NDSU SPECTRUM | March 8 2018

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

VOLUME 121 ISSUE 43 NDSUSPECTRUM.COM

NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FOR THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE

Weathering the Weather With the weather dropping snow then surprising us with sunshine, what’s really going on?

Phoebe Ellis

Head News Editor

Despite the closing of North Dakota State for the first time since 2014, Daryl Ritchison, interim director of North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network, said it’s totally normal.

“It’s the classic March snowstorm,” Ritchison said. He continued to say that it’d be more unusual for it not to happen and that sloppy snow can typically be seen before spring rolls around.

The warmer weather we experienced about a week ago, when it got up into the 40s, is common before a storm like the one that occurred March 5. Heat from the east and cold from the west brought about the storm.

Some people reported seeing or hearing thunder and lighting a day before the snowstorm, which isn’t rare according to Ritchison. The water or rain at the surface of a cloud can trigger static electricity, and it’s all part of the spring time scenario.

“Some areas had thunder snow; I wouldn’t call it rare,” Ritchison said.

Despite many people remaining indoors for the duration of the storm, fraternities and ResLife on NDSU’s campus didn’t seem to mind the snow.

About 60 people joined at Churchill Field to play in the snow, with many spending most of

their snow day doing so.

They built snow forts and had a snowball fight, similar to how many of them spent their snow days as children.

Among their creations included a slingshot used to propel snowballs as far as a house across the street from A. Glenn Hill Center.

“What better way to spend a day than out here with the guys building a snow fort,” said Nathaniel Boisjolie-Gair, a senior in mechanical engineering at NDSU and a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity.

They even made it onto WDAY, providing entertainment to themselves and content for local

“What better way to spend a day than out here with the guys building a snow fort,” - Nathaniel Boisjolie-Gair, NDSU senior in mechanical engineering and member of Sigma Chi Fraternity news sources.

As far as the future is concerned, spring can be expected around April 19 if spring is measured by the 70-degree mark, Ritchison said.

NDSU students make the most of the snow.

DANIEL UKKELBERG | THE SPECTRUM

Men’s Basketball Comes Up Short in Sioux Falls Jackrabbits outclass Bison in semifinals Thomas Evanella Staff Writer

It was the outcome in the Summit League tournament that was expected for the North Dakota State men’s basketball team. The Bison took their season as far as they were capable, but in the end they ran up against a fresher, more rested and simply all-around superior South Dakota State team. By the time an ugly basketball game ended, the Herd fell to their bitter southern rival, 78-57.

The Jackrabbits, who had nearly been upset by Western Illinois two nights before, came out an inspired side. SDSU opened the contest with 10 unanswered points, half of which came from star Mike Daum. While the Bison eventually got on the scoreboard, it wasn’t until Cameron Hunter’s layup at the 7:31 mark of the half that they broke doubledigits. By then, the Jacks had built a 15-point lead.

“We came out and ran into a buzz saw tonight,” Bison head coach Dave Richman explained afterward. The buzz saw came in the form of David Jenkins, Jr. and Daum, who combined to score more than half of their team’s points. Jenkins, Jr., like the Jackrabbits, rebounded from a rough game Saturday to post 23 points. The Summit League Player of the Year, Daum posted 19 points and 11 rebounds, a pedestrian double-double by

his standards.

NDSU doubled their point total by the end of the half, but the Jackrabbits led by 18 when the horn sounded. Still, a miniature 6-0 run was cause for optimism for the exhausted Bison, who had trailed by as much as 24 at points in the half.

Coach Richman emerged from the locker room with a tactical change, which paid immediate dividends. Both Spencer Eliason and Rocky Kreuser had matched up with Daum in the first frame, but Richman deployed senior A.J. Jacobson to cover the big man. While Daum had a three-inch and 40-pound advantage on Jacobson, the forward defended admirably in NDSU’s small lineup.

The change paid off immediately for the Bison.

An 11-1 run ensued, with Jacobson, Paul Miller and Tyson Ward contributing.

The blitz forced SDSU skipper T.J. Otzelberger to call a timeout, and within two and a half minutes, the Jacks sprung back out to an 18-point edge.

“Coach Richman did a great job of switching things up. (It was) something that we haven’t seen, five guards start up there,” Daum commented. “I thought they did a great job when they switched it up, but our guys did a great job of just sticking to our game plan and doing what we do best,” he continued. Otzelberger echoed the same sentiment as well.

The Bison never drew

INSIDE

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back within single-digits.

In a span of four minutes beginning with under 10 to play, an 18-2 Jackrabbits run saw a 14-point lead balloon to a 30-point lead.

The singular highlight — if one can be taken from a 21-point loss — came on a meaningless basket in garbage time. Miller contorted his way across the lane as he had done countless times in a Bison uniform and sank the floater.

The two points vaulted him out of a tie for fifth place with Joe Regnier on the program’s all-time scoring list with 1,719 points. It was his final collegiate bucket.

In truth, the outcome against the No. 1 seeded Jackrabbits was about all that could have been expected of the 2017-18 Bison in the tournament.

The team was chronically inconsistent this season, and it was clear from the early going against SDSU that there was nothing left in the tank for the 15-17 squad, the first losing team the school has had since 2010-11.

Richman boiled the season down to one adjective. “How would I describe this year?

Frustrating,” the fourth year head coach said. “You saw what we’re capable of last night (in the quarterfinal victory over Fort Wayne).

Plenty of excuses and plenty of things to go around why I think we weren’t able to maintain that consistency.”

In spite of graduating two 1,000-point scorers and a player with a year of

NDSU student Timothy Sizemore running for District 27

BRITTANY HOFMANN | THE SPECTRUM

Paul Miller was named to the all-Tournament team, but the Bison fell short of an NCAA bid. eligibility remaining in the critical for Dave Richman. have signed on with the form of Miller, Jacobson and He’ll be entering the Bison for the next season.

Eliason, Richman expressed final year of his five-year Vinnie Shahid will transfer anticipation to turn the page contract, needing to prove in from Western Nebraska and begin a new season with his worth as the program has Community College as well. up and coming players. “I seen a dip in wins in each of Richman hinted that he will like the parts we’ve got his four seasons at the helm. be seeking to stabilize the coming back; I like some The North Dakota native post for NDSU, using his of the parts we’ve got will have returning players two available scholarships coming in,” he stated. “I’m Eady, Hunter, Geu, Kreuser, to do so. excited about Tyree (Eady). Ward, Jordan Meidinger, “I’m very confident in I think you’re going to see a Jake Mertens, Dylan Miller, the direction we’re moving. really talented, really better Jared Samuelson, Chris Nothing needs to be fixed, version of Rocky Kreuser Quayle and Nnamdi Van just a couple things need to next year. I think Deng Geu Dulm at his disposal to chart be cleaned up a little bit,” gained some confidence this NDSU’s next ascent in the Richman believes. year. We’ve got some parts Summit League.

With room to improve we feel good about.”

Additionally, Jarius and a suddenly young squad, Still, next year will be Cook and Jaxon Knotek all eyes turn to 2018-19.

6

Interview with Minneapolis power slop band Busey

9

My tale of becoming more outspoken in “North Dakota Nice” country

2

News

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

NDSUSPECTRUM.COM

The Spectrum

Sen. Heitkamp Addresses Opioid Crisis As the opioid problem grows, Heitkamp steps up Phoebe Ellis, Skylar Berthold

Head News Editor, Staff Writer

The 2018 midterm elections are quickly approaching, as current North Dakota Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp races against Republican nominee Kevin Cramer to keep her seat in the Senate.

Throughout her election, one particularly crucial topic of discussion and debate has been tackling what Heitkamp declares an “opioid crisis” and its effects on rural North Dakota.

As the opioid epidemic becomes an increasing problem across the nation, Sen. Heitkamp is doing what she can to help every sector of North Dakota.

In a press release, Sen. Heitkamp addressed the opioid crisis and the unique challenge North Dakota faces in this area.

Heitkamp recently told the local area about an act she’s helped introduce called the Opioid Response

Enhancement Act. With the act, Heitkamp aims to “expand a critical federal grant program to provide $12 billion over five years for local organizations to treat drug abuse and addiction while preventing further overdoses,” according to the press release. The act would also grant flexibility for communities, including individual tribes, to allocate funding to areas they believe it can best help.

The bill is intended to build on the current LifeBOAT Act that Heitkamp also helped introduce, which provided funds for opioid intervention and treatment options.

Included in the act is the need for towns and communities of all sizes to have plans in effect if they wish to receive any amount of federal money to fight the epidemic.

During a roundtable discussion that took place the first week of March, Heitkamp heard the concerns of people within the community, including

concerns of the BeulahHazen region’s ability to create an effective and coordinated response to the “ongoing drug epidemic.”

This commentary ended up focusing on North Dakota’s more rural communities, including comments about how crucial hospitals are to small communities and how any loss of federal funding could harm the well-being of locals and residents. It was also noted that rural communities face unique challenges concerning opioids and drug abuse that include struggling with prevention, treatment and recovery efforts. The big problem is that these areas do not get as much attention as big cities.

Smaller communities face issues related to transportation and access to care. They also often face isolation and stigmas related to many people in the community knowing that an individual has an addiction problem. But without doing anything, North Dakota continues to be one of the

Judicial Shortage in North Dakota

HEALTH.MIL | PHOTO COURTESY

Opioid deaths continue to rise in North Dakota. states with one of the more significant increases in opioid related deaths.

Across the United States, deaths as a result of drugrelated incidences have risen in rural communities.

According to the press release, the number of deaths related to drugs in North Dakota between 2013 and 2016 increased by 400

percent.

Because of this dramatic increase, Heitkamp is now planning to host listening sessions beginning in May across North Dakota with community leaders and other members of the community, such as law enforcement and families. Heitkamp continues to push against cuts in health care bills that

would slash Medicaid.

As she looks forward, Heitkamp hopes to pass legislation to combat opioid abuse and introduce more federal resources, convene statewide leaders to battle drug crime comprehensively and engage statewide leaders to push back against this crisis.

South Central District is s h o r t 3 . 0 6 j u d i c i a l o ff i c e r s

STUDENTS LEARN FROM THE BEST NDSU’s faculty are leaders in their fields who educate our students to create solutions to national and global challenges that will shape a better world.

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The South Central region has received help from outside judges with their heavy workload.

Dan Ukkelberg Co-News Editor

The state of North Dakota has a shortage of judicial officers. South Central Judicial District has the most need for judicial referees and district judges in the state, with a shortage of 3.06 judicial officers.

Sally Holewa, the state court administrator, said North Dakota’s South Central Judicial District needs three bodies and one toe.

“They definitely have the biggest overall shortage as far as judicial bodies, that’s for sure,” Holewa said.

Last year, the district with a metro area, rural counties and the state capital oversaw 831 criminal cases from the Dakota Access Pipeline protests alone, doing so with a 13 percent cut of court staff due to budget cuts.

Holewa said some districts meet their judicial need and that the South Central region has received help from outside judges with their heavy load, particularly with the protest cases.

“It’s a North Dakota method, right?

Everybody pitches in when there’s work to be done,” Holewa said.

Presiding Judge Gail Hagerty said they are managing the caseload and he does not believe three more judges will show up any time soon.

“It requires that we all work together. We have to be really smart about the way we do things,” Hagerty said. “We all have to work smart and make really good use of our time.”

Holewa said the sitting judges along with

retired judges and court staff have helped meet the caseload. “(The protest cases) are playing a big role because it takes a lot of judicial time because there’s a lot of cases coming in in a short period of time, but it’s a temporary role — I’m not saying it’s short-term but it’s temporary,” Holewa said.

According to the executive director of the State Bar Association of North Dakota, Tony Weiler, because of this temporary heavy caseload, cases may take longer to be heard.

“If you need a one-hour hearing, that might be a lot easier to get than if the case is complex and if you need a weeklong trial,” Weiler said. “I know they’re scheduling out into 2019 already.”

Zach Pelham, a Bismarck attorney, commended the South Central district judges for being efficient, saying he tries to schedule court dates early to help move everything along better.

“From my clients’ perspective, I want to resolve a case as efficiently as possible, and in doing so, I want to have a schedule in place so that schedule is followed so my client has an idea of when (their) case is going to be resolved,” Pelham said.

North Dakota Supreme Court Chief Justice Gerald VandeWalle, said the easy answer is that we need more judges.

“I wish I had a good answer for the shortage,” VandeWalle said. “It’s easy to say, ‘Just give us more people.’ I’ve been around so long that I understand the legislative problem. Everyone needs more people.”

ndsu.edu

NEWS

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THE SPECTRUM | NEWS | THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

In A Nutshell Amanda Johnson Staff Writer

Guard and Reserve national honor semifinalist

“Sanford Health in Fargo is one of the semifinalists for a national award for its support of the National Guard and Reserve,” the Forum reported.

The honor has been awarded since 1996 by the U.S. Secretary of Defense.

Thirty finalists will be announced by March 30.

“Sanford Health was the only nominee from North Dakota. Minnesota has four nominees” the Forum reported.

I-94 officer involved shooting

On Monday morning, west of Moorhead, there was an officer involved shooting that ended with one person in the hospital and the other under arrest.

The state patrol trooper “arrived on the scene and found a vehicle had lost control, striking the median barrier,” KVRR reported.

There were two occupants in the vehicle, one female and one male.

KVRR reported, “During the encounter the trooper discharged their weapon,

striking the female who then fled into a nearby field and was later located with a gunshot wound.”

The female passenger was taken to the hospital in Fargo, and the trooper is on standard pain leave.

“The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) will lead the investigation,” KVRR reported.

Target grows in fourth quarter

“A 3.2 percent growth in traffic to stores and online in the November-to-January quarter helped fuel a 3.6 percent rise in comparable sales in that period,” the Star Tribune reported.

Target’s quarterly profit was boosted to $1.1 billion, an increase from $817 million a year ago. Online sales grew 29 percent.

Target’s “full fourthquarter results which showed that its robust sales during the holidays continued into January, resulting in one of the company’s strongest quarters in recent years,” the Star Tribune reported.

The company pulled out of decreasing sales by cutting prices, in-house apparel and brands, updating stores, paying employees more and training more.

Oldest message in a bottle found

“The world’s oldest known message in a bottle, almost 132 years after it was thrown into the sea” was found in West Australia, BBC News reported.

The bottle was found in sand dunes during a walk on the beach, and the contents of the paper weren’t known until they were dried in the oven.

It has been confirmed to be an authentic message from a German ship.

“The note in the bottle, which was dated 12 June 1886, was jettisoned from the German Ship Paula, as part of an experiment into ocean and shipping routes by the German Naval Observatory,” BBC News reported.

The original Meteorological Journal from the ship Paula was found in an archival search in Germany and confirmed a drift bottle was thrown overboard on that date.

Only 662 messages, and no bottles, have been returned from the thousands of bottles that were thrown over 69 years.

“The last bottle with a note to be found was in Denmark in 1934,” BBC News reported.

WOMEN! & MEN!

Police Respond to Suicidal Man Situation resolved peacefully, no injuries reported Ryan Nix

Staff Writer

Fargo police shut down Center Street from Pinewood Boulevard to Seventh Avenue Northeast after responding to a possibly armed suicidal man in his home, Saturday, March 3.

The Fargo Police Department, F-M Ambulance, Cass County sheriffs and state patrol all responded to the call.

The police were responding to a possibly armed man suicidal man in a home according to Assistant Chief Jerry Boyer.

“We wanted to take our time with the situation. We wanted to make contact with the individual, but unfortunately we weren’t able to actually make contact with him, so we did have to utilize other resources to make contact with the individual, ” Boyer said.

The situation was resolved peacefully according to the police. Authorities also reported no injury.

Suicide is the ninth leading cause of death in North Dakota, and according to the North Dakota Suicide Prevention

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Program, North Dakota has a higher rate of suicide than the rest of the country.

In 2015 First Line, a suicide prevention hotline in North Dakota, reported 1,870 calls from residents of the state.

Alison Traynor, the director of the North Dakota Department of Health Suicide Prevention, said at a suicide prevention conference that, “It’s very difficult for people to disclose thoughts of suicide without being asked directly. So, we really encourage people to watch for warning signs” There are many warning signs to look out for when it comes to suicide, but the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention says people should “be concerned” if they see a “change in behavior or the presence of entirely new behaviors.”

WDAY reported that the best things to do in this type of crisis situation are to stay with the person at all times, take away dangerous substances, “Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273TALK (8255) or FirstLink at 211” and call 911 in an emergency situation.

The Spectrum is a student-run publication at North Dakota State University in print since 1896. New issues are published Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year, except during holidays, vacations and exam periods. Each enrolled student is entitled to one copy. Additional copies are available for $1 by prior arrangement with the Business Manager.

The First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and of the press. Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff, university administration or Spectrum management. The Spectrum is printed at Forum Communications Printing at 1030 15th Ave. SE, Detroit Lakes, MN 56502.

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Features

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

NDSUSPECTRUM.COM

The Spectrum

NDSU Student Running for District 27 Former military and 30 years old, Timothy Sizemore is endorsed by Libertarian Party

MIRANDA STAMBLER | THE SPECTRUM

After being involved in the Libertarian Party for a couple years, Sizemore looks more closely into political issues.

Miranda Stambler Features Editor

North Dakota State student Timothy Sizemore has been endorsed by the Libertarian Party for his campaign in District 27.

Originally from Gillette, Wyoming, Sizemore has been a North Dakota resident since 2010. This is Sizemore’s first year at NDSU after transferring from his three semesters at North Dakota State College of Science majoring in exercise science.

After being involved in the Libertarian Party for a couple years, he looked into the issues more closely after he realized District 27 was up for election this year, which then determined his wanting to run.

He believes that it’ll be challenging balancing running for office and being a full-time college student, but explained that he is not taking too many credits, that he is not overwhelmed and continues to utilize his support network.

With this being his first campaign, Sizemore described himself as being “pretty young and pretty new to politics,” but sees his ripe age of 30 as not too young nor too old for this position.

Sizemore expressed that

he has already seen his support grow since his announcement of candidacy at the beginning of February.

Why run now? “The political climate these past couple of years was something that really pushed me, but politics has been something that has really been a big interest of mine,” Sizemore explained. “I’m former military; I was in the army as an airborne infantryman and longrange surveillance operator, and I was deployed to Iraq in 2009, so as one might imagine with somebody that has that sort of background, international politics, especially, is something that’s been a big subject of interest of mine and it sort of just grew organically these past couple of years with the elections.”

Sizemore left the military because of a back injury, which through his rehabilitation inspired him to pursue his degree in exercise science, which he hopes to transition into physical therapy.

Although Sizemore was initially interested in law enforcement after the military and worked with different security companies, such as a correction officer in the North Dakota State Penitentiary in

Bismarck. However, his injuries from the military ended up preventing him from pursuing his law enforcement career.

Through his experience in the military and then law enforcement, Sizemore

heart and basically be able to conduct their own business the way they see fit, and that’s kind of one of the core tenants of libertarianism,” Sizemore said.

Sizemore further explained, “We (libertarians)

“Being a member of the community, here in Fargo, I’ve really fallen in love with the community of the people here and the state in general” – Timothy Sizemore, District 27 Libertarian Candidate explained that he was given the ability to “look at things from a military lens, also from a law enforcement lens — so I’ve been able to see how the justice system operates in those terms.”

Even though the Libertarian Party is seen as small and fairly new, making it less known, Sizemore thinks the party’s ideas have been around longer than people realize.

“The ideology has been a solid core in our national history. A lot of our founding fathers had a lot of really libertarian ideas. For example, Thomas Jefferson was all about having a really small government which allowed individuals to have their own civil liberties at

believe that you, the individual, has a better understanding of how your life should be lived and the less government intervention there is to that effect the more prosperous you will be.”

There are many regulations Sizemore wants to be involved with, such as forms of taxation, but two topics he focused on were the blue laws and cannabis in North Dakota. He has been working to repeal the blue laws and plans to focus on that thoroughly if elected.

“Shannon Roers (District 46) — she is proposing a bill right now to push for a reform on the blue laws, so it’s nice because it’s a bipartisan bill, or it’s a

bipartisan movement, and I think that I’m going to have a lot of support to that end,” Sizemore expressed.

His other focus is helping the Students for Sensible Drug Control as they have been petitioning to legalize cannabis in North Dakota, which Sizemore has been handing out petitions to help that pass.

Many see politics as either too far in the future or impossible to get involved with, especially when in college. The advice Sizemore shared was to “do your homework inside the college environment and out.” He continued, “One thing you’ll learn pretty quickly when you get out of college is that if you’re going to expect to grow — you should pick up a book every now and then.”

Sizemore explained that you need to continue reading and studying subjects you are interested in to not only stay in the loop, but to broaden your knowledge about that topic. He shared that paying attention to what people are saying around you is very important because those are the concerns and topics of others that you will be running to represent.

According to Sizemore, one advantage he has by being a college student

as well as running a campaign is “learning how to network in today’s modern age.” Although he knows how to network, it is always changing through technology, so being up to date within society allows him to understand networking skills and enables him to grow his support system.

Sizemore shared his plans to reach out to local small businesses to gain an understanding from their own perspectives of how they could start their business and what hurdles they had to endure to further his understanding of the community and what he can do to help.

Sizemore is planning meet-and-greets and continues to monitor his Facebook messages from the people to see what issues they want to be considered. “I want to know what people’s interests are. I want to know what people’s concerns are,” Sizemore said.

Although he announced his candidacy later than most, Sizemore is working hard to further his support system and has many ideas of seeing a change within District 27. “I think there’s a lot of positive changes that can be made here,” Sizemore expressed.

Spectrum

The

It's a good idea.

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THE SPECTRUM | FEATURES | THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

FARGO FASHION

Five Trends to Save You From a Fashion Rut

Same old clothes can be restored through these new trends Emily Wotzka

Contributing Writer

We’ve all been in a fashion rut. Nothing in your closet seems new or appealing, and the thought of putting together an outfit seems daunting at best.

Shopping may even seem pointless because next season’s looks aren’t warm enough for today’s temperatures.

If this awkward time between winter and spring is throwing you for a fashion loop, it is time to take another look at your closet and get reinspired.

Although it may seem as though you have nothing to wear, chances are you have a lot of items that can be paired with others to create something beautiful.

So what is a college kid on limited budget to do?

The answer lies in statement pieces. The five trends listed below will allow you to spruce up whatever is currently residing in your wardrobe.

Playing with whatever, you have already is not only cost-effective, but also fun.

You may end up falling in

love all over again with your flared jeans from high school, or your gauchos from the early 2000’s. Those old gauchos may have taken it a little too far, but odds are, adding in a few new accessories will allow you to see your wardrobe in a whole new light.

Mules

No, I’m not talking about the animal, although that might work too.

Switch out your basic pair of flats or sandals for this season’s must have. Not only do they give your outfit an extra dose of spice, but they are also the epitome of ease and comfort.

Flared Jeans

It is time to ditch those skinny jeans and opt for a more comfortable version of America’s favorite material.

Flared jeans will become your new go-to, as they are easily dressed up or down.

The fullness at the bottom of the outfit provides a flattering silhouette for all shapes and sizes.

Statement Earrings

A bold pair of earrings is enough to take any outfit from boring to chic.

Try combining your

favorite pair of jeans with a sweater, mules, and statement earrings for a refreshed ensemble. Not only do they freshen up your current wardrobe, but they are also the most inexpensive way of staying on trend.

Polka Dots

Polka dots are the epitome of a statement piece, but versatile enough to mix and match within your current wardrobe.

To maintain a young and fresh vibe, try pairing this statement piece with a jean jacket or neutral cardigan for a monochromatic look.

Straw Basket Bag

Straw handbags are all the rage this season and for good reason. Although this trend is not an item of apparel, you may be surprised with how different you feel with a new handbag on your shoulders.

This basket bag will be your one-stop-shop tote for both spring and summer.

Not sure where to find these trendy items? Evereve, Lot 2029, Kittsona, Onyx and Pearl and Leela and Lavender carry all of these trendy items and more to help bring you out of that fashion rut.

Bringing back the bell-shaped sleeves to spice up your restored outfit.

EMILY WOTZKA | THE SPECTRUM

Monterrey’s Carne Asada

A traditional Monterrey tradition and treat, for all occasions Paige Johnson

Contributing Writer

A baby shower, bridal shower, birthday, anniversary or even a casual occasion.

What do all these things have in common? In Monterrey, at least, they all call for a “carne asada.”

The northern region of Mexico, including Nuevo León, is especially wellknown for its love of meat.

In fact, Monterrey holds the world record for the largest carne asada; over 45,o00 people attended Aug. 18, 2013 to break the previous record.

Carne asada could be compared to a typical U.S. barbecue: they are usually a crowded occasion that includes large portions of meat grilled over a coal or wood fire.

The meat itself is the prized center of the carne asada. Steak is grilled to perfection over a fire. (I’ve heard mesquite wood is the best choice, as it gives a good smoky flavor to the meat.)

The meat itself is usually eaten without any sauce, as its flavor can usually speak for itself without any additions. However, some

salsa for dipping purposes isn’t unheard of.

Carne asadas are usually accompanied by quesadillas, also made on the grill. These are usually flavored with fresh cut limes and onions from the grill, along with salsa for added flavor. Freshmade guacamole is also served.

Another key ingredient of the carne asada is a cold beer to compliment the meat and sides.

While carne asadas are typically planned for special occasions, really anything in Monterrey life can be considered a special occasion.

Promotion at work? Carne asada. Got an A on your final? Carne asada.

Managed to brush your teeth in the morning? Carne asada.

Anything that allows families and friends to get together is worth good food and good beer.

It is so embedded into Monterrey culture that there even exist memes that lightly tease the prevalence of carne asadas.

Combining both the importance of meat to Nuevo León and the cultural significance of family, carne asadas are an important part of the Monterrey culture.

As part of a Monterrey carne asada, beef is grilled over a mesquite wood fire and served fresh and hot.

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Interview: Busey Talk Pedals, Power Slop and Prodigious EP

Minneapolis power slop band release debut ‘GNAR’ Laura Ellen Brandjord A&E Editor

After catching Minneapolis band Busey at the Aquarium with Pisstory and Holler House this past weekend I knew they were a band I had to interview. With the release of their debut EP “GNAR” March 4th, the timing was right for a chat.

“We were watching ‘Point Break’ and I think Marcus said something like ‘God that Busey, that crazy son-of-a-b---- ‘ and I was like ‘Oh, Busey. That would be a good band name.’ Both drummer Marcus Jones and Berndt admit they may have watched Point Break too many times. As they are self-proclaimed “action movie buffs” however, I am inclined to believe them. If their humorous Facebook page is any indication they also appear to be fans of Keanu Reeves, listing his band Dogstar as one of the “bands we also like.” Jones also was adamant of his love for the movie “Lethal Weapon Two” starring the actor. To be fair, they did list their record label as “Full Frontal Horse Teeth” and Berndt owns up to the fact that they enjoy joking around with song titles and descriptions. It still makes me wonder though, how close they were to naming the band “Keanu” or Reeves.”

Too heavy for a garage band yet different than your run-of-the-mill metal or alternative, they have a unique mix that is all their own. Busey’s sound draws a lot from a shared love for such great bands such as The Melvins, Black Sabbath, Queens Of The Stone Age and Mudhoney.

As lead singer/guitarist Dan Berndt puts it “ A lot of late 80’s early 90’s stuff. The classics.”

As with most every band, Busey experienced a few changes in the lineup in its

formative stages. Originally starting out with a different guitarist and bassist, the band formed from the corpse of Dan Berndt and drummer Ryan Keyes’s first band. The departure of both Busey’s original guitarist and bassist when gigs had already been lined up put the band in dire need of suitable replacements.

Keyes switched to bass guitar but they were still in need of a drummer. Luckily, Berndt and Keyes ran into drummer Marcus Jones at a show and Berndt offered him the spot. It should come as no big surprise that a band consisting of a majority of drummers would eventually try out having two drummers. Jesse Berndt filled the vacant bassist position and the EP’s lineup was solidified. Keyes has since moved to Indianapolis to play in another band so he doesn’t play shows with Busey often but fellow drummer Jones enjoys the added energy when they both play, “Those are the best shows, though. Two drummers all the way.”

Laura Ellen Brandjord (LEB): I see you also make your own pedals. How did you get into that?

Dan Berndt (DB): Well, I went to school for live sound and recording engineering in St. Paul and recording gear and live show gear is really expensive. A more immediate feeling of satisfaction is like getting a guitar pedal, but even those are kind of expensive. So I was like “Well what if I just learn to make some so I’m not spending SO much money.” But then I end up spending the same amount of money building stuff that breaks or doesn’t work and figuring it out. Through lots and lots of time and trial and error, I started making something that worked and could pass signal.

LEB: If you had to choose only one pedal which would you choose?

Busey’s lyrics may be serious but Berndt enjoys using humor when naming the tracks.

DB: Ah, I don’t know. all this other stuff was just but I save a lot of my ideas It’s a hard one. Generally, gonna be a pain. So instead for songs on my phone.

I’m only turning on and off I already had some amps While I was practicing with one which is the one that I there because I’ve used the another band I was trying made called the “El Gato space before to build pedals. to record these weird radio Destructo” which is a big We decided to just borrow noises that were coming muff style pedal. I mean if some drum kits and other through my amp. And while I’m only using one pedal I stuff and I recorded it there I was doing that the guitarist can turn up the settings on and then we can get a big was talking about this guy my amp to get overdrive. ambient room sound that we he knows who’s teeth were But most of the time I try wouldn’t really get recording actually falling out. Like to be a little nicer and play anywhere else. I think it’s he had implanted teeth like a little quieter and use other cool to get an organic- like screwed into his jawbone pedals to help bring my just a microphone capturing but his jawbone was rotting volume down. the sound of the room we’re away. So his implants LEB: Is ‘power slop’ a playing in. were falling out. And that term you came up with to MJ: It was a really cool recording plus the one after describe Busey’s sound? sound. it actually became the riff Marcus Jones (MJ): DB: Instead of using of the song. So I linked the Totally original. “Power plugins to try to recreate first memo to the second Slop” it’s a lifestyle (laughs). something like that it’s cool by calling it “Greg’s Friend Nah, it’s from “Airheads.” that, it’s cool that all of the Lost His Teeth (the Song).”

But it f---ing kills anyways. ambience on the EP is real.

LEB: I like to end with LEB: Why did LEB: Is there actually some ‘fun questions.’ It is you choose a St. Paul an unfortunate soul who’s usually pretty interesting warehouse as the location teeth actually rotted out? to hear everyone’s for recording ‘GNAR?’ I mean you did have to answers: DB: Well, I actually work specify that it was ‘Greg’s First, If you weren’t a there and I had keys so... Friend Lost His Teeth (The musician, what would be it was a music equipment Song)?’ the next best career? rental warehouse and with MJ: True story.

MJ: Probably like a two drummers logistically DB: Like the song isn’t nurse or something. You loading in drum kits and about that specific person, know helping people.

LIVE.FARGO | PHOTO COURTESY

DB: If it isn’t with music, I don’t know, I guess Paleontology would probably be pretty sweet.

LEB: Band you are currently obsessing over?

One album or song?

MJ: Queens Of The Stone Age “Rated R” for me.

It’s the s---.

DB: I’ve been listening to a lot of Hot “Snakes Suicide Invoice” they have a new album coming out soon and they’re coming to town so I got to brush up.

LEB: One album you would want with you on a desert island?

MJ: Oh, super easy. The Replacements “Sorry Ma I Forgot to Take the Trash Out.” Hands down.

Jesse Berndt (JB): You know that would just be so hard because it would make me hate whatever album it was. I guess I’ll kind of follow up with your last question; I’ve been listening to this band a lot lately, the BSS, so I think if anything it would be that.

‘Altered Carbon’ Brings Disappointment and Enjoyment A diverse cast, with little awareness to social issues, brings a action packed sci-fi Amanda Wagar Staff Writer

In a distant future where humanity has managed to thwart “real death” by transferring their consciousness into a new body, Takeshi Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman) is brought back to life and “re-sleeved” into a strange new body all to solve the murder of the insanely wealthy Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy).

If that is not confusing enough, it was Bancroft himself that ordered Kovacs to be brought back “from the ice,” turning him into a mercenary of sorts. The newly brought-back-tolife rebel is caught up in a murder mystery, a grand conspiracy and a world where individuals can be

tortured until madness in virtual reality.

‘Altered Carbon’ is a science-fiction/cyberpunk Netflix Original that takes inspiration for its neon-clad aesthetics from the likeness of “Blade Runner” with a dash of introspective themes about morality and humanity from the classic novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep.

The Netflix Original is not without its shortcomings, however, as shown by some of the backlash it has received based on Whitewashing, and the concerns that the TV show is too much like the disaster that was ‘Ghost in Shell.’

Showrunner Laeta Kalogridis, who was also a part of the process of adapting ‘Ghost in Shell’ to American screens, has

responded to these claims by explaining that they have attempted to grapple with the prospect of Takeshi’s stack, or consciousness. As well as, the main character who is bi-racial Asian and Slavic, being placed in a white man’s body by adding more diversity to the show’s cast as well as casting two different Asian male actors to play Takeshi in the flashbacks to his past.

The disappointing thing for me, however, was lack of prevalence of the theme of identity, and Takeshi’s struggle of being an Asian man in a body that is not his own.

Other than the short scene in the first episode where Takeshi sees his new face for the first time in a mirror and screams, ‘Altered Carbon’ quickly packs up

this theme and sweeps it under the rug. Therefore, putting more priority on the crime drama that unfolds afterward with Bancroft.

For those that are not paying attention, it is almost easy to forget at times that the man inside the “sleeve,” as the bodies within the show are referred to, does not mirror that of the body he wears.

It is unfortunate then, that ‘Altered Carbon’ ignores the problems that would arise in a society in which your identity does not match the body you inhabit. This is a theme that is not only important for transgender and queer individuals, but also the idea of identity in general and how important it is when it pertains to race and gender.

In the universe that

‘Altered Carbon’ creates, I would argue that issues surrounding race, gender and class would be more important, more prevalent — not less so.

With that said, I would not say that these issues take away from the show to the point that it cannot be enjoyed. I could not help but become obsessed with the characters and the world that unfolded before me, and the questions that were presented by the series such as: “What if there was a way that humanity could cheat death? And if so, should we?”

Characters such as Kristin Ortega (a Latina woman and cop who has broken away from the traditions of her highly Catholic family), Lizzy (a

young black female sex worker who was murdered and then tortured in Virtual Reality until she was driven to madness), and Poe (an AI manager of a hotel called The Raven, who was created and named after the likeness of the poet, Edgar Allen Poe) breathe life into a series that’s aesthetic is the perfect mix of utopia and dystopia.

It is a cyberpunk novel brought to life.

All in all, ‘Altered Carbon’ makes up for some of its downfalls with a colorful cast and amazing character development that kept me hooked from beginning to end. If you are looking for an actionheavy sci-fi to binge watch over spring break, I highly recommend trying ‘Altered Carbon’ on Netflix.

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THE SPECTRUM | A&E | THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

The Ultimate Spring Break Playlist Whatever you are doing, music is always necessary Brittany Hofmann Staff Writer

Whether you’re traveling to warmer weather, going on a road trip or just hanging out at home, why not have some good tunes to accompany you?

Music is the perfect partner to a sunny day, a long and winding road in front of you or when you’re laying in your bed staring at the ceiling.

After much extensive research (also known as compiling some of my favorite songs), I have come up with the ultimate playlist to fit whatever your spring break needs may be. With a mix of old and new, classic and alternative, this playlist has a little bit of everything for all tastes of music — except country (sorry).

‘Blister in the Sun’ Violent Femmes

For those of you planning to spend your spring break in the tropical climates, this is a warning to you to wear your sunscreen so you don’t blister in the sun.

Released in 1983, this song will give you the confidence to not have a care

in the world (much like a college kid in the ‘80s would have).

You’ll recognize that iconic guitar intro and feel an immediate pep in your step.

‘Passenger Side’ Smallpools

This song screams warm weather and taking a drive with the windows down.

With simplistic lyrics and an entrancing pop-y tune, this song draws you in and will make you want to dance.

But do your best to contain yourself if you are driving. Keep both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been embarrassed because someone has seen me dancing in the car.

‘All The Time’ Bahamas

“I’ve got all the time in the world” to do absolutely nothing. I’ll be spending my break catching up on some much-needed downtime from all the hustle and bustle of my regular schedule.

With it’s oh so mellow tempo and dream-like vibes, this song will set the mood

BRITTANY HOFMANN | THE SPECTRUM

Wouldn’t it be nice if there were flowers outside instead of massive amounts of snow? Welcome to spring break in North Dakota. the fading winter. You have This song speaks to every ounce of freedom that a to wind down. no responsibilities. You “weekend warrior” and to break from normal life gives.

‘Listen To The Music’ walk out the door without everyone who’s ever had a ‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’ The Doobie Brothers a jacket for the first time in “case of the Mondays.”

“Feeling good, feeling months, and all of a sudden Portugal. The Man gives - Crowded House Spring break is winding fine / Oh, baby, let the music The Doobie Brothers start a hopeful message delivered play.” playing. with cutting angst, telling down, and it’s almost back The lyrics speak for I don’t know if this is everyone to live in the to reality. Fear not; we’re themselves. Let the music true for anyone else, but I’ve moment because you’ll be over halfway there. We can play and the rest of the world always dreamed of my life gone one day. You don’t make it to the finish line.

For these songs and just melts away. being a music montage. Life want to spend your life Let me set the scene for is just better with music. always looking forward to more, find my playlist on Spotify. you: It’s a beautiful, sunny the weekend.

‘Live In The Moment’ day with a crisp breeze Treat every day like it’s fresh with the remnants of Portugal. The Man Sunday and soak up every

E n t e r t h e Fo r e s t Endnight Games’ horror strategy game well done but not without flaws Nathan Wetrosky Staff Writer

Ever take a long walk through the woods? It is a great time to think about things and admire nature.

The sound of wind through the trees and the scurry of animals really can put your mind at ease.

Unless your plane has just crashed on an island that is inhabited by two rival tribes of cannibalistic mutants who want to turn you into a human happy meal. Also, your child Timmy has been taken by one of these tribes and you must save him. You must survive by any means necessary, even if you must forsake your basic humanity.

“The Forest” developed and published by Endnight Games LTD is looking to escape from the Steam Store Early Access section this April after three years of development.

After looking at what I have played in the past couple weeks I thought it would be prudent of me to give you information about “The Forest” and then reasons as to why I think the game should maybe stay in Early Access and go from the alpha stage of development to a beta and not just go straight out of Early Access.

“The Forest” is a horror survival game with base building elements much like “Minecraft” but bloodier and a little more immersive than the classic game

created by Notch. The game is intense and while I have been playing I am constantly looking over my shoulder and listening intently to the sounds of the forest, making sure I don’t miss any telltale signs of inclement weather or hungry hungry hippcannibals.

To survive this inhospitable yet eerily beautiful environment, you must kill a variety of creatures including, but not limited to, cute little bunnies, deer, squirrels, birds, and even the cannibals themselves Their parts can then be used to create weapons, useful tools and armor to make survival a more attainable goal. You will also have to gather many different plants, trees and mushrooms to make shelters, medicine and after enough mutants have been killed, the potential to build horrific effigies of their heads and limbs to scare off other attacking cannibals.

“The Forest” is a simulation game meaning you must do what a person in a situation would do. In this case, making sure to eat, drink and stay warm is the key to surviving the day and night.

So far while exploring the island I have not gone to far. I try to keep a relatively short distance to my home base, so if danger arises I can quickly head back. There have been times however where I have gotten a little cocky and thought I could take on a passing cannibal

war party. This almost always ends horribly for me.

There are two ways fighting a large group of mutants concludes for me.

The more optimistic outcome is I end up getting really hurt and must run back to home base to lick my wounds.

The worst outcome is I end up getting knocked out and then brought to a literal hell. Underneath the island is a sprawling, twisting cave system the tribes of mutants use as a home. It is not a fun place.

Alongside the cannibals are these super creepy mutants that are as bizarre as they are dangerous. I know there are more but the only one I have personally met is the mutant form named Virginia.

I can’t imagine anything worse but here is a description of her. She is three female human bodies connected through the spinal cord. She is strong with six legs and worst of all she is almost completely silent which makes her a near heart attack if I round a wrong corner.

“The Forest,” if you could not already imagine with my wordage, is a visually pretty game. Everything looks right and fits perfectly into all the creepy. Although the graphics are good, the sound design, to me, is much better than the graphics and I would go so far as to say that the sounds are what makes the game awesome.

As I have mentioned, the

ENDNIGHT GAMES LTD | PHOTO COURTESY

‘The Forest’ is a horror survival game that incorporates base building elements. rustling of wind blowing down a tree next to a move. Even on occasions through the trees is chilling steep unclimbable cliff, when I am standing no more but super realistic sounding. sometimes the tree will fall that five feet from one, it Hacking into a cannibal towards the cliff and then will not move. It will just sit with an ax is made so much suddenly half the tree has there shrieking and moaning better because of the gross clipped inside the cliff and it at me. I would love to chalk wet thump the ax produces keeps me from getting all the this up to the cannibals as it meets flesh. The splash logs the tree offers. Which is learning what the traps do of swimming in water or a nightmare when trying to but I find it hard to believe rain coming down from the build a shelter in a hurry. that nearly every cannibal is clouds above makes you A slightly lesser but still this smart. feel, or hear, like you are annoying game mechanic is These were just a couple there. In short, the games the cannibal’s movements. of the bigger things that I sounds are amazing.

Let me be clear, the have noticed but there are After saying all the above, animations for how they run, smaller ones such as animals you must be wondering, jump and climb are well done running in circles or a few “What could be wrong with but how they move around of the character animations a game as great as this?” is sometimes odd. I have looking funny.

Well it goes something like traps and obstacles all over “The Forest” is a fun this: There are quite a few my base that can easily kill game with a good team non-game breaking, but still any cannibal that gets in the working on it, but I think annoying, glitches, bugs and way. Sometimes, however, it still needs a few more mechanics that have caused when I am standing in front months or more to be me some frustration. of a trap trying to lure a developed and polished up, The one that frustrates cannibal to its doom, the before being brought out of me the most is if I chop damn cannibal won’t even Steam Early Access.

The Spectrum is looking for

writers and photographers for the spring semester.

contact us at EDITOR@ndsuspectrum.com

8

Opinion

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

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The Spectrum

A Second Look at the Second Amendment A amendment written over two hundred years ago must change could take on the government’s military is simply nonsense. That militia isn’t going to be a true adversary because the military is a billion-dollar organization that has heat-seeking missiles, drones and hundreds

Erik Jonasson II Opinion Editor

Hi, my name is Erik and recently there has been a huge debate over what gun control is needed to solve the obvious violence problem that we have within this country. And one big change we need to make is a shift in understanding of what the Second Amendment currently means for the citizens of this country.

The Second Amendment currently reads, “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”

These words, while meaning a lot back in the time of muskets and bayonets, holds absolutely no weight now. That is because the look of a militia has changed vastly.

A bunch of guys holding assault rifles and wearing homemade armor may look threatening walking down your main streets, but who is their enemy?

To think that a ragtag group of gun enthusiasts

with a gun, then that means controlling the military.

Oddly enough our military isn’t really run by us.

We don’t decide when we go to war. The last time we did was Dec. 8, 1941, right after Pearl Harbor. To be clear, it

To think that a ragtag group of gun enthusiast could take on the government’s military is simple nonsense. of skilled and trained personnel led by masterful organization.

The U.S. military looks vastly different today than when the Second Amendment was originally written.

This fact is one reason a lot of people want a second look at the Second Amendment.

What does it mean now?

Well, if you are someone

was our representatives of our state, Congress, who declared war, but it is a lot better than how the government controls war situations now.

Presidents decide now when to go to war, not us.

Sometimes presidents, who didn’t even win the popular vote, have the power to declare war on just about any nation, for any reason, at any

So please, Constitutionalists understand that a militia of gun owners isn’t as practical as it was in 1776, and the meaning has changed vastly in the past two hundred plus years. who believes that vast background checks are needed for assault rifles, or the thought of an egomaniac with a gun scares you as much as the thought of a psychopath

time. So help me God, that is terrifying.

So please Constitutionalists, understand that a militia of gun owners isn’t as practical as it was in 1776, and the

No gun could take on our government’s potential tyranny, now what? meaning has changed vastly in the past two hundred plus years. Our voice, however, and the same spirit of the Second Amendment should still carry on.

For decades, corruption and special interest have contributed to billions of

dollars of waste through wars like Iraq and other major military action in the Middle East.

How much money would we have been able to invest in our country if the people had the final say in military action? Instead, the govern-

PXHERE | THE SPECTRUM

ment is allowed to make billion-dollar mistakes. As times change, we must realize that giving people assault rifles isn’t for a well-regulated militia, but rather for sport, or in some truly awful cases, used for mass murder.

Misinformation about Firearms in the Media The various firearm misunderstandings and lies told by the media Ezra Gray

Contributing Writer

I know I said in my last opinion piece that I didn’t want to get into the gun control debate, but after seeing the recent coverage of the Parkland Shooting and the deceptive lies various politicians and media figures have told Americans, I feel compelled as a second amendment advocate to point out several falsehoods that have unfortunately become accepted by a large amount of America.

Let me be upfront about my bias: I am a proud gun owner and consider myself a constitutionalist. While I believe that all of our Godgiven rights as Americans are extremely important, I believe that the second amendment is essential to protecting the constitutional rights we have.

This is because our right to bear arms is the backbone of the rest of the constitution, ensuring that the American government cannot erase the fourth or first amendment.

So now that my bias towards the second amendment is clear, let’s proceed to the lies told by the left when it comes to guns.

The first fallacy is the

various terms leftists use when talking about firearms and gun control as a whole.

Talking heads like Don Lemon and Cenk Uygur toss around phrases like “assault rifle”, “militarygrade weapon”, “weapons of

automatic” is just plain stupid and inaccurate.

Fully automatic and semiautomatic are two entirely different gun operations. For those of you who don’t know basic firearm knowledge, semi-automatic is when

This is because our right to bear arms is the backbone of the rest of the Constitution, ensuring that the American government cannot erase the Fourth or First Amendment. war”, “common sense gun control” and many others.

My favorite of these is the asinine term “fully semiautomatic”.

This idiotic saying has been used several times, but my personal favorite one is from a recent CNN news report in which a CNN reporter, who had obviously never used a long gun before judging by his piss poor stance, started shooting an AR-15 at a range before ominously proclaiming to the camera that he was going to turn it on “fully semiautomatic” in order to make their leftist viewers piss their skinny jeans in fear.

Let’s be clear here folks, the term “fully semi-

each pull of the trigger fires one round. Fully automatic is when holding down the trigger fires multiple rounds until the trigger is released.

Fully automatic firearms, commonly called ‘machine guns’ or ‘assault rifles’, are all but illegal in the United States, requiring tons of paperwork, time and a background check in order to purchase just one.

The second fallacy is thus: the hatred of the AR. Gun control advocates seem to have a hard-on for hating the AR configuration, some even claiming that it’s the favorite gun for the psychos who commit mass shootings.

Let’s get one thing perfectly clear from the get-go: AR is

only a firearm design.

When one talks about an AR style rifle, the AR aspect of it is simply the configuration and build of the rifle. An accurate analogy would be if some sicko ran over a crowd of people with a BMW and the government responded by banning the type of frame used to build the car.

AR style rifles are also not the favorite guns for shooters. If one simply looks at American crime statistics, the vast majority of gun crimes are committed with handguns. The man who shot up the Pulse Nightclub — I refuse to use that bastard’s name — used a Sig Sauer MCX rifle and a Glock 17 handgun. The Columbine shooters used a variety of firearms, including the TEC DC9 handgun, Hi-Point 995 carbine rifle, and several shotguns, but no ARs. Now it’s true that some shooters have used ARs, such as the Sutherland Springs shooter and the madman who shot up Parkland, but like I said earlier, AR is simply the build of a gun. If a psycho truly wanted to harm others, they could just as easily use an AK variant or a Sig Sauer, like in the case of the Pulse Nightclub shooter.

The third and final fallacy is not so much as a fallacy as it is a criticism of the gun control advocates on the left. That criticism is the fact that so many of them are incredibly ignorant about firearms. Like I said during the first fallacy, hardly any of them actually get into the specifics about what they want to ban. When they do actually talk about the different variations and actions of firearms, they spew such blatantly false information and ideas that it’d make any gun owner cringe.

So many of them act like ARs and other scary-looking black semi-auto rifles

non-semi-auto firearms have rather large round capacities. One example is the famous Winchester 1873 lever action rifle is fitted in 357 and can hold 13 rounds.

Various pistols can come in rounds as powerful as 45 ACP and can hold over 10 rounds in their magazines.

I think it’s imperative that people know this basic gun information and how clueless the liberal media and politicians are. As someone who loves America and her Constitution, I think people need to know at least some rudimentary facts about the arms we all have the right to bear. Don’t always swallow what the Mainstream

I think it’s imperative that people know this basic gun information and how clueless the liberal media and politicians are. have uniquely enormous magazines and stopping power. Here’s a basic firearm fact for any leftists reading this: the standard caliber for most AR rifles is the 5.56 NATO round. Compared to other rifle calibers, this round is rather weak.

Not only are far stronger gun calibers, but many

Media feeds you about guns, chances are they’re illiterate on the subject. If you’re one of the people who want to restrict guns, please be specific about your ideas. Don’t make vague statements about common sense or claim that hunting rifles of handguns aren’t as powerful as a tactical rifle.

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9

THE SPECTRUM | OPINION | THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

No Way but the Snow Day God I enjoyed last Monday

Grant Gloe Staff Writer

I’m pretty sure I’ve now had more snow days in college than all of K-12 combined. That’s not even counting unofficial snow days where class is just too far away and my mug is just too warm. Sounds like some of you at least used to have half days where you could come in late.

Not us; we got optional days. That’s when they let you decide whether or not you want to come into class that day, but more often then not you don’t even know it’s an optional day until you’re in class. Really makes you wonder what the option is.

I’ve determined it to be the option to hate the weather or hate the faculty. The fun choice is always both.

College, on the other hand, has its act together.

Today, I sit on my couch with an unfinished assignment meant to be due today and a

cup of coffee. NDSU knows when to say, “Hey guys, you might die today. Maybe just take a sec?”

Sure, it’s a little rough out there, but I don’t think there’s enough love for living in an icy hellscape. Some of you might even be freaking out about the classes you’ve

to work relaxing and really put your back in ‘er kind of days. I’ve got stuff to get done. And I’m gonna get it done. I also plan on watching the snow out my window and making hot cocoa with my roommates while we watch “Coco.”

I like this sentiment going

NDSU knows when to say “hey guys, you might die today. Maybe just take a sec?”

missed today. I had three classes canceled that are testing Wednesday. Granted, when this article comes out I’ll have already taken them, so if you’d like to check up on me and maybe tell me

into spring break as well. If you’re getting worked up because you have any final tests coming up or you’re crazy enough to be thinking about after spring break, calm down. Take a second.

Making hot cocoa with my roommates while we watch “CoCo.”

my beard is looking full, I’d appreciate it.

Point is this is a wonderful, spectacular, beautifully out of the regular, fully natural tranquilizer, get

Collect yourself. Collect your thoughts. Collect some cash. Collect a hot beverage.

Collect a sweater. Enjoy some terrible weather.

My view for the entirety of last Monday, as I was not going anywhere.

GRANT GLOE | THE SPECTRUM

If You Want Change, Accept That People Will Hate You My tale of becoming more outspoken in ‘North Dakota Nice’ country

Overcoming the worry of offending someone with your opinions is a freeing feeling.

Xanthe Dick

Contributing Writer

Watching the news over the past two weeks, I have observed perhaps the most persistent, impassioned and, most importantly, coherent cries for social change within the last year, maybe longer. Of course, I am talking about the young survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting that occurred on Valentine’s Day. Regardless of your thoughts on gun control, the activism championed by these children is a powerful example of much-needed bravery and tenacity in an age where so many people, young and old, have begun feeling nihilistic and disaffected toward our political process as a whole.

Somebody will inevitably have something awful to say about you no matter how noble your cause. I, for one, never would have been that brave in high school, and I doubt any of the angry commentators would have either. We all have something to learn from

these students. However, this article isn’t about guns; it’s about guts and standing up for what you believe in.

As Millennials and, in the case of incoming freshmen, Gen Z, we have grown up in an era where terror attacks are everyday occurrences, nuclear war is somehow always imminent and something as simple as going to school or the movies feels like a risk.

You are allowed to care about these things. You are allowed to be scared, and you are allowed to be angry and passionate and loud.

Don’t you ever let anyone make you feel like caring is a fault, no matter where you fall on the political spectrum. Anyone who tells you that you don’t have the right to make your voice heard on issues that put your life at stake is no friend of yours and definitely doesn’t deserve as much worry and consideration as you probably put into not offending them.

I get that it can be daunting to really get out there and say, “This is what I believe,” especially here in the rural Midwest. A lot of us grow up terrified of conflict

or disagreement of any kind — just about nowhere echoes louder than the halls of a small town high school.

I went to one myself, and I can remember distinctly that saying anything remotely political was enough to get you branded as a crazy hippie forever.

So, like many, I learned to sit down, shut up and pretend that I didn’t have any opinions or thoughts at all. I am not the only person who grew up this way. I’m sure there are far worse societal ills a place can have. After all, we respect our elders, we go to church on Sunday and get along with everyone swimmingly; what could be wrong with that? Nothing, inherently, but for some people, ‘North Dakota Nice’ may come at a cost. In situations of terror and injustice, polite complacency is deadly.

When you spend your whole life changing and concealing your opinions because you are petrified of stepping on the toes of others, you just might wake up one day and realize that you don’t have any convictions at all. I know I certainly did, more than

WIKI COMMONS | PHOTO COURTESY

once. Navigating your teens and early twenties can be mayhem, and a few identity crises here and there is practically a collegiate rite of passage.

But I’m here to tell you that you need to stop that right now because the day I quit striving for North Dakota Nice was the day I really began to live.

It can be scary to start asserting yourself and making your beliefs known because what if people don’t like you? What if they disagree with you? What if you start losing friends?

Spoiler alert, all of that will happen at some point in life and it’s best to just grit your teeth and get it out of the way. Your true friends will support your efforts to learn and engage, and family members who really care ought to be proud of you for speaking up.

Getting involved with local politics and protests my freshman year of college helped me make lifelong friends. It gave me a sense of purpose, sharpened my debate skills and helped me learn about both myself and the world around me, things I would never have

learned if I had remained so committed to walking on eggshells and never openly disagreeing with anyone.

You will meet people who disagree with you; you will probably make them angry; you may even make them hate you, but this is all a learning experience.

As you become more accustomed to asserting your own beliefs, and most importantly listening to others, you may also meet people who disagree with you but ultimately like and respect you as well. Maybe you will change your mind; maybe you won’t. This isn’t to say, though, that you have to be friends with everyone who disagrees with you because even though there are respectable and passionate people almost everywhere on the political spectrum, there really will always be some people who are just straight up hateful.

Nowadays, it may seem as if the days of universally loved, peaceful Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. are gone but I’m here to tell you that those days never existed. People hated MLK while he was alive despite the fact that his

vision was objectively right, and previous generations spewed the same hateful vitriol about the supposedly “degenerate” young people in the ‘60s that they spew today.

American suffragettes at the turn of the century were subject to the same ridicule as modern feminists, characterized as ugly, angry spinsters who couldn’t get a man simply for wanting basic human rights, even by other women. This is the broad pattern of social progress — somebody sees a problem, points it out and then is ridiculed into the ground by those who benefit from the problem.

Thankfully, people in the past didn’t take those criticisms to heart and kept yelling and fighting for what was right even when the world told them no. Don’t you dare let our generation be the one who finally gives up.

Change is possible; your dreams are valid and you have every right to yell and scream and fight like hell to make them a reality. Don’t waste the best years of your life being afraid of what people think.

10

Sports

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

NDSUSPECTRUM.COM

The Spectrum

Early March Madness Bracket Breakdown With spring break coming, let’s discuss the bracket Taylor Schloemer Sports Editor

This weekend is Selection Sunday, and over the next week millions of brackets will be made. Most, if not all, will be broken, most in the first two days.

And since The Spectrum will also be on vacation next week when all the craziness begins, here is an early look at the March Madness field before the brackets come out.

The fall of the No. 1 seeds Without any major upsets, the top seeds in the bracket will be filled by Virginia, Xavier, Villanova and Kansas.

Virginia, the top overall seed, is an interesting squad. In an era where highpowered offense is usually a winning characteristic, the Cavaliers get it done with defense. And they don’t just do it against weak opposition.

Virginia has 11 wins against the RPI Top 50. In four of those games, they held opponents to 50 or less points. The list includes North Carolina, Clemson, Miami on the road and Syracuse on the road.

A high scoring eight or nine seed may spell trouble in the opening weekend, but there may be no stopping Virginia getting to the Final Four.

Recent form suggests that Villanova may be the weakest No. 1 in the field.

The Wildcats took three

losses in February, to St. John’s, Providence and Creighton. Then came a single-point win over Seton Hall.

‘Nova gets props for beating Xavier not once, but twice in the regular season.

The Musketeers have just one win over a top 25 RPI team in Cincinnati, so tough competition could cause issues. Especially if it comes in the form of a high-scoring team (Oklahoma), as Xavier ranks 243rd in the nation in scoring defense.

As for Kansas, it has been a mixed bag of performances.

The Jayhawks have seven losses, including four at home.

Avoiding Oklahoma State may be the biggest thing, as the Cowboys took two wins in the regular season.

The trendy upset picks The round of 64 always has a handful of shocking upsets. The early frontrunner for favorite upset is Loyola-Chicago.

If the Ramblers get a 12 seed, many brackets will feature them as the upset.

With a win over Florida earlier in the season, there is good reason for that.

The team, winners of 10 straight and handled Illinois State in the Missouri Valley Tournament final, has not lost since Jan. 31.

Fans of the Virginia-style of play should look toward UNC Greensboro in the early rounds. The Spartans make the dance for the first time since 2001 and hold the sixth best scoring defense in the nation.

They smothered Eastern Tennessee State in the Southern Conference finals to punch their ticket. A 13 or 14 seed awaits, a good spot for a solid upset.

And don’t overlook the Summit League champions, South Dakota State. The conference tournament saw steady improvement, from trailing Western Illinois at halftime in the quarters, to dominating NDSU in the semis, to handling South Dakota in the final.

Mike Daum is one of the elite scorers in the nation, and this year he has some help on the offensive side.

David Jenkins Jr. dropped 24 points against the Bison, and Reed Tellinghuisen is another threat. A No. 13 seed is likely for the Jacks.

The double-digit seed that makes it to the Elite Eight The last two years, there has been one double-digit seed make it to the Elite Eight (No. 10 Syracuse in 2016; No. 11 Xavier in 2017).

If Oklahoma stumbles into the tournament as a No. 10 seed, they might be the team to get there. Trae Young is a special talent and might be the next March Madness star. But the Sooners have struggled as of late.

UCLA, with all of their distractions this year, could also contend for this spot.

It is the Bruins after all, and sometimes big-time programs can make a run when no one is expecting.

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THE SPECTRUM | SPORTS | THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

Big Questions as the T h e Ta n k i n g World Cup Approaches T i m e o f Y e a r The clock ticks under 100 days until kickoff Taylor Schloemer Sports Editor

With the countdown to kickoff in Russia for the World Cup ticking down under 100 days, major questions remain in the leadup to the biggest sporting event in the world.

Is VAR going to be ready?

The biggest question will be if the biggest stage of world soccer gets some new technology. The video assistant referee system got the green light International Football Association Board on March 6, paving the way for use at the World Cup. VAR has been used in a number of competitions in the last few years but is still in its early stages. Critics are quick to point out issues. Reviewed calls often take too long and there is little explanation given to fans about what is going on.

Premier League manager Mauricio Pochettino is the latest team boss to call out the system after his side, Tottenham, defeated third-tier Rochdale last month.

“I think we have the best referees in Europe or the world but I don’t know if this system will help them or cause more confusion,” said Pochettino, according to Reuters. “It is a game of emotion. If we are going to kill this emotion I think we are going to change the game.”

FIFA still needs to give the go-ahead and will make a final decision on March 16.

Is England still going?

Yes, the team is, and so are some fans, unless you are Boris Johnson.

The UK’s foreign secretary was speaking to the House of Commons about the alleged poisoning of a former spy when he had stern words if it was the Russians who played a part in the issue.

“For my own part, thinking ahead to the World Cup this summer, I think it will be very difficult to imagine that UK

As the NBA season winds down, it is time for tanking

representation at that event could go ahead in the normal way. We would certainly have to consider that,” said Johnson via Goal.

As for fan participation, at this moment it seems low for England. Just 57,957 applications for tickets have come so far from England, which is less than the applications from the Netherlands, who will not be playing in Russia.

Any other off-field issues?

The biggest issue facing the World Cup will be hooliganism. Russian fans got into it two years ago during the Euros with English fans that saw days of violence in Marseille, France.

More recently, fans of Spartak Moscow clashed with Athletic Bilbao in Spain ahead of a Europa League match.

In domestic league games this year in Russia, there has been a significant security presence to keep everyone in line. That level is expected to increase going into the tournament this summer.

As for the on-field action Pick a storyline.

Is this going to be Lionel Messi’s last chance at a World Cup? It might be as he will be 31 at the end of the tournament.

The Argentina defense will need some strengthening if they are to win.

Can the Germans repeat as champions?

The team is stacked and will be heavy favorites to win this summer.

Can the other European powers make it a fight? A young England squad will get their chance. Spain has an embarrassment of riches. Belgium’s golden generation gets another shot. France will need to find a balance to make a deep run. Italy may tap into the emotion from the passing of Davide Astori, who died suddenly last weekend.

But the big question, how will the U.S. show?

They won’t.

SPORTS

WIKICOMMONS | PHOTO COURTESY

The NBA fined Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $600,000 for his comments on tanking last month.

Cody Tusler Staff Writer

The NBA season is coming to an end soon, about 20 games left, give or take for each team. This is the time of the year where you see teams start to tank their season.

Tanking is where a team that is at the bottom of the standings will purposely play poorly in order to try and get a better draft pick, or lottery pick, in the NBA Draft.

This season it seems to be worse than it has in many years.

Currently, there are eight teams with 21 or fewer wins. These teams are on pace to win fewer than 30 games. Possibly nine teams, with the New York Knicks sitting at 24-40 as of March 6. This has never happened in an 82-game season.

In the 2011-12 season, a season that saw 66 games due to the lockout, eight teams win less than 35.3 percent of their games, which would be equivalent to 29 games in an 82-game season.

In a letter to all 30 teams, according to the Washington Post, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said that tanking “has no place in our

game” and any team that shows proof of tanking will be “met with the swiftest and harshest response possible from the league office.”

The NBA as already punished and finned Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban $600,000 for admitting that he told the team that “losing is our best option.”

As I stated earlier, teams tank in order to try and get the worst record as they try to get the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

The NBA will put a new anti-tank rule in places effective in 2019. Currently, the team with the worst record has a 25 percent chance of getting the No. 1 pick, with the next two teams getting a 19.9 percent chance and 15.6 percent chance, respectively. In 2019, the three teams with the worst record will all have a 14 percent chance to receive the No. 1 pick.

The problem I see is that this won’t stop teams tanking. Yes, the odds are lower for them if they finish in the top three for the lottery, but now teams only have to tank to make the top three. They still will tank, but just as much as the past years.

Determining the winner, 14 ping pong balls number

1-14 are placed in a lottery machine and four balls are randomly drawn. Just like most traditional lotteries, the order that numbers come out does not matter. There is a total of 1,001 combinations.

One of those combinations is disregarded, 11-12-13-14 (again in any order), and the remaining 1,000 are distributed through the 14 non-playoff NBA teams.

If a team such as the Brooklyn Nets do not own a first-round pick, the team that owns that pick will pick instead. The Cleveland Cavaliers currently own that pick after a series of trades throughout the years. The first being a trade with the Boston Celtics that involved the Nets first round pick and Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce in 2013. Boston would then use that pick as part of the Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas trade this past year.

Overall, teams tank all the time. They know that they aren’t ready to make a playoff push so they try to build their team with young talent and develop them and try to be ready in a few years. The only thing I would like to see is that they don’t make it so obvious. At least give an effort during games.

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THE SPECTRUM | NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

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