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REVIEW
STYLE REVIEW // DENIM
> Get it while it's haute.
The best part of spring is digging deep in your closet and searching for those old daisy dukes that match perfectly with a band tee for weekend wear. As the warm weather comes full circle, so does eating ice cream, strolling through the park and venturing to outdoor concerts. As Americans, we are oh-so-proud of our denim on a yearly basis, but in the spring, it not only dresses our bottom half but accessorizes our outfit as well. To update a basic t-shirt-and-jeans look, simply wear a jean jacket — and don't worry, you will not turn out like Justin and Britney's denim-duo on the red carpet circa 2001. Stick to no more than two denim pieces and you will look trendy, not cheesy.
and make them your own by gluing on buttons, patches or beads, and pair with a cut-off vintage tee for an eclectic, carefree impression.
For those who have more of a classic-American taste, opt for dark-wash denim shorts that sit roughly at mid-thigh. Roll them up a couple of times and pair with a pastel blouse and navy blue flats for a vacation-ready look. For those a bit more on the wild side, take out your old daisy dukes. But this time, rip up the bottom half. For inspiration, go to runwaydreamz.com
// BRITTANY NELSON
Contributed phone Daisy dukes: With summer off-approaching, now is the perfect time for the cut-off-shorts look.
MOVIE REVIEW // THE CONSPIRATOR
> Hollywood hits, indie flicks and everything in between.
The War Department, led by the simpering autocrat Edwin Stanton (Kevin Kline), decides that Mary is no longer worthy of her constitutional rights, instead opting to leave her at the mercy of a military tribunal in lieu
Robert Redford's new period piece The Conspirator is a welcome gift for history buffs everywhere. The film sheds some much-needed light on one of the greatest injustices ever perpetrated by the United States government on one of its own citizens. The heretofore neglected tragedy unfolds in the months following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
The movie opens with a meticulous recreation of the murder and the largely bungled conspiracy behind it, deftly capturing the abject horror of the moment and the outcry for vengeance that followed. After all but one of the conspirators are captured or killed, public suspicion is cast on Mary Surratt (Robin Wright) the owner of the boarding house where John Wilkes Booth and his fellows allegedly planned their crimes.
of a trial by her peers. Her attorney is Frederick Aiken (James McAvoy), a retired Union war hero who initially has nothing but contempt for his Southern-born client.
Aiken's attempts to prove Mary's innocence are decidedly half-hearted until he realizes what a dangerous precedent the trial is setting, one whose effects are still being felt in today's world of extraordinary rendition and Guantanamo detainees. McAvoy ably portrays his character's crisis of conscience, and a fine acting ensemble, including Evan Rachel Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Danny Huston and Stephen Root, assist him. Although the effusive courtroom exchanges may wear a bit thin on some audience members, the emotional pay-off and admirable social relevance make Redford's film an intriguing dramatic exercise well worth an eventual viewing, although one could be forgiven for skipping it in theaters.
// LANDON MCDONALD
Edited by Erin Wilbert
Beating the Sooners or Long-horns once is hard enough. Beating them over a twelve game schedule is infinitely more challenging.
MUSIC REVIEW // VARIOUS ARTISTS - 'THAI? DAI!"
> KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption. | (B-MUSIC)
Eclectic crate-digger Andy Votel returns with a golden collection of underground favorites from Thailand. The compilation features tunes from mid-1970s Thai musicians that were fascinated by American funk, soul, blues, psych, folk, hard rock and pop. Votel worked with Chris Menist and DJ Maft Sai to craft this soullful mix as part of Votel's Finders Keepers/B-Music reissue marathon.
The new television deal is nice, no doubt about it. But if any of the former Big 12 north schools want to even sniff a conference title in the near future, they'll search for two more schools to join the conference, thus putting the divisions back in place. Memphis, Louisville and BYU have been thrown around as possibilities, and any of those schools would be a good fit for the Big 12, especially for every school not named Oklahoma or Texas.
The CD begins with Sroeng Santi's romping rendition of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man." The liner notes explain that Sroeng doesn't simply translate Sabbath's lyrics to Thai.
Like a number of the songs on this compilation, the lyrics are altogether different and more concerned with Thai life. On "Kuen Kuen Lueng Lueng" (the "Iron Man" cover) the subject matter involves the waxing and waning moon and its similarity to the ever-rising food prices in Thai markets. Fast-forward to the last track and you've got Jalwal, Annie and Geersak performing a more fuzzed and dissonant version of Chicago's "25 or 6 to 4." Everything else in between is derived from a handful of influences, from African/Jamaican roots to the strained garage buzz of The Sonics, as well as a blend of traditional Thai and Western instrumentation with late '50s/early '60s surf and proto-punk.
A driving force behind this compilation is the current youthful celebration and rediscovery of this music by certain scenes within Bangkok. Maft and Menist hold late-night dance parties to cater to this particular audience, blasting a number of the same songs featured on Thai? Dail at the regularly held Paradise Bangkok event. Play this at a party and you will inevitably get some odd looks and moving hips.
★★★// ALEX TRETBAR
four south schools, Baylor, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, have had to play Texas and Oklahoma every year anyway, this new format won't really affect them negatively, either. But for Missouri, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State, this is nothing but bad news from a scheduling standpoint. The extra millions of dollars from the new television contract should help ease the pain, but the point stands.
Take 2007 for example. Kansas had its most successful season in school history, winning 12 games and capturing the FedEx Orange Bowl. Conveniently, Kansas didnt have to face Texas or Oklahoma that year. Could they have beaten either squad? Sure, they could have.
But the team they lost to—Missouri—lost handily to Oklahoma twice that year. With a round robin scheduling format, 2007 wouldn't have been the season Kansas football fans remember with such joy. Maybe that's harsh, but it's the truth. Texas and Oklahoma are on a different level than 99 percent of the country, and Kansas now gets to face both schools on a yearly basis.
the plate this season. Something happened to the Kansas batters Wednesday night though — every starter recorded a hit during a 24-hour hitting virus that infected the jayhawks in their 11-2 win over Wichita State.
"When the first guy gets that RBI base hit, it makes it contagious throughout your whole dugout," coach Rich Price said. "When one player clutches up, the next player looks forward to doing
came with runners on base.
three straight hits scoring one run, including a double to right center by sophomore catcher Alex DeLeon.
Freshman katie K艾尔德redge got things started in the first inning, scoring from third off an unearned run after a Zac Elgie groundout. Kansas then tacked on another unearned run when sophomore Jake Marasco singled, knocking in senior left fielder Jimmy Waters from second after a throwing error by Wichita State shortstop Tyler Grimes.
"We get our first RBI base hit, and the next thing you know,
The Jayhawks finished the inning with two walks and two singles to score two more runs. Keeping the pressure on, Kansas scored another run in the third off an RBI double hit by junior Jason Brunansky.
In the quick three-inning spurt, the jayhawks had amassed seven runs before the Shockers knew
The atypical cushion provided by the bats helped the Kansas pitching staff relax kept the Shockers silent.
"It helps your pitching. There's no pressure," sophomore starter Thomas Taylor said. "Everyone's on top of their game after you come up 6-0. No one is going to be playing nervous; they just go right after them, and good things happen."
Taylor, pitching on a tired arm after starting Saturday, often kept
the seventh inning when Wichita scored one run off a single followed by a double.
bay, a double.
Wednesday's effort led to the Jayhawks putting up season bests across the plate. Kansas rebounded nicely from a four-game skid, winning two of two against Wichita State, and gaining momentum heading into a crucial weekend series against Big 12 preseason favorite Oklahoma.
Edited by Erin Wiibert
SOFTBALL
Kansas to fight for spot in regional tournament
The team celebrates after a home run hit by senior catcher Brittany Hile in the double-header against Okla. The team finished conference play 1-16. They hope to combine their preseason record of 26-3 with victories in their final three regular season games. Chris Bronson/KANSAN
BY HANNAH WISE
hwise@kansan.com
The softball team is left to rely upon three final non-conference games to bolster its regional tournament chances after weekend losses to Texas A&M, 3-2 and 13-0. The Jayhawks finished conference play with a 2-16 record, but are 31-22 overall.
The Big 12 conference has a total of 10 teams, eight of which are ranked in the top 25 nationally by either the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll or the USA Today Coaches' Poll and more often than not, both. It is an incredibly challenging conference to succeed in and the teams that are leading the standings — Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma State — are teams that do well year after year in the conference as well as in the NCAA Tournament.
"It's a tough conference," coach Megan Smith said. "Every team we play is ranked. It's extremely difficult. You don't get a break, but that's why you like to play in those big conferences."
The Jayhawks entered Big 12 play with a historic start to the season at 26-3. They won five of their six preseason tournaments, going
undefeated in four. The preseason start is what is helping the team's regional chances now, but the Jayhawks must win their final three games. The final
The final stretch begins tonight against Drake. The Bulldogs are 31-18 overall and 18-4 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Last week, the layhawks took home two victories against Wichita State (11-3 in six innings and 6-3 in the second game), another Missouri Valley competitor.
The jayhawks have not lost their drive. They are motivated by the possibility of still making it to regionals.
But the team cannot lose it's focus, especially after last weekend's 13-0 loss. Coach Smith has said repeatedly throughout the season that they are going to focus on themselves and what they can do. That is what is going to carry the team through the end of the season.
"Its going to be an interesting finish, but we are going to be locked in and ready to play Drake." Smith said.
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— Edited by Jacque Weber
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