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Vol. 85, Issue 4

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September 12, 2018

CAMPUS LIFE

Discussion of Missouri Hyperloop comes to campus Students pitched their ideas regarding a new fast-paced mode of transportation to Virgin Hyperloop One, the Missouri Innovation Center, Black & Veatch and Olsson Associates.

LAURA EVANS

Reporter

Representatives from Virgin Hyperloop One, the Missouri Innovation Center, Black & Veatch and Olsson Associates met with students on Thursday in the MU Student Center’s Leadership Auditorium for the Hyperloop Hackathon in order to explore the local ideas surrounding the Hyperloop project.

A Hyperloop route is currently being considered along the Interstate 70 corridor to connect Kansas

Students discuss what would work best for Hyperloop’s goal. | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER LILLY ANNA BRINSON

City, Columbia and St. Louis.

The Virgin Hyperloop One

team estimates that the Hyperloop trip from Kansas

CEREMONY

City to St. Louis would take around 35 minutes.

According to the Virgin Hyperloop One website, the Hyperloop is a method of transportation where a vehicle called a pod utilizes electromagnetic propulsion to move through a lowpressure tube. With this new technology, the Hyperloop is estimated to be able to reach speeds up to 670 mph.

“What I think is great about this is the potential for this to be impactful in joining communities so that we really become one community,” Jeff McKerrow, multimodal transportation leader for Olsson Associates, said. “It’s no longer an allday commitment just to come to Mizzou and go back, to go to St. Louis and come back.

Those are things that could happen instantly without a lot of foreplanning.”

As explained at the Hackathon, in order for progress to move forward with the creation of a

LOOP |Page 4

POLITICS

Wreath-laying ceremony honors 9/11 victims McCaskill visits MU, holds MU Chancellor Alexander Cartwright led a ceremony in memory of those who died in the New York attack.

CHRISTINA LONG

Staff Writer

American flags adorned the columns and the Switzler Hall bell rang out on Tuesday morning to honor the more than 3,000 people killed on 9/11. MU Chancellor Alexander Cartwright placed a ceremonial wreath on the plaque in front of the columns in remembrance.

In his address, Cartwright described a sense of unity resulting from the attack on the World Trade Center.

“All of us who were old enough remember exactly where we were and what we were doing 17 years ago today,” Cartwright said. “I

was in my office in Buffalo, New York, meeting with students. Many of you were here, over a thousand miles away. But as the news spread, and we waited as brave first responders rescued those they could, we were united in one heart and one mind.”

Cartwright said in his remarks that he sees examples of the “spirit” of the country on campus.

“We see the strength of our students, staff and faculty who support our tremendous ROTC program,” Cartwright said. “At Crowder Hall and Memorial Union, we remember our Tiger veterans who have dedicated their lives to serving our country.

With MU Extension, we help train Missouri’s emergency personnel.”

A number of students, faculty and staff were involved in the ceremony.

The ROTC joint services color guard presented the colors at the columns. The

wreath processional that presented the wreath to the chancellor consisted of Kyle Smith, Mizzou Student Veterans Association President, James Musgraves, Mizzou Military Veterans Alumni Association president, Doug Schwandt, MU Police Department chief and Kevin Zumwalt, MU Fire and Rescue Training Institute director. Sophomore Piper Stow of Marching Mizzou played taps on the trumpet to conclude the ceremony.

MSVA Vice President Zachary Ignotz enrolled in MU after serving in the Marine Corps from 2012 to 2016. He described the challenges of going from soldier to student.

“The transition from military life to civilian life, even without college, is sort of difficult,” Ignotz said. “So then to throw college into that is difficult for some

FLAG |Page 4

discussion with students McCaskill’s stop, which marks the fifth in a tour through Missouri colleges, focused on bipartisan efforts in Congress and her thoughts on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

during a Sept. 11 voter registration drive and rally at Jesse Wrench Auditorium.

McCaskill also spoke on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the issue of bipartisanship in her conversation with students, which was held in coordination with Mizzou Democrats.

Sen. Claire McCaskill thinks Missouri’s Senate race in 2018 may come down to the hundreds.

McCaskill’s visit to MU, where she encouraged students to volunteer for her campaign, is the fifth stop on a tour throughout colleges in Missouri, according to her campaign’s Twitter. She has also visited Truman State University, UMKC, Missouri State University and UMSL.

“I will not be shocked if this election is decided by the number of people in this room,” McCaskill said to nearly 100 attendees.

When asked about her opinion on Kavanaugh’s appointment, McCaskill said she was not prepared to make a decision, as she is

ETHAN BROWN

Reporter

McCaskill

said

this

visit |Page 4

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T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

INSIDE THIS

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Maplewood Barn Community Theatre provides unique entertainment.

Mizzou Running backs look to break out after a slow start to the season.

MU Hyperloop Hackathon takes transportation to a new level.

CAMPUS LIFE

Residence Halls Association connects students with ‘RHA Carnival’ RHA hosted a carnival for MU students and staff members to come together.

RYAN TIMPONE Reporter The Residence Halls Association hosted a lively carnival full of games, food, and activities for residents to get to know each other on Sept. 7.

The event began at 5 p.m. in Brewer Station at Mizzou Rec. It was originally scheduled for Aug. 31 at the the corner of Rollins Street and College Avenue.

However, that morning Residential Life sent out an email, postponing the RHA Carnival to Sept. 7 due to weather.

There was an inflatable obstacle course, arts and crafts table, DJ booth, carnival games and an assortment of foods. Attendees also had their choice of carnival snacks: popcorn, cotton candy and snow cones.

“We’ve been planning this since March of this year, so it’s taken about five or so months,” RHA president Nathan Dare said. “It’s been a really good project we’ve

had a lot of people working on it. It’s come together very nicely, and even despite the weather, it’s turned out awesome.”

Attendees had the option to race in the inflatable obstacle course, paint miniature canvases or just socialize with their friends.

Students from freshmen to seniors, as well as faculty, attended the carnival.

“The free food and the people were cool,” sophomore Kody Hopen said. “I also liked the obstacle course.

If you didn't have friends there or aren't extroverted you probably wouldn't have enjoyed it.”

RHA puts on several events throughout the year to bring residents together and build a sense of community around the MU campus.

“Our original goal for the carnival is to get everyone out and create a huge sense of community,” Dare said.

“That’s what this truly is.

We want to get residents out here to interact with one another and try to create memories. We decided that smaller events have a smaller impact so we’re going to try to continue this large programming trend.”

One of the other events that RHA puts on is Tiger Walk, an

event where freshmen walk through the columns toward Jesse Hall, symbolizing their entrance into the university.

This is followed by an event at the end of senior year where graduates walk away from Jesse Hall, symbolizing their departure from the university.

Aside from planning events on campus, Dare said RHA’s goal is to serve as an advocate for students.

“Our goal is to basically advocate for the residents who live here on campus, whether it be if they see injustices within their halls themselves, if they have issues with how the Department of Residential Life is handling things, that’s where we kind of step in and get the student voice a say,” Dare said. “In terms of administration, when they have new policies in mind they try to run it through us first.”

Edited by Caitlyn Rosen crosen@themaneater.com

CORRECTION: The photo on page 15 of last week’s issue was taken by photographer Jared Fisch.

THE MANEATER The Student Voice of MU since 1955

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Online this week: Read more about the latest MU trends and events at themaneater.com FILM

Director of undergraduate studies for IT writes, produces award winning film After going through a total of six years of table reads and revisions, the 700-word article for a flash fiction magazine has evolved into a complete work.

NOAH KLEIN

Reporter

Eight years ago, Director of Undergraduate Studies for IT Brian Maurer was working for MU Extension and running a flash fiction magazine writing pieces that he never thought would become much of anything.

One of the pieces Maurer wrote for the magazine was “In The Wake of Ire.” He wrote the 700-word piece, put it in an envelope and left it alone. After going through six years of writing, table reads and revisions, “In The Wake of Ire” became a full length film.

“It was just a short story, it was never meant to be a feature film,” Maurer said.

After going through a total of six years of table reads and revisions, the short article for a flash fiction magazine became a completed work that would go on to show at various film festivals and win several awards.

This is the fifth film Maurer has been a producer for, and it is his third feature film in which he has

film |Page 5

Brian Maurer, MU Director of Undergraduate studies for IT, produced a film “In the Wake of Ire” that was released in 2017. |COURTESY OF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

SCIENCE

MU Engineering and CAFNR merge departments, create joint biological-chemical engineering department New research opportunities will be available for graduate students.

EMILY WOLF

Reporter

MU’s College of Engineering has announced the merging of the Chemical Engineering Department with the Bioengineering Department, which is part of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources to form the Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering Department. The new department will be shared by both colleges.

The merging will begin this academic year, and is designed to provide new opportunities for engineering students. The department will be headed by former Bioengineering Department Chair Jinglu Tan and former Chemical Engineering Department Interim Chair Patrick Pinhero, who share more than a combined 30 years of experience in their fields at MU. “The primary goals [of the merger] were to maximize the efficiency of how we deliver curriculum,” Pinhero said. “We also want to create natural collaborations between the two departments as far as research and opportunities.”

According to the College of Engineering, interest in the bioengineering and chemical engineering fields have lessened in the last few years; the

intention of the new department is to combine the strengths of the College of Engineering and CAFNR for greater leverage.

Pinhero said the merger will provide new research opportunities for graduate students and allow both departments to unify their expertise in the area of sustainability. The department will focus on sustainability research in energy, water and food.

“We’d like to see significant positive impact on our teaching and research programs,” Tan said.

“In terms of teaching, we will explore synergies, efficiency, cross-listed courses, and it will allow us to arrange teaching in a collaborative manner, to benefit the students. We already have a number of courses that are cross-listed between bio and chem engineering, and this will allow us to boost that.”

These cross-listed courses include calculus II and III, college chemistry and university physics.

By combining the departments, students’ focus will become more interdisciplinary and they will have a wider skill set.

“The world is different now,” Tan said. “When I was trained, I was trained on a certain set of engineering skills. Now I think that new engineers need to know a lot more, we need a lot more knowledge. A lot of innovations occur, and are introduced through collaboration between disciplines, and that’s what the industry

looks for, they don’t just want your traditional engineers who can’t work with engineers from other backgrounds.”

While the merge does combine the two departments, students who have already taken courses in the separate departments have no reason to be alarmed. Degree programs will remain the same, with the addition of Biomedical Engineering.

“The merger should be largely invisible to students,” Tan said. “This is more of a administrative change, not one to degree programs. It’s really a regrouping.”

Tan said the integration should provide benefits to the programs without any negative impacts.

“There are no issues [with students who took courses prior to the merge], because the courses are in the degree programs, regardless of what department a program is housed in,” he said.

Now, MU will join a growing list of universities who house combined chemical and biological engineering programs, including Princeton University, the University of Colorado-Boulder, the University of Alabama, Northwestern University and Tufts University.

“We are one of very few universities that have maintained an independent chemical engineering

MERGE |Page 5

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LOOP continued from page 1

Missouri Hyperloop, the results of the currently underway feasibility study will first be considered.

This study takes into account logistical factors, such as the total distance that the route would stretch and the number of rivers along the way; economic factors, such as demand and the flow of people between the stops; and regulatory factors, such as the federal, state and local laws.

During this feasibility study process, the Hyperloop team will usually try to get the public involved. This is where the Hyperloop Hackathon comes in.

“We would love to have input from the university and its students,” Ismaeel Babur, senior civil engineer for Virgin Hyperloop One, said.

“So typically, halfway into the study, we try to get feedback from the public, and then we try to address all of that in our study.”

Since the Virgin Hyperloop One Innovation Campus is situated in Los Angeles, the team finds the students’ local perspectives valuable for adapting the project to Columbia, Anthony Bauer, Virgin Hyperloop One’s senior tunnel engineer,

said.

“I think they bring a very unique perspective, something that we obviously can’t see from sitting in offices in Los Angeles,” Bauer said.

“This is their day-to-day life that we would be impacting, hopefully in a good way, and we want to incorporate their ideas the best we can.”

The questions that the Hackathon posed included how the Hyperloop can best serve MU students, how the Hyperloop can best serve Columbia and how to deal with the problem of idle Hyperloop pods during off hours.

After deliberating for an hour in small groups, the students had two minutes per group to pitch their ideas. Some of these included using the pods for cargo freight and medical transportation during off hours, as well as connecting the UM system so that students can simultaneously attend classes or do research at the system’s different universities along the Hyperloop route.

Many of the ideas pitched by the student groups were of such a high caliber that they were already being discussed by the Hyperloop team, Bauer said.

“I was really pleasantly surprised at how well the presentations went, and honestly a lot of the ideas that they came up with are ones that we have thought about and are constantly working

every day to really solve,” Bauer said. “It was great to see that these students are thinking about the same problems that we struggle with on a day to day basis.”

While the event was valuable for brainstorming ideas about the Hyperloop project, students such as junior and computer science major Samantha Sample also enjoyed the experience of working alongside fellow engineers.

“It was really fun to connect with other engineers in an environment so conducive to great ideas,” Sample said. “The really lively discussions that we had made me excited to become a professional engineer and to do these kinds of things on a daily basis.”

For other students, like Shivam Goswami, who is pursuing his master’s in mechanical engineering, a highlight of the event was the opportunity to work with the people behind such a cutting-edge project.

“It was quite good, quite insightful, especially when you meet those inspiring people who are at the forefront of changing the world,” Goswami said. “I can actually feel that this company is going to grow somewhere, and I feel very inspired right now.”

Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com

FLAG continued from page 1

veterans when they’re so used to a structured, rigid lifestyle. Now, no one’s making them go to class and no one’s telling them to get things done.”

Ignotz said the importance of remembering 9/11 is not lost on his generation of service members.

“9/11 means a lot to a lot of people,” Ignotz said. “To not do something for it seems to sort of disregard or even ignore those feelings. To bring light to it and let everyone have that day just kind of helps people come to terms with what happened.”

For Cartwright, annual remembrance is a form of patriotism.

“It means a tremendous amount to me because each time that I do this, it reminds me of what this country means to everybody in terms of freedom and in terms of opportunity,” he said.

“We remember all the people who lost their lives on that day.”

Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com

At the 9/11 Ceremony, two servicemen gaze at the columns while remembering the lives lost. | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER BAYLEE WATTS

VISIT continued from page 1

still reviewing documents on the judge.

“As soon as I get through all [Kavanaugh’s] documents, and I’ve reviewed his questions for the record, I’ll announce my decision and I’ll have to explain it,” McCaskill said. “No matter what I do, it’s not great. A lot of people will be upset, which kind of frees me up to do the right thing. Welcome to representing Missouri.”

Sophomore and registered Republican Ben Ridder, who is undecided on who to vote for in the Senate race, said he felt obligated to hear what McCaskill had to say.

“Something that I fully believe is super important to our democracy is, whether you agree or not, is just to listen,” Ridder said. “Whether it was Claire McCaskill or Josh Hawley, I wanted to come out here today and listen to what they truly had to say.”

Ridder, who posed two questions to the senator throughout the conversation, remains undecided, but said he is impressed with McCaskill’s voting record.

“While I know Claire does have a decent record of bipartisanship, there’s a lot of bills in the Senate that can go through with 90-something votes,” Ridder said. “How many were against sexual trafficking, and things most of us can agree with?”

On Sept. 11, 2018, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill visited MU to discuss her efforts in the November midterms. | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER BECCA NEWTON

Sophomore Trey Cook said he attended the event because he believes McCaskill works to be bipartisan.

“Her message of working together, and being a

moderate, I think that’s really important,” Cook said. “Especially today, because we’re so polarized on either side of the aisle.”

Edited by Caitlyn Rosen crosen@themaneater.com

T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | SEPTEMBER 12, 2018

FILM

Continued from page 3

been in a directorial role.

Although he does not know where his interest for film stems from, his past has led him down this path.

“Years ago I was really into writing and design,” Maurer said. “I really did not do much with it until about 10 years or so I started doing short films. I really enjoyed it. I was really passionate about working with people and telling stories in a visual way.”

His passion and skill with visual storytelling intertwines with his work as

MERGE

Continued from page 3

department,” Pinhero said. “[With the merger] we are still reasonably unique; there are only a few institutions out there who have chemical and biological where biological is more bioprocess engineering.”

Pinhero said MU is one of a handful of institutions that is still approaching it from that perspective.

“Most are uniting chemical and something more from the medical side, but in this merger we haven’t abandoned that either,” he said. “We have this blossoming undergraduate biomedical program, which will grow into both a undergraduate and graduate program.”

MU had success with a similar departmental merge in 2017, when it created the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department by combining the Electrical Engineering Department and the Computer

a professor as he will often times have students work on projects with him outside of the classroom.

“I bring in elements of my writing so students can work with it. Students also often get the chance to intern of short films; Chip [Gubera] and I are involved in a film right now with students working on it,” Maurer said.

Maurer preaches the “Missouri Method” of trial by fire for his students. He enjoys having the ability to throw students directly into the pot of filmmaking due to his work outside of the classroom.

“It is one thing to sit in a room and read about being a director or read about doing light design, but if you

throw someone into it, it is something totally different,” Maurer said.

Maurer’s two passions in life sometimes clash, though, as time management and loss of free time can become an issue.

“Because I enjoy the teaching process and designing a good class and being interactive with my students, I often have very little time to write...to sit there and do something creative, that takes a lot of focus,” Maurer said. “I’ve got an almost two-year-old at home, there just is not a lot of extra time, not like there used to be.”

When Maurer wrote “In The Wake of Ire,” he was not teaching nearly as much

as he currently does. Now, he has 150 students in all his classes and is now the director of undergraduate studies for the IT program.

“It is not like it interferes with it, it is just difficult for them to co-exist,” Maurer said about his two interests in life.

Maurer is currently back in the process of thinking and writing for the future.

“The Wake of Ire” has been to nine festivals, winning six awards including best actor, best actress, best cinematography, critics choice award, programmers choice award, and Best American Spectrum Feature Film. Students should keep an eye out for a screening on campus which is in the

5 works currently and will be announced soon.

Maurer has worked with Chip Gubera, an electrical engineering and computer science assistant professor for the MU College of Engineering. Maurer has been a cinematographer on films that Gubera has produced since they met.

“Brian is amazing to work with, he is hardworking, he is come in like gangbusters and done a lot for our program,” Gubera said. “He is very patient, he is firm and he has a way of explaining things to where people can learn.”

Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com

Science Department.

The merging of the Chemical Engineering department with CAFNR’s Bioengineering Department has been in the works for several years, but was made official this August.

These combined programs have become more common as engineering jobs, and what’s required of engineers evolves to meet the needs of the population.

“Engineers respond to problems,” Pinhero said.

“That’s at the heart of what an engineer is, as opposed to a scientist.”

Pinhero said scientists often approach problems to find applications for their theories and their data. On the other hand, engineers often try to solve problems within those applications.

“Engineering is always changing; as industry changes, as our commerce changes, engineering is going to continue to solve different problems,” Pinhero said.

“Engineering is dynamic.”

Edited by Morgan Smith mosmith@themaneater.com

GRAPHIC BY ELIZABETH USTINOV

6 MUSIC

Hozier waxes bittersweet once more in new “Nina Cried Power - EP” Hozier gives tribute to social activists and continues his complaints about the views of the church and melancholy feelings of love.

JULIA KARSTETER

Columnist

Hozier has so wonderfully returned to us in a new EP titled “Nina Cried Power” released on Sept. 6. The EP features four new songs and is only 17 minutes long, but in that time he manages to leave a lasting punch with strong, opinionated songs discussing social activism, conversatism of the church and the pain of lost love.

The EP is his first new music since “Better Love,” a single made for the 2016 film “The Legend of Tarzan” and his popular self-titled album from 2014. This small taste of new music from him has surely left fans desirous for more, which he notes as coming in a statement on his website: “This collection of songs is an example of what I’ve been working on in the last while and will be a small taste of what is to be expected from the upcoming album.”

In “Hozier”, he features a protest song, “Take Me to Church,” which challenged homophobia in the church, showing he is quite familiar with writing protest songs and is a bit of an activist himself. This

led him to create the title track of “Nina Cried Power.” The song is a tribute to Nina Simone and samples from her song “Sinnerman,” and to social activism and protest songs in general. He also mentions those he believes to be legends in both music and activism, dropping names such as James Brown, John Lennon and Billie Holiday.

Mavis Staples, a famous gospel singer, black civil rights activist and part of The Staple Singers is featured on the title track, as well as Booker T. Jones, another old-school soul artist who is best known as frontman of Booker T. & the M.G.'s and is a longtime musical idol of Hozier.

Jones is featured with his organplaying throughout the EP. When Hozier was asked about the track and working with Staples in a recent Rolling Stones interview, he said, “The fights that took place 100 years ago or 200 years ago for whatever — civil rights or workers' right etc. — don’t stop. There is no final victory. [Staples is] the most amazing person, just fucking unbelievable. [Her] energy is still absolutely there.”

Additionally, in an email newsletter he sent out announcing the EP: “The title track was written sometime last year, and my aim was to credit the actuality of hope, solidarity and love found in the human spirit at a time when their opposites were being given a mainstream platform 24/7,” Hozier said. He went on to say that

the song started as a “tongue-in-cheek inquiry into modern popular language regarding political awareness and grew from there,” and that it was a thank you note to the legacy of artists from the 20th century who still inspire people today.

The second track on the EP, titled "NFWMB,” or an acronym to the chorus “Nobody Fucks With My Baby,” is significantly more relaxed and toned down, a melancholy “love song for the end of the world”. This is a beautiful little song. You may find yourself a little sad to listen to it, but you’ll be pleased when his lovely honeyed voice hits your ears, talking about his passion and protective nature for his lover.

In the third track, “Moment’s Silence (Common Tongue),” Hozier speaks on how he enjoys physical contact with those he loves, while commenting on his annoyance on those who look down upon it, specifically the church. He notes how God would likely look upon his actions in indifference, “All reason flown, as God looks on in abject apathy,” yet conservative churchgoing people would see it as horrific, “When stunted hammers place with men, my mere monstrosity/Alarms are struck and sure as shook by sheer atrocity”. This is a very strong piece that I find expresses both how much he enjoys those he loves as well as allowing him to comment on his feelings regarding those judging him.

It reminds of “Take Me to Church,”

not by sound, but by his continued critique against the views of the church.

Finally, in the fourth track, “Shrike,” he laments upon a lost love and what he wishes he could’ve done to retain it, as well as how much he misses it after the fact. “I couldn't utter my love when it counted/Ah, but I'm singing like a bird, 'bout it now”. More folksy than the other songs, as well as a minute longer than everything else on the EP, he reminds us of his Irish roots that show strongly in his accented words and leave us feeling just a little bittersweet and enamored.

Overall, this is a very strong, opinionated and wonderful EP. None have left me quite so in need of more songs to listen to than this truly engaging, beautiful little thing, showing his heart and soul when he discusses his loves and how he wishes the world was changed for the better.

I have been a fan of Hozier’s ever since his song “Take Me to Church” hit the radio. With this reminder of him, I feel a need to sit down and listen to all his songs again and feel whisked away to another world; one significantly more beautiful, kind and filled with man-buns than this we currently live in. Thank you for giving this to us, Hozier and we hope to see you again soon.

Edited by Siena DeBolt sdebolt@themaneater.com

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GAMING

Ukatsu in the rise of gaming culture Co-owners Joe Chee and Ben Brooks opened Ukatsu’s doors to the public, offering young gamers a chance to improve not only their gaming skills but their lives as well.

ALEX WILSON

Reporter

Six computers sat in a row in the middle of an untreated concrete floor. The hum of powerful new computers was drowned out by the shouts of high school teammates barking positions. As the esports practice match moved further along, the passion of each team began to shine. Suddenly, a team won. The game ended. Both teams hopped out of their seats: one in excitement, one in defeat. Both teams shook the others’ hands and clapped the backs of their teammates in either consolation or in praise. Joe Chee,

co-owner of the gaming outreach program, Ukatsu, looked at me and smiled saying, “That’s it. That’s what we’re here for.”

Ukatsu is a business centered around the concept of giving young gamers a physical place to grow, play and learn. When the term gamer is used, it is often associated with a negative image. Perhaps the gamers from South Park come to mind in the episode “Make Love, Not Warcraft.”

Ukatsu was founded on the principle of removing this stigma from the eyes of others and teaching young gamers the necessary skills that are needed in life. Specifically, they wish to teach them that they can pursue their passions and build a career out of that pursuit.

As several video games hit mainstream popularity, particularly Epic Games’ Fortnite, Blizzard’s Overwatch, Riot Games’ League of Legends and Ubisofts’ Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, gaming culture was given a second chance. Popular celebrities such as Drake playing Fortnite with a hardcore gamer like Ninja is not only popular, but

also puts aside the notion of gamer versus non-gamer, blurring the lines between the two.

In February 2017, co-owners Chee and Ben Brooks opened Ukatsu’s doors to the public and offered young gamers a chance to improve not only their gaming skills but their lives as well.

“We want to help them not only grow as an individual but also help them to discover and uncover the dynamics of teamwork and also prepare them for the real world with some of the skills that come from video games,” Brooks said.

This mentality is the keystone of Ukatsu gaming. With events such as weekly Fortnite tournaments, weekend coaching sessions, career building classes, MU’s own Fortnite tournament during this year’s Welcome Week and regularly scheduled fitness classes, Ukatsu caters to every aspect of young gamers’ lives and helps them bolster personal confidence and pride in what they do. Ukatsu also offers a high school esports league in which it is mandatory for the competitors to

do physical exercise and stretching, furthering the theme of personal development.

The name Ukatsu itself is a play on words that drives home the idea of personal growth. The origin for their name is directly tied to the motto of the company, “Play with a purpose.”

“The word Katsu in Japanese means victory or to win,” Brooks said. “So, there’s a little play on words there. You win, U-katsu.”

The company’s name is also tied to another program sharing a similar goal. In 2015, Japan launched a program named Yukatsu, which was an attempt to get working adults to clock in and out earlier so they could spend more time with their families, Brooks explained. In a similar fashion, Ukatsu hopes to turn video gaming from an addiction or a stigma and turn it into meaningful time for both parents and children. Ukatsu hopes to go nationwide with their dream, helping the entire country grow as well.

Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

STUDENT PROGRAMS

MizzouMACC: A Student’s Perspective MizzouMACC offers an unfamiliar yet beneficial co-enrollment opportunity between MU and MACC MEGAN ALTSCHUL

Columnist

A couple of weeks before MU’s Move-in Day, I had what some would call a short-lived existential crisis. I was questioning all of my decisions, pondering over my current place in life, and even fearing that I didn’t know who the real me was.

I didn’t think I could get anymore overwhelmed than I already was, but of course, I received my first MU bill. I have to pay for the majority of my college education by myself, and while I knew that college is expensive, reading the price of just one MU semester made my stomach hurt. The thought of being in such an extensive amount of college debt made me want to drop out of college before the semester even started.

Before I could withdraw from my classes and notify my roommate of the unfortunate news, I found out about the MizzouMACC program.

MizzouMACC is a co-enrollment partnership that MU has with a community college in Columbia called Moberly Area Community College.

The program began last fall with 30 students and due to an outstanding first year, was able to continue on to a second year. Now, any number of students can be admitted. The purpose of MizzouMACC is to establish an easier, quicker and

MU’s co-enrollment with Moberly Area Community College offers a beneficial and affordable way for students to attend both schools. | PHOTO BY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PAIGE SAILORS

more affordable way to transfer from and attend community college by allowing students to take classes at both MACC and MU. Students are a full-time, non-degree seeking MACC student and need to take at least 24 hours in a 12-month window, with at least 18 hours at MACC and six hours at MU. I’m currently taking only four credit hours at MU and the rest of my general education courses at the community college.

I grew up in a small town with limited opportunities, and transitioning from its equally small school to a college like MU resorted in a loss of confidence.

However, taking most of my classes at MACC soothed some of the self-

doubt and worries. I’m also able to use my A+ Scholarship, which is arguably the best part about being in the MizzouMACC program. The A+ Scholarship allows recipients to pay for a sufficient portion of their two years at a community college or technical/vocational school in Missouri. MU does not take the scholarship, so I was incredibly happy to find out that as long as I follow the scholarship criteria, most of my tuition at MACC will already be paid for.

Although the program has a great deal of benefits, it also has its fair share of drawbacks. My biggest complaint is having to drive to and from the university and community

college. Driving to MACC sometimes feels like an unwanted interruption in my weekly schedule, especially since I have to walk 10 minutes to my parking spot and then drive about another 10 minutes to MACC. Luckily, I attend my MACC classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and have my MU classes on the other days, so I don’t have to drive back and forth every day. Since the program recommends living on campus, study groups at MU are a lot easier to create and meet up with than MACC study groups. Numerous students at the community college live outside of Columbia, which eliminates the opportunity to have impulsive study sessions with those students or even simply hang out. Most of my friends are from MU because of that.

Not being able to pledge to a fraternity or sorority is also a huge downside to the program. I can join student organizations and participate in extracurricular activities but only full-time MU students are eligible for Greek life.

While my spontaneous decisionmaking can lead to some rather unfortunate mistakes, joining MizzouMACC is turning out to be one of the more positive additions to my life. It isn’t something that every MU student would want to join, especially if you’re someone without access to a car or want the stereotypical college experience, but if you’re struggling to adjust to college or want to save money, the MizzouMACC program is something to look into.

Edited by Siena DeBolt sdebolt@themaneater.com

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FILM

Daveed Diggs’ ‘Blindspotting’ is packed with political commentary The “Hamilton” star’s dramatic comedy reveals the scary truth about community displacement and the effect of stereotypes on police brutality.

EMMA BENNETT Columnist This past weekend, “Blindspotting,” directed by Carlos López Estrada and produced by Daveed Diggs, opened at Ragtag. Set in Oakland, the dramatic comedy follows Collins Hodgkins (Diggs), a black man who is on the final days of his year-long probation.

He lives in a halfway house with an 11 p.m. curfew and works for a moving company with his best friend, Miles, played by Rafael Casal.

Much of the film’s humor comes from Hodgkins’ unfortunate predisposition to be in situations that could violate his probation, whether it be missing curfew by five minutes or his best friend purchasing an illegal firearm in front of him.

The movie’s central conflict occurs when Hodgkins witnesses a black man shot by a police officer on his way home from work, despite the fact that the man had his hands up and pleaded with the officer not to shoot. Due to the fact that Hodgkins was out past his curfew at the time, he cannot come forward with an account that could possibly indict the officer without risking extending his sentence. This begins to eat at Hodgkins, affecting his mental state throughout the entire film before causing a breakdown in the final scenes of the movie.

Hodgkins’ interaction with police officers and incapability to speak the truth of the situation aligns well with the reality of police brutality.

Many scenes in the movie show the media portraying the man killed as a shady character, insinuating that the officer was in the right to kill him.

One scene in particular has Miles watching the news when the local station uses a mug shot for the man killed and a picture of the officer in

uniform, referencing many similar

situations in which photos are used in favor of the police officer.

The setting of Oakland provides

a basis on which comments on gentrification can be made, whether

they be in the form of jokes or comparisons.

The

opening

scene

of the movie shows two sides of

the city: one with older, family-

run markets and a large sense of

community, and another with Whole

Foods on every corner and citizens

glued to their phones. One sequence shows Miles receiving a shirt that

says “Kill a Hipster, Save your

Hood,” and subsequently wearing

the shirt to a party hosted by some of the local “hipsters.” A running gag

throughout the film makes fun of a

local restaurant called “Qwik Way” that has been completely renovated.

The fast food spot now serves vegan

burgers, with patrons having to go out of their way to order a burger

with beef. This and the fact that

the restaurant also caters (therefore

contradicting its name) angers Miles for the entire movie.

This commentary ties in very

well with the real-world issues of

gentrification. With many younger, more affluent generations moving into

cities such as Oakland for their lower rent and aesthetic value, problems

arise for original citizens. A large

influx of a new demographic to cater to (and one with more money than

most others) often causes landlords to raise prices of rent. This creates

a deadly class divide, one where residents who have lived in their

homes for years can no longer afford to pay their rent. The appearance of stores like Whole Foods takes

The dramatic comedy “Blindspotting,” produced by Daveed Diggs, touches on modern day issues of police brutality and racial profiling. | COURTESY OF IMDB

illusion in which a picture of a vase

them as. This is why it is important

Val uses the term “blindspotting”

media, whether it be a TV show or

can also be perceived as two faces. to help her remember due to the

phenomenon’s manipulation of the

business away from family-owned

eye’s blindspot to focus on one image.

necessities on a lower income.

blindspot, unless you train your mind

criminalize black men and women

what was presented to you.

cause racial bias in police officers.

black men and women are perceived

the final scenes, in which Hodgkins’

are what have been ingrained into

uses the word to help her remember

train themselves, the first thing they

to have unbiased representation in the local news. Breaking stereotypes

and retraining ourselves to perceive someone as who they really are instead of relying on the first image

stores and makes it harder to pay for

Val mentions that because of the

It is the use of pictures that

to do otherwise, you will always see

that perpetuate the stereotypes that

“Blindspot” fit perfectly with how

audiences not only with a laugh,

The title of the film references one of

by police officers. Since stereotypes

how we perceive others and how

love interest, Val (Janina Gavankar),

police officers’ minds, unless they

the Rubin vase for her psychology

will think when they see a black man

class. The vase is a common visual

or woman is what the media portrays

that comes to mind is an important reminder in this film.

“Blindspotting”

provides

but challenges them to think about gentrifying neighborhoods affects

their residents. It’s a film worth watching and discussing.

Edited by Siena DeBolt

sdebolt@themaneater.com

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SEX

The problem with faking orgasms Faking it may sometimes seem like the most polite way to address not being able to orgasm, but in reality faking it may actually hinder the intimacy of a relationship.

ZOE RICH

Columnist

Fake it till you make it? While this sentiment may work for your oral presentation class, faking an orgasm is a different story.

One British study found that 80 percent of women fake orgasms while engaging in heterosexual intercourse, and another found that a whooping 25 percent of women who admitted to faking orgasms fake them 90 percent of the time or more. Another study done in 2017 found that 76 percent of women have faked an orgasm, compared TO 41 percent of men.

These statistics suggest that many people, mostly women, are not getting the pleasure they strive for while having sex. For many, this is a major problem. The primary goal of sex for all parties involved is to both give and receive pleasure. If one party isn't privy to reciprocal pleasure, problems can arise for them, their partner(s), their sex life and their relationship.

There are many different reasons people may fake an orgasm. One study done in 2017 identified the six most common reasons people fake orgasms: 1.

They are not enjoying sex as

it was taking too long or was painful.

2.

They derive pleasure from faking an orgasm.

3.

For their partners benefit because they don’t want to make their partner feel bad about their performance.

4.

Insecurity in their own inability to orgasm.

5.

To assert power over or to manipulate their partner.

6.

To support emotional communication by making their partner feel reassured and loved.

While all of these reasons are perfectly valid and faking it may sometimes seem like the most polite way to address not being able to orgasm in reality faking it may actually hinder the intimacy of a relationship and make future sexual encounters more difficult.

An orgasm shows that the partner having one is receiving pleasure and that the other partner(s) doing the sexual act is doing something right. Therefore, faking an orgasm communicates to the partner that they should continue to do the same things in the future, even though it was unpleasurable.

Thankfully, there is a relatively easy fix to this problem: open and honest conversation between partners about their sexual desires and pleasure.

It’s important to communicate your likes and dislikes. Tell them what feels good, before, during and after sex, so they can continue to do these things in the future. Encourage your partner to do the same. When all parties are open and honest about what they like, your sex, as well as your relationship in general, will improve.

80 percent of women fake orgasms

GRAPHIC BY SARA MARQUARDT

If during sex you aren’t receiving pleasure or want your partner(s) to do something differentLY, tell them. Tell your partner how you're feeling as you are feeling it. This will increase pleasure for all parties involved and make sex a more enjoyable experience.

Consider experimenting. Talk to your partner(s) about things you want to try and then go out and do them. You never know if you enjoy something until you test it out.

It’s never too late to start having these conversations with your partner(s). While it may seem awkward at first if you've never discussed your desires, doing so can make your sexual and romantic

relationship better.

Remember: it’s always OK to say no. You never owe anyone sex no matter the circumstance.

If you're drunk, uncomfortable or just don't want to have sex, you can always say no. Always remember to respect your partner's wishes as well and to get clear consent before engaging in any sexual activity.

Having a fulfilling, pleasureable sex life can enhance your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

Have an open, honest conversation with your partner about your desiresit just may lead to the best sex you’ve ever had.

Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

THEATRE

History, heart fuel Maplewood Barn Community Theatre The non-profit theatre uses a renovated barn as its stage, allowing volunteers to share their art with Columbia’s citizens in a unique, historic setting.

JANAE MCKENZIE

Reporter

Nestled in the woods of eastern Columbia is a hidden mecca of community theater: the Maplewood Barn Theatre, Columbia’s only live outdoor theater.

The theater is mainly driven by volunteers, affectionately selfproclaimed “Barnies,” who work at creating a spring and summer season of shows for Columbia’s citizens to enjoy. The 2018 summer season included shows like "Sweeney Todd," "The Tempest" and most recently "Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Suicide Club."

Maplewood is a unique set-up for a theater, because the actors perform out of a renovated barn as opposed to a traditional indoor theater, and the volunteers take time out of their day to uphold the decades-old tradition.

To “Sherlock Holmes” director Molly Dodge, however, the most unique part about this theater is its fellowship.

“I like the camaraderie,” Dodge said. “In this type of theater, I think it's a good tool for people to learn theater. The big ones, they're already established pretty much. Here, you can actually see people, teach them things. And it is kind of rewarding to see them go on and do other stuff.”

Michael Miller performs as Sherlock Holmes during the performance of ‘Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of The Suicide Club on Sept. 6, 2018. | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER JESSICA BELLE KRAME

Maplewood Barn President Robert Klick finds that as opposed to professional theaters, which may place their focus in glory and money, community theaters are in it for memories, love and everlasting bonds.

“Professionals look at the bottom line, they want the review, they want the notoriety,” Klick said. “It's not about the group or the family. In here, we could have the worst show in the world artistically, but if we have that family and people come out of it, making friendships and knowing that they can rely on one another, then it's a success. That’s what brought me in 10 years ago and that's what keeps me going.”

The heart of Maplewood has been key to its survival over the years. In

2010, a fire destroyed the original barn, throwing off production and causing Barnies to make do with what was available.

“I just remember driving by the day after,” Dodge recalled. “The next morning all that was standing was the old refrigerator. And I just cried and cried.”

As the barn was being rebuilt, Klick remembered using a meat truck as a box office and concession stand, drawing straws to see who had to kill wasps nests, chasing out raccoons and moles and using food troughs to hold props and supplies. The fire, Klick said, exposed the barn for what it truly was: a spirit of perseverance that transcended the original space.

“That's when you saw what the barn was made of,” Klick remembered.

“The space is important and it's good for us to have. But the barn itself is more than just the space. It was ridiculous. It was basically just the stage and we had tents and trailers, but we got together and it went well.”

Both Dodge and Klick would be very excited to have MU students come out and get involved with the Barn. Dodge in particular finds value in the technical aspects of the theater.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for anyone,” Dodge explained. “Come out and learn the technique. We can always use crew people. Learn the lights, the sound, every aspect of it.

There's a lot of wonderful stuff going on here.”

Klick has a special connection with students who may have been involved with theater in high school and assumed coming to MU meant growing up and leaving the performing arts behind.

“If you were in high school and you did stuff and you were in choirs or you were in drama or you were a tech person and you thought, ‘Oh now I’ve got to grow up and I got to do whatever it is that your major is,’ don't stop doing performing,” Klick said. “Come out and do it. Like us on Facebook, check out the website and come out to audition.”

The 2018 summer season at Maplewood has come to a close, but with the recent announcement of next summer’s season, auditions for upcoming shows will open in early 2019.

Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

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ORGANIZATIONS

MU club advocates for medical marijuana MU NORML advocates for student involvement in legalizing marijuana on the Nov. 6 ballot.

SKYLAR LAIRD

Reporter

Three different propositions regarding the legalization of medical marijuana will appear on the Missouri ballot on Nov. 6. On MU’s campus, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is advocating for students to vote “yes” on these issues, which would make Missouri the 31st state to legalize marijuana.

Aspen Sennewald, president of MU’s NORML chapter, has been involved with the club for two years, having discovered it on OrgSync by chance and running for president her first month with the club. Now, she is attempting to get students active in advocacy through various events and volunteer opportunities.

“Our goal this semester is recruiting students on campus to get involved in legalization,” Sennewald said. “We want to do volunteer opportunities.

We’re doing a highway cleanup in September and we’re hosting a state cannabis conference on Sept. 10....

We just want to be active as opposed to being there but not getting people involved.”

A health and wellness major, Sennewald’s interest in medical marijuana sprang from her search for a nontraditional medicine suited for her. After investigating chiropracty and dietetics to no avail, her mom suggested marijuana.

Though marijuana is a controversial topic, Sennewald encourages students on campus to keep an open mind when looking at MU NORML. “When people saw me at the Get Involved Fair last year, they kind of gave the table an eye and kept walking, but you just have

President Aspen Sennewald (right) and Treasurer Benton Berigan of MU NORML advocate for the legalization of marijuana in Missouri. | PHOTO

BY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER PAIGE SAILORS

to remember it’s a modern thing happening,” Sennewald said. “It was a taboo subject. People still think it’s a federal one drug. It’s not; it’s medicine for a lot of people, and I think as soon as [students] realize that, they’ll realize that our impact on campus will be just as positive as medical marijuana will be in Missouri one day.”

Vice President Charlie Tyson has been a member of the group since his freshman year, drawn to its message by his belief in both the healing properties of medical marijuana and disagreement with current marijuana

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laws. Spurred by these beliefs, Tyson wants MU NORML to be a way to get students involved in politics.

“MU NORML aims to engage students in the political process and get as many people as possible working towards policy change surrounding cannabis in Missouri,” Tyson said. “Mizzou has students from all over the state, country and globe, so we have a chance to involve and inform a wide variety of people with the hope that when they go back home, they’ll spread what they’ve learned and try to invoke change in their communities. “ For both Sennewald and Tyson, MU NORML is about more than just marijuana; it’s about fighting for issues they are passionate about and giving back to the community in any way possible.

“MU NORML is far more than just a group hoping to legalize marijuana,” Tyson said. “We hope that our advocacy can help lead to accessible health care alternatives and end the practice of incarcerating people for simple marijuana charges.

We’re important because many young adults are just getting involved and interested in politics for the first time in their lives and it’s a necessity for groups like MU NORML to encourage that desire for involvement. When more citizens decide to be involved in these processes, our country is only stronger because of it.”

According to the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, the Nov. 6 ballot’s three marijuana propositions will, if passed, amend the Missouri Constitution to allow for medicinal marijuana.

Each amendment, however, proposes different taxation on marijuana sales. Amendment 2 will impose a 4 percent tax for military veteran health and care. Amendment 3 will impose a 15 percent tax on retail marijuana sales and on flowers and dry leaves. Proposition C will tax 2 percent to fund veterans’ services, drug treatment, early childhood education and public safety in cities.

Students can follow MU NORML on OrgSync for updates on meetings.

Edited by Alexandra Sharp asharp@themaneater.com

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FERRERO ROSHAE

Column: Burning shoes to #BoycottNike won’t change the fact that Kaepernick and his kneeling aren’t going anywhere While Colin Kaepernick’s inclusion in Nike’s newest campaign has ignited (literal) fires, supporters know that this move further adds credibility and validity to this powerful movement.

ROSHAE HEMMINGS Roshae Hemmings is a first year journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about civil rights.

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

Those words expressed by Colin Kaepernick marked the inception of the now infamous kneeling protest that has garnered both support and persistent opposition. The protests, having begun during the 49ers’ preseason, continued throughout 2017 and gained intense, polarizing media coverage.

However, as of late the controversy surrounding Kaepernick and the protests has been somewhat quiet. That is, until now.

I rarely ever click on links to news stories that I see on my Twitter feed. Typically, my Twitter scrolls are done senselessly in order to pass time that I have between classes or to absolve boredom.

When news of Kaepernick’s part in Nike’s 30th anniversary of their “Just Do It” slogan broke on Sept. 3, my reaction was more or less the same; give it a thoughtless like and move on. However, my interest wasn’t peaked until talks of cutting off swooshes and burning Nike gear came up on my timeline.

Despite the work Kaepernick continued to do for the movement after the hype was gone, Nike helped to direct conversation back to a question that dates back to 2016: to kneel or not to kneel? The athletic brand’s choice to highlight the shunned quarterback not only reignites important conversations, but gives Kaepernick the support that the NFL wouldn’t.

From Kaepernick’s initial protests back in 2016 to his work with Nike now, those in opposition to his protests have only one leg to stand on when it comes to their argument: the military. After Monday’s announcement, many copycat posts were made replacing the tightly cropped black and white photo of Kaepernick with photos of vets while the original text, “Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything,” remained.

The problem with this response is twofold.

Firstly, the origin of the infamous kneeling protest is not one rooted in disrespect for the National Anthem, American flag or military, but rather the opposite. In fact, the gesture was created in collaboration with former football player and U.S Army veteran Nate Boyer.

The controversial ad released by Nike, featuring ex NFL player Colin Kaepernick, has many people boycotting Nike and burning their products. | COURTESY OF @KAEPERNICK7 TWITTER.COM

“We sorta came to a middle ground where he would take a knee alongside his teammates,” Boyer said. “Soldiers take a knee in front of a fallen brother’s grave, you know, to show respect.

When we’re on a patrol, you know, and we go into a security halt, we take a knee, and we pull security.”

Despite this, many still view this action as a sign of disrespect, including President Donald Trump.

“The issue of kneeling has nothing to do with race. It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem. NFL must respect this!” Trump said in 2017.

This brings me to my second point; the willingness to cry disrespect is not only a copout and trivializing Kaepernick’s motives, but it is branding the military as something that it is not.

To use the lives and sacrifices of former and active veterans as a guise to support racial injustices desecrates the military more than getting down on a knee ever could.

Those who fight for our nation do so in order to uphold the liberty, justice, freedom and equality that all are supposed to be granted here in America. Unfortunately, with the police brutality in our streets, mass shootings in our schools and abandoned children at our borders, these promises and values have not been upheld. The kneeling that Kaepernick and many others in support of him

have done is a call to action for politicians and policymakers to enact change in a political climate that consistently chooses to turn a blind eye.

For Nike to get behind this is genius, mainly because they are doing something the NFL refused to. In response to collective backlash, the NFL announced that all players on the field must stand during the national anthem or stay in the locker room until it is finished or else a fine will be issued. “Protests created a false perception among many that thousands of NFL players were unpatriotic,” said the league in a statement.

This response is a less than satisfactory one, especially considering that the racial makeup of the NFL is 70 percent black. Instead of offering support and solidarity to its players and primary money makers, the NFL chose to silence individuals whose communities and peers are directly affected by the injustices in this country.

Nike’s involvement is an example of what needs to be done when the oppressed and marginalized speak out. Those in positions of power, and therefore unaffected by systematic oppression, need to share their platforms so that there is an opportunity for the silenced to speak. Without this type of comradery and partnership, the change that this country needs to see will never happen.

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COREY’S CORNER

Column: why streaming is a respectable source of income Streaming games isn’t all fun and games: an argument for the legitimacy of esports.

COREY DAVIDSON Corey Davidson is a junior journalism major at MU. He is an opinion columnist who writes about student life and politics for The Maneater.

Esports have been a hot topic for years now. For example, YouTube user Tramah compiled many mainstream media outlets learning about esports for the first time in a 2016 video.

As one would expect, anchors and sportscasters are baffled and ridicule the emerging medium. Esports have since become more mainstream, and I would argue that streaming has become a respectable way of making a living.

For those of you unaware, streaming describes broadcasting oneself playing video games for an audience. Through mediums such as Twitch.tv, one can easily hop on and show themselves playing. Since streaming only requires a decent computer, internet connection and a broadcasting software, it is relatively easy to get into. Even Windows 10 has recently added streaming functionality to its native software.

With streaming being such an accessible passtime, I have a great respect for streamers who actually make money. Usually, Twitch.tv pays streamers with advertisement revenue, donations or paid subscriptions from viewers. Many streamers also get sponsored by tech companies to promote products or set up Patreon pages.

The most popular game on twitch at the moment is usually Fortnite, with the top streamer being Richard

The League of Legends World Championship, held in a different city each year around the world, had over 60 million viewers in 2017. | COURTESY OF FLICKR

“Ninja” Blevins. However, League of Legends, the most popular multiplayer online battle arena, will sometimes surpass Fortnite in viewership during streams of their World Championships. Either way, Fortnite will be my prime example for my argument for the sake of this column.

At first, it sounds ridiculous: getting paid a ton of money for being good at a video game. However, if we unpack what goes into streaming, I think there’s meritable work behind what we see. Ninja has been noted to be an exceptionally skilled player at Fortnite. According to the Fortnite Tracker network leaderboards, Ninja has the most wins out of any player.

Playing Fortnite with highly skilled people requires incredible awareness and quick thinking, so being the top ranked player is impressive in and of itself.

As a top player and a constant streamer, Ninja is a liason for new players to get into Fortnite. He and other top streamers have an important role in the community of showing strategies, showcasing how fun the game can be and giving a goal of what to work towards

in terms of skill. In taking on this mantle of responsibility, Ninja and other streamers are earning their revenue. Consider that years ago, the top World of Warcraft player in the world would only have been respected by people in that community and likely thought of as lazy or pathetic by outsiders. Nowadays, Ninja has become a prominent internet personality, being known even by people who don’t play Fortnite.

I think part of this has to do with a shift in culture. Being really good at games has long been stigmatized, as putting that sort of effort into something was considered nerdy or foolish to pursue. Peter “Doublelift” Peng knows this all too well as one of the earliest esports stars, starting his career all the way back in 2011.

In a 2013 interview with Machinima, Doublelift reflected on the concerns of his friends and family of him becoming a professional League of Legends player. Doublelift left the home of his parents at 16 years old to pursue being a pro, and has since become one of the best players in League history.

This year, he will be heading to the World Championship with

Team Liquid. Risk taking and personal stories like Doublelift’s have contributed to building professional gaming to something on a cultural level comparable to sports, something that communities can watch, relate to and have stakes in. If streamers and professional gamers can create this sort of dialogue and community engagement, they certainly are deserving of cash thrown their way.

Streaming is also one of the most accessible forms of media.

Both Android and Apple devices offer streaming apps, so you could potentially watch a stream during your commute, at the gym, or leave it on in the background during a gettogether. Streaming requires little engagement from the viewer, much like listening to a podcast. This sort of passive viewership is an easy way to introduce friends into streaming and maybe even the game itself.

Marketable streamers with interesting personalities and good music tastes will attract viewers. Taking advantage of one’s atmosphere will certainly separate a good streamer from a great one. Anybody can sit there and play Fortnite, but a great streamer will be a DJ, performer, gamer and host all at once.

Streamers are also among the most committed to their jobs. For example, popular Hearthstone streamer Octavian “Kripparrian” Morosan often streams six hours a day on average, according to his streaming schedule. Six hours a day adds up to 42 hours a week, which is more than full-time employment in Missouri, according to the Missouri Office of Administration. Kripparrian also competes in tournaments and other events for his team, which brings his time commitment way up.

The amount of time that some put into streaming is nothing short of admirable, nor is it anything to make fun of. All I’m saying is, if you’re going to spend all of your time outside of class in your dorm playing Fortnite, I have two pieces of advice: Text back your significant other and consider streaming it for some honest cash on the side.

[MONNAY]KING ME CRAZY

COLUMN: One size fits all approach for sex offenders does not cut it anymore Sex offenders should not all be treated the same, some actually learn from their mistakes.

TATYANA MONNAY Tatyana Monnay is a sophomore journalism major at MU. She is the assistant opinion editor who writes about politics for The Maneater.

Gov. Mike Parsons just ended Missouri’s 23-year bind that kept sex offenders on the registry for life by signing Senate Bill 655. Now a law, it also mandates that the new age of marriage is 16. The law also eliminates the statute of limitations for sexual offenses committed against minors.

The law introduces a new tiered

system for the sex offender registry, based on the severity of the sexual crime.

Tier I offenders will be on the registry for 15 years. This is the tier for the least offensive sex crimes. Tier II offenders will be on the registry for at least 25 years before they will be able to petition to be off the list.

Tier II offenders consist of the “more egregious types of offenders,” Rep. Kurt Bahr (R), a major advocate for this bill, said in an interview with the Columbia Missourian.

Tier III offenders consist of rapists, child molesters and other major sexual offenders. They will not have the opportunity to petition to be removed from the list. Tier III offenders will remain on the list for life, despite this new law.

However, in an interview with the Missourian, President of the Missouri Association for Prosecuting Attorneys Amy Fite said the only time that Tier III offenders will be able to petition to be removed from the list is if the offense was committed while the

offender was under 18 years old and has kept a clean record for a minimum of 25 years.

As Missouri begins to organize and label new and current sex offenders, we need to create a new standard for how we categorize various degrees of sexual offenses. These subjective ideas must be defined by law, despite how difficult this may seem.

One of the main facets that should be considered is the damage, psychologically and physically, the victim of the sexual offense received.

The aggressiveness and maliciousness of the crime must also be considered.

The more aggressive the crime, the higher the tier the crime belongs to.

A group of psychologists and a judge should examine the sex offense on a case-by-case basis.

Additionally, offenders should have to undergo some type of morals and judgement screening to show if they have actually learned from their offense and realize why it was wrong to do. This will also help in determining whether they will commit another sexual offense in

the future. If they cannot pass this screening, their petition should be denied.

How will we determine how minimal a sex offense is? And quite honestly, how minimal can a sex offense be? How is someone able to judge that?

I do think that there are some sex offenders who should have the right to petition and be removed from the list. We all make mistakes and can not judge someone for a mistake, just because we could not see ourselves making that kind of mistake.

However, it is human nature to judge, and I can’t help feeling like this bill could be a big mistake. In the society we live in now, I think we have no choice but to hope and give people the opportunity to change.

An important reminder about this bill: Offenders’ petitions can be denied and I’m sure that some will be. This bill is simply an opportunity to allow people to change and get back on the right course to become a fully functional member of society.

Online this week: The Missouri football podcast episode three, a chat with the Purdue student paper and more football coverage at themaneater.com.

BASKETBALL

Senior guard VanLeer medically retires The senior guard helped Missouri to the NCAA Tournament last season before tearing his ACL in a game against Arkansas this past March.

EMILY LEIKER BEN RAMIREZ

Reporters

Missouri guard Cullen VanLeer will medically retire from basketball and forgo his senior season after three seasons playing for the men’s basketball program, the team announced in a press release Tuesday night.

VanLeer’s medical exemption will allow him to retain his scholarship for his senior year. It will not count against Missouri’s number of available team scholarships.

VanLeer tore his ACL in the second half of Missouri’s senior night game against Arkansas on March 3 and had to miss the rest of the season, including an SEC Tournament and NCAA Tournament first-round game.

VanLeer appeared in 94 games for the Tigers across his collegiate career, making 33 starts. He averaged 4 points and 1.4 rebounds per game throughout his career. He also tallied 96 career assists, about 1 per game. He started 13 games last year and averaged 2.4 points.

“This was a difficult decision, but one that was best for me, my family and my future quality of life,” VanLeer said in the release. “I am thankful for the support coach [Cuonzo] Martin and his staff, my teammates, my family and friends and

MU senior basketball player Cullen VanLeer, announced that he will medically retire after a knee injury that occurred in March 2017. | COURTESY OF MIZZOU ATHLETICS

Mizzou nation.”

VanLeer’s loss will subtract a guard from Missouri’s lineup for the 2018-19 season. It could spell more time for several newcomers to the backcourt, including sophomore K.J. Santos and freshmen Torrence Watson, Xavier Pinson and Javon Pickett. It leaves Jordan Geist as the only senior getting minutes in the backcourt.

The release says VanLeer “will continue to play a key leadership role in the program throughout the 2018-19 campaign,” meaning the senior will

WRESTLING

still likely participate in team activities and be on the bench during games. “[VanLeer] is a special young man and I admire his work ethic and willingness to do everything in his power to better the program,” Martin said in the release. “I know his leadership will be a significant asset for us during the upcoming season.”

Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com

FOOTBALL

Five Missouri wrestlers to watch this season Crockett, Rountree not providing Along with three other teammates, Eierman advanced all the way to the final session of NCAA championships.

CHUCK RYAN

Reporter

With just three returning seniors on the Missouri wrestling roster and the season under two months away, juniors and underclassmen will have to step up in order for the Tigers to secure an eighth straight Mid-American Conference championship in 2019. Here are five wrestlers to watch who will need to compete at a high level in order for the Tigers to continue their championship tradition in the MAC:

The No-Brainers

These two wrestlers functioned as safety blankets for coach Brian Smith last season with consistent, dominant play at their respective weight classes.

Following top-10 finishes at the NCAA wrestling championships in each of their respective weight classes, Jaydin Eierman and Grant Leeth both could be national title contenders in the 2018-19 campaign.

Jaydin Eierman, redshirt junior Eierman heads into the 2018-19 season as one of the clear-cut best poundfor-pound wrestlers in the country, known for an unorthodox technique on the mat.

Following the departure of three-time national champion J’den Cox, Eierman, who calls Cox an “older brother,” stepped up multiple times throughout the season to help lead the Tigers to victory.

In one of Missouri’s first

true tests of the season against Oklahoma State on Jan. 27, Eierman pinned two-time defending national champion Dean Heil. This crucial fall served as a jolt of energy for the Tigers, as they were down 9-0 early on before Eierman’s crucial pin.

Eierman stayed in strong form this season and put himself in a position to compete for a MAC championship. After defeating Central Michigan’s 10th ranked Mason Smith 24-9 on a technical fall, Eierman took home his second straight MAC title in the 141 pound weight class.

The Columbia native set a career high in wins (32) and falls (16). In fact, his 16 wins by fall rank ninth all time in program history for total falls in a single season. Along with three other teammates, Eierman advanced all the way to the final session of NCAA championships.

Eierman ultimately finished fourth in the 141 weight class with an overall record

spark needed through two games After a slow start, running backs Damarea Crockett and Larry Rountree are looking to give Mizzou a more consistent rushing attack.

WILSON MOORE

Columnist

Larry Rountree III knows what he needs to do. It’s just a matter of doing it.

The Missouri running game that he helps spearhead has been off to a quiet start to 2018, but that hasn’t stopped his focus or determination.

In a span of 90 seconds after practice on Tuesday, he said some variation of “go get it” four times while talking to reporters.

“We’ve just gotta go get it when there’s nothing to go get,” he said. “When there’s nothing there we just still

gotta get it.”

The “it” to which Rountree refers isn’t a tangible object, but just making plays and contributing as much as possible to the offense.

“It’s just every chance that me or Damarea [Crockett] or [Tyler] Badie get or Dawson [Downing] gets,” Rountree said. “You know, we’ve gotta make a play for the team.”

Through the first two games of the season, Rountree and his fellow primary running back, Damarea Crockett, have averaged just 3.8 and 3.7 yards per carry, respectively. Their lack of production hasn’t hurt the Tigers so far, but with teams far better than UT-Martin and Wyoming looming on the schedule, they know they need more.

As Derek Dooley put it Tuesday after practice, they have made the “efficient” runs when they’ve needed to on short-gain necessities; but the “explosiveness” is what’s

14

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SOCCER

Goals against Gonzaga ‘the beginning’ for Missouri team in search of reset button Madison Lewis provided the relief of a bygone streak Sunday, then Bethany Coons provided the exclamation point with an electric strike.

EMILY LEIKER

Reporter

The rain has finally come for the Missouri soccer team.

After a Gonzaga (3-2-1) handball in the penalty box during the 65th minute of Sunday’s game at Walton Stadium, redshirt junior Madison Lewis drilled a shot into the lower right corner of the goal.

Missouri’s first goal in 434 minutes of play.

“It was a pretty good feeling,” Lewis said. “I knew I had to go up there and stay calm, collected and finish it like I always do.”

This goal was the eighth of her career and first since last season against Florida.

But a penalty kick might’ve been too fitting a manner for this team to end the drought.

The hand ball in the box quite literally handed the Tigers their free shot. If that was a moment of relief just to reset 484 to zero, 17 minutes later came a moment to represent a true breakthrough.

In the 83rd minute, redshirt junior Bethany Coons evaded the multiple defenders before sending one to the upper 90s from outside the box. Before the penalty kick, Missouri’s most recent tally had been an own goal. This one, suddenly the Tigers’ second goal of the game, felt real. It was especially unlikely coming from Coons, who missed the entire 2017 season with a hip injury.

This was her own second career goal.

The Tigers registered a season high 20 shots against Gonzaga, with 12 players getting shots off. Lewis and freshman Blythe Beldner led the way with three a piece.

Missouri (2-4-1) was on a four game losing streak when it returned to Audrey J. Walton Stadium Sunday

afternoon to face a strong Gonzaga team for the two programs’ first ever meeting.

Its last win had come in second overtime during the 103rd minute against Iowa State on Aug. 19. Freshman Skye Kingsley had netted one early in the second half for the Tigers, but ultimately the game-winner had come from that Iowa State gaffe.

After that contest, the Tigers struggled to find the net to accompany their defensive stamina, losing consecutive games against Colorado, Northwestern, Texas Christian University and University of Southern California.

“It’s been a long couple games, but we stuck through it and trusted the process,” Coons admitted. “We knew we were gonna find our way back so we stayed patient.”

Missouri’s nonconference schedule has arguably been one of the toughest in the country, but the team was repeatedly at a loss for finishing in the final third of the field in numerous close games.

But as the Tigers prepare

Attacking midfielder Bethany Coons dribbles during Missouri’s 2-0 win over Gonzaga on Sept. 9, 2018. Coons scored her second career goal in the 83rd minute of the match on a shot from outside the box. She missed 2017 with a hip injury. | PHOTO BY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER EMMALEE REED

to head into conference play this Thursday evening against Kentucky, coach Bryan Blitz believes the tough competition they’ve faced so far this season has prepared them well.

“We had some hard lessons that we were put through for a reason,” Blitz said. “We have to show that those lessons paid off for us, and I think we did today against a good Gonzaga team.”

The players are intent on

moving forward following a start that has them currently tied for last in the SEC with Florida. Scoring to end the drought was the first page to turn.

“This is kind of the beginning for us,” Coons said. “These last couple games don’t mean anything to us anymore. We’re ready for the SEC to get started.”

Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com

RUNNING

Men’s cross-country led by international duo George came right out of high school and Wood is a graduate transfer.

JERRY DUGGAN

Staff Writer

MU cross-country athletes Thomas George and Kieran Wood grew up just 125 miles apart from each other in England. By coincidence, they both chose to continue their running careers in, of all places, Missouri, but how they ended up here is quite different.

The tandem looks poised to lead the men’s crosscountry squad this season.

In the season-opening meet at Brooks Twilight, which the team collectively won, George was the top Tiger. He finished third in the overall field with a four mile time of 20:14.04. Wood wasn’t far behind, checking in at 20:36.15 and finishing eighth overall.

George was recruited straight out of high school and was on coach Marc Burns’ radar for some time. When Burns was still coaching at Bradley University, he

pursued George and his twin brother, Alex, who would eventually commit to another Southeastern Conference school in Arkansas.

Thomas decided to stay home another year and by that time, Burns already had taken over at Missouri.

He still pursued the George brothers, even though he now coached at a different school.

He was able to get Thomas on board, but it wasn’t a seamless transition.

“My first few years here were kind of rough,” George said. “I had some personal struggles and because of the American diet, I didn’t eat right. I put on a lot of weight and was out of shape.”

Wood, however, took an entirely different route to the Midwest. He was also heavily recruited out of high school, but didn’t feel ready to move away from home, so he ran in England as an undergraduate for three years (In England, college is often three years long.)

By the end of his undergraduate years, he felt ready for a bigger challenge, and decided to compete in the SEC as a graduate

Thomas George, from Gloucester, England, was the top MU runner from the season-opening meet at Brooks Twilight. | COURTESY OF MIZZOU ATHLETICS

transfer. Per NCAA rules, he will likely have two years of eligibility at Missouri.

The two were familiar with each other across the pond, so Wood isn’t the least bit surprised to see his fellow countryman have such success at the Tigers’ first meet of 2018.

“I ran against Thomas and his brother for years in

England, so I’ve seen what he can do,” Wood said. “I think he’s running better now than ever before and that should really scare a lot of our opponents.”

Burns is ecstatic to have such sound leadership in the program and believes both guys can accomplish great things, despite their unconventional paths to

Missouri.

“There was a definite transition for both of them, but that’s to be expected,” he said. “It’s a new school on a new continent. I look forward to watching them continue to blossom as the year goes on. I’m expecting big things from them.”

Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com

T H E M A N E AT E R | S P O RTS | S E P T E M B E R 1 2, 2 0 1 8

FIVE

for Missouri.

But the potential for the Kentucky native to lead the 285-pound weight class for Smith is undoubtedly there. Myers placed second at the Lindenwood Open, going 4-1 in his matches throughout the tournament.

Continued from page 13 of 4-2, which is an improvement from his fifth place finish at the 2016-17 NCAA championships. The Tolton Catholic product heads into the season as one of the premier wrestlers in the 141 pound weight division, and will definitely have his eyes set on a national title this season.

Grant Leeth, redshirt sophomore Along with Eierman, Grant Leeth enters the 2018-19 season as the other clear-cut national title contender in his weight class on this Missouri roster. Leeth’s journey to becoming one of the top wrestlers in the nation differs drastically in comparison to Eierman’s.

A torn meniscus in his third tournament as a member of the Duke wrestling program caused Leeth to weigh his options as a freshman in 2014. The Kearney, Missouri native decided it was best for him to transfer to MU to be closer to home in light of the injury.

Leeth thought he could get back on the mat in time for the 2015-16 following successful rehab, but he found himself in the doctor’s office once again. It turns out Leeth had a disc herniation closing off nerve endings in his neck that caused him to lose feeling in his left arm at times.

Different injury, same result: another missed season. Once Leeth overcame his second careerthreatening injury, another setback was staring him right in the face: Leeth tore his meniscus again, forcing him to sit out for another six months.

Despite missing two complete seasons due to three different injuries, Leeth returned for the 201718 season like he never missed a beat,

GUIDE

Continued from page 13

missing.

“I’m a pretty honest guy, and no disrespect to anyone,” Crockett prefaced, “but it hasn’t been what it should be and me and Larry know that. We’re working hard every day in practice to come out and do what we can do but until then it’s gonna be that.”

The coaching staff echoed the sentiments of the backs but also offered some positive takeaways from the last two weeks.

“We have to run the ball better,” Dooley said bluntly. “We’ve gotta finish blocks better, we’ve gotta make defensive backs miss when we’re 1-on-1s in space, and gotta get us in the right checks.”

Dooley did, however, defend the low number of yards per attempt with that “efficiency” argument.

“We have been efficient in the run game,” he said. “Efficient meaning, if it’s second-and-2 and we get a 3-yard gain for a first down, that’s an efficient run.”

Coach Barry Odom expressed

15

The Newcomer

The lone heavyweight of nine incoming freshmen on the Missouri roster, this Kansas City product headlines the incoming class of 2022.

Zach Elam, true freshman

Redshirt junior Jaydin Eierman received fourth place in the 141 weight class at the 2017-2018 NCAA championships. | COURTESY OF MIZZOU ATHLETICS

going 25-6 in his first season as an attached wrestler for Missouri with a 16-0 mark in dual competition.

This surprisingly dominant season from Leeth culminated in him winning a conference title in the MAC at 149 pounds by defeating Ohio’s Kade Kowalski 9-0.

Leeth continued this impressive play at the NCAA championships, where he placed sixth in his weight class via a 4-3 overall performance with three wins over ranked opponents.

Barring another catastrophic injury, Grant Leeth heads into the 2018-19 season as a favorite to compete for a national championship in the 149 pound weight class.

The Sleepers

These two wrestlers have not received national attention like some of their teammates this year, but barring a break out performance this forthcoming season, Alex Butler and Austin Myers could very well find themselves competing for a MAC championship in their respective weight classes and eventually at the confidence in the unit despite the slow start.

“I think really all three of our backs [Crockett, Rountree and Badie] will have a vital role in either the number of snaps or the number of touches that we target them with,” he said. “I think all three have ability to help our team and help our offense in the way that we’re calling the game.”

That idea that the running backs are better than what they’ve shown so far was a common theme around practice Tuesday.

“Obviously guys are pushing the run game, but in my mind I don’t have a doubt every time I show up,” said Crockett, who was on pace for his second consecutive 1,000 yard rushing season last year before being sidelined with a shoulder injury.

“I’m not really gonna stress about it or nothing. I’m just gonna keep coming, working hard every day, staying grounded and bringing it.”

If they keep bringing it, “efficient” won’t be enough. As SEC play approaches, it’s time to match the descriptor for Drew Lock’s passing game. It’s time to get explosive.

Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com

NCAA wrestling championships.

Alex Butler, redshirt junior Coming off an impressive 20-8 overall record from last season, Alex Butler will need to be a staple of consistency for coach Smith in the 149-pound weight class. Butler got off to a hot start in the 2017-18 season by winning his first seven bouts. If he is able to come out of the gates hot again this year, Butler will have the necessary confidence heading into MAC play. Having competed in 58 bouts at MAC and NCAA championships throughout his career, the junior out of Rockford, Illinois will need to step up and lead with his veteran presence this upcoming season.

Austin Myers, redshirt junior: After an outstanding first year with the Tigers in 2016-17, in which he qualified for the NCAA Tournament and finished third overall at the MAC Championships, Austin Myers was unable to get back to that level a season ago, despite posting a record of 11-6. His highlight moment was a walk-off decision early in the season

Elam heads into his freshman year at Missouri with an exceptional track record at the state and national levels.

Having won two Class 4 Missouri state championships while wrestling for Staley High School, Elam ranks as the second-best 220-pound wrestler in the class of 2022 according to most rankings, including Flowrestling and Intermat.

A two-sport athlete in high school who fielded offers in football from Cincinnati and Navy as well as wrestling offers from Big 12 powerhouses Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, Elam was a challenging recruit to reel in for Smith.

Bolstering his impressive resume even further, Elam won the national championship in the 220 weight division at the 2017 Junior Freestyle Nationals.

Despite his dominance at the high school level locally and nationally, will Elam be a game-changing athlete out of the gate who can compete for an MAC Championship in the heavyweight class, or will he take a year or two to develop into a conference championship contender?

He’ll compete with Myers for the starting spot at the heavyweight class.

Edited by Bennett Durando bdurando@themaneater.com

Sophomore running back Larry Rountree III hands the ball to an official after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter of the Tigers’ matchup with UT-Martin on Sept. 1, 2018. Rountree finished the game with 58 yards rushing on 14 carries en route to a 51-14 win. | PHOTO BY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR ADAM COLE

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