Shonda Rhound-Up: On #TimesUp, Meredith Grey says, “If you want to rebuild, you have to tear it down first”

ABC/Courtesy

Last week, “Grey’s Anatomy” introduced a plotline that reflects the year in Hollywood: Once-powerful, now-deceased surgeon Harper Avery (Chelcie Ross) sexually assaulted several women throughout his career and paid them off to cover it up.

This week, the doctors of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital — namely, Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), Jackson (Jesse Williams) and Catherine (Debbie Allen) — say #TimesUp on sexual violence in medicine, too.

At the end of the previous episode, several women who had originally signed nondisclosure agreements came forward and brought their accusations to public attention via the press. In response, Catherine hires a publicist — but not because she wants to discredit the women; she just wants to preserve the legacy she has created with the Harper Avery Foundation.

When the publicist suggests throwing the women under the bus, arguing that “someone has to go down,” Catherine offers to be the scapegoat. “I’m the one who signed the settlements,” she admits. But Jackson’s having none of it: “There’s no way a powerful Black woman is going to take the fall for a rich old white guy who couldn’t keep his damn hands to himself.”

The publicist wants Jackson and Meredith to perform an impressive surgery together to counter the bad press. Meredith is at first turned off by the obvious publicity stunt — especially because she just returned her and her mother’s Harper Avery awards, calling them “spoiled milk.”

When Meredith learns that the patient, Diego (Luis Fernando Cordova), has flown in from Venezuela to have a growing facial tumor removed, she changes her tune. No sooner does Meredith jump on board than she is told that the nonprofit that had planned to pay for the surgery has dropped out because of the Avery revelations.

So, Meredith and Jackson offer to do the surgery pro bono.

Meanwhile, Miranda (Chandra Wilson) cuts the surgical competition short, saying it would look awful for the hospital to continue with a contest funded (even anonymously) by a member of the Avery family, Jackson — especially because Jackson entered into the competition as well. When word gets around about his role in funding the contest, Jackson’s own friends and colleagues begin accusing him of “rigging” the competition.

In response, April (Sarah Drew) throws a hissy fit. She thinks Richard (James Pickens Jr.) was trying to sabotage her by having her be the competition’s judge. In the greater context, however, April just sounds whiny and self-involved — which is very out of sync with the self-reflective side of April that we saw recently.

Across the hospital, Owen (Kevin McKidd) brings his foster son Leo in for a checkup, where he meets Leo’s 15-year-old mother, Betty (Peyton Kennedy).

When Amelia (Caterina Scorsone) notices a few familiar ticks in Betty’s behavior, she pulls her aside and learns that, after having reconstructive ACL surgery to deal with a soccer injury, the young girl became addicted to painkillers. Two years later, she’s had a baby and is homeless and using heroin. Amelia, herself a recovering addict, offers to let Betty move in with her and to help her recover.

Owen’s plot has been rather uninteresting after his sister left earlier in the season, apart from when Teddy (Kim Raver) sent him packing — but even then, she was the more interesting character. This foster dad plot is trying to make Owen relevant again, but what it’s actually doing is shining a light on how captivating the women around him are.

Alex (Justin Chambers) and Jo’s (Camilla Luddington) relationship is also thrown for a loop this week, when Olivia (Sarah Utterback) — a nurse who left the hospital after she was dubbed “Syph Nurse” because Alex gave her syphilis during season one — shows up at the hospital with her son. She then spends the episode telling Jo all about the “old Alex.”

Jo is unfazed by Olivia’s jabs at Alex, but she’s worried by his change in attitude after they discuss wedding plans. Jo thinks Alex is worried about money, but he’s really worried about his schizophrenic mother — she hasn’t been cashing his checks recently. He’s concerned that his mother has died.

Toward the episode’s end, Meredith and Jackson not only successfully perform facial reconstruction surgery, but they come up with another solution as well.

The two had spent the episode attempting to reconcile two seemingly conflictual concerns. Jackson is worried for the Harper Avery Foundation — primarily because Harper’s name is on 72 hospitals, each with hundreds on staff, but also because he’s concerned for his mother’s good name and career. Meredith, meanwhile, wants to prioritize the women who survived Harper’s abuse, to uplift their voices and see justice for them — she recognizes that Harper derailed their lives and careers.

When Jackson says he wants to reimagine the foundation in order to keep it alive and save his mother’s career, Meredith tells him: “If you want to rebuild, you have to tear it down first.”

The two co-author and give Catherine a statement for the press: We’re renaming the Harper Avery Foundation the Catherine Fox Foundation — and retraining and rehiring all the women who left medicine after being targeted by Harper.

The story is a clear reflection of the series’s response to sexual misconduct allegations that have shaken up Hollywood this past year, in which Pompeo and Scorsone both accused director James Toback of sexual misconduct.

The creatives behind “Grey’s Anatomy” are skillfully using the Harper Avery plot to call #TimesUp on sexual violence in Hollywood, medicine and beyond. And Meredith’s co-authored statement recognizes that it’s going to take more than a single statement, or a few short episodes, to create justice and long-lasting change.

‘How to Get Away with Murder’
The last episode of season 4, “Nobody Else Is Dying,” aired March 15. Read our recap of the episode here.

Sophie-Marie Prime covers television. Contact her at sprime@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

App Combines Best of Credit and Debit, Automatically Paying Off Credit Card Purchases and Helping Millennial’s Build Their Credit History

BETHESDA, M.D. (April 30, 2018) – As millions of college students prepare to graduate, Washington DC-based startup Debx has launched a new personal finance app that helps them build their credit history without racking up debt, by combining the perks of credit cards with the peace of mind and simplicity of a debit card.

Many recent college graduates are just now learning how vital good credit history is, whether they want to get a car loan or secure an apartment. But it turns out many are avoid using or even applying for credit cards, afraid of the debt and high interest rates that accompany them.

In fact, according to a recent survey, 33% of millennials are afraid of credit card debt more than anything else, compared to only 20% responding that their greatest fear was death1. With credit card debt rising to over $1.02 trillion by 20172, and the average American consumer carrying $5,290 in credit card balances, millennials have good reasons for being wary.

But avoiding credit cards entirely has its own downsides: recent grads often have a hard time building good credit without them, and they miss out on the many other benefits credit cards offer, such as rewards points, cashback, and consumer protections from fraud and theft.

“When college students graduate, they are often unsure how to build their credit or manage their personal finances, and are maybe even a little intimidated,” says Ben Psillas, Founder of Debx. “They leave school with tons of student loans, and they want to avoid getting deeper in debt. But, they need to start building their credit history, and credit cards are one of the best ways to establish that.”

Debx’s aim is to help college grads avoid the pitfalls of credit cards, staying out of debt while still taking advantage of the many perks they offer.

By linking users’ credit cards and checking accounts, Debx pays off credit card balances automatically, or at the push of a button, allowing user’s credit cards to effectively function as a debit card, and avoid amassing large balances. Customizable rules such as Auto-Pay automatically pays off purchases below a certain amount, while Shutoff Balance automatically stops auto-payments when the balance in a user’s checking account dips below a set limit. As a result, users can use their credit card as they would for everyday purchases, earning credit card reward points, miles and cash back, but without the risk of overspending – and the infamous high interest rates and late fees such overspending invites.

The app also reinforces good spending habits by tracking credit card spending and balances, sending users notifications and reminders, and giving them updates on what rewards they have earned and how much using their credit card saves them. Users can see all their credit cards in one place, keeping an eye on their balances, spending and payments and knowing exactly where their money is going.

“College grads should feel confident when using credit,” says Psillas, “and by letting them stay on top of their balances, avoid debt and reap all the rewards that credit cards have to offer – while practically on auto-pilot – Debx will help them build that confidence and feel good about how they spend their money.”

Debx is available free for iOS in the iTunes Store. Enrollment takes less than 90 seconds, and Debx links with most major credit card lenders, including American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Discover, Wells Fargo and many more. To learn more, visit www.debx.co

About Debx: 
Debx is a free personal finance app for college graduates and millennials that keeps consumers out of debt by automatically paying off their everyday credit card purchases. By linking users’ existing credit cards and checking account, Debx allows them to use their credit card like a debit card, helping them earn more rewards, build credit, and enjoy the security of a credit card, while avoiding interest charges and fees. For more information, visit debx.co or follow Debx on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact:
Ben Psillas
Founder
ben@debx.co
202-297-3596

1. Credible.com, February 13, 2018, Survey: Millennials Fear Credit Card Debt More Than Threat of War and Dying
2. MarketWatch, August 8, 2017, “American’s Now Have the Highest Credit Card Debt in U.S. History”. Federal Reserve

The Colorado State Rams’ softball team (25-16) lost their weekend series with San Diego State (16-29) due to struggles on offense, missing the chance for a clean sweep to help their Mountain West standing. The loss came on a weekend when one of the three teams in front of them was guaranteed a series loss. […]

Halo Top Creamery’s new scoop shop proves that healthier ice cream can still be colorful, inventive and most importantly, delicious.

Halo Top Creamery opened its newest scoop shop, the second of two storefronts, at the Westfield Century City mall Tuesday. Halo Top Creamery, founded by UCLA alumnus Justin Woolverton in 2012, has gained recognition for its low-calorie, low-sugar and low-fat ice cream. The scoop shop sells innovative creations and exclusive soft serve options along with classic flavors that satisfy cravings without sacrificing health.

Located on the second floor of the newly renovated shopping center, the brick-and-mortar store features sea-foam green tile walls and a yellow, ice cream scoop-shaped neon sign with “Guilt Free Zone” written next to it. The color palette extends throughout the interior with green lamps, a wall of gold spoons and a floor reading “I’m cold, let’s spoon.” The overall aesthetic is sophisticated, yet playful, and though the space doesn’t provide seating, there are plenty of other places to rest and enjoy the ice cream in the mall.

However, options are a bit pricier than an average ice cream store, starting at $4.95 for a single scoop or small soft serve without any toppings. The shop also offers classic cups and cones, ice cream sandwiches, waffle cone tacos, puffle cones and an extensive topping bar filled with fruits, sweets and cereals.

The soft serve options were underwhelming with only four fairly basic flavors to choose from – vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and blueberry crumble. The strawberry soft serve, however, was delicious, with a creamy texture and a satisfying level of sweetness. Even with the delectable toppings of sweet and plump raspberries and chewy brownies, the strawberry flavor still shone through.

Other toppings were more unconventional, like the cupcake bites, which looked like small white spheres covered in colorful confetti sprinkles. They looked adorable on ice cream, but were too hard and lacked a pleasurable flavor or texture.

Of the more traditional Halo Top ice cream flavors found in grocery stores, the caramel macchiato ice cream was divine, balancing strong caramel and coffee flavors. But the dairy-free cookie dough frozen dessert was disappointing, giving off a bitterness due to a strong punch of coconut milk flavor that isn’t ideal in ice cream. After the initial taste, the ice cream was still enjoyable, but the flavor was not exceptional.

In addition to traditional cups and cones, customers can also try more amusing options such as the puffle, or egg waffle, which is popular in Hong Kong and Macau. It is made to order and comes hot out of the waffle press – the final product features fluffy pockets of warm, eggy waffle surrounded by slightly crispy edges. The fresh waffle was worth the wait, and its warmth perfectly complemented the cold strawberry ice cream.

The ice cream taco was less impressive, and more of a gimmick than a showcase of artisanship. The price of $6.95 is high, despite its inclusion of two large scoops of ice cream that could constitute a meal in and of themselves. The shape of the taco is also not very practical since it can’t really be lifted, but it does serve as a fun vessel to enjoy the creamy treat.

Despite high prices, the Halo Top Scoop Shop is a heavenly choice for customers who are trying to stick to a better diet without cutting out the childlike playfulness of ice cream.

Heading into Washington, the Ducks aimed to make a statement.

They accomplished that with a pair of wins on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, Oregon provided an exclamation point.

In the final game of a weekend series between two of the top five teams in the NCAA, No. 2 Oregon (41-7, 15-3 Pac-12) came away with a 5-3 win over No. 4 Washington to complete a sweep of the Huskies in Seattle.

Washington (41-8, 12-8 Pac-12) manufactured a run off of the Ducks’ Megan Kleist in the bottom of the second inning to jump out to the 1-0 lead.

For the third straight game, Washington held an early lead over Oregon. But just as they had done in the first two contests, the Ducks rallied from behind, and on Sunday, they didn’t wait long to do so.

In the top of third inning, the Ducks put a five-spot on the Huskies to jump out to a lead that they wouldn’t surrender the rest of the afternoon. A 2-RBI double from Jenna Lilley put the Ducks up 2-1. Two batters later, DJ Sanders drove in Lilley — and herself — with a two-run home run to left field to give Oregon a 4-1 lead. Sanders now has 13 home runs on the season, tying Gwen Svekis for the most on the team.

In Seattle, the long ball came at the right time for Sanders, whose grand slam in the top of the ninth inning on Friday lifted the Ducks to its series-opening win.

Kleist allowed three runs in 6-plus innings and earned the win to improve to 17-5 on the season. The Ducks welcome Utah to Eugene on Friday for their final regular season homestand.

Follow Cole Kundich on Twitter @ckundich

The post Oregon softball beats Washington 5-3 to complete series sweep appeared first on Emerald Media.

Outside the Women’s Resource Center (WRC) at the University of Utah on April 18, over 1,400 items of clothing were placed on racks, tables and hangers ready to be claimed — for free. The clothes were donations from Piphany, a local company, that was looking to turn over its stock. The Union loaned racks, hangers and folding dividers for dressing rooms, and the mini marketplace was ready for business around 10 a.m.

Jenna Matsumura, the Outreach Coordinator for the WRC, said that the public’s reaction was overwhelmingly positive.

“During the shop, I heard many people talk about how excited they were to be given beautiful free things,” Matsumura said. “Many people asked, ‘What’s this for?’ and our response was, ‘Because you deserve it.’”

The shop offered a variety of clothing including patterned blouses, trendy palazzo pants, sundresses, athletic skirts and bodycon dresses, with sizes ranging from XS to 3XL. The WRC aimed to make the shop accessible to women of all sizes.

Attendees were encouraged to take several items, with WRC staff and partners encouraging individuals to “treat yo’ self.”

Over 150 people attended the pop-up shop between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and by the end of the afternoon, less than ten of the original 1,400 items remained, which were donated to a local women’s refugee group.

All individuals, regardless of gender, were welcomed at the shop. It wasn’t uncommon to hear people saying, “Wow that looks so good on you!” and watch strangers help one another find the best size.

“It was a very body-positive and encouraging space,” Matsumura said. “I overheard someone say, ‘This is the most nurturing shopping experience I’ve ever had,’ and that brought tears to my eyes. For so many people, buying and trying on clothes is a painful and perhaps traumatic event. Society tells women of all sorts that their bodies aren’t ‘enough’ and often times, those messages are strongest when shopping.”

After what it deemed a success, the WRC plans to put on similar events in the future.

“Buying new clothes and feeling beautiful in them shouldn’t be seen as a tax or something that breaks the banks of our students,” Matsumura said.

g.mason@dailyutahchronicle.com

@thegracemason

The post Women’s Resource Center Distributes Free Clothes appeared first on Daily Utah Chronicle.

A 64-14 overall record. Thirty-one consecutive conference victories and counting. Four Big East regular season titles. Three Big East Tournament championships, and a chance for another.

Late in Friday night’s game against West Virginia, the Longhorns were down but not out.

Heading into the seventh inning, Texas trailed 6-3 and needed a spark to get itself back into contention. A hit-by-pitch on Masen Hibbeler did just that.

The Longhorns went on to score six runs in the top of the inning and never looked back after capturing the lead. Texas then tacked on a few more runs to propel the team to an 11-6 victory over the Mountaineers in Morgantown.

The Texas offense had not only one of its better offensive nights on the road but one of its better nights of the entire season. The team recorded 11 runs on 15 hits and added four walks on the night.

Texas (30–15, 12–4 Big 12) was led by sophomore infielders David Hamilton and Ryan Reynolds, who went for seven combined hits and six RBIs. Junior catcher DJ Petrinsky also played a large role for the Texas offense, with two RBIs on two hits.

Texas starting pitcher junior Nolan Kingham struggled in his start on Friday night, letting up five runs over five innings of work. He was pulled in favor of sophomore reliever Bryce Elder. Elder, who was unable to record an out, allowed one run on one hit in two batters faced.

Freshman reliever Matt Whelan then took over for Elder and recorded an almost-flawless four innings, in what may have been the best performance of his young career. Whelan faced a total of 12 batters and did not allow a hit or run.

Whelan came into the game with only eight appearances and a 5.52 ERA. To whom much is given, much is expected. But nobody, not even Texas head coach David Pierce, could’ve expected Whelan’s dominance over the last four innings.

The Longhorns face West Virginia in the second game of the series 3 p.m. Saturday at Monongalia County Ballpark in Morgantown.

Top-rated stress and anxiety management mobile app Pacifica offers students full access to mental health tools to help combat end-of-semester stress. SAN FRANCISCO, April 26, 2018 — Pacifica, the #1 mental health mobile app, announced today that it is giving free Premium access to students, faculty, and staff, in order to help them manage the […]

City Council votes to revise proposed sidewalk use policy criticized as ‘anti-homeless law’

Berkeley City Council may consider approving a new sidewalk policy, which would allocate no more than 9 square feet to an individual for their belongings.

The policy also prohibits individuals from lying down within the vicinity of a BART entrance. But after more than an hour of public comment at Thursday’s special meeting, Berkeley City Council sent the proposed policy back to city staff for revision.

The proposed policy emphasizes that sidewalks “were not intended for human habitation” and that spaces such as transit corridors should be allocated for “the use and enjoyment of the entire community.”

Mayor Jesse Arreguín and Councilmember Sophie Hahn put forth this item to manage homeless encampments and sidewalk behavior. City Council decided to table the encampment policy, which they called a “first draft,” and focused the majority of the meeting on the sidewalk policy.

“The council plans to create a space for sitting and lying down at all times, but also preserve a path of travel for all members of the public,” Arreguín said during the meeting. “This policy is a draft that has been worked on for months.”

After introducing the policy, the council opened the floor to public comment, which was mainly dominated by two opposing groups: homeless advocates arguing against the policy and business owners arguing in favor of it. Many members of the crowded room rose to speak, with a line forming around the auditorium.

Homeless advocates spoke passionately, booing and clapping in response to others’ comments. Kim Nemirow, a homeless advocate who served for six years on the city Mental Health Commission, criticized Arreguín for authoring this item.

“He’s invested in affordable housing, but he’s uninvested in the experience of those on the streets,” Nemirow said.

Business owners talked about the safety of their employees and customers, as well as how the homeless allegedly bring “needles, feces, aggressive behavior” to the area and negatively affect their sales.

“We want to live in a progressive, compassionate community,” said John Caner, CEO of the Downtown Berkeley Association, during public comment. “But we need balance and civility so that our Downtown and commercial districts are welcoming to everyone.”

City Council reviewed the proposed policy page by page. Councilmember Lori Droste was particularly concerned about enforcement — she underscored that the policy needs to be effective. Councilmember Cheryl Davila disapproved of the fines and infractions that she believed would unfairly affect those who couldn’t pay or travel to court.

Ultimately, the council members voted to send the item back to the city staff to update the language of the policy and reflect their concerns about creating an effective but nondiscriminatory policy. Still, many residents were frustrated about the proposed policy, arguing that their voices were not being heard.

Homeless advocates, such as Street Spirit writer Carol Denney, called the policy an “anti-homeless law.” She noted that sidewalks are also blocked by tables and chairs from restaurants, but few of these businesses actually have the proper permits to do so.

“I thought someone would have a legal permit somewhere. We haven’t found a single one,” Denney said. “In case anyone is falling for the idea that this is about sidewalk blocking.”

Arreguín and Hahn reiterated that this policy would fit into a broader aim to reduce homelessness in Berkeley.

“If you don’t have your own home to return to, you have no choice but to exist in places not made for human habitation,” Hahn said at the meeting. “It is both difficult and depressing. We know that housing is the only answer to homelessness.”

Contact Madeleine Gregory at mgregory@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter at @mgregory_dc.

The Daily Californian