rawr weekly 1.13.12 by rawr

Janurary 13, 2012

rawr “where’s your will to be weird?”

Sci-fi pg 3 Hip-Hop pg 6 Parodies pg 8

cover art by philip vukelich

the argonaut

now hiring rawr is now hiring new writers and illustratiors. Stop by the 3rd floor of the Student Union Building to pick up an application.

your art in rawr illustration photography mixed media paintings sculptures rawr is an alternative weekly publication covering art, culture, campus life and entertainment. We are accepting art submissions each week for the cover. All forms of art will be accepted.

your writing in rawr short fiction poetry non-fiction we are accepting all forms of creativity for an artists corner. Email: arg-arts@uidaho.edu

1.13.12

horoscopes kristen koester-smith | rawr

Capricorn 12/22 – 1/19 You’re a little bummed that your year has come and gone. Instead of moping around try doing something classy with your new “maturity” — wine tasting, traveling, heck, maybe apply for a job or two. Aquarius 1/20 - 2/18 Unfortunately, your professors aren’t going to accept planning your spring break 2012 trip as a valid excuse for why your homework is late. Make sure you write your paper before mulling over which showgirls you want to see in Vegas. Pisces 2/19 – 3/20 Your parents were driving you crazy during break — all you wanted to do was come back to Moscow and chill with your roommates. Make sure you remember that the next time the roommate forgets to do the dishes.

Aries 3/21 - 4/19 You like to “keep it classy,” but the large volumes of Grey Goose you’ve been drinking are really hitting your bank account hard. You’re going to either have to downgrade to Smirnoff or sobriety. Taurus 4/20 - 5/20 Don’t be so hard on yourself about gaining the “Freshman 15.” It’s more of a rite of passage than anything.

Libra 9/23-10/22 If you’re getting the strange feeling that everyone in class is snickering at you, you’re not mistaken. They can hear “Kung Fu Fighting” loud and clear through your headphones. Scorpio 10/23 - 11/21 You’ve been struggling to find motivation for school lately, but the new semester will bring a class that makes you remember why you came to college in the first place. Psych 330 … Human Sexuality.

Cancer 6/21 - 7/22 Ok, using one square of toilet paper is not so much living “green” as it is living unsanitary. Splurge at the grocery store next time and buy a 12 pack.

Sagittarius 11/22 – 12/21 Your schedule all break was wake up at noon, go to sleep when you pass out. Remember that you have an 8 a.m. class you need to get up for now. Set two alarms.

mix-tape matt maw | rawr

“Build Me Up Buttercup” The Foundations Unrequited love, frustrated relationships and letdowns happen to the best of us. Sing out in perseverance and win them over with your Motown charm.

Virgo 8/23 - 9/22 The New Year has brought a new love into your life. Maybe learn from your mistakes and avoid taking this one to “a nice dinner” at KFC.

Gemini 5/21 - 6/20 Telling your “secrets” to strangers at bars defeats the point of having secrets. Liquid courage does not have to equal liquid loudmouth.

Kickin’ karaoke

Many legitimate psychologists with their own Wikipedia pages say there’s no better way to usher in a new year than karaoke. If you’re looking to let loose your inner American Idol, you can’t go wrong with these crowd pleasers.

Leo 7/23 - 8/22 It’s hard listening to your best friend complain about their significant other all the time, but your good listening and friendship will be rewarded in time. And they appreciate it more than you know.

“Hit Me With Your Best Shot” Pat Benatar If you’re feeling spunky, let them know you’re no pushover. Stick out your chin and dare them to do their worst. “Footloose” Kenny Loggins They say all work and no play makes people file lawsuits. Kick off the shoes that weigh you down, and dance and sing away the stress. “Respect” Aretha Franklin It’s good to get things off your

chest. If someone isn’t treating you right, give them a clue in true soul style. “You Give Love A Bad Name” Bon Jovi Some of the things we love are the worst things for us. Rock out with your heart out and tell them how you feel. “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” Katy Perry Let what happened in Vegas stay there. Your Friday night was wilder than any light strip spectacle. Belt it out so everyone knows what they missed. “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” Journey Even the best relationships can end. If your affections are as eternal as the spirit of rock, let Journey help you blast them to

the heavens. “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” Bryan Adams True devotion doesn’t wane with circumstance. Fight for your love with the sharpened steel of this rock ballad. “Bye Bye Bye” N’ Sync It’s ok to cut the strings. You don’t need dance choreography to tell them you’ve had enough. Stop the games and go party hoppin’. “Stayin’ Alive” Bee Gees Life doesn’t always make sense. Sometimes it’s all you can do to just get by. Be proud of yourself and groove to this tenacious tune.

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New Year’s no-nos rhiannon rinas rawr

The start of 2012 is the time to make changes and set some goals to improve your lifestyle. While some resolutions are worth making — saving $25 from each paycheck for spring break, losing the freshman 15 from three years ago or finally standing up to your disastrous roommate — there are some that you shouldn’t even bother with.

Weight Loss Losing weight is one of the most popular goals every year. If you’re setting this type of goal, do so realistically. Promises to change eating habits and hit the gym are sometimes easier said than done. Grab a workout buddy, make a schedule and don’t cut out all your favorite foods, just cut back. Removing all junk food only leads to binging later. If you’re focused on losing just five pounds, remember, celebs like Adele and Scarlett Johansson have made curvy the new thin.

Win your ex back Rocking a relationship is high on the to-do list for the New Year. Just make sure it’s a new relationship. Winning back an ex should never be at the top of the list or even on the list. Remember there are reasons he or she is an ex. Write a list of things that bothered you in the relationship, and then remove everything ex-related from your space. Move on. It’s OK to engage in a rebound relationship or two.

Watch less TV Though it’s not one of the usual, over-attempted resolutions, if it’s on your list, trash it. Every day has something stressful in it — homework, exams, work, finances, classes, impending graduation. Zoning out with a few hours of bad TV is harmless in the grand scheme of things. illustration by erin dawson | rawr

1.13.12

Love146 works to end sex trafficking

www.EastSideMovies.com www.PullmanMovies.com

MARK WAHLBERG Photo Courtesy of love146.org

QUEEN LATIFAH DOLLY PARTON

Pullman 509-334-1002 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST G

CONTRABAND

JOYFUL NOISE

PG-13

THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN PG

WAR HORSE

PG-13

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO R

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE GHOST PROTOCOL PG-13

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS PG-13

Moscow 208-882-6873 MY WEEK WITH MARILYN R

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO R

PG-13

WAR HORSE

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE GHOST PROTOCOL PG-13

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS PG-13

Showtimes in ( ) are at bargain price. Special Attraction — No Passes Showtimes Effective 1/13/12-1/19/12

lindsey treffrey rawr Love146 sounds like a relationship class — how to thrive in a marriage — or a club on hugs and kisses. But Love146 is a University of Idaho club that combats the spread of child sex trafficking. Led by president Lauren Layton, the club attempts to raise awareness of the annual $32 billion that sex trafficking generates. According to the Love146 international organization, this makes trafficking in persons the second most lucrative crime in the world — behind drugs. “Love146 is an internationally based organization that promotes human rights, more specifically,” said Love146 officer Andy Read, an international studies and political science major. “They’re advocating against child sex slavery.” According to Love146.org, two children are sold every minute for sex. While Read said the international organization’s on-ground work has most recently been in southeast Asia, Layton said Seattle is the biggest importer for sex trafficking in the U.S. due to the sea port location. 100,000 people are imported into the U.S. for sex trafficking purposes, according to Love146.org. “People pay attention to other humanitarian causes, because people in the U.S. assume it’s not happening in the U.S.,” Layton said. “It’s not only pertinent to our nation, but our region.” As a Love146 Task Force, the UI club educates themselves on human trafficking statistics while raising awareness and annual funds for the international organization.

In October, Love146, in partnership with the International Textiles & Apparel Association club, held a “flash” fashion show, where models wore human trafficking statistics on their clothing. Secretary Isla Brazil said every third model was styled in red, while the rest were styled in black. She said the red represented the one-third of girls who are sold for sex trafficking within the first 48 hours they are homeless. Love146 has also set up tables around campus, handing out fliers and hot chocolate for free. They accepted donations at the tables through their “Loose change, loosen chains” campaign and sold handmade rings for $10. These rings can also be found at Maven boutique in downtown Moscow. Brazil said revenue from the rings has only reached about $50 and other fundraising opportunities have not been so successful. “We want to gain the revenue,” Brazil said. “Things haven’t gone our way so far, but we’ve gained a ton of awareness on campus.” Love146 also holds bi-weekly movie showings on Sundays and members have had Skype sessions with international Love146 presidents. Read said the most successful film showing was “Call and Response,” a documentary on human trafficking. “Human trafficking is such a hot topic,” Layton said. “It’s something that is so hard for people to wrap their heads around.” Love146 meetings are held every other Tuesday. “Since I’ve joined, it’s great to be around people who just have good energy to them,” Brazil said. “Even if you can’t come every week or every meeting, it’s great to be a part of and sex traffick-

ing is brought to your attention.” Brazil said members include a mix of athletes, international studies students, marine biologists and various other majors. Prospective members can visit the club Facebook page or UI’s club page for contact information. “The fact that I’m born with a chance and am able to come to this school and educate others on this, is a blessing,” Brazil said. “I feel for these girls and these boys who have gone through this and … are still out there and haven’t been helped.”

Why the name Love146? Love 146.org said the international president and co-founder of Love146, Rob Morris, traveled to Southeast Asia in 2002 to see how he could fight child sex trafficking. Morris went undercover with a few of the co-founders and investigators to a brothel where they witnessed children being sold for sex. Morris stood with predators in a small room, looking at girls through glass panes who all wore red dresses with an identification number. He knew all these children were raped every night, “seven, 10, 15 times.” He said they all looked vacant, with no life left in their eyes, except for one girl, with the number 146. “She was looking beyond the glass,” Morris said. “She was staring out at us with a piercing gaze. There was still fight left in her eyes. There was still life left in this girl.” Because he was part of an undercover investigation of teh brothel, the members were unable to immediately help. When the brothel was raided, some time later, children were rescued, but the girl numbered 146 was no longer there. “We do not know what happened to her,” Morris said. “She changed the course of our lives.”

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Cyberpunk:

mixing science fiction with fact

joseph engle rawr In 1968, Philip K. Dick wrote a book that would change science fiction forever. His book, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” became the basis for the 1982 movie “Blade Runner.” While “Blade Runner” performed poorly in theaters, it has set the tone for nearly three decades of literature, film and games. That tone is called cyberpunk. Cyberpunk is present in movies like “The Matrix,” “Inception” and “Tron.” It prominently features a dystopian vision of earth in the near future when technology is used in ways never anticipated by its creators. It features advanced science, mega corporations and social control. Stylistically, it borrows heavily from film noir detective stories, and even Westerns. Gregory Turner-Rahman, associate professor of art and design at the University of Idaho, lectures about cyberpunk in his new media theory class. “Any good science fiction has a piece of the future that is prognosticating, some-

thing that could be, then there is also a foot that is grounded in reality — what is happening now,” Turner-Rahman said. Cyberpunk is technologically closer to reality than conventional science fiction, he said. Instead of a utopian society of science and extraterrestrial colonization, we are faced with the social, economic and moral dilemmas that increased technology offers.

“‘Blade Runner’ sort of destroyed science fiction for many years because it was such a compelling image,” TurnerRahman said. “It seemed to hit all the right buttons — here is the future with flying cars, but it’s not quite what we planned it to be.” “Blade Runner” continues to set the tone of science fiction. If anything, there has been a trend away from conventional science fiction and toward cyberpunk in theaters. Take for example the first “Star Wars.” As a pre-cyberpunk film, the movie was a run-away success in 1977. It grossed $460 million in the U.S. and took home six Oscars. The Internet Movie Database gives it an 8.8 out of 10. Despite the success of the original trilogy, the prequel trilogy struggled to recapture the success of the original. “Star Wars Episode I,” released in 1999, grossed just $431 million nationally and won no Oscars (though it was nominated for three). On IMDb it is a 6.4. Though it had 10 times the budget of the original film, it is widely regarded as actually detracting from the series as a whole. That same year, “The Matrix,” a cyberpunk science fiction movie hit theaters. It grossed less money at the box office, $171 million in the U.S. However, it won four Oscars and

illustration by jacob smith | rawr

is rated higher on IMDb, an 8.7. Critically, “The Matrix” was a better received movie. “Inception” is another movie with cyberpunk elements that outperformed a traditional science fiction contemporary. In 2010, “Inception” grossed $292 million nationally, won four Oscars, and has an IMDb rating of 8.9. While in 2009, “Star Trek” grossed $257 million, took home a single Oscar and has an IMDb score of 8.1. Cyberpunk, with its more plausible view of the future resonates better with audiences in recent years than the old archetype of galactic exploration and conquest. Video games like Deus Ex, Portal and System Shock are cyberpunk-inspired. “Wired” magazine, with its introspective view of technology and society is a successful cyberpunk publication. Even in the 21st century, when science fiction writers of the last century had predicted that science would have taken us to new worlds and solved all the problems of our own, reality has not been nearly so perfect. “Science fiction has always had one foot in reality,” Turner-Rahman said. “Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein,’ that’s a statement about the rationality of science ... If we are supposed to be rational and that’s where it is supposed to take us — utopia. And we get to World War I, then maybe science isn’t all that it is meant to be.”

Expression with movement molly spencer rawr Growing up as a prima ballerina made learning the art of hip-hop a completely new experience for Christine Maxwell, an intermediate hip-hop instructor at the University of Idaho. Maxwell, who graduated UI last spring, said she has been dancing for 15 years. Her favorite style of dance is contemporary jazz, but she has learned to enjoy hip-hop. Maxwell said hip-hop is an art form used by people to express their individuality. “A lot of hip-hop originated in street dancing and so it was like an expression of people’s lives and kind of what was going on around them,” she said. “That’s definitely different because if you look at ballet, that’s definitely not coming from everyday movements.” She said people often think of hip-hop as a style in itself, but in reality — there are so many different styles. “I’ve just come to realize through teaching it and researching forms that it can be really individualized so people can really express themselves through the movement,” she said. Maxwell said she likes hip-hop because of the upbeat music, and the variety of styles such as popping, locking and crumping. She said each type of hip-hop comes from a different area in the U.S. Crumping, for example, originated in Los Angeles. Maxwell said some people argue that lyrical hip-hop isn’t its own form because the slower, more emotional movements that surfaced on TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance” aren’t distinct enough. Dubstep, a style of electronic dance music increasing in popularity, allows for a blend in dance moves due to comparable tempos and beat styles. Jerking is another new form of dance that Maxwell teaches in her intermediate class. She described it as a simple, three-step move newly introduced to the hip-hop dance world. Jenna Gray, UI senior, has taught hiphop classes for four years. She teaches hip-hop and tap for ages 7 to 25. “I’ve been dancing since the age of 4 so about 16 years now. And I’ve enjoyed it a lot, considering I’m making a career out of it,” Gray said. “Hip-hop is definitely my favorite out of all of the styles of dancing.

It’s a fun major.” Gray said hip-hop is original because it’s stylistic as well as structured. The styles of hip-hop most people see on TV are popping and locking, break dancing, crumping, clowning and just regular hiphop style dancing. “From what I know, hip-hop originated in the Bronx of New York in a part of Queens,” Gray said. Instead of people settling differences over a violent dispute, Gray said, they would dance against each other and relieve anger that way. From the Bronx, hiphop slowly spread throughout the United States, Gray said. Thomas Hsu, UI December graduate, did his senior capstone project on hip-hop, authenticity and how they can be used to help marginalized students appropriate illiterate discourse. “I would say I listen primarily to rap. For me, hip-hop is a culture and rap is music,” Hsu said. “I definitely live the hiphop culture. I grew up in a single-parent household with a working class family and so I really identify with a lot of things hip-hop has to say — maybe not the gangster aspect of it, but definitely the survival aspect of it — the ‘do something about your situation’ aspect. I really identify with that a lot.” Hsu said hip-hop has a history in blues and jazz, and can even be traced back to places like the Caribbean and Jamaica. Hsu said he believes American hip-hop started with the American Civil Rights movement. He said hip-hop is a music form that is rooted in helping the repressed have a voice, which is where Hsu said hip-hop draws its power from. “Within hip-hop there’s a lot of discrepancy about the difference between hiphop and rap. I think the general consensus is that hip-hop is the culture and then rap is the music,” he said. “Hip-hop also embodies rap and then dancing, graffiti and b-boying — those were the four primary aspects of hip-hop back in the day.” Hsu said hip-hop is an amazing art form because no matter what background a person has, no matter what their history is, it’s all about self-expression and the experiences people go through. “It really connects people through individuality,” he said.

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JAN

13 pg 7

philip vukelich | rawr

Dance major Katie Barnes performs to Nelly's song "Just a Dream."

the argonaut

1.13.12

Anatomy of a successful resolution kristi atkinson rawr It’s no secret that most New Year’s resolutions fail. According to a survey by Stephen Shapiro, author of “Goal-Free Living,” of the 45 percent who create New Year’s resolutions only 8 percent of Americans say they always achieve their resolutions. “New Year’s resolutions just don’t work,” Shapiro said. “At some point, people just decide to stop hurting themselves, and they call the whole thing off.” Shapiro said as people get older, they identify things that don’t work for them and stop. Shapiro’s study found that 34 percent of New Year’s resolutions are related to finance, 38 percent to waistlines, 47 percent to self-improvement and 31 percent to relationships or dating. “These are all good areas to focus on in the New Year, but the danger in this type of goal-setting is that we become focused on where we are going rather than enjoying where we are right now,” Shapiro said. “We sacrifice today in the hope that a better future will emerge only to discover that achievement rarely leads to true joy.” But for the 45 percent who still participate in making resolutions, John Norcross, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Scranton, said he was tired of people saying resolutions never succeed and that we shouldn’t even try them. Norcross said a successful resolution starts with realistic and attainable goals. Richard Wiseman, a psy-

chologist at the University of Hertfordshire, recommended thoroughly brainstorming resolutions. “If you do it on the spur of the moment, it probably doesn’t mean that much to you and you won’t give it your all,” Wiseman said. “Failing to achieve your ambitions is often psychologically harmful because it can rob people of a sense of self control.” University of Idaho student Brenan Burns brainstormed three separate resolutions. “I want to practice my trombone and take every opportunity to play it to advance my musicianship throughout the year,” Burns said. “My second resolution is to live my life the way I want to live it and not follow other people, but to be my own person.” His third resolution is to stay healthy by eating well and going to the gym three times a week. “I plan on sticking to (my resolutions) by taking all the opportunities in my schedule to practice my trombone and not make excuses to not practice,” Burns said. “I will go to the gym no matter how late it is.” Norcross also recommended a support system to keep a resolution on track. Burns said he plans to use his friends to keep him focused. “They can come to the gym and work out with me, to motivate me, and they can also come to my practices and listen to me and give me feedback to advance my playing,” Burns said. Wiseman said of those who failed, a majority of them focused on the downside of not

achieving their goals, but people who succeeded tended to have divided their goals into smaller steps, told their friends about their goals, focused on the benefits of success and kept a diary of their progress. “I have made resolutions in the past, but they were not as descriptive and not something I really thought into very much” Burns said. “I just made ones in the past to say I had some, but this year I have the motivation to see them through.” Burns’ resolution last year was to go to the gym five days a week. “It’s not so much getting to the gym so much, but doing everything healthier,” Burns said. “The eating, sleeping and just going through my normal day.” In the past, Burns said he was not successful because he was not committed to

Illustration by Erin Dawson

himself and what he wanted to focus on. “I stretched myself very thin with a lot of things that ended up getting me caught up and forgetting what I really wanted to do in that year,” Burns said.

Burns said he commits himself to being healthy and to have fun with his friends. “But the thing I have overlooked in the past was making sure I do the important stuff before the extra things,” Burns said.

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Laughing at ourselves matt maw rawr From hurricanes to healthcare, to a bum economy and a bummed out 99 percent, bad news abounds. Social issues demand change and religious fervor has folks suspicious. Oprah’s Book Club only has 16 books listed for January. Our world can seem bleak, but this is where good comedy comes into play. University of Idaho junior Yousef Bayomy said he enjoys many forms of comedy, and practices with the White Tie Improv group. He said parodies like Mel Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles” or Saturday Night Live sketches are healthy outlets for life’s pressures. “(You) get this anxiety that the world is just going down the drain,” Bayomy said. “The purpose (of parody) is to kind of lighten up the rest of the world, to kind of give them something to hold on to. It’s almost like a mother telling her daughter everything’s going to be OK when she knows it’s not.” The Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines a parody as “a humorous or satirical imitation.” This form can be traced to the Greeks of comedy, and is alive on the modern stage in productions like Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein,” adapted from the film version. Other movie parodies include David Zucker’s “Airplane!” and the Wayans brothers’ “Scary Movie.” Beau Newsome, Howard Hughes Video manager, said some of the best parodies, like “Young Frankenstein” and “Airplane!”, remain significant because of the quality of humor and writing. The films stand alone and don’t rely on popular current events. “Just because it’s a parody, doesn’t mean it’s funny,” Newsome said. “It’s got to have its own stamp on it, its own joke.” Parody can take on tough

lucia sanchez | rawr

Movie parodies exaggerate flaws of both sides of an issue. Howard Hughes Video store in downtown Moscow has a section of spoof movies. issues like race discrimination. Brooks’ “Blazing Saddles” depicts a black man who becomes the sheriff of a predominantly white “Old West” town. Monty Python’s “The Life of Brian” pokes at the life of Christ and the Gospels through the misadventures of Brian, who was born in another manger and mistaken for the Savior. Newsome said anything is open to parody and he doesn’t get offended easily. Offensive notions can ride a fine line with humor,

and the joke must be wellstructured, he said. People have strong opinions about comedy, he said, and Howard Hughes patrons don’t hesitate to proclaim them. “It all stems from the writing and the acting, and the filmmaking,” Newsome said. “You have to really like to do it in order to make something funny, I think, or really have a keen eye.” Richard Domey earned a doctorate degree in theater from Washington State Univer-

sity, and describes himself as a patron of the arts. He’s acted for more than 50 years, directed multiple productions and started a community theater. Domey said the reason people love parodies is psychological. Because of familiar people like Charlie Sheen, Richard Nixon and Sarah Palin, people know their flaws and mannerisms. This makes them easy prey for parody, he said. “It makes us feel more powerful, (like) we’re better than they are,” he said.

Bayomy said the purpose of parody is to demonstrate exaggerated flaws of both sides of an issue. So long as all elements are treated fairly and with hyperbole, people will laugh. Parodies can also motivate people to learn as they see an issue in a more humorous light, he said, and they can help people see that life isn’t meant to be stifling. “At the end of the day,” he said. “… if you can’t laugh at something it means truly you’re not comfortable enough with it.”

the argonaut

1.13.12

‘Stitch stress away’ lucia sanchez | rawr

Katherine Halvorsen, University of Idaho freshman who learned to knit from her mother, plans to use these 11 gauge knitting needles and rainbow yarn to make her sister a scarf.

nicole lichtenberg rawr University of Idaho sophomore Hannah Meek said she knits partly because it gives even her laziest days a sense of productivity. She learned to knit from her friend Virginia and her mother when she was 15. “I always feel like I am doing something when I am knitting. Even if I am just having a lounge day or want to watch TV, if I am knitting it’s productive,” Meek said. Knitting, which is rumored to have originated in Syria thousands of years ago, has grown from simplistic roots of basic garments and tools to an industry filled with complicated techniques, specialized materials and a myriad of products, from rugs to socks to coffee cozies. Meek, a French and horti-

culture major, said her favorite project was a pair of mittens she made with help from her grandmother. She prefers Lion Brand Woolease yarn, because “it is highquality at a lower price point.” Her favorite haunt for supplies is Jo-Ann’s Fabric and Crafts. Freshman general studies major Samantha Opdah has been crocheting for four years. “My Great-Aunt Mabel taught me and my mom (crochets) a little,” Opdah said. The art of crochet, which differs from knitting in that it uses one hook instead of two or more needles, has been around for about as long as knitting. Opdah said she especially likes crocheting because it is a fun and economical way to make gifts for loved ones, and to occasionally make money. Opdah recently finished and sold

a “Nyan Cat” scarf, of YouTube fame, and plans to make more this semester. Her favorite brand of yarn? “Red Heart (by Bernat), because it is cheap,” though Opdah occasionally splurges on Lion Brand’s “Homespun” yarn. Though she’s all about Youtube-inspired garments now, Opdah’s favorite project was an amigurumi penguin. Catherine Deeds, Opdah’s roommate, is a novice at yarn craft. “I’ve been crocheting since Labor Day,” Deeds said. “I’ve only ever made a snowflake dishcloth for my grandmother.” Deeds, a double major in French and psychology, said she crochets because she “likes the idea of making gifts for my family … I am working on a scarf for Samantha (Opdah) and one for my mom.”

As for her favorite medium, Deeds prefers either “Red Heart” or “Vanna’s Choice.” “I guess it depends on what I’m making,” Deeds said. “(For) the snowflake I used cotton.”

Learn it Besides being fun, knitting and crocheting are scientifically shown to have numerous health benefits. In children, it can help with addition and multiplication skills, as well as improving fine motor skills. Both knitting and crocheting are known to be stress relievers, and proper stress management can contribute to decreased risk of heart disease, strokes, depression and chronic illnesses (prlog.org). Needlework, including knitting and crocheting, cannot only decrease stress hormones in the brain, but also can increase endorphin levels. Addition-

ally, repetitive needlework can strengthen the immune system, decrease blood pressure and prevent illness. Knitting even improves interaction between the left and right hemispheres of the brain. However, if taken too far, needlecrafts can lead to arthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome (bestillandknit.com). In Moscow, classes on knitting and crocheting, as well as yarn and supplies, are available at both Michaels and Yarn Underground. Michaels runs more toward mass-market yarn brands, such as Bernat, Patton’s, and Lion Brand. Yarn Underground features almost exclusively natural fibers, such as silk, cashmere, mohair, alpaca and merino. They stock larger brands as well as local handspun yarn, and even wool that customers can spin on their own.

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Guilty pleasures of the ‘90s molly spencer rawr Everyone knows it’s a ’90s kid’s dream to have the original White Power Ranger teach them karate lessons. “I used to live in Denver and the original white power ranger used to teach karate. I had karate lessons when I was 5 from him,” Andrew Kelley said. Kelley, University of Idaho freshman, said he remembers “Rugrats” was one of the longest running kids shows aired. “It started in like ’91 and didn’t end until about ’04,” he said. Anne Winkle, UI sophomore, said the ’90s were prime time for Mattel. “I had so many Barbies and none of them had hair. I cut all

of their hair off because I didn’t like it,” she said. Ty Beanie Babies weren’t necessarily one of Winkle’s guilty pleasures, but she said she remembers friends of hers who had piles of Beanie Babies that spilled out of a hammock over the bed. If someone wanted to listen to portable music in the ’90s, they would have to commit to sitting in a stationary position while listening, Kelley said. “If you took a step, the portable CD players were like, ‘nope, not gonna play,’” he said. Winkle recalled her mom buying her dad a Ninetendo 64 when they were released and she was also a fan of Game Boy, Game Boy Color and all of the advances. Winkle and Kelley agreed

one of their favorite shows on Nickelodeon was “Kenan and Kel.” Winkle said “Drake and Josh” seemed to be the less funny white version of “Kenan and Kel.” “I remember Nerf guns. You used to have to reload and cock the gun back,” Kelley said. “You go into Walmart now-a-days and they’ve got like a fully automatic 30 clip. We went from Civil War weaponry in Nerf category, to Modern Warfare.” Peter Ritter’s guilty pleasures of the ’90s were a combination of his sister’s ‘N Sync, The Beatles and Britney Spears CDs. Ritter said Spears was definitely the celebrity of the decade even though Bill Clinton ran the country. “Bill Clinton certainly knows

how to bring out the flavor in a cigar, let me just say that,” Ritter said. Although fashion wasn’t a major deal for Ritter in the ’90s, Skip-Its were. “Specific guilty pleasures? Whatever those things were called that attached to your leg and you had to jump and they would spin around?” He said Skip-Its and yo-yos pretty much sum up his elementary school experience.

illustration by jacob smith | rawr

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