DU Clarion Volume 122 Issue 23

E SU S I ST HE L A OF T TER! AR QU Voice of the University of Denver Pioneers since 1899

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VOL. 122, ISSUE 24

NOVEMBER 11, 2015

DIVEST DU CONTINUES TO PUSH FOR CHANGE A look at the group’s sit-down with Chopp and company

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HOCKEY DOMINATES CC, WINS GOLD PAN

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NOVEMBER 11,2015

DU ranks 23rd best college location CONNOR W. DAVIS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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recent article from Business Insider ranked DU as the 23rd best college in the nation for location.

The article, titled “The 25 colleges with the best location” used statistics calculated from Niche.com, a website dedicated to reviewing and ranking schools and neighborhoods in the U.S. and Canada. For this specific ranking, Niche took a variety of factors into account, which each hold a different weight. Among these factors are median rent, access to bars and a crime and safety grade (see chart for full breakdown).

According to Niche, 1,713 public and private colleges in the U.S. were surveyed. New York University (New York) came out on top, followed by the University of San Francisco (San Francisco) and Northeastern University (Boston).

Colorado saw four schools in the top 25, the third most of any state in the U.S. behind New York and Massachusetts. In addition to DU, Metropolitan State University Denver (Denver) was ranked 5th, University of Colorado at Denver (Denver) was ranked 12th and Colorado State University (Fort Collins) was ranked 24th, one spot behind DU. University of Colorado Boulder (Boulder, Colorado) was not ranked in the top 25.

More details about these rankings can be found at businessinsider.com and niche.com.

connor w. davis

Colorado had four schools that ranked in the top 25 colleges with the best location.

Business Staff

Editorial Staff

Contributors

JOHN POE

CONNOR W. DAVIS

ABBIE RANDALL

ANDREW MATRANGA

MEG MCINTYRE

CAROLYN ANGIOLLO

SOPHIA HANCOCK

JOHN POE

KATE ROGERS

JILLIAN QUERI

JOCELYN ROCKHOLD

B u s in e ss M an ag e r F a c u l ty A d viso r

A d ve rtis in g R e pre se n tative

Digital Staff

E d ito r - in -C hie f

E x e c u tive E d ito r N e ws E d ito r

S po rts E d ito r

S taf f W rite r S taf f W rite r S taf f W rite r S taf f W rite r

MAX PIVONKA

GUSTO KUBIAK

ADRIAN BOGART O pin io ns E d ito r

C o n tribu tin g W rite r

SETH HARRIS

COURTNEY LUSTER

RYAN NINESLING

P ho to E d ito r

S o cia l M e d ia D ire c to r

L if e s ty le s E d ito r

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SASHA KANDRACH C o n tribu tin g W rite r

TARYN ALLEN

C o n tribu tin g W rite r

C o n tribu tin g W rite r

PAUL HEINEN

SARAH CAREY

A ss is tan t L if e s ty l e s E d ito r

C o n tribu tin g W rite r

RUTH HOLLENBACK

CARISSA CHERPES

MADELINE ZANN

ANDREW SMALLEY

E n te rtain m e n t E d ito r

TAMARRA NELSON

OLIVIA HYDE

TAYLOR SIENKIEWICZ

W e b E d ito r

A ssi s tan t W e b E d ito r

CHLOE BARRETT

MONICA MCFADDEN

Cartoonists

A ss is tan t E n te rtain m e n t E d ito r

EVAN HICKS

C o py E d ito r

S taf f C arto o n is t

TONY BOREK

S taf f C arto o n is t

ARTEMIS KATSARIS

C o n tribu tin g C arto o n is t

GINNY STOUSE JACK FOERSTERLING C o py E d ito r

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C o n tribu tin g P ho to g raphe r

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DU CLARION

NOVEMBER 11,2015

NEWS | 3

New winter USG mandates B.O.S.S. trainings tradition comes to DU

connor w. davis | clarion Students are invited to celebrate DU First Snow on the first day it snows one inch or more.

MAX PIVONKA

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CONTRIBUTING WRITER

new winter tradition is coming to DU this year, DU First Snow.

News of this event was first sent out on Monday Nov. 2 in the DU Undergraduate Student Government’s weekly on campus activities update email.

“On the first weekday that the snow on campus measures one inch or more, celebrate at the SNOW ZONE on Driscoll Green,” it read!

On Driscoll Green, fire pits will be put out that students can gather around and warm up with hot cocoa or hot coffee, socialize with friends, and take in the coming of winter to campus.

Additionally, the first 300 students to show up to the SNOW ZONE will receive DU Pioneers beanies that they can sport for the rest of the winter season.

Students should keep an eye on the weather forecast and stay up to date through DU social media so they can make their way to the SNOW ZONE once the snow arrives.

john poe

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As part of the “It’s On Us” campaign to end sexual assault, USG has begun requiring leadership of student orginazations to attend B.O.S.S. trainings.

ANDREW SMALLEY

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CONTRIBUTING WRITER

n an effort to change the on-campus culture of sexual assault and gender violence, Undergraduate Student Government (USG) has begun requiring leadership of student organizations to attend a B.O.S.S. training by the end of the quarter.

In order for clubs and organizations to continue receiving funding in January, club presidents and vice presidents are required to attend one of the trainings led by DU’s Center for Advocacy, Prevention, and Empowerment (CAPE) office.

The trainings have already taken place and were held between Oct. 21 and 28.

C.A.P.E Director, Gillian Kaag, PhD. explained that B.O.S.S. trainings are designed to teach practical bystander

ABOUT US

The Clarion is the official student newspaper of the University of Denver, serving as the “Voice of the Pioneers.”

Founded in 1899, it covers campus and local stories with the highest level of journalistic integrity possible. 1000 copies are distributed each Wednesday afternoon (throughout the academic year) across the DU campus, and every article is also published at duclarion.com. The Clarion does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff and/or administration of DU, and the opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion.

Reproduction of The Clarion in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of The Clarion is prohibited. The opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of The Clarion. Weather forecasts are of courtesy of the National Weather Service. The Clarion reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation.

The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 500 words. Some letters may not be published because of space limitations, overly-libelous content or similarity to past submissions. Please submit letters to duclarioneditor@gmail.com.

intervention skills to prevent gender and sexual violence in the community.

“We are ONE DU and that means we care and look out for one another – the training helps give students the skills to help them do that,” explained Kaag.

USG hopes the mandate will lead to more students having the resources to help eliminate sexual violence.

“By training students through the B.O.S.S. program, DU undergraduates are taking a leadership role in this broader movement, and are shifting campus culture to combat sexual assault in the hereand-now,” said Student Body Vice President, Jessica Davidson.

Davidson said USG decided to put the requirement in place after sending representatives to a conference held by the White House as part of the “It’s On Us” campaign to end sexual assault.

“In short, the sexual assault crisis on college campuses is unacceptable, and students can

play a huge role in solving the problem,” explained Davidson.

According to Davidson, students also voiced enthusiasm for addressing sexual assault on campus last spring.

“At DU, we are a community that cares about one another and we want to prevent sexual assault from happening in our community,” said Kaag. Given this core value, this training helps students learn the critical skills to help them do just that – to Be aware, Observe your situation, Size up your options, and Speak up and act (B.O.S.S.). It is through this action that we can protect each other and promote a culture of care and respect.”

In addition to the current leadership requirements, USG said new requirements for student organizations will take effect next year. Under the new system, 75 percent of a club’s current members must attend a B.O.S.S. training in order for the group to receive funding.

HOW TO JOIN

The Clarion is open to contributors of all years and majors at DU, including both undergraduate and graduate students. There’s no application necessary; all you have to do is show up to one of our weekly meetings, which are held every Monday at 6 p.m. (during the academic year) in the Driscoll Underground. Can’t make it to a meeting? Send an email to duclarioneditor@gmail.com and we’ll do everything we can to get you published.

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DU CLARION

| NEWS

NOVEMBER 11,2015

DIVEST DU MEETS WITH ADMINISTRATION O

CONNOR W. DAVIS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

n Nov. 11, Divest DU, a student-run group working to combat climate change, met with Chancellor Chopp, Vice Chancellor Craig Woody, Board of Trustees Chair Doug Scrivner and Board of Trustees Finance Committee Chair KC Gallagher to discuss the possibility of DU divesting from fossil fuels.The meeting took place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Moffat Conference room, housed in Mary Reed.

Before the meeting began, the administration was greeted by about 25 students holding banners that contained phrases such as “Chancellor Chopp, what side are you on?” and “We > Fossil Fuels.”

According to Divest DU, this gathering was intended to be “peaceful and loving” to show Chancellor Chopp and company in a professional manner how much the student body cares about climate change. This demonstration was received with smiles from those who walked by, including Chopp.

Scrivner, however, kept his head down and did not acknowledge the demonstrators.

Four members of Divest DU attended the meeting: Nick Stubler, senior international

studies major minoring in sustainability and business administration from Grand Junction, Colorado; Evan Swaak, senior environmental science major from Atlanta; Erin Smith, senior strategic communication major from Lacrosse, Wisconsin; Kengo Nagaoka, sophomore jazz major from Fairbanks, Alaska. Other members of Divest DU waited outside for the duration of the meeting to show their support and wait to hear the results.

After the meeting concluded and the four representatives exited the conference room, those waiting sang a song that echoed through the hallway in hopes of further showing the administration that the group will continue to push for divestment at DU. For several minutes, the students repeatedly sang the lyrics, “Which side are you on my people? Which side are you on?”

The meeting was not as successful as Divest DU had hoped for a variety of reasons.

“At the last meeting, we provided a big report on Divest DU— why we’re doing it, how much support we have and what the national movement is like. Today, what the administration’s argument about

the report was that they believe divestment is not the best tactic the university can take right now to combat climate change,” said Nagaoka. “Another thing they kept repeating was that the board of trustees investment committee is in a huge transition right now.

Apparently everything is really messed up, and they’re using that as an excuse to not really consider us presenting to their committee right now because it’s a logistical mess right now.”

Stubler added onto Nagaoka’s statement, saying that Chancellor Chopp has been inconsistent with her arguments against climate change.

“Last time we met with the chancellor, she said that divestment would hurt our endowment and that was her biggest reason for saying ‘no.’ She did not bring that point up once this time, and I think that’s largely because that has been proven to be inaccurate since our last meeting,” said Stubler. “Now, the rhetoric has largely changed to two points: one, they don’t think divestment is an appropriate strategy nor an effective strategy to combat climate change, and two, they think it’s a slippery slope, and that if

they divest, what next?”

Stubler explained that DU is also invested in other questionable industries, such as the chemical industry. This is something that the administration admitted to during the meeting, but they have not provided Divest DU with a detailed report of what exactly DU is invested in despite consistent requests from the group.

Moving forward, Divest DU says that the administration wants the group to submit more research and reports, so their plan is to do just that through cooperation with other universities that have divested. They also plan to continue to grow their following.

Stubler said that the administration wants to continue the conversation, and that Chopp has agreed to publish a statement about her opinion on divestment and climate change come spring quarter, but that, overall, the results of the meeting were disappointing.

“When any group with power meets with individuals with less power, generally, one of the main tactics is to stall and push the conversation out longer, which is what they’ve done for the last two years and what they did today.”

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connor w. davis

TOP: Chancellor Chopp smiles at students as she walks through Mary Reed.

BOTTOM: From left to right: Kengo Nagaoka, Nick Stubler, Erin Smith and Evan Swaak.

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NOVEMBER 11,2015

DU CLARION

NEWS | 5

HCC launches men’s health month at DU ANDREW SMALLEY

(C.A.P.E.) peer educator Meagan Traver. “This film is an eye-opening experience for young men on how masculinity has evolved in the 21st century and how these connotations are not only harmful for the community but for their own psychological, mental and physical well being.”

This year, the Finals Stress Event, which HCC has hosted in past years, will be incorporated into Men’s Health Month. According to

Limas, it will provide both quick stress relief via massages, puppies and snacks as well as long-term strategies for managing stress in the long run. These stress relief activities will be available to all students, offering female students a chance to become involved. The Finals Stress Event will be held Nov. 17 in Anderson Academic Commons.

“I think it also gives female-identified students the opportunity to learn more about how a variety of health topics can affect the men in their lives,” explained Limas.

The final event of Men’s Health Month will be the Men’s Health Fair that will be held during the DU vs. Utah Valley Men’s Basketball game on Nov. 18 at 6 p.m.

According to Limas, the Health Fair will feature key student organizations such as C.A.P.E and HealthY Peer Empowerment (H.Y.P.E) Peer Educators, DU Mind, Queer Student Alliance and Colleges Against Cancer.

Limas added that students are encouraged to follow the HCC on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for updates on Men’s Health Month and other events.

Business’. Books and words have With the goal of providing the power to change people’s thinking DU community with various facts for good or for ill, and there are and information regarding the multiple circumstances that prove violence against Native women the case.” and Native history, students from Native American history is Stratton’s class displayed photoeven more critical at DU because graphs, poetry and various educaof its connection to the Sand tional posters.

Creek Massacre. This attack on “Awareness and acknowledgethe Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes ment won’t right the wrongs of the camped at Sand Creek in south- past but they can at least begin the eastern Colorado occurred during healing process and lead to proper DU founder John Evans’ tenure as change in the future,” said Jessica territorial govGarland, a sophernor and was omore English carried out by and political the Methodist science major in minister John Stratton’s Native Chivington, American literacumulating in ture class. “Hopethe deaths of fully these awarearound 200 ness campaigns Native Ameriwill be a stepping cans, many of stone to actively them women promoting the and children. equality and This history rights of Native of colonial women across all oppression has of North Amerled to a culture ica.” where violence A report by against Native the US Departpeople today is ment of Justice connor w. davis | clarion more common, On Nov. 11, students from Stratton’s Native states that 17 p a r t i c u l a r l y American literature course tabled on percent of white against women. Driscoll Bridge with hopes to inspire DU to women report “I think the learn more about these issues. having been raped Sand Creek in their lifetime, Massacre and the treatment of while 19 percent of non-white the Arapaho and Cheyenne that women say the same. However, 34 occurred in 1864 is reflective of percent of Native women report this larger systemic problem that that they have been raped, a much we continue to deal with over 150 larger number. years later. Far too often, there “All of it goes back to the Coloisn’t justice for Native people,” nial context of North America and said Stratton. the way Native people were not only On Nov. 11, with hopes to treated, but the way that they have inspire DU to learn more about been represented through time as these pressing issues, students subhuman. If you can do that to a from Stratton’s Native American group of people, you persistently literature course tabled from 11 create a perception that they’re a.m. to 4 p.m. on Driscoll Bridge. less human, and I think the per-

sistence of that idea leads to their continued treatment as less than human,” said Stratton. “There’s plenty of violence against women in the dominant culture society that isn’t really being addressed. Native women, because they’re Native and women, bear a heavier burden.”

Additionally, DU’s Center of Multicultural Excellence, in partnership with Rocky Mountain PBS, will be hosting a free screening of the film “The Colorado Experience: Sand Creek Massacre” at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 12 in Sturm Hall room 151. Free and open to the public, this event is meant to educate the community about the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864. Following the showing of the film, there will be an open discussion regarding the tragedy and historical event with some of those involved in the filmmaking. To conclude the evening, students from Stratton’s class will be hosting a candlelight vigil in honor of missing and murdered Native women in North America, as well as those lost at Sand Creek.

Beginning at 8 p.m. on Driscoll Green, the entire DU community is invited to attend.

“We need more empowerment in educational and career opportunities. We need support systems at the family, community and larger state and federal level to teach women that no matter how poor, how uneducated or otherwise unlucky, that they are all valuable as human beings.

We need legal systems that will pursue evidence and bring criminals to justice, while supporting the victims,” Washburn said.

For more information about violence against Native American women, there are a number of resources online, including indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com and lostandmissinginindiancountry.com.

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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he Health and Counseling Center is sponsoring the inaugural Men’s Health Month to focus on men’s mental and physical health. Events will include stress relief events during finals week and a Men’s Health Fair on Nov. 18 in addition to the film screening of “The Mask You Live In” which discussed hypermasculinity and was held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

“In the U.S., we know that men very much underutilize health services—physical and mental health,” said HCC Health Educator Alexander Limas. “More specifically here at DU, male-identified students engage in riskier behaviors when it comes to alcohol—use and sexual behavior, over 81 percent report feeling ‘overwhelmed by all [they] had to do,’ and utilize primary and mental health services less than female-identified students.”

The film screening of “The Mask You Live In” was held in Lindsay Auditorium and included a group

DU Men’s Health Month is set to host events through Nov. 18.

discussion at the conclusion of the film. The film which was released earlier this year focuses on the damaging effects of hypermasculinity among men and boys.

“The film was important for Men’s Health Month because society has such a narrow perspective on what it considers masculinity, especially around a college campus and what it means to be a man,” explained Center for Advocacy, Prevention and Empowerment

john poe

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Students inspire change for native community JILLIAN QUERI AND MADELINE ZANN

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CLARION STAFF

ccording to the US Department of Justice, Native American women are two and a half times more likely to be a victim of sexual assault than women of any other ethnic minority. 64 percent of Native American women have been raped and/or physically assaulted in their lifetime.

Students in Billy J. Stratton, PhD’s. Native American Literature course, as part of Native American Heritage Month, have decided to take the initiative to host educational events and promote public awareness of Native history on DU’s campus. The students were inspired by Frances Washburn, PhD’s. novel “Elsie’s Business,” which tells the story of a Native American woman who is murdered and is based on true events.

“I keep returning to [teach] ‘Elsie’s Business’ because I think that the pressing concerns of violence against Native women that’s been happening since colonialism is something that her novel is able to connect with in a very personal way,” said Stratton.

Although the book is fictional, it brings attention to real life issues within the Native community.

“There are so many problems facing American Indian woman that is hard to know where to begin, but violence . . . is at the top of the list,” said Washburn, who is a professor of Native American studies and English at the University of Arizona as well as a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation. She also has Anishinaabe heritage. “People have to become aware of the situation. That is why I wrote ‘Elsie’s

SPORTS DU CLARION

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NOVEMBER 11,2015

Denver hockey claims the Gold Pan after sweeping CC CAROLYN ANGIOLLO

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STAFF WRITER

n Nov. 6 and 7, the historic Battle for the Gold Pan returned to Colorado. Friday and Saturday night marked the 299th and 300th meetings between the Denver Pioneers and the Colorado College Tigers (CC), dating back to Jan. 6, 1950.

DU would secure the Gold Pan after a weekend sweep of CC. On Nov. 6 in Magness Arena, in front of the first sold-out crowd of the season, Denver defeated CC 5-3.

The students were ready for gusto kubiak | clarion the whiteout and they began arriv- Junior Emil Romeg (Vienna, Austria) moves the puck past CC defenders at Magness Arena. ing to their seats two hours prior to puck drop. Come game time, the student section was packed bia) would net his fourth goal of the omore Tariq Hammond (Calgary, and ready to cheer on their Pio- season with assists from Plant and Alberta) was put in the penalty neers. Some students even had to freshman Dylan Gambrell (Bonney box for elbowing. find seats elsewhere because the Lake, Washington).

Colorado Avalanche prospect, student section was overflowing.

Three minutes later, junior Will Butcher (Sun Prairie, WisconJunior Evan Cowley (Ever- Matt VanVoohris (Edina, Minne- sin), miraculously scored a goal green, Colorado) was in goal for sota) took a terrible hit that sent while CC had the man advantage the Pioneers and junior Tyler his head crashing into the boards. with the help of senior captain Grant Marble was in goal for the Tigers. He lay on the ice, unmoving, for Arnold (Centennial, Colorado).

Deafening cheers filled the several moments before being The final goal of the period arena as senior Quentin Shore tended to by the trainer. Van- came with 20 seconds remaining (Denver, Colorado) won the open- Voohris was able to skate off the off the stick of junior Trevor Moore ing face off against CC’s junior ice, but he was diagnosed with a (Thousand Oaks, California). forward Sam Rothstein. grade one concussion and would The tides changed a bit in the DU would get on the board not return to play. third period with CC scoring two first with a goal from junior Evan CC’s Alex Roos served a goals in the first eight minutes.

Janssen (Green Bay, Wisconsin) five-minute major penalty for the Gerdes scored his second goal of six minutes into the game. The illegal hit on VanVoohris. Unfor- the night and freshman Trey Bradassists came from sophomore tunately, the Pioneers were unable ley (Tampa, Florida) brought the Adam Plant (Penticton, British to capitalize on this scoring oppor- Tigers within one.

Columbia) and senior Gabe Levin tunity.

The Pioneers were able to hold (Marina del Rey, California).

“Our power play is trying to be off the Tigers for the remainder of It would not be long before too perfect. Guys want to make the the period, which led to Marble CC would tie the game with a goal perfect shot or make the perfect being pulled from the game to give from junior Luc Gerdes (Eden pass and when you try to do that, CC a one man advantage.

Prairie, Minnesota). The first you’re a second too late and sticks Pioneer junior Matt Marcinew period would come to a close with or bodies get on the puck,” said (Calgary, Alberta) scored his the game tied at one.

DU head coach Jim Montgomery fourth goal of the season on the Six minutes into the second after the game. empty net to seal the victory. period, Pioneer sophomore Danton With three minutes remaining The game may have been a bit Heinen (Langley, British Colum- in the second period, Denver soph- closer than expected considering

CC’s winless record, but Montgomery was satisfied with Denver’s outcome.

“Colorado College showed great character the way they came at us in the third. They won more one-on-one battles and made the game close,” he said.

On Nov. 7, the Pioneers traveled to Colorado Springs to battle the Tigers at the Broadmoor World Arena.

The opening period was scoreless, despite DU’s nine shots on goal compared to CC’s two.

The second period was much more heated. Shortly into the period, Arnold and freshman Jarid Lukosevicius (Squamish, British Columbia) were sent to the penalty box along with freshman Tanner Ockey (Calgary, Alberta) and freshman Trevor Gooch (Mantua, New Jersey) from CC. Halfway through the period, freshman Troy Terry (Denver) put the first point on the board.

The assists came from Levin and Butcher.

Early in the third period, CC tied the game up, which brought the score to 2-1.

Newly named alternate captains, Butcher and senior defenseman Nolan Zajac (Winnipeg, Manitoba), received the points for the assists.

With about four minutes remaining in the game, Gambrell scored his first goal for DU to add to the Pioneers’ lead.

The final score of the game was 3-1.

The Pioneers’ weekend sweep resulted in retention of the Gold Pan Trophy and bragging rights until the rivals meet again at Coors Field on Feb. 20 for the Battle on Blake.

Next weekend, the Pioneers travel to Minnesota to take on the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs on Nov. 13 and 14.

DU tennis programs finish fall events favorably SASHA KANDRACH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Note: This article was finalized on Monday, Nov. 9 and does not take into account any events that have transpired since then.

S

uccessful performances from Denver’s men’s and women’s tennis programs at regionals hosted by the University of New Mexico just about conclude the 2015 fall events.

Denver men’s tennis won the Mountain Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Regional Championships with first place finishes from singles competitor, Diogo Rocha (Lisbon, Portugal) along with doubles Henry Craig (Murrieta, California) and Alex Gasson (Alton, United Kingdom).

Rocha, the no. 2 seed, defeated the University of Utah’s Dan Little 6-0, 5-7, 6-4 in the championship match for main draw singles.

Craig and Gasson defeated University of New Mexico Lobos’ Hayden Sabatka and Bart Van Leijsen in a back and forth match, where the Pios claimed the title in a 10-point tiebreaker 10-6 over the Lobos.

Rocha, Craig and Gasson will compete in the National Indoor Championship beginning on Nov. 12 in Flushing, New York.

“It [Nationals] is a great opportunity to face some strong competition,” said Rocha.

The men’s tennis roster didn’t graduate any senior players last season, so the entire team returned this year.

“Trust, trust is a big word with this team. Trust what the coaches say, trust the practice and train-

ings and trust my teammates,” said Rocha.

Denver’s women’s tennis team had three out of four Pios qualify for the semifinals, marking as the best result Denver has ever had at the ITA Mountain Regionals.

One of the three semifinalists, Julia O’Loughlin (Highland Beach, Florida), advanced to the final match where she battled University of Colorado Boulder’s Ormeno Ruiz. O’Loughlin and Ruiz fought back-and-forth with set scores of 4-6, 6-4 and the final set of 6-3, which was played inside due to heavy rain, but O’Loughlin was unable to secure the win.

“I came back to school with a huge focus on the individual season. My goal all summer was to train hard enough to win regionals, although I fell just short, I am very happy with my result and I feel that my hard work really paid

off,” said O’Loughlin.

The final fall event for the women’s tennis program is the Big Green Invite at Dartmouth College beginning Nov. 6.

“I think a huge priority for us lately has been focusing on doubles.

Since Dartmouth is a hidden duel match, we are playing as a team and the doubles point is very important; it sets the momentum for the rest of the day,” said O’Loughlin.

Both men and women’s programs produced successful results during the fall events, but look forward to the spring season.

Men’s tennis is set to host the ITA kickoff against the Ohio State University and Wichita State University on Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. and the women’s tennis team is scheduled to play University of Memphis on Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. Both matches will be held in the Ritchie Center’s Stapleton Tennis Pavilion.

NOVEMBER 11,2015

DU CLARION

SPORTS | 7

Denver men’s soccer eager for tournament

gusto kubiak

Freshman Kenny Akamatsu (Niigata, Japan) looks to take the ball to goal during one of Denver’s home victories this season at CIBER Field. The team is currently undefeated.

SASHA KANDRACH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

D

enver men’s soccer is preparing for the Summit League Championships and the NCAA tournament after earning the Summit League regular season title on Oct. 31 and securing a record of 12-0-3.

The Pios, who are ranked No. 7 in the nation according to the College Soccer News Poll, traveled for their last regular season match on Saturday Nov. 7 where the Pios defeated Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) 1-0.

The victory marked the

first time in school history that Denver has gone undefeated in regular season play.

Denver will return to CIBER Field this weekend to host the Summit League Championships.

Depending on the outcome, Denver could advance to the Summit League Final at 3 p.m. on Nov. 14.

The Pios are looking to capture their third Summit League Championship after triumphing over Western Illinois in 2013 and 2014.

Denver remains the sole, unbeaten team for the 2015 season and the Pios’ 27-match home unbeaten streak continues as the longest active streak in the country as well as the 13th longest in NCAA history.

“Everyone is positive, every-

| clarion

one is friends with each other, [we] get along quite well and then when things don’t go well, [we] are actually a tight group and [we] stick together staying positive,” said senior captain, Jordan Schweitzer (Everett, Washington).

Schweitzer’s final ride as a Pioneer has been eventful to say the least, but with the Summit League Championships and the much anticipated NCAA tournament remaining, nerves are running high for Schweitzer.

“This is when the season starts to get fun and we’ve worked so hard for this part of the year,” said Schweitzer.

Pioneer head coach, Jamie Franks, is currently the youngest head coach in the NCAA at 29 years old. In his own collegiate career, Franks won a National

Championship title with Wake Forest University in 2007, so Denver will be in good hands as they embark on their journey for a NCAA title.

Last year, the Pioneers fell to the Oregon State University Beavers 1-0 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

2015 will mark Denver’s 6th appearance in school history at the NCAA tournament, which according to Schweitzer, is what the team has been keeping in the back of their minds since preseason training over the summer.

Denver’s next home match for the Summit League Championships is on Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. on CIBER Field, where the No. 1 seeded Pios will play No. 4 seeded Western Illinois University Bulldogs.

CAROLYN ANGIOLLO

way to win the conference right now. Hopefully we’ll make it to NCAAs again and make it past the first round.

PIO BIO: cassidy rooke

SPORT: Volleyball GRADE: Sophomore

MAJOR: International business HOME TOWN: San Diego, CA

T

STAFF WRITER

his week the Clarion sat down with sophomore volleyball player Cassidy Rooke.

Q: When and how did you begin playing volleyball?

A: It started in my middle school days. I decided to play club with some of my friends and the ball started rolling from there. I started playing competitively and here I am now.

Q: How did you come to DU? A: Both of my parents are alumni of DU, so that had a little factor in my decision. I didn’t want to be too far from home and I’ve been to Denver so many times; it’s just a great city. The coaches are fantastic and I love this team.

photo courtesy of du media relations

Q: How was your first year playing college volleyball?

A: Well the team did really well.

We won the conference and made it to the NCAAs. It lit the fire even more. We’re on our

Q: How are you personally going to help the team in succeeding and achieving those playoff goals?

A: I just have to focus on and off the court. Practice is such a big deal and how we perform every single game matters. You can never take anything lightly.

I think we’re just trying to focus on the little things we’ve learned throughout the season. It’s crunch time now and we’re trying to put it all together.

Q: What do you do to get ready before games?

A: I love getting ready for games.

We have dance parties and blast throwback music. We love to hype each other up. Sometimes we’ll play baseball in our locker room before games. We’re just trying to get loose and have fun.

Denver volleyball hosts the Summit League Championships starting on Nov. 20.

OPINIONS DU CLARION

8

NOVEMBER 11,2015

DU needs more sustainable solutions on campus TAYLOR SIENKIEWICZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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he evidence is clear: our planet is undergoing manmade climate change due to greenhouse gases. This is, in part, caused by the burning of fossil fuels for energy, a practice that is unnecessary. The real problem of climate change can be confronted one thing at a time, and divesting the endowment of fossil fuels is a great place to start. How we use energy on our campus is something we as students have a say in, and we need to recognize the reality of climate change in order to encourage DU to further take steps in the right direction.

The exploitation of fossil fuels is extreme, as 2,795 gigatons of carbon dioxide, five times the safe amount, would be released into the atmosphere if the fossil fuels that corporations currently have on reserve were burned. However, they don’t have to be burned. Divest DU is an on-campus organization whose goal is to take part in the global movement to divest the endowment of fossil fuels here at the University of Denver. Worldwide over 400 divestment campaigns exist on campuses. Nick Stubler is an international studies major from Grand Junction, Colorado and the organizing director of Divest DU. “The greatest single action DU can take is to divest, and with that framework the greatest action students can take is to urge the university to do so,” said Stubler.

Students agree. Sophomore Amy Caswell from Minnesota explained, “Divesting is important

photo courtesy of divest du

Divest DU is one of many organizations on campus that promotes sustainability.

because the money that would be put into fossil fuels is instead put into renewable energies.”

In 2007, Chancellor Coombe signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which addressed climate change by creating a network of colleges and universities that committed to carbon neutrality by 2050.

At that point DU formed the Sustainability Council, which was to be the group in charge of implementing this feat. According to council officer Rebecca Powell, the council is “dedicated to purchasing offsets and RECs (renewable energy certificates) for the energy we use.” Additionally, total university greenhouse gases have decreased by 24% since 2007.

While these are steps in the right direction, DU could do much more.

Energy use has been decreased, effectively releasing fewer carbon emissions, however, the source of this energy, mainly coal, remains the same. “Increased efficiencies are a

great benefit, but ignore the greater problem of the lack of renewable energy on campus,” said Stubler.

DU Solar is another on-campus organization that is pushing for change in this area. As Denver is known for its “300 days of sunshine,” solar energy would be a reliable source of energy on campus we have not yet utilized.

“There are no renewable energy sources on campus at the moment in part due to the price structure.

There are issues with wanting projects to pay off investments within a timeline because part of sustainability is remaining financially stable,” said Powell. While renewable energy sources are an investment, they are worthwhile. In fact, the Huffington Post reports that, “the U.S. coal industry has lost 76 percent of its value over the past five years [and] Greenpeace spokesman Joe Smyth says it makes financial sense to divest.” With this in mind, it appears the fossil fuel industry is

no longer a worthwhile investment, all environmental factors aside.

This quote comes from an email conducted interview with Chancellor Rebecca Chopp, explaining her view on divestment:“After a great deal of research and lots of careful consideration, I am not convinced that divestment from fossil fuel companies could have an impact on climate change. Far more effective, in my view, is our direct reduction in consumption of fossil fuels and our investment, including academic research, in alternative renewable energy products. If we—and others across the world—cut back on fossil fuel consumption, companies will see decreased revenues from fossil fuels and will need to develop and offer alternative, renewable energy products over time.”

It appears that the end goal is the same, it is just the mode of implementation that is up for debate. On Nov. 9., Divest DU met with Chancellor Chopp, Vice Chancellor Craig Woody, Board of Trustees Chair Doug Scrivner and Board of Trustees Investment Committee Chair K.C. Gallagher to work toward common goals (see page 4 for news coverage).

Students need to care about climate change, how it is affecting them now and how it will affect them catastrophically in the future if voices for justice are not heard. Everyone at DU has a say in what happens on campus. Students can attend monthly Sustainability Council meetings to let their voices be heard, participate in clubs like DU Solar and Divest DU and personally make sustainable lifestyle changes. There are so many ways each person can create change, and we must start now.

Don’t hibernate, work during winter break ABBIE RANDALL

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STAFF WRITER

ne undeniable advantage of the DU quarter system is the extensive amount of time allotted for winter break. Since fall quarter ends the week before Thanksgiving and winter quarter doesn’t begin until the first week of January, students are given nearly six weeks of break, and it is up to them to decide how to use this time. Despite the fact that it is a ‘break’ from school, students should ensure that they are taking advantage of this gap, capitalizing on finding internships, working jobs or taking interterm classes.

In perspective, six weeks is more than half a quarter, which is a great deal of space for productivity.

The quarter system is intense, so students deserve some down time; visiting family, taking vacations, hitting the ski slopes and having movie days is highly encouraged. However, six weeks is too long a period of time to fill solely with leisure activities,

and seeing as the spring is brimming with university requirements, students would benefit greatly from taking advantage of winter break to be productive.

For anyone looking at finding a spring or summer internship, break is the perfect time to start looking and applying. Companies will have the application deadlines available, but there’s still time to revise your resume without any last-minute stress. On a similar note, working a job over break is beneficial for those looking to save money. A consistent and full-time job, which may not be reasonable for some students while taking a full course load, is absolutely manageable during break, allowing students to save money for commitments and activities during the upcoming quarters.

Break allows students time to get a head-start on university activities and requirements as well. Interterm classes are a great way to catch up or get ahead on credits so other quarters have more flexibility. For seniors taking on a thesis, break can be highly productive in beginning thesis work without having to worry about bal-

ancing the commitment of work for lengthy break given to students by other classes. Plus, for students who the quarter system is an opportunity are planning on studying abroad, to achieve goals and plan for the break is the perfect opportunity to future, which is sometimes difficult work on the application and ensure to do during the quarters themthey are meeting requirements for selves. Students should be aware of the deadlines that occur in late Janu- the long break they are being given ary. Using time during break is highly and take advantage of it fully. beneficial to students through ensuring that winter quarter doesn’t have to be quite as stressful.

While the term ‘break’ may indicate a period in which students can kick back and relax, it can also be seen as a time for being protony borek | clarion ductive. The Break is the time to start on courses and jobs, according to Randall.

JULY N O V E23, M 2015 BER 11,2015

DU CLARION

Pioneer Voices

OPINIONS | 9

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: what are you doing over winter break?

“A whole lot of working and spending time with friends and family.”

— michael moore

“Going back home to India.”

— ashwini patil

Senior Indiana

Sophomore India

“Both of us are on the lacrosse team, so we have to stay for preseason conditioning.”

“I am going to Hilton Head for Thanksgiving.”

— caroline lewis and nicki wilksons Freshmen Maryland and Massachusetts

— joanna fleming Sophomore Indiana

Extended winter break more beneficial for Pios SARAH CAREY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

D

U’s winter break is long, so long that some may see it as wasted time, but it is really valuable time for students, faculty and their families.

Most other colleges have separate breaks for fall and winter.

This isn’t as enjoyable for students, as during those two breaks semester students are studying and stressing about their final exams.

DU lumps these together into a sixweek long break.

However, DU students get their exams out of the way before break, allowing for more efficient time use over the winter. The longer break provides for more opportunities for students including jobs, study abroad and getting extra credit hours.

63 percent of DU’s undergraduate student body is from out of state, so having both a fall break and winter break would mean either spending twice the money to get home or missing out on a family holiday. The longer break also grants an opportunity to get seasonal jobs at home, something that two shorter breaks would not allow. A seasonal job can go far in gathering

extra spending money, paying for books or contributing to tuition. Over six weeks, working at minimum wage part-time would earn someone over $800. This is just for part-time and does not include overtime awarded for working during Black Friday or other holidays. $800 can pay for books or give students a lot of spending money for the upcoming quarters.

From a faculty perspective, the longer break seems more efficient.

Christopher Rosales, faculty here in the English department, says when he taught at universities with separate breaks, the class time between breaks was almost useless.

“Students and faculty get off one break to come back to school, but then have a new break to look forward to, so concentration is just not there.” The long break can also be used efficiently for winter interterm courses for students. The longer time allows for students to take advantage of unique travel opportunities for courses. This upcoming winter interterm is offering classes in Austria, China, France and India. There are also a large number of courses for students to take on campus ranging from biology to religious studies.

Online courses are also offered, so the 63 percent of students that are

connor w. davis | clarion

A longer winter break creates opportunity for students, such as interterm classes.

going home for break don’t miss out.

Economics, communication and German are being offered online, and some professors allow students to take their on-campus classes online. Winter interterm classes can also provide needed credit for students, make graduating on time easier and lightening the course load during the quarter. Semester students get much shorter interterm classes, if they have them at all.

The six-week break every year can prepare DU students for after college because they will have more time to gain job experience and credit. DU students get the chance to have immersive, beneficial experiences because of the long break. If students think ahead to winter break and sign up for interterms, get jobs and view it as a chance to get ahead in school, then it is most certainly not wasted time.

DU CLARION

LIFEST YLES

10

NOVEMBER 11,2015

Q&A with sustainability buff Kaela Martins and her co-founders proposed that the university begin placing compost bins in residential hall bathrooms. To date, the university has placed bins in Johnson-McFarlane Hall, Nelson Hall and Nagel Hall, thanks to Martins and her team. The Clarion caught up with Martins to learn more about her on-campus accomplishments and contributions on the sustainability front.

kate rogers

Kaela Martins with zero waste bins.

| clarion

KATE ROGERS

K

STAFF WRITER

aela Martins, a senior environmental science major from Aurora, Colorado, is a sustainable hero. Last year Martins received the Innovative Practices Award from the Center for Sustainability to prove it. The award-winning practice is the composting program she and a group of other students in the Sustainable Living and Learning Community (LLC) started her sophomore year at DU. Martins

Q: Have you always been interested in environmental science and sustainability?

A: In high school I wanted to be a psychology major and then I took AP environmental science and my view on the world just changed and I just felt like I would have a better impact on the world and be able to do more as a environmental science major. I guess I just realized how much of an impact I had on the world and how much I wanted to change that.

Q: What are some personal struggles you’ve faced in regards to your project, and what are some struggles DU is facing?

A: When the compost pile started last year we [Martins and other LLC members] came up with a proposal to move it from being volunteer based to facilities taking [it] on. The only thing that facilities would have to do is take it [the compost] out, but it’s on

me and the volunteers to take out that waste every day. It’s kind of frustrating because I had a meeting set with them but the meeting didn’t work and then we never could find a meeting time after that. That was June—I never got a yes, I never got a no—so this year I have to make the decision to make the program a pilot again.

And then I think DU as a whole has a lot of infrastructure issues, one being bin security. If you look on campus you have a landfill bin but you don’t have a recycling bin...and I know that solar is a big thing we are trying to push, too, but finding the funding and finding the right place for it has kind of been the struggle too, and I think all those things will develop with an increase in [people’s] knowledge and support in sustainability as a whole.

Q: Do you have any advice as to how people can become more sustainably conscious?

A: Start small. Start something that you can do everyday that’s simple, like reducing how much you drive or recycling more. Once you find something that you’re interested in, you know, make that something that you really focus on and make a bigger impact.

Martins is also the head coordinator of the Zero Waste Hockey Program, which she says is expanding to cover lacrosse and gymnastics games to make the program more sports-oriented. Despite some minor setbacks, DU is becoming a more sustainable campus and is accepting more sustainable projects. To volunteer for the Zero Waste Games or learn more about sustainability as a whole, email kaela.martins@du.edu for details.

photo courtesy of du center for sustainability

Being sustainably conscious is easy if you start small, like sorting your trash.

Winter day trips for non-skiers and snowboarders COURTNEY LUSTER LIFESTYLES EDITOR

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olorado is known for its top-notch skiing and snowboarding in the winter. People flock from all over to ski Vail, Breck, Beaver Creek and others. We’re pretty lucky to live in such a perfect place for all the winter activities, right?

But what if, God forbid, you don’t ski or snowboard every weekend? What if you only want to hit the slopes once or twice this year because you just don’t crave the adrenaline rush that accompanies flying down the mountain?

Well, friends, never be discouraged by the judgmental “You live in Colorado and you don’t ski or snowboard?” again. Here is a list of day trips, all less than two hours out of the city, that do not involve skiing or snowboarding.

Estes Park You may have heard of it as the home of the Stanley Hotel, which inspired the classic film “The Shining,” or as the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Estes Park is all of these things and more, and winter is certainly the time to pay this lovely town a visit so as to avoid the hoards of tourists who frequent it in the

summertime.

Rocky Mountain National Park, located just outside Estes Park, is open 365 days a year, weather permitting. It has 355 miles of hiking trails, which means you can tailor your hike to any level. Remember, winter hikes are going to inherently be more difficult than summer hikes (and many won’t be accessible soon due to snow), so maybe push back your 10-miler until spring. That said, winter is a beautiful time to enjoy the Rocky Mountains on foot. Remember not to bring your dog, as the park is a wildlife protection area. Unfortunately, they just increased the day trip price to $20 per car, but when you compare that to a ski lift day pass, it makes it seem a little more manageable and the price increase is going toward the great cause of protecting our beautiful land.

After your hike, you can warm up in the Stanley Hotel. While you may not see any sets of twins roaming the hallways, it is easy to see how this hotel became the inspiration for a horror story. It is free to walk around the hotel, or you can dine at any of their restaurants. For a more affordable dining option, head to a classic Estes Park restaurant and warm up with a margarita or some tacos.

Ed’s Cantina and Grill is on Estes Park’s main street, East Elkhorn Avenue, and offers some of the best food in the town. Before your

meal (or while you are waiting for your table), you can stroll amongst the shops and galleries on the small downtown strip.

Nederland A very little-known town in the mountains outside of Denver is Nederland. This small town is just a hop and a skip away, only about an hour drive via I-25 and US-36. What it lacks in tourist attractions it makes up in hippie small-town vibes, with a creek running right down the middle, a few small shops and a killer coffee shop in town. Right outside Nederland is the opportunity for even more hiking, through the town of Eldora (no, not the ski hill—the actual town).

Evergreen If you haven’t visited Evergreen yet, winter is the best time to go. Besides the small downtown complete with coffee shops, restaurants and unique stores, Evergreen offers the Lake House, which has paddle boats and a golf course in the summer and fall. In winter, however, it turns into a picturesque ice skating rink. If you and your significant other are looking for a postcard-worthy mountain date night idea, look no further. While the rink has not opened yet, stay posted on their website, which includes their hotline with weather-permitting openings and closures.

South Pearl Street WinterFest South Pearl Street is known for its Farmer’s Market in the summer, but it offers a WinterFest on Dec. 4 and 5 which will include horse and wagon rides, a holiday market with food and gift vendors, live music and hot adult beverages. Need we say more? So cuddle up with a date or a group of friends and get festive on South Pearl Street.

If you aren’t an avid skier or snowboarder, don’t be intimidated by the popular culture around Denver. There are plenty of activities around that don’t involve strapping on skis or a board. Enjoy your winter in as many ways as possible, Pios.

photo courtesy of southpearlstreet.com

WinterFest on South Pearl Street.

DU CLARION

JULY N O V E23, M 2015 BER 11,2015

THE GRIND COLUMN

LIFESTYLES | 1 1

COLUMN

Reviewing Denver’s many restaurants, bars, breweries, food trucks, coffeeshops and everything in between

The Bardo Coffee House: 4.5 / 5.0 stars

A weekly examination of Denver’s art scene

‘Sketchy’: passion for the pencil KATE ROGERS STAFF WRITER

ruth hollenback

The variety of choices at the counter.

| clarion

RUTH HOLLENBACK

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CONTRIBUTING WRITER

enver is beginning to outshine Seattle as what some might call the coffee capital of the United States. Almost every other block in the metropolitan Denver area boasts some sort of coffee shop or coffee roaster, further attracting the creative class of the 21st century and naming Denver one of the most progressive cities in the nation.

Yes, you read that correctly.

This is all because of coffee.

One block north of Alameda and Broadway, a member of the this rapidly emerging coffee scene stands. The Bardo Coffee House welcomes an eclectic crowd— locals, foreigners, artists, students, young and old, contemporary and traditional. Enter right off of Broadway just after Antique Row into its cozy living-room atmosphere. Non-imposing nor pretentious, the Bardo consistently presents a warm and inviting ambiance perfect for staying until ungodly hours of the night to study—open until 1 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends—or catching up with old friends by playing some of the board games provided. Make sure to take some time relaxing in the back room

The Bardo Coffee House is eclectic and inviting.

on the rustic couches with one of their specialty drinks like the Blondie ($4.25 for a 16 ounce), a latte made with white chocolate and caramel, or the Viennese ($5 for a 16 ounce), a breve latte with whipped cream and nutmeg.

All of their coffee is from Kaladi Coffee Roasters, located just west of campus on Evans.

Their ice cream is from Sweet Action, located just a few blocks north of the Bardo and their baked goods are from the Buffalo Doughboy and City Bakery.

Impressive culinary quality is clearly not lacking at this coffee house, nor is their appreciation for local businesses.

On top of their appreciation for well-crafted coffee and pastries, the Bardo loves to recognize local Denver artists by presenting the opportunity to use their coffee house space to double as a gallery.

Anyone can apply by printing out their Artist’s Application and reading over their Artist’s Agreement.

No qualifications necessary— simply apply for the possibility of getting to hang your art on the Bardo’s cozy, urban brick walls.

Even despite this perfect score on the checklist of what makes a coffee shop trendy, the Bardo is not just any other hip cafe. While most close in early evening, the Bardo is open from 6 a.m. until 1 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and 6 a.m. until 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, making it the perfect location for late night study sessions or a necessary caffeine-fixing before an early start to your day.

To get to this delicious, multifaceted coffee house from DU without a car, simply take the H-line or E-line light rail north to the Alameda station, and the Bardo is just a 10-minute walk to the northeast.

ruth hollenback

| clarion

kate rogers | clarion A bottle-opener as depicted by Gregg.

Where: Ink Lounge When: Now - Nov. 30 Cost: Free

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estled between an industrial supply lot and a family home hides the new location of Ink Lounge: a shop, event and gallery space designed, pressed and printed into one artsy entity.

Ink Lounge moved to the Baker Neighborhood (located between I-25 and W 6th Avenue) just over a year ago, and although the space is seemingly random, it is twice the size of their previous location.

“Sketchy,” their only exhibit in November, features art prints from two artists: Marty Gregg

and Stuart Alden, the owner of Ink Lounge. It’s no surprise that the exhibit was curated specifically for Ink Lounge.

Marty Gregg is a graphic designer by trade and his pencil sketches presented at the exhibit give a small glimpse into the earliest stage of his work: prints before they are digitized and technologically-mutilated. His featured work embodies this transition— each print takes human-operated objects and gives them mechanical characteristics. A wine opener is decked out in wires, control panels and electrical cords, transforming the smooth metal body of the opener into a machine. Gregg relies on the finite color of the pencil and an additional color to give his prints depth. The wine opener print has dark red details that give it a 3D feel, almost as if one can grab it off the page.

Alden brings a more childlike feel to the exhibit. His prints feature robot monsters living within the human world or performing human tasks. In “Mixabot,” a robot, complete with all of a bartender’s tools, serves party-goers.

The bar setting, including the humans huddled around tables, is shrunken, almost as an afterthought, as the Mixabot towers above them. Alden’s work creates playful scenes and an intertwined world of fiction and reality.

The artists made 30 copies of each print, which are available for viewing in-house only. Visit Ink Lounge to see “Sketchy” while you can, or sign up for one of the screen printing classes offered there.

kate rogers | clarion Left: “Sketchy” is located in the Ink Lounge. Right: “Mixabot,” one of Gregg’s creations.

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| LIFESTYLES

DU CLARION

NOVEMBER 11,2015

What not to do this winter vacation CHLOE BARRETT

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ASSISTANT EDITOR

here’s fresh snow on the ground, excitement in the air, a guy crying at Anderson Academic Commons—the quarter must be close to over. While stress from finals overshadows the usual ambiance on campus, it’s important that we also consider our plans for DU’s extensive winter break. After all, it’s twice as long as that of universities on the semester system, so binge-watching “Friends” doesn’t suffice the way it might for your friends with a three-week hiatus. A month and a half is a long time—long enough for you to double your freshman fifteen weight gain on

home-cooked meals and for your family’s long absent charm to wear off on you. To ensure you make the most of break, here’s what to avoid doing:

Decrease your health level I get it­—after 10 straight weeks of Sodexo and eating out, home cooking is pretty appealing, not to mention all the holiday foods that will be in the vicinity. But this free time should be utilized to get your eating back on track and maybe take a fitness class or two so you come back to school feeling revitalized, not sluggish. As long as you don’t adopt the Thanksgiving feast mentality for all of your meals, you should be good.

Take your family for granted Homesickness often plagues us all by the last few weeks of the

quarter, but a few weeks back home with overbearing parents or combative siblings can have us craving even DU’s communal bathrooms and 8 a.m. classes.

Don’t take your frustration with this re-acclimation out on your family. They’ve missed you, they’re thrilled to have you home and you’ll be back in your shower shoes at school missing them before you know it.

Underwork yourself Six weeks is the perfect amount of time to pick up a seasonal job or even an internship.

It’ll keep you busy while giving you valuable experience and a little extra spending money for the next quarter.

Overwork yourself That said, you shouldn’t

extend yourself too much. After all, the purpose of winter vacation is to relax and make you feel ready for the next round of classes, not to make you feel like you need another vacation.

Hang out with people you’ve outgrown College forces you to grow out of a lot of things and sometimes that list includes people.

Don’t be surprised if you return home and find yourself re-evaluating your high school relationships. It’s okay to catch up with old friends but they don’t have to monopolize your time. On that note, don’t feel pressured to surround yourself with people at all—alone time may be just what you need after an entire quarter without so much as a room to yourself.

photo courtesy of flickr user likethatone

photo courtesy of flickr user wildorange55

Overeating can be easy when you get home after a quarter of eating dining hall food.

It is tempting to stay in bed and be lazy during break, but some productivity is good.

How to blend in during the Colorado winter months time. It is incredibly rare that you can go out any day of winter in Colorado without wishing to strip down or bundle up at some point.

Learn to layer, from base to outerwear. If you really want to blend in, just wear everything Patagonia.

courtney luster | du clarion Colorado winters can be beautiful.

JUSTIN CYGAN

I

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

t’s getting colder, and as the days fade away on the calendar, the chances and ability for it to snow increase greatly.

If you’re not used to the snow and cold, this might come as a rather large shock to your system. However, for the out-of-staters, here are some tips on how to blend in with the rest of the crowd once the flakes fall.

Layer If you are not layering every day, you’re going to have a bad

Don’t go overboard While it’s important to dress for the elements, you don’t have to look like you’re trying to climb Everest. Modesty is key—a good winter coat and layering should be sufficient. A crazy technical North Face down-parka which you can only wear twice a year will not only make you look ridiculous but will also hurt the bank account.

who thinks 30 degrees is nothing and has to show some sense of misplaced pride in wearing very light clothing when it’s beyond cold. If you think walking through snow in flip-flops is normal and okay please re-evaluate everything.

Please don’t wear jeans skiing and snowboarding Seriously, no. Luckily the majority of the student body is smart enough to realize this, but for the outliers out there: do not wear jeans skiing. Not only do you look ridiculous but you will be very miserable on the mountain.

Do go skiing and snowboarding Obviously this is a very important part of Colorado winter culture. If you have skied or snowboarded before you’re probably already planning on going often. For those who have not enjoyed the slopes before and are hesitant, go. While it can be stressful and difficult, it can become one of life’s greatest pleasures. That being said, if you find skiing or snowboarding just isn’t your thing, don’t fret. There are plenty of other ways to enjoy the Colorado mountains: hiking or even hiding out in a cozy coffee shop.

Don’t be a Californian Sorry, but you guys make this really easy. Nine times out of 10 the person always freezing and complaining about the weather is from the Golden State. Follow the above advice and learn how to dress for the weather here; unlike Cali, we actually have multiple seasons and moisture.

Also don’t be the person who thinks any weather is shorts and t-shirt weather—hypothermia hurts. Disclaimer: the Clarion loves Californians and has several great ones on its staff.

Don’t be that kid You know the one. The kid

connor w. davis | clarion Skiing and snowboarding is one of the easiest ways to enjoy a Colorado winter.

NOVEMBER 11,2015

DU CLARION

ENTERTAINMENT

13

Bond goes back to basics in ‘Spectre’

photo courtesy of youtube.com

Daniel Craig returns as the iconic James Bond in “Spectre,” which explores a villain from Bond’s tumultuous childhood while hearkening back to the famous past iterations of Bond.

RYAN NINESLING CONTRIBUTING WRITER

D

aniel Craig’s (“Skyfall”) fourth outing as super spy James Bond, “Spectre,” sees Bond in a battle with his past when a mysterious figure from his childhood, Franz Oberhauser (Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained”), threatens to ensnare Bond in a web of shadows and crash his world down around him.

Helping Bond save the day is MI6 figurehead M (Ralph Fiennes, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”), M’s secretary Moneypenny (Naomie Harris, “28 Days Later”), the always intuitive quartermaster Q (Ben Whishaw, “Cloud Atlas”) and beautiful “Bond girl” Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux, “Blue is the Warmest Color”).

While the plot of the film may

feature Bond at war with the demons of his past, including those seen in previous Craig films, “Spectre” is a Bond story in which the suave tropes and iconography of the films that made Bond a household name collide head-on with the grim and intense world that has defined the Craig era.

The film completely embraces and celebrates the martinis, ejector seats, smoking tuxedos and devious felines that turned Bond films into legends while attempting to maintain director Sam Mendes’ (“American Beauty”) dark and almost subdued style of beauty found in “Skyfall.” It mostly works, but it also prevents “Spectre” from reaching the dizzying heights of the action masterpiece that came before it.

The allusions to past entries in the franchise are certainly a delight for hardcore Bond fans, and many of them serve as an efficient plot device to tie together Craig’s adventures into one story, but the film is

sometimes so self-indulgent that the intelligence and artistry that defined “Skyfall” as more than just another Bond film is lost in the chaos. While that film’s references gave some gravitas to Bond’s persona while still being fun and witty, this film has minor origin story syndrome, overtly throwing tropes in the audience’s face and hoping they’ll stick in order to hide any other flaws the film might have. This is especially obvious in less exciting parts of the film, where Bond symbols are used in an almost desperate fashion to distract the audience from the fact that the script may be more than a little wonky.

However, faults and all, “Spectre” is a cheekily fun and overall effective film. Craig is still in fine form as Bond, bringing some wonderfully dry humor to the proceedings. With each film, Craig’s performance grows more and more to resemble the campy Bonds of yore,

but with an edgy twist that stands out amongst the crowd. Craig may not be the best Bond of them all, but he is certainly the finest actor to come into the role. Fiennes, Seydoux, Harris and Whishaw also put in some fine performances, finally making Bond feel like part of a memorable and important team rather than just being his meager groupies.

Seydoux in particular elevates her Bond girl past the objectified characters of the past with a feisty and resilient attitude, but she admittedly doesn’t quite reach the level that Eva Green (“Penny Dreadful”) did in “Casino Royale” as Bond’s original love Vesper. Finally, Waltz is devilishly fun as always while serving as the film’s villain, bringing back the cornier menace of old-fashioned Bond villains with effective style.

In the end, “Spectre” may be a victim of its admiration for the past, but as “Skyfall” eloquently put it, sometimes the old ways are the best.

‘Two Rooms’: terrifying truths of life and love TARYN NELSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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here is a white floor, a single white wall and a simple woven rug in the center of the stage. The lights dim slowly to complete darkness—and suddenly, from every direction, there are chilling sounds of bombs exploding, people screaming, news reporters, heavy gunfire and chaos all around.

The current DU production of “Two Rooms,” by Lee Blessing, is a thrilling production covering a difficult subject. The minimalistic and dialogue-heavy show only has four characters: Michael Wells (Thomas Lynch, Littleton, Colorado), an educator taken hostage,

Lainie Wells (Olivia van den Berg, Orlando, Florida), Michael’s heartbroken wife back home, Walker Harris (Tim Carlin, Philadelphia), an ambitious reporter and Ellen Van Oss (Rosa Wenger, Denver), a ruthless but considerate State Department official.

In the play, Lainie is facing her third year without Michael, who, thanks to government policy and the power struggles between America, Beirut and the rest of the Middle East in the 1980s, has been brutally held hostage. The show only takes place on one set, in two rooms: one Michael’s cell, and the other Lainie’s home, which she has renovated to look like a hostage cell in order to feel closer to Michael.

On Saturday, Nov. 7, two days after their opening night, the actors and production crew put on

a great show and later discussed in a talkback what it was like to perform “Two Rooms.”

“I think that it’s heavily relevant today, to what’s going on today, and I think it’s a topic that people don’t really know how to talk about, and that’s really, really hard. It’s a topic that is very difficult to wrap your mind around because it is so distant from us,” van den Berg stated, on doing a show that covers such terrifyingly realistic issues like war and hostage situations.

No matter the distance, however, the cast did their research, and they capture the pain and truth of war beautifully. There are slow, horrifying monologues from each of the actors; sweet, sorrowful dialogues between them and heated, tense shouting matches across the small stage. Every moment is so raw and

powerful that the audience cannot help but hold back tears in empathy for Michael and Lainie Wells.

The show, directed by Rick Barbour (a DU theatre professor), is wonderful in portraying the reality of the war. It stuns the audience with its honesty, pushing the barriers of how much a human being can handle. It tells the heavy truth not just from the point of view of the enemy or the victim, but from the reporter who wants to make a difference, the government official who must face the hard facts every day, the hostage himself, his devoted wife at home and the entire world.

The DU Department of Theatre will continue performances of “Two Rooms” in the Byron Theatre through Nov. 15. Tickets are available at the Newman Center Box Office.

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DU CLARION

| ENTERTAINMENT

NOVEMBER 11,2015

‘Suffragette’ a somber Ansari’s ‘Master of reminder of past struggles None’ masters charm the issues they face. One of the best episodes, “Parents,” shows CONTRIBUTING WRITER Dev and his friend Brian (Kelvin Yu, “Cloverfield”) dealing with n Nov. 6, Netflix added to being jaded, American-born chilits ranks of highly pop- dren in families of hard-working ular original television immigrants, delving into probshows with the premiere lems many first generationers of “Master of None,”starring Aziz face today.

Ansari (“Parks and Recreation”).

The show’s biggest strength Ansari is also the co-creator, joining is its ability to strike a balance forces with “Parks and Recreation” between hilarious and genuine. producer, Alan Yang. However, Every episode is a thick layer of the pairing doesn’t attempt to rec- humor wrapped around a little reate the “Parks and Recreation” bit of heart and the result is brand of humor, instead opting an unexpectedly charming sinto make “Master of None” a much cerity. The more mellow and jokes are subtle comedy. often sarThe show takes castic and place in New awkward in York, followthe best posing commersible way. cial actor, Dev In one epi(Ansari), while sode, after he grapples with learning everything from about a close disastrous first friend’s dates to racism in imminent the film industry. divorce, The show does Dev gives so many things photo courtesy of parade.com his condoright, it’s hard Aziz Ansari writes and stars in “The Master of None.” lences then to find where to immediately begin. asks for the Ansari, being a first genera- “deets” on a scented candle in tion-born Tamil Indian himself, the bathroom. However, the epidoes a brilliant job of incorpo- sode transitions, ending in Dev rating realistic representations ruminating over the love and of race. A number of shows take perseverance it takes to create a place in New York, such as the family. popular “Girls” and “Louie,” Because of this cohabitation of but despite the fact the city is soul and hilarity, the show takes one of the most diverse in the a moment to find its voice. The world, these shows host a cast of movement between the two at first all white characters. “Master of feels a bit clumsy and forced, but None” brings the real face of New by the end of the first episode, it York to the forefront, and the feels solidified in its style. Each best part is it’s not just represen- beat thoughtfully progresses from tation for representation’s sake. off-the-wall comedy to heartwarmThere are no shallowly developed ing soul, and it’s a joy to watch. stereotypes that exist to check off All ten episodes of “Master boxes. Instead, the show explores of None” are now available for the characters’ ethnicities and streaming on Netflix.

TAMARRA NELSON

O photo courtesy of ibtimes.com “Suffragette” is a dramatized portrayal of the British women’s suffrage movement in the 1900s.

MONICA MCFADDEN

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ASSISTANT EDITOR

et in early 20th century Britain, “Suffragette” is a dramatized look at the foot soldiers of the women’s suffrage movement. After decades of peacefully demanding the right to vote, the movement escalated to civil unrest in England, and this film is a relevant reminder of the hardships women endured to earn suffrage.

The film stars Carey Mulligan (“The Great Gatsby”) as Maud, a working class woman who is introduced to the suffrage movement by women in her community. She joins the ranks of Edith (Helena Bonham-Carter, “Cinderella”), an outspoken and educated physician and Violet (Anne-Marie Duff, “Before I Go to Sleep”), a fellow laundress, both determined women fighting hard for the cause.

Meryl Streep (“Into the Woods”) also makes a brief appearance as Emmeline Pankhurst, the leader of the women’s suffrage movement in the United Kingdom.

Due to her increasing involvement in the movement, Maud loses many of the most important things in her life. After following a number of the escalating defiant and violent acts the suffragettes carry out, the movie ends on a hopeful note, shifting from showing a march in the film to the real, historical footage of the event.

Controversy has blossomed around the movie in recent months, partly because it doesn’t address how this women’s movement blatantly refused to allow black women to join.

To top it off, there was a photo shoot of cast members wearing shirts with the bold quote from Pankhurst’s speech, “I’d rather be a rebel than a slave.” Taken out of its context, the quote, especially on privileged white women, was rather insensitive toward the actual slavery that many black people had endured (usually without the option of being a rebel).

Jodie Kreider, PhD, a DU history professor, chimed in on the historical aspects of the movie, pointing out that most suffragettes were not working class, as Maud was, and the

movement wasn’t very sympathetic to working class women’s problems.

“She’s neat, she’s tidy, her accent’s not very thick—that makes her acceptable in the ranks of the suffragettes,” said Dr. Kreider. “I think that’s romanticizing that. Carey Mulligan’s ability to pass as a kind of middle class woman should be used as a reminder that that’s not typical.”

However, “Suffragette” still manages to get many things right.

It doesn’t shy away from the harsh abuse, both verbal and physical, that women, especially those involved in the movement, regularly faced from the police, employers, politicians, husbands and other men in their communities at this time.

“It’s a good reminder of what’s come before and why feminism still matters, and that these issues still have to be publicized,” said Kreider.

“And even if that demonstration is kind of poorly thought out in terms of racial representation, it’s good to remember that these things still need to get attention in the press, that we still have an earnings differential between women and men.”

In this role, Mulligan continues to do what she does best—a nuanced and emotional performance that feels utterly authentic. The wellcrafted honest and historical style of the film matches Mulligan’s performance, giving true heart to the movie. Bonham-Carter, Streep and Duff all shine in supporting roles, representing the range of women involved in the movement, from the foot soldiers to its leaders.

Despite its flaws, “Suffragette” is still an important movie to see, and one that serves to remind us of the important experiences of women in the past. This conversation is still relevant and necessary, and the film is well worth heading to a theater to see.

photo courtesy of ff2media.com Carey Mulligan (“The Great Gatsby”) stars in “Suffragette.”

photo courtesy of vox.com

The Netflix comedy “Master of None” is a soulful and comedic masterpiece.

DU CLARION

JULY N O V E23, M 2015 BER 11,2015

COLUMN

Weekly book reviews for readers of all types

‘The Same Sky’ tugs at heartstrings ABBIE RANDALL

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STAFF WRITER

ome days, a quick and simple book is all a reader needs to be satiated and happy. These types of books are important because even in their simplicity they should still involve the reader. “The Same Sky” by Amanda Eyre is the epitome of this sort of story.

Alice and her husband Jake live a peaceful life in Austin, Texas. Their marriage is strong, their restaurant is thriving and they are involved in their community. However, their most recent attempt to adopt a baby went awry at the last second and each is hurting in their own way.

Meanwhile in Honduras, 10 year-old Carla is familiar with hurt. After her grandmother dies, she is left in charge of her younger brother, struggling to escape the violence of their home and join their mother in Texas.

But in order to do that, she must drag her brother along and make the dangerous journey across borders to American soil.

Eyre weaves these two separate stories together, switching between the viewpoints of Alice and Carla. Each character is vastly unique, both in their situations as well as in their personalities.

Alice hides her despair behind a façade of progress, while Carla fights for a better life outside of Honduras. Though the two characters couldn’t be more different in their situation and approach, they are connected through their spirit of determination. Both Alice and Carla struggle through their own battles, but their stories are intertwined, leading the reading through a dance of hardships and hope for change.

“The Same Sky” keeps readers intrigued, waiting for the moment of connection between Alice and Carla. Their experiences tug at readers’ hearts and provide a beautifully written escape into new perspectives.

Eyre’s narratives pull the readers out of their personal lives and into the lives of Alice and Carla for a short but satisfying story of perseverance and love.

ENTERTAINMENT | 1 5

‘Guys and Dolls’ an outdated selection

However, despite a great cast, the show overall was ultimately disappointing. Almost all the humor derived from tired stereotypes about men and women, many of which were cringe-worthy.

Nathan’s character was built entirely around his fear of marriage and Sky got Sarah unknowingly drunk in Havana.

There is only one time when the lead women interact, and it is to discuss the solution to their problems with men. This “solution” is simply to marry them and trick them into domestic life by getting photo courtesy of lamont school of music facebook pregnant and having a The Lamont School of Music put on a production of “Guys and Dolls” from Nov. 5-8. pot roast ready. While a certain amount of these MONICA MCFADDEN Jared Giammanco) that he can’t take jokes are excusable given the time the moral missionary Sarah Brown period, it’s hard to overlook the ASSISTANT EDITOR (Jovahnna Anderson and Grace entire show. Many shows from this rom Nov. 5-8, the beautiful Clark) with him to Havana. Nathan time period are at least saved by a Gates Concert Hall in the struggles between devotion to his great plot, charming characters and Newman Performing Arts fiancée of 14 years, Adelaide (Sonora a fantastic soundtrack, but the charCenter filled with audience Dolce and Terra Leann Salazar), and acters weren’t likeable enough to members waiting to see the Lamont devotion to his gambling, while Sky generate much interest and the plot School of Music’s production of “Guys and Sarah work to figure out their was rather scattered. Some shows and Dolls.” The show is a classic musi- feelings for each other. can stand the test of time, but “Guys The cast was fantastic vocally and Dolls” isn’t one of them. cal from the ‘50s with music and lyrics

by Frank Loesser, and was directed and the orchestral music was Lamont seems to be stuck in the by professor Kenneth Cox, director of wonderfully jazzy. At Thursday’s past with its musical choices, and a Stewart’s Sky more modern show might be what the Lamont Opera Theater. The five performance, main characters switched off between Masterson was charming and it takes to give some life to the pertwo casts for Thursday and Saturday resonant, and played well off of formances and attract more student Anderson’s cheeky Sarah Brown. viewers. With the incredible talent night, and Friday and Sunday.

The show is set in 1950s New Dolce was a crowd-pleaser with that Lamont has to offer, they could comedic interpretation do great things with a show that has York and follows Nathan Detroit her (Zach McCulley and Zeky Nadji), a of Adelaide, and the constant truly good content. crap game coordinator in need of antics between her and McCulMore information about Lam$1,000, as he bets legendary gambler ley’s Nathan Detroit were highly ont’s upcoming productions can be Sky Masterson (Matthew Stewart and amusing throughout the show. found on their website.

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DU band Specific Ocean releases new singles MADELINE ZANN ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

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fter a year of playing with each other, DU indie-rock band Specific Ocean has just released two new singles and is continuing to enlarge their presence in the Denver music scene. The band formed in September of 2014. Camilla Vaitaitis (Littleton, Colorado) and Alec Wenzel (Chicago) had separately been talking to vocalist and guitar player Greyson Elkins (Dripping Springs, Texas) about starting a band, and then drummer Clayton Vye (Newburyport, Massachusetts) and bassist Hudson Knott (Louisville, Colorado) joined that same month. But coming up with a name took a little longer. They had played multiple shows under a different name—Gongs, Foxtrot, Guise—each time before finally settling on a band name somewhat by accident.

“We played this house show and [Specific Ocean guitarist] Alec [Wenzel]’s roommate made a Facebook event for it that said it was called Specific Ocean album release party,” Vaitaitis (vocals and keyboards) said. “So at the show, people thought we were called Specific Ocean and

they started chanting it, so we kept it.”

Four of the five members are jazz majors in the Lamont School of Music; Vaitaitis is a senior, Knott a sophomore, Vye a junior and Wenzel graduated in 2014. Elkins, however, is a music minor with a major in creative writing. Because of this, jazz is an influence on their music, but they draw from a broad range of sources including anything from singer-songwriter to psychedelic rock to funk.

“The broad label is indie rock, but we all come from such different influences. It’s kind of a culmination of everything,” Vaitaitis said.

“It’s kind of like this Frankenstein monster underneath the umbrella of indie rock,” Vye added.

All of these varied influences can be seen in the four singles that the band has released. “Ride” and “Over and Over” were released in July and “San Andreas” and “Strangers” came out on Nov. 5. The songs were all written at roughly the same time, but recorded separately. “Ride” and “Over and Over” were recorded at the Lamont School of Music, and the most recent two singles were recorded in the studio that Specific

Ocean set up in the basement of their house. All of the members of Specific Ocean live together, except Knott.

“We moved into this house in July and have been slowly setting up a recording studio and working with some acts and the singles [released on Nov. 5] are the first release from that,” Elkins said. “We’re trying to think of a label name.”

Having a studio in their basement makes recording much easier, and the band is hoping to at least have an EP out sometime early next year, but balancing school and a band can be difficult at times.

“I think the hardest part is that we can’t move fast enough in the band, it [school] slows everything down,” Elkins said.

However, Specific Ocean is still playing shows and working on writing material. The band plays a lot of house shows, but plays in bars and clubs in the Denver area as well. While Specific Ocean is considering playing the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, their main focus is on the Denver music scene.

Specific Ocean’s next show is Nov. 20 at The Toad Tavern in Littleton, Colorado. Tickets are $8 and can be bought online or at the door, but the show is 21 and over. Their music can be found on Bandcamp and SoundCloud.

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DU CLARION

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NOVEMBER 11,2015

Throwback holiday films to watch over break

photo courtesy of youtube.com

The ever nostalgic “Home Alone,” starring famous child actor Macaullay Culkin as Kevin, is one of many classic holiday movies perfect for watching on a chilly night over winter break.

RACHEL REIDENBAUGH

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CONTRIBUTING WRITER

is the season for movies.

This winter break, grab a cup of hot cocoa, cozy on up by the fire and pop in one of these classic holiday films.

“Home Alone” (1990)

When the large and excitable McCallister family sets off on a holiday trip to Paris, eight-year-old troublemaker Kevin McCallister, played by Macaulay Culkin (“My Girl”), finds himself forgotten at home. The excitement of Christmas without his rambunctious relatives soon dulls as he faces two burglars, played by Joe Pesci (“Goodfellas”) and Daniel Stern (“Diner”), eager to rob his house. Kevin protects his

home through a variety of innovative and hilarious booby traps, and finally discovers just how important family is to him. This iconic movie is perfect for the holiday season.

“Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” (1970)

This stop-motion classic, narrated by Fred Astaire (“Top Hat”), showcases the origins of a variety of stories surrounding Kris Kringle.

Santa is seen finding his first toy, flying his first reindeer, growing his first beard and acquiring his magic.

The film features a number of classic Christmas songs and is great for anyone looking to relive the joys of a youthful holiday.

“Planes, Trains & Automobiles” (1987)

High-strung Neal Page, played

by Steve Martin (“The Jerk”), is eager to spend Thanksgiving at home with his wife and kids, but when his flight is rerouted by a freak snowstorm, he finds himself forced to travel with overly-chatty Del Griffith, played by John Candy (“Spaceballs”). The film finds a heartwarming tone despite the pair’s incessant arguing, and is a must-see for comedy and Thanksgiving lovers alike.

“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” (1973)

Good-ol’ Charlie Brown and his sister, Sally, are ready to spend Thanksgiving at their grandmother’s, but the rest of the Peanuts crew have just invited themselves over for an impromptu feast. The story follows a very stressed Chuck,

desperately trying to prepare the perfect Thanksgiving in time to make it to his family’s dinner.

These loveable characters are sure to brighten anyone’s winter break.

“It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946)

Late on Christmas Eve, philanthropic George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart (“Vertigo”), wishes he had never been born. A guardian angel is then sent down from heaven to show him how the world would differ without him. Audiences discover how Bailey saved his brother from drowning, earned the medal of honor, saved his family’s bank and fell in love. This quintessential holiday film reminds watchers to take a step back from life once in a while and find the good in it.

Don’t let this break go to waste.

Celebrate winter right with the perfect throwback holiday film.

Local band Bandits are better than ever JOCELYN ROCKHOLD

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STAFF WRITER

ocal heavy rock band Bandits are back and better than ever, armed with the experience of a recent tour tucked under their belts. Bandits, comprised of vocalist and bassist LuLu Demitro, vocalist and guitarist John Demitro and drummer Andrew Oakley, have completely redesigned nearly every aspect of the band. Beginning in 2011 as a duo between brother and sister John Demitro and LuLu Demitro, Bandits has successfully toured across the country, released the “Change EP” in 2013 and has

plans for new music.

According to LuLu, the band is going in a new direction and each of the members are writing new music they are excited about.

John Demitro explained Bandits wanted to try out new sounds and create a new identity for Bandits. The group takes influence from bands such as Jack White, The Rolling Stones and Black Sabbath, and the newer sound reflects some heavier input.

“Our music has taken a darker turn,” Lulu Demitro said in a phone interview with the Clarion. “We’ve added a couple of new elements, like keyboard and more vocals and a drummer.

We’re just growing as a band, as all bands do.”

The band is self-described as a

“red-hot bowling ball, shot out of a homemade cannon into the side panel of mid ‘80s Ford Bronco,” so listeners can expect some fiery and heavy-hitting tunes from their next album.

Bandits’ live shows are also undergoing some change. The three-piece band has an upcoming show on Nov. 13 at the Hi-Dive, one of its first headlining local shows in a few months after being out on the road.

“We have some lights going on, some exciting visuals. It’ll be like a GWAR show,” Oakley joked.

“It’s not going to be like a GWAR show,” LuLu Demitro said with seriousness. “There’s not going to be blood. Well, there might be blood.” She also announced that the band would

be playing new material at the Hi-Dive, and the show will feature “a new band, new merch, new everything.”

Bandits will also be releasing a 7-inch of singles around the new year after a short break in December to take a breather and recollect some energy before launching into a rigorous schedule for 2016. For now, the band will be focusing on playing in and around Denver.

Tickets to the show on Nov. 13 at the Hi-Dive are running at $10 a pop, and can be purchased on the Hi-Dive website or directly from the band by contacting them on Facebook.

For more information, head on over to Bandits’ Facebook page or check out the band’s website.