Jan. 29, 2015

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The Sunflower’s guide to weekend entertainment • thesunflower.com

Thursday, January 29, 2015 Volume 119, Issue 58

Ad astra per aspera Happy 154th birthday, Kansas MUSIC: Can’t go wrong with Ed Sheeran p. 2 | MOVIES: Misgivings mar miserable ‘Mortdecai’ p. 3

JANUARY 29, 2015

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Today, Ed Sheeran is a globallyknown English singer-songwriter and REVIEW BY musician. He is COURTNEY HOLMES best known for creating monster hits such as “The A Team,� “Give Me Love,� and “Lego House� from his 2011 debut platinum album “+�. His music videos of these songs have grossed almost half a billion views.

What people might not know is that Sheeran knows about the Shockers. In 2013, when he came through Wichita with Taylor Swift, he had a conversation with Channel 96.3’s DJ Sassy about WSU’s success in the 2013 NCAA tournament.

More recently in 2014, Sheeran released his second album, “X�, pronounced “Multiply,� which instantly debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at No. 1. Fans will recognize ballads such as “Tenerife Sea,� which was featured in the massively successful movie “The Fault in Our Stars.� From “X�, Sheeran earned a large amount of attention — even some teasing from Ellen DeGeneres about his song ,“Don’t,� which is allegedly about a fling he had with singer Ellie Goulding.

When Sheeran’s album debuted, it stayed at No. 1 until Taylor Swift’s fifth album, “1989� knocked him out of the top spot.

It wasn’t overnight success for The Sunflower is published by student-employees on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. During the summer session, the paper is printed once weekly on Wednesday, with exceptions for holidays and finals.

The Sunflower (published for use by WSU students, faculty and staff) is private property and unlawful removal or use of papers is prosecutable. One copy may be taken for free. Additional copies must be purchased for $1 each. The Sunflower is also partially funded by the Student Government Association.

The opinions expressed in The Sunflower editorials, columns, guest columns, reviews, advertisements, letters, call-in line and editorial cartoons are not necessarily those of the staff, publications board, student body or university. The Sunflower reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. We also reserve the right to edit or reject any advertisement.

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Sheeran. In 2008, when he was 16, without a penny to his name, he moved from Framlingham, Suffolk, England to London to pursue a music career. “Sometimes I would play shows and not know where I was going to sleep that night and ask the audience if I could crash on someone’s couch,� Sheeran said in a 2014 MTV documentary titled “Nine Days and Nights of Sheeran.�

It wasn’t until 2010 that things started to kick-off for Sheeran, who happened to be noticed by Elton John while in London. And when “X� took off in the U.S., that’s when he came to America to live in 2012 with a deal on John’s record label.

John was probably able to pick up on Sheeran’s raw talent because, from the beginning, Sheeran made a pact with himself to stand out.

See SHEERAN on page 7

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MUSIC

Cover Photo by TJ Rigg

Corrections Miranda Miller’s name was incorrectly labeled as Amanda in a story about a blood drive on campus in Wednesday’s Sunflower.

JANUARY 29, 2015

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MOVIES

3

Repellent ‘Mortdecai’ raises questions about Hollywood “This guy has a mustache. Wait, not just a mustache...a quirky REVIEW BY mustache!

ALEX PERRY He’s also English and stumbles and bumbles his way through various misadventures while joking about his mustache!”

“Brilliant! Attach a big star, and we can make a franchise out of it!”

The above does not reflect the opinions of reasonable people, but rather the hypothetical consensus reached by a group of studio execs in a boardroom meeting who are all completely detached from any sort of reality.

That, I can only assume, is how “Mortdecai” came into being.

Anyone who saw a second of its aggressive marketing campaign won’t be shocked to find out “Mortdecai” is hot garbage. At no point did this Johnny Depp vehicle about an idiotic, whimsical art thief remotely resemble a decent movie.

It’s fascinating because of how it represents Hollywood’s franchise-starved hubris. Someone, somewhere assumed there was a large audience of people who find English accents and general buffoonery extremely funny.

They were wrong, as “Mortdecai” had an embarrassing opening weekend at the box office.

To put it simply, it’s just not

Courtesy photo

funny. At all. Depp’s desperate, flailing attempts at silliness aren’t just unfunny; they’re downright annoying.

However, the film incorrectly assumes you’re enjoying his performance so much that he even narrates each scene he isn’t in, even when what’s happening on-screen is entirely obvious. The rest of the cast, which includes Ewan McGregor and Gwyneth Paltrow, fails to bring any life to

SEE IT SKIP IT

the proceedings, as well.

“Mortdecai” preys on the assumption that English accents signal sophistication in a profoundly irritating way. It’s as lowbrow as any slapstick Hollywood comedy, but it tries to mask this by making Depp occasionally namedrop artists the audience may have never heard of.

Did I mention the mustache jokes? Somewhere around 15 to 20 percent of the script is dedi-

‘A Most Violent Year’ SEE IT

This has been around for a few months now, but it’s making its Wichita opening this week. Set in the gritty, crime-ridden streets of New York City circa 1981, critics have thrown heaps of praise at it.

cated to terrible cracks about Depp’s curly mustache. It’s basically what would happen if someone transmuted the essence of one of those magnetic car mustaches into a roll of film.

At a certain point, we have only ourselves to blame for the existence of “Mortdecai.” We feed the Hollywood sequel machine with our movie tickets, giving studios excuses to produce excrement like this in hopes of

‘Project Almanac’

finding something profitable enough to turn into a franchise.

Luckily, precious few beside myself actually bothered seeing “Mortdecai,” so we probably won’t have to worry about more of this down the road. In the meantime, I’ll be busy wishing I could forget about it.

SEE IT

There aren’t many reviews for this time-travel-themed found footage movie, but it looks competent enough for people who like that genre.

4 The in’s and out’s of meal prepping for students CAMPUS LIFE

JANUARY 29, 2015

As a student, figuring out your next meal is a bit of a challenge.

COLUMN BY We have a lot SHELBY REYNOLDS on our minds: the chapter that needs to be read by next class, the test that’s next week, how on earth am I going to pay for next semester, what am I going to do with my life after this?

It’s a whirlwind.

For that reason, food sometimes goes on the backburner.

It’s so easy for us to grab chips from a vending machine between classes or stop by the Rhatigan Student Center for a quick pizza or chicken sandwich.

Instead of taking that route — which, I admit, I’ll have to stop for fast-food on my busiest days — I have taken up meal prepping.

Much like the name suggests, “meal prep” is the term health nuts use for preparing their meals ahead of time, usually at the start of the week, like on a Sunday. So in other words, “leftovers,” but a bit more organized and disciplined.

The premise is simple: prepare, in bulk, a few different meal

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options. Some people go all out and package each meal and snack for the entire week. For example, set out five bananas, five containers for lunch, five more baggies of snack food and five more containers for dinner.

I don’t know about you all, but “ain’t nobody got time for that.”

Instead, I cook a big pot of brown rice, sauté a bunch of asparagus and bake a few large sweet potatoes. I’ll steam some veggies, pull apart a rotisserie chicken and put together a few snack items — such as fruit, yogurt or carrots — and I’m pretty much set for the week.

In the evening or before heading out in the morning, I’ll throw it all into a lunchbox, and I’m out the door. For one day’s lunch (and sometimes dinner), it takes me three to five minutes to mix and match.

Want to try your own meal prep? Here are a few tips.

Pack it: Purchase a pack of reusable containers. Brands like Rubbermaid and Ziploc have great options for a low price. Get varying sizes — large ones for meals, medium for snacks and smaller ones for dressings and dips.

Shop it: If you’re going to cook in bulk, shop in bulk. Be careful,

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though, that you don’t cook too much, or it all will go bad by the end of the week. It may seem ridiculous to buy a bunch of food for one person, but you’ll thank yourself for it later.

Cook it: Schedule your meal prep as a part of your day. I use this philosophy for exercise, too.

If I don’t make it a part of my daily routine, it won’t happen.

Treat meal prep, exercise, yoga and other healthy habits just as you treat any other vital part of

Words for Wellness

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all events: First Monday of the month 12-12:30 p.m. rSC, rM 142 • light refreshments provided, open to campus OCT. 6 ................................... Thriving Through Diversity | Mark Green, Ph.D. NOv. 3 ............................................... Procrastination | Derek Rohleder, Psy.D. DeC. 1 ............................. Coping with the Holiday Blues | Erin Gallivan, M.S. FeB. 2 ....................................... Managing Loss | Christopher Leonard, Psy.D. Mar. 2 ............................ Handling Conflict | Maureen Dasey-Morales, Ph.D. aPr. 6 ....................... Mindfulness & How it can Help You | Jason Beyer, M.S. MaY 4 ................... Stress & anxiety: What’s Normal? | Melissa Schultz, Ph.D.

you day, like showers, naps or even studying.

Stick with it: Once you’ve prepped your meals for the week, it’s much easier to not be tempted by other, less-healthy options. When I walk through the RSC, I’m less drawn to the smell of chicken alfredo when

I’ve got a lunchbox full of good foods. That’s not to say it doesn’t take a little bit of work to stick with the meal plan. But once you make a habit, you’ll be good to go.

Find a video of one of my usual meal preps online at runningwithreynolds.wordpress.com.

JANUARY 29, 2015

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CAMPUS LIFE

5

Office of Diversity and Inclusion opens doors with spring kick-off

By Kevin Brown STAFF REPORTER @krbrownjr

The signs of food, music and fun filled the second floor of the Rhatigan Student Center Wednesday as the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) hosted a semester-starting open house.

“Just our normal push for most of it,” said ODI program coordinator Natalie Toney.

Offering students an opportunity to check out the services offered at the ODI while having some refreshments, students found themselves munching on cake and spinach dip while having access to pamphlets, flyers and brochures on campus and community resources.

The open house was part of a series of events the ODI has planned for the semester, including events in-line with Black History Month and an event hosting a famous individual from the transgender community.

“Laverne Cox is the huge [event] that we are pushing, our

Culture and Movement Talent showcase is in February and we are doing what is called Great Blacks in Wax, a partnership with the Black Student Union,” Toney said. “We are going to act like we’re actual figures in history —black history figures.”

ODI will be hosting Laverne Cox, famous for her role in the Netflix hit series “Orange is the New Black,” in April. The ODI will also host a Brown Bag Diversity Discussion titled “Black Mount Rushmore” on Feb. 4, with efforts to recreate what a Mount Rushmore comprised of black leaders would be like, as part of their efforts to raise awareness on black leaders and community members.

“We really wanted to focus on getting people in history that most people don’t know about,” Toney said. “People know about the Martin Luther Kings, the Harriet Tubmans, but what about those we don’t know about?”

Toney said the ODI is looking for talent help with their upcoming Culture and Movement Talent showcase. For more information about the event, contact the ODI at 978-3034.

Photos by Kevin Brown

(TOP) Wichita State senior Don Ho dips spinach dip at the Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s open house Wednesday. (BOTTOM) Students work on projects at a computer lab at the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Wednesday. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosted an open house to kick-off the new semester Wednesday.

6 CAMPUS LIFE

JANUARY 29, 2015

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Soul-warming sweet potato curry

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PRESENTS

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Strong groups drive SGA action

DIVERSITY

By Liz Simmons STAFF REPORTER

debt by

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Wichita State students shop for textbooks in the Rhatigan Student Center bookstore.

Curry) • 2 cups coconut milk • Salt • Olive oil Directions: 1. In a large pot, sauté the onions and garlic with olive oil or butter.

2. Add the sweet potatoes, salt and vegetable broth. Add enough liquid to fully submerge the potatoes. If necessary, add a cup of water.

3. Bring the potatoes to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Add the coconut milk and curry sauce mix, and stir thoroughly. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

remember the first day in elementary school.

The teacher called out our names, we would walk up to the front of the class, and she would hand us our glossy, new textbooks.

CHANDLER WILLIAMS Sometimes the books had that new-book smell, and I loved writing my name on the top line of the inside cover and flipping through all of the untouched pages I would soon come to discover.

The exhilaration subsides when the book doesn’t include colored pictures, the only smells are of late night coffee stains from the last owner and it comes with a hefty price tag.

For some, textbooks cost more than their tuition and come in three-ring binders with paper inserts. I think it is difficult for college students to wrap their heads around spending so much money on a book when they are paying for rent, food, utility bills and tuition at the same time.

Thankfully, there are many creative options to save money on textbooks that are credited to 21st century resources.

According to Brian McKenna, a writer for collegefinder.com, the five cheapest websites for buying college textbooks are Chegg, Flatworld Knowledge, Campus book rentals, Affordabook and Google books.

McKenna says Affordabook searches sites like eBay Inc., Amazon.com, and half.com to find

the lowest prices and save you time. Chegg plants a tree for every book it sells. McKenna reported that it has planted more than 3 million trees.

E-books are also transforming the industry. Kelli B. Grant, a writer for Smartmoney.com, said students can download textbooks onto their phone by using sites such as CourseSmart.com.

Some popular local resources are Books-To-Go (4960 E. 21st St. North), Ablah Library and the Wichita State Facebook group called “Wichita State Textbook Swap.”

Last year, I resorted to buying all of my books at the campus bookstore for the convenience. This year, I found that Books-To-Go has most textbooks required for Wichita State students and sells them 5 to 10 percent cheaper.

I also learned the reserved section of Ablah Library has some textbooks you can scan, free of charge.

Other resources WSU students reported using were Amazon Prime, (free two-day shipping if you buy a $79 annual membership fee), Craigslist.org, bigwords.com and abe.com.

August: Osage County

By Tracy Letts MISERY LOVES FAMILY.

“August” is a saga of an Oklahoma clan and probably the most exciting new American play Broadway has seen in years. Fiercely funny and bitingly sad, this tragicomedy explores fresh sources of insight, humor and anguish in the dysfunctional dynamics of an American family.

Wichita State’s Student Government Association has been hard at work, even though school just started. Last week marked the first SGA meeting of the school year and the second meeting of the 55th session of SGA. Three new committee chairs were appointed during last Wednesday’s meeting: sophomore Steven Haneveld was appointed chair of Campus Issues Committee, junior Brianna Kitchings was appointed chair of Organization Outreach Committee, and senior Grant Rains was appointed chair of the newly formed Programming Committee. All chairpersons had many ideas for projects to take on over the school year. The Campus Issues Committee plans to improve recycling efforts on campus. Haneveld said the main targets for that project are Ablah Library, Hubbard Hall and the wRECk Center. He said these areas are more popular with students now than during past semesters and the accessibility of recycling bins should accommodate the increase.

Haneveld also spoke about a “zombie attack” exercise that he is developing with Legislative Director Darren Beckham. The plan is to outline various emergency response situations in a way that interests and engages students.

The Organization Outreach Committee, formed last year, is defining its role on campus.

Kitchings hopes the OOC can learn more about the student organizations by visiting them and finding ways to assist them. The OOC has made it a goal to better inform student organizations about the funding process through SGA. Formed this year, the Programming Committee has already identified many projects. The first event will be a “Rock the Vote” event in September. Rains is working with his committee to host a Shocker Appreciation Concert in October. There are also plans to hold the second annual Students vs. Faculty football game.

Dire cted

of university dining services, said a hot dog stand, Wu’s Weenie Wagon, has been placed near Ablah Library, Jardine Hall and Lindquist Hall to give students the chance to eat on the run.

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The curry soup is paired perfectly with rice and a cranberry chutney. I like to add a bit of sriracha to everything, and it spiced up the curry soup nicely.

If you are not a fan of sweet potatoes, do not fret. Any potatoes will work for the soup.

Fingerling potatoes are a great option.

I happened to have a bunch of kale when I made the curry, but any leafy green would be a healthy addition. Try arugula or spinach, if you have it, or forget the greens if you prefer.

However you choose to accentuate the curry soup, serve in big bowls and enjoy.

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5. Add chopped kale, if desired.

Poster Design: Ben Blankley

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This curry soup is perfect for warming up those dreary winter days. Serve with rice and cranberry chutney.

Winter weekends and warm bowls of soup pair well.

There’s nothing quite like the RECIPE BY rich aroma of JILLIAN CLOUGH curry cooking in the kitchen while drinking tea by the roaring fire.

OK, not every winter weekend can be quite as picturesque. Not everyone has the time to drink tea or sit by the fireplace without a care in the world. Making delicious curry, however, can be simple. This vegetarian curry takes less than an hour to prepare and can serve four people easily (or one person for a couple days).

Ingredients: • 1 medium onion, diced • Garlic cloves, minced • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed • 4 cups vegetable broth • Water • Curry sauce mix (I use Golden

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CALENDAR

JANUARY 29, 2015

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

TODAY

Training: Campus Event Planning

2 to 4 p.m., RSC Beggs Ballroom Learn the A to Z of campus event planning during this training session. RSVP required.

For more information, call 978-3021. Free and open to WSU community.

Springfest/ Welcomefest

6 to 8:30 p.m., Heskett Center Gym Learn about campus organizations and groups and have fun with inflatables, live music and refreshments. For more information, call 978-3022. Free.

Spectrum: LGBTQ & Allies: Hot Cocoa Social 7 to 8:30 p.m., 265 RSC Help Spectrum kick off the semester. Spectrum is a student organization for lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer individuals and their allies. For more information, call 978-3456. Free.

FRI

NEXT WEEK

8 p.m., CAC Theater Enjoy the talents of The Great Omar, a witty and entertaining comedic magician. Students free with ID. Tickets are $1 for children and $5 for the general public. For more information, call 978-3022.

LAS Scholarship Deadline

Observatory: Gazing at Jupiter and the Moon

2 to 5 p.m., Wilner Auditorium This festival brings young dancers from across the region to WSU to perform. Tickets are $5.

For more information, call the Fine Arts Box Office at 978-3233.

Magician: The Great Omar

7:30 to 9 p.m., Lake Afton Observatory Explore Jupiter, its moons and the Earth’s moon using the observatory’s telescope. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for children 6-12, and children under 6 are free. Two parents and their immediate minor children or grandchildren can get in for $18. The program will also run Saturday evening at the same time. For more information, call 978-7827.

SHEERAN

from page 2

He purposefully performed shows where he would be the only male singer of the night.

When he performs, he performs without a band — but he still sounds like he has a band.

He uses a technique called “looping,� where he creates layers upon layers of live sound.

Music experts claim the use of the loop machine is difficult and technical because the song can potentially become unrecognizable if Sheeran messes up. Sheeran writes all of his

Sunday

This workshop will help those looking to start a business to begin writing their business plan.

For more information, call 978-3193. Free.

call 978-5027. Free.

Wednesday RSC Unplugged

Feb. 1 is the final deadline for 2015-2016 scholarships for Liberal Arts & Sciences students.

Communication Internship and Job Fair

11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fast Break Lounge, RSC Stop by and listen to the RSC’s live music series. For more information, call 978-3487. Free.

Children’s Dance Festival

1 to 4 p.m., RSC Beggs Ballroom Communication and other students are invited to attend the second annual internship and full-time job fair put on by the Elliott School of Communication. Approximately 35 employers will have tables. For more information, call Eric Wilson at 978-6059. Free.

Brown Bag Discussion

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., 142 RSC This month’s discussion will focus on what faces participants think would be carved in if the people featured were AfricanAmericans. Students are encouraged to bring their lunches and an appetite for discussion. For more information, call 978-3034. Free.

Tuesday FAFSA Workshop

1:30 to 3:30 p.m., Lindquist 429B Students and parents can attend this workshop to help complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with WSU Office of Financial Aid professionals.

For more information,

Wednesdays in Wiedemann

Workshop: Basics of Marketing, Management and Money

5:15 to 6 p.m., Wiedemann Hall Professor Davis will perform a free recital on the pipe organ. For more information, call 978-3233.

1 to 3 p.m., Metroplex, Entrance B

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own music and has written music for other talent as well, such as One Direction. His music is raw, emotional and tells unique stories.

Sheeran is incredible to see live. He has a natural, goofy charisma that he shares with the audience. There was such a demand to see him perform that Madison Square Garden offered him three nights headlining there, which sold out in about 15 minutes.

If you haven’t been relaxing to Ed, it’s worth it to start. Both albums are available on iTunes. His music is also available for streaming on YouTube and Spotify.

You can’t go wrong with Sheeran. I swear.

7

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Photo by Manny De Los Santos

The Office of Student Success set up an information table in Hubbard Hall Wednesday. “We’re trying to get the word out on our office and diferent services we provide for students,” said Sarah Sell, a representative with the Office of Student Success.

Office of Student Success here to help

By Rahim Thompson STAFF REPORTER @RahimLegend

Shelby Metcalf and Sarah Sell wanted to reach more students on the Wichita State campus.

Wednesday, they did just that – by giving out free candy and school supplies to students.

“We’re trying to get the word out on our office and different services we provide for students.

We have some giveaways; just things to help get them ready to

go for the semester and on the right track,” Sell said.

Metcalf and Sells, representatives of WSU’s Office of Student Success, posted a stand in Hubbard Hall Wednesday morning. Metcalf, the administrative service manager, along with Sell, a student success specialist, walked the hallways handing out pens, air fresheners, flashlights and magnetic informational bookmarks. There was also a bowl of candy sitting on their table filled with Snickers, Twix, Starbursts and

Reese’s.

The purpose of the giveaways was to draw students in so Metcalf and Sell could speak with them about student support services available on campus.

“What we’ve noticed is that students often have hard times locating the resources that are available on campus,” Sell said while passing out WSU key chains. “There are an abundance of helpful resources, so we want to let them know that we’re kind of a one-stop place for academ-

ics and work.”

Sell said she believes the Office of Student Success can help direct students on campus to the best available help in order to ensure rising graduation rates.

The office is located in room 115 of Neff Hall. There is an open door policy to all WSU students between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Students also have the option of signing up for an appointment online through the WSU website.

Services include tutoring and supplemental instruction, which

is designed to help students in historically difficult classes such as chemistry or biology.

Additionally, the Office of Student Money Management is in the same office. The group is offering free tax filing along with financial success plans and individual help with study skills and setting goals.

As the event was coming to its conclusion, Metcalf gave away her last bookmark and left with one final message: “We’re here to do anything we can do as a resource,” she said.