Rant & Rave: MSU-Billings & the Invisible Voter Pg. 2 COB No More!

Say Hello to McDonald Hall Pg. 3 Dining Woes: What will you pay to eat on campus? Pg. 4 Supreme Court of Montana on Campus? Pg. 5 Piracy & the Recording Industry Pg. 5 Parking Problems Pg. 6 How to: Live on a College Budget! Pg. 9
Jeremy Seidlitz Staff Writer
The Associated Students of Montana State University-Billings has been through some rather difficult times during the Fall 2003 semester. The unexpected resignation of both the student body president, and vice president have forced the student organization appoint a new vice-president, and to call a special presidential election. Ray Champ, former student body president, resigned his position to continue his summer employment. Christina Sprague, former student body vice-president, resigned to pursue a career in a youth development program. The unique perspectives that these two individuals brought to ASMSU-Billings will be missed by the organization. This is the first time in ASMSU-Billings history that there have been resignations in both the president and vice-president positions. In the interim, Adam Lucido (junior, business management, mass communication), ASMSU-Billings business manager, has been the acting president pro-tempore. In addition to his capacity as business manager, Lucido has been working on the appointment of vice-president, conducting senate meetings, and helping prepare for the organizations orientation retreat. When asked about the resignations, Lucido replied: To be candid, it is a bit frustratingthe first two weeks of school are always vital in preparOut of the Sept. 16 denate meeting, senior, mass communications major Justin Sian, was appointed ASMSU-Billings vice president. On his recent appointment, Sian mentioned that, Im excited and anxious about my new appointment. I have many great ideas and goals for the upcoming year, and I look forward to working with senate to accomplish them. Carla Amerson, former ASMSU-Billings student resolutions officer, has emerged as the new president of student government in the Sept. 22 election. Amerson, a senior, double majoring in secondary education-art and special education, hopes that she will be able to accomplish two goalsFirst, I want to increase the awareness of the impact that the Associated Students organization has on the student body of MSUBillings. In addition to this, I want to educate the student population about the fiscal policy and appropriation of student fees that student senate delegates each year. Amerson said, I want to lessen the appearance of student apathy on the campus in regards to policy and procedure at MSU-Billings.

Volume 75 - Issue 2 - October 6, 2003 Unexpected Resignations Force Changes in ASMSU-Billings Student Government

My Summer in Africa... Pg. 10

Laugh Your Head Off ! Pg. 11 Movie Buffs Movie Reviews Pg. 16 Cross Country Trek Pg. 18 Getting To Know You: Alberta Letoa is Cold! Pg. 19 Meet The Retort Pg. 20

To be candid, it is a bit fr ustrating... leadership during this period should be paramount

ing for the up-and-coming school year, and leadership during this period should be paramount. Its hard when a situation like this occurs because it really isnt fair to the student body when they are unable to begin the year with elected student leadership. Thats not to say, however, that the leadership has not been here. Everyone in this office has done their part to uphold the dignity and professionalism that students deserve from ASMSUBillings.

Now NowHiring! Hiring!Check CheckOut OutOur OurWebsite Websitewww.msubillings.edu/retort www.msubillings.edu/retort

MSU-Billings Janna Huhtala Editor-in-Chief

Rant & Rave: Editors Opinion

and The Invisible

Voter

1500 University Drive SUB 225 Billings MT 59101 Business & Newsroom: 657-2194 Fax: 657-2191 e-mail: retort@msubillings.edu
Janna Huhtala Valerie Young Richard Castillo Jed Barton Nicole Mass Jennifer Fenton Mi Suk Kim Adam Wickens VACANT Amy Whittle Christopher Snow Dan Hansen Jason Lillie Betsy Harris Miranda Breding Becky Butcher Josh Davidson Brett Harrison Linsey Lindgren Larissa Leonard Ben Monteith Jessalyn Remington Evelyn Irmen Nancy Swanson

Editors and Staff

Editor-in-Chief Business Manager Layout/Design Editor Sports Editor News Editor A&E Editor Photo Editor Copy Editor Creativity Editor Advertising Manager Computer Tech/Webmaster Cartoonist Reporter Reporter Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Staff Writer Advisor

Guidelines & Policies The Retort encourages the submission of letters to the Editor. Letters must be under 250 words in length and include name, signature, and phone number. The Retort reserves the right to edit for space and possible libel. Letters should deal with subject matter relevant to the students, faculty, and staff of MSUBillings. The Retort is published every other Tuesday. Letters must be submitted by the Friday after the most recent issue date. The Publications Board of ASMSU-B advises The Retort, leaving content decisions to the editors. Opinions expressed in The Retort are not necessarily those of its members, the college, students, student government, state government, or federal government.

The computers at the MSU-Billings Student Government Voting Polls are empty right now. Inside the Student Union Building, the hallway is remarkably quiet compared to the usual loud chaos that follows lunchtime. Students are passing through at an astonishing speed, (perhaps breaking the sound barrier) sprinting past the voting booth without even glancing at the poll worker who is frantically giving her spiel. Vote for the MSU-Billings President! Only takes five seconds! Without missing a beat she calls out to the next speed walker as he pulls his earphones down and gives his attention to her. This dedicated student has just taken a few seconds to listen to what our loyal student senator has to say. Where are the rest of the huddled masses wishing to change the world with one simple vote? Not here, and most are giving reasons to keep walking without hesitation. No thank you, Im late to class, and I cant, I am a nursing student, were the most common excuses. Understandable is the complication between upper-division nursing students registered in Bozeman who do not have an MSUBillings identification number, but No thank you, doesnt seem to be a viable justification. Why wouldnt you want to use the most basic American privilege to the advantage of yourself and your fellow student? The voting booth is empty now; the one dedicated student has walked away with his shiny I Voted sticker. The only one left is the faithful and relentless senator still trying to entice the passing students to stop for just a few seconds of their time. A pair of invisible voters has taken the place of the students who chose to waive their voting rights. What is the real reason behind this decline in interest for the well being of the MSU-B students? Are they unaware of the issues, the candidates or are they oblivious of the student government purpose in this school? Let me take a second (a paragraph or two) to fill you in on the organization that spends your money. The Associated Students of Montana State University-Billings is the governing body who controls a percentage of your student fees and they also make changes on campus for the good of the students as a whole. Currently made up of a president, vice president, business manager, student resolution officer, and approximately 18 student senators, they meet every Tuesday afternoon at 5 p.m. to discuss current issues on campus and try to improve the quality of education and the environment of our campus. Now comes the tricky part: while senators are not paid, they volunteer eight hours a week plus of their free time to organize events, discuss issues and solve problems much like Superman or Spiderman. They are UNPAID crusaders for justice and stability for the more than 5,200 students enrolled in classes at MSU-B, even those who study online from different parts of the globe. The executive cabinet (pres.,

v.p, etc.) are paid a stipend for the 30+ hours that they put into planning meetings, coordinating events, bringing together the different committees that control the legislature and financial policies of ASMSU-B. All of these positions, with the exception of the business manager, SRO, Retort editor (me) and the Student Union Activities Council chair, who are appointed by the executive cabinet, are voted into Senate by youthe students. These specially selected students also fund organizations such as SUAC and the Retort; they appropriate student fee money to the different education departments seeking funds for students to attend conferences nationwide. They give money to the NorthcuttSteele Gallery in addition to funding new equipment on campus. They also sponsor dances, parades, and give money to The Giving Tree project and the annual Festival of the Trees. THEY SPEND YOUR MONEY! As enlightened scholars-to-be, you should care that the people running the government are being appointed by only 3.5 percent of the registered students. That is a whopping 179 students out of almost 5,200 students. Of the freshman senators voted into student government in the elections on Sept. 16, two were elected by 97 votes combined. WHAT!? I voted in that election so I know that one of the 97 votes is mine since I voted for one of the winning senators. What has happened to expressing our opinions and our views by voting the best candidate in? This isnt The Lottery (the novel by Shirley Jackson, not the money cesspool), you wont get stoned if you put your name in the computer and click Vote. You are merely exercising the right to free opinion, speech, and the freedom to vote. Often times I hear students complaining about parking, professors, and the cost of food on campus, so I ask them one question: Did you vote in the senate elections this year? If the answer is no, I say to them: If you cant take time to vote the people into office that are taking care of these problems every spare minute they have, then you dont have a reason to complain. That usually shuts them up. However, if the answer is yes, I suggest that they talk to a student senator or the SRO about their concerns or even apply to be a senate candidate in the spring. The way to make a difference is by taking charge of your future on this campus. Vote, or at least get involved in ASMSU-B and make a difference now. God gave you a voice and free will, so use it! Pushing the invisible voter out of the way and taking an empty seat in front of the computer, I type in my student ID number and I vote. When I click that little vote icon, I feel a rush of pride and control. Much like receiving a paycheck or a diploma, voting is a tradition and privilege that I refuse to take for granted. Even in local, state and national elections, I dutifully stand in line at the polls or turn in my absentee ballot in an attempt to control my future. Ok, not control, because I care about my fellow students and I want good people in charge of my future and that is why I vote. Now its your turn.

College of Business Building Named McDonald Hall

The acquisition and renovation of the College of Business building was costly, according to BILLINGS In recognition the president and CEO of the MSUof the largest philanthropic gift Billings Foundation, Marilynn given to Montana State University-Billings in its 76 year history, the College of Business building will now be known as McDonald Hall. A dedication and naming ceremony took place during a news conference Sept. 17 at 10:30 a.m., naming the building in honor of the Judith and Sam E. McDonald, Jr. family of Billings who, exactly one year ago, announced they were contributing $1.4 million to the MSU-Billings Foundation, earmarked for the College of Business. McDonald is best known Miller, and a number of commuas Chairman and CEO of nity partners stepped forward with Wendys of Montana. significant contributions, notably The MSU-Billings Founda- First Interstate Bank of Commerce tion purchased the Lowe Profes- and the First Interstate BancSystem sional Building in 1996 and re- Foundation, NorthWestern Energy, modeled it extensively to provide US Bank, and MDU Resources a permanent home for College of Foundation. In addition, federal apBusiness classrooms, faculty and propriations secured by Montanas staff offices, the Center for Ap- Congressional delegation including plied Economic Research and the Senator Conrad Burns, Senator Montana Business Incubator. Max Baucus, and Congressman Prior to the purchase of the Denny Rehberg helped tremenfacility, College of Business dously with the costs, and by 2002 classes and office space were lo- the debt remaining on the building cated in a variety of places on was reduced to $400,000. campus. The $1.4 million gift from

Press Release

the McDonald family will accomplish two things over the course of the next few years, according to Miller. The first is that the remaining mortgage on the

McDonald Hall building will be eliminated. The second is that the Judith and Sam E. McDonald, Jr. Family Excellence Fund has been established. This $1 million endowed fund will advance the mission and goals of the MSU-Billings College of Business in perpetuity, Miller said. Dr. Ron Sexton, chancellor of MSU-Billings, says On behalf of the faculty, staff and students of Montana State University-Billings and the College of Business, I wish to express to Sam, Judy, Greg, Eileen and Deborah my most sincere and

heartfelt thanks and deepest appreciation for their inspiring entrepreneurship and generous philanthropic leadership which has and will continue to greatly impact the College of Business, our students, faculty, this community, and the entire University, he added, The dedication and naming of the College of Business facility as McDonald Hall is a symbol of the major impact the McDonald family gift has made on the story of Montana State UniversityBillings and on its history. We are here to thank and honor the Judith and Sam E. McDonald, Jr. family for their investment in the future of the students of the College of Business, the University and our community. Dr. Joe Michels, Dean of the College of Business, also expressed deep appreciation to the McDonald family for their philanthropic contribution. All of us in the College of Business are extremely proud that our home from today on will be known as McDonald Hall, Michels stated. Each of us who occupies this Hall knows that our building is named for a family with a rich heritage of pride, honor and unblemished and unquestioned integrity.

The Programs and Services of the Associated Students of MSU-Billings

Jeremy Seidlitz Staff Writer
A rundown of the MSUBillings fee schedule illustrates that every student enrolled full time is assessed a fee of $33.50 for Associated Students of MSU-Billings. The other fees assessed for buildings, athletics, and health services are easy to figure out. However, what does this investment in the associated students mean for the students of MSU-Billings? There are 22 elected or appointed members of the Associated Students which include: President - Serves as a liaison between the student body and the administration. (Elected) Vice president - Conducts Student Senate meetings according to Roberts Rules of Order. (Elected) Business manager - Oversees the proper allocation of student fee monies. (Appointed) Student Resolution Office A student resource for problems with grades, professors, or general school issues. (Appointed) Political action director (during legislative years) - An individual who researches legislative issues that pertain to the students of MSU-Billings. This individual collaborates with the student lobbyist to ensure that the students of MSU-Billings are represented at the Montana State legislature. (Appointed) Student Senators (18) - Collaborate to discuss allocation of student fees. Represent the student body in campus wide groups. (Elected) The president, vice president, business manager, student resolution, and political action director create the executive cabinet of ASMSU-Billings. These individual receive a stipend for their work and are contracted to spend at least 15 hours a week in the student government officeSUB 213. The ASMSU-Billings allocates student funds through several channels. First, there is approximately 30 thousand that registered students can petition the student government directly for if they want to put on an event or attend a conference. Depending on enrollment, the student government has approximately 300 thousand to allocate for budgeted accounts. Some of these accounts include childcare scholarships, graduation convocations, graduate/undergraduate student research, drama committee, a student lobbyist (during legislative years), and a staff attorney who offers basic legal services to students for subsidized rates. In addition, there are several student organizations, which are budgeted on a yearly basis including the Retort student newspaper, Northcutt/Steele Art Gallery, and the Student Activities board. All of these groups are open to the student body of MSU-Billings. The ASMSU-Billings are more than stewards of student feescollectively they serve as liaisons between the student body and the administration of MSUBillings. The president and vicepresident have weekly meetings with the chancellor, and the vice chancellor of student affairs participates in the executive cabinet meetings. The administration presents all proposed fee increases to the student government before the increases are implemented. If any student has any concerns about his or her academic experience at MSU-Billings, he or she can find help through the various agencies of the ASMSU-Billings in SUB-213 or at 657-2365.

The Symptoms and Prevention of West Nile Virus

Nicole Maas News Editor
West Nile virus is a potentially serious, mosquito-borne virus that has spread throughout the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control and Preventions website, there have been 159 reported cases of human illness in Montana alone. While the virus is usually harmless and only an estimated 80 percent of people exposed to it actually develop symptoms, it is nonetheless important to know the symptoms of WNV and to take the steps necessary to prevent infection. Symptoms Only 20 percent of those exposed to WNV will develop mild symptoms while about one in 150 will experience severe symptoms. These symptoms typically appear from three to 14 days after being bitten. Mild symptoms, according to the CDC, include headache, fever, and vomiting lasting a maximum of several days. Severe symptoms include high fever, coma, disorientation, headache, convulsions, tremors, numbness, paralysis, stupor, and muscle weakness which may last for a course of several weeks. People over 50 or those in illhealth are especially susceptible to the disease and are strongly encouraged to protect themselves as much as possible. Prevention As WNV is a virus transmitted chiefly by mosquitoes, the most important preventative measure is the use of insect repellants when spending time outdoors. Be sure to purchase a repellant that contains DEET. Make sure that screens attached to the doors and windows of your home are whole and intact. Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever possible. Change the standing water in buckets, birdbaths, flower pots, pet dishes, etc., on a weekly basis, as mosquitoes use these areas as breeding sites. For further information on West Nile Virus, visit the CDCs website at www.cdc.gov.

Students Sound Off on Dining Hall Makeover

Adam Wickens Copy Editor
If you have been to the dining hall this semester, you surely have noticed some changes in layout and dining options. New this year is the all you can eat dinner buffet. Replacing a-la-carte meals for evenings, the buffet costs $7.95 and is offered as part of a per-meal plan over the semester. Also new is the one cash register system. In previous years there were three registers, but this year, two were removed to facilitate the evening budget. You may ask why these changes have come about. Robert Brown, General Manager for Sodexho at MSUB, stated that Sodexho and representatives from Student Life and Housing did research last spring to determine the best way to run the dining hall. The research included the consultation of marketing and food service experts as well as student focus groups and satisfaction surveys. After much deliberation, the addition of the buffet was proposed. The Dining Service had received many comments that the old system of a mandatory $350 buy-in was insufficient to feed a student for a whole semester, so adding an evening buffet in a meals-persemester plan looked like a good way to make sure that students were eating enough. The new evening meal plan can be bought in three packages: the minimum of 50 meals for $700, 65 meals for $750, or the maximum of 80 meals for $800. Many students feel that they should not be forced to pay the mandatory $350, let alone an extra $700. To ease the pain of passing into the new system, students that lived on campus last year were given the option of not purchasing one of the new plans and only having to purchase the $350 option. Still, many students would like to be left on their own to provide food, feeling it could be done cheaper than eating on campus. Brown explained that the students are obligated to buy into the meal plan to ensure there is a cafeteria available to the students. If students ate on their own, it would not be cost effective to provide a dining hall. With that said, it is still important to note the large amount of student displeasure towards the prices of the food offered. Nate Meiers, a junior in history education says, The prices are a little bit outrageous. There is no low cost option. I have a U-Card for my last option, but after a couple meals at $7.95 I wont have any U-Card money left. Several other students also one count of sexual intercourse without consent, and one count of aggravated kidnapping by accountability. Kennedy was convicted only on the one count of sexual intercourse without consent. Kennedy and his lawyer are appealing his conviction on the grounds that there was juror misconduct and various issues regarding constitutional rights violations.

State Supreme Court Takes Over MSU-B

Ron DeYoung Staff Writer
On Oct. 15, from 9:15 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., students, staff, and faculty of Montana State UniversityBillings who are interested in issues of law will have the chance to observe the Supreme Court of Montana by coming to Petro Theatre to hear an appeal in the case entitled State of Montana v. Victor Vann Kennedy. The event begins with introductory remarks by University of Montana Law School faculty and is then followed by oral arguments by attorneys for both sides. Jay Lansing, past president of the Yellowstone Area Bar Association said this is a rare opportunity for students to actually experience the states highest court as they make decisions that could reshape or uphold Montana state law as it is written. Lansing also says Political and social science majors would relish the experience. One hundred seats are going to be set aside on a first come, first serve basis. Montana v. Kennedy involves an incident in 2001, when another man, Myron Fallsdown killed a lady in a Billings motel room, kidnapped her friend, and allegedly, in the company of Kennedy, repeatedly raped her until she was finally escaped her captors in Butte. Kennedy was charged with two counts of sexual intercourse without consent by accountability,

used the word outrageous to describe the prices. Brown countered that Sodexho offers comparable prices and tries very hard to offer as many options as possible to students. They are currently working on a $3.50 lunch meal as opposed to the typical $5.00 price. Another difference this year has been the hours of operation. At the beginning of the year, the dining hall did not open until 8:30 a.m. The late opening time made it impossible for a student with an 8:40 class to eat breakfast. Many students complained and the opening time was moved back to 7:30 a.m. Brown was very adamant in encouraging students to come and see us. Many students may not know that comments and feedback are appreciated, and, as evidenced by the change in opening time, taken seriously. Brown commented, The sooner you see us the better. Well do whatever we can. Brown can be contacted by phone at 657-2380, or by email at sodexho@msubillings.edu.

Let the Music Play But With a Price: Editorial

Is this the end of the road for the sharing of music on the Internet? Since last June the Recording Industry Association of American has filed hundreds of lawsuits against MP3 file sharers. The lawsuits are a long term tactic that the music companies and motion picture companies are trying, so they can put an end to the illegal sharing of copyrighted material. The RIAA has issued 261 lawsuits just this month against file sharers, including a 12-year-old girl. A lot

Chistopher Snow Web Master/Tech Supp.

of controversy has arisen over this tactic of protecting the copyrighted material of artists. The Electronic Frontiers Foundation is holding a campaign called Let the Music Play and is fighting back with legal help. You can fight this crazy tactic of suing music fans by going to http://www.eff.org/share/petition/ and signing the online petition. I personally do not condone the stealing of copyrighted material and do believe the artists should get paid for their work. However, I dont believe a witch

hunt involving suing average everyday Americans is a solution to the problem. After all, the RIAA has done nothing to compensate artists for their music, they are just sue happy and using their power to scare everyday Americans. Apple Computer has a new service called I-Tunes, which is a service that you can use to download music for 99 cents a song. But some music artists are reluctant to offer their songs on this service because they feel that it hurts the sales of their less popular songs (in other words, it hurts

the artists that put out a 12 track CD and only two songs are good). Unfortunately, I-Tunes is currently available only for the MAC until sometime in December, when it should launch for the PC. Buy.com, and others, have a service that is similar to I-Tunes available for the PC. In conclusion, it will be interesting to see what new changes these lawsuits will bring to the file sharing community, what kind of changes will come regarding copyrighting and the use of the Internet as a medium for the digital frontier.

National Opinions on Piracy

Press Release
C O L L E G I A T E PRESSWIRE, Sept. 16, 2003 The Business Software Alliance (BSA) survey marks the first step in a broader BSA initiative to study attitudes toward downloading, file-sharing, and copyright law among university and college students, faculty and administrators. According to the survey, more than three-quarters of faculty and administrators say it is absolutely not okay to download or swap files, yet less than one-quarter of students say it is wrong. - 23 percent of college and university students have downloaded software with only 32 percent paying for it all or most of the time. - 69 percent have downloaded music, with only eight percent of them paying for it all or even most of the time. - 26 percent have downloaded movies, with only four percent paying for it all or most of the time. - More than 40 percent of educators say its okay to share or swap software to cut costs. - Despite their behavior, a majority of students (93%) endorse the intellectual property values of rewarding software developers and protecting intellectual property rights in order to encourage research and development. - A strong majority of educators support the enforcement of campus policies designed to prevent unlicensed software use on campus. - When it comes to university action against software piracy among students, however, only one-in-six faculty and administrators would endorse action more severe than limitation of computer usage rights, such as suspension or academic probation. Between one-fourth and one-third of educators would recommend no penalty, or are unsure. Survey Methodology: This survey reports on Internet-based online interviews with 1000 university and college students and telephone interviews with 300 college and university faculty and administrators. It was conducted among a national crosssection of U.S. public and private higher education institutions. The margin of error for this study is +/-3% for the student population and +/-6% for the educator population.

Bumper to Bumper: Two Parking Opinions

and that driving around in it for 20 min- who walk or ride their bike to school. I utes from one floor to the next is a waste find it hard to believe that every student is on campus at the same time in of time. Jason: Ok, the bottom line is that their own car. Jennifer: I understand what you I have yet to see the parking garage Another semester begins and full. I am here five days a week, com- are saying, but there have been numeragain there is nowhere to park, but then ing and going throughout the day, and ous times that I have seen the parking whats new? Oh yeah, there is that park- not once have I seen the garage full. garage full and a couple of times that I have had to ing garage thats located 20 miles away park in from every building on campus. My campus pocolleague Jason Lillie and I are going lice reto debate our opinions of the parking served garage. spots (I canJennifer: There are 2,013 renot believe served parking spaces, 500 of which that I just are in the parking garage, 35 visitor went on parking spaces, and 56 disabled parkrecord saying spots. There are approximately ing that). 3,950 students attending school here, The fact reand 550 of them live in the dorms. So mains that now I am asking you to do the math: Photo by Mi Suk Kim yes, most that leaves 1,937 students left without The parking garage is most often half full, according to Jason students are a place to park. Jason thinks there is Lillie in the accompaning article. not here at always somewhere to park in the parking garage, but we also need to take And as far as it being too far from the the same time, but the majority of them into consideration the parking permits buildings, well, if a person is too lazy are, supporting my opinions of no parkthat we issue to the staff of the medical to walk a hundred yards, I feel no pity ing. And to say that people are lazy buildings across the street and the for him or her. Its a fact that there are well, that is not always true. Some people spaces that are designated for campus more registered students than parking are just procrastinators and show up to police vehicles. I really do believe the spots, but those numbers do not specify school minutes before class and find parking garage was a waste of money how many are night students or people themselves without a parking spot. What

Jennifer Fenton A&E Editor Jason Lillie Reporter

about the huge space of grass next to the LA building? Couldnt we turn that into a parking lot? And does the faculty really need that many parking spots? No matter what you say, I think that the parking garage SUCKS. Jason: I am sorry, but I think you are full of It, and yes, with a capital I. Ok, on the topic of arriving late and having limited time to get to class: you can take 10 minutes to park in the garage and walk to class or 20 minutes driving around looking for that prime parking place. And until I see the parking garage full myself, I wont believe it. I have yet to see that garage even half full. Jennifer: Parking smarking. I still feel that there is nowhere on campus to park, and there is always some idiot double parked. Jason presented some great arguments, and thats his opinion and I have stated my opinion. So with that, think about the mathematics we have presented to you. Decide if youre going to be lazy and look for that prime spot, or if you want to risk it and go for that campus police spot. Just remember, its only a $10 fine if youre willing to risk it.

Parking Etiquette: Tips to Better Your Parking Experience

Ron DeYoung Staff Writer
Okay, fellow students and prestigious members ofAcademia! School has been in session for nearly a month at MSU-Billings. Dont you think its about time for that pop quiz youve been dreading? Oh, this one should be easy. After all, youve been studying for it since you were old enough to drive. Is everyone ready? All right Pick up your pencils and lets get started. The first question is: Define the term Parking Etiquette, and then describe some of the dos and donts involved with it. Hint: parking (lot) noun (1924): an area used for the temporary placement of motor vehicles. etiquette noun (French): the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life. Lets see how everyone did on that one. If you answered, The proper behavior exhibited by an individual following civilized practices while temporarily storing a vehicle, then you will probably receive an A on the first part of the quiz. The second part of the problem is more complicated. First of all, you must consider several variables. Are you running late because you stayed out too late last night? Is it really cold and windy outside, or perhaps rainy? Do you feel the need to park right next to your last class? Are you just too worn out to walk a little way? These problems, among others, are contributing to a growing phenomto treat every other motorist in the parking lot like he or she is your grandparent or even that classmate youve been wanting to get to know. Thats it! Respect your fellow drivers and they, in turn, will show respect to the drivers they encounter during their travels. This tactic could, in itself, just in case that special place in which you usually park is occupied. A little bit of common courtesy is said to go a long way, and it doesnt cost a thing. Even when it appears that every parking space on campus is full, according to the campus police there are several spaces available every day. As an example, the parking garage across from the McDonald Hall always has openings on the top level. Some other favorite parking spaces that usually have openings are near the gym and on the corner of Rimrock Road and Virginia Lane. These lots are all a mere five minute walk to any building on campus and will allow you to stop and smell the roses on the way to class. Also, the campus police have maps readily available which identify all parking areas. If everyone practices one or more of these suggestions, the result will be less stress and, hopefully, progressively fewer incidents of parking lot rage. If you answered the second part of your quiz similarly to the above scenario, youre a true lady or gentleman who is destined to surpass your highest expectations of yourself simply because you are a skilled practitioner of parking lot etiquette.

Photo by Mi Suk Kim Parking on MSU-B has become a touchy subject. This is the North Petro Parking lot, supposedly the most sought after parking on campus.

enon that has been reported to be escalating throughout the MSU-Billings parking areas. Imaginary officials have expressed concern that if we dont do something about parking lot rage now, it will become an epidemic of mammoth proportions in record time. These same imaginary officials have offered some suggestions on stopping the spread of this repulsive display of aggression. One of the more powerful suggestions offered to this reporter was

wipe out the rash of random rudeness displayed throughout the campus parking areas. Some other guidelines you can ponder in your quest to become a preferred parking practitioner include signaling for any and all changes of direction, keeping your eyes open for other signals, obeying all campus speed limits, initializing communication through eye contact, and parking in designated areas only. Plan to arrive at school 15 to 20 minutes early

Tip Me, Or Else: Tales of a Pizza Guy

Brett Harrison Staff Writer
Recently I had an opportunity to talk to a Pizza Hut delivery driver. I was interested in how college students tip; what the average tip is, and how this affects him. Some of what he said surprised me, and some I expected to hear. He said most (about 75 percent) college students tip, and its typically about one dollar. Every once in a while a really kind student tips more (about a three or four dollar tip) His pay starts at around minimum wage plus 60 cents per delivery, this cover gas and maintenance no matter how many miles are driven. According to AAAs website www.aaasouth.com/acs_news/ Driveco3.asp, the composite national average cost to drive a car is 64.2 cents per mile, given that 10,000 miles are driven in a year. But this can vary depending on what type of vehicle is driven. For example, a two wheel drive 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer with a six cylinder engine would cost 65.4 cents per mile over 10,000 miles per year. Compare that to a 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier four cylinder which would cost 55.3 cents per mile over the same 10,000 miles per year. So tipping the pizza delivery driver really helps them offset their cost of driving a pizza to you since Pizza Hut doesnt fully cover the reimbursement for gas, nor does Pizza Hut help pay for the delivery car. Most students who say they dont tip say it is because of money. They, like most students, are on a limited budget. They feel the cost of the pizza should cover all these expenses. Students who do tip the driver say they did so out of generosity and to help ensure quick delivery of hot pizza in the future. Most students dont realize that Pizza Hut subsidizes only part and not all of the vehicle cost of delivering a pizza. The driver I spoke to said he feels happy if he walks away with 20 to 30 dollars in tip money in one night. And a tip, even a small one, does put him in a better mood and makes him feel better about delivering a pizza to that person.

Top 10 Things to Do in Billings

Betsy Harris Reporter
1. G o D i s c o B o w l i n g , Sunset Bowl - 6566 2 11 . D o n t f o rg e t y o u r polyester! 2. Check out Open Mic at the Art Space - 245-1100. You could be the next Jim Carrey/Maya Angelou 3. Go Ice Skating, Centennial Ice Rink - 2561192. You could be the next Tonya Harding! 4. Tour Moss Mansion 256-5100 - You can even buy a brick! 6. Yellowstone Art Museum 256-6804. Come on, just pretend you have some culture. 7. Take a Hip-Hop/Martial Arts class The Edge Dance - 652-3529; Parks Martial Arts - 245-8808. You could 5. Venture Theater 6702144. Cutting Edge Theater be the next Justin Timberlake/Bruce Lee! - many contain nudity but not necessarily the kind 8. Catch a Billings Bulls you want to see!

Hockey Game - 256-2422 Pretend you have NO culture! 9. Go through the The Corn Maze - 247-9998. Leave extra time for getting lost for real. 10. Drink till you puke! Doesnt necessarily have to be alcohol, if you drink enough of anything it will make you hurl!

Becky Butcher Staff Writer

MSU-Billings

Professors

Get

Mugged!

Name: Dr. Jim Barron Age: 43 Degree: Ph.D. Zoology Indiana University Favorite Sports Team: Denver Broncos/Buffalo Bills Favorite Beverage: Good beer! Whats Your Pet? Dog German shorthaired pointer Ellen. Hobbies: Fly-fishing and backpacking. Favorite Things: My son Charlie 5 yrs old Favorite Quote: Back off man! Im a scientist! Is the glass full or empty? Half full. What do you drive? Subaru wagon 50 Cent or Frank Sinatra? Frank Sinatra. Bob Dylan & Neil Young, too. Piece of advice for students: Pursue your interests/passions.

Name: Merry Jane Trewhella Age: 53 Degree: B.A. Education, M.A. Education Favorite Sports Team: I root for the teams my family does Favorite Beverage: #1 Diet Pepsi, #2 MGD beer Whats Your Pet? One-eyed Cocker spaniel Babe Hobbies: Golf, sew crafts Favorite Things: Book -- To Kill a Mockingbird, Movie The Shawshank Redemption Favorite Quote: The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing. Is the glass full or empty? It depends on the day. What do you drive? A Subaru Forrester License # 8VITOM (This is an IQ Test!) 50 Cent or Frank Sinatra? Neither The Beatles

Name: Simon Says Atkins Age: The baby of the professors Degree: Cornell undergraduate; Top 15 international MBA from Helsinki when given the choice to get a doctorate I instead wrote a book called Collision Course With Mother Nature about how climate change will affect you. Coming out Spring 04. Favorite Sports Team Player: Chinas badminton Olympic champion Gong Zhichao. Favorite Beverage: A toss up between cold organic milk and chilled distilled water. What Are You Pets? Three standard poodles: Sherpa, Toumae, and Totoro. Hobbies: Meditation, communing with nature and predicting global climate change. Favorite Things: Benevolence, flow, uncharted territory & watching the wind blow

Favorite Quote: Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival. His Holiness, The Dalai Lama. Is the glass full or empty? Add the two halves to make it full, period. Why live life half of anything? What do you drive? The military assault version of a Toyota 4Runner, 4x4. 50 Cent or Frank Sinatra? Hard choice. Ill go with the Jewel In The Sun album by Diane Arkenstone. Piece of advice for student: Read www.profsimonsays.com every Monday.

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the Retort office at Suite 225 or call: 6572194

How To: Live Well on a College Budget

Linsey Lindgren Staff Writer
Whether it is your first year away from home or the tenth, the only way to survive financially is on a budget. Necessities like food, clothes, and transportation can easily add up the bills, so learn how to economize and shop around. Most full-time college students have a part-time job of some kind, but they are still on limited resources, says Dan Elser, the president of First American Trust of Montana. Everyone needs to set a budget for themselves. So what is a budget, and what is involved? A budget is a set number of expenses are for that particular month (food, utilities, rent, transportation, and clothes). Then one must work backwards to figure out how much money is needed to make a living and still put money into savings to pay off school loans later on. There are four options in the food market. One, the SUB cafeteria, which requires the purchase of a meal plan, but meals are only served at certain times. Two, eating out at fast food places or sit down restaurants. Try to avoid eating out as much as possible: $3.49 here, $3.99 there... it adds up. The third option: eating in the dorm kitchen area. Soups, salads, fruit, vegetables, pasta, sandwiches... whatever can fit into the small dorm room refrigerators. Also, try to eat meals of substance; they are more filling and snack cravings wont attack. Drink juice and water instead of soda. Its better for you and sometimes less expensive. Buy in bulk at grocery stores or try Costco for food and clothing. Dining out will cost four to five times more than it will to eat at home, says Elser. The fourth and final option is simply not to eat. Yeah, right! Just because one is a poor college student does not mean they have to dress that way. Stores like Ross, TJ Maxx, and Famous Footwear all sell name brands at discount prices. Pair up some expensive Lucky brand pants with cool Payless shoes. You still want to look good, but the dough isnt just growing on trees. Keep an eye out for sales and do some window shopping before purchasing. Keep up on laundry and do one at a time, because it is the dryers that take up all the money and time. Think practically. The biggest rule in shopping is: do not be impulsive. Otherwise, later on that month, cash will be pretty tight. Regardless of whether one lives on or off campus, parking, gasoline, utilities and insurance costs are sure to make one think about expenses. Think of carpooling if one lives off campus. It is also a good way to make friends and have allies this winter when cars may not start. Try out the public metro system. Economize on gas use, meaning dont make needless trips across town. Plan accordingly. If one has to mail off a package at UPS or pick up stamps, on the way back hit up Albertsons for groceries. Dont just go to the closest gas station to fill up. Look around at prices when driving to or from work. Also, instead of just putting in $5 of gas when one can. Try to hold out and fill the tank up all at once. The car will run better and actually do better on gas mileage with a full tank rather than a fourth of a tank. Wait until movies go through the system and are showing at the Cine 7. Going to the movie theater will save tons of money in the long run, because even renting one movie is close to $3 these days. Go to the video stores on the dollar movie night. Resort back to your kid years and play in a park at night. Ride down the slide, swing, and go across the monkey bars to save money. Play pool. At only quarters a game, its a cheap date as well. Go

swimming. Every student has free membership to the MSU-B gym and facilities with their U-Card. Take advantage of what the tuition money is going to. Just sit back with friends and play cards or board games, listen to music, or watch television. For adventure-seeking people, get friends together for a game of rugby, folf, or floating the Yellowstone on inner tubes. Enjoy the simple things in life instead of flying by to do the costly adrenaline rushing things. Elser says, Make envelopes for each category of bill (food, transportation, rent, etc) Every week, put X amount of money in each envelope and deposit the rest of each paycheck into a savings account. He continued to say that people are more frugal with cash than they are with checks or credit cards, so he advises strongly towards cash in the envelopes. Basically, it comes down to keeping track of where the money goes, then looking back and figuring out where money can be cut down. If one keeps their financial situation in order, making progress on the savings account, he or she will feel that their whole life is a little more under control by themselves instead of the bank.

Have you been looking for a great place to voice your point of view? Here is your chance to publish your opinions. For more information come to the Retort office or call us at 657-2194

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South Africa or Bust: My Summer Vacation

watched television in that language. my last move. The third week started We asked them to teach us simple out well, but with a bad first week, I Not in my wildest imagination words and phrases but they refused to started to notice that things were not did I ever dream that I would be spendteach us anything. The family seemed going well. Our host mom seemed like ing a week and a half in prison in Afto want to host us only for the money a wonderful grandma, but it did not alrica during my summer vacation, but they would receive. We thought that if ways feel like we were welcome. One there I was. Let me back up to the bewe left in the middle of our two week Saturday at 6:30 a.m. we were given ginning stay there, would we have been a good the boot. We were going on our safari I signed up witness about God and Christians to and would not be back until Sunday. to go to Kenya on the family. Our teammates assured us By this time I was frustrated and told a mission trip that we were not making the wrong my teammates. I was sick and tired of with inner varsity decision to leave. The second week moving. When my teammates found christian fellowwas like paradise compared to the first out, they were very sympathetic, beship. Two weeks week. Our host family in Vanguard cause they all knew that I had moved before we left, my made us feel like part of the family right every week. When we came back Sunteammates and I away. All we had asked for was a fam- day night, we had a new host family. received e-mails ily to help us feel we were part of the We were immediately welcomed in. saying the trip to family, but we got so much more. We Our host mom was a cute grandmother Kenya was canwere only there for a week, but we that I did not believe was old enough celled due to terhelped out with the dishes and with to have a 24 year-old granddaughter! rorism. Later that Photo provided by Larissa Leonard dinner. Our host dad taught us Afri- She only looked like she was 40 and Children in the township Langa where Larissa stayed for a week. day we received an kaans, a language, told us where he was not in her 60s. She continued with e-mail from our team leaders saying team came into my class to play the from, and joked around with us. We teaching my partner and I Afrikaans. that South Africa was an option, but guitar for the children and one of the found out after two weeks that all the She told us about her family. I felt like our team leader had to know our deci- students tried to eat I was her white grandchild. After sion to go by the end of the week. 45 the guitar. My staff four home stays, I feel like I have out of 50 of my teammates turned worker later told me two families in South Africa. I around and said that we would go to she was the only would not suggest moving every South Africa. person that tried to week since it is stressful. I am During my week-and-a-half at eat the guitar during still learning about moving every Pollsmoor Prison, I learned that doing that day. One little week. prison ministry is not my cup of tea. I girl did not want me The last week there, we wanted to see that what I was saying to leave at the end of talked about apartheid and racial and doing, telling the prisoners about the week, so she reconciliation. The information God, was making a difference. I be- tried to pin me to the was piled on to what we had alcame frustrated at not seeing results. wall. She cried ready experienced and was overWhen we left Pollsmoor, most of my when I left the room whelming. I think my brain fried teammates were crying because they which made me from information overload. DurPhoto provided by Larissa Leonard were going to miss being there. I was want to cry. I did not ing apartheid there were so many indifferent about leaving. I knew that I want to leave the LaRoux family shown here, hosted Larissa for one week during her senseless, brutal murders of people stay in South Africa. would miss the prison ministry staff but place. I know that in South Africa, including AmeriI knew that I would not miss being changing diapers and clothing, clean- host families in Vanguard, Heideveld, cans,committedinSouthAfricabywhites, there. I was jealous of my teammates ing up messes, and so many other as- and Bonteheuwel were going to be coloreds, and blacks. Now a person may who said the person/people they had pects are gross, but I truly loved being asked to host for another two weeks. be led to think that all is great, but to some talked to had come to Christ while I there. I want to go back and help out My partner and I were saddened to hear of the people that live there say there is a had seen none of that. If anyone thinks in the future. that we had to move again since the reverse apartheid, with blacks being the that all the time spent on a mission trip Home stays were an adventure next week our family would not have dominant culture, then whites, and last is good, then it is a sad misroom for us, as our coloreds. It led me to realize that I have so conception because there are host moms sister many racial reconciliations to make. just as many bad times as was coming for holiThis is just a short summary of there are good times. day; we had to leave. what I did and where I went. I expeThe week I spent at Our family was sad, rienced so much more than I could Friends Day Centre was since they wanted to ever write. I am still learning about completely different from the keep us another two what happened over there. I am also prison. I was so excited weeks, and we still adjusting to life back home. about the opportunity to help wanted to stay with There are many days that I wish when at a special needs day care. them another two I was back in Africa but I remember My heart broke every day to weeks. To add to the that I have to finish college before I realize that not everyone blow, everyone else can live my dream. loves these children. Some got to stay with their people make fun of others host families in Photo provided by Larissa Leonard who look different, talk difHeideveld and ferent, walk different, have The entire missions team of 45 strong. Bonteheuwel. We different sexual preferences, were given new etc. Many people have been the butt since I moved once a week. The first partners because of where our minisof jokes because they are different. I week I stayed in a black township tries were located. loved my time at Friends Day Centre called Langa. My partner and I were So now a new week, a new parteven though I had a cold the entire not welcomed by the family we stayed ner, and a new house with a new host week. I did worry that I was going to with. They spoke in Xhosa and family. I was praying this would be

Larissa Leonard Staff Writer

make the kids sick, but I should have trusted God to keep the children healthy. The children in my class were so adorable. There were eight children in my classroom. One girl had downs syndrome and the other seven had cerebral palsy. A staff worker from my

When I die, I want to go like my grandmother, who died peacefully in her sleep- not screaming like all the passengers in her car.

It has been reported that an employee for Ansett Australia Airlines, who happened to have the last name of Gay, got on a plane recently using the companys Free Flight offer for staff. However, when Mr. Gay tried to take his seat, he found it occupied by a fare-paying passenger. So, not to make a fuss, he simply chose another seat. Unknown to Mr. Gay, another Ansett flight at the airport experienced mechanical problems. The passengers of this flight were being re-routed to various other airplanes. A few were put on Mr. Gays flight, and anyone who was holding a free ticket was being bumped. Ansett officials, armed with the list of these freebee ticket holders, boarded the plane, as is the practice, to remove them in favor of fare paying passengers. Of course, our Mr. Gay was not sitting in his assigned seat as you may remember. So when the ticket agent approached the seat where Mr. Gay was supposed to be sitting, she asked a startled customer Are you gay? The man, shyly nodded that he was, at which point she demanded: Then you have to get off the plane. Mr. Gay, overhearing what the Agent had said, tried to clear up the situation: Youve got the wrong man, Im Gay! This caused an angry third passenger to yell Hell! Im gay, too! They cant kick us all off! Confusion reigned as more and more passengers began yelling that Ansett had no right to remove gays from their flights. It is reported that Ansett has refused to comment on the incident. ---The New York Times

IF YOU DONT STUDY WHEN YOURE YOUNG, HERE ARE SOME OPTIONS WHEN YOU COME OF AGE.

photos obtained via e-mail

From the Pages: Murder of a Rising Star:

Lexi Syme Guest Writer
Editors Note: This is from the pages of MSU-B student Lexi Symes new short story Murder of a Rising Star. We will continue this story in segments throughout the semester. If you have a short story that you would like published, please submit it to The Retort, SUB 225 or submit it to retort@msubillings.edu. My name is Alexander Standish. I am a senior at New York University majoring in criminal psychology. You would think that a college student would know how to stay out of the way of a murder. I guess I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I will say that I had no intention of trying to solve this case by myself. When I awoke on the morning of Sept 11, 2003 not only was it the anniversary of 9/11, it was also the morning of one of the biggest murders in the history of New York City. As I rode the subway to my internship at the County Coroners office, I had no idea that I would be the leading investigator into what would be called the most complex murder that New York had ever seen. The coroners office, which is located on the corner of 15th and Lexington, gives a person something to think about. On the outside, a statue of a fallen officer guards the entrance. As you walk inside, the first thing that you see is a statue of Lady Justice, who speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves. As I walked into the office, I received a message that the head Medical Examiner, Jason James, wanted to see me. J. J. is a man who normally is not shaken by the report of murder, but when I walked into his office he looked like a Mack truck had just hit him. As I sat down I could tell that what J.J. had to tell me was not going to be easy. I started to get this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. With a lump in his throat, J.J. said, Im going to give you your first assignment. I didnt know whether to hug him or be nervous, but as he said, This will not be an easy assignment because its high profile, my heart just about jumped into my throat. When J.J. saw the look of surprise on my face he said, Kid, you ok? I said, Yes, Im just a little nervous. This didnt surprise J.J. because the next thing he said was, Ill be with you every step of the way. As J.J. and I drove to the crime scene, I tried to mentally prepare myself for what I was about to see. When we arrived at the crime scene, it was wrapped in its usual yellow and black do not cross this line tape. Inside the tape, there were people cataloging evidence, taking pictures of the body, marking bloodstains with letters so that they could be photographed into evidence, and a troop of officers were out canvassing the area for anyone who saw anything. Our first step was to see what we could learn from the body. The victim was killed by a blunt object. The blow from this object was located at the back of the victims head, just above the base of the skull. We knew that the killer had to be left-handed because the gash was located on the right side of the victims head. We also knew that the victim had tried to fight back because we found hair and skin under the nails. We were able to surmise that our victim had been dead for at least twelve hours before our arrival. We were able to obtain fingerprints off the body; our victims name was Nick Boxer. Nick Boxer just happened to be the star quarterback for the New York Giants. He made over four million dollars a year. He was leading the Giants to what looked like an undefeated, championship season. He had just given The Boys and Girls Club money to build a new recreational center. At 25 years old, he had already thrown for more yards in the first four years of his career than Joe Montana. We knew who our victim was, we knew how he died, the big question now was who had killed him and why? From our observations of the body, we knew that our killer had to be lefthanded, and that he or she would have a scratch on the face. The police told us that there had been no sign of a forced entry; this led us to believe that the victim knew the killer. The police also told us that they had found the murder weapon, a long, golden, metal object that is used to stoke the fire. As luck would have it there was one really good thumbprint on the handle of the weapon. The print belonged to a man named Samuel Simpson, who played as a wide receiver for the Giants. When the police went to pick him up, they noticed that he had a scratch on his face, and that he was also left-handed. While being questioned by the police, Samuel admitted that he killed Nick. When asked why he killed him Samuel said, He wouldnt throw me the ball. Samuel was found guilty and sentenced to twenty-five years to life in the New York State Prison...(to be continued)

The Most Interesting Science Facts Ever

Stolen from the internet (www.firstscience.com) by Dr. Jim Barron and Becky Butcher. (Fact accuracy or validity has not been verified but we believe them.) -When a flea jumps, the rate of acceleration is 20 times that of the space shuttle during launch. -Astronauts cannot belch there is no gravity to separate liquid from gas in their stomachs. -Human tapeworms can grow up to 22.9m. -Each person sheds 40 lbs of skin in his or her lifetime. -Around a million, billion neutrinos from the Sun will pass through your body while you read this sentence. -Males (human males, we assumed.) produce one thousand sperm cells each second - 86 million each day. -If you could drive your car straight up you would arrive in space in just over an hour. -A whip does not make a cracking sound because it hits something... it does because the tip of the whip is traveling faster than the speed of sound (760 miles per hour). -More types of fish swim in Brazils Amazon River than in the entire Atlantic Ocean. -Women on the pill are 30% more likely to suffer from gum disease. -The interstellar gas cloud Sagittarius B contains a billion, billion, billion liters of alcohol. -The silkworm moth has eleven brains.

One Minute Q and A

In your rush to get to class on time, have you ever wondered, Where did that come from? or Who paid for that? Well, keep reading because this article will attempt to answer some of those commonly pondered, yet seldom answered questions. Where did the TVs in the L.A. building come from and who paid for them? According to Eakle Barfield with security services, they are old TVs from the College of Business and were added last summer as part of the restoration of the L.A. building. Who decides which art to display in the art galleries on the first floor of the L.A. Building? The student gallery is provided for art students who must have an art display before they graduate. A gallery committee chooses exhibits featured in the Northcutt Steele Gallery. The committee is made up of four faculty members and

Jessalyn Remington Staff Writer

two students from the Art Students League. Who paid for the ten new laptops in the library, and who can use them? The laptops were purchased with student computer funds. Any student can check out a laptop with their student ID as long as they have set up a student account with Information Technology. Students can do this by logging onto the MSUB website and clicking on student login. The computers can be taken anywhere in the library and are checked out for four hours at a time. What is the art in the SUB gallery? The SUB gallery features art by students in grades one through twelve. The 48 students represent more than 16 Montana school districts. Why did only 3.5 percent of the student body vote in the senate election? If you have an answer or a question you would like to have answered, send it to retort@msubillings..edu.

Jennifer Fenton A&E Editor

In recent years, many of our favorite bands from the 70s and 80s have been returning to the music scene. Music is a huge part of our culture and the bands that are retuning are some of the most influential bands of their time minus an original member or two. The questions posed are; Will they make it again and can they ever be as great as they were 30 years ago? Some may be asking themselves, who is she talking about? Well here they are: The Doors, now called The Doors of the 21st Century, Creedence Clearwater Revival, now Creedence Clearwater Revisited, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Guns and Roses, Simon and Garfunkel and, lastly, Fleetwood Mac. Many of these bands are still very popular among music listeners, but the thought of them retuning to the touring scene is hard to stomach. The Doors of the 21st Century includes two original members, Robbie Krieger and Ray Manzarek, and a third new member from The Cult, Ian Astbury. For those of you expecting to see the Lizard King Jim Morrison himself, get real, he died a decade ago. The sound is similar due in part to the fact Morrison and Astbury come from the same cultural background and country: However, the comeback has not been a warm one. An ex-Doors guitarist is suing the two original members,

saying they have no right to use the old music of The Doors and that they are breaking some code of ethics barrier by using the original band name in any sense. For music fans alike, the comeback was cold and unwanted; it seems apparent that everybody knows about the death of Morrison and would like to keep things that way. Krieger, Manzarek, Astbury, Ty Dennis, and Angelo Barberi form the now, new, Doors of the 21st Century. Maybe they should call themselves Dormant. CCR sang their way back into the music setting a few years ago with only two original members as well, Stu Cook and Doug Clifford. Their return was well recieved and fans began buying tickets to their concert and the latest CD as soon as it was available. Who would have thought that a band from the 60s and 70s could still be going strong and entertaining thousands a night? Lynyrd Skynyrd never really went away, with their songs appearing in movies and television shows, receiving continuous radio and club play, and at almost every party ever attended. Three of their members died in an accident over 20 years ago, including the infamous Ronnie Van Zant and two other members who died close after. With original members Johnny Van Zant and Gary Rossington, they continued to be the number one played band and their songs have become

themes for many. Now, many years later, they are back and have released a new album and are touring once again. Most of the songs on their CD are remakes of old favorites, however; there are a few new hits such as Red, White and Blue. Skynyrd is proving that they have what it takes to rock the South once again. Who can forget Guns n Roses? I mean, doesnt everybody find themselves singing Welcome to the Jungle every now and then and reminiscing about Slash playing the guitar? Back on the radio and on music award shows, the band is said to be cleaned up and playing with open minds. Most of the original members are present and trying to prove they are still great hard core rockers, like they were in the 80s. Many people have their doubts, since this isnt the bands first attempt at a homecoming into rock music, it is more like their third. Will this one last or will they become a scratched up annoying broken record left out in the Cold November Rain? Another reunion is between Simon and Garfunkel. Who can resist the soft romantic voices of the duo that helped spark many relationships? But is their Bridge Over Troubled Water repaired, or will the two fall through and drown as they did in the past? Well, according to the duo, they have mended all their fences and are ready to tour again, singing all their old favorites and

adding a few more. The last of my ranting is about my favorite band ever, Fleetwood Mac, in their third attempt at reuniting the ever popular group, minus Christine McVie, the keyboardist and lead vocalist on a few popular songs. Choosing not to return was a personal choice due largely in part because it has never worked before and she isnt ready to reconcile her differences with some band members. Even without her, the band sounds great and is continuing to sell out shows even at $100, plus a ticket, proving they still have what it takes. This summer, they also released a new CD with some of their old hits redone, but filled with many new foot tapping songs. With who is said to be one of the greatest female musicians ever to live and a terrific drummer, they are sure to stay on the scene for awhile, continuing to please music listeners all around. So, with all these old bands returning, where does that leave room for all the new ones? There is plenty. The music community is very large, and there appears to be a genre for everybody. Continue to listen, and if you have never heard of any of these bands, get on the net or go to the music store and find out what you have been missing for many years past and many years to come. Whoever said the good die young was only half right.

BillingsSymphonyControversyAffectsMSU-B RodneyCarringtonLeavesEarlyatTheShrine
Jed Barton Sports Editor
In June, the decision of the board of directors of the Billings Symphony Orchestra to not renew past the 2003-2004 season the contract of longtime musical director Uri Barnea and the apparent lack of reasons for the decision has left the Billings cultural community shocked and in many cases confused and troubled. This includes a member of the MSU-Billings music department. The relationship between the school (MSU-B) and the symphony has been a good one. In recent years the symphony often uses Cisel Recital Hall as rehearsal spaces; says music department Chair and Symphony Principal Clarinetist, Dr. Gary Behm. He also stated that Barnea has over the years had many faculty and students from here as well as Rocky and the high schools play in the orchestra. A new director might not have the same attitude towards the university and music education in general, I just dont know. On a more personal note, Behm who has played under and known Barnea for several years said that, In my opinion it is a mistake not to rehire Uri [Barnea] after what he has done for the symphony, the arts and the community in general over the last two decades. Editors Note: If you are concerned about the fate of the Billings Sympony and want to share your voice, email The Retort your opinions at retort@msubillings.edu to be published.

Jennifer Fenton A&E Editor

On the evening of Sept. 20 the Shrine was taken over by a bunch of drunken obnoxious people. The event was the ever hilarious Rodney Carrington. For those of you who are unfamiliar with his work he is a country comedian whose material includes the infamous Ti**ies and Beer, Fred, and Dear Pe*is, just to name a few. He also does some stand up comedy that will keep you laughing til you puke. The show began at 8 p.m. after a two hour wait in the uncomfortable seats. The opening act was Barry White, a hilariously risky comedian from Texas who started out joking about his broken foot. The rest of his act had to be censored for our newspaper but I think that you can get the

jest of it. Finally, the moment everybody was anticipating, Rodney himself. The crowd began shouting the obscene comments that are par for his material. While doing his stand up, he was roused with continuous shouting for him to sing, so sing is what he did. The rowdiness continued and the annoyance grew. The beers were passing by six or more at a time, the atmosphere was getting tougher, and the show came to a halt. For those of you who went, the show ended 45 minutes early and we can thank those people who came to drink and socialize for the early dismissal. Dont they know that thats what they invented bars for. So, after spending $33, I decided it was tear jerking, stomach aching, pee your pants funny and would pay that much again, but with the stipulation that all drunk stupid people sit down and shut up.

Jack the Ripper Tryouts: Thespians Show Their Stuff

Evelyn Irmen Staff Writer Jessalyn Remington Staff Writer
Tryouts were held on Sept. 15 and 16, for all students who were interested in taking part in the fall production of Jack the Ripper, directed by Professor Randall K. Pugh. The tryouts were open to any student and required no prior experience. Students tried out for the play for various reasons. One MSU-B freshman, Katy Fisk, explained, As of right now, my major is acting and I really just wanted to get involved in the department and learn from the experience. As students entered room LI 231 for the tryouts, they were handed a questionnaire regarding their schedule and experience. Pugh introduced himself and quickly lightened the mood with several lighthearted exercises such as storytelling, singing as a group, and preparing the aspiring thespians for their individual tryouts. After group humiliation, the singing audition began. Each person had to sing a verse of a song from the play in front of Pugh and their peers. When asked about the individual tryout, part-time Skyview High School student Jeoff Hanser explained, Im not ashamed of my voice, but you have doubts with so many talented people in the room. Hansers doubts must have been felt throughout the room, because as people descended the steps of the lecture hall for their turn to sing, they uttered things like, Please everyone, forgive me. If youre not deaf you soon will be and Bear with me. I have a cold. Then students had to read from the script in pairs so Pugh could decide who to cast for the principal roles in the play. Students seemed to leave the lecture hall both nights laughing and talking with the feeling that the tryout was a positive experience. The performances will be held Nov. 12-15. The musical version of Jack the Ripper takes place in the late Victorian period in London and is a reconstruction of the East End murders of 1888. Thirty-five people tried out for the play, in what Pugh called, the healthiest audition in about five years. The play features eight principal male and eight principal female parts with singing and speaking roles. I just really appreciate you all being here and the level of talent at this audition is really high, said Pugh after hearing the speaking and singing auditions. As the students prepared to file out the door, Pugh left them with a final thought when he quoted Konstantin Stanislavski, director of the Moscow Art Theatre. Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art. The results were posted on Thursday morning and are as follows: Matt Beard- Policeman, ensemble; Joseph BernardDaniel Mendoza, ensemble; Betsy Capser- Martha Tabram, ensemble;

Cassie Favero-ensemble; Christi Fisher-Marie Kelly, ensemble; Katy Fisk- ensemble; Matt Foss- Dinky Nine-eights, ensemble; Sofia Gomez- Liza Pearl, ensemble; Lisa Halpin- Lizzie Stride, ensemble; Jeoff Hanser- Bluenose Stack, ensemble; Rebecca Hey- ensemble; Evelyn Irmen- ensemble; Chayla Jones-ensemble; Teresa LaaksoPolly Ann Nicholls, ensemble; Serena Lewis- Catherine Eddows, ensemble; Pat McDonaldMontague Druitt, ensemble; Dustin Olsen-Policeman, ensemble; Rebekah Peters- Pianist, ensemble; Matthew Pipinich- ensemble; Brad Porter- Lord Overcoat, ensemble; Miranda PughAnnie Chapman, ensemble; Jessalyn Remington- ensemble; Laurie Schoener- Frances Coles, ensemble; Cassandra Schubertensemble; Justin Sian- Police Sergeant Coles, ensemble; Jesse Thorpe- Slop Wallace, ensemble; Tazell Tobler- ensemble; Aaron Tuma- Policeman, ensemble; and Patrick Wilson- Chairman, ensemble.

Venture Theater Stingers 9pm

Peace Inst. Rob Quist and Jack Gladstone Concert 7:30pm ABT

Two Lane Road 11:00 Campbell Bros. 8pm ABT

Venture Theater Stingers 9pm

Northcutt Steele Gallery Opening and Reception

Blgs. Symph. 7:30pmABT

Columbus Day

Venture Theater Stingers 9pm 10 Tenors 7:30pm ABT

Scrap Art Music 8pm ABT

Scrap Art Music 8pm ABT

Venture Theater Stingers 9pm

College Bowl

Don Giovanni 8pm ABT Royal Hanneford Circus Metra Park

Don Giovanni 2pm ABT

Movie Night

Coffee House Tim Mahoney The Sound of Music 7:30pm ABT

Venture Theater Stingers 9pm Comm. Band 7:30pm ABT Freak Week

Freakers Ball 8pm

Freak Week

If you know of, or are involved in any Community or MSU-Billings events and you would like to have them posted on the Retort Calendar please contact Jennifer Fenton @ 657-2194 at least 3 weeks in advance.

SecondhandLions
Jennifer Fenton A&E Editor
Like something out of a childs fairytale book, Secondhand Lions takes you on an adventure of a lifetime... but not in the beginning. The movie takes place in the 1960s on an old rundown farm in Texas. Walter, played by Haley Joel Osment, is abandoned for the summer by his mother, a money grubbing floozie who is always looking for something better. Walter is left with his two crazy uncles who havent been seen for four decades and are said to have millions stashed on their property. Hub (Robert Duvall) and Garth (Michael Caine) have never had any experience with kids and are not about to start being parents. Duvall and Cains performance was great and adds to the excitement of the movie. As the movie unwound Walter began to grow on them, and the fairy tale began. Garth tells of the adventures they had when they were younger and of the fearless Hub who was feared by everybody and wanted by many. With all the money they have, they never seem to spend any of it, so Walter talks them into spending some of it on the things men are his great uncles and are just as uncomfortable about the situation as the young boy. The uncles played by Robert Duvall and Michael Caine, begin to find that being alone and isolated may not be the best policy. Through all kinds of funny and heart heartwarming moments the three find a common ground. In an interview a few weeks ago Michael Caine, one of the older gentlemen, spoke of how the script had been sitting around for quite some time. It was even listed as one of the top ten best screenplays never put to screen. Well, finally it is in theatres, and I dont think youll be

First

Rate

Movie

that the salesmen are selling-instead of shooting at them as in previous encounters. They begin to buy unique items and eventually get a lion that they intend to shoot, but it turns out that the lioness is too old and couldnt come out of her cage. Walter decided to keep her and nurses her back to health. As the summer dwindles on, so do the adventures and the story. When the story came to its main climax Garth insists that Walter talk to Hub, himself but the old man hasnt warmed up to Walter enough to go and talk to him. Just when Walter settles into his new life, his mother shows back up disappointed. Caines English accent, although purposely covered, so overwhelms the fake Texas accent that you basically forget that hes trying to speak Texan and fall into his character. Duvall seems perfectly matched for his character and brings just the right amount of class to his gruff appearance. Haley Joel will forever be that little boy in AI, a movie I hated, by the way. His appearance is strange, to say the least. What saves his character is the fact that he is a great actor. He brings maturity to his characters, whereas many other child actors would

with a loser she met in Las Vegas, He is very abusive and isnt fond of Walter. After they leave, his mother makes him a promise that he knows isnt real and he decides to jump from the car in an attempt to stay with his uncles. His mother gives in and the fairy tale continues on. The movie was great, but the title just didnt fit. It left me wondering, Why that name? and Are others wondering the same thing? In the opening weekend, the box office bank did not prove to be promising, but you never know what will become of a great movie. butcher what is meant to be profound and beautiful. Overall this film will pull on your heart strings and make you laugh at the same time. The film incorporates some storybook, fairy tail type scenes that at first seem cheesy, After a few minutes, you will realize as I did; that they are meant to be that way. After all is said and done, I felt really good walking out of this film, so I guess I should call it a feel-good movie. For all those who have children, the cussing is minimal and the violence in most cases is humorous, so have fun with this film.

Richard Castillo Layout/Design Editor

First of all, the title stinks. When I saw the first preview for this movie, it piqued my interest. As the preview ended and the title of the film came on the screen, my first reaction (in my head) was, What the &*^$#? Anyway, I got over it easily when I finally saw the movie. The film follows an abandoned young boy, played by Haley Joel Osment, who has found himself dumped in front of a house where two old, grumpy, and suicidal men have found residence. The two

C L A S S I F I E D S
FIGHTERS WANTED FOR THURSDAY NIGHT AT THE FIGHTS IN BILLINGS... MEN&WOMEN NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY! $125 WINNER...$50 LOSER TO REGISTER CALL 1-888-702-4007 OR 406-723-4007 MOVIE EXTRAS/MODELS NEEDED. NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED ALL LOOKS & AGES. EARN $100-300 A DAY. CALL: 1800-820-0167 If you would like to advertise with the Retort Classifieds, contact Val or Amy at 657-2194. $7.50 for 4 lines, $2.50 each additional line.

A STEP AHEAD PRODUCTIONS (VIDEO PRODUCTIONS COMPANY): SEEKING TALENT FOR VOICE-OVERS/NARRATORS, ACTORS & ACTRESSES, SCRIPT WRITERS, MUSICIANS AND SALES. CALL 3252714 SHERRI (CELL) 245-3380 (OFFICE) OR E-MAIL: ASAPVIDEO@NETZERO.COM

Mens
Jason Lillie Reporter

Soccer...

Doug Seigle, head coach of MSU-B mens soccer team, is an intense man. When asked about the current state of the team, it was obvious he has a passion for his job, a passion and intensity for the game that he tries to instill in his players. With a record of 5-2-1, there can be no complaints about how the season is progressing. When asked about his goals for the season, Seigle said that team was the key word for the year. He went on to explain that he wanted, above all else, for his players to come together as a team. Not a group of players on the soccer field, but one unit working to-

Womens Soccer at MSU-B... Productive Off Season?

Jason Lillie Reporter
Womens soccer at MSUBillings is undergoing a revolution. Led by second year coach Don Trentham, the Womens soccer program is going full steam ahead. With a team led by six returning veterans and a new freshman class, the future looks bright. Trentham is off to a good start towards building a well respected program in the Far West Region. Playing in the most competitive region in the country, with their toughest schedule ever, the Lady Yellowjackets have set themselves a tough task. But they seem to be up to the challenge. The Yellowjackets play as an independent in the Far West region of the NCAA division II. This years schedule includes five teams ranked in the top 10 of the region and three teams ranked in the top 25 of the country. During an aggressive recruiting program in the off season, the Yellowjackets picked up 11 new players, including five new starting freshmen and one transfer junior from Santa Rosa Jr. College. Recruiting took place around the country with players coming from as far as Arizona. Freshmen starters include: Kelsey Vinnedge and Raquel Macias at the mid-fielder positions, Ally Taylor at forward, and Alyssa Wolfer and Megan Plank who share the starting duties of goal keeper. With a core of returning veterans, the Yellowjackets have a solid team. Senior starters include Captain Heidi Robertson at defender, Sara Otis at mid-field and Mandy Reed at defender. Junior out of a roster of 11 players only five: juniors Olivia Munro, Courtney Metzler, Johanna Peterson as well as senior Katrina Dahlgren and Sandra Beal are returning from last years squad. Transferring to MSU-B were sophomore Natalie Bills (Snow College), junior Kari Jones (Portland State), and senior Brittany Uffelman (Black Hills State). Rounding out the squad are three freshmen: Alexis Sandru (Twin Bridges, Montana), Alberta Leota (Laie, Hawaii) and Jessica Bratton (Casper, Wyoming). After starting the season with two straight tournaments on the road, gostarters are Captain Candy Cherry at mid-field/forward, Megan Beckstead at mid-field, Stephanie Clark at defender, and transfer junior Margot Merrill-Johnson starts at the mid-field position. Trentham considers this team the most talented group of players in the history of MSUB womens soccer. The team is improving with every game, and with 11 games left in the season his goal of being competitive in every game and giving ourselves a chance to win is becoming a reality. ing 2-5, the Yellowjackets started their home season off on the right foot by winning their final tune up before conference play, beating cross-town rival Rocky Mountain College for the first time since 2001. We hope that win over RMC will set the tone for the rest of our season; said Matavao.

gether towards their goals. After going through trying three-a-day practices during the summer and a schedule that consists mostly of road games, he feels the players have become as close as family. The Yellowjackets have 10 returning players from last season and a group of transfers and freshmen; the MSU-B mens soccer team is very solid. With junior Thomas Pertuit leading the team in scoring and freshman stand-out Victor Sargent, the team is full of threats. When asked about who starts, Seigle said he plays a lot of players. The basic starting team looks something like this: Lucas Sanchez, A.J. Reyes, Victor Sargent, captains Andres Calabro and Thomas Pertuit at mid-

Tough

field, Jesse Spann and Dustin Kono at forward, Billy Dess, Damian Wandler and captain Vincent Stefano at Defense. Jess Feldtman and Yacine Zerizef share time at the goal keeper position. Seigle said that the teams upcoming road trip is the heart of the season. The team is about to face five of the regions top teams in their upcoming road games. Starting Sept. 19, the team travels to Washington to face traditional region powerhouse Seattle Pacific University in the schools home opener. They then travel to Seattle University for another home opener. The first leg of the road trip ends Sept. 22 at Western Washington University. The second leg of the road trip begins Sept. 26 at Regis

Schedule

University in Colorado, followed the next day by a game against the University of Colorado-Colo. Springs. All of these teams are ranked in the top 10 in the region. This road trip will be the biggest challenge of the year for the Yellowjackets. Seigle feels they have a good chance of coming out on top, however. While most of the teams have only played five games, the Yellowjackets have played eight and the coach hopes the extra experience for the Jackets will come into play. He also said that they might be able to catch some of their remaining opponents sleeping and not prepared for a much-improved Yellowjacket team.

Ahead

Volleyball Seeks To Be Noticed

Jed Barton Sports Editor
MSU-Billings Volleyball coach Paulasi Matavao doesnt mind playing in a conference that includes two teams who are ranked in the latest national poll: defending national champion BYU-Hawaii, currently ranked number two, and Hawaii Pacific at number 15. As a matter of fact, he welcomes the challenge. Strong competition should help bring our team together, says Matavao. The team concept will be an important one for the Yellowjackets, as

Photo by: Jason Lillie Olivia Munro goes up for the ball.

Photos by: Jason Lillie Above: Courtney Metzler prepares to block a set during a recent match Center: Senior Katrina Dahlgren spikes the ball during a recent match against BYU-Hawaii.

Making
Miranda Breding Staff Writer

The

Miles

With

Cross

Countr y

Its not hard to imagine traveling 70 miles in a week. Most students do that routinely, driving to and from school and maybe making a trip to one of the communities surrounding Billings. Imagine running those 70 miles? According to cross country Coach, Dave Coppock, thats roughly the mileage that the MSU-B mens cross country team is putting in. The womens team is just a bit under in mileage at 50 miles per week. At the fourth week into a season of roughly eight weeks, the MSUB cross country team is looking and feeling strong with a bright outlook for the season. Weve got a pretty low injury rate, Coppock said and noted that this year MSUB has a strong team of 13 runners, although there is only one returning runner from last years mens team. Describing what its like to be new on the team, incoming freshman runner, Sean Hannifin, said, Its not, Youre a freshman, youre a senior, Its, Youre running, youre a runner, youre a teammate. Because of the added challenge that MSU-B doesnt have a

Photo by Mi Suk Kim The MSU-B Cross Country team runs across the south end of campus during a recent practice.

Photo by: Mi Suk Kim The Cross Country team takes a break from practice. From Left to Right: Jr-Raquel McCarthy, So-Kendra BeGee, Fr-Sean Hannifin, Fr-Joe Kragt, So-Scott Brown, Jr-Ryan Archibald, Sr-Anjel Hoff, Fr-Tiffany Piplica, So-Sam Hartpence, Jr-Brendan Murray, Coach-Dave Coppock.

track program, cross country runners must take the initiative to keep running in the off season. Coppock said, Basically I want them running year round[They have] gotta show up in shape. Practices

are Tuesday though Friday. Meets are on Saturdays and bright and early on Sunday mornings the team makes its long run of about 12-15 miles. All of this running will even-

tually build up to the NCAA Regional Meet in Pomona, Calif on November 8. There, Coppock hopes to see both the mens and womens teams move into the top half of regional rankings. On Oct. 4, the cross country team will be competing at University of Colorados Rocky Mountain Shootout in Boulder, Colo. The mens team will be running an 8K, building to eventually run a 10K at regionals, and the womens team will be running a 5K that will be upgraded to a 6K at regionals. Junior, Ryan Archibald, has been running since he was in sixth grade. I just love to run, he said, Started running cause my dad did it. Every boy wants to be like his dad. [Running] is a way to relax. Junior, Raquel McCarthy, just made the switch from soccer to cross country this year. She has been running in local road races since she was 13-years-old to get in shape for the soccer season. And although, as a new cross country runner, she says shes not looking for first place, she talked of her passion for running, If I dont run, I dont feel like my days complete. Welcome to the world of cross country where, as Coppock put it, An eight-mile day, thats an easy day.

VB @ Hawaii Pacific*Honolulu, HI

VB @ BYUHawaii* Laie, HI

WSoc @ UMN Crookston Crookston, MN

SB: Dawson CC 2 & 4 pm Cenex Stadium CC @ UNCO Greeley, CO

WSoc: Carroll College 1 pm COT Field MSoc @ Huron Bismarck, ND SB @ North Idaho Couer D Alene, ID VB @ Western New Mexico* Silver City, NM

WSoc @ Northern State Aberdeen, SD

VB @ Western New Mexico* Silver City, NM

VB @ Rocky 7 pm RMC Fortin Center

WSoc: UTVSC 3:30 pm COT Field

SB: Wyoming & Weber ST TBA Cenex Stadium CC: Yellowjacket Invitational Riverfront Park

WSoc: UNCO 1 pm COT Field

WSoc: Rocky 3 pm COT Field

VB:Chaminade 7pm Alterowitz Gym

A View from Section 106: Miracle Man on Ice

Jed Barton Sports Editor
Note: Section 106 (which serves as part of the title of this column) is the location in right-center field of the Minneapolis Metrodome I sat in while attending my first major league baseball game with my pop (grandfather) Barton in 1986. What a summer it has been in the world of sports: from the excitement of some close pennant races in baseball, to the soap opera surrounding Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett, to the sad and horrific situation in Eagle County Colorado. But I am not going to talk about those issues. Instead, I am going to talk about one of the great coaches in any sport at any time, a man whose life was paramount to the sport of hockey in this country and who had a hand in a miracle that boosted the morale of all Americans at a critical juncture in our national story. That man is Herb Brooks, who died Aug. 11, when, after attending a benefit for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, he fell asleep at the wheel of his car, causing it to run off the road near Minneapolis. Born in St. Paul, Minn. in 1937, Brooks was a standout player for legendary coach John Mariucci at the University of Minnesota in the late 1950s and was the last player Mariucci cut when putting together Team USA for the 1960 Olympics, a team that would win a gold medal. I guess coach cut the right guy, Brooks reflected; he ended up playing for the United States in both the 1964 and 68 Olympics. In 1972 Brooks would return to his alma mater, this time as head coach of the mens hockey team. Over the next seven years, the Gophers would advance to the NCAA national championship game four times winning three titles NHL-caliber players prevented from (1974,76,79). Brookss success at defecting by their government and the U of M would lead USA Hockey paid for their services by that govto hire him as head coach of the1980 ernment all legal under IOC rules, because they were officially listed as Olympic team. What chance did Team USA commissioned officers of the Red have to win a medal? Not much ac- Army assigned to morale boosting cording to experts at the time, they duties with in the directorate of enranked along with West Germany tertainment and recreation. Two: and Romania towards the bottom of the Soviets had demolished the the 8 team pool. But that didnt stop Americans 10-3 in an exhibition Brooks who would start each prac- game just a week before the Olymtice by telling his players pics opened and in the Gentlemen summer of 1979, deyou were feated a team of NHL born to play all-stars. hockey now But the Ameriget to work! cans, as we all know, And work won that game 4-3, they did. causing possibly the Brooks took greatest upset in the his group of history of sports. college Sure, people point out hockey playthe fact that the Soviet ers which incoach for some reacluded guys son put in his backup from the East goalie after one peCoast, like riod, thereby benchteam captain Courtesy of University of Minnesota ing a goalie who was M i k e considered by many Eruzione, guys from the Great Lakes as one of the best of all time, or that rust belt such as Ken Morrow, and the USA may have caught the SoviNorthern Plains farm kids like Neil ets believing that this game was in Broten, and put them through a two- the bag before the opening face-off, month training camp that, while thinking about their game against the completely safe and within reason, Swedes. But no matter how you look would have had Bear Bryant taking at it was David versus Goliath the notes. sequel and David won again. When the Olympic tournament Of course as few now rememopened at Lake Placid, N.Y., the U.S. ber, the U.S. actually guaranteed surprised everybody by advancing themselves only the bronze or silver to the medal round and defeating medal by beating the USSR. To win Sweden in their first game, setting the gold, the upstart Yanks would up a superpower showdown with the have to beat the fourth medal round Soviet Union. team, Finland. If we beat the To put the Americans chances Ruskies and then lose to the Fins, against the Soviets in perspective, you people will take it to your there are two things a person needs grave, is what Brooks told his team. to remember. One: the Soviets were The USA beat Finland 4-2 and won not really amateurs; they were all the gold completing the triumph. After the 80 games Brooks would go on to coach three teams in the NHL, as well as scout international talent as a front office executive for several others. He would also return briefly to the college ranks, serving as head coach of St. Cloud State (Minn.). In 2001, looking to improve on its dismal 1998 showing both on and off the ice, USA Hockey would call upon Brooks to guide the 2002 Olympic Team. This time under the new international rules, the team would have NHL players on its roster as would most other competing nations. At first, Brooks admitted he was unsure of how to handle this group of multi-millionaires and whether any would even want to play for him, but his legend inspired many of the players, and the thought of representing the stars and stripes in the wake of the events of Sept. 11 brought along the rest. In a much shorter period this time a matter of days not months Brooks adjusted the likes of Chris Chelios and John Leclair to the differences of playing on the wider international ice surface as he had Eruzione and company. This time the US would again make the gold medal game, losing to Canada, the silver medal was however the first medal for the US since 1980. To conclude whatever Herb Brooks did before or afterwards, he will always be known as the chief architect of what is now known as the Miracle on Ice. A man who took a group of college kids, 19-20 years olds, and defeated possibly, in that particular Soviet squad, one of the greatest teams ever to lace up skates. In the process allowing Americans burdened by the hostile taking of their embassy in Iran, a severe energy shortage and economic recession to feel a sense of pride in their nation.

Getting To Know You: Alberta Letoa Is Cold!

Volleyball player Alberta Letoa is cold! Probably because she hails from Laie, Hawaii, on the lush island of Oahu. Alberta is an 18year-old freshman majoring in Education. She is attending MSU-B on a full-ride volleyball scholarship. Coach Paulasi Matavao spotted her in a high school volleyball game at Kahuku High School and convinced her to come all the way to Billings, Mont. to show her stuff. Alberta was the first person to check into the dorms on Aug. 1. She admits it was kind of spooky being the only person in the building, and it is also her first time

Betsy Harris Reporter

Alberta is a setter/defensive living away from home. At least August was warm. Alberta had to specialist on the MSU-B volleyball buy an MSU-B sweat suit from the team. Basically, she sets up the ball for her teammates to spike it over bookstore while she the net. She practices waits for her aunt for two hours every from Texas to come night and works out visit and take her an additional hour for shopping for some weight training. The warm clothes. The Lady Yellowjackets flip-flops just arent beat the Rocky cutting it in SeptemMountain Bears 3-0 ber in Billings. in their first home Alberta has found the game of the season. people of Montana Alberta had 13 assists very friendly, which and six digs while is saying a lot coming from Hawaii, one of Photo by Megan Sturlaugson splitting setting time with sophomore the most inviting and Natalie Bills. This is the first time friendly places on earth.

the Jackets have beaten the Bears since 2001. It looks like we may have a real winning team this year. Alberta is pleased with the turn out of people to see the games, but the Jackets could always use more support, so if you havent been to a game, check it out! Being away from home, Alberta misses the ocean and her niece Shali the most. She wont offer it up, but she is also an accomplished Hawaiian Dancer who worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu. If you see Alberta around school, buy her a cup of hot chocolate and let her know that warm weather is just another seven or eight months away.

College Bowl, the Varsity Sport of the Mind. 2003

Press Release
COLLEGE BOWL is a game of academic knowledge and quick recall. Now in its seventh year at MSU-B, the COLLEGE BOWL Campus Program is a popular tradition on Americas campuses. Montana State UniversityBillings is among nearly 300 institutions of higher education playing COLLEGE BOWL this season. Last season, the Retort team dominated the campus tournament and continued its domination at the regional competition at the University of Washington. The team was then invited to compete at the national level in Philadelphia. Like the popular radio and television series of the 50s, 60s and 70s, the game features two teams of four players, each competing to score points by answering toss-up and bonus questions. The questions cover every conceivable topic-from literature, science, history, geography, religion, social sciences, multicultural topics, and the arts, to popular culture, sports, and current events. COLLEGE BOWL is organized and administered with the cooperation of the Association of College Unions - International . Our campus tournament is run by the Student Union & Activities office. Competition at MSU-B begins on Thursday, Oct. 23 with the campus tournament to select the varsity team. Prizes will be given to the winning team. A teaser will be held in the SUB Atrium on Oct. 20. During the competition a team of deans and vice chancellors will challenge the 2002-2003 MSU-B National Team. Our varsity team will advance to the regional tournament, Feb. 20-22, 2004. This years regionals will be held at the University of Montana. The national championship tournament, scheduled for April 23-25 at Auburn University-Montgomery in Montgomery, Alabama, features the 15 regional champions. You can be involved. Assist in the event by volunteering, gather a team of four together to compete or enjoy the tournament as an audience member. To sign-up for MSU-B COLLEGE BOWL competition, contact the Student Union office, SUB 219 or call 657-2387 by Oct.10. Get your team together and well see you there! JOIN THE TEAM TODAY!

DATE:

Thursday, OCT. 23, 2003

TIME:

7:00pm 11:00pm
PLACE:

SUB Lewis and Clark Room

REGISTER YOUR TEAM BY Oct. 10:

Student Union Office, SUB 219, 657-2387

MEET THE RETORT

Valerie Young

Janna Huhtala

Name: Janna Huhtala (Editor-in-Chief) Age: 21 on July 3 Major/Year in School: Public Relations, Senior Hometown: Chester, Montana (Small Town, USA) When I graduate college I want to...travel the world. My dream job/career is...Living out of a suitcase on $800 a month as an AP journalist, writing about important world issues...eventually be a wife & mom. Name: Valerie Young (Business Manager) Age: 22 on November 8 Major/Year in School: Human Services, Senior Hometown: Butte, Montana When I graduate college I want to...have babies. My dream job/career is...coming alongside people & showing them the light of Jesus.