The Trojan Record 2022-2023 Edition 2

Trojan Athletes Take charge

By Hannah Highsmith |StaffWriter

As football season comes to a close, numerous athletic programs here at Anderson are just now kicking off their season of competition. Sports like basketball, baseball, tennis, swimming, and soccer, are all starting upthisDecemberandinthespring.Duetothe fact that more popular sports seasons are ending, tons of students who were a part of football and volleyball are now going to participate in a variety of different athletic programs.

Off-season has started up for those who play football, taking time in between seasons to practice and evaluate their athleticism during the season. This year Andersonmovedupto6A,makingbigchanges within this year's sports, especially in football. Now, many of the athletes who played under the Friday night lights are now preparing to step on the court, and play for the Trojan’s basketball team. The team is known throughout the district to be very successful. ThevarsityathletesofAndersonaren’ttheonly ones trying new things, the junior varsity athletes are also taking charge in sports like basketball, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, and

track. Lilly Hutchison, a sophomore on JV volleyball, talks about the off-season, “It’s a lot of working out and getting stronger, but it’s beneficial for next year's season.” Lilly also plansonplayingsoccerthisspring,“Ifeelboth excitedandnervous,wehaveabiggerprogram thisyear,soIthinkit'sgoingtobereallyfun.”

With football season ending, The sidelinesupportersBelles,Band,andCheerare competing against schools from all around Texas, and even the United States. The Trojan Belles are now preparing for their contest season this spring. “I really love football season, but at the same time I’m excited because contest season is fun too,” says Alexis Friedman, A senior and social officer on the Trojan Belles. “It’s a way for people to bond, we’reallgoingthroughoneeventtogether,and we’ve been working so hard for months on dances, just seeing our hard work payoff is reallyrewarding.”

Even though the Trojans moved up to 6A this year, it’s safe to say that the Anderson Athletics Department is putting in the hard work needed to be successful. Good luck to all theathletescompetingthisspring!

Anderson History & Architecture

By Erika Tuttle |StaffWriter

Senior Life

By Abby Marloh |SchoolFunctionsChair

Seniors have a lot on their plates, especially with most college application deadlines coming up soon, which they have to juggle on top of school, family, and extracurricular commitments. Some students feel overwhelmed even though they are excitedtomoveontothenextstageoftheirlives.Bob Buckland,asenioratAnderson,says,“Iplanongoing to Austin Community College.” After, he’s interested in “majoring in technical theater and doing a film schoolontheside.”AlexAbdelbakialsoplanstogoto ACC. However, she wants to “attend Austin Community College for 1-2 years and then transfer to a different college. I plan on majoring in psychology withapossibleminorinmarketing.Ihopetoeitherbe atherapistorinmarketingaftercollege.”

Bob’s advice for juniors is to “make sure you’re on top of applications because they will stack up.” Alex adds, “I would say not to compare yourself to other people. It's really easy to look at others and compare your experience to theirs, especially when it comes to college apps. But it's important to understand that everyone's journey is different. Also, ifyou'reableto,Iwouldrecommendgettingajob,not only do you have money to spend but it’s a great way togetexperienceandmeetnewkindsofpeoplebefore youleavehighschool.”

When asked about her experience with Anderson, Alex responds, “I learned a lot, both about thesubjectsIaminaswellaspeopleasawhole.Imet a lot of different people throughout my years here, which is something I am really grateful for. I think overall I'm really going to miss all of my friends here, but I am excited for this new adventure after high school.”

Anderson has existed for over a century, but have you ever wondered; Where did our school get its name from? The original schoolbuildingwasfirstnamedafterErnestH. Anderson but was closed in 1971. The school was then moved to its current location, and adequately named after Ernest’s brother, Laurine Cecil, who served as Anderson’s principal from 1896 - 1929. Now, our school is known as L.C. Anderson, although many just knowitasAndersonHighSchool.

Right now, the current building has undergone construction from three different bond programs: 2004, 2008, and 2013. The first two bonds, known as the Apple at Work Bond Programs were approved with a budget of about 862 million dollars. The first bond was proposed with the main goal being to alleviateovercrowdingwithinschoolsandkeep up with Austin’s rapid growth. The later bond was then proposed to execute impending legislative requirements, and fund the investmentsinnewtechnologiesforthebenefit ofAISDschools.Lastly,amajoramountofthe bond approved in 2013 was sent to aid in the repairs and renovations to aging schools throughout AISD, like replacing old plumbing and air conditioning systems, and especially theservicingofleakyroofs.

Overseeing all of the changes made specificallytoAnderson,withfundingfromthe bond programs, was the company named GSC Architects. Thus, they completed the many additions and renovations to L.C. Anderson High School. The company renovated the dance gym, 3D Lab, Robotics Lab, and Drama Classroom. GSC Architects also added a new science building, band hall, and lobby to the Theater. On the outside of the school, screens were installed on the stairwells and the upper floors, and four new tennis courts were constructednexttotheparkinglot.

Just these changes, however, have done nothing to changetheoverallfeelofthe

school since its construction in 1973. Most additions made by the bond programs have been added around the school by creating new buildings, rather than being built within it. Fromthecompartmentalizedclassroomstothe longhallways,themainschoolbuildingdoesn’t quitefeellikeaspacebestsuitedforlearning.

Although, with the newly passed bond program, it’s estimated that 47.4 million dollars will be allocated to help modernize the Andersoncampus.Thenewbondwillbegin Phase 1 of the process and will result in the completion of much-needed improvements, as well as the addition of new equipment for our facilities.

Nevertheless, Anderson is just in Phase 1 of the modernization process, so there areadditionalchangestolookforwardto.Plus, it’s estimated that there are 2-3 more steps to go, and will likely begin sometime in the future. The transformation of Anderson as we know it will likely extend past our time here, andbenefitthosewhocomeafterus.

Travis Grey waves the flag as the varsity Trojans take the field to play in their game against Dripping Springs High School Credit: Maren Weinstein

Lilly Hutchison, a JV volleyball player for the lady trojans Credit: Maren Weinstein

Credit: Luci Thompson

What are the midterm elections? What seats are up for grabs in our government? Who’s running? And why should we care? All these questionsareextremelycommonsincetheanswers are astronomically important. These elections determinewhichpartyhascontroloverournation, as well as small-scale affairs such as local councils. This guide will teach you the necessity of understanding the where, what, who, and why of thispoliticaleventonanationalandlocalscale.

Midterms are held halfway through a president’s term, every four years. Voters all over the country go to their local polls and mull over what representatives they’re planning to select. In these elections, multiple races are put into place and our government is rearranged on a national, state, and local scale. Nationally, the Legislative Branchisupforgrabs.TheUnitedStatesCongress (consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives) has many seats that need to be filled. The House of Representatives contains 435 members, all of which are elected every 2 years. If the House approves a bill, it will be handed to the Senate to vote upon as well. The Senate consists of 100 members who serve 6 year terms, resulting in one-thirdofthembeingreelectedduringmidterms. Moving onto the state level, governors are voted upon. They implement state laws, take care of executive budgets and orders, and assess legislative proposals. The gubernatorial elections take place every 4 years, this year's races takingplace in 36 states.

Midterm Madness

By Salomé Casey |StaffWriter

The midterm elections are almost over, with only a few races still in the run. The Senate is stillwaitingforrun-offsinGeorgiatoconclude,the effects of this election having minimal national impact due to the fact that the Democratic party has secured its majority. As of right now, the Senate elections have given the power to 50 Democratic and 49 Republican leaders, meaning that if Georgia is turned over to the Democratic Party,itwillhave51members.IfGeorgiaisturned over to the Republican party, any votes made on bills will be ties broken by the Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. The House of Representativesneedsaminimumof218members on one side, meaning the Republican party has acquired this part of the Legislative Branch with 222 members. The Democratic party now consists of 213 members. Going back to the state level, gubernatorial elections are also favoring the Republican party, with 26 seats as opposed to 24. GregAbbotthasbeenelectedasgovernorofTexas, commencing his third term after beating Beto O'Rourke.

So what does all of this mean for our country? On a national level, the Republican party has a slight majority in the House of Representatives even though there was a promise of a “redwave.” This win will still cause the Biden Administration to struggle with advancing their plans, needing to pass bills through the House of Representatives in order to beapproved.“TheBidenAdministrationwillcreate

habitable zone, commonly known as the Goldilocks zone. This means it lies in a zone around the star that enables liquid water to form.Astronomersbelievethatliquidwateris absolutely necessary for life to exist on any planet.

LPC is around 40% larger than Earth and orbits its star roughly every 8.457 days. LPC is also very close to its star, being only a mere 3.7 million miles away. For reference, Earth is 93 million miles away from our sun. Despite this, LPC may still have suitable conditions for life, considering the star it orbits is around half the temperature and 6.5 times smaller than our own sun. In fact, despite being in such close proximity to its star, LPC actually receives a similar dose of stellarradiationastheEarthdoes.

The Potential of LP-890-9 c

By Brandon Choyce |StaffWriter

Have you ever wondered if there is life on other planets? The universe is so big, there hastobeatleastoneotherplanetouttherewith life on it, right? Well, a newly discovered exoplanetmayjusthavethepotentialtosupport life. Using telescopes from a project called SPECULOOS (Search for habitable Planets EClipsing ULtra-cOOl Stars), two exoplanets were located orbiting a red dwarf star designated LP 890-9, a star that had been spotted by NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet SurveySatellite).

SPECULOOS is a system of four telescopes named Europa, Io, Castillo, and Ganymede designed to detect terrestrial planets orbitingUltra-cooldwarfstarsandbrowndwarf stars. This is possible because these stars are much smaller than our star, resulting in the “shadows” cast by planets positioned in front of the star blocking out more light, allowing astronomerstodetectthem.

The two planets were designated LP 890-9bandLP890-9c (Which,forsimplicity’s sake,I’mgoingtorefer toas LPC). WhileLP 890-9 b does not have the conditions to support life, LPC lies in the

Now that all the science jargon is out of the way, allow me to simplify everything for you: A system of telescopes discovered a potentially habitable planet 105 light years away from our solar system, a planet we will likely never reach before the death of the Earth.Sowhyshouldwecare?

Well, searching for exoplanets has a number of uses and reasons. Obviously, it's interesting to search the universe for signs of life, as discovering life on other planets could lead to a change in the course of human history. Studying exoplanets also allows us to learnmoreaboutthevastuniversewelivein.

But what keeps the people involved motivated? Jessie Christiansen, a research scientist at NASA’s exoplanet science institute, said this: “I search for exoplanets because I love the feeling of … finding something new that no one has ever seen before!”

How Gen Z is Changing the World

By Allie Meachum |StaffWriter

Generation Z, more commonly referred to as Gen Z, is generally defined as those born between 1997 and 2012. The first generation to grow up connected to the internet, Gen Z is often dismissed as sheltered, overly sensitive, and helpless without a cell phone. While many teenagersconcede thattheirscreentimecanbe

good-paying, union jobs to build a modern and sustainable infrastructure, deliver an equitable cleanenergyfuture,andputtheUnitedStatesona path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050” according to the White House’s Correspondence on the topic of midterms in 2022. The Democratic majority in the Senate will help Democratic bills approved by the House to succeed, and will most likely stop conservative bills from being passed. On a state level, Greg Abbottclaimsheisstrivingfor“Texasfamiliesand Texas values by creating jobs and defending our constitutional right and freedom.” In a strong position,Abbottwillalsokeephisabortionbanand continue to resist gun-control measures. Midterm madness is nowhere near coming to an end, constantly causing our nation to change andprovidingit with many opportunities.

excessive, Gen Z is much more than a mob of electronic zombies. Proven to be highly collaborativeandinclusive,GenZisparticularly passionate about solving the greatest issues facing society today. Specifically, Gen Z cares greatly about racial and gender equity, LGBTQIA+ rights, climate change, gun violence prevention, as well as many other social justice issues. In general, Gen Z is politically progressive, and as more and more members of Gen Z become able to vote, their ballots have reflected this progressiveness, having great ramifications in recent and likely future elections.

In the recent midterms, many Republicans boasted of the ‘Red Wave’ that would change the tide of politics in the United States. Predicting parties celebrating taking the Senate and House by a landslide, they were greatly disappointed when Democrats held the Senate and prevented the Republicans from takingtheHousewithanoverwhelmingmargin. Whiletherearemanyfactorsthatcontributedto the ‘Red Wave’ never reaching shore, perhaps the greatest one was the staggering number of Gen Z’ers that showed up to vote and voted blue. Supporting the candidates that aligned withtheirbeliefstothegreatestextent,notonly didGenZcontributetomanyoftheDemocratic candidates’ success, but Maxwell Frost, a Democratic nominee from Florida, will become thefirsteverGenZcongressman.

The influence of Gen Z is ubiquitous in society,foundineverythingfromentertainment and leisure to fashion and social media. However, it is their political influence that will change the world. Gen Z’ers are passionate and stand by their convictions, fighting every day to make the world better than they received it. While Gen Z’ers don’t always agree or share the sameopinions,manyarestillunitedinhowthey wanttheworldtochange.Weallhavethepower to change the world, and when we come together, there is nothing that has the power to stopus.

Popular Culture

Has Capitalism Killed the Concert?

By Ava Rener |Co-editor

Theterm'sellingout’inthemusicindustry has been used throughout the ages in reference to putting aside musical quality or artistic intentions in pursuit of commercial success. In the 80s and 90s, when the alternative music scene was the culturalheartbeatofnationsaroundtheworld.The pointed use of the phrase ‘selling out’ was of the utmost insulting terms one could use to degrade another artist. The stigma surrounding ‘sellouts’ was highly corrosive, and no artist ever dreamt of beingconsideredone.Ifyouwereasellout,youleft the culture, the art, and the music behind, along with your dedicated fans that supported your purpose, all in the pursuit of monetary success. This ‘success’ was often facilitated by record labels and corporations (the notorious and infamous catalysts for the destruction of an artist’s image). So, in examining the trends of selling out in the 90s, contrasted with the profits of artists these days, we have to ask, has the stigma around selloutschanged?Theevidentanswerisyes.

The evolution of the music industry has skewed into new and explosive territory. Artists and corporations are more connected than ever before. From musicians endorsing a product to PR cameos in their music videos, it is evident that profiting off of corporate sponsorships is much more common, and lacking the classical stigma surrounding the distasteful ‘greed’ of selling out. This has created a consistent argument between generations, genres, and socio-economic statuses about what the music industry is truly supposed to endorse and foster on the world stage. In a 2017 interview in Vulture Magazine titled “In Conversation;TrentReznor,”Reznorstates“When

I hear Grizzly Bear in a Volkswagen commercial, It kind of bums me out.” This statement from the Nine-InchNailsfrontmanpresentsuswiththefirst glimpse into the ever-increasing generational divide surrounding the monetization of the music industry.Asmentionedpreviously,the80sand90s presented a time period where the alternative music scene was constantly breaking into and falling out of the mainstream. It was followed by paradesofyoungthinkerswhowerecultivatingthe cultural revolutions often led by musicians and their art. In order to understand why musicians and fans in Generation X may be “bummed out” when talented artists participate in corporate sponsorship, you have to look at the big picture of whatalternative,andevensomemainstreammusic meant.Itmeantrevolutionandcreation.So,simply put, commercialization, capitalism, and monetization were devices of everything pitted against these young artists attempting to use their art to breathe life into a greedy world. Many older musicians believe that product endorsement or sponsorship is an insult to the art and the industry’s purpose, which has ultimately been proclaimed to be a leader of each generation’s cultural identity. Oasis guitarist and singer Noel Gallagher, in a 2005 NME interview, calls out fellow alternative musician Jack White for being a spokesperson for Coca-Cola, stating “[since then] he ceases to be in the club… He's supposed to be theposterboyforthealternativewayofthinking.”

Now,ifwecontrasttheoldwayofbehaving towards musicians’ careers with the new way artists make their money, we must identify the manyeconomicandculturalshiftsthathaveledus to the music industry we see today. Due to the inventionofstreamingservicessuchasSpotifyand AppleMusic,artistsreceivemuchlessprofitforthe publication of their music. On average, 10 million streams of a song are worth $4,000 to an artist. That is a radical difference, considering in the 90s, if an artist sold 10 million copies of a record, they could find their net profit at around $10 million dollars. This dramatic economic shift has left musiciansalmoststrappedforcash.Artistsinthese climates now have to take any chance they can get to make extra money, to simply stay afloat and keep their careers up and running. With this one major change, we now see how streaming has irrevocablyaffectedthewholeindustry.

Inordertorecoverthefabledlargefortune of a successful musician and make a living where they have been taken advantage of, artists have again begun to alter the standard of what a

musician ‘should do’. These attempts at making money take the shape of large stadium concerts where affordable ticket prices disappear in a snap, and slowly tickets become so expensive it starts to look like you'll need to refinance your home in order to see your favorite musician. In light of recent events concerning Taylor Swift’s Ticketmaster debacle, it is plain to see that this is getting ridiculous. Currently, nosebleed seats for a TaylorSwiftconcertinArlington,Texasare$1,830 at the cheapest. We as a society have created the ease of accessing music from anywhere in the worldatanytimeviatheuseofstreamingservices. However, with this new ease, we have also shot ourselves in the foot. Eventually, we have to question, is the experience of seeing an amazing concert only for those who can afford to drop thousands of dollars on a ticket? Has this greed-centric industry, combined with a lack of incomeforartistsfromtheirmusicitself,forcedthe whole experience of concert-going into a capitalist consumergameshow? Seeingthesefactorsatplay, it is easy to deduce that artists no longer care to defendtherevolutiontheirmusicmaybringabout, they no longer care to reject income for the sake of defying the mainstream or creating a culture shift. They have been coerced by industry giants to leave the same culture that the 80s pioneered, and enter into a new more treacherous industry. Where your paycheck is separate from your music entirely. Where your voice and your art don’t matter as much as what value your popularity could add to corporatesponsorshiporticketdemandstatistics. These issues, of course, do not include all artists, some choose to play selective small shows to preserve the more traditional intimate feel of a small venue. However, these new factors at play exclude no one. It is hard for small musicians to make a living, even off of 1 million monthly listeners on a platform such as Spotify or Apple Music. In addition, the consumer, the audience, and the fans are all roped into this circus of “what can I afford?” and are forced to bear the weight of theindustry’seaseandfinancialdrawbacks.Dueto the advancement of technology, we have entered a new generation of music consumers. Generation Z and Generation Alpha are experiencing the system in a whole different way, and have never been told that the way things are done now, was once considered the actions of dirty sellouts that abandonedtheirmusicforthemoney.

Areviewandrecommendationof“SlowDays,FastCompany.TheLife,theFlesh,andL.A.”byEveBabitz

Oh, old Hollywood! We see this era and its bright stage lights, cigar smoke, and serpentine sense of style in every aspect of modern media. It’s no secret that Hollywood has its skeletons in the closet, so it has always been a mysterious and intriguing place for those of us on the outside looking in. But what was it really like? Was it what we believed it to be? Or… what if old Hollywood wasn’t all glitz and glamor? In our November edition of What if..? we take a look at Eve Babitz and her critically acclaimed autobiography: “Slow Days,FastCompany.TheLife,TheFlesh,andL.A.”

In the 1960s, Eve Babitz was just like any other girl in Los Angeles. She wanted love, fame as an author, and afull life.Yet as the years go by, and as people do, she changed. She met themanofherdreamsandwentheadto headwiththeSantaAnawinds,along withmuch,muchmore.Andsoin ‘72,Babitzcompiledhermemories; everythought,andeveryfeeling.

By Logan Marcum |PopularCultureChair

In this unique take on a mash-note premise, she writes to her love detailing her experiences. In my opinion, this book is the epitome of L.A. and late 60sHollywood.Herfirst-handaccountsarevitalto thestorytelling,asinjust184pagesshetoucheson her very own sexuality, love, legacy, and living life. This is not just a take on Hollywood, but a story of truehumanexperience.IfyouenjoyedDaisyJones & the Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, or adore Audrey, Gilda, Monroe, and Gardner, you will absolutely love this real-life take on the entertainmentindustry.

Pavement, a 2022 notable target for being called ‘sellouts’, performs at ACL Live in October 2022 Credit: Ava Rener

What if old Hollywood wasn’t all glitz and glamor?

Nepotism Babies: Who’s Your Daddy?

By Kelsey Lind|Secretary

Maya Hawke. Dan Levy. Gracie Abrams. Jack Quaid. Listing their names out like this, these four people seemingly have absolutely nothing in common.AquickGooglesearch,however,willlead peopletodiscoverthefactthatthesepeopleallhave famousparents.

Maya Hawke is the daughter of not only Ethan Hawke, a famed 90s star, but also Uma Thurman, who also made her acting and modeling debut in the 90s. Gracie Abrams is an indie singer with the director J.J. Abrams, known best for the TV show Lost and the seventh and ninth Star Wars movies, as a father. Rom-com star Meg Ryan and her movie star husband Dennis Quaid are the parents of the actor Jack. Finally, Dan Levy is the son of Canadian actor Eugene Levy, and both star onthehitTVshow,Schitt’sCreek.

The internet has become more and more inclined to label celebrities with one or more famous parents “Nepotism Babies.” Nepotism is usually defined as “the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs.” This begs the question – are these celebrities’ parents getting theirchildrenthesejobs,oraretheyearningthem?

Firstly, it has to be acknowledged that multiple family members entering the movie business have been around for decades. Francis Ford Coppola, director of The Godfather, ApocalypseNow,and TheOutsiders isnotonlythe uncle of actor Nicolas Cage but also the father of Sofia Coppola, known for her Academy Award-winning films The Virgin Suicides and Lost inTranslation.Circlingbackto ApocalypseNow,a wardramafrom1979thatstarsMarlonBrandoand Martin Sheen, was a set that had multiple of the cast and crew’schildrenrunningaround,with

SofiaCoppolabeingoneofthem.Anotherwouldbe Emilio Estevez, famed for movies like The Outsiders, TheBreakfastClub,and St.Elmo’sFire Francis Coppola cast Estevez in The Outsiders, because he remembered the walk-on role Estevez had in Apocalypse Now, thanks to his father MartinSheen.AlthoughSheendidnothelpEstevez get The Outsiders role himself, being an actor and bringing his children's onset arguably helped Estevezlaunchhiscareerlater.

Kendall Jenner, a more modern example of nepotism, with her family being in the public eyeforoverthreedecades,deniesthatnepotismis the cause of her success. However, it has been noted Jenner herself went to her mother, Kris Jenner, and stated that “I presented the cutest little modeling book to my mum when I was 14, andthenshedidherKrisJennerthingsandmade itallcometolife."Herfamilyhadtheconnections available to launch her career and has continually used said connections to get brand sponsorships throughouttheircareer.

These so-called “Nepotism Babies” have also discussed this label more recently. Maude Apatow, who stars in the hit TV show Euphoria, said that “At first it was sad. . .I try not to let it get to me because I obviously understand that I’m in suchaluckyposition..Alotofpeople[inasimilar position]haveproventhemselvesovertheyears,so I’ve got to keep going and make good work.” It’s worth noting that Apatow starred alongside Pete Davidson in The King of Staten Island, a movie directedbyherfather,JuddApatow.Shesuggested that she would stop working alongside her parents andtheprojectsattachedtothem,soshewouldbe ableto“proveherself.”

Some Nepotism Babies have tried to distance themselves from their parents. Jaden Smith attempted to become emancipated from his father,WillSmith,andmother,JadaPinkett-Smith

It’s Just Lunch

By Lila Wilson|StaffWriter

after their movie, After Earth, flopped. After Earth was a collaborative effort between the elder Smiths and director M. Night Shyamalan, and ultimately earned $60 million at the box office, as opposed to the $130 million it took to make the movie. Jaden filed for emancipation from his parents after the movie failed critically and commercially, but did notendupgoingthroughwithit.

The slow recognition of Nepotism Babies goes hand in hand with the new cancel culture that is so prominent among social media and the internet. As people find out about famous parents, they also start to question the validity of these Nepotism Babies’ success. Some of these actors may be considered talented. Still, their placement in the movie business can also prevent new actors from breaking through and becoming successful in an already harsh and difficult industry. It’s time to start asking the question – are Nepotism Babies changing the field of entertainment for better or worse?

In the early 1930s, Bonnie and Clyde laid waste to the southern US in a series of robberies, murders, and kidnappings. The lovers moved quickly from town-to-town on their spree, doing whatever they needed to, to stay financially secure and safe from the police during the height of the great depression. The viewers look past the crimes Bonnie and Clyde committed and pay attention to their fondness for each other, which is incredibly similar to the new film Bones and All, where director Luca Guadagnino also has us pushing past ourmoralsinthenameoflove.

The movie focuses on Maren (Taylor Russell)andLee(TimothéeChalamet),two“eaters” who find comfort in their shared burden. The two are lonely young cannibals with different upbringings and situations, but they connect through this condition they have where they intensely long for human flesh, blood, bones, and everything in between. As they travel along the rural heartland of the States in search of Maren’s mother, they find out more and more about themselvesandotherslikethem.

Although the movie didn’t make an exceptional box office profit, critics and audiences alike gave high praise to the disturbing and shockingly emotional film. However, this isn’t the first time Guadagnino has left viewers in tears. In 2017, his project Call Me By Your Name (also starring Chalamet) left those who watched it in disarray because of its boldness and authenticity. Guadagnino and Chalamet collaborated once again tocreateafilmwithagut-wrenchinglovestoryand

striking visuals for Bones and All, but this time as brothersinsteadofcolleagues.

The director and producer/actor worked hard to make audiences question their morals, and itworked.Thecinematographyisbreathtaking;the uncertainty of identity and freedom is something the audience can relate to; the budding romance between the protagonists captures the viewer’s heart; the search for understanding their ancestry andwheretheybelongistouching;italmostmakes the cannibalism forgettable. Yet, it’s impossible to escape a subject as taboo and grisly as the one inserted in Guadagnino’s newest love story. The effects are intentionally gruesome because he had to make the people who watched it realize exactly who they were rooting for. He even hired pathologists to make the flesh tearing off the victim’s body as realistic and uncomfortable as possible. As long as there was a genuine reaction from the audience, Guadagnino’s intentions were fulfilled and his message was getting across. But whatexactlywashismessage?

There is an ongoing debate over the real meaning of the movie, and many writers have created theories ranging from the experience of being an outcast to media consumption. The truth is,however,theviewerinterpretsthisadaptationof the novel Bones & All as acceptable, but the feeling of uneasiness and internal conflict is universal. Guadagnino revealed that cannibalism was meant to symbolize Holy Communion, but the metaphor wasn’tsupposedtobepainfullyobvious.Hismostly Catholic countryof Italyand everywhere elsethat

practicescommunionissurroundedbycannibalism as those who practice it consume God within them as a “transcendental act” through wafers or bread. This not only connects the film to his upbringing but questions the blind performances of religious actsbythemasses.

All in all, this year’s latest horror film is a must-watch,asitcombinesforbiddensubjectswith true romance and primal desires. Guadagnino, Chalamet, and Russell created a film that touched theheartsofallwhowatcheditanddisgustedthem at the same time, and your year is not complete until you’ve consumed this unforgettable piece of media.

Bones And All promotional Polaroid Credit: Lila Wilson

Literature and Opinions

In A Time

By Zoe Huels |StaffWriter

I’m falling out of rhyme and rhythm day by day Remembering when everything was you Now I take my burden, bandage, brilliance in hand Grace the waste-hewn soil, kiss the soft-spun pools Trudge on with the sound of the ever-beating drum Traversing through the too-apparent strife

I glimpse the waterlogged fields we roamed together Seems even nature cries in your absence Muddy furrows and fresh crop became unkempt swamps Places we played bear the signs of the war Shell-casings dot the trampled ground: cruel reminders Shambles of buildings and lost lives abound

Our shadowed experiences live in this earth But my saddened self knows no one will know Tales of glory and victory live on awhile But stories of real people tend to die Now I’ve left the field behind for troubling nights I’ve come to know this is no home of mine

Clocks surround me, ticking the certainty of time It’s too long past now for memories As every moment goes by, I lose less and less Now faces are blurred and smiles are smudged Even you are just a star in my vast headspace And it seems my time withered and died

Hundreds of Taylor Swift fans (Swifties) leftteardropsontheirguitarsduringthesepastfew weeksasticketsforSwift’s“TheErasTour”wenton sale. To have access to the presale, fans had to register for a special program and get an access code. According to the New York Times (quoting Ticketmaster),“3.5millionpeopleregisteredforthe Verified Fan program, and around 1.5 million of them were given a special access code and ‘invited’ tothesaleforSwift’stour.”Thecodesalonecaused issues with Swifties, especially because some of the most die-hard fans did not get a presale code and were waitlisted instead. “I was in her top 0.05% of listenersonSpotifylastyear,andIdidn’tgetacode which is really annoying and frustrating,” Lily Huntersaid.Despitelimitingthenumberofpeople able to purchase tickets, the sale still did not go as planned with many glitches, crashes, and long queues.

Following these difficulties, Ticketmaster announcedthecancellationoftheirgeneralsalethe following Friday. The entire situation has been full of so many hiccups that it has drawn the attention of multiple US Senators. “This week Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.), Amy Klobuchar (D., Minn.), and Ed Markey (D., Mass.) urged the Justice Department to consider actions including the breakup of Ticketmaster and Live Nation if misconduct is found,” stated The Wall Street Journal. The companies are under investigation to determine whether they violated antitrust laws after Ticketmaster has been teetering on a knife’s edgefordecades.

While legal issues continue to pile up around this disaster of a ticket sale, emotional turmoil has left many fans very upset, as well. “I was in the waiting room forever, and it kept saying that I would be next in line. And then whenever I would go and try to buy tickets, it would say ‘bam, someone stole the tickets’ and then I didn’t get

Flight Grounds

By Zoe Huels |StaffWriter

A dusklark leaves her bough-strung nest Wings beat quiet as babies rest One wakes to find a mother gone, Sadly it cannot wait ‘till dawn

It teeter-totters on the edge Then tumbles down to thorny hedge Pitiful cries do wake the morn’ It’s fate is sealed from when it’s born

Fly away in darkest night, With wings still wet barely take flight,

Fly away in darkest night, With wings still wet barely take flight, Make a choice when sky turns gray, Stay the night or brave the day

Waiting ‘Til Midnights

By Maren Weinstein |StaffWriter

them. It was just really, really frustrating, and the fact that they canceled Friday’s ticket sale made it even worse,” Ava Pandya exclaimed angrily. And sheisjustoneofthethousandsinthesameboat.

Despite the multitude of people that were met with disappointment, a lucky few got their hands on tickets. “During the school day, my mom toldmewegotthetickets,andIwassoexcited.She showedthemtomewhenIgothome,andIliterally cried. It’s the most exciting thing ever, and I have all the albums I am going to listen to planned out forthenextfivemonths,”MiaSternsaid.

EventhoughIwasnotoneofthemanywho attempted to purchase tickets, I know countless people whowere caught up in the mess. Those who managed to navigate the sale successfully had towait in endless queues online while others waited in those same lines and came up empty-handed. Furthermore, fans had to plan their day around the sale and even plan tickets into their budgets, both of which were major inconveniences.

Ultimately, thepresale was handled sopoorly. Thecompany had to know that having millions of peopleonits website was going to cause it to crash. As experienced as they are with ticket sales and knowing how vast Taylor Swift’s fanbaseis, they shouldhavecome upwithamoreefficient and less problematic way to handle sales. Ticketmaster could have arranged the sales by region or staggered presale days, among other options. This mistake must be rectified and prevented in the future, or it could lead to more legal trouble, angry fans, and countless other unanticipated consequences.

Search Winter

By Amos Seidemann, Michal Blick, and Anona Brandt