“‘Keep’ and ‘bear’ shall not be infringed,” he kept repeating. “‘Keep’ means its mine, you can’t have it. ‘Bear’ means ‘yeah, I’ve got it right here. It’s not locked away in a safe; it’s right here.’ Shall not be infringed means 'F-you.'”

Ted Nugent, now 59, came through our neck of the woods last Monday, March 21, and spoke to a packed Williams Auditorium on subjects ranging from conservation in Michigan to hunting, and a little bit about his music.

“I’m here to take the crowbar of truth, and I’ll just show it to you unless you try to tell me that venison isn’t food or that I can’t keep and bear,” the “Nuge” stated. “Then I might gently thump you upside the head with it. I’m on a crowbar love fest - jihad.”

“I just try to bring such common sense, self-evident truth to the masses,” Nugent stated, explaining the reasons he travels around the country and goes on radio and television shows.

In an interview before the show, he answered in-depth about how Michigan is doing on conservation of its natural resources.

“We’re doing an okay job with timber. I think a recent statistic is quite demonstrative. There are more board feet of timber in private land holding today than in recorded history. That’s a good sign. That means that people care about their timber because trees are cool … before I was born, there was nothing taller in Michigan than my ankle except for the heartwood pines. The rape and slaughter of timber was almost total by the year 1915.”

“I believe that strides have been made to upgrade our quality of water, our quality of air. I think the EPA—even as fraudulent as they are—their indicators prove that our air quality is much better than it was 20 years ago.”

“You ready for this statistic? This is one of my favorites. When I was growing up, Lake Erie would catch on fire! The LAKE! WATER! FLAMES! It was so [expletive] polluted! We have increased our productivity, there are more people, there are more people using the waterways, but today Lake Erie and the Detroit River has the finest walleye and smallmouth bass fishery in the world. That’s a dramatic upgrade, isn’t it? Would you rather have your lake catch on fire or produce smallmouth bass?”

“The real celebration is that there are more wild turkeys in Michigan than ever in recorded history. There are more turkeys in my freezer than ever in recorded history! There’s more wild turkeys and that’s a great barometer of environmental quality; if we will support wildlife in those kinds of bio-diverse upgrades.”

“We still have some concerns in aquifers and downstream of some major population in industrial areas where the amphibians played a critical role, very much like a canary in a coal mine.

A lot of the amphibious populations have taken a hit. But, whitetail deer…we need to kill more of them, not less of them. There are more bears than ever in recorded history in Michigan. We could increase that opportunity. I’d like to see a spring bear season.”

He added that wildlife could be managed as an asset that gains money, or as a liability that loses the government money.

Nugent went on to talk about the hypocrisy that he sees in the government’s hunting regulations. He told the story of a beaver damming up the culvert in his driveway. When he called the DNR, officers told him that he couldn’t touch the beaver and the department would send out a professional trapper to catch the animal.

He could not fathom another human being that was a better beaver trapper than he was, and the fact that his tax dollars would have to pay someone else to trap the beaver for him.

He made a very strong argument against government regulations that say ‘we the people’ are told that we cannot do something, but we must pay and allow someone else do exactly that.

He used the example of a bear hunt he helped the USDA with in Colorado. He said that he helped kill seven of the animals after they had destroyed “gazillions of dollars” worth of livestock.

Nugent stated that “we the people” are not allowed to hunt bears in the spring, not allowed to use a bait pile, and we aren’t allowed to hunt with the aid of hounds. The government hunter, however, is able to come in, paid by our tax dollars, hunt the bear in the spring, using a bait pile and using hounds. He equated that to the government telling me that I can’t breed my wife because I’m not qualified. I have to hire an ‘expert’ to come in a breed my wife for me.

He talked energetically for about an hour and a half during the show, and then answered questions from the audience. One woman got up and asked how to get other women interested in hunting, and he responded by saying that she needs to initiate the conversation.

She should be proactive in recruiting other women to come out and hunt because he says “being a hunter is the closest to perfection that [people] can be” and that “people against hunting have no soul.”

After one audience member asked about mountain lions, Nugent granted everyone in attendance his personal permission to hunt and kill them. He stated the same thing about doves and reminded everyone that the DNR needs to remember to regulate the wildlife as an asset, not a liability.

He finished the talk with a high-volume, high-energy rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” for the audience, with his zebra-striped PRS guitar, Dunlop cry-baby wah-wah peddle and a small Kustom amp.

This year’s Earth Day festival, better known as Ferris Fest, will top off the end of the semester with rap/hip-hop artist Baby Bash, whose recent hit singles include “Cyclone” and “What Is It.”

The celebration goes down on Saturday, April 26, and will include other opening acts from different music genres, one including country music artist Danielle Peck.

The decision for this year’s acts all boiled down to what the students wanted to hear. EU accomplished that through a survey that students were able to access during the beginning of the semester.

The survey included a list of artists that were compiled by EU and were based on price and availability. Students were also asked to rank their favorite music genres.

Around 1,200 students participated in this year’s survey and the results showed that the number one genre picked was rock.

However, many of the top choices that were picked had grown in popularity and their prices increased which put them outside of EU’s given budget.

Another obstacle, according to EU, was that every upand- coming rock band had already dedicated their music that weekend to the Coachella Music Festival in Austin, Texas.

The second choice genre picked by Ferris students was pop/top 40 music hits. And because of the recent success with Baby Bash’s “Cyclone” and “What Is It,” EU believes he will put on a great performance.

“I think Baby Bash is going to be pretty cool. I don’t know much of his stuff but I do think that it needs to be promoted better because there are so many freshmen that have never heard of Ferris Fest yet. Other than that, I do hope Baby Bash plays more music than Yung Joc did,” said freshman Monica McKenzie, a major in the music industry management program.

Damien Peraino, a freshman accounting major also said, “I really don’t listen to too much Baby Bash but that old song of his ‘Suga, Suga’ cracks me up; it was his first single and I used to think it was sweet.”

The third genre picked was country, which is why Danielle Peck will be one of the opening acts for the show. Country fans might recognize some of her hits like “Bad For Me” and “Findin’ a Good Man.”

EU is also in the process of finding two other opening acts and plans to continue using the survey results to help in making that decision.

Past headlining acts for Ferris Fest have included Fabolous, Gin Blossoms, Broken Sunday, Ryan Cabrera and last year’s Yung Joc.

The festivities will kick off in the Quad at noon on April 26, and will carry on until 6 p.m. If the musical talents aren’t your cup of tea, the Quad will also be jam-packed with games, food and other activities throughout the day.

In the event of inclement weather (pray that it is not snow), Ferris Fest will be moved inside the Wink Arena. The decision for relocating will be made on Thursday, April 24.

Ferris Fest is sponsored by EU in cooperation with Student Leadership & Activities, Rankin Center, Dining Services, Department of Public Safety, Grounds, Physical Plant, Bulldog Radio, Residential Hall Association, Delta Chi, and funded with the help of the Student Activity Fee as allocated by Student Government.

Anyone needing special accommodations should call x2606 at least seven days in advance.

America’s favorite game show, “The Price Is Right,” was once again brought to the stage of Williams Auditorium Friday, March 28, thanks to Entertainment Unlimited (EU) and the Finance Division of Student Government.

EU put on another live recreation of the popular television show including some of the most popular and exciting games and great prizes.

Ferris State University students were able to register to participate and to hopefully win the fabulous prizes that were up for grabs. Entry into the participant pool was free but limited to Ferris students only.

Contestants participated in Punch-A-Bunch, where up to $250 was at stake; the Spelling Bee, in which a digital camera was the top prize; Cliff Hangers, with $200 worth of gift cards to local restaurants; Blank Check, where the contestant won cash and a grill; One Away, worth a $150 Big Dog Account; and last, but certainly not least, Plinko, with a possibility of a $500 grand prize.

Freshman Jaron Uetrecht attended The Price Is Right and said, “I really enjoyed [the show] and I wish I would have gotten a chance to win.”

In order to get more people involved in the event, there was an opportunity for four people to play Hole in One or Two for a chance to win a $10 gift card and to double their prize by sinking the putt.

The show was hosted by musician Jason LeVasseur who has opened for several performers including Dave Matthews Band, Maroon 5, John Mayer, Ben Folds and many more. He was named Campus Activities Magazine’s Best Small Venue Performer in 2003, 2005, 2006, as well as 2007 and Best Musical Performer in 2004 and 2005.

“The host was pretty hilarious. He made me giggle so it made it even more fun,” said Uetrecht.

EU’s advisor Matt Eickhoff stated that the part of the show that people seem to enjoy the most is the showcase showdown where two final contestants bid on a number of prizes and whoever gets the closest to the actual retail value of the prizes without going over wins the showcase.

At the previous “Price Is Right” event, the contestant won both showcases by guessing the amount of his showcase within $12. Contestants weren’t so lucky this time, but the winner walked away with some great prizes including a Cedar Point Trip complete with four tickets, a hotel suite, and a $100 gas card, as well as some other great beach accessories.

“I would definitely like to see them bring back ‘The Price Is Right’ again,” stated Uetrecht. “I think people really like it.”

EU plans on bringing in different games and even better prizes in the future installments of "The Price Is Right," so make sure to "come on down" next time EU hosts the event and maybe you could be the next contestant on “The Price Is Right.”

The Schindler-Holocaust Museum Traveling Exhibit will be making its way to the Rankin Art Gallery this Tuesday, April 8. The reception starts that day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The exhibit will remain on display until May 16.

Throughout the month of April, the exhibit will be supplemented with a lecture series held in the Rankin Art Gallery. The first lecture will be given by Dr. Barry Mehler titled, “Courage to Care.” This will be held on April 10 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Brown bag lunches will be held in coordination with the lectures with the gallery providing beverages and dessert. There will be a second lecture on April 17 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Dr. Ted Walker will be giving the final lecture on the April 24.

“I think there is universal interest in an exhibit such as this,” Carrie Weis, gallery director, said. “It dovetails with the university’s mission to educate about and embrace diversity.”

Included in the exhibit will be photographs from the Leopold Pfefferberg-Page Photo Collection. These will be accompanied by accounts of Schindler’s accomplishments. Schindler was an ethnic German that lived in Czechoslovakia. He could no longer bear the oppression the Jews were facing and decided to take their side.

Schindler stated in an interview on the Holocaust Museum Web site that the general government in Poland had worsened its cruelty towards the Jews too much. It wasn’t long before the Jews were being forced to wear the Star of David around their neck and were herded together in ghettos.

“In 1941 and 1942 this unadulterated sadism was fully revealed. And then a thinking man, who had overcome his inner cowardice, simply had to help. There was no other choice,” Schindler said.

Schindler was a member of the Nazi party and even took advantage of the Jewish ghettos as an inexpensive workforce for the Jewish enamelware factory he assumed control of. He was able to amass a fortune because of this factory and dealing on the black market, it said on the Museum website.

After seeing the Germans decimate 20,000 Jews living in the ghettos, Schindler fully realized the cruelty they were enduring. He decided to transfer his workers to a barracks in his factory to protect them. Through bribes and negotiations he was able to secure the safety of his workers.

The exhibit will have these stories and more, along with many photographs on display for the students to see. If special accommodations are needed to attend any of the lectures or to see the gallery, please contact Carrie Weis at x2536.

Editor’s Note: This is part of an ongoing series of local entertainment options in the Big Rapids area. Next month’s profile will feature the Sawmill tubing center.

“Yeah, everyone loves the burgers,” said half of the quaint couples in the joint that afternoon.

Two people were sitting at the bar enjoying some homemade soup and sandwiches, and chatting with the waitress at a favorite local entertainment and eating establishment, the Sawmill Saloon.

The saloon is located east of the Maple Street bridge next to the White Pine Trail State Park, and is part of Big Rapids’ history. It was started by Bill Proctor and his brother Reed Proctor in 1969 and was managed by Bill’s wife Linda Proctor, who still runs it to this day.

“I’ve been here since I graduated from Ferris,” said Linda Proctor, “It's fun, it really is.”

And the place looked as if it has had its fair share of fun throughout the years.

The walls of the main dining room are plastered in the most unique assortment of items; a glass case collaged with old matchbooks, black and white photographs of bluegrass and rock bands that had played there, such as “Cabbage Crik” and the “Dirty Americans,” and personalized, yellowing dollar bills decorated the ceiling and walls.

As I was taking in the atmosphere, notably the Victorianmeets- 70s hoe-down wallpaper, and listening to the simple rock tunes on the radio accenting the pleasant sunny glow illuminating the walls, I thought about how historic this place was to the city.

The establishment was previously the Jones and Green Lumber Company (explaining the name of the saloon today), which logged from the Grand River that flows just west of the building.

After it was sold to the Proctors in January of 1969, it was turned into Big Rapids’ first ever collegeoriented bar.

The saloon booked a lot of bluegrass and country music bands in the 1970s, but now the variation has expanded to include classic rock, blues, and country, “really anything you can think of… it's a very good assortment that a lot of people enjoy,” said Proctor.

In addition to hired talent, the Sawmill also makes room for local talent with its Wednesday open mic nights. “It’s really a good showcase for local talent, which we have a lot of here in Big Rapids, especially on campus,” she mentioned.

The open mic and band nights are for people 21 years of age and older, but there is no cover charge and besides good live music, there is a boastful menu.

“Our burgers are the favorite,” started Proctor, “ they have only the best ingredients… we buy locally so they are always fresh.” The bread they use is from another classic Big Rapids establishment, Vanbrocklin’s Bakery, and she claims, “It really makes a difference in the quality of the meal.”

The saloon gets even deeper down to Big Rapids' roots by holding benefits for the local public library. A benefit is held every summer, this summer marking the 11th annual, with all donations going to the aid and support for the Big Rapids Public Library.

The Sawmill also hosts an annual “musician’s Christmas party,” which supports and raises money for the local WISE shelter; this last year over $500 dollars for the charity was raised.

Coming up this month will be a charity event for the research of Muscular Dystrophy, organized by the Sawmill and Bennigan’s, showcasing live music for a good cause.

So, while in the winter the place is a safe haven for snowmobilers, studying students, and anyone else looking for a warm and friendly place to eat, socialize and relax, during the summer the saloon has even more to offer with a back yard sporting a fire pit where they have big barbecue cookouts, horseshoes and an open-air dining area and patio.

“In the summer it’s really nice,” quoted Jennifer Knapp, Sawmill waitress and bartender for 15 successful years. “The outdoor seating area is really fun to serve and people like playing horseshoes and just relaxing in the sun.”

Knapp said she also loves all the interesting people, the new and the regulars, that she gets to see and talk with. “I love meeting new people, but I also love seeing the people that come all the time…it’s just like a really big family sometimes.”

Even after 39 years of business, the Sawmill Saloon is open every day of the year from 11 a.m. until 2 a.m., keeping locals and newcomers happy, entertained and well fed. And with parting words, Proctor prides, “Everyone knows that the Sawmill is always open.”

If anyone would like more information on the Sawmill Saloon, feel free to visit the official Web site, sawmillsaloon.com.

Growing up in Liverpool, the Beatles took pieces of all the pop music they could find— country, Motown, rhythm and blues, rockabilly— and turned it into rock immortal.

But as for their lyric manuscripts, the scraps proved the stuff of everyday ephemera: used envelopes, torn note pads, folded sheets splattered with blue-ink doodles and pink psychedelic swirls.

No one knows how many Beatles drafts went the way of the wastebasket. But seven handwritten specimens from the group’s creative peak survive, thanks to John Lennon’s second wife, Yoko Ono (who gathered them in the late 1960s), and composer/musician John Cage (who donated Yoko’s gift to Northwestern University, along with his collection of 400 music manuscripts).

Today they’re part of the Northwestern University’s music library collection in Evanston, where images of the Beatle documents went on display March 23.

The collection includes one specimen any fab fan would consider a prize: Paul McCartney’s draft of “For No One” scrawled on a manila envelope, containing two missing choruses known to but a few folks in academia.

One of them is head music librarian D.J. Hoek. Ask him how much any of the drafts might fetch on eBay, and he says, “I won’t speculate. They’re exceptional.”

“For No One’s” manuscript especially shines: It gives an intimate glimpse into McCartney’s chamber-pop jewel on 1966’s “Revolver.” The draft reveals he first called the song “Why Did It Die?”

He also finished a pair of choruses that went unused. The first reads:

Why did it die?
You’d like to know.
Cry – and blame her
And the second:
Why let it die
I’d like to know
Try – to save it.

The document suggests McCartney spent some time tinkering with these choruses before abandoning them.

He wrote the middle lines to both in black ink that appear nowhere else on the paper. (He scribbled the verses, most of which made the final cut, in pencil.)

So why, indeed, did this idea die?

“I would assume it just didn’t fit the music,” says Stuart Shea, author of “Fab Four FAQ” (Hal Leonard). “The meter of the lyrics doesn’t seem to fit the drawing-room tempo he’d set with the verses.”

The Northwestern collection also contains a curiosity unlike any other Lennon-McCartney collaboration: a finished lyric sheet for “The Word” (from 1965’s “Rubber Soul”) in Lennon’s handwriting. For reasons unknown, McCartney took the draft and gave it a backwash of pink ink. He then made it a work of mini pop art by adding a tree, abstract shapes and highlighting, all done with colored markers.

All the lyric sheets remain in mint condition after 40-plus years. They reside in special folders, surrounded by protective plastic sheets. Each has also undergone a preservation process to remove all acid traces from the paper, which will add years to their lifespan (though the songs themselves remain timeless).

Viewers making the trek to Northwestern will see highresolution scans that capture every detail down to the smallest tea stain _ but alas, not the originals. Hoek keeps those under lock and key. “Only in extraordinary cases do we bring them out,” he says, “and it’s because of their value.”