THE BG NEWS
ESTABLISHED 1920 A daily independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Wednesday May 28, 2008 Volume 101, Issue 151
Summer is no vacation for the University police department
MEMORIAL DAY
WWW.BGNEWS.COM
Honoring those who served The city of Bowling Green honored its heroes with several celebrations such as parades and services at Oak Grove Cemetery | Page 2
By Angie Burdge Reporter
PULSE
Movies hit, miss with audiences While many movies have nailed the use of special effects, movies fail to create memorable characters | Page 6
BY IDED ROV TO P PHO INAL ORIG
Stars mourn the loss of Pollock Noted actor and filmmaker Sydney Pollock passed away Monday at age 73 | Page 8
FORUM
In a world where so many struggle to be individuals, columnist Levi Joseph Wonder ponders whether anyone can truly go beyond the mold | Page 4
SPORTS
Falcon baseball finishes season 16-8 in MAC play
PEOPLE ON THE STREET
See BGEX | Page 3
Summer course enrollment on Internships unpaid, the decline for several reasons students still charged By Alexandria Clark Reporter
Individuals are all the same
The Falcons finished their season with a loss to Ohio University in extra innings | Page 5
As of yesterday, summer registration is down 196 students compared to last year. According to Gary Swegan, director of Undergraduate Admissions, there are 7,625 students enrolled in courses this summer compared to 7,821 students registered last summer. Although summer admission is down, the numbers for new students and transferring students are up by 20 compared to last summer. “We are still expecting enrollment numbers to go up as we move through the summer,” Swegan said. Swegan said one of the reasons why the numbers are down for enrollment is because the entering class of 2004 has graduated. “The entering class of 2004 brought in the largest number of students,” he said. “And last summer the majority of that class were taking summer courses to graduate in August.” But even though numbers plan to increase, some students’ classes pay the price for the low enrollment. Junior Rhoda Payne was notified her French 201 course was
“The entering class of 2004 brought in the largest number ... last summer the majority of that class were taking summer courses.” Gary Swegan | Director of Undergraduate Admissions canceled by an e-mail sent two weeks before the end of spring semester. “A few of my classes were canceled that I really wanted to get out of the way,” Payne said. “I e-mailed the Romance department and they said only four people had registered for my French 201 class and therefore it was canceled,” she said. Payne has taken summer courses since 2006 and said there have never been a lot of students enrolled during the summer. “A lot of students go home for the summer, but it seems this summer nobody stayed to take summer classes,” she said. “In some of my classes you can count the students in two rows.” Another student, Ciara Wicker, a senior, said her EDIF 301 (Ed Psyc-Early Childhood) and American Sign Language I class was canceled because of low enrollment. “I was disappointed because
I needed my EDIF 301 to continue my course work in the fall in order to graduate on time in December,” Wicker said. Junior Danielle Nails said low enrollment may be down in the classrooms, but that’s not the case for online courses. “I had to go back home to work, but I still wanted to take classes offered by the school,” Nails said. “But when I went to register for a couple of online courses the majority of courses were full with no waiting lists.” Nail said a lot of friends chose not to attend school in the summer because of the high expenses to attend summer school, along with paying for school during the year. “A lot of my friends have scholarships, but don’t want to split their scholarship in three ways because of still not having enough to pay for August to May [classes],” she said. “I think enrollment would pick up when students can actually afford to go to school all year round.”
By Lori Weber Campus Editor
The tuition students pay for their internships may not be going to the University career centers that arranged or offered the internship, according to a recent study conducted by the University of MichiganDearborn. The study, which was published by the School of Management at UMD, included findings from 64 other institutions across the country. The research concluded “more than 90 percent of schools charge students tuition for [recouping] the cost of administrative and educational oversight.” The Univeristy is among those institutions, since it charges students for internships acquired either through the school or by the students’ own merit. Students are charged by the credit hour for any internship during a semester session, said Brian Martinez from the Bursars office. “Because they are getting credit for their internships, the University charges them for those credits,” Martinez said. “The Career Center’s Cooperative Education and Internship Program offers a
transcript notation for any internships / co-ops through [the] program,” said Annette Badik, the associate director of CEIP. Badik also said the academic departments are the ones who charge for credit hours. Willie Murphy, a first-year criminal justice graduate student, was a senior last summer when his unpaid internship cost him over $5,000. The internship was mandatory in order for Murphy to graduate. “It’s unfair,” Murphy said. “I lost a possible $10,000 from working over 40 hours a week unpaid, paying the University for my internship and not being able to earn money at the same time.” The 23-year-old said most internships he was looking at were unpaid, but offered the best experience. The paid internships were often reduced to clerical and coffee running duties. However, this scenario is not always true in every department on campus. Barry Piersol, director of the Cooperative Education and Internship Program for the College of Technology, said
See CREDITS | Page 3
University grad speaks in Saudi Arabia, invited for encore speech
What is your dream internship?
By Scott Recker City Editor
MIRANDA VOLLMER, Senior, Political Science
“To work as a legal advisor for a congressman in Washington, D.C.” | Page 4
TOMORROW Sunny High: 74, Low: 51
BGeXperience Director George Agich said he is keeping an open mind about the changes made with the BGeX program due to the new move-in date for incoming freshmen. “We are going to try and make this work and see what happens,” Agich said. The BGeXperience program is designed to help first-year students make the crucial transition from high school to college in order to be academically successful. BGeX also focuses on helping students identify and examine their own individual values. In past years, incoming freshmen would start their BGeX sessions on the Thursday before the start of classes. This coming fall, students will move in on Saturday,
.HU
Travel columnist Alison Kemp reaches her destinaton of Brooklyn, N.Y., and looks forward to what is next for her on the horizon | Page 4
TODAY Sunny High: 65, Low: 44
See POLICE | Page 3
By Tony Hunter Reporter
C W.SX WW
Bright lights, big city
WEATHER
While most University students and faculty are relaxing during the summer months, the University police are as busy as ever. “To be perfectly honest, there’s no down time,” said Chief of Police James Wiegand. Even though there are fewer students on campus, the campus police have to deal with other issues during the summer. Besides general duties, such as unlocking buildings for faculty and “all the things we normally do during the academic school year,” Wiegand said campus police are involved with various athletic camps and Buckeye Boys State throughout the summer. The recent tragedies at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois have the police planning to conduct mock “active shooter” training sometime over winter break. “We’re in the preparation stages now,” Wiegand said. “The actual training is not until January.”
Lieutenant David Weekley of University police said city demonstration and disturbance training is also scheduled for the first part of August, though the plans are subject to change. Weekley said the civil disturbance training keeps both city and campus police up to date on training. “It’s a good idea because it gets everybody there together,” he said. The upcoming presidential election this fall could mean added responsibilities for the campus police as well. Wiegand said the candidates could travel to Wood County in late summer once the conventions are over. On such visits, the campus police would work with the Secret Service along with city and county law enforcement to provide assistance and protection for the dignitaries. Associate Dean of Students Michael
University continues to adjust BGeX
When a local professor traveled to Saudi Arabia to speak on his respective field, he not only lectured on the trends in American journalism, but also learned about a different culture. John Hartman, a University graduate and Central Michigan journalism professor, learned that American and Saudi Arabian culture is not as different as some may believe. “The Saudis know very little about us and we know very little about them,” he said. “Yet we have far more in common with them than we have differences.” When Hartman received an “out of the blue” e-mail from a Saudi Arabian journalism professor encouraging him to apply to speak at King Saud University, he was immediately interested. After receiving the e-mail, Hartman engaged in a formal application process and was contacted a few days later, inviting him to Saudi Arabia for three weeks, but problems ensued.
“We found out it was a much more complicated process than we thought and, basically, we sat for two weeks waiting to get our Visas,” Hartman said. “They are very careful about how you get into the country,” his wife, Kay, added, who is a part time University instructor and also attended the trip. Their travel difficulties cut their trip short, only allowing them to stay 12 days, but the Hartmans were well liked by their Saudi hosts and invited back for an additional two weeks in the fall. The Hartmans said they were shown great hospitality. “Everything they said they would do, they did,” Hartman said. During their trip, the Hartmans noticed many similar values between American and Saudi Arabian culture. “They care about their families, and they care about their professions,” Hartman said. The Saudis also have different cultural norms. The role of Saudi women is very different from the role of
women in American culture. Men and women are extremely segregated, and women often work from home, the Hartmans said. Women are generally fully covered in public and are not allowed to go to certain places, such as the mall, without a male relative present. Even places like Starbucks are segregated, with different lines and dining areas for men, women and families. At King Saud University there is a campus for men and a separate one for women about three miles away. Kay Hartman said the women possess much more freedom while at their secluded university and many of the women do not wear the traditional Saudi garments. “In that setting they were very much the same as any American women,” she said. The Hartmans said they are looking forward to visiting PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOHN HARTMAN Saudi Arabia again in the fall, NOT SO DIFFERENT: Alumnus John Hartman, pictured here with his Saudi hosts, was invited as well as teaching and learning to speak at King Saud University. Hartman noted more cultural similarities than differences. more about the culture.
VISIT BGNEWS.COM: NEWS, SPORTS, UPDATES, MULTIMEDIA AND FORUMS FOR YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE
2 Wednesday, May 28, 2008
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BLOTTER
Honoring heroes of the past, present and future
FRIDAY 10:59 P.M.
Jody Farley, 48, of West Unity, Ohio, was cited for public urination on the 200 block of North Main Street. 11:06 P.M.
Christopher Fair, 22, and Wesley Strieter, 22, both of Bowling Green, were cited for disorderly conduct after obstructing traffic by walking in the middle of the street.
SATURDAY 12:05 A.M.
Ebony Joy Vasquez, 18, of Bowling Green, was cited for disorderly conduct after police received a complaint about a loud party on the 400 block of South Enterprise. 12:58 A.M.
Branden Quinton Jackson, 20, of Bowling Green, was cited for OVI. 1:58 A.M.
Alexander B. Guckert, 20, of Bowling Green, was cited for underage under the influence. 2:38 A.M.
Brad Weaver, 20, of Bowling Green, was cited for underage under the influence after police received a noise complaint for a residence at the 1400 block of Clough. 2:41 A.M.
Eric Allen Hummer, 24, of Ottawa Lake, Mich., was cited for public urination in University Lot 2. 2:44 A.M.
Stephen H. Kienzle, 20, of Perrysburg, was cited for underage under the influence. 2:52 A.M.
Jeremy M. Wallace, 24, of Weston, was citied for OVI.
PHOTOS BY ENOCH WU | THE BG NEWS
TOP LEFT: A Boy Scout lays a wreath from the Gold Star Mothers, an organization of mothers who have lost a child in the service. TOP RIGHT: A veteran lays a wreath in memory of Vietnam Veterans during a service at Oak Grove Cemetery. BOTTOM RIGHT: National Guardsmen march past the crowd during the Memorial Day parade. BOTTOM LEFT: Bagpiper Nancy Lee plays “Amazing Grace” during a memorial service at Oak Grove Cemetery.
See MEMORIAL | Page 3
SUNDAY 12:27 A.M.
Jason Todd Tidall, 29, of Toledo, was cited for drug paraphernalia. 9:39 P.M.
Ronell A. Snow, 21, of Bowling Green, was arrested for domestic violence and obstructing justice. 11:18 P.M.
Jeremy J. Snyder, 28, and James M. Gill, 27, both of Bowling Green, were cited for discharging fireworks within city limits. ONLINE: Go to bgnews.com for the complete blotter list.
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
CITY
Prices per internship credit hour
CREDITS
BRIEF
From Page 1
Children’s Discovery Garden dedication The Simpson Garden Park Steering Committee is inviting parents and children to the grand opening and dedication of the Children’s Discovery Garden on Sunday, June 1, in Bowling Green. The dedication will take place from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Simpson Garden Park, located on the corner of Wintergarden Road and Conneaut Avenue. This is the first opportunity for the public to see the finished garden, which is the first of what will eventually be eight or nine gardens in Simpson Garden Park. Refreshments will be provided, as well as activities for children and entertainment featuring music from the Gorman Family. In addition to parking at the Simpson Building, parking will be available at the lot west of the Rehabilitation Building at the Wood County Hospital, with shuttle rides available. The Simpson Garden Park Project has raised $650,000 of their $700,000 goal.
BGEX From Page 1 Aug. 23, allowing only one day for programming. The change in the movein date was a decision made by the University that will affect other programs at the University as well. With these changes, Agich said his staff will be looking at feedback from the students and faculty members to see the impact of the shorter schedule. “We did the program in three days but maybe one day is enough,� Agich said. “We just don’t know the effects yet.� For sophomore Matt Wilbur, the early move-in schedule was a chance to adjust to the college lifestyle and meet his fellow classmates. “It wasn’t rushed so you really get a chance to know people,� Wilbur said. “I liked it a lot.� Wilbur said he thinks students will be rushed next year with the changes made, and students might miss out on some of the experiences he had. Associate Dean of Students Jodi Webb said she feels the program will not be impacted as much as some people might think. “While it will be different, the truth is for the new students coming in, they won’t necessarily see the difference,� Webb said. “I don’t know if they are really losing out.� The BGeXperience Committees will also be looking at other quantitative measures to see the affects of the changed schedule, such as retention rates and grades of students. These quantitative numbers are compiled and organized by the Office of Institutional Research at the University by William Knight, a Co-Chair of the BGeXperience Assessment Advisory Committee, and his staff. Knight said he is curious to see what the effects will be with the shorter time allotted for the program. In the meantime, Agich said the staff is taking a positive approach to the situation and is looking forward to the coming fall. “It’s a challenge to restructure a program, but we are rising up to it,� Agich said.
students in this area of the college are required to have a paid internship. Piersol prefers to call internships a“co-op education� because it offers multiple experiences for each student. Every opportunity to work with an employer in a specific field gives that student a better chance to get hired afterwards and that gives them a huge benefit over a student who doesn’t, Piersol said. Students are supposed to have three semester-long internships that equal one year of professional experience. In the summer of 2007, over 450 students interned and earned an average pay per semester of 4,894. “Because BGSU is a credit bearing institution, and co-ops give students credit, a price tag is attached,� Piersol said. Some schools, Piersol said, attach finder’s fees and administrative fees to student’s accounts for helping them get the internships because the internship credits are in addition to the 124 that are needed to graduate. BGSU has the internship / co-op part of the academic program for each department so the credits are part of the graduation package. The College Board, a non-profit association composed of over
In-state undergraduate: â– Summer: $419 â– Fall/Spring: $444 Out-of-state undergraduate: â– Summer: $419 + $768 = $1187 â– Fall/Spring: $444 + $793 = $1237 Source: Brian Martinez
5,000 schools, colleges, universities and organizations, tracked the average cost of six internship credit hours. The “Trends in College Pricing Study� is based on the CB’s Annual Survey of Colleges that publishes up-to-date information on tuition and other expenses for college students in the U.S. Prices range from $444 for community colleges to $4,446 for private four-year colleges. According to the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE), an average of $10.53 per student goes to career centers. Piersol said that the money paid goes into a university budget account, which funds each college and department. This money is then divided amongst the college for instructors. In the end, the money indirectly makes it way to the Career Center.
7OODSTOCK
7OODSTOCK BEGAN AS A PROlT MAKING VENTURE IT ONLY BECAME A FREE FESTIVAL AFTER IT BECAME OBVIOUS THAT THE CONCERT WAS DRAWING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS MORE PEOPLE THAN THE ORGANIZERS HAD PREPARED FOR AND THAT THE FENCE HAD BEEN TORN DOWN BY EAGER UNTICKETED ARRIVALS )NITIAL HOPES FOR ATTENDANCE NUMBERS WERE HOWEVER NEARLY TIMES THAT MANY PEOPLE ENDED UP ATTENDING
POLICE From Page 1
Ginsburg said he works together with the campus police in the same ways he does during the academic year, since students housed on campus for the summer are still referred to Ginsburg for disciplinary action. However, not everything is conducted the same during the summer months. Due to warmer weather, officers will be traveling on foot or by bicycle rather than by car, making them more of a presence on campus. And although they stay busy during the day, the evening is much slower, especially the midnight shift, which is the time normally much busier during the academic year. Special event detail is also reduced during the summer as the lack of events hosted means less security is needed. Despite the changes, police hours are not reduced. The minimum staff of three officers is on duty at all times. Students have mixed thoughts when it comes to how busy the campus police remain once school is out. “They probably are not as
busy because there aren’t as many students on campus,� said Austin Dickinson, sophomore and Criminal Justice major. Sophomore Julie Kiss disagrees. “There are still students and
faculty on campus so they have to be patrolling and watching out for their safety,� she said. So while students may have a break from a full load of classes, Chief Wiegand and the campus police are conducting business as usual.
MEMORIAL | FROM PAGE 2
ENOCH WU | THE BG NEWS
IN THEIR HONOR: A veteran lays a wreath in memory of past veterans during a service at Oak Grove Cemetery following the Memorial Day parade.
We’ve got your next place! PETS ALLOWED
with a $300.00 nonrefundable pet deposit at these buildings: 725 Ninth Street 733, 755, 777 Manville
802 Sixth Street 831 Seventh Street
640 Eighth Street 841 Eighth Street
EFFICIENCY APARTMENTS LIMIT 1 PERSON 451 THURSTIN AVENUE Across the street from Offenhauer. Furnished efďŹ ciency apartments with full bath. Assigned parking and laundry in the building One Person Occupancy Only. School Year - $395.00 per month. One Year - $370.00 per month
BG Country Club
ONE BEDROOM APARTMENTS Rates shown for One Person Occupancy. Two Person Rates Available.
150 1/2 MANVILLE Unfurnished, One Bdrm, One Bath. School year - $445.00 per month. One year - $410.00 per month.
725 NINTH STREET- Pets Allowed! BRING STUDENT ID FOR SPECIAL W E E K D AY S M o n - F r i 7am-2pm and 7 days a week after 6pm
Unfurnished, One Bdrm, One Bath. School year - $455.00 per month. One year - $390.00 per month.
To m G a r u a G o l f p r o •Lessons available •Club repair •Exp.July 31st
449-455 S. ENTERPRISE Furn. Or Unfurn. One Bdrm, One Bath. School year - $385.00 per month. One year - $350.00 per month.
810-815 FOURTH STREET Furn. Or Unfurn. One Bdrm, One Bath. School year - $435.00 per month. One year - $370.00 per month.
HOUSES AVAILABLE ALL HOUSES HAVE ON YEAR LEASES
• STUDENT • SPECIAL
9 holes • $13 18 holes • $20
923 Fairview Ave. Bowling Green
Call: 419-352-5546 for Tee Times
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722 ELM STREET
4 Bdrm, 2 Baths. Washer, Dryer, Central Air. $900.00 per month plus utilities. Deposit $900.00. Limit 3 people. Limit 3 cars. Lease Immediately - 5/9/09
Three bedrooms. $690.00 per month plus utilities. Deposit $690.00. Has a garage for storage. Limit 3 people. Limit 3 cars. Lease 8/21/08 - 8/8/09.
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Two bedrooms. $800.00 per month. Deposit $800.00. Air conditioned, washer and dryer. Limit 4 people. Limit 4 cars. Lease 8/21/08 - 8/8/09.
TWO BEDROOM APARTMENTS
Fall 2008 Housing
Rates shown for Two Person Occupancy. One to Three Person Rates Available.
505 CLOUGH STREET- Behind Kinko’s. Furn. Or Unfurn. One Bath & Extra Vanity.
649 SIXTH or 707 SIXTH STREET Furn. Or Unfurn. Two Bdrm, One Bath & Hall Vanity.
School year - $630.00 per month. One year - $530.00 per month.
School year - $565.00 per month. One year - $475.00 per month.
CLOSE TO CAMPUS
402 HIGH STREET Furn. Or Unfurn. One Bdrm, One Bath.
835 FOURTH STREET Furn. Or Unfurn. Two bedrooms.
School year - $590.00 per month. One year - $490.00 per month.
School year - $590.00 per month. One year - $490.00 per month.
2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS AND TOWNHOUSES
701 FOURTH STREET Furn. Or Unfurn. One Bath W/ Vanity in Bdrms.
840-850 SIXTH STREET Furn. Or Unfurn. Two full baths.
School year - $620.00 per month. One year - $520.00 per month.
School year - $650.00 per month. One year - $540.00 per month.
810 FIFTH or 818 SEVENTH STREET Furn. Or Unfurn. One Bath & Hall Vanity.
831 SEVENTH STREET Furn. Or Unfurn. One Bath & Hall Vanity.
School year - $565.00 per month. One year - $475.00 per month.
School year - $560.00 per month. One year - $485.00 per month.
724 S. COLLEGE DRIVE
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WE STILL HAVE A SELECTION OF HOUSES AVAILABLE FOR 2008-2009 Families with children welcome to apply for any rental unit.
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FORUM
“We are going to try and make this work and see what happens.” — Director of BG Experience George Agich, from Page 1
PEOPLE ON THE STREET
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 4
What is your dream internship?
“Travel around with Philip Glass, a minimalist composer.”
“Follow a UPS accountant around.”
GAIL LOWTHER, Graduate Student, Music Education
ADAM EDENS, Senior, Accounting
“Alaska, at Denali National Park for a sled dog internship.”
“Financial analysis in Shanghai, China, for a multi-national corporation.”
MIA HALL, Senior, Biology
DIRK FROHBERGER, Graduate Student, Business
VISIT US AT BGNEWS.COM Have your own take on today’s People On The Street? Or a suggestion for a question? Give us your feedback at bgnews.com.
It’s impossible to be a real Memorial Day: A Sacred Event nonconformist Brian Eggenberger Columnist
Levi Joseph Wonder Columnist
Last week, I came to an all-too simple revelation that took me almost five years to achieve, when it should have only taken me but a few months: True individuality is nearly impossible to attain. How do I know this to be true? I don’t. Other people’s definitions of true individuality may differ greatly from my own understanding of it. However, based on the things I’ve learned in the past five years, I can safely say that my conclusion makes sense when applied in the correct context. For example: It’s impossible for me to be genuinely and wholly unique in any way, shape or form. If I do it, chances are that someone else has done it before, or has done something similar to it. No matter how original or fresh a batch of my ideas may be, they are always, in one form or another, influenced by, based on or modeled after ideas created by other people. And the way I dress, the things I eat, the things I believe and don’t believe and the way I act are not really exclusive to me. I’m not blazing new trails; I’m just subscribing to previously established lifestyles and such! How would I possibly disguise such an action as originality? Well, to be honest, I could not. Besides, with mass-consumerism as ubiquitous as it is in modern U.S. society, it’s terribly difficult to even go about trying to be a one-of-a-kind individual. Why? Because almost every culture and counter-culture movement and its associated music, clothes, lifestyle and
“And the way I dress, the things I eat, the things I believe and don’t believe and the way I act are not really exclusive to me. I’m not blazing new trails; I’m just subscribing to previously established lifestyles and such!” products are distributed in one way or another by mega corporations which mass-market such goods to the people who buy them. Is it just me, or does that sound pretty inane to you too? Unfortunately, it’s true in a great deal of instances (but not all of them; I doubt that the NYC crust punkers do a lot of shopping at Hollister). It’s pretty much impossible to be a true individual by strictly adhering to one lifestyle and its associated goods because many companies thrive on such activity. In short, letting lifestyle politics dictate what I think, eat, wear, do, see and believe would not make me a distinctively unique person; it would turn me into a mindless mass consumption zombie! However, I guess that one of the sources of sentiments of individuality is, put bluntly, human pride. We humans like to think we’re all hot stuff sometimes and this can lead to arrogance and some rather egotistical thinking. I have experienced this stuff firsthand; I’ve been through high school too, like everyone. I know what being a jerk feels like. After experiencing the obligatory 13-year-old kid self-esteem crisis in eighth grade, I went through the obligatory period of self-fabricated heightened personal importance and individuality, otherwise known as high school.
During this time, my selfesteem skyrocketed back to normal standards (and beyond) while I began to think of myself as a one-of-a-kind nonconformist amongst a sea of mindless, materialistic, popularity-concerned, teenage morons. I thought I was unique because I wore combat boots with punk rock duds to class and because I was the only kid not on the football team to have a mohawk. Did that make me unique? No, but it did make me the only kid in my school who would wear jungle boots and ugly suit jackets on a regular basis. Did my habitual goofiness make me a unique person? Not really. As far as I know, there are plenty of dopey goofballs like myself out there. Did my mainstream cultureeschewing tendencies make me unique? Of course not! Why? Because I would follow counterculture just as fervently as I was hating supposedly mainstream culture. Either way, it’s conforming and adapting to the rules and values of another culture, and individuality is not about conformity; it’s practically the polar opposite of conformity. Looking back on my justexpired freshman year here at the University, college has proven to be a huge eye-opener for me in terms of the issue at hand. It was easy for me to think of myself as edgy back in high school, but when I see people here in BG with neck tattoos, leopard-print boots, padlock earrings and partyhard personalities, I realize just how … wholesome … I truly am on the inside. I’m a boy scout, for Charles Bronson’s sake (no, seriously; I AM a boy scout). In short, real individuality is difficult to achieve. Besides, if it was easy to be unique in the first place, we would all be born with bizarre genetic mutations and superpowers. I would be a flying grizzly bear wearing an exoskeleton who could shoot shuriken from his paws. And lasers, too. Can’t do it justice without the lasers. I can dream, can’t I?
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As I’m sitting in my comfy lawn chair on Memorial Day, with beer in one hand and burger in the other, I realize that I owe a huge debt to the men and women who have served or are presently serving our country. Where would I be if it weren’t for these brave heroes and heroines? Would I be having tea and crumpets and speaking with a British accent? Would I be eating fried chicken and cornbread and speaking with a Southern accent? Or would I be indulging in some sauerbraten and potato pancakes and speaking in German? Who knows! Thank God and those various troops that I’m not. Memorial Day is a day to reflect on and be thankful for all the freedoms we enjoy; freedoms for which so many gave their
“Memorial Day is a day to reflect on and be thankful for all the freedoms we enjoy; freedoms for which so many gave their lives.”
lives. It’s a time to remember our friends and relatives who have served or are currently serving. Regardless of the war or the soldier, they all deserve our utmost respect. So, try to set aside the contemporary political circumstances and focus on the troops themselves. Memorial Day is bigger than Iraq. Take a
moment out of your day and visit a cemetery or a war memorial. Or, write a letter or send a package to our troops. www. anysoldier.com is a simple and easy way to pay your respects. Either way, leave the Bushbashing to the other 363 days of the year (Veteran’s Day is out too). Memorial Day is, and ought to be, a sacred event.
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Travelin’ The Globe In the big city
Alison Kemp Columnist
BROOKLYN — There’s a highway sign not too far from my house that directs drivers towards New York City. When I was little, and we would approach that sign on our way home, I would frequently ask if we could go to New York City instead. The answer was always no. This wasn’t an unreasonable answer; New York City is about 6.5 hours and 390 miles away from that sign. On Saturday I passed that sign and was actually heading to its destination. On Sunday my parents and I completed the journey that took us to my apartment building in Brooklyn Heights. We made a dry run on Saturday night because we wanted to see the neighborhood and I wanted to drive over the Brooklyn Bridge and Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. The directions we had were to go through Staten Island and over the Verrazano. Don’t go this way! It’s a much longer ride and very confusing at some parts. It’s also much more expensive because there are many road tolls and a $10 bridge toll heading westbound. Instead, use the Brooklyn Bridge and Holland Tunnel. After a short stop at my apartment building, we headed towards the bridge. There are well-marked signs in both Brooklyn and Manhattan. The approach to the bridge is fantastic. For the longest time all you
can see is the Manhattan Bridge. Then you curve to the left, and all of a sudden, the bridge is right there in all its gloriousness with its two granite towers. This nighttime ride across the bridge was more special than usual because this weekend was the bridge’s 125th birthday. The arches were illuminated in blue and red light instead of the usual white. The other benefit of the Brooklyn Bridge/Holland Tunnel approach to Brooklyn is that the toll is only $8 heading eastbound through the tunnel. Now, back to my apartment. The building is called a “sliver building” and they weren’t joking. My apartment is 9.5 feet wide and is half the width of the entire building. The living area/bedroom space is roughly the size of a room in one of the quads on campus. There is a large bathroom, two large closets with dressers inside and a kitchen area with a sink, stove, oven, refrigerator, pantry, microwave and ample shelving. So in every way, shape and form, my living arrangements are better than expected. I’m not sleeping in the living room while my roommate sleeps in a bedroom, so life is good. I could have brought so much more stuff with me — not that I need it — but I really tried to bring only essentials since I anticipated a room about half the size of what I got. Everything I could possibly need can be purchased not too far from my building. I’m really excited about this. I’ll have to purchase only what I can carry when I go shopping. There’s no driving to the grocery store here. I’m glad to be doing lots of
walking again. That’s one of my favorite things about cities, perhaps because walking places is something I don’t do at home. No one does in my community. We didn’t have any sidewalks for years, and the sidewalks we have now connect you to a small number of places and line only one street. But here, you can walk anywhere. I walked to the Brooklyn Bridge on Sunday afternoon for a walking tour on the bridge. The tour was part of the birthday celebrations. I learned about caissons (an airtight space below the riverbed where workers removed silt so the towers could be built underground), the granite and limestone used to build the bridge, the four wires that hold up the bridge and the history of the roadway. The other adventure I’ve had so far was going to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. The promenade is an area for walking that was built on top of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. It has gorgeous views of the Statue of Liberty, Manhattan (all the way from the tip of the island up to Midtown with views of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building) and the east river bridges. It’s a perfect place for watching the sunset, so I know I’ll spend lots of time there. Expect a column about working in the city next week, as this column will be sent to press before I can write about my first day of work. I’m sure there will be many other adventures to be included, especially since I am off to my first subway ride this summer (to find out how long it takes to get to work) and to have a picnic lunch in Central Park.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are generally to be fewer than 300 words. These are usually in response to a current issue on the University’s campus or the Bowling Green area.
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SPORTS
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
5
SIDELINES
Falcons fall to Ohio in 13-inning thriller By Tyler Sworden Sports Reporter
BASEBALL Ryan Shay and Derek Spencer earn First Team AllConference Honors Junior shortstop Ryan Shay boasted a MAC best .411 batting average. His 19 doubles on the season tie a school record. Shay carded both 17 and 16 game hitting streaks during the season. After just three seasons as a Falcon, Shay ranks 6th in University history for assists Sophomore third baseman Derek Spencer led BG with 54 runs batted in, ranking him in the top ten for single season RBIs at BG. Spencer recorded 19 multiple-hit games in 2008 and 15 multipleRBI performances, including eight games with three or more runs batted in.
TRACK & FIELD BG athletes to participate in NCAA Mideast Regional TaKarra Dunning and Whitney Hartman will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the 2008 NCAA Mideast Regional, hosted by the University of Arkansas this weekend. Dunning will compete in the shot put, while Hartman will participate in the hammer throw. The top five individuals of each event automatically qualify for the NCAA Championships, while another four will be chosen by the longest marks throughout the four regions.
WOMEN’S SOCCER University extends contract of head coach BG women’s soccer head coach Andy Richards signed a new contract extension with the program. The deal runs through June 2011. This fall Richards will begin his ninth season at the helm. BG has played in four of the last five MAC Tournament title games, winning the crown in 2004 and 2005. The NCAA Tournament birth in 2004 was the first in program history. Richards was named MAC Coach of the Year in 2005.
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BG’s surprising turnaround season came to a close Friday with a 7-3 loss to the Bobcats in a MAC Tournament elimination game. After six scoreless innings thrown by Kevin Leady and Ohio starter Matt Smith, the Bobcats broke through with a three-run seventh. BG countered with two runs in the home half of the inning and a single run in the ninth to send the contest to extra frames. However, Ohio reliever Adam Goodpasture would shut the door, allowing just two hits in the final four innings. The Bobcats platted four runs in the top of the 13th to take a 7-3 lead, while the Falcons went down in order. Senior Andrew Foster started the Falcons’ rally to get to extra innings as he connected with a two RBI single bringing BG within one run. With BG just two outs from defeat Brandon McFarland kept the Falcons alive with a pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the ninth, tying the game. Senior Nick Cantrell started
“I’m proud of our seniors, they played big all season especially down the stretch.” Danny Schmitz | Head Coach
BRIAN BORNHOEFT | FILE PHOTO
LEAVING HIS MARK: Senior Andrew Foster batted 6-14 in three games last week at the MAC Tournament. Foster sparked a Falcon rally against Ohio driving in two runs as BG battled back before falling in extra innings. Foster, along with Nick Cantrell and Brett Browning, are the only three seniors leaving due to graduation.
his final outing for BG in relief by getting his team out of a bases loaded jam with no outs in the 10th inning. But the Bobcats kept coming,
Falcons set for second annual Barnstorming Tour By Gina Potthoff Editor-in-chief
Falcon fans looking to meet University student athletes, coaches and administrators need look no further. The “Free, Food, Fun, Falcons ...” event is the first of five stops on the BGSU Barnstorming Tour 2008, sponsored by Larry Miles. The Findlay Country Club is the first location on the tour, kicking off Monday, June 2. Alumni, community members and Falcon fans are encouraged to come out to the country club between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on June 2 to see their favorite sports players and coaches. Instead of people coming to the athletic events to see the athletes and coaches, the Falcons are coming to them, said Robin Veitch, assistant director of the Falcon club. “The athletic department is going out to the public,” she said. The athletic department is hoping to generate more interest in athletics, and there are lots of alumni in Findlay and in Hancock County, Veitch said. Five coaches are expected to attend the event, including Gregg Brandon (football), Curt Miller (women’s basketball), Louis Orr (men’s basketball), Denise Van De Walle (volleyball) and Scott Paluch (men’s hockey).
“People should come out, meet the coaches and athletic director and hear about the great plans Bowling Green has for down the road.” Larry Miles | Event Sponsor According to Veitch, four to six student athletes will also be at the event. Participants can ask questions, get autographs, win raffle prizes, answer trivia questions and win auction items. Larry Miles, a University alumnus and former Falcon student athlete living in Findlay, is sponsoring the event to have University alumni and friends get together in and around the Bowling Green community. “People should come out, meet the coaches and athletic director and hear about the great plans Bowling Green has for down the road,” Miles said. Though this is the second annual Barnstorming tour, this is the first tour Miles has sponsored. “I’m just a loyal supporter of Bowling Green,” he said.
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finally prevailing in the 13th after the Falcons failed to rebuttal. BG had beaten Ohio in all four previous match-ups this season including a first round
tournament game. Last Wednesday BG jumped out to a 3-0 lead then held on to defeat Ohio 5-4 in the opening round of the MAC Tournament. Sophomore Frank Berry pitched a stellar 7 1/3 innings allowing just two runs on six hits. “We knew we were only going to go as far as pitching would take us and Frank was outstandng,” BG head coach Danny Schmitz said. Junior shortstop Ryan Shay led the Falcons at the plate, finishing 3-for-4. With the win, BG advanced to play Eastern Michigan last Thursday. The Falcons would see their 12 game winning streak in the month of May come to an end, losing 11-4 to the West Division regular season champs.
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The turning point of the game occurred when the Eagles broke a 2-2 tie in the fifth with back to back home runs to take a 5-2 lead. The Falcons never seemed to recover at the plate while their bull-pen struggled to keep the game close. The loss set the stage for the rematch against the Bobcats. While BG fell short of their first MAC Tournament title in nine years, the season was a great success. After only winning seven league games a year ago, the Falcons compiled the fourthbest conference turnaround in the nation. BG finished the year 32-20 overall and 16-8 in the MAC. The Falcons also earned a share of the regular season title. “Team chemistry and leadership contributed to a successful year,” Schmitz said. The Falcons are young, but experienced with only three seniors. Along with Foster and Cantrell, BG sees Brett Browning graduate. “I’m proud of our seniors, they played big all season especially down the stretch,” Schmitz said. “We are not satisfied. We want to carry over to next season.”
THE BG NEWS SUDOKU
TOUR STOPS FINDLAY/FOSTORIA/ TIFFIN: Monday, June 2, 2008 Findlay Country Club - FREE 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. FREMONT/SANDUSKY: Wednesday, June 4, 2008 Tofts Dairy - FREE 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. CLEVELAND: Thursday, June 12, 2008 Mapleside Farms (Brunswick) 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. LIMA: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 Shawnee Country Club 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. TOLEDO: Tuesday, July 8, 2008 5/3 Field - Mud Hens game 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
SUDOKU To play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or math involved. Just use logic to solve.
Miles will be attending the Findlay event, which he hopes will be as well attended as last year. Veitch is expecting 50 to 60 people to attend. Event prizes and auction items will probably be Falcon memorabilia, according to Veitch. For more information about the Barnstorming Tour 2008, the schedule of events will be listed on the Athletic Web site.
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THE PULSE
Wednesday, May 28, 2008 6
HAPPENINGS IN TOWN! @ Grounds For Thought Thursday, May 29 7 p.m. “Paint This Wall” pre-lim meeting for downtown murals Friday, May 30 8 p.m.
“The Yellow Room Gang” - Ann Arborbased folksy supergroup comprised of eight nationallyrenowned artists. GET OUTTA TOWN! Toledo Museum of Art Works on Paper Galleries
Lola Alvarez Bravo exhibit through June 1 (1903-1993) began her photographic career in the midst of the artistic and political ferment that followed the Mexican Revolution. Ann Arbor Friday 7 p.m. Mike Farrell: This actor-turnedactivist, best known for his role as B. J. Honeycutt on M*A*S*H, reads from and discusses his memoir Just Call Me Mike: A Journey from Actor to Activist. Signing. Barnes & Noble, 3235 Washtenaw. Free. 734-973-1618.
Fresh green for no green By Quentin Kilpatrick Pulse Editor
A handful of University students and community members spent this past Sunday afternoon getting sunburnt and baked planting tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, herbs, various squash and a handful of other assorted crops. For most who ventured out, it was a departure from the routine of small town life. “I really like the change of pace,” said Bowling Green resident Richard McGowan. “I don’t get outdoors much.” The group, fitting under the umbrella title ‘The Community Garden Project’, has spent the past few weeks planting roughly $500 to $600 worth of plants, all freely donated from Toledo Grows, a grant-funded green space initiative. This Bowling Green project began to take shape over fall break 2007, when the University partially funded a social work trip to the South Bronx. Locals there had converted empty lots in low-income areas into green space as part of a reclaimation project. “The Bronx trip had inspired many of us,” said Lyndsey Dougherty, a senior social work major and one of the C.G.P.’s organizers. “Spending time in the South Bronx, we learned about environmental racism [and] the problems with asthma ... but it really showed how people with less means could benefit from green projects,” said Doughterty. “We’d been talking with the United Chrisitan Fellowship (U.C.F.) about the feasibility of doing a gardening co-op for some time after,” Doughtery said. But it took another partially University funded trip to south Texas and Mexico over spring break to plant the seeds. With interstate highway access to the Midwest closed off due to a huge storm system across the
“Spending time in the South Bronx, we learned about environmental racism [and] the problems with asthma ... but it really showed how people with less means could benefit from green projects.” Lyndsey Dougherty | Senior Social Work Major central states, the group decided to randomly spend the day in Austin, Texas. With time to kill and no particular place to go, some of the students stumbled upon a photography exhibit and workshop called Edible Estates in Austin’s Arthouse at the Jones Center. The Edible Estates project converts neighborhood front lawns into “highly productive edible landscapes responsive to culture, climate, context and people,” according to their Web site. “Our idea definitely got more
set in Austin seeing what they could do, said Krista Kuharick, a senior social work major and another one of the project’s main organizers. “Through the photography exhibit, we saw how parts of the city were transformed over time,” she said. Once back and through the U.C.F’s connections, the students were able to secure a 40 x 60 foot plot of land on the grounds of the
See GARDEN | Page 8
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (Hats off to Indy) By Aaron Helfferich Film Critic
Never has there been a film filled with so many flaws that was able to be monumentally crowdpleasing at the same time. Few films are able to capture this feat, and the newest Indiana Jones film is one of them. Picking up nearly 20 years after “The Last Crusade” left off, Harrison Ford once again dons the iconic whip and fedora for a race across the globe — fighting jungle natives, angry Russians and those hated snakes. All of the classic Indiana Jones elements are in place, although this time around, it all feels different. It has nothing to do with the fact that our hero has aged considerably. Our concerns turn into laughs when the film effortlessly creates humor out of a waning age. However, gone is
the day when action sequences were filmed entirely by stunt doubles, and it was enjoyable to have a considerable amount of time reserved for developing characters. In the “Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, we bear witness to a story that has no significant bearing on history or the heightened reality Indiana Jones fans are familiar with. “The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” has extended far past reality into a film that transforms the original conceptions of the character. For a character who used to thrive in our own world, he now thrives in the fairytale land of fabricated archeology. Unlike a holy grail or a lost ark, we’re now searching for the truth behind a crystal skull that is far less intriguing without a biblical or historical subtext. The greatest downfall to the
INDIANA JONES MOVIE INFORMATION GRADE: Two and a half stars out of four Letter Grade: BRATING: Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images. RUNTIME: 124 min. STARRING: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen and Shia Labeouf DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
“Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is in its script. Written by David Koepp and George Lucas, the
See INDY | Page 8
Go green, whatever that means THEY SAID IT
“Listen. Since I’ve met you I’ve nearly been incinerated, drowned, shot at and chopped into fish bait.” Indiana Jones | Last Crusade
By Quentin Kilpatrick Pulse Editor
What’s being billed as the global food crisis poses serious longterm questions regarding health and sustainability in the fattest nation on Earth. It’s almost become a catchphrase that the fastest, cheapest food is the worst for you. But there is a growing degree of truth in that myth. And it’s not just lower-income Wood County or American citizens feeling the price-sqeeze. Nor are they experiencing anywhere near the brunt of it. In middle and low-income countries, places with only small fractions of U.S. Gross Domestic Product and average household incomes and rising food prices are making mere subsistence a
struggle, and the crisis puts into question the idea of growing ‘consumption’ as a means to build developing economies. How do you build large-scale consumer spending when most in the country can barely afford to eat? According to The Economist, rice prices have soared 141 percent since January and the price of one variety of wheat shot up 25 percent in a day. Like many global issues, the blame can never be placed on one actor. Growing consumption in middle income countries like China and India are increasing demand for many foodstuffs while Western governments’ newfound desire to ween themselves off oil by using ethanol and other biofuels is sapping the supply of those food staples. Ironically, The World Food
Program’s emergency plea for USD $755 million was recently met by 500 million petro-fueled dollars from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It’s good they’re giving some of the world’s worst off some food, maybe someday they’ll give the right to vote. Back in the United States, the tradition of the independent American farmer has largely been relegated to a fading feel-good myth. In its place are large corporate agribusinesses, largely subsidized by everyone’s tax dollars. Frustrated yet? Fortunately there are promising signs of homegrown resistance, such as green reclamation projects that focus on sustainability. From New York to Adid Abbas to Austin to Bowling Green, when the invisible hand has real consequences, try getting your own dirty.
QUENTIN KILPATRICK | THE BG NEWS
TOP SOIL: Volunteer Gardener Nathan Rose takes a break from the soil to pick his guitar. ABOVE AND BELOW: Pondering Planters - gardeners wonder what goes where.
Lights, camera, cash in! Big budget previews By Aaron Helfferich Film Critic
For the film industry, the summer season at the box office can be the most profitable period. While all-time box office record lists are created primarily by superheroes or digital effect spectacles, we can see a trending priority that has over run today’s film market. In recent years, the idea of a big budget summer movie has evolved into a film designed around a franchise moneymaking scheme. With movies ranging from family animated films to live-action superhero recreations, there’s potential excitement for everyone. Not always, however, do these films reflect the necessary tools for a successfully entertaining film. In the past two years, we’ve seen franchise films set and break their own box office records. During that time span, the all-time highest grossing weekend by a single film was broken twice. First we witnessed the sequel to “Pirates of the Caribbean” garner over $135 million in just two days. The very next year, the highly anticipated “Spider-Man 3” raked in $150 million. However, their success was short-lived. While these films and many others like it may gross extraordinary earnings, they reflect little relation to how they were received by audiences and critics. Looking closely, we notice the films that gathered the most money are two of the most pleasing and recognizable films of all time. “Titanic” and the original Star Wars surely featured their handful of dazzling special effects, but it was their use of an ensemble cast creating lovable characters that helped the films reach their status of legendary box office triumphs. If, years into the future, we were to look back on
today it’s safe to say that neither Spidey 3 or Pirates 2 will be remembered as classic films, as they are considered the worst in their respective franchises. Franchise films first took a drastic turn in 2005. That year, “Batman Begins” made minor footprints at the box office. Only earning just under $50 million in the first weekend, “Batman Begins” gained the bulk of its change near the end of its long run at the cinemas. With such a strong emphasis on character, “Batman Begins’” director, Christopher Nolan, injected his film with a level of quality that no other superhero films have been able to capture since the original Superman film. Given the strong word of mouth and positive reviews, “Batman Begins” grew its legs and sustained a healthy tenure that earned a total over $205 million. Much like Christopher Nolan, we have thankfully started to see more directors taking note to such a profoundly unnecessary overuse of digital effects. This year already, “Iron Man” boasted strong character development that drove not only admirable characters, but worthwhile action sequences as well. “Iron Man” alone, has already earned nearly $100 million in its opening weekend. Even though that’s double the size of “Batman Begins,” you can look for “Begins’” sequel, “The Dark Knight,” to possibly rank a considerable all-time high as 2008’s most anticipated film of the summer. Depending on how many of these high-budget and highaudience films continue to promote quality substance alongside non-conflicting visual effects, it’s only a matter of time before the worldwide movie-going audience is able to catch on and the fullest potential for box office domination is realized.
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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Battling for the sake of history
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War of 1812 re-enactors offer vistors a rare glimpse into the history of Fort Meigs in Perrysburg
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PHOTOS BY ENOCH WU | THE BG NEWS
TOP: Local and visiting War of 1812 re-enactors swap stories and history as they relax between battles at Fort Meigs this past weekend in Perrysburg.
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LEFT: Volunteer re-enactors posing as British soldiers from the War of 1812 march out to battle at Fort Meigs this past weekend in Perrysburg.
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Help Wanted !BARTENDING! up to $300/day. No exp. necessary. Training provided. Call 800-965-6520 ext. 174. Volunteer Coordinator - Supervise and coordinate volunteer program for WCBMRDD, recruitment, interview, registration, orientation, placement and training. Salary range based upon experience $36,976 - $42, 226. Application deadline is 6/13/08 @ 12:00 p.m. Application packets available 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Wood Lane School, Ent. B., 11160 E. Gypsy Lane Rd. Bowling Green, OH EOE Waitress/Bartender Doc s. 18265 Main St. Tontogany OH 43565
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Part time sitter needed for one 12 yr. old girl, in my Perrysburg home beginning Fall 08. Must be flexible. Call for more info. (917)903-1754.
3 bdrm. home, Crim St., nice neighborhood. Lg. common areas, W/D, A/C. Avail. Aug. (419)352-7090.
Earn $10 an hour this summer by acting as a participant in studies related to speech, language, and music. For more information, contact Louis Vinke at vinkel@bgnet.bgsu. edu (preferred) or 419-372-4590.
For Sale HOUSE FOR SALE Perfect get-a-way from the chaos of town. Wooded lot with ravine view. Large deck, granite countertops. Tontogany Creek Rd. 9 mi. from town. (419)-378-0809.
For Rent * 3 bdrm. available in August. * 1 or 2 bdrm. avail. May or August. For more info call 419-354-9740
133 Georgia Ave. 2 bdrm. house. $750 mo. 419-308-2457
812 (avail. June 1) & 832 Third St. (avail Aug. 1). 5 blks from campus. 3 bdrm., 1 bath, privacy fenced in back yard. $875 mo., plus util. Call (419)392-2812. Furn. rm., TV, freedom of house. W/ D, clean & quiet. $300 mo. $100 dep. 419-354-6117, Larry. Houses & Apartments www.fiterentals.com 419-353-8206 HURRY.....only a couple of 3 bedroom townhouses avaiilable. Copper Beech. 419-353-3300. Studio apartments starting as low as $299.00. Looking for your own space? Come check out our convenient location offering: Private Entrance, Flexible Leases, Pet Friendly. Call about our move-in specials! (419)352-0590
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Bluegrass Festival
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PULSE
8 Wednesday, May 28, 2008
WWW.BGNEWS.COM
GARDEN From Page 6
INDY From Page 6
Peace Lutheran Church at 1021 W. Wooster St. “We consider ourselves generous in spirit and space and felt that it demonstrates good stewardship of the land” said Debbie Conklin, the church’s pastor. “This is an era where good nutrition is the labor of love,” Conklin added. After confirming the plans with the church’s governing and enhancement committees, the project was given the go-ahead. Through a friend’s work, the local Lawn Specialist donated topsoil and began tilling the soil two weeks ago. Since then, project members have labored away making various enhancements. “With food prices going up, a lot of people can’t afford fresh produce,” Doughtery said. “Here people can get it for free.” Over the summer the community graden project hopes to expand with free gardening workshops and host a harvest
script was said to have taken years of rewrites to get right. Thanks to Lucas, it now feels more like a lack of inspiration with too many tacked on references to Star Wars. The most memorable moments of the film include witty one liners between Indiana and his new sidekick played by Shia Labeouf. All the actors succeed in bringing the perfect amount of chemistry to play off each other even though their story feels more artificial than we remember it. “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is a film that fails on just as many levels as it succeeds. Being an Indiana Jones film is simply enough to keep this film afloat. Strangely enough, the film holds a reason to be seen. By retaining parts of the fabric that made the originals so memorable, it’s easy to see why nostalgia plays such an important part in movie making. Without it, we would simply be watching “National Treasure: Book of Secrets.”
“Free Tomatoes. Beats paying two bucks a pound.” Wes Stiner | Lawn Specialist fesitval in the fall. “It’d be great to do what Toledo Grows does, basically make as much green space as possible while offering free food,” Kuharick said. “Basically we just want people to help each other out, and not for profit.” The project is applying for grants but has so far relied on the donations of various local individuals, organizations and businesses such as The Andersons, Ace Hardware, Naturally Native Nursery and Lawn Specialist. “I guess what I like most about
it all is the simplicity,” said gardener Megan Sutherland. “It’s basic, it’s certainly not waitressing ... besides I like getting my hands dirty and it’s one small way to practice what I preach.” “Free Tomatoes. Beats paying two bucks a pound,” said Wes Stiner, another gardener. Still needed are stakes for tomatoes, gardening gloves, mulch or rock for the pathways, a sprinkler and a new hose. For more information on the Community Garden Project contact Krista Kuharick at 419656-7954.
QUENTIN KILPATRICK | THE BG NEWS
UPPER LEFT: Nathan Rose, Richard McGowan, Lyndsey Doughtery and Krista Kuharick getting down, grimmy and gritty in the dirt. ABOVE: Power-O-Flower. Volunteers plant crops on the plot at Peace Lutheran Church.
Director and actor Sydney Pollack dies at 73 By Raquel Maria Dillon The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Sydney Pollack was remembered by some of the elite actors he directed in films such as “Out of Africa,” “Tootsie” and “Absence of Malice,” not only for his Academy Award-winning direction, but also for his acting talents. Pollack, diagnosed with cancer about nine months ago, died Monday afternoon, surrounded by family, at his home in Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, said his publicist, Leslee Dart. He was 73. Unlike many other top directors of his era, Pollack was also a film and television actor himself, and he used this unique position to forge a relationship with Hollywood’s elite stars and create some of the most successful films of the 1970s and ‘80s. In 1970, “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?,” about Great Depression marathon dancers, received nine Oscar nominations, including one for Pollack’s direction. He was nominated again for best director for 1982’s “Tootsie,” starring Dustin Hoffman as a cross-dressing actor and Pollack as his exasperated agent. As director and producer, he won Academy Awards for the 1986 romantic epic “Out of Africa,” starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep, which captured seven Oscars in all. Last fall, Pollack played law firm boss Marty Bach opposite George Clooney in “Michael Clayton,” which he also co-produced and received seven Oscar nominations. “Sydney made the world a little better, movies a little better and even dinner a little better. A tip of the hat to a class act,” Clooney said in a statement. “He’ll be missed terribly.” Other A-listers Pollack directed include Sally Field and Paul Newman in “Absence of Malice,” Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn in “The Interpreter,” Robert Mitchum in “The Yakuza,” Tom Cruise in “The Firm,” and Redford in seven films: “This Property Is Condemned,” “Jeremiah Johnson,” “Three Days of the Condor,” “The Way We Were” with Barbra Streisand, “The Electric Horseman,” “Out of Africa” and “Havana.” “Having the opportunity to know Sydney and work with him was a great gift in my life,” Field said in a statement. “He was a good friend and a phenomenal director and I will cherish every moment that I ever spent with him.”
Sydney Pollack 1935 - 2008 His career spanned over 30 years In later years, Pollack, who stood over six feet tall and had a striking presence on screen, devoted more time to acting, appearing in Woody Allen’s “Husbands and Wives,” Robert Altman’s “The Player,” Robert Zemeckis’ “Death Becomes Her” and Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut.” On television, Pollack had an occasional recurring role on the NBC sitcom “Will & Grace” playing Will’s (Eric McCormack) father, and appeared in the “The Sopranos,” “Frasier” and “Mad About You.” His last screen appearance was in “Made of Honor,” a romantic comedy currently in theaters, where he played the oft-married father of star Patrick Dempsey’s character. “Most of the great directors that I know of were not actors, so I can’t tell you it’s a requirement,” Pollack said at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2005. “On the other hand, it’s an enormous help.” Pollack first met Redford when they acted in 1962’s low-budget “War Hunt,” and would go on to play a major role in making Redford a star. “It’s easy working with Bob; I don’t have to be diplomatic with him,” Pollack once told The Associated Press. “I know what he can and cannot do; I know all the colors he has. I’ve always felt he was a character actor in the body of a leading man.” Pollack also produced many independent films with the late Anthony Minghella and the production company Mirage Enterprises. His recent producing credits include “The Talented Mr. Ripley”; “Cold Mountain”; “Sketches of Frank Gehry,” a documentary that was the final film directed by Pollack; and the new HBO film “Recount,” about the 2000 presidential election. Sidney Irwin Pollack was born in Lafayette, Ind., to first-generation Russian-Americans. In high school in South Bend, he fell in love with theater, a passion that prompted him to forego college, move to New York and enroll in the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater. Studying under the renowned Stanford Meisner, Pollack spent several years cutting his teeth in various areas of theater, eventually becoming Meisner’s assistant.
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