MONDAY November by Steve Thomas

November

2007

Cauldron

The

MONDAY

T H E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F C L E V E L A N D S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y S I N C E 1 9 2 9 T H E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F C L E V E L A N D S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y

Deciding on the ‘Truth’

T H E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R C S U C A U L D R O N . C O M O F C L E V E L A N D S TAT E U N I -

e e Fr VOL. 105, NO.11

This Week

The

Cauldron

For the Students...By the Students

November 5, 2007

Editorial Staff: Francis X. Bova III, Editor in Chief Andrea Mitchell, Managing Editor Jayson Gerbec, Advertising Manager Madison Rabbitt, Advertising Rep. Ebony Cash, News Editor Ilona Westfall, Culture Editor Nick Camino, Sports Editor Steve Thomas, Layout Designer Michael Quintero, Cartoonist Jeff “Z” Stoskus, Distribution Manager Anne Werner, Business Manager Staff Writers: David Imburgia, Mark Jablonski, Faith Larraine, Laura Dynda, Jamie DuBois, Mark Katzbach, Christopher Enoch, Reid May, Scott Arko, Andrea Cervenak, Gary Typerstone Foreign Correspondent: Amanda Richards Contributing Writers: Dave Orzechowski, Sabrina Peacock, Johntay Brown, Alex Friedman, Audrey McCrone, Roman Verzub, James Kneblik, Robert Ivory, Shanette D. Buford, Dan Hollowell Cleveland State University 2121 Euclid Avenue UC 10 Cleveland, Ohio 44115 (216) 687-2270 / (216) 687-5155 www.csucauldron.com www.myspace.com/csucauldron 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.

T he Melting Pot

Sports

Andrea’s Anecdotes Have Love, Will Travel Coal, Coal, Coal

Women’s Basketball Preview Do the Monster Mash! Indians Offseason Recap

culture

News

Band Spotlight: Years of Fire

Jablonski’s Political Notebook

Are They Worth a Listen? CD Reviews

SGA Roundup Viking Expeditions

Darfur Now Doc CSU Idol More

Feature Al Gore More Al Gore

To submit editorials, articles, etc. please e-mail The Cauldron at: 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.

Farewell The Cauldron staff was unable to attend the Retirement Party on Oct. 30, but would like to thank Brenda Bey, The Department of Student Life office manager, for her help and service to Cleveland State students and the newspaper over the years. We appreciate all you’ve done for us.

Th e M elting Po t N

Andrea’s Anecdotes Story by Andrea Mitchell | The Cauldron Managing Editor

Last week, a couple friends called me with an extra ticket to the So You Think You Can Dance concert. I had never seen the show before and after asking what it was about decided to head down to the Wolstein Center to

go see it. The concert was great and it was really neat to see the dancers doing moves that I could never do in a million years. A f t e r walking outside we stayed for autographs with the stars of the show. I, never having seen the show before, had no idea who it was I was taking pictures with or even how to really identify them without my friends standing

right next to me. Standing outside in the rain waiting for these dancers to come out I realized something. Less than a year ago no one knew who they were. Up until 7 p.m. that evening I had no idea who they were. The idea became even more prevalent after talking to a few of the dancers and getting responses and at least gestures, while with others (Neil if you watch the show) getting nothing. It’s amazing how people respond to fame. Great fame leads us to the infamous such as we all know. But it was with the few who

stopped and talked to me that is was obvious that our so-called “celebrities” really are not the gods that we idealize them to be. Now maybe I’m going a little far in calling So You Think You Can Dance people gods, because like I said I didn’t know who they were until my friend called me. But still, there are celebrities we watch and follow to see their every move, forgetting they are people just like you or me. And they pose funny for pictures with random people in Cleveland, crack jokes and may get conceded just like the rest of us.

Have Love, Will Travel Story by Amanda Richards | The Cauldron Foreign Correspondent When living in a foreign country, a 22-year-old girl has a lot of hurdles to overcome. Finding the right bus to take, the best food to eat, and the most interesting bars to go to are dayto-day problems that have to be solved, and they have to be solved in German. As you can imagine, it can get pretty exhausting. And if you, like me, are a single 22year-old girl living in a foreign country, things get even more exhausting. Now, I’d like to preface by making it perfectly clear that I didn’t come to live in Friedrichshafen in hot pursuit of German tail. I came here, obviously, to go to school and to absorb as much German culture as I possibly can. The trouble is that amidst all of that, wherever I go, there they are: German men on the bus, in the grocery stores, at the bars.

Amanda Richards, part of a study abroad program in Germany, believes her game isn’t translating over to German men. The four factors working against her: 1. Those fancy haircuts 2. The Deutschland Damen 3. The Loser Effect 4. That Rascally Communication Barrier They stand, cool and collected in their designer jeans and their crisp button down shirts, flaunting haircuts that probably cost more than my plane ticket. Sometimes we make eye contact, but for the most part, I just look away nervously if I sense one of them looking at me. My feeling is that if I hold eye contact with one of these

mysterious European male creatures, one might actually approach me, and then my brain would inevitably explode and leak out of my ears and nostrils. So, I maintain a safe distance and observe them discreetly. Back at home, in the land of the free and easy, I find men pretty simple to deal with, especially as I’ve gotten older.

So why can’t my game translate internationally? They’re just men, right? The more I thought about it, the more I realized: Just like finding the busses and the bars, finding the boys in a foreign country is much more of a challenge than it is back at home. I’ve decided that I have several factors working against me: 1. Those fancy haircuts. Appearance isn’t everything, but when it comes to Germans, the school of thought seems to be the opposite. German men are incredibly well-coiffed and well dressed. Their shoes are shiny, their ties are straight, and their suits are Versace. Being surrounded by pseudo male models on a day to day basis is very intimidating, especially for a girl who can’t seem to keep

her hair out of her face. 2. The Deutschland Damen. Now, I’ve never been one of those girls who size up her competition. I’ve always thought that women are in it together, and it doesn’t do anyone any good to compare herself to others of the same sex. However, German women are something else all together. They’re beautiful, athletic, and

living in his mother’s house and collecting unemployment while trying to sell his Hasselhoff memorabilia on the Internet, but would you really hear it above his exotic pronunciation? 4. That Rascally Communication Barrier. Finally, against all odds, I recently met a nice German man who I like spending time with. He’s a more approachable

One thing keeps the situation away from perfection: I don’t actually know his name. seem to possess a sense of grace and poise that I could only dream about. And just from talking to my female German friends, I’ve realized that German women, in general, are much more at ease with the opposite sex than American women are. They’re less neurotic about male interaction, and don’t analyze every minute detail of a conversation. One of them actually told me, in adorable broken English, “You should go home and tell to your American girlfriends to relax. We say that you are crazy. These men, they are not so hard.” Apparently, my fellow American female neurotics, it’s that easy. 3. The Loser Effect. If you actually do attempt a conversation with a man, you have to take into consideration that weeding out the losers is much more difficult in a foreign country, for two specific reasons: One, as I already mentioned, even the secret losers dress well. Two, what American girl isn’t seduced by an accent? He could be talking about

Take Laketran – Read, Ride and Save.

breed of German, one without designer clothes and a pompous sneer, and he’s not afraid, like some Germans, to look silly. One thing keeps the situation away from perfection: I don’t actually know his name. He told me, many times, but because of his pronunciation, I can’t seem to get it. I don’t know if his name is “Ingl” or “Ingo,” and since I’ve known him for about two months now, I don’t have the heart to ask. Usually, when I address him by his name, I just slur the last letter to produce a non-committal sound, hoping that he’ll notice and correct me when I say “Inguhhh…” So far, he hasn’t, and I fear that even if I overcome all the challenges, the fancy haircuts and the beautiful women and the secret losers, I’ll be defeated by the simple fact that I can’t even figure out his name. And no matter which country I find myself, “pathetic” always translates. Read all of Amanda’s columns from Germany at csucauldron.com or check out her blog at grrmany.blogspot.com.

Going to CSU Make your “first class” every day a seat on one of Laketran’s clean, comfortable express buses. No parking fees. No traffic hassles. Get on board. It’s easy. You can read, sleep, or even plan what you’ll do with the money you’ll be saving by taking Laketran. Benefits from commuting with Laketran:

• With gas as high as $2.60 per gallon and parking up to $6 a day Lake County students can save $400 to $875 per semester on gas and parking alone! • Park-n-Ride FREE at Laketran Park-n-Ride locations: Eastlake Mentor Willoughby Hills Wickliffe Madison Lakeland College • Student 10-Ride Ticket -$10 Must show current local student photo I.D. • Routes 10-14, Monday-Friday service, 18 daily departures • FREE transfers to RTA, if needed • www.laketran.com for complete schedules and on-line purchasing

Present this coupon for one

FreeRide On Laketran Routes 10-14

Name City Exp. Dec. 15, 2007

There When You Need Us!

Year 2005 American Public Transportation Association Award Winner

1-888-LAKETRAN • www.laketran.com

CAU

Th e M elting Po t Coal, Coal, Coal

From the Editors Desk | The Cauldron “For now, coal is right” appeared in The Plain Dealer editorial section on Oct. 27. And the rebuttal: “Energy debate is far from over” dropped in newsstands and on front porches Nov. 4. What has been at the center of the debate is the Cleveland Pubic Utilities Committee meetings over a proposed coal-powered American Municipal Power-Ohio plant. A new plant, in Southern Ohio, would affect Cleveland Public Power which has nearly 80,000 customers. Ideally, AMP-Ohio would deter to government regulations and pollution control by using the latest technologies in coal burning. And CPP would be given a chance for fiscal stability. The main arguments stem from coal is an archaic form of energy to jobs are jobs in the state of Ohio to the time is now to find alternate forms of energy. Poor Mother Nature can only take so many more hits, environmentalists cry. Poor workers will lose benefits and a paycheck, some critics cry. Anyone remember LTV Steel? Industry comes and goes in this area. It wasn’t until recently many old LTV workers were able to at least get a job from the latest steel company in town. Poor, oops rich Al Gore cronies, will cry for polar bears. Maybe crying for polar bears is a little too dramatic. But in this fledging environmentally conscious era, everything ties back to global warming. The four major pollutants know no friends.

Some facts: In 2006, Ohio was home to 51 coal mines, either underground or surface, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The impact was 2,534 jobs for Ohioans. In 2007, coal production is expected to tail off by 2.7 percent, then steadily rise .2 percent in 2008, according it EIA estimates. To say the coal industry is chugging along is an accurate. Over at GreenCityBlueLake (gcbl.org), a Web site touted for examining the future of Northeast Ohio, finding alternate forms of energy, conservation and efficiency tools and renewables are the best avenue for discussion. No one wants Ohioans to lose jobs. But it shouldn’t be lost that ethanol, hybrids, biodiesel fuel and wind power are worth huge sums of government funding and eventual corporate interests. In a sense, Ohioans will be gaining jobs but losing their lungs if proposals are turned into reality Eventually the movement for globabl warming, or as one PD reader wrote, “the advanced energy revolution,” will see results. Until then grassroots efforts like Step It Up Cleveland will have to lead the way. And along the way, perceived steps back like the proposed coal-powered plant will happen. Why? The coal industry is not going anywhere for at least our lifetimes. We can accept it, phase it out and move on.

Illustration by Michael Quintero

News

6 0

SGA Secretary Resigns Story by Mark Jablonski| The Cauldron Political Correspondent Student Government Association (SGA) Secretary Heather Nguyen resigned her position last week, citing difficulties performing her duties. “The main reason for my resignation is my inability to provide the detailed minutes as requested by the senate,” wrote Nguyen in an e-mail to her SGA colleagues. “If I’m unable to do my duty as requested

Closed-door SGA meeting was “big venting session” The Oct. 26 SGA meeting went into a closeddoor “executive session” shortly after it began. During these sessions, all guests must leave the meeting, including student media representatives.

Current SGA Senators are being encouraged to take on the secretary role, but a clear successor has not yet stepped forward. by the senate, it’s best that I resign now so SGA can look for another secretary.” Current SGA Senators are being encouraged to take on the secretary role, but a clear successor has not yet stepped forward. Nguyen’s resignation comes just weeks after the Investigative and Legislative Committee found her guilty of harming the image of SGA and of not keeping adequate meeting minutes, the primary duty of the secretary. No action was taken against Nguyen in light of those charges. “It shocks me that Secretary Ngyuen has decided to resign,” said Senate Speaker Paul Patterson. “I know that there has been a great deal of stress for her recently; she is a strong, capable young woman.” Patterson said he was “puzzled” as to why Nguyen complained about the eight hours it took her to compile the meeting minutes, because SGA executive board members are supposed to spend 20 hours a week on SGA business. “To me, that leaves 10-12 hours for other duties,” Patterson said. “When you’re working to serve the student body in one of these positions, you walk into the position knowing that you’re going to be working on SGA duties a lot more than what your position description tells you.” “I am saddened that Heather is leaving the Executive board,” President Blake Almaguer said. “She is a very bright young lady and a great asset to us. I respect her decision as I know it was a hard one and I continue to wish her the best of luck in everything she does.” Nguyen intends to return to SGA as a senator.

President Blake Almaguer set the tone for the private meeting — which one member later described as a “big venting session” — just before the doors closed: “I just wanted to address the senate, and let everybody know that I’ve had a lot of things on my mind -- I’ll be very candid -- that have kind of been bothering me,” he said. “...I’m starting to feel like the senate and the exec[utive] board are kind of getting this divide slipped between us, and we’re kind of starting to head in a direction that I don’t want to see us going. It’s the beginning of something that could be detrimental to the SGA.” “We don’t have to agree on everything. That’s not what our line of work is here,” he said. “But I just want us to be able to disagree in a respectful manner.” He also said he put together a list of problems with his leadership that he may need to address, but did not expound upon those problems before the closed session began. During the executive session, Graduate Senator Patrick O’Malia said that a bill he sponsored was adopted which would make SGA more transparent to the student body. Specifically, the bill would mandate that any proposals by the SGA, which would substantially affect the student body, will have to appear in both The Cauldron and The Cleveland Stater before any action can be taken on them. Additionally, the bill calls for monthly surveys to be conducted so SGA members can gain more students input on campus issues.

Crime Prevention Tip Cleveland State University

Trust your instincts. If you see something that doesn’t seem right; say something! SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING 911 Remember to use CSU Safety Escort service

(216) 687-2020

Smiles Dental Let us give you that WHITE smile You’ve been looking for! 10% off with student I.D 3608 Payne Ave Suit 101 Cleveland, OH 44114 Tel: 216-881-5525 Emergency dental care is available

News

Jablonski’s Political Notebook

7 0

Story by Mark Jablonski| The Cauldron Political Correspondent The Plain Dealer Cans Blogger, Wide Open Implodes After firing one of it’s bloggers because he’d donated to a congressional candidate, The Plain Dealer’s recently launched experiment in blogging entitled Wide Open has completely imploded. Ohio’s largest newspaper launched the Wide Open blog in September after hiring four prominent — and overtly partisan — Ohio political bloggers to offer their “insight and analysis.” To balance things out, the blog featured two liberals and two conservatives. One of the liberal bloggers, Jeff Coryell, was fired last week when it was discovered that he had donated money to past and current Democratic candidates running against 14th District Republican Congressman Steve LaTourette. LaTourette complained to senior editors at The Plain Dealer about Coryell’s contributions on more than one occasion. As a result, Editor Jean Dubail told Coryell that he could keep his job only if he agreed to never write anything about Rep. LaTourette. Coryell refused, and was then fired. “I am extremely disappointed that the Cleveland Plain Dealer bowed to pressure from an elected official,” wrote Coryell, “to the extent of attempting to limit what a

freelance political blogger could write on a hosted group blog and of terminating the services of the blogger to please the official.” Coryell’s situation quickly received national coverage by eminent liberal outlets, including Mother Jones, DailyKos and The Huffington Post. “It goes without saying that Jeff did nothing wrong,” wrote Dubail. “His contributions to Wide Open were first-rate. But clearly I should have anticipated this potential difficulty when we set up the blog, and avoided putting him and us in this position. In that sense, the fault is mine.” Obviously, newspaper reporters must maintain neutrality and report the news in a non-biased fashion. The Wide Open bloggers, however, were not hired as reporters, but as partisan commentators. Their respective ideological slants were clear. For The Plain Dealer to expect partisan activists who are heavily involved in public affairs -- as these folks were before being hired -- to have never contributed either money or time to a political campaign is, in this student’s opinion, absurd. Shortly after Coryell’s departure, the remaining three bloggers resigned. Wide Open blog is at blog.cleveland.com/wideopen.

Defeating Dennis: DePiero Out, O’Grady in? Rumors have been flying lately about who is going to try to unseat Congressman Dennis Kucinich in next year’s Democratic primary, and we now have another name to add to that list. West Life News reports that North Olmsted Mayor Thomas O’Grady is considering throwing his hat into the ring. “I’ll make a decision about this by mid-November,” O’Grady told West Life. “I’m aware there has been some speculation going on about what might occur.” And as one big-name mayor steps into the ring, another exits. The Cauldron has been told by a high ranking official in the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party that Parma Mayor Dean DePiero will not be running against Dennis next year, as has been speculated. Unless, said the official, Dennis decides to retire, as has also been speculated. Whatever else happens, it should prove to be an interesting race. And who knows, maybe the 10th District will end up with a full-time representative. Edwards Picks Up Crucial Union Endorsement Presidential contender John Edwards picked up the highly coveted

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) endorsement from the union’s New Hampshire chapter last week. Arguably the two most important states in play during a presidential primary are New Hampshire and Iowa, and Edwards now has SEIU support from both states (bringing his number of state SEIU endorsements to 12). Aside from generating positive press, the endorsements mean thousands of union members making phone calls, knocking on doors, and working at the grassroots level to promote their chosen candidate. And right now, Edwards could use all the help he can get. In Iowa, he’s currently trailing Senators Obama and Clinton at 19 percent, down from a high of 27 percent last summer. In New Hampshire he’s faring even worse, coming in at about 11 percent, a drop from 18 percent a few months ago. Be a Board of Elections Co-Chair and Get a $2000 Scholarship As advertised in last week’s The Cauldron, the Board of Elections here at Cleveland State is in need of two Co-Chairs to run next year’s Student Government Association elections. The position comes with a Notebook continued on next page ...

Are you money motivated? Are you confident, driven, energentic, and love to sell? If you are we need you now. We are looking for you to take inbound calls in a lively, fast paced call center. We offer a lucrative pay plan, which includes hourly salary, generous commission, daily cash incentives, weekend bonus, and a good attendance bonus. We also have great benefits which include 401k, health, dental, and supplemental insurance. Please call or email your resume and reserve an interview today. Email: spot@dish1up.com Phone: 800-347-4187 Fax: 330-405-3087

Ne ws

8 0

Viking Expeditions to Use Breaks For Greater Good Story by Reid May| The Cauldron Staff Writer Viking Expeditions, a student led organization at Cleveland State University, is aimed at providing students with the opportunity to participate in service-learning projects during school breaks. The program, born from the Alternate Spring Break concept, will lead Cleveland State’s students on service trips during both Thanksgiving and spring break in the 2007-08 school year. The group is student run, headed by sophomore Heidi Vielhaber. Vielhaber and a group of about 10 students meet every Thursday to discuss marketing and financial plans, application deadlines, training seminars, and to work on exact plans for the two trips they will take this year. The current plans call for a service journey around Cleveland during the Thanksgiving break. Potential locations being considered include: The North East Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, The Cleveland Food Bank and Malachi House. New Orleans, La. is the destination for the spring break trip. This trip is projected to include 50 students, who would be gone for seven days in March 2008. The plan for New Orleans is to aide with Habitat for Humanity in the construction of new housing for people devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Participants will stay at Camp Hope, a former middle school turned haven for volunteers. Students have the potential to participate in both of the trips free of personal cost. The group has plans to fundraise enough to offset the expenses of necessities like transportation, supplies, food and housing. Participants are expected to join the fundraising effort, but those who chose not to would still be able to go to New Orleans for a projected cost of only $359. A student, faculty or Student Life leader will occupy the participants on the trip. Alternate Spring Break, the example that Viking Expeditions will follow, has become increasingly popular in colleges across the nation. It has successfully provided students with a better option than laying on the sofa for a week, and the organizers hope is that it catches on at Cleveland State as quickly as it has elsewhere. If you’re interested in joining Viking Expeditions applications can be downloaded online at csuohio.edu.

Notebook continued ... $2,000 scholarship, and looks absolutely superb on a resume, especially for those looking to work in politics or government after graduation. Applications are available in the Department of Student Life (UC 102), the SGA office (UC 160A), and on the web at csuohio.edu/sga/ boe. Portrait of a Poll Worker As I mentioned last week, I will be working the polls on Election Day in Cleveland’s beautiful Ward 14. In next week’s The Cauldron, don’t miss what is sure to be a riveting account of my day at the polls.

Web site: csuohio.edu/leadserve/opportunites/vikingexpeditions.htm or search Viking Expeditions on facebook.com.

News

National Science Foundation awards Cleveland State $600K in scholarships amounts of efforts placed on the development of the STEM student body. “This year is a planning year for the grant,” Margolius said. “Next Fall is the first year that we will be awarding scholarships. Students will need to apply in spring. “Scholarships will be for students entering their sophomore year or who have three years to go in their academic program. We will be funding 12 students the first year, and each year of the grant we will add another 12 students.” Margolius also states that competition for the grant is

9 0

Crime Prevention Tip Cleveland State University Police

Choose the safest route, even if it’s the longest route

Story by Ebony Cash | The Cauldron News Editor Cleveland State was the recipient of a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) grant award. The grant will award 48 lucky students over a five-year period who are majoring in STEM disciplines up to $10,000. Along with the scholarship, the recipients will also benefit from peer and community mentors as well as options for summer research. Dr. Barbara Margolius, director of the honors program, is very excited that Cleveland State has been awarded this grant, especially since in recent years there has been numerous

tough. Although, a GPA has not yet been set, students with a GPA lower than 3.0 will likely not be selected. “Other things that we will look at are what courses the student has taken or is taking,” Margolius said. “Tougher more advanced courses in a STEM discipline even if the student gets a “B” in the course are better than more basic easier courses.” For those who are interested in applying should get a move on as STEM Scholars will be selected by June 1 of each year. The first class will be awarded their scholarships for the 200809 academic year.

Avoid shortcuts Use well lit and heavily traveled routes Avoid vacant lots, alleys and construction sites.

Remember to use CSU Safety Escort service (216) 687-2020

eature Deciding on the ‘Truth’ Story by Andrea Mitchell The |Cauldron Managing Editor

Cleveland and its surroundings are full of naturally beautiful places. The Metroparks are an excellent example of Cleveland’s natural assets. However, Cleveland also has a history of industrial growth and pollution that cause major problems to the environment Clevelanders use and enjoy. As Al Gore tries to prove in the documentary An Inconvenient Truth, the strain that human beings are placing on the environment over the past few decades has led to the melting of the polar ice caps and glaciers, along with damage to the atmosphere, causing innumerable problems. An Inconvenient Truth was the

buzz around town when the documentary first hit theaters in 2006. The movie literally put Al Gore back on the map as both an environmentalist and politician. In the past thinking of Al Gore brought up memories of a former Vice President and the 2000 Democratic Party Presidential candidate who lost Florida. Now Gore is the star of an Oscar winner (An Inconvenient Truth won Best Documentary) and a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Some have questioned the validity of the peace prize since it was given to controversial winners such as Yasser Arafat. Now that Gore has received acclaim for narrating a documentary, many are questioning what the prize means and if it no longer represents the peace that so many are looking for in this world. T h e biggest issue that occurs in the forefront of my mind, along with many others is the money

that has been generated in making this film. While Al Gore did in fact donate his entire Nobel Peace Prize earnings, the amount of money that was donated from the film’s revenues has not been specified. On the An Inconvenient Truth Web site it claims, “A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this DVD will benefit the bipartisan climate effort, The Alliance for Climate Protection.” The film grossed $24,146,161 at the box office. Paramount donated five percent of ticket sales to climate change research. According to my estimates it was a little over $1.2 million. But still why is it only this portion? Why not all of the money? Why is it that only an unspecified portion goes to research? Why is someone still getting rich off of something that is not supposed to be about money? Well, I guess everything’s about money — or facts — when you think about it. The documentary centers on scientific facts. It shows an implied change in the environment and climate over the past century. It is true that the amount of natural disasters, including storms such as hurricanes has doubled in the past 30 years.

The documentary tells audiences that according to the World Health Organization deaths from global warming will double in the next 25 years to 300,000 people a year. And according to the Artic Climate Impact Assessment 2004, the Artic Ocean would be free of by 2050. However, some are challenging the film’s exact science. Eric Steig, an Earth scientist at the University of Washington Seattle said, "The exact numbers are, at best, an extrapolation from [a heat wave that] was experienced in Europe in 2003." New research is being conducted on the melting of the Artic ice shelf with research showing that it could dissipate completely in the next 20 years or it could be around until 2100. The solid information on the ice shelf is that since remote satellite imaging has been used to track the ice shelf ’s melting, 20 percent has been lost. Many are disagreeing with Gore’s proposals and his motivations behind them. In fact, the documentary is full of political innuendos and incentives. It includes clips from his Presidential campaign and his time in the Senate, along with detailed histories of his life, which has brought him to care about climate

change so much. The political aspect of the documentary is what makes it lose credibility for me personally, because of the commonly used phrase: “Who can trust a politician?” The money issue, however, still plays on in the back of my head throughout the film. This is because not only did Paramount monetarily from it, but Gore profited in publicity. He has been acclaimed and is now being called forth to run for President and asked repeatedly to get back into politics so people can see a change other than in the climate. So Gore, for all his genius, glory and peace promoting, has still, like so many others before him, gained popularity from an issue. The thing still irking me is that I do not believe a man who gets any benefit (even politically) on something should be given a peace prize. I always was under the impression that in spreading peace one gives of oneself completely without compensation. Gore’s

compensation is to come in the future. He even says in the film that through changing the way we interact with the environment money is to be made. In his case, even though he did not highly profit outside of public opinion from the film, he still is at the forefront of the other environment projects that will be making huge profits when they finally take off. The film scares people. The film scared me. It describes possibilities that I would not like to even fathom. Most people wouldn’t like to fathom these possibilities, but they still may happen. There is some science placed with the political drive and that is where scary ideas lie. As intelligent people though we can’t take a film that has come to the same movie theater as movies starring Britney Spears and Paris Hilton as solely the truth, fact, and end of story. Paramount executives are not scientists. Believing An Inconvenient Truth for the cold hard truth is just too... how

can I put this?... convenient. What needs to happen is we need to not only cut back drastically on environmentally harmful ways of living, but we also need the research. We need to figure out where these figures and facts are coming from and then, and only then, will we really be aware of what is real and what politicians are just saying this week. The film is powerful and should be watched by everyone, Republican and Democrat alike. However, after they see it they should make their own judgments. People now more then ever, with the vast amount of knowledge readily available at our fingertips, should realize that they need to do the research and find the facts. It is truly too convenient when they are laid out in front of you in a documentary. Gore is admirable for his efforts. He has put himself at the head of this issue and while his personal reasons may still be subject to question, the big picture is that this is an issue. As Gore said in the

film, “Separating the truth from the fiction and the accurate connections from the misunderstandings… but when based on sound sciences then we as human beings need to make sure that the warnings are heard and responded to.” Overall society must keep in mind that today we do make a huge impact on the environment. We need to conserve and help the environment for our own well being today and tomorrow.

Deciding on Gore in 2008: Anything is possible... right? Story by James Kneblik | The Cauldron Contributing Writer The once alleged father of the Internet, Al Gore, seems to currently be more of a son of the media. Could Gore competitively jump into the already saturated Democrat environment? The public eye seemingly has no difficulty staring down the former vice president while he adorns the Nobel Peace Prize, various awards, and a ‘grass root’ petition for his presidential candidacy in 2008. One has to wonder what to think of his recent wealthy endeavors and the possibility of a 2008 Presidential race. While Mr. Gore enjoys the rays of celebrity limelight, in recent years he has remained in the shadows politically. Has Gore emerged from the political scene to join that of a celebrity? A simple YouTube search for Mr. Gore will render his 2007 Emmy and Oscar awards, appearance as the President on Saturday Night

Live in 2000, and various clips of the documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. On Oct. 10 the former presidential candidate was summoned from his celebrity life by a full-page ad in the New York Times. It called for Gore to run once again. Currently the petition is climbing to over 221,000 signatures. You can read more, and listen to the song, “Run Al, Run,” at draftgore.com. Vice President Al Gore won the popular vote in the 2000 presidential elections by 48.38 percent, according to the Federal Elections Committee. People are wondering if he could do it again. Gore, however, faces the momentum of three strong democratic candidates—Barack Obama, Hilary Clinton, and John Edwards. For some Gore could have an advantage in the Democratic Party petition. Others may say his recent accomplishments give him nothing more than celebrity-

like notoriety and respect within the environmentalist community. Furthermore, his popularity and recent wealth could come under serious criticism during another presidential race. Yes, his name. ‘Ol Al,’ has one of the most recognizable ‘household’ names. Gore sits on the board of Apple, a company’s logo one will frequently see flash across the screen in An Inconvenient Truth. After his failed presidency race, Gore also signed on with the then lesserknown Internet company Google. Good move on his part because now Al Gore is personally worth $100 million, according to CBS News. Al Gore was given the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize on Oct. 12. Ignoring all speculation the documentary may not have helped Gore politically. After the Nobel was given, the Gallop poll checked Gore in at only 14 percent for the presidential race.

Regardless of his fame and passionate fans, does he have enough popularity to win back the Democratic Party? It was apparent that many grew tired and disappointed from the 2000 loss and seemingly endless Florida voting recounts. Never mind grass roots petitions, has he lost the confidence of his own party? The facts are apparent. Al Gore was one of the first to debunk the Iraq war. He has stood for universal health care and, obviously, environmental issues. But are not those the issues preached by the current Democrat runners? Al Gore may be too similar to his Democrat counterparts. The political loss in 2000 gives him a disadvantage against the successful Senator and former first lady, Clinton. On Oct. 17 Gore said, “I don't have plans to be a candidate again.” Supporters refuse to believe so.

C ulture

Cleveland Metal Band Years of Fire

12 2

Story by Scott Arko | The Cauldron Staff Writer founded Chimaira and Shenoah (the former of which has gone on to great commercial success), as well as played bass in Ascension with former vocalist YOF Chris Woods. Meanwhile, new vocalist Kent Young played in Columbus band Capital Tragedy with drummer Mark Evans, and bassist Ben Hollowell not only played in Shenoah, but in Cleveland hardcore legends Ringworm. Why should you care?

Years of Fire Location: Cleveland, OH Formed: 2005 Members: Kent Young (vocals), Jason Hager (guitar), Ben Hollowell (bass), Mark Evans (drums) Website: http://www.myspace. com/yearsoffire Who are they? Years of Fire formed in 2005 when guitarist Jason Hager found himself disinterested in his present band (screamo-influenced Shenoah) and had a strong desire to harken back to his roots: heavy metal. Being a former member of local favorites Chimaira and Ascension, Hager sought to form something even heavier, somewhat in an act of defiance towards Chimaira’s label, Roadrunner Records, who found it necessary to tell them that they were ‘too heavy’ and would have to tone down their sound. He reunited with former band mate Chris Woods on vocals, Brian Hanculak on drums and Jeff Butchko on bass rounded out the lineup; however, Butchko quickly changed his mind, leaving the bassist spot

open. With the disbanding of Shenoah, Hager contacted bassist (and current CSU student) Ben Hollowell to fill the spot. Within a few days, he accepted, and the band went to writing, crafting a self-titled EP and, a year later, debut album Visceral Departure. Soon after, the band lost Chris Woods to an ailing voice arising from complications during recordings; Buried By Angels’s Kent Young gladly inherited the position, with Chris’s full blessing, as shown through a farewell show collaboration. Sounds Like... Years of Fire bears resemblances to the best of modern metal; Visceral Departure harkens back to the early days of The Haunted, complete with breakdowns reminiscent of metalcore masters such as The Red Chord or even Agnostic Front. The focus, however, is sheer, ‘face-melting metal.’ The band is uncompromisingly heavy, but still manages to retain a sense of melody and surprisingly memorable hooks. The band members are all experienced musicians; Jason Hager

Years of Fire boasts a unique sound in a scene flooded with ‘pig-squeals’ and 2-step breakdowns. The drums crash, the vocals incite primal fury, and the riffs slam (but don’t dance). Equally remarkable is the band

in a live arena: they simply sound fantastic, and can incite energy a thousand bands would envy. Key songs like “Reign of Freyja,” “The Vitation Doctrine,” and “In the Eyes of God” bear an urgency and crafty songwriting the Cleveland scene has sorely missed. Given fair time, the right circumstances, and wise decisions, Years of Fire has the potential to become a truly important and respectable player in the national, if not global metal scene. “Next time we hit the stage, we will have grown stronger, wiser, and fueled like never before,” says Jason Hager at the close of the interview. “We’re gonna come out swinging.” Thanks to Jason Hager for his time and interview opportunity.

C ulture

Are They Worth a Listen?

13 2

Story by Faith Larraine | The Cauldron Staff Writer Four strapping Canadian men have brushed our scene with their heavy guitars and intense vocals. They’ve only been around since February 2006, but they are making themselves known, as any upcoming band would do. They are going to be at Peabody’s Downunder on Nov. 28 along side Evans Blue and a band I wrote about before, Framing Hanley. Despite the fact that they are babies in the business and they have Canadian accents, it is time to make the decision once again…are they worth a listen? Band of Choice: Neurosonic 10 Reasons Why You Should Listen to Neurosonic 1. Terrorist Incident: Jason Darr, the lead singer of Neurosonic, got the band accused of being terrorists. He had taped a set list to his pedal board and the FBI had mistaken some of the song titles, such as “Crazy Sheila” and “So Many People,” as terrorist codes. The board was checked out and eventually returned. But, how crazyamazing is that! It’s odd…but cool at the same time. 2. Drama Queen: Neurosonic’s debut album Drama Queen was charted as No. 9 in September 2007 on Billboard Top Heatseekers (Mountain time). 3. Darr personalizations: If you go to the Neurosonic myspace page and participate in creating a Neurosonic 3D-ID, or create a mix and mash music video for their single “So Many People,” or join their street team, Darr will send a personal thank you to every winner of these competitions. 4. Facebook?: Darr has a facebook page as well. Facebook is way better than myspace so…props to him for that! 5. A Top Spot Video: In August 2007, the music video for “So

Many People” took the top spot on Fuse’s Oven Fresh show. 6. Speaking of: “So Many People” is extremely catchy. The lyrics speak truth and it’s funny. Actually, a good deal of their songs have a comical background. 7. Making Rap Work: Some of their harder songs have Darr doing a little bit of rapping, and he’s not bad at it. He makes rap a little easier to listen to. 8. Band as a Whole: I can’t compare them to anyone else because the band as a whole doesn’t really sound like anything I have heard before. Some of the songs have familiar beats, but the music and the lyrics together make them unique. 9. Rock Charts: The Mediabase Active Rock Charts for American Radio have Neurosonic at No. 34. 10. Rock Solid: From watching live videos on YouTube, these boys obviously know how to put on a great show. The crowd always looks pumped and the band always looks to be having a great time. 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Listen to Neurosonic 1. Three or four: On the bands Web site, there are a lot of pictures with just three members of the band. It makes me wonder if maybe the fourth guy is simply extra. That… or does he feel left out when the band takes pictures without him? 2. Darr Shmarr: Darr takes all the credit for what the band has become today. In a video interview posted on YouTube he said that he wrote all the songs, got the band together, got the manager, got the studio, etc. How about showing some gratitude to your other band mates. 3. Obviously Not Pop Fans: I am not a pop fan either, but their

song “So Many People” is basically just another attack on folks like Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan. How many times have we heard those criticisms? I think we’ve heard them enough. Not to mention, Neurosonic has a little pop in their music as well. 4. Boundaries: Some of Neurosonic’s music crosses some boundaries when it comes to the G rated side of music. Therefore, some of their songs have to be restricted from being played in front of small children or superadvanced minded children. 5. Canadian: Enough said. 6. Genre-less: For those people who have to stick every band into a genre or they will have a nervous breakdown, good luck with this one. This band has been classified from everything to pop to hard rock to alternative to grunge…and then some. 7. No Apologies: Whatever biography you look at that talks about Neurosonic or Darr, it says

that Darr is unapologetic about his music. Well, that’s good in a way but it can also give a bad image. Look at how Madonna was treated since she was unapologetic about her music. 8. All About Darr: This column mentioned a lot about Darr and his pros and cons. That is because most of the information that can be found about the band has the main theme of Darr. Darr did this and Darr did that…it’s all about him. Since all the shine is on him, if he screws up…it could be a huge screw up for the band as well. 9. Funny Lyric Con: Yes, they may be funny; but, the lyrics aren’t very moving. They don’t make you think. 10. ???: Go to the show on Nov. 28 and see if you can find a reason to not listen to them. It’s the week after Thanksgiving break, so you can work off of those extra turkey pounds you gained the week before.

C ulture

Darfur Now Brings The Tragedy of Genocide Home

14 2

Story by Laura Dynda | The Cauldron Staff Writer

Since 2003, there has been genocide in the region of Darfur, Sudan. Since that time there has also been a worldwide movement to end that genocide. In the new documentary Darfur Now, director Ted Braun traveled throughout Darfur from January through May 2007 capturing the tragedy that is unfolding. A problem that the United Nations has described as, “The world’s greatest humanitarian and human rights

catastrophe.” Darfur Now is a call for action to help these people that are suffering through genocide. The documentary shows a beacon of hope in this darkest of times, and how people will band together and call for justice. The film is about how six people, the most well-known being Don Cheadle, whose lives were transformed by this human tragedy and unite in the belief of helping

end the genocide. This film shows the struggles and achievements of the six individuals from inside Darfur in order to bring to light the tragedy and show how the actions of just one person can make a difference to millions. In such it tells stories that touch the viewer’s hearts. The access that the director was able to get is amazing. Braun was granted unprecedented access to the internally displaced people of Darfur, Sudanese government officials, and to members of the nomadic communities and the rebels — including exclusive access to the Sudanese Liberation Army controlled territory in the Jebel Mara region, a place and group never filmed before. During this time, the director and his crew were the only members of western media allowed into Darfur, which had been closed to the press since November 2006. Other locations in the film are The International Criminal Court in The Hague, the United Nations

Security Council in New York, the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC, Cairo, Beijing and the State Capitol of California. These locations put the documentary on an international level. This was an amazing film to watch and there were many touching and powerful moments in it. To be able to see that regular people in the United States are fighting for thousands of miles away is so wonderful. This film calls everyone to action, from the biggest film stars to regular people protesting or handing out flyers. Other notable people that pop in and out of this film are Sen. Sam Brownback, Sen. Hilary Clinton, Sen. John McCain, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and actor George Clooney. The scheduled release date for Cleveland is Nov. 16 at the Cedar Lee Theatre. For more information go to myspace.com/darfurnow or participate.net/darfurnow.

Hayashi’s Legacy To Be Displayed In Series Of Art Exhibits Story by Christopher Enoch | The Cauldron Staff Writer From Oct. 27 to Nov. 16, four of Ohio’s leading art centers will host examinations and celebrations to an acclaimed photographer and Cleveland State professor Masumi Hayashi, who was killed on Aug.17, 2006. On Oct 27, Nov. 2 and Nov. 16 respectively, the Akron Art Museum, Cleveland State University Art Gallery, MOCA Cleveland, and SPACES started and will begin their exhibitions in Hayashi’s honor and showcase her diverse body of work, revealing some of her developmental early work as well as some of her more well-known efforts.

Locally, nationally, and internationally, Masumi Hayashi was an icon among photographers. Best identified for her robust and influential photographic collages, Hayashi once depicted various sites photographically. American internment camps for Japanese-Americans, a variety of sites in Cleveland’s industrial districts, and perhaps most well known; the shrines, sanctuaries, and temples of ancient Asia all have been captured in the dutiful lens of Hayashi. Hayashi was no stranger to Continued on next page ...

C ulture Cleveland. She became a faculty member of Cleveland State as an assistant Professor of Photography in 1982, and would become a full professor in 1996. Throughout her professorship at CSU, she would accept several awards, including an Arts Midwest, an NEA fellowship in 1987, a Civil Liberties Educational Fund fellowship in 1997, a Fulbright Grant in 2003 and an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Ohio Arts Council three times. Hayashi was also honored in Cleveland with the Cleveland Arts Prize for Visual Arts in 1994. Her work and effort weren’t just limited to her own photography and teaching either. “In addition to developing the Photography curriculum, various Special Topics courses, and supervising the darkroom and photography lab, Masumi played an impor-

tant role in the development of the CSU Art Gallery, both as an advocate and as director of the gallery in its early days,” said friend and colleague George Mauersberger, Associate Professor of Art at CSU. “She was supportive of pushing the Art Department into the digital age and introducing computer graphics

post-industrial Cleveland, Hayashi brought beauty out of the most unlikely of places. According to Mauersberger, Hayashi’s commitment to social justice gave definition to her lifestyle as well as her work. “She was committed to social justice and to making art, she was also deeply

“She was committed to social justice and to making art, she was also deeply committed to the city of Cleveland” courses into the curriculum.” Hayashi was seemingly born into a commitment for social justice, having been born in an internment camp during WWII. This background led her to educate people to combat prejudices. Through her photography of interment camps, prisons, hazardous waste sites, and

committed to the city of Cleveland, as evidenced by where she chose to live and keep her studio. She moved into a tough part of town with the intention of making it better. She had a belief in the transformative power of art, to change people, and to even change neighborhoods.”

CSU Chic

15 2

Hayashi’s gifts to the art community are already featured in many prevalent art collections at home and abroad. To name a few, The Cleveland Museum of Art, the Columbus Museum of Art, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography all contain particular pieces of Hayashi’s repertoire. The exhibition of Hayashi’s work held at the Cleveland State University Art Gallery, where some of her former students will pay tribute runs through Dec. 15. The exhibit will be titled Masumi Hayashi, Meditations: The Memorial Exhibition. For more information: akronartmuseum.org csuohio.edu/art/gallery mocacleveland.org SPACESgallery.org

by Andrea Cervenak | The Cauldron Staff Writer Name: Cici Bui Age: 18 Major: Communications Style Inspirations: European Fashion and my mom Favorite Clothing Stores: Urban Outfitters, Forever 21 Favorite Fashion Magazine: Teen Vogue Favorite Fashion Eras: “I like fashion now because all the eras are coming together.” Fashion Philosophy: “I dress based on my mood.” What She Loves About Fashion: “Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved fashion. I’m not sure why, I just do.” What She’s Wearing: Printed Taffeta, gift. Layered Teal Corduroy Plaid Blazer, gift. Green Sweater, gift. Forever 21 Skinny Jeans, $20. Green Suede Boots, gift. Diesel Brown Leather Purse, approximately $100. Family Travels: Her mom travels often, and bought her the pieces of her outfit that are listed gifts.

C ulture

16 2

CSU Idol: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Story by Laura Dynda | The Cauldron Staff Writer

CSU Idol Winner Faith David

Since its first episode, American Idol has been the most popular show on TV. But it’s not the actual competition that viewers watch the most, it’s the tryouts. The reason why is because the viewer wants to be able to judge for himself which contestant is good, which is bad, and which is just plain ugly. The people who think that they can sing, but in reality

can’t, are the best part. To watch the judges tell the contestant the truth and see the contestant’s outburst makes entertaining TV. Once again at Campus Activities Board’s annual event, the question lingered: Which CSU student would be crowned the best singer on campus? The CSU Idol competition took place Thursday at 5 p.m.in The Shire. There was a great turn out for this competition. A little more than 20 people performed a song with the help of a karaoke machine. With contestants ready who’d play Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson? Why none other than Miss Ohio Melanie Murphy, Dr. Mary Myers and Dr Sandra Emerick. Dr. Emerick was the only returning judge from last year’s CSU Idol. The judge’s acting skills were

almost dead on when they would critique the contestants at the end of their performances. Some judging would end up favorably, but some others did not. One contestant who sang a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” did not receive a very good review. Murphy said, “I’m speechless.” And just as Simon Cowell would probably say, Myers proclaimed, “You’re no Judy Garland.” To this, the contestant got up into the judges faces and then started to say, “You’re Jealous!” She called the judges “bitches,” and in true American Idol fashion, walked out. Despite the dose of reality, The Shire was filled with an infectious atmosphere of people cheering and clapping for the contestants. There was a warm up session for the contestants before the show, where crackling in the speakers

could be heard, but for the actual performance that went away. After the block of contestants competed and after a short break, the three winners were picked. Like in American Idol, audience members got to vote for who they thought should win, not with their cell phones, but with little green cards. Audience members could only vote for one person. As votes were counted, last year’s winner Gary Jackson exhibiting his great voice. Last year, Jackson took home $250 for first place. This year, Faith David, a junior biology major won the contest. One of her songs was Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This,” the same song Clarkson sang after she won the first season of American Idol. The first place prize was $150, about which David said, “This is going to be gas money.”

CD Reviews Flames, demonstrates SKSK’s complete mastery and perfection of the “screamo” genre; It is truly a masterpiece. Who doesn’t love blaring “My Darkest Hour” or “The Only Medicine” as loud as your car speakers will allow? That being said, I popped in the new self-titled disc anyway, and was pleasantly surprised. It would have been awful to find that the Scary Kids were just another band that put out one spectacular album, suffered from the ever-present “sophomore slump”, and then proceeded to vanish from the face of the earth. Although this new, self-titled production is not quite up to par with TCSIF, there is no disappointment to be had. With energetic tunes like “Degenerates” and “The Deep End,” Artist: Immortal Records combined with the surprisingly soothing ballad Scary Kids Scaring Kids 3.75 out of 5 “Watch Me Bleed,” it is not farfetched to say By Dan Hollowell Album: that SKSK has proven them selves worthy of the Scary Kids Scaring Kids scene’s attention with this record. Sure, there are aspects of the album that are reminiscent of the I must say I was hesitant to give Scary debut LP, but the Arizona sextet have moved on Kids’ new album a listen for fear of being from the raw “emocore” sound of TCSIF and massively disappointed. Let’s face it, folks, taken a step in the right direction. the groups full-length debut, The City Sleeps In

Artist: Will.i.am Album: Songs About Girls

Interscope Records 4 out of 5 By Shanette D. Buford

The Black Eyed Peas front man and producer Will.i.am’s (William Adams) solo debut album Songs About Girls is Continued on page 17...

C ulture

Artist: Cobra Starship Album: ¡Viva La Cobra!

Fueled By Ramen 5 out of 5 By Anne Werner

Cobra Starship’s sophomore album, ¡Viva La Cobra! is an eclectic mix of electronic sounds and spans the genres of dance, techno, pop, and rock. It’s the first in a line of several new albums from the Decaydance/Fueled By Ramen label (anyone remember Panic! at the Disco?)

that will be released later this year and early next year. Produced on tour with the help of Fall Out Boy’s lead singer, Patrick Stump, the album combines funky beats and satirical, occasionally crude lyrics about fame for songs you’ll enjoy if you don’t take them too seriously. “The City Is At War” and “Guilty Pleasure” are powerful electro-rock songs destined to get stuck in your head. “Kiss My Sass,” as clever as its title, starts off with a sound similar to a video game, but the hip-hop solo adds to the unique style found throughout the album. “Scandalous” is fun, although possibly a little too flamboyant for its own good, while “Smile For The Paparazzi” goes from salsa to edgy rock without missing a beat. Lead singer Gabe Saporta does indeed “bring sassy back” (see the song “Kiss My Sass”) with Cobra Starship’s new 80’s-inspired record. If nothing else, ¡Viva La Cobra! deserves the attention because it’s easy to dance to, it’s witty, and you can listen to the entire album at fbrplus.com.

17 2

Will.i.am CD Review continued.... different. It is not a Black Eyed Peas album. Will. i.am is one of the top producers in the industry, and has collaborated with numerous artists from Justin Timberlake to fellow Black Eyed Pea Fergie. Songs About Girls is an album where Will.i.am is his own man. It is an adventurous album and has various sounds from around the world. The story behind the album is that it is about a hip-hop producer who meets a girl and then falls in love with her. This album is not a hip hop album, but has influences from European club sounds, house music, old school soul and Brazilian Bale funk. The first single off Songs About Girls is “I Got It From My Momma”, is a song that is talking about the fun rumination on the subject of genetics. “Donque” is a club like song that features Snoop Dogg, the only big name on the album, and whenever I hear this song I have to get up and dance. In the future expect a movie accompanying Songs About Girls, which will be set in Brazil. Will.i.am has plans to do another solo album that will be the movie soundtrack. Will.i.am is a creative producer, artist and person who has shown his creative side on this album.

Get published!

GRADUATING SOON? NEED A RIDE?

Submit local or national CD reviews about 225 words or less to cauldroneditors@hotmail.com. Albums must have been released in the last year. Include your name, album cover, record company (if none please note) and a ranking out of five. Get heard! Is your band seeking some publicity or has an upcomGe ing show to promote? The Cauldron would love to spotlight CSU-related or Cleveland-related bands. E-mail us at cauldroneditors@hotmail.com or $ GMAC allow message us on myspace or facebook. when you qualify

to buy or leas an eligibl GM veh

LOGON TO >

www.gmcollegegrad.com/OH006 Take delivery by 12/31/07. Residency and other restrictions apply. See dealer OR Visit www.GMCollegeGrad.com for details.

FOR INFO ON LOCAL AND N AT I O N A L A RT I S T S P L E A S E V isit C S U C A U L D RO N . C O M

Spo rts

18 2

Women’s Basketball Ready for Journey Ahead Story by Robert Ivory | The Cauldron Sports Writer

Coach Kate Peterson

The story of last season’s women’s basketball team was one of be patient and learn. This year, the team will be the ones looking to defeat many their opponents. The girls are looking to avenge a 5-11 record, a mark that could have easily been reversed and not ended facing the powerful University of ChicagoIllinois in the Horizon League Tournament. This season Cleveland State returns four starters, including a member of the All-Horizon League Preseason Team, sophomore Kailey Klein. If Klein can continue her form from last year, the team will have an easier time this time around.

Coach Kate Peterson is excited about the core of the team returning for another year of Vikings hoops. But, the majority of the hype is over Klein. “Kailey is a pure scorer, she feeds off her offensive abilities and can create scoring opportunities from anywhere on the floor,” Coach Peterson said in an interview on the Horizon League Web site. Klein finished No. 14 in the league in scoring in her first year. It’s going to be a great season if she can expand that scoring brilliance and reach her potential on the floor. “I’ve been every where” The problem for the Viking women may start with their travel itinerary. The team has their first two regular season games in Cleveland (opening night is against Big Ten powerhouse Wisconsin), but they travel to the 49th state, when they compete in the Great Alaskan Shootout on Nov. 20. Returning to the continental United States will be good, but

the month of December may not be too fun. Out of the six games in December, five of those are on the road, with trips to New York (against Buffalo, Niagara, and Colgate), Indianapolis (IUPUI) and Oxford, Ohio (Miami University). Three Games to Watch: University of WisconsinGreen Bay (16-0 last year in Horizon League) Jan. 10 at Wisconsin and Feb. 9 in Cleveland: Even though the team is ranked second in the preseason poll, it’s going to be tough to beat a team that didn’t lose a single conference game last year. After upsetting New Mexico in the first round of the NCAA tournament, the team took a 46-42 lead into halftime against the University of Connecticut, in the second round. Oh yes, and they’ve finished on top of the Horizon League the last eight of nine years. University of IllinoisChicago (11-5 last year in Horizon League) Jan. 5 in Cleveland and March 6 in Chicago: Finished

second in the league last year and made their first appearance in the Women’s NIT. They broke school records for consecutive victories (11) and most wins in a season (19). University of Wisconsin (7-9 last year in the Big Ten) November 9 in Cleveland: What could be a bigger stage to set off a big year? The Badgers come to Cleveland looking to start their campaign off on the right foot, and look to improve on their WNIT Runner-Up season from a year ago. What a statement game for the Vikings if they can upset Wisconsin. Forecast: Don’t be shocked if the Vikings upset the competition and make a real run to crack the top five of the Horizon League. The team is predicted to finish eighth in the Horizon League Preseason Poll by the ‘experts.’ But, with the returning starters and the play of Klein, optimistically look for the Vikings to break the ten win plateau in league play, a first time that they would get ten wins in the Horizon League Conference.

Only thing scary about the Monsters is their record Story by Robert Ivory | The Cauldron Sports Writer

Dan Gilbert

Sitting there with my head in my hands, freezing and disappointed, can only mean one thing, its hockey season again in Cleveland. The Monsters have sprinted out of the gate going 2-6 in their first eight games. Now, I’m not ready to throw in the towel, but the Monsters need to get on a roll. Even though they won their last two games, both games were won by a score of 3-2 on

the road. Their defense simply needs to step it up. The team has given up more twice as many goals as they have scored, 17 for and 35 against, and the future doesn’t get much easier. The Monsters head to Houston for back to back games and then home for a tough five game home series with two undefeated squads. The Monsters will face off against

the Toronto Marlies, one with division foe Manitoba, and two with the Quad City Flames. Being an above mentioned hockey fan, I am not impressed with the team, but very impressed with the way the team is being handled. After the Barons’ management treated that team for several years, I have seen a glimmer of hope after attending a game this year. Yes, the prices of tickets are

Spo rts up just a bit, but the marketing group, headed by the owner of the Cavaliers Dan Gilbert, has put the Monsters on the right track. I felt like I really was at professional hockey game, which it didn’t feel like at the Barons, unless it was a free bobble head giveaway on a Saturday night. But, the Monsters have promised a season of many memories. Giveaways, such as a magnet schedule, Youth Hockey Stick,

Blanket giveaway, and a hat giveaway, occur more often on the schedule. Other nights of interest include OSU/Michigan rally night (Nov. 15), a salute to Canada (Nov. 17 and a personal favorite), meet and great with the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders (Feb. 9), and several college ID nights (happening on most Wednesday nights throughout the season). I love this thinking.

Finally, someone is using their heads in the front office. Unlike the Cavs, you cannot blame the front office on the talent they put on the ice, for that is on the shoulders of the Colorado Avalanche. However, it is interesting to see current NHL players playing right in our backyard. For instance, opening night in Cleveland saw two time NHL All-Star Jose Theodore between the pipes. That alone is a reason

19 2

to get down to The Q. Get to know the team, because chances are you’ll hear their name on SportsCenter down the road. You never know, maybe you’ll become involved and learn about the sport and become a consistent fan, something the Monsters need. So, I advise you to come out during the winter months. Come on down and watch some hockey.

Dissecting the Cleveland Indians An In-Depth Look at the Tribe Story by Reid May | The Cauldron Sports Writer The American League Central Division champion Cleveland Indians enter the 2007 offseason in a position envied by almost every other organization in baseball. They’re coming off a playoff year, and they have almost no turnover on their current roster. Aside from free agent veterans Kenny Lofton and Trot Nixon, the Indians have no major contributors unsigned for the 2008 season. This consistency and an average age of 28.2 for the 40-man roster will make the Indians an immediate favorite to contend again next year, and allow the team to place its focus on inter-organization position battles, and contract extensions for core players. This still leaves the Tribe with some questions unanswered. They must decide on roster spots, determine what to do with players out of minor league options, and how much money to offer C.C. Sabathia. Last Hoorah? Despite being a fan favorite Kenny Lofton has spent his last days with the Indians. General Manager Mark Shapiro made it clear that despite Lofton’s great stretch play — .283 average,

If Marte can’t crack the starting lineup on at least a part-time basis, the team will prepare to part ways with him. 24 runs scored — and excellent postseason — .279 average, 6 RBI — he was just here for this season. The Indians have a surplus of other options in left field with David Dellucci and Jason Michaels under contract next year, and Ben Francisco (.318, 12 HR, 51 RBI in 95 games at Buffalo, International League Batting Title) looming as the apparent long-term solution. This doesn’t even mention ShinSoo Choo, although he will not be back until midseason because of Tommy John surgery. Rumors of the Indians possibly acquiring Pittsburgh Pirate outfielder Jason Bay seem unfounded. And free agent outfielders Torii Hunter and Andruw Jones are out of the teams price range. Although it would be nice if the money spent on Dellucci, Michaels

and Lofton was lumped together for an everyday outfielder and potential No. 5 hitter. It will be interesting to see what the team does after Nov. 12 when the rest of the free agents can file. Re-sign Sabathia? Compare Indian’s southpaw C.C. Sabathia with fellow lefthanded pitcher Barry Zito who signed a seven-yr./$121 million dollar deal with San Francisco last December. Sabathia, 27, has 100 career wins, while Zito, 29, has 113 career wins. Both are left-handed — a more treasured commodity — and both grew into reliable staff aces at a young age. Sabathia’s been more productive to this point in his career, and is

The Indians best chance to resign Sabathia is to offer him a contract worth around $95 million dollars for five to six years.

still improving as a pitcher. He could easily demand more than Zito — say $150 million/10 years on the open market. The Indians best chance to resign Sabathia is to offer him a contract worth around $95 million dollars for five to six years. This will give him an average salary of $16.5-19 million dollars a year, which is comparable to the average for Zito. It won’t give Sabathia the longevity he wants, and he might get more money elsewhere, but he claims to like Cleveland, and might give them the discount if his yearly salary compares to the field. Marte finished with Tribe? Third basemen Andy Marte — the center of the Coco Crisp trade two years ago has shown little of his apparent big league bat since he arrived here. He was given the starting job this spring, but lost it hitting just .193 in 20 games. Marte is out of options, meaning he has to either make the major league club this year, or be cut after spring training. The Indians have no plans to uproot Casey Blake (.270, 18 HR, 78 RBI/ .962 fielding percentage) from third base, saying Marte will

Spo rts have to play first, as well as third to stay with the club. If Marte can’t crack the starting lineup on at least a part-time basis, the team will prepare to part ways with him. If that is the end result of Marte’s tenure here, catcher Kelly Shoppach will essentially be the only reciprocation for sending Crisp to Boston. Throwing relief pitcher Guillermo Mota into the deal was a plus too for the Indians. Mota went 2-2 with a 5.76 ERA for the New York Mets in 2007. Indians management may be fearful of giving up on the young Marte based on the progress highly touted Indians prospects Jeremy Guthrie and Brandon Phillips made once leaving the club. Guthrie went 7-5 with a 3.70 ERA for the Baltimore Orioles last season, while Phillips batted .288 and hit 30 homers for the Cincinnati Reds. Peralta to third, Cabrera to short? The limited range of shortstop Jhonny Peralta, coupled with the brilliant play of young second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera has led to the suggestion that manager Eric Wedge move Peralta to third Base, and Cabrera to shortstop — his natural position. Moving Peralta would mean uprooting Casey Blake from third base back into the outfield — where the Indians have no spot for him. The Tribe likes having Blake in the lineup, and since Barfield struggled so mightily there is no hurry to plug him back in at second base. Look for the Indians to leave the infield as it is. Having Cabrera at second doesn’t take away from the overall defensive scheme; it just makes the right side that much better. What to do with Josh Barfield?

Look for Barfield to spend some time at Buffalo — he has option years left — and work out the rough spots (.243 average) he had hitting this year. After having an excellent rookie year in San Diego, Josh Barfield slumped mightily in his second Major League season. Cabrera filled the second base void easily, leaving the Indians with no reason to rush Barfield back into the lineup. Look for Barfield to spend some time at Buffalo — he has option years left — and work out the rough spots (.243 average) he had hitting this year. If he fairs well, we may see

that he used now banned HGH while with the Kansas City Royals may deter the organization a bit. Despite the issues, look for Byrd to return in 2008. According to The Plain Dealer’s Terry Pluto, Byrd is also a valuable trade chip. The fifth spot would then be a battle between Cliff Lee, Jeremy Sowers and Aaron Laffey. Lee was injured early in the season, and followed that with difficulties on the mound going 5-8

Moving Peralta would mean uprooting Casey Blake from third base back into the outfield — where the Indians have no spot for him. the infield take on a different look in 2009, with Peralta and Cabrera moving to third and short respectively. Current third baseman, Casey Blake will be a free agent after 2008. Clogged rotation… One of the biggest questions will be who takes the final two rotation spots in 2008. Sabathia, Jake Westbrook and Fausto Carmona lock up the first three, but who will follow that trio remains an uncertainty. Paul Byrd has a club option in place for 2008, and was certainly effective in 2007 going 15-8 with a 4.59 ERA and two big postseason victories. However the recent revelation

through July. He was sent down to the minors before spending most of September in the bullpen, and was not on the playoff roster. Sowers went 1-6 through June 3, and then spent the majority of the season with Buffalo, before making a spot start in September at Seattle. He traveled with the team, but was not on the roster in the playoffs. Laffey filled in after Lee’s departure, impressing the Tribe with a 4-2 record and 4.56 ERA in nine games. Laffey also pitched well out of the bullpen in the postseason. These three pitchers will battle in spring training to determine the final rotation spot, with Lee and Laffey holding a slight current edge on Sowers.

Joe Borowski (45 saves, 5.07 ERA) will likely be the closer for a second year in Cleveland. The only formality will be picking up his club option.

20 2

And finally… bullpen matters.

Joe Borowski (45 saves, 5.07 ERA) will likely be the closer for a second year in Cleveland. The only formality will be picking up his club option. The same is not as likely for lefty Aaron Fultz. The veteran who did a decent job (2.92 ERA in 49 games) was not as useful after the emergence of rookie Rafael Perez (1.78 ERA in 44 games.) The Indians do hold a club option on Fultz, but have not indicated their intentions either way. The rest of the pen is sure to include right-handed pitchers Jensen Lewis, Tom Mastny and Rafael Betancourt. Lewis (2.15 ERA in 29.1 innings) has the potential to be a reliable setup man. Mastny showed he can work out off a numerous variety of jams in late innings, while Betancourt could potentially take over the closer role if need be. Others may include Laffey or Lee if either doesn’t make the rotation, Edward Mujica, Juan Lara, Mike Koplove or the fantastic minor league starter [this would be in the case of a postseason run] Adam Miller. Lara, 26, is a wild card. He could give Wedge a second lefty out the bullpen after Perez. Mujica, 23, was recalled on the same day the Indians traded for Lofton and stuck around in the big leagues from July 28 to Aug. 26. Koplove, a veteran right-hander, give the Indians depth in a pinch. The Delaware College product could be the first off the 40-man roster once Shapiro starts making moves. Miller, who many fans want to see make his Major League debut, is a question mark. Popular opinion is he will be a major asset if healthy. Talk offseason at csucauldron.com.