Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Here's the thing about adjunct faculty and working graduate students who are teaching assistants: they save the University of Arizona good money.
Last week, I reported that merely about 25 percent of the UA's budget expenditures goes toward instruction: wages to TAs, adjunct staff, and others at the forefront of students' education, who oftentimes work equally as much and as hard as an actual professor whose salary could be near or in the six digits.
These groups are stronger than ever, especially after news of more budget cuts coming to the UA (could be about $22 million if Gov. Doug Ducey's wish is granted), demanding the UA administration transparency to know where the hell the remaining 75 percent of the money is going.
Classrooms feel these budget cuts the most, so why not include adjunct, TAs, or undergrads trying to make ends meet, in the conversations of how the shortfall absorption plays out within the institution?
In the meantime, the Arizona Board of Regents approves bonuses for UA President Ann Weaver Hart, who's salary package is already near the $500,000 realm, as thanks for her "accomplishments." Last year, she got a $40,000 bonus. ABOR is also put in a difficult position, where they propose a budget for the universities, but the state Legislature has the last word on the cuts...It's just a mess.
This is exactly the reason I ignore all envelopes I get from the UA asking me to donate money as a former student, because it doesn't end up in the classrooms. A lot of it ends up in big, fat salaries for the administration, and they couldn't be more detached from the reality of adjunct, grads and undergrads.
Tomorrow is National Adjunct Walkout Day, a form of protest that's been greatly promoted by the Service Employees International Union—a group fighting for better wages, benefits, among other demands in academic jobs—and the UA adjunct is officially participating, as well as graduate students and all other allies.
From the event's Facebook page:
We know the University of Arizona greatly values its students and recognizes the direct link between student learning outcomes and teachers’ working conditions. Let’s come together to re-commit to education and all Wildcats.The event is happening from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Alumni Plaza, near the UA Mall.
Please join your fellow faculty, staff, students, and community members and don’t forget to wear red to show your support!
The state and the UA have to meditate on the priorities...is it education or is it administrative pay or is it a nice REC Center?
Also, here is a list of all UA salaries. Have fun.
Tags: university of arizona , budget , adjunct , graduate students , doug ducey , service employees international union , ann weaver hart
Monday, February 23, 2015
Fans of the Professor Blastoff podcast already know that Tig Notaro's performance is a must-see this Wednesday, but, in case you need convincing, consider one of the moments that rocketed Notaro into the national gaze:
One night at LA's comedy hotspot the Largo, Notaro took the stage and instead of carrying on with her normal set, she starts hesitantly, "Hello. Good Evening. Hello ... I have cancer."
Notaro had been diagnosed with breast cancer earlier that day, and, rather than pretending like nothing happened, she stood up there and told the truth. The beauty of the moment is Notaro bounces between making the audience sad and uncomfortable to laughing and uncomfortable at every turn, even so far as reassuring the crowd several times that it's okay.
The moment has been lauded by comedians like Louis C.K. for its raw honesty and emotion. It was featured on NPR's "This American Life." Marc Maron even chose to replicate the scenario in his show. Of course, Maron was the heroic truth teller for the "Maron" rendition because it's his TV show and he likes to keep the focus on him, but it's still flattering maybe since he used Notaro as the concierge.
As for standout moments in recent stand up history, Notaro's is definitely up there, which is why you should go see her when she performs as part of her "Boyish Girl Interrupted" tour at the Rialto Theatre on Wednesday, Feb. 24 starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available, along with more information, on the Rialto Theatre's website.
Tags: tig notaro , tucson , boyish girl interrupted , rialto theatre , live , Video
Friday, February 20, 2015
The full line-up puts LA's Smith as the headliner with Tucson's Pauly Casillas. Opening up for the two are Ryan Malchow, Alex Kack, Andrew Horneman, Ben Dietzel and Josiah Osego.
Ryan Malchow, who helped organize the benefit show, said his reasons for doing so were pretty simple.
"I just wanted to bring a great act to Tucson to reward people for giving to a good cause," he says.
The night's proceeds go to the Gut Check Foundation, which is a nonprofit that that promotes education and research into the prevention and treatment of Clostridium septicum infections—an infection that can lead to life threatening damage of the GI.
You can catch Smith and more on Sunday, Feb. 22 starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available now through the Borderlands website.
Here's a taste of what Auggie Smith's set might be like:
Tags: auggie smith , pauly casillas , comedy , borderlands brewing company , tucson , live , gut check foundation , Video
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Barbecue, live blues music and a whole bunch of classic cars will be yours to experience on Saturday, Feb, 21 when the Cruise, BBQ & Blues Car Show takes over the Oro Valley Marketplace.
Attendees can gaze longingly at hundreds of vintage rides as judges give out over 40 different trophies, including Best of Show, Best Interior, Best Paint, Best Engine and People’s Choice. Once you've had your fill of automobile envy, you can fill up on mesquite-smoked barbecue like brisket and tri-tip courtesy of Western Smoke BBQ. The George Howard Band and Bluz Nite will also be performing at 1 p.m. and 11 a.m., respectively.
For the kids, who can enter for free if they're 10 years of age or younger, jumping castles and activities will be there to keep them occupied while adults enjoy all of the cars and blues and food they can handle. Tickets for adults are $5 and proceeds go towards school arts programs and keeping community art events alive in the region.
You can check out the Cruise, BBQ & Blues Car Show on Saturday from 10 a.m.to 3 p.m.
Tags: cruise , bbq & blues , car show , saaca , oro valley marketplace , george howard band , bluz nite , western smoke bbq
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
The actors from the cult Canadian TV show Mike Smith (Bubbles), John Paul Tremblay (Julian) and Robb Wells (Ricky) will be performing at the Fox Theatre on Friday, Feb, 20 starting at 8 p.m.
Although they're probably most well known for their highly binge-able TV show, the trio also released three Trailer Park Boys movies, including last year's "Trailer Park Boys: Don’t Legalize It."
There are still some tickets available, which range in price from $35 to $55, but you should know they are running out fast. If you don't want to miss out on seeing the "Trailer Park Boys" live, you should definitely grab a seat soon via Fox Theatre's website.
And now, to prepare for the show, here's a supercut of some great Bubbles moments:
Tags: trailer park boys , fox theatre , tucosn , Video
Chances are you've been at a Howe Gelb show and thought "Man, I wish that guy would make me a cocktail." Well, prepare to have all of your prayers answered on Thursday, Feb. 19 when Gelb and a handful of other local musicians go behind the stick to serve up drinks to benefit Downtown Radio.
The forthcoming community radio station, which will broadcast on 99.1 FM, is looking to feature local music completely commercial free, so they're looking for some cash to get going. That's why musicians including Howe Gelb, Brian Lopez, Gabriel Sullivan, Pete Ronstadt, Bruce Halper, Alex Flores, Thoger Lund, and Winston Watson have signed on to help serve up some drinks to help Downtown Radio out.
From 4 until 6 p.m. at Downtown Kitchen + Cocktails, attendees can hang out with the celebrity bartenders while ordering drinks and learning more about Tucson's newest radio station. Guests will also get a free Downtown Radio sticker for showing up.
Tags: downtown radio , downtown kitchen and cocktails , tucson , howe gelb , giant sand , gabriel sullivan , brian lopez
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
It doesn't matter how busy you are Wednesday night, make time to see the animated Oscar nominated shorts. The photo above is for Disney's "Feast"—about which I'll promise you two things: 1. The short somehow manages to be even more cute than the trailer (below) and 2. That dog does not die from indulging in too many rounds of nachos. I think "Feast" and "A Single Life" are the two to beat this year (Although the animation being The Bigger Picture is kind of spectacular). The show starts at 7 p.m., takes under an hour and a half and is absolutely adorable. Be there.
Films
The Bigger Picture Trailer from daisy jacobs on Vimeo.
The Bigger Picture(Chelo says: I would leave all of my cabinets open all the time if they worked like that)
‘You want to put her in a home; you tell her; tell her now!’ hisses one brother to the other. But Mother won’t go, and their own lives quickly unravel as she clings to life. Innovative life-size animated characters tell the stark and darkly humorous tale of caring for an elderly parent. (Directed by Daisy Jacobs and Christopher Hees, 2014, UK, 7 mins.)
The Dam Keeper
(Chelo says: Open question to anyone who has seen this short: How, exactly, did a pigbaby get stuck making sure his entire town doesn't get eaten by a charcoal stampede?)
The Dam Keeper tells the story of a young pig with an important job, and a new friend who changes everything. In a desolate future, one small town has survived because of a large windmill dam that acts as a fan to keep out pollution. The dam’s operator, Pig, works tirelessly to keep the sails spinning and protect the town, despite abuse from classmates and an indifferent public. When a new student joins Pig’s class, nothing will be the same again. (Directed by Robert Kondo and Dice Tsutsumi, 2014, USA, Non-dialogue, 18 mins.)
Feast
(Chelo says: This trailer gets bonus points because it reminds me that I need to find myself a pup)
Feast, a new short from Walt Disney Animation Studios, is the story of one man’s love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share. (Directed by Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed, 2014, USA, Non-dialogue, 6 mins.)
Me and My Moulton
(Chelo says: Mustache problems, amiright?)
One summer in mid-‘60s Norway, a seven-year-old girl asks her parents if she and her sisters can have a bicycle. The film provides a glimpse of its young heroine’s thoughts as she struggles with her sense that her family is a little out of sync with what she perceives as “normal.” (Directed by Torill Kove, 2014, Canada, 14 mins.)
A SINGLE LIFE - TRAILER from Job, Joris & Marieke on Vimeo.
A Single Life
(Chelo says: These will be the best two minutes of your night)
When Pia plays a mysterious vinyl record single, she suddenly knows how to travel through her own life. (Directed by Marieke Blaauw, Joris Oprins and Job Roggeveen, 2014, The Netherlands, Non-dialogue, 2 mins.)
Bonus: Three “Highly Commended” shorts will also play.
Tags: Disney's Feast , Oscar Nominated Shorts , A Single Life , Me and My Moulton , Feast , The Dam Keeper , The Bigger Picture , Video
Monday, February 16, 2015
It's time to start warming up those pipes because Tuesdays at Playground means Cocktailaoke time. Granted, the very plain-dealing name isn't the most clever thing I've ever heard, but it gets the job done. I doubt anyone will have a hard time conceptualizing what goes on at Cocktailaoke.
Just in case you do have some questions, though, know that the free event takes place every Tuesday starting at 9 p.m. Then you can grab your golf pencil and begin flipping through a giant binder full of tunes courtesy of Ynot Entertainment with artists ranging from George Strait to Fastball to Shakira.
Should you need some inspiration to belt out your favorite Kelly Clarkson song, $3 drafts and wells should do the trick on the cheap. For something a little tastier, bartender Karl Goranowski also offers up a rotating craft Cocktailaoke menu too.
See? Simple.
Tags: playground , bar , lounge , karaoke , cocktail , cocktailaoke , drink specials , tucson , downtown , karl goranowski
The UA College of Science Lecture Series on Life in the Universe continues tonight with Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Associate Professor Anna R. Dornhaus speaking on "Complexity and Evolvability: What Makes Life So Interesting?"
Dornhaus gives a terrific lecture, so it's well worth your time to head on down to Centennial Hall on the UA campus. The talk starts at 7 p.m., but it was just about full when I attended last week's talk, so you should aim to get there early for this one. It's free and you can find more details here.
Here's a preview of what Dornhaus will be discussing:
Life is particularly fascinating in its ability to create complex and ever-changing forms out of simple building blocks. How does such complexity arise, and what are the conditions that allow never-ending evolution of new and more intricate forms of life? We now know that one of the main processes that allows this is that life consists of modules that interact with and feed back on one another. In the history of life on Earth, new levels of complexity have often arisen out of new types of such interactions, and continued evolution has been driven by life interacting with other life. We even find that man-made systems can develop a 'life' of their own when such feedback interactions among many modules occur. Life, it seems, is more about rules of interaction than special materials. We have only begun to understand the power of this algorithmic nature of life.
Tags: UA College of Science Lecture Series , Life in the Universe , Ecology and Evolutionary Biology , Video
Thursday, February 12, 2015
Valentine's Day is expensive enough as it is with dinner and drinks and flowers and presents and whatever else people are expected to splurge on to prove they love each other. That's why parents out there should take advantage of Mercado San Agustin's offer to watch your kids while you get dinner on site on Friday, Feb. 13.
True, it is a day before the real deal, but since it's only $5 to let your elementary-aged kid loose at the Kid's Valentine's Dance Party, it might be worth it to save a chunk of cash on that babysitter and celebrate your love a night early. I mean, really, what's the difference?
The event promises three hours of kiddy pop jams played by DJs from 6 until 9 p.m. with snacks and supervision for the little ones. That means parents are then free to grab dinner at Seis, Agustin Kitchen or Blu while the kids dance and romp around under the disco ball. Parents do have to stay on site during the event, but can peruse the Mercado at their leisure almost entirely kid-free for a couple hours.
Tags: kid , valentine's day , dance , party , children , mercado san agustin
