The Lumberjack — Digitial Edtion — Issue 1

LUMBERJACK The

Jackcentral.com

NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT

INSIDE News: Drunk driving charges p. 4 Life: Views From A Flying Carpet, p. 16 Sports: Luciano’s soccer influence , p. 19

VOICE SINCE 1914 • VOL 99 • ISSUE 1 • JAN. 17 , 2013 - JAN. 23 , 2013

NAU coach, hall of fame member Lewis dies

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Deante Kemper competes in the high jump during the Lumberjack Team Challenge in the Walkup Skydome on Jan. 12.

Kemper placed second with a height of 2.14 meters. (Photo by Sean Ryan)

TRACK OPENS INDOOR SEASON W

BY ALLI JENNEY

ith only four days back in Flagstaff from winter break to prepare for the Lumberjack Team Challenge, the NAU track and field team opened the indoor season in the Walkup Skydome.

Ten athletes, both veterans and newcomers, secured qualifying marks

for the Big Sky Conference (BSC) Championships, as freshman sprinter Isatu “Ice” Fofanah broke an NAU school record in the women’s 60-meter dash with her 7.47 second-place finish. Fofanah achieved her second BSC qualifier and sprinted to another second-place finish in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.78.

“I was definitely nervous, because it was my first college meet, but I was

excited to run, since we haven’t competed in five months,” Fofanah said. “All I wanted to do was beat my last year’s PR (personal record) and I did that, so I was really happy.”

Also debuting as a member of the Lumberjack team was assistant coach Kenny McDaniel, who works with sprinters and hurdlers. see TRACK page 20

BY ALLI JENNEY AND CODY BASHORE

AU Hall of Fame inductee and current wide receiver coach Jeff Lewis died in Phoenix on Jan. 5. Lewis, an NFL veteran of seven seasons, was 39.

According to The Associated Press, Lewis suffered from pre-existing health conditions. Although Phoenix Police Department policy prohibits the release of Lewis’ medical history, authorities stated they received a call on Jan. 5 saying Lewis had stopped breathing.

Lewis was later pronounced dead and the case is now being handled by the medical examiner’s office.

A 1996 NAU graduate with (Photo courtesy NAU Athletics) a degree in health education with emphasis in psychology, Lewis was inducted into the NAU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003 for his time as a quarterback during the 1991-95 seasons. He completed his tenure second on NAU’s all-time lists for passing yards (9,639), touchdowns (67), completions (735) and attempts (1,315).

In his junior year, Lewis earned third-team All-American and second-team All-Big Sky honors.

According to his senior year biography in NAU’s media guide, Lewis had a desire to be a coach even during his playing days.

Following his NAU playing career, Lewis was drafted in the fourth-round, 100th overall, by the Denver Broncos in 1996 NFL Draft. From 1996-2002, he played with the Broncos, the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints. While backing up future NFL Hall of Fame inductee John Elway, Lewis won Super Bowls in 1998 and 1999.

Lewis spent three seasons as the offensive administration assistant and wide receiver coach at the University of Louisville from 2007 to 2009. While on their staff, Lewis served under Steve Kragthorpe, former NAU assistant from the mid-‘90s. He then returned to Arizona and served as assistant football coach at Prescott High School in 2011 before joining the NAU staff for the 2012 season.

Lewis is survived by his 5-year-old son Elijah James Lewis, his mother Sherri Lewis, brother Sean Lewis, sister Michelle Shoffner, nephew Brayden Shoffner and brother-inlaw Chris Shoffner.

A celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. on Jan. 19 at Christ’s Church of the Valley’s Scottsdale Campus, located at 19030 N. Pima Rd. in Scottsdale.

To see reflections on Lewis’ life, see page 23.

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

PoliceBeat Jan. 13 At 12:17 a.m., Hilltop Townhouses called Northern Arizona Police Department (NAUPD) to report a loud party in progress occurring in one of the residences.

Officers were dispatched to the location, and the crowd dispersed upon their arrival.

At 6:41 p.m., Riley Hall staff called NAUPD to report a potent odor of marijuana coming from one of the dorm rooms.

Officers were dispatched; upon arrival the subjects had left the dorm. The report was based upon third party information and no descriptions were available. Riley Hall staff had been advised to contact NAUPD when the subjects returned.

At 10:18 p.m., staff at Aspen Crossing Hall called to report a potent odor of marijuana coming from the second floor of the hall.

Officers were dispatched and the odor was dispersed from the area no subject were available for questioning.

Jan. 12 At 2:11 a.m., staff at the Dury Inn called NAUPD to report a disruptive subject in the lobby who was not a guest and refused to leave.

Officers were dispatched to the location and escorted the subject from the building.

At 1:53 p.m., a staff member at the Walkup

CommunitySpot

BY ABIGAIL O’BRIEN

Skydome called to request medics for an ill track athlete from one of the opposing schools.

Officers were dispatched and the nonNAU athlete was taken Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC).

At 5:02 p.m., the oncall Resident Assistant (RA) at McKay Village called to report the odor of marijuana present in the dorm.

The officers were dispatched and suspects were dispersed before NAUPD arrived.

Jan. 11 At 12:02 p.m., an employee at the Performing and Fine Arts building called to report that a nude man had been roaming around the building.

The nude individual had left immediately after the officers were dispatched. NAUPD is looking into further investigation.

At 12:50 an employee at the Gammage building called to request medical assistance for an ill co-worker.

NAUPD officers arrived and the employee was transported to FMC were they received further medical treatment.

Jan. 10 At 9:29 a.m., staff at Allen Hall called to report a marijuana odor coming from a residence.

Officers arrived and the suspects have been charged for the use of marijuana and marijuana paraphernalia.

2 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

At 10:24 a.m., a student from McKay Village called for assistance, her friend was making selfharming comments and requested counseling.

Officers were dispatched and the student is now seeking help. jan. 9 At 11:15 a.m., a subject called to report suspicious activity occurring in front of Sechrist Hall.

Officers arrived and warned the subjects to not trespass. Subjects were allegedly skating around the building.

Officers escorted them off campus.

Jan 8 At 3:20 p.m., staff at Cline Library called NAUPD about a subject sleeping in the library.

Officers were dispatched and upon arrival the individual was escorted off-campus.

Jan 7 At 9:08 an employee at the High Country Conference Center called to report a subject asleep on the first floor. The employee was concerned about the subjects’ breathing pattern.

Officers arrived at the location and arrested the individual for alcohol consumption.

SEE MORE POLICE BEAT ENTRIES FROM THIS PAST WEEK AT JACKCENTRAL.COM

Events Calendar Calendar Events THURSDAY, JAN. 17

SATURDAY, JAN. 19

Science on Tap: Mystery of Easter Island [4 p.m/Mary D. Fisher Theatre]

Karaoke Sundays [2 a.m./Green Room]

Winter Wonderland: Benefit for the Bone Marrow Foundation [9 p.m.-2a.m/Green Room] German Table “Stammtisch” [6 p.m./NiMarco’s Pizza] Women’s Basketball vs Weber State [6:30 p.m./Skydome]

FRIDAY, JAN. 18 “Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra: London Calling” [7:30 p.m./Audrey Auditorium]

Track and Field NAU Invational [9 a.m./Skydome] Swim and Dive [11 a.m./Wall Aqautic Center] Womens Basketball vs Idaho State [6:35 p.m./Skydome]

TUESDAY, JAN. 22 Free Taco Tuesday [5 p.m/Green Room] College of Arts and Letters Film Series [7 p.m. /Cline Library] Martin Luther King Service Night Events [6 p.m./Murdoch Church Community]

SUNDAY, JAN. 20

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 23

Latin Dance Club Sunday Social [6 p.m.-9p.m. Tranzend Studio]

NAU International Film Series “United Red Army” [7 p.m. /Liberal Arts Building Rm.120]

MONDAY, JAN. 21

Get Down [8 p.m./Green Room]

Horizon Concert Series Launch [7:30 p.m./Ashurst Building]

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FromTheEditors

A

t the start of every year, people make new year’s resolutions to better themselves. Whether its getting good grades, losing weight or finding a new (and hopefully less boring) job, almost everyone sets goals for the new year.

Here at The Lumberjack we have our own set of new year’s resolutions, or a set of goals to accomplish as a staff by the end of the year. The most feasible of these goals is an increased presence in the social media world, i.e. Twitter. In the news business, Twitter is rapidly becoming a necessity, it is the quickest way for the public to get round the clock news, instantly; it is also a tool of mass communication as well as a way to get free publicity. So —in an attempt to keep up with the times—­we have made new Twitter handles for our readers to follow; you will see these new Twitter handles listed on the bottom of the adjacent page. As the Editor-in-chief and Managing Editor of this publication we highly encourage you to follow us on Twitter for links to all of the content not printed in our weekly edition. If you are one of the few people who is not active on Twitter, come join us in the 21st century— the century of social media.

Thanks for reading,

Bree Purdy, Managing Editor

Kierstin Turnock, Editor-in-Chief

LUMBERJACK The

Jackcentral.com

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

Editor-in-Chief Kierstin Turnock

Creative Directors Jessie Mansur Jessica Bruce

Faculty Adviser Rory Faust

Managing Editor Bree Purdy

Sales Director Colton Mastro

Sales Manager Marsha Simon

Student Media Center Editorial Board Photo Editor Sean Ryan Assoc. Photo Editor Holly Mandarich

News Editor Dani Tamcsin Assoc. News Editors Abbey O’Brien

Copy Chief Maddie Friend Assoc. Copy Chiefs Caitlyn Rogers Sara Weber

Sports Editor Cody Bashore Assoc. Sports Editor Alli Jenney

A&E Editor Opinion Editor Mykel Vernon-Sembach Tom Blanton Assoc. A&E Editor Assoc. Opinion Editor Laura Thompson Amanda Horner

STUDENT MEDIA CENTER

OPEN HOUSE

JANUARY 17TH NOON-5

Student Media Center, Communication Building, Room 101 Northern Arizona University’s School of Communication offers opportunities in hands-on student media workshops.

Student media positions are open to all majors.

No experience, no pre-requisites required. Times may vary based on your job.

TELEVISION

RADIO

Work for UTV 62, NAU’s student run television station, which programs original student productions and college students’ favorite TV shows and movies. You can work on the Programming Sta ff or the Marketing team, or you can write, direct, assist on, or produce television shows and announcements.

You can even pitch and produce your own UTV show. Enroll in EMF 251-4.

Work for KJACK, NAU’s student-run radio station, streamed online and at 1680AM on the radio dial.

At KJACK you can be On Air-even host your own radio show, or you can work in Programming, Music, Sports, News, Engineering, or Promotions.

Enroll in EMF 251-1 and experience radio from the other side of the mic.

NEWS

ADVERTISING SALES

Work on camera, behind the scenes, online, or in print; focus on news or entertainment, sports or opinion with NAZ Today , Lumberjack, & jackcentral.com. You can be a Producer, a Reporter, a News Writer, or an Interviewer for NAZ Today by enrolling in EMF 251-2 or EMF 251-5. Or you can work behind the scenes as a Videographer, a Video Editor, or as part of the live television production crew by enrolling in EMF 251-3. If you want to write for the newspaper or produce multimedia for the Web, enroll in JLS 208.

Learn sales, writing and production of ads for television, radio and the Internet.

You may have the opportunity to earn commissions.

Enroll in EMF-252-6.

Northern Arizona University’s

student media center SINCE 1914

Life Editor Maddy Santos Assoc. Life Editor Alyssa Tilley

Comic Editor Brian Regan

Tuition assistance may be available after working for one semester in the Student Media Center.

Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 3

InTheNews

Cody charged with hit-and-run of NAU senior

BY ABIGAIL O’BRIEN

T

he investigation of the Sept. 9 hit-and-run that killed NAU student Jordan Mahoney continues to unravel, with Kelsey Lou Cody identified as the suspect. Cody was allegedly driving the truck that hit Mahoney.

Mahoney, a senior English and psychology double major, was expected to graduate in May 2013.

Mahoney was less than 100 feet from her home in south Flagstaff when she was hit on her bicycle.

The noise from the collision prompted neighbors to come outside, where they identified the fleeing car as a large Nissan Frontier truck that was going at least 50 miles per hour in a 25 miles per hour residential zone.

The on-site police report read,“The bicyclist was riding the bicycle at the time of the collision, in a southwest direction, on the right side of the roadway, when she was struck from the rear…”

The 23-year-old Flagstaff resident, Cody, had allegedly been drinking at the local bars prior to the accident. According to police reports, Cody said she went drinking to ease the pain of her new tongue piercing.

“Cody was arraingned in court a couple of weeks back for second-degree murder,” said James Jackson, Flagstaff Police Department (FPD) community relations officer.

Cody was initially charged with manslaughter, but due to her “indifference for human life,” the Coconino County Superior Court grand jury charged her with second-degree murder. If convicted, Cody could face between 10 and 22 years in state prison.

Although she initially claimed her ex-girlfriend was driving the vehicle, Cody eventually pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, and also faces three separate charges of driving under the influence and one for fleeing the scene of a fatal accident.

The Arizona Department of Public Safety Crime Lab determined Cody’s blood alcohol level to be registered at 0.222, nearly three times the legal limit allowed to operate a car.

The compliance of neighborhood witnesses Kelsey Lou Cody (Photo matches the evi- courtesy Flagstaff PD) dence left on the scene. The truck also has a substantial amount of damage that seemingly correlates with the accident. Cody’s windshield provides proof that Mahoney may have died on impact of a head strike through the design of the shattered windshield.

Cody’s truck also had remnants of Mahoney’s bike paint and fibers from the clothing she was wearing that evening. The scene of the accident provided specialty trained officers a playbook of how the accident occurred. The collision left the bike completely fractured. The tires of the bike were found several feet away from where the asphalt indicates the hit.

The bike was split in half — when the officers arrived, the red safety light remained flashing.

“We are not looking for any additional suspects at this time and it does appear Cody was alone at the time she collided with the victim,” Jackson said.

Cody was released in November on $183,000 bond and is currently under the supervision of family until the prosecution rests.

NAU has offered on-campus counseling for those who were graced with the friendship of Mahoney. A Facebook page titled “Remember Jordan Mahoney” has also been active with thoughts and prayers from family and friends.

CORRECTIONS

I

Retraction: Petitioners escorted out of city hall by police during water meeting n the Nov. 15 issue of The Lumberjack, an article reported two residents, including Don Fanning, were escorted out of the Nov. 6 meeting by police after the council denied putting their petition against reclaimed water usage on a future agenda.

Regrettably, the information reported was incorrect as Fanning was not escorted out by police at the meeting. We are currently investigating the source of the incorrect information.

4 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

ADOT seeking public input for Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

BY JAMES GINGERICH

T

he Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is in the process of completing an update to their Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. ADOT has requested input from the public. The plan, first instituted in 2003, is part of an ongoing effort in Arizona to modernize and expand transportation infrastructure — to provide paths for bicyclists and pedestrians along the State Highway System.

“We’re calling on the public and members of the bicycling and pedestrian communities to provide us with their ideas on the 24 recommended strategies that are outlined in the final draft report,” said project coordinator Michael Sanders in a recent press release. “It’s this kind of feedback that allows us to refine the goals and objectives of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and continue our work to develop changes in safety, infrastructure, and education, as they apply to our state highway system.”

The updated plan comes as a result of changing circumstances in Arizona, including a growing population and an increasingly constrained budget. The update hopes to emphasis that motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists should all be safe and comfortable during transportation.

The strategies outlined in the plan cover three categories of concern, namely policies, education and enforcement, as well as bicyclist and pedestrian infrastructure. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan was formulated in conjuncture with “What Moves You Arizona,” a transportation cooperative run by ADOT, and a federal plan to establish long-range bicycle and pedestrian walkways in major American cities.

NAU student Jose Mireles rides his bike outside the University Union on campus. ADOT is currently in the process of updating their Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (Photo by Shelby Landrock).

The new plan is made possible by national competitive grants that provide fiduciary support for cities and towns with an increasing demand for sustainability.

Along with limiting emissions many hope the new walkways will promote healthier and more livable communities by making walking and biking more practical methods of transportation.

The initial phase of public commenting began this past summer and elicited more than 1,800 respondents. With the final plan expected to be finished this spring, ADOT is hoping for maximum public input. The comment form and proposed plan can be found at the What Moves You Arizona website. Those without access to computers can request a comment form to be mailed to them by calling the ADOT hotline at (602) 712 – 8141. The public comment period ends Feb. 8.

Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 5

InTheNews

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to visit NAU

BY DANI TAMCSIN

F

ormer Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will visit NAU on Feb. 11 to discuss civic engagement and civil discourse.

In her 25-year-long career, Justice O’Connor was a constant advocate for equal rights among Americans.

She helped to make important strides toward equality for women and minorities and serves as a valuable voice in today’s civic discussions.

O’Connor has served the law across the country and a the world.

She began her career in Mateo County, Calif. and then served as an attorney in Frankfurt, Germany.

O’Connor then practiced law in Maryvale, Ariz. and eventually became the state’s Assistant Attorney General. Justice O’Connor became a cornerstone in Arizona law, serving in the Arizona State Senate, the Maricopa County Superior Court and the Arizona Court of Appeals.

Finally, in 1981, Justice O’Connor took joined the U.S. Supreme Court after being nominated by President Ronald Reagan.

O’Connor has since become a household name across the nation and has become synonomous with judicial influence. She now shares her name with a Phoenix high school and on Jan. 17, a book about her life will be released to the public. The book tells the story of America’s first female justice who became one of the most powerful and influential women in America.

She became a critical member of the Supreme Court and it was often said that to gauge the direction of American law, one needed to look only at O’Connor’s vote.

Since her retirement in 2006,

(Photo courtesy of PBS)

Justice O’Connor has spent her time taking care of her husband, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

O’Connor has also focused on some of her passions in life, including judicial independence and education of the public.

Justice O’Connor will be discussing civic engagement and civil discourse in her lecture at NAU. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11 in Ardrey Auditorium. Limited tickets will be available and are free to NAU and Coconino Community College students, faculty and staff, and $15 for the general public.

Overflow space will be available in Cline Library Auditorium for a web stream of the event. Tickets are available at NAU’s Central Ticket Office in the University Union.

6 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

Flagstaff sets transportation standard

BY GARY COLLINS

I

n a recent report, Flagstaff and the Northern Arizona Intergovernmental Public Transportation Authority (NAIPTA) were praised as one of 14 mid-sized cities that are setting the standard for public transportation in the future.

The report was issued by Reconnecting America which, according to its website is “a national non-profit that advises civic and community leaders on how to overcome community development challenges to create better communities for all.”

NAIPTA’s general manager Jeff Meilbeck expressed his appreciation by saying, “NAIPTA is honored to be in the Reconnecting America report and our inclusion is a reflection of strong community support and the work our employees do on a daily basis for our riders. Receiving this national recognition will certainly be helpful as NAIPTA continues to compete for national funds and attract private investments” Meilbeck said. “We hope that the recognition from this report will attract new riders to give transit a try and witness firsthand how it can benefit their lives and get them where they want to go.”

“Flagstaff has made remarkable progress in improving public transportation options in a short amount of time,” said Serena Unrein, the Public Interest Advocate for (PIRG) in the same press release. “Northern Arizona has

OP-ED: begins

shown the rest of the state how much a community can benefit when its residents vote to invest in good public transit.”

Singled out in the report was NAIPTA’s 2011 addition of the Mountain Link line that runs from downtown to Woodlands Village.

This route runs through NAU campus and is free to students and staff of the university.

According to the Reconnecting America report, NAU committed $765,000 to the project.

“NAU is committed to offering diverse and reliable options for our students to get to, from, and around campus,” said Richard Payne, NAU executive director of housing and residence life in an Aug. 24, 2012 NAIPTA press release. “After transporting more than half a million people in the inaugural year, Mountain Link is a success story that reverberates beyond our campus and through this entire community.”

This recognition follows the May 25, 2010 award that NAIPTA received from the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA) as the 2010 Urban Community Transportation System of the Year.

According to the NAIPTA website, Mountain Line came into existence on Oct. 13, 2011 following 2000 ballot measure approving a .00175 sales tax for transit funding. Prior to this time, the transit service was known as Pine Country Transit.

Enforcement on Arizona abortion ban

LIFE:

The new year begins with the drop of a cone. Read about this year’s traditional Pine Cone Drop in Flagstaff.

SPORTS:

Men’s track and field season preview

Check jackcentral.com for continued updates

Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 7

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8 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

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Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 9

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10 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

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Editorial&Opinion New construction hideously inconvenient

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STAFF EDITORIAL

AU’s latest and greatest construction eyesore has taken residence outside the University Union; it is a chaotic mess for passers-by to feast their eyes on. Large ditches with piles of dirt nearby surrounded by a chain-link fence greet the excited faces of potential incoming freshmen and those who have returned for the spring 2013 semester.

The university is adding a badly needed second floor to The Hot Spot and an extension to the Union to accommodate the rising population on campus. The second floor will allow for 300 more students at a time to dine in a 3,000-square-foot expansion.

Of course, NAU has good intentions behind the construction and students ought to be patient with the improvements NAU officials wish to make with the school. However, this new project has been poorly prepared and could potentially cause considerable damage to the school’s reputation.

The timing of the construction was as terrible as Gigli. It began shortly before students parted ways for winter break. However, the majority of the construction process will not commence until summer. This leaves current Lumberjacks — and more importantly for NAU’s goal of expansion, prospective students — to look at the monstrous damage to our campus every day with little progress being made. If all goes according to plan, the construction will be completed prior to students’ arrival back to school in August.

The estimated time of completion makes sense because it will properly introduce new students to a less hostile eating environment, but starting the madness just as winter hit Flagstaff full-force seems more senile than logical. The frigid, icy weather makes working conditions far from desirable, which is why a majority of the building process will take place once the clouds part and the sun once again warms the ponderosas.

As nice as the end result will be, the prospect of having a dirty-looking construction site around through spring is rather ridiculous. On the bright side, they’re getting the framework down, which will make it easier to continue come warmth. Despite the slow-going construction that will shave a week or two of work needing to be done in the summer, the aesthetic cost is high and many students are far from impressed with the loud construction vehicles that seem to be running with no clear purpose.

It is a shame current students have to put up with such a grandiose undertaking at the heart of the heavily populated central campus when some may never even get to experience the end result. Then again, the same could be said for the Health and Learning Center during its days of construction or the two new campus residence halls built a year ago. NAU’s seemingly insatiable desire to improve campus for future students needs to be tempered with respect to the school’s current source of income.

NAU has been on a building spree for years and will seemingly continue for some time to come as they try to accommodate the influx of new Jack recruits with a luscious campus setting, which seems to contrast the old-timey aura which draws so many students up to almost 7,000 feet.

When all is said and done, students have little to no say when it comes to President John Haeger’s ambitious dreams to expand the humble campus into a populated utopia. Michael Eisner destroyed the magic of Disney during his 21-year reign as the company’s CEO. In much the same fashion, the head honchos at NAU are destroying the magic of the campus through dirt-ridden, fenced-off sites and an ever-growing student body.

Editor’s note: Assistant Opinion Editor Amanda Horner and Opinion Editor Tom Blanton wrote this editorial on behalf of the staff.

Political Cartoon by Brian Regan

Joe Arpaio impliments policy to protect school children

S

heriff Joe Arpaio’s new initiative for school safety, which went into effect in early January, has been met with mixed reactions. Concerns are understandable, because in this case, safety equates to a posse of over 400 gun-toting volunteers being within several feet of school grounds at almost 60 schools in the greater Phoenix area.

Both Arpaio and his new plan have faced perhaps somewhat justified criticism from the public, with accusations ranging from the sheriff’s ulterior political motives to the initiative being designed simply as headline sensationalism.

Indeed, much of the coverage on this issue has been more focused on Arpaio’s motivations and less about the actual validity of the NICK plan in general. This, ironically, skips over KINTOP the issue that should supposedly be of the greatest concern here — the safety of the children.

Questions about the intent and long-term goal of this plan for school safety need to be addressed. Citizens wonder if this is merely a publicity stunt that will fade away along with the recent headlines of school shootings dominating the nation. While Arpaio promised this is not the case, he has offered little concrete reassurance as the program is only scheduled to last until the end of this school year.

Despite school safety being as good a cause as any to go to such extremes as putting hundreds of armed civilians within shouting distance of a school playground, why implement a plan that only leaves them there for three months? Such a drastic response only promised for such a short time makes

very little sense for keeping students safe for any measurable length of time.

Two of the most recently publicized shootings in Colorado and Connecticut happened almost six months apart, while the shooting at Columbine High School was more than a decade prior. After Columbine, drastic measures like Arpaio’s weren’t taken. Now, a decade later, shootings have sadly been becoming almost a commonplace since the shooting in Aurora, CO during the summer of 2012. Arpaio’s plan is reasonable, but its status as a temporary solution almost defeats the purpose. Armed volunteers won’t be guarding these schools forever, so what happens when the three months are over?

Despite this, many Arizonans noticed the announcement of Arpaio’s school safety plan came on the same day that Arizona House Democrats began pushing legislation towards tighter gun-control and increased funding for safety measures. Even if Arpaio’s political motivation was to send a message to House Democrats, it’s still initiating the near-guaranteed safety of children for the remainder of their semester.

If there are ulterior motives behind his plan, the means don’t take away from the intended result: the ensured safety of America’s next generation. If Arpaio’s plan is effective within it’s three-month tenure, other states may begin considering similar actions on a more permanent basis to ensure the protection of their youth. Despite the mixed reactions and tension between the parties, Arizona officials need to keep their eyes on the goal through a parley , and cease focusing on besting the other.

Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 11

Political Cartoon by Brian Regan Political Cartoon by Brian Regan

Editorial&Opinion Indian woman blamed for own rape and murder

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Concealed weapon should require training

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un legislation has become more of a hot topic than ever before due to the horrendous string of gun-related violence these past few months in the U.S. One tragedy after another occurred at movie theaters, malls and schools — places many people visit on an average day.

However, as the saying goes: “The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” This has proven true in many incidents across the country, including at the Arizona Central Credit Union right here in Flagstaff, where a man with concealed weapon training helped make streets safer.

AMANDA A man named Dave Young was HORNER credited with helping to catch a bank robbery suspect. On Dec. 18, 2012, The Daily Sun reported Young pulled up to the bank, positive a robbery had just occurred, and took off after the suspect in his own vehicle. Young disclosed he was armed by placing his hand on his sidearm without ever having to physically reveal the gun. He called 911, waiting with the suspect, until the police took the suspect into custody.

This is a great example of how carrying a weapon can provide good services and help protect the citizens of this country from those who seek to cause harm. Young has had a concealed weapon permit since 1998 and received the proper training required for the privilege (yes, privilege!) of having a concealed firearm. In Arizona, a resident is not legally required to receive training or hold a permit to have a concealed weapon. Here’s a tip: do it. Just do the training, because if you’re carrying a concealed

12 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

weapon you have nothing to lose.

After the occurrence, Young stated he felt those who carry concealed handguns should receive the same training he has undergone. He said the training gave him lessons on how to handle the gun in an emotionally and mentally mature manner. Young is completely correct here. If one intends to carry a weapon for protection, reason dictates one should actually want to get properly trained even if it is not “technically” required by state law. The fact anyone on the streets in Arizona can buy a gun and carry it with absolutely no training or knowledge of its use is just as horrifying as criminals carrying weapons.

Like Young, many people have used firearms for good and this should not be stopped or hindered in this sense. A similar incident to the one in Flagstaff occurred in Florida, where a man named Samuel Williams stopped two 19-year-old suspects from robbing patrons of an Internet cafe in July 2012. Williams also had a concealed weapon permit and will not be facing charges for shooting the two men in this nonfatal incident.

Although being a responsible gun owner can be extremely rewarding, the laws in Arizona are nonetheless skewed and backward. Just because you do not have to get training does not mean it should be skipped. It can only benefit the owner of the gun and those around them to have better knowledge of professional firearm handling when placed in dangerous or scary circumstances.

Afterall, even a young Jedi didn’t get to carry a lightsaber until they passed through the Jedi Academy and became a padawan. Comes with training, proper use of a firearm does.

n Dec. 16, a 23-year-old physiotherapy student was gang raped and beaten on a moving bus in Delhi, India by six men while her male companion was beaten with the same lead pipe they used to pummel her.

These devilish acts, which lead to the death of the victim, have sparked controversy in India over where the guilt lies in the nightmarish incident. In one party, one member was gang raped and both members were beaten, which eventually led to a murder. In the other party, six men trapped the aforementioned party in a public bus, while switching off drivers so they could all have a go in the horrific incident. In a reasonable world, the guilt would be as clear a bottle of vodka, but apparently in India, the law isn’t so cheap and alcoholic.

TOM A sleazy defense attorney, Manohar Lal Sharma, BLANTON who lacks any apparent moral code, took on the case to defend three of the six “suspects.” In regard to the case, he stated, “Until today, I have not seen a single incident or example of rape with a respected lady,” insulting the victim’s social standing and respectability. He then went on to state, “Even an underworld don would not like to touch a girl with respect.” If this is the basis of his defense, he deserves roughly the same punishment as the boys he’s defending.

Unfortunately, he’s not the only one on the side of the six men.

Indian spiritual leader Asaram Bapu told followers earlier this week, “Guilt isn’t one-sided,” going on to claim, “If the woman had pleaded with her six attackers in God’s name and told them she was of the ‘weaker sex,’ they would have relented.” Bapu should be shunned from any spiritual circles after the remark, which makes Forrest Gump sound like Einstein. When he dies, he deserves to be reincarnated as a pretty girl in a dangerous city so he can see just how far his peaceful method of godly negotiations gets him when threatened by six despicable scumbags looking to take the light out of his eyes.

Another man holding a seat of power in India, Congress Committee president Andhra Pradesh Botsa Satyanarayana, suggested the victim stayed out too late, asking, “Do we roam in streets at midnight as we got independence at midnight?” Satyanarayana believes she “should have assessed the situation before getting into the bus.” Many, like Satyanarayana, who carry the freedom and safety of their countrymen on their shoulders, are astonishingly siding with the assailants. It’s difficult not to question humanity after these diseased sewer rats with social standing attempt to defend the attackers and blame the dearly departed in such a time of grief caused by the “SlaughterBus Six.” These ridiculous accusations against the victim only lead one to deduce the country is run by a grimy pen of sexist swine that favor Victorian ideals towards women over justice for all.

I’m not a religious man and I don’t know if we have souls, but it’s difficult to disagree with the victim’s mother when she stated her daughter’s soul “will not rest in peace ‘til the rapists are hanged.” This comes after the victim’s own decree on her deathbed, where she feebly whispered she hoped the six men would “burn for what they did.”

I don’t see why the traumatized woman shouldn’t get her last wish.

The six assailants should be sent to the Antarctic, nailed to poles and then burned alive to warm baby penguins for as long as the hellfire would last.

ComicSpot

Want to draw for the comic spot this semester? Contact comics editor Brian Regan at br366@nau.edu

Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 13

14 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

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Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 15

Life

Views from the flying carpet

BY MADISON SANTOS

F

rom the green farm fields of Kansas to the white sands of Death Valley National Park, photographer, author and pilot Greg Brown has flown over it all while capturing breathtaking and artistic images.

Brown and his wife, Jean, have been on countless aerial adventures resulting in thousands of photographs of Mother Nature’s beauty. The college of Arts and Letters at NAU is honoring Brown’s work by displaying 24 of his images in large print at his exhibit “Views from the Flying Carpet: Fine Art Aerial Photographs.”

The photos were hung in the second floor of the Riles building on Jan. 14 and will remain there until June 30.

“These are all aerial photographs shot from a small personal airplane in the course of my travels around the United States,” Brown said.

Over the years, Brown has flown over California, the East Coast, Canada and more.

The exhibit at NAU features photos specifically from the southwest regions of the country, including Arizona, Texas and New Mexico.

With a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Illinois, Brown views the world with an artistic eye.

“I’m looking out the window at what stuff I might see,” he said. “It might be land forms and it might also be [the] effect of weather — like when there is a thunder storm it might make for a very dramatic sight.”

Brown’s father was a pilot, so by the time he and his siblings turned 19, their father offered to pay for pilot school if any of them were interested. Soon enough, Brown was flying for various corporations and a regional airline.

Brown is also a flight instructor, but his true passion has always belonged to photography.

Brown then found himself working for Flight Training Magazine, as a columnist.

“We [Brown and his wife] fly all over in this little airplane and I write about our adventures, [and] the people we meet, the funny experiences we have, places we go. It is an aviation adventure column about flying light airplanes,” Brown said.

Brown started taking his camera in the air with him to shoot photos to go along with

16 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

Greg Brown, a local author and photographer, puts the finishing touches on “View from the Flying Carpet,” which he created with help from Richard Jackson, a master photographic printer with Hance Partners in Flagstaff. (Photo by Sean Ryan)

his column. He had collected about four years worth of photos when he met Richard Jackson, who prints large photos for many prolific photographers.

“Over the years, I always knew I wanted to do some large art prints,” Brown said, and after flying between two rainstorms in the Phoenix area, he was inspired start to working with Jackson.

“This flight was like no other one we have taken,” he said. “Me and Jean both took dozens of photos, and one of the images from that flight is so spectacular and unusual, that I thought, ‘Now is the time that I ought to do those prints.’”

The photo, “Sunset Rains,” hangs in the exhibit.

“Everyone looks at it and says, ‘That’s not

real’ or ‘That is a painting,’” Brown said.

Like “Sunset Rains,” Brown takes all of his photos while he is on his way to a certain destination, whether a vacation spot or a job site.

“The bad news is I might not always have the optimum photo, but the good news is I see things that you can’t always plan for,” Brown explained. “Like when Mormon Lake dried out and the bottom gets all cracked, well, there was little puddles all over and wisps of fog on top of those and it’s got this texture you would never see — that’s a once in a lifetime thing.”

The couple rarely flies on commercial airlines when traveling.

“It is a lot more impactful than driving to Phoenix and getting to an airline with all those people and then arriving somewhere. You get the same feeling at the end, but seeing a transi-

tion is amazing,” Jean Brown said.

Brown’s photos are currently on display in Riles, but the grand opening is not until Jan. 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

“I’ll probably go around and say a few words about the more unusual photographs,” he said. The exhibit is open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided.

Even after all the success of Brown’s adventures, his favorite part about what he does is taking his friends and family for a ride in the his plane.

“The real fun is to see the look on people’s faces and know that they are going to tell everyone about their experience,” he said. “To be able to give a gift like that turns out to be maybe the single biggest joy out of the many years of flying.”

Life

The doughnut effect

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BY JUSTIN REGAN

fter months of construction, build-up and various colored banners, the much anticipated day finally came this past November when Dunkin’ Donuts returned to Flagstaff, opening with lines out the door.

The grand opening of the chain was the first in a wave of new eateries opening up over the course of the past few months in the lucrative lot on Milton Road. Soon to follow will be Chick-fil-A and Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches.

As the powdered sugar dust settles and the honeymoon phase wears off, the questions remain: did Dunkin’ Donuts lived up to the initial hype and what can we expect from the other eateries?

“I was pretty excited,” said Tommy Lee Meyer, a senior secondary history and social studies education major. “Their coffee is good and I love doughnuts. Plus, just the anticipation of a change from the regular can be exciting.”

Dunkin’ Donuts is mostly known on the East Coast but has been pushing farther west in the past decade.

“I had been to Dunkin Donuts before this one opened, so I already had an idea of what to expect,” Meyer said. “It lived up to my expectations.”

As someone who has experienced the eatery’s opening first-hand, Dunkin’ Donuts shift leader Anthony Vergne believes Flagstaff has given them a very positive welcoming.

“I think we have been received pretty well,” Vergne said. “We have a pretty good spot in town right behind where the library’s at and I see a bunch of students — college level or high school level — coming in either to just get a cup of coffee or hang out and meet up with some friends.”

Dunkin’ Donuts carries the title of being the only major doughnut establishment in Flagstaff. Vergne feels having this honor makes the job much more enjoyable.

“I think it is a pretty well-felt feeling,” Vergne said. “Especially because since we’ve been open there are a lot

of people that say they are really excited we’re back and we’re in the town.

It just makes it even better working here hearing that coming from people in the community.”

While Dunkin’ Donuts has found success and community excitement so far, a few people believe there are better choices out there.

“I actually don’t care too much about Dunkin’ Donuts,” said Josh Taber, a junior English major. “If it was a Krispy Kreme, then I would be more excited.”

Krispy Kreme claims to be “fresher” — they consistently make doughnuts on site — while the doughnuts at Dunkin’ are made behind the scenes and ready before a customer walks in the door.

“I’d probably replace it with a Krispy Kreme,” said Dakota Cunningham, a junior international affairs major. “[It’s] much better and fresher.”

Regardless, Dunkin’ Donuts is here to satisfy sugary cravings any time of day, and is open Sunday — Wednesday from 4 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday — Sunday from 4 a.m. to midnight. This is something Bashas’ grocery store, the other great doughnut fix for Flagstaffians, cannot claim.

The next major food chain scheduled to open is Chick-fil-A, which is known world-wide for their chicken sandwiches and around campus for the place with all the sauces.

Because Chick-fil-A already has an express front on NAU campus, it may be more difficult to attract students to its Milton location.

“I will never go to the off campus [Chick-fil-A],” Taber said. “It’s not nearly as convenient because I live on campus.”

Like Taber, Cunningham lives on campus and has a meal plan.

“Unless I need to cater a party, why would I pay for food if I can get it as a transfer?” Cunningham said.

Unlike the on-campus location, the Chick-fil-A on Milton will have a full menu, a dining area and a play place for kids. The Chick-fil-A is slated to opened its doors on Jan. 17 with the Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches to follow soon after.

A new take on winter break

Over winter break, 24 students and faculty from a variety of NAU departments left the comfort of their classrooms and technology to test their skills in a new environment: aTibetan refugee camp in Mainpat, India. Members of the team who joined the trip across the world included representatitves from the dental hygene, nursing, forestry, public health, photojournalism and physician’s assistant programs.

ABOVE: Nursing student Caitlin Magoffin does health examinations and takes note of a wide variety of ailments on Tibetan monks. The nursing students and faculty handed out glasses and basic pain pills to patients ranging from young monks to elderly farmers.

BOTTOM: Katie Moynihan and Jullian Curtis Claridge, both dental hygiene students, and dentist Eric Curtis perform dental checks for Tibetan monks at the Mainpat Tibetan refugee settlement, where more than 500 Tibetan and Indian citizens live. (Photos by Sean Ryan)

Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 17

Life

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BY CHRISTIAN BOOZ

ith consistent snowfall and temperatures in the negatives, it’s the time of year for some people to go into hibernation, but for others, fresh powder on the ground means only one thing: it’s time to shred.

With an El Niño year, the pacific ocean surface is expected to warm up by a few degrees, causing hefty snow storms near the equator, meaning the Arizona Snowbowl Ski and Snowboard Resort will be a popular place this season.

When it comes to skiing and boarding, it is all about mountains with steep inclines and snow. It may not be the first thing on your mind, but when hitting the slopes, there are a few things you can do to make your environmental impact as small as possible Ski resorts are currently facing a problem: they are big emissions generators. As ski resorts grow, so does the amount of emissions they generate, which in turn will possibly put the resorts out of business. With these tips you can enjoy the slopes while ensuring generations to come will get to enjoy them as well.

The first thing you can do is make sure your gear is as sustainable as possible. Various snowboard manufacturers, including Venture Snowboards of Colorado, are entirely wind-powered. The second-best option is to purchase used gear. Doing so keeps the gear local, cuts down on transportation emissions and reduces the amount of snow play gear in the landfills.

If you don’t go to the slopes every weekend, renting gear is by far the greenest way to go. In addition to getting green boards, you should also purchase eco-friendly, U.S.-made clothing.

Once you purchase your gear, it’s time to get to the slopes. Getting there greenly is important, because much of the emissions generated from ski resorts come from the vehicles driving to them.

For both the students’ and the earth’s benefit, NAU offers the SnowJack shut-

tle, which provides shuttle service from campus to Snowbowl on Fridays at 8 a.m. and noon and Saturdays at 8 a.m. It is free to students during the Snowbowl season. If unable to take the shuttle, carpooling with friends is also a great way to reduce emissions.

While tearing up the slopes can be done sustainably, the greenest winter sport is one that is vastly under-appreciated: cross-country skiing. There are no chairlifts lodges or snow machines; just you and the great outdoors. With a pair of cross-country skis or snowshoes and knowledge of the back country areas, you are free to adventure on acres of open land. With so much freedom, you should take safety precautions, so always go with a friend — preferably the one you carpooled with.

At the end of your skiing or snowboarding career, you can still be green by donating, selling or recycling your used equipment. Doing this helps people get gear for cheaper prices and keeps various skis and snowboards out of the waste stream. The Flagstaff Sports Exchange is a local shop that buys and sells used sporting equipment, including snow gear.

Snowbowl may not be the greenest ski area in the country, but using these tips can help reduce the carbon footprint of your ski and snowboard trips. If interested in the environmental impacts of ski resorts, groups such as Save the Peaks, Sierra Club and the Ski Area Citizen’s Coalition are all concerned with impacts made around the country.

With the current emissions outlook, the Park City Ski Resort in Utah (where the Winter Olympics were held in 2002) will possibly be a snow-less mountain by the year 2100, according to the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research and various other climate models.

By using green practices for winter sports, we can create an example that will hopefully be recognized by Snowbowl and other recreational mountains to encourage more sustainable energy sources.

18 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

Come check us out Communication Building, Room 101

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SportsReport Colleagues recognize Luciano’s impact on NAU

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BY RAYMOND REID

ith the holiday season in the rear view mirror, the essence of giving is still in the air.

One person who has given NAU students and the youth of Flagstaff many lessons and memories is women’s soccer head coach Andre Luciano. As he heads into his 13th season, Luciano has the third-longest tenure of any head coach at NAU, and has taken Lumberjack soccer to unparalleled successes but also fought through the toughest of times with the program.

A Las Vegas native, Luciano had roots close to Lumberjack country while also maintaining closeness to his alma mater. He was a part of the northern Arizona community far before his coaching days. As a goalkeeper for Yavapai Community College, Luciano was a part of the NJCAA Championship and was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame. He then transferred to the University of Indiana, where he played goalkeeper and graduated in 1994.

Luciano’s tenure with NAU soccer has been one of athletic, as well as academic, success. He has had more than 85 All-Big Sky Conference performers on the field in addition to having more than 100 All-Academic Big Sky Conference selections. Luciano has also had over 200 players receive the Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Award.

Luciano’s colleagues respect him for his character as a coach and his interactions within the Flagstaff community. “[He has] energy, enthusiasm and passion for what he does,” said head swimming and diving coach Andy Johns, who is the voice for NAU soccer games.

Johns, head football coach Jerome Souers and Luciano are the three longest-tenured NAU coaches. With Johns in his 17th season, Souers heading into his 16th season and Luciano heading into his 13th, the coaches have not only made countless memories, but have seen Luciano go through growing pains.

“Certainly, the biggest growth has been in transitioning from the old Lumberjack Sta-

NAU soccer coach Andre Luciano directs his players during a game last semester. (Photo by Kelli Tresgallo)

dium, with wooden benches and pigeon poop everywhere, to the brand new Lumberjack Stadium, with the new press box and locker rooms for his program and seeing his teams go to the NCAA Tournament,” Johns said.

Johns also has a strong relationship with Luciano away from NAU athletics.

“On a personal note, we have a great mutual dog-sitting arrangement and enjoy hanging out together while supporting Lumberjack athletics in a variety of ways as fans and community members,” Johns said.

SportShorts Women’s basketball

Track and Field

• vs. Weber State

•NAU Invitational

6:35 p.m. Jan. 17

9 a.m. Jan. 19

at Walkup Skydome

at Walkup Skydome

Luciano’s effect and influence has even been seen by those of his coaching staff, such as assistant coach Holly Jones. Before joining him on the sidelines for the past five seasons, Jones played for Luciano during his first year as head coach.

“I’ve definitely seen a lot of growth for him, as a coach,” Jones said. “I think of the commitment that he’s had to the program since he’s been here.”

Among Luciano’s players, redshirt senior Georgia Foltz has seen that growth and learned

Go online to Jackcentral.com to read weekly blogs about NAU basketball and a preview of the men’s track and field indoor season.

from it firsthand. Serving as more than just a coach, Luciano has fulfilled the role of a father figure for his players as well.

“He’s been the one that I’ve been afraid of, the one I didn’t want to get in trouble with and the one that I can go to if I have a problem or any kind of issue,” Foltz said. “He’s always been there for me; it’s like a home away from home.

That’s what made me so comfortable coming here five years ago.” see LUCIANO page 22

Follow the Lumberjack Sports reporters on Twitter Cody Bashore: @CodyBashore Alli Jenney: @allijenney Raymond Reid: @YAC_TheeReid16

Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 19

SportsReport

Men’s indoor track and field continues tradition

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he NAU men’s track and field team began its season Jan. 12 with the Lumberjack Team Challenge as the reigning Big Sky Conference (BSC) indoor, outdoor and crosscountry champions. The Lumberjacks will be hosting five indoor meets this COMMENTARY season, an advantage to help the men better defend their title.

The men’s team finished third out of six teams, behind Arizona State and Grand Canyon University. The meet DEVONTAE was a litmus test to see where BROWNE the team was in fitness and health. It also served as an opportunity to compare themselves to the competition they will face through the season.

The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association nationally rank the men’s team as No. 21.

Having five individual winners on the team, along with senior leadership and a flux of deeply talented athletes, gives NAU a competitive edge this year.

Redshirt junior jumper Edgar Panford, senior sprinter Miles Di Sibella, redshirt sophomore distance runner Brian Shrader and sophomore jumper Deante Kemper lead a bevy of talented athletes, making NAU a formidable threat to repeat as champions yet again.

Director of track and field and cross country Eric Heins has the knowledge and insight to drive this team in the same manner he did with

Freshman sprinter Isatu Fofanah runs the second leg of the women’s 4x400 relay.

(Photo by Sean Ryan) from TRACK page 1 Brian Shrader competes in the 800-meter run. (Photo by Sean Ryan)

past championship teams, including those with distance runners and now Olympians Diego Estrada, Lopez Lomong and David McNeill.

With the team competing against other top athletes who competed in the Olympic trials and national championships, NAU should only benefit from intense competitors. The team’s focus should be creating a more driven, hungrier attitude looking to prove themselves once again as the best in the BSC.

Redshirt junior Edgar Panford jumps in the long jump during the Lumberjack Team Challenge Saturday Jan. 12 in Flagstaff. (Photo by Sean Ryan)

20 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

Coach McDaniel was excited with the performances, especially with the amount of time off the athletes had referring to the season opener as a “see where you at” meet. “[Fofanah] is still learning how to warm up, how to cool down and also how to encourage her teammates,” McDaniel said. “I’m pretty excited about her future; this shows where her skill set is and what her potential is at.”

The potential is also high for her teammates. The men’s squad had six Lumberjacks post BSC qualifying marks. Sophomore standout Deante Kemper placed second in the high jump, clearing over seven feet (7–00.25), and third in the 60-meter hurdles (8.25), just behind fellow sophomore Vernon Jamison, who took second (8.19).

In the 800-meter race, redshirt sophomore Brian Shrader ran comfortably against Southern Utah University’s former NCAA Champion and 2012 Canadian Olympian Cam Levins, who beat Shrader by .08 seconds for first.

“I was probably more nervous for this [meet] since [I’ve ran in] high school,” Shrader said. “Knowing someone like Cam Levins is coming to your track, and about to race you in an 800, which I’m not comfortable with to begin with, I was actually freaking out a little bit.”

Regardless of his nerves, Shrader qualified for conference at 1:51.08, and currently stands No.2 on NAU’s indoor all-time list, behind Olympian Lopez Lomong.

Freshman Nathan Weitz credits his debut

performance to drinking Kenyan tea, taking fourth with a BSC qualifying mark and personal best time of 1:53.62.

In the field events, redshirt junior jumper Edgar Panford and freshman thrower Shawn Collins earned BSC qualifying marks. Panford finished third in the triple jump (48–07.50) and fifth in the long jump, and Collins threw for a fourth place finish in the shot put (52– 01.25).

“I’m really pleased with how we opened up, just to be able to get multiple conference qualifiers the first meet of the year, getting people to win some events against high level competition, it was a great meet,” said director of track and field and cross country Eric Heins.

From the women’s side, junior Lauren Laszczak, redshirt junior Lauren Stuart and redshirt freshman Jessica Weise completed the 10 Lumberjacks who qualified for conference.

Assistant coach for jumps Ed Jacoby claims Laszczak’s carrot juice mixture aided her second place finish in the high jump (5–06.00). Stuart placed fourth in the weight throw (48–00.00) and Weise took sixth in the shot put (45–04.25).

“When you see a good movie, you can’t wait until the sequel comes out. We saw a pretty good movie today and we just hope we can keep the sequel going,” McDaniel said.

The Lumberjacks will continue their five– home meet campaign on Jan. 19 at the NAU Invitational in the Skydome, with field events beginning at 9 a.m. and track events at 10 a.m.

Flagstaff Gymnastics Center is looking for a boys gymnastics coach and tumbling coach. Must love working with children and be able to work evenings and some saturdays.

Contact: Karen 928-226-0696

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Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 21

SportsReport

Women’s basketball falls late

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BY RAYMOND REID

he NAU women’s basketball team (3–11, 2–3 Big Sky Conference) welcomed the Portland State Vikings (8–7, 2–4 BSC) to the Walkup Skydome on Jan. 12 for a showdown of Big Sky Conference foes. The Lumberjacks entered the weekend tilt against the Vikings riding a two-game winning streak and looking to win their second consecutive game of their four-game home stand. The Lumberjacks led wire-to-wire before falling behind with 1.4 seconds left on free throws, dropping the contest 60–59.

The two-game winning streak can be attributed to the previously missing ingredient in the Lumberjacks’ offense: junior guard Amanda Frost, who missed the first 11 games of the season with a left leg injury. She returned to the lineup with a career performance Jan. 3 on the road against Southern Utah with 27 points, earning Big Sky Player of the Week honors.

“Our offense is better when we’re balanced,” said assistant coach Jamie Shadian, who filled in for head coach Sue Darling who missed the game due to illness. “Amanda brings that missing balance to our offense.”

The Jacks stormed out of the gate, getting stops defensively and moving the ball seamlessly, jumping out to an early lead that would hold for nearly the entire contest. The starting five, the veteran-heavy group of seniors Paige Haynes, Tyler Stephens-Jenkins, Amy Patton, Aubrey Davis and Frost, logged heavy minutes in Shadian’s first game in a head-coaching role.

The Jacks took a 32–28 lead into the half with Frost leading the charge with nine points.

Stephens-Jenkins added six points, three rebounds and a steal.

In the second half, the Lumberjacks saw a familiar trend continue. The rebounding differential, which has gone against the Jacks nearly all season, presented itself down the stretch as the Vikings began to chip away with the lead. Vikings center Angela Misa finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Overall, the Lumberjacks were out rebounded 44-38.

The Jacks had led down to the final minute of the game and needed one more possession to close out the game. With 28.7 seconds left, the Jacks inbounded the ball with the shot clock off, aiming to hold the ball for the last shot. A score by the Jacks would win the game and had they missed the shot overtime would have ensued.

Frost drove the lane with nearly seven seconds left on the clock and Vikings guard

Courtney VanBrocklin stole the ball and raced to the other end for a potential game-winning layup. Frost caught VanBrocklin and fouled her, forcing her to the line with a chance to take the lead. With 1.4 seconds left, VanBrocklin made her first free throw and gave her team the 60–59 lead. Her second free throw was off target, but she grabbed her offensive rebound and the game ended.

“Our weakness is offensive boards; if we would’ve gotten some we would’ve won the game,” Stephens-Jenkins said. “We just have to let it come to us and not force it. We’re hungry and ready to take it out on the next team and win.”

Winning the assist differential 20–9, the Lumberjacks were as fluid offensively as they possibly could have been for the first 35 minutes of the game. In the last five minutes, the Jacks hit a drought by not making one shot, yet were still right there with a chance to take the victory.

“It was a tough loss,” Frost said. “At the end of the game we got a little timid . . . and that’s when our turnovers happened.”

The Lumberjacks have two more games left on their home stand, facing Weber State Jan. 17 at 6:35 p.m. and Idaho State Jan. 19 at 6:35 p.m. Both games are in the Skydome.

Senior Amy Patton shoots against a PSU defender. (Photo by Holly Mandarich)

22 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

As women’s soccer head coach, Andre Luciano has won 89 regular season games and 36 Big Sky Conference games. (Photo by Kelli Tresgallo) from LUCIANO page 19

Luciano arguably has had more of an impact on the NAU soccer program than any coach has before him. He has placed countless players on many award lists, won 89 regular season games and 36 BSC games as the head coach at NAU. He has tied the school record of 12 victories in a season twice.

Luciano has developed a relationship like very few coaches at NAU. Players, administrators and members of the media witness his impact.

“Coach Luciano has had as big of an impact on me as anyone during my time at NAU,” said Stayson Isobe, former writer for The Lumberjack newspaper and current NAU Media Relations graduate assistant for the soccer and tennis programs.

“I’ve known him for five years now, dating back to my first year with The Lumberjack, when I served as the soccer beat reporter,” Isobe said. “My time covering his program as an undergrad played a huge role in my decision to apply for a graduate assistant position with Media Relations.”

Luciano’s passion for the game of soccer is unbridled. He has been known to wake up in the early hours of the morning to watch soccer games.

He also challenges his players to wake and watch the games. He also challenges his players to wake and watch the games. Luciano is a straight shooter.

He drinks his coffee black and tells it like it is.

“I didn’t get into coaching solely for the purpose of having a job and to measure myself in terms of wins and losses,” Luciano said. “What I really wanted to do was have an impact on kids’ lives, create a family environment and have some-

thing that connects [yearly] with all the alums.”

Luciano added he feels he has been successful in achieving these goals.

“I think I’ve been successful in the sense I’ve created a really deep sense of community with our program and a deep sense of family, [so] my players know I care about them a lot and I’d do anything for them,” Luciano said. “Seeing them grow from young kids to successful adults is probably the most rewarding thing that coaching can give you.”

This past season, Luciano experienced an influx of youthful talent, with over half of his roster being underclassmen, most of them freshmen.

Demi Schmeider, a freshman forward, played for Luciano on a Flagstaff club team, illustrating Luciano’s impact in the community.

Luciano has invested a quarter of his life to NAU and has seen the university grow from declining attendance and dilapidated buildings to a first-rate university under the direction of President John Haeger.

“Seeing the amount of new energy on campus is incredible. It’s something I’m proud of, being around here and being a part of that,” Luciano said. “The most important thing is that I hope five years from now, I’ve left a decent legacy people can associate [with] success both in the classroom and on the field [and] that we promote an environment where we have great student athletes of great character that strive to be good at everything they do.”

Luciano has already cemented his place among the best coaches in NAU history and the Big Sky Conference. With eyes toward the 2013 soccer season, Luciano is ready for the task.

SportsReport

Men’s basketball looking to snap last losing streak

C

onsecutive losses in their first road games in the Big Sky Conference (BSC) have the Lumberjack men’s basketball team staring at an 11game road conference losing streak. The team’s most recent road win in the COMMENTARY BSC was on Feb. 24, 2011 against Sacramento State.

Only five current Lumberjacks were CODY members of the BASHORE 2010-11 roster, and only two played significant minutes, but the losing streak is the final one yet to be broken by these new Lumberjacks. While the match-up on Jan. 10 with Eastern Washington University was an embarrassment after the first half, the game against Portland State University (PSU) on Jan. 12 could have been the streak-ender.

Despite out-shooting PSU 56 percent to 50 percent, along with out-rebounding and totaling more assists than the Vikings, the Lumberjacks fell 79–74. Free throws crippled NAU and the team was out-shot 24–11 from the line with PSU converting 12 more shots.

Regardless of the loss, senior guard Gabe Rogers produced a positive in the game. Rogers, who has struggled mightily efficiencywise this season, finished 7-of-14 from the field with 17 points and four assists. Also, NAU received another strong performance by junior forward Max Jacobsen, who finished 7-of-9 with 14 points and six rebounds. Jacobsen is currently third in the Big Sky with a 60.8 percent shooting from the field.

Given the team’s need to take scoring pressure off of freshman guard DeWayne Russell, Rogers needs to keep trending upward with his play for NAU to have any chance of a top-seven finish in conference.

As for Jacobsen, he has carved an important role as the Lumberjacks’ primary inside threat. On a team lacking size or depth inside, this role is crucial.

NAU has lacked a third scorer at times this season, but Jacobsen’s reliability during the past month looks to be filling that void.

The game on Jan. 17 against the Weber State University Wildcats doesn’t appear to be the likely game to end the streak. As of Jan. 14, Weber State is 5–0 in BSC play and also the conference’s highest scoring school offensively, and the best scoring defensive team. Their scoring differential of 19.3 points, as of Jan. 6, ranked as the seventh best in the country.

Additionally, the Wildcats lead the conference in every field goal percentage stat, both offensively and defensively. Finally, they also lead in rebounding margin and assist-to-turnover ratio. In short, they are the class of the conference and a win may prove difficult.

A much more plausible victory could come Jan. 19 when the Lumberjacks face the Idaho State University Bengals. Averaging 52.3 points a game and shooting 39 percent, the Bengals should be just the match up the struggling Lumberjack defense needs.

Currently sitting ninth in the BSC, the Lumberjacks need to take advantage of the chance to break the losing streak, while also needing the win against just to keep pace with the rest of the conference.

REMEMBERING NAU LEGEND

JEFF

LEWIS

See front page for details on death of former Jacks quarterback and assistant coach.

NAU Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Lewis poses during his time as a Lumberjack.

(Photo courtesy of NAU Athletics)

Coach Lewis is the man everyone strives to be like. His values in hard work, heart and effort challenged this program to become something more than just a team, but a family.

He truly loved NAU and his legacy will live on forever in all we do.

Ify Umodu NAU wide receiver

Jeff was a natural leader and an incredibly gifted quarterback. He made everyone around him better.

However, I appreciate most his attention and concern for other people. To know Jeff was to be his friend. It was my pleasure to be his teammate.

Kevin Stephens former NAU teammate

This loss is felt throughout NAU Athletics, where Jeff’s impact as a player, a coach and an outstanding person will always be remembered.

We were deeply grateful for his return to the football program and wish our time together could have been longer. Our thoughts go out to his family at this difficult time.

Lisa Campos VP Intercollegiate Athletics

Jeff Lewis was a great teammate and brought great energy to me and our team. He will be missed. My condolences to Jeff’s family.

John Elway former Broncos teammate

Today is a very sad day for the Lumberjack football family. Jeff was one of the best Lumberjacks of all time and a valuable member of the program.

Jerome SouersNAU head coach

Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 23

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24 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

Arts&Entertainment DOUBLE HEADER: RADIOHEAD & TALKING HEADS over and over, I realized that the Talking Heads’ lyrics are way more profound than most any band that I love. I grew a great respect for them.”

Others in the group, like guitarist Sean Dennehy, have been fans of both Radiohead and Talking Heads for a long time.

“Both of these bands I was in love with in high school, and that was 10 years ago. Since then, I haven’t listened to them much and I fell in love with both of them again,” Dennehy said.

The music of these two bands allowed performers to go outside of their familiar elements.

“To me, it’s completely different [from] what we normally do — we’re a funk band and we just kind of get people to dance. This just gave me a chance to rock; it was nice,” Dennehy said.

Despite differing the styles, the impact both of these groups have on rock music is immense.

“Talking Heads were around with The Ramones back in the early ‘80s.” Born said. “They [influenced] rock music way back in the day.

You watch kids come to Ladies Eighties here, [and] they don’t know that was a stepping stone into other forms of rock that have formed into the [expletive] that rock is today. There are still cool bands around Flagstaff; they do what they want to do and do the things that they think are cool.

It’s nostalgic; it’s cool.”

The Blenders guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Broughner performs with trumpeter Ian Shepherd and bassist Jeff Rester during the benefit show for the Emerging Filmmakers Program at The Green Room.

F

BY DANIEL DAW

rom ska to funk to jazz, bands teamed up for a mellow night of music from the Heads — of both the Radio and Talking variety, all in the name of charity.

Proceeds from the Jan. 12 benefit went toward the Emerging Filmmaker Program (EFP), a program associated with the Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, which allows students of all grade levels to have hands-on experience with filmmaking; it is the only organization of its kind outside of the Flagstaff school system.

Bridget Johnson, a current New York University freshman and former member of the EFP, explains the age diversity in the program.

“It’s varied every single year. I think the youngest we’ve ever had was seventh [graders] and the oldest we had was a senior in high school, and then they have college students from NAU help out — but they’re not [officially] involved in the program, they are just helping,” Johnson said.

Logan Rose, a senior at Northland Preparatory Academy has been with the EFP for two years and plans on studying film once she begins her college career.

“I’m going to major in film wherever I go,” Rose said.

“I’m not sure where that is yet, but I’m [looking] into a few film programs already.”

While this is the first benefit show for EFP through the Green Room, there will likely be more.

“The deal is really awesome — there’s so much sup-

port here and there’s so many ways we can help our program,” Johnson said.

Through the night, around 50 local musicians played songs from both Radiohead and Talking Heads. There was also a raffle running until midnight with prizes from local establishments such as Monsoon’s and the Green Room.

The performances were as varied as the musicians, bringing their own style to the songs they performed.

Some groups were veterans on the music scene, while others were experiencing their first live show.

New to the scene was electronic duo Sea Section, made up of drummer and programmer Gabe Bixler and keyboardist Krysta Best.

“This is our first outing; [it was] sloppy,” Bixler said.

“You know what happened? It’s like you get nervous and excited and then you play really fast — that’s what I did, but it went well [and] it was fun,” Best said. “I was up front when The Blenders were playing and I saw a group of my friends dancing and The Blenders were so good. It was a lot of fun.”

This benefit show was also a first for conglomerate band The Topless Horse Head Experiment, which features performers from several bands. Covering the songs of two different groups allowed vocalist, Derek Born, to gain a new appreciation for both bands.

“They’re both so unique and so different,” Born said.

“I was only a Radiohead fan before this thing started. I just never really heard the Talking Heads [and] learning the song[s] for an hour and a half, for tonight, just singing it

Talk Radio guitarists Dave Logan and Brad Bays perform their set during the benefit show for the Emerging Filmmakers Program Jan. 12 at the Green Room. (Photos by Daniel Daw) Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 25

Arts&Entertainment

Linger ie

more than just a clothing accessory

BY MYKEL VERNON-SEMBACH

D

on’t be fooled by the “Underneath It All: Desire, Power, Memory and Lingerie” exhibit at the Coconino Center for the Arts. While enticing and seductive, this traveling art exhibit gives a whole new perspective to underwear and its purposes.

Although relatively small, the art gallery plays host to 10 female artists who utilize and interpret lingerie into social critiques of body image, sexuality, women’s roles and equality. Going beyond the obvious, the 10 artists explore different illustrations of their critiques through manipulation of materials. They dismantled corsets, brassieres and underwear and sewed them together to create a series of two-dimensional “Fossil” pieces, presenting the quilted salvage of an archeological discovery.

For textile artist Diane Savona, the tattered fabrics and clothing become evidence of a history crocheted and stitched together by earlier generations of women.

“By presenting them as unearthed fossil specimens, I hope to change viewer perception of our textile heritage,” Savona said.

While Savona’s art worked as a form of preservation, Ingrid Goldbloom Bloch’s three-dimensional sculptures actively worked to eliminate previous assumptions of lingerie and trash.

“To me, the art is the raw material: the transformation and the surprise of its metamorphosis into something entirely different from its intended purpose,” Goldbloom Bloch said.

Through Goldbloom Bloch’s desire to repurpose utilitarian materials such as scrap metal, hardware and soda cans, she illustrates a rather comedic critique of women’s sacrifice of comfort for sex ap-

peal. This is an extremely powerful statement to young women who are pressured to maintain a flawless physical appearance by media.

The display breaks down this critique to its most basic foundation: it may appear shiny and beautiful, but it is truly harsh and unyielding.

The variety of “Underneath It All” confronts gender roles where lingerie is often a no-brainer to defining the gender binary. Amanda N. Simons’ use of boundaries in her mixed medium gives depth to the flat canvas. Simons not only layered sewing patterns with acrylic and oil paint, but also incorporated a single perspective of roles and how women choose to follow — or not.

Simons’ use of sewing patterns as a backdrop to paint scenes of women pushing past not only the physical boundaries of the sewing patterns, but of gender roles established for women by society.

“I use the juxtaposition of the human form and the concept of a social blueprint as a metaphor for the constraints of contemporary social expectation,” Simons said.

This presentation of lingerie sought to alter the connotations held by the simple word as a challenge rather than a repetitive statement. “Underneath It All” is a strangely aggressive confrontation between audience and art. The normally stagnant and unresponsive pieces demand the viewer to analyze and ask questions, inquire and dissect. It is an exhibit for students looking for varied perspective of women.

“Underneath It All” is on display at the Coconino Center for the Arts from Jan. 15 to Feb. 16.

Located on Fort Valley Road, the gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gallery viewing is free.

26 The Lumberjack | Jackcentral.com

TOP: Judith Manoogian and Beverly Loomis look through the exhibit “Underneath It All: Desire, Power, Memory & Lingerie” at the Coconino Center for the Arts on Jan. 12.

BOTTOM: Attendees at the exhibit explore women’s sexuality through art. (Photos by Sean Ryan)

Arts&Entertainment Django Unchained

SoundCheck Artist: Ra Ra Riot Album: Beta Love Genre: Pop

BY MYKEL VERNON-SEMBACH

F

or all the less computer-savvy readers, the term “beta” refers to a software release prior to the official product release. In reference to Ra Ra Riot’s newest record, Beta Love, this is a pretty accurate description of their latest endeavor.

With nearly three years since they realeased their prior record, The Orchard, Ra Ra Riot has fallen away from their orchestral pop foundations into a more synthesized sound.

Seeing the jazzy cello and spirited violin of The Orchard disintegrate into heavily electrified instrumentation and vocals is a bit of a heartbreaker.

It will take a few times to see what the band’s overall goal was for Beta Love.

Despite their poppy, warm n’ fuzzy approach — with the exception of the early-dubstep inspiration behind “What I Do For U” — Ra Ra Riot elicits the inspiration of cyberpunk author William Gibson and futurist/transhumanist Ray Kurtzweil.

To put it bluntly: this is some pretty conceptual lingo to be throwing around for an album that sounds so Top 40s-worthy.

“Dance With Me” is a good example of mimicking the uninvolved “come hither” beats and suggestive lyrics of club hits: “Come and dance with me bittersweet fool / I wanna be your toy.”

Like a pre-game to Ke$ha bump-n-grind, “Binary Mind” and “Beta Love” slowly begin introducing technology-savvy jargon into their easy-enough concepts of relationships, casual or not. Refreshingly, their title track brings back a reverie of their well-known strings, which flow seamlessly with their electronic rhythms.

“Is It Too Much” is Ra Ra Riot’s first hint of their Gibson-esque inspiration, suggesting the inner-dialogue in the life of a robot with his creator — imagine David in Steven Spielberg’s film A.I. It gets pretty experimental in “What I Do For U” with after-production, overlapping vocals and chip tune beats. It is certainly a strange salty-sweet approach to music and should not be rejected as a filler song.

“That Much” is the closest Ra Ra Riot gets to sounding anything like their previous albums.

Lyrically, the album requires large amounts of time investment.

Processing and understanding the concepts within each track is a hefty task, despite all the songs being under four minutes in length.

Musically, Beta Love is extremely catchy — a nice album to mindlessly work to in order to keep a nice pace. If necessary, a listener could completely disengage from the intensity of these lyrics and draw their own conclusions and unimportant connections to their own lives — some major “This song’s about me and my girl, man” will be heard soon after. Yet, if it they so desired, some serious analysis could come of this album.

Until further investigation, Beta Love is a pretty sleepy, experimental album not intended for their old audience. For those looking to branch out beyond the shallow pits of club tracks, Beta Love is a nice transition.

Anyone interested in technological singularity or cyberpunk should give the album a listen, because it is essentially the soundtrack to cyberspace.

Best Tracks: “Beta Love,” “Is It Too Much” and “That Much”

Directed by Quentin Tarantino Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio Running time: 180 minutes Rated: R

BY JAYSON BURNS

M

oviegoers are split on what they think of filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and his distinctive style. While the unrepentant violence and nonlinear storytelling may alienate some, others see these aspects as what makes his movies so enjoyable.

The latter certainly applies for his latest film, Django Unchained.

After bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) rescues the titular Django (Jamie Foxx) from a slaver, he persuades Django to help him track the notorious Brittle brothers. In return, Shultz promises Django $75, a horse and the chance free his enslaved wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), from the infamous southern plantation, Candie Land.

Strangely, watching Django Unchained almost feels like reading an interesting novel. It feels long, but only because the characters are on a lengthy journey.

The main characters are deeply

fleshed-out over the course of the story, as were the supporting and minor characters in subtle ways; Tarantino’s movies are great about making minor characters seem as interesting as supporting or even main characters.

Tarantino is also one of the few filmmakers who can take despicable characters like Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) and make them more than two-dimensional, creating more engaging villains.

Despite some small bits of overacting, expected in Tarantino’s work, the whole cast does a fantastic job. Jamie Foxx shows Django’s growth as a character very well, and Kerry Washington is also good despite having very few lines.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays an entertaining and horrifying villain and is indeed one of the most interesting parts of the movie. Christoph Waltz steals the show as one of the best protagonists I’ve seen – especially considering he has always been the villain in past movies.

Props also have to go James Remarr for being able to play two separate minor characters without many people noticing the doubleappearance.

As with many of Tarantino’s movies, Django Unchained is an obvious throwback to the movies he grew up on, spaghetti westerns in this case. These films are actually harder to create than it sounds — just look at The Man with the Iron Fists — but Tarantino seems to have mastered this style. The film is, of course, very gory and in combination with the subject of slavery, there are quite a few difficult scenes to watch, but in an effective way. At times, the mixture of classic western music and a modern soundtrack was distracting at times.

Django Unchained is a mustsee for fans of Quentin Tarantino and westerns in general. Even some of Tarantino’s detractors might find something to enjoy here.

QuickFlick Les Misérables

BY MYKEL VERNON-SEMBACH

I

f Les Misérables was not required reading at your high school, this film will be hard to watch. If musicals affront your oh-so-sensitive “coolness” factor, this film will be hard to watch — and you’re probably also a jerk. If neither of these apply to you, congratulations: you’ve probably already seen this film, squealed like a small child during the opening and tearfully applauded at the credits.

Despite all of the skeptical doubts one could have against this production, Les Misérables is pretty fantastic. If there is any way to get the

American population to openly cheer for the French, Les Misérables is how to do it.

Even with a running time just more than two hours, Les Misérables falls short of previous film reproductions of this novel. It’s hard to figure out whose story we’re really following here: Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) and Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), Fantine (Anne Hathaway) and Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) or Marius (Eddie Redmayne) and Éponine (Samantha Barks).

Let’s be blunt: it’s just not enough time. Les Misérables is a complex monstrosity and requires an

undying devotion to understanding.

That’s why the the unabridged novel is nearly 1,500 pages in length.

Unfortunately, watching Hooper’s Les Misérables is like jumping halfway through a great story, and happily meandering through the plot without really understanding the impact. Even trying to describe the basics of the novel in this review seems foolish.

If you are a knowledgeable Les Misérables connoisseur, this is a film to see. If you have no idea what you are about to see, do yourself a favor, read the novel and then go see the film. It’ll make more sense.

Jan. 17, 2013 - Jan. 23, 2013 | The Lumberjack 27