The Battalion - February 4, 2019

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4 | SERVING TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893 | © 2019 STUDENT MEDIA

SPRING STUDENT BODY ELECTIONS From 10 a.m. today until 3 p.m. on Friday, students can file to run in the spring 2019 student body elections. Positions up for election are as follows: Student body president • • Yell leaders • Class of 2020 class agents Class of 2020, 2021 and 2022 class presidents • • Residential Housing Association president Honor student council (various leadership positions) • • Student senators (all caucuses) More information, including filing guidelines and a full election calendar, is available at tamuelection.com.

FILE

Meredith Seaver — THE BATTALION

Business administration graduate student Jahmal Manning (left) sits with tattoo artist Conrad Garcia from San Antonio-based Golden Rose Tattoo. His tattoo took around two hours to finish and included the eye of Ra and an ankh.

AGGIELAND GETS INKED

More than 180 artists gather in B-CS for three-day tattoo show

By Hollis Mills @sillohsllim

In a celebration of artistry and culture, the Brazos Center invited Bryan-College Station residents to don some fresh ink at the third annual Ink Masters Tattoo Show this past weekend.

Started in Southern California before it was brought to Texas, the Ink Masters Tattoo Show is a statewide expo that offers the curious a peak at live tattooing and the courageous a seat up front. At the three-day event, 140 award-winning artists tackled a variety of inking styles — from realistic to traditional, black and gray to color — in addition to tempo-

rary tattoos for kids and a variety of body piercings.

Strolling through aisles of on-site body art is not a usual look for the venue, according to Brazos Center event coordinator Kirby Franze. Nonetheless, it is a sight to behold, and Franze said the expo is among her favorite events to host.

“I walk in there and Snoop Dogg is playing, and it’s just not what I’m used to walking in to, which is usually weddings and quinceañeras,” Franze said. “It’s a bit different for sure, but it’s definitely a good time and a great opportunity if you’re curious about getting a tattoo.”

What began as a pitch in Las Vegas is now a year-round showcase for Raymond Hernandez, founder of the Ink Masters Tattoo Show.

A tattoo artist himself, Hernandez studied his craft for 15 years before tran-

sitioning into promotional events. He brought his expo to Texas four years ago, and said he hasn’t looked back since.

“I’ve got to be honest, it changed my life,” Hernandez said.

Following his first expo in Southern California almost a decade ago, Hernandez said the goal has stayed the same: show those hesitant about getting a tattoo what proper tattooing is all about.

“A lot of people still judge us because they think we’re outlaws,” Hernandez said. “I know it used to be all outlaws, but it’s not no more. The reality is it’s a fashion. Moms, uncles, doctors, police officers, lawyers. They all get them. I just think people need to come in and check it out. It’ll open your eyes.”

In the dawn of a new era in which tattoos are no longer reserved for crooks and

Reveille VIII cuddles with a Bevo toy at the last A&MUT football game in 2011.

Rivalry on the ballot Student body elections to include opinion poll on reinstating A&M-UT football game

By Jordan Burnham @RJordanBurnham Eight years have passed since Texas A&M and The University of Texas have faced each other on the football field, but students, alumni and administration are aiming to rekindle the longstanding rivalry.

In conjunction with the student-led movement Reinstate the Rivalry, A&M’s Student Senate has called for the question “Do you support reinstating the Texas A&M University vs. University of Texas rivalry game on our non-conference football schedule?” to be added to student body election ballot this February. Election commissioner Mary Franklin has approved the inclusion

TATTOO ON PG. 4

RIVALRY ON PG. 4

Aggies rise to new heights

Women’s basketball makes history with seven-game SEC winning streak

By Hannah Underwood @hannahbunderwoo

Katherine Butler — THE DAILY MISSISSIPPIAN

Sophomore guard Chennedy Carter scored 28 points against Ole Miss.

Despite a slow first half showing, the No. 20 Texas A&M women’s basketball topped Ole Miss 72-60 Sunday afternoon to extend their win streak to seven.

With the victory, the Aggies now have the longest Southeastern Conference win streak in program history. A&M, who started SEC play 0-2, are 18-4 on the season, with a 7-2 record against conference opponents.

Ole Miss falls to a 8-15 overall record and a conference record of 2-7 with the loss.

The A&M defense — which holds opponents to 57.1 points per game — struggled in the first half against Ole Miss, allowing the Rebels to score 20 points in the second quarter and lead 37-34 at halftime.

A dominant third quarter, both offensively and defensively, gave the Aggies the push they needed to stay on top of the Rebels.

In the third quarter, A&M allowed Ole Miss only six points. Sophomore forward N’dea Jones had five rebounds on defense and sophomore center Cierra Johnson added four, the pair contributing half of A&M’s total first-half rebounds. Jones leads the SEC in defensive rebounds and completed the game with 10 total rebounds, eight coming from defense.

Sophomore guard Chennedy Carter led

A&M with 28 points in the game, though she didn’t score any in the first quarter. Fourteen of those points come from free throws and made for Carter’s fifth straight game with 20 or more points.

Fellow sophomore guard Kayla Wells followed with 17 points and four rebounds, while Johnson had a total of 13 points and added eight rebounds for the Aggies.

On the other side of the court, Ole Miss senior guard Shandricka Sessom led the Rebels with 17 points and four rebounds, also showing success at the three-point line with only two of her attempts missing the basket.

A&M will face SEC opponent Missouri on Thursday at Mizzou Arena. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

A&M to expand dismount zones Military Walk, Academic Plaza included in plan to prevent collisions with pedestrians

By Giselle Warren @GiselleWarren16 Texas A&M’s Transportation Services plans to expand dismount zones throughout campus in an effort to ensure pedestrian safety.

Dismount zones are designated places where cyclists and skateboarders are required to walk in order to maintain a safe environment for themselves and fellow pedestrians. Rudder Plaza is currently designated as a dismount zone, and in the near future, Transportation Services intends to expand these zones into other areas with high levels of foot traffic, such as Academic Plaza and Military Walk.

Changes will be gradually introduced over time so that the campus community has time to adapt and make adjustments to their modes of travel. For now, plans to expand to the Academic Plaza and Military Walk are anticipated to be implemented either in early spring or late summer of 2019.

According to Alternative Transportation manager Ron Steedly, the implementation of these dismount zones is meant for the safety of everyone.

“The high numbers of bicycles, skateboards and other wheeled transportation combined with extremely high pedestrian volume creates a commotion that can often lead to collisions on campus,” Steedly said in an email interview. “Dismount zones in high-traffic areas help to alleviate and correct this problem, offering added safety for pedestrians.”

The zone expansion is in accordance with the 2017 DISMOUNT ON PG. 3

Jesse Everett — THE BATTALION

In an effort to make areas with high pedestrian traffic safer, bike and skateboard dismount zones on campus will be expanded.

Megan Rodriguez, Editor-in-Chief THE BATTALION is published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the 2018 spring semester and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. Offices are in Suite L400 of the Memorial Student Center. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3315; E-mail: editor@ thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt. com. For campus, local, and national display advertising call 979-845-2687.

For classified advertising, call 979-845-0569.

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Cassuie Sticker — THE BATTALION

Sophomore guard TJ Starks looks to the referee after being fouled by a Tennessee player on Feb. 2.

Volunteers claim victory

Aggies’ efforts not enough to beat Tennessee at Reed Arena

By Angel Franco @angelmadison_

Check Ring Eligibility: By February 12 Order Deadline: February 13 Aggie Ring Day: April 12 & 13

LAST CALL HOW TO GET YOUR AGGIE RING ON APRIL 12 OR 13, 2019: If you meet the requirements after Fall 2018: 1. Log in to AggieNetwork.com by February 12

When the No. 1 team in the country comes to town, there’s always the possibility of catapulting into the national spotlight and salvaging a season that many felt was lost.

That’s what Texas A&M basketball looked to do Saturday night at Reed Arena as the Aggies welcomed No. 1 Tennessee. Despite coming within two points of tying the game, A&M fell to Tennessee 93-76 in the end.

While the Aggies have struggled to find their rhythm this season, there have been glimpses of potential, including a marquee victory over Kansas State last Saturday during the SEC-BIG 12 Challenge.

With 12 minutes left in the game, A&M came within five points of the Vols, prompting a Tennessee time out.

Once A&M came out of the timeout,

sophomore guard Brandon Mahan cut the Volunteers lead to two with a corner shot that ignited not only the team, but Reed Arena.

But UT’s high-powered offense would not allow the Aggies to get any closer. After A&M came within a basket, the Vols pulled away.

A&M head coach Billy Kennedy said while A&M was able to get within striking distance of Tennessee, the Vols ability to create separation on offense ultimately took a toll on the Aggies.

“I felt we wore them down a little bit and that’s when we made that run,” Kennedy said. “Defensively is where we were hit hard, and we couldn’t guard.”

Kennedy said despite the 17-point loss, he felt like the Aggies played some of the best basketball they have this season.

“I thought offensively, they were by far the best offensive Aggies that we’ve played,” Kennedy said. “I thought our guys competed and fought hard.”

On the other side of the ball, the

Volunteers were 40-of-62 from the field, shooting 64.5 percent. Kennedy said while the Aggies gave their best efforts, it was hard to contain the Vols, especially when four of the starting five had double digit games.

“Unfortunately for us, we played the number one team in the country that played like the number one team in the country,” Kennedy said.

Sophomore guard Savion Flagg said the Volunteer lineup was one of the hardest to guard due to their versatility.

“You really can’t help off anyone when they were shooting as well as they were,” Flagg said. “You couldn’t double Grant [Williams] because he is kicking out and making a play, so it was hard to key in on one guy.”

Mahan was one of the biggest contributors off the bench for A&M. Despite playing 17 minutes, Mahan went 4-for-4 from three-point range for 12 points.

The Aggies will hit the road to take on Ole Miss Wednesday night. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

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GET YOUR PHOTO TAKEN FOR THE 2019 AGGIELAND TODAY! AR Photography will be set up to have your FREE portrait taken for Texas A&M University’s 2019 Aggieland.

ALL CLASSES: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Feb. 4 - 6 & Feb. 11 - 13 in the Sanders Corp Museum Library Any graduating seniors who wish to set up a cap/gown photo will need to contact the studio at 979-696-9898. Cap/Gown sessions cost $21.95.

Megan Cusick — THE BATTALION

Netflix’s prices are set to increase for all U.S. users. Current users will see a change in rates in the upcoming months.

Netflix raises prices Texas A&M professor weighs in on streaming service’s strategy

By Javier Gonzalez @javigonzalezk Netflix has started the new year with a price increase to all three of its subscription options in the U.S. This change in price will affect new subscribers immediately, and current subscribers will see the change within the next three months. Netflix’s least expensive plan will rise from $8 to $9 while the most popular HD standard plan will move from $11 to $13. This is the largest price increase since the streaming service’s debut in 2007. The initial announcement sent the company’s stock up 6.5 percent, according to CNBC. Marketing professor Manjit S. Yadav said Netflix likely decided to make this change because the company is creating original content to fend off competitors

in the market, and the cost of creating the material is significant.

“Content has become [Netflix’s] source of competitive advantage,” Yandav said. “As the focus on content increases, the underlying cost continues to rise, and at some point, some of those costs, to preserve profitability, have been passed to customers.”

After the price change was announced, Netflix issued a statement saying increases are necessary to support the company.

“We change pricing from time to time as we continue investing in great entertainment and improving the overall Netflix experience,” a Netflix spokesperson said.

Netflix announced a few months ago that it might test lower prices in countries in Asia. Whether this move will affect the change in price in the U.S. is up for speculation since Netflix has not formally issued a statement regarding the topic.

“It is standard practice that companies develop pricing strategies that reflect the realities of different markets,” Yandav said.

Only time will tell whether this change will affect the number of subscribers the streaming service has. Biochemistry sophomore Miles Fowkes said he will continue to support Netflix through the change.

“The increase in price doesn’t necessarily bother me,” Fowkes said. “As a fan of Netflix, I will continue to be a happy subscriber, as long as they continue to develop great entertainment.”

Yandav said Netflix’s success through the change is a reflection of the subscription company’s strength in the industry.

“Netflix is exercising its market power to an extent,” Yandav said. “It has a prominent position among streaming services, and its ability to successfully implement these prices is a function of its market power.”

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Creative Commons

Joe Berlinger’s “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes” premiered on Netflix in January. The series includes interviews conducted with Bundy while he was on death row.

‘Conversations with a Killer’ depicts Bundy without glorifying him Berlinger’s latest true crime documentary explores the mind of one of America’s most notorious murderers Cole Fowler @thecolefowler

I

n conjunction with the controversial film “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival a few weeks ago, Joe Berlinger released a new documentary miniseries on Netflix titled “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes.”

The four-part documentary was built around hours of personal interviews with Bundy himself and attempted to capture a comprehensive view of his life.

Although not as revealing as Netflix’s advertising claims, Berlinger’s documentary is overall a conclusive look at the void that is Bundy’s mind.

The line between depiction and glorification of a serial murderer is not always

DISMOUNT CONTINUED Campus Master Plan, which recommended future dismount zones in areas with a lot of traffic. University architect Lilia Gonzalez said the plan was laid out with student experience in mind.

“The three key objectives of the [Campus

as clear as it may seem. Bundy, who spread fear across the country during the 1970s, is often regarded as the most notorious serial killer of all time. Bundy himself relished the media attention he received and used it to fuel his already inflated ego. So when depicting his life in a documentary, especially one that uses Bundy’s own words as the backbone of the series, it is nearly impossible to always stay on the correct side of the line. Overall, Berlinger’s examination of Bundy’s life stays within the confines of depiction and not glorification.

Although the documentary is based around the audio recordings of Bundy’s interviews while on death row, Berlinger undermines much of what Bundy claimed in the interviews by proving that Bundy was a compulsive liar. This builds a compelling case against the celebrity image that Bundy created for himself, and chips away at the “normal” exterior

that Bundy was often said to maintain. In doing this, the tapes of Bundy answering questions regarding his childhood come under scrutiny as well.

Bundy’s answers regarding his crimes are portrayed as correct and irrefutable, while his depiction of his childhood is viewed as a narcissistic ploy for media attention. Netflix presented this series as Bundy personally admitting and describing each of his crimes in detail, but it is ultimately just an overarching look at these crimes.

In many modern productions involving true crime, the victims are not usually the centerpiece of the film. However, one of the positive aspects of Berlinger’s documentary is the reverence paid to each of Bundy’s victims. Each of the victim’s stories is presented in a way that keeps the them in the spotlight and never slips into elevation of Bundy. Despite the status that Bundy has attained in re-

sponse to his place in American history, Berlinger seeks to represent those who were directly and indirectly affected by his heartless acts.

As compelling as the docuseries is, this is clearly only half of the story that Berligner is telling. His fictionalized account of Bundy’s story, “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” is set to be released later in the year. From the first look at the tone of the film, it appears Berligner could cross the line from depiction into glorification. Hopefully, this is not the case.

Despite the misleading marketing, “Conversations with a Killer” is a great, comprehensive look at Bundy’s life. The series doesn’t necessarily prove anything new regarding Bundy’s crimes, but does give a clear view of the darkness inside him.

Cole Fowler is an English junior and columnist for The Battalion.

Master Plan] are as follows: Enhance the Student Experience, Improve Campus Connectivity and Integrate the Built Environment,” Gonzalez said. “One way to achieve these objectives was to evaluate our mobility network comprehensively to ensure that they are working together to help create a safe and pedestrian-friendly environment.”

Gonzalez said an extension of the dismount

zone would create a “safer, calmer and higher quality environment” for pedestrians.

As part of the dismount zone expansion project, there are plans to redirect cyclists and skateboarders to the sidewalk parallel to Military Walk, offering a path through main campus where they will not be required to dismount. David Brown, planner in the office of the university architect, said these changes

are not meant to be a burden, but rather to be helpful for A&M’s growing student population.

“We’re hoping that people will just see the intent of it and enjoy it,” Brown said. “We’re certainly going to keep our eyes open and try to learn as well. We’re just doing the best we can to keep growing it and making it as happy and healthy of an environment as we can.”

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Cassie Sticker — THE BATTALION

Reinstate the Rivalry is a network of students for Texas A&M and the University of Texas who are pushing to bring back the A&M-UT football game.

RIVALRY CONTINUED of the opinion poll, though the exact wording of the question has not yet been finalized.

Co-director of Reinstate the Rivalry Chipper Adams said he hopes this will give students the opportunity to voice their support for bringing back the annual football game.

“The reason we’re doing this is because we feel responsible for the tradition and the spirit of A&M,” Adams said. “I think as much as we hate Texas, they’re a very important part to our story as a university because we’ve played them 118 times in football.”

Reinstate the Rivalry is a network of students from A&M and UT. Co-director for UT Micky Wolf said they held a referendum during their fall 2017 student government elections in which 97 percent voted in favor of bringing back the game. Wolf said the movement is working to create a specific action plan that will be vetted by both universities’ athletic departments.

“Instead of just saying ‘we want to bring the game back,’

we want to be really specific and say, ‘this is when we want to bring the game back, this is the year we want to bring the game back, these are the potential contracts that we might have to break to bring the game back,’” Wolf said.

While Reinstate the Rivalry is advocating to bring back the annual game, Adams said the decision is ultimately up to both schools’ administrations.

“Because it is so ingrained in our history, in our traditions, and we have such a deep and intense rivalry with that little school down in Austin it kind of makes it more of a political issue than just an athletic issue,” Adams said. “At the end of the day, that makes the decision further up the food chain.”

Adams said the movement is gaining momentum due to the meeting between A&M President Michael Young and UT President Gregory Fenves on Feb. 18. Both presidents said they would be in favor of reinstating the annual rivalry. However, considerable road blocks remain.

“It is complicated,” Young told the Austin-American Statesman. “Our schedules don’t match very well. They have non-conference games in the beginning; we have ours inter-

spersed more throughout the season. All of this makes it very hard to schedule.”

Lisa Henkel, Class of 1991, said she remembers the time she skipped Thanksgiving family festivities to attend her first A&M-UT football game.

“It was just so exciting and everything I wanted college to be, and it was all right there in Kyle Field,” Henkel said.

“We were in the nosebleed sections of third deck, and I was just feeling like ‘OK, Aggieland is home; this is where I’m supposed to be.’”

Henkel held back tears as she recalled another memory of the rivalry against UT. “After the bonfire fell, my brother was a sophomore that year, and when the t.u. band played at the next game, and they were just honoring everyone…” Henkel said. “You know we have this amazing rivalry, but we’re family first and foremost.

It feels like we’re missing something; a part of us is missing for not having that rivalry like we used to.”

Kenya Robinson contributed to this report.

Meredith Seaver— THE BATTALION

Tattoo artists at the Ink Masters Tattoo Show provided portfolios of their work for potential customers to look through.

TATTOO CONTINUED cultural renegades, treating bodies like a human doodle pad is the new norm. However, a recent study suggests that body ink is still considered a detriment in professional circles.

In a 2018 survey conducted by Salary.com, 76 percent of respondents in a 2,700-person survey believed tattoos and piercings hurt an applicant’s chances of being hired during a job interview, and 39 percent of those surveyed believed employees with tattoos and piercings reflect poorly on their employers.

While inking the right side of a customer’s chest with a Mac Miller tattoo, College Station-based tattoo artist Jason Elliott said the scrutiny the industry has faced throughout history needs to end.

“I think stigmas exist for a reason because there’s definitely a

truth that surrounds them, but today tattooing is not like that,” Elliott said. “Tattoos are no different than buying a painting you really like. You’re just wearing it on your body instead of putting it on your wall.”

Elliott has been a tattoo artist for six years and joined College Station’s Legacy Tattoo Lounge a few years ago. One year ago, Elliot was a competitor on the 10th season of the Paramount Network competition show “Ink Master,” in which he placed fourth overall.

“It was fun, but definitely different,” Elliott said. “You’re on lockdown for three months and you’ve got cameras in your face the whole time. Here, I’ve got a lot of freedom to get up and turn on some music, but on the show it’s no music, no outside contact, and you’re constantly in front of cameras.”

In between hour-long tattoo sessions, patrons were invited to chow down on brisket sandwiches and fresh quesadillas,

courtesy of Ray “Rebel” Gonzalez, who combined two of his favorite pastimes — tattoos and his El Paso-based food truck, “Rebel Grill.”

“There’s good people around, and the vibes are great, so I love cooking here,” Gonzalez said. “I love to cook and I love getting tattooed. I’ve liked tattoos since I was a little kid, man.

I loved getting them in the Cracker Jack boxes back in the day.

I’m 45 now, but I’m not going to stop.”

Following a three-hour tattoo session, Blinn student Elizabeth Isaac said receiving her sixth tattoo was just as fun as the previous five.

“I knew before I even turned 18 that I wanted a tattoo,” Isaac said. “I just love the thought of them. It’s my body and I want to decorate it. Life’s too short to have boring skin, so you’ve got to ink it up.”

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