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The U’s Weekly Student Magazine • March 29, 2006
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12 Running for Research As students sweated across the finish line this Saturday, some for a personal fitness challenge to see if the New Year’s resolutions paid off. The people who will really benefit from the run, though, aren’t those who whipped their bodies into shape—it’s people like Chelsea Votel who live with cystic fibrosis every day, hoping to wiggle their way out of a death sentence into a normal life though continued research at the University of Minnesota.
16 Students, Meet the Hostel Traveling alone? Don’t let yourself be restricted by paying high prices for hotels when you can meet travelers around the world that are young and open to adventure. Our reporter, Vincent Staupe, takes San Francisco by storm over spring break and makes some foreign relations along the way.
©2006 Established in 2002, The Wake is an independent weekly magazine, produced by and for students at the University of Minnesota. The Wake is a registered student organization. The Wake was founded by Chris Ruen and James DeLong.
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Volume 4; Issue 16
Letter from the Editor
It’s not nice to call buildings ugly Campus .......................................................................................... 4 It’s baseball season already? Athletics ......................................................................................... 7 Grandmas are pretty fucking sweet Voices ........................................................................................... 10 Photos! Get your photos! Photography ................................................................................. 14 An interview with Dessa of Doomtree Literary ........................................................................................ 18 Tapes ‘n Tapes ... is there an echo in here? Sound & Vision .............................................................................. 22 Give us $30,000; the University won’t Bastard ........................................................................................ 26
Dear Campus, I think spring is in the air. I really do. Can you feel it as well? It’s not because we passed the day on the calendar that says “first day of spring.” It’s not because the snow is disappearing as the temperatures rise. It’s not even the smell of charcoal in the air as you walk down University Avenue. No, it’s not any of these reasons. Spring is in the air because I just realized all the shit I have to do before the end of the semester. You know, all the things you didn’t do while you sat in a winter induced stupor. So crack open a beer or eight, start up the grill, and let’s get going on that senior paper! LANE TRISKO
Managing Editor ltrisko@wakemag.org
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Campus
March 29, 2006
On a gray, cold day, anything
on campus can look ugly. The brick buildings, the dirty grass in the mall or those rascally squirrels. But even on a sunny and bright spring day, the Science Classroom Building is still “the worst looking building in the universe,” as University President Bob Bruininks says of the white building found at end of the Washington Avenue Bridge on the East Bank campus. Thankfully, university students won’t have to tolerate the insufferable eyesore much longer—the building will be demolished and rebuilt to house a science teaching and student service center for chemistry and physics classes as well as a consolidated academic services center. The building in its current condition was not worth additional investment, says Orlyn Miller, the director of plans and architecture for the project. “It’s better to build new,” he says. During construction, pedestrian traffic will be rerouted south of the Washington Bridge to pass by the Weisman Museum and Coffman Memorial Union. “Pedestrian access will improve once [the project is] done,” Miller says. The Science Classroom Building, which was built 44 years ago, was never even finished, which is evident in the upper floors, where an exposed bar above the steps indicates where additions were to be made. It has been generally agreed that it does not fit with the rest of its surroundings, including other buildings and the architecture of the area, which mostly consists of brick buildings. The location is regarded as a university “gateway” because it is at one end of the Washington Avenue Bridge. As anyone who has had a class in the Science Classroom Building already knows, the building also boasts a confusingly intricate stairway system and difficult and inefficient accessibility both indoors and outdoors, with separate entrances leading to different lecture halls. The building currently has four lecture halls and each hall has 236 seats. The new building is expected to be approximately this same size while also meeting the needs of large science demonstrations, Miller says. The building is currently used for the departments of economics, multicultural and academic affairs, general college and chemistry, one of the largest programs at the U. Chemistry courses are required for 43 undergraduate programs and physics is required for 53 programs, with as many as 17,000 students enrolled in chemistry or physics programs in one year. In January, Professor Jeffrey Roberts, head of the chemistry department, said there was a need for better lab and classroom space. “We have top faculty teaching with excellent tech-
niques, but we can’t do anything about the infrastructure,” he said. Caroline Rosen, education specialist at the Center for Teaching and Learning Service, which is located in the Science Classroom Building, says that she, or anyone else with offices in the building, does not know much about the reconstruction project. “We do know that there will be some kind of renovation, but beyond that, we are not aware of any specifics,” she says. The Center for Teaching and Learning Service partners with colleges, departments and individuals to improve student learning and is currently located in room 315. Miller says that the Office of Space Management will decide where these offices will be moved. Bruininks first mentioned a renovation of the Science Classroom Building in February 2004. At this time, he was exploring the possibility of putting mostly technology classrooms in the facility. He was concerned about the lost productivity because of mediocre facilities. Bruininks is very happy the renovation project will be completed in his term, says Miller. The new large-scale demonstration classrooms, which are “essential to meet the instructional needs of core science courses in chemistry and physics,” will include state-of-the art presentation technology and improved acoustics, according to a 2006 Capital Request document. Another feature of the new building is that it will consolidate student services centers into one location. This will include advising, career counseling, student leadership, registration, financial aid and billing. At the moment, these services are scattered around campus. During renovation, classes will be moved to other buildings and Miller says a provisional classroom study was done to address this issue so other lecture halls do not become overcrowded. “We are making sure students are not inconvenienced,” he says. “That’s key.” The U requested $41.3 million from the state for the project during the 2006 Legislative bonding request in January, which would involve the U raising an additional $20.7 million. The additional money will be paid by a combination of University resources, tuition and state funds over time, unless there is a major donor for the project, says Mike Berthelsen, CFO for University Services. The project would cost a total of $62 million. Designer selection for the building is expected to begin next month after the bonding bill passes. Actual renovation will begin to become visible in Summer 2007. The project has an expected end date of Spring 2009.
by sarah howard
photos by brennan vance
Campus
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EVENTS CALENDAR Wednesday, March 29
“The Banjo in Atlantic History to 1900,” A lecture by James Webb 12:15 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Room 125, Nolte Center for Continuing Education) The Guerilla Girls (Performance/Discussion) 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Room 175, Willey Hall)
Interior Design students exhibit culturally sensitive housing
Thursday, March 30
“Of Christ and Sir William Davenant: What Went Wrong in Early AngloIslamic Relations?” 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. (Upton Room, Walter Library, Minneapolis Campus)
Friday, March 31
The Fight for the Right To Travel to Cuba 7:00 p.m. (Carnegie Building, Macalester College, 1600 Grand Ave, St. Paul)
Sunday, April 2
Ukrainian Easter Bazaar 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. (Ukrainian Event Center, 301 Main St NE, Minneapolis)
Monday, April 3
BY MARNI GINTHER & ELIZABETH AULWES “Culturally sensitive housing” is a term that evokes both curiosity and skepticism from much of the university community. Interior design professor Tasoulla Hadjiyanni and her students aim to change that. “Building Ties: Culturally Sensitive Housing Designs for Hmong and Somali Refugees,” an exhibit of housing designs by Hadjiyanni’s students, runs until May 2 at the Hennepin History Museum. The drawings illustrate plans for affordable housing units that cater to the cultural needs of specific immigrant populations here in the Twin Cities. “Just having a roof over your head doesn’t mean you’re not homeless,” says Hadjiyanni, an immigrant herself. She wants people to recognize that design plays a major role in making a house a home, and a home can make or break an immigrant’s sense of belonging in a new place. Hadjiyanni studied the effects of inadequate housing on immigrant populations for 11 years. In 2002 she wrote a book, “The Making of a Refugee,” on immigrant children in her native country of Cyprus and how their experiences in housing projects affected their identities. She has done similar research on local Hmong and Somali populations. The data she collects about these cultures and their needs forms the basis of her students’ projects, but she says she would like to turn her ideas into official policies. Chiharu Miller, a third-year interior design
student, created a housing plan for Hmong immigrants. Her design left more open space than is typical of American homes because, in Hmong culture, members of the extended family often live under the same roof as the nuclear family. “In the Hmong language, there is no word for privacy,” Miller says. “Hmong religion is centered around the house,” third-year interior design major Katie MacDonald says. “You have to allow space for that.” Open spaces are important for Hmong families because they practice their religious ceremonies at home, rather than at an outside building such as a church or temple. Juniors Jillian Marchiafava and Sarah Josephson based their designs on the cultural needs of Somali immigrants. Knowing that the Islamic faith requires Muslims to pray facing east every day, Marchiafava included an east-facing prayer-room in her design. She says she kept the room simple so any non-Islamic family that may live there in the future could still use it. Students designing houses for Somali immigrants also took gender separation into account. Separate entrances into the kitchen allow women to cook without being seen and without wearing burkhas, junior Cheri Sundal says. Somali residents value their privacy and want higher windows and back staircases, she says. It was important to make sure all the designs held resale value for non-immigrant fami-
lies but still emphasized cultural compatibility, students said at the exhibit. For example, Somali Muslims wash their hands and feet every time they pray. If a non-immigrant family ever moved into a house with a low sink made for foot-washing, it wouldn’t make sense to them, Josephson says. But the shower she designed with a seat and pull-down showerhead would meet the cultural needs of Somali families as well as be useful for non-Islamic families. Students also focused on affordability. Two duplexes, located at Hiawatha and 43rd Street, were built with the principles of affordability and cultural sustainability in mind. The houses were built according to Hmong cultural needs, with indoor and outdoor space for gardening purposes, and went on the market at prices that the average immigrant could afford. Hadjiyanni hopes the exhibit will help raise awareness at the university and among city policy makers. Designs that are sensitive to diverse cultural needs are more important than most people realize, she says, and she wants to make people aware of that. As part of her effort to do this, Hadjiyanni was a panelist at a sustainability discussion between local mayors last month. “Culturally sensitive housing is not something we think about when addressing affordable housing,” Hadjiyanni says. “And it has to do with education, and getting people familiar with the term.”
Senior Sendoff 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. (Memorial Hall, McNamara Alumni Center, Minneapolis Campus) Colloquium: “Elsewhere: Italians in the Frontiers (United States, 19th and 20th Centuries)” 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. (Room 308, Elmer L. Andersen Library, Minneapolis Campus) The International Adoption Project: Research on Children Adopted fromOrphanages 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. (Room 250, Wulling Hall, Minneapolis Campus)
Tuesday, April 4
“Sacralizing the PoliticalPoliticizing the Sacred: Some Remarks on the Differences Between Fascism and Fundamentalism” 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. (Arthur Upson Room (102), Walter Library, Minneapolis Campus)
Wednesday, April 5
YearEnd Celebration: CommunityUniversity Partnerships 4:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. (Great Hall, Coffman Memorial Union, Minneapolis Campus) Science on Screen The Red Gold 7:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m. (Bell Auditorium, Bell Museum of Natural History, Minneapolis Campus)
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Campus
March 29, 2006
. . . the institution is not doing its job by representing these people in their decisions.
After black student leaders took over Morrill Hall demanding better academic and student services in 1969, the department for African American and African studies was born. Almost 40 years later, on March 7, over 55 people gathered to discuss the past, present and future of the university’s departments of ethnic studies in the face of strategic positioning. At the “Transformative Education: Ethnic Studies for the 21st Century” forum, several undergraduate and graduate students raved about the university’s ethnic studies programs, before a panel of faculty and chairs voiced concerns about the future of the departments. “Ethnic studies can help the university more broadly conceive itself as a part of the community,” explains Joseph Bauerkemper, graduate student in American Indian Studies. Unfortunately, “there are an enormous amount of issues on the plate” when it comes to ethnic studies, says Louis Mendoza, professor and chair of the Department of Chicano Studies. “I will not be settled with the under-representation of our students on this campus or of our faculty,” he says. Citing a lack of tenured faculty, recognition for service-learning and resources in general, Mendoza said, “We’ve been underdeveloped.” Keith Mayes, assistant professor in the department of African American and African studies, says students “had to take over buildings” to persuade the university to create his department. “Are we still an oppositional discipline?” he asks. “If we have arrived, then that means that we have certain kinds of institutional support,” he says. “The University of Minnesota has not provided the departments with the resources that they need to grow and prosper,” says Patricia Albers, professor and chair of the department of American Indian studies. She explained that the university does not provide resources, in part, because the departments “can’t argue in terms of the numbers.” “We are constantly under the gun for not having sufficient enrollment,” Albers says. She argues that students are not introduced to ethnic studies because any class that “teaches a Toni Morrison novel” can fulfill the diversity liberal education requirement. Students on the undergraduate panel said they were not encouraged to take ethnic studies classes during first-year orientation. “We haven’t been able to draw the kinds of numbers we need to build faculty and expand our influence,” Albers says. “I’m still totally disappointed that while we are seeing these radical
demographic changes [in the student body] … the institution is not doing its job by representing these people in their decisions,” she added. Despite apparently low numbers in ethnic studies departments, students were at the forum to show their support and to express their appreciation for the ethnic studies programs. Alicia Steele, a senior in African American studies and a member of the student panel at the forum, says, “It was nice to be able to find a place [African American studies] where I could be angry and learn to understand my frustration with oppression, my frustration with ignorance.” Amy Ojibway, a sophomore in American Indian Studies, agreed, saying, “It’s a really great way to learn how to channel our anger and be productive with it.” She explains that after she graduates she plans to go back to her community and bring her new skills, including the revitalization of Native language. She says the program is great for non-Native students as well. “It’s just a great way to understand … it’s a shock for a lot of students,” she says. “It’s a safe environment for class discussion and sharing our influential experiences,” says Jennifer Lee Kelley, a senior in Asian American Studies. She explains that discussions are especially beneficial between ethnic students and students of a less diverse background to enhance and understand “interaction and perception.” Ethnic studies encourage a “non-arrogant, aware American public,” she says. Martha Ockenfels-Martinez, a senior in Chicano Studies and Global Studies, calls Chicano studies and service her “personal passion.” The department “has allowed me to be able to incorporate that into my academic life,” she says. “Behind all the success lies the will and enthusiasm of students,” says Josephine Lee in Asian American Studies. While the wrath of strategic positioning effectively cut General College out of the university’s master plan, the prophecy is still unclear for the four ethnic studies programs. “I’ve been at the academy for 40 years, and I’m not optimistic,” Albers says. The forum was sponsored by the Departments of African American and African Studies, American Indian Studies, Asian American Studies and Chicano Studies in collaboration with Más(s) Color and the Council on Public Education-Place Based Learning Committee. It was co-sponsored by the Multicultural Center for Academic Excellence, the Community Scholars Program, the Graduate School, the Immigration History Research Center and the College of Liberal Arts.
Athletics
illustrations By aaron groh
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Solving the Power Outage Problem BY jeff barthel
The Minnesota Twins have oiled up the leather, stretched out the lumber and limbered up their arms in anticipation of beginning the 2006 regular season with the hope to reclaim the American League Central title. To do so, however, the Twins will undoubtedly have to hit better—especially when it comes to power. In an era known for power hitting, the Twins have not had a 30-homerun hitter since 1987 (Gary Gaetti with 31, Tom Brunansky with 32 and Kent Hrbek with 34). So, where are these extra-base hits and long balls going to come from? Like many other Twins teams in recent years, this year’s Twins have many players who should be considered 30-homer worthy. But, who are the top powerhitting contenders for the 2006 Twins? Tony Batista – The 32-year-old veteran third baseman hasn’t played Major League Baseball since 2004. Minnesota hopes the ex-Orioles, Blue Jays slugger (who’s topped the 30-homer mark three times in his 10-year career) can provide the much needed power; but it’s hard to believe he can get back to MLB form and knock out 30. Torii Hunter – The defensive superstar’s hitting has become more consistent in recent years. Last season, which included missing more than two months due to injury, Hunter only hit 16 homeruns. However, in Hunter’s previous four seasons he led the team in home runsthree of those years—including hammering out 29 homers in his 2002 All-Star season.
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Joe Mauer – Female fans, dream on. This 22-year-old catcher will be a phenomenal hitter. Look for Mauer to hit .300-plus and possibly lead the team in batting average. As far as homeruns, this St. Paul native will likely hit 30 at some point in his career, but it’ll be a few years. As for 2006, look for Mauer to hit some homers, but not more than 24-25. The third-year catcher will provide Minnesota some consistent hitting, but not a ton of power … yet. So, who will be that first Twin since ’87 to hit 30 homeruns? Of the above-mentioned, Hunter and Batista are the most probable; however, the key to bringing some power back to Minnesota’s lineup will be its 24-year-old Canadian import—third year first baseman, Justin Morneau. In 2005, the towering first baseman’s production (or lack thereof) paled in comparison with his lofty potential. Pre-season illnesses and getting hit on the helmet hampered Morneau’s production last season. He finished last season with a .239 batting average, 22 homeruns and 79 RBI. Although his RBI total led the Twins, expect better things for Morneau this season. At 6 feet 4 inches, and a strong 227 pounds, the burly first baseman should be able to knock out 30 and drive in 100 if his health holds up. This season Morneau has so far been in good health. He competed in the World Baseball Classic for Canada and rejoined Minnesota with plenty of time to prepare his swing and first baseman skills for the new season.
Detroit Tigers
AL Central Breakdown Minnesota Twins
Kansas City Royals
Last year: 83-79, third place Manager: Ron Gardenhire (fifth season) Key additions: Rondell White (DH), Luis Castillo (2B), Tony Batista (3B) Key losses: Jacque Jones (OF), J.C. Romero (RP) Outlook: The Twins enter 2006 with possibly the League’s best pitching staff. Leading the pitchers will be 2004 Cy Young winner Johan Santana and 2005 All-Star closer Joe Nathan. Offensively, Minnesota hopes to have a quality mid-lineup hitter in ex-Detroit Tigers slugger, Rondell White. Minnesota plans to play White exclusively at the designated hitter (DH) position. Someone who could be an offense igniter is ex-Marlins second baseman, Luis Castillo. He will bring the team a lot of speed (281 stolen bases) and figures to be a consistent hitter at (or near) the top of the Twins lineup. A dark horse for Minnesota may be Rueben Sierra. Sierra, at 40 years of age, is undoubtedly past his prime; however, he has shown he still has a good ability to hit the long ball.
Last year: 56-106 (last place) Manager: Buddy Bell (first season) Key additions; Reggie Sanders (OF/DH), Mark Grudzielanek (2B), Joe Mays (SP) Key losses: Jose Lima (SP/RP), Terrance Long (OF) Outlook: Royals new skipper (Bell) will be trying to pick up the pieces of K.C.’s 100loss season, but it’ll be a mighty task. Despite losing 106 games last season, Kansas City was able to make a couple nice acquisitions. MLB journeyman Reggie Sanders brings the Royals something they desperately need: experience. Sanders has played with seven different teams throughout his 15-year career – including the past two with National League power St. Louis. Through his career thus far, Sanders has hit for a .267 average, while knocking out 292 homers (including 31 with Pittsburgh in 2003). The other veteran pickup who could help K.C. is second baseman Mark Grudzielanek. A veteran of 11 Major League seasons, Grudzielanek comes to the Royals with a career batting average of .287. The 35-year-old, Grudzielanek, also played for the Cardinals last season.
Cleveland Indians Last year: 93-69, second place Manager: Eric Wedge (fourth season) Key additions: Paul Byrd (SP), Guillermo Mota (RP) Key losses: Coco Crisp (OF), Kevin Millwood (SP), Arthur Rhodes (RP) Outlook: After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, Cleveland will be contending for the AL Central crown once again. The problem is they’ve traded away one of the League’s most consistent relievers (Rhodes) and its undervalued centerfielder, Crisp. Rhodes, a veteran of 16 MLB seasons, posted a 2.08 ERA in 43.1 innings with the Indians last year. As far as losing Crisp goes? Well, the Indians will have a very talented heir-apparent to Crisp in Grady Sizemore (22 HR, 81 RBI through a team-leading 640 at-bats in 2005), but Sizemore’s presence will not make up for the loss of its 26-year-old, slick-hitting centerfielder. Over his three years in Cleveland, Crisp provided the Indians with consistent hitting (.287 career avg.,) and excellent speed (15-plus stolen per season average).
Last year: 71-91, fourth place Manager: Jim Leyland (first season) Key additions: Kenny Rogers (SP), Todd Jones (RP), Key losses: Rondell White (OF/ DH), Jason Johnson (SP) Outlook: Not good. Detroit will try to rekindle its dead flame with a new manager this year. Leyland, who enters his 14th season as a MLB manager, will have his work cut out for him in what will likely be another losing Tigers season. Detroit signed veteran pitchers Kenny Rogers and Todd Jones, but these two will not be able to salvage a difficult situation in Detroit. The Tigers still have All-Star catcher “Pudge.” Rodriguez and up-in-coming first baseman, Chris Shelton (.299 avg., 18 HRs and 59 RBI last season).
Chicago White Sox Last year: 99-63, first place Manager: Ozzie Guillen (third season) Key additions: Javier Vazquez (SP), Jim Thome (DH/1B), Rob Mackowiak (Util.) Key losses: Aaron Rowand (OF), Damaso Marte (RP), Frank Thomas (DH) Outlook: The Sox are definitely the favorites to win the Central this year. A healthy Thome could have Chicago fans forgetting about the Big Hurt (Thomas) in a hurry. Pitching-wise, this team is tough too. The starters are solid, but the bullpen is especially tough. Chicago’s relief core will feature a pair of reliable veterans (Cliff Politte and Dustin Hermanson), as well as a flame throwing 25-year-old closer (Bobby Jenks) who’ll be shutting the door on several Chicago opponents this year.
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Athletics
March 29, 2006
Intramural Sports at the U
All Fun and Games BY craig rentmeester
PHOTOS BY stacy bengs
Ninjas, Hawaiians and Gothics. No, it’s not Halloween. This is the different attire worn by a team in my intramural volleyball league from week to week. Since there isn’t a dress code for intramurals, they decided to make their own. Many students, like myself, play intramurals at the U to have fun and stay active during their time at the U. Since most students at the U can’t compete competitively at the varsity level, like the Gopher Men’s Basketball team, a variety of intramural sports are available. These sports range from broomball, to bowling, to hockey. Many people play intramural sports. U Intermural director, Vinh Chung, said the goal of intramurasl is, “To provide leagues and tournaments to all different skill levels and encourage social interaction.” The beautiful thing about intramurals is that when some leagues come to a close, others are beginning. Right now, basketball and volleyball leagues are winding down, while indoor soccer and softball are about to begin.
When and Where
Sign-ups for intramurals usually take place during the second week of both fall and spring semester. Signups for summer leagues this year will be June 6 and 7. During the summer there are only two sports offered, outdoor soccer and softball. Both coed and open leagues are offered for these sports. One nice thing about the summer leagues is that students don’t have to be taking summer classes to play.. If you don’t have enough people for a full team, there is the free agent program. This program is where people sign up to be placed on a team that needs extra players. The free agent program is available for every sport, at every skill level and there are usually about three or four free-agent teams per sport. Chung said, “We’ll have some teams that will ask for free agents … we try to save some slots and try to put the free agents together with other free agents.”
Intramural sports are played all around campus. If you’re on the St. Paul campus and looking for intramurals nearby, outdoor soccer and bowling are played on the St. Paul campus. All other sports are offered on the East or West Bank. While intramural sports seem to be all fun and games, some sports get extremely competitive and physical. Some “tough guys” have been suspended and banned from intramurals for sportsmanship issues such as fighting. Chung says these incidents occur “usually around finals time or midterms … when it’s stressful.” While the intramural sports program at the U is very successful, Chung says the rec sports program doesn’t plan on adding any new sports in the near future due to a lack of space for leagues to be played at. Right now the goal is to enhance the currently existing programs for the participants.
Intramural Sports Offered Ultimate Frisbee Broomball 5-on-5 Basketball 3-on-3 Basketball Bowling Hockey Indoor Soccer Outdoor Soccer Softball Volleyball Flag Football
Athletics
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9
Talking Gopher Baseball Q&A
with Andy Hunter
Extra Innings
The Wake: Best thing on television right now? Hunter: Spring training baseball and the beginning of the golf season. It’s a great time of the year for television. The Wake: Worst thing on television? Hunter: All the crappy reality shows on MTV and VH1. The Wake: Favorite athletes? Hunter: The guy I like to watch the most is Barry Bonds, but my favorite athlete is Tiger Woods. The Wake: Favorite movie? Hunter: Caddyshack, no doubt. The Wake: Pet peeve? Hunter: I’m a pretty easy-going guy so I don’t know if I have any. I like to talk a lot, maybe people who don’t talk a lot. (laughs) The Wake: Most embarrassing moment on/off the field? Hunter: My first at bat ever (during) my freshman year down in Arizona and I got a base hit off a guy into left field in the top of the ninth. Next pitch the guys throws was a ball in the dirt and all I hear is Coach Fornasiere saying “Advance to second on a ball in the dirt,” so I take off and get thrown out by about 30 feet. We were down by one at the time and as I walk off the field some guy yells, “Hey six, next time leave the dog sled behind.” That was a dose of college baseball right off the bat. I was high as it gets and as low as it gets in about 10 seconds. PHOTO BY andy tyra
BY tyler rushmeyer When people hear the words baseball and Hunter, the next word that usually pops in their heads is Torii. But there’s another Minnesota player named Hunter and he’s been a mainstay for Gopher baseball for the past four seasons. Andy Hunter, a preseason All-Big Ten pick and current .349 hitter, is a fifth-year senior on this year’s Gopher team and a St. Paul native. He also excels in academics at the U and was named an Academic All-American the past two seasons. The Wake: What are your thoughts about playing such a tough non-conference schedule year in and year out? Hunter: It’s something that our program prides itself on. It’s what Coach Anderson has always done. We try to get a sense right away of where we’re at and really the only way to do that is to play the best in the country. Sometimes it means we don’t start out as well as we’d like and sometimes we do. When you do, you really feel like you’re in a good spot and when you don’t it just gives you some ideas of what you need to improve on. It’s part of the reason I came here because I wanted to play against the best. And this year was no different. The Wake: What are your expectations, as an
individual and as a team, for the Big Ten Season? Hunter: Well this is the first year that I’ve been a non-defending Big Ten champion. But Minnesota is still Minnesota and people shoot at us. We’re kind of like the Yankees of the Big Ten. We’ve been there so much, so often that people are definitely bringing their A-game to the table to play us. Obviously going out and winning the Big Ten is a goal. I would like to go out as a Big Ten champion in my last year. From an individual standpoint, the goal is just to continue to produce. I’ve been in the middle of the lineup my entire career because I’m there to drive in runs and that’s going to be my goal to take advantage of the opportunities to do just that. The Wake: Biggest reason why you will win the Big Ten? Hunter: This is the most together group I’ve ever played with. I really feel right away that everybody is pulling for each other. We’d had some tough games already, but no one is getting down and people are staying with it and that’s unique for what I’ve experienced in my time here. We’ve struggled with that in the past. We have more depth and togetherness than we really know what to do with it at this point. The Wake: What does the team need to work on to achieve that goal? Hunter: It’s an experience thing. We kind of
threw out our entire roster from last season. We don’t really have a core group that’s been playing together for a long time. Our pitching staff has a new look, we got catchers battling and we got infield and outfield battles. If it’s a weakness, I guess it’s that we have almost too much depth and not enough experience. The Wake: Favorite part about playing for the Gophers? Hunter: When I decided to come back this year, it was the idea to put on our actual game uniforms and to step out on the field and have people screaming for you. There’s just nothing like being a part of that group, putting on a Minnesota jersey and having people there cheering for you. And you get to play in the Dome and be on that floor where such great things have happened from Twins’ and Gophers’ standpoints. The long fall and spring practices are probably not the most enjoyable things in the world, but at the end of the day you’re playing baseball and you get to put that jersey on. The Wake: Any pre/post-game rituals? Hunter: I re-tape my bat before every single game. It’s something I started doing my freshman year. I fell in love with Barry Bonds and I try to emulate his tape job on my bat. I eat all the time during the games and never wear the same shoes I’m going to play in throughout the day.
Upcoming Athletic Events Mar. 31, 6:30 p.m. Baseball vs. Penn State Metrodome April 1, 11 a.m. Women’s Tennis vs. Michigan State Baseline Tennis Center April 1, 2 p.m. Baseball vs. Penn State Metrodome April 2, 2 p.m. Baseball vs. Penn State Metrodome April 2, 11 a.m. Women’s Tennis vs. Michigan State Baseline Tennis Center
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Voices
March 29, 2006
Love Your Grandma!
illustration by alex judkins
her family, Grandma B has always been a beacon of hope and joy. Whether by offering up a home-
As my grandma often says, “everyone’s go, go, go all the time,” please take some time to slow your life down. jeff barthel Most people have heard the encouraging expression “count your blessings.” Well, for me, my number one blessing is my Grandma Barthel. With all due respect to my other grandmother, grandma Ceil, Cecilia Jeannette Barthel, is a blessing who’s been of great inspiration to me in innumerable measures. My college years have extended far beyond the timely ideal and financially appealing four-year-graduation plan. What began in 1998 at Bethel College in St. Paul will soon come to an end here at the U. And, while I cherish the many opportunities, experiences and memories these years have afforded me, I’ve definitely had several rough times as well. Throughout these times—both good and bad—there’s been one constant source of emotional support besides my mom—and that’s Grandma Barthel. With her simplistic appreciation for life and
cooked meal, shining me a smile, or by embracing me with her more-than-generous hugs or sincere praise—this gracious women has shared with me her gifts of humility and tender care in lightening up the dreariest of my days. What’s more amazing is, this is how she is with everyone—quiet, gentle and unassuming, merely grateful for each and every day of life. No, she does not understand email, cell phones or other new technologies; she simply loves to love—whether she’s caring for me, my grandfather, her eight children or pretty much whomever else she knows. And it’s for these lessons in compassion and humility that I’ll forever be grateful to her for. Never, not once, will you hear a complaint from Ceil. No hate or harm could you ever see through her thoughts or actions, nor any disparaging remarks or anger will you detect in voice. Cooking, cleaning and maintaining a household—things many of us take for granted—are all things she does well. At 89 years of age, my
Grandma’s done these things for the good part of a century. She made lunches for all eight of her children everyday throughout the pre-microwave eras of the 1950s and ‘60s. While grandpa worked hard to provide the financial means necessary for their 10-person household, grandma would quietly clean her husband and children’s dirty clothes and cook the family hearty dinners. Grandpa, who turned 90 Saturday March 11th, is an honorable man in his own right, but behind every good man is a wonderful wife. In re-
Although it’s difficult for many of us to be in constant contact with our parents, we still try to make that phone call, write that letter or meet up with them for dinner from time to time. cent weeks, while grandpa has suffered arthritis over nearly all of his aching body, grandma has been doing all in her power to take care of him. Sadly, grandma and grandpa may soon have to separate. Something I’ve never had to conceive of until literally days ago. Grandma Ceil is not of tremendous health and even her
amazing emotional strength cannot overcome the mental and physical assistance needed for grandpa any longer. It saddens me to even write about this, they both mean so much to me. Which is why, as both Grandma Ceil and Grandpa Norbert make visits with their primary care doctor and look at nursing homes near their home in St. Michael, I’ll have to cease from writing more of these saddening events and return to the crux of this column. Call your grandma. Listen to your grandma. Care for your grandma. Yes, grandparents are old. Yes, grandparents are often times forgetful. And yes, my grandma and several others out there will soon be dying—although we dread that day. But, in this time of, as my grandma often says, “everyone’s go, go, go all the time,” please take some time to slow your life down. Everyone needs to work. Everyone needs money. Everyone needs time for friends, time to study, time to sleep. But don’t forget about some time for family. Although it’s difficult for many of us to be in constant contact with our parents, we still try to make that phone call, write that letter or, if we live close enough, meet up with them for dinner from time to time. So as long as Grandma Ceil is around, I shall continue to talk to her, ask about her, listen to her stories, visit her when I’m able to and seek her advice—especially about girls. She’s so great with that. Jeff Barthel is a Voices contributing writer and welcomes your comments at letters@wakemag.org.
Photo Poll • By Brennan Vance
Who do you turn to for emotional support?
Vincent
Eric
Mike
Heidi
Junior, Journalism
Senior, Urban Studies
Senior, Math
Sophomore, Music Therapy
A very wise lesbian friend of mine. She offers advice that’s not always the easy way out.
My close friends, either those that I’m romantically involved with or those that have known me for a long time. Emotional needs can span a wide range; certain situations draw me certain people depending on the problem.
Mainly my friends that are experiencing similar problems. It really helps to know that other people empathize with me.
The people I turn to are those that understand me the most. I also use music as an emotional output. I can interpret my feelings through creating music.
Voices
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American Face illustration by aaron ridgeway
tom mcnamara In developing American society, around the emancipation of the slaves, there was a movement in popular entertainment to further oppress African Americans: blackface. The form of entertainment initially put burnt-cork makeup on a white performer to make him look black. Then, towards the turn of the twentieth century, even black performers themselves would put on blackface. A performer in blackface depicted African-American culture as disorganized, lustful, ignorant, savage and inferior to whites. Ultimately, the blackface image (along with Jim Crow, Plessey vs. Fergusson and the government forced end to Reconstruction) managed to repress the progression of the African-American race in the U.S. following the Civil War. Furthermore, the presence of blackface is still prevalent in contemporary American popular culture. Though faces are no longer being painted, stereotypes are still being exploited and profited on. However, the mockery has expanded in America to now include the belittlement of homosexuals in popular culture. In 1789, Louis Hallman, Jr., a white man, brought blackface to the theatrical stage. His performance as an inebriated black man became widely popular and Hallman’s works soon influ-
enced many performers who began to use blackface. Prior to the 1840s, all blackface performers were white men mocking the black culture. Then, after the 1840s, it was much more common for African-American men to perform in black face. Though black men were now belittling their own race, the prospect of being able to make a livable
Shows such as Will and Grace, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Project Runway arguably exploit stereotypes of homosexuals. wage—which was nearly impossible—forced some African-Americans to be a part of blackface entertainment. With the introduction of film to America, blackface transferred from the stage to the screen. In 1927, Al Jolson in the Jazz Singer preformed as a white stage actor in blackface. In Plane Crazy in 1928 and Steamboat Willie later in the same year, Mickey Mouse appeared on film for the first time.
Mickey’s black face, large eyes, big mouth, white gloves and silly demeanor epitomized a typical blackface character. The murderer in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1937 movie, the Young and Innocent, acted in blackface. Bing Crosby performed as Abraham Lincoln in blackface in the 1942 film Holiday Inn. The list goes on and includes famous American characters such as Buckwheat and Amos ‘n’ Andy. Though these characters did not wear blackface, they embodied all of the other characteristics of the blackface character: slow speech, dim-wittedness and submission to whites. Blackface performances eventually stopped in the 1950s, but the characteristics of it still exist and are unfortunately still well received today. Shows such as Will and Grace, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Project Runway arguably exploit stereotypes of homosexuals for American entertainment. No one on these shows represent a non-overtly-flamboyant character. However, many other shows that portray heterosexuals have characters that are modest with their sexuality—why does popular entertainment construct homosexuals as only aesthetically-obsessed characters? Why are there not homosexual characters on Law and Order where sexuality is insignificant to the plot? Heterosexuals can be cops and robbers, why not homosexuals? Will on Will and Grace may be a
lawyer, but his profession is second to his sexuality on the show. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Project Runway convey to America that homosexuals have only fashion tips to offer the public. However, this is simply not true—it is just a label. Just as in blackface, homosexual characters are defined by their sexuality’s stereotypes. Due to the fact that homosexuality has only been out of closet for the past thirty years in United States, many Americans still have not been exposed to homosexuals outside of media portrayals—it is simply not a fair representation. The danger of this is that some Americans may only base their judgments of homosexuals on what they see on T.V. and not on what people are actually like. Although blackface is looked back on today by Americans as a largely offensive part of their cultural history, aspects of it continue to be an influential part of contemporary popular culture by taking advantage of stereotypes. As there is still prejudice against homosexuals in many parts of America today, the stereotypes of homosexuals that the American entertainment industry is manipulating could be hindering the acceptance of a large part of America’s population. Tom McNamara is a Voices staff writer and welcomes your comments at letters@wakemag.org.
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Feature
March 29, 2006
Running FOR research three undergrads combat cystic fibrosis, 5K at a time BY KRISTEN MUELLER photos by brennan vance | photo ill. by eric price
E
veryday, Chelsea Votel straps on a big black vest attached to a 17-pound machine. Air pumps through the connecting tubes and into the vest’s hollow lining, producing vibrations that shake free the mucus clinging to her lungs. She ingests four to eight enzymes (proteins that help digest food), eats breakfast and swallows eight or nine pills before heading to class at an all-girls high school in Mendota Heights, where her roster of extracurricular activities includes battling opponents on the lacrosse field, editing the yearbook and sing-
ing in a select choir group, to name a few. Before finally sliding beneath her red comforter at night—in a bedroom decorated with dried flowers and pictures of her boyfriend, sister Lindsay, and friends—she’ll have taken at least 26 pills and spent 15 minutes being jostled by The Vest. Chelsea has cystic fibrosis (CF), a defective gene that causes her body to produce a thick, lung-clogging mucus. Half a century ago, CF was a death sentence. The average patient didn’t make it past kindergarten; their bodies’ excess mucus accelerated typical colds into deadly lung
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HALF A CENTURY AGO, CF WAS A DEATH SENTENCE. BUT ALL THAT IS CHANGING, THANKS IN LARGE PART TO UMN RESEARCH.
infections and could cause a host of separate diseases, about 65 in all. But all that is changing, thanks in large part to research conducted at the University of Minnesota, and the money raised by three undergrads: Kate Gustafson, Brian Peterson and Greg Tehven. “Why don’t we have a 5K on campus?” asked the guys, while the friends raced in the Run for the Pancakes. “Let’s do it!” Kate said, and in a moment of adrenaline induced exhilaration, the 5K Run for Research was born.
Chelsea’s dad, Tom Votel, has raised over a million dollars for CF research—and his unfaltering philanthropic drive seems to have rubbed off on Kate, who spent as much time in the Votel household—playing house with Chelsea, jumping on the giant trampoline, planning for the prom with Lindsay—as she did in her own. One month after the Pancake run, Kate found herself at Max’s Run for a Reason, raising money for the Sudden Unexplained Death in Children Program. “All these runs raised money for something,” she said. “I wanted to do
that too.” Immediately Kate had a plan: to raise money for CF research. Next came the hard part. Kate, Greg and Brian, then sophomores, had to plan and implement their race. Kate mapped out six different 5K routes, some meandering off campus, before settling on a double loop, from the steps of Northrop to the West Bank and back. They also needed land permission, police officers, waivers for participants to sign, medical staff, t-shirts, fliers, water at the finish, sponsors, an aerobics instructor to lead stretches—and participants. “Some days I’d have five new voicemails, and it’s like, ‘I don’t want to do this,’” Kate said. But in the end, the stress literally paid off. Over 360 runners turned out on a cool Saturday afternoon in March of 2005, raising $5,100. What wasn’t used to cover race expenses was donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of CF patients and ultimately, finding a cure. Fast forward to a Tuesday night last December. Kate, Brian and Greg have gathered in Coffman to plan the second annual 5K, but this time they have a group of almost 50 volunteers to help them, including members of the College of Liberal Arts Student Board, Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), Students Today, Leaders Forever, Pi Beta Phi Sorority and University Village. When asked what her goal is for 2006, Kate’s large blue eyes grow even wider and her voice lifts in cautious excitement. “I really think we’ll double it. I think we’ll get double the participants and double the money.” This year, every dollar donated is going straight to Dr. Warren Warwick, a 1954 University of Minnesota graduate, founder of the University’s Cystic Fibrosis Clinic (one of the best in the United States), author of over a dozen medical papers and inventor of the Vest, the stereo-stethoscope and a cough that could revolutionize how doctors word the phrase, “Take a
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deep breath.” Basically, he’s the Superman of CF research. Need more proof? Then here’s a statistic for you: Today, the average CF patient in the United States has a life expectancy of 35. But Dr. Warwick’s not average, and neither are his patients. They have an average life expectancy of 48—and counting. “I try to treat patients with cystic fibrosis as partners, and we’re both fighting to find out what’s wrong. I’m not treating them, they and I are together treating their problems.” It’s this unique approach, coupled with an endless drive and uncommon ingenuity, that has made the University’s CF clinic the darling of the medical world, attracting doctors from across the country eager to get in on Dr. Warwick’s “secret” to success. Chelsea is one of Dr. Warwick’s 70 CF patients. Every three months, she drives to the Mayo Clinic, a tall building sandwiched between the Superblock and Coffman, for a check-up. In the pulmonary function room, she breathes into a machine that determines how well her lungs are functioning. Next, Dr. Warwick checks her breathing with his stereo-stethoscope, which resembles a normal stethoscope, except that it has two cold, silver ends, used to listen to each individual lobe in her lungs. Later, he looks at the results of the pulmonary function test, and they talk about how she’s doing. The visit takes about two and a half hours, twice as long as it should. But this may be the key to Dr. Warwick’s tremendous achievements—his time and interest in each patient. Kate, though 55 years younger than Dr. Warwick, embodies the same relentless spirit. And like the wrinkled, soft-spoken doctor, she’s quick to attribute others—especially Brian and Greg—with her ability to succeed. “I could not do this without them,” she wrote in an e-mail. “This whole 5K thing is really about a team effort. I had a vision, they had the tools, and we made it happen together!”
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Photography Photography by
Ethan Stark
Photographers! Submit your work and you could be featured in next week’s Photography section. Contact Photo Editor Brennan Vance at bvance@wakemag.org for more information.
March 29, 2006
www.wakemag.org
Photography
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Feature
March 29, 2006
Students, Me et the Hostel To some, sta ying in hoste ls may seem or only for E intimidating uropean bou nd travelers Vincent Stau ; pe proves th at neither is necessarily tru
e
itzerland w S f o e v ti a n ld o rs Vegas to San David is aing2hi0s-yweayavia buses and trains from Lada ys to catch a
couple of and has been mak Los Angeles in a in be ona State to s ed ne t y major from Ariz ph so Francisco, bu ilo ph a is , his h. John, 21 o before heading to sc ci an Fr flight back to Zuric n Sa in g acy graduate who is sightseein il is a recent Pharm University Tempe Ph . ay aw lf ha a d t. The one hour an artment—as of ye ap father’s house, an an t no t bu o sc ates of San Franci ey were all roomm th at th who found a job in is on m m men have in co ancisco. thing these three at a hostel in San Fr ay st nt ce re t os m mine at my
Feature
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staySome people may approach the idea ofhostel s
ing at a hostel with some trepidation. Aren’t mainly meant for those traveling to Europe? Are students the only ones who can stay at a hostel? What if I don’t like my roommates? These questions and others (the same ones I pondered when first booking a stay at a hostel) are valid ones indeed. After all, for college is most likely when people stay at hostels when ularly partic wn, unkno ing Anyth the first time. ps it requires a commitment, can be unnerving. Perha the of e releas year’s that was the reason behind this mega slasher movie, “Hostel,” in which unassuming In travelers get picked off chainsaw-massacre style. I ons, questi d addition to addressing hostel-relate an by d assaile not was I no, that want to assure you axe-wielding murderer while in the shower. A hostel is a supervised, inexpensive lodging place for travelers, especially for young people. My s stay at the Hostelling International’s Fisherman’ Wharf location in San Francisco was my second time staying at a hostel. My first time was in a nice area of New Orleans’s Garden District in what was once at an old orphanage. The first reason why staying usus hostel many hostels can be worth your while: for ally are historical landmarks. In New Orleans es pictur many had hostel the of lobby the instance, addday, hey of what the orphanage was like in its ing a unique aspect to the vacation. In San Francisco, r’s HI’s Fisherman’s Wharf hostel, originally a soldie barracks, is located in Fort Mason, a national recreational area on the north end of the city’s peninsula. Fort Mason was a critical military outpost protecting s the bay from incoming ships (there are still canon back’s hostel the in pointed towards the Golden Gate yard) and was a place where military families lived as and where troops were sent off to the war. Indeed, the on hostel I would walk up the street towards the hill, past the 1950’s style bungalows that dotted the ng fort, I could almost see the women tearfully huggi their husbands away to war. I arrived at the HI Fisherman’s Wharf sometime in the morning, luggage in hand, but was told check ly friend the d, Instea p.m. 2:30 until not was time in staff person, who also happened to be a student in the area, offered a luggage room or lockers to store my to things until check-in time. I had also called ahead and lock own determine whether I needed to bring my what other things should be brought. Another reason
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for travelers, hostels are why they are a viable option s or young people and ent generally run by other stud are experts on traveling many who work at the hostels nce or through helping either from personal experie an’s Wharf, there was erm other travelers. At HI Fish the day to offer ining dur f staf on always a volunteer se who needed it. Tours formation about the city to tho e Tahoe and the RedLak to nearby attractions such as e interests of travsibl pos ht hlig wood Forest also hig many different types of elers to the area. Due to the erally a good idea to call hostels in the world, it’s gen check the basics, like if ble ahead to your hostel to dou (generally this is more of and when there is a curfew t is included in the price an international policy), wha tel included free contihos of staying at the hostel (my , directions on how to get nental breakfast, linens, etc) of importance at that to the hostel and anything else particular hostel. iously vary with each The bedrooms at hostels obv eling with friends or a location. For those who are trav ion of booking a 2 opt group, some hostels offer the New Orleans, my In up. gro or 4 person room for the selves. Otherwise, if you friend and I had a room to our in San Francisco, expect are traveling alone like I did where from three to any to be sharing a room with plugs are included in the five people (at this hostel ear most people leery about price). This is what makes of sharing a room with staying at hostels—the idea can also be the most rethis , But complete strangers. hostel as well. The poswarding part of lodging at a rnational people while sibility of connecting with inte with people of the ting nec con in your own country, and building friendships same interests as yourself ing at a hostel so unique are some of what makes stay sfying than staying at a sati and in some cases more traditional hotel. re guests mainly Unlike hotels and motels, whe ng the city, in lori exp not stay in their rooms when designated for be will m roo n mo many hostels a com pin not slee g. This aids their guests to relax when p earlier than usual, but those who wish to get to slee , fireplaces and places ers put with amenities like com encourages socialization to lounge, a common room tel lodging. that many associate with hos on, many hostels offer Hilt a While definitely not traveler at a much lower many advantages to a young travel in the near future, price. For those looking to erwise, try looking into oth whether internationally or see my former roomyou if And staying at a hostel. mates, tell them I said hi.
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Literary
Editor’s Note In this issue I am excited to present the first part of a two-part short story by Bridget Haeg. The second part will be published in next week’s issue and the entire piece will be available on the web at that time. I hope you enjoy the installments as well as the interview with Dessa of Doomtree. Her perspective on her influences and poetry are insightful. Kim Gengler
Literary Editor
March 29, 2006
Dessa of Doomtree on Poetry, Nonfiction and Their Influences BY kel sangster The members of Doomtree, a local hip-hop crew, have been ravaging the Minneapolis music scene for some time now. They have probably done more to get in touch, lyrically, with their listeners than even Atmosphere and the rest of the Rhymesayers. When I was given an opportunity to speak with one of Doomtree’s members, Dessa—a hardcore M.C. who is described on the crew’s website as the quiet, brainy member; but is in fact a well-spoken critical thinker and speaker—I couldn’t resist. The Wake: I know this is a generic question, but what are your influences, in terms of spoken word or poetry? Dessa: I don’t read too much poetry. Poetry with a capital “P” doesn’t have a sense of humor and tends to consider itself so somber that it’s hard for it to be full of the blood and wrath and sex that’s in it. But I’m a big fan of a lot of creative nonfiction writers who are all named Dave. Dave Eggers, Dave Rakoff, Dave Sedaris and David Foster Wallace. For Wallace, the hardest one I still haven’t gotten through is Infinite Jest. It’s just a big, thick, pretentious book. The kind that you read in a coffee shop and hope somebody who’s literary and attractive will see you reading. The Wake: Like Atlas Shrugged? Dessa: Yeah. And when they ask you about it, you just say, “Yeah, it’s pretty good. It’s actually the Spanish translation.” I think that all the Davids have gotten shit for being gimmicky, when they’re actually being innovative, and the people giving them shit just don’t like them for being innovative. The Wake: Generic question number two: Who do you hope to influence or inspire? Dessa: If I could influence all those same David people, that would speak really highly of me. Really, I just hope to find other really like-minded people. The Wake: What about inspiring not likeminded people?
Dessa: I’ve heard some people have some amazingly normal answers to that question, but I never really think about it. I always feel that I’m connecting with people; I’m never like, “Who do I want to inspire?” If I have inspired people, then it’s moments that I don’t know about, and I’m honored to be in that position. But it’s such a lofty, self-referential objective to be like, “Today, I will inspire two girls named Sarah and one girl named Jane. Feminism in poetry will win.” I just hope to legitimately connect with people, or occasionally change minds. The Wake: Over the years, poetry and music have been swapping places on stage and in regards to which influences the other. Poetry was used in plays, then in music, and then music turned around and influenced poetry and verse. It’s kind of an open ended statement, but would you mind discussing it? Dessa: I think there’s always an exchange between the performance stuff and music and playwriting. Plus, rhyming (in poetry and song) is an element than can be used easily to convey urgency … so poets usually end up revising their writing to work on stage so that it can be heard better than read. The Wake: This one might be a little touchy; who are you involved with these days—like Doomtree and any other groups—and how have they influenced your performance? Dessa: Well, most of my rap influences are in my crew. Then there’s the Palabristas—a group of Latin writers, Ache Magazine and Valiant and Valiant. There was one called the Liar’s Club started by my friend Brian who, to showcase the fallibility of American media, would write totally fake news reports and send them in to get published. The Wake: Did they? Dessa: Yes, Brian’s did. They were so outlandish—and we kept points for every article that we could get published. But a writing group is only as good as the writers in it. It’s always good if you can see that the people you’re with have got a lot of talent. And when there’s a really good writer working with me, it makes me feel so much more hopeful about my career.
Literary
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Free Live Lit
The Heat of Our Hands BY bridget Haeg Two minutes until we measure a yesterday by the weight of wet sand beneath our feet. A white sky, white clouds, white raindrops, maybe a white sun if it ever appears. Wind-chapped grass awaits the lotion of raindrops. We mount one of the hills above the beach—it stretches for miles until it eclipses with that white horizon—and we stare at an ocean. The wind dribbles sugar-sand over our shoes; we sink a little. One minute until we descend down the dunes, down into decades ago. But we stop awhile for reasons we don’t say. This canvas of saltwater before us means we can each paint a spot with our eyes to pass the seconds. In my mural, I see a person swimming (Is it me? In the soggy denim and Nikes?) and swimming in the salty gelatin until land evaporates. No minutes left, so time to go. We slip down the hill to the beach, carrying this Thanksgiving Day 2002 on our backs and this June 6, 1944 in our cupped hands. They call it D-Day. The name did not mean anything. The United States military men used “h-hour” and “dday” to keep war plans covert, which left battles and muddy camouflage under this meaningless guise. Historians say this D-Day can translate to “day of invasion.” I say many blood-splattered words start with “D.” The five of us stagger out along the shore, each taking a plot of beach for ourselves, never mixing footprints. Dad leads this procession that will walk the beaches of Normandy and pretend that we know what happened here. I follow next, knowing that the friction of waves will eventually throb in my ears, so I’ll want to ask questions to soothe the sound. My little brother, Ryan, walks behind me, dragging a stick in the sand and drawing a line that dissolves with every wave. His seventh-grade history class hasn’t discussed this day yet; he doesn’t know the boats decorated with mosaics of bullet holes or the beating pulses of the paratroopers dropped behind German lines. This beach means something, he must think, when he bends to retrieve a gray rock to add to his drooping pockets. Britney and Mom walk behind us, 15 and 45 years old, with saltwater nibbling their pant legs. We all stop for a second because it seems right. Mom says, “It was a day just like today. Did you know that?” She squints into the clouds, and Ryan grinds his stick a little deeper into the sand. We know it by feeling, not by textbooks. True either way. The June 7, 1944 edition of the
Detroit News wrote that the D-Day invasion began at six in the morning in “cloudy daylight.” Clouds (check), daylight (check), but my watch glows ten o’clock. We don’t see the 150,000 sweaty hearts, the 150,000 kisses on crucifixes to please get us out of here, but otherwise yes, it was a day just like today. Journalist George Hicks, embedded on the deck of an American ship during the invasion, reported live on radio to hungry ears back home the “ships lying in all directions, just like black shadows on the gray sky.” These white clouds above us create identical shadows, and they look like dogs, creatures slurping their blood from open wounds. Really, Mr. Hicks, no time has passed. We continue then, on and on with sodden footprints even though there’s nothing to see. We can watch the waves, but they go back and forth until it stings our eyes to watch any longer. Catching up to Dad, I shoot question after question into the air, pulling thoughts from my mind like stubborn slivers and asking what I already know the answer to just to keep the words coming. Dad knows everything (at 17, I remain certain of this) so I ask what I know requires thick, wool scarf responses. We can unravel while we walk. I reach and grasp for these gauzy strips of history to make these beaches real. An hour later, we stand outside this beach’s museum, a white block building abandoned during this tourist off-season. In solemn adornment, a lone American military boat waits near the entrance. I reach a finger out to touch this boat like Dad does, one hand at his side and one hand tracing this blue Easter egg paint. This is a boat, used in a war. “This is a boat,” Dad says, “where the front door opened up like this. So if you were first to unload, you took the bullets for everyone else.” He steps away and points to where the open door of the boat purges into the yellow grass, almost ingrown; a simple rectangle, some sort of physics made it amphibious. Temper like a blister, but mind seeping with imagination, the red-haired entrepreneur Andrew Jackson Higgins invented this boat in the 1920s. First try, he built the boat in his basement but forgot he would have to remove it from his house. Solution? Knock down a wall and haul it out through the hole. The United States Marine Corps became his first customer, and they bought the boats to transport soldiers and equipment to the beaches. One boat could carry 8,100 pounds of cargo (the weight of souls not being measurable). They didn’t need har-
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bors; they could slither their way into Normandy. Years after the war ended, President Eisenhower declared Higgins “the man who won the war for us.” A sort of legacy that makes you shift in your seat a little upon hearing it—the very boats heralded for saving the victims of a world war made victims out of their own sailors. Higgins invented boats that saved lives while slaying them too. “Can you imagine? Think of opening that door … you were right there for the bullets to get you,” Dad says, eyes wide and head shaking. “A slaughterhouse.” We enter the museum. Inside maps hang with red thumbtacks and photos of soldiers with eyes like black tide-pools. A secretary shuffles papers at the desk, but no one else wanders this Normandy when we do. The gift shop stands to our left, where racks of postcards sway (you wouldn’t write, wish you were here, would you?) and the sleeves of Omaha Beach T-shirts look frayed from too many summer-popsicle fingers. For five euros, you can buy your own miniature American paratrooper. At a factory just outside Paris, pin-pricked fingers sewed the 101st Airborne Division into little dolls, stapled price tags through their soft felt ears and called them real. Picking one up Dad says, “This is how we remember them?” I can’t bring my hands to touch the little vinyl parachute on the soldier’s back. I remember that when President Ronald Reagan commemorated the 40th anniversary of D-Day, the wind blew hard like it does today. He stood at a podium near the beach and said, “President Lincoln reminded us that through their deeds, the dead of battle have spoken more eloquently for themselves than any of the living ever could.” Watching Dad place the paratrooper back in the mountain of its plush brethren, I think to myself that we, in declaring them here as souvenirs, have spoken for them too. The problem with our own legacies: We don’t always get much of a say in their creation. We do what we can while we live—showcasing our quirks or performing our own magnificent feats, whatever they are, to catch someone’s attention. We try to imprint our image on someone’s brain and thus solidify ourselves in someone’s forever. We find a way (some inherent force that squeezes our lungs and jams its way up our throats and says, “Go, find a way”) to make ourselves distinct. Then we leave, and those who remain sculpt our remembrance with the soft pads of their fingertips.
Nicholas Delbanco Wednesday, March 29, 7:30 p.m. Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum Over a writing career that spans more than thirty years, Nicholas Delbanco has published a variety of works. His most recent book, Anywhere Out of the World: Essays On Travel, Writing, Death, reflects on the wonder of discovering new places. Delbanco describes his travels to places such as Afghanistan, Italy and Las Vegas. The essays touch on how places influence our imagination. John Gery and Bilgara Obradovic: Poetry of Witness/Poetry as Witness Thursday, March 30, 4 p.m. Nolte Hall, U of M In a tribute to cross culture communication poets John Gery and Bilgara Obradovic will come together to discuss and read their works. Obradovic published a bilingual collection of poetry and has worked with Gery to translate his book American Ghost. Women’s Erotic Reading Query Booksellers 520 Hennepin Ave. E, Mpls. (612) 331-7701 Saturday, April 1, 7 p.m. Looking for a sexually charged way to spend a Saturday evening? Then listening to Catherine Lundoff, Paula Fleming and Elise Matthesen read their work can only satisfy the desire. These authors dabble in erotic fiction, among other ventures. Javier Sierra U of M Bookstore Tuesday, April 4, 2 p.m. Leonardo Da Vinci seems to be a very popular subject of thriller fiction. His painting of the last supper is the subject of Javier Sierra’s new novel, The Secret Supper, which is based on factual evidence. Sierra, a Spanish journalist and author, will discuss the book.
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SI Blingin’Hard $
March 29, 2006
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Sound&Vision
March 29, 2006
Serious about not being too serious. bakc Tapes n’ Tapes finds success in laid xxx x back attitude
by Dan Groth
photos by brennan vance, photo ill. by eric price
It took me half an hour to find the cluttered practice space that Tapes ’n Tapes shares with the likes of Cowboy Curtis and Dave King in a run-down St. Paul building. The room is so littered with speakers, amps, guitar cases and old lamps that I can’t take one step without tripping over something. The walls are half-carpeted in an ugly red and smothered with posters advertising old shows by local artists such as Seymour Saves the World and Happy Apple. There are also a few vintage items, including a poster of Teem lemon-lime soda. The unkempt scene is a perfect backdrop for a band that looks just as tousled—a band that collectively bears the image of a stereotypical scruffy twenty-something who sports hoodies and wears his winter hat inside. They even have a young drummer named Jeremy, who has an uncanny resemblance to Harry Potter, complete with the glasses. Perfect. As I speak with the members of Tapes ’n Tapes, I begin to realize that they manage their
band with the same sort of care-free attitude that they apply to their shaving and the upkeep of their practice space. Lead singer, guitarist, and songwriter Josh Grier, who does most of the talking, says that they have adopted this attitude on purpose. They were “critically ignored” in the past for “being too serious.” Clearly not the indie way. So now, Tapes ’n Tapes try not to take themselves too seriously. The less serious they take themselves, the more serious things seem to get. Seriously. Their recently released LP, The Loon, has earned them success not only in their hometown of Minneapolis, but also across the U.S. They have toured the West Coast to soldout crowds, and are now embarking upon an East Coast tour that promises to be just as successful. This all from trying not to be serious? Out of nowhere Josh’s eyes light up and his tone of voice shifts an octave higher. He excitedly begins to tell a story of how someone asked him yesterday if any loons were killed during
the making of their record. The other members crack up. “It was a marked improvement from the first EP,” they say. Is this to imply that loons were in fact killed during the making of the first
It is easy for me to see where much of the offbeat humor that characterizes their music comes from. And I can’t even find their real names on their website (they say their names
Their recently released LP, The Loon, has earned them success not only in their hometown of Minneapolis, but also across the U.S. They have toured the West Coast to sold-out crowds, and are now embarking upon an East Coast tour that promises to be just as successful. This all from trying not to be serious? EP? “A lot of things were killed when we made that record,” insists keyboardist/euphonium player Shawn in a slow voice that suggests to me that he may not be kidding. “Trees, brain cells, skin cells …”
are Tapes, ‘n and Tapes). Take one look at their biography and you will both laugh and be frustrated at a lack of actual information. But then again, this is what works for the Brothers Tapes: The day they go back to being serious is the day
Sound & Vision
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their music career ends. The music itself possesses similar qualities of attractive carelessness. The songs off The Loon are extremely catchy and sometimes messy. Messy is good. While recorded with a certain level of proficiency by Erik Appelwick (The Hopefuls, Vicious Vicious), it is under-produced in a way that does justice to the band’s indie attitude. The music resembles that of the Pixies, a significant influence on Tapes ’n Tapes. However, Josh states that when he writes songs, he consciously tries “not to have things sound like other things.” He tries to write songs that “might be cryptic in a way that’s not stupid.” He likes to tell stories, ones that have no bearing on personal recollection. His personal recollections would be boring, he states, but even so, the lyrics are simply meant not to detract from the music. “No one would call me an English major.” Music first, lyrics second. How refreshing. Before I leave, Tapes ’n Tapes is generous enough to give a private concert. “Any requests?” they ask. I request “Cowbell,” a track that requires Shawn to take out his euphonium. They advise me to go get toilet paper from the bathroom and stuff my ears with it – this will be loud. I’m pretty sure I can handle it. Seconds later bassist Matt is playing the opening riff, and the band soon catches up. I realize at that point that I should have heeded their advice about the toilet paper. Josh plays a
busy rhythmic guitar part on his Stratocaster as he screeches out the opening lines “Leave me now, in solitude and stress / I’ve been a better lover with your mother.” Jeremy is concentrating intently on his rim shots. Shawn looks slightly awkward sitting in front of his children’s keyboard (it’s for hip cheesy sounds) alternating between a marching band instrument and a tambourine, yet the image resonates perfectly with the band. At the song’s climax, Matt’s entire body seems to be convulsing in erratic spasms as he lays down the bottom and screams backup vocals. The band is giving everything they have even with no real audience, which makes one thing clear to me: no matter what they say about a non-serious attitude, these guys are serious about music. When I finally leave, my ears are close to bleeding, but it’s worth it. As parting words, the band tells me to include a word of advice in the article: “Stay in school. Don’t take Jeremy’s cue.” The only problem is, I can’t tell if they are serious.
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No Sophomore Slump for Chris Koza The Wake talks to the local songwriter BY MICHAEL MITCHELL When I first heard Chris Koza’s debut CD, Exit Pesce, I was blown away by the album’s consistency. It had the maturity of a well-planned record—something you don’t usually hear the first time around. His followup, titled Patterns, proves that the success of the first CD was more than just a fluke. It was only recently that local critics started paying attention to Koza’s music. Several months after its release, Exit Pesce began to get good reviews, and Koza was named Best New Artist of 2005 at the Minnesota Music Awards. “It’s no big deal to me,” he says. “I haven’t gotten a free meal out of it or anything.” As his local fame began to grow in late 2005, the singer was already hard at work on the new album. On April 1, Koza will play a CD release show at the Turf Club for Patterns. The disc prominently features Koza’s band, and is comprised of a lot of songs left over from his debut. “The hard decisions had to do with what songs to use,” he told me. Koza also says that making the record was a little more stressful this time around: “There weren’t any expectations last time…so I guess that was a difference heading into this record.” Consistent from album to album are the clever lyrics, catchy melodies, and Koza’s clear, strong voice. There’s something persistent about his music. If you’re a passive listener, his songs will seep into your head without you knowing it, and if you listen carefully, the music will continue to surprise you with its seemingly infinite subtleties. I was interested to know about Koza’s songwriting process. “There are several techniques that I try, but there’s not really one way that I write a song,” he says. This can be heard in his music, which varies stylistically from track to track, but retains an element of familiarity in the singer’s voice. The increased presence of the band on Patterns shows that Koza’s songs work in a variety of musical settings. The mostly-acoustic sounds of his debut are fleshed out on the new album without being overwhelmed. This is due in large part to the talents of the other musicians. “They bring their own personal flare to the music,” says Koza of his band mates.
photo by brennan vance
Drummer Luke Anderson uses tasteful beats and impressive flourishes to accentuate the rhythms heard in the guitars and vocals. Meanwhile, Justin Blair lays a steady foundation with his bass. Complimenting the overall sound is the electric guitar of Peter Sieve, whose playing offers dynamic and sonic contrasts to Patterns that were lacking on Exit Pesce. Though they’ve gone through several name changes, these four musicians have been playing together for years. The quartet first went by the moniker Katnapping and then The Channels before deciding to use their singer’s name. “The music has changed a lot as we’ve changed names,” says Koza. “There’s a stylistic difference to this material.” Patterns, in local stores on April 4, shows signs of a songwriter and a band that are increasingly confident in the music they’re making. As Koza continues to play shows and get his music heard in the Twin Cities, he says, “it gets better and better … it’s what I want to be doing every night of the year.” If Chris Koza continues to make records like Exit Pesce and Patterns, he may find himself doing just that. Chris Koza is playing a CD release party for Patterns on April 1 at the Turf Club with Coach Said Not To and Fitzgerald.
Be a Film Producer for $1 • By Erin Belling The 1 Second Film is a collaborative animation project that will literally be over before you can say, “One Mississippi.”
treated to a one second excerpt of a woman’s orgasm.
The film, which lasts one second and is followed by 90 minutes of credits and a “making of” documentary, is financed by donations from thousands of producers who can buy a credit for as little as $1. Anyone from Kevin Bacon to your mom will be listed as producer. Additionally, to fulfill every movie maven’s wet dream, each producer’s name will be posted on www.imdb.com.
$1-$9.99 for Associate Producer
The one-second animation is created with 12 giant frames that were painted simultaneously by hundreds of people during an all-night live music, free beer, carnival-style bender on International Women’s Day in 2001. What could a one-second film possibly be about? The film’s heart is certainly in its process, a bringing-together of thousands of people for one perfect moment, but you narrative junkies out there can expect to be
The finished film will screen only once theatrically, and your name must appear in the credits to attend. So slide your hand between the couch cushions and buy a credit at www.the1secondfilm.com.
Donors may select from the following options: $10.00-$99.99 for Producer $100.00 and up for Executive Producer Proceeds from the film will be donated to the Global Fund for Woman.
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Sound & Vision
March 29, 2006
Twin Cities Artists in Collection is expressed and valued from its conception to its final presentation. Golfis and three other members of G5 are also part of the much larger and more sophisticated collective, Ground Up, whose network of artists throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul have abetted showings like the one at The Black Dog Cafe. Ground Up, like G5 and other artist collectives, effectively attracts and blends a variety of talent and experience. Founded early last year, Ground Up has accumulated 50 full-time members and artists who have independently ran two large shows and numerous smaller events, including an appearance at the St. Paul Art Crawl. Painters, poets, musicians, fashion designers, models, sculptors, designers, filmmakers, web designers and even bakers fill the ranks of this collective and all events and promotional effects are self-created and self-funded. What makes Ground Up unique is the mode in which it operates and its backing philosophy found in their mission statement. In contrast to the traditional idea of the individual artist, where creativity is kept private and profit afforded the only means of survival, Ground Up pursues a consensus-based effort in an atmosphere where competition is non-existent and artists are encouraged to help one another experiment. Underlying this effort is the determination
BY alex amend The voices of incoming guests rose steadily at The Black Dog Cafe as my conversation with Nick Golfis turned towards the Chinese influence and delicate chaos of his work. Golfis, an employee at the Guthrie Theater, was joined by four other co-workers and artists in the inaugural showing of the recently created painting collective, G5 (Guthrie Five). Their work, while not uniformly themed, managed a unique balance of the artists’ skills and emphasis. There was Ben Olson’s large, color-soaked portraits with paint heaped onto faces and poses of torpor-laced expression. Hanging beside Olson’s work was the gentle atmospheric paintings of Brooke Helgevold. The wall across the room held Golfis’ optimistically apocalyptic paintings, which blend Chinese fine art and violence. Hanging next to these were scenes from South Africa done by Jean Leuthner. And in its own corner rested Craig Fenholz’s poetry, arranged in collages and written on large and small canvases. The relationship between the painters in G5 and their first collective show represent a burgeoning theme among artists in the art world: a collaborative identity. By mixing styles and effort, these collectives are changing the way art
Ground Up pursues a consensus-based effort in an atmosphere where competition is non-existent. to incite social change by exposing their collaborative art to broader audiences, while not capitalizing on their own work. This organized cause promotes a diversity in expression that otherwise could not be reached. And through Ground Up, individual artists find a fast avenue to greater exposure while benefiting themselves and other members in the contact between varied creativity. These values in collaboration are integral to Ground Up’s growth and future as they welcome more contributors. Aiming to make more alliances, Ground Up is seeking association with other collectives around the Twin Cities like Ephemeral Space and as far away as in New York City with a collective called YB1. Ground Up’s next event will take place April 21-23 at the St. Paul Art Crawl. It will feature 10 bands, a fashion show on Saturday night and at least 10 visual artists in varied mediums. In keeping faith with cooperation, all are welcome.
illustration by rachel labine
The Dinkytowner Café The Badass Perkins of Dinkytown BY sarah arendt A Perkins menu with none of the Perkins ambiance: This is the vibe given off by the Dinkytowner Café and More, located on 14th Avenue. With an all-day breakfast menu and reasonable prices, one would assume that this restaurant would be clean-cut and family-oriented. One should never assume. The Dinkytowner looks like a bar. In fact, it is a bar that moonlights as a café, and it would be hard to miss if it weren’t for the large yellow and black awning above its small door on 14th Avenue. To enter The Dinkytowner, you have to walk down a steep flight of stairs. Once inside, the first things you notice are the dark crimson and purple walls, the dirty gray carpet, and the large bar. Bright red booths run along the far wall, which would give the place an almost 1950s diner feel if the wall wasn’t covered in mirrors and illuminated by red neon lights. Overstuffed chairs and sofas are scattered near the entrance, making it look more like a basement than a café. There is a small stage and projection screen tucked into a back corner, and the rear of the restaurant is occupied by pool tables. The Dinkytowner features nightly live entertainment and drink specials. There is plenty of seating available, but surprisingly little table space, which is uncharacteristic for a restaurant, suggesting that “The Dinkytowner Bar and More” might be a more appropriate name. The atmosphere can
best be described as “grungy.” Luckily, the Dinkytowner has great food— the café’s saving grace. An extensive breakfast menu is offered all day, featuring about five or six specials. Appetizers, sandwiches, and burgers are also on the menu, and the bar offers a large selection of beers on tap. I ordered a Rachel, which is a hot sandwich made with turkey, Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing, and sauerkraut on toasted wheat bread. Although the chef went a little overboard on the turkey, the sandwich was delicious. The entrees come with crispy fries, which was the best part of the meal. Though there was only one waitress on staff when I visited (which was 11 a.m. on a Wednesday), the service was timely and friendly. My food arrived promptly, and I was checked on multiple times. The meal was great, but I wish I could say the same about the restrooms. The ladies’ bathroom is done in stainless steel, and is very tiny. The facilities were not particularly clean for 11 a.m. (I would hate to see them at 11 p.m.) and there was no soap left in the dispenser—ew. The interactive ads on the inside of the stalls were pretty sweet, however. The Dinkytowner walks a thin line between collegiate and dirty. Its good food and nightly entertainment make it a cool hangout, but rule this one out as an acceptable date location. In the end, it’s a place with good food and poor atmosphere.
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movie reviews
V for Vendetta BY chris wilson The year is 2020. The world is in many ways different, and in many ways the same. Using fear and xenophobia, a totalitarian government similar in appearance and function to the Nazi party has taken over Britain. Personal freedoms are non-existent. Censorship and lies rule the government-controlled media outlets. This is the kind of place heroes were made for. However, the hero of this place is pretentious, deranged and not entirely moral. He’s like Batman with a better vocabulary and little regard for others. He also wears a Guy Fawkes mask (Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up the British Parliament in 1605). His name is V. Welcome to the world of V for Vendetta. You know you’ve stumbled onto a good film when it’s so enjoyable that you can ignore otherwise destructive plot holes. V for Vendetta has more than its share of problems in that department, yet it absolutely held my attention for
over two hours. This movie also has plenty of super-stylized violence (it was written by the co-creators of the Matrix and directed by on of their protégés). It even has some rather highbrow drama, a smattering of great dialogue and plenty of thought provoking questions, most of them going unanswered. Basically, V for Vendetta is like an ass-kicking discourse on the relationship between government and violence. Now when I called V the hero of the story, I was oversimplifying things. He’s really either a terrorist or a freedom fighter, depending on who you ask. Among other things, V bombs buildings, assassinates political figures and causes the deaths of several innocent civilians. Whether V represents good or bad is up to the audience, though sympathy is definitely cast in his direction. Some may not like the moral ambiguity, but I found it very fitting to the story’s premise. In fact, one of the biggest short comings to me was how glossed-over some of the mor-
als get. Though V never kills a civilian, he most definitely causes the deaths of several. I would have liked to hear a character challenge this. What V really lacked was a good foil—someone to make him own up when his actions aren’t entirely noble. His vendetta is both universal and personal, meaning the things he does aren’t always in the best interest of his cause or those who would help him. Amazingly enough, V for Vendetta is a movie that I can see many people enjoying. It has enough action and drama for those only looking to be entertained, though an oddly paced mix of the two. But it also makes a willing viewer think enough to be fairly rewarding. There’s a lot in this film to talk about, whether relating to current or past politics. It’s still a comic book action movie, so those unwilling to see a person get shot outrageous amounts of times and still knife the crap out of people may not have the kind of suspension of disbelief necessary. Their loss.
Local Musicians and Filmmakers Join Forces BY miranda Peterson Russ was doing his job, shoving rowdy fans back into the mosh pit to protect the camera guy. He didn’t even see it coming. A fist flew—thwack! Blood poured. His retina detached. Russ, part of the film crew, was helping local production company MarcusBrox Ideas shoot footage to create a documentary about the thriving music scene of the Twin Cities. The documentary, Find Your Own Way, debuted March 9 at the Varsity Theater, following performances by local bands Throw the Fight and Down and Above. In an orgy of stylish film work and raw amplification, co-directors Jason Brox and Tyler Marcus interviewed and filmed local bands like American Head Charge, Gingerjake, Skywynd, Banehinge and Black Flood Diesel, among many others. The co-directors, who are also roommates, had been working for local metal bands creating music videos before they decided to make their first full-length film. The unique coupling of a live rock show with a big-screen release “solidified the camaraderie” between the filmmakers and bands, Brox said. He explained how a mutually beneficial relationship is formed when film is used to show bands and their experiences creatively. Throw The Fight played on stage before the screening of Find Your Own Way. They led the night with screaming energy. Unfortunately, the crowd didn’t reciprocate. The Brandon Boyd-like singer tried to regain the attention that was lost amidst the droning, distorted guitars. The stale performance ended with the guitarist smashing his instrument against The Varsity’s stage. The seated crowd just looked at each other. Huh?
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Down and Above saved musicians and fans alike that night. The melodic three-piece played emotionally and professionally. The crowd woke up and many massed in front of the stage. Their accessible lyrics and smooth songwriting explains why they’ve been a Minneapolis favorite for so many years. Down and Above’s Son of a Gun is the documentary’s theme song, according to Brox. When the documentary began, the tension in the room was thick. Most of the bands featured in the film had members and fans bubbling with pride, anticipating their own appearance in the movie. Sections of people cheered wildly throughout the screening. The dual presence of community and competition within the scene was plain to see. The bands understand each other’s struggles and encourage success, but they are all contending for limited attention from record labels, venues, and fans. And in this case, for screen time. The film was not glued to a single narrative storyline. It gyrated around the Battle of the Bands like Gingerjake’s Amanda Harris did to her mic stand. The documentary might have been hard to follow if the experimental editing techniques didn’t color the screen so brightly. The filming itself was also surprising. Some shots showed the sweat, the passion, the pain and the spit sparkle on their lips. That compensated for how hard it was to hear some of the interviews. People get more for their money and an element of surprise when they choose local music over national acts, agreed Brox and producer, Joe Salomone. In Salomone’s words, “Do you really want to be 400 yards away from the damn stage?”
illustration by miranda peterson
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Bastard
March 29, 2006
This Week in UofM History • April 1, 1980 • In what later became known as one of the most controversial April Fools’ Day jokes of our century, the University of Minnesota set all of its clocks ahead by two hours. While this practical joke seemed harmless enough, April Fools’ Day happened to fall on the date that president Jimmy Carter was in town to speak to University students while campaigning for re-election against California Governor Ronald Reagan. Because the clocks had been switched, the crowd for President Carter’s speech had left Northrop Auditorium long before he arrived. The president was greeted with no crowd, and consequentially went into a deep depression, thinking nobody liked him—a move that many believe cost him the presidency.
Arbitrary Awards thing you see that most reminds you that spring is coming:
A calendar. best activity to do during Spring:
Cage Fighting... well, that’s pretty much the best activity to do during anytime of the year. worst activity to do during spring:
Kitten hunt. HONORABLE MENTION:
Homework.
Want ads WANTED: A student fees committee that
doesn’t fuck us over.
WANTED: $30,000. See above. Contact
The Wake.
WANTED: A song about having friends in
low places, and when it comes to the word “low,” the melody dips down so it’s like you’re singing low when you say “low.” You know? Like a double meaning. It’s deep, man. Way deep. Deeper than the Grand Canyon. WANTED: Poisonous words, so people will
be forced to think twice before they say “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
Least-heard reason for why someone hates spring: WANTED: Still waiting for that $30,000. WANTED: Daylight savings to be replaced
by daylight spending.
WANTED: For vice provost Jerry Rinehart
to be cool again. Remember when you saved The Wake, Jer? Those were good times. What happened? You changed man. You changed.
“I’m allergic to nice weather.” most common thing to overhear when walking by the river:
“Where are my clothes? And who took my kidney?” least common thing to overhear when walking by the river:
“The Mississippi sure looks pristine. Lets stop and have a sip of the crystal clear water.” best excuse for running around in the rain:
“I need to get all this vomit out of my hair.”
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Bastard
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The Hidden Eye
wakemag.org/hiddeneye
Thursday, March 23, 2006 • 8:16 a.m. • Posted by Kristen Mueller
Groom to Impress Women, want to succeed in your profession? Then sharpen your eyeliners, break out the blush and uncap your concealer. “Groom to Impress” is the workshop for you. In four hours, you’ll learn the secret of projecting a successful image—by learning how to apply makeup. Participants even receive certificates of attendance, which will look lovely in a pink frame next to their college diplomas on the office wall. Now, I’m all for having co-workers whose facial skin tone matches that of their
necks, and unless you’re in the band Of Montreal—or a four-year-old playing fairies—glitter eye shadow is best left in the jar. What I’m not all for, is the ceaseless pressure on women to look “perfect,” a feat best achieved by painting your lips redder, your cheeks pinker, and lining your eyes in kohl. I might have been a little less pissed after surfing my way to the workshop announcement (in a Malaysian online newspaper), if it invited men to learn the wonders of an eyelash curler alongside
their sisters or girlfriends, but since it was aimed at “meeting the needs of professional women,” no such gender equality occurred. Of course, with more men stepping out in makeup everyday (thank you, Fab Five), and money-hungry cosmetics companies eager to pounce upon an untapped gender’s self esteem issues (hey, it’s hard to emulate Brad Pitt), the days of equal looks-based discrimination are just a mascara swipe away.
Liminal looms on the literary horizon. Friday, April 28, 2006