Dear Underclassmen (including the “POed Mines Student”), The CSM Campus has recently become riddled with criticism. As many might suspect, these grievances address the difficulty of the classes being offered. But they are not coming from the upperclassmen. They are made in vast numbers by the lower classes (freshmen and sophomores) who feel that…
At this point calling Arcade Fire a true indie band is a little like calling Star Trek a fresh new show. Still, the release of their new album, The Suburbs, has been treated with a new excitement in indie nerds such as me. Starting the album, I was personally pleased by the clarity and coalesced nature of the music. The title track, “The Suburbs,” holds a charming beat reminiscent of an old saloon with a very active piano starting off the mix. While this song is good, it seems to go on a bit too long. Luckily this element is quickly put to the side with the strong piercing beats of “Ready To Start.” For the next few songs, including my personal favorite “Modern Man,” the album remains deceptively pensive by disguising deep lyrics with cheerful bounding instrumental parts.
In place of the usual beer review this week is a review of another alcoholic beverage, whiskey. While not strictly followed the “liquor before beer” rule for this column, a little moderation and diversity never hurt.
If you find yourself in Golden on any given night, many of the stars to the northeast are sadly washed out by the strong lights of Denver, Boulder, and campus itself. Regardless of this travesty, unless you are standing right under a street lamp, it is likely that you will be able to find the familiar five stars of Cassiopeia. Similar to the vain, mythological queen the constellation is named after, Cassiopeia seems to shimmer with an awe-inspiring beauty. Part of this may come from the surprising fact that the brightest star in this constellation is not a star at all, but a recent supernova, the light of which only reached our planet 300 years ago.
Wouldn’t you love it if you had the time to go to the movies? The time and the money, that is. Sure, the Student Activities office sells tickets for $7.50. That’s a step in the right direction from the $9.25 at the local theater, but $7.50 could get a six pack of beer and a movie rental. Fortunately, living in the future as we do, we have alternatives to dropping cash at the theater. If you have a computer, you have access to Hulu.com, and one of its movies, “Wristcutters: A Love Story.”
This week’s cooking corner will provide the final touch to the snack food trifecta: Salsa. The two previous weeks of cooking corner included guacamole and homemade pita chips and this week’s salsa recipe will complete the set. Whether you are a game-day grazer or a munchie-maniac, a short trip to the grocery store for a few ingredients will dish out enough salsa to feed everyone. A blender could be substituted for a food processor if necessary, but the amount of salsa made with this recipe will be more than adequate to trade a friend for a little chop time on their processor.
Ever crawl out of bed in the morning and feel the need for a hot, fresh breakfast and a good cup of joe? Then head on over to Cafe 13 in downtown Golden.
It is two in the morning. The sporadic gunfire and explosion in the other room has finally died out. If that registered, one might reach the conclusion that the Halo: Reach game has come to an end. But no. Bismarck is out to redraw the map of Europe and the sun never sets on the British Empire. Speaking of the sun, a dim orange glow shines through the curtains. Sid Meier has done it again! “Just one more turn” syndrome strikes again.
Taking advantage of the nice weather, the first haunt of the season was a visit to the haunted corn maze. The Haunted Field of Screams, located in Thornton at 104th Ave and Riverdale Road, is a place for adults and kids alike. The Dead Man’s Hallow night-time maze is a trail without actors and only the dark to frighten. During the day, it is a pumpkin patch where visitors can buy gourds of all shapes and sizes.
Littleton, Colorado sought federal funding for one of its first experiences with road construction this week in 1916, as reported in the article “Federal Aid Asked in Paving Highway.” J.E. Maloney of the state highway commission submitted a “formal request for federal aid in the construction of a concrete highway from Denver city limits to Littleton… under the federal aids roads appropriation act.” Since the US Department of Transportation was not founded until the 1960’s, this request was routed through the US Department of Agriculture. The request outlined the importance and specifications of the proposed road. It was to connect paved roads in Denver with a new paved main street in Littleton. Physically, it was to consist of, “A concrete roadbed sixteen feet wide, with four-foot shoulders of gravel and dirt on each side.” Arapahoe county and the state of Colorado planned to pay for half of the $62,000 cost and requested that the federal government pay the rest. As of October 6, 1916, the outcome of this petition was unknown, but the Littleton Independent was certain of the project’s approval and speedy completion.