Jayplay

LIFE. AND HOW TO HAVE ONE.

March 15, 2012

The Gamut *of Geek:

What kind of geek are you?

The Hunger Games: Cant wait to see the movie?

Curb your appetite with our interview actor Liam Hemsworth

Famous Jayhawk dishes

21 Jump Street star Rob Riggle

*
I

inside this issue

{From the Editor }

addiction. I will trade valuable hours of sleep to research topics of intrigue to write poetryfor fun. Or even sometimes just to build on my fundamentals as a poet. Im almost ashamed to admit that I went through a phase where I did intensive research on the life of Eminem for a good month or so because I wanted to know which parts of his childhood contributed to the genius combination of words he uses. Yes, I mean genius, because if you ever cared to take a look (or 500) at his work like I did and cross analyze it with a few of his bios, youd be impressed with how seamlessly he rhymes words youd never see coming as he exposes his more than jaded life to people all over the world. Hes not afraid. Its inspiring (or bat-shit crazy). But also a very good use of words. Not convinced Im a word geek yet? A couple weeks ago I found out my phone wouldnt stop restarting every time someone sent me a text because I had more than 4,000 texts saved in my phone. I was not quite ready to part with those words. Some might say, I hoard words. The first step to recovery is admitting I have a problem.

Whats hot this Week

thursday march 15
What: turkish film kosmos When: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Where: bailey hall, 318 Why you care: you dont even have to knoW turkish. this film comes With subtitles.

*
friday march 16

m kind of a word geek, and by kind of, I mean I will lose sleep trying to come up with the perfect words to evoke the most accurate description of a feeling that I might have had three years ago when I rediscovered my true love for Lauryn Hills lyrics. This means, in essence, I am struggling to find words to formulate words in sentences to talk about someone elses words to place in a poem consisting of many words. This isnt a hypothetical situation. I spent the majority of freshman year analyzing Lauryn Hills entire acoustic album, averaging about three hours of sleep per night, and using her as inspiration to start writing spoken word poetry. So maybe you wouldnt say I am a geek, but I assure you calling me a poet is an oversimplification of this tragic word

What: free community yoga class When: 7:30 p.m. Where: breathe holistic life center, 1407 mass st. Why you care: have a nice relaxing Workout before your spring break adventures.

saturday march 17

What: st. patricks day parade When: 1 p.m. Where: doWntoWn laWrence Why you care: feel good about partying because this parade benefits local charities.

nadia imafidon | editor

* *

sunday march 18
What: acoustic open mic night When: 10 p.m. Where: the burger stand Why you care: Write your oWn music? shoWcase your hidden talent in an informal setting.

monday march 19

What: talkdemonic / myna birds/ big harp When: 9 p.m. Where: the jackpot Why you care: even With everyone aWay for spring break, laWrence has their music scene.

tuesday march 20
What: rachael yamagata When: 7:30 p.m. Where: granada Why you care: american singer/songWriter and piano player stops in laWrence on her three-month tour. $15.

All in the family

My favorite musician of all time. Check out Lauryn HIlls MTV unplugged album if you have yet to listen to it.

contributed photo

EDITOR sss NADIA IMAFIDON ASSOCIATE EDITOR sss LINDSEY DEITER DESIGNERS sss EMILY GRIGONE, ALLIE WELCH LOVE sss SASHA LUND, ALIZA CHUDNOW, RACHEL SCHWARTZ SCHOOL sss ALLISON BOND, MEGAN HINMAN CAMPUS + TOWN sss KELSEA ECKENROTH, JOHN GARFIELD, BRITTNEY HAYNES ENTERTAINMENT sss KELSEY CIPOLLA, RACHEL SCHULTZ, ALEX TRETBAR PLAY sss SARA SNEATH, RACHEL CHEON CONTRIBUTORS sss MICHELLE MACBAIN, LANDON MCDONALD, LIZZIE MARX CREATIVE CONSULTANT sss CAROL HOLSTEAD 03 15 12

Wednesday march 21

What: casbah karaoke! When: 10:30 pm Where: burger stand Why you care: Want to make it fun? make a friend and sing a Whole neW World as a duet. it Will bring attendees to tears.

4 5 11

love: hookup
Spring break is so close you can taste it. Michelle responds to real horror stories from spring break with a dose of reality to keep your partying in check.

Rob Riggle, who was a cast member on Saturday Night Live and appeared in The Hangover, shares memories of his KU days.

love: celebrity dish

This local acting troupe, featuring KU students and Lawrence residents, prepares for its annual 10-minute play festival.
NO COVER BEFORE 10PM

entertainment: emu theatre

12 14 15

table of contents
entertainment: Q & a with white mystery
NPRs Sound Opinions has laready featured this garage rock duo. Now its Jayplays turn.

play: drink this

Shots, shots, shots... heres a fruity shot that gets the job done.

speak: personal essay

One Jayplay writers artistic account of standing by his girlfriend through her debilitating torment.
on the cover: captain america shows his love
photo by tyler bierwirth

EVER!

WHERE ITS ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC

SPRING BREAK SEND OFF POOL PARTY
PRIZES FOR SEXIEST SWIMWEAR

THURSDAY, MARCH 15 VEGAS COMES TO KANSAS DJ FRANK REMPE

(RESIDENCIES AT LAVO & MARQUEE IN LAS VEGAS) 18 TO PARTY (WITH COLLEGE ID) $7 | 21+ TO DRINK $5 WHAT HAPPENS AT THE CAVE, STAYS AT THE CAVE
CLOSED FOR PRIVATE EVENTS

MARCH 16 & 17

Doors open at 9pm | Enter o Indiana | www.oreadcave.com

OPEN THURSDAY - SATURDAY, 9PM - 2AM

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love

The Hookup

you about how to avoid these situations, because I know you will only think to yourself, Oh, Michelle, I know how to protect myself. Nothing is going to happen to me. Instead, here are a few stories that may change your attitude. Have fun. Stay safe. The following stories are of real events, involving real college students. I got plastered and entered a wet t-shirt contest. The rest is a blur. I woke the next morning completely naked on the floor of the condo. According to eye witness accounts, I won the wet t-shirt contest by stripping totally naked at the bar. I then managed to lose my clothes. To make matters worse, the only other girl on vacation with me decided to go stay with other friends for the night, so I was escorted homecompletely nakedby my boyfriend and the two guys staying with us. Naked going out of the bar, naked into a cab, and out again, naked walking from the street to the condo and falling asleep on the condo floor, face up, naked. My boyfriend initially denied, but later admitted that the guys decided to keep me uncovered and enjoy the view as long as they could. -JeSSiCA, 19

Of COllege-Aged wOMen On SPring BreAK, 60 PerCent drinK every nigHt Until tHey PASS OUt.

My girlfriend and I got really wasted at a party. We both ended up having sex in the wrong bedroom of the house. At about six in the morning we wake up, completely naked, to our housemate standing over us. He had just returned home from drinking all night and thought the bedroom we mistook as ours was actually a bathroom. He drenched us! -BryCe, 22
2,600 StUdentS Are ArreSted ABrOAd On SPring BreAK.

group of guys. It was just me and my girlfriends. They seemed nice enough, college guys. We drank together and decided to stay out with them. The place was getting crowded and we had needed a place to put our purses. There were a lot of people at the party, and we didnt want to put our purses down. The guys told us to drop off our purses at their hotel and we would go someplace nearby. After arriving at their hotel, the men took turns raping her. -HOlly, 24
50 PerCent Of SexUAl enCOUnterS Are rAndOM And Are UnPrOteCted.

Michelle MacBain, Kansas City, is a graduate student in Communication Studies. She studied Psychology and Human Sexuality at KU and the University of Amsterdam. Email questions to michelle@michellemacbain.com

Happy spring break, KU! The parties, the drinking, the bikinis, the sex. While some of you may return sunburned and dehydrated, many will return with other reminders of the sun-filled, liquor haze of spring break: an unwanted pregnancy, STI, the guilt of infidelity, a visit to jail, or as a victim or perpetrator of sexual assault. Im not going to waste this column on lecturing

After a spring break in Cancun, I received a call from a local cocktail waitress I was having sex with. She was pregnant. Now, I have a child in Mexico, pay child support and continue to fight for custody. -CHriStiAn, 18
76 PerCent Of COllege-Aged Men StAte tHey Are deterMined tO SleeP witH SOMeOne On SPring BreAK.

Last year my girlfriend and I got into a fight after drinking all day on a booze cruise. We went out separately that night. In my drunken haze, I had unprotected sex with one of her friends. Upon returning to campus, we reconciled. I had to tell her that I not only slept with one of her friends, but that I also contracted herpes. -niCK, 21
UniverSity HeAltH CenterS dOCUMent A SignifiCAnt inCreASe in Sti rAteS fOllOwing tHe MOntH Of MArCH.

We were at a hotel on Miami Beach enjoying a pool party when we met this

Catch of the Week

//Rachel schwaRtz

would get together and go to Colorado. We would go hiking in the mountains and hang out outdoors. I grew up really close to my cousins so thats a good memory. wHAt iS yOUr UltiMAte dAte? I dont really care about really elaborate dates. I like to spend time with someone, and if its someone that I like, then Im always going to have fun.

Sydney rAyl
yeAr: SOPHOMOre MAJOr: engliSH & frenCH intereSted in: Men frOM: SAlinA
wHAt iS yOUr dreAM JOB? Probably to be a writer living in France. I visited Paris once a few years ago and Ive always wanted to go back. wHAt iS yOUr fAvOrite CHildHOOd MeMOry? Every summer my whole extended family 03 15 12

wHAt dO yOU lOOK fOr in A gUy? Someone who is open minded, intelligent, isnt afraid to laugh at himself. wHAt dO yOU firSt nOtiCe ABOUt A gUy? His smile and also how tall he is compared to me because Im really short. I feel like you can tell a persons sense of humor by how natural their smile is. if yOU COUld dAte Any fiCtiOnAl CHArACter, wHO wOUld it Be? Tom from (500) Days of Summer. I thought his character was unique and quirky. Just my type.

love

Celebrity Dish: rob riggLe

// sasha Lund

I loved my professors. I have such warm, happy memories of being a Jayhawk. I wouldnt trade it for anything. what was the fiLming LiKe on 21 jump street? It was really hot. We shot in New Orleans in the summertime. That got a little toasty down there, but it was such a cool experience. Any chance to work with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, take it, they were awesome. Channing was really funny I hope he does more comedies. Theyre fan-

tastic, funny, smart, great guys. We really enjoy each others company. We hang out off-camera, and I think that translates to in front of the camera. did You expect the hangover to become such a phenomenon? No, thats what is strange. You never know what is going to happen. We did know we were having fun. At a minimum, at least we were entertained. Sometimes its not always that way. There was definitely good energy on that set.

contributed photo

KNOWS YOUR

A MAP THAT
YOULL SAVE HERE.

Rob Riggle, who graduated from KU in 1992, has appeared in movies such as The Hangover, Step Brothers and The Other Guys. He also served as a correspondent for The Daily Show and as a cast member on Saturday Night Live during the 2004-2005 season. He currently stars in 21 Jump Street, which opens in theaters on March 16, and The Lorax, which is currently playing in theaters. You just voiced a character, ohare, in the Lorax. how is voicing an animated character different from acting in a movie? Well, its awesome in the sense that I can just roll out of bed, not shave, throw on a KU Jayhawks hat, flip-flops and go to the studio. There are no other actors I get to work with, so you do kind of miss that interaction. We had a good director though, and he did a good job in giving you direction.

what advice wouLd You give to aspiring comedians/actors to become as successfuL as You have been? Perseverance. Its a long painful road. You know, if you think its going to happen overnight, youre kidding yourself. It takes a long time. You have done both stand-up comedY and fiLm acting. which is more fun to do? Its like children. I love all my children. Its hard to say I like one more than the other. I love doing stand-up because its me, the mic and the audience. I dont have to take notes, its just me. Its fun to write. Its fun to perform. I love improv because of the spontaneity. I love sketch, film and TV. I kind of love them all. You went to Ku. what was Your experience LiKe at Ku and what did You Love about Lawrence? Lawrence is like one of the greatest college towns in America. Great peoplethe town is people. That makes it awesome.

LARRYVILLEKU IS A MAP.
But it's not the map thats been collecting dust in your glove compartment. It's a map that can show you where to save money. This icon deals are in Lawrence. will show you where the best

NOW LIVE!
www.LARRYVILLEKU.com

03 15 12

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PHOTOS BY TYLER BIERWIRTH

Geek CHiC
Wolverine, Captain America, Iron Man and a Star Wars battle droid might not all get along or even fight in the same galaxy, but they can agree on one thingtheir love of geeks.

How

went

Once teased and bullied, todays geeks are now rising up and taking over. Chances are, you might be one of them.
// KELSEY CIPOLLA

Ive been a geek since birth. Growing up, I played with Luke Skywalker instead of Barbie and preferred Power Rangers to princesses. When I was 14 years old, my geekiness reached an unprecedented high after I discovered Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a show I loved so much the only way I could think to express my dedication was to buy action figures of my favorite characters and display them on my dresser. Shockingly, being a high-school girl with an action figure collection didnt make me many friends. Some people simply accepted my action figure display, but others had no problem pointing out what I had always known but have sometimes felt too ashamed to admit Im a geek. But is that a bad thing? Today, 57 percent of Americans think being called a geek is a compliment and a whopping 82 percent of people think being a geek is more acceptable today then it was 15 years ago.

So whats changed? The most current generation of geeks are reacting to other counter-cultural groups that have emerged in society, especially the yuppies of the 1980s, who wanted wealth and status. Then in the mid-1990s, the geeks started to gain power, emphasizing the value of personal enjoyment and rejecting the showiness of material culture, says Lars Konzack, an associate professor at The Royal School of Library and Information Science in Aalborg, Denmark, who has studied the humble roots and slow evolution of the geek movement. Their rise coincided with the birth of new technology, which made it easier to access geeky materials and interact with other fans while also allowing the community to generate its own material, like fanfiction and the fantasy worlds that would eventually develop into online game play. Today, geeks arent just becoming more

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PHOTOS BY TYLER BIERWIRTH

popular in our culture; theyre actively creating it. With an idea of how the modern geek pulled himself up from the bottom of the social ladder to a more comfortable position, I began to examine just who this modern geek is. advanced level geek My search begins with Rod Landreth, a 40-year-old senior from Sherwood, Ark., who towers over me. When I ask if he considers himself a geek, he looks me straight in the eye from behind a pair of blackframed glasses and says he knows more about Godzilla than most people know about anything. Hes been playing Dungeons and Dragons for 30 years, loves Star Trek, Star Wars and Star Blazers, and shows up to our interview wearing a crimson polo with embroidered with the image of Bun-Bun, a knife-wielding rabbit from the cult comic Sluggy Freelance. Landreth calls himself a geek evangelist, and wants to spread the word about the goodness of geekdom, which includes acquiring an encyclopedic knowledge about whatever interests you and getting to use your imagination as an adult. One of Landreths favorite parts about being a geek is that you cant be stupid and be a geek. TV shows with geek followings like Star Trek and Firefly rarely write down to their audience to make them easier to follow, they just force their audience to rise to the challenge. For this reason, geek culture might survive longer than most other counter-cul-

Geek culture is becoming one of the most influential culture trends of the 21st century, says geek scholar Lars Konzack. Some people cant even bother taking a break from it to eat.

ture movements, Landreth predicts. It might never become totally accessible to the public, but the web has helped level the geek playing field. With websites dedicated to everything from Star Trek to iPhones to beauty products, it seems like everybody is a supergeek about something, says Genevieve Valentine, co-author of the book Geek Wisdom and a writer for several prominent sci-fi and fantasy magazines.

I think that geek has only ever had one meaning, and that is someone who gets super excited about something, Valentine says. But people who were geeks about sports never got labeled in the same way as people that were geeks about building model trains, for some reason. Unfortunately, for decades mainstream culture wasnt accepting of geeks. As a result, geeks withdrew and it became harder for the average Joe to feel accepted in traditionally geeky environments.

Today, geeks arent just becoming more popular in our culture; theyre actively creating it.
Nowhere is this more obvious than a comic book store geek mecca. As a child I begged my dad to take me to the comic book store, but when I finally got there as a teenager, I was overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of comics, yet ignored by the teenage boy behind the cash regis-

It gets lonely at the top of the Galactic Empire for Darth Vader. Fortunately, geeks have plenty of ways to socialize, including role playing games, video games or even just watching Star Wars.

ter who seemed to actively try not to help people. Joel Pfannenstiel noticed this problem, too. Youd have to fight your way around these guys playing War Hammer on top of the back issues, Pfannenstiel, owner of Astrokitty Comics and More, says of his early experience in stores. When he moved from Wichita to Lawrence to attend college, he had a series of bad comic buying experiences that forced him to stop reading entirely for several years. But he eventually returned to his roots and started working at Mass. St. Comics, a now-closed store where employees and the owners shared a vision of creating a comic store atmosphere that would appease both devoted fans and newcomers. Posters werent plastered over windows. Employees were friendly rather than antisocial. Neat rows of carefully selected materials replaced overwhelming stacks of unorganized comics. It was a store where comic lovers could feel at home and comic virgins could come in without feeling out of place. Its a philosophy Pfannenstiel incorporated into his own store when Mass. St. Comics closed in 2005. Painted sky blue with sunflower yellow stars, Astrokitty, 15

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East 7th St, feels more like the childhood bedroom of an eccentric teen than a place where die-hard fans come to stock up on new comics when theyre released every Wednesday. Having a store that makes geek culture accessible and appealing to people that might not have been willing to try it a few years ago is good for business, but the philosophy also appeals to Pfannenstiel on a personal level. He enjoys seeing people experiencing comics for the first time, even if its because of the recent proliferation of superhero movies and comic books based on TV shows. geek-lite With a better understanding of the diehard geeks of the world and how geeks became chic, I move on to examining a more recent addition to the geek world, the moderate geek. Gone are the days when a geek can be identified by sight, I discover as I search the mid-afternoon crowd of The Underground, looking for Kyle McRae, a senior from Iola who recently founded the Universitys Pokemon fan club. I dont know exactly who Im looking for, maybe a sickly looking guy wearing a Pikachu t-shirt. Im surprised when I finally find McRae. He looks like a southern frat boy in his
PHOTOS BY kelSeY CIPOllA

navy pullover, striped dress shirt and and cowboy boots. Like many children of the 90s, McRae grew up loving Pokemon. The early exposure to Japanese culture led him to study it in college, which put him in the company of other Pokemon fans. Now every Thursday night, they get together to play the card game the TV show was based on. He was surprised to find that almost 50 people have expressed interested in his club, proof that people are becoming more accepting of their inner-nerd, just like he has. In college, I just dont care anymore what people think, he says. I can go be nerdy. Nerdy activities are becoming a more acceptable part of students lives. Take, for example, Holden Beier-Green, a junior from Topeka who transforms from an amiable college student into a light-saber wielding Sith for a few hours each night. Beier-Green isnt suffering from an identity crisis. He just plays Star Wars: The Old Republic, a recently released World of Warcraft-style multi-player online role playing game set in the Star Wars universe. Hes played video games, his favorite form of entertainment, for years, starting out with an Xbox playing Halo and Grand Theft Auto before moving on to PC gaming. Last month, he decided to start play-

ing Old Republic with his friends. Beier-Green says playing the game is a nice way to relax at the end of a stressful day of work and classes. It also gives him an opportunity to spend time with his friends without having to be in the same room as them. What might have seemed like intensely geeky dedication a few decades ago is now a normal part of life for many male college students. A few weeks later, I ask a very tan, very blonde woman if she has any geeky tendencies. I dont know says Casey Freeman, a junior from Hutchison. Im very intense about school. I never miss a class unless its to study for another class. And I read academic articles for fun. Does that count? I say it does. In my exploration of the wide world of geek, I have realized that Genevieve Valentine was right. Forget the glasses, forget the expansive collection of comic book and superhero t-shirts. A geek is just somebody who really likes something; anything. Some geeks might be a little more intense than others, but weve all become part of a society that is more accepting of pure, unadulterated excitement, whether its over the latest Apple product or the most recent episode of Dr. Who. Were all geeks about something, and its okay to admit it.

What kind of geek are you?

Sixty-five percent of Americans think that everybody is a geek about something. What kind of geek are you? Your favorite magazine is: a. Wired b. Bon Appetit c. Pitchfork d. Sports Illustrated e. Vogue Your favorite TV show is: a. Attack of the Show b. The Next Food Network Star c. You prefer music to tv d. SportsCenter e. Project Runway Your celebrity crush is: a. Olivia Munn/ Mark Zuckerberg b. Padma Lakshmi/ Johnny Iuzzini c. Carrie Brownstein/Alex Turner d. Maria Sharapova/Tom Brady e. Grace Kelly/George Clooney

Mostly As: TeCh GeeK- You strongly identify with your computer operating system and defend it with your (battery) life. Mostly Bs: FOOd GeeK- You devour new episodes of Food Network shows with the same passion as homemade tomato and basil pizza. Mostly Cs: MuSIC GeeK- You know how to navigate a music festival and operate a record player. Because really, everything does sound better on vinyl. Mostly Ds: SPORTS GeeK- Watching sporting events is both entertaining and painful since you have to constantly check up on your fantasy team. Most Es: FAShION GeeK- Lifting the September issue of Vogue is your cardio. Shh, dont tell Anna Wintour youre a geek. 03 15 12

Two of Marvel Comics famed avengers, Captain America and Iron Man, share a heated exchange about whose comics will sell more after The Avengers hits theaters May 14. Super heroes on the big screen have helped spread geek culture in recent years.

school
Better Options:

Eating healthy on a budget

Anne Schwartz, a sophomore from Leawood, is training to run a marathon with her friend on April 15. With intense training, she feels it is important to eat healthy. When I dont eat healthy I can tell, Schwartz says. I feel more energized and run better when I eat healthier. Starting April 1, Schwartz plans to avoid processed foods and eat more fruits and vegetables as the race draws closer. Eating healthy and buying fresh produce can sometimes be expensive though. Tarin Clay, a senior from Rose Hill, says she shops at Checkers and Aldis to find cheaper produce. I check the ads before I go grocery shopping to get the best deals, Clay says. Staci Hendrickson, a diet and nutrition specialist and owner of Healthy Balance Inc. in Lawrence, offers her own tips on ways to stay healthy at a low cost. First, she suggests people drink the recommended eight cups of water a day. People

//Allison bond

Tips for healthy eating alternatives while saving money.

tell me they feel a lot better when they get a lot of water in their diet, Hendrickson says. Some of the signs of mild dehydration are headaches and low energy, which can be easily cured by drinking enough water. Hendrickson says that students can save money by drinking tap water, as it has been proven that bottled water is not any better for you. Secondly, fresh produce can be expensive when buying out of season. Hendrickson says thats because out-of-season fresh produce is shipped in from different countries and chemicals are added to help preserve freshness. Frozen fruits and vegetables can actually be cheaper. The frozen produce becomes cheaper because of the produce being bagged and frozen when it was in season and customers in turn having not to buy out of season. The frozen produce is also healthier because there are not as many chemicals added to help preserve them. Finally, the American Heart Association is now encouraging people to have a meatless meal once per week, which can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Hendrickson says that supplementing the meal with other sources of protein like beans can be another healthy protein alternative and costs less than buying meat.

6TH & MAINE, 23RD & OUSDAHL AND 23RD & HASKELL

photo by Allison bond

Survival Skills:

AAAc

//mEgAn hinmAn

The Academic Achievement and Access Center helps you navigate through academic issues.
semesters. The tutoring services generally receive excellent evaluations, but the individual consultations could also be instrumental in your success. Lately, weve been having quite a few of those on test anxiety, says Mary Ann Rasnak, director of the AAAC. We tailor it to the individual student. You can get an appointment just once when you need to, or you can schedule regular consultations to just talk through your academic issues. If necessary, you and an AAAC staff member may devise a plan of action for how to deal with your issue, like making a solid weekly schedule for you to better manage your time. The AAAC also mediates communication between you and your professors when you have to miss class for a while, like if you were to get in a car wreck and were hospitalized or if youre just really sick. Theyre willing to help, and theyre there for you no matter what your situation is, Rhines says. Sign up for tutoring at www.tutoring. ku.edu. Schedule an individual consultation by calling (785) 864-4064 and be sure to give a brief explanation of what your appointment is about.

AAAc filE photo

As far as tools on your academic belt go, the Academic Achievement and Access Center (AAAC) is a good one to have. On the first floor of Strong Hall, the AAAC can help you get through your tough classes and keep your stress level low. The staff provides individual consultations on anything from test anxiety to problems at home, and you can set up tutoring services in a variety of subjects. All tutoring sessions are with a group of less than five people, and they usually meet for 90 minutes, twice a week. I was in over my head, so I got a tutor, Ariel Rhines, a sophomore from Shawnee, says of a calculus class. I probably wouldnt have gotten a great grade, but I was more confident, and thats probably what helped the most. While Rhines was the one being tutored in math, she was also tutoring others in French. She has been a tutor at the AAAC for three

03 15 12

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entertainment
This local theater troupe gears up for its annual performance of one-act plays entitled Paint Your Dragon. // Rachel Schultz
Whispers of are you off the book? followed by giggles and the sound of someone cracking an energy drink fill the makeshift practice space of these EMU Theatre actors. As the actors trickle in to what was a conference room, it becomes clear that whether or not theyve memorized their lines, these people are an array of KU students and Lawrence locals. The biggest thing they all have in common? A love of theater. Since 1998, EMU Theatre, a Lawrence theater troupe, has performed more than 35 shows all over the state, from Lawrence to Kansas City to Wichita. Now, the group gears up for its next performance, a series of 10-minute single-act plays called Paint Your Dragon, scheduled for the last weekend in March and the first weekend in April. Dan Spurgin, writer and director of Online Education, one of the one-act plays for the upcoming show, says he cannot remember when exactly he first got involved with EMU, but he had previously been involved in another local group called The Hypothetical Seven and attributes his familiarity with EMU to a sort of cross-pollination of local actors in Lawrence. When he first heard about the annual 10-minute play festival a few years ago, he and a friend decided to write one together. Spurgin has been participating in EMU and writing one-acts ever since. Its a trial group, where you come to learn all different parts of theatre, Spurgin says of the local troupe. Youre not coming here as a pro. Youre coming here to get a chance. Tonight, the group of actors practice Online Education, Spurgins most recent one-act about the ironies and hilarities of getting a masters degree online. The idea is especially ironic because, when hes not doing EMU, Spurgin is a computer programmer for the E-Learning Design Lab who has actually written web coding for online education. Writing plays has a lot of similarities to writing code, because code is a lot more artistic than people realize and plays are a lot more structured than people realize, Spurgin says. As practice continues, the importance of the craft becomes prominent among the actors. Spurgin prompts the actors with their lines and encourages them with specific emotions to channel to their characters. The main character is played by Paul Farinosi, a sophomore KU theater student that tried out for the 10-minute play festival as extra credit for a class. His character, David Leaky, is a graduate student that thinks he has found a way to skip undergraduate work and instead begin work on his masters. EMU gives you the opportunity to be in plays. If you audition for the University ones and dont make it, then you have to wait till next semester to do it, Farinosi says. These, they have a lot of parts for different people so you get more experience. Its clear that the members of EMU Theatre are a diverse bunch. Although Farinosi is just beginning his experience with EMU, Andy Stowers, a Lawrence resident that plays Farinosis counterpart in the one-act, was actually one of the founding members of EMU. As Stowers explains it, the group simply began because he and a friend were offered a free performance space and they decided to do a show. After an enthusiastic audience and performer reaction, they wanted to keep it up. When hes not doing EMU,

EMU TheatreFor the love of performance

cast members prepare for 10-minute play festival debuting March 30 at 7:30 PM. the festival is 18 and up because it is for mature audiences only. PhOtOS BY aShleIGh lee

a diverse collection of short plays involves a wide range of actors.

Stowers says he works about four jobs, but found time to write a one-act thats also being featured in the 10-minute play festival. Its an all-volunteer company. Most of the people are doing it because they love doing it, Stowers says of the troupe. It decreases the weird ego-thing that sometimes sours theater for me. Jeff Sorrels, the production manager for this years 10-minute play festival, emphasizes that the focus of EMU is to get local artists work like Stowers on stage. Its then Sorrels job to piece all of the one-acts together like a jigsaw puzzle. He says that because they are all different and not necessarily connected, it seems to get a wider range of people involved. We succeed with EMUs core mission of bringing peoples visions to life with the resources we can allocate, Sorrels says. I love 10-minute plays. If you dont like one, just wait 10 minutes. EMU upholds numerous traditions that make the theatre one that is focused on originality and variation. Each year, Sorrels says the 10-minute play festival is named for the Chinese zodiac symbol of the year this year its the dragon, but in years past the collection of one-acts has been called anything from Junkyard Dogma to Cat-Scratch Theatre. Similarly, although the group was originally named after the large native Australian

bird, each year troupe members come up with something that the letters stand for, like electro-magnetic underwear, Sorrels says. As practice comes to a close, Spurgin admits to the group that its a little bit behind schedule. Because its an all-volunteer group, sometimes its a challenge to require people to be at practice. One member of the one-act is missing tonight, making it difficult for the group to get a feel for some of the scenes. Still two weeks out, Spurgin says that group must focus on structure and technique to improve the one-act. To get to write lines and see them show up on stage is a very valuable thing for me as a writer, Spurgin says. I love that there just happen to be a group of people who basically are still 7 years old and want to put on puppet shows for their mom and dad.

Paint Your Dragon Lawrence Arts Center 940 New Hampshire St. March 30 to 31, April 6 to 7 all at 7:30 PM $6 at door

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entertainment
Q&a with:

White Mystery
Chicago is home for the red-headed, brother-sister garage rock duo White Mystery, but the band spends most of its time driving and playing shows throughout the country. Miss Alex White and Francis Scott Key White tore up the Jackpot last Thursday night with their tourmates Night Beats (Seattle) and local punk trio Up The Academy. Since forming in 2008, White Mystery has picked up increasingly positive press, recently landing a song on MTVs Jersey Shore. Theyve self-released both of their full length albums and are set to release a new 3-song EP, People Power, on April 20.

//alex tretbar
alex: One thing Ive noticed thats unique about White Mystery and a teeny tiny pinchful of other bands in Chicago, in our niche rock scene, is that only White Mystery and one other band are fulltime. Were not bartenders, were not baristas we both worked very, very hard and saved a lot of cash to be able to do what we do full time. We quit our jobs (Busy Beaver Button Company) and were able to focus solely on music last January, 2011. pany, Beavis and Butthead is back on the air its just way more farther-reaching!

label when I was 17. It was a mail-order thing when the internet was new and exciting. I made a one-page website with a PayPal button. Thats what kind of birthed my DIY persistence or aesthetic in music. francis: I started playing shows when I was 14, but I never made it outside my backyard, where wed play shows with a couple buddies watching us. I was mainly just playing Dungeons and Dragons and helping my sister write songs and formulate songs for other bands just being a nerdy little doughboy.

How would you describe wHite mysterys sound to someone wHo Hasnt listened to your music?
francis: Dirty, heavy rock n roll.

alex: Definitely, from a young age. I started playing shows in Chicago, in basements and garages, when I was 13. By the time I was 15 I was playing clubs with adults and my parents would drive me in their mini-van to play bars when I was in high school. Chicagos the kind of town where you can do that you can develop as a musician even in your teens, and I think that head start has a lot to do with where White Mystery is now. I also started a record

Has music always been a Huge part of your lives?

francis: Chicagos competitive in the best way possible where the competition inspires all your friends to do better than you and try to outdo each other. Its not a backstabbing market by any means. Its a really tight-knit community with really great musicians that are all very incestuous in the bands that they get into. They riff of each other, forming different bands with the same guys. Its like theres that one drummer who drums for every single band, and that one gun-for-hire bass player whos in every band, you know?

is cHicago a competitive place to try to cut it as a band?

alex: Well, NPRs Sound Opinions show featured us when we got back from our first nationwide tour. It was a big deal for us because the show only seems to cover big, serious-ass stuff like Metallica or R. Kelly rather than independent music. But the big thing is MTV: theyve really taken care of us. Pitchfork never really covered us. They gave us a 7.2 for our first record, but stopped covering us after that, so we said, Fuck it! Were going to MTV, dude!, cause that is international money-bag stuff they got a real cable TV station, so many subsidiaries, a movie production com-

was tHere a particular piece of press tHat kicked off your recent popularity growtH spurt?

photo by diane alexander white (alex and francis mother)

miss alex white (left) and brother francis scott Key white are white mystery, a raw rock duo from chicago. their third visit to lawrence was last week playing at the Jackpot.

get some culture:

Spinning Records Reemerge

//rachel schultz
For the first time in decades, Kansas City will host its own Audio Hi-Fi Show, featuring Leland Leard, a representative from top equipment manufacturer Music Hall Audio. Hi-fi, or high fidelity, involves reproducing sound to a higher quality, which is what many disc jockeys use to reproduce their music. However, hi-fi equipment includes a range of items and can also include high-quality home theater systems. Vinyl Renaissance, a Kansas City original audio equipment and music store, is hosting the show at its 39th Street location on Thursday, March 15 at 6 p.m. Dan Phillips, the owner of the business, says that the idea for the show simply came up in conversation one day. Although Denver and St. Louis host similar programs, Kansas City hasnt seen an equipment show in many years. We want to raise awareness of hi-fi equipment in the Kansas City area, Phillips says. There hasnt been a real, active dealer presence for 20 years, but it used to be done all the time in the 70s. Back then, companies would come to stores and put on demonstrations to show their products and comment on any recent developments in technology of audio equipment. After a short presentation of whats new and popular in the audio business, Leard will allow time for questions, making the show a true discussion for music fans and recording moguls alike. Ange Ngansop, a senior from Douala, Cameroon, who spends his spare time playing music as DJ Mixtrack, plans on attending the event to further his knowledge on hi-fi equipment and sound quality. Whether it is for DJing or personal use, I expect my audio equipment to deliver a crystal clear sound, Ngansop says. If you are an aspiring DJ, producer or just a music lover its better to learn from experts. Good news for those aspiring music lovers of the Midwest; Phillips plans to have more shows like these in the future, to truly revive what has been lost from the 1970s.

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photo by rachel schultz

Vinyl renaissance in Kansas city is home to 50,000 new and used vinyl records, cds and tapes.

CAMPus & TOwN

CHOMPING AT THE BIT:

ConferenCe Call with liam hemsworth // Brittney Haynes

Along with five other Universities, we got the chance to catch up with Hemsworth about his upcoming role as Gale in The Hunger Games. BOsTON uNIvErsITy: THE HuNGEr GAMEs Is fIllEd wITH HEAvy MATErIAl. HOw dId yOu Guys wAlk THAT lINE TO kEEP IT sOMEwHAT lOw-kEy BuT AlsO kEEP TO THE BOOks? L.H. We kept as close to the book as possible. Most of the children in the books dont want to kill, dont want to watch the Games in the districts. We tried to make it relatable, but not focus on the material as much as the characters. uNIvErsITy Of PENNsylvANIA: dId yOu HAPPEN TO drAw ON ANy MATErIAl frOM THE fIlM BATTlE rOyAlE? L.H. Ive never seen it. I tried to keep to the movie and script. uNIvErsITy Of MArylANd: HOw ArE yOu fEElING ABOuT THE PrEss BECAusE Of THE ExPECTATIONs frOM THE POPulArITy Of THE BOOks? L.H. Its nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time. When we got the script, it wasnt near as big of a deal as it is now. Its definitely one of the most powerful films Ive seen and Im proud of work the cast and I did. vANdErBIlT: THErE sEEMs TO BE A lOvE TrIANGlE GOING ON IN THE BOOks wITH kATNIss, PEETA ANd GAlE. HOw Is THAT POrTrAyEd IN THE MOvIE? L.H. The movie is very true to the book. At this point, Gale and Katniss are not romantic, theyre just best friends. With Peeta and Katniss, shes confused about her feelings for him. uNIvErsITy Of kANsAs: HOw dOEs yOur rOlE IN THE HuNGEr GAMEs dIffEr frOM rOlEs yOuvE dONE IN THE PAsT? L.H. Every one of my roles is different, but I try to show some part of myself in all my roles. Gales a very strong character caught in a terrible situation. Hes very powerless at this point, he has to provide for a whole family, and he doesnt support the Games in any way. He stays true to himself. uNIvErsITy Of N. TExAs: wHICH dIsTrICT wOuld yOu lIvE IN ANd wHy? L.H. I just wouldnt want to live in any of them. The Capitol is very misguided.

The trend behind the hype around The Hunger Games

Movie scene from the Hunger Games with Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth, coming out in theaters March 23.

COntriBUteD PHOtO

Survival, war, humanity, life, death, lovethese are just some of the themes in Suzanne Collins New York Times best-selling novel, The Hunger Games. Followed by Catching Fire and Mockingjay, the novel is the first in The Hunger Games trilogy. Although the book was originally published in 2008, with the film coming March 23, the series has become increasing popular, even with college students. The book opens in the country Panem, built on the ruins on what used to be North America. The country is divided into thirteen districts with a Capitol in the middle. The districts began to retaliate against the Capitol and as punishment, the Capitol destroyed District 13. In order to keep the other 12 districts under control and to remind them of its power, the Capitol forces each district to send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to compete in the Hunger Games, a fight to the death televised live. The story follows Katniss Everdeen, a 16-yearold girl who steps forward to take her younger sisters place in the Games.

All throughout the book, there was suspense. There was never a dull moment, Rachel Kaiser, a sophomore from Winfield says. Every twist and turn was unexpected. The characters are relatable because theyre around our age. Plus, its a love story and theres action, so its the best of both worlds. As I talked to various students, I heard that each person found something different about the book appealing. For some it was characters, others the storyline, but several others things also kept readers interested. The way the book was written and how each chapter left me hanging made me want to keep reading, says Audrey Moylan, a junior from Lenexa. I had to stop reading in the middle of chapters because I couldnt put it down if I read to the end of a chapter. The movies screenplay was written by the novels author, Suzanne Collins, which has fans asking: How close to the book does the movie stay? Im looking forward to seeing how closely the cast plays the characters to

the way I had imagined them. Twilight didnt do a great job but I think The Hunger Games will do a much better job, says Allison Jackson, a junior from Stafford. Kaiser and Moylan say they are also interested to see how the movie matches up to the images they had in their minds while reading the book. Im also interested in how the actual Games in particular are going to be portrayed, Moylan says. Adding on to that, Im interested in how gory its going to be, as well. Jordan Klein, a junior from Colleyville, Texas says. Since its release in 2008, the book has sold 11 million copies in the United States. Its been so popular with readers, its easy to see why fans are so excited for the movies release. The movie, which comes out March 23, stars Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta and Liam Hemsworth as Gale. Peeta is the other competitor chosen from District 12, and Gale is Katniss best friend back home.

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play
Eat This...

Tofu

//sara sneath

An easy exploration into vegetarian cooking.

I picked this weeks recipe because it has ridiculously easy in the title. Ive never cooked tofu though Ive eaten it a few times and I am a bit anxious about cooking it. The good thing is I know I cant undercook tofu; theres no risk of salmonella. Rachel Cook prepares me for my tofu culinary adventure. Cooks Japanese mother made tofu dishes for Cook as a child. Cook, a graduate student from Greeley, Colo., remembers eating tofu in sandwiches with soy sauce and ginger. While she continues to make tofu sandwiches, she also uses Fat Free Vegan Kitchen, a recipe blog written by Susan Voisin, whos been a vegan for 18 years. Cook suggests I check out the blog to find a recipe I feel comfortable making. I decide on Ridiculously Easy Curry-Scrambled Tofu. Cooks favorite tofu is Central Soyfoods hickory smoked tofu, which I decide to use in my tofu scramble. The tofu comes in a plastic package similar to a block of cheese, with a tad of water. It smells like liquid smoke and has the texture of creamy boiled egg whites or flan. If you plan to cook it in a pan or grill it, you should let it drain off on a paper towel or tea towel, just something to absorb the water, Cook says, but thats just if youre planning to cook with it. Both the recipe and Cook say I dont need to add any oil to the pan to cook the tofu, but I prefer all food with a tablespoon of olive oil. I cut up the peppers and mushrooms and cook in them in a nonstick skillet with olive oil until they are soft, about two minutes. I toss in the garlic and cook for another minute before adding the tofu, which I have chopped into cubes. I sprinkle in the curry and peppers, then cover the mixture with vegetable broth. When the tofu is hot, I dust the dish with the nutritional yeast and salt to taste. Once cooked, the tofu becomes slightly less

photo by sara sneath

spongy. Im a textual eater; I hate mismatching textures in my food. However, the tofu fits in well with the cooked vegetables. The tofu scramble I make tastes like sweet curry and peppers. Generally, tofu doesnt really have a taste. The benefit of that is you can add whatever kind of seasoning you want and it inherits that flavor, Cook says. I place the leftover tofu in a dish with a bit of water to conserve the tofus size and form. Cook says her mom tells her you should change the tofu water every day to keep it tasting fresh, but she usually changes it about every other day. Refrigerated raw tofu can be kept for five to seven days.

Recipe:

* 1/2 green pepper, chopped * 1/2 red pepper, chopped * 8 ounces mushrooms, trimmed and sliced * 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed * 14 ounces extra-firm tofu, drained, dried off, and cubed or crumbled * 1 teaspoon good curry powder (or more, to taste) * 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (or to taste) * 1/4 cup vegetable broth * 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) * 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast * pinch black salt (kala namak)

Drink This...

Kamikaze shots
Edward Ma, a senior from Olathe, takes a kamikaze shot along with five friends at the Jackpot (943 Massachusetts St.). Some of his friends prefer beer, some like straight liquor, some enjoy mixed drinks like Jager Bombs or Jack and Cokes, and some go for fruity drinks, so Ma wanted to share a shot that suits everyone in the group. He stands between many others crowding the bar, leans forward to meet bartenders eyes, puts up five fingers and yells, five kamikazes to the bartender, who nods her head and starts making the lime-green colored shots. Its fruity and it doesnt taste super strong, Ma says. Although a kamikaze shot tastes fruity, it satisfies those who want to get the job done quickly because it has a high alcohol content. Its ironic, but true. The recipe for a kamikaze shot varies slightly, but generally includes Triple Sec, which is an orange flavored liquor, vodka, and lime juice. Triple Sec is generally 30 percent alcohol by volume, and unflavored vodka is usually 40 percent by volume. 03 15 12

//rachel cheon

Chelsea Alderman, a bartender at Screenland Armour in Kansas City, Mo., says the kamikaze shot is a good drink for group shots. Kamikazes are good for everybody because the name sounds badass, and theyre strong because of the vodka, but it is a citrus drink, Alderman says. Kamikaze means divine wind, also referring to suicide pilots of Japan during World War II. If you want to drink something that doesnt have a strong alcohol taste, the citrusy flavor in a kamikaze shot helps to counter that. If you want to drink something that will get you tipsy fast, the two strong spirits in a kamikaze shot will waste no time. If you just cant think of what to order, ask for a kamikaze. Its easy to say (kah-mi-kah-zee), and most bartenders know how to make it.

Kamikaze shots from tonic, 728 Massachusetts st.

photo by rachel cheon

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speak

The Dark Night of the Soul

Standing by those we love, even in the hardest of times.
The night before the orderlies took her, she wept and gnashed her teeth. My sweetheart writhed despondently in the dark, her family and closest friends hovering tentatively outside her room. An inescapable air of powerlessness haunted those who tried in vain to help an unbearable likeness to a scene from a bad exorcism movie. Everyone walked on eggshells around her, speaking to her like a child. She would pop lucid and casual into conversation, asking me what was wrong, only to fumble over an illogical statement and lapse once more into the void. The whole time, I felt nothing save desperation, the lump in my throat and the notion that the night would never end. She was my first real love. When all our friends were competitive and dramatic, we laid back and enjoyed a thing based on friendship, and the novelty that //john garfield came from having tried to resist. She was, after all, my good friends little sister, so things had been slow to build. Wed been together just over six months when she began her unwind. It was, at first, a series of unhealthy but seemingly harmless fixations. She relived conflicts in her head, obsessing over a girl who had jeered at her Asian heritage, and lamenting minute criticisms from her art and philosophy teachers. She began pouring herself into art that became increasingly abrasive, irreverent and accosting. She became enraged by criticism of her photographs of blank surfaces, out-of-focus still-lifes and disturbingly wild-eyed self-portraits. One day, I arrived at her house to see junk mail spread across her kitchen counter. She was livid, almost to tears, thinking that her philosophy teacher had conspired with the racist girl to send her the flyers as a convoluted prank. When she finally embraced the other side, she entered an ethereal world defined by the intricacies of color. Obscure and specific hues took the place of adjectives as she spoke like a shaman of the world she perceived. After a couple weeks, her family and I could no longer deny what was happening that this would not simply go away and every day became like purgatory. We could see and touch the girl we cared for, but when she talked, she was no longer herself. I will always remember the night I begged her to come back to the world of the living, to snap out of it so she wouldnt have to go away. The night was malaise incarnate. I felt dry inside, my constitution bleached as I lay there, placating the creature she had become. I wanted her to recognize once more the mores, folkways and contrivances of our society. Her glossy-eyed refusal to buy back in cut me to the bone and to this day affects the way I see humanity. Death may be a ruthless thief and tyrant, but madness is a sadist. Madness, that does not permit closure, taunts you with the eyes of your loved one, not permitting you to know if their divine spark will align again behind their eyes. The day after they committed my girlfriend, my mother took me aside. She loved the girl but could see the toll things had taken on me. There were tears in her eyes when she slacked her bear hug enough that I could see her face as she told me that my short relationship did not make this my battle. I could tell it brought her great pain, trying to absolve me of my burden. I understood her argument, as she was essentially right, but no part of me would humor the notion of running away. If it had been anyone I cared about, I would have done the same thing. Regardless of what it could have meant that this girl would go so far away, the person who laid there, unkempt, was in no way inhuman. She deserved love and attention exactly as much as anyone who is able to recall their assignments, their bank balance or their plans for the future. Time would see her on her feet again, defiant of the pigeonholes she was prescribed. In a year, she had kicked the poison they were feeding her, and was brighter and more confident than ever. The dark night of her soul became a distant and unclear memory. Another few years would find us happily in the arms of others, important but increasingly distant memories to each other. No matter how much time passes, I will always respect myself for sticking by her when even the most compassionate person I knew told me I didnt have to. I didnt do it to be a martyr or to earn points for the afterlife. I did it for her, and I did it because I would hope that my friends would have done the same for me. Im not sure what type of person I would have needed to be to leave her alone in her moment of need, but I know for a fact that I would not have been myself.

contributed photo

a self-portrait by john garfields ex-girlfriend taken during the time period described in his essay.

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