Vol. 128, No. 107 Monday, March 25, 2019

Vol. 128, No. 107 Monday, March 25, 2019

OPINION

SPORTS

ARTS & CULTURE

Head to head: Do free nipples equal free women?

Softball successes you missed over break

Black-Latino Actors Studio aims for diversity in theater

page 7

page 9

page 12

Most dropped courses, Most dropped Springcourses, 2019 Spring 2019 Courses with Courses the highest with the Drop, highest Fail, Drop, Withdrawal, Fail, Withdrawal, Unsatisfactory Unsatisfactory percentage,percentage, Fall 2018 Fall 2018

Drop, fail, withdrawal and unsatisfatory rates for Colorado State Uniersvity courses in the 2018-19 school year. Out of the 10 most dropped classes of the spring 2019 semester, seven were 100 or 200-level classes, according to data provided by the Office of the Registrar. INFOGRAPHIC BY MEG METZGER-SEYMOUR

Spring semester drop rates reflect flexibility for entry-level courses

By Corbin Reiter @CorbinReiter

Colorado State University students are able to freely add and drop classes for the first month of each semester in order to more efficiently spend their time in class, said Haley Richards, a counselor for the Collaborative of Student Achievement.

Many students drop classes in order to maintain academic

success, Richards said. During the first week of each semester adding and dropping classes has little consequence, and if a student for any reason does not feel that a class will further their academic goals, they may choose to drop it.

Out of the 10 most dropped classes of the spring 2019 semester, seven were 100 or 200-level classes, according to data provided by the Office of the Registrar. By the number of students dropped the top 10 most dropped

classes from Jan. 22 up until March 6 were CO150, CO300, LIFE102, SPCM200, GEOL121, CHEM112, JTC300, STAT301, MU100 and ECON202, according to data provided by the Office of the Registrar.

“This is just the number of students who took the action to drop the course,” Katie Rischeill, an associate registrar, wrote in an email to The Collegian. “This does not take into account the capacity of the course.”

The trend of lower level classes being the most dropped is not an uncommon one. According to data presented by Institutional Research, Planning and Effectiveness the most dropped classes in past semesters have been overwhelmingly 100 and 200-level classes.

In the Fall 2018 semester, the most dropped class by percent of students dropped were FSHN192, LSPA100, CS164, AA100, ACT205, SOC210, HES207, MATH161,

ECON240, ACT220.

100 and 200-level classes are entry-level classes that are generally taken by first and second-year students. These students are just starting their time at CSU and, as such, they do not have a roadmap for the time that they will be spending at CSU, Richards said.

see DROP RATES on page 4 >>

2 |

Monday, March 25, 2019

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A snowboarder holds onto a pull rope and rides down Plum Street behind a car March 13 during a snowstorm. Colorado State University cancelled all classes due to inclement weather which brougt several inches of snow and severe winds across much of northern Colorado. PHOTO BY COLIN SHEPHERD COLLEGIAN

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|3

News | Monday, March 25, 2019

CAMPUS

Stuff the Bus donation event to drive on campus, across city

By Corbin Reiter @CorbinReiter

The week of March 25 Transfort and Homeward Alliance will be running Stuff the Bus, an event centered around the community giving to the less fortunate.

For Stuff the Bus, a bus traveling to five different locations throughout the week will be collecting donations at each location with the plan to stuff the bus with clothes and supplies for those in need.

This event had a large turnout last year and collected lots of donations to be given to Homeward Alliance, said Anna Russo, a Transfort representative.

“I can’t really estimate how many, but if you look on our website you can see a list of things that we collected last year,” Russo said. “We had over 200 coats and jackets, 1,000 other articles of clothing, that type of thing.”

Transfort delivers all of the donations that are collected throughout the week to their event partner, Homeward Alliance.

“Homeward Alliance is one of the largest providers of services to people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness” wrote David Rout, executive director of Homeward Alliance, in an email to The Collegian.

LOCATIONS ■ Monday, March 25

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Walkway behind 222 LaPorte Ave. ■ Tuesday, March 26 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Foothills Mall, JKF Parkway & Monroe Drive ■ Wednesday, March 27 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Canvas Credit Union, 2503 Research Blvd.

■ Thursday, March 28 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. | CSU, University Avenue in front of Hartshorn ■ Friday, March 29 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. | Brinkman & Brinkman Construction, 3528 Precision Drive The goods that are delivered to Homeward Alliance are then distributed throughout Fort Collins, and if any goods can’t

be used in the immediate area, they are distributed to partners across northwest Colorado, Russo said.

Although the event was new last year, it did result in a significant donation turnout by the Fort Collins community. The flagship running of this event last year resulted in one of the largest collection drives of the year seen by Homeward Alliance, Rout wrote.

This drive alone accounted for nearly five percent of annual donations that are collected

by Homeward Alliance, which is nearly $50,000 in product donations, Rout wrote.

These donations were given on such a scale that Homeward Alliance was able to share beyond Larimer County.

“The scale of our collection is such that it would be poor judgment if we did not share,” Rout wrote.

Due to the success of the event last year, it has been expanded for its repetition this spring. The growth includes the addition of two more donation areas throughout the week, as well as a longer period of bus availability.

For the first time, Transfort

A Transfort bus makes its way toward the Colorado State University Transit Center March 11. The week of March 25 Transfort and Homeward Alliance will be running Stuff the Bus, an event centered around the community giving to the less fortunate.

PHOTO BY GRACE SCHATZ COLLEGIAN

and Homeward Alliance have partnered with Housing and Dining services at CSU in order to offer donation collecting stations within the lobbies of the residence halls, Russo said.

This new addition to the event will allow students at CSU to give back to the larger Fort Collins community while

doing their spring cleaning.

“We are so grateful to partner with CSU, and so thankful to the countless volunteers, donors and other contributors who make this event happen,” Rout wrote.

Corbin Reiter can be reached at news@collegian.com.

4 |

News | Monday, March 25, 2019

Drop Rates

ment for students to remain living in the residence halls.

>> from page 1

FALL 2018 MOST DROPPED CLASSES BY PERCENT OF STUDENTS DROPPED

“We get a lot because they don’t know how to do it,” Richards said “First and second-year student. Even declared students will come here because their friend is undeclared and has come here, and they don’t know what a drop or withdrawal is, how do I do it.”

During the first weeks of the semester, students must weigh their potential academic success against minimum requirements for financial aid and other factors, Richards said. Many scholarships require that students remain fulltime status in order to receive benefits, and so dropping a class can put some students at risk of losing money.

“(Discussing withdrawing from a class is) a lot of hypothetical GPA projections to see what is going to help this student accomplish their goals,” HALEY RICHARDS COUNSELOR FOR THE COLLABORATIVE OF STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

Fifteen credits are the recommended number for all students at CSU, 12 is the minimum requirement to remain a full-time student and stay eligible for many scholarships and financial aid and nine credits is the minimum require-

■ FSHN192 ■ LSPA100

CITY

City council pay, sales tax included on City ballot

By Samantha Ye

■ CS164

@samxye4

■ AA100

Fort Collins residents can expect to vote on two money-related ballot issues this year.

The City-initiated ballot issue would extend and make partially permanent the Keep Fort Collins Great sales tax, which would otherwise sunset in 2020. The second issue, a citizen-initiated charter amendment, would offer City council members and the Mayor fulltime pay for full-time work.

Ballots have been mailed out to all registered voters and can be deposited in any of the six drop boxes around the City.

If you plan on mailing it back, it must be done by Thursday, March 28 so it will be received by the 7 p.m. deadline on Election Day. See The Collegian’s coverage for additional information about registering and voting.

Keep Fort Collins Great tax Fort Collins total sales tax is 7.55% or $7.55 on every $100 spent. It is composed of state, county, and City taxes.

Voters will be asked to approve a continuation of the KFCG sales tax. At 0.85 percent (85 cents for every $100 spent), it is the City’s largest dedicated tax and is set to expire in 2020.

The City-initiated ballot issue would extend KFCG for another ten years. A portion of the tax, 0.25 percent, would expire in 2030, and the remaining 0.6 percent would be made permanent.

15.6 percent of the permanent revenue is specifically dedicated to the Poudre Fire Authority. The remaining revenues would go toward municipal operations, maintenance and any other public purposes.

In 2018, 51 percent of KFCG revenue went to street maintenance and other transportation needs, 28 percent went to police and fire services and 10 percent went to parks and recreation.

The remaining 11 percent went to other community priorities including homelessness initiatives, affordable housing funds and downtown recycling planning.

The ballot measure does not change the tax much from what has already been in place.

The KFCG tax was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2010 as a way to sustain City services during the Great Recession, according to the Coloradoan.

Since then, it has averaged over $25 million a year in revenue, according to a study by the

■ ACT205 ■ SOC210 ■ HES207 ■ MATH161 ■ ECON240 ■ ACT220

“If you get down to nine, nine is the minimum to stay in the residence halls and you are not eligible for financial aid with nine,” Richards said.

The Collaborative for Student Achievement is an organization that primarily offers undeclared student advising. Their mission is “Empowering students to create and achieve their personal and educational goals.”

While a balance between credit number and success must be made by each student at the start of a semester, the most important thing is the success of students at CSU. “(Discussing withdrawing from a class is) a lot of hypothetical GPA projections to see what is going to help this student accomplish their goals,” Richards said.

Corbin Reiter can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Fort Collins residents can expect to vote on two money-related ballot issues this year. Ballots have been mailed out to all registered voters and can be mailed back or deposited in any of the six drop boxes around the City. PHOTO BY JULIA TROWBRIDGE COLLEGIAN

Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce. It brought in over $31 million in 2018 and is expected to bring in $34 million in 2021.

As the study notes, the City has been “using a temporary tax to fund permanent basic services” and local leaders worry letting the tax expire would put a significant dent in the City’s ability to provide those services as effectively.

City Council Full-Time Pay Serving on City Council right now will net employees $815 a month or $1,224 for the mayor, plus additional cost compensation. This citizen-initiated charter amendment would raise Council salaries to match the area median household income ($57,000 in 2017), plus benefits.

The total cost would be around $400,000, not counting benefits.

Councilmembers can still decline the pay raise or hold a second job outside of Council.

The amendment would, however, require them to publicly report their Council-related activities as an additional accountability measure.

Council candidate Fred Kirsch for District 6 led the push to put the measure on the ballot. He said his reasoning

was three-fold: It would allow a greater diversity of people to serve. For example, people in low-income situations may find the current compensation a barrier to running.

It would be a fair compensation for the workload Council requires (around 25-40 hours a week by most estimates).

Not having to have an outside job would give those on Council more time to evaluate over staff reports and do “a more thorough” job overall.

Current councilmembers have expressed uncertainty or disagreement with how a fulltime Council would fit in the City’s current system.

Major cities like Denver have a “mayor-council” governments which do get full-time pay because they are the main source of legislation.

Fort Collins operates with a “manager-council” form of government where a city manager directs staff to create policies, and the councilmembers will propose, amend or approve those policies. Councilmembers say a full-time council could change that relationship.

Samantha Ye can be reached at news@collegian.com.

|5

News | Monday, March 25, 2019

CRIME

NATIONAL

“LSD trafficking operation busted Wednesday in Loveland

PETA files complaints against CSU West Nile virus research

By Delaney Allen @DelaneyAllen0

An illegal, cross-country LSD trafficking operation was disassembled in Loveland March 20 after police searched a residence at 3213 Overlook Ln, according to a release from the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force.

Members of the NCDTF and Larimer County Regional SWAT Team served a warrant leading to the arrest of Ronald Williams.

Williams was arrested on a “$NO BOND” warrant from North Carolina for distributing over 1,000 doses of a hallucinogenic substance.

The Mocksville Police Department Vice Narcotics Unit and Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, both of North Carolina, were the lead investigators on this particular case. The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Strategic Enforcement Unit, the Denver and Fort Collins Drug Enforcement Agency and the United States Postal Inspectors were also involved in the investigation.

By Corbin Reiter @CorbinReiter

Ronald Williams, 33, was arrested on March 20 after the Northern Colorado Drug Task force and a number of other operations shut down an illegal, cross-country LSD trafficking operation in Loveland.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LARIMER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Loveland Fire Rescue Authority Hazmat Team and Thompson Valley Emergency Medical Services were called to the scene as a precaution to prepare for potential contact with hazardous chemicals during the operation. However, there were no hazardous materials detected and emergency services were not necessary.

Delaney Allen can be reached at news@collegian.com.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has filed complaints against the Colorado State University Department of Research on account of unethical research practices and has reached out to department administration to help find solutions, according to PETA representative Tasgola Bruner.

Peta filed an initial complaint against CSU in 2018 regarding state licensing and the research of microbiology, immunology and pathology professor Gregory Ebel. Bruner wrote in an email to The Collegian that another email was sent to the Vice President for Research and the Institutional Animal care and Use Committee Chair at CSU March 7.

Ebel is researching the West Nile Virus and how it affects birds that are native to Colorado. His research is federally funded.

The letter from PETA outlines concerns about the ethicality of capturing wild animals, the impact of stress on a bird’s immune

Naval Health Clinic Charleston preventive medicine technicians work with mosquitos as part of a study on the West Nile virus. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has filed complaints against the Colorado State University Department of Research on account of unethical research practices involving birds native to Colorado.

PHOTO BY KRIS PATTERSON U.S. NAVY

system, humane research methods, costs versus benefits and problems with federal permitting in regards to this series of experiments.

CSU has released a response which maintains that no illegal actions were taken in early 2018 regarding the collection and experimentation of birds and that they are responding to earlier

calls for action set forth by PETA. In response to complaints about insufficient permission, CSU said, “The annual federal permit was current during this time, but due to a clerical error there was an inadvertent lapse in the annual state permit during the time birds were collected in 2018.” see PETA on page 6 >>

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News | Monday, March 25, 2019

NATIONAL

Democrats zero in on obstruction for campaign against Republicans

By David Lightman and Lesley Clark Washington Bureau

Sunday’s news that Robert Mueller unearthed no evidence that Donald Trump’s campaign team colluded with Russia might deny Democrats the grounds to impeach the president. But Democratic leaders see potential in one part of Attorney General William Barr’s summary of the special counsel’s findings: an opening to argue that the president obstructed justice.

That now will trigger hearings, investigations and possible court challenges from the Democratic-run House aimed at discrediting the Republicans throughout the 2020 election campaign.

“Attorney General Barr’s letter raises as many questions as it answers, said a joint statement from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York.

“The fact that special counsel Mueller’s report does not exonerate the president on a charge as serious as obstruction of justice demonstrates how urgent it is that the full report and underlying documentation be made public without any further delay,” they said.

“Given Mr. Barr’s public record of bias against the special counsel’s inquiry, he is not a neutral observer and is not in a position to make objective determinations about the report.”

The Democrats have three primary political missions for the next 19 months: toppling Trump in 2020, winning control of the Senate and maintaining control of the House.

Impeachment is all but out of the playbook. Even before Mueller’s report, Pelosi had been reluctant to begin impeachment proceedings unless there is Republican support. The top findings of the Mueller report appeared to erase that prospect.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California said, “This case is closed,” and other Republican lawmakers echoed that view.

“The cloud hanging over President Trump has been removed by this report,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham

PETA >> from page 5 According to the statement, CSU is contacting National Institutes of Health in response to the aforementioned clerical error.

“We also are reviewing our protocols tracking processes to add additional checks to ensure licensing is in place,” The University wrote in the statement.

of South Carolina said on Twitter.

Even if the House, where Democrats have a 235 to 197 majority, were to act, the Republican-led Senate is now even more likely to ignore any such action.

Barr told top congressional Judiciary Committee members Sunday that Mueller found no collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign. He also noted that while Mueller found that “while this report does not conclude that the president committed a crime, it does not exonerate him.”

Democratic leaders demanded to know more.

“Americans deserve to know all the facts, which is why the report itself should be released — to the fullest extent of the law — in addition to the attorney general’s summary,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

The action in the House is likely to unfold on at least three fronts in multiple committees: –– Judiciary Committee: “There must be full transparency in what Special Counsel Mueller uncovered to not exonerate the president from wrongdoing,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., in a Twitter post minutes after Barr’s letter was released. “DOJ owes the public more than just a brief synopsis and decision not to go any further in their work.”

His committee has already sent out requests for information to dozens of current and former administration officials. Nadler said Sunday that he wants Barr to testify “in the near future,” and members said more needs to be known.

“The special counsel did not exonerate the president. In fact, according to the attorney general’s letter, he described a pattern of evidence suggesting the president engaged in obstruction of justice,” said Rep. David Cicilline, R-R.I., who is on the Judiciary Committee.

–– Oversight and Government Reform and Foreign Affairs committees have been looking into Trump’s communications with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and at Trump’s financial interests with entities in Russia.

–– Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said on Twitter: “Mueller’s investigation began as a counterintelligence inquiry into whether indi-

viduals associated with the Trump campaign were compromised by a foreign power. By law, that evidence he uncovered must be shared with our Committee. And his report must also be made public. Now.” Some Democrats said they were skeptical of taking Barr’s word for what’s in the Mueller report.

“Why the heck would we be okay with an ally of president, appointed because of his hostility to the Mueller investigation, tell us what the report says?” Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said on Twitter. “Give Congress the report. Give the public the report.”

Previewing their position that will be the basis of their arguments for months to come, Democrats noted that Mueller had a narrow charge: to investigate potential cooperation with Russian interference in the 2016 election, and whether there were efforts to obstruct the investigation.

But he also referred lines of inquiry into the Trump campaign, the administration and the inauguration to other agencies, including the Southern District of New York.

“It’s the end of the beginning but it’s not the beginning of the end,” Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said before the summary was released.

“It’s important to remember that whatever is concluded by Robert Mueller, it doesn’t mean that the president and his core team are free of legal jeopardy from these other proceedings.”

He noted that Congress has broader authority than Mueller.

“Our mandate is to conduct appropriate oversight and to act in the interest of transparency and to make sure that if there’s inappropriate conduct by the administration or folks in that campaign that we learn what lessons there are and act on them,” he said.

Still, Democrats could face the risk of overreach, handing Trump a weapon to accuse them of being sore losers.

At Palm Beach International Airport before returning to Washington, Trump called the report a “complete and total exoneration.”

He called it an “illegal takedown that failed.”

Other Republicans were quick to warn Democrats against continuing to pursue investigations of the administration.

PETA also brought into question the practicing of humane research methods in their email to the Vice President of Research, which was addressed in CSU’s statement.

“CSU experts also review all research projects to ensure our practices meet or exceed the guidelines for animal use,” the University wrote.

CSU further went on to criticize the actions of PETA within their statement calling their actions “intentionally inflammatory and misleading regarding

this research and compliance with internal and external requirements.”

The University added the research on the West Nile Virus occurring at CSU will provide invaluable information that will contribute to the well being of citizens of Colorado and beyond.

“This understanding ultimately will help provide important information about how to save human and animal lives from the effects of viruses in birds,” the University wrote.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during the Friends of Ireland luncheon with Leo Varadkar, Ireland’s prime minister, at the U.S. Capitol March 14 in Washington, D.C. (Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/TNS) .

PHOTO BY OLIVIER DOULIERY ABACA PRESS/TNS

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks to reporters during a news conference on Capitol Hill on July 11, 2017.

PHOTO BY ALEX EDELMAN ZUMA PRESS/TNS

Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., a member of the House Judiciary Committee, said the report should give Nadler “the chance to rethink his sprawling investigation, which retreads ground already covered by the special counsel.”

“I hope he recognizes that what may be political fodder for Democrats may not be good for our country,” Collins said of Nadler.

The Democrats’ key targets next year are five Republican-held Senate seats seen as vulnerable.

Democrats need a net gain of four seats to win control of the chamber, three if the party’s presidential candidate wins.

Content pulled from Tribune News Service.

The final statement made in the letter poses a question to the administrative staff of the department of research and asks discuss the concerns further.

“Will you meet with PETA scientists in the near future at a location of your choosing? We would appreciate an opportunity to discuss these concerns with you in person. Thank you for your time and consideration.” Catherine Roe, member of PETA, wrote in an email to CSU.

While CSU did not express interest to meet with PETA representatives within their statement, they did address concerns that were mentioned within the letter that PETA sent.

“No animal welfare concerns were or have been reported or found during the course of this study,” CSU wrote in a statement to The Collegian.

Corbin Reiter can be reached at news@collegian.com.

|7

Opinion | Monday, March 25, 2019

HEAD TO HEAD

Free the Nipple: liberating or harmful?

Two columnist debate the value of the Free the Nipple campaign in promoting equality for women. One argues the Appeals Court ruling is crucial for gender equality, the other that the decision could have unintended consequences.

Nipples should be as free as women Katrina Leibee @KatrinaLeibee

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

Since the 19th amendment finally gave suffrage to women, females have been pushing the boundaries of what gender equality looks like. A bill recently passed in Fort Collins that allows women to go topless in the city is another positive step towards equality that women have fought tooth and nail for.

It was argued in court that allowing men to walk topless in public but prohibiting women from doing the same is a violation of the Equal Protection Clause in the U.S. Constitution. Looking at just legality, this is absolutely true. Allowing men to do something but not women is unconstitutional.

“As humans we are sexual beings, and the time has come for that fact to no longer be whispered, but proudly stated.”

That being said, it is understandable where the backlash and controversy surrounding this bill is coming from. My colleague Abby Vander Graaff and I agree that this bill is ultimately not a very urgent topic right now. Even with the bill passed, the likelihood that women will begin going topless in public is slim.

That does not matter, though.

Many women may choose not to vote, but what is important is that they have the option if they so desire because their male counterparts do.

Vander Graaff argued that Americans view female breasts as sexual, private body parts, and we should treat them like that. However, it is fair to say that women were never given the opportunity to decide if they wanted their breasts to be sexualized. They were merely told to cover up.

In an article in the Springer

Free nipples don’t free women

Journal of Research titled “Breasts Abby Are for Men: Media, Masculinity Ideologies, and Men’s Beliefs About Vander Graaff Women’s Bodies,” the authors wrote that “It is argued that one reason @abbym_vg women have difficulty choosing to breastfeed is their discomfort Editor’s Note: All opinion section content with the culture’s sexualization of reflects the views of the individual author the breast.” Women have become only and does not represent a stance taken uncomfortable doing something

by The Collegian or its editorial board. completely natural merely because While activists working against the of our culture’s hyper-sexualization topless ban in Fort Collins may have good of female breasts. intentions, advocating for women’s right Even if we have chosen to view to go topless in public spaces will do little female breasts as provocative, that to empower women, and is okay. As humans we could even have the adverse are sexual beings, and effect. the time has come for APPEALS COURT RULING My colleague Katrina that fact to no longer be Leibee and I agree that a whispered, but proudly ■ The 10th Circuit Court of Apstated. peals ruled Feb. 15 that the Fort focus on this law is a poor Additionally, there Collins ban on women being top- use of energy that could is a loophole that was less in public is unconstitutional be put toward greater feminist issues. But female overlooked when the according to the Coloradoan. toplessness is not necessary city of Fort Collins first or beneficial within the prohibited women from ■ Free the Nipple activists won the appeal in a 2-1 ruling. framework of American going topless but not culture — especially men. The government not within that of Fort failed to recognize those Collins. In addition, the law could have outside of the gender binary. Anyone unintended consequences for certain who identifies as other than male groups of women. or female were ultimately excluded Detrimental or not, Americans view and are still excluded from this female breasts as private body parts, discussion. Technically, anyone who and we treat them as such. Women do does not identify as a woman has not want their breasts touched without always been free to go topless. permission, and our sense of sanctity Now, any law or bill that surrounding these private parts translates mentions men or women is excluding not only to how we dress, but how we are a lot of people. Allowing women to go treated. topless is a step in the right direction Fort Collins is a city. There is no towards equality for all genders and reason for any gender to walk through possibly passing the Equal Rights Old Town or go for a run through City Amendment nationally, which would Park without a shirt on. Winters at high end all gender-based discrimination. elevation are cold, and in summers our My colleague argues that allowing elevation translates to increased risk of women to go topless is taking steps sunburn and skin cancer. backwards for feminism as it sends One utility of legal toplessness is the the message that female breasts ability to breastfeed in public. Our culture should be viewed as something more calls for women to breastfeed in private, than just body parts. It is actually and although public breastfeeding would quite the opposite. Female breasts be beneficial, this policy change cannot can be viewed as sexual body parts, correct the cultural stigma that has been but feminism asks for us all to built around doing so. become comfortable with sexuality The only women who would actually regardless of gender. exercise this right are those who would do This bill is asking nothing so with the intention of making some sort more from society than to extend of statement. the same privileges to all genders, In a 2016 video by the New York something that we shouldn’t have to Times, multiple proponents of the Free ask for anymore. Free women from the Nipple campaign discuss their desire limitations; free the nipple. for equality to expose a part of their bodies Katrina Leibee can be reached at that has been sexualized by culture. letters@collegian.com.

Even in peaceful settings, such as reading in the park, female toplessness

can be risky. The video shows cops being called on women from a topless book club.

One member, who appeared to be white, said “I wasn’t terribly threatened by it, because I know my rights.”

But in a country where rights aren’t always upheld as they should be, especially for minority groups, going topless could put women in unanticipated situations of danger.

Until we are confident in the equal treatment of women and racial minorities by local and national law enforcement, this law seems to disproportionately enable white women to display their bodies, as they can do so more safely.

Proponents of public toplessness also fail to consider the impacts this has on mothers, who should have the right to decide what they do and do not want their children exposed to.

In a city like Fort Collins, toplessness could have an isolating effect on members of minority religions where females follow a dress code.

“A crucial aspect to true feminist rhetoric is an emphasis on freedom and equality for all women, but the complexity of these aspects are absent within the discourse surrounding female toplessness.”

As parks and other public locations become more liberating to some women, they will become less so to others.

A crucial aspect to true feminist rhetoric is an emphasis on freedom and equality for all women, but the complexity of these aspects are absent within the discourse surrounding female toplessness.

Women who don’t prefer to wear clothes shouldn’t claim to be vanguards of feminism just because they happen to be women.

By making toplessness a topic of intense debate, both sides are sending the message that the female breasts are more than just body parts, when this is the very opposite of what “Free the Nipple” proponents want.

Female expression is important, but we should advocate for it in a way that makes sense in the context of our culture.

Abby Vander Graaff can be reached at letters@collegian.com.

8|

Opinion | Monday, March 25, 2019

SERIOUSLY

Nobody on campus can stop their skateboards, your shins are in danger

By Marshall Dunham @gnarshallfunham

Editor’s note: This is a satire piece from The Collegian’s opinion section. Real names may be used in fictitious/semi-fictitious ways. Those who do not read editor’s notes are subject to being offended.

In a recent interview with the Colorado State University Police Department, it was revealed that nobody that skates on campus knows how to stop a skateboard properly, and that students should fear for the well-being of their shins.

“It’s a huge concern all over campus,” said CSUPD officer Vincent Ortega. “If you’re a person walking on campus, it’s likely that your shins are in massive amounts of danger.”

Ortega went on to explain that each year, the chances of a skater hopping off their board and sending a speeding, wooden projectile straight into your shins increases dramatically.

When asked how skateboarders would learn to prop-

erly brake their boards, skateboarder Alex Bishop declared that “stopping is really not something you learn at skate parks, it’s more about the kick flips and ability to give dirty looks to scooter kids that cut you off before a sick trick.”

Ortega added that the lack of understanding around the art of stopping is unfathomable to him at a place of higher learning like CSU. He later added that, usually, a person who has even the slightest amount of common sense or intelligence can figure out that the most logical way to get a skateboard to stop is by pressing down on the tail of the board and using the friction created between the board and the concrete to slow down.

“I mean, Christ, it’s completely avoidable,” Ortega exclaimed. “It’s just a basic responsibility that comes with operating these projectiles.

Do you think any good public service officer would operate a stun gun without fully understanding how to make it stop?”

He then offered a few tips for keeping one’s shins safe.

“Some of us have just taken to wearing shin guards at all times,” Ortega said. “The other option is if you see someone with a Justin Bieber haircut and a Thrasher hoodie, just sprint the hell out of there as fast as you can.”

Ortega went on to say that, in an effort to combat the emer-shin-cy, CSUPD is actively recruiting moms to get into verbal disputes with the skateboarders.

“Everybody knows that a skateboarder’s arch nemesis is the soccer mom,” Ortega said. “Their quest for fairness and order really makes them a natural enemy of the skater culture.”

“Look man, hitting people’s shins is a necessary evil,” Bishop explained. “Because I’ll be damned if I’m going to scuff up my Vans just to save a few shin bones.”

Marshall Dunham can be reached at letters@collegian.com.

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Getting lunch with your parents.

Immediately getting a rejection email from a job.

Finding awesome breakfast places.

Applying for jobs.

Nice spring weather.

Having a midterm the Monday after break.

Friends who come to visit.

Not being able to go to the mountains because the interstate is closed.

Turtleneck parties.

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|9

Sports | Monday, March 25, 2019

SOFTBALL

Softball continues hot streak over spring break

By Ashley Potts @ashleypotts09

For most Colorado State University students, spring break was a time to relax, unwind and take it slow. CSU Softball, however, took no breaks in their current hot streak. Things stayed strong for the Rams while the rest of the student body was away.

If you muted your notifications or went somewhere with no service for break, here’s what you missed: First sweep over Fresno State in program history Some students might have caught the beginning of the series against the Bulldogs as they drove away from campus after their final Friday classes before break began. The Rams took the field for three games against their first Mountain West opponent of the season.

Fresno came into the matchup on an eight-game win streak, which the Rams promptly ended. The first game was the closest. After the Rams got off to a three run start, Fresno tied it up in the third inning. From there, things were clearly in CSU’s control. The team went on to finish 8-4. The Bulldogs had only allowed 12 total runs in their eight previous games.

The second game in the series had a tougher start. CSU scored one run in the opening frame before the teams entered a stalemate in the next two innings, then Fresno pulled ahead. The Rams came into the home half of the fifth inning down 4-1. That’s when things exploded. CSU put together 10 runs in six hits—including a grand slam by Corina Gamboa—righting the ship at 11-4. After one more run pushed through by Gamboa in the sixth inning, the game concluded due to run-rule. The Rams secured their first runrule win in program history, 12-4, and took the series over Fresno for the first time since 2013.

The final game of the series was a bit more back-and-forth.

The teams were tied at five before the Rams’ final at-bat.

They put it away, scoring six runs to win 11-5 and complete the first sweep over Fresno State in program history. “(The sweep) says a lot about our team this year,” said Head Coach Jen Fisher in a press release. “They are all really dialed in, playing our game and our kind of ball and executing. They aren’t worrying about what name is on the other team. We have our scouts, but we are ready to go up against anyone. When you

have the memory of success ingrained in your brain, it is a lot easier to draw on it. I’m proud of them and I hope we can keep building on this.”

Gamboa named Mountain West Player of the Week After a stand out performance in the Fresno State series, the league named Gamboa Player of the Week. Over the three game stretch, she had eight hits, including two doubles and two home runs— one being the aforementioned grand slam. She had eight RBI and four runs scored. Over her 12 at-bats, she had a batting average of .667 and a slugged at 1.333 while not striking out once.

The junior third base player recorded her season high in hits (4), doubles (2) and RBI (5) in the second of the three games against Fresno.

The award comes as the fourth Player of the Week award in as many weeks for CSU and the fifth weekly award overall this season. Ashley Ruiz, Lauren Buchanan and Amber Nelson were the three recipients of the award ahead of Gamboa, and Jessica Jarecki was named Pitcher of the Week back in February.

“We continue to enjoy production from everyone in the lineup and that is something our team takes great pride in.”

JEN FISHER HEAD COACH

CSU is ranked No. 25 On the same day it was announced Gamboa had won Player of the Week, it was announced that CSU had broken into the top 25 teams as ranked

by Softball America. The Rams are now ranked No. 25 on the list, among a number of SEC, Pac-12 and Big 10 teams. UCLA holds the No. 1 spot on the list.

The Rams faced UCLA in February and held their own, only falling 3-0 to the Bruins.

Gamboa’s performance against Fresno State also got her mentioned in Softball America’s top performances of the week list.

Hot streak continues in sweep of New Mexico The Rams travelled to Albuquerque, New Mexico, March 22-24 to continue conference play. They took on the University of New Mexico in another three-game series.

The Rams got off to a hot start in the first matchup. They

Haley Donaldson (left) and Danni Klein (right) celebrate after the Rams scored a run in the first game in the series against Fresno State March 15. PHOTO BY ASHLEY POTTS COLLEGIAN

were up 6-2 before the Lobos racked up 5 runs in the fifth inning. The Rams stayed consistent, though, scoring three more runs in the final innings to end the game up 9-7. Gamboa was hot again, tallying a 3-for-4 performance with two more home runs.

The next day was more one sided. Neither team scored through the first three innings.

Once the bats finally got going, it was all Rams. They scored two runs in the fourth and seven in the fifth. New Mexico was only able to get one run through in their final go at bat before the game concluded 9-1 after five innings, giving the Rams their second run-rule win in as many weeks.

CSU put on a full on hitting clinic in the final game of the series. They scored 16 runs, tying their season high from March 28 against Idaho State.

Seven different Rams recorded hits in the performance, including an impressive three doubles in three at-bats from Amber Nelson.

“Our offense did a nice job keeping their foot on the gas which is something we have been working on,” Fisher said in a press release. “Not taking AB’s off. We continue to enjoy production from everyone in the lineup and that is something our team takes great pride in. By no means should we get complacent, and I don’t expect that from this team.”

With the two sweeps, the Rams continue their 14 game win streak. They are 23-4 overall, now 6-0 in conference play and sit atop the Mountain

Amber Nelson puts up a celebratory rams horn sign after hitting a triple in the first game of the series against Fresno State March 15.

PHOTO BY ASHLEY POTTS COLLEGIAN

West standings.

The Rams will take a break from conference play to travel to Greeley for a one-off meeting with the University of Northern Colorado March 26

at 4 p.m. They will return to Ram Field for a series against Utah State this weekend, beginning March 29 at 4 p.m.

Ashley Potts can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

10 |

Sports | Monday, March 25, 2019

DENVER BRONCOS

With $4.1 million in cap space left, who could Broncos sign?

By Rich Kurtzman Mile High Sports

After making some key free agent signings, finessing the contracts so the cap hits aren’t huge this season, the Denver Broncos have $12.49 million in salary cap space remaining for 2019.

That, per the NFLPA’s official numbers which include the Ben Hogan signing and Jeff Heuerman’s $3.2 million hit on his new deal.

But, don’t let that $12.49 million number fool you; the Broncos will need around $8.3 million to sign their draft picks next month, meaning they have about $4.1 million to play with.

Kareem Jackson is an undoubted starter and definite star at cornerback opposite of Chris Harris Jr., and his $6M cap hit was less than expected.

Likewise with Ja’Wuan James, who will make much more in the following years, but only costs $8M against the cap this year. And Bryce Callahan will give Denver three star cornerbacks, something not seen in the Mile High City since 2015 and that Super Bowl 50 win.

So, with some voids remaining — at inside linebacker, guard and safety — who are some players the Broncos may be looking at signing with that $4.1 million?

Linebacker The field of free agent linebackers isn’t incredibly deep.

In fact, the best one available may be Brandon Marshall, formerly of the Broncos.

After him, there’s Zach Brown, who played the last two years with the Washington Redskins. Brown played in 12 games in 2018, with 97 tackles, two forced fumbles and one sack. And, while Brown isn’t a household name, he did enjoy a superb season; Pro Football Focus ranked him as an 89.2 overall, the third-best inside linebacker in the NFL.

Brown excelled both in the run and pass game in the best year of his career. He had 45 stops at the line or behind the line of scrimmage in the run game, earning an 84.1 run defense grade, the sixth-best among linebackers last season. And his coverage grade of 84.4 was seventh-best, which is an area the Broncos need desperately after being sliced and diced by tight ends all last season.

However, last year the ‘Skins paid him nearly $6 million, including a $4.5 million signing bonus, so he’d have to take a bit of a pay cut to play for the Broncos.

“The Broncos will need around $8.3 million to sign their draft picks next month, meaning they have about $4.1 million to play with.”

Josh Bynes, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, is another, less flashy option than Brown.

He started 11 games last year for the red birds with 75 total tackles and two sacks on the season, earning a 75.8 overall defensive grade. Last season’s $1.9 million deal was his most ever, meaning Denver could likely easily afford him, even though he would bring less excitement than would Brown.

Safety Safety was an exciting positional group, with so many huge names becoming free agents this year. However, the Broncos stayed pat — to this point — happy with Justin Simmons and Will Parks as the starters, it would seem.

But, if they’re not fully sold on Parks, Denver could possibly still sign a safety.

Jahleel Addae is a name which could surface for the Broncos; he started all 16 games last year for the Char-

gers with 75 tackles, one interception and one sack. However, Pro Football Focus’ grades weren’t kind. He was graded as the No. 76 safety at a 60.1 overall grade, while Parks earned a 74.0 grade.

Then there’s Marcus Gilchrist, another AFC West foe formerly of the Raiders.

Despite his three-interception season last year — with 58 total tackles — PFF graded him at 54.5 overall. So, he doesn’t seem to be the answer, either, unless they think Ed Donatell could coach either of the aforementioned veterans up.

Considering the free agent strong safeties still unsigned, and Parks’ perceived upside, it seems even less likely the Broncos will sign a safety and more probable they’ll see if Parks can continue to improve.

Guard T.J. Lang is undoubtedly the big name here, but he’s going to command way more money than Denver will have to pay him.

Behind Lang, there are guys like Andy Levitre and Josh Sitton, each veterans but both of them were injured last season, seeing action in a combined three games. Each of them have been considered top-tier guards in the past, but the Broncos would have to be sure they could regain that form after injury to take a flier on either of them.

Matt Slauson is yet another one of those veterans who could be signed for relatively cheap, but sustained a season-ending injury last season.

One possibly enticing prospect is Ryan Groy, who can play both center or right guard, as he did last year for the Buffalo Bills. Groy earned his worst grade (46.7) of his career last season, but if the Broncos think Mike Munchak could make him back into the player he was in 2016, he may be worth a flier.

Content pulled from Mile High Sports.

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| 11

Sports | Monday, March 25, 2019

DENVER NUGGETS

Nuggets fall to Pacers as 10 regular season games remain

By Brandon Ewing Mile High Sports

It has been a thrilling week for the Denver Nuggets, but it ended on a sour note Sunday with a 124-88 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

With the loss, Denver’s record moves to 49-23, which is still good for a tie atop the Western Conference standings with Golden State.

Even as the Nuggets finished their week on a bad note, it started tremendously as they clinched their first playoff berth six-years with a 114-105 victory over the Boston Celtics. That win came on Monday, which the Nuggets followed with two more victories, one against the Washington Wizards and another against the New York Knicks. Both of those wins came in dominating fashion as the Nuggets had no hangover effect from their playoff clinching victory over Boston.

Because of the Nuggets phenomenal four-game road trip — excluding Sunday’s game –they are now in prime position to clinch home court in the first round of the playoffs. As long as Denver can finish in the top-4 once the regular season ends, they will clinch home court for

at least round one of the postseason.

In order to do that, the Nuggets are going to have to string together some wins to close the regular season, which will start on Tuesday in a home matchup against the Detroit Pistons.

Then, Denver arguably plays two of their biggest games of the regular with a back-to-back in Houston and Oklahoma City.

The Rockets and Thunder are both trying to catch Denver and secure home court as Houston is currently three and a half games behind the Nuggets. As long as Denver can fend of Houston, it could mean the Nuggets will be able to avoid a team they have struggled with all season until at least the second round of the playoffs.

If the Nuggets are able to lock up a top-2 seed, it will most likely mean a date with either Oklahoma City, Utah, San Antonio, or the Clippers in round one. All four of those teams are currently separated by just a game and a half for seeds 5-8, which means Denver’s first round opponent is basically a toss up at this point.

One major benefit of Denver finishing as a top-2 seed is the fact they will not have to face Golden State till at least

START YOUR JOURNEY HERE LSC.COLOSTATE.EDU

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, back left, looks to pass the ball as Timberwolves guard Josh Okogie, left front, and center Karl-Anthony Towns defend. The Nuggets record moves to 49-23 with only 10 games remaining in the regular season.

PHOTO BY DAVID ZALUBOWSKI ASSOCIATED PRESS

the Western Conference Finals. That is big for the Nuggets chance at making a title run as they could avoid playing the defending world champions until their third round matchup.

With 10 games remaining in the regular season, buckle up for what should be an exciting finish to Denver’s season as they look to secure home court advantage and head into the postseason strong.

Content pulled from Mile High Sports.

12 |

Arts & Culture | Monday, March 25, 2019

CULTURE & COMMUNITY

The Black-Latino Actors Studio brings diversity to Fort Collins

By Walker Discoe @walkerdiscoe

Acting is a time-honored form of self-expression and social commentary that we humans have been using and exploring for several millennia. Now in the present, theater and acting are being used in new and interesting ways that allow previously marginalized voices in the art form to be utilized and appreciated.

According to Quartz, performers on Broadway in the 2014-15 season were comprised of nearly 85 percent white performers, and only 3.5 percent of performers were Latino. Around the country, the lack of actors and actresses of color in theater productions is striking as well.

But in Fort Collins, Michael Anthony Tatmon is on a mission to change the amount of representation in Northern Colorado’s acting community. Just this year, Tatmon founded The Black-Latino Actors Studio, an organization with the tagline “in living colored” and the hopes of both bringing attention to the work of minority actors and actresses in the com-

munity as well as fostering an appreciation and interest in the field of stage performance for young Black and Latino citizens.

“I know the difficulties of getting started in acting, and becoming a serious performer,” Tatmon said. “We are here to provide a resource, not only for getting Black, Latino, Asian, and minority actors and actresses on stage, but creating a place where people, especially young people, can come and learn about what we do and what performance is, because often young, minority, Black and Latino kids don’t ever see performance as something they can do.”

Tatmon himself spearheaded the first Black-Latino Actors Studio production, a one-man show about the life and work of late supreme court justice Thurgood Marshall titled “THURGOOD,” a major part of which details Marshall’s battle with the segregated school systems in 20th century America as well as his involvement with the landmark legal case Brown Vs. Board of Education.

“There’s so many parts of this play that bring out so much awareness and pain, just in my personal life,” Tatmon said in an

online video. “My father (was) born in 1928 in the deep South, Jim Crow...(he) enlisted in the military when he was 16 years old in World War II. My mother (was) a teacher...had to deal with segregated schools, and my grandmother (grew) up without an education her entire career. So many things happened at that time in the South that made me who I am.

I had very little understanding of where my parents had come from and where they had grown too, and maybe their frustrations at our generation’s lack of gratitude.

Sometimes it’s too late to make amends, and sometimes we need to take a moment and be grateful for the things that people did to put Black people in the position that they are today.”

Tatmon’s performance of “THURGOOD” was certainly his moment to appreciate the rich history of Black bravery.

“What they had to go through,” Tatmon said. “On a daily basis, hourly basis, humiliation, upon humiliation, and they lived through it.”

Even with Tatmon’s current run of “THURGOOD” endingMarch 6 at the Bas Bleu theater,

Michael Anthony Tatmon preforms Thurgood at the Bas Bleu Theatre in Fort Collins March 6. PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL ANTHONY TATMON

VIA FACEBOOK

Tatmon looks to the future of guiding and organizing productions for The Black-Latino Actors Studio with excitement and anticipation. He’s glad to be helping to usher in a new chapter in Fort Collins’ acting community, getting minority kids involved with their local theater companies and becoming performers. Tatmon refers to minority children as the “future” of acting, and is glad to see just how many opportunities

he can offer to the actors of today, as well as the performers of tomorrow.

Acting and theatrical performance is by nature a communal experience, and Tatmon believes it is important to extend the world of theater to include diversity so that all types of people are invited to a seat in the theatre, and a role on stage.

Walker Discoe can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

NATIONAL

‘Us’ shatters box-office records on way to $70.3 million weekend

By Sonaiya Kelley Los Angeles Times

The sole new wide release this weekend, Universal’s “Us,” came in first place at the box office with $70.3 million, nearly doubling analysts’ projections of $35 million to $45 million, according to estimates from measurement firm Comscore.

The result breaks opening records for an original horror movie, an original R-rated film and for a live-action original film since “Avatar” opened with $77 million in 2009. It is also the third best horror opening of all time after 2017’s “It” ($123.4 million) and last year’s “Halloween” sequel ($76.2 million).

“It’s amazing,” said Jim Orr, the studio’s distribution chief.

“The film absolutely blew by the most robust of forecasts and I think that’s all to do with the great appeal of Jordan Peele.”

Peele’s highly anticipated sophomore effort follows a family of four who are terrorized by their own murderous doppelgangers while on a family vacation. It earned a B CinemaScore rating and a 94 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Jordan Peele’s understanding of the movie theater experience is on full display,” said Paul Dergarabedian, a senior media

analyst at Comscore. “Social media blew up all weekend long with moviegoers recounting their personal experiences of watching the film. The only thing scarier than the movie itself was the FOMO that it inspired among fans.”

“Us” comes two years after Peele’s directorial debut “Get Out” opened with $33 million before going on to become a cultural and commercial sensation, grossing more than $176 million domestically and $255 million worldwide. It also earned Peele an original screenplay Oscar and best picture nomination.

“‘Us’ is performing on the level of a sequel in large part because of the runaway success of ‘Get Out,’” While “Get Out” featured a production budget of $4.5 million, “Us” was made for a reported $20 million. Despite featuring an original script, “Us” is performing on the level of a sequel in large part because of the runaway success of “Get Out,” which established Peele as a pre-eminent horror writer and director.

“Jordan Peele’s reputation as a filmmaker over the course of just

two feature films has made him a star director and a box-office draw for ravenous fans of horror and suspense,” said Dergarabedian.

“Peele just has the ability to really tap into the cultural zeitgeist,” said Orr. “Audiences trust him. He’s extraordinarily talented and just a marvelous storyteller.

They trust him and love him and can’t wait to see what he’s going to do next.”

Though his follow-up effort is not as political as “Get Out,” “Us” features a polarizing ending that has divided audiences. “What we’re hearing is people come out of ‘Us’ and have to discuss it,” said Orr. “They compare and contrast what they just saw with what their friends think they saw, a very similar reaction to ‘Get Out.’ “ The film’s success builds on Universal’s strong showing in 2019, including the recent hits “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World,” which came in at No. 5 this weekend, earning $6.5 million for a cumulative $145.7 million, and “Glass,” which earned $110.8 million domestically during its theatrical run.

In second place for the weekend, Disney’s “Captain Marvel” earned $35 million in its third weekend for a cumulative $321.5 million. Globally, it took in $87.1 million for a worldwide cumulative total of $910.3 million as it closes in on $1 billion.

Universal’s “Us,” came in first place at the box office with $70.3 million in earnings this past weekend. The result breaks opening records for an original horror movie, an original R-rated film and for a live-action original film since “Avatar” opened with $77 million in 2009.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MONKEYPAW PRODUCTIONS/TNS

Paramount’s “Wonder Park” came in third place, adding $9 million in its second weekend for a cumulative $29.5 million. In fourth place, CBS Films and Lionsgate’s “Five Feet Apart” added $8.7 million in its second week for a cumulative $26.5 million.

In limited release, A24 expanded “Gloria Bell” from 39 to 654 locations, earning $1.8 million (a per-screen average of $2,756) for a cumulative $2.5 million.

Focus Features’ “Captive

State” expanded into one additional theater (for a total of 2,549), adding $918,000 in its second weekend (a per-screen average of $360) for a cumulative $5.4 million.

This week, Buena Vista and Disney premiere the live-action “Dumbo,” Neon opens the comedy “The Beach Bum” and Pure Flix debuts the drama “Unplanned.”

Content pulled from Tribune News Service.

| 13

Arts & Culture | Monday, March 25, 2019

NATIONAL

The tingle is all around us: ASMR is the anti-digital digital phenomenon

By Mary McNamara Los Angeles Times

I have seen the savior of print journalism, and it is ASMR videos.

Hours into a days-long journey through the whispering, tapping, crinkling, crackling tingle-inducing caverns of YouTube’s ASMR community, I came across several videos that consisted of a pair of hands flipping through the Los Angeles Times. None of them were less than 45 minutes long and one clocked in at 1 hour, 15 minutes (but that included a bonus Sunday section).

First the sections were flipped open and the ads removed. Some ads were unfolded and briefly examined; in one video, a few items were cut out with nail scissors. Then each section was separated from the others and “read,” often in a double-truck wingspan, more usually folded into single pages.

There was no commentary.

The only sound was that of the paper itself, the broad flap of a section spread wide, the sliding swoop when the spine of each section was slicked down, the sharper crinkles of inevitable hump where the paper was folded being smoothed down.

So it’s a video of what many still say about print products — that the sensory satisfaction of handling them is part of their appeal. An appeal that cannot be satisfied by even the finest digital platform.

Not exactly what you expect to find on YouTube in general or an ASMR video in particular.

Autonomous sensory meridian response is the sparkling or tingling sensation on the scalp and neck caused by certain sounds, often referred to as triggers. These include whispering, chewing, brushing, tapping, tongue clicks, paper flipping, plastic crackling, skin or scalp scratching, liquid moving in a container, and breathing.

Fans describe ASMR as relaxing, even sleep-inducing; certainly they are mesmerizing, at least as long as someone doesn’t shout in from another room, “What on earth are you watching?”

Fingernails tapping on various surfaces figure heavily in ASMR videos, as do brushes (hair and makeup) and the viscous toy known as “slime.”

There are ASMR food videos (in which food is unpackaged, prepared and/or eaten), role-playing videos (in which ASMR guides perform real or imagined haircuts, massage, makeovers or skin care regimens).

There are videos in which people simply open packages, not

to reveal the contents but the sounds.

It all sounds pretty silly when you try to explain it, but then so do things like avocado toast and sex.

Videos from top ASMR artists, including Gibi, Gentle Whispering and ASMR Darling, have ads from film studios and restaurant chains, but many of the uninitiated are still shocked to discover that top artists make a lot of money speaking in whispers while swooshing a makeup brush over a microphone or tapping a French manicure against a piece of corkboard.

All of which just strengthens arguments for the importance of haptic perception. The belief that the experience of actively exploring a thing through touch and movement has affected areas including education and psychology, and haptic technology is a growing part of personal device design and virtual reality.

Meanwhile, the media, including newspapers and magazines that once fought to have paper of a certain stock and gloss, are racing to pour all their content and creativity into a series of ever more cluttered and physically shrinking screens.

“ASMR is as much about concentration as relaxation.”

Screens are by their nature non-haptic — with Alexa or Siri, you don’t even have to touch your phone or the remote. The fact that many people will read this piece, which begins with a description of a video in which the pleasures of print are celebrated, on a screen feels like fourth-generation haptic dissonance.

For years, book publishers have warned of haptic dissonance — that reading an e-book is a very different and more limited experience than reading an actual book — but who isn’t tempted by the ease of a Kindle or iPad? By watching ASMR videos, we prove our dependence on a variety of sensory stimuli and our increasing need to have everything curated for us.

Not surprisingly, it has become a rather divisive topic, with some believing that many ASMR videos are art, while others see them as one more symptom of digitally induced brain rot. They are easy to make fun of or satirize, and many people do.

Last year, Jimmy Kimmel infantilized the trend by bring-

ing a group of young kids to his show to explain ASMR. He showed a few examples, which he then mocked; he said he didn’t feel anything, but then he never stopped talking long enough to listen. (Seriously, as a slime video played, you could see a couple of these poor kids just trying to get their tingle on and Kimmel would not shut up.)

Love it or hate it, once ASMR’s popularity, and profitability, hit the mainstream, so did ASMR. W Magazine has a whole series of celebrities, including Sarah Silverman, Jennifer Garner and Cardi B, exploring ASMR; a Michelob ad during this year’s Super Bowl features Zoe Kravitz whispering and tapping on an Ultra Pure Gold bottle. Nintendo just released a video for “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” that was so ASMR-heavy that headphones were recommended.

China recently banned ASMR videos, calling them vulgar and pornographic, and you know something is going on when China bans it.

Me, I am all about the tingle. The gritty silken sound of sand on wood, the sighing slap of magazine pages, the clip of a well-enunciated consonant get me every time. I still try to get people to write or draw on my back. ASMR has been called “a brain orgasm,” but the tingle is sensual more than sexual, and ASMR is as much about concentration as relaxation.

Isolating sound forces you to pay attention to that sound, to what you associate with that sound and to the effect it has on your body. So the sound of hair being brushed is evocative of being cared for; a kindly whisper, of intimacy.

It is easy to get lost in the warren of ASMR videos, to sit and click and let women pretend to cut your hair or give you an eye exam, to shiver as a handsome young man unpacks and eats mochi and cream puffs or as silver-painted nails lull you to sleep by tapping on glass and scratching a wooden box.

There’s nothing wrong with a good tingle.

But the touch many of these sounds evoke can be real; the sounds are just sounds of daily life. Your dog’s nails on the concrete, the crunch of footsteps in the snow, the hollow flap of a newspaper being shaken open, the tap of the keys on my laptop as I write this.

The tingle is all around us.

We just have to be quiet sometimes and listen.

Content pulled from Tribune News Service.

THE KCSU CONCERT CALENDAR TONIGHT Monday, March 25 Colorado State University School of the Arts: Organ Recital Hall presents Virtuoso Series Concert, Peter Sommer and Dan Goble, Saxophone. 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. No charge/CSU students, $3/youth (under 18), $10/adult.

Tuesday, March 26 Hodi's Half Note presents RE: Turn Tuesdays featuring LuSiD (Turntablism Set) w/ Fullmetal, Brisco Jones, Alex Knox (Late Set) Show starts at 8:30 pm. $5 advance or before 10pm/$10 after 10pm/Under 21: $10 All Night. Free before 9pm.

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14 |

Arts & Culture | Monday, March 25, 2019

NATIONAL

Cardi B moves to trademark ‘Okurrr’

By Nardine Saad Los Angeles Times

“Okurrr,” Cardi B’s signature trill, is indeed being trademarked by the rapper.

The newly minted Grammy winner filed the application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office earlier this month to reserve the catchphrase for use on “paper goods, namely paper cups and posters,” according to the application.

Washpoppin Inc., Cardi’s New York-based cosmetics company, was listed as the owner of the mark.

“To the best of the signatory’s knowledge and belief, no other persons, except, if applicable, concurrent users, have the right to use the mark in commerce, either in the identical form or in such near resemblance as to be likely, when used on or in connection with the goods/services of such other persons, to cause confusion or mistake, or to deceive,” the fine print on the application said.

Sorry, Khloe Kardashian ...

The “Money” and “I Like It” rapper also plans to put the word on “clothing, namely, T-shirts, sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, pants, shorts, jackets, footwear, headgear, namely hats and caps, blouses, bodysuits, dresses, jumpsuits,

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY

(3/25/19). Travel to unexplored destinations this year. Practice your skills to expand professionally. Beautify your home and garden this summer, before work responsibilities take priority. A professional dream materializes next winter, before domestic issues require adaptation. Explorations lead to discoveries with practical domestic applications.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) —

8 — The open road is calling.

Where to explore? Try something new. Educational opportunities invite you into another point of view. Discover fresh inspiration.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — 8 — Strategize about the budget with your partner. The next two days are good for financial planning. Take care not to provoke jealousies. Sell something you made.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — 9 — Together, it’s easier to navigate obstacles and barri-

Cardi B arrives at the 61st Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles Feb. 10. “Okurrr,” Cardi B’s signature trill, is being trademarked by the rapper. PHOTO BY MARCUS YAM LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS

leggings, shirts, sweaters, undergarments,” according to records obtained by Page Six on Thursday.

The Blast reported that she filed an application spelling the word with two Rs as well.

On “The Tonight Show,” the Bronx-bred rapper said the popular catchphrase — also the subject of Pepsi’s Super Bowl 2019 commercial — is like the

sound a “cold pigeon in New York City” makes.

No word yet if applications for “eeeooowwww” or any of her other ASMR sounds will follow.

Attorneys for Cardi B did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Content pulled from Tribune News Service.

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Daily Horoscope Nancy Black

ers. Your perspective is wider.

Diversity provides strength.

Another’s skills take over where yours leave off.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — 8 — Your attention is in demand.

Increase the pace as much as is safe, guarding your health and energy. Others may want quick action. Postpone non-essentials.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — 8 — Relax, and enjoy the scenery.

Keep someone special in the foreground. Find yourself drawn magnetically toward love and kindness, beauty and goodness.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — 8 — Focus on domestic matters.

Clean, sort and organize. Resolve a family issue by listening and avoiding automatic reactions. Let go of a preconception. Prioritize love.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — 8 — You’re especially brilliant.

Creative projects flower. Write, broadcast and publish your views. Express your feelings through art, music or dance.

Share what you love.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — 9 — Conserve resources while generating income. Less is

more. Simplify your needs for greater financial freedom. Provide value, charge a fair price and keep track.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — 9 — Advance a creative vision or dream. You’re especially strong, and you know what you want. Put another check on your bucket list. Enjoy a personal moment.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — 6 — Fine-tune your domestic environment. Rest and recuperate from recent adventures.

Peace and privacy allow for thoughtful consideration of what’s next. Make plans, and organize.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — 8 — Stay connected with friends. Participate with community groups and people who share your interests and commitments. Benefits come through your inner circle. Support your team.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — 8 — Crazy dreams seem possible. Unexpected circumstances could preempt your schedule.

Adapt on the fly. Be prepared for inspection. An influential person is paying attention.

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Monday, March 25, 2019

Sudoku

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

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Irenethe of “Fame” 33 Poison ivy symptom 34 Rock music’s __ Might Be Giants 36 Prop for a clown 37 Dutch beer brand 40 Ides of March victim 42 Tight-lipped 44 Not as cold 46 Parent of Maybelline 47 Used, as china 48 Chutzpah 49 South American mountain range 51 Staff assistant 52 “Look what __!”: “Yay me!”

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4 “Selma” director DuVernay 5 3 2 7 9 4 1 6 8 32 Eye-boggling work 5 Classroom session 1 9 4 2 8 6 7 5 3 35 __-di-dah: pretentious 6 Soothing medicinal plants 4 8 6 9 5 7 2 3 1 36 Five-armed ocean creature 7 __ Lee cakes 3 1 9 4 6 2 5 8 7 38 “I’ll pass’’ 8 Mine extractions 39 Decree 9 Make secure, as a seat belt 2 7 5 1 3 8 6 9 4 41 Wander about 10 “Presto!” sticks 7 5 1 3 2 9 8 4 6 42 Warehouse gds.

11 Peacock’s gait 6 2 3 8 4 1 9 7 5 43 East Asian home of Acer and 12 Appears to be 9 4 8 6 7 5 3 1 2 Asus 15 Try for a long pass, in football

3

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FABER ILLUSTRATED MEGHAN MAHONEY, @FABERILLUSTRATED

THE FOGDOGS RYAN GREENE, @TFOGDOGS

7 2 5 8 9 3

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PuzzleJunction.com

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| 15

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and Collegian.com box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

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2

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