Volume XLIV, Issue 25: Apr. 12, 2013

observer the

volume xliv, issue 25

friday, 04/12/13

Corporate campaign sparks campus debate >>juliaBIANCO contributingREPORTER<<

anqi li / observer The Student Sustainability Council covered the Spirit Wall, along with several other locations around campus with fourteens for an awareness campaign.

Chalk it up to sustainability Fourteens raise awareness, blanket campus >>brianSHERMAN campus.eventsREPORTER<<

Many who have walked around campus over the past week have likely noticed many etchings of the number 14 chalked on what seems like every available surface. Suddenly emerging around last Wednesday, these 14s have sparked conversation throughout the campus community. They have some thinking they are for the class of 2014, and others thinking they are nothing more than a harmless prank.

But this phenomenon is not a hoax. The Student Sustainability Council (SSC) decorated campus after one of their weekly meetings as part of an awareness campaign, sending 10 of their mem-

bers to canvas the campus with chalk.

“We wanted to get people to talk about them,” said SSC chair Abby Dwornik. With a chuckle, she added, “I think we were pretty successful there.”

After a few days of leaving passing observers in suspense over the meaning of the odd numbers covering the sidewalks, SSC revealed the meaning of the 14s and their significance.

“14 is actually the average number of minutes that a plastic bag is used,” said SSC vice chair Steven Cramer.

While plastic bags are only in use for an average of 14 minutes, they can last anywhere from 200 to several thousand years in landfills, taking a significant toll on the environment.

As only 7 percent of 102 billion plastic bags produced in the United States are recycled, a significant amount of plastic bags are languishing in landfills. Unfortunately, the bags will continue to do so long after anyone living today is dead.

“We wanted people to think about the environment and change their behaviors with plastic bags,” said Cramer, “Simple things like bringing your own bag to GrabIt or recycling bags you get from grocery stores help a lot in the long run.”

“We definitely got a lot of people talking,” added Dwornik.

“People who knew the truth liked it. This was one of our most successful events yet, and we’re open to doing this kind of thing in the future.”

Over the past few years, the debate about the legitimacy of natural gas as a clean, affordable energy source has spread across the country. Recently, the conversation has begun to circulate the Case Western Reserve University campus, prompted by the efforts of professor Casey Newmeyer’s Marketing 304: Brand Management class.

Brand Management is a class that focuses on understanding customer needs and creating the right products and experiences for the target market to create optimal customer satisfaction.

A large portion of the course revolves around a company called EdVenture, which has brought together over 100,000 students at more than 1000 colleges to participate in advertising competitions for companies like Toyota, the Princeton Review, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

Newmeyer described EdVenture projects as “a great opportunity” for students to run a real marketing campaign with an actual budget and measureable results.

“It will certainly be a benefit to them in their future careers,” Newmeyer said.

This semester, the 21 students in the class were asked to advertise for America’s Natural Gas Alliance, or ANGA, a company that represents 29 of North America’s leading independent natural gas exploration and production companies.

ANGA wanted the class to educate the campus on natural gas and to increase awareness

Mandel School receives $8 million donation On Tuesday, The Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation announced that it will donate $8 million to Case Western Reserve University to support programs in social work, nonprofit leadership and community engagement. Close to $5 million of the gift will be donated to the Mandel School of Applied Social Science’s $8.9 million capital campaign. The remaining $3 million will create an endowment fund for the school’s dean.

The U.S. New & World Report’s ninth-ranked program in social work will also change its name to The Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences. The donating foundation underwent a similiar renaming earlier this year in order to emphasize the contributions of the three founding brothers.

“W

e’re just a class doing an assignment. We’re not politically driven,”

-Sarah Greenlee

“W

e weren’t trying to go out and create a riff among the CWRU community,”

-Scott Mackie of natural gas a viable energy source.

ANGA provided the students with a $3000 budget to execute their advertising strategy. In this particular campaign, the top three schools will be invited to present their project to ANGA in Washington D.C. in late April.

The teams will be judged based on the number of press hits they received, the number and quality of events held, and the percentage increase of awareness of natural gas, based on surveys conducted at the beginning and end of the campaign.

The first-place winner will receive a $5000 reward, while second place will get $3000, and third place will earn $1000.

For Weatherhead School of Management’s marketing department, it’s not only about the money, but also about the prestige.

The class has run various events on campus over the course of the semester, including ice cream giveaways from a company that uses a fleet of natural gas powered trucks, and bringing a natural gas Honda Civic to the quad. However, the event that got the most attention was relatively small compared

to NATURAL GAS | 3 Our food reviewer goes to Indian Flame, robots battle for TV supremacy, and sitars rock the Beachland Ballroom See Arts & Entertainment pg. 8

Opinion Editor Lisa Viers speaks up about concerns with campus dining See Opinion pg. 6

index

shannon snyder / observer Employees of the Mandel School of Applied Social Science thank The Jack, Joseph, and Morton Foundation for its $8 million donation last Tuesday.

1 6 8 12 16

news opinion A&E fun page sports

news

04/12/13

2

Not just an average Joe:

The story of trolly driver number 101800

Trolley ambassador number 101808 steps onto the C-Line trolley for his Sunday shift. The thin grey hair atop his head glistens in the sun of an unusually warm day in Cleveland. Black sunglasses shade his pale blue eyes. From the side, wrinkles near his eyes suggest he’s done a good deal of smiling in his lifetime.

“Cleveland, there’s a lot of good, happy things I’ve experienced here. Then, there’s the real life, everyday stuff at the hospitals and all. You never know who’s getting on so we all just gotta smile,” he says.

Though just under six feet, he somehow still stands tall. In a way, he appears regal.

His trolley bears more of a resemblance to a chariot than a normal mode of transportation. Wooden benches fill the cabin. Their thick legs are painted green with gold accents and flourishes. Instead of gripping stainless steel bars for support, passengers grip leather handles and golden poles. The poles look to have been transplanted from an antique merry-go-round.

101808 wears his signature Rapid Transit Authority blue pants with a red stripe up the sides of the legs. His blue- and redstriped button-up shirt peaks out from underneath a brown t-shirt, emblazoned with the face of an orange RTA bus wearing a football helmet. He mixes business with sport – a true Browns fan.

“I’m not a traitor, but I’m not one of those die-hard-start-drinking-at-6 a.m.fans either,” he says with a nod towards drunk Clevelanders wobbling at a nearby street corner as he makes his way to his first destination. “Horseshoe Casino,” he calls out, almost automatically.

As the Horseshoe Casino began to blossom within the historic Higbee Building on Public Square in February 2011, the Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center began taking root below the pavement of St. Claire Avenue and East 6th Street. Its one million square-foot campus will allow for the exchange of medical ideas, practices, and merchandise in ways that few other facilities can with 35 meeting rooms, three exhibition centers, and dozens of vendor showrooms. One bus ride 0.8 miles down the road developer, Scott Wolstein and his mother pursue his late father’s visions of cultivating downtown Cleveland at Flats East Bank. The new waterfront district will house 1200 Ernst & Young employees, 150 rooms of Aloft Hotel, and five new restaurants by Spring 2013. Just one year later, 200 apartments, one outdoor concert venue, one city beach, a three-acre park, and 10 more restaurants will populate the area.

With development projects cropped up

>>alexisPARISI senior.newsREPORTER<<

101808

courtesy matthew fuglsang downtown and a history of popularity, the need for additional trolley lines became undeniable. The Rapid Transit Authority of Cleveland started trolley service on April 10, 2006. In its first year of existence, the trolley system saw an average of 2000 riders per weekday. By 2008, it was up to 5500. Up until 2012, only three lines traipsed the city’s streets. With growing entertainment possibilities, the C-Line came into being: “C” for casino. Horseshoe Casino, Tower City, Warehouse District, RTA headquarters, The Arcade, PlayHouse Square, and back again, every 10 minutes. *** “Is this the free one?” a woman in a Cleveland Browns sweat suit asks.

“Where are you goin?” asks 101808.

“The drug store.”

“Well get on and you’ll see.” He lifts his sunglasses and winks. The woman steps on hesitantly with a smile. “See, now it’s free.”

“Thanks… Joe,” she says, squinting at the driver’s name badge.

He says he prefers not to share his last name. He says he likes to joke like that to keep the day interesting; to watch people

smile when they don’t have to pay. “I’ve been working for RTA for almost as long as some of the roads have been here,” Joe says as he pulls away from the casino.

Though he grew up in Cleveland using public transportation, he had never planned on being a trolley ambassador; he simply fell into it. 101808 took a job a friend offered him driving a bus for the Rapid Transit Authority. “I was always moving, yet, for the first time ever, my life felt stable.”

From a normal bus, Joe moved up to articulators. Articulators are buses in essence, but are longer and have accordionlike parts in the middle to allow for more seating and better turning capacity. It takes a lot of responsibility.

“I’d really like to be driving a buggy like the ones they got down in New York City, but they haven’t got one of those yet,” he says.

“West 6th and Johnson,” he bellows to the trolley’s lone passenger.

Lunchtime. Joe steps off the trolley and into RTA headquarters with a blue cooler.

He takes the keys, but leaves the doors open. The street is a spectacle; an outsider could easily mistake it for a street festival.

Two hiccupping 30-something-year-old men take shelter from the wind in the trol-

ley’s cabin. They tamper with the doors, sit in the front, lie in the back, and snap cell phone pictures of themselves dancing with the poles on the otherwise vacant trolley.

“Is this free today?” the taller of the two asks.

“Well, it’s not moving so, it better damn well be free,” the other responds and stumbles out.

Joe returns 15 minutes later, completely oblivious of the drunken shenanigans that had transpired. Leaning against a pole near the driver’s seat, his eyes glaze over.

He recollects his many St. Patrick’s Days on the road. “It’s funny, sometimes these people, they form these friendships -- relationships just from riding.” He recalls two perfect strangers on his bus on St. Patrick’s Day five years ago. One: too drunk to stand, clearly ill. The other: took it upon himself to help. The Good Samaritan got off early with the intoxicated one, not for any personal reasons, but because it was the right thing to do.

“Some nights, I just sit in the car. Some people take the feeling of being parked for granted. It’s great to always be in motion, but sometimes I just need to sit back and take it all in.”

Students rally downtown for immigration reform Community members advocate for passage of the DREAM Act >>suneilKAMATH civic.engagementREPORTER<<

Though election season has come and gone, immigration reform continues to be a hot political topic. It’s a polarization: some Americans believe illegal immigrants are stealing jobs that American citizens could have and should therefore be deported; others support a gradual naturalization process. Either way, it seems to be a cause to focus on.

“A lot of people think that unless it’s an election season, they don’t need to worry about politics,” says Case Western Reserve University community member Paul Henderson. “The fact of the matter is that you need to stand up for the issues you care about all the time, not just

during elections.”

It’s not always a matter of one belief over another. Sometimes it’s a matter of circumstance. Many alien minors entered the United States under the supervision of their parents at too young an age to have a choice of what to do. For many Americans, this has become a concern. The DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act, proposed to Congress in 2001, aims to address this concern. In short, the DREAM Act would give illegal minors who have lived in the United States the opportunity to go to college or join the nation’s military to earn conditional residency and avoid deportation.

Since its proposal, the DREAM Act has faced much scrutiny and has never been passed. Some people argue, for example,

that the DREAM Act is essentially promoting illegal immigration at a young age and efforts should be focused on border control rather than policy change.

As a result of the controversy, The Dream is Now national campaign sprouted to take a more grassroots approach to pass the act through informing students about immigration issues and mobilizing them to take action. The campaign shows is a documentary directed by Davis Guggenheim, the director of “An Inconvenient Truth,” about the act and its importance on college campuses across the country to accomplish its mission.

A few CWRU students and community members are working for The Dream is Now campaign and trying to raise support for the issue on campus and throughout

Cleveland. “Campaigns like The Dream is Now give the public a voice in Washington, and it’s important that we get more people involved,” said Henderson.

In fact, on Saturday, April 6, seven CWRU students and 10 community members went to Senator Rob Portman’s office in downtown Cleveland to rally for immigration reform.

“We were holding up signs that said ‘Honk for opportunity’ and ‘Honk for immigration reform’ and we were able to get 130 honks in 45 minutes,” said CWRU freshman Sun-Mee Kasper.

For students who want to learn more about the DREAM Act or the campaign, there will be a screening of “The Dream is Now” documentary in the Spartan Room of Thwing Center today at 3 p.m.

observer.case.edu from NATURAL GAS | 1 to their past events. The class, with all of the proper permissions, placed signs with facts about natural gas along the Binary Walkway, using their class’s company name of Natural Blue.

The facts were relatively straightforward: “Natural gas in Ohio was responsible for $2.03 billion in total labor income in 2010,” and “Approximately half of U.S. homes use natural gas was their primary heating fuel.”

Still, the signs managed to catch the attention of some students who were offended by the claim that natural gas was a clean form of energy.

An unknown student or group posted signs over the Natural Blue signs, which made statements such as “Natural gas is not clean energy. It is a fossil fuel like oil and coal. These Natural Blue signs are propaganda.”

The class was extremely surprised by the reaction that their signs received.

“We’re just a class doing an assignment. We’re not politically driven,” said class member Sarah Greenlee.

“We weren’t trying to go out and create a riff among the CWRU community,” added her fellow student Scott Mackie.

The main reason that environmental groups have a problem with the use of natural gas is due to hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking.

Fracking involves pumping millions of gallons of chemically treated water at a pressure of 9,000 pounds per square inch (psi) into shale formations deep underground. The high-pressure water cracks the shale, allowing the natural gas located underneath it to flow through underground pipelines towards a well where it is collected.

Fracking critics worry about the negative environmental effects fracking

news can have, including destroying the aesthetic beauty of the surrounding land, contaminating the water source, and releasing greenhouse gases. Many critics claim that the water from fracking seeps through the earth to contaminate the ground water.

However, most geologists believe this contamination is impossible. Regardless of scientific disagreements, spills and blowouts have been shown to contaminate water sources in areas around drilling regions. Although natural gas industry officials claim that only one to three percent of the methane produced in drilling and transporting natural gas is released into the air as a greenhouse gas, a recent study by professor Robert Howarth of Cornell University places that number closer to eight percent.

ANGA, who does not officially support or condemn fracking, encourages the use of natural gas as an economically and environmentally sound form of clean energy that will improve air quality, add jobs, and enhance energy security.

According to many studies, burning natural gas emits half as much carbon dioxide and one-third the amount of nitrogen oxides as burning oil or gasoline, and about one percent of the sulfur oxides as coal combustion.

Natural gas proponents say that drilling will create jobs. Whether the jobs appear or not, natural gas is relatively abundant in the United States.

The Marcellus Shale, a large natural gas deposit located primarily underneath West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York, is estimated to hold enough gas to power every natural gas-burning device in the United States for more than 20 years. The Marcellus Shale only accounts for 493 trillion cubic feet of the estimated 2,552 trillion of natural gas resources in the United States.

3

courtesy casey newmeyer Some students did not take to kindly to Marketing 304’s advertising campaign for American’s Natural Gas Alliance (AGNA). Many signs, like the one pictured above, posted by the class were covered over by those protesting AGNA’s message that natural gas is a clean energy source.

The Department of Energy estimates that if the transportation industry switched to natural gas, it could improve air quality. Switching to natural gas, however, poses many difficulties for the transportation industry.

At the moment, only Honda makes cars that can be powered by natural gas.

In addition, only 3,500 of the 120,000 gas stations in the country offer natural gas-based car fuel. Buses in several cities run on natural gas, using a central filling station, and many energy officials suggest that more bus systems and trucking companies do the same. Still, even

natural gas industry officials admit that it should simply be used as an intermediate stage while moving from polluting fossil fuels to cleaner, more renewable sources of energy, like solar power.

Although there are environmental concerns associated with fracking, the Brand Management students would like to stress that the signs were merely a part of a class project, and that they do not support or condone fracking. Their assignment was to promote the use of natural gas as an alternative to coal and oil, and they took no stance on the methods used to obtain natural gas.

SLJC Spotlight on…

Spartan Bhangra >>jennaMILLEMACI senior.newsREPORTER<<

all photos courtesy kevin shui

Scenes from Greek Week Fraternities, sororities compete in Greek sing

Case Western Reserve University has taken on the festive world of traditional Indian cultural dance with a hint of modern flair. Since 2008, Spartan Bhangra has been revamping and revving up their game to compete and spread cultural awareness on campus and outside of the community.

After competing in three competitions in one month since the club’s revival, the lively “modern folk dancers” don’t lie; Bhangra is making a come-back.

“Everyone was really impressed by us being a first-year team,” said Ishaan Taylor, second-year undergraduate and vice president of Spartan Bhangra. “As captains, we put in 20 to 30 hours per week, and the dancers put in 10 hours per week.”

The team competed in Madison, Wis., where they placed third at the Aa Dekhen Zara, the Vaisakhi Mela in Parma, Ohio, and the Punjabi Mela in Richmond, Va. “This has been getting bigger and bigger over the last 10 years,” said Partik Singh, thirdyear undergraduate and president of Spartan Bhangra.

According to Taylor, Bhangra competitions among national universities and independent teams have been occurring over the past 20 years or so. Spartan Bhangra’s co-ed team consists of 10 to 12 dancers.

“I think everyone on our team happens to be Indian, but honestly, it doesn’t matter,” said Singh.

Dancers don bright traditional Indian costumes and dance to a mix of hip hop-influenced music and more traditional techniques, like the dhol, an Indian drum.

“The whole thing is a harvest dance,” said Singh.

“We’re always jumping and moving, so our routine consists of an amalgamation of five or

six different types of styles that came together, and that’s how we modernize it,” said Taylor.

“No one really knows exactly where it originated, but it [came] from the state of Punjab in India a few hundred years ago. What most people think it started from is what’s called Vaisakhi mela,” he said.

According to Singh, Vaisakhi mela is a spring festival that celebrates the harvest in the Indian state of Punja.

“A lot of the steps we do, the traditional steps from India, are like a dancing take on farming,” he said. “So, we literally have steps that are like tossing a bale of hay over your head.”

The styles of dance originate from various parts of the state of Punjab, and the diversity has been fused into the style of Bhangra. Traditionally, Bhangra was solely a men’s dance, but today, women perform almost the exact same steps.

“There’s one type of style that we incorporate that’s called Faslan,” said Taylor. “One of the moves emulate the swaying of wheat. You need to have a lot of power, a lot of grace, and a presence on stage. That’s very important for an individual dancer.”

Although the club’s ultimate goal is to compete, the club also serves as a non-profit organization that volunteers with children, gives lessons to the community, and performs at weddings.

Spartan Bhangra will be performing for an event hosted by Deloitte on the Kelvin Smith Library Oval on April 16 and again at CWRU: Live! on April 18 and 21.

“It’s exhilarating. It’s a big part of my culture as well as it’s a very competitive thing,” Taylor said. “I just think it’s fun; that’s why I do it.”

Prepared in partnership with the Student Leadership Journey Council, Spotlight On... is a recurring piece that features Case Western Reserve University student organizations.

news

4

04/12/13

USG Election Results:

Dan Gallo elected president, vice president of academic affairs race decided by 5 votes

President

Representatives

Candidate Votes Percentage of votes Dan Gallo 474 34.3% Colin Williams 338 24.5% Matt McKee 320 23.2% Taryn Fitch 248 18.0%

College of Arts and Sciences Case School of Engineering Ali Mahmoud Colin Williams Connor Toomey Daniel Janini Kassie Stewart Taryn Fitch Jacob Ma Unnati Amin (and 4 vacancies)

Vice President of Academic Affairs Candidate Votes Percentage of votes Samir Shah 513 41.1% Peter Choi 508 40.7% Unni Amin 228 18.2% Chief Judicial Officer Candidate Votes Percentage of votes Zack Rooker 655 53.4% Xiaoyu Li 571 46.6% Vice President of Student Life Candidate Votes Percentage of votes Taylor Gladys 622 45.8% Aditya Rengaswamy 452 33.3% Meghna Srikanth 284 20.9%

Alan Sumski Ashlee Lambert Calin Solomon Charles Marshall Chippy Kennedy Emily Assaley Frank Wu Mary Kate Macedonia Meghna Srikanth Xiaolei Wang Xiaoyu Li

Francis Payne Bolton School Weatherhead School of Management of Nursing Kathleen Brennan Soojin Yi (1 vacancy)

Aditya Rengaswamy Peter Choi Tanvi Parmar

Elections: By the Numbers

1457 votes cast Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 34 percent of the

undergraduate student body.

only

5 votes

there was

close to a

10 percent

increase in student votes in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s election

140 votes

decided the vice president of academic affairs race

decided the presidential race

15 candidates ran

5 vacancies

for executive board positions

still remain at the representative level

observer.case.edu

news

5

Outside the Circle >>sarahGROFT national.newsREPORTER<<

courtesy nowpublic.now According to the Virginia Department for Agriculture and Consumer Services, People for the Ethical Treatment euthanizes over 1,500 animals a year. Pictured above is the organization’s headquarters.

PETA falls under scrutiny People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has more of a dark side to it than its members throwing paint at fur coats. The organization claims to protect animals from ending up as clothes, experiments, and entertainment.

They also aim to protect them from abuse, neglect, and death. However, PETA has been under scrutiny recently for their treatment of animals. Every year, approximately 2000 animals enter the PETA facility, and according to a 2011 statistic, 96 percent of them exit the facility having been slaughtered. Pet Cremation Services of Tidewater visits the facility regularly to pick up the animal remains.

Before the cremation service arrives, the animal bodies are kept in a large walk-in freezer. Donations that PETA receives regularly from animal lovers go towards cremation services and powering the animals’ frozen tomb. It is estimated that in the past 11 years, PETA has killed over 29,000 dogs, cats, rabbits, and other domestic animals. Most individuals believe that PETA does not believe in killing animals. However, their belief states that it is okay to kill animals, as long as the killing is “humane.” For them, the “humane” method used most often is poisoning the animals with a barbiturate overdose.

When police first entered the PETA facility, they found piles of garbage bags, filled with animal bodies. The veterinarian who examined the bodies found that the animals were perfectly healthy and adoptable. Similar scenes have played across America in vans owned by PETA filled with killing kits and more dead bodies. Although registered with the State of Virginia as a “humane society” and “animal shelter,” PETA does not

have any adoption hours, promotion, or adoption floors.

An inspection done by the Virginia Department of Agriculture said that the PETA facility did “not contain sufficient animal enclosures to routinely house the number of animals annually reported as taken into custody…the shelter is not accessible to the public, promoted, or engaged in efforts to facilitate the adoption of animals taken into custody.” The inspector, who participated in the inspection, said, “90 percent of the animals were euthanized within the first 24 hours of custody.”

When asked what efforts they make towards finding animals homes, PETA had no comment. Since this discovery, other disturbing facts have begun to surface. A postcard from Ingrid Newkirk, PETA’s founder, stated that PETA does not advocate the right to live for animals, and there are always exceptions to that rule. The postcard was addressed to Nathan Winograd, whose blog continuously attacked PETA for their cruelty to animals. Winograd, along with other people who have publically condemned PETA for their actions, has received mail from the PETA legal department that threatens them with a legal action.

According to published records from the Virginia Department for Agriculture and Consumer Services, PETA euthanized 1675 of the 1877 animals in its care in 2012. PETA told the Daily Mail that their reasoning behind euthanizing the animals is that it would be difficult to find homes for many of them and they would most likely be euthanized anyway.

Jane Dollinger, PETA spokeswoman, said, “Most of the animals we are taking in are society’s rejects: aggressive, on death’s door, or someone unadoptable.”

Write

>>police blotter

for

news

contact mrm141@ case.edu

04/01 to 04/09

April 1 - License plate taken off parked auto, Lot 46 April 5 - Motorcyclist arrested for driving while intoxicated, Juniper Road April 6 - Bicycle theft- Unsecured bike taken from bike room, North Residential Village # 6.

There will be a special shuttle service available from the Kelvin Smith Library to Fribley Commons starting Tuesday 4/30/2013. The shuttle will run from 8 pm until 3 am throughout final exams.

Send feedback to On the Beat at policecolumn@case.edu.

courtesy news.yahoo.com A 2011 medical helicopter crash is currently under investigation over allegations that texting by the pilot during pre-flight safety inspections distracted him from checking his fuel gage. The helicopter ran out of fuel before it could reach an airfield, and crashed in a small farm field.

Testing helicopter pilot investigated Since amedical helicopter that ran out of fuel and crashed in Aug. 2011 killed all four of it’s passengers, further investigation has recently ensued. The pilot, 34-year-old James Freudenbert, was reportedly distracted by text messages when he was supposed to be completing his preflight safety checks. Freudenhert had received 20 text messages in the two hours preceding his flight. He then crashed into a small farm field approximately one mile away from where he had intended to refuel.

The text messages were received from a female co-worker with whom the pilot had a romantic history. In addition to the messages sent before the helicopter entered flight, eight messages were also exchanged during the flight. He was transporting a hospital patient to another center for treat-

ment. Freudenbert reportedly did not check the amount of fuel in the helicopter before he took off from his base, even though he had been told that the fuel might be low, as the aircraft had been used for training exercises the night before.

Immediately after take-off from the base, Freudenbert radioed that the helicopter only had about two hours of fuel, but when he touched down about 10 minutes later in Bethany, Mo., to pick up the patient, he told the communications center that he only had about 45 minutes of fuel left. Freudenbert chose to continue the transfer to a hospital in Liberty, Mo. regardless. The airfield he had planned to land at was 32 minutes away. As it turned out, the helicopter only had 30 minutes.

The investigation is still ongoing to determine further details.

Cleveland city council leadership commended A coalition of individuals gathered in support of Cleveland City Council’s leadership this past Monday, April 8. According to a media release from the City of Cleveland’s Office of the Council, demonstrations were to include Councilman Matt Zone, Cleveland Sustainability chief Jenita McGowan, Lorry Wagner, president of LEEDCo., Dawna Rotert, president of BDL General Contracting, Laura Ponikvar of Mom’s Clear Air Force, and Al Frasz of Dovetail Solar and Wind.

The Council’s leadership has worked over the past decade to promote sustain-

ability, renewable energy, and energy efficiency by means of initiative and other actions. Their work was honored during a press conference that focused on the city’s energy investments that “saved money and energy, put citizens to work, saved taxpayer money, and strengthened the city’s bottom line.” Because Ohio’s energy efficiency and renewable standards are currently under review, the leadership’s band of followers hoped to convince Columbus that Ohio’s Clean Energy Laws needed to be protected rather than weakened or removed.

Public action to occur on tax day April 15, tax day, will be host to a “countrywide coalition of justice and peace groups [that] will demonstrate in downtown Cleveland for just and peaceful federal budget and tax policies,” according to a news release. Demonstrators plan to hold up colorful signs and banners that prod federal officials to “Stop the Cuts! Protect Social Security! Grow ‘Family-Wage’ Jobs! Tax the One Percent! End U.S. Wars and Occupations!”

Greg Coleridge, Director of the Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee and coalition representative, said, “Recently enacted social spending cuts,

under sequestration, will impose cruel hardships for millions of persons across America, impacting hardest on mothers, children, veterans, students, and seniors here in Northeast Ohio.”

Among the demonstrators are Cleveland Peace Action, Veterans for Peace, Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee, Cleveland Jobs with Justice, Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice, No Cuts Coalition, Stop Targeting Ohio’s Poor, Black on Black Crime, Inc., Oppressed People’s Nation, Family Connection Center, and Imperial Women.

opinion

Page 6

04/12/13

Lessons from a torn ACL >> heather O’KEEFFE | WHAT A GIRL WANTS On July 21, 2012, I fell to the ground in pain. My knee popped in the air and stiffened when I hit the ground. As I lay there on the ground, moaning in agony, fear entrenched my mind. I was certain that I had just sustained a serious injury.

One month later, Aug. 16, the MRI results came back. Standing in a customer-service line, I listened as my stepmom delivered the diagnosis over the phone: my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was almost completely torn. Tears ensued. Tearing your ACL is an athlete’s worst nightmare. However, I knew the opportunity for immense personal growth was before me. I bit my lip and committed to coming out of rehab a stronger person mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Since tearing that crucial ligament, I have experienced and learned lessons that have been humorous, expected, out of the blue, and insightful.

Being a person who finds comfort in writing, I thought I would go ahead and share some of these lessons.

First off, let’s talk leg braces.

These things suck. A lot. It is nearly impossible to sit or sleep while wearing a bionic piece of metal stretching from your ankle to hip. One of the worst things about a leg brace is the damage it does to your clothes. The metal contraption rubs against your leg, irritating your skin, or worse, tears apart your pants. All of my leggings have a gaping hole on the inseam and my jeans are now worn down. Honestly, insurance should pay up because I have to buy a whole new lower-body wardrobe.

The brace is a little prison for your leg. The straps, Velcro, and metal keep your leg from bending, twisting, or feeling free. Yes, the brace is a good thing and I commend the engineers who designed it, but after a while you start to feel like it’s not just your leg that is trapped. Your mind is also confined by that leg brace.

There is an upside to the brace, besides stabilizing my leg. It’s definitely a conversation starter. People find it hard not to notice a leg engulfed in black. There was rarely a dull moment during sorority recruitment as I discussed the surgery, my recovery, and best of all, how I tore my ACL. On that fateful day, I was playing Australian Football: an insane hybrid of soccer and rugby. 99 percent of people have no idea what Australian Football is, so the need always arose for me to explain this peculiar sport.

From here, the discussion usually prompted people to ask: where were you playing Australian Football? How did you get involved? This was one of my favorite questions to answer, as I

was able to divulge some things about myself: the six months I spent living abroad in Australia, my dual American and Australian citizenship, and all of my experiences Down Under.

The greatest lesson I have learned is patience. ACL recovery is slow: full health and return to activity don’t come until nine months after surgery.

I waited until winter break to have surgery, making my total time from injury to full recovery 14 months.

That’s more than a year spent waiting, watching, and wishing.

I have to wait for my body recover. I can push myself in physical therapy and hit the gym every morning as much as I want, being as proactive as possible, but my body, not my mind, dictates recovery. There is no magic wand that will stabilize my knee, erase scar tissue, and integrate my new ACL into my leg. The human body is mysterious, and no matter my sense of urgency to run or sit pretzel style, I have to let natural recovery run its course.

The worst part of recovery has been, by far, the watching. Seeing other athletes recovering from ACL surgery faster than me, watching someone sprint on the treadmill while you cautiously pedal a bike, or observing people throwing a football and kicking around a soccer ball as spring finally emerges has been torture. Every time I see one of the described events, an urge to be like them takes over me.

How I wish I could play tennis in this beautiful weather or rack up miles on the treadmill.

Alas, not all wishes can come true.

I have to stick to the plan and do as the physical therapist tells me. I perform the tedious stretches, rise early to build strength at the gym, and reserve myself from shooting a basketball. Patience and diligence will make my wishes come true.

I know what I have to do to have my own Adrian Peterson-esque recovery. Every time I stick to the plan and sideline my desires to rip off the brace or run across the street, I am certain I am doing my leg and myself a favor. By committing to making my leg stronger, I have made myself stronger. I am grateful for this.

Through the ups and downs, I would never take back July 21. I am happy I tore my ACL because I am proud of the person my injury has made me become.

Heather O’Keeffe is a first year student studying biomedical engineering and sports medicine. Her ACL injury has peaked and solidified her interest in studying biomechanics.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR should be e-mailed to observer@case.edu or submitted on our website at observer.case.edu. Letters can be mailed to 10900 Euclid Avenue, Suite A09, Cleveland, OH 44106. Letters need to include the writer’s full name, address, and telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be published. Letters from organizations must contain the name of an individual for contact purposes. Writings may be edited for clarity and brevity, and while The Observer makes an attempt to print all correspondence; space and date of publication are not guaranteed. Letters over 600 words may be returned to the sender. Letters must be received by 5 p.m. on Tuesdays.

The Observer is the weekly undergraduate student newspaper of Case Western Reserve University. Established in 1969, The Observer exists to report news affecting and/or involving students and to provide an editorial forum for the university community. Unsigned editorials are the majority opinion of the senior editorial staff. For advertising information, contact The Observer at (216) 368-2914 or e-mail observerads@case.edu.

The Observer is a proud member of the CWRU Media Board.

Editor’s Note Fed up and still hungry A perusal through the Undergraduate Student Government’s Moderator web page reveals an interesting snapshot of what irks students on an average day at Case Western Reserve University. Think the Greenie system is too slow? That’s on there. Wish certain buildings had more seating? So does somebody else. Fed up with the dining options on campus? Now you’re joining a massive club.

On the first two pages of USG’s Moderator tool, students have voiced their concern about CWRU dining services more than any other topic. From a perceived lack of vegetarian options to the endless ways a meal swipe cannot be used, students’ voices are remarkably unified about this perpetual issue.

Unless a series of obstacles are navigated, all first and second year residential students are required to purchase one of several university meal plans. The minimum number of weekly swipes is 17 for first-year students and 10 for second-year students and upperclassmen. However, the list of limits on where and how many swipes can be used continues to grow.

Students have long been unable to use meal swipes at the Bon Appétit-operated L3 Grill on Fridays and Saturdays. More recently, students may only use swipes once before 1 p.m. and once after 5 p.m. The Jolly Scholar, which is a private business separate from the university, values a meal swipe at a cost substantially less than its actual meal-plan value. This results in students having to pay extra money in addition to using a meal swipe at the Jolly Scholar.

The location and operating hours of the campus’ food options is problematic as well. Time-pressed students seeking a midday meal on the Main Quad are often forced to wait in the 20-minute line for Grab-It, which can begin spilling out into the Quad by 11:30 a.m.

For those frequent occasions when late-night study sessions become less productive and food is needed to keep up with your textbook, options are sparse at best. Students living in the North Residential Village (NRV) can eat at Denny’s All-Nighter until 2:30 a.m. or 3 a.m. (ironic, I know), but students in the South Residential Village (SRV) have to get all their sustenance before 9 p.m., when Fribley Commons closes.

And for students holed up in Kelvin Smith Library, the Cramelot Café is open Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The café has shortened hours on Friday and Sunday, but it is closed completely on Saturdays.

Then, there are the food options to take into consideration. Be it a lack of vegetarian dishes or an overabundance of seemingly cheap and unhealthy items, students are often unsatisfied with what an expensive meal swipe buys them.

The raising of this issue by undergraduates is not without merit, yet university administrators frequently dismiss it, claiming the food they ate at campus dining halls during special events was fantastic. But as most students would attest, Bon Appétit can change the quality of their offerings at will. Therefore, when prospective students are in town or special events are scheduled, undergraduates know to camp out in the dining halls like squirrels stockpiling nuts for winter.

If CWRU truly wants to become a “destination research university,” which is a doctrine being proposed for inclusion in the next strategic plan, our food must be good, timely, and well-located. Student organizations, such as the Residence Hall Administration (RHA), frequently meet with Bon Appétit to discuss concerns.

(An effort to which Bon Appétit has been quite responsive.) But now it’s the administration’s turn.

The problems surrounding campus dining can only be solved through a cooperative effort consisting of university administrators, vendor management, and student leadership from both USG and RHA. Students will only become more vocal about their discontent, posing a marketing issue for the entire university unless engagement increases and solutions are employed. After all, students are fed up. It’s just not on good food.

Tyler Hoffman –EXECUTIVE EDITOR Want to connect with the editor?

Follow him on Twitter @tylerehoffman or drop him a line at observer@case.edu.

the observer

established in 1968 by the undergradute students of case western reserve university executive editor & publisher TYLER HOFFMAN director of design MEL SAYRE website manager KYLE PATTERSON opinion editor, training & recruitment manager LISA VIERS

news layout MEILYN SYLVESTRE a&e layout AMBER ALBERGOTTIE sports layout SURHIN SCHIN opinion layout CHANISARA NETSUWAN

photographers ANQI LI, ARIANNA WAGE, AUSTIN STING

business manager JAMES VELETTE ad manager MORGAN BULGER news editor MIKE MCKENNA a&e editor SHEEHAN HANNAN sports editor PETER COOKE photography editor SHANNON SNYDER copy editors JACK BEHREND, KATY WITKOWSKI, JENIECE MONTELLANO distributors VICTORIA ZAGORSKI, GRACE LIU advisor BERNIE JIM

opinion

observer.case.edu

7

The great navigator >> andrew BRELAND | THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM In 2011, Margaret Thatcher was voted the most competent British Prime Minister of the last 30 years.

Though some critics will claim she divided the country with her hardline policies of privatization and anticommunism, her country now realizes that she represented the most successful British government in the Post-War years. There was a reason Thatcher was elected Prime Minister three times.

But beyond that, Thatcher goes down in history as the leader of Britain as it descended into, suffered through, and emerged from the economic crisis of the early 1980s. She was at the helm of a British economy that turned out of its downward spiral – a trajectory present since the end of the Second World War. Thatcher led Britain through the end of the Cold War, brokering deals between United States’ President Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premiere Mikhail Gorbachev.

Most importantly, “the Iron Lady,” a name she graciously accepted from a Soviet critic of her policies, recreated a British enthusiastic nationalism. For better or worse, Thatcher’s policies united an otherwise divided Britain; she even managed support among union members, a demographic she consistently denounced during her tenure, attracting 61 percent of union support in her third reelection effort.

The criticism of Margaret Thatcher is not completely undeserved though.

During her tenure, approval of the

Prime Minister hit an all-time low in Britain at about 23 percent, comparable only to Americans’ hatred of their Congress. Thatcher reversed political tides that had been in motion in Britain since the early 1900s. Her choice to replace nominal property tax with the Community Charge spelled the downfall of her government.

But some of the greatest moments in British history and policy also occurred under the Thatcher government. Privatization led to massive increases in profitability and worker productivity in the British steel and energy industries. She deregulated British exchanges and stock markets leading to one of the biggest upturns in financial history in 1986.

And her accomplishments don’t even begin to summarize her stellar foreign policy record. She successfully navigated the Falkland Islands War against Argentina, retaining the archipelago for Great Britain; recently, this choice has been vindicated by a referendum in the Falklands where nearly 92 percent of voters agreed to remain a British territory. She negotiated the partial sovereignty of Hong Kong after it was relinquished to the Chinese. And most importantly, she deftly maneuvered Great Britain into the center of the communism debate in the 1980s, acting as an ally to both Reagan and Gorbachev and a staunch advocate for the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

When asked to compromise in the

An ode to the Iron Lady >> ashley YARUS | KEEPING PERSPECTIVE This week in Great Britain, sales of the song “Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead” skyrocketed. Now, this is not related to an increased national interest in “The Wizard of Oz,” or the musical talents of the munchkins. Rather, Brits are strangely coping with the death of their former Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.

In the 1980s, Thatcher’s conservative stance and bold leadership divided the United Kingdom. Thatcher was Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990; she was elected for three consecutive terms.

Thatcher’s list of achievements is by no means perfect, but her contribution to Great Britain is undeniable. David Cameron, Britain’s current head of state, said in a recent speech to the House of Commons, “What she achieved—even before her three terms in office—was remarkable.” Regardless of one’s personal opinions regarding Thatcher, she was an impressive woman.

Thatcher was a butcher’s daughter.

Raised in Grantham, Thatcher was not born into a position of power or distinction. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and worked as a chemist before beginning her career in politics. She passed the bar exam in the same year that her twins were born.

More importantly, Margaret Thatcher was elected a Member of Parliament in 1959.

If you’re familiar with the history of British politics, this last fact is simply astounding. That a young woman of the working class could be elected to Parliament is remarkable, and that Thatcher became Prime Minister 20 years later is more remarkable still.

In the United States, we do not have the social stratification that pervades British politics. But, in the United Kingdom, where Dukes and Lords have political sway similar to that of our titans of industry, class is an integral aspect of government. Accordingly, Thatcher is a

woman who warrants a certain degree of respect in my book.

It is no small feat to become Prime Minister of Great Britain. Considering Thatcher’s circumstances, it is simply extraordinary that she was able to attain the same title as Winston Churchill—a member of the noble Spencer family. I may not agree with every action of the Iron Lady, but I admire her for her tenacity and her ability to break through that thick, glass ceiling.

This is why a recent headline left me feeling a little ill. After seeing that “Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead” was topping the chart in Britain; I made a point to read into Britain’s reaction to the death of their former Prime Minister. I assumed that the United Kingdom would unite to honor the death of a political leader; I was wrong. Britain has once again been polarized by their feelings toward the Iron Lady. People are rejoicing that she has died; they are buying that dreadful song from “The Wizard of Oz” with malicious intents.

However, can most people justify their hostility for Thatcher? She revived the country and brought her nation out of the Cold War. She broke through the glass ceiling and increased the middle class’s role in British politics. No matter how wicked some believe her to be, Thatcher does not deserve the unwarranted flack that she has received this week. No matter how controversial some of her actions may have been, we all can learn something from the Iron Lady. This Sunday, a butcher’s daughter will have a funeral traditionally reserved for royalty, and I find that downright inspiring.

Ashley Yarus is a freshman studying Chemical Engineering. With the onset of spring you may find her skipping around campus and smelling the fresh spring air.

She would like to thank the university for planting all of those beautiful flowers and trees.

face of seeming political suicide, Thatcher quipped that she would not.

She was “a conviction politician.”

Consensus politics were meaningless to her. If Ronald Reagan is to go down in history as the “Great Communicator,” it is seems proper to label Thatcher the “Great Navigator,” a label fitting her hardline approach to reform even in the face of immense, though navigable, opposition.

Thatcher relied instead, throughout her years, on a vision of the mobile, self-sufficient, energetic middle class. Thatcher’s goal in her premiership was not to create a governmentmandated prosperity for everyone, but for every person to pursue prosperity.

One could only achieve wealth and prosperity through hard work, loyalty, commitment to labor, and energetic, adventurous gumption.

Prior to the rule of Margaret Thatcher, Great Britain, and the rest of the world, appeared to be sliding towards moral relativism, dependency, defeatism, and to a social welfare state. After her rule, the world was on a different path. Now independence, adventure, and ambition dominate the “feel good stories.” Communism has fallen, and capitalist markets dominate.

Thatcher stands as the most ideologically significant and politically important prophet of classical liberalism and economic free market capitalism. Her image as a reformer dominates the background of every

conservative thought process. Her steering of the world away from collectivism, away from communalism, away from relativism, stands as the most triumphant and successful realization of conservative values in the modern era.

“To fight for the right without question or pause, To be willing to march into Hell for a heavenly cause…and the world will be better for this” This quote, as Thatcher-esque as it sounds instead comes from The Man of La Mancha, a Broadway show from decades past. “The Impossible Dream” stands as a beacon of hope, a sort of motivation to stay the course, reinvigorate oneself, to reach the final goal.

This was truly the lifelong motto of Margaret Thatcher.

Despite opposition and threats, despite seemingly indefatigable enemies in Britain and abroad, despite questioning from her own party, she remained on course, navigating the perils ahead of her. And the world is better for it.

Andrew Breland is a sophomore planning to triple major in Political Science, English, and History. At CWRU, Andrew serves as the Vice President of the Case College Republicans and the treasurer for the Case Western Mock Trial Team. After graduation, Andrew plans to attend law school and pursue a career as a civil litigation attorney specializing in Tort defense.

Letter to the Editor I am writing in response to an editorial in last week’s edition of The Observer, which contained what I contest was an inaccurate assessment of the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) Presidential candidates by the editorial staff.

This assessment came in the article “The Observer endorses Colin Williams for USG president.” Full disclosure: as a candidate for USG President, I was an opponent of Colin’s in the elections and I am writing this before the election. Thus, I obviously disagreed with the choice, but I respect The Observer’s right to make such an endorsement. What I object to does not relate at all to the politics of the race, but to the characterization that the field of four candidates running for USG President was in any way “lackluster.”

Anyone who has worked with Dan, Taryn, or Colin knows that they are not only excellent to work with, but inspire excellence in those around them. I have had the good fortune of working with them in USG since our freshman year, and for the entirety of their time here at Case Western Reserve University, each one of them is a dedicated and hardworking member of USG. Whether as a representative or an executive officer, each stepped up to improve USG and worked tirelessly to insure that undergraduate students have a strong voice in the business of the university. Through agreements and arguments, I have worked alongside them week in and

week out for almost three full years, and I truly feel that USG would be worse off without any one of them.

Under what criteria can you call this “lackluster”? I look at my fellow candidates and see shining examples of people willing to devote themselves to USG and to serving their peers, and each would make a great president of USG in my estimation.

I cannot fault The Observer for only having time to form their opinion of each candidate during an hourlong interview. However, I do take exception that, in the course of only one hour, The Observer editors not only proclaimed that these superb candidates are all lackluster, but also latched said “lackluster” capabilities to “structural difficulties” in the organization. At best, this assessment represents a failure of the interviewers and reporters to truly understand and appreciate these candidates for their contributions to USG, the university, and all undergraduate students enrolled.

To Colin, Taryn, and Dan: I ran against you because I felt I would make a better President. But, whoever has won our race, and in whatever positions we find ourselves next year, I look forward to the honor of serving alongside you.

Matt McKee Undergraduate Student

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the columnists and contributors in this section are solely their own.

They do not reflect the views of The Observer or Case Western Reserve University.

Page 8

arts & entertainment 04/12/13

An outsider’s perspective: Indian Flame

sheehan hannan / observer

>>jackBEHREND copyEDITOR<< As an individual fairly unfamiliar with Indian food, I attended Indian Flame with a group of more experienced companions, prepared for a meal of bold, exotic flavors that would stretch the boundaries of my very Americanized palate. Unfortunately, Indian Flame failed to deliver on nearly all of my lofty expectations with a very mundane and zestless meal. Nonetheless, the meal did offer some pleasant notes and few notable disappointments, and the restaurant is a reasonably cheap destination for anyone in the mood for Indian cuisine.

Location Located on Euclid Avenue, just a short walk from the Thwing Center, Indian Flame could not be more convenient. No transit or Greenie is necessary for this trip, just a light walk to start the evening off.

Atmosphere The most notable aspect of the Flame’s ambiance is the fabulous aroma. Rich spices fill the air with an intoxicating musk that sets a wonderful stage for the meal.

Unfortunately, the incredible smells fill a dingy room with no real semblance of décor. Uncomfortable seats, plain walls, and linoleum tables immediately lower the quality and the class of the experience (more important than one might think if on a date).

Appetizers To begin our meal, we selected chaat papri, bhel poori, and the Indian Flame salad. Each appetizer was good but not great, representative of a meal with uneventful highs but no notable lows.

Both the chaat papri and the bhel poori had excellent textures: crunchy wafers and nuts, soft potatoes, and light fruit. The bhel poori was the high note of the first course as spicy onions and a sweet tamarind-mint chutney sauce accented the fantastic textures. The potatoes, wafers, and chilies of the chaat papri were doused in a yogurt-based sauce, much too heavy for a first course. Unlike the fairly pleasant first two dishes, the Indian Flame salad was Leutner quality (the single lowest rating I can give a salad).

Quite simply, the salad consisted of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and an all but

flavorless sauce: extremely disappointing.

Main Course For the main course, we ordered a trio of lamb curry, butter chicken, and lamb kabob. As was the case with the appetizers, each dish was very middle-of-the-road.

The lamb curry was rich, flavorful, and pleasantly heavy. When mixed with the rice, the tomato-based sauce brought out the flavors of the lamb. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a great deal to bring out as the meat was somewhat tough and noticeably not of particularly high quality. The same could be said for the lamb kabab. The meat was flavorful, and its accompanying vegetables were poignant and supportive. Again, however, the meat’s texture left much to be desired. The poor quality of meat was particularly disappointing as both meals cost about $15. Obviously this price tag doesn’t merit filet mignon, but a diner should expect better than tough, mediocre meat.

The butter chicken was of notably better quality, as the meat was rich and moist. Similar to that of the lamb curry, the chicken’s sauce was rich and heavy, and it paired very well with the chicken’s

spices. Yet again, however, the high point of the course was very okay and lacked any substantial wow factor.

Special Notes One particularly positive special feature about Indian Flame was how shockingly filling every dish proved to be. As we got up from the table, my companions and I were struck by a weight of fullness and exhaustion, which to me was quite the pleasant finale. Be careful of overeating, however, because you might just wind up with a stomachache.

Another pleasant plus to the Flame is the versatility of the menu. The menu offers a large array of dishes that cater to the needs of celiacs, vegetarians, and vegans alike.

Not to worry, carb-loving carnivores like me, there are also a plethora of carb-heavy, protein-heavy selections.

Rating Dining at Indian Flame was fairly positive and slightly above-average dining experience. Hence, I’ll give it three stars and recommend it as a good spot for friends to enjoy a meal away from the debilitating limitations of meal-plan dining.

Coming to Eldred Theater: “The Crucible” >>josephVERBOVSZKY theatreREPORTER<< Conformity is powerful. Even here, at Case Western Reserve University, you can feel it. You raise your hand to ask a question.

You might be asked to stand. You get up and your voice, clear at the beginning, slowly weakens as you notice that the eyes of your classmates have started to fixate on you. You can see they’re annoyed, vexed by what you are saying. The professor is not receptive to what you’re saying and asks to talk to you after class. You wish you had not even raised your hand in the first place. Yes, there is such a thing as a stupid question.

But in all seriousness, we still have a long way to go before we stop being suspicious of others who are different from us. Few works capture this sense of paranoia; this dark side of community, and none are as famous as Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” the final play for Eldred Theatre this season.

Miller wrote the play in the 1950s, using the Salem witch trials as a historical allegory

to the McCarthyist attempts, in Miller’s own time, to hunt down anyone with a past or present affiliation to communism. But “The Crucible,” unlike Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” has a life beyond the allegory that people often forget: it’s also a great play.

Director Donald Carrier explains the difficulty in staging a play that is so famous for its allegorical significance. He says you have to look beyond the temporal nature of the play and see it in a universal sense, as a play about individual conscience vs. collective conformity rather than just about McCarthyism. People also tend to think that “The Crucible” is a static play that chronicles uptight Puritan society.

Sure, it has Puritans, but it is anything but uptight. It is true that the Puritans practiced a stringent form of Christianity, but human needs and emotions still found their place. The show is filled with incredible high and lows and moments of insane hysteria and shrieks of witchcraft, down to the silent judgment of a husband by his wife. Carrier explained that these characters are caught in a “struggle of

life and death,” and encourages his actors to play these characters “passionately.”

The actors have been working very hard to bring audiences an excellent production.

The sheer scale of the production is quite impressive. With its 21-member cast, “The Crucible” is one of Eldred’s largest productions, featuring many students who are making their final appearance on the Eldred stage. But even with such an ensemble cast, the individual characters possess stark personalities.

I had an opportunity to talk with Kelly McCready about playing Elizabeth Proctor, the wife of the protagonist, John Proctor (Zac Olivos). In talking to McCready, it was apparent how grateful she was to be playing such a complex and beautiful role as Elizabeth and share the stage with her classmates one final time. Elizabeth is the loyal wife of John Proctor and is accused of witchcraft by Abigail Williams (Hillary Wheelock), a former maid who had an affair with John.

Clearly a model of Puritan domesticity, Elizabeth is still an incredibly strong character

who stands by her husband and her principles throughout the trials with which she is confronted. Although she, herself, is not religious, McCready said that she “admires Elizabeth’s certainty and pride” that comes from her Puritan faith. Nevertheless, she is also a complex character who always felt “plain” and therefore was unlovable; feeding the coldness that pushed her husband John into an affair with the passionate Abigail.

The play is directed in a traditional style with naturalistic costumes and set. The costumes aim to be accurate reproductions of Puritan clothing, simple and heavy.

The women wore corsets, and so do the actresses. “It’s quite difficult to breathe,” said McCready. The set also sets the tone of the play. It is designed with the atmosphere of the witch trials in mind. The set is dark and cast members move shiftily about in the background, illustrating the suspicion and paranoia of the time. Blackened scaffolding looks as if nooses could hang from its charred timbers, a backdrop to the immolation of a world collapsing under its own hypocrisy.

a&e 9

observer.case.edu

courtesy socialsearchmobile.org

“Present Shock:” Media Theory for the 21st Century >>owenBELL games&techREPORTER<< It’s hard to keep life organized these days. Everything seems to be rushing by at 1000 miles per hour and nothing slows down. Between keeping up with work, Facebook, e-mail, Twitter, and countless other things, there is no time to just stop and take a break.

Amidst all this noise comes “Present Shock,” a book that tries to explain the insanity and give the reader a way to grasp the rapidly changing world around them. It is a breakdown of the impact of our technology laden, “always on” lives are having on our brains and our ability to function as people.

David Rushkoff, the author, describes the problem best: “Our society has reoriented itself to the present moment.

Everything is live, real time, and alwayson. It’s not a mere speeding up...It’s more

of a diminishment of anything that isn’t happening right now - and the onslaught of everything that supposedly is.”

At first, the premise of the book might seem like a New Age hippie rant against the modern, encouraging the reader to shun technology and return to a more basic life. The book is not the work of some quack, however. Rushkoff, is a well-respected media theorist, and his arguments are well thought out and engaging.

Rather than just rattling off a bunch of obscure statistics and studies that show how modern technology is bringing about the fall of civilization, Rushkoff takes the reader on a journey through history, breaking down trends in human society and how they have affected the people that lived then, and how things have changed today.

Throughout modern history, people have loved stories. We love them

because they have a beginning, middle, and end. It is an arc that we can follow and understand easily. It is satisfying when the story is over because we have the whole picture.

That whole picture is just what we cannot get anymore. In all of our lives, Rushkoff argues, there are too many things going too fast to monitor. Every second, something new happens, and unless we are right there to see it happen, we are behind the times.

Rushkoff uses Twitter to explain this problem. With Twitter there is no stop.

Updates are always happening, we can dip in briefly, but rather than getting a picture of everything when we stop in, we see just a snapshot of a constant stream that is happening even when we aren’t looking. It’s easy to want to get that whole pictures, to look at every last thing that has happened since you last looked, but it’s impossible. Twitter is

always happening at a breakneck pace, and there is nothing that we can do to keep up with it without driving ourselves insane.

We are so obsessed with trying to keep up with this speeding reality, though, that we even buy technology that serves no purpose but to help us better consume the constant stream of information.

Our tablets and smartphones are just windows into the chaotic flow that we check on obsessively lest we miss the something.

Ultimately, Rushkoff isn’t looking for a solution; he just wants to help the reader to understand technology’s impact on their life. That is a whole other problem, but it is also something Rushkoff says we can start to solve on our own. Just by realizing what “present shock” is and how it affects us day to day, we can start to break out of the hold it has on us.

a&e 10

04/12/13

Cyclops Reap by White Fence >>jasonWALSH musicCRITIC<< White Fence, the one-man band project of Tim Presley, is part of a wave of 1960s and 1970s revivalists. Fellow San Franciscan and sometimes collaborator Ty Segall has probably become the biggest export of this scene, but bands like White Fence and Thee Oh Sees have been cranking out just as much good music.

White Fence operates in a different musical space than Segall, Thee Oh Sees, or any of the other bands currently working in the ‘60s and ‘70s traditions.

White Fence exists somewhere in a psych-pop/folk genre - he’s never as far towards punk as Segall and Thee Oh Sees; he’s not as straight-forward, Rolling Stones rock ‘n’ roll as his other project The Strange Boys; he’s as psychedelic as Australian revivalists Tame Impala, but nowhere near as shiny or polished.

Presley’s greatest skill is his guitar playing, and most of Cyclops Reap revolves around intricate guitar playing. He has a distinct voice but a pretty limited range, and

he doesn’t seem particularly interested in lyrics.

For most of Cyclops Reap, Presley’s voice is doubled and given a slight echo, and is usually buried in the mix behind guitars and the rhythm section. As a result, the vocals sound distant and far away; you can hardly ever pick out lyrics, and when you do, they’re mostly non-sequiturs: “all alone when you cry / who refrigerates you / chairs in the dark” is a gem from opening track “Chairs In The Dark.”

Presley’s cryptic song titles don’t exactly help shed any light on meaning, either: “Pink Gorilla,” “To The Boy I Jumped In The Hemlock Alley,” and “Make Them Dinner At Our Shoes” are just a few. But Presley’s voice and his lyrics are more about the atmosphere of the album than anything else, and they succeed at that.

Presley has developed a certain sound and aesthetic with White Fence, and Cyclops Reap captures it perfectly. If you’ve heard his collaboration with Ty Segall from last year, Hair, Cyclops Reap will sound exactly like you’d expect it to: take Hair and remove the freak out punk of Segall.

Presley’s songs don’t really start or stop.

“Chairs In The Dark,” the album opener, starts with a few seconds of white noise and dissonant guitars before a riff comes out of nowhere. The bass line on “Pink Gorilla” never ends; “Trouble Is Trouble Never Seen” just starts without letting “Pink Gorilla” end.

“To The Boy I Jumped in the Hemlock Alley,” one of the best songs on the record, ends with dueling guitar solos that fade out like a record being slowed down. “White Cat” ends out of nowhere on the first beat of a measure.

“Live On Genevieve” opens with what sounds like a record being played backwards, but then becomes one of the more conventional songs, actually ending with a clean resolution.

While clearly influenced by psychedelia and pop music, few songs on Cyclops Reap follow any kind of verse-chorus-verse structure. When they do, it’s usually one line repeated a few times: “I wanna live on Genevieve Street with you,” or “clear open sky” on “White Cat.” Even with his predilection for guitar

solos and collapsing songs on themselves instead of ending them, Presley is clearly a talented songwriter. “Only Man Alive” is one of the best songs on the record, and it’s just vocals and acoustic guitar; the fancy dueling guitars all over the place are gone, and White Fence is still awesome.

For better or for worse, however, Presley hardly ever lets his songs go anywhere. The main riff comes a few seconds in and sticks around until the end a few minutes later.

It might get embellished a little, changed up slightly for a chorus, or soloed over, but that’s about it. This is the downside of Cyclops Reap, as much as it is the M.O. of the whole album.

Presley is a talented guitarist and songwriter who can play intricate guitar solos that turn around on themselves and write catchy melodies. Thanks to this, Cyclops Reap has some brilliant moments and is a record I’ll keep coming back to for a while. But for all its brilliance, it can too often feel like an exercise in writing psychedelic fragments instead of a cohesive album.

Rating: 4 / 5

Diverse lineup at Beachland Ballroom >>anneNICKOLOFF musicREPORTER<< On Tuesday, April 16, the Beachland Ballroom will welcome The Black Angels, Elephant Stone, and Allah-Las for an evening of psychedelic tunes.

These three bands present music that breaks genre barriers with smooth, faraway, and culture-influenced music. To point out how cohesive the three groups are together, Elephant Stone singer/bassist/sitarist Rishi Dhir humorously said, “The Black Angels are truly like family to me. Allah-Las are kind of like our stone beach-bum cousins.”

The dark and slightly menacing music of the headlining band, The Black Angels, is not only appropriate for their namesake, but also strangely enchanting. Influenced by bands like The Beatles, Pink Floyd and Joy Division, The Black Angels brings a sound that at first seems out of its time, incorporating new styles that bridge old-school rock-androll with striking electronic undertones.

Allah-Las also brings a reminiscent sound to the stage with their more beachy, distant rock feel. Their steady guitar riffing and tribal drumming exemplified with their song “Busman’s Holiday” sneaks styles from the 1960’s back into the modern scene.

Dhir labels his band’s sound as “HindieRock” and the title could not be more appropriate for Elephant Stone. The band’s strange combination of rock, alternative, and

Indian music is easily distinguishable from other styles. The name “Elephant Stone” was chosen as a tribute to The Stone Roses, one of the most influential bands to their sound.

The Black Angels, Allah-Las, and Elephant Stone are all unified by their retro style that seems to be coming back in today’s music fringe. The Black Angels and Allah-Las certainly defy musical norms, but Elephant Stone takes the biggest step away from the average and towards the foreign and the fascinating.

Their debut Polaris Prize-nominated album, “The Seven Seas,” is one of the band’s greatest accomplishments. Elephant Stone has also gained recent recognition from performances along their current tour.

“Also, my mom has told me she likes the band... that’s pretty high praise,” said Dhir.

Dhir started the band as a solo project after leaving his old group, the High Dials.

For a couple of years now, Elephant Stone’s members have been working together on creating its groovy style. Elephant Stone was able to perform with The Black Angels because of a long-time friendship, according to Dhir.

“I’ve been friends with The Black Angels since before they started the band. It just worked out that their album was being released around the same time as ours,” he said. “It was true serendipity.”

Elephant Stone is on an exciting road that is sure to bring the band more recognition.

“The band seems to evolve with every new song. I think the most important influence on our progression is playing live - it helps give a better sense of what works and what doesn’t,” said Dhir.

Dhir’s sitar playing has especially garnered attention, since it is what gives Elephant Stone an extra Indian flare to all of its British-pop styled music.

With inspiration stemming from The Beatles, Blur, Stone Roses, and Motown, Dhir’s group reaps its original style from a combination of countless inspirations. “I’m

an avid music fan, so I’m always absorbing new music,” noted Dhir.

Supporting The Black Angels along with Allah-Las, Elephant Stone is not just a typical opening band to impatiently ignore before the headliner of the show. Already on the rise, Elephant Stone shows a retro promise that most modern bands could never muster and a passion for music that is undeniable.

Dhir knows that creating music is his calling. “It’s my life source.”

The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and costs just $15 for general admission.

a&e 11

observer.case.edu

Combat fatigue: “Robot Combat League” fails to impress Washered Down >>drewscheeler film&televisioncritic<< The idea of a robotic uprising is one of the classic tropes of science fiction because humans are subconsciously frightened by the notion that the very machines we have created can one day find a way to dominate this planet. What if I were to tell you that this dystopian future predicted by Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and virtually every other genre writer of the last century has finally happened? That we are just moments away from the synchronicity? I am talking, of course, about SyFy’s “Robot Combat League,” a show that breaks the cardinal rule of entertainment: it makes robot fights boring. Gurren Lagann this is not.

“Robot Combat League” is an uninteresting format wrapped with uninteresting contestants and tangled in the wiring of the uninteresting robot fighters. The strategy necessary to win at “Robot Combat League” is so basic that it makes your five-year-old cousin playing Rock’em Sock’em Robots look like Boris Spasky at his prime. Each team consists of two players. The Robo-Jockeys wear metal suits on their upper bodies that trigger the robot’s punch-ability. The Robo-techs sit down and control the robot’s “movement.”

I hesitate at using that word because the deathtraps are tethered by a steel rod that the Robo-techs control and actually have very limited ranges. One solid

punch is all that is needed to defeat your opponent. Sometimes a punch will trigger sparks. And sometimes these punches break tubes, making a robot’s arm spew fluid in a Pythonesque display of madness.

The Black Knight might have refused to surrender, but you can give up at any time giant robot.

Robots fight to the disqualification in a series of two-minute rounds. It’s a singleelimination format, so don’t bother getting attached to any one robot or his fighters because they are bound to be eliminated regardless of performance or skill. Teams were seeded based on which robot could hit a target first.

If you think that this sounds like an inadequate way to measure the performance of our first-time robot commanders, you would be correct. Of the 12 robots to enter, three of the four semifinalists were seeded nineth, eleventh and twelfth. And the top three seeds all lost their first battles.

You know that these robots are awesome ‘cause half of them sound like rejected action movie titles of the 1980s like Drone Strike, Steel Cyclone, and Thunder Skull. Robohammer sounds like Robocop’s generic cousin. The other half of the robots are inspired by rejected names from American Gladiators like Brimstone, Medieval, and Scorpio. Each robot has been given a unique “identity” but good luck trying to tell them apart.

Robots are awesome. Contact sports are awesome. Mashing the two ideas up

The Observer’s playlist of the week 04.12.13 >>jasonWALSH musicCRITIC<< Joey Bada$$ - “Day In The Life” Joey Bada$$ is a New York teenaged rap phenomenon, and leader/figurehead of East Coast crew Pro Era (Odd Future/ Pro Era is like Death Row/Bad Boy all over again, except OF and Pro Era are teenagers who don’t take themselves that seriously, and so far there’s no beef between them). “Day In The Life” is a new single, produced by Harry Fraud, and one of Joey Bada$$’s better efforts to date.

Dan Deacon - “Konono Ripoff No. 1” “Konono Ripoff No. 1” is the A side of Dan Deacon’s Record Store Day single (the B side is “Konono Ripoff No. 2”).

They’re apparently both inspired by a Congolese band named Konono No. 1, so at least he’s honest. It’s pretty standard Dan-Deacon-percussion-andweird-electronic-noises experimentation; if you’re into that kind of thing, you can get one of 500 hand-numbered copies when it’s released on Record Store Day (April 20).

James Blake - “Take A Fall (ft. RZA)” Well this is awesome. Yet another single from James Blake’s upcoming album “Overgrown,” finally out next week.

This one features the RZA, which is about the last collaboration I would ever expect. But it’s pretty great.

CSS - “Hangover” CSS have been around for a while now, making incredibly consistent electropop-funk (if I can invent that genre right now). “Hangover” is their first single after their 2011 album “La Liberacion,” and their new album, “Planta,” is due out June 11. It’s being produced by Dave Sitek of “TV on the Radio,” so I’m not quite sure what to expect, but it should be good.

The-Dream - “IV Play” If you don’t know Terius Nash a.k.a.

The-Dream, you’re messing up. He’s responsible for “Umbrella,” “Baby,” “Single Ladies,” and “Touch My Body” to name just a few of his productions.

He’s put out several solid albums as TheDream, and a great mixtape as Terius Nash. “IV Play” is the title track from his upcoming album, out this summer.

should be a perfect combination. So why does this show so thoroughly suck? It’s not like there haven’t been interesting robotwar programs before like “Battlebots” and “Robot Wars.” “Robot Combat League’s” major issue right now is that it isn’t sure what type of show it wants to be: a reality show or a pseudo-sporting event. Half of each episode is spent getting to know the Robo-Jockey and Robo-Tech using an edited interview format like other modern reality series. But the other half is dedicated to “mechanics” that never go deeper than reattaching armor and tightening screws. And the fighting scenes are so spastic they make professional wrestling free-for-alls look like Swan Lake. It takes a special type of talent to get such wooden performances from giant hulks of steel that spark and crash.

There is a special circle in hell reserved for the television executives who have figured out how to mess up as surefire a premise as fighting robots. “Battlebots” lasted for several seasons on Comedy Central despite not actually being a comedy.

Part of the appeal of “Battlebots” is that at any moment those robots could be crushed or get caught by a spike pit or thrown into a flamethrower or tossed into the audience. Many of these same danger elements are present in “Combat League,” but they just don’t work here. Perhaps images of warfare have just desensitized the modern viewer to the spectacle of machine carnage by flamethrowers and

spike pits. And all of the robots have been centrally designed so although they each feature different design elements they are mostly interchangeable.

To step into Ayn Randian territory for one moment: engineers on “Battlebots” were able to customize their machine from the ground up and were free to think of new strategies and innovate. These factoryassembled bots are heartless creatures in every sense of the word. When Brad Bird adapted a children’s story by Ted Hughes into “The Iron Giant,” he understood the need to humanize robots because they are ultimately cold pieces of metal that viewers have issues sympathizing with.

Robots like WALL*E and EVE had missions to motivate them. These robots just look desperate.

Give me a machete and a ten second head start and your lowly television critic here bets that he could disarm one of these robots. Literally.

I would run behind the robot and with one or two well-placed strikes I could cut the fluid cables and disqualify my opponent. This is neither rocket science nor a scene from “The Terminator.”

Hell, a team of poorly-trained Ewoks could probably take one of these down with a solid hit from a spear. Frankly, “Robot Combat League” is so bad that the very threat of being forced to compete on this travesty will keep future generations of robots from starting a revolution.

Humanity is safe as long as there are YouTube clips to keep the robots in check.

Page 12

fun page 04/12/13

easy

Follow @cwruobserver for the latest news and updates!

Sudoku

hard(er)

*Crossword*

ACROSS 1. Refine, as metal 6. Ado 10. Require 14. Small drum 15. Travelled on a horse 16. Consequence 17. Without company 18. Exude 19. Arouse 20. Master of ceremonies 22. Stair 23. ___opus 24. A pariah 26. Bad-mouth 30. Mountain crest 32. San Antonio fort 33. Dictate 37. Pant 38. Cables 39. Left by a wound 40. Existing before birth 42. Paperbacks 43. A type of flower 44. Shakespearean verse 45. Sully 47. Pelt 48. Ointment 49. Compensate 56. Double-reed woodwind 57. X X X X 58. One who gives 59. Not long now 60. Seats oneself 61. Expenditure 62. Not hard 63. Remain 64. Plateaux

DOWN 1. The Sun, for example 2. French Sudan 3. Black, in poetry 4. Not short 5. Vocal vibrato 6. Rime 7. Plunder 8. Cutting tool 9. Unrivaled 10. Reporter 11. Cheer up 12. Glacial ridge 13. Profound 2 1.

Expert 25. And so forth 26. Indian music 27. Flair 28. Widespread 29. Hinderance 30. Impressive display 31. Whirl 33. Quarries 34. Religious figure 35. Broil 36. Formerly (archaic) 38. Food server 41.

Grandmother (British) 42. Ennui 44. Our star 45. Forbidden 46. Detached 47. Fastidious 48. Supervisor 50. Departure 51. Prefix meaning “After” or “Beyond” 52. Debauchee 53. Picnic insects 54. Roman robe 55. Cupid, to the Greeks

sports

observer.case.edu from BASEBALL | 16

arianna wage / observer The CWRU Spartans are 15-7 overall as they open a nine game home stand at Nobby’s Ballpark.

pair on and yielded just one run.

On the mound, sophomore righthander Kevin Johnstone took the loss to fall to 2-2. Freshman righty Connor Tagg was effective in relief with 3.1 shutout innings and three strikeouts.

Offensively, Ossola and Meador were each 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBI. Frey was also 2-for-4 with one driven in.

Keenan White (5-0) picked up the win for Wooster with seven innings and five strikeouts. Patrick Boyle pitched the Scots out of a jam in the ninth for his second save.

Jarrod Mancine was 3-for-5 with an RBI for the visitors, while Bryan Miller went 2-for-4 with three RBI. In game two, both sides went scoreless until the bottom of the third when a towering fly hit by Gronski was dropped by the Wooster left fielder, allowing Meador to score all the way from first. An infield single from senior second baseman Paul Pakan followed, and another Wooster error on the throw brought home Gronski.

After five stellar innings on the mound, junior left-hander John Fortunato ran into a bit of trouble in the sixth with a pair of walks to lead off the frame, but junior righty Josh Suvak picked up a key strikeout and held the Scots to just one run.

Riding that wave of momentum, the Spartans added three runs in the bottom of the inning as Frey knocked a two-run double to right center, and Keen plated one with a sacrifice fly.

With the score at 5-1, Wooster struck for two in the top of eighth thanks to RBI singles from Cal Thomay and Brendan Taylor. The Scots then picked up an RBI double from Frank Vance with two out in the ninth, but Spartan sophomore

13

Daniel Sondag caught the final batter looking and slammed the door on the comeback try.

Fortunato (2-1) threw one of the finest outings of his career with 5.1 innings of one-run ball and six strikeouts in the win. Suvak logged the next 2.1 innings out of the bullpen, while Sondag threw the final 1.1 with three strikeouts for his second save in as many days.

At the plate, Meador was 2-for-3 with two walks and a run. Gronski went 2-for-4.

Wooster’s Johnathan Ray was 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI. Matt Felvey started on the mound and allowed three earned runs in five innings in the loss. Four Wooster errors led to a pair of unearned Spartan runs.

The Spartans also swept Westminster College on Saturday, April 6, and have won six of the last seven games. The Spartans broke a tie in the top of the ninth in the first game with three runs to clinch an 8-6 win. The team’s offense continued its impressive streak while the pitching locked down the Titans in a 9-1 victory in seven innings. Case had 25 combined hits in the past two games and the UAA champions average a conference leading 10.77 hits per game.

Against the Titans, the team was led by Gronski, who went 3-for-5, but also picked up four walks. Sophomore catchers Robert Winemiller and Kerrigan Cain both went 4-for-7 on the day while Keen was 4-for-10 with two doubles and three RBIs. The Titans fell to 10-13 on the year.

The team is in the midst of a ninegame home stand. After Wednesday’s game against Oberlin College was canceled, the team is looking to reschedule the double header on Tuesday, April 16.

The Spartans will also host John Carroll University Wednesday, Apr. 17, at 4 p.m.

shannon snyder / observer The Spartans out hit their competition over the weekend 41-27, outscoring them 29-17.

from SOFTBALL | 16 The visitors then held the momentum until the top of the fifth when Amy Taylor made a heads up throw from behind the plate to pick off a Denison runner leading off second to end the frame. An inning later, the Spartans began their comeback with four runs on two hits and two errors in the sixth.

With the bases loaded, sophomore right fielder Gena Roberts popped a short single into left field to plate Rebecca Taylor, who had reached via an error. Sophomore left fielder Ashley Parello followed with an RBI fielder’s choice to score Dreger before a deep fly ball off the bat of freshman outfielder Kristen Klemmer was dropped, allowing the tying two runs to score.

Freshman pitcher Rebecca Molnar, who was stellar in relief, held Denison scoreless in the seventh to set the stage for Rebecca Taylor’s game-winning single that plated Komar who doubled one batter earlier.

Molnar (1-3), allowed just one unearned run, and picked up her first col-

legiate win with six strikeouts in 4.2 innings of work.

Denison’s Kelsey Hager (6-3) was the victim of three errors and took the loss despite only surrendering two earned runs in 6.1 innings. Edwards and Laughlin were each 2-for-4 at the dish.

In the weekend’s second pair of games at Heidelberg, the Spartans topped the Student Princes 6-4 and 116. The two games were marked by a pair of late game offensive outbursts as Case came from behind to plate three runs in the seventh inning of the first game and scored five runs to secure the second game in extra innings.

The Spartans will now embark on a short four-game road trip against John Carroll University on Thursday, April 11, and Oberlin College on Saturday, Apr. 13, before an eight game home stand. Case will look to keep their perfect record at Mather Field when they host the University of Mount Union on Monday, April 15. The first pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled to be thrown out at 3 p.m. with the second game set to start at 5 p.m.

sports

14

04/12/13

No. 25 women finish fourth at Midwest Invitational Spartans go 1-2 against ranked competition, fall to 11-6 >>peterCOOKE sportsEDITOR<

The No. 25 nationally ranked Case Western Reserve University women’s tennis team fell in the third-place match of the 2013 Midwest Invitational to No. 11 DePauw University by a narrow 6-3 score on Saturday afternoon. The twoday event was hosted by Gustavus Adolphus College at the University of Wisconsin’s Nielsen Tennis Stadium.

With the loss, the Spartans fall to 11-6 overall, while the Tigers, ranked second regionally, improve to 11-7.

Opening with doubles action, the Spartans grabbed a 2-1 lead as the No. 1 duo of senior Erika Lim and freshman Surya Khadilkar, as well as the No. 3 tandem of senior Emily Pham and sophomore Marianne Bonanno, each won by 8-5 scores.

In singles play, DePauw secured third place in the eight-team tournament by taking five of the six matches. Case’s lone win came at No. 5 from freshman Lauren Rovner via a three-set victory versus Elizabeth Young by scores of 6-4, 1-6, 6-2.

On the first day of action the Spartans cruised by No. 22 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the morning, 7-2, but fell by an 8-1 score to No. 6 University of Chicago.

Against UW-Whitewater, the No. 1 doubles tandem of senior Erika Lim and Khadilkar claimed the lone point via an 8-5 victory versus Alexandra Bayliss and Jessica Vitale. The Warhawks scored the points at No. 2 and No. 3.

Trailing by one, Case responded by sweeping all six singles matches.

Zargham rallied back from a set down versus Bayliss, ranked No. 25 regionally, and won by scores of 2-6, 7-6 (73), 10-4.

The Spartans then reeled off fourconsecutive straight-set victories in the No. 2 through No. 5 slots. Erika Lim, ranked No. 18 regionally, posted a 6-3,

courtesy case sports information Sophomore Marianne Bonanno took home two points in the team’s 7-2 victory over UW-Whitewater. Bonanno defeated Kelly Foster in singles 6-1, 6-4 before teaming up with Emily Pham for an 8-5 win in doubles.

7-6 (7-3) victory versus Jackie Vitale at No. 2, while freshman Taylor Sweeney was victorious by tallies of 7-5, 6-3 over Megan Kasten in the third spot. Khadilkar won at No. 4 by scores of 6-3, 6-1 versus Lauren Aguilar, while Bonanno cruised at No. 5 versus Kelly Foster with sets scores of 6-4, 6-1.

Rovner completed the clean sweep in three sets by tallies of 7-6 (7-1), 3-6, 10-5 versus Erika Williams.

Against University Athletic Association foe No. 6 Chicago, the Maroons, the Central Region’s top-ranked team, raced out and secured all three doubles points with narrow victories coming in the No. 2 and No. 3 slots.

In singles, the Spartans’ lone team point of the match came from freshman

Michelle Djohan at No. 6 versus Stephanie Lee by a pair of 7-5 set scores.

The Spartans and their No. 25 national ranking, the highest in program history, have a week off before their next match on Friday, April 12 at Allegheny College.

Case is currently ranked fourth in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Central region behind conference foes No. 1 University of Chicago and No. 3 Washington University. Zargham is currently the team’s top singles player, ranked No. 3 in the region while Erika Lim also cracked the top 25 at No. 18.

UAA rivals Washington and Chicago each have two players ranked in the Central Region’s top 25. Megan Tang is the region’s top ranked player, and Lin-

den Li is No. 17 for the Maroon while Theresa Petraskova is ranked second, and Kate Klein is No. 21 for the Bears.

Chicago also holds the top ranked doubles team of Tang and Helen Sdviskhov as well as the No. 6 duo of Li and Kelsey McGillis. Zargham and Erika Lim are the third best team in the central region. Washington doesn’t have a top seeded doubles team.

Case will host their only home match of the season on Saturday, April 20, when they host Walsh College on Seniors’ Day and the team’s Rally for the Cure match.

The Spartans will then close out the season from April 25 to 27 when they travel to Altamonte Springs, Fla. where Emory University will play host to the 2013 UAA Championship.

No. 13 Spartans fall short in upset bid of No. 2 Lords Men come off three week hiatus to 6-3 loss at Kenyon >>compiledFROM staffREPORTS<

chen bai / observer Central region No. 15 Will Drougas fell in three sets against Kenyon’s No. 3 Michael Razumovsky on Saturday, 6-1, 1-6, 6-1.

Playing a dual match for the first time in three weeks, the No. 13 nationallyranked Case Western Reserve University men’s tennis team fell by a narrow 6-3 tally at No. 2 Kenyon College Saturday afternoon at the Jasper Tennis Center.

In a battle of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Central Region’s top-two teams, the Spartans fall to 15-5 overall, while the Lords improve to 12-3.

Case raced out to a 2-1 lead in doubles competition with wins at the first and second positions. Junior John Healey and senior Nicolas Howe teamed up for an 8-4 win at No. 1 versus Michael Razumovsky and Sam Geier. At No. 2, senior Kyle Gerber, and freshman Christopher Krimbill were victorious by an 8-1 tally.

In the third slot, the duo of seniors, Richard Brunsting and Alex Solove, battled back and forth with the Lord tandem of Kevin Ye and Wade Heerboth. However, the Kenyon duo was victorious in the tiebreaker by a 9-7 count and to get the hosts on the scoreboard.

In singles action, the Lords took a 4-2 lead with victories in the No. 4, No. 2, and No. 3 slots. Not done yet, junior Eric Klawitter cut the Kenyon advantage to 4-3 in the No. 5 spot with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory versus Tim Rosensteel.

However, the Lords claimed the final two points at the top and the bottom of the lineup for the 6-3 victory. Burgin

toped Krimbill 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 while Jacob Huber held on to defeat Harrison Smith 7-6, 6-3.

The latest ITA rankings are due out on Thursday, April 11, too late for this edition of The Observer. The most recent rankings from March 28 have the Spartans ranked second in the Central Region, behind just Kenyon and ahead of UAA rivals No. 3 Washington University and No. 6 University of Chicago. Washington is fourteenth nationally while Chicago just squeaked into the rankings at No. 30.

The Spartans have a pair of players ranked in the central as Krimbill and Drougas are ranked No. 13 and 15, respectively. Washington’s Adam Putterman is the top ranked player in the central region and Chicago’s Deepak Sabada is No.5. The only other member of the UAA in the top 25 is Chicago’s Ankur Bhargava who is No. 23.

The Spartans’ planned home opener on April 10 was canceled due to inclement weather. The team will travel to Allegheny College Friday, April 12, in their final road match.

Case will host their only home match of the season on Saturday, April 20, when they host Walsh College on Seniors’ Day and the team’s Rally for the Cure match.

The Spartans will then close out the season from April 26 to 28 when they travel to Altamonte Springs, Fla. where the University of Chicago will play host to the 2013 UAA Championship.

sports

observer.case.edu

15

Men third, women fourth at Marv Frye Track and Field Invite >>compiledFROM staffREPORTS<

Case Western Reserve University women’s track and field team placed fourth at the 2013 Marv Frye Invitational on Saturday at Selby Field, inside the George Gauthier Track at Ohio Wesleyan University. Senior thrower Emily Tran won the javelin throw for the women and the Spartan men combined for five second-place finishes to lead the men’s team to a third place finish.

For the women, host Ohio Wesleyan took home the team title with 146 points, while Capital University was second with 96. Otterbein University was third with 92 points, while Case finished fourth with 75.50 points. On the men’s side, Ohio Wesleyan won the team title with 116 points, while Baldwin Wallace University had 78 points to box out the Spartans, who had 76, for runner-up honors.

Tran defeated 33 competitors in the javelin and won the event by more than seven feet with a winning throw of 113 feet, three inches. Additionally, classmate Jenna Pansky was second with a distance of 104’7”.

Pansky also finished sixth in the shot put with her best toss covering 34’9”.

Picking up third-place finishes during field events were sophomore Sophia Herzog in the pole vault and junior Thenessa Savitsky in the triple jump. Herzog, the program’s record holder, tied that mark Saturday and cleared the bar at 10’8”, while Savitsky jumped to a distance of 34’4.25”.

Additionally, senior thrower Emily Mueller turned in a pair of fourth-place

courtesy case sports information Senior Emily Tran took home the javelin throw title at the Marv Frye Invitational. Tran won the event by seven feet with a distance of 113.25 feet. finishes in the discus (115’10”) and the shot put (36’), while freshman Christen Saccucci was fifth in the pole vault (10’2”).

In track events, senior Alyssa Harker sprinted to a third-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles in 1:08.42. Junior Gavriella Pora was fourth in the 400 dash in 1:00.71, while junior Brooke Simpson was sixth in the 1500 run in 4:56.43.

In the 800 run, senior Phil Yeung, freshman Abdallah Soliman, and senior Michael Perisa placed second, fifth, and sixth, respectively, with times of

1:57.79, 1:59.87, and 1:59.94.

Senior Chris Kelly finished second with a mark of 4:01.71 in the 1500 run, while freshman Anthony Spalding turned in a runner-up performance in the 5000 run in 15:53.48.

During the 3000 steeplechase, the Spartans raced home to places two through four. Junior Nathan Mercer was the runner-up with 10:08.13, while freshmen Gilad Doron and Sean Kennedy were third and fourth with 10:15.33 and 10:17.64, respectively.

Additionally, freshman Devon Belew was eighth in the 400 dash in a time of

50.20.

In field events, junior thrower Harry Weintraub also produced a runner-up mark in the hammer throw with his best toss at 182’2”.

Sophomore Mark Kulinski and senior Nick Errico were seventh and eighth, respectively, in the pole vault by clearing the bar at 13’6.5”. Additionally, sophomore Sam Reusser was fourth in the shot put competition with a throw of 45’2.25”.

The Spartans return to Selby Field and the George Gauthier Track next Saturday, April 13, for the annual All-Ohio Championship.

sports

Page 16

04/12/13

Softball starts 4-0 weekend with walk-off win in home opener

Rebecca Taylor leads Spartans on mound, at plate in sweep of Big Red >>peterCOOKE sportsEDITOR<

The Case Western Reserve University softball team kicked off their home opening weekend with a sweep of Denison University at Mather Field before traveling to Heidelberg University to sweep the Student Princes. The four-game win streak improved the team to 13-12 overall and the Spartans are above .500 for the first time since the beginning of March.

The Spartans, who had a stellar 12-6 home record last season, opened their 2013 home schedule with a pair of wins over the Big Red. The team took their home opener 6-2 before rallying for a walk off 6-5 win in the nightcap.

Sophomore pitcher Rebecca Taylor continued her brilliant second season in Spartan uniform against the Big Red. Rebecca Taylor improved to 11-9 on the season with her 12th complete game. She allowed just two-earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Playing at first base in the nightcap, the second-year Spartan also had an exceptional day at the plate going 4-for-7 in the two games with four RBI, including a

shannon snyder / observer

Freshman Rebecca Komar scores one of her two runs against Denison. Komar went 3-for-8 against the Big Red with an RBI. walk-off single in the bottom Denison briefly tied the Meghan Edwards.

In game two, Denison broke of the seventh in the team’s score with a Rachel Laughlin For the game, Dreger was a scoreless tie with four runs 6-5 win. solo homer in the fourth, but 2-for-2 with an RBI, O’Brien in the third thanks to a grand In the first game, the Spar- the Spartans answered with was 2-for-3 with two runs slam by Edwards. The Spartans tans scored in the opening five in their half of the fifth scored, and both Taylors were scored once in the bottom of frame as sophomore second with an RBI single by junior 1-for-3 with two RBI. the inning via an RBI double baseman Molly O’Brien led off shortstop Makenzie Lein and Denison’s Rebecca Dyer by freshman third baseman Rawith a walk, stole her fifteenth two-run singles from Rebecca (5-4) suffered the loss on the chel Komar, but the Big Red base of the season, moved up Taylor and junior catcher Amy mound with five earned runs countered with a single run in on a rundown throwing error, Taylor. in six innings and seven strike- the fourth on a Rosie Glaser and scored on a sacrifice fly by The Big Red could only outs. Edwards and Gretchen RBI single. freshman first baseman Erin generate one more score in Staubach were each 2-for-3 at see SOFTBALL | 13 Dreger. the sixth with a solo homer by the plate for the visitors.

Spartans split home opener double header against Wooster Sluggers enter nine game home stand after winning six of last seven >>peterCOOKE sportsEDITOR<

adrianna wage / observer Sophomore centerfielder Will Meador went 4-for-7 in a two-game split against Wooster.

Meador picked up two RBIs and three walks in the double header.

Playing at home for the first time in 2013, the Case Western Reserve University baseball team dedicated its brand new scoreboard and split a key regional doubleheader versus The College of Wooster on Sunday, April 7, at Nobby’s Ballpark.

The Spartans lost the opener, 9-7, but rebounded to take the nightcap, 5-4.

The Spartans are now 15-7 overall as they open a ninegame home stand.

Prior to the first pitch of game one, the program honored alumnus Nobby Lewandowski for his continued support of Nobby’s Ballpark and his most recent gift of a new scoreboard.

Combined for the day, sophomore outfielder William Meador was 4-for-7 at the plate with three walks and a pair of runs batted-in. Sophomore right fielder Andrew Gronski also drove in two runs during a 4-for-9 day, and junior third baseman Andrew Frey was 3-for-8 with three RBI. In game one, the Spartans wasted little time in lighting up their new scoreboard as Meador

led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, and scored when Gronski ripped a double over the right fielder’s head. Two batters later, senior first baseman Brett Ossola shot a hard infield single to shortstop to plate Gronski.

In the next frame, the Spartans struck again when Meador drilled a two-run single to left to score sophomore left fielder Kerrigan Cain and Frey, who each reached on singles.

Trailing 4-0, Wooster then chipped away at its deficit with single runs in the third, fourth and fifth as Bryan Miller, Craig Day, and Jarrod Mancine all drove in runs. In the sixth, the Fighting Scots scored six times to grab their first lead with Brendon Taylor igniting the rally via an RBI double, and Bryan Miller driving in a pair on a single.

The Spartans were able to score a pair of unearned runs in the eighth thanks to another Ossola RBI single that was followed two batters later by a Frey RBI hit, but a promising ninth inning that started with two on and no out ended with a

see BASEBALL | 13