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Technology Issue December 2012 • Lawson Media and Publishing
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The Technol
ogy Issue
Contributors: Jamie Berg, Office Manager & Marketing Rob Lawson, Publisher Ethan Schweitzer, Design Casey Conroy, Intern Michael Carney, Writer
Live Event Photos
4 Pages Chef & Bartender Contest Page 5 Rescheduled Artist: Page 7 Featured Derek Ian Elvebak Page 9 Slanted Go Go Gadget Guide 2012 Page MN Music Hall of Fame 10 Inductees
Reviewed Page 11 Prometheus Pacman & Tetris Opinion
Page 12 Page 14 Page 15 Page 18
New Currency Bitcoin Windows 8 and RT Events Calendar Comic
Send a photo, story, story idea, letter to the editor or advertising request to slantedcreations@gmail.com. Lawson Media and Publishing • 612-460-5851 • P.O. Box 721 Mankato, MN 56001-721
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NOVEMBER 2012 LIVE MUSIC AND EVENT PHOTOS Moustache Bash at Pub 500 Benefit for Wes Schuck Featuring City Mouse
Mankato Mosaic at What’s Up Lounge Featuring String Theory
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Derek Ian Elvebak Prior Lake, MN Audio-Visual
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The Alright Let’s Talk Show
Derek Ian Elvebak is a digital artist with a strange mind. I have been friends with Elvebak since we were teenagers. I lived in Albert Lea at the time and he lived in an even smaller town called Alden. There were few kids at my school who were into avant garde stuff like I was. Then I met Elvebak. Elvebak had the same appreciation for independent films and dark comedy as I had. I used to stay up really late on school nights and watch the Independent Film Channel on Direct TV (our dish system ironically was installed in part by an Amish man in the area). Elvebak would come over and we’d watch crazy David Lynch movies like Lost Highway and Wild At Heart. We watched bizarre movies like Pi (movie where the guy drills a hole in his own head). We had that in common. We loved independent off the wall stuff. We were also both fans of dark comedy like Louis C.K., George Carlin, Bill Maher and many others. Derek is a loner artist like myself. He prefers the solitude of writing, drawing, making and creating in his own space and on his own terms. His art takes many forms: video, audio, music, drawing, acting and writing. Derek has written several pieces of unfinished material that includes comedy routines, short stories, longer from narratives, scripts and more. Derek has been indepdently recording music since his early adulthood when I showed him how to use Garageband on the Mac. He has crashed my Mac Mini twice, but that is beside the point. He spends hours crafting sounds alone. Remember, Derek’s a wierd one. He’s also into weird music. He’s like a walking music dictionary, even for some of the most obscure music I’ve ever heard and wondered if it was really music or myself having some sort of mental lapse! He is very much into independent music though, which is great! He’s not really stuck on any one particular genre either. His music recordings are under the pseudonym The Veiny Bubbles. Look up his songs and download them for free on Sound Cloud. Derek has turned his love for film into an art for himself and his own quirky projects. Derek began experimenting with video editing and simple computer animation and began developing videos for his music. He then began incorporating ideas from his writing into creating short animated videos. He started a series on YouTube called The Alright Let’s Talk Show. It is a very crude simple animation with characters that he does the voices for. He even introduces his dad on the show, but again does the voice himself. The Alright Let’s Talk Show is a late night talk show akin to Letterman, Kimmel, Conan, etc. It uses obviously edited in laugh tracks during the jokes. It is a little hard to find his videos on YouTube. Searching with the keywords, “Derek Elvebak Alright Let’s Talk Show” proves to be the best method of searching YouTube’s endless archives of video. Derek also created a short animated film in the film noir style, called Shared Space. It is an eery video about waking up after dying and being stuck in a room with just one other man and a button. Something strange happens every time that one of them presses the button in the room. I don’t want to spoil it for you, so head over to www.slantedmag.com to see the full video, or go to YouTube and check it out! It seems dying is common theme for Derek. He also made a short film about being stuck in a purgatory in a bathroom after swallowing some pills and comitting suicide. He talks to an image in the mirror. Dereks non-animation projects have included a short film called Puddin Pop News. It is a silent film on YouTube. Derek did most of his animations in the beginning in Microsoft Paint. He uses many other tools now, including video editing software and the effects that come with them to craft his stories. Derek Elvebak lives in Prior Lake, Minnesota. He graduated from Alden-Conger High School in 2002. He attended college, briefly in the twin cities.
Above: Short Film “Caticula” Derek Elvebak Pictured below left and middle. Digital art by Elvebak on bottom right.
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Best New Gadgets of 2012
Dell XPS One 27 – Dell has built a juicy all-in-one touch screen PC that resembles an iMac. It has amazing screen resolution and up to 2 TB of storage space. Features Intel Ivy-Bridge processors. Dennon MC2000 Serato – Digital tools now recreate what used to be done on vinyl (and Cds/DVDs subsequently). Connecting this device to a laptop gives users the great ability to cut, mix and scratch music and samples from their computer! Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 – This laptop is also a tablet thanks to Windows 8. Core i7 processorequipped, this laptop should pack power and portability with its punch. Naim UnitiLite – This thing is crazy. It’s like everything you’ve ever wanted in digital entertainment: a CD player, 30-pin iDock, digital to- analogue converter, high-res 32-bit/192kHz network streamer, web radio, integrated amplifier, can also be controlled via iPhone or iPad and has five digital and three analogue inputs. DAMN SON! Oakley Airwave Goggles – Without going into too much detail, these would be great at Mount Kato for any snowboard or ski enthusiast. These googles integrate Android and iOS,
LG UD 3D TV – What a load of two letter acronyms! UD stands for ultra definition – 3840 x 2160 is four times more than HD. It’s 84 inches to boot!
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as well as GPS and other goodies for analyzing jumps, speed, etc. DAMN SON!
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Slanted mag go go gadget guide Best New Gadgets of 2012 Continued
Archos Gamepad, Nintendo 3DS or Sony PS Vita – Gaming on these powerful little portable devices is crazy awesome! Remember Gameboy and Gamegear? Nintendo Wii U – This will hopefully be a far better system than the original Wii (which was fun to begin with). The old Wii was lacking in game titles, which is odd for Nintendo, given their success over the years. They tried to be so family friendly that they forgot where their bread and butter really comes from – violent video games! Let’s have more of those this time, huh? Adults like video games too ... especially shooters, RPGs, racing games, sports and action! Windows 8 and RT - See our article on the subject on page 14. We reccomend it!
Minnesota Music Hall of Fame in New Ulm Announces 2012 Inductees:
• Leonard “Skeets” Langley - Champlin • Chord-Ayres - Milan • Leroy Glazier - Sauk Rapids • Koerner, Ray & Glover - Minneapolis • Canoise - St. Cloud • Jerry Minar - New Prague
Upcoming Grant Deadlines - Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council
Nov. 1 and Dec. 1 - for Small Arts and Arts-In-Education Grants of $200-$2,500 and monthly thereafter. Small Arts Grants are for non-profit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) arts organizations, community groups, public organizations, or units of government that produce or sponsor arts activities within the nine county region. Arts celebrations in communities can use grant funds for music groups that are performing in a community setting, but not for marching band fees that are participating during a parade. Public Schools can use their AIE grant to fund artist residencies, live art performances for students or arts related field trips. January 15: The Emerging Artist “Letter of Intent” is due (this can be
submitted electronically) with the full application mailed and postmarked no later than February 1. February 1 - for an Arts and Cultural Heritage Grant. Organizations that are sponsoring an arts activity in dance, literature, media arts, music, theater and visual arts are eligible. Groups should be tax-exempt 501(c)(3) arts organizations, non-profit community groups, units of government and Public schools. Grant funds may be used for arts programming expenses and equipment that enhances the artistic ability of the organization. Arts organizations maximum is $6,500 and community groups and schools is $3,500. Applications for all grants are available on the PLRAC website
www.plrac.org. Please contact the office if you have any questions about this information. The next arts calendar submission date is November 14, for calendar events in December 2012. Have a nice week! New Information for Artists: The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has compiled a database of artists, that we want you to be aware of. The MDA administers the County Fair Arts Access and Cultural Heritage Grant Program, so they created a space where MN artists could express their interest in working with fairs, and where county fairs could find potential collaborators. While county fairs are the only eligible applicants for this grant program, fairs may use grant
dollars to compensate an artist for their work at the fair. More information about the County Fair Artist Access database is now an online searchable page http://www.mda. state.mn.us/grants/grants/countyfair/artistdatabase.aspx The MDA hopes to see this database grow, and for every region of the state to be represented by their local artists. We encourage artists, who have projects that work within the program goals of the County Fair Arts Access and Cultural Heritage Grants Programs, to sign up online and share their talent with MN County Fairs. If you have questions, contact Emily Murphy, MN Department of AGriculture, 651-201-6648 or Emily. Murphy@state.mn.us
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Game Culture If any two games have had longevity, crossing into newer and newer generations, it has been Pacman and Tetris. There are others that have had similar longevity, but in my opinion, not nearly as much impact as Pacman and Tetris: Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog and Pong. With the exception of Pong, these games just reincarnate into different versions, genres, etc. Pong is a classic, but I’m not sure it has really crossed over as many generations, people or culture as Pacman and Tetris have. Not only are the Tetris and Pacman games simple, yet aggressively challenging; they are also appealing to the senses. Their branding alone is rermarkable. Try to find someone who doesn’t know what Pacman or Tetris is. I think the simple Pacman character commands attention, they way the Simpsons do. Tetris, on the other hand, is just a bunch of square, rectangle and L-shape pieces. But the way the game plays out
leaves an addictive impression in the mind. Many times after playing, I found myself playing it in my own head! Here is a bit of history behind the games that shall live on forever (even if just in our minds)! May of 2010 marked the 30th Aniversary for Pacman. 32 yeears, going on 33, is legendary for a video game. Pacman, orginally Pakkuman for Japanese players, was developed by Namco and licensed for distribution by Midway in the United States. It addicted arcade gamers everywhere, back when there were still arcades, anyway. The Mega Coin Laundry in Mankato still has one, and they remain a popular novelty game in many independently owned businesses. We may just get one at the LMP office! Tetris was of course developed in Soviet Russia (known also for developing chess ... go figure). It was the first game ever released to the U.S. from U.S.S.R., in 1984.
If you haven’t seen this movie yet, I recommend watching it on Netflix, Hulu, Redbox or however you choose to view movies these days. This movie is great, in my opinion, because the narrative plays into the constant action of the movie as well as the suspense behind the storyline. Promethius is a science fiction tale of a crew on a ship that volunteered for a mission (like many modern sci-fi flicks it seems) for monetary incentive. Each crew member, of course, has their own specialty. Their mission is to find “the creator” of their species, based on artifacts found on earth pointing to the heavens (space). A man and woman, who are in love, are the researchers who stumbled onto the idea of searching out a galaxy cluster that resembled the artifacts they
dug up. The mssion is funded by a corporation for $1 trillion. They find what they are looking for, but discover that what they have found is a little more than what they bargained for. The movie itself has a lot of religious and spiritual undertones, with the crew looking for their “creators” and pondering the questions that mankind has been pondering for centuries. Who created us and why? The movie also hints at the prequil to another popular sci-fi series we all know: Alien (yeah, that’s right, the movie with Sigourney Weaver). Promethius takes the viewer on a wild journey, keeping them guessing until the very end, when things become a little more clear. There is everything that a good sci-fi horror movie
Film - Prometheus should have: danger, mystery, intrigue, suspense, violence, sex, a cuniving android and yes, a woman impregnated with an alien baby. What more could you ask for? Well, drugs and rock n’ roll come to mind, but that’s a different movie altogether. It has been a while since I have seen a truly fascinating movie of this type and I would suggest it to any fan of the genre. Ridley Scott directed the film and dveloped it with James Cameroon. It sat dormant as Alien vs. Predator took precedence.
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12By Michael P. Carney In uncertain economic times, a common refrain from arm-chair economists is to invest in gold. We see commercials for Cash4Gold, the mail-in gold exchange, advertising the value o f gold, and h o w willing they are to buy it. This isn’t terrible advice, as gold has been a steady commodity for thousands of years. Our currency used to be tied to this commodity. In times long past, a person could literally walk into a bank and exchange their coins and bills for gold, and currency could only be printed if central banks had gold reserves equivalent to the amount of currency in circulation. This helped prevent inflation and deflation, which is a good characteristic for currency to have. Some time in the 20th century, central banks around the world abandoned the gold standard and implemented fiat currency. This allows banks to print as much currency as they wish as dictated by their governing authorities without holding anything in reserve to preserve its value. Wisely, most central banks keep the money supply relatively steady, so as to stave off inflation and deflation. However, since currency is no longer backed by the steady value of gold and governments keep printing more and more of
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currency over time. This is w h y everything costs more now than it did years ago – it isn’t that prices are going up, it’s that money is worth less. Ten years ago, the price of one ounce of gold was less than $350, while the current price is over $1,700, an increase of more than 400%. This is not only due to a decreasing value of currency, but also an increasing value of gold. Whereas gold used to be valued for its rarity as a mostly decorative metal, it is very valuable now for its usefulness in precision digital electronics. The principle behind investing in gold is sound. An economic principle known as Gresham’s Law states that “bad money drives out good”. To further explain, when one currency is valued more than another currency, the high value currency will be hoarded, and the low value currency will flood the market. This is the principle that gives
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credence to the arm-chair economist’s advice. Ever since the gold standard was abandoned, gold has been hoarded in much the same way as an overvalued currency. Our present banking system still prints paper money and stamps metal coins, but increasingly it can forgo printing and create money electronically. More and more consumers are carrying less and less cash as credit swipe terminals have become nearly ubiquitous. The days are waning on using the mail to exchange money; banks offer online bill pay services and online retailers favor secure exchange services such as Paypal. The digital revolution has certainly had an impact on how we use currency, but currency hasn’t significantly changed since leaving the gold standard. That may change soon. As modern economy relies on computers for an ever-growing share of our transactions, a new currency has capitalized the commodity of raw computing power. Bitcoin is a new digital currency that many people are starting to adopt. The creators of this currency do not operate as a central authority, instead relying on peerto-peer client software to process transactions and produce the currency itself. Eschewing traditional methods of minting currency, Bitcoin instead uses computing power to create currency. This concept behind it is unique. Essentially, every Bitcoin is locked in a secure digital safe with an encrypted lock. Everybody using the software has access to every safe and is free to try and open it using their computer to crack the encryption. When the safe is cracked, the Bitcoin is unlocked and becomes the private property of the code cracker, safely stored in a digi-
tal wallet, while others can see that the safe has been unlocked. The Bitcoin inside of the vault is unique and digitally matched to the safe it was kept in. When one exchanges a Bitcoin, the public record of the open safe is matched with the private record of the coin, verifying its authenticity. The process of unlocking Bitcoins is referred to as coin mining, harkening back to the days of old when prospectors would mine riches of gold from the ground. Today’s prospectors use high powered computers to do their mining, giving them an advantage over those with less raw computing power. The number of Bitcoins in circulation right now is approximately 10.5 million. No more Bitcoins will be created; the hard limit on the amount that will ever exist is 21 million, which limits inflation and deflation forces. At the current rate of expansion, they may all be unlocked sometime before 2017. As more Bitcoins are unlocked, the cryptography required to unlock more becomes more difficult. This was part of the design to ensure that the rate of currency expansion matched the increase of users over time. The increasing acceptance of Bitcoins by online retailers has made the cryptocurrency more successful than ever. It has a futures market and an exchange rate with other major world currencies. It is unique among currencies in that it is not issued by a governing authority, and is neither a physical commodity subject to other market forces, nor a company which holds real value. One enthusiast has even gone so far as to make physical Bitcoins that store the private record of its authenticity in a small chip in an actual coin. Time will tell if digital currencies become the future of world trade, but the future looks bright for Bitcoin.
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City Center Art Winners Announced
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The CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour announced the 2012 award winners at the November 13th Greater Mankato Business Awards and Hall of Fame event. Several new award categories were added this year, including “Best of Show Other Materials” in addition to the “Bronze” category, “Kid’s Choice”, and “Photo Contest Best of Show”, determined by well known photographer Gregg Andersen of Gallery 19. The Best of Show Photo Contest Award went to Jesse Berg of Mankato for his photo “Fat Tony”. The Kid’s Choice Award was based on the sculpture with the most votes received from the Scavenger Hunt for Kids Card. The Kid’s Choice Award went to “Tuckered Out Guardian Angel” by artists Lee Leuning and Sherri Treeby, of South Dakota. Best of Show sculpture winners were juried and selected by an esteemed group of judges including: Donald Myers - Director, Hillstrom Museum of Art and Instructor at Gustavus Adolphus College in the Department of Art and Art History, Eric Ouren - Art Professor at Bethany Lutheran College, and Walter Zakahi - Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, Minnesota State University, Mankato. Winning sculptures in “Other Materials” included, Best of Show – Honorable Mention, “The Morning Star” by Steven Maeck of Florida; Best of Show – Third, “Klompenboot” by Kyle Fokken of Minnesota; Best of Show – Second, “Portal for the Agrarian” by Greg Mueller of Minnesota; and Best of Show – “Aplomb” by Luke Achterberg, Kentucky. Winning sculptures in “Bronze” included, Best of Show – Honorable Mention, “To Love is to Be” by Martin Eichinger of Oregon; Best of Show – Third, “Natural Wonders” by Michele Moushey Dale of Wisconsin; Best of Show – Second, “Reflections” by D.E. McDermott of Virginia; and Best of Show – “Guidance” by Deb Zelenak of Wyoming. The People’s Choice winner, which is the sculpture that received the most popular votes from the public, was also awarded to Deb Zelenak for her sculpture “Guidance”. The People’s Choice sculpture will be purchased by the City Center Partnership and permanently installed in City Center North Mankato. Additionally, all artworks, except “Guidance” are now available for sale or lease until April 2013. CityArt has drawn over 10,000 people from 33 different states in the US, 5 foreign countries and over 70 Minnesota communities to Mankato to enjoy the tour and experience all that the downtown City Center has to offer. The number of votes cast for all the sculptures was nearly 1,000. All of the sculptures received votes, which was a testament to the high quality and wide variety of sculptures presented. CityArt has been a highly visible project and the installation of a high-quality display of outdoor sculptures by professional artists has raised public awareness of the importance of art to the community. Plans are already well underway for the 2013 tour which will include 35 sculptures, with several spots reserved for artists from the Greater Mankato area. CityArt is fulfilling several goals laid out in the Envision 2020 and City Center Renaissance Plans, and the economic benefits to the community are tremendous. As a result of CityArt, City Center Mankato has increased pedestrian traffic, increased tourism, and boosted an overall revitalization of the downtown core. The mission of the CityArt Walking Sculpture Tour is to create a professional, year-round outdoor sculpture program in the City Centers of Mankato/North Mankato that is both high-quality and artist-friendly. CityArt is a program of the City Center Partnership and a collaborative effort with the cities of Mankato and North Mankato. For additional information, please visit the CityArt website, www.cityartmankato. com. The City Center Partnership was created to serve City Center Mankato by developing the area into an attractive and dynamic place to live, shop, work and play. The City Center Partnership is devoted to enhancing the City Center’s vitality and visibility throughout the Greater Mankato community and beyond.
Southern Minnesota Arts and Culture News Nancy Goettl Appointed to PLRAC Board Lincoln’s Trials by Fire
The Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council (PLRAC) recently appointed Nancy Goettl, Mankato to serve on the board representing the City of Mankato announces Brenda Byron, Executive Director for Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council. Two new board members and one incumbent member were appointed to the board recently. The board is comprised of thirteen members, one from each of the nine counties, and one from each city over 10,000 population. Nancy has a B.S. in Business Administration and a M.A. in English: Literature. She is an adjunct faculty at Minnesota State University, Mankato. She is a board member of SMILES Center for Independent Living, Mankato and the Mankato Kiwanis Club. In the past she participated in dance and theater activities. Prairie Lakes provides grants for arts activities including dance, music, theater, literature, and visual art classes and exhibitions. Upcoming grant deadlines for PLRAC are the first of each month, December, 2012 through June, 2013 for $200-$2,500 Small Arts Projects by community groups and Arts-In-Education school residency grants; January 15, 2013 for Emerging Artist Grants and February 1, 2013 for Arts and Cultural Heritage Grants. Grant program information and applications are available at www.plrac.org or contact Brenda Byron, Executive Director, at the PLRAC office in Waseca, 1-800–2981254 or plrac@hickorytech. net for information. The PLRAC serves a nine county area in south central Minnesota. (L to R): Nancy Goettl, City of Mankato, and Lill Robinson, Faribault County.
December 1, 2012 marks the 150th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s 1862 Annual Message to Congress, in which he devoted an entire section of it to the U.S.-Dakota War. Five days later, Lincoln issued his final order of execution, determining how many of the original 303 Dakota warriors sentenced to death for killing white settlers on the Minnesota frontier would be hanged at Mankato, on December 26th. To commemorate the sesquicentennial of these historically significant, but tragic events; local historian, and author, Bryce Stenzel will be releasing his newest playbook: “...We Cannot Escape History...” Abraham Lincoln’s Trials by Fire, at a special book release event. In addition to signing copies of his new book, Mr. Stenzel will be leading a thought-provoking discussion detailing: a brief summary of the events that culminated in America’s largest mass-execution, a description of how the play was written and performed, and an objective analysis of how the historiography of the U.S.-Dakota War has changed over time. Special emphasis will be placed on discussing the ongoing controversy associated with how the Dakota hanging site should be memorialized. This event is open to the public. Books will be available for sale. Donations will be accepted on behalf of the Boy in Blue Memorial Project, whose goal it is to rebuild Mankato’s Civil War soldier statue that once stood proudly in Lincoln Park. For more information, visit: www.mnheritage.com or www.boyinblue.org or call 507-345-5566.
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WINDOWS 8 - Does MS
have a bright future?
Windows 8 and RT: Has Microsoft finally wised up?
It wasn’t that long ago that major operating systems only included Mac, Windows and Linux as major players. That was until Apple and Google started tinkering with the idea of turning phones into computers with an OS built in (There were Palm Pilots, but capability didn’t compare to modern computing). Thus, the iPhone and Android smartphones, then came the iPad, iPod touch, Android-powered tablets and Windows Mobile. Blackberry became another popular platform unto itself. However, Microsoft was quietly developing its own touch technology for years, since the early 2000s. 2009 was the year it really began developing prototypes for what would morph into Windows 8 and RT to compete on the competitive smartphone and tablet market (not to mention e-readers like the Kindle Fire, Nook and others). The criticism against Microsoft compared to its competitors was that it wasn’t as intuitive or modern. Apple always seemed to be a step ahead with its ergonomic OS and its other emerging products in the entertainment domain. One of its biggest achievements: ecommerce with iTunes and the App Store. Windows has finally released a similar “Windows Store”. It seems as if Windows may have gotten over some of its humps, in terms of creating a great product versus a good product. However, time will tell if other issues Microsoft has seen in the past will continue to haunt them. Windows has always had a problem of maintenance. Continuous maintenance on its systems. Security maintenance. Non-stop updates, fixes and the like. Considering the development of the product took place before Windows 7 even shipped, it’s hard to really make a guess even at this point. Here are a few of the new features in Windows 8 and RT: USB 3.0 Faster startups Ability for enterprise users to create live Windows versions on USB “Windows to Go” From users whom have tested it out, the first thing they mention is how quick it loads from start. One problem that Windows has always struggled with, compared to Mac, Linux and Android systems was its issues with malware. Windows 8 and RT have apparently been able to finally overcome this nasty issue. CNET said “the bad guys” will catch up eventually, but right now it is non-existent. CNET also explained how the surface RT is so unique, there will never be a mistake in intellectual property as there were between Apple and Samsung. RT will certainly generate a lot of buzz, and rightly, a lot of sales. Surface RT is not cheap, but is consistent with iPad prices, so it is competitive. I’d put my money toward the RT. Windows 8 is also competitive. RT also ships with Office. Finally! It looks like Microsoft has a bright future, and may be learning from its competitors and its previous stumbles. Microsoft will also be a business-user powerhouse company, but it looks like it will finally be a solid competitor in the creative and entertainment/media market now as well. And of course in the mobile and touchscreen revolution in technology. We can chalk this up to Microsofts careful and methodical development process this time around. They pulled out all the stops and it looks like they may even have room for some good improvements.
Surface on Display in Times Square. Microsoft Surface played a big part in a Times Square billboard takeover that took place early Oct. 26, 2012, as part of the Windows 8 launch. Image courtesy Microsoft.
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MANKATO BUSTER’S BAR Lost Highway Saturday, Dec 1 Since their inception in 2009, Lost Highway has proven themselves to be one of the Upper Midwest region’s top country bands. From opening shows for national acts such as Hank Williams Jr., Clay Walker, and Josh Thompson, to playing outdoor festivals, or playing to capacity crowds in the hottest venues in the area, Lost Highway’s commitment to Country Music and electrifying crowds is evident every time they hit the stage.
ality and flair. If you want to be a part of the party, then a Rhino show is where you want to be. Another aspect of the Rhino show is their drum routine, guaranteed to drop a few jaws and gain new fans with each performance. This adds to the already electric and exciting nature of each show. Rhino is a band you won’t want to miss!
Boba Bliss christmas Thursday, Dec 6 Come early for Bobaflex Acoustic set Bobaflex and Royal Bliss hit the stage for one hell of a good rock show for Mankato,
Chris brooks and the silver bullet boys Saturday, Dec 8 Chris Brooks & The Silver City Boys are a premier Minnesota-based Country Rock band. This dynamic 5-piece packs dance floors with crowds looking for current/classic hits, as well as “Red Dirt” country, the hot sub-genre from Texas and Oklahoma. Accolades listed below.
Rhino Friday, Dec 7 Rhino is a five member, high energy Twin Cities based band playing a wide variety of modern, alternative, 80’s and classic rock with twists of country and other surprises splashed in. The show is non-stop entertainment and fun, sure to make you stomp your feet, get up and dance, or sit back and enjoy. All five members bring a different element of energy and showmanship to the stage, each with their own unique person-
Texas Hippie Coalition Sunday, Dec 9 Texas Hippie Coalition are committed to crafting a unique, original and thoroughly raucous brand of music that’s born of both life experience and a respect for rock ‘n’ roll’s forefathers. What exactly is Red Dirt Metal? Take outlaw country, toss in a dash of Southern-fried classic rock and mix it with some potent Texas power grooves and you’ve got a combustible sonic cocktail on your hands. Texas Hippie Coalition’s third
album Peacemaker is a textbook example of Red Dirt Metal, which is the sound the band has been honing and cultivating for its entire existence. Young LA Thursday, Dec 13 Moe Merkin Friday, Dec 14 Moe Merkin, an alternative rock group from South-Central Minnesota, formed in May of 2010. Their sound has been described as a creative mixture of Weezer, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against the Machine. Their single “Dirty,” from the band’s recently recorded demo, has already received airplay on radio stations in Mankato. Playing covers as well as originals. 2 Mile Final Saturday, Dec 15 Cover “2 Mile Final” has quickly become one of the premiere Country Rock Bands in the Midwest. The addition of Nashville recording artist “Sara Lynn Wallin” has been a catalyst in that process. We are currently playing venues across Mn, Wi & Dakotas, including places like Toby Keith’s, GB Leightons Pickle Park, Stars n Strikes, SoDak State Fair, Ramble Jam Country Festival, JamFest Otsego, MN, Hamel Rodeo, Sturgis SD. Many City Festi-
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vals etc. We have shared the stage with National artists like “Josh Thompson”, “Frankie Ballard”, “Lee Brice”. 2MF would definitely be a greatly entertaining addition to your entertainment schedule. Hollywood Blvd. Friday, Dec 21 80’s glame Rock band that will have you rocking on he dance floor. Some say they could be the next HairBall of Minnesota. 32 Below Saturday, Dec 22 32 Below takes no breaks. As a result of their hard-working roots and their respect for the crowd, when this band takes the stage the music does not stop. Combining their inspired original music with songs by artists they love, 32 Below has rolled their spectacle to venues across the country, leaving behind only wide eyes and dropped jaws. The combination of over three hours of unparalleled energy in their relentless show, nationwide airplay, and 25,000+ albums sold has opened many ears to the sound of the boys from Fargo, ND. Ever-changing for better than a decade, 32 Below has always made music that can only be described as all their own. To hear is to know, and to see is to believe. Come hear, come see...32 Below: “Where Country and Rock Collide.”
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Jeremy Poland Friday, Dec 28 Singer, songwriter, acoustic / acoustic rock From great lyrics, to beautiful vocals, to fun loving music, Jeremy Poland has it all. In 2009 Jeremy Poland won an Opening act contest and opened for Switchfoot. He has toured the southeast and spent a lot of times on stage. He recently moved to Minnesota and is trying to spread his music, please contact him to play wherever and whenever. Latino Night Saturday,
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IV Play Monday, Dec 31 IV Play (4 Play for all you 3rd grade dropouts) introduced itself to the music scene in 1999. Playing anything from the Village People to Pantera, this premier rock band will have you on the dance floor in no time! Based out of Mankato, Minnesota, you may have seen the name playing most of their dates in the upper mid-west, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and South Dakota. IV Play can take you from the arena rock and hair metal of the 80’s, to the down and dirty grunge rock of the 90’s, to the hot pop dance hits of today! Oh yeah, and everywhere in-between! IV Play hopes you enjoy the show and looks forward to seeing you at a gig soon!!!
Polar Plunge Breakfast Benefit Saturday, Jan 5 PUB 500 Sat. Dec. 1 Morning Kings Alternative Jam Band 9pm Sun. Dec. 2 Braden Saulsbury Piano Pop Rock 10am Mondays Free Live Poker Texas Hold ‘em
7pm
Tues. Dec. 4 Open Mic Night Hosted by Betty and Ocho 9pm Thursdays Live Free Trivia Play alone or bring a team - win prizes 8pm Sat. Dec. 8 The Whiskies 2 Guys, 2 Guitars, 200 Songs 9pm Sat. Dec. 15 Mainstreet Favorites
9pm
Rock
Tue. Dec. 18 Open Mic Night Hosted by Betty and Ocho 9pm Mon. Dec. 24 Blue Ox Jazz Babies
Dixieland Jazz Mon. Dec. 31 Neon and the Noble Gases Modern Rock and Funk 9pm VERIZON WIRELESS CENTER/RIVERFRONT PARK AMPHITHEATER MSU Maverick Men’s Hockey Saturday, December 1, 2012 Come on down to the Verizon Wireless Center and show your support for your MSU Mavericks as they take on Bemidji on December 1st! Saturday, December 1st: 7:07PM Single-game and season tickets for MSU men’s hockey home games are available now. For more information on the season ticket packages, please call MSU Athletics at (507) 389-6111 during regular business hours (8:00-4:00, M-F). LORIE LINE & HER FAB FIVE The 2012 Holiday Extravaganza “Immanuel” LORIE LINE & HER FAB FIVE Thursday, December 6, 2012 * Doors: 7:00 PM * Start Time: 7:30 PM SoundStage Lorie Line & her Fab Five will be back in Mankato on Thursday, December 6 at
the Verizon Wireless Center Soundstage. Don’t miss the 2012 Holiday Extravaganza “Immanuel.” “Immanuel” will feature glorious Christmas music, all centered around Lorie’s concert grand piano. Line will be bringing her Fab Five, which will feature new “stars” on the stage this year. Plan to bring and ring your bells as they will once again be part of this brand new and exciting holiday show! MSU Maverick Men’s Hockey Mankato vs. AnchorageAlaska (Game 2) MSU Maverick Men’s Hockey Saturday, December 8 WINE CAFE The Larry McDonough Jazz Quartet 8:00 pm A very fun night of Jazz Open Mic Night Wednesdays BECHS Christmas at the Hubbard House Sat. Dec. 1 Discover the Dakota Culture & Heritage Sat. Dec. 1 Hubbard House Tours December 8, 9, 15, and 16 from 1-4p.m.
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MARY GUENTZEL JAZZ QUNITET Old Town Antiques 521 North Riverfront Drive Mankato, MN Rockin’ Christmas Book Signing Author John J. Koblas: “Let Them Eat Grass - The Dakota War of 1862” Authority on Jesse James in Minnesota And Doo-Wop Singer of The Magpies www.mnriv.com/koblas.html With Christmas song and Western Music by Lonesome Ron - King of the Valley Yodelers www.LonesomeRon.com
Mankato. Gallery hours: Mon.Fri. 6:30 a.m. to midnight, Sat. 8 a.m. to midnight, and Sun. 10 a.m. to midnight. 507-3896767, http://csu.mnsu.edu/, or www.mnsu.edu/artdept/.
MSU Dec. 1 “I Love You Because” theater production at MN State University, Mankato, Andreas Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Adults $10, seniors over 65 and youth under 16 $9, and MSU students $8. (507) 389-6661 or www. mnsu.edu/theatre/.
MANKATO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Dec. 9 The Mankato Symphony Orchestra’s “Candy Cane Concert” featuring music from Hansel & Gretel, traditional holiday favorites and Christmas singalong, 3 p.m. At Mankato West High School Auditorium, 1351 S. Riverfront Dr. Adults $25, $20, or $15; children 18 and under $5, contact the Twin Rivers Box Office, 523 South Second Street, Mankato. (507) 3871008, www.twinriversarts.org, or www.mankatosymphony. com.
Dec. 1 Nepal Night, including traditional dances, songs, a skit that show the daily life in Nepal, and different Nepali dishes, 5:30-9 p.m., general admission $9. Centennial Student Union, MN State University, Mankato. 507-3896767, http://csu.mnsu.edu/, or www.mnsu.edu/artdept/. Dec. 1-7 Master of Art Exhibition by Barnieh Opoku Manu, at Centennial Student Union Gallery, MN State University,
GSR - VERIZON CENTER Dec. 1-2 10th Annual GSR Fine Art Festival of professional artist vendors and musical performances, Dec 1, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Dec 2, 12 - 5 p.m., free, Verizon Wireless Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Mankato. (507) 934-5655 or www. gsrfineartfestival.com.
WHATS UP LOUNGE Dec. 1 Breakneck the Mage HIP HOP HOORAY! Featuring Breakneck The Mage w/ the style biters, AN-
TIOCH, C.LEX @00LYNTA, DLP, JOEY WILLIAMS, MATTARI 2600, and OPEN FREESTYLE!! 10 PM // $5 // 21+ A FABULOUS EVENING OF HIPPITTY HOPPITTY FUN Dec. 5 Writer’s Bloc eaturing Writers Bloc 9:00 PM // FREE // 21+ Writer’s Bloc is a monthly open mic reading event. Though each moth has a different theme, one is not required to follow it. Anyone can sign up to read their creative work, and everyone is encouraged to listen to other writers read their stuff. Dec. 7 Captain Eleven eaturing Captain Eleven w/ Ghostwood Project, and ILL POE 10PM // $5 // 21+ yup. you heard right. captain eleven is back for a limited time! dont miss this one, who knows when this shit’ll happen again... Dec. 14 Before Christmas Bash Featuring Young Pooh w/ Luminati, Young Blac, TRaw, EVIL DEEDS, Double Dose, Dolla, and J-Staxx 9:00 PM // $5 // 21+ Dec. 15 Nightmare Before Xmas Featuring Young Pooh
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w/ Luminati, Young Blac, TRaw, EVIL DEEDS, Double Dose, Dolla, and J-Staxx 9:00 PM // $5 // 21+ Dec. 21 End of the World Party Featuring the style biters w/ ANGRY BUKOWSKI, GOLDEN BUBBLES, the Body Politic, and Professor Fresh 9PM // $5 // 21+ ITS THE END OF THE WORLD BITCHES! MAY AS WELL GET WASTED AND DANCE YOUR ASS OFF WHILE THE PLANET FOLDS IN ON ITSELF.. ST. PETER PATRICK’S ON THIRD Live Music Sundays Featuring Wooden Nickels Trivia Tuesdays 6 pm GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE Dec. 1-2 Exhibit of 150 Years of Swedish Art: Highlights from the Swedish National Collections in Stockholm, Moderna Museet and Nationalmuseum. Hillstrom Museum of Art, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter. Free & open to the public. Gallery hours: 9 a.m.–4 p.m. weekdays, 1-5 p.m. weekends. (507) 9337200 or www.gustavus.edu/ oncampus/finearts/hillstrom.
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Dec. 1-2 “Christmas In Christ Chapel” 40th anniversary celebration, 3:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. both days. Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter. (507) 933-7013 or www.gac.edu. Dec. 8 Sumunar Indonesian Music & Dance performance with a short workshop following, 2 p.m. St. Peter Community Center Gym, 601 S. Washington Ave. Sponsored by the Creative Play Place, (507) 351-4284 or creativeplayplace@yahoo. com. Dec. 8 The Gustavus Philharmonic in Concert, 1:30 p.m. Björling Recital Hall, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter. (507) 933-7013 or www.gac. edu. *Dec. 16 The Five Choirs of the Mankato Children’s Chorus present their Winter Concert, 3:00 p.m., Christ Chapel, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter. (507) 345-6097, (507) 345-3839, or www.mankatochildrenschorus.org. Dec. 1-16 Jodi Myers: MA Thesis Exhibition, at The 410 Project, 523 S. Front St., Mankato. Gal-
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lery hours: Wed., Fri., Sat. 2-6 p.m. and Sun. 1-4 p.m. the410project@hotmail. com.
House, 226 N. Washington, New Ulm. (507) 359-2632, wandagag@comcast.net or www.wandagaghouse.org.
JANESVILLE INDIAN ISLAND WINERY Dec. 7 Chad Stoltenberg performs on the steel drums, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at Indian Island Winery, 18018 631st Ave., Janesville. www.indianislandwinery.com or (507) 234-6222.
THE GRAND *Dec. 1-21 4th Annual ArtScape Juried Art Show at The Kiesling House, 220 N. Minnesota St., New Ulm. Gallery hours: Wed.Fri. 1:30-4:30 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (507) 359-9222, grand@thegrandnewulm.com or www.artscapenewulm.org.
Dec. 8 Guitarist Stacy Veroeven performs, 6-8:30 p.m., at Indian Island Winery, 18018 631st Ave., Janesville. www. indianislandwinery.com or (507) 234-6222. Dec. 14 Guitarist Duke Zecco performs 50’s, 60’s and 70’s music, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at Indian Island Winery, 18018 631st Ave., Janesville. www.indianislandwinery.com or (507) 2346222. NEW ULM WANDA GAG HOUSE Dec. 1, 8 & 15 Last chance to see the exhibit featuring ten images on canvas from a 120-foot panorama depicting the major scenes of the 1862 U.S. Dakota Conflict, 1-4 p.m., $3 donation. The Wanda Gag
*Dec. 7 The Grand Center for Arts & Culture of New Ulm Arts Entertainment Series presents The Prizefighters, playing ska and reggae music, 7:30 p.m., at the Grand Kabaret, 210 N. Minnesota St., New Ulm. (507) 359-9222, info@thegrandnewulm.com, or www.thegrandnewulm.com. FAIRMONT FAIRMONT OPERA HOUSE Dec. 3 Fairmont High School Orchestra Concert, at the Fairmont Opera House, 45 Downtown Plaza, 507-238-4900 or www.fairmontoperahouse. com. Dec. 7 Fairmont Opera House presents “DALA’s Christmas Show”, 7:30 p.m.
Traditional Christmas favorites and acoustic pop music. Adults $20, students 18 and under $10, available online at www.fairmontoperahouse. com/performances, at the box office Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-1 p.m., by phone with credit card, or 1 hour prior to the show. Fairmont Opera House, 45 Downtown Plaza, 507-238-4900 or www.fairmontoperahouse. com. RED ROCK CENTER Dec. 4 Concert by Joyce Schultz and Bill Busse accompanied by Sandy Ettesvold, 12 noon. Free will donation, coffee and refreshments served. Red Rock Center for the Arts, 222 E. Blue Earth Ave., Fairmont. (507) 235-9262, redrockcente r@frontiernet.net, or www.redrockcenter.org/. Dec. 4-27 December artist exhibit by MRCI’s EASE artists with disabilities from the Mankato area, (Artist Reception, Dec. 13, 12-1:30 p.m.) at Red Rock Center for the Arts, 222 E. Blue Earth Ave., Fairmont. Hours: Tues. & Thurs. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and second Sat. of the month 8 a.m.- 3 p.m. (507) 235-9262, redrockc enter@frontiernet.net, or www. redrockcenter.org/.
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