Volume 16 Issue 11

Volume 16 Issue 11 | Wes tern Oregon University | Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

ENTERTAINMENT “The Death of David Bowie” Beloved artist leaves behind one final triumph before passing Page 6

History and art at

Hamersly Hamersly Library showcases local and international art and history exhibits

By Amanda Clarke | Staff Writer

Julian Nichols leads a drive during the Wolves’ victory over Saint Martin’s

Photo by JAMAL SMITH

Avgi leads Wolves in victory over Saints Western defeats Saint Martin’s 74-61

By Jamal Smith | Sports Editor 1,100 fans packed the New P.E. Building on Saturday, Jan. 9 to watch the No. 13 Wolves defeat Saint Martin’s University (SMU) 74-61.

The Wolves had three players in double figures. Redshirt-senior Andy Avgi (F) played like an absolute beast, scoring

a game-high 24 points. Senior Jordan Wiley (G) filled up the stat sheet with 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists, and redshirt-sophomore Alex Roth (G) tallied 10 points on 4 for 6 shooting from the floor.

“Andy Avgi is a tremendous offensive force, and I thought Jordan Wiley really played like a senior with 7 rebounds and 2 assists with no turnovers,” said Head Coach Jim Shaw after the game. “I thought he did a good job and I thought some guys made progress off the bench.

Kadeem Strickland did some good things

and it was good to get Nick back.”

After the Saints scored the first basket of the game on the opening possession, Western answered by hitting their first two shots to take the lead; a lead the Wolves would hold the rest of the game.

Western hit seven shots from beyond the arch in the first half and took a 35-30 lead into half time.

In the second half, the Wolves buckled down defensively and Avgi, the 2014-15 GNAC Player of the Year, caught fire.

Avgi had 16 second-half points and played tough defense against the Saint’s

Continued on Page 4

On Wednesday, Jan. 13, from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Hamersly Library, there was a reception night for the newest exhibits.

The reception was free and open to the public and gave those attending an opportunity to ask questions to the artists.

The exhibits will be available to view between now and March 18.

“The exhibits are selected by topic. Because we are the library that serves all of campus I try to get things that cover a majority of disciplines on campus,” said Jerry Parpart, the Archives and Exhibits Coordinator at Hamersly.

The art exhibit on the second floor is titled “Guilty About Not Being Guilty,” which is a collection of art by Gamira Thakur, an Assistant Professor of Interactive Media and Graphic Design at WOU. Thakur stated that her art “explores the paradoxes I experienced as a daughter growing up in India.” One of her art pieces, titled, “Don’t Walk Like a Boy,” showcases a pair of bright red high heels on a platform.

Several feet directly above the shoes are two books with the spines facing outwards. The space between the two objects is large enough that one could imagine a girl standing in the shoes, with the books on her head, learning how to walk in a dignified manner.

On the third floor, the exhibit “Paintings” by visiting Chinese artist Chi Wang, an Associate Professor of Art at

Continued on Page 8

West Coast, best coast: Oregon voted most moved to state

By Jenna Beresheim | News Editor On Jan. 2, the United Van Lines’ 38th Annual National Movers Study reported their 2014 results concluded Oregon as the top moved-to destination in the country.

66 percent of recorded moves from both in and out of the state were inbound, resulting in a 5 percent increase of inbound moves since 2013.

The top ten inbound states, from most to least, were

as follows: Oregon, South Carolina, North Carolina, Vermont, Florida, Nevada, Texas, District of Columbia, Oklahoma, and Idaho.

“We’ve been tracking the number of inbound and outbound domestic moves for nearly four decades, and through our data are able to identify the most and least popular states for residential relocation year after year,” stated Melissa Sullivan, the director of Marketing Communications at United Van Lines on their website.

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“This year we also surveyed customers to determine why they were relocating,” said Sullivan.

38 percent of new moves to Oregon were reported to be for a new job, while 29 percent were reported for retirement purposes.

“Oregon is gaining both older and younger people,” reports Michael Stoll, chair of the Department of Public Policy at the University of California, in a contribution to Forbes magazine.

Continued on Page 3

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NEWS

The Journal Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

THE JOURNAL 345 N. Monmouth Ave. Monmouth, OR 97361 Student Media Department TERRY HOUSE NEWSROOM 503-838-8347

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CONNER WILLIAMS journaleditor@wou.edu

MANAGING EDITOR KATRINA PENAFLOR

journalmanaging@wou.edu

NEWS EDITOR JENNA BERESHEIM journalnews@wou.edu

CAMPUS LIFE EDITOR MEGAN CLARK

journalcampuslife@wou.edu

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR DECLAN HERTEL journalentertainment@wou.edu

SPORTS EDITOR JAMAL SMITH

journalsportst@wou.edu

PHOTO EDITOR TBA

journalphoto@wou.edu

DESIGNERS CARLY FISTER BENJAMIN BERGERSON journaldesigner@wou.edu

COPY EDITOR STEPHANIE BLAIR journalcopy@wou.edu

ADVERTISING MANAGER TBA journaladvertising@wou.edu

WEB MANAGER MARY GEANELLI BERNARDO journalweb@wou.edu

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER SAMANTHA DUNAWAY STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER RHYS FINCH 503-838-9697

SUBMISSIONS THE JOURNAL encourages readers to share their opinion through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name. Contact information will not be published unless requested. Unsigned submissions will not be printed and original copies will not be returned.

Letters to the editor may be up to 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 500 words.

THE JOURNAL does not guarantee the publication of all letters or columns. THE JOURNAL reserves the right to edit for punctuation, grammar, and spelling, but never for content.

Please bring submissions to THE JOURNAL at Terry House or email to journaleditor@wou.edu.

Submissions must be received by Wednesday at 5 p.m. to be considered for print.

All opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do necessarily reflect those of THE JOURNAL or Western Oregon University.

Seaside students take charge of safety New Yorker’s threat of large earthquake not settling well with Seaside students Photo courtesy of GOFUNDME.COM/CASCADIAEVENT

By Jenna Beresheim | News Editor In mid-December last year, Seaside High School student Taylor Barnes created a GoFundMe page titled “Don’t Catch This Wave” to fundraise the relocation of an entire school system.

“The purpose of this project will be to relocate our schools within the seaside school district outside the tsunami zone that is earthquake resistant,” states the GoFundMe page.

During the summer of 2015, the New Yorker published an earthquake article titled “The Really Big One.” The odds of this earthquake happening within the next 50 years are one in three, according to the article.

This article reported a series of earthquakes ranging in magnitude from 8.7 to 9.2 happening along the Cascadia subduction zone and the San Andreas fault line, with the latter of the two running nearly the entire length of the state of California.

The earthquakes would affect the majority of the Pacific Northwest, with tsunamis predicted as a side effect to such massive fluxes to the earth.

“The northwest edge of the continent will drop by as much as 6 feet and rebound 30 to 100 feet to the west,” reports the Oregonian.

According to the Oregonian, the combination of these two powerful natural disasters would “kill thousands and decimate stretches of coastline west of Interstate 5.”

“Children will be trapped in schools ranging from Gearhart to Seaside,” continues the Oregonian.

“Because of this daunting reality, we as students have taken initiative to start a campaign to raise awareness for this inevitable disaster with our main focus being to relocate our schools (3 of which, in our school district, are located in the tsunami zone),” writes Barnes on the fundraising page.

The New Yorker article reports that the

predicted mega-quake will send an enormous tsunami ashore “in a 700-mile liquid wall that will reach the Northwest coast, on average, 15 minutes after the earthquake begins.”

This leaves very little time for warning to take place and evacuation to occur.

“To survive, the 71,000 residents of Cascadia’s tsunami inundation zone would have to reach high ground during the narrow window between the quake and the waves,” reports the Oregonian.

Those who are differently abled, elderly, or simply visiting the town for the day risk the possibility of being left behind with such a tiny time frame for evacuation.

The Oregon State University Wave Lab even created a simulation of what the tsunami would look like as it tore through the town of Seaside. The two-minute video can be found at bit.ly/1RECKCE. “The price tag to relocate our schools is $128 million dollars. Bond measures have been on ballots before in our town, but have been unsuccessful. So, we are now taking matters into our own hand as students,” states

the collective GoFundMe page.

To this date, the GoFundMe page has raised $2,750 of the predicted $200 million.

Thirty-four people have donated to the cause in just one month, with contributions ranging from $10 to $1000.

“With your help not only can we reach our goals of this campaign, but we can also go above and beyond with other preparations and save thousands of lives in the event of this disaster,” coaxes the fundraising page.

The page has been shared over 1,300 times and local news stations, such as the Daily Astorian, are taking part in promoting the fundraiser.

“The earthquake is something we have known about since we were little kids; we prepare for the eventual disaster in our schools but conducting earthquake and Tsunami drills, but there is only so much we can do,” reads the fundraising page.

To donate to this cause, show support, or share to increase visibility, visit the GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/cascadiaevent

CAMPUS BLOTTER MEDICAL

INFORMATIONAL

At 11:27 a.m. Jan. 5, in HSS, Public Safety was contacted in reference to a medical situation.

At 11:06 p.m. Jan. 5, in Ackerman, Public Safety was contacted in regards to a medical assist.

At 6:09 p.m. Jan. 6, in the Education Building, Public Safety responded to an individual who was in active seizure.

At 7:20 p.m. Jan. 9, in Gentle Hall, Public Safety responded to a medical assist and was clear by 7:37 p.m.

At 2:00 p.m. Jan. 7, in Heritage, Public Safety took an informational report on a prank phone call.

At 3:12 p.m. Jan. 11, in Lot A, Public SafeAt 5:07 p.m. Jan. 9, Public Safety discovered ty received a report of a multi-vehicle aca parking lot sign lying on the ground. By cident.

5:10 p.m. Public Safety was clear.

At 3:54 p.m. Jan. 13, in Ackerman, Public Safety responded to an aggressive individual in the University Housing Office. The dispute took 4.5 hours to clear.

At 8:35 p.m. Jan 13, in the Campus Public Safety office, Public Safety handled a roommate dispute.

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

MULTI-VEHICLE ACCIDENT

NEWS Moving in: From Front Page “It has walkable neighborhoods, public transit, cool places to eat. It’s a big magnet for young people who want that kind of lifestyle,” continues Stoll.

However, the thing Oregon may not have for the younger generation is jobs.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Oregon’s unemployment rate is at 5.7 percent as of November 2015, 0.2 percent above the national average.

California shares a similar unemployment rate with Oregon, so some people could be moving north due to Oregon’s lower cost of living.

On the other end of the spectrum, the most outbound moves from states from most to least were: New Jersey, New York, Illinois, North Dakota, West Virginia, Ohio, Kansas, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.

Speculations about these moves focus on the higher rate of living in these areas, with New York charging an average of $3,000 for a one-bedroom in the city.

That is triple the national reported average of $1,100, according to Daily News.

Illinois has lost a third of its manufacturing jobs and a quarter of its construction work, resulting in more unemployment and less desirability for prospective movers.

Stoll predicts that in upcoming years, New Mexico and California will begin to see more of an improve-

The Journal Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 ment to their inbound moves.

“With economic stability growing nationally, the current migration patterns reflect longer-term trends of movement to the southern and western states, especially to those where housing costs are relatively lower, climates are more temperate and job growth has been at or above the national average, among other factors,” concludes Stoll.

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Illustration by CARLY FISTER

Executive order attempts to curb gun violence Increased background checks and bigger budgets for enforcement agencies

By Alvin Wilson | Staff Writer President Obama issued a series of executive actions regarding gun control on Tuesday, Jan. 5. He issued the order with the intention of reducing gun related deaths in the U.S. by tightening already existing laws.

The White House website released a statement regarding the executive order, explaining the reasoning behind it and what they hope it will accomplish.

1. Keep guns out of the wrong hands through background checks.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) will require any person “in the business of selling firearms” to obtain a license and conduct background checks. The language is intentionally broad, but it essentially limits online sellers and collectors from selling their firearms without going through a licensed dealer. The FBI will overhaul the background check system, making it more efficient, according to the statement from the White House. The FBI will hire an additional 230 staff members to help process the background checks.

2. Make our communities safer from gun violence.

The President’s budget includes funding for 200 new ATF agents and investigators to help enforce existing gun laws. To track illegal firearm sales online, the budget provides more staff and an additional four million dollars for the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network, a system that helps to identify lost or stolen firearms.

3. Increase mental health treatment and reporting to the background check system.

The order proposes a $500 million investment to increase access to mental health care. The Social Security Administration will now be required to “include information in the background check system about beneficiaries who are prohibited from possessing a firearm for mental health reasons.” Soon states will also be able to provide information about mental health history for background checks.

4. Shape the future of gun safety technology.

The order also directs the Departments of Defense,

There are laws that allow the president to take various actions to prevent people from having guns.

We gave him a lot of power, and he’s using it.

WOU.EDU/WESTERNJOURNAL

Justice, and Homeland Security to “conduct or sponsor research into gun safety technology.” It directs the departments to conduct research on smart gun technology, and to explore potential ways to increase gun safety.

The controversial nature of this executive order has caused a large debate, especially in the 2016 presidential field. Any time a president bypasses congress to get something done it is a divisive issue.

Despite claims about the constitutionality of the order, Dr. Ed Dover, professor of political science at Western, claimed the order was within Obama’s authority.

“When a president issues an executive order, he is more or less dealing with the implementation of public law. A lot of what he is introducing is based upon the USA Patriot Act, which was passed right after 9/11. It gave the president and the government a lot of discretion when dealing with acts of terrorism,” said Dover.

“There are laws that allow the president to take various actions to prevent people from having guns. We gave him a lot of power, and he’s using it.”

Dover briefly explained the history of important executive orders, and why sometimes it is necessary to bypass congress.

“There are some very powerful instances when presidents have used executive orders because they can’t find that congress will allow them … It took until the 1960’s to get a Civil Rights bill through congress. But Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 issued an executive order requiring equal employment opportunity in the federal government and the defense industry … It started with an executive order and, in time, grew to the point where it is now federal and state law.”

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SPORTS

The Journal Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

Alabama comes out on top ... again Alabama defeats Clemson 45-40 for the national championship

By Jamal Smith | Sports Editor The Alabama Crimson Tide are at the top of the mountain in college football once again after beating out ACC powerhouse, the Clemson Tigers, 45-40 on Monday, Jan. 11.

Alabama becomes only the second team in college football history to win four national titles in a seven-year span.

Equally impressive are the five National Championship rings held by the Crimson Tide’s head coach Nick Saban, who has won four with Alabama and one with LSU. Saban’s five undisputed national titles, places him second in championship hardware among past and present coaches, only one title away from the record set by another Alabama coach, Paul “Bear” Bryant.

To get this victory, Saban had to use all of his players’ talent. But that wasn’t enough, Saban also needed to pull a rabbit out of his hat; an onside kick, one of the most memorable and gutsy trick plays in a national championship game.

With 10:34 left in the final quarter and the score tied at 24-24 after an Alabama touchdown had just evened the score, Saban called for an onside kick. Crimson Tide kicker Adam Griffith surprised the Tigers’ defense with a perfectly executed onside kick that was caught over the shoulder by Alabama defensive back Marlon Humphrey to give Alabama the ball back.

“When the other team squeezes the formation like that, we call the ‘pop kick,’” said Saban after the game. “I made

the decision to do it because the score was [tied] and we were getting tired on defense, and if we didn’t do something to take a chance and change the momentum of the game, we wouldn’t have a chance to win.”

Saban’s gamble paid off just a few minutes later when Alabama quarterback Jake Coker connected with his wide receiver, O.J. Howard for a 51-yard touchdown strike.

But even after the game’s momentum swung in Alabama’s favor, the Clemson Tigers would not back down and showed why they went undefeated in the regular season. Clemson’s quarterback, dynamic play-maker Deshaun Watson, calmly led his team downfield which led to a field goal and cut Alabama’s advantage 31-27.

Then both teams went on a scoring spree. First, on Clemson’s kickoff, Alabama’s return man, Kenyan Drake, exploded down the sideline for a 95-yard kickoff-return touchdown.

Then on Clemson’s next possession, Watson threw his third touchdown pass of the game to bring the score to 38-33 with 4:40 remaining for the game.

“We stand toe-to-toe with everybody in the country,” said Clemson’s head coach Dabo Swinney. “This program doesn’t take a backseat to anybody.”

Alabama answered the Tiger’s scoring drive a minute later when the Crimson Tide’s running back, and 2015-16 Heisman Trophy winner, Derrick Henry, bullied his way into the end zone for his third touchdown of the game to bring the

Alabama quarterback Jacob Coker celebrates aften win

score to 45-33.

With the time ticking away, Clemson’s quarterback Watson threw his fourth touchdown pass but it was too little too late, and Alabama reigned victorious.

Watson tallied 478 total yards, setting the record for the most total yards ever in the national championship game.

Men’s basketball: From Front Page

Andy Avgi led Wolves in scoring with 24 points oover Saint Martin’s

Photo by JAMAL SMITH

big man, seven foot center Fred Jorg.

“Usually I guard people that are taller than me, but he had more weight on me. I think that he is around three-hundred pounds to my two-seventy, and that was a real load on defense,” said Avgi after the game. “It really got me tired at times, but I just kept on going at him and I think he only shot one for three. If I can do that against bigger guys I think we will do great.”

Western’s lead ballooned to 20 points with 6:46 remaining for the game, but SMU chipped away at the lead, and looked to bring Western’s advantage to single digits. Avgi’s 3-pointer with just over two minutes remaining all but sealed the Wolves’ victory.

The Wolves shot 0.431 from the floor and 0.387 from long range and out-rebounded the Saints 3634. Ball security and limiting turnovers were also a key factor.

“I thought that we didn’t have the level of ener-

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Photo courtesy of USA TODAY SPORTS

“All the stats don’t really matter to me,” said Watson at the press conference after the game. “I just wanted to get the win and do something that we haven’t done in 34 years.”

The national championship was close, hard fought, and satisfying, especially for Alabama.

gy in the first half that I thought we needed and I thought that we picked that up in the second half,” said Coach Shaw. “The best thing that we did today was not turning the ball over. We only had five turnovers for the entire game, which is hard to do.”

“We defended the interior better tonight than we have. I think that we need to improve our three point defense. They were 8 from 23, which I would have liked to see that about 6 for 23,” added Coach Shaw. “Overall I think we played solid, just not great.”

The victory improves the Wolves’ overall record to 12-2 and 5-1 in GNAC conference play.

After dropping two out of the last three games prior to the start of the week, the Wolves got back on track with a 96-90 overtime victory on Thursday, Jan. 7 against Seattle Pacific University and have now won three in a row.

Avgi’s 34 point performance on Thursday’s game combined with his 24 point performance against the Saint’s, earned Western’s big man the GNAC Player of the Week honor.

Up next, Avgi and the Wolves travel north to play Western Washington University on Saturday, Jan. 16. The next home game is on Thursday, Jan. 21 against the University of Alaska Anchorage at 7 p.m. in the New P.E. Building.

SPORTS

The Journal Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

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Photo courtesy of NFL.COM

NFL Playoff Madness

Now there are eight. Eight teams remain in the NFL playoff picture and will face off this weekend to determine who will advance to the conference championship games.

The Wild Card play-in games lived up to the hype.

For the first time in the history of the NFL playoffs, all four road teams advanced and will play the top-two teams from the AFC and NFC, who earned a first week bye and got an extra week of preparation.

The first game of the weekend pits last year’s champions, the New England Patriots, against the red-hot Kansas City Chiefs. The game will kick off on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 1:35 p.m.

The Chiefs are the hottest team in the NFL. After going 1-5 at the start of the season, Kansas City won their last 10 games and is coming off a 30-0 beat down of the Houston Texans in the Wild Card play-in game.

New England on the other hand, won their first 11 games, but since then has gone 2-4 in their last six, dropping their last two games of the regular season.

Although Kansas City appears to have the advantage, New England has three things that the Chief ’s lack: Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and four NFL Championships in the last 15 years.

The Saturday evening game, which has a start time of 5:15 p.m., is an NFC rematch between the Arizona Cardinals and the Green Bay Packers. In that week 16 matchup, Arizona destroyed the Packers 38-8, sacking Packer’s quarterback Aaron Rodgers eight times; two of which resulted in fumbles returned for Arizona

touchdowns.

Green Bay defeated the Washington Redskins 35-18 last week in the Wild Card round, while Arizona had a first round playoff bye.

On Sunday, Jan. 17 at 10:05 a.m., the Seattle Seahawks travel to Carolina to face off against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers. Seattle was victorious in their Wild Card play-in game, barley squeezing by the Minnesota Vikings in sub-zero temperatures because of a last-second field goal miss from 27-yards out

by Viking’s kicker Blair Walsh.

The Panthers dominated the regular season, only losing one game the entire season and earning a first round playoff bye. Don’t count Seattle out though; they won the championship two years ago and would have been victorious last year if not for a controversial play call in the final minute of last year’s Super Bowl.

The Divisional Playoff Rounds close out on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 1:40 p.m. when the Denver Broncos host the Pittsburg Steelers. Pittsburg is coming off an 18-16 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in last week’s Wild Card match.

Payton Manning is slated as Denver’s starting quarterback after replacing backup Brock Osweiler late in Denver’s final regular season match up. The big question coming into the game is whether Manning has one last playoff run.

All questions will be answered by Sunday. Eight teams will turn to four, and the weak will be separated from the strong.

By Jamal Smith | Sports Editor

Wolves go cold from the floor against Alaska Fairbanks Wolves fall to Alaska Fairbanks 55-75

By Jamal Smith | Sports Editor The Western Oregon women’s basketball team traveled to Alaska and inevitably fell to the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) 55-75 on Saturday, Jan. 7.

The Wolves had two players score in double figures.

Senior Michelle Bromagem (G) led the Wolves in scoring with 15 points on 5-10 shooting from the floor and went 3-6 from distance.

Sophomore Jasmine Miller (G/F) tallied 10 points on a perfect shooting night, shooting 5-5 from the floor.

Western got on the scoreboard first off with a Bro-

magem 3-pointer on the Wolves first possession of the game, but the Wolves went through a four minute scoring drought. The Nanooks took advantage of the Wolves’ cold stretch and scored 9 unanswered points.

UAF’s lead would balloon to a 16 point advantage with less than a minute remaining in the first quarter.

The Wolves showed their never-say-die mentality and clawed their way back into the game, cutting Alaska’s lead to single digits at 30-38 going into half time.

In the third quarter, Western would again go cold from the floor. To make matters worse, UAF dropped 20 points in the quarter, and the Nanooks took a 58-41 lead into the final quarter.

UAF’s lead proved to be too much for the Wolves to come back from, and the fourth quarter played out like

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the rest of the game had.

The Wolves had a tough shooting night and finished the game shooting 0.396 from the floor and 0.222 from beyond the arch. Although Western outrebounded UAF 30-25, the Wolves committed 25 turnovers witch led to 27 UAF points.

The loss brings the Wolves overall record to 2-12 and 1-5 in GNAC conference play.

Next up, the Wolves host Montana State University of Billings at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 16. The Yellow Jackets currently sit in second place in the GNAC with an overall record of 9-5 and 5-1 in GNAC conference play.

You can purchase tickets online or at the box office on game day.

6 Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 The Journal

The death of

ENTERTAINMENT

david bowie

By Declan Hertel | Entertainment Editor There is no one else in the world I could think of who could be so deeply abnormal as to turn their own death into a piece of art. But David Bowie certainly was, and his last act puts an impossibly perfect cap onto an excellent and diverse career.

I listened to the first half of “★” (pronounced “Blackstar”) when it came out, and was very impressed by it. The spacey, dark electronic sounds of the title track were a surprise to me, but much like the other weird parts of Bowie’s repertoire, it scratched an itch I didn’t know I had before I heard it.

The third track, “Lazarus,” stood out as another gem, not least because of the music video that accompanied it. The song’s first lyrics are “Look up here, I’m in heaven / I’ve got stars that can’t be seen / I’ve got drama, can’t be stolen / Everybody knows me now.”

In retrospect, it should have been painfully obvious. But there are some people who are so iconic, so ubiquitous, so seemingly immortal that we all begin to believe that they’re immortal.

Upon hearing the news of his death, I immediately set to listening to “★” again.

It was as obvious as it should have been at first: David Bowie had, absolutely and intentionally, given us a parting gift: one last hurrah.

And it was glorious in the purest form of the word.

Bowie created a piece of performance art out of his death, one that I will be forever thankful I was able to experience. He released an album, gave us two days to process it, and then died, revealing its true genius and meaning. While I think the album is great purely on musical merit, it had a higher, ethereal level of greatness that only became clear after he passed, and will never be experienced again in the same way. It’s a work of art that existed to those who heard the album before he died, and only to them. It lasted for a short time and now is just a memory. I’m still kind of reeling from the whole thing.

David Bowie, you were a great artist who inspired many, including myself, and told us all that it’s totally cool to be an oddity, because he knew what it was like to be one. I’ll leave you with my favorite of his lyrics: “These children that you spit on / As they try to change their world / Are immune to your consultations / They’re quite aware what they’re going through.”

Goodbye, David Bowie. The stars look very different today.

Photos courtesy of DAVIDBOWIE.COM

ENTERTAINMENT

The Journal Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

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DiCaprio and Hardy and Bears oh my

By Conner Williams | Editor-in-Chief With the recent box office takeover by “Star Wars,” not much else has had a chance to catch more than a glance from moviegoers.

But whether or not the lightsaber fever dies down, Alejandro Inarritu’s “The Revenant” should be on your list of movies to see, and soon. Inarritu also directed “Birdman,” which won the Oscar for best motion picture last year. “The Revenant” has been nominated for 12 Academy Awards.

It’s no surprise that a film that required an actor to survive sub-zero temperatures, freezing rivers, and eat a raw bison liver would have Leonardo DiCaprio (“Titanic,” “The Wolf of Wall Street”) as the lead. DiCaprio’s costars also deliver strong performances,

including those from Tom Hardy (“Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Dark Knight Rises) and Domhnall Gleeson (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Ex Machina”).

DiCaprio has often gone to great extents to give noteworthy, passionate performances, but his role in “The Revenant” takes it to a whole new level.

“The Revenant” is the true story of Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), a 19th century fur trapper who is viciously mauled by a bear and left for dead by his comrades. Glass must utilize all of his survival skills to rehabilitate his body and withstand the extreme conditions in order to exact his revenge.

Filmed in the heart of the Canadian wilderness (and in Argentina when the snow melted) with nothing but natural light for the cameras, all those involved in the making of the film had to dig deep in order to make this project happen.

The crew often times had less than two hours of daylight to work with before the sun would set once again. There were even some instances in which filming almost ceased due to several severe frostbite scares.

DiCaprio gives the performance of a lifetime by doing anything necessary in order to give the film the most authentic feel possible, including refusing to eat a fake bison liver for fear that it would not look real. DiCaprio also stripped naked in below-freezing temperatures for one scene and jumped into an icy river for an-

Bleed, Wyoming, Bleed: “The Hateful Eight” review Tarantino returns to the big screen, six-shooters blazing

By Declan Hertel | Entertainment Editor I love Westerns. I love the films of Quentin Tarantino. I love comic ultraviolence. I love snappy, stylized dialogue.

I love single-setting stories. I love Tim Roth.

What I’m getting at is I knew I was going to love this movie before I set foot anywhere near the theatre. And boy howdy, did I. Tarantino’s latest film brings us Minnie’s Haberdashery, a small cabin in the mountains of Wyoming, where two bounty hunters, a wanted woman, and the soon-to-be sheriff of Red Rock, WY, hole up with four other strange and seedy characters to wait out a blizzard. As everyone is locked inside, it becomes clear that not everyone is really a stranger to everyone else, and that some of them may be working toward some hidden agenda. Unraveling the mystery is the three hours’ traffic of the silver screen, and it is just freaking fantastic.

“The Hateful Eight” features a cast full of multiple-movie Tarantino collaborators, notably Samuel L. Jackson (“Pulp Fiction”) and “Reservoir Dogs” alums Michael Madsen and Tim Roth. I love when directors develop a cadre of actors: as they become more and more in tune with each other’s style and vision, it turns the process into one creative whole, rather than trying to herd a lot of disparate people toward a nebulous end. “The Hateful Eight” shines for this reason: the majority of the cast has worked with Tarantino before, several of

them many times, and this camaraderie allows everyone to understand what they’re working toward and make it great.

I mentioned this in the opening, but it bears repeating: this film is really, really gory, even for a Tarantino film. If it’s likely to result in a shower of blood and viscera, someone probably does it to someone else during “The Hateful Eight.” Sure, ninety percent is played for laughs, but it’s seriously intense.

I’d also like to address one of the oddest criticisms of this movie that I have been seeing consistently: that it is boring. I have seen the word ‘boring’ used to describe this movie. This is completely unbelievable to me: if you found “The Hateful Eight” boring, I want to know what a tremendously exciting life you must lead to be bored by this film. This film is engaging, exciting, and excellent, and I think you ought to see it.

Now, in true Tarantino style, I’d like to go on a tangent: please, for the love of art, take every review you read with a grain of salt, especially negative reviews. People have vastly different tastes in art, and any review is just that one person’s opinion.

Don’t take anyone’s word as gospel. I loved this movie. You may not. I have hated movies you may love. The point is that this is all just my opinion and my interpretation.

And because you and I, dear reader, are not the same person, we will likely differ somewhat in our opinions. That’s part of what makes art beautiful: it may not speak to everyone, but for those it does speak to, there’s nothing better.

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other.

While not as daring a request as surviving extreme weather conditions, DiCaprio did have to grow and maintain a scraggly, dirty beard for nearly a year, even during breaks in filming.

After four best actor Oscar nominations, this looks to be DiCaprio’s most complete, complex, and sincere role.

Many film writers have predicted that “The Revenant” will be the film that brings it home for him.

Photo courtesy of THEHATEFULEIGHT.COM

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CAMPUS LIFE

The Journal Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

Art exhibit: From Front Page Changzhou University in China, is displayed. Most are portraits of people, however there are also some landscapes included in his exhibit, and some are so detailed they look almost like photographs.

The other exhibit on the third floor is “American Folklife: a Commonwealth of Cultures,” presented by the Library of Congress Corner. It is a collection of photographs from around the United States with captions explaining each photo.

“We’ve added in the local culture with archival photographs and music,” said Parpart. This exhibit includes a video presentation of Monmouth Folklife, which entails the activities and music of the Western community, including background music from a concert recorded in the 1940’s.

“Misfortune County,” a western produced by student filmmakers, is also sponsored by Hamersly Library and showcased on the second floor at this time. The film screening will be in Hamersly Library room 107 on Jan. 29 at 6:15 p.m.

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: Paintings by Chi Wang, chalk on paper portraits by Chi Wang, and pieces from the American Folklife exhibit Photos by JAMAL SMITH

“Pirates of the Queeribbean”

By Joleen Braasch | Staff Writer With WOU Drag Show auditions just around the corner, drag fever is in the air. In recent years, Triangle Alliance has brought the campus “The Wonderful Wizard of WOU,” “Magic Queendom Academy” (Disney themed), “Out of Pandora’s Box” (Greek themed), and “Around the World in 80 Gays” to the Rice Auditorium stage.

On April 7, the cast of the 20th annual WOU Drag Show will bring “Pirates of the Queeribbean” into the

hearts of the WOU community. The WOU community can expect yet another night of fun, filled with loud music, racy dance moves, and equality for all.

Hosted by the Triangle Alliance (a student-run organization on campus that aims to create a safe space for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*, Queer and Ally (LGBT*Q+) students) the drag show is important to the heart of equality on our campus while also encouraging confidence and self- expression.

Courtney Thomas, a senior biology major, defines drag as “an expression, a part of the soul, a means to release the inner portion of you, however you may be defined or not defined.”

John Goldsmith, a senior English literature major, has been performing in the drag show since his first year. It has allowed him to gain the strength to fully accept himself as a gay man, he said.

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To Jenesa Ross, a senior biology major, the show is important because it is rare to find something that allows anyone and everyone to just be themselves; the drag show provides this for her and for all others involved, whether they are dancing or working behind the scenes.

Four seniors known as “the quadforce”-- Gabbi Boyle, John Goldsmith, Lindsey Hughes, and Jenesa Ross- are working together to put on yet another amazing student run show.

Gabbi Boyle, a senior interdisciplinary studies major, said that this is a major factor of pride for drag show community, as outside choreographers were brought in until 2014.

Auditions start Friday, Jan. 15 from 6-8 p.m. and continue through Saturday. Jan. 16 and Sunday, Jan. 17 from 1-3pm in HWC 302.

CAMPUS LIFE

The Journal Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

9

Chinese New Year through the years

By Brianna Bonham | Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of TENSTRINGSANDAGOATSKIN.COM

Who knew goatskin could sound so good?

A contemporary twist on traditional Irish music

By Rachael Jackson | Staff Writer Ten Strings And A Goat Skin will perform at the Rice Auditorium in an event free to WOU students, Friday, Jan. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Hailing from the Prince Edward Island of Canada, this English-French bilingual band bends and fuses the genre of traditional Irish music and Acadian sounds with their interpretations of modern and world rhythms.

The bulk of their songs are played in the style of trad music, which is fast-paced and upbeat - it is something to dance and have fun to. They blend in sounds of bluegrass, traditional Scandinavian music, and other world music in a seamless way that makes the fusion seem natural.

Jesse Périard, guitarist, brothers Rowen Gallant, violinist, and Caleb Gallant, percussionist, come from Acadian heritages themselves, giving them a close understanding of the culture.

Périard and Rowen Gallant comprise the tenstring part of the musical group, while Caleb Gallant is the goatskin, because, traditionally, goatskins are tanned and stretched to cover a drumhead.

Acadia is the Eastern coastal region of Canada that includes the Maritime provinces and part of present-day Quebec. The French settled the region in the seventeenth century until Irish and Scottish immigrants began settling in the Maritime provinces.

With just the three instruments, the band creates a full sound that seems almost textural, as if the music has a physical feeling. This is an attribute that can be hard to achieve even with the most technologically advanced music equipment.

For being so young-- all members are under 25-they have an outstanding understanding of their instruments that is sure to entertain audiences of varied backgrounds and tastes.

Take care not to miss this performance. The concert should be a fun and lighthearted entrance into the weekend that will lift spirits and ensure a prolonged good mood.

A time for change: Revisited

By Megan Clark | Campus Life Editor Last week, three WOU students were interviewed about their New Year’s resolutions. This week, they were asked about whether they were keeping up with them or not. Let’s see how they did!

Jocelyn Chavez, a junior anthropology major, had a main goal of being healthier. This included working on her mental health and improving her sleep.

Another one of her goals was to go on a Tinder date.

Was she successful?

When asked about her resolutions, Chavez responded, “I have been working out more, I’ve been taking niacin a bit more, so I’ve been sleeping really well, actually. As far that first Tinder date, I’ve got one coming up on Sunday.”

Another resolutioner was Mariah Williams, a senior interdisciplinary studies major. Her goals included getting healthier and being happy single.

“I’ve been eating pretty healthy, not eating sugar.

That’s going good. And my other resolution for being single is going okay; I haven’t gone on any dates, so that’s good,” Williams said. She also has not given into the temptation of accepting phone calls from men who might be looking for a date.

Health was a primary focus for resolutioners, shown again with Justin Oehler, a senior education major. His goals, which were inspired by a health class he is enrolled in, were to work out more and get in shape.

“I’m going to [try] to follow them as best I can, I have had a hard time getting back in the swing of things but I feel better about this week. Gym three times this week is my goal and eating vegetables,” said Oehler.

While there may be some faltering, overall our resolutioners are successful thus far. This bodes well for the year to come!

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This year, the Chinese New Year falls on Monday, Feb. 8. There are exciting times in store for this New Year, including a presidential election. In 2016, The Fire Monkey makes its first appearance since 1956.

The Fire Monkey represents leadership and competition.

In 1932, Franklin D. Photo courtesy of HALLMARK.COM Roosevelt won the presidential election against Herbert Hoover. 1932 also marked the third year of The Great Depression. President Roosevelt won the election again in 1944, another Year of the Monkey.

In 1954, Elvis Presley began performing across the south.

In 1968 both Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were both assassinated. In 1980 began the Reagan Revolution and Reaganomics.

In 1992, iconic bands and artists such as Dr. Dre, The Beastie Boys, and REM released albums. 2004 was the last year there were new episodes of Friends aired.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year, the International Club at Western is holding a Chinese New Year celebration on Feb. 8. The cost is $6 for ID holding students.

For more information, keep an eye out for flyers around campus!

Northwest Passage seeking submissions That Last Hard Mile – Emily Pate walk. go out into the sun-carved morning and let yourself hunger for horizons. it’s alright to be afraid. hold your hope deep in your stomach where your fear lives. let them settle there, together. let them both bloom. you never know what seeds you swallow until they spread leaves into all the soft parts of your body. there are miracles in you because you made them. this morning is a promise. curl it into the careful callouses of your hands. breathe.

This poem by Emily Pate, now a graduate of WOU was published in the Northwest Passage’s fall 2015 issue.

Interested in having some of your own work published by WOU’s wonderful literary mag?

The deadline for the upcoming winter issue is February 12.

The Northwest Passage accepts up to five pieces of poetry, as well as fiction, screenplays, and scripts under 2,250 words.

It also accepts art, in the form of photography, paintings, drawings, or otherwise in digital format.

If this tickles your artistic and literary fancy, then submit your work as an attachment to northwestpassage@wou.edu!

By Megan Clark | Campus Life Editor

10

EDITORIAL

The Journal Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

Leghumping can get you pregnant?

Netf lix and kill

An argument for cats over dogs.

By Conner Williams | Editor-in-Chief

By Stephanie Blair | Copy Editor

W

hen I was 13, my mother told me that if a married couple gets a dog, in two years they’ll have a baby.

This wasn’t a scientific study she read, just her own observation. She watched all of her twenty-something friends get engaged, married, a dog, a baby - in that order.

So what about people, like me, who don’t want kids? Is there a safer (but still furry) alternative?

The answer: cats.

As the “mother” of two rescues, I can say that the joys of parenthood that are so often described to me by older, female members of my family who strongly believe that I’ll change my mind about kids, are present in the ownership of fur-babies.

I found a tiny, shivering, adorable ball of fluff and bones last May: an abandoned six-weekold kitten. I got to watch her development as she grew from a meek, pocket-sized miracle to a confident, athletic ruler of the house who, all too often, wakes me up at 6 a.m. for food. There is something magical about raising a living being, I’ll give my baby-crazy relatives that, but not having to risk my health to start its life is a big plus.

And let’s be real: I get to put my baby in ridiculous clothes. Tiny cat sweaters are, in fact, as cute as baby shoes.

As if that all wasn’t enough, the woes of fur-baby bearing are also much less than those of the naked man-children.

For one thing, kids are expensive. The US Department of Agriculture estimates that the amount it will cost to raise a child born in 2013 to the age of 18, with adjustments made for projected inflation, is over $300,000. And while a raising an animal isn’t free, businessinsider.com used ASPCA data to calculate the cost of owning different pets over their lifetimes, and cats, who live to be about 15 years old on average, cost their owners approximately $7,500.

Not to mention, cats are much more self-reliant than dogs and human babies. The stereotype of spoiled, needy cats is colored heavily by dog-lovers in the movie industry. The reality is that my cat washes herself and goes to the bathroom on her own. My boyfriend’s dog has to be let out and bathed by his owner.

So, in short, if you don’t want to get pregnant and have a baby, but you love companionship that doesn’t hump your leg, go adopt a cat.

They’re great.

“Making a Murderer” raises questions about criminal justice system

If you’ve ever had a run in with the law, I sure hope it wasn’t in the state of Wisconsin, because you’d likely be reading this from a jail cell where you’re stuck for a crime you didn’t commit.

Over the holiday break, Netflix released a documentary show entitled “Making a Murderer” that sparked countless conversations around the web centered on the current state of the criminal justice system.

The documentary, which was filmed over the course of ten years, followed a Wisconsin man named Steven Avery and his experiences with the law enforcement agencies in and surrounding the area of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin.

Avery was convicted of sexual assault, attempted murder, and false imprisonment back in 1985 and served 18 years of his life in prison. That’s a good thing, right?

Well, it would be if he actually committed those crimes. Avery had to wait until technology advanced enough to the point when he could be proven innocent by the presence of DNA from another individual.

So, he was acquitted after spending nearly two decades in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. This didn’t make Steven too happy, and so he sued the department that put him in prison for $36 million. As it so happens, that didn’t make that department too happy either, so what happened next became the inspiration for the widely popular Netflix documentary.

Two years after Avery was released from prison, he found himself back on the radar of his favorite law enforcement officers. This time, however, it was for a crime much more severe: murder.

Teresa Halbach worked for Auto Trader magazine and traveled to Avery’s property on Oct. 31, 2005 to shoot some photos of a van for an assignment.

Her vehicle and charred bone fragments were found on the property about a week later, and you can bet that Steven Avery was the first one the

police had their eyes on.

The Manitowoc County district attorney requested that the neighboring authorities from Calumet County lead the investigation to avoid a conflict of interest. Great, that should even things out, no?

Wrong again. During the week long search of Avery’s trailer, authorities found nothing until a few days into the search, conveniently when Manitowoc officials were on scene helping. Yes, the very same department that mistakenly put Avery in prison for two decades was allowed to participate in the investigation.

Coincidentally enough, on the very same day that the Manitowoc officials showed up, a crucial piece of evidence was found “in plain sight” in Avery’s bedroom: the key to Halbach’s vehicle. That was the break investigators needed, and they arrested Avery shortly after. It’s interesting how the most valuable piece of evidence that was “in plain sight” wasn’t found until days into the search, and by a Manito-

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woc official to boot. What’s the word for that feeling again … Ah, yes: suspicious.

To make things even more interesting, Avery’s learning-disabled nephew, 16-year-old Brendan Dassey was then interrogated by police – Manitowoc County police – at school. Here’s where things get really unethical. Dassey spent multiple hours being interrogated by police investigators with neither a parent nor a lawyer present.

So what did Dassey say? Only exactly what the police needed him to in order to fit the narrative they had chosen to follow.

Dassey confessed to having helped Avery murder, mutilate, and burn the body of Halbach. It’s too bad the confession didn’t actually match up with any of the (nonexistent) evidence in the trailer, but we already know that evidence is an overrated concept to Manitowoc County investigators.

What sort of people that are supposed to be the forefront of justice interrogate a learning-disabled minor for

Continued on Back

Photo courtesy of NYTIMES.COM

EDITORIAL

The Journal Friday, Jan. 15, 2016

11

Distorted data and a plea for continued action Obama’s final State of the Union Address was more than just a pat on his own back

By Alvin Wilson | Staff Writer Tuesday’s State of the Union Address was Obama’s last time to address the nation and Congress in this manner. He is one of just six U.S. presidents who have given a State of the Union Address in their eighth year in office.

The general tone of his final State of the Union Address was that of victory; an attitude of “look at what we’ve accomplished” permeated his speech, and it was clear that he wanted to emphasize the good that he has done.

But the speech wasn’t just a jab at Republicans or a giant pat on the back for himself. He showed regret for what was left unaccomplished and a desire to continue making progress.

Throughout his speech, Obama outlined the actions he believes we need to

take to ensure a safe and prosperous future. Not all of what Obama presented during his speech was the truth in full context, but much of it was still grounded in factual data.

Here are some examples of misrepresented facts presented during his address: Obama claimed that the budget has been cut by nearly three-fourths. According to a USA Today fact check, those numbers are a bit distorted.

Obama included more than $100 billion in increased spending in the calculations. This increase in spending made the deficit appear to shrink, but it’s unfair to say that a bigger budget equals a smaller deficit.

He claimed the U.S. had created more than 14 million new jobs, which is true.

But he doesn’t mention the fact that

those new jobs are only in the private sector, and it only accounts for jobs created since the job market reached an all-time low in 2010.

Obama, in a humorous manner, mentioned the strength of our country in his address. In response to recent claims that our country has grown weak, or that our military is shrinking while others are growing, he said, “The United States of America is the most powerful country on Earth. Period. It’s not even close.”

He went on to mention that the U.S. spends more on our military than the next eight countries combined.

This number is only partially correct when looking at actual dollars spent on the military.

An April 2015 report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on military expenditures found

that “the U.S. spent $610 billion on defense in 2014, while the next eight nations spent a combined total of $646.4 billion.”

However, in terms of percent of gross domestic product (GDP) spent on military, the U.S. ranks fourth, according to that same report.

“The U.S. spends 3.5 percent of its gross domestic product — which is only the fourth highest of the top 15 countries.

Saudi Arabia (10.4 percent), United Arab Emirates (5.4 percent) and Russia (4.5 percent) spend more on the military as a share of GDP than the United States,” according to the same data from the SIPRI. Obama, in a possible attempt to seem less brutish, wanted to make it clear that America isn’t just respected for its military prowess.

“The world respects us not just for our

Continued on Back

Photo courtesy of FORBES.COM

Musings from a woman on the edge

By Katrina Penaflor | Managing Editor I’m convinced my Facebook feed is just an increasing pile of things I never want to read about, but continue to look at on a daily basis.

Facebook, in a sense, is like fast food. It sounds so good at first, it’s super convenient, and it’s absolutely amazing when you first start. Then, as time goes on and you consume more of it, like a lot more of it, it sort of makes you sick.

I’ve definitely hit the side of overconsumption where Facebook is making me sick, or maybe I’m just sick of Facebook.

The other day I saw this post that was shared thousands of times, and at least five times by people I’m friends with on Facebook that talked about splitting up the lottery winnings. Maybe you’re familiar with it; it said something along the lines that if the 1.3 billion dollars was split evenly among all the people in the U.S. then everyone would get four million dollars.

I don’t even know where to start on addressing this.

The math, first of all, couldn’t be more inaccurate. And on a second note, when I read the comments beneath this post I was actually convinced that some people will believe anything they read online.

And this madness of believing 1.3 billion divided by 300 million equals four million has actually become the

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norm for what I see online.

I’m constantly seeing things that leave me shaking my head and wondering why I’m still reading post from people that I never interact with in real life. The “unfollow” or “unfriend” button is continually getting pressed.

I’m finding that the only good things I see on Facebook are those addicting Tasty videos that show me how to make pizza dips and Oreo stuffed donuts. Or pictures my cousin uploads of his new baby.

So why do I keep logging on and reading what everyone has posted and shared? Why can’t I pull myself away from what some would consider internet garbage?

Maybe food videos and baby pictures are enough to keep me logging back on. Or maybe I’m just stuck with the fear of missing out on something that’s actually important.

TAIL-END

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From Page 10

hours without a parent present? Cowards, that’s who.

And so ensued the lengthy investigation that eventually landed Avery and Dassey life sentences: Avery without chance for early release, and Dassey with a possible early release date in 2048.

Never mind the overwhelming evidence that basically projects police tampering on the big screen; the court believes they got the right guys.

Never mind the fact that the lead prosecutor in both cases was later fired and publicly embarrassed for having been involved in several sexting scandals when he

wrote sexually explicit messages to domestic violence victims. Nothing but the cream of the crop when it comes to Wisconsin criminal justice officials.

The thing that really gets to me about this case though is the amount of media coverage that occurred and how it had a direct impact on the juries. There was basically zero presumption of innocence in either Avery or Dassey’s cases, which led to predetermined biases from the juries and probably directly contributed to the guilty verdicts that were handed down.

Think about it: these guys’ pictures were all over every media outlet in the country for a significant period of time. What do you think that does to people watching?

It makes them think they are already guilty. So much for a fair trial and being innocent until proven guilty.

Photo courtesy of PENGUINRANDOMHOUSE.COM

12 Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 “Making a Murderer”:

Box office force: “Star Wars” soars

Dystopian fiction without a teenage girl Photo courtesy of STARWARS.COM

“The Force Awakens breathes new life into franchise

By Ashton Newton | Staff Writer “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (TFA) opened on Dec. 18 with the biggest worldwide opening weekend of all time at $529 million. Since then, TFA has become the top-grossing movie in America, surpassing James Cameron’s “Avatar.” The film has broken numerous other box office records, including the top grossing IMAX opening of all time.

Reviews for the movie have been mostly positive; TFA is currently sitting pretty on a 93 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviews say that the movie is great for veteran fans and newcomers alike. In a review for Empire magazine, Helen O’Hara said, “It packs a planet-sized punch, launching a new generation of characters who – by the end – take a place next to Han, Leia, and the rest. Star Wars is back, and this is just the beginning.”

Fans don’t have to wait long for a new Star Wars film; Gareth Edwards’ “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” comes out this December, starring Felicity Jones (“The Theory of Everything”) and Mads Mikkelsen (“Hannibal”). “Rogue One” takes place between episodes III

SOTU:

From Page 11 arsenal; it respects us for our diversity and our openness and the way we respect every faith,” said Obama.

For his last State of the Union Address, Obama chose to take a victory lap. Most of the address was focused on the good things of his presidency, and the rest was interested in the future.

The area that was the most flawed in this address was the presentation of facts. All of his facts came from data available to anyone in the U.S., but much of it was dis-

and IV. After “Rogue One” in December, fans will have a six-month wait until episode VIII in May 2017 and Episode IX in 2019.

Anthology films much like “Rogue One” will also be coming out. In 2018, a Han Solo movie directed

by Chris Miller and Phil Lord (“The Lego Movie,” “22 Jump Street”) will be coming out, as well as a Boba Fett movie in 2020.

Rumors have resurfaced recently that Ewan McGregor has been in talks for three upcoming movies with Disney. Fans have been asking for a Kenobi movie for a long time, focusing on Obi-Wan’s life during the 18 years between episodes III and IV. Ewan McGregor also had one line hidden in “The Force Awakens,” reciting Alec Guinness’ famous “These are your first steps” so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him reprise the role as a ghost in future Star Wars films.

New Star Wars material is available right now, too, if you can’t wait until December. Disney has released a number of new canon books including Check Wendig’s “Aftermath” and Claudia Gray’s “Lost Stars.” There are also a number of comics out and more are being rapidly released. There is also Disney’s “Star Wars: Rebels,” which will be returning to finish out season two later this year.

“The Force Awakens” is out now, and there are plenty more Star Wars adventures to be had in the coming months. torted to support the idea that Obama is great — which, to be honest, should be expected of any politician.

His area of success was definitely the emotion and passion he displayed. There were some very powerful things said and many quotable moments for social media. He touched on issues such as immigration, the economy, technological innovation, and climate change, among others. But he also succeeded in setting the tone for politics in the rest of this decade and beyond.

You can see the full transcript of the speech on www. npr.org, or watch the entire speech on the White House YouTube page.

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By Rachael Jackson | Staff Writer Margaret Atwood began “The Heart Goes Last” three years ago as an online, episodic narrative. She released the story slowly through Byliner, an online publisher, until it finally took shape as a novel. Now you can pick up the novel in most places, Hamersly library included.

Atwood has a taste for creating futuristic worlds that are only slightly different than our own. I would call this science fiction; Atwood, however, has a disdain for the sci-fi genre and would counter that it is “speculative fiction.”

Many of her novels take place in a future that suffers from unchecked capitalistic growth. “The Heart Goes Last” is no different in the setting, but thorugh the plot she examines something that has been on the minds of many as of late: the privatization of the prison system.

It follows the story of Charmaine and Stan, a couple who live in their car following a devastating economic collapse leaves 50 percent of the eastern United States homeless and destitute. The couple lives in constant fear of roving bands of hedonistic dissidents that loot, rape, and kill.

Like a beacon, the Positron Project appears to Charmaine on a commercial at work one day. The Positron Project invites lawful citizens to take part in a new experiment -- the safety of a home and job in exchange of prison time every other month.

Atwood delves into dark places in her books, but she does so to highlight the perverse nature of habits we sometimes conceive to be normal. Gender is an important topic to the novel, especially when mild-mannered Charmaine enters into the torrid affair with a stranger.

Atwood writes about obsession, voyeurism, and the sex industry in an often gruesome and uncomfortable manner that some may detest.

Though her subject matter is heavy, it’s not a difficult book to read when compared to her earlier works like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Oryx and Crake.” It also is not the best she is written, for the record.

If you have an interest in the bizarre, in modern science fiction, or a burning desire to question societal constructs then look no further.