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February 26, 2008
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Vol. 80 Issue #22
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By Barry Nickerson Anchor Editor On Sunday, the Rec. Center on East Campus was filled with thousands of voters who came to watch Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) as she visited Rhode Island College to speak about her campaign. Clinton, who was First Lady from 1993-2001, visited RI nine days before the March 4 primary, in which RI voters will decide which candidates their state will support in the presidential nomination process. In the caucus, citizens nominate the candidate they support based on their declared political party. As such, a state cannot nominate more than one candidate. “This little state has a big voice on March the fourth in helping choose the next president,” said Clinton. The event began with the “Star-Spangled Banner”, sung by RIC alumna Michelle Passarelli, ’92, at 1:30 p.m. She was met with rowdy applause as the crowd waved signs in support of Clinton, chanting “Yes she can!” Several of Clinton’s local supporters then delivered brief speeches in her favor. State Representative Grace Diaz (D-Providence) said that even though RI is the smallest state, we will show the entire country that we can make history. “We need to have a strong democratic party,” said Diaz. She characterized Clinton as a woman with a straight head who cares about the public.
Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis said that the Clintons have been friends of RI for many years. “Are you ready to be there for Hillary Clinton as she will be there for us for the next four years?” he asked the audience. “Let’s deliver RI for Hillary Clinton in a way she can never imagine.” RI’s General Treasurer Frank Caprio began his introduction by saying, “Hillary Clinton knows…She doesn’t pull that ladder up when she is done. She leaves that ladder down for all of us to climb up.” Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Roberts said that Clinton “will get our country moving.” At 1:48 p.m, it was announced that over 5,000 people were in attendance. The crowd erupted with chants of “Hillary” and “Yes she can” as “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic” by The Police played over the intercom. At 2:15 pm, campaign co-chairs Congressman Jim Langevin and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse introduced Clinton. “Each and every one of you is so important to this effort,” said Langevin. “We need to turn America around… we need real leadership to get it right.” “They’re both [the Clintons] honorary Rhode Islanders by now,” said Langevin. “Wouldn’t it be great to make history and have a woman in the White House as our president?” Whitehouse said it would be great to “tell our daughters in 2008 that we made a woman a president of the US
for the first time in history.” “We love Hillary Clinton in RI,” was Whitehouse’s closing remark before Clinton began her speech. “I don’t know if I’ve seen an election as critical… as this one,” said Clinton. “The next president of the United States will walk into the Oval Office and waiting there will be a stack of problems. This is the hardest job in the world. I’m asking you to consider hiring me.” “There is so much we have to do as well as undo,” said Clinton. She said we have “a war to end in Iraq; a war to end in Afghanistan” and that we have “an economy that is… in trouble.” Clinton mentioned problems such as the discounting of the effects of global warming, oil prices at $100 a barrel, and the education system that is “breaking” under No Child Left Behind. “I’m running for president because I believe I have the strength and experience to make…changes,” she said. “We have work to do in America to set it right.” “You are not going to wave a magic wand and have the special interest disappear,” Clinton said of the Bush administration. “We need a president who gets up every day and figures out how to navigate this complex system of ours,” she said of the process of initiating and carrying out plans in the US political system. Clinton said that on day one, she will ask the Secre-
Cont. in Centerspread
A&E SPECIAL: Professoriate Spotlight By Larry O’Brien Anchor Contributor Over the past several months, professors from Rhode Island College’s English Department have produced a spate of new books reflecting the talents and interests of those who penned them. Among them are Dr. Grund’s translation from the Latin of early Renaissance Italian Dramas, Dr. Zornado’s grim description of the centuries to come, Dr. Kalinak’s airing of the music in John Ford’s Westerns, Dr. Abbotson’s exploration of the life and work of Arthur Miller, Dr. Calbert’s slim volume of poetry, Dr. Potter’s treks to the Poles, and Dr. Cobb’s historical novel of his native American West. The strength and versatility of the English faculty are on display at a book purveyor near you. Our journey of exploration of this newly discovered material begins with Dr. Thomas Cobb’s, Shavetail. The affable, bespectacled, and trim bearded Dr. Cobb is celebrating his twentieth anniversary as a professor at RIC. I visited him in his fourth floor office in Craig–Lee, an office that combines the ambiance of the registry of motor vehicles with the charm of a used bookstore—reflecting the dual nature of his positions as Director of the Fine Arts Commission at the college and a professor of creative writing. This is his third novel and fourth published book. When asked about Shavetail, he admitted that it took 12 years to write, at least four of which the book sat fermenting in a closed drawer. The novel combines his interest in the history of his native Arizona, his research into military history in the late nineteenth century, and his appreciation of letter and diary writing skills observed in that century. It is a novel of redemption. His characters, each in their own way and for their own reasons, seek to block out some dark chapter in their past.
It is also a novel about novels; at one point the central character sits engrossed reading as Cobb’s reader sits engrossed reading over his shoulder. The RIC reader will notice some local references including the fair, but unforgiving Trooper Triggs who is named after the fair but unforgiving golf course next door, and the purveyor of substandard and overpriced provisions and delights named “Donovan.” (Cobb denies that he made the connection, but how could it be otherwise?). In his earlier works, the search for redemption was in vain. In Shavetail, some characters actually seem to get there. Cobb’s mellowing over time is something he credits to his wife of 22 years, Randy. In teaching creative writing, Dr. Cobb maintains that “he can show you how to write a good sentence, or a good paragraph,” but the real trick in writing is to develop empathy for characters. He says that, for him, the process is akin to acting; he hears his characters talking in his head. “It’s really a form of psychosis,” he once told a woman in a bar just before she had to leave (smooth). In his novel, he created real characters that both he and his readers can feel with and for and who will not easily be forgotten. When asked how sales were going, Dr. Cobb suggested that it was important that “every person on earth buy a copy.” Toward that end, he is attempting to get the novel into the syllabus of every course on the RIC campus. “We’re encountering some resistance from the Math department,” he deadpanned. His book is published by Scribner and, at only $25 for 396 pages, comes in at a little over six cents per page. You can find it online or in the campus book store. There are far worse ways to spend $25 or the time it takes to read this book.
F.Y.I @ RIC
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February 26, 2008
THE ANCHOR
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News
February 26,, 2008
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THE ANCHOR
SCG’s Agenda Centers on Upcoming Impeachment
Change Pakistanis Could Believe In By Bienvenue Ndahiriwe Anchor Staff
By Kameron Spaulding and Joe Robillard Anchor Editors “I have always tried to represent my fellow students and get things done” was the response from former deputy speaker Ericka Atwell to the now pending impeachment hearing. At the Student Community Government meeting last week a unanimous vote was held in favor of holding an impeachment trial. The impeachment is in response to Atwell gaining signatures for another student’s election petition. On the front of each and every petition, it states that only the student who the petition is for can bring it around. On Wednesday, Atwell helped two students gain signatures for their petition. The problem arose when one of these students had to go to class and Atwell continued to bring around that petition. When confronted by President Nicholas Lima at the SCG meeting that night, Atwell would admit that she had done this, and apologized. Lima stated that when she was confronted earlier in the day she said that they student w a s with her the whole time. After time was given for comment a vote was taken to see if the body wanted to hold an impeachment trial. The trial is set for this Wednesday at 9 p.m. The trial will take place in the Student Union Ballroom. Exactly how the case will un-
fold is unknown to everyone involved, as there has not been an impeachment in over 20 years. “I will be looking through the records to see how they did the last trial and go from that,” commented Lima. The timing of this action only added to the situation. Already on the agenda for the last meeting was Atwell’s resignation as deputy speaker. Prior to the meeting she handed in her resignation in order to run for the open Vice President’s seat. The upcoming election has caused many to speculate that Atwell was trying to get this student on the board simply to have her vote, although so far no further proof of her intent has been brought forward. A long list of witnesses will be available to give testimony at Wednesday’s trial. The witness-list includes over a dozen students from SCG, The Anchor, and WXIN. Several faculty members are also listed as possible witnesses. A guilty verdict at the trial Wednesday will result in a permanent removal from Parliament and all of its committees for life. Atwell was given the opportunity to resign from Parliament before l a s t Wednesday’s SCG meeting, but declined.
Democrats Obama S T A T E S W O N
Clinton
On Mon., Feb. 18, President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan and his party (the PML-Q) were crushed by voters in the parliamentary elections. His defeat came from landslide victories of the late Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People Party (PPP) and PMN-L party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. With the ruling party gathering roughly 15 percent of the votes, many interpreted Monday’s elections as anything but the people’s repudiation of Musharraf’s regime. According to Matthew Pennington of the Associated Press, “key aides of the president, including the chairman of the ruling party, a former top government spokesman and its foreign minister, even failed to win parliamentary seats.” As an ally of the US in the ‘war on terror,’ President Musharraf has recently been subject of increasing criticisms for his handling of the country in general and Islamic extremism in particular. The last months have seen the growth and strengthening of Islamic militancy and skyrocketing food prices. What is more, his popularity started dwindling towards the end of 2007 when he deposed Pakistani Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry along with other judges whose crime was their questioning of the constitutionality of his presidential bid. Having gained the power through a military coup in 1999, President Musharraf stepped down from his command of the army in order to appease the public. Far from being satisfied with this move, the public responded with massive protests throughout the capital city of Islamabad. In Nov. 2007, these events led Musharraf to declare a state of emergency, suspending the Pakistani constitution in the process. Independent media were blacked out, phone lines were cut, and leaders of opposition parties were rounded up. The lifting of that state of emergency a month
after Musharraf was sworn in (on Dec. 16 2007) coupled with the return of former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif —two key leaders of the opposition—led many to believe that Pakistan was headed in a more favorable direction. However, the months that followed put Musharraf’s hold on to power to a further test. On Dec. 27, 2007, Pakistan experienced a political shock as Ms. Bhutto was killed in a suicide attack amidst preparations for legislative elections. Under acute scrutiny and heavy pressure from western powers, Musharraf’s regime could do little but postpone the parliamentary elections. This delay helped the opposition parties to regroup and defeat President Musharraf and his supporters on Feb. 18. With only 38 seats in the 272-seat parliament, Musharraf and his backers now face powerful opposition in the PPP & PML-N which has, so far, a combination of 153 seats. The most radical change facing the Pakistani government is that the main winners of the elections have expressed their desire to form a political coalition. With a coalition in place, Musharraf’s presidency would hang in the balance. The opposition comprises two-third of the seats which is, according to the Pakistani constitution, enough to impeach the president. President Musharraf announced on Wednesday that he had no intentions of stepping down from the presidency. Instead, he made known his desire to mend fences and work with the new majority. It is yet to be seen if the opposition will accept the truce and compromise with Musharraf or if they will take up their wins as an opportunity to take Pakistan into a new direction.
Republicans McCain Huckabee Romney
Iowa, South Carolina, AlaNew Hampshire, South Carbama, Alaska, Colorado, New Hampshire, Michigan, olina, Florida, Arizona, CaliConnecticut, Delaware, Geor- Nevada, Florida, Arizona, Iowa, Alabama, Arkansas, fornia, Connecticut, gia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas, California, MassaDelaware, Illinois, Missouri, Georgia, Tennessee, West Minnesota, Missouri, North chusetts, New Jersey, New New Jersey, New York, Okla- Virginia, Kansas, Louisiana Dakota, Utah, Louisiana, Ne- Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Washington,D.C., homa, Tennessee, braska, Washington, Maine, Maryland, Virginia D.C., Maryland, Virginia
Wyoming, Michigan, Nevada, Maine, Alaska, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Utah
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THE ANCHOR
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February 26, 2008
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Sports
February 26, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Gymnastics Team Honors their Senior Member with a Victory By Marah Roach Anchor Editor Rhode Island College’s gymnastics team defeated Wilson College, 170.6-165.0, in a meet last Saturday afternoon at the Murray Center. Prior to the meet, RIC’s athletic department honored one of the captains, senior Melissa Demirjian, on Senior Day. What better way to say goodbye to their teammate than with a victory. Demirjian is from Warwick, RI. At her last home meet, she led the Anchorwomen on vault with a score of 8.925, placing third overall on bars (8.350) and floor (9.125).
This was the gymnasts’ second victory of the season, raising their overall record to 2-10 and 27 in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. Freshman Robyn Albert won a pair of events, capturing first in the all-around with 34.975, and on the bars with 8.700. Albert also led the Anchorwomen on beam with a score of 8.950. Sophomore Elizabeth Ann Glunt earned second place in the all-around (34.950) and on bars (8.450). Up next for the Anchorwomen is a meet at Wilson College on Sun. March 9 at 11 a.m.
Star Watch
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Wrestling Wins Championship By Bobby Kazarian Anchor Editor 16 years of frustration ended Sunday night when the Rhode Island College Wrestling team captured the 2008 New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Championship. Overall, it’s the sixth Conference Championship for RIC but its first since they won 5 straight from 1988-1992. RIC, who finished the season ranked 3 in New England outlasted their Pilgrim Conference Rivals, Johnson & Wales and Roger Williams University, both who ranked 1 and 2, respectively, in New England. Senior Mike Bonora won his second straight New England Championship in the 141 lbs. division and will now move on to the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships beginning on March 7
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Bonora is ranked number 1 in the entire nation in the 141 lbs weight class. Bonora finished the season with an unbelievable mark of 40-2 with his only 2 losses coming to Division I opponents. Sophomore Mike Martini will join fellow teammate Bonora in the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships after capturing the New England Championship at 157 lbs. Martini was ranked 1 in New England and finished the season with a 34-7 record. RIC as a team finished the season with a 164 record, 11-3 against NEWA opponents, and 4-2 in the Pilgrim Wrestling League.
MS
By Bobby Kazarian Anchor Editor Rhode Island College Junior Dante Lopardo and Sophomore Max Willett each received All-New England Honors at the New England Division III Conference Championships for Track and Field. RIC, led by Head Coach Kevin Jackson, finished tied for 17 overall out of 25 teams and finished the meet with a score of 10.0. Headlining the meet for the men’s team was Junior Dante Lopardo who earned his second straight All-New England Honors in both the Long and High Jumps. Lopardo placed 6 in the high jump with a leap of 1.87 meters and finished 8 in the long jump with a jump of 6.42 meters. Also leading RIC was Sophomore Max Willet who earned AllNew England Honors in both the High and Long jumps along with Lopardo. Willett finished 3 in the High Jump with a leap of 1.92 and placed 17 in the Long jump with a jump of 5.96 meters. As for the women’s team who finished 20 overall out of 25 teams, Junior Kayla Fleming earned AllNew England Honors. Fleming earned the Honors for her effort in the High jump where she placed 6 with a 1.53 meter jump. Kayla also placed 12 in the Long jump with a jump of 4.69 meters and placed 13 overall in the 1,000 meters with a time of 3:06.06. You can still see these shining stars in upcoming action when RIC will compete at the New England Open Championships, hosted by Boston University on Frir and Sat. Feb. 28 through March 1.
February 26, 2008
ComicS
Pages 8-9
Cont. from Front tary of Defense and related parties “to give a plan immediately to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq within 60 days.” She said that she will also “tell the Iraqis they have to take responsibility for their own country” and that she will take care of veterans so they can have services and health care they are entitled to. “That is not happening now,” she said. Clinton said she will ask for the bills incumbent President Bush has vetoed and sign them immediately. She said she will especially sign off the children’s health insurance program that Bush has vetoed twice. “It’s time to get a president who’s… in touch with what goes on in RI and America,” Clinton said. She said she would try to prevent home foreclosures and help people find a way to keep their homes. “Our home is our most significant investment,” said Clinton. At this point, someone collapsed in the audience. Clinton announced over the microphone that a person had fainted and waited until the person received help to resume her speech. “I will keep fighting because this country is worth fighting for,” she said. “Let’s start creating new jobs.” She spoke about her plan for a clean, renewal energy plan that will “create at least 5 million jobs in America.” Clinton said, “We will see changes that are dramatic if we approach this the right way.” She said that the oil companies “do not need your tax subsidies” and that she will give that $55 million back to the American citizens. She went on to say that we “cannot make changes until the two big oil men leave the White House.” Clinton said that her plan differs from the other major Democratic candidate, Barack Obama, with “his refusal to put forth a plan for universal health care and his attacks on my plans to do so.” Without required health care, insurance companies “can continue to cherry-pick” who
they want to cover, said Clinton. “We are Democrats. We stand for the principle that each person should have quality, affordable health care,” she said. “Health care is not a privilege, but a right.” She plans to make it affordable by taking away tax cuts from people making more than $250,000 annually and put that money to work. “No exceptions, no excuses,” she said. Clinton emphasized that we have “to make college more affordable again for hardworking students of middle class families.” “I’m going to make sure you have college you can afford,” she said. “There isn’t any doubt in my mind that we can do this.” She said that “we also have to worry about the rest of the world” and that we need to “make the world understand, ‘We’re ready to work with you’.” “There is no contradiction between change and experience,” Clinton said, saying she has been to over 80 countries, including China, where she advocated that “women’s rights are human rights and human rights are women’s rights.” At 3 pm, Clinton concluded her speech saying that if you elect her, “you will elect a fighter and doer and a champion for the American people.” Rhode Island College spokesperson Jane Fusco, Director of the Office of News and Public Relations, said that “this event allowed the college to be a part of history. It is so encouraging to see so many students interested in the electoral process and interested in the candidates, their platforms and the voting experience.”
Opinions
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February 26, 2008
THE ANCHOR
In Response to “Rhode Island College Stomps out AIDS” By Gabrielle Lisnoff Anchor Contributor The article titled “Rhode Island College Stomps out AIDS” in the Feb. 12 edition of the Anchor is shocking and ignorant. A direct quote from the piece reads, “The issues of AIDS may not directly impact our lives, but it does impact the world, therefore our lives.” The article continues on to explain that while HIV/AIDS is not a problem for “us” it is a problem in Africa and the developing world. While I do not argue the impact HIV/AIDS has on developing nations, I am indignant about the opinions expressed in this short Anchor feature. To whom is the author referring when he says that HIV/AIDS “may not directly impact our lives?” Has he spoken to any HIV positive students? Has he spoken to gay, lesbian, or transgender students? How about students suffering from addiction or in recovery from addiction? Did he bother to talk with any students whose friends or family members are HIV positive? What of students from economically disadvantaged communities in the US that are affected by HIV? This is only a short list of groups whose lives, neighborhoods, and cultures are forever changed by HIV. The Rhode Island College campus community is deeply touched by HIV as well as Hepatitis C, mental illness, poverty, addiction, violence and any other number of issues. Unfortunately, although the article’s ostensible purpose is to promote community activity and activism, its result is exclusionary and bigoted. It relegates those affected by HIV to an unspoken, silent, and voiceless place. In the future, The Anchor should be more conscious of the language it prints. Attitudes like the one expressed in this article, however well intentioned, encourage the atmosphere of secrecy and oppression that contribute to the spread of HIV.
Show Some Tact By Amanda Hooper Anchor Staff According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), “Every two minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.” To me, and I’m sure to many others, this fact isn’t a laughing matter, yet often enough I hear people laughing about or making jokes about rape and sexual assault. They are not funny. They are appalling and disgusting and make me so exceptionally angry that I start seeing red. Why do other people laugh then? When I’m so hurt and angry, why do other people find these heinous jokes hilarious? I’m not entirely sure on that point but they show people that they aren’t as considerate as most of them claim to be. Of late, I have been in a rather distasteful situation where rape was the subject matter and people were finding it funny. They even went so far as talking about forcible rape with a foreign object. Then they laughed. So I sat there sneering for what seemed like forever until I had to be led from the room so as not to do bodily harm. When I came back into the room, I told them how what they had said was not funny to a lot of people and they should think before they do things like that. That’s all it really takes, a little thought. When you are standing in a room full of people and you make
that joke, not everyone is going to find it funny. Since every 1 in 6 American women and 1 in 33 men are sexually assaulted, the chances are that somewhere and sometime in your life you are going to meet someone who has been. Rape survivors--I will never use the word victim--have enough emotional turmoil to deal with without the crass and vulgar jokes about rape that I hear all the time. I get that a lot of jokes are meant to push the barrier and that they are supposed to make it alright to laugh at uncomfortable situations, but some uncomfortable situations aren’t mean to be laugh about. I’m really sick of just letting it happen too. I want to scream and rant and rave about how it just isn’t right, because that is the truth of the matter. It isn’t right. No amount of laughing and joking can make rape alright. So put some serious thought into what you’re about to say. Making people uncomfortable and angry shouldn’t be the point of a joke so just don’t say them. Keep them inside and if you find them funny, fine. Laugh by yourself because there will be a time when you’ll say it, someone will say something back, and you’ll seriously end up hurting someone’s feelings. Moreover, if you have feelings of your own, you’ll feel bad about doing so.
Gabrielle Lisnoff is a student in the Master’\s of Social Work program.
Thoughts From the End of the Rainbow My Best Friend By Andrew Stewart Anchor Staff I don’t know which came first, the dog or the gay, but for me the two will always be intertwined with me as a solitary figure on a long, cold, dark road trying to grapple with heavy existential questions, and a primarily black basset hound named Zach, nosing around and looking for a place to do his business. I never felt I could tell any humans I was gay, but canines were another story. Zach didn’t seem to care too much, so slowly but surely I would talk to him about what I was grappling with. He never said much back, but when you are coming out of the closet, a lot of the words need to be said by you anyway. Only you can say “I’m gay,” so I would like to think Zach was just wiser than all of us and knew the best route to happiness is silence, sleeping, eating, and a properly emptied colon. Zach was my walking buddy. He was my 3 am wake-up call, my morning stepbare-foot-in-feces-while-drinking-coffee excuse to puke, the destroyer of all nice furniture, and, most importantly, the one I fed scraps to under the table. This whole article sounds like I’m writing an elegy for a friend with four legs, but bear with me. Gays need dogs. There is no sense of permanence in my life as a gay man. Lovers will come and go, and without a ritualized ordering of life like there is with the normal hetero order of birth-schoolmarry-work-death, it seems at all times that everyone is just kind of like a fish in a large tank, floating around, sometimes intercepting with others, but eventually moving forward alone. Sure, there’s Gay Bingo, Men’s Choir, and an infinite list of bars, clubs, and bath houses, but buildings
do not a community make and the rather impersonal nature of this world seems less welcoming than the PR machine made it out to be when I first came out. This brings me to the major realization that seems Earth-shattering: With exception of the loonies like Rev. Phelps, not many people really care when you come out. If they love you, they still love you afterwards. That was my major issue (and I know that there is probably someone out there who is thinking how I was in October, so this is especially for you). I was absolutely terrified that I would need to leave the group of friends I have been part of for years because I was gay. That never happened, though. I chose the night of Game 4 of this year’s ALCS, and things went mostly along these lines: ME: (Insert name), I’m gay. FRIEND: Really? ME: Yeah. FRIEND: Cool. There was only one exception: the hilarious case of my friend and former WXIN co-host, Stevo. He was so plastered by the time I got around to
telling him, he only really processed the part where I said I had dumped my girlfriend, at which point he slapped me, calling me an idiot for ending what was a great thing. The value of a good friendship is truly measured in these instances. They are the ones that really count when things are down. They’ll pick you up on the side of the road, hug you when you cry, slap your hand when you get good news, and take care of you when you need to spend a few days couch surfing. In the time since I came out, I have looked sometimes to try and meet new friends who are gay, which, on reflection, is the goofiest idea I have had since I dove into this big rainbowtinted pool. It seriously is if one of the big points that everyone is trying to stress in the gay rights issue it is that we are completely normal and sane, if not more so than a lot of straight people. So why try to prove the point by
not acting normal and sane? Value someone’s friendship because of the person they are and not their different sexual orientation instead. This is because when you get down to it, gay guys are still guys with the same desires and wants in the same way that lesbians have the same amount of estrogen as straight women. This brings me back to Zach, who was the first friend I told my secret. He’s gone now. I just started working near my house in Warwick, so I stopped in for a late dinner after work. My mom sat on the couch reading the paper, but had no one at her feet. My dad can’t get over the quiet. I don’t know much else to say. I guess I just miss my friend. Zach, you were one son of a gun, and I loved you for it.
All opinions in The Anchor are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Anchor. We urge all members of the RIC community to take advantage of The Anchor’s editorial pages and send us their opinions. We remain true to our motto “free access to ideas and full freedom of expression”. Submissions must be under or around 700 words. Since we receive so many letters each week, entries will be published based on relevancy and time sensitivity. All entries are considered and carefully read.
Opinions
February 26, 2008
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THE ANCHOR
Let’s Help the Homeless By Paula Richer Anchor Staff Did you know… …that Rhode Island homeless shelters helped nearly 7,000 people in 2005-06? …that 25 percent of them were under the age of 13? …that in the past 5 years, RI family homelessness has increased by 38%? …that 20 percent of all RI veterans are homeless? …that 60 percent of RI households make under $50,000 and cannot afford the median-priced single family home in any RI community? …that Governor Carcieri just cut the affordable housing budget by millions? These are scary numbers indeed. In order to fully understand the plight of our homeless and the threat to those about to become so, let’s look at the causes. According to the RI Coalition for the Homeless the main reasons are low incomes, high housing costs, and domestic violence. According to the 2007 report, Vital Mission, veterans have these challenges and more, including prolonged separation from family and friends, and health issues often caused by the psychological stress of involvement in our armed services or injuries suffered in combat. Lack of affordable housing remains the primary culprit of homelessness overall and sadly, RI ranks in the top 4 highest states in the US whose veterans suffer from severe housing cost burden (paying 50 percent or more of their income on rent). This figure is bound to get worse as more and more veterans return home from Iraq and Afghanistan. But there is hope. Homelessness is a solvable problem. Imagine our small but proud state boasting a huge turnaround in the number of homeless people here. Picture every man, woman, and child in RI sleeping in a warm bed tonight in their very own home. And think how heartening it would be to take better care of our treasured veterans than any other state in the union! What’s being done already? RI has several programs underway that are making a difference. Our Housing First Program provides subsidized apartments and services for single, homeless adults. The RI Coalition for the Homeless and the Neighborhood Opportunities Program
provide affordable rental housing and legal clinics for those with low incomes. They also practice fundraising and advocacy for homeless people. We have shelters such as Amos House and Crossroads whose combined services include transitional and permanent housing, a dining hall serving up to 800 meals a day, job training programs, a 24/7 United Way hotline, and a nightly van search for people needing blankets, coffee, coats, and a connection to homeless services. There are special local and federal programs for homeless veterans including Stand Downs, Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans, Compensated Work Therapy/Veterans Industries, CHALENG (homeless assessment and services program), Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program, and Incarcerated Veterans Transition Program. But homelessness in RI has not been solved yet and we as RIC students can help eradicate it. We can raise awareness by writing one letter to an editor and sending copies of it to every newspaper in Rhode Island. We can write to RI politicians at every level and let them know that we’d like to see homelessness abolished in our state. We can donate household goods, services, or any special skills we may have. If we belong to a campus club or society, we can suggest helping the RI homeless as part of its community outreach program. We can volunteer our o w n time at Amos House, Crossroads, or any other s o u p kitchen o r homel e s s shelter in our state. We can support legislation for additional subsidized housing for low income people (and then be sure to vote accordingly). Finally, we can use our ingenuity and creativity to help raise money to donate to any RI homeless shelter, food bank, or homeless organization. The work of solving homelessness in RI has begun but it’s up to us to contribute to its completion. This article is, in fact, one product of 5 students’ efforts (in Dr. Olmsted’s Discussion and Group Communications class) to assess the problem and come up with a viable way to help. Raising awareness emerged as part of a solution that we could indeed accomplish. So let’s consider ourselves better informed and let’s do what we can to end the plight of homelessness in RI once and for all.
Sam’s Choice Dildos? By Barry Nickerson Anchor Editor As if things in this country haven’t been strange enough (and as if the Anchor hasn’t been filled with enough vaginas and sex toys this month), Wal-Mart recently announced that they are going to initiate selling risqué items on their shelves. My first reaction was, “Who cares?” Then I read into it further and realized how Wal-Mart was going to market them on the shelves. The items will be discreetly packaged and placed near items such as pregnancy tests. This again makes me think, “Okay, who cares? Let the people who want them buy them.” However, I can’t imagine many people will be lining up outside WalMart to get themselves a premier Sam’s Choice dildo. “Hoo-wee, always wanted me one of them Uncle Sam clitoral stimulators!” It can be awkward going into an erotic shop and purchasing things (even as gag gifts) just because you know that the
people who see you browsing just know that you plan on using that item. This is not a pretty mental picture for many of us. But really, that’s none of our business. That’s just the way society has installed our sexual tendencies inside us. Sex is usually something kept inside the bedroom and anything sexual in public is either taboo, “funny” or both—like walking around WalMart shopping for Crayola crayons and Chex mix and happening to find a dildo mixed in with the Campbell’s soup containers. When we think of the discreet, cute packages of “personal massagers” neatly nestled in an aisle of otherwise “grown-up” products, we don’t feel too concerned because we think, “Hey, the only people who are going to go in that aisle are people who are looking for those sorts of things.” That’s such a lie, because we all know punk kids are going to come across them, take them out of their packages, and leave them lying around Wal-Mart in all sorts of sur-
prise places. Then come the “Mommy, what’s that?” and the “Let’s sue Wal-Mart!” responses—not exactly Sam’s choice of solutions. Sex toys are sold in stores that require a legal ID with your age being 18 or older. Wouldn’t one think that selling them anywhere but a sex toy shop would require an ID as well? Apparently the big wigs at Wal-Mart have no problem with these awkward parenting situations. I hope Wal-Mart thinks about these sorts of things before they decide that marketing sex toys is a smart idea. It’s true that a discount Sam’s Choice vibrator might be economic, but isn’t it cheaper to ask for a Bunny vibrator for Christmas? Barry Nickerson is a junior at Rhode Island College and is a math major. He doesn’t plan on purchasing a Sam’s Choice vibrator because he’s still having a ball with the three-foot-tall inflatable Dicky ring toss that he won at Sex Toy Bingo.
SEX TOY RESPONSE By Kameron Spaulding Anchor Editor I feel as if I need to respond to Michael Najim’s letter in last week’s paper. I will respond to his letter on several fronts. I will reply first as the News Editor of the Anchor and second as an educated individual in our modern society. First, as the News Editor I feel justified in the story’s placement. I believe it was justified in its placement because it was one of the largest events on the campus this year. The turnout was huge and the fundraiser has raised over $1200. To me, this was the number one on-campus event that week and so it belongs right on the front. Now, to the many misguided points in the article. For starters, it is nearly impossible to follow what Christian right agenda you are trying to push. You start by mentioning premarital sex and then all of a sudden you are on the “One man, One woman” mantra, yet both are merely your interpretations of the Bible. Before I begin to interpret what you have said and shed my light on it, I will clarify my credentials to speak to the subject. Many of you do not know that my father is a Deacon and my mother is a minister of a church. I grew up going to church every Sunday and was very active in a youth group through high school. I own and have examined the Bible. Also, I am most certainly not abstinent so I can speak from that angle as well. I will not even be responding to the anti-homosexual parts of your essay. These arguments are so misguided and misquote the Bible. That is another letter for another time. Another part of your argument that bothers me was in the fourth paragraph. You stated in regard to sex that it is “Through this act our love and union is deepened.” Does this mean that you have never had the opportunity to feel as a deep a love as I have experienced? I do not believe that God would want to withhold you from experiencing the deepest love you could, do you? Later you added the following: “Let’s face it, if having sex felt like taking a calculus exam or walking barefoot in the snow, none of us would be here.” This is just not true. There have been countless studies that have proved that sex is not pleasurable for many animal species yet they still exist. Now this is where you are the farthest off: “Sex toys make sex solely about self-satisfaction, not about the other.” Do you know that in many studies over 70% of sex toy users are people in couples. This event gave out toys that are pleasurable for people in couples to use so most people there who won these toys will be using them with their significant other. Sex toys can help open up communication between couples and make them become more open with each other.
Lifestyles
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February 26, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Ask Ashley By Ashley Dalton Anchor Staff Ashley, I’ve been friends with this girl for about a year now and I really like her. I want to be more than just friends, but I don’t want to lose her if she doesn’t feel the same way. How do I know if she’s into me? -Shy Guy Well Shy Guy, you share in the same dilemma that every individual faces at one point or another. Once you ask a friend out or tell them how you feel, the “friend” boundaries gets crossed. Once on the other side, you can’t go back, or at least not easily. It’s hard to maintain a friendship with such feelings being involved and exposed. Let’s say you tell this girl how you feel, here’s a brief scenario of what could happen: She says yes: You take a chance and tell her everything and get this, she feels the same way. You get rewarded with hugs and kisses and a pat on the back for making the first move.
By Adam D. Bram Anchor Staff
She just wants to be friends: You pretend that everything’s okay and then slowly stop seeing as much of her because she hurt your pride by rejecting you. (This is why friendships usually end after such a confession, because the rejected party can’t deal with it. If you value the friendship at all, don’t let it be awkward. Accept it for what it is and move on.) If being straightforward is too intimidating, you could send subtle hints to her. Girls always know, trust me. If she doesn’t respond then you have your answer, she considers you to be just her friend. If she plays along then she may be hooked. In opposite sex relationships there’s a critical time period in which, if you get to close too fast, you get cast into the “just friends” group. Once there, good luck trying to get out. Being her best friend is like being a girl yourself. She doesn’t see you in the same light as other guys. Here are some things to think about: If you like someone and want to get to know them better, hang out. Be friendly but not too friendly. Play it cool. Don’t act too interested or not interested enough. Most girls like to be pursued, not stalked. So guys out there, make your
move. They’re not watching sports with you for nothing and we definitely don’t care about coaches, picks or car models. To the guys who say girls are confusing, I’ll admit that we are at times, but have you taken a look in the mirror lately? We send out the signals, you just don’t read them correctly. Sometimes we couldn’t be more obvious unless we ripped off our clothes and said, “Take me now!” As a final piece of advice, do not, let me repeat, do not have a friend talk to her for you. This is the biggest trap guys set for themselves. The friend will tell her about you asking and before you know it, they’re laughing at your expense. We are in college now, not middle school. If you like someone, grow the balls to tell them yourself. They’ll respect you more for it in the end, no matter their decision, because you had enough courage to ask yourself. ***If anyone has any questions, problems, or suggestions, feel free to ask or send them to me at advice@anchorweb.org***
World of Warcraft: A Primer Part 3: A Class Act
So, you’ve cycled through the races, settled on the best virtual representation of yourself, and you think you have a great name. But before you press that “Create Character” button, you still have one important choice to make that will affect how your game will shape itself: Character Class. What class you choose not only affects what kind of armor and weapons your character can use but also how it defends itself in the world. Are you more of a meat-andpotatoes fighter or is subtlety your game? Do you like spells to make your friends stronger or would you rather wipe out all your enemies in a single blaze of magical fire? And not every race can be every class, so you might want to consider picking your class before your race in certain cases. There are currently 9 character classes and they can be separated into 3 main categories: Melee, Spellcaster, and Hybrid. It should be noted that many of each class’ most useful abilities will not be available until higher levels. Melee Classes Warrior: A standard fighter that has the most hit points and highest defense. They have a wide range of damaging attacks are able to use most weapons. They are also one of the only two classes that can wear plate armor. They are also useful in a group because they can use abilities to pull monsters to them and off of weaker members. Their weak points, however, are the fact that they cannot heal themselves (except Draenei) and they have almost no long-range capabilities. The warrior class is available to every race except Blood Elves. Rogue: The assassins and cutthroats of Azeroth use the Stealth ability to sneak up behind their prey and deal a lot of damage very quickly before silently sneaking out again. They are able to pick locks and learn abilities that aid in escaping. However, they are limited to cloth and leather armor and have no way to heal themselves naturally, making it difficult to negotiate in a pinch. The Rogue class is available to every race except Draenei and Tauren. Spellcaster Classes Mage: The basic magician, dealing primarily with the elements of fire and ice. They are deadly from a distance and can completely decimate a group with the flick of a wrist. The problem comes when they run out of mana and the enemies get within fighting range. Mages have notoriously low hit points and can only wear the lightest
of clothing. However, Mages are also useful in that they can conjure up food and drink for their party and teleport themselves to major cities. Mage is available to Humans, Gnomes, Undead, Trolls, Blood Elves, and Draenei. Priest: Fluent in a vast array of healing and augmentation magic, they are also adept at charming enemies and even resurrecting allies. They can also learn Shadow magic which does quite a bit of damage. They are, however, as weak if not weaker than Mages at their base and having the healing spell suddenly doesn’t count for too much without quick reflexes. They are best used as group healers. Humans, Dwarves, Night Elves, Trolls, Undead,
Blood Elves, and Draenei can be Priests. Warlock: Another great beginner class, they are masters of the demonic arts. They work mainly with Soul Shards which they gain by casting a certain spell on an enemy. Using these soul shards, they can summon a wide range of useful things such as healing crystals, other players, a war horse mount, and a wide array of demons as combat pets. Like other spellcasters, they are restricted to cloth armor and therefore can’t take as much damage. Warlock is available to Humans, Gnomes, Orcs, Undead, and Blood Elves. Hybrid Classes Druid: The most eclectic of all classes, they begin similarly to priests with modest offensive and healing spells. In time they can learn to shape-shift into a wide array of animal forms for different purposes including but not limited to a Bear (which acts like a Warrior) and a Cat (which acts like a Rogue). The challenge with this class comes from managing the forms and seeing which is best-suited for what instance since not all abilities are available in each form. Druid is only available to Night Elves and Tauren. Hunter: One of the perfect classes for beginners, the hunter is a very well-rounded fighter. Their strength is in their ranged attacks and in their ability to tame any wild
beast to be their fighting companion, though they are no slouches in close-up combat. Their only real weakness is the same weakness of all the Melee classes, which is their inability to heal themselves naturally. This class is available to Dwarves, Night Elves, Tauren, Trolls, Blood Elves, and Draenei. Shaman: The true Jacks-Of-All-Trades, they have decent melee capability and have a wide array of elemental spells at their disposal (revolving mainly around the use of Totems). They can also walk on water and transform into Ghost Wolves for fast travel. However, being jacksof-all-trades makes them masters of none and they don’t quite get as powerful as some of the specialized classes. Orcs, Tauren, Trolls, and Draenei may play as members of the Shaman class. Paladin: Holy crusaders, they have all the power and defense of a Warrior with the healing and augmentation spells of a Priest. They can not only resurrect others but can sacrifice themselves for the party’s survival. They are also one of only two races (the other being Warlock) that can summon free mounts at the appropriate level. They are lacking, however, in that they have absolutely no ranged attacks whatsoever and they rely far more heavily on mana than one would think. Paladin is available to Humans, Dwarves, Draenei, and Blood Elves. One of the features of the Wrath of the Lich King expansion set due out this year is a new character class called a Death Knight. Little is known at this point but interviews with Blizzard indicate that it is going to be a hybrid class with powerful melee capabilities and necromantic magic. Death Knights will also begin the game at a higher level than the other classes, though to play as one a player will have to jump through a few hoops which are, as of this writing, unknown. Next Week: Can we play the game now? Please? Well, not quite yet. You’re ready to enter the world and next issue’s finale will give a few more helpful hints for when you’re just starting out. Adam D. Bram is a theatre major and a staff writer/cartoonist for The Anchor. He feels anyone who chooses to play as a Human Warrior has absolutely no imagination and should be put out of their misery in PvP as soon as possible.
Lifestyles
February 26, 2008
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THE ANCHOR
Haunted America The Borden-Winslow House By Robert Lefebvre Anchor Staff Lizzie Borden took an axe And gave her mother forty whacks. And when saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one. On August 4, 1982, Andrew Jackson Borden and his wife Abby Borden were murdered in their home in Fall River, Mass. They had been killed with several blows to their bodies with a hatchet, Mr. Borden having his head crushed. Their killer still remains a mystery, despite the heavy conjecture that it was their daughter Lizzie Borden. But could Andrew and Abby still be in the house? According to police reports at the time, the bodies were discovered by Lizzie Borden at around 11:00 that morning. Andrew Borden had been out earlier to go to the post office and the bank. The maid, Bridget Sullivan, said that Lizzie called to her crying that someone killed her father. He was found lying on a couch in the living room. Later, when neighbors and the family’s doctor came to see her, Abby Borden’s body was discovered in the guest room. Several people were suspects in the murders. John V. Morse, Andrew Borden’s first wife’s brother, was visiting the house, but was away at the time of the murders. Emma Borden, Lizzie’s sister was also a suspect, but she had been away at the time as well. There were many neighbors who were suspected since Mr. Borden was not very popular among the town but the chief suspect was, of course, Lizzie. Her stories to the police were inconsistent and her behavior was very suspicious. During the investigation, she had been seen burning a dress that she claimed she had smeared paint on and a broken hatchet was found in the house. She was
also refused prussic acid by a local druggist who didn’t believe her when she said it was to clean a seal skin coat. There had also been much conflict within the Borden family at the time. According to Sullivan and Emma Borden, there had been numerous arguments, including one about a decision to divide up the property among relatives rather than leave it to the two siblings, in the weeks leading up to the murders. Both Emma and Lizzie left after one heated argument to get away for a while, but Lizzie came back earlier than expected. She was arrested and tried for the murders. She was prosecuted by William H. Moody and defended by former Mass. governor George Robinson. The all-male jury only took one hour to deliberate and find her not guilty.
During the trial however, her original testimony was barred from the trial. The druggist’s testimony of her attempting to buy prussic acid was also excluded. The trial was the subject of much national publicity. The trial of O.J Simpson was repeatedly compared to Lizzie Borden’s. After the trial, she left her home and bought a mansion named Maplecroft. She did see more public spotlight after she was accused for shoplifting, but there were no official charges made. The Borden House is now a bed and breakfast called
the Borden-Winslow House. There has been speculation over the years as to whether it is haunted or not, and if those haunting the house are indeed the Borden family. The owner and guests have reported various strange occurrences: cold spots suddenly coming up in several rooms, unexplained footsteps, several claims of hearing a woman crying, and indentations in the beds of someone lying down that appear and disappear mysteriously. These claims could very well be false, of course, as there has been no real evidence to prove it. These could very well have been concocted by the owner in order to increase popularity and get more customers. Of course, if they are indeed haunting the house, it would make sense as their murders have been unavenged, disallowing them to rest in peace. As for Lizzie, her spirit may still haunt the house because she never gained what she was hoping for by murdering her parents, if she did indeed do it. Ghost Hunters has also visited the BordenWinslow House, but they were also unable to come up with any concrete evidence. The Lizzie Borden incident has been referenced in many television programs, movies, and even music that continues to this day. Many people believe that she was indeed the killer and there have been several documentaries of the event, trying to recreate the murder to determine if Lizzie truly did commit the awful crime. Whether the Borden House is haunted by ghosts or not is still up for debate, but one thing it is definitely haunted with is the memory of one the most violent, unsolved crimes in American history.
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January 29, 2007
Arts + Entertainment
Page 17
THE ANCHOR
ROVING REPORTER By: Kellye Martin
:
Which presidential candidate do you think would make the best president? Why?
Andrew Rodrigues Justice Studies 2010 I think Obama would make the best president, because I think his ideas are good, we definitely need a change. Hilary makes me sick and I don’t think this country is read for a woman president.
Jessica Mancini Nursing 2011 I think that Barack Obama would be the best president because he is the only choice that makes sense. Hilary becoming president would mean that for the past twenty years (give or take) two families controlled America, and that’s just ridiculous! We need a president that is open to new ideas, good health care, closed boarders, and a good over-seas plan. Barack Obama for president!
Mathew King Accounting 2010 John McCain, a republican president, will have checks and balances with the democratic congress. A republican president will have a better chance to stabilize the American economy and lower taxes.
Travis Stockton History 2011 Barack Obama is a fresh, young political face who hasn’t been tainted by big business. McCain has been in politics long enough to know what it takes to run a country. He has experience as a military leader, which is always a bonus when selecting a strong leader.
Do you have a question you want answered? Send your question to photography@anchorweb.org
Arts + Entertainment
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February 26, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Classifieds Extraordinary Babysitter Wanted
Waking With Nothing to Wake By Amanda Hooper Anchor Staff
I’ve written poem after poem for you never knowing they were for you but always the obvious choice. I’ve sung my heart out to songs with meaning never knowing I was singing to you hoping beyond hope that I’d be heard. I pushed myself to find love never knowing what I was looking for but never enough like you. When comfort came I’d bail. When sleepless nights haunted I drank. When I couldn’t bear the lonliness I died. All because the hands that groped lacked the gentleness of you. The kisses weren’t sweet like rain but hard like fire. Waking up with no one there. Waking to the mocking empty pillow. Waking to the sticky tears dried on my face. Waking and wishing that I couldn’t. Because I couldn’t. Not without you. Any student or faculty is welcomed to submit any form of creative writing to Writer’s Block. Please send all submissions in .DOC format with size ten Times New Roman font attached to an e-mail to arts@anchorweb.org with the subject line “WRITER’S BLOCK”.
Babysitter wanted for a 9 year old girl with ADHD and a typical 8 year old boy. Special Ed. major is desirable. The applicant must have experience working with children in addition to an abundance of patience and energy. Hours:weekdays 3-7p.m. weekends 12-10p.m. Pay is $12 an hour. Call 401-331-1405.
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Lady Macbeth By Cailin Humphrys Anchor Staff
The infamous Macbeth couple returns to literature in a new book by Susan Fraser King entitled Lady Macbeth. In this spin-off where the plot is based on both the play by Shakespeare as well as the actual historical couple, Fraser recreates the world in which the Macbeths lived in with beautifully written prose and meticulous attention to detail. The novel, which is told from the point of view of Lady Macbeth- born Lady Gruadh and named Rue- and weaves a tale that starts at the beginning of her life. Fraser takes the reader deep into the world of Lady Gruadh; her ancestry, her spirituality, and her childhood. Impetuous, hot-tempered, and a daughter of royal blood, Rue is a major playing piece among the noble men of Scotland. Chronicling Lady Gruadh’s life from childhood up through and past her eventual marriage to Macbeth, Fraser takes the reader through the twists and turns of what becomes one of fiction’s most notorious couples. The ending, however, differs from the play- so anyone who thinks that this new book is just a fan-fiction of William Shakespeare’s is sorely mistaken. Go buy it and find out!
Arts + Entertainment
February 26, 2008
Page 19
THE ANCHOR
Rental Raves: Howard the Duck By Adam D. Bram Anchor Staff This week, part 3 on our 4-part series of epic cinematic failures, we review one of the most maligned films in film history. This is the 1986 film based on one of Marvel Comics’ strangest and, until this film, obscure protagonists, Howard the Duck. Howard the Duck (voice of Chip Zien, Snake Eyes) is a down and out advertisement agent on his home planet of Duckworld, when an experiment by earth scientist Dr. Walter Jenning (Jeffery Jones, Ferris Beuller’s Day Off) accidentally brings him to our world. Now he’s desperately trying to cope with life amongst humans and find his way back home. Along the way, he falls in love with the first human who was nice to him, a rocker named Beverly Switzler (Lea Thompson, Back to the Future), and he becomes her band’s manager. However, trouble arrives when Jenning, in trying to recalibrate his laser to send Howard home, accidentally awakens one of the Dark Overlords of the Universe. Can Howard and his friends save Earth? This film is synonymous with “Bad Movie.” It was a black mark on everyone who worked on it. Even George Lucas (Star Wars), who did nothing but give it money, was panned heavily for just having his name on it. So how horrible is it? Well, to be honest, not very. Granted, there are a lot of groan-worthy moments, and the animatronic Howard suit flip-flops between looking stunning and looking stupid. But there are enough genuinely fun moments, and moments of real connection (especially between Howard and Beverly) that made up for it in my eyes. It’s definitely not a perfect movie, and there is a lot that can be greatly improved, starting with the script and working up. However, god help me, I actually liked it. I enjoyed it and I think anyone with a penchant for the quirky will enjoy it also.
Also starring Tim Robbins (The Shawshank Redemption) and Paul Guilfoyle (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation). PG (but feels more like PG-13). Rating: 2.5-3/5
The Queen of Subtleties By Amanda Hooper Anchor Staff The Queen of Subtleties is a novel about the rise and fall of the second wife of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, written by the beautiful wordsmith, Suzannah Dunn. Dunn’s obsession with the story of the second Queen is clearly apparent in the way she speaks with Anne’s voice and that of the King’s Confectioner (or pastry chef), Lucy Cornwallis. I have read many novels written about Anne Boleyn yet this one seemed to show Anne Boleyn as not just a pawn in her family’s plan to get to the top, but as a woman in love with a king and how she was the queen of the entire chess board that was England. Suzannah Dunn switches between the narratives of Lucy and Anne in a beautiful and never confusing fashion. Anne seems to be writing a diary or letter to her daughter, the young girl who would become Queen Elizabeth I, explaining everything from her first arrival at court to her being thrown in the tower under suspicion of incest, adultery, and treason. Lucy on the other hand is telling the story of her first meeting with Mark Smeaton , the young musician who’s innocent love for Anne eventually leads to his and many other men’s deaths, and the many meetings to follow. The lives of these two drastically different women seem to never have anything to do with each other than the fact that they live in the same place yet near the end Mark Smeaton intertwines in both women’s lives. Their fates both hinge on this young peer of the court, Anne’s death, and Lucy’s life. The author seems to know Tudor England like the back of her hand. The research she must have done to create such a novel of intrigue and emotion had to be immense and include much study. Tudor England is also one of my obsessions, so when I saw this fictional novel in the bookstore I had to pick it up. Even though the many novels I have read over the years about Queen Anne have always had the same direction, this one took me closer than any of the others. Maybe it was the fact that she wrote as Anne herself and as Lucy, one of the people on the outskirts who sees things in a different light, but whatever it was it kept me rooted until I finished it a mere day and a half after I started it. I suggest this novel to anyone who loves history, even history written through a fictional form. The Queen of Subtleties will have you feeling for people who have been dead for hundreds of years.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya By Jason Charpentier Anchor Staff Contrary to the name, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a far cry from melancholic. On the contrary, it is actually a comedy and arguably the best anime of 2006. When Haruhi first began airing in Japan, the internet was full of buzz on the new show and it’s highly unusual idiosyncrasies. In particular was that the show was not aired in a conventional chronological manner; the episodes were mixed up. Episode 1 was actually episode 11, and episode 14, the last episode aired, was actually episode 6, and so on. Another little tidbit was the ending credits, featuring the main characters doing a dance to the song being played. As a direct result of this, multiple other shows have recently popped up now featuring the main characters dancing in the opening and ending credits. Storywise the series revolves around two high school freshmen, the highly eccentric and unusual Haruhi, and Kyon, the very personification of apathy if there ever was one. Haruhi herself claims to have no interest in normal humans and only wishes to speak with so called aliens, people
from the future, and ESPers. To her, everything else is boring. Kyon ends up seated in front of her and engages in brief conversations with her on a day to day basis. Eventually becoming somewhat friends, Kyon unknowingly brings Haruhi to the conclusion to start her own club for her own purposes and recruits Kyon for this new unknown purpose. Eventually, through various means including theft, kidnapping and blackmail, they gain enough members to officially create the club, the SOS Brigade, and set forth to discover strange phenomena in the city. However, something very strange is going on within the SOS Brigade and Haruhi in particular. As a series, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is fantastic with a good deal of character development, an interesting story, hilarious comedy, and top notch animation courtesy of Kyoto Animation. My only little complaint with the show however does not reside within the show itself, but within the DVD release of it. Having previously seen the series in its unusual episode order, seeing the series in chronological order on the DVDs was rather disappointing. It felt as if it just didn’t work nearly as well and some of the charm of the series had left as a result. Despite this, I highly recommend this series.
Arts
Entertainment
RIC EVENTS RIC Dance: 49th Annual Spring Concert Series Thursday, February 28, 2008 Time: 8 p.m. Roberts Hall RIC Music Lecture: “Birth of Cool” and its Impact Fifty Years Later Friday, February 29, 2008 3 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the John Nazarian Center RIC Music: Gunther Schuller and Friends Friday, February 29, 2008 8 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the John Nazarian Center National Association of Teachers of Singing: Vocal Competition Saturday, March 1, 2008 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Location:The John Nazarian Center RIC Music: Chamber Music at Rhode Island College Sunday, March 2, 2008 7:30 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the John Nazarian Center
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Antigone on the Main Stage ANTIGONE FAILS TO IMPRESS
A NEW TAKE ON A CLASSIC TRAGEDY
By Jessica Albaum Anchor Editor When I walked into the Helen Forman Theatre on opening night, Wed. Feb 20, I was hoping that the play, Antigone, would live up to the awesome set that lay before me. Sadly, I was greatly disappointed by most of what followed after that. I knew that this production was a modernized version from the original Greek written by Sophocles and adapted by Jean Anouilh. I opened up the playbill and read a note from the director, Nehassaiu deGannes, which stated that this version was set in the 1950s. I thought over the prospect and came to the conclusion that it could be interesting. I looked at the cover art of the playbill, a piece entitled “Mummified America” by Richard Goulis and right away I assumed that it was going to have something to do with war in America. I was wrong. It still took place in Greece so I did not quite understand why that was the playbill cover art. The set design was my favorite part of the production. It was very minimalist and modern with ramps and platforms. The only problems I had with the set were the blue platform on the stage. I didn’t understand why it was blue. What’s more is that the same platform squeaked when actors stepped in certain places. That was very distracting from the performance. The lighting was simple and effective and the make-up was also appropriate for the show. The costumes were nice but they were the only thing that had to do with 1950s. The show really could have taken place in any time period. The changing of the language to modern English just felt like the play was being dumbed down for the audience. Everything else about the show still dealt with ancient Greece. The king, the laws, and how women were treated were not modernized for the time period which it was supposed to take place. I was impressed with the acting for the most part except for some melodramatic parts that reminded me of a soap opera. To be blunt, I was falling asleep during the first act but that has everything to do with the play and nothing to do with the actors. During the second act, I was more alert and interested but I noticed people falling asleep in the audience. I even saw two people get up and
By Cailin Humphrys Anchor Staff
leave. deGannes made some choices for the show that I can only characterize as corny. Throughout the show she would have people walk in and watch the action going on and then walk out without having any purpose. I understood why Chorus was there because he was acting as the narrator but not why other characters did the same. Her choice of music that underscored parts of the show was cheesy and oftentimes unnecessary. The dungeon scene in particular sticks out. deGannes chose to use the stereotypical dripping water sound with the sound of the ocean outside to make it clear to the audience where she was. We aren’t stupid; we knew she was in the dungeon. It’s just strange that all dungeons seem to have a leak. The last straw for me on the melodramatic side was when rose petals dropped from the ceiling for no particular reason. What was more was that Chorus put his notebook in the middle of the petals where a spotlight shone. This is how the play ended. That is about the corniest pointless ending I have seen in my life. Antigone is not a great play in my opinion anyway. It’s even worse when modernized and taken out of its original language. Add melodramatic aspects that shouldn’t be there and you have figured out the general rationale behind why I did not enjoy this production. However, I am proud of the actors from Rhode Island College who performed in this play and do not wish to put down their talents at all. I recommend that everyone attend a production of some sort here to see the acting caliber of these students firsthand.
Directed by RIC professor Nehassaiu deGannes, an adaptation of Sophocles’ classic tragedy Antigone hit the Helen Forman stage this week. Spoken in modern language, staged with an abstract set and costumed in the American 1950s, Antigone brings a refreshing new look to a play that has been done for thousands of years. The adaptation was written by Jean Anouilh in 1943 when France was under Nazi occupation. In her director’s notes, deGannes wrote that Antigone is “a story we tell ourselves over and over again”. In this reproduction, the audience is able to see exactly why. Antigone is about a young woman (Elese Morrone) who goes against her uncle Creon’s (Alex Duckworth) orders to not bury her dead brother, who was considered a traitor to the kingdom. Engaged to Creon’s son Haemon (Nick Thibeault), Antigone goes against the will of her uncle and the protestations of her sister Ismene (Allison Crews) in order to do what she believes to be right. Antigone, despite knowing that going against Creon’s edict means death, can’t go on living knowing that her brother’s memory has been dishonored. In the end, despite the pleas of her uncle to let him help her hide the incident from the public, Antigone goes to her death with her conscience clear and her head held high. Creon, who will not be moved from his decision, ultimately loses his niece, his son, and his wife Eurydice (Allison St. Rock) in the heartbreakingly tragic ending. In this version, there is also one man who acts as the Chorus (Frank Toti), giving the audience insight into the characters’ minds and personalities. Antigone, despite being a Greek tragedy, still resonates with today’s audience. In a world where going against authority can be dangerous and where asking the wrong questions can bring about severe consequences, Antigone challenges us to truly look inside ourselves and ask “What would I have done?” This idea is especially well-reflected given the setting of the show. Explaining the rationale behind setting the show in the 1950s, deGannes said that it “provides us with a time signature that brings our telling a little closer to home. I am fascinated by the 50s- that golden, Ismene-like postwar age of the housewife, where on the surface everything is fine.” It also makes us, both as an audience member and as active members of society, question Antigone’s actions. In this particular adaptation, the audience is given the chance to view Creon, normally portrayed as a tyrannical, one-dimensional character, as a more humane and compassionate character. He is still a tyrant, but in a more realistic sense; a man who does not relish what he has to do and only does it because he sees no other choice. Antigone, usually portrayed as the stubborn heroine who died for her beliefs, is given a multi-faceted personality that shows the insecure, afraid young woman underneath the iron exterior; a woman who has spent her entire life waiting for this one, fatal moment to come into her own. Antigone was realistically acted; with stellar performances by all involved. Though it only ran from February 20-24, it was well worth the money and time spent. This newer more modern context brings a breath of fresh air into what could otherwise have been an old, stale retelling. Other cast members include Makiesha Horsely, Liam Gallogly, Kevin Killavey, Stephanie Carey, and Jeff Ovaginian Jr.
Young Artists Evoke Wonder at Bannister Gallery By Paula Richer Anchor Staff A rich and splendorous array of spirit-nudging visual pleasures await us at Bannister Gallery this month, as it exhibits a cornucopia of art forms created by some of Rhode Island’s top young artists who were winners of this year’s annual Rhode Island Scholastic Art Awards (RISSA). Sponsored by Rhode Island College, Fidelity Investments, and the Rhode Island Art Education Association, this event drew submissions from over 500 talented students who hailed from over 50 schools across our art-loving state. A virtual banquet of thoughtful, determined, and imaginative expression, these fine pieces span the spectrum of art media including animation, apparel design, ceramics, digital imagery, drawing,
fine art portfolio, graphic design, jewelry, mixed media, architectural plans and models, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and video and film. Once one’s mind is sufficiently boggled by the panorama of gifted artistry, one has then only to digest an additional tiny detail. These works were done by our state’s youth, grades 7 through 12. Feast your eyes on the brilliance of color and freefall into depths of darkness. Pedal the promenade past whimsical creations transforming mundane items into fairy-tale pottery. Marvel at metallurgy doused in hushed hues, and delight in interpreting mixed messages offered by multi-media. These young artists are clever, capable, and filled with ingenuity. We are graced with the opportunity to view their creations for the second year in a row, thanks to a tenuous decision made by the Gallery’s Director, James Montford. He has stated that while there has been mostly positive feedback to have an exhibit comprised purely of adolescent artists in a
college setting, the approval has not come without some reserve. Nonetheless, it is we who stand to gain along with the artists, for their accolades may not stop here. The winners of RISAA’s 3 top awards categories (Gold Key, Portfolio, and American Visions) will move on to compete in a national arts competition sponsored by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers in New York. Their futures certainly look bright. This exhibit will last only until February 28, so be sure to stop by the Bannister Gallery in the Nazarian Center and experience this mini magical mystery tour. Gallery hours are Monday through Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Thursday, 12-9 p.m. Enjoy!