Ball State Belly Dancer Club hosts annual Women's Week Hafla
Editor's Note: Teri Lightning Jr. is involved in Unified Media organizations, but is also a member of the Ball State Belly Dance Club.
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Editor's Note: Teri Lightning Jr. is involved in Unified Media organizations, but is also a member of the Ball State Belly Dance Club.
Recognizing historic Ball State women as part of Women's History Month for their accomplishments.
Editor’s Note: Justice Amick, who is featured in this article, previously wrote for The Daily News.
by Baylie Clevenger The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte's editorial board. Throughout history, music has been a defining part of our culture. The '50s brought us doo-wops and the '70s and '80s brought us hair bands and the surge of rock 'n' roll. Even though it is normal for popular music to change decade-to-decade, there are some people who seem to be stuck on that '70s and '80s rock 'n' roll. Especially since the release of the biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, which tells the story of Freddie Mercury and Queen’s rise to fame, there have been more and more people to express their negative feelings about modern music. Especially on social media, users seem to feel as if modern music is not as good, with less talent and heart going into it.
Many times, most art starts with an idea, a spark of inspiration, but as time progresses and the work passes through different hands, it doesn’t always end as originally planned.
by Oilvia Weinzapfel The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte and Byte’s editorial board.
by Ian Roesler The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte's editorial board. Once again YouTube is in another fiasco. And once again it’s not a good one. YouTube is currently in its second Adpocalypse. What’s that you ask? It’s where advertisers pull their ads from YouTube on videos that they deem inappropriate, i.e. not family-friendly. They do this so a brand doesn’t get associated with something that could harm the business. The first Adpocalypse was in the summer of 2017 and concerned racist content as the website Wikitubia documents. The second Adpocalypse began in February when Matt Watson released a video about pedophiles on YouTube. Since then, he has released several more videos discussing the subject. In his initial video, he asked that companies remove their advertisements and thus the second Adpocalypse hath begun.
Community members lined up and down the sidewalks of downtown Muncie in attempt to catch a glimpse of the sea of green parading down Walnut Street this afternoon.
by Tt Shinkan With most of the MCU’s heroes either dust or feeling sorry for themselves, there’s only one hero who has enough power to take on the deformed purple Shrek and save the universe. Enter Carol Danvers, a United States Air Force officer and human-Kree hybrid with superhuman strength, speed, and endurance as well as energy projection energy absorption, and flight. Danvers has also been a part of more teams than Wolverine and is even dubbed “Marvel’s mightiest Avenger.” But how did this powerful being known as Captain Marvel come to be? Well fasten your seatbelts, because I’ve traveled to the Kree planet and back to tell you all about the history of Captain Marvel. In March of 1968, Carol Danvers makes her comic debut in “Marvel Super-Heroes #13,” where she meets Dr. Walter Lawson who is secretly the Kree hero Captain Marvel. She is then caught in an explosion and sustains serious injuries. Fast forward to January 1977, Danvers returns to the comic world, but with a self-titled series and a new set of powers. However, Danvers didn’t start out as Captain Marvel, as I previously mentioned, Walter Lawson is the original Captain Marvel, instead, Danvers dons the name Ms. Marvel. The series reveals that during the explosion, a device called the “Psyche-Magnetron” combined Danvers’s DNA with Captain Marvel’s, thus turning her into a human-Kree hybrid, complete with awesome powers. During her time as Ms. Marvel, Danvers has been a part of The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, New Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., Starjammers, and even the X-Men. In fact, Danvers is attacked by Rogue, an X-Man who permanently absorbs her powers and memories due to the mutant’s abilities. This results in Rouge manifesting a Danvers persona. Eventually, this persona is killed by Magneto and Danvers’ memories are restored by Professor X. However, during this time, Danvers transforms into a new character called Binary and is able to draw power from a phenomenon called a white hole where she’s capable of producing enough power as a star. If this, or a play on this is portrayed in “Endgame,” then Thanos is done. She eventually loses connection with the white hole and her original powers are restored. However, she is still able to manipulate and absorb energy, just on a smaller level. She then rejoins the Avengers under the new name “Warbird”. During the “House of M” storyline in 2005, Danvers becomes Captain Marvel for a brief period due to her subconscious want to be liked and accepted. This, unfortunately, only lasts for a short period since the story takes place in an alternate reality created by Scarlet Witch. During the “Civil War” story, Danvers fights alongside Iron Man and supports the Superhuman Registration Act. In July of 2012, Carol Danvers officially dons the name “Captain Marvel” and rejoins the main Avengers. It is also important to note that Kamala Khan takes up the mantle of Ms. Marvel in 2013 once Danvers becomes Captain Marvel. So, how does Danvers fit into the MCU? Well, to start off, the story for the MCU version of Captain Marvel takes place in the 1990s, not the 1960s like her comic book counterpart. Like I previously stated, Danvers is strong and if the Binary storyline makes it into either of the films, that would be a great turning point in the Avengers’ fight against Thanos. However, films typically differ from the comic books and the MCU has proved that it is mostly based on the characters and storylines they’re telling rather than their expanded lore. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the character or just now learning about her, I think we can all agree on one thing; Thanos is in for one hell of a fight.
There are some holidays most Americans have begun to expect a big party attached to, including St. Patrick’s Day.
When the same holidays come every year like clockwork, it can be hard to find new events for entertainment, especially in an unfamiliar town.
by Shwetha Sundarrajan Animation giant Pixar has been embroiled in a #MeToo controversy of sexual harassment claims against Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter. These complaints from staff members ranged from unwanted hugging to recurring behavior of grabbing, kissing and making comments about physical attributes during meetings and at work events. In addition to being increasingly physical, multiple staff members told managers that Mr. Lasseter had become domineering. In an email apologizing to staff, Lasseter said he’s sorry "to anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of an unwanted hug or any other gesture they felt crossed the line in any way, shape or form.” Lasseter has since left his position as Chief Creative Officer and was replaced by Frozen co-director and co-writer Jennifer Lee and Inside Out director Pete Docter. However, Pixar struggled to part ways with Lasseter. Traditionally known as a boys club, Pixar has had several instances of not treating women and people of color equally. For example, Brenda Chapman was the first credited female director of a Pixar feature film, Brave. However, she was fired halfway through production due to a disagreement between Chapman and Lasseter. Rashida Jones, actress and writer, said she left a Pixar assignment early due to the way the studio treated female and minority voices. Since Lasseter’s firing, Pixar has taken measures to improve its workplace culture. In February 2018, Disney held a “day of listening” to improve the workplace at Pixar and Walt Disney Studios. However, Pixar has been hesitant to address Lasseter's wrongdoings. Instead, they choose to hold him at the same celebrity status he had during his Pixar days. In a statement announcing Lasseter’s departure, Robert A. Iger, Disney’s chief executive, did not address the reasons. Mr. Iger instead emphasized Mr. Lasseter’s achievements, crediting him with “reinventing the animation business, taking breathtaking risks and telling original, high-quality stories that will last forever.” With all of these controversies of inequality in the workplace and sexual harassment plaguing Pixar, it was interesting to see a new Pixar SparkShorts that addresses these topics. Purl, directed by Kristen Lester, takes a shot at the toxic "bro" culture in workplaces. The short film centers in on Purl, a new hire at B.R.O. Capital, who is repeatedly shunned by her white, male, suit-wearing co-workers as she navigates her first few days at work. The film follows Purl as she transforms herself to fit in at her company when she eventually realizes that she’s simply helping perpetuate the toxic behavior. "A few times during my career in animation, I would be in situations similar to those in the short and I would feel very alone," Lester told Glamour. "I hoped that by making the short, people would watch and know that they are not alone and that being accepted for who you are is possible." Perhaps with the firing of Lasseter and with the release of Purl, Pixar might be ready to change for the better.
by Courtney Weaver Monster Hunter, Megaman, Dead Rising, Resident Evil, and Street Fighter are just a few big names are a part of CAPCOM, and they have recently released all of their music for the world to hear. We are going to see how their music has evolved.
by Olivia Weinzapfel Public opinion on Disney’s live-action remakes, to no one’s surprise, is starting to shift toward a negative light. Some of the first classics that were recently remade, such as The Jungle Book or Beauty and the Beast, were alluring to life-long Disney fans; it was exciting for children and adults alike to see their favorite classics recreated in a life-like scene. It’s a great concept, but this can only be done so many times before these remakes start to lose their luster. That being said, why does it seem like Disney is making an effort to rework every single original? Disney is loved by millions, regardless of demographics. After all, that’s a large part of what formed most of our fondest childhood memories. The sentiment of the classics is something that makes the live-action versions irresistible to us as near-adults. Additionally, it begs a question of standards; will it be as good as the classic? No one wants to miss out on an opportunity to see how well Disney will (or will not) recreate it, which continues to secure plenty of funds for the company. As long as the fanbase lets their nostalgia get the best of them, they’ll keep on paying to see these modernized versions of their favorite originals. Sure, public opinion toward the idea of these remakes is becoming more bitter than sweet. The plain truth is, many of us are getting annoyed by seeming lack of originality from Disney’s producers. But what kind of multibillion-dollar company needs new ideas when they can still feed on the old ones? Creators are already well aware that we’re in love with the storylines and characters of the classics, so it’s an easy money grab. They can’t really be blamed for taking advantage of that convenience. Generally, success with a remake might depend on the success of the original. Some are more popular than others, but it’s doubtful that any of these remakes will turn out to be box office failures. While creators know this is an easy success strategy, they still face challenges when it comes to putting a new creative twist on movies to add at least some kind of change. To spark a sense of novelty and add some differentiation, creators seem to rely on three things: visuals, famous actors, and new angles. You could use just about any Disney live-action film as a great example of a movie with astounding visuals. It’s pretty safe to assume that producers have a large budget for effects and awe-inspiring scenery. We’re used to the cartoons, so they have to make it as visually interesting as possible as we juxtapose the original with the remake. This is a simple but effective tool that grabs hold of and maintains our attention span throughout a movie with a predictable outcome; it keeps our eyes glued to a screen even when we know almost exactly what events we’re about to see. Another filmmaking reliance on live-action movies is casting. Disney casts almost all of Hollywood’s most recognizable and publicly loved actors and actresses for their movies. The Lion King, set to release in theaters by July 2019, has a cast full of famous leads and many other talented voice actors. This film will feature Donald Glover as Simba, James Earl Jones as Mufasa, Beyoncé as Nala, and Seth Rogan as Pumbaa, just to name a few. The movie hasn’t been released yet, but the cast list was announced early last year, and it immediately generated positive reactions. We don’t have to know anything else about the production to already be writing the release date on our calendars. In some instances, however, casting choices might be a little questionable. Fans were probably thrown off-guard while watching the trailer for the next Disney remake, Aladdin. The end of the trailer flashes a scene of the infamous genie emerging from the bottle, and his face is quickly recognized as Will Smith's. In rare cases, this might excite some, but for many others, it might induce preconceived criticism. Based on standards set by the original movie, will Will Smith be able to live up to the legacy that Robin Williams left behind in the animated version? Williams is a widely loved and commemorated character in every role he played, so avoiding backlash with this casting choice is tricky; this aspect of the movie alone regarding one of the main characters might make or break the film's success. As mentioned before, the same basic storyline still exists in both old and new versions. Creators can work their way around this in one of two ways: different angles or different time periods. Taking a different angle or perspective on a plot is a refreshing way to recreate these stories. A good go-to method of pulling this off is filming a story from a villain’s perspective. This was beautifully executed in Maleficent, the 2014 version of Sleeping Beauty. We all know the tale, but it’s from another character’s perspective, one that was more or less overshadowed by the protagonist in the early version. This makes the story all the more interesting, since we’re reintroduced to a character on an introspectively deeper level. Another appealing method of recreation is the evolution of time. Winnie the Pooh, recently released as a live-action version entitled Christopher Robin, is shown in the perspective of Christopher Robin as an adult. This detail is a more relatable one for audience members. Most of us were kids when we first watched Winnie the Pooh, and now we get to see it with Christopher Robin all grown-up, just like us. The nostalgia kicks us once again as we see our lives and struggles of growing up mirrored in filmmaking with a beloved classic character. As long as Disney’s film creators continue to use these methods of reeling us and our nostalgia in, it’s easy to see why they are delivering remake after remake. As the generation who grew up watching Disney films, it makes sense that producers will be trying to remake as many as they can in the next few years while we’re becoming adults and reminiscing over our childhoods.
Choosing books bound with a heartbeat, two eyes and a story to tell, readers visiting the “Human Library” had to move past judging a book by its cover.
by Matthew Yapp The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board. This week we got our first glimpse into the 8th generation of Pokémon. Fans have been eagerly awaiting news since the new games were announced to be in development last year. This will be the first mainline Pokémon game on a console and fans are expecting quite a bit. That’s why people were thrilled not just to get a look at the new Galar region, but also to see the official art work for generation eight’s starter Pokémon. That being said, there are already a lot of opinions about the three newest additions to the Pokédex. That is why, at this point, it only makes sense to pit them against the other generations' starter Pokémon. Since we are unsure how these three will fare competitively, the rankings will be based on appearance.
by Emily Reuben The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board. A missing child is a nightmare for any parent. Horror stories of strangers grabbing up children and disappearing with them never to be seen again are used as fuel to reinforce ideas of stranger danger for our children. While many stories become embellished or propagated as fear tactics, the amount of missing children in the United States is a very real issue. According to the FBI, 424,066 reports of missing children were entered into the National Crime Information Center in 2018. Now, this number only takes into account the actual number of reported incidents, not subtracting cases where children were returned to their families. However, the number of children who stay missing could still reach or even exceed that number, since so many disappearances go unreported. In a world of uncertainty, parents must be constantly vigilant and caution their children about the cruelties of the world. However, not everything is always black and white. Bad people don’t wear shirts saying “I’m a kidnapper!” or always look like a cartoon-villain. Monsters dwell within the average person and in many cases don’t show their true colors until it’s too late. That’s why we teach our children to be wary and avoid strangers...right? But what if the monster isn’t a stranger at all? What if the real danger is someone you trust? Sadly, cases of kidnapping and abuse conducted by someone known to the victim do exist. This is the nightmare that occurs in the Netflix documentary Abducted in Plain Sight. The film explores the true story of Jan Broberg who was kidnapped, raped, and manipulated by Robert “B” Berchtold, a trusted family friend, during her childhood. In 1974, Robert Berchtold convinced Jan’s mother to let Jan accompany him on a trip to a horse ranch. It was then that Berchtold drugged Jan, convinced her she was abducted by aliens, and moved her to a motor home in Mexico. Being only a child at the time, Jan was vulnerable to Berchtold’s lies. He told her that not only was she was half-human half-alien, it was also her mission to bear his child, or else a terrible fate would befall her family. This lie paired in conjunction with the trust she had for Berchtold previously, making Jan completely believe everything her captor told her. To her, Berchtold was like a second father. Why would he lie to her? Berchtold married the twelve-year-old girl in Mexico, where the age of consent is only 12 years of age. He told Jan that he loved her, ultimately making Jan believe that she wasn’t being raped or kidnapped at all and that nothing was wrong with Berchtold. He even made contact with Jan’s parents to ask for formal permission to marry their daughter since his marriage to Jan would be invalidated if he returned with her to Idaho without her parents' consent to marry. Eventually Berchtold was captured, and Jan was returned to her family, but after being groomed and manipulated, she was still unwilling to point the finger at Berchtold. She was convinced he loved her and was crucial to the “mission” of protecting her family. In many cases, this would be the end of the story—but here, the situation only becomes more complicated. The controversy of the documentary largely stems from the events following Jan’s return home and how her parents Bob and Mary Ann handled the ordeal. It is important to note that Jan and her family are victims, so any criticism of Bob and Mary Ann needs to be handled with care. It is easy to watch the documentary from the comfort of your home and thrust blame onto someone on screen, but what we are seeing is a highly condensed and simplified series of events. The grooming and manipulation of Jan and her entire family stemmed over a course of years, making Bob and Mary Ann unquestionably trust Berchtold and never once question his actions. However, this argument can really only be made when Jan was kidnapped by Berchtold for the first time. Before this kidnapping, it is reasonable to assume they had no reason to question the man. This excuse cannot apply after Berchtold was found and Jan was returned. After this, any reasonable person would know that Berchtold is dangerous and their children, especially Jan, should be kept away from the man. Thus, we get into the controversy of Abducted in Plain Sight. After Jan was returned, Berchtold was indicted on kidnapping charges, but was ultimately set free. This is because Bob and Mary Anne signed a form stating that Jan was not being held against her will. Why would they sign this? Because Berchtold threatened to unveil one of Bob’s dark secrets. Bob had once performed sexual acts on Berchtold when he asked Bob to “relieve” him. The fear of being labeled as homosexual outweighed his desire to pursue justice for his child. Mary Ann was also seduced by Berchtold. After Jan was returned and Berchtold was released, she entered a sexual relationship with Berchtold for eight months. During this time, Berchtold was not only allowed to see Jan, but he was allowed to sleep in her bed under the guise of “therapy." The story only gets worse from here. Berchtold is continually allowed to contact and further manipulate Jan into her adulthood, all while her parents refrain from taking meaningful action. Now, the documentary did omit a scene that many call “a game changer” regarding how Jan’s parents handled the situation. After the film blew up online and criticisms of Mary Ann and Bob were rampant, the film’s director Skye Borgman explained details around a situation involving Mary Ann and her brother confronting Berchtold with a gun. While this does show that the family was concerned about Jan, it still doesn’t negate the fact that the family did not press charges, allowed Jan’s abuser to repeatedly contact and further abuse Jan, and failed to fully involve the police for many years. Mary Ann and Bob exemplify some of the worst aspects of religious devotion. The Broberg family are members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, and while there is absolutely nothing inherently wrong with that, Mary Ann and Bob placed their religious beliefs and ideologies above the safety of their own child. The church places an emphasis on forgiveness, which is, in theory, a beautiful thing. However, Mary Ann and Bob took the notion so far that not only were Bob and Mary Ann able to forgive their child’s abuser, but basically excuse him of past wrongdoing while he was actively playing a role in the family dynamic. The issue of how the church perceives homosexual relationships also plays a role in Bob’s decision to not bringing charges against Berchtold. Currently, the Church of Latter Day Saints has a relatively progressive view of same-sex relationships, stating on their website that these relationships are not unholy. The instead condemns the breaking of chastity stating that “Sexual purity is an essential part of God’s plan for our happiness.” However, same-sex relationships were not perceived as openly as they are now. Spencer Kimball, the president of LDS from 1973 to 1985, wrote various pieces condemning homosexuality. One of his more notable examples is Hope for Transgressors written by Mark Peterson and himself. The piece describes homosexuality as a “transgression” and something that can be cured by activities like dating members of the opposite sex or praying. The church has also made controversial statements such as homosexuality resulting from a lack of attention and that electroshock therapy can be used to convert homosexual men into straight men. So while the church may be changing its views today, the attitude during the time of Jan’s abduction towards homosexuality was not kind. Again, religion as a whole isn’t bad, but neglecting the needs of your child is. Putting religious beliefs before the welfare of your child is bad. Not reporting abusers for fear of how your church will perceive you is bad. This documentary is hard to sit through. The parents are infuriating. The abuse Jan endured is terrible. The fact that Robert Berchtold had abused multiple women prior to Jan and received little more than a slap on the wrist is horrifying. But Jan’s story is more than her abuse. She is a successful actor, writer, and singer co-starring in Maniac with Elijah Wood and appearing in multiple series such as NBC’s Harmful Intent and HBO’s Slaughter of the Innocents. She has also done various stage shows such as My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music. Jan and her mother wrote Stolen Innocence: The Jan Broberg Story, the basis of Abducted in Plain Sight detailing Jan’s experience. Jan has turned towards activism, speaking out against violence against women. For her activism, Jan received the Woman of Achievement Award from the St. George Chamber of Commerce in 2008. Jan’s experience, while extreme and bizarre, is indicative of a much larger problem. Violence against women and children, especially by people they know and trust, is a topic we as a society need to address head on. Abducted in Plain Sight is garnering attention for the crazy scenario and questionable actions of Jan’s parents, but really the documentary should be gaining attention for its discussion of religion, human selfishness, manipulation, and abuse that can occur from those we love and trust. More importantly, we should realize these cases are very real, and the victims aren't just faces on a screen. Jan’s experience should serve as a call to action to further protect children from abusers, and in some instances, from incompetent parents.
by Baylie Clevenger The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte and Byte's editorial board. Over the past few weeks, news and social media have been buzzing with post after post about Empire's Jussie Smollett. This whole thing has been a confusing collection of events, so let’s start with a rundown of what has happened. Smollett claimed that he was attacked on Jan. 29 in Chicago in what was being investigated as a hate crime. USA Today reports that he alleged that the men who attacked him threw racist and homophobic slurs at him, poured chemicals on him, and also wrapped a noose around his neck — a nod to the lynchings that have happened to a lot of black people throughout history. The Chicago Police Department came forward with new developments in the case recently in which they report that Smollett likely faked this attack. On Feb 15, after having arrested the suspects of the alleged attack, the men that were questioned by police claimed that Smollett paid them to stage the attack. On Feb. 20, after further investigation, Smollett was indicted for charges of disorderly conduct and false reporting of a crime. On Feb. 22, the Empire star was officially removed from the cast of the show. This whole case has been sad and despicable, and in the midst of a widely publicized fake accusation, there is no better time than now to remember how many real hate crimes happen on the daily. According to reports made by the FBI, in 2017, more than half of the hate crimes committed were motivated by race and about 15% of them were motivated by bias against sexual orientation. Among the hate crimes that were reported, religion, sexuality, and race were the top three biases that were motivation for the reported crimes. Breaking down the information, the FBI also reported that among the sexuality-related hate crimes, more than half of them were against gay men, and among racially-motivated hate crimes, about half of those were anti-black attacks as well. Hate crimes are grossly underreported, as reported by The Chicago Tribune, so the number of hate crimes taking place is likely higher than what we actually have statistics on. While Smollett may have allegedly used his identities for personal gain by faking this attack, he does not represent the entire black community, and he also does not represent the entire LGBTQ+ community. He is one person in those communities that chose to use a false claim for his own benefit while millions of others experience real crimes. Though he has been an advocate in the past, his actions in this instance have negatively impacted both the LGBTQ+ and black communities. All it takes is one highly publicized false accusation to set the tone for a whole community. Even though the majority of hate crimes are not fake, people are going to remember the one that was. His actions have moved advocacy for black and queer people back many steps.
“Man, they feel so good out of the box.”