The Voice of Montana State University Billings for Over Half a Century

April 12, 2013

www.MSUBretort.org

Volume 89, Issue 5

PATRICIA HAMPTON News Writer

ASMSUB Spring Election Results Announced

ed because of the uncontested race, and am pleased with the results. Mary and I are excited to serve the community of Billings and the students of MSUB, and we are excited to serve with the new EC and to use the PR committee to go out and have a positive effect on the lower income districts of Billings. We also want to address the issue of being severely underfunded compared to MSU and U of M with local politicians surrounding Yellowstone County." ~ incoming ASMSUB President Ryan Shore "I am really excited about all the possibilities next year has in store. Ryan and I have some really cool ideas of how we can give back to the students on our campus and to the Billings community as a write-in vote for City College) The Executive Committee consists of the following three positions: Student Resolution Officer: Sonja Choriki (Returning 2012-13 SRO) Sustainability Coordinator: Jamie Slaugh Business Manager: CURRENTLY VACANT On Wednesday, April 17th, ASMSUB will be hosting the first ever State of the Union speech delivered by current ASMSUB presiden Isaiah Garrison and a rebuttal by Shore.. The speeches will be followed by questions asked by a four-person panel and questions from the audience. The event is planned to take place at 2:30pm in the Student Union Building Atrium.

lections were held for student body President, Vice President, and Senators on March 19 and 20. The voter turnout was higher than anticipated, reaching 7.6%, unprecedented in an uncontested election. Considering that MSUB student elections generally average a voter turnout of between three and five percent, this election cycle is considered to have had a "high" voter turnout. Following the official election into office of Ryan Shore and Mary Owen, the two were interviewed for reactions to the election and what they most look forward to in the coming academic year. "I was surprised at a larger voter turnout than expect-

whole. We will be working with a talented group of senators and EC members, and we hope to strengthen partnerships with other campus and community groups, as well as legislators." ~ incoming ASMSUB Vice President Mary Owen Elected Main Campus Senators: Jordan Jones - Junior, His-

tory Education Quincy Linhart - Junior, Communication Dan Barnhart - Sophomore, Political Science Ali Iverson - Sophomore, Criminal Justice and Sociology Ashlee Rangitsch - Senior Human Services and Criminal Justice Alex Furois - Freshman,

Business Management Brock Boender - Sophomore, Music Matthew Dockter - Sophomore, Criminal Justice Chase Slade - Senior, Marketing & Management Megan Dolezal - Sophomore, English Education Stephanie Thome - Junior, Accounting Garth Demaree (received

MSUB Hosts 45th Annual Powwow

M
RETORT STAFF News Writer
ontana State University Billings held its 45th annual Powwow on Friday and Saturday, April 5th and 6th. The Alterowitz Gymnasium came alive with the bright colors, the steady beat of the traditional music and the percussion of dancers feet on the floor. The annual Powwow is a time for tribes around Montana to gather, reconnect, and celebrate American Indian culture. The Powwow was also a great opportunity to raise funds for scholarships through MSUBs American Indian Outreach office. I really want the community to know that it is open for everyone and were not just targeting Natives. You dont have to be Native to dance in the dances; anyone can participate, Charlie Rondeaux, an MSUB student member of Intertribal Indian Club, stated. While entrance to the event was free, t-shirts, food, and crafts from around the region were sold. The event requires about 120 volunteers and they are made up of MSUB students, alumni and their spouses. Performers includ-

ed Head Woman Dancer and MSU Billings student Heather Takes Horse and Burt Medicine Bull as the Head Man/ Gourd Dancer who is also an MSUB alumnus. This year, the Powwow had a great turnout at MSUB Im really glad its back on campus. This is the fifth year that its back on the main campus and its important because this is the MSUB Powwow, Rondeaux stated. People interested in learning more about the Powwow can contact Reno Charette at 657-2144 or Tammy Rea at trea@msubillings.edu.

The 45th Annual Powwow featured dancing, singing and national vendors.

Photos by Patricia Hampton

Montana State University Billings Student Union Building 220 1500 University Drive Billings, MT 59101 Phone: 406-657-2193 Fax: 406-657-2388 E-mail: msubretort@gmail.com www.msubretort.org

The Retort encourages the submission of Letters To The Editor. Letters must be under 750 words in length and include a name and phone number. The Retort reserves the right to edit for space and possible libel. Letters should deal with subject matter relevant to the students, faculty, or staff of MSU Billings. The Retort is published monthly. Letters must be submitted by our submission date (ten days prior to our next publication date). Submit Letters To The Editor to editor@msubretort.org The Retort is made possible in part by student fees allocated by ASMSUB. The Publications Board of ASMSUB advises The Retort, leaving content decisions to the editors. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that The Retort articles and other information in this publication and website are up-to-date and accurate as possible, as of the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by The Retort or Montana State University Billings for any errors or omissions contained herein or online. Furthermore, responsibility for any losses, damages or distress resulting from adherence to any information made available through this publication and our website is not the responsibility of The Retort or Montana State University Billings. The opinions by expressed columnists are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Retort or Montana State University Billings.

Guidelines & Policies

n the upcoming w e e k s here at The Retort, we are preparing to interview for the upcoming 20132014 Editorin-Chief position. The fact that I will be graduating this May has been at the forefront of my mind over a few months now but leaving The Retort is something I just havent come to terms with completely. While the applicants for the Editor position are certainly qualified and any one of them would do the newspaper justice, I still cant shake the fear that my sweet, and at times, difficult, baby will die. The Retort has been a major part of my college career; a constant that I anticipated every weekend when I was layout editor. And even this year as Editor, the weight of responsibility is oftentimes overwhelming but so worth the anxiety. In the end, though, having different editors each year is probably one of the best aspects of the newspaper. New Editors get to bring new ideas and perspectives, making school newspapers like The Retort an ever-evolving entity. The importance of finding a responsible Editor is something I take very seriously considering The Retorts history. New Editors can either help a newspaper flourish further or they can let it wilt into the abyss of unread paper at the bottom of recycling bins. This flourishing and wilting pattern is obvious when look-

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For advertising information, please email us at advertising@msubretort.org or visit the ad rates section of our website at http://www.msubretort.org/ad-rates/ Subscriptions to students, parents of students, alumni, faculty, or staff are available for simply the cost of postage. For more information about subscriptions, please contact us at advertising@msubretort.org or 406 657 2193. If youd like to order a back issue of The Retort, the cost will be $5.00 plus the cost of postage. Email us our business manager at advertising@msubretort.org to check issue availability and for more information.

The Retort encourages the submission of student writing including, but not limited to: reviews, features, editorials, creative writing, or Letters to the Editor. Articles must be under 600 words in length, typed and include a first and last name and phone number. Submissions written anonymously will not be published. The Retort reserves the right to edit for space or for the reasons stated above. All writing should deal with subject matter relevant to the students, faculty, staff of MSU Billings and the surrounding Billings community. The Retort is published semi-monthly and writing must be submitted by the deadlines listed below All submitted writing become the property of The Retort and cannot be returned. Please submit writing to msubretort@gmail.com or access our submission page on our webpage at www.msubretort.com. You may also drop writing by The Retort office in the SUB Room 220. Please direct questions or comments about submissions to editor@msubretort.org

ing at the archives of The Retort. In its earliest years, The Retort was a major force on campus and, up until the late 80s, even published summer editions. When I came on as Editor of The Retort, I looked to the archives as inspiration. Though I knew The Retort would not be what it was back in the day, I knew that what work I did as Editor in my time here would be a steppingstone forward in that direction. The person to fill the Editor position will be selected by PUB Board members, The Retort advisor David Crisp and myself. We will announce the selectee in the final issue of the semester to be published on April 26th. It was only a year ago this month that I wrote my first Letter from the Editor when I found out I would be Editor for the upcoming year. In the letter, I laid out my goals for the upcoming year and my tone was anxious but ambitious. I can honestly say that I have achieved just about everything I wanted to in my two semesters as Editor and I still have two more issues to go! There has been a lot happening on campus since our last issue and were excited to share it all with you in the next two issues. Additionally, on top of hiring for the Editor position, we are now taking applications for the Copy Editor position for next year. Applications can be filled out online or picked up at The Retort office, SUB room 220.

Deadlines & Publication

January 24, 2013 February 7, 2013 February 21, 2013 March 7, 2013 April 4, 2013 April 18, 2013 February 1, 2013 February 15, 2013 March 1, 2013 March 15, 2013 April 12, 2013 April 26, 2013

Faculty Advisor Editor-in-Chief Business Manager Design Editor Copy Editor Online Editor News & Campus Life Writer Sports Writer A&E Writer Outdoor Writer Columnist Columnist

David Crisp Leah Campbell Nathan Evans James Dean Hickman Shawna Willoughby Chris Claus Patricia Hampton Cory Lovec Serene Crees Tabby Maust Tiff Hall Anonymous

International Studies Club Hosts 10th Annual International Food fair

M
PATRICIA HAMPTON News Writer
ontana State University Billings' 10th Annual International Food Fair was sponsored by the International Studies Club and held on Thursday, March 21st in Rimrock Caf on the Main Campus from 4:30p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Caf was draped with dozens of flags from around the world, and white linens on every table created a more festive atmosphere. Not only were all stations in the cafeteria being used by one organization or another, but additional tables were set up to allow even more groups to serve their international dishes. In previous years, the event was held in the MSUB Ballroom, but due to last summers renovations, modifications to the traditional setup had to be made. This year rather than individuals purchasing raffle tickets to put toward individual dishes, the International Studies Club worked with Sodexo and arranged for the event to take the place of the regular dinner menu. Individuals purchased a regular dinner (for students living on campus this meant

Baudry Metangmo from Cameroon serves up a chicken dish.

Gazahid Munir from Pakistan shares smiles and some great food from his native country.

Students from China pose for a group shot after the Food Fair.

Photos by Leah Campbell

PATRICIA HAMPTON News Writer

Featured Club: Colligate 4H

turkey. Between Gillette and I we got a plan together and I filled out the paperwork and invited a few friends." The current leadership of the organization is: President Jasmine Drange Vice President Jason Thomas Secretary Casey Hereim Treasurer Madisen Mactintosh Advisor Gillette Viara Drange was a member of 4-H in her community prior to enrolling at MSUB, and felt that the purpose of the club was relevant and important to incorporate into student activities on campus. The purpose of the club is to not only build the leadership skills of its members, but also to create and maintain strong partnerships with youth organizations and lend a hand in community service projects with-

swiping their U-Cards and deducting from their weekly meal allowance), or they were able to pay $25 for four to attend. The venue was wellattended, with almost every table occupied at any one time throughout the two-hour event. Food included dishes from Korea, China, Germany, France, and numerous other countries. Additionally, Banquet A & B was transformed into the International Tea Room. Just outside of the Tea

Room, the entertainers performed, adding to the multicultural atmosphere of the event. This included the MSUB Dance Club, the Dannisarean Dance Group, and individuals performing with bag pipes, among others. The event was open to the campus and community at large. For more information about the International Studies Club or the International Food Fair, please contact advisor Tracy Mouser at 6571705 or by email at tmouser@ msubillings.edu. Collegiate 4-H is open to everyone, not requiring dues, fees, or prior 4-H experience. For more information, contact Drange and Viara at msubcollegiate4H@gmail.com, or find them on Facebook by searching MSUB Collegiate 4-H.

ead, Heart, Hands, and Health...These four words are symbolic of 4-H organizations nationwide, and are no different from that of Montana State University Billings' Collegiate 4-H. Collegiate 4-H was a student organization several years ago, and was at that time advised by Betty Ericson. At the time Gillette Viara was a student member of the organization, and now acts as the groups advisor. After several years of inactivity, freshman Jasmine Drange joined the MSUB family, and made it her mission to reinstate the organization. "I had the goal of trying to get a 4-H program started for college students after talking to Bozeman Collegiate 4-H members and knowing that I could not quit 4-H cold

in the community. This year, as the Club reestablishes, members will be volunteering at Chicks in Science on April 13th, and the organization will be hosting a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) event on April 21.

Beauty Is A Beast: The Best Childrens Theatre Production to Date

SERENE CREES A&E Writer
(theatre communications major) teamed up this spring for the childrens theatre production and put on an outstanding performance. Not only was the play entertaining but it had a great message too. "Beauty Is A Beast," written by D.M. Larson, is a wonderful twist on the typical fairy tale. It is sort of "Shrek" meets "Beauty and the Beast" with a few other stories thrown in. Instead of focusing on outer beauty, the princess is turned inside out. Her outer beauty disappears and her inner ugliness is reflected in her outward appearance. Instead of having an evil witch, sorcerer, or step mother, the villain is selfishness itself. And instead of the cookie-cutter handsome prince, this one is blind. The only thing that remains somewhat typical is the Fairy Godmother. But she is certainly not the angelic grandmother figure from Cinderella. She is a spunky, funky fairy with pizzazz and does not stand for Beautys ugly attitude. Though "Beauty Is A Beast" had some interesting twists and turns, it was a adorably predictable--but only a little-and I still LOVED it! And so did the children I watched it with. In fact, it was their interaction with the cast, the responses to questions and their comments shouted throughout the play, that made it so much fun! There were even parts where the youthful audiences interaction actually launched the cast into improvisation with their lines; to which I might add the actors did a superb job thinking off the cuff! Kirby and Slaugh also did a great job pulling the other theatrical elements together. The costumes were fun and interesting and the scenery, though simple, worked very well in transporting us into the magical world of fairy godmothers, giants, and golden geese. With the brick castle walls and a peasants' home complete with a stone fireplace, it definitely set the stage for a once upon a time story. Though you wont be able to catch this play yourself, unless you already did, I would be on the lookout for more plays put on by these two directors! I had a chance to sit down with them after one of their afternoon performances and chat with them about the play and, as Kirby put it, the best cast and crew I have ever worked with here at MSUB. Both Kirby and Slaugh shared this sentiment. They agreed that it was a great experience working with everyone. They also said that there was a better turnout at tryouts and at the performances this year. Slaugh excitedly stated that, Our biggest accomplishment this year was that we sold out Petro Thursday! We only had seventeen seats left and we saved those for extra students and chaperones on purpose!! Equally thrilled, Kirby chimed in, Yeah, this year totally exceeded our expectations! I asked them what changed and Jamie Slaugh told me that, Its a common misconception that Childrens Theatre is put on by kids. Its not. Sometimes there are children in it, but the idea of Childrens Theatre is that it is geared towards kids, put on by students. Though as she pointed out it IS geared toward children, that doesnt mean that adults cant enjoy it as well. I know I did! For us adults, just like with modern day Disney movies and many other childrens movies and TV shows, they can still be fun and interesting with lots of fun little jokes and tidbits that go over a childs head. I will say that there was one message that did not fly over their heads, but flew into their ears, and stuck; that true beauty comes from the inside. Even the four-year-old I took to the play got that message loud and clear. Just a few minutes into the play he leaned over and whispered to me, Beauty is really mean! I loved the moral message of "Beauty Is A Beast." In a world that seems to value perfect bodies and smiles, the moral that this play voices is a message that everyone needs to remember: a beautiful heart is infinitely more beautiful than a beautiful face.

o-directors Jamie Slaugh (elementary education major, theatre minor) and Steve Kirby

SERENE CREES A&E Writer

Are You Team CB or Team OTL?

who occasionally provide a much welcomed distraction. Where else in life do you get that much for just $5.00 (or less)? There are several such places both on and off campus that provide this $5.00 (or less) deal. However, two cafs in town seem to have become the favorites: Off the Leaf on Grand Avenue, and City Brew with its multiple locations around town. While most would be more likely to compare City Brew with Starbucks considering the multiple locations and comparable prices and drinks, since Starbucks is not a homegrown business, I dont see them as true competitors. City Brew opened its doors over a decade ago and has become the most popular coffee shop in town with its five locations in Billings. Personally, I have been going there for years and up until they changed their hours it had always been my go to place to do homework and hang out with friends. I cant remember exactly when they changed their hours; maybe it was when I was away at Bible college or maybe it was a few years ago when they finally started getting some competition from Starbucks and then Off the Leaf. Whenever it was, I will say I do miss the days when it was open until 10pm on weekdays and midnight on weekends. Off the Leaf, who opened their doors five years ago, is now what City Brew used to be; the go to hangout for teens and young adults. They not only offer a new venue complete with live music on select nights, but the hours are even better (midnight on week days and one a.m. on weekends). Though Off the Leaf tends to be a few cents more on most of their drinks, I have found that the quality in many cases exceeded City Brews drinks (especially their chai frapp), and almost without exception the conversation with the staff while waiting more than makes up for the few cents here or there. I have found that City Brew tends to be more businesslike and about the bottom line, while Off the Leaf is more about the relationship side of things. I believe this has everything to do with ownership. Off the Leaf was intentional about being about the customer over the coffee. They proved this when they opted not have a drive thru, so people would come in and socialize. A great example of the fundamental difference was today as I was doing research for this article. While the Off the Leaf staff were more than willing to take time to chat with me and answer all my questions, it was only after 4 phone calls to the different City Brews around town that I was finally able to get someone to take a few minutes to answer a few basic questions. The common reply to my request for information was, I am working on closing right now and I dont have time. It was only 6:30pm, far from closing, so Im not sure why that was the response. Perhaps City Brew's corporate office has their staff on such a time crunch that they cant take 5 minutes to talk to a long-time customer writing an article about them? Now, I dont want it to sound like I am bashing City Brew. Im not at all. I love lots of things about City Brew. I have some friends who work there and are awesome at customer service (Christa, Mary, and guy I have talked to for seven years but I dont think I have ever known your name, you rock!). I also love that 99% of the time I can go

here are a few essentials we college students must have in order to survive each grueling semester; a recorder to take notes, string cheese, several alarm clocks that could wake the dead, a very strong book bag that you can carry your life in, a cell phone with your favorite pizza place on speed dial, a day planner, great study buddies, and COFFEE! Yes, I know that there are some students who dont drink coffee at all and some that only drink it once in a while (that would be me--I'm more of a chai tea girl myself), but for most students, coffee is practically a basic food group; frapps and latts, brevs, and all those other drinks that end with . Some students dont care where they get their coffee; any kiosk or gas station will do. However, for the vast majority, its not just about the coffee. Its also what comes with it; free internet access, a comfy place to do homework outside the dorm room or away from the screaming kids at home. And more often than not, a place where you will run into a few friends

there and have a quiet, comfortable place to do homework and I almost never have to sit in one of the hard chairs. Yes, OTL has areas to work on as well. Most of the time I go there to do homework it's noisy and almost any time I go there its hard to find a place to sit. This is especially true when there is live music or another performance-type event; an easy solution would be more (comfy) seating and getting rid of that fake wall/ bar, which would give more floor space. I also get a little nervous sitting in some of the comfy chairs they do have--I dont think they have been replaced since they opened. Overall, each of these cafs have a lot going for them. They each have unique elements; City Brew is great if you need to grab and go or if you are looking for a quiet place to stay and study. And OTL is awesome if you have a small event to host or if you want to go socialize and listen to great music; and both have awesome drinks!! On a cold day nothing beats City Brew's Kahlua Steamer and on a hot day, I can't get enough of OTLs Top Shelf (nonalcoholic) drinks, especially their Mojito!!!

Cast and Crew: (alphabetical by last name) Coltan Adams: Lights and sound Ethan Billin: Andres/ Male fairy Colin Bradford: Scribe Kaitlyn Cardillo: Honor Jackie Clemo: Janie Jasmine Dranqe: Kids/tutor Amanda Grubbs: Sarah/ Cindy Morgan Harlocker: Back Stage Helper Grace Horman: Jill Chris Hughes: Mayor/ Guard 2 Angela Johnson: Mary Ginna Johnson: Patty (kid) Steve Kirby: Co-director / Joe Bobbie Leichner: Queen Amanda Losness: Back Stage Helper BonnieBeth Luhman: Fairy Kate Miyer: Beauty Meg Opie: Assistant director/ Back Stage Randy Pugh: Faculty Advisor Jamie Slaugh: Co-director /Nanna Sean Slaugh: Nick Jason Thomas: King Derek Watson: Lights and Sound
my kids but I just cant juggle it all at this point. Im almost done with school but what can I do to show my kids that Im still there for them? -Struggling Student Dad Dear Struggling Student Dad, Since there is only one of you, 24 hours in a day, and 7 days in a week, the key is for you to find a balance with great time management and having your priorities straight. It is obvious that in your heart your family is a priority, so first of all, pick a day in the week where you and your whole family can rest and spend time together. You can spend it with your children, some of it one on one time and some all together as a family. Second, take your wife on a date once a week. It can be as elaborate as a fancy dinner or as simple as an ice cream cone and a walk in the park. Either way, she will appreciate the thought and the time. Third, and most important, take some time for yourself. Go for a drive or a bike ride, read, etc.; find something to do for yourself to fill up your emotional and spiritual tank so you dont run out of fuel. Dear Tiff, My girlfriend of 4 years recently broke things off unexpectedly and I dont know how to deal. I am still in shock about it--we were getting along fine and even talking about marriage and a family someday. I asked her why and she said she doesnt know and that it just seemed like the time to end things. Im graduating in May and at a loss of what to do. I saw my future with this person and now it just seems.... empty. How do I cope with this when i dont even understand why things ended? -Dumped and Drained Dear Dumped and Drained, It is obvious that either she does not know what she wants, or she does and doesnt want to hurt you more by being completely honest. Either way, the more time in a relationship and the more commitment, the greater the hurt. So, it is better that you found out now rather than 3 years into your marriage after you already have a child to add to the equation. Dont press your ex for questions about why the relationship ended. The reality is, she may not even really know and may have her own emotional baggage to sort through. Give her time and perhaps, eventually, she will be able to be straight with you. At this point, treat the end of this relationship like a funeral. Allow yourself to grieve, be angry, cry and then move on. Over time, things will become easier. And remember to keep yourself busy by surrounding yourself with family and friends. Dear Tiff, My girlfriend of 4 years recently broke things off unexpectedly and I dont know how to deal. I am still in shock about it--we were getting along fine and even talking about marriage and a family someday. I asked her why and she said she doesnt know and that it just seemed like the time to end things. Im graduating in May and at a loss of what to do. I saw my future with this person and now it just seems.... empty. How do I cope with this when i dont even understand why things ended? -Dumped and Drained Dear Dumped and Drained, It is obvious that either she does not know what she wants, or she does and doesnt want to hurt you more by being completely honest. Either way, the more time in a relationship and the more commitment, the greater the hurt. So, it is better that you found out now rather than 3 years into your marriage after you already have a child to add to the equation. Dont press your ex for questions about why the relationship ended. The reality is, she may not even really know and may have her own emotional baggage to sort through. Give her time and perhaps, eventually, she will be able to be straight with you. At this point, treat the end of this relationship like a funeral. Allow yourself to grieve, be angry, cry and then move on. Over time, things will become easier. And remember to keep yourself busy by surrounding yourself with family and friends.

A
Q
Dear Tiff, Im a freshman and even though Ive been here almost one year, Im having a difficult time adjusting. I have a roommate in the dorms but we arent very close and I havent really been able to make a lot of friends because Im pretty shy. I go home almost every weekend to hang out with my family. They say these are the best years of my life but Im starting to feel like college is not cut out for me. What should I do? -Wrong Fit Dear Wrong Fit, Seek out your RAs and talk to them. You can confide in them confidentially and they can also invite you to events. They will know lots of people and can introduce you to new people so you can make new friends. Also, another great way to make friends AND give to others is to volunteer. Find an organization on campus that appeals to you and help out. There are hundreds of ways you can use your talents to help others; Young Life, Habitat for Humanity, Big Brothers Big Sisters, The Rescue Mission, Family Services, The Food Bank, and pretty much any church in townAnd though giving back is reward enough, the usual byproduct of being part of a group is that you meet people who have similar interests and most often friendships are formed. Another thing that would help you is not going home every weekend. I admire your connection with your family but if you are going to gain some autonomy as an adult you do need to form other close relationships. The weekends are when there are fun things to do in the dorms and I also know that a lot of the groups I mentioned meet and have activities then as well. Dear Tiff, I am a biology student in my third year at MSUB but most importantly, I am a father to three children. I also work two jobs to make ends meet and pay for tuition and family expenses. My wife also works fulltime. I feel as though I am neglecting my family to pursue this dream of mine of earning a college degree. I wish I could spend more time with

Friday April 12th Reagan Saulsbury, Senior Recital @ Cisel Saturday April 13th Softball vs Saint Martin's University 7:30pm - 8:30pm 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Baseball vs Saint Martin's University 1:00pm - 4:00pm Sunday April 14th Baseball vs Saint Martin's University 1:00pm - 4:00pm Nicole Jerominski, Junior Recital @ Cisel 7:30pm - 8:30pm Monday April 15th Men's Golf at Hanny Stanislaus Invitational - Turlock, Calif. Women's Golf at Maverick Spring Invitational - Grand Junction, Colo. Thursday April 18th Jazz Band Concert @ Cisel Hall Friday April 19th Women's Tennis @ Grand Junction, CO Men's Tennis @ Grand Junction, CO Baseball at Northwest Nazarene University - Nampa, ID Saturday April 20th 7:30pm - 8:30pm

Welcome to the new Classified Section of The Retort! At this time, we are accepting classified ads to be published both online and in print for FREE to students. Guidelines: -Provide a heading (no more than 6 words) -Provide a write-up of what you are advertising (maximum of 40 words) -Provide contact info to include person of contact, email, phone number, or website for further information -Review your ad carefully before submission. -Please direct questions about Classifieds to msubretort@gmail.com.

et rid t to g n a W ld me o of so st o P s? book . here them

CLASSIFIED SECTION

4:00pm - 7:00pm

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid 4dr, Automatic, 2WD, A/C, CD, 70K miles, Great mileage! $12000 Ask for Bailey 406-652-3314

Men's Track and Field at Montana State Open - Bozeman, Mont. Women's Track and Field at Montana State Open - Bozeman, Mont. Softball at Central Washington University - Ellensburg, Wash. Baseball at Northwest Nazarene University - Nampa, ID 12:00pm 3:00pm Monday April 22nd Earth Day Men's Golf vs Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Women's Golf vs Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships - Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 7:30am 11:59pm 7:30am 11:59pm

Percussion Ensemble Adults $5.00 *Seniors and Students 7:30pm 8:30pm $3.00 @ Cisel Hall Thursday April 25th Last day of Class. Finals Next Week

SUDOKU

comic courtesy www.xkcd.com

Montana Migrant Council strives towards the goal of care for all A
t first glance, the vacant field at Finley Point up in the Flathead area of Montana doesnt look like much. Yet, as the sun begins its climb through the bright summer sky and the Winnebagos drive up, a transformation begins to occur. The blue tents go up, and the line starts to form. Spanish and English mix in the air, paperwork is filed, and muchneeded medical and dental care is given to those that could otherwise not afford it. This mobile clinic is one of the many ways in which the Montana Migrant Council achieves its goal to improve the lives of migrant and seasonal farm workers, especially those living in poverty. Through government grants, the MMC carries out the Montana Migrant Health Project which provides free or lowcost medical care to migrant workers. The Flathead Clinic, which targets migrant workers working the cherry harvest, is only part of this mission. The MMC also includes walk-in clinics around the state(such as the one in downtown Billings), collaboration with other agencies such as the state health department, as well as educating our legislator about the needs of migrant workers in our state. About 90% of our clients have a Hispanic background, says Claudia Stephens, Strategic Planning Specialist at the MMC. Of those about 60% are Spanish-speaking. As Stephens notes, this demographic provides extra challenges for the MMC, especially in a state where 89.9% of the population is white and only 4.6% speak a language other than English in the home. Thus many of the clients of the MMC, as Stephens puts it, face cultural and language isolation on top of difficulties of poor work and housing environments and poverty. Most people who do hand labor are below poverty level, says Stephens, noting that her clients average yearly income is normally under $10,000. With all these issues at hand, the MMC had to do something and they started in 1985. Maria Stephens, Clau-

TABBY MAUST Outdoors Writer

The Bear Dance Clinic and Community Center.

providing care for their client, and they also pay students for their work. Theyre work ethic is fabulous. Theyre awasy excited about the work and they get to put their learning into practice, says Stephens. Many of these student interns come from our very own Montana State University Billings, and one of those stuA beat farmer and young girl in the fields. dents happened to be a current professor, Dr. Thomas Regele in the Spanish department. It was very helpful the first time, so I did it a few summers more. Then I moved away, and when I moved back, I did it again, says Regele. Though for the last few summers he has not been in the field with the MMC mobile clinic, he has referred many of his students to MMC program. You use the language and everything that you learn in the classroom on the ground, Regele tells. A worker gets checked out in La Clinica RV. Phillip Holliday, a Spandias mother, began to go to tions common from polluted ish education major at MSUB, Flathead with nothing more water or refer women for free has to agree. Working with than a van, a nurse, and a tent mammograms. They educate the Montana Migrant Council from the National Guard and migrant workers on keeping sounded like a great opporthe determination to provide safe from pesticides and heat tunity to practice my Spanhealthcare to those without. stroke. They try their best to ish with native speakers that From humble beginnings, the provide total care. wouldnt cost an arm and a MMC has evolved its mobile But they cant do it alone. leg, like studying abroad, clinics to the current customWere often understaffed, says Holliday. ized Winnebagos, one with Stephens laments, commentBoth men certainly encourtwo private exam rooms and ing that some of their ser- age all those who are interthe other with several den- vicessuch as English Lan- ested in the program to look tist chairs and full dental set- guage coursescan only be into joining the MMCs cause. up. With these two vehicles offered when they have vol- Its a great set up that they and a waiting room of tents, unteers to fill the need. have up there. Your housing the MMC transforms Finley Stephens also mentions is covered by the MMC and Point into a fully functioning the importance of student in- it is really self-rewarding to clinic. terns for much of the MMC work for a non-profit organiThere, they can provide ev- work including for transla- zation and help people who erything from basic health tors, nursing staff, and dental often dont receive the medand dental exams to teeth hygienists. This experience ical attention that they need, fillings to Well Womens ex- helps to prepare students for says Holliday. ams. They can write prescrip- working in fields that require I remember at the begintions to cure stomach infec- out-of-the-box thinking when ning when the clients first saw

me, reminisces Regele about how the MMC can help to affirm students Spanish skills. They doubted that I was the translator, but by the end their tone of voice had changed and they would point me out to whoever needed me. The families were all very grateful for the services offered, notes Holliday. When Stephens was asked for her favorite MMC memory, she painted a story that could come from any year at the mobile clinic, but certainly rang true: Youre at Flathead, all the tents are set up, the paperwork is organized, everything looks beautiful. Then, out of nowhere, the rain and the wind start and youre all over the placeand still see-

ing patients. But you know itll be ok. Our patients are thrilled to have us there, willing to wait for us to get organized again so we can see them. Its the idea that as long as you show up and put one foot in front of the other, no matter the crisis, it will be alright because we are dedicated to the goal of care. Certainly, despite the difficulties they faceboth hiccups in the field and the social issues of migrant workers todaythe MMC continues to strive towards their heart-warming goal of care. If you are interested in assisting this goal, please contact Claudia Stephens at 406-248-3149 to find both job and volunteer openings that need caring people to fill them.

The original RV used between the 1980s well into the 2000s.
Photos provided by Claudia Stevens

Whats Right is Right

By Anonymous

anonymous.msub@gmail.com
lored programming that has little to no actual information. Ayn was a tool designed with the strategies big media employs. Boisterous, self-important, opinionated, over-generalized, and fact-less, she managed to quickly become one of the most popular columns in The Retorts recent history. Observe how easily you were compelled to play along. This is due to the lifetime of training you have been given by todays mass media.

his has only been a test. Citizens of Montana State University Billings, this has only been a test. Americans today have been inundated with a new form of pundit-opinion-based media. They have been so clever in packaging it that some Americans cannot distinguish it from actual news. Todays youth have grown up in a media world where outlets like FOX, MSNBC, and more pump out carefully tai-

Take account of how willing you were to be outraged by meaningless drivel. Ask yourself the question, Why should Ayn have been successful? Some of you were savvy enough to pick up on our subtle hints and have seen this coming but most did not. Anonymous created Ayn as a test. We wanted to show you how susceptible you are to media manipulation. Beyond that we wanted to remind you how easy it is to fall into the deceptive trap of media manipulation even on the micro level of a college newspaper. Most media exists because of advertising. Most media is free or low-cost to you; however, any time a somthing is free it usually means you are the product. Media uses you, its audience, to sell ad space to businesses. Be aware and be careful about whose product you are. Nowadays the great leveler, the internet, is democratizing the distribution of mass media. Websites like Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, and many others give you the power to distribute news and find the real news that is important to you. When you are in control of the distribution of information it means mass media has a weaker product to sell. This is why they have joined the other maligned groups in attacking the internet. SOPA and PIPA were just the first of many attempts to change the internet. We must remain vigilant. This will be a long war and you have to decide if you want to control the media or be its product. It is easy

The United States or Rape nation?

CHRIS CLAUS Online Editor

very two minutes, someone in the US is sexually assaulted. 80% of those victims are under the age of 30. Over a third of rape victims know their attacker. Only three out of every 100 rapists will ever serve a day in jail. Around 25% of all female college students will be sexually assaulted before they graduate. We are becoming a rape nation. We live in a state where not knowing you didn't have consent is a valid defense for raping a young woman. Where the federal department of justice is investigating one count due to its having mishandled 80 rape cases during the last three years. Sadly, the victimization of rape survivors does not end there. In Montana, and approximately thirty other states, a rapist can sue for visitation rights and even custody if a child is born due to that rape. There also isn't an exemption to the waiting period of abortion for rape victims in those states. A majority of rape victims are vilified by their peers. This practice is so common, it

to become overconfident and lazy with our victory against SOPA et al., but know that our enemies will not give up. We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.

has its own name. Slut Shaming. You've all heard it. She asked for it! Look at how she was dressed! She was leading him on! She was wasted! People act like just because a woman dresses a certain way, gets drunk at a bar or party, or is dancing with a guy or making out with him, that that is instant consent for him to do whatever he wants to her. It's also very common for people to accuse the victim of crying wolf. Only 6% of rape reports are false. This is on par with the number of false reports on most other crimes. Nearly everyone I meet in Missoula agrees on three points. [...] The third is that the girls in Missoula are the type who "make shit up for attention." Girls "cry rape" in Missoula, say the girls of Mis-

soula, who are often quicker to blame "sluts" for getting themselves into sketchy situations than are guys. I'm told over and over again that, thanks to the allegations that have surfaced over the past few months, more and more girls are blaming their posthookup shame on the guys they in the minds of so many of the Missoulians I meet happily and carelessly took home the night before, Katie J.M. Baker stated in her article "My Weekend In Americas So-Called Rape Capital.'" "I think a lot of the sexual assaults are pretty fucking legit except for there are a lot of really slutty girls here who want to get with a lot of people and then they want to claim rape," says Rachel, a UM senior. According to one report released by the National Institutes of Health, College men who participated in aggressive sports (including football, basketball, wrestling and soccer) in high school used more sexual coercion (along with physical and psychological aggression) in their college dating relationships than men who had not. This group also scored higher on attitudinal measures thought to be associated with sexual coercion, such as sexism, acceptance of violence, hostility toward women and rape myth acceptance. There are 142 articles on ESPN's website about rape and college football. It's nice to know that if you can throw a football, you're most likely not going to be held responsible for your actions. As long as people continue to blame the victims, or think that it's okay to get a woman drunk to have sex with her, the numbers will only continue to rise.

What I learned from the MSUB Confessions Facebook page

D
CHRIS CLAUS Online Editor
ue to the badgering of my editor, I have spent the last half hour reading the MSUB Confessions Facebook page in an effort to better understand what exactly it is. Quite frankly, Im not sure what I want to do first: drink until I forget this day ever happened or move as far away as possible. In no particular order, here are a few of the things I have learned. Very few people know anything about safe sex (no, a condom will not completely protect you from herpes). Most people dont believe in staying faithful in relationships. Stormy at Off The Leaf has quite a few stalkers. I do not regret my decision to not live in the dorms. Between the bad singing, the running down the halls at all hours of the night, the rampant alcoholism, and the guy who for some reason likes to spread sex lube on peoples door knobs, it seems like its full of people that dont want to grow up. I highly recommend that everyone who has ever written on the page go get tested for an STD. To those of you living on the 6th floor, go join the nearest AA chapter. Girls on the 5th floor need to be careful, as there is a sex offender that likes to watch you shower. To everyone on there that has posted about how they have a crush on someone, grow a pair and go tell them. I really do not know how some of those people got into college in the first place. My spelling and grammar are not perfect, and by no means am I a grammar Nazi, but it hurt to read through the horrible spelling on that page. Oh, and apparently, Im not the only one who goes into a near-homicidal rage when it comes to Math XL. We should have a support group or something. I understand the initial intention of the site. Sites like PostSecret.com let people write their deepest secrets on a postcard and send them in anonymously to be published online. The intent, I assume, is to help people feel more connected, like theyre not so alone in their fears, hopes, misgivings and quirks. However, unlike PostSecret, the MSUB Confessions page is a non-stop rant and generally puts to question the level of intelligence of some MSUB students. I wasted half an hour of my day reading that trash so you dont have to. Youre welcome.

O F
CORY LOVEC Sports Writer
or the first time in 29 months, Tiger Woods is again the #1-ranked golfer in the world. It was only a matter of time, as Tiger is back to his winning ways, capturing six victories in his last 20 outings. Its no doubt that his return to the top is good for the sport (and good is an extreme understatement). Viewership is increasing, and hype about the Masters is as high as it has been in years. With Tiger Woods Sunday red looking just as bright as ever, lets take a look at some records and facts pertaining to his illustrious career. Woods holds both the record for most weeks at No. 1 (625) and most consecutive weeks at No. 1 (281). He has ranked in the top 10 over 780 weeks. Tiger Woods has a 52-4 record when holding at least a share of the lead after the first 54 holes (41-2 when he has the outright lead). Woods holds the PGA Tour record from most consecutive rounds at or below par, with 52 straight. Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus are the only golfers to win each of the four majors at least three times. Tiger has the lowest scoring average in PGA Tour history. Including endorsements, appearance fees, and prize money, Tiger Woods is sports first and only $1 billion man. He is head and shoulders above any of his nearest golfing competitors, and above every other athlete except possibly Michael Jordan (NBA) and Michael Schumacher (Formula One). Jordan should hit the $1 billion mark eventually as well, as he still collects over $45 million yearly from Nike. Woods is one of only 5 players ever to achieve the Career Grand Slam (winning each of the four majors in a career); the other players are Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player. Over his entire lifetime, Tiger Woods has managed 18 holes-in-one. His first was at the age of 6! Woods is the only golfer ever to win four majors in a row. Woods holds the record for largest margin of victory ever in a major. In 2000, he won the U.S. Open by 15 strokes. Tiger has 104 professional wins in his career, including 14 Majors, and 17 World Golf Championships. Woods has been both PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year a record 10 times. He has been the PGA Tour Money leader a record 9 times. Woods is second in career majors won with 14, four behind record-holder Jack Nicklaus. Woods still has the potential for 10-15 years of respectable golf. Tiger needs six PGA Tour wins to surpass Sam Snead to obtain the record for most wins on tour. Currently, Tiger has 77 wins.

CORY LOVEC Sports Writer

MLB: 2013 Season Outlook

MSUB Cheer Team to Hold Tryouts

MSU BILLINGS MSUB Athletics

he Montana State University Billings' Cheer team welcomes individuals for tryouts for the 2013-14 academic year on April 27-28. Tryouts will be held April 27, in the lower gym of Alterowitz Gymnasium, and April 28, in the main gym of Alterowitz. Both days are required for those trying out. Individuals interested need to download the tryout application packet listed below. Applications are due to MSUB Cheer Coach Jessica Hart by 5 p.m., on April 22. They can be mailed or dropped off in her mailbox in Alterowitz Gymnasium on MSU Billings' main campus. The application fee is $15 for all individuals trying out. Hart Hart joined the Yellowjackets after being an assistant coach at Bozeman High School since 2009. She was a member of the Montana State University Spirit Squad

verlooked in the midst of NCAA Mens March Madness, the 2013 Major League Baseball season kicked off with a bang on March 31st. In an evening battle, the Houston Astros trounced the Texas Rangers 8-2; the game, filled with 19 strikeouts, 15 hits, and many web-gem quality plays in the outfield, set the stage for what most believe will be an incredible season in the MLB. The rest of opening week had that same sort of positive vibe, and with MLB doing much more advertising, it seems as though baseball is poised this year to increase its viewership and popularity to just a sliver of what it once wasespecially after the popularity that was seen with the World Baseball Classic. Young talent really highlights the MLB. Last year, Mike Trout of the LA Angels and Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals took the league by storm by winning the AL and NL Rookie of the Year, respectively. The 21-yearold Trout led the league in steals (49) and runs scored (129), while hitting 0.326 with 30 homers and 83 RBIs; not to mention, he made some spectacular plays in the outfield. Harper (who, remember, was drafted at only 17, but spent a couple years in the minors perfecting his craft) entered the league last year at only 19. In 139 games, Harper batted 0.270, with 22 home runs, 59 RBI, 56 walks, 18 stolen bases, and was the youngest position player named to an all-star game in history. Trout and Harper arent the only young talent in the league. Lets

not forget about the San Francisco Giants reigning NL MVP and World Series champion Buster Posey, who just four years ago won the NL Rookie of the Year himself; he became the first catcher in 70 years to win the NL batting title, hitting 0.336 with 24 home runs and 103 RBI. And one more name that needs to be mentioned: Stephen Strasburg. Even with his restricted innings, Strasburg proved to be one of the best pitchers in the league, and this yearwith no restrictions on innings pitched and with another year under the belt both of himself and of teammate Bryce HarperStrasburg is poised to be a CY Young winner and MVP candidate. Yes, young talent seems to be in excess in the MLB, which is all the more reason to be excited about the future of baseball for years to come. Now, enough with the young talent. Lets not forget about all of the veteran talent in the MLB. Reigning AL MVP (and MLBs first Triple Crown winner in 45 years) Miguel Cabrera, Matt Kemp (when healthy), Justin Verlander, Robinson Canoe (who just came off of an excellent WBC), Cy Young winner RA Dickey, and, yes, the ageless wonder Mariano Rivera are all players that are themselves poised to have great years as well. California seems to be

the place for baseball. The Dodgers, Giants, Athletics, and Angels are all stacked with talent, and each has been predicted by ESPN analysts to take home a World Series title. The Dodgers have the highest payroll in MLB history, with names like Carl Crawford, Matt Kemp, Adrian Gonzalez, and Clayton Kershaw, and Zach Greinke. The Giants, aside from star catcher Buster Posey and pitcher Tim Lincecum, have a relatively low-key roster; but, it seems to work well for the reigning champions, and they look to repeat in 2013. Oakland has a relatively quiet roster as well, but Oakland brings back most of a successful roster coming off an AL West division title. The Angels, much like the Dodgers, have a roster that is chalk-full of top-tier talent; Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson lead the pitching rotation, and Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton, Albert Pujols, and Mark Trumbo lead a batting lineup that could be a nightmare to face this year. All of this talent is just in California, but the rest of baseball is trying to prove its worth as well. Yes, as it seems it always does, baseball started relatively quietly again this year. With the increased amount of young talent, advertising promoting the game, and excitement of fans watching, it is likely that it will end with a bang.

from 2008-11, and she was captain in 2010-11. The Billings native leads the MSUB Cheer squad at home basketball games along with several other campus and community events. Hart, who holds AACCA and UCA certifications, was a member of the Billings Senior High School cheer team from 2003-06. She was a UCA All-Star in 2004, 2005, and 2006, and a cheerleader in the Shrine Game in 2006. Download the application www.msubsports.com

Photo by MSUB Media Relations

Men's Soccer Calling All Campers

MSU BILLINGS MSUB Athletics

nder the direction of boys and girls between the Interim Head Coach ages of 5 13 to register for Alex Balog, the the event as soon as possible. Montana State Billings men's Campers will receive soccer program is opening instruction from coach Balog registration for their annual and current Yellowjacket MSUB Youth Camp. student-athletes. The camp will be held At the conclusion of the from Monday, June 3 through camp, participants will Friday, June 7 at Yellowjacket receive souvenirs (t-shirt, Field on the City College soccer ball) and enjoy a pizza campus; located at the party. To register for the intersection of Shiloh and MSUB Youth Camp go to Central. Each session will be http://men.msubsoccer.com/ held from 9:00 am to 12 noon youth-camp.cfm every day. MSUB welcomes Cost is $120 each.

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Griner to the NBA?

CORY LOVEC Sports Writer

ever one to keep his thoughts to himself or to stay out of the media spotlight, Dallas Mavericks owner (and Shark Tank star) Mark Cuban again made the news earlier last week by stating that he will take the Baylor Lady Bears 68 star center Brittney Griner in this years upcoming NBA draft if she is the best player available. Coming off of a tremendously decorated career at Baylor one that she ended being the Womens NCAA leading shot blocker and second-leading scorer in historyBrittney Griner seemed to be by far the most unstoppable force in womens basketball, and

maybe the player that could break the gender barrier in the NBA. Yes, at 68 she could routinely dunk, and even scored 50 points in a game this year; last year,

Baylor captured a National Championship while finishing the season undefeatedquite the accomplishment in any sport. But is Griner even the most talented player in

womens college basketball? That is up for question. Many would argue that there are much more talented women playing basketball in the NCAA (names like Notre Dames Skylar Diggins come to mind), and that the only reason Griner seemed as talented as she was is the fact that she is so much taller than most other players. Yes, in womens college basketball, Griner is an anomaly; in her sport and era she is reminiscent of Wilt Chamberlain during his time in the NBA. But in this eras NBA, Griner would not be the tallest, most talented center on the court. She would not be a dominating shot blocker, or a player that needed to be double-teamed on nearly every possession. In fact, being only 68 and 208

pounds would put her among the smallest centers/power forwards in the NBA. Keep in mind, some point guards (think Magic Johnson) and many other players (including LeBron James) are 68. The AVERAGE size of an NBA player is 67 and over 220 pounds. Griner would simply be an average or belowaverage size player in the NBA, and she would have to develop her shooting and finesse moves more so that she was not rendered onedimensional, in a dimension that she would no longer be head and shoulders above the restno pun intended. Breaking the gender barrier has been discussed many other times, and in many other sports of all levels. Earlier this year, former soccer player Lauren Silberman made a splash in the news by attending an NFL tryout in hopes of becoming a female NFL kicker. After failing miserably, even fellow women football players, including Mo Isom

(an aspiring female kicker for LSU) were embarrassed; Isom stated that Silbermans performance at her NFL tryout set women back years in breaking the gender barrier for the NFL. Simliar things have happened to other women in other sports. Some have speculated whether or not American goalkeeper Hope Solo could make it in mens Major League Soccer. In 1992, Manon Rheaume became the first (and only) woman to play in the NHL; she allowed two goals on nine shots while playing goalkeeper for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Women in professional golf and tennis seems the most likely to occur first, while baseball is a new horizon that some women look to. In short, it thus far has been anything but an easy road for women to successfully play a professional sport with male competition. Could Griner become the first? The odds are not in her favor.

Tennis Teams Prepared for Final Week in Regular Season

MSU BILLINGS MSUB Athletics

ontana State Billings men's and women's tennis teams headed south for their final three contests in the 2013 regular season. The Yellowjackets faced Colorado Christian University Friday, April 5 in Lakewood, Colo.; then traveled to Pueblo, Colo. to compete against Colorado State University-Pueblo and Western New Mexico University on Saturday, April 6. MSUB Women's Tennis MSUB's women's team showed signs of improvement last week as they scored three points in their Metro State matchup Saturday, March 30. Freshman Mary Conwell recorded her first collegiate victories, winning both her singles and doubles contests against the Roadrunners. On the season Madeline Loomis leads the team with three overall victories. Colorado Christian women's team has struggled this year and currently sit at 1-12 overall, 0-1 in the RMAC. The Cougars have been off since March 8 due to their last two events being canceled. Kara Williams has played well this season and is Colorado Christian's most

effective player. The Yellowjackets and Cougars will start their event at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5. Colorado State UniversityPueblo enters this weekend at 2-5 overall and fourth in the RMAC with a 1-2 mark. The Thuderwolves have only played seven contests this season, and remain extremely vulnerable as they have a cast without a single upperclassman. Brooke Trevithick remains a threat, leading the team with six overall wins. CSU-Pueblo and the Jackets start their competition at 9:00 am on Saturday, April 6. At the conclusion of the morning event, MSU Billings will face off with Western New Mexico Saturday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. The Mustangs (6-14, 1-0 RMAC) have recently won their first conference match 9-0 against CSU-Pueblo and enter this weekend with a lot of confidence. Western New Mexico has a very talented group as Davida Aragon, Ashley Newell, Claudia Osuna and Ganna Tiurina all have over six singles wins. Our ladies have shown consistent improvement over the season, stated head coach Lew Kosich. Last week we had three wins against the No. 1 team in the RMAC. I expect we will show continued

Photo by MSUB Media Relations

improvement this weekend. MSUB Men's Tennis The Yellowjackets men's team entered the final regular season weekend carrying the momentum from their 9-0 sweep over Metro State. Brandon Beardsley and Kavindu Gamage were in rhythm the entire weekend and went unbeaten against Colorado Mesa and Metro State. MSU Billings currently sits at 4-10 overall and third in the RMAC standings with a 1-1 mark. On the season Beardsley, Christian Fischer, Gamage and Navin Marimuthu all have over 10 wins, with Fischer's 15 overall victories leading the team. Colorado Christian has started the season slow, and remain winless in 2013 (04, 0-1 RMAC). Despite their struggles, Chris Flathers and

Alex Siemers remain fierce competitors for the Cougars. MSUB and Colorado Christian will start their event at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5. Following their event in Lakewood, Colo. the Jackets will head to Pueblo, Colo. to face CSU-Pueblo and Western New Mexico on Saturday, April 6. MSUB will face the

Thunderwolves first at 9:00 a.m. then compete with the Mustangs at 2:30 p.m. CSU-Pueblo (3-13, 1-1 RMAC) has been inconsistent in 2013, recording solid wins and close losses. The Thunderwolves defeated Colorado Christian 9-0 for their lone conference victory. Alex Lesiuk and Saul Shrom are CSU-Pueblo's top players as they have combined for 15 overall victories. Western New Mexico (1012, 1-0 RMAC) has played well in 2013 and is currently one game ahead of MSUB in the conference standings. The Mustangs are riding a three game win streak as they enter Saturday's match. Francisco Damasio is recording a remarkable 2013 campaign, leading the team with a 12-5

record. The trip is very important as our results will determine our seed for the RMAC Championship Tournament, Kosich said. We lost a very close match to Colorado Mesa last weekend; so if we do our job Friday and Saturday, we will most likely meet them again in the tournament. We have a strong chance, if we stay focused, to come home from this trip in great shape for the tournament. At the conclusion of Saturday's events, both teams will have two weeks off before they enter the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Championship Tournament held in Grand Junction, Colo. on April 19th & 20th

Photos by MSUB Media Relations

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Community Gardens Positively Wild Birds UnlimiteD

Impact the Community

hile many of us love to garden as a hobby, not all of us think of gardening as a way to create social change. But there are those who have started, and participate in, community gardens around Billings. Community gardens are simple in their ideause a large plot of land to hold smaller plots that individuals from the community use for their garden. These are perfect for those who rent and cannot alter their yards to include a garden, or for those who live in apartment buildings and dorms who have no yard at all. While community gardens provide recreation for these individuals, they also give them fresh, healthy food. The City of Billings website finds that 33% of students (around 5,500) in Billings School District 2 live below the poverty level, putting them and their families at risk of food insecurity. Those who start their day hungry, whether they are sitting in school or on their way to work, arent functioning at 100%. According to the Billings Food Bank, the foods that most often get left out of these families diets are fresh fruits and veggies. This is where community gardens come in. As the City of Billings website says, the gardens provide a handup rather than a hand-out to those who need it. While community gardens may not be obvious around the city, they are plentiful and helping to make our community a better place, and can certainly use your help. The Independence Hall Veterans Garden is located adjacent to the transitional living facility for formerly homeless veterans. Local community members and businesses helped to create the garden so that the veterans would increase their food security and decrease reliance on food assistance. While the gardens are in the veterans hands, community members are welcome to be advisors on the project.

helps brings nature to you

undeniable favorite is called The Eliminator or the Cadillac of bird feeders. This fancy feeder will lock up when pests(such as squirrels or even bully birds like grackles) try to feed on the seed and only allows the cute little birds you love to see. It never disappoints, McCormick says. McCormick loves having feeders in her yard, saying that It is not just a nice thing to do for the winter, but it is also part of the landscape. Its amazing and never boring. She says that by adding a simple bird feeder into your yard will open the door to the avian world so that soon you will not only want to know the different types of birds, but their life cycles, their preferred habitats, and their behaviors. All these things, and certainly more, can be learned at Wild Birds Unlimited. Were both educators and trouble-shooters, McCormick says. She tells that the employees at Wild Birds Unlimited will do everything from give out advice about how to deter pests to play Whats that bird? with their customers. If birds arent quite your thing, Wild Birds Unlimited also offers products that will attract various other outdoor creatures, including butterflies and bats. They also have a variety of decorative items, including gorgeous glass birdbaths, enchanting wind chimes, and various other yard decorations. If you need a little more outdoors in your life closer to home, Wild Birds Unlimited is sure not ot disappoint Leslie, Kathy, John, and their lovely shop-dog Studley will all be happy to help you!

TABBY MAUST Outdoors Writer

TABBY MAUST Outdoors Writer

A tomato plant beginning to prosper- a sure sign of Spring.

The same mission is achieved in the Housing Authority of Billings (HAB) Community Garden. This project empowers the tenants of HAB to become selfsufficient, provides fresh produce, and teaches both children and adults the ropes of gardeninga skill that one can use through one's life. With 50 plots, the HAB Community Garden is helping to stop hunger in the home. The St. Vincent Healthcare Charity Garden strives to reach the same goal of stopping hunger. Employees and volunteers of the hospital created the garden in the St. Vincent courtyard last summer and tended it through the growing season. All fruits of the harvest were donated to the Billings Food Bank, coinciding with the St. Vincent mission: to help the poor and vulnerable in the community. This year, the garden will be moving to the roof of the hospital to gather more sun, and produce more food and would be happy to have anyone interested help with its maintenance. St. Andrews Community Garden also donates a part of

its produce that is grown in the Common Ground Garden. While other community members can buy 8x8 plots for ten dollars to grow food for their own household, all gardeners assist in the Common Ground Garden for donation. This all-organic community garden produced 3,500 pounds of produce last year for community benefit. The Salvation Army also sponsors a community garden specially designated for youth gardeners. Their program provides children with gardening skills, lessons

about healthy eating, and shows them the process of how their food gets on their plate. Students who enroll in this program will also have access to ecosystem and cooking lessons, all centering around the Youth Garden. The many programs available throughout Billings for a variety of people testify to the power that community gardens have to impact change on our city, and that gardening is more than just a hobbyit can be life changing.

Photos by Tabby Maust

ometimes, those of us who love the outdoors dont have time to go out and enjoy it. Between school, work, kids, and other obligations, it is often hard to book in a day to head out into the great outdoors and see all the wildlife and beauty it has to offer. However, everyone has a couple minutes to enjoy nature when it is in your own front yard. This is where Wild Birds Unlimited, owned by Kathy and John Haigh, is more than happy to help with a full selection of bird feeders, bird baths, and bird houses to bring nature to your front door. Birds are addictive to watch, says Leslie McCormick, a Certified Bird Feed Specialist at Wild Birds Unlimited. She mentions that not only are the birds behavior never the same and never dull, but that over 300 species of birds fluttering around Montana can be yours to see in your own front yard. Everything from a standard house sparrow to woodpeckers and hummingbirds can be found in your very yard simply depending on what type of food you use in your bird feeder. While placement and access is part of equation, the food is the most crucial aspect to what birds visit your yard says McCormick. No matter what type of bird you choose to attract, McCormick suggest the Flying Start Combo(which is the feeder that yours truly now as hanging in her front yard), a wonderful yet simple metal feeder that holds three seed cakes of different varieties to draw in different birds for your viewing pleasure. The best part? This fun little starter kit is only 15 dollars! Perfect for college student budget that simply wants a little more outdoors in their life. However, if you do really enjoy the flocks of birds that fly to your starter feeder, Wild Birds Unlimited has plenty more feeders to upgrade to. McCormicks

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