The Wake

There is more to beer than the alcohol it contains, and one group of students has devoted their time to mastering the art of home brewing. The Campus Home Brewing Association at the University of Minnesota meets every other week to guide each other in the brewing process and to trade beverages when they are done.“It’s not a ‘let’s get drunk’ club”, says Josh Beiningen, President of the Campus Home Brewing Association. He emphasizes that the club is about an appreciation for beer.There is a real art behind it, he says. Home brewing allows for mixing grains and trying different …

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Nearly 5,000 people filled Northrop Auditorium to its capacity in order to spend a cool, rainy evening with former President Clinton on Saturday, Nov. 5. Former Vice President Walter F. Mondale, University President Bob Bruininks and J. Brian Atwood, dean of the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, also spoke at the event, which was part of the 25th anniversary of the Carlson Distinguished Lecture Series. Doors opened at 4 p.m. and the program was scheduled to start at 5 p.m. General admission seating guaranteed the early arrival of many attendees. The Wake had not been granted a media pass, so …

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The Gophers Men’s basketball team was the Cinderella team of the Big Ten last season. Projected to finish tenth, Minnesota surprised the nation by earning a berth in the NCAA tournament and finishing fourth in their conference with a record of 10-6 and 21-11 overall. With the return of senior swingman Vincent Grier and the additions of sixth-year point guard Adam Boone from injury and fifth-year shooting guard Maurice Hargrow transferring back from Arkansas, one would suspect the Gophers to be ranked among the elite of the Big Ten, if not the nation. Wrong.It appears the Gophers will need …

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With gender equality in mind, the government crafted a federal law in 1972 called Title IX. The law states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” Although it has been debated since its adoption, the law has had implications that many people are unaware of. Title IX has taken down barriers throughout education and athletics for women across the country. In the Big Ten, there are 13 championships for women …

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Last year, Gopher women’s basketball ranked sixth nationwide in average attendance. This means the sport has quickly become more popular thanks to departed Gopher All-American and current WNBA star Lindsey Whalen. And while Whalen may have helped put the U of M women’s hoops squad on the national map, it’s the team’s perennially potent defense that has kept them there.A Big Ten power in recent years, the Gophers always-improving defense was able to hold two conference foes (Purdue and Indiana) under 40 points, on each respective team’s home court last season. Then, in post-season play, last year, Minnesota nearly …

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The dictionary definition of a “patriot” is “one who loves and zealously supports one’s own country.” I find it difficult defining the word “patriot” in my own words because I am a recently naturalized citizen of the United States. My father is ethnically Malay and was born in Sri Lanka. My mother is ethnically Portuguese and was also born in Sri Lanka. I was born in Dubai (a city in the United Arab Emirates, or UAE) but since one cannot be a citizen in the UAE solely by virtue of birth, I was granted Sri Lankan citizenship because my parents …

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Web Editor’s Note: In this issue, the Wake began running one story per issue in another language. Readers of the print issue are directed to Wakenews.org to find the english translation. This issue’s alternate-language story is run in both Spanish and English below.Yo camino a clase día después de día y veo más y más las estudiantes que disfrutan su camina con un cigarillo en sus manos. A pesar de todas las advertencias y las precauciones para los adolescentes y los adultos jovénes sobre los efectos del fumar, en la Universidad de Minnesota, muchos estudiantes parecen …

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As of Oct. 21, 118 human cases of Avian (bird) flu and 61 related deaths have been reported worldwide. The cases have been concentrated in Asia where the bird flu has been developing since 1997, when the first known cases were contracted by humans in Hong Kong. The media, however, has just begun reporting the bird flu, portraying it as a recent occurrence. The fear cycling through world media outlets is that the flu will mutate and become transferable from human to human. For the past eight years, the virus has only been transmitted from bird to bird or from …

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If you’ve seen The Life Aquatic, you’re familiar with Seu Jorge. Remember the Brazilian guy singing David Bowie covers in Portuguese? That was him. And while his “Ziggy Stardust” interpretation is intriguing, it’s his latest CD Cru that convinced me of Jorge’s great talent. From the opening track, “Tive Razao,” it is apparent that the album, available on Wrasse Records, will be an enjoyable listen. Accompanied on most tracks only by a classical guitar and a percussionist, Jorge doesn’t hide behind bombast or over-production. His music is simple and expressive. All but one of the songs are in Portuguese, and …

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In a car, red means stop, yellow means slow down for some (hit the gas for others) and green means go. At the Uptown restaurant Tom Rup Thai, a lifetime of color conditioning must be cast aside. Red means “mmm,” yellow means yum, and green means go on and gorge, because it’s just that enticing. These are Tom Rup’s three homemade curry options—red (gaeng daeng), yellow (gaeng daeng kah ree), and green (gaeng kiow wahn). Even though the Thai names are foreign to the American tongue, I promise that is far from what your body’s reaction will be murmuring in …

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“We’re used to small and smoky,” said American Analog Set’s front man Andrew Kenny, two hours before he played at Dinkytown’s Varsity Theater on Oct. 22. “I’d like to personally thank the band who’s on stage at whatever crappy venue we’re actually supposed to be at right now.” For me, it was the disco ball, the air mattresses, the lipstick-and-cologne adorned Varsity Theater that perfectly complimented the seduction the band achieved that evening. It’s a step above the Bud Light-specializing excuse of a venue they worked their way up from over their ten-year life span.Their show opened with “It’s All …

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Prior to the Bolshevik Revolution, the Russian arts flourished in period known as the Silver Age. In years following this rebellion, the previous freedoms art experienced were lost in the suppressive regime that Lenin began. The Silver Age lasted from the late 1800s until 1917, and provides a glimpse into the Russian soul, a soul which is harder to find after the Revolution. Russia’s Age of Elegance collection can be viewed free of charge on campus at the Weisman Art Museum through Dec. 31. The collection includes a variety of artists from the Silver Age, which are informally grouped together …

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Minneapolis’ hip-hop scene has drawn much national attention over the past several years. With Slug and the rest of R.S.E. at the forefront, numerous artists have gained respect from listeners and critics by offering unique styles and candid lyrical content. Ignoring boundaries, many produce art that challenges conventional standards of hip-hop. R.S.E., Doomtree Collective and Kill the Vultures are the most discussed talent among our area’s emcees. Another group making some noise in some circles goes by the name of Mel Gibson and the Pants.Why pretend this doesn’t make you raise your eyebrows? It’s one of those names that’s impossible …

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“You mean these guys started early today?” asked one annoyed customer as we left the St. Paul Chamber Hall for intermission. “Every other event in this festival has started at least a half-hour behind schedule so far!”The festival to which he referred was the Minnesota Sur Seine Jazz Festival, sponsored by both French and American companies. The concert, which actually started right on time, was Fat Kid Wednesdays with Evan Parker. The “Fat Kids” are local titans of the jazz scene. Their most celebrated member is Michael Lewis, who readers may also recognize from another Minnesota-based free jazz trio, Happy …

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Live music is not always alive. It can be prescribed and predictable with one song dully following another. Broken Social Scene and their opener Feist defied this formula when they played First Avenue on Oct. 29. Their music was organic and bred one harmonic song after another, creating an evening of musical excess that filled me to the brim. Feist was an excellent appetizer for the packed crowd. The band, fronted by Broken Social Scene contributor Leslie Feist, warmed the crowd with their heavily rhythmic and harmonic, primal sound. Feist’s Gibson guitar produced rich, yet stripped-down melodies. Tambourines, bells, and …

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