"Live" heavy duty Rock-n-Roll

The Retort - Wednesday, February 24, 1993
1111111=11111
Revelations Editor
Greg Chinberg - 2195
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Selecting a handgun part 2
By Suzanne Kydland
Montana is a very easy state to
live in and own a handgun. There
is no permit required to purchase
one, and no registration or license
required either. Carrying a concealed weapon here IS against the
law — unless you have a permit,
which is not terribly difficult to
come by. Concealed, in the state
of Montana, is defined as "wholly
or partially covered by the clothing or wearing apparel."
Before buying a handgun, it is
strongly recommended that you
become familiar with the basic
laws in Montana, or whatever
state you live in. Laws about
handgun purchases and ownership
vary from state to state.
The next step is to decide what
it is you want in a handgun. Sorry,
machine guns are illegal here, so
your decision will most likely be
between a revolver or a semiautomatic. For those of you who are
new at this, a revolver is a handgun which has a cylinder to hold
the bullets. The cylinder "revolves" around with each shot.
The main argument against these
is the amount of ammunition they
can hold, which is normally only
5 to 6 bullets (or rounds), and the
extra time it takes to actually load
the gun. The semiautomatic, on
the other hand, automatically
extracts and ejects the empty
bullet casing when fired, and
loads a new cartridge into the
chamber as the trigger is pulled.
PERSPECTIVE
You've seen these in all the "Lethal Weapon" type flicks —
they're the kind of handguns that
can be fired about fifty times —
well, actually about 9 to 15 times
— without having to reload.
That's why people often prefer
them to revolvers. You never
know when you might have to
fire fifty or so times to hit your
target, right? But of course, even
the semiauto has its disadvantages. These guns are notoriously
known for "jamming up". Naturally, this is not a feature you see
in the movies, but it does occur.
And there probably isn't a real
convenient time for it to happen,
either. "Excuse me, Mr. AxMurderer, I seem to have a little
jam up in my 9mm, so I can't
shoot you just yet. Could you hold
on a ,second?!"
Both the revolver and the
semiautomatic have their advantages as well as their drawbacks.
It's simply a matter of personal
preference. And so is caliber, or
the diameter of the bullet. Basically you need to decide how large
of a bullet you want to shoot.
As far as self-defense goes, a
smaller caliber handgun is not as
effective. It is not as intimidating
to an intruder in the first place,
nor will it do, for lack of a better
term, the "damage" you might
need it to. Contrary to popular
belief, sometimes the larger
caliber weapons are not always
the best either. Of course they are
more threatening to the eye, but
handguns such as the .44 Magnum
revolver can be a little too pow-
■•••-assZ
erful. This gun was actually developed for big game hunting, and
is often more difficult to control.
And if you plan to use your
handgun for purposes of self-defense, you are going to need to be
in control.
One of the most popular revolvers is the .38 Special, a past
favorite of police forces nationwide, noted for its accuracy, intimidation value, and size. It is
large enough for self protection,
yet several models are easy to
shoot with little recoil.
Another favorite revolver is
the .357 Magnum. Although
sometimes it tends to be a bit
bulkier than the .38, it is an extremely effective manstopper.
If your preference is leaning
towards a semiauto, the 9mm is
widely used for sport shooting as
well as side arms for police officers. It is good for self-defense
because of its accuracy and low
to moderate recoil.
But whatever size and type of
handgun you decide is desirable,
you should talk to the dealer before purchasing it, decide how
much you want to spend (be prepared to spend a few hundred
dollars), and look at the different
models and makes available.
Thinking ahead about these things
before you make your purchase
will help insure the handgun you
choose will be the best and most
comfortable for your personal
safety.
Study for a Summer in Europe
"6 I .•
ir.
.,
The University of New Orleans will sponsor its 18th annual INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL in Innsbruck, Austria during the summer of
1993. Over 250 U.S. and European Students, as well as some 30 faculty/staff
members, will experience life and learning in the magnificent setting of the
towering Tirolean Alps in the "Heart of Central Europe".
Participants can earn up to ten semester hours of credit (fully transferable
according to the usual rules), selecting from over 50 courses offered in a wide
variety of subject areas. Courses focus primarily on cultural, historical, social,
political, business, and economic issues of U.S./European relations and address
the theme, Europe at a Crossroads: The Legacy of Ethnicity. All instruction is
in English, with field trips and European guest lectures as integral parts of the
academic program. In addition to distinguished figures from the U.S. and
Austria, the faculty is comprised of professors from the Universities of New
Orleans, Florida, Georgia and Vienna. "Academically, the overall learning is just
great," said Dr. Guenter Bischof, a native Tirolean who is now on the faculty of
the University of New Orleans. "A student may read less, but see much more. It
is a true living educational experience."
During the summer, students are housed in the Studentenhaus at the 300year-old University of Innsbruck, which is only a short walk from the many inns,
cafes, and beer gardens in the "Old Town" of Innsbruck. Three-day weekends
offer ample time for students to travel to many different destinations in Europe,
to hike in the Alps and even to ski the nearby glaciers. "You don't have to go very
far to see someplace that is very different," said Meg Hanks, a former participant.
From Innsbruck, the efficient Eurail system reaches all of Austria and much of
Europe within a few hours.
Innsbruck is an ideal location for weekend travel, "Spending the summer in
Innsbruck, Austria was one of the most broadening experiences of my life, not
only educationally, but socially and culturally as well," Meg continued. "If I ever
have the chance to go again, I'll have my bags packed and ready in no time flat."
Stephanie Rondenell had this to say about her UNO-INNSBRUCK experience.
"If someone were to ask me to name the most memorable experience of my life,
all I would have to say is UNO-INNSBRUCK. When I think of my summer in
Austria, I think of the mountains that were outside my dorm window and how
wonderful it was to wake up to them every morning." Student Robert Styron
stressed the learning experience of mingling with local residents: "You get to
meet and talk with people and look at their perception of the United States."
THE UNO-INNSBRUCK INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL will
convene with gala opening ceremonies on the 4th of July and will end August 14,
1993. For those who wish to enrich their European experience further, UNO
offers a pre-study credit program in Northern Italy, as well as an educational tour
through Western Europe.
THE UNO-INNSBRUCK INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL is a
wonderful opportunity for students to travel, learn, and earn semester credit hours
in a rich and beautiful European setting, alive with dramatic current events.
Enrollment is limited, so interested students should apply as soon as possible.
For a full color brochure and course descriptions write to: UNO-INNSBRUCK1993 International Study Programs, Box 1315, University of New Orleans, New
Orleans, LA 70148; or call the UNO Office of International Study Programs at
(504) 286-7116.
By Suzanne Kydland
Retort Revelations Writer
Last week, audiences in Petro Theater were introduced to a part of
Native American culture new to many in the production of "49",
written by Indian playwright Hanay Geiogamah and directed at EMC
by Naomi Pierce.
Although the play was first performed almost 20 years ago, it deals
with Indian traditions and the fear of losing them, as well as the tension
between Native
Americans and
white cultures
r
still present today. The title
"49" is referring
to a ceremony
thatstarted
early this century — a gathering of a social
and spiritual
nature. It is an
intertribal celebration of life
and bonding together. In the
play, the Indian
youth are joining at the "49"
despite the conflicting authority of the police,
which represent
one of many
forces that have
tried to stop the
Indian culture
from progressing over the
years.
John Potter
knowledgeably
delivers Night
Walker, a spiritual man who is
saddened as he
watches the gradual downfall of his people. Since Night Walker is
simply an observer, he can only try and instill his ancestral values and
customs with his spiritual influence.
The scenes jump between the youth and their present day problems
trying to celebrate at the "49" and Night Walker telling stories and
teaching traditions at a ceremonial site. In the end, with Night Walker's
influence, the young Indians overcome the police interference at the
"49" by banding together against them. They are triumphant in their
fight against the forces that strive to break their people apart, as Night
Walker at the same time shares their glory.
Together they keep their culture alive.
"49", although only about an hour long, held the interest of the
audience from beginning to end, with excellent Native American
backdrops, stage sets, and costumes. Though the police are never
actually shown, some creative red and blue lighting and spotlighting
turned out to be very effective.
Overall, the play gives to its audience another look at Indian
traditions and Native American culture, not by adapting itself to
primarily white viewers, but by forcing them` to take a look at things
from more of a Native American point of view.
.
• •
I
•
"Live" heavy duty Rock-n-Roll
You'd think Angus Young would have grown out of
his short pants by now. Granted, he's been wearing them
for almost twenty years, but isn't there something ridiculous about seeing a thirty-something rock star stomp
across the stage in an Australian schoolboy's suit? So
you might think, but only if you haven't actually seen
Young in action.
AC/DC rose during the second half of the '70s
and blew onto the international music scene in the
'80s with its turn-of-the-decade release, Back in
Black. Perhaps AC/DC's most crucial innovation
is the way its lyrics make plain the boys' lockerroom conception of sexuality. Shamelessly sexist
panderers or refreshingly frank entertainers? AC/
DC fits both descriptions, but the truth is none of it
would matter if guitarist Angus Young wasn't such
a huge riff-monger equipped with the Godzillalike rhythm section of Cliff Williams (bassist) and
Chris Slade (drummer). Learn to laugh with or at
lead singer Brian Johnson's shrieking depictions
of those hormonal surges, and AC/DC's thundering musical charge will sweep you away.
Live was recorded during AC/DC's 1990-1991
world tour and is seventy-four minutes of classic
AC/DC. It is an excellent collection of their fiery,
soul-wrenching music. In fact, "You Shook Me All
Night Long" epitomizes AC/DC's streamlined attack and "Back in Black" has a vicious hook that
ROCK-M-ROLL
REVIEWS
by S.L. Maasch
rumbles like a funky earthquake. "Shoot To Thrill"
utilizes a charged-up riff that's topped off by Brian
Johnson's distinctive sandpaper bark. The hot power
chords of "Heartseeker" detonate with gratifying
crunch, while jackhammer raunchiness of "Whole
Lotta Rosie" rocks with an amphetamine-fueled
intensity. Even "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap", though
originally sung by Bon Scott, is still a trashy, irresistible
revenge fantasy.
This is music that goes straight for the gut. Singer
Brian Johnson shrieks the lyrics in a voice high enough
to annoy dogs. His sound is so over the top that you can't
help but believe him (he seems to be singing from his
sweat glands). Before , the band could never quite
harness its sound and fury. Original lead singer Bon
Scott pioneered the raunchy, high-pitched style that
Johnson later perfected (Scott died shortly after AC/
DC's belated American breakthrough High to Hell).
Johnson's singing has a stunning effect., infusing the
band's sex lyrics with furtive intensity of a hormone-crazed teen. Listen to him sing "The Jake",
and even his voice seems to have blue ball.
There's a similar manic energy to Angus
Young's performance. Although Young is a gifted
player, what is most noticeable about his guitar
work isn't its musical content but its desperate
intensity. In fact, Young seems to play as if he
were afraid he might explode at any minute.
AC/DC hasn't changed a whit since they first
started. They have always relied on monolithic
guitar riffs, hyperblues vocals and a fist-punching
jackhammer beat to propell themselves into the
rock stratosphere. From the opening volley of the
unmistakable Angus-riffs on "Thunderstruck" to
the closing cannnonade of "For Those About To
Rock (We Salute You)", this album delivers
straight-ahead, heavy-duty rock & roll.