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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015
PAGE 5
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY RANSAN
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arts & features
Aries (March 21-April 19)
Today is a 7
Sudden changes disrupt the situation. Confront your own confusion. Breathe deeply, and keep moving. Make an escape, if necessary. Adapt to shifting sands. Balance frantic energy or chaos with peaceful solitude.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Today is an 8
Handle finances and administrative responsibilities today and tomorrow. Unexpected changes require immediate attention. Friends have resources and good ideas. Calm a nervous perfectionist.
Gemini (May 21-June 20)
Today is a 7
A surprising opportunity arises with a partnership. Work out negotiations later. Focus on short-term objectives. Take care with sharp edges. Conditions seem unstable, and breakage is possible. Let others solve their own problems.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Today is a 7
A business trio may require your attention. Can you meet virtually? A change of scenery can be nice. Be gracious to a jerk and ignore asinine comments. Get into your work. Don't talk about money yet.
Balance fun with responsibility today. You can have it all. There's money coming in, but maybe less than expected. Don't spend on romance just yet. Enjoy the game, without expensive risks. Wait to see what develops.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is a 7
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Today is an 8
Navigate unexpected changes at home. Family matters need attention. Be tactful with your partner. Postpone a big decision. Focus on immediate priorities, and ignore snarky remarks. You can get what you need. It all comes down to love.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Today is a 7
Stick to practical basics, especially when dealing with unexpected news. Phone home. Keep in communication. Manage any immediate breakdowns. Research solutions and take notes. Connect with your network for ideas and support. Relax somewhere peaceful later.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Totay is a 7
Unexpected circumstances throw a monkey wrench in the works. Think quickly, and stiff automatic reaction. An accident would really slow you down. Don't show unfinished work yet. Check for errors. Advance more rapidly by going slow.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Today is a 7
You're strong and getting stronger today and tomorrow. A breakdown at home requires your attention. Don't take anything for granted. Clean up messes, especially in communication.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 6
Today is a b
Peaceful solitude suits your mood.
Focus on health and well-being.
Exercise and eat well. Review
plans and measures. Avoid mis-
understandings that could snowball.
Postpone travel or meetings. Quiet
productivity satisfies.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Today is an 8
Your team gets inspirational over the next two days. Don't assume you have plenty. Act to avoid an unpleasant financial surprise. Plan it out.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)
Today is a 7
The customer is always right, even if they're a jerk. Postpone a financial discussion that could get heated. Avoid impetuosity. Travel another day. Let your partner do the talking.
Sex shouldn't be taboo, student says
Senior Jessica Allison from Paola is one of the first Human Sexuality majors at the University. Also majoring in psychology. Allison will finish her last semester of classes for the new major next fall when it is officially available.
MACKENZIE CLARK
FRANK WEIRICH/KANSAN
@mclark59
Learning about the birds and the bees was never awkward for Jessica Allison.
Allison, a senior from Paola, will be one of the first students to graduate from the University with a major in human sexuality this fall. Her goal is to become a sex therapist.
"[Sex is] just something I've always been comfortable talking about," she said.
Allison said her mother was always open about sex and sexuality and was "a huge motivation" in her decision of what to study. Her mother, Cindy, died in May 2012 when Allison was a senior at Paola High School.
"When she was alive, she was already telling people, 'My daughter's going to be a sex therapist,'" Allison said. "My mom was very proud of this and, I think, would still be very proud of this."
As a kid, Allison's first chapter books were Harlequin romance novels. Her mother warned her that the idealized ways love and sex are portrayed in those books are purely fiction, and not like real life.
"That sparked something in me — why can't it be both?" Allison said. "Why can't couples have a huge amount of love and good chemistry?"
She decided she wanted to fix that, and a career path was born. But as a sex therapist, Allison said she wants her work to go beyond just helping couples.
One of Allison's biggest concerns as an aspiring therapist, she said, is making sure people feel accepted. She said she would never try to label anyone.
"My practice, if I get one, I hope to be a completely safe and open place for [people] to experiment [and] talk about what they're experimenting with, because I feel like you don't find that very often," she
"If an individual is upset or not feeling comfortable in their own skin about their sexuality, or just needs someone to talk to, I can help," she said.
said.
Until that time comes, she works at Cirilla's as a sales clerk, a job she said is "so awesome."
"Having couples ask me what would help enhance their bedroom performance, that's exactly what I love," she said.
Allison said her family members have been very supportive of her career plans, even if some of them are slightly "weirded out" at times.
"My dad's still trying to understand what it is I'm going to be doing." Allison said. "it's sometimes hard for him, I think, to see his little daughter working at Cirillas'."
She said she receives mixed reactions when she meets new people and discusses her major.
"I'm not embarrassed to tell people about my major because I feel like a discourse on sex needs to happen in order for it to stop being so taboo," Allison said. "I just don't like people assuming things about me. It just irritates me, especially if they're trying to pick me up at a bar."
The human sexuality major will officially be available in the Fall 2015 semester. Allison plans to declare it and finish her last semester of classes. She is considering graduate school, but may take some time off first.
Katie Rockey, senior academic adviser for the Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies majors and minors, said there are about 10 students she knows of who plan to graduate with the human sexuality major in the spring.
She said especially with the KU core, the human sexuality major has opened up a lot of elective hours for students, so it is a great complement for any of their majors that these students are already pursuing.
Rockey said there are many career possibilities for human sexuality majors. Some specific ones she has heard from students include working for government or nonprofit organizations, such as domestic violence shelters
or the Douglas County AIDS Project.
"There's a lot of variety in the major," she said. "It's an interdisciplinary major... so students pursuing this major really get exposure from a variety of departments and faculty members to really make this a comprehensive degree."
Rockey said the department's website has not been updated to include the new major's requirements, but it will be soon. Students with questions can reference the website or contact people in
the department.
"This abstinence-only stuff we've got really needs to stop," she said. "It's not effective, and I actually think it's causing more problems than it is anything."
Although Kansas does not technically require abstinence-only education in public schools, Allison said she believes the sex education in the state is insufficient.
She also said she believes it's important for kids to learn
about healthy relationships, whether or not sex is involved, especially with the influence of modern media such as "Fifty Shades of Grey."
"If kids aren't taught [about healthy sex] and then they see something like ["Fifty Shades of Grey"] on screen and they think that's an example of an OK relationship. That's all they have to base their knowledge off of," she said.
For Allison, that simply won't do.
Edited by Jordan Fox
Jury finds Pharrell, Thicke copied 'Blurred Lines'
Associated Press
ANTHONY MCCARTNEY
LOS ANGELES — A jury awarded Marvin Gaye's children nearly $7.4 million Tuesday after determining singers Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams copied their father's music to create "Blurred Lines," the biggest hit song of 2013.
Gaye's daughter Nona Gaye wept as the verdict was read and was hugged by her attorney.
NICK UT/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Attorney Mark Levinsohn, far left, walks with the late singer Marvin Gaye's family members, from left, daughter, Nona Gaye, ex-wife, Jan Gaye, and son, Frankie Gaye, outside the Los Angeles U.S. District Court after a jury awarded his children nearly $7.4 million after determining singers Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams copied their father's music to create "Blurred Lines," yesterday.
"Right now, I feel free," she said outside court. "Free from ... Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke's chains and what they tried to keep on us and the lies that were told."
He and Thicke are "undoubtedly disappointed," said their lead attorney, Howard King.
"They're unwavering in their absolute conviction that they wrote this song independently," he said.
Thicke and Williams earned more than $7 million apiece on the song, according to testimony.
King has said a decision in favor of Gaye's heirs could have a chilling effect on musicians who try to emulate an era or another artist's sound.
Larry Iser, an intellectual property attorney who has represented numerous musicians in copyright cases,
was critical of the outcome.
"Unfortunately, today's jury verdict has blurred the lines between protectable elements of a musical composition and the unprotectable musical style or groove exemplified by Marvin Gaye," Iser said. "Although Gaye was the Prince of Soul, he didn't own a copyright to the genre, and Thicke and Williams' homage to the feel of Marvin Gaye is not infringing."
Gaye's children — Nona, Frankie and Marvin Gaye III — sued the two singers in 2013.
Their lawyer, Richard Busch, branded Williams and Thicke liars who went beyond trying to emulate the sound of Gaye's late-1970s music and copied the R&B legend's hit "Got to Give It Up" outright.
Thicke told jurors he didn't write "Blurred Lines," which Williams testified he crafted in about an hour in mid-2012.
"Blurred Lines" has sold more than 7.3 million copies in the U.S. alone, according to Nielsen SoundScan figures, and earned a Grammy nomination.
Williams testified that Gaye's music was part of the soundtrack of his youth. But the seven-time Grammy winner said he didn't use any of it to create "Blurred Lines."
The case was a struggle between two of music's biggest names: Williams has sold more than 100 million records worldwide during his career as a singer-producer, and Gaye performed hits such as "Sexual Healing" and "How
sweet It Is (To be Loved by You)" remain popular.
During closing arguments, Busch accused Thicke and Williams of lying about how the song was created. He told jurors they could award Gaye's children millions of dollars if they determined the copyright of "Got to Give It Up" was infringed.
King denied there were any big similarities between "Blurred Lines" and the sheet music Gaye submitted to obtain copyright protection.
Williams has become a household name — known simply as Pharrell — thanks to his hit song "Happy" and his work as a judge on the "The
Voice." He wrote the majority of "Blurred Lines" and recorded it in one night with Thicke. A segment by rapper TI. was added later.
Williams, 41, also signed a document stating he didn't use any other artists' work in the music and would be responsible if a successful copyright claim was raised.
Jurors repeatedly heard the upbeat song "Blurred Lines" and saw snippets of its music video, but Gaye's music was represented during the trial in a less polished form. Jurors did not hear "Got to Give It Up" as Gaye recorded it, but rather a version created based solely on sheet music submitted to
gain copyright protection.
That version lacked many of the elements — including Gaye's voice — that helped make the song a hit in 1977. Busch called the version used in court a "Frankenstein-like monster" that didn't accurately represent Gaye's work.
An expert for the Gaye family said there were eight distinct elements from "Got to Give It Up" that were used in "Blurred Lines," but an expert for Williams and Thicke denied those similarities existed.
Gaye died in April 1984, leaving his children the copyrights to his music.
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