2019 opinion project

Opinion project 2019

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OPINION MAR. 14, 2019

SIBLINGS: A BLESSING OR A CURSE? Many think of their siblings as the best thing that has ever happened to them. Others believe that their lives would be better without siblings. Truth is, siblings are sadly underrated and they deserve more love and respect than they get.

Top Left: Shanza Sami ‘26 and I enjoy our trip to Dairy Queen on May 31, 2018.

Top Right: Shanza Sami ‘26 and I visit the Field Museum in Chicago and pose in front of Sue the Dinosaur on Dec. 27, 2017.

Bottom Left: Shanza Sami ‘26 and I pose in front of a celebrity’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on July 22, 2018.

Bottom Right: Shanza Sami ‘26 and I had a photo taken of us at a family friend’s wedding on a Polaroid camera on Aug. 4, 2018.

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BY SANYA SAMI You know how when someone doesn’t have something, he or she really wishes they could have it? And when they get what they wanted, they don’t make the most of it? For me, the first example that comes to mind are siblings.

I spent the first six years of my life really wanting someone else to hang out with, someone to play board games with, to jump rope with, to bake brownies with, or to jump on our trampoline with. Although I always had friends to hang out with, there were times where I really wanted a sibling to spend time with. I didn’t care if it was a brother or a sister, I just wanted a sibling.

One day when I came back from a typical but also boring day of first grade, my mom was ready to tell me something that changed my life forever: “You’re going to be an older sister.” My six year old mind was feeling all different kinds of emotions at that moment because I knew my life was definitely not going to be the same anymore. Overall, I was extremely ecstatic.

Fast forward to nine months later when my sister was born. I knew I couldn’t do a lot of the fun things I had planned to do with her, because you know, babies aren’t capable of doing those things. At the time and for another few years, I was still bored because I wanted to do all those things with her. Of course I couldn’t blame her, it would be extremely cruel if I did. But again, I had to keep myself occupied and find friends to do those things with.

OPINION

MAR .14, 2019

However, her presence had brightened up our family. Before, the lives for each of us family members just felt “meh.” Not much went on really. But when my sister was born, life didn’t feel so boring anymore. Her presence was so beautiful and meaningful.

Today, she’s ten years old. Time really flies. As a senior in high school, I have been extremely occupied with school work, extracurriculars, and college applications. With all these responsibilities, I only have so much time to jump on our now non-existent trampoline or bake brownies with her. Sometimes when I just need my peace and quiet to get things done, I have to admit my sister does tend to interrupt me when I’m doing something I need to complete. Since some have the tendency to annoy their siblings without really trying to do so, I can understand the main reason why people don’t like their siblings. Sometimes people even tell me that their siblings really enjoy annoying them on purpose (yikes). I’m just extremely blessed that my sister isn’t like that.

However, sometimes even when siblings act in a way that isn’t enjoyable, it’s important to understand your sibling, whether you spend time with them or you get to know them. When I asked my sister why she tends to distract me while I’m busy, she admits that she never means to do that, but all she wants is to spend time with me. How sweet.

After hearing my sister say that, I realized that there are probably a lot of things you don’t know about your sibling, which could potentially be why you get upset at them without really knowing their situation.

Remember that siblings are part of your family. Again, it’s understandable as to why some people believe that siblings are aggravating and aren’t too exciting to have around. But although some siblings will enjoy annoying you or taunting you, ultimately you are all related and are like family.

Overall, siblings are amazing. Everyone is different in their own way, so the way you bond with your siblings is what is important. It’s also really nice to have another member of your house who’s keeping the family entertained in some way, shape, or form.

It’s important to know that nobody is perfect and that there’s no such thing as “the perfect sibling.” Without getting to know my sister as well, I probably wouldn’t have been so close to her the way I am today, even if we’re almost seven years apart. Though siblings can tend to be slightly aggravating, they deserve more respect than they receive. My sister taught me that some days I need to put off school work and spend time with her. I believe siblings are a blessing, even if they eat the last cookie or choose to watch the worst show on TV.

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OPINION

MARCH 14, 2019

“REVOLUTIONARY” REMEDIES Pharmacists and researchers work toward creating new medicines to combat disease every day, but the majority of people can’t afford them

BY KAILEY GEE

We live in a world where a plethora of medicine and cures are at our fingertips.

There’s something for almost every disease, something for almost every person. Almost... meaning, we don’t have all the solutions yet.

Big pharmaceutical companies continue to try to crank out new drugs in hopes of finding an option for every ailment. However, because of the ridiculously high prices of drugs, it’s not really benefiting everyone-just those who can afford it.

Take esketamine, for example: a new treatment option for patients who suffer from depression. Usually, people who are diagnosed with depression are recommended therapy and/or medication. No matter what medication you try, it usually takes weeks or months to kick in, which can be frustrating and sometimes fatal.

Another issue for patients is finding a medication that actually works, which is more problematic than one might expect. STAR*D was an extensive study on depression from 2006. Though it’s relatively old, it’s the largest and longest study on depression to date.

STAR*D found that over half of all studied patients with depression did not respond to the first antidepressant treatment they tried.

In total, 67 percent of patients eventually did find a treatment that worked to alleviate symptoms. However, this means no treatment worked for about a third of patients, who could participate in up to four different treatment plans in total.

These patients would be classified as having Treatment Resistant Depression. According to the FDA, a person is considered to have TRD if they have tried at least two different antidepressant treatments and still show no significant signs of recovery.

Before, there were little to no options for people suffering from TRD other than participating in various clinical trials and hoping for the best. Luckily, esketamine (marketed as Spravato) works faster than any other antidepressant, and is a possible

alternative if you’ve tried everything else.

The treatment is applied through a nasal spray, two times a week. Patients who have benefitted from it say they feel the effects after the first few applications, and some in a clinical trial run by the NIH even reported improvement in mere hours.

Esketamine may seem like a miracle at first glance, but besides ketamine’s question-raising past as a club drug and it’s hallucinatory side effects, there’s one main issue: price. When The New York Times first released it’s article announcing esketamine as an FDA approved treatment option, I was

“ IT ’S N OT M O R ALLY O R ETH I CALLY RI G HT TO PRO F IT O F F PEO PLE WH O AR E ALR EADY SU F F E RI N G” interested in the possibility of a new drug to treat depression, understanding the need of a fast-acting treatment. However, I was shocked when I saw the projected price for only a month of treatment: between $2,360 and $3,540. I thought this range was absurd, but wow, was I naive. When I checked back on the article a day or so later, the estimated cost without insurance had risen to $4,720$6,785.

As of now, not many insurance policies seem to cover the cost of Spravato, but it’s pretty new to the market (so this isn’t surprising). The company that manufactures it, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., does provide a coupon for their esketamine drug.

This deal allows patients to spend a mere ten dollars for medication costs involving their Spravato treatment. This may sound

like an amazing deal, but once you read the fine print...not so much. Patients are only allowed $7,150 in total savings. This results in about one to two months of savings per year for patients who will likely need treatment for the rest of their life.

The problem with these high prices is, if only a select few can afford the drug, how will it really help people? Another problem pops up when you factor in the time that patients have to spend in the hospital. If they can’t work, they can’t make money...but they need money to pay their hospital bills. If there’s no family present or financially able to back them up, it makes it harder for them to pay for treatment.

This phenomenon doesn’t just happen in the market for mental illness treatment, it’s present throughout the entire medical industry: cancer therapies, insulin prices, you name it. Pharmaceutical companies know people need the treatment to stay alive, and if you need the treatment to stay alive, you’re probably going to do whatever it takes to pay for it. Except..when you can’t afford it, you pass away. It’s not morally or ethically right to profit off people who are already suffering with some sort of disease, and families who are already grieving because their loved ones are ill. Some may argue that it’s a good business strategy: a society has need, and the companies have the solution, so why not profit off it? Yes, a certain degree of capitalism is important in our society, but not when companies take advantage of and exploit the already vulnerable for financial gain.

Speaking of financial gain, these companies make millions and billions of dollars off their drugs. According to EvaluatePharma, worldwide prescription drug sales in 2017 totaled to about 789 billion dollars (and are expected to increase to over a trillion by 2024). Since pharmaceutical companies are making so much money, it really wouldn’t be too hard ART & DESIGN BY KAILEY GEE PHOTO BY SAM WESTERGARD

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BRAND VS GENERIC Below are the average prices, according to GoodRx, of common antidepressant medications (pictured in the middle is a Spravato applicator). Each is based on the price of 30 capsules/tablets with their middle dosage amounts. Cost may vary greatly depending on where you buy the medicine, insurance, and coupons. However, what do patients do if there are no generic brand alternatives, or if their insurance doesn’t provide coverage?

OPINION

MARCH 14, 2019

ZOLOFT (sertraline) Brand: $431.55 Generic: $47.24

PROZAC (fluoxetine) Brand: $569.73 Generic: $35.82

LEXAPRO (escitalopram) Brand: $419.19 Generic: $98.15

CELEXA (citalopram) Brand: $384.13 Generic: $35.37

to lower the prices and thus make them more accessible.

Really, this whole dilemma is part of a bigger issue: the divide between the rich and the poor. If lower class citizens can’t afford cures, they’re going to die from whatever disease they’re suffering from.

However, the same lower-class citizens are more likely to experience health problems, one reason being worse living conditions (that can lead to sickness later on).

Another factor is obesity, which is more common in the lower class. This is built into the system: cheaper food is usually less healthy. It’s a never ending cycle.

One argument some people have against cheaper medicine prices is that if a person can’t afford treatment, then it’s their fault for not working hard enough, not saving enough money, etc., etc. Frankly, this is just kind of insensitive for two reasons. The first is, a person can work their entire life and not have that kind of money. Even working long hours, virtually nonstop, minimum wage barely holds enough for people to live day-to-day. There’s not much left over, and

what is left over could be put aside saving for large investments like having your kids go to college. Another point is that college degrees don’t guarantee success, even though they take a lot of work and money to obtain. In fields where there are few jobs, people may be left unemployed, even if they are good at what they do and worked hard for their degree.

In general, the overpriced nature of treatment is part of a larger cycle. However, we can start taking baby steps. There have been a multitude of plans proposed in order to attempt to fix the situation.

Members of parties on both sides have agreed that something needs to be done.

However, it doesn’t hurt to write our Congress members and give your opinion.

One plan in Congress is to compare drug prices in other countries to drug prices in the U.S. Then, if drugs here are more expensive than when sold in other countries, they can be labelled as overpriced. If a drug is classified this way, the company can lose its patent on it. This means that cheaper, off-brand options can

enter the market.

Another plan is for the government to manufacture drugs under certain circumstances. If there are no off-brand/ alternatives to a drug, if there is a price raise on the the drug, and/or if the World Health Organization declares it as an “essential medicine”, treatments could then be provided by the government. However, these are just a few of the various plans.

Even though most people agree that the price of treatment and medicine is too high, it does not mean that everything is perfect and on track. People are suffering right now, paying too much for medicine to keep them alive. The faster our government acts, the faster they get relief. The only thing left to do is take the next step: deciding on which plans we’ll use and acting on the guidelines.

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OPINION

MARCH 15, 2019

Art by Cameron Reimers ‘22

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OPINION MAR. 15. 2019

I DO NOT OWE YOU AN APOLOGY

BY YOUJOO LEE

I walk down the quiet hallway to get to the restroom. There’s a guy walking towards me. When he gets closer to me, he looks at me and says, “Ni hao”.

I say, “Sorry, but I’m not Chinese.”

I wait in the line to get a teriyaki at the Coral Ridge mall. The cook who’s cooking the teriyaki looks up and says, “Ni hao.” I say, “Sorry, but I’m not Chinese.” I’m at the football field. A random person walks by me and says, “Ni hao.” He doesn’t even give me time to say, “Sorry, but I’m not Chinese.”

But wait, why do I have to be sorry?

I’m Korean. I was born in Korea and raised there until I turned 16. One month after my 16th birthday, I came to America. I wasn’t expecting any welcoming annyeonghaseyos (“hello” in Korean), but neither was I expecting any Ni haos. It was a shock for me to see that there are still people who think Asia equals China. Isn’t America the most diverse country in the world?

I thought Americans knew how to respect and acknowledge other cultures.

I was raised in Korea for 16 years where there is almost no diversity at all; nevertheless, I still learned how to act politely and not offend people from other cultures. You are living in a country where you interact with people from different background everyday. But does your attitude towards them really show respect? Don’t you have a certain stereotype against a particular group?

To lump all Asians into one category is offensive, because there is extreme diversity within them. More than

30 different nationalities and ethnic groups represent the Asian population in the United States. There are significant differences, including language, lifestyle, food, and religion.

Just talk to them. Don’t make any assumptions by their appearance. Ask where they are from and ask about their culture. You could definitely learn things that you may not have heard of in your life before. Before you hurt them with your words, show respect to their backgrounds. Don’t let any stereotypes affect you. You could fall in love with their culture.

It hurts me that my culture is considered minor because of the stereotypes. I feel uncomfortable having to listen to the assumptions people make about me. I’m getting tired telling people that I don’t know how to speak Chinese. Talk to me and get to know me before you think I’m just an Asian nerd. Ask me where I’m from before you say “Ni hao.” I do not owe you an apology for your absurd stereotype. I’m Korean and that is who I am.

Perhaps the media is part of the problem, because the image it creates is very limited. “Crazy Rich Asians” is considered the first major hollywood film that features a majority cast of Asian Americans. Although the film was praised for its original theme, almost all of the actors were ethnically Chinese and failed to show the beautiful diversity.

Similar to this film, generally speaking, media is creating a stereotype that all Asians are like the rich Chinese.

It is our job to distinguish the true beauty of a foreign culture from these fictitious images created by the media.

There is a very simple way to do this.

DESIGN BY YOUJOO LEE

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OPINION MAR. 14, 2019

LOSING MY CULTURE

By Sara Baroncini

There I was, in the middle of the city, observing the people and the words they spoke. I gazed over rooftops and squinted my eyes as the sun shone brightly that day. The urban sound of cars honking as they passed by and of people shouting rung in my ears. The waiter placed in front of me my plate of bucatini bolognese, and I was suddenly overwhelmed by the intense smell of bold flavors. As I gently slipped my fork and knife out from the napkin, I peered to the corner of my eye to a waving movement, and examined the vibrant green, red, and white colors of the Italian flag. I felt at home. “ I ’ VE LEAR N E D THAT WE M U ST CO NTI N U E TO CH E RI SH OU R AN CESTRI ES AN D BACKG ROU N D B ECAU SE THAT I S WHAT TRU LY MAK ES M E TH E PE RSO N I AM TO DAY.” Often times we take for granted the places and cultures we are a part of. There is so much more to what makes us each unique individuals, and a big part of that is our background. Since being a child however, I started

to grow apart from my other countries cultures, and it’s created a feeling of guilt and regret in me. I’ve learned that we must continue to cherish our ancestries and background because that is what truly makes me the person I am today.

I was born in the United States.

My parents both left their home countries in the 1990’s, my dad from Italy and my mom from Finland, to move to America, the land of opportunities. This is what lead their paths to cross, and in 2003 I was born. My mom got a job at the University of Iowa and my dad already held a position as an airline pilot.

For years as a child, I traveled between the three countries: Italy, Finland, and the United States. My parents wanted me to stay connected with their countries and know where I came from, thus getting to experience and be a part of several cultures was important to my family.

Italy has so much history and is rich in ancient Roman architecture and art. Getting to walk down those sublime streets, to incline the towering mountains, and to soak my toes in the vibrant sea never seemed out of the ordinary. Not only this, but because of having the opportu-

nity to be exposed to several cultures, I was able to compare and contrast the different customs of daily life.

Much of Italian culture is rooted in family, architecture, and food.

Family is heavily cherished in Italy and it is often popular to have large families. During my visits, dinner typically consisted of a long stretched table in a beautiful garden, with over 20 people all enjoying the genuine flavors, laughing, and talking.

All over Italy, citizens and tourists are able to admire its’ glorious architecture. Often times we would go to the Roman Theatre in Verona, an open air theatre, similar in appearance to the Colosseum, where you are able to watch shows and performances under the black night sky and dazzling stars.

Italian cuisine will always stay dearest in my heart. The combination of Italy’s intricate flavors that melt on your tongue gives a sense of feeling that is beyond words. I became accustomed to this style of cooking, mainly because my dad was also a chef who went to culinary school in Italy, which is why he had the habit of cooking every night at home.

Finland was like a whole dif-

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OPINION

MAR. 14, 2019

ferent world. In Finland what distinguishes its’ culture is the traditions, food, landscapes, and history. When I visit, traditions include going to the countryside and spending time at a cabin, a second home many urban families reside to in the summer.

Activities at the cabin include sauna, having picnics with family and friends, and swimming in a lake or in the sea.

As days would go by in the US, I always caught myself longing the unique cooking style of Finland, and its traditional seafood.

Because most dishes consisted of ingredients that are not prominent in Iowa, it was harder to replicate dishes at home in Iowa City.

The vast landscapes and sea of Finland provide for tourists in search of an adventure. Helsinki is on the coast, so we always take ferries to smaller, nearby islands.

I never forget it’s beautiful grassy plains and the deep, blue, frigid ocean.

Helsinki, Finland

Verona, Italy

Like Italy, Finland is also rich in history, which can be greatly observed in its capital, Helsinki.

My mother is from Helsinki, and being able to personally see and experience the daily life there provides for unforgettable moments that not many are able to say they have experienced. Many parks and centers downtown Helsinki have interesting stories from the past that are always worthwhile hearing.

These were times I cherished and helped me to grow my knowledge and become more familiar with who I am. This lasted until I reached middle school, and new influences began to develop around me and impact my growth. I began to go a different path, a path that did not consist of the things I once did in Italy and Finland. My relatives often got busier and did not have time to call as often, eventually coming to a complete stop. A few of my older relatives became ill and some unfortunately passed away, loosening connections and distancing me away from the two countries. Though broadening my traditions in American culture provides for new aspects and values, losing my

connections to Italy and Finland gave me a sense of sorrow and disappointment. I found myself struggling to remember the key characteristics, as well as forming words in Italian and Finnish, which caused me guilt and regret.

Although losing my culture is disappointing, I should be strong and go back to previous habits and reinforce the things I once did in order to gain and build off my knowledge once again.

In order to maintain a strong sense of pride for all three cultures, I would like to do more activities with my parents that influence me in a way that I can understand more of the things that are a part of that culture.

Most importantly, I would like to extend y stays in the summer in both countries. I would like to familiarize myself with their roots and expand my horizons, thus learning more. I would like to express that no one should have to sacrifice one culture for another. What makes us who we are should not be taken for granted, and should continuously be cherished for the rest of our lives.

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OPINION MARCH 15, 2019

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OPINION

MARCH 15, 2019

06 West High Opinion Unit

FOOD REVIEW America Marungo Growing up mexican I have tried many delicious foods from restaurants,or even homemade so i know how my food should taste and how it should look, but it all changed when I came to the USA, I saw so many mexican restaurants and I was pretty hyped because at least i would have something that would remind me of Mexico, but I was wrong there are some restaurants that are really good and some that aren’t for example El Dorado at Coralville.This weekend I went to eat to 3 different mexican restaurants and I will review them according how good the food was,location,service and more.

Casa Tequila Location-Tiffin, IA Rating- 4.5 stars according to yelp Price-$ I was pretty familiar with this place i went to eat there once for my cousin’s birthday party, the environment is nice and clean great music and the employes were really nice, there was a lot of stuff to choose from the menu but I got my eyes on something I have loved since i was six years old Mojarra Frita, it’s fried fish on the side you get a salad and some rice, I put some lime and a lot of Tapatio and oh my god it was so good it brought me memories from when I went to Mazatlan,Sinaloa.Overall it was good.

I would give it a 4.5/5, I was satisfied with the food the service was great and it was clean perfect place to habgout with friends and family.

La Regia Taqueria Location-Iowa City,IA Rating-4.5 stars according to yelp Price-$ I have been to La Regia before but that was before they became that big among everyone and their food was good but I haven’t been there since they became big so I thought to myself why not try it,so I did the interior of the place was clean and a good environment overall, I checked the menu and I decided to get a torta al pastor, when it got to the table it looked really good I took a bite of that and It was only fat, and chewy not really enjoyable,I’ve talked to my friends on how the food use to be good when La Regia wasen’t that popular but now that it is they are pretty bussy in the kitchen so they don’t really try.

I won’t give it a bad review because I know some of their food is good and they are very kind but I would give it a 4.

Taco Bell

West High Opinion Unit

Location-Iowa City, IA Rating- 3.5 stars according to yelp Price-$ I personally don’t like Taco Bell, but I thought it would be fun to give it a try, so I got two Locos Tacos and my mom got a Quesadilla, I don’t like hard tacos, so this was a fun experience, I personally didnt like it the meat didn’t have a lot of flavor on it and I know what a real Taco should taste like, the place was clean and the service was great it was just the food that I didn’t enjoy as much. On the other hand my mom loved the Quesadilla she said the tortilla was nice and soft and there was flavor in it .

I think Taco Bell can be good only if you get the right stuff but peronally I would choose Pancheros than Taco Bell. I woul giveit a 2.5/5 just because I didn’t enjoy it as much.

Mexican Restaurants -Caza Azul -El Cactus -El Doradp -Andale Andale -Carlos O’Kelly’s -Pancheros

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14

OPINION MAR. 14, 2019

RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 GAME REVIEW The 2018 wild west open world game wins the title of my favorite game

By Tosh Klever

“Red Dead Redemption 2”, Rockstar Games’ wild west meets GTA. Winner for Best Narrative, Best Performance, Best Audio Design, and Best Music in the 2018 Game Awards. This game has won over my love into the fantasy of the wild west. “Red Dead Redemption 2” is the prequel to the 2010 game “Red Dead Redemption”. It follows the story of how the Van der Linde gang, a band of outlaws, withstand the transition from the wild west into the twentieth century. It is my favorite game of 2018 because of the amazing narrative, incredible attention to detail, and immersive open world.

The story opens with the Van der Linde gang escaping from the law into the mountains. It is soon found out that the goal of Dutch van der Linde, the mastermind of the gang, is to live in freedom, as they had before the law hunted down outlaws. It’s an opening that entices curiosity. The game follows from the eyes of Arthur Morgan, a sympathetic, hardy, and restrained character. The way the character is revealed to the player is what makes him so lovable.

Only through exploration we get to see the vulnerable side of Arthur. His journal and development of character relationships reveals he is more humane than the other greedy outlaws. The journey also becomes a means of self reflection for Arthur when he is eventually faced with the complexion of morality. The more vigorous the means become for the Van der Linde gang to achieve freedom, the more aware Arthur becomes of the true meaning of freedom. The masterful way of revealing the true colors of each character is one of the most heart pulling aspects of “Red Dead Redemption 2.”

Gameplay is the most important aspect of a game. Often times in open world games a player can get lost or bored of missions or they lose curiosity in the lore of the land.

However in this 75km2 world, lore is eas-

ily stumbled across, the appeal of hunting is unable to be avoided, and side missions serve an experience into the personality of America a century ago. Many secret locations and collectibles are also spread throughout the map, making it hard to lose purpose. I could spend hours traversing the landscapes and then spend another hour customizing my guns, without becoming bored. Even after finishing the game, I wanted to find all the easter eggs and secrets throughout the map. The main missions are also incredibly fun. The di-

BY TH E

N U M B E RS

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Game Awards Million Copies sold hour main story line

versity of guns allows for countless satisfying kills. The accompaniment of western style music emotionally grabs the player to make it all the more excitable. Additionally, the story does an amazing job bringing you to love certain characters and maybe change your opinion about others.

The game graphics and attention to detail are superior to other titles by Rockstar Games and other companies. I was skeptical at first, but experiencing the masterful craftsmanship of the game proved to be fulfilling. Grass textures are soft, leaves are

almost individually animated and have realistic outlines, water flows with real texture and light reflection, and the snow glides and settles into amazing tracks. Light is beautifully constructed within the game. While riding through the forest, soft beams illuminate through the trees in a foggy fashion, or watching the changing hues of the sunset from the Heartlands is simply awe-inspiring. While playing the game it is easy to get lost in the scenery, but that’s what makes this game great. The childish fascination evoked by the game has not been exceeded by another game. Among many other details there was one I was most fascinated by.

In most games the avatar can pass through textures such as tree branches, but the developers kept in mind the realism of the game so that the avatar avoids even small obstacles. All of the small details developed in this game create an immersive experience that is possibly more beautiful than real life.

Should you play “‘Red Dead Redemption?” It is an M-rated game filled with violence, similar to, but not as intense as GTA. The quaintness of the world is often ruined by sudden attacks from gangs and wolves. The 60 hour main story line is accompanied by dozens of more hours being required to complete side missions and explore the world (this may be good or bad depending on your investment into the game.) Plus, the epilogue feels underdeveloped, and more ruthless than the main story, making it less enjoyable. Despite this, my curiosity never diminished through the weeks I spent practically living in this world. The incredible narrative kept my interest high, and could be enjoyed by any movie lover. “Red Dead Redemption 2” is worth your time if you are interested in playing this game genre, if you are a fan of “GTA,” “Horizon Zero Dawn,” “Assassins Creed,” “Zelda Breath of the Wild,” or any other explorative, mission-based game.

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OPINION

MAR. 14, 2019

Tale as Old as Time Disney is known for remaking their classic movies into live action movies. In 2017, they remade their classic movie “Beauty and the Beast.” With having seen both many times, I think the original 1991 version is far better than the new remake.

Samantha Croco

Movie Remakes. They can either be an amazing re-imagination of a story or a complete flop. Disney has been remaking their classic stories into live-action movies since 1996 with their remake of the classic movie “101 Dalmations” originally made in 1961.

Some remakes have been loved and some have been criticized. In 2017, Disney remade the classic, “Beauty and the Beast,” originally made in 1991. The 2017 version was directed by Bill Condon. Condon has also worked on popular films like “Chicago,” the “Twilight” saga and “The Greatest Showman” As a big Disney fan, I saw the movie the day it came out. Beauty and the Beast has always been a favorite of mine and I’m a big fan of Emma Watson so I was excited to see Condon’s new vision for the movie. One of the first things I noticed while watching was that the costumes and set were amazing.

There was so much detail in every house and every dress. It brought life to the story and I believe stayed true a typical French Village in the 1740s. I think Condon’s best decision in the entire movie was to have Josh Gad play LeFou. Gad, in my opinion, was the perfect representation of LeFou. Sidekicks are always my favorite characters in movies and with LeFou’s goofy and pure personality, he was automatically my favorite. Josh Gad fit this perfectly. The whole “Gaston” scene was really fun to watch and was very well blocked and choreographed.

Even with all that going for them, Josh Gad made the whole song two times better.

Casting in general I believe was a success.

Emma Watson is not a natural singer, yet still sounded very pretty. She was a beautiful Belle and really brought the character to life. The Beast,

played by Dan Stevens was very good. The details in the animation helped add another layer of effect to the entire movie. Luke Evans and Josh Gad worked so well together on camera. Their voices also blended rather well together. The supporting cast was also very amazing.

Lemiere, Cogsworth and all the other supporting characters all added something new to the character which was fun to watch.

One complaint and disappointment I had was the singing. None of the cast had a very powerful voice other than Audra McDonald who’s version of “Beauty and the Beast” was beautiful. When movies are redone, many times more songs are added. The songs they added, I thought, stayed true to the original music, however, some songs and scenes were un-needed. Overall, the movie stayed true to the original 1991 version. They kept Belle as a strong female lead and the Beast was, in my opinion, a great re-imagination.

I typically enjoy remakes. I think it’s fun to see a different director’s new idea for a story and movie and it’s enjoyable seeing a new cast bring something new to the story. Many people don’t like the Disney remakes, saying it’s just them being lazy and not trying to come up with new stories but many of these movies were apart of people’s childhoods. Seeing one of your favorite movies as a kid really come to life is great and I applaud Disney for pulling off such an amazing story. I always get excited when I hear the next movie they are going to remake. However, no matterer how much I like the remake, I will always choose the original version over the newest one.

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OPI N ION

MAR,14,2019

TABOOLEH MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT Where nothing but an explosion of flavors bursts in to your mouth!

If you’re in the mood to try new dishes that you’ve never had or definitely don’t taste similar to you and experience the pleasant atmosphere of different cultures then Tabooleh is definitely the place to go. Tabooleh is an authentic Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurant that is located at 210 2nd street, Coralville.

It offers cuisines from Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Turkey and more. Dishes like the traditional falafel and various types of kebabs are served. Not to forget about the iconic salads that hit close to home like fattoush and tabbouleh. Each country has its unique cuisine but dishes found in multiple countries like hummus, stuffed grape leaves, and baklava, a dessert, unite the region when it comes to food.

The atmosphere and service of the restaurant is amazing, along with the dishes and dessert that is served and a lot of traditional objects like pottery and pictures of artists from North Africa displayed around the room. In addition to that, famous arab music is played in the back which makes the restaurant feel more comfortable and is a perfect image of home for someone from those areas.

The restaurant serves no pork nor alcohol and everything in the menu is halal, meaning the meat was butchered and prepared according to Islamic practices. This includes the candy bar and pastries, which are prepared by the restaurant itself and don’t include gelatin. There’s a wide array of beverages too, like mint tea, which is red tea with mint leaves included, Barbican, which is a brand of fruit-flavored non-alcoholic malt drink, and the traditional black coffee.

Lentin Soup served with croutons

The prices are amazing and the lunch buffet is extensive and ingredients for every dish is listed, for those who have allergies or other problems. Also, there is a lot of vegan options for those who are plant-based or vegan, like hummus, baba ganoush (eggplant with tahini, which is a condimet made from toasted ground hulled sesame, and olive oil) and vegetarian versions of meat dishes.

THE

PRICES

$10.95

Lunch Buffet

$5.99-$18.99 Fattoush salad topped off with toasted pita bread.

Dinner (menu)

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OPI N ION

MAR,14,2019

Tabooleh is definitely worth going since the prices are really cheap and worth it.

The service is great and the staff are really welcoming and friendly. But not to forget about the fresh and tasty dishes. For it being a new restaurant? I’ll definitely go back there.

Tabooleh salad with a touch ove olive oil, whcih mackes it better

Dishes I Reccomend: 1.Chicken tawook: chicken marinated in lemon juice and spices skewered with onion and bell pepper.

2.Baba Ganoush: charred eggplant blended with lemon juice, and then mixed with tahini. and parsley.

3.Baklava: layers of phyllo dough filled with honey, walnuts,and pistachios.

Griiled chicken with yellow Mediterranean rice whcih includes ingrediants like turmeric

Maathir Elsheikh’21

17

OPINION

MARCH 15, 2019

Art by Xiaoyi Zhu ‘22

18

OPINION

MARCH 15, 2019

Art by Sam Westergaard ‘21