NEWS 1-2 OPINION 6-7FEATURES 3 Etc 8SENIOR TRIBUTE 4-5

Graduation 2010 Vol. 88, Iss. 9

McKendree ReviewThe

701 College Rd. Lebanon, Il 62254

Dear 2010 Graduates:

On behalf of the McKendree University Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and alumni from throughout the world, I wish to convey special congratulations to those students graduating this May. We hope that your McKendree experience has been a good one and that you feel prepared to take on life’s next set of challenges.

Regardless of where life takes you, we trust that you will have fond memories of your alma mater. As others before you have done, we encourage you to understand and appreciate the McKendree legacy. Strive for excellence in all that you do, find ways to serve others and help give the gift of a McKendree education to future generations of students.

McKendree is blessed to have so many alums who care deeply about this institution and who support us in a variety of ways. Their satisfaction comes from helping

future students receive the same opportunity for a McKendree education that they, and you, have had.

Your alma mater has improved dramatically over the last decade. Many would agree that the McKendree educational experience has never been more

valuable. Our hope is that you will join us in McKendree’s continuing quest to become the best small university in the country!

Thanks for being a Bearcat, for making this a better place than when you arrived and for your future support in fulfilling McKendree’s destiny.

Good luck, best wishes and God bless.

Go ‘Cats,Jim Dennis, President

From the desk of President Dennis

Dan-Dan Security Man By Chelsea ArnoldEditor-in-Chief

On an average day at McKendree University, one

man can always be found standing near the flag pole, ready to help those in need. That man is known by several nicknames around campus, ranging from ‘Lieutenant Dan,’ ‘Security Dan’ and even ‘Dan-Dan Security Man’; however, to most he is just Dan Sewell.

After four years in the United states Marine Corps, Dan joined McKendree Public Safety in Oct. of 2001.

“I didn’t really want to be a city police officer. I like the college atmosphere and I like to protect the people I meet here,” Dan said.

“I really like the people I work with; I have fun hanging out with Brian Fix and the swing shift. And to the guys who work the 12-8 shift; bless your souls.”

Dan graduated from the police academy in 2003, being awarded most physically fit in his graduating class. He has since attended several conventions, including

secret service seminar on active shooters. He has also trained for major disaster

control and is trained to handle any natural or man-made disaster that could occur

on campus or the surrounding area. He has even put together mock scenarios for campus and outside agencies.

Around campus, Dan enjoys busting people for parking in the striped spots at McKendree West.

He said, “It bugs me; just don’t do it.” Dan can always tell when he and the rest of Public Safety are doing their jobs: they get complaints.

He enjoys working on game nights, because he

gets to watch the sports and watch over the gyms

and packed stadiums. Dan’s favorite place on campus is next to the flagpole.

“I like to be approachable and accessible. Plus, it’s my favorite place to see my friends and find ‘bad guys.’”

He hates to hear when students act out of hand and would love preventing it.

DAN SEWELL

Continued Pg 3

The McKendree University chapter of Phi Beta Lambda (PBL), a national business organization for post-secondary students, earned 39 awards at the Illinois State Leadership Conference, held Apr. 9 and 10 in Effingham, Ill. 15 McKendree students qualified to compete at the

PBL National Leadership Conference in Nashville, TN July 9-12, 2010.

Students participated in a variety of business, computer, and speaking-related competitions, attended workshops ranging from career fairs to starting a career, and networked with other PBL members from across the state.

Competing were seniors Nicki Wilhelm,

Emily Eilermann, Ryan Huelsmann, Carrie Meyer, and Brent Kalmer; juniors Chris Mondy, Jason Kemlage, Mark Cokel, Scott Welzbacher, Danielle Mask, Tara Ryterski, Tonya Downard, Matt Anastasia, and John Erley; and sophomores Richard Bailey, Lori Hanken, Erin Bault, James Murphy, and Marcy Wyrosdick.

By Phi Beta LambdaAssociated Press

McK Phi Beta Lambda 39 awards at State Competition

Continued Pg 3

MEMBERS OF PHI BETA LAMBDA

Page 2 News

The McK Review Crew

Chelsea Arnold-Editor -in-Chief-

Sarah Adams-Associate Editor-

Gabe Shapiro-Faculty Advisor-

Editors

In this issueAmber Clay

Dr. James DennisStarr Goldsberry

Kyle Hintz

Maggie HughesAnthony JhueneJoep Schruers

Nick WattsThe McKendree Review is

a student-run organization of McKendree University. The mission of The McKendree Review is to give students the opportunity to learn the news process and publish articles pertaining to their opinions and ideas.

The staff does not agree with all

statements and opinions, which rightfully belong to their writers.

The McKendree Review Office can be found in Clark 301 on the McKendree Campus, at 701 College Rd., Lebanon, IL, 62254. Staff can be reached by email at mckreview@mckendree.edu.

Libby Mowers-Assistant Editor-

Eric Neblock-Web Editor-

Ben Simon-Assistant Editor-

OOPS!Corrections to the previous issue:

- Nadia Moore was left off the list of qualifiers in the McKendree Women’s Track and Field article.

We Messed up...

FIND US ON THE WEBThe McKendree Review is now digitally

available to all! Check our archives page out at:

www.issuu.com/mckreview.You can also find us on Facebook!

Please leave comments, suggestions, ideas, and critiques on our Facebook

Wall or Honesty Box to help us be YOUR newspaper. We are always wanting to improve our work, and thanks to your

feedback, we can.

CongratulationsContest winner

Congrates to Chelsea Lehr for

correctly finishing the cryptogram in the last

issue. The answer was:

“April is national poetry month.”

Thank you to all who participated in this contest and all our

previous ones. We’ll see you next year!

Men’s soccer here at McKendree, like in the rest of the US, goes fairly unrecognized at collegiate level. Fans will pack the bleachers for football games, and sports such as hockey and even softball will have a good turn-out in terms of support. It is unfortunate, that men’s soccer is not held in the same regard by the student body or the general supporters of McKendree athletics.

If this was not the case, then many people would be shocked and thrilled to find out that, thanks to the team’s stellar reputation within collegiate soccer, the newly formed professional men’s soccer team AC St. Louis proposed to McKendree a pre-season friendly match before their upcoming season opener.

The match had been arranged to be played at the end of March, taking place in McKendree’s Leemon Field. It was well known amongst the McKendree players and coaching staff that they would be coming up against a highly skilled squad of players, boasting alumni from local D1 colleges such as SIU as well as international players from countries such as Angola, France and even 5-time World Cup winners, Brazil.

The team is also coached by Claude Anelka, older brother to Chelsea and

France star Nicolas Anelka, who has had experience coaching at professional level in Scotland with Division 1 side Raith Rovers (also former team of McKendree men’s soccer captain Richard Henderson).

Before the game Coach Tim Strange reminded his players in the pre-match talk that this was a game only the McKendree side could benefit from. Playing against a side with the level of talent AC St. Louis had could only provide valuable experience for the players, as well as show the level of quality for all the squad to achieve for the coming fall season.

What Strange highlighted to be most important of all was for the players to enjoy themselves out on the field and relish the chance to be playing against professional athletes of this caliber.

As the game kicked off it was apparent which was the sharper side with AC St. Louis creating quick one-twos in McKendree’s half of the field, leaving the players chasing after the ball most of the game.

This, however, was to be expected and the McKendree defense and midfield maintained their shape and managed to stay organized. The strikers of AC St. Louis proved too dynamic in their movements for the defense to handle and by the end of the game had managed

to slip four by the usually solid McKendree defense.

Despite the result, there were definite positives for the McKendree team to take away from the game. For periods in the game, the players managed to play some neat footwork, exhibiting the quick one-touch passing game that often leaves lesser teams wide open for our strikers to exploit. In terms of chances for McKendree, they came few and far between with only three or four shots at goal.

The AC St. Louis players’ fitness levels proved the biggest difference in determining the final result since they were in the middle of conducting two-a-day sessions while the McKendree players were in mid off-season practice sessions.

One of the McK players made an accurate observation in saying,

“A fair game could have been made of it, if all if the squad were up to full fitness.”

The match proved to be incredibly valuable for the McKendree players as learning experience for the future, and will serve them greatly in the upcoming season next semester. So students, faculty, fans, take note: perhaps the McK men’s soccer team should be next semester’s big sporting attraction.

I mean, they are good enough for the pros…

McKendree University vs. AC St. LouisMen’s Soccer takes on the ‘Big League’

By Nick WattsStaff Writer

Receiving first place accolades were Cokel (Macroeconomics, Sports Management and Marketing), Huelsmann (Accounting Analysis & Decision Making, Accounting for Professionals, International Business, Small Business Management Plan), Murphy (Networking Concepts), and Wyrosdick (Cyber Security, Information Management).

Second place awards went to Bault (Financial Concepts), Cokel (Contemporary Sports Issues, Economic Analysis & Decision Making), Eilermann (Accounting for Professionals), Mask (Project Management, Telecommunciations), Meyer (Accounting Analysis & Decision Making), Mondy (Sports Management and Marketing),

Ryterski (Cyber Security), Welzbacher (Computer Concepts) and Wilhelm (Future Business Executive, Marketing Analysis & Decision Making). Second place group winners include Huelsmann, Kemlage, Mondy (Business Ethics) and Kemlage, Mondy (Human Resource Management).

Earning third place were Anastasia (Sports Management and Marketing), Bault (Contemporary Sports Issues), Cokel (Business Law), Kalmer (Accounting for Professionals, Financial Concepts), Meyer (Management Concepts), Murphy (Accounting Analysis & Decision Making, Cyber Security) and Wilhelm (Financial Analysis & Decision Making, Impromptu Speaking).

The chapter also received first place awards for the March of Dimes fundraiser, largest Illinois chapter, and community service project; second place in Battle of the Chapters; and third place for Award of Excellence. Wilhelm attained the Career Membership Achievement Program Executive Level.

Phi Beta Lambda is the national business organization for college and university students. It is the post-secondary branch of Future Business Leaders of America. The organization supports and encourages student activities and success at the local, state and national levels. It aims to prepare students for successful careers after college and to help them distinguish themselves.

Phi Beta Lambda Cont.

Chelsea Lehr

Page 3Features

Before joining McKendree Public Safety, Dan volunteered to join the deployable unit in the United States Marine Corps.

The unit would spend nine months on land and six months at sea prepared as the world’s 9-11 evacuation. Dan went through twice.

During his time with the Marines, Dan also assisted with humanitarian efforts and weapon inspections during the conflict with Saddam Hussein.

Dan’s unit also responded to the bombing of the USS Cole.

Outside of work, Dan enjoys playing video games and watching sports.

A few favorites include Madden and Need for Speed, and also playing God of War with Brian.

A few of his off-campus hobbies include

‘delivery no less than triplets and defusing nuclear bombs.

Dan would also like to mention that he was named after the song “Danny Boy,” so don’t call him Daniel.

He is single, and dislikes when people over-use the word ‘like’ when they talk.

He enjoys hanging out with his close friends and friends from the college, and playing with his English Bulldog Gunny (Gunnery Sergeant).

According to most McKendree students, Dan is a pretty nice guy. Student workers in 1828 even refer to Dan as a ‘laid-back, genuinely nice and funny guy.”

His main advice to McKendree students, graduating or not, is:

“Remember that you are ambassadors for McKendree. It’s not just you getting in trouble; it’s you as an McK student in trouble.”

So next time you see a bald guy in the Public Safety uniform standing next to the flag pole, know that Dan-Dan Security Man is always watching out for you and your safety.

Dan-Dan Security Man Cont.

Dan at the flagpole with a fellow Public Safety Officer.

Have you ever wanted to get back at your professors? Recently, McKendree’s chapter of Sigma Zeta, a national honor society for natural and computer sciences and mathematics, gave students that chance.

The group hosted a unique competition that will end with one professor getting a pie to the face. The competition was held from Monday, April 12 through Friday, April 23. The date of the pieing is still tentative, but it will be during the last week of classes.

To begin the fundraiser, members of McKendree’s Beta chapter of Sigma Zeta set up collection bins in 1828 and Holman Library where students could drop change into slots for 13 different professors. Whichever professor gets the most change, “wins.”

Carrie Schumacher, the president of the Beta chapter, said, “We got the idea for the fundraiser from another chapter of Sigma Zeta that we met at the National Sigma Zeta Convention. Sharing ideas like this is one reason our chapter is so proud to be active at the national level.”

The money from this

fundraiser is actually going to benefit the Beta chapter’s activity at the national level.

“The funds will be used for our trip to the National Sigma Zeta Convention in San Antonio, Texas. Since this convention is farther than it has been in recent years, we are working hard to make more money this year. Attending Convention is important to our chapter because it gives students a chance to present their research to an interested audience, see what students at other institutions are researching and meet students with similar interests from around the country,” Schumacher said.

Professors or staff up for the pieing were Dr. David Jennings, Dr. Michele Schutzenhofer, Dr. Robb Van Putte, Dr. Feza Ozturk, Mrs. Gail Hollis, Dr. Myron Reese, Dr. Kevin Zanelotti, Dr. Jean Sampson, Dr. Martha Patterson, Mr. Fred Underwood, Dr. Darryn Diuguid, Dr. J.L Kemp, Dr. Janet Wicker, Ms. Terese Kasson, Dr. Philip Wilhelm and Mr. Craig Robertson.

Jordan Finch, vice president of the McKendree chapter, explained, “We personally asked or emailed the professors we thought would be most likely to participate. It was solely

on a voluntary basis…We also had some professors recommend other professors that they thought would help us out, so we contacted them as well.”

One such professor was Dr. Patterson, professor of English. In response to why she agreed to the possible pie in the face, she wrote, “My beloved Division Chair, Dr. Brenda Boudreau, selected me, lowly and undeserving, to have the inestimable privilege of potentially facing a projectile pie. Of course, my two boys, who are leaning over me as a write this message, are chanting ‘Mommy needs to get pied, get pied.’”

If students are that enthusiastic about pieing Dr. Patterson, she’ll surely be getting messy! Stay tuned for more information on when the pie will be released!

In the meantime, if you’re interested in Sigma Zeta, you have to be majoring in the fields of science, mathematics or computer science with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and you have to have been a student at McKendree for at least a year. Contact president Carrie Schumacher for more information.

Pie your Professor Sweet, sticky revenge for your semester

By Libby MowersAssistant Editor

Things are always changing in university life; new

students, new staff and new subjects are constantly coming and going. At the end of this year, McKendree University will see one of its faculty members leave. Dr. David Jennings, one of the main professors of biology here at McKendree, will be leaving for a new job in Edwardsville.

Dr. Jennings has been a member of McKendree faculty for the last five years, teaching classes such as Introductory Biology, Evolution, Developmental Biology and the Anatomy & Physiology courses.

He said he has been happy working at McKendree and was not really looking for another job, but his future position at Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville seemed too ideal to pass up. SIUE is closer to his home in Edwardsville and his new job will allow him to do more research.

“I enjoy research and having a space for that,” said Jennings.

However, neither working at a big university nor moving will be a new experience for him. Jennings grew up

in Massachusetts and his education and travels have taken him to 46 of the 50 states, excluding Idaho, Mississippi, Alabama and Montana.

“I wanted to be a vet when I was younger,” he said.

While he never ended up in vet school, Jennings got his bachelor’s degree at Kansas State University, moved to Rutgers University in New Jersey for his master’s and received his PhD at

Colorado University. Before coming to teach at McKendree, he was working a post-doctorate job in Arizona.

All of his degrees are in biology, but he specializes in endocrinology, which is the study of hormones and the endocrine system. Some of his research in this area involved

studying rainforest frogs in Costa Rica and Puerto Rico.

Jennings said that switching to such a small private university was a dramatic change, but he has enjoyed the opportunity to get to know faculty in other fields as well as develop projects like the butterfly garden.

With the switch to SIUE, he is looking forward not only to research but also to interacting with more colleagues in his field and teaching

By Sarah AdamsAssociate Editor

Dr Jennings in his office with his artwork.

Goodbye, Dr. Jennings

Continued Pg 8

On April 5th 2010 Mckendree’s own Black Student Organization hosted its very first own Official Comedy Show and Charity Event. The event took place in the Hettenhausen Center for the arts at 8:30 PM.

Artists Big Whoodie wowed the crowd performing his latest single, and Strap and Jay got the crowd hype with their newest track. Comedian Jesse Taylor, who hails from St. Louis, was the MC of the Show and kept the crowd laughing with his wild antics, and hilariously funny jokes about babysitting his girlfriend’s handicap son.

Corey Rayburn was a different type of comedian. He used his guitar to tell jokes about the various

stereotypes different races often use. He was not that much of a hit with the crowd but Marcus Combs from Chicago, IL, told so many jokes it kept the crowd laughing until they almost cried.

One joke in particular that had students raving was the dog with the voice box there was not one sole in the audience that did not find the humor in his jokes.

Proceeds from the event went to the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation in East St. Louis, IL. This was a very different type of show for McKendree University students.

Black Student Organization president Brittnee Jones stated, “I really feel that it will be a diverse show, and plus its something that has never happened at Mck before. This is my last year here

and we need something different.”

After the show some students were not impressed that many of the other organizations did not come out to support BSO, and they wished there was more diversity in the crowd. The turn out of the show was about 55+ students.

After the show there were free buffalo wings from Schiappas. Overall, the event was a great success. Myself, having the opportunity to attend the event, enjoyed every moment of the show, and wished the organization put on more events such as the Official Comedy Show Charity Event.

Black Student Organization is excited, and they are making it known that there is so much more to come in the future.

BSO hosts comedy event of the semesterBy Amber CLayStaff Writer

2010

2010

Page 4 Senior

Libby Mowers, Kristen Eckstadt, and Kaitie Kee prepare for the Young Feminist’s production of “The Vagina Monologues.”

Eric Palm celebrating after hitting the shot for Conference Title against Columbia College.

Holly Karner and Sydnie Siltman play with signs that came with a two part christmas tree.

Eric Palm, Nick Livas, Rod Steele, Mike Strobbe, TJ Stone, Lowell Bivens are set for Pajama Jam.

Liza Dains, Julie Frizzo, Evan VanMeter, Holly Karner, Sheree Davis, Krystin Baker, Audri Cunningham, Mee’sheca Hickman, Rachel Thompson, Shelly Musko, Lindsay Newbold, Ashley Nolan, Lindsay Amerson, Chelsea Walker, Jason Maclin, Bethany Hinkle, Kori Walker for Sigma Nu party.

Renee ryterski, Jessica smith, Christine juehne, Bethany Hinkle taking our senior pictures together!

Conference Tournament win at McKendree, coming from behind in the last 4 miuntes! Kenny Detmer, John Ruesler, Brad Copelin, Andy Wolff, Paul Nazarro Eric Hobbie, Craig Cassidy, AJ Rudd, Bryant Lyles, TJ Stone, Rod Steel, Eric Palm, Trent Kull, Ali Willoughby Jessica Colvin, Allison Thole, Katie Landfried Shelly Musko, Emily Colvin, Jessica Hunt.

A bunch of CLIO members at 2009 NSO.

Zach Rhines, Emily Thoman, Libby Mowers, Megan Reeder, Kristen Eckstadt, and Kaitlyne Motl battled ice and snow to get to Sigma Nu’s 80s party.

Emily Thoman and jackie at the first football game fall 2006

Kristie Manning, Ryan Huelsmann, Ivan Stoyanov, Becky Lindstrom, Brooke Koerkenmeier, Nicki Wilhelm, andTheresa Schmidtmake blankets for Catholic Charities in Belleville.

KET seniors Beth Hinkle, Megan Hamilton, Christine Juehne, Kristen Ecstadt, Lindsey Christensen, Jessica Smith, Renee Ryterski, Kristin Baker.

Soccer girls Kelsey Johnson, Alex Adams, Sarah Ryan, Lindsey Freeman.

John Ruesler, Paul Nazarro, Eric Palm, Eric Hobbie, Rod Steele, Kenny Detmer, Trent Kull, Bryant Lyles, Andy Wolff, Craig Cassidy, TJ Stone, Emily Gavilski, Kelsey Johnson, Shelly Musko, Katie Landfried, Allison Thole, Samantha Hamlin, Emily Colvin celebrate after the game at Columbia.

The cast of “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.”

Deanne Puloka (ISO) and Michelle Biver (RHA) on Homecoming Court

Thank you to all Seniors who submitted photos! We used at least one photo from each email we received. Congrates!

2010

Kappa Sigma Tau graduates Renee Ryterski, Bethany Hinkle, (Christine Juehne-not graduating) and Jessica Smith at Mardi Gras 2010

Page 5Tribute

Libby Mowers and Kaitie Kee having weird fun backstage during McK’s production of “The Crucible”

Theresa Schmidt at the 2008 Spring Fling,

Christine and Mrs. Jhune are both members of Phi Kappa Phi, inducted with Maggie White.

Joel Rivera and Larry Russell at the McK 55-3 victory over Olivet Nazarene University.

Renee ryterski, Jessica smith, Christine juehne, Bethany Hinkle taking our senior pictures together! Mck Golf Seniors 2010

Lindsey Christensen, Michelle Biver and junior Brittany White and senior Deanne Puloka.Kyle Hintz and Libby Mowers enjoy their

homemade banana pancakes

Stacie Banjavcic does the Roller Coaster! The eye catcher of the 4th quarter of the football game.

A bunch of girls from Walton 3rd freshman year.

Bethany Hinkle, Christine Juehne, Stephanie Harris, Jessica Smith, Renee Ryterski (left to right). Kappa Sigma Tau Jock Jam 2009

Genni Strathman, Emily Thoman, Zach Rhines, Justin Titsworth, and Dr. Wilhelm in Ecuador.

John Ruesler, Paul Nazarro, Eric Palm, Eric Hobbie, Rod Steele, Kenny Detmer, Trent Kull, Bryant Lyles, Andy Wolff, Craig Cassidy, TJ Stone, Emily Gavilski, Kelsey Johnson, Shelly Musko, Katie Landfried, Allison Thole, Samantha Hamlin, Emily Colvin celebrate after the game at Columbia.

Kristen Eckstadt and Dennis Bisto in “The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940.”

Thank you to all Seniors who submitted photos! We used at least one photo from each email we received. Congrates!

Alex Altman at Homecoming with Chelsea Arnold.

Page 6 Opinions

3.5 Paws

Bad Lieutenant: “Shoot him again... his soul is still dancing.”

‘Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Or-leans’ opens on a snake swimming through a flooded jail during Hurricane Katrina. Terence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) and his partner Stevie Pruitt (Val Kilmer) have re-turned to find a missing prisoner who is up to his neck in flood water, yelling for help. At first, they start to take bets on how long it’ll take for the poor idiot to drown, then Stevie says they should just leave him for the fire department, but Terence decides to dive in and save the guy, ruining his ‘Swiss Cotton underpants’ just for the thrill of it. For his bravery, he gets promoted to lieutenant and a back injury that’ll leave him in pain for the rest of his life. What follows is one of the weirdest movies I’ve ever seen in my life. A great film? I don’t know. Original? Definitely.

Now, I could tell you all about the plot (even though there really isn’t one), or about drug kingpin Big Fate (Xzibit), a drug-related massacre and the teenager who witnessed it all, but that’s not what this film is really about. This film is about a bad man. Nicolas Cage plays him with the same ferocious insanity that director Werner Herzog brings to all of his films (including ‘Fitzcarraldo’ for which he built an opera house in the middle of the Peruvian jungle.) These two together turn the craziness knob up to 11. Cage spends the movie murdering, raping and lying to anyone who gets in his way while ingest-ing any drugs he can get his hands on in the most electrifying performance he’s

given since ‘Leaving Las Vegas.’ Maybe I’m a little deranged, but I loved every minute of it.

There are several scenes alone that are worth the price of admission, including Cage threatening some elderly women; I won’t spoil them for you, but I guarantee you’ll be shocked. Cage is the headliner but there are good supporting perfor-mances by Eva Mendes, Xzibit, Val Kilmer, Brad Dourif, Fairuza Balk, Shawn Hatosy, Shea Whigham, Tom Bower and Jennifer Coolidge. Check it out if you want to see something new and crazy.

By Kyle HintzStaff Writer

MOVIEGOODS.COM

4 Paws

Kick-Ass: “With no power comes no responsibility.”

‘Kick-Ass’ is a hilarious satire of the superhero genre that takes the ass-kicking, over-the-top violence of Kill Bill and shoots it with a bazooka.

It’s refreshing to see a movie making fun of all the conventions of the superhero film, which in the last decade have become all too familiar, the death of a loved one, the interior monologue, the nerd-turned-superhero, etc.

Thank God for that! Early in the movie Dave Lizewski

(Aaron Johnson) aka Kick-Ass, wonders why no regular person has ever tried to become a superhero before.

So he decides he’s gonna give it a try, for once the hero’s not some angst-ridden guy, he’s just a comic book fan who decides on a whim to fight some crime. I mean that’s how it would probably happen in real life anyways.

After some misadventures and an extended stay in the hospital, Kick-Ass finds out he’s not the only superhero in town. Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz), a father-daughter team, are running around New York City wiping out criminals with arsenal that would make Rambo blush.

You can imagine where the story goes from there.

The third act isn’t anything new story-

wise it’s the balls out violence that’s that trademark of Kick-Ass.

It goes fearlessly over-the-top and the actors and the people that were with me in the theater were all right there with it. If you want some insanely fun entertainment check it out.

P.S. Another great performance by Nicolas Cage, this and Bad Lieutenant must be his best performances in quite awhile.

And Chloe Moretz is definitely going places, regardless of the so-called ‘morally reprehensible’ film that ‘Kick-Ass’ may or may not be.

By Kyle HintzStaff Writer

THE-VOID.CO.UK

There is nothing intrinsic in music which conveys the rich emotional attributes we assign to songs, nothing within a chord structure or progression which requires resolution. It is only due to our past experiences with music that ingrains in us a type of musical grammar and structure which permits us to understand and draw meaning from music, much like we have grammatical rules for linguistics. Noam Chomsky proposes that we are all born with an innate ability to understand any of the world’s language. Exposure to a specific language shapes, builds, and then ultimately prunes a complicated interconnected neural network personal to each individual. Language and our brains coevolved so that all languages share universal principles which our brains incorporate. Much like the capacity to

absorb the grammatical structure of language, we learn the structure and associated rules of any style of music through exposure. Individuals may interpret musical phrases and patterns, like inferring subtle messages from language, such as sarcasm and inflection. Studies show that many of the areas in the frontal cortex overlap in responsibility for our capacity to process and dissect meaning from language as well as understand musical structure and traits. Professionals working in psychology, neuroscience, biology, linguistics, music, and an array of other fields have come together in interdisciplinary studies aimed to show how the fundamentals of music-pitch, timbre, key, harmony, dynamics, rhythm, meter, and tempo-are processed by our brains in order to produce our perception of music and evoke intricate emotions.

From a one dimensional

continuum of molecules vibrating at different speeds against our ear drum, our brains create a lush multi dimensional soundscape. Doing this with the manipulation of structured scales built on only twelve notes can explain our deep reactions to tones that are skillfully combined and composed much like the 26 letters of the alphabet can be strung together into timeless works of literature. Our ears may be the gateway for sound but our minds are the only window through which we can perceive it. What we actually hear is the output of a long chain of neural processes that give rise to a mental impression of the outer stimuli. Through years of evolution, our brain has learned to decipher the array of tones hitting our ears and break them down into fundamental frequencies. Through unconscious volition, much like focusing on one conversation

Voyage through the Cerebral SoundscapeBy Anthony JhueneContributing Writer

Dan Smithiger - Black Swamp

Continued Pg 8

The end of this semester marks the end of another school year, but

also a new beginning for one of the music department’s professors. Next year, Mr. Dan Smithiger will be leaving McKendree for a job opportunity at SIUE.

Who is Dan Smithiger? His official title is Assistant Director of Bands and Director of Percussion Studies. But for those of us in the music department, he is much more than that.

In the three years he has been here, Mr. Smithiger has, in his words, ‘worked diligently at developing a percussion program and ‘culture’ within the music department that has energy and momentum!’

He has gained a tremendous amount of well-earned respect from his students and colleagues as a committed, exceptional teacher who knows how to get the most out of his students. He pushes us to strive for perfection and, with relentless encouragement and a hint of reverse psychology, we certainly put forth the rare effort to do so. (Not just because we have to but because we want to, which is an even rarer occurrence.)

In addition to all that, his sense of humor provides us with a good dose of sarcasm peppered with strange analogies, most of which have no relativity to the situation whatsoever.

As an attribution to Mr. Smithiger’s influence, here is what a few students said

about him:Maggie Rahmoeller, senior Music

Performance and Math major, said, “He is an amazing percussionist, performing recitals at McKendree, hosting percussion events, performing with different ensembles in the St. Louis area and he is even an expert grill master. He’s an excellent teacher; he pushes his students to do their best and he always offers good advice and encouragement not only to his percussion students, but also to other music students. He’s more than just a great teacher; he’s also a great friend, one who doesn’t mind stressing the fact that he only eats plain hamburgers...”

Another active music ensemble member, Jake Bennett, explained, “He genuinely understands the importance of connecting with his students. Not just teaching them, but becoming their friend. He really makes you feel like you are an important person, and that he appreciates you. Few teachers can do that.”

Adam Alls, a senior Math major and an active percussionist, elaborated a great deal: “Mr. Smithiger would use the phrase ‘So this bear walks into a bar...’ and then leave it at that, though I’m not exactly sure what he ever meant by that. He is endorsed by companies such as Sabian, Remo and Vic Firth, but nothing comes close to his endorsement by Black Swamp Percussion. It has become sort of a running joke to promote Black Swamp at any chance we can get (we being the

By Maggie HughesContributing Writer

Continued Pg 8

Page 7Opinions

I am almost

home. The next stop is where I get out. It is a quiet night. Lightning poles light my path in between rows of houses build in the 1930s. The night has a calming and peaceful quality to it, seeing the air I breath, hearing my footsteps echo against the walls. It is not a lonely feeling, though. People in Holland usually do not close the blinds until they actually go to sleep. So many people, so close to each other, all living separate lives. Only acknowledging each other in passing.

When I moved to Amsterdam I decided not to bring a television out. There would be enough excitement and there is always the internet they keep up with current affairs, and books to read when I feel like it. Moving into a new place seemed an excellent moment to make that change. The apartment is in the older northern part of Amsterdam. Close to the center of the Dutch capital but still very much like a village inhabited by mostly working class people and students.

My new roommates could be described as working class. The modern version of working class

that is; employees of a tourist shop, selling key chains with little wooden shoes attached and tulips made out of plastic while wearing shirts that say ‘I Amsterdam’, the slogan of the city. Well, if they represent Amsterdam, I will not be staying in the city for too long. As I walk up to the door of the apartment I know there is a good chance this will be one the last times opening this door. I am so fed up with them…

I guess to explain why, I would have to go back to how our quarrel came about. How I got to be in a situation where somebody finally succeeded in making me, known for never losing my temper, so angry that I am ready for a throw down.

For months I had been trying to find a place to live in Amsterdam. As it turned out, I was not the only student wanting to live in the ‘city of sin’. There are a few options in going about finding a place to live here. You can register for an organisation that has apartments. But unfortunately when I phoned, they told me it would take approximately 18 months for me to be assigned a room. You can also squat an empty building. I decided to

respond to ads online and ask around.

I paid 15 euro and that gave me the opportunity to reply to 20 advertisements. Actually finding a decent apartment in this manner is difficult. The whole process is amazingly odd. I sent several replies. A few liked my profile and gave me an invitation. Confident and ready to impress, I went to the first meeting. I was not the only person with an invite. Twenty other people were standing around, sitting on couches, and talking and laughing. A kind of nervous laughing that made me very uncomfortable.

The guy had received over 80 replies and that he and his housemates had selected me and the others out of that bunch. The apartment on the evening of the meeting was like a stage where we all performed as our most interesting selves: laughing at jokes that were not funny and lying to seem more interesting. ‘Oh really what a coincidence! I love field hockey, can’t get enough of it!’, you would hear one of the desperate ones say. Secretly we despised the competition, doing anything to

win the favour of our host. I did not win the favour that evening. Nor did I the next 7 times I took part in these one time theatre assembly.

However, the ninth try I was in luck. The apartment was on the other side of the river in the Northern part, not too far from to the center of Amsterdam by bus or ferry. After more than two months of failing, I had succeeded in finding a little room in the heart of the Netherlands. Well-- close to the heart anyway. I would have my own room and share the living room with two house mates.

They were a lesbian couple who seemed a bit anti-social, but appeared reasonably normal and nice-- how wrong I was.

Soon it became clear they did not care for cleaning much. Also they were straight out depressing. Not talking much, working long hours, coming home watching television, got to bed, get up, go to work; We were worlds apart. ‘How can you live like that in such an exciting city,’ I wondered.

Their activities revolved around their home, work, each other and two cats. Still, all went reasonably well, until one night they brought

a puppy dog with them. The poor animal had been neglected for the first six months of his life and being the Good Samaritans they apparently were, they decided to purchase the hideous looking, flee-carrying, smelly beast to join the three of us and the two cats. It was the beginning of the end.

First off, the dog came as a complete surprise; we lived on the second floor and they had no way to walk the dog regularly since they both worked full time. The dog was not trained and started doing it’s business all over the apartment. The smell was intolerable. Two days later, I am on the bus-- and I am fed up with the whole situation.

It would be no surprise that after opening up the door of my apartment and smelling the dog shit, the case was closed. A day later I moved out. House mates from hell episode one had ended, leaving me no choice but to sleep on a friend’s couch, searching again… How it ended?

Well, I am currently paying way too much money to stay in a room in the center of the city; a room that has the size of a small walk-in closet. It does not matter. I Amsterdam.

House-mates from hell in the ‘city of sin’By Joep SchreursStaff Writer

‘So young and so terrified/we realize only

the strong survive.’ Kill Hannah, a band from the depths of Chicago is emerging out of the dark with strong, powerful and oddly helpful lyrics. A ‘Nu-Romantic’ band for those who wear their hearts on the very tips of their hoodie sleeves, Kill Hannah’s songs border along the lines of yearning love songs, quirky dance tunes and empowering quotes. I for one know this first hand through being a fan for over six years and counting.

The name Kill Hannah sounds like someone had a really bad burning hatred over a girl named Hannah.

Lead singer Mat Devine named it after his ex-girlfr;iend Hannah who he apparently wanted to kill. The band is made up of several members: Mat Devine, lead singe;, Greg Corner, bassist Dan Wiese, guitarist; Elias Malin, drummer; and Michael

Maddox, touring guitarist. Kill Hannah’s long-time guitarist Jonny Radtke left the band in 2009.

I got into this band on accident. I was looking for a CD by the Killers and found a Kill Hannah CD (ironically with my friend Hannah in tow.) Let’s just say about six years

later I am obsessed, have a tattoo dedicated to them covering my entire upper back and a “colonial” for the Kill Hannah Kollective (a

promotion group for the band.)

To me, Kill Hannah is an inspiration to keep going in life and never give up. Their song ‘Why I Have My Grandmother’s Sad Eyes’ pretty much sums it all up: “Universe, wrap your arms around me to make me strong so I can take on anyone.” Kill Hannah has a pretty big fan base despite not being known to the Top-40 group. The Kill Hannah Kollective, or KHK as it is widely abbreviated, is a home to many and gives fans a

‘family’ sort of atmosphere to share their love and obsessions of Kill Hannah. The Kill Hannah Kollective helps promote Kill Hannah and we support the boys at concerts and such.

Kill Hannah, in essence, is a band that has a song for anyone to relate to. From the love songs to the power anthems, they have a song for every mood. Depressed? Listen to ‘Agent Orange Skies.’ Need a push to get on with your goals? Listen to ‘Laika.’ Happy and need to dance? ‘New York City Speed’ is just for you. No matter what mood you are in they have everything.

They give hugs at concerts (from a story my friend told me, Greg gives the best hugs) and the boys will talk to you on Facebook and Twitter sometimes. For side projects, Mat gives advice through his blog the Raccoon Society, hosted by fuse.com. The blog is a hilarious mix of music videos, rants, ramblings and occasional pictures of what he has been doing ( like burning a beautiful organ for Kill Hannah’s upcoming music video for ‘Promise Me.’) Greg is also in a DJ group called Dark Wave Disco.

The members of Kill Hannah are not only musicians but they are friends, role models and inspirations to many. Without their music, I know I would be lost in the world, and I wouldn’t have a stress reliever. I highly recommend this band to everyone and anyone.

Kill Hannah: A ‘nu-romantic’ band for allBy Starr GoldsberryStaff Writer

Starr’s tattoo, inspired by ‘Kill Hannah’

Dr. Patterson’s African American Literature class experienced a bit

of first-hand culture on Wed., Apr. 21, when a band of African drummers visited the class to perform and answer questions. Vincent McKinney brought his son, two experienced young drummers, and a collection of authentic African drums including a djembe, djun djun, and the samba. Vincent shared information about the drums, such as how they are made with goat skin tightened by an elaborate knitting of strings; and about the entertainment group in which the drummers perform, ‘Sunshine and the East St. Louis Community Performance Ensemble.’ Vincent has been a part of this performance group for ten of the thirty years it has existed.

According to the informational flyer distributed by the organization, “Mr. McKinney’s West African drummers help to demonstrate how important the drum is in African and African American culture. Not simply a means of entertainment, the drum acts as a means of communication and community building, reminding listeners of the importance of shared West African cultural traditions.” The drummers typically perform at festivals and previously took part in rhythm competitions that were discontinued because Vincent’s band won too many consecutive times.

The drummers performed three pieces for the class, all of which featured complex West African rhythms and dizzying layers of sound. Dr. Patterson and her class were visibly impressed by the performance and the way in which the percussionists seemed to perform with minimal effort. The rhythms would roll on for many minutes with varying drum parts that seemed to feature portions of improvisation; and then come to a surprisingly polished stop. As one might expect from a band of African drummers, all of the performers seemed to work together as one instrumentalist.

The class understood that percussive skills like these are not spontaneously acquired, knowing that all of the performers started

Sounds from AfricaBy Ben SimonAssistant Editor

Continued Pg 8

Page 8 Etc

With the switch to SIUE, he is looking forward not only to research but also to interacting with more colleagues in his field and teaching more specialty and medical courses such as histology—the study of cells and tissue

While he loves science, Jennings also has something of an artistic hobby. Anyone who has been to his office has probably been impressed by the pieces of animal artwork that cover the walls. He said that his drawings started as small pictures on scraps of paper. The larger works that can be seen in his office came later, including a few that are framed behind his desk. He and his wife even created a children’s book called “A Group of Otters” (not published) for which Jennings drew illustrations.

When asked for any interesting information or memories he had to share, Jennings said that he once had the opportunity to meet the famous science-

fiction/satire novelist Kurt Vonnegut, writer of works such as ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ and ‘Cat’s Cradle.’

“He was a really tall man who liked to write on this really short desk,” commented Jennings. He also recalled with amusement the famous writer’s habit of walking around and picking up litter.

You really can learn some strange, interesting things when you talk to professors about things other than your grade and your late assignment.

It is always a little sad to say goodbye to a professor, especially one as diverse and capable as Dr. Jennings. We hope that new faculty hired in the biology department in the future will be up to filling the position he left behind.

From the staff of the McKendree Review, thank you to Dr. Jennings for your time here and good luck in the future!

Dr. JEnnings Cont.

drumming at a very young age. This was easy to believe considering the fact that Vincent was accompanied by his toddler son who selectively pounded his own full-size drum along with the other three.

Vincent talked about his own natural interest in drumming even before he was born. “Drumming was in my blood,” he said, knowing that he had to learn the tricks of the drum “ever since I went to Mexico and got myself some little bongos.” Since then Vincent has reached out to other young drummers. He has also succeeded in bringing a sample of African culture to the ears of McKendree’s students, or at least given them another

method to absorb the culture other than discussing literature across a circle of desks.

Sounds from Africa Cont.

Vincent McKinney and two drummers perform for Dr. Patterson’s class.

in a crowded room, we decipher tones in just the right manner to form a mental picture, sound, and conscious state.

The astounding parallel processing and multi-tasking power of the brain is the reason we understand music. Mental processes of analyzing stimuli are distributed throughout the brain and work in tandem. When one hears a piece of music, timing circuits in the cerebellum ascribe a tempo and meter to the song as well as analyze specific rhythms. The dorsal cochlear nucleus in the auditory cortex recognizes each pitch in a melody as consonant, fitting within the key signature, or dissonant, deviating from the set key signature. Regions in the temporal lobe and auditory cortex then decipher timbre and spatial location from which tone is emitting.

The key to comprehending and enjoying music lies within memory of past exposure

to musical experiences. Within the hippocampus a catalog of similar sounds and timbres permits us to assign instrumentation to each timbre we hear. The hippocampus allows us to compare the music we are now hearing to a set of schemas built on past experiences of rhythm, scale, chord progression, genre, context, and form. These schemas play a crucial role. Due to these schemas, we have certain expectations and anticipations of what could and should happen each second in a song. Musicians and composers play magician by tricking our expectations yet keeping within the bounds of structure and context. These tricks can evoke amusement and delighted surprise, or cause one to change the channel if they stray too far from the norm. A multitude of combinations of tricks are possible within a song including subtle uses of

dissonance, harmony, syncopation, poly-meters, and phrasing over bar lines.

The level of joy found in these tricks and the subsequent dopamine released from the amygdala, cerebellum, and nucleus accumbens, depends on one’s subjective preference of complexity and genre of music. One’s preferences and musical schemas are shaped by their past musical experiences, along with their culture and background. Much like grammar and language are personal to each individual, subtleties in phrasing and feel are unique to each musician and composer. While the number of possible connections between neurons in the brain exceeds the number of particles in the universe, the possibilities in musical composition are even more infinite. Consciousness, linguistics, and music are organic forms of pure human expression which will continue to fascinate.

percussion ensemble). “His favorite band would

have to be Rush, with his favorite drummer being Neil Peart. He knows at least 95 percent of Neil Peart’s drum fills in every Rush song to date.

“He has a cat named Maggie Mae and has a cactus named Wanda. On occasion Mr. Smithiger would have a frappuccino in the morning and he would be wired the rest of the day for either ensemble or lessons, especially with Brandon Lee.

“He has been a very energetic and spastic teacher, which has kept us all on edge and prepared for anything while at the same time keeping us entertained and allowing us to enjoy ensemble that much more. Some of Mr. Smithiger’s favorite quotes

include: ‘I love you all like heart attacks,’ ‘The drop slips are in the top drawer behind the triangles’ and ‘God Bless America!’”

In case you never got to know him, here are “The Top Five Most Intriguing, Useless, Unknown Facts about Dan Smithiger”:

5) Mr. Smithiger went skydiving (13,000 feet) while completing his Doctoral Residency at the University of Arizona. The actual location of the jump was Eloy, Arizona on April 22, 2002.

4) Other than being adopted and living in another country for 4 months, Mr. Smithiger has lived in Arizona, Texas and Illinois throughout his entire life.

3) Mr. Smithiger is amused when Lindsey Christensen sings “Hakuna

Matata” (upcoming choir concert on Friday, April 23).

2) Mr. Smithiger owned a clarinet and played trombone, while teaching High School Band from 1995-1999.

And the number 1 useless, unknown fact(s) about Mr. Smithiger:

1) Mr. Smithiger loves to eat crab, says drumming/playing and teaching percussion is the love of his life and has a tie-rotation (187)…It is easy to see why so many of us are reluctant to say goodbye. But! Life goes on, and I doubt the end of this semester will be the last we see of Mr. Smithiger. After all, the music department picnics will not be the same without his expertly charred burgers and wieners.

Soundscapes Cont. Black Swamp Cont.

Blink and Rohrscach in ‘Grab Bag’ by Sarah AdamsParallel Lives

Friday, April 30, 2010

7:30 PMin

Eisenmayer