Weekly Events Calendar
Life After Death:
One Man’s Journey Through The Fabled Red Rings
The Cauldron By Alexes Spencer
Monday, February 1, 2010
The Melting Pot
Opening Statements
By Jonathan Herzberger
Buckle Your Seatbelts, ‘Monsters’ Roll Through CSU:
*** ESTABLISHED 1929 ***
Issue 3 | FREE
The End is near…
By Samantha Shunk
News
Student Organization Fair a Success By Kristen Mott
Arts & Entertainment
VGX For The Win!
Or Is It?
By Lisa Sanchez
SPORTS
Should Favre retire? By William Wodka & Reid May
Analyzing the 2012 Phenomenon By Alexes Spencer
Contents The Melting Pot
03 Opening Statements 04 Supreme Court vs. Citizens of The United States 05 IllumiNation: State of the Union Address
News
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The End Is Near...Or Is It? Analyzing the 2012 Phenomenon By Alexes Spencer
06 Different Faiths Find Common Ground in Multi-Faith Group 07 Student Organization Fair a Success 08 Weekly Events Calendar 09 Residence Life Holds Mandatory Safety Meetings
Arts & Entertainment
12 Scribblenauts I Wrote “Cauldron Article” and this is what it gave me 13 Life After Death: One Man’s Journey Through The Fabled Red Rings 14 Concert Picks of the Week 15 VGX For The Win!
Sports
16 Basketball Update 17 Cauldron’s Super Bowl XLIV Preview 20 Buckle Your Seatbelts, ‘Monsters’ Roll Through CSU: Wolstein Center Under Attack Over Weekend
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Stimulus: One Year Deep and What Happened? By Jon Conley The government is making me bipolar. I have a good-willed humanitarian buried somewhere deep inside of me, but he smells like patchouli and has a mouth full of granola. I don’t really like him. There is also a gun-toting, red-meat lovin’ “stay outta my business, Obama” guy in there, except he doesn’t have any feelings and his ill-conceived thoughts make me nervous.
CSU Provost Saunders Resigns By Kristen Mott Saunders had just held a ‘Coffee with the Provost’ on January 25. These open forums allowed faculty members to meet with the Provost and participate in an open dialogue. The informal discussions gave faculty members the chance to ask the Provost questions and voice their opinions.
Some Photographs Are More Than Just Pictures By Derek Bumgardner For many local students, Cleveland State University may have been one of the few colleges to choose from if their dreams of higher education included staying close to home. This was my choice, at least. But what many students may not even be aware of is that CSU offers many opportunities for students to study abroad as well.
Should Favre retire? By William Wodka With the Minnesota Vikings losing to the New Orleans Saints last Sunday, The Cauldron wanted to get the opinion of it’s best sports minds to see if it truly was time for Brett Favre to hang those cleats up for good this time.
Volume 110 • Issue 3 MONDAY, FEBRuary 1, 2010
The Cauldron The Staff Editor-In-Chief Samantha Shunk Managing Editor Reid May Advertising Manager Jayson Gerbec Copy Editor Kristen Mott Copy Editor Justin Brenis News Editor Alexes Spencer Arts & Entertainment Editor Jonathan D. Herzberger Sports Editor Rob Ivory Layout Editor Steve Thomas Business Manager Anne Werner Student Media & Web Specialist Daniel Lenhart Faculty Advisor Dr. Rodger Govea
Mission Statement As Cleveland State University’s student run, managed, and operated alternative weekly paper, The Cauldron is dedicated to delivering information to the student and professional body of CSU; doing so without bias, without constraints, and without fear. Presenting news, entertainment, opinion and other media that originates organically from within the student body, our distinctive media will organically flow and adapt to suit that body’s needs. The Cauldron prints according to sound journalistic principles of accuracy, accountability, integrity, transparency and with a recognition of press freedom and student expression. The Cauldron shall remain a forum; maintaining a strong connection to the diverse campus community, regarding but not limited to Cleveland State University, the city of Cleveland, the United States, and the Global Community.
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For advertising inquiries e-mail us at cauldronadvertisements@ hotmail.com or contact Jayson Gerbec at (216) 687-2270
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Monday, February 1, 2010
csucauldron.com
The Melting Pot
<< IllumiNation: State of the Union Address
3
The President will have his work cut out for him if he truly expects to make progress working with a Congress that has serious reservations about working 3 amongst itself.……Page 5
Stimulus: One Year Deep and What Happened? | There were 3 separate stimulus packages: 2 that people are very much aware of and one “stealth” stimulus. | Page 4
Opening Statements By Samantha Shunk The Cauldron Editor-in-Chief
“I am pretty sure the common decency of not talking when someone else is was one taught in elementary school.”
Image couresty of globalvillagenoosa.files.wordpress.com
As I was sitting in a mandatory safety meeting last Monday night for all the students that live in the dorms, I was wondering why so many of my peers are so immature. There were students that decided to just walk out in the middle of the meeting and others that chose to heckle the presenters, Cleveland State Police Officer Beverly Pettrey and Rudy Braydich, the Assistant Director of Residence Life. I just do not understand why students feel the
need to be so disrespectful. The point of this meeting was to reinforce the safety programs and precautions to the students who chose to not pay attention the first time, probably the same hecklers and ditchers. It is not only this setting that I see my peers blatantly disrespecting everyone. Texting in class seems to be unnecessarily prevalent; the professor can see you! Or how about the students that chose to spend their class time Facebook stalking; apparently
they do not care about making the most of their tuition dollars. My personal favorite is talking when the professor is teaching. I am pretty sure the common decency of not talking when someone else is was one taught in elementary school. It was understandable in high school that students would be passing notes or whispering in class, but at CSU we are all adults. Let’s act like it!
4 • Monday, February 1, 2010
Stimulus: One Year deep and what happened By Jon Conley, The Cauldron Contributing Writer
Supreme Court vs. Citizens of The United States By Andrew Scheid, The Cauldron Contributing Writer
Image couresty of wikimedia.org
The government is making me bipolar. I have a goodwilled humanitarian buried somewhere deep inside of me, but he smells like patchouli and has a mouth full of granola. I don’t really like him. There is also a guntoting, red-meat lovin’ “stay outta my business, Obama” guy in there, except he doesn’t have any feelings and his ill-conceived thoughts make me nervous. Regardless of which side we were on at the beginning of the economic meltdown, we are a year underway. The questions now aren’t about whether we should, but rather, were we right? Are things getting better? And what the heck happened to those zillions of dollars anyways? CNNMoney.com has created a comprehensive stimulus tracker. There were 3 separate stimulus packages: 2 that people are very much aware of and one “stealth” stimulus. Guess which one expended the most money? You thought that initial $787 billion was used for those fat cat financial bailouts? Here goes... Stimulus #1: $787 Billion The good: The majority of this money was seen by the taxpayer. I got an extra check, didn’t you? Over a third of this was used for tax relief, including large cuts. A lot was used on highway infrastructure projects, health care grants, educational training, and green practices, most notably the green-ing (see: fleecing) of government buildings. The bad: $116 billion going to what CNN calls “helping the vulnerable.” A lot invested in food stamps, unemployment, public housing, and cobra (a plan that allows temporary extensions of healthcare coverage for employees who lose it). What’s so bad about this? While people were fed, think about the message we sent about personal accountability. If we continue to hand-out “means” for people, they will continue to live beyond them. Stimulus #2: $45.1 Billion The good: A lot of money given to states to help extend unemployment and help small businesses extend their tax benefits. More money for food stamps. The bad: More money for food stamps ($400 million), a lot of money sunk into “Cash For Clunkers” – which proved to be a symptomatic cover up, not addressing the real problem: the cars themselves. More money for cobra, and over $10 billion for first time home buyer credits. We’re giving people money to buy houses? Isn’t frivolous home purchasing what created the bulk of this crisis? What about frivolous question asking?!? The government encourages home buying, and then ends
up spending billions of dollars buying home loans and modifying them to avoid foreclosure. I thought people took things away that you couldn’t pay for. Good grief. Stealth Stimulus: $3.9 Trillion The good: … The bad: Well, just about everything. $408 billion for bailouts of these now-household names: Citigroup, Bank of America, AIG, and Bear Sterns, $2.2 trillion supporting the credit market (i.e. central foreign bank and bond buyouts), almost a trillion to the automakers and over 2 trillion buying up just about everything involved in the Freddie and Fannie (already government sponsored) debacle. The kicker is that most of this money is then turned into stock or put under the guise of “capital injections” –meaning there is no payback implied. Anyone wondering where Ohio made out in all of this can be assured that we have seen about $8.2 billion of this money. Mary Taylor, the Ohio auditor, has set up an online stimulus tracker with complete detailed information by county and a download that lists each district’s specifications on exact spending. The breakdown is thorough and you can find it here: http://www.auditor. state.oh.us/Recovery/default.htm. The economy is slightly better, but how much can track back directly to this government spend fest is debatable. It is, however, shown that tens of thousands of teachers’ jobs were saved (tell that to those employed by Cleveland’s currently closing schools) and that many more labor/infrastructure jobs were created in the public sector. It’s just frustrating for people watching their money slip away with no way of seeing concrete effect. My opinion? I am disgusted with the majority of the money spent “stimulating.” We should never have bailed out bad business. Hmm...giving taxpayers’ money to failing business models? That sounds nothing like the capitalism I’ve grown to love. Let the ship go down! Let the banks, wall street, and the auto industry fail. Pop the housing bubble with a big, unblunted capitalist pin. Start from scratch, because maybe, just maybe, we did something wrong here. So thank you, Reaganomics, you’ve ruined a lot for us, well...most notably our parents. But do not worry, fellow youth! We should feel it much worse when we’re past our selfish stage. So baton down the hatches for an overhaul in thinking. Hey, we can even keep the current form of bureaucracy, I guess. After all, like Churchill said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”
On the acclaimed HBO series The Wire, Detective Lester Freeman attempts to explain the dichotomy between trying to solve crimes relating to drug activity, and crimes that involve political candidates circumventing campaign finance laws for their own benefit. Freeman states, “You follow drugs, you get drug addicts and drug dealers. But you start to follow the money, and you don’t know where it’s going to lead.” After the United States Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of Citizens United in the landmark case Citizens United v. Federal Elections Commission, it is going to be easier for regulators to follow the trail of political contributions, but it is going to be quite a daunting demand for citizens to request that their elected officials follow their conscience. Citizen’s United is a right-wing advocacy group who released the viral video Hillary: The Movie, in an attempt to denounce the Presidential candidacy of the current Secretary of State and former First Lady Hillary Clinton. The organization had plans to run the video on Direct TV, but was prevented from doing so by years of legal precedent. Supreme Court rulings such as Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce (1990), and McConnell v. Federal Elections Commission (2003), along with Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) Senate bill, prohibited corporations from funding partisan political campaign advertisements using the corporate treasury, and established a precedent which was abhorrently overturned by the Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and four other Justices. The ostensible rationale for this decision is to secure the First Amendment rights of corporations. By using this line of reasoning, the highest law of the land has granted the right of free speech to a legal entity, and has maintained the policies of depriving rights to actual people. This can be directly seen in a Washington D.C. District Court’s decision that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act didn’t apply to prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, who have attempted to file suit for damages that were inflicted to them during their stay at the Detention Camp. For any quasi-astute follower of American politics, the infiltration of corporate money into political campaigns is not a recent trend. The purchasing of politicians by the powerful ranges from the most obvious examples of corporate shills disguised as public officials, i.e. Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CT), to the breed of politician whose rhetoric speaks of reform, but whose campaign contributors have other ideas, i.e. President Obama and his number one private campaign donor, Goldman Sachs. The corporate stranglehold over the electorate won’t solely be relegated to campaign donations, it will also manifest itself in an eternal onslaught of nasty and mind numbing television ads, which will now be bought and paid for by any corporation around the nation. When there is a large segment of the American population who feels marginalized by a political and economic system that has left them behind, this ruling will only exacerbate their collective frustration, and give them the notion that their voices are being drowned out by a sea of self-interest and legal bribery.
IllumiNation: State of the Union Address
Monday, February 1, 2010 • 5
By: Reid May, The Cauldron Managing Editor
Image couresty of flickr.com/whitehouse
On Wednesday last week, President Barack Obama presented his first State of the Union address to a joint-session of Congress in a very tense House Chamber. At hand, in the minds of many, was the future of the current Presidency. The ability of the President to make some headway in creating a “post-partisan” era in legislative cooperation considered crucial. The speech was nothing short of representative of those needs. Obama focused on the economy early and often. His focus was to approach the serious concerns of our nation—hunger, unemployment and homelessness—all issues stemming from the fate of our ability to stimulate growth in a difficult era. In many cases, his expression of the inherent challenges and our absolute need to navigate through them was well received. However, some of the tangible ideas were significantly less acceptable. The President made clear that his highest priority is job creation and announced the implementation of a program that will provide small businesses with a $5,000 tax credit for every new employee that is hired. This program will cost the government an estimated $33 billion dollars while positively affecting 1 million businesses. The program is capped at $500,000 per business, in an effort to ensure that small businesses are the ones that benefit. While a great part of this effort will involve another increase in government spending, Obama also discussed methods to begin working to improve our national debt—and called the stimulus of 2009 a program of necessity, despite the bailout being “about as popular as a root canal.” In an effort to cap this spending, Obama proposed a freeze of all discretionary spending beginning in 2011—one year from now—on all government
spending aside from national defense, social security and Medicaid. Obama also demanded that Congress make a more significant effort to provide constituents with information about the legislative earmarks that are being passed on each bill. The President conceded that some Representatives make the effort to publish that information, others have failed to do so. As a solution, he suggested a national website where all earmarks will be published at a time adequately in advance of the legislative vote. The biggest challenge involved in all of these proposals will likely be the agreement of the two parties. Obama made specific reference to the recent pattern of Republican “no” votes on all legislation saying that “just saying ‘no’ may be good short term politics, but it’s not good leadership,” and adding, “we still need to govern.” While those delays will likely be much harder to avoid, Obama does plan to use executive orders to navigate the challenges of forming a bi-partisan committee to look at our national debt issues and encouraged the Senate to follow the queue of the House and pass a jobs bill sooner rather than later. For the most part, the address received expected reactions among a very partisan crowd. The President will have his work cut out for him if he truly expects to make progress working with a Congress that has serious reservations about working amongst itself. Certainly, questions have begun to arise about the real functionality of a government run by leaders who cannot work with one another. The President has done well to identify the problems—now the question becomes, what can he do to repair the damage?
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csucauldron.com
News
Monday, February 1, 2010
Last week’s A&E article entitled 60x60 and Physical Graffiti – CSU’s Own Shine was written by Contributing Writer Jon Conley, not Jonathan “Killstring” Herzberger. Sorry, Jon.
>>> Page 8 | Weekly Events Calendar | Hey! Don’t see your event here? E-mail cauldroneditors@gmail.com to ensure that your next one makes it into The Cauldron. Dr. Mary Jane Saunders pictured here with Dr. John Oprea
CSU Provost Saunders Resigns By Kristen Mott, The Cauldron Copy Editor
Image couresty of csuohio.edu
Cleveland State received a shock as Dr. Mary Jane Saunders resigned from her position of Provost this past week. The news came as a surprise as Saunders had only been appointed the new Provost a few years ago. When asked about the resignation, Michael Artbauer, the Manager of Administrative Operations, said that “no details are available at this time.” Saunders had just held a ‘Coffee with the Provost’ on January 25. These open forums allowed faculty members to meet with the Provost and participate in an open dialogue. The informal discussions gave faculty members the chance to ask the Provost questions and voice their opinions. In a letter to the faculty, President Dr. Ronald Berkman stated that, “the Provost informed me of her desire to return to the faculty.” Berkman will be in charge of selecting the new Provost and will soon conduct a national search. What does this resignation mean for the CSU community? For the time being, a temporary Provost will take over the position. “We will go several months with an interim while we conduct a national search,” added Artbauer. In a second letter to the faculty, Berkman announced that, “after consulting with members of the Senior Staff, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board of Trustees, and meeting with the Deans, I have decided to appoint Geoffrey Mearns, Dean, Cleveland – Marshall College of Law, as the Interim Provost.” Mearns
became Dean of the Law school back in 2005. Berkman continued with “I anticipate that we will form a Provost search committee during the summer.” When asked about the interim, Dr. Jerzy Sawicki, the President of the Faculty Senate, stated, “I am looking forward to working with the Interim Provost Geoff Mearns. I am quite confident that the University as a whole will benefit from the same commitment and focus that have characterized Geoff’s leadership in the College of Law.” The Provost holds a high position at Cleveland State. The Provost is the Chief Academic Officer of the University who is responsible for all academic related affairs. The Provost reports to the President and works together with the Vice Provosts on areas such as budget, legal issues, student affairs, and human resources. Dr. Mary Jane Saunders is the founding Dean of the Cleveland State College of Science. She received a Ph.D from the University of Massachusetts and served as interim before she was appointed Provost. She had been involved in the areas of biomedical and health sciences at CSU before taking over as Provost. Further details are sure to be revealed as the story behind Saunders’ resignation unravels. Questions still remain as to how this will affect the CSU community and the circumstances surrounding the resignation.
Different Faiths Find Common Ground in Multi-Faith Group By Samantha Shunk, The Cauldron Editor in Chief
Last Tuesday, just one day before the giant Student Organization Fair, all the religious organizations part of the new Multi-Faith Group had a mini fair of their own at noon in MC 103. The monotheistic religious beliefs were well represented. Everyone shared in coffee, pastries, and fellowship. Even Magnus stopped by the fair to learn a bit more about the various religions. The Multi-Faith Group strives to bring different religions together to learn more about each other and to dispel stereotypes. The group also helps the different faith groups in working together to educate the CSU community. Pastor Joe Kovitch explained that the Agapé group of which he is the spiritual leader was “established last semester as Lutheran Episcopal faith based, but we’re radically welcoming all to be a part of the conversation to talk about God on campus.” He continued, “We’re a progressive presence on campus of God’s love.” The term Agapé means God’s love. Zach Kovitch, freshman president of the Agapé group, said that Thursday evenings are “when we get together for a different kind of worship than people are used to...we eat after and then we get together and discuss community service opportunities.” In addition to
the Thursday nights, the group meets in one of the MCglass meeting rooms each Tuesday at noon to eat pizza and share talents such as poetry, music, and discussion. Ricky Marcus, Cleveland Hillel Foundation representative and spiritual leader of the CSU Hillel organization said, “Our goal is to provide a Jewish community on campus. We know that since it’s a commuter school, a lot of students have their Jewish community outside of school, but we like to provide it on campus for the students who need it. And, we also like to bring Jewish culture to the campus for non-Jews, for people who are interested for learning more.” The CSU Hillel meets on Thursdays in one of the MC-glass meeting rooms for pizza and discussion. Shehadeh Abdelkarim, advisor of the Muslim Student Association, said that the goals of MSA are “first and foremost to provide a place for the Muslim Student Association to get together and have a place to pray, and also to promote Islam to both Muslims and non-Muslims.” Abdelkarim continues, “We have daily prayers and Fridays there is a congregational prayer.” MSA also “tries to promote an understanding of Islam” to correct the negative, incorrect ideas about Islam. Reverend Donna Hughes-Hargraves, the executive
director of United Protestant Campus Ministries in Cleveland said that they do not yet have an established organization on campus, but they are “trying to see what the needs are of students, what they’re interested in, when would be a good time to meet.” She mentioned that they are also working with the Agapé group. Vijay Anand, advisor for Baptist Bible Study and Fellowship at CSU, said that the organization is “a new group on campus that started last semester because there was not enough Baptist representation.” He continues, “We are doing a new series with respect to what’s going on in Haiti and around the world” entitled “If God Loves Us...Why This Pain and Suffering?” Baptist Bible Study and Fellowship meets on Thursdays in the Parker Hannifan Hall at 11:45a.m. With the various religious groups on campus, those looking to get back involved with religion or discover religion for the first time have quite a selection to choose from. In addition, for those curious about the different religions, the Multi-Faith Group offers events to teach about these beliefs. For more information on the Multi-Faith Group, contact the Department of Student Life at 216-6872048.
Student Organization Fair a Success
Monday, February 1, 2010 • 7
By Kristen Mott, The Cauldron Copy Editor
On January 27, the Department of Student Life sponsored a Student Organization Fair in the Main Classroom Atrium. As part of Chillfest, the fair gave students the chance to learn more about the many organizations that are a part of the Cleveland State community.
the group took part in the fair because, “We’re always trying to recruit new members.” STAT works to create relationships between current students and Cleveland State alumni. As to why students should join, Walsh commented, “It’s a great chance to network, meet alumni, and show spirit at CSU.”
The fair was held from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. In addition to student organization tables, music was played throughout the bottom floor and free popcorn was available. The atrium was packed with students as they moved from table to table. A variety of student organizations were represented, from Rowing to Greek Life to Video Game Experts. With so many groups represented, many students were able to find an organization that fit their interests.
A table that was receiving a large number of interested students was the Cleveland State Animal Liberation and Defense (SALAD). For Caitlin Martin, president, their table was less about recruiting students and more about getting their message across. “I want to advocate to people while I’m here,” stated Martin. “It’s a great chance to reach out to people.” The group, which tries to educate the community about the current treatment of animals, had a table which showed videos from factory farms, information on becoming vegan, and protest opportunities. Martin added, “We want to let people know what’s going on out there, because some people try to hide it.”
Organizations used different techniques for attracting students, whether through handing out fliers or decorating their table with balloons. The group Students Today Alumni Tomorrow (STAT) gave away free pens and water bottles as an incentive. Jess Walsh, secretary, said
Other tables grabbed students’ attention by playing music, such as the group Latinos Unidos. The group is open to Hispanic students, as well as those interested in Hispanic culture. Their goal is to promote the understanding of Hispanic culture and provide scholarships for students of Hispanic descent. Eric Vega, the president of Latinos Unidos, said their group “strengthens the intercultural community and acts as a support system for Hispanic students on campus.” Tables were spread into every inch of the atrium, and some near the back included donations for Haiti relief or other volunteer opportunities. Each organization seemed to attract a large number of students. By attending the fair, students were able to explore new opportunities and become further engaged in the CSU community. For more information on getting involved with student organizations, contact the Department of Student Life at 216-687-2048.
Photography by Kristen Mott
Weekly Event Calendar
8 • Monday, February 1, 2010
By Alexes Spencer, The Cauldron News Editor
Monday 02/01 Info on Greek Life
Wednesday
Time Management Leadership Roundtable
02/03
Meet in MC 103 from 3-4 to learn valuable time management skills. Students can earn Leadership Certification and Organization of the Year points.
Get info on going Greek in the MC Atrium from Noon - 2 p.m.
Tuesday 02/02 Eating Smart Workshop This is the first week of the Eating Smart workshop series. Meet at noon in MC 134.
Friday 02/04
Cavs Watch Party Watch the Cleveland Cavs game with your fellow students on the 3rd floor of Fenn Tower at 8 p.m.
02/08
Weeklong events Didn’t make it around to signing up to become an Orientation Leader last week? You have another chance to help new Vikings transition into life as a CSU student.
Hey! Don’t see your event here? E-mail cauldroneditors@ gmail.com to ensure that your next one makes it into The Cauldron.
Week long events
Fast Track Snack Attack Join CAB in the MC Atrium from noon - 1:30.
Residence Life Holds Mandatory Safety Meetings
Monday, February 1, 2010 • 9
By Alexes Spencer, The Cauldron News Editor
Cleveland State’s Department of Residence Life held mandatory safety meetings on Monday at 3 and 8 in the afternoon for all on-campus students. According to things said during the meetings, these were in lieu of the recent weapon discovery at Viking hall. The meetings themselves were essentially a rehashing of the information students got during orientation about being mindful of walking alone at night, leaving things unattended, locking doors, etc. Students were also encouraged to program the number of the CSU police into their phones in case they needed a safety escort, and were reminded to call 911 and ask for the CSU police in the event of an emergency. The idea of “See Something, Say Something” was reiterated multiple times, especially now that students have seen the power of the phrase in action. However, in spite of the recent event, many students at the 8 p.m. meeting took things very lightly, talking and laughing during the meeting, prompting hard words from associate director of the Department of Residence Life, Rudy Braydich, who expressed how much he wished students would take the meeting more seriously, especially considering the recent events on campus. Braydich also said expressly how much he hopes students on campus remain safe. Director of Residence Life, Meg Nicholson, also seemed frustrated at the amount of students who left the meeting early. In spite of the difficulties and frustrations, many students claimed that they had been reminded of some of the safety information they had forgotten, and a few said they had actually learned something new. For more information on staying safe on campus, visit csuohio. edu/offices/police.
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The End is near…Or Is It? Analyzing the 2012 Phenomenon By Alexes Spencer, The Cauldron News Editor
December 21, 2012.* Did your heart race a bit at the sound of the date? Did you let out a noise similar to “psshaw” or roll your eyes? Chances are, you did one of the three. Even if you didn’t, I’m willing to bet that no part of you wondered what sort of significance a date two years in the future could hold. The reason is, of course, that you can’t turn a corner without running into something that involves the imminent date. Hollywood movies depict a doomsday that, according to them, the Maya predicted. Facebook groups exist dedicated to the silliness of society in regards to the date. Event invitations for post-apocalypse parties on the 22nd abound. So what really will happen on December 21, 2012? Why is our society so fearful of a date set by a calendar that they have previously made no effort to follow or understand? Why People Are Scared The reason for fear behind the 2012 date is largely perpetuated by disinformation. Legends say that the Maya predicted the end of the world. According to one blog, the Maya predicted that the earth’s magnetic poles would undergo an “agonizing shift” causing earthquakes and tidal waves that would destroy mankind. An article on Suite101 entitled “The Legend of the Crystal Skulls” claims that the Maya created 13 crystal skulls to preserve their heritage as descendants of Atlantis. Oh, and that they predicted doomsday. This article gives no actual
predictions as to what will happen, but speculations about fire, earthquakes, global warming, etc. The movie 2012 had an end similar to the earthquakes and tidal waves idea, but went with a crust-shifting theory caused by a phenomenon involving the sun and a super-heating of the innerlayers of the earth. According to NASA, other speculations about the end of the world in 2012 include a collision with Niburu, a planet that the ancient Sumerians supposedly discovered. This collision was actually scheduled for May 2003, but the date was changed to December 2012 when nothing happened seven years ago. Other 2012 rumors, according to NASA, include a shift in the magnetic poles, planetary alignments, and comets (not related to the supposed collision with Niburu). People are largely afraid due to the large number of “theories” as to what will happen coupled with websites, books, and poorly-constructed History channel specials claiming that one or more of these “doomsday” events are true. The Facts What people don’t realize is that the facts themselves point to absolutely no significant events in 2012. NASA scientists expressly claim that all of the speculations indicated above are false. According to NASA, a program exists to find near-earth objects (NEOs) such as Niburu of any of the other comet-like objects people claim will be mankind’s end. If any such object existed, especially
one the size of a planet, NASA would have already known about it and would have been tracking it, “for at least the past decade.” NASA also dispels the magnetic poleshift theory, stating that “a magnetic reversal is very unlikely to happen in the next few millennia.” According to NASA, magnetic pole reversals do not interfere with life on earth. NASA also states that no planetary alignments are scheduled for 2012 either. The Facts - Maya Edition But what of the Maya? Did they not predict an end of the world in 2012 as movies like 2012 claim? The answer is no, they didn’t. There is no evidence whatsoever to support any claims that the Maya believed 2012 would be the end of humanity. None of the Maya people still alive today who still use the calendars the ancient Maya set up believe that 2012 will be the end of the world, nor is the “end” of the Maya calendar in 2012 really an end at all. “Prophecy was very very important to the Maya. They wrote books of prophecies,” Cleveland State professor Peter Dunham, Ph.D. says. In spite of this, Dunham says that the Maya did not have a doomsday prophecy, especially not one related to the 2012 date. Books of prophecy were not the only things the Maya wrote. According to an article on CyArk.org, the Maya people were highly literature-oriented. Cleveland State professor and expert on Maya
hieroglyphics, Phil Wanyerka, Ph. D., says that the Maya wrote about their origins, and many of their images and other texts revolve around their story of creation. According to both CyArk.org and Dunham, if they Maya had believed any significant event would occur in 2012, they would have written about it extensively. However, these writings do not exist in spite of what a few untrustworthy websites on the internet claim. “I can state with 100% confidence that there is not a single written indigenous ancient Mayan text or a text written by any other ancient culture for that matter, that states that the world will end in December of 2012,” Wanyerka says. Perhaps the biggest claim that doomsayers make is that the Maya calendar itself ends in 2012. They present this as a large piece of evidence that the Maya believed 2012 would be the end of humanity. The only problem, of course, is that the Maya calendar doesn’t end in 2012, nor does it end at all. According to Dunham and Wanyerka, one could look at the Maya calendar and compare it to our modern cycles of time. Imagine the Maya calendar as a representation of time broken down in millennia, centuries, decades, and years. The end of the Maya calendar that will occur in 2012 is like the end of a really long millennia. One cycle of this calender gives way to another much like the change from 1999 to 2000 (also falsely linked to the end of the world). “The calendar is basically a machine. It’s a series of cycles that intersect with each other over time like the cogs in a machine turn. The cycles themselves don’t really have any value to [the Maya] other than what people might or might not attribute,” Dunham says. “The workings of the Maya calendar themselves don’t really express any profound insight into the world.” Dunham also states that the Maya priests in existence today with whom Dunham is acquainted do not believe that any significant event will happen in 2012. The job of a traditional Maya priest is to keep the calendar. “These are the experts. It’s their calendar,” Dunham says. “Not one of them thinks the world is going to end in 2012, not one.” Justified Fear In spite of the fact that all reputable
evidence points away from a 2012 doomsday, theories abound. This leads to the question of fear. Is there anything at all to fear in December of 2012? The answer is an unfortunate yes. Dunham believes that the world is going to get very interesting as we approach the 2012 date. He believes that those who can not find proper information on the matter might do very drastic things such as selling off their worldly possessions or joining cults, which in themselves can be highly dangerous. Dunham also expressed disapproval at those capitalizing on people’s fears and the fact that they will likely suffer only minimal consequences for the chaos they could create. National Geographic indicates that such fear has already led to drastic threats of action from society. An article entitled “2012 Prophecies Sparking Real Fears, Suicide Warnings” contains information on teenagers who wrote to NASA threatening suicide because they did not want to be around when the world ended. The article also contained information about two women who had threatened to kill their children and themselves so that they would not have to suffer through the end times. So there is a great reason to fear 2012, just not in the ways people seem to be doing so. There is reason to fear the mass amount of disinformation that greatly outnumbers the amount of truth available. There’s reason to fear visiting grocery stores as the date nears, and to fear dwindling supplies of batteries and bottled water. However, there is, according to the factual information available, absolutely no reason to fear the end of the world in 2012, and if more truthful information becomes available to society, there may be no reason to fear it at all. In fact, people like Dunham hope that within the next couple of years, people will become more interested in the Maya, both their ancient world and the remaining millions of descendants that still exist today. He hopes that this whole 2012 debacle will become a good thing, a way for the world to recognize and interact with the Maya on a level that they never have before. Visit the e-version of this article at csucauldron.com for a list of resources on 2012 and the Maya. *This date could actually be December 23 according to some historians and archeologists.
Peter Dunham ,
Cleveland Stat e University Professor of anthropo logy
• Mentor in undergraduate stud ies was leading expert in Maya calendrics and astrono my. • Has worked with the Maya calendar for over 30 years. • Spent several years living and working among the descendents of the ancient Maya peo ple, many of who still use the calendar.
• Teaches Human Diversity, Ancient Civilizations, Archeology, and Ancient Mysteries.
“The workings of the Maya calendar themselves don’t really express any profound insig ht into the world.” -Durham
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Arts & Entertainment
Monday, February 1, 2010
Free Movie Passes in our Cauldron Classified section | Page 19
>>> Concert Picks of the Week | LoveHateHero and Four Letter Lie have teamed up to form a pretty decent post-hardcore tour which hits Peabody’s early this week. | Page 14 Image couresty of smr24.com
Scribblenauts I Wrote “Cauldron Article” and this is what it gave me By Justin Brenis, The Cauldron Copy Editor
So, what makes a person a “gamer”? Also, how do you know whether to associate yourself with hardcore or casual gamers? This is an on going debate that has been bugging me for quite some time. Honestly, in my opinion, if you enjoy the fantasy (or even the reality in some cases) of gaming; it makes you a gamer. If you have ever picked up a controller, a handheld system, a mouse, a joystick or even played solitaire on your phone, then you are a welcome member of this community as far as I’m concerned. Anyway, I’m going to step down off my soapbox now, because the whole debate behind this could take up a featurelength article, but I just wanted to show where I stand because what I am about to say next may shock those of you who think of me as strictly a hardcore gamer... Scribblenauts is actually not a bad game. Shocking, right? I sit here and play games like Mass Effect 2 (read as: you may want to check out this column in a week or two), and it’s possible that a game as barebones as Scribblenauts was even a little entertaining? Yup, it’s true. Scribblenauts is one of many in a new generation of handheld games that are designed to be both entertaining and thought-provoking. It lives in the same family as games like Professor Layton, Brain Age, and WarioWare, all of which are games that use puzzles, riddles, and mini-games to force you to think heavily and often in segments that usually don’t last more than a minute and a half if done correctly. Now what sets Scribblenauts apart from its brethren is that most of these games have a right or wrong answer that you must clearly define in order to progress through the game. Scribblenauts however lacks a storyline of any kind, all you know is that you are the red-helmeted hero Maxwell, and that you need Starrites and Ollars - which, in a stirring display of creativity are stars and dollars - and so it is slightly more openworld than the others. As long as you have enough Starrites and Ollars you can go anywhere in Maxwell’s world. Each location is divided into a missions menu and a challenges menu, where the missions are usually brain teasers and the challenges involve more action-based quick thinking. The missions range from supplying city workers with the tools you believe they should have to do their job right, to figuring out how to rescue a sheep on an island from a wolf without using any weaponry. The challenges usually involve getting the starrite in any way possible with various things in your way trying to stop you. Regardless of which you choose to do you are awarded for creativity, how peacefully or militaristicly you chose to get the job done, and whether or not you exceed the amount of items allowed, called the par, and then move on to the next puzzle. They are all fairly creative and don’t take too much effort to figure out seeing as you have a nearly infinite amount of ways to complete them at your disposal - but more on that later. The game is a bit deceiving however about how you complete the stages. If you were to look at the cover of the game, or the title, it would imply that much like the Drawn to Life series you draw whatever it is you
need to complete a stage and it appears where you drew it. The game quickly dispels this though making it clear in the tutorial that you must enter a “writing panel” to create what it is you’ll need. Now the writing panel can involve “scribbling” in the sense that the DS and DSi are capable of turning handwriting into in-game text, but you’ll end up typing with the stylus more often than not simply because it’s the default option. Therefore, “Scribblenauts” is a sadly accurate title as you will NOT be doing any SCRIBBLING the entire game...if anything the “Scribble” in the title refers to the child-like art of the game’s graphics. My other complaint deals with the functionality of the “use any item” engine the game is built around. The game informs you early on that you can use any item you like except for things with inappropriate names, anything that refers to alcohol, and anything involving curse words. Now this is okay because this just guarantees that little kids are not going to accidentally find themselves throwing a dildo at a dinosaur. However, that aside, the item selection in the game suffers a bit as the game will know ridiculous things like “shark repellent” but something like “jumper cables” baffles it completely. Also what seems like the simple answer very rarely works like it should. For example I found myself trying to fend off an angry dog who was guarding a starrite at the top of a cliff and so I spawned a Dog Catcher, a Net, and a Cage...and died as the Dog Catcher stood there looking at the tools I gave her confusedly as the dog chewed off my face. However the next time when I spawned a Gun, and a Jetpack, I finished in record time. As for its obvious ranking as a casual game, I can confidently say that you would be hardpressed no matter what games you like to play NOT to have fun with Scribblenauts. It appeals to the kid in us all by putting us in ridiculous situations and giving us a magic box of nearly-infinite possibilities to get the job done. Need to fly? Get a jet pack, or a Pegasus, or wings, or use a vine. Need to avoid a swarm of bees? Get bug repellent, or a baseball bat, or a Bee-keeper suit, or a laser gun...its ridiculous the solutions you’ll discover. That being the case, the replay value is just as nearly-infinite. You can play through the game multiple times and never reach the same result twice. Credit must be given where it is due, so thanks to my girlfriend Kayla for allowing me to do so, and ensuring I got my facts straight. All in all, yes Scribblenauts has its flaws, but for what it was meant for it does the job quite well. If you are looking for the kind of game to fill small gaps in your day, or something to keep you or your kids entertained on your way to school and work, or on a plane, or long car-trip, and you want to know you and they are learning at the same time, then this is the perfect Buy It game for you; otherwise Fry It. Oh, and it doesn’t really hurt that when all else fails you can spawn Cthulu and he’ll get the job done. Just one word of advice however...Cthulu giveth, and Cthulu taketh away...oh boy does he taketh away. It was the year of our lord two-thousand and nine, and December was drawing to a close. Classes were closed, finals
Monday, February 1, 2010 • 13
Life After Death One Man’s Journey Through The Fabled Red Rings By Jonathan “Killstring” Herzberger, The Cauldron Arts & Entertainment Editor
Image couresty of breakitdownblog.com
finished, and the semester sequestered into a neat little folder labeled “Academic History.” Finally, a chance to relax, to spend quality time with friends and family. None of which I wanted to do. I was ready to snuggle up to my neglected companion, my dear little Xbox 360, and spend some quality time saving the world, slaying dragons, surviving a zombie apocalypse; or at the very least taking in some pretty flashing lights. I was not, however, looking forward to those lights being red. For the uninitiated, Microsoft’s second foray into the world of console gaming has gained no small amount of infamy for it’s propensity to overheat, which in turn changes the normally cheerful little green power ring into a sad - nay, an aggressive and angry blinking red signal. A beacon of ill portent. The Red Ring Of Death. It’s tricky to determine exactly how often this happens; Microsoft is understandably stingy with numbers. The best read I’ve seen on the situation was Game Informer magazine’s August survey, in which 54.2 percent of Xbox 360 owners reported the dreaded red rings, compared to 10.6 percent of Playstation 3 owners, who don’t get an ominous name for their system dying, and if the numbers are at least passingly accurate, probably never will. So there was a bittersweet silver-lining, as my sad little entertainment console blinked its crippled message, and I knew what I had to do. Thus began my journal, chronicling my experiences from console failure, right up to... well, if you want to know how it ends, keep reading. In the interest of space (and to be honest, not seeing me mope like a sad, sad little child) I’ve chosen what I feel are the most salient examples of the Red Ring experience. Enjoy. Day 1: Tried all the helpful little steps online – this thing’s not waking up. So it’ll be off to Xbox heaven, where they fix such things. One problem – I bought this console refurbished, and the serial number is apparently registered to someone else, so I can’t use Microsoft’s helpful little online form. I guess that makes sense – wouldn’t want anybody getting their stolen Xbox fixed, right? Wait, if it was really stolen, wouldn’t they want me to send it in, so it can be sent to the original owner? Damn it Microsoft, you make no sense. Email sent to customer service guys. Day 2: No reply. Day 4: Reply. John the helpful Microsoft employee suggested that I follow the helpful little steps online, and if that doesn’t work, to register my console using their helpful little online form. I don’t think he read my email. In the interest of transparency, I try the helpful little steps again, which to my amazement, still don’t work. Imagine that. Somewhat strongly worded email response sent. Still polite, but I mention that I’m writing a story about this experience, and it’s being considered for publication both in print and online. I do not mention that it’s for a college newspaper. Let’s see what happens. Day 7: Reply, this time by a different associate, one named Martin. I am told that I will need to call the helpful Microsoft customer support hotline, and that the helpful Microsoft employees will be briefed on the situation, and thank you for my patience. Hooray for the power of student media. Day 7, part 2: SWEET FANCY MOSES, dealing with the Microsoft hotline has to be the most (expletive deleted) upsetting experience I have ever had on a phone, and this
includes my one-time fiancée breaking up with me over the phone, during finals week, while I was being evicted. Not that the nice lady who’s name I never got wasn’t helpful – she really was trying to help, and she did. But while her English was passable, it was spoken at such a hushed, inaudible volume that I had to ask her to repeat everything a minimum of four times. (Expletive deleted) Not that she didn’t seem a sweet girl – quite the opposite. But when I could hear the three other people also dealing with customer service phone calls in her office – and when I could hear them better than her, it became a game of skill, trying to pick out her meek little voice in the chaos. Like finding the first chair violin in a bloody orchestra. That’s playing Penderecki’s Threnody.. Note to self: don’t include Penderecki joke in the article--nobody will get it. Anyway, the poor sweet thing wound up getting everything sorted out over the process of 137 minutes (timed it) and emails are to be forthcoming. If you’re reading this, girl who’s name I couldn’t make out, find a job that appreciates your gentle, patient kindness, and doesn’t have such a loud office. Additional note to self: leave in the Penderecki joke. Some poor kid will google it. Day 15: Just got word that my Xbox has found its way to Microsoft. Now whatever black sorcery they employ to resurrect these things can begin. I shudder at the thought. Will goats be sacrificed? Do they burn a Nintendo Wii in effigy? The mind truly boggles. Day 21: It’s been three weeks with no video games, and I don’t even know if I miss them. I’ve been turning strangers into friends, reading more. I’d stop and smell the flowers if they weren’t all frozen. Do I really need this in my life? If it’s never fixed, will I even miss it? Day 22: I miss it. Day 23: The thing is apparently fixed and on its way home. Day 26: AND NOW I HAVE TO DEAL WITH UPS, WHICH APPARENTLY HATES COLLEGE STUDENTS. No, I cannot simply drive over in my car I don’t have, during classes that I’m in. I mean seriously, who keeps hours of 9 a.m. to noon? Day 30: Thanks to the assistance of a good friend (note to self: buy Jamie lunch) UPS’ inability to deliver something during a time when people are home has been overcome, and the little traveler has finally made it home. Well, not the same one, they sent a new box, which is pretty much what happens in these warranty situations. Hello little Xbox. Did you miss me? About a half-hour of installing updates, and she’s ready to go. But the question is now, do I even want to mess with this thing? I’ve got homework, and the softly fallen snow looks beautiful – I kind of want to go take pictures of everything, or see a play, take a pretty girl swing dancing, something. Now that it’s back, I don’t know if I want it. I’m going outside. I’m going to go experience life, and find something beautiful. Day 30, part 2: Okay, scratch all that – I forgot how miserable Cleveland winters are. How, I don’t know. That, and killing zombies is just... right, somehow. Welcome back, video games. I forgot that you can be beautiful too. There are many large and prevalent clubs present at CSU. Some of these clubs rally for social change and some provide a common ground for minorities on campus, but there are very few clubs around that operate for the sole purpose of having fun.
14 • Monday, February 1, 2010
concert picks of the week
By Alexes Spencer, The Cauldron News Editor, Jonathan “Killstring” Herzberger, The Cauldron Arts & Entertainment Editor & Jon Conley, The Cauldron Contributing Writer
Lately, the weather has been utterly bipolar. Your friendly neighborhood concert mavens however, have not. That’s right – we remembered to take our meds. By which we mean, we remembered to get our Surgeon General’s Recommended Dosage of Live Music. There’s a quota, you know. Look it up. Anyway, we’ve got a week to match the weather kids – that is to say, a bit frosty, and more than a tad disappointing. Never fear though – we’ve contracted some help this week. Mr. Conley has emerged from seemingly nowhere (okay, it was the Main Classroom Atrium) with a pick we likewise never saw coming. Enjoy.
On Tour
Now!
Not into Post-Hardcore, can’t stand Sweedish swing-rappers, and confused as to just what the hell “Lou Reed on corned beef” means? Fine. Be that way. Perhaps one of the following shows would prove more your speed.
Alexes’s Pick
02/02
LoveHateHero w/ Four Letter Lie @ Peabody’s
Jon conley’s Pick
02/05
Bill Fox w/ Coffinberry, Prisoners @ Happy Dog
Other Shows This Week: 2/1 Take Action Tour w/We The Kings, Mayday Parade, A Rocket To The Moon, There For Tomorrow, Call the Cops @ House of Blues, 6:30, $16 2/3 Epica w/Threat Signal, Blackguard, Cellbound @ Peabody’s, 7:00, $15 2/4 Nick Oliveri (Queens of the Stone Age) w/The Dead Enders, Electric Lucifers @ the Grog Shop, 9:00, $8 2/4 Cowboy Mouth’s Annual Rock-n-Roll Mardi Gras w/Junior Brown @ the Beachland - 8:00, $20
2/5 Hostile Omish @ Peabody’s, 6:30, $8
Jonathan’s Pick
02/05
Movits! @ the Grog Shop
We’ve gotten into the semester a bit here, and I’m sure you’re all itchin’ for a great show to really uplift you now that you’ve realized that one class is going to kick your ass. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re not going to get it. However, there are some reasonable shows this week, if only just. LoveHateHero and Four Letter Lie have teamed up to form a pretty decent post-hardcore tour which hits Peabody’s early this week. Unfortunately, these bands are definitely not as awesome as post-hardcore heroes, Thursday, who you most certainly can’t catch at Peabody’s this week (sorry). However, they’re definitely not the worst bands you’ll ever see in your life. So, if you’ve got an extra 10 bucks burning a hole through your pocket, and you’ve just absolutely got to get your musical fill, do attend. Otherwise, save your money for the SKSK farewell tour next week which will also feature Cleveland’s own Affiance, and Cleveland State’s own Cicada Sunrise. (Spoiler alert: Next week’s concert pick.)
The man responsible for local legends “The Mice” is doing a solo stint at what I consider to be one of the most honest music bars in the city. Another feel good “punk rocker turned folk singer” story in our own backyard, Fox opts for an acoustic these days and takes it musically easier; but the capricious youth in his voice still shines like nails. Rust belt ballads. Openers Coffinberry and Prisoners should leave you feeling buzzed out in a “Lou Reed on corned beef” way, so it won’t be short on rocking. This ain’t no high class joint so the sound is super loud and overbearing, which bodes well for the atmosphere – unpretentious and healthily dirty. All the door costs (usually $5) go straight to the bands and this gem of a bar is right out on Detroit Rd. right over.....there...no you went to far. Yeah, that’s it. Between these three acts, the beer, and their famous hot dogs, you have one of the most raw, unassuming, gritty – most “Cleveland” shows I’ve seen billed.
If there’s one thing you could say against the Cleveland Music Scene, is that it’s severely lacking in Swedish swing/hip hop bands. Yep. Not a ton of that going on. Enter Movits! That sentence was going to be longer, but the exclamation point is technically part of the band’s name, so it just seemed a grammatical crime to continue. But this group of rowdy Swedes is all about the crime – their title of their debut album, Appelknyckarjazz translates as “apple-stealing-jazz” - so you know these boys are bringing a brand of gangsta you don’t usually see. I guess that means fruit-stealing, impeccably dressed, mustachioed swing gangsta. Which, to be fair, when are you going to get another chance to see that? Other than on the Colbert Report, that is. Eight bucks, starts at nine. Dress awesomely.
VGX For The Win
Monday, February 1, 2010 • 15
By Lisa Sanchez, The Cauldron Contributing Writer The Video Game Experts club (VGX) is one of these lighthearted organizations. In addition trying to make the college experience a bit less stressful, VGX is now looking to spread the good times around by holding a Super Smash Brothers Brawl tournament on Friday, February 5th from 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m at the CSU Recreation Center. Although VGX is a fairly new club, its conception and creation began in October 2009, they certainly strive to make a name for themselves at CSU. “We would really like to get more recognition as a club,” said VGX Secretary Alex Madera, “but the main goal is get attention for CSU, and to get the public involved.” The tournament is divided into three different divisions, including team battle, free-forall, and one-on-one matches. The matches are not timed, but they do have specific sets of rules to follow
including item, character, and stage selection. Entrants into the tournament may find themselves really challenged, but the prize is worth winning. First prize for winning in the one-on-one division is a brand new Nintendo DSi. Other prizes include a Mario Kart bundle for the Wii with a steering wheel (for winning the free-for-all division), and each member of a winning team battle group will receive a shirt and a fifty dollar Visa gift card. Even second and third place winners of the different divisions will receive a copy of Tekken 6 for PlayStation 3, gift cards, or other prizes. To further VGX’s goal of involving the community with CSU, participants in the tournament do not have to be students. However, there is a four dollar registration fee for those entering the free-for-all and one-on-one divisions, as well as six dollars for those
entering the competition as a team. Anticipating the success of the upcoming Super Smash Bros. Brawl tournament, VGX is already planning its next big event. “In April, we would like to have a Call of Duty 4 tournament,” stated Nestor Hernandez, VGX President and co-founder. “Everyone is talking about that game; we think it would draw in a lot of different people.” Considering the ever-growing fan base of video games and the desire to unwind from the stress of college life, it seems inevitable that VGX will succeed in its goals to unify and help others interact through video games. As the VGX motto goes, “It’s all about the fun.” For more information about the tournament or if you would like to become a member of VGX please contact vgxperts@gmail.com
Some photographs are more than just pictures
By Derek Bumgardner, The Cauldron Contributing Writer Sophie Fagher
Vanessa Jones First Place Winner
For many local students, Cleveland State University may have been one of the few colleges to choose from if their dreams of higher education included staying close to home. This was my choice, at least. But what many students may not even be aware of is that CSU offers many opportunities for students to study abroad as well. According to the CSU website, nearly 160 students will be participating in this program in 15 different countries for the 2009-2010 school year, including countries in Central and South America and Europe, as well as India. The students who participate in these programs gain experiences and memories of places that relatively few will ever have the chance to see. But then there are the pictures! Of course, you may not particularly care to see someone’s generic vacation pictures. But generic vacation pictures were not what was on display this past Thursday night at Café Ah-Roma, which is where CSU held its second annual study abroad photo contest. These are much more than vacation snapshots. Vanessa Jones, the first place winner, traveled to Ghana with her then four year-old son as part of the work she is doing toward her Ph.D. in Urban Education. Her passion for her subject is intense, just as intense as her passion for the country to
which she traveled. Her photograph, Imperial View, is the view she had while standing on a dock in Ghana – the very same dock from which millions of native Africans were loaded onto ships to be brought to the Americas as slaves. As she turned to the left of the dock, she was struck by the brilliant green of the nets on the fishers’ boats, and as the sky clouded over, she described the colors of the flags on the boats as “popping” with the green nets. The conversation exploded with mention of these same flags. None of the flags were Ghanaian. All of the fishing boats in this harbor were owned by other countries. Relating this fact to the state of the country, Vanessa added, “Poverty is nearly always an outcome of imperialism.” She also had much to say on the conception many people have of Africa: admit it, you probably envision tribesmen with spears, jungles, or the horrific violence portrayed in such movies as Hotel Rwanda. But this is not the country that Vanessa traveled to. She related this misconception to the fact that Cleveland State does not offer a single study abroad program to the continent of Africa, perhaps because most people do not want to travel to the African bush, as they conceive it – “they” including young African-Americans. But given
her field, and citing the fairly recent election of President Obama, Vanessa has very big dreams for the black youth of America. Second place winner Amy Gircsis’ photograph, Toledo, Beauty Realized! is of her first real positive experience in Spain. While traveling there, her flight was delayed, leaving her stranded in an airport for 24 hours. After arriving too late to see Madrid, her group was split in two and rounded onto busses to the next location. Tired and disappointed, Amy stepped off the bus to see an amazing view of Toledo, which is built into the side of a hill. As she took her now-prized picture, she realized that to be in that place, the whole trip was worth it. Sophie Fagher - whose untitled photo earned honorable mention - also traveled to Spain, where she photographed a field of olive trees. She was struck by the order and symmetry of the layout, which forms a “V.” She noted that it is sad that Spain exports a portion of its olive oil to Italy, who then puts a “Made in Italy” sticker on it and sells it as its own. She enjoyed the fact that she was able to show people that not all olive oil is from Italy, after all. All the photographs will remain on display in Café Ah-Roma until the end of the semester.
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csucauldron.com
Sports
Monday, February 1, 2010 <<< Next Week’s Feature
A positive look at Valentine’s Day this year. Enjoy!
Check online for upcoming podcasts and exclusive sports content! Photography by Robert Ivory
Norris Cole
Basketball Update By Samantha Shunk, The Cauldron Editor-in-Chief
Two Free Tickets with One Viking Card Starting at the Men’s Basketball January 24th game against Milwaukee CSU, students have the opportunity to not just receive one free ticket to attend most of the basketball home games, but to receive an additional ticket to bring a friend. Although this “and one” perk is not available at all games, if the rest of the seven game pilot run goes well, then it could be implemented at all basketball games as well as the other CSU sporting games that are ticketed in the future. Katherine Schneider, CSU athletics marketing and promotions coordinator, said that this whole idea came about when there was “an MBA Marketing class here at Cleveland State, and their class project for the semester was to put together a marketing plan for Cleveland State Basketball. We listened to their presentations and took all their suggestions, and one of the suggestions that they had was to do an ‘and one’ ticket offer, where at every single game students can get in for free and bring a friend.” Schneider claimed, “We were hesitant to put the program through and do it for every single game, but we thought to start with that it was a good idea so that we would test it out for a few select games this semester and see how it went, and then consider doing it for every game in the future.” After the first game with the promotion, Carrie Neville, CSU athletics ticket manager, said, “Katie and I met with some students just to kind of get their feedback, and a lot of them thought it was positive that they had a sibling who wanted to come to a game.” And, it is not just siblings that can be brought to games, but anyone you ask to join you, your parent, your significant other, your children, that cute server at your favorite restaurant, really anyone who wishes to see a CSU Basketball game and spend some time with you, or at least next to you. Carrie makes plain, “We know what it’s like to be a poor college kid…It made sense to try it.” Schneider responded to a question if the implementation of this program was to increase attendance saying, “Absolutely. We’re trying to grow our student section and have a higher student attendance.” Although CSU sporting events do not receive the
attendance of other universities, Schneider and Neville know that this is as a result of the nature of a mostly commuter campus. Neville stated, “We are looking for ways to get that nontraditional, commuter student to either stay on campus or come back” for games. Hopefully this effort will do just that. Also included in the “and one” promotion was this past Saturday’s men’s game against Youngstown. Future games include the women’s February 4th game against UIC, the women’s February 6th game against Loyola, the February 20th ESPNU Bracketbusters for the men, and the men’s and women’s double-header on February 27th against Wright State. Norris Cole Reaches 1,000 Points as a Junior Attending one of the games included in the “and one” deal with a friend will provide a glimpse of this young player that has made a record with scoring as many points as possible. After reaching 1,000 points, Norris Cole revealed, “I feel like I have accomplished a lot in my three years here, but I feel that things can get better also.” At the end of last season, Cole had 659 points racked up, and brought that number to about 1,005 during the January 24th game against Milwaukee. With still one third of this season left and another season to come, it seems Cole may be able to move into the top five out of the eighteen CSU men to achieve over 1,000 points during their time here. Already moving forward as opposed to looking back, Cole’s next goals are “to win another Horizon League Championship and advance far in the NCAA tournament.” Cole is not alone with this goal as all of Men’s Basketball desires to achieve these same goals. When asked if he dreamed of scoring 1,000 points as a child, Cole responded, “Wherever I went I wanted to be able to say I was in the record books there. It’s a dream that every kid has, and now it came true.” Now it is time to move on to the next accomplishment.
Cauldron’s
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Super Bowl XLIV Preview By Robert Ivory, The Cauldron Sports Editor
VS. Super Bowl XLIV is at hand! Two of the best offenses in the league square-off in what maybe one of the first Super Bowls in a while that the best NFC team faces off against the best AFC team. On Sunday, February 7, 2010 it will be kickoff between one of only five (now four) NFL teams that have not made it to the big dance and the dominant forces in the AFC. When: February 7, 2010; Kickoff is slated for 6:25 ET. Where: Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL. 10th time Miami has hosted the Super Bowl (2010, 2007, 1999, 1995, 1989, 1979, 1976, 1971, 1969, and 1968). Who: The number one seeded Indianapolis Colts (14-2 regular season) from the AFC and the number one seed of the NFC, the New Orleans Saints (13-3 regular season). TV: CBS, Jim Nance and Phil Simms National Anthem: Carrie Underwood Halftime Show: The Who Storylines: The Colts have already won one Super Bowl behind the gun of an arm QB Peyton Manning (2007). The Colts have been to the Super Bowl now four times; twice as the Baltimore Colts (1969 and 1971) and twice as the Indianapolis Colts. The Saints have an equally impressive arm in QB Drew Brees, but this is the first time the franchise is in the Super Bowl. It is the second year in a row that a team will make their Super Bowl debut. Last year the Arizona Cardinals lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Only teams left not to be in the Super Bowl are the Jacksonville Jaguars, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, and Cleveland Browns. Teams making their Super Bowl debut have won eight times. 19 teams have lost in their first Super Bowl. First time ever that the two teams hold their home games in a dome (Lucas Oil Stadium, Louisiana Superdome). Both teams were 7-1 during the regular season at home. Peyton’s father, Archie Manning, was the cornerstone quarterback of the Saints for a decade (1971-1982), although he did not have a winning season. First time since 1993 (the first of two consecutive Super Bowls that the Cowboys beat the Bills) that both number one seeds from each conference made it to the Super Bowl. The Colts will be home because the AFC host the Super Bowl in even years. The only other time that the Colts have been the home team in the Super Bowl, they lost to ‘Broadway’ Joe Namath and the Jets in 1969. How the Colts got here: It was another year for Peyton and his squad. After going 14-0 in the regular season, the Colts sat their starters and lost their final two games of the
regular season. They beat the Baltimore Ravens 20-3 in the Divisional Round by forcing four turnovers. Took care of the New York Jets, who were kept in the playoffs with their gift win over the Colts, 30-17. Manning threw for 377 yards, three touchdowns, and did not throw an interception. How the Saints got here: After being caste out of San Diego for Philip Rivers, Drew Brees found himself in New Orleans in 2006, being the franchise’s best quarterback since, ironically, Archie Manning. Brees has been nothing but a fantasy geek’s favorite QB, as he has been deadly, averaging around 300 yards per game. Now with USC standout Reggie Bush, who has been noted as being a bust up to this year, the Saints won 13 straight of their own, before losing their last three. Knocking out Kurt Warner (who announced his retirement this week) of the Arizona Cardinals and Brett Favre (who may or may not retire again) of the Minnesota Vikings, the Saints are looking for the biggest upset of the year. Stat that makes the Colts Super Bowl XLIV Champs: Peyton Manning has gone 56/83 (67.5%) passing with 623 yards in the playoffs. You could go on like a broken record on how important Peyton Manning is to the Colts. He has been their backbone and has been named NFL MVP four times. But it’s genuine. Colts’ running game has been absent all year with RB Joseph Addai playing a limited role in the post season, rushing for only 103 yards (that’s 66 yards less than RB Cedric Benson of the Cincinnati Bengals, and he only played in one post season game.) Stat that makes the Saints Super Bowl XLIV Champs: Reggie Bush has 109 yards (27.3 average) receiving punts with a touchdown this postseason; Courtney Roby has returned 180 yards (25.7 average) from kickoffs. With the name of the game being field position, the Saints could take advantage of the banged up defensive end Dwight Freeney and starting cornerback Jerraud Powers who have not been on the practice field. The Saints say they are going to come running hard and fast at Peyton Manning, so the Colts need all of their roster healthy. Prediction: This one is tough to say. The media thought that both teams would go 18-0 and meet in the Super Bowl. That did not happen, but they got the matchup they wanted. The Colts have a pretty great offense and I think that would win them a Super Bowl any other year. But how can you count out the ‘Aints? After hurricane Katrina, nothing has been a unifier in that community, city, state more then their beloved Saints. Think about all the people we saw on tv making their shelter in the Louisiana Super Dome during that time in 2005. If the Saints can hit Manning hard and he does not have the ball going for the win in the last 5 minutes of the game, then the Saints will win, 38-28. However, with how weird the NFL has been this year, this game could go into overtime.
Images couresty of AP
18 • Monday, February 1, 2010
Should Favre retire?
With the Minnesota Vikings losing to the New Orleans Saints last Sunday, The Cauldron wanted to get the opinion of it’s best sports minds to see if it truly was time for Brett Favre to hang those cleats up for good this time. By William Wodka, The Cauldron Contributing Writer
By Reid May, The Cauldron Managing Editor
A couple weeks ago The Minnesota Vikings lost a crushing blow to the New Orleans Saints in the Conference Championship game. After the game, the battered and bruised Brett Favre slumped down on the bench with millions of thoughts running through his head, one of which undoubtedly is should he retire? Favre came out of retirement last year after just playing one year with the New York Jets. After a long process and talking to Chad Childress, the Vikings Head Coach, Favre made the decision to return to the league. To make things even more interesting Favre signed a two year deal with the Vikings. Throughout the season Favre showed that he still had the goods. With amazing accuracy Favre threw for over four hundred yards. During the last game that he may ever play he was left badly bruised after getting knocked down by the Saints defensive linemen more than fifteen times. During the game Favre was knocked down so hard that he crumbled to the ground and could not get up for a few seconds. As he hobbled around, the Fox broadcast showed Favre’s wife scared to death of watching her husband get manhandled. After watching the game against the Saints, Favre looked like he was mentally and physically drained. His body just gave up on him and it is hard to keep getting beat up every week. He has had a great career and like him or not he has been able to carry teams along. He has gone to a couple Superbowls and has a ring to prove it. Though he was never able to win in the infamous Superdome, he is the only quarterback in history to win against every team in the league. I think one of the reasons why Favre signed a two year contract was to be able to get paid if he retires again. I also believe that Favre did not think that he was going to get that close to the big dance. Though he would love to make another run at the Super Bowl, he does not seem to have much left in the tank. So is it time to hang up the cleats? I think yes. Overall Favre was a great player and he deserves to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
I am forty years old, but today I feel like I am eighty. My body is bruised and beaten. Every step is a battle to overcome the pain. I feel this way because for the last 19 years I have given everything I have to winning. I am the epitome of a gunslinger; the man who celebrates every touchdown like it is my first. I am Brett Favre. Some say it is time for me to go…and they have a point. The last several offseasons have been wrought with difficult decisions for me—do I fight the pain and strap on the helmet for another run at a championship or hang up my cleats and retire to Mississippi? Clearly, I have struggled to answer that question. But not this year— this year, the answer is simple. I am coming back. How can I walk away after my best statistical season ever? You read that right—I have never had a better year. Career highs in quarterback rating (107.2), average yards per throw (7.9) and a career low in interceptions (7). I tied my fourth highest touchdown total (33) and my third highest total yards total (4,202). For me, at forty, that was phenomenal. I was better this year than Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Phillip Rivers, Matt Schaub and Aaron Rodgers. Based on statistics there was one quarterback in the league who outperformed me—and Drew Brees is playing out of his mind. Now, I know that was not all because of me—in fact, I realize that a huge part of my success was because of my good fortune; to play with a team that is loaded with young talented players who are yearning for a chance to win. After the year we had together, I simply cannot leave these guys behind. We are still good enough to make a run at the Superbowl. Each and every week I get to throw to Sidney Rice, Bernard Berrian, Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe— one of the best receiving cores in football. Adrian Peterson is the most talented running back alive and he lines up just off my shoulder on every play. If I left, I would walk away from the exact formula I need to win—and I have always been about winning. Never before in my life has my team—and especially my offense—been loaded with this much elite talent. The reason I have been so good, is that they are so good. If I walk away now, I walk away on the best chance I have ever had. And how could I do that, after all, my life has always been about this game. I know it seems like I came to Minnesota just to get revenge on the Green Bay Packer management, but it was about more than that. It was about the opportunity that the Vikings presented—to play catch with Sidney and run with Adrian. And maybe, just maybe, win a Superbowl. We were not quite able to make it this year—but that does not mean we should not give next year a shot—I owe it to the team and myself. That is why I am coming back for one more season.
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20 • Monday, February 1, 2010
Buckle Your Seatbelts, ‘Monster’ Roll Through CSU: Wolstein Center Under Attack Over Weekend By Robert Ivory, The Cauldron Sports Editor
Photography by Robert Ivory
Cleveland State University has held many events at the Bert and Iris Wolstein Center since the Center opened November 1, 1991. But last weekend was probably its loudest show yet. Last weekend, the Wolstein Center welcomed the E3 Monster Truck Nationals to Cleveland and there was no shortage of adrenaline or loud noise. At the rally, there were five of the most powerful trucks you will ever see, with the headliner being the widely known Bigfoot. “Sitting behind the wheel, especially when you’re at the starting line, is hard to explain,” Matt Dishman, driver of the Raminator, said at the meet-and-greet before the races. “You have to picture yourself in a space shuttle. When you release from the line, it’s hard and fast.” “You’re unstoppable,” Bobby Holtman, driver of Stabilizer, explained. “You ever get stuck in a traffic jam and want to run over everybody? We do it every weekend.” Geez, I guess that means you better strap yourself in tight! If that does not get you excited about watching these ‘toys’, just add in the environment that they race in. The crowd goes wild with amazement as the truck literally ramps off of unsuspecting cars, goes almost perpendicular to the ground, and smashes down with enough force to make your car insurance representative cringe. Add in the roar of the engines and the smell of the exhaust and you are in a ‘gear head’s heaven.’ The event also headlined local bikers “The StarBoyz” who did motorcycle stunts that ranged from standing on their seats while doing a wheelie, to different tricks worthy of the phrase “Look Ma, no hands!” In case you were curious
Browns fans, this is the same group that former Cleveland Brown Tight End Kellen Winslow tried to duplicate and instead found himself abruptly meeting with the pavement at a local Tri-C campus. “We love coming to Cleveland,” Holtman said. “There are plenty of gear heads up here. They love football and anything that races.” For those who have never experienced a Monster Truck Rally, such as this editor, it was an eye opening experience to the things that one learns by trying new experiences in life. For example, instead of using dirt on the concrete ground, which is widely used at all rallies; they used syrup from Coca-Cola to get the traction needed to run these great machines. “They do some shows without dirt; it just makes it a little different. You don’t get the usual traction that you do,” Dishman said. Although this seems like a lot of fun for the drivers, a lot of meticulous work and effort goes into maintaining one of these mega-machines. “We have been building trucks for 25 years, now. So we have it pretty much down now,” Holtman said. With the way cars are manufactured today, I had to ask the drivers how many miles-per-gallon one of these trucks gets. Holtman chuckled at my question and answered: “We don’t get miles per gallon. More like gallons per mile.” Then he answered, “We use eleven gallons per minute when running these things wide open.” Wow…with that cost added in, don’t expect to see these trucks on a showroom floor anytime soon.