Oct. 21, 2009

Page 1

budget | granholm to veto portions of six bills, 3A | campus vibe How does Windows 7 compare to Mac Snow Leopard? 1B

soccer| Team aims for regular season MAC championship, 6A

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

Central Michigan Life

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

[cm-life.com]

Music building emergency

Messages upset students, faculty University looking into why four alerts were sent Monday By Kelli Ameling Staff Reporter and Jake Bolitho Senior Reporter

Warren freshman Ben Lazarus was not the only one in his family notified by the Central Alert system late Monday. His mother and grandparents at his house in Warren also received messages from the Central Michigan University Police Department at around 11 p.m. “They got the underscore message,” Lazarus said. “They were really worried about the safety of myself and my sister.” Phone calls were sent out by the Central Alert message system after a hydrochloric acid chemical leak was detected in the Music Building. People inside the building were asked to evacuate immediately. The first message was unsuccessful. Instead of a notification from the CMU Police, an incomprehensible computer message was relayed out to those who were signed up to receive the alerts. The next two messages gave updates on the building’s evacuation, and the fourth gave an “all clear” message. The first message was sent at about 10:30 p.m. and the last was sent at

about 11:15 p.m. CMU Police Chief Bill Yeagley said he does not know what caused the problem with the messages, but it will be analyzed. Originally, the plan was for only two messages instead of four. “I have folks gathering data today to figure out what went wrong,” he said. “I always take it very seriously when things don’t work as they are designed to.” Precaution Yeagley said the decision to send out the notifications late at night was not required, but the department decided to take precautionary action anyway. “That’s always a judgment call,” he said. “If I’m going to make a mistake, I would rather have too much information.” At about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, CMU Police sent an e-mail to the campus community saying it is looking into the problems with the alert system. Comments posted on cmlife.com shortly after the incident were critical of the system. “It was very worrisome to get text messages and e-mails about some incident, but no information about the incident,” read one comment. “Thankfully I decided to check cm-life. com and found the information here. I know of a couple of other

photos by paige calamari/staff photographer

Fowlerville senior Cory Steffke carves a design in a pumpkin Tuesday at Halloween U.S.A., 1203 S. Mission St. Steffke, an art major who would like to work at a tattoo parlor, has tattooed pumpkins in the past to practice the craft.

creative carvings Students use different tools to craft unique pumpkin designs By Joe Borlik Senior Reporter

A music building | 2a

Student illnesses close area schools Mount Pleasant district, Renaissance to reopen next week By Maryellen Tighe Staff Reporter

Mount Pleasant Public Schools and Renaissance Public School Academy, 2797 S. Isabella Road, are closed for the rest of the week because of high numbers of student illnesses. “The (Mount Pleasant) high school has 47 percent of students absent (Tuesday),” said Mount Pleasant Public Schools Superintendent Joe Pius. “We made the decision to close down the school district for three days.” Renaissance Public School

Academy had 22 percent of the student body absent, said Business Manager Brandy Reihl. “When (the public schools) decided to close, we decided to close,” Reihl said. Sacred Heart Academy, 302 S. Kinney Ave., did not have the necessary amount of absent students out to close, said principal Denny Starnes, but does not have busing available because it shares with the Mount Pleasant school system. The Health Department is seeing a sharp spike in the number of cases of influenza type illness, especially among the K-12 age group, said Director of the Central Michigan District Health Department Robert Graham. The seasonal flu generally

Fowlerville senior Cory Steffke carves a clown design in a pumpkin Tuesday night at Halloween U.S.A., 1203 S. Mission St. Steffke, an employee of Halloween U.S.A., plans to display the finished pumpkin within the store.

A schools | 2a

Pumpkin carving can be a serious business. Cory Steffke and Ashlynne Potts have been carving pumpkins for as long as they can remember. Steffke uses various carving tools for to add variation on his designs for pumpkin carving. “Freehand” carving is his favorite as opposed to following patterns taped on the pumpkin. “I like doing surrealist, abstract and subconscious art,” the Fowlerville senior said. “I’ve done pumpkins with bones, grim reapers, scary faces and intrigue designs.” Steffke and his co-worker Potts carved their first pumpkins of the year Tuesday night at Halloween USA, 1203 S. Mission St., where they both work. Just for fun, he dressed like Frylock from Aqua Teen Hunger Force while he carved an evil clown and Potts dressed like Master Shake while she did a Me-

dusa-style design. Potts won a pumpkin carving contest in Kalamazoo two years ago for her design of an abstract eye. “We all grew up carving pumpkins, it’s just fun,” Potts said. “It beats bobbing for apples, that’s for sure.” Future endeavors Pumpkin carving also is a way for Steffke to practice his future job as a tattoo artist — he has tattooed pumpkins. Currently an art student, Steffke plans on interning at Heritage Tattoo, 1222 S. Mission St., after graduation. “I got my first tattoo when I was 16,” he said. “It’s two tribal dragons on my back representing my two grandfathers that passed away. Ever since then I fell in love with tattoos.” Steffke’s body is covered in 11 tattoos expressing himself including characters from Aqua Teen Hunger Force, the cover to Tool’s “AEnima” album and A carvers | 2a

[inside] NEWS w Enhanced driver’s license available at all Secretary of State offices, 3A

sports w Senior Reporter Dave Jones discusses football, 7A

campus vibe w Student a cappella group holding concert Saturday, 4B

CM-LIFE.com w Check the Web site for a story on the SUSO forum.

weather w Rain showers High 63/ Low 48

economic development

New hotel, water park on Pickard Street by 2011 Construction to last 12 months, say Tribe officials By Joe Borlik Senior Reporter

The Soaring Eagle Inn and Conference Center at 5665 E. Pickard St. will be torn down and replaced with a new hotel and indoor water park. Demolition will start in March and construction will begin immediately afterward, said Mary Kilmer, spokeswom-

an for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe’s Migizi Economic Development Company. Kilmer said the Tribe is expecting 12 months of construction, and the new hotel and water park is planned to open in early 2011. “(The renovations) will be a good thing for Soaring Eagle, Mount Pleasant and the surrounding communities,” Kilmer said. “All the feedback I’ve received so far has been excitement.” The three-star, 120-room hotel will feature food and bever-

age facilities, a restaurant that overlooks the golf course and a 45,000-square-foot water park, Kilmer said. The water park will feature various slides and rides, a snack bar, a retractable wall or roof to let sun in during the summer and an adult pool separate from the kid’s area, according to the company statement. Kilmer said she was unsure of the project’s cost. Moving forward Kilmer said when the Tribe purchased the property, the

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intent was to demolish the existing hotel and build a family resort complex. The original hotel was built in 1964 and Kilmer said when the Tribe bought it in 2007, the building was expected to be around for 10 years. According to a press release, Bonnie Sprague, the Soaring Eagle Inn and Conference Center’s general manager, has been working to find employment opportunities at the casino for her staff who will not be needed during the construction phase. The existing 44-room Green

Suites facility and the Holiday Greens Golf Course will remain open during the new hotel’s construction phase. “We look forward to job creation and new economic opportunities for the members of the Tribe and the surrounding communities,” Sprague said in the release. The Migizi Economic Development Co. hired the Native American-owned Thalden Boyd Emery Architects to work on the project. metro@cm-life.com

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2A || Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 || Central Michigan Life

EVENTS CALENDAR Today w Registration for Halloween Scavenger Hunt (Amazing Race) will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m in the Bovee University Center’s Down Under Foot Court. w Psychology Advising Night will take place from 8 to 9:30 p.m. in the Towers Dining Hall. w Eagle Feather Cleansing will take place from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Ziibiwing Center, 6650 E. Broadway St. w The Standing in the Gap meeting will take place from 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. in Pearce Hall Room 127.

Thursday w The CMU Orchestra will perform from 8 to 9:30 p.m. in the Music Building’s Staples Family Concert Hall. w The Wesley Foundation is sponsoring a showing of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button� at 7:30 p.m. at the Wesley Foundation. w A performance of “Dark Play or Stories for Boys� by Carlos Murillo, directed by Scott Freeman, will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Moore Hall’s Theat re-on-the Side. w A speech on “PolymerInorganic Nanocomposites: Theoretical Studies of Thermodynamics and Phase Behavior,� by Valeriy V. Ginzburg from Dow Chemical Company, will take place at 4 p.m in Pearce Hall Room 228.

Corrections Central Michigan Life has a long-standing commitment to fair and accurate reporting. It is our policy to correct factual errors. Please e-mail news@cm-life.com. Š Central Michigan Life 2009 Volume 91, Number 26

university program

A-Senate delays adding courses Changes and additions to wait until July 10, 2010 By Amelia Eramya Staff Reporter

The Academic Senate voted Tuesday to not add new courses to the University Program until July 10, 2010. Professor of psychology and A-Senate secretary Bryan Gibson believes it would not make sense to add new courses under the old guidelines. Since there has been continued discussion and review of the General Education Program at Central Michigan University, the General Education Subcommittee recommended extending the policy of not adding new courses to the University Program. “When it became clear that the general education program was going to be revised, it was decided to not keep adding courses,� said Phil Squattrito, A-Senate chairman and chemistry professor.

Carvers| continued from 1A

a Buddhist footprint symbolizing life and death. He is currently in his third year of working at Halloween USA, where he works 13 hours a day. Steffke works with three of his roommates, one of which is his manager. For Steffke, working at a Halloween store has many advantages, including trying on the costumes and meeting new people.

music building|

jake may/staff photographer

CMU Police Sgt. Chris Pryor approaches the yellow tape as he discusses the closing of the Music Building before officials knew wafting hydrochloric acid fumes were the cause of a smell. The shutdown was more precautionary, Pryor said, as the smell was similar to sulfur.

schools| continued from 1A

works its way through schools one at a time. The novel H1N1 is affecting multiple school districts and multiple counties. The main differences in novel H1N1, earlier known as swine flu, and seasonal flus such as H1N1 seasonal and H3N2 is the people it affects. Novel H1N1 is more common in the young through age 24, while seasonal influenza is more common in the very young and the very old,

Graham said. “I’m seeing the potential for a lot of people to miss a lot of school and a lot of work,� he said. “It’s no worse than the seasonal flu.� There are added clinical symptoms for novel H1N1 compared to seasonal influenza. People who have novel H1N1 are more likely to experience vomiting and diarrhea than people with seasonal flu, Graham said. The flu vaccine, though not currently available, is still the most effective way to prevent influenza. The vaccine can

www.cm-life.com

[News]

Guideline changes According to the Curricular Authority Document on academicsenate.cmich.edu, basic general education courses are expected to base 50 percent of the student’s grade on writing. The current guidelines are still in effect, and professors are struggling to meet these requirements, Squattrito said. Under the new guideline, the writing intensive courses will base 70 percent of a student’s grade on writing. “The goal is to have students become better writers,� Squattrito said. The changes in the new program include the creation of a competency requirement in quantitative reasoning, which will benefit students in everyday math such as understanding deficit and taking out loans. The implementation, which the General Education Subcommittee is responsible for conducting, will be expected to be complete for A-Senate to approve or possibly reject by the end of November or beginning of December, Squattrito said. university@cm-life.com

“We get a lot of religious people that come in,� he said. “We get a lot of Wiccans and goths, Halloween means different things to different people.� This year for Halloween, he plans on dressing up like the Boondocks Saints with his friends. Potts said she plans on being “Wayne� from “Wayne’s World.� She said the store’s most popular costumes are humorous things for guys and revealing and sexy costumes for girls. Steffke and Potts also are

WEATHER FORECAST Today

CM-LIFE.COM online media

50 percent chance of precipitation

High 63/Low 48 Rain showers

thursday

VIDEO Check the Web site for a video on pumpkin carving.

70 percent chance of precipitation

High 49/Low 35 Rain showers

friday

Follow us on TWITTER

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PHOTO OF THE DAY

libby march/staff photographer

Westland senior Dan Simpson holds a pose for art professor Jesse Dominguez’s figure drawing class Monday night in Wightman Hall. “You wouldn’t think just sitting still for half-an-hour to forty-five minutes would make you sore,� Simpson said. “But my muscles hurt after doing this.�

avid painters and helped paint an abstract colorful beer-pong table together. Potts is taking a semester off from school and is pursuing a graphic design art degree. Many of her classroom notes turn into sketches, which turn into designs carved into pumpkins, she said. Halloween will always be Steffke’s favorite holiday. “Everyone has a fear and it’s a lot of fun to exploit that sometimes,� he said. studentlife@cm-life.com

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students who did not receive the message at all who should have because they had signed up for it.� Another comment said the “press one to hear this message� is unnecessary and the message was half over by the time it was first heard. “So this is why I received a recorded phone message at home at 11 p.m. (my wife is faculty, not connected in any way with music) when my entire family is asleep?� another comment said. “The phone message itself was garbled.� ‘A strong acid’ Although people complain about the overwhelming messages that most viewed as unnecessary, the students who take 10 days to become effective. Other ways to prevent the spread of the flu are frequent hand washing, covering the mouth when sneezing, getting regular sleep and not smoking. “For anybody whose ever had the flu, it’s miserable, and for people who are at risk for complications, it can be deadly,� Graham said. “It’s nothing to take lightly.� metro@cm-life.com

were in the building could have been in danger, said David Ash, chairman of the chemistry department. “(Hydrochloric acid) is a very strong acid,� Ash said. Ash said if the chemical got on someone’s skin, it would burn them. Lazarus said CMU needs to use the system correctly and get the right message out to students. “It really destroyed the point of the system,� Lazarus said. “It caused more panic than anything else.�

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inside life Central Michigan Life

3A

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

Granholm to veto portions of final six bills Last part of budget sent Tuesday to governor By Edward Schutter Staff Reporter

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm plans on vetoing portions of the final six 2009-10 state budget bills presented to her Tuesday. “Granholm has made it clear that she is not afraid to use her veto pen to protect the rights of the citizens,” said Megan Brown, Granholm’s deputy press secretary.

The governor received a new higher education bill Tuesday and is willing to make more changes, Brown said. She was unhappy with bills concerning higher education, K-12 education, Medicaid and revenue sharing. Director of Special Projects and Central Michigan University Griffin Endowed Chair Maxine Berman said it is coming down to pulling funds from other areas. “The governor’s point is that she is unhappy with the lack of sufficient funds for education, and now we have to decide if we want to make more cuts or increase taxes,” she said.

Granholm wants to protect promise grants for higher education and wants to take more money from higher-populated school districts to balance the K-12 budget. Berman said this does not necessarily mean money is only being taken from wealthier school districts. “The larger school districts do not mean just the rich ones,” she said.“This all depends on the number of people in the schools.” Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop told Granholm in a letter if she expects to see more tax increases to get the money desired for the education budget, she is making a mistake. Bishop said sufficient

support will not be there. Granholm signed a continuation budget Oct. 1 after the 2009-10 state budget deadline was not reached. The Michigan Promise Scholarship remains an unresolved issue, as Granholm pushed for restored funding after the grant was cut from the interim budget. The scholarship, which gave $4,000 to students who completed at least two years of higher education and qualified through the Michigan Merit Exam, was cut in June to save the state more than $140 million. metro@cm-life.com

Enhanced driver’s licenses available

A licenses | 5a

Fowlerville freshman Justin King said he did things other freshmen probably were not able to while starting at Central Michigan University. “We did things that are different than most classes,” King said. “We were able to understand new ways of learning and we did it with people we lived with and developed friendships in the process.”

Film Showing

The film “Jump Back, Honey: The Poetry and Performance of Herbert Woodward Martin” will begin at 7 p.m. today in the Park Library Auditorium. The film was made by David Schock and the event will include comments by Herbert Woodward Martin. Admission to the event is free. Martin will be on campus the following day to visit select classes. For more information, contact Ulana Klymyshyn, Director of the Multicultural Education Center, at klymy1au@cmich.edu.

Diversity Luncheon

Soup and Substance: The Role of the African American Artist, from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday at the Bovee University Center in Terrace rooms A, B and C will include a presentation on diversityrelated topics. The luncheon will be presented by Herbert Woodward Martin. The event is free and one in a series of Soup and Substance events. For more information, contact Ulana Klymyshyn at klymy1au@cmich.edu. photos by chris bacarella/staff photographer

Grosse Ille senior Robbie Hunter performs as Miley Cyrus during the “best talent round” during Phi Sigma Sigma’s “Mr. PhiSignificant” pageant Monday at the Broadway Theater, 216 E. Broadway St.

A PhiSignificant other Fraternity members take part in pageant for charity By Alex Washington Staff Reporter

Fraternity members found out what it is like to be a lady as they shimmied and glided across the stage. Greeks came out Monday for Phi Sigma Sigma sorority’s eighth annual Mr. PhiSignificant Pageant. The Broadway Theatre, 216 E. Broadway St., was full of laughs as 13 men took to the stage to display their talents and answer questions. When contestant Josh Lee was asked how he would spend his day as a woman, he said there are three things he wants to know. “I would watch The Notebook to see if I really cry, I would wear heels for an hour to see if they really hurt and I would put to rest that myth that women don’t

think about sex as much as guys do,” the Troy sophomore said. Phi Sigma Sigma sponsored the pageant to raise money for the Phi Sigma Sigma Foundation. Audience members were allowed to vote by donating money to their favorite contestant and, at the end of the night, more than $845 was raised with a portion of the proceeds going to the National Kidney Foundation. Not your typical event Holt junior Devin Jones was crowned Mr. PhiSignificant two years ago. He said he decided to participate again this year because it was something fun to do. “It’s a cool event that they put on — it’s not like your typical philanthropy dinner,” Jones said. “It’s some-

King is one of 30 people involved in the First Year Living Learning Community that took over part of Wheeler Hall’s third floor this fall. Wheeler Residence Hall Director Sara Olsztyn said the idea for the living community really came together, and the freshmen live and learn together. “We are in week eight, and the students are amazing standout students,” Olsztyn said. “Each building has a hall council,

which is like the student government of the hall, and five of the nine executive board members are from the third-floor learning community.” Students benefited a lot from living with the people with which they took classes, said Commerce Township senior Elizabeth Sullivan, the resident assistant for the third floor and a peer mentor for the program. A fye | 5a

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Learn more about the world of competitive rock, paper, scissors from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday at the Bovee University Center Auditorium. A comedic film will be shown along with a competition. For more information on the event, contact Prisilla Vargas at cmu_pb@cmich.edu or call 774-3174.

CFX Corn Maze

Mount Pleasant Parks and Recreation and 95.3 FM WCFX are hosting a corn maze from 6 to 10 p.m. at Papa’s Pumpkin Patch, 3309 N. Summerton Road. The nine-acre corn maze is $6 per person. Anyone able to locate all checkpoints in the maze will receive a free corn maze T-shirt. Houghton Lake junior Kelly Lepper talks to Kalamazoo sophomore Stephanie Glidden and Troy sophomore Josh Lee backstage to make sure they are prepared to be first on stage for Mr. PhiSignificant Monday night.

thing you can have fun with and it was to support a good cause.” While the night was full of Miley Cyrus impersonations and interesting dance numbers, things took a sentimental approach when Holt sophomore Ryan

Collins performed. “I’m dedicating this song to my grandmother, who passed away after losing her battle to cancer,” Collins said. “This was the last song she heard me sing.” A pageant | 5A

Freshmen learning together in a First Year living community By Lonnie Allen Staff Reporter

Students will worship from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, at Central Park. This is a free service outside Charles V. Park Library, by the pond. Students can attend and bring instruments. For more information and details, visit the Facebook group EVOKE (Worship) or e-mail Nyesha Smith, smith1nn@cmich.edu.

The workshop Seven Habits of Highly Effective People is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday in Rowe Hall Room 229. The event is open to the public. Registration is $105, which includes two lunches and a workbook. Presenters are Amy McGinnis and Kim Voisin, who are certified in the Seven Habits for Highly Effective People Signature Program and the Seven Habits of Highly Effective College Students. To register, call 774-6447 or e-mail Nate Holmes, Human Resources, at stratod@cmich.edu.

By Lonnie Allen Staff Reporter

Student reaction Hillsdale sophomore Pat Vear, who has traveled to Mexico for spring break, said the enhanced drivers license sounded like a great idea and plans on getting one. “Once my passport expires, I will probably get the new

Worship Service

Learn good habits

Personal IDs also sent to Secretary of State offices

The Michigan Secretary of State is now offering enhanced driver’s licenses and personal ID cards at all 145 locations. Ken Silfven, spokesman for Michigan’s Department of State, said after the initial rollout of the enhanced license and ID cards on April 21, the 16 locations were monitored for interest and demand from the public. “It didn’t take long to see this was what the residents wanted,” Silfven said. “It was clearly an option of interest.” The enhanced licenses and ID cards allow people to re-enter the United States from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean on land or sea, crossing in compliance with federal regulations, which took effect June 1, Silfven said. He said more than 90,000 residents have already purchased the $45 enhanced driver’s license. The personal ID cards are $30 each, compared to the standard license of $25. The Mount Pleasant branch has seen a steady interest since the IDs became available for purchase two months ago, Silfven said. “They do five or six of the new licenses a day,” he said. The enhanced license and ID card renewal process works the same as a standard license, he said. Licenses are renewed every four years and cost $38 for the enhanced and $18 for the standard.

[Life in brief]

Pie Your Professors

This week, jars will be placed between in Dow Science Complex 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Students are encouraged to add money to the jar of the chemistry professor they wish to see pied. The professor with the most money will get a pie in the face Friday after an awards luncheon, which starts at noon on the second floor of Dow. All donations benefit the American Chemical Society.

Postal worker sentenced

Bobbie J. Sinko, the Mount Pleasant postal worker convicted on 31 counts of mail fraud in March, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for her role in a fraud that provided mail from Central Michigan University to be shipped for free, according to court authorities. In addition to prison time, Sinko will be required to pay $354,498 in restitution. jake may/staff photographer

Fowlerville freshman and First Year Experience student Justin King, right, laughs with Canton freshman Kelly Gitre, his friend and classmate, while they hurry to finish math homework due on Blackboard the common are of Wheeler Hall.

David Veselenak, Managing Editor | news@cm-life.com | 989.774.4343

If you have an interesting item for Life in Brief, let us know by e-mailing news@cm-life.com

voices

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” – The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Central Michigan Life

4A Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

[cm-life.com/category/voices]

Brian Manzullo, Editor

in

Chief | Will Axford, Voices Editor | Matthew Stephens, Presentation Editor | Lindsay Knake, Metro Editor | David Veselenak, Managing Editor

EDITORIAL | Central Alert needs to be more concise when sending out messages

D

Faulty alarms

ozens of students, faculty, alumni, family and community members woke up to phones ringing near 11 p.m. Monday. The calls were from Central Alert to bring them an emergency message: That the Music Building was being evacuated because of a gas leak. If Monday showed anything, it is that the Central Alert System is a flawed system that needs serious fixing — for several reasons. Although the problem was identified as early as 5 p.m. — that a foul smell was in the air around campus — the system didn’t send anything out until 10:45 p.m., more than five hours later. Few, if any, students are in any of the buildings on campus after 10 p.m.

Some people are asleep after a busy day of working and attending class. A warning in the dead of night is the last thing anyone wants to wake up to, especially if it’s not life-threatening and does not need the immediate attention of those signed up to Central

Alert. Even worse, many could not make out the garbled message they heard when they did pick up their phones. The message told people to “evacuate this building,” but failed to identify which building. If this had been an extreme emergency, most people would be left in the dark since nothing was communicated. People could have stayed in the building and been harmed, or gotten worked up over nothing. Later, another message was sent out, saying that the building was clear. Most people thought “clear” meant it was safe to go back into the building. But officials said clear only meant that no one was inside of the building, and that it was not okay to enter the building. The university should be embarassed by how uncoordinated this process went. The Central Alert System needs to be more concise with its

word choice and timing if it expects to help anyone. It also needs to make sense. Either the system itself is faulty or the people operating it are not clear on what they need to do. The quickest solution to improving the Central Alert System is have a better plan in place for the next use. If the emergency broadcast system continues to operate poorly, people are going to see it as an annoyance and eventually ignore it all together. The system will essentially turn into the boy who cried wolf. Having this system is a good idea — if it works effectively. Sending text messages and phone calls is a convenient way t o alert students on campus of dangers, especially when they are away from school. It gives parents peace of mind, too. But if it continues to operate like it did Monday, the university may be better off not having it.

ROSS KITTREDGE [CARTOON]

Nathan Inks Columnist

The need for unbiased media Earlier this week, I saw a news story about comments made by White House Communication Director Anita Dunn at a forum about the Obama campaign press strategy. Dunn said “a huge part of our press strategy was focused on making the media cover what Obama was actually saying as opposed to why the campaign was saying it. … Very rarely did we communicate through the press anything that we didn’t absolutely control.” There’s nothing wrong with that coming from Dunn — I think most campaign strategists would agree that being able to shape news coverage is a goal of any campaign. What I do have a problem with is the fact that the media just stood by and let it happen. Personally, I think the media has a responsibility to the American public to do more than simply rebroadcast campaign rhetoric. The media should be analyzing what the candidates say; they should be trying to have dialogue with the candidates. But the media needs to do this without reducing what candidates say to a 10-second sound bite that can be played over and over again, often out of context. Unbiased media does not mean media devoid of any analysis or discussion. It looks at the story from all angles, dissecting what the politicians are saying . When media outlets allow campaigns to control the news stories, they have essentially become an arm of the political campaign. This applies to both sides of the aisle. Most of the mainstream media has become anything other than objective and unbiased, from CNN to MSNBC to FOX. The best way to combat this is to get your news from multiple sources. Don’t just accept what you hear on the radio or TV as fact — do some research. You will not only be more informed, but you will also be able to help inform others and, if we are all more informed, our elected officials are more likely to be accountable for their actions.

[our readers’ voice]

Police should use bikes, not Segways I see the approachability of police officers important to relationships with all of campus and the surrounding community. While interesting and novel to watch last week, I hope Segwaymounted officers is a thing of the past. If the goal is to find new transportation methods, let’s consider the humble bicycle for a moment. Bicycles have stood the test of time as a quality transportation option. They have many advantages over Segways. Segways are wide and, while moving, take up more lateral space than bicycles. The $6,800 price tag of a Segway would purchase many high-quality police bikes. Bicycles don’t require charging batteries. Bicycles place the officers within the campus transportation culture. Bicycles are faster and highly maneuverable. Bicycles are easily and inexpensively maintained by

the rider or a local bike shop. By first-hand experience, Segways don’t do well in snow, but a properly outfitted bike can be ridden in all of Michigan’s seasons. Bicycles require active participation to use, which is an excellent means of exercise for the rider. It’s great to see and talk with the Mount Pleasant police officers and park rangers on bicycles. Their bikes make them a part of the community culture. Segways may be an option, but they create a distance between officers due to the snobby chic of the pricey machine itself. Please thoroughly consider bicycle mounted officers as a more viable and affordable option for CMU. Anything that gets us out of the car and closer to the university community is a good thing. I applaud the interest to improve community relations. Let’s see more CMU Police on bicycles. Ride safe. Ryan Flesher NAS Coordinator/Instructor

Readers’ comments from the Web site: Nate says:

This whole Central Alert System just either needs to be forgotten about or for someone to come in who knows how to work it. I received 4 calls on my cell phone, 2 calls on my apartment phone, then at least 5 notifications of the speaker system that is on campus…it was all very annoying! Come on CMU, get this thing fixed! M J says:

The Central Alert System is next to useless when either the technology fails by calling people 3 or when 4 times with garbled messages, or when the users responsible for sending the alerts don’t know how to use it and send things like “all clear” instead of “clear out.” Antonio says:

This doesn’t make any sense… The people who called about the sulfur smell..where were they from? Were they down on main street or something?

C M Y o u |Are you taking any precautions with the H1N1 virus going around?

Central Michigan Life Editorial Brian Manzullo, Editor in Chief David Veselenak, Managing Editor Matthew Stephens, Presentation Editor Eric Dresden, Student Life Editor Lindsay Knake, Metro Editor Sarah Schuch, University Editor Andrew Stover, Sports Editor Tim Ottusch, Assistant Sports Editor Ashley Miller, Photo Editor Will Axford, Voices Editor Caitlin Wixted, Lead Designer Advertising Lindsey Reed, Katie Sidell Advertising Managers Carly Schafer, Shawn Wright Multi-Media Marketing Coordinators

Jason Gillman Jr. Columnist

Oh, the tyranny Hope and change: return to monarchy If you’re reading the print edition of CM Life, look toward the top of the page. What do you see? Even if you’re not, don’t worry. You would see the text of the First Amendment — establishing that the government can not infringe upon free speech. This certainly was on the minds of our founding fathers, given that criticism of the king was not tolerated. The last couple of months have shown that the federal government views itself as that king. And like some cheap pirate novel, it wants revenge. Let’s look back to June. The initial version of the house bill designed to give the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products contained a clause that would have made it illegal to mention on the packaging or through the media that the product was regulated by the FDA. The version of the bill signed into law by President Barack Obama doesn’t contain that exact language anymore, but they still made it illegal to say anything that might even remotely make people think the product is safer. That blurb about misleading consumers is just as bad as the first version — it wouldn’t be a stretch to assume that someone will think consumption of tobacco products is safer now that the FDA is involved. Let’s look at things even more recent. Humana was punished for putting out truthful information, that ObamaCare would adversely impact enrollees in their Medicare Advantage program — by Medicare. The administration finally realized that the gag order it imposed was wrong, yet it apparently still requires “permission” for insurance companies to communicate with its client base. Censorship, anyone? What about you bloggers out there? Like a product and want to tell the world about it? Better make known any disclosures! The FTC is concerned that you might be improperly advertising. “But Jason, the corporations could hire and promote bloggers to make the products out to be something it’s not!” Assuming that argument would actually legitimize the infringement (it doesn’t), let’s look at a counterpoint. On Sept. 20, George Stephanopoulos questioned Obama about the health care bill mandate for coverage being a tax on ABC’s “This Week.” Obama denied the claim on the fact that, well, he said it’s not a tax increase – even though the bill indicates a tax penalty for those who don’t have coverage. Now wait a minute. The government is concerned about some shill blogger being able to push a product with false legitimacy or Humana truthfully informing their customers, all while letting Obama get away with what amounts to calling the sky green? “This Week” had roughly 3.08 million viewers during that episode, far more than the 900,000 enrolees Humana informed. Nope, no double standard there. None at all. Of course, there are many other examples of infringements, I only discussed large ones within the past year.

[letters to the editor]

“No, I’m not really that worried about it.” Ruby Gasper,

Adrian freshman

Professional staff Rox Ann Petoskey, Production Leader Kathy Simon, Assistant Director of Student Media Neil C. Hopp, Adviser to Central Michigan Life

“No. I have a strong immune system. I also carry around hand sanitizer and drink a lot of orange juice.”

“I know people who have had it, but I’m doing my best to prevent it by washing my hands.” Genna Randazzo,

Marcus McKinney,

Detroit junior

Chesterfield senior

“No, it’s all kinds of precautionary. I feel like it’s just as dangerous as every other flu.” Spencer Schatz,

Stevensville junior

victoria zegler/staff photographer Central Michigan Life is the independent voice of Central Michigan University and is edited and published by students of Central Michigan University every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the fall and spring semesters, and every Wednesday during the summer. The online edition (www.cm-life.com) contains all of the material published in print. Central Michigan Life is is under the jurisdiction of the independent Student Media Board of Directors. Articles and opinions do not necessarily reflect the position or opinions

of CMU or its employees. Central Michigan Life is a member of the Michigan Press Association, the Michigan Collegiate Press Association, the Associated Collegiate Press and the College Newspaper Business & Advertising Managers Association. Central Michigan Life’s operations are totally funded from revenues through advertising sales. Editions are distributed free throughout the community and individuals are entitled

to one copy. Each copy has an implied value of 75 cents. Non-university subscriptions are $1 per mailed edition. Copies of photographs published in Central Michigan Life or its online edition (www.cm-life.com) are available for purchase at http://reprints.cm-life.com Central Michigan Life’s editorial and business offices are located at 436 Moore Hall, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI 48859, telephone 774-3493.

E-mail | voices@cm-life.com Mail | 436 Moore Hall Mount Pleasant, MI 48859 Fax | 989.774.7805 Central Michigan Life welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Only correspondence that includes a signature (e-mail excluded), address and phone number will be considered. Do not include attached documents via email. Letters should be no longer than 300 words and commentary should not exceed 500 words. All submissions are subject to editing and may be published in print or on www.cm-life.com in the order they are received.

www.cm-life.com

[News]

Harrison junior Abbey Colville is the press secretary for Jason Liptow, a democratic candidate for State Representative in the 97th District, which includes Clare and Gladwin Counties. “(The job) entails press releases, managing the Web site and answering e-mails, calls, and whatever comes in. We make sure all our information comes from the same source. All while being a student,” she said.

licenses| continued from 3A

license,” he said. “I think it might make it easier when traveling.” Taylor senior Virginia Mudge said she and her mother used to go to Canada for shopping and other activities, but have

Sean Proctor/ Staff Photographer

Student learns the political ropes Harrison junior working as press secretary for state House candidate By Connor Sheridan Staff Reporter

Juggling college classes, homework and campaign trailblazing is not an easy task for Harrison junior Abbey Colville. But it is a welcome challenge. She is the press secretary for Jason Liptow, a Democrat running for the Michigan House of Representatives’ 97th district, and is majoring in integrated public relations. She also is an active member of Alpha Gamma Delta, a sorority on campus which she helped with new member recruitment. “It’s very stressful,” Colville said. At this point in the campaign, her work has only just begun.

fye| continued from 3A

Wisconsin freshman Amanda Brantner said the FYE class and living community has made her feel like a part of something. “I love this community because we’re a giant family,” she said. The FYLLC requires students take the First Year Experience class, ENG 101: Freshman Composition and MTH 105: Intermediate Algebra together and live together. The new residential college was advertised during orientation last summer, Olsztyn said. She said there is no special incentive for the program or no additional cost for the students or the university. “They don’t get anything from the university,” she said. “There are no scholarships or reduced occupancy in their

pageant| continued from 3a

While the votes were being tallied, attendees were entertained by female a cappella group On the Rox, who sang 1980 pop songs, which included The Go-Gos’ “Our Lips are Sealed.” Bad Axe junior Kyle Post was crowned 2009 Mr. PhiSignificant, but said winning was not important to him. “It was totally unexpected. I participated because I know a lot of the girls in Phi Sig and I really love their philanthropy,” Post said. “Winning was just an

“Next semester, I’ll have to take a lighter class schedule,” she said. The big picture Despite time constraints and obligations, Colville presses on. She said she is glad to help Liptow, a former teacher of hers with whom she has remained in contact. When Liptow began planning to run for the House, he asked her for a hand. Colville was happy to oblige. “It’s real world experience; it’s a great resume builder,” Colville said. Liptow had glowing praise for her contributions thus far. “She is in charge of all communications,” Liptow said. “From the middle of August until now, she’s got a full Web site up and all the press releases.” When Liptow first met Colville as a substitute teacher for a freshman English class at Harrison High School in Harrison, he said he immediately knew she was destined for great things. “She has one of the hardest room, it is students living on the same floor taking three classes together.” More than education After eight weeks of the class, the staff and students have developed a bond that goes beyond learning. Last Wednesday, the students had their last FYE class together. “It has helped my students a lot,” Sullivan said. “They have developed a real strong living community on the floor that will continue even after the class ends.” Cedar freshman Devin Weber said he was a little concerned at first but, once the group started, he knew he made the right choice. “After signing up I really didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “But, once it started, it has been great. I am going to miss this class.” Olsztyn teaches the reextra bonus.” Kara Pifer, the coordinator of Mr. PhiSignificant, had been planning the event for several months and was pleased with the turnout. “It was a nice turnout, and I was really happy there

working work ethics I’ve ever seen,” Liptow said. “I chose the people who I thought best fit the job.” Liptow has a mix of college students and others volunteering on his campaign, and Colville was one of the first people to get involved. “She sees the big picture; she’s very analytical,” Liptow said. Life after college While she enjoys her current duties, Colville already has her sights set on a future career. “Overall, I’d like to be in management,” she said. She enjoys having an active role in the influential realm of politics, though her first choice of employers would come from sports. She said she is a big sports fan. Liptow said he could see her doing something a little different in the future. “She’ll end up ruling the world some day,” Liptow said, jokingly. studentlife@cm-life.com

quired FYE class, and Sullivan is one of the mentors for the class. The students have developed a sense of belonging, they study and look out for each other, she said. “Being the (resident assistant) and FYE peer mentor for this floor has been a very rewarding experience,” she said. “All my residents are super positive and they all take care of each other.” Olsztyn said next year they expect to have the entire third floor of Wheeler Hall filled with FYLLC students. No changes have been made for next year, but she thinks they may separate the RA from the peer mentor position next year. “I think it was hard for the students to separate the two positions in their minds,” she said. “Their RA is fun but, in class, we still need times to be serious.” university@cm-life.com

was a lot of variety,” the Blanchard sophomore said. “Usually, almost every guy would get on stage and sing, but we didn’t have much of that this year.” studentlife@cm-life.com

Central Michigan Life || Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 || 5A

not been there since the new rules went into effect. She believes it would be a hassle going shopping in Canada without a passport and is looking into the new IDs. “I would consider buying the new license since, when I am home, we are only about 15 minutes from Windsor,” she said. “I don’t think my family

even knew about the license.” Silfven said enhanced licenses and ID cards provide a hassle-free entry back into the country. “There are other documentations you can use,” he said. “The enhanced license is an easier way.” metro@cm-life.com

sports Central Michigan Life

6A

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

[cm-life.com/category/sports]

Matthew Valinski Staff Reporter

file photo

File photo

Sophomore defender Liesel Toth earned second team All-MAC honors last year as a freshman.

Coach Tom Anagnost has led the soccer team to its best start in school history (13-3, 8-0 MAC) in his first full season.

Striking success

file photo

Freshman defender Bailey Brandon has started every game since she has come to CMU. She is a part of a defense that has shut out opponents in 11 consecutive games.

Soccer can lock up MAC regular season title Friday By Matthew Valinski | Staff Reporter

A

target is getting bigger on the soccer team’s back with every win and every shutout. Instead of worrying about when its shutout streak — now at 1,027 minutes and 26 seconds — will end or who it is playing Sunday or next week, CMU’s focus is on what it can do today to improve for its next game. That next game, at 4 p.m. Friday at the CMU Soccer Complex against Bowling Green, the team has a chance to clinch the regular-season MidAmerican Conference Championship. Despite that pressure, the focus remains the same. “(We know) that we have a target on our back and that each game is going to get harder,” said senior forward Amanda Waugh. “We have to be able to come out ready for teams that will be high-pressuring and really aggressive. Even this weekend, we struggled with physical play. “We have to be ready to play physical.”

MAC Standings 1. CMU 2. Toledo 3. EMU 4. Ohio 5. Miami 6. Akron 7. Kent State 8. WMU 9. Buffalo 10. BGSU 11. Ball State 12. NIU

8-0-0 5-2-1 4-1-3 4-2-2 4-3-1 4-3-1 3-3-2 2-4-2 2-5-1 1-4-3 2-6-0 0-6-2

MAC Tournament Schedule: Nov. 1: Quarterfinals* Nov. 6: Semifinals* Nov. 8: Finals* *Played at campus sites.

Improvement Waugh said this mentality helped the Chippewas to their best start in school history at 13-3 and 8-0 in the MAC. Coach Tom Anagnost said he saw this mentality, dating back to the end of last season, when his players became more focused on the daily regiment, has paid dividends to a lot of his players. “The biggest difference this year, I think, is the preparation,” he said. “We prepare daily very well, and that is the biggest factor. Not just talking this fall, (but) talking about the end of last season as well. It is that mentality.” Anagnost said the effort the players put forth in the offseason is now paying off on the field, and the coaching staff can see the improvement. One of the players who

made a big improvement over last year is sophomore Chelsi Abbott. Abbott played in 13 games last season. After coming off the bench for the first eight games this year, she moved into the starting lineup since MAC play began Sept. 25 against Ohio. Abbott has scored the game-winner in the team’s last three games and has two assists during the MAC schedule. “I think she is a lot more confident, for one,” Anagnost said. “She understands the game and is a lot more comfortable. Chelsi worked harder from last year to this year than her freshman year and she has seen the results.” Senior midfielder Stephanie Martin gives a lot of credit to the coaching staff of Anagnost, A focus | 7A

P l ay e r s t o Wat c h Liesel Toth- D

Laura Twidle- F

Stephanie Martin- MF

Bailey Brandon- D

After earning Second Team All-MAC honors last year as a freshman, Toth has helped the team move into fifth place alltime in NCAA history with 11 consectuive shutouts. Toth also has been a starter in every game and has helped CMU go 1,027 minutes and 26 seconds without allowing a goal, a MAC record. Toth has been a factor with long range shots for Central.

While Twidle has slowed down since her fast start, she still leads the MAC in points and is tied for first in goals. The freshman has finished her few chances and has not missed on scoring opportunities in her first season of action. Twidle has three game-winners on the season with two of them coming in 1-0 victories. She also has started every game.

The senior has come off the bench in 10 games this year after recovering from an injury and has produced with one goal and two assists in 10 games. Martin became the career leader in points for CMU this season after scoring Oct. 2 against Kent State to give her 67 points. She added one more assist Oct. 9 against Ball State to give her 68 for her career.

Brandon has been a starter for the Chippewas in every game during her first season. She has helped the team break the school record for consectuive shutouts in CMU history with 11. Brandon has also taken over for Erica Rohren on throw-ins near the other team’s 18-yardbox and has been a threat offensively, scoring one goal with three assists.

Andrew Stover, Sports Editor | sports@cm-life.com | 989.774.3919

Witness history Students should embrace soccer team’s success

T

he soccer team has two home games this weekend where it can clinch a regular-season Mid-American Conference Championship for the first time in the program’s history. The program has done almost everything it can to put a product on the field capable of being the best CMU women’s soccer team in history. In its history, the team finished second in the MAC regular season twice. The 2004 team went to the MAC Championship, where it lost 2-0 to eighthseeded Bowling Green, while outshooting the Falcons 22-10. But this soccer team could already go down as the best the school has put on the field with what it has already accomplished. Central is leading the nation in shutouts and is doing so while leading the MAC in goals, with 18 in eight conference games. It has accomplished much with a youthful roster, with 11 of its 23 members being freshmen. Its leading scorer is freshman Laura Twidle, who has seven goals (tied for first in the MAC) and 16 points (first in the MAC). The midfield has unsung hereos in juniors Jenna Hill and Valerie Prause. Hill and Prause have been key for the Chippewas in doing the jobs that generally go unnoticed on the stat sheet. Hill has been important in winning the ball at midfield while stalling opposing offensive attacks. Prause could be the best player in the MAC at winning a header in the box and getting the ball into a dangerous area with a flick of the head. What it’s lacking What this team is still without, however, is fan support. How many opportunities does a school like Central Michigan have to be placed in the NCAA record books? How many chances do students have to view a team that could reasonably break an NCAA record? There will always be people who don’t like the game of soccer or don’t understand its rules. But there are plenty of people on this campus who do like the game or just want to show off school spirit. Rules aside, how many people go to CMU football games with the concept in their mind of cheering when everyone else cheers and just being in an environment where they are with their friends, hanging out and having fun? That environment should be at the CMU Soccer Complex at 4 p.m. Friday and at 1 p.m. Sunday, while the Chippewas go for a MAC Championship. Why not take advantage of one of the few great teams at CMU as it contends for a MAC Championship? Students have a chance to witness a first in CMU history and be a reason for it happening. It is a chance for the student body to be a part of something special. sports@cm-life.com

cm-life.com/category/sports

Central Michigan Life || Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 || 7A

[Sports]

BGSU should not be overlooked T

he football team’s defense has made some major strides this season. The team was last, or close to, in the top three defensive categories at the end of the 2008 season. But the vast improvement for the 6-1 Chippewas has them leading the MidAmerican Conference in scoring defense (allowing 15.9 points per game) and second in total defense, allowing 325.9 yards per game. For some perspective, that is an improvement after giving up 30.2 points per game (eighth in MAC) last year and 423.8 yards per game (last in MAC). But, probably, the biggest test will come this weekend in Bowling Green. Sure, the team has already beat Michigan State and Western Michigan with quarterback Tim Hiller — the second most prolific passer in the conference behind CMU’s senior quarterback Dan LeFevour. But Bowling Green quarterback Tyler Sheehan will test CMU’s secondary.

Dave Jones Senior Reporter The Strength of the Defense There is no doubt the defense has been led by its front seven. The defensive line has done its job to allow junior linebackers Nick Bellore and Matt Berning to sit back and scope the backfield. CMU is second in the MAC in rushing defense, allowing 127.1 rushing yards per game. But believe it or not, that actually puts more strain on the secondary. There’s that old football adage that a strong run game opens up the passing game. However, shutting down the run will force a team to go to the pass on a regular basis. Saturday in Kalamazoo,

Hiller dropped back to pass 66 times and completed 40 attempts for 410 yards — season highs in all three categories. All the while, the Broncos offense was able to gain just 87 yards off the run. But those numbers skew what actually happened. The secondary did its part to shut down one of the top quarterbacks in the state and in the conference, along with a skilled set of receivers. Although it gave up 410 yards to Western Michigan, the secondary stifled the Broncos’ top wideout in Juan Nunez, holding him to five catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. That opened things up for Robert Arnheim, who led WMU with nine catches for 112 yards, but he never was or will be the focal point in WMU’s offense. Saturday in Ohio Sheehan doesn’t really get the recognition his numbers would have you believe. The senior leads the MAC in passing yards per game (333.7) and in total offense (325) and,

yet, he still goes overlooked. Maybe it’s the distance between Bowling Green and Mount Pleasant, or the fact that the MAC already has its big names in LeFevour and Hiller. But Sheehan is no slouch. He very well could give this secondary its biggest test of the season. And the test only gets harder with the fact that his favorite target is one of the best wide receivers in the conference. Freddie Barnes leads the MAC in receptions per game and receiving yards per game (12.1 and 126 respectively). CMU’s secondary can shut down a prolific wideout, as it showed against Nunez and WMU. It will have to force Sheehan to look toward other options opposite of Barnes if it wants to continue its success. sports@cm-life.com

Get Lucky. Live Happy.

OUTSIDE THE LINES | Meet goalkeeper Melinda Curran

Staff reporter Jacob Lougheed sat down with Melinda Curran, in her fourth season as the goalkeeper for the field hockey team after graduating in three years. She ranks first with 39 saves in Mid-American Conference games in 2009.

Jacob Lougheed: First of all, where are you from? Melinda Curran: I am from a place called Anderson Township, and it is about 10 minutes east of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.

JL: How many years have you been playing field hockey? MC: This is my eighth year playing the game. I started back in my freshman year of high school.

JL: Tell me, what factors intrigued you into starting (to play) field hockey? MC: It was on the list of fall sports and I decided to check into something I was interested in, and I just wound up playing.

JL: That was it? What initially got you interested in the sport? MC: It had hockey in it. Anything with hockey in it interests me.

JL: How many text messages do you send a day? MC: Ummm it depends really. Maybe 10-20.

JL: (Only) 10-20? You aren’t a big texter? MC: Most days, it is like five, but then there are days when

Focus |

continued from 6A

Neil Stafford, Ashleigh Carter and Ken McDonald for getting the team to focus on its next game and not to think about the records the team is setting this season. “Our coaches help us a lot,� she said. “They keep us focused on the day ahead. We are only focused on Friday’s

there are big long conversations with people. JL: Can you text without looking or is that not one of your hidden talents? MC: Partially. Most of the time, there are a lot of misspellings, and I am really, really slow. JL: How often do you check your email? MC: I check my e-mail all the time. I check it at least 20 times a day. JL: Are you one of those people who are glued to their Blackberry to get e-mails? MC: (laughs) No, not at all. JL: What is your biggest pet peeve? MC: Honestly, it is people asking me a ton of questions. JL: So these interviews must be a pain for you then? MC: (laughs) No, that is just me having to think about things, so that is OK (laughs). JL: Would you consider yourself a morning person or night owl? MC: Morning definitely. I get up really early to do things and that is how I work best. JL: I know you have played ice hockey as well at the Mount Pleasant I.C.E Arena. In fact, you played a game against me about a year ago.

game. We don’t really think about Sunday’s game or the big picture.� Support for the team With as good as the team is playing, Anagnost said one of the biggest things he wants to see is more people seeing the Chippewas. With two home games left in the regular season and the team looking to have at least one home game during the MAC Tournament, Anagnost

If you weren’t playing field hockey what would be your alternate sport? MC: It would have to be ice hockey for sure. If it had to be something else, I would probably play softball. I played back in high school and we had a few good teams back in high school. I went to a really small school, so it wasn’t like top-notch softball.

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JL: You, like most other college athletes, don’t have much of this, but what do you like to do with your rare free time? MC: I watch a lot of other sports. I love to watch football on the weekends, and I love to sleep a lot. JL: Being from Ohio, are you a Cleveland Browns fan or a Cincinnati Bengals fan? MC: I am a Browns fan.

Soccer! Fire Up CMU

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JL: So it has got to be bad watching them on Sunday’s this season for you hasn’t it? MC: It’s bad. I know it. JL: Of all the achievements you and your team have accomplished, what would you say was your greatest moment wearing that Chippewas jersey? MC: I would have to say my first shutout last year in the game against Ohio (1-0). It was just a really good felling to finally have that shutout at the collegiate level. I don’t even think that I ever had one in high school.

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said having the stands packed would give his team a huge advantage. “It would mean the world to everybody,� he said, “We have a very good product and great people on the team that are playing very well, and we are hopeful that we will have a lot more of the student body out there. It would be big-time for the program.� sports@cm-life.com

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a cappella | Top Shelf group breaks traditional mold, 4B

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Central Michigan Life

Wedneday, Oct. 21, 2009

[cm-life.com/category/vibe]

illustration by ross kittredge

compute this

New Windows operating system shipping Thursday seeks to rival Apple’s newest OS By Connor Sheridan | Staff Reporter

T

he times have changed for Microsoft and its Windows operating system. When Windows XP was released in 2001, its market dominance was unchallenged. PCs were far and away the standard for mainstream computing. But years later, with many categorizing XP’s successor, Vista, as a flop, Apple’s Mac computers spiked in popularity. Microsoft’s stranglehold on the operating system battle became weaker. Thursday, Microsoft releases Windows 7, its answer to Apple’s growth and Vista’s shortcomings. Is it enough to reclaim Microsoft’s status as the unchallenged titan of computing, or will it falter against the growing strength of Mac OS X? “It’s faster, it’s a lot more streamlined, it’s less system-heavy,” said Joe Hertler, a Lake Orion sophomore and help desk analyst. The focus for this iteration of the more than 20year-old product line is not so much on what it has that Vista does not, but what it does not have that Vista did.

I

Frequent load times, annoying notifications (in particular from User Account Control, a system intended to help prevent unwanted processes from running on the computer) and many other frustrating sticking points from Vista were removed or smoothed out in Windows 7. Users now have the opportunity to not only use Microsoft’s types of programs, such as Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player and Windows Mail, but can now branch out and try third-party programs. “I got better performance out of my applications,” Hertler said.

New focus The focus on making the operating system better instead of reinventing it is similar to Apple’s design philosophy for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. The buzz words “Evolution, not revolution” apply equally well to both. Highland senior Tim Johnson said there are several changes on Windows 7 that might surprise some. “A lot of it is aesthetic, making it look cooler,” said Johnson, also a help desk analyst. The taskbar has been signifi-

I’m a Mac...

grew up using PCs just like everyone else. My parents had a Packard Bell computer running Windows 3.1 when I was 6 or 7 years old. My earliest days using it involved wasting 10-hour trial CDs on America Online. Since then, I used PCs for everything. I played computer games, chatted with friends and even built Web sites. In fact, I had not used a Macintosh computer until I joined Central Michigan Life in 2005. At first, I hated Macs like everyone else. A one-click mouse sounds ridiculous. There’s no convenient “Start” button in the corner to show all your applications. I couldn’t even figure out how to quit an application after closing a window.

Brian Manzullo Editor in Chief But times change. I’m in my fifth year using Macs at CM Life. And last winter, when looking at a new laptop to buy, I picked a MacBook Pro. Why the change of heart? In addition to being a journalism major, I am a media design minor. Many of the programs I use on Macs, including Final Cut Pro, a video editing program, are not available on

Inside w Netbooks on the rise, 4B

cantly revamped for the first time since Windows 95 — like OS X’s Dock, it now allows frequently used programs to be pinned to it, while enhancing existing functionality by automatically grouping windows from the same program together. It then allows each instance to be previewed individually on mouse-over through a system called “Aero Peek.” Several user interface elements combine to make Windows a much more multitasking-friendly environment, encouraging multiple non-maximized and easily reshaped applications to be on-screen at once. These relatively minor changes from Vista may make Windows 7 a less essential purchase than previous upgrades have been for the majority of users. “If they aren’t having problems with Vista, I’d recommend staying with it,” Johnson said. Test run Traverse City junior Mike Beemer has been using the

Student discount win741.com offers 75 percent off w Any college student with a valid university e-mail address ending in .edu, including CMU students, can purchase Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional directly from Microsoft for $30, as opposed to its standard price of $120 or $200, respectively. The offer can be found at win741.com and will last until Jan. 3, 2010.

Free programs to try Windows 7 is allowing users more freedom to disable default Microsoft components, so here are several free and effective applications that could replace their functions and improve performance: w

INTERNET EXPLORER ALTERNATIVES

w

WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER ALTERNATIVES

w

WINDOWS MAIL ALTERNATIVES

-Mozilla Firefox (mozilla.com/en-US) -Opera (opera.com) -VLC (videolan.org/vlc) -Winamp (winamp.com)

-Mozilla Thunderbird (mozillamessaging.com/en-US/-thunderbird) -Claws Mail (claws-mail.org)

A windows 7 | 2b

I

...and I’m a PC

PCs or don’t work as well. n today’s rough economy, But beyond that, Mac OS X is a college student who conjust cleaner, safer and — get this tinually uses a computer needs — easier to use than any operone that works and is affordating system Microsoft able. has to offer. Mac’s exThat’s why I’m a Facebook PC. pose option allows me to show all windows, Yes, I could go on a us! view my desktop, view big Mac-bashing fest my dashboard widgets but, let me be honest, Do you prefer or put my computer I like Mac’s, too. I just using a Mac or in sleep mode just feel they aren’t very via PC? Fan us moving my cursor to able for what I need. and discuss! a corner of the screen. I need a computer Window’s controls are that will work, get me nowhere near as intuitive. what I need and not cost about The programs out of the box $2,000 by the time all is said — including iCal, iPhoto and and done. Time Machine ­— are infinitely By the time I could purchase more useful than those on a PC one Mac, I could buy nearly (Woo hoo, solitaire). four PCs. So as much as every Mactoting, PC-spitting person A I’M A Mac | 2B

Eric Dresden Student Life Editor would like to point out that Mac’s are all about aesthetics, if I put together all four of the computers purchased with the money I could’ve bought a Mac for, I’m fairly sure my PC would be a little bit faster than the one Mac I purchased. The other major point against PCs are the fact that they are much more prone to viruses.

NEW YEAR, NEW BOOK

I won’t deny that point at all, because they are. But the fact is as long as you back up your information, regularly update you virus and spyware protection, you shouldn’t have much of a problem. Have I had troubles with my PC? Yes I have and, every time I have had trouble with it, I have figured out how to fix it in a relatively short amount of time. So I don’t feel that spending an extra $1,000 to make sure I don’t have to worry about my computer getting a virus is the smartest idea when I have probably had about a week of trouble altogether with my computer.

A I’M A PC | 2B

Go online anytime and print out your favorite deals from our Mt. Pleasant businesses!

:Xdglj:Xj_:flgfej%Zfd

2B || Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 || Central Michigan Life

ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

NEW STUFF DVDs 1. “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” 2. “The L Word: Final Season” 3. “Numbers: Complete Fifth Season” CDs 1. “Full Circle” Creed 2. “The BQE” Sufjan Stevens 3. “I Told You I Was Freaky” Flight of the Conchords video games 1. “FIFA ’10” PS3, X360, Wii, PS2, DS 2. “CSI 5” PC 3. “Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars” PSP

TOP FIVES

Judge fears blagojevich will new book details obama marriage incriminate self on ‘apprentice’ After a microscopic look CHICAGO – A federal judge isn’t blocking former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich from appearing on Donald Trump’s reality show “Celebrity Apprentice.” But U.S. District Judge James Zagel expressed concern Monday that a chatty Blagojevich could create messy issues for his criminal trial next summer by saying too much about his case and opening the door for prosecutors to use his words against him later. “There are significant confessional elements on that show,” said Zagel, acknowledging he has watched it a couple

box office

RANT

1. “Where the Wild Things Are” $32.6 million 2. “Law Abiding Citizen” $21 million 3. “Paranormal Activity” $19.6 million 4. “Couples Retreat” $17.2 million 5. “The Stepfather” $11.5 million

singles 1. “3” Britney Spears 2. “Down” Jay Sean ft. Lil’ Wayne 3. “Party in the U.S.A.” Miley Cyrus 4. “Whatcha Say” Jason DeRulo 5. “Run This Town” Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West

albums 1. ‘Crazy Love” Michael Buble 2. “Sonic Boom” Kiss 3. “American Ride” Toby Keith 4. “Love is the Answer” Barbra Streisand 5. “The Blueprint 3” Jay-Z

windows 7| continued from 1B

Windows 7 Release Candidate, a limited version released for free by Microsoft earlier in the year to provide a widespread program of troubleshooting before they began selling the product. “Once you install it, everything works,” Beemer said. He said the average user has to fiddle with things such as hardware drivers significantly less when starting out. “It’s pretty nice, I like it a lot,” he said. As for the final decision between the shiny new Windows and the glitzy new Mac, it mostly hinges on what the user wants out of his or her computer. Johnson would recommend an art student pick up a Mac for the bevy of supported creative suites, but might point a business student toward a PC for their international prevalence and array of financial applications.

i’m a pc| continued from 1B

And don’t get me started on the fact that Mac uses Intel parts. PCs and Intel have grown together and made each one and, in the last several years, Apple decided to switch to Intel to help run their computers. Do I need to even point out the hypocrisy in that? Personally, I did run into a few virus troubles with my PC, but never at one moment did I consider turning tail and running to a Mac. It’s not because I thought I was better than a Mac, but rather because I knew with any computer one is going to run into trouble, not just with a Mac or PC. I’ll take the chance of paying $600 on a good PC that will last me four or five years rather than paying $1,800 on a Mac that will last me the same amount of time. studentlife@cm-life.com

[campus collage]

of times. “People do say things about themselves.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Schar said he is concerned the process of whittling down a jury pool will be well under way in the spring, when the show is set to air. Zagel told prosecutors and Blagojevich’s lawyers to confer and come up with a possible agreement on what the former governor can and cannot say. The show features contestants trying to survive business challenges posed by Trump. After court, Sam Adam Jr., one of Blagojevich’s lawyers, said his client should not be muzzled. “Open the door to what?” Adam said. “These people tape-recorded the inner sanctum of the governor’s office, tape-recorded conversations he was having on the telephone.” Blagojevich doesn’t seem worried. He’s already in New York taping the show.

Caitlin Wixted Lead Designer

lifetime, stop stereotyping me

I

’m a proud member of a sorority on campus, and I’m sick of being stereotyped on television. This past weekend, Lifetime had a sorority movie marathon and I can’t say I was surprised to see how sorority girls were portrayed. Partying all the time, hooking up with guys and having a general disregard for attending class were themes present in each movie. Granted, we do have social events, but we also spend the majority of our time fundraising for our philanthropies, volunteering on-and off-campus, going to class and holding down jobs. Show me a Lifetime movie on that.

Hertler said he sees both sides of the fence. “It’s all personal preference,” Hertler said. “Macs are more expensive, (but) you have less problems with a Mac.”

at several famous marriages, author Christopher Andersen takes his pen-or, some argue, a hatchet-to the Obamas in his latest book, “Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage.” He describes a reluctant groom-to-be, sometimesstormy union, and woman sick of emptying his overflowing ashtrays and being shut out by his ambition. He says the crucibles of battling infertility, helping to nurse daughter Sasha to health after meningitis, and coping with early political defeat (and debt), the Obamas survived-and thrived. By the inauguration they were “indisputably the First Couple not only of America but of the world.” On him: “He was the supremely confident overachiever whose fatherless childhood left him deeply scarred emotionally; the product of an exotic multicultural upbringing who yearned for roots and a sense of his own racial identity...”

BEAT WRITER PICKS music

video games

“Hyph Mngo” by Joy Orbison

Earth Eternal (PC)

22-year-old South Londoner Peter O’Grady, who performs under the moniker Joy Orbison, has crafted one of the most brilliant and enjoyable dubstep anthems of 2009. “Hyph Mngo,” a five-and-a-half minute banger of a track, is a life-affirming club joint that’s bound to keep bodies warm and moving throughout the crisp fall and frigid winter. Comprised of big synths, a skittering beat that can’t quite find the downbeat, wild tambourine and a vocal sample of a woman soul singer saying, “I do,” “Hyph Mngo” makes brilliant use of very little. Fans of electronic music do not want to miss this. -Ben Weissenborn

i’m a mac| continued from 1B

Coming to CMU Hertler said College of Business Administration students can get Windows 7 for free online. “It is also $10 at the help desk,” he said. “We’ll probably start offering (it) to faculty and staff one to two months after (release).” As for an upgrade on campus computers, he said changes are already happening. “It’s going to be a gradual thing,” Hertler said. Beemer, who works at the Health Professions Building, said they are switching some computers to Windows 7. “We’ve only got one professor running Windows 7 right now,” he said. Beemer said no problems have occurred integrating it into their network.

It takes a minute, tops, for my MacBook Pro to boot up. My desktop PC takes more than five. Furthermore, it crashes at least once a week, and I run regular disk maintenance. Don’t get me wrong, I still love PCs for several reasons. And they have two distinct advantages in the market: Available software and affordability. But I would argue more software is becoming available for Mac these days, including games. And while Macs may always be more expensive than PCs, they’re still dropping in price (a $100 price cut on MacBooks since I bought mine). Really, it’s all up to the buyer. There are people who enjoy Windows for business purposes. You can always get a PC if you like programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint. Oh, wait — Macs have those, too.

studentlife@cm-life.com

editor@cm-life.com

Looking to get in on a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game, but too strapped for cash to shell out a monthly fee? “Earth Eternal,” a free-to-play MMORPG developed by Sparkplay Media, went into Open Beta last week - so now’s a perfect time to get a feel for the game. Players of “World of Warcraft” will feel instantly at home, as the game doesn’t stray too far from its successful formula. Characters can play as one of 22 races consisting of several anthropomorphic animals, robots and supernatural creatures, and can choose from one of four classes to fight for control of Earth after the fall of man. -Connor Sheridan

www.cm-life.com

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4B || Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009 || Central Michigan Life

m u lt i c u lt u r a l g r e e k c o u n c i l

By Connor Sheridan Staff Reporter

Sean Proctor/Staff photographer

A new group of Greeks

By Alex Washington Staff Reporter

For years, some multicultural Greeks felt they did not have a specific place in the Central Michigan University Greek system. “The Multicultural Greek Council was founded for governing the Greeks that don’t have mention in NPHC, Pan Hellenic Council or IFC,” said Saginaw sophomore Rodney Austin. “We wanted to create something for us that we could have here at CMU, so we created our own guidelines, bylaws, rules and regulations, constitution, and put it together.” This is MGC’s first semester as a council, and council president Miguel De Jesus said MGC plans to use its diverse membership to fill the void between the Interfraternity, Panhellenic and National PanHellenic councils. “We’re sort of in the middle

and that gives us the perfect opportunity to bring people together that wouldn’t normally come together,” the Sturgis junior said. “We’re different and we have the power and presence to make the change.” Southgate senior Andrew Walton said the differences are what make MGC and, instead of being ashamed and hiding them, it does the opposite. “We embrace our differences and we embrace it with a full heart; that’s what we are all about,” Walton said. What MGC is The Multicultural Greek Council is a trio made up of Sigma Lambda Beta fraternity, Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority and 12 C.A.R.A.T.S. sorority. Sigma Lambda Beta and Sigma Lambda Gamma are historically Latino organizations and became chapters at CMU in the early 1990s. “We were founded on the same principles of community service, cultural awareness and social interaction,” said Chelsea Calton, Fowlerville senior and a Sigma Lambda Gamma member. Formed in 2004 with help

from Minority Student Services, 12 C.A.R.A.T.S. is a sorority that places an emphasis on Asian cultural awareness. “12 C.A.R.A.T.S is an acronym, Celebrating Amity and Reflecting Asian Traditions through Sisterhood, which describes what we’re about,” Grand Blanc senior Jessica Porritt. Sigma Lambda Gamma member Stacey Bush said the variety of cultures and backgrounds within the council and its members gives comfort to students who may feel they do not fit the sorority or fraternity norm. “We’re about empowerment,” the Grand Blanc junior said. “We’re here for those who feel like they don’t have a place on campus.” MGC works toward the elimination in the noticeable divide in Greek programming by sponsoring events that are aimed toward everyone. The council hosted its first program, Culture Shock, a few weeks ago, which allowed students of different backgrounds to share and discuss common stereotypes. studentlife@cm-life.com

a cappella

Top Shelf breaks traditional mold By Luke Dimick Staff Reporter

When it comes to vocal experience, this quartet is on the ‘top shelf.’ The Top Shelf a cappella group brings a combined 17 years of a cappella experience to its first headlining concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Moore Hall Townsend Kiva. Tickets are $5 at the door or $4 from a Top Shelf member. The quartet of seniors consists of tenor Dominic Calzetta from St. Clair Shores, baritone Thomas Younger from Metamora, bass Forrest Nelson from Traverse City and high tenor/ vocal percussionist Chris Mueller from Grandville. Younger said Top Shelf is trying to break the mold of the traditional a cappella groups on campus such as Fish N Chips, On the

Future of computers shrinking Netbooks taking portability to a new level

Southgate senior Andrew Walton expresses his opinion during the Multicultural Greek Council meeting at 8 p.m. Sunday in the Bovee University Center Maroon Room. The Multicultural Greek Council is made up of one fraternity, Sigma Lambda Beta, and two sororities, Sigma Lambda Gamma and 12 C.A.R.A.T.S.

Students form group to embrace their differences

If you go... w What: Top Shelf concert w When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday w Where: Moore Hall’s Townsend Kiva w Cost: $5 at the door, $4 from a Top Shelf member Rox and Central Harmony. “With four people, obviously what we do is different from what 15 people will do,” said Younger, music director of Central Harmony. “It’s just an entirely different style of doing things. We thought that it would be something to shake things up around here and that people will like.” Recognizable tunes Calzetta said people can expect to hear a big variety of songs. “We sing everything from

cm-life.com/category/vibe

[VIBE]

‘Sex on Fire’ by Kings of Leon to ‘God Only Knows’ by the Beach Boys,” he said. “We’ve been at it for five years and people around here have been more and more receptive to a cappella music.” Younger said one of the advantages of having a small group is the ability to anticipate what the other group members will do. Calzetta said scheduling practices and concerts is easier with four people. “Everyone’s schedule works out very well,” he said. “There aren’t 16 people with 16 different schedules to work around.” Younger said the group’s title as not just a clever name. “The quality of the a cappella we bring is comparable to alcohol that you would find on the top shelf. It’s the best,” he said. studentlife@cm-life.com

As the PC world updates its software with Windows 7, another hardware change is evident. The desktop is no longer the main home of computing, as more and more students move to laptops and other mobile technologies in order to stay connected, keep up on classes and entertain themselves. Netbooks are laptops scaled down in almost every way imaginable. Instead of 13- to 17-inch screens, they usually range from eight to 10 inches. They rarely have disc drives, more than one or two USB ports or powerful processors and graphics. So what is the appeal of these welterweights? True portability. The draw behind netbooks comes from a laptop being too bulky to be taken everywhere, and the wide array of applications and services available online allows any computer with a wireless Internet connection and a Web browser to be useful. “I have one, my daughter has one, my son has one,” said professor of business information systems Jim Scott. He said most modern computers have more power than the average consumer uses. The smaller screen and less intensive components often allow them to have battery lives approaching ten hours. “(My netbook) runs 24 hours and it weighs about 3 and 1/2 pounds,” Scott said. The smaller screen and less intensive components often allow them to have battery lives approaching 10 hours even with smaller batteries. While Windows XP was a popular operating system choice for many netbooks because of its light system requirements, Windows 7’s modest requirements will make it a useful and realistic choice for many users. They also are noticeably less expensive. While an average laptop price range is somewhere between $600 and $1,400, netbooks rarely cost more than $500. But to Farmington Hills sophomore Alex Vanderstuyf, the benefits just don’t outweigh the inherent compromises. “I see them as somewhat stupid,” Vanderstuyf said. “I’m not a fan of the bad battery life (or the) tiny keyboard.”

Tablets Tablets are portable computers that resemble a laptop’s screen, but often do not have a keyboard attached. They are operated entirely with touch-controlled input from the user through a stylus or fingertips. Touchscreen support has been natively programmed into Windows 7 in order to accommodate this type of interface, which is touted as a more intuitive interface for everything from note-taking to gameplay. One example is the HP TouchSmart TX2, which combines a laptop with a tablet, allowing the user to fold the touchscreen over its keyboard. It retails for

$1,187. Many have been discussing the possibility of an Apple Tablet as well. But the future of tablets may have been cut short by the rise of netbooks. “I think netbooks have kind of overcome tablets in new trends,” said Highland senior and IT Help Desk Analyst Tim Johnson. Tablet computing’s chance for future relevance may rest with Apple’s heavily rumored contribution of a tablet running the iPhone’s OS. “I think the future of tablet PCs is ultra-portable,” Scott said. studentlife@cm-life.com

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