DU Clarion Volume 124 Issue 23

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VOLUME 124, ISSUE 23

WOMEN’S LACROSSE DOMINATES REGIS RANGERS

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ROGER FERGUSON SPEAKS AT VOICES OF EXPERIENCE

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“BLADE RUNNER 2049”: A 7 FUTURISTIC MASTERPIECE pa g e

KING GIZZARD AND THE LIZARD WIZARD SELLS OUT

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| NEWS

What has Colorado done to regulate guns?

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Photo courtesy of.Connor W. Davis

ollowing the massacre in Las Vegas in early October, the debate over gun regulation has surfaced once more in hopes of trying to avoid another mass shooting.

The deliberation on whether or not to ban bump stocks, the accessory the gunman had used to convert his rifles into automatic weapons, is a new addition to the conversation.

Despite this new element in the gun regulation discussion, there is value in first understanding the laws and introduced bills in one’s state of residence to see what actions are currently being taken to avoid another fatal event.

In early 2013, Colorado leg-

islators passed House Bill 1224 which banned large capacity ammunition magazines. The magazine’s in question included those that could carry more than 15 rounds of ammunition, more than 28 inches of shells in the case of shotguns and magazines that could hold eight shotgun shells in addition to a fixed magazine. This legislation took place three months after the Newtown school shooting and about a year after the in-state Aurora theater shooting.

Since then, Colorado legislators have also stopped bills aimed to repeal this regulation.

Last January, two bills (Senate Bill 7 and 8) were introduced in the Colorado Legislature one

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aiming to permit large capacity magazine and the latter eliminating a part of that House Bill 1224 that prohibited gravity knives and switchblades.

Three other gun bills were killed in February: House Bill 1036, 1037 and 1097. House Bill 1036 aimed to allow the carrying of a concealed handgun in public schools. Bill 1037 would have allowed business employees to use force against someone who they may see as a threat, whether or not the suspect is committing a crime or physical violence.

The final bill, like Senate Bill 7, also wanted to remove the large magazine ban.

The most notable gun laws Colorado currently implements,

in addition to the large magazine ban, include the requiring of a background check before licensed/unlicensed firearm transfers and the surrendering of firearms from people convicted of domestic abuse.

According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Colorado is ranked fourteenth in terms of strongest to weakest gun control laws. The center gave it a “C” grade and lists the state’s gun death rate of 12.5 per 100,000 people. For a visual comparing Colorado’s gun to the rest of the U.S., NPR created some charts each describing gun laws by state.

Daniela Santos | News Editor

DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF

JOHN POE, Editor-in-Chief RYAN NINESLING, Executive Editor DANIELA SANTOS, News Editor NIKKY JOHNSON, Sports Editor ELIZABETH LOCHHEAD, Opinions Editor 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.

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.

ANNMARIE MARLOW, Arts & Life Editor KENDALL MORRIS, Arts & Life Editor CAITLAN GANNAM, Photo/Video Editor GRACE HOUSER, Photo/Video Editor MONICA MCFADDEN, Podcast Editor JUSTIN CYGAN, Copy Editor MAYA PINON, Copy Editor ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser

CONTRIBUTING STAFF EMMA COHEN CLAUDIA GLENN DREW KORT GEORGIA PEDEN KATE POWELL

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NEWS | 3

Roger Ferguson speaks at Daniels’ Voices of Experience

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n Oct. 4, Daniels College of Business (DCB) hosted Roger Ferguson, CEO of TIAA for its Voices of Experience Speaker Series. The Voices of Experience Speaker Series invites CEOs and significant leaders into the DU community to share lessons they’ve learned in their leadership career. The hour and a half long event featured a discussion between Ferguson and DCB Dean Brent Chrite.

Toward the end of the event, Chrite invited the audience to ask a few questions. Topics covered included Ferguson’s early life, financial literacy and the current state of the financial world.

The Clarion sat down with Ferguson for an exclusive interview. The interview was conducted and condensed by John Poe. Q: What are some specifics about your company culture?

A: TIAA is very mission driven. It is a place where we bring an academic approach consistent with our client base. All of that has allowed us to take a long term perspective in what we do and we firmly believe in putting client interests first. I think all those things drive us to be a unique organization.

How do you hire? What do you look for?

We look for a number of things.

One is that our mission will resonate with people. If you don’t like our mission this is not a great place to work.

Two is that we really want people who are willing to work in a challenging financial services world, so you have to be interested in money. Three is

value, diversity and inclusion. I need [people] who are comfortable working in teams that are not like them, if you will. The fourth thing is that we need people really ready to learn. What we do is highly technical. Our product set

Inc. and many others. What propelled you to pursue these companies and not others?

In each case there is something I can learn. Obviously with Alphabet, the leader in technology, who Photo courtesy of AK Photo

is not the average that one sees, even in financial services. People have to have a certain amount of patience to learn who we are and what we do.

Alongside being CEO of TIAA, you are also a board member of Smithsonian’s Board of Regents, Alphabet, Inc., General Mills,

wouldn’t want to be on that board?

General Mills is fascinating. They’re an iconic company [that is] 150 years old and frankly dealing with some dramatic changes in taste dealing with a generational shift. Whatever I can learn from a company dealing with generational shifts, I’d want to

learn. A number of institutions I’m on the board of are leading iconic not for profit organizations [like] The Smithsonian [and] Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton. I like to be in and around leading institutions that represent our client base as well.

Tell me about your experience serving on the Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and its predecessor, the Economic Recovery Advisory Board.

Those were two councils that President Obama started during his first term. In both cases, it was a really positive experience in that President Obama was very interested and listening to outside voices. [It dealt] with some really intractable problems, one must say. It felt to me that we were making a contribution by bringing some new ideas into the conversation and I was really pleased and honored to have a chance to serve.

What advice do you have for new college grads?

First, a career is not a straightforward climbing ladder. Be prepared to have some successes and some failures. Be curious. Recognize that with all the learning that you have had, there’s a lot more learning to have.

Go out there with gusto. You bring a lot to the marketplace based on your generational views that the rest of us can learn from.

The next Daniels’ Voices of Experience Speaker Series will take place in January.

John Poe l Editor-in-Chief

S T N

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October 20, 2017 at 7:30 pm The Robert and Judi Newman Center for the Performing Arts 2344 East Iliff Avenue, Denver CO 80210 Featuring music from Final Fantasy, one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, “A New World” brings the music of composer Nobuo Uematsu to an intimate chamber music setting. The New World Players Chamber Ensemble performs under the direction of Eric Roth, featuring acclaimed piano soloist Benyamin Nuss. An official performance of the game developer Square Enix, “A New World” has captivated audiences all over the globe, capturing the power and beauty of classical Final Fantasy themes in an incredible live setting.

Limited tickets available

/ $15 students Newman Center box office•newmantix.com/ncp•303.871.7720 This program is made possible in part by:

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DU Women’s Lacrosse defeats Regis Rangers, 19-5

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U Women’s Lacrosse started fall ball strong with a win over the Regis Rangers in their home Peter Barton Stadium. The Pioneers scored an impressive 19 points, while keeping their competitors in single digits, at five.

The game kicked off the fall ball season for the Pioneers, and head coach, Liza Kelly, had good things to say about her team.

“I thought today was a great day to work through the new rules against another team.” She continued, “It is a great place to start.”

Senior midfielder, Riley Eggeman (Mission Viejo, Calif.), started the scoring for Denver early, recording the first Pioneer goal at minute

26:56. The Pioneers furthered their lead to 3-0 with goals from junior attack, Kendra Lanuza (Littleton, Colo.) and another junior attack, Julia Feiss (Baltimore, Md.). The Rangers answered Denver’s strong start with their first goal at minute 21:25. But less than thirty seconds after a Regis point, senior attack, Caitlin Derry (Seal Beach, Calif.) scored another point for the Pioneers, 4-1.

At the half, the Pioneers led 14-3, with goals from Feiss, three from Derry, Eggeman, Lanuza, freshman midfielder Caroline Wiseman (Alexandria, Va.), two from freshman attack, Elizsa Radochonski (Englewood, Colo.) and freshman midfielder Bea Behrins

(Basking Ridge, N.J.).

The Pioneers continued with their offensive attack, scoring five times in the second half. Lanuza, junior midfielder Audrey Schreck (Charlottesville, Va.), freshman midfielder Quintin Hoch-Bullen (Severn, Ontario), Wiseman and Feiss all recorded goals in the second half.

Nine different Pioneers recorded at least one goal in the game, with a team-high of four goals from senior attacker Derry. Feiss and Lanuza each had a hat trick for the Denver Pioneers.

Radochonski led the team with three assists, while Wiseman, junior attack Elizabeth Behrins (Basking Ridge, N.J.), freshman attack

Hannah Liddy (Westfield, N.J.), Hoch-Bullen and Bea Behrins each had one assist.

Defending the net, sophomore Carson Gregg (Severna Park, Md.) and freshman Amelia Cole (Alexandria, Va.) both saw time in the game and made clutch saves for the Pioneers, keeping the Rangers off the board and at five points by the end of regulation.

DU Women’s Lacrosse hit the road next weekend as they travel to Princeton, N.J., and Baltimore, Md., for two days of games. DU will host Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 3:30 p.m., before closing out the fall schedule with the Alumnae game on Friday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.

Nikky Johnson | Sports Editor

Erika Sobelman | Clarion Erika Sobelman | Clarion

DU Swimming and Diving sweeps Denver Relays

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he DU men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams both won nine of the 11 relay events in El Pomar Natatorium this past Saturday, sweeping the competition in an impressive show of Pioneer pride.

The DU men’s team scored 1130 points, as the University of Wyoming trailed at 802 and Colorado School of Mines scored a 494.

The women’s team swam just as well, scoring 1058, with Wyoming trailing at 822, Northern Colorado followed with 788 and Colorado school of Mines scored 212.

“This was a great start, and I have to applaud our athletes’ efforts this afternoon,” head coach Brian Schrader said. “We are still in an early part of our training and season, so our measuring stick today was attitude and effort, and I felt like we hit that mark. It was really fun to have so many loud alums, parents and friends in the

stands today. With so much varied racing and many of our kids racing six to seven times, they all did a nice job supporting each other. In short, today showcased fast swimming and fun. I think a college season should always start with some relays to emphasize team.”

The Pioneer women’s team led with five wins each from senior Morgan McCormick (Golden, Colo.) and freshman Alysia Leckie (Georgetown, Ontario). The men’s team also led with five wins from senior Anton Loncar (Hillsboro, Ore.) and sophomore Sid Farber (Portland, Ore.). The Pioneers also saw three athletes snatch four wins on Saturday as junior Bailey Andison (Smith Falls, Ontario) and junior Lauren Moden (Parker, Colo.) swam impressively that afternoon for the women and redshirt freshman Stephen Calkins (Calgary, Alberta) won four relays for the men on his debut.

Denver opened its annual relay

event with a sweep in the 200 Medley Relay. McCormick, Andison, senior Heidi Bradley (Victoria, B.C.) and Leckie combined for a time of 1:42.55 to start the season-opener with a victory. Loncar, freshman Cy Jager (Moscow, Idaho), sophomore Peter Webster (Odense, Denmark) and Farber touched first in the men’s event with a 1:30.52.

Colin Gilbert (Kamloops, B.C.), the 2017 NCAA Championships qualifier led-off for the Pioneers’ 3x750 free relay in the long distance swim of the afternoon. Gilbert combined with junior Kyle Ewoldt (Gilbert, Ariz.) and senior Alex Walton (Atlanta, Ga.) for a time of 14:04.07. Gilbert swam his 250 in 4:38.83. Ewoldt’s relay win was his first of three on Saturday.

Sophomore Josie Valette (Boulder, Colo.), Bradley and sophomore Kylie Cronin (Marblehead, Mass.) got the Denver women back in the win column in the fifth event of the afternoon with a 2:49.88 in

the 3X100 butterfly relay. The win was one of three for Bradley, while Valette was part of two relay wins for the Pioneers on Saturday.

The Pioneers continued in this fashion of multiple wins for DU swimmers, as they swept the relay and showed their true ‘attitude and effort’ in the sport.

The yearly cherry on top of the Denver Relays is the 200 mixed medley exhibition features two male and two female swimmers from each team. Loncar, Andison, freshman Deniz Ozkan (Istanbul, Turkey) and Farber won the event with a 1:38.27 to cap off Denver’s season opener.

Denver will have two meets next weekend. On Oct. 13, Denver’s women host New Mexico, while the men have an inter-squad at El Pomar, beginning at 4 p.m. The Pioneers will then travel together to Wyoming for a meet. First swim is set for 1 p.m. in Laramie.

Nikky Johnson | Sports Editor

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SPORTS | 5

DU Women’s Golf wins second straight team title D

U women’s golf team, ranked no. 26, won its second straight team title on Sunday at the Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate. The Pioneers finished with a team score of 849, 15-under.

The Pioneer squad scored a 6-over on moving day to land in second place Saturday at the Ron Moore Women’s Intercollegiate, after being ranked no. 26 overall. Par for the 6,450-yard course was 72 at the Highlands Ranch Golf Club.

The New Mexico women’s squad showed up strong at the Intercollegiate tournament, and was the team leader through 36 holes with a total of 574 (2-under).

The Lobos held a three-shot edge over the Pioneers heading into Championship Sunday.

Interim head coach Kolton Lapa went with the lineup of junior Sophie Newlove (Nottingham, England), senior Lauren Whyte (St. Andrews, Scotland), sophomore Mary Weinstein (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) senior Jessica Dreesbeimdieke (Windhoek, Namibia) and sophomore Camille Enright (Plano, Texas) for the main team.

Newlove led the team and kept her strong play going, posting a 1-under in her second go-through of the course, putting her in a tie for third at 4-under. The England native continued to show her mastery of her collegiate home course, playing flawlessly in key moments.

Both Weinstein and Dreesbeimdieke tied for 19th the second round on Saturday at 2-over. Whyte and Enright closed out their respective days tied for 28th at 3-over.

The Crimson and Gold squad finished the following Sunday round strong, as the final-round 16-under 272 set a new school record for DU, highlighted by all four scores that counted being under par.

The 15-under total tied a program record for 54-hole low total set in 2006. The win made two straight victories for the Crimson and Gold, who have now been victorious in three of their last five tournaments dating back to last season.

With the win, Newlove picked up her first top-5 finish of the season, tying for fourth after another 3-under 69 on the day. She closed out her tournament with a 54-hole total of 7-under. Weinstein had her best round of the tournament with a 2-under 70, putting her in a tie for 15th. Enright finished her final 18 holes tied for 34th.

Whyte and Dreesbeimdieke showcased their big-game ability, with each turning in career-best rounds on the afternoon to tie for 10th.

Pioneer Women’s Golf will finish the fall portion of its season with the Maryb S. Kauth Invitational in San Antonio, Texas on Oct. 22.

Nikky Johnson | Sports Editor

Photo courtesy of DU Athletics

Kronenberg leads Pioneers past E. Illinois, 1-0

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fter recovering from backto-back knee surgeries, redshirt senior Alex Kronenberg (Boulder, Colo.) scored his second goal in the past three Denver Men’s Soccer home games for the win against Eastern Illinois on Saturday in his home Denver Soccer Stadium.

The Pioneers beat Eastern Illinois 1-0 with Kronenberg’s goal. The Pioneers turned a complete performance Saturday night, outshooting the visitors 14-3, and creating the only three corners of Saturday night’s match.

“Credit Eric (Kronenberg) for

Olivia Hyde | Clarion

a great run and we got some good build up play from Andre (Shinyashiki) and Ken (Akamatsu). Eric makes us different off the bench.

He’s a big time player that can deliver those big time moments for us,” head coach Jamie Franks said.

“I think when the guys are locked in, they play their role, they are resilient and they stay together, they are a really difficult team to beat,” Franks said. “At the end of the day, we should have finished the game off earlier.”

Kronenberg recorded the 12th goal of his career in the 52nd minute, beating the keeper one-on-

one after a through ball from junior striker Andre Shinyashiki (Sao Paulo, Brazil).

“I was talking to Andre before the second half, and we noticed the space in the back to play a ball in from the nine,” Kronenberg said. “I told him I was going to make that run off him when we were in together.

He played a great ball in, and then I just had to take a touch, and put it in the near post.”

The redshirt-senior is now two goals outside of Denver’s career record book top-10, and moved into a tie with Shinyashiki for fifth in career game winning goals with six.

Shinyashiki moved into sole possession of sixth in career points with 45.

DU Soccer will begin a fourmatch road swing on Tuesday when the Pioneers travel to Tulsa. The non-league match is set to kickoff at 6 p.m. Denver will then resume Summit League next Saturday at Fort Wayne at 5 p.m., followed by a trip to Oral Roberts on Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. The Crimson and Gold will close out the road swing with another mid-week game, this time on Oct. 25 at New Mexico at 7 p.m.

Nikky Johnson | Sports Editor

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DU Volleyball falls to the Oral Roberts Eagles, 0-3

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U Volleyball fell to the Oral Roberts (ORU) Golden Eagles on Saturday in three straight sets on the ORU court in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Set one ended 20-25, followed by a 17-25 loss in set two, and a final loss of 22-25.

The loss puts the Pioneers at a record of 12-5 on the season and 3-2 in Summit League play. The Golden Eagles advanced to an 8-10 overall record and 5-1 in league play.

Senior outside hitter, Cassie Baird (Indianapolis, Ind.) led the Pioneers with 10 kills and 11 digs, her fourth double-double of the year. Baird hit .529 on the night as she led DU. Senior setter Piyusha Boteju (Euless, Texas) had 15 assists and freshman setter Ellie Anderson (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) followed with 13 assists. Junior middle blocker Emma Willis (La Jolla, Calif.) had four total blocks, all assisted, for the Pioneers. Freshman middle blocker Tina Boe (Plymouth, Minn.) and junior libero Olivia Novotny

(Germantown, Tenn.) had the two service aces in the match for the Denver Pioneers.

As a team Denver hit .221 in the match with 36 kills and 15 attack errors. DU had five total team blocks from 10 assisted blocks, 37 digs, 34 assists and two service aces.

The Golden Eagles started the match strong with a 7-2 lead that the Pioneers struggled to stub. After falling behind 11-5, Denver was able to get the lead down to three at 16-13, but ORU pushed it back out with a 7-0 run to make it 23-13.

Down ten points, the Crimson and Gold fought hard, going on a 7-2 run making the score 24-20. ORU claimed the final set point, 25-20.

Baird had four kills, Boteju had six assists, and Baird and Anderson each had three digs to lead the team.

Junior outside hitter, Becca Latham (Austin, Texas) and Boe combined for the lone assisted block in the set, and Novotny recorded her ninth service ace of the season. Overall, Denver hit a .343 from 15 kills.

The Pioneers turned the tables in the next set, stealing the lead with the first three points of the set from kills recorded by senior right-side hitter Kayla Principato (Rockville Centre, N.Y.) and Baird. The Golden Eagles came back to tie the set at four. There would be ties at five, six, seven, eight, before ORU used twostraight points to gain the lead 10-8.

The Pioneers answered with a 2-0 run of its own, but ORU proceeded to score the next three points to pull away with a score of 13-10. Denver tried to close in on the Golden Eagles, getting as close as three at 20-17, but the Golden Eagles scored the next five points to take the set 25-17. DU hit .176, recording 13 kills as a team.

ORU continued to dominate in the third set, going on a 7-1 run to take an early 8-2 lead. The Pioneers rallied back, going on a 7-1 run as well, resulting in a 10-11 score, all thanks to kills from graduate student Teal Schnurr (Westminster, Colo.), Latham and Baird, a

Boe service ace, and three Denver assisted blocks. Willis stole the set’s momentum with her three assisted blocks to drive the Pioneers within one point of the Golden Eagles. The Pioneers continued to keep the set within one at 12-11 and 13-12 before an ORU attack error tied the set at 13. The set continued with a series of runs from both teams resulting in the tight scores of 20-18 and 23-21, but ORU stole the set with a final run that ended with a 25-22 win.

Denver recorded a struggling .115 on eight kills for the set, with Schnurr recording three of those to lead the team in the final set. Anderson and Boteju each had three assists. Willis had four assisted blocks, teaming up with Baird and Latham twice.

Denver will host Western Illinois and South Dakota on Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 14 at 1 p.m. Friday’s match will be Teacher/Faculty Appreciation Night, and Sunday’s match has been designated this year’s Pink Match.

Nikky Johnson | Sports Editor

Victoria Valenzuela | Clarion

Big Leagues: Rockies fall in wild card game, look forward

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espite everything against them, the Colorado Rockies ended the year with a postseason berth, their first since 2009. Despite a young pitching staff stuffed with rookies, a stacked offense who nonetheless couldn’t always quite put it together and the usual complaints of altitude and cheapness from media and rival fans, the Rockies brought Rocktober back to Denver once again. It just wasn’t enough.

The Rockies had a lot going for them as they entered Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona to duke it out in a one game do or die with the newly powerful Arizona Diamondbacks.

Center fielder Charlie Blackmon had just secured the National League batting title in a career year, superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado was still playing MVP-caliber ball and starter Jon Gray was coming off a five-game hot streak where he posted a 2.70 ERA and looked to be back in

his ace form. The Rockies had lots of success at Chase, especially against Dbacks ace Zack Greinke. Players such as shortstop Trevor Story loved to hit the long ball against him, and it seemed a combination of this ability to hit for power, Gray’s recent dominance and a fiery desire to win would lead the team to the National League Division Series. But before the Rockies could even blink, they were down 6-0.

Gray had a bad, nervous start, giving up four runs in just one and a third innings before his was pulled.

He had allowed a home run from star player Paul Goldschimdt and a run-scoring triple from Starling Marte to make it 4-0. Former starter Tyler Anderson later came in for relief, but too was pulled after former Rockie Daniel Descalso hit a two run bomb to make it 6-0. It felt like the beginning of the end.

However, as the team has continued to prove over the course of the year, they had plenty of fight left in

them. Before long, the team bounced back to make it 6-5, chipping away nicely at the Dbacks large lead and sending Greinke to dugout in the fourth inning. The game was swinging in their favor until Archie Bradley arrived to take it all away.

Bradley, a relief pitcher who only had four at-bats the entire year, was up to hit against solid Rockies reliever Pat Neshek. With two on and two out, the Dbacks weren’t expecting him to hit, keeping him in so he could pitch the eighth inning and take some of the heat off of closer Fernando Rodney. He proceeded to shock everyone watching a ripping a triple to left field to make it 8-5.

Despite the shocking turn of events, the Rockies weren’t out of it yet. While Bradley may have had fun putting his team ahead, hitting and running around the bases had clearly worn him out. The Rockies quickly capitalized, as Arenado and Story proceeded to rip a pair of angry, back-to-back homers to make the

game 8-7.

However, the Rockies still couldn’t put it away. Soon enough, closer Greg Holland, who had been shaky in the second half of the season after a phenomenal first half, gave up three runs to make 11-7. In the top of the ninth, Rockies veteran Carlos Gonzalez got a two-out RBI single in what was likely the last at-bat of his storied Rockies career to make it 11-8. Arenado grounded out shortly after, and the Rockies postseason had ended as quickly as it had begun.

While the loss was a tough one, the determination and grit of the Rockies to fight for all nine innings of play was a testament to their ability and desire to win it all for their hometown. It wasn’t all for nothing; it was year of growth, improvement and success. If the Rockies lock up their free agents, make smart trades and keep healthy, the team will be poised to contend next year. Rocktober will come again.

Ryan Ninesling | Executive Editor

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DU CLARION

OPINIONS | 7

Being prepared for an active shooter R

eading about the mass shooting in Las Vegas and the subsequent inaction on the part of the federal government would make any reasonable person want to pull a Tina Fey and scream into a sheet cake until they pass out. The sheer horror of the event, which killed over 50 people and injured hundreds, is overwhelming enough without having to go through yet another period in which the same cries for gun control measures are met with the same kind of shrugs from Congress, the White House and the NRA. Echoing Scott Pruitt’s comments about the aftermath of a hurricane not being the time to discuss climate change, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the day after the shooting that it was not yet time to discuss “policy.”

President Trump also deflected gun control questions when he traveled to Las Vegas to meet survivors. And even though the members of Congress are now discussing possible restrictions on the “bump stock” device the shooter used, in the greater context of all of the mass shootings that have happened in the past, their quivering cowardice when it comes to gun control would be laughable if it wasn’t the matter of real human death it actually is.

The most excruciatingly terrible part about this ridiculous repeated response is that the issue of gun violence is one that makes most people fear for their lives on a daily basis. This gener-

ation of students, especially, has grown up hearing about mass shootings often and thinking about escape routes from each classroom we sit in throughout the day. We think about survival skills because our leaders are not thinking about them for us. Even after the Sandy Hook school shooting, no orders came down from the top that made us feel any safer.

It is a certainty that many, if not all, DU students have thought about a mass shooting on campus at one time or another. A slamming door sets heart rates racing, windows that don’t open feel like a restriction of options. If the Las Vegas shooting does not prompt serious gun control measures, then student thinking will shift from if a school shooting happens to when a school shooting happens.

DU students, and people across the country, can turn to leaders at the federal level to ask for help, but if we have learned anything from the past it is that we will receive only thoughts and condolences and carefully arranged pitiful faces in return.

We have to believe that this will change, but we can also take the step of looking to our local leaders, even our leaders here on campus.

DU’s Office of Emergency Preparedness has a page on their website outlining procedures for what to do in various active shooter situations, but this information is missing a very obvious component: how will students even know if there is an active shooter? Currently, DU’s

emergency notification system involves email notifications as well as the option to register a phone number to receive call or text alerts. There are some major gaps in this system, however.

Email notifications are the only alerts that go out to everyone on campus, and the problems with this are obvious. Students are not checking their email before they leave the library at night to see if there is an active shooter. And though laptop use in class is common, we are not keeping an eye on our DU inbox in case of an emergency. The reasons why email should not be the primary form of emergency calls are too clear to have to spell out.

Texts and phone calls are clearly the better options, however, registering a cell phone number to the alert system is not required on campus. Registering a phone can be done through the MyWeb tab on PioneerWeb (please do this immediately), but it is not apparent why this is not mandatory, especially considering the university already has student cell phone numbers on file. We have our cell phones with us often, and if there is a shooter on campus, we are not going to be whistling a tune waiting for the email app to refresh.

Several universities, including the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville already have an automatic text notification system, however, at most other universities, an opt-in is required to receive text alerts. Here at DU, and on campuses everywhere, signing

up for cell phone alerts should absolutely be required.

But there are cases when we do not have our cell phones (please spare the attachedto-your-phones comments).

Whether we are out for a run, in bed or simply have our phones silenced, there will be times when alerts do not reach us. In these events, a public-address system that is uniform in all buildings and dormitories as well as outdoors is needed. There are currently PA systems in some of the buildings on campus (the library closing is when it is most often heard), but a more centralized emergency system is a precaution that should be taken. At Virginia Tech, where a mass shooting in 2007 left over 30 people dead, an all-campus PA system is now in place in order to notify immediately of emergencies. These outdoor sirens are also in place at several other universities including Emory University and the University of Miami. DU should be next in taking this step.

These matters are urgent.

There is nothing stopping someone who has somehow been able to stockpile weapons in the same way Stephen Paddock did from walking onto campus and shooting us. At DU, we can expand our notification system to reach as many students as possible. In the White House and Congress, our leaders can take note that while statements are made about this “not being the time,” the rest of us are fearing for our lives.

Elizabeth Lochhead | Opinions Editor

Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Denver Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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f your elementary school was anything like mine, I sang the Columbus song with gusto and naieveté: “In fourteen hundred ninety-two/ Columbus sailed the ocean blue,” alongside all thirty of my smiling, cherubic classmates before we crafted the Mayflower out of construction paper. I remember the patriotism I felt celebrating holidays such as Columbus day. I also thought that the principal of my school was the president too, but that’s nearly irrelevant to this piece.

In the last lines of the storied Columbus Day song are the slight-

est of nods to the true history we’re not taught in the classroom. “The first American? No, not quite/ But Columbus was brave, and he was bright.” These lines serve as merely one example of the many instances in which the American historical narrative has been euphemized greatly to a degree of undeniable and gross ignorance.

Over 50 American cities, including Denver, have instead decided to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The change represents our ability as a nation to finally recognize the injustices that our country was founded upon, rather than the romantic mythology that surrounds Christopher Columbus.

I use the term “myth” with full awareness. Supporters of Indigenous Peoples’ Day cite the evidence that “Columbus and his crew were responsible for rapes, murders and the plunder of the Caribbean islands where they landed”. They also say Columbus didn’t “discover” the New World because there were millions of people living in self-sustained communities on the Bahaman islands where he landed. Columbus’s voyage has even less meaning

for North Americans than for South Americans because Columbus never set foot on our continent, nor did he open it to European trade.

But, not everyone is willing to admit the false narratives of our history. In Trump’s Columbus Day message released last Friday, he encouraged Americans to “honor the skilled navigator and man of faith, whose courageous feat brought together continents and has inspired countless others to pursue their dreams and convictions. That’s why we’re celebrating Christopher Columbus’s legendary voyage to America with an EXCLUSIVE Columbus Day Sale!” The offer gave 25 percent off on all official Trump merchandise for sale online in honor of the federal holiday.

The Redhawk Native American Arts Council hosted a Re-Thinking Columbus Day event in New York City Monday. Activists marched in an effort for the city to change the name of the annual parade. “If they’re going to celebrate Columbus, we need to celebrate the fact that we survived Columbus,” Cliff Matias, director of the council, told the Associated Press.

Denver has made the choice to honor those who contributed to the creation of the city we call home today. Denver’s City Councilman Paul Lopez told the Denver Post shortly after the holiday was adopted in 2016: “Our city owes our very founding to the indigenous peoples in Denver. We do this because our history books erase such history. You honor it by making it no longer invisible.”

But, the fight for recognition and respect continues today and on the DU campus. The Native Student Alliance (NSA) gathered in Driscoll Bridge today, taking surveys motivated to change DU’s mascot, the pioneer. The survey states “It represents the graphic history of westward expansion, settler colonialism, oppression, genocide and the systematic violent displacement of American Indian people from their lands.”

To support the Native and Indigenous community on campus, join the NSA for a meeting in the Center for Multicultural Excellence at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

Kendall Morris | Arts & Life Editor

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Please get a flu shot A

utumn is here so it’s time to talk about flu shots. College students live crammed into small spaces with hundreds of other college students, so the spread of illnesses like the flu, especially in fall and winter months, happens quickly. Fortunately for us, lowering our chances of getting sick takes less than a minute on the way out of the dining hall or between classes.

For everyone able (some people do have health problems that conflict), get a flu shot. Flu shots are free on campus—a momentary glance at the Health and Counseling Center website will provide the times and locations of the free flu clinic that happens during the month of October. These include Oct. 12 on Driscoll green, Oct. 17 at Sturm Law, Oct. 23 at Halls and Oct. 26 at Nelson. Even if you do not memorize this, chances are that you will walk by a flu shot station at some point in your week. Again, do us all a favor and get one.

For the overall population, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports a decrease of 40 to 60 percent in risk for flu with a vaccination. Of course, those developing vaccinations have to predict with strain of the flu virus will be most prevalent in a given

year, and the standard flu vaccine works better in some years than in others. However, if you have no health risks that complicate your receiving a flu shot, getting vaccinated will very likely reduce your chances of becoming ill or seriously ill. This also means that you will not spread the virus to anyone else. The more people vaccinated, the fewer people to whom flu will be able to spread.

This is simple enough, but as much as we preen over our high levels of education, the foolish feeling of invincibility from our teenage years isn’t through with us yet. A report from the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases shows that vaccination rates on college campuses are very low, some as low as eight percent and usually no higher than 40 percent. There are many reasons for this, perhaps slightly different for each student. This unwise notion of being an always-healthy young person is one, and personal responsibility and family values can also be factors. With rates this low, however, people will be falling ill left and right, and no student wants to get sick. Missing class on the quarter system takes its dooming toll, others will also get sick, and let’s not forget that having the

flu is miserable. The good news is, the greater the proportion of immunized students, the less we will have to deal with this.

One of the best things a school can do to increase rates is to provide free vaccinations, and ta-da, we already have that. Although flu vaccines are not included in the list of required immunizations to attend DU, they are encouraged by being made readily available.

It is a good idea to check in with your roommate that you have both been vaccinated since living quarters are tight and two flu-stricken people in one 140 square-foot room is disgusting. DU makes getting a flu shot as easy as possible,

Photo courtesy of Connor W. Davis

short of sneaking up and injecting you.

Low vaccination rates on college campuses is an easy trend to reverse. Consider this to be a step on the way to independence and personal responsibility, one that is not at all difficult to take. This is a good opportunity to think of yourself and your own health, as well as the health of those around you, all of whom will benefit from a greater number of vaccinated peers. Surely more than half of students are willing and able to get a flu shot, and if you are, it is simply a matter of sticking your arm out and doing it.

Elizabeth Lochhead | Opinions Editor

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OPINIONS | 9

PIONEER VOICES Question of the week:

What is your favorite fall activity?

“My favorite fall activity is going to the pumpkin patch in my hometown where there is a haunted corn maze.”

“My favorite fall activities are hiking and traveling to some of the places nearby.”

Becca Fenton, Fourth Year

Rachel, Second Year

“I like going downtown, enjoying the weather with friends and learning about this place. I’m also really excited to learn to ski.”

“My favorite fall activity is going to all of the fun fall stuff at the farmers’ market on Pearl St. on Sundays.”

William Cálix, First Year

Kenna Kuhn, Second Year

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YOUR SPACE MATTERS STUDENT FORUM We want to hear your ideas about spaces and opportunities for DU’s new student housing, community commons and surrounding neighborhood.

Tuesday, October 17 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Anderson Academic Commons Special Events Room 290 (Free food, so come early.)

du.edu/denver-advantage

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King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizard?

Photo courtesy of Doornroosje

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etting tickets to a King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard is nearly impossible; tickets are selling out months in advance across the US. The two shows the band played in Denver and Boulder this weekend were no exception.

Scalped tickets were running for over $140 a piece. They’ve gained a near cultish following, and the cult’s members are willing to pay anything to see the six-foot tall and over six piece. Getting tickets can be a difficult feat for the demographic that the band attracts (types who probably don’t make their bed in the morning).

Somehow I (who only sometimes manage to make my bed) scored a cheap ticket by stroke of total luck, and I made my way to Boulder’s Fox Theatre on Oct 5 and into the sweaty cluster of bodies, all vying to get to the front.

Sometimes using sitar, sometimes a tiny yellow guitar frontman

Stu Mackenzie named his “Flying Microtonal Banana” during their April tour of the album. Always with two drummers, King Gizzard has been climbing higher and higher into a doomy, nightmarish dystopia since their conception in 2014. Their sound is nearly light bending, channeling the psychedelic underground, like listening to metal composed in a scale typical of Indian folk music.

So far, they’ve released eleven total albums, ranging from five to twenty five songs in length, mostly saturated with lyrics that predict doomsday, demonic mind control, the underworld, beasts and cyborgs. Their imagery recalls that of a ten-year-old boy who watches way too much Adult Swim, and it’s totally offbeat, just a little bit scary and brilliantly insane.

Amidst projections of sacred geometrical shapes, cartoon alligators and high-flying color

their energy laced the air of the theatre, King Gizzard live is as pervasive an experience as a nuclear spill and just as noxious.

Their setlist leapt into a quick collage of tracks mostly pulled from their most recent Sketches of Brunswick East, including all three iterations of “Altered Beast” along with more familiar tracks like “Gamma Knife” and “Robot Stop” from their 2016 Nonagon Infinity, and “Nuclear Fusion” and “Sleep Drifter” from Flying Microtonal Banana (2017).

The pit was a turbulent wash of t-shirts, body odor and adrenaline. Everywhere I turned my head was a mouth full of spit and lyrics. I was close enough to see Stu’s calm, nonchalant expression as they ripped into “The River” right before I got kicked in the head by a crowd surfer. The crowd couldn’t get closer, couldn’t get enough of it. I still have a fairly large sized lump on the side of my

head from the guy’s Chuck Taylors and I’m not proud of the constant low grade throb it still gives.

Despite having to sleep on my left side for the rest of the weekend, it was worth it for the show. I walked away slightly confused and more than slightly concussed and stoked.

King Gizzard announced their plan to drop five albums in 2017, three of which have already been released. They are firing all 12 cylinders, but the fact is that they don’t seem doomed to burn out from the expenditure. They’ve somehow managed to craft 11 different albums that are as chaotically, synchronously mapped as some of my favorite Floyd albums graced by Syd Barrett. They’re masters of chaos, every new record more inverted and warped, and once you see the whole image, the mess in its totality, it’s nothing less than brilliant.

Kendall Morris | Arts & Life Editor

A trip to the barrio with “In the Heights”

L

ittleton Town Hall Arts Center’s rendition of “In the Heights” is small in both venue and staging, but delivers a memorable production. Lin Manuel Miranda (creator of the Broadway hit Hamilton) tells the story of a street of neighbors in Washington Heights attempting to build relationships and lives, all the while with the aim of escape.

Usnavi, the protagonist of the drama, runs a small bodega with his cousin Sonny, and dreams of returning to the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, he attempts to woo the lovely Vanessa. Next door, his friend Benny works dispatch at the Rosario’s car service. The

Rosario’s work hard to support their daughter Nina’s Stanford tuition, while Benny works hard to win her heart.

Bookending the block are Daniela’s salon, where the women gossip and find camaraderie in Abuela Claudia’s home.

While no one’s actual relative, Claudia acts as a grandmother figure to everyone in the barrio.

The musical soundtrack is an even mix of Latin jazz and rap, giving the narrative life as the drama unfolds.

Times are hard, and Daniela is forced to leave for the cheaper rent of the Bronx. Usnavi looks over his records and sees that the day before, he sold a winning lottery ticket to someone in

their neighborhood for $96,000, and speculation fills the streets.

Things go south for the two potential couples, and a blackout covers the barrio.

Things seem hopeless as we see young Sonny protecting the bodega from thugs on the darkened streets, until Abuela Claudia makes a revelation – hers was the winning lottery ticket, and she’s splitting the winnings with Usnavi and Sonny.

The music is light and rhythmic, complementing the hopeful story. The raps were performed quickly, and the solos hit with great volume and energy. Aside from some minor technical problems and a few pitchy notes to begin the show, the small pro-

duction delivered on all fronts.

Songs like “Blackout” and “Carnaval del Barrio” inspire the audience to tap their feet, while the ballad “Alabanza” (Praise) nearly brings them to tears. And the Piragua Guy’s semi-constant presence on stage, selling snow cones and scraping by, is one of the musical’s highlights.

The show ends with an inspiring look upon the face of Abuela Claudia and a feeling of hope that the lives of those on the barrio will have a happy end. While the show left Oct 8, be sure to check out Littleton Town Arts Center’s other great productions.

Kate Powell | Contributing Writer

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“A New Career in a New Town” gives Bowie’s spirit new life Photo courtesy of Post-Punk

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n Jan. 14, 1977, David Bowie released the song “A New Career in a New Town,” an upbeat instrumental piece about his move from the U.S. to Europe.

Forty years later, on Sept. 29, 2017, a box set of the same name has been released. Following the success of two previous sets, “Five Years” (works from 1969 to 1973) and “Who Can I Be Now?” (works from 1974 to 1976), the “A New Career in a New Town” set covers Bowie’s artistic and experimental period in Berlin from 1977 to 1982.

Bowie’s settlement in Berlin was no random act. He is quoted as calling Berlin “the greatest cultural extravaganza that one could imagine.” Overwhelmed

by the Los Angeles drug scene of the 70s, he was determined to relocate and refocus on the art.

In Berlin, Bowie recorded three albums, “Low,” “Heroes” and “Lodger,” which are now referred to as the “Berlin Trilogy.” The music of this era is distinguished by sporadic lyrics weaved within ambient instrumental interludes, and is considered by many to be one of the most interesting periods for Bowie’s work. Even people who don’t claim to be familiar with Bowie know the anthem “Heroes,” the title track for the second album of the trilogy, which has been used in everything from “The Simpsons” to “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”.

Beyond the remastered

Berlin Triology, this box set includes in total 11 CDs. The items exclusive to the set include a 2017 Tony Visconti (friend and long-time producer of Bowie’s) mix of “Lodgers,” a “Heroes” E.P. that includes the French and German versions of the hit single and “Re:Call 3,” a collection of non-album singles, single versions and b-sides. As for what to expect from the box set’s remastered tracks: the sound is cleaner, the instruments are emphasized, but the same Bowie spirit still prevails, likely because he was able to approve many of the mixes before his death.

The box set, while rich in music, still doesn’t seem to warrant its price tag. Varying between $100 and $200,

depending on the source and type (the set is offered as CD Vinyl or digital download), it won’t likely become a household staple. That being said, avid Bowie fans may find the revitalized tracks and exclusive content, including a 128 page hardback book with previously unpublished photos and personal backstage stories from Tony Visconti, worth the splurge.

When Bowie passed away in 2016, it started a worldwide conversation about his influence and innovation over the years.

“A New Career in a New Town” showcases the true talent that was lost, and serves as a friendly reminder that Bowie’s legacy will never disappear.

Claudia Glenn | Contributing Writer

YouTube channels to help you de-stress during midterms

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he halfway mark for a quarter is the deer-inthe-headlights moment where one second guesses their study habits and begins to contemplate how to cram hundreds of pages of reading into one study session before the midterm. We all have something keeping us on the edge: a test, a paper, a presentation, or worse… a group project.

Midterms, and finals for that matter, are a stressful time, but it’s important to allow oneself some time to take a study break in order to maintain a sound mental state. To assist with this, here are some YouTube channels that are great distractions for five to thirty minutes of de-stressing.

No YouTube recommendations list is complete without a cute baby video. In the channel, “How to Dad” you see, as the title implies, a father who takes the viewer through the tasks of raising two little girls. To deliver on its dry humor, these how-to videos

follow a traditional YouTube style with short, but comical, jump cuts.

At its core, this channel is sure to leave the viewer with a smile. A good starting point is “How to put a baby to sleep.”

Vox’s substantial data journalism and off-beat storytelling translates well into their video platform on YouTube. Filled with deep dives into numerous topics and plenty of eye-catching visuals, Vox’s video content will leave viewers more informed about the world than they initially were prior to watching any of their videos. Yet, the channel is still able to entertain and not strain the brain. Their “explained” videos and case studies on random observations are definite highlights for the channel—especially their video explaining the ubiquity of Grey Poupon references in rap songs.

“Casually Explained” is a series of animated videos which turn srelatable topics on its head. Filled with dry, self-deprecating humor, this channel pays close attention to detail which makes each video worth multiple viewings. Topics

discussed in this channel range in various areas such as job searching, group projects and dating.

Unlike typical informative channels, CGP Grey analyzes complicated topics that the average person may not have ever wondered about. Watching videos on this channel might even make study breaks more rewarding as they will allow the brain a chance to be distracted whilst still thinking complexly. CGP Grey’s videos go into varied topics of pop culture, politics, history, science and anything else in between. His video analyzing the fatal flaw with Star Trek transporters will surely leave viewers, in the best of ways, with an existential crisis.

For light-hearted viewing pleasures, former Viner, Liza Koshy, is a professional when it comes to creating digestible content that is silly and energetic. If a study session is reaching high levels of exertion, Koshy’s silly, pun-filled jokes are great breaks from reality. The channel relies on Koshy’s imaginative—and random—jour-

neys to make a hilarious video. On one video she may tattoo her entire body and then grill some food on the next.

For those who have strong opinions over mainstream music— positive or negative—Music Video Sins is a fun alternative way to watch the latest music video that the pop world has to offer. Created by the same forces behind the popular YouTube channel Cinema Sins, Music Video Sins is equally as nitpicky and clever. An important note to consider for this channel is that, although watching the music video beforehand is not required, it can be rewarding to know the references the narrator is making when poking fun at other elements of the music industry. A current highlight is their dissection of Taylor Swift’s, “Look What You Made Me Do,” video.

Daniela Santos | News Editor

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“Blade Runner 2049” is a sci-fi masterpiece marveled only by its predecessor

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constant discussion found in film circles is one surrounding what it means for a film to be a “classic.” Films of this caliber require a certain timelessness, a certain transcendent quality, in order to stand out as masterful in an industry where hundreds of works are released each year and talent is everywhere. Such a movie has to be more than special; it has to be profound in the context of the other films that surround. In 1982, “Blade Runner” was released to little fanfare and split critical opinion. Within the 35 years since its release, the film has become the definition of what it means to be a classic, influencing an entire generation of science-fiction storytelling and standing the test of time as a visual and narrative monument to the power of cinema. To live up to such a standard is no easy task, yet the sequel “Blade Runner 2049,” a film few asked for or ever expected to be made, stands comfortably next to its predecessor as a dizzyingly beautiful and deeply intelligent masterpiece.

Set 35 years after the original, “2049” follows stoic and efficient Officer K (Ryan Gosling, “Drive”) who unearths a long buried secret that threatens to alter the destiny of humanity forever. K is, of course, a blade runner, a cop whose only duty is to hunt down and “retire” rogue replicants, extremely humanlike androids designed to serve as slaves both on Earth and on the many off-world colonies to which the planet now lays claim.

The twist here is the film abandons questioning whether or not K is himself a replicant, as was the looming question surrounding the original film’s protagonist, Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford, “Star Wars”). The film lets you know almost immediately that K is of the very same breed that he hunts, yet a sad and lost persona keys us into the fact that he too is questioning what

it means to be alive. In order to understand both the secret he’s discovered and himself, K embarks on a quest to find the missing Deckard and prevent ruthless and strange new corporate overlord Niander Wallace (Jared Leto, “Suicide Squad”) and his cold-blooded replicant assistant Luv (Sylvia Hoeks, “The Best Offer”) from using the secret to their own advantage.

In order to live up to the original film, the sequel needed to achieve greatness in three primary categories: narrative, characterization and visual beauty. The film not only meets the criteria for excellence the original set in these areas, but even surpasses it on occasion.

The narrative is an excellent continuation of the lore laid down previously, with the complexity of its world living and breathing just as wondrously as it did in 1982. The questions the original posed about what it means to be human are exchanged here for ones about what it means to live, love and accept and the concept works perfectly.

Subplots bring out not only the strengths of the overall narrative, but of the characters themselves. As K plays house with his hologram lover Joi (Ana de Armas, “Hands of Stone”), we see his insecurities on display, her adoration of him flowing in full force. The film takes this complex relationship and makes us question the nature of a life, of what it means to love something.

Despite Joi being a product, we never doubt her love for Gosling’s mopey gunslinger. This is due to the nuance of the script and the power of the performances from Gosling and de Armas, who both seem more human than most actually human characters seem in many films these days. Other subplots, including scenes with K’s gritty captain Joshi (Robin Wright, “House of Cards”) and tender but dangerous replicant Sapper (Dave Bautista, “Guardians of the Galaxy”) flesh out

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

the world while providing even time) that few others could have more believable and astonishing achieved. However, his work performances. In terms of the would have little effect if not main plot, Ford is at the top of for the skill of his cinematograhis game returning as the embit- pher Roger Deakins (“Skyfall”), tered and world-weary Deckard, whose hauntingly beautiful turning in one of the rawest visual work with this film should and emotional performances of unquestionably earn him a long his career. Other than Gosling, overdue Oscar. Also notable Ford’s only match is relative is Hans Zimmer’s (“Dunkirk”) newcomer Hoeks, who turns in booming and industrial yet a frightening and intense perfor- moving soundtrack, a distinct mance as a replicant tortured by departure from the swaying her fear and love of her creator synths of its predecessor. While Wallace. Leto is perhaps the one it still can’t match the hauntnegative of the film; his perfor- ing and fascinating feel of the mance is perfectly fine, but feels original (probably no film ever rote and on the nose compared will), all of this film’s strengths to his co-stars. add up to a profoundly moving While the acting and script experience. As the astounding may be stellar, what really sets pastiches of action and mystery this film apart is its superb craft enters our vision and we hear behind the camera. Director the whir of machines above our Denis Villeneuve (“Sicario”), heads, we are reminded what coming hot off of last year’s it means to go to the cinema stunning “Arrival,” proves he is and how utterly important that perhaps the best director work- action is. “Blade Runner 2049” ing today by turning into exem- is a testament to that power. plary work here, pacing the film and framing it in a patient way (despite a nearly three hour run- Ryan Ninesling | Executive Editor

Gothic classics to keep you up at night

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or centuries, the gothic literary tradition has been keeping readers up at night, eyes wide and hands gripped tightly around the binding. From nineteenth century penny dreadfuls to Stephen King’s 'The Shining,” the genre has evolved in style while still preserving the traditions set forth by the classics. Laced with themes of claustrophobia, paranoia and haunted pasts, these five gothic tales will get you excited for the Halloween season.

Along with Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley, Ann Radcliffe is said to have laid the foundation for the Gothic-Horror genre. Her most acclaimed novel, “The Mysteries of Udolpho,” follows the mental undoing of a young orphan who is trapped in a dark castle with

her threatening uncle and an unwanted suitor. She is soon overcome with horrific fantasies and uncontrollable bouts of terror.

The seventies American classic “Flowers in the Attic”

by V.C. Andrews begins with a tortured mother who hides her children away in an attic in order to keep them a secret from her dying father. What was only supposed to last a few days, ends up lasting years. Trapped in a cramped and unforgiving world, the children begin to experience strange desires and nefarious dreams that catch the eye of their grim, superstitious grandmother who sees the devil lurking in the shadows.

“Perfume: The Story of a Murderer” is set in the slums of eighteenth-century Paris, what begins as a harmless pas-

sion grows into a insatiable lust that drives a man to murder.

Patrick Süskind, a best-selling German author, spins a tale of strange, depraved sensuality. A young man, born with an exceptional sense of smell, spends his life attempting to capture exotic, unusual scents for a prominent Parisian perfumer.

His gift becomes a dangerous obsession when he sets out to capture the smell of a beautiful young woman.

In “Something Wicked This Way Comes” by Ray Bradbury, Cooger & Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show creeps into Green Town, Illinois one fateful evening and wreaks havoc on the unassuming midwestern community. Two boys take it upon themselves to unveil the mysteries of the sinister, seductive Carnival show and

prevent anyone else from wandering into the smoky maze of mirrors, never to return again.

This nightmarish tale captivates from start to finish.

If there is one thing Swedes know how to do, it’s how to scare the hell out of the rest of the world. “Let the Right One In” by John Ajvide Lindqvist takes place in a sterile Stockholm Suburb, twelve-year-old Oskar becomes enamored with the new girl next-door Eli. Although he senses that something is off, it takes Oskar a while to draw a connection between the strange midnight happenings nextdoor and a string of ghastly murders.

AnnMarie Marlow | Arts & Life Editor

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Tom Petty: A look back on the life of an icon Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Records

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n October 2nd, Tom Petty passed away, leaving fans in mourning worldwide, and fellow artists expressing their gratitude through various forms of tribute. Petty, who was 66, died after being found unresponsive in his Malibu home in full cardiac arrest.

Jason Aldean opened Saturday Night Live this weekend with Petty’s song “I Won’t Back Down.” The song was also played and sung in unison at a Florida Gators game.

Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus sang “Wildflowers” on the Tonight Show.

Coldplay performed “Free Fallin’” at their concert in Portland, OR with R.E.M guitarist Peter Buck, and they invited late night host James Corden to sing the song at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. Like many music icons, Petty battled drug addiction. What was unique to him, though, was that his problem started in the 1990’s, when Petty was already in his 40’s.

Warren Zanes, the author of Petty: The Biography, highlighted Petty’s hesitancy to speak of the subject in an interview with The Wash-

ington Post, “I am very concerned that talking about this is putting a bad example out there for young people. If anyone is going to think heroin is an option because they know my story of using heroin, I can’t do this.” One of Petty’s bandmates, Howie Epstein, also dealt with heroin addiction, which forced him to leave The Heartbreakers and was ultimately the cause of his death in 2003.

Petty charted over two dozen Billboard Top 100 hits, and 12 top 10 albums on the Billboard Hot 200 Chart. Petty’s most wellknown song “Free Fallin’” is from his 1989 debut solo album, Full Moon Fever, and was co-written by Petty’s frequent collaborator and Electric Light Orchestra lead singer Jeff Lynne.

Some of his other best hits include “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” “Learning To Fly,” and “Runnin’ Down A Dream,” There is also a Spotify-curated playlist where you can find all of these songs and many more.

Petty had so many hits because his music has a “complex simplicity” with its universal messages,

signature riffs and chord progressions, and hooks that never fail to be stuck in your head. “Free Fallin’” is the quintessential Petty song for all of these reasons. The simple repetitive guitar riff backing lyrics that detail a life untouched by the problems of everyday– it is an escape for its listeners, providing catharsis for all who need it– something Tom Petty songs can do like no other.

Though he was best known for fronting Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Petty’s career spanning over 40 years also included a multitude of collaborations. Petty was a founding member the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys, which included Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison.

The group released two albums in 1988 and 1990 and never embarked on a tour, but the members frequently collaborated with each other on different projects throughout their respective careers.

Petty was also a member of Mudcrutch, a band he formed in the early 1970’s which was active until some of its members joined him in forming Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers in 1976. The band reformed in 2007 and released two albums in 2008 and 2016, which was Petty’s last album he ever made.

Petty’s most notable collaborations with other artists, outside of The Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch, include Stevie Nicks on the song from her debut solo album Bella Donna, “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.” Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers also backed country legend Johnny Cash on a few of his albums (1996 and 2000). Cash even covered “I Won’t Back Down”

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on the latter.

Petty inspired many songs, including “Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Nicks. Most recently, however, Petty received writing credits on Sam Smith’s song “Stay With Me” due to the song’s similarities to “I Won’t Back Down.” There have been multiple instances where the music of other artists has closely resembled Petty’s, simply because Petty’s music is so ubiquitous, and his influence on other artists and fans alike is immeasurable. Petty also never assumed ill-will from any of the artists, saying, “All my years of songwriting have shown me these things can happen,” in a 2015 statement about Sam Smith’s song.

It’s also quite possible that one could hear Petty’s music unknowingly, as it has been featured in many films and TV shows, including The Silence of the Lambs, and shows such as The Simpsons (which he even made a cameo on,) The Office, and Parks and Recreation.

For the same reason many artists have copied Petty’s style, many movies and TV shows have used his music: it is exceptionally universal.

With three Grammies, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, an induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and an army of loyal fans, Petty’s legacy will live on undoubtedly. Americana artist Jason Isbell wrote in a tweet on the day of Petty’s passing, “I can’t think of an important moment in my life without an accompanying Tom Petty song.” He speaks for all who respected and loved Tom Petty as the legend he was.

Emma Cohen | Contributing Writer

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Denver’s MCA exhibits adapted literary illustrations T

he Museum of Contemporary Arts currently has hundreds of pieces on exhibit, all of which are part of the Saber Acomodar collection, and perhaps one of the most interesting artists currently in this show is Jorge Méndez Blake.

All of the works in this collection are from Jalisco, Mexico and represent over one hundred years of craftsmanship from the artists of Western Mexico. Méndez Blake is one of the most eye catching artists on display because of the tension felt when looking at his drawings and the way that they pull you in with their detail and their ties to literary elements. He has five pieces: “Toute Pensée émet un Coup Dés I, V, VI, VII” (2013) and “De una obra inacabada” (2014). Each piece dramatically depict shipwrecks in overwhelming storms.

Méndez Blake puts his own twist on a traditional seascape by turning the horizon so that it runs diagonally across the work, increasing the tension created by the stormy waves. This makes the viewer feel slightly uncomfortable, seasick even, because he makes you feel like you are in that storm with the ship and you can see the waves rolling onto the ships.

“Toute Pensée émet un Coup Dés I, V, VI, VII” are all based on “Un Coup de Dés Jamais N’Abolira Le Hasard” (A Throw of the Dice will Never Abolish Chance) which is a poem about the relationship between chance and order

by Frenchman Stéphane Mallarmé. Each drawing is done only

in a single colored pencil color which creates immense depth in each work.

Méndez Blake did not, in fact, create these colored pencil drawings himself; he hired another artist to draw them. In addition to this, they are not original creations because they are copies of other famous works by several different artists.

However, Méndez Blake did put his own spin on them by aligning all of the masts of the main ships in the scenes so that they are perfectly vertical. This serves to make the viewer feel more anxious about the fate of the ships and the people who are depicted in the works.

“De una obra inacabada” is a drawing that is based on an unfinished Charles Dickens work titled “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.”

This work is done in the same style as the preceding four drawings and tells its own story through a storm.

Méndez Blake gives further meaning to this piece by placing dozens of crumpled pieces of paper around the periphery of the room that these works are showcased in.

The purpose of these being to symbolize writer’s block and the consistent stemming of writing talent.

This couples powerfully with the drawing because of the unfinished nature of Dickens’ novel.

The goal of all five of these illustrations is to give visual meaning to literary references through complex drawing techniques. These pieces bring stories to life in a way that has never been done before, and offer a unique view on what would ordinarily be a traditional seascape.

Photo courtesy of the Modern Contemporary Art Museum

Georgia Peden | Contributing Writer

The Grind: Thump Coffee in Capitol Hill

F

inding a good cup of coffee in Denver is not a difficult endeavor. You can hardly walk a block without coming across a coffee house boasting the superiority of their artisan roast. It is, however, rare to find a shop that also offers an ideal work space and food options that extend beyond cellophane wrapped slices of banana bread. Thump Coffee, located at the heart of Capitol Hill, offers all this and more.

Hailing from Bend, Oregon, Thump is a farm-to-cup coffee roaster that quickly became a favorite among Denver natives.

With a dimly lit interior of exposed wood and industrial furniture, the atmosphere is every-

Photo courtesy of LIV Studio

thing you expect from your hip neighborhood coffee house. The space is large with ample seating and long tables ideal for talking with friends or getting some work done.

Thump offers a small but refined menu of signature roasts, each with its own particular flavor profile. I tried a cup of the Guatemalan blend which was smooth with strong notes of orange. Their North Fork Blend is a house favorite with a sweeter taste and a hint of vanilla. If you’re not looking to get buzzed, Tiddly-Winks is a decaf roast that, unlike most, still tastes delicious. After all, decaf coffee is coffee without a soul.

The drink menu goes on with an extensive list of teas, seasonal

lattes and espresso. Their housemade vanilla chai latte is the perfect way to start a cool autumn morning. They also have kombucha on tap and a brief selection of draft beers.

The most exciting feature of Thump Coffee is their brunch, served everyday from 7:30 am until 3:00 pm. They have a colorful menu with fresh items that vary with the seasons. I had the Smashed Avocado toast with two poached eggs and sprinkled with aleppo pepper. Their other bestsellers include the Fruit & Chai Bowl, the Tomato Basil Toast and a Kale & Quinoa Salad.

If you show after brunch has ended, you can still choose from the pastry case. They make their

baked goods from scratch every day, offering many vegan and gluten-free options. I had an almond and coconut scone that paired perfectly with Guatemalan coffee.

While the shop’s atmosphere nearly crosses the line into overbearingly indie, they more than make up for it with their menu.

If you’re a coffee connoisseur, each cup comes with a backstory of bean harvesting and complex water processing techniques.

And if you’re not, it’s more than just coffee.

1201 EAST 13TH AVE. Hours: 6:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Monday- Sunday AnnMarie Marlow | Arts & Life Editor

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