Culture

Culture

Green edition: How UNM deals with pot

Lauren Marvin | April 20

As legalized recreational use of marijuana is becoming more prevalent around the United States, there are mixed feelings about UNM experiencing an increase in use. According to UNM Police Department statistics, about 65 percent of all drug-related confiscations on campus from April 17, 2014 to March 2, 2015 were of marijuana or marijuana paraphernalia. Out of the 53 incidents of possession of controlled substances within the last year, 35 occurred within residence halls or American Campus Communities properties. According to UNM policy, “the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of controlled substances or alcohol on UNM property or as part of any of its activities by any member of The University of New Mexico community — faculty, staff or student — is strictly prohibited.”

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Culture

Green edition: Library-cycling makes literature local

Skylar Griego | April 20

Reduce, reuse, and recycle books. As the movement to “go green” spreads, a popular method has cropped up in the form of Little Free Libraries. A Little Free Library is a “take a book, give a book” structure in which neighborhoods and communities can exchange books — new or recycled — and other reading materials without having to organize and meet.

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Culture

Clinic focuses on voice care

Lauren Marvin | April 16

One program will bring a unique hands-on experience to UNM’s graduate students on Friday. The Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences will celebrate World Voice Day 2015 by sponsoring free vocal education as well as hearing and vocal screenings. Jennifer Romero, a speech-language pathologist and clinical instructor, said World Voice Day is important because it provides education about vocal hygiene.

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Culture

Album Review: 'Blue Bright Ow Sleep' flows through psychedelic journey

Skylar Griego | April 16

If only one word could be used to describe the newest Frogbelly and Symphony release “Blue Bright Ow Sleep,” it would be “trippy.” The sound of “Blue Bright Ow Sleep” is an interesting fusion of ‘70s psychedelic rock and modern-day indie rock. Listeners may feel as if they’ve been given hallucinogens after listening to the progressive folk rock album, in a good way. The opening track, “Minderbender,” leaves an excellent impression on listeners with frontwoman Liz Hanley’s resonant vocals complemented by heavy riffs and a groovy beat. There couldn’t be a more perfect opening for the record.

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Culture

Movie review: Visual feast pays homage to Coen brothers

Graham Gentz | April 16

“Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter” is a love letter to many things. First, it is loosely based on the urban legend of the 2001 death of a young Japanese woman said to have been looking for the buried money from the Coen brothers film “Fargo.” Emphasis on loosely. The opening title card of “Fargo” is even recycled for “Kumiko,” in which it falsely claims to be a true story. Since “Kumiko” is a movie that claims a fictional event to be true, which in turn involves a movie that claims a fictional event to be true. The levels of “truthiness” in how stories are told is chiefly of concern here.

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Culture

Fair features organic, locally grown produce

Kevin Haaf | April 14

Once in a while, an event takes place that breathes new life into the barren storehouses and broken windows of the Albuquerque Rail Yards. On Saturday, that event was the Naked Food Fair.

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Culture

Five & Why, what Lobos love to watch: Pablo Colon

Imani Lambert | April 14

Japanese anime is not just for children. Anime contains complex story lines, tantalizing artwork and makes viewers question their own reality. Pablo Colon, a freshman business major, said anime is a childhood comfort and pleasurable pastime.

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Culture

IFDM short film project reaches funding goal

Lauren Marvin | April 14

Reaching a goal can cause jubilation, but for some, it can even help pave the road for the future. The fifth cohort of the Interdisciplinary Film and Digital Media program is finishing up “Jubilation,” a live-action short film, which has taken more than nine months to complete.

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Culture

Review: New Nightwish singer makes studio debut

Skylar Griego | April 9

It took four seemingly endless years, but it has finally happened. Nightwish has unleashed their eighth album into the world. “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” has been highly anticipated by long-time Nightwish fans ever since the replacement of former vocalist, Anette Olzon, with Floor Jansen in 2013. This is the first studio release featuring Jansen’s vocals, and it’s been long overdue since “Imaginaerum” in 2011. Like many fans, Jansen won my heart with her kick-ass vocals and goddess-like stage presence in the live DVD, “Showtime, Storytime.” After seeing what she can do on stage, hearing her voice in Nightwish’s latest masterpiece is breathtaking. Not only is Jansen’s voice the perfect combination of original frontwoman Tarja Turunen’s operatic voice and Olzon’s light melodies, but she also brings a heavy edge with gritty metal vocals — all giving Nightwish an entirely new range of sound.

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Culture

Review: Short stories explore life's breakups

Moriah Carty | April 9

While many people may try to forget about past loves and relationships, Tony Rauch decided to write about his in a way that’s so exciting and curious that it’s hard to put down. The book, “what if I got down on my knees,” is Rauch’s fourth compilation of short stories. The title represents his passive nature and already clues the reader into what may be, perhaps, a series of mental breakdowns and hardships. This collection is cleverly imagined. It touches on the essence of being human creatively. It isn’t too far-fetched to say everyone can relate to at least one of his stories.

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Culture

Restaurateurs find entry point in food trucks

Lauren Marvin | April 9

It may cost as much as two and a half years of tuition, but for some food truck owners it was cheaper than the alternative. Anne-Marie Aigner, founder of Food Truck Festivals of America, said for aspiring restaurant owners, food trucks are an affordable entry point into the business. It can take around $50,000 to start a food truck, compared to a restaurant which can be around $200,000, she said. “The popularity of today’s food truck has to do with the menu, number one. Number two, convenience: you don’t need a reservation, no tipping. And I believe it’s become a sort of trendy and social experience,” Aigner said.

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Culture

Food column: Uses plentiful for that dusty, ol' waffle iron

Steve “Mo” Fye | April 8

It sits on a shelf gathering dust most of the year, only used on the occasional lazy Sunday. It may have been a gift or handed down. Now, instead of being stored away, the waffle iron may become one of the most used appliances in the kitchen. The waffle iron can be an amazingly useful and versatile tool for cooks with a bit of creativity. Since a waffle iron heats from both sides and has a fairly wide range of heat settings, it can be used to make everything from hash browns to grilled cheese.

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Culture

Ten things college students say vs. what they mean

Sophie Earle | April 8

College students are notorious for procrastination and laziness. While student’s grades waiver from “oh crap” to “dang, I’m good”, some try to appease family and friends with white lies but mean something completely different.

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Culture

Movie review: Everyday moments of 'Boyhood' ring true

Nathan Reynolds | April 8

“Boyhood”, which almost won Best Picture at the Academy Awards, was produced over the course of over 20 years; utilizing the same actors for the duration; but director Richard Linklater is not for gimmicks, he is one of moments.

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Culture

Five & Why, what Lobos love to watch: With Robert Burford.

Skylar Griego | April 7

Television shows can be a good form of entertainment, introduce viewers to different cultures and explore social phenomena’s. However, television has its downside.For Robert Burford, student conduct officer for the Dean of Student’s Office, the schedule changes are the worst. Burford said that most of his favorite shows are not running anymore, and he didn’t know what to do with his Thursday nights after one of his favorite shows ended.

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Culture

Artwork keeps language alive at Linguicide exhibit

Moriah Carty | April 7

In effort to bring awareness to dying and dead languages, one New Mexico artist is looking to her past for inspirations. Last Friday, the Weyrich Gallery opened a new exhibit titled Linguicide from local artist Harriette Tsosie. The inspiration came, she said, from a DNA test she did after rummaging through her grandmother’s belongings. What caught her attention the most was the diary her grandmother kept from 1900 to1968, she said.

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Culture

Review: Singer stretches her limits

Skylar Griego | April 2

Imagine this: It’s 1 o’clock in the morning, and you’re counting the minutes until you can finally put the notes away and sleep before tomorrow morning’s exam. To help with your struggle to stay awake, you decide to play your newest indie rock album. Immediately after pressing play, your ears are struck with a dissonant ringing that makes you cringe. This is the first impression Waxahatchee’s “Ivy Tripp” gives poor unsuspecting night owls. It might be best to wait until daytime to listen to the band’s third release. “Breathless” doesn’t improve much musically. It’s about as good as an untrained child experimenting with the effects on a keyboard. The atonal music is redeemed only by Katie Crutchfield’s mellow vocals. Her light and airy harmonies only go so far. For listeners who prefer their music to sound like, well, music, expect to skip this track often.

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Culture

Five and Why with Lydia Wolberg

Skylar Griego | April 2

It’s that time of year again: everyone’s favorite shows are airing the season finales. Sometimes the hardest part about having a favorite show is not knowing what to do when it’s over. Lydia Wolberg, professional intern in the Dean of Students Office, said only one of her five favorite TV shows is still running today. If she wants to watch the others, she has to catch the re-runs, she said.

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Culture

Review: 'Chupacabra' lost its focus

Graham Gentz | April 2

It is never a good sign when any script contains five different names under the writing credits. Such is the troubled production of the original work “The Chupacabra Cantina,” created by the local activist and Latina performance troupe Las Meganenas, which recently finished performances. The play attempts to tackle a baffling number of discordant social issues while unfortunately illuminating none of them, attempting to embed them sneakily within a broadly-cast net of New Mexican culture and convention. Where to begin? “The Chupacabra Cantina” is set in a bar in Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico, but none of that really matters. Nothing in the play really matters. There is no conflict, no tension, no plot and certainly no story. There is a lot that’s distressingly wrong about “The Chupacabra Cantina.” But the single biggest issue is simply the atrocious writing.

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Culture

Fashion Week show boost NM designers

Khadijah Jacobs | March 31

The second annual New Mexico Fashion Week Runway Show, held Saturday at the Albuquerque Convention Center, sought to recognize and promote local designers, businesses, manufacturers and other aspects of the fashion industry. Melissa Beasley, founder and executive director of Albuquerque Apparel Center, said she recognizes that there are a lot of creative people throughout New Mexico and wants to play a role in promoting those in the fashion industry.