The Independent Collegian, 91st year, Issue 29 by The Independent Collegian

Arts & Life, B4

Sports, B1

Reviewing the many e-readers

Men’s basketball drops MAC opener; women’s team 2-0 in MAC

Independent Collegian IC The

Monday, January 10, 2011

Serving the University of Toledo since 1919

Beginning a new chapter:

www.IndependentCollegian.com 91st year Issue 29

The first semester as a restructured university By Randiah Green News Editor

Seniors graduating in May will be the last class of University of Toledo students to graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences. The beginning of the spring 2011 semester marks the beginning of the transition period for UT’s restructuring plan, which is now in full effect. The CAS split into three area-specific colleges under the restructuring plan. “Seniors graduating will be graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences because that’s where they matriculated from four or five years ago,” said Bill McMillen, Interim Main Campus Provost, Vice President for Governmental Relations and Chief of Staff in the Office of the President. “We tried to create as much continuity as possible.” Recruiters will no longer recruit new students for the College of Arts and Sciences but will begin advertising for the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the College of Language, Literature and Social Science. Student Government President Matt Rubin said he does not think students graduating from colleges different than what they initially expected will have much effect on their chance for employment after graduation. “You’re still going to graduate with a — Restructured, Page A9 Graphic by Nick Kneer / IC

Ohio to change districts

Glass City reflections Ben Konop shares his experiences in politics

UT teams with cab company By Casey Cheap For the IC

The University of Toledo is offering students a way to avoid driving while drunk with a new partnership which gives students 24/7 taxi cab access. The partnership with Black & White Transportation provides students with a pre-paid debit card that can be used for cab fares. “We approached the university about three

By Jaimee Hilton IC Staff Writer

Due to the slow growth in the state’s population, Ohio will lose two seats in the United States House of Representatives come time for the 2012 general election. The number of representatives from each state in Congress is based on the relative number of people in each state. The 2010 United States Census determined that there are 308 million people in the U,S., an almost 16 million person increase since the 2000 census. A formula determines the number of seats in the House. That formula, along with the number of people in a state, decide the number of representatives for each state. “There are 435 seats and it’s getting bigger. As a result we have to adjust to ratio because some states are growing more and some are growing less,” said David Davis, a professor — District, Page A9

years ago, and it slowly progressed from there,” said Scott Potter, owner of Black & White Transportation. “Unfortunately, the software was not compatible with the students’ I.D.’s.” Black & White Transportation has also developed a smartphone application that estimates students’ blood-alcohol content based on the number of drinks they have — Taxi, Page A2

Kevin Sohnly / IC

Former Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop sits in the lobby of the University of Toledo’s Law College and shares his experiences with and perspective on local politics. By Hasan Dudar Editor-in-Chief

Ben Konop’s advice on Toledo politics goes something this: Welcome to local government, don’t forget to bring your bat. That is part of a metaphor for what the former Lucas

County Commissioner describes as the “alleyway” that is Toledo politics. “Sometimes I describe it as going to work every day with a baseball bat and going out to the alley and just seeing who gets out of there walking by the end of the day. It’s pretty rough. It’s rough —

rougher than I had anticipated, actually,” he said. Elected in 2006 by an overwhelming majority, the 34-year-old Democrat soon found himself in the minority — even on a board of allDemocratic commissioners. — Konop, Page A3

Photo courtesy of Judith and Scott Potter

Pictured above is the debit card that Black & White Transportation has begun to issue to UT students.

Do you plan on living in Toledo after you graduate? Why or Why not?

“

Probably not. I’m not too faYes. There is miliar with Probably not a lot of Toledo, but — there crime, and I I’ve heard aren’t a lot of want to be a some bad engineering homicide things and I’m jobs here. detecitve. fond of my Kasahnique Guest Rachael Rovniak hometown. George Herbert

Fresh., Criminal Justice

”

Fresh., pharmacy

”

Fresh., mech. eng.

”

“

Right now it’s a no, but I’m new to the area so it may change.

I don’t know yet. It depends on if I can find a good job here.

Monte Scott

Fresh., business admin.

”

Ariel Trawick Fresh., undec

”

Read our staff editorial on page A6 of the Forum, and tell us what you think by commenting online at www.IndependentCollegian.com.

The

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UT receives NFL grant for bacteria research

Campus Briefly Want to be included in the next campus briefly? Send events for consideration to News@IndependentCollegian .com.

By Jennifer Ison IC Staff Writer

There will be a brown bag seminar tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. at the Mulford Garden Café. Debra Gmerek, associate dean for clinical research and director of the Jacobson Center for Clinical & Translational Research, will be presenting on "Comparison and Contrast of Academic & Industry Cultures.” For more information, contact Rebecca Diaz at 419-383-6133.

The University of Toledo’s environmental science department has big plans for research involving turf grass, which can be a breeding ground for many different types of harmful bacteria. Last month, the NFL Charities awarded the University of Toledo a $100,000 grant to further an investigation of turf-dwelling harmful bacteria. William Von Sigler, associate professor of environmental microbiology, heads this study with plans to identify and eliminate any threats that may live within the artificial turf grass systems. The NFL Charities chose UT along with 16 other organizations to receive grants in order to further research projects that were already under way. UT was the only institution chosen studying infectious bacteria, while most others were studying concussions and their prevention. “I’m kind of proud to be the only institution awarded who is studying

Office of Student Involvement

There will be a student activities fair in the Student Union Building’s South Lounge and Ingman Room. Student organization representatives will be available and answer any questions you may have. For more information, email Nadea at Nadea.Khorbotly@rockets.utoledo.edu or call the Office of Student Involvement at 419-530-4944.

of drinks they have consumed during a certain period of time. If the application estimates a student’s blood alcohol content to be over the legal limit, a link will appear that can call a cab for the student. Black & White Transportation also developed the Home Safe Program, which will send a driver to take the student and their car home for an additional price. UT won’t bear the monetary cost of the cards. “The cost of the cards did not fall on the university. The Toledo Blade paid to print them,” Potter said. “The cost of software to run this is on us, but we are also expanding our consumer base.” In addition to providing cab service when students have had too much to drink, Potter also suggested the new card could open up isolated areas of Toledo to students. “The card can be used for the airport, the mall, going to Levis Commons in Perrysburg, or whatever,” Potter said. Although keeping buzzed or drunk drivers off the road is one of the goals, accessibility is another ac-

cording to Potter. “We are the only cab company in the area that has developed the software to text for a cab,” he said. “We’re trying to remove all the impediments for people not to take a cab,” Potter said. “A lot more young people are taking cabs.” Students can put however much they want on the debit card, but the money can only be used for Black & White Transportation services. The company sends an automatic email when a student’s account drops below 20 dollars. “It is going to take time, but as it takes off, you will see more cabs sitting outside of where business occurs,” Potter said. Vice President for External Affairs and Interim Vice President for Equity and Diversity Larry Burns said UT had been considering the partnership for a while. “We originally wanted it linked to the Rocket Card, but [Black &White Transportation’s] cars are not equipped to handle the Rocket Card.” Burns said he wanted to see cabs become part of everyday life at UT and be used for more than avoiding drunk driving. “We are a metropolitan

this

space for

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bacteria. It’s a feather in our caps,” Sigler said. Although synthetic turf grass can be found on both indoor and outdoor football fields, his research involves only indoor fields. The existence of bacteria on turf is a major problem because indoor conditions allow infectious bacteria to multiply infinitely. For example, because sunlight kills bacteria, limited exposure to sunlight can lead to more bacteria on indoor fields. Sigler has two main goals for this research: First, he plans to search for methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, which he refers to as the super bug. MRSA, the most common cause of staph infections, is notorious for spreading throughout football teams who use indoor facilities. Next, Sigler will do a comprehensive study of the turf to identify all of the different bacteria present. The research

university. This would make it easier for students to go downtown and see the Mud Hens,” Burns said. “Parking is a bit of an issue here, and not everyone has a car on campus.” Burns said just having the card could save students time and avoid a hassle later on. “Let’s say you’re at a party with some friends,” Burns said. “You want to leave but they don’t, and you drove them. Instead of having them walking home in the cold or dark, they can pull out their card.” Burns said he encourages everyone to get the debit card. The cards have been around for about seven weeks and are not limited to UT students, faculty and staff but are also open to the general public as well. According to Burns, there are about a dozen students using the cards, most of which were purchased by the students’ parents. “It will take about a year for this to be fully implemented,” Burns said. There is no additional cost for extra passengers. “Four people can ride for the cost of one,” Burns said. — The cards can be purchased in room 1060 of Rocket Hall.

Don’t just Read the IC

Get Involved

We’re looking for an editorial cartoonist, a Web editor, and writers for all sections. Visit our office, call us at 419-5342438 or e-mail us at Forum@IndependentCollegian.com for more information.

/I C

Professor receives 100K grant

Brown Bag Seminar

Taxi From Page A1

Monday, January 10, 2011

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Photo Illus

will involve systematic swabbing of the artificial blades of grass and the rubber cushioning which absorb bacteria. Each bacterium found will be studied extensively to identify whether it is harmful to players, how long it can survive in the conditions and how rapidly the bacteria can multiply. All of these factors can determine the best way to treat the issue. He hopes to find hot spots that exist on the field, such as between hash marks and near the end zone. Bacteria could be more prevalent in those areas, according to

Sig l e r, b e cause those are areas in which most action takes place on the field and where the most bacteria could exist. After obtaining knowledge on bacteria patterns, new cleaning methods can be developed for the future, preventing the spread of the infectious bacteria that have been a problem in the football community. Sigler has enlisted the help of his friend and colleague Ron Turko of the department of agronomy and environmental sciences at Purdue University. “We will be doing 75 percent of the work at UT and the rest will be done at Purdue,” Sigler said. Other universities have

committed to helping Sigler in his research such as Bowling Green State University and the University of Nebraska along with Purdue. They have volunteered their indoor practice facilities to test if the results will be similar at different locations. Sigler is still waiting on confirmation from other universities and some NFL teams such as the Indianapolis Colts and the Detroit Lions. Sigler believes that this research stood out to the NFL Charities because it is a timely issue. Teams are struggling with controlling these bacteria, and it is imperative that players are as healthy as possible. Sigler and Turko are experts in this type of research and they have a solid track record together. “We can get things done and do the job,” Sigler said.

Photo courtesy of Scott Potter

Owners of Black and White Transportation Judith (left) and Scott Potter (right) are pictured above. They began a debit-card partnership with the university to encourage travelling the city and provide students with a safe transportation option when drinking or buzzed.

The

“ ”

The problem is we’re so far behind other communities in the country, we need to make up ground. Not only do we have to be defensive and not lose things, but we have to actually be on the offensive.

Kevin Sohnly / IC

Konop believes local politicians lack a sense of urgency that keeps them from enacting policies that will solve the area’s problems.

Konop From Page A1 Konop said he tried to introduce transformative change to the region through consensus building in his first year as commissioner, and he didn’t cast a single “no” vote against his fellow commissioners, Pete Gerken and Tina Skeldon Wozniak. He learned quickly that particular approach wouldn’t bring about the region-wide change he was looking for. The shift in strategy and his growing political independence meant he would stand alone on many issues at the county level, and he soon found himself outvoted 2-1 on a majority of proposals brought forward at county hearings. The self-described progressive ascribes the resistance of his former colleagues to a lack of political will power that pervades local leadership circles — an attitude he hadn’t expected. “In order to really change things around here — whether it be the economy, whether it be ways to keep young people here, whether it be any important function of government — you have to be willing to change something,” Konop said. “And I think the mentality of a lot of politicians is this ‘go-alongto-get-along’ mentality.” However, Skeldon Wozniak said she believes there has been substantial change made in the region, citing the Huntington Center in downtown Toledo and downsizing the county by $20 million as examples where the county made progress. Commissioner Gerken was unavailable for comment. A Toledo-area native, Konop was familiar with local politics but was surprised by how quickly many of his ideas were dismissed. His biggest bruise: an $80 million college scholarship program that was shot down without debate. After months of researching similar programs in other cities such as Kalamazoo, Mich., and after providing the other commissioners with

Independent Collegian

Monday, January 10, 2011

empirical evidence, Konop and his staff expected a different response — not necessarily a welcome embrace, but at least some deliberation. “It was like turf battles. It was putting politics over progress basically,” Konop said. “And the short-term, they may have won politically, but the long-term, they’re not going to win politically and the community suffers.”

Inward-looking politics

For someone who has lived, worked and studied in places such as Oxford, England, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Ga., the city of Toledo is lacking a political frame of reference based on other communities — something that keeps it from catching up to other cities in terms of economic development. According to Konop, the majority of politicians involved in local politics have not lived outside the Toledo area, and that trend perpetuates an inward-looking mindset. Konop said, unlike his former colleagues, his experiences in other cities exposed him to new ideas on governance and many of his proposals were based on his knowledge of other urban communities. “Part of it is that I have a different perspective from that, and not many of these people in office have that perspective,” he said. “They’re waiting for things to come in their laps, and they don’t have the background of living elsewhere also.” For Konop, four years of working at One Government Center, a high-rise office building in downtown Toledo that houses many municipal departments, made it apparent to him that Toledo’s problems stem from a systematic lack of urgency among local politicians. And that complacence, according to Konop, does nothing to steer the city away from the edge of economic devastation. “The problem is we’re so far behind other communities in the country, we need

Ben Konop Former Commissioner, Lucas Country

to make up ground. Not only do we have to be defensive and not lose things, but we have to actually be on the offensive. And there’s just so little of that going on, and it’s just so shocking to me.”

Trapped in the 20th century

In Konop’s opinion, Toledo is stuck in the 1950s. Not the Pleasantville, Elvis and 15-cent hamburger 1950s, but more of the factory-town, one-industry economy 1950s. Konop said the idea that Toledo’s economic vibrancy rests in attracting one or two factories that bring upwards of 10,000 manufacturing jobs is incongruous to the realities of the global economy. “The idea that you can just walk out of high school now and have a solid middle class existence is not accurate — it’s just not realistic anymore,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve evolved in terms of leadership in the community — I don’t think we’ve evolved out of that mindset.” Konop is quick to assure he is a firm believer in manufacturing, but he thinks it’s time Toledo shifts its focus to developing a knowledge-based economy. According to 2007 U.S. Census reports, Toledo’s manufacturing-to-education ratio in terms of business done is 339 to 1, whereas Columbus, Ohio and Ann Arbor, Mich., record 137-to-1 and 123-to-1 ratios, respectively, in the same category. Though he thinks a strong manufacturing sector is part of the solution to Toledo’s economic woes, Konop said closing the gap on educational attainment in the area is where he would start — and where he has tried to start. “You want to make sure people have avenues to pursue education, where it’s affordable and encouraged,” he said. “But I don’t think anyone in government is going to come up with some amazing project that’s going to employ 20,000 people and raise the standard of living for all Toledoans.” Creating a lively, attractive

environment where young, college-educated people would want to live is the key to reenergizing the city, according to Konop. And once those smart, young adults settle down in the area, the former commissioner says, they will be equipped enough to figure out the workings of the economy themselves. “I would say put money into making this a place where people want to live and making education affordable and encouraging education,” Konop said. “And then it’s going to be up to the citizens to figure out how to improve the community.”

Sacred solar

Konop identifies himself as a stalwart progressive Democrat, but he’ll be the first to tell you that he doesn’t think government picking winners and losers in the business sector is the best way to move the local economy forward. He said the best local government can do is to “tweak” their policies in ways that encourage certain types of behaviors — such as pursuing a college education — but he doesn’t think large investments in one industry is how the government should concentrate its resources. Konop cited Northwest Ohio’s burgeoning solar industry as an example of where government is beginning to play a bigger, riskier role in the economy. The region’s relationship with solar makes him nervous: “I would love to see solar work and see Toledo become the Silicon Valley of solar energy, but the problem also is there are 50 other cities doing exactly what Toledo is doing, and a lot of the cities have much more research and development and people working in the field.” Many solar-related companies, such as Xunlight Corp. and First Solar Inc., in the Toledo area got their start as university-incubated businesses, but just this past summer, the state government began playing a larger role in the region’s alternative energy sector.

Back in July, former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland visited the University of Toledo’s Scott Park campus and announced Northwest Ohio as the state’s official ‘solar hub.’ The designation meant that UT, Bowling Green State University, and several other higher education institutions in the region would form research-oriented partnerships centered on the solar industry. Konop fears that even if government and other parties put all their resources in the solar industry, the region may still lose. In his opinion, any substantive change to the region will come from a Bill Gates-type entrepreneur. “I get nervous when someone from government, which I just served in for the last four years, is going to be picking winners and losers in a very technical, scientific field with thousands of variables involved,” he said. “I’d put my efforts into starting at the lower levels of the food chain and letting really smart people who get a PhD in [say] electrical engineering figure out what’s going to work and what’s not, and not someone in Government Center, who maybe took geometry.”

The last great hope

The city’s future, in Konop’s opinion, rests in the hands of UT and its students. “That’s the only way things will ever change here…is if students at the University of Toledo will probably form the nucleus of any potential transformative change in this community,” he said. And if the students don’t come together to serve as a launching pad for development? In that case, Konop said he thinks positive change won’t take root in Toledo. “One thing I can guarantee is that the current powers that be, this ‘good-ole-boys’ network, is not going to embrace substantive change. It’s only going to come from people outside that network,” he said. “And I think, obviously, the University of Toledo students would be probably the chief driving force of any form of transformative change. And I hope they take that challenge.” Although his $80 million college scholarship program was not enacted, Konop still has hope that such ideas will take hold across the community. “I think on a lot of these issues, while they did not exactly come to fruition, I’ve moved things forward to the point where someone from your generation or a current student at the University of Toledo could take where I left it and then see some of the things actually become policy and enacted.” Konop would like to see a reversal of the area’s ‘brain drain,’ the negative net migration of college graduates to places other than Toledo, but he still encourages young adults and college students to experience other cities and regions. “I think people should live elsewhere. Then after you’ve experienced different places maybe you can come back to a place like Toledo and say,

‘OK, maybe there are other ways [to manage the city] and we don’t have to continue to go down this path we’re on.’”

Back to the District

Konop could have run as an incumbent for Lucas County Commissioner in last year’s midterm election, but he decided to take some time away from Toledo politics. Instead, he says half-jokingly: “I’m taking my talents to Washington, DC — but not in a LeBron [James] analogy though.” He will be in Washington by mid-February, where he will settle and work on Toledo’s behalf, but he wouldn’t disclose any specifics about his position in the capital. “Long-term, that’s probably the best psychologically for me, physically for me,” he said. “But also, I think if I ever wanted to get back into Lucas County politics, in any way, I think it’s healthy for me to step away for a bit, let things go a certain direction and get back in.” But this won’t be Konop’s first time in the nation’s capital. He lived in Washington for several years before he moved back to Ada, Ohio to run for the Fourth District House of Representatives seat against long-standing incumbent Republican Mike Oxley in the 2004 election. On the counsel of Ohio Ninth District Representative Marcy Kaptur (D), Konop, 28 years old at the time, quit his job as an attorney at Fulbright and Jaworski — one of the country’s largest law firms — to begin his campaign for the Fourth District. After being outspent 10-to1 and losing what he called a ‘no-win campaign,’ Konop began teaching classes at Ohio Northern University and UT’s law schools. Then in 2006, while still in campaign mode, he ran for an open seat for Lucas County Commissioner against Toledo City Councilman George Sarantou, winning by a large margin and joining fellow Democrats Pete Gerken and Tina Skeldon Wozniak. Three years later, and dayafter-day of losing faith in county politicians, Konop decided to run for a position with a little more leverage: mayor of Toledo. Despite placing fifth out of six mayoral candidates, Konop said he enjoyed his campaign because it gave him the opportunity to go all across the city and bring up neglected issues such as systematic poverty and paid sick days. He now hopes his move to Washington will help shed light on what people in Rust Belt communities like Toledo have endured economically. “I think there’s a real disconnect between some of the policy that gets made in Washington and what it’s actually like in places like Toledo that need help from places like Washington,” he said. Images of “alleyway” politics aside, Konop said he was honored to serve the region and hopes his four years in office made some traction for urgent issues in the struggling region.

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Monday, January 10, 2011

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Monday, January 10, 2011

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BARTENDERS WANTED! Make up to $300/day. No experience necessary. Training available. 800-965-6520 ext. 224

& Beverage team. Full or Part Time Positions available. Requirements include basic knowledge of the food and beverage service. Need to work well in a team environment. Candidate must demonstrate an outgoing, guest-oriented, and friendly demeanor. Apply in person at Stone Oak Country Club 100 Stone Oak Blvd. Holland, OH.

For Rent 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, & 7 Bedroom Homes, 2&3 Baths, all appliances including washer & dryer, security systems, free lawn care, plenty of parking, less than 1/2 mile from campus, some within walking distance. Call Rick at 419-283-8507! www.universityproperties.net

On Campus Job Opportunity Phonathon Program hiring Student Callers! Help us raise over $350,000 for UT student scholarships and funds by contacting UT alumni. $8.00 an hour to start, with additional incentives! Work hours from 5:45pm to 9:00pm. Students are required to work at least two nights per week and at least one Sunday per month. May work up to five nights a week. Fill out an application at the Driscoll Alumni Center , Room 2024, located at the corner of Bancroft and University Hills Blvd. The deadline to apply is January 13th, by 5pm. Questions? Call the Phonathon Program at 419.530.4402. A.V. assistance needed in assistant living facility 2-4 hours a week $10.00 per hour Call for details: 419-699-0415 Special Education, Social Work and Psychology Majors: ·PT positions $8.25hr ·18+, high school diploma or GED, valid drivers license, auto insurance, clean driving record & criminal background check ·Afternoon/Evening and weekend availability required ·Working in residential setting with adults with Developmental Disabilities ·Assistance with participation in community outings, meal preparation, medical appointments, home maintenance, etc. ·Interested applicants please contact Jenny Huesman at 419255-6060, ext. 106 HOLIDAY HELP $14.25 base-appt.,flexible hours, work PT around classes and FT over break, may work locally or at home, customer sales/service, positions filling fast so call 419-740-7299 ASAP! CHURCH ORGANIST NEEDED Apostolic/Pentecostal church is seeking an organist to play for Sunday morning services. Interested candidates please call 419.376.2331

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Hasan Dudar Editor in Chief Jason Mack Managing Editor

Ethan Keating Forum Editor

- in our opinion -

New outlook for Toledo A new decade opens upon Toledo, promising both challenges and opportunities for the great city. The current economic slump has many causes, both distant and local, but undeniably centers on the loss of most of the city’s primary industrial employers and its failure to fill the gap. In order to effectively stimulate Toledo’s recovery, city leaders need to set new goals and change policies where necessary, replacing our reputation as a has-been manufacturing hub with a new image of innovation and growth led by talented young professionals. Toledo can no longer look toward industrial development as a panacea for unemployment and budget shortfalls. A new auto factory or solar manufacturing plant, no matter how many jobs it creates, will not reverse the city’s long, downward economic slide or make the region more attractive for talented young people and new ideas. Recent years have seen a reversal of the old economic status quo, but there has not been a corresponding change in city attitudes and goals — the focus is still heavily placed on lobbying for new automobile and solar factories. While the city’s economic re-growth obviously requires new jobs to be created, more of the same will not provide a long-term solution. Unions and other special interests have long held sway in the Toledo area, advocating for economic growth in their sector but not necessarily for the best, most sustainable long-term economic goals. Manufacturing used to thrive in this region and drive the city’s economy, justifying the

tendency of the city to give priority to union and other interests over the public education system and the professional environment. The reputation of UT and its home city is that of a stopping point between one’s training and one’s future career; students come from around Ohio and out of state to receive a UT degree, then pack up to make a career and life elsewhere. The city must make efforts to foster talent and scholarship and become more attractive to talented professionals and young entrepreneurs who can bring the new ideas, products and markets that the region desperately needs. It is hard to imagine a thriving city in which the prominent university’s graduates spend years looking outward for employment instead of seeking ways to make a living in and improve the condition of the city in which they study. The University of Toledo has highly-respected engineering and pharmacy programs that turn out dozens of talented professionals every year, but there is little opportunity for these graduates to find work locally. This contributes to the persistent atmosphere of “brain drain,” where most UT students now take it for granted that they will have to leave Toledo to find a good job opportunity after graduation. If the city could attract the jobs that students here prepare for and present a desirable long-term residence, it could become not only a place in which to live and study for a few years, but a place in which to build a home and a career.

New taxi debit cards encourage responsible drinking and open the city to students gravating situation. Today’s youth tend to view taxis as an outdated concept on par with landline telephones, the postal service and coffee. Black & White has considered these popular beliefs in its marketing strategy, making it more attractive for students to use a taxi. Black & White has even accounted for young people’s communication preferences, becoming the only taxi service in Toledo you can order with a text message. Even if you’re too drunk to speak, you can find a safe ride home. With a safe and simple way to get home from a bar or party, students will be less likely to drive drunk or accept a ride from someone else who is drunk. More importantly, having access to other areas of Toledo will give students more ways to have fun, more incentive to invest in the city and its future and more reason to participate in the campus community, instead of just attending class then going home every weekend.

The new partnership between the University of Toledo and Black & White Transportation seeks to address two major issues facing students: responsible drinking and being stuck on campus “with nothing to do.” Though many UT students do have access to their own vehicle, many either do not have a car or they do not keep it on-campus. This lack of mobility not only inspires boredom but can also lead to poor decisions involving drunk driving. The new system will give students an easy alternative to driving drunk as well as access to the many entertainment and shopping centers that are not in the immediate campus vicinity. Many students are familiar with the difficult situations that can arise during a night out. Say you ride to a party with a couple friends, but after a couple hours you want to leave. Your friend who drove wants to stay, and everyone else with a car is already too drunk. A taxi provides the perfect solution to an otherwise ag-

- in Your opinion -

Words inspire action There may be no easy answer to the unresolved questions surrounding Saturday’s tragic shooting. For now, we hold more questions than answers. The tragedy that left at least six dead and Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords critically wounded will likely remain the subject of intense speculation for the coming weeks. We don’t know whether or not the suspected shooter’s motives were political. From the initial reports given by officials and the press, it appears that the 22-year-old gunman was mentally unstable and acted without a directly political goal. But with very little effort, we can imagine a scenario in which an unbalanced, paranoid individual engages in this type of violence after taking too literally the hateful rhetoric and violent symbolism permeating our modern political discourse. There is reason to believe this is not the case, and we all hope it is not. But regardless of the motives of the shooter, this tragic event should serve as a signal for everyone to tone down the rhetoric and imagery used in how we argue our beliefs. Words clearly matter. They can inspire hope, fear and everything in between. In a political climate made increasingly hostile by a particularly contentious two years in national politics, the power of words to do harm is magnified. Over the past two years, we’ve seen congressional representatives call on constituents to be “armed and ready” in their opposition to cap-and-trade legislation. We saw a top aide to a Florida congressman claim that “If ballots don’t work, bullets will” at a Tea Party rally before the election. The mid-term elections also introduced the term “Second Amendment remedies” from a Senatorial candidate. One nationally influential political figure’s PAC website featured a map with crosshairs over the congressional districts of representatives that voted for the health care overhaul legislation. The map urged supporters to “Take a stand.”

The health care debate came with its own set of extreme imagery and rhetoric. After congresswoman Giffords voted in favor of the health care legislation last March, her office was vandalized. In an interview the next day, she said “The rhetoric is incredibly heated… things have really gotten spun up.” The rise of violent rhetoric and imagery has been even more evident in the media. Pima County Sherriff Clarence Dupnik referenced,

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We can have an atmosphere of open debate, willing cooperation and constructive compromise, or we can have an atmosphere of hate. We cannot have both, and we should not tolerate the latter.

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“Vitriolic rhetoric that we hear day in and day out from people in the radio business and some people in the TV business” in a news conference when answering questions about the shooting. “When you look at unbalanced people, how they respond to the vitriol that comes out of certain mouths about tearing down the government. The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous,” said the sheriff. To be clear, the shooter alone is responsible for what happened Saturday. The act of senseless violence was absolutely inexcusable and unjustifiable. Simultaneously, the violent rhetoric should never have gotten so out of hand and should come to an end. Obviously, neither those on the right or left that invoke this type of rhetoric or imagery do so with the intent of inciting violence or the belief that it could lead to violence. But again, words have consequences. When we allow our rhetoric to turn

political opponents into enemies, we begin to see everyone who disagrees with us as a target of fear and violence. If the role of politics is to serve as an arena in which the public can work together to resolve differences and solve the problems we collectively face, there can be no room for violence-invoking political speech. We can have an atmosphere of open debate, willing cooperation and constructive compromise, or we can have an atmosphere of hate. We cannot have both, and we should not tolerate the latter. Diversity of opinion has always been an unyielding source of strength. When opinions are surrounded with violent imagery, this source of strength becomes an incapacitating liability. It weakens our political process by silencing meaningful discourse. The power of great ideas is what has moved us forward historically, not the power of fear. It has been said that Saturday’s shooting was an assault on our democracy. Gabrielle Giffords was meeting with constituents at a town halllike event open to the public at the time of the attack. At a time in which people are anxious about the direction of the country and have no shortage of questions, she was there to answer them. She was there to make herself accountable and to listen to what her constituents had to say. If we allow ourselves to devolve into a country in which deliberate political violence is a reality, then that freedom disappears. The language of violence is the language of devolution. Saturday’s shooting could definitely be seen as an assault on our democracy, but our democratic system is strong despite its flaws. As congresswoman Giffords said in the interview last March, “We affect change at the ballot box, not because of these outbursts of violence.” Jason Copsey is an IC — columnist and a junior majoring in public relations and political science.

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Independent Collegian

Monday, January 10, 2011

Huck Finn, sans context Over-protectiveness breeds ignorance and inability; children must learn to think for themselves This past Friday morning I got online for a quick Facebook check-in when I came across an interesting headline from the Kingston Whig-Standard — never heard of it before — about NewSouth Books’ decision to offer a new, censored verAnthony sion of Russo Mark Twain’s book, “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. “Hmm,” I thought, “Another controversy-invoking headline. Better bite on it.” Personally, I have already read the original book and don’t really have plans to revisit it, but I took away a slightly different message than other people who may have read the article. Suzanne La Rosa offered a brief explanation of why the new edition was being offered: “Teachers were increasingly uncomfortable with teaching it because students were really uncomfortable reading the words ‘nigger’ and ‘injun,’“ said La Rosa. She went on to explain how it might create new fans of the book, and that the demand seemed to be there for such an edition. An opposing argument was made by Robert Morrison, an English professor at Queen’s University. According to the article, “Morrison says the undertones of “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” are written from Twain’s perspective of race relations at that point in American history. He says that the best way to deal with racial issues is to challenge them, not sidestep them. ‘It’s wrong not to teach it,’ said Morrison. ‘We need to confront the past, not author it to make ourselves feel better…This is clearly touching a nerve and we need to know why this word is upsetting us ... if someone’s upset, that’s not a reason to stop talking, that’s a reason to keep talking.’ La Rosa agrees that the words shouldn’t be glossed over, but she says in this case it’s the education system, not the censored

better grade because that’s editions of the books, that what they’re used to receivhas failed students. ‘We ing. The result, according to hope that this edition will the article? Grade inflation. spark debate as to why ... “When he took over as teachers are not equipped president of Harvard in July to teach this and students 2001, Lawrence Summers are not worldly enough or publicly ridiculed the value prepared enough to read of honors after discovering this,’ said La Rosa.” that 94 percent of the colAnd here you see what I lege’s seniors were graduatam writing about this week. ing with them. Safer to lowI am not particularly interer the bar than raise the disested in writing whether or not the book should be cen- comfort level. Grade inflation is the institutional resored, but rather in writing sponse to parental anxiety about how we as a society about school demands on got to the point where stuchildren, contends social dents and teachers are so historian Peter Stearns of uncomfortable dealing with “controversial” subjects that George Mason University.” In addition, I found this things need to be glossed section particularly interover or sugarcoated. esting: “Even in college — Sure, not everyone enor perhaps especially at coljoys talking about uncomlege — stufortable things dents are — the “sex” typically in talk with parents, saying You don’t have contact with parents the “L” word, to praise it, you their several times admitting you don’t have to re- a day, reportwere wrong every — but a notpeat it, but for ing flicker of exso-recent artithe sake of hu- perience. cle on PsyOne long-dischologyToday. manity, don’t call com explores pretend it was tance overheard on the phenomea recent non of babynever written. cross-caming children to pus walk: the point ‘Hi, Mom. I where it is aljust got an ice-cream cone; most comical once they reach college age. I thank a can you believe they put sprinkles on the bottom as friend of mine for linking “A Nation of Wimps” on his well as on top?’ Facebook page. ‘Kids are constantly talkThe article discusses how ing to parents,’ laments Corparents are so overbearing nell student Kramer, which and obsessed with coddling makes them perpetually their kids that more than a homesick. Of course, they’re third of them send their not telling the folks everykids to school with handthing, notes Portmann. sanitizer, and how many ‘They’re not calling their parents can’t even sit on a parents to say, ‘I really went park bench and let their wild last Friday at the frat kids play — they have to house and now I might have “play-coach” them. chlamydia. Should I go to Wow. I’m not the world’s the student health center?’ “ biggest psychology fan, but The perpetual access to a lot of this article made parents infantilizes the sense to me. The whole young, keeping them in a thing is quite lengthy, so I’ll permanent state of depenfocus on some of the highdency. Whenever the slightlights, but the article does est difficulty arises, ‘they’re explain how the problems constantly referring to experienced at the college their parents for guidance,’ level are rooted in a child’s reports Kramer. They’re younger years. not learning how to manage for themselves.” At the college level, the I can’t speak for others, article notes how parents — but when I was growing up, and students — overreact my dad would want my when they receive a lessthan-desired grade. The par- brother and I to do more chores and my mom would ents think it’ll ruin the say no because she thought child’s life, and the child we’d mess them up. Well, feels like they deserve a

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we did laundry, vacuumed and mowed the lawn. When college came, I could do things on my own. Laundry? No problem. Trouble with financial aid? I knew who to call. I wish I could say the same about some of the people I knew through my first few years. Their parents must have been the hand-sanitizer-wielding type. The article also goes on to explain how cell phones may be suppressing the need to plan ahead, which leads to less mental stimulation, and perhaps anxiety and depression. In 1996, anxiety overtook relationship problems for the number one issue at counseling centers. In addition, the article states that The University of Michigan Depression Center estimates that fifteen percent of college students are depressed — the article was from 2004. Anyhow, there is a lot of information in the piece to condense to a single editorial. However, I agree with the premise of the article. I feel that oftentimes people “over-parent” to the point where their children develop a sense of entitlement. Things aren’t always going to be easy. Come exam week, nearly every Facebook status is something regarding freaking out about or studying for exams. Maybe in some programs grades are more important than others. I get that. But guess what? Exams are supposed to be hard, as the article bluntly states. Likewise, reading the “n– word” may not be the most pleasant thing for a student. And I’m sure if I were a teacher, the ensuing conversation might not be fun either. You don’t have to praise it, you don’t have to repeat it, but for the sake of humanity, don’t pretend it was never written. It won’t kill you, and what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Try hard at school, but don’t go crazy doing it. Worst comes to worst, as Judge Smails from “Caddyshack” notes, the world needs ditch-diggers too. —Anthony Russo is an IC columnist and a senior majoring in economics.

We cannot fix the problems we ignore Editor’s note: in order to maintain the author’s intent, this column contains language some readers may find offensive. I have never been a fan of revisionist history and was disappointed to hear editors’ decision to eliminate the word “nigger” from the text of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” and I’m sure Mark Twain would agree. What is even more offensive is the editors’ choice of the word’s replacement. I entered “slave” into several online thesauruses and didn’t see “nigger” listed as a synonym on any of them, so I don’t understand the purpose of the editor’s decision or choice of words. Words have meanings that affect reality. For example, while I may be the descendant of slaves, I am no one’s “nigger,” so in my world, these words have no correlation. In Mark Twain’s text, the usage of the word “nigger” was exact and it was meant to stir up a reaction from its readers. Mark Twain’s word usage had a deliberate meaning; it was purposeful, relevant and intentionally not politically correct. It is also disrespectful for editors to assume that our youth, their instructors and their parents are not capable of making abstract distinctions between the usage of the word “nigger” in “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and the usage of the word “nigga” within pop culture, in hip hop music and in slang within the African American community. By eliminating the word from the text, we are revising history and denying our youth an opportunity to have authentic discussions about race and how it relates to American culture today. It also seems hypocritical for some to declare that we are existing in a “post-racial society” when we cannot even muster up the strength to discuss race as it relates to our past in the context of a satirical novel. We owe our youth an opportunity to explore their pasts. Whether it be in elementary school, middle school or high school, issues of race and diversity should be explored beyond predetermined monthly

celebrations set aside for cultural preservation. With many of our youth falling so far behind the rest of the world in almost every subject possible, maybe it’s time to reintroduce some unedited classics to spark discussion in hopes that young students be genuinely interested in what they’re reading. We need not leave discussions of slavery and racism for Black History Month; there is so much more to know about than the Civil Rights Movement or Madame CJ Walker. And if we have intentions of authentically understanding one another, we may want to consider delving deeper than the “I Have a Dream” speech for a few days in the month of February. For those that don’t believe race matters, let me assure you it does. The Huffington Post just published an article stating that unemployment among African Americans was hovering at around 15.8 percent — almost double the still undesirable 8 percent of unemployment amongst whites and still considerably higher than the “national average” of 9.4 percent reported by news media outlets everywhere. Even amongst African American college graduates, unemployment is just under 8 percent compared to 4.3 percent for white college graduates. This isn’t a new phenomenon; African Americans have experienced higher rates of unemployment throughout history regardless of economic conditions and avoidance of discussions of race in America helps to perpetuate these realities. As numbers of multiracial and multicultural peoples continue to grow, as the nation’s population of “brown” people continues to increase and as we progressively move into the 21st century with new hopes of achieving “post-racial relations,” we should consider discussing what got us to this point in the first place. To solve the problem, you must first acknowledge its existence — it’s that simple. —Nicole Doan is an IC columnist and a senior majoring in individualized studies.

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Call for a new depression support group at UT Anyone you meet might be depressed, and you might never know it. It could be someone smiley, talkative and friendly, with a facade of happiness that never reveals what lies beneath. Like an iceberg, there could be a mountain below that is never seen. It could be someone chubby, who eats compulsively to cope with his sorrow, or someone skinny, who throws up whatever they eat because they quantifies selfworth by what they weighs. A friend could need your help, but without asking, you might never know. If I am lucky, some of you will see my byline and remember I used to write a column devoted mainly to politics, hoping to inspire support for what I cared about and mobilize people to action. Since then, I have

taken time off from school for medical reasons, and in this column I propose that people dealing with depression, including myself, should start our own support group here at the University of Toledo. I would like to organize such a group and would welcome anyone interested. First, I should briefly explain what depression is. As everyone who has struggled with it can tell you, it is not just sadness. Everyone feels sad some of the time, but like a pendulum swinging back and forth, it eventually recedes as happiness returns. Depression does not just go away, and it can exist regardless of changing or even improving circumstances. It is believed to be caused by a malfunctioning of the brain, which inhibits normal, healthy behavior.

You might be depressed if you find you can no longer enjoy the activities you used to enjoy or are no longer interested in the things that used to interest you. There are different types of de-

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could result in persistent insomnia or excessive sleeping, and an increase or decrease in appetite. If you or someone you know is suffering or has thoughts of suicide, it is im-

Everyone feels sad some of the time, but like a pendulum swinging back and forth, it eventually recedes as happiness returns. Depression does not just go away, and it can exist regardless of changing or even improving circumstances.

pression, so symptoms can differ widely, but in addition to an unending sadness or feeling empty, they often include difficulty concentrating, fatigue, irritability and irrational feelings of guilt. It

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portant to get help. Of course, a support group would not replace therapy or medications, but it could provide a different kind of help, especially for people who have trouble being

sociable, as many depressed people do. It would provide a social circle for people who can relate to each other and be sensitive to the special problems that come with depression. Talking with peers in similar circumstances could ease feelings of loneliness and begin the long road toward recovery. If there are people interested, the group could be whatever its members want. There could be movie nights, a book club, group trips or meet-ups, in addition to regular meetings. Anything could be discussed and anyone would be welcome. Depression is too draining and exhausting to face alone, regardless of how functional a person may appear. Someone might not want to open up about it in a normal social situation for fear of meeting indifference or

incomprehension, but in a support group everyone involved could feel safe to be open and honest. I hope you will consider contacting me if you or someone you know are interested in forming such a group. I can be reached through my university email, and I will respond to anything I hear back. I am motivated to start the group because I think it would help me and I hope it will help others. An organization could provide a welcoming community of concern to help people cope with the crushing, unrelenting abyss that is depression. —Matthew Provonsha is an IC columnist from Ottawa County, Ohio.

Nation

Monday, January 10, 2011

www.IndependentCollegian.com

Arizona congresswoman wounded in Saturday shooting Federal judge among six killed in mass murder, and 13 others wounded in rampage during outside constituent meeting in Tucson, AZ By Tony Pugh and David Lightman McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

WASHINGTON — A gunman fired into a town hall meeting in a supermarket parking lot in Tucson, Ariz., Saturday, killing six people, including a federal judge, and critically wounding Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat who hosted the event. At least 18 others were injured in the shooting, including members of Giffords’ staff. Giffords, 40, was shot through the head at close range and airlifted to a local hospital, where she underwent emergency surgery. She’s listed in critical condition, but doctors are cautiously optimistic about her chances for survival. U.S. district Judge John Roll, Arizona’s chief federal judge, was among five who died at the scene. A 9-yearold girl died of her wounds later at the hospital. The suspected gunman, Jared Lee Loughner, 22, of Tucson, is in custody after several witnesses tackled him to the ground. There was no security at the town hall event. Pima County Sheriff Clarance Dupnik wouldn’t confirm that Loughner was the suspect, but he said the shooter intended to target Giffords.

“He ran into the crowd and when he got to (Giffords), he started shooting,” Dupnik said. In a statement Saturday, President Barack Obama said the shooting is “a tragedy for Arizona and a tragedy for our entire country.” The president dispatched FBI Director Robert Muller to Arizona to personally coordinate the investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies. “We are going to get to the bottom of this and we are going to get through this,” Obama said Saturday afternoon. “I know Gabby is as tough as they come and I’m hopeful that she’s going to pull through.” Giffords’ husband, Mark Kelly, a NASA Shuttle astronaut, arrived in Tucson Saturday evening aboard a NASA jet to join his wife. Dr. Peter Rhee of the University of Arizona Medical Center said Giffords was conscious and following commands. Officials originally said they were “very optimistic” about Giffords’ chances for recovery, but later Saturday night said they had “guarded optimism” about her chances for survival. She could face additional surgery if complications develop. “She’s fighting for her life,” said Obama, who called for the nation to

Brain trauma and language

One of the worries of a severe injury to the left side of the brain, such as the injury suffered by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords* (D-Ariz.), is that a person can develop aphasia Ñ loss of the ability to express or understand spoken or written language.

Types of aphasia

Left frontal lobe

Anterior (front)

BrocaÕs area

BrocaÕs aphasia Damage to left frontal lobe • Person may understand the meaning of words and know how to respond, but forces words out slowly with great effort • Right arm and leg can be paralyzed

WernickeÕs aphasia Damage to temporal lobe • Person has difficulty understanding spoken, written language; speaks fluently but in nonsense words

WernickeÕs area Temporal lobe

Global aphasia Extensive damage to language centers • Person may be unable to understand, speak or write *Bullet traveled the length of the left side of the congresswoman's brain, from back to front; extent of trauma is not yet known Source: Merck Manual, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (U.S.), AP Graphic: Lee Hulteng, Judy Treible

Courtesy of MCT

come together after the shooting. Giffords had experienced previous brushes with violence in recent months. In one incident, Dupnik said, an audience member dropped a weapon at one political event Giffords hosted. In another incident, windows were broken at her campaign headquarters. Authorities were also investigating a suspicious package found Saturday at Giffords’ Tucson office. The incident is already being cast as an outgrowth of the intemperate and polarized political climate that swept the country following the Great Recession and the 2008 presidential election. Heated confrontations at town hall meetings during the health-care debate, protesters carrying guns to political rallies, and members of Congress being spat upon outside the Capitol in Washington are just some of the acts that have characterized the political landscape recently. While the motive for the shooting is unclear, Dupnik suggested the heated political rhetoric in the media may have played a role, and said the atmosphere in Arizona has become especially toxic. “The anger, the hatred, the bigotry that goes on in this country is getting to be outrageous. And, unfortunately, Arizona, I think, has become sort of the capital. We have become the Mecca for prejudice and bigotry,” Dupnik said. Giffords was among the Democratic members of Congress singled out for defeat last spring by former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, who used rifle scope-like crosshairs to single out the 20 seats she wanted to turn Republican. Like Giffords, many were Democrats who’d supported Obama’s health-care overhaul last year but were elected from districts where Palin and Arizona Sen. John McCain had won in 2008. Palin issued condolences on her Facebook page to Giffords’ family Saturday. Paul Helmke, the president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, said it’s unacceptable that politicians are at risk for their lives when meeting in public. “We are deeply concerned about the heated political rhetoric that escalates debates and controversies, and sometimes makes it seem as if violence is an acceptable response to honest disagreements,” Helmke

Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/MCT

U.S. Army Sgt. Jay Warner salutes a candle-light memorial for the victims of the shooting in Tucson, Arizona, at the State Capitol in Phoenix on Saturday, January 8, 2011. Six people were killed and 12 injured, including Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, in gunfire at a town hall meeting outside at a strip mall in Tucson earlier in the day. said. Jonathan Cowan, president of Third Way, a moderate, centrist advocacy group, echoed similar sentiments. “We don’t yet know — and may never understand — what drove the assailant in this case to such a terrible crime. But we do know that politics has become too personal, too nasty and perhaps too dangerous.” Dupnik said that the slain judge decided to visit the event because he was a personal friend of Giffords. “Because he knows Gabby very well, he decided to come around the corner and say ‘hi.’ Unfortunately, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Dupnik said. Several years ago, Roll received death threats for ruling a civil-rights lawsuit filed by illegal immigrants could proceed. The Arizona Republic newspaper reported Saturday that Roll and his wife were under protective detail for a month after the ruling as death threats poured in from people who opposed the ruling. Oliver W. Wanger, a U.S. district judge in Fresno, Calif., noted that rulings can make judges targets of dangerously angry individuals. In the wake of the Arizona shooting, Wanger said he expects courthouse security will be “closely scrutinized.” Dupnik said the suspected shooter had previous contacts with local law enforcement in which he made threats to kill. Investigators are trying to determine if another man was involved. Calls to Loughner’s home went unanswered, but a YouTube page established by Loughner contains a series of anti-government sentiments and incoherent

ramblings. “My ambition is for informing literate dreamers about a new currency: in a few days, you know I’m conscience dreaming! Thank you!” Loughner posted on the Web page several weeks ago. Her House colleagues describe Giffords, a moderate Blue Dog Democrat, as an affable lawmaker with a knack for winning tough races in a southern Arizona swing district that borders Mexico. “I am horrified by the senseless attack on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and members of her staff. An attack on one who serves is an attack on all who serve. Acts and threats of violence against public officials have no place in our society,” said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. Giffords first won her congressional seat in 2006 with 54 percent of the vote, against Randy Graf, who proved too conservative, particularly because of his hard line on immigration, for the swing district. In November, she squeaked out a win against conservative Jesse Kelly, a favorite of the conservative tea party movement. Giffords faced some political trouble because she often sided with Democrats on bigger issues. She voted for the party’s health-care overhaul, economic stimulus plan and environmental cap-and-trade legislation. But part of Giffords’ appeal to swing voters in her district has been her tough line on immigration. She backs hiring more border patrol agents, stiffer sanctions for employers that hire illegal immigrants, and more technology to protect

Congress tightens security Washington lawmakers receive post-shooting warning emails from Capitol Hill police By Michael Doyle McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

WASHINGTON — The shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords on Saturday struck home with members of Congress, reminding them anew of their own vulnerabilities. Shortly after the shooting, Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif., said he and other House members received multiple e-mail warnings from Capitol Hill law enforcement officials. "They told us to increase our vigilance, and to have more security at our public events," Cardoza said,

adding that "we will follow the recommendations of the police." One e-mail advised lawmakers that "the U.S. Capitol Police are directly involved in this investigation" and urged members and staff to "take reasonable and prudent precautions regarding their personal security." During past security scares, as in the days following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, some House members undertook some simple precautions such as keeping the doors closed to their Capitol Hill offices. At the same time,

lawmakers are obliged by their profession to be out in public. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, for instance, made a point of declaring Saturday afternoon that she would still be holding a previously scheduled "Community New Year's Celebration" on Market Street in downtown San Francisco. As a member of congressional leadership, Pelosi already receives the protection of armed, plainclothes officers from the U.S. Capitol Police. Rank-and-file members of Congress, in contrast, do not typically receive federal protection out-

side of Capitol Hill. "It's a real problem," Cardoza said of the security conundrum. "You want to be accessible, but I also care very deeply about the security of my staff and of the people who attend these public events." Cardoza said security considerations contributed to his previous decision to relocate his congressional district offices to government buildings that already maintain a security presence. He indicated security concerns also played into his earlier decision to curtail some public town hall meetings during

the politically heated summer of 2009. Threats against lawmakers are not uncommon. Cardoza said his office has been on the receiving end of some. He added that Giffords, a friend and political ally for whom he campaigned in Arizona during 2008, had previously reported that one of her own congressional offices had been vandalized. "She's been concerned," Cardoza said. Giffords and Cardoza are both members of the socalled Blue Dog Caucus, largely composed of moderate House Democrats.

Democratic congresswoman from Arizona

Gabrielle Giffords Early life

Born June 8, 1970, Tucson, Ariz.

Education B.A., Scripps College; masters degree, Cornell University; Fulbright scholar Family Married to NASA astronaut Mark Kelly who piloted shuttles Endeavor and Discovery

Career

Before politics CEO for her familyÕs Tucson tire and automotive business 2001-05 Served a term in both the Arizona House and Senate 2006 Elected to U.S. Congress; member of Blue Dog Coalition of Democrats who push for conservative budget and tax policies; serves on Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Science and Technology committees Pro-immigration Supports tough border security with long-term path to citizenship for illegal immigrants Voted for health care bill Hours after the bill passed, her Tucson office was vandalized 2010 won election to third term in close race with tea party favorite 2011 Shot by assailant while meeting with constituents outside a Tucson supermarket © 2011 MCT Source: Giffords congressional web site, AP, Reuters, MCT Photo Service Graphic: Judy Treible, Tim Goheen

Courtesy of MCT

the border. ——— (Barbara Barrett, Erika Bolstad, James Rosen, Mike Doyle, William Douglas, Nancy A. Youssef, Margaret Talev, Lesley Clark and Beryl Adcock contributed to this report from Washington.)

Glock pistol

The person suspected of shooting U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and others in Tucson, Ariz. reportedly used a 9mm Glock pistol.

Length 7.4 in. (188 mm)

Barrel length 4.49 in. (114 mm) Weight 21.9 oz. (620 g) Chamber 9 mm Luger/Parabellum Magazine 17 rounds; options for 19, 22 rounds

Easy to operate

• Trigger is designed to be activated only by a proper pull from the operator's finger, eliminating need for other manual safety devices

Lightweight • Steel slide mounted on polymer frame with alloy inserts

Courtesy of MCT

Districts From Page A1 of political science at the University of Toledo. The result of the population change will leave Ohio with 16 seats come time for the 2012 election — a substantial decrease from its record-high 24 seats as recently as 1970. “Ohio has lost one-third of its representation,” said Steve Fought, secretary for Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. The belief is that states in

The

Independent Collegian

Monday, January 10, 2011 the Northeast and Midwest regions saw their population diminish while states in the South and West have increased causing a population shift. “That’s not exactly true,” Fought said. “The South and West have increased substantially, while Midwest and North didn’t necessarily decrease in population. It just didn’t grow as quickly.” Ohio has increased about 1.6 percent over the last decade with a national increase of about 10.7 percent. The population is relative to other

states, although it doesn’t increase at the same rate. Fought said there are several reasons for increases in population in the South and West. “The states in the South, Southwest and West have attracted more immigrants — and weather [is another big factor], because people have decided they want to live where it is warm and sunny,” he said. The increase in job opportunities is another reason for the population shift.

“There are more job opportunities because a lot of companies have moved to the Southwest,” Fought said. The so-called ‘brain drain’ is also a contributing factor to the slower growth rates in states that are losing seats. The brain drain is the tendency for highly skilled individuals and those with an education to leave one place for another. Fought said the outlook for political power is dim. “It’s hard to find a silver lining with that. It means Ohio

Going west, south Over the past century, AmericaÕs population, and subsequently its congressional districts, have shifted from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and West. New census data point to a continuation of that shift: Northern and Midwestern states lost almost a dozen seats to their Southern and Western neighbors.

Districts by year, by region Northeast South

N.H. Maine

Congressional districts in 2010 ... District gained since 2000

Vt.

District lost

Mass. Wash.

Minn.

Ore.

Wis.

Mont. Wyo.

Idaho

Midwest

Colo.

Utah

West

W.Va. Del.

Ken.

Mo.

N.C. Ark.

100 200 300 400

Tenn. Ga.

Texas

2010

N.J.

Md. Va.

Kan. Okla.

Ariz.

Ind.

Ill.

Neb. Nev.

Pa. Ohio

S.D. Calif.

R.I.

Mich.

Iowa

N.D.

Conn.

N.Y.

S.C.

Ala.

La.

2000 1990 1980

Miss.

Hawaii

Alaska

Fla.

1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920

N.H.

... and in 1900

1890

Idaho Ore.

Wyo.

Utah Nev.

S.D.

Ill.

Ind.

R.I.

State populations Decrease

Pa.

Ohio

What the 2010 Census says Percent change, 2000 to 2010

Increase 0-9.7%

N.J.

9.8-19.3%

19.429.0%

More than 29.1%

Mo. Ken.

Colo.

W.Va.

Tenn.

Ark.

Md.

Del.

R.I. Conn. Del. D.C.

Va. N.C.

Calif.

Texas

Miss.

1820 1810

Conn.

Iowa

packing as much of one party as they can in each district. Republicans seem to be in control, so they’re in good shape,” Davis said. In some districts Republicans want at least 60 percent of the population to be their party. Davis said that because the lines favor Republicans, there will be at least as many elected to the House. He said that if Democrats were in control they would be doing the same thing. There will be 16 districts in Ohio, and each district will be equal. “Each congressional district will contain approximately 720,000 people — not voters, but people. We get that number by taking the population and dividing it by 16,” Fought said. According to Fought, in the next couple weeks the Census Bureau will release a detailed census number of how many people live in Toledo, Wauseon and Bowling Green. From there the legislature will break it down to census tracks, and after the detailed population statistics are evaluated, the legislature will go about drawing districts based on that data. “The goal is to come up with 16 districts of 720,000 as closely as they can,” Fought said. “To do that there can be very little variance so sometimes people on one side of street will be in one district while on the other side of the street they can be in a different one.”

The U.S. population is 308,745,538, up 9.7 percent from a decade ago, according to the new Census. A look at the numbers:

N.Y.

Mich.

Okla.

1840 1830

Neb.

Kan.

1870 1850

Mont.

Mass.

Wis.

N.D.

1880 1860

Maine

Minn. Wash.

1910 1900

Vt.

will have less power in relation to other states. It means that states such as Texas will basically capture political power that formerly resided in the northern states. Strength [is] in numbers, and it’s true in the Congress as well,” he said. Fought compared the power in Congress to a football game. “It’d be like if you were playing a football game with nine people one side and 15 on the other. Not every vote is decided by regional factors but some votes are,” he said. “Certain policies are more geared to one region than another. In that case it’s not really so much about political parties as regional alliances. Ohio will lose power, and it [political power] will go to Florida, Texas and Arizona.” Davis said with the loss of two seats, there will be less voting. “I think what’s more interesting from a political point of view is what is going to happen to the districts,” he said. In 2011 new district lines in Ohio will be established by the Ohio General Assembly. The new congressional district lines will be drawn by the legislature and approved by the governor. Fought said it’s hard to tell how the new district lines will affect power. Davis discussed what party dynamics for each district will look like. “Both parties want to strengthen themselves in a couple of ways, one by

La.

• Nevada Grew 35%; the biggest gain

S.C.

Ala. Ga.

• Michigan Lost -0.6%; only state to shrink

1800 Source: U.S. Census Bureau Graphic: Max Rust, Chicago Tribune

Fla.

NOTE: Alaska, Hawaii not to scale

Restructured From Page A1 Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree,” Rubin said. “Those aren’t going to change. When students speak to future employers, I don’t think the name of the college that’s on the diploma is going to make a big difference for students.” But McMIllen said graduating from more area-specific colleges will be beneficial to students. “Think about a graduating senior putting together their resume and they could say ‘I graduated from the College of Visual and Performing Arts,’” he said. “Employers will be more interested in a student that graduated from an actual College of Art.” Though students will soon no longer be graduating from the CAS, College of Health Science and Human Services or Judith Herb College of Education, McMillen said students will not “see any changes.” “There will not be any bad things happening like courses dropped or majors disappearing or anything like that,” McMillen said. “There will be a lot going on within the administration with faculty governance and things like that, but the students will not see any change.” Dean of the Judith Herb College of Education, Health Science and Human Services Beverly Schmoll said in an email the college is in the process of “unifying a vision that will link education, health sciences and human services in an innovative manner.” The Judith Herb College of Education and College of Health Science and Human Services are now one unified college. “Our students will continue to take classes in the same buildings, with the same faculty and in the same course of study,” Schmoll said. “In the

Eight states gain House seats, 10 lose

Regions

States gaining or losing seats in the House of Representatives based on the 2010 Census Gain

Lose

-1

Population growth In millions (percent change)

123.2 132.2 92.2 106.0 (16.2%) (7.3%)

(21%)

1910

(15%)

Õ20

Õ30

Source: Census Bureau, AP

Õ40

-1

5.5%

-2 -1

-2

+1 +4

Population growth, 2000 to 2010 Northeast Midwest

Mass. -1

7.9%

N.J. -1

South

17.3% West

• For the first time in its history, California will not gain a seat in a post-census redistricting

151.3

(14.5%)

Õ50

179.3

(18.5%)

Õ60

203.2

(13.3%)

Õ70

226.5 248.7 (9.8%)

19.7% 281.4 308.7 (9.7%)

(13.2%)

(11.5%)

Õ80

Graphic: Judy Treible

Õ90

Õ00

Õ10

MCT 2010

U.S. map shows percent change in state population from 2000 to 2010; map shows states that gain or lose seats in House of Representatives based on Census results; population change by region; chart shows U.S. population, 1910-2010. future we hope to develop several inter-professional learning opportunities for our students to participate in.” McMillen said some of the new colleges are already discussing creating new schools that are interdisciplinary. “There is some discussion about the creation in the College of Visual and Performing Arts of a School of Creativity,” he said. “The purpose of it would be to attract areas of the university that are not in the College of Visual and Performing Arts that are creative to help come in and collaborate. A poet might collaborate with a jazz musician. Or a novelist might collaborate with a film major. A short story writer might collaborate with a theater person. I think that’s one of the big future benefits of this new college arrangement.” McMIllen said ideas such as these are still just in the discussion stage and are things that will have to be worked out during this semester. “We are still transitioning with the new deans and administration and everyone is separating into their respective college,” he said. “At the end of the semester, we will have three fully functional

colleges with all the staffing and faculty and programs that a typical college would have, and we will just go on from that point.” Rubin said he is “nothing but optimistic for the new colleges,” and Student Government plans to help inform students about the new structure at their Tuesday meeting, where they will have a guest speaker explain all aspects of the changes. “I think it’s going to give students better access to administrators in their particular fields of study and encourage collaborations in related fields,” he said. Schmoll said everyone in her college is very excited about the possibilities the new college brings. “Students, faculty and staff will benefit from this reorganization by enriching the learning environment for students and facilitating greater degrees of inter-professional activity among the faculty, students and staff,” she said. One thing McMillen said he hopes the reorganization plan will do is help give more recognition to the arts at UT. “The departments within the [CAS] were evolving, and we needed to promote and give more recognition to those areas, especially the arts,” he said.

A10

The

Independent Collegian

Monday, January 10, 2011

“

We are not a team that can play from behind. We are not built that way. I wish we were and next year we will be.

Tod Kowalczyk UT Head Basketball Coach

Section B

”

www.IndependentCollegian.com

Sports Monday, January 10, 2011

Page

Zach Davis – Editor

UT drops MAC opener to EMU By Zach Davis Sports Editor

off the bench. “I don’t think we responded The Rockets lost their first very well,” Holliday said. “We conference game of the sea- didn’t play with a chip on our son 71-48 against Eastern shoulder that we were supMichigan on Saturday at Sav- posed to. We got out-toughed. I know for a fact this next age Arena. Toledo (3-12, 0-1 Mid-Amer- week we are going to ican Conference) had their practice hard and in three-game home winning the next game you streak snapped while the Ea- can expect a great gles (4-10, 1-0 MAC) defeated performance from us. a Division I opponent for the I can guarantee you that.” first time this season. “We have 15 more “I don’t think we played with anywhere near the ener- in conference,” Grifgy we need to play with in fin said. “We are not conference play, particularly going to panic or hold in our home opener,” UT head our head now. We just coach Tod Kowalczyk said. are going to look at “Our freshmen tonight played the next game and come out fighting.” too much like freshTwo-time All-MAC men. They’ve been forward Brandon getting a lot of minBowdry led the Eautes and at this point gles with a gamein the season they high 19 points and should be more aggressive, assertive E. Michigan 71 13 rebounds. The se48 nior is 14th in the and tougher than Toledo nation in scoring that. “Give them credit, that (21.4 ppg) and 18th in reteam—they’re a lot better bounds and leads the MAC in than a 3-10 team from what I both categories. “From what my saw tonight. They’re long, athletic and have guys that can staff says, the most talented player in the make shots.” The Rockets only three league is Brandon scholarship guards – Malcolm Bowdry,” UT coach Griffin, Reese Holliday and Tod Kowalczyk said. J.T. Thomas – all returned to “He sure looked like it the lineup after being sus- tonight.” “He plays with a pended for last Monday’s matchup at Alabama for chip on his shoulder “missing curfew and violating every night,” Holliday said. “I can respect a team rule.” Griffin had a team-high 14 that.” The Rockets latest lead in points while Holliday scored 13 with 12 rebounds. Thomas, the game was 11-10, but Eastwho lost his captaincy after ern Michigan used an 11-3 run the suspension, had one point to take a 33-26 lead at the half. and one assist in 22 minutes The Eagles scored eight of the

first 10 points in the second half and EMU rolled to a 71-48 victory. “We are not a team that can play from behind,” Kowalczyk said. “We are not built that way. I wish we were and next year we will be.” “At the end of the first half they went on a little run and it carried over to the second half,” Griffin said. “We just didn’t punch back. We didn’t maintain composure and we just let them get away from us.” Griffin The Rockets shot just 36 percent (18 of 50) from the field and made just 3-of-15 attempts from behind the arc. “It’s a morale thing,” Kowalczyk said. “When you get the ball around the goal and you just don’t finish, it sucks the life out of the building and our players. We have to do a better job of finishing around the basket.” Toledo was outrebounded 45-31 by the Eagles and their bench was outscored 26-9. “Our biggest problem with rebounding is our guards,” Kowalczyk said. “It’s been an issue with us since day one getting them to get in there and get dirty, be tough and Holliday scrap up rebounds. They haven’t done it.” The Rockets will look to break a 39-game losing streak on the road when they take on Central Michigan on Wednesday, Jan. 12 in Mount Pleasant at 7 p.m.

Jason Mack / IC

Freshman forward Reese Holliday returned from a one-game suspension he served last week at Alabama and had 13 points and 12 rebounds in a loss to Eastern Michigan on Saturday.

Shafir leads Rockets to third straight win By Joe Mehling Assistant Sports Editor

Junior point guard Naama Shafir scored 23 second-half points, including six of the eight overtime points, to lead the Rockets to a 63-60 overtime win at Western Michigan Saturday night. The victory extends Toledo’s winning streak to three games and gives them a perfect 2-0 record in the MidAmerican Conference. “Naama came to life in the second half,” UT head coach Tricia Cullop said. “I thought Naama played tremendous in the second half and she put the team on her back and said ‘We’re not going to lose.’” Shafir had a team-high 27 points while sophomore Lecretia Smith joined her in double-digits with 10 points. Senior Melissa Goodall led the Rockets (10-2) with nine rebounds and added eight points. Ebony Cleary led WMU (411, 0-2 MAC) with 20 points and 13 rebounds while Taylor Manley scored 14. The Broncos were 5 of 7 from three-point range in the first half and finished with seven triples in the game. “We did not do a good job of playing smart on our scouting report,” Cullop said. “We talked about three-point shooters and boy did they shoot the lights out from three-point land in the first half. I blame us.” The Rockets led 7-6 with 10:55 to play in the first half but failed to regain the lead until the overtime period. — Shafir, Page B2

Jason Mack / IC

File photo by Jason Mack / IC

Junior point guard Naama Shafir had 27 points, including 23 in the second half, in a 63-60 overtime victory at Western Michigan on Saturday.

Stanley Cup Visits Toledo The Stanley Cup, currently posessed by the Chicago Blackhawks, was on display for fans to take photos with at Friday’s Toledo Walleye ECHL game. View the IC Facebook page for game photos.

Shafir From Page B1 Leading by nine at the break, the Broncos jumped out to a 35-23 lead after Brenna Bankston nailed her second triple of the half with 17:23 to play. The Rockets cut the lead to five after a fast break lay-up by Smith four minutes later forcing a Western Michigan timeout. Toledo continued to chip away at the deficit and trailed

The

Independent Collegian by just one following back-toback three’s by Shafir. Western Michigan led by five with 2:29 left in the game, but a three from Jessica Williams and a fast break bucket by Goodall tied the game with just over a minute remaining. Cleary knocked down two clutch free throws for the Broncos with 25 seconds remaining but Shafir tied the game with a short range jumper with just nine seconds left to send the game into overtime.

The Rockets took the lead with a Shafir triple and held off the Western Michigan attack for the remainder of the extra period. “I thought we were really gutsy, resilient and very proud,” Cullop said. “It was a good road win and there’s a lot of things that we need to go back and get better at, but you always love a win.” Toledo returns to Savage Arena on Wednesday to battle Northern Illinois (6-8, 0-2) at 7 p.m.

Monday, January 10, 2011

UT loses 177-117 at No. 19 Ohio State

Kaverman, Fisher set records in loss

Courtesy of the UT Athletic Department

Senior Amanda Kaverman took first place in the 60 and 200 meter dash on Friday. Courtesy of UT Athletics

Senior Amanda Kaverman took first in both the 60 meter dash (7.66) and 200 meter dash (24.84) - breaking the the WMU track record in the latter - and junior Ari Fisher broke the track record in the mile run (4:55.22), but the Rockets were unable to defeat Western Michigan in the annual “Ice Breaker” meet, falling 75-63. The Broncos jumped out to an early 16-4 lead after the 20# weight and shot put events, but 1-2 finishes by sophomore Katie Bollin (1808.00; 5.69m) and Yuhong Fu (36-10.25; 11.23m) in the Triple Jump and 1-3 finishes by Fisher and sophomore Emma Kertesz in the mile pulled the score to 28-24. The Broncos pulled away over the last few events and secured the 75-63 win in a very close meet. “We had some chances to win the meet today, particularly with the high jump and the 3000-meters,” said Head Coach Kevin Hadsell. “We didn’t run any of our topeight runners in the 3000-meters and that was a big swing in the points.” Kaverman, the defending MAC Champion in the 200 meter dash, broke the track record of 25.15 formerly held

by Toledo’s LaShawn Vaughns. She improved on her time from last year’s firstplace effort in this meet by .60 seconds and her time in the 60 meter dash was just .01 off her lifetime best. “Amanda has been training very hard and is incredibly strong right now,” said Hadsell. “She knows that people are gunning for her and she wants to make it very difficult for someone to beat her. Her philosophy is total ‘Toledo-style’ in that if someone is going to beat her, they are going to have to run incredibly fast and work incredibly hard.” Fisher, a three-time MAC Champion and 2010 AllAmerican, also surpassed the record of a former Rocket, trumping the 5:03.79 mark recorded by April Williams. Her time marked a personal best and was the third-fastest time in school history with the conversion (4:54.02). Also running personal-best times in the mile was Kertesz in 5:02.07 (5:00.87), freshman Megan Wright in 5:04.75 (5:03.25) and senior Audra Brown in 5:10.01 (5:08.81). All four performances earned spots on the school’s all-time Top-20 list. Senior Alexandra Afloari took first in the Triple Jump with a distance of 37-07.75

(11.47m) to cap off the Rockets’ first-place efforts. Other strong performances for the Rockets included freshman Amber Brown who finished third in the 60 meter dash (7.94), sophomore Sarah Woodrum who placed second in the 400 meter dash (58.42), Wright who took second in the 800 meter dash (2:18.66) with Fisher close behind in third (2:20.13), sophomores Lei Bornhorst (10:42.87) and Samantha Condron (10:48.51) who finished second and third in the 3000 meter run, respectively and freshman Princetta Cummings who took third in the 60 meter hurdles (9.27). “In order for us to have a great MAC Championship performance next month, we have to continue to improve in our areas of strength,” said Hadsell. “Our distance, jumps and sprints are doing really well and I think we are well ahead of where we were at this point last year.” Next weekend, the Rockets will travel back to Michigan to take on the Central Michigan Chippewas on Jan. 15 in their last dual-style meet of the indoor season. Following their trip to Mt. Pleasant, the Rockets will head to Kent, OH for the AllOhio Championships on Jan. 21.

Courtesy of the UT Athletic Department

The Rockets dropped their first match in the past month in a 177-117 loss at No. 19 Ohio State. Courtesy of UT Athletics

At their first meet in over a month, the Toledo swimming and diving team performed well but were unable to upset the No. 19-ranked Buckeyes in Columbus. Four Rockets totaled five first-place finishes, but Ohio State prevailed, 177-117. Junior Laura Lindsay paced the Rockets at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, earning firstplace finishes in both the 100 Breaststroke (1:02.74) and 200 Breaststroke (2:17.74). The wins continue Lindsay’s undefeated mark in breaststroke competitions in which she has officially competed in 2010-11, and brings her win total to 32 in her last 34 official races. Her time in the 100 also was an NCAA “B” cut, her second consecutive in as many races. A trio of Toledo swimmers also contributed first-place performances on Saturday. Senior captain Jacy Dyer, the

2010 MAC Co-Swimmer of the Year, earned first in the 1000 Free by eight seconds with a time of 10:01.83. The time was a season-best for Dyer and the fastest time by a Rocket this season. Junior Louise Smyth finished close in her wake to earn third in the event with a time of 10:12.87. Along with Dyer, freshman Christina Noens and sophomore Carly Harter also earned first-place finishes in the 200 Back (2:02.74) and the 200 IM (2:04.97), respectively. Harter also took second in both the 200 Free (1:50.23) and 100 Free (51.87), while Noens earned second in the 100 Back (58.34) and Dyer earned second in the 500 Free (4:57.75). Other strong performances included the 200 Medley Relay team of Noens, Lindsay, Harter and Amanda Thompson who finished second (1:45.03) by just one second, Thompson who placed second in the 100 Fly (57.24) and

senior Kelsey Atchison who placed third in both the 100 Breast (1:06.51) and 200 Breast (2:23.13) events. “We performed very well on the road and after three weeks of intense training,” said Head Coach Liz Hinkleman. “The girls raced very well today against a nationally-ranked program. There are a few things that we need to improve on over the next six weeks to prepare for the MAC Championships.” The loss drops Toledo, ranked 21st in the latest Collegeswimming.com/CSCAA Mid-Major Div. I Poll, to 3-3 on the season as national No. 19 Ohio State remains unblemished at 6-0. Following a week off, the Rockets will next travel to Piscataway, NJ for the third-annual Swimming World College Conference Carnival hosted by Rutgers on Jan. 2122. Along with the Scarlet Knights, Toledo will face off with Minnesota, Harvard, Rider and St. Francis (Pa.).

The

Independent Collegian

Monday, January 10, 2011

Cast from left to right: Megan Beckett as Sonia Long, Nick Kneer as Joey DeMarco, Gage Howell as Marky Layman, Nick Bellmyer as Greg Long, Katie Nelson as Ben Ramirez, Sarah Fatemi as Jaleeah Williams, Dale Balister as Ashleigh Carter and Tyler Holtzman as Munich Hodgeson in ‘West Bancroft Side Story.’ Not pictured: major Ottawa ensemble members Joe Repka and Randiah Green and major Quad ensemble member David Bousonville.

Back story From Page B4 “When [Sonia] meets Joey, she likes him as a boyfriend, but she also warns him that she’s not really looking for that much of a relationship: she wants to learn mechanical engineering and she wants to get Joey to tutor her,” Kneer said. “One of the lines of the songs is kind of funny because she’s saying that she ‘doesn’t really have time to kiss’ and Joey says ‘I can wait a date or two to get some makeout time with you,’ and that’s kind of their relationship.” Joey lives in the Ottawa West dormitory with his best friend Marky Layman. Marky, the instigator of Ottawa, is played by Gage Howell, a sophomore majoring in math education. The overly-romantic Joey and practical joker Marky are offset by the grounded character Ben Ramirez, played by

E-readers From Page B4 For those concerned with price, the best choice out of all these is the original Nook. It has the best of both worlds - a touch screen way to navigate and an e-ink screen for reading. It supports all types of PDFs, including those “rented” from libraries and created on home computers. For only $10 more than the cheapest Kindle or Kobo, customers get a greater

sophomore psychology major Katie Nelson, who keeps the two in line – whether they are joking about flirting with girls or procrastinating studying for midterm exams. “She’s also a good friend to Joey and helps give him advice,” Kneer said. Ben’s boyfriend, Ashleigh Carter, is played by Dale Balister, a junior majoring in art and theatre. “Ashleigh is very unfortunate,” Kneer said. “He gets hurt a lot, and he’s definitely a comic relief sort of character.” The Ottawa group also includes two main ensemble members played by sophomore Joe Repka and junior Randiah Green, both majoring in communication. Part of the show focuses on Sonia, who faces blocks in her path mainly because of her parents’ expectations. “She has been sort of pushed towards one life working in

selection from within the Barnes and Noble store and from classics they provide, many of which are free. While the e-reader makes reading and buying books easier, the world may soon forget the simple aesthetics of reading. Though each misses the feeling of physically turning the page, any e-reader makes a great gift for the tech-minded bookworm in your family.

sales, and really what’s in her heart is to follow her dream of becoming an engineer, a mechanical engineer, which she thinks is a lot cooler than just making sales because she can create things,” Kneer said. Sonia is the younger sister of the overprotective Greg Long, played by senior music major Nick Bellmyer. Greg is the leader of a group of students living in the Dowd/Nash/ White dorms. Rounding out the Quad half of the cast are Jaleeah Williams and Munich Hodgeson, both played by freshmen: international business major Sarah Fatemi and film major Tyler Holtzman, respectively. “[Jaleeah is] Sonia’s best friend and her brother’s girlfriend,” Fatemi said. “They don’t approve of [Sonia] seeing Joey.” “[Munich] is absolutely in love with Sonia, and he and Greg are old friends, but aside from that he just seems very

reserved, I’d say,” Holtzman said. The Quad cast also includes a major ensemble member played by David Bousonville, a junior majoring in psychology and theatre. “Basically, all the characters just have some kind of – something that makes them different from the other characters in the show,” Fatemi said. “Like for instance, Munich. He doesn’t talk. He talks with his hands and with background music. It’s just great. All the characters are unique in their own way.” Unlike other musicals cast members have participated in, “West Bancroft Side Story” will be filmed rather than performed on stage. “It’s definitely a lot different from a stage production because you can’t put everything together at once,” Kneer said. “You film in short bunches and you record things in a studio and you can’t see them all

come together at once in one long take, so it’s a lot different.” The cast began filming in November and continues this semester. “I think one of the biggest things is how accessible it is,” Kneer said. “You take modern songs and rewrite them to fit the script, you take a story that’s familiar to everybody, you throw in some little injokes to people who have seen ‘West Side Story’ and things like that... It’s light-hearted, it’s fun, entertaining, it’s got great music, and I think that it’ll really be a lot of fun for people to watch.” Kneer said that the idea of starting filming next weekend is a little intimidating “for me as a cast member who’s just starting a week of classes,” but he agrees with Fatemi and Holtzman, who both expressed excitement for filming to begin. “I’ve been looking forward

to this all winter break,” Holtzman admitted. Fatemi sees the filming as more than just a way to end winter break boredom or liven up the spring semester. “I know it sounds vain, but I feel like a movie star, kind of, just because I get to get dressed up and having hair and makeup done, singing and acting, basically being in a music video,” she said. “It’s just an experience. I’ve never done anything like that before.” For Kneer, though, the experience means something different. “I really missed being a part of something like this ever since I left high school, and I didn’t really think I was going to get another opportunity like I have to work on something like this,” he said. “I think it’s a really cool project and I’m proud to be part of it.” - To learn more, check out the “West Bancroft Side Story” page on Facebook.com.

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Arts and Life Monday, January 10, 2011

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DC Guastella – Editor

E-readers: one consumer’s critique of new gadgets Not all touch screen tablets created equal; a look at the Kindle, Kobo, Nook and iPad

By Mitch Rohrer IC Staff Writer

For those who are not in the know on the gadget scene, tablet display electronic book reading devices, commonly called e-readers, were one of the hottest gift items this holiday season. E-readers are typically book-sized devices equipped with a computer screen or two that show

E-books have been available for decades, but it wasn’t until 2007 when Amazon.com released their first e-reader, the Kindle, that digital books became popular. Considering that they are America’s largest online book retailer, it seemed appropriate that Amazon.com would start the e-reader revolution. The Kindle, which is on to its third version, falls under the e-ink category of readers. This means that the screen shows up as black text with a grey background - seeming eerily similar to standard books. The big advantage to e-ink and why it has been the standard for many e-readers is that it does not reflect glare from sunlight or lamps. This same protection also reduces strain on the eyes, making it a superior choice for reading over an extended period of time. The Kindle also comes in two different sizes: the standard 6 inch screen or the “DX” 9.7 inch screen. The larger version, though slightly bulkier than the latest paperback, is the perfect size for the vast textbook collection that Amazon.com offers. When comparing the weight of a collection of textbooks to the one-pound Kindle DX, it’s easy to choose which one to lug around campus. Additionally, Amazon.com’s textbooks are in an electronic format, saving the publishing companies and the consumer money; some are even available for rent. ($139 Amazon.com)

text and pictures using either a grayscale e-ink display or a full color touch screen display, such as Apple’s iPad. Invented for reading digitalized copies of books, the most recent versions have come equipped with internet access for web browsing and direct downloading of materials.

Just this year, Borders released their E-reader, Kobo, which is similar to the Kindle in that it also employs an e-ink display feature. However, the Kobo is lighter and thinner than the smallest version of Amazon.com’s Kindle and according to Borders’ website includes one hundred preloaded “classic” books. Additionally, the Kobo can be used at participating libraries to download and borrow books – the only difference is there is no need to go back and return the book; it will simply disappear from the reader when it is due. Just like the Kindle, the Kobo’s downloads can be done through WiFi. Unlike the Kindle, it can also be done over Bluetooth. The Kobo is somewhat more universal than the Kindle, with the ability to download PDFs and similar files. As for the Kindle, the only readable files are books available from Amazon.com. ($149 Koboreader.com)

Graphic by Nick Kneer / IC

Another contender in the e-reader revolution is Barnes and Noble’s Nook and Nook Color. Barnes and Noble’s original plan was to put in production another e-ink tablet reader. Yet, the Nook stands out - it has a second full color touch screen below the e-ink one. The controls are simple buttons that clearly display the content of the e-reader, such as books, internet files or games. The touch screen handles easier than Kindle’s or Kobo’s cursor track pad in a way that is similar to the most recent incarnation of Blackberry phones. The Nook also has the largest memory capacity, meaning it can store more books and blogs on it then the other two, which can also expandable by adding a microSDHC memory card, not unlike a digital camera. However, the newest version, released right before the holidays, boasts a full color touch screen. Although this means readers will suffer from the aforementioned glare and eye strains problem, it also means that is can be viewed without a light source. The Kindle offers an attachable lamp and book cover combo, though these must be purchased separately for $60.

All three of the previous e-readers either use a keyboard or a partial touch screen in order to navigate online or through the bookstore, but if a completely digital experience is what one desires, look no further than Apple’s iPad. The iPad comes equipped with only a few buttons for either turning it on or returning to the home page; the rest is done completely on its 9.7 inch screen display. Even though it may be a little bulkier than the large Kindle DX, each ounce packs accounts for so much more. Not only can the iPad download from the bookstores that Kindle, Kobo and Nook can use, it also has an application called iBook. True to Apple form, the application is easy to use and is sprinkled with fun and simple ergonomic features. For example, pages can be turned by dragging the edge from one side of the screen to the other, and the opening screen is a welcoming wooden bookshelf with each e-book placed atop one of the shelves. For those not too concerned with glare and eye strain, the full color screen of the iPad is a definite boon. Beyond its e-reader functions, the iPad is a fully operational tablet computer; considering the numerous apps and internet surfing abilities the iPad has much more to offer in features than its competitors. ($499 Apple.com)

($149 BarnesandNoble.com)

— E-readers, Page B3

West Bancroft Side Story: cast and back story

By Feliza Casano Copy Chief

During the Spring 2011 semester at the University of Toledo, be on the lookout for something suspiciously musi-

cal on UT’s campus channel. UTTV Student Broadcasting and WXUT are collaborating to create “West Bancroft Side Story,” a three-episode miniseries parodying the classic story of “Romeo and Juliet.” “[The show] takes the musical ‘West Side Story,’ which was based on ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ and puts it into the universe of the University of Toledo campus,” said Nick Kneer, a junior majoring in psychology. “You replace the gangs with factions of

different dorms that people live in, the locations obviously are all Toledo-based, and it’s a lot of fun.” “West Bancroft Side Story” follows Joey DeMarco and Sonia Long, two UT students who fall in love but stand divided because they live in different dorms. The role of Joey is played by Kneer and the role of Sonia is played by Megan Beckett, a senior majoring in theater. — Backstory, Page B3

By Feliza Casano / IC

West Bancroft Side Story stars Megan Beckett and Nick Kneer posing at the UT Library