Thank you social justice volunteers

The University of n otre d ame does an excellent job of reminding us how important it is to reach out to “the least of our brethren” and practice social justice as part of our daily lives. There is the c enter for s ocial c oncerns on campus that does an excellent job clarifying this for us. o ne of the other organizations on campus that also actively practices social justice in our community is the s acred h eart Parish on campus. They have a s ocial Justice m inistry that has been active for many years with a number of parishioners who have also been active in such ministries.

o ne of the local organizations in s outh b end is the c atholic Worker h ouse. A current faculty member, Prof. m argie Pfeil in the department of theology, was one of the founding members of the c atholic Worker. o ne important outreach of the Worker was the opening of o ur Lady of the r oad ( o L r ) that is located at 744 s outh m ain s treet in s outh b end. This is a drop-in center, following the example of d orothy d ay, that is a welcoming place which, among other assistance, serves breakfast to the poor and homeless every Friday, s aturday and s unday. The guests can also take a shower, launder their clothes and can often receive a haircut. s ome members of s acred h eart serve breakfast on the third Friday of each month. We see a good number of nd students, both women and men, who have been going to o L r to serve those who come in for breakfast. I’m reluctant to give names as I don’t want to omit someone I may forget. o ne of their important observations is how thankful and polite the guests are, and most reply with a “thank you very much, and may God bless you.”

We welcome any students who would like to volunteer at o L r o n behalf of the guests who come to o L r for breakfast and as a member of the s J m of s acred h eart Parish, I would like to thank all of those volunteers who reach out and help to serve those in need. They help to continue to make o L r a welcoming place where people can receive a good breakfast, have a warm and safe place to rest and are treated with respect. m y God bless you all.

Thomas Nowak professor emeritus Jan. 26

By AYDEN KOWALSKI scene Writer

Few franchises have a better pitch than “Pokémon”: tame and trained magical animals battle each other, save the world with a team of them and ultimately become “the very best, like no one ever was.”

Whether each game brings the player into this dream is a different question. The previous main series games, 2019’s “Pokémon sword” and “Pokémon shield,” are infamous for their failure to do so. Additional content for these games, however, quickly got back on track, and “Pokémon Legends: Arceus,” released in early 2022, truly makes magic. “Pokémon scarlet” and “Pokémon violet” aim to continue this upward trajectory, and in this reviewer’s experience of “violet,” the game is a success, and it’s easy to see how the series can shine even brighter. catching, raising and battling Pokémon is as enchanting as it has ever been. The new battling mechanics introduced in this game are creative and allow for exciting possibilities, which this review will not spoil. The greatest issue with the system is the lack of a difficulty setting. This is a game for all ages, which means the adventure must be accessible, but there is no button to give opponents stronger Pokémon or more complicated strategies. Instead, one must create self-imposed rules to add to the game’s challenge, and even so, one cannot create new opponents. This is an easily remediable problem for the next “Pokémon” games, though.

“Pokémon violet” is the first fully open-world game in the series and is a great first step into this new system of world design, with compelling prizes for exploration and a surprising degree of freedom in movement. There is a simple and powerful joy in climbing a mountain that seemed impossible to summit and finding a rare item or special event at the peak. There is still substantial room for growth for future games in this department, however, as the environments are mostly unmemorable (with one magnificent exception) and the human settlements are uninteresting. These cities lack distinct cultures, interesting populations or exclusive activities. There is also very limited interaction between Pokémon and humans in the cities, which is a shame, as bringing Pokémon into everyday city life could make these places attractions. Imagine a mountain city where flying Pokémon carry people between buildings, or a city with a parade in which Pokémon use their abilities to create a light show. most frustrating of all the game’s best elements, however, is a lacking technical presentation of this world. The game simply runs poorly, and its visuals are at a low quality. older “Pokémon” games with pixilated, two-dimensional overworlds and Pokémon battles used the power of suggestion to their advantage, letting players imagine the world in greater detail and conceiving something far beyond the technical capacity of any video game. As a three-dimensional adventure in an open world where one can travel anywhere, this game must depict its world as accurately as possible to satisfy players. rather than inviting players to join the game in fully constructing this world, “Pokémon violet,” at its worst, invites players to imagine a better piece of software.

The story here, unlike many Pokémon games, is not a formulaic tale about an evil organization chasing a god Pokémon to realize its ambitions. Instead, the player’s character is simply a schoolkid in the Pokémon universe, whose friends bring them into the main adventures of the game. While these will not hold an adult’s attention throughout their duration, they are excellent stories for younger players about empathy. The three main supporting characters — nemona, Arven and Penny — all have problematic aspects to their personalities and difficulties that define them. nevertheless, the player finds the good and brings out the best in them. our friends aren’t perfect, the game argues, but that shouldn’t be our expectation. being human is about connecting with other humans in our brokenness, as our relationships can build us to be better. That is an invaluable lesson for players of all ages.

“Pokémon” is still working out the details of its dream, but “Pokémon violet” is a wonderful blueprint for adventures to come, and a very good game in its own right. While its world needs more splendor and its adventure more flexibility, “Pokémon violet” still has magic. It may not convert older players to following the franchise, but hopefully this is building up to the show that will sweep the world away, the long-awaited realization of the dream. but as it stands, it’s still worth letting “Pokémon violet” cast its spell, even if the seams of the fantasy are visible.

By NICOLE BILYAK scene Writer

As the s cene department’s resident “d ungeons and d ragons” connoisseur, it is my job to know about anything and everything “d ungeons & d ragons.” At the beginning of 2023, a leak of the new draft of the o pen Gaming License ( o GL) circulated around the internet and caused quite an uproar in the “d ungeons & d ragons” community. s o much so that many people have begun to search for new systems to play, going as far as taking a trip back in time to the 1970s and picking up the very first edition of “d ungeons & d ragons.” s o what is all of this talk about the o pen Gaming License controversy? b efore I dive into the fuss and give my two cents, I should explain what this actually means. The o pen Gaming License is a default gaming license that allows fans of “d ungeons & d ragons” to use portions of “d & d” products without the publisher, Wizards of the c oast (Wot c ), overlooking them. This license is what made way for what is considered “homebrew,” or creating content that is under the “d & d” mantle but is the creator’s own work. much of the content that is now created by “d & d” players and dungeon masters has been featured on many Wiki sites and on Wizards of the c oast’s website, dndb eyond. With the content that is created nowadays, many of the creators will also sell their products for a decent profit. s o hopefully, Wizards of the c oast can make an ethical decision that can be in favor of all parties involved in “d ungeons & d ragons.” avoid.

In late 2022, rumors began to circulate about Wizards of the c oast reaching out to third-party publishers and having them sign non-disclosure agreements. m any fans were concerned that the o GL was going to go away, thereby threatening the livelihood of homebrew content creators. b ut Wot c came out to say that the o GL was not going away anytime soon.

The aforementioned leak of the o GL 1.1 added the idea that those who create homebrew content would have to pay a royalty to Wot c , and there would be a requirement of revenue reporting for all content creators. To say that there was a massive uproar in the “d & d” community would be a major understatement. m any people flocked to dndb eyond and canceled their subscriptions as a way to send a message to Wizards that they messed up badly. Wizards claimed that “d & d” would be more open, which could not have been further from the truth. m any third-party publishers came out to say that they would create their own system, such as Kobold Press.

From my perspective, I can wholeheartedly say that this new o GL is one of the most restrictive parts of “d & d” that I have ever come across. I will go on to say that “d & d” is definitely a part of my life that I will never give up. I love being able to tell an absolutely fantastical story where I get a group of people together and just play for over three hours a day. I make my own content that has my name attached to it, but I never publish any of the content. I am very concerned that with the o GL restricting this content, I now have to rely on officially published material and possibly have to pay an astronomical amount of money for being able to have access to the content that I have personally created. s o, will I ever cancel my dndb eyond subscription? honestly, no. e ven with all the controversy going on about the o GL, I always have a backup place for keeping the content that I have personally created, but there is always the fear that Wot c is watching over me.

Contact Nicole Bilyak at nbilyak01@saintmarys.edu

By ANNA FALK scene Writer

o n Jan. 23, popular b ritish rock band Arctic monkeys celebrated 17 years of their debut LP, “Whatever People s ay I Am, That’s What I’m not.” o ver the next decade, the band regularly released music — whether it be LPs, e Ps or b -sides (of which they have over 40) — and continued to grow in popularity. They have received 104 award nominations and garnered 42 wins, even having the opportunity to perform at the 2012 London o lympic opening ceremony along with Paul m c c artney (The b eatles) and Alex Trimble (Two d oor c inema c lub).

This album is one of the most influential rock albums of the 21st century and stands as an early testimony of the power of the Internet in the music industry. With the release of their seventh studio album, “The c ar,” and a long list of tour dates spanning multiple countries on almost every continent, it’s important to take a step back and look at how the famed quartet got their start. h ow did they get so popular, and how have they evolved into what they are today?

Arctic m onkeys was formed in 2002 by founding members Alex Turner (lead vocals, guitar), m att h elders (drums) and Andy n icholson (bass) in s heffield, e ngland. They soon brought on Jamie c ook as a second guitarist and began making music, playing their first gig at a s heffield pub called The Grapes in 2003.

The band soon garnered a large and loyal following from their live shows and from a fan-made m y s pace page promoting the band’s 18-track demo. Their first e P “Five m inutes with Arctic monkeys” was released in 2005 — featuring tracks such as “Fake Tales of s an Francisco” and “From the r itz to the r ubble” — and they soon signed with d omino.

The release of “WP s IA” in 2006 was monumental beyond comparison. This LP remains the fastestselling debut album in UK history, surpassing the previous holder by nearly 60,000 copies. s ales from the first day were more than those of the top-20 combined, and the numbers from its first week in the U.K. were more than the first year in the U. s Arctic m onkeys became famous nearly overnight throughout the U.K. In response to their sudden popularity, n icholson became overwhelmed and left the band to work on his own musical projects. The band replaced him with n ick o ’ m alley, and the lineup has been the same ever since.

After a hiatus from their world-renowned album “A m ,” the m onkeys began to look at their music with a fresh set of eyes. While their previous music had been characterized by energetic instrumentals and vocals, their new project, “Tranquility b ase h otel and c asino,” changed that. Taking inspiration from a variety of media including s tanley Kubrick films and The b each b oys’ “Pet s ounds,” they created a concept album about a lunar hotel and casino from the perspective of different patrons and employees around the base. Turner croons about religion, politics, consumerism and culture with a jazzy, space-aged edge that threw off many fans upon first listen. m any longtime fans have had a hard time coping with their new sound and further evolution with “The c ar,” but have found more authenticity and maturity from the music. While the band has always been lyrically masterful, their recent albums have shown a return to their incisive commentary on society and modern culture as a whole while maintaining their innovative instrumentation. d espite the connotations from their debut album title, whatever people have been saying about Arctic m onkeys regarding their pure talent and star-power is exactly what they are and will remain for years to come.

As a lover of music, music history and Arctic m onkeys, I was thrilled to be able to write this. o ut of the four years I’ve had s potify, they have been my top artist for three. “WP s IA” is an iconic and incredibly well-made album that remains one of my favorite works of theirs — but “ h umbug” will always be in the top spot. Their diverse and extensive discography serves to fit any mood and situation, and they continue to impress as time passes.

Contact Anna Falk at afalk@nd.edu

By CLAIRE LYONS Associate scene editor

“Aftersun” is the most poignant and sensitive portrait of parenthood, depression and grief that I have ever seen.

The movie follows a grown-up s ophie as she recalls her last vacation with her father, c alum. s ophie, for the majority of the movie, is a precocious 11-year-old who is oblivious to the private emotional struggles of her father. r eal and imagined memories of the past, spliced with nostalgic home videos and haunting visions of her father, subtly shine a light on how we write and re-write grief and loss into our family histories.

“Aftersun” has been nominated for a smattering of awards, including at the c annes Film Festival and the b AFTAs, mostly for its excellent director, c harlotte Wells, and leading actor and recent o scar nominee, Paul mescal. mescal works perfectly to the film’s strength — melancholic restraint — as he plays a struggling single father who wants to shield his daughter from his problems. mescal’s on-screen chemistry with the incredibly talented 13-year-old Frankie c orio is the beating heart of the movie. e ven though c alum can hide his depression from an 11-year-old s ophie, he can’t hide it from an adult s ophie and, therefore, the audience. s ophie revisits her memories of the vacation and begins to fill in the gaps. An exasperated comment to her dad about “not being able to afford singing lessons” becomes more gutting — and you can see it on mescal’s face. e ven though the memories of the vacation are overwhelmingly positive because s ophie remembers time with her father fondly, we get terrifying (and imagined) flashes of c alum’s despair: him sobbing by himself in their hotel room and jumping into the mediterranean s ea in the middle of the night.

The film is subtle and understated, guiding you through emotion without forcing you to process anything. o bjectively, nothing happens. A father and a daughter spend a wonderful vacation in Turkey together. The daughter remembers it after her father is gone. And yet, I was completely a wreck at the end.

“Aftersun” ends in a scene that will forever change the way I listen to Queen and d avid b owie’s hit single, “Under Pressure.” As a young s ophie dances with her dad in Turkey, an older s ophie is searching for a vision of her (frozen-intime) dad. As the music rises in a crescendo, young s ophie hugs her dad and old s ophie loses him in the crowd. h er memory of him becomes more real than he is.

I was in tears because I was remembering, too. memories of my mom came flooding back to me: her doing makeup in the master bathroom, her hitting a bullseye with a bow and arrow, her driving me in a cool car after school… s ome things I still can’t remember. s ome things I never knew about. I saw the film two days before the ten-year anniversary of my mother’s suicide, and it hit like a sucker punch.

“Aftersun” captured my anxieties about outliving my parents and being left with nobody to lean on. It made me rethink everything I had ever said to my parents. It reminded me to be more gentle with the people who raised me. b ut most importantly, it reminded me that parents are fallible creatures and that forgiveness is a virtue.

Contact Claire Lyons at clyons3@nd.edu

“Aftersun”

Director: Charlotte Wells

Starring: Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio

If you like: “Lady Bird,” “Before Sunrise” are pretty grateful.” h is late addition has nothing to do with a lack of qualifications. The netminder has been a stalwart for the Irish, racking up 824 total saves, the most in college hockey. h is .928 save percentage is fifth-best nationally, and best among goaltenders who have played 1,000 minutes or more. e arlier this month, b ischel was also named to the watch list for the m ike r ichter Award, given to the nation’s top goaltender.

Happy Birthday: Preparation and organization are essential this year. A minimalist attitude will help you curb bad habits and dodge overspending and situations that add stress to your life. recognize what and who are good for you, and make decisions that bring you closer to your desired lifestyle. Consider what’s important to you; build on these staples to achieve stability. your numbers are 6, 11, 23, 28, 35, 39, 43.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Emotions will surface. Take a step back and think before you say or do something you will regret. Scour the internet for answers, go to an expert, confide in someone you trust and put the best version of yourself before anyone who questions you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Stop, pay attention and do everything according to the rules and regulations. Studying and confirming every detail will give you the confidence you require to outsmart anyone trying to hold you back. Work relentlessly to beat the competition.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): rely on yourself, your experience and your knowledge to get you where you want to go. A physical move will encourage new beginnings and an opportunity to work alongside individuals who will rival and encourage you to do your best. Self-improvement is apparent.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): keep a watchful eye on others. Someone will likely sabotage your plans or make you look bad if given a chance. you may have to step outside your comfort zone if you want to make a lasting impression on someone influential.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Do your best, and you’ll get the support required to complete your plans. Don’t let the changes happening at work cause insecurity. your extra effort will go a long way when trying to impress someone in charge. romance will lift your spirits.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Do what works for you. Ignore anyone pushing you in a direction you don’t care to travel. Stick to basics and do things by the book. Set a budget and refuse to take on more debt or work than you can handle.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): There will be plenty of opportunities, but indecisiveness will stand between you and taking advantage of an offer. Clear your head and defer to an expert. Protect against physical injury or an altercation with someone who doesn’t share your beliefs.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Dodge anyone putting pressure on you. look for alternative ways to keep the peace and avoid a run-in with someone inconsistent or heading in a different direction. Be true to yourself and how you want to live. Avoid health risks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): you can be entertaining without overspending. hosting an event or meeting or starting a discussion with those you live with will help make your life easier and your support system reliable.

A personal pick-me-up will boost your energy and invite compliments. romance is favored.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Change is looming, but baby steps will help control the outcome. Overseeing everything you want to achieve will eliminate mistakes and lower your costs. Sidestep anyone who tries to talk you into being extravagant. A change at home will ease stress and add to your comfort.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Be open about what you are willing to do for others and what you expect in return. Being honest will speed up getting what you want and when. Take notes, look at the facts and follow through without hesitation.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Confirm details before proceeding. If you say too much or overreact, you will face scrutiny that can interfere with what you are trying to achieve. Don’t rely on others or leave anything to chance. focus on your target and don’t look back.

Birthday Baby: you are active, free-spirited and innovative. you are original and trendy.

All three have taken different paths to earning their nomination.

Goaltender r yan b ischel, for instance, was not initially named to the list of nominees. Yet, 52 and 42-save performances in last weekend’s games at n o. 6 Penn s tate caught the attention of the committee, who added b ischel to the list this week.

As the team’s go-to goalie, b ischel has started every game this season to date, and he ranks second nationally in minutes played. What’s his secret to staying sharp so consistently?

“I spend a lot of time in the hot tub,” b ischel said, half laughing.

“Focusing on taking care of my body has been a big emphasis here.” b eing prepared mentally has also been a focus for b ischel, who said that football coach m arcus Freeman’s message to the team earlier this month helped him stay in the moment, “one shot at a time.” s uch success in his senior season at n otre d ame is extra special for Janicke because of his family ties to the program. Janicke’s d ad, c urtis, was a forward with the Irish from 1989-1993. h is brother, Justin, is a sophomore on the team. The brothers have played together for the first time in their hockey careers during the last two seasons.

For forward Trevor Janicke, the path to his nomination has been bolstered by a strong second half of the season.

The m aple Grove, m innesota, native has been finding his offensive rhythm of late. h e has tallied five goals in the last seven games.

“I basically have been bleeding gold and blue since I was born. I knew the n otre d ame fight song when I was, like, two years old,” Janicke said. “ m y whole life, this was my dream.” m ost importantly, the team’s captain does not shy away from the ambitions of n otre d ame hockey. Acknowledging, with an 11-12-3 record through 26 games, that this year has not gone to plan, Leivermann sees opportunity ahead for this Irish team.

Leivermann, returning for his fifth and final season with the Irish this year, is one of the most important members of this n otre d ame squad. As usual, Leivermann is putting up good offensive numbers, averaging .72 points per game from the back end. d espite missing eight games this year due to injury, Leivermann leads Irish defensemen in points and his next goal will tie his single-season high of six.

“We have an expectation to win the b ig Ten and make a run for the national championship, and that’s still our expectation, even though things aren’t going our way,” Leivermann said.

“We still find ourselves in a spot where things are going to work out if we pull together a few wins.”

In that sense, this weekend’s series against Wisconsin takes on an important tone. Time is of the essence for the Irish to start their climb up the standings. o nly six games remain in the regular season after this weekend, all of which are against top-15 opponents.

The Irish are currently on the nc AA Tournament bubble. They sit at 15th in the PairWise r ankings, a system that determines which teams qualify for the 16-team tournament.

What is the energy like in the locker room going into such a critical series?

“ e xcited,” b ischel said. “I think the room today after practice was, like, the most excited I’ve seen it all year, so yeah, I think the guys are fired up for sure.”

The sense of urgency around the team was best summed up by Janicke.

“It’s time to go… now, it’s playoff hockey.”

The puck drops on a crucial regular season series at c ompton Family Ice Arena tonight at 7:35 p.m es T. Game two of the series will follow on s aturday at 6 p.m. es T.