g h o s t s , z o m b i e s IN VADE u n l i n w e e k e n d o f s p o o k y e v e n t s online in print ··Video, interviews from LIncoln ZombieFest
··Columnist explores the world of zombie brains PAGE 5 ··Ghost hunter visits campus for haunting seminar PAGE 7
monday, august 29, 2011
volume 111, issue 007
DAILY NEBRASKAN dailynebraskan.com
‘Give ’em a show’
Midway rides at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Aug. 27.
kyle bruggeman | daily nebraskan
Woodsmen impress Nebraska State Fair crowd Riley Johnson DAILY NEBRASKAN
Underneath the warm sun at the 2011 Nebraska State Fair, Fred Sayklly stepped onto a log floating in a pool of water, the last act of Saturday’s Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show. He turned the log and twisted his feet, knocking his competitor and comrade, Web Beckstead, off balance and into the water. For Lee LeCaptain, director and manager of the show, this sight seemed too miraculous, because in December 2010, Sayklly, 53, suffered a massive stroke. “Doctors said, ‘That’s it, Fred, no, no, no,’” Sayklly said. But three months later, LeCaptain, 51, said the “no” turned to a go and Sayklly — his friend of 49 years — again walked out onto the log and began to roll.
LeCaptain spoke on behalf of Sayklly, because, although he has full mobility, the Michigan-native lost all his speech capabilities after the stroke. Crowds didn’t know any different as Beckstead, LeCaptain and Sayklly hurled axes, revved chainsaws and cracked jokes in front of hundreds of Nebraska families at the fair in Grand Island. And that’s the way the family of lumberjacks wanted it. “When the economy goes down in the tubes, part of you wants to forget about the problems,” LeCaptain said. As owner and longtimelumberjack entertainer, LeCaptain said he’s seen just how much his corny jokes and chainsaw antics mean to people. The crowds have grown at state fairs across the United States and the
world, he estimated. The group performs three or four shows per day during state fairs. At one fair, a 60-yearold woman never missed a show, LeCaptain recalled. She sat in the bleachers knitting, and after the final performance, the woman thanked the lumberjacks, he said. Several days later, LeCaptain received a letter from the woman. She had contemplated suicide, but said the red-plaid and bearded men brought her a smile. “You just don’t realize how you touch people,” LeCaptain said. “So if somebody can come here and sit down and ya give ’em a show, it’s a helluva good thing.” Six months out of the year, the group drives from fair to fair, swinging axes and sharing laughs, LeCaptain said. The road is hard on the
Multicultural greek stroll off gains popularity Jacy Marmaduke Daily Nebraskan
For members of multicultural greek organizations, it’s easy to get overlooked. But on Friday night, anyone walking by the Nebraska Union had to take notice. For about three hours, the organizations took center stage in the ninth-annual greek stroll competition, an event designed to gain recognition for small groups that members said can often be lost in the thicket of larger sororities and fraternities. “Maybe after a year or two they’ve seen us around,
koenig page 5
lumberjacks, who long to see their families, he said. But LeCaptain, who lives in Florida, said he wouldn’t have it any other way. Sayklly and Beckstead have become his brothers. The trio also has a canine sidekick, Sandy Mae. She’s a 9-year-old “lumberjack” Russell terrier, LeCaptain said. Sandy Mae can out-roll any of the lumberjack trio. Even the group’s technician said traveling with a bunch of lumberjacks is completely different from his time traveling with musicians. Jeff Main, 55, of California, said he enjoys being a part of the lumberjack family, especially considering he’s not dealing with musicians. “No drummer to deal with,
lumberjacks: see page 3
kyle bruggeman | daily nebraskan
Lumberjack Fred Sayklly, 53, competes against Sandy Mae, the “lumberjack russell” in the log-rolling contest for the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show at the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island on Aug. 27.
UNL pre-vet club students aid state fair’s livestock birthing experience Riley Johnson DAILY NEBRASKAN
A handful of University of Nebraska-Lincoln students got an armful of animal birthing experience at the 2011 Nebraska State Fair Saturday. The NU pre-veterinary club greeted crowds inside the Birthing Pavilion as expecting sheep, pigs and cows prepared to give birth. Now in their second year serving the state’s livestock in Grand Island, the students saw
animals: see page 3
waking the dead patrick breen | Daily Nebraskan
Brandon Boyd, of University Nebraska at Omaha, has syrup colored like blood poured on his head wound outside the Pershing before the start of the ZombieFest on Saturday.
Maybe after a year or two they’ve seen us around, but coming into college I doubt they know about us.” NaTasha Rollerson
more photos: page 7
senior advertising major
but coming into college I doubt they know about us,” said NaTasha Rollerson, a senior advertising major and former president of Phi Iota, the University
the experience as a chance to sew an understanding of agriculture in the people who rely on it for most meals. “It’s a really good way for the public that isn’t in agriculture to learn about something they never see,” said Eric Bramow, a senior animal science and preveterinary science major. Many times, the public sees the farmer-livestock relationship
More weekend coverage online at dailynebraskan.com
stroll off: see page 4
··Video of Zombie fest ··Video of Lincoln Slutwalk
downtown page 5
football page 12
Weather | mostly sunny
Advice for week two
The walking dead
Mind block
words of wisdom as dust of first week settles
Lincoln zombiefest attracts the bold and the bloody
Physical young linemen working on mental maturity
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