February 6, 2014
Volume 36, Issue 20
www.metnews.org
twitter.com/TheMetOnline
TheMetropolitan Final Fridays kick off at DAM • 9
Marie Janiszewski sketches out the ideal city for Warm Cookies of the Revolution, a local civics forum held this weekend at the Denver Art Museum’s event “Untitled.” The event was part of the museum’s monthly after hours exhibit. Photo by Bryan Luchene • bluchene@msudenver.edu Brandon Jefferson. Photo by Philip B. Poston • pposton1@ msudenver.edu
MetSports Sports
Runners No. 1 By Mario Sanelli msanelli@msudenver.edu The Metro men’s basketball team returned to No. 1 in the nation Feb. 4. The Roadrunners are 18-1 overall and undefeated (15-0) in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Head coach Derrick Clark’s team has extended its winning streak to 15 games after losing to then-No. 7 Western Washington Univer-
HOMECOMING 02/10/14 02/15/14 register at www.msudenver.edu/homecoming
sity Nov. 30, 2013 in Bellingham, Wash. Metro began the season ranked No. 1 in the preseason coaches’ poll released Nov. 1, and won its first two exhibition games before heading to the National Invitational Tournament. The Roadrunners became only the second Division II team to be invited to the Division I NIT, and despite a 66-63 loss to Rhode Island Nov. 18 at the NIT Season Tip-Off, Metro retained its No. 1 ranking. From there, Metro went on to become the first-ever DII school to win two games at the NIT, finishing with three wins in four games. Metro’s four-point loss to Western Washington dropped the Runners to No. 6 in the Dec. 3 poll. Now the Roadrunners are back for a second stint as the nation’s top DII team.
MSU Denver
MetNews
The business side of ganja LeafBuyer uses technology to offer info and savings for legal marijuana market • 4
JOURNEY to the
STARS
2 February 6, 2014 MetNews TheMetropolitan
! G N I S A NOW LE
Lauren, Hospitality, Tourism and Events Major, Metropolitan State University of Denver
FREE Shuttle to Campus
Bowling Alley
FREE On-Site Parking
Basketball Courts
Utilities Included
Swimming Pool
Fully Furnished
Computer Lab
Full Service Dining Hall
Secured Access
RegencyStudentHousing.com / 303-477-1950 / 3900 Elati Street, Denver
The Metropolitan
MetNews
Journalist discusses slavery at Auraria By Kelli Heitstuman-Tomko ktomko@msudenver.edu Green Cottenham died a slave on Aug. 15, 1908. One hundred six years later, someone is finally telling his story. “Slavery by Another Name,” written by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Douglas A. Blackmon, details the accounts of young black men like Cottenham who were leased into slavery by a corrupt post-Civil War penal system to industrial corporations seeking cheap labor in the rural Deep South. Blackmon engaged in a community conversation Jan. 30 in the Tivoli Turnhalle. Despite blizzard conditions outside, about 300 people turned out to hear him speak at the event sponsored by Facing History and Ourselves, an international organization that examines racism and prejudice. “This history was not so much suppressed but deliberately lost,” Blackmon said. “You have to work hard to forget this.” David Fulton, the regional director of Facing History, warned the audience that facing facts was not always easy. “It can cause unproductive guilt for those who identify with the perpetrators and unrelenting anger and despair for those who identify with the victims,” Fulton said. Before introducing Blackmon, DuJuan Mack, a member on Facing History’s advisory board and regional field leader for Allstate Insurance Company, one of Facing History’s partners, reminded the audience that coming to terms
with history can be difficult. “The dilemma is how can a contemporary society grapple with a troubled past?” he said. “As you read this book, you get a greater appreciation for the fight (for total equality).” During his talk, Blackmon reminded the audience about the history of the 70-year time period in which the events of the book took place. He told of how a new era that he refers to as “Neo-slavery” was instituted. “This new form of slavery emerged in the South and brought to an end this period of authentic citizenship and legitimate freedom for four million African-Americans who had been slaves,” Blackmon said. “It brought it to an end with a kind of a force so shocking and powerful that it circumscribed the lives of millions of Americans and generations of African Americans in the rural Deep South.” Blackmon’s investigation took him to courthouses all across Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida, where he said he researched arrest records of black men who were picked up for breaking laws that were almost impossible for the black population not to break. “It was illegal for a black man to be unemployed,” Blackmon said. “It was illegal for them to look for a better job than they already had. It was illegal for black sharecroppers to sell their harvests after dark. It was illegal for black men to walk along the sides of railroad tracks.” Blackmon discovered the evidence in courtrooms of excessive crime by black men but no evidence outside of the courtrooms. He said there were no diary
entries and no newspaper articles mentioning an influx of crimes committed by black Americans. What Blackmon did notice, he said, was the surge in the arrests of black men in the two weeks before agents for mining, timber, brick and turpentine companies planned to be in the area. According to Blackmon, industrial companies worked with the counties to reinstitute a form of slavery through a loophole in 13th Amendment. The amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as criminal punishment. “Before the Emancipation Proclamation, slaves were a huge investment,” Blackmon said. “It didn’t pay to starve a slave to death or beat them until they couldn’t work. But the industrial companies could work a man until he died
and then go back to the prisons for more workers.” In the National Archives, Blackmon found 30,000 pages of letters written by black Americans to President Theodore Rooselvelt during a series of peonage trials, asking him for help in ending the arrests, kidnappings and forced servitude of family members. The letters were given a case number and fi led, but otherwise went largely ignored. Despite the dark nature of this forgotten cross section of postCivil War history, Blackmon feels that someone needed to tell the stories of men like Cottenham. “There were no Anne Franks of the sharecroppers,” Blackmon said. “I’m in the business of casting a light where people would rather it not be cast.”
kjohn427@msudenver.edu MSU Denver is offering a new study abroad opportunity for students interested in traveling for their studies. The university has recently joined in an exchange program with Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar, India. This new program is centered on the sharing of facilities and information for all personnel involved at MSU Denver. The new agreement aims
to open doorways for student exchanges, cultural experiences, seminars and workshops through the program. According to its website, KIIT is one of the top five private universities in India. Bhubaneswar is located in the capital of the Indian state of Odisha. KIIT offers a variety of courses, from biotechnology to sculpturing to fi lm studies. “(We) wish to promote and expand international understanding, institutional goals and friendship by stimulating and supporting academic, professional and intercultural activities among
3
Auraria events 2/6: Auraria Career Day Campus-wide event @ 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. 2/7: Graduation application deadline 2/8: MSU Denver Disaster Relief Gala Springhill Suites Marriott @ 6 - 10 p.m. 2/10: Homecoming Promo Day Tivoli Tavern @ 10 a.m. 2/10-2/14: Feminist Alliance V-Day: One Billion Rising for Justice
News to know “CBO: Health law will reduce jobs by 2 million” (Washington Post) “Colorado ski towns see rise in heroin deaths and abuse” (The Denver Post) “WHO: Cancer cases may jump 57% by 2032” (Al Jazeera) Stories streaming at time of print (2/4 - 7 p.m.)
Weather forecast 2/6: Snow Showers 13°/6° 2/7: Cloudy 27°/15° 2/8: Partly cloudy 27°/13° 2/9: Mostly Sunny 41°/24° Douglas Blackmon, author of “Slavery by Another Name”, spoke Jan. 30 in the Tivoli Turnhalle . Photo by Danielle Shriver • dshrive2@msudenver.edu
MSU Denver enters new exchange agreement By Keifer Johnson
February 6, 2014
students, professors and staff,” said Premendu P. Mathur, Ph.D and Vice Chancellor of the new program. The two institutes are looking to grow their available research teams and prospects. All visits to the university will be aided by KIIT. “Our institution will provide logistical assistance, locating housing, local transportation, to the visiting personnel from MSU,” Mathur said. President Stephen Jordan signed the agreement after an eight-member delegation from
MSU Denver visited the Indian university in December 2013. This new opportunity for students is a way to expand knowledge, experience the world and see education in a new perspective.
For more information about studying abroad: Office of International Studies Central Classroom 206 or www.kiit.ac.in
2/10: Scattered Showers 43°/22° 2/11: Scattered Snow Showers 39°/19° 2/12: Partly Cloudy 43°/26° Source: www.weather.com
The Metropolitan online /TheMetropolitan @themetonline metnews.org
4 February 6, 2014 MetNews TheMetropolitan
Web guru surfs into pot opportunity By Melanie Moccia mmoccia@msudenver.edu
When Amendment 64 was proposed in 2012, Kurt Rossner knew that marijuana meant business, and he wanted in. He had an idea for a website, leafbuyer.com, and decided to pursue it. LeafBuyer is a site where marijuana users, as well as growers, can visit to find the best deals on marijuana in their area. Rossner compares it to “the Priceline of pot.” In light of the new laws concerning recreational marijuana, the website has gained much traffic and has been internationally recognized by online news sources, NBC News, The Street, Yahoo and AOL. “Go on to our interface, and (type in) what you are looking for,” Rossner said. “Not only on the dispensary side, the head shops, the grow stores —and we haven’t rolled it out yet — but the travel and leisure side. We’ll do the events, the
tours and all these different things. We want to incorporate everything under one roof.” Rossner has been a web guru since the ’90s, and owned a webhosting company before he sold it. He was involved in the technology aspect of the business, so his background played a huge role in this startup. He knew the marijuana business was going to see a massive amount of growth once Colorado started selling recreational pot Jan. 1. “I was very involved in the technology part of business,” Rossner said. “So, obviously having that background and seeing what’s going on with the marketing in general, the macroeconomics of this are unbelievable when you look at the market growth potential.” LeafBuyer has an office not only in Denver, but in Seattle, another city where marijuana is legal. He hopes to expand to Northern California as well.
The Denver market is currently much larger than that of Seattle, but he expects that when Washington officially begins regulating recreational pot sales — that market will grow too. The website states that it has already saved users $21,720. “Right now, the main concentration is Denver, which is the epicenter (for marijuana),” Rossner said. The simply designed website directs marijuana users to the best deals on strains, edibles, glass pipes and grow products. All the user has to do is type in their city or area code, and the site shows all the listings of the best deals closest to them. Rossner works with local dispensaries in Denver and Seattle to bring these offers to the site. Users can search for the deals, print the coupons and easily buy products. His sales force contacts local dispensaries and the dispensaries pay LeafBuyer to advertise on their site, benefiting both sides of the
business. “If you’re looking for something in this cannabis market, you can essentially find it on our website,” Rossner said. “Put in where you are, where you’re searching and what you’re looking for. The search parameters will take over from there.” Rossner said that dispensaries are the most common search on LeafBuyer. His goal is to make it so it’s a one-stop store for people, especially tourists, who don’t know where to look for specific products. “The demand is going through the roof,” he said. While, Rossner does not support the purchase or consumption of marijuana for anyone underage, as stated on the site, but some college students who are older than 21 are a target audience. Rossner hopes that with the growth of the industry and, as his site becomes more popular, his website will provide information to help smokers better understand all aspects of marijuana and the busi-
Kurt Rossner started LeafBuyer, an online resource for finding the best deals on marijuana in Denver and Seattle. Photo by Melanie Moccia • mmoccia@ msudenver.edu
ness practices associated with it. “We’re not a bunch of ‘stoners’ and I think that’s a point I’m trying to get across,” Rossner said. “Real business guys are getting in on this and, for people who have an expertise in finance or banking, there’s a lot of opportunity in this market.”
Jump on applying for aid early
MSU Denver goes mobile By Kayla Whitney kwhitne2@msudenver.edu A new mobile app is currently available for MSU Denver Roadrunners. The app, “MSU Denver,” became available on the iTunes store Jan. 24 and on the Android market three days later. The app is currently in a soft launch phase. A version of the app on the Blackberry market will be coming soon. According to the app’s description, “The MSU Denver Mobile App helps you stay connected with Metropolitan State University of Denver. The app contains a suite of tools that includes quick access to Blackboard Mobile Learn, events, news, the Auraria library, RTD information, maps, office and people directories. Additional features include access to course schedules, grades, holds and notifications.” Students will be able to easily access Blackboard, their school email and a variety of other services, some of which include: athletics, college catalog, faculty, staff and administrator contact in-
formation, RTD schedule information and more. Currently, there are two other apps associated with the school — “My Services” and “MSU Denver Connection.” The “My Services” app lets users sign in using their ConnectU login and access course schedules, grades, and notifications and was added to the app markets around the same time as the “MSU Denver” app. The “MSU Denver Connection” app was added to the iTunes market in December 2012 and includes features similar to “MSU Denver.” The app did not include features like Blackboard access and the ability to check emails. According to Richard Beck in IT-Applications, the Marketing and Communications department is planning a big kickoff of the mobile app during Homecoming week. Once the “MSU Denver” app rollsout, the “MSU Denver Connection” app will be removed. The Metropolitan will have more on the development and history of the creation of the app in coming issues, and at metnews.org.
By Luke Faulkner lfaulkn4@msudenver.edu The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships gave applicants $35 million in funds to help pay for their education for the 20132014 school year, but the wait is what makes the process difficult. Often times, students are met with long waiting lines upon entering the Student Success Building. Mondays are the busiest, with 10 to 15 students in line at a time and a long wait time. If a student wants to call on the phone because they cannot make it into the office, the wait time on the phone can be up to 15 minutes. “We do get students that get upset, but it’s more for the issues that are going on personally with their fi les, because some students will apply for school (and financial aid) late,” said Cindy Hejl, director of financial aid. Students have to apply for financial aid online. A FAFSA form is required to be fi lled out to see how much aid the student is eligible for. One of the main problems is students not signing up in time, or signing up too late so when the time comes for their money to be dispersed, the right paperwork is not completed. “The hardest part is getting the ball rolling on everything,” said Cort Ogden, an MSU Denver freshman who applied for financial aid this year.
Theresa Godinez, associate director of financial aid and customer service, oversees employees and the customer service, and believes the office isn’t as disorganized as it appears. “We monitor constantly — the line, the wait on the phones,” Godinez said. “So we really try to do the best we can in the most efficient way possible.” Another reason for the wait and disorganization is because the office is substituted two counselor positions short. One of these being in the loan area, which is one of the busiest parts of financial aid. With less financial aid employees at the counters, more students are waiting in line to be helped. Godinez encourages those applying for financial aid and scholarships to educate them-
selves with online sources. Hejl suggested that students not wait until July and August to turn in paperwork, since those months are the busiest. Applying now is the ideal time in order to receive financial aid and scholarships for the upcoming school year. There are needed requirements in order to keep financial aid. Students need to maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA and 67 percent of coursework completed out of 12 credits taken per semester. For more information regarding financial aid and scholarships, students can visit the office’s website at www.msudenver.edu/financialaid/ or visit the office on campus located inside the Student Success Building, station number six.
MSU Denver junior Blaine Frangas assists a student at the front desk of the financial aid office in the Student Success Building. Photo by Philip B. Poston • pposton1@msudenver.edu
TheMetropolitan
Curious about
Auraria? Be the first to get the latest on campus news, news culture, and exclusive events. Stay on top of the music scene, win tickets to shows, get connected to Metro Student Media.
5
Extended Campus Late Start Classes
MSU Denver South I-25 & Orchard 303-721-1313
5660 Greenwood Plaza Blvd., Greenwood Village. Near Orchard Road and I-25 located in the Triad North Bldg. Directly across from the Orchard Train Station.
DEPT # ACC 2020 CJC 3430 COM 366Q
COURSE TITLE/CREDITS Principles of Accounting II (3) Drugs and the Criminal Justice System (3) Multimedia ELearning Tutorials w/ Adobe Captivate (2) COM 366R Online Knowledge Bases w/ Adobe RoboHelp (2) CPD 2300 Time Management (1) CPD 2320 Self Esteem (1) CPD 2360 Multi-Level Wellness (1) CPD 2370 Money Issues for Women (1) EDU 4300 Acting Like a Teacher (2) FIN 2370 Money Issues for Women (1) HPL 100M Yoga for Weight Management (2) HTE 1030 Intro to Hospitality, Tourism & Events (3) PHI 1030 Introduction to Ethics (3) PSY 2210 Psychology Human Development (3) SPE 1010 Public Speaking (3) SPE 4300 Acting Like A Teacher (2) THE 3200 Performance of Literature I: Solo (3) THE 4300 Acting Like A Teacher (2)
CRN 33389 35030 34366
DAYS/TIME S, 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m. W, 6–8:45 p.m. FS, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
DATES 03/22–05/17 03/17–05/17 03/14–03/22
34367
FS, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
04/11–04/19
34867 34876 34897 34898 33018 35043 35032 34795 32498 34822 32698 33019 32945 33020
S, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. S, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. S, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. S, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. S, 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m. S, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. W, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. M, 2–5:30 p.m. S, 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m. M, 6–8:45 p.m. S, 8:30–3:15 p.m. S, 8:30–3:15 p.m. S, 8:30–3:15 p.m. S, 8:30–3:15 p.m.
04/19–04/26 05/03–05/10 04/05–04/12 02/08–02/15 02/22–03/15 02/08–02/15 03/10–05/17 03/17–05/17 03/22–05/17 03/17–05/17 03/22–05/17 02/22–03/15 03/22–05/17 02/22–03/15
11990 Grant Street, Northglenn. Near I-25 and 120th located in the City Wide Bank Building.
www.MetroStudentMedia.com /MetroStudentMedia @MetStudentMedia
INVITES YOU AND A GUEST TO AN ADVANCE SCREENING MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10 AT 7PM STOP BY TIVOLI STUDENT UNION, SUITE 313 TODAY AFTER 10AM TO RECEIVE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY PASSES! STUDENT ID MUST BE PRESENTED AT TIME OF TICKET PICK UP
This film is RATED pg-13 foR violEncE AnD somE sEnsuAliTy. Please note: Passes are limited and will be distributed on a first come, first served basis while supplies last. No phone calls, please. Limit two passes per person. Each pass admits one. Seating is not guaranteed. Arrive early. Theater is not responsible for overbooking. This screening will be monitored for unauthorized recording. By attending, you agree not to bring any audio or video recording device into the theater (audio recording devices for credentialed press excepted) and consent to a physical search of your belongings and person. Any attempted use of recording devices will result in immediate removal from the theater, forfeiture, and may subject you to criminal and civil liability. Please allow additional time for heightened security. You can assist us by leaving all nonessential bags at home or in your vehicle.
IN THEATERS ON VALENTINE’S DAY
METROPOLITAN
February 6, 2014
MSU Denver North I-25 & 120th 303-450-5111
us on Facebook, Follow us on
#Winterstale
MetNews
DEPT # CPD 2330 CPD 2370 EDU 4700 FIN 2370 PSC 3140
PSY 3250 THE 2210
COURSE TITLE/CREDITS Assertiveness (1) Money Issues for Women (1) Substitute Teacher Workshop (1) Money Issues for Women (1) American Congress & Legislative Process (3) Child Psychology (3) Introduction to Theatre (3)
CRN 34878 34901 35038 35044 33273
DAYS/TIME S, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. S, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. S, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. S, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. S, 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
DATES 02/22–03/01 03/08–03/15 02/08–02/15 03/08–03/15 03/22–05/17
34834 32499
W, 6–8:45 p.m. 03/22–05/17 S, 8:30 a.m.–3:15 p.m. 03/22–05/17
6 February 6, 2014
The Metropolitan
InSight
Outrage over Coke commercial is un-American By Kelli Heitstuman-Tomko ktomko@msudenver.edu Coca-Cola featured the song “America the Beautiful” in their Super Bowl ad this year. America’s reaction was not so beautiful. For those who have not seen the commercial, the song begins in English but is then continued in Tagalog, Arabic, Spanish and a variety of other languages. The commercial had barely finished when tweets saying things like “We speak English” and “This is America, idiots” began filling the Internet. Alan West, a former U.S. Representative from Florida, responded to the ad by evoking the words of President Theodore Roosevelt when he insisted immigrants fully assimilate into American society. In a letter written in 1919, Roosevelt wrote of immigrants, “If (the immigrant) tries to keep segregated with men of his own
origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn’t doing his part as an American.” I find it interesting that West, who is black himself, would use the words of a man who abandoned former slaves to peonage, segregation and prejudice to keep from upsetting the economy boost coming from the Deep South as a result of that peonage. Perhaps Roosevelt felt the former slaves were not doing their part as Americans. I believe immigrants should learn English. It’s the language in which our government conducts business and is therefore the unofficial “official” language of the U.S. But where is it written that immigrants have to give up their own language? Who said that they have to speak English when they aren’t in school, conducting business or engaging in commerce? Why shouldn’t they be allowed to praise their new country in their own tongues? It would be interesting to see
how much money we as a country spend on language teachers. Some proficiency in a foreign language is required by high schools before students can move on to college. Foreign language courses are requirements for most college majors. But we’re going to get our panties in a bunch because someone used their mother tongue outside of their mother country. I thought the languages were a nice touch. The young girl in the hijab may have been speaking Arabic, Urdu, Pashtun or Farsi. Not every Asian speaks Chinese. Spanish comes in a variety of dialects. We are a diverse country made up of people from nearly every country on the planet. Why can’t a Muslim girl from Afghanistan sing “America the Beautiful” in Pashtun rather than speak broken English and have us all just assume she’s an Arab? Why shouldn’t Asian people sing in Japanese rather than being bunched into an amorphous category because we, as a people, don’t
Staggering talent, tragic ending By Tobias Krause tkrause3@msudenver.edu I had a couple of thoughts race through my head when I was standing in line to order a bagel for breakfast this past Sunday morning. I found myself about 30 people deep in an agonizing line, while everyone besides myself was draped in orange and blue, preparing themselves for a day filled with gluttony, drinking, eating wings and yelling at the television for the Super Bowl. Regardless of all that, I stood there, waiting patiently to get my fill as my phone began to buzz out of control with push notifications, alerting me that Philip Seymour Hoffman was dead (allegedly at that point). I never met Hoffman. I only watched his brilliance unfold through so many different unique characters that only he could play. My first thought was, “what happened, how could such a talented man pass away so suddenly?” The second was, “I read a few months back that
Hoffman was struggling from addiction and entered rehab.” And the last thought was, “do I want to know what happened?” Eventually I thought to check Twitter, for all of those incredibly unreliable citizen journalists making claims and passing judgment on one of the greatest actors of this generation. I second-guessed myself on that account and turned to Google news. The New York Times was reporting that Hoffman had allegedly died from an apparent drug overdose. My heart sank. I almost shed a tear right there in that line waiting for a bagel as some stuck-up, persnickety girl practically pushed me over in need of her morning fix. My heart nearly sunk to the ground, not because I knew Philip Seymour Hoffman personally, but because this world lost another person to the terrible struggle of addiction. Year after year Hoffman brought his own fuel to the fire and delivered time and time again on the big screen. I still remember watching Boogie Nights for the first time when I was way too young
to be watching movies about coked-up porn stars. But Hoffman’s portrayal of Scotty J. was spot on. The flashes of genius working alongside Paul Thomas Anderson for the first time showcased his ability to adapt and perform on any level. I later read that Hoffman had been sober for 23 years before relapsing. Twenty-three years. That’s an eternity for an addict. But also a painful realization that addiction never takes the back seat. It’s always riding shotgun. No one chooses to go down the painful road of addiction, it just happens that way. It’s not a sign of bad morals, weak willpower or wrongful doing, it can happen to anyone. My thoughts and prayers are with Hoffman’s family. And like so many greats before him, who succumbed to the needle and the damage done, his brilliance will live on forever. I leave you with a quote from “Almost Famous,” where Hoffman aptly played rock journalist Lester Bangs: “The only true currency in this bankrupt world is what we share with someone else when we’re uncool.”
really care where they’re from? It’s sad we are such a xenophobic society that we have to criticize people who have come here for a better life for making a distinction we wouldn’t hesitate to allow an English-speaking citizen. We call ourselves Irish-Americans, Spanish-Americans, AfricanAmericans. The best way these new Americans can make their distinctions in the Coca-Cola ad is to sing in their own language. Not Arab but Pashtun. Not Chinese but Korean. Not Mexican but Venezuelan. When we talk about immigration, we are talking about people who have been uprooted, moved from everything familiar and dropped into a country where the most horrible crime they can commit is to speak in a language someone else doesn’t understand. We, as Americans, demand to be able to retain our personal identities. It shouldn’t be a privilege for those who speak only English.
Shopping? By Nikki Work nwork@msudenver.edu Imagine. A shopping mall looms ahead. Your hand delves — of its own accord — into your purse to find your credit card. You’re five minutes from a binge shop of rehab-worthy proportions, when SNAP. The purse closes, lights flash and an emergency contact is sent a text begging for an intervention. This is a thing. Australian company Arduino has created a shopping addict’s worst nightmare — and salvation — a purse that does not allow them to spend money. It is rather unoriginally called the iBag. According to Time, the iBag uses GPS to map a person’s favorite stores and warn when they are getting too close by flashing LED lights. It then sends text messages to “responsible others” to alert them to imminent danger: a friend whipping out their plastic, magnetic-stripped cards of glory. During high-traffic shopping times, the purse snaps and locks closed. Need a tissue? Too bad. Lipstick time? You’ll just have to wait. Because, apparently, the answer to irresponsible spending is dishing out almost $200 on a tragically unstylish purse so that shopaholics don’t have to take responsibility for their actions. Sign me up.
MetStaff Editor-in-Chief Kayla Whitney: kwhitne2@msudenver.edu Managing Editor Nikki Work: nwork@msudenver.edu News Editor Melanie Moccia: mmoccia@msudenver.edu Assistant News Editor Kelli Heitstuman-Tomko: ktomko@msudenver. edu MetroSpective Editor Tobias Krause: tkrause3@msudenver.edu Assistant MetroSpective Editors Steve Musal: smusal@msudenver.edu Stephanie Alderton: salderto@msudenver.edu Sports Editor Mario Sanelli: msanelli@msudenver.edu Assistant Sports Editor Scott Corbridge: kcorbrid@msudenver.edu Photo Editors Philip Poston: pposton1@msudenver.edu Assistant Photo Editors Alyson McClaran: amcclara@msudenver.edu Charlie Hanson: chanso12@msudenver.edu Copy Editors Ian Gassman
Kate Rigot
Tawny Clary
Director of Student Media Steve Haigh: shaigh@msudenver.edu Assistant Director of Student Media Jennifer Thomé: jthome1@msudenver.edu Administrative Assistant of Student Media Elizabeth Norberg: enorbert@msudenver.edu Production Manager of Student Media Kathleen Jewby: kjewby@ msudenver.edu Web Editor Brian T. McGinn: bmcginn3@msudenver.edu Distribution Coordinator Ian Gassman: igassman@msudenver.edu
What we do The Metropolitan accepts submissions in the form of topicdriven columns and letters to the editor. Column article concepts must be submitted by 1 p.m.. Thursdays and the deadline for columns is 9 p.m. Sundays. Columns range from 500 to 600 words. Letters to the editor must be submitted by 5 p.m. Mondays to be printed in that week’s edition. There is a 500-word limit for letters to the editor. The Metropolitan reserves the right to edit letters for formatting and style. All submissions should be sent by e-mail to themetonline@gmail.com. The Metropolitan is produced by and for the students of Metropolitan State University of Denver and serves the Auraria Campus. The Metropolitan is supported by advertising revenue and student fees and is published every Thursday during the academic year and monthly during the summer semester. Opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of MSU Denver or its advertisers.
TheMetropolitan MetroSpective February 6, 2014
www.msudenver.edu/healthcenter
Plaza Suite 150 303-556-2525 @Metro presents
Sponsored by The Health
Center at Auraria
[FEBRUARY 2014]
Stop Hitting Snooze How to Make the Most of Your Morning
The Reality of Romance 5 Tips for Maintaining Healthy Relationships
Don’t Break the Bank 10 Tips for Having a Blast on a Budget
CURB YOUR CRAVINGS Strategies to Become a Mindful Eater Read Student Health 101 this month and ENTER TO WIN FEBRUARY'S Drawing for $1,000!
READ STUDENT HEALTH 101 TODAY:
http://www.readsh101.com/msudenver.html Health Center at Auraria Health Center at Auraria 303-556-2525 303-556-2525 Plaza 150 Plaza 150
Counseling CounselingCenter Center 303-556-3132 303-556-3132 Tivoli 651 651 Tivoli
ACCESS ACCESSCenter Center 303-556-8387 303-556-8387 Auraria Library Suite 116116 Auraria Library Suite
Campus Recreation at at Auraria Campus Recreation Auraria 303-556-3210 303-556-3210 PER PEREvents EventsCenter Center108 108
7
8 February 6, 2014
MetroSpective
Campus events 2/7: Marika Bournaki King Center Concert Hall @ 7 - 9 p.m. 2/7: Piano Celebration 2014 King Center Recital Hall @ 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. 2/10: Children of Uganda Performance St. Cajetan’s @ 11 - 6 p.m. 2/10-2/16: Homecoming Week: “Journey to the Stars” • 2/11: Spirit Day & Battle of the Bands Tivoli Turnhalle 10am-2pm • 2/12: Amazing Race Campus wide, all day
Around Denver 2/8: Afternoon Tea 101 Molly Brown House Museum $15 @ 11 a.m & 1 p.m. 2/8: Poetry of the Divine Skylite Station Suggested Donation: $5 2/8: Crawl to Sochi — An Olympic Drinking Experience Ginn Mill $39-$49 @ 11 a.m. 2/9: Not So Dead Sundays Mid Season Premier Party Jake’s Food & Spirits FREE @ 7 p.m. & 9 p.m. 2/9: One Night Stand Goes to War Vintage Theatre $8 @ 7 p.m. 2/12: Celtic Nights: The Emigrants Bridge Lincoln Center $27-$29 @ 7:30 p.m.
Culture quotes
Rainless Records takes flight By Tobias Krause tkrause3@msudenver.edu
When Ryan Longenecker founded Rainless Records, he never thought it would provide a foundation for Denver’s independent music scene. Rainless Records is a nonprofit label that supports local artists looking to build on the already strong musical community in Denver. Longenecker moved to Denver after graduating high school eight years ago, at a time when Seattle’s music scene lacked what he was seeking: a positive, noncompetitive local music scene that thrives and relies on one another to succeed. “I started playing music 10 years ago when I was in fifth grade — also the time when I started to play drums and I’ve been playing ever since. I played in every form of a band you could think of. Jazz band, marching band, pop-rock ensembles, concert band and everything in between all throughout high school and college,” Longenecker said. The concept behind Rainless became clear last March, while touring the West Coast for a month with Denver band PrettyMouth and later his psychedelic rock project, Indigenous Rowbot. His first idea was to put together a compilation album featuring all local independent musicians. It came from a desire to promote his friends, their bands and other members of the community. “I graduated with a degree in percussion performance and audio engineering from UCD,”
“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” -Jim Rohn “Try to be like the turtle - at ease in your own shell.” - Bill Copeland
Longenecker said. “It was a great networking experience, almost everyone I know I met at UCD.” Now, Rainless represents 13 different bands playing everything from reggae-infused ska tunes to punk rock, thrash metal and rock ‘n’ roll. The label is all about connecting people with one another, helping musicians meet new promoters with the hopes of booking more shows and creating a positive sense of community throughout the
city’s thriving music scene. “It’s all about who you know, it’s all about who you meet, your connections and your experiences. It’s all about the network, which is something that has stuck with me and that’s really the driving force of Rainless,” Longenecker said. That driving force of creating his desired community has become a more cohesive project for Longenecker and Rainless Records as of late. By hosting a series of artist showcases at Summit Music Hall’s
Moon Room and, with the support of Black In Bluhm recording studio — which helped master the final compilation album — Rainless is off to a steady start. “Every major city has had their superstars and Denver has seen some success, but not on the same scale of changing the music industry,” Longenecker said. “At some point in the near future it’s going to happen because it is a community. It’s a whole city supporting one another to move forward.”
Ryan Longenecker, founder of the nonprofit Rainless Records. Portrait by Philip B. Poston • pposton1@msudenver.edu
Action Bronson blows smoke at Cervantes By Jalal Suleiman
“I’d say our sauces are what differentiate us from the competition.” - Craig Oberlink, page 9
The Metropolitan
jsuleim2@msudenver.edu On Jan. 28, Action Bronson with Party Supplies found their way to the front of the stage at Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom. After a DJ set by Justin Nealis of Party Supplies, the producer duo behind the Blue Chips mixtape series, Bronson stepped on stage. Dawning a Broncos beanie, the rapper from Queens praised Denver, calling the city “revolutionary” just before giving his Super Bowl predictions. “I got $5,000 on Den-
ver,” said Bronson. He vibed to the music, taking hits of joints from fans in the crowd and then briefly returned backstage. As a tribute to his cousin from Albania who is currently locked up, Bronson yelled out from backstage, “When I say ‘Free Big’, you say ‘Body’!” The crowed responded and screams of “Free Big Body” echoed from the crowd. Bronson ran back on stage and began rapping “Pepe Lopez” from Blue Chips 2. The intimate setting at Cervantes allowed Bronson’s personality and charisma to shine through
as he interacted with the crowd, danced to ‘80s pop songs and even singing a few high notes. Bronson played crowd favorites such as “NaNa,” “The Rockers,” “Strictly 4 My Jeeps” and many more. It felt more like hanging out with Bronson than watching him perform. Halfway through show, he welcomed Nealis to the stage to give the crowd a solo bass performance as he stepped back and watched. Bronson called for a “smoker’s intermission” toward the end of his performance although the entire venue was already plenty smoky.
The intermission was much needed by Bronson, however, who cut his verse short in the song just before the break to catch his breath. He closed with “Rolling Thunder” and stepped off stage. But the crowd wanted more, and chants of “Bronson” erupted. As the DJ stepped back on stage and hooked up his laptop, Bronson, drenched in sweat, performed one last song for the crowd and then said, “Okay Denver, I’m really out.” New York hip-hop is definitely alive and well here in Colorado.
The Metropolitan MetroSpective
February 6, 2014
9
Artists and patrons roam free at Denver Art Museum By Bryan Luchene bluchene@msudenver.edu The Denver Art Museum kicked off its 2014 season of Final Fridays with the ambiguous theme “au natural.” The monthly event “Untitled” is the museum’s after-hours exhibition for adults and children alike. “We activate the museum with all sorts of unusual unexpected activities like workshops, performances, music and unusual tours,” said Jaime Kopke, manager of adult and college programs at the Denver Art Museum. Patrons were delighted by the various events. The turn of any of the buildings corner could present anything from a hidden masterpiece to random performing musicians armed with glockenspiels and maracas. “It’s just so much fun. I feel like
the Denver Art Museum is really a place to be expressive and fun, and I love being a part of it,” said Brandi Shigley, one of the many performers stashed into the hidden corners of the museum. According to Kopke, “Untitled” provides various opportunities for expression in an environment dedicated to celebrating expressive works. “The idea behind ‘Untitled’ is that there’s something happening almost every 15 minutes,” Kopke said. “You can really just chose your own adventure.” The next opportunity for adventure is Feb. 28, with a theme of “Framed.” For more information, visit the event’s webpage at: denverartmuseum.org/see-do-dam/unexpectedhappenings. Brandi Shigley performer with dowhatyoulove.us cuts a rug at the Denver Art Museum’s semimonthly event “Untitled.” Photo by Bryan Luchene • bluchene@msudenver.edu
Fire on the Mountain in season all year long By Ian Gassman igassman@msudenver.edu Like turkey at Thanksgiving or burnt hot dogs on the Fourth of July, chicken wings have become synonymous with football season. Every game presents fans, or otherwise, with an ample opportunity to feast without being judged (an opportunity that no one should ever pass up). Although football season is over and Denver’s Super Bowl dreams were swift ly crushed, chicken wings still remain. This is where Fire on the Mountain wins. While working as a raft ing guide in Buena Vista, Colo., Sara Sawicki met Jordan Busch. In 2003, the duo moved to Portland, Ore. and, by 2005, they opened the first Fire on the Mountain restaurant. After starting a second location in 2008, then a third in 2011, the founders wanted to expand to a new state. Seeing Sawicki’s fellow raft ingguide-turned-longtime-friend, Andrea West, had worked in restaurants since age 14, she decided to open a location in the Highlands neighborhood of Denver with business partner Craig Oberlink in April 2012. Ironically, Oberlink grew up in Eugene, Ore., and moved to Boulder in 2003. There, he worked for the Tour Department of Warren Miller Entertainment until he moved to Denver in 2011 to get Fire on the Mountain Denver underway. “I wasn’t in the restaurant business,” Oberlink says, “It was just something that happened at the right time. I’d always been in-
terested in the restaurant industry as a next step and the crossover potential into Denver was a nobrainer. So we went for it.” Similar to the other Fire on the Mountain restaurants, local beers, chicken-centric sandwiches and burgers populate the menu of the Denver location. It also has meatless, seitan wings, loaded salads and specialty cocktails, like the “Blue Pony.” It’s a simple concoction of blueberry vodka, lemonade and soda water that will melt off the winter blues. The “G.W. Carver Peanut Sandwich,” for instance, offers a change of pace with a charbroiled chicken breast, marinated in spicy peanut sauce, capped off with Asian slaw and wasabi mayo. “Jack’s Jamaican Burger” comes with grilled pineapple, a zesty jerk sauce and chipotle mayo. Still, crispy, saucedup wings are the highlight. “I’d say our sauces are what differentiate us from our competition,” West notes. “Jordan’s a mad scientist in the kitchen, always playing around with new sauce creations. Also, we’re not afraid to make some super freaking hot sauces.” “El Jefe” is on the hottest end of the spectrum, mixing habaneros and jalapenos with Cajun spice and capsicum, where as the “Raspberry Habanero” offers a more flavorful heat, pairing the tart berry with the strong burn of the infamous pepper.
Along with fresh, tasty ingredients, prices are reasonable. Twelve wings, an order for one person, costs $12 flat (that’s $1 per wing). Add a small fry for $3, then a drink, for a satisfying combo. From Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., there are also some comparably priced lunch combos to take advantage of. Also keeping with Sawicki and Busch’s original vision, Fire on the Mountain Denver strives to be environmentally conscious and is certified “green.” “We use all cage-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free Red Bird
Farms wings,” West explains. “We compost and recycle nearly 75 percent of our waste. For us, it’s an experiment in how environmentally sustainable a business can be.” Though Sawicki and Busch were quick to expand, West and Oberlink feel content in the Highlands. Since opening nearly two years ago, wing enthusiasts have shown them nothing but love, regardless of whether or not it’s football season. “We’re not a mass marketed, big chain, cookie-cutter restaurant,” Oberlink says, “Which is really where I feel Fire on the Mountain sets itself apart. We only have four locations between two cities and only one restaurant is outside of Portland. It’s created a cult following of sorts that people really support and have become loyal to.”
FOTM Info 3801 W. 32nd Ave. Denver, Colo. 303-480-9464 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. Lunch special (Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.)
6 wings w/ fry, drink - $9 9 wings w/ fry, drink - $11 Happy hour (Everyday, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.)
$1 off draft beers, wine $3 off pitchers Highlights 12 wings - $12 Fried Twinkie - $3 Fried Mushrooms - $6
Photos courtesy of Fire on the Mountain.
10 February 6, 2014
Rants+Raves
Denver shows
1
The Metropolitan
3
2
2/8: North Mississippi Allstars Gothic Theatre $25 - $27 @ 8 p.m. 2/9: Pipes & Stripes VIII Paramount Theatre FREE @ 2 p.m. 2/9: 2 Chainz with Pusha T Ogden Theatre Doors @ 7 p.m. $40 - $135 2/11: Paul Simon & Sting Pepsi Center Tickets start at $40 @ 8 p.m.
Coming soon
1. Labor Day Poster by Paramount Pictures 2. That Awkward Moment Poster by Treehouse Pictures
3. Dunes by Gardens & Villa Album art by Secretly Canadian
Movies opening 2/7 “The Monuments Men” “The Lego Movie” “Vampire Academy”
Music releasing 2/11 Various Artists — From Another World: A Tribute to Bob Dylan Eric Church — Outsiders Dianne Reeves — Beautiful Life Band of Horses — Acoustic at the Ryman
Chart toppers Rolling Stone’s College Radio Top 3 Albums
Dunes
A
Gardens & Villa By Tobias Krause tkrause3@msudenver.edu Armed with a quiver of flutes, angelic vocals and a hard-hitting, one-of-a-kind, new-age synth-pop sound, Dunes, the second fulllength album released by Santa Barbara-based band Gardens & Villa, meshes well with a West Coast sonic confidence full of
1. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings — Give the People What They Want 2. Blood Orange — Cupid Deluxe 3. Arcade Fire — Reflektor Source: Rolling Stone Issue 1202
iTunes charts Top song: “Dark Horse” — Katy Perry feat. Juicy J Top free app: Flappy Bird Top paid app: Slayin Source: www.itunes.com
Box office chart #1: “Ride Along” #2: “Frozen” #3: “That Awkward Moment” Source: www.rottentomatoes.com
Aubrey Deeker as Hamlet in the Denver Center Theatre Company’s production. Photo by Jennifer M. Koskinen from Denver Center Flickr
Hamlet
A
By Stephanie Alderton salderto@msudenver.edu The long and influential history attached to Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” makes it almost a required production at any major theater, but also makes it difficult to do anything new. Now the Denver Center Theatre Company is bringing its own take on this tale of murder, revenge and mad-
electro-pop rock straight out of the ‘80s and revamped for 2014. Following suit on 2011’s selftitled smash hit, the five-piece indie rockers delivered a banger of an album to listeners that tugged at my emotions from the second I pressed play. Frontman Chris Lynch’s lo-fi lyrical progression picks at the album like he’s a nostalgic hero in some sort of musical love story. The fluttering, controlled chaos throughout the album unfolds like the soundtrack to that high intensity spin class I never took or the cleansing, ridiculously hot yoga
routine I always said I was going to start: just the thing I need for that run I’ve been meaning to take. From the opening guitar licking keyboard line on “Domino,” the album’s first track, Gardens & Villa showcase their immense talent and capability of covering layered, synthesized flute lines infused like a masterpiece, crafted from the guys’ passion to create something unique and original. The album’s lead single, “Bullet Train,” is a utopian track representing the band perfectly. It details each member’s ability to go above and beyond all the
while staying contained among a cohesive and uniquely put-together band. “Purple Mesas,” the album’s sixth track, shimmers with a smooth overall band cohesiveness that flourishes under a down-tempo pulsating bassline the echoes as the band casually navigates them album through a set of musical dunes, or mesas. And as I curl into corpse pose for the final few minutes of that hypothetical yoga class with “Love Theme,” I realize Dunes is just the step needed for the band, and quite possibly the best album of 2014.
ness to the stage. While their production isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, it is a unique and highly satisfying version of the bard’s most famous work. The first thing I saw upon entering the Stage Theatre on opening night was a grimlylit stage with a tall gravestone monument in the background, flanked by a baby carriage and a rocking horse. In the foreground, a broken-down wall was obscured with scaffolding and decorated with faceless portraits of kings. Even before the play began, the scene design reminded me forcefully that “Hamlet” is first of all, as the program calls it, the story of a “haunting.” Appropriately, the ghost of King Hamlet (John Hutton) appeared right after the opening blackout in a delightfully scary scene where he seemed to be everywhere at once. Then, just after the scene in which we learn that Claudius has married the king’s widow after the king’s convenient death, Prince Hamlet took the
stage. After Aubrey Deeker entered as Hamlet, it was difficult to focus on anything else. Although Deeker is making his debut at the Denver Center, he is clearly no rookie when it comes to playing Shakespeare. It takes effort to make Elizabethan English understandable to the average modern audience, and he made it look effortless. He had a relentless, partly-suppressed energy that drove the play from his first lines to the corpse-strewn finale. Ranging from broadly comical to violent and dangerous, he got the most out of every scene. The other actors did an excellent job as well. Amelia Pedlow’s performance as Ophelia was particularly moving. Partly because of her acting and partly because of the staging, this production was the most tragic portrayal I’ve seen of the treatment of women in “Hamlet.” For example, the scene between Hamlet and Ophelia became a surprisingly violent encounter with blatant sexual
overtones, making Polonius’s dismissal of Ophelia afterward (“You need not tell us what Lord Hamlet said”) one of the most shocking lines in the play. It’s also a very funny production. Despite being a tragedy, the script is often drenched in black humor, and actors like Sam Gregory (Polonius) and Philip Pleasants (Gravedigger) milked the comic moments for all their worth. I found myself laughing out loud several times, along with the rest of the audience. Shakespeare lovers will enjoy this production for its clarity and faithfulness to the original. Those new to Shakespeare may find themselves having more fun than they expected. Everyone should experience “Hamlet” at least once, if only to learn how expressions like “murder most foul” and “to be or not to be” entered our language, and the Denver Center’s version is a great place to start. “Hamlet” will play at the Stage Theatre in the Denver Center for Performing Arts through Feb. 23.
The Gaslight Anthem B The B-Sides By Nikki Work nwork@msudenver.edu The Gaslight Anthem’s latest release, The B-Sides, is an EastCoast-meets-Down-South spin of unplugged, alt-rock gold. Featuring acoustic reworkings of career staples like “Great Expectations,” “The ’59 Sound” and “American Slang,” along with live tracks and new iterations of gravelblasted reminiscence, the record is a smooth, swaying listen. Brian Fallon, the New Jersey-
Serena
A
By David Tan dtan@msudenver.edu It’s been more than a decade since the decline of point-andclick graphic adventure games like “Myst,” “King’s Quest” and “Full Throttle,” and the newest generation of gamers probably isn’t familiar with the concept. “Serena,” a free offering for Mac and PC, is an excellent introduction to the game style, as well as a well-told story in its own right. Published by indie game developers Senscape on Valve’s Steam platform, “Serena” is about a nameless man trying to piece together the disappearance of
born old soul frontman of The Gaslight Anthem, sounds like his words are perpetually piped through an old-school gramophone of unique intonation and twang-tinged rebellion. His ashtray -and-whiskey voice is surprisingly calming for all its gruffness, belting earnest and warm sentiments. As Fallon’s voice twists around dynamic acoustic strums, 11 tracks of blues, alternative and Americana take shape. The best part of the album is the simple, thoughtful lyrics. There is no overarching or overreaching attempt at philosophical or “deep.” Every syllable is relatable — and the result is a casual, endearing effect evoking thoughts of blue jeans, sawdust and sun-faded boardwalks. Longing, lilting lyrics like “working full time, spending all of his wife, Serena, while stuck in a dark, damp and claustrophobic cabin. Clues are scattered for the player to find, each gradually revealing Serena’s fate. As the story progresses, the protagonist’s reaction to each item changes with his growing perspective. The game’s excellent voiceover helps the player really get into the protagonist’s head. The cabin feels as if something is trapped in this grim location with him: the windows are dark and murky, the wood of the cabin is rotting away, and as the player progresses in the story, the cabin itself seems to get even more worn down. “Serena” gameplay takes about 30 to 45 minutes from start to finish, so download it and give the game a try. You have nothing to lose but your sanity.
your nights never dancing like you did,” and the way they are sung in the standout acoustic rerelease “Queen of Lower Chelsea” give the album a feeling that is undeniably vintage and open-hearted. It’s hit or miss, though, sifting through the album song by song. Some of the acoustic remakes are gorgeous, but others come off too ragged, and Fallon’s abrasive vocals seem out of place next to the simple guitar work. Similarly, the new songs are either warm and striking (“She Loves You”) or awkward and disappointing (“Tumbling Dice”). The B-Sides is different, undoubtedly, than the jarring, amped-up sounds The Gaslight Anthem usually produces. Instead, it is overall an easy, beautiful departure from the expected that is well worth taking.
That Awkward Moment D By J.R. Johnson gjohns93@msudenver.edu This week’s new romantic comedy “That Awkward Moment” seeks to throw a curveball in the steady stream of dime-a-dozen rom-coms by offering a rarely-seen perspective. Instead, it awkwardly hits all the old, unsurprising nails on the head. Zac Efron finds himself the point man as Jason, a bachelor taking advantage of his youth and the lively New York City singles scene. But when his friend Mikey (Michael B. Jordan) finds his once “perfect” relationship decaying into a game of lies and uncertainty,
Mamma Mia A By Kailyn Lamb klamb6@msudenver.edu
Donna (Georgia Kate Haege) does Sophie’s (Chelsea Williams) hair in a scene from the American tour of “Mamma Mia” at the Buell Theatre. Photo by Kevin Thomas Garcia from Denver Center Flickr
With songs from Swedish pop group ABBA, the American tour of “Mamma Mia,” the glitter-filled musical tale of a girl who simply wants to find her dad, opened at the Buell Theatre Jan. 28. Curious about her father’s identity as she prepares for her wedding, Sophie Sheridan (Chelsea Williams) confronts her mom, Donna (Georgia Kate Haege), who reveals that it could be any of three men. Sophie does what any somewhat logical person would do in her situation: she invites all three. With three possible dads on the loose at the wedding on a Greek island, the laughs just keep on coming. Dad number one is Sam Carmichael from New York (played by understudy Alex Mendoza), a
The Metropolitan Rants+Raves February 6, 2014
11
The Gaslight Anthem. Photo from ALT Sound
Jason and his best friend Daniel (Miles Teller) are there to pull him out of the funk he’s falling into. Together they make a pact to stay single together and party hard — a promise that disintegrates almost immediately. The predictable plot devised by director and writer Tom Gormican (“Movie 43”) makes this movie a struggle to endure without figuring out the next plot point minutes before it happens. Cheap jokes and cringeworthy gags are peppered across the film, which debatably save it from sinking entirely and add some mild amusement. The biggest lesson the movie tries to push? Ladies, the grass isn’t any greener on the other side. Relationships can be a nightmare for everybody. Unfortunately, it just proves these kinds of movies are lackluster no matter what lens you’re peering through.
man who still deeply loves Donna. Number two is Harry Bright from England (Mark A. Harmon), who wants to be as spontaneous as he was in his youth when he was known as “Head Banger.” Last but not least is the adventurous travel author Bill Austin (Michael Colavolpe), who has no intention of settling down. The appeal of the musical — besides the obvious fun-loving songs, glitter, and scantily clad men — is its story of real friendship. Both Sophie and Donna have two best friends who have been with them for most of their lives, the kind of friends you can make a complete ass of yourself in front of and share anything with. All have great stage chemistry, which makes the cheesy comedic musical more believable. In an encore that had a full house standing to dance and sing along, the whole cast belted out “Dancing Queen.” It was enough to make you want to jump right on stage with them.
Labor Day B By J.R. Johnson gjohns93@msudenver.edu Labor Day isn’t the most romantic time of the year. Between the suffocating heat of the last days of summer and the start of school just around the corner, love is probably the last thing on anyone’s mind. But the film adaptation of the book by the same name pushes it to the forefront of this unique story. The film follows young teenager Henry (Gattlin Griffith), who lives with his emotionally fragile mother, Adele (Kate Winslet), still recovering from her failed marriage to Henry’s father. On a routine trip to the store, they meet Frank (Josh Brolin), an escaped prisoner injected into their lives after a request for a simple favor. He quickly turns from captor into something more special as they spend the next five days together. What seems like a classic case of Stockholm syndrome turns into a genuinely sincere relationship as Frank begins to fill a void for both Henry and his mother. They start imagining a future together as his gentle nature affects various parts of their lives. Henry has someone to teach him and his mother has someone to hold at night. It all happens so fast, it could easily seem false — but the passion in Brolin and Winslet’s performances inflates the illusion just enough for us to believe something this crazy could happen. The movie is a series of beautiful shots, and the talented cast brilliantly weaves them together to foster this impression of a small town, bringing the book successfully to life on film.
12 February 6, 2014
Metro sports Women’s basketball 2/7: @ Colorado Mines Golden @ 6 p.m. 2/8: @ Colorado Christian Lakewood @ 5 p.m.
Men’s basketball 2/7: @ Colorado Mines Golden @ 8 p.m. 2/8: @ Colorado Christian Lakewood @ 7 p.m.
Softball 2/7: vs. Nebraska-Kearney Auraria Field @ 12 & 2 p.m. 2/9: vs. Nebraska-Kearney Auraria Field @ 11 & 1 p.m.
Baseball 2/7-2/9 @ Emporia State Emporia, Kan. Time TBA
Track & Field 2/7-2/8: New Mexico Classic Albuquerque, N.M.
Denver sports XXII Olympic Winter Games 2014 Start Feb. 7 in Sochi, Russia
Denver Nuggets 2/7: @ New York Knicks @ 5:30 p.m. 2/8: @ Detroit Pistons @ 5:30 p.m. 2/10: @ Indiana Pacers @ 5 p.m. 2/12: @ Minnesota Timberwolves @ 6 p.m.
Colo. Avalanche 2/6: @ Philadelphia Flyers @ 5 p.m. 2/8: @ New York Islanders @ 5 p.m.
Sports Quotes “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.’” -Muhammad Ali
MetroSports
The Metropolitan
Metro runs away with win By Scott Corbridge kcorbrid@msudenver.edu Metro men’s basketball pulled away late in the second half to secure a win against Chadron State College Jan. 31 at Auraria Event Center. The 73-56 win improved the Roadrunners to 17-1 overall and 14-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and extended their winning streak to 14 games. The loss dropped Chadron to 7-11 overall and 4-10 in RMAC play. Turnovers by each team and selective shooting kept the game close at 8-8 early, before Metro went up 32-21 at one point in the first half. The Eagles kept the game competitive throughout, but a late run in the second half for the Runners solidified the win. Junior center Nick Kay led all scorers with 20 points, and added seven rebounds. Points in the paint and forcing turnovers were key, as Metro looked to start the game strong and maintain the tempo throughout. “They responded in a great way,” head coach Derrick Clark said. “I was very pleased on the
defensive end. You held a team to 38 percent from the field.” With Metro up 32-24 at the end of the first half, a 14-2 run to start the second half sparked the Runners to eventually pull away. “We had some looks in the first half that typically go down but didn’t go down,” Clark said. “Look how we opened the second half from a defensive standpoint, we pushed that thing out in a hurry.” The biggest lead of the night by Metro was 20 points at 46-26 with 17 minutes to go in the second half. The Eagles responded with an 18-6 run to pull within six points at 57-51, before finally being put away after junior guard Mitch McCarron hit a 3-pointer with just over three minutes left, which sparked a 13-2 run by the Roadrunners. Defense was key for Metro as they held Chadron State to 37.3 percent shooting and 30 percent from behind the arc, and forced 15 turnovers. “Our guys answered the challenge tonight,” Clark said. Metro shot 55.3 percent on the night and 58.3 from three-point range. McCarron had a solid night with 18 points, six assists and five rebounds. Senior guard Brandon Jefferson added 17 points.
Men’s basketball wrap up Metro men’s basketball extended its winning streak to 15 games with a 62-57 win over Black Hills State University Feb. 1 at Auraria Event Center. Leading the charge were senior guard Brandon Jefferson and junior forward Nicholas Kay, who scored 17 points each. The Roadrunners mounted a 15 point lead in the first half, their largest lead of the game, and led 31-22 at the break. The Roadrunners shot just under 41 percent from the floor for the game. Metro travels to Colorado School of Mines Feb. 7 before playing Colorado Christian on the road the following night. Compiled by Mario Sanelli msanelli@msudenver.edu
Metro senior guard Brandon Jefferson goes for a lay-up against Chadron State Jan. 31 at Auraria Event Center.Photo by Courtland Wilson • cwils104@msudenver.edu
Women’s basketball wrap up Senior guard Cassie Lambrecht and freshman guard/forward Jenae Paine connected on back-to-back three point shots late to pull Metro women’s basketball past Black Hills State University 63-58 Feb. 1 at Auraria Event Center. Lambrecht led Metro with 16 points in a game-high 33 minutes. Leading 36-23 at the half, Metro gained a 19 point lead two minutes into the second half. Despite being outscored 35-27 in the second half, Metro climbed to within one game of .500 at 9-10 overall and improved to 7-3 at home with the win. The Lady Runners will play Colorado School of Mines Feb. 7 and face Colorado Christian University Feb. 8, both on the road.
TheMetropolitan MetSports February 6, 2014
Season high in points leads to victory By Evan Batten ebatten@msudenver.edu Metro women’s basketball improved its record to 8-10 and 7-7 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with an 83-62 victory over conference rival Chadron State College Jan. 31 at Auraria Event Center. Metro put up a season-high 83 points, and broke a school record for consecutive free throws made in a game after shooting 18-of-18 from the line, breaking the previous record of 16 against Colorado Christian University in 2003. Chadron State shot 15-of-23 from the line. The Roadrunners conquered seemingly every facet of the game and dashed out of the gate, finish-
ing with a 39-22 lead in the first half after forcing 14 turnovers. Junior center Deni Jacobs and senior forwardAmy Nelson led the team with 10 points each at halftime. A resilient Roadrunners defense forced seven turnovers from Chadron State in the first half and finished with 20. Metro capitalized with 28 points off turnovers. Chadron State finished with only six points off Metro turnovers. A stretch of airtight defense caused Chadron to score only nine points on its first 11 possessions. The Roadrunners then kept the Eagles scoreless over their next 17 possessions. Jacobs finished with a careerhigh 22 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including 6-of-6 from the line and finished with a team-high seven rebounds.
but feeling blue
By Charlie Hanson chanso12@msudenver.edu Optimism — the joy of believing the impossible is possible. Fans dream of their team winning the biggest game — the Super Bowl. Denver has been “United in Orange” in celebration of the Denver Broncos making it to the NFL’s number one game. The best offense in the league took on the best defense in the league in the Seattle Seahawks. How quickly optimism turned to pessimism in a house full of rag-
ing Broncos fans. The first half ended with the Broncos trailing 22-0. Orange was splashed everywhere inside the house, from jerseys to shirts, hats, and face paint. A projector broadcasted the game on the wall, imitating a theater-like setting, with couches and wood chairs aligned. A 60-inch television played the game in the dining room. Even the garage had a TV for the chronic smokers. Every chair was filled, leaving standing-room-only in the kitchen... Visit metnews.org for full column
Metro freshman guard/forward Jenae Paine moves towards the basket Jan. 31 at Auraria Event Center. Photo by Danielle Shriver • dshrive2@msudenver.edu
Bad day to be bad By Rodney A. Dean rdean8@msudenver.edu The Denver Broncos owe every fan in the NFL an apology for not being up to snuff in the world’s most important sporting event. It was a fiasco of the grandest proportion for the greatest statistical team in the history of the game, a disaster witnessed by a record 111.5 million viewers. The Seattle Seahawks decimated the Broncos in all facets of the game, and left no question as to which team came to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. to claim the Vince Lombardi Trophy. There are no traces of plausible deniability for who is the best team in the NFL—it goes to the Seattle Seahawks hands down. The challenge for the Seahawks was to win with class, because after a state-
ment game of such magnitude, and in the circumstances by which the display of raw talent and football skill created such a lopsided outcome, the Seahawks had every right to be high minded and selfcongratulatory. Their “12th man” also has the right to boast. If there were ever a day to have a bad day, the Broncos picked it. This is nothing new to Broncos fans. There have been other bad days that have stung the city. This loss should go well with some salt and a little vinegar, with a touch of lemon juice just to make the sting that much more memorable. It was as if from the very first play, the Broncos dropped the anchor on the ship, remained moored to the dock of mediocrity... Visit metnews.org for full column
Mondays
tch
eli
BOWL YOUR BUTTS OFF!
Lanes
ANY 3 HOURS -
$10
WITH SHOES
Connect with more than 20,000 students on the Auraria Campus — in print, on radio, on TV and online.
RTD
Got some news to share? We want to be the first to hear it!
.
3825 Tennyson (303)477-1633
Wrap up Track & Field Men’s team ranked No. 25 and women’s team ranked No. 9 nationally in latest poll. Sophomore distance runner Janelle Lincks finished first in the mile and 3k and qualified for nationals. Men’s and women’s distance medley relay teams also qualified for nationals at the Colorado School of Mines Twilight Open Feb. 1.
Sports columns
United in Orange
13
If you’ve got a newsworthy story, send it to us at whatsup@metrostudentmedia.com with your name, contact information and a short description.
For breaking, time-sensitive stories, please call 303-556-2507 for an immediate response.
metrostudentmedia.com
Watch metreport.org MSU Denver’s weekly student-run television broadcast
4600 Hale Parkway, Suite 490 Denver, CO 80220
Men’s basketball Metro ranked No. 1 in the latest coaches poll. This is the second time this season the men’s team has claimed the top spot. Junior guard Mitch McCarron was named to his fifth career Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference player of the week honor. Baseball Opening weekend series vs. Nebraska-Kearney 2/1-2/2 was canceled due to snow. No make up date has been announced. Softball Opening weekend series vs. Nebraska-Kearney 2/8-2/9 was canceled due to snow. No make up date has been announced. Compiled by Mario Sanelli msanelli@msudenver.edu
14 February 6, 2014
The Metropolitan
StudyBreak I knew it! The whole game reeked of corruption. It all makes sense now!
A: What can you catch but not throw?
It all adds up... Well connected back east, cushy government job, a known gambling problem. One wretched creature is behind all of this!
What are you talking about? Conspiracy! Our good name is marred in disgrace! And I know where to point the finger!
Who, pray tell, would besmirch our beloved team? Punxsutawney Phil.
B: What jumps higher than a building? C: What goes up and never comes down? D: Which comes first, chicken or egg?
Horoscopes
Overheard on campus
E: What has four legs and can’t walk? F: Who was buried in Grant’s Tomb? G: Why don’t mountains catch colds? Answers: A: A cold B: Everything, buildings don’t jump C: Your age D: Chicken. Ever heard of a dictionary? E: A table or chair (or a lot of other furniture) F: Grant! G: They have a snow cap
Capricorn
December 22 -January 19 If the Broncos losing the Super Bowl devastated you and completely ruined your life, you should really re-evaluate yourself.
Aquarius
January 20 -February 18 Now that it’s February, we’re curious, how’s that gym membership treating you?
Source: goodriddlesnow.com/short-riddles
Pisces
February 19 -March 20
Sudoku
Yoo-hoo is the best chocolate drink ever made. That’s why there is four “O’s” in it. Duh.
Aries
March 21 -April 19 Remember things can’t get any worse; Ben Affleck is still going to be Batman.
Taurus
If you’re looking to better yourself this New Year, start with the “60’s, 70’s and 80’s Hits” Pandora radio station.
Leo
July 23 -August 22 When perusing latenight television, don’t mistake “Glory Hole” for a TV show about gold mining in Alaska.
Virgo
August 23 -September 22 When your convenience store clerk tells you scratch tickets aren’t a real game like soccer, its best to wait ‘til next time to try your luck.
Libra
September 23 -October 22 Just because you wear sandals and shorts when it below 20 degrees outside doesn’t make you tough — it makes you a dumbass.
Scorpio
October 23 -November 21
You’ll slowly come to realize that whether Flea is plugged in or not, he’s still one of the best.
You’ll be forever remembered as “that guy that still watches ‘Dawson’s Creek.’”
Gemini
Sagittarius
May 21 -June 20 Show off your sexy side this week, with a fresh pair of sweat pants or a spandex onesie
Brain Teasers Difficulty: HARD
Cancer
June 21 -July 22
April 20 -May 20
Difficulty: EASY
Last issue’s answers (reading from right): drawn to scale, round of applause, splitting hairs, they’re all the same, there’s no end to it, different strokes for different folks, words of wisdom
Comic created by Robert Shea • rshea5@msudenver.edu
Riddles
November 22 -December 21 Your weekend getaway with Corey Feldman will go horrifically bad when you realize you’re on a weekend getaway with Corey Feldman.
“I sit by the window so I can see myself AND the girl behind me.” “And on the back was stapled ‘free weed.” Isn’t that cool?!” “The only stop in life is death.” “We just met, but then she bit my nipple and we were best friends.” Professor: “What makes a great city?” Student: “Danger.” “I would sell my soul for a snowmobile.” “Whenever old men walk around on campus, I get weirded out.” Hear something that makes you laugh? Shake your head? Roll your eyes? Tweet it to @nikki_ themet with the hashtag #overheardoncampus and you may see it in next week’s paper.
Answers:
TheMetropolitan
TimeOut
February 6, 2014
15
JOURNEY to the
February 10-15, 2014 Monday:
STARS
ENTER FOR THE CHANCE TO WIN A PASS TO THE SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING OF
Homecoming
Homecoming Blast Off! 10am-2pm Tivoli Commons
Tuesday:
Spirit Day & Battle of the Bands 10am-2pm Turnhalle
Wednesday:
Amazing Race
BY TEXTING DRONE AND YOUR ZIP CODE to 43549
10am-2pm Tivoli Food Court
Thursday:
Bonfire 5pm-8pm Regency Athletic Complex
Friday:
Hall of Fame Banquet
Example text: DRONE 80202
Held at the Springhill Suites
Saturday:
Entry deadline: Friday, February 7
Homecoming! Men’s and Women’s Basketball Games 5pm & 7pm Events Center vs. Regis
http://www.msudenver.edu/homecoming/
THIS FILM HAS BEEN RATED PG-13 FOR INTENSE SEQUENCE OF ACTION INCLUDING FRENETIC GUN VIOLENCE THROUGHOUT, BRIEF STRONG LANGUAGE, SENSUALITY, AND SOME DRUG MATERIAL. There is no charge to text 43KIX. Message and data rates from your wireless carrier may apply. Text HELP for info, STOP to opt-out. To view 43KIX’s Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy, visit 43KIX.com/terms. Winners will be drawn at random and notified via text message with screening details by Friday, 2/7 at 5:00 PM. The screening will be held on Monday, 2/10 at 7:00 PM at a local theater. Sponsors and their dependents are not eligible to receive a prize. Supplies are limited. Passes received through this promotion do not guarantee a seat at the theater. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, except for members of the reviewing press. Theater is overbooked to ensure a full house. No admittance once screening has begun. All federal, state and local regulations apply. A recipient of prizes assumes any and all risks related to use of prize, and accepts any restrictions required by prize provider.MGM, Columbia Pictures, Allied-THA, 43KIX, The Metropolitan and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or accident incurred in connection with use of prizes. Prizes cannot be exchanged, transferred or redeemed for cash, in whole or in part. Not responsible if, for any reason, winner is unable to use his/her prize in whole or in part. Not responsible for lost, delayed or misdirected entries. All federal, state and local taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Void where prohibited by law. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. NO PHONE CALLS!
IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 12 Robocop.com • Facebook.com/Robocop • Twitter.com/Robocop
WILL WILSON
Critical Indigenous Photographic Exchange
METROPOLITAN THURS: 02/6/14 BLACK & WHITE HR 5” x 7”
through Feb. 8
Cross Currents
ALL.RBC-P.0206.METRO February 6-8
Photographer Will Wilson is setting up a tintype portrait studio and darkroom at the CVA. Learn about Will’s artwork and wet plate collodion photography. Thursday, Feb. 6 12-3pm Portrait Studio 4-5pm ABC Young Artist 5:30-7pm Artist Talk and Reception
Friday, Feb. 7 1-7pm Portrait Studio
Saturday, Feb. 8 11-4 Portrait Studio
Call to register for a portrait sitting : 303.294.5207 x114
Center for Visual Art | 965 Santa Fe Drive | 303.294.5207 | msudenver.edu/cva
www.msudenver.edu/campusrec
303-556-3210
Strengthened @ Auraria Cost • $100 Class Information Pre-Assessment • Week of February 10 Class • Week of February 17–Week of April 14 Post-Assessment • Week of April 21
Advanced Class Monday/Wednesday 3–4 p.m. Intermediate Class Monday/Wednesday 4–5 p.m. There will be no classes during spring break
How it Works
Participants are assigned to teams of 3–5 based on class and goals. Each team will be assigned 2 trainers that will work with you throughout the 8 week group personal training sessions.
Prizes
Winning team members for each class will recieve a $50 gift certificate to Sports Authority. A prize is also given to the winning individual!
Award Criteria • • • •
Completing pre-assessment Attendance at workouts Completing post-assessment Improvement in criteria from pre to post-assessment Extra points assessed for attending educational nutrition sessions
Registration
how to get involved To register please stop by room 108 in the PE Building to complete a registration packet and to pay the registration fee.
Please contact Louis Morphew at Lmorphe1@msudenver.edu if you have any questions.