t he scribe
A Look Inside the ISSUE
CAMPUS NEWS
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The official student newspaper of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. November 12 to November 18, 2009 [Volume 34; Issue 12]
Women’s & Ethnics Studies plans new classes Three Native American Studies classes announced during WEST Open House event
Questioning the FCQs
page 4
CULTURE
Movie Review: “A Serious Man”
page 5
PARADOX
Don Kingler’s Distinguished Professor nomination interrupted by Kanye West
page 9
OPINION | #Social Apology | Nostalgia: Paying homage to your past
page 10
SPORTS Sophomore season of women’s soccer proves ‘successful’ with participation in playoffs
page 11 | Sports Buzz | Brett Favre’s talent can’t be contained
page 11
In the Middle the FEATURE
University Village Preview pages 6 and 7
Aditi Mitra, Robert Dassanowsky, Dena Samuels, Abby Ferber, and Jason Bovee mingle during the WEST Open House.
Brandi Ballard bballard@uccs.edu
New programs and scholarships have recently drawn students to the Women’s and Ethnic Studies program. At a Women’s and Ethic Studies (WEST) Department open house this week, Janice Gould, an assistant WEST professor, announced that the department is finalizing a new Native American Studies certificate program for WEST majors and minors. “Completion of the certificate can be beneficial for enhancing future career options and interests,” said Gould about the new pro-
Snow days: Who closes campus?
gram. The approval of the program will result in the development of new Native American Studies classes. “We will be submitting at least three classes for review this month,” said Gould. “Those three classes, which I’m excited about developing, are Native American Perspectives on Museums, Native American Perspectives on Environment and Sustainability, and Native American Philosophical Thought.” In addition to the Native American Studies program, said Andrea Herrera, director of the WEST department, will be a few other programs. “We will be creating a certificate program/ minor in Latino Studies,
“I know when I have to go back and forth between school, it’s a lot better when they close it down so I don’t have to worry about being on the roads. The last time we had that delay until noon, they had that up on the website at six in the morning, and they definitely beat a lot of classes.” Freshman Anthony Siska
Jessica Vaughan jvaugha2@uccs.edu
Student safety is the number one priority at UCCS for campus closures or delays due to weather. Chief of Police Jim Spice and Provost Margaret Bacon have to follow a specific procedure in order to get the word out on
CONTACT
a weather related delay or closure. Bacon ultimately decides when the campus is going to be delayed or closed, and sometimes Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak is involved. In order for Bacon to make an informed decision, Spice gathers information on the state of the roads and weather. Spice must complete a
Ariel Lattimore
and we are currently in the process of hiring someone in Africana/Black Studies, with both a domestic and global focus. We are continuing to grow,” said Herrera. According to the department’s website, the WEST program was “established in the spring of 2008 as an interdisciplinary course of studies. The program evolved from existing programs in Women’s Studies and Ethnic Studies. Both the WEST major and the Women’s Studies and Ethnic Studies minors provide an intersectional perspective to the study of race, gender and other systems of oppression and privilege.”
Many WEST courses are cross-listed in areas such as English, music, philosophy and political science. Herrera encourages students to consider a dual major in WEST, as students can double count up to six crosslisted credits toward their WEST major. One of the most-asked questions the WEST faculty receives is “what can I do with a degree in Women’s and Ethnic Studies?” According to a flyer distributed by the department, the “WEST degree at UCCS provides students with a large range of skills and expertise, preparing them for a wide variety of jobs or graduate programs.” Additionally, “the WEST
major not only provides essential skills for a wide range of careers, but prepares students for graduate school as well. Many of our students enter Masters and PhD programs, JD programs, or pursue teaching or counseling certification.” Another highlight at the open house was the opening of the Let Your Voices Be Heard – Rosa Parks and Cesar E. Chavez scholarships, open to undergraduate students in any discipline. The deadline for entries is Feb. 25. For more information on these upcoming classes and programs, visit the Women’s and Ethnic Studies Department’s website at www.uccs. edu/west. ◆
series of different tasks in order to retrieve this information. He begins by taking a drive on the roads on and around campus to determine whether or not they are safe. In addition, the forecast and measures being taken by other schools in the area are examined. Spice then has to report his findings to Bacon, and it is up to her to make a decision, based on Spice’s information, on whether or not to close or delay the campus. To ensure that students and faculty are all made fully aware of the closures, four things must be updated. The campus closure telephone system must be updated
with a message pertaining to the closure of the day, and how long it is predicted to last. A website that goes out to all of the news stations in town is updated with the same information. The IT Help Desk is then notified, and finally an email is sent to all faculty, staff and students to update them about the closure or delay. This entire process takes 10 to15 minutes. “The primary premise for weather-related closing of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs is that the institution will remain open unless there is unreasonable risk or danger to a substantial number of students and employees due
to unreasonably hazardous driving conditions to campus,” Spice stated. “Whatever decision we make, someone is always unhappy and we are always getting complaints,” Spice admitted. “There might be three feet dumped in Woodland Park, but when nothing happens around the University, there is nothing we can do about that and it is not a potential harm to a substantial number of students,” he concluded. Students looking for information concerning delays on inclement weather days should call the campus closure phone line at 719255-3346. ◆
| phone: (719) 255 - 3658 | fax: (719) 255 - 3600 | email: scribe@uccs.edu | website: www.uccsscribe.com
2
editorial
November 12 to November 18, 2009
scribe staff
Mount Vesuvius, please hold for communication error
Jackie Parkinson Executive Editor
I called. No answer. I sent a text. No answer. I sent an email. No answer. We have all been in this situation one time or another, and some of us have been in this situation too many times to recount. Yet, we still go through the process of seeking out an individual, wanting to engage in a conversation on the terms of business, catching up, or just curing boredom, leaving a message or text for them to seek us out, then waiting. It’s the waiting that kills. The waiting is what keeps us pondering as to what they are doing that kept them from answering the phone, or caused them to not reply straight away to our text oremail. Then when they call or seek you out to reciprocate your prior intention, all is solved and you can move on with your life. While this is not a case of He’s Just Not That Into You, I will not plague the students of UCCS with a feminist agenda as to why men suck at communication. What I will say is that we remain in the aforementioned pattern too easily. We see someone call us, decide to make them sweat by not calling them back to avoid
the conversation you know is going to happen, then it’s either sink or swim. You can call them back or you can pretend like your phone did not work that night or say a herd of rhinoceroses came into your apartment, because you secretly know that the person seeking you out will forgive you. They’ll forgive you because either they are a) trying to mask their anger, b) have already chewed you out for being a jerk and not calling them back, or c) just really do not care or have time to worry about your insolence. I say we all select c) when placed in this situation. After all, when a professor decides that they are going to magically misplace your email, they probably just fix the problem and move on with their lives. After all, they are hunted down daily by hundreds of students begging for a passing grade. After all, you have to have a little sympathy for that professor, because that the person in your class that sits in the front row eating every word they say, regurgitating every statement into their own words to receive participation without any intellectual thought whatsoever, and emailing them daily about an assignment after hunting them down during their office hours, is probably the one who clogged their inbox in the first place, which caused the misplacement of your email. If your professor had chosen a) trying to mask their anger, then he would have eventually subjected himself to a meltdown the size of Mount Vesuvius’s eruption,
and I really do not want to be embalmed in ash for eternity, so I commend his choice. B) Have already chewed you out for being a jerk and not calling them back is also not the optimum choice. While I have fancied this option in the past and do enjoy the occasional venting session, it never solves anything. When I freak out and call someone a jerk, I’m only hurting my situation and worsening my future. Also, how would you like it if a professor yelled at you and said you were a jerk for not visiting them during office hours or for not emailing them back after sending out an email with no question or purpose whatsoever? I, for one, would be amused at first, and then I would drop the class citing “irreconcilable differences.” We should all look at the waiting times we allow to pass in between interacting with each other. After all, if you were the one doing the waiting, would you be so apt to want to see the person making you do the waiting ever again, or would you blow up in their face for treating you that way? By putting ourselves in another person’s shoes and factoring in the aspects of their life that are currently plaguing them or occupying their time, we should be able to see the waiting time as less of a killer, but more of a necessary objective. Therefore, if your professor is not responding to your email, do not become angry, because for all you know they could be half way across the globe at a conference. Trust me, it’s happened. ◆
striving to present the truth to the students by creating an open forum for opinions and ideas
Columnists
Editor-in-Chief
Tim Canon, Erica Doudna, Byron Graham, Greg Reilly, Veronica Graves
Jackie Parkinson
Managing Editor Tim Canon
Reporters Carrie Horner, Brock Kilgore Lauren Mueller, David Owens
Copy Editor Randy Robinson
Photographers Kiley Card, Ariel Lattimore, Carrie Woodruff
Culture Editor Avalon Manly
Layout Designers Alec Bishop, Chris Sheppard
Opinion Editor Byron Graham
Campus News Editor Catherine Jensen
Sports Editor Matthew Crandall
Illustrator Arno
Web Designer Dorian Rogers
Interning Reporters Brandi Ballard, Patricia Cameron, Justin Case, Phillip Jones, Chris Sheppard, Jessica Vaughan
Layout Editor Rosa Byun
Interning Photographer Kevin Kassem
Advertising Manager Sarah Tindell
Distributor
Donald Trujillo
Advisor Laura Eurich
To The Scribe:
Letter to the Editor
The Oct. 22 edition of The Scribe featured a “yuckus” and a “not so brief update” which left a sour feeling in my stomach. I thought good journalism was predicated on fact checking and straight forward reporting. Instead I found an incorrect assumption and unwarranted sarcasm. At the one millionth shuttle bus passenger celebration, I assure you, there were no police officers, no police cars, and certainly no handcuffs. The vehicle used was a Prius from the campus motor pool. I can understand the artist’s confusion if he thought that the only Priuses were police cars. Checking facts? The story, however, was downright mean in its sarcasm. The writer attacked the celebration, the gifts and even the unsuspecting student who won (please define hipster for this ignorant old man) [sic]. The event was called somewhat arbitrary and so it was, but come on, the unidentified so called “honchos” were just trying to create a little fun. I could use some fun as I spend eight hours every day driving across campus at an average 10 mph. And it was fun. My only regret was that I was at University Hall at the time of the award. I wish one of my regular passengers would have won. I believe they would have enjoyed getting a new shoulder bag and a $50 gift card for simply stepping on the bus. I understand the yuckus and brief are intended to be funny. I’m sorry, you missed the mark. Upon reading them I thought, “Man, this writer has a large false sense of entitlement [sic].” I hate to wax paternally but, [sic] if you pooh-pooh every little thing throughout your life, you may end up with an insurmountable pile of pooh. Hey, there’s a two-fer! You can use that original quote in your “quote of the week.”
Stan Powell, Campus Shuttle Bus Driver
Archives Additional copies of the current publication volume will be available in The Scribe office. The Scribe keeps issues from the past five volumes for internal use only. The Office of University Records will handle any request for additional issues from the past five years and beyond.
Letters to the Editor The Scribe strongly encourages Letters to the Editor. Letters intended for publication must not exceed 300 words, must be legible and must include the writer’s name and telephone number. Letters must be turned into The Scribe office, emailed or delivered to The Scribe mailbox in the ROAR office by 5 p.m. the Friday before publication. The Scribe reserves the right to reject Letters to the Editor that are libelous or obscene or anonymous, and has the right to edit as necessary due to space limitations, grammatical or spelling errors and AP style guideline errors.
student life double challenge sudoku! 2 medium puzzles the first person to bring these completed sudoku puzzles will receive a $10 La’au’s Tacos gift card. bottom floor UCenter rm. 106
content crossword things to do at the Bookstore: Nov. 13 - 25 America’s Recycle Day Sale From Nov. 13 to 25, select recycled items at the Bookstore will be 20 percent off. Students can take advantage of lower prices for recycled Bookstore merchandise, and will not be excused for complaining about what are usually reasonable Bookstore prices during this week.
Find a Turkey Sale The UCCS Bookstore will place miniature turkeys throughout the store. Students who find a turkey will receive discounts or free items, or whatever else the Bookstore decides to come up with.
Cookbook Tasting DOWN
ACROSS 2 5 6 8 10 11 13 14 15 16
An excuse Where FCQ’s are sent Where to find a scholarship Where Noodles & Co. Mac and Cheese is from A horrible football player Largest sandwich in town Meral Serper’s life goal Served fresh at Panera Head Coach for Women’s Soccer Maker of “For the Life of Me”
1 3 4 7 9 12
Round hamburgers A philanthropic company Women’s and Ethics Studies Larry’s profession A type of onions Adaptation of Emma
quote of the week: “If you pooh-pooh every little thing throughout your life, you may end up with an insurmountable pile of pooh.” -Stan Powell, Shuttle Bus Driver
check your answers online! uccsscribe.com
✁
Staff and Students will pick out a cookbook and a recipe, make it, and display it to Bookstore comers and goers for tasting. Cookbooks whose items are tasted will be 20 percent off, so students and staff can get a taste of what they’re buying – literally – before they buy it.
email your quotes of the week to: scribelayout@gmail.com
cut and stick between the pages of your textbook (you know, the one you never read)
✁ Handy Bookmark
What’s going on today?
Sun 11/15
+ America’s Recycle Day Sale @ Bookstore ALL WEEK + VAPA Balinese Gamelan @ Upper Lodge 4 p.m.
Mon 11/16
+ Find a Turkey Sale @ Bookstore ALL WEEK + Everclear @ Bluebird Theater, Denver 8 p.m. + Pixies @ Fillmore Auditorium, Denver 8 p.m.
Tues 11/17
+ Student Commuter Donuts @ Columbine 7 a.m. + Pixies @ Fillmore Auditorium, Denver 8 p.m.
Wed 11/18
+ Feral Oath @ The Blacksheep 7:30 p.m.
Thurs 11/19
+ Cookbook Tasting @ The Bookstore 11 a.m. + Thrice @ The Blacksheep 7 p.m.
Fri 11/20
+ Tracy Lawrence @ Grizzly Rose, Denver 6 p.m.
Sat 11/21
+ Mannheim Steamroller @ Wells Fargo Theater, Denver 8 p.m.
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campus news
November 12 to November 18, 2009
Questioning the FCQs Catherine Jensen cjensen2@uccs.edu
Faculty Course Questionnaire’s (FCQs) are used to evaluate a professor’s progress or effectiveness at the end of each class. FCQs are administered every semester after every class, by every instructor, including summers and short interim semesters. After being dropped off in the administrative assistant’s office for each department by a volunteer student, the FCQ’s are gathered up and sent to Boulder. There, they are scanned and statistics and results are compiled. They are then returned to campus, first to the dean of the appropriate college, and then to the appropriate department chair. After review, FCQs may be returned to the faculty
member, or they may be kept in the department. FCQs are mandatory for all departments, and the instructor cannot touch them or see them. “I have used FCQ’s to evaluate my own teaching and that of my department members for many years,” said Jim Burhart, associate dean of Letters, Arts and Sciences. “Not only do they act as an evaluation of the teacher for that course, they also frequently act as indicators of what needs to be changed or what is working well for a teacher.” UCCS biology major Mallory Rose believes FCQs serve as a good source of feedback for both the instructor and student. “If you are in the sciences especially, it is likely you will have the same professor more than once, so it might be good to let them know your concerns so you don’t have problems more than once,”
said Rose. FCQ’s have undergone changes over the years and continue to do so, said Burkhart. There is a core of approximately ten questions which all instructors must use; an individual instructor may choose to have optional questions. Burkhart believes students should take FCQs seriously. “The results are really looked at,” he said. “The saddest thing I hear is that students walk out of the classroom not filling out the FCQ because they really did not like the class or the instructor.” “But wait, that is exactly when you should be staying and filling it out. Fill out the comment section also. That is often the most valuable information,” he added. The results of completed FCQs are available for public viewing and can be found on line at http://fcq.colorado.edu/uccsdata2.htm. ◆
New classes for WEST (cont.) Continued front page 1
Abby Ferber (professor, far right) speaks to Dena Samuels (professor) and Perri Rothweiler about the many course offerings WEST department has during the WEST open house event on thursday, 11/5 afternoon.a garage. Ariel Lattimore
Additionally, “the WEST major not only provides essential skills for a wide range of careers, but prepares students for graduate school as well. Many of our students enter masters and PhD programs, JD programs, or pur-
sue teaching or counseling certification,” Herrera said. Another highlight at the open house was the opening of the “Let Your Voices Be Heard” – Rosa Parks and Cesar E. Chavez Scholarships, open to undergraduate stu-
dents in any discipline. The deadline for entries is Feb. 25. For more information visit the department’s website at www.uccs.edu/west. ◆
| Student Spotlight | Meral Serper: Freshman’s involvement tests campus apathy
Photo by Kevin Kassem
Patricia Cameron pcameron@uccs.edu
Freshman Meral Serper had many choices for her post-secondary education. She chose the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs from a long list of other universities, and she has wasted no time making her presence felt on campus through involvement in several campus organizations, clubs and events. For Serper, UCCS’s size was a major advantage. “The size for me is perfect. I’m a mechanical engineering major, and we are ranked pretty highly in that department,” she said. “The atmosphere here at [UCCS] is so inclusive. It’s not so large that people are going to feel lost in the crowd.” Serper came to UCCS for reasons other than just size, including the benefits of her particular degree program. Serper became noticeably excited when she talked about her ultimate dream and the reason she was pursuing a degree in the mechanical engineering program: to become an astronaut. “My life goal is to be an astronaut. I try to be a spokesperson for space,” she exclaimed. “I don’t think we would have the technologies we have today without the Apollo era. It’s what started ingenuity and technology.” Besides school work, Serper’s main activity on
campus is the Chancellor’s Leadership Class (CLC). “I could not imagine my life without CLC right now,” Serper said. “CLC is one of the biggest organizations I put my time into, because it really exemplifies what I want to be...a person, not so much as a career.” There are eight principles that guide CLC: integrity, respect, excellence, service, courage, passion, wisdom and transcendence. Serper tries to tackle them all, with an emphasis on community service. “We try to live through those principles, especially with community service. In both Colorado Springs and especially UCCS,” noted Serper. “I just recently became a student ambassador. We give tours of UCCS, and this is just one way I can show my enthusiasm for UCCS,” Serper explained. “I am also involved in the Asian-Pacific Islander student union. We were involved in the event National Coming Out Day recently. We are really just supporting diversity in every aspect. Culturally, ethnically, in every single way.” As the campus continues to expand, involved students like Serper can find outlets to express themselves. Serper has found this growth encouraging. “A lot of people believe in UCCS’s growth, and it has been growing. That really excites me,” she said. “Any learning institution excites me, because it’s something beautiful. Everyone com-
ing together, trying to better themselves, having a goal for life.” Serper’s devotion to the community and service is rooted in her personal background, but has been reinforced through her experiences at UCCS. “You can self-actualize through giving of yourself,” she explained. “Many of the people of CLC have instilled in me that love for the fellow man, and the earth.” “And yeah, my parents come to mind,” she added “I kind of got that diversity from my family. The more people I meet, the more I feel that people are a beautiful enigma.” Serper is a working example of the type of environment UCCS is attempting to support. If the University’s ultimate goal is a community of service, enthusiasm and participation on campus, then Serper, by personally investing in the growth of UCCS and utilizing its wealth of resources, is blazing a trail for students committed to that goal... Students interested in becoming more involved on campus have many options available. The first step is to stop by the Roar office on the first floor of the University Center, where students can be connected with a multitude of people who share similar interests. In addition, students with at least a 3.0 GPA and at least two years left can explore the option of joining Chancellor’s Leadership Class at www./uccs.edu/~clc. ◆
Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival rocks the Rockies Catherine Jensen cjensen2@uccs.edu
For three days every November, The Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival (RMWFF) brings documentary, feature, short and animated films to audiences at various locations throughout Colorado Springs. The weekend of Nov. 6 this year, two films were shown in Dwire Hall where students, faculty and community members watched, looked and listened before
crossing the street into the women’s film festival threshold. The RMWFF, created in 1988, is currently the longest continuously running women’s film festival in the world. Out of the twentyeight films shown this year, 15 of them are award-winning, according to the festival’s website. The two films shown at UCCS reflected the variety of subject matter and film type shown at the RMWFF. The first film was Kim Snyder’s “Crossing Midnight,” a short film set on the border of Thailand and Eastern
Burma. The film follows backpack medics who travel through the jungles of Eastern Burma to treat those living on the run in times of political unrest. Snyder, who works for the BeCause Foundation that she helped create, told The Scribe that the film was important to show on a college campus because “we are particularly interested in cultivating youth activism, because it is at this age that the enthusiasm, idealism and fresh thinking is often most needed to initiate change in our society.” Snyder said her films are
inspired by “the desire to give voice to underserved or lesser heard voices and to invoke empathy for these very different perspectives and life experiences.” Filmmaker Jean Strauss’ film, “For the Life of Me,” followed Dave, a 52-year-old adoptee who Strauss met on a cross country flight. According to Strauss, Dave had yet to do any research on his past when they met, but was hoping to. “Massachusetts, where he’d been adopted, was just about to allow adoptees (born before 1974) to have their birth records. Dave de-
cided to be first in line, and he was willing to let me follow him around with a camera as his story unfolded,” Strauss. The story that unfolded throughout Strauss’ film proved to be about more than adoption. “I realized that many Americans don’t realize or think about the fact that the secrets that are part of a closed adoption (where the adoptee’s records are sealed forever) affect that adopted person their entire life,” she expressed. “The fact that a 92-year-old woman had searched for her birthmother for almost for-
ty years and died while I was making the movie, never being accorded the dignity of her mother’s name, just ripped me. I’m not opposed to adoption; I’m opposed to secrets in adoption. I think they’re harmful to everyone involved.” Of the films shown, Snyder said, “They intend to provoke core universal emotions of vulnerability and strength, compassion, and to highlight core emotional needs and desires we all share as human beings.” Clips of the films and other information can be found at www.rmwfilmfest.org. ◆
culture 5
November 12 to November 18, 2009
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ing er
Sand w
s Hoagi ’ i l l e iv worth rem es r em T hes
3.5 stars
Brock Kilgore bkilgore@uccs.edu
Rating: Trivelli’s on N. Nevada (the closest of three locations to UCCS) is small, and I mean tiny. Only a customer or two can fit inside. There is a table out front, however, and they have a longstanding agreement with Murphy’s Tavern next door, where you may sit to eat your hoagie, if you buy a drink. But most importantly for UCCS students, Trivelli’s delivers to campus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays. I was reminded of Trivelli’s while watching the Phillies playing for the World Series crown. So it seemed appropriate to review my favorite place in Colorado Springs to get a true Philadelphia cheese steak. The sliced steak, sautéed onion and American cheese on a hoagie concoction was made famous by street vendors in the City of Brotherly Love. At our local Taste of Philly, the hoagie has a meat-to-bread ratio of about five to one, so be careful.
5 Philly Steaks
Trivelli’s’ service is fast and friendly, and everything is to-go. Hoagies range from $5.17 for a six-inch, $9.23 for a foot-long and $7.83 for a six-inch with chips and a drink. The six-inches are twice the size of Subway foot-longs, so the value is comparable. The restaurant serves cold Italian, American and turkey hoagies, as well as hot meatball, sausage, ham and cheese and pizza phillies, or any combination thereof. Their Rock Star might be the largest sandwich in town, with an Italian hoagie and a philly steak in the same bun (at $9.23 for a six-inch). Flavorful but not overpowering homemade herbed oil is used on almost everything, but only in moderation, and the veggies and pickled peppers are also used in predetermined portions. The value spender could choose the spaghetti and meatball side for $3.73 or
Trivelli’s Hoagies 2729 1/2 N. Nevada Colorado Springs, CO 80907 1864 W. Uintah St. Colorado Springs, CO 80904 4547 Austin Bluffs Pkwy Colorado Springs, CO 80918 3215 S. Academy Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80916
the Philly Lite for $3. Lowcost, simple salads are also available. As a child I always got excited when, after picking up construction supplies at Crissey Fowler Lumber on North Nevada, my father would turn south so he could have a beer at Murphy’s Tavern, and so we could both get sausage and meatball hoagies from Trivelli’s. Later on, when I got to college, my soon-to-be-bestfriend Kurt re-introduced me to the restaurant. He would eat an entire footlong cheese steak, and part of mine, in what remains to this day one of the most impressive eating feats I have ever witnessed. My father and my friend Kurt both died suddenly in subsequent springs not so long ago. Eating at Trivelli’s reminded me that not everything ends absolutely. The memories spurred by a simple sandwich can span the spiritual void. ◆
Price: $
(inexpensive)
Phone #:
(719) 591-4849
Delivers:
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (weekdays)
Throughout their illustrious careers, the Coen Brothers have quietly developed into masters of their craft and can arguably identify as the finest filmmakers of their generation. The Coen’s filmography is composed of several titles so disparate in tone that the untrained viewer would find it hard to imagine any shared authorship. The bleakness of movies like “No Country for Old Men” or “Miller’s Crossing,” for example, do not suggest that these maudlin brothers Coen have comedies like “Raising Arizona,” or say, “The Big Lebowski” in their DNA. True, these movies are drastically different in tone, but I would propose that the entire body of the Coen Brothers’ oeuvre (except “The Ladykillers,” which the world has agreed to forget) share defining thematic elements, and take viewers into a unique Coen world where absurdity reigns, the protagonist is utterly alone in his sanity and everyone has a folksy accent. Joel and Ethan Coen’s latest picture “A Serious Man” ranks squarely in the middle on the Coen’s tragicomic scale: audiences laugh at characters’ manifold sufferings, but no bodies are forced into wood chippers.
My theory is that “A Serious Man” is a kind of reinterpretation of the archetypal story of Job from the Torah and the Old Testament. Larry Gopnik (portrayed by the relatively unknown Michael Stuhlbarg), the protagonist, indeed struggles to understand and connect to God while his world crumbles around him. Larry’s story begins with his wife (Sari Lennick) casually informing him of her affair with family friend Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed, who delivers a hilarious performance) and intention to leave him; then follows Larry’s descent. Larry is a physics professor whose tenure status is eluding him due to mean-spirited anonymous notes to the hearing committee. His son is developing a clandestine marijuana habit beneath Larry’s nose, and his listless older brother is sleeping on the family’s couch, perpetually draining a gross cyst and accruing gambling debts while perfecting a complicated math formula he calls the “Mentaculus,” all while his finances and family disintegrate around him. Larry’s suffering compels him to seek the advice of three rabbis, though the third refuses to keep the appointment. I neglected to mention above that “A Seri-
Byron Graham bgraham2@uccs.edu
ous Man” is set in a Jewish community of Minnesota suburbs in the late 1960s - the same neighborhoods where the Coens themselves were raised, which has many pundits clamoring that this is the Coen’s most personal film. That very well may be, as the period details are lovingly realized and so much of the film concerns the spiritual journey of its central character. The one problem I have with “A Serious Man” is due to another definitive quality of the auteur canon of the Coen Brothers, which is that the films never resolve in a manner that movie-goers conditioned to expect happy endings find satisfying. Personally, I like a movie that leaves me with some questions, and I love a good existential bummer of an ending, but here it seems like the Coens have made an unfinished product. The brilliance demonstrated by these modern masters in the early parts of “A Serious Man” is stunted by the abrupt and inconclusive conclusion. Still, even a lesser work by a master is likely worthier of your money than studio drivel by an untested hack, so go see “A Serious Man” anyway. Just don’t expect any answers. ◆
University Village
EATS
Brock Kilgore bkilgore@uccs.edu
Brock Kilgore A loaf of Panera’s sourdough.
Kevin Kassem The new University Village Noodles & Company.
1
University Village Restaurant Ranking
#1 - Panera Bread
Price - Surprisingly reasonable for a student Service - Adequate and fast Atmosphere - Like a large Starbucks Food Quality – Exceptional
Quick Review Freshly baked bread is my favorite food. Thick crusted and just out of the oven, with puffs of steam when cut, hopelessly enveloped in butter, returning us all to a more primal state. Panera uses its “bread and butter” for a great many things, and the chain has become a mainstay of suburban sprawls, but at heart the restaurant is still an old fashioned style bakery. UCCS students will be lucky to have a Panera so they can participate in the frugal yet sophisticated human tradition of fresh bread. Students can choose from several varieties of uncut or sliced loaves ranging from $2.29 for a small baguette to $3.99 for a large loaf of sourdough to take back to the dorm. Breakfast is also a viable option with a 12 oz. to-go coffee ($1.89) and a bagel with spread ($2.49) in a studious environment and free wi-fi. The baked egg soufflés ($3.59) are like little egg pot pies with cheese and ingredients like turkey, sausage, spinach and aritichoke hearts. For lunch, Panera also has popular sandwiches, great soups and a case full of homemade sweet treats.
2
University Village Restaurant Ranking
#2 - Noodles & Company
Price - Little high, but enough for two meals Service - Fast and easy Atmosphere - Basic and user-friendly Overall Quality - Excellent
Quick Review Ariel Lattimore Smashburger is open and ready for UCCS students.
Brock Kilgore Smashburger’s burgers are good enough to enjoy with cheap red wine.
There was a Noodles & Co. just around the corner from the restaurant I managed in Madison, Wisconsin. Long nights and cold weather were often alleviated by the warming comfort of mushroom stroganoff or Japanese pan noodles from the nearby Noodles & Co. The University Village version will undoubtedly look similar to every other Noodles & Co. in the suburban sprawl that is modern America. Fortunately the interiors are usually clean and spacious, and the expedient service and quality food made Noodles & Co. a popular chain in a homegrown restaurant-saturated place like Madison. Each diner at Noodles & Co. chooses either regular ($7), small ($5) or trio (small with salad or soup, $7) portions of twelve varieties of pasta divided into Asian, Italian and American selections. Each bowl is quickly cooked to order with a set combination of veggies, and spices and several types of beef, chicken, shrimp and tofu may be added. The Wisconsin mac and cheese can help heal a hangover, and the spicy Indonesian peanut sauté with a cold Blue Paddle Pilsner is perfect if you’re heading in the other direction. It’s best to stick with the Asian and American selections, as Italian ones can be made at home more cheaply.
3
University Village Restaurant Ranking
#3 - Smashburger
Price - Little high, but enough for two meals Service - Fast and easy Atmosphere - Basic and user-friendly Overall Quality - Excellent
Quick Review Ariel Lattimore The new University Village Chipotle.
The original hamburger most likely came about as a timesaving adaptation for cooking meatballs: Smash it on the flat grill instead of slower-cooking in the oven to sell to timestarved workers. Smashburger adopted this original method as a no-frills, quality-oriented, low cost burger outlet. The atmosphere is modern, pleasant enough and clean. The counter is a one-employee operation with an extremely simple menu.
Smashburge continued
First, choose between a 1/3 pound burger or chicken breast all-in-Colorado Smashburger ( spicy baja (guacamole and jalap the classic cheese styles. “Creat dent to choose bun, cheese, sa like a Subway for burgers. Smashburger offer delicious ordered separately from the bur lic oil, or topped with chile and onions (fried strips) and fried g ful at $2.
4
University Villag
#4 - Chipot
Price - Decent for the amount Service - “Burrito Nazis” Atmosphere - Steel-plated mo Food Quality - The one redeem
Quick R
In the past, I have not been a cently, my boss at the reference me to give Chipotle another chan ences with Chipotle had been in most people have never heard o the only ethnic cuisine that is po I used to call Chipotle “the the evil service that sometimes e tings, and the unlabeled list of in sen from quickly. My recent visit to the Univer cluded annoyed and hurried s their website clued me in to the I chose the barbacoa, or slow-co basically every condiment. The for three, but was delicious, an was the perfect accompaniment The additional list of chicke cooked pork) are also made into ads for about $7 each version.
5
University Villag
#5 - Indigo
Price - Too expensive for Service - They know how Atmosphere - A decent ba Food Quality - Bar food
Quick R
The University of Wisconsin h center called The Rathskeller, w and a beer, sit in a pavilion and while watching sailboats on Lak probably never have a Rathskel our iPods, and soon we will hav other, listen to our tunes, and w There is an Indigo Joe’s locati I went there last Sunday to che was packed. I managed a standin nice fans let me try a chicken wi both just fine for bar food. The ever seen, so whatever it is you The important thing here, Mou be a decent bar, by campus, tent Spring 2010 right down the roa
er review
pound burger for $5, or a ½ t for $7. Smashburger offers (green chilies), BBQ bacon, peño), mushroom swiss and te Your Own” allows the stuauces and toppings, kind of
s Smashfries (which must be rger) with rosemary and gard cheese ($4). The haystack green chiles are also wonder-
ge Restaurant Ranking
tle
t of food
odern fast food ming factor
Review
huge fan of Chipotle. But redesk in the library convinced nce. My only previous experin Madison, Wisconsin, where of green chile and Mexican is oorly represented. e burrito Nazis,” because of exists in crowded college setngredients that must be cho-
rsity Village Chipotle also inservice, but a nice ‘map’ on e contents in the steam table. ooked beef in a burrito, with burrito ($7) was big enough nd a Bohemia Mexican Beer t. en, steak and carnitas (slowo hard and soft tacos and sal-
ge Restaurant Ranking
o Joe’s
cheap bar food to get a beer! ar close to campus!
Review
has a beer hall in the student where you can get a bratwurst d listen to live music for free ke Mendota. While UCCS will ller, we do have each other, ve a place to drink with each watch Pikes Peak. ion over by Sky Sox Stadium. eck out the football crowd. It ng-room-only beer, and some ing and a nacho, which were e menu is the largest I have want, it’s probably there. untain Lion fans, is that it will tatively scheduled to open in ad in University Village.
JOBS! JOBS! JOBS!
COSTCO
BUY* in BULK?
Upcoming Employment Opportunities:
STICK THIS ON YOUR FRIDGE!
Famous Footwear: Check famousfootwear.com for openings.
Kohl’s:
Item type:
Just You
One roommate
Multiple roommates
Soda, tasty beverages
Yes
Yes
Yes
Personal Favorites
Yes
Yes
Yes
Long expiration dates – rice, canned goods, ramen, etc.
Yes
Yes
Yes
Laundry detergent, dishwashing soap
Yes
Yes
Yes
Short expiration dates – meat produce, dairy, bread, etc.
No
Maybe
Yes
Paper products – paper towels, toilet paper, etc. ✧
No
No
No
Books
Yes
Yes
Yes
Electronics
Yes
Yes
Yes
Check kohls.com for openings.
Lowe’s: Check lowes.com for openings.
Veda Salon and Spa: Contact Carrie Perkins or Katie Chavez at 719-265-5660 or Jennifer Hedemark at 719-578-8332 for openings.
Academy Carpet: Check academycarpetcompany.com for openings.
Tan Your Hide: Go to tanyourhide.com to fill out an application.
Noodles and Company: Applications now available at noodles.com. Just search for Colo. Locations.
Keva Juice: Go to kevajuice.com/employment to print out an application.
My Wireless: Check mywirelessinc.com for openings.
Pharmacy
Yes
Yes
Yes
Indigo Joe’s:
Lunch at the dining area
Yes
Yes
Yes
Never by yourself
Yes
Yes
Check Indigojoes.com for openings.
Panera Bread: Check Sean’s Place for listings.
Smash Burger: Check smashburger.com for listings.
UV
niversity illage
❈
Alcohol
*
✤
Unless otherwise noted, Costco membership is required for purchase.
✧ Unless you want three years’ worth of toilet paper. ❈ Does not require membership. ✤ Does not require membership. DOES require valid ID.
PREVIEW
8
culture
November 12 to November 18, 2009
Getting that free money: Ready yourself for the ice and Tips for finding scholarships snow: A beginner’s guide Lauren Mueller lmueller@uccs.edu
Students seeking scholarships can go to FastWeb. com for the most extensive resource for scholarships specific to the school they wish to attend. Or, they can visit uccs.edu. For help on scholarship information at UCCS, students should start at the Financial Aid office. There, students can receive help estimating just how much help they need. The Financial Aid website (finaidse.uccs.edu/) can help students search for scholarships offered by UCCS departments and alumni donors. For private scholarships not offered by UCCS, students should visit FastWeb or scholarships. com. Students should remember that to win a scholarship, they first have to apply. It’s not only the outstanding students that get the money. Students who want scholarships should seek the information, follow directions carefully, revise their appli-
cation and make the deadline to ensure a fair shot at winning. FastWeb can be customized to find scholarships that interest students. It tries to weed out all the scholarships that don’t apply. When a student begins the process, he or she logs into FastWeb and fills out a questionnaire. The detailed questionnaire is designed to find scholarships that interest students, and to find scholarships that fit into certain categories, like religion, gender or basic interests. Beyond scholarships, FastWeb also helps students find jobs and internships, looks at competitive degree programs and offers tips and tools for paying for college and all the services are free. FastWeb’s database has over 1.3 million scholarships, totaling over $3 billion. According to FastWeb. com, FastWeb’s enhanced college search is the only place where students can research and compare colleges based on the relevant scholarship matches at each school. The jobs and internships service lists part-time job opportunities close to home,
along with career-launching internships around the country. FastWeb makes things even easier with online tools to help students stay organized, including an active calendar, email reminders, favorites lists and personalized content to help them succeed. Scholarships.com is a lot like FastWeb, with a detailed questionnaire that helps organize the best scholarships tailored to the user. Scholarships.com is more focused on finding multiple options for paying for college. The website encourages multiple strategies in finding funding for students’ educations. Scholarships.com even offers its own scholarships. According to Scholarships.com, its college search provides detailed information on colleges and universities nationwide, featuring everything from cost of attendance to crime statistics. The article in the expansive resource library provides advice and information on a wide range of topics related to applying, attending, and paying for college. Scholarships.com also has online tools to help students stay organized. ◆
A doorway and car covered in snow. Be prepared for Colorado weather!
Scribe Staff
Avalon Manly amanly@uccs.edu
At its best, Colorado weather is unpredictable. Students might experience all four seasons, and then some, in one afternoon. But at its worst, the winter months in this midwestern berg can be downright treacherous. By all accounts, the coming winter is going to be a doozie. With all the moisture ac-
cumulated throughout the spring and summer, you can expect lots of snow, cold, ice and even white-out condi-
tions. So here, straight from a Colorado native, are some tips to thriving in the winter months.
At Home When it’s cold outside, heating bills skyrocket. Instead of reaching for the thermostat when you get chilly this winter, put on another sweater and check the seals on your doors and windows. If you don’t own your place and can’t replace seals, check your outlets and doorjambs for insulation gaps that might be letting in drafts. Stretcher.com, a web site on how to stretch your dollar, also suggests that you run a humidifier during the day, because moist air holds heat more efficiently than dry air. National Geographic recommends that you treat your living space as a series of microclimates: Open the shades on your southern-facing windows to trap sunlight during the day, and hang insulating curtains or heavy blankets over the windows at night to keep warmth in.
On the Go First off, get a tune-up and check to make sure everything in your car is working correctly. Click and Clack of “Car Talk” recommend that you check the battery, coolant, wipers, gas level, washer fluid and rear defrost before the snow gets thick. To help gain traction on slick roads, fill your trunk (and back if you get caught in a slide or a spin, remember to tap rather seat, if you have to) with sandbags than slam on your breaks and to turn your wheel into the that weigh down your ride, spin, so that you can regain control with a minimum of especially if your car doesn’t have uncontrolled movement four-wheel drive. Get either studded snow tires or chains for your summer tires: you’ll be glad for them when the roads are covered with black ice (for non-natives, that’s the kind you can’t see). Invest in a reliable ice scraper and broom, and clear your car completely of any snow or frost before you drive. Prepare an emergency kit and store it in your car where you can reach it from inside the cab: it should contain things like water, blankets, a flashlight and basic medical supplies. Always have a phone with you in case you become stranded. Click and Clack also suggest that if you have any winter clothes – particularly boots – which you don’t wear anymore, to toss them in your trunk too, just in case. Always drive slowly, and remember that even if you are maintaining control of your car, not everyone else on the road will. The hosts of Car Talk suggest that you drive as if there were eggshells resting on your brake and acceleration pedals: drive gently, anticipating stops and turns, so as not to break the shells. ◆
Veronica Graves
Top Ten Things to do while stranded in a snow storm at UCCS
paradox the
the news is full of contradictions
satire : irony : hilarity
“Still, if a statement cannot reasonably be interpreted to be one of express or implied fact, it cannot be libelous. This means that humor columns, spoofs, cartoons and satire are protected as long as readers understand that the material is not intended to be taken seriously.” - Student Press Law Center
Naked student beats vamp wanna-bees
10 9
Because UCCS never cancels classes, get ready for a long snowy day. Go explain to Campus Parking that you are sick of walking from the church and it is a must that we bulldoze the Engineering Building to create more space.
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Make snowmen. Put them in the road, crosswalk and sidewalk. Bring a sled complete with sled dogs to school. Park it where the bikes are parked. Build two snow forts. Engineering majors on one side and humanities on the other… Buy coffee! Buy some for your friend too (it will even out all the other stuff you did on your snow day). Dress in a t-shirt and shorts (Hawaiian print is preferable). While waiting to cross the street, assault oncoming traffic with snowballs. Figure out where that super annoying person in your class parks, then pour water over their windshield. Stop people and ask them to draw you a detailed map of how to get to the second floor of the Science Building.
vgraves@uccs.edu
A garmentless student won “Best Overall Costume” at the Bookstore’s Costume Contest this year, beating out dozens of fun and creative competing costumes for the top honors at what is universally and grudgingly accepted as the campus’s most exciting Halloween event. Freshman Johnny Staples was delighted when contest judges announced his victory. “First of all, I would just like to thank God, and everyone who helped me to get to this high point in my UCCS career. I couldn’t have had the courage to show my awesome bod’ without their spiritual and physical guidance,” he said in his acceptance speech. Staples, a visual and performing arts major, has been a naked model for his Drawing 101 class since September, and partially drew the inspiration for his costume from his experiences posing for fine-sketching. Staples said the examples of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake also influenced his Halloween-wear. The annual contest, which awards prizes in multi-
Do
n Kingler’s Distinguished Professor nomination
Self-described “singer” Kanye West has made his way to Colorado, interrupting people at significant events wherever he comes upon them. In the southern regions of Colorado, West arrived recently, panting, at the scene of a press release with “Balloon Boy” Falcon Heene and his family. He snatched a microphone from a disgruntled tabloid reporter and shouted, “Balloon Boy, you’re great and I’m gonna let you finish, but Anne Frank had the best attic hiding spot ever.” Beyonce arrived moments later to soothe the crying child and allow him to complete his sentence. West’s most recent public interruption, however, occurred during UCCS’ own Donald Kingler’s nomination as a distinguished professor. The CU Board of Regents gathered to review a trio of nominees recommended by CU President Bruce Benson, and just as Kingler’s name was being presented, West burst into the room. “Klinger, you’re great and I’m gonna let you finish bein’ nominated, but the Brownlow Committee was the best thing that ever happened to the ASPA.” Klinger, of the School of Public Affairs, who recently served a year as the president of the American Society for Public Administration, tried to contest West’s assertion that the Brownlow Committee of 1937, which pro-
ple categories from spookiest to most unsightly (awarded this year to one of 70 pale and twinklychested replicas of “Twilight” series pretty-boy vampire Edward Cullen), was organized this year by Bookstore manager Donna McSteepleson. “It’s usually just a really fun way for campus students and personnel to get together and enjoy looking at awesome costumes,” said McSteepleson. “Sadly, this year most of the contestants, including women, decided to come as that scrawny, morose vampire.” “What kind of a vampire has a glittery chest?” McSteepleson asked. “For that matter, what kind of idiot responds sexually when a man tells her he wants her blood? Honestly, girls from 11-29 these days have some f-ed up sexual fantasies.” When asked how exactly an absence of clothing constituted a creative costume, McSteepleson sighed. “Well, it was either that or one of the ‘blood-suckers.’ When you really think about it, there was no choice but to give it to the naked kid.” Some worry that the incident could reflect negatively upon the university. “It’s a little troubling,” said Vice Chancellor Mona Sexton. “I mean, naked people winning awards and all.” Still, Sexton indicated the incident, if used properly, could be a boon for the university. “The marketing department is looking into the possibility of exploiting the Bookstore’s multiple Pattinson wanna-be photos for the purpose of early recruitment among teenage girls,” she said.
Tim Canon [tcanon@uccs.edu] posed sweeping changes to the executive branch of U.S. government and helped to found the ASPA in 1939, actually had anything to do with anything anymore, but West interrupted him again by breaking into song. “It was ‘Love Lockdown,’” Benson said later, with a whimsical smile. “I’d know that song anywhere.” West was hauled bodily from the board’s chambers and expelled from the building. He has not been seen since, though experts expect him to resurface again in time to interrupt the touching moments of Thanksgiving celebrations nationwide. Klinger, shaken by the encounter, asked repeatedly, “Where’s Beyonce? How’s she going to fix this?” Next week’s “Saturday Night Live” is expected to feature Klinger and Taylor Swift, both mocking West’s interruption of significant moments in their lives, though Klinger still has not heard from Beyonce.
Avalon Manly [amanly@uccs.edu]
10
opinion
November 12 to November 18, 2009
| Truth Bombs | KBR’s inspiring stance on gang-rape
Byron Graham bgraham2@uccs.edu
America, I can barely find the words to express the inspiration I feel when I reflect upon how much good our corporate military contractors have done for our fine country and her humble people. A philanthropic company like Halliburton, for instance, so embodies the free market ethos of American capitalism that its no-bid US military contracts prevent any other businesses
from vying for the lucrative defense commissions they enjoy. Companies like Halliburton and their subsidiary KBR maintain a truly sober respect for their solemn duty to protect and house our troops and the taxpayers who ultimately pay for their services. Such respect is expressed through their cost-plus charging structure, which enables Halliburton/KBR to overpay for their resources and inflate their expenses, then have those expenses entirely recouped by the government, with your tax money. These contractors revere America’s vital soldiers each time one of our proud, uniformed heroes is fatally electrocuted by the shoddy wiring in the barracks that Halliburton was overpaid to build. I know folks, it’s a heart-warming prospect. Predatory finances aside,
it’s also good to know that Halliburton/KBR Inc. spared no expense to deny a former employee who was sexually assaulted by coworkers her day in court. Jamie Leigh Jones was 19 in 2005 when she was hired by KBR and sent to Iraq, where she shared living quarters with 400 men. Her complaints of sexual harassment were ignored by her supervisors with tragic consequences. Jones was drugged, viciously gang-raped by the men she worked with and imprisoned in a shipping container with an armed guard, from which she devised an escape with a borrowed cell phone. After the escape, KBR set about to rectify the egregious crimes committed by their employees by disallowing Jones to bring her case to a federal courtroom, citing a mandatory arbitration clause in her
contract. For those unfamiliar with the arbitration process, here’s a summary. Private arbitration is an alternative dispute resolution technique that is designed to mediate small-claims legal battles and intra-corporate disputes without involving the judicial system. If Jones’ case against KBR had amounted to a disagreement over backpay or worker’s compensation, arbitration would have been an ideal forum for a pragmatic solution. However, since Jones was the victim of an appalling crime that was demonstrably abetted by KBR’s negligence, the suggestion that she resolve her dispute in private arbitration is tantamount to bringing the case before Judge Judy. Freshman senator Al Franken (D-Minnesota) passed his first amendment in the senate by taking up
Jones’ cause and writing legislation that would authorize those employees who are the victims of violent crimes during their course of employment to decide where to bring their claims. The amendment, which is attached to a larger defense appropriations bill, passed 68-30 in the senate. The 30 white, male and Republican senators who voted against this measure, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the amusingly named Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), failed presidential candidate John McCain (RAZ), adulterer John Ensign (R-NV) and prostitutionenthusiast David Vitter (RLA), have found themselves in a politically awkward situation. “The Daily Show’s” Jon Stewart summarized it best when he quipped, “If, to protect Halliburton, you have to side against rape
victims, you might want to rethink your allegiances.” I’m not as certain as Mr. Stewart, however. The publicity surrounding Jamie Leigh Jones’ three-year legal brawl with KBR has emboldened more women with similar stories to come forward and seek justice. However, KBR, with the support of the Grand Ole’ Sausage Party, has not given up, and machinations are underway to persuade the defense department to strike Franken’s amendment from the bill. It might work. Also, we can all console ourselves that KBR, a company who tried to deny civil rights to a young woman who was brutally raped while in its employ, is still being paid billions of Defense Department dollars. I don’t know about you, but I’m inspired by that. So damn inspired, it makes my eyes bleed. ◆
| #Social Apology | Nostalgia: Paying homage to your past
Erica Doudna edoudna@uccs.edu
Because I’m an English major and hence a total nerd, I often stay awake at night and wonder if a writer from our generation could ever best William Shakespeare. Forgive me for horribly misquoting a wonderful professor in the English department, who was probably quoting someone else, when I write, “Shakespeare has few peers, and no superiors.” Or maybe it was Spenser or Sidney he was talking about; I feel bad that I never took notes. I might be a little obsessed with Shakespeare. I’ll blame the fact that I’m in a class about him at the moment, but my personal relationship with The Bard leaves me feeling nostalgic. I get nostalgic for the time in my life when I actually thought I could write a decent essay from skimming the Cliff Notes. Nostalgia is such an interesting thing, but more
importantly it’s just “a bittersweet longing for persons, things, or situations of the past.” The other night, tired of reading Shakespeare and gripped with nostalgia, I found myself watching “Clueless.” As one of the students who happily made it through the Jane Austen seminar, I know that “Clueless” is an adaptation of Emma, but what I didn’t expect to notice was the nice little sub-narrative taken right out of Shakespeare’s Much Ado about Nothing. The great writers of the past seem to follow me everywhere, because as people we’re inclined to be so nostalgic. “Clueless” was released in 1995. Do we, as a society, have a bittersweet longing for persons, things, or situations from 1995 yet? I don’t remember much of it, but I know Clinton was in office and Seattle grunge was on the way out. I say that because ‘95 was the year after the death of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain. I’m pretty sure this is also the year that my small California hometown saw the opening of its first Starbucks. I can recall waking up early to watch “Saved by the Bell” reruns on TBS before getting ready for school, and the interesting and unforgettable hiss those AOL dial-up
modems made back when the internet was still exciting and not so common place. I believe this was the year my sister proclaimed she needed a beeper, got one, and then lost it. The Tamagotchi wasn’t out yet, but it was on the way. Like me, all the other kids lost interest before the battery even needed to be replaced. I never got on the Pokemon bandwagon, but maybe I should have. As long as we’re not talking about STDs, “Gotta Catch ‘em all” is a pretty enticing slogan. What about 2005? Are we allowed to be nostalgic about four years ago? This was the year I was forced to get a cell phone; my parents had to drag me kicking and screaming to the Verizon store, and now I can’t live without my Blackberry. Emo was new. I was tenderly known as Emoca to my friends because I was all about the black nail polish and rocking out to Acceptance while writing really bad poetry for the object of my unrequited affections. The poems weren’t that bad really, but they were a little too “Dorothy Parker-esque” to get me taken seriously. In the end, being nostalgic is a wonderful thing, and we should long for the good things from our own pasts. Longing is a strong emotion, and when we long for some-
thing we can’t ever have back, like the innocence of childhood or that feeling of falling in love for the first time, we pay respect to the memory of the thing we’re nostalgic about. I’m positive human beings have always been nostalgic. Shakespeare was definitely nostalgic for some guy, and if you don’t believe me, go read Sonnet 57. ◆
sports
November 12 to November 18, 2009
11
Sophomore season of women’s soccer proves ‘successful’ with participation in playoffs
RMAC
6 wins, 9 losses, 1 tie
7 wins, 10 losses, 1 tie
OVERALL
Final Scores Head Coach Nichole Ridenour. Senior Midfielder Ashley Collins, Forward Krista Mirabelli and Goalkeeper Ashley Armstrong.
Matt Crandall mcrandal@uccs.edu
The Women’s Soccer season may have ended in a Nov. 4 loss to Fort Lewis, but the season as a whole was a success, according to Head Coach Nichole Ridenour. The Mountain Lions finished the season 7-10-1, 6-9-1 in the RMAC, which allowed them to compete in their first ever playoff match,
despite multiple hurdles throughout the season. The first sign of adversity UCCS encountered this season occurred early on in a game against Colorado Christian College on Sept. 23, when senior goalkeeper Ashley Armstrong went down with a serious knee injury midway through the game. Armstrong had been an integral part of the squad and “a huge part of why we started the season so well,” said Ridenour. The loss of Armstrong meant freshman Kayla Millar had to step up
for the remainder of the year. Coach Ridenour commended Millar’s play this season, saying, “For a freshman to step-up and play with confidence really shows how mature she is and how much she is willing to work to be at the top of her game.” “At first, the team [was of course] worried because their senior keeper and leader was down, but they came to see Kayla’s maturity in the net and embraced it,” she added. The team had their bumps
| Sports Buzz | Brett Favre’s talent can’t be contained
Matt Crandall mcrandal@uccs.edu
You have Hitler, Charles Manson, and Brett Favre in one room with a gun that has only two bullets. Who do you shoot? Brett Favre. Twice. I came across that absurd joke via email, the day after the Green Bay Packers lost to Brett Favre’s Minnesota Vikings in Green Bay, on the Monday Night Football showdown two weeks ago. Favre completed 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards, and four of those went for touchdowns. He threw no interceptions. Zip. Zero. Zilch. Not bad for a guy that just turned 40-years-old on Oct. 10. This ferocious rivalry has been around since the AFL and NFL first merged together back in the ‘60s,
but the hype, of course, was all about seeing “FAVRE” stitched on the back of the purple and white Vikings jersey. Not only were Packers and Vikings fans waiting for this game, but the entire football nation was waiting in anticipation to see how Green Bay would welcome back their former ironman leader. As Brett stepped foot on the field, a thunderous roar of booing spread throughout Lambeau Field like a wildfire in California. Television cameras were circling 360 degrees around the sold out crowd as the rants and raves continued to regurgitate from fans. I don’t think their lack of respect or loyalty had any kind of negative effect on Favre. I think it fired him up and he went out and played the game like he always has: Aggressively, competitively and with heart. I thought the Green Bay fans owed Favre a lot more than that, given everything Favre accomplished in the 17 seasons he commanded the Packers’ offense. He brought the state of Wisconsin a Super Bowl in 1996, numerous playoff appearances, exciting games
and most importantly, the countless number of touchdowns passes he threw to his receivers that made the infamous “Lambeau Leap” a part of Packer culture. I find it incredible how one man, one single man, can have such a profound impact on the game of football. Love him or hate him, people from every part of the nation tuned into this game like it was the Super Bowl. Football has already begun to morph into America’s new pastime as baseball continues to drain away like a steroid shot (I mean did anyone even watch the World Series?), and I find it remarkable that Brett Favre is the man leading the way. Favre will probably continue to be criticized and belittled by many different people across the NFL and nation, but that should not negate the fact the guy can still play great football and loves doing it. I will still root for the Denver Broncos every Sunday, but I won’t be able to keep myself from watching Favre cap an incredible run this season as he embeds his legacy further into NFL history. ◆
in the road this season, as winning at times seemed to come only periodically, but that didn’t hinder the team’s progression of improvement or ability to have fun. “I think this year was a lot of ups and downs and hard work, while incorporating fun times,” added Ridenour. “Overall I would say the team had fun. With such a long season, the girls at this level really have to be dedicated and they are great at creating moments to laugh and celebrate.” Next season looks prom-
Photos courtesy of UCCS Sports Information
ising as the squad will only lose three players to graduation this year, including Goalkeeper Ashley Armstrong, Forward Krista Mirabelli and Midfielder Ashley Collins. Coach Ridenour stated that the team fulfilled their main objective this year by making the postseason. “It was a team goal to make it to playoffs this year and they reached that. So next year, I know we will be setting the goal a little higher to try and earn home field in the playoffs.”
The Mountain Lions may have their work cut out next season, as competition in the RMAC, according to Ridenour, is “one of the toughest conferences in the nation for Division II.” The majority of the team consists of underclassmen, which means the Mountain Lions may have the next couple of years to unite and grow together. “There is always room to grow and develop,” said Ridenour. “These girls have the talent and the drive to become one of the top contenders [in the RMAC].” ◆
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Sports
Shorts Cross Country
Men’s Basketball
NCAA Division II Central Region Championships
Preseason (0-2)
Nov. 3 at Reed Gym Idaho State 91, UCCS 87 (OT)
Nov. 7 at Wayne, Nebraska Men: 10th of 19 Women: 16th of 22
Nov. 2 at Dee Events Center Weber State 110, UCCS 58 The Mountain Lions nearly won in overtime on Nov. 3 against Idaho State, fighting all the way back from a second-half 16 point deficit. UCCS fell 87-91 to Division I Idaho State in their second exhibition game of the season. Regular season play will commence Nov. 20 against Colorado College at the Lion’s Den.
Women’s Basketball Preseason (0-1)
A
Nov. 6 at Clune Arena Air Force 82, UCCS 46
The men’s squad completed the 10,000-meter course with six runners finishing within 43 seconds. Senior Joel Kienitz ran a career best, finishing 58th with a time of 34.12.1. Freshman Mike English led the Mountain Lions, finishing 49th with a time of 34:01.7, followed by Sam Feldotto, 54th (34:07.9), Oliver Williams, 68th (34:37.2), Chris Reynolds, 69th (34:37.6), Michael Johnson, 72th (34:43.1) and Josh Jones, 96th (35:54.6). The women’s team had a tough day, falling out of contention in the 6000 meter race after the 400 meter mark. The women finished as follows: Alicia Del Pardo, 55th (23:53.7), Tavia Hammond, 69th (24:16.5), Kaitlin Frier, 85th (24:42.3), Kelsey Berry, 95th (25:03.8), Christy Severy, 96th (25:04.3), Tracy Falsetto, 113th (25:44.8) and Sara Kettlecamp, 125th (26:24.5).
The Mountain Lions lost to Air Force 82-46 in their first and only preseason match of the season Nov. 6. UCCS was able to make an impressive run and close the gap to 26-14 but it wasn’t enough as the Falcons answered with an 11-2 run from which UCCS was not able to recover. The Mountain Lions will begin regular season play Nov. 15 at Montana State-Billings.
Women’s Volleyball
Women’s Soccer
B
(7-10-1, 6-9-1 RMAC)
(18-9, 13-6 RMAC)
Nov. 7 at Lion’s Den UCCS 3, Regis 2 (25-23, 15-25, 25-20, 22-25, 15-12)
Nov. 4 at Dirks Field Fort Lewis 3, UCCS 0 Women’s soccer concluded their season Nov. 4 against Fort Lewis C in a first round playoff loss. In the program’s second season, UCCS clinched a sixth seed berth and qualified for the postseason for the first time. Junior Lauren Hall was named first-team AllRMAC and sophomore Kristin Preble was named to third-team All-RMAC. Hall started all 17 games this season and recorded two goals. Preble was the team’s leading scorer with three goals and two assists.
Nov. 6 at Lion’s Den Metro State 3, UCCS 2 (25-15, 23-25, 15-25, 25-16, 15-12)
C
Men’s Soccer
(8-11-1, 5-8-1 RMAC)
The Mountain Lions defeated Regis 3-2 on Nov. 7, completing their last regular season match. The match was the last home game for seniors Kim Pollard, Lauren Orth and Cassey Santucci. The three seniors saw extended playing time on “Senior Night.” The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championships begin Nov. 12 in Kearney, Nebraska.
Nov. 8 at Mountain Lion Stadium Colo. State-Pueblo 5, UCCS 3 UCCS and Colorado StatePueblo were both eliminated from playoff contention two weeks ago, but the squads agreed to play one more match on Nov. 8. Mountain Lion head coach Henry Ellis took the last game as an opportunity for the younger players and those who didn’t see many minutes this season to “start proving themselves for next August.” Senior Dami Oladiran, Sophomore Matt Friesen and Freshman Aaron Brandt scored for the Mountain Lions in the season finale.
D A B C D E
E
Picture courtesy of Doug Fitzgerald Picture courtesy of Kathy Small Picture courtesy of UCCS Sports Information Picture courtesy of Rick Gorham Picture courtesy of Ian Talbot
For more pictures and information, visit gomountainlions.com