Buzz Magazine: Oct. 18, 2012 by Buzz Magazine

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VOL9 NO43

OCTOBER 18 - 24, 2012

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IN THIS ISSUE COMMON GROUND

Interview with Joy Rust

MOTORCYCLE ART

“Dirt” and his work

CATCHING UP

Year of the Bobcat

BAND REVIEW 11 Blitzen Trapper

NO, FORREST, NO 4 ON READBUZZ.COM ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Visit readbuzz.com to explore your creative side through the poems and prompts of Kelsey McGrath’s daily column.

MOVIES & TV The writers revisit their favorite childhood horror films. Go to readbuzz.com and while you are there, discover overlooked horror films through Hidden Gems.

FOOD & DRINK Check out some delicious fall recipe treats online now! And don’t forget to vote Nov. 6!

COMMUNITY Ariel delves into the topic of picking video games over books, or vice versa, after talking to local middle schoolers.

MUSIC

Check out a new Music Mentalist on the break up of Swedish House Mafia.

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CALENDAR

Your guide to this week’s events in CU

EDITOR’S NOTE SAMANTHA BAKALL

It’s not easy being green. Or is it? This issue is all about sustainability, in honor of Sustainability Week at the University. With the onslaught of election coverage, the validity of green technology and sustainability is being challenged, again. At times, the concept of sustainability can seem overdone. What used to be a rare and interesting concept on consumer items has now become ubiquitous. Everything from spoons to backpacks are now being made using post-consumer waste or recycled materials. Is this a bad thing? Certainly not. I just can’t believe it took this long to figure out. People always say, “It’s so easy to be green!” and it really is. Champaign-Urbana makes living a sustainable lifestyle wonderfully simple. Shopping at the Urbana Farmer’s Market helps reduce a carbon footprint because most of the food is sourced from 50 miles away, resulting in significantly less fuel being burned in transportation. Similarly, many of the farmers adopt organic farming principles that also help keep both our waterways and air cleaner. The recycling programs in place are also amazing. Besides both cities having recycling programs, the University even sorts through all of their regular trash, separating out the recyclable products from the non recyclable. Additionally, the dining halls use leftover vegetable oil to create biofuel used to help fuel the University’s Garage and Carpool services. The biking community in CU is another fantastic way to be more green. With two (soon to be three!) bike co-ops established, finding, buying, fixing and maintaining a functioning bicycle has never been easier. The community that has grown around the bike co-op is another reason why it is such an integral part to our cities. If you already partake in some or all of these things, good for you! If you don’t, or don’t know about them, this week is a great time to find out more about what our communities are doing to help combat wastefulness. So get out there, grab a friend and be green while the weather is still beautiful!

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OCTOBER 18 - 24, 2012

LIKES, GRIPES & YIKES SAMANTHA BAKALL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

LIKES SUSTAINABILITY WEEK by Kelsey Vlamis

BUZZ STAFF

Everyone knows the word “sustainability,” but not everyone knows what it means. Luckily, there is a chance this week to learn all about what sustainability means and how to live sustainably. The University’s Office of Sustainability is working to have the “Orange and Blue Go Green” by hosting Sustainability Week from Oct. 22-26. The week will consist of plenty of “green” activities, such as a “Go Green” scavenger hunt, a comprehensive cycling course, a movie screening about plastic consumption and many more. Each day there will also be open houses at many environmental places around campus, like the Sustainable Student Farm, and open forums covering a variety of topics, such as the University’s Climate Action Plan and electric vehicles. For a complete listing of the week’s events, visit sustainability.illinois.edu, and find the ones that interest you most! You may be wondering why living sustainably is important. To put it simply, we live on a finite planet. And while many people seem to think the human race is invincible (in case you weren’t sure, we’re not), if we don’t convert to more sustainable living, we’re going to find ourselves in serious trouble. We’re depleting our resources, and if things don’t change, they could be gone in the near future. Although the concept of “going green” has become quite trendy in recent years, don’t let this fool you. Going green is not just the trendy thing to do; as a citizen of the world, it is the right thing to do.

COVER DESIGN Yoojin Hong EDITOR IN CHIEF Samantha Bakall MANAGING EDITOR Nick Martin ART DIRECTOR Michael Zhang ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Tyler Schmidt COPY CHIEF Jordan Ramos PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Zach Dalzell IMAGE EDITOR Zach Dalzell PHOTOGRAPHERS Folake Osibodu, Constantine Roman, Amber Yu,

Animah Boakye, Samantha Bakall

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DESIGNERS Dane Georges, Chelsea Choi MUSIC EDITOR Evan Lyman FOOD & DRINK EDITOR Jasmine Lee MOVIES & TV EDITOR Joyce Famakinwa ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Jessica Bourque COMMUNITY EDITOR Tom Thoren CU CALENDAR D.J. Dennis COPY EDITOR Drew Hatcher, Emily Siner DISTRIBUTION Brandi and Steve Wills STUDENT SALES MANAGER Molly Lannon CLASSIFIED SALES MANAGER Deb Sosnowski AD DIRECTOR Travis Truitt PUBLISHER Lilyan J. Levant

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We reserve the right to edit submissions. buzz will not publish a letter without the verbal consent of the writer prior to publication date. buzz Magazine is a student-run publication of Illini Media Company and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students. © ILLINI MEDIA COMPANY 2012

»Pens: I like pens. A lot. I think my love started when I really got into journalism (Is that a thing?) At that point, I already appreciated pens (medium-tip to fine-tip, please), but now I had to have at least one on me AT ALL TIMES. Which is where my love began. Not only do some pens look better than others, but some of them writke better, too! Imagine that! So began my hoarding of pens. At this point, I would categorize myself as a Class-A Pen Kleptomaniac. Don’t leave anything out that clicks and writes decently well. You will never see it again. Ever. And if you borrow my pen, I do have the audacity to ask for it back. »Naps: Remember when we were snotty kids and thought we were too good for naps? I do. I wish I could go back in time and slap my younger self and tell her that naps are awesome and you should enjoy them while you can. Because if I could use those nap credits right now, I would. NICK MARTIN MANAGING EDITOR

GRIPES »Sludge: Like slime, but stinkier, sludge is the byproduct of pollution! Sludge kills baby seals, baby whales, adult kangaroos and other animals of baby/adorable nature! Look out for sludge: the anxious killer! Avoid making sludge by recycling, blowing your nose and writing your congressmen! »Smog: A wise guy once said, “When all the air is poison, nobody’s going to want to breathe anymore.” That guy was Theodore Roosevelt, and after he said it he created the National Park Service, then gave birth to his first son, Franklin Eleanor Roosevelt (who would later split in half to create the Presidency’s Cutest Couple, FDR/E!) If you drive a car, you’re making smog. And as we all know, Smog is actually a dragon who hordes gold! The simplest solution, shove a tennis ball up your exhaust pipe and breathe in deep the smell of environmentalism! You’ll be thankful you died! »The Island Made of Trash: Seriously though, there’s a gigantic, island-sized garbage cloud floating in the Pacific ocean. It’s pulverized waste just killing fish and harming ecosystems. Do you know who put it there? Your friend, corporations! The ones that sold your delicious Pumpkin Spice Ginger Latte (what did you think they did with the cup?) So really, you’re responsible for it, you pig! You’re killing the earth by just buying and buying! Consuming more and more! But one day, you’ll see: When you’re living in a dreary world of darkness and cancer, you’ll all see! YOU SHEEPLE! YOU BROUGHT THIS UPON YOURSELVES! buzz

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MOVIES

SAVOY 16

By Adlai Stevenson

o you like movies? Some become successful enough to establish themselves in the general public as enduring classics, recognized for their penchant to entertain and engage. We all share at least one favorite with the rest of the world. Although, how some of these noteworthy features came to achieve such acclaim remains a mystery. Here are vivisections of everything that your precious ideas of quality fooled you on. Your mother and I are very disappointed in you. Now, don’t yell heresy and reach for your pitchforks just yet. Yes, the world sees Forrest Gump as one of the few epics that can match the overwhelming effect it has on our hearts. We all know the famous lines word-for-word, and they will likely stay embedded in us for as long as our movie-going spirit sticks with us, but I say everyone’s due for a re-watch. As Gump spreads its feathers trying to approach universal truths in every passing scene and milking them for far more than they’re worth, our better senses might now look past the veneer and see what the movie’s really about: absolutely nothing. Or at least a lot of that nothing accounts for what’s missing between the two ears of its title character. We know the scenes. Forrest breezes through his life and miracle chances to meet more than one President, expose Watergate, enlist in Vietnam, play Ping-Pong across the world for his home country and even inspire Elvis’ trademark. Not many of these events ever really register with Forrest, but what can he say? Stupid is as stupid does, and it certainly BUZZ

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Three alternatives to An Inconvenient Truth

By buzz Movies and TV Staff

THE LEVI EFFECT: THE UNTOLD STORY OF CYCLIST LEVI LEIPHEIMER TUE. 10/23 - 7:30 PM

11:10, 12:35, 1:20, 2:45, 3:30, 4:50, 5:35, 7:05, 7:45, 9:15, 10:00 FALL MOVIES FRI/SAT LS 11:25, 12:10 Saturday & Sunday 9 & 10 AM ALEX CROSS (PG-13) ICE AGE 4 (PG) 12:20, 2:40, 5:00, 7:20, 9:45 LIGHTS UP SOUND DOWN - SAT. 10/20 - 9:30 AM FRI/SAT LS 12:05 S ARGO (R) 1:00, 3:40, 6:20, 9:00 FRI/SAT LS 11:45 S SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS (R) 11:20, 1:55, 4:25, 6:55, 9:25 FRI/SAT LS 11:55 HERE COMES THE BOOM (PG) 11:25, 1:50, 4:15, 6:40, 9:05 FRI/SAT LS 11:30 ATLAS SHRUGGED PART 2 (PG-13) FRI-SUN 11:00, 4:05, 6:35 MON, TH 11:00 TUE-WED 11:00, 4:05 PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER (PG-13) 12:00, 2:25, 4:50, 7:15, 9:40 FRI/SAT LS 12:00 S SINISTER (R) 11:30, 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30 FRI/SAT LS 12:00 S 3D FRANKENWEENIE (PG) $2.50 PREMIUM PER 3D TICKET 4:20, 8:40 S FRANKENWEENIE (PG) 12:00, 2:10, 6:30 FRI/SAT LS 11:00 TAKEN 2 (PG-13) FRI-WED 12:25, 12:55, 2:35, 3:05, 4:55, 5:25, 7:10, 7:40, 9:25, 9:55 FRI/SAT LS 11:40 TH 12:25, 12:55, 2:35, 3:05, 4:55, 5:25, 7:40, 9:55 PITCH PERFECT (PG-13) 11:00, 1:35, 4:10, 6:50, 9:20 FRI/SAT LS 11:50 S 3D HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (PG) $2.50 PREMIUM PER 3D TICKET 4:30, 8:50 S HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (PG) 12:10, 2:20, 6:40 FRI/SAT LS 11:10 LOOPER (R) 11:05, 1:50, 4:30, 7:10, 9:50 HOUSE AT THE END OF THE STREET (PG-13) FRI-MON 1:45, 9:10 FRI/SAT LS 11:35 TUE-TH 1:45 S TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE (PG-13) 11:35, 2:05, 4:35, 7:05, 9:35 FRI/SAT LS 12:05

20th century has been simplified much like its title character. It may be heartwarming to see a less-thanaverage man accomplish extraordinary feats, but only by bringing us down to our simplest impulses. It works on audiences’ sympathy to treat its mawkishness as something bold and enduring, when it’s more of an elaborate parlor trick. Effects such as Lieutenant Dan’s amputated limbs might continue to impress but the same can’t be said for the rest of its illusions.

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works out for him. And especially for the filmmakers. Forrest is more a clever contrivance for writer Eric Roth (who would try to mirror this success with his script for Benjamin Button) and director Robert Zemeckis than he is a strong character. Forrest’s lacking intelligence is apparent but prettified to give audiences a nice enough reason to laugh at his blunders, but subsequently feel sympathy for him whenever things turn blue. It’s a cheap ploy no matter how much praise Hanks’ performance receives, designed to make us think we feel something worthwhile from simply feeling. Most of these emotions come from memorable characters like Bubba, but these interactions spell out underdeveloped more than picaresque for Forrest’s journeys as the characters stick around just long enough to milk our reactions before they’re put on the back burner. Or, in Bubba’s case, six feet under. Forrest’s yearning for his troubled sweetheart Jenny links his treks across the world and they add up, with cues from the time periods’ top singles and figures. Although Forrest misses out on the significance of each event, his presence may have something to highlight, but they’re no more than window dressing as more and more zip by in montage, each event marginalized to a stereotypical essence. Even a digital John Lennon, which now looks like more of a stiff video game model, appears but is patented to paraphrase his “Imagine” lyrics. Despite Gump’s impressions of grandeur, the latter half of the

Used with permission from Magnolia Pictures

on’t get us wrong, the 2006 film An Inconvenient Truth is a poignant film that dives head first into the issue of global warming, treating the subject with the weight it deserves. It also doesn’t hurt to have a former

U.S. Vice President involved, but it isn’t the only global warming film out there. Our three picks document topics ranging from the food sustainability movement to biodiesel as a source of fuel. All three are a great way to get informed. Fuel (2008) For close to two years during the late ‘90s, Josh Tickell traveled across America in a flower-covered van (“The Veggie Van”) that ran on biodiesel made from left over cooking oil from fast food restaurants. His mission? To teach people about biodiesel. Despite the personal success and the publicity gained from “The Veggie Van” tour, Tickell himself pointed out that, at the time, nothing significant happened with biodiesel. Years later, he decided to go back on the road. Fuel is a wellresearched and put together documentary examining America’s oil problem. At the same time, Fuel isn’t all facts, data and numbers. The film takes on a personal tone when Tickell recounts his childhood in Australia and how that time in his life, plus his move to the U.S., helped shape his current interest in the work that he invested 11 years of his life in. —Joyce Famakinwa Food, Inc. (2008) It speaks highly of a film when it becomes routine for high school students to watch in class. Food, Inc. became a huge catalyst in the food

sustainability movement that now includes issues such as local, organic and fair labor. After Super Size Me caught fire, there was a huge uproar against McDonalds’ food practices. But Food, Inc. was the straw that broke the camel’s back. It exposed so many ills in our food system, ranging from the slave-like conditions immigrant workers endure to inhumane pig killing practices, all in the name of efficiency and profit. Easily a mustsee film for someone new to sustainability, it’s a tough-love introduction, complete with a happy ending. —Stephany Guerrero Who Killed the Electric Car? (2006) With global warming being a known atrocity where a gallon of petrol produces 18 pounds of CO2, why didn’t the electric car technology take over the market? Directed by Chris Paine, Who Killed the Electric Car? is an issue-based documentary that systematically explains the fall of General Motor’s EV1 from the car market during a time when global warming was, and still is, a high issue of concern. It brings to light how consumer loyalty, competition and government policy have the ability to sidetrack the possible solution to global warming. This documentary will wake your inner environmentalist up, yet small goofs like the funeral scene and Hollywood celeb testimonials keep it light. —Sneha Shukla

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I’m so beautiful it’s frightening.

OCTOBER 18 - 24, 2012

CRAFT-MAN-DO AND SO CAN YOU!

Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab offers a communal workspace for DIY aficionados by Rohaina Hassan

The Fab Lab. Used with permission from the Fab Lab

Labor and Employment Relation said, “you have the ability and capability to dream it, to think it, to do it on the computer, then to fabricate it with these machines.” The Fab Lab has a multitude of machines available that can cater to literally any project as well as a staff willing to assist in all matters of prototyping and creating. They have tools such as laser engravers, 3D printers, vinyl cutters, milling machines, drawing tablets, scroll saws, neuromakers and many more. The program is funded through grants, but mostly relies on volunteer labor. One of the grants was based on community management, which is why they have a lot of links to various organizations and initiatives. For example, they are currently organizing the first Youth Club (unnamed as of yet) where kids between the ages of 10-15 come in one Saturday a month and have the ability to use the entire lab on their own. Even more interesting is the fact that the Fab Lab is liaising with a young girl who is 11-years-old. “Digital fabrication is, by itself, revolutionary. In the sense that it is becoming less and less expensive to do something digitally,” said Barrett. With this program, it is easier than ever to accomplish projects. If you like to design and make things, stop in to the CUC Fab Lab and try some of the machines out or just hang out. The people who come in there to work or volunteer love being there and are extremely welcoming and ready to help you with whatever you need. They are located by Peabody and Goodwin and details on hours are available at their website, cucfablab.org.

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A puzzle made by the Fab Lab team. Used with permission from the Fab Lab.

he Fab Lab, discretely tucked behind U of I’s ACES Library, may look like an ordinary workshop, but inside the small brick building, something magical is happening. Community members of all ages and backgrounds are busy turning their ingenuities into realities using state of the art design technologies. The Fab Lab concept, short for fabrication laboratory, was originally an outreach program that was born in MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA). Neil Gershenfeld, the powerhouse behind the original Fab Lab, explores how content of information relates to its physical representation. Based on the idea that anyone should be able to make anything, this project has spread from not only MIT, but to rural India, Norway, South Africa and here at UIUC. One hundred fifty Fab Labs are located around the world, where all are connected and a part of the “Global Fab Lab Network.” The Champaign-Urbana Community Fab Lab came into existence about five years ago, after Joel Gershenfeld was inspired by Neil’s efforts at MIT. Joel went to then-Provost Linda Katehi with the idea and Katehi put aside $50,000 to fund this program. With such a limited budget, the organizers were faced with extensive planning and preparation and looking for a place to call home base. They ended up in the campus’ second oldest building with a large load of donated or salvaged equipment and inventory. Today, they pride themselves on being community driven, aiming to “increase the capabilities and broaden their horizons.” To be considered a part of the Global Fab Lab Network, organizers interested in it need to be open to the public (at least part of the time), agree to share knowledge and have the same standard set of machines and open source software that other labs around the world have. Betty Barrett, an assistant professor in the School of

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Food

Drink

Common ground expansion

Urbana’s Common Ground Co-Op in midst of expansion and ready for February debut by Olivia Ingram

Used with permission from Common Ground

ne of the most important steps to take when trying to develop a more sustainable lifestyle is to pay more attention to your food. One third of greenhouse gas emissions from human activity come from the unsustainable practices that go along with modern agriculture, which 85 percent of all human water consumption goes toward. Oh, and the food on an average American’s dinner table traveled between 1,500-2,500 miles to get there. That’s where Food Cooperatives — community-owned groceries that support local, sustainable food sources and promote healthy, educated, consumerism — come in. Common Ground Food Co-op, located at 300 S. Broadway Suite 166 in the Lincoln Square Mall in downtown Urbana, is now in the final stages of a huge expansion that will make it easier than ever for CU residents to live sustainably. We at buzz were lucky enough to get an interview with Joy Rust, the Marketing Manager at Common Ground, to find out more. » buzz: First off, why don’t you give us a brief explanation of how the Co-op functions, and what its goals are? Is there an emphasis on selling goods from local food sources? » Joy Rust: Common Ground is a community owned grocery store, so instead of being owned by one or just a few, we are owned by over 4,000 members of the CU community. Co-ops are in business to provide what their owners want, and they are controlled democratically by their owners. Cooperatives keep economic benefits within the community through creating jobs and, most importantly, supporting local producers and suppliers whenever possible. Profit is not siphoned off by outside interests and profit is never put before the needs of the owners. Common Ground not only focuses on local, but also has a strong emphasis on or6

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ganic. You do not have to be an owner to shop at the co-op; everyone is welcome! » buzz: Can you give me a list of the new features the expanded Co-op will have? » JR: Oh my, where to begin! Our deli is expanding big time! It will be three times its old size, adding an espresso bar with ethically sourced beans and local milk, made to order sandwiches and hot pizza by the slice, a salad bar filled with local, regional and/or organic ingredients, and an in-store bakery. Of course all other departments are expanding, too! Our grocery department is adding a beer and wine section, one of the top three things asked for by our owners in this expansion. Our produce department and body care section are more than doubling. We will also soon be carrying fresh, ethically raised meat. Until now, we have only stocked one freezer full of frozen meats. Another very exciting feature we are adding during this expansion is the in-store teaching kitchen and classroom! Education is a vital part of Common Ground’s mission and it’s a characteristic that makes us more than just a grocery store. With the addition of the in-store classroom, we will be able to offer hands-on cooking classes and will have a dedicated space for all the other great classets and workshops we offer! When the classroom is not reserved for teaching, this space will be available for gathering, studying and eating.

week of February 2013. Although construction will be finished by November (less than a month away!), we will still need the next few months to finalize new programs and get comfortable in our new space. Once the drills and hammers stop, the final stage of our expansion really begins. » buzz: I know that there have already been some significant additions to the Co-op, can you go into what those are? » JR: Common Ground has already added many new grocery aisles, doubling our freezer space and bringing in literally thousands of new products. A mezzanine was built to house office staff off the sales floor, allowing more room for the teaching kitchen. We now have five checkout lanes instead of three, all equipped

with conveyer belts! Hard to believe our old registers did not have them. One of the first additions to be built was the upstairs production kitchen which is three times the size or our old deli kitchen space! » buzz: Will there be more events and programs when the expansion is finished? Can you give some examples? » JR: We know how important it is to provide healthy food at an affordable rate, so we will strive to add more items to our Food For All staples list which is a list of healthy everyday items that are permanently discounted for all customers. Common Ground will be offering many hands on cooking classes in the new teaching kitchen, as well as launching a grant program for people who can’t afford to take

» buzz: How much bigger is the actual space post-expansion? » JR: By the time the expansion is said and done, we will be almost three times the size of our previous store. » buzz: When will you guys be completely done with the expansion? » JR: Our Grand Opening will be the second

The Common Ground Food Co-op in Urbana, Ill.. Photo by Lauren Leonatti

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Whyyyyyyyyy.

OCTOBER 18 - 24, 2012

Ballroom·Latin·Nightclub

Dance competition Saturday, October 20, 9am–11pm Illini Union Rooms A, B and C

UIUC students: Free General Public: $5 www.illinois.edu/ro/dancing

NT E D U ST SALE PRE DAY TO AM! AT 9Illinois nt! Organic vegetables at Common Ground Food Co-op in Urbana, Ill. Photo by Lauren Leonatti

these classes. Common Ground has already started to host more events and will be looking forward to sponsoring more as well. As we grow, so does our ability to give more back. » buzz: Why should students consider becoming owners? What kind of deals/opportunities come with ownership? » JR: To name just a few, all Common Ground owners receive a discount on hundreds of items throughout the store, and these deals change monthly. Owners also receive discounts on classes and bulk buying. As an owner of the Coop, students can vote on important issues, vote for your board members, or even run for the board themselves! By becoming an owner of Common Ground, students strengthen sustainable and just business practices, local food systems, and invest in building the local economy. » buzz: A lot of students don’t have very much time to cook elaborate meals from scratch, will there be more prepared food options post-ex-

pansion? Can you give a couple examples? » JR: Much more! Our deli will have the capacity to grow its prepared food offerings from deli dishes and salads to burritos to hot soups and more. As I mentioned before, our frozen section has already doubled, adding hundreds of new organic healthy frozen meals for those on the go. » buzz: And anything else you might want to say! » JR: It has been amazing to see Common Ground grow. When we moved to Lincoln Square Mall in 2008, we had fewer than 10 staff members. Only four years later, Common Ground currently staffs over 50 employees and will only be adding more positions over the next few months and years to come. Common Ground is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and you can become an owner by paying a $60 one-time fee, or by paying $5 a month for a year. Be sure to take advantage of Common Ground, it is without a doubt one of the most precious resources we have here in CU.

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REcycle the cycle

Bike Project changing transportation two wheels at a time

by Maggie Su

alking into the Campus Bike Shop is overwhelming. Located in a small, white garage on Pennsylvania Avenue between Sixth Street and Goodwin Avenue, the room is teeming with bike frames, wheels, used inner tubes, wrenches and tire levers. Grease is on the hands of everyone in the garage, including Ken Sutto, the new manager of the campus branch of the Champaign-Urbana Bike Project. One thing is evident in the atmosphere of the garage: These people are serious about their bikes. Indeed, the integral function of bikes in the campus community is not lost on Sutto. “Transportation is super important in our society,” Sutto said. “Global warming is a big issue on people’s minds, and for a lot of people bicycles are a great alternative to driving.” The Bike Project’s role as a non-profit, co-op business enables community members to take a more active role in reducing their environmental impacts. Sutto has worked in both traditional bike shops and community bike projects. “What I like about community bike projects is that they’re not about fixing things for you,” Sutto said. “They’re about empowering you with knowledge about how to take care of your bike.” Not only does the Bike Project provide a welcoming environment and the tools needed to

enhance any bike, it also provides the knowledge of experienced volunteers who are eager to help newcomers. According to Sutto, the goal is for biking novices to leave with “a sense of ‘I can do this. I can use a tool. I can fix my bike. I can use my bike to go where I want to go and live my life on my own terms.’” By keeping the focus on bike education, the Bike Project fosters a do-it-yourself mentality that Sutto hopes will make bike owners more responsible for their chosen form of transportation. “A lot of people treat a bike like a disposable item, unfortunately,” he said. “Bicycles are not like a pair of pants or a toothbrush; you don’t need another one every year. All my bikes are over 20 years old. I know people who’ve been riding the same bike for longer than I’ve been alive.” Sutto’s vision of bikes as “something you should cherish and take care of” also resonates with the members of the Urbana Bike Project, the co-op’s other location. The passion for sustainability quite literally runs the Urbana branch, which is made up entirely of unpaid volunteers. “We reuse everything that comes in here,” said Liz Mallott, a Thursday volunteer and graduate student at the University. “Even if a bike comes in that’s unrideable, we’ll take usable parts off it and recycle whatever scrap metal on it that’s not safe anymore.”

When asked how sustainability personally affected her, Mallott described the sense of accomplishment she felt in building her own bike. “When it came in, it was this old, sad frame with just a couple parts left on it, but it was obvious that it had been a really nice bike at one point,” she said. “I really enjoyed bringing it back to some of its former glory.” The rich, diverse members at the heart of the Bike Project all seem to have different motivations driving them back to the workshop every day. “We have real jobs. We do this for fun,” Mallot said. “I like bikes and have an interest in learning about bikes.” Sutto described some members as true bike lovers, others as people who simply enjoyed working with their hands and some who embraced the social aspect of the Bike Project and its ability to connect people from all around the world. “It’s a fascinating draw,” Sutto said of the appeal of the Bike Project. “And apart from that, some people just believe biking is really important. They believe this is a good way to change the car dominance of our culture. Personally, I like bikes, but more so I really want to see the world be a better place.” Despite facing such a daunting problem, Sutto’s enthusiasm is contagious. Like many

members of the Bike Project, Sutto believes teaching students about bikes and encouraging them to be more aware of their environmental impact is of the utmost importance. “It’s not even really about the bikes for me,” he said with a smile. “It’s just about people being more responsible for what they do in this world. If it were horses, I’d be a horse mechanic. If it were flying saucers, I’d be a flying saucer mechanic. But it’s bikes, so that’s what I’m doing.” As part of the University’s Sustainability Week running Oct. 22-26, the Campus Bike Shop will hold an open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 26.

Volunteer at the Campus Bike Project. Photo by Folake Osibodu.

dirt cheap supplies, dirt dorner quality Local electrician reuses old Harley parts to create artwork by Hannah Pitstick

ames “Dirt” Dorner spends about 50 hours a week in his garage making art out of old Harley motorcycle parts with a welder and a plasma cutter. Over the past seven years, he has created almost 900 pieces, raising more than $58,000 for children and veteran benefits. “I’ve always liked to weld,” Dirt said. “I’ve always fiddled with it. When I started out, all I did was welding to make my pieces. Then I got to work with a plasma cutter on the job and incorporated it – thought I could do some really cool things sitting between the two machines.” He got the nickname “Dirt” during his electrical apprenticeship class - because of him, they offered extra credit points for coming to class clean. He kept the name and carves it into all of his artwork because, to him, it also means making something from nothing. “I’m recycling and it’s all built from the ground up,” Dirt said. “So I like that. It fits. And I’m pretty filthy most of the time, anyway. Plus, it’s a good pick-up line. Some chick told me her name was Mud one time and I told her the only difference between her and me was that she was wet.” The first piece he ever made was an angel that now sits in the bathroom of Mid-State Cycles in Champaign, with a roll of toilet paper in one hand and paper towels in the other. 8

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He’s made many more angels since then, four of which fly in different area hospitals. “I believe in my angels,” Dirt said. “I believe in my angels because the first time I ever gave one of my angels away, the man I gave it to woke up from a 40-day coma within 24 hours of receiving the angel in his hospital room. What I took from that was, you can’t lose faith. Whose mother hasn’t asked them, ‘What are you going to do to make the world better?’ My answer to my mother is ‘I’m gonna make my world better. I can’t change the world, but I can change mine.” Dirt gets inspiration from a lot of places. He makes angels, eagles and anything that he thinks people would like, such as dream catchers, frogs, candle holders, butterflies and roses. He’s mastered roses; every one of his are incredibly detailed, with delicately pouting petals and veined leaves. “This is called The Angriest of Birds,” he said, picking up a shrieking metal bird. “This is called Midnight Eagle,” Dirt said, picking up a dream catcher with metal feathers hanging from the bottom. “It took about six hours.” “The King of Dogs,” he said, pointing to a chrome dog with a spiked crown. “For someone specific – he wanted a boxer look.” Dirt’s most prized piece is a massive chrome

eagle that hangs in his living room and lights up with different colors. He’s hoping to sell it just like everything else, but he wouldn’t let it go cheap. His pieces haven’t been sold at galleries; he prefers to sell them at VFWs and bars. “I’ve never had a better day than I’ve had watching somebody fight over something that I made from nothing,” Dirt said, referring to charity auctions where many of his pieces have been sold. Dirt gets motorcycle parts through donations and at swap meets. An entire room in his garage is filled with motorcycle parts: boxes of spokes and clutch plates and rows of multi-colored fenders. “When I go to swap meets shopping for motorcycle parts, I’ve got my little black, four-wheeled wagon to haul the parts out, and I walk from vendor to vendor with a binder filled with pictures of my art,” he said. When he’s not making art in his garage, Dirt spends his time riding with the Dinosores Motorcycle Club and trying to become famous. His latest piece was made out of the motorcycle parts from J&P Cycles’ junk bin. “The trick with that piece was I only had so many parts to work with,” Dirt said. “I wanted to prove to J&P that I could make something out of junk – it was kind of like building a puzzle.” J&P. an aftermarket motorcycle parts and ac-

Photo by Animah Boakye.

cessories superstore, is going to sponsor Dirt so he can make art for them to auction off on their website. He’s also going to be featured in Easyriders magazine this fall, and has a new website called artbydirt.com. “I’m a commercial electrician by trade, but the goal is to do this for a living; hopefully by next year I’ll be able to.” Dirt said. “And if not, I’ll sit here and keep doing this till the day I drop because it makes me happy. You gotta be happy.”

A bit of Irish stoicism never hurt anyone

readbuzz.com

OCTOBER 18 - 24, 2012

buzz

MUSIC

catching up with year of the bobcat by Jeremy Lin

p-and-coming local band Year of the Bobcat is set to open for Zach Vinson, a young rocker from Nashville, Tenn., on Thursday, Oct. 18. Year of the Bobcat is a four-piece band comprised of some of the weirdest, goofiest, coolest guys around town. They will be playing alongside locals An Evening with Your Mother to kick off the night. Recently, all of the members of Year of the Bobcat caught up with buzz to talk about the band and the show. » buzz: Hi, Can I get your name and position in the band? » Michael Hicks: Michael Hicks, I play bass. I’m also the quarterback. » Denton Hird: I’m Denton Hird, I play guitar, sing and I am the center as well. » Blaine Wright: My name is Blaine Wright, and I’m the drums. And the running back. Justin Bares: My name is Justin Bares. I’m the water boy. » buzz: First off, how’s it going? You guys were just at Pygmalion. How did it feel to play in front of all those people in the biggest music festival in Champaign-Urbana? » MH: It felt great! »BW: It was one of the bigger crowds. » DH: It was an interesting lineup that night, too. We had a blast; people seemed to be really open, and just there for the music. It was a lot of fun. » buzz: So, what are you guys up to right now? » BW: EP. MH: Yeah, we’re working on an EP. It’s recorded; we’re just in the mixing process right now. » buzz: Anything else besides that? » BW: Just playing shows here and there. » DH: Just writing music, like always. » buzz: Can you tell us a little about the upcoming show at Mike ‘N Molly’s? » MH: We got asked to play through one of the bands. We just kind of hopped on because they were looking for another band in town. » BW: An Evening with Your Mother [was the first local band on the bill]. » DH: Yeah, and it’s for Zach Vinson, who is coming through Champaign. » MH: Yeah, so he’s the one who got ahold of us. 10

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» BW: They were just looking for a couple of openers and stuff. So we were just one of the ones that got asked to play. » buzz: Any reason in particular why you chose to play this show? » DH: We like to play music? » BW: Yeah, that’s just it. We’re not out looking for shows, really. We’re just working on the EP and whatever shows fall into our laps, we take. » MH: Yeah, we’re not really picky. We’ll play whatever. » DH: As long as all of us are free, we’ll play. » BW: I think we consider ourselves new to the scene, or at least up-and-coming, so we’re taking shows, trying to meet as many people as we can, making connections. » buzz: It feels like you guys combine a lot of bands and genres into your music. Is there any specific way you do this? » DH: For a decent amount of the songs, I kind of write a skeleton, then we all bring our influences in. » BW: We’re not going for anything in particular. We kind of know what feels like our sound. » DH: And I think that’s one of the things that has been cool about this band. I’ve played in heavy bands in the past, where you’re trying to fit into a sound, and here, we just make music together. » BW: ...and I feel like we’re pretty diverse in what we play... » MH: ...but each of our styles makes it our own. » BW: We’re not trying to fit a certain genre or certain sound, but all of our influences come together and we just try to sound cohesive » DH: Right. » BW: If any of that rambling made any sense. [laughs] » buzz: Okay. How did you come up with the name Year of the Bobcat? » DH: Me and my friend played music in another band. I lived with him and we would just jam and write music and normally we just ramble like we’re doing tonight, and weird things happen, and the next thing we knew, we were going to call a band Year of the Bobcat. There’s not a lot behind it. You’re not going to find yourself in the name. » BW: Whatever makes us laugh the most is usually what happens.

» buzz: Going off of all of this, when you listen to music, do you focus on the parts that you play? » MH: I’ve always been a person who listens to the music. Vocals and lyrics are always second to me. I always concentrate on drums and how everything is put together. That’s what I’ve always been drawn to. It has a lot of meaning to me, just like how lyrics mean a lot to other people. » DH: I think mine’s been kind of like that. I have favorite guitar players, but not shredders; it’s just because they add to the music. The guitar player for As Cities Burn— I just feel like everything he puts in a song is perfect for what it needs. It goes for all of that, whether it’s the bass or the drums, I feel like I like what I like to listen to as a whole is how they fill in with the vocals. I really do like vocals, but more just the whole of the sound. » BW: I listen to the music, and I love the melody, and finally I listen to the lyrics. » JB: Simple stuff is usually the best stuff. » buzz: What is the best part of playing live? » JB: When stuff breaks [laughs]. » DH: For me, since I started playing live, playing live music is my life. It’s what I love; I don’t care if there are five people in the room or if there are 100 people in the room, or more. Just getting to be up there and being with your friends, making music and playing

it for people is just this, like, excitement, and I feel like we’ve been doing this for a while, whether it’s for this band or another, and it never gets old. Every time we step up there, it’s another story, it’s another best time of my life... Yeah, it got real deep, real fast. » MH: There have been points in time when I’m between bands, and I don’t think I could ever not play music. It’s not even about playing shows for me, either; I love practicing once a week. It’s like my therapy. » BW: For me, it’s a lot of feeling. It’s what grabs me the most. The smallest parts are the best. Playing live, the feeling is definitely awesome. Pygmalion was one of the best shows we’ve had in a while. The crowd was connecting with us, and that feeling is really cool. » MH: For me, too, I’ve noticed that I feel more confident when there are 100 there. It’s really exhilarating to play with a bunch of people there. » buzz: What’s your opinion on the CU music scene? » JB: This is my first band, really. I love being in this band, especially with these guys. Compared to the Charleston scene, the Charleston scene is a bunch of hippies. Here, we all have good chemistry. » MH: Just to add to that, pretty much every practice starts with a 30 minute jam session. Denton and Justin will start playing something, I’ll throw some bass in, and Blaine will be set up by then. It actually happens throughout practice. » JB: I just moved in with Michael, so it’s easier for us to all get together. » BW: And for being part of the CU music scene, it’s pretty awesome. To be up-and-coming... well, I mean, CU has a great music scene. There are so many bands— so many good ones that I’ve never heard of. » DH: Pygmalion: there were some awesome bands that played. But probably my favorite bands that played, no kidding, were the local bands. Every local band killed it. It’s a lot of talent. » BW: Yeah, and we’re lucky we’re here and a part of the scene, and not anywhere else. » MH: All these bands don’t sound the same, but there’s still this “Champaign” sound! » buzz: Any goals for the near future? » BW: Within a year, we would want to record and write some more music after getting this EP done. » buzz: When will the EP be done? » BW: Feb. 30, or whenever it’s a Thursday in February. We always play shows on Thursdays. And true to their words, Year of the Bobcat will be opening for Zach Vinson on Thursday, Oct. 18 at Mike ‘N Molly’s. They will, again, be playing with An Evening with Your Mother. The show starts at 9 p.m.

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Year of the Bobcat. Photo by Constantin Roman

» buzz: What are some artists you listen to? » DH: I feel like you’re going to hear four really different lists. » JB: I listen to a lot of heavy stuff: Ghost Inside, Counterparts, Misery Signals, stuff like that. I’ve been listening to a lot of trance lately. I find that lately, a lot of my riffs come from trance music for some reason, and I didn’t realize it. » BW: I don’t even know where to start. Okay. A new band, Sainthood Reps. It’s harder, grungier, not that indie, really. Gosh, I don’t even know. Paper Route, The Shins, Silversun Pickups, Band of Horses, I feel like I’m pretty diverse in what I’m listening to as well. » DH: I guess like, heavy music is where I started. I always loved heavy stuff, so I think that’s one thing that comes through with our music— the ups and downs of it, and the dynamic. For me, big ones are: David Bazan. I love his songwriting style. He is a huge influence on me, musically and in my life as well. So anything he touches musically, I think it’s just awesome. And As Cities Burn: it’s a band that started heavy, and got lighter as they went, and it felt that they were with me, the heavy is the type of heavy that I liked, and then I got into rock and roll and I loved that a lot. Brand New: I’ve always liked Brand New. This list could just keep going. I like pretty guitar and cool meaningful vocals. » MH: Brand New is a big one for me; I love their bass lines. They’re driving, but can also get you moving at the same time. I really like that. I also like Bloc Party and The XX. Oh, and Arcade Fire. » DH: There’s another one I should mention, especially with our band: The Snake The Cross The Crown: They’ve got this folky kind of rock and roll thing, and that’s a really big influence with me as well.

Mike ‘N Molly’s

Thursday, oct. 18 at 9 p.m. (doors at 8) TICKETS: $5 Ages: 19+

readbuzz.com october 18 - 24, 2012

You jelly, brah?

Roots rock with extra rowdiness Eric Earley of Blitzen Trapper talks gangster rap, storytelling by Maddie Rehayem