Jayplay

life. and how to have one.

February 25, 2010

aural pleasure
frenemies
to be or not to be friends after a breakup?

enhance your musical satisfaction with a good set of headphones

quick wit
fast-thinking improv groups make for great laughs

Jayplay
* Cover photo illustration by Valerie Skubal
February 25, 2010 // volume 7, issue 23

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4
Half of ANY Sandwich, Wrap or Panini. Half of ANY Salad. Cup of ANY Soup or Chili. Half of ANY Spud.

SHES FUCKING MATT DAMON?

Q&A with Sarah Silverman

PLAY YOUR HEART OUT

Students rock ukuleles and mandolins

8-9 SONIC SPECTRUM

How to get the most out of your headphones

$6.29

LAWRENCE
www.mcalistersdeli.com

10

FRIENDS WITHOUT BENEFITS

How to sustain a good friendship with an ex

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CALENDAR
thursday, feb. 25h
Kim JongKu on mobile landscape The Spencer Museum of Art, 6 p.m., free, all ages Rabbit Hole Lawrence Community Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $14-$20, all ages bandit teetH The Eighth Street Tap Room, 10 p.m.,$3, 21+ tHe dactyls/ pHaRmacy spiRits/ tHe WHeeleRs The Replay Lounge, 10 p.m., $2, 21+ meatfloWeR The Bottleneck, 10 p.m., 18+ mingle! WitH moRRis maRs and Rufio tHe Jedi The Eighth Street Tap Room, 10 p.m., $3, 21+ neon dance paRty The Jackpot Music Hall, 10 p.m., $1-$5, 18+

10

friday, feb. 26th

sua pResents salsa nigHt WitH son Venezuela The Kansas Union, 7 p.m., free, all ages tHe aluminum sHoW The Lied Center, 7:30 p.m., $13-$26, all ages alKaline tRio/ cuRsiVe The Granada, 7:30 p.m., $18-$20, all ages Rabbit Hole Lawrence Community Theatre, 7:30 p.m., $14-$20, all ages staR stage left The Lawrence Arts Center, 8 p.m., all ages tHe pRincess bRide Liberty Hall, 11:30 p.m., $5, all ages mountain spRout/ adam lee & tHe dead HoRse sound company The Bottleneck, 9 p.m., 18+ izzy and tHe KesstRonics The Gaslight Tavern, 10 p.m., $5, 21+ sHitHaWK/ boo and boo too The Replay Lounge, 10 p.m., $2, 21+

saturday, feb. 27th

laWRence cHambeR oRcHestRa pResents baRoque by candleligHt Trinity Episcopal Church, 7 p.m., $10-$25, all ages emu tHeatRe pResents 4.48 psycHosis The Lawrence Arts Center, 8 p.m., $8-$10, all ages tHRougH tHe geneRations dance The Eldridge Hotel, 8 p.m., $20, 21+ son Venezuela Abe and Jakes Landing, 9 p.m., $5-$7, 18+ tHe club WitH dJ paRle Fatsos, 10 p.m., $3, 21+ sellout The Granada, 10 p.m., $7, 18+ stacKsWells last bReaKdoWn The Eighth Street Tap Room, 10 p.m., $3, 21+ billy Joel and elton JoHn Spring Center, 7:30 p.m., $52-$177, all ages

sunday, feb. 28th

smacKdoWn! The Bottleneck, 7:30 p.m., free-$5, 18+ instRumental collegium musicum Swarthout Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m., free, all ages bounce to tHis WitH dJ Kim-baRely legal The Replay Lounge, 10 p.m., $1, 21+ sunday nigHt Jazz The Eighth Street Tap Room, 10 p.m., $3, 21+

monday, mar. 1st

Kansas Reads: discoVeRing Kenya Lawrence Public Library, 7 p.m., free, all ages peace coRps gala: stoRies fRom RetuRned VolunteeRs The Kansas Union, 7 p.m., free, all ages auditions foR blitHe spiRit Lawrence Community Theatre, 7 p.m., free, all ages KaRaoKe The Jazzhaus, 10 p.m., $1, 21+

tuesday, mar. 2nd

blues tuesday WitH bRyan neubeRRy Gaslight Tavern, 7 p.m., free, 18+ loni loVe The Kansas Union, 7 p.m., free, all ages auditions foR blitHe spiRit Lawrence Community Theatre, 7 p.m., free, all ages faculty Recital seRies: RicHaRd RebeR, piano Swarthout Recital Hall, 7:30 p.m., free, all ages tHe WoRlds gReatest delibeRatiVe body? featuRing foRmeR senate HistoRian RicHaRd baKeR Dole Institute of Politics, 7:30 p.m., free, all ages tuesday nite sWing The Kansas Union, 8 p.m., free, all ages Hot & ugly The Replay Lounge, 10 p.m., $2, 21+

wednesday, mar. 3rd

billy speaRs & beeR bellies Johnnys Tavern, 6 p.m., free, 21+ liVe action pub tRiVia sHoW at conRoy Conroys Pub, 7 p.m., $5, 21+ mens basKetball: Kansas Vs. Kansas state Allen Fieldhouse, 7 p.m., all ages tHe ameRicana music academy Jam Signs of Life, 7:30 p.m., free, all ages dollaR boWling Royal Crest Bowling Lanes, 9 p.m., $1, all ages pRide nigHt Wildes Chateau 24, 9 p.m., $5, 18+ dubsKin featuRing coRy ebeRHand of pRetty ligHts/ spanKalicious The Bottleneck, 9 p.m., 18+ $1 dRinK dance paRty Fatsos, 10 p.m., 21+ poetRy slam The Jazzhaus, 10 p.m., $3, 21+

venues //
The Bottleneck 737 New Hampshire St. The Jackpot Music Hall 943 Massachusetts St. The Jazzhaus 926 1/2 Massachusetts St. The Replay Lounge 946 Massachusetts St. The Eighth St. Taproom 801 New Hampshire St. Lawrence Arts Center 940 New Hampshire St. The Granada 1020 Massachusetts St. The Pool Room 925 Iowa St. Wildes Chateau 24 2412 Iowa St. Duffys 2222 W. 6th St. Conroys Pub 3115 W. 6th St., Ste. D The Bottleneck 737 New Hampshire St.

editors note //
three hours away, she was the only person I could turn to. Leaving her made me value our communication more, and realize that we are surprisingly similar. We both have a stubborn sense of independence hers acquired from being a single parent and mine from her example. Were fiercely competitive, on and off the volleyball court. And she is the reason I love football more than any girl should, having taught me about post routes and the option run by the Huskers on Saturdays. The one quality my mother has that I can only hope to attain is her selflessness. This is a woman who let me attend college out-of-state, let me venture to London freshman year, and when I still felt lost, let me return to Europe to figure it all out. She gives me the opportunities that she never had, which amazes me. Moms deserve to be appreciated and recognized for their endless love and support. Check out Adams essay on page 15 to see how his relationship with his mother developed. I may not have always been able to identify with her, but I now realize that turning into my mother may not be such a bad thing.

For the longest time, I was convinced that I was not my mothers daughter. My bright blue eyes and blonde hair, traits inherited from my father, contrast with her warm, brown eyes and short, brown bob. She is quiet and reserved, internalizing emotions while I spit mine out with an ungraceful urgency. She analyzes numbers and codes designing computer software, while I spend hours agonizing over sentences, their meanings and implications. I couldnt translate my mothers high school experiences to my own. I was the part-athlete, part-honor student, part-cheerleader who wouldve ignored her, the girl wearing thickrimmed glasses and wielding National Forensics League medals. In a sense, I thought I was better, and most definitely cooler, than she ever was. Any sense of arrogance I had in high school quickly vanished when I arrived in Lawrence. I became my mother a shy student unsure of what to do and where to go. With all familiarity

EDITOR // Alex Garrison ASSOCIATE EDITOR // Kelci Shipley DESIGNERS // Laura Fisk, Liz Schulte CONTACT // Lindsay Cleek, Leslie Kinsman, Katy Saunders HEALTH // Adam Vossen MANUAL // Emily Johnson, Ben Sullivan NOTICE // Mary Henderson, Abby Olcese, Anna Sobering PLAY // Beth Beavers, Taylor Brown, Anna Kathagnarath CONTRIBUTORS // Mike Anderson, Mia Iverson, Molly Martin, Landon McDonald, Brittany Nelson, Adam Rydell, Amanda Sorell CREATIVE CONSULTANT // Carol Holstead CONTACT US // jayplay10@gmail.com

BE A LITTLE ECCENTRIC ECCENTRIC R

authorized retailer of

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The University Daily Kansan 1435 Jayhawk Blvd. Lawrence, KS 66045

(785) 864-4810 111 Stauffer-Flint Hall

// KELCI SHIPLEY, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

folloW Jayplay on tWitteR at twitter.com/Jayplaymagazine

ECCENTRICITY 716 MASS

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NOTICE

Q&A // SARAH SILVERMAN

JP: Would people be offended by your humor? SS: Were not looking to offend anybody, but were looking to make ourselves laugh. It doesnt make sense in comedy to try to not because we have questions. celebrities have answers. offend anybody, because you never know Sarah Silverman may be best known for a music video about cheating on her then boyfriend, Jimmy whats going to offend people. We dont Kimmel, with a famous celebrity, Matt Damon, but dont let that fool you. Since her days of working censor ourselves and Comedy Centrals as a writer for Saturday Night Live, Sarah has paid her dues in the entertainment industry. She just pretty cool about not censoring us. Even started a new season of her satirical show, The Sarah Silverman Program, on Comedy Central and when they tell us we have to cut something released Season 2, Part 2 on DVD earlier this month. or that we cant say something, we fight it Jayplay: Do any of your story ideas come JP: Is the Sarah you play on the show the realand usually, we win. from real life? life you? Sarah Silverman: Theres a couple of SS: I hope not, because shes an asshole. I always JP: Do you ever feel pressure to constantly be episodes where I get obsessed with my think of her as an arrogant, ignorant person, funny? neck, and thats definitely from truth. This which is an awful combination, but fun to SS: I guess sometimes if Im performing or if Im is my take on the neck: Why isnt there watch. The thing about the Sarah I play on with people I dont know I will sometimes bone there? Theres so much important the show is that shes always looking for an go into host mode where I want to make stuff in your throat. Why isnt it protected identity to put on. I think the real way to sure everybodys having a good time and by some sort of extended rib cage or bone? go about it in life is to discover who you is entertained. Thats probably an instinct It freaks me out. are from the inside out. She decides who in me that has been the reason why I she wants to be from the outside in. I think became a comic. Its that need to make sure that exists in people looking for an identity JP: Is there anything you wont talk about on everybodys laughing or having a good time. the show? without looking inside themselves. Most of my friends are comics or writers SS: The one thing I do tend to say is I dont and we do just sit around doing bits and like fat jokes about women unless its crazy JP: What are you trying to accomplish this laughing, but we can be serious too. funny. It usually just bums me out when season? people make fat jokes about women. We SS: I think our goal is to be aggressively stupid. JP: Do people ever say, Hey, youre that Im live in a country where fat men still deserve Youll see a definite amount of gross this Fucking Matt Damon chick, right? love, and fat women, its like they dont season. I think its the funniest and best SS: Its not like Im complaining about it. It is deserve love and thats scary and upsetting season in terms of quality, character and amazing how many people think theyre the to me. story. Weve definitely topped ourselves this first ones to say, Hey, are you still fucking year. Were hoping people will tune in. Matt Damon? And I have to be like Ha

ha, yeah. No. Its just like Really? You think youre the first one to come up with that? Thats amazing to me. At the same time, Id probably be the one saying that too if I wasnt me. I take it with a grain of salt and I overall appreciate it. // MARY HENDERSON

Contributed photo Uncensored: Comedian Sarah Silverman stars in her own show airing on Comedy Central.

PILOBOLUS
DANCE THEATRE
FRIDAY, FEB. 5 7:30 p.m.
DONT MISS KU GRADUATE Jun Kuribayashi and the world premiere of HITCHED

S TU D E N TICKETST

13

785-864-2787 lied.ku.edu/students

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PLAY

THATS FUNNY
The game of improv might not be as hard to play as you thought
ordy Altman just wanted to get funny people together and laugh. He had participated in forensics all through high school, but when he came to the University he had no outlet for his favorite act of creativity, improv. So Altman rounded up friends and former forensics competitors to get together and play improv games once a week. And what started as a handful of people quickly grew into 20, and Stitch Tactics was created. Three years later, Altman has graduated, but Stitch Tactics lives on. Other groups have formed including Those People, who perform a few times a month both in Lawrence and in Kansas City. Garrett Kelly, Tonganoxie senior and a member of Those People, says the jokes seem funnier in Lawrence because the crowd is closer to the groups key demographic. To put it simply, improv is unrestricted theater, says Doug Shaw, director of the improv troupe Half-Masted at the University of Northern Iowa. There are two forms of improv: short-form and long-form. Short-form improv is based on short games that involve audience suggestions, such as the ABC comedy show, Whose Line is it Anyway? In short-form improv, the focus is on the characters actions, not what happens to the characters in the end. In long-form improv, the audience has a stake in the characters well-being and should care what happens to the characters. Long-form improv can take many shapes. Shaws students improvise entire Shakespearean plays while other groups improvise songs or raps. Long-form improv tends to be riskier because it is easier for the audience to lose interest, Shaw says. If the audience loses interest in short-form improv, their attention can be regained with the next game. Every part of improv is hard, Shaw says. One isnt harder or easier, just riskier. Those People tend to stick with long-form improv, but Kelly says they like to start their shows with a little stand-up to get the audience in a laughing mood. Once everyone is loosened up, they take suggestions from the audience and improvise scenes, songs, raps or whatever comes to mind. Games are a great way for improv performers to hone their skills. Stitch Tactics was formed around short-form games. Altman says some of the groups favorites include murder, which is when one person, either a performer or audience member, is sent out of the room. The players and audience then decide on a murder weapon, the location of the murder and an occupation for the murderer. Then the person returns and must figure it out, but the performers only speak in

// BETH BEAVERS jibberish. Altman describes this as a naive game because someone is completely clueless. Party quirks features one person hosting a party and each guest has a unique quirk that the host must figure out. Freeze is an improv scene that never ends. Two actors start, then another actor yells, Freeze! and tags out one of the original actors. A new scene must begin from the same position the other one ended. Altman says this was one of the first improv games, and is one of the best exercises. Just like life, some people are better than others, says Kent Skov, founder of the L.A. Connection comedy group. Skov has worked with and trained some pretty funny people, including Will Ferrell and Robin Williams, since he started the group in 1977. Shaw, director of Half-Masted, says a common mistake improvers make is trying to think of clever jokes instead of listening and reacting. Jokes happen when writers spend hours writing, but in improv they ruin scenes. J.T. Nagle, Osawatomie junior and member of Those People, had no experience when he joined the troupe a year and a half ago. Now, Those People are selling out shows and have clubs begging them to perform. For a group of college students, performing in a major city has opened up a lot of doors. That many more people are seeing us and like us and want to do shows with us, he says. Its nice. Some of us arent even allowed in some of the clubs we perform at!Jp

Jp

Its hard to teach people to be funny, but there are techniques that can be used to increase humor. Here are a few rules of the game of improv from comedian Kent Skov.

Photo illustration and graphic by Collin Johnson Funny business: The act of improv can be found all over the country and even in local groups in Lawrence. One of those groups, Those People, plays improv games like Murder and Party Quirks.

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Always further the scene and add information. This includes not denying anything. Saying no just kills the scene. Introductions are important. If you cant say it, you cant do it. If you cant describe what youre going to do, you wont be able to do it.

Develop distinct characters by changing speech patterns, physical appearance and changing where the persons center is (think of where a person leads from Dolly Parton would lead from her chest, but a pregnant woman would lead with her stomach.) Be like a chameleon: Blend in, but change and alter yourself from audience suggestions, Skov says.

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Dont think listen, then react. Planning improv doesnt work, because others dont know what youre thinking.

Dont ask needless questions.

Kent Skov is the founder of the L.A. Connection comedy group.

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PLAY

FREE
LEGAL ADVICE
IS RIGHT ACROSS

this weekend // Aluminum EnTERTAinmEnT

because those CSI marathons are getting old.
After witnessing this performance, youll never look at kitchen foil the same. Unlike a typical theater production, The Aluminum Show offers its audience an interactive visual experience. The show features a group of athletic dancers and performance artists from Israel. They use their talent and skills to manipulate metal puppets, foil sheets, balloons and giant metal shapes. The props literally come off stage, offering a variety of pleasant surprises and inviting the audience to participate in this arrangement of movement and metals. The performers breathe life into this cold, industrial material through stunts, special effects and an original soundtrack. Ilan Azriel, artistic director of The Aluminum Show, founded the production in 2003. Azriel was inspired by aluminum because of its natures as both flexible and durable. The show gives the concept of recycling a new meaning because the props and costumes are all made from aluminum. They have reinvented the traditional uses of aluminum through physical theater and entertainment. It brings out imagination. The idea was to transform people to a new world where aluminum and metal comes to life, says David Azulay, founder and president of Teev Events, a production company that presents an array of Israeli, Jewish and global cultures to America. Azulay says the audience is witness to a strange and imaginary world. From the Netherlands to Greece, The Aluminum Show has toured for seven years all over the globe. You can see the performance at 7:30 p.m., Friday at the Lied Center.

CAMPUS

// ANNA KATHAGNARATH

Contributed photo Reduce, reuse, recycle: The Aluminum Show, a show featuring artists from Israel, relies heavily on the use of metal for props and materials.

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NOTICE

MAKING
ALTERNATIVE
Ditch the rhythm guitar and pick up a ukulele for an easier path to becoming a rock star // ABBY OLCESE

MUSIC

Photo by Jerry Wang Mandolin madness: Learning to play an alternative instrument such as the mandolin or ukulele may be easier than mastering the standard garage band instruments and may provide a path to rock-star status.

t some point in their lives, many people harbor a dream of becoming a rock star. Usually these visions revolve around electric guitar, bass or drums. But increasingly, instrument preferences seem to be getting more diverse. Artists such as the Punch Brothers, Sufjan Stevens and Bela Fleck are repopularizing lesser-used instruments such as mandolin and banjo. At Mass Street Music, 1347 Massachusetts St., employee and local musician Jason Jones says hes seen more interest in the instruments from college-age customers. The ukulele, too, appears to be making a comeback, being used by musicians ranging from YouTube phenomenons such as Jake Shimabukuro to manistream artists such as Jason Mraz. With artists like these getting attention for playing different instruments, people are making the choice to start learning alternative instruments themselves. Learning to play an instrument with no previous musical training may seem like a difficult task, but its not impossible. In fact, its pretty common. Thom Alexander, founder of the Americana Music Academy, 1419 Massachusetts St., says at least half of his students are adults who always wanted to learn to play an instrument but never got the chance.

They grow up, get jobs, have kids, and after a while decide Well, heck! I wanna learn this stuff now! Alexander says. He says that learning an instrument as an adult can actually have advantages because adults have more control over their fingers. Sometimes, learning an alternative instrument can be less difficult than learning to play the guitar or drums. Hawley Shoffner, 2009 graduate and Lawrence musician, says she finds odd instruments are easier to pick up than normal ones. Shoffner plays a variety of instruments including ukulele, accordion and kazoo. She says she writes most of her songs on ukulele because its easier to figure out the chords. Its ridiculously easy to play, she says. Jones is also a fan of the ukulele, which he started playing in college. He says that for people who are interested in learning an instrument, but have little musical training, its a good way to start. Its a quick-result instrument, Jones says. There are fewer strings, and theyre thinner. Shoffner says she thinks musicians increased exposure on the internet has helped drum up interest in diverse kinds of instruments. Its a lot easier to record your own music now, and you dont have to be super talented to play a show by yourself, Shoffner says. You can just play cutesy instruments and it works out.

The internet has also made it easier for people to see others successfully playing different instruments, Schoffner says. Both Jones and Alexander say that time is the biggest issue when it comes to learning a new instrument. Alexander says that with lessons its not too difficult for new musicians to figure out how to play as long as theyre committed to practicing. Sometimes it can take as little as six months. For beginning banjo and mandolin players looking for a good instrument to learn on, Jones suggests Deering Goodtime banjos and Gold Tone mandolins. At $379 for the banjo and $322 for the mandolin, theyre not cheap, but Jones says the investment is worth it. Youll have a better experience learning because youre playing something that plays right and sounds right, instead of having to work with something that doesnt sound like it should, Jones says. For new musicians, this is encouraging news. Sure, it may take a while before you can jump on stage and bust out a performance of Dueling Banjos. But if youre willing to squeeze in some time for a little practice, that goal isnt impossible. Who knows? After a few years, you may even beat Bela Flecks record 27 Grammy nominations. Only time will tell. Jp

MUSIC LESSONS IN LAWRENCE

If youre interested in tuning your musical abilities, here are a few options. Americana Music Academy (guitar, drums, bass, brass, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, dulcimer, piano and harmonica) 1419 Massachusetts Street Phone: (785) 830-9640 Website: www.americana-music.org Lawrence Piano Studio (piano) 2512 W. 6th Street, Suite B Phone: (785) 842-2182 Website: www.lawrencepiano.com Richards Music Company (guitar and bass) 15 East 8th street Phone: (785) 842-0021 Website: www.richardsmusicstore.com Natalie Cox (piano and guitar) Phone: (785) 842-9219 Website: www.nataliecox.com Eric Mardis (banjo) Phone: (785) 840-8530

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AUDIO
AUDACITY
P
ristine frequencies arent the only thing Reggie Smith gets when he wears his headphones. He gets an experience. I dont have to worry about anything else when I am wearing them. Im completely immersed in the music, says Smith, a Leawood sophomore and a local DJ. He invested and bought his pair of Ultrasone DJ1 Pro full-sized headphones online for $235. They are binaural headphones, which means that they stimulate the pinnae, or outer ears, and create a realistic sense of the audio playback coming from any direction, not just left or right. The desired effect can place you in the room of the recording and make 3-D movies run away with their tails between their legs. The right pair of headphones will make you feel as if you are in the music, not just listening to it. Yet expensive professional DJ headphones arent required for improving your listening experience. There are hundreds of phones out there that can provide a transient experience, but the trouble is knowing what to look for. Consider the following information for your audio adventure.

FEATURE

Tune your ears to a fine pair of cans to find a whole new meaning of aural pleasure.

// WORDS BY TAYLOR BROWN // PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY VALERIE SKUBAL

Boomin beats: A pricey pair of phones may seem a bit extreme, but in actuality they can take your music listening to a whole other level of experience. When in the market for headphones, experts say to consider quality, comfort and function.

when comparing headphones. When looking at specs, its best to keep it simple. Focus on the frequency response range. The average frequency response range is 50 to 20,000 hertz, says Scott Houston, product specialist for Sennheiser, an audio equipment manufacturer. Humans can typically only hear between 20 and 20,000 Untangle tech specs hertz. Headphones that go past that Unfamiliar technical specifications frequency range make the response can be the most daunting factor smoother and more natural, like
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human hearing is supposed to be, wear in-ear headphones when they are in noisier environments such as Houston says. subways or buses because of their portability. Because people adapt Deter hearing damage to what they are listening to, they In-ear headphones sometimes get constantly turn up the volume a bad rap for being in the ear canal, to compensate for their noisy but hearing damage from headphone environment. If you are exposed use is entirely up to the user, not the to certain amplitude for even five design. People adapt to the volume minutes it can cause hearing damage, of music they are listening to very Houston says. Its up to the user to quickly, Houston says. Most people prevent that.

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FEATURE

THE LOW-DOWN ON HI-FI MEASUREMENTS: A GLOSSARY

SENSITIVITY How well the headphones can respond to the volume demands of the electrical signal, such as an MP3 player. The higher the sensitivity, the louder the headphones can get. DISTORTION Refers to any deviations the headphones may cause from the original signal. The lower percentage, the better. IMPEDANCE Measures the electrical load of the headphone on the amplifier driving the headphone. Impedance measures the number of headphones that could operate off a source. SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO (SNR) A measurement of the amount of noise added by the electrical circuit reproducing the music signal. This can refer to the amount of white noise that can be heard at higher volume levels. A higher SNR means less white noise.

AL

Investigate different styles Technology has made it so that in-ear headphones can compete with most full-size headphones in terms of sound quality. It just depends on comfort and what you are going to use them for, Eric Sapozhnikov, sales associate for Abt Electronics, says. The little things can make a big difference in your satisfaction. Do they fold in for portability? Is the cord split or does it conveniently go only into one side? Will your head be comfortable after wearing them for an hour? Pay attention and find what features fit your needs better.

privately to choose which design would be best for you. Listen for legitimacy Though many variables affect the sound of headphones, there is really only one good measurement tool. The final arbitrary is a trained ear, Chen says. He says that during the listening tests of a product, Grado technicians listen to analog recordings of unamplified music so they can examine harmonic structure at its best. Remember natural sounds of unamplified instruments and use your judgment to determine how well the audio device reproduces those sounds, Chen says. Embrace your entity Headphones can speak volumes about your personality. The best thing to do is find something that fits your identity. There are plenty of online retailers and credible review sites available to help you get a beautiful, great-sounding pair of cans. Reggie Smith recommends using CNET and other websites for reviews and turntablelab.com for purchasing phones. Explore with the mindset of quality, comfort and function for your personal headphones and unleash your inner-audiophile. Jp
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Hearing aid: A great set of headphone to increase the quality of music that you are listening to. Features like frequency, noise-cancellation and build of the headphone jack can all give your tunes an extra boost.

Noise-cancelling considerations There are two types of noisecancelling headphones can provide passive and active. Passive cancelling comes from the physical sound barriers that headphones provide, such as the plastic and foam against the ear. Active cancelling is the electronic manipulation of sound waves. There is a single or pair of microphones that hear a certain set of frequencies and cancel it out in the headphones, Houston says. The cancellation is done by the headphones producing similar sound waves of what the microphone is hearing. The produced sound waves

are then shifted over to create a tight zipper effect for the frequencies that Isolated or exposed? results in quieter noise. There are some extra considerations for design when choosing overSize doesnt mean jack the-ear headphones. Closed-back The standard width for audio jacks and Open-Air styles influence the used to be 6.35 millimeters. Todays amount of passive noise-cancelling. standard of 3.5-mm jacks came with Closed-back isolate the listener the advent of the Sony Walkman from the outside environment, says and other portable devices. Though John Chen, national sales director the sound quality may not be for Grado Labs, a headphone affected by the size, it can be affected manufacturer in New York. Openby the material of the jack. Most air headphones often have some sort people prefer a gold-plated material of mesh on the outside of the earbecause gold is a better conductor, cups to act as an auditory vent. We Houston says. Better conductivity feel the open-air gives a much better ensures better signal strength to the sense of space, Chen says. Consider if you like your music socially or headphones.

CONTACT

five questions // MEGHAn PERkInS AnD HAnnAH BAllARD

two people. five questions. see how they stack up. // KATY SAUNDERS
MEGHAN PERKINS
Model and 2007 Miss Miami USA

HANNAH BALLARD
Wellington junior majoring in history

While watching The Daily Show. Jon Stewart was interviewing a bagel. Play the guitar, no question! I love music so much and thats always been an instrument I could marvel at anyone playing anything on, any time. Id love to be able to play and compose serious music on the guitar. Its very difficult to do. Facebook is actually a guilty pleasure. I hate to admit it if only because it always feels so unproductive after Ive been on it awhile! Also online shopping, reading and I love fashion magazines. I gobble them up. Theres a huge unruly stack in my room of all the different editions. I guess the only thing I wish Id had would be brothers or sisters closer to my own age. I have half-siblings but they were all graduating high school and in college by the time I was born. I was very close to some of my closer-aged cousins, though, so I think they somewhat helped to fill that role. Pay about 50 cents, maybe? I dont eat ice cream. I might take it if it were free and it was a hot day.

When Was the last time you laughed? What Was it about? if you could learn hoW to do anything overnight, What Would it be?

When we were beating Texas. I was cackling throughout the game and loving every minute of it. Write a 60-page history research paper for an honors thesis. This is what is consuming my life at the moment and is stressing me out.

What is one pleasures?

of

your

guilty

On Tuesdays nights, my roommates and I TiVo Teen Mom and watch it together and make fun of the moms while eating ice cream.

Whats the one thing you Wish you had groWing up?

I wish my family had had more time to take family vacations together to places like the beach.

What Would do for a KlondiKe bar?

I would sacrifice my pride and go to a Taylor Swift and Jonas Brothers concert and I would admit in public that I love the Twilight books.

kansas in heat // DISCOVER THAI MASSAGE

Relationship researcher Mike Anderson tackles the sticky world of relationship advice, one weekly Jayplay column at a time
towel while the other person lies on top with his or her belly to their back. Dont just use your hands, but use your whole body. Try sliding up and down on your partner. Be sure to vary your strokes, rhythm and targeted areas. Then have your partner lay on his or her back and repeat all the same movements on the front of your partners body. Skin-on-skin contact with your entire body is one of the most sensual feelings you will experience. Mike Anderson, Dellwood, Minn., graduate student, is the host of Kansas in Heat, a talk show You will be surprised and amazed at how about sex and relationships that airs Thursdays at great it feels. You can try this massage in 7 p.m. on KJHK, 90.7fm and at kjhk.org. virtually any area of your home. You can *THE OPINIONS OF THIS COLUMNIST DO NOT NECESSARalways put more towels on the ground and ILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF JAYPLAY. KANSAS IN HEAT IS use more suds or oils. If you dont like the NOT TO BE CONSIDERED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESidea of soapsuds I highly recommend trying SIONAL HELP. scented candles that double as a massage oil. Q: What are the best ways to have satisfying, The sensation of the hot oil on your body is also very pleasing. The general rule of massage non-penetrative sex? A: Non-penetrating activities can be very sexual, is: hot + nakedness + slippery = good. Enjoy all sensual and enjoyable. One satisfying practice not the feelings with the Thai massage and enjoy too many people know about is the art of the Thai exploring all the parts of your partner. Do yourself and your partner a favor. Get naked, massage. The goal of the Thai massage is to use your get wet, get warm and explore. entire body to massage your partner. The first thing you need to do is cover both of your bodies Do you have a question for Kansas in Heat? with soapsuds or with massage oils. Then have E-mail it to kansasinheat@yahoo.com. one person lie face down on the ground on a // MIKE ANDERSON

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catch of the week // Andy drissell

our weekly peek at a fish in the KU sea.
Favorite food: Italian and sushi. I prefer trying new dishes to sticking with the usual. Major turn offs: Dishonesty and self-centeredness. I dont have much patience for that. Major turn-ons: I really like girls that have a good attitude and are into what they are doing. Lifes too short to not be enjoying it. Blue eyes, brown hair and bangs are all great, too. Notices first in a potential partner: A good smile. I can blame my being raised in a dentists home for this, but someones smile says a lot about them. Ideal getaway: I have my eye set on Cinque Terre at the moment. Its a chain of five Italian villages along the Italian coast. Anywhere in the Mediterranean would be ace.

Contributed photo

HOMETOWN: Chesterfield, Mo. YEAR: Senior MAJOR: Architecture INTERESTED IN: Women Ideal date: Whether it be for coffee and just hanging around Mass Street, or out for dinner and to a show, getting to know someone better and having a good time in Lawrence would be ideal.

Dream job: Making a job out of traveling would Hobbies/interests: I enjoy hanging out with be pretty great, but as long as Im working with my friends, listening to and playing music, people, enjoying what Im doing and doing Henrys and the Taproom on Saturdays and something architecture-related Ill be happy. traveling. Seeing new places is the best. Favorite quote: Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana. Groucho Marx

// Lindsay CLeek

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Being friends
Break-up sex doesnt have to be the last time you see your ex
After dating for 10 months, Nakai Marr, Lawrence freshman, decided to break up with her boyfriend. She was about to graduate high school and says she thought the two of them were in different phases of their lives. After the split, she avoided hallways and other key hangout areas because she knew seeing him would only make things harder. Although she knew her ex was hurting, Nakai still wanted to try to be friends. For some people, being friends with an ex is out of the question. For others, an ex can become a friend, a fling, or eventually just a forgotten lover. Whether youre a skeptic on the subject like Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally or an optimist like Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City, consider the possibility of being friends after a split. If the breakup was messy and not mutual, then a path to friendship is unlikely. But, if both parties are willing to have a non-sexual, nonromantic relationship, it is possible. First, you must both accept why the breakup occurred says author and radio host, Debbie Mandel. Since it is an emotional split between two people, some measure of pain will be experienced on both sides of the romantic equation, but the key is to understand why the separation occurred. Accepting that something is not going to work, and then finding a way to live with it is more than half the battle Mandel says. Another key component is to allow time and space apart immediately following the split. Time allows for a chance to reflect on the relationship, accept that its over and figure out what steps to take next. The best thing to do is to make it known that youre sincere in your efforts to become friends. It took Betsy Wilson, Shawnee senior, almost a year before her and her ex could reconnect on a friends level. I dont believe people can be friends immediately after a breakup, Wilson says. But, over time you accept things and heal and when your feelings go away it can lead to being friends. Becoming friends again after sharing so many intimacies can sometimes feel complex. But it is crucial that you establish what kind of friendship youre going to have with complete honesty, which is why it is important to set boundaries. After sharing so many things with someone, you get comfortable with them. Most of the time it is that friend you miss the most. Turning your former lover into a friend with benefits will only decrease your chance of keeping them in your life, especially as a friend. J.J. Smith, dating expert and author of Why I Love Men: The Joys of Dating, says friends with benefits should also be avoided if you want to give

with your ex

// Katy SaunderS

Photo illustration by Jerry Wang Awkward silence: Things between you and your ex may be uncomfortable at first, but in order to be friends its important that both parties make an effort. Taking some time apart to accept the decision is usually a good way to start being civil towards one another.

yourself the best chance of attracting new love into your life. Most people looking to establish a meaningful relationship with someone are not going to want to deal with exes still sleeping with their former lover, Smith says. After a breakup we tend to want to continue knowing the person who is leaving. We dont want the happier times to end and we certainly do not want to stop seeing the person.Thats what makes breakups so damn hard and complicated. Once you can accept that the relationship was not a mistake, you can then validate yourself, your ex and the experience and move on. If you find yourself wondering where the love goes after a breakup, Marr says time finds a place for it. Being in love with someone stays in the past, says Marr. But loving someone stays with you forever. Jp

Five SignS Youre not readY to Be FriendS With an ex 1. When you find out your ex is dating someone else, you want to scratch his or her new lovers eyes out. Jealousy can definitely be a sign you are not ready to be friends with an ex. A good sign youre too jealous is when you ask your ex to censor discussion of new dates or significant others in your presence. 2. You try to make him or her jealous. It should truly be about a friendship and not constantly reminding him or her what he or she is missing. 4. Youre still tempted physically by your ex. Making that physical connection just prolongs the recovery period and gives some people false hope of repairing the relationship. Its just a better idea not to get physically involved after a breakup ... no matter how hot your ex is. 5. Youre starting a new relationship. (And you want it to succeed.) When setting out in a new relationship, its typically a good idea to let exes be exes. You may know in your heart that the former relationship is well over, but your new flame may not be so sure.

3. Youre still at home bawling your eyes out. If the Kleenex and chocolate wrappers are still Based on Six rules for being friends with an littering your bed, give the breakup more time. ex by ami angelowicz Time and space apart will really allow you to gain perspective on the situation.

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movie review // shutter island

Hollywood hits, indie flicks and everything in between.
Originally slated for an October 2009 release date, Shutter Island would have been the perfect Halloween movie. Instead, its one of the best films ever to grace the cinematic doldrums of February. Its the rare thriller that refuses to insult its audiences intelligence, never substituting cheap scare tactics for ruthlessly efficient suspense and a shocking, satisfying payoff. Shutter Island, based on a novel by Mystic River scribe Dennis Lehane, unfurls with surgical precision, with many sequences veiled in a fog of dreams and memory. The year is 1954 and notorious murderess Rachel Solondo (Patricia Clarkson) has escaped from her cell on Shutter Island, a sprawling mental hospital built on the burnt-out shell of an old Civil War fortress in Boston Harbor. U.S. Marshalls Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are dispatched to recapture her. After touring the treacherous grounds, Teddy questions the asylums head doctors, the dapper Dr. Cawley (Ben Kingsley) and the sinister Dr. Naehring (Max Von Sydow). Both men seem to have something to hide, and the ensuing investigation embroils Teddy in a web of intrigue that includes allegations of murder, brainwashing and human experimentation ghastly enough to make Joseph Mengele blush. Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of the finest performances of his increasingly distinguished career as Teddy, whose straight-laced G-man persona hides a tortured past that includes the liberation of a Nazi death camp and the everpresent specter of his dead wife (a haunting Michelle Williams). Von Sydow and Kingsley both contribute their usual dramatic brilliance, particularly Kingsley with his oily, scenery-chewing gravitas. Scorsese presides over the film with the power and elegance of a master at the top of his game. His style blends Hitchcock with Shining-era Kubrick, resulting in a psychological thriller that feels timeless in its terror. I havent been this disturbed or enthralled by an American horror movie since David Lynchs Inland Empire. Lets just hope Scorsese doesnt wait another 20 years to give us more of his beautiful nightmares.

book review // WhistlinG in the darK

reading. its not just for textbooks, you know.
In her debut novel, Whistling in the Dark, Lesley Kagen brings a moving tale of two very close sisters growing up in Milwaukee. It is the summer of 1959 and after their mother is suddenly ill, the OMalley sisters, Sally and Troo, are off on an adventure that turns out to be a life changing summer. The coming-of-age story is told from the innocent point of view of 10-year-old Sally. The precocious child is considered too imaginative by society. Sally is trying to deal with many issues, making her a character who is easy to fall in love with. She is instructed to work on her personality and focus on taking care of Troo. With a murderer and a molester on the loose in this normally quiet town, caring for her sister will be harder than Sally ever imagined. She is convinced that this killer will come after her and there is no way she can avoid it. The only thing she can do is try to protect her sister. With their fathers recent death, mothers illness, stepfathers drunken abandonment and older sisters preoccupation with her boyfriend, Sally and Troo must learn how to take care of themselves. On the diverse street of Vilet, nothing is as innocent as it seems.

// LANDON MCDONALD

// SAVANNAH ABBOT

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// AdAm Vossen

SPEAK

Misunderstanding

my mother
I stared at my mother from across the kitchen. My throat was dry, but my eyes were moist and I wiped snot from my nose. Our fight about my grades, her expectations, my attitude, or any of the usual topics had come to a stand-still; neither of us was willing to back down or try to empathize with the other. These disagreements had become common to us and the rest of our family. My father had retreated to his office, my brothers to their rooms, all much less confrontational than my mother or myself. When my oldest brother started daycare my mom went back to work. But she wasnt there long before she made the decision to quit her job and be a stay-at-home mom. My brother wasnt alone for long. By the time he was 4 years old, my two younger brothers and I had come along. My mother dealt with us in probably the only way there is to deal with having four sons in a fouryear time period: She made rules and those rules were enforced. When chatting on AOL instant messenger was the big thing in middle school, she put an hour time limit on our accounts. It wasnt just a parentally enforced rule that I could sneak around. My account was programmed to kick me off as soon as my hour was up. While the other kids at school came in without homework done but having seen plenty of the WB the night before, I wondered why I had lost out so much in the parental lottery. My parents insisted we did our homework before any other activity, and my mom enforced this rule vehemently. My school began using an online grading system and parents had the option to check grades at any time. Of course my mother used this I felt like no detail of my life went unchecked. I wanted the cool clothes and those clothes cost more than my mother thought was necessary for a middle school boy to have. Every time I ventured into Abercrombie & Fitch or Hollister, my mother would make disparaging comments about the price tags and quality of the clothes. Why didnt she understand that this was not only cool, but necessary? She looked down on some of the friends I made, unabashedly judging the way they were raised and claiming that their parents were too permissive. I wasnt allowed to hang out with them outside of school. Being an overdramatic young teen, I envisioned myself as a prisoner of her rules. It seemed like no one else at school had these restrictions or had to deal with old-fashioned ideals, and it infuriated me to have to live in what I thought was such a suffocating atmosphere. My brothers grumbled about these things, but none had the battles that my mother and I did. Discussions that turned into screaming matches that turned into tears became our only communication between days of silence. There was no sort of progress. We both thought we were

After years of fighting, I finally came to respect my mom for the sacrifices she made for me // AdAm Vossen

Contributed photo Coming to terms: Adam used to disagree with his seemingly over-strict mother, but eventually realized he shared her stubbornness and came to respect her more deeply. Their relationship matured and Adam became able to make compromises with his mother. It took time and tears, but the two became closer.

right and the other was wrong. I saw my mother as a rigid and uncompromising ice queen. I came to loathe being at home and didnt hesitate in vocalizing this. Being in high school and having a drivers license made things more bearable, but I still found reason to complain. I was only allowed to go out one night a weekend, never on weeknights, and my curfew was a concrete midnight. I felt like she was trying to ruin my social life. Didnt she understand how important it was for a 16-yearold to be able to do whatever until whenever? And then somewhere between my junior and senior year of high school, I made an important realization. I had always known that the reason my mom and I could never seem to agree was because we were both stubborn and opinionated. But I began to notice that those werent our only similarities. We were loyal, defensive, analytical and impatient. While my brothers had all inherited my fathers relaxed sensibility, I realized that I had gotten most of my traits from my mother. Were sarcastic and tightly-wound. We clean frantically to deal with anxiety. Were unable and unwilling

to take the help of others. It was all there. I couldnt believe that the person who Id spent a good deal of my post-childhood years misunderstanding was a lot like me. This realization and my rising level of maturity dramatically improved our relationship in my last two years of high school. Instead of fighting, we could discuss and compromise. Maybe she saw that I was growing up and that she could trust me more. Maybe she was finally worn out from all the fighting. Or maybe she had made the same realization I did. When I went off to college and made new friends, I heard about other family dynamics and saw how these new acquaintances had turned out because of the way they were raised. I had a second important revelation. My mom didnt make me do my homework and stop me from hanging out with people and keep me off instant messenger because she liked being the bad guy. She did all of those things despite knowing she was being the bad guy. She wanted my brothers and me to become the best young men we could, and she knew that being a good mom did not mean being

a well-liked mom. I thought about the sacrifices she made for us her career, her social life, her graying hair and I realized she is one of the most selfless people I know. For all the anger I used to feel toward her, the respect I now have surpasses it ten-fold. There are still disagreements. Were still stubborn and opinionated, but weve both learned to give and take. Home isnt the place that it was when I was an angry young teen anymore. The kitchen that was once our battleground has become a place where we can connect instead of conflict. I stare at my mother from across the kitchen. I laugh as I stand at the bar, chopping tomatoes on a butcher board. Shes standing in front of the oven, cooking ground beef in a pot. Were chatting amicably, gossiping about people from my high school and what weve heard about them. Shes still the same mother, and Im still the same son, but, thankfully, its a completely different relationship. Jp

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