4-20-2010 - The Anchor by The Anchor

Vol. 82, Issue #26

The Anchor Rhode Island College

April 20, 2010

Anchor Photo/ Kelly Beshara-Flynn

From left: Speaker Nicholas Lima, Deputy Speaker Christopher Volcy, President Joshua Laguerre and Secretary Shawn Andrews at the first Parliament Budget Meeting last Wednesday.

Money talks at

Parliament Meeting By Frank Wellington Anchor SCG Bureau

A payroll increase and a proposed College Readership Program stole the attention of most Student Community Government, Inc. members at the most recent meeting of Parliament last Wednesday. The first lengthy debate of the night came on SCG’s Payroll budget. The employees of SCG had requested a 5 percent raise for the 2010-2011 year. After a long debate during the first round of Budget Hearings in February, the Finance Commission sent a recommendation of a 3.75 percent raise to Parliament. To discuss the sensitive

Payroll line items, Rep. Kameron Spaulding, who is also editor-in-chief of The Anchor, motioned that the body enter executive session. The official reason given for the executive session was “to discuss personnel and their compensation.” Before entering that session, a report was passed out from the Personnel Evaluation Committee, which recommended a 1 percent raise for next year. The outcome of that debate will be made public after the final Budget Meeting this Wednesday night, when next year’s total budget numbers are finalized. The next debate was on See BUDGET Page 6

Donovan Dining Center set for renovations By George Bissell News Editor

Over this summer, Donovan Dining Center will undergo vital renovations that will upgrade the existing dining facility to accommodate the needs of the growing student community at Rhode Island College. Currently, Donovan supports the food service needs of 1,200 resident students and a greater campus population that includes about 9,000 students, plus faculty and staff. The renovations will allow College Dining Services to accommodate up to 30 percent more customers during the dining center’s busiest periods by reconfiguring entrance and exit

ways and improving handicapped accessibility within the service area. The majority of physical changes to the dining facility will occur in the serving area. The rebuilt space will be larger and built to meet Americans with Disabilities Act provisions. Service stations will be restructured to allow easier access and egress for greater efficiency, and to make the space more customer friendly. Additionally, a new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system is being installed to better ventilate the facility. The last major update to Donovan occurred in 1994, coinciding with the opening of

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Sweet Hall. The previous renovations included refurbishing the service area, expanding the dining room and improving the building’s HVAC system. Renovations are slated to begin in mid-April with the construction of a new storage area at the rear of the building. Interior construction will begin after Commencement and will continue throughout the summer. Donovan will remain open during the renovations this summer. Long-awaited renovations to Donovan are expected to be completed in August, President Carrioulo said in her annual State of the College Address on See DDC Page 8

What’s Inside

April 20, 2010

Page 2

News 1

Lifestyles

Money talks at Budget Meeting SCG, Inc. debates payroll, readership programs, etc. . Donovan Dining Center set for renovations Donovan prepares to begin much-needed renovations.

A&E cont.

30 words or less Ask Ari: Advice column with a premium on brevity.

Need a hobby? Write for us Not to self-promote, but we’re pretty awesome.

Job and Internship Fair Local businesses gather, impressed by RIC students.

Amusement park fun Travel Tips: Preparing for a day at Six Flags.

INGOS Conference Event showcases RIC’s efforts in Haiti, South America and abroad.

Stay classy! Weekly Warcraft: The finer points of class warfare.

Three-car pileup paralyzes campus traffic None injured in EastCampus crash last Tuesday. Lack of ups and downs in Student Union Elevator trouble results in two stuck students.

I don’t think I know you... RIC students bombarded by friendship requests from suspicious women.

A&E 22

Mighty musicals A preview of exciting performances coming to RIC.

The fourth annual Ocean State Film Festival RIC exhibits an impressive array of student films.

A very strange pair Trinity’s latest production of “The Odd Couple” a success.

Elemental masterpiece Rental Raves: Willis, Oldman shine in “Fifth Element”.

Rock on WXIN Rock Hunt Night 2 continues with strong local bands.

Opinions 15

They all float Stark Raving Mad: Our baseless, irrational fears.

Backstage Prince by Kanako Sakurakoji Manga Mania: A dramatic, romantic tale from the author of “Black Bird”.

Sports 32

Editorial

Coheed and Cambria Rob’s Album of the Week: New York prog rocker’s “Year of the Black Rainbow”. Wrestling is not fake... in video games Rob’s Game Shelf: Two games in one headlock.

Anchor Photo/Mandy Wray Dion

Anchorwomen maul Wildcats RIC beats JWU 9-2 and 8-0 in double header. Anchormen split doubleheader with Owls Men win one, lose one against Keene State. . Seahawks soar away with victory Women’s lacrosse goes down fighting Salve. Post-season accolades for Grimes and Walsh Senior, coach honored at annual Cox Sports awards. . Mixed emotions on the RIC courts Last week a rollercoaster of defeat and victory. Men and women’s track team results How RIC performed on the track and field.

Campus Climate Tuesday Sunny High 62 Low 39 Wednesday Sunny High 67 Low 45 Thursday Rain High 66 Low 43 Friday Sunny High 63 Low 39

Contact General Information 401.456.8280 info@anchorweb.org

Advertising 401.456.8544 ads@anchorweb.org

Editor-in-Chief 401.456.8790 editorinchief@anchorweb.org

Fax 401.456.8792

If you are a student organization and would like to have an event covered, please contact managing@anchorweb.org.

The Anchor is student-run and published weekly during the academic year. Editorial decisions for The Anchor are made by a majority vote of its student editorial board. No form of censorship will be imposed by the college. Any material found to be unsuitable or unacceptable in the board’s opinion will not be published. The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island College’s faculty, administration or student body.The first copy is free. Each additional copy is $2.25. Copyright © 2010 The Anchor. All rights reserved.

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April 20, 2010

Page 3

Even in rough job market, fair hits RIC By George Bissell News Editor

The Rhode Island College Job and Internship Fair, which was originally scheduled for March 31 but was postponed due to the cancellation of classes during Rhode Island’s Great Flood of 2010, took place last Wednesday in the Faculty Center. Over 30 local businesses were on hand looking for qualified candidates to fill internships and paid positions within their companies. Prospective employers, such as Ryan Gardiner from Crossroads Rhode Island, came away impressed with the changes to Rhode Island College in recent years. “I came to RIC from 2003 to 2007 and never knew any of this stuff was here,” said Gardiner. “It was the best four years of my life by far.” The mission of Crossroads is to assist the homeless and disconnected on their journey toward a better quality of life as a shelter facility. Crossroads accomplishes this by providing a continuum of care that includes basic emergency needs, shelter, housing, case management, and vocational services for individuals and families. Several volunteer and internship opportunities with Crossroads in Providence that

require between 10-15 hours per week include clerical support positions in administration, marketing and development. Interns are also needed to fill administrative support positions, adult education and parking lot attendant positions, as well, for the state’s largest homeless shelter. Rhode Island College students are needed to fill these internship opportunities, and will be helping the Rhode Island citizens who need it the most in the process. Corporate powerhouse New York Life, one of the nation’s leaders in financial planning, was also on hand, looking for RIC students to join their company. “What we look for in a qualified candidate is someone who is hard-working, outgoing and has an entrepreneurial spirit,” said representative Eric Gelsomino. “New York Life provides raw financial planning and insurance to Americans nationwide, and we are in need of outgoing students from colleges like RIC to join the company.” The Providence School District was also on hand at the event in search of candidates to fill the 247 vacancies in the 52 schools in the Providence district. RIC students with a degree in education are eligible to apply for these positions, and even if they aren’t ready

Anchor Photo/Devin Noll

New York Life representative Eric Gelsomino, right, meets with prospective candidates. for a full-time commitment, the Providence School District is in need of substitute teachers, who make $100 per day. In these tough economic times, RIC students are worried about their wallets, but organizations such as City Year are looking for students who are looking forward to making a difference in their local communities. City Year is a non-profit organization that unites young people of all backgrounds for

a year of service, giving them skills and opportunities to change their local communities for the better. RIC students who sign up for City Year’s 10-month commitment receive a bi-weekly stipend, as well as a $5,350 education award, as well. City Year, in conjunction with Olneyville Shines, will be hosting a Clean Day on the Greenway at the Fred Lippitt Woonasquatucket River Greenway on Sat., April 24 for anyone

interested in volunteering. RIC senior Ryan Fox, who was looking for a job in communications or teaching at the event, said, “This is the fourth Job and Internship Fair I’ve been to at RIC, and each year more and more companies and organizations, from insurance agencies to school districts, show up, which shows you how in-demand RIC students are in today’s economy.”

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-NEWS-

Cover the stories affecting the Rhode Island College community.

Get informed about the important decisions made by our administration.

Looks great on a resumé!

For more information or to submit a story contact Anchor News Editor George Bissell at: news@anchorweb.org

News

April 20, 2010

Page 4

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INGOS Conference highlights RIC efforts in Haiti, South America and abroad By Aaron Buckley Anchor Staff Writer

Introduced by Rhode Island gubernatorial candidate and former US Senator Lincoln Chafee, the Rhode Island College Political Science Department’s annual INGOS Conference brought Ecuador, Togo and Haiti close to home for many of the attendees. INGOS, or International Non-Governmental Organizations, are international bodies fulfilling the needs of people in many countries where the various governments cannot. The International Red Cross, for instance, responded to the January earthquake in Haiti with personnel and supplies, and opened many field hospitals in order to assist the government with caring for its people. INGOS are non-profit and rely on volunteers and donations to continue their services. In response to the Haiti catastrophe, WXIN Radio held a 24-hour radiothon and generated $4,000 dollars in donations for the Red Cross Haiti relief efforts. The RIC INGOS conference, attended by approximately 50 students and faculty, including President Carriuolo and Vice President for Student Affairs Gary Penfield, was less about what INGOS do and more about

what RIC students and faculty are doing abroad. “RIC’s mission includes service to the community,” Carriuolo said afterward. “We heard about students and faculty who have committed their time, talent and energy to serving the global community. I am proud

Anchor Photo/Alex Hoffman

Former Sen. Lincoln Chaffee.

of all the presenters.” The event was organized and hosted by Richard Weiner, political science professor and former dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Three panels of presenters talked about their experiences working with INGOS. The first panel, comprised entirely of students, explored the impact RIC students enrolled in INGOS internships

are having in their chosen destinations. Shannon Heuklem, a senior fine arts major, talked about her time in Togo, a small nation in West Africa. Jennifer Ferguson and Barry Thompson, both political science juniors, spent time in Ecuador working together with impoverished children. And, Edicta Grullon, a graduate with dual degrees in modern languages (Spanish) and anthropology, has worked in Cameroon and elsewhere as a project coordinator. “Doing the work that is necessary in an NGO will only be fulfilling and fruitful to you if you are willing to put all of your heart into it,” she said. “I have already seen how those who do not work in this way have fallen short of seizing the great opportunity working for an ethical NGO provides.” The second panel focused on Haiti and human disaster relief efforts still underway there. The International Red Cross is not the only organization supplying help to the Haitian people. Many national governments have pledged humanitarian aid and resources. Professor Carolyn Fluehr Lobban, of anthropology, elaborated on the social, cultural and economic realities of Haiti both before and in the aftermath of the January earthquake. She was followed

Anchor Photo/Alex Hoffman

President Nancy Carriuolo addresses the RIC INGOS Conference.

Courtesy of Edicta Grullon

RIC graduate and humanitarian Edicta Grullon. by nursing student Jocelyne De Gouvenain, who did extensive work with NGOS in Haiti. Professor Peter Mendy of the history department, who is co-director of the INGOS program, led the final panel, which included members of INGOS and focused on the value of INGOS in responding to disasters and working to alleviate more permanent social problems. Not all INGOS provide disaster relief; many focus on such issues as literacy, public health and nutrition, advocacy for under-represented groups and many charities. INGOS can have memberships ranging from a couple of thousand to millions of people. Many receive funding assistance from governments, despite being “non-governmental.” This was the third international conference on INGOS held at RIC. The first one, in 2007, introduced RIC students to the existence and practices of the more than 50,000 international NGOS – most of which have emerged since the 1990s. A second INGOS

Conference on human rights and labor rights was held in 2008. Each conference attracted spokespersons from many international organizations, as well as senior officers of the International Labor Organization/ United Nations in Geneva, including some top officials of the French embassy. The INGOS program was lauded in 2007 by American Political Science Association President Ira Katznelson as well as Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D–R.I.). Rhode Island College offers two programs in INGOS studies. A certificate in INGOS requires at least 18 credits, proficiency in French, Portuguese or Spanish and an internship abroad with an INGO in a country that speaks one of those languages. Alternatively, students may pursue a minor in INGOS. A minor requires at least 21 credits, but does not have a language or internship requirement associated with it. The INGOS program is funded by a grant from the Department of Education.

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April 20, 2010

Page 5

Three-car pileup paralyzes campus traffic By George Bissell News Editor

Traffic on the East Campus came to a standstill at 3:30 on Tuesday afternoon last week, as a three-car crash in front of Parking Lot A near the Mount Pleasant Avenue entrance sent one driver to the hospital, and totaled two of the three cars involved. The accident, which occurred on College Road along the third hole of Triggs Memorial Golf Course, occurred when a green Corolla lost control and slammed into a beige Nissan, which was propelled forward into a blue Mercury SUV. The impact from the green Corolla totaled two of the three cars involved in the accident. The front hood of the Corolla was bent and completely smashed in from the impact. The beige Nissan was wedged between the other two cars in a sandwich made up of plastic and metal framework. The Nissan’s front hood was destroyed and ended up underneath the bumper of the Mercury SUV,

while its bumper fell off completely from the initial impact from the Corolla. The SUV, which was driven by RIC freshman Emily Holt, was able to drive away from the scene with only minor damage to the rear bumper. “I came to a complete stop. All of a sudden I heard skidding behind me. I looked in my rearview mirror and then boom! Not fun,” Holt said. “I just got it this year, and this car has been through hell.” “It’s just crazy people driving on campus, and bad luck,” said Shaun, a biology student at RIC who was the driver of the beige Nissan involved in the crash. “The SUV stopped in front of me, I stopped, had my foot on the brake, and then the other car slammed into me. My car got propelled several feet forward with my foot on the brake – that’s how hard I got hit.” On the scene from 3:30 p.m. until the debris was swept away from the scene at 4:15 were Campus Police officers, several Providence Police officers, one

Anchor Photo/Jesus Mendoza

Three cars involved in last week’s accident. Providence fire truck and one Providence ambulance. The female driver of the green corolla could not be reached for a comment on the

Lack of ups and downs in S.U. Rhode Island College saw more elevator trouble this week, as two students had the unfortunate occurrence of being stuck in the Student Union elevator on Monday. The incident called for the Providence Fire Department to quickly respond and help free the students, who declined to be identified when asked for comment. The students were trapped for about 10 minutes before being rescued. The incident is the latest in a string of elevator malfunctions that have plagued the RIC campus in recent months. – Report by Anchor Staff Writer Jon Kmieciak Courtesy of Edicta Grullon

A Providence firefighter works on S.U. elevator.

incident, and was taken to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Two Town Line tow trucks called to the scene towed away

both totaled cars, and the regular flow of traffic on campus resumed within an hour of the accident. No major injuries occurred.

News

April 20, 2010

Page 6

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Anchor Photo/ Kelly Beshara-Flynn

Speaker Nicholas Lima counts votes during last Wednesday’s first round of Budget Meetings. Unsatisfied organizations will appear before Parliament this Wednesday.

BUDGET from page

the SCG budget itself, over whether or not SCG should pay non-Parliament members of committees. Currently, only the Finance Commission members receive a stipend of $20 per meeting, in addition to their hourly minimum-wage pay for their attendance at the two-day long Budget Hearings. This debate was lengthy, as well, and ended with the decision to pay all non-Parliament committee members. Following through on a compromise that was reached after the abrupt ending to the meeting of Jan. 27, the budget calls for reducing the pay of Finance members by $5, while paying the non-Parliament members of the other SCG six committees and commissions between $10 and $15 per meeting. The decision results in a net increase of $2,015 for Parliament to pay as many as 21 more students. Non-Parliament seats have historically been difficult for SCG to fill, though Parliament, itself – whose members are compensated $20 per meeting – has not had more than 65 percent of its seats filled in recent memory.

Before those debates, the meeting had started quickly, with the first dozen clubs being approved without much – if any – debate. The only early debate was over the removal of several stipulations placed on club budgets, many of which were determined to be unnecessary. Equestrian and Racquetball both had old stipulations removed, involving travel and an informational meeting requirement, respectively. The Budget Meeting was then adjourned, after running well over its intended time, and a short break occurred before the special meeting called by SCG President Joshua Laguerre began. In the second meeting of the evening, the proposed College Readership Program saw the lengthiest debate. The Collegiate Readership Program (CRP), originally created at Penn State University, currently reaches nearly 500 colleges and universities. The program allows college students to have free access to national newspapers on campus. RIC has had the program in the past, but due to budget constraints it was removed. Laguerre and Spaulding brought forward a bill to restart the program. The proposed cost for SCG to provide the service next year was $25,000.

Vice President Travis Escobar was the most vocal member of opposition to the bill. Escobar thought that the program was too expensive and a waste of student funds, “Go to www. usatoday.com and get the same news for free,” said Escobar. After a long debate, Parliament did pass the proposal – with objections from several members. It next goes to Finance for final approval. Parliament also decided to table a number of other proposals, one for the fourth time this session. The first changes to SCG’s Personnel Policies in nearly two decades were introduced by Laguerre and Personnel Evaluation Committee Chair Rep. Anike Akinbulumo, though debate did not take place as the policies were tabled. The Omega Phi Beta constitution – already tabled from the previous meeting – was again tabled, over the objections of Rep. Frances Diaz, a founding sister of the sorority that is trying to restart at RIC. That debate lasted some time, and became heated after SCG Secretary Shawn Andrews said the national organization’s constitution was all that needed to be approved, over the objections of many Parliament members. The body had voted

at the previous meeting to have Andrews’s Student Organizations Committee present a document that conformed with SCG’s Model Constitution, however that was not done, and Andrews asked the body to approve the national constitution (only one copy was made available to Parliament).

“Just because a

bad precedent was set in the past that a national Greek organization could have a constitution approved that says nothing about its responsibilities as a Rhode Island College student organization doesn’t mean we should keep doing things that way.” – Speaker of Parliament Nicholas Lima

Many, including Speaker Nicholas Lima, objected to that. “Just because a bad precedent was set in the past that a national Greek organization could have a constitution approved that says nothing about its responsibilities as a Rhode Island College student organization doesn’t mean we should keep doing things that way,” Lima said. The constitution was again tabled, pending the organization returning with a document that states it is accountable to SCG. Lima said that a national organization constitution can be adopted and used by an organization, but SCG needs a separate constitutional contract with its clubs. The Student Organization Policy, which has been on Parliament’s agenda for much of the semester, was again tabled by Andrews. It, along with proposed changes to the Student Organizations Committee Policy, will be discussed at Parliament’s final meeting of the session, Sine Die, on May 5, following officer elections for next year. Student government may also be on the way towards holding online class elections and referenda in the near future. Parliament conditionally approved an electronic voting

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Final approved budgets for FY 2010-2011 These figures represent the final allocations for satisfied student organizations, approved by Student Parliament last Wednesday.

program to be implemented next year, at a cost to be determined by Finance. The second meeting of the night ended at 11:30 – close to the curfew set by Staff Rep. Mark Paolucci, who supervises the Student Union’s operation. The building closes at midnight, and Parliament has occasionally exceeded that time frame in recent years, meeting as late as 4 a.m. This week’s Budget Meeting for unsatisfied organizations is one such meeting that has occasionally lasted well beyond 12 a.m, last year finishing after 1 in the morning. Parliament must finalize next year’s budget at this historically contentious and controversial meeting. Thirteen organizations turned in “not satisfied” letters, meaning they will have to present their case to Parliament on April 21 beginning at 7 p.m. Organizations not satisfied with their budgets include, in the order they turned in their “not satisfied” letters and appear on the agenda, The Anchor, RSA, WXIN, Amnesty International, Anchor TV, VISA, CVSA, Communications Club, English Club, L.I.F.E., LASO, Ultimate Frisbee and Out of Bounds. Six more organizations that were in non-compliance by not returning a letter at all will also be called that night, including Bachelor of Social Work, RIC Ice Hockey, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, History Club, Women of Color and Women’s Rugby. The latter three organizations never retrieved their packet at all.

News

April 20, 2010

Page 7

Accounting Association 3,736.00 American Marketing Association 1,900.00 Anchorheads 1,756.00 Angels 1,350.00 Asian Student Association 1,950.00 Ballroom Dance 18,550.00 Chess Club 1,055.00 Cooperative Preschool 13,365.00 Debate Council 2,350.00 English Educator’s Network 750.00 Equestrian 41,190.00 FEET 1,425.00 Harambee 15,040.00 Health Education Club 1,020.00 Ice Hockey 48,000.00 Men’s Rugby 8,500.00 Middle School Association 975.00 NSSLHA 1,450.00 OASPA 2,602.00 Approved; amount unknown Payroll Physical Education Club 1,060.00 Physical Science Club 1,440.00 Programming 79,525.00 Racquetball Club 26,920.00 Student Nurses Association 1,990.00 Women’s Rugby 13,700.00 WXIN 42,803.00

April 20, 2010

Page 8

DDC from page

Feb. 22, and along with the changes to the dining facility itself, College Dining Services will adopt significant modifications to its meal plan system for next semester. The reconfigured meal plans are consistent with meal plan choices at many other area institutions, including the University of Rhode Island and Bryant University. The newly implemented meal plan system will replace the current system, which is comprised of five separate plans with a four-plan array

next semester. The four new plans will be priced identically ($1995 per semester), which allows students easy comparison and selection according to individual needs and preferences. The four new plans also allow for better convenience in hours and portability for residential students, as well as simplified billing procedures. Each of the new meal plans will allow resident students a set amount of meals, as well as offering points and several guest passes. Students will be able to eat using points at any of the three dining venues on campus at any time. Residents may also use guest passes without costing points or a meal, which is an

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additional benefit not currently available. Extended hours of operation in Donovan will provide greater convenience and flexibility for students at RIC. Accompanying changes to the facilities and meal plans will be the addition of a new Grab & Go section, which will be built into the serving area, making it easier for customers who are rushing to classes, meetings and other activities on campus. The purpose of the section will be to allow customers to make purchases quickly and check out at a dedicated register for Grab & Go. Several vendors were on hand sampling products to the RIC student body as a part of

the Grab & Go initiative on April 14. Sweet Leaf Iced Teas, which features a product line of 18 organic teas, including half and half, lemon, peach, citrus and mango, was a big hit with the student body, eventually running out of product to give away by the end of lunch hours. Warwick Ice Cream (which currently supplies Donovan’s ice cream) sampled frozen lemonade slush, while Kellogg’s was on hand to cook up a spicy black bean quesadilla. The products that receive the most votes from the RIC student body during each of these sampling periods will be featured next semester for the new Grab & Go section. Also

on hand for the sampling period on April 14 was Trivia Foods, featuring pizza, chicken and a spinach dish, and 100-percent vegan Macro Vegetarian, which showcased vegan sesame noodles. The focus of the Donovan renovations centers primarily on updating the dining facility, revising the meal-plan system, and implementing a new Grab & Go section, however, along with these major changes, a new digital signage system used to post dining menus and campus news will also be part of the renovation. The system will allow for greater promotion of events in Donovan next semester, as well.

Bookshelf

microwave floor lamp throw rug

desk lamp

large couch

and stand

love seat

iron desk bike laptop package of hangers with ironing board

color monitor

Your semester is ending. Your stuff’s new life is just beginning. All that stuff you’re not taking with you can find a new home. Just list your clean, usable items, and see who’s interested in making them their own. Furniture, rugs, appliances, you name it. It’s all up for grabs at rirrc.org/free.

DVD player

moving boxes picture frame

free weights

RIRR-23028_BookshelfAd_ANCHOR.indd 1

exercise equipment

2/24/10 10:58 AM

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TUESDAY

Making Learning WIKId Collaborative: Technological Communication Among Students & Teachers 7 p.m. Whipple 105 Open to: Public Sponsored by RIC Middle School Association

Event Calendar

WEDNESDAY

SCG Finance Commission Meeting 12:30 p.m. Parliament Chambers, Student Union 307 Open to: Public Sponsored by Student Community Government, Inc.

THURSDAY

4th Annual WXIN vs. The Anchor Basketball Game 7 p.m.

RIC Theatre: Pippin 8 p.m.

Open to: Public

Sponsored by WXIN

FRIDAY

Open to: Public $2 suggested donation at the door for Haiti Relief Fund

Alger 110

Sponsored by Student Community Government, Inc.

Roberts Hall Auditorium

RIC Otaku Game Night 7 p.m.

Student Union Ballroom

Page 9

Murray Center

Get the Skinny – Current Perspectives on Eating Disorders 12:30 p.m.

Root Beer Pong Tournament 7 p.m.

April 20, 2010

Student Union Ballroom

Open to: Public Sponsored by Department of Music, Theater, and Dance

Sponsored by Department of Music, Theater, and Dance RIC Music: (Re-)Made in America 8 p.m. Sapinsley Hall Open to: Public Sponsored by Department of Music, Theater, and Dance

National Student News

April 20, 2010

Page 10

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Palin’s speaker fees draw criticism at California college NSN Wire

When California State University-Stanislaus invited Gov. Sarah Palin to speak at their 50th anniversary gala dinner, whistle blowers began to question how much the nonprofit foundation hosting the benefit was paying the former Alaska governor and whether the foundation was benefiting financially. According to the Los Angeles Times, the foundation refused to divulge Palin’s fee, raising concerns about how private non-profit foundations associated with fundraising efforts for public universities use their money. Such foundations are often involved in raising money for scholarships, student organizations and other university programs. However, because they are private organizations, they are not subject to the same financial transparency laws that regulate public universities. Calif. State Senator Leland Yee is trying to change that by expanding California’s public record laws so that foundations associated with public universities would have to reveal the names of donors who gave more than $500. “The larger issue is that I believe the state universities have been shifting some of

their state responsibilities over to the foundations for the sole purpose of hiding transactions involving millions of dollars from the public,” said Yee in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. More than 90 foundations and auxiliary services control $1.34 billion of the 34-campus California State University system’s $6.7 billion budget, while 10 foundations control $4 billion of the 10-campus University of California system’s budget, according to the Los Angeles Times. “These are non-profit, charitable enterprises but they are also business enterprises. That’s all the more significant in an environment of severely rationed resources,” said Terry Francke, the general council for a non-profit group that promotes government transparency, Californians Aware. Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill proposed by Yee last year that would have required non-profits to disclose both their donor list and how the organizations used donor funds. Schwarzenegger and some university officials fear that increasing transparency will significantly decrease the amount of donations the California public university system would receive.

Courtesy of California State University-Stanislaus

Courtesy of Mark Bugnaski

Student sued for Facebook page NSN Wire

A towing company in Michigan sued a Western Michigan University student for $750,000, claiming that his Facebook group has cost the company that much money in business. Joseph Bird, the owner of T&J Towing, claims in the suit that WMU junior Justin Kurtz is using the group in a “crusade to post verbal and written claims and misuse of the Internet with allegations that are untrue and/or dishonest and without merit.” Kurtz started the group because he was upset about his own car being towed, but many of the comments on the group’s page indicate that many students believe the company’s practices are unfair. By April 13, Kurtz’s group, “Kalamazoo Residents against

T&J Towing,” had about 4,200 members. Despite the size of the lawsuit, Kurtz seemed relatively unfazed. “It was $750,000 for slander and defamation of character – lost income, I guess,” he told local station WOOD-TV. “It’s kind of shocking. It’s a little comical for how much he’s suing me.” Comments on Kurtz’s group range from legal advice to well-wishing to anecdotal supporting evidence. In a message echoed by many others, one recent poster wrote, “they towed my vehicle when i was legally parked, in my apartment lot, with a sticker for the apartment. i walked into my friends apt, grabbed my backpack, said goodbye, went outside and it was gone (sic). …oh, and for the record, bring exactly $120 or whatever it is, because they won’t give you change.” WWMT-TV interviewed

two former employees of T&J, both of whom corroborated the complaints being brought against the company. One said that he was asked to do things he felt were wrong “about 80 percent of the time.” The two employees declined to be identified, saying that if Bird found out who they were he would “likely have us messed with.” The former employees were unable to give proof of their claims, and Bird said that, even though he didn’t know their identities, they were simply disgruntled employees badmouthing his business. Regardless, with time and added publicity, Kurtz will likely continue to accumulate members to his group – “for every resident who was legitimately parked where they are supposed to be but were still towed by this dishonest company” – as the case moves toward judicial resolution.

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National Student News

April 20, 2010

Page 11

Zoning big topic at Minnesota U. NSN Wire

A Minnesota Daily housing survey reports that 40 percent of properties surrounding the University of Minnesota campus are “over-occupied.” The residents, who are overwhelmingly students, have been violating a city ordinance regulating the number of occupants an apartment can have in order to reduce the cost of rent. When the city of Minneapolis came knocking, Taryn and her six roommates (students at UMN) followed their landlord’s directions carefully: don’t let them in. Taryn and her roommates’ home in the Southeast Como neighborhood has six bedrooms, but the city – like Providence – only allows for three unrelated people to reside there.

When city officials made an appointment to inspect their apartment, the landlord hid half the residents’ furniture and belongings in a moving truck. Once clear of the overoccupancy inspection, the three other residents moved back in. In a survey of 77 houses in Southeast Como, 31 were over-occupied. In another student-heavy neighborhood, Marcy-Holmes, nine of the 22 houses were over-occupied. The city has zoned these homes for just three occupants, even though the Minneapolis property information database states that most of them have more than three bedrooms. Neal, another student, occupies one such home in Marcy-Holmes. If Neal and his roommates abided by the threeoccupant city limit, rent and utilities would have amounted

to over $700 per person each month. Neal said that with that kind of rent, they wouldn’t have signed the lease. Tim Harmsen, owner of Dinkytown Rentals, sympathizes with the students. “If you’re a college student and you’ve got five bedrooms in a house, it’s unrealistic for those bedrooms not to be occupied,” he says. Many landlords share Harmsen’s sentiment. Of 31 over-occupied homes in Southeast Como, landlords knew that more than 84 percent were over-occupied. Robert Clarksen, a city planner in the Minneapolis Zoning Administration and Enforcement department, says that he and his colleagues are aware of high rates of over-occupancy near the university. Still, the City of Minneapolis Housing

Inspections Services reports that only 50 cases of unlawful occupancy have been filed since Jan. 2000. Clarkson adds that until the mid-1980s, much of Marcy-Holmes allowed for high-density housing for students. However, the neighborhood’s long-term residents found the high-density homes to be undesirable. They pressured the city into changing the zoning laws and pushing the high-density student housing to the outskirts of the city. “There’s an interesting dichotomy that goes in [the University] area that doesn’t happen elsewhere in the city, with the temporary nature of the students contrasted with the long-term property owners that are there,” Clarksen said. Though students represent roughly 80 percent of the rent-

ers in these communities, they are largely absent at the polls. In 2009, student voter turnout was below 10 percent in the City Council election. “If you don’t vote, leadership doesn’t recognize you as a constituent,” says Wells, executive director of UNIA. Wells and Harmsen agree that landlords, long-term residents and students must come together and compromise. However, SECIA neighborhood coordinator James De Sota says that long-term residents of Southeast Como are resistant to any discussion. “I don’t know if anyone would really want to come to the table and look at any kind of compromise,” says De Sota.

Comics

April 20, 2010

Page 12

I-ah just don’t under-ah-stand!

Of course you don’t! You think everything can be solved by jumping on something’s head!

Sometimes I-ah think that you just-ah get yourself kidnapped on purpose just-ah for the damn attention!

Big Ideas by Zachary Serowik

Oh, yeah! I call up that monster whenever I feel like I’m losing the spotlight and say, “Your mortal enemy isn’t paying enough attention to me, lock me in a dungeon for a few months!

graphics@anchorweb.org

I-ah jump and I-ah throw fire for you! Do you-ah know how much-ah that burns!?

Again with the fucking fire! No one cares about the fucking fire!

Link and Zelda’s “Master Sword” issues don’t seem so bad now, huh? Shut up, Navi...

“Counseling: Part 2”

graphics@anchorweb.org

Comics

April 20, 2010

Page 13

Editorial

April 20, 2010

Page 14

I don’t think I know you...

The Anchor Editor-in-Chief Kameron Spaulding editorinchief@anchorweb.org

Managing Editors Katie Carroll Casey Gaul managing@anchorweb.org

Business Manager Thomas Lima business@anchorweb.org

News Editor George Bissell news@anchorweb.org

Lifestyles Editor Adam D. Bram lifestyles@anchorweb.org

A&E Editor Justin Wilder arts@anchorweb.org

Sports Editor Andrew Augustus sports@anchorweb.org

Layout Editors Sam Mandeville Daniel Jordan layout@anchorweb.org

Photography Editor Mandy Wray Dion photography@anchorweb.org

Graphics Editor Zach Serowik graphics@anchorweb.org

Copy Editor Nicholas J. Lima copy@anchorweb.org

Technology Director Alex Tirrell technology@anchorweb.org

Advertising Manager Thomas Terry ads@anchorweb.org

Circulation Manager Adam Chapasko

editorinchief@anchorweb.org

Rhode Island College students have been bombarded with Facebook friend requests from fake profiles over the last few weeks. Three profiles are among the most popular: “Alice Diane,” “Angela Cynthia” and “Jean Evelyn.” “Dog lover, milk drinker, movie watcher, wear whatever the hell I want, don’t care what others think of me” sounds like a typical college student. That caption appears in the info box on the pages of both “Alice Diane” and “Jean Evelyn,” and many others. All three women claim to be graduating RIC seniors. Their pages contain nothing but a list of hundreds of accepted friend requests. Often, police departments create fake profiles to fish for underage drinking parties and drug use. Police also use such profiles to search for posted pictures of students holding drinks at parties, in order to call them down to the station to issue citations for underage drinking. One school where this also has recently happened is the University of Wisconsin. There, findings of this new law-enforcement method led to a student outcry and the question, is this even legal? “I guess so,” Dal Ruggles, an attorney at the criminal defense law firm Sumpter & Gonzalez, told the Asylum newspaper at the University of Wisconsin. “It’s not really entrapment. It’s just a lazy and opportunistic way to take advantage of kids’ recklessness.” If it happens again, though, Ruggles said that he would advise students just not to go down to the station. “Police ask people to come in and meet all the time. They can say no,” he says. “I’m not sure how far the police would take it, but it’s just an investigation at that point.” This practice may seem morally wrong, but it is legal, so protect yourself and your friends. The Anchor is hard at work investigating the true identity of these profiles. For now, keep an eye out

Courtesy of Mandy Wray Dion

and spread the word, and don’t accept friend requests from people you really don’t know. When asked about the mystery profiles, President Carriuolo suggested, “We should all be careful not to add as ‘friends’ people who we do not know.”

– The Anchor Editorial Board

distribution@anchorweb.org

Faculty Advisor Lloyd Matsumoto lmatsumoto@ric.edu

Professional Advisors Doug Hadden Rudy Cheeks

Staff Steven Barthelemy, Kelly Beshara-Flynn, Aaron Buckley, Nate Chorney, Rob Duguay, Hayden James, Julie Kessler, Bethany L’Etoile, Rob Lefebvre, Jesus Mendoza, Devin Noll, David Okon, Edward Taylor, Alexandra Weston

Opinions

lifestyles@anchorweb.org

April 20, 2010

Page 15

They all float By Adam D. Bram Stark Raving Mad

Fear. According to Paul “Moadib” Atrades, it is the mind-killer. According to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, it’s the only thing we really have to fear. There’s something to both of these assessments. I recently re-read my favorite Stephen King book, “It.” For those who don’t know, the story revolves around a bloodthirsty monster haunting a small Maine town since the dawn of time. It shape-shifts into what it feels will scare its victim the most (think the boggart from Harry Potter, only a thousand times more vicious and deadly). It is eventually defeated twice by a group of kids, the second

time as neurotic adults, using the power of imagination and friendship. It got me thinking about the nature of fear. Fear is a complete paradox. It is natural and unnatural, reliable and unreliable, logical and illogical. It’s useful as a defense mechanism, because it keeps us on guard for danger. However, it can also freeze us in place, allowing the danger to reach us more easily. It can keep us alive through caution, and the same caution can keep us from really living. A phobia is defined as a complete and irrational fear. It strikes me today, based on the way people act, that most fears are phobias. Even if the target is something that should be rationally feared, the fear given to it is irrational. Too many people are too afraid of too many things and while I wouldn’t go so far as to say that this is a worse case

than in previous years, the focus has certainly shifted. What was once shunned and feared is now acceptable, while what was never spared a second thought before is now the nightmare fuel of the masses. And it’s not just the sauropods that make the political fear-mongering so effective. Even intelligent people have unintelligent fears. It’s probably the most powerful emotion after love. Like the latter, it can influence a whole laundry list of odd behavior that one wouldn’t consider engaging in otherwise. They are often much more complex than we give them credit for. For example, I always say my greatest fear is death. But this is only the case because the truth is that I could handle death if I knew for a fact heaven or even hell existed. If I knew for a fact I’d be reincarnated, or

would walk the earth as a ghost, I’d be fine. It’s that other option I fear. My true greatest fear is of ceasing to exist – to not be able to experience any more, to not think, to not dream. That’s my nightmare. However, the fix is simpler than we think. Just like in King’s book, love and friendship conquer all. Fear will still be there, but good backup can dull it enough for you to act. That’s not to say a little fear isn’t good to keep one from doing something stupid, but it needs to be carefully watched and moderated. A brave person is not without fear. A brave person overcomes the fear. If you feel you aren’t brave enough, a partner can give you that boost that makes your heart float. Like a balloon. You want a balloon? Courtesy of Touchstone Pictures

Rhode Island: Hollywood’s newest baby Some would say that our little state would not be the first pick to film any motion picture. What do we have here? What’s so special about this state? It can’t be the fact that we have the highest unemployment rate in the country or that our homelessness rates keep rising. Maybe it’s because our state is in extreme financial trouble and to make it better we spend more money.

Believe it or not, though, Rhode Island is the perfect location for shooting any film. The smallest state in the country has so much to offer. There’s everything from our monuments and insanely amazing architecture to our lengthy shorelines and islands. We are on the rise in the big business. In all reality movies and short films have been made here since 1898. Examples in-

clude: “Carolina Blues” (1944); “Death of a Salesman” (1951); “The Great Gatsby” (1974); “Dumb and Dumber” (1994); “Amistad” (1997); “Meet Joe Black” (1998); “There’s Something About Mary” (1998); “Me, Myself, and Irene” (2000); and “Hachiko: A Dog’s Story” (2009). And these are just a few of the great works made here. Personally I feel that all of us who live in R.I. or go to school

here take it for granted, and then clearly focus on the negatives of the state. We all need to stop criticizing our home and appreciate every little aspect of it because, trust me, this place is way better than others.

Arielle Rogers Music Student

Editor’s note At 12.6 percent, Rhode Island actually has the third-highest unemployment rate in the country, behind Nevada (13.4 percent) and Michigan (14.1 percent).

Letters to the Editor Policy The Anchor welcomes letters of up to 450 words. The editor reserves the right to reject letters or edit for clarity, brevity, good taste and accuracy, and to prevent libel. No poetry, attacks on private individuals, or letter-writing campaigns, please. Due to the volume of letters, writers are asked to limit submissions to one per week. Include a phone number where you can be reached during the day. E-mail letters to: editorinchief@anchorweb.org

Questions? Call 401-456-8280

April 20, 2010

Page 16

Anchor TV Lineup

Campus Vibe

Channel 3 / Anchortv.org Schedule subject to change without notice.

April 20 - 26 Tuesday

7:00AM

8:30AM

Thursday

Friday

Tech Talk Live

Coastal Gardens

Game Design

10:30AM

RIC End Highlights

Best of Kickin’ Out the Jams

Anchor Insider Replay

RIC Idol

Otaku Anime Theatre

WXIN Rock Hunt Night 1

30 Odd Minutes

9:30AM Kickin’ Out the Jams

Monday

Oven Luv’n

9:00AM 10:00AM

Sunday

Saturday

Kerrin’s News & Views

7:30AM 8:00AM

Wednesday

lifestyles@anchorweb.org

Kickin’ Out the Jams

Kerrin’s News & Views Live

Kickin’ Out the Jams

Tech Talk Replay

11:00AM 11:30AM 12:00PM 12:30PM

Car-Tunes @ Noon

1:00PM

Otaku Anime Theatre

Game Design

WXIN Rock Hunt Night 2

SCG Replay

1:30PM 2:00PM 2:30PM

Road to Recovery

3:00PM

Oven Luv’n

3:30PM

WXIN Rock Hunt Night 1

4:00PM 4:30PM

WXIN Rock Hunt Night 1

6:00PM 6:30PM

WXIN Rock Hunt Night 2

7:00PM

Ivy Locke Memorial

8:00PM

Goose Scoop

8:30PM 9:00PM

NASA 360

9:30PM

OKR Fashion Show 2010

10:00PM

NASA 360

Golden Mic Anchor Insider Replay Coastal Gardens Oven Luv’n

Road to Recovery

Best of Kickin’ Out the Jams

WXIN Rock Hunt Night 1

WXIN vs The Anchor Basketball Game Replay

WXIN Rock Hunt Night 2

RIC End Highlights

SCG Meeting Live

7:30PM

Oven Luv’n

30 Odd Minutes

5:00PM 5:30PM

WXIN Rock Hunt Night 1

WXIN vs The Anchor Basketball Game LIVE!

CMA 2010 NASA 360 Goose Scoop

Kerrin’s News & Views

RIC End Highlights Rock Hunt Highlights

OKR Fashion Show 2010

10:30PM

Goose Scoop OKR Fashion Show 2010

Student Showcase

11:00PM 11:30PM 12:00AM

J.C.T.R.D.D.

News

WXIN

Entertainment

Live

SCG Meeting April 21

Sports

Night Train

photography@anchorweb.org

Campus Vibe

April 20, 2010

Page 17

Anchor Photos/Jesus Mendoza

(Above) Local band Shryne performs during WXIN’s Rock Hunt Night 2. (Below) Crowds watch as the bands perform on stage. (Left) Out of the Blue’s frontman performing.

Rock Hunt Night 2

For coverage, see page 24 Scores for Rock Hunt Night 2 Out of the Blue: 43.3 | Tony Jones and the Cretin 3: 42.8 Shryne: 33.25 | The Random Band: 27.6

Lifestyles

April 20, 2010

Page 18

lifestyles@anchorweb.org

Ask Ari: Your answers in 30 words or less By Arielle Rogers Ask Ari

Welcome to Ask Ari! This is an advice column where you can (anonymously if you like) ask questions about anything and have it published here. Yes, I know it is extremely similar to Ask Abby, except for Abby gives full on spiels and I answer every question in 30 words or less. However, each week there will be a special question that gets a longer response. Dear Ari, My boyfriend reads more Jodi Picoult books than I do! His favorite is “My Sister’s Keeper.” He is starting to scare me! He has always been a bit feminine but not to a point of a complete Jodi Picoult obsession! What to do, what to do? – Girly Boyfriend’s Girlfriend

Dear GBG, You must realize that many women would die for a man like this! Tap into his feelings and suggest a book club or group he can join to express himself ASAP. Dear Ari, I am a secondary ed. major with a minor in music. I heard that you are a music major and I want to know if there are tools that can help me with my music theory. Suggestions? – Rob

Oh, and did I tell you it is so annoying! Who do I pick? – Sandra Dear Sandra, Neither. If both are fighting for it and not compromising, it isn’t worth picking. I say you give it to a charity or organization that can really use the help.

Dear Rob, www.MusicTheory.net is amazing! It has all kinds of tools to help you master the art of theory. Also, there are music theory tutors that can help through OASIS.

Dear Ari, A lot of my friends get angry at my political ideas. I’m an African-American man who did not vote for Obama. Big deal, I’m black and didn’t vote for our black president. My friends are stuck on “being black means voting for Obama.” What could I say to make political peace between all of us? – Political Freelancer

Dear Ari, I just won a $500 gift card to Dick’s Sporting Goods that I don’t really want. My boyfriend and my father both know I don’t want it and keep trying to bribe the card each their way.

Dear Freelancer, Tell them that respecting your political views is important, then return the respect. And if it makes you feel better, I’m also African-American and didn’t vote for Obama, either!

Special Answer of the Week Dear Ari, Why are there so many gay men! I love the gays, but I do not know ONE straight man but my father! Is there some explanation? – Just Wonderer Dear Wonderer, Wow. There are many theories on the “gay” idea. I also know many gay and lesbian people who notice it, too. One theory is that we are starting to become a more accepting nation. Fifty years ago, being a homosexual was like having a plague – it did not fit into the all-perfect American ideal. Now, I see T-shirts that say “It’s in to be OUT” and “I started liking boys before it was a trend.” I love that as a country we are able to grow and accept better. However, gays and lesbians still have it hard for they are going through what some say African-Americans went through with the Civil Rights Movement. Therefore more homosexuals could be coming out to support the cause of complete peace and freedom for all sexual types. As for the straight men, they are here! If you are looking for a boyfriend type, then your first mistake is that you are looking way too hard! Stop looking for your mate and focus on something else and that person will find you! It is weird but in the end it works out for the better.

Courtesy of Newmusicreviews.net

Send all questions and problems to lifestyles@anchorweb.org

Lifestyles

lifestyles@anchorweb.org

April 20, 2010

Page 19

Need a hobby? Write for us By Adam D. Bram Lifestyles Editor

Becoming a member of The Anchor is a great way to spend your time and maybe even learn a thing or two along the way. The Anchor is more than just a newspaper. It’s a community, a well-oiled journalistic machine and a nice place to goof off with some like-minded individuals. You can write about pretty much anything you want, and see your name in print. Selfconscious about your writing? We’ll teach you how to turn incoherent thoughts into an enjoyable read. Yes, there is work. But when you write about what you like, it’s fun work. Join the news team and investigate the campus goings-on. Like to report on the big game? Write for sports. Know a local band or theatre show? Review for A&E. Know any good or unusual hobbies or have any advice to share? Write for me for Lifestyles. The office also has a decent TV and top-of-the-line games and computers. Understandably, you have to work to be able to really use them. But like I said before, the work is fun. Even if you don’t want to write at first you can always submit a comic or help the

photo staff get that perfect shot. I started out just wanting to make people laugh. That’s how Plan 9 was born. Eventually I started writing reviews and editorials, and now I’m the lifestyles editor. Along the way I came in contact with honestly the most memorable people I’ve ever met. Granted, it hasn’t been sunshine and daisies every second of every day for five years, but you can always find someone in the office to relate to, and we all have your back. Believe me when I say that my time with this organization has been one of the overall best in my nearly 24 years, and it will be for you, as well. So please, write in. Drop by the office and hang out. Get your thoughts and ideas read throughout campus. Email any of the editors with questions and ideas. We have official meetings at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoons, and it’s always a good time. During a typical week, we even have free pizza. Come for the food if you like, and stay for the family. That’s what it is when it all comes down to it. As much if not moreso than other clubs on campus, we’re a family. Won’t you join us? You won’t regret it.

Anchor Photo/Mandy Wray Dion

The Anchor enjoys lunch on a Monday afternoon.

Anchor Photo/Laura Horton

Amusement park fun By Laura Horton Travel Tips

This is the week that many amusement and theme parks in the area start to open their gates for the season. Six Flags New England will be open all week because of April vacation in secondary schools, and will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday through May 31. Starting June 1, it will be open daily. Amusement parks may seem like an easy one-day thing, but to make the day go smoothly some planning needs to be considered. Go in even-numbered groups. Have you ever noticed that most rides only fit an even number of people in their cars? For example, look at a roller coaster car. Most of the time you can either fit two or four people in a row. Going in an even-numbered group helps prevent someone from sitting alone or sitting next to a stranger. Realize that not everyone likes the same stuff. Not everyone likes the same kind of rides. Some are afraid of heights, so you would never see them ride a roller coaster. Some can’t ride the rides that spin a lot because their stomach can’t handle it. You have to respect those who are in your group, so don’t force them to ride those rides you want to go on if they

really don’t want to. Plan your visit ahead of time. Does the park have any new rides? What time do you want to get lunch and dinner? What times throughout the day do you want to meet up? These questions need to be answered before heading into the park. When a park has a new ride, most park attendees will go to this ride, so expect long lines. The best advice is to go right when the park opens and do what everyone else does: run. Right when the park opens, many people run as fast as they can to that new or popular ride to avoid waiting in line later on during the day. It’s a choice between that, or waiting for hours in the burning sun. Also, planning times to meet up and catch up is important throughout the day. You can do this while eating lunch or dinner or at a certain time and place. And, keep a cell phone on you just in case something happens, but make sure to keep it dry if you go on any water rides like a log flume or river rapids. Expect anything. The plans you make can change at any moment. You could get stuck on a ride or stand in line for hours. This is why you should always have a cell phone with you. Try not to bring your fancy iPhone or BlackBerry because you can either lose it or break it. Having

a cell phone on you at all times is helpful when you need to let someone know where you are or if someone needs to get a hold of you. Also, they can come in handy if an emergency does happen. Hydrate yourself and wear sun block. This is a given. When standing in line for a ride, you can be standing in the hot, burning sun for some time. You need to protect yourself from heat and the sun. Many parks now sell drinks right in the lines of their more popular rides to help you stay hydrated. If you are fair skinned, make sure you apply sunscreen throughout the day or you will be hurting from the sunburn for days afterward. The most important thing to remember is to have fun. And save some money, too! AAA has great discounts when it comes to amusement parks. It’s better to get your tickets at AAA then at the gate because you can save $20 to $30 a ticket, and saving money helps these days. Don’t waste your money on the carnival games because they are all rigged and there for the park to make money. So buckle your seat belts and keep your arms and legs in the car at all times; amusement parks are a great way to spend a day during your summer.

Lifestyles

April 20, 2010

Page 20

lifestyles@anchorweb.org

You Stay classy, Azeroth By Adam D. Bram Weekly Warcraft

All right, I know last week I said I was going to talk about something different. Last week I also said “Burning Crusade” had been out half a year when I joined, when it was really a year and a half. People make mistakes. However, Blizzard released its overview for class changes in Cataclysm, and I felt it was my duty to report them. Please bear in mind that these are not final. Things could be changed after beta, or reversed in patches. First of all, every class will be getting a talent tree overhaul. Superfluous talents will be taken out and replaced. The trees will still be 51 points deep, but talents will do slightly different things. Blizzard hasn’t been necessarily clear on this point. What they have made clear is that specializing in a specific talent tree will give you mastery bonuses that further work for your spec. Second, dispells for magic, curses and poisons will be retooled across the board so that all the healing classes can remove at least one but no more than two of the above. Now, a brief overview of mechanic and ability changes. Death Knight: The rune

system will be updated so that each set of runes (Blood, Frost, Unholy) is its own unit, and the second rune of any family won’t start its cooldown until the first one has. Because of this, existing abilities will be given damage boosts and some may see their costs change. In addition, the Blood talent tree is being retooled as a straight tanking tree, while the other two will presumably be damage or utility. Personally, I think Frost fits the idea of a tank better, but since Blood has been all about self-healing through damage, it sort of makes sense. Druid: Balance Druids will be getting a new user-interface mechanic called Eclipse (replacing a talent of the same name), where every time you cast a damage-dealing Arcane or Nature spell, whichever one you didn’t use becomes temporarily stronger. Restoration Druids, in a stunning move, will be losing Tree of Life From as a permanent ability and will instead get a temporary version with a cooldown, similar to the Warlock skill Metamorphosis. Blizzard says that this is because of Resto specs complaining about not being able to show off their armor, though most Restos that chimed in their two cents are completely against the idea. Hunter: Hunters are seeing

huge changes in two areas. First, they will no longer use Mana as a resource. Instead, they will get Focus, which works like the Rogue’s Energy. The bar will deplete as skills are used, and gradually refill. Second, Ammunition will no longer be an item. Ranged weapons will fire automatically. Great for Hunters wanting bag space, not so hot for engineers who used to be able to craft ammo for easy skillups. Additionally, Pet Family Abilities will be slightly tweaked. It’s unknown if they plan to make any more creatures tamable. Mage: Low-level mages will be losing the ability to conjure food and water (highlevels still have it, but Blizz intends on fixing mana for early levels). Useless and situational spells such as Dampen Magic and Fire Ward will be removed. In addition, Arcane Missiles will now be a proc-based spell (meaning it only becomes available when certain things happen in a battle), which is a blow to Arcane-Specced mages who use it as a primary direct damage like Fire mages use Firebolt and Frost mages use Frostbolt. High-level Mages will be gaining an ability called Time War which acts like the Shaman ability Heroism/Bloodlust, something many Shamans take

issue with. Paladin: The Retribution and Holy trees will have their defense cut slightly to emphasize Protection as the true Tanking tree. Specific fixes to the Protection and Retribution trees have yet to see many details. Priest: The spell Heal is being retooled to be the goto healing spell. Spells like Greater Heal and Flash Heal will be more situational. Due to changes in the way stats work, Spirit buffing spells will be mostly gone across the board. Shadow Priests will be getting a Mastery ability called Shadow Orbs, which boost Shadow spells and simply make the player look more shadowy. Rogue: Deadly Throw and Fan of Knives will use the Rogue’s ranged weapons as opposed to the main weapons. Also, a new low-level ability called Recuperate will transform combo points into a self heal over time. Lastly, the talent trees will be more defined: Assassination – Daggers and Poison, Combat – Other weapons and stealth-less survivability, Subtlety – Stealth and openers and finishers. Shaman: Shamans who are thinking of speccing Enhancement will get a weapon skill at beginning levels. Elemental

Shamans will finally get an earth-based area-of-effect spell called, appropriately, Earthquake. Restoration Shamans will be getting healing changes similar to the Priest, and several decent AoE Heals. Unfortunately, too many Shaman players are whining about the lost uniqueness of Heroism and Bloodlust to notice. Take palm, cover face. Warlock: Aside from the obligatory new spells for levels 81-85, the only noteworthy change to this class is a big one. Soul Shards are no longer a consumable item taking up bag space, but a user interface addition similar to the Death Knight’s Runes (though under the mana bar instead of replacing it.) As such, most spells that used Shards as regents will be losing that particular requirement. Instead, new spells will use the Soul Shards to augment other abilities. Warrior: Warriors aren’t seeing any significant changes. A few interesting new abilities, and a Fury talent that gives Titan’s Grip like bonuses to one-handed weapons. You can read about these changes in more detail at the World of Warcraft official forums. Next week: Looking for group.

Wr i te fo r Th e A n c h o r !

Lifestyles

The Anchor is looking for students who know the best:

Food

Drugs/Alcohol

Student Clubs

Travel

Sex

Health Technology

For more information or to submit a story contact Anchor Editor Adam Bram at: lifestyles@anchorweb.org

April 20, 2010

Page 21

Arts & Entertainment

April 20, 2010

Page 22

arts@anchorweb.org

Local films blow the Forman Theater away By Edward Taylor Anchor Staff Writer

Courtesy of RIC.edu

The RIC Wind Ensemble will be playing Friday, April 23 at the Nazarian Center.

Mighty musicals By Justin Wilder A&E Editor

RIC rolls out the big entertainment acts this week, but not to worry, they’re still on the cheap for all campus card-carrying students. This year’s spring musical “Pippin” starts its five-day run on Thursday and is joined by the Wind Ensemble’s finale set of the season on Friday. From Thursday, April 22 through Sunday, April 25, students and community members can enjoy the lyrical contemporary classic “Pippin.” This personal odyssey of Emperor Charlemagne’s young prince discovering the world is a bawdy romp of musical pleasantries. Originally directed for Broadway by Bob Fosse, “Pippin” is about a man’s strong desire to find the true meaning of life through innocent eyes. Falling victim to the luring destruction of war, temptation of skin and intrigue of political protocol, Pippin finds himself overwhelmed by real world realities. This whimsical adventure is loaded with romping dance numbers and beautiful ballads composed and written by Stephen Schwarts. William

Wilson, RIC director of musical theater, directs this tale to stage with the help of choreographer and Director of Dance Angelica Vessella. Get your tickets now, because they will sell out. Performances are at 8 p.m. every night but Sunday and 2 p.m. over the weekend. On Friday, April 23 at 8 p.m., the RIC Wind Ensemble concludes its spring season with a concept concert called “(Re-) Made in America.” The concert began as “Made in America,” collecting contemporary wind-band compositions, but Robert Franznlau, the ensemble’s conductor, realized that “all major pieces were in fact re-workings of other music written by nonAmericans,” thus the change to “(Re-) Made.” The concert features performances by the winners of the annual RIC senior concerto competition, Mariah Ramos (flute) and Jennifer Murphy (clarinet). The program also features Timothy Mahr’s “Fantasia in G” conducted by RIC’s Jenna Ramos. During the concert’s intermission, music faculty will present the John Pellegrino Brass Scholarship, awarded annually to a full-time brass student. Tickets are just $5 for RIC students.

Students gathered in the Forman Theater last Thursday for a fun night of student-made films in this year’s annual Ocean State Film Festival. The festival had a selection of 11 films, with eight being in the running for two awards, People’s Choice and Judge’s Favorite. The three remaining films not in the running were created by RIC alumni. The rules of the festival were simple: each film in the running for the awards had to be created by a RIC student and be under 15 minutes long. The festival had a lot of quality movies that were a big hit with the crowd. The first film of the night was created by Anchor A&E Editor Justin Wilder. “The Final Note” was a short film about a man coming home to his apartment and finding an eviction notice for disruptive behavior. The evictee spent the film reliving some of the memories of parties and drunken good times that lead to his eviction. “The Unsuspecting Victim” was a fun short created by Mohsin Siddiqui. The comedic skit about a bearded man being wrongfully accused of stealing someone’s bag made the crowd bellow with laughter. Having some great close ups during the chase – mixed with some intentional goofy acting – made this a fun film. “The White Line,” by Keith Maia, was good short about a detective who discovered a

serial killer that he put behind bars was free once again. Worried for his family, the detective is torn on his feelings on the justice system. This film was one of the longer films in the running for the award and had a surprising ending. The fourth film, titled “LBSY” and created by Jonathan Killoran, was a hilarious film about killer demon rabbits attacking a town. The use of cute plush bunnies as the killer invaders made the comedic short great, as actors attacked stuffed bunnies with rocks, talking as the cute toys talked in evil, deep voices. “The Empty Afterlife,” by Jared Mann, was a quality film about a man reliving his final moments spent with his girlfriend before his death. The afterlife of the protagonist being filmed in a “Blair Witch”-style with night vision in the woods gave it a haunting feeling. The story telling in this short was top notch and had a good score to go along with the film. “Mixtape,” by Caitlin Massey, was the sixth film of the night, and was a film about a girl being sent mix tapes by a secret admirer. This film was fun and had a touching ending. “The Golden Mic” was a collection of interviews, mock commercials and footage from the local public broadcast show of the same name. This film had some hilarious fake commercials and good hosting. The show has won the P.E.G. Award for Best Comedy Show in

Rhode Island three times, and from their film-fest showing they definitely deserve it. The final film in the running for the film festival was “One Stop.” This futuristic short film, created by Trevor Holden, was one of the most interesting of the night. The film was a collection of people talking to a computer asking for certain items or advice. The computer then determined whether it should give the requested items or what advice to give. This film had a few funny moments, but the end was shocking. This quality film had a serious message that was driven in well by the final scene. While the viewer’s votes were tallied, the crowd was shown three films created by RIC alumni. These were some of the longer films of the night, and were all great shorts, with the goofy film “Superpaint Theory,” by Vincenzo Lucciola, going over well with the crowd. Once the final votes were tallied, the Ocean State Film Festival ended with the award ceremony. The People’s Choice Award went to the film “LBSY,” and the Judge’s Favorite went to futuristic short “One Stop.” These films had some stiff competition, and everyone should be proud of their work. There was great filmmaking talent and quality story telling at this year’s Ocean State Film Festival, and I think everyone who attended the event would agree.

Photo Courtesy of Vimeo.com

Title Screen for “LBSY,” which won the People’s Choice Award.

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Arts & Entertainment

April 20, 2010

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A very strange pair By Justin Wilder A&E Editor

Trinity knocks another one out with a running rendition of Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple.” This buddy comedy brings together two friends with fighting personas in a time of personal loss and necessity. Newly divorced Oscar Madison (Fred Sullivan Jr.) has been left alone in his big apartment on Riverside Drive and his sloppy bachelor ways have run wild. When neat freak Felix Ungar’s (Brian McEleney) wife kicks him out, Oscar takes him in and the two quickly become very incompatible. Dubbed “the most famous American comedy

of the last 50 years” by the New York Times, this classic comedy runs through May 9 at Trinity Rep’s Chace Theater. The comedy of this play clearly keeps the story going with mouths open, but the fact that the story itself maps solid character arcs is a testimony to its timelessness. Under the direction of artistic director Curt Columbus, these two long-time resident company members and friends bring out the best and worst of each other. McEleney (neat freak Felix) and Sulivan (sloppy Oscar) are thrilled to be working together in this mix-matched pairing. “I was in the dressing room the other night, and I actually

started to clean up,” said McEleney with a laugh. “He wasn’t even thinking. It just came naturally,” added Sullivan. “‘The Odd Couple’ is the 50th show we’ve done together. We practically finish each other’s sentences at this point,” Sullivan said about their undeniable chemistry. “The Odd Couple” won five Tony awards after its premier on Broadway, including Best Play. It was turned into a film in 1968 and a long-running TV series in 1970, which explains the set of the play being a television studio. Resident designer and Tony award-winner Eugene Lee said, “I’ve been designing television

for 35 years at NBC. I sketched the design out like a Saturday Night Live set.” These wide walkways and open spaces allow for a lot of movement between actors, something Columbus finds important for his actors to tell stories, he said. But at the same time, the set looks and reads naturally like a bachelor’s family room. Its sheer size allows for any number of the cast members to be doing things throughout the set, as well as a chase or two. These characters grow and change, mix and develop, and all the while bring the audience in like they were part of their weekly poker games. If you’re

“Riverside Drive” is also the location and name of the upcoming play here at Rhode Island College. Come out to the Nazarian Center May 8 and 9 for one of Woody Allen’s famous one act comedies. looking for a great laugh and some killer theatrics, head down to Trinity Repertory Company for “The Odd Couple.”

Elemental masterpiece By Adam D. Bram Rental Raves

T h i s week’s review is of a film that is far more obscure than it should be, because it didn’t do nearly as well as it should have: 1997’s “The Fifth Element.” The Mondoshawans are the guardian race of the ultimate weapon against evil – four elemental stones placed around a supreme being known as the Fifth Element. It’s meant to protect Earth against the ultimate evil every five thousand years. However, with the onset of World War I, the Mondoshawans feel Earth is no longer a safe resting place, so they take the stones and the hibernating supreme being, vowing to return when evil does. Fast-forward 300 years. Evil has returned, and has enlisted the aid of greedy weapons manufacturer Jean-Batiste Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman)

to cut the Mondoshawans off at the pass and steal the stones (for if a being of evil stands in the Fifth’s place, evil conquers). Despite the best efforts of Zorg’s Mangalore mercenaries, the stones are nowhere to be found, and the Supreme Being survives and is brought to life on Earth. Unfortunately, Leeloo Minai Lekarariba-Laminai-Tchai Ekbat De Sebat (Milla Jovovich) refuses to talk to anyone but Vito Cornelius (Ian Holm), the latest of a long line of priests that have protected the secret of the stones since the beginning, mostly due to a language barrier. When the Earth’s military doesn’t get the message, she escapes the regeneration facility and falls through the roof of a flying taxi. The taxi driver, ex-soldier Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis), is nonplussed to say the least about the stunningly beautiful half-naked redhead falling into his cab and jabbering in syllables he’s not sure he can pronounce, but takes her to Cornelius. It is revealed that the stones are hidden with

Courtesy of thelauriebstylefiles.blogspot.com

intergalactic diva Plavalaguna (Maiwenn Le Besco; singing voice Inva Mula), who will be performing within the next few days. Now, the race is on. The military rigs a radio contest so Dallas wins a vacation to the island paradise where the diva happens to have a gig. The military wants Dallas to go there as a mission. Cornelius, Zorg and the Mangalores (who were double-crossed by Zorg as punishment for failing the first time) want his tickets. Dallas just wants to be left alone, but he finds himself drawn to Leeloo,

who may not be as invulnerable as she seems. This is just a fantastic film all around. While this is hardly a comedy, there is a lot of incredible humor that completely works without taking you out of the story. Willis is great as usual. Jovovich is sweet and charming while still kicking every kickable backside. Holm gets you right in with how inover-his-head the character is. Oldman nearly steals the show as someone who is just a complete monster, knows it (and actually says he knows it) and relishes in it.

COLUMBIA PICTURES : ‘THE FIFTH ELEMENT’ BRUCE WILLIS GARY OLDMAN k LUC BESSON

Special mention, however, must go to Chris Tucker as exceptionally flamboyant radio host Ruby Rhod. This is one of the few roles where Tucker’s loud mouth not only fits but helps make the character extremely memorable. The setting is amazing, the music is fantastic and the story is thrilling. This is without a doubt one of the best science fiction films of the 1990s, and belongs in the top 10 of all time. Also starring Charlie Creed Miles and Tommy “Tiny” Lister Jr.

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April 20, 2010

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Rock on

Bands converge on Firehouse 13 for Night 2 of WXIN’s Rock Hunt By Edward Taylor Anchor Staff Writer

Last Tuesday, RIC Radio WXIN hosted the second round of their annual Rock Hunt. Four local bands graced Firehouse 13’s stage on 41 Central St. in Providence for a fun night of rock and roll, trivia and prizes. This week’s talent stood its ground against the great opening round of the Rock Hunt, with some the best local music I’ve heard in quite some time. The first band to hit the stage was The Random Band. This five-piece band had a variety of different sounds so it’s hard to pin down exactly what kind of sound they are. TRB, what the band nicknamed themselves, played a variety of rock songs along with an instrumental and a slower-paced song thrown in. The band’s instrumentals showed how talented these guys are despite their age. The singer, who also served as one of the band’s two guitarists, had a fun stage presence, making some jokes and goofing around which made up for his lack of movement on stage. TRB also played around with a heavier sound with one of their final songs which showcased their talented lead guitarist. The one thing I have to say about this band is that they have some serious talent for a group that looked like it was made of predominantly high school kids. The second band up for the night was Shryne. This band was probably one of the best of the night, and it seemed like these guys have been at it for quite some time. This five-piece alternative rock band had a great sound. The band’s front man had a good stage presence despite the cramped stage he had to perform on. He egged on the front of the crowd getting people involved with the music, which caused this band to have a very good crowd response. Shryne’s songs had good lyr-

Missed out but still want to hear local music? If you missed the last Rock Hunt, or are just craving for more local music clashes, the third round of WXIN’s annual Rock Hunt will take place on Tuesday, April 20, at Firehouse 13. ics, and the band as a whole had a great sound. With solid instrumentals, vocals, and stage presence these guys were one of the highlights of the night. The third band was Out of the Blue. This four-piece band had a good sound, and seemed to have a lot of fans in the audience. The entire front row spent most of their set jumping, dancing and yelling some of the lyrics – these guys had one of the best crowd responses of the night. Out of the Blue seems to have a pretty good following, which they definitely deserve. The band seemed to be influenced by bands such as Good Charlotte and similar acts, but they did do some heavier stuff. This band was fun to watch and despite having some technical difficulties at the beginning they bounced back and put on a

Anchor Photo/Jesus Mendoza

Out of the Blue at Night 2 of WXIN’s Rock Hunt. solid show. The final band of the night was Tony Jones & The Cretin 3. This three-piece punk-rock band had great sound, but sadly after the third act left the stage most of the crowd had left. The handful of people left was treated to a solid punk-rock sound with good instrumentals and solid bass work. What I found the most interesting was that each member at one point during their set sang the lead at one point or another. It was first time I ever saw a band with no true vocalist, which in many ways worked. Of course, I think most people found the fact that

Anchor Photo/Jesus Mendoza

Shryne’s Jon Brennan.

the band’s drummer was nearly seven feet tall to be the most interesting aspect of the band. Tony Jones & the Cretin 3 had a great punk sound, which isn’t something you see too much of nowadays. Night 2 of WXIN’s Rock Hunt was a great time, and with the first two rounds bringing out some awesome local talent, Night 3 is sure to please. The four top-scoring bands over all the rounds will move on to the final round for bragging rights and compete for $2,000 in cash prizes. It’s only three bucks with your RIC ID, so cancel your

4/20 plans and come down for a fun night of music. “We are the only local rock hunt this year, out of every radio station in Providence, that has every band competing being based in Rhode Island,” said Rob Duguay, WXIN alternative music director and Rock Hunt coordinator. “I personally feel that Rhode Island has an awesome music scene brewing here that should not go unrecognized. If you want to check out the best bands that the Ocean State has to offer, please come by and check out XIN’s Rock Hunt. It’ll be an experience you won’t forget.”

Anchor Photo/Jesus Mendoza

Tony Jones and the Cretin 3.

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April 20, 2010

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Coheed and Cambria’s Year of the Black Rainbow By Rob Duguay Rob’s Album of the Week

Who ever thought that a comic book storyline could be s h o w n through both a comic book and one of the best alternative rock bands in the past 10 years? Well, back in 1998, Claudio Sanchez thought it was a hell of an idea, so he formed a truly epic and unique alternative rock band whose songs were based around a comic book series titled “The Armory Wars,” and that is Nyack, New York’s own Coheed and Cambria. The masterful quartet consist of Sanchez on lead vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, lead and rhythm guitar while being the principal songwriter and lyricist, Travis Stever on lead and rhythm guitar, Michael Todd on bass and backing vocals and Chris Pennie on drums and percussion. Pennie is also the co-founder of Morris Plains, New Jersey mathcore freaks Dillinger Escape Plan, having left the band in 2007. Coheed and Cambria started out as a band formed by Sanchez and Stever with another name, Shabutie. The band put out two demos with “Plan to Take Over the World” in 1999 and “Delirium Trigger” in 2000 under the name, with the songs on the latter being Sanchez’s first display of the storytelling of the

“The Armory Wars,” with the songs describing the saga. Shortly afterwards, the band decided to rename themselves Coheed and Cambria during a trip in Paris, naming themselves after the parents of the main character of The Armory Wars, Claudio Kilgannon. On Feb.5, 2002, Coheed and Cambria put out their debut studio album titled “The Second Stage Turbine Blade,” with a corresponding comic book coming out later in 2004. Their first album told the story of “The Armory Wars,” which takes place in fictional Heaven’s Fence, a galaxy of 78 planets that are held in place by interconnecting beams of energy known as the Keywork. Second Stage Turbine Blade revolves around the couple, ironically yet purposely named Coheed and Cambria Kilgannon, who believe that their former lives are coming back to haunt them due to having their memories swiped years ago. Coheed finds out that he has been stricken with the Monstar Virus, which has the ability to make him powerful enough to drain the Keywork’s energy and spark the end of all things. Through the lies of Supreme Tri-Mage Wilhelm Ryan, the couple is led to believe that their children have an advanced form of the virus called the Sinstar, that only needs its host to mature at a certain age and has no antidote, unlike the Monstar Virus. Knowing that their children cannot be saved and time not being on their side, Coheed

and Cambria are faced with an unimaginable choice: to murder their own children or face the end of everyone and everything. After three more albums, four live albums, three more graphic novels of “The Armory Wars” and hundreds of sold-out shows, Coheed and Cambria are bringing it all back to the start with their new album, “Year of the Black Rainbow,” the prequel to the band’s first album and the official first part of “The Armory Wars.” The band’s new album could be their most epic yet, with every song making you feel that you’re fighting a battle against an indomitable foe. The official story behind the conceptual record has yet to be released, but you can read up on it in the deluxe edition of the album, which contains the 352-page “Year of the Black Rainbow” novel, written by Sanchez and New York Times bestselling-author and legendary comic book writer Peter David. The masterpiece was produced by Atticus Ross, who has worked with Trent Reznor on Nine in Nails’ past four albums, and Joe Barresi, who produced Queens of the Stone Age’s debut self-titled album in 1998. Compared to their past albums, the dual production of Ross and Barresi have really shown how much Coheed and Cambria have done nothing but get better and louder and stronger since the beginning of this past decade, with every song

Coheed and Cambria “Year of the Black Rainbow” Columbia Records Courtesy of Wikipedia

rocking your eardrums, making you put your devil horns in the air, and head banging like there is no tomorrow. One song I recommend giving a listen to is “Here We Are Juggernaut,” the first single off of the album, which was first shown on the band’s MySpace on March 4, with the single hitting record store shelves the following week on March 9. Other tracks I suggest blasting through your headphones are “The Broken,” which has a sick music video, “Guns of Summer,” which was released exclusively at Vintage Vinyl in Fords, N.J. on a limited-edition vinyl record for National Record Store Day (last Saturday), “Far,” “This Shattered Symphony,” “World of Lines” and “The Black Rainbow.” Currently, Coheed and Cambria are embarking on a tour with dates in the United States, Europe and Japan. The band’s next show is at the Fillmore in Charlotte, N.C. this Thursday, with their tour ending on Aug.

  

                     

     

 

7 and 8 at the Summer Sonic Festival in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan. During Coheed and Cambria’s tour, the quartet will be playing in front of a sold-out crowd at the House of Blues in Boston, across the street from Fenway Park, on May 17. If you have tickets, you are in for the show of your life, and if you don’t, well, better luck next time. After you read this column, I strongly advise you to go your local record store or your friendly neighborhood (legal) Internet music download Web site and pick up a copy of “Year of the Black Rainbow,” the new album from Coheed and Cambria – you’ll be introduced to a story that’s beyond your wildest dreams. Also, if that record store has a comics and graphic novel section, get any one of the four issues of “The Armory Wars.” Any of them is a great read and a must-have for anyone who loves comics and rock and roll.

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Wrestling is not fake...in video games By Robert Lefebvre Rob’s Game Shelf

This time around, I thought I would review two games rather than just one, because these two are essentially the same. As you may or may not know, I am an avid wrestling fan. In the days of the Monday Night Wars when WCW (World Championship Wrestling) was competing with WWF (World Wrestling Federation), now known as WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), I was on the side of WCW. Of course, I had to side with the one that went out of business. But when it came to the company’s video games during the days of the Playstation and the Nintendo 64, WCW had some amazing failures like “WCW Nitro” and “WCW vs. The World.” But WCW and Electronic Arts managed to come up with two games that were pretty good, at least compared to the others. The first game was “WCW Mayhem,” which was released in 1999. When it came to wrestling games, this one brought a lot of firsts. For the time, the graphics were pretty good, but now they just seem like a few steps above a cross breed between origami and stick figures. The controls were pretty solid, as performing wrestling maneuvers were done by simple two-button combinations. However, there isn’t much diversity in the move sets. The collision detection is somewhat off, as well, as I could be throwing punches or dropkicks right next to my opponent and he won’t go down. There was also an extensive selection of wrestlers to choose from, such as Hulk Hogan, Sting, Goldberg, Kevin Nash and many more. Many of them need to be unlocked in the “Quest for the Best” career

mode. This is a pretty simple game mode, as you earn contention for titles and defend them once they are won, taking on other wrestlers to do so. You can also unlock other wrestlers by completing side goals. One first this game brought was actual full entrances for the wrestlers to come to the ring to, with pyro and music. While it’s not the most amazing thing, it introduced a functional working entrance that made the game feel a little more real. Another first to wrestling games that “Mayhem” brought was commentary. The team of Tony Schiavone and Bobby “the Brain” Heenan provide commentary throughout the matches. Schiavone is the straight-laced commentator, while the Brain keeps up his famous insulting wit and sarcasm that any true wrestling fan would love. The commentary in this game is perhaps the best in any wrestling game I’ve ever played. One more first that “Mayhem” brought was the ability to go into the backstage area to continue the fight. However, you can only go into one room out of twelve that are chosen at random. And it’s essentially just a square room with a couple of weapons scattered about. There is no real setting to interact with. There is a limited amount of match types but there is a vast array of wrestlers to choose

from and unlock in the career mode. You can also create a wrestler, but there are limited options, at least compared to create modes of today. Overall, the game is solid as far as wrestling games go and I highly enjoyed it. The next – and final – WCW game to come out in 2000 was “WCW Backstage Assault.” This game’s premise was quite the unique one, as you fight everywhere except the ring. All of the matches take part in various backstage environments such as locker rooms, loading docks and even bathrooms, with many weapons and other hurtful objects scattered about. However, many of these areas must be unlocked by playing the career mode. The controls are exactly the same, but the graphics are actually worse. While the settings are nice looking, the wrestlers are even more origami-looking than in “Mayhem.” There is

still quite the vast selection with many more to unlock through the career modes, and a gauntlet mode. Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan are back in top form, but some of their recordings were brought in from the previous game. There are also only three match types: normal, first blood and torch match, in which the only way to win is to set your opponent on fire. As all the settings are connected, the torch match could actually go on forever since there are only two possible areas where you could set someone on fire. Once again, there are a vast number of wrestlers to choose from, many of which must be unlocked in the career mode. However, in the selection process, you can only see two wrestlers at a time, and the selection map is some kind of grid that is confusing to navigate, making it hard to tell which wrestlers are available.

Courtesy of Electronic Arts

The create-a-wrestler is improved, as there is much more diversity in the choices you can make. However, when it comes to move set selection, you are on a points system in which you can only select moves that keep you under a certain amount of points. It’s very limiting and very frustrating. While the game is fun, the concept didn’t really play out as well as it could have. It felt more like the game was just a gimmick than a wrestling game. The problems that “Mayhem” had stand out more here and can really make the game a bit unbearable, but it’s at least worth a try. Overall, I have to say that both games are good. But “Mayhem” is much better, as it is more functional and has a better replay value. “Backstage Assault” is fun but it wears out, and its problems can end up outweighing the fun. In the dying days of a great wrestling company, these games appeared to breathe life into WCW, but it was not to be. While we are now dominated by WWE and TNA, it’s nice to know that WCW was the first to bring a good wrestling game forward. So if you have a Playstation or a PS2 and you are into wrestling, finding these will be worth the search. Don’t worry, your money won’t go into the revival of the company.

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April 20, 2010

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Backstage Prince by Kanako Sakurakoji By Alexandra Weston Manga Mania

Kabuki theater is one of the oldest and most respected forms of art in Japanese history. With its eccentric, colorful costumes and tantalizing dance moves, kabuki is not only popular to the older generation of Japanese citizens, but it is also becoming a popular trend for Japanese teens. Many shojo manga (manga targeted to a female audience) authors and artists have also bought into this trend and have based many of their plots around the theater and its actors. One manga in particular that caught my attention is “Backstage Prince.” From the same author that brought us “Black Bird,” Kanako Sakurakoji continues her streak of excellence with a dramatic and romantic tale of a normal high school girl named Akari who gets thrown into the mysterious world of kabuki theater thanks to one of its upcoming actors, Ryusei Horiuchi (professionally known as Shonosuke Ichimura). One day Akari gets scolded

by her friends because of her indifference toward kabuki and the extremely attractive actors that grace its stage. While defending herself, Akari accidentally whacks someone in the stomach with her purse; to her friends’ dismay, it just happens to be Ryusei. Before Akari gets a chance to apologize, Ryusei glares at her and storms off. Later that same day, after separating from her friends, Akari sees a stray cat wander into a busy street and follows it to ensure it safely makes it to the other side. The cat, who takes a liking to her, leads Akari to a fancy-looking building that just happens to be a very prestigious kabuki theater. And who does she run into at this particular theater? You guessed it! Ryusei Horiuchi. Ryusei was relieved to see his cat, formally known as Mr. Ken, had finally come home, but he was also surprised to see that Mr. Ken had taken a liking to someone other than him. After being invited into Ryusei’s backstage dressing room, Akari discovers that she actually really hurt him when she hit him with her bag; and in order to properly apologize for injuring him, Akari agrees to become his personal assistant

until it properly heals. Slowly, but surely, the two end up falling in love with each other and soon Akari’s assistant position becomes permanent. The couple reaches many forks in the road as the story progresses as class differences and a love triangle get in the way of their relationship. Will Akari ever be able to have her happy ending when she’s dating one of kabuki’s rising stars? I specifically gravitated to this manga because of the author, Kanako Sakurakoji. I’ve read a few stories of hers in print in America and in Japan and she has yet to disappoint. “Backstage Prince” (being no exception) has many different elements such as romance, comedy and drama that come together in two beautifully drawn volumes that will captivate a reader from page one. This author knows how to carry out a story without being too overbearing in any specific element and she makes it short, sweet and to the point without leaving out any important plot elements. I definitely recommend this to my fellow shojo manga lovers and any other otaku who might be shojo curious. Courtesy of Shojo Beat

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OWLS from page

The second game of the afternoon doubleheader would mark a chance of redemption for the Anchormen to settle the score. The first three innings marked no offense on either side, but in the top of the fourth the Anchormen got the ball rolling. Kevin Carey smacked a leadoff double down the right

field line and was knocked in when Rossi cracked a Jeff Pelkey pitch out of the park to score two runs and take the lead. In the bottom of fourth, the Anchormen made some mistakes. A Gary Levesque pitch hit Doyon and sent him to first base. After a Keith Patnode single to right field, Carey botched the play, which allowed Doyon to score all the way from first to cut the Anchormen’s lead in half, 2-1,

Anchor Photo/Devin Noll

Sophomore Andrew McKeon winds up for a pitch.

WILDCATS from page

runs between the bottom half of the fourth and fifth innings. During the bottom of the fifth, however, the game was called due to rain with RIC leading 8-0. And with that, RIC took both games of the doubleheader and brought their record to 18-5 on the season. JWU fell to 8-27. Anchorwoman Chelsi Panarelli put on an excellent performance with her bat, as she drove in four runs on two hits. Kristina Gingell knocked in two and Kayla Jandreau

drove in one. Kyla Puccini pitched well to earn the win for RIC and improved her record to 5-2. She allowed just two hits and no runs, walking none and striking out six. Coming up this week for the Anchorwomen are four more doubleheaders – two that count as Little East Conference matches. The long week starts Tuesday, as they travel to UMass Dartmouth. After that, they head to Worcester State College on Wednesday. On Thursday, they come back home to face the powerful Westfield State. And on Saturday, RIC returns to the road at Plymouth State University.

at the end of the inning. The top of the sixth inning added two more runs to the Anchormen’s lead when both Rossi and Levesque scored unearned due to an error by Owls left fielder Callahan to improve the lead to 4-1. The Anchormen’s defense dominated the Owls through the next three innings, holding them to no runs and only one single by Callahan. The doubleheader was down to its final inning when the Anchormen came up to bat in the top of the ninth. Correia walked to first to lead off the inning, which brought J.P. Stone to the plate. Stone crushed a Davis pitch out of Owl field to add two more insurance runs to the Anchormen’s lead, 6-1. The Owls were down to their last chance to make a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, down by five runs. The Owls showed signs of life with a leadoff single by Cipolla. It was short lived, however, as Levesque struck out the next three batters to end the inning. Levesque yet again proved himself to be invaluable to the Anchormen, with a complete game that limited Keene State to only seven hits, one run and nine strike outs. Levesque’s record improved to 2-0 in two appearances, while Pelkey’s fell to 1-2.

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Sports Follow the Anchormen as they strive for dominance in:

Basketball Baseball Softeball Track Gymnastics

Tennis Lacrosse Golf Volleyball Soccer

For more information contact Anchor Sports Editor Andrew Augustus sports@anchorweb.org

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Junior Chelsi Panarelli records an out at first base.

April 20, 2010

Page 30

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Seahawks soar away with victory By Jon Jmieciak Anchor Staff Writer

Though the Rhode Island College Anchorwomen’s lacrosse team lost to Salve Regina University on the road last week, it wasn’t all bad. A lot of RIC’s younger members fought hard to contribute something and turn the game around. In the end, RIC fell to their nonconference competitors ,15 to 9. The game started with senior Sarah Baker putting in an early goal for Salve three 3:50 into the first half. Following Baker’s lead, freshman Kelly Burke put in number two, and Baker put in number three, each while they were shorthanded about five minutes into the game. RIC finally answered back after 10 minutes of play with an evenstrength goal by junior, Suany Almonte. After this goal, it was back and forth, with sophomore Sarah Livingston scoring three

minutes later for the Seahawks, sophomore Nicky Drolet putting up another RIC goal two minutes after Livingston and senior Erika Curtin scoring an additional two minutes later. RIC then gained a penalty in their favor and Nicky Drolet scored during it. Unfortunately for RIC, right after Drolet’s second goal, Salve scored four more before the first half ended. At the half, RIC was down 9-3, and Salve already had 22 shots compared to RIC’s seven. The Anchorwomen would need to step their game up a notch to get back into it. A minute after the second half started, Salve’s Erika Curtin scored, putting RIC’s hopes a little further out of reach, and the deficit was only made greater as Nicole Viola put in number eleven for Salve eight minutes into the second. After this, RIC put in three more goals; two by Drolet, and another by Ashley Appel off

Anchor Photo/Jesus Mendoza

Sophomore Jenna Childs and freshman Libby Zazar in the midfield. of a free position shot. The Seahawks had another answer to this, though. They scored three goals all in the sixteenth minute of play. Nicky Drolet then put in another free position goal to make the score 14 to 7. SRU then scored their last goal of the day when Whitney Loeb, with the assist from Baker, shot in her second-career goal.

RIC now had to score eight goals in nine minutes, a possible but challenging feat. After two minutes, Drolet managed to get one, but now they were down to seven minutes and needed seven goals. It would turn out to be too challenging an exploit, as they only managed to get one more. At the end of the day, RIC was defeated 15-9. The Anchorwomen, now

3-5 (0-2 in the Little East), faced Curry College on the road Monday following Saturday’s rainout at Plymouth State University (that game has been rescheduled to April 25). They will host UMass Dartmouth and Westfield State College on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. All the games start at 4 p.m.

Post-season accolades for Jake Grimes and Bob Walsh By George Bissell News Editor

RIC senior guard Jake Grimes and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Walsh were honored at the annual Cox Sports Rhode Island Basketball Media Awards at the Radisson Airport Hotel. Grimes and Johnson & Wales sophomore Lamonte Thomas received the Steve McDonald Award, signifying them as the Men’s Co-Players of the Year in Division III. Grimes played in 30 games, starting 26 of them, leading the Anchormen in scoring, averaging 14.9 points, 5 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.6 steals per game in his first season at Rhode Island College. Grimes ranked first on the team in scoring (447 points), steals (48), second in blocks (22) and third in both assists (65) and total rebounds (150). Grimes was named First Team All-Little East Con-

ference and to the LEC’s All-Defensive Team, as well as team MVP. Grimes was widely considered one of the top guards in the conference, and was in contention for LEC Player of the Year, which was awarded to Western Connecticut State University sophomore guard DaQuan Brooks. Grimes became one of only a handful of players in history to play for all three in-state public universities over the course of his four-year basketball career. Grimes transferred to RIC for his senior season after playing for the University of Rhode Island last season and CCRI before that for two seasons. A former high school all-state player at St. Raphael Academy in Providence, Grimes closed out his career by leading the Anchormen basketball team to a Sweet 16 appearance in the Division III NCAA Championship Tournament. In addition to the postseason awards, Grimes was selected

to play in the New England Basketball Coaches Association Div. III Senior All-Star Game on Sunday, April 18 at Babson College. Men’s Basketball Head Coach Bob Walsh received the Jim Baron Award, signifying him as the Men’s Coach of the Year (Div. III). It is the third time he has received this award, having been awarded it in 2007 and 2009. “Team awards mean a great deal to us because they celebrate the entire program – the support we receive from the administration, the hard work of the athletic staff, our great assistant coaches and the dedication and trust of all of our players,” Walsh said about the awards. “We take a lot of pride in the winning culture that we have established at Rhode Island College.” Walsh guided the Anchormen through a tumultuous season to an impressive 22-8 record. Under his leadership, RIC

won the Little East Conference Regular Season Championship for the fourth time in the last six years, captured the conference tournament title for the third time in four years and secured a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive cam-

paign, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the second time in four seasons. The Anchormen also received the Dave Gavitt Award, signifying RIC as the Team of the Year for all divisions.

Courtesy of What’s News

Senior Jake Grimes and Head Coach Bob Walsh stand with their awards.

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April 20, 2010

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Mixed emotions on the RIC courts By Jon Kmieciak Anchor Staff Writer

Courtesy of RIC Athletics

Juniors Nate Rebello and Mike Aiello at the net.

Last week, Rhode Island College’s tennis team had a busy week, as they had three matches, three days in a row. First, they went up against Little East Conference opponent Western Connecticut State University. In all, the day didn’t turn out to be what RIC was looking for. To start, the Western Conn. Colonials swept the doubles matches. The duo of Nathan Rebello and Michael Aiello did put up a good fight against the Colonials duo of Juan Ocampos and Tyler Brown, but in the end were bested. Then in the singles matches, West Conn racked up all but one match. It wasn’t a complete blowout, however, as Nathan Rebello managed to get a set on his opponent as he lost his second singles match

two sets to one. Also, Nathanael Lee, RIC’s sixth single, swept his opponent, giving RIC their only point. After their first match, RIC was now 0-2 in their conference and 2-6 overall. Next, RIC faced off against Springfield College. Though they weren’t in their conference, the Anchormen were still looking for another victory. In the doubles, Nathan Rebello and Michael Aiello managed to improve from the previous day and score a RIC point. They were the only Rhode Island College team to do so, making the score Springfield 2, RIC 1. Next was the singles, and like the previous day, RIC only managed one match win. This time, however, it was Nathan Rebello who swept his opponent, to give RIC a second point making the final 7 to 2. After this, RIC moved to a 2-7 record and started preparing for their

Men’s track team results

last match of the week. In the final match of RIC’s week, they faced the Newbury College Nighthawks. This match went completely opposite of the past two days. RIC swept the doubles, gaining an early three points, and then moved onto the singles. At first singles was Tigran Gasparyan and he swept his opponent, Ryan Sevieri. Then in the second singles, Nathan Rebello ousted his opponent and in the third singles, Michael Aiello defeated Newbury’s Matt Talamantes. The fourth, fifth and sixth singles went the same way with Nathanael Lee, Jack Adamo and Matthew Collins all beating their opponents, giving RIC a 9-0 win and moving them to 3-7 on their season. The RIC team goes on to play their Little East Conference opponent, Southern Maine University, on April 20.

Women’s track team results

100 Meter Dash

200 Meter Dash

Aloysius Togbah (Fr.), 14th, 11.90 Christopher Da Luz (So.), 32nd, 14.18

Brooke Iby (Sr), 14th, 28.68

200 Meter Dash

Brooke Iby (Sr) , 7th, 1:03.40

400 Meter Dash

Katie Desrosiers (Jr), 4th, 5:12.58

800 Meter Run

Brittany Richer (Fr), 7th, 20:53.80 Nicole Poirier (Jr), 11th, 21:59.37

1500 Meter Run

Kayla Diblasi (Jr), 2nd, 15.80 Jamie Nunes (Jr), 5th, 17.07

400 Meter Dash

Da Luz, 27th, 29.25

1500 Meter Run

George N’Tow (Fr.), 3rd, 50.95 Steve Roberts (Fr.), 7th, 52.42

5000 Meter Run

Shawn Stadnick (Fr.), 5th, 1:55.91 Austin Pena (Fr.), 18th, 2:03.77

100 Meter Hurdles

Conor McCloskey (Fr.), 11th, 4:15.36 Conor Breagy (F.r), 24th, 4:28.91 Ethan Leary (So.), 33rd, 4:44.61 Christopher Allegretta (Jr.), 39th, 4:56.70

400 Meter Hurdles

Kayla Diblasi (Jr), 2nd, 1:06.96

4x100 Meter Relay

10,000 Meter Run

Rhode Island College, 3rd, 4:30.61

400 Meter Hurdles

Brooke Iby (Sr), 4th, 10.41m; 32-02.00

3000 Meter Steeplechase

Kristen Donovan (Fr), 11th, 7.66m; 25-01.75

4x100 Meter Relay

Kristen Donovan (Fr), 8th, 26.70m; 90-04.00

Mike Macedo (Jr.), 1st, 33:10.61

Triple Jump

Sean Ceccofiglio (Fr.), 6th, 1:00.06

Shot Put

Kyle Mann (So.), 4th, 10:23.80

Discus Throw

Rhode Island College, 2nd, 3:26.54

High Jump

Steve Roberts, 3rd, 1.81 m; 5-11.25

Javelin Throw

Courtesy of RIC Athletics Track athletes senior Kyle Duguay and senior Brooke Iby.

Ashley Nyzio (Sr), 7th, 29.28m; 96-01 Kristen Donovan (Fr), 10th, 21.92m; 71-11

Sports

April 20, 2010

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Anchor Photo/Devin Nolls

Sophomore Michael Nadiger runs the bases.

Anchorwomen maul Wildcats By Steven Barthelemy Anchor Staff Writer

Last weekend, the Rhode Island College women’s softball team was supposed to play a doubleheader against UMass Boston. Due to the rain, however, the game was postponed. Last Thursday, RIC hosted a doubleheader against Johnson & Wales University. Coming off a tough doubleheader split versus Keene State College, the Anchorwomen were able to get right back on track. The first part of the first game did not really go the Anchorwomen’s way, but their persistence again proved strong. Although JWU managed to get on the board in the first inning, RIC bounced back to tie it

up in the bottom of the second. Both of those runs were scored due to errors. In the top of the third, JWU scored another run off of another error, and made the game 1-2 going into the bottom of the third. Here is where the game turned RIC’s way. The Anchorwomen scored three runs on two hits and two errors in the inning, and then another three runs on four hits and one error in the bottom of the fourth, putting RIC on top 7-2. JWU did not manage to get any more runs since the third inning forward, and RIC ended up scoring yet another two runs on three hits and one error in the bottom of the fifth. That is where the game remained as RIC took the first game of their doubleheader, 9-2.

Anchorwomen Amy Jackman and Amanda Perry both managed to get two RBIs, and Danielle Mattoon had one RBI on three hits. Jenna Deveines earned the win for the Anchorwomen, bringing her record to a perfect 7-0 while allowing just two unearned runs on four hits, fanning seven and walking none. RIC did not stop scoring runs, however, as in the second game they were first on the board and scored three runs on two hits and one error in the bottom of the first. They continued in the bottom of the second and scored two more runs on three hits. RIC managed to keep JWU off the board, and scored another three See WILDCATS Page 29

Anchormen split doubleheader with Owls By Nate Chorney Anchor Staff Writer

Last weekend, the Anchormen were on the road for a doubleheader in New Hampshire against the Keene State Owls. In the first inning of the start of the first game, Keene State jumped out to a four-run lead when Greg Bates, Tyler Diprato, Bobby Doyon and Anthony Cipolla scored to get the game rolling heavily in the Owl’s favor. The Anchormen’s offense remained dormant, and in the bottom of the third the Owls knocked in another run when Cody Callahan doubled to score Peter Burgio from second base. In the top of the fourth, the Anchormen finally put runs on the board with a

sacrifice fly from Justin Corso that sent Tim Schabowski in from third. The top of the fifth marked a possible comeback for the Anchormen, with a Jared Rossi homer to left field to cut the Owls lead and close the cap to 5-2. In the bottom of the fifth, Keene State answered right back with a solo shot out of the park by Burgio to make the score 6-2. For the rest of the game, the Anchormen would fail to put up any more offense, while the Keene State Owls added two more runs for a final score of 8-2. Jeff Raymond (2-3) picked up the win for the Owls and Paul Vatter (2-1) received the loss for the Anchormen. See OWLS Page 29