Friday, January 29, 2010 Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 7 VARIETY Michael Pollan: Rules To Eat By Buss COLLINS Stafi Writer At some point in the past six months I have become not only obsessed with food, but even more so with reading'about food: books on food, food theory, food arguments, recipe... Show moreFriday, January 29, 2010 Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 7 VARIETY Michael Pollan: Rules To Eat By Buss COLLINS Stafi Writer At some point in the past six months I have become not only obsessed with food, but even more so with reading'about food: books on food, food theory, food arguments, recipe booklets, ingredient lists on the back of food packaging. I'm very easily fixated. But my world of food theory hasn’t quite yet expanded to my world of food eating. This is where Michael Pollan comes into my life (again). Michael Pollan, food writer extraordinaire, best known for 2007’s The Omnivore's Dilemma, finished off 2009 with the late December release of Food Rules: an Eaters Manual, which turns out to be just what I needed. In Food Rules, Pollan breaks down his philosophy from his previous book, In Defense of Food (Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants), and tums it into 64 rules to eat by. The book, a little pocket sized paperback, is organized by three questions: What should I eat? What kind of food should I eat? And, how should I gat? (The answers are, of course: eat food, mostly plants, and not too much.) His tips are a collection of old wives’ tales, grandmotherly advice, folk traditions, and common sense based off of the theory that we only started getting fat and diabetic with the paradigm shift in food — an all-processed (American) diet. Part one is a collection ofways to tell whether or not the food you’re eating is actually food, and not what Pollan calls “edible food- like substance.” He suggests things such as, “avoid foods that contain High Fructose C om Syrup,” not because it’s any more unhealthy than natural sugar, but because it’s a tell tale marker of a processed “food.” “Avoid foods that are pretending to be something they’re not,” like I Can’t Believe it’s Not Butter, just for example. Part two answers “What kind of food should I eat?” with mostly plants. “Eat your colors” is my favorite rule, one of those folk eating rules that has, over time, proven to be legitimately healthful. Different colored fruits and vegetables have different nutritional content. “Eat animals that have themselves eaten well,” makes sense, but means pretty much no meat product from the grocery store, and absolutely nothing resembling meat from a fast food restaurant. Part three, my favorite part, explores eating less. To speak for myself only, American portion size, along with the “Clean Your Plate Club” of my childhood, has taught me to eat past being hungry. Pollan suggests to “buy smaller plates and glasses,” and “stop eating before you’re full.” It is a brilliant idea, but one that is also surprisingly difficult. I like Omnhore S Dilemnm _ q all 1'0“ \\ \\1\' 1‘ this section because it’s not wild and crazy unfounded diet advice; it‘s just common sense. The book is summed up, quite predictably in any book of rules, by the familiar “break the rules once in a while” rule that. after reading 63 other restrictive rules, is a refreshing sight to see, though somewhat expected. Food Rules is a little spendy at $11.00 retail (1 purchased mine on Amazon for five bucks), but it‘s the perfect size to throw in your purse or back pocket for grocery store moral support. It’s a quick read too. taking me about a halfhour to leisurely peruse the rules. Ifyou can find it cheap, 1 think it’s worth the money. particularly if you have the misguided crap diet that resembles my own. 3am Productions’ Dumb/Sex: Not at all dumb, not enough sexy A-List MOLLY BUDKE Stafi Writer To see Augsburg alums (mixed with a couple undergrads and un- familiar faces) able to pour so much energy into the art they love, these days, is inspiring. That loaded word “economy” seems to have had little efiect on 3am Production’s spirits, if their recent three-week run of two shows plus improv is any indication. 3am Productions is an artistic production company started a few years ago by a couple of motivated and talented Augsburg graduates. Since its inception, the company has blossomed to include other talented young artists from the area and full seasons of diverse theatrical works. Beginning this season with back to back productions of Harold Pinter‘s The Dumb Waiter and David Mamet’s Sexual Perversity in Chicago, 3am exhibits strengths and weaknesses which, if faced, could keep them going strong and avoiding fear of the ‘E’ word. The Dumb Waiter and Sexual Perversity make one thing very clear; the artistic minds of 3am know the English language. In two plays where not much action occurs and a lot of words must carry each story, it is clear that directors Josha Iley and Sarah Teich know what is being said, and how to keep their audiences listening. The words traded by Ben (Aaron Coker) and Gus (Tim McVean) in The Dumb Waiter, carry within them a mysterious, sometimes tense, power struggle that pulls the audience in almost like a third character. Likewise, the stories manipulated by Danny (Justin Hooper). Bernard (Michael Kelley), Deborah (Hannah Steblay) and Joan (Anika Taylor) in Sexual Perversity create a farther away world (Chicago, 1976) in which the familiar and surreal narratives of young relationships hold humor and heaviness. Set and light designers Michael Hoover and Grant E. Merges give the actors two beautifully simple worlds in which to tell their precisely worded tales. If 3am gives us two shows that are far from dumb, it must also be said that there is a sexiness missing. I do not mean sex, as the second show gives plenty, but those other things tied into sexiness that make something worth watching: the exoticism of new ideas, new aesthetics; the lust for the end of a (even familiar) story that builds on the audience’s captivation rather than just keeping it. While Dumb/Sex presents 3am's careful intellect, it fails to exhibit any artistic risk. Two good shows lack greatness in denying themselves the chance to do something their audience hasn’t seen before. However, up next for 3am Productions is a musical adaptation of The Awakening created in collaboration with Savage Umbrella, which promises to make up for what Dumb/Sex was missing. The Awakening, based on the 1899 novel and created by ensemble work looks like it will take the risks needed and meet the Twin Cities’ spring 20 I 0 season with force. The Awakening will run April 1-18 at The Gremlin Theatre in St. Paul. Tickets are $20 and under and may be reserved by calling the Gremlin box office at 651.228.7008 or purchased at the door. Mankind rimmagammand 1 l 1 i http://www.mnprivateeolleges.org/events/day.php SamSmith DnyStudanBodyPresident, .AugsburgCollege I'm‘writing to make you aware ofa way'to personally ensure that Augsburg continues to be a place of firalargepaeentageofAugshng'spopulaflon Every year,theMinnesotaAssociation ‘7 '_ College Students (MAPCS) organizes the Day at the Capitol event as a way to make sure that our We bet our support for the Minnesota State Grant program, which helps make Augsburg afi’ordable, and in some cases, possible, for a large percentage of Augsburg’s students. Without the State Grant program, our ‘ ' ' Campuswouklbeaverydifi'erent(andnotinapositiveway)place.Day idnCQitol willbe intportmttlhisyear, forafcw reasons: first, the state has a huge budget deficit, udthy’llbelookingtomakeumanyansaspossible- wedon'twanttheState Gmntprogramtobeacasualty. Mflsisameoppmityferprivateeollegemldmtstoadvocate fortheirsehools directlyandexplain to fieirrepesentativesthatit's notonlypnblic thatdeserve funding from the state. [fyouyourselfreeeivemoneyfiomtheStateGrantprogramorknow someonewho does,please sign up to amend DAC. This year, Augsburg will travel to the Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 24th from 9 am. to 3 pm. Transportation, t-shirts, and a stipend for lunch will all be provided! Please saiously consider joining me and other student leaders at the Capitol. You can register using this link? ‘ r i l i Ifyou have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Thanks for your time! MALENA THOSON A c’eE Editor Theater Panache Theatre In The Round Fri-Sat. January 29-30. 8:00PM Sun. January 31. 2:00PM 245 Cedar Ave. Minneapolis 612-333-3010 Tickets: $10 with student II) \Wt'wtheaterintheroundorg Romeo and Julie! Guthrie Theater McGuire Proscenium Stage Through Jan. 31 Various Times 612.377.2224 Tickets: $15-$40 818 South 2nd St, Minneapolis www.guthrietheater.org Film 0f Language and Longing: The F ilms of/lIurgm'rite [)m‘us Cinema. Walker Art Center Thurs-Sun, Feb, 4-Feb. 7 Various Times Tickets: $8 ($6 Walker members) 1750 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis 612-375-7588 wwwwalkerartorg Music Kid Koala with Plain Ole Bill Cedar Cultural Center Saturday, Jan. 30. Doors: 7:00PM 612.338.2674 Tickets: $12 advance, $15 day of show 416 Cedar Ave S. Minneapolis www.thccedar.org [indiesoup] Presents: The Fattenin‘ Frogs The Unsound Logic Gabe Douglas (4 on the floor) Dave Mehling (The Fontanelles) Acadia Cafe Friday, Jan. 29, 8:00PM 612.874.8702 No Cover / All-Ages 329 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis wwacadiacafccom Lost Sparrow (dm's billing, zoos) 'Iil'iursclairj. leln'unrr, '1 2010 110 [i m ban—mu '-.‘u(‘ivtvpr¢l;t' t.’ I , 1 ‘..‘k"51>1J'\/" ulmy‘r "5“ .‘.‘r.i ’ .r until 1/ vim-n}. v; ». "rt- .a'kqun—Iihiivrlvl. AUGSBLIKG (.OLLHJE www.3ugsburg.odu/filmurios Inlormation Elise Mawbbio 6‘12 330 1523 0 ma'ubbioflaugabwg edu Show less
Page 8 Minneapolis, Minnesota THE BACK PAGE A polyglot of extraordinary proportions: Dr. Stimet BECK] Ivanson Echo Co-Editor Over Christmas Break, Augsburg College lost one of its luminaries. Professor Donald Steinmetz, who began teaching languages at Augsburg in 1968. provided a stimulating... Show morePage 8 Minneapolis, Minnesota THE BACK PAGE A polyglot of extraordinary proportions: Dr. Stimet BECK] Ivanson Echo Co-Editor Over Christmas Break, Augsburg College lost one of its luminaries. Professor Donald Steinmetz, who began teaching languages at Augsburg in 1968. provided a stimulating environment for hundreds of students in the 40-plus years he taught here and around the world. “It was not simply taking the time and effort to assist a struggling student which made him stand out as a teacher,” said Phillip Kaup, a former student of Steinmetz. “It was the concerted and concentrated effort to crafi that time specifically to that student’s needs and interests. What truly set him apart as an educator was his ability to share his love for his field with nearly anyone.” Steinmetz died of a heart attack this winter, a few years after he received his second heart transplant. Prof. Frankie Shackelford regarded his physical presence, in spite of perceived physical limitations, to be amazing. “After expecting Don to die for many years, I was amazed by his new energy after the heart transplant,” Shackelford said. “I came to regard him as invincible in some sense-—a disembodied intelligence with complete disregard for his physical limitations. He was so consumed by his research on gender that he seemed to transcend mere bodily constraints.” His students were also aware of Steinmetz’s health troubles, and impressed. “I knew very early on in my classes from Steinmetz that it all came on borrowed time,” Kaup said. “He was never hesitant to bring up that he was on his second heart. He would mention that his body was climbing in years, but his heart was just over thirty and his mind would never age, because linguists, you see, never lose their wits.” A consummate linguist, Steinmetz began learning languages at a young age, learning fluent German from his parents and Russian from neighbors by the time he was a teenager. But these were hardly the only languages that Steinmetz was familiar with. In an article about Prof. Steinmetz written by fellow linguists, they list “native-like abilities” in Mandarin Chinese, Dutch and Spanish, as well as fluency in French, Danish, Icelandic, Ojibwa, Quechecal (an indigenous Guatemalan language), and Italian. In addition, he taught Yiddish and could instantly cite “examples and grammatical properties from Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, Old English, Gothic, Hebrew, Romansch, Hungarian, Rumanian and lost varieties and stages of Germanic languages.” Former students of Steinmetz, who are now linguists themselves, fondly remember asking him about his incredible aptitude for words. “Sometimes those of us who were his students would try to find out how many languages he knew,” they wrote. “When we asked, he would say he didn’t know. If we pushed a bit and asked him how many languages he could teach an introductory course for, he would pause, perhaps to start counting, but then he would say, ‘I could teach an introductory course for any language!’ This comment was not a reflection of immodesty, which he never displayed; he was simply reporting a fact.” Perhaps due to these wizard- Iike language abilities, Augsburg Prof. Reichenbach remembers Steinmetz as “in a good-natured sense, a ‘competitor.’ Several times I had very good philosophy students who, after taking a philosophy class addressing philosophical issues in language, took a linguistics course from him and soon abandoned a possible career in philosophy for a distinguished career in linguistics.” Reichenbach also fondly remembers Steinmetz for the “magic about the way he could make linguistics come alive for students, a magic that engaged students and enabled them to see the wonders and challenges of the Augsburg for Adults / Weekend College Student Body Senate (AFA/WEC Senate) -2010 Senate ‘ dent: Michelle Cerame Treasurer: jim Mahahn ' gators: Tom Anderson. Melissa Becker. weather alerts and College closings: Meeting Dates 8: Times: study and use of language.” Part of the way Steinmetz accomplished this was through his astonishing stories about the adventures he had while trying to learn a language. Kaup remembers several of these stories. “I remember, in the second week of my first class in German, he spoke of his travels to Guatemala to study the indigenous tongues,” Kaup said. “This took place during a violent and destructive civil war. As he put it, ‘I am now convinced, looking back on the matter, that my step-mother was intent on getting me killed.’ And yet he remained there, even staying too late at the library and having to beg for shelter to make curfew under the hostile militia.” “Later in the term he would speak of bringing books across the Iron Curtain and his troubles with weather and local authorities while traveling to Central America, and numerous other misadventures,” Kaup continued. “This was the Dr. Steinmetz that his students knew: the professor that had risked all in the pursuit of his passion for language.” Fellow language professor Frankie Shackelford also has fond memories of Steinmetz’s classroom presence. “One day he was so absorbed in his writing that he forgot to go to class, but his dedication to teaching was unquestionable,” Shackelford said. “He graded final exams most of the night before he died. We will miss his brilliant, funny, frail, unsinkable presence!” Steinmetz’s life work was based on the study of grammatical gender. His 1986 article “Two Principles and Some Rules for Gender in German: Inanimate Nouns” is widely regarded as the best example of the theory he developed and is still discussed and cited today. And linguistics was not the only field in which Steinmetz was interested or excelled. He was also fascinated with philosophy and conversed with faculty on campus about their work. One was Professor Reichenbach, with whom Steinmetz discussed the law of karma. “When I published a book on the law of karma, he obtained a copy and read it so that we could discuss over lunch what would be to some a very obtuse idea,” Reichenbach said. “The concept of karma fascinated him, not only for its content but ultimately for the way it functioned in the nexus of Indian thought, with which he was familiar from his study of Sanskrit. Our discussion was rich and varied.” Ultimately, Steinmetz’s gifts to the world will continue to be discussed for many years, and Augsburg was lucky to have him. As former students state, “he was a polyglot of extraordinary proportions, and he was a genius.” Prof. Steinmetz died at the age of 71 on December 28. Although a funeral was already held, there will be a memorial service in his honor next week on Thursday. February 4 at 4 pm. in the Foss Chapel. Hem “hue ForThe Echo. Show less
Page 6 VARIETY Minneapolis, Minnesota Cameron’s Avatar brings cinema to new heights ALEX STOIAKEN Staff Writer Through the colors, the music, precision animation, and the overall meaningful message within James C ameron‘s Avatar is a whole new ex- perience in cinema. The film has been four years... Show morePage 6 VARIETY Minneapolis, Minnesota Cameron’s Avatar brings cinema to new heights ALEX STOIAKEN Staff Writer Through the colors, the music, precision animation, and the overall meaningful message within James C ameron‘s Avatar is a whole new ex- perience in cinema. The film has been four years in the making, four years of using revolutionary technology and new generation special effects. The result is a product that renders the viewer drunk on the characters’ emotions and powerful story. Avatar takes us to an extraordinary world, one beyond imagination, in which a wounded marine, confined to a wheelchair, embarks on an epic adventure. ultimately becoming a hero and fighting for the alien planet he learns to call home. Through the eyes of that marine. named Jake Sully, we enter Pandora, a place that holds a rare mineral that is key to solving the energy crisis on Earth. Since Pandora‘s toxic air is not suitable for humans. the Avatar program was created. Through this program a human‘s consciousness is linked to an avatar body. These avatars are a genetic mix of human DNA and the DNA ofthe Na‘vi (the natives of Pandora). Reborn and fully mobile, Jake has a mission to infiltrate the Na‘vi, the obstacle being that their village is sitting on the precious ore deposits. As Jake becomes educated in the ways of the natives. and falls in love with a female Na‘vi. he gains deep respect for the people, and his values are tested in a fierce battle between humans and the people of Pandora. This film was nominated for four Golden Globes, and winner of two, including Best Motion Picture-Drama and Best Director-Motion Picture, and is rumored to be up for nine Oscar nominations. Cory Has— selstrom, an Augsburg freshman, says Avatar. “is an amazing movie. It makes you feel like you would want to live in that world.” Climbing the box office chart, raking in $1 billion, Cameron’s block— buster is a definite must see that will leave you awestruck. ANGELA BURLA Contributor Afier seeing the movie The Lovely Bones, and being completely blown away, I was excited to make my usual post-movie visit to IMDb.com and read the opinions of other viewers. l was very disappointed, however, when I found that other viewers were not quite as excited about the film as I was. Despite the harsh opinions of professional 'critics and fellow movie-goers, I thought that Peter Jackson’s adaptation of Alice Sebold’s novel made for a beautiful film. The Lovely Bones is narrated by Susie Salmon, a fourteen-year-old girl who was murdered by a neighbor. She tells the story of her death, her family’s struggles to come to terms with it, and her father's unconditional love that leads him to take some drastic measures in his own personal investigation. Realizing that she has some “unfinished business” on Earth, Susie refuses to move on to heaven and so remains in a sort of limbo throughout the entire movie. I found the film to have phenomenal acting and beautiful cinematography while remaining quite accurate to Sebold’s original novel. I read Sebold’s novel in high school, so some of the finer details of the novel may have been lefi out ofthe movie without my realizing it. If my memory serves me well, however, all of the most important points of the story were captured in the film. Being a person who is generally very critical of movies adapted from books I was wary but, even though it may take a second reading of the novel to refresh my memory of the small details, l was still happy with the way this adaptation was done. Jackson’s portrayal of Susie’s death displayed a certain horrific beauty that is difficult to describe. After showing Susie‘s soul escaping her murderer and essentially leaving Earth, the film quickly moves to a graphic scene in which Susie realizes she is dead only after seeing her own blood covering her murderer and his bathroom and her prized charm bracelet strewn over the edge of his sink. Some critics claim that the horror of this scene 9, 2010 an under-celebrated Success and some of the other death-related scenes in the movie contrast too greatly with the more sen- timental and even happy scenes of the movie. The story, however, is meant to be a bit of an emotional roller coaster. From the sadness of death, the con- tentment of acceptance, and even the happiness of the afier—life, the varia- tion in images and colors portrayed a wide array ‘ of emotions, all of which are taken from the original novel. Another View of the movie that I would like to argue against is its “Disney-ness,” especially during the scenes that take place in Susie’s limbo. This limbo is supposed to be a fantasy world that is just a preview of the wonders and beauty that Susie will see when she reaches her heaven. So if we take the opinion that heaven is a person‘s paradise, wouldn’t a fourteen-year-old girl’s heaven be a little “Disney-ish?” Doesn’t turning into a but- terfly and flying away sound like a good metaphor for how many fourteen —year-old girls might feel? Doesn’t being with the boy you love,just the two of you, all by yourself, sound like a fourteen-year-old girl ’5 paradise? Wouldn’t most fourteen-year-old girls love to be famous and beautiful and on the cover of their favorite fashion magazine? These are certainly things that I would have thought of if I were asked to describe paradise at fourteen. So overall, I have to disagree with the critics. I think that The Lovely Bones is a great movie, both as an adaptation of a novel and as a stand-alone film. I can’t bring myself to believe that the images are too contrasting or the emotions too unclear. I can, however, say that I think this is a movie that you may enjoy whether you’ve read the novel or not. LOVELY BONES Inscapes at the MMAA SERGIO MONTERRUBIO Layout Editor Recently, The Minnesota Museum of American Art (MMAA ) exhibited works from Minnesota native expressionist artist, George Morrison, at the Bockley Gallery in South Minneapolis. The exhibition served as a prequel to a retrospective tour of Morrison’s work throughout the US. in 2011-2012. The exhibition, which runs through Jan. 30, consists of eight paintings and drawings that the Ojibwe artist created between 1986 and 1990. “It is really important to take the work out to a national audience,” said Kristin Makholm, Executive Director of the MMAA. During the opening reception Makholm, who is the former gallery director at the Minneapolis College ofArt and Design, referred to the exhibit as a “small sliver" ofthe collection’s potential. Also during the opening, Chair of Native American Art at the University of Oklahoma, W. Jackson Rushing III, gave a talk about the work of George Morrison an its importance. “George Morrison is one the most important 20th century American artists,” said Rushing when explaining that is more accurate to refer to him as an American artist rather than “Native,” “Indian,” or “Minnesotan.” The works exhibited were created by Morrison in Grand Portage of Lake Superior, and relate greatly to the Red Rock setting of his studio. In the pieces, the viewer can appreciate landscapes of Lake Superior that Morrison would interpret at different seasons of the year, month, and day. “His landscapes we might as well call ‘inscapes’,” Rushing said. When talking about Morrison’s work, Rushing, who was also the curator of the exhibit, described it as affirming “a sense of place” through a “perfect balance between part and whole" and a “sublime manipulation of color.” Morrison, who was an active member of the abstract expressionist movement of New York in the 19405, created these works with influence from those years, yet with his own singular style. Inspired by the horizon observed from the North Shore of Lake Superior, we see abstractions driven by the different characteristics of nature that Morrison perceived. Despite the difficult economic year it had in 2009, The MMAA together with Arts Midwest, an organization that promotes and supports arts in the Midwest, will work together to start a retrospective tour of Morrison’s work that would travel difierent cities across the US. during 2011— 2012. Coming up the MMAA will exhibit works from its collection at an exhibition called: Generation Abstraction: Selectionsfiom the Minnesota Museum of American Art at College of Visual Arts Gallery. The opening will take place on Thursday, March 11, 6-8 pm. and it will run from March 12-28, 2010, with a panel of discussion on Thursday. March 25, 6:30pm. ‘ ACROSS: l. Pierre's “one” i 4. Hoop mesh 7. Let the cat out of the bag ; 9. Remainder of: fire j l2. Musician Winehouse [3. Nicknamed Yankee 14. School subject l5. Pan | of Red Cross plea ls. Cnmson or \errmllion |°. Classic T V game show. “Family ‘ 20. Pnncess headgear 23. Small water surrounded lands 26. “rise animal 2" "Lady" popslar 30. 200* film. N! in Real Life" SI. Partlofplea 37 Document for after—death “1ShCS 38 French thshmmhouse Christian 30. Timbenhohes‘ org. 4|. Martial ans star. Bruce 4‘.‘ Adam‘s partner \ 44 Flu sickness org. 40 Summer in Paris 40 Part 3 ofplea 55 Danson of'Beeker' 56. i Speedwagon 57. Dog foot 58. Singer/songwriter DiFranco 59. College major. Poll-vi 60. “Crazy Game of Poker" band 6|. To be 62. Title in England 63. (and the list continues...) 64. Updated yersions ofrecords 65. Simpsons‘ neighbor Flanders 66 _A\.i\ DOWN: l. Great Salt Lake state 2. Bestselling author Roberts 3 “i. . lama Sabaehthani“ 4. Negative response. casually 5 Green gem 6. Aerosmith frontmart. Ste\en 8. Now—illegal pesucrde 9. Supermodel Deyn 10 South Korea capitol l l. Cowboy greeting lb. Not-so-Ippmpnate embraces tabr ) l~ Beyonce song. “! Were a Boy“ 20. Link one 2|. WWII site. _ Jim 22. Gel older 24. Tit for _ 25. A Cone 27 Formal etent 23. Georgia airport code 29. Also 32. Possessed 33. Wnting tip ofpen 34. Black gold 35 "_ is me" (poor me!) 36. Say hello 40. Commercials 4] Build. as a monument ‘ 43. As Hindu scriptures 44 Beer “from the Rockies“ 45. News channel 47. Crispy bread 48 Golfer Els 50. “that Stem Int-in may call an alligator 5 1. Enjoy a book 52. Take a risk 53. Va in debt 54 Young woman Crossword: By Molly Dunne Show less
Friday, January 29, 2010 Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 3 ' SPORTS Anggie hockey looks g. to repeat the magic MIKE GALLAGHER Contributor At this time last year, the Auggie Men’s hockey team had just lost their seventh in a row and elev- enth in their last twelve games. Things looked bleak, but when... Show moreFriday, January 29, 2010 Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 3 ' SPORTS Anggie hockey looks g. to repeat the magic MIKE GALLAGHER Contributor At this time last year, the Auggie Men’s hockey team had just lost their seventh in a row and elev- enth in their last twelve games. Things looked bleak, but when the season ap- peared to be lost, the team rallied behind captain Chris Johnson and, excuse the cliché’, the miracle work of coach Chris Brown to win six in a row and get right back in the playoff hunt. . - The regular season ended with one of the great- est displays of scoring at any level in recent hockey memory, with the'Auggies scoring five goals in the last 4:43 of regulation against St. Olaf to tie their rivals and capture an astonishing playoff bid. Chris Brown has always stressed the Auggies play their best hockey of the season coming down the stretch-to get momentum for the playoffs. That will be vitally important this year as well. Despite their strong overall record of 10-6-1, the Auggies find themselves in seventh place in the MIAC with a 3-4-1 record, on the outside looking in at the five-team playoff format the MIAC has recently adopted. Chris Brown’s squad, however, is not worried, and with plenty of veterans and experience on this team, are keeping the right mindset coming down the stretch. “I don’t think we’re too worried,” said junior forward Mario Mjelleli. “You look at last year, we’re in a very similar situation and we went on a roll. That being said, we can’t rely on that.” The Auggies had won seven in a row before their recent slip up against Gustavus, the tenth ranked team in the country. The split at Concordia- Moorehead last week raised some eyebrows, as the Cobbers only won one conference game last season and havenow vaulted to third in the MIAC standings. ~ _ “Overall it wasn’t a great weekend for us," said Mjelleli. “It used to be a series in which you could sleepwalk through that weekend and come out with a sweep. But they have started from the bottom up and teams are taking them a little too lightly. They played hard and outshot us. That being said, going on the road and taking one is never a bad thing in the MIAC.” With the pressure building on the squad, across-the-river MIAC rival Hamline comes to the Augsburg Ice Arena Friday, with the Auggies looking to avenge their season-ending 5—4 loss to the Pipers in the play—in game last season. “Every game is important down the stretch, but that being said, you prepare for every game the same and can’t change your prep too much no matter who it is,” said Mjelleli. The Pipers are ranked eighth in the country, and with a sweep of Hamline this weekend, the Auggies would almost assure themselves a spot in the MIAC playoffs. But do not fret hockey fans, even with a set- back this weekend against the Pipers, the Auggies still have three very winnable series to close out the year. “They should go 5-1 in their last three series,” said Brett Cloutier, analyst for Augsburg Men’s Hockey. That would surely get them a spot in the play- offs and among the MIAC’s elite, whom they’ve shown they can play with this year in their win over national semi—finalist Gustavus and dominance over third-place Bethel in the MIAC showcase earlier this season. But first they have to focus on Hamline, who comes to the Augsburg Ice Arena at 7 pm. Friday, in which there is expected to be a “maroon-out” from Auggie faithful. So go out and give Mario Mjelleli and com- pany a boost as they make their push to repeat the magic of last year, and make a run at the MIAC championship. Player profile: Matthew McEnery En SHEHWEN of devotion.” Augsburg swimming LAURA Mon Contributor The Augsburg women’s swimming team is training and competing hard to prepare for their championship meet, which is Feb. 17-20 at the University of Minnesota. Over the course of the season. the women’s swim team has seen vast improvements. Several of our swimmers have already swum life- time bests. Although the team has only six competing individuals. what the team lacks in size. they make up with heart and determina- tion. However, being such a small team impedes on their ability to win meets. Julie Zollner, sophomore, talked about the team this season. “The team’s biggest success this year has been our attitude.” She said “We go into every meet with pride and we want to do well. Just because we aren’t the fastest team in the water doesn’t mean that we don’t work hard. We work hard and improve with every meet, and that is what matters to us. The improvement we see on the team is better than a victory.” ‘The swim season started in Oct. at the St. Kate’s pool. During winter break the swimmers had a change of scenery where they competed and trained for a week in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Zollner commented on the training she endured. “Puerto Rico was some of the hardest swimming that we have done.” She said. “We had two-a-day practices, each with about 5000-6000 yards. We trained really hard in the pool, and then we had additional time on the beach: running and doing dry land exercises. But. we did have time to ourselves to relax. which made those hard hours in the pool bear- able.“ Even afier basking in the sun for a week, the bqu of training isn‘t over with yet. the team still swims over 25,000 yards a week. as well as lifting twice a week. These women are working hard in order to make qualifying times for their biggest meet ofthe year: the MIAC Championships. The championship meet is a three-day. twice a day. competition between all Minnesota intercollegiate ath- letic conference schools. Zollner has already made the cut for two events, so now her goal is to break Augsburg records. “My goals for this season were to break the school back- stroke records for the 100 and 200 events." she said. “I have been chasing these since last year at championships when l was 00.01 sec away from the 100 back record. That small fraction of a second has been my motivation this season.” As for the rest of the team. only half have made time cuts. so every bit oftraining counts. With a new coach leading the team this season expectations are high and the team’s biggest goal is for each swimmer to swim a personal best by the end ofthis season. The Augsburg women‘s swim team has two more chances to qualify for championships and to perform season bests. The team’s next opportunity is Jan. 29-30; the team will compete at Macalester. The team’s final meet is the Min- nesota Challenge, which is held at the University of Minnesota, Feb. 5-6. SportsEditor Matthew McEnery is an integral member of the Augsburg men’s club lacrosse team. Beginning his career in F airfield, Connecticut, McEnery graces us with his talent, a talent brought all the way from a small Prep school in the northeast region: Fairfield Prep. # A senior here at Augsburg College, McEnery has proved to be one of Augsburg’s finest defensive forces. Being an experienced veteran of the sport has allowed McEnery to bring a unique and fresh perspective to Augsburg‘s newly found club lacrosse team. McEnery, having only a few wins under his belt as an Auggie “lax-er”, displayed his love for the game, “Yes, we’re a new team, and its tough not being a commanding presence on the field, but it’s still a chance to get out and play for the love of the game. Also, it‘s a great chance to get and help guys who are just starting out." With emphasis he added, “That’s what it‘s really all about.” McEnery is no stranger to helping others. Up until this past fall McEnery was a member of the StepUp program here on campus, a program in which service is the all-mighty doctrine. Luckily for new players, which Augsburg lacrosse has quite a few of, leaders like McEnery are willing to help out at no benefit to themselves. Concurring, McEnery made note of the strength of the team’s leadership, “Since we are a club lacrosse team we don’t have much of a backbone. and we are forced to rely on ourselves for moral, financial. and structural support." He continued. “Our leadership is what really defines our team. We are so young and to have come as far as we have. attainting the respect and support of student government, and becoming a known force in theUMLL. itistmlyamiracleandaproduct Off the field, McEnery strives to succeed in the books, as his future goals are harnessed within the realm of American law. Having developed a strong affinity for politics, McEnery, again, sees how his current coursework can be used to benefit others in the future, “I’d like to get into family law. I spend my summers working at a camp in New Hampshire for less fortunate children who come from broken homes. This experience has definitely molded my vocation.” A channel of service on and off the field, McEnery is savoring his last year here at Augsburg while trying to give back to a club team that has given him the opportunity to display and share his talent with others. Concluding, McEnery would like to give a special thanks to the Student Senate for their support. Augsburg lacrosse BEN MARX Contributor As another season in the UMLL quick— ly approaches, the Augsburg Men’s lacrosse team is diligently working to prepare for success. With a successful season last year, the returning players are excited beyond belief to know that the team will consist of a full roster: 25 players. Defensive Cap- tain and Team President, Ryan Gilmartin, senior, waits patiently and excitedly to take the field. The Auggies first match up will be against the Coyotes of the University of South Dakota on February 6, here in the Augsburg Dome. When asked what he expects out of the upcoming season, Gilmartin replied, “I cannot wait for another successful season with some new players that are hungry to win just like the rest of the team.” Also asked about the upcoming sea- son, Joe Hillegeass, junior, said, “A lot of progress was made last year, and with a new coach, we have some lofty goals for this season and beyond. We have also been able to branch out in the community and help some local high schools with their lacrosse programs, and this outside service work is a staple of the lacrosse team here at Augsburg.” Lacrosse is, after all, a club team, and the team is responsible for finding their fimding. Even with help from the Student Senate and StepUp, the team still needed some private donors to help their program. Hillegeass, noted “The team is very grateful for any of the money that the Augsburg family has been able to give, and also the private donors have really helped to make this a very inclusive sport. Even though the cost ofthe equipment can be very expensive we have been able to provide opportunities to new students to play lacrosse. Our goal from a financial standpoint is that anybody that wants to play lacrosse here at Augsburg can." Hillegeass, finance major, said this on his role as treasurer: “lt has been great for me to get some bands on experience in being finically responsible for an organiza- tion. This is really preparing me for life after college," It has been a busy off-season for men’s lacrosse or “lax” as Gilmanin and Hillegeass like to call it. They found a new coaching staff and recruited ten new players. They hired Ben Marx as their head coach, and he will be assisted by Ben Loving. Loving, a former player will not be able to play due to two offseason shoulder surgeries, but has had a very active role in the recruiting this year. Head coach Marx has coaching experience, but just not in lacrosse. Marx was a highly successful high school football mentor, and he looks to spread his coaching wings into the UMLL. When asked how he can help a lacrosse team Marx said, “This team has great senior leaders, I mean, I wonder sometimes why I even go to practice the senior leaders are just fantastic. I am just so proud of these guys in the way that they have been prepar- ing for this season. We are going to bring Auggie Nation a very successful season." Show less
Lilly Endowment, page 8 J . The Colege’s Student-Produced Newspaper New Augsburg sign, page 4 Friday, January 29, 2010 Minneapolis, Minnesota All-Nighter to Course evaluation response rate causes concern DAVE MADSEN Staff Writer According to Lee Clarke, Assistant Professor for the Department of... Show moreLilly Endowment, page 8 J . The Colege’s Student-Produced Newspaper New Augsburg sign, page 4 Friday, January 29, 2010 Minneapolis, Minnesota All-Nighter to Course evaluation response rate causes concern DAVE MADSEN Staff Writer According to Lee Clarke, Assistant Professor for the Department of Business Administration and Interim Director for the Center for Teaching and Learning, less than half of Augsburg’s total student population responded to the online evaluation survey for the fall semester of 2009. This number has been the cause of concern for many students and faculty who do not believe this method of evaluation is an effective survey of the college. As part of a nation-wide trend, a group of faculty and staff created and put into practice an online delivery process for course evaluations in 2004. According the Center for Teaching and Learning’s website, the evaluations were developed to “maximize student anonymity, to improve timeliness of results, and to simplify faculty access to the data.” Professor Diane Pike, co- developer and member of the Course Evaluation Working Group, said that the paper-and-pencil forms were simply ineffective concerning matters of institutional and classroom evaluation. Although the benefits of in-class evaluations showed a significantly higher response rate, there were reportedly issues of instructors mishandling the evaluations. In addition to the possibility of breaching a student’s anonymity or receiving misleading data, the medium of paper exposed itself to issues of complicated processing. With the lack of a reliable database also arose problems with inadequate timeliness and comparability. Also, the questions being asked on the written surveys did not provide necessary feedback for the instructors. To address these issues, Pike and a g board of concerned faculty members created a voluntary, online evaluation system that asked questions relevant to students. Based on Chickering and Gamson’s “Seven Practices for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education,” the board created a survey containing questions applicable to proper course evaluation. However, even with a better method of evaluating the courses, some are still discouraged when looking at fall semester’s results: 5,601 responses received out of a possible 12,589 graduate and undergraduate students. While a response rate near 100 percent is ideal, it is unrealistic in a voluntary evaluation. According to Pike, a 44 percent response rate should not be disregarded. “Just because I have 14 out of 25 [responses] instead of 22 out of 25 [responses], I’m not going to say that the information isn’t useful,” Pike said. A formative assessment is encouraged to be put into place in addition to the summative assessment given at the end of a course. The online assessments are sent to multiple See SURVEY, page 2 host a variety of BECCA ANDERSEN Stafi Writer Doors for the annual Augsburg All-Nighter will open at 10 pm. tonight, Jan. 29 in the Christensen Center. Along with festivities involving food, inflatables, games, hypnotists, and a comedian, well known music acts, Brother Ali and Eyedea & Abilities will be performing at midnight in the upstairs commons. Coordinators are expecting grand attendance by Augsburg students, partly because of the All-Nighter's popularity in past years, but also because the musical acts were chosen by the student body through extensive polling by KAUG Media. ASAC President Seth Lienard said. A co-sponsored event, the Augsburg All-Nighter is organized by the Augsburg Student Activities Council. among other organizations such as KAUG Media, Student Senate, and the Events Department. With preparation beginning at the commencement of the school year, many long hours are being put into planning the event including research, negotiating contracts, planning logistics, marketing, and rallying support. The responsibility of gaining support requires a lot of attention, as it is key in sponsorship; ASAC, KAUG, AASA, and PASU finance the hiring of performers, while ' the All-Nighter is sponsored * performances by Campus Ministry and Student Government. Although the organization is a group effort by ASAC, when it came to planning the event this year, Lienard said. day students Emily Andrews and Clare Bartel are largely to be credited along with the diligent support of Carson Richmond and Stephen Thimell. “The Student Activities Council’s role is to be the major programming board on campus,” President Lienard said. “We try to create a sense of unity among the organizations and make [school events] more appealing to the school as a whole.” Leinard initially became involved with ASAC as a first-year. filling in a vacancy on the Concert Committee. Now, he offers his time and energy as president and feels compelled to help out the community by providing the campus with safe, quality activities. The All-Nighter is an example of one of these quality events, Leinard said, and should be a good time for anybody who attends. There is no fee for students or guests, although guests must be accompanied by an Augsburg student with a valid l.D. Also, a donation bin for Haiti’s cause will be placed at the entrance, and donations are suggested for guests. T—shirts will be given to the first three hundred students at the door. KAUG broadcast undergoes reformatting DAVE MADSEN News Editor A recently—conceived KAUG radio show was the source of much controversy last semes- ter. Though with the program's new direction. it hopes to create an open atmosphere in which mature discussion can take place. Hosted by Michael Buller and John Ger- gorits. "Doin‘ it Auggie Style“ will now be devoted to topics concerning personal growth. rather than a program solely devoted to sexual exploration. Last year. Buller created “Doin' it Auggie Style" with co-host Charlie Hugo. As then co- host Hugo retired his position. Buller felt as if he was putting Gregorits in a position where certain expectations were not made clear. “Over the last semester, the topics got more and more vulgar for me and harder and harder to participate with.” Buller said. “The show wasn‘t energizing me at all." According to an anonymous listener. the Show transformed into “sex. more sex, and a bit more sex.“ In the same criticism. the listener said that as the topics became increasingly lewd. the show lost its personal touch. “While entertaining at times. the show had occasional swear words. slip-ups. and crude guests. Some- times the show bordered on offensive." the listener said. On the first show of the semester. Buller explained how the program will now be a safe and anonymous place for people to provide opinion and discussion relating to the subjects presented on life experience. "The program is an open forum facilitated but not controlled by Michael or myself." Gregorits said. “We are not experts. nor do we claim to be. We are. however. passionate to find the truth in everyday issues; especially ones that affect our lives everyday but we neglect to talk about." Though the topics may still seem contro— versial and taboo. both hosts want to ensure an environment of safety and security. By estab- lishing boundaries early in the semester. Buller and Gregorits hope to maintain a program of See RADIO, page 2 Volume CXVl, Issue 1 1 Upcoming Augsburg Z Events ASAC A ugsburg A lI-Nigliier Free food. free t-shirts. and music performances by Brother Ali and Eyedeas and Abilities F riday, January 29 Christensen Center I 0: 00 p. m. ALAS Bowling Meet new people from Augsburg F riduy, January 2 9 017 Campus 6:00 p. m.- 7.00 p.m. PASU C hill Night Join us for a night of bowling, pizza and fun. It‘s free! F riduy, January 2 9 6.‘ 00 pm, Morlensen Hall STAND Students Taking A crion Now in Darfiir kickoff Free Jimmy John’s, speakers including two Augsburg students giving their personal genocide testimonies. Performances by Matt Fischer, Everett Brown and Avery Winter. This is all to raise awareness of the atrocity we know as genocide Monday, February 8th 5 :3 0 p, In. Christensen Cenler coffee shop CAREER & INTERNSHIP CENTER Alumni & Student Networking E vent FREE and Open to All students. Fun evening with lots of opportunity to network with Alumni. R.S.V.P. - Alumni Relations storma@augsburg.edu Thursday, February 4 Ear! Commons, CC 5:30-7:30 MN Private College Job & Internship Fair Cost $10 Register today (a, careersm/augsburgedu Deadline- Friday, February l2th Tuesday. feliniuri' [61h AI A Glance Job Fair I’rq) Session (attend (me) Monday. February 2nd 4:45- 5:l5. 5:306:00 Tuesday. February 3rd 4:45-5:15. 5:30—6:00 Wednesday. February 9th l2230, l2130-l100 l2z00- Oren Gateway Room [03 Show less
Page 2 NEWS Minneapolis, Minnesota Intergroup dialogue returns this spring _ SARA KLEMP Stafl” Writer Intergroup Dialogue will be returning this spring to help stu- dents learn more about race and its efl‘ects on individuals within the Augsburg community. Intergroup Dialogue is an exercise focused... Show morePage 2 NEWS Minneapolis, Minnesota Intergroup dialogue returns this spring _ SARA KLEMP Stafl” Writer Intergroup Dialogue will be returning this spring to help stu- dents learn more about race and its efl‘ects on individuals within the Augsburg community. Intergroup Dialogue is an exercise focused on exploring racial issues through the eyes of different people. Students, staff and faculty are all invited to share their thoughts on these issues and how they shape and affect their everyday lives. Group discus- sions. like the Intergroup Dialogue, are meant to raise and spread an understanding of how race has an effect on our community and in our individual lives. The inspiration to bring Intergroup Dialogue to the college was created by Social Work Associate Professor Dr. Nancy Rodenborg. The idea behind bringing these discussions to Augsburg focuses on giving participants some experience having discussions that are meant to be diverse in cultural topics. Currently, Rodenborg is studying how Intergroup Dialogue can be used for educational purposes. On her faculty page on the Augsburg website, Rodenborg gives a quote about her passionate feelings towards her work: “I am committed to increasing our students‘ cultural competence so they do not perpetuate systemic discrimination and are prepared to join with others to promote long term structural change. I see this as a challenging, exciting, life-long and global endeavor!” Applications for Intergroup Dialogue this spring are due to Laura Boisen, Associate Professor in Social Work, by Friday, Jan. 29. Applications are available at the Auggie’s Nest in Christensen Center or by email. Augsburg College Echo Fall 2009 Staff Molly Ehling Sergio Monterrubio Becki Iverson Molly Ehling W M n i it I Malena Thoson Becki Iverson Eaturgiditar o Edi r Andrea Sanow Ted Conover We); Bantam Dave Madsen Kendra Christiansen Qpigions/Editorials flitgr Advertising Manager Roger Huelsnirz Sarah Gillund Sporgs Miter E319; Adviser Ed Shehwen Boyd Koehler 731 let Avenue S, CB 148 Being de in i Timer 1. PAGUYO Contributor With a stack of papers held tightly against her chest and a lime green Prada purse hanging on her left shoulder, Diane McDonagh walked into room 212 of the Science building at Augsburg College ready to teach her ASL class. McDonagh is a professor of American Sign Language (ASL) at Augsburg College and has been teaching ASL for 28 years at North Hennepin Community College and around nine years at Augs- burg. McDonagh has been profoundly deaf since birth. Being profoundly deaf means McDonagh cannot hear at all without her digital hearing aids. “My mother had German measles while she was pregnant with me and that is how I became deaf,” McDonagh said. As a child, McDonagh had to learn to function in a hearing world because opportunities of going to a deaf school were obsolete. Her dad worked for the Army and Air Force Exchange Service and they moved around ofien. Over the years Mc- Donagh adapted to the hearing world, but still felt the constraints of being deaf in a hearing world. McDonagh said sometimes teachers treated her like she was stupid as if because she was deaf. An opportunity to hear at a normal hearing level could be possible if McDonagh decided to get cochlear implants. The definition of a cochlear implant (CI), according to Webster’s online dictionary, is “an electronic prosthetic device that enables individuals with sensorineural hearing loss to recognize some sounds and consists of an external microphone and speech processor and one or more electrodes implanted in the cochlea.” To get cochlear implants or hearing aids is a decision many people in the deaf community are faced with each year. The opportunity to have one or the other is based on insurance coverage and personal preference. “Hearing aids bring the sound quality up to 70 decibels which means the person’s hearing func- tions as a hard of hearing to severely deaf level,” said McDonagh. Cochlear implants would allow a deaf person to hear at a normal hearing level. RADIO, page 1 earn worl When I asked McDonagh if she would have chosen cochlear implants as a child, she said, “Oh yes! I would have a great opportunity to hear the most and get a better more advanced job. My life would be heaven without having such a frustrating life in a deaf world.” In the deaf world there is a stigma attached to cochlear implants. According to Brown Univer- sity’s Division of Biology and Medicine website, “The deaf community is split because some deaf people feel it is a medical miracle and others feel it is a form of ethnic genocide.” The term ethnic genocide is used to refer to the elimination of a group of people and their way of life. . “Deaf culture has its own customs, mics, and language,” McDonagh said. “Deaf children are the highest percentage of patients who receive cochlear implants,” according to Brown University’s Division of Biology and Medicine website. One reason children are at a higher percentage of ' getting the implants is because ninety percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents, Mc- Donagh said.Children seem to adjust quickly to the implants. If the child is implanted at age two or three they may never know they were deaf to begin with because the implant would work so well. Cochlear implants cost around $100,000 depending on insurance costs and any kind of complications that may arise from the surgery. Some complications include excessive bleeding or problems with infections. Hearing aids cost around $1 ,700-$2,000 per ear. McDonagh is a candidate for cochlear implants, but she said she is not ready for some good reasons. “I’m waiting for the right time,” she said. “I want to be in an open horizon and remember I have one life to live.” Within the Augsburg community there are two _ hard of hearing students and one deaf student. Sadie Curtis, Physical Disabilities Specialist at Augsburg College said, “The enrollment of deaf students has been sporadic over the years.” integrity and honesty. Since the beginning of the 2010 semester, Buller and Grego- rtis’ show has featured respected guests and worthwhile topics. The second broadcast of “Doin’ it Aug- gie Style” featured Nancy Don- oval, the writer and performer of “Date Rape: A Survivor Speaks.” Donoval’s appearance gave listen— ers a chance to not only receive a sneak-preview of her performance atAugsburg, but also hear her per- spective on such a serious, ofien over-looked topic of sexual abuse. Also recently broadcasted was SURVEY, page 1 recipients in the college, thus making them useful on an institutional level. A more casual and course- specific evaluation could provide a better measure of a professor’s class. According to Pike, too much weight is being put the show entitled “Talk to Some Feminists” during which members of the Augsburg Student Feminist Collective joined the hosts to discuss feminist theory and the group’s mission. Students who choose to par- ticipate in the program may contact KAUG’s studio line at (612) 330- 1595 between the show’s airtime of 10-11 pm on Thursday nights. Participants are encouraged to remain anonymous if they are not comfortable being identified with their opinions. In addition to commenting on a F acebook group, both hosts are welcome to person- alized messages fi'om listeners. To listen to “Doin’ it Auggie Style”, listeners must go through KAUG’s website (http://web. augsburg.edu/kaug/) and click on the “Listen Now” link during the show’s airtime. Alternatively, on—campus students may tune into the FM frequency of 91.7 to hear Thursday’s broadcast. Previous shows are also archived on the “Doin’ it Auggie Style” Facebook group page. we need to know about teaching and learning.” Pike also added that the reason for such consistent percentage of around a 50 percent response rate is the lack of any “concerted effort” on behalf of those leading the program. A : :Show less
Page 4 OPINIONS/ EDITORIALS Minneapolis, Minnesota Lilly: How much do you know? BECKI Ivnnson Echo Co-Editor Let's talk about the Lilly Endowment Fund. Many of those who are reading this probably have no idea what the Lilly Endowment Fund, (AKA Lilly Foundation) is and why on earth a student... Show morePage 4 OPINIONS/ EDITORIALS Minneapolis, Minnesota Lilly: How much do you know? BECKI Ivnnson Echo Co-Editor Let's talk about the Lilly Endowment Fund. Many of those who are reading this probably have no idea what the Lilly Endowment Fund, (AKA Lilly Foundation) is and why on earth a student would be writing about it, and that is exactly the problem. The Lilly Endowment Fund (LEF), the phil-. anthropical ofi°shoot of Eli Lilly and Company (a pharmaceutical corporation), has provided a large degree of financial support to Augsburg. Augsburg received a total of $2.5 million in grants since their first grant eight years ago. The Lilly Endowment fund has also given some $80 million to other higher education institutions. Have you heard of vocation here at Augsburg? You can thank. to a large degree, the Lilly Endow- ment Fund. Vocation is their pet project, and due to their amount of financial support we stress that in our curriculum. How about the Lilly Scholars? These students receive $2,100 to study the concepts of religion and vocation more in depth in a year-long seminar. Why am I bringing this up? The idea of studying vocation is annoying, it’s true, but that’s not the main problem. The problem that I have with the Lilly Endowment Fund is the source of its money, the fact that Augsburg accepted it, and that hardly any stu- dents on campus know what it is. Any information found in this piece was aided with reference librar- ian searches and digging online- it was not readily available via Augsburg or the LEF’s websites. As earlier stated, the LEF is an offshoot of Eli Lilly and Company. While the corporation has been known to do some good in the past (for example, it was the first company to mass produce penicil- lin, which it did during World War II), it is known, especially recently, for shadier dealings. Currently, the company produces (among many other drugs) the well-known medications Cymbalta (for Fibromyalgia), C ialis (for erectile dysfunction), and Prozac (a depression and anti-psychotic medi- cation). At the Fairview Riverside Pharmacy across the street, Lilly Pharmaceuticals charges $16] for a 30 mg strength, 30 pill bottle of Cymbalta. For a similar strength and the same number of pills, the company charges $499 for Prozac and a staggering $551 for a single, 30 pill and 10mg strength bottle of C ialis. According to a 1977 Psychology Today article, in the mid-1950‘s Lilly and Company discovered an LSD synthesis, which the CIA hoped to use later as a mind control drug (scary, I know). The CIA pro- ceeded to test the drug not only on its own agents but on “narcotics addicts under treatment, federal prisoners. terminal-cancer patients in charity wards, college students, and fiin-seeking ‘johns’ entrapped at $100 a head by C IA-controlled prostitutes” who were, the agency admitted, “unwitting” (i.e. not aware they were being injected with an experimen- tal. possibly dangerous drug) in order to see the effects it had. In addition, the new, cheap version ofLSD produced by Lilly and Company was soon copied across the world, creating an accessible form of the drug that was vastly abused and outlawed in the US. in the 1960’s. The company has faced judicial troubles when it has tried to settle lawsuits for discrimination and consequences from their drugs. According to a Lectric Law Library article, the Kentucky Supreme Court re-opened a closed case because “there was a serious lack of candor with the trial court and there may have been deception, bad faith conduct, abuse of judicial process and, perhaps even fraud” in Lilly and Company’s handling of the case. And, in January 2009, Eli Lilly and Company received the largest fine in United States history for illegally marketing its anti-psychotic medicine Zyprexa. I Eli Lilly and Company has a huge lobby in Washington, DC right now that is doing all it can to fight the new health care bill- or at least to shape it into something that can garner them even more profit than they already make on their outrageously priced drugs. There was a possible lawsuit from apartheid victims from Namibia and South Africa in 2003 linking Lilly and Company to Agent Orange sales, but that was never filed. I understand that Augsburg, like any other higher education institution, is struggling to fund itself, especially in these difficult economic times. I do not know how much the school knew about Eli Lilly and Company when it accepted the money or how much it knows now. But the fact remains that this money is attached to principles I don’t see Augsburg supporting. Sub- verting the judicial process, hiding drug side effects, vastly overcharging for medication and possibly aiding the development of mind-control drugs and chemical weapons are not connections I am proud to say that Augsburg has. Furthermore, I find it disheartening that stu- dents are placed in the same situation as the school at large. As a student who needs all the financial aid possible, choosing between a $2,000 private loan with double-digit interest rates and a $2,000 scholarship that puts me in a moral quandary is a heartbreaking choice. I chose not to take the schol- arship, simply because I cannot support the actions of the LEF’s financial origins, but goodness, I could have used it. i In addition, I find it frustrating that the LEF’s financial presence on campus allows it to permeate into our courses. I am not saying that I find zero value in a discussion of vocation. In fact, I have had some very meaningful discussions about it. But being required, as a double major, to take three keystone seminars that are ALL required to focus on vocation, regardless of the relevance to the discipline, and a religion department directly in the clutches of that discussion regardless of the faith? I find that silly. Let the professors teach what they want to teach in a way that relates directly to the discipline and the subject matter the course is sup- posed to cover. I am paying a lot of money for these classes, and I would prefer they not be dictated by the highest bidder. Is there no other way? Are there no other orga- nizations that offer grants that Augsburg could apply for that better support our values and our mission? Is there no other place to look to provide scholar— ships for our students, who are desperately in need of them? To the school’s credit, the LEF grant ends this year and is not being renewed. From now on, Augsburg is funding programs itself with the help of alumni donations. I simply ask that we take a closer look at the sources of some of our funding and decide if it is worth it. And, that if we do decide to accept it, that students, faculty and staff are all aware of where that money comes from. Perhaps I am the only person troubled by Augsburg ’5 financial connections to Eli Lilly and Company, and fulfilling the guilt complex I imagine they have. I welcome any discussion, in agreement or otherwise, to help shed more light on this issue. ASK PRESIDENT P. 9? q 7 ’l' Augsburg, place and the new Mort sign President Paul Pribbenow I imagine most of you have seen the new Augsburg sign on top of Mortenson Hall. The new LED- illumined sign provides a bright, energy-efficient beacon to replace the ten-year old painted plywood with spotlights. The sign is one of our most effective marketing tools, announcing Augsburg’s presence to hundreds of thousands of drivers who pass on I-94 each year. For me, perhaps the key role of the Mort sign is to proudly stake out our place as a college of the church in the city. Those who pass by and see our sign know that Augsburg ishere in Cedar-River- side, in the midst of Minneapolis, where we have been for almost 140 years. This is our place and it makes a meaningful ditTerence to the education and experience we offer our students, faculty, staff and wider community. I have been thinking a good bit recently about Augsburg as place as Professor Lars Christianson and I are teaching the senior Honors keystone course on Chicago and its legacy as place. We are exploring with our students how intellectual, cultural, architectural, literary and artistic traditions are linked to the place we call Chicago. It is a fascinating exercise to imagine what difi‘erence it makes that we have this particular place as a college, marked by a sign atop a residence hall. Place is, of course, most straightforwardly understood as a geographical location. Our cam- pus, all 23.5 acres bounded by the freeway, 20th, 25th and Riverside Avenues, is located in a neighbor- hood that has long been home to immigrants, to hospitals and schools, and to small businesses serving their neighbors. This is where we live, study, work and play. This isalocation that shapes the sort of education we offer our students, an education that is grounded in and informed by urban life, with all of its complexity, anonymity, richness and vitality. As important as geography is, I also believe that place is about a web of activities that define our culture as a college. The experi- ences we have at Augsburg, the relationships we form, the lessons we learn and the promises we In response to “Have You Seen the Sign?” KIMBERLY Brasmn ' Contributor A new year can promote making changes. oftentimes for the better. In these first few weeks of 2010 Augsburg decided to revamp the lighted billboard atop Mortensen Tower for the sake of advertisement. The new. LED— reinforced sign will serve as a highly-visible promotional device to gain recognition for the college. However, it will also serve as a large producer of light pollution. The light from this sign will shine up— ward and outward, illuminating the night sky, decreasing its darkness and limiting its visibil- ity. Tough break for us star-gazers on campus, but even harsher consequences result from light pollution. Many different species of wildlife are affected. as light at night creates imbalances in patterns such as sleeping, eating, mating, and migrating. including those of humans. _ The upward illumination from the new Augsburg sign can easily be decreased by us- ing a shielded overhang to redirect the light downward. Also, the sign could be turned off during the early hours of the morning shortly after midnight. These are just a few of the ways we can decrease our contribution to light pol- lution. I hope Augsburg plans to employ ways to limit unnecessary light at night. make to each other all help define our place. In this regard, Augsburg’s place is not bounded by geogra- phy. Augsburg is a place here in . Minneapolis, and also in Roch- ester, Bloomington, Cuemavaca, Managua and Windhoek, where members of our community pursue our mission-based work. This, it seems to me, is a critical aspect of understanding how place unifies our work, no matter where it oc- curs. And it extends not only to our formal sites, but also to where Auggies live out their vocations after they leave the college. I was reminded of this fact when a proud Augsburg parent recently sent me a letter from his son and daughter-in~law, both Augsburg graduates, recounting their work in Afi'ica to relieve human suffering. Augsburg as place claims this web of activity, this living out of voca- tion, as illustrative of our culture as a college that educates students to make a difierence for the world. Finally, I also believe that Augsburg’s place is defined by its values and commitments as a col- lege. I was with a group ofAugs- burg graduates earlier this week and without prompting, one of them spoke of his great pride in our commitment to make an Augsburg education accessible to all those who deserve the sort of distinctive and excellent experience we offer. His point was that this was not a new value or commitment - since 1869, Augsburg has been about the work of offering an excellent education to those who might not be welcome elsewhere. I think you could say the same thing about our commitment to serving our neigh- bors and pursuing social justice for our community. The point is that these abiding values and commit- ments are central to understanding Augsburg’s character and place in the world. So we have a new sign atop Mortenson Hall. A sign that an- nounces our place in the city. A sign that proclaims our work to educate students for lives of mean- ing in the world. A sign that says you are welcome here, come and join us. A sign that says we are called to serve our neighbor. How cool is that?! I What Are You Waiting For? Write Your , Opinion §For The Echo echo@augsburg.edu l l I | I Show less
Friday, January 29, 2010 m OPINIONS/ EDITORIALS Minneapolis, Minnesota Does Scott Brown's victory really reflect national opinion about health care reform? ' MOONOVER “Ms. Coakley’s defeat could easily be seen as evideneethat the Obama White House is out of step with much of the Ameri- can public... Show moreFriday, January 29, 2010 m OPINIONS/ EDITORIALS Minneapolis, Minnesota Does Scott Brown's victory really reflect national opinion about health care reform? ' MOONOVER “Ms. Coakley’s defeat could easily be seen as evideneethat the Obama White House is out of step with much of the Ameri- can public — pushing through a health care plan at a time when many voters are primar- ily concerned about unemployment.” This statement, printed in the NY Times, is only one assertion on a long list of inferences politicians and journalists have made since Scott Brown’s victory speech a week ago. Many Democratic strategists are looking for answers for Brown’s win of this liberal state. Many Republicans are labeling the election a sign, with its major shift from blue to red, that American citizens don’t want health care reform “pushed down their throats” by the Obama administration. ' The NY Times also has an extensive collection of maps and graphs reflecting many counties that voted largely for Obama in 2008 voted in majority for Scott Brown. Counties that voted most Republican last week generally lost around fifteen percent- age points off the total percent of votes cast for Obama in 2008 for each of these same counties for the special election. But let’s think about the scope, scale, and publicity of the 2008 Presidential Elec- tion compared to the 2010 special election. In 2008, never before had voter turnout been so high: 76 percent of eligible voters in Massachusetts voted, except Boston, with 62 percent turnout in Boston. For the 2010 special election, only 55 percent turned out for the state except Boston, and only 43 percent in Boston. Therefore, the inference that Obama is losing supporters is probably off base. It seems that many “independent vot- ers” who voted for Obama in 2008 simply didn’t show up to the polls to vote for Coakley, probably because she was such a weak candidate compared to the political juggernaut that Obama was in 2008. If voter turnout was the same with similar results, that is to say if the samples of voters for 2008 and 2010 were the same, then one could say Obama has lost his popularity; to me, low turnout points to indifference rather than fervor against Obama and health care reform. Also, the counties with highest percent- age of votes for Brown are traditionally rural, Republican voting counties. Looking at results of former senate elections and Gubernatorial races, also on the NY Times website, these counties have been largely red for years. It seems 2008 was a bit of an anomaly. However, the fact is that Brown’s vic— tory sets Obama’s health care legislation back because of the Republican ’5 ability to filibuster the bill. This shift in power on the senate floor makes this election important, and is why people are making so many infer- ences about its results relating to health care legislation. Many say that Massachusetts represents all ofthe United States. and that we don’t want reform. This is a sampling error. to say the least. Even if Massachusetts had similar health care to the rest ofthe country. differ— ent regions have different people with dif- ferent opinions. One state rarely reflects the national opinion about any given issue. But the fact that Massachusetts has. essentially. universal health care funded by the state. shows that the state actually favors reformed health care. So strong views against public health care in principle is certainly not a viable answer to why Brown won Massa- chusetts. lt seems to me that Coakely’s politi— cal fumbles (and indeed she was a regular Adrian Peterson), like saying that fonner Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling was a Yankee fan, and voter turnout of Democrat voters (which was probably effected by Coakley’s incompetence) was just as much to do with her defeat as was health care reform. different election statistics. It’s true that How pluralistic isAugsburg? Room HUELSNITZ Opinions Editor So today kids we’re talking about ‘the diversity of viewpoints,’ hence the title of this article, pluralism. You see, diversity is all around us, from the food we eat to the guy next door, and everything in between Johnny Cash and the vocal range of an Arabic singer. We have choices, and everyone holds a range of viewpoints, especially when it comes to the politics. It has struck me recently, that indeed this campus is a one- way street, a cluster of a single viewpoint in the heart of a diverse city culture. I’m going to get right to the point, because I know there are several of you who feel the same way. I sincerely believe that Augsburg College tends to breed a dominant liberal viewpoint. I have seen this time and again, in the views of professors, the speakers that present here, and the overall feeling I get when I enter this campus. I’m very aware there are students here who represent conservatives, I realize that, but on a daily basis I am bombarded with the same crap. I’m not a true conservative, and I‘m not exactly a liberal. I’m more on the side of an independent because I‘ve had an opportunity to hear ‘both sides of the story.‘ My biological father is conservative through and through, but my step-father, whom I grew up listening to, is the truest of liberals you will ever hear. Nevertheless, I understood that it was important for me to be pluralistic in my views. I don’t want to delve too much into religion, but it is another area where it is extremely important to not be one-sided. Of course. we all have our specific beliefs and values we hold true to ourselves, but we must look upon other views with respect as well. This means that you have the same respect for a Buddhist as you would for a Muslim, a Jew, or even a Scientologist. Now you’re thinking, “What the hell? Scientology is total crapl” Now this may be true, and if it may be true for Scientology, it may be true for any religion, and you can think that, but to show that kind of disrespect to the world does not represent a pluralistic viewpoint. Pluralism means we look at these things with an equal amount of respect, regardless of what our deep down personal feeling are about them, but enough of religion, lets get back to my other horrible talking point, the dirty subject of politics. I graduated from a private Christian school where the view was straight up super-conservative holier-than-thou mentality. The reason I went to this school my senior year was because I thought it would be a little more impressive to certain folks that I graduated from a ‘private’ institution, and I was right. Some people thought that was great, and I got some benefit from it. Even though it was nice to graduate from a private school, they reeked of a single viewpoint, and I don’t mean the Lutheran viewpoint. I expected that. I knew before I went there that they were a Lutheran school, just as I know that Augsburg, at its core, is a Lutheran centered education. This is not the center of my complaint, but rather, the political views are. At that high school, everyday they prayed .to keep George Bush safe, and George Bush was at the right hand of God. Essentially, they were swamping the students with this kind of view. In our late teens and early twenties is when we really start to branch out in our drinking about the world around us. The typical college-age person is at a time in his or her life when change is an everyday thing: changing their style, looking to the fiiture, career goals, aspirations, political views. Presenting the diversity of political views is among the most important of curriculum that an educational institution can teach, and these are the critical years to be doing that, the college years. Yet here at Augsburg I don’t see it. I’ll be honest, I don’t go to see every one of the speakers that presents in the chapel, and I’m sure some of them have differing views, but what I hear in the classrooms and from the students is one— sided thinking from a political perspective, and this is what I am attacking. If we want to talk about culture, I think the college does a fine job in keeping a culturally diverse campus, where students from all walks of life and of differing religious beliefs can thrive together. This is one of the many beautiful qualities that we can look upon with pride, because in this country we can all be together in the same classroom, and not kill each other. Of course on the street, things are different, we are a diverse bunch of animals, and many times people are slain because of who they are. With change comes the good and the bad, but I applaud this college for wholeheartedly embracing cultural diversity. The folks in charge accept that although Augsburg has been raised as a Lutheran campus, it can be pluralistic in its view of others and their beliefs. Yet, in light of our embracing diversity, many creatures here seem hell bent on keeping the same views. All I hear is ‘anti—war’ this, ‘go green’that, and ‘activism’ among other things. It’s no wonder many of the students here know nothing of the military, or of the good things, yes good things, the military has accomplished. It seems that on this campus, there is underlying discrimination against the armed forces. C oming from a military background, I am extremely surprised, and taken aback by the complete lack of knowledge students here have of our defense system in this country. It’s very easy to lay blame, and point fingers, but do you know anything of what you speak? That’s for another article. I don’t blame all instructors. I can’t really say that everyone who works at Augsburg is responsible for this, because I simply haven’t had a class with every instructor, or hung around every department to hear what’s being said. What I can say though, is what I have been a witness to, which are the same views recycled over and over again. Not just we on this campus, but we as a society need to embrace the diversity of viewpoints, regardless of the subject, whether diversity of sex, culture, beliefs, values, or political views. Any educational institution must be willing and must provide both sides of the story. I encourage that if instructors are going to have speakers present in their classes, that they try their best to not make it one—sided. lfsomeone is coming to speak in your class, who clearly has one set view, especially if they’re an activist, bring in another person who has the opposite view, or that could provide information on the other end. Make room for both sides. Enough with the political wisecracks. I know, I know, we all get to know each other, and as soon as we’re all comfortable in the classroom, the teacher makes a sarcastic comment about a particular political figure, who just happens to be conservative, and everyone laughs. Isn’t it great that we can all share in this laughter? Isn’t it great when we can all huddle together in a little room and laugh at a particular viewpoint while holding our own views above the rest? Isn’t it great? The answer is NO! If we continue to do this, we are simply reinforcing that it is okay to look towards one dominant viewpoint, specifically political. I think it needs to be upheld that we instruct both sides. that we present both sides, regardless. We also should not laugh at one side or the other. because that, ladies and gentleman. is blatant disrespect towards others just because they don’t think like we do. There are some students who do get offended because the instructor makes a comment and everyone else in the class thinks its great entertainment. This kind of foolishness should not be condoned or supported in a school. l know there may be some of you pure white folk who want to keep it one—sided, (and good luck to you folks in the future when you‘re the minority) but if you want to be a positive force in this country, you must accept diversity. regardless of its nature. Whether the nature of culture. or sex, or politics, we must all be able to look at the world with varying perspectives, with a continued and equal amount of respect across the board. So while you ponder this article and how much you want to rearrange my face, I’m going to invite my friend to speak on campus. Oh don’t worry, he’s a Caucasian-Hispanic—eco-fricndly- transgender-conservative who thinks Obama is sexy. . . confused? You should be, because this is the only way that one person could connect with differing viewpoints. Show less
Page 8 THE BACK PAGE Minneapolis, Minnesota \ “WTF Augsburg After several years of working in an assortment of jobs and taking multiple business 3 courses here at Augsburg, one lesson I have come to learn is rather simple: Don’t mess with ‘ someone’s paycheck. Yes it is nice to have a paycheck... Show morePage 8 THE BACK PAGE Minneapolis, Minnesota \ “WTF Augsburg After several years of working in an assortment of jobs and taking multiple business 3 courses here at Augsburg, one lesson I have come to learn is rather simple: Don’t mess with ‘ someone’s paycheck. Yes it is nice to have a paycheck twice a month now instead of just once, but that’s not what this article is about. This week’s WTF Augsburg article has been brewing for the past few weeks ever since I arrived back on campus and had to learn how ‘ to use the new “workforce timekeeper” program, produced by a company called Kronos. . To be fair, Kronos’ product is quite efficient and fairly user-friendly. However, the Augsburg 3 department that initiated this new hour-logging program is the exact opposite. WTF Human Resources, why would you demand students and (some) staff begin using this software without sorting out some foreseeable bugs? My initial problem with the program was that it wouldn’t support two separate pay scales — it would calculate my wages for hours which i I receive $9.60/hour as though I should be receiving $8.15 like my second on-campus job. 3 I am sure there are plenty of student workers who work two different jobs with difi’erent 1 pay scales, not to mention the Public Safety officers, maintenance, and custodial workers i who all have shift-differentiated pay scales. I know the software supports separate pay ; scales because I called Kronos’ support line and asked (because I never heard from Human l Resources). ‘ Afler going down to Human Resources for the second time to get some answers to ‘ this issue, one of the employees informed me that Payroll (part of HR) doesn’t write the checks based on Kronos’ wages. but rather takes the hours entered in Kronos and plugs them into their own accounting system and writes the checks based on that. My point is that if they were going to have the “Wages” section in the program, they should have made , sure it worked before they implemented it. On a happy note, my paycheck was written for the correct amount, and l am looking forward to more correct paychecks. Wait, did you notice a few sentences back that part about “going down to Human Resources for the second time"? My second WTF goes to Human Resources and their horrendous inability to respond to inquiries; basically “Human” Resources has horrible people skills. I noticed the pay scale issue during the first week of classes this semester and informed my manager about it. who in turn emailed HR. My manager never received a response, acknowledgment, or anything regarding the issue. So on Monday of the next week I went to HR and informed them of the issue, at which point they took my name and contact information down and told me they would investigate the problem and get back to me. Didn’t hear from them. That Friday the “Wages” were still calculating incorrectly, and I didn’t want to “Approve” i of my online timecard unless I actually approved of it. ‘ So I went for the second time and again got the same “what’s your name? what’s the problem? Ok now get the hell out” attitude. I am sure my name and contact info are on a spreadsheet somewhere. But they never got back to me. That’s three failed attempts at - getting some answers. The following Tuesday I emailed the head of Payroll (Linda Vlieger) directly and was finally informed that they looked at the issue and fixed it. Thank you to Linda Vlieger for a prompt reply, but to the rest of Human Resources, WTF. Of course I can’t place a formal complaint against a group of employees ’(HR being the group) because where would I go to place this formal complaint on record? Human Resources! What a vicious cycle. So I am taking my case to the streets (aka the Echo) and invite all of you with similar horror stories of dealing with HR to email me directly at “myersa@augsburg.edu” and let your voice be heard. I have a few other examples up ’ my sleeve, and I know I am not the only one who would like to see some changes in how “Human” Resources deals with other humans. aver w CHEAPBooxs.c0M {260 399-6111 - English HOROS COPES SAM SMITH AND COLIN STANHILL, 6TH FLOOR BALLERS Stafl Writers 9 3%... I ..~ (925) BUY-BACK Your birthday this week: It’s your birthday this week. but that doesn’t mean we’re forgiving you just yet. (Don't worry readers, she knows why). Aries (March 21 to April 20): Your moon is in Virgo and your Cancer is in remis- ., sion (or something). so. uh, just don‘t do anything rash this week. Taurus (April 21 to May 20): Your Norwegian roommate (let’s just call him “Magnus“) will discover this week that in America, liberal-mindedness means occasionally voting in favor of social programs, unlike that Norwegian liberal- mindedness that apparently implies naked group saunas. . .in the living room. Gemini (May 21 to June 21): This week some life-changing news will be heading your way. We suggest hiding. Cancer (June 22 to July 22): This week you‘ll finally discover the secret purpose of vacuum cleaners. after a lifetime of uncertainty. There is no purpose. There‘s nothing in a vacuum, so there‘s nothing to clean...Did we just blow your mind? Leo (July 23 to August 22): The stars are telling us that you hate your job. So are the twenty-some Facebook statuses you post every day. Seriously, suck it up Becki. Com STANHIIL Staflr Writer You may know the name of Ali Rapp. You see, it was Ali who used to write “Auggie at a Glance” every week, but that’s not important. Nothing’s important in Ali ’s world. “I just don’t care. . .about. . .anybody [in the] Augsburg community,” she told me with a grin. V She also expressed “hatred” for particular institutions, talking later in our interview about “social justice,” “envi- ronmental stufl” and “feminism.” I asked her about her tenure with “Auggie at a Glance,” she said all she did was try to make her subjects “sound pretty fruity and awesome.” Well, I’m not going to play her game then. That’s not how this column works, she even admitted herself, “I’m not cut out to be a. . .writer.” To get some idea of what she meant . by “fruity” I asked her: What’s the fruiti— est question you ever asked an interview- ee? “Why do you go to Augsburg?” So, why does Ali go to Augsburg? “Augsburg gave me a Hugh Jass Scholarship and I took it.” Yet Ali is so out of touch with the Augsburg community, so negligent, that she couldn’t tell me the significance of Mr. Jass in the school’s history, or why he had a scholarship named after him for that matter. It was all so depressing. I tried to re- route my line of questioning, asking if she contributes anything to society? “I don’t know. I’ve always been pretty selfish.” I’m also pretty sure she’s always been involved in the international weap- ons trade, though I couldn’t prove it in a court of law. “That’s serious [stuff], man,” says Day Student Body President Sam Smith, reclining in his easy chair with a mug of hot chocolate. But maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Just who is Ali Rapp? Well, as a proclaimed “Japan-freak” she spent a month studying in Tokyo during the summer of 2008, gave a pre- sentation on kabuki theater last spring, is looking to go back to Japan for further study this coming summer, and once unwarrantedly tagged me in a Pokemon photo on Facebook. She is in her junior year here at Augs- burg, double-majoring in Communication Studies and International Relations (ring any bells? weapons trade anyone?) and just added a minor this week in, that’s right, Japanese. However, Ali Rapp is not Japanese. Paradox? She wouldn‘t have you believe so. Ali also has a suspiciously large number of jobs around campus: Augsburg Homemade, Speakers Lab, Comm. Desk, Student Government, summer tour guide. 15 there no realm of this school over which Ali has not flexed her influence? Yes. Goliard Society. But to understand Ali we need to go even further back. We need to go to second grade, Milaca, Minn., on the day when Ali Rapp beat up classmate Skylar Ericson and rubbed his face in rocks. She laughs about it, even now, “There was no snow around to rub him with.” Poor grammar as well as poor mor- als. “Seriously man, she rubbed his face in rocks” says her direct superior Sam Smith, appalled, in perfect imitation of me. I tried to change the subject, but she just kept going. “There was this other girl, Chanessa Steinhart, she picked her nose." According to fellow Augsburg stu- dent Lily Monis, who knew her in high school, Ali used to throw pinecones at the marching band. Even as recently as her junior year, Ali admits she “slapped a girl in choir, then ran away because she was bigger than me.” Coward. It was at about this point in the inter- view that Ali tried to distract and charm me with a puppy. “Zoe,” she called her. I didn’t trust it. The more questions I asked, the more Ali talked to the dog instead of me. “Zoe, did you poop?” I asked her again: who does she work for? “Zoe, are you silly?” She has a knack for the rhetorical. After the puppy and the pooping and the fallout that came afier, I never regained my footing on the interview. At least we know this much. At least there ’5 that. if Q Q tl§12£ Virgo (August 23 to September 22): You’ll spend most of the week thinking of yourself as a local celebrity until you realize that people only go to textsfromlast- night.com to make fun of the people posted there. Libra (September 23 to October 22): Libra, Libra, wouldn’t wanna be ya! Scorpio (October 23 to November 21): One fish, two fish. Red fish, you‘ll lose your job this week. Sagittarius (November 22 to December 23): Is that a banana in your pocket, or a plantain? ‘Cuz from here it looks more like a banana, but we didn’t want to assume. Capricorn (December 24 to January 19): You’ll get yours... Aquarius (January 20 to February 18): Your friends keep calling the incident at your party last night an “instant classic,“ but we know you’ll always remember it more in terms of an “instantaneous bowel movement.” Pisces (February 19 to March 20): How come nobody ever talks about the audac- ity it takes not to hope? Show less
fag VARIETY Minneapolis, Minnesota 5,2010 The 30 greatest rock albums of the 2000s: Part two JONATHAN KRAMER \ Contributor This is the second installment of my countdown of the 30 greatest rock albums of the new millennium. Once again, I highly encourage any feedback or discussion; you can e-mail... Show morefag VARIETY Minneapolis, Minnesota 5,2010 The 30 greatest rock albums of the 2000s: Part two JONATHAN KRAMER \ Contributor This is the second installment of my countdown of the 30 greatest rock albums of the new millennium. Once again, I highly encourage any feedback or discussion; you can e-mail me at kramerj@augsburg.edu with any comments, questions, or insight. This list does not include any hip-hop, jazz or country. Read, converse, enjoy. - 20. Agaetis Byrjun: Sigur Ros This was an album that made people rethink the possibilities of music. It un- wrapped the idea that rock bands had to embrace the nineties’ concept of what a rock band was: guitar, bass, and drums. From the beginning of “Agaetis Byrjun”. you can hear how incorporated strings, flutes, muted horns, and piano make this record beautiful and lush. This album is hard to explain. It is part movie score part ambient soundscapes, part rock journey. The vocals are sung in Icelandic. The listeners are then focused on the melodies rather the lyrics. I feel the beauty of Iceland when I listen to this album. The song “Staralfur” will change your life. 19. American IV: The Man Comes Around: Johnny Cash Johnny Cash teamed up with producer Rick Rubin for the American Recordings. These recordings cameas five different albums over the course of a decade. I be- lieve American 1 V: The Man Comes Around released in (2002) is his finest album from those recordings. These recordings gave birth to Cash to a whole new generation. It gave him the greatest comeback of all time. The arrangements are simple letting the listener focus of Johnny. Through covers and some original material, we are able to understand the pain he has felt. We hear a man coming to terms with death. This is his great last stand. The man in black starring at the man who is black and telling him he isn’t afraid. Listen to his cover of Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt” and you will cry. It is best covered song of the decade. 18. Frances The Mute: The Mars Volta For their sophomore effort, The Mars Volta created a psychedelic prog rock album with stoner sonic landscape that has not been seen since Pink F loyds’ Dark Side of the Moon and King Crimson’s In the Court of the Crimson King. The Mars Volta used non- linear rhythms, free verse lyrics, and brass and string orchestrations through songs that range from six minutes to 32 minutes long. With touches of their Latin culture, Mars Volta’s end product is “In short, the beastly spawn of Radiohead’s OK Computer and Rush’s 2112,” according to Rolling Stone Magazine. 17. Illinois: Sufjan Stevens With the intention of writing an album for all fifty states, Sutjan Stevens produced his highly ambitious Illinois. This 22-song record shows the beauty and passion one individual has for music. Instantly, you hear how intelligent Stevens is. His lyrics are smart and well researched. But he is also a brilliant composer. I suggest composer rather than songwriter because each track is well constructed with equal attention to details. Each track is needed and serves a purpose. They help the listener easily glide through this record. Every song suggests a different aspect of Illinois. For instance, one can hear the romance of Chicago from the song of the same name. He is able to balance pop records with classical music. But most of all he is able to give birth to gorgeous melodies. He is prolific and intelligent. I am excited to hear what he has planned for Minnesota. 16. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots: The Flaming Lips In the haze of drugs and on the heels of their critically acclaimed, The Soft Buttelin, the Flaming Lips recorded their massive effort entitled, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. Combining simple electronic beats with psychedelic altemative, the Flaming Lips preach the story of Yoshimi. This is album is scary, adventurous and trippy. Wayne Coyne vocals melodies and lyrics are haunting and melancholy. He focuses on love, morality, and pacifism. Yet through a film of gloom, the Flaming Lips ascend with their rapture of warm catchy songs. Songs such as “Do You Realize” act as a warm comforting release. A 15.Toxicity: System Of A Down System of A Down commanded the attention of all metal heads with their sophomore album, Toxicity. This is the best metal album of the decade. The songs and tone of the album are epic and manic. With Rick Rubin as producer, System of a Down was able to craft a bizarre semi thrash metal album with humor in lyrics and maturity in songwriting. Plus, John Dolmayan is one of the most underrated drummers of all time. 14. Sound of Silver: LCD Soundsystem James Murphy, the man behind LCD Soundsystem, shines bright on his dance- punk electronic disco masterpiece. Starting out as a DJ and later becoming co-founder of the independent DFA Records, James showed the energy of punk could be mixed with the beats of dance. LCD Soundsys- tem has quickly become a pioneer for the thriving underground music movement: song-writing and structure being influenced by electronica and computer-based music. Murphy will be playing an interesting role in the progress of future music. 13. Funeral: The Arcade Fire Funeral is the quintessential indie-rock album. These magnificent seven invaded the world with their epic orchestrations and “bowie-esque” song tone. The music is brave, powerful and dramatic. The songs are commanding. Then when this band hits the stage, these songs are taken to a whole new level of theatrical authority. Funeral has every other indie-rock band playing catch up. 12. Return to Cookie Mountain: TV On The Radio While exploring diverse genres such as alternative rock, electro, free jazz and soul, TV on the Radio captures the cultural and economic beldam that was the past decade. Beginning with the opening song, “I Was a Lover” it is clear that they have embraced Americans’ fear and hunger for variance: whether that being the Presidency or the state of music. This beautiful record advanc- es how future artists look and hear music. 11. Show Your Bones: Yeah Yeah Yeahs The New York based three-piece Yeah Yeah Yeahs, released Show Your Bones to a field of uncertainty. With their hit, “Maps” and outrageous stage personas, many crit- ics viewed them as a one trick pony. It was very clear that they could rock. Their major label debut, Fever To Tell was drenched with energy and heat. It was comparable to their stage presence. It is raw, over the top and wild. But during the recording of Show Your Bones, they had a lust for maturity. Show Your Bones demonstrated that the YYYs could write well-crafled songs. There are layered keyboards, bells, handclaps and acoustic guitar that give the album textures and depth. Nick Zinner is one of most influ- ential and underrated guitarist of the decade. To balance Nick Zinner’s grand guitar, Karen 0 matured as a singer and vocalist. Her empowering presence still remains, but she seems more experienced and wise. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs make growing up look easy. TAnemoni Sushi and Oyster Bar review DAVE MADSEN News Editor I am by no means a sushi connois- seur. When I go out, I usually fill up on edamame and California rolls; this is not because I have a conservative palette, it is simply because I don’t know what quality sushi is composed of. Needless to say, when I had the chance to eat at a sushi bar with a friend who has been to the Land of the Rising Sun. I bit at the opportunity. Our journey to Anemoni Sushi and Oyster Bar was a confusing one. Located on Nicollet and 26th. the building itselfwas easy to find. seeing as how the logo is on either side ofthe street. Parking is provided to customers. and we had no trouble find- ing a spot. However, this sushi bar feels as if it is an afierthought in design, because people may enter Azia Restaurant and Bar by mistake. Perhaps it was because I went afler a fresh snowfall, but I did not see a clearly marked entrance to Anemoni. Though I‘ve never been, I imagine that the concrete floors, the brick walls plastered with anime-inspired artwork, and the red lanterns are reminiscent to a back alley of Osaka. The sushi bar took up an ample portion of Anemoni, and it was always brightly-lit as to highlight the crafisman- ship of the chefs. However, the rest of the restaurant was bathed in a dark, red glow in which it was difficult appreciate the food or one another‘s company. The other aspects of atmosphere were executed very well, though. A DJ was spin- ning some downtempo music. four televi- sions were displaying a Sumo wrestling match. and the sake bar was alive with activity but never intrusive on us diners. Almost immediately. we were greeted by an energetic hostess and were given options for happy hour specials. Our server never failed to give us her input on certain dishes and we were even visited by the manager, who was quick to ask us if we needed anything. I feel as if the reader may grasp the essence of the set-up: A trendy, low-key bar with a focus on presentation and mood. So, what of the menu? Divided into several sections, the menu may seem to present the diner with a variety of choices. These divisions are deceivingly simple, though; many of them offer the same ingredients but a different method of preparation. This is not a drawback to Anenomi; rather, it simply shows the creativity of the chef. Our first course was the complimentary Miso Soup—a perfect choice for a winter’s night. The broth ofthe Miso (I didn’t think to ask ifit was Dashi stock) was warming and light, without being salty or overly fishy. My bowl wasn’t hearty, but too much tofu, onion, or seaweed can ofien turn this soup into its own meal. Our next course came upon the recom- mendation of the server: A light salad which included edamame and oxtail. Though I was jarred upon seeing the contrast of colors on the plate, the taste had a savory quality that was delightfirlly foreign to my Western palette. The braised~quality of the meat sank well with the crisp greens, although the edamame were clumsy to eat with a fork. The dressing wasn’t memorable either, though it served its purpose as it highlighted the meaty star of the dish. Our rolls were then presented on a wooden board with deliberate plating in mind. In fact. I spotted the chefs taking pictures of each dish that lefi the bar—truly this is a sign ofthe love of food! Our order consisted of three rolls: The Strawberry Blond Roll, A Shrimp Tempura Roll, and a Spicy Tuna Roll. The Strawberry Blond Roll was clearly designed for a Westemer, the bright taste ‘ of strawberries blended into the texture of the avocado and salmon; a milky, yet oddly sweet mayo also gave the roll a smooth quality. Though barely distinguishable. asparagus was somewhere to be found in this roll. My friend commented, “It’s kind of like eating a strawberry milkshake! I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.“ Surprisingly enough, the Shrimp Tempura roll was the highlight of the night. A stigma on Tempura exists because it often overpowers any dish and leaves the diner with a soggy, fried taste in his/ her mouth. The shrimp inside these rolls, however, were clearly distinguishable and the tempura-method of preparation served as a compliment to the taste and texture of the seafood. Perhaps batter used to coat the shrimp was sparse. but I found it as a light and delicate way to savor these shrimp. The Spicy Tuna Roll provided a bean- tiful contrast to the previous dishes. The texture was similar to that of the Blond, but the flavors were much more alive. At first contact, one’s tongue detects an inclining of spice and tuna. As the roll is savored, the tuna begins to shine as it is paired with the rice. The finish actually comes afler the roll is consumed. Just as one begins to reflect on the tuna, a dull wave of heat expands in the back of one’s mouth—a journey of flavor! I hesitate to give this dish top honor, though. Perhaps it was the dull lighting, but it looked as if it was slathered in lines of ketchup and mustard. An effort to spruce-up the platter was made, but chopped scallions can only go so far. In the words of Anton Ego, . . the work of a critic is easy. We risk very little, yet enjoy a position over those who offer up their work and their selves to our judg- ment.” And so, I must reserve my nitpick- ing opinions. The truth of the matter is that these dishes were crafled with a keen eye for both exquisite taste and delicate art. The service was unparalleled and, with the exception of a few gripes concerning the atmosphere, I will confidently return to Anemoni Sushi and Oyster Bar; this time with more people as to share in a dynamic eating experience. We'll pay you to do In Seeking college-educated students and professionals a“ for donations that will help infertile couples in Average visit earns $100 www. 123donate.com Visitouwebsiteandstartmesaemimm That’s ri t. CRYOGENIC LABOR ATORIES _ Show less
Page 4 FEATURE FOCUS Minneapolis, Minnesota Friday, February 5, 2010 Reclaiming culture through urban farming in Minneapolis MOLLY EHuNG Cofiiitor, ECHO The kids call him “Rooster,” a nickname that’s not foreign to him. every time he volunteers at the Little Earth community. Russ Henry says he‘s... Show morePage 4 FEATURE FOCUS Minneapolis, Minnesota Friday, February 5, 2010 Reclaiming culture through urban farming in Minneapolis MOLLY EHuNG Cofiiitor, ECHO The kids call him “Rooster,” a nickname that’s not foreign to him. every time he volunteers at the Little Earth community. Russ Henry says he‘s been “Rooster” for most ofhis life. and now he looks the part with a finely sculpted goatce and short. spiked hair. Maybe it‘s that nickname and his unique appearance that make him so engaging, or his re- laxed. jeans and t-shirt attire. Or, perhaps. it‘s the way he speaks with unwavering eye contact and sincerity in his voice. Or even, his desire to absorb the rich culture he volunteers in. It’s probably a combination of all those things that appeal to the people of Little Earth, but the biggest factor is that Russ Henry is really just ‘down to earth.’ Henry began gardening at age five and would spend each summer at his grandparent’s farm. Through early exposure to these organic ele- ments, Henry learned a life-long respect and love for the earth. “I’m in love with plants.” Henry said. “Everything is new and different. It’s a whole world of beauty that keeps pulling me in.” Henry’s current business, Giving Tree Gardens, began with a dream of creating “enchanting organic urban gardens,” according to his company’s website. Giving Tree Gardens creates and main- tains organic gardens and “earth friendly" landscapes for its clients in and around the Twin Cities. Henry began volunteering at Little Earth (LE) a few years ago when a friend brought him to visit. LE is the country’s largest urban Native American community, in the Phillips neighborhood ofMin- neapolis. Henry. who is married to a Native woman, has long been intrigued by the rich culture ofthe Native American people. He saw involvement with Little Earth as an opportunity to do a sort of cultural exchange, an opportunity to learn about their culture and to give back the gifts he has learned through gardening. His motivation for this ex- change came from the food injus- tices he witnessed in and around the LE community. The com- munity is made up of many low- income families who have little access to healthy, natural foods. Each day, on his way to LE, Henry passes countless bars, convenience stores, and burger joints, but not a single grocery store within com- fortable walking distance from the community. Most families living in this urban, low-income community filled their stomachs with modified corn products they bought at the nearby convenience store. The narrow. four-block stretch of grass between LE and the inter- state dividing wall was vacant when Henry began volunteering there, and he developed a vision to help the community change their food access options. With support from LE elders and a host of internal and external volunteers, Henry has already begun plans to transform the space. Henry’s project is considered an “urban farm,” that is, a farm built within an urban community with the in- tent to provide low-income, urban families with affordable, healthy food options. Urban Farming The first wave of urban farm- ing began in the 19605 and ‘70s when cities began removing sec- tions of urban housing to make room for newer developments. Families then took advantage of the available, unused land and began planting gardens, accord- ing to Greg Filsram, writer for the American Planning Association. Today, urban farming is being used as a community and econom- ic development tool, according to Filsram. “Several intertwined move— ments are giving urban farming new impetus,” wrote Filsram. “These include: slow food (as op- posed to fast food and processed foods). ‘buy local’ campaigns, organics, the explosion of farmers markets, green city initiatives, and rising public concerns over food safety, security, access, and cost.” Growing Power (GP). is a non- profit urban garden and training center, started by Will Allen in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Allen purchased the lot in 1993, and turned the. concrete space into a fully functional urban greenhouse and farm. Afier growing the organiza- tion for over ten years, GP pro- duces about $5 per square foot of produce annually in their beds, ac- cording to Rhodes Yepsen, writer for BioCycle. Henry aspires to reach this level of productivity with his farm in Minneapolis, and Allen has planned to help Henry get his project at LE off the ground. Vol- unteers with Henry’s project have already attended training sessions at Allen’s GP farms. GP farms serve as both sourc- es of produce as well as demon- stration stations. According to Yepsen, GP strives to create sys- tems that can be replicated in other communities, like Little Earth. Overcoming challenges The biggest challenges in urban farm development revolve around the availability of cul- tivatable land, irrigation, waste disposal, and vermin infestations, according to Flisram. Both GP and now LE have faced the problem of unhealthy, urban soil. Their solution is to make new soil from organic compost. Henry and his team of volun- teers working on the LE project have begun to gain donors for this type of produce. Peace Coffee donates their coffee bean shells to the project. The LE site requires three feet of compost soil on all areas intended for planting pro- duce, because the existing soil is contaminated with arsenic. Peace Coffee’s donations have already been put to use in LE composting bins, however the project will require donations from other companies as well. Henry has planned to contact Midtown Exchange, Cafietto, Seward Co- Op. Surly Brewing Company, and Augsburg College for donations as well, however competition for these products is stiff. Many companies sell their compostable products to dog food companies as well as to other farming projects, according to Henry. Another challenge Henry faces is the issue of irrigation. GP has an effective solution with the use of aquaponics, which is a long- term goal for Henry. “Aquaponics integrate elements of hydroponics and aquaculture, creating a symbiotic system for growing fish and plants where the fish waste becomes nutrients for the plants, which in turn purify the water for the fish,” Yepsen said. Other challenges within urban communities are directly related to the actions of the people within and passing through those commu- nities, challenges Henry is quickly coming to recognize. Over the summer, he instigated a gardening project with a group of kids from LE, creating a small, circular gar- den, which survived for no more than a few weeks, before it was crushed by a bulldozer. Stolen rot- ting pumpkins and tampered with compost could also be added to the list of complications. Moving forward Both Henry and Allen strive to overcome the challenges surround- ing urban farming, because they recognize the benefits of the farms. These benefits include maximizing economic sustainability, provid- ing healthier food options, and furnishing an outlet for cultural growth. For these benefits, urban gar- dens are becoming popular all over the world. Beekeeping and roofiop gardening are becoming popular in Vancouver, Canada, according to Flisram. Vancouver residents are growing food anywhere they can, whether on rooftops, balconies, backyards or community gardens. “It is about coexisting in the ur- ban environment and making it healthier,” said Graeme Evans, a Vancouver hotel owner. Evan’s hotel utilizes both beehives and roofiop gardens to feed the hotel guests. Minneapolis also provides the perfect environment for urban farming success, according to Henry. Rich in its communal, “we’re in it together’ kind of spirit, Henry said, the people of Minne- apolis historically value things that are truly valuable to human beings and enjoy handing them down to others. Henry wants to make himself a hub, a connecting point between the organic gardening world and his neighbors at Little Earth, so the two can leam from each other. Someone always wants whatever it is you have to offer, he said, and he has found that at LE. It wasn’t difficult for Henry to gain the support of the LE com- munity. Henry saw the need, the people felt the need, and both par- ties were willing to work together to fix it. “We really kind of found our- selves at the same table,” he said. The farm project will pro— vide LE with both nutritional foods as well as an outlet for cultural growth. There is a lot of suppressed culture to bring out at LE, and gardening will bring out that culture, because when we garden with other people, all our senses are activated and we are being human together, according to Henry. Henry has also planned to in- corporate traditional Native plants in the farm, including something called “Three Sisters Planting.” The three sisters are com. beans and squash which all work to- gether to help each other grow. This addition will continue old traditions that many LE residents have had to leave behind, further allowing them to reclaim their culture. MPIRG, from page 1 ing supplies and energy conservation to sweatshop clothing not being sold in the bookstore. to saving general assistance medical care. (an initiative recently removed from the 20l0 budget by Gov. Pawlenty.) this semester will be dedi- cated to the action aspect of these plans. Eggers also spoke to the legacy ofMPlRG as an organization saying. “there are a lot of opportunities at Augsburg. but not with the same infrastructure — we have been a statewide organization with 39 years of victories.” he said. “We are about transparency, we are here to work with students." MPIRG is always looking for new members; they meet Tuesday nights in the Century room. For more information. students are welcome to contact Joe Eggers at extension 307 or at joe@mpirg.org. iiil‘l'lli lawman-edict music, and more St)" and sums ~.,,‘~ A QUESTION OF WILL FIIIIIananammmannaanmaflamnlllld larch 5-6. 2010 Iami Amman, Augsburg collate mutational pace sumo! » - I. W ' “ my Sneakers. somrm mums. “'\‘\ mm m n mmcmiznmn , The mum is "I! tor Augsnuig taculty. \ \0— I . III-ll M h I [BUM M M E_ u Ful- Faculty-led Summer Programs STUDY ABROAD SUMMER 2010 CAREER AND INTERNSHIP EVENTS: W M. Fob. 1M 10m-1pm.nlrbyuhhmcmm 4mmmwwmum www.mc-w hummummmcwm ; u, .. . y .. . my“--. a.»...,....: «wiw GERMANY Extended Dart me Feriruar, ll "‘ZC'E' ‘15?C ‘5" i ‘ ’ SCOTLAND 'v‘i. l- {.i _ Extended Deadiine Fehruary 12 Show less
Friday, February 5, 2010 A nuanced form Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 3 . SPORTS of foundational fitness EDSHEHW'EN ‘SportsEditor Many Augsburg students baulk at the fact that they are required to take two foundations of fitness courses throughout their higher education. Some see it as unnecessary... Show moreFriday, February 5, 2010 A nuanced form Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 3 . SPORTS of foundational fitness EDSHEHW'EN ‘SportsEditor Many Augsburg students baulk at the fact that they are required to take two foundations of fitness courses throughout their higher education. Some see it as unnecessary since they already spend a surplus of time in the gym without credential incentive, typical of our dominant wresting team. Many, on the other hand, view it as a nonsense credit, feeling that their time Would be better spent on the couch, enjoying a lip of chewing tobacco while enduring hours of combat in Modern Warfare. Neither the former nor the latter, David Ishida, a scholarly honors student, decided to take this foundation into his own hands. Being a member of the Honors Program here at Augsburg College afl'ords students the luxury creating their own classes. Ishida saw this as an op- portunity to take action. The result was Augsburg’s first Swordplay class, which fulfills the foundations of fitness requirement. When asked what sparked such a unique interest Ishida said, “When I heard that as an honors student I could create my own classes, this was my first thought. I had never been good at sports. So I created this class to fulfill the physical education requirement and still have fun.” Ishida continued and displayed how this distinctive interest had been formed, “For many years I have been fascinated with swords and the medieval period. I am also a big fan of The Lord of the Rings and The Princess Bride.” Craig Johnson is the Arms and Armor of this newly established course. Clearing up any mispercep- tions of the class, Ishida made note that “This is not a stage combat class, nor is it combat that you would-see in the movies. This is swordplay like it would have been taught in medieval Europe.” An educational experience matched with physical exercise is exactly what Ishida was aiming for. Unfortunately Swordplay, being in its first se- mester, is only available to Honor students. Even so, “Participation is very good. The class remains small because we have one instructor that needs to watch the entire class. But everyone in the group is very dedicated, and everyone is always happy to be there.” Ishida noted that this class would not be pos- sible without this interest and support. Young and quite interesting, Swordplay has re- ally taken off in its Augsburg debut. Ishida’s unique and fresh perspective is accountable for this. Keeping his ambitions high for the future, Ishida concluded, “I intend to continue taking this class for at least another year. I find it to be a very rewarding experience. Currently this class is only available to Honors students. But next year I would like to open it up to the entire college, because I believe that it could be a very popular class.” For students interested in Swordplay, there is a great possibility we will see it back here next fall. Ishida strives for this and thanks everyone who has made his dream a reality. Big week for men’s basketball BEN MARX Contributor This past Saturday at Ernie Anderson Court, the Auggies got a big 72-65 win over St. Olaf. Then, this past Monday, they acted similarly by coming from behind only to escape with a 75-70 victory over Gus- tavus. Saturday’s victory Snapped a 2 game losing streak in conference play, and the victory on Monday put the Auggies (9-5) just a game back from second place in the M.I.A.C., and have six games to go. They are chasing St. Thomas (14-1) and Gustavus (10—5). Saturday’s contest was a very evenly matched game. In fact, the Auggies went into the locker room down 37-35. The Auggies shooting 48 percent from the field accounted for this deficit. In the second half the Auggies went on a 13-0 run with the help of some fine shooting by Matthew Quammen, Anthony Humphery, and Zachery Eastman. This scoring nm gave the Auggies a 62-53 lead, which was their larg- est of the afternoon. The Auggies also hit clutch free throws with under a minute to play to ice the victory. The true star of the game was sophomore guard, Ben Flavin. He posted 18 points and 7 assists to lead the Auggies. He also added 2 steals. His 18 points tied a season high, and the 7 helpers tied his career high. The Auggies as a team shot 55 percent to St. Olaf’s 42 percent. On Monday, the Auggies took to the road looking to avenge a 72-77 overtime loss at the hands of the Gusties from earlier this year. Four starters finished the game in double figures, and were led by senior David Olsen who posted a game high 23 points. 15 of Olsen’s points came from behind the are as he went 5-8 shooting from three-point distance. Again, Ben Flavin posted some solid numbers with 15 points and a game high six assists. The two victories were similar as the Auggies went into the locker room down 43-35, but a 12-0 run in the second half helped the Auggies tie the game, and an 8—0 run later helped lead the Auggies to the win. The Auggies ability to hit free-throws down the stretch was a key in the victory. On Monday the Auggies also came up with a timely blocked shot from David Olsen with 16 seconds left in the game. The final six games of the regular season will give the Auggies another chance to avenge a loss to St. John’s. The earlier loss was a Jan. 6 loss in C01— legeville. That game will be at Augsburg on Feb 10 at 7:30 p.m.. The hoops team also has a chance to go on the road and validate a double overtime win earlier in the year against Carleton. The Auggies will take to the road for that contest on Feb 13 at 3 pm. These two games are the keys to establishing momentum to carry into the play—offs. ' Player Profile: Shannon Renne MIKE GALLAGHER Contributor Shannon Renne is a junior combo guard from Nicollet, Min- nesota for the Augsburg Women’s Basketball team. While attending Nicollet High School, she earned all-conference honors three difier- ent times, while also receiving AP all-state honorable mention twice. She has been a member of the team since coming to Augsburg and earned Augsburg Female Rookie of the Year in 2007-08. This year Shannon has been spectacular, especially lately. She stepped up in the recent absence of point guard Serenae Levine, almost single-handedly winning two games for the Auggies with 35 and 26-point performances against conference foes. For her great play she earned MIAC Co-player of the week honors and her nine threes in the win over Carleton was a new Augsburg record. After her great run, which was capped by a 32-point performance against Hamline in an 82-78 loss, she‘was nice enough to sit down and tell me a little bit about herself and her game. Mike: Thanks for joining me today Shannon, let’s start at the beginning...How did you find your way to Augsburg and how did you make the adjustment from Single A Nicollet High School, to college basketball? Shannon: I knew the program here and thought I could make an immediate impact for Augsburg and I was excited about that. It was definitely a hard transition at first. though, with the tempo of the game being so much faster and the play being so physical. Mike: You’ve had an illustrious career, both in high school and college, tell us about your favor— ite moment in your basketball career... Shannon: 1 would say when I scored my 1,000th career point in high school, not many females had done that at my school, and it was great to do my senior year. Mike: You had a tough stretch recently in which you kind of disappeared from the offense, but stormed back with a nine three— pointer performance in your win over Carleton. After such a tough stretch. how did you break out of that funk with such a huge game? Shannon: Coach has always been on me about my confidence. because when I miss a shot I tend to get down on myself. So [just had to change my mindset and get rid of all the negatives. and say. I’ll make the next one. I’m much more confident now. Mike: With Serenae Levine out, it looked like the tough times might continue for this team, but you being the veteran leader you are. you stepped in and played huge the last few games. Talk about how not having Serenae changes the game and how you had to step in and put this team on your back. . .. Shannon: The whole offense re- volves around her, and losing her was big because she‘s our point guard. Coach wanted me to step into that position. which I‘m not necessarily the most comfortable in, but Tracee Shrank and Micha Sater have really stepped in and we’re really meshing well together right now. Mike: How do you keep coming back to the gym every day know— ing that you are relied on so much and are one of the rocks of this program as we know it? Shannon: We have a lot of fresh- men, and they obviously look up to me and watch what I do, so I have to come to practice and games ready. Mike: A little more off the bas— ketball topic, where do you see yourselfin five years and what do you expect your post-college life to be like? Shannon: I’m a psychology ma- jor so I’ll probably have to go to graduate school, maybe in a big city, Chicago or New York, but I’m not sure yet, I‘ve got a few things I’d like to do with my ma- jor, maybe sports psych or family counseling. Mike: Awesome stuff, thanks so much for joining me! Good luck the rest of the way. If you want to see Shannon and the rest of the Auggie Women’s basketball team in action. come see them Saturday. Feb. 6 against Macalester at 1 pm. in the Ken- nedy Center. Women's hockey hopes to finish season strong Lam Mora Stafl’ Writer Augsburg women‘s hockey has had some tough com- petition this season, but the team continues to improve and get stronger. The team‘s current record is 1-14-2 overall. Their only win was against St. Thomas, and has been an obvious highlight of their entire season. Beating St. Thomas was a huge breakthrough for the ladies, and overall a very proud moment for the team. Jessica Larkin, first year, commented on the win against St. Thomas, “Definitely our biggest success for the team was the St. Thomas hockey game because it really proved that no one is safe in our conference and we have what it takes to win.“ With eight games lefi in the season, the team hopes to feel these victorious emotions again. Theteamcontinuesto practice four days a week, and lifi twice a week to keep in tip-top shape. Over winter break women’s hockey traveled to Finlandia, Michigan for a weekend tournament. Kressi Lehn, sophomore, commented on how the tournament went overall, “It was a bit of a letdown due to losing. The fact that they were a more aggressive team made our team work harder. We never gave up.” More recently the team played two games against Hamline University on Jan. 29—30. Unfortunately, Augsburg lost both games. On Friday the team played at Hamline and the score was 4.1. At the Augsburg Ice Arena, Saturday’s score was 3-2. However, the team did have several strong plays in both games. Friday, Jess Olson, senior, scored the only goal of the game, assisted by senior, Andrea Tofi. Toni Menth, senior, had 17 saves for Augsburg. Saturday, Jess Olson and Jessica Larkin, scored the two goals for Augsburg. Augsburg goalie Grace Edgar, junior, made her third appearance in goal this season, had 29 saves. Practice is an integral part of Augsburg hockey. In order to improve, the team must continue to train routinely in order to physically and mentally prepare themselves for future games. The Minnesota intercollegiate conference is tough, but Augsburg women’s hockey knows that they have what it takes to be successful. Lehn commented on how she thinks the team can im- prove, “Just working harder and harder on and off the ice. We have to push each other to do our best and 1 know we will succeed.” As far as the rest of the season goes, hopes are still high. “If we set out minds on winning and not giving up and working together as a team we will have a successful rest of the season.” Lehn said. Larkin also commented on what she anticipates for the rest of the season, “I think the rest of the season is going to be a time for our team to turn things around and I see winning in our future.” Augsburg returns to MIAC play next weekend, as Augsburg faces St. Mary‘s on Feb. 5-6. Feb. 5 the team will play at The Augsburg Ice Arena. Show less
‘i Urban farming, Page 5 The college’s Student—Produced Newspaper Swordplay class, page 3 Friday, February 5, 2010 WEC newsletter to hit the stands DAVE MADSEN News Editor In an efiort to promote commu- nication among Augsburg for Adults/ Weekend students, the AFA/WEC Students Body Senate will... Show more‘i Urban farming, Page 5 The college’s Student—Produced Newspaper Swordplay class, page 3 Friday, February 5, 2010 WEC newsletter to hit the stands DAVE MADSEN News Editor In an efiort to promote commu- nication among Augsburg for Adults/ Weekend students, the AFA/WEC Students Body Senate will release their monthly newsletter on Feb. 12. Although email is a commonly- used method of information distribu- tion, the newsletter aims to reach Weekend College students (distin- guished as “students who range from 25-60-plus”) on a more personal level. The format of the newsletter is constructedto exclusively serve the interest of Augsburg for Adults who may be on campus. “The Echo is a wonderful rep- resentation of campus information," AFA/WEC Student Body President Michelle Cerame said, “but it directs most attention to the day student population and little for the weekend students.” ' The Senate plans to pass out the newsletter to the Weekend Student population by methods of personal distribution and making them avail- able through the Library, the Augs- burg for Adults Office, as well as the Admissions Office. In addition to emailing the newsletter to faculty and staff, Cerame said, “We also hand them to Faculty and Staff at Leader- ship Meetings so they can bring these to their departments and share with others in their departments.” The January issue provided a welcome to incoming students, as well as an advisory concerning weath- er alerts. According to Cerame, the is- sue was welI-received among students who were unaware of changes made within the program. “We just took some basic infor- mation of campus activities, who is on the AFA/WEC Senate, bookstore hours and when the senate meets,” Cerame said. “These were all ques- tions our classmates ask us from time to time.” Although no official count has been made, the January 9 newsletter has reached upwards of 150 students. At the Alumni Networking Event on Thursday, Feb. 4, the Senate handed out copies, as they were the cospon- sors of the event. The AugsbutgforAdults oflice is located on the first floor of the Oren Gateway Center and Weekend Col- lege students are encouraged to visit the senates website at: http://uwm augsburg.edu/wecc/. | 1 i a i Minneapolis, Minnesota M.P.I.R.G.,reconvenes for recruitment ION PETERSON Staff Writer Over the years you may have noticed The Min- nesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) fee from your student billing next to “Newspaper Readership” and “Internet Technology.” The fee may be relatively marginal but the group has high hopes to use the money serve the student body and the state in substantial ways over the next few months. MPIRG kicked off the semester this past Tues- day night to discuss the strides they had made last semester and to recruit some new faces for their causes. The meeting had a higher turnout than antici- pated despite some minor promotion issues. Last semester. the three tasks forces (environmental. economic justice and hunger/homelessness) spread considerable awareness about their respective causes through tabling. phone-banking and other activities aimed at engaging students. “We have jobs people can do.” organizer Joe Eggers said as he communicated the importance of having clear-cut prerogatives to help get people on board and committed. Following the successful meeting, Eggers was also enthusiastic about the wealth of ideas presented by both newcomers and those veterans experienced with the organization. While last semester was dedicated to building up public concern for issues such as green clean- MPIRG, page 4 Student pay process change to biweekly pay and online time sheets SARA KLEMP Stafi Writer The student employee pay process has changed to a biweekly pay period with online time entry. Students are given the option for direct deposit, as well. These changes are meant to make it easier for students to keep track of their hours and to receive their checks. Student employees will now receive pay- ments from campus jobs every other week instead of once a month. This change was implemented on Jan. 1, 2009, so students received their first biweekly check on Jan. 15. Public safety and custodial employees have been on a biweekly pay process for some time and have had success with it. While student employees had a change in their pay process, faculty and staff will not have a change in their process and will not receive biweekly pay. Another part of this change in pay process is the switch to online time entries instead of paper time sheets. Online time entry for students was adopted in order to make keeping track of hours easier for students and employers, as well as helping to decrease paper usage. Students now log their work hours through an online time entry system named Kronos. Kronos will record their hours, and the Human Resources department will have all of the information in one system. This reduces the amount of work and time it will take HR to process time sheets. Rachel Kacon, student assistant for the HR department. says that it was a tedious process to manually organize, enter. and file dozens of time sheets. “Now. students don’t have to worry about turning in a piece of paper in order to get paid. The system should be easy for everyone to use.” she said. While online time sheets are meant to be a trouble—free process for students and their em- ployers. there have been a few problems with the system. Some students are having problems logging into their online time sheets, so they can— not log in their hours. Also. some supervisors are having trouble accessing employee time sheets. “There have been many glitches in the system right now. but they‘ll be worked out. Then. the system will be fast and easy for students and for the HR department.” Kason said. Direct deposit is another new option for student employees. This alternative to receiving a paper check will allow students to have their checks deposited directly into their personal bank account. This option became available to students in September 2009. “Direct deposit will be easier for students because now, they won’t have to deal with pick- ing up their check and depositing it on their own. Students will know that their money will be in the correct account without any hassle.” Kason said. Augsburg celebrates Black History Month PETER MILLER Stafl Writer Febniary is devoted to the life and work of black Americans it because of the birthdays of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. In 1926. Dr. Caner G. Woodson launched Negro History Week. the second week in February. to honor the contributions of black Americans. Throughout February. chapel services will welcome preachers. teachers. educators. sing- ers. and community leaders to honor the history of black people and the continued efforts for equality and justice. On Monday. Pastor Kelly C hatman from Redeemer Lutheran Church in North Minneap— olis talked about “getting off the sidelines” and entering into serious dialogue about race, class, and diversity. He invited students and staff to begin this work at every level, in classrooms, in the commons. and in committee meetings. Tuesday welcomed Babete C batman, from the non-profit Redeemer Center for Life. She addressed the ways that women and men have been called to use power and privilege for the benefit of all. not individual advantage. On Wednesday, C hristene Belfrey “Free” Johnson, musical artist. educator, and author. shared her testimony through word and song. She noted the importance of mentors in her life that have helped to shape her vocation. She also expressed a deep trust in God’s guidance BHM, page 2 Volume CXVI. issue 13 Upcoming Augsburg ~ 7| Events STAND Students Taking Action Now in Darfur Irielrojj‘.~ Mom/av, F ebruury A'Ih Free Jimmy John‘s. speakers ‘ including two Augsburg students giving their personal genocide testimonies. Performances by Matt Fischer, Everett Brown and Avery Winter. This is raise awareness of the atrocity we know as genocide. 5 :3 0 p. m. Christensen Center coffee shop CAREER & INTERNSHIP CENTER MN Private College Job & Intemship Fair Tuesday, February 16th Cost $10 Register today at careers@augsburg.edu Deadline— Friday, February 12th Americorp/A dmission Possible Wednesday, F ebruary I (Mr Walk by table 1000 am. - l :00 pm. Christensen Center lobby Information Session 4:30pm. - 5:30pm. Mp1s. Roam, Christensen Center St. Joseph Worker Program Thursday, February I I [It A one year volunteer experience for women who are passronate about social change. Walk by table 1000 a.m.-2:()0 p.m. Christensen Center lob/7y lnforrnation Session 4:30pm. — 5:30 p.m. Mpls. Room, C hristensen Center CAMPUS MINISTRY Ecumenical Panel (Joint Religious Legislative Coalition) Thursday. F ebruury I I (It 6:00pm. - 8:00pm., Sateren Auditorium A Minnesota Without Poverty State-Wide Gathering Saturday, February 27th (Volunteers needed for valet parking) If interested in helping or attending, email Peter Miller at miller9@augsburg.edu 6.'00p.m,-9.'00p.m., Luther Seminary Show less
Friday, Feb 5, 2010 {i Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 7 VARIETY SVing t stories: A historian’s fondness for Milwaukee Avenue ION PETERSON Stafl' Writer Jean Johnstad trudges through the snow despite the cold temperatures. She passes old Victorian homes with beau- tifully structured porches and bright... Show moreFriday, Feb 5, 2010 {i Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 7 VARIETY SVing t stories: A historian’s fondness for Milwaukee Avenue ION PETERSON Stafl' Writer Jean Johnstad trudges through the snow despite the cold temperatures. She passes old Victorian homes with beau- tifully structured porches and bright, inviting tones, as antiquated streetlights stand strong amid the snowy winter winds. She walks down the two-block mall where the first Norwegian inhabitants once walked two miles to work. The area harnesses the quaintness and seclu— sion of a small town. The interesting part is, this neighborhood is situated in the heart of Minneapolis. The Milwaukee Avenue Historic District was originally constructed for working class families during the 1900s. Johnstad, an astute local historian, will tell you that the term “Mil- waukee” came from the Milwaukee Railroad workers for whom the street was created. Formerly entitled 22 '/2 Avenue, the mall is situated between Franklin Avenue to the north and 24th Street southward between 22nd and 23rd Avenues. According to the City of Minneapolis web- site, real estate agent William Ragan developed the street in 1883. The lots were designed small and tight as to house lower class residents dur- ing the late 19th century industrial expansion and immigration increase. For this reason, the street is the earliest “planned workers” com- munity in Minneapolis. The homes were originally made of brick veneer and timber, and are similar in their so-called “common man” construction style. By government-financed urban renewal in the 19705, the neighborhood faced complete destruction due to the dilapidated conditions of the homes. Ardent grass-roots community activists, most notably future revitalization architect Bob Roscoe, worked to save the neighborhood from becoming another strip mall. Roscoe headed the Seward West Project Area Committee (PAC), who used politi- cal know—how, working with the Minnesota Historical Society, to establish the Avenue as an important part of not only Minnesotan but American history as well. In 1974, their efforts paid off as the sal- vaged block was added to the National Reg— ister of Historic places; people then united to renovate the street. Many of the houses were replaced with replicas due to their decayed condition. For this reason it is also regarded as the first planned unit development in Min- neapolis. In 1982, less than a decade afier the com- munity accomplishment, J ohnstad settled down in Minneapolis afier traveling the world with her late husband, a former pilot. She taught Language Arts in places as close as Missis- sippi and Tennessee and as exotic as Mexico and Germany. Johnstad even took up farming in Blair, Wisconsin during the decade prior to the Minneapolis move. “I wanted to stay in the center of the city, but I wanted to feel a sense of community, I also wanted to be able to walk places,” she said. After a long search of the Twin Cities area, Johnstad found a small house at the end of Milwaukee Avenue. “It seemed like a sign, I grew up in Mil- waukee, Wisconsin. It was like I had returned home,” Johnstad said. “I also wanted a place that was too small for my children to want to move back in with me,” she added. She pur- chased the newly built home in 1988, a year after her husband’s untimely death. Johnstad has lived on Milwaukee Avenue longer than any other of the countless places she has called home. Throughout this time, she has developed great pride in her com- munity. In fact, Johnstad has led community efforts in guiding over two dozen oral histories about Milwaukee Avenue and the surrounding Seward neighborhood. She has also noticed the increased involve- ment in neighborhood activities over the years. In fact, each fall, the neighbors gather to rake leaves together. Johnstad also appreciates the concern that her neighbors have for her well- being. “They keep an eye on the place and drop off my mail when I am gone, they even shovel my front walk. Several people have a key to my house,” she said. She noted that although there has recently been quite a bit of turnover, there are still many residents who have lived in the neighborhood for generations. “They like the fact that they can raise their children in a safe place and many of them enjoy working from home.” Johnstad also spoke to the significance of the Seward neighborhood having concern for its community. “They have upheld a commitment to low income and Section 8 housing.” The neighbor- hood also had a community newspaper at one point. “The neighborhood has always been tolerant of other people," Johnstad added. She also spoke to the significance of Mil- waukee Avenue being a street for “artists and activists” and people that are “committed to urban life.” With this in mind, Johnstad has spent years engaging the community in becoming more .connected to its own history. “I enjoy the ties to the stories, if only houses could talk.” Johnstad could remember the old days when True Thai was a drug store, the Play— wright Center was a church, the Holiday Station a drive-in restaurant and back when the former Seward C o-op, now as of recent Koyi Sushi Too, was a car dealership. Growing up in the Midwest, Johnstad has tried to develop a sense of community in vari— ous places she has lived. “I was never interested in a place where I click my garage door and never see anyone,” J ohnstad said. “I have loved something about every place I have lived.” But not every community can come with an automatic sense of nei ghborly transparency. “I worked hard to make [Milwaukee Avenue] open, accountable and honest. to the point where I may have burned some bridges.“ Despite her conflicts, Johnstad feels that the neighborhood’s narrative. as well as her own efforts toward building a better community has paid off. “It’s a luxury to feel connected to the place 1 live.” After seeing many of her friends pass away, Johnstad says she has learned to count her blessings and hold onto the value of her community and its history simply by remem- bering and imparting to others her knowledge of urban history. Similar to her experiences teaching. lohn- stad looks to being a good community member with the same fondness. “You don’t have to wonder if what you did made a difference.” ulie Powell butchers Cleaning A-List Mama ThosoN Aé-E Editor Theater Panache Theatre In The Round Fri-Sat, January 29—30, 8:00PM Sun. January 31, 2:00PM 245 Cedar Ave, Minneapolis 612—333-3010 Tickets: $10 with student ID www.theaterintheround.org Romeo and Julie! Guthrie Theater McGuire Proscenium Stage Through Jan. 31 Various Times 612.377.2224 Tickets: 3 l 5-$40 818 South 2nd St, Minneapolis www.guthrietheater.org Film 0f Language and Longing: The Films of Marguerite Duras Cinema, Walker Art Center Thurs-Sum, Feb. 4-Feb. 7 Various Times Tickets: $8 ($6 Walker members) 1750 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis 612-375-7588 www.walkerart.org Music Kid Koala with Plain Ole Bill Cedar Cultural Center Saturday, Jan. 30. Doors: 7:00PM 612.338.2674 Tickets: $12 advance, $15 day of show 416 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis www.thecedar.org [indiesoup] Presents: The Fattenin' Frogs The Unsound Logic Gabe Douglas (4 on the floor) Dave Mehling (The Fontanelles) Acadia Cafe Friday, Jan. 29, 8:00PM 612.874.8702 No Cover / All-Ages 329 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis ww.acadiacafe.com BETSY COLLINS Staff Writer I remember when Amy Adams portrayed an ador- able Julie Powell in the movie adaptation of Powell’s first memoir Julie & Julia. She cooked through Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and she was fun and quirky and loveable. I didn‘t find that Julie Powell anywhere in her new memoir. Clearing: A Story of r’llarriage. Meat, and Obsession. I‘m not sure why I decided to read Clearing. I didn‘t read Julie & Julia because I heard it was bad. I‘m a vegetar- ian with a weak stomach. and 1 hate reading about adultery. I suppose I took this book on as a challenge. C leaving certainly is a challenge. It‘s a long-winded trudge through Powell‘s butchery apprenticeship. her mari- tal issues and her affair. The butchery is supposed to be some sort of metaphor for her "butchering" (so to speak) of her marriage. and it works on some levels toward the beginning when her focus is still strong. but starts to feel fragmented before the story actually takes off. I thought that I would have the hardest time with the butchery aspects of the book, which are many and detailed. She described how to break down an entire cow and pig throughout the book. which got monotonous at points, but the time she spent at her apprenticeship with the fellow butchers was what I enjoyed the most about the book. Here she seems like a real person with a heart and some ambi- tion. instead of the miserable unlikable woman she writes herself as through the rest of her story. Butchery. and only butchery. is what the book should have been about. Instead she decided to also cram in her somewhat creepy obsession with her lover. a man she has simply named The sections about D are dry and lifeless at points. needlessly graphic at others. And then the whole ordeal seems to vanish for the entire second two thirds of the book. Other things that shouldn’t have been in the book in- clude: her awkward selection of recipes that try to fill out the emotions of the story but fail. and the entire second half of the book (that is, if she wanted the book to actually be about her marriage and/or affair; this part only deals with butchery). Powell spends at least one hundred pages in the second halfon her post-apprenticeship travels that have everything (sort of) to do with butchery, but nothing to do at all with her marriage or her affair. This. in addition to her thin all fair storyline. makes the book out to be an unfocused plod through. . .well. something or other. lfl had been Julie Powell‘s editor. I would have not only caught the blatant tense disagreement on the first page of her book, but 1 would have also told her to focus on telling one story. This book is about butchery. It is not about marriage or adultery. and bringing in those elements weakened it severely. For Julie Powell’s third memoir. which I predict will be about her alcoholism as she so casually (and liberally) mentions throughout (leaving. I beg her to think about what she wants to write. and then actually write that. Then maybe she’ll get a rating higher than two stars on Amazon.com. Show less
«t «.4». “ "The video game as a sex machine Roam: Honrsnn'z It’s not cheating right? I mean, having sex with someone in a video game, what’s wrong with that? Two virtual, pixilated bod- ies engaging in ‘cyber-bonding.’ It’s fun, and it’s exciting, if only slightly humorous, rather awkward, and... Show more«t «.4». “ "The video game as a sex machine Roam: Honrsnn'z It’s not cheating right? I mean, having sex with someone in a video game, what’s wrong with that? Two virtual, pixilated bod- ies engaging in ‘cyber-bonding.’ It’s fun, and it’s exciting, if only slightly humorous, rather awkward, and surprisingly erotic in a, “this is little weird but kinda cool” sort of way. Shall I explain the first time my main character ‘made love’ with the other character in, my party? Would that freak you out? Would it make you resent me if I confessed to you that I enjoyed it? Well, I have a confession to make. Within the last couple of years the act of sex was introduced into the video game world, and what came with it was some shock and surprise from consumers and other folks involved in the industry. While it was mildly surprising to me at first, once I saw it I was like, “Wow, that’s really cool,” because it was introduced in such a way as to be somewhat revolutionary, but yet respectful to the audience as well. The game I am referring to is Mass Efi’ect, which launched for the PC and Xbox 360 over 2 years ago. Now, afier a tremendous amount of anticipation, its sequel Mass Eflect 2 has hit store shelves, continuing the adventures of Commander Shepherd in this ridiculously entertaining bout of space drama, which will eventually become a classic trilogy when Mass Eject 3 launches in the next two years. I know there are those games of old that sprinkled a little bit of pornography into the industry like Custer’s last stand for the ATARI, but Mass Eflect really brought the idea of sex in games to a mainstream audience. For these of you who don’t know, every gaming console has had just a handful of off-the-wall titles that use pornography. If you search online (where the hell else would you go to find info on porn?) you’ll find some adult games that were actually created for systems like the ATARI, Nin- tendo Entertainment system, and Super Nintendo Entertainment System, to name a few. Think of old classics like Pitfall, As- teroids, or Super Mario Bros, but with nude body parts and certain fluids I won’t mention here. Well, they’re out there. Many of these games were produced by somewhat rogue third-party folk who, once they figured out how to get into the guts of the gaming sys- tem, could make pretty much anything they wanted. So inevitably, someone out there Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 5 OPINIONS/ EDITORIALS had to do it, and now we’ve got it, ranging range from ridiculous Japanese-influenced cartoon porn (AKA Manga) on the SNES, to barely recognizable nude appendages jumping around on the ATARI. Of course I could get into a feminist argument about how this is offensive and how much of gaming is basically male- centered, but I’m not going to touch on that here. Though you could discuss the original ATARI controller, which is essentially a stick with one button: simple enough that a man could use it, and represents a nice phallic symbol gamers can be proud of (seriously I’m kidding). I won’t argue that it’s questionable the way women have been represented in many video games, and that would make a great research paper, but I’m not fitting that into this article (at this time, please note my fairness to the opposite sex, and that my previous and eventual state- ments are in no way meant to be offensive, though I really don’t care if they do ofl‘end, and may I object to any negative statements others might have as to my views of the opposite sex, same sex, or sex in general, also please note that I love all beings with an equal amount of respect, man or woman, above ground and sea-dwelling creatures, and please take into account that it is in the opinion of the editor, that I really don’t give a crap what you think of my Views, thank you very much, over-and-out) Let’s continue shall we? The first time I made love in a game wasn’t that long ago. Bioware, the game development company that created Mass Eflect, launched a new IP (Intellectual Property) called Dragon Age: Origins in late 2009. It’s basically like Mass Eflect but set in a medieval world rather than space. Not only is Dragon Age 3 great RPG (role-playing game) like Mass Eflect, but they share similar qualities, like sex. In the game you obtain party members as you journey through your quest, and as the game progresses you form stronger bonds with those members, where you have in depth conversations, and give them gifts as well. While you are doing this, each character has a meter that tells you how much they like or dislike you. In the latter part of the game, when you are able to get that meter filled nearly to the end, you are presented with more conversation options that enable you to have more ‘personal’ dialogue with your characters. If your pur- sue this, it eventually comes to the point where the other character will ask you if you want to “join them in their tent,” whatever that means. If you choose to do so, you are presented with a cut-scene, in which your main character is clearly ‘making love‘ with the other character. The scene isn‘t offensive in any way: it’sjust really interesting when you see it for the first time. Both characters have their undergarments on, the men are donning the traditional “tight and whites‘ and the females have on their bra and pant- ies. In the cut-scene they kiss, hold, and get on top of each other. While this is happen- ing, the game actually has this really great melodic piece that accompanies the virtual love-making. It‘s pretty neat! Now where it gets even more interesting is the fact that the experience doesn‘t just end with a traditional man-woman relation- ship. Oh no, it goes even further. You have the option for a homosexual encounter as well. In the game you have one party mem- ber who is homosexual. It’s never stated outright that the individual is gay, but it is implied through the bits of conversation that you have with him, that he does indeed, like men. What the hell, why not? So once again I am presented with a cut-scene, this one is slightly different of course, because we are dealing with two men. While it’s happening I tell my girlfriend to come take a look, and she has a weird smile on her face. It was quite a moment: the two of us, watching two men make love on my PS3, what a life. When it was all over, I thought, “This is amazing, what a great experience,” I mean the whole package, (no pun intended) what a fantastic game this is! Not only is sex being presented in this game, but it is being done so with a certain amount of respect and equality that I felt was really wonderful. It’s not just being thrown in as a joke to entertain the lowest of life forms, but rather to present a new experi- ence that helps to cross the line, and break the mental boundaries that we have on sex in American culture. r Many of us are at least a little, if not tremendously insecure about expressing ourselves, especially when it comes to sexu- ality. I mean holy crap, look at where we are! The typical Midwestemer epitomizes this kind of insecurity. Now I‘ve heard Min- neapolis being called the “San Francisco of the Midwest” and I might partially agree with that, but I would most agree that the passive-aggressive nature Minnesotans have come to love, fits right in with the insecure nature as well. Although the Midwest is not the only place you‘ll find this kind ot‘naturc. but rather, all across the US. It‘s commonly known that compared to countries like Europe. we‘re a little behind on openness towards sex in our culture. However, Ameri- can culture is very used to violence, and much more accepting of bullet knowledge rather than carnal knowledge. So many folks out there might think right off the bat that sex in games is just one more abomination being added to the mix, but I say it’s just another part of advance- ment, or maybe a new sexual revolution, if you will. Bottom line, I think it’s great! You see there’s a difference between porn and having sex in entertainment media. It’s the difference between a ‘gang—bang’ and two people engaged in an act of love. Both acts are very recognizable as to what they represent. Once ‘misuses,’ or rather, flaunts the act of sex for pure entertainment or self- pleasure value, while the other, uses sex in a respectful form, so as to prove to the gamer and the rest of society that we can include such content, to enhance the story and fur- ther the effective influence of art. Yes, ‘art,’ in video games. As a society, it’s good to rufiie feathers once in a while, shout expletives, engage in obscene behavior, fight for your rights, and join the ‘mile-high‘ club. We need to kick and scream when the space gets too small, when we find it’s hard to move even an inch past societal norms. We can reach farther across the line, and break a pain ofglass ifwe so choose, giving ourselves some more room to breathe. Don’t worry, you’re not the only one; when no one else is home, I walk around naked, too. You know, it’s crowded in here, and I’m feeling a little hot under the collar. 1 don’t know what‘s on your menu, but the sex machine sounds good to me. Does Augsburg endorse Anorexia Athletica? DAVE MADSEN News Editor For those of you who aren’t aware of my work with the Echo, I am foremost the publication’s News Editor. The responsibilities of my positions include remaining as objective as possible, always being aware of my biases, and continually presenting news that is timely and relevant to our campus. With that preface, let me express to the reader that this piece is solely rooted in opinion and mere observation. I do not claim to speak for a larger community, nor do I intend to portray those who I quote as being oppositional to this institution. The matter, which I am engaging the reader to consider, is the seemingly overactive gym culture at Augsburg Col- lege. I have overheard. in multiple instances around campus, the sentences, All she does is run on the treadmill or That guy is always in the gym. While I agree that a balanced life should incorporate healthy visits to an exercise facility, I am growing concerned with some of our students’ obsession with the Kennedy Center. “I used to work out for two and a half hours at a time,” a student in the Kennedy Center expressed to me. “After a while. I just got burnt out” As a member of the Augsburg community, this is trou- bling because our environment constantly pressures and simultaneously reinforces behaviors related to an excess of exercise. When one loses weight, gains muscle, tones down, or bulks up, he or she is usually met with a positive response. The same can be applied academic pressures in which perfection is valued and critical evaluation is a constant pressure. Young people, particularly those who are in profession- al environments. are at risk of Anorexia Athletica, otherwise known as compulsive or obligatory exercise. The symptoms of these conditions include repeatedly exercising beyond the requirements of good health, constantly obsessing over weight and diet, and taking time away from personal matters in order to exercise. Usually, one who suffers associates his/ her self worth with his/her workout regiment. One would think that Auggie athletes would be the sole candidates for consideration regarding this matter. While it is true that some athletes are encouraged to maintain a certain level of fitness, I would not necessarily associate the athletic programs with an unrealistic expectation on students. The athletic directors and trainers I spoke to on this matter expressed to me the importance of the athletes maintaining a controlled regiment and meetings with a nu- tritionist. If such a case were to take place, several coaches assured me that the athlete would be referred to the Center for Counseling and Health Promotion. Those who I am most concerned with are the people whoIseeinthegymwheneverl makemywaydowntherel amooncemedbeause I have seenmembersoftheAugsburg community frequent the gym multiple times throughout the day. These students often go into the facilities without proper instruction or supervision. Though we students are young and are encouraged to stay healthy, I believe the culture surrounding our community promotes an environment in which students could easily seek higher self-esteem by adhering to a rigorous workout routine. I write this article as a means to raising awareness with— in the community. I do not accuse any department, student, or micro-community of being egregiously irresponsible in relation to this matter. However, I feel as if not enough attentions is being devoted to the greater implications of students abusing the athletic facility. Those whom I have talked to about their eating disorders, have testified to the utter blindness one experiences when he/she is enveloped in the condition. And as I look at the mirrored weight room and the crowded cardio equipment, I am inclined to agree with the concerns expressed to me. Yes, students are required to take two fitness courses in order to graduate from Augsburg College; yet, I feel as if we are not incorporating the idea of moderation into our athletic culture. Perhaps the college should consider paying closer attention to non-athletes overusing the athletic facilities. As members of a loving community, I would challenge those who have observed such behaviors to confront the individual about his/her con- dition. Those who are struggling with such conditions are encouraged to visit the CCHP house as well as expressing personal concerns with a trained employee of the college. Show less
Page 2 NEWS Minneapolis, Minnesota A report of the ASAC All-Nighter ANGELA BURLA Contributor ASAC’s super-hero themed all-nighter was definitely a hit. Some Augsburg students chose not to attend, but those who did certainly had a great time. The excitement could be felt from the moment that one... Show morePage 2 NEWS Minneapolis, Minnesota A report of the ASAC All-Nighter ANGELA BURLA Contributor ASAC’s super-hero themed all-nighter was definitely a hit. Some Augsburg students chose not to attend, but those who did certainly had a great time. The excitement could be felt from the moment that one stepped into the line to get in, which stretched more than half- way through the skyway between the Christiansen Center and Um-Mort lobby. Augsburg students all searched through their things to make sure their student IDs were easily accessible and guests frantically made sure that they stuck with their Augsburg student so that they weren’t denied access to this much awaited event. No one was getting in without an 10. Once they were in, the first three hundred students waited in another line to receive free t-shirts. Many attendees were soon wearing the blue t-shirts with red and yellow print and an Augsburg “A” adapted into the Super-Man logo. Some guests really got into the spirit of the event and a few students were even seen wearing super hero garb with their faces painted. Regardless of what guests were wearing or whether they ar- rived in time to receive a free t-shirt or not, it was clear that everyone was ready for a party. The members of ASAC didn’t want their guests going hungry. Tables were set up near the coffee shop with pizza, pop, and chips and there were plenty of places in and around» the coffee shop where students could sit down to eat and chat with their friends. Once most of the guests had some pizza, red, white, and blue popsicles were brought out. After this, everyone was ready to party and popcorn and lemonade were provided both upstairs and down to keep the guests satisfied throughout the night. Once the food was served, it was time for the real fun to begin. Everyone either headed up to the commons or downstairs to the Century Room for one of the activities set up for the night. Caricatures were done in the Cedar Room, there was face painting in the Riverside Room, several giant “bouncy house” type games were set up in the East Commons, and a hypnotist performed in the commons before Eyedea and Abilities and Brother Ali came on for the main performance. Students were able to show ofi" their own musical skills downstairs in the Century Room where karaoke was going on. Some “karaoke hits” of the night included The Spice Girl’s “Wannabe” and Taylor Swifi’s “Love Story.” There were also Karate lessons in the Marshall Room. The caricatures were a big hit and people waited for over 30 minutes to get them done. Whether with a friend or by themselves, everyone really enjoyed seeing how the artist portrayed them. The hypnotist was a great opening act. Some people were a little uncomfortable with the “hip-hop dancing” that was performed by the hypnotized students, but overall it was a very enjoyable show. “[The hypnotist] was definitely a crowd pleaser,” said one student who wishes to remain anonymous. “1t drew people in.” This was quite apparent from the full chairs set up in the commons and the many laughs and shouts that could be heard from the audience throughout the show. Over in the East Commons, people were anxiously await- ing their turn at the human dart game, the blow up slides, or the bouncy tug of war that had been brought in for the event. Many people enjoyed bouncing around like little kids and many others just enjoyed standing nearby and watched their friends try something a little ridiculous. These games were a great addition to the All-Nighter and a fun way for students to relieve some stress. Face painting took place in the Riverside Room. This was probably the least attended of all the activities, but still added some fun to the night. It was a lot quicker than getting a caricature done and many people who didn’t want to wait for a caricature chose to have their faces painted instead. Going off of the super-hero theme for the night, many people got lightning bolts, specific logos, and other'super-hero related images painted on their cheeks. No part of the All-Nighter could really be considered a flop, but the face-painting table was probably the least exciting part of this incredibly entertain- ing event. . Quite the little party took place downstairs, but right around midnight, everyone headed up to the commons for the main event of the night. The main musical performances were entertaining. The crowd got a little rowdy between acts and DPS and Residence Life had to step in and do some crowd control. Brother Ali took the stage and also helped calm the audience down. Both acts were very entertaining, but Brother Ali was definitely the more popular of the two. The consensus of the crowd was that if you knew his music you sang along and if you didn’t you still really enjoyed the beat. Despite the crowd control issues, ASAC’s 2010 All-Nighter was an enjoyable event. Augsburg College Echo 731 let Avenue S, CB 148 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454 E-mail — echo@augsburg.edu Phone -— (612) 330—1102 and holidays — by the students of Augsburg College. of the students. subject to revision. appropriate. Printed by Print Group Midwest on recycled paper. - Fall 2009 Staff flitors-ifi-Chief Mpg Molly Ehling Sergio Monterrubio Becki Iverson Molly Ehling A i r Managingflim — Malena Thoson Becki lverson mm 'tor Molly Dunne Ted Conover Wm Ehmnfiiiscr Dave Madsen Kendra Christiansen A v ' ' Man er Roger Huelsnitz Sarah Gillund Smashing; Paw—l viser Ed Shehwen Boyd Koehler Tips — echotips@grnail.oorn Fax — (612) 330—1666 The Augsburg Echo is published each Friday —-— except during vacation periods Opinions expressed in the Echo are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the supporting staff, administration, faculty, alumni/ac or the remainder The Echo does not necessarily promote the products or services it advertises. Advertisements can be placed in the Echo by contacting the advertising manager. Submissions are welcome and can be sent to echo@augsburg.edu. All submis- sions should be between 500-700 words and accompanied by the writer‘s name and contact information. All submissions become the property of the Echo and are The Echo reserves the right to edit submitted material because of space limita- tions. repetitive subject matter. libelous content or any other reason the editors deem 29994010 Senate President: Cerame Vice Resident: Chris Buemlan Gourds, Roulet, and]enni£er_Wolie Maury team 13 * Thai: 1255- 13:50pm L? f con-ammo memld—fllmnfl “fir-w!” “WM ’ ‘ liters-1pm «M Medium!“ g mam: vacuum muse-1:...— Wynn-unann- 11.11.. 4 macemttnmam ton) Min—LNEMIQO-m BHM, page 2 to carry us through times of despair and unknowing: “Without God, where would 1 be?” Dr. Barbara Farley, the Dean of Students, spoke on Thursday and Dr. Thelma Buckner (and family) will preach and sing today. Dr. Buckner has been a leader in the St. Paul community through her leadership in music. She is Pastor at Gospel Temple Church. Throughout the month of February, black lead- ers, ministers, and musicians from the metro area will share their experiences in Chapel and carry the message of hope and activism to the Augsburg community. Services are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday fiom 10:20 to 10:40 and Tuesday, Thursday from 11:20 to 11:40. BHM Schedule of events: Feb. 11 Ecumenical Panel (Joint Religious Legislative Coalition) 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., Sateren Auditorium Feb. 27 A Minnesota Without Poverty State-Wide Gathering 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., Luther Seminary (volunteers needed for valet parking) If interested in helping or attending, email Peter at miller9@augsburg.edu Feb. 28th Augsburg College Church Youth League Tournament 10:00 a.m.- 10:00 pm. (free t-shirts for volunteers, need referees) sign-up in Campus Ministry Office or email hakola@augsburg.edu Augsburg for Adults / Weekend College Student Body Senate February, 20 1 0 Show less
Page 8 Minneapolis, Minnesota THE BACK PAGE Illustration by Sergio Monterrubio Dear, Andrea: 1 Winter is getting me DOOOWN. How do you combat the i winter blues? HELP! Sad Without Sunshine Dear Sunshine: I’m glad you asked. This year, I live off campus and have spent a lot of time walking to and... Show morePage 8 Minneapolis, Minnesota THE BACK PAGE Illustration by Sergio Monterrubio Dear, Andrea: 1 Winter is getting me DOOOWN. How do you combat the i winter blues? HELP! Sad Without Sunshine Dear Sunshine: I’m glad you asked. This year, I live off campus and have spent a lot of time walking to and from school in the cold. At first, I hated winter, but now, I have come to (sort of) enjoy it. And, while I really (really really really) miss summer, I think that winter is beautiful in its own frosty and unique way. So, first things first, you have already admitted that you are struggling with winter. Trust me this is perfectly normal. First of all, talk to your doctor about taking Vitamin D supplements. In Minnesota, we are deprived of vitamin D from the sun in the winter months, taking a supplement helps the body have more energy, which makes you happier. You can also use the study lights in the library to replenish your vitamin D. They are located on the third floor of the library in a study car- rel. After that. enjoy some time figuring out what you like to do in the winter. I suggest finding a physical activity like tubing or skiing. If these don‘t appeal to you, go for a walk or explore Minneapolis with friends. There are great restaurants, movie theaters, dance clubs and stores all within blocks of campus. If you don‘t have the money to go out, join some on campus organizations to meet new friends or spend some time with the friends that you have already made. Also. remember to spend some time alone to study or sleep. Finally. ifyou are really struggling with this seasonal sadness, contact the Center for Counseling and Health Promotion (CCHP). They‘re wonder- ful professionals who are ready and completely willing to help you through this time. l 2 3 I0 14 17 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 4O 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 BY: MOLLY DUNNE 11. Italian volcano 12. Without, as in fat or dairy Across: l8. Yiddish word for a gossipy woman 19. Paris’s Musée D’ l.He’s parter 20. Inhabitant of country next to Saudi 4. Extra Virgin Olive _ Arabia 7. Vikings’ org. 2]. Senegalese dialect 10. Electric fish 11. “Tiny Dancer" artist John 13. Bullfight cheer 14. Stalling sounds 15. Socially unacceptable—like talking about politics/religion with strangers l6. Golfer’s implement 17. Big winner at the Grammy’s 22. Time period 23. Curly and Larry’s buddy 24. Opposites offs 25.”Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa ” 26. School volunteer grp., for moms and dads 27. Like musician/producers Brians who worked with the Talking Heads 28. Big winner at the Grammy’s 33. Turn upside down 34. Gives the go-ahead 37. Plant Genus 38. Gravestone etching 39. Tennis star Agassi 41. Tommie’s college (abr.) 44. Big winner at the Grammy’s 47. Taj Mahal country 48. Rock, pop, or classical, eg. 49. Former Russian leader 50. Come in Down: View Basil or parsley “C an I get you anything _? Linguist’s org. Beatles’ song “Let _" Take a peak Last but Escape, as a country Bruce and Aug 39 QWNQP‘PWNT‘ 24. 25. 29. 30. 31. 32. 34. 35. 36. 40 41. 42 43. 45. 46. Choose Crude, in a sexual manner Zambia capital State an opine With a crimson tint Type of drum Planetary movement Pottery ovens Automobile designer Ercole . Outside limit, or boundary Mailed, as an Email . Set a scale to zero -Friendly Round shape (abr.) Writing utensil .D AlSlH 31>Z E r ‘01) 0,50 l i r r ‘N 03w 1) FElUID llS‘LlElT‘S T .1 0‘. oryxmzm ‘NO wcio T7? C O S E>T c Cpl ll'l- BEYONCE SONG" we“. KBW“ \‘lB INK oisPElsEggARr or PEN What Are You Waiting For? It you have an opinion on what you see around campus write it on the ECHO echo@augsburg.edu Show less
Fm February 12, 2010 e Unexpected- Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 7 V VARIETY eXceeds Expectations sufwum Life Unexpected, the CW’s new televi- . has been called “Juno meets Gilmore Girls,” has already accumulated its tilir share of fans and has received acclama- tion fiom critics throughout the US.... Show moreFm February 12, 2010 e Unexpected- Minneapolis, Minnesota Page 7 V VARIETY eXceeds Expectations sufwum Life Unexpected, the CW’s new televi- . has been called “Juno meets Gilmore Girls,” has already accumulated its tilir share of fans and has received acclama- tion fiom critics throughout the US. The straw focuses in the life of a fifieen—year—old girl named Lux (one; pronounced lucks). Lux (played by Brittany Robertson) was placed into fostercare immediately following her birth and never adopted . When the show begins, she is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her sixteenth birthday no she may file for emancipation. While com- pleting her emancipation paperwork, Lux realizes that the signatures of her biological ‘ ts are needed. This leads her to meet her bar—owning, slacker father Nate, and mother Cate, who is host of Lux’s long-time favorite radio show and also recently engaged to her co- host Ryan. After meeting Lux and feeling some instant bondtto their biological child, Cate and Nate decide to crash her emancipa- tion trial and when the judge denies Lux’s emancipation, joint custody is granted to her biological parents who haven’t spoken to each other in years. And' that’s just the pilot. So what happens when two people in their early thirties working at separate jobs and living in separate places have a 16-year- old girl thrust into their care? That’s exactly the question this show sets out to answer, and it makes for some interesting television. From boyfriends and burglaries to transfer- ring schools and meeting the grandparents, the show deals with normal parent-child relationship issues with the added twist of the child already being nearly grown herself. Not only do her parents learn to improve their skills, but Lux also learns to be a better daughter and a better person in general. The actors and the quality of their acting also add to the appeal of the show. Brittany Robertson does a wonderful job portraying a 16-year-old girl who is both thick-skinned and vulnerable from spending all of her life so far in foster care. This is the young ac- tress’s first starring role in a television series, but she has quite an impressive résumé, and she clearly demonstrates her outstanding acting talents to viewers. Shiri Appleby (Cate) and Kevin Polaha (Nate) also make a convincingly quirky but unlikely couple. Their unique chemistry accurately portrays the awkward nature of caring for a teenager with a high school lover. And they haven’t spoken in years. The discovery of this “love child” also initiates a bond between the two parents and the actors are able to convey their feelings for each other even when their characters are in denial about these feelings. Creator Liz Tigelaar has herself a win— ner. While the show is clearly aimed at a female crowd that enjoys a heartfelt, love- filled, family show, the plot and drama have also proved themselves to be respectable elements of the show. As The Boston Globes Matthew Gilbert puts it: “the show works, in its own hokey, feel-good, alt-soundtrack way.” In other words, it’s definitely the kind of television show a Minnesota college girl could get hooked on. Steinweg finds philosophy in Duras’art SERGIO MONTERRUBIO Layout Editor . German philosopher Marcus Steinweg spoke Sunday about the philosophy in the art of French writer and filmmaker, Marguerite Duras, in a lecture titled “On Duras the Phi- losopher” at the Walker Art Center. The lecture, part of the Mack Lecture se- ries, was the closing event of the project titled Shared Discovery of What We Have and Know Already by Haegue Yang, Walker’s artist-in- residence, whose work has been influenced by Duras’ work, according to Walker magazine. Steinweg, whose writings on Duras were the starting point of Yang’s interest, spoke about the perception that people usually have about Duras. “We don’t know her as a philosopher,” Steinweg said when explaining that Duras is usually only recognized as a writer and film- maker. Steinweg raised the question “what do art and philosophy share?” to illustrate that philosophy is not only academic, but rather exists in everyday life. Steinweg expressed his agreement with Duras’ View of philosophy as the creation of new concepts, and touched on the subjectivity of conceptualizing abstract ideas. “A philosopher invents its own concept of philosophy just as artists invent their own concept of art,” Steinweg said. Continuing on his point that philosophy shouldn’t be only about “writing books about people that wrote books,” Steinweg used Duras’ work as an example of how writing is differ- ent from making literature, and explained the two in separate worlds: the consistent and the inconsistent. Steinweg explained that writing novels is “inventing a new world,” and recognized Duras for inventing “her own form of literature.” In this way Steinweg suggested that dealing with the consistent and the inconsistent world mat- ters to our perception of truth. “Literature is to deal with inconsistency,” Steinweg said. “Truth is not something you can find. It is something you experience." The lecture ended with a short discus- sion and a session of questions to the German philosopher. Steinweg finished by saying that there is a gap between each individual product of the transition between the consistent world and the inconsistent world. He suggested that, although the human being takes for granted and “trusts its precise function,” it is necessary to interrogate the world’s consistency, especially as “habitant of a world without alternatives.” Marcus Steinweg is a Berlin-based phi— losopher and author. He is currently teaching at the Art Academy Braunschtveig in Germany and has recently published two books: Duras (Zurich/Berlin, 2009) and Maps (Berlin, 2009) A-List MALENA 'nroson Adv-E Editor Theater The Vagina Monologues Augsburg College .. Satenen Auditorium Saturday, Feb. 13, 7:30PM Sunday, Feb. 14, 2:00PM Suggested donation: $2 Students $5 Public 612.330.1028 Taming of the Shrew Augsburg College Tjomhom-Nelson Theater Fri-Sat, Feb. 12-13, 7:00PM Sunday, Feb. 14, 3PM 612.330.1257 Tickets: $10 Public, $2 Students www.augsburg.edu / theatre Photo Gallery “Breaking the Veils: Women Artists from the Islamic World” Weekdays; 8:00AM-8100PM Sat; Noon- 6PM, Sun: 8AM- 6PM Catherine G. Murphy Gallery St. Catherine University 2004 Randolph Av., St. Paul 651.690.6644 Admission: Free WWw.stkate.edu/ gallery Film 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her Jean-Luc Godard The Trylon microcinema Fri-Sat, Feb. 12-13 7:00PM or 8:50PM Tickets: $8 3258 Minnehaha Ave S, Minneapolis 612.424.5468 www.take-up.org Music Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles are in Big Trouble: Celebrating, Like, 100 Years of Romantic Comedies Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles with Big Trouble Cedar Cultural Center Saturday, Feb. 13, 8:00PM 612.338.2674 Tickets: $12 advance, $15 day , of show 416 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis , ' www.thecedar.org e ilill’lli A QUESTION OF WILL March 5—6, 2010 Augsburg College Speakers, seminars, movies, music. and more Honoring the work of llartti Ahtisaari, international peace negotiator and former president of Finland "bite... Register now at mpeacoprizolorumnrg The forum is free for Augsburg faculty, staff, and students ‘hm‘ ‘ Funded In part by a generous gift from - I... 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