Volume 32, Issue 24 - Feb. 18, 2010

Page 1

THE

METROPOLITAN Online » themet.metrostudentmedia.com

Serving Auraria for 30 years

Vol. 32, Issue 24

February 18, 2010

Enrollment continues to climb Spring census shows Metro population increasing 7 percent •A3

Breaking it down old school

Metro sophomore Stacy Zavilla practices her breakdancing Feb. 16 in the Auraria Event Center. Beside breakdancers, many Auraria groups hold gatherings in the event center lobby on a weekly basis. Photo by Jeremy Papasso • jpapasso@mscd.edu

METROSPECTIVE

NEWS

Dems move into primary Teaching history searching for through rhythm, mode, differences •A5 culture Cleo Parker Robinson dance studio mixes modern dance with AfricanAmerican traditions •B4 Photo by Leah Millis • lmillis@mscd.edu

SPORTS

’Runners lose back-to-back games to conference rivals •A10

A2 • NEWS • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN

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A3 • February 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN

NEWS

“Eliminating the word college will dispel the perception that we are actually a community college (yes, there is that perception, even locally).” - DARRIN DUBER-SMITH, INSIGHT on A9

CAITLIN GIBBONS • NEWS EDITOR • cgibbon4@mscd.edu

THIS WEEK EVENTS

2.21 to 2.24 Visiting Professorship

One for the road Valentine’s Day feelings trickled over into the week as Metro senior Jason Wardell and his lady, Metro junior Leanna Ritter, enjoyed a quiet moment together Feb. 16 outside the Tivoli. Photo

by Jamie Cotten • jcotten1@ mscd.edu

Census reveals Metro trends

Spring enrollment numbers reflect retention programs By Andrew Flohr-Spence spencand@mscd.edu

Metro students are older, signing up for heavier schedules, dropping out less and taking more courses online, according to the college’s census published last week. Metro’s Spring 2010 census shows the college continuing its more than decade-long trend toward growth with enrollment increasing almost seven percent more than last spring, a total of 23,273 students. Compiled and published by the college’s Office of Institutional Research at the beginning of each semester, the census is used for budgeting how much money the college and each department receives. The numbers are also used by academics to pinpoint what programs are successful. It tallies the number of students, and looks at areas such as age, ethnicity, enrollment status, type of classes enrolled in and county of residence. “The census is useful to see where we are at,” Lynn Kaersvang, faculty senate president, said. “We use it to see how we are doing.” Older and finishing up While the number of younger students at Metro in the last decade grew, this spring saw a reversal of that trend, with more students in their late twenties and early thirties. The percentage of students in their senior year grew,

while the number of freshman fell. Metro biology junior Shane Heinzman, one of the trend-setting Roadrunners at 30 years old, says he enrolled after serving in the military, getting out and finding few opportunities in the downturned economy. Enrolled full-time, his intent is to become a doctor, starting with his biology degree at Metro. “I’m really pleased with Metro,” Heinzman said. He attended a few semesters at the University of Nebraska where he said he had lectures taught by teacher assistants to classrooms with more than 200 students. “I really like the small class sizes here,” he said. “And you actually get taught by a professor.” More dedicated Statistically speaking, Roadrunners are running faster and longer or, in other words, students are increasingly signing up for twelve hours or more and they are sticking around to finish.

“It’s really quite exciting,” Kaersvang said. According to her, the numbers showed the support programs for students the school implemented were successful. Both the number of students who stay enrolled from one semester to the next, the retention rate, and the number of full time students increased this year over last. Both are effects, Kaersvang said, of college programs implemented in the last several years that aim to keep students in school, like the First Year Success Program. This spring marks the third year the retention rate was measured, coinciding with the college’s emphasis on keeping students enrolled. The number of fall students who continued on and enrolled for spring has increased each of those years. “We are watching with joy the numbers showing the retention rate going up,” Kaersvang said. Tech savvy Another increase seen was in the

Spring Enrollment by age group 8.1% - 40 and older 5.3% - 35 to 39 years

13.1% - 19 or younger

10.1% - 30 to 34 years

21.8% - 25 to 29 years

41.5% - 20 to 24 years

number of students taking a mix of classroom and online courses. While the number taking only online courses fell slightly, the number of students enrolled in a both online and lecture jumped more than three percent. But part of that may be because more classes are only offered online. “I had to take my course online,” environmental science junior Josh Leininger said. Leininger said he learns better face-to-face and would have preferred to take the class in a lecture format, but his department required the class, writing for environmental science majors, and it was only offered online. “I guess it’s the way of the world … it’s where we are headed and I’ll have to use it in my future career,” he said. “But the Internet is horrible: impersonal and superficial … I learn much better face to face … it’s just my style of learning.” Holding steady Other groupings that saw little change included ethnicity, gender and residency. The number of African-American students increased almost half a percent to 6. 3 percent of the schools total population, where all other classifications stayed virtually the same. Male students increased their numbers by half a percent to 45.6 percent of the student body. The total number of students who lived in Denver climbed .8 percent to 28.6 percent of Metro’s students, trading off with Jefferson County that lost .8 percent.

Julius E. Coles, president of Africare is this year’s distinguished visiting professor. Opening Community Event 2.23 7 to 9 p.m. Shorter Community African Methodist Episcopal Church Keynote Even 2.24 11:30 a.m. Tivoli Turnhalle

2.24

Open Mic Night Bring your poetry, instruments, humor and voice. 6 p.m. Tivoli Multicultural Lounge

INDEX INSIGHT ... A9 METROSPECTIVE ... B1 AUDIOFILES ... B6 SPORTS ... A10 TIMEOUT ... A14

WEATHER 2.18 • Chance of snow High: 40/Low: 24 2.19 • Chance of snow High: 32/Low: 19 2.20 • Partly cloudy High: 40/Low: 17 2.21 • Mostly sunny High: 44/Low: 21 2.22 • Mostly sunny High: 45/Low: 23 2.23 • Mostly sunny High: 50/Low: 29 2.24 • Partly cloudy High: 55/Low: 31 By Kendell LaRoche

CORRECTIONS In the Feb. 11 issue of the Metropolitan, on page B4, Jenny Zheng’s name was misspelled in the caption. To notify The Metropolitan of an error in any of our reports, please contact Editor-in-Chief Dominic Graziano at dgrazia1@mscd.edu

A4 • NEWS • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN

CHRISTIANITY VS. OBJECTIVISM: Which is the proper philosophy for living on earth? By Dr. Edwin A. Locke, Dean’s Professor Emeritus of Leadership and Motivation at the University of Maryland

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This talk argues that only Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand, provides a code of morality suitable for living successfully and happily on earth. Objectivism holds that reality is real, that reason is man’s only means of knowing it and that one should act in one’s own rational self-interest, with rationality being the highest virtue. Life is the objective standard of morality. In contrast, Christianity asserts that reality is governed by supernatural forces, that knowledge is based on faith and that the highest moral virtue is self-sacrifice. It will be shown that Christianity cannot be practiced consistently, destroys the integrity of man’s mind, and is incompatible with living successfully and happily in the real world.

Contact johngalt.ucd@gmail.com Hosted by the Auraria Campus Objectivist Club.

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6KRUWHU &RPPXQLW\ $ 0 ( &KXUFK ‡ 5LFKDUG $OOHQ &RXUW (Colorado and Martin Luther King Boulevards) )UHH DQG RSHQ WR WKH SXEOLF Julius Coles is president of Africare, a nonprofit that provides development assistance in Africa. A supporter since Africare’s founding, he served as a board member from 1997 until assuming the presidency in 2002. Previously, Coles was the director of Morehouse College’s Andrew Young Center for International Affairs and director of Howard University’s Ralph J. Bunche International Affairs Center. He has spent more than 40 years engaged in international work in Africa, benefitting many countries there. :H ZLOO KRQRU Ă€YH RI &RORUDGR¡V JUHDWV

„ American Studies Department at Metro State „ Jeff S. Fard, “Brother Jeff� „ Denver Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. „ Shorter Community African Methodist Episcopal Church „ Lost Found Members of The Nation of Islam in North America, Universal African Improvement Association For more information: 303-556-6344 lindseja@mscd.edu www.mscd.edu/news/noel

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DID YOU KNOW? 56,000,000 people go to Major League baseball games each year. • THE METROPOLITAN • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • NEWS • A5

Dem debate draws little disctinction Bennet, Romanoff compliment more than clash on issues By Caitlin Gibbons cgibbon4@mscd.edu Denver Democrats united at the first primary season debate to show their divided support for two U.S. senatorial candidates Feb. 16. The Denver Young Democrats hosted a forum between Sen. Michael Bennet and candidate Andrew Romanoff, moderated by Aaron Harber at St. Cajetan’s Center. The DYD put together the event in a week. Alexis Marsh, DYD member and president of the Auraria Campus Democrats, helped secure the venue. “We had been working with Denver Young Dems since August to have the Auraria location. I think it is so important. We are the center of Denver, and to bring the center of Denver politics to the campus,” Marsh said. “The Auraria Police and The Auraria Higher Education Center were truly amazing to help make this happen.” Supporters, volunteers and campaign staffers from both sides stood outside the venue chanting and passing out candidate paraphernalia. Ben Jackson, a Denver Public School teacher from Bruce Randolph 6-12 School said he was there to show his support for Bennet. “I think Michael has really demonstrated in his first year that he has the knowledge and the skill and hard work to really get the job done,” Jackson said. As an educator, Jackson is concerned with issues surrounding education. “I know he (Bennet) is committed to making sure we have an equitable public education for all of our students. He demonstrated that as a superintendant, and I know he is working hard on that in the senate currently and will continue to do so,” he said. Jacob Labure, a political science major at Metro, said he came to the forum to voice his support for Romanoff.

“Romanoff has been the speaker of Colorado, and he has pushed a lot of initiatives including high schools and schools better for the people of Colorado,” Labure said. As Labure and Jackson demonstrated outside the event, the Denver democrats love to disagree on the fact that they agree on many issues. Bennet and Romanoff ’s first agreement of the evening was to limit the forum to 45 minutes in length. Moderator Harber, who hosts “The Aaron Harber Show” on local television station KBDI, asked the candidates what differences they saw between themselves, and why a democrat should vote for them. “If you like the way Washington works, then you should not vote for me,” Romanoff said. He explained that if he were to take the senate seat he would be the one voice to stand up during tough debates, especially the health care debate to, “take the pork out and put the public option back in,” and work to end backroom deals weakening legislation. Bennet agreed that the system as a whole is broken and he shared Romanoff ’s concern on backroom deals, “I’ve been the first Democrat to complain about backroom deals,” he said. Bennet said he felt no need to defend the Senate as an institution, but would work to ensure there is at least an “architecture to work with,” by continuing to vote for health care legislation. When asked if the candidates thought the majority of the national assembly had enough economic understanding to deal with the current economic issues facing the nation, both agreed that the majority, in fact, do not. Bennet, when prompted by Harber, said his most proud accomplishment is to have had countless “adult” conversations with Coloradans. He said he is working to leave more opportunities for not only his children, but all the children of the state. Romanoff, cited his work in the state house as proof of his work to solve the inherited problems of generations past for the future.

Left, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet discusses why Democrats should vote for him in the 2010 special election as Andrew Romanoff, former Speaker of the House, prepares his rebuttle. The two senatorial candidates squared off in a primary debate sponsored by the Denver Young Democrats Feb. 16 at St. Cajetan’s Center. Photo by Leah Millis • lmillis@mscd.edu “Power is not about keeping it, but using it,” Romanoff said. After many volleys of varied accord on the New Energy Economy, Health Care, the national deficit and debt and the fundamental flaws in Washington, Bennet said to Romanoff, “I really love you. I just wish you were running in a primary against someone who is causing the problems.” Metro Political Science major Tyler Henson said he thought Romanoff was more articulate during the debate, but still had no strong opinion on one candidate or the other. Scott Bolt, also a Metro political science major said he thought Romanoff is reaching the peak of his campaign and won the debate. Rick VanWie, member of the Denver Democrats Executive Committee and finance chair of House District 6A for the Democratic Party said he thought Bennet won the debate. “Not by a large margin. I think that Senator Bennet was more composed and he spoke a little bit more

from the heart than Speaker Romanoff. I by no means doubt what he says, but the senator came across as someone with a little more experience,” VanWie said. “The challenge for Democrats is to realize we have

two great candidates. We want Andrew Romanoff or Michael Bennet, not someone from the party of ‘no,’” The Denver Democratic caucus will take March 16, and the primary election Aug. 10.

Meet the democratic candidates

Andrew Romanoff

Sen. Michael Bennet

•Served as in the Colorado House of Representatives for eight years

•Appointed by Gov. Bill Ritter to fill the senate seat vacated by now Secretary of the Interior Ken Slalzar

•Speak of the House from 2005-2008 •Senior advisor in the Office of state planning and budgeting to former Gov. Roy Romer 1997-1999

•Denver Public Schools superintendent 2005-2009 •Former chief of staff for Mayor John Hickenlooper

Cash flow management not as easy as it seems

Financial forum highlights risks of student debt By Ben Wiebesiek wiebesib@mscd.edu

The ominous warning wouldn’t have been out of place coming from the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson: “Beware the three ugly sisters!” But Financial Solutions Educator Mitzi Nicoletti was warning

about the dangers of debt with Visa, MasterCard and American Express credit cards at the event, How Money Works, Feb. 16 at the Tivoli Turnhalle. “Sometimes there is just not enough money when you’re in school. You’re just trying to get everything going,” Nicoletti said to the audience. “Some of you here might be on scholarship or there might be another type of cash flow. But if there’s some money coming in that helps you offset your expenses, then you really need to sit down and take

the time to figure out where the money is going.” Nicoletti said one of the biggest financial issues in America involves people not living within their means. UCD Master’s student Thomas Evans helped coordinate the event with Nicoletti and the UCD office of student life. “I learned that if you get a credit card you should pay it off fast in order to build good credit,” Evans said after the event, which he said he was pleased with the turnout. At the event, Tracie Stephens,

also a financial solutions educator, passed out flyers, “Five Painless Ways to Save $50,” detailing how minor changes can help save extra money every month. One of the tips included thawing and cooking only what is needed for meals. “We work with students and families on money issues, specializing in budgets, investing and paying debts off. Our focus is finding financial solutions,” Stephens said. “What do you think it is going to cost you to eat during retirement? Does anybody want to guess what

it would cost to feed yourself for 25 years, three meals a day?” Nicoletti asked the audience. “It’s about a quarter of a million dollars.” She said this amount came from future projections based on current costs meals expenses.

Students sound off with their own financial advice and story continued on A7>>

A6 • NEWS • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN

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For more information or to request a class schedule, call 303-721-1313 or visit our website at www.mscd.edu/extendedcampus

TIVOLI STUDENT UNION - SUITE 313 PLEASE STOP BY TODAY AFTER 10 AM TO PICK UP A COMPLIMENTARY PASS FOR TWO. LIMIT ONE PASS PER PERSON. PASSES ARE LIMITED AND ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED BASIS. MUST BE 17 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO RECEIVE PASS. THIS FILM IS RATED R. RESTRICTED. Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent Or Adult Guardian. Passes received through this promotion do not guarantee you 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 tickets assumes any and all risks related to use of ticket, and accepts any restrictions required by ticket provider. Overture Films, The Metropolitan and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or accident incurred in connection with use of a prize. Tickets cannot be exchanged, transferred or redeemed for cash, in whole or in part. We are not responsible if, for any reason, recipient is unable to use his/her ticket in whole or in part. All federal and local taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. Participating sponsors, their employees and family members and their agencies are not eligible. NO PHONE CALLS!

IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 26

Speaker advises caution with credit

F.Y.I. At its core, the sun’s temperature is about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. • THE METROPOLITAN • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • NEWS • A7

On the street

By Ben Wiebesiek • Photos by Caitlin Gibbons

“What advice would you give to future generations regarding loans, credit cards and debt?”

<<Continued from A5 “So if you’re married, you might want to consider not feeding your spouse,” Nicoletti said. Denver resident J. Mitchell Orton enjoyed the humor in the presentation. “It really made me laugh but I learned a lot about prioritizing my expenditures. I didn’t know that a credit card payment wouldn’t go to the highest interest item first,” Orton said. According to a February 2009 U.S. Federal Reserve Report, credit card debt accounted for 98 percent of U.S. consumer revolving debt, approximately $944 billion. “Many students don’t understand the importance of investing. We don’t really think about retirement in our twenties. Most folk don’t start until they’re in their forties. It would make a big difference if more students understood how credit cards really work,” Nicoletti said.

“Don’t get credit cards. Don’t use credit cards. Once you get one, you think you can use it all the time. One leads to two, two leads to three.” Jeremy Jenkins Metro Junior

“Straight cash. Never use any other form of payment but straight cash, because it will never come back to bite you in the ass in the end.” Josh Peterson Metro Freshman

“Anybody under the age of 25 shouldn’t get a credit card. Wait until you’re more stable in your mind and have yourself together and focused.” Juneka Chimembe CCD Freshman

“Don’t spend more than you make. That’s how most Americans end up in debt because they live outside their means.” Evan Ruck Metro Junior

“Avoid debt at all costs. I went to Europe this summer and I’m still paying off a good portion of it.” Cara Anderson Metro Junior

“If you get loans, you should go through credit unions. They usually have better rates than just regular banks. Mike Goodman Metro Junior

“Student loans are a good thing for school but try to avoid credit cards because credit card companies are just out to get you.” Felicity Callow Metro Junior

“Don’t get a credit card. I’m $1,000 in a debt on my credit card.” Shardane Mead Metro Freshman

16TH & BLAKE

A8 • FEATURES • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN

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B1 2.18.2010 THE METROPOLITAN

Civil rights slideshow By Christin Mitchell cmitch39@mscd.edu A bombed church reduced to rubble, a bus burning with victims trapped inside, vicious dogs attacking children, a police officer blasting demonstrators with a fire hose, the camaraderie of black and white protesters in Washington and a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. — if the U.S. Civil Rights Movement were to be displayed as a slideshow, these may be some of the images that would be used. Today, those images seem ancient and unreal. This generation, and those that follow, may never fully understand why America was divided—not by a war, abortion or health-care reform, but by color. Since 1976, the month of February has been dedicated to black history and remembering all the events and people who contributed. For Akbarali Thobhani, Metro’s interim chair for the department of African and African-American studies and the executive director of the Office of International Studies, Black History Month is an “everyday affair.” “It’s provided a wonderful opportunity to offer many programs around the community,” Thobhani said. “So many businesses and public organizations are embracing the idea of becoming knowledgeable about black history.” In the 1960s, President John F. Kennedy awarded scholarships to African students to study in America.

Thobhani won a scholarship and studied as an undergraduate at the University of Maine. He came to America just three weeks before the March on Washington. The turmoil brewing in America was nothing new to him, as Africa was also experiencing a civil rights movement. “In the 1960s and 1970s, a parallel movement was taking place for Africa’s liberation,” Thobhani said. “African countries were fighting against colonization. These movements had a huge impact on history and my growth.” He believes the movements contributed to his intellectual growth as well as his maturity. Perhaps his favorite part of the slideshow would be the picture of King, as his favorite part of the Movement was the “I Have a Dream” speech. “[King] was a rare individual who had a gift of using the language to bring change,” Thobhani said. “He was so influential that he could inspire people with words.” Thobhani finished his Ph.D. in international studies at the University of Denver and hoped to return to Uganda. Unfortunately, Uganda’s political instability prevented him from going back. Instead, he accepted a job with Metro teaching Swahili and other courses for African-American studies. Over 30 years have passed since he was hired, and he even retired before he came back three years ago. He still has hopes for increasing the awareness of black history

and bringing change to Metro. “I would like to see more students graduate with a degree in African-American studies,” Thobhani said. “And I’d like to see our department become a preeminent department in the state, if not in the region.” He is “pleased with America’s progress” from the days of civil injustice and is happy to celebrate black history this month. “Having been in the U.S. when African-American history was not really respected, I am glad that at least there was a movement to recognize the contributions of African-Americans,” Thobhani said. Perhaps one of the greatest contributors to African-American history, for this generation, is President Obama. His picture would be one of the last frames in the slideshow of American history, a feat that seemed a bit far-fetched in the '60s and '70s. “There was a possibility … there were a lot of promising black candidates,” Thobhani said. “[Obama becoming president] was the fulfillment of a prophecy. To go from being excluded from the political process to end up in the White House is tremendously powerful.”

Metro{spective}

Akbarali Thobhani pictured in his office Feb. 9. Photo by Leah Millis • lmillis@mscd.edu

“[King] was a rare individual who had a gift of using the language to bring change. He was so influential that he could inspire people with words.” - AKBARALI THOBHANI

Ashley Moreland Features Editor amorela1@mscd. April Zemyan Assistant Features Editor azemyan@mscd.edu

Photo courtesy of contemporarylearning.globalteacher.org.au

Dacia Johnson Assistant Features Editor djohn205@mscd.edu

B2• FEATURES • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN

Risque kisses raise eyebrows

Behind the Numbers Controversial The Civil Rights Movement brought equal rights to AfricanAmericans. Now there is another Civil Rights Movement — one to expand equal rights to the GLBT community. Then: 41.8: Percentage of African-Americans living in poverty in 1966. 2: Estimated percentage (22,000) of African-Americans registered to vote in Mississippi in 1960. 1964: Year the Civil Rights Act passed; extended voting rights and outlawed racial segregation in schools, the workplace and facilities that served the general public. 65,000: Number of interracial marriages in the U.S. in 1970. Now: 10,045: Number of same-sex couples in Denver in 2000. 36,000: Estimated number of homosexuals serving in the U.S. military. 5: Number of states where same-sex marriage is legal. 5: Number of rights given to homosexuals in Colorado (known as the Rights 5). Visit www.therights5.com for more information.

artist, lesbian paintings visit Denver Story and photos by Taryn Jones tjone101@mscd.edu Eyes closed softly, head tilted slightly, lips parted deftly, as a gentle female hand rests on her partner’s chest just before their moment of intimacy is actualized. Two women kissing arouse the attentions of many men in close proximity, and the work “alternative” painter Forrest King is no exception. Currently showing at the El Camino, 3628 West 32nd Ave., for the month of February, King’s “Pink Triangle” series is almost impossible not to react to. The first five paintings, and main attraction in the show, encompass the simple title and expression, “Kiss;” five different couples share five sensual kisses, larger than life across a brick barroom wall. “When you Google the word ‘lesbian,’ it lists all of this porn. I wanted to give a legitimacy to the love between two females. They have an actual relationship,” said King, citing inspirations such as “Boys Don’t Cry” — the 1999 film about a transgendered teenager — and “The Laramie Project” — the 2002 film about the murder of a gay student. King, a straight male from Santa Barbara, Calif., and his work, have had a long journey to Denver. Growing up Methodist, 13-yearold King was “saved” at a Christian concert headlining Third Day, and became exceedingly evangelical shortly thereafter. While his artwork flourished in high school, earning him recognition and an award from Congresswoman Lois Capps, King was adamant about not allowing his work to interfere in his relationship with God. “I told myself God had to come first. God always comes first,” he said. So, despite graduating high school with a Fine Arts Achievement Award from Bank of America and a thousand dollar scholarship from the local Artists Guild, and despite the fact he continued pursuing his artistic talents at both Santa Barbara City College and Academy of Art San Francisco, King’s eyes remained looking elsewhere. Following his family to Cheyenne, Wyo. at age 19, he began work as a youth pastor at Calvary Fellowship. It was around this time

Power of Portions Wellness Woes By Dacia Johnson djohn1@mscd.edu These days, we as consumers have a wide variety of restaurants to choose from, but many of those eateries are known for providing extremely large portions. This only contributes to America’s growing waistband.

Painter Forrest King sits in his Cheyenne, Wyo. home Jan. 30, reflecting on his work and the controversies following it. Surrounded here by parts of his “Kiss” series, King plans to auction off the paintings and donate 50 percent of the proceeds to a GLBT organization. that King’s personal beliefs started to interfere with his growing pastoral practice. “I didn’t believe that my gay friends were going to Hell like the Bible supposedly says they were,” King said. When questioned about this philosophy, the current pastor at Calvary said, “I don’t think a gay person would have too much trouble fitting into our congregation here. We share Christ’s love with everyone, even if we don’t agree with their actions. They would be treated the same as an alcoholic or narcotics addict — someone who has a problem and needs help dealing with that.” According to King, he was fired after a heated debate on the subject with the previous pastor’s wife. “I was basically excommunicated,” King said. “But then I started doing some of my own research.” After a period of partying and questioning his once strongly held faith, King reemerged as a self-proclaimed “agnostic secular humanist,” who prefers fact to blind faith and acceptance of others within disparate beliefs. His first major introduction to Cheyenne as an artist came at the All Laramie County Art Show in 2007, where his “Depraved Youth” series won Best In Oil and Best in Show —along with waves of controversy. It was the first year a non-Western art piece won the show. Flux Studios art gallery in Cheyenne provided King with his first solo art show where the owner received a formally written protest against the work, specifically the “Beauty of

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a 2006 survey said 67 percent of non-institutionalized adults ages 20 and over are overweight or obese. Demographics play into this number, and Colorado has the lowest obesity rate at 18.7 percent as of 2007, compared to Mississippi and Alabama at more than 30 percent. Although Colorado tops the charts with the lowest obesity rate, it doesn’t mean we should stop working to keep those numbers low. Portions may be one of the hardest things to judge. MyPyramid, created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has paired portion sizes with everyday objects so you can better determine how much you are eating. A baseball equals one cup and a tennis ball is 2/3 of a cup of fruit or vegetables. A golf ball equals 2 tablespoons of salad dressing or peanut butter and a deck of cards is the same size as 3 ounces of red meat, chicken or fish. Four dice is the same size

Angst” series. The protests continued when his “Pink Triangle” series went on display at The Grounds in nearby Laramie, where people threatened to boycott the coffee shop. “I mentioned the offensive imagery to the young man who was serving us, but he seemed totally disinterested in any impact these would have on an eleven year old boy… It seems like when you are missing even the most common courtesies of decency, respect and consideration for one’s customers, such cannot be rewarded with loyalty,” wrote Grounds customer G.B. Tate, of G.B. Tate and Sons of Fine Art. In rebuttal, however, another customer, Colleen Worman, wrote a reply saying, “I see an expression of love (among many other emotions in this room) and not simply pornography! I will continue to support The Grounds because it offers my child a chance to learn about others and value creative thought!” King’s work has since moved across Colorado and into Denver, carrying with it the same mixed reviews. “It’s hot. It’s two girls kissing.” “Two girls kissing doesn’t do it for me.” “I love it, but I would never hang it on my wall.” “I don’t like it. It’s forcing me to think a specific way.” “Do I have to read the bio to get it?” “I can’t believe a guy painted that!” While King’s most recent subject matter may have a better market niche in places like California or New York City, in the Rocky Mountain region it brings to light issues that still may be pushed into dark corners. One thing is for sure: it’s all about the kiss.

as one ounce of cheese. Use these visual portion comparisons to keep from over-indulging. On a 2,000 calorie diet, you need 2 ½ cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit. You also need 5 ½ ounces of meat and beans, 6 ounces of grains – 1 slice of bread is one ounce — and 3 cups of milk or 1 ounce of cheese. Eating at home makes portioning your food easy, but you can use these tips at a restaurant to eat a healthy amount.

For more information visit: www.usda.gov www.cdc.gov www.eatright.com

THE METROPOLITAN • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • FEATURES • B3

Historic neighborhood turns around City optimistic of Five Points revitalization, local business owners unsure of future

TechBytes

By Rachael Beisler rbeile2@mscd.edu Five Points, one of Denver’s first AfricanAmerican communities was known as the “Harlem of the West” for its background in jazz and popular nightclubs and bars. In the ‘40s people would line up to see the likes of Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis, who played at famous venues such as the Rainbow Room. The streets of Five Points, once a booming jazz community, now resemble a ghost town with the doors of many shops and businesses closed. Five Points is viewed by many as a hot spot for crime and drugs, and although those still pose a threat to the residents, the city of Denver is determined to revitalize the area and restore the cultural mecca it once was. The neighborhood has received an historic district designation, and some buildings along Welton Street have received state preservation money for restoration. With new apartment buildings and offices lining the streets and historic buildings being restored, the community does not appear to be impoverished. But some of the locals feel the revitalization is just a façade. Barbara Cooper, owner of Hope for a Change Barber Shop and Beauty Salon, has lived in Five

By Drew Jaynes ajaynes1@mscd.edu This week I embarked on a road trip east and as I started gathering my stuff together I thought maybe I’d share the goods on three of the travel must-haves I’ve picked up over the miles, and years, of travel.

Barbara “The Barber” Cooper gives her daughter, Beloved, 11, a new hairdo on Feb.13 at her barber shop Hope for A Change Barber and Beauty Salon in Denver. Cooper, who came to Denver in 1965, has owned her salon business for over 21 years. Photo by Steve

Anderson • sande104@mscd.edu

Points and owned her business for over two decades. She said the community has gone downhill, especially since the school was built in the center of the neighborhood. “Why anyone would want to open a … school down here when there are dope addicts running around — I don’t get it,” she said. Restaurants and bars are not permitted to sell alcohol within 500 yards of a school, and as a result all of the bars that once brought in a plethora of business had to shut down. Cooper explained that when the bars were forced to close, it devastated the local economy and was unsuccessful in creating a decline in the amount of drug activity. Cooper thinks the school is just a way to push locals out. “They do not … [care] about our black children; they’ll run us out of here,” she said. One of Cooper’s customers, who would not disclose his name, has lived in Five Points for 49 years and said the community has deteriorated. “Back then the Five Points area was vibrant, soBeloved Cooper, left, makes a face while her mother Barbara cially viable and a good enCooper unbraids her hair at the Hope for A Change Barber vironment, but now there’s and Beauty Salon on Feb. 13 in Five Points. Photo by Steve just no money,” he said. Anderson • sande104@mscd.edu

Book maps earth, early world views By J.T. Barthelemy jbarthe@mscd.edu Cartography is the study and practice of map making. It involves molding the reality to communicate spatial information effectively. Imagine a time when beyond what was known to man were those of monsters, demons and half-men-halfbeasts who lived waiting to eat the flesh of helpless wayfarers or invaders. No, we are not talking about the most recent video game. This is what was believed, passed down and taught in the notso-distant past. Toby Lester’s novel, “Fourth Part of the World,” takes the reader back in time to when the

Three gadget tips for techfriendly road trip

world was first being explored and mapped — beginning with ideas of a flat world when monks and sailors alike set off into the unknown, to Columbus sailing the ocean blue in search of the western passage. Lester covers a lot of territory both figuratively and literally. The events involved around mapping the world brought about much pain and suffering for those that were included in the map. Often the monsters and demons were not those explored, but the explorers themselves. What is lacking in the book is a dynamic of adventure. We certainly are given a basic background and results of voyages, but with so many snippets of history the reader is fed a steady diet of anti-climax. It is a smorgasbord of events that does not combine into a satisfying repast.

Cooper said the only way to turn things around for the community is to give businesses the chance to open things up. She clarified that there are too many restaurants in the area, and more diversity in the business realm would create a better economy. Amona Dickerson, owner of the Welton Street Café, said business has been back-and-forth, and she hopes there will be more customers this year. Dickerson has owned the local café since 1987 and said the community has changed since then. “It’s evolved a whole lot,” she said. “A whole lot of people moved out, but crime wise, I think its better.” Dickerson has never owned a liquor license, so the school hasn’t affected her business. Still, her beliefs on the new installation in the neighborhood remain similar to Cooper’s. “Why in the world they would open that school, I don’t know. It closed a lot of bars down here,” she said. Dickerson thinks closing the bars did help with the amount of crime, but recognizes it hurt the neighborhood’s economy. She thinks it might take time to see the real effect of the revitalization, but right now, it’s too hard to tell. “There’s a whole lot of changes, and don’t get me wrong it might be changing for the better,” she said. Five Points may seem to be fading — becoming just a uneventful slew of buildings — but the history deeply rooted within the community still pulses through the veins of every business, and is still held affectionately by locals.

Lester is intrepid in his effort to impart that the endeavor to map the world brought about the birth of the Humanist Movement and the subsequent dispelling of religious superstition. He provides brief insight into the Portuguese giving rise to the African slave trade, Columbus and the Spanish giving rise to genocide in the Western Hemisphere and the Catholics’ ongoing effort to dispel fact with fantasy. Regrettably, when the pages seem about to come alive with bold storytelling, they are bogged down with the names of individuals and processes involved in the progression to complete the first map of the world. “The Fourth Part of the World” is a book that needed to be written. Although worthwhile in subject matter, the delivery is uninspiring. Just as the expeditions to map the world were long and arduous, so too is Lester’s book.

1. A power inverter This is the single most important gadget you can bring with you on a trip, especially if you’re planning on spending any significant amount of time in a car. If you’re like me, you have a host of gadgets you carry with you, and rely on everyday such as a cell phone or laptop computer. With a power inverter you can repurpose your car’s cigarette lighter socket to power and recharge your devices. Mine has both a three-prong AC plug and a USB socket. If you get a good one, it’s worth its weight in gold. You can pick up the one I have (Black & Decker 100Watt) on Amazon for about $20. 2. GPS Navigation Whether it’s in your cell phone or a standalone device, GPS can get you un-lost in a hurry, especially if you’re trying to find the closest gas station or grocery store. For the frequent traveler, this is a must-have. Plus, if it’s on your cell phone, it’s one less device to haul around with you. 3. A broadband-capable cell phone Having the ability to surf the web on your phone gives you the information power of the Internet at your fingertips. Whether you’re trying to check your e-mail, price shop online or simply look for a service you can’t locate using navigation, this will undoubtedly come in handy. More and more phones also have the capability to tether to laptops — an added bonus.

For more information about these tools and for other tested travel tips, visit the TechBytes blog at

themet.metrostudentmedia. com/techbytes.

B4 • METROSPECTIVE • February 18, 2010

THE metropolitan

Teaching unity through dance Five Points studio offers more than lessons By Scott Lachenmaier slachenm@mscd.edu In the basement studio of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, the organization’s twelve-person professional dance ensemble is practicing a routine. Under the guidance of rehearsal director Susan Richardson, the routine is based on Orisha, or indigenous African deities. The dancers — casually dressed in tights and sweats — can be seen leaping, spinning and adeptly moving their outstretched limbs. The finely-shaped and vibrant ensemble members, no doubt chiseled from years of dancing, are as varied as their backgrounds and come from all over the country. The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance School has been inspiring students and invigorating the community for nearly forty years. Established in 1970 as a grassroots organization, the school has housed thousands of students, traveled the world conducting performances and changed countless lives in the Denver area and beyond. Located in the historic Five Points neighborhood, the school is situated inside a large, recently renovated church. The church houses everything CPRD needs: dance studios, offices and a 300-seat theater.

Top: Tai Wheels, 5, takes a moment to carefully tie his tap shoes before tap class Feb. 13 at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance. Photo by

Leah Millis • lmillis@mscd.edu

Bottom: Koffi Toudji, right, taught a drum class, Feb. 16, at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance to local high school students Kat Harger, center, and Paige Smith. Photo By Tiffany Kassab • tmorri31@mscd.edu

Cleo Parker Robinson, a former instructor at Metro, said the school is home to students of all different ages, religions, and backgrounds. “I’ve had thousands of students and they’ve done extraordinary things,” Cleo said with pride. CPRD reaches young people through a number of outreach programs. Currently, the AYE (a word meaning “life”) program serves inner city youth ages 10-19. The after-school program helps students in academic, cultural and artistic studies. Partnering with the Math Literacy Project, AYE offers curriculum designed to cover multiple subjects. A typical day for the students starts with the first hour being dedicated to their academic studies, primarily math and science, and is then followed by a variety of classes students can choose from. Some of the classes offered include: hip-hop dance, hip-hop culture/history, West-African drumming, piano, guitar, percussion, creative writing and an academic excellence tutorial. Each class incorporates the organization’s vision of creative expression, transcending boundaries and living in peace. “Just seeing that spark, to see a student uplifted and inspired, that is what it means to me,” said hip-hop dance teacher and Five Points native Charles White. Former AYE participant and current staff member, Tatiana Guy, described how the school gave her direction and helped her to graduate high school. “It was a getaway for me, a place where I could express myself, where I could just dance.” Nearly 75 percent of students taking classes receive scholarships — no one is turned down because of finances. On any given day, classes vary between 20 to 60 students. “We never know who will show up at the door, but they are always welcome,” said School Director and Outreach Coordinator Cecelia Jones. Another pillar of CPRD is the Seasons of School program. “Designed as an effort to incorporate the arts into public school curriculum,” the professional dance ensemble organizes performances and workshops through the school system. This program is interactive. Students not only learn about ballet, tap, African and jazz dance, but they participate as well. The school estimates that since 1970, more than half a million residents in the Denver Metro area have been touched by the program. Adams City High School student Tiffany Sandoval recently signed up to take ballet and jazz after her music class and was visited by a number of the ensemble members. “Now I look forward to Tuesdays!” she said with a smile. Program Director and Business Manager, Malik Robinson, spoke of an event held in 2009, in which the youth worked with houses in the Denver community to help them become energy efficient through the use of green technology. Some of the houses selected for the project were occupied by elderly folks in need of assistance. The 27 students took part in a five-week program insulating windows and doors, replaced inefficient light bulbs and gained hands on experience implementing energy saving strategies. Cleo Parker Robinson Dance has received many awards over the years. Her many students, staff and volunteers have created a truly inspiring movement. Educating communities and promoting the arts while teaching tolerance, trust and love, CPRD is an integral part of the community. “We call it one spirit, many voices,” Robinson said.

Top: Dance teacher Louanne Davies teaches a ballet class Feb. 13 at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance. Robinson has taught classes at Metro and has an outreach program to help under-privileged youth in Denver. Photo by Chancey Bush • cbush7@ mscd.edu

Bottom left: Dance teacher Louanne Davies assists 13 year-old Elise Tucker with her arabesque during ballet class Feb. 13 at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance. Photo by Chancey Bush • cbush7@mscd.edu

Bottom right: From left, Sophie Schwartz, 5, Shylah Hindman, 3, Brooklyn Young, 5, Isabel Thorton, 4, and Zoe Jones, 4, wait in the wings during ballet class Feb. 13 to practice their leaping skills at Cleo Parker Robinson Dance in Denver. Photo by

Leah Millis • lmillis@mscd.edu

February 18, 2010 • METROSPECTIVE • b5

B6 • AUDIOFILES • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN

sounding off:

Local groups combine to shake things up

Denver’s own super group Snake Rattle Rattle Snake is really coming into their own. Featuring members of Monofog, Mr. Pacman, Bad Luck City and Hawks of Paradise, the band is attracting a lot of attention especially since the release of their new EP last month. Vocalist Hayley Helmerick discussed what’s next. Interview by Matt Pusatory • mpusator@mscd.edu MP: First of all, how would you describe your music? HH: [It’s] dark rhythmic rock ‘n’ roll that tends toward the dancey and bombastic. MP: This band could be called a local super group. How did you all come together? HH: Essentially we all came to know each other through the Denver music world, playing with and in each other’s bands, going to each other’s shows. We really just came together out of friendships and a mutual interest in the good music. MP: You guys are a relatively new band, what kind of reaction have you been getting from live shows so far? HH: We’ve been getting great reactions at live shows. Lots of people moving around and responding in a way that is less stoic than normal. It’s exciting to see people forget themselves and allow themselves to enjoy the music. A couple shirts have come off, a couple people have been boosted up on shoulders. MP: What’s your live show like? HH: I very much think of Snake Rattle Rattle Snake as a live band so our shows are dynamic and loud and exciting. We all put it out there at every show and are becoming more and more comfortable with ourselves and the songs. It translates to an honest live show full of a sort of tension that winds people up so it’s also just a loud, sweaty dance party sometimes too. MP: Can you tell me a little bit about the EP? What’s it called? What was the recording process like? HH: The EP we just put out is self-titled and we recorded it at Briny Deep Studios with our friend Greg Kammerer. It was recorded at the end of last summer so more than anything it is a record of those four songs at that time. Since then, those songs

James Yardley, Andrew Warner, Hayley Helmericks, Doug Spencer, Wilson Helmericks and Kit Peltzel Photo courtesy of Ryan Policky

have shifted and settled in with us a bit more so the EP is a slice in time. We tracked everything, which was a learning process in itself. We added percussion and weird noises here and there and tried to bring our urgency to it. MP: Would you consider Snake Rattle Rattle Snake a side project between work with your other bands, or is it becoming a more serious gig? HH: At this point, I don’t think any of us would consider Snake Rattle Rattle Snake a side project. It is where we devote the majority of our creative energy and time. What started out as an excuse to play music with some friends has turned into a great collaborative relationship that continues to grow and we’re all really excited about what songs we’ll write and what places we’ll go next. MP: How did you come up with the band name? HH: Doug [Spencer] came up with the band name. It was just a

fun play on words more than anything but did reflect what we were trying to do musically at the time: fun, percussive and strange. MP: Do you have any other big plans for 2010? Can we expect a full length album any time soon? HH: Oh we’ve got big plans for 2010! We’re definitely planning on recording a full-length album, hopefully sooner than later. We are going down to SXSW in March to play the [Stranahan’s] Mile High Fidelity Showcase. We want to hit the west coast in spring and possibly put out a split 7’’ with our good friends Laserfang from Salt Lake City.

Snake Rattle Rattle Snake 9 p.m., Feb. 20 @ Bar Standard (part of Artopia), $30

Cracker co-founder keeps crackin’ Since 1992, when Cracker released their self-titled debut, many trends in rock have come and gone. But the mass extinctions of the last 18 years that have culled their flat-footed peers have missed Cracker due to their passionate blend of hard rock, alternative country and soulful but often sarcastic lyrics. Co-founder Johnny Hickman talked about the band’s staying power. Interview by Ben Wiebesiek • wiebesib@mscd.edu BW: At concerts and on albums, the music of the Hickman Dalton Gang and Camper Van Beethoven doesn’t have the feel of a sideproject, but actually a continuation of the larger musical community of which Cracker is a part. Was this a deliberate choice early in Cracker’s history to integrate into a family of bands, or did this relationship develop over the years? JH: I suppose it goes back to when David and I met as teenagers. We were each in different bands in the early punk rock days but it was very communal. We supported each other’s bands and did shows together. Just for fun we started a loose side band called The Estonian Gauchos, which eventually sort of mutated into CVB while I headed up to Bakersfield to soak up the outlaw country thing. When CVB broke up, David and I started hanging out together again and for the first time, writing songs together. That turned into Cracker. We’ve both always had side projects or other things going on. David has produced some great records for other artists like Sparklehorse and Counting Crows. I put out one solo record and am working on another. We are both music 24/7 kind of guys. You always bring something back to your main band when you play with other musicians. BW: Do you ever feel that when you compare Cracker albums that you’re choosing among your children, or do some of them stand out more favorably in your mind? JH: That’s a good analogy. We like them all or we wouldn’t put them out. The truth is, we just naturally change things up a little with every album. It’s not really a conscious thing. That’s how most of the bands we like or liked growing up did it. They throw you a curve ball and keep evolving while still sounding like themselves. To my ears it always sounds like Cracker.

Personally, I think that’s a big part of why we’ve been able to maintain a devoted and still growing cult-like fan base over many years when so many of our contemporaries have broken up or burned out. I’d be bored being in a band that kept turning out the same old shit with different song titles. That’s just laziness. I think it’s gotta be a challenge and fun for us in order to be so for Cracker fans. BW: How do the two-man acoustic shows compare with the larger band experience? Do you have a formula for choosing which songs do well with the unplugged Johnny Hickman, Frank Funaro, David Lowery and Sal Maida are Cracker format and which ones you steer JH: Good question. We just write songs either together or sepaaway from? rately all the time. The song usually tells us at some point whether JH: Well, Cracker never uses a set list live and neither do David it feels right for Cracker, a solo record, Camper Van Beethoven etc. and I when we do the duo shows. We just get up on stage and I was honored to have co-written a song that made it on to CVBs start playing. I’m proud to say that most of the songs, and we last record. David and I wrote it while making a Cracker record are talking well over 100, we can do as a duo. Of course there but it just sounded more like Camper. I’m also pretty honored are plenty that work best with the full band but we can do the radio songs and the harder stuff just the two of us. That’s partly when David and someone like Patterson Hood from Drive-By Truckers sing a duet of one of my songs. I love it when other because I play electric guitar at the duo shows while David bands cover our songs too. [That’s] pretty cool. plays acoustic. It actually rocks pretty hard when we want it to. One of the things I like best at these duo shows is that people hear every word and when the main lyricist is David Lowery, one of the best there is, that’s very important. 7:30 p.m., Feb. 28 BW: How do you decide which songs you write for your solo CDs will get incorporated into the Cracker albums? @ Swallow Hill , $25

Cracker Unplugged

B7 2.18.2010 THE METROPOLITAN

Mile High and Rising:

The Pirate Signal’s futuristic hip-hop “As far as being cohesive, we just fit,” A-What said about the duo. Their eclectic musical influences seem to create a sound that is unprecedented in hip-hop. “A lot of our influences come from outside the genre of hip-hop, but there are things going on in our culture that really have a hold on us right now,” Abraham said. He mentions groups like Flying Lotus, dub step producers Joker, Gemmy, noise rock bands and an obsession with Radiohead. A-What points out his craving for soul music like Willie Hutch, Leroy Hudson, but he’s also into jazz, rock, and of course hip-hop artists like Jay Electronica and Drake. These guys have definitely paid their dues, traveling from state to state doing what they do. Their tour history is impressive and speaks to the caliber of music they produce. In 2008 they did the Warped Tour, Kool Keith’s summer tour in ’06, performed at the Monolith Festival last summer and recently opened for Public Enemy just to name a few. “There are only two of us but it sounds like there is 10 people up there,” A-What said. It’s true. Their

Yonnas Abraham and A-What from The Pirate Signal passion explodes from them during a show, which is one aspect that makes them so appealing. The Pirate Signal is not your typical hip-hop group, and Abraham agrees. “Of course not, maybe in the year 2085 something like us will be the standard rap group.” The future of rap is a good way to describe these artists and they aren’t holding back on their new album, No Weak Heart Shall Prosper, dropping May 1. Expect the same intensity, but they are keeping it fresh with funky and danceable beats as well as conscious lyrics and amazing cuts. It’s an album they anticipated making two or three years from now, but they felt it needed to be

out sooner. In the next few months the Pirate Signal will be doing plenty of shows. Feb. 19 and 20 they have two shows in Denver at the Hi-dive and City Hall, then May 1 their album release party at the Marquis. So be sure to go experience one of their live shows and surely you will understand why they we’re the winners of Westword’s best local hip-hop group three years in a row. Essentially, Abraham and DJ A-What possess the drive and talent that it takes to be the best.

By Nicole Silva nsilva2@mscd.edu

Audio{files}

High adrenaline levels, the need to move your body, and a sense of fulfillment. These are the feelings you might experience while watching the Pirate Signal perform. Instantly, Yonnas Abraham’s ingenuity becomes apparent when he busts rhymes while DJ A-What dominates on the tables, simultaneously backing the lyrics. Combined with raw and funky beats produced by both members of this local hip- hop group, their music is — in one of many words — innovative. The way these two feed off each other’s energy is contagious yet mesmerizing and sure to get any crowd live. Both born and raised in Colorado, Abraham grew up in Park Hill and DJ A-What in north Denver. They have been making music together since 2004. Before they joined forces, each of them was pursuing music with different local artists. Abraham’s previous DJ quit and he knew A-What for a while, as they were both part of the L.I.F.E. crew. Eventually, they started working together and realized they both wanted to produce the same type of abrasive music, not to mention their energy levels were the same.

Photo Flashback:

Saul Williams

Saul Williams calls out slam poetry in a crowded performance hall at the Tivoli Student Union building at Auraria Campus Feb. 11. The 37-year-old poet is one of the most predominant voices on the spoken word and slam poetry scene working as well with documentaries and hip-hop. Photo by Andie Gregier •

agreiger@mscd.edu

More upcoming shows Discover something fresh and new this weekend for only $5. Pictureplane is a local act that has been attracting national attention lately. After a European tour with underground heavyweight HEALTH, this act has been turning heads, and with good reason. Pictureplane’s Travis Egedy has a way of pulling the audience in that 9 p.m., Feb. 20 is rarely seen; whatever his mood is @ Rhinoceropolis , $5 seems to just take over the audience. This unique style of all electronically-created sound collages will have everyone on their feet. Also at this show: local band Stupendous Sound Society and Milwaukee-based rap group Juiceboxxx.

Scott H. Biram will bring his whiskey-soaked one-man-band antics to Bender’s Tavern Feb. 22. Biram’s dirty, foot-stompin’ blues oozes energy and classic country down home style. Biram’s tunes should definitely ignite a sweaty, beer-swillin’ good time, Supporting his most recent and more 9:30 p.m., Feb. 22 acoustic effort, Something’s Wrong / Lost @ Bender’s, $10 Forever, Biram promises to put on a show worth seeing. With opening act Dirty Daubers, which features members of another contemporary blues mainstay The Legendary Shack Shakers; the entire bill should make for a great night of boozy blues.

By Melissa Wesley • mwesley2@mscd.edu

By Matt Pusatory • mpusator@mscd.edu

Pictureplane

Scott H. Biram

Matt Pusatory mpusator@mscd.edu Music Editor

On Feb. 18, 1946, Dennis DeYoung of Styx is born in Chicago. His biggest solo hit is the top 10 song “Desert Moon’’ in 1984.

B8 • AUDIOFILES • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN

Graphic Artists Wanted The Metro State Office of Student Media has graphic artist positions available. You will be designing with Mac workstations and work in our production room. If you are a currently enrolled Metro State student available 15–25 hours each week, we’d like to meet with you. Must know InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and Acrobat. Call 303-556-2507 for more information. Pay is based on experience. Work study preferred.

THE OFFICIAL FM BROADCAST FOR METRO STATE AND THE AURARIA CAMPUS

Listen to us live at 91.7 FM or online at http://metradio.MetroStudentMedia.com. Interested in working in radio? E-mail Metradio@gmail.com!

A9 • THE METROPOLITAN • FEBRURY 18, 2010

INSIGHT

"We are in every game. We are not capitalizing and need to figure out how to finish.” — WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GUARD CHELSEA WILLIAMSON ON A10

Invest in alternative fuels, not greenhouse caps

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you’ve in the last few days heard a Conservative say something to the effect of “It’s been snowing for a week in D.C., what happened to global warming?” or you’ve heard a Liberal say something to the effect of “Oh no, an increase in snow is a sure sign of global warming; there is more moisture in the air!” The general populace groans, and climatologists shake their heads at the poor layman talking heads. The truth of the matter is, despite the weather patterns of Washington D.C., or any other single location in the world, a few days of weather is not a trend setting pattern. Despite what use snow is to make political points, climate change, and more specifically anthropogenic global warming requires patterns over the globe over a long period of time. Therefore, a snow storm, even one experienced on vacation in Guayaquil, is still just strange weather. That being said, whether or not global warming is occurring is not the topic I’m going to write about, just a segue into my real topic of just how best to proceed

SAM BLACKMER blackmar@mscd.edu with global warming after the collapse of Copenhagen. For those surprised that I might believe global warming is happening, I wouldn’t rush to any judgments, I only freely admit that I don’t know. I’ll leave the debate as to if it is happening to those who know far more than me. For the sake of this argument, those who believe it is happening can read on untroubled, and those who aren’t believers will just have to suspend their belief for the sake of my arguments, I will do what I can to still make it worth your while. To frame my argument, I assume global warming is happening, humans are causing it, and it is due to our use of global resources. Up to now, the logic has been

the best way to address the issue is to cut back the use of fossil fuels, and thus reverse the global warming trend. The trouble with this tactic is we have no other fuels at the moment that can use in place of fossil fuels. There are other fuels being developed that at some point could replace fossil fuels, but currently none of them by themselves or all of them together could replace our current use of fossil fuels. At the best estimate, to meet the goal of keeping temperatures from ris-

yan glaciers, the best way may be to cut green house gasses, but the best way to cut green house gasses is not simply to pass a law to force people to stop using fossil fuels. A far more efficient, faster and cheaper way to cut green house gasses would be to improve the technologies that will replace fossil fuels. Trying to stop the use of fossil fuels before we have found replacement fuels will not only cost the world financially, increasing poverty levels, but will also slow

Trying to stop the use of fossil fuels before we have found replacements will not only cost the world financially ... but also slow the development of other fuels that could be used to stop warming ... ing more than 2 degrees Celsius, according to climate models, it would cost the world $41 million a year. To put it another way, the goal has been put forward to cut emissions by 50 percent. The last time green house gas emissions were at 50 percent of what they are now was in the middle of the 18th century. What I’m getting at here is, if you are genuinely worried about melting icecaps and the Himala-

the development of other fuels that could be used to stop warming without the detrimental effect it will have on society. Whether you believe global warming is happening or not, cutting fossil fuels without an acceptable alternative will do no one any good, but stands to do a lot of people a lot of damage. The U.S. and the world are far better investing in alternative fuels than pursuing caps on greenhouse emissions.

I am a huge proponent of a name change. Metro State has zero brand awareness outside of the metro area and much brand image confusion within the metro area. Getting a job or going to grad school is quite a bit tougher when it looks like you went to an online school or an ITT Tech rather than a school that has some brand awareness. Metro State could be anywhere or nowhere. When we get grad school here we officially become a university. There is already a Metro State University in Minnesota so that name cannot and should not be used. It also makes little sense to keep the college moniker when we have earned the right to be a university. Eliminating the word college will dispel the perception that we are actually a community college (yes, there is that perception even locally). Some names I would suggest: Denver State University Central Colorado University Central Colorado State University A name change will serve you well. Schools change names all the time. CSU-Pueblo was University of Southern Colorado up until a few years ago. That transition went very well. A name change is a chance to reintroduce the brand and what it stands for. All other brand elements like colors, slogan, etc. can be kept the same. Darrin Duber-Smith, MS MBA President Green Marketing, Inc. Visiting Assistant Professor of Marketing Metropolitan State College of Denver I’m one who would like to see Metro State change its name to something more distinctive. My suggestion is Auraria College (or University), which would identify us with the Latino neighborhood we displaced. Jim Aubrey Professor of English Metropolitan State College of Denver

Since 1979

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dominic Graziano dgrazia1@mscd.edu MANAGING EDITOR Lindsay Lovato llovato5@mscd.edu PHOTO EDITOR Leah Millis lmillis@mscd.edu ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR Daniel Clements dcleme12@mscd.edu NEWS EDITOR Caitlin Gibbons cgibbon4@mscd.edu ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR Ben Wiebesiek wiebesib@mscd.edu FEATURES EDITOR Ashley Moreland amorela1@mscd.edu ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITORS Dacia Johnson djohn205@mscd.edu April Zemyan azemyan@mscd.edu MUSIC EDITOR Matt Pusatory mpusator@mscd.edu SPORTS EDITOR Kate Ferraro kferraro@mscd.edu ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Josiah Kaan jkaan@mscd.edu COPY EDITORS Amanda Hall ahall35@mscd.edu Morgan Bia mbia@mscd.edu DIRECTOR OF VISUAL MEDIA Drew Jaynes ajaynes1@mscd.edu

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

What's in a name?

THE METROPOLITAN

Tragedy reminds us: Treat each other well Last week, an employee at the University of Huntsville Alabama shot and killed three people on the UAH campus. It is not yet known why this happened, but what is known is that three of our colleagues are no longer with us. Regardless of the circumstances, the reason, or the details, this is a sad time, as it always is when events of this nature occur. On behalf of the students at Metro State, I wish to offer my deepest condolences and sincerest regrets to the UAH community and I ask my fellow students, as well as the larger college community to keep the families of the victims in your hearts and prayers this week. In this time of pain, I hope that we all might take a moment to consider how you speak and act toward each other. Consider, the next time you are agitated, whether you need to make that biting remark. Consider, the next time someone cuts you off on the highway, whether you need to respond in kind. The spread of anger and violence never leads to anywhere good or productive and there are few situations, if any, that cannot be handled better without it. Please be good to each other, and treasure those close to you. You never know what could happen. Andrew Bateman, President Student Government Assembly Metropolitan State College of Denver

PRESENTATION EDITOR Julie Vitkovskaya uvitkovs@mscd.edu ADVERTISING Tucker Knight tknight7@mscd.edu GRAPHIC DESIGN Kathleen Jewby kjewby@mscd.edu DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Dianne Harrison Miller harrison@mscd.edu ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Donnita Wong wongd@mscd.edu ADVISER Jane Hoback hobackje@comcast.net

The Metropolitan accepts submissions in the form of topic-driven columns and letters to the editor. Column article concepts must be submitted by 1p.m. Thursdays and the deadline for columns is 9 p.m. Sundays. Columns range from 700 to 1,000 words. Letters to the editor must be submitted by 5 p.m. Mondays to be printed in that week's edition. There is 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 dgrazia1@mscd.edu. The Metropolitan is produced by and for the students of Metropolitan State College 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 Metropolitan State College of Denver or its advertisers.

A10 • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN

SPORTS

“I didn’t believe that my gay friends were going to Hell like the Bible supposedly says they were.”

-FORREST KING, ARTIST, METROSPECTIVE, B2

Kate Ferraro • SPORTS EDITOR • kferraro@mscd.edu

SIDELINE

Basketball lose backto-back on road

THIS WEEK

2.19 Track and Field

TBA @ Colorado Mines Twilight Invitational Softball Noon vs. Minnesota State, Mankato Women’s Basketball 5 p.m. vs. Chadron State Men’s Basketball 7 p.m. vs. Chadron State

By Jeremy Hoover jhoover9@mscd.edu The Metro women’s basketball team came up short in their last road games of the regular season. The team lost 71-78 to Colorado Christian Feb. 12, and was topped by Mines in overtime 58-61 the next day. The ’Runners dropped to 12-11 overall and 7-8 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. “We played two great teams, this was one of the toughest weekends for us,” Head Coach Linda Lappe said. Despite the tough weekend, the team’s final four regular season games are at home. “[We] are in good position going into the last four games,” Lappe said. Metro guard Chelsea Williamson led the team with 23 points, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc, but the ’Runners allowed CCU to shoot 82.4 percent in the second half. Metro could not keep up with the hot shooting, and struggled with a 37.9 shooting percentage throughout the game. “We are in every game,” Williamson said. “We are not capitalizing and need to figure out how to finish.” One-third of the teams’ shots came from three-point range, which may have contributed to the low percentage. “Coach said to take the shot if it’s in our range,” guard Kristin Valencia said. “She [Lappe] always talks about getting more penetration.” The team could not stop CCU’s Abby Rosenthal, who scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. She shot 67 percent from the floor and was important in propelling CCU to a 13-point lead in the second half. The ’Runners were helped offensively by guard Brandi Valencia, who scored 13, and guard Alyssa Benson, who added 11 points. Kristin Valencia owned the boards, as usual, and had 13 rebounds to go along with eight points. The ’Runners played much better the following night in Golden, but came up short in their first overtime appearance since Jan. 2008. Continued on A12>>

2.20 Softball

Noon vs. Concordia-St. Paul Baseball Noon vs. Nebraska-Omaha Men’s Basketball 3 p.m. vs. Nebraska-Kearney Women’s Basketball 5 p.m. vs. Nebraska-Kearney Metro guard Donte Nicholas dribbles around Colorado School of Mines forward Gordon Galloway in the first half Feb. 13 at Lockridge Arena in Golden. The Orediggers won 78-69, moving into a first place tie with Metro atop the East Division of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Photo by Matt Gypin • mgypin@mscd.edu

metro 66 - CCU 80 • Metro 69 - Mines 78

’Runners drop two conference games By Matt Hollinshead mhollin5@mscd.edu The Metro men’s basketball team dropped back-to-back games this past weekend on the road. They are now 18-5 this season, including 11-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Metro lost at Colorado Christian Feb. 12, 80-66, and lost at Mines, 78-69, the following night. “We came out and we were flat in the beginning [of the two games],” Metro guard Donte Nicholas said. “We can’t come out like that. We’ve got to come out with energy and enthusiasm. We were just a little flat and we were on the road, not getting any calls. So we’ve got to play through it and find a way to win on the road.” This is the first time since Novem-

ber of 2007 that Metro lost back-toback games. “We didn’t shoot the ball very well last night [versus CCU],” Head Coach Brannon Hays said. “Tonight [versus Mines], we didn’t shoot freethrows well at all. Their teams [CCU and Mines] competed very well and we just came up a little bit short.” In the game against CCU, the Cougars hit the ground running, jumping to a 5-0 lead in the first 1:20. Metro had a brief lead at 14-12 with 12:24 on a layup by center Jonathan Morse. Unfortunately, that was the last, and only, time Metro led the game. It was all CCU from there. Metro trailed CCU, 43-31, at halftime, shooting 12-28 from the floor, including a dreadful 1-6 from the three-point line and 6-12 from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, CCU

launched three-ball after three-ball, shooting 6-14 from beyond the arc in the first half. CCU shot 15-26 overall in the first half. In the second half, it was more of the same – poor shooting and turnovers. Metro shot only 10-35, including 3-16 from the three-point line. However, Metro shot 12-17 from the free-throw line in the second half, but it was not enough to overcome their poor shooting. CCU shot 1022, including 2-9 from three-point land and 15-22 from the free-throw line. CCU won the game with ease, 80-66. In the game, Metro led CCU in points off turnovers, 24-21, second chance points, 16-8, and bench points, 20-15. Continued on A12>>

2.21 Softball

11 a.m. vs. University of Mary Baseball Noon vs. Nebraska-Omaha

2.23 Women’s Basketball

5 p.m. vs. Regis University Men’s Basketball 7 p.m. vs. Regis University

Fun Fact The Pack The House basketball games will be 3 p.m. Feb. 20 for the men’s team, and 5 p.m. Feb. 20 for the women’s team against Kearney. There will be prizes, giveaways, food and much more. Prizes to the top groups that bring the most fans to the game ranges from $50 to $300. It’s also alumni night, where the men’s basketball alumni will be recognized at halftime of the men’s game.

A11 • SPORTS • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • THE METROPOLITAN • The first recorded game of golf was played in 1456, in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Track adds two more to NCAA By Lauren Schaedig lschaedi@mscd.edu It was another successful weekend of breaking records and making school history for the Metro track team at the Air Force Invitational in Colorado Springs Feb. 12 and 13, as two more athletes hit provisional qualifying times for the NCAA Championships. Senior Morgan Thomas became the first woman ever at Metro to hit a provisional qualifying time, finishing with a converted time of 2:16.13 in the 800-meter preliminaries. Thomas also broke a school record with that time, and was nearly three seconds ahead of her 24 competitors. Thomas went on to win the final 800-meter race with a time of 2:18.62. “Overall we had some great performances,” Head Coach John Supsic said. “Morgan had a phenomenal meet, and we had some guys that placed very well. This was one of our bigger meets and we held our own.” Senior Brandon Johnson also blew by competitors, winning the mile race with a converted time of 4:11.65, well below the provisional standard of 4:13.70, qualifying him for the NCAA Championships in March. Johnson and several other athletes helped the team to finish with 20 points on the men’s side, placing 12th out of 17 teams, and fourth of the seven Division II teams participating.

The women’s team finished with 22 points, placing them 10th out of 18 teams and second out of eight Division II teams. Sophomore Danielle Kehoe contributed 10 points to the women’s total when she came in first in the 5000-meter championship, beating nine other competitors and also achieving a personal record. Thomas also added 10 points, and the remaining two were earned by senior Taebrooke Rutter when she finished eighth in the mile. With conference championships and the NCAA Championships closing in, every meet matters. With only a few meets left to “tune up,” the Roadrunners are giving everything they’ve got to prepare themselves for the competition. Although they have faced Division I runners before, meets like the Air Force Invitational are great preparation for what they will face in conferences and Nationals. “Everyone’s definitely excited, people that haven’t made Nationals are pushing themselves in practice and pushing themselves in meets. Competing against Division I fires up our team. They want to prove something,” Supsic said. The Roadrunners will compete again Feb. 19 when they head to Golden for the Colorado Mines Twilight Invitational.

By Matt Gypin mgypin@mscd.edu

Sophomore Scott Ingram races in the men’s 3,000-meter run Jan. 23 at the Colorado School of Mines Fieldhouse. File photo by Daniel Clements • dcleme12@mscd.edu

Bogatay on track for indoor Nationals By Enrico Dominguez edoming2@mscd.edu Metro long distance runner Rick Bogatay never could have imagined how far getting in shape would eventually take him. “I started running cross country to get in shape for soccer and figured out that I kind of liked running,” Bogatay said. Bogatay was recruited out of Spokane Falls Community College by Former Head Coach Pete Julian. Bogatay was an NJCAA All-American, conference champion in the 1500-meter run, placed fourth in the nation as a freshman and second as a sophomore. Bogatay and Pete Julian switched states after Julian took a new assistant coaching job at Washington State University, which is only five hours away from Bogatay’s hometown of Puyallup, Washington. “I really like Denver, I knew that training at altitude was the next step up,” Bogatay said. “I figure, give this running thing a shot and see where I can take it.” So far it has brought him over 1,300 miles to Denver and all over

Metro track runner Rick Bogatay. Photo by Will Morgan • dmorga26@ mscd.edu

the country competing in indoor and outdoor 2k and 5k events, while competing at a nationally ranked level. Bogatay grew up competing at home with two older brothers. He had to prove himself day in and day out. All three kids played sports growing up, including roller speed skating, but only Bogatay was competitive enough to contend at the collegiate level. Bogatay, 23, will be attempting

Club ice hockey hopeful for future

to become the first Metro runner to run a sub four-minute mile. Outside of athletics, Bogatay refuses to stray far as a human performance and sports major. He would also like to share his love and knowledge of running to younger generations through coaching and even becoming a high school gym teacher. Pushing his body to the limit is what keeps him in love with running. “I started out running 50 miles a

week, now I’m running 90 to 100 miles a week,” Bogatay said. “It’s about how fast I can get, how crazy I can get with training.” Bogatay has taken on a leadership role since becoming a senior, but maintains his sense of humor no matter what role he falls into. “He always keeps an even keel on the team,” Head Coach John Supsic said. “He jokes around a lot, but when it comes time to bust his butt he sets a good example for everyone else. He has a great shot at winning Nationals at indoor in the mile.” After college, Bogatay wishes to try his hand at some post-collegiate cross country runs while still practicing with the team during his last year at Metro. “It will be weird this summer not having anything to train for, but just running for the sake of running,” Bogatay said. “Maybe try a marathon.” As long as Bogatay has maybe in front of him, he will compete until his body is done with the sport.

Back in October, Metro’s club ice hockey team started their season with a full roster of players and high expectations. On Oct. 17, they defeated the University of Colorado, 5-3, Metro’s first win against their rivals from Boulder. A month later, Metro rolled off four wins in a row, including victories over Colorado State University, Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. Then the Roadrunners fell off a cliff. By January, the team was down nine players, including four of their top-five leading scorers, who either left for personal reasons or were not allowed to play because of academic eligibility issues. When it was all said and done, Metro finished the season with a 5-23 record, including 14 losses in a row. “Overall it was disappointing because we started out really well and we had a lot of expectations, but we didn’t finish the season very well,” said forward Turner Bahn, the team’s captain, president and leading scorer. Losing nine players at the semester break made it difficult for the team to compete. “I think if we kept those guys, it would have been different,” forward Kyle Obuhanick said. “Toward the end of the season we were playing with 12 guys on our team. We originally had 25 guys picked for the lineup. It’s hard to win when you’re down your core guys and then secondly, when you have only a couple extra guys on the bench to take your shifts. Bahn said that losing so many players, and games, took its toll on the team. “I think it definitely affected everybody’s attitude toward playing,” Bahn said. “Practices got way more relaxed. Game situations got way more relaxed. In the locker room before games, the mood was just way more relaxed. Despite the lack of on-ice success this year, Obuhanick said the team still had fun and is excited for next season. “I think next year is going to be a completely different season,” Obuhanick said. “I think we’re going to have a whole new group of guys coming in. I think we’re going to gain a lot more skilled players. I know the skill players that we did have that we lost at semester are going to come back. So I am really hopeful for next year. I am not discouraged at all.”

“If you are afraid of failure, you don’t deserve to be successful.” -Charles Barkley. • THE METROPOLITAN • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • SPORTS • A12

metro 71 - CCU 78 • Metro 58 - Mines 61 OT

Metro in three-way tie in division with Lopers, Eagles <<Continued from A10 Metro was held to a 19-2 shooting percentage in the second half and failed to score a field goal in the overtime period. “We need a little more fight,” Williamson said about the end of games. The team played well in the first half, and led Mines by six. They shot well from the free-throw line, 1012, and 40.7 percent from the floor. Metro played competitively throughout the second half, but found themselves down with less than three minutes remaining. Metro guard Jasmine Cervantes, who hit the game winning shot against Chadron State Feb. 6, was once again clutch for the ’Runners. She scored two baskets in the last 1:31 and helped the team reach overtime. Unfortunately for the team, they were unable to score from the floor after Cervantes’ basket with 1:10 remaining. Mines only made one field goal in overtime, but shot 7-of-8 from the line to seal the victory. Williamson and Cervantes led the ’Runners with 14 points each, and Brandi Valencia added 10. Kristin Valencia was able to pull down eight boards, but she shot just three times during the game and scored only three points. Metro is back at home this weekend, and is set to battle Chadron State on Feb. 19 and University of Nebraska-Kearney Feb. 20 at the Auraria Event Center for Pack The House.

Metro guard Jasmine Cervantes drives the lane against Colorado School of Mines guard Stephanie Fogle during the fourth quarter Feb. 13 at Lockridge Arena in Golden. The Roadrunners lost 61-58 in overtime. Photo by Matt Gypin • mgypin@mscd.edu

metro 1 - Dickinson State 1

Orediggers sweep Metro, tied in division <<Continued from A10

However CCU outscored Metro in fast-break points, 6-0. Both teams were tied with 32 points in the paint. Morse led Metro with 18 points. In game two against Mines, it was déjà vu. Metro shot 26-68 from the floor, including 2-12 from the three-point line and 15-24 from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Mines shot 18-50 from the floor, including 7-18 from the three-point line and an astounding 35-41 from the free-throw line. “Mines shot very well on Saturday,” reserve center Shakir Johnson said. “We had a few defensive miscues and we’re going to do our best to correct it.” Nicholas agrees with Johnson. “Everybody shoots better at home,” Nicholas said, regarding Mines’ shooting. “We shoot better at home, so we’ve got to come out and be at least a ‘10-15 point’ team better than what we are at home to win on the road, because everybody else is going to give their best games at home.” Metro lost the game, 78-69. Guard Reggie Evans led Metro with 20 points off the bench, while guard Brian Minor scored 13. “It’s always a good game against them [Mines],” Hays said. “They really battled, they played [well] together as a team. They’re very smart, they’re disciplined and they made free-throws.” Metro tied the game at 55 with 7:56 left in regulation, but everything fell apart when Mines went

on a 23-14 run to close out the game. Metro’s defense kept them in the game for a while, but their poor shooting ultimately cost them the game. To add insult to injury, Mines is technically now the RMAC East Division leader because they now have the same conference record, 11-4, and they are 2-0 against Metro this season. “We need to get back on track and play Roadrunner basketball,” Hays said. “[We need to] shoot 50 percent or higher on offense. Right now, our defense has dropped a little bit, so we’ve got to get back to that.” “We’re going to spend the rest of this week correcting our mistakes and do our best to recover,” Johnson said, regarding this past weekend. Metro will go back to the Auraria Event Center for the final four games of the season on Feb. 19-20, 23 and 26. “It [the home stand] means we get another chance to prove that we’re still one of the elite teams in our conference right now,” Nicholas said. “We’ve just got to get our swagger back and we’ll be alright. We’ll come home to the comfortable surroundings of home and it’ll help us play a little bit better.” Johnson believes the home stand is crucial. “It means a lot,” Johnson said. “We don’t lose at home and we have to make up for our losses last week. We’ve got to keep working hard and do our best to recover.”

Baseball breaks even with Blue Hawks in short weekend By Scott Callahan scallah4@mscd.edu Metro baseball walked away from their home field with another split series as they went 1-1 against the Dickenson State Blue Hawks from North Dakota. The Roadrunners dropped game one 2-1, but ended on a high note taking game two, 7-2. Pitcher Ted Jamison took the mound first for the ‘Runners and staked his claim for his fourth complete game. Jamison was strong on the hill as DSU only had three hits throughout the game. Solid pitching for both teams keep the score low at a typically high scoring level of play. “Teddy threw the ball well, we gave up a few runs in the one inning,” Head Coach Tom Carcione said. “We preach to our pitchers to throw strikes, we can’t give up free bases.” All of the runs were scored in the second inning. The Blue Hawks came up with two runs after a pair of walks, a RBI single from right fielder Nolan Brack-

Metro shortstop Eric Lopez slides safely into second base after his RBI double in the fifth inning Feb. 13 in game two of a doubleheader against Dickinson State (N.D.) at Auraria Field. The Roadrunners earned a split with the Blue Hawks, losing the first game 2-1 before rebounding with a 7-2 victory in game two. Photo by Matt Gypin • mgypin@mscd.edu en, and a double from third baseman Kevin Park which scored two more runs. Metro State responded with a run off the bat of Metro outfielder David Fox on a fielding error by the shortstop, but they failed to muster up another by game’s end. Before the second game, Carcione made a game-time decision to go with a completely new roster.

“We talked to them after batting practice today and said, ‘hey you better be ready to play’,” Carcione said. “They weren’t ready to play, so I decided to go with a whole new line up. And maybe it will set a point in their head and we’ll move on from there.” Game two did not start in a favorable way for the ‘Runners. Pitcher Tony Weber walked the first two

batters and Mike Nash of DSU had a single that got them on the board in the first inning. The Blue Hawks added more pressure when they scored again at the top of the second from a RBI double by outfielder Liam Foran. But the momentum of the game changed when outfielder Brennan Bowman slugged his first home run of the sea-

son over right center field. “[DSU Pitcher Ryan Saunders] hung a curveball and I took advantage of it. He threw it to the guy ahead of me and I was able to see his arm path and I took advantage of it,” Brown said. The Roadrunners started to run away with the game in the fourth with four runs and sealed the game with three more in the fifth. A couple of key hits at the right time along with five errors committed by DSU were some of the deciding factors in the 7-2 victory. Brown said a lot of the guys that played in the second game for Metro hadn’t played yet this season. They played with a chip on their shoulder and wanted to take advantage of their opportunity to prove themselves. The doubleheader with Nebraska-Omaha was cancelled Feb. 14 due to expected flurries. The Roadrunners will continue their homestand Feb. 20 and 21 when they play Nebraska-Omaha at Auraria Field.

Three-foot-seven-inch Eddie Gaedel is the shortest player in MLB history. His one appearance in a game was a publicity stunt. • THE METROPOLITAN • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • SPORTS • A13

2010 Baseball and Softball Preview Baseball Preview

2009 SEASON RECAP Record: 28-24, 18-18 Postseason: Lost to CSU-Pueblo in elimnation game in the RMAC Tournament.

OUTFIELDER MIKE COFFEY Outfielder Mike Coffey started 50 games in right field for Metro last season, and contributed on offense with a .328 batting average, 67 hits, 41 runs scored, 26 runs batted in, and stole 13 bases in 17 attempts. Coffey had consecutive four-hit games during the 2009 season, and was named to the honor roll RMAC All-Academic team.

HEAD COACH TOM CARCIONE This season will be Carcione’s first year as the baseball head coach. He comes from Ottawa Rapidz of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball independent league. Metro record: 3-3, 2-2 in the RMAC

During the 2009 baseball season, pitcher Ted Jamison posted a 7-4 record with 52 strikeouts and a 6.88 earned run average in 10 starts and 14 appearances. He also pitched two complete games and one shutout. Jamison struck out a career-high 10 batters in a complete game shutout against the Colorado School of Mines.

As a sophomore, first baseman Jordan Stouffer had a .331 batting average with 54 RBIs, 47 runs scored and 59 hits. He was named to the Daktronics second team All-Central Region and the All-RMAC second team. Stouffer tied for the team lead with 32 walks, and had 15 multi-hit games and 15 multi-RBI games. INFIELDER JORDAN STOUFFER

PITCHER TED JAMISON

Softball Preview

Photos by Will Morgan • dmorga26@mscd.edu

2009 SEASON RECAP Record: 40-12, 29-7 in the RMAC Postseason: Fell to Mines in the NCAA Central Region Tournament, won RMAC Tournament against Mesa State.

HEAD COACH JEN FISHER Fisher will return for her third season coaching the Roadrunners. She led her team to the RMAC regular season and tournament championships as No. 2 seed. As a result, Fisher was named RMAC Coach of the Year.

The fielding skills of center fielder Kellie Nishikida combined with the success she has at the plate is what made Nishikida one of the first two softball All-Americans in Metro history. Nishikida tied the NCAA record for longest hitting streak with 39 straight games with at least one hit, and was tied for the team lead in hits with 79 doubles with 16, and triples with three.

Metro record: 72-30, 55-18 in the RMAC

OUTFIELDER KELLIE NISHIKIDA

During the 2009 season, senior second baseman Sarah Rusch put up a .387 batting average with 60 hits, 60 RBIs, and 17 home runs, second on the team. Rusch started 49 games for the ‘Runners, and was named to the AllRMAC third team. She had 17 multihit games accompanied by 17 multiRBI games and was named the RMAC Player of the Week once. INFIELDER SARAH RUSCH

As a freshman, pitcher Brittany Moss posted a 13-7 record and led the team with 132 strikeouts. Moss pitched Metro’s first no-hitter since 1990 against Chandron State last season and pitched 17 complete games in 24 starts. She was named to the NFCA second team All-Central Region team and third team AllRMAC. She was also named the RMAC Pitcher of the Week twice. PITCHER BRITTANY MOSS Photos by Steve Anderson • sande104@mscd.edu

Time{out}

A14 2.18.2010 THE METROPOLITAN

SUDOKU

DAVE LARSON larsodav@mscd.edu

BEST OF ONLINE

My life is average “Today, while walking back to my dorm from the parking lot, a piece of pizza fell from the sky onto the sidewalk ahead of me. I looked around for the person who threw it. Confused when I didn’t see anyone else around I looked up in the tree to see a very sad squirrel on the highest branch looking down at the piece of pizza. Poor little guy.”

(304): Judging by the grocery store, everyone stocked up on frozen pizza and beer for the blizzard. If our generation ever faces doomsday, we’ll go out smiling.

THIS DAY IN HISTORY 2.18: (1885) Mark Twain publishes his controversial novel, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” 2.19: (1847) The Donner Party, a group of California-bound emigrants stranded by snow in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, is rescued. 2.20: (1985) Ireland allows sale of contraceptives.

Texts from last night

(330): You came back with puke all over your sweatshirt and started doing darth vader impressions

2.21: (1965) Malcom X is assassinated. 2.22: (1980) The U.S. hockey team, made up of college players, defeats the four-time defending gold-medal winning Soviet team. 2.23: (1945) U.S. flag is raised on Iwo Jima. 2.24: (2000) Pope John Paul II becomes the first pope to visit Egypt.

(707): she gave me a disgusted look and asked how i could live with myself. because i havent seen the rocky horror picture show. and then dumped me

“Today at work a girl left me her number as a tip. The note said “You’re sexy. Text me.” I texted her saying her correct use of “you’re” is what led me to text her. We have a date this weekend.”

(231): I woke up on a futon with 2 stolen budwiesers in my purse, 5 extra bucks, a sucker stuck to my shoe, one sock, and a stolen copy of the zombie survival guide

“Today, I was the 1,000,000th person to join a facebook group thats goal was for 1,000,000 people to join. I feel like I have accomplished something meaningful in my life now.”

(907) The guy in front of me in lecture is using a fifth of smirnoff as a water bottle.

“Today, I found out that Aslan and Simba both mean lion in different languages. Amazing.”

WEEK{PREVIEW} THURSDAY/ 2.18

Phone App of the Week

FRIDAY/ 2.19

SATURDAY/ 2.20

“Spay Up All Night” 8 P.M. — Midnight $25 for tame cats, $10 for feral

Wine tasting and refreshments.

African-American Leadership Conference 9:30 A.M. — 2 P.M. P.E. Event Center Free

The Emerging Filmmakers Project 8 P.M. The Bug Theatre, 3654 Navajo St. $5

Dreamgirls 9:30 P.M., repeats three times Hamburger Mary’s, 700 E. 17th Ave. Free

EFP focuses on independent short films, documentaries and trailers by local filmmakers.

Entertainment, full menu and friendly bar. “Eat, drink and be Mary!”

Fundraiser for Team Africa Scholarhip program, crafts, food, fashion show, Ugandan dancing.

SUNDAY/ 2.21

MONDAY/ 2.22

WEDNESDAY/ 2.24

Hearts of All Ages Fundraiser 4:30 — 8 P.M. Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, Lowry

Film Screening: “Face to Freedom” 6 P.M. Blair-Caldwell African-American Research Library

For event schedule, visit: www.mscd.edu/aas/events/conference.shtml

Book Club Happy Hour 6 P.M. Tattered Cover, Colfax Avenue Free

Day of Remembrance 1 — 3 P.M. University of Denver Sturm College of Law Free Remembrance of the day FDR signed exectutive order 9066, which allowed people of Japanese ancestry to join the U.S. military during WWII.

TUESDAY/ 2.23

The Eating Disorder Foundation’s Candlelight Vigil 5 P.M. Wellshire Event Center, 3333 S. Colorado Blvd.

Sponsored by Feline Fix, SpayToday and The Dumb Friends’ League. For more information or to make a reservation: www.rmaca.org

African Cultural Awareness Fair 10 A.M. — 1 P.M. Regis Adult Learning Center

Annual Black World Conference 8:30 A.M. — 3:45 P.M. Tivoli Turnhalle

College Disney Program Presentation 11:15 A.M. and 2:15 P.M. Tivoli 442 The Disney College Program offers all majors and academic levels the opportunity to live, learn and earn while adding to their resume professional experience and leadership training at a recognized, successful and tradition-rich company.

myPocketProf By April Zemyan azemyan@mscd.edu

Imagine having notes from all your classes right on your phone. MyPocketProf, made for Android and iPhone, allows students to put notes right on their phone for easy sharing and studying. How to use: Download the app and create an account. Then visit the Web site www. myPocketProf.com, choose a major and upload your notes. They will be sent to your account and easily accessible via cell phone. Advantages: Edit notes and share instantly with other myPocketProf users. Also, this app will create sample test questions according to your notes; this makes for easy studying and is a good way to tell if you’re taking notes on the right stuff. Disadvantages: If you write your notes, this app is probably not of much use. Also, the feature to search for universities and colleges doesn’t include Metro. It loses Internet connection easily, forcing you to restart the application.

THE METROPOLITAN • FEBRUARY 18, 2010 • A15

CLASSIFIED Classified Info Phone: 303-556-2507 Fax: 303-556-3421 Location: Tivoli #313 Advertising via Email: wongd@mscd.edu

Classified ads are 15¢ per word for students currently enrolled at Metro State. To receive this rate, a current Metro State student ID must be shown at time of placement. For all others, the cost is 30¢ per word. The maximum length for classified ads is 50 words. Pre-payment is required. Cash, check, VISA and MasterCard are accepted. Classified ads may be placed via fax, email or in person. The deadline for placing all classified ads is 3 p.m. Friday for the following week. For information about other

advertising opportunities, call 303-556-2507 or go to http://themet.metrostudentmedia.com for current information.

Faculty Home For Rent

COLLEGE NIGHT $1 Drafts! $1 Games! $1 Shoes!

2 miles from campus. Charming 1896 Victorian. Approximately 1000 s.f. Partially furnished. 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 bathrooms, custom accents. Unfinished basement, shared storage/utility room. Small fenced back yard, ok for small pets. Gas fireplace with remote. Street parking. On major bus routes, walk to restaurants, movies, shopping, more.

$1200/month. Reference/credit required. Available February 2010. Babette: 303-263-3069; babetteandre@yahoo.com

N W HIRING for seasonal positions Check for positions on our website: www.cityofwestminster.us/jobs Recreation Programs s Outdoor Pools Public Works s Parks s Golf

EOE s 0OSITIONS CLOSE IN EARLY -ARCH

Wednesdays at 8pm ELITCH LANES

3URJUHVVLYH )XQGUDLVHUV 1HHGHG Telefund needs phone fundraisers for the Democrats, the environment, pro-choice rights, GLBTQ rights, & other progressive causes! Leadership opportunities and full-time positions available as well. Excellent communication/reading skills required, political/organizing experience preferred. Must pass background check. 12-40 Hours per week Afternoon / PM / Weekend shifts

7RS FDOOHUV HDUQ ² KU To apply, email resume to: denverjobs.telefund@gmail.com or call 303-894-0456

3825 Tennyson • (303) 447-1633

www.telefund.com

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Web Development Position Available

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S A is looking for creative Metro State Office of Student Media and knowledgeable caps lock individuals for Web Design and Development. We are a Macintosh-based publications office in the Tivoli. Z

shift Required Skills

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• Strong layout & design skills • HTML/XHTML/CSS/Javascript • Ability to create & optimize images for the web • Fast learner, ability to work independently as well as in a team • Interest in ADA compliance & implementation into your work • Understanding of FTP/SFTP & basic file server management command control • Basic knowledge of Mac OS X,optiom Unix & other web technologies a plus! • Ability to create original designs & work with other people’s design & ideas • Adaptability to several different types of web standards and technologies

Preferred Proficiency • Experience with Dreamweaver, Photoshop & InDesign • Strong code writing skills, including understanding of languages & ability to write and edit If interested call 303-556-2507 or stop by Tivoli 313.

Only 15¢ a word! 303-556-2507

27th Annual Black World Conference African/African American Studies Commemorates Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC):

Students Creating

an Empowered Path For Change Tivoli Turnhalle February 24–25, 2010

Wednesday, February 24 Time Event

Speaker

8:30–10 a.m.

Catering by: The Food Guy

Continental Breakfast (provided)

8:30–9:30 a.m.

Drum Call

Bizung Family

9:30–9:40 a.m.

Welcome

Dr. Ali Thobhani

9:40–10 a.m.

Opening Remarks

Dr. Stephen Jordan, President

10–11:15 a.m.

Keynote Address

Dr. Vincent Harding & Ms. Judy Richardson

11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.

Fauborg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans

Dr. Ella Maria Ray

12:45–1 p.m.

Lunch (provided)

Catering by: The Food Guy

1–2:15 p.m.

Coalition Building Panel African American Studies/Chicano Studies

Mrs. Lisa Calderon, Dr. Ramon Del Castillo, Dr. Jacqueline McLeod & Dr. Lucas Shamala

2:30–3:45 p.m.

Cleo Parker Robinson Dance

Dr. Lucas Shamala

Thursday, February 25 Time Event

Speaker

8:30–10 a.m.

Continental Breakfast (provided)

Catering by: The Food Guy

8:30–9:30 a.m.

Drum Call

Bizung Family

9:30–9:40 a.m.

Welcome

Dr. Lucas Shamala

9:40–10 a.m.

Opening Remarks

Dr. Vicki Golich, Provost

10–11:15 a.m.

A Dramatic Presentation of SNCC’s History Presented by: The Students of Highline Academy

Dr. Derrick Hudson

11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.

Student Panel: Empowered Before & After AAS Alumni & Gullah Students

Professor Jacquelyn Benton

1–2:15 p.m.

Hearing the Call from Community Organizations (Panel)

Career Center, Internship Center & Center for Urban Connections

2:30–3:45 p.m.

Introduction of Deputy Director, Acacia Salatti Faith Based and Health Initiatives for The Obama Administration

Ms. Cherrelyn Napue & Rev. Acacia Salatti, Deputy Director

3:45–4 p.m.

Closing Remarks

Dr. Robert Hazan

4–6 p.m.

Closing Reception

© Don West

Guest Speakers Include (from top):

Dr. Vincent Harding

Chair, Veterans of Hope Project: A Center for the Study of Religion and Democratic Renewal

Ms. Judy Richardson Civil Rights Author and Documentary Filmmaker

Deputy Director Acacia Bamberg Salatti Deputy Director, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships

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