Monday | November 19, 2018 | Volume 89 | Issue 32
OPINION » PAGE 10
‘FANTASTIC BEASTS’ A CRIME IN FILMMAKING
SPORTS » PAGE 7
CONSTANTINE PERSEVERES IN THE FIRES OF ADVERSITY
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THANKSGIVING WEEKEND EVENTS FREE MEALS
By DARYN STEED A&E Editor
On Nov. 22, we’ll all take a day to celebrate George Washington’s Thanksgiving holiday, which wasn’t at all connected to that infamous Pilgrim feast but rather intended to be a public thanksgiving to God. We didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving annually until 1939, when Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November to help the economy by making the Christmas shopping season a little bit longer. Many of us will celebrate the holiday by dodging questions about our dating lives and failing careers. Grandma will inexplicably produce 14 pies, and Uncle Keith will drink a little too much and drop some off-color language at least twice. If you’re lucky enough to not have family plans, here are some community options for restaurants open and free meals provided on Thanksgiving Day.
There are free options for meals available. On Nov. 22, Genesis Project Church invites the community for dinner at 6 p.m. On Thanksgiving Day, Later House Homeless Shelter will provide a meal at 11 a.m. and Ogden Rescue Mission will provide a meal at 4:10 p.m. Contact the shelters for additional information.
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RESTAURANTS Several restaurants are open for those wanting to avoid home-cooking an extravagant meal. Cracker Barrel offers two types of to-go meals, for those newlyweds trying to fool their in-laws. Denny’s will be open 24/7 for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Marie Callender’s will start serving at 11 a.m. with a special Thanksgiving dinner. Golden Corral and Chucka-Rama will both feature special Thanksgiving Day Buffets.
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BARS If Thanksgiving isn’t your scene, or if you need a drink to recover from that argument over politics, Brewskies will be open all night. This bar is located on 25th Street. Remember that the holiday season can be a source of stress and loneliness for many people. Parties, celebrations and family gatherings can contribute excessive drinking, overspending and depression. If you’re feeling lonely this season, consider volunteering your time to help others. Be kind and supportive to those you see and let’s try to make this holiday season as cheerful and warm as possible. pixabay.com
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MyWeberMedia.com | November 19, 2018 | 3
By JOVANY BAHENA-ROSARIO News Reporter
Officers were dispatched to a safety hazard call regarding someone trying to get onto the roof of the Browning Center. Police found three men crossing the street on Village Drive. They allegedly smelled like marijuana, and one admitted he had an e-cigarette containing a marijuana-based liquid. The other two said they didn’t have anything on them. All three were warned, and the e-cigarette was seized and placed into evidence. Police said it’s up to the officer’s discretion on how to proceed in these cases. If the perpetrators are cooperative, they are typically not charged by WSUPD.
At University Village, an RA smelled what they believed to be marijuana while doing their rounds. Officers arrived and isolated one room where they believed the smell originated. The 21-year-old tenant was in possession of marijuana and alcohol. The tenant was advised both substances are prohibited on campus and was counseled about the possession of marijuana. Housing stated they would review the housing violations. The marijuana was seized, and the alcohol was dumped. She was warned and may face
administrative action from housing and the university.
Wildcat Village RAs believed residents had alcohol in their room, so they called police. The RA went into the tenants’ room, but no alcohol was found and no action was taken.
In the A12 parking lot, someone was injured at a soccer game by another soccer player unintentionally. They were transported to Ogden Regional Medical Center.
A citizen reported a water leak at the Weber State football stadium but when police arrived, they found a construction crew had intentionally opened a hydrant in order to work on it.
A professor called an officer after a student was being disruptive in class. When the police officer arrived, the student was gone. The professor had calmed the student down and told him it was best if he wasn’t in class that night. The student allegedly suffers from paranoia. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
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Steve with daughters Hillary and Hannah
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MY FATHER’S SACRIFICES TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING HILLARY REILLY Columnist
I am a very fortunate student. I have been going to school for seven years. I have completed two associate degrees and will complete my bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism in spring of 2019. Yes, I realize I very well could have become a doctor at this point in my life, with the many years and hours I’ve put into my education. The thing is, I love school and learning. You may wonder how I have the time and money to complete so
many years of schooling. The reason I can afford tuition is because of my father and hero, Stephen Francis Patrick Reilly. My dad was a part of the Navy EOD. EOD stands for explosive ordinance disposal. Basically, my dad “blew shit up” for his job and he loved it. My dad entered the Navy when he was only 19 years old. He had no way of knowing then, but he would end up being honorably discharged from the Navy after a lifetime of struggle and scars. He was in a terrible explosion that left him with a broken neck and post-traumatic stress disorder. Miraculously, he recovered from his broken neck, an injury that should have killed him or left him paralyzed, but he still lives with his PTSD. On top of that, he suffers from bipolar disorder.
I grew up with a father who dealt with things most people will never have to experience. My father would wake up in the middle of the night with night terrors from his navy days and scream at the top of his lungs. He was unable to work the rest of his adult life and was house-bound for about 13 years when we first moved to Utah. My dad began treatment at the Veterans Affairs hospital, which he has been doing for 30 years now. He got the cutest service dog ever: Capone the pitbull became his best friend and life-saver. Capone gave my dad the ability to get out of the house and socialize with people who came up to him asking about his adorable canine companion. My dad’s struggles and misfortune turned into the reason I am
where I am today. His honorable discharge left him with 100 percent disability, which allows me to be his dependent and benefit from his sacrifice. These benefits have put me through college, where I’ve earned three degrees and have been inducted into two honors societies. I look back now and think if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Throughout these years, I have made friends, experienced so many different facets of college life and have been able to share these experiences with my dad. He has always cheered me on and supported me. I have called him crying because I was so frustrated and wanted to quit, and he always talked me down. He’s attended many after-school activities with me to support my love for education.
My dad has been and always will be there for me, and I know he’ll be unbelievably proud of me for graduating. He’ll be in the front row. I can’t thank him enough for the sacrifices he’s made. I’m also grateful to the VA for having a program for veterans and their dependents. I am a chapter 35 dependent, a program which has paid for my degrees, numerous books and at times has given me a little extra cash in my pocket. Although his life didn’t turn out the way he expected, my dad knows it has undoubtedly altered my life for the best, and I know he’s proud of that. The things I’ve learned has made everything worth it. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
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LEARNING CENTER SPEAKS TO By JOE TRAUB
BROAD CURRICULUM
Correspondent
Possessing the ability to speak multiple languages is a vital part of the new Weber State University Community Education Center. The building, located on Monroe Boulevard, held its grand opening on Nov. 15. The institution is going to offer English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. Program Administrator Morteza Emami said the ESL classes are designed to make transitions smooth from foreign countries for immigrants. “We are hoping that by providing them instruction, they will learn English,” Emami said. “We want them to improve their reading, writing, and speaking skills. Emami emigrated to the United States from Iran in 1986. He graduated from
Weber State University and said the help of language instructors has been a key to his success. “It is important because (English) is the main language spoken in this country,” Emami said. “You’re not going to have a great chance to a better life without it.” WSU student Carolina Garcia came to Ogden from Mexico City. She attended the grand opening of the education center and has been enrolled in ESL courses for over one year. “I need to learn,” Garcia said. “I didn’t speak English very well, so this place is important.” For immigrants such as Svitlana Kinney, she is still on the learning curve. She arrived from the Ukraine on Aug. 1, and enrolled in her first ESL course last week. “I like this so far,” Kinney said. “I will finish one level and then move onto the
next level, so it should be good.” Kinney moved to Utah to marry her husband, Greg. He thinks his wife is doing an admirable job of learning a new language. “It was really nice to have a class she could go to,” Greg Kinney said. “She is already gaining better communication skills, both in speech and writing.” Emami said his staff has received positive feedback from individuals in the ESL department. “They want more of these classes,” Emami said. “If they are successful, meaning 75 percent or better, they move to the next level. Almost every student who has finished the last level has asked for more.” Emami said a common misconception is that individuals must be enrolled as WSU students to take ESL courses. How-
ever, he said anyone who is willing to improve their English skills are encouraged to participate. Emami said he believes the ESL courses boost employment opportunities. “I think it increases people’s chances of getting better jobs,” Emami said. “We want to see them get high pay and take more active roles in their positions.” Emami said that while the cost of ESL courses is low, the instructors teach curriculum at a challenging level. “We demand a lot from the students, and that is why the classes have been very successful,” Emami said. “Students recognize that, and they want to see more. We don’t think there is another program like this, with the cost and high quality.”
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Center director Luis Lopez looks on during the keynote speakers delivered their speeches.
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STUDENTS DISCOVER
THE JOY OF PAINTING By ANITA LICHFIELD
A&E Reporter
On Nov. 14, Weber State University students came together to channel their creativity in the spirit of famed pop culture artist, Bob Ross. “Everybody likes paint nights. They’re just kind of fun to de-stress,” said Wyatt Walk, WSUSA special events chair. Student fees were used by WSUSA to contract local business, Liquid Canvas, to lead two back-to-back sessions of painting lasting an hour
and a half each. Registration maxed out at 30 participants and nearly all 30 slots were filled for both sessions. Despite the limited number of spots available, there was no cost of attendance. As the event began, students filed in, some alone, some with a friend. ‘70s and ‘80s pop music played on the loud speaker, while everyone was equipped with an apron, acrylic paint, a blank canvas and brushes, ready to begin their own iteration of a Bob Ross favorite, a nature scene sprinkled with “happy little trees.”
Nursing major, Elizabeth Gottfredson, was very happy to see a picture of Bob Ross come across the WSU Snapchat feed on her phone earlier this week to promote the paint night. “I love Bob Ross and that’s why I wanted to come,” Gottfredson said. Ross, famous for his calm demeanor, permed hair and cheeky dialogue, died in 1995. Now, he appears to be reaching a new generation of fans who can watch re-runs of his old show, “Beauty is Everywhere,” on Netflix. Stress can go hand-in-hand with
this time in the semester where graduation is near for some and finals are on the minds of all students. Jessica Avila, a medical lab science major, came to paint night because she needed a break. She also decided to bring along a friend to paint. Neither had attended a paint night before and said they were disappointed at having missed the one put on the previous year. “I came because I need to destress from all my hard classes,” Avila said. Walk said last year’s paint night
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was so much of a success WSUSA thought another one would be a really good idea to help students cope with the challenges of finishing out the semester. “Right now is a really stressful time of the year, and Bob Ross-esque kind of things tend to calm people,” said Walk. As Bob Ross once said, “Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you’re willing to practice, you can do.” Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
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CALIFORNIA TRAGEDIES WEIGH ON OGDEN QUARTERBACK By BRANDON MAY Sports Editor
Weber State University sophomore quarterback Jake Constantine has had a rough go of it lately. With the FCS playoffs right around the corner, it has added more weight on the Division 1 athlete. “(It’s been a) very emotional week for me,” Constantine said after completing 18 of 27 passes and throwing for 207 yards and a touchdown in a win over SUU on Nov. 10. As the nation mourned another mass shooting on Nov. 8, this time at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, it hit close to home for Constantine.
He grew up in nearby Camarillo, just 10 miles from the restaurant. He soon learned that his former teammate Cody Coffman was one of the 12 victims of the shooting. “That was very tough mentally, going through that,” Constantine said. Coffman was 22 years old and planned to join the U.S. Army. He played with Constantine since they were 7-years-old. After the shooting, Constantine took to Twitter and said that the rest of the season “will be played for him.” He wrote Coffman’s name on his game towel to honor him as he competed in Cedar City. As the Wildcats finished preparations for SUU, Constantine learned that a fire
was burning near his hometown. Over 70,000 acres were burnt in the Woolsey Fire, and 250,000 people were evacuated in the Ventura and Los Angeles counties of Southern California. The freeway that connected Constantine’s home to the Bar and Grill was closed hours after the shooting as the Woolsey Fire jumped across the freeway burning closer to his home. Constantine’s family still lives in Camarillo, which is in Ventura County. Their neighborhood has remained safe, as his family made the trip to Cedar City. With fires being so unpredictable firefighters never know where it’s going next,
and with the strong Santa Ana Winds it makes it that much more unforeseeable. “It’s tough being away from home during all that,” Constantine said. “I was just trying to pull through this week and get a ‘W’ for our team.” In addition to the tragedies, Constantine is the starting quarterback for a Division 1 program and a team currently ranked third best in the FCS. The playoffs are a week away, and Constantine is carrying a lot more on his shoulders as he and his Wildcats enter the FCS Playoffs.
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Quarterback Jake Constantine looks for an open receiver.
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By HANNAH OLSEN & ALEXA NIELSON News Reporters
Utah has the greatest snow on earth, but for those who prefer to stay off of the mountains, there is still more than plenty to see and do during the holiday season. The Salt Lake Temple is one of the best-known places in Utah already, but it is truly a sight to see in the winter. Every year, the church decks out the trees in the square for some holiday cheer. Back in 1965, President David O. McKay proposed 40,000 lights to decorate the trees in the square. Now, some of the larger trees have more than that. Outfitting them takes so long, preparation starts in August. “Some special, young trees already wrapped in lights increases the population of trees in the square as well,” said Neil Wilkinson, the Temple Square director of tourism and marketing. If lights aren’t your thing, the church also puts on regular Christmas Devotionals and choir performances. Continuing with different light displays, there are myriad other options. The light display at Utah’s Hogle Zoo, ZooLights!, has been running for 12 years and is still going strong. “We have over 200 lit animal and Christmas-themed displays located around the zoo grounds,” said Hannah Stanton, Utah’s Hogle Zoo special events supervisor. The zoo recently added 10 life-sized, animal-shaped lanterns to the event. “It takes a village to get this large of lighting event up and
running,” Stanton said. “We really want guests to feel the holiday spirit, so anywhere we can hang lights, we will.” Lights on Wakefield, however, is a much less well-known light display. Located at 6388 South, 5885 West in Salt Lake, homeowner Robbie Gowers decorates his home with more than 50,000 lights for charity. He asks for donations that all go toward local nonprofits. As for the city of Layton, it is best known for the expansive light display put on every year at the park adjacent to Layton High School. The light display is drive-or walk-through and is completely free. For true fans of holiday lights, the Park City Electric Parade allows anyone to sign up for the parade and has participants decorate their cars and bikes. The event takes place on Main Street on Nov. 24. There is no cost to sign up, but participants must pre-register. In 2008, the city of Draper decided to decorate an old willow tree in the city park. That small event kicked off the Tree of Life lighting event, which now includes 65,000 holiday lights on trees and the park bridge. Anyone can come and help put the lights up and get a chance to meet Santa Claus on Nov. 26 this year. “It really is spectacular. There are a lot of people there and the Draper Temple is nicely framed in the background,” said Natalie Ockey, who has attended the event in previous years. If 65,000 lights isn’t your speed, 1.5 million might be. Christmas in Color, in South Jordan, is a drive-through light show with lights dancing along to music. Attendees can stay in
their cars with hot chocolate and be dazzled by the sheer number of lights. Even more families put on their own light displays: Frosty’s Winter Wonderland in Salt Lake City, Christmas Street in Sugarhouse and its lookalike in Taylorsville. A little further south in Utah county, there are plenty of Christmas festivities to attend. An annual Winter Lights Parade is held in Spanish Fork the day after Thanksgiving, allowing families to jump right into Christmas. In Alpine, a living nativity is held every year. Tickets are required to go. It’s a family-friendly event that reenacts the birth of Jesus Christ. It includes camels, wise men, shepherds and the infant Christ, all together in a stable—and hot chocolate. Luminaria at Thanksgiving Point in the Ashton Gardens is another nighttime lights display, with 5,000 hanging luminaries that change to create pictures on the hillside. Ogden city hosts the Christmas Village. Dozens of small houses in Ogden Municipal Gardens are bedecked with Christmas scenes. Lights fill the trees and Santa makes a stop as well. The Ziegfeld Theater also puts on an annual rewrite of “A Fairly Potter Christmas Carol.” The show runs from Nov. 30 to Dec. 22. This comedy improv features characters from a variety of popular movies. Terrace Plaza Playhouse presents the classic Scrooge: “A Christmas Carol.” A local favorite for over 25 years, the timeless tale offers a heart-warming theater experience.
What’s Christmas without Santa? At Jeremiah’s Lodge and Garden in Ogden on Dec. 15, come for Breakfast with Santa. Mrs. Claus is also there to tell special stories and lead a Christmas singalong with Santa’s elves. The event begins at 9:30 a.m. and ends at 11:30 a.m. since Santa has to head back to the North Pole to finish getting the presents ready for Christmas. Two of Utah’s top shopping centers put on holiday displays as well, on a smaller scale. City Creek offers a chance for kids to bring their wish lists to Santa while being close by many of the stores their gifts may be in. Farmington Station also takes part in the hustle and bustle of the holidays: a gigantic tree, an ice skating rink and Mr. and Mrs. Claus on hand to speak to all the kids. For those who enjoy crafting, a wreath making workshop is held in Kaysville on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 7 and 8. The workshop comes with a 16-inch wreath, fresh greens, a holiday bell and a ribbon, along with the training to put it all together. Finally, Morgan’s Annual Hometown Christmas and Festival of Trees is held on December 1. Children can sit on Santa’s lap and tell them their Christmas wishes, go on a free hay ride with the family, ride the train, get their faces painted and write a letter to Santa. There is a local Christmas Carol sing-along to participate in where attendees can bid on trees on display to take home. All proceeds to go families in need in the community. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
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DARYN STEED Columnist
NIC MURANAKA Columnist
Nic: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second in a five-movie franchise. Since we know Grindelwald’s fate from a one-page mention in the books, the next three movies have 18 years to cover Grindelwald’s inevitable defeat. Daryn: It’s important to understand this movie is simply a bridge to the next three. Think the second Hobbit movie, but on a much larger and more frustrating scale. Nic: “Crimes” of Grindelwald implies plurality. His one crime seemed to be escaping from prison.
Unless his second crime is being himself. Daryn: It’s possible the movie was thinking ahead of itself and implying the second crime was casting Johnny Depp to play its villain. Nic: Cast Johnny Depp. Put him in pure white face makeup to make an on-the-nose white supremacist reference. Profit. Daryn: You really can’t blame them. Depp was perfect for this role. He plays the balance between creepy and psychopathic perfectly. Nic: Grindelwald is really just a combination of Magneto, Voldemort and Donald Trump. Daryn: Mostly Trump. His hair similarly defies physics. The debate of who uses more makeup would take up more space than we’re allowed for this review. Nic: Grindelwald’s summoning his allies is so much cooler than the Dark Mark. Daryn: Voldemort, who murders thousands of people and becomes so dangerous people are literally too afraid to say his name, simply gets a scary cloud in the sky. Grindelwald drops towels over buildings and takes away sunlight. It’s no wonder Voldemort was defeated by a teenager. He couldn’t even summon with style, much less organize a resistance powerful enough to de-
feat Dumbledore and his gaggle of awkward yet surprisingly intelligent students. Nic: Grindelwald’s allies are mostly nameless (the one dude’s name is Abernathy?), and yet they get more lines than Credence, arguably a more important character than many other protagonists. Daryn: We see one of his allies at least ten times and I have literally no recollection of her name. Nic: Newt’s love interest Tina is angry with him because of a story she saw in a tabloid. Of course, they try to resolve this issue during a critical and time-sensitive mission. A mad wizard hell-bent on securing wizards as a master race will surely wait while Newt and Tina argue about whether or not he’s marrying his high school flame. (Plot twist: he’s not.) Daryn: Jacob Kowalski is even more useless and hilarious this time around. For a No-Maj veteran whose memory was obliviated following Grindelwald’s attack on New York, this dude seems to have an amazing grasp of the magical world and all the crazy people occupying it. Grindelwald very nearly kills everyone a few different times and Jacob looks as fazed as he might be if you took away his breakfast. Nic: Kowalski also returns in
this grim-dark film with his plot-invulnerability in fights where he’s otherwise completely powerless. Grindelwald unleashes a storm of fire on room full of Aurors, redshirts in everything but shirt color, and immediately kills them all. Jacob just cleverly stands off to the side. Daryn: Aurors are members of an elite unit of highly-trained, specialist officers within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. They are supposedly the strongest wizards in the world. Yet Newt’s brother, Theseus, is more concerned with hugging Newt at every possible encounter than defeating a dark wizard determined to take control of all humanity. Nic: Theseus Scamander is named after a Greek hero, who slayed a minotaur and founded Athens. Daryn: The only thing Theseus slays in this movie is his chance for a meaningful role in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts films. Nic: He tried his best. When he wasn’t hugging Newt. Now, Newt is the same shy, awkward man we loved from the first movie, except he’s somehow even better at fighting Dark Wizards in this one. Daryn: If we’re living in a world where this man, who is apparently incapable of understanding basic
social constructs, is our only hope to defeat the most powerful Dark Wizard of all time, what hope do we actually have? Nic: In fact, he’s so good that the Aurors — the people whose literal job it is to fight Dark Wizards — want his help. Of course, he won’t do it because they want him to do something he morally disagrees with — tracking down Credence, who risked his own life to save everyone in the first movie. He ends up doing it anyway, but it’s on his terms, not theirs. Daryn: Instead, the job of tracking down the boy is given to some other powerful Auror, who feels like he’s supposed to be important but it’s never quite explained how. Nic: Yet another character whose name is either not mentioned or so unmemorable that I immediately forgot it. You know what was memorable? The fact that Nagini was a person at one point, which makes sense. This film tries to generate sympathy for the woman who becomes the creature inseparable from Voldemort, the creature who hospitalizes Arthur, savagely kills Snape and eats Charity Burbage, the Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts. Daryn: Not only was she a person, but she was an absolute 10/10. Let’s talk about how somebody as
beautiful as Nagini falls in love with Credence, our favorite love-to-hate villain-hero that may or may not be the destruction of the wizarding world as we know it. (Actually, we know he is not destructive or impactful in any significant way because he doesn’t get a single mention in the 4,224 pages of Harry Potter). Nic: The fact that he returned at all nearly made me cry. Let’s bring back a character who, like Newt, talks into his chest the whole movie but is so much less charismatic they literally don’t let him say more than two sentences in any given conversation. Daryn: Credence spends the entirety of this film wrestling with whether or not to ally with the villain. On one hand, Grindelwald is violent, racist and wants power over all wizards and Muggles. On the other, he might know whose Credence’s real parents were. News flash for you, Credence, your parents were most likely mind-numbingly average and probably would have let you down when you needed them the most. Nic: Just like Rey’s in Star Wars. Although Credence’s parents didn’t sell him for booze. Probably. Daryn: The rest of us spend most of our lives trying to undo the childhood damage done to our psyches. Take a seat and stop aiding the most dangerous wizard of all time. Nic: Should we talk about how there’s a lot of small children murder in this movie? Daryn: The movie takes two whole minutes to explore Newt’s caretaking routine, which includes setting traps to catch small creatures with very cute eyes and jumping into a lake to catch a large creature with very cute eyes. Nic: Guess we’re not talking about small children death. Daryn: We’re introduced to another caretaker, who earns the right to creepy music as she leaves the house but is never heard from again. Did she die? Did she realize that she was wasting her life away, taking care of animals that clearly would never appreciate her? Is it possible that she is Grindelwald is disguise? We’re not getting those answers either. Daryn: In addition to his fantastic power as a dark wizard, Grindelwald
can also apparently see the future. He warns wizards of the coming of World War II and nuclear bombs. How can he see the future? We should consider the possibility that Grindelwald is actually God. He’s doing what he sees best for the future of his children. Some have to die for the rest to prosper. Nic: Hang on. Did Grindelwald ever actually talk about his plan? I’m so used to megalomaniacal villains simply outlining their steps to world domination that if one doesn’t, I get lost. Point is, we don’t know that he wants to kill everyone. He did say he liked having Muggles around as pack animals or something. Daryn: The only other reasonable explanation for Grindelwald knowing about World War II is that he already gave birth to a young child and named him Adolf and had been feeding the child ideas of a supreme race since birth. Racism is taught, not inherent. Nic: You know who else was racist and could see the future? Darth Sidious. New idea: Fantastic Beasts is actually just Star Wars, except Credence is infinitely less cool than Rey. Daryn: Dumbledore makes fleeting and confusing appearances throughout. He has a baby beard, a receding hairline and is totally convinced Newt is the wizarding world’s only chance to defeat Grindelwald. If that’s true, Dumbledore forgets about him by 1980, when Harry Potter is born and becomes the new last hope. A reasonable assumption for a Dumbledore pushing around 240 years old; his memory is probably not as sharp as it once was. Nic: Actually, Dumbledore’s canonical birth was in 1881, which places him at a strapping 46 in this movie and a clean 116 by the time he dies. (Spoiler: Snape kills him.) Regardless, he’s much younger than the incredibly-spry-for-his-age Nicolas Flamel, who was a real dude. The Harry Potter Flamel would have just turned 587 in time for this movie. Less hate for Dumbledore, please. Daryn: I could have watched four hours of Nicolas Flamel running around his apartment. It was so lovely. Nic: Agreed. Daryn: Let’s address that weird hand-holding scene: are they or ar-
en’t they? Since the publishing of Deathly Hallows in 2007, J.K. Rowling is determined to convince her readers that she absolutely is progressive and inclusive. Yes, of course I wrote gay characters! Dumbledore is gay, everyone! The only possible evidence in the books of his sexuality is Dumbledore’s relationship with Grindelwald, which is complex and ends in disaster. Is that why Dumbledore apparently closed himself off to love for the rest of his life? Is that why he has such a hard time imagining fighting Grindelwald, because their relationship was toxic and confusing and has stayed with Dumbledore all these years? Nic: I’m pretty sure their hand-holding scene where they swore a blood oath to not kill each other was what was preventing him from fighting Grindelwald. I’m just spitballing, though. Daryn: I swear blood oaths are different in the prequels than the original series. Aren’t you just supposed to promise not to do something, and if you do it, you’ll die? Fantastic Beasts really complicates the idea. Nic: Grindelwald had that cute little locket thing as proof of the oath, which he remarkably didn’t notice as missing once the Niffler stole it. For a guy who can see the future, he’s not very perceptive. Daryn: Most importantly, why, for the love of God, will Dumbledore not just tell these people what’s going on? He sends Newt on a wild goose chase all around Europe in search of Credence and Grindelwald, when he apparently already knew where both were. Though I suppose a secret-keeping Dumbledore is par for the course. Nic: Under no circumstance should you tell an 11-year-old boy that magic Hitler is going to possibly come back from the dead and that the only way this magic Hitler can be defeated is by allowing him to kill you. You don’t say that to a pubescent boy either. Other than that, yeah, screw Dumbledore. Daryn: We never mentioned Queenie. This woman puts a love spell on Jacob, tries to manipulate him into marrying her, runs away when he logically says they can’t get married because they’ll die, joins
MyWeberMedia.com| November 19, 2018 | 11
Grindelwald’s team because she’s a little sad, and we’re supposed to… like her? Nic: Queenie is a queen. It’s in her name. I will hear no discussion. She spellbinds Jacob, then becomes spellbound by Grindelwald. Dramatic irony. Daryn: If we’re going to judge people based solely on their names, then let’s talk about Porpentina Goldstein. Either her parents hated her, or they wanted everyone else to. It’s that simple. Nic: Tina is not a good character. Daryn: Obviously not. She’s the first to track down Credence, but she immediately loses him and subsequently does not do a single important thing for the rest of the film. Nic: Like every Harry Potter film, Fantastic Beasts is riddled with plot holes. Daryn: First, shield charms. What? How? Why are these not ever utilized in the Harry Potter series? At one point, Credence blows up a building and directs all of his force to one man, who watches the entire episode with a smile because he’s protected by a centimeter of his shield charm. Why would every Wizard not just walk around with these things employed at all times? Nic: They do use them, they’re just ineffective against Killing Curses. When the entire enemy team runs around using Killing Curses all the time, it’s kind of cheating. Daryn: Next, speaking spells. We learn from the Harry Potter books that performing spells without speaking is incredibly difficult and takes years to master. Yet almost every wizard in this movie is able to do extraordinary magic with absolutely no noise. Nic: They literally cut out Grindelwald’s tongue, and he still performs incredible magical feats. He does get his tongue back, though. Somehow. Daryn: Tongues play a surprisingly large role in the first five minutes of this film and a miniscule role for the rest. Nic: In masterful Rowling retcon fashion, Minerva McGonagall makes an appearance, likely 8 years before she was born. Crimes of Grindelwald takes place in 1927. Clever fans worked out the math using
information from the fifth Harry Potter book and Rowling’s official Pottermore bio for McGonagall and determined Oct. 4, 1935 as the day she was born. Daryn: Sure, this is an actual plot hole, but at least we get to see her disciplining children, which is just so on-brand. Nic: Master Transfiguration teacher Dumbledore teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Of course, he has to be; McGonagall, who was supposed to be trained by Dumbledore to teach Transfiguration, is in the movie. Daryn: It’s good to know Hogwarts has always had a hard time holding onto their DATDA teacher. At what point do you call a loss a loss? Obviously, the wizarding world isn’t that serious about preventing dark wizards, so I’m not sure what the point of this class actually is. Nic: It’s to train students to fight Dark Wizards, which they manage to do more competently than the Aurors. Always. Newt is just some guy, remember? Daryn: Never forget that Voldemort was ultimately bested by a ragtag crew of Hogwarts students, ranging from bizarrely-capable Ron Weasley to usually-incompetent Neville Longbottom. Clearly, there’s no reason to have people making a living defending the wizarding world. Average people will come through every time. Final verdict: should you go see this film? The Crimes of Grindelwald is packed with gorgeous visuals, rapid travel between three different countries, a reluctant hero, a maybe-hero-maybe-villain, a snake person, actual Hitler and a plethora of forgettable side characters. It has a literally unpredictable plot full of retconning and a mood so dark we had flashbacks to part one of the Deathly Hallows. Ultimately, If you’re a Harry Potter fan, you should see this movie. While the tone of the movie is different from the first, the wonder of Rowling’s Wizarding World still holds sway. And if you’re not a fan, well, Venom’s still in theaters. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
12 | MyWeberMedia.com| November 19, 2018
TIME AND SPACE TAKE FORM IN COLLABORATION
The perfomance brought together art, dance and music.
BELLA TORRES | The Signpost
By CAMERON GIFFORD Correspondent
Collaboration and choreography was the name of the game in Orchesis Dance Theatre’s fall 2018 production. The production, which ran from Nov. 15-17, was a major collaborative effort between the dance, music and visual arts departments at Weber State University. FORM was the brainchild of Amanda Sowerby, a professor of dance and the associate dean of WSU’s College of Arts and Humanities. “I was inspired by the history, in modern dance, of collaborating with different artistic fields,” Sowerby said. “I reached out to Dr. Carey Campbell and Jason Manley, and they both agreed to come on board for this year’s Moving Company.” Campbell, an associate professor of music at WSU, created and performed live electronic scores for the piece, improvising and generating soundscapes for the dancers in real-time. The sculpture work for the performance was done under the direction of Manley, an assistant professor of art at Weber State. “(Manley’s) class created big sculptures that fly in from the flyrails and get wheeled out onto stage,” Sowerby said. “The dancers can get inside and on top of them.” Uriel Castillo, a graphic design student, was one of the students who created a piece for the performance. Castillo said he and his partner were given the name of the production as a prompt. They used that prompt to create nonrepresentational sculptures with which the dancers could interact. “We were trying to do an abstract shape and we ended up doing an organic cocoon-type thing,” Castillo said. “I originally had more of an idea of a belly button; it was like a wavy circle you could go inside of. You really have to see it.” As collaborative talks took place between the three departments, Sowerby said the focus was on finding, comparing and contrasting the elements of each art form. This exploration led to FORM becoming not only the name of the first section of the show, but
the name of the production as a whole. “We’re exploring line, color, texture, time, use of space. We’re not going after communicating a narrative or exhibiting a particular emotion,” Sowerby said. “We’re getting to the fundamentals of these different artistic disciplines and letting them share this space together.” Sowerby said the the fundamentals of dance are time, space and energy. Choreographers are able to play with these elements to create unique performances. Time can be manipulated or demonstrated using a certain tempo in a performance. Space can often refer to complex choreography or something as simple as organizing bodies in shapes. “Energy is the dynamic — the textures or qualities embedded in the movement vocabulary,” Sowerby said. “Things can be smooth, they can be sharp. There can be a sense of continuity or sustaining.” Each of the five sections of the concert were developed and choreographed by students and faculty at WSU. Kristen Houskeeper and Cyntera May created “We’re Not Experts, but We’re Here Anyway” and “Define Me” respectively. These are the second and third pieces of the performance. Choreography for the show was developed as part of the students’ practicum for their bachelor’s degrees. “Our program is a year-long course, but it’s modeled on a professional dance company,” Sowerby said. “It gives our students the opportunity to experience what it’s like to rehearse, perform, help produce, teach out in the community and do collaborative and interdisciplinary work just as they will experience in a real dance company.” The fourth and fifth sections of the show, “Fixation” and “So, Who Moved the Exit?” were created by Emily Bokinskie, a WSU adjunct professor of dance and Michael Hamblin, a WSU professor of dance. Stage two of the concert, titled “Resonance,” will take place in the spring. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
MyWeberMedia.com | November 19, 2018 | 13
By TORI WALTZ
News Reporter
On Nov. 6, Proposition 2 was approved by Utah voters in the state midterm elections, allowing patients with certain qualifying conditions to legally obtain and consume medical marijuana under a doctor’s recommendation. However, student advocates of the drug shouldn’t celebrate just yet. Although legally mandated under state authority, the possession and distribution of cannabis — prescribed or not — at Weber State University is likely to remain prohibited. According to the official WSU Drug and Alcohol Policy, students are banned from the unlawful use, possession, distribution, sale or manufacture of controlled substances on university premises. However, the policy’s definitions clarify that controlled substances include drugs such as cannabis “except when used in accordance with the instructions of a physician or dentist.” Additional clauses state that WSU will make reasonable accommodations for students who are dependent on drugs or alcohol to assist them in the pursuit of their academic and professional careers. Under these sanctions, students using marijuana for strictly medical purposes on campus would technically be permitted; however, that does not guarantee that the university would allow the use. In addition to being a criminal offense under federal law, use of medical marijuana on college or university campuses in the United States is restricted by the federal Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. These laws require that, as a condition of receiving financial assistance from governmental programs, any institution of higher education (IHE), state educational agency (SEA) or local
educational agency (LEA) must follow federal policy by submitting certification of a continuously-enforced drug-prevention program. Failure to adhere to these regulations results in an institution losing its eligibility for funding from the federal government, leading many schools throughout the nation to comply in fear of having their life-lines cut off. Although WSU has yet to release an official statement, with funding on the line, the school will likely keep its current policies in place rather than accommodating the changes brought forth by Proposition 2. Similar to schools in other states such as Oregon or California, students prescribed to use medical marijuana would be required to only consume and distribute it off-campus. Of course, this creates a predicament for those living in university residential housing. However, students at WSU are not the only ones met with obstacles over the issue, as faculty and staff would likely follow similar regulations. According to the Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy at WSU, employees in safety-sensitive positions are prohibited from using, being under the influence of, possessing or testing positive for a controlled substance while on campus. Although Proposition 2 is built with some protection for medical marijuana users, it does not safeguard those in the workplace. Therefore, if an employee or applicant at WSU was found in violation of this code, the university has the right to immediately terminate them. This and several other legal complications of Proposition 2 will likely be addressed at the legislative special session for medical marijuana projected to take place on Dec. 3. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
While Prop. 2 has passed, there are concerns about whether there will be protections in place for those who need medical marijuana.
SARAH CATAN | The Signpost
Zach Baker (left), Terri Hughes (podium), Jean-Michel Habineza (center), and Loanes Rwiranzira (right) at the Rwanda Debate.
By HANNAH OLSEN News Reporter
The Weber State University debate team was honored to host the IDebate Rwandan debate team as a stop on their two-month tour of the United States. WSU’s team hosted the debate and asked the Rwandan team to do a cultural showcase the night after. The debate question posed by the IDebate team was “Should the United States military intervene in Genocide?” Rwanda decided argued in the affirmative, and WSU provided the negative argument. To put the Rwandan Genocide into perspective, Jean-Michel Habineza, a debater for Rwanda and the co-founder and director of IDebate Rwanda, said there were about one million deaths in Rwanda in a stretch of 100 days. Ryan Wash, the interim forensics director and WSU debate coach, emphasized the importance of being open and learning from the Rwandan Debate team through deliberation on a topic they know all too well. “The art of debating is a way to compromise our differences and issues with one another without being violent, so that is why we are doing this today,” Wash said.
The Rwandan IDebate Team previously created a YouTube video about why debate is so important to them, and the overall message was clear: they are the generation after the genocide, and they demand their voices be heard. Wash acted as mediator and a makeshift translator, regularly summarizing the arguments between the two sides to the benefit of the audience. “The goal of all debate teams is to lead our community through tough conversations,” Wash said. “This is what debate is, this is what public deliberation is, answering the question of, ‘how we can resolve our issues through words instead of violence?’” The meat of the Rwandan argument was that the U.S. should feel an obligation to help international genocide cases because life is the ultimate sacrifice, making it priority one to save lives anywhere possible. Loane Rwiranzira, at 17 years old, aided her partner Habineza in arguing a three-fold solution. They argued the US should be responsible for a 20,000 troop unit to be onhand and ready to be deployed in case of a genocide threat. They also maintained the U.S. should be responsible for setting up refugee camps and then providing
medical and humanitarian aide to the victims. Wash interjected thoughts in between each round, saying this debate was so important because too often we rely on the internet to learn. He continued, without these discussions about vital topics with people who have lived through it, we will never truly know the heart of the issue. Representing WSU Debate were Terri Hughes and Zack Baker. Hughes opened the negative side of the debate with a poem drawing attention to America’s own mass genocide that has been ongoing for countless years: the violence against black people. In the end, it seemed the negative side had one main question for the affirmative: who gets to decide what classifies a genocide? Baker pushed the affirmative to back down on their idea of a national counsel determining classification. “In the status quo, Donald Trump decides whether we mobilize resources or not on genocide,” Baker said. WSU argued the affirmative was taking the U.S. as responsible to act on international genocide because we have the largest and most powerful influence and
presence worldwide. The negative took that to mean we would be in charge of everything. The affirmative countered with the argument the “how” matters much less than the act itself. “This debate is not a question of action or inaction,” Baker said. WSU argued that there is no check for the United States military. There would be rash decision making and carpet bombing, without one thought of the collateral, because whether we live here or not. The affirmative argued back with a humanistic appeal. “People need to stay alive,” Rwiranzira said. The affirmative went on to note that the only harm the United States has done is to not act in the past, so, it does comes down to action or inaction. “Is there a justifiable reason to not save lives?” Wash said. He posed this question to the audience or the debaters, but the audience had clearly not been swayed to either side because he was met with silence. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com
MyWeberMedia.com | November 19, 2018 | 15
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in new contstruction and existing buildings • Clock and radio repair, A/V set p and programming classroom equipment, printer and some computer repairs, sound system setups, and wireless installation. $10.00
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The Signpost is a student publication, written, edited and drafted by Weber State University students. Student fees fund the printing of this publication. Opinions or positions voiced are not necessarily endorsed by the university. The Signpost reserves the right to edit for reasons of space and libel and to refuse to print any letters. Letters should be submitted online to thesignpost@weber.edu and read letter to the Editor in the subject box. Letters should not exceed 350 words.
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