Generation Magazine Vol. 28 Issue 3

Generation Magazine - October 5, 2010 - Get your North Face’s on.

CONTENTS

Featured Also

05 | Editor’s Letter

The horrific state of public educa- tion in United States

Raw raw aw aw aw

07 | Agenda

| Hit or Bulls***

What’s hot and what’s not in Buffalo.

UB, so dirty. It’s getting even dirtier, and you will love it.

08 | He Says, She Says

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09 | Engineering Change

We look issues of gender in majors dominated by men.

Josh Q. Newman is in a bit of trouble over-seas. How did he become an illegal alien?

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah

Now that we have Zipcar on campus, our Managing Editor looks at the progress of the program since it began and for which students Zipcar is really for. Also, what happened to Buffalo CarShare?

12

10 | The 4-Leaf Journal 12 | Fall Fashion

Some advice on what threads and colors to pick this fall.

The tablet market is exploding, and the competition is tough.

18 | The Tablet War 20 | Literary

Short story by Allison Ruiz and some great poetry by UB students.

We forgot to do them last issue, so we yelled at Kathryn Przybyla and Liz Flyntz until they wrote something.

22 | Parting Shots

16

18 (716)2010-GEN Asocial Network

The Social Network is out, and it has been getting great reviews. Steve Neilans discusses the movie and questions the role of Facebook in today’s society. We also look at some notable Facebook fails.

Text or call our anonymous tipline with suggestions or questions for our advice columns. Forward us your texts from last night.

If you’re still spinning away at a rotary phone, just call us at 201-0436.

Photo credits: Cover design by Dino Husejnovic. All Flickr photos are under Creative Commons Some Rights Reserved license, non-commerical, free to build upon license. Cover background by Flickr user Weye.org, Facebook wall by Fakebook. Page 6, Andy Samber, Michael Cera and Jesse Eisenberg graphic by Reddit user LeeLeeLove. Page 9, Stage photo by Flickr User elward-photography. fun. band pictures courtesy of fun. official band page. Zipcar photos courtesy of Zipcar.com.

Facebook screenshot and Facebook logo, courtesy of Facebook.com.

EDITOR’S LETTER

(Class)ism and education

Let’s take a minute to shift the focus from us to the future us. By future us, I mean our children. Simply put, as of right now, the public education system in the United States is absolute crap.

If closely inspected, one starts to realize that there are gaping holes and intense contradictions that make public education in United States far less appealing, compared to some other industrialized countries.

According to a 2008 report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, United States was ranked No. 22 in science. The US also scored below average of all of the countries participating. Once the leader in secondary schooling, United States has let education performance fall to worrisome levels. What is the problem? Who do we hold accountable? How do we fix this?

Many of us students never think about the implicit problems that hover in the public education system. These issues will ultimately lead to the failure of future generations, who are receiving poor education and decreasing chances of succeeding after high school.

It all starts at a local level. Our education system is segmented by region, because in theory, that would allow for democracy, and certain areas would be able to alter the curriculum to their lik-

ing. In New York, schools are mostly funded by property taxes, which causes even further segmentation within a local area. This means that the location with more expensive properties, often occupied by higher income families, will have schools that get the most money.

Furthermore, the schools in a lower-income area will receive less money.

Our ancestors came to America with the prospect of achieving the American Dream. The American Dream states that if you work hard, you will become successful. It also implies that everyone has a level playing field and that we all start at the same point.

At the time of intense development, this was true for the earlier generations, and many great-great-grandparents worked their assess off in hopes of succeeding in some way. Thanks to our current social class structure, it is much more difficult to get the American Dream to come to fruition.

Take, for example, Sweet Home Central School District and Buffalo City School District. According to the New York State Education Department, the high-school graduation rate in Sweet Home is 90 percent. In the Buffalo City School District, the graduation rate is 54 percent. Why is it that only a few miles down, one of every two kids is dropping out of school? We are not giving children an even playing field and the American Dream is threatened, all because of personal interests.

We like to believe that there are no social classes in America. We all know there are classes. There is the lower, poorer class, the middle class, the upper-middle and the upper class. We all know where each class lives, what each class does and wears, and we perceive their efforts based on how much they make.

We say that poor people are lazy and it is their fault for being poor. We say that the rich worked hard and that is why they are lawyers and make a lot of money. Ultimately, social classes result in an eleven-year-old child aspiring to be a doctor, but just 15 miles south, a child never even imagining such a possibility.

The sad truth is that in today’s education, everyone is on their own. Parents who have gone to college and have decent jobs will want the same for their

children. They will buy a nice house in a decent neighborhood, and they will pay high property taxes. Their children will attend a good school, get great education, take AP classes, and end up in college, like their parents.

At the same time, we have families who are stuck in the city. Many parents are working minimum wage jobs. They might have tried to move out of the city a long time ago, but probably were not able to get a loan because of redlining.

Their properties have lost value, and the schools are strapped for money. Therefore, the schools are cutting teacher pay, programs and classes. Facilities and technology are limited, and safety is also an issue. There is no room for aspirations. Every second student will drop out.

This is not fair. Children should not be born into a social class, and their education should not be determined by their location. The advantaged parents need to realize that this will affect them and their children eventually. How are we supposed to maintain a healthy economy when our children’s science and math skills are ranked in the 20’s, compared to other industrialized nations? There is no way we can stay productive when children are dropping out more than ever.

As we graduate and some of us become parents, we must acknowledge the fact that there are children right down the road that are receiving a poor education. But will we do anything about it? Probably not.

Generation Magazine 2010 - 2011 Staff Editor in Chief Dino Husejnovic

Managing Editor Kathryn Przybyla

Creative Director Elizabeth Flyntz

Copy Editor

Catherine Prendergast

Associate Editors Seon McDonald Steve Neilans Allison Balcerzak

Photo Editor

Allison Wasneechack

Circulation Director Rashid Dakhil-Rivera

Contributing Staff Josh Q. Newman Nathan Grygier Jessica Brant Allison Ruiz

Business Manager Ariella Goro

Ad Manager Tommy Zhao

Asst. Ad Manager Ted DiRienzo

Dino Husejnovic Editor in Chief

Submit your letters and articles at ubgeneration.com, or e-mail us at ubgeneration@gmail.com

Cover design by Dino Husejnovic.

Generation Magazine is owned by Sub-Board I, Inc., the student service corporationat the State University of New York at Buffalo. The Sub-Board I, Inc. Board of Directors grants editorial autonomy to the editorial board of Generation.

Sub-Board I, Inc. (the publisher) provides funding through mandatory student activity fees and is in no way responsible for the editorial content, editorial structure or editorial policy of the magazine.

Editorial and business offices for Generation are located in Suite 315 in the Student Union on North Campus. The telephone numbers are (716) 645-6131 or (716) 645-2674 (FAX). Address mail c/o Room 315 Student Union University at Buffalo, Amherst, NY 14260 Submissions to Generation Magazine should be e- mailed to ubgeneration@gmail.com by 1 p.m. Tuesday, a week before each issue’s publication. This publication and its contents are the property of the students of the State University of New York at Buffalo 2010 by Generation Magazine, all rights reserved. The first 10 copies of Generation Magazine are free.

Each additional copy must be approved by the editor in chief.

Requests for reprints should be directed to the editor in chief.

Generation Magazine neither endorses nor takes responsibility for any claims made by our advertisers. Press run 5,000.

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AGENDA MOVIE | I SPIT ON YOUR GRAVE | OCTOBER 8

After a young woman is brutally terrorized by a group of men in a secluded cabin, she sets out to exact her revenge on them one by one. Based on a movie that was banned in countries for its “shocking” content, this is bound to be feminist movie of the fall for people with strong stomachs.

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BROADWAY | MARY POPPINS| OCTOBER 14-31

Based on the popular children’s book and made even more popular as a Disney musical starring Julie Andrews, the critically acclaimed stage musical adaptions is will be stopping at the Shea Performing Arts center.

Tickets start at $25.

MOVIE | RED | OCTOBER 15

Great Dame Hellen Mirren vamps it up as a high tech assassin who positively enjoys wielding heavy machinery. Bruce Willis and Morgan Freeman round out the cast of this dark comedy, about a group of retired assassins who return to their lethal ways after an old threat resurfaces.

CONCERT | GEORGE STRAIT & REBA M. | OCTOBER 16

Top selling country singer George Strait holds the record for more #1 hit singles than any other artist in the history of music on any chart or in any genre. Reba McEntire is also known as the Queen of Country music.

Country music fans, you do not want to miss this. Tickets start at $38 Venue: HSBC Arena.

CONCERT | LADY GAGA | MARCH 4 2011

The concert is not until next spring but tickets go on sale October 2nd and you’re going to want to pick some up as soon as possible. Currently on her “Monster” Tour, Lady Gaga will stop by in Buffalo to dazzle us with her weird costumes and showmanship. Can you believe it? Tickets start at $52. Venue: HSBC Arena

TEXT US YOUR QUESTIONS! 716-201-0436 8 | ubgeneration.com

He Says, She Says An advice column divided by the sexes, starring Catherine Prendergast and Nathan Grygier

My boyfriend doesn’t pay any attention to me since he bought Halo Reach, what can I do?

CP: If he only stopped paying attention to you once he bought this video game, it sounds like this is just a phase. The solution is pretty obvious: do not let him stop until he beats it!

There is no way he is going to stop thinking about Halo in his pea-sized brain, so let him play and play and… play some more. Lock the doors, shut the windows. Do not let him leave the house. Class? Forget about it. Your self-esteem is much more important.

Either your boyfriend will stumble out of his room one day with a huge grin on his dopey face because he has just beat the game, and he will feel so ecstatic he will hold you in his arms and take you out to dinner (probably not), or he will become so sick of living in a fantasy world and will run outside in a panic, wondering where his girlfriend (and life) went. Either way, you’ll get him back.

NG: He’s probably a loser if he’s paying more attention to a video game than his girlfriend, but there’s a way you can win his attention back. If he won’t stop playing Halo Reach, you have to start being innovative. Give him a Halo Reach around. Yeah, you heard me. While he’s playing his game and fragging all the n00bz on the internet, go up behind him and give him a reach around. Note: it’s very important that you’re behind him and it is a reach around, because he should find that hilarious that you’ve found a way to combine video game humor and hand-jobs. He’ll blast his plasma cannon all over the TV, and you’ll be back to being his #1.

My girlfriend wants me to go down on her, but her vag is just so stanky.

What should I do?

CP: I’m sorry, I don’t speak urban dictionary. Do you mean her vagina is just so stinky? If that’s the case, why don’t you, let’s see, not go down on her. I know it sounds hard, but I think you can do it.

NG : Stanky vag eh? Is your girlfriend perhaps an advocate of the stanky leg? No no, pop culture humor aside, I’m pretty sure I’ve solved this one.

Do what I tell you, and not only will she think you’re romantic/spontaneous, but you should be able to remove the aforementioned stank. You just go “hey baby, how about we take a shower together?” She’ll be so smitten with the idea of a romantic shower with her lover that she’ll accept of course and you’ll be on your way. Once you’re in the shower, you then suggest that it’d be so hot to wash each other. Now here is where you solve your problem, you just take the soap and blast some up there. Think of it as a soap-related endoscopy of the vaginal variety.

Now I’m really not sure if soap plus vagina equals good things, but even if she gets some sort of soap infection, it’s still a win because no girl is going to ask you to eat some infected vag.

I love me some sex. However, I hate me some condoms. My girlfriend won’t let me bang her without one, how can we compromise?

CP: I love me some sex. I love me some banging. However, I love me some brains too and use methods of birth control. You know what me don’t love? You. And STDs. NG: Well you’re really not the first person in the world to discover that condoms make sex less enjoyable. You could always suggest having her use a female condom. They’re so strange and elusive, I’d love to hear someone actually try to use one. If you’re not sure what they are, let me break it

down for you. It’s basically like putting plastic wrap inside of yourself with a little string attached. Now the part that always confused me was how do you get all the fluids out without them making contact? It’s like a fun game of Vaginal Operation: Don’t Touch the Sides! Otherwise you’ll have a baby.

I wanna jerk it really badly, yet my roommate never seems to leave the room. How do I go about getting him out so I can bust my nut?

CP: Why does he have to leave the room? He’s just chilling, minding his own business, probably fucking around on the internet or sleeping.

He’s not the inconsiderate one, plotting ways to get his roommate out, just so he can have some alone time, which he probably doesn’t need, he probably has a girlfriend. Or is mentally sexually satisfied. Or probably jerks off while you’re in the room. I feel bad for the young man. Why don’t you leave the room, you’re the one who is making this an issue. Rude.

NG : Ah, masturbation: a staple in every college student’s schedule. You could always go with the seemingly obvious choice and find an actual woman to touch/satisfy your penis.

That thought has probably occurred to you and it seemed like too much work for just too little pay off, am I right?

If your roommate never leaves the room, he’s probably jacking it in there anyways so you really shouldn’t be ashamed. Purposely have him catch you, then he will see the importance of your alone time and he should let you be. Either that or he’ll want to join you, and that will just open a whole other can of awkward worms.

Whatever happened to the Flagroom Whore?

CP: You didn’t hear? The Flagroom

Whore was forced to leave the University, as her less-than polite activity became public and alarmed the entire administration. She wandered the cold city streets of downtown Buffalo for days, thinking, since when did giving blowjobs to horny college boys in an open school-owned space become a crime? When did the world become so conservative? What happened to women’s rights? Finally, the Flagroom Whore had an epiphany and called her friend, owner of an abandoned warehouse. Using every last penny in her pocket, she turned the warehouse into “The Flagroom,” deemed “the hottest new club in WNY” by Buffalo News. It was an instant hit. People really enjoy all the different flags covering the walls; it gives the place a universal, worldly feel. The Flagroom Whore then established Flagroom, The Restaurant, and published The Flagroom Whore: One Woman’s Story of Redemption. (The new album by the band The Flagroom Whores also won two Grammys.) And there’s talk of a Lifetime Original Movie about her life. Where have you been?

NG : Oh shit! I haven’t heard that name in about 2 years. I would have to assume she graduated, as many college students tend to do. For those of you who don’t know who the Flagroom Whore was, she was just a girl who was very, very friendly with men in the flagroom. She didn’t really do anything whore-y, like giving blowies in the flagroom, but the name still stuck.

To all you girls reading this, I think the students need a new generation of the Flagroom Whore. Flagroom Whore 2.0 if you will. I’m sure a lot of you younger girls feel anonymous and want to be recognized/well known, so just go be friendly in the flagroom. However, you should one up the old whore.

Just go up to guys and lick their faces, guaranteed you will be infamous and remembered.

GENERATION October 5,2010

ENGINEERING CHANGE women in the fields of men

By Jessica Brant Freshman Brienne Bellinger sat quietly and listened intently as she watched “The Gender Chip Project,“ a documentary following five young woman majoring in STEM careers (sciences, technology, engineering, and math) at Ohio State University over the course of four years.

Bellinger, an undecided major, stopped into 112 Norton Wednesday night hoping to learn more about STEM careers and explore whether they were a route she would enjoy taking. What she walked out with was a key that unlocked a number of possibilities and

an empowered sense of self.

The screening of the film hosted by UB’s Undergraduate Academies as part of Gender Week, was insightful in her eyes. The women were dynamic and open. The stories were genuine. The problem? Outdated notions.

“What I don’t understand…is that males in these professions have children and get married, and so I thought it was funny that [the women in the documentary] thought it would be a problem for them,” Bellinger says amazed, with an almost perplexed look.

It seems as though her reaction isn’t out-of-the-ordinary either; sophomore computer engineering major Bich Vu challenges

the cliché that women can’t have it all and must choose between a successful career or family.

“It’s balancing of time…If it’s really what [someone] wants, [they’ll] be able to make the right decisions,” Vu says.

Another stereotype women expressed in the documentary was the belief that women were not as inclined as men in subjects such as math and science. Bellinger found this to be both disheartening and discouraging, but she feels that it’s up to today’s generation of women have the ability to distinguish this type of thinking.

“Our generation has the opportunity to get more women into the field,” Bellinger says. “We haven’t tried as hard [as we should], but we need to.”

Many women share Vu and Bellinger’s perspective and are taking on a Rosie The Riveter attitude: they are more than willing and ready to work to shatter gender stereotypes. The reality is, however, that there is still an unfortunate shortage of women entering these traditionally male-dominated fields, particularly engineering. For fall 2009, the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences had 324 women undergraduate students enrolled, only 13.2 percent of the total number of students in the program.

In the United States, 82 percent of the engineering degrees issued in 2008 went to men, According to the U.S. Department of Labor. The three most prevalent occupations for women in 2009 according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Women Bureau were secretaries, registered nurses and elementary school teachers. Other popular occupations included child care workers, managers, and auditors. Doctors, scientists, and engineers were nowhere to be found on the list.

But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any aspiring female engineers out there.

They are present at the university and they thrive on community.

A support system is exactly what Vu helps establish as President of the Society of Women Engineers on campus. The Society engages in several activities throughout the year to promote women in engineering.

Club members attract others to the field of study by serving as mentors for high school students visiting the campus and sit in on freshman classes with them on shadow days.

Sometimes attracting women to the field isn’t the problem; sometimes it’s getting

them to stick with it. According to Kenneth English, deputy director for the New York State Center for Engineering Design and Industrial Innovation, recruiting women is only half the battle. Retaining interest and preventing drop-out rates is the other.

English expresses that areas of study where one can eventually work with companies and organizations to solve a problem and make an impact are what a majority of women take into account when planning their futures and deciding on a career path.

“What attracts women to the field is the societal good,” he says.

Women also tend to do well in group settings. A perception that many female students acquire when they are younger, is that scientists and engineers work alone within a community of people, not with a community of people. Vu learned really quickly in college that engineering is a field where cooperation is essential.

“At first I didn’t really like working in a group, but in the end it was a good thing,” she laughs. “Team work is important.”

English believes that this misconception can be corrected if teachers begin to incorporate more group work in their classrooms. “[Engineering] is a cooperative activity,” English says. “In a lot of tech classes in high school, the projects are individual.”

There are about 20 types of different engineers: toy engineers, electrical engineers, aerospace engineers, and the list goes on. Vu confessed that she didn’t really know what an engineer in general did, let alone 20 other types. After she became educated about the profession, she went out into the world and experienced it. In high school, she was one of five people selected for an internship program with Northrop Grumman, a defense contractor for the U.S. Army. She is also a member of the BEAM program (Buffalo-Area Engineering Awareness for Minorities ) and has participated in the Educational Outreach at the Buffalo Museum of Science where she worked with local youth on various projects.

Ask Vu if she’s intimidated by entering a highly-competitive field, one where she’ll most likely be competing against other men for a certain position, and she’ll give a slight shrug, a confident smile, and a nonchalantsounding “No.” “As long as you know your stuff, you’ll get respect,” she says.

For more information on women in STEM careers, visit http://www.eng.buffalo.edu. ubgeneration.com | 9

The Four-Leaf Journal The Illegal Alien The Four-Leaf Journal JOSH Q. NEWMAN The Illegal Alien They say that you cannot truly understand a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes. I hate to start out with a cliché but I think that they may have had a point. (“They” always have something good to say, don’t they?) With the immigration debate hotly contested in our country, I think everyone could benefit from another guy’s shoes.

My experiences as an immigrant, albeit only temporary, has helped me understand where immigrants to the United States are coming from – especially our friends from the south. I’m not talking about the time I was here legally. I’m referring to that treacherous week in which my visa expired. From September 27th to October 4th, I was here in Ireland without the official consent of the government. Yes, that’s right: Josh Q. Newman was an illegal alien.

My vicious descent into crime was similar to that depicted in Martin Scorsese’s “The Departed”, except that I’ve never been to Boston and all the events and characters have nothing to do with anything. I don’t even like cranberry juice. But I watched most of it and the spirit is there. Anyways, it started before I got to Ireland. None of the preparatory materials, none, mentioned that I had to get a visa. In fact, they said the opposite. I distinctly remember the documents stating that I didn’t have to apply for a visa if I was only staying for one semester.

Good news. That meant that I didn’t have to worry about any more paperwork or Irish authorities hassling me when I was sober.

Irish customs told me otherwise. When I arrived in Dublin, I was instructed to report to Garda, Ireland’s national police service,

10 | ubgeneration.com

and register with them within a month. They didn’t say what I had to provide. I’m assuming they thought that was obvious. So they stamped my passport with a one-month visa and let me go. That was August 26th.

A week later, Trinity was kind enough to provide me information on how not to get deported. I needed three things: a receipt showing that my tuition fees had been paid in full, a letter confirming that I was registered at Trinity College, and a bank statement showing that I have €1,000.00 in an Irish bank account. The receipt and letter were easy enough. It was the Irish bank that was killing me, and not softly.

At first, I didn’t see the need to set up an Irish bank account. I could access funds from my home bank just fine. As long as my debit card worked I was able to withdraw as much money as I needed. I did that for a couple of weeks before my friends told me that the Irish weren’t telling American students to open an Irish bank account for giggles. Apparently the government was serious.

Eventually I got around to it. Setting up the account with the Bank of Ireland wasn’t the hard part. It was transferring the €1,000 that made my stay in Ireland precarious.

The good folks at First Niagara Bank aren’t experts in international transfers, so by September 20th, when I made the first request, my status as a resident was in limbo.

A week went by and still nothing happened.

My mom desperately tried to wire me the money but it was, inevitably, tragically, a no go. So by September 26th, 2010, my last day as a legal resident, my Bank of Ireland account held the modest sum of €0.

When my visa expired, my soul plunged into the heart of darkness. This, I said to myself, is what Kurtz must have felt like – man,

is it cool to be Marlon Brando. I couldn’t believe it. I was an illegal! What do I do now?

At first I thought of contacting Garda and letting them know of my situation. But I was afraid of getting yelled at, so I didn’t. It didn’t seem like I had any options. I would just have to wait until the money came through.

I had the equivalent of €1,000 in my First Niagara account, but just barely, so I couldn’t touch any of it until it was transferred. So, with nothing but the shirt on my back and an indomitable American spirit – and an extra €100 my mom rushed into my account in the last minute – I set off in what would be my future life in crime.

In my first day as an illegal alien, I decided to go hardcore. I left for class without brushing my teeth. I attended my philosophy lectures on Truth and Aristotle without bringing a notebook. I purchased stamps from the Student Union without saying thank you. I ate dinner at a restaurant and only left a 10 percent tip. I checked my email all the time. Any minute now I was expecting the cops to whisk me away from my adopted (four-month) homeland, so I had to live life to the extreme. I also felt the urge to pick tomatoes and sit on a stoop, but I felt that was too racist.

My sordid cesspool of a life continued for four days. I was drinking so much Coke that my teeth went from Behr Ultra Pure White™ to Benjamin Moore Ultra White™. It came to the point where I didn’t recognize myself when I looked at the mirror. Who’s that geeky-looking kid? I asked. “Shut up,” the image responded. “At least I’m not an illegal, ese.”

Finally, by Friday, October 1st, I had all the money in my Bank of Ireland account. I was set. Nothing could go wrong. Absolutely nothing.

I went to the Garda station around 10 AM. The place was hoppin’; it was the bee’s knees. People from all over the world were crammed together in the hopes of joining Ireland’s living elite. I wondered around the place for five minutes trying to find a waiting ticket. I then went to a friendly-looking immigration official (there are still some around) who told me that the line was full and I would have to come back on Monday.

So here I am, still an illegal, waiting for my chance at freedom. But you know, I learned something from all of this. No, it’s not that I shouldn’t have waited so long to open an Irish bank account. It’s not that I should have arrived earlier to the Garda station. It’s not that I should have done what everyone else did and avoided this mess in the first place. None of that. It’s that illegals are people, too. They’re just human beings that want to make a better life for themselves. Whenever I hear a blue-eyed, fat Southerner harangue against illegal aliens, I just want to smack them, but I don’t because that’s not the illegal way. Illegal aliens are a kind people, a warm people, a people that lend their services for little thanks in return. Which has got me thinking. I say, we must rise up against the oppression put on us by the Man. We must no longer face the indignity of being branded an illegal. We must be proud of our heritage of illegality.

We must embrace illegality, whether our legal status is due to a broken immigration system or an incredible lack of foresight on my part. Illegal is beautiful. Illegal is grand.

Illegals built the Underground Railroad and the speakeasies. Illegal is the American way.

I finally feel free! Illegals of the world unite!

GENERATION October 5, 2010

So You Want to Go to a Concert?

That’ll Be Two Hundred Dollars and Your First Born Child

By Ally Balcerzak For anyone who enjoys going to concerts, the cost of some tickets is enough to make you cringe and think twice. In Buffalo, ticket prices can range from $15 a ticket for small local bands to upwards of $150 a ticket for big names such as Bon Jovi and Billy Joel. So when is it worth it to hand over your credit card and give up eating for a couple weeks to go to a concert? After a highly-biased and non-conclusive discussion, I’ve come up with a few rules of thumb we can all use to decide.

Look at the venue and determine the probability of actually being able to see the artist.

If the show is at Club Infinity, it is general admission for everyone. So as long as you’re willing to shove through a mob of sweaty people, that $35 ticket to see your favorite band is probably worth it since you’ll have a shot at getting close. If the thought of rubbing against sweaty strangers makes you want to puke, save your money. Now if

the show is at HSBC, such as Michael Buble, paying $92 for a seat that is far back on the floor is a little extravagant. Mind you, I paid $70 a ticket to sit in the 200’s, but at least I know I’ll be able to see the guy on stage plus have an easier time obtaining snacks and running to the bathroom. So basically, if you’re not in the first 15 rows of the stage for an HSBC concert, don’t waste your money on floor seats. The 200’s are always cheaper, have better food, and more room to dance around. If we’re talking about a show at Darien Lake, I’m just going to come right out and say get the lawn seats. Trust me; it’s much more fun on the lawn. Not only will most of your other friends have lawn seats since they’re the cheapest, there is also space to relax before the main act comes on stage. Plus you never know what is going to happen on the lawn… like that time you ran into your high school math teacher during the DMB concert…

Decide if you’ll enjoy the show as a whole or only care about one of the acts.

If you only want to go to a concert be-

cause you like one of the opening acts, and you have no desire to seen the main act, spending more than $30 on a ticket is a rip-off. Actually, I think spending more then $20 on a ticket would be a rip-off but my friends pointed out that sometimes you can’t help but want to see a band even if they’re not headlining. Rule of thumb here people, if you’re not a fan of the headliner, don’t spend more on a ticket than your budget can comfortably afford.

Determine how much bang you are getting for your buck.

If it’s an insanely popular, number-onesingle-every-time band that you basically stalk, such as Green Day, then that $50 ticket is worth it no matter who is opening. If we’re talking about a band who has a couple songs you enjoy and is playing with bands you’ve never heard of, then you should take that $50 and go to AJ’s Grand Prix or Lasertron for the night. What gets tricky are festival concerts like Warped Tour and Kissmas Bash. Warped Tour tickets are only $35 each and there are anywhere from

30-40 bands playing that day. So if you do the math, it comes out to be about $1 per band, which makes the ticket worth it if you’re a rock/indie/ska/punk fan. Kissmas Bash tickets range from $12.50 to $77.50, so bang per buck varies depending on where you’re sitting. There are usually about eight artists at the concert, so if you paid $32.50 for your ticket and actually wanted to see all eight acts, you’d be paying about $4 per artist. Now if you’re like the majority of us and only want to see maybe half of the acts, you’d be paying about $8 per artist, which still isn’t bad. My suggestion for festival concerts is if you like at least half of the acts, then they’re usually worth the money for decent but not too expensive seats.

Please do not consider any of these rules as law. The fact is we can all afford different things so it’s really our own judgment on how much to spend on a concert ticket.

Consider the rules as a starting point, and go from there next time you’re buying tickets.

Sensational Style: an autumn/winter fashion guide

by Kathryn Przybyla

The seasons have officially changed. Say goodbye to your seer-sucker shorts and say hello to dark denim jeans because autumn has arrived. When it comes to fashion, UB doesn’t exactly lead the race when it comes to fashion forward looks (especially in the colder months). Unfortunately, a good majority of students fall into the unofficial uniform of a Northface jacket, Ugg boots and a black pair of leggings. But never fear, because Generation has compiled an Autumn/Winter 2010-2011 guide to looking your best on campus. Stick to these tips and maybe you’ll even be showcased in our next fashion feature.

COLOR PALATTE

First we should start off with the basics. Choosing crazy outfits for your wardrobe is not necessary to stay in style season to season. Just adding a bit of the right colors to staple pieces can completely revamp your look. Look for the following color trends:

GENERATION LOOK BOOK

Here we have a compilation of some of this season’s trends all rolled up into 5 looks. Wear these pieces together or on their own with something from your own wardrobe.

Rhinestone embellished mustard yellow tank and grey detailed military jacket with metal buttons.

Olive green sweater with gold shoulder sequins and two-toned green faux fur vest.

Floral printed neck-collared halter Mauve rosette accented long and high-waisted navy and gold sleeve tee and chocolate brown lamé skirt. ruffled leather jacket.

Sleeveless beige stitched knit sweater and string strapped rust colored tank.

GENERATION LOOK BOOK

From the look on the runways, minimal styles of dress are encouraged when it comes to adding accessories. Basic black dresses with incredibly embellished necklaces or bracelets are a great way to start. Also, pairing over the top booties with a straight legged jean pant can make a statement as well. Finally, don’t forget your perfectly bare hands; they are just dying to adorn some oversized jeweled rings. Check out these accessories to add a little something special to your everyday look:

SUCCESS STORIES

Luckily around UB, there were a few students who didn’t bother with sweatpants and hoodies and wore actual clothes to class! They are what we call fashion success stories and they are setting a great example for students all over campus. From daring choices to all around class looks, each one deserves an A for effort. Think you can do better? Try not wearing your pajamas to lecture next time.

Alexandra Pivovarova Business Management & Psychology

Yui Fukidome Economics

Yoon Jin Koh Undecided

Collin Reed Sociology

Janice Tong Cmmunication

Current Trends:

The autumn and winter seasons are a great time to try out new looks and styles and this year we have more than enough to choose from. Themed outfits seem to be making a comeback and here are a few options to rock:

Mad Men inspired:

Wall Street Chic:

The 50’s have returned with the return of AMC’s biggest show. Bustier tops and dresses are graciously showing off women’s curves like they did when your grandma wore them. The hourglass figure has replaced skinny stick models with pencil skirts that touch the knee, gloves and other curve hugging pieces.

Move over boys, we’re stealing the suit and never giving it back. Tailored jackets and vests with a CEO type vibe are making Menswear inspired pieces very hot this season. Cropped trousers with a sexy pair of pumps is not a look to be ignored. Make sure that tailored jackets are fitted properly with no excess fabric around the waist.

Faux Fur: We’re all about loving animals, but man do they look good as a coat! Luckily faux fur has saved us from the guilty feeling of browsing the luxurious coat section.

Patchwork fur and two-toned shades will be making any autumn/winter outfit complete. Colored faux furs are especially making a splash with bright reds, deep blues, and olive greens. Look for coats, vests, and even bags to make a statement.

Gold Galore: If you are looking for an accessory, make sure it’s gold. Gold is the new black this season taking the place of a classic staple. Gold lamé is everywhere when it comes to dresses, shorts, boots, tops, and anything else you can imagine. Try something a little more adventurous by sporting a new Egyptian head to toe look.

Now the rest is in your hands.

We can’t be there to dress you in the morning, but don’t be afraid to try something new, like not going to class is what you slept in. If you can take the time to throw on sweatpants, you certainly have the time to grab a nice pair of trousers instead. Good luck in your fashion endeavors. But if you are really unsure of what looks good, draw inspiration from the Generation editors… we always look good.

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah

By Kathryn Przybyla

Have you seen them around campus?

Zipcar, The brand new addition to the UB CarFree program has finally arrived and is now available to UB students, faculty, and staff who are 18 years and older. But what exactly is this program and why would I need to use it?

When asked about how the Zipcar program came about, Linda Velazquez, Parking and Transportation Service’s Senior Staff Assistant replied “Car sharing is a key piece of Parking and Transportation Services’ alternative transportation program UB CarFree, which supports UB’s Climate Action Plan. Car sharing helps ease congestion and ultimately reduces the university’s carbon footprint”, she said. “It’s estimated that every Zipcar takes 15 – 20 privately owned vehicles off the road”.

Decreasing congestion on campus, especially during peak hours is something we all can jump on board with. If you are one of the misfortunate students who arrive to campus later than 9AM, you can pretty much forget the close spots and must resort to stalking people heading to their cars. But will adding Zipcar really help the university in annoying situations like mass congestion?

According to Velasquez, the University at Buffalo has only four cars that students, faculty and staff can rent out by the hour or day. Although it is a start, it is highly doubtful that these four Zipcars are the answer to minimal parking lots and traffic. If anything, this program will be used by students without cars to get off campus, not so much

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better the traffic patterns on it.

So how much exactly will the Zipcar program cost you if you have a need for it?

This is where the Parking and transportation people broke it down for us. UB Students, faculty and staff 18-years old and up, can apply for membership online at Zipcar.com/ ub. There is an annual fee of $35, which includes the cost of gas, insurance and 180 miles per reservation. Zipcar does a drivers license check and if approved, the member can reserve one of the 4 Zipcars on campus for $8/hour/or $66 a day (weekdays), or $9/ hour/or $69 a day (weekends). New Zipcar members are given $35 in free driving credits during their first month.

Overall, with the free driving credits for the first month, the program seems pretty legitimate if you are sans-automobile for the school year. The prices aren’t too outrageous (especially if you ever considered renting a car on your own). Also, the program has a unique and easy swipe in and out system for actually using the car.

“Each member is sent a membership card which they swipe across the windshield of the Zipcar they have reserved to unlock it.

The car will only open for the person who has the car reserved. The member uses the Zipcar for their reservation period, then returns it to the same parking space and again swipes their card over the windshield to end the reservation”, says Velasquez. “Reservations can be one hour to four days long, and made up to a year in advance or at the last minute.”

That’s fantastic! Spontaneous people, who are looking for an excuse to plan a Queen City adventure, sign up now! But some students brought up a few good questions when hearing about the program. Was the Buffalo Car share program ever considered?

“An RFP was sent out with a detailed list of our specifications and expectations of a car share provider. Buffalo Car Share was one of three car share providers that responded to the RFP. The proposals submitted were evaluated and ranked by a team comprised of university students, staff and administrators”, Velasquez responded. “Zipcar ranked the highest in terms of service, experience and ability to meet the immediate and future needs of the UB community.”

So with high scores from the UB CarFree judges, Zipcar has found a new home at UB. Since the program kicked off in August of this year, memberships have been steadily increasing with over 150 students enrolled in the program and reservations are made daily to rent the cars.

Their advertisements are flashy, with smiling attractive young adults driving to the beach and other appealing places. Although I’m sure most UB students won’t be making that kind of trip while renting on campus, it would be interesting to see where students really want to go. Unfortunately (or fortunately) though, Zipcar does not track the purpose of the member’s reservations.

I would have to say I like the idea of this program, when it offers an outlet for stu-

dents to travel. But I have a car on campus and I am from the Buffalo area. So this program isn’t really something that I can get into. From my experience, with so many commuters on campus, the Zipcar program is a great opportunity for a tiny part of the population and not the whole.

Some other advantages to the Zipcar program include the acceptance of international driver’s licenses and the 24-hour roadside assistance provided with your membership.

No body wants to be stuck in a broken down car with nowhere to go, so that is definitely a plus. Also, Zipcar is the world’s leading car share provider and UB members who are 21 and older have access to Zipcar’s worldwide fleet of vehicles in cities such as New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, Toronto and London. That’s a whole lot of rented cars.

I am impressed by the university’s strive to bring new opportunities and programs to the school. Maybe the Zipcar program will open the door for new companies to make their mark in Buffalo and provide even more options for people. Hey, we’ve got a Jamba Juice now; the possibilities are endless.

GENERATION October 5, 2010

-Filled Night

By Nathan Grygier I was a huge fan of The Format, so naturally when they disbanded in 2008 it was a sad year. However from the ashes of The Format the singer created a new band, called fun. fun. was playing a show at SUNY Oneonta on May 2nd of 2009, and although I had already seen them play, my friend Harley & I decided to make the road trip.

We met up with our mutual friend Tim who goes to Oneonta. When the night fell, we were off to the show. They were performing in a gym, so ambiance was not really a huge factor here. It almost felt like a high school homecoming dance. While one of the opening acts was playing, an idea struck me.

There were 3 of us, and there are 3 letters in the word fun. We had to paint our chests. I was determined. After a good 10 minutes of convincing, we had to find someone on the campus that had paint ready, and was willing to paint three men they had not met before.

You’d be surprised how easy of a task that was to accomplish.

We got back before fun. had started playing, and fought our way up to the front.

When the band took the stage, we immediately whipped off our clothing and people around us took notice. The best part was because we were in the front, no behind us knew exactly why there were 3 men shirtless and grooving. Now as fun was that was, the real strangeness didn’t begin until after the show. We were determined to meet the band since we had gone through all the trouble of painting ourselves for their enjoyment, so we waited around after the set.

Unfortunately for us, drunken people love to talk to people who aren’t clothed and have letters painted on their bodies. The first person to come up to us was someone that claimed he was the band’s official photographer, though he had no credentials to prove

it. He loved us, and kept yelling, “Dudes we’re going to a strip club, we have to go to the fucking Nave.”

I had and still have no idea what the Nave is, but it does no sound sexy in the least. He wanted to take our picture, but some drunk girl demanded that we hold her up in the photo. The photographer didn’t like that concept and shouted “Move bitch! You’re ruining everything!” She walked away, defeated. After that debacle, we went outside and found the band. They were nice and humble, and shocked that we’d come all the way from Buffalo.

While I was talking to the singer, a man came up behind me. I prayed he was drunk, because if not, it’s even creepier than it was initially. We were still shirtless at this point, and not to sound arrogant, cocky or like a douche bag, but we do all exercise frequently. The man behind me looks at me and goes

“Dude, look at your deltoids. Look at your fucking delts. They look so good. I need to get out of here before I start chewing on this kids delts.” Then he simply walked away, leaving everyone around us with a general expression of WTF? We then put our clothes back on and headed to the Oneonta equivalent of Elli in Ellicott. We were greeted by 3 drunk girls who said “Hey! You’re the fun guys! I wanna see!” She then grabbed my shirt and pulled it up, and me being the quick thinker I am, shouted “I need an adult!” That sent her running. If you’ve never checked out fun., I highly recommend it. Maybe you’ll get a man to chew on your delts even.

Asocial Network

By Steve Neilans You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.

Realistically, you probably don’t even get to 100 friends without making a few enemies.

The Social Network is out and the reviews are stellar. Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The West Wing) and Director David Fincher (Fight Club, Curious Case of Benjamin Button) have delivered what many believe to be defining film of this generation.

Oddly enough, Mark Zuckerberg doesn’t approve of the film. The man who created the ultimate thought-sharing machine, designed for a generation who lives to overshare, doesn’t believe that there is a relationship between his life in reality and his life on the silver screen. He has even publically stated that he will not watch Social Network.

“I can promise you, this is my life so I know it’s not that dramatic. The last six years have been a lot of coding and focus and hard work, but maybe it would be fun to remember it as partying and all this crazy drama,” Zuckerberg recently told Oprah.

Who can really blame Zuckerberg for being wary of seeing a movie about his life which he doesn’t approve of? His life is being interpreted by an outsider (Sorkin) who may or may not for his personal well-being.

In fact, if there is a villain in Social Network, it would have to be Zuckerberg.

If there is only one thing that defines the current generation of college students, it’s social networking. Kids (and adults) are studying less, and logging onto websites like Facebook more.

On September 9th, Facebook passed Google as the most visited website in terms of amount of time spent on the site. The average user spends 14 minutes a day on Facebook according to a recent Nielsen report. In comparison, the same report shows that if the amount of on Google (1:23), Yahoo (2:09), Youtube (1:02), Bing (1:35), Wikipedia (0:15), and Amazon (0:22) were combined that it still wouldn’t beat the amount of time spent on Facebook daily.

More people are spending more time on Facebook. More people are living in Facebook.

Everyone has heard the stories of lives being directly ruined by Facebook because of inappropriate pictures or wall postings (if

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you haven’t, refer to the side), but there is something scarier out there in my opinion: the fact that as people spend more time on Facebook, and less time in reality, Facebook become reality.

We are all living in a world where there is only a like button. There aren’t dissenting opinions, or challenges to beliefs.

Facebook offers the unique opportunity for a person to present themselves in the exact light they wish to be presented in. The term “facebook” actually comes from the social concept of “saving face,” which basically means preserving dignity. Ugly picture? Detag. Creepy wall post? Delete. Ultimate control of a profile is given to the user, which can be a scary thing.

Give a person any bit of information and they are bound to fill in the gaps which connect that information. When someone posts a status on Friday saying “gEtTiNg DrUnK aLl WeEkEnD” and a post on Monday saying “failed a test this morning, don’t talk to me,” it’s pretty obvious what happened. The information isn’t explicit, but it might as well be.

Zuckerberg’s life is no different from any other twenty-something (well, maybe a little different). There are facts posted in bitesized portions, and there must be a way that those facts are connected. I’m sure he would prefer to be able to easily delete some of the details about his life like he would be able to on Facebook, but that isn’t the case.

It almost seems poetic that the person behind Facebook would have an exaggerated version of his life displayed for the entire world to see. Aren’t millions of Facebook users basically doing the exact same thing daily (albeit to quite a smaller crowd)?

Facebook provides easy access to anyone at anytime. In a 2009 TIME article, Gibert Cruz explained how high school reunions are slowly dying because people can just find out everything they want to know about old classmates through Facebook. Why actually spend time with living-breathing people when the ability to find out if someone got fat is a mouse click away?

And for the first time ever, the average amount of content (blog posts, reviews, Youtube videos) created by social network users declined this year, according to Forrester Research. It’s quite difficult to form a unique opinion on anything while a choir of wall posts and news feeds infests a person’s

mind. Less content, less ideas.

The modern college student is studying less than a college student 30 years ago, and the modern college student who is active on Facebook studies even less.

“Hey, I saw you at a bar last night and I talked to your friend for 1 minute! Now you’re my friend!”

Face-to-face communication is the most effective form of communication, but it is slowly becoming the most neglected. The cold gaze of a computer monitor is replacing the human face. Facebook can only record what is being said, and not how it’s being said. Social networking is virtually eliminating all forms of non-verbal communication.

“People are learning how to use the site and what’s OK to share. As time goes on, people will learn what’s appropriate, what’s safe for them — and learn to share accordingly,” Zuckerberg once explained.

Facebook is the ultimate time killer. I would be lying if I said I didn’t spend time on Facebook as I wrote this article. But too much Facebook can destroy a life. Just like beer and candy corn, everything in moderation.

In the end, perhaps Facebook will just be a blip on the Internet similar to Myspace or Napster. Mark Zuckerberg has the honor and curse of having his life on display for the entire world to judge. Perhaps he should have set up limited profile.

The Social Network is bound to be one of the best films of the year. There is already an Oscar buzz and group of 500 million willing to see what the movie is all about. But just remember that when you see the movie, and post a status update, that you’re not the only one seeing it. Zuckerberg sees it, you’re creepy ex sees it, you’re mom probably even sees it.

Facebook is about making information public. It’s fitting that a movie about Facebook is now being made for the public.

And for the love of God, if you do go see the movie, please bring a real-life friend.

Notable Facebook Fails 5. Kerry Harvey – A 23-year-old sales

executive had the distinct honor of having her identity stolen and created anew as a prostitute. She would receive shady phone calls and picture messages from Facebook stalkers looking for sex. I’m sure that is every girls dream come true.

4. Erika Scoliere – The 20-year-old

student at Dayton pleaded not guilty to a case where she killed a motorcyclist.

She was ordered by a judge to not drink any alcohol or be around anyone with alcohol. Unfortunately, her friends posted pictures of her drinking with a caption, “Ten minutes later, Erika passed out in my bed. Ha. Ha. Ha.” She was never sentenced to jail time, but has to wear a bracelet which constantly makes sure she can’t drink. Ha. Ha. Ha.

3. Clay Matthews (aka the man who

almost single handedly ended Trent Edwards career as a Bill) – The former USC Trojan created a Facebook group out of an inside joke called “White Nation”. One of the pictures posted had a black baby in handcuffs with a caption that read “Arrest black babies before they become criminals. Matthews may have been joking, but he will forever be labeled as a racist.

2. Michael Phelps – The golden boy

of the Olympics was caught smoking the green bud. Some random kid at a party posted a picture of Phelps taking hits from the bong (Cypress Hill wasn’t there however). Phelps would go on to lose millions of dollars in sponsorships.

Helpful hint: someone will always have a camera at the party, and someone will always take pictures when a celebrity smokes with them.

1. Andy Robinson – The former UB

basketball player rose to fame for all the wrong reasons. Robinson posted a request on Facebook for someone to write a paper for him for $30. Unfortunately, for Robinson, someone ratted him out and he became a national headline. No one knows if his paper was ever competed.

GENERATION October 5, 2010

TOP 10

THINGS NOT TO DO IN TORONTO.

1.

Leave Buffalo late. Allow as much time as you can to plan your trip and review all the options before a crazy night out.

2.

Forget that Canada has a different currency.

3.

Make fun of the excessive replacement of “O” sounds for “U” sounds. Nobody will think you’re funny or clever. And honestly, people in Buffalo talk like they’re from the mid-west – what’s up with that?

4.

Not walk around the city. Toronto is a beautiful mixture of traditional styles and modern architecture. Museums, parks…there are some really unique stores too, so at the very least look around.

5.

6.

Party at a club called “Guvernment.”

Distrust the natives. Yes, you should be careful of overzealous borderline creepy strangers—however if you happen to meet some friendly and fun-looking group of locals who are on their way to a small downtown bar, by all means, follow them!

7.

Trash your classy hotel room. If you do this, make sure you leave a nice little post-it for the maid offering your apologies. Better yet, skip the hotel and consider a hostel next time.

8.

Realize you left your wallet somewhere in Toronto on the way home. You don’t stand a chance on getting back to the States without your identity, and if you are lucky enough to have someone find your wallet and contact you, chances are that person will be too busy with the upcoming Toronto Film Festival to send it

by Catherine Prendergast

anytime soon.

9.

Be scared at border control. It is their job to be suspicious, especially in these “uncertain times.” Don’t sweat and stutter for no reason.

However, keep in mind that they will likely search the trunk no matter how young, fabulous, and innocent you look, so hide those fake ID’s.

10.

Not plan another trip. There are endless fun times in Toronto, just waiting for your arrival.

The Tablet War Has Begun! (or has it already been won?)

By Seon McDonald

Rumors have been swirling around the blogosphere for years about an impending Apple tablet that would revolutionize computing forever. After the smash success of the iPhone ushered in a new era of touch computing, it was only logical that the next step be bigger screens and 10 fingers of multi-touch goodness. Apple then delivered a sleek aluminum slate called the iPad with the same OS as their iPhones, leading critics to not only dub it the “giant iPhone” but parodies about the iPad, whose name is too close to comfort to “tampons” became an internet sensation. Female hygiene jokes aside, it was hard to deny Apple might have once again spearheaded a market that failed to catch on with Microsoft’s convertible touch laptops. The iPad excels because it was primarily designed with touch input in mind. You pick up one and immediately become engrossed in swiping, pinching, zooming, flicking, and tapping at its large beautiful screen. Boasting a healthy ecosystem with thousands of touch friendly applications and games in the app store, along with iTunes for music and movies and a preloaded eBook application, the apple iPad once again set the bar on a new class of devices. That’s not to say the iPad is without its flaws. There is no front facing camera for conference calls or even a back one for quick photo taking. Lack of Flash compatibility means a hampered browsing experience especially if you visit video streaming websites that do not support HTML5. Here is where the competition could shine and undercut Apple’s captivating hold on consumer’s mindshare. If they could produce a viable tablet that’s not only touch friendly and intuitive, but also ups the ante in terms of specs and performance, then they might be able to carve out a piece of the tablet market share for themselves.

cluded as HDMI output and storage up to

The Samsung Galaxy Tab Samsung is no stranger to entering battlefields of various markets from home appliances and computers to HDTV’s and smartphones. I’s therefore no surprise that Samsung has armed itself with handsome white-backed tablet called the Galaxy Tab.

The Underdog Some companies are like indie artists ;potentially good and in dire need of exposure and support. Notion Ink, a small Indian company, is currently seeking investors with the hopes of releasing a tablet to the masses by year’s end.

The Notion Ink Adam

Sporting Google’s increasingly omnipresent mobile OS - Android,;the Galaxy Tab has specs to match the iPad and more. The Galaxy Tab measures 7 inches, smaller than the 9.7 inch iPad and weighs considerably less too. The latest Android build runs smooth and plays HD video with little hiccups. There is a front facing 1.3 megapixel camera as well as a 3 megapixel camera to the back. An expansion slot supports memory up to 32GB to load up your tunes and movies. The usual apps are in tow such as an eBook reader, mail, and calendar apps as well as full access to the Android apps marketplace. Things to consider: The OS licensed from Google isn’t really optimized for screens larger than your average cell phone. Samsung is doing some of its own modifications so the apps can scale to 7 inches, but expect some “not so pretty” quirks. Potentially head-scratchinh is the rumored price of the Galaxy Tab. If they really want to undercut Apple in this game, they’ve got to market this competitively. Pricing the Galaxy Tab higher than the iPad is a recipe for failure. Expect to see the slate hitting the stores this holiday season and hopefully with a price below its rumored thousand-dollas price tag.

32GB for your media needs. The OS is Blackberry’s own newly designed tablet OS that offers intuitive multi tasking and application support for external applications such as cross platform Adobe Air apps. Most interesting though, is the promise that blackberry owners can share data with their playbook without needing an additional data plan.

More details about this new Tablet is still trickling in, as the Playbook is not slated to appear until early 2011.

The HP Slate HP is also targeting business savvy users with this thin slate that differs from the competition in that it runs full blown windows 7.

This is good and bad news. The good is that users are already familiar with Windows, applications are unlimited and you get the full desktop experience including flash websites, installing any software you wish, playing any kind of file and frankly doing whatever you wish without limitations of say, the apple ecosystem on the iPad. This comes at a cost however. Windows 7 is a desktop OS built primarily for mouse input. Sure, Microsoft has improved the user interfacI by making it more finger friendly, but what happens when you install an application from the world wide web? You’re on your own. Try minimizing or closing a window with your nice fat finger on those little tiny boxes that’s really perfect for your cursor. Even worse, a desktop OS on this form factor is definitely

The Blackberry Playbook iPad vs The Competition It has been several months and over 700,000 units moved since the iPad hit the market, and nary a competitor has released a viable alternative. The holidays are approaching though and manufacturers are getting ready to fight for a place beneath your Christmas tree. Here are the officially announced tablet slates hitting the shelves soon.

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rently seen on the Palm pre phones that has excellent multitasking features and a quick snappy UI. Now that is something worth looking forward to.

Let’s be honest, Blackberry phones were all the rage, like a year or two ago. They’re still King in the corporate world and like a stroke of genius (or like duh) RIM is releasing a tablet targeted at professional business users called “The Playbook”. Oh the irony. No relation to Hugh Hefner here, this computer slate is quite ready to join in the Tablet fray.

Like the Galaxy Tab and unlike the iPad, the Playbook will support flash content, so streaming movies and tv shows online are a go. Front and back facing cameras are in-

going to suffer in terms of battery life an performance. Think netbook specs, slower than regular laptops. Luckily rumor has it that HP, who recently acquired Palm, is also releasing another Tablet called the “Palm Pad”. The Palm Pad will run Palm’s own WebOS cur-

How can this little known startup company duke it out with the giants in ths Tablet war?

By bringing something new to the table, Notion Ink has created a bit of an online buzz for itself among the tech blogs. Boasting a different screen technology called the Pixel Qi display, The Adam is a tablet that can pull double duty as multi-touch friendly slate and an easy on your eyes eReader. The Pixel Qi display is a low power screen that allows the user to change the screen from vivid LCd mode to a black and white reflective mode.

The advantage of this is that the battery life can last upwards 40 hours on a single charge.

The reflective mode is also easy on the eyes and allows for hours of reading without eyestrain. The Adam also runs Android OS, with a special market place for tablet friendly apps. The specs are decent too, snapdragon processor, 3.2MP autofocus swivel camera, HDMI out and fast browsing with flash and HD video playback. No concrete word on release yet, but here’s to hoping Notion’s The Adam sees the light of the day.

Tablets are still a niche product. When you ask yourself, “Do I need one?, I expect most likely your answer would be “no”. Most of our computing needs are satisfied nicely with out laptops, desktops, and smartphones. In fact smartphones today arn increasingly become more and more capable oo doing as much as out laptops with the benefit of being able to fit into your pocket. Apple is quite ambitious in thinking this will catch on, but make no mistake, secretly we all want a tablet. Now before you ask Santa to ship you one form the cold north, perhaps consider getting one that’s the most bang for your buck. If video conferencing, connecting to your HDTV, or whlling away an hour playing Farmville is important for you, thee give the Galaxy Tab or Playbook a chance. If you don’t care and just wans something that works, then the apple iPad might have won this war already.

GENERATION October 5, 2010

MUSIC Artist Spotlight: Robyn dance tunes with a confidence that’s hard to ignore.

Body Talk Part I

In the US, Robyn might not be a name synonymous with pop icons like Madonna and Christina Aguilera, however the Swedish pop siren and international star has been topping charts worldwide since the nineties.

Robyn, whose legal name is Robin Miriam Carlsson, got her first break into the music business at the age of 13. Known for R&B infused electro pop music, Robyn has been gradually making inroads into the American music scene for some time now. Still relatively unknown, Robyn who has faced various roadblocks in the music business over her career shows determination and a healthy dose of spunk perfect ingredients for longevity in the music industry. In 2010, on the label Interscope, Robyn released 2 of a 3 part album she describes as a personal diary, titled “Body Talk”. While some of her songs might draw similarities to the music of Lady Gaga, and her appearance might even allude to that, it quite evident that their artistic visions are different and that Robyn knows her way around her electro

Maroon 5 “Hands All Over” Album Review:

Release: September 21st 2010

The first track on the album “Don’t *Bleep* Tell Me What to Do” immediately sets the tone of the album. You can appreciate the irritated musings of Robyn as she sings “My ego is killing me, can’t sleep, it’s killing me, my label’s killing me” a not so subtle jab at the record companies who wanted to wield too much control over singer. On “Fembot” Robyn figuratively takes on the identity of a female robot and she teases over computerized beats;

By Seon McDonald Rightly floating on electronic techy sounds, the song has a fun and playful feel.

From here on things get a little somber, starting with “Dancing on my Own”, where Robyn sings sadly as her lover kisses another on the dance floor to “Cry When You Get Older” where she emotively serenades “I start out with good intentions but mess it up like all the time ,I try to keep up appearance but always end up way out of line”. It is refreshing to see such depth and candid lyrics in a pop album, but the pace once again picks up, as she rounds out Part I with reggae inspired “Dancehall Queen” and the bass thumping “None of Them”.

Body Talk Part II

“Plug me in and flip some switches.

Pull up in docking position, pop the hatch and hit ignition”.

Kicking things off on Part II is “In my Eyes” a track that pays homage to the sounds of the 80’s and aspires to inspire.

“Hey little star, don’t be afraid, we all fall apart and make mistakes” she sings without reaching the preachy territory. The content is more ambitious on this album, including a Snoop Dog collaboration on “You Should Know Better” a hectic, funky song of selfindulgence and aggrandizement. It’s amusing and interesting, though the stand out track of the album is “We Dance to the beat” a fantastic club banger, that’s made entirely for dancing, no hidden symbolisms or metaphors. The 8 track Part II disc is all upbeat and generally more radio friendly. “Criminal Intent” finds Robyn at her sexiest “Somebody alert the authorities, I got criminal intent, conspiracy to engage in lewd and in-

Maroon 5, the Grammy award winning band that rose to stardom with radio friendly catchy pop-rock tunes is back with a disc of songs that’s even friendlier with your radio this time around.

There is no mistake the production of their 3rd studio album set out to attain a simple goal, hit the charts and stay there.

That’s not a bad thing at all, just as long as the music has some semblance of quality.

The themes of love and heartbreak straddle 11 tracks leading the listener on a groovy trip through the experiences of new and lost loves. Opening the cd is the lead single “Misery”, an upbeat guitar strumming song with a hook that’s memorable. “Why won’t you answer me?” he urges, “Your silence is slowly killing me, girl you really got me bad”. It’s a great track that you can’t help but hum along too.

The tempo keeps up its pace throughout most of the album from “Give a Little More” a playful song where lead vocalist Adam Levine teasingly sings “Get a little more

from you baby” to the title track “Hands All Over” that’s sure to have you singing along in any bar. I am guessing the cover art is somehow related as Levine sings on the hook “Pretty little thing don’t get upset, Put your hands all over me”. Salacious cover art aside, that’s as racy as the lyrics get, which is a good thing. The music is still coy and flirtatious without being crude.

On the last half of the album, a few rock ballads touch upon the pain and regrets of failed romances. In the song “How”, Levine gets emotional, which isn’t much, however he’s earnest enough when he croons “Though I didn’t understand the meaning of love, I do not mind if I die trying, took it for granted when you lifted me up”. And naturally on an album like this, there’s the expected goodbye song that mourns the end of a relationship. “Just a Feeling” is just that song; it’s subdued and poignant in a way that might surprise many listeners.

Closing the album is “Out of Good Byes” a ballad that features Lady Antebellum. It

decent acts and events, I’mma wind it, grind it, oh my..” proving that not only Robyn got talent, but she’s got sex appeal too.

Closing the album, Robyn shows off her svelte vocals on an acoustic track with light orchestrations. “Ooh and I’m gonna love you like I’ve never been hurt before, I’m gonna love you like I’m indestructible” she croons. Perhaps this is the public sentiment Robyn is hoping for with these releases.

It is no question whether Robyn can stay relevant in the music business. She has bought her own way out of record contracts in order to stick to her integrity and even formed her own record company, topping music charts outside the US. The question is, are we ready to embrace Robyn and her make her star shine brightly this side of the pond. Look forward to Part III of Body Talk sometime this fall.

is the least cohesive track of the bunch and the album neither gains nor loses anything by it. Lead singer Adam Levine’s vocals remain charismatic and the vibes of the album is positively buoyant. Overall Maroon 5 has released a decent disc that sure to please fans and keep their airplay count up.

By: Seon McDonald

ubgeneration.com | 19

LITERARY By: Allison Ruiz

Six forty-seven, thirteen minutes until the show was scheduled to start, still no dresses.

Two months of planning down the drain, so much for pulling it off. I looked at the clock on my cell phone for what seemed like the one hundredth time; six forty-eight, twelve more minutes before all hell broke loose. I stole one more glance out the doors to the school parking lot before turning towards the auditorium. Not realizing it, I broke into a jog as I headed for the door. “Calm down Ally,” called Mrs. Cuomo as I ran past, “Everything will be fine.” My response: a slightly unclenched jaw.

I barreled through the auditorium doors as if I was a line backer and paused at the sound booth next to Lindsey and Dane.

They glanced in my direction but didn’t say anything in fear of me losing my temper completely. I watched as Colleen ran the models through yet another rehearsal, the guys in their tuxes, and the girls still in their jeans. As a break came in the model order, I figured it was time to clue Colleen in, “Koz!” I yelled towards the stage, she gestured for me to wait a minute so I decided to sit in one of the back chairs. A few moments later she joined me in the back of the auditorium.

“They’re still not here?” Colleen didn’t look happy. All I did was nod before she turned to head backstage where the models were now waiting. Grudgingly I slipped back out into the main foyer. I looked at my phone again, six fifty-four. I snapped the phone shut with a loud click and stuffed my hands into my pockets. How is it possible for the dresses to be this late? Suddenly a car pulled into the parking lot. A woman walked towards the school and I raced to see if she was from the dress shop.

I looked at the woman and introduced myself. She shook my hand as she replied, “Hello. No need to worry, the dresses will be here momentarily.” I breathed a sigh of relief while she released my hand. Couple more minutes and the girls could be slammed into their dresses faster than they thought possible. Only it wasn’t merely a few minutes.

Seven minutes later the dresses still weren’t in sight and the woman was calling the dress shop, no answer, she told me that meant the dresses were on their way.

I thanked her and raced off down the hallway. I turned the corner at a full sprint and nearly collided with Colleen. “They’re... on... their... way,” I panted. We turned and

It’s Possible to

20 | ubgeneration.com

Stroke Out at Sixteen walked into the makeshift dressing room to tell the girls. “Ok,” I yelled, feigning composure, “We’re running really late so as soon as those dresses are here, you need to be ready to put them on. So do whatever touchups you need to do now. Once the dresses are here I don’t care if your curls aren’t holding.”

As quickly as I had entered the room I left.

Colleen and I didn’t say a word as we trudged back to the front doors to wait for the now exceptionally late dresses. Against my better judgment I removed my phone from my back pocket to check the time again, four after seven, was I allowed to panic yet?

After three minutes of silence Colleen screamed and ran out the door, before I could ask what was going on the door had slammed and she was bouncing on her tiptoes outside in the frigid March weather. I had a look of utter confusion on my face as I joined her outside. “Did you finally lose it?

Only one of us is allowed to go mental tonight and I claimed that position twenty minutes ago, missy.”

Her response was to punch my shoulder and frantically wave towards two SUVs pulling into the parking lot. The vehicles stopped and doors swung open to reveal piles of dresses lying across the seats. Without pausing to think Colleen and I reached in and started grabbing dresses at the speed of light. The owner of the dress shop began to explain the rules of the dresses. “No girl is to put a dress on unless one of us is with

her,” the woman started waving her finger in our faces as she continued, “I am holding the girls, their parents, and you personally responsible for any damage done to these dresses. Understand?”

I clenched my jaw a little tighter and dug my teeth into my tongue harder then I thought possible to keep from responding.

It was officially seven ten and my stress level was no longer readable by standard medical tests. As I stood there piling dresses onto my arms it took all of my self control, and a “keep your mouth shut” look from Colleen not to snap at the woman in the same condescending tone she had just used on us.

“We understand. Now if we could please get these dresses inside and on the girls, we are actually running extremely late.” Colleen sweetly responded as she nudged my leg to make me move.

Fortunately, I had been training for lacrosse season all winter and was capable of sprinting quite fast even with forty pounds of dead weight in my arms; and fortunately as well, Colleen runs for fun so she was capable of running just as fast. We came charging through the doors like the bulls running through the streets of Pamplona during the running of the bulls. I kicked the dressing room door open with more force than I had intended. The door slammed into the wall with a loud thud and the girls turned to see what was going on. “Someone wanna help?”

I grunted, regaining my footing while taking

extra care to avoid stepping on a dress bag.

A swarm of girls circled around Colleen and I, everyone grabbing for their dress at once. I realized that some sort of order needed to be attained before the women from the dress shop walked into the room.

I looked at Colleen, she nodded at me, and I began sorting out the chaos. “Alright,” I announced to the room of scrambling girls, “No one put on a dress without the help of someone from the dress shop. And I mean NO ONE! If you rip your dress you’re paying for it yourself, I’m not about to let Anna sign a check for three hundred dollars to pay for a ripped dress just because you ignored directions. Now form two lines so we can hand out the dresses.”

For the first time that night things seemed to be going smoothly. The girls all lined up and were given their dresses relatively quickly. By the time the women from the dress shop were ready to help, everyone was in the process of pulling the plastic garment bag off their dress. With my job in the room done, I pulled my phone out, seven thirteen. My stress level began to rise again as I turned and slipped into the hallway outside the room. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. Colleen’s voice brought me back to reality, “I’ll take care of back here. Go make sure everything is going ok out front. I’ll call you in a few minutes with an update.”

I nodded and briskly walked back to the front of the auditorium. The silent auction bags seemed to have a decent amount of tickets in them; that lowered my stress level slightly. I thanked the parent volunteers once again for their help then slipped inside the auditorium. Feren and Dane were sitting in the sound booth ready to start the show with my ok. Afraid of looking at my phone again I asked what time it was. “Seven seventeen,” Feren said. “You gotta chill girl. You’re gonna give yourself a heart attack. Relax.”

“I’ll relax when this show is over.” I smiled, trying to convince her I wasn’t about to lose control completely. After another agonizing three minutes my phone vibrated.

Seven twenty. It was Colleen. I smiled and answered the phone, praying nothing else had gone wrong. “We ready to get this party started?” After a slight pause I snapped my phone shut once again and stuffed it into my back pocket as I turned towards Dane, “Let’s do this.”

GENERATION October 5, 2010

LITERARY

Confessions of Royalty I’m cooking up a plan to

KILL

KILL

KILL

for my heart thumps only for the King.

But the twist, is always the horrible truth.

The Queen, she was a part of him, running deep in his veins.

So the King chose to

BLEED

until she wasn’t a part of him any longer and joined her in this twisted fairy tale end.

Now my heart whispers his name so I shall never forget.

And here I am, roaming these streets, desperate for fate to find me.

By: Mariela Estevez

the queen,

Conflicted Ying and Yang Flip a coin Heads or tails?

Is it either right or wrong?

Does it always have to be black or white?

Where is the gray?

Watch the coin rise then fall Going from all to none Did your decision change between the before and the after?

Is there even a medium between dark and light, or good and evil?

Would it become true instead of false?

What is left of what is right?

Look at the dirt on the clean coin Are the grooves deep or shallow?

Similar to life or death Taking hope and giving despair Making the easy life harder But is it really just hello or goodbye?

Simple as yes or no Or is there more between space and matter?

Can I see the day in your night, or the love in your hate?

Just 2 sides to a coin Make your choice

By: Cassandra Rivais

ubgeneration.com | 21

parting SHOTS By: Kathryn Przybyla

A Presidential Plan Jordan Dalton is a 2nd year MFA candidate in the Media Study program. His artwork focuses on experimental sound and interactivity, and as a curator he is interested in producing exhibitions in which environmental networks and impacts are explored.

For this exhibition, Jordan sourced artwork, historic materials, and collaborators via his concurrent involvement in the regional environmental movement and the media arts community.

The following are my questions and Jordan’s answers about his process and practice.

Liz Flyntz: Jordan, where did you begin this research? How did you become interested in following the historical stream of the Scajaquada creek, so to speak? What kind of resources did you use?

Jordan Dalton: My introduction to Scajaquada Creek, and Buffalo’s watersheds in general, began through the frequent water testing that my partner Katy and I do for Buffalo-Niagara Riverkeeper. Part of her job involves monthly testing of 50+ sites throughout the region, which quickly introduced us both to the geography and history of WNY’s numerous waterways.

I was further drawn to Scajaquada after paddling on the creek with Katy, her co-worker Robbyn and a group of Media Study graduate students last fall, and after reading the chapter on the creek in Margaret Wooster’s amazing book Living Waters: Reading the Rivers of the Lower Great Lakes.

LF: A few weeks ago, you and I went on a tour of the creek’s path, buried and above ground, through the Forest Lawn Cemetery, the industrial part of the city, and out into the suburbs. You expressed a desire to see the creek “daylighted”, but thought that this prospect was somewhat unlikely. Can you explain the term “daylighting” and tell us what the benefits are of this process occurring in urban waterways?

JD: Daylighting is a term used to describe the uncovering of buried streams, which is generally accompanied by some form of “restoration”, whether this means tree planting and bank stabilization, or a full-scale recreation of the historic condition of the creek.

Burying a creek destroys many aspects of its 22 | ubgeneration.com

Sitting in Asbury Hall this past Wednesday in downtown Buffalo, I could not help but notice something about the crowd of 400 people I was gathered with. I was one of maybe 2 or 3 recognizable students attending President Simpson’s 5th and final annual community address. Being from the Queen City, what he had to say not only affected me as a student at the University at Buffalo, but as a resident of Western New York itself. A graduating senior, I will most likely start my job search locally (that is until Vogue comes to its senses and hires me as an editor in New York). But regardless, long term plans like UB2020 are going to have a major impact in my life, well beyond my graduation day.

Honestly, I would have thought more students would be interested or at least curious about what President Simpson chose to say after seven years of leading this institution.

But after talking to a few student leaders in

between classes, most didn’t even know the address was taking place. To me, that’s unfortunate.

Simpson told the crowd, “You have it in your power to achieve greatness”, but I took that not only as an address to the community, but to me personally as well. I am about to graduate with my Bachelor of Arts in Communication and need to start planning my life. It’s a daunting task, but the time has come to make important decisions about my future, and achieving greatness is at the top of my list.

Has UB achieved greatness with its UB2020 plan so far? Maybe some improvements, but a total revamping of the University isn’t supposed to happen overnight.

It’s not about deadlines and meeting goals quickly. It’s about turning this school into an excellent university, providing an excellent education for its students, and remaining an excellent source of economic growth for the Buffalo community.

I am excited to see how this university will

look in 10 and even 20 years. The plans they have laid out so far have been nothing but awesome. My only wish is that I would have been an undergraduate student when these plans are in their final stages instead of their beginning ones.

With a project so well planned, wouldn’t it be great to have someone assist me in laying out my life in such a detailed manner? We can call it “Kathryn2020”, where a board of advisors will help me devise a comprehensive plan for my future. I will host yearly updates of my progress and alert the community of any new developments or obstacles.

It would be a great success… if it were actually possible. Although I might realistically be on my own for this one, I’m not so much afraid of not achieving greatness as I am unsure of what kind of greatness I will achieve. President Simpson’s been a great leader here at UB and it’s a shame to see him go. But with change comes new opportunities and that is something I can crossover into my own life. We’ll miss you JBS!

Beyond the Multitude:

a conversation between curators about art, social practice, and the logistics of organizing exhibitions. ecology, inevitably turning what was a more or less functioning ecosystem into a part of a city’s sewer system. Daylighting attempts to roll back some of these negative changes, but is more or less successful depending on the extent of the process. Many times, daylighted creeks are simply converted from four-walled to three-walled culverts (see the Los Angeles River). This does little to improve the overall health of a waterway. More drastic changes are needed to truly restore some semblance of stream ecology to these heavily damaged waterways. Proper daylighting improves bank conditions, replacing concrete with soil and plant materials, thereby improving habitat. Exposure to light helps a creek regain some of its natural microorganic systems through UV radiation and natural temperature cycling. And if a creek is truly daylighted, its streambed is returned to some natural sediment material (sand or silt, instead of cement), recovering many of its natural processes.

LF: Can you talk about some of the practical issues you faced as a curator, in organizing this show? Particularly in combining historic documentation, performance, and more traditional art forms? Also, comment on the work involved in resolving practical issues like finding funding, securing a location, and creating a connection with sponsoring organizations.

JD: My purpose in curating and organizing this show was to create some sort of dialogue around Scajaquada Creek, engaging past, present, and future. This is a show, a community, and a subject matter that is deeply involved in its own history, even unable to escape from it. The creek is paralyzed by toxic sediments deposited by past industry -- the same industries that have left poisonous hulking buildings throughout the Black Rock community. At the same time, the energetic work of neighborhood organizations, non-profits, and community members

indicates a promising future.

I was looking for a diverse array of voices, and that is nowhere better represented than in the diverse array of media found in the show. Work included varies from traditional landscape painting to experimental performance and video work. This did present a bit of a challenge in terms of placing work in the two galleries, but I think that the amount of work and diversity of work balances out quite well.

I owe a tremendous amount to Mark Kubniec from the Grant-Amherst Business Association both for helping create connections between this show and community organizations and for securing 464 and Blink Galleries. Mark is a committed advocate both for the community in which he lives and works and for the creek that runs through his backyard.

LF: Can you describe one or two of the works in the exhibition and tell us about the artists?

JD: Shasti O’Leary Soudant’s piece, Water Flowing Underground, located in 464 Gallery, is quite striking. It’s a 90-inch-wide print of photographs of manhole covers, shot above Scajaquada Drain on the East Side. These manholes represent the only point of interaction one can have with the creek during its 3.5 mile internment, and I like to think of the print as a sort of “map” of the drain as experienced from above. Her photographs also nicely ties together the two sets of paintings that frame it on that wall.

Paul Lloyd Sargent contributed his video piece, Dear Scajaquada Creek, via mail. He is an artist based in Brooklyn who recently did a residency and curated a show in the UB Art Gallery entitled “Precious Cargo.” The piece is an apology to the creek for his lack of involvement during his visit to Buffalo, but doesn’t stray too far from much of his other work, which deals with issues of water, environment, trash, and engagement in both

New York City and along the St. Lawrence Seaway.

LF: What, ideally, do you hope to accomplish with this exhibition? Simply an increase in awareness, or perhaps fostering some activism around this issue?

JD: I hope this this exhibition is just the beginning, for the artists involved, the community organizations, and for anyone who comes by the gallery. The show is intended to kick off a week of events on and around Scajaquada Creek, including a tour, a cleanup, and a paddle. I’m interested in bringing together artists and activists and community members to create an atmosphere for conversation and education. believe that the arts have a large role to play in engaging audiences in complex issues. I’d like for this show to share even a small amount of the enthusiasm that all of the folks involved have about Scajaquada. Ideally, I would love for this to become an annual event -- the Scajaquada Creek Festival, or Creek Week.

GENERATION September 21, 2010