Volume 34, Issue 1 - Aug. 18, 2011 by Met Media

August 18, 2011

Volume 34, Issue 01

www.metnews.org

Serving the Auraria Campus for over 33 Years

TheMetropolitan Metropolitan MetNews

InSight

MetroSpective Spective

MetSports Met

Metro helps homeless youth in Denver 03

SGA trip: a lesson or vacation? 07

Colorado Photography Festival 12

Men’s soccer preview 18

One last shot before sunset

A group of photography students photograph the sunrise on August 13 for a photography workshop on Mt. Evans. For more photos turn to page 12. Photo by Amy Plackemeier, Special to The Metropolitan

The Metropolitan and you. You’re a resource for us, and we’re a resource for you. Why did you pick up this copy of The Metropolitan? Was it because of the new look? Or are you new to the Auraria campus, and wanted to know what is going on? It matters to us, the staff of The Metropolitan. We want to know about you and why you read this paper. Also, we want you to know who we are, what we do, and what our mission is. Simply put, The Metropolitan is your paper. The editors, writers and photographers work hard on your behalf to provide you with news that you want or need to read. The Metropolitan exists to act as an advocate for those without a voice at Auraria and its surrounding communities. Our mission is to train the next generation of reporters in the most up-to-date news gathering techniques and the oldest traditions of journalistic integrity. Yet to do all of this, we need your help. We want to know what you are doing - if you’re in a band, volunteer, won an award, or anything that you think is newsworthy, contact us - your voice is important to us. As this school year progresses, there will be stories that will challenge the readership. You may agree or disagree with what we print, and that is fine. Our job is to present news in a fair and balanced narrative, to cover all sides of a topic. If you disagree with what we report, give us your feedback. We will address the issues you have. We want the conversation with you, e-mail us at Themetonline@gmail.com. Your voice is our voice, and your voice can also be heard by writing for us. Submit articles that you have written - we’ll review them and see if they can be published in the Metropolitan. They may get printed, or they could be published in our online paper, Metnews.org.

TheMetropolitan August 18, 2011 •

Online@Metnews.org SGA returns from trip to Washington D.C.

MetNews

Denver’s homeless students Metro partners with MEED to give back to Denver Story and Photo By Ramsey Scott rscott42@mscd.edu For many students in Denver Public Schools, the start of a new school year means new notebooks, new uniforms and homework. For the estimated 1800 students in DPS that are homeless, the new school year means plastic grocery book bags, used notebooks and maybe getting their one meal of the day. “These are not just street urchins and alcoholics. These are kids that want to learn and have a life. And they deserve that,” said Sara Fuentes, the executive director of Minority Enterprise and Educational Development, a non-profit that works with minority communities within Colorado. “DPS expects the homeless population to go up 20 percent this year. Nationally, it is supposed to go up 23 percent. It is the highest anywhere nationwide,” Fuentes said.

Metro’s Center for Urban Connections collected book bags and other school supplies as part of its 2010 ‘One Book One Project to Transform.’ The project is a yearlong initiative that picks one book and creates opportunities around the subject. This past year’s project centered on “Breaking Night,” the story of Liz Murry’s journey from being homeless to attending Harvard. The supplies were raised as part of MEEN’s School supply drive, which in total raised over 3000 book bags throughout the community. “Research has found that students who are engaged in the community are more likely to graduate and to do better “ said Kumella Aiu, office coordinator for the Center of Urban Connections. While a book bag might seem like a simple thing to most students, Shenia Ivey, the chairperson of MEED’s board, sees the book bags as providing something more than just a way for homeless students to

carry their books to school. “It empowers them to fit in. It empowers them to not feel different. It empowers them to do well in school and maintain their grades,” Ivey said. “Statistically the homeless kids that attend DPS are the highest achieving of all the other students because they go there early in the morning and they can get free breakfast, they are there late at night because obviously you can’t do your homework under a bridge,” Fuentes said. Several volunteers were on hand August 11 to help deliver the school supplies to MEED, including CCD student Joanie Fresquez, who herself was homeless several years ago. “Because of the experience that my daughter and I had when we were homeless, it has helped me to appreciate organizations who have helped me,” Fresquez said. “It is my way of giving back to the community.”

The Center for Urban Connections’ 2011 project will be based around “Enrique’s Journey,” a story of a 13-year-old boy traveling to America to be with his mother. If you are interested in participating in this year’s project, or you would like to find out how to help the DPS homeless population, please contact the Center for Urban Connections at 303-352-7134 or stop by their office in Tivoli room 243.

CCD student Joanie Fresquez loads supplies for the Center for Urban Connections Backpack Drive put on by MEED.

Getting paid for school work Employment opportunities abound on campus By Ben Bruskin bbruskin@mscd.edu Students needing a job might just find what they are looking for on campus. With a wide variety of positions available, and up to $12 per hour (plus more if you are an IT employee), finding a job on campus is an appealing option for some students. The Human Recourses department also said they work closely with the employers to make sure the student’s school schedule is their number one priority. “I wanted something that could work closely with my school schedule,” Ashley Love, Auraria Campus Bookstore employee

said. “They work around school, not the other way around.” Auraria offers nearly 1,000 job opportunities. Each department is different in regards to how much money is earmarked for student employees, but if a student has work study they are able to work in any department and receive payment. “Case in point, if you have a student that has a major in social work, we have a lot of different ways that that student can be employed,” Judith Zewe, Associate Vice President of Human Resources said. “We have off-campus agreements with several non-profit agencies… that many of our students work at using their work study funds.”

Civilian labor force Jobless rates by age

Although the Campus Rec. department and the IT department are the largest student employers, there are a plethora of jobs that students can choose from. “We’ve got stuff from doing reception work and greeting people. There’s tutors, there is IT, the computer labs…,” Ramona Morris, Student Employment Manager said. “We have even gotten into more positions looking for students to help maintain their social network sites.” A student must be taking six credit hours to be considered for a position through the campus. The key to landing a job is to be proactive Zewe said. “In some respect, the student needs to take the initiative and say ‘I would like to

= 1,000,000 People

work in the psychology department,’” Zewe said. “They can go and say, ‘do you need any help?’” Zewe estimates that most work study money is accounted for within the first few weeks of the start of fall semester. Aside from being close to home and flexible with school, there are other reasons Love is happy about her on-campus job. “I get to meet tons of awesome students looking for textbooks,” Love said. “I’ve also become friends with my coworkers, and they are of all different grades and go to different schools.”

= Unemployed

= Employed

Source: http://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat3.pdf

18–19 = 24.2%

945,000 out of 3,905,000

20–24 = 15.5%

2,329,000 out of 15,028,000

25–29 = 10.9%

1,884,000 out of 17,301,000

30–34 = 9.2%

1,502,000 out of 16,314,000

4 • August 18, 2011 MetNews TheMetropolitan

The sky’s the limit

Precision Flight Team wins Loening Trophy Heather Carnes hcarnes@mscd.edu After countless hours of preparation, working in as much practice time as possible from late October 2010 to early May of this year, the Precision Flight Team has proved that they are more than highflyers. The Loening Trophy, an award that dates back to the 1920s, was attained by the team this past May and will forever hold Metro’s engraving as the winners of 2011. This particular trophy is awarded to the best overall flight team competing at the Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference, but the school must also submit an application and create a presentation. Student Emily Applegate performed these steps for the team. “I was so happy that my late nights of working on the application and presentation had paid off,” said Applegate. “We were

kidding at the table, that they were going to call our names… but we were joking!” “The trophy is a silver cup commissioned by Grover Loening from Tiffany’s jewelers of New York,” said Gary Hemphill, who was the executive director of the National Intercollegiate Flying Association before retiring on June 30. It began as the trophy for national champions in 1929 through 1949, after which it became the prestigious award it is known as today. It is often referred to as the “Stanley Cup” of aviation, being that it circulates between winners in the same manner as the hockey trophy. “The award represents superb achievement in aeronautical skills,” says Hemphill. “But more importantly it represents the current benchmark for an overall outstanding collegiate aviation program.” From May 16-21 Metro participated in SAFECON, hosted by Ohio State University.

This conference is an intercollegiate competition that takes place annually and is run by NIFA. During this competition teams all over the nation, and a few from Canada, were tested in a large amount of flight and ground categories. But in order to win the Loening Trophy, flight teams need to go far beyond the regular events of SAFECON. “They definitely went beyond my expectations,” said Zach Pegg, Metro alumni and coach of the Precision Flight team. He goes on to say that the team participated in countless volunteer opportunities—sometimes even helping teach children ages 10-15 in young flight programs. According to Pegg, actions such as volunteer work are largely taken into account when judging for the Loening Trophy is taking place. “I truly believe that the aviation program at Metro is one of the best in the country,” says Applegate. According to the department’s homepage, Metro’s aviation

department is “one of the largest and most advanced collegiate aviation programs in the country.” The department is located in the Seventh Street Building, where multiple flight simulators are available to properly registered students. But even though Metro is home to such a unique program, there is still a large need within the department. “Currently the program is underfunded,” says Pegg. He is hoping that because of the status of this trophy, it will help give more reason to raise funding for the department. Many students must pay out of pocket in order to put in as much practice as possible. Pegg estimates that the lack of funding costs each student about $5000 per semester. There will be a ceremony held for the Members of the Precision Flight Team sometime within this school year. The team will be presented with the Loening Trophy, which will remain in Metro’s aviation building for two weeks before being returned.

A Cessna 172 used by the Metro State Flight Team sits on the runway just before a flight competition Oct. 13 2010 at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield.

PHOTO BY ANDREW BISSET • abisset1@mscd.edu

ATTENTION METRO STUDENTS! Student Lab Hours & Locations

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR COMPUTER LABS ARE? LAB

Platform

Mon–Thurs

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

317

7:45 a.m.–9 p.m.

7:45 a.m.–5 p.m.

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed

246

7:45 a.m.–9 p.m.

7:45 a.m.–5 p.m.

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed

307

Mac & PC

7:45 a.m.–9 p.m.

7:45 a.m.–5 p.m.

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed

1058

Mac & PC

7 a.m.–10 p.m.

7 a.m.–8 p.m.

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

12–4 p.m.

103

7:45 a.m.–9 p.m.

7:45 a.m.–5 p.m.

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed

119

Mac

7:45 a.m.–9 p.m.

7:45 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed

TIV

225

Mac & PC

8 a.m.–9 p.m.

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed

WC 244

Mac & PC

7 a.m.–10 p.m.

7 a.m.–5 p.m.

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed

WC 243

7:45 a.m.–9 p.m.

7:45 a.m.–5 p.m.

8 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed

Metro South

8:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m.

8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Closed

Metro North

9 a.m.–8:45 p.m.

9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

9 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Closed

(varies)

Metro State IT Computer Labs have implemented a printing policy. For detailed information, please visit: www.mscd.edu/infotech/complabs/policies.shtml Remember, no drinks or food allowed! • IT Labs can not be responsible for lost items including jump drives. Please visit the Tivoli lost and found for assistance. Metro State IT Computer Labs is thrilled to announce the introduction of Windows Professional 7 along with the updated Microsoft Office in all academic computing labs. Windows 7 contains the newest and updated features that Windows has to offer. Not only does Windows 7 have an abundance of improved features, but this update will also provide the community of Metro State with the most efficient and up to date software available. In addition to the updates being made to the Windows operating system, all users will now have access to the most cutting-edge versions of Microsoft Office. Any machine operating on the Windows operating system will run Microsoft Office 2010; any machine operating on the Macintosh operating system will run Microsoft Office 2011. These updates represent our aspiration to help equip all our students with the most current and advanced technology to best prepare them to fully achieve their goals in today’s globally driven landscape. Metropolitan State College of Denver has always been a pioneer in providing the most pertinent service to its students and prided itself on maintaining high levels of competency in light of the constantly fluctuating academic environment. These newest additions

reﬂect our commitment and ongoing dedication to working alongside the faculty and students of the Metropolitan State College of Denver; helping lay the foundation for Metro to become “the preeminent academic institution.” Please come by and see the most recent enhancements we have made to help serve you more adequately!

A wealth of information about the Metro State Computing Labs can be found at www.mscd.edu/infotech/student.shtml. Here you will ﬁnd information on lab hours, lab locations, software availability, policies or employment opportunities. Students using Metro State IT Labs and associated resources should be aware of the rules and procedures that make up the Metro State Responsible Usage Policy. To learn about responsible use of information technology resources at Metro State, go to: www.mscd.edu/infotech/complabs/policies.shtml.

Metro State has labs that are equipped with PC or MAC systems. The computer labs are not just for students taking computer classes. Any Metro State student who is currently enrolled may use the equipment. Word processing, spread–sheet, database and programming software is available. Laser printers are available in each of the labs as well as access to the World Wide Web.

TheMetropolitan MetNews August 18, 2011 • 5

Poetry with a Purpose Metro professor jazzes up summer for others through music Ben Bruskin bbruskin@mscd.edu Dr. Ramon Del Castillo, professor and chair of the Chicana/o Studies Department, considers himself an “activist scholar.” This may help explain why he spent his summer months talking to groups of people about changing their communities instead of partying at Cherry Creek Reservoir or hanging out around LoDo. Del Castillo, who has been working full-time at Metro since 2006, was asked to speak at different events in Wichita, Kansas and at Regis University this summer. The speaking engagement at Regis University was in conjunction with the 2011 Summer Migrant Youth Leadership Institute. The event was put on for high school students heading to college, and students who are in college already. It was held July 19-22, and all of the students who attended that event are children of migrant workers. “I was asked to speak at the Migrant Council, at the beginning, to provide inspiration for youth,” Del Castillo said. “[I told them to] finish their degrees, to come to col-

lege, but to be a leader in their community.” The way in which Del Castillo spoke to the students was not a traditional speech. He used a style called “Poejazz”, which combines original poetry with jazz music. He is a published author in this genre, and enjoys delivering his message to students through the unique format. “When you deal with youth, you have to do something that they can relate to,” Del Castillo said. “They know computers and all this technology a lot better than I do, but the common thing that brought us together is their rap and this Poejazz.” This is all part of Del Castillo’s mission to reach out to communities and inspire change. “Ramon’s involvement in the Latino communities and other marginalized communities, I think, has become part of his life for literally decades,” Luis Torres, Deputy Provost of Academic Student Affairs and longtime friend said. “His civic activism has been apart of his life for as long as he can probably remember.” Also in July, Del Castillo visited his old stomping grounds when he was asked to

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speak at the Kansas Hispanic Community Leadership Development Project at Newman College in Wichita, where he spent the first 24 years of his life growing up in nearby Newton. The presentation in Kansas was focused on bringing the Hispanic and AfricanAmerican communities together, from Del Castillo’s old neighborhood, and how to improve the area through collaboration. He also did independent research on how to help that community while he was out there. “He has led many community organizations,” Torres said. “He is really one of the leading figures in the Latino community. Not only in Denver, but he’s known state wide for his activism and his contributions.” Del Castillo led the lettuce boycott when he was an undergraduate student at the University of Northern Colorado in the early 1970s. “Metro state is extremely fortunate to have hired him as chair of Chicana/o studies and Denver is better off because Ramon works and lives here,” Torres said. So while some played at the beach this

summer, and others played in the mountains, Castillo stayed focused on what he can do to live out his “activist scholar” mentality. “You always have to give back,” Del Castillo said. “Giving back to the community is the strongest principle that we can enact once we graduate.”

Dr. Ramon Del Castillo is a published author and reknowed speaker. PHOTO Courtesy of MetroState.com

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TO ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF THE BLU-RAY! DEADLINE FOR ENTRY IS MONDAY, AUGUST 22 AT 2 PM. ALL ENTRANTS MUST PROVIDE A VALID STUDENT ID TO BE ELIGIBLE. Contacting or calling promotional partners will result in immediate exclusion for all future promotions. One entry per person. Multiple entries will be disqualified.

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Supplies are limited. Each mobile pass admits 2. The screening will be held on Thursday, 8/25 at 7:00PM at a local theater. Sponsors and their dependents are not eligible to receive a prize. The film is rated R. Passes received through this promotion do not guarantee a seat at the theater. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis, except for members of the reviewing press. Theater is overbooked to ensure a full house. No admittance once screening has begun. All federal, state and local regulations apply. A recipient of prizes assumes any and all risks related to use of prize, and accepts any restrictions required by prize provider. FilmDistrict, 43KIX, Metropolitan and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or accident incurred in connection with use of prizes. Prizes cannot be exchanged, transferred or redeemed for cash, in whole or in part. Not responsible if, for any reason, winner is unable to use his/her prize in whole or in part. Not responsible for lost, delayed or misdirected entries. All federal, state and local taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary. NO PHONE CALLS!

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August 18, 2011

TheMetropolitan

InSight

Gridlock

In Debt Ceiling Drama, Rich get Free Pass. Again. “…A House divided against itself cannot stand…” —Abraham Lincoln, in an 1858 anti-slavery speech upon winning the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate from Illinois. His Biblical New Testament reference was Mark 3:25 Don’t assume that the midnight “compromise” on raising the national debt ceiling “solved” anything. The House IS divided. So is the U.S. Senate. So is the American political system, in what some observers call the deepest ideological divide since the Civil War, more than 150 years ago. Long ago, in another galaxy, some of us learned in Poli Sci 101 that politics was “the art of the possible.” Where reasonable people, however much they disagreed, could work out some accommodation for even the thorniest problems. All that has gone the way of compromise and civility, in favor of all-or-nothing polarization, political theater, posturing and tantrums worthy of pre-school children by lawmakers who only look like adults because they wear suits. Now, it’s all about ego and rigid ideology that refuses to budge, even in the face of economic disaster. And don’t think that a black man in the White House – that drives right-wingers and their psychopath supporters crazy – is entirely unrelated to the drama. In the latest debate and compromise, lovable buffoon George W. Bush (remember him?), got a free pass - as did the wealthiest Americans. Far right fire-eaters and their douche bag – er, tea bag – auxiliaries would have you believe that the current $14.3 trillion national debt is Obama’s doing. In fact, $6.1 trillion of that total was incurred on W.’s watch (2001-2009), according to U.S. Treasury figures reported in the New York Times. Tax breaks for the rich, two useless

wars and a recession that started in 2007 had much to do with bloating a debt that was $6 trillion when W. took office. Major defense spending and tax cuts for the rich (who else?) under Ronald Reagan added $2 trillion to the $1 trillion he inherited. Later, Bush Sr. and Bill Clinton added $1.5 and $1.4 trillion respectively. Reagan called for 18 increases in the debt ceiling during his eight years, and got them all. Clinton left office in 2001 with a $30 billion federal budget surplus - promptly pissed away by W. and his cowboys. This summer, while Congress huffed and puffed with an agenda largely scripted by those at the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, a CNN poll showed 77 percent of responding Americans think Congress acted like spoiled children. The debate – with dire consequences if America defaulted – went down to the wire on August 2nd, and the “compromise” pleased nobody. Republicans had demanded Medicare and Social Security spending cuts, but without new taxes for the wealthiest. Democrats insisted on protecting the elderly, young and less- well-off, while calling for deep cuts to the military and new taxes for the ultra-rich. Republicans clearly got the better of the deal. Democrats, who are good at disappointing supporters, are disappointed after wussing out once again. But what was the alternative? Republican House leadership pushed hard for support from skeptical Republicans when it realized that many newlyelected zealots were willing the crash the car in this game of political “chicken.” But you don’t worry about consequences when you’re on a mission from God, as many of the zealots believe themselves to be. By now, you may know some compromise details: an immediate $400 billion increase in the debt ceiling, and another

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ramsey Scott rscott42@mscd.edu MANAGING EDITOR Walt House whouse1@mscd.edu NEWS EDITOR Ben Bruskin bbruskin@mscd.edu FEATURES EDITOR Megan Mitchell mmitch46@mscd.edu ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR Ashley Moreland amorela1@mscd.edu

J. SEBASTIAN SINISI sinisi2@msn.com $500 billion in February, 2012. This October, spending caps will begin to reduce the deficit by $917 billion over the next decade. But no new taxes immediately hit the rich, nor closing tax loopholes for their corporate jets, yachts and other Bush-era subsidies for America’s top three percent. Then there’s the yet-unnamed “Supercommittee.” This 12-member body from both the House and Senate – six Republicans and six Democrats – is charged with coming up with plans to cut up to $1.2 trillion. Those cuts would come from entitlements and defense spending. Or maybe new revenue means new taxes - even for the wealthiest. But taxes are repugnant to Republicans. A formula for more gridlock? The committee has to come up with a plan by this Thanksgiving, with a vote from both Houses of Congress before Christmas. If Congress doesn’t do the job, a complex set of spending-cut “triggers” automatically activate. Somehow, the compromise doesn’t mention job creation — ignoring the most crucial affecting the American economy’s recovery chances. If the economy doesn’t improve, Obama will be vulnerable in 2012. But only if the GOP comes up with a credible candidate. So far, the Republican collection of presidential wannabes looks like it spilled out of a circus clown car. So stay tuned on the communication toy of your choice. And pay attention..

MUSIC EDITOR Ian Gassman igassman@mscd.edu SPORTS EDITOR Daniel Laverty dlaverty@mscd.edu ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Matt Hollinshead COPY EDITORS Drew Jaynes Heather Carnes Kate Rigot Luke Powell PHOTO EDITOR Steve Anderson sande104@mscd.edu ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITORS Luke Powell Ryan Borthick ADVISER Gary Massaro gmassaro@mscd.edu WEBMASTER Drew Jaynes

ajanes1@mscd.edu

GRAPHIC DESIGN Kathleen Jewby kjewby@mscd.edu ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT STUDENT MEDIA Elizabeth Norberg enorbert@mscd.edu FORMER INTERIM DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Kate Lutrey lutreyk@mscd.edu DIRECTOR OF STUDENT MEDIA Steve Haigh shaigh@mscd.edu

Staff Editorial: Raise taxes for education

Remember that our nation’s first great leaders were also our first great scholars — John F. Kennedy How much do we value education in Colorado? How much are we willing to pull out of our own pockets to ensure our children have a brighter future? That is the question that state Sen. Rollie Heath wants the citizens of this state to answer this November. Heath (D- Boulder) has been the primary sponsor of Initiative 25, a ballot proposal that would increase state sales and income taxes in order to support Colorado’s drastically underfunded

education system. On August 1, Heath and his supporters submitted more than 142,000 signatures in support of Initiative 25 to Colorado’s secretary of state. If half of the signatures can be verified as belonging to registered Colorado voters, Initiative 25 will be placed on November’s ballot. If passed, it would increase the sales tax by one-tenth of 1 percent from 2.9 to 3¢ on the dollar and increase the income tax by half a percentage point. Initiative 25 has already, as expected, begun to receive flack from state Republicans. Throughout the debt-ceiling battle, conservatives blasted the idea of raising

taxes, claiming that the way to fiscal solvency is through cuts, cuts and more cuts. We at The Metropolitan have to ask, when it comes to Colorado’s education system, what the hell are we supposed to cut? Just ask any student at Metro, who is paying 23 percent more for their education this year, and will most likely see another double-digit increase in their tuition next year, if they think we can afford any more cuts to our education system. If the current trend of budget cuts continues (a likely scenario, considering the world’s economic situation), Metro will become too pricy for its poorer students.

So again we ask you, how much do we value education in our state? Do we value it enough to pay .3¢ more for a $3 cup of coffee? Do we value education enough to pay $150 more (how much more a family making Colorado’s median income of $55,700 would pay in additional taxes) throughout the tax year? The Metropolitan believes that educating the citizens of this amazing state is worth the investment. Because while everyone might like a few extra bucks in their pocket at the end of the year, is it worth hamstringing our future?

TheMetropolitan InSight August 18, 2011 • 7

SGA Trip Poor Judgement By Chris Rork rork.chris@gmail.com This July, members of your student government voted to send themselves on a five day junket to Washington, D.C. The president of the Student Government Association, Jesse Altum, had authored a bill and found a co-sponsor to send just a few student government members to a conference. The event was billed as a “National Leadership Conference” on all the official documents the student government voted on. President Altum claims this was a “typo” he just never got around to correcting. The real name of the conference, as listed on the organization’s website, is the “Young America’s Foundation National Conservative Student Conference.” The field trip was budgeted $12,000 and now stands as the largest budget item for the year, or roughly 15% of the SGA budget. After the bill authorizing the trip initially failed, it was chosen to cruise through co-sponsor Jeffrey Washington’s committee. All rules were suspended to avoid the standard two-week process of student input. The bill passed. Although President Altum’s bill title is deceitful, the Young America’s Foundation’s website certainly isn’t. The event page header: “Tree hugging. Gun taking. Wealth hating. Leftist loving. Sound like a nightmare?” The conference, which took place Aug. 1-6, didn’t have any “leadership building” activities in the least.

There were two main components to the conference: conservative speakers and the “Campus Conservative Battleplan.” Among the speakers were Focus on the Family Vice President Tim Goeglein, an admitted plagiarist who spends most of his time trying to keep gays and lesbians from gaining equal rights, and Jonah Goldberg, author of Liberal Fascism. Also billed: U.S. Rep. Allen West (R-FL), who recently called fellow Florida Representative Wasserman Schultz (D) “vile,” “despicable” and “not a lady.” The icing on the cake was the keynote speaker Ann Coulter. Coulter has recently asserted that radiation from leaking nuclear reactors in Japan was actually good for the country’s inhabitants. On to the “Campus Conservative Battleplan,” which is a one-stop guide to advancing an extremist agenda. The “Battleplan” has a month-by-month breakdown of initiatives for conference attendees’ campuses. It starts once these members have formed a model of campus activism where students are encouraged to “attack the Left’s ideas and initiatives on campus” and “take the offensive and advance their conservative ideas.” In February, students are supposed to celebrate Ronald Reagan’s birthday as an alternative to MLK Day, politicize the awarding of scholarships and admissions to minority students by equating it with racial profiling and “[investigate] your school’s diversity center” in an attempt to reduce its funding.

In April, “revealing liberal hypocrisy and schemes” is the flavor of the month. In one of the tactics listed, students are given resources to conduct “opposition research” on professors or speakers they believe are espousing “liberal” views by investigating their party affiliations and donations to political campaigns. The next step is to politicize what’s being taught in the classroom. You can find the Campus Conservative Battleplan on YAF’s website: http://www. yaf.org/CampusProjects.aspx Ask yourself: is this what you think your money should be spent on? This conference had nothing to do with issues that are important to students. Its “Battleplan” ignores the most pressing issue facing Metro students: the rising cost of higher education. Colorado is dead last in state support for higher education. This has burdened Metro students with backto-back yearly tuition increases of 32% and then 23%. Fees have increased dramatically, financial aid availability has shrunk and the federal government is considering further financial aid cuts. The economy-related stress put on students by the Great Recession is enormous. For students who are working one or two jobs and going to school on a fixed budget, the breathtaking increase in the cost of higher education is unsustainable. These are the issues that affect students, and Jesse Altum and the student government should be working on them instead of trying to advance a one-sided political agenda.

It is blatantly disrespectful to the students of Metro State to abscond to Alexandria for five days on the students’ dollar for partisan gain. Regardless of whether it be towards liberal or conservative ideology, any use of student money to turn our campus into a partisan playground is just wrong. It isn’t even clear whether it was legal to go to a conference that wasn’t explicitly named in the bill that passed or whether student money can be used for partisan purposes. Purposefully hiding the name of the event was wholly disingenuous and prevented transparency and accountability. Student government members should have demonstrated leadership by refusing to waste student money while plenty of students are experiencing financial hardship. If you object to the way your money is being used, I suggest you make your voice heard. Due to the purposeful concealment of the true nature of the event, use of a questionable parliamentary maneuver to pass the bill authorizing funds, egregious mismanagement of student funds and the use of student money to advance a purely partisan agenda, I am calling for President Jesse Altum, Senators Jason Dirgo, Javier San Andres, Paul Benevidez and Jeffrey Washington to provide accountability and return every cent spent on this trip to the students of Metro State.

SGA President Response By Jesse Altum jesse.altum@gmail.com First of all I want to say welcome back to the Auraria Campus Metro State students, and welcome to Metro State for new students. During the past year, and even the past months, much has changed in higher education and at Metro State. At the Federal Level higher education funding has been reconstructed under the deficit deal that passed on August 2nd to defund graduate school loans, while at the state level universities like Metro have seen reduced funding because of American Investment and Recovery Act funds drying up. With the substantial decrease of funding for Metro State over the past years and importance of securing Metro States preeminence in affordability, quality, and accessibility, I believe it to be important for the Student Body Government to represent our students at the largest factor in funding for the institution, the federal government. During the summer term this year I sought the opportunity for the SGA to attend the Young Americas Foundation National Conservative Student Conference in Washington DC in order for the SGA to gain a knowledge of leadership on campus, campaigning, and teambuilding, which

would be offered by the trip to Washington D.C. After the SGA’s trip to Los Angeles, California last year under a different administration to the USSA conference in which Metro States Delegates voices where refused, it seemed unreasonable to continue going to a conference that would take Metro States membership money but not lobby for issues important to our students. The Senate was offered to go to the 2011 USSA conference in Tallahassee, FL but as last year, there was a high potential that our issues of funding cuts and tuition increases would be ignored undemocratically by extinguishing the Metro State vote in the USSA caucus. Instead of going to beachside resort style conferences at premiums unacceptable for trying times, YAF was proposed as an option to attend a conference in DC that would allow us to get a view on the opinions of a conservative student, disallowed at the USSA conferences, receive ideas on campaigning for Metro State initiatives, and meet other student leaders from around the country. The location of the conference offered one other thing that being the proximity to the legislature while in the nation’s capital and the opportunity to directly lobby for Metro student needs instead of relying on hired lobbyist alone. There is nothing more powerful than the

voices of the student ringing through the aristocratic-like air of Washington. The delegation during and after the conference met with Senator Michael Bennet’s office, Colorado’s key player on education at the federal level, and the nation’s expert on education. We also represented Metro Students with Senator Mark Udall’s office and Diana DeGette’s office on federal higher education issues and we were able to discuss matters of the Debt Deal Act with our representatives. The Debt Deal Act was originally drafted by Senator Udall. The trip to YAF was planned as more than a conference trip, unlike USSA, empowering the delegates with the opportunity to represent you at the Federal Government and to bring Metro States financial standing and funding issues to a national playing field. During our meeting with Senator Bennet’s office, his representative expressed to us her sincerest appreciation that Metro State was passionate enough to come to Washington D.C. to meet about issues of higher education and lobby on behalf of the problems the institution and the students alike are facing. Nothing was more important she stated, than having students there to represent students, and not the muffled voices of lobbying firms or third parties to the funding dilemma. I could not agree

more, and for one third the cost of sending a delegation to USSA last year, I know the outcome and benefit for students was far greater. While in DC we made a lasting impact and I was able to sponsor Senator Bennet to host a town hall on campus the day after the Debt Deal vote to discuss the implication of the legislation and eminent dangers of our economic situation to students and the surrounding community. That was a wonderful opportunity for the campus, that through lobbying efforts and a focus on supporting students at the federal level, your SGA will be able to sponsor more of throughout the year. I look forward to a new year and a strong start with all of you. We are a great group here at Metro State, and with a little focus nothing can stop us from creating an even better intuition for future generations. I encourage you to help out the campus and our community by doing your part to help make Metro a brighter place. Through this year the SGA will help foster your experience on campus while helping you with outlets to contribute further to the institution, and the SGA is a great resource to start off your new experiences. As Metro SGA Vice President Tesa Jones and I always say, Get Empowered, Get Involved.

TheMetropolitan

August 18, 2011

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MetroSpective Spective

Going green tips for back-to-school By Megan Mitchell mmitch46@mscd.edu With fall semester beginning next week, students are already buying supplies and books and planning for their classroom needs. A usual pattern that we all fall into is assuming that a brand-new load of paper products and office supplies are necessary two or three or more times a year. All too often, students default to habits of buying the cheapest, easiest utensils and using pollutant transportation that gets the job done, but adds to the building pressure of an unsustainable environment. It’s necessary to be prepared, but it is equally important to be conscious of the effect that our consumption and habits have on our surroundings. Simple changes like diligently recycling and minimizing waste are easy to integrate into anyone’s lifestyle. For example, every ton of paper that is recycled saves approximately 17 trees, so using post-consumer recycled paper, and recycling it again is a virtually effortless way to make an enormous impact. Going green is something that must happen both in habit and in consumerism for it to work properly. These shopping and travel tips should get everyone headed in the right direction, and off to a cleaner, greener year.

Clothing • Second-hand stores: Buffalo Exchange, Goodwill and Denver thrift stores. • If second-hand isn’t your style, try buying for well-made, sustainable fabrics like organic cotton or bamboo rather than an easily torn material that wastes resources.

Food • Invest in a PVC-free, thermally insulated lunch bag, one made from recycled juice boxes or from organic cotton and keep lunches cool by freezing water or juice in a reusable container and putting it in the bag. • Use reusable plastic containers or a Wrap-n-Mat. • The Laptop Lunch box system (lunch box that doesn’t require paper or plastic bags to hold food at all, as it consists of a whole group of separate compartment).

Transportation • Walking, biking, busing — anything but idling in traffic. • Electric bikes: www.ecobike-usa.com. • Participate in events like International Walk to School Month (October).

Supplies • Look for biodegradable pencils like “Seed of a Pen.” • Use refillable pens and pencils, and recycled versions of both. • TheGreenOffice.com — An A-to-Z resource for greening the office cheap.

For more information visit: www.treehugger.com

• Try New Leaf Paper for printers. • Use Mead Recycled Notebooks.

TheMetropolitan MetroSpective August 18, 2011 • 11

Food trucks swarm Denver streets Civic Center EATS brings fast, delectable lunches to city park though September By Brad Roudebush wroudebu@mscd.edu Glistening in the mid-day sun, more than 20 multi-colored, vittle-vending vehicles summon Denver foodies to Civic Center Park 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday through Sept. 29 for Civic Center EATS. A haven for the hungry, the event draws in the masses to partake in an outdoor festival of food. From tacos to pizza, cupcakes to ice cream, street food is becoming more prevalent in Denver. This swing from “dirtywater dogs” (a moniker given to the wieners that sit in a bath of warm water — for weeks, some claim) to gourmet street eats is changing the way Denverites look at their gastronomic goodies.

“We came down here to kill some time and enjoy the sun. Now we are 30 dollars lighter in the wallet and 10 pounds heavier in the gut.” —Eric Patti, local business owner James Rugile, a chef and a James Beard Award semi-finalist in 2010, said the food trucks are becoming so popular because it is cost effective. “It’s really a low cost option of starting up a business in the food service industry,” Rugile said. “There is not a whole lot of overhead associated with running a food truck. Usually, you have one or two people in charge of their small business, and they don’t need to pay anyone else to run them.” The costs of owning and operating a

Metro alumni Sean Moore waits for customers inside his food truck August 16 during Civic Center EATS, which is an event taking place 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday through Sept. 29. Photo By Luke Powell • lpowel18@mscd.edu food truck are much less than a traditional restaurant, and there are only a few basic ingredients to the dish. The most obvious — a vehicle. Most prefer the spacious accommodations of a box-shaped van that can hold a flat-top griddle, a stove, and a fryer. Others make due with much less space. The Cozy Bean has taken a 1970 VW Bus and turned it in to a barista’s dream—completely equipped with all the makings of your local Starbucks, but produces a local product twice as tasty. Whatever your choice, you can find trucks

available for about $25,000—quite a bit less expensive than a purchasing a storefront. These mobile businesses must also obtain a Colorado vendor’s license. Potential food truck owners must pass health and fire inspections, complete an Affidavit of Commissary Form and a general business questionnaire and provide valid Colorado identification. They also must pay a one-time application fee of $200 and a yearly licensing fee of $150. Lauren Peschka and Eric Patti, owners of a small, local insurance brokerage, enjoyed

the wide variety the cost-effective food trucks at Civic Center EATS provide. “We came down here to kill some time and enjoy the sun,” Patti said. “Now we are 30 dollars lighter in the wallet and 10 pounds heavier in the gut.” “They have everything I could have wanted to try and more,” Peschka added. “You kind of expect a street fair to have hot dogs and maybe a place to grab a slice of pizza, but you would never expect to see a Venezuelan place next to a Greek place next to a biscuit place. It’s awesome!

MCA eliminates light to illuminate art Story and photo by Luke Powell lpowel18@mscd.edu@mscd.edu Liese Carberry and her children Hannah and Beth stare at their reflection as they stand upon artist Spencer Finch’s piece, “Between the Moon and the Sea,” which is just one of many pieces of the Denver’s Museum of Contemporary Art’s exhibition, “Victory Over The Sun.” The title of the exhibition refers to the 1913 opera, “Victory Over the Sun.” For this exhibition, all natural light was removed from the museum, allowing the artworks to act as their own source of illumination and define the spaces they occupy, while immersing the visitor in an art environment which explores a shared relationship between museum and theater. Other artists in the exhibition

include Dan Flavin, Scott Johnson, Juan Muñoz, Erin Shirreff, Melanie Smith and David Zimmer.

“Victory Over the Sun” MCA Denver

1485 Delgany St. Tuesday–Thursday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Friday: 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Saturday–Sunday: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Open now through Sept. 21

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August 18, 2011

MetSpective

TheMetropolitan

TheMetropolitan MetSpective

The nature of capturing, creating fine art

August 18, 2011

Scenes from the students

Auraria acts as learning base for first-ever Colorado Photography Festival By Megan Mitchell mmitch46@mscd.edu For more than five years, famed abstract nature photographer Nat Coalson has been teaching composition techniques and print production workshops at Auraria for students and Denver residents. Last weekend, Coalson and his colleague Grant Collier lead the first-ever Colorado Photography Festival on campus. The premise was a specialized symposium that focused on nature and landscape photography — covering everything from creative landscape concepts, to hands-on workshops, to technical production and printing. The three-day convention was originally Collier’s brainchild. He said his inspiration was entirely based on location. “I knew that Colorado is home to many of the nation’s best professional nature photographers,” he said. “And, of course, the

state has incredible natural beauty. No event of this kind had ever been held in Denver, so I felt like it was time to organize one.” Collier began planning for the lectures and workshops last year after he targeted exactly what kind of classes he was going to hold. It was important to him to not only provide a succinct forum for different areas of landscape photography, but to also cover every aspect of professional nature photography — from general concepts, to composition, to technical production and marketing. The first step in this process was an all-day seminar at Auraria where Collier and five other highly accomplished nature photographers each gave a presentation on different styles of landscape and nature photography, including abstract, nighttime, black and white, people in nature, travel and land formations. “[The lectures] were very helpful because my primary interest is in nature

A student at the Colorado Photography Festival looks at photo samples from instructor Nat Coalson Aug. 15 at the King Center. Photo by Steve Anderson • sande104@mscd.edu

FROM LEFT: Charles Barcum, Lis Greiaer and Elane Comeux are shown an example photo by Nat Coalson during his abstract nature photography workshop Aug. 14 at the Denver Botanic Gardens. Photo by Ryan Borthick • rborthic@mscd.edu and wildlife, and it was very nicely focused on that,” said Denver resident and student photographer, Pat Tracy. “I thought the speakers were a nice variety of approaches to the subject as a whole.” For the seminar, Collier lined up talent from renowned, Colorado-based nature photographers Andy Long, Dan Ballard, Steve Sieren, Glenn Randall, Stephen Weaver, Coalson and Collier himself to introduce their respective expertise on a beginner’s level. “Each instructor presented the concepts that were most important to them,” Collier said. “We tried to focus more on creative concepts, so as to keep the festival open to photographers of all skill levels, and not bore those who were already technically proficient.” The workshops on Sunday were held in six different locations off campus, and the attendees had their choice of which they would participate. Among the choices were Mt. Evans, Pikes Peak and local areas in Denver. Collier hosted his workshop for nighttime photography at The Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs, which lasted until midnight. Coalson’s abstractions in nature workshop was in two parts. Students spent the beginning of the day at Red Rocks, finding interesting rock patterns and shadows and using the golden morning light to capture the images artistically. “From doing very close up kind of work, you could see a lot of the striations and cross bedding in the rocks,” Coalson said. “I had them look for lines and shapes to create deliberate compositions.” Abstract photography takes a much different approach than normal landscape or wide-angle nature photography. “The biggest thing is to remove context,” Coalson said. “If you shoot the whole thing, people will be able to identify it, but if you eliminate elements from the picture, you

don’t have that visual context to be sure of what you’re looking at.” Part two of his workshop was held at the Denver Botanic Gardens during the rosy afternoon hours. Pat Tracy went to Coalson’s seminar and said that it was the most creative and unique concept to practice. “That was one area that I hadn’t had a lot of experience in through my other classes,” Tracy said. “I thought it would give me a chance to try something completely different than usual.” Coalson also lead a technical production lecture on how to use Lightroom soft ware on the final day of the symposium, August 15, in the King Center. He has been teaching image editing and printing classes at Auraria for more than five years and has published three books on the subject, the most recent of which was released last May. “Most people don’t really know how to make the most of their pictures,” Coalson said. “So learning how to process them with soft ware to really enhance them or optimize them is what makes a good picture great.” From a marketing standpoint, Photoshop and Lightroom are integral to creating quality images and prints, he said. Collier has also taught photography seminars at Auraria and found it to be a perfect location for the launch of his event. He said that he would hold the festival every August and expand it on campus to include more workshops, seminars and eventually portfolio reviews. Though he wasn’t sure what to expect the first time around, and may be changing a few details for next year, Collier plans to always rely on multiple photographers to ensure a unique variety of skill and perspective. “The instructors’ presentations surpassed my expectations,” he said. “And they really made the event much more successful than if I had held a more standard workshop and was the only instructor.”

ABOVE: An image taken at dusk Aug. 15 for Grant Collier’s nighttime photography workshop at The Garden of the Gods. Photo by Pamela Colander, special to The Metropolitan LEFT: A valley at Mt. Evans. Photo by Amy Plackemeier, special to The Metropolitan

LEFT: An image a bee pollenating taken during the first Colorado Photography Festival, Aug. 14. Photo by Christopher Thomas, special to The Metropolitan

RIGHT: Peaks at Mt. Evans in the early morning. Photo by Amy Plackemeier, special to The Metropolitan

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TheMetropolitan August 18, 2011 • 15

AudioFiles On the record

In light of the Office Of Student Media Week — which takes place throughout the first week of classes — we here at The Metropolitan though it’d be nice to take a look back at our beloved “On the Record” series. Since September of 2009, people have been writing about their favorite albums and how they relate to a special time in their lives. Here are a few highlights, including photojournalism professor Kenn Bisio’s personal take on the feature.

A timeline of timeless albums Bruce Springsteen, Nebraska

09/03/09 “On the Record” gets its first spin as “This Album Changed My Life,” a feature in which the writer describes an album that defines a poignant time in their life.

“A good friend of mine knew that I liked folk music and gave me Nebraska, obviously as a cheap Christmas gift. With the $7.99 price tag still stuck to the album’s plastic wrapping, I saw it as a sign of inherent mediocrity. Yet, within my most troubled year, I was given a guide. I put the disc in my car stereo right then and there and was forever entranced.” — Ian Gassman

Bob Dylan, The Free Wheelin’ Bob Dylan “I always find myself going back to the album at pivotal turns in my life. It might be a big event that shakes the country, or, in retrospect, something small, like a breakup. But for every moment, Freewheelin’ hits it on the nose.” — Julie Vitkovskaya

10/01/09 “This Album Changed My Life” quickly evolves into “On the Record.”

Kid Cudi, Man On the Moon

Bach, Greatest Hits

02/17/11 After some time, guest contributors started writing about their quintessential, “lifechanging” album, including the Denverbased musician, Stuart Confer.

“While flipping through a milk crate of records, one in particular caught my eye, Bach – the Greatest Hits album. I was confused by the attribution of the word “hits” in regard to the famous Baroque era composer, picturing men living in the 18th century, wearing their white wigs, listening to Bach’s music for the first time and exclaiming: ‘Now this is a fucking hit!’” — Stuart Confer

04/29/11 Recently, “On the Record” has become a sounding board for the emotional memories that music can trigger.

“Despite the fact that most of Buena Vista’s youth hated rap, Kylie listened to an abundance of it without remorse, and Cudi’s first album was one of her favorites. It quickly became one of mine. We bonded over our out-of-place musical tastes and eventually, after the summer ended, we moved into an apartment together. Then her big brother, Adam, died … It wasn’t fair that Adam died, and she knew that. But she planned to make up for it by living her life with as much joy, love and fun as she could. Because that’s what Adam would’ve wanted for [her]. After his funeral, our friends and I accompanied her on a drive, and after declaring to the entire car, ‘This is for you, Adam,’ … she switched on Kid Cudi. She sang ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ loudly, with tears in her eyes, and we all sang with her.” —Emily Bryant

Hot Rize, Traditional Ties

08/18/11 For this issue, photojournalism professor Kenn Bisio talks about his close friend and musical mentor, Charles Sawtelle.

Back in 1998, during the late summer or maybe the early fall, I was on my way to see Hot Rize— Colorado’s own bluegrass band—at my personal oasis: the Chautauqua

Auditorium in Boulder. As I hurried toward the auditorium, I recognized a lone figure sitting on the semi-circle, concrete bench just outside the north entrance doors. I told the folks I was with that I saw someone I knew and that I needed to go sit with him for a minute … I missed the concert. See, I met Charles Sawtelle in 1975 when he was a banjo player in The Skiffle Band with Mary Flower and Geoff Withers. After one of their gigs, I told Flower that Sawtelle was the best banjo player I’d ever heard. She took me by the arm and led me away, then told me not to truly admire

Sawtelle’s banjo picking because, “he’s really a guitar player.” What an understatement. Before Sawtelle’s “best-guitar-player-in-theworld” days with Hot Rize, he worked in the Folklore Center at 17th and Pearl. I was a staff shooter at The Denver Post and, on my way to work I’d stop to see Sawtelle, as well as the owner of the Folklore Center, Harry Tuft. Sawtelle sold me my first Martin guitar. It was a D–76, No. 939 out of 1,976. And, for a wedding present, my wife, Terri, bought me another Martin from Sawtelle. Then, I began taking lessons at the Folklore Center, three years before Sawtelle co–founded Hot Rize with banjo player Pete Wernick, bassist Nick Forester and mandolin player Tim O’Brien. Sawtelle and I would always make time to see each other when he came home from the road. His house was a cool place in Boulder, with a bit of land, and his prized studio, Rancho DeVille. We played guitar there together, him at 78 bpm

and me a slow 33 1/3 (yeah, it’s a vinyl thing). Then, we’d head to Juanita’s for chili rellenos on the Pearl Street Mall. Sitting on the bench that night with Sawtelle at Chautauqua our conversation wandered back and forth over the 24 years we had known each other. He wasn’t playing that night with Hot Rize because his battle with leukemia had become a raging war. And yet, this night, I could see defeat in him for the first time. Not from the cancer but because he wasn’t on stage. As the band played from the distant auditorium, we both knew this was his last concert. So we sat and listened to it together, to our own concert of laughs, tears and memories of how things once were. He died six months later on March 20, 1999. Ultimately, to hear the mystery and magic of Charles Sawtelle’s guitar playing, check out a song like “Frank’s Blues,” from Hot Rize’s 1986 album, Traditional Ties.

TheMetropolitan AudioFiles August 18, 2011 • 17

Photo Flashback: Tour Edition

Ska Skank Redemption’s summer adventure Story and photos by Chris “Spike” Todd • ctodd15@mscd.edu

COUNTER CLOCKWISE: Mark Kinz, Adam Ross, Hannah Lewis, Kyle Etges and two members of Iwanaga play the Bel Tower, June 30 in Fresno, CA.

musicians like Storming Stages and Stereos, who put on a killer set, once more raising the bar that the band vowed to meet. After one day of camping in a back yard, everyone headed for a bar in Boise called the Liquid Lounge. Sadly, the crowd was small, but those Boise folk still rocked out harder to Ska Skank than most of the other audiences. So, after one of the Boise bands let us sleep on their floor, we barreled through strong winds and rain and got to Portland’s Backspace Bar by June 29. After we said goodbye to Portland, we drove 5-10 hours for a brief stop in Stockton, CA. and ended up in Fresno, CA., the home of Bel Tower, a D.I.Y. punk rock house venue and another floor to sleep on. If anything, this place was hot, moist, covered in graffiti and proudly represented one of the Ska Skank’s guitarist, Sara “Quickfingers” LaFavre. most tightly knit punk scenes I have ever come across. In true as they left California and made their way punk fashion, the show was free, allowing through Arizona and New Mexico to their everyone to stop by and show some genuine home state. support for the bands. By the end, the band was glad to cap off That night, we had a relaxing six-hour their tour by headlining at Hodi’s Halfnote drive to San Diego, where we spent the next in Ft. Collins. After engaging the audience, four days. Everyone learned to surf, hung like usual, the seven members gratefully out on the beach, met some very nice and smashed through some encore songs, finalgenerous people and got to play another izing their last tour performance. D.I.Y. venue called Park Gallery. Here, the But, beyond playing all those great local ska superstars, The Skank Agents, shows, giving away over 500 D.I.Y. albums, showed up to play under their alias, Neon nearly 1,000 stickers and selling over 50 Lightning Storm, showing everyone that shirts, Ska Skank had an adventure. Comhair metal and ska can make for a fun show. plete with tons of laughs and a warm recepThis was a lovely send-off for Ska Skank tion from the west coast punk scene.

click Hear

Download this

With every fall semester comes a handful of new stories about what people did over the summer. Some people go into detail about their passionate summer fling, others ramble on about their favorite summer bar and a few talk about going on their ultimate summer road trip. But not many get to say they went on 16-day tour with a renowned Denver ska band known as Ska Skank Redemption. See, for nearly two weeks, I was lucky enough to follow around this ska outfit and witness their tour firsthand. Collectively, Ska Skank is a group of seven musicians that hail from all over the Front Range. Just last month, they bravely traveled 3,800 miles to the west coast in a 16 ft. Penske rental trunk and a Volkswagen Jetta to bring their unique mixture of ska to some new audiences. Like Streetlight Manifesto, Ska Skank

has a strong rhythm section in which bassist Corey Golon, guitarist Sara LeFavre and drummer Royal Langer supply the fast, rhythmic element to each of Ska Skank’s songs. Meanwhile, trumpeter Hannah Lewis and tenor sax player Adam Ross lay down the horns that are quintessential to the ska genre. To top it all off, frontmen Kyle Etges and Mark Kinz deliver wild vocals while rocking an equally powerful baritone sax and bass trombone. The tour kicked off with an amazing, June 24 show at Moe’s BBQ in Englewood. This is what made the tour so great; each band member wanted every show to be better than the last and it worked. Early the next day, everything was eagerly packed up and driven to the Kilby Court, a venue in Salt Lake City. Here, Ska Skank got to rub shoulders with some cool SLC punks and

Intothewoods Hey, if you’re out there feeling deprived of good tunes, The Metropolitan wants to help. Go online and click, hear, then get acquainted with some of the best music-oriented sites on the web. Music television at its best. Photo This week, we bring you courtesy of intothewoods.tv intothewoods.tv. By Ian Gassman • igassman@mscd.edu Into the Woods’ mission is to make the best music television possible. There aren’t any gimmicks when it comes to this Portland-based film crew and their subsequent website. There are only clever ideas and pristine, intimately filmed videos of today’s most renowned artists playing, well, great music. It all started with a simple concept: take a band “into the woods” and film an impromptu set inside a secluded cabin. This spawned about seven more film series, including “Far From Home,” which showcases touring bands that are out of their element, playing in various places around Portland. The most recent cut features Okkervil River

Hot Congress sampler We here at The Metropolitan believe music should be easy to obtain. So, stop scratching at those iTunes gift cards or scrambling for CDs and download this. Grab a free sample. Photo courtesy of Hot Congress Records By Ian Gassman • igassman@mscd.edu

jamming an obscure b-side in the historic Crystal Ballroom. Adversely, “Feels Like Home” gives an intimate, even candid look at local Portland bands playing inside their practice spaces. From the gorgeous, ‘60s vibes of Radiation City to the quirky, but danceable sounds of Starfucker, each band gets to play a set where they feel most comfortable. Not only are the videos streamed in the highest definition, they load quickly. But, more importantly, they are all archived on intothewoods.tv. It’s hard not to spend hours clicking through various videos, finding new artists or revisiting old favorites.

For the past few years, the Denverbased record label and artist collective, Hot Congress, has been a purveyor of great local music. This year, they’ve released another awesome sampler, but the best part is: it’s free. Of the 12 fresh tracks, there are plenty of cuts from Hot Congress mainstays. Kissing Party, for instance, has an atmospheric change of pace with “Winter in the Pub.” Achille Lauro sports a dark, dancey gem called “Low Cha Cha.” Even the longtime poet, and true Hot Congress icon, Ken Arkind, has a heartfelt slam that will surely raise an eyebrow or two.

Otherwise, the sampler holds a preview of The Don’ts and Be Carefuls’ upcoming EP with the ever-so upbeat track “So Money.” Hindershot gives listeners a taste of their next release with the lush, Beach Boysesque “Sit, Stand, Speak.” And, Amazing Twin has a literally amazing new track that recalls classic Kings of Leon. All of this can be downloaded at hotcongressrecords.com under the “sampler” tab. But be sure to keep your ear to the ground for more Hot Congress shows so you can pick one up in person.

• August 18, 2011 TheMetropolitan

MetSports

Metro ready to kickoff 2011 2010 record: 17-2-2 overall; 12-1-1 RMAC • Favorite to win the RMAC, with a preseason ranking of #9 in the country • The Orediggers return their top five scorers for 2011, led by forward Tesho Akindele (19 goals in 2010)

2 Regis

2010 record: 14-3-4 overall; 9-2-3 RMAC • Ranked #18 in the NCAA pre-season poll. • The Rangers only lost one game on the road last year (lost two at home)

3 Fort Lewis

2010 record: 11-5-4 overall; 10-2-2 RMAC • Senior Fabian Kling led the Skyhawks with eight goals in 2010. • Solid and well-balanced team; 15 different players scored goals last season

4 Colorado Mesa

2010 record: 10-7-2 overall: 6-6-2 RMAC • Lost All-Region defender Jake Jobe to graduation. Has holes to fill on defense. • Didn’t have a player that scored more than six goals, but had eight players that scored two or more goals in 2010.

5 Metro State

2010 record: 12-6-2 overall; 8-4-2 RMAC • Strong core of senior players that should be able to replace Steven Emory, who graduated last year • Returning goalkeeper junior Issa Bissau recorded four shutouts in his first four starts in 2010.

6 Colorado St.-Pueblo

2010 record:7-11-1 overall; 6-7-1 RMAC • Senior Robert Kinsey tallyed eight goals and two assists as a junior last year. • Wild-card type of team; the Thunderwolves could be a surprise team in the RMAC in 2011

7 UC-Colorado Springs

2010 record: 5-12-1 overall: 4-9-1 RMAC • Goalkeeper Brandon Costa recorded a season-high 11 saves against Metro last season. • Undefeated in overtime matches last year (2-0-1)

8 Adams State

2010 record: 1-16-0 overall; 1-13-0 RMAC • The Grizzlies have only one senior, midfielder Peter Freeman, returning in 2011. • Many holes to fill, as Adams State scored only nine goals while allowing 85 in 2010

9 Colorado Christian

2010 record: 1-18-0 overall: 1-13-0 RMAC • The Cougars lost 13-straight matches to end 2010. • Rebuilding year for CCU, four seniors to lead a team consisting mostly of sophomores.

By Daniel Laverty dlaverty@mscd.edu After finishing the 2010 campaign at 126-2, another season of men’s soccer is just around the bend. Metro enters 2011 with incoming recruits, a core group of seniors and is coming off of an undefeated spring season. The Roadrunners will have to use all three of these tools to fi ll the void of Steven Emory. The 2009 and 2010 RMAC Player of the Year scored 17 goals and had 10 assists during the 2010 campaign. Emory now plays for the Colorado Rapids. “We’re not going to be reliant on a single person,” head coach Ken Parsons said of the upcoming season. “With this group, we have several weapons.” Senior forward Scott Grode is coming off a successful 2010, scoring 10 goals and tallying five assists. He also led the team with 102 shot attempts last year. “Grode is going to be a productive leader on the field,” Parsons said. “He lets his game do the talking.” Grode joins Dominique Griffith, Scott

Crawford, Chris Yoder and Dele Johnson as the 2011 seniors. Zack Kampf (BYU-Hawaii) and Ryan Warren (Eastern Illinois University) will join Metro as transfers. Jake Beerman, Josh Buysse, Jacob Candelaria, Michael Schellenbaum and T.J. Thiebaut round out the list of incoming freshman. The one thing the Runners can bank on is solid play at the goalkeeper position. Junior Issa Bissau is coming off a stellar season, posting a .90 goals against average and a .818 save percentage. Bissau, who was named First Team All-RMAC, also recorded nine shutouts last season, including a Metro record four straight. “There is no greater competitor on the team,” senior Scott Crawford said of Bissau. “He’s intense. He wants to win all the time. [I] feel confident with him back there.” Staying healthy will be vital to Metro’s success this season. Coach Parsons said that injuries are what kept the Runners from being more successful last season. After completing exhibition and nonconference games, the Runners’ opening schedule is less than favorable, as their first

< Our experts pick their pre-season favorites for men’s soccer in the RMAC for 2011

c o S cer

1 Colorado Mines

three RMAC games will be played on the road. Metro will make trips to UC-Colorado Springs, Colorado Mesa University and Regis University before hosting Colorado Christian University Sept. 23 at Auraria Field. “Our team is going to have the same mentality going into both [home and away games],” Crawford said. “Home field advantage for someone else isn’t going to matter.” Metro will have two games circled on its calendar in 2011. The Colorado School of Mines Orediggers, the team that knocked Metro out of the RMAC tournament and eventual RMAC champions in 2010, will visit Auraria Field Sept. 25 and will host the Runners Oct. 21. All of Metro’s six losses last year were by one goal, and Coach Parsons won’t accept that. “This is going to be a team that doesn’t lose those games,” Parsons said. “We’re always in the mix [in the RMAC].” Metro will open with exhibition matches against Western Nebraska Community College Aug. 19 and Hastings College Aug. 20 at Auraria Field.

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TheMetropolitan MetSports August 18, 2011

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Nicholls back in business Senior forward ready for 2011 after rough 2010

She has worked as a nanny for three different families for the past seven years, thus displaying great leadership skills in the world outside the soccer field as well. “Taylor, for us, has been a great fouryear player,” head coach Adrianne Almaraz said. “Last year, she came out the season starting for us. Then, she got injured halfway through the season. “ Metro was 8-1-1 before Nicholls’ seasonending back injury. The Roadrunners went 4-4-3 the rest of the way to finish 2010 with a 12-5-4 record. “[It] was a bummer,” Almaraz said. “She’s always been one of the first players her first two years off the bench and kind of gave us a boost. She’s been a pleasure to work with. She’s stepping up to the plate in that leadership role, and you like to see that, especially for seniors who are going out.” Coach Almaraz praises Nicholls’ efforts and is not alone in doing so. Her teammates love having her, especially valuing her character and competitiveness. “She is a great asset to the team,” senior defender Jakkie Greer said. “She’s a great player, very competitive. As a person, she’s great. She’s a leader on and off the field, and she kicks butt in the classroom.” Nicholls is determined more than ever to make the most of her senior season. With her 2010 campaign cut short, she is focused on staying healthy and being a productive leader on the team. Nicholls has played soccer since she was

By Paul Meyer pmeyer8@mscd.edu After suffering numerous knee injuries over the course of her soccer career, as well as a back injury in 2010, Metro senior women’s soccer forward Taylor Nicholls is doing everything in her power to leave health woes behind and continue working hard on the field and in the classroom. Nicholls missed the final 11 games of the Roadrunners’ 2010 season as a result of her back injury. Now that she’s recovered, the 21-yearold Littleton native is ready to move on and lead Metro this upcoming season, which starts Aug. 19. Although she knows her obligations, Nicholls manages to balance that with the rest of her schedule. Outside of her duties with the women’s soccer squad, Nicholls enjoys boating, swimming and hiking. “I love the mountains, and I love [spending time in the] water,” Nicholls said. She is also an elementary education major and English minor, crediting her job as a nanny for choosing that path.

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Women’s soccer senior forward Taylor Nicholls focuses on a healthy 2011. Photo by Steve Anderson • sande104@mscd.edu

AURARIA CAMPUS

about 3 years old, and has loved every day of it. She cited her parents , who both played soccer, as her main motivation to take the field, but United States soccer legend Mia Hamm also inspired her. Hamm, whose stardom has been responsible for many American girls getting into soccer, reached fame through the U.S. Women’s World Cup teams. “I always wanted to be like Mia Hamm,” Nicholls said. Nicholls went on to play varsity soccer at Heritage High School, where she was a four-year letter winner. After that, she transitioned to Metro. “They had a great reputation, they won nationals twice, and [Metro] is close to home,” Nicholls said, explaining why she chose to play Roadrunner soccer. Metro’s two National Championships in women’s soccer were in 2004 and 2006. Nicholls also said she loves playing for Metro because of her teammates and the coaching staff. She is also able to continue taking care of the children she nannies. However, other people’s kids are not all she has to deal with. “I have a little brother and sister, [and] they’re going into middle school next fall,” Nicholls said. Given the extracurricular activities she participates in, Nicholls has proved to be a great role model. Easier said than done.

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20 • Aug. 18, 2011 MetSports TheMetropolitan

Don’t underestimate Colorado Rapids culture For the first time in my life, I went to a Colorado Rapids game at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Aug. 5. To be blunt, I underestimated the Rapids’ culture in Commerce City, home of DSG Park. I initially did not care for the Rapids because they are not one of the big four (Broncos, Nuggets, Rockies, Avalanche) in Colorado sports. Then, Colorado defeated FC Dallas for the Major League Soccer Cup last November. That moment slowly, but surely, sparked my interest in the Rapids, as well as soccer in general. I went with my buddy Chris and a few of his friends. I decided to go see the Rapids take on the Columbus Crew because it came to my attention that I had never seen DSG Park. Heck, I had never even been up to Commerce City before that night. I was blown away by DSG Park’s atmosphere. I felt the energy flowing through and around me, from the other fans attending the game to the public address announcer’s vocal enthusiasm. The response to each of Colorado’s goals was louder than I had anticipated. The word “loud” might even be an understatement. I also fell in love with the actual stadium, which opened April 7, 2007. Nothing against the majestic Coors Field, but DSG Park is the nicest Colorado sport facility I’ve seen so far. It was a very comforting, family-friendly environment. Yes, it can be dull to watch soccer on television, but the real soccer experience comes from physically going to a match.

Matt Hollinshead mhollin5@mscd.edu It’s a whole different universe in person. I was engaged in the match from start to finish. The excitement came naturally. Sure, MLS isn’t like FIFA and other international competition, but I saw a bit of soccer culture for myself throughout the stadium, let alone on the north side of the stadium. The north side of the park, which was directly the opposite side from where I sat, is where all those loud Rapid fanatics you’ve probably seen on Altitude sit. Like every other home game, they taunted the opposing squad while cheering for Colorado. So, what else was different about this experience, you might ask? For one thing, I sat in the lower level with a good vantage point from the field, and I was near the accommodations, including hot, good and gooey pizza at the Marco’s Pizzeria booth. Next to the pizza booth was the “Lads Night Out” area, where people who purchased tickets through that particular deal received a free T-shirt, hot dog and can of Heineken with their tickets.

The total price, including the pizza slice from Marco’s, came to $32.25. To me, that’s magnificent. You can’t beat that sort of deal at a sporting event. Sure, the pizza slice was an extra $7.25, but when paired with the “Lads” ticket deal, it made the entire package even sweeter. Don’t get me wrong, as a college kid, I love the fact that “Rockpile” seats at Coors Field are only $4 each, but I like to be close to the action, be able to get beer and food. I believe I’d end up saving money by choosing to attend a Rapids game over a Rockies game. I’d have to pay $32 or more for an infield area ticket at Coors Field. How can I pass up sitting relatively close to the field at DSG Park, and receive free food and merchandise for that price? If my motives for attending a sporting event were entirely financial, I would opt for that Rapids deal. The Rapids won that game, 2-0, thanks to midfielder Brian Mullan and forward Omar Cummings, two of Colorado’s biggest soccer stars. If you’re looking to do something fun with your loved ones, buddies, colleagues, or whoever, I encourage you to go to a Rapids game.

Ultimately, if the team were to try harder to market itself more effectively, which is currently their biggest dilemma in getting more fans to come to the games, I think it’d make the occasion even more special. The beauty of Rapids soccer is that it’s an internationally popular game right in Denver’s backyard. Why not take advantage of that when, in all likelihood, the average Joe probably won’t have the opportunity to travel to England or Spain to watch good soccer? Don’t underestimate Rapids culture, my friends. One day, the rest of Colorado will know about it.

The beauty of Rapids soccer is that it’s an internationally popular game right in Denver’s backyard.

Members of Metro’s 2011 Hall of Fame class pose after being inducted. The 2011 class included the 2001-2002 men’s basketball team, former men’s basketball coach Mike Dunlap, basketball players Stephanie Allen and Natasha Molock, and former vice president of administration Joseph Arcese. The inductees were treated to a catered dinner and given a chance to speak about their time at Metro. “I’m very honored,” Arcese said. “It’s wonderful to be acknowledged for the work that we did with Metro State athletics.” The inductees join a highly decorated and storied Metro athletic Hall of Fame. “It was an unbelievable experience,” Allen said. “I’m very humbled to accept this award with these great inductees.” The recipients were excited about the direction that Metro has taken since their departures. “I wish it was like this when I was here,” Allen said. “It’s really nice to see the support that (athletes) get from the athletic department.”

Photo by Ryan Borthick • rborthic@mscd.edu

Page 22 • AUGUST 18, 2011

TheMetropolitan

TimeOut

This Week 8.18

Young Professionals Happy Hour 5:01–7 p.m. Colorado Saddlery Building 1631 15th St.

Will include beer, wine, hor d’oeuvres, a live bluegrass band and tours of the historic building. Vintage Western wear is encouraged. $20.01–25.01

8.19

Art Night Out 6–9 p.m. 311 S. Public Road, Lafayette Will showcase a mix of music, 20 sculptures and special prices at shops and restaurants. Free

Across

1- Remove a covering 6- Broad valley 10- Dog star 14- First prime minister of India 15- Inter ___ 16- Highway 17- Use a baton, say 18- Not e’en once; 19- Exile isle 20- Archipelago part 21- Act of occupying 23- Billboards, some say 25- Bad luck 26- Clumsy boat 27- Home of the Black Bears 29- Brown earth pigment 32- Biscuitlike quick bread 33- Paris possessive 36- Turned right 37- Words of denial

38- Teeming 39- Actor Linden 40- Donnybrook 41- Artery that feeds the trunk 42- Be silent, musically 43- Comedian Philips 44- Set upon 47- Entangled 51- Driving forward 54- Goneril’s father 55- After the bell 56- Actress Skye 57- Basil-based sauce 58- Large jug or pitcher 59- Unclothed 60- Adlai’s running mate 61- Donations to the poor 62- Epic narrative poem 63- Orgs.

Down

1- Free laces, say 2- Informative 3- Whence Pinochet 4- Apprehended 5- Monetary unit of Afghanistan 6- Move rhythmically 7- Actor Baldwin 8- In ___ of 9- Headset 10- Playground retort 11- Like a rock 12- Forbidden 13- Hersey’s bell town 21- Eyeball 22- Bang-up 24- Belonging to us 27- Eight singers 28- Capital of Italy 29- Exclamation of disgust 30- Cry ___ River 31- Babylonian title 32- Boot bottom

33- Highly respectful way of addressing a man 34- Baby newt 35- Large body of water 37- It may be plunging 38- Like vagabonds 40- Clublike weapon 41- Latin 101 verb 42- Thin candles 43- Chang’s twin 44- Cop ___ 45- Fishing net 46- Emblem 47- Leg joints 48- Quizzes, trials 49- Consumed 50- Refuse 52- Half-mask 53- ___-European 57- Green shade

Texts From Last Night Let’s go get our ovaries removed together. It’ll be like bonding by getting mani/pedis, but with more vicodin and less unwanted pregnancies. My 16 year old coworker just told me I should take my job more seriously after she watched me puke in the backroom trash can. Fuck teenagers with morals. Figured you should hear this from me. Your refrigerator door is way broken. I opened it last night when i was drunk and tried to climb the shelves. i got to the one with the mustard. When you agree to fuck a guy it does by NO means make it okay for his roommate to hide in the closet with doritos and watch.

8.20

Denver Pet Expo 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Denver Merchandise Mart E. 58th Ave. and I-25

More than 175 pet-friendly exhibitors and rescue groups, demonstrations, giveaways, prizes, discounts on products, contests and more. For more information: www.DenverPetExpo.com/ Free

8.21

Yoga Rocks the Park 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m. Denver City Park

Offers yoga, organic food and drink vendors, music drum circles and more. Free

8.22

Welcome Back Celebration 7:30–9:30 a.m. King Center

Remarks by Metro President Stephen Jordan and presentation of awards. Breakfast will be served. Free

8.23

Free Movie Night Sunset Auraria, lawn between Arts Building and Plaza Building Showing of “Pirates of the Caribbean on Stranger Tides.” Pizza and popcorn provided. Free

8.24

Nature! Working

12 p.m. EventGallery 910Arts 910 Santa Fe Drive

Interactive exhibit to raise awareness of social and environmental issues.