The Lumberjack — Issue 8 — Fall 2012 — Vol. 99

LUMBERJACK The

NorthernArizonaNews.com

NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT

INSIDE News: ASU presidents protest ASA, p 5 Life: Feature on “peace” missionary, p 11 Arts: Flagstaff Oktoberfest, p 19

VOICE SINCE 1914 • VOL 99 • ISSUE 8 • OCT. 11, 2012 - OCT. 17, 2012

Ice Jacks sweep ASU in Tempe

BY MATT ESAENA

L

ast season, ASU’s Division II hockey team claimed first place in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s (ACHA) Western Conference.

The Sun Devils beat the NAU DII Ice Jacks in three out of four games. Coming into this season, ASU may have felt they had the edge for the in-state rivalry, but NAU’s goaltending and defense proved that theory wrong.

NAU swept a two-game series from ASU this past weekend in Tempe. Friday night, the Jacks skated off the ice with a 5–4 shootout win and Saturday’s game also had a nail-biting shoot-out victory as the Jacks won 1–0.

“It was a huge opportunity for us to take on last season’s number one ranked team,” said general manager AJ Fairchild after Saturday’s win. “We are just as talented as they are and we are going to get even better as the season goes on.”

Friday night was a game played goal-for-goal and hit-for-hit.

The Ice Jacks and the Sun Devils matched each other in almost every category except for one: saves.

Quinn Mason stunned the crowd, where NAU fans outnumbered ASU fans despite the game being in Tempe, with 43 saves.

The Jacks may have won the game in regulation if it were not for a costly turnover by sophomore defender Nathan Kundla with just over a minute remaining in the game.

Mac Miller and the gang

Rapper, friends take act to Ardrey

BY MIKAYLA VANARSDEL

A

rdrey hosted quite the performance Friday evening. On his Macadelic tour, 19-year-old Mac Miller paid a visit to Flagstaff, Arizona where three hours later, he left the stage with the crowd screaming for more.

The concert opened with rappers YG – short for Young Gansgta – and Travis Porter, a trio from Decatur, GA best known for their track “Ayy Ladies,” the newest anthem since Beyoncé’s

“Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).” Travis Porter kept the crowd entertained both with their music and funny antics, including a blow up doll and water guns to interact with the audience.

Tiffany Hailpern, freshman hotel and restaurant management major said, “The most spectacular part was the light show and the light-up inflatable.” Mac Miller played his set list in chronological order intertwined with personal footage to illustrate his growth as both on and off the microphone. see MILLER page 20

TOP: Mac Miller raps to a crowded Ardrey Auditorium on Oct. 5th. BOTTOM: Quez, of Travis Porter, locks eyes with a fan in the crowd, Oct. 5th at Ardrey Auditorium. (Photo

by Matt Valley)

SEE THE REST OF THIS STORY AT NORTHERNARIZONANEWS.COM

Go to NorthernArizonaNews.com for daily updates, multimedia packages, extra content and stories before the issue hits the stands.

PoliceBeat Oct. 7 At 2:15 a.m., staff at Flagstaff Medical Center reported a subject in the ER stating he had been assaulted at the Hilltop Townhomes between midnight and 2 a.m.

An officer responded, but the victim could not remember anything and did not wish to pursue charges.

The report was taken for information purposes.

At 8:38 p.m., a resident of the South Family Apartments reported her son hit her daughter and requested police assistance.

Officers responded and a report was taken for informational purposes.

At 10:06 p.m., an officer reported being out at McConnell Hall for a follow up.

A student was arrested and booked into Coconino County Sherriff’s Office for two counts of criminal damage-graffiti.

At 11:41 p.m., the NAUPD office received a call of a subject wrapped in a blanket and walking in the middle of road at McConnell and Knoles.

Officers responded, but the subject was gone on arrival and could not be located.

Oct. 6 At 2:51 p.m., a citizen reported a transient assaulted another transient in the area west of Drury Inn. Officers responded, one subject was booked into CCSO for assault and the victim was transported to FMC by an ambulance.

At 10:47 p.m., staff at Sechrist Hall reported re-

CommunitySpot

BY CODY BASHORE

ceiving third party info of a subject walking around in mask, possibly carrying a weapon.

Officers responded and contacted the subject, who did not have a weapon.

Everything was fine and a report was taken for informational purposes.

Oct. 5 At 1:55 a.m., an officer reported being with two subjects in front of the gateway center.

One subject was cited and released for minor in consumption. The other was arrested and booked into CCSO for failure to provide information to law enforcement and minor in consumption.

At 11:35 a.m., a resident of South Family Apartments reported a subject refusing to leave their apartment after she told the guest to leave.

Officers responded and the subject was booked into CCSO for an outstanding warrant.

At 12:17 p.m., staff at Froske reported a student was advising she was sexually assaulted about a week ago.

An officer was dispatched and a report was taken for informational purposes.

Oct. 4 At 10:22 a.m., a CCSO deputy came into the NAUPD office to request assistance in contacting an employee who works at Cline Library regarding an earlier incident.

Officers responded; the subject was located just off campus and arrested by the deputy. A report was taken

for informational purposes.

At 10:01 p.m., staff with catering services reported threatening text messages were being sent from an employee to a supervisor.

An officer responded and contacted the subject.

They were advised not to contact the victim any more.

At 11:37 p.m., an officer reported being with several subjects who were snowboarding on a man made snowpile in Lot 3.

One student was arrested and booked into CCSO on a valid warrant.

The others were field interviewed.

Oct. 2 At 12:20 a.m., the NAUPD office received a report of a “creepy” looking male subject who appeared to be following a female subject jogging along San Francisco Street.

Officers responded and discovered the subject was a student who lives on campus, out for a walk. The subject was field interviewed and continued on his walk.

At 3:55 p.m., a Hilltop Townhome resident came to the NAUPD office to report her roommate’s father had trespassed in her room on Sept. 29 at 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and caused a disturbance.

An officer was dispatched and a report was taken for informational purposes.

SEE MORE POLICE BEAT ENTRIES FROM THIS PAST WEEK AT NORTHERNARIZONANEWS.

2 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

Events Calendar Calendar Events THURSDAY, OCT. 11 Coffee-with-Coral [7:30 a.m. /Café del Rio] Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival [4 p.m./Orpheum Theater]

Warner’s Harvest Festival [10 a.m./Warner’s Nursery] NAU Opera Fundraising [7:30 p.m./Ardrey Memorial Auditorium]

Dance Classes [4 p.m./Canyon Dance Academy]

Dead Winter Carpenters [9 p.m./Green Room]

NAU Wind Symphony Concert [7:30 p.m. /Ardey Memorial Auditorium]

TUESDAY, OCT. 16 NAU Jazz Ensemble I and II Concert [7:30 p.m./Ardrey Memorial Auditorium] College of Arts and Letters Film Series: “Hannah and Her Sisters” [7p.m./Sedona Preforming]

FRIDAY, OCT. 12

SUNDAY, OCT. 14

Shakespeare’s ‘All Well That Ends Well’ [4 p.m. /Mary D. Fisher Theatre]

Hart Prairie Preserve Hike [10 a.m./Fort Valley Shopping Center]

Social Club Dance [7 p.m./Joe Montoya Community Center]

Hitmen Football Practice [12 p.m. /South NAU Fields]

‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ Silent Film with Live Orchestra [7 p.m./Sedona Preforming]

NAU Piano Recital [7:30 p.m./Ashurst Hall]

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 17

Kush County [9 p.m./Green Room]

MONDAY, OCT. 15

SATURDAY, OCT. 13

Energizing Yoga [9 a.m./Montoya Community Center]

NAU International Film Series: “Biutiful” [7 p.m./Liberal Arts Building]

Viola’s Haunted Garden [7 p.m./Viola’s Flower Garden]

Food Tasting [11:30 a.m./New Frontiers Natural Marketplace]

WeekendPicks Picks Weekend NAU Opera Fundraising Friday, October 12 @ 7:30 p.m.

Ardrey Memorial Auditorium

Dead Winter Carpenters Saturday, October 13 @ 9p.m.

Green Room

Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 3

InTheNews

Controversy over ASNAU spring concert selection

BY SARA GRAPER

E

very fall, ASNAU puts out a ballot of tentative artists for the spring concert and, every year, students are not satisfied with the choices or the ultimate selection.

According to Makenzi Mastrud, ASNAU chief of staff, the artist selection is dependent on student answers.

“They’re definitely not random artists,” Mastrud said. “We put a lot of time and thought into who we put on the survey.”

Mastrud is in charge of selection of artists for the spring concert. If the selection isn’t random, though, why is there so much controversy and upset surrounding this year’s artist picks?

As of Sept. 24, an e-mail went out to all students encouraging them to vote for the spring concert artist-to-be. The options were Tyga, GirlTalk, Calvin Harris, Jake Owen, Kid Cudi, Steve Aoki, The Fray and Kaskade. Voting closed Sept.

28 and now the students of NAU wait to determine whether the concert is worth attending.

When questioned about the artist se-

lection, Mastrud said, “We go and look at different types of things like the Billboard Top 100, who has the most hit songs right now, who’s selling the most albums.”

But as of recently, the only artist option NAU had who was also listed on any of the charts on billboard.com is Jake Owen. On iTunes top hits, only Tyga, Calvin Harris and Jake Owen qualify “We also try and get a general feel just from students just by asking them,” Mastrud said. “We like to see what a lot of students are posting on Facebook as well.”

But, according to Facebook, among artists like Steve Aoki, Kaskade and GirlTalk, only Steve Aoki has over one million “likes.” In fact, GirlTalk has just over 6,000 — even fictional character Jasper Cullen of Twilight has more.

But some students still seemed excited for the upcoming concert.

Sam Barton, sophomore biology major and avid GirlTalk fan, was excited to see his favorite band on the list and said he was pleased with this year’s artist selection.

In comparison, freshman computer science major Kara Elecanal said the options “were limited.”

The spring concert is paid for with

money from the 23 Fee, which is a $23 undergraduate tuition charge per semester and came into effect in the fall of 2010.

Since the beginning of the 23 Fee, students have had the opportunity to see Ke$ha, Dirty Nasty and All-American Rejects.

The 23 Fee has also made it possible to extended library hours to 2 a.m. and pays for the SnowJack Express among other things, which are voted on by the students.

As Mastrud explained, “For the concert right now, we have about $140,000 budgeted,” which allows for a wider selection of artists.

When artists are selected, the tentative list is sent to SUN Entertainment coordinator, Rachel Cole, who helps with student unions and activities. She approves the budget and determines if the artist is affordable for the campus. After approval, the artist is put on the survey and the students vote. This year, a staggering 9,934 students put in their opinion — almost half of the NAU student population.

“This year we really focused on advertising and PR for the survey alone and not just the concert because we want to make sure that every student voice is heard,” Mastrud said.

They seemed to achieve their result, but just because an artist is voted number one, doesn’t mean they will be headed to the NAU campus.

“We go ahead with the number one artist and see if they’re available for the time we would like them to come and then if they’re not available we go down the list to the second and third choice and if we have to keep going, then we just keep going,” Mastrud said.

While very excited for the concert, freshman Alex Tucker, public relations major, said “Let’s not get people’s hopes up for nothing, that’s just abuse.”

Last spring, the band LMFAO won, but was not available for the scheduled date. The second place winner, Kid Cudi, was not selected, while the All American Rejects were.

Regardless, Mastrud was nothing but excited when discussing the concert even though she couldn’t disclose the winning artist until contracts and dates are determined.

“I think that house, DJ kind of music seems to be very popular and I think the artist who won the survey is an artist who is very appealing to a large population of students at NAU,” Masturd said.

Increase in crime at Hilltop Townhomes String of assaults, vandalism at new residence

W

BY ABIGAIL O’BRIEN

ith a high demand for housing on NAU campus, the newly built Hilltop Townhomes had an immediate waiting list this past year. Upon promoting the new Hilltop Townhouses, the website offered a section for parents to “give your student that lifestyle they want — give yourself a peace of mind.” A month into school, that utopic ideal has been shaken after a string of crime.

The biggest offense thus far occurred over Family Weekend at 3 a.m. on Sept.

30. Several minors gathered in one of the units and engaged in underage drinking, possession of marijuana and possesion of

drug paraphernalia, according to police.

An 18-year-old male who is not an NAU student was also present at the Townhomes. As the evening progressed, it became clear to many of the guests the teen had become aggressive. When he was told to leave by sophomore Sarah Fravel, one of the renters of the unit, the male punched a hole in the wall, threw a chair and proceeded to damage the property.

Northern Arizona University Police Department (NAUPD) was called to the site by two different anonymous sources.

Upon arrival they saw the male on the floor covered in blood. According to the police report, he was highly intoxicated and his behavior was considered to be hostile.

4 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

The male was taken to the hospital and was released the next morning with minor injuries and no recollection of his belligerent behavior from the previous night. He was then booked into Coconino County Sheriff ’s Office and charged for aggravated assault of a police officer and medical enforcement — six counts, trespassing, criminal damage, disorderly conduct and minor in consumption of alcohol.

The others present at the party were also charged with minor in consumption.

This incident was not the first of its kind at Hilltop.

“We have had a couple of instances at Hilltop, but nothing to the magnitude of

this offense,” said Joe Tritshcler, NAUPD community relations officer.

According to Tristchler, Hilltop Townhouses are becoming a more familiar place for students to go and engage in illegal activity.

“I have been invited to a lot of Hilltop parties,” said Deirdre Oliver, sophomore psychology major. “They tend to be a lot calmer and safer.”

All damage to the townhouse units becomes the responsibility of the residence upon move-in. Multiple offenses against the rules administers removal of student residents.

InTheNews

ASU presidents resign from ASA in protest

ASNAU President Smart pledges ASA support

BY GARY COLLINS

I

EXTREME WEDNESDAYS! $3 Shots of Fireball Whiskey $5 lumberyard grenades

OS FEATURING EXTREME SPORT VIDE 5 S San Francisco St 928.779.BREW(2739) www.lumberyardbrewingco.com

Cornhole Ping Pong

Happy Hour 2pm - 6pm Mon - Fri

NIGHT! Play Team Trivia (up to 6 per team) and win prizes throughout Thursday TRIVIA the night! @9:30pm. $2 Topless Cans & 6.95 Yard Drink Jars

Friday

COUNTRY NIGHT...Free Dance Lessons 9pm $5.95 32oz Yard Jars

Pints of Well Drinks & Drafts $2.99 Double Pints (32oz) of PBR & Saturday $2.$2.9999 Double Jack Daniels & Jack Honey Shots

WING WEDNESDAY - $0.50 wings all day!!

Wednesday WILD EXTREME NIGHT! STARTS AT 10PM! $5 LUMBERYARD GRENADES

(SHOT AND BEER) Follow Facebook and Twitter for Extreme & 6.95 Yard Drink Jars HOSPITALITY NIGHT: HAPPY HOUR PRICES IF YOU BRING IN YOUR PAYSTUB! “Flash” Specials! COME PLAY... PING PONG AND CORNHOLE - $3 Shots of Fireball

n the past month, five ASU Directors of the Arizona Student Association (ASA) board resigned, citing, among other issues, their reluctance to allow $100,000 of ASA funds to be given in support of Prop 204, which would renew a one cent sales tax in attempts to fund education.

There now exists a possibility of a student vote on ASU campuses as to whether students wish to continue to support ASA. On Sept. 26, Mark Naufel, student government president of the Tempe campus of ASU, resigned from the ASA Board of Directors. Also resigning was Joseph Grossman, president of the ASU Downtown campus student government, who was joined by his vice president of policy David Bakardjiev.

These two resignations were preceded by the Sept. 13 resignation of Jeffery Hebert, President of the ASU Polytechnics campus along with his vice president of policy Shauniece High.

These moves left ASU without representation on the ASA Board for three of its five campuses — ASU West’s campus had not taken an oath of office this year. ASA still has representation from the ASU Vice President of Policy, Brendan Pantilione and its director Megan Riley, as well as Graduate and Professional Students’ Association Rhian Stotts and their VP of Policy, German Cadenas.

What sparked these resignations is the belief ASA is an outdated institution and that its activities are ineffective.

“For at least the last four years, ASU student leadership has been unhappy with the way the organization operates,” Naufel said. “For years, they have tried to bring about change within the organization. Last year the presidents of each of the four campuses at ASU passed a vote, which basically said: ASA

needs to make the changes we are bringing forward, or we are going to pull out and pursue a way to get our students’ money back.”

Another issue that led to the resignation of Naufel was, while he was a Director of ASA, he was forbidden by the oath of office to speak out against the organization.

“We wanted to be open and honest with our students and wanted to see what they thought about where their money was going,” Naufel said. “It soon became clear to us that there was no way we could be open and honest with our students while remaining on the board.”

Naufel received an email from ASA Executive Director Casey Dreher, which stated: “The actions you want to take are your own and up to you to decide.

I just want to ensure that you know the repercussions of each decision, because I would hate for any of you to get into legal trouble where neither the university, nor ASA, could provide you with representation.”

NAU Student President Sammy Smart spoke at the Oct. 4 ASNAU meeting concerning the conflict.

“What they’re doing right now is they are going to start a campaign for a referendum and in the next two weeks, this referendum will hit and it is going to be is them asking their students to vote against ASA,” Smart said. “If this referendum passes and their students don’t support ASA. . . or support this two dollar fee, it’s mostly likely going to be taken. We’re thinking their game plan is to take it to the Board of Regents at our December meeting. At that time, the Board of Regents will look over it and see if this fee is really beneficial to students.”

SEE THE REST OF THIS STORY AT NORTHERNARIZONANEWS.COM

Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 5

InTheNews

Hot Spot, Gateway expansion planned as campus grows

Starting January 2013, the Hotspot and Gateway will undergo expansion due to the addition of more than 1,000 meal plans this semester. (Photo by Jeff Bucher)

G

BY CLARK MINDOCK

o to the NAU Hot Spot at 5 p.m. and you’re like to sit down pretty quickly, but if you show up an hour and a half later than that, you may have trouble finding an available seat.

While waiting for a seat may not be as regular of an experience as waiting for a burger after that lucky patron in front of you snagged the last one, rising incoming freshman class sizes have prompted NAU officials to build a second floor in the Hot Spot.

“While we have not had many complaints,

we have observed people waiting for a seat to free up and other [people] sitting on the stairs [to eat] at times,” said Agnes Drogi, director of planning, designing and construction at NAU. “Additionally . . . we are unable to program activities in the Hot Spot. For example, we periodically like to bring in afternoon bands and at this time [but] do not have the space to accommodate this.”

If all goes as planned, construction will begin outside of the Hot Spot in January 2013.

Major construction on the project will begin just after students leave for the summer and will finish just before school starts again in August.

Students feel the construction is coming just in time.

“Two years ago, three years ago, it was nice to go out to eat anywhere on campus, but now it’s always busy,” said junior mechanical engineering major Josh Musich.

A second floor will add capacity for 300 more students, totaling 750 at a time. The retail space of the renovations will be roughly 3,000 square feet.

Attached to this project is an expansion to the popular late-night Gateway Campus Market.

The Hot Spot and Gateway additions,

which will cost just under $5 million, are one of several projects on campus NAU has undertaken in recent history to handle the rising student body population. This semester, NAU opened The Hilltop and Suites Townhomes, which added 1,126 beds to campus.

This spring, NAU will break ground on a new Science and Health building in the dirt lot between the Communication building and Liberal Arts building, just south of the Science Laboratory building.

With an ever-growing student body population, students can expect numerous changes to campus to follow.

NAU awarded $6 million to build new research center NORTHERN

N

BY SARA WEBER

AU was recently awarded a $6 million grant, in partnership with UA and Diné College, for the creation of a Center for American Indian Resilience (CAIR).

Priscilla Anderson, leader of the project, said the grant will be used for research concerning aspects of American Indian culture.

“This grant is going to be used to identify the health-related factors of American Indians and we also want to assess how Native people deal with chronic illnesses,” Sanderson said.

“Traditionally, we have looked at the challenges and the problems with health issues for American Indians.

We’re coming from a different angle; we’re trying to look at the positive aspect: Native Americans are able to live with and overcome chronic disease.”

Robert Trotter, Regents’ professor and chair of anthropology, explained

why this particular program was awarded such a hefty grant.

“It’s a grant from the National Institute of Health,” Trotter said. “A group of people here at the university applied for the grant and the principal investigator, Priscilla Sanderson, worked with Nicolette Teufel-Shone [from UA]. It’s a very interesting grant because it focuses on resiliency rather than just problems.

It focuses on ways that people have been helping themselves as well as focusing on health disparities that exist among American Indian people.”

CAIR is a new research project that will be conducted out of the College of Health and Human Services. According to Sanderson, the center will be hiring student interns as well as researchers.

“The only new people will be a program manager, research ethnographers, research coordinator, as well as some students we’re looking to hire,” Sanderson said. “It’s basically starting a new center with existing resources.”

6 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

Schulz said the new center will offer students more than an opportunity to educate themselves on American Indian culture.

“It will provide NAU students an opportunity to get an advanced education in the areas of American Indian resilience, and allow them to potentially participate in research projects and outreach projects to the reservation,” Schulz said.

Aimee David, president of the Native American Cultural Enrichment organization and freshman criminal justice major, said she looks forward to the experience CAIR will bring to NAU. “This is going to be very beneficial to students in my organization, as well as others, in bringing them knowledge on different topics they could be researching,” David said. “There are a lot of Native Americans who aren’t wellinformed about a lot of the health topics. It will be good for them to get more experience in this type of work force.”

ARIZONA

Check out what’s featured on the website this week:

NEWS: Prop 120 targets public land Soles with Souls Charity Walk LIFE: Cheba Hut returns to Flagstaff Lunafest empowering women A&E: Review of Second Law by Muse OP-ED: Go green on “Meatless Monday” Citizens are entitled to cell phones

northernarizonanews.com

{ Teaching by example. That’s what we’re all about too. } With more plans and more dentists to choose from, we offer families like yours the care you can count on at prices you can afford - because everyone deserves healthy, happy smiles.

Get Family Coverage. Get Delta Dental.

MySmileAZ.com

Agency: Off Madison Ave · 5555 E Van Buren #215 · Phoenix, AZ 85008 · (480) 505-4500 · Fax: (480) 505-4501 • Contact: Ruben Muñoz • Contact Email: rubenm@offmadisonave.com • Contact Phone: 480-505-4562 • Client: Delta Dental • Job #: ıı-DEL-0828 • Pub: NAU Lumberjacks • Trim Size: 5.0695 in w x 4.8392 in h • Color: CMYK

new student housing

stop by & take a tour today

studenthousingnau.com Hilltop Townhomes: 1500 S San Francisco St | 928.523.1680 The Suites: 300 E McConnell Dr | 928.523.8622

Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 7

Editorial&Opinion

NAU’s newest plan neglects large portion of students

A

s students at NAU, most of us Political Cartoon by Brian Regan can testify to the fact we are stereotyped around the state as hippie, nature loving, forest people who would rather hug a tree and smoke some weed than spend our days surrounded by preppy, uptight yuppies. It is also no secret the NAU administration favors the school with the largest number of students (25 percent to be exact) — which is none other than the College of Engineering, Forestry & Natural Sciences.

In January 2013, NAU will break ground, yet again, on a new Health and Science building designation to be built in the dirt lot between the Communications and Liberal Arts building, just behind of the Science Laboratory building. While not much is known yet about the specific cost of the new building, the students benefitting from the building are inevitably part of the 25 percent of students in the College of Engineering, Forestry & Natural Sciences.

From an economic standpoint, While what NAU is doing now and has what NAU is doing to benefit its largest school makes sense. By favoring the done in the past, such as with the construcconsiderable number of students who enroll tion of the Health and Learning Center, is in this school, NAU is capitalizing on their financially beneficial, it neglects the 75 per“niche” market. In conjunction with the cent of the student population who are not statewide stereotype of NAU, the administra- members of The College of Engineering, Fortion is utilizing its funds to perfect the school estry & Natural Sciences.

In the past five years, NAU has built two and students, bringing them the most money now and in the future. Making this school as incredible buildings for the students of this notable as possible gives NAU a higher prob- school, including the HLC, which opened ability of being nationally recognized for the last fall, and the Lab Sciences building, which programs it encompasses — in turn brand- opened in the spring of 2007.

Although the modern architecture and ing NAU as “the school to go to” for students state of the art equipment in these buildings interested in these majors.

LUMBERJACK The

NorthernArizonaNews.com

are beautiful, their counterparts on south campus provide students in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences with a less than stellar learning environment.

Crouching in the shadows of the ostentatious W.A. Franke College of Business building are the abandoned Social and Behavioral Sciences and Social and Behavioral Sciences West. Reminiscent of a scene from The Breakfast Club, these buildings, in addition to the Adel Mathematics building and the Eastburn Education building, are throwbacks to the 80s and are certainly subpar for the 40 percent of the student population who

Phone: (928) 523-4921 // Fax: (928) 523-9313 E-mail: lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Editor-in-Chief Kevin Bertram

Faculty Adviser Rory Faust

Creative Director Jessie Mansur

Managing Editor Kierstin Turnock

Sales Manager Marsha Simon

Assoc. Creative Director Kyle Huck

8 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

are forced to learn in them.

It is true the majors included in the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the College of Education statistically earn a lower salary than those in the College of Engineering, Forestry & Natural Sciences, but the fact of the matter is 20 percent of the student population invest their time and money into these majors. NAU needs to show some respect and increased gratitude toward their students regardless of their major. A good way to start this process of common decency would be updating these buildings say . . . more than once every 20 to 30 years.

While it is fun to travel back in time twice a week and be able to empathize with my parents when they complain about their back problems from “back in the day,” it is hard to support a sound economic decision by NAU when it only benefits the statistical minority.

With a limited budget from year to year and the plans already made, there is nothing that can be done to stop the construction of the new Healthw and Science building.

What NAU needs to consider though before investing any more money into their “brand” are the students who are learning 21st century material with 20th century resources.

Editor’s note: Kierstin Turnock, Managing Editor, wrote this editorial on behalf of the staff.

Student Media Center Editorial Board Copy Chief Maddie Friend Assoc. Copy Chiefs Sara Weber Caitlyn Rogers

A&E Editor Mykel VernonSembach Assoc. A&E Editor Daniel Daw

News Editor Bree Purdy Assoc. News Editor Aurelia Acquati

Sports Editor Travis Guy Assoc. Sports Editor Cody Bashore

Life Editor Dani Tamcsin Assoc. Life Editor Maddy Santos Opinion Editor Rolando Garcia Assoc. Opinion Editor Tom Blanton Comic Editor Brian Regan

Photo Editor Sean Ryan Assoc. Photo Editor Holly Mandarich Web Director Maria DiCosola Assoc. Web Director Daniel Daw

Editorial&Opinion Military unjust toward sexual harassment victims

Political Cartoon by Brian Regan

“W

Romney the clear victor of presidential debate

G

ov. Romney shocked the youth of America by announcing his intention to cut funding for the nation’s favorite yellow bird. Despite Romney’s shocking anti-Sesame Street platform, he emerged the clear victor in a passionate debate. Throughout the course of the debate, President Obama was visibly uncomfortable as a cool, composed Romney unleashed a barrage of attacks on the president regardCOLTON ing his first term in ofDARGER fice. In a surprisingly apathetic performance, the president refrained from referencing Romney’s recent gaffes, the governor’s history at Bain Capital, and even remained passive as Romney touted highly exaggerated and even misleading statements. While this was only one of three presidential debates, it represented a crucial moment in defining the remainder of the race.

In spite of the overall friendly atmosphere, which purposely put greater emphasis on the use of discussion based dialogue, Romney was able to force the president to spend the majority of his allocated time defending his own policies, without being able to criticize his opponent. This was clearly evident during the segment dedicated to the economy where Romney was able to present his

ambiguous reform policies with minimal retaliation from the president. In order for President Obama to be considered a daunting opponent in the remaining debates, he must spend more time scrutinizing Romney’s plans — or lack thereof — and developing a strategy which does not resemble the bantering of a confused senior citizen. As a result of Obama’s lackluster performance, Romney was able to claim victory in a debate where baseless reports and fraudulent statistics were the foundation of his arguments.

While Obama was successful at keeping the attention focused on Romney’s massive tax reductions, due to inadequate debating on the president’s part, Romney appeared morally and intellectually superior. The governor repeatedly claimed he was adamant about not increasing taxes on any Americans, and he believes during times of such slow economic growth, increasing taxes would be detrimental to the country’s recovery. As a counter argument, the president referenced a study done by the Tax Policy Center, which concluded Romney’s tax plan would effectively give sweeping tax cuts to the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. In a desperate attempt to refute these claims, Romney cited six “studies” confirming his plan was possible. According to Factcheck.org, none of the these studies were nonpartisan, and even included

two blogs by Romney supporters. Despite what Romney may claim, there is still no reliable evidence proving his tax plans could lower tax rates for every citizen while simultaneously decreasing the nation’s deficit.

Throughout the debate, Romney incessantly purported either misleading or false statistics about unemployment, healthcare and the deficit: he claimed 23 million people are out of work, 20 million people will lose health insurance as a result of the Affordable Care Act and that the middle class has been “crushed” by the Obama administration. While all of these claims are based on some sort of empirical evidence, Romney was able to contort reliable information into complete lies. While these fantasized statistics provoked harsh responses from just about every fact checking group in the country, Obama provided minimal retaliation.

In order for Obama to come out victorious in the next two debates, he will need to dramatically alter his debate strategy. The president must adequately analyze Romney’s plan and provide evidence from the myriad of reports about the feasibility of his proposals, rather than attempt to portray himself as a relatable guy who’s “doing the best he can.”

If he does this, then winning a debate against a man who believes funding PBS is contributing to the nation’s fiscal dilemma should be an easy task.

omen serving in the U.S. military are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq,” said Congresswoman Jane Harman in front of the 2008 House panel investigating military procedures on reports of sexual assault.

A study conALLIE ducted by the WEINTRAUB U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) found 52 women in the military are raped every day. In 2010, “nearly 50,000 veterans [were] screened positive for ‘military sexual trauma’ at the Department of Veterans Affairs,” according to an April 2011 Newsweek article. Although DOD officials have taken steps in recent years to curb sexual assault in the military, the number of abuses reported annually remains at an intolerably high level.

“The policies put in place are extremely ineffectual,” said Myla Haider, a plaintiff in a 2011 class suit against the DOD. She was raped in 2002 while interning with the military’s Criminal Investigative Command. “There was severe maltreatment in these cases, and there was no accountability whatsoever. And soldiers in general who make any type of complaint in the military are subject to retaliation and have no means of defending themselves.”

Haider did not immediately report the crime because she doubted she’d receive justice.

Haider’s situation is not uncommon: sexual crimes committed in the military frequently go unreported. The Pentagon’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office approximated

that in 2010, only “14 percent of the estimated incidents of unwanted sexual contact were reported to a military authority.”

Once a crime is reported, commanders are responsible for ensuring victims receive proper care and for holding culprits accountable. Some victims keep silent because they fear humiliation, or worse — another assault that could likely follow a report.

In reality, approximately one in five reported cases go to trial and only about half of the prosecutions result in convictions. According to a recent New York Times editorial, “about six percent of the accused were discharged or allowed to ‘resign in lieu of courtmartial’ — quit their jobs.”

DOD representatives affirm repeatedly they have a zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy, but their affirmations are meaningless unless the sexual assault rates are reduced. Existing sexual harassment training at the military academies relies heavily on cadets and midshipmen instead of trained professionals. While the training and prevention programs may look adequate on paper, they have proven to be ineffective in practice.

As DOD officials continue to reform their policies, it is imperative the treatment of sexual harassment victims in the military remains a top priority for U.S. military and political leaders and offenders are punished to the fullest extent of law.

“What’s at stake here goes to the very core of the values of the military and the nation itself,” said Rep. John Tierney, chairman of the 2008 House panel.

“When our sons and daughters put their lives on the line to defend the rest of us, the last thing they should fear is being attacked by one of our own.”

Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 9

ComicSpot

Life

Manhattan Short Film Festival

BY AMBER GEORGE

T

Uncle B., better known as “the Peace Please guy,” hands out free stickers near the du Bois Center on Oct. 3. According to Uncle B., “It’s not about how many [stickers] I hand out; it’s about getting the message out.” (Photos by Kelli Tresgallo)

Y

BY ALYSSA TILLEY

ou can find them on laptops, bike racks and bulletin boards around campus.

They’re free, they’re simple, but they are powerful. They are the “Peace Please” stickers handed out by one of Flagstaff ’s local peace activists, Uncle B. Fireland Fanning.

Sept. 11, 2001 sparked the beginning of the “Peace Please” stickers. Uncle B. and a friend started talking about what they could do to help, and the idea of a bumper sticker came to mind because he wanted something that would “be visible, original and reach a lot of people.” He printed the stickers off his home printer and began handing them out the day after the 9/11 tragedy.

Since 2001, Uncle B. has continued to spread the stickers as far as he can reach. He believes that “sometimes you miss a miracle if you aren’t watching out for one . . . sometimes we get to be God’s hands and feet and mouth,” and therefore his dedication continues and the stickers travel farther. Someone once told him that one of his stickers was on the fence at Ground Zero in New York City and after seeing the sticker the man decided to move to Flagstaff because he could tell “something was happening here.” Uncle B. has also seen photos and heard stories of the stickers on signs near the Extraterrestrial Highway in

Nevada, as well as in many other cities around the world. Another person says they took the stickers to northern Africa and took photos of people holding the “Peace Please” stickers while riding camels in the Sahara.

The message of “Peace Please” has spread far and wide. Uncle B. does his part by handing the stickers out on the NAU campus, placing them in several stores in Flagstaff, including New Frontiers and Incahoots, mailing them wherever requested, as well as taking them with him when he travels to places such as UC Berkeley and UCLA. One story he recalls is when he took the stickers to a Republican rally at Fort Tuthill for Rick Renzi and George W. Bush. He held them up for the president to see, and Secret Service agents and the police detained him until after the event, because people in the audience had started tearing them from his hands. “It was a scary but very inspiring experience,” he recalls.

Working as a writer and proofreader out of his family’s home office during the day, one may wonder what drives Uncle Don to keep advocating for his cause of peace. After more than 10 years since the terrorist attack on Sept.11 that sparked the creation of the stickers, why is it still pertinent for him to keep spreading his message?

Uncle B. believes that “our leaders took advantage of our nation’s grief from 9/11 to

trick us into today’s policy of ‘never ending war’.” He goes on to articulate that “wars happen because war feeds upon the love of those who care so much about their country that they’re willing to put their lives on the line to protect it.” He points out that war leaves marks on the people, environment, and economies involved. Agent Orange, Gulf War Syndrome, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, brain injuries, etc. have lasting effects for those who encounter them. He states that war destroys the “potential of soldiers, war zone non-combatants and our world’s economy and environment.”

He explains that war is only profitable for a “small number of us” and “if we gamble away all of our resources and people, our losses in war only subsidize the profiteers.” With all of these effects, Uncle B. worries that “we may never be able to clean up after our modern wars.” Even after 10 years, his passion for peace has not dwindled, which is reflected in the stickers that have spread across the country and even to other continents.

Uncle B. acknowledges that the stickers alone can’t banish war from the Earth. However, they accomplish his goal. He wants people to know they are not alone in their hopes for peace. They make people conscious of the costs of war, and they make people ponder what the phrase “Peace Please” means to them and the world surrounding them.

his past Thursday, the 15th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival found its way to NAU for a night of amazing talent from all across the globe.

The Festival is a yearly event coordinated by Nicolas Mason and gathers aspiring filmmakers in order to find some of the most interesting and well-developed short films the world has to offer.

At the start of each year, the Manhattan Festival Staff reviews over 500 entries from over 40 different countries, and has the difficult task of narrowing it down to the top ten finalists. After that, those 10 finalists are shown in the span of a week in 300 different cities across six continents.

Once the audience has seen the top 10 they vote for their favorite, and the first, second and third place winners receive gold, silver and bronze medals, respectively.

There are also categories such as Best Screenplay, Cinematography, Editor and Animation, which are awarded by a panel of judges.

“I have become a firm believer that it’s the public that create stars,” writes Nicolas Mason, founding director of the event.

“Be it a film, a tune, a book, a new game, whatever; get it out to the public, get it in the right place, the right forum and the public will transform it and take it to a place one would never imagine.”

Paul Helford, who instructs many EMF courses at NAU, hosted the event in the Cline Library Assembly Hall, where many eager students and adults came to watch the 10 films and vote for their favorite. Matthew Roberts, a senior biology major at NAU, was one of many who enjoyed the festival.

“I thought the Manhattan see FESTIVAL page 14

Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 11

SEPTEMBER 26 A Panel Discussion on Proposition 204

Radisson Hotel, 1:30 pm

SEPTEMBER 27 Mapping Arizona’s Future, A Statewide Conversation on Ballot Propositions

Coconino Community College, Lone Tree, Board Room, 6:30 pm

SEPTEMBER 27 Votes for Women: Right or Wrong (a theatrical production)

Cline Library Auditorium, 7 pm

OCTOBER 1 One Person, One Vote: The Realities of Voting in Arizona, Past and Present (a panel discussion)

EARN MORE THAN A DEGREE.

SBS Castro Building, Room 110, 6 pm

High Country Conference Center, 10 am OCTOBER 11 Vice Presidential Debate

Wilson quad

OCTOBER 22 Presidential Debate

Wilson quad

NOVEMBER 6 ELECTION DAY Election 2012: What's at Stake (a panel discussion)

SBS Castro Building, Room 325, 11 am

ELECTION NIGHT PARTY (Watch the results on campus with friends)

SBS Castro Building, Room 110, 7 pm NOVEMBER 7 ELECTION POST-MORTEM

TBA

Poster design: Patricia Murphey

OCTOBER 3 Congressional District 1 Debate

BUILD A RESUME. As a member of the Air National Guard, you’ll develop the high-tech abilities you need to compete in today’s economy. Talk to a recruiter today to learn more.

GoANG.com/AZ

1-800-TO-GO-ANG

Graduate Association of Political Science, Women's and Gender Studies Program, Associated Students of Northern Arizona University

CLASSIFIED -->BARTENDERS<-$300 A DAY POTENTIAL. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. TRAINING AVAILABLE. AGE 19+ OK. CALL 1-800-965-6520 EXT 246.

Vote PATTY HANSEN for Coconino County Recorder November 6, 2012 Patty Hansen will be a Watchdog of Your Property Records & Elections!

Paid for by Hansen for Recorder Campaign

12 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

11736 ANG Northern AZ University 5.076x4.833.indd 4

10/2/12 5:59 PM

C Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 13

Life

Derby girls kick axe

from FESTIVAL page 11

Film Festival was fantastic, and I hope it continues on in the years to come,” Roberts says. “It is important to have events like this festival. Although a priority is to entertain the student body, it also educates the students on a multitude of genres and cultures.”

Roberts tells how he really enjoyed the film “Cluck,” which was a short Irish film directed by Michael Lavelle. The story followed several boys in an orphanage, who are surprised by the newest member of their home. The boy, Cluck, acts like a chicken and stirs up the lives of all the boys, as well as the staff, in the orphanage.

Brandi Woodfill, a junior sociology major, also attended the festival and said it was “amazing.”

“I really do feel as though events like this one are very imperative to have for the community,” Woodfill says. “It not only brings a sense of community when everyone comes to watch, but it gives everyone the chance to see what other countries have to bring to the table film-wise.”

The festival was a huge success and left people laughing and gasping in unison. From comedic stunts to suspenseful twists, each film had something completely different to offer its audience. The Film “Two and Two,” directed by Babak Anvar, presented an interesting plot and twist that turned the story in a completely different direction than was expected.

On the other end of the spectrum, “The Unfortunate End of Robert Ebb” followed an unlucky character in a series of hilarious events that had the audience laughing so hard they were in tears.

“Our mission,” says the Manhattan Short website, “is to unite audiences across all seven continents of the globe for one week via the most compelling short films submitted each year.”

Anyone interested in attending or entering the festival next year can visit their website www. manhattanshort.com for information on the 2013 event.

The Axekickers practice skating on the basketball court in the freshman quad. (Photos by Amanda Ray)

T

BY JUSTIN REGAN

he amazing world of sports has a vast array of different competitions. Some of these sports are more conventional than others. However, it is the unconventional sports that seem to have the most personality. Such is the world of roller derby and the NAU student team known as the Axe Kickers.

Roller derby is a sport played on quad skates with the players skating around an elliptical track. There are five players on each team at a time. One player on each team is the “jammer.” Each team gets a point for every opposing player the jammer passes. This is easier said than done, because the jammer has to pass a gauntlet of players on the other team, called blockers, who try to block the jammer from passing. The blockers must also fight off opposing blockers, so their own jammer can pass through and score. The type of roller derby the Axe Kickers play is flat track, which means any flat surface will suffice for practice. The team currently uses the freshmen quad basketball courts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 4-6 to hone their the many derby skills to be learned.

“We train our skaters to learn how to stop while going backwards on their skates as well as skate backwards, fall correctly and block,” said Rachel “Ester-gin” Ellis, a junior biomedical major and founder of the Axe Kickers.

14 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

This makes roller derby a very intense sport. To play full contact and on skates, you need to be committed. Ellis wants to show this to the NAU community.

“The purpose of the club, the reason I created it, was to try to spread education about roller derby,” Ellis says. “In the 1960’s when [roller derby] first became a thing, it was really dirty. It was almost like WWE fighting and nobody wore any padding so people would get pretty hurt that way and there was no real sport to it, it was just a show. There are some roller derby teams that still do that, but I like the sport aspect of it.”

As with most things bred out of the sixties, the sport of roller derby has developed a sub-culture all its own. One way this is shown is with the “derby name.” These names, like Estergin, are nicknames that players receive through the actions they take and the statements they make while on the team.

“You don’t find your derby name, the derby name finds you,” said Hailey “Royal Tenenbomb” Bickel, a sophomore French major.

Katie Boot, a freshman environmental science major, who has yet to get her derby name, has played various sports throughout her life, such as soccer, volleyball, crosscountry, track and field and swimming. She feels that there is something special about roller derby compared to other sports.

“I think [the team atmosphere] is more

personal. We are much more personal with each other in general,” Boot says. “It’s not just a school activity that you do to get an extra P.E. credit.”

This team atmosphere founded on skates and baptized through vicious physical contact seems to bring the team together in a very close way.vv “I kind of think of roller derby as my sorority,” says Bickel. “There is just something about it we connect on a much deeper level and these people are really amazing people.”

For men who are interested in playing, there are male roller derbies out there (called “merbies”), but there are none currently in Flagstaff. However, the club is always in need of men to help out in other ways.

“We definitely need coaches and refs, so any guy who wants to be involved please talk to me,” Ellis said.

For those who may see roller derby as unorthodox, Ellis says you won’t know how much you love it until you try it.

“You need to try it just once,” Ellis says. “I just fell in love with it the first time I got into skates. For some people it’s a great experience and that’s it and for some people it’s a life-long love.”

For more information on the Axe Kickers, you can go to their website at www.flagstaffderbyfury.com or on Facebook Flagstaff Derby Fury.

SportsReport

W

BY DANI TAMCSIN

hen junior running back Zach Bauman came to the NAU Football training camp as a freshman in 2010, he made a big transition from his high school years. Bauman was a star athlete in high school, leading the Hamilton football program to back-to-back state championships and managing to letter in track and basketball in his spare time. At the Lumberjacks’ practice field, Bauman was the new kid in town. As one of three running backs, Bauman had to work much harder to stand out.

According to senior quarterback Cary Grossart, he did just that.

“We didn’t know much about him, but there were three running backs at training camp that year and we weren’t sure who was going to stand out,” Grossart said. “All of a sudden Zach emerged as ‘the guy.’ The first game, he instantly gained credibility and respect from the guys.”

In his first game, Bauman started his college career with a four-touchdown game against Western New Mexico University. His performance earned him The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS National Freshman of the Week and Division I FCS Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards. The rest is history.

Hamilton High School’s alumnus has been an undeniable force on the football field ever since.

During the 2011 season, Bauman led the Big Sky Conference in rushing with 130.5 yards per game, he was ranked ninth in total offense and fourth in scoring in the nation. He rushed for 1,435 yards with 15 touchdowns, the second best total in NAU’s history, and recorded 1,787 all-purpose yards. He was also third on the team for receptions with 29 for 352 yards and one touchdown.

In the 2011 season, following a narrow loss to Montana, Montana’s standout running back Jordan Canada praised Bauman and saw the threat he would pose in the future.

“Bauman is an incredible athlete,” Canada said.

“The fact that he’s only a sophomore is crazy and it’s going to be something we’ll have to watch out for in the next couple seasons.”

Turns out Canada was right to be worried.

NAU made history this season when it upset Montana, 41–31, for the first time since 1997. Bauman

gave an outstanding 253-yard performance and scored three touchdowns.

Before the start of the 2012 season, Bauman was named to the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team, as well as the College Sports Madness Preseason All-America Third Team. Most notably this season, Bauman was placed on the watch list for the 2012 Walter Payton award, given to the best college player in the FCS. Not to mention his 660 all-purpose yards in this season’s first five games to go along with seven touchdowns.

Despite all of the accolades and expectations, Bauman has not let the pressure get to him; in fact, he thrives on it.

“I set the highest expectations for myself,” Bauman said. “And those expectations everyone else has for me only motivate me. I play much better under pressure. I learned this year that I can push myself farther than I thought I could.”

Bauman certainly has the stats, attention and drive. However, there’s more to a great student-athlete than finding tough routes and making the big plays. Bauman’s priority is the often forgotten “student” part of student-athlete. He has maintained a 3.0 GPA while juggling football and school. Grossart has noticed Bauman’s focus on school not just as a quarterback, but as Zach’s roommate.

“He knows how important it is,” Grossart said.

“He’s got his routine down, from making sure he’s putting aside enough time to study, to how clean and organized he keeps his room.”

So it does not look like Lumberjacks fans have to worry about losing Bauman to academic issues.

Grades? Check. Focus? Check. Talent? Double check. Bauman has also proven himself as a leader.

He has been a team captain since his sophomore year. Grossart describes Bauman as “the soft-spoken guy on the team.” Bauman admits to being quieter than some, but he believes that makes him a stronger leader for his teammates.

“I don’t really talk much so when I speak up, I think the team really feels it,” Bauman said. “I try to lead by example. If the guys see me doing the right things, hopefully it’ll carry on throughout the team.”

As another team captain, Grossart agrees.

“The way he plays speaks for itself; that’s really all he needs to do,” Grossart said. “But he does say what needs to be said and the guys listen. He’s a strong leader in a lot of ways.”

SportShorts Football

Swim and Dive

• at North Dakota

• vs. ASU

1:05 p.m. Oct. 13

10:30 A.M. Oct. 12

at Alerus Center, Grand Forks ND

at Wall Aquatic Center

Go online to read weekly blogs about NAU football and soccer.

Sports Roast is at noon every Friday on KJACK.org NorthernArizonaNews.com.

(Photo by Sean Ryan)

Follow the Lumberjack Sports reporters on Twitter Travis Guy: @TGuySports Raymond Reid: @YAC_TheeReid16 Cody Bashore: @CodyBashore

Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 15

SportsReport

UFC CHAMPION TAKES TRAINING CAMP TO NEW HEIGHTS

have noticed Flagstaff can become a destination for professional fighters to supplement lagstaff is no stranger to having their training and are taking world-class athletes come train steps to make that a reality. prior to competing, especially with “I believe I was talking to the advantage of sitting at 6,910 feet elevaSantino about this, we’re looktion and being relatively secluded. ing at possibly doing someOlympic athletes make regular trips thing so we can do some highto train at NAU. Ten Lumberjacks have altitude training [programs] had the opportunity to become Olympifor the MMA guys. It’s someans, the most recent being senior runner thing that they need to do,” Diego Estrada. Every summer, the AriBell said. “MMA is primetime, zona Cardinals spend their training camp but one thing I have to give at NAU, and who can forget the signs in to the Olympic sports and so all of the sporting venues reminding opforth [is] their very scientific posing teams what elevation they are at. approach with everything and “Nine times out of 10, if you’re MMA is going that route too. here training in Flagstaff [compared to] And that being said, altitude when you’re training anywhere else, you training is a must at certain have an advantage cause we’re at 7,000 points and times, and more [feet],” said owner and head instructor guys are going to do it. And of The Martial Way, George Bell. “If you if they’re not in some other go down to Denver [or] go to Colorado states, if they’re in this region Springs, you’re going down. You’re not of the U.S., Flagstaff should be going up; there are few places you go up.” one of the best places to be, bar Now Flagstaff can add one more none.” type of athlete to the list: Ultimate FightSince DeFranco has ing Championship’s (UFC) Lightweight many connections with gyms Champion Benson Henderson.

Benson Henderson, UFC Lightweight Champion, visits The Martial Way to meet with current students and fighters in the Valley, The “This was the first time I actually and sign autographs on Oct. 6. (Photo by Amanda Ray) Martial Way would take steps went somewhere specifically for highto use those ties to bring more elevation, high-altitude [training],” the Despite some of the negative effects of training gym, he became an instructor at The Martial athletes to Flagstaff to prepare for their upcomlightweight champion said. at elevation for prolonged periods of time, the Way, teaching jiu-jitsu, MMA and kickboxing.

Henderson, whose home is in Phoenix, de- Phoenix resident did not experience any of this “I’ve know Benson since the first month ing bouts.

“People come here [from] all over the world cided to spend some time in Flagstaff towards in his fight. he started training,” DeFranco said. “It was fun the end of his most recent training camp before “[The camp] was good; it was good,” Hen- having him up here. Not just having him up to train in Flag,” the jiu-jitsu instructor said. “I his first title defense against former Lightweight derson said. “It definitely helped. During the here, but to see his progression because, when think it’s probably one of the highest training faChampion Frankie Edgar (155 lbs). fight, [I was] not too tired [or] too worn out. I I first met him, he was a wrestler out of college cilities and NAU has a great Olympic exchange “We had thought about some other plac- don’t think the elevation had any negative im- that didn’t know anything and now, to see him program. I think if we can just get other fighters es, like Denver, but just logistically, travelling pact on me. I think it was more in my head than as a world champion, it’s really ­— it’s impres- up here regularly, I think once they know about it, they will probably start to trickle up here little to Denver [and] having a camp, bringing guys anything else. I think the training up here defi- sive.” out there, flying them back, flying them back nitely helped me prepare for that fight, to be as The Lab Mixed Martial Arts Training Cen- by little, just like they do in Big Bear, Calif. We’re out, flying them back, flying them back out [to 100 percent as possible.” ter, where Henderson trains in Glendale, is an so close to the Valley, only two, two-and-a-half help train would be difficult],” Henderson said.

Henderson went on to win the rematch up-and-coming gym. With its fighters begin- hours away depending on where you’re at, so it “Flagstaff, being a two hour drive, two-and-a- against Edgar in a close split-decision. While the ning to get recognized by the top-tier MMA just makes sense to come up here and do stuff half hour drive for me because I drive like an outcome may be debated for some time, what promotions, the need for more specialized if you can.”

This would help put The Martial Way, and old lady, was logistically a lot easier.” cannot be disputed is the fact that the champ training will rise.

The fight itself took place in Denver, so was able to fight effectively and consistently for “I think there definitely could be [more Flagstaff, on the map as one of the top locations ending his training camp in Flagstaff helped 25 minutes. fighters coming to Flagstaff]. It has all the right to train for future fights, just like other gyms at Henderson get acclimated to the elevation beHenderson made his way to Flagstaff by things you need,” Henderson said. “It has a cou- elevation in different states. The one advantage fore going to Denver. way of his former trainer and friend Santino De- ple of great gyms out [here]. I stayed up for four Flagstaff has over places like Denver, Colorado Training at high-altitude increases an ath- Franco. DeFranco, a former mixed marital artist weeks, no, three weeks, for the fight and stuff, Springs and Albuquerque is the higher elevalete’s stamina and the amount of oxygen con- who was on the ninth season of “The Ultimate getting ready . . . we have the right gym and peo- tion. This would benefit fighters because when tained in red blood cells. With Henderson being Fighter,” recently made his home in Flagstaff ple here for that, but it will open up with time they travel to a fight venue, even one at elevaa mixed martial artist, stamina is a must. This with his wife and child after he was accepted and a little more notoriety for as far as training tion, they will be at a lower altitude than Flag, meaning the athletes’ performance will be much is especially true in the 155 lb division, argu- into NAU’s creative writing graduate program. up here and stuff.” ably MMA’s deepest and most difficult division. Because Bell has ties with DeFranco’s former At The Martial Way, Bell and DeFranco stronger through the duration of the contest.

F

BY TRAVIS GUY

16 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

SportsReport Lumberjack success credited to versatility

E

TOP: Senior outside hitter Jen Wilson goes up for the kill against Montana State. NAU won 3-0. RIGHT: Freshman Janae Vander Ploeg serves during the Montnana State match. (Photos by Xiaozhen Wang)

BY JASMYN WIMBISH

A

nother record was broken this past week for the NAU women’s volleyball team as they picked up two more wins at home. The Lumberjacks broke the record for fewest points allowed by an opponent, which they set earlier in the season when they played against the Weber State University Wildcats.

The Jacks held the University of Montana Grizzlies to 39 points in the three-set sweep (25–8, 25–11, 25–20) that took place on Oct. 6. The Lumberjacks controlled the match the entire night while holding the Grizzlies to an astounding .110 hitting percentage.

The team jumped out to a quick start in the first set, holding Montana to just eight points and obtaining the second best set hitting percentage in program history at .652.

NAU steamrolled Montana in the second set as well, allowing only 11 points, bringing the Jacks to take a commanding lead. They took a 17–7 lead before Montana called a timeout. This did not help as the Lumberjacks cruised to another easy set win over the Grizzlies, taking control of the match 2-0. Senior outside hitter Kelli Dallmann helped the team adding six kills in the second set and totaling eight on the evening.

“The mentality for this game was to just go hard and play as a team, like we’ve been doing in the past,” Dallmann said.

With a reasonable amount of confidence going into the third set, the Lumberjacks found

themselves fighting a little harder for the win.

“You cannot keep somebody down for an entire match, and that’s what we kept talking about,” said head coach Craig Choate. “Eventually they were going to come back and make it interesting.”

The Grizzlies tried to force a fourth set, but could not hold off the dominant play from the Lumberjacks’ middle blockers, sophomore Sydney Kemper and freshman Payton Bock.

Kemper posted a .692 hitting percentage while registering nine kills and Bock made her presence known at the net adding on 12 kills.

The win came at a price when, late in the third set, two of NAU’s players went down with injuries. Freshman outside hitter Janae Vander Ploeg hurt her elbow and was taken out of the game, while Kemper hurt her ankle early on in the third but still continued to play.

“They’re both fine; the ankle was a tweak, and they’re going to check the elbow, but Janae came back to me and told me that if she needed to go back in she could have,” Choate said.

On Oct. 4, NAU faced the Montana State University Bobcats and added another sweep in straight sets to its resume (25–21, 25–18, 25–18) as they took on the Bobcats for the Jacks’ second home game of the season.

This match was point-for-point the entire night as the score was tied 14 different times, in the first set. The team went into this game with a focused mentality and came out on top through defense and blocking. They totaled 10 blocks on the night with some help from Bock.

“It isn’t something we necessarily practice

but for me, I get a lot of reps in practice so that helps me for where I need to be for blocks,” Bock said.

The Bobcats suffered from many unforced errors, which helped the Lumberjacks cruise to an easy win. Despite Montana State’s errors, NAU still needed to fight for the win.

“You never know what an unforced error is,” Choate said. “If it’s serving, yeah, if it’s hitting they might be running away from the block you never know, but it’s always a factor.”

“That’s part of the game, to limit errors, and it’s something we talk about an awful lot and we did a really good job of limiting errors.”

In only her second home game as a Lumberjack, Vander Ploeg posted 10 kills and eight digs. Dallmann also tallied 10 kills to the stat sheet, helping NAU win the match.

“I think our biggest focus was on serve receive, because if we start well in serve receive, it helps the whole game,” Vander Ploeg said. “It helps our setting and our hitting and we were just concentrating on getting everything up and we always talk about having everything 20-10.”

NAU will travel to Northern Colorado to take on the Bears on Oct. 11, and then play at the University of North Dakota on Oct. 13 before heading back home to take on Weber State University for the second time.

“They have the advantage because it’s at their place and they have a lot of confidence, but we have nothing to lose,” Choate said.

“When we play them here we’ll have the advantage, but I’m looking forward to it.”

arlier this season, the NAU women’s volleyball team set a program record, allowing their opponent to earn just 40 points in a match. While hosting the University of Montana, NAU succeeded in breaking the record by one point in a three set sweep (25­–8, 25–11, 25–20).

NAU had been projected in preseason polls to finish eighth out of the now 11–team Big Sky Conference. Coming into the match with a conference record of SPORTS 5–2, after hosting Montana State UniverCOMMENTARY sity earlier last week and sweeping them (25–21, 25–18, 25–18), the Lumberjacks continue to disprove this projection. The Montana State Bobcats (last in Big Sky preseason polls) faced the Lumberjacks with a conference record of 4–2 and the Montana ALLI Grizzlies were projected to finish fifth, alJENNEY though their record stood at 1–6 prior to their match with the Lumberjacks.

Now with a conference record of 6–2, the NAU squad is tied with the University of Northern Colorado for third in conference, with their only losses to No. 1 and No. 2 Portland State University and Idaho State University, respectively.

A large factor in their record comes from the Lumberjacks’ ability to convert on out-of-system plays as well as use their serving and offense to create out-of-system plays for their opponents. This was seen through their matches against the Montana schools, as NAU competed to execute its game plan and play at its competitive level.

A squad wants to pass to their setter, who will in turn set one of their front row hitters, who will convert this set with an attack for a kill and end the rally. Many factors prevent teams from such a feat, therefore creating out-of-system plays. These plays can range from bad passes, to a non–setter taking the second ball or having a player who is known for their passing become an attacker. For the Lumberjacks, these out-of-system rallies usually turn out in their favor.

Looking into the statistics from their last match, set per set, the Lumberjacks outhit the Grizzlies .652–.077, .560– .040 and .308–.258. Hitting .471 overall, the Lumberjacks tied their second best program history mark, previously held by the 1996 squad after they played Tulsa.

With the experience of the veteran players and contributions of the three freshmen, the Lumberjacks have proven to have a squad with depth and versatility on both offense and defense. This has caused problems for many opponents.

Due to these assets across the court, many opponents have found themselves out of their comfort zones and returning rallies in the forms of free balls (passing the ball back over the net), tips (a short or deep shot instead of a full swing) or roll shots (a half swing creating top–spin but not a full attack). NAU has capitalized immensely on converting these opportunities into points in our favor.

This ability to create powerful offense, even amid outof-system plays, and to force opponents into stressful situations has aided the Lumberjacks to prove themselves as a force to be reckoned with this season.

Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 17

FMFF_2012_halfV_4C_Lumberjack.pdf

1

9/25/12

7:12 AM

Violaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

2654 E. Route 66

526-0202 for dates & times visit us online at:

Flagstaff Haunted House.com Violaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Flower Garden will donate a Portion of proceeds to the Special Care Nursery at Flagstaff Medical Center.

18 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

Arts&Entertainment

Ein Prost!

A toast to Flagstaff Oktoberfest

BY LAURA THOMPSON & DANIEL DAW

T

he smell of freshly made bratwurst was in the air and the beer taps were flowing allday for a celebration of German culture and a good time.

This past Saturday the fourth annual Flagstaff Oktoberfest was in full swing with everything from polka bands, yodeling contests, delicious food and root beer for the little ones.

It all started with Debbi Grogan’s love of festivals. Although Grogan, owner of Peak Events and primary planner of the festival, has not visited the original in Munich, she does plan to go with her husband.

“I love festivals — I love planning them, I love working on them and so I decided to start looking at festivals I could own,” Grogan said.

“My husband lived [in Germany] for many years and so it’s our goal to go back for the [Munich] Oktoberfest.”

Entry fees and glasses were collected to benefit the Flagstaff Sunrise Lions Club, part of a larger international humanitarian organization.

Tim McPhee of the Sunrise Lions Club was excited about being part of Oktoberfest and all the donated glasses. “We provide sight and hearing testing for northern Arizona . . . we got two big boxes full of donated glasses . . . I’ve known the

Grogans for years, and they needed a local organization so it worked out.”

Brandon Thalmann, geographic science and community planning major and a former member of the NAU German Club, loved the atmosphere at the festival and all of the people dancing.

“I’d have to say all of the people dancing, like I haven’t really gotten around to see how many people are actually German. It’s a great atmosphere — they’ve got accurate music,” Thalmann said.

In the spirit of the festival, polka bands Big Willie and the Polka Meisters and the Polka Katzen performed traditional polka tunes from around the world.

Polka Katzen’s performance was impressive and got many of the festival goers up on their feet to dance. The lighthearted and bouncy nature of the genre was not lost in translation among the audience.

Josh Lang, a senior music education and music performance major and member of NAU’s Wind Symphony, enjoys the differences between playing with the Polka Katzen and in a normal academic setting.

“It’s especially cool to not be in an academic setting, because these are people that work throughout the week and [are] not practicing all of the time,” Lang said. “What’s cool for me, as

somebody who studies music so precisely, [is] to come in and have them be like ‘Nah nah nah, it’s got to be more like this’ and just sing it and that’s polka.”

Oktoberfest is more than drinking beer yodeling contests, costume contests and even a short contest to see who could do the best German accents were a few of the events Saturday afternoon.

One such event was the Findlay Volkswagen Stuff the Bug event where 18 participants ended up in a Volkswagen Beetle, which according to event staff, was three shy of breaking the world record.

Zach Warren, visiting from Nevada, was happy to have taken a part in it even if they didn’t break any records.

“It was a little bit cramped, packed in there with a bunch of strangers; I wish we had another chance so then we could fit three more [people] in,” Warren said. “But it’s a pretty fun event that they were able to put on. I was glad to be a part of it.”

Patrons flocked to The Wurst Cafe, a German booth which served strudels, bratwurst, frankfurter, kiellbasa and stuffed pork. The line was long, but the wait is worth it at an event like this. More importantly, the brew service did not keep anyone waiting.

Taps of nine different beers flowed for eager customers. If there is one thing to be said about Flagstaff, the people here know their beer. Three German beers, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Paulaner Hefeweizen and Krombacher Pilsner appeased the crowd. One beer from Arizona, the San Tan Brewing company’s Oktoberfest, made the cut.

Three beers from the New Belgium Brewing Company out of Colorado were also featured; Fat Tire, Ranger and The Hunt for Red Hoptober.

Finally an apple cider from Wyder’s brewery in Washington was present along with New Castle Werewolf from England. The beers ranged from the dark and hearty to the yellow and fizzy and were definitely the staple of the festival. While the selection of beers was satisfying, it was a bit of a let down not to see any brews from Flagstaff or northern Arizona.

Overall, Flagstaff payed a respectable homage to the original festival in Munich and was appreciated by all who attended.

“It’s a great event a lot of cool people, the [event staff] is handling [Oktoberfest] very well and the beer is amazing,” Warren said.

TOP RIGHT: Contestants stuff their faces at this year’s Brat Eating Contest.

LEFT: Faith Pawlicki is overjoyed after an exhilarating ride down the blow up slide at this years Oktoberfest at Wheeler Park Oct. 6 in downtown Flagstaff.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Marty Ross and his dog, Sid, sit and enjoy the music and fun that was this year’s Oktoberfest. (Photos by Keenan Turner)

Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 19

Arts&Entertainment Ardrey hosts an evening of classical music

from MILLER on page 1

Miller played most of his well-known hits, such as “Missed Call,” “Diamonds and Gold” and “Donald Trump,” with a sneak-peek at some tracks from his unreleased album.

Despite his well-developed concert set list, the performance lacked energy. The overall problem with the entire concert was the acoustics of Ardrey; an auditorium built for symphony performances is not a flexible venue and cannot host multigenre performances. As 21-year-old fan Kenneth Williamson stated, “Mac Miller’s concert was great but I had trouble understanding what he was saying because the audio was too overbearing.” Although there were parts where the performance fell short, the concert as a whole was worth the discounted student ticket price.

Frank E. Scott, director of the Piano Program at NAU, performs with the NAU Symphony. (Photo by Holly Mandarich)

BY MACKENZIE CHASE

N

AU’s Symphony and Chamber Orchestras debuted their collective talent in their first performance of the year this past Sunday in the newly renovated Ardrey Memorial Auditorium. The symphony orchestra, made up of string players, brass, woodwinds and percussion, played two pieces together; while the chamber orchestra, a smaller group consisting of mainly string instruments, took over during the other two.

A day before the concert, symphony orchestra violist and sophomore music education major, Jennifer Schmidt, was looking forward to showcasing what they had been working on.

“The greatest feeling as a performer is finally getting up on stage and showing friends, family and peers the work you’ve put into for months,” she said.

The orchestra’s hard work had clearly paid off, as the concert transitioned smoothly from piece to piece.

The first song, “Consecration of the House Overture” by Ludwig van Beethoven, featured the symphony orchestra and was conducted by Kevin Kozacek.

Musicians then filed off the stage, leaving the members of the chamber orchestra to play Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.”

This delicate piece, conducted by graduate conducting assistant, Vanja Ljubibratić, has been associated with

somber events over the years as it was played during the radio announcements of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s, John F. Kennedy’s and Albert Einstein’s funeral, according to the concert program.

At its conclusion, guest conductor Zvonimir Hačko, Artistic Director of the Austrian Symphony Orchestra, took over the stand for the final two performances of the evening.

With over a month of preparation with these pieces, the members of the orchestras seemed to play like it was second nature. However “No orchestra is perfect,” Schmidt admits, “but considering the level of difficulty of the Ravel Piano Concerto we’re performing, I’d say we’ve done a good job with it.”

The event program explained that Maurice Ravel wrote his “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major” between 1929 and 1930 as a commission by pianist Paul Wittgenstein who had lost his right arm in the World War I. “Dr. Scott, our soloist, is fantastic and the piece itself is interesting even from an audience standpoint. We’ve put in a lot of hard work and I’m really excited for our audience to hear our progress,” Schmidt said.

Frank Scott, director of the piano program here at NAU, took on the responsibility of playing the solo for the concerto.

“I happen to be right-handed — but I’ve always been interested in left hand as a pianist to try to improve the overall quality of my playing,” Scott said.

“Somebody said there’s 4,000 pieces for

20 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

left hand alone and there’s only 75 for right hand.”

Those who are familiar with the instrument understand that two hands are generally necessary to play both the foundational bass notes with the left, as well as the melody at the same time with the right in the higher octaves. The functionality of the left hand, however, allows musicians to successfully execute songs single-handedly. “[The] left hand is really the hand that’s the best for playing alone because it has the thumb on the top which plays the melody notes,” Scott explained.

In short, the thumb takes over most of the melody, while leaving the rest of the fingers to work the bass notes.

Ravel’s concerto had been a work in progress since last year for the orchestra. Scott was supposed to solo with them last season and began working on the piece the summer before, but then “I kind of put it away because we didn’t have any definite plans of actually performing it,” Scott said.

Accompanied by the full symphony orchestra, Scott took to the stage with applause.

“Sometimes people ask me, ‘Well, what’s your favorite piece?’ and it’s usually the piece you’re working on at the moment, so it happens to be Ravel,” Scott said.

In the words of Schmidt, “Music allows the performer to be an actor and to get away from whatever life is throwing at you.”

TOP: Strap, of Travis Porter, flashes a smile for the camera Friday night at Ardrey Auditorium.

BOTTOM: Quez, of Travis Porter, holds hands with a fan in the crowd while rapping Friday night. (Photos by Matt Valley)

Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 21

MONDAY - FRIDAY 10AM - 9PM SUNDAY 10 AM - 8PM (928)779-0296

TACO TUESDAY

9 T 9¢ aco

s!

4:00 PM UNTIL

CLOSE!

Dine in Only

FRIDAY & SATURDAY NIGHT

HAPPY HOUR $2 Mexican Import Beer • $2 House Margaritas 4:00 PM - Close

Be sure to find us on Facebook, Twitter, and LaFondaFlg.com. Become a fan for specials!

Sundays only 5:00 PM - Close

STARVING STUDENTS

50% off your meal with coupon and student I.D. STUDENTS ONLY EXCLUDES ALCOHOL

22 The Lumberjack | NorthernArizonaNews.com

ONE DISCOUNT PER I.D.

Arts&Entertainment

Point

L

ately, there seems to be a really big market for movies about musical groups, usually centered around singing or dancing. I honestly can’t get into these types of films, with the exception of musicals, because their performances actually have something to do with the plot.

Still, this year’s Pitch Perfect managed to entertain, even if there were quite a few things wrong with it.

Pitch Perfect follows an all-female college a cappella group called The Bellas, who have been trying in vain to finish first in an international contest. After the majority of their members graduate, the remaining singers organize an audition for the new students.

Unfortunately, their catch is less than satisfying with their rival, the all-male Treble Makers, which continues to mock them. Salvation seems to come from Beca (Anna Kendrick), an aspiring DJ who prefers to keep people at a distance. With her excellent singing voice and ambitious attitude, she could very well be the one to inspire the others to win first place, if her new ideas and standoffish behavior doesn’t tear the group apart first.

The plot is pretty much

BY JAYSON BURNS

scene-for-scene every other movie about a ragtag group of people trying to win a competition; there’s nothing really original here. Some good jokes are made at the expense of it though, mostly in the form of intentionally pointing out how similar Pitch Perfect is to other movies of this kind.

The tone bothered me through the film. At some points, particularly involving scenes with Beca and her Treble Makers counterpart Jessie (Skyler Astin), the movie seemed to be going for a realistic and relatable atmosphere. Then there are points where the action and dialogue seem more fitting for an Adam Sandler comedy, where characters like Lilly (Hana Mae Lee) seem overtly strange. Neither of these sides is done poorly, they just didn’t seem to mesh together well enough.

There isn’t much to complain about with the acting, but for the most part, the actors seem like they were a little restricted by their characters.

Not that anyone was bad; Anna Kendrick and Skyler Astin made for good protagonists, but most of them just seemed like one-note stereotypes. Much to my surprise, however, the character who I thought was going to be just a gimmick turned out

to be the most likable; Rebel Wilson did a great job at making the outspoken Fat Amy one of the funniest parts of the entire film. Elizabeth Banks and John Michael Higgins were also hilarious, even if their characters were distractingly weird.

Not everyone has musical talent, but it’s not too hard to recognize good singing. The only problems with the musical numbers were that sometimes the lip-syncing was slightly off and there were occasions where it clearly sounded like they were dubbed in a recording studio.

Even though Pitch Perfect was much funnier than I would give a film of its kind credit for, it was really nothing new to the genre. Those who love shows like Glee would probably enjoy this more, but even those who don’t are likely to walk out somewhat satisfied.

BY ALEXIS BURNETT

I Artist: Matt & Kim Album: Lightning Genre: Indie Pop

Counterpoint Pitch Perfect

ndie duo, Matt and Kim, released Lightning after nearly two years of nothing new.

While previous albums are known for their perpetually energetic, do-it-yourself style, this album is decidedly lyrically focused and different from previous albums in tone and style.

Most of the album reflects a youthful restlessness and discomfort with the social world, and the

P

BY JULIE ANDERSON

itch Perfect, which was predicted by some critics to be the biggest female-oriented comedy since Bridesmaids, did not necessarily live up to the hype. While this comparison may have made it extremely difficult for Pitch Perfect to live up to expectations, the film proves on its own that the only similarity between the two is an actress.

T h e film surrounds two rival a cappella groups: the all-female Bellas and the allmale Treble Makers.

The Bellas have always been in the shadow of the nationally ranked Treble Makers, but it seems that their luck may change with the addition of Beca (Anna Kendrick). Although Beca is reluctant to join, she is taken under the wing of a senior

opening song, “Let’s Go,” represents this idea. It’s an upbeat indie song that finds a nice balance of mellow while always seeming to be on the verge of explosion. Like most of the album, it repeats itself but fits nicely as an opening with the lyrics: “I was up in my head / For everything I’ve said / Caught a million words / They’re all made with lead.”

The song’s lead-up, “Now,” is the inevitable explosion, inspiring energy in the hearts of listeners with its synthesizer pulsating and riotous chorus, which is a repeti-

member, Chloe (Brittany Snow). Beca uses her musical aptitude as a DJ to inspire the group with fresh ideas, which is viewed as a threat by the reigning leader of the group, Aubrey (Anna Camp). Additionally, Beca befriends Jesse (Skylar Astin), the newest recruit for The Treble Makers.

This, combined with the rest of The Bellas motley crew of characters, may affect their chance at finally beating The Treble Makers.

Undoubtedly, the main reason to see this film should be for Rebel Wilson, who plays the hilariously charming character of Fat Amy. Wilson is clearly the breakout star of the film, delivering numerous one-liners. The strange, quiet girl Lilly (Hana Mae Lee) was also surprising funny, playing up her creepiness to get uncomfortable laughter from the audience.

Other than these two characters though, everyone else stuck to their roles as predictably as they could. Beca was the rebel with a chip on her shoulder, Aubrey was the uptight control freak, Bumper (Adam DeVine) is the pompous jerk and leader of The Treble Makers and so on.

Another disappoint-

tion of the word “Now.” This track presents nothing new with gradually accelerating tempos, which could leave weak-stomached listeners queasy. Sadly, singer Matt Johnson’s voice isn’t heard much over noise and hackneyed lyrics: “And I know that things aren’t perfect / Sick and a little nervous.”

In addition to “Let’s Go,” “Overexposed” is a stronger track with its poetic lyrics: “Like a picture I was overexposed / Believe me I saw you with your eyes closed.” Yet, even this track maintains staying on the

ment aspect of the movie was the scenes were often arranged in an odd way, which made following conversations somewhat difficult.

Shots would jump around without any set focus on a particular subject, which ultimately affected the tone of the film; what would normally be a sentimental moment would suddenly go to crazy, slapstick humor. I often wasn’t sure how to feel as an audience member.

At the very basic level, Pitch Perfect functions as any typical movie: A girl tries to fit in with a group of underdogs and together they try to rise to the top. Throw in a romantic entanglement and some hijinks along the way, and that’s the movie.

The covers of the songs were interesting but no different than watching an episode of Glee.

Pitch Perfect straddles the line between teen movie and raunchy comedy, but doesn’t quite reach either. I really wanted to like it more than I did; after all, there’s really no reason not to. But Pitch Perfect just didn’t satisfy the void for a predominantly female comedy like the critics boasted it might.

safe side with lyrics and music, the latter of which gradually becomes just noise as the ADHD-inspired sirens and techno whirring overstay their welcome very quickly.

Lightning is overall directionless, with some emotionally inspiring moments, and in others repetition, imbalance between depth and flow and lyrics trapped in background noise. It satisfies as just another indie album, but that’s the extent Lightning reaches.

Best Tracks: “Let’s Go,” “Overexposed” Oct. 11, 2012 - Oct. 17, 2012 | The Lumberjack 23