Courtesy of www.gossipyouth.com

Pitchforks: 4/5

Record Label: Columbia

As humans, juicy gossip has become almost as necessary as food, water and the air we breathe. Whether it’s a matter of who’s dating whom, or what someone did last night, the desire to know as much as possible is palpable – regardless of how relevant it is to us personally.

Sometimes however, the more we know and the more we open ourselves up, the better off we’ll be, even if the truth hurts. Proving that yet again is the fifth studio album release “A Joyful Noise” by the aptly named band Gossip from Portland.

Set to release Tuesday, “A Joyful Noise” is just that (and some). Unlike most of the tabloid fodder that makes it to print these days, this delivery of the ups and downs of life is truly worthy of your attention.

While some secrets are better left unsaid, the voice of singer Beth Ditto deserves to be heard. In the wake of the constant broken-hearted Adele, the depth, strength and perseverance of this queen from the northwest is remarkable.

With the amazing and consistent accompaniment of guitarist Nathan Howdeshell and drummer Hannah Blilie, Ditto’s songs of love and love-lost are brought to life with truly danceable rock riffs and beats.

Produced by Brian Higgins, whose past works include Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys and Girls Aloud, “A Joyful Noise” is a non-stop supply of songs meant to not only get you on your feet, but also to get you out the door and ready to put the past behind you.

The album’s first single, “Perfect World,” is a crescendo of empowerment in a world of flaws and imperfections. If you’re having doubts, about anything, just remember what Ditto preaches: “In the picture perfect world, we can be more than before.”

Each of the album’s 11 tracks moves seamlessly from one to the next. The opening track “Melody Emergency” sets the stage for what is to come. “Get A Job” is a great anthem for those frustrated with the rich and lazy, while “Casualties Of War” creeps in with a dark and hypnotic beat brought to light and life by (again) Ditto’s words of wisdom.

Before we have a chance to think that Ditto is singing for those strictly on the receiving end of broken hearts and relationships, “Involved” is a song for those who aren’t in love, at least not yet.

The final three tracks encapsulate exactly what Gossip is capable of, not to mention exactly what they have been offering since 2000. Fusing the best elements of pop, funk, disco and lacing it all in the power of rock, Gossip possesses one of the more unique and powerful sounds of the current musical landscape.

For those familiar with the band’s catalogue of material, “A Joyful Noise” is more of what fans have come to love about Gossip without sounding forced or contrived. For those unfamiliar, starting with this most recent release will undoubtedly force the listener to discover all that this band has produced.

Reach the reporter at jbfortne@asu.edu

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The problem with the resolution of the cliffhanger ending from ‘The Great Game,’ lies within the characterization of Moriarty and Holmes. The final scene makes it clear where both men stand–Holmes will pursue him to no end, and Moriarty recognizes the liability.

It’s an awkward, but nevertheless cheeky, conclusion when resolved at the beginning of ‘A Scandal in Belgravia,’ the show’s season premiere episode. However, once reached, it becomes easier to engage in the mystery of the first story of this three-episode season.

Recruited by his older brother, Mycroft (Mark Gatiss, also the series co-creator), Sherlock is tasked with retrieving embarrassing photos of a royal family member in the possession of self-proclaimed Dominatrix, Irene Adler (Lara Pulver), a noted character in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories.

In their first scene together, both of them increasingly try to beat the other at their own game, with Adler entering the room in a state of undress, to stump him at getting an accurate reading on her characteristics, and later when the detective sneakily coerces a piece of vital information from her.

This encompasses much of their relationship that develops throughout the episode’s story: a battle of two intelligent minds, duking it out to see which one comes out on top. The effectiveness of their liaison is measured in the believability of a pivotal plot point between the two late in the narrative.

Returning as Holmes, Benedict Cumberbatch remains one of the best, if not the best, actors to be cast as the famous detective.

The deductions alone would make his portrayal of Sherlock well worth the audience’s attention, but in his characterization he is no less than compelling. He’s able to balance deductions about humans with a complete lack of understanding and tact, but still register an inkling of humanity.

He can deduce why an acquaintance wears a revealing dress and carries a neatly wrapped Christmas gift, but the fact that she may be dressing up for him slips his mind when he mercilessly breaks her down.

While indeed a talented dramatic character, Cumberbatch brings forth a comedic side that fully rounds the character.

As usual, Paul McGuigan, the episode’s director, brings a strong sense of stylized composition to every shot he directs, something that he established in the pilot he directed for the series, ‘A Study in Pink.”

The episode as written by ‘Sherlock’ co-creator, Steven Moffat, contains his usual minute attention to detail. Any episode written by him almost requires multiple viewings to grasp all the little details he peppers in.

The series’ three 90-minute episodes allow for tremendous detail in the narrative and production, creating one of the most tightly written and fully engaging mysteries available to audiences presently. These details are highly unlikely to be duplicated when CBS airs its response to the British version of the show, with 24 to 45 minute episodes in their own modern update.

Despite best intentions, the PBS program Masterpiece Mystery is an awkward fit for transplanted British series that have no commercial breaks. The hour and a half episodes force them to cut scenes from the episode for introduction and sponsorship segments to make their allocated time slot.

The second season aired on PBS Sunday, and will be available for purchase Tuesday.

Reach the reporter at tccoste1@asu.edu

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The website researched all regionally accredited online universities and created a ranking of the top programs.

The criminal justice school began offering its online degree program in fall 2010 and now enrolls more than 500 students in bachelor’s and master’s degree programs.

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice online education manager Daniel Zorich said the accolade reflects how well the school built the online program.

“(The Criminal Justice School) would like to mirror exactly what we do on campus in terms of the quality of the instruction,” Zorich said. “We tried to take the materials developed by our top-notch faculty and make them work in an online environment, adding other elements to it that would engage those students.”

He said the online program implemented features such as video lectures and discussion boards to keep students involved with each other and the instructor.

“I’ve been teaching here as a part-time faculty member since the late ‘90s,” Zorich said. “I find the (online) classes that I develop and teach are much more engaging than the classes that I taught face-to-face.”

Criminal justice professor Andrew Clemency said the online degree program maintains the rigor of a classroom environment and allows students to work under their own schedule.

Clemency said many of his students worked full time, had children or were in a different state or country.

“A lot of people are not in a position to drive to campus every day and take conventional courses,” Clemency said.

He said he works hard to make his online classes as close to a classroom experience as possible.

“I do a lot of work in ASU’s recording studio,” Clemency said. “I record video tape lectures as part of all my online classes so the students see me, hear from me and hopefully benefit from the experience that I bring to the process.”

He said it’s very important that an online instructor is available to quickly interact with students at any time.

Criminal justice senior Alicia Young transferred to the online criminal justice school after obtaining her associate’s degree.

Young said she needed to earn her bachelor’s degree in order to support her four children.

“It made it a lot easier for me, being a single mom at the time and trying to do my schedule and functions with the kids,” Young said. “(The online classes) give you more flexibility.”

She said the online school allowed her to complete work in a timely manner and ensured she wouldn’t miss classes because of other responsibilities.

“With kids, I really couldn’t be in class a lot,” Young said. “My kids would get sick or I’d have to go pick them up and I’d end up missing class time. A lot of that stuff you can’t make up because it’s in-class participation and you’re basically at the will of whatever happens in your day.”

Young secured an internship through the U.S. Marshals Service and went on to gain employment.

“(The online criminal justice school) gave me everything that I needed to be able to have my life, take care of my family, do my job and still be able to do my homework,” Young said.

Reach the reporter at dgrobmei@asu.edu

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Craig Barton was appointed to director of The Design School beginning in the fall semester. (Photo courtesy of the Herberger Institute)

The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts selected Craig Barton to fill The Design School’s director seat beginning in the fall semester.

Barton will be leaving his position as University of Virginia’s architecture and landscape architecture department chair.

Herberger Institute executive dean Michael Underhill said when he began looking for a new Design School director he wanted to find someone who could be a leader.

“The Design School has great strengths,” Underhill said. “The Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is really set up to do interdisciplinary work with research and teaching work. We wanted a leader who could really take advantage of that.”

He said Barton would help The Design School to compete with top-notch East Coast architecture and design schools.

Underhill said The Design School’s current director, Darren Petrucci, will return to a faculty position and work with the master’s degree design program.

“Darren Petrucci did a great job and took the school through some really difficult times with structuring budget cuts,” Underhill said. “He wanted to get back to urban design.”

Petrucci, the “Suncorp Professor for Sustainable Urbanism,” said he was leaving the position on a high note and looked forward to contributing to the school in a number of ways.

“I will be pursuing funded research projects and have a book proposal in the works,” Petrucci said. “I think that I speak for the faculty of the school when I say we are excited about the continued and future success of the school under Craig Barton’s leadership.”

Barton said he was impressed with The Design School faculty’s commitment to University President Michael Crow’s message of making ASU the next great public institution.

“I’ve taught in public institutions for the bulk of my career,” Barton said. “I’m excited by the way in which the president has crafted a vision that has broader access for students at the undergraduate level without diminishing the quality of research and scholarship.”

He said the school’s central location relative to Phoenix provided an outlet by which to explore the challenges of growing cities.

“Phoenix is not by any means a generic city,” Barton said. “I think that there’s a great opportunity here in terms of the ability of the school to reach out beyond its boundaries and connect with local constituents and national constituents who have similar problems of growing cities in arid regions.”

He said the school’s quality faculty, size of programs and range of interdisciplinary offerings made it an attractive offer.

“I would hope that the kinds of experiences as I’ve had as a faculty member, as a scholar and as a designer would be useful as I work with colleagues at The Design School to build an even more robust transdisciplinary culture,” Barton said. “There’s one there already and I hope to build one that is equally, if not more exciting.”

Reach the reporter at dgrobmei@asu.edu

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Sun Dollars are nearly identical to Maroon and Gold dollars with the exception that they can be spent off-campus. The two different currencies on one card, which students cannot withdraw from once they make a deposit, forces students to balance their on-campus and off-campus needs in an inflexible system.

The University’s new Pitchfork Identification MasterCard Check Card will take effect in the fall, combining student ID’s with checking accounts at MidFirst Bank, funds which do not come with the limitations of Sun Dollars and M&G.

But are these limitations really detrimental to those who use the program? Parents of out-of-state students who regularly feed their sons or daughters through the Sun Dollars service may need to resort to alternative ways of sending students money, such as on-campus only Maroon and Gold dollars.

New freshmen, especially students from out of state, can come to campus and have no idea where to start. Toothpaste, chips and energy drinks are all located on and around campus and by accepting Sun Dollars for these basic staples of student life, businesses can instill trust in parents who may be hesitant to send $300, no strings attached, to an 18-year-old living in a new town.

Local businesses rely on students to provide the traffic they need to stay open, with more than one Tempe proprietor having to close during the summer when students flock home. Signing up to accept Sun Dollars is one way these companies can grab a portion of that student audience while it’s in town from August to May.

This, however, greatly limits students’ dining options. The University does provide a number of eating options at all of its campuses, but they often close early in the evening and serve limited menu items at commercial restaurants such as Taco Bell and Burger King.

Many of the off-campus restaurants that do accept Sun Dollars will certainly see a lack of traffic during the lunch and dinner hours. And let’s be honest, who wants to hang out around campus on a Saturday or Sunday for lunch?

Being able to explore Tempe allows students to create a sense of home. A check card in place of Sun Dollars may expand that freedom, or it may send parents into gift card mode as they try to control the spending habits of newly liberated college teens.

will soon end as the University phases out its Sun Dollar program this summer. But will this help streamline a sometimes-confusing process, or take money from the hands of local retailers?

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The roots of the funding differences of UA, NAU and ASU are found in their mission statements. UA, at its inception, was once Arizona’s only full-functioning university, while ASU only taught prospective teachers. Both have grown and are now universities organized to teach students. Teaching Arizona’s citizens is what the state funds ASU to do.

There is a problem, though. Internally, ASU values what it calls “knowledge creation” far more than teaching, and “knowledge creators” are paid more, unfairly, than the rest of the staff.

One such knowledge creator in the English department taught six students last semester and was paid $191,000 in 2010-11. The Associate VP of Knowledge Enterprise Development, an ASU program that oversees five research centers on campus, taught zero students last semester, yet was paid $227,000. A lecturer in the English department, meanwhile, taught more than 100 students last semester and was paid just $43,000, according to ASU’s 2010-11 public records and ASU internet archives of 2008-9.

ASU has a very real class system, and those who do the actual work of the university are at the bottom. Our attentive and compassionate and hard working Disabled Student Resources department has an average salary of just $41,170.

Our diligent police department averages $36,465. Instructors in the English Department ­— the backbone of the department — average $32,930.

Much of ASU’s faculty and staff are part of America’s working poor. A $30,000 salary is $2,500 per month.

Subtract $500 per month for student loans and that salary is now $2,000. Subtract $800 for rent, $300 for a car loan, and just $900 is left per month, or $225 per week. Subtract gas, clothes and groceries and it’s no wonder some instructors take second jobs.

The people who do the work at ASU deserve raises, yet any free money tends to go to administrators and those in the “knowledge creation” circle.

From 2008 to 2010, the deans of the Barrett, the Honors College, Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and the University College kept the same titles and took raises of $15,010, $36,000, and $30,000 respectively. Indeed, 36 of our administrators take home over $9 million per year, according to ASU public records.

ASU is getting this additional $60 million because it teaches more students than UA. As such, the money should be spent giving raises to those who do the actual teaching, and to those who make up the support structure. Lecturers, financial aid reps, and grounds crews make a university a university.

This $60 million can go a long way to fixing disparity at ASU. Every full time employee who makes under $60,000 can get a $10,000 raise, and enough will be left to give our libraries $25.4 million.

Crow is being given a chance to undo some of the damage he’s done. Let’s hope he takes it.

Reach William at whamilt@asu.edu

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The Arizona legislature sent a proposal to the federal government May 1 that would create a spent nuclear fuel recycling facility to serve the nation. (Photo by Shawn Raymundo)

The Arizona legislature’s request for U.S. government funding that would implement a spent nuclear fuel recycling facility has lead environmental groups to question the practicality and sustainability of housing such a venture in the state.

Sponsored by Sen. Al Melvin, R-Tucson, Senate Concurrent Memorial 1004 was transmitted to the U.S. government May 1 for approval.

The location of the facility has yet to be decided, though Safford, Holbrook, Kingman and Picacho Peak are being considered.

Approval of SCM 1004 would federally fund construction of a spent nuclear fuel facility that would serve to recycle 96 percent of the nation’s nuclear fuel and attempt to bury the remaining four percent.

Melvin said 2,000 tons of waste produced per year by the nation’s 104 nuclear reactors would be transported to the facility.

He said Arizona’s proposal was more environmentally conscious than a former congressional proposal that would have buried 100 percent of the spent nuclear fuel in Nevada’s Yucca Mountain.

Melvin said the facility would take 10 years to build, operate under a 50-year contract with the federal government and would benefit Arizona by providing construction jobs, on-site jobs and revenue to the state.

He said the proposal mimics France’s method of spent nuclear fuel recycling.

“What we’re proposing is … to be environmentally correct and follow the French example of recycling,” Melvin said.

He said the best way to dispose of the remaining four percent of spent nuclear fuel would be burying it in one of Arizona’s salt deposits.

Melvin said the $100 million in expected revenue from recycling nuclear waste would go toward maintaining the facility with the remainder benefiting Arizona’s education system.

Though the memorial passed both the Senate and the House of Representatives, it was not unopposed.

Rep. Tom Chabin, D-Flagstaff, said he couldn’t imagine anything more divisive and controversial than the proposal.

“That which has been mined in Arizona for uranium (and) for anything else involving nuclear waste, in the end the taxpayers pay to clean it up,” Chabin said. “It’s foolish.”

He said he would be less opposed to the memorial had an Arizona community come forward requesting the facility.

“If there was a community in Arizona that stood up and said they wanted it and were prepared to put the plans together to house it and process it, then okay,” Chabin said. “To turn around and proclaim this is something Arizona wants, I just think the legislature is completely out of touch.”

He said there would be grassroots opposition if the facility were to be approved for funding.

Sierra Club spokeswoman Sandy Bahr lobbied against the memorial during a senate committee meeting.

Bahr said she felt the memorial lacked the research necessary to determine an appropriate location for such a facility.

“Most people are not going to think this is a good idea,” Bahr said. “Overall, this memorial shows how really out of touch the Arizona legislature is with the people of Arizona.”

She said more time should be spent looking at environmental ways of generating electricity.

“Everyone … thinks we ought to be investing in solar,” Bahr said. “We have a lot of sunshine.”

She said though no one way of generating electricity is entirely benign, solar offers an alternative to nuclear that eliminates waste more effectively and efficiently.

Bahr said Melvin’s proposal ignored modern environmental information.

“Nuclear power has huge problems,” Bahr said. “Nuclear waste is a huge issue and we need to deal with it in a responsible manner.”

Reach the reporter at dgrobmei@asu.edu

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