The Cauldron by Steve Thomas

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Volume107No.11-November3,2008

An In-Depth Look at the 2008

Presidential Election CSU Professors Dissect Candidates, Campaigns and Future By Christopher Enoch

Cauldron The

“For the Students...By The Students”

Editor-In-Chief Managing Editor Advertising Manager Copy Editors

SECTIONS

3 6 13 16

THE MELTING POT

Page 3_Opening Statements Page 4_The Struggle Page 4_Letter to the Editor Page 5_How to Make Reliable Voting Machines Page 5_Preposterous Politics

NEWS

Page 6_Independent Candidate Talks About “Crisis in American Politics” Page 8_CSU Students Have Chance to Have Election Questions Answered Page 8_The Verzubian Political Notebook Page 8_National City Plans Four 4,000 Job Cuts

Feature

Page 10_An In-Depth Look at the 2008 Presidential Election

Brace yourself for an impact: the election season is over. After a historic two-year campaign, politically exhausted Americans finally get a breather in the form of a two-year hiatus from national politics until the 2010 midterm. ‘Change’ was the buzzword this election season, and between two non-traditional candidates, it is certainly on its way whether you like it or not.

Arts + Entertainment

Page 12_ Flashback 1993: Topanga Lawrence Page 13_Now Hear This! Page 13_Concert Picks of The Week Page 14_CD Review Page 14_In Like a Lion

Sports

Page 16_ Current ESPN Senior News Editor Remembers His Roots

Volume 107 No.11 - 11/3/08

Nick Camino Christopher Enoch Jayson Gerbec Sairah Zaidi Laura Krawczyk News Editor Roman Verzub Arts & Entertainment Editor Faith Larraine Sports Editor Robert Ivory Layout Editor & Web Designer Steve Thomas Cartoonists Michael Quintero Frank Grigonis Business Manager: Anne Werner The Writers: Christina Niehaus Dan Langshaw Eric Sever Emily Ouzts Drew Cappy Alexes Spencer Melissa Alewine Cheryl D. Mello Jonathan ‘Killstring’ Herzberger Bob Demyan Robert Rozboril Stephanie Berhannan Ron Arnett Leah Juresko Nathan Genovese

The Melting Pot The Cauldron reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All entries must include your name, year-in-school, and daytime phone number for verification purposes. All entries must be submitted by Friday at 5 p.m. To Submit Editorials, Articles , Etc.: cauldroneditors@hotmail.com Campus Life Releases 100 words or less: Organization name and phone number must be included. Releases are for student organizations only and should include the event date, time, and location. Letters to the Editor 800 words or less: Letters must be in response to a written article or campus issue. Student Columns 600-800 words: Columns can be submitted by students regarding campus issues, positive or negative, and will be sent directly to President Schwartz in order to bring more student awareness. Advertising Policy For advertising inquiries e-mail cauldronadvertisements@hotmail.com or call (216) 687-2270. Contact Us: Cleveland State University 4th Floor Cole Center Cleveland, Ohio 44115 (216) 687-2270 / FAX (216) 687-5155 www.csucauldron.com

Nick Camino

inally, it’s over. The 2008 presidential election that began a long two years ago when the initial candidates were introduced has come to an end. Many are thrilled with the outcome, others not so pleased. The only advice this once undecided voter can give is that it’s not the end of the world my friends. Life in this free nation will continue, and as Americans our lives will go on in the ‘land of the free.’ For some this election may hurt. The time, effort and money that was spent on these presidential campaigns by supporters of all races, genders, and sexes needs to be applauded. Not a day went by throughout the election season where Cleveland State students weren’t voicing their positive opinions of Sen. Barack Obama or sporting a Sen. John McCain bumper sticker on their vehicle. Sometimes those efforts sadly get overlooked. But not this year. All the hard work and dedication shows how much the people of this country care about ‘the land of the free.’ This isn’t a place where wars are fought. This isn’t a place where millions are killed each day. And this definitely isn’t a place where oppression has occurred for the past 100 years. Sure, the United States has had their ups and downs. To name a few, The Great Depression of 1929, segregation of African Americans during the Civil Rights era, Sept. 11, 2001, and the current financial crisis.

Regardless, one thing has stayed constant throughout many of these tough times and will remain to flourish in many years to come, the fortitude of Americans who want to be the best. And they not only want to be the best, they want to live in the finest country. The media did not make this past Tuesday’s election important. Not even a part African American candidate or a female vice presidential candidate made this election vital. What made it critical was the support each candidate received from members of this country. Those who cared most about this election are the ones who want to keep this country the best on this planet. Even if the candidate they wished was the new chief executive didn’t win Tuesday, this country will continue to thrive because over the past two years we have seen Americans rally around candidates they feel can rule this country best. Not just doing that, but showing how much they care about not only their future, but their children’s futures. Yes, Tuesday’s election was historic, and will definitely affect this nation’s future. But you the people are the ones that make this country what it is today. Not just one man or woman. That’s what this election proved. That we do care, and that because of that simple fact, the United States remains apart from any other country on the globe. Continue to care folks. You are why this place we live in is great.

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

themeltingpot

OpeningStatements

HowtoMakeReliableVotingMachines Roman Verzub

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oes your vote really count? The creation and prorogation of electronic voting machines has caused a lot of controversy as security crackers demonstrating how they can easily compromise the security of a machine. It’s now been eight years since the Florida fiasco that convinced the masses to start developing an alternative to the antiquated and draconian punch card systems that existed at the time. New controversies over electronic touchscreen computer-based systems, however, are leaving many wondering “how can we make reliable voting machines?” Hardware Touch screen technology is great. It can accommodate disabled voters and even other languages easily. Memory cards, however are a problem. Instead of memory cards, computerized voting systems should use optical scan readers. This also has the benefit of providing reliable paper trails where the voter can make sure their vote will be cast for who they want. A company called Electronic Systems and Software has produced a voting system that combines the best of touch-screen technology, while providing a full-size paper printout to be scanned later by an optical scanner. Full-sized receipts are better than the printouts issued by current machines for several reasons. First, most current machines use thermal paper - the same kind cash registers use. The result is poor-quality printout paper that tends to curl up and rip easily. The printer could jam or run out of paper and a poll worker would have to come in and fix it midelection. Memory cards need to go. They are a hassle and an unnecessary security risk. Current systems require a poll worker to install memory cards and place taper-evident tape over the slot. Poll workers can, however forget to place the tape or can even forget to notice that it’s been tampered with. Furthermore, if the tamper-evident tape is removed, what do you do? Do you assume all votes are null and void? Princeton’s Ed Felten showed back in 2006 on his blog Freedom-To-Tinker.com it was possible to compromise security of a voting machine using only a standard hotel minibar key.

Eliminating memory problems like these.

Preposterous Politics

RidiculousWaysPeopleAreShowingTheirSupport Alexes Spencer

cards

removes

Software Simplify the code. Most voting machine source codes are far too verbose and complex than it needs to be. This is the fault in their design. The software on voting machines wasn’t built from scratch for the very specifics needs of voting. Instead, they were built as general purpose computer systems and “adapted” for elections. Thus, they contain many dormant features and lines of code never used in elections - a plethora of places in which to hide malicious code. Software must be self-policing. The TiVo, for example, is a general purpose computer system based on a free-libre and open source GNU/Linux based operating system and as such releases its source code. However, changing the code and loading it on a TiVo machine will not work. Voting software needs to have a similar mechanism to make sure that only authorized software is loaded on a voting machine. Speaking of free-libre and open source software - voting machine source code should be it. Once the code is created, we should follow Australia’s example and release the source code, making it transparently viewable and study-able by anyone anywhere. “Isn’t ‘open source’ dangerous?” people often ask, “If anyone can see the code, anyone can find a way to compromise it.” Sure, but anyone can also find a way to make it more secure - it works both ways. Those who want to compromise voting software aren’t really helped by ‘open source’ in any particular way - they’ve been known to break into proprietary systems as well. Edward Felten, a professor at Princeton University showed the tech website Wired. com how it was possible to break into, and install malicious software on, a proprietary voting system in only a few minutes. At least with free-libre and open source the “good guys” can see and submit fixes for, the code to counter the bad guys. Proprietary software only serves the bad guys. Hopefully, we will one day move beyond the fear of “is my vote really going to count?” and have a safe, modern, and transparent election system to carry us into the future.

From buttons to bumper stickers, Americans have always rushed to show their support for their favorite candidates come election time, but this year, voters have taken things to the extremes. A simple Google search will reveal at least ten different variations of “Obama is my homeboy” shirts. Awesome. Here are the same people raving about taking race out of the election putting race right back into it. It’s like asking people to leave the fact that Sarah Palin is a woman out of the Vice Presidential race and manufacturing a line of Palin brassieres. “You’ve got Sarah’s support” would be the slogan. Strange t-shirts are just the beginning. According to CNN, an artist in Spain plans to create a 500 ton, 2.5 acre gravel and sand sculpture of Obama with the hopes that it can be seen on Google Earth. Who exactly are we trying to persuade here, the two astronauts that are, according to NASA, voting from the international space station? The Spanish artist is not the only one creating larger than life portrayals of the candidates. AOL News has a picture of a large Obama poster replica created on the property of a Pennsylvania couple, as well as a nice picture of Palin’s face in a cornfield. What is even better is that the picture of Palin is a corn maze. I can see the anti-Palin responses now: Get just as lost as Sarah Palin gets lost in interviews. Art is not the only medium voters (and foreigners) are using to express their support. Voters this year are using alcohol. The Half Moon Bay Brewery in California is holding an “ale-ection” with two types of ale (actually, the same ale in two different bottles) named for the two Presidential candidates. Each time someone gets a bottle of beer, their “vote” is recorded. Now people can support their favorite candidates during politically-based drinking games! “Maverick.” With silly t-shirts, art, and alcohol, what could possibly take the preposterous politics cake? Could it be the Obama and McCain bobbleheads offered by Cleveland’s own Lake Erie Monsters? Guess again. The various Halloween costumes and masks people are sporting? Not even. The most politically preposterous award goes to none other than Chad Morisette of West Hollywood for his “Halloween” display of a Sarah Palin-esque figure wearing a noose for a necklace dangling under an image of McCain coming out of a chimney surrounded by flames. Even the description sounds ridiculous. His reason for the display? According to a statement he made to the Los Angeles Times, Palin and McCain’s politics are “scary” to him. Never mind how scary it must be to the candidates to have likenesses of themselves murdered for a Halloween display.

Letter To The Editor

The Struggle Choosing a President

The Distracted States of America Dear Cauldron, Not long ago, before the biggest financial collapse since 1933, the number one voting issue was the Iraq war. We all know money speaks louder than ideals, and louder than words. In the past few weeks both candidates have ignored the war, the biggest issue of our time. Both Sen. John McCain and Sen.Barack Obama need to tell us why they allowed such devious misdirection to occur. It’s their job to prioritize the issues rather than politicize them. Both candidates claim the moral high ground on this issue but as we have seen, are as pliable to the winds of the economy as the current commander-inchief. Obama separated himself from a majority of the senators on the mandate to invade Iraq and he had the tremendous intellectual foresight to know what the war would cost our nation in dollars and integrity. Why will he not continue to speak of that? If McCain goes on to win the election, I hope he will think through this war and make the best decision for the country, because it’s far from over. The northern regions of Iraq are still very much destabilized. He needs to renounce his class warfare tactics and unite Americans to withdraw troops immediately - I used to think McCain was a great leader but now I think he’s really only a great distracter. Most people know someone affected by this war as we all know the grim statistics –more than 20,000 injured or maimed US soldiers and over 4,000 killed, and thousands more deployed costing $2 billion a month - I think there are better uses for that money instead of pouring it into the military industrial complex. The financial crisis was another issue that McCain lacked judgment in. After his first failed attempt to convince House Republicans to vote for the $750 billion bailout, our stock market saw the biggest point decline in the history of capitalism, a one day loss of almost $1 trillion on the heals of a deregulated administration that blindly allowed derivative securities gambling. As heroic as McCain is, we can’t elect someone who believes in class warfare by pitting red against blue - how demeaning and insulting. We can’t vote for someone who believes surges in American troops in Iraq are a solution to centuries old factitious warfare in the middle east. At this country’s peak, we were a beacon of hope for millions and saved the world from being further ravaged by war. As any big power, our financial power will fade and is fading. Our market share of the world’s resources is declining and the rest of the world has learned how to build world-class university systems. Over the next decades, we will need to become more integrated with the rest of the world. It’s time we start to think not about war and military distribution but for the real reason the United States exists in the first place. America is not defined by borders but by the idea that I am no better than you and you are no better than me, plumber or professor. We all have a stake in this, even as you’ve become disaffected by political pandering. I am voting to set aside arguments based on irrelevancies and low-grade electioneering. Sam Diomede Graduate Student at CSU

It’s a struggle choosing the right man for the job of president for our country. Barack Obama and John McCain both have pros and cons to their demeanors. But is it really their character we should be looking at, or is it their stances on the issues? I’ve heard that some people don’t want to vote for Obama because he doesn’t have as much experience as McCain and sounds flip-floppy to Republicans. But then I’ve heard that McCain is too old and has had some significant health problems. Our economy has us middle-classers trapped inside a dome of United States doom. Who is going to help us? Is it going to be the man who wants the rich to pay more taxes or the man who wants to lower the taxes for the rich? What do you want to happen to health care? What about education? What about the environment, with global warming? What do you want to happen with the troops over in Iraq? If you are having issues figuring out what candidate to choose, think about the things that mean the most to you. You can go to their websites; you can read pamphlets, etc. There is tons of information on the candidates to help you do what you think is the right thing. However, don’t forget about the vicepresident candidates, Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. If something did happen to whoever becomes president, who would you want to be their successor? What do you really think of Palin? What do you really think of Biden? Do you even know who they are? I know it’s also difficult to choose who to vote for because of things that your peers might say to you. For instance, I am a black woman, therefore I must be voting for Obama. I may be black, but that in no way chooses who I vote for. And also, just because you have voted Republican or Democrat in the past doesn’t mean you have to keep it the same way. Don’t think of it as being a traitor to your party. Think of it as making a decision that you think is right. If you plan on voting but don’t know who for, boning up on your information would be a good idea right now since the election is right around the corner. If you live close to campus, then you should know that the Board of Elections is located at 2925 Euclid Ave., and you can go there to vote. And please don’t use the excuse that you didn’t know who to vote for as the reason why you didn’t go out and vote. This election is going to be one of the biggest elections in history, so please try to be a part of it.

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

Faith Larraine

Nader Tries to Spread ‘Ralpholution’ Ideas in Cleveland Robert Ivory

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

news

Independent Candidate Talks About“Crisis in American Politics”

efore his Independent Presidential debate with Bob Barr (Libertarian Party) and Chuck Baldwin (Constitution Party) at the Cleveland City Club, Ralph Nader spoke before a crowd at One Cleveland Center in downtown Cleveland. Nader, who had just come from setting a Guinness World Record-breaking 21 speeches in just 15 hours throughout the week, spoke about his stance on both the bailout and the election. Ironically, the building which Nader had his speech was inhabited by the gigantic insurance agency AIG, which Nader continues to fight against. “Had Congress represented you, the taxpayers, during that 170 billion dollar blank check bailout of Wall Street speculators, crooks, and swindlers, they could have made the speculators pay for their own bailout.” The most inspiring part of Nader’s speech was his historic context the bailout has had. Inspired by traveling Lexington and Concord, he felt that this story has already been written in United States history. “[President] Bush and the Democrat’s bailout was very similar to what our early patriots were complaining against King

George III. [In] 1775 we had 13 colonies under King George III and today we have 50 colonies under King George IV and it’s the same message, ‘Taxation without Representation!” Nader, 74, will finish his fifth Presidential campaign on the east coast after traveling throughout Michigan over the weekend. As his stance on the environment entails, Nader believes in a policy that no longer subsidizes entrenched oil, nuclear, electric, and coal mining interest. He also believes in the investment of a diversified energy policy, including renewable energy like wind and solar power and more efficient automobiles. Nader even talked about how his campaign is more environmentally friendly than his competition. “I flew into Columbus and just as we landed, McCain and Palin’s private jet came in as well. My pilot told me that McCain was on a 737 which is more fuel efficient than Obama’s 757, but you were the most fuel efficient since you were among 120 passengers on Southwest Airlines.” Nader continued to point out that most of these types of stories do not make the national TV, because his name is not “Joe The

Plumber.” His idea of a “crisis in national politics” stems from a “two-part dictatorship.” Nader said that the two groups “don’t want to allow any competition to the Republican and Democratic candidates.” This comes from Nader being shut out of the Presidential Debates during his time running for the Presidency. Nader noted in his speech that the last time an Independent candidate was allowed to debate was Ross Perot in 1992. Nader added, “It will take another multibillionaire for that to happen.” After the speech, Nader took questions on his ideas of how the youth of the country should be involved in politics. “We think there should be a youth party that does not have candidates,” he said. “They will learn the skills of campaigning and election hearing and four years later may field some local and four yeas later go big time.” Nader’s main initiative for the youth of the country is to break them out of the “corrupt party system.” “Students in their 20’s are running for local council or state representatives and they should want to run.”

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

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CSU Students Have Chance to Have Election Questions Answered The Verzubian Political Notebook Cleveland State Professors Handle Students’ Questions Persuading the Undecided

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

Robert Ivory

Last Thursday, three Cleveland State professors held a political forum for students and faculty that wanted their final questions answered about the election. Professors Edward Horowitz (Communication Department), Michael Williams (Black Studies Program Director), and Justin Vaughn (Political Science) fielded questions for over an hour about the different issues in the election. Issues ranging from local school levies, racism through the election, voting tendencies of the races, Obama’s television commercial before the final game of the World Series, the bailout, and the changes of gas prices. “I think it is important to talk about this election on campus because not only are people still undecided, but mostly because this is a major political event,” Vaughn exclaimed of the talk. Cleveland State students filled the Ballroom at Fenn Tower to hear what the panel had to say. In this historic election many believe, including Vaughn, that this landmark event will become a crucial political moment in American history. “Because of the current economic conditions and the situation of the mishandling of the war, Democrats and Republicans agree that this is extraordinary difficult times,” Horowitz said. “The person that will take over will have this gigantic challenge that is extremely important.” For the different offices of CSU,

Roman Verzub

bringing the election to the attention of all students has been a goal for a while. “We have done a very good job being involved bringing in people to speak about the importance of voting,” Williams said of the efforts of the Black Studies program, made to help inform the students of CSU. All three professors believed that CSU has done a great job in the election year, bringing in individuals to educate the students, as well as become a place for candidate to come. The Democratic Debate at CSU between Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama was the only debate Ohio saw throughout the entire campaign. “As a major urban university in a swing state, CSU and Cleveland have been the destination for many candidates. There have been a lot of voter drives on campus, the students have been very energized, and we are all in the center of it. Having panels like this, we [professors] are trying to get information out to students and get them engaged,” Horowitz said of the events on campus. Not only is Cleveland State a hotbed for politics, but it is like most colleges and universities that want their student to help the individuals grow. “When people go away to college this is the time of their life that they really start to figure out what they believe in and what they stand for,” Vaughn thought of the importance of politics on campus.

National City Plans For 4,000 Job Cuts

Stephanie Berhannan On Oct. 2, everyone received the news that the National City Corporation plans to cut 4,000 jobs within the next three years. The cuts will be spread between 15 states. National City has 29,000 jobs nationwide, and is the largest bank in Ohio. The National City bank located in Cleveland employs 1,300 people. Thousands of these employees will get the news that they will be laid off. What effect will the cuts have on Cleveland? The company did not mention the possible impact of the job cuts on the Cleveland-based location nor did it mention the potential impact on the employees. 4,000 positions equal about 14 percent of the workforce. The corporation’s net loss was $729 million, or $5.86 a share, during the third quarter. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said the sale was “disappointing, but not surprising.” Jackson also commented that it is too soon to know what effect the purchase will have on branch closings and job cuts in Cleveland. The net loss for the previous year was $19 million, or three cents a share. The shares have decreased by 82 percent this year. The cuts are part of an efficiency program designed to save the corporation $500 to $600

million by 2011. National City says that it expects to obtain $240 million in savings. The job positions that are going to be cut are still unknown. There were two 2,500 job losses in last year’s second quarter. National City put aside $1.8 billion for loan losses. The bank is struggling with the continuous rising reserves for mortgage and construction loans led to its fifth quarter loss. As if National City Bank has not suffered enough, on Oct. 24 PNC Financial Services announced that it will buy National City. The purchasing price is a whopping $5.58 billion. PNC, a Pennsylvania-based bank, will purchase National City through a stock transaction. With the merging of the two banks, PNC will become the largest bank in Pennsylvania, and the fifth largest bank in the nation, rising among the ranks of the nation’s leading banks. PNC had gained another struggling bank prior to purchasing National City, having bought Riggs Bank, located in Washington, in 2005. The merger is expected to close at the end of the year. There will be 2,500 branches and $180 billion in deposits. National City customers will soon have their accounts and service locations changed.

A recent Associated Press-Yahoo! News poll reveals that one in seven voters is still undecided. This number includes those who currently back a candidate, but say they can easily and effortlessly switch. The poll also says that of those undecided most backed Democratic New York Sen. Hillary Clinton’s failed campaign for the Democratic nomination. Both campaigns are spending lots of money to try to court the undecided’s, though the statistics about these voters, often called “the persuadables,” haven’t changed from their JuneSeptember numbers. The report says that about four in ten undecidables lean towards McCain and that about the same number lean towards Obama equal opportunity skeptics. Around two-thirds of those polled expressed frustration over the political campaign. Only about 12 percent are excited, compared to a figure three-times as large from voters supporting a candidate. About 40 percent report having been contacted by political workers urging their support for a candidate, compared to around half of those who already made up their mind. This can be attributed, the article says, to the campaigns’ increasing efforts to reach out to undecided voters and ex-Clinton supporters - many of whom said they would either vote for Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain or not vote at all than vote for Illinois Democratic Senator Barack Obama, CNN’s polls said during the primary season. Many are now backing third-party candidates like Libertarian (and former Republican) Bob Barr of Georgia. Barr was a Republican until 2003. In 2004 he publicly endorsed Libertarian candidate Michael Badnarik. Then in 2006 he joined the party as a regional representative and serving on the Libertarian National Committee.

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

Feature

An In-Depth Lookatthe2008 Presidential Election

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

CSU Professors Dissect Candidates, Campaigns and Future Christopher Enoch Managing Editor

race yourself for an impact: the election season is over. After a historic two-year campaign, politically exhausted Americans finally get a breather in the form of a two-year hiatus from national politics until the 2010 midterm. ‘Change’ was the buzzword this election season, and between two non-traditional candidates, it is certainly on its way whether you like it or not. We have all reached our own conclusions as to the new direction the nation at large will take, but shadows of this particular election will linger on in the political climate and future campaigns of America for ages to come. Phrases like “Bitter-gate”, “Joe the Plumber”, “lipstick on a pig” as well as outbursts of ACORN activism and Saturday Night Live mockery have burned the pop culture legacy of the 2008 campaign into our national psychology in a way no campaign has since the original Bush bashed Michael Dukakis with images of tank-riding, and Willie Horton. But so much for the meaningless banter of the American brand of electoral politics, what will the real legacy of the 2008 election be? How will it affect America nationally and how will it hit home locally? How does this contest ultimately change the lives of the average Cleveland State student? C S U professors are speaking out. If you are a student of the political arts, you might just already be familiar with some of the scholarly sentiments these esteemed professors have offered in their own course selections. That being said, the theme of this feature will be one of effects. Different professors with different specialties will be answering different questions dealing with effects, such as how the next President of the United State impacts X, or given the next President will be X, how will Y change. While the topics of discussion centered around different areas of study according to the strengths of each professor, the political inquiry began humbly with a lone question to the professors: what changes can we expect? Dr. Joel Lieske, a Political Science professor at CSU explained what he believes the nation can expect. An expert in political culture, cultural diversity and the dynamics of campaigning, Lieske touched on how the 2008 campaign will change the dynamics of future presidential campaigns. Lieske didn’t miss a beat when asked the all-important question of change. “One thing that might change after this election is that Republicans will have to

reassess their “winner-take-all” primary system,” Lieske said. “The Republicans came to premature closure and they ended up with a candidate that they weren’t exactly enthused about initially. I think that is one reason the McCain campaign nominated Sarah Palin for the vice-presidency, to generate some excitement. The contest between Obama and Clinton basically lasted until June and Republicans came to closure by March,” Lieske explained. With momentum clearly on the side of the Democrats, Lieske had no qualms making predictions on electoral outcomes. “At this point in time the Democrats are going to sweep both houses of Congress and the White House. I think they will probably have a filibuster-proof Senate. They will be able to implement their agenda and they will interpret this election as a mandate. It will be a mandate for change and that change will come in our continuing involvement in the war in Iraq, it will come in terms of the government doing something to provide healthcare to the 47 million Americans who are uninsured, I think there will be more done in terms of reducing our dependence on foreign oil (this would happen under a McCain administration too) and I think more will be done for education. I can see a tax credit for families with kids going to college. Finally, I see Obama, as he is in favor of amnesty, I see comprehensive immigration reform on the horizon,” Lieske said. Addressing both candidates claims toward bipartisanship in political appointments and in policy, Lieske saw two divergent administrative strategies. “I don’t see bipartisanship in cabinet positions in a Democratic administration, I see it with a Republican. Whatever happens in the White House race, you are going to have Democratic control of both chambers of Congress,” Lieske explained. “If there are attempts to reach across the aisle for Cabinet level appointments it will be done by McCain. There is more talent that the Democrats can draw upon than the Republicans can. “Bipartisanship is something McCain has practiced his whole career. I think Obama and the Democrats have a political agenda they want to implement. You don’t do that with people from the other side,” he said. Responding to claims that cultural factors will have an inconsequential role in this particular contest, Lieske stated, “In economic hard times, the economy trumps everything else. The only cultural force that could’ve helped McCain is the Bradley effect. I think role of race could be the only thing that could save him. I think and I hope that we’ve moved beyond race here. I don’t think the cultural war is necessarily over, it’s just been shoved to the back burner for the moment because of the

which direction the nation is moving politically, Hersch replied, “At this point the country is moving to the left, I don’t think there is much doubt about that. Partly because of the economy and party because of President Bush I think we are moving in a more liberal direction. It’s funny that McCain and Obama sort of argued about who would “regulate” the economy more, which isn’t exactly a conservative idea,” Hersch said. “It’s harder and harder to believe in the pure free market so I think we are but who knows how long it’s going to last. If you want to look at it roughly we had the New Deal coalition which lasted about fifty years, then Reagan turned things around. I don’t know if we’re going to have another ‘revolution’ at this point so to speak or if it’s just a temporary side road. It’s hard to say at this point.” While it’s an utter certainty these two politically savvy professors, Dr. Hersch and Dr. Lieske have their share of disagreements, the two found common ground on what the election would mean for the average CSU student. “The next president’s plan for the economy will obviously affect them directly in terms of the economic health of country and the money in their pocketbooks. In terms of the Supreme Court, unless they get arrested or something like that (chuckles), it wouldn’t necessarily affect them too much,” Hersch stated. “Or, I suppose if Obama is elected the troops in Iraq will be sent home sooner. Some students who have been in the nationalguard who are over there could return,” he added. Covering similar ground, “The state commitment to higher education has gone down and I can see Obama and the Democrats, assuming he’s elected, doing more to provide financial aid to college students,” said. “I think most CSU students are going to be very happy with the outcome,” said Lieske with a laugh.

be opposed to Roe v. Wade,” said Hersch. The potential changes in court jurisprudence on Roe v. Wade only scratched the surface as to what else could be in store, given a McCain victory. “Criminal defendants would have fewer protections under the fourth and fifth Amendment, a few relatively recent decisions regarding capital punishment could be overturned. One of the biggest differences that people don’t really think enough about is this idea of executive power. There’s this idea they call the “unitary executive” which essentially says that the president doesn’t have to consult with congress and should be immune to judicial review in various areas and that the president should have a lot more unilateral power. “That’s been very popular with conservatives. The decision that gave Guantanamo prisoners habeas corpus rights, that was also 5-4,” Hersch explained. “The War on terror decisions which recently have gone in favor of the rights of prisoners, if Anthony Kennedy is no longer the swing vote, conceivably the executive would be less checked by the judicial branch.” Hersch specifically commented on the possibility of prayer in schools with a McCain Supreme Court appointment and the predilection conservative justices have towards welcoming religion into the public sphere. “Certainly the justices would allow more mixing of government and religion. They would be sympathetic to that. This idea of a wall of separation that liberal judges seem to like they’re less than sympathetic to. They believe that the government can accommodate religion as long as they aren’t preferential to one religion over another.” While it may remain an unlikely possibility, an Obama presidency with multiple Supreme Court appointments would also come with its share of change to traditional court jurisprudence. “If five liberals were on the Court I wouldn’t be surprised if capital punishment were declared unconstitutional, in violation of the eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments. We’ve sort of been taking steps down that road. The mentally retarded can’t be executed, those under eighteen can’t be executed, they are sort of plowing the soil, getting it ready.” Mentioning the political pressures aimed toward fostering diversity on the Supreme Court, Hersch made his opinion clear. “I think the biggest pressure at this point is to have a Hispanic on the Court. There has never been one. There are conservative and liberal Hispanic justices out there. Also, there would probably be a lot of pressure to get another woman on the Court.” When questioned asked to his view on

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

economy and foreign policy. “The effect of social-cultural factors wax and wane with other conditions. They only come to the forefront when economics are neutralized. I do agree that traditional materialist issues are back again, though I’m not sure if they’ve ever left, Lieske said.” As a professor with a specialty in immigration issues, Lieske set the stage for one reform he specifically thinks will come into play. McCain and Obama share the same vision on immigration reform, McCain having co-sponsored a bill with Ted Kennedy to create a “path to citizenship” and Obama stating that he would only vote on immigration reforms that guarantees a path to citizenship. “The Congress granted amnesty in 1987,” Lieske remarked. “They thought there were 300,000 illegal immigrants and undocumented workers; it turned out to be 3 million. The Census Bureau estimates there are around 1012 million currently, though the number could be higher than that. The problem I think both parties face here is that you’re basically saying we’re not going to enforce our immigration laws. This is a signal to keep on coming; to get to America by any means you can.” Dr. Charles Hersch, also a professor of political science at Cleveland State had many insightful things to say on the recent election. As an authority on political theory and the judicial branch, Hersch commented on what this election might mean in terms of the federal judiciary and the political persuasion of the nation at large, starting with how both might be affected by a potential McCain presidency. “Even if McCain gets to appoint one justice it would make a big difference- you have four conservatives, four liberals, and Anthony Kennedy who sometimes goes with the conservatives and sometimes goes with the liberals,” Hersch said. “If even one of the liberal justices were to retire, you could conceivably have a five-person conservative majority. That would make a big difference in terms of a lot of different areas.” Expounding on specific areas that could change in Supreme Court jurisprudence, Hersch started from the start, examining the most controversial of Supreme Court decisions, Roe v. Wade. “Roe v. Wade conceivably could be overturned. Just because the Court could overturn something doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to. The public flack might be too intense. In the case of Roe v Wade, they might. It’s not clear. Chief Justice Roberts has expressed a kind of judicial restraint that we should always respect precedent to some degree. They may not just overturn it outright, but they certainly would have the votes to do so. My guess is that those five, all of them would

arts+entertainment

Flashback 1993: Topanga Lawrence Faith Larraine

The true life of Boy Meets World actress Danielle Christine Fishe by Ben Savage. Once the characters moved on to high school, the “hippie” characterization was dropped and Topanga turned into the most eligible bombshell when not with Cory. They would break up numerous times over the course of seven years, but would eventually get married during their sophomore year of college. In the last episode, Topanga and Cory decide to move to New York. Film Fishel began to appear in films in 2000, playing the role of Gloria in the film Longshot. Fishel was one who had an actual role amongst all the pop groups and other celebrities who would be playing themselves in this film. In 2003 she would play Marla in National Lampoon Presents Dorm Daze. She would later appear as Marla in its sequel National Lampoon’s Dorm Daze 2. Gamebox 1.0 is a film about being trapped inside a video game. Fishel played Kate, the main character’s girlfriend who is fatally shot. She reappears later as a character in the video game named Princess.

Danielle Christine Fishel

e all remember Topanga as Cory Matthews’ love interest on the hit 1990’s television show Boy Meets World. What we may not know is that Topanga was played by actress Danielle Christine Fishel and this was not her first time. This blonde haired, blue eyed beauty began her acting career before Boy Meets World and she’s still working today. History Fishel was born on May 5, 1981 in Mesa, Arizona. She is of Maltese ancestry which is a from a southern European island nation in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Her parents also had a son after having Fishel, Christopher Fishel. When Fishel was three weeks old, her family relocated to Yorba Linda California, a suburban community in Orange County, California about 40 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

Fishel began her career at the age of 10 in Community Theater. She played roles in “The Wizard of Oz” and in “Peter Pan”. She would later perform in commercials, being the voice of a Barbie Girl for Mattel. Fishel would also appear on a couple episodes of Full House as the character Jennifer and on the show Harry and the Hendersons as Jessica. Boy Meets World Fishel is most known for her role on the show Boy Meets World as the super intelligent and super attractive Topanga Lawrence. Fishel began her role as Topanga at the age of 12 and would continue on with this role until she was 19. The name Topanga was supposedly conjured up by her parents from a “hippie hangout” they had gone to before. At the beginning of the show, Topanga was portrayed as a hippie-like vegetarian and the love interest of the lead character Cory Matthews, played

Personal Life Fishel and Savage did date on their own time away from Boy Meets World. In 2000, Fishel dated Devon Sawa who played the human version of Casper: The Friendly Ghost. Fishel also dated former N’Sync member Lance Bass before he announced his homosexuality in 2006. Nutrisystem In 2006, Fishel announced on the Tyra Banks show that she lost 27 pounds on the Nutrisystem diet. She would later become a spokesperson for Nutrisystem. Awards Fishel was nominated twice for the Young Artist Awards. In 1996 she lost the Best Performance by a Young Actress in a TV Comedy Series award to Nassira Nicola who starred in the show Fudge. She lost the same award again in 1997 to Kaitlin Cullum from the show Grace Under Fire. She won the YoungStar Award for Best Young Actress/ Performance in a Comedy TV Series for Boy Meets World in 1998, but lost in 2000 for the same award to Mila Kunis from That 70’s Show.

Music You May Have Missed Jonathan ‘Killstring’ Herzberger The Cauldron Staff Writer

of The Week

AlexesSpencer&Jonathan‘Killstring’Herzberger Alexes’ Pick: Ligeia w/ Vanna at Peabody’s, Nov. 10th

This being election week and all, it seemed appropriate to venture into some of the more political music out there – and these days, there is hardly a shortage. From Fat Wreck Chords’ Rock Against Bush samplers, to hip-hop activists like Jurassic 5, to punk bands like Anti-Flag and Rise Against, the tradition of music and activism is alive and well – if much more diversified than in the 60’s protest song heyday. Oddly enough, one of the most vital and recognizable political musicians of the 90’s is arguably the most vital and least recognizable of the modern scene. I’m speaking of Tom Morello, the Harvardeducated guitarist for the subversive funk rock band Rage Against The Machine. Now, Morello’s political activism has never lost a step, but his post-Rage work with Chris Cornell in Audioslave, while occasionally musically stirring, didn’t exactly set the world on fire - never mind the millions of albums sold. So whatever happened to that quixotic soldier from Rage, the man who proudly proclaimed “Arm The Homeless” on his guitars, and protested The Gap, knowing jail time was almost certainly in the cards? Turns out he’s alive and well. The Nightwatchman is Morello’s alter ego, and for anyone familiar with his groundbreaking guitar work might find themselves scratching their heads at the stripped-down, acoustic folk music on display here. In his first album, 2007’s One Man Revolution, Morello is often accompanied by a rickety acoustic guitar and nothing else; his husky baritone blends the warmth of Jakob Dylan with a wizened delivery more in line with Mr. Dylan, Sr.

Songs like “Up in Flames” sport lyrics like, “It’s in Colin Powell’s lies, it’s in the shaman’s trance/It’s in the cellar waiting, and it’s in the best laid plans.” Morello pulls about as many punches as boxer Kelly Pavlik. On “Let Freedom Ring” and “Until the End”, Morello eschews larger issues in favor of more personal tales, sticking with just the guitar. Bringing in a band for his just-released second Nightwatchman record, The Fabled City, Morello picks up the torch dropped by Bruce Springsteen so long ago, and delivers a record about the working-class that comes off without all the heavy-handed pretention that occasionally infected Revolution. Put simply, this is not a record that will tell you who to vote for. This is a record that will remind you why you care. “Gone Like Rain” tells the bittersweet tale of the often high cost of standing up for your beliefs, where in “Lazarus On Down” Morello and longtime friend Serj Tankian paint a mournful, contemplative picture, continuing the conversation without commentary - an unexpected choice for an activist, and it works brilliantly. Stepping into quasi-electrified funk in ‘Whatever it Takes”, Morello proudly proclaims, “I’ll meet you now, wherever you are/I’m here until the front line breaks, whatever it takes.” And in his own progression as The Nightwatchman, Morello tells a continuing story. It’s our story, a mutant immigrant tale of unbridled hope in the face of often terrifying odds. Listen to Revolution before you go to vote, and put on City afterwards – if nothing else, it is hands-down some of the best folk music of our generation. And that’s a cause everyone can get behind.

Jonathan’s Pick: In Flames, Gojira, All that Remains, and 36 Crazyfists at the Agora Theatre, Nov. 9. The temperature and stock market are both plummeting with alarming speed, and the Cleveland skies are blanketed in menacing gray clouds. You know what sounds good right now? Death Metal from Gothenburg, Sweden, that’s what. Luckily, In Flames is here to make sure that you get your RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of Melodic Death Metal, served piping hot with a side of Gojira – who, like their namesake, have been destroying Japan with a merciless onslaught. All That Remains rounds us out with some solid Metalcore, and 36 Crazyfists … well… they’re from Alaska. So at least we know they can see Russia from their house – that’s got to count for something. Don’t want to cast your concert vote in our Two-Party System? Think outside the ballot box with: 11/5 The Academy Is… (w/We Are The Kings) at the House Of Blues $20 11/7 Driver Side Impact at the Pirate’s Cove (Peabody’s) $10 11/10 Tech N9NE (w/KRIZZ KALIKO & a lot more) at the House Of Blues $22.50 11/10 Jack’s Mannequin at the Grog Shop (Sold out, but there might still be room) 11/11 Otep (w/ Ill Nino, Walls of Jericho, Sister Sin) at Peabody’s $16

Who doesn’t like some good ole’ fashioned hardcore? Okay, lots of people do not like good ole’ fashioned hardcore. Regardless, Ligeia and Vanna are coming to town, and you should be there. Why? They are both good, it’s only $10, and any band with a song called I’m Sorry You’re Ugly (Ligeia) has my vote. That, and “Vanna live” would be found in a thesaurus somewhere near the word tame… Under antonyms.

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

Now Hear This!

Concert Picks

CD Review

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

Alexes Spencer

El Ten Eleven

The 88

Do you like Muse? Would you like them without vocals? That is exactly what El Ten Eleven’s instrumental album, These Promises Are Being Videotaped, puts me in the mind of: Muse without Matthew. The music is good, and varies enough to keep listeners from growing bored, but if you are the “I listen to music for the lyrics” type, it is not for you.

Do you ever find yourself wishing that modern music would pick up a little more of a retro-60s type of feel? Well, The 88 might just be a dream come true for you. Their album Not Only…But Also features the type of music you’d expect in a Flower Power movie. And here is the kicker - it’s decent music. You can have your cake and eat it too.

These Promises Are Being Videotaped

Not Only…But Also

In Like a Lion

DriverSide’sLatest Jonathan“Killstring”Herzberger

hen Cleveland Heights’ Driver Side Impact burst on the national scene with 2007’s The Very Air We Breathe, its lush orchestration, ambient yet driving synth-rock, and compositional eccentricity were a sorely needed breath of fresh air (awkward pun absolutely intended) to the Emo genre, beset with derivative and unoriginal copycats as it was (and is). The album received was well received by fans and critics, and sold just well enough to warrant a sophomore release. Lion, the band’s second release on Victory Records, finds DSI in a very different state than just a year ago. Of the original band members, only vocalist Branden Langhals and Guitarist Jack McGinty remain – and with keyboardist Austin Patrick Bishop receiving a full scholarship to Oxford University, DSI has opted not to try and replace the precocious

Synthsmith, jettisoning the electronic element of their sound altogether. As a result, Lion eschews the Eno-esque dreamlike quality of their debut, while cranking up the tempo and guitar riffs – and in doing so, migrates away from the unique sound of their earlier work and into the pop-punk/emo territory of bands like Bayside, Hawthorne Heights, and Fallout Boy. The move is mostly successful, in that Lion is a very listenable record, and significantly more radio-friendly than its predecessor. “Walking On Water” comes off solid enough, employing usually-overstated guitar histrionics in a subtle, understated way that’s actually rather endearing. Tracks like “Elysium” and “All For Nothing” would sound equally at home, on mainstream radio, or as an episode of Degrassi – and whether or not that’s a good thing is a matter of opinion.

To this reviewer’s ears, Lion finds the band lost in someone else’s sound – and the album as a whole suffers for it. Concluding with “Heaven” – a moving instrumental that avoids the cheap pratfalls so often employed – we see a glimpse of the band’s grasp of scope and dynamics. DSI’s music can still be genuinely stirring. Ultimately, Lion simply lacks the cohesion and individuality that the band had been carving out as a niche. On the whole, Lion favors a punchy, guitar-driven sound that compares favorably within the context of pop-punk/ post-hardcore. I don’t mean to say that Lion is a bad album; indeed, it’s almost certain to outsell its predecessor, and gain a new legion of younger fans. And on its own merits, Lion sounds okay… It just never sounds like Driver Side Impact.

November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

sports 16 November 3, 2008 csucauldron.com |

CurrentESPNSeniorNewsEditorRemembersHisRoots CSUgraduateDwayneBrayhasbeenaround,butrememberswherehegotstarted Nick Camino

It has been 21 years since Dwayne Bray graduated from Cleveland State University, but the current senior news editor for ESPN fondly remembers where his welltraveled career all began and more importantly the lessons he learned in becoming a professional reporter. Bray, 43, wrote for two CSU student publications The Cauldron and The Vindicator, during his four years of college. He believes that writing and reporting while at CSU were the single most important steps he has ever taken in his 20-year journalism career. “I was always told that CSU was not a journalism school,” Bray said. “However, getting involved in what the university had to offer has helped me get to where I am at.” And where Bray is at now did not simply happen over night. The CSU graduate worked at an assortment of jobs all across the United States, overcoming many challenges in finally achieving what he now calls his “dream job.” “After getting my degree from CSU, I worked at a little newspaper in Medina, Ohio,” he explained in a recent telephone interview from his office in Bristol, Connecticut. “After that I took a position at The Dayton Daily News. From there I went to Ohio

State University to receive my graduate degree. While studying at OSU I sent my clips to The Los Angeles Times, where I was eventually hired, that position eventually took me to The Dallas Morning News, and when they offered me a buyout I took it and ended up here in Connecticut at ESPN.” Bray is being modest. While at The Dayton Daily News he wrote an autobiographical book on his giving a kidney to his cousin at age 32. He won a Pulitzer Prize while writing for The Los Angeles Times and was named sports editor of The Dallas Morning News prior to turning 40 years old. As senior news editor at ESPN, Bray is head of the investigative reporting unit for television. There are two types of stories that are covered at ESPN, Bray proclaimed. “We cover daily stories and enterprise stories,” he said. “A daily story would explain how many points LeBron James scored on a given night, while an enterprise story would be on the latest Barry Bonds news or criminal charges filed against Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones of the Dallas Cowboys. “Many of the enterprise and daily stories are timely and are considered hard-hitting news,” Bray said, “but we also use inspirational stories that can be used whenever, and are usually seen on our Sunday television program Outside the Lines.” The acclaimed reporter admitted that he still checks on the CSU athletics program from time to time, especially the men’s basketball team. Why does he keep tabs on his alma mater’s basketball team? Bray covered the CSU men’s basketball team during their magic run to the Sweet 16 in the 1986 NCAA Basketball Tournament and claims it was one of the most exciting times ever. “I have covered five Super Bowls, numerous Major League Baseball postseasons, and even Monday Night Football,

but none of those events even compare to the excitement of CSU making ‘The Big Dance’,” he remembered. “The highlight of my entire career was covering the Vikings basketball team, headed by Ken ‘The Mouse’ McFadden that defeated Bobby Knight’s [third seeded] Indiana Hoosiers. “I loved all of those CSU guys,” Bray said excitedly. “McFadden was the man, Clinton Smith was a very nice player, Coach Kevin Mackey was great, and Eric Mudd, from Benedictine High School was the best.” Bray said he hopes that men’s head coach Gary Waters can lead the team back to the NCAA Tournament so the campus can experience the thrills of what it was like 22 years ago on Euclid Avenue. It has been some time since the proud alumnus has returned to CSU, and his long successful journey pursuing the life of a reporter is a major reason for that. “I wish I had planned my career,” he said. “I bounced from place-to-place but it definitely worked out.” Bray’s flourishing long career has included many ups and downs, nonetheless, his feelings about CSU have never changed. “I loved it,” the former Viking said laughing. “I absolutely loved it.”

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