cra ze closing time issue 5 // volume 7 // may 2016
table of contents ron don volante // 3-4 new ramen spots // 5-6
celebrity deaths // 13-14 pencil review // 15-18
evolution of rap // 19-20 sexism in the weight room // 7-8 optimism // 21-22 conceptual albums // 9-12 concert calendar // 23-24
a note from the editor
W
ell, here we are: the last issue of Craze magazine for the 2015-2016 school year. It’s been a wild ride, and by wild I mean Craze-y. Although we were supposed to have another issue before the junior issue, the seniors decided it was time to pass the torch, so here we are. For the longest time, this issue had no theme. What word could we use to encapsulate this issue? Ideas like New Directions (Glee reference) and Start of Something New (High School Musical reference) were thrown around. And yet, none felt right. But with the seniors leaving the journalism room for good last week, the sudden emptiness left us
remaining members feeling like we were staying after hours. As the last days of school finish up, we reflect on the year and the experiences we had as a staff. Craze is my family, a place I’ve found myself, and I know for certain other members feel the same. To the seniors who’ve moved on to bigger and better things, we thank you. It’s now our time to close up shop with one last issue. And if you happen to get Closing Time stuck in your head after reading this, remember these few lines and think of us: “So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits I hope you have found a friend”
introduction
contributors
editor in chief
grace wolfe
managing editor design editor photo editor
kati stanzel
lilli marvin
copy editors staff
erin kruger elizabeth facer
megan murray audrey mccann ivan reyes
emma molden emma kopplin Anne Stepanek
kyndall goodwin
02
senior mike merical
rock against father dan ron don volante releases EP story and photos by erin kruger, design by lilli marvin
senior jake larsen
feature
A
group of sweaty teenage boys (and one girl) were jumping up and down, hugging each other. Tears were in their eyes, as they felt like they’d just done the impossible. Screams from a packed high school auditorium were drowned out by the celebration going on backstage. Ron Don Volante had just left the stage. “It was a sublime feeling. It was one of the worst times I’ve ever played the trumpet was on that stage, but we were having so much fun,” senior Jake Larsen said. “We couldn’t have cared less if we won or didn’t win. The audience seemed to enjoy it, and we enjoyed it. After the performance, we were in tears.” Funk hip-hop band Ron Don Volante House Band had just shown Westside’s students what they were all about. The audience was left electrified with curiosity and questions about this new band and new sound. The name “Ron Don Volante” had never graced their ears before, and the next event came as a surprise. They had just won Winter Formal’s Battle of the Bands. The band was founded by trumpet player and senior Jake Larsen, who had been wanting to start a band earlier in the school
year. The band is also made up of seniors Mike Merical (rap/vocals), Roger Slatten (guitar), Amory Carnazzo (bass guitar), James Legge (drums), juniors Alexander Bayles (keyboards), Simon Bessmer (alto saxophone), Tyler Douglass (trumpet), and sophomore Grace Calderon (tenor saxophone). The band’s influences range from experimental rock bands like Mr. Bungle to hip hop artists like Outkast, and
"I'd pay money to perform. What's important is making music" -senior Jake Larsen jazz artists like saxophonist Ornette Coleman. Ron Don Volante likes to take songs from their favorite artists and put a funky spin on them. Merical also writes his own lyrics to the songs they cover, acting as the lyricist of the band. "A lot of us listen to hiphop. We start our songs with a jazz style and then we blend into a hip-hop style by the end of the song. Hip-hop and jazz styles are easy to play together,” senior James Legge said. “We are the only ones [who play this kind of music]
ron don volante
at the school." Ron Don Volante’s upcoming EP, Rock Against Father Dan, will be dropping in early June. The band’s hip-hop influence will be seen through covers of different hip-hop songs. The EP will include covers of songs like “Rigamortis” by rapper Kendrick Lamar, and rappers Tyler the Creator and BADBADNOTGOOD’s “Orange Juice”. The group’s idea behind the EP is to take a basic style of hip-hop and add in as many different styles and genres to the original music as possible. They’re aiming to attract fans from different genres like metal, funk, and jazz. “We want to keep making music because we love performing so much. We want to get our name out there,” Larsen said. “It would be a fun way to make money, but I’d do it for free, I love performing that much. I’d pay money to perform. What’s important is making music.” The EP will be released on Soundcloud under the Ron Don Volante House Band account. The band also wants to play shows and gigs this summer before the seniors of the band go to college. Most of the band members are continuing with music in the future.
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ramen gets a facelift no longer just for broke college students
r
Story by Elise Tucker, photos by Kyndall Goodwin, Design by Anne stepanek
R
amen: a dish once exclusively served for college kids with only $6 in their bank accounts. The noodles vary from microwavable cancer to complex masterpieces decorated with eggs, shrimp, and herbs. Lucky for us, it’s now becoming popular in many restaurants, including some in Omaha. In the following review, Craze takes on Yoshi-Ya Ramen, located in Flagship Commons, and Ika Ramen & Izakaya in Benson. No matter where customers get their fancy Ramen fix, they continue to love the Asian dish pho’ever.
feature
ramen shops
Ika Ramen & Izakaya Ika Ramen & Izakaya, “Benson’s Ramen Gem,” is nothing but looks. A mural of the sea was painted on the walls of the tiny restaurant. Decoration and loud music hit me as I walked in. The atmosphere was friendly and fun, mostly because of the open kitchen. The menu was small and neat with only a couple of selections of ramen. I decided to choose the Tori Paitan Ramen, which had rich chicken broth, an egg, and green onions. The first bite was dull because the broth tasted just like chicken. The noodles were firm,
but the egg was soaked from the broth. The green onions didn’t add much to the dish either. I wasn’t able to eat the full bowl because of the large portion. Along with my Ramen, I had the Pork Belly Steamed Buns, which were sweet buns, a block of pork, and homemade hot sauce all wrapped together. The first bite of the dish was nothing but stiff pork. The bun was edible to say the least, but the sauce was actually the highlight of the dish. Overall, the “gem” didn’t shine for me.
6324 maple street
Yoshi-Ya Ramen This little ramen restaurant is tucked into the Flagship Commons’ food court at Westroads Mall. It houses a variety of Ramen, like the Chicken Paitan Ramen. The dish consists of chicken broth, chashu, menma, moyashi, and negi. The broth was thick and creamy, paired nicely with the noodles, and it didn’t overpower the ramen. The noodles were hardy and filling, but the best part was the menma (marinated bamboo shoots). The bamboo shoots were sweet, and they complimented the chicken perfectly. I can see why pandas
love bamboo so much. The prices ranged from $4-$12, which is reasonable considering the large bowl of ramen you get. Even though the food was amazing, the environment was overcrowded and loud. People were talking loudly, cooks were preparing food, and there was a constant clatter of dishes. Half the time I couldn’t hear myself think. Overall, the food was good but I would rather go somewhere less chaotic to eat my ramen.
10000 california street 06
STRONG(HER) D
adressing sexism in the weight room
umbbells are scattered throughout the room; people yell and encourage each other as they bench heavy weights. The stench of sweat hits my nose like a punch to the face. Everybody notices my reaction—judgmental eyes start to lock onto mine. I feel unwelcomed and intimidated. I try to look somewhere else but it’s impossible not to catch someone’s gaze. Anger surges through me as I think to myself: I shouldn’t feel like this. I have as much right to be in the weight room as anyone else, even if I’m “just a girl.” The ratio of boys to girls in the weight room is a pathetic eight to one. When I work out, I find myself surrounded by males who either don’t want me to be there, or think it’s strange that I’m trying to get stronger. It’s not uncommon to hear snide comments like, “nice ass!” while doing squats. When girls are trying to work out, males tend to snicker and laugh like we’re just a big joke. I go to the weight room
in order to stay in shape and improve my strength for the softball season…not to impress boys. Many of them think that I show up to work out so I can prove my strength to them. I think it’s ridiculous—I go to the weight room for myself, not for some sweaty, smelly boys! Males have a sense of entitlement to their weights and workouts. It’s an entitlement so deeply embedded in their minds that they can’t even stand thinking about sharing
All I want is respect, not any special treatment. with the opposite gender. It’s sexism: prejudice, stereotyping, and discriminating on the basis of sex. I wish I didn’t have to feel underrated when I want to get in shape, and there’s only so much a girl can take. It’s expected that any girl that goes into the weight room would dread the experience. From the looks and comments I got on my
first time entering the weight room, I thought my shirt must’ve had a huge stain on it. Every boy was gawking at the sight of a girl lifting weights. However, over the years of my athletic career, I’ve learned that the problem isn’t me. The problem are the men that think they’re better than me simply because of their gender. I don’t think men will ever get over the fact that I can do the same things as them. All I want is respect, not any special treatment—but the respect has vanished. America has done it’s best to push away the problems with equality between the sexes, but something has to be done. The rallies and feminist movement certainly helps empower women, but there needs to be something else to push their efforts further. There isn’t one set solution to completely eliminating sexism, but if society can accept that women are just as powerful, independent, and smart as men are, it would be revolutionary. But for now, boys, a little respect is all us girls are asking for.
story and photos by kati stanzel, design by AUDREy mccann
opinion
sexism
I can do all the same things as them - even if Im only just a girl.
student featured: junior taylor schendt
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world between the words conceptual albums tell stories beyond the lyrics story and graphics by ivan reyes and lilli marvin, design by lilli Marvin
T
he music business has lost it’s passion. It’s identity. An industry once founded on expression, identity, on raw emotion, has fallen to an era of sellouts. Artists sell their souls to record label simply for the bank. All meaning behind albums have been lost, replaced with monotonous songs droning on with the same rhythms and chords sequenced in only slightly varying fashion. As a culture, we have lost appreciation for albums as a whole, simply only
focusing on singles on the radio. However, some artists, decide to reject this new decade and create works of art, albums that not only express emotion but create whole stories and fictional worlds between their lyrics. Here are some of the best conceptual albums, ranging from Pink Floyd in the 70’s up to modern day artists like Melanie Martinez and My Chemical Romance.
THE WALL pink floyd w
hile most of the world is familiar with the legendary concept album The Wall by Pink Floyd, only the cultured listeners are aware of the deeper allegories occurring between tracks and along the harmonies of the masterpiece. Most listeners, quick to jump to stereotypical symbols, assume the iconic “brick in the wall” metaphor refers to being just another piece in society, another boring cog in the machine. While there are minor truths to this analysis, there’s a much deeper idea coming into play and worming its way into the minds of those paying close attention. The Wall is the story of Pink Floyd—not the legendary band, but the fictional troubled rock star, an anti-hero of prog rock. The Wall tells the story of Pink expressing his life to an audience at one of his concerts, his story of a mental wall he built between himself and
the world. Each brick in the wall is representative of an aspect of life alienating him in some way— the lack of a father, a cult education system, turbulent marriage, superficial fame. As the wall becomes closer and closer to completion, we see him spiral further and further down the rabbit hole of insanity. One key line, present in the very beginning and final seconds of the album, is the nail in the coffin of Pink’s message of the futility of life. The final two words of the album are “Isn’t this…” and the very faint first words of the album are “…where we came in.” Although nearly impossible to notice if you don’t know they’re there, these six simple words add haunting depth and meaning to the nihilistic story Pink has told us. For every wall that forms, and falls, another one simply is formed.
music
electra heart M
arina Diamandis, created the pop-grunge album “Electra Heart” in 2012, expressing the values and conflicts Marina had to face in her life, which inspired her to come up with this brilliant, powerful album. She experiences from being blamed on for every little action she makes, from becoming someone more strong and independent. This album shows Marina portrays part of the American Dream and how cruel our society is. The album itself isn’t about a character name Electra Heart. It’s about the feeling of being powerful. Her first track, “Bubblegum Bi**h”, is an opening that reflects on how Electra doesn’t care for love since it’s all sweet and games until -someone pops your bubblegum (heart). “I chew you up and I’ll spit you out, ‘Cause that’s what young love is all about!” This track is a way of telling a person that you’re not going to be stepped on or pushed around. The tone is very pop, grungy and gets you in a hyper mode. After that track, “Primadonna” explains what it means to be a “primadonna girl”, and how living life is just one big play that never seems to end. “All I ever wanted was the world, I can’t help that I need it all”. All Marina wants is to be adored, without others criticizing her. She wants to live a life of a movie star, glamour and all. This song’s very ironic because Diamandis believes that you shouldn’t get everything handed to you for free, but in this particular song, she sings the opposite. She wants instant control over others and wants everything she sees with no regrets.
fictional albums
marina and the diamonds “Teen Idle” is a mournful song that summarizes how she regrets everything she did in her. “I want back my virginity, so I can feel infinity. I wanna stay inside all day, I want the world to go away.” This part mostly reflects on teenagers because they can relate to these lyrics and how significant it can be to them with all the stress a teenager faces. It shows the listener that being a teenager can be very stressful. At this point, Diamandis wants everything in her past to go away, wishing she never did those “bad” things. “Fear and Loathing” is the last track on her album and describes how she suffers through all the pain without fully giving up. “Don’t wanna live in fear and loathing. I wanna feel like I am floating instead of constantly exploding.” Unlike most of her electropop songs, this one has a more depressing feel. In the music video, she looks at herself in the mirror and begins to cut her hair, it’s the beginning of a Electra’s “new era”. She wants to be somebody who she actually likes instead of satisfying the people around her – the death of Electra Heart. I recommend this album to those who love every kind of genre in music. It expresses all of Diamandis’ different emotions and musical style in each type of song on the album since they all have individual meanings. Her songs range from feeling very lonely and mournful to feeling very powerful and confident. This album really connects to young adults lives because we all make mistakes and sometimes never know when to stop.
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crybaby s
melanie martinez
inger/Songwriter, Melanie Martinez, was a contestant on The Voice before she released her electropop album Crybaby. The album explains her childhood as a young fictional character named Cry Baby facing grown-up situations. The album has a nursery rhyme and childhood theme, which is unique for most pop albums because it’s divergent to other albums that speak about relationships and breakups. This album has adult themes in a childlike voice that make it different from other artists as well. Crybaby is the main character of Martinez fictional album. It expresses her feelings throughout each song through different event that Cry Baby faces. Not only does Cry Baby suffer in her own story but some of the situations she faces in the album, turn out to be part of real life. Each song adds to the overall story of the Crybaby album. One of the songs on the track “Dollhouse” explains her family’s life in a “dollhouse.” “Mom, please wake. Dad’s with a slut, and your son is smoking cannabis” This shows the lack of relationship her parents have towards each other and makes it seem like it’s okay. Cry Baby reflects on her parents actions and they make it seem like it’s okay to have an abusive relationship. In “Pity Party”, Cry Baby invites her lover, Johnny, and a couple of friends to her birthday party and none of them show up. She ends
up crying all day. “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to, cry if I want to (cry cry cry). I’ll cry until the candles burn down this place. I’ll cry until my pity party’s in flames.” In her music video, Cry Baby destroys everything she can find and pretends that it’s ok. At this point, Cry Baby becomes furious and has a meltdown. “Mrs. Potato Head” makes Cry Baby realize that in order to be adored, you don’t have to doll yourself up or get plastic surgery just to make someone be attracted to you. “Don’t be dramatic, it’s only some plastic No one will love you if you’re unattractive.” This song mostly relates to women who feel like they’re not good enough. Men tend to criticize females as a joke when in reality it’s not. It’s horrifying how we teach girls to shrink themselves to make themselves look smaller or more presentable for the attention of men. Martinez is trying to send a message to us that you don’t need surgery or to lose weight to make yourself look more “prettier”. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes because everyone is unique in their own way. I recommend this album for those who want to experiment and hear something new in music. Fading away from all the overplayed music streamed on the radio, Martinez represents an artwork that’s very different from mainstream music. Instead of singing/rapping about clubs and taking drugs, it’s truly amazing how she can express herself through songs she produces based on her fictional character, Crybaby.
music
my chemical romance
‘T
he future is bulletproof. The aftermath is secondary. It’s time to do it loud, and do it proud. Killjoys, make some noise.’ The infamous four-line intro is enough to get any emo sweating. My Chemical Romance’s fourth and final album “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys” goes much deeper than your typical punk commentary on society. Set in California in 2019, the members of MCR crafted an entire dystopian society full of gunfights, brainwashing corporations, car chases, and lots and lots of eyeliner. Throughout the discography we follow the story of the Killjoys, a rebellious group of angsty punks fighting against “Better Living Industries,” an evil corporation brainwashing the members of Battery City, the fictional city in Danger Days. Over the course of three music videos, the story of the four Killjoys emerges. Party Poison, Jet Star, Fun Ghoul, and Kobra Kid represent the four band members Gerard Way, Ray Toro, Frank Iero, and Mikey Way, respectively. Throughout the album the Killjoys battle against Better Living Industries henchmen, engaging in gunfights, plotting master escapes, and Mad Max style car battles. While many simply view the album for
fictional albums
danger days
entertainment purposes, the symbolism goes much deeper. Danger Days almost didn’t come to fruition. In production, the band underwent major changes and overcame struggles that would have stopped most bands. Losing long time drummer Bob Bryer and inspiration along with him, the band struggled to find their voice. It was through this struggle that birthed the work of art known as Danger Days. The conflict between the Killjoys and the monotonous, mind-numbing corporation paints a picture of the struggle MCR fought through in order to find their identity. Also seen as a commentary on the genre of rock in general, the Killjoys stress the importance of not accepting the mainstream music industry and maintaining your identity. For each and every listener a unique meaning can be drawn. For guitarist Ray Toro, Danger Days is "about freedom ... simply about being the person you've always wanted to be." Just as stated in the beginning of the album, “This one's for all of you rock'n'rollers, all you crash queens and motor babies.” To each their own revolution.
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opinion
celebrity deaths
we can be heroes mourning celebrity deaths
P
rince. David Bowie. Harper Lee. Frank Sinatra Jr. All lost in the first few short months of 2016. But speaking for the majority of people, they are people we have never met. So why are their deaths of such importance to the world. Yes they were certainly legends and they all made such a huge impact in each of their perspective categories, but again not someone most people know personally. Still their deaths are very hard to swallow. Everyone grew up on Purple Rain, Space Oddity, and To Kill A Mockingbird. Constantly we are informed of their lives and in a way grew up with them. They shaped our adolescents and filled the voids on late night drives. They are extended family members, sometimes closer as they are there for
every hard night when the only cure is a song written as though its just for you. Their music is played when we are feeling on top of the world and books are read on our favorite Saturday afternoons. They relate to us, even if they didn’t know it. We admired them and strived to be like
There is no correct way to grieve, so deal how you need to them, so when they are gone we lose a figure we looked up to. There is no correct way to grieve, so deal how you need to. For some, it’s crying and staying indoors until they can face a world without their idols. Others, tweeting a tribute picture and message. All of these outlets are great ways to grieve, there
is no rulebook to grieving. In today’s age, with being connected through many outlets of social media, the feelings of loss are even greater. Twitter and Instagram serve as constant reminders of what happened. After all the tribute pictures have gone out and the rumors have dissipated, remember that social media can be a great outlet for healing. You suddenly have thousands of people who grew up on the same music you did and understand the loss you feel. So look at Twitter, see how others are doing, play your favorite song on the highest volume and remember that even if they are gone, they music, books, movies aren’t leaving. So stay inspired and continue to play their songs on every late night drive.
story EMMA MOLDEN DESIGN BY EMMA KOPPLIN
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student featured: anna drelicharz
student featured: sophomore anna drelicharz
review
mechanical pencils
youtube channel: clutch situation // blog: tactical thinking
on point mechanical pencil reviews
T
he fact that I can sit there and modge podge whatever doo dad I find in my basement for hours without getting bored still amazes me! Hobbies keep us sane they allow us to find something we’re interested in that makes time go by in an enjoyable way. For some their hobby may be bird watching and for others they may need something more active like hiking, but whatever your hobby may be we can assume that you are dedicated to it. Michael Fryda, Natural Science teacher here at Westside, is a dedicated mechanical
pencil enthusiast. He writes and films video reviews of mechanical pencils and posts them on his blog and youtube channel. He’s reviewed exactly 74 mechanical pencils and has discovered what he enjoys and finds interesting in mechanical pencils. Relapsing from the 90’s technology boom he wanted to get back in the old fashioned style of taking notes. Realizing that what he wanted to do would take a lot of writing he knew he had to find the best mechanical pencil for him and from there his hobby took off. Fryda wanted to find
something unique and fun and he definitely has. The goal of his hobby doesn’t just stop at the limits of finding the perfect mechanical pencil he happens to be very interested in the cultural backgrounds of where he buys the mechanical pencils. Through his investigative journey’s he has found some amazing pencils and hopes to share his finding with others. Most would say he hasn’t always had the most mainstream hobbies, but many admire that he doesn’t apologize for who he is and what he loves. After all what’s the point of
StorY BY ELISABETH FACER, GUEST COLUMN BY michael fryda, PHOTO BY KYNDALL GOODWIN, DESIGN BY EMMA KOPPLIN
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review
mechanical pencils
pentel sharp p205 (0.5 mm lead) pencil
I
t’s a Pentel Sharp P20X series pencil. I refer to them as P20X, because that last part where the X is means the lead size. So, for example, a 0.5 mm Sharp is labeled “P205” on the barrel, telling you which lead size the pencil comes in. This pencil is near and dear to my heart. First, a little history. The Pentel Sharp was released 54 years ago as one of the first affordable, sturdy, top push-button, drafting mechanical pencils. It was one of the first (if not the first) pencils that you loaded lead into the top chamber, which was plugged by the eraser. The lead sleeve at the tip is like a hypodermic needle. It was designed this way because draftspeople use tools that are often exactly 4 mm thick, and you need that long pipe to trace along those tools. The Sharp is one of my favorite mechanical pencils for a whole host of reasons. It is solidly constructed: it is a very durable plastic and the parts that advance the lead are high quality. The grabby-dealys that hold the lead inside the pencil are called the “clutch” or “chuck”. The clutch inside the Sharp is made of brass, so it is very long-lasting. It has a really nice “click” sound to it when you click it. Hey, listen, that auditory experience matters to some of us! In addition, the clutch only releases small amounts of lead (about 6 mm on 10 clicks), making it easy to control how much is released to avoid breakage. The picture shows one of my vintage Sharps (with the green eraser) that works just as well as a modern one even though it is decades old. They just don’t break. Did you know that the teachers in ET here at Westside use Pentel Sharps? Of course they do. They’re awesome and they respect fine writing instruments.
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The Sharp has a good grip, is lightweight, and has a strong pocket clip that can be removed if you desire. The Sharp is more expensive than a BIC or PaperMate mechanical pencil. You get a single one for four to fifteen dollars depending upon where you buy from and whether it is a limited edition. Yes, they make limited editions of the Sharp since it is such a beloved pencil. One of the limited editions that is easy to get is the pastel line that you can buy at Target. You can see all of them in the picture of my Pentel Sharp collection. You can get a metallic black and silver set at Office Max. The metallic primary and secondary colors that you see are special order from Japan or South Korea. The Sharp may be more expensive for a single pencil than most other mechanical pencils that you can buy, but you get a lot of accessories with it: a chamber filled with six leads and a really long eraser in a pencil that isn’t going to break anytime soon if you take care of it. So what’s the verdict? Well, the pros of this pencil far outweigh the cons in my opinion. It is a simple design that is great because it just works. It does exactly what it is intended to do without any apologies. It is light in the hand, sturdy, easy to grip, has a solid advance mechanism, and is a good value for the price. The big negative is that that hypodermic lead sleeve can easily poke you or your pockets. It is a pencil that you need to carry in a case or have it hanging off your clothes. I use mine like a tie clasp. Social tie conventions be darned! If you’re interested in checking one out, you can buy them at Target, Blick Art Store, or Office Max in a variety of different lead sizes and colors. If you’re really feeling adventurous, check out eBay for Pentel Sharps sold out of South Korea or Japan (where they’re made). I think a lot of students will be surprised at how tight-like-a-tiger these pencils are. If you’re interested in seeing many more detailed reviews of pencils, check out my YouTube Channel: Clutch Situation.
Sheaeffer pencil yellow pages (0.7 mm lead) pencil
I
’ll start with the Sheaffer pencil with the Yellow Pages logo. Sheaffer is a wellknown and mostly fountain-pen-focused brand that started in the early 20th century. Sheaffer pencils of this type (a twist advance mechanism) have been around for a long time. They fell out of use when the top button press designs that we’re all used to became more common in the 1960s. What about the logo? Decades ago, in a time known as “before you were born”, we had to look up phone numbers in a giant book to know how to call someone. There was also a special book with yellow pages that had businesses listed alphabetically by category. One marketing tactic that was very common in the middle half of the 20th century was to put your company or product logo on a pen or mechanical pencil and give them away. This pencil is an “advertising pencil”. If you like collecting vintage objects, pens and pencils are a great choice. We still see advertising pens and pencils today, but to a much lesser extent. The cool thing about this pencil is that we can use that logo to figure out how much “vintage” this pencil is oozing. The most famous Yellow Pages logo is the “walking fingers” logo. You can Google it and see a picture. But this logo isn’t that logo. This is a silhouette of a telephone with the words “Yellow Pages”. I knew when I saw that logo that I could probably use resources online to figure out how old the pencil is. I went to a website that sells/shows phone book collections. Seriously, people collect phonebooks – don’t be hatin’ and stealin’ people’s joy. Anyway, I went to the site and looked at old Yellow Pages books from both Nebraska and Iowa around the time that the “walking fingers” logo debuted in 1961. I found that, here in the MidWest, people were using the logo on this pencil long after “walking fingers” was designed. I found phonebooks
from 1966 to 1972 that have this exact logo, but none after. So that gives us a date range for this Sheaffer advertising pencil! It was produced between 1966 and 1972 to advertise Yellow Pages telephone books. That’s pretty cool, in my opinion. What about the pencil itself? This is a really nice twist mechanism pencil and it’s in great condition. Fish like shiny things, and don’t we all. I’m a big grip-focused person when it comes to pencils. I prefer thinner to thicker grips. This pencil also has some subtle texturing near the tip that makes for easier gripability. The pocket clip is also really strong and has an internal spring. They just don’t make them like they used to. This is a solid writing instrument. If you’re wondering where the eraser is, you pull the pencil apart in the middle and it exposes an old green eraser that has since dried out and is not useable. It is good from a collector standpoint as evidence of age, but not good for actually erasing anything. One last perk is that this vintage Sheaffer is pocket safe without too pokey of a tip. The lead size deserves a separate mention because pencil lead didn’t get really thin until the 1980s. We hadn’t developed a clay binder strong enough to keep graphite leads from breaking. Pencils before 1960 were mostly 1.15 mm lead. This gave way to 0.9 mm being standard until the 1980s. It was a lot harder to load these thicker-lead twist mechanism pencils. The lead is loaded from the tip, not the top. You turn the pencil until the last bit of lead is out, insert a new piece, turn the opposite way to “suck” the lead back in and then give it a firm push on a hard surface to dock the lead into a special groove in the twist mechanism.
the evolution of rap making an impact through music
story by Megan murray, design and graphic by grace wolfe
music
I
n 1979, Sugarhill Gang introduced the world to a new genre of music with the single “Rapper’s Delight,” and everyone loved it. The peppy disco beat mixed with comical lyrics caught everyone’s attention. The groundbreaking song of its time began playing on radio stations with primarily black listeners. As it grew in popularity it spread to radio stations across the nation. It introduced the black community’s music to white listeners. The single would be the first hip-hop song to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and rap was born. When rap and hiphop were first discovered, there were a lot of artists experimenting the new genre. With no direction yet, rappers weren’t sure what exactly to rap about. After the worldwide popularity of “Rapper’s Delight,” the genre really found its voice. Through the decades, hiphop’s message has shifted. In 1989, rap group Public Enemy released the single “Fight the Power,” expressing their views on civil rights. Other classic artists like Tupac express the personal experiences of their past through their lyrics.
On Tupac’s single “Dear Mama” he reveals his childhood poverty and his mother’s addiction to crack cocaine. “Their music made you want to make a change,” said junior Khalil Jordan. Nineties rap artists addressed serious issues that they and the people around them faced, such as police brutality and racial inequality. Rap and hiphop was infused with personal connections to these flaws in society. They used their music as a motivator to make a difference. Today, you can scroll through Twitter and see a funny video of some kids trying to rap a Fetti Wap song or keep up with Lil Wayne’s verse. Rap and hip-hop is everywhere and it’s reaching wider ranges of people, from different ages, races, and music preferences. Although you may be familiar with the common theme of sex and drugs found in songs played on Top 40 radio stations, there are still artists with serious messages in their lyrics. Artists like Kendrick Lamar still talk about personal experiences and troubles, such as his difficult childhood in Compton, California.
evolution of rap
His lyrics also address the undertones of prejudice in society today. Female artists have been contributing messages of their own to hip-hop. Beyoncé, for instance, has chosen to place political statements of her own in music videos and lyrics. In her recent song “Formation,” she references southern black culture, embracing her origin. In the music video, a young black boy dances in front of a wall of shielded policemen. The next shot shows a wall with “STOP SHOOTING US” spray-painted on it, referring to the “Black Lives Matter” campaign. By addressing society’s issues in their songs, artists such as Lamar and Beyoncé are returning to the origin of true rap and hip-hop. Nowadays, with rap and hip-hop songs mostly devoted to sex and drugs, we often forget that there should be meaningful messages behind music. Luckily, some artists do speak out on real issues using their music; it’s just our job to find them. There are few artists that make it big and still choose to focus on serious problems in society, but those who do make an impact.
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don’t worry be happy become mr. brightside in 4 easy steps story by megan murray, design by emma molden, photo by kyndall goodwin
“I’m bilingual. I speak fluent sarcasm.” “I like my coffee black, just like my soul.” Another copy and pasted social media post clutters the internet while I mindlessly scroll through Twitter. Reading more and more jokes about how someone is more pessimistic than another; everyone’s trying to out do each other’s level of negativity. It’s become a trend to look at things from a cynical point of view. With people following this trend it can be hard to see the positives. Believe it or not, there are actually small things that you can do everyday that can improve your outlook. Soon you will learn that sarcasm isn’t necessary for every reply.
opinion
1. Don't compare yourself to others It all starts off so innocently: a curious click on a friend’s Twitter profile picture, a peek at their posted pictures-and an hour later, you’re scrolling through their freshman Homecoming pictures from three years ago. We tell ourselves we don’t care what other people are doing, yet we find ourselves occupied keeping up with others’ lives. It’s best to focus on the life you have and not worry about others. In high school, we often find ourselves competing in an unspoken competition. You won’t find your mom in the stands shouting, “Do well now or else you will regret it in three years when you don’t have enough accomplishments!” It seems that you realize that you were in a race to begin with, by the time you get to the end. There’s a lot of pressure on students to have an “extraordinary” factor about them. It’s expected of you to be president of every single club, have so many awards you’ve lost track, and basically be on the brink of curing cancer. For some reason we put pressure on ourselves to be just as accomplished as everyone else. If life were a test, we would all get academic dishonesty for looking over at what the person next to us is doing. Spending so much time occupied with watching what other people are doing prevents us from focusing on our own life. With social media making life like a fish bowl, it’s hard to avoid what others are doing. Instead we need
to shift that attention to ourselves, and not worry about how our lives look compared to others.
2. Do things that make you happy I used to spend 20 hours a week in a pool for a sport I despised. Although I openly expressed my dislike for swimming when I first joined swim team, I realized that my parents were going to make me do it no matter what. Then I decided, “what’s the point in complaining?” Eight years later I finally quit. I was asked repeatedly why I had quit swimming. I gave the same response every time: it was a lot of time and effort for something that I didn’t love. I understand that there are some things we have to do that we don’t love like driver’s education. However, if you feel pressured to do something it might be a sign that you don’t really love it. Sometimes, activities are like being in a relationship: it requires commitment and there are rough patches. If you make it through the rough patches, there should be a feeling of reassurance that you love what you’re doing. You shouldn’t stay in a relationship that you feel forced to be in. Take the time and effort to do what you love. Otherwise it’s a waste.
3. Look for the positives Life is like one of those Find the Differences pictures. We’re trained to find what’s wrong with every little thing. Over the years we become so skilled at finding what’s going wrong,
optimism
we end up creating problems that don’t exist. Eventually our vision is clouded with only the negatives. It’s important to practice trying to find the positives in everything. Pay attention to minor accomplishments, and give yourself a pat on the back for turning an assignment in on time instead of a month late. Looking at the good outcomes can make a difference. Also, no one likes a pessimist. Don’t turn into that one friend who points out every flaw, because eventually you won’t have any friends. Now, I’m not saying you can’t have a bad day every once in awhile, but there’s no need to make every day one. When something does go wrong, don’t dwell on it. Bad things happen but it’s always best to just move on.
4. Practice Practice, practice, practice! It’s extremely easy to try these things out for a day or two, but in order for it to actually have an effect, it needs to become a habit. Try to actually follow through with what you say, otherwise you aren’t doing yourself any good. The only way for you to improve your outlook is to put effort into it. Catch yourself before tweeting a whole timeline of sarcastic negative comments, or else you’ll only bring yourself and others down. Make your tweet stand out by highlighting the good things. If we focus on the good things we’ll notice that not everything goes wrong, some things do go right.
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calendar
summer concerts
GET GROOVY, BABY check out summer's hottest gigs story, design, AND PHOTO by lilli marvin
MAHA mahamusicfestival Returning for its eighth year, Maha Music Festival is back and ready to rock your socks off. Growing in size every year, each new festival brings more people, bigger bands, and new attractions. No longer a simple setlist, Maha has evolved into an experience that attracts people from across the country, selling out last year’s show for the first time ever. Following acts from the past such as Tame Impala, Modest Mouse, and Death Cab for Cutie, the 2016 lineup promises to be the craziest, biggest, and most talented year yet. With tickets selling out early last year, hurry up and get your tickets here before they’re gone.
SOKOL sokolunderground While the venue may not have a stellar reputation and a legacy of sketchy crowds and illicit activities, the talent performing this summer is more than enough to make up for the subpar auditorium. The building, in all it’s run down glory, has become infamous among teenagers across the metro, becoming the epitome of what teens love best— angst and grunge. If looking for a sweaty and intense gig that’s guaranteed to leave you sore for days, check out Tyler the Creator on June 5th. For the indie rockers out there, Purity Ring and Glass Animals will be a mellower yet equally entertaining concert.
KC BEACH BALL
STIR COVE This summer the Stir Concert Cove series delivers the setlist of any alt rock fan’s dreams. Ranging from M83’s electric, ethereal tracks to Cage the Elephant’s head banging anthems, this diverse schedule allows for listeners of all kinds to partake in the festivities. Only offering general admission tickets, if you’re looking to get up front and in the action it’s recommended to show up early and be prepared for lines. Don’t be the gig rookie: bring lots of water, snacks, and sunscreen.
Twenty-three bands, two days. One ticket into the 2016 Buzz Beach Ball and you immediately gain access to some of today’s hottest artists. In case you missed the chance earlier this summer, Cage the Elephant will be headlining along with others including Alabama Shakes, Fitz and the Tantrums, and the Violent Femmes. The creators of Buzz Beach Ball kept all festival attendees in mind this year by offering various passes depending on your commitment to the music. For the hardcore head-bangers, a twoday general admission pass is offered for $99. A bowl seating option is also available for those who just want to listen without getting tossed around in the pit.
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