNT, also spoke on the discontinuation and the importance of an education in fibers.

After working for UNT, Robertson launched a consulting business and still works in the fibers field.

She also received an MFA in fibers from UNT, which launched her career in the art form.

“I learned a tremendous amount and found a place that connected me to the larger world through textiles,” Robertson said. “It launched a lifelong pursuit of knowledge and basically my career.”

Robertson said many UNT fibers students are successful in the business. Fibers major alumni work in places such as a textile museum in Washington D.C., a fabric workshop in Philadelphia and others work as designers at large

companies.

Adams also discussed the employability of fibers majors. She said there are many companies that want to hire UNT Fibers majors.

“People who aren’t in fibers don’t release, administration especially, that we are very employable,” Adams said. “They don’t see how much fibers students actually impact the workforce and what a valuable resource we are.”

Robertson said fibers is a part of our daily life being that everybody on a daily basis is engaged with knit, woven, dyed, embroidered, stamped and printed objects.

When she learned about UNT closing the fibers major, Robertson was leading a textile arts workshop.

“I found out that UNT decided not to invest at the same time I was celebrating a successful workshop where we focused on moving textiles forward into new and contemporary designs.”

Robertson has heard “sheer disappointment” and “anger” from fibers students, but Watt’s email promised all students affected will be accommodated. The closure will be phased throughout the next year to help students make adjustments to their degree program.

“All students with degree plans on file for a fibers concentration will be accommodated and will be able to graduate with the degree for which they have a degree plan,” the email stated.

The Associate Dean Denise Baxter and Studio Arts Chair Lauren Lake will be at the current CVAD location on Welch street on Aug. 20 and 21 to answer any questions from fibers students.

They will also come to fibers classes at the beginning of the semester to address the issue.

Robertson does not agree with the decision to remove the major saying the college is not evolving.

“I understand the need to make shifts in the college by restructuring programs in regards to budgetary concerns,” Robertson said. “But I think the college is lacking the ability to evolve, and become more relevant as a fine arts school. By taking fibers out of the college, you are removing a key foundation to the arts.”

ARTS & LIFE Page 4

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018

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North Texas teens have a grip on hair with scrunchie shop

By Nikki Johnson-Bolden @nikkinikxo Recycling trends is common in fashion — something can go from being completely outdated to being in high demand in just a few years. Kaylee Campbell and Ashton Edminster, both 19, noticed that scrunchies were making a fashion revival, which led them to launch their own scrunchie shop on Etsy, NYCLA Co. Campbell and Edminster, who have been close friends since their junior year of high school, got the idea for NYCLA at the beginning of June and sold out their first collection of scrunchies later that month.

The idea for the shop was sparked when Campbell saw videos online of people turning old clothes into new items.

“Randomly I was just watching videos of people thrifting or f lipping stuff with their sewing machines, and I saw how to make scrunchies and I sent it to [Ashton],” Campbell said. “I sarcastically said we should open up an Etsy shop and make scrunchies.”

Edminster thought scrunchies were the perfect starting point for NYCLA after seeing celebrities like model Hailey Baldwin wearing them in paparazzi shots, and Campbell foresaw the comeback that scrunchies were making in mainstream fashion.

“Scrunchies were popular back in the ‘90s and then they died out and nobody wore them, and then they suddenly came back,” Campbell said. “We figured that if we picked a big trend that was going to be super popular for a while, we would do that. Right now we are working on finding future trends [as well].”

The NYCLA name is inf luenced by Campbell and Edminster’s personal styles.

Campbell loves Los Angeles’ beachy, laid-back clothing, while Edminster enjoys the runway fashions and model street styles predominantly found in New York City.

“I guess it was a meant-to-be thing because we were trying to think of a name and NYCLA f lowed so much,” Edminster said.

Transitioning the business from an idea into a reality happened quickly. Campbell and Edminster took the divide and conquer approach — Edminster handles the packaging and shipping while Campbell does the sewing.

“I got a sewing machine for my birthday, and I had been messing around with making clothes

[already],” Campbell said. “You have to buy a lot — down to the ribbon on the labels and stuff.

We buy the fabrics, I cut them up and then I stay up until like 5 in the morning sewing them all together. [Ashton] will f lip them inside out.”

In addition to producing the scrunchies, developing a group of customers was also a priority.

“For the start of the business, the first thing we wanted to do was make sure we would have an audience that would buy our products, so we started off with social media, of course,” Edminster said. “We started with Instagram, and I think within the first two nights we had the account we hit 100 followers.”

Social media is such an integral aspect of the business that the duo had to bring another person into the equation to help run their accounts.

“We both take care of our social media,” Edminster said.

“We actually just got a girl on our team to help us out with that because we are so busy. We are both doing our own thing, so also running this is kind of hard.”

Another reason they value social media is because it is a direct line of communication with their customers. Interaction with them is important to Campbell and Edminster, who spray each package with perfume and include a handwritten thank you note.

“We have a highlight on our Instagram page called ‘thank you’ that shows people getting their scrunchies,” Edminster said. “It is letting them know that we really appreciate them, but it’s also letting them know that our products are good — they vouch for us.”

Austin Hinley, 17, is a customer and friend of Campbell’s and Edminster’s. He is a supporter of NYCLA and is even working on designing two new sets of scrunchies with the pair.

“When their scrunchies account followed me I was very confused and texted the both of them,” Hinley said. “When they explained that they were starting this business, I wanted to help and support them in any way possible. I have promoted them so much because they are really good friends of mine, and I want to make sure they are successful.”

Freshman Shelby Brigger learned about NYCLA through her friendship with Campbell.

She has observed the different strengths each girl brings to the operation.

“I feel like Kaylee brings the business aspect to it because

Top: Campbell and Edminster began developing the idea for their online scrunchie store in June. They were inspired by ‘90s revival fashion and decided to make their own brand, NYCLA. Bottom: NYCLA is a scrunchie shop on Etsy created by Kaylee Campbell and Ashton Edminster. The idea was to recycle the trend and bring it back while also recycling old clothes and making them into fashion accessories.

Photos by Jessika Hardy she knows how to get people’s attention, and then Ashton brings the fashion part of it because she knows what people want to see,” Brigger said.

Besides being a fan of the scrunchies, she admires the fact that they own their own business.

“I think it’s really cool because you don’t see a bunch of teenagers really starting any businesses,” Brigger said.

It is convenient for Campbell and Edminster to work on business matters together, as they currently live merely five minutes away from each other.

However, they will have to adjust a little when Campbell moves to Denton to attend UNT in the fall. “[Ashton] will come over at like 11 p.m. and we will stay up and work,” Campbell said. “I’m going to move [to Denton], so it is going to be a little bit difficult.

I will still come down on the weekends so she can get the

scrunchies and do all the stuff she needs to do.”

Campbell said running a business with her best friend has not put any strain on their relationship.

“The No. 1 rule in business is [to] never have one with a friend or a family member because when times get tough, you tend to get in big fights,” Campbell said. “[But] we get along really well. We realized that we don’t argue. We tend to work things out.”

Edminster feels that their partnership works so well because of their mutual dedication to fashion and its incorporation into business.

“With this, we are both so business-minded and so independent when it comes to

running things,” Edminster said. “I could not see myself doing this with someone who is just like, ‘Oh, let’s do it for fun.’”

Each of the girls is passionate about environmental friendliness, which is the foundation of NYCLA. “Right now, there is so much fast fashion out there — there is so much clothing, dye and water being wasted on these clothes because they are being overproduced,” Edminster said.

“So I [just thought] what if we get the fabric from thrift stores, so that way they are vintage and eco-friendly.”

Campbell wants NYCLA’s green manufacturing to have a ripple effect on other people and businesses.

“I hope it inspires other

people to take thrifted fabrics and make something out of it because that would be so much better,” Campbell said.

Their scrunchies not only help the environment but their customers’ hair as well.

“The good thing about scrunchies is that they are so much better for your hair than regular hair ties because those will break your hair, get stuck and tangled,” Edminster said.

“You just slip [the scrunchies] on and slip them off. They hold your hair up really well, and it’s also a fashion accessory.”

Edminster and Campbell both want NYCLA to be a business with a purpose. For them, choosing between being affordable, green and cute is not an option.

Denton police help teach locals how to handle active shooter situations Crime Prevention Seminar, which focused on training for activeshooter situations this year.

“In 2013, I started our first crime prevention conference, and it was open to everyone but was mainly [for] places of worship,” said Shane Kizer, public information officer for the Denton Police Department and organizer for the event. “Basically, we saw a need to help [churches] learn how to instill some crime prevention in their places of worship. Each conference we’ve changed — we have different information and we don’t regurgitate the same information each time.”

The main goal of the event was to provide many different resources for those in the area who wanted to know more about protecting themselves. To achieve this goal, the event gathered many speakers with experience in the area, such as Officer Greg Stevens, who stopped a terrorist attack in Garland back in 2015.

While the seminar was organized by the police department and was free and open to the public, there were other services given to those who attended the early morning meeting. Partners for the event, such as the Denton Bible Church — where the event was hosted — also provided raff le gifts and a continental breakfast.

The police department has been organizing this seminar for three years now, with each year’s main topic changing to allow repeat visitors to learn new things. Organizers have had to put on a second event earlier this year due to the demand.

Each event is ran mostly by the police department’s volunteer group, rather than taking away police resources.

“When I first came to Denton my priest suggested that I go to the academy, and I was just so impressed with our police department and I just really want[ed] to help them,” said Betty Peters, a volunteer at the event. “It is a sad state of events that we even have to have this event, but this is our third year.”

While the event was open to the public and touted as a non-religious event despite the chosen venue, most of those attending the seminar came from Denton area churches and religious organizations. The rest of the audience was mostly comprised of law enforcement

officials and various people who had heard about the event through other means.

There were a total of six speakers for the event covering a range of topics, from the survival mindset that is needed when in active shooter situations to get out alive, to those with legal advice for organizations that wish to have their own security force. Because the event was attended mostly by churches, most of the speakers spoke in a way that catered toward these groups, such as reciting Bible verses.

“

As long as the equipment is there and the right people have the right training, it is going to save lives.

“

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Many of the speakers aimed to acknowledge the feelings of the audience toward guns and the need to take action in these dangerous situations, while also providing realistic advice they had to learn from first-hand experience in similar situations. Whether it was a lethal solution to the problem of an active shooter or a non-lethal solution, most of the speakers stressed the need to practice and have a concise plan.

Speaker Bryan Wilkinson, a combat and tactics instructor with 19 years on the force, was one of the speakers at the event and talked great lengths about the ways to deal with an active shooter situation or another terrorist act. While he thinks people who are comfortable enough carrying guns and who able to practice enough to be proficient with them, he also conveyed that even those who didn’t want to carry guns should instead learn how to apply a tourniquet. Wilkinson’s reasoning behind this was based on how many people die in these

situations because of how long it takes medical and police personnel to get to the scene.

“I am a supporter of the Second Amendment, but if you are going to carry a gun, that is a huge responsibility you have to take on ­— not only for yourself but for everybody else around you,” Wilkinson said. “I think everyone should have something to stop the bleeding, which is a tourniquet, and something to pack a wound. I carry this everywhere I go —it is enhancing your survivability no matter what.

So really to me, it is no different from being in a church or being in a school. As long as the equipment is there and the right people have the right training, it is going to save lives.”

Another key point of emphasis by both Wilkinson and many of the other speakers was the need to practice their skills regularly, especially if one wanted to carry a gun and use it in these intense situations. The type of training encouraged was not only the usual training under controlled conditions, but also conditions with added pressure so not to falter during a real and stressful situation.

One of the other major pieces of advice emphasized by Greg Schaffer, one of the event’s speakers and a former member of the FBI’s hostage rescue team, was the need for people to not hide in active shooter events. The reason for this is due to the fact that most people are shot from only 18 inches away while they are trying to hide under a desk or a table. Schaffer’s solution to this is either to run, which lowers a shooter’s chance to hit you to four percent, barricade yourself in a room or attack the gunman with others.

Though the event ended up running long, many visitors saw value in the seminar and the speaker’s topics while also describing an interest in coming back for the next event.

“I am actually from the Austin area but my dad lives up in this area,” Orrin Deaver, a visitor to the event, said. “He has been to some of these in the past, so he invited me up. For something that you don’t have to pay anything to attend, it has definitely met and exceeded expectations. The stress to train was definitely important because you get so busy and have stuff going on, and it costs money to train and costs money for ammo. That was something that was [emphasized] as important and was a reminder to get back into.”

NTDAILY.COM

Clear the Shelters Day help animals find ‘furever’ homes

By Emily Olkkola @EmilyOlkkola A volunteer sat at the entrance of Collin County Animal Services from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and greeted every person who came in with a friendly smile. That friendly smile was followed up with a simple question: “Cat or dog?”

The “cat” people were directed to a volunteer cat adopter, and the “dog” people were asked to walk around the building outside to the dog area.

By 11:30 a.m., only one puppy was left up for adoption.

On Saturday, Aug. 18, 62 North Texas animal shelters participated in Clear the Shelters Day in partnership with NBC-owned television stations and the Telemundo Station Group. On Clear the Shelters Day, each participating animal shelter aims to, quite literally, adopt out every animal in the shelter to leave it empty or cleared out by waiving adoption fees.

“The energy is super high,” said 39-yearold Kristene Gonzalez, a Clear the Shelters Day volunteer. “We’re all here to try to get the animals homes, so we all get really excited to make the right matches for our animals. It’s pretty cool.”

Gonzalez said for some, it may be a concern that dogs and cats are available free for adoption because they may go to a bad home, but she is confident the volunteers stop that from happening.

“Our volunteer team at this particular shelter go through orientation and training,” Gonzalez said. “We make sure our adoption counselors are well-versed on what questions to ask to make the right matches for the homes.”

Kaley Robbins, Animal Control officer for Collin County Animal Services in McKinney, first found out about Clear the Shelters Day back in 2014 from a member from the Irving Animal Control.

“We were very excited about this idea, hoping that it would bring in a lot of [potential owners] for all the animals here that have been waiting for their ‘furever’ homes,” Robbins said.

The Collin County Animal Services has been participating in Clear the Shelters Day for five consecutive years now. On its inaugural year for the event, the shelter started out with 115 available animals at the beginning of the event and ended with four animals. Every year since then has proven to be a success.

This year, the Collin County Animal Services started with 62 adoptable dogs and 23 cats.

To prepare the animals for Clear the Shelters Day, the Collin County Animal Services made sure all animals had been vetted. This includes being spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated for rabies, tested for heartworm and completed the first round of preventative vaccinations.

After all of the pets heal from surgeries,

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018

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A volunteer and an available-to-adopt dog cuddling during Clear the Shelters Day at Collin County Animal Services in McKinney. Emily Olkkola they are groomed.

“Last but not least, we make sure they have plenty of love until the big day,” Robbins said.

Robbins said she loves seeing the animals get adopted during Clear the Shelters Day. “My favorite memory associated with Clear The Shelters Day is when some of the long-timers we have walk out of the front doors tail waggin’, tongue hanging out,” Robbins said. “I swear you can see a smile on some of these dogs’ faces as they look up at their new family knowing that they will get to sleep in a warm bed in a loving home for the rest of their days.”

Science teacher Catherine McKoy, 32, heard about Clear the Shelters Day first

through Channel 5 News and then through Facebook.

Catherine ended up adopting a dog named Lola with her two kids, 8-year-old Malik McKoy and 6-year-old Jeremiah McKoy. “[I adopted her because of] how she responded with the kids,” Catherine said.

“We also have another dog at home, and [Lola’s relaxed] temperament — how she’s not too jumpy — [works] because our other dog is not one of those playful, energetic dogs. I need a dog that’s calm, kind of like him.”

Even though the adoption fee is waived during Clear the Shelters Day, Robbins said it is important to remember that a pet requires a lot of responsibility if one

chooses to adopt.

“Owning a pet is still a big responsibility that involves a financial commitment,” Robbins said. “Our goal is not to simply clear the shelter, but to build perfect families one adoption at a time.”

Robbins hopes that some of the longest residents at the Collin County Animal Services get adopted, including Kuddles, who has been at the shelter for eight months, and Seth, who has been there for five.

“Benefits of [Clear the Shelters Day] is mostly for the long timers — the animals that have been waiting day in and day out for that special family to look at them in their kennel and see the potential that many have skipped over for so long,” Robbins said.

Quilters reunite for Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home lifts children up after hard times shop’s reopening QUILT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

said. “They’re people who love quilting, who love to piece, and they’re always looking for a new project.”

Most seasoned quilters are trying to use up the fabric they have because most customers have as much fabric as Minding My P’s & Q’s Quilt Shop’s entire inventory, Baxter said.

“It’s the old saying, ‘The one who dies wins,’” Baxter said. “It’s just that we love fabric. That’s why we do this.”

Baxter had sewn all her life when she decided to try out quilting. Because of her sewing experience, she had the materials needed to try out quilting.

“When I needed something to do I took my fabric with me,” Baxter said. “I had a quilt pattern I wanted to do, but [I] didn’t like the way it looked on the machine, so I started hand piecing.”

After finishing her quilt, Baxter entered her quilt into a program the Arts Council used to sponsor. She ended up winning “Best of Show” in 1986, so she submitted the quilt to the city show and placed third in textiles.

“That [victory] kinda got [me] hooked,” Baxter said.

Heard Cottage is one of three cottages at Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home, which was established in Denton in the early 1900’s.

Jacob Ostermann

By Nikki Johnson-Bolden @nikkinikxo Cumberland Presbyterian Children’s Home hides in plain sight about five minutes southeast of UNT’s campus. The nonprofit facility, which houses children and teens, as well as single parent families in need, has been in Denton since 1904.

Katie Kein serves as Chaplain, volunteer coordinator, Gifts in Kind coordinator, activities coordinator and staff development coordinator. During her four years working at Cumberland, she has become more aware of the circumstances that impact other people’s lives.

“It allows me to be more empathetic to others in the world,” Kein said. “We all have a story that is sacred to be shared and honored.”

Cumberland has three counselors on hand to support residents who deal with a variety of different struggles. “[Things such as] history of violence and substance abuse, cycles of systematic poverty, major life traumas or events [can lead to housing at Cumberland],” Kein said.

A substantial aspect of the assistance at Cumberland is spirituality. They provide spiritual guidance as part of their counseling.

“We are ecumenical, celebrating each person’s sacred worth and spirituality,” Kein said. “This allows us to be more diverse and at the same time unified.

A helping hand The staff plays an important part in these children’s lives.

Because of this, they must have experience in the field and go through specialized training. “[Staff goes through] 58 hours of pre-service plus on-going yearly training in the areas of trauma, strength-based philosophy and more,” Kein said.

Minors who live in Cumberland often have no adult inf luence in their lives to teach them things that other people their age are typically taught at home prior to their arrival. Mary Dickerman, Cumberland’s director of development, acknowledges the importance of establishing these skills for the kids’ future independence.

“We do a lot of life skills teaching in the beginning,” Dickerman said. “Of course, as they are getting to be 16, we help them get a job. We are teaching them to show up, [that they] can’t no-call, noshow and [to] dress appropriately. [They also learn] how to use the bus line — for a lot of them, that is exactly what they will be doing.

Financial information — that is a huge one, [along with] budgeting.

All of the basics that you could think of.”

The atmosphere at Cumberland makes it feel like home to the children and families there, which is something the staff strives for.

“Their day looks just like any other youth’s,” Kein said. “We try to do normal as best as we can.”

In addition to the staff, Dickerman emphasizes how much of an inf luence volunteers can be on Cumberland residents. Groups and organizations visit and help with gardening and mentoring, as well as completing mission work.

“We take for granted that we have people who are good role models around us, and you would be surprised really what 15

minutes can do — just sheer presence can make a difference,” Dickerman said.

Because the facility runs mostly on donations, it values in-kind donations and services such as hairstyling from those that want to help.

“It is just as important to do things like that [not only] for the children but also for our budget, for what I call the ‘everyday fund’,” Dickerman said. “All of that symbiotically working together to help the mission in so many ways.”

University help Cumberland is in close proximity to both UNT and Texas Woman’s University. This has made it possible for the children there to spend time with college students and be exposed to those who are furthering their education.

“College students hanging around is a big deal,” Dickerman said.

“It really shows them, ‘Hey, you are not that different than me.’”

Sophomore Scotlyn Ogle volunteered with the on-campus organization Her Campus and held an event to get kids at Cumberland to start thinking about college.

“It was really important to us because sometimes kids that go through what they have don’t think it is an option,” Ogle said. “A lot of them got really excited about it, which made us excited to talk about it.”

Ogle and the other participants played games with them and handed out prizes as a way to further engage the kids.

“So many of them came up and told us how happy they were to see us,” Ogle said. “It was a really cool opportunity to share.”

Some of the kids got a first-hand experience at UNT when they teamed up with Dr. Jacqueline Vickery, a professor in the Department of Media Arts, for five weeks to learn video production.

“Last year her department had our kids go over there, and her students taught them how to make a video and [they] made one,” Dickerman said. “[The video could be about] their story in a nutshell. One of them did the storyboarding, one of them actually wanted to do the green screen process — they did an amazing job.

I could not believe it.”

Making the videos with Dr. Vickery inspired the kids and left them believing that they could also attend the university and be successful. The experience gave them the opportunity to express themselves, too.

“The themes [of the videos] were a lot of the time what it is like to be a foster child [and] people’s misperceptions and what they want them to perceive them as — what it is really like,” Dickerman said.

Reinforcing the possibilities available to the children and being surrounded by encouraging figures is a vital part of them moving past the negative exeriences they have had.

“We need positive role models,” Kein said. “It takes more good people to help others heal from traumas.”

Dickerman’s job consists of fundraising and personally communicating to possible donors to help raise money for Cumberland, which can present itself as a large responsibility.

“As stressful as it is to think about, ‘I have got to raise enough money to keep this going,’ I love it,” Dickerman said. “It is so fulfilling to know that I’m making a difference in kids’ lives that really need a lot of help.”

A patchy start Opening Minding My P’s & Q’s Quilt Shop was “scary” at first for Baxter because of the large investment needed to open it.

“There was a void in Denton,” Baxter said. “You had to go to Whitesboro, Gainesboro, McKinney or Lewisville in order to find a quilt shop. I ... decided we needed a quilt shop [in Denton].”

Baxter built her shop up by gradually increasing her inventory, which proved difficult during the recession when cotton doubled in price.

“That was a challenge,” Baxter said.

During Minding My P’s & Q’s Quilt Shop’s first year, a quilting event called Quilt Across Texas was also in its inaugural year. This event brought together 10-12 regional quilt shops to publish a book and provided an opportunity for Baxter to get the word out about her new store.

“You can’t just advertise to the general public because not everybody’s a quilter, so we focus on advertising through guilds and things like these shop hops,” Baxter said.

Quilting classes Minding My P’s and Q’s Quilt Shop is slated to hold various quilting classes open to the public starting this fall.

One of the shop’s teachers, 55-year-old Camilla Fyne, will teach classes involving applique and English paper piecing techniques.

“It’s a lot of fun [to work here] because it’s been my hobby for a long time.

I’ve taught for a long time, so it’s fun to be involved in the business, too,” Fyne said.

Another one of the teachers in the shop is 62-year-old retired registered nurse Diane Michal. Michal has been quilting for more than 40 years and will teach a class called “Gypsy Wife,” which features a pattern designed by Jen Kingwell.

“When I retired from the Navy, I always wanted to work at a quilt shop just to get the camaraderie with the staff and the customers,” Michal said.

Though each quilter who comes to the shop may have different types of projects they want to pursue, they can all agree on one thing: their love for fabric.

“It’s a good hobby,” Baxter said. “It keeps us out of trouble, most trouble — not fabric trouble.”

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018

NTDAILY.COM

Courtesy Facebook

‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ has relatable message, proving it is much more than just another teenage movie

By Vanessa McTillmon @vanessa_marie96 It’s been a while since romantic comedies have dominated the film sphere, but Netf lix appears to be slowly bringing them back with movies, including the highly anticipated “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.”

This movie that has everyone on social media talking was released on Netf lix on Aug. 17.

Originally a novel in a three-part trilogy by Jenny Han, this teen romantic comedy centers around 16-year-old high school student Lara Jean Covey and her journey to find and accept love after her life is disrupted by a handful of love letters.

Covey, a quiet and quirky teenager, immediately panics when her letters, which contain her deepest emotional desires, are sent out to her crushes, one being her sister’s boyfriend. To restore her life back to normal and eliminate the intense embarrassment she finds herself under, Covey teams up with an unexpected boy in her life who helps lead her down a path of self-discovery and awakening.

Vanessa’s rating: ¼ “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” Like most rom-coms, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” has its sweet and slightly cringey, cliché

moments, but what makes it stand out from its counter-parts is its unique storytelling style and refreshing take on what a young high school girl’s life can be.

When a book is transported onto the screen, the story can often suffer for the sake of time and cinematic structure. But with this movie, very little seemed to suffer in translation. Watching the movie felt like watching a book come to life.

Short scenes of the lead character daydreaming, or her quick narration throughout the film, allows the audience to feel as if they are in her head — thinking and feeling her thoughts and emotions as if we are on the same journey.

While casting the role of Covey, Han refused to allow production to cast an actress of any race other than Asian to play the lead role because Covey is, in fact, a young Asian girl in the books. Han’s fight proved successful, leading to the casting of Lana Condor as Covey and establishing her as one of the first Asian actresses to appear as a lead in a

Nicki Minaj continues her incredible rap reign with newest album ‘Queen’

rom-com. Condor took on this historic part like a pro, bringing the character of Covey to life in such a simplistically beautiful way. From her fantastic facial expressions to her sassy dialogue, Condor served the character of Covey extremely well.

Opposite Condor was co-star Noah Centineo, who portrays one of Covey’s love interests, Peter Kavinsky, and Israel Broussard, who portrays another one of her love interests, Josh Sanderson.

Both actors played their parts well, creating layered and dynamic characters while keeping the essence of a high school teenage boy.

Though this movie has been advertised as a teen rom-com, it continues to be praised for being much more due to its honest telling of love, whether it be romantic or platonic, in a way that does not have an age limit. No matter how old you are, almost everyone who has ever crushed on someone in their lives will be able to relate to Covey and her heart-wrenching situation in one way or another.

Ariana’s new album is semi-sweet

By Parisa Narisipour @risanasiri After a tumultuous year in and out of the spotlight, Ariana Grande returns with her fourth studio album, “Sweetener.”

In one album, Grande proves she’s the reigning queen of modern pop music and isn’t afraid to take risks with her sound.

Unfortunately, some risks pay off better than others.

By Spencer Kain @Spencer_Kain Nicki Minaj has finally released her fourth studio album after a begrudging three-and-a-half year wait. In 2014, she dropped “The Pinkprint,” and now in 2018, she follows it with “Queen,” a powerful, menacing, self-titled album that solidifies Minaj as the true supreme in the game.

Not only did Minaj completely blow my already monumentally high expectations out of the water, she has surpassed every one of her previous albums and has delivered us with her greatest body of work to date.

Spencer’s rating:  “Queen” Minaj has been subject to a massive uprising of online scrutiny during this album rollout on a number of social media outlets. If you have seen one trash-talking tweet, then you have most likely seen them all. Minaj has been scrutinized for the entirety of her career, and now, not only is she defending herself, she is also speaking out about sexism in the industry and she is being ruthlessly dragged for it on Twitter.

Back to what really matters though — the music.

Minaj executes a daring 19-track album full of hot beats, fire bars and strong lyrics only the Queen of Rap could spit. I would have turned and ran away from the challenge of listening to a 19-track album, but with Minaj, I not only encourage it, but I fully embrace it.

All 19 tracks are powerful in their own right, and the entire hour and six minutes runtime of the album breezes by, thanks to the force of Minaj’s savage bars and dope beats. I have run through the album completely now about five times, and there is not one skip in the whole album.

While I do enjoy all of the tracks, there are key ones in the album that completely express the level of Minaj’s talent.

The album opens with “Ganga Burn,” a testament to the haters who pray to see the downfall of the Queen. Not only will she not pay mind to the haters or the foes, she expertly dismantles them piece-by-piece with her lyrical jabs in the track.

In the second track on the album, Minaj employs Eminem and singer/songwriter Labrinth for the vicious “Majesty.” Much like Eminem and Minaj’s other collaboration, “Roman’s Revenge,” their expert pairing is an unbeatable blend of savage bar-to-bar rapping, mixed with their signature double entendres and Eminem’s highspeed, tongue-twisting verse bounces off of Minaj’s already

Courtesy Facebook high-energy verses. It is a match made in rap heaven.

In what is arguably the best track on the album, Minaj flips Biggie’s “Dreams” into “Barbie Dreams” to deliver one of her most disrespectful, insanely brilliant songs.

She holds nothing back here and comes for the blood of her male counterparts, such as Drake, ex-fiancé Meek Mill, Future, Desiigner and other male rappers who come under the Queen’s bloody knife. Minaj presents herself as a venomous, cruel Queen who is not going to take anything from anyone and who is ready to demolish her subjects at any given time.

Key Lines: “Meek still be in my DM’s I be having to duck ‘em, “I use to pray for times like this,” “Shoutout Desiigner ‘cause he made it out of special ed,” “Em cop the barbie dream house and you can play the part, I ain’t tryna bust it open in the trailer park.”

In the fifth track “Hard White,” Minaj reiterates her position on the throne and lets everybody know who exactly is “the fairest” in all the land. She addresses her copycats and drags them through the dirt by letting them know if they ever “put my crown on again” she will “knock it off.”

There has been some serious speculation if Minaj is coming for fellow rapper (and ex-stripper) Cardi B with the line, “I ain’t ever have to strip to get the pole position/ You’re in no position to come for O’s position,” although nothing has been confirmed. If the (bloody) shoe fits, go ahead and wear it. (No shade, though.)

In the 11th track “LLC,” Minaj addresses other rappers who try to be like her, exclaiming labels are “Tryna make a new Nicki with a factory.” She also lets it be known that even though she is a woman, it does not detract from her ability in her verse “Spit hard, but I’m feminine/Iconic trio on Monster.” Minaj knows her talent, and it is finally time for everyone else to fully recognize it, too.

Minaj saw, came and conquered over her adversaries once again, and she has once again proven her position in the rap game as the Queen of Rap.

Parisa’s rating:  “Sweetener” Grande has come a long way from her Nickelodeon days, and this album goes out of its way to set itself apart from her previous releases. “Sweetener” takes twists and turns, experimenting with different genres while still staying true to Grande’s style. There are some new surprises a long-time fan might have some trouble growing used to, but one has to appreciate a pop star who has managed to find a fresh, fun new sound and make it work — for the most part.

This album marks Grande’s first collaboration with acclaimed artist Pharrell, who produced half the tracks on the album.

His influence is evident in those songs but is often overwhelming. Grande has never been an artist who needs heavy production to elevate her talent – she’s at her best when her strong vocals are in the spotlight. There’s a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles in this album that are distracting, such as the audio of a man yelling in the background throughout “the light is coming” and the heavy, rhythmic pants in “R.E.M.” The latter still manages to be one of the album’s better tracks regardless. Grande has an incredible voice and shouldn’t have to fight for the listener’s attention.

The best tracks on the album are those that allow Grande to show off her incredible vocals. The third single off her album, “God is a woman,” showcases just how wide her range is and reminds everyone that vocally she’s leagues above all the other pop stars competing with her on the charts. Aside from her somewhat awkward attempt at rapping in the pre-chorus, the hypnotic track is one of the best singles Grande has ever put out.

One song that definitely should be released

as a single is “breathin,’” which is about Grande’s anxiety and how she deals with it over an upbeat pop number. As personal as it is, the track rose to No. 1 on iTunes, showing just how many of her listeners related to the lyrics encouraging them to “just keep breathing” when life gets hard.

Another notable track is her cover of Imogen Heap’s “Goodnight and Go.” Grande’s remix, “goodnight n go,” breathes new life into the eight-year-old pop single, adding a dreamy, romantic feel to the album. Another song in the same vein is “better off,” where the melancholy lyrics about the end of a relationship is juxtaposed by romantic violins. It’s later followed by “pete davidson,” a short interlude that serves as a musical love letter to Grande’s new fiancé.

Not all the songs on the album reach those same heights, though. Some songs don’t make good use of Grande’s talent and fall flat, such as her latest collaboration with Nicki Minaj, “the light is coming.” Minaj’s verse is the best part of the underwhelming track, but even then it’s far from Minaj’s personal best. Another Pharrellproduced track, “successful,” has Grande relishing in her professional achievements and encouraging listeners to take pride in their own accomplishments. While Grande does have a lot to be proud of, this track in particular is pretty forgettable.

The album’s closing track, “get well soon,” is one of Grande’s best, and it’s also one of the simplest. Grande’s voice is accompanied by little more than a piano and finger snaps, and it needs nothing else. It’ll get you to dance with the comfort knowing that everything will be alright. It’s a track that’s filled with hope, as Grande wrote it to help her cope with the grief and anxiety she felt following the Manchester terrorist attack that killed 22 concert-goers last year. Even in such an upbeat number, one feels the weight of the 40 seconds of silence added at the end in order to bring the track’s runtime to five minutes and 22 seconds, honoring the date of the attack, May 22.

In “Sweetener,” Grande manages to reach new heights in her career, with a few missteps.

The album is a mixed bag of genres and sounds, but Grande’s talent manages to pull it all together as one of the more noteworthy albums of the year.

Courtesy Facebook

OPINION Page 7

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018

Ocasio-Cortez: a new kind of politician

By Maritza Ramos @maritzarara It’s not everyday that a 28-yearold unseats a 14-year incumbent.

It’s much more rare for this fresh face to not only be a woman, but to be a woman of color.

Bronx-born Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is set to win the seat come election season in November, according to predictions from various news outlets. And she isn’t here for anyone’s disrespect, as evidenced through her blunt refusal of conservative columnist and commentator Ben Shapiro’s offer to pay $10,000 to her campaign for a debate.

And when it comes to the president — who is infamous for his confidence in his own persuasion abilities — OcasioCortez has said that he has no idea how to deal with a girl from the Bronx.

From someone who keeps track of the faces and general ideologies of our leaders with no particular enthusiasm, Ocasio-

Cortez has ignited something in me very different in terms of how I feel about politics.

There’s been talk about how young people need to become more civically and politically involved, about how this could have the potential to change the very fabric of this country, but it isn’t until recently that I’ve seen this become a developing possibility. And it’s exhilarating.

Ocasio-Cortez is a direct representation of what happens when a young person takes the state of their district into their own hands. She’s made it a point to target entire demographics of people in her city, that generally, have not been given the same sort of investment in terms of time and energy by other politicians attempting to make their attempts at office happen.

Ocasio-Cortez was able to get both young people and older constituents out and to the ballots to place forth their support in a candidate that, through promises of no PAC money, has made it clear she’s only interested in bettering the lives of regular working-class people.

She’s just different. And we all have a responsibility to not go with the shiniest prize, to not just go with whomever speaks the prettiest in a sector of government that rarely champions diversity or diverging from the status quo, Ocasio-Cortez has managed to do something immensely difficult —

Courtesy Facebook run on a socialist platform. She’s dared to express “controversial” ideology, with no urgency to water-down or sugarcoat.

This dedication to the truth, and not flipping or twisting the narrative so it’s more palatable, belies dedication to getting work done rather than fixation on being painted in the most flattering light. In the world of politics, this

is refreshing.

Furthermore, the fact that I can relate to her makes it all the better for a number of reasons: she’s a woman, she’s only seven years older than me and she’s Puerto Rican. She’s representative of a demographic largely ignored. A demographic that has been begging to be heard.

It’s not even just about Ocasio-

Cortez, either. It’s about what her movement represents. The influx of young, fiery public activists who are ready to challenge tradition and sameness. Who better to know what the next generation of Americans want than the Americans who belong to those communities themselves?

When young people need examples of community

involvement, of a changing political landscape, of progressive politics and challenges to the establishment, look towards Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Hold her to the high standard we should hold anyone holding or aspiring to political office but do not deny the significance of her presence in the American political landscape.

Bartending could create opportunity for addiction

By Patrick Cleath @oldshorts Illustration by Austin Banzon

Diverse representation in film yields real benefits, especially in children

By Maritza Ramos @maritzarara As someone who believes in the importance of movie theatres, is a strong Netflix user and relishes in every bit of movie news that comes their way, there’s something wrong.

I’m tired of seeing the same movie over and over again.

No, my DVD player isn’t broken.

Netflix isn’t glitching. The movie industry has a problem.

Within the the past decade or so, my earliest memory of this problem began with “Iron Man.” Most of the movies that are being heavily invested in by high-budget studios lack the diversity to keep it new and refreshing. They’ve been the same adaptations of books, comic books and remakes of older, already successful movies.

And while revisiting beloved stories is always exciting and nostalgic, sometimes you want something different.

Different is out there. It’s common knowledge that writers and directors not backed by major studios have

found it almost impossible to receive support for ideas that aren’t considered blockbusters next to superhero films or adaptations of bestselling books.

There doesn’t seem to be a specific cause as to why the studios of Hollywood aren’t willing to branch out and take risks on up and coming creators, either. But one of the most presumptuous reasons is likely to be linked to a false sense of impending financial security.

When ideas that have already done so well in other media forms are adapted into film, it’s almost guaranteed the studios will bring in the big bucks. I get it. Why step out of your comfort zone if you know it’s guaranteed to make you money? But on the other hand, what about the potential creativity being wasted?

Creators with fresh ideas can’t guarantee that they can offset the cost of bringing their ideas to life and their stories never see the light.

This is an extreme disservice not only to the movie industries who could benefit from producing diverse stories but also to the audience who is missing out on intellectual and creative stimulation.

The power of film is that it’s a bridge — of cultures, ideas and experiences. Diversity is at its core.

And diversity in movies means much more than just casting people of color in lead roles. It also means more than having a racially diverse cast.

True diversity in film means true diversity in story and those telling

it. True diversity is people of color, LGBTQ people and disabled people having control of their own story and how it’s told.

Movies are supposed to be an hour and a half in the exploration of the world, its people, history and ideas. They’re supposed to either awe you with their ability to express the sameness of your world with incredible accuracy or make you understand the beauty in those of other people.

Growing up, movies allowed me to understand American culture. They sold me a dream of America that was both incredibly satisfying and tempting. Disney Channel movies showed me what an American childhood should be like. The “Harry Potter” franchise taught me about magic.

I still find myself unpacking the effects these movies have had on my ideas about happiness, friendships and life’s other glories.

As I’ve grown older, movies by people like me and people totally unlike me have taught me different things about my own experiences in the world and have allowed me to come out of their screenings with new ideas about what I saw on the screen as a kid. They’ve shaped me as a person, comforted me, educated me and reassured me.

The question is, why does it seem like these are the only films the larger movie industry is investing in and promoting?

There’s only so much of Batman’s origin story I can take.

I never wanted to be a cook. But for some reason, whenever I find work it’s always around food and alcohol. Though I’ve never worked in a full-fledged bar or nightclub, I’ve catered parties, served in restaurants and cooked at a wine bar. These days I work in Denton at a restaurant that stays open after the bars close.

One thing that has been consistent at almost every gig with some sort of bar is that workers are either sneaking themselves alcohol or being encouraged to drink by their bosses.

The first dining job I had didn’t abuse the availability of alcohol too badly. It was a company that was made up of family members and friends of the family. Everyone worked exceptionally hard, handled themselves professionally and business was growing.

Things only went awry when the partying college students of the family became the go-to bartenders. If you were cool enough with them, they’d tell you how they drink the inventory from time to time.

While this was a relatively tame environment compared to what I would experience in the future, it was still one that allowed habits to be formed by those students and the ones that would come after them.

The next place I served at was a more formal dining restaurant and had the only bar I’ve worked at with a sensible consumption policy.

This restaurant made employees leave for an hour and come back without their uniform

Illustration by Allison Shuckman

to be able to purchase a drink — a drink they wouldn’t receive a great discount on. I never became close with any bartenders there to see what happened behind the scenes, but I was impressed that they took a firm stance on discouraging drinking at work.

The third job sold wine, beer, food and was family owned, but had a party atmosphere with music and games.

I turned 21 shortly after I became a cook there and the owners at the time offered me a beer when I was closing down the kitchen.

It didn’t surprise me as some of the staff had mentioned that they were allowed a beer every night shift, but it seemed a bit surreal, like a frat boy’s dream.

Turns out it was definitely too good to be true. That one beer per shift rule turned into, “You get a beer when you start closing and finish it quickly so you can get another before you leave,” or, “Oh wow, this wine is about to expire, might as well have a glass before it gets busy.”

Who knows how many times people drove home over the legal limit. After it happens one shift, it happens again and again and forever, until there is new ownership or something terrible happens.

So now when I roll the trash down Fry Street at 3 a.m. for my new job, through the windows of the bars I can see that the lights are completely out, but employees are gathered around the counter chatting. I have no way of proving they’re consuming alcohol, but I don’t know of many other reasons to hang around the bar for an extra two hours after the crazy weekend rush.

The food industry is physically demanding with low compensation which makes it easy to say yes to drinking on the job. Once a person drinks to help escape from a situation though, it becomes a vice. It is a dangerous routine to be drinking on the job, not only because of the dangers of driving home, or that it becomes easier to make mistakes and be fired, but because it fuels a desire for the substance.

If hard work triggers someone to grab a shot, then what happens when they are having a rough time at home? Their head will crave the substance that made them feel better at the bar.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2018

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NTDAILY.COM

Disintegration of fibers gave UNT art majors the shaft

By North Texas Daily @ntdaily We’ve all been dumped via a message on a screen, but this is just ridiculous.

On Aug. 15, UNT announced to its arts students in the fiber arts concentration — by means of a lengthy email — that the program will be phased out within the next year. According to what looks like a hastily thrown-together FAQ page on the topic, school administrators promise that academic advisors will soon be in contact with students with a fibers degree plan on file, and those students’ degrees will be honored. But new students will no longer be admitted to the fibers concentration.

The email from the dean is, of course, very polite, apologetic and full of admiration and praise for all the work the fibers students have put in and the rich history of the fibers tradition across time and cultures. But this sugarcoating doesn’t alleviate the fact that hundreds of students are now displaced and have to re-adjust their classes, degree plans and more to ensure they take the right courses in order to graduate with their desired degree.

Imagine receiving an email two weeks before the start of your senior year letting you know that your major has been cancelled due to lack of space in a brand-spanking-new facility built specifically for your arts college.

UNT is a school that serves a large population of art and creative field majors, nestled in a town

with a propensity to make art and music just about everywhere you look. So where is all the support for these prominent enterprises?

Sure, the College of Visual Arts and Design just completed construction on a new $70 million building, and that’s fantastic. But the number of overt, perceivable examples like this of the school’s support for and investment in the arts can be counted on one hand.

In short, UNT leaders need to stop trying to brand the university as a big, classic Texas school (say, A&M) and play to the strengths it already possesses. The reality is this school is not wellknown for its indomitable football force. We’re known for our vigorous communication design program, our many successful music groups and artists, our groundbreaking Short Film Club, our century-old Mayborn School of Journalism, and other art and liberal arts endeavors that evidently are not as deserving of being considered a priority.

UNT officials cited lack of space in the new 128,354-square foot facility as the reason why the fibers program is coming to an end. The CVAD’s dean wrote in the initial email that they couldn’t, “in good conscience, offer a program without also being able to dedicate to it the appropriate space.” This is a sufficient statement if the university was contemplating adding a new major option but decided against it, not announcing the disintegration of a current major program with students actively working toward that degree.

And it almost goes without saying: man, that’s a

Illustration by Austin Banzon big building. Really? There was room for fibers in the old, 83,000-square foot art building, but not in the new one that’s nearly 50,000 feet larger?

There’s been multitudes of upgrades, renovations and additions to this university and never before has it resulted in the cancellation of an entire degree concentration. For as original, innovative, and brilliant the young people of this community are, the university seems to struggle

Illustration by Austin Banzon

with showcasing these strengths.

Among the many questions that remain is one about the old art building — what is to become of the space that once had “room” for its fiber majors, housed the majority of art classes, sculptures and fashion designs? At UNT, of one thing we can be sure: it will probably sit unused for years and under no circumstances will it be modified into parking.

‘Fortnite’ continues pattern of cultural appropriation

By Patrick Cleath @oldshorts

Younger generations need to start holding political office for change

By Maritza Ramos @maritzarahrah Fifty-seven point eight. That is the average age of a politician serving in the U.S. Congress. The average age for a Senator is 61 years old.

Alternately, people under 21 years old make up one quarter of the U.S. population, while those 65 and older make up only oneseventh of the population. Simple mathematics concludes there are a lot of Americans under 21.

A lot.

But while there are some very exceptional teenagers throughout the country, odds are the majority of them are not immediately ideal candidates for office. Still, writing them off completely would be ridiculous.

It makes sense for me to want everyone, no matter how old or how

young, to have the opportunity to express their passion for public office and their aptitude for understanding and meeting the needs of constituents. But it’s hard to make sense of why current politics is dominated by older Americans.

The median age for Americans is 38 years old. That’s nearly 20 years younger than the people currently dominating Congress.

A lot can happen in 20-30 years.

A child is born and grows up.

Sometimes they even have children of their own. Women can go from being disparaged in a national sexual assault case to having their powerful assault stories play a large part in bringing down the abusive founder of a powerful film company.

Ideas and feelings around the LGBTQ community can shift.

Laws can pass, ordaining rights where there weren’t any before.

The cost of living can rise while the minimum wage remains the same.

The environment’s rainforests can deplete at even more alarming rates.

Species of animals can delineate the endangered species list, then be taken off. Then re-added. Then taken off again.

The point is, generations grow up in different environments, sometimes in completely different ideological and social realities. This

mean either the older congressman must make an effort to continuously learn and immerse themselves in these realities, or continue to rule from a totally out-of-date perspective.

Each generation should be able to have a chance at bettering this country, see what it can do for the nation that housed and educated them because whether they like it or not, the younger generations will one day be running this country.

Motivated, ready-to-work, young people do exist. But it’s discouraging to not see anyone in your age group successfully hold public office. Whoever can rule responsibly, ethically and with empathy, should.

Age does not automatically equate to ethical behavior.

It’s not smart to advocate for the complete shutting-out of older people willing to run for office and serve the country. It would be discriminatory to do so but on top of that, America has a lengthening life expectancy and we still have quite a bit of older people in America.

Their voices deserve to be heard too, especially since America isn’t doing the best it can to take care of its elderly population.

All in all, a government that is representative of the population is promising, regardless of age.

Video games, like the movie industry, have systemic problems with diversity and inclusion.

The main reason these issues exist is because both industries are run by mostly white men. I’m not saying that white men tend to have a bad attitude towards inclusion — but when other perspectives are not included — controversial decisions are made due to lack of input.

The simplest examples of bias in these industries are white males being cast as strong, lead roles and roles of people of color being relegated to white actors.

The most popular game in the world, “Fortnite,” whose parent company executives consist of three white men is no exception to these tendencies.

“Fortnite” skins are ranked by rarity, with “legendary” being the most valuable, therefor costing players the most amount of real money.

All 19 of the skins with the highest worth are either a non-human species, completely covered by clothing or white. The amount of skins representing black people actually increases in price and effort to obtain them decrease.

One may say that because mostly white men play the game, the skins are a reflection of the users.

This is a reasonable statement, but to me, this idea is overshadowed by other decisions made by Epic Games.

Every 90 days, users are offered a new battle pass where they can earn skins and other rewards until the next pass comes out. Before releasing the current season (90-day theme), the patch was advertised with a mask closely resembling a Kitsune which is symbolic to the Japanese Shinto religion. The mask, along with viking ships and old carriages being scattered around the map, lead players to believe that the new season would have some sort of historical theme to it. This turned out to be sort of true, as Epic added Stonehenge-esque statues, a Viking style area and a wearable skin of a character wearing the Kitsune-inspired mask.

Unfortunately, they decided not to make historical references accurate, as the character

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wearing the mask inspired by a Japanese religion was white, along with five of the six unlockable skins.

I’m not here to be an “annoying social justice warrior” but an individual who is worried of how representation affects the psyche of those who are not represented. People tend to have selfconfidence issues when their cultural history is swept under the rug, and they are surrounded by popular icons who are all different from themselves.

Fortnite is a global video game, yet by the diversity of appearances, you would think that the world is mostly made up of white people.

Another cultural dilemma that “Fortnite” profits off of is selling “emotes” or dances that your character can do whenever they please. When rising hip-hop artist, Blockboy JB popularized the “shoot” dance this year, fans were begging for it to be added to “Fortnite.” Eventually Epic added the shoot dance as a reward unlocked by purchasing their battle pass. Even though the song was on the billboard charts, created recently and demanded by the hip-hop audience, they renamed the dance and created their own instrumental to go along with it.

Many hip-hop artists assisted the game’s expanding audience as they would play and stream it publicly, helping the game with its cool factor.

Now, the company is profiting directly from the buzz that Blockboy JB created, without so much as a tweet to show appreciation or give credit.

Patterns of behavior reveal Epic Game’s blind spot that many video game developers are prone to.

Whether you want to call it cultural appropriation or just being creative, Epic is green-lighting disproportionate representation and ignoring the accreditation of those who help them profit. I know that not everyone deserves a trophy and video game developers shouldn’t have their creativity dulled by politics, but I wish creators would have a bit of empathy for those whose real lives are affected by their decision to highlight white skins and using other cultures as inspiration without giving credit.

Illustration by Elizabeth Rhoden

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