Comic Craze
Mixing it up
Comic fans and artists to gather at Comic Book Club of Ithaca’s 35th annual convention, page 13
Thursday A pr il 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
Freshman Jen Biondi makes smooth transition to outfield, page 23
The Ithacan
Professor Marty Brownstein to retire after 40 years at Ithaca College Staff Writer
With his New York Times tucked under his burgundy-colored button-down shirt, Marty Brownstein walked into his 10:50 a.m. Media and Politics class for one of the last times. While sitting on a table in Park Auditorium, he cleared his throat, and his deep raspy voice filled the room as he started a conversation with his students about the recent volcanic eruption in Iceland and the regulations on Wall Street. “What are the political and economic implications of this eruption?” Brownstein asked his students. “Are we going to see continuous effects from this?” For an hour, Brownstein listened to his students tell him the news, pushing them to articulate
By Ithacan staff
and debate their views of the world. But after 40 years of listening and moderating these discussions, Brownstein, associate professor of politics, has decided to retire. “I was apprehensive as most prospective retirees are, but I have to resolve my questions of the sadness of leaving and the pain of leaving my podium behind,” he said. “It’s a very privileged job, and I did feel a little sad at times for leaving it, but not now.” The Brooklyn native received his undergraduate degree from Brooklyn College, part of City University of New York, before attending Harvard University for a year and then earning two master’s degrees from Yale University. Brownstein began teaching at
See marty, page 4
allison usavage/the ithacan
European airports work to clear traffic after volcano By taylor long Staff Writer
After being grounded since last Thursday, planes and weary travelers across Europe are finally seeing movement on the runway. An ash cloud left by the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull, a volcanic glacier near the Atlantic coastline of Iceland, wreaked havoc for travelers hoping to fly to or from the continent since last Thursday and continues to cause problems as airlines struggle to accommodate travelers, following a series of delays worse than those experienced by travelers following the Sept. 11 attacks. The volcanic glacier has been dormant for more than 200 years before it erupted briefly this March and, on a larger scale, beginning last Wednesday. Though 800 people surrounding the glacier were evacuated last week for fear the magma would melt the ice and cause flash flooding, the majority of problems caused by the eruption are a result of the ash blown miles into the air. Once it was ejected high into the atmosphere, the ash was carried to northern Europe by prevailing winds and continues to hover there, held by a high-pressure system that shows no signs of changing, according to a statement made by Sarah Holland of Britain’s Meteorological office to The Associated Press on Tuesday. Even though flights have since been rescheduled, students studying at the Ithaca College London Center who experienced travel delays last weekend fear the disaster could still affect their future travel plans. Last week, junior Laura Bugbee made reservations at a Denmark hostel in advance in order to visit family and friends, but after the volcano
Karin Lidholm from Sweden waits for a flight to Stockholm at the El Prat del Llobregat Airport in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday. Spain has offered to let Britain and other European countries use its airports.
David Ramos/associated press
erupted, Bugbee, who is studying at the London Center, was forced to put her plans on hold. Now Bugbee is waiting to see if the flight to Spain she booked for tomorrow will also be delayed. Many other students studying abroad, their families and even President Tom Rochon are being forced to alter their plans as well. “It’s hard to know I’ll miss out on seeing these places,” Bugbee said. “I came to London to study because I wanted the chance to travel. It’s also annoying to lose money on hostels and
I t h a c a , N . Y.
Volum e 7 7 , I s s u e 2 6
ITS releases fix for computer software glitch
The party’s over By Melanie breault
makeover
College’s housing proposal will tackle residential issues, page 10
busses to and from the airport that were booked ahead of time.” Scientists report that seismic activity beneath the volcano continues to increase but that the cloud finally appeared to be dissipating yesterday, a good sign for those stranded in airports across Europe or students like Bugbee who were hoping to have the opportunity to explore the region before their semester abroad comes to a close.
See volcano, page 4
find more. online. www.theithacan.org
Information Technology Services is hoping to quickly resolve a campuswide computer problem after McAfee antivirus software caused computers nationwide to perpetually reboot yesterday afternoon. ITS announced in an e-mail yesterday that a fix for the issue Fuller said ITS has been de- is working to proveloped. The vide assistance to the campus. office is asking for a designate from each department or area to come to the ITS Helpdesk on the first floor of Job Hall between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. today to pick up a CD and the documentation for installing the patch. Ed Fuller, associate vice president of ITS, said the problem is an issue with McAfee and not specific to the college’s network. “It appears that it may be an issue with the McAfee virus scanning products that we use, ironically enough, for protecting ourselves from viruses,” Fuller said. According to CNET News, a McAfee update of its virus software confused PCs’ immune systems yesterday, causing the software to attack legitimate operating system processes. CNET reported that at the University of Michigan’s medical school, 8,000 of its 25,000 computers crashed yesterday because of the update. Peter Earle, multimedia laboratory technician for the Roy H. Park School of Communications, said the antivirus software was saying it was finding a virus when there was actually no virus to be found. “The only way to eradicate it is to restart the system, but it was never going to get rid of it,” he said. ITS began receiving complaints that campus computers were experiencing unexpected shutdowns and were continuously rebooting around 10:30 a.m. Juan Arroyo, assistant professor of politics, said he experienced problems on his office computer. “I started to work on a presentation for my next class, and my computer just kept turning itself off,” he said. “I asked the [politics] department administrator, and she was having the same problem.” Fuller said PC users should contact the ITS Helpdesk if there are any further problems with their machine and check for updates from ITS on Intercom. “We’re going to stay at it until we get it fixed,” he said.
[ Thursday Brie f i ng ]
2 The I thacan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Nation&World
Sarkozy orders ban of Islamic veils
French President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered legislation yesterday that would ban women from wearing Islamic veils that hide the face in the street and other public places. In seeking to forbid the garment from public view, Sarkozy defied the advice of experts sought by the government who warned that such a broad ban risked contravening France’s constitution. Such a measure would put France on the same track as Belgium, which is also moving toward a complete ban in a similar reaction as Islamic culture has come in conflict with native European values. Sarkozy has repeatedly said that such clothing oppresses women and is “not welcome” in France. The decision to seek a full ban, rather than a limited ban, came as a surprise. After a Cabinet meeting just a week ago, the government spokesman announced a decision for legislation that bans the veil but takes into account conclusions on the matter by the Council of State, France’s highest administrative office.
Blackwater officials await trial
The former president of Blackwater Worldwide and four of his past colleagues at the North Carolina security firm can remain free as they await trial on federal weapons charges, a judge ruled yesterday. U.S. Magistrate Judge James Gates denied the government’s request to set a bond for the suspects, including a proposed $250,000 bond for former Blackwater President Gary Jackson. Gates did order all five defendants to turn over their passports and refrain from possessing guns. At the hearing, prosecutors accused Jackson of flouting federal regulations with “arrogance.” An attorney for Jackson said government officials previously knew of many of the activities discussed in the indictment, which was handed up last week. The charges against Jackson include a conspiracy to violate firearms laws, false statements, possession of a machine gun and possession of an unregistered firearm. Also indicted were former Blackwater general counsel Andrew Howell, 44; former executive vice president Bill Mathews, 44; former procurement vice president Ana Bundy, 45; and for-
this week 22
thursday
Nature Walk, sponsored by Ithaca College Natural Lands Committee, will be held from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Participants should meet at the Campus Center flagpole.
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sunday
Catholic Mass will be held at 1 and 9 p.m. in Muller Chapel. Muevete Spring Showcase will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. in Emerson Suites.
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mer weapons manager Ronald Slezak, 65. The case stems in part from a raid conducted by federal agents at the company’s headquarters in Moyock in 2008 that seized 22 weapons, including 17 AK-47s. The maximum penalty for each charge ranges from five to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
NATO admits to civilian deaths
NATO acknowledged yesterday that four unarmed Afghans who were killed this week when a military convoy opened fire on their vehicle were all civilians, correcting an earlier claim that two of the dead were “known insurgents.” The shooting Monday night in Khost province sparked an immediate outcry from the victims’ family, who insisted that all four were civilians driving home from a volleyball game. The youngest boy was just 13, said Rahmatullah Mansour, whose two sons and two nephews were killed in the shooting. Yesterday, NATO said it had described two of the victims as insurgents because their fingerprints matched those in a military biometric database. But their presence in the database does not necessarily mean they were insurgents.
War veterans fight wage reduction
War veterans protesting proposed cuts in state benefits set fire to a regional government building in Bosnia yesterday and drove back riot police who tried to disperse them. The police used tear gas against the more than 5,000 protesters then withdrew, leading the protesters to storm the building, break its windows and set the ground floor on fire. A small group of policemen was temporarily trapped between the blaze and the furious protesters, but ambulance crews pulled them to safety. Kosevo Hospital spokeswoman Biljana Jandric said 40 people were treated, mostly for the aftereffects of tear gas. The veterans had fought in the Bosnian war that pitted the country’s three main ethnic factions — Serbs, Croats and Bosniaks, or Bosnian Muslims — against each other after Bosnia split from what was then Yugoslavia. The veterans have agreed to accept a small
Residents look at the remains of an aircraft that crashed in the northern Philippines today. The plane crashed and burst into flames in a rice field north of the Philippine capital last night as it attempted a landing. Three crew were killed, and three were pulled out alive from the wreckage. Aaron Favila/associated press
reduction but demanded that the government save whatever else is needed by making other cuts in the federation’s budget
Social justice activist laid to rest
After years of fighting for social justice, civil rights leader Benjamin L. Hooks was laid to rest yesterday. Political leaders and civil rights figures paid their respects to the 85-year-old former lawyer, judge and NAACP director who died last week at his Memphis home after a long illness. He was remembered as not just a pioneer and activist, but also a dedicated preacher, a loving husband and a caring friend. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People President Benjamin Jealous said Hooks would want the fight for social justice to continue. Hooks’ inspiration to fight social injustice and bigotry stemmed from his experience
guarding Italian prisoners of war while serving overseas in the Army during World War II. Foreign prisoners were allowed to eat in “for whites only” restaurants while he was barred from them.
Explosion shakes drilling platform
An explosion rocked an offshore oil drilling platform, sending a column of fire into the sky and touching off a frantic search at sea yesterday for 11 missing workers. Most of the 126 workers on the rig Deepwater Horizon escaped safely after the explosion about 10 p.m. Tuesday, the Coast Guard said. Three were critically injured. The rig, more than 50 miles southeast of Venice on Louisiana’s tip, was still burning yesterday afternoon. It was tilting about 10 degrees. There was no estimate of when the flames might be out.
SOURCE: Associated Press
corrections
April 22–28, 2010 friday
Shabbat Services will begin at 6 p.m. in Muller Chapel. Shabbat Dinner will begin at 7:15 p.m. in Terrace Dining Hall. Forever Young, an event hosted by IC After Dark, will be held from 9 to 11:55 p.m. in IC Square in Campus Center.
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Assessing the damage
monday
Logan’s Run for IC Hope, will be held from 7:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. in between Lyon Hall and the tennis courts. The Second Annual Poker Tournament of the Sports Business Entertainment Club is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. in Klingenstein Lounge.
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saturday
Break IC 2010, a breakdancing competition sponsored by the IC Breakdance Team, will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. in Emerson Suites.
add your event Drop events for “This Week” in the marked box in The Ithacan office, or e-mail Acting News Editor Aaron Edwards at aedward3@ithaca.edu by 5 p.m. Monday.
The Rise of the Eldrazi Release Tournament, presented by IC Magic Club, will begin at noon in the Taughannock Falls Room.
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tuesday
The Three Little Pigs Challenge, sponsored by IC Habitat for Humanity, will be held from 12:10 to 1:10 p.m. outside on the Campus Center Quad.
It is The Ithacan’s policy to correct all errors of fact. Please contact Aaron Edwards at 274-3207.
copy editors Lara Bonner, Liz DeLong, Sara Friedman, Heather Karschner, Qina Liu, Mary Kate Murphy, Meg Rindfleisch, Brittany Rose, Carly Sitzer, Carly Smith.
designers
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wednesday
Evensong, a Protestant Community worship service, will begin at 9:30 p.m. in Muller Chapel. Game and Puzzle Activity Night, sponsored by 2tors (Math Club), will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in IC Square in Campus Center.
Conor Harrington.
Got a news tip? Contact the news editor at aedward3@ithaca.edu or 274-3207.
Multimedia Can’t get enough of our stories? There’s even more online. Check out our multimedia at theithacan.org.
Video
Check out this week’s edition of 1-on-1, as The Ithacan catches up with men’s lacrosse goaltender David Gal.
Audio Slideshow Take an inside look at Food for the Planet, the new vegan restaurant that opened in downtown Ithaca.
Video
Watch as Allison Walker reflects on her experience here at Ithaca College in this week’s Senior Profile.
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The Ithacan 3
Events honor Earth Day’s anniversary By gillian smith Staff Writer
In honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day today, Ithaca College students have been celebrating through weeklong events including speakers and a new opportunity to study social change. This week, students from the Ithaca College Environmental Society, Dining Services, Organic Growers of IC and the Residence Hall Association hosted events to discuss the human impact on the earth, senior Emma Hileman, a member of ICES, said. Marian Brown, special assistant to the provost, said this particular Earth Week is important not only to celebrate the 40th anniversary, but also to work on the continuous process of becoming sustainable and knowledgeable of the natural resources that are abundant in everyday life. “When things are starting to come into full bloom it’s important to have a heightened awareness of getting outside and being one with nature,” Brown said. Brown said this Earth Day also marks the start of the new mini-course, Media for Social Change, that is open to all students in the Park School of Communications. The course starts today with presentations by global activist Lynne Twist and environmentalist author Paul Hawken. Brown said the minicourse will look at how students can participate in sustainability and talk with media leaders about problems and solutions in the environment. “It is a completely new endeavor that is going to take the Park School into a whole new arena of working and studying the potential opportunities for the media to be an agent for change,” she said. “Having students in an intensive, immersive experience is going to be a powerful opportunity for us.” Clarke and Hood Halls were profiled in the New York Times last weekend for being labeled Energy Star, the federal government’s approval for being energy-efficient. Brown said the college is ahead of other institutions with regards to sustainability, but she sees it as a continuous process that may never end. She said the college should never become complacent about where it stands in comparison to other institutions. “It is something we should always be getting better and smarter about how we use our resources, whether those are financial, human or natural resources,” she said. “It’s an ongoing decision-making process that we need to get better about doing.” Hileman said the need to live sustainable lifestyles is especially important today. “It’s important because we are in kind of a
By Alexandra Evans Staff Writer
From left, Andrew Smith, associate professor of biology, freshman Reisy Veloz and senior Emma Hileman clean up South Hill yesterday afternoon with the Ithaca College Natural Lands Committee.
Kelsey O’Connor/The Ithacan
global crisis, and it is solvable if everybody tries and if everybody alters his or her lifestyle to accommodate the natural world,” she said. Senior Andrew Grossmann, vice president of ICES, said the main focus of many of the events is to bring the community together. “It is about spreading awareness about environmental issues, advocacy and getting people together to build a community and then talk about issues that involve the health of the earth,” he said. On Monday ICES hosted the Twelve Tribes, owners of the Maté Factor on The Commons, who discussed their views on the impact of religion on the environment, Hileman said. On Tuesday, there was an omnivore’s teach-in hosted by ICES, which presented healthier ways to eat meat and be vegetarian. “We’d like people to learn about eating locally and organically,” Hileman said. “It’s really important to learn how to eat more sustainably.” Yesterday, there was showing of “Crude,” a film about a lawsuit against Chevron-Texaco in Ecuador. Tomorrow there will be a dedication ceremony for the new South Hill Natural Area Kiosk at the south campus entrance at noon. Sophomore Siobhan Cavanagh, executive board member of ICES, said it’s significant to have the celebrations to look at the positive side of what students are already doing to help
the environment. “It is important to celebrate Earth Day to put a different spin on thinking about the environment,” she said. “Instead of focusing on what is going on, it’s nice to just celebrate what is good about the environment and what good things people are doing.” Junior Stephanie Piech said the dining hall interns have been hosting themed events each day in the dining halls this week. The themes include “weigh the weight,” which focuses on composting, “energy wheel of fortune,” “rate your plate,” focusing on nutrition, and “sustainable food,” where hydroponic farmers will be talking about sustainability. “Each year we try to do something holistic, but we try to keep it really new,” she said. “The dining hall is a place where every kind of student comes, and I think it’s important that all students get a chance to understand what’s going on.” Brown said she hopes that the week has caught the attention of students who haven’t yet become interested in sustainability. She said with the broad range of activities and venues, more students should be reached. “Hopefully one of the events will hit someone who hasn’t awakened yet to this awareness,” she said “If that happens for a few people on this campus who haven’t realized before, I’ll feel like we had a big win.”
Career Services growing By Nathan Bickell Staff Writer
With Information Technology Services in its new location in Job Hall, construction is nearing completion for the Office of Career Services to move into the space vacated by ITS in Muller Center. Career Services will move from its location on the first floor of the Gannett Center to a larger location in Muller beginning in mid-May, hoping to be in a more visible location to the campus community. The art history and anthropology departments will then expand to fill the vacated space on the first floor of the Gannett Center. The completion of the Peggy Ryan Williams Center has created a domino effect, allowing different departments to move around campus to locations that better suit their needs, according to John Fracchia, associate director of Career Services. Fracchia said the new location will be a substantial upgrade. “Where we’re going is going to be such a good thing for students; it’s going to be a good thing for our office,” he said. The primary benefit for Career
Residents criticize lack of lounges
Services will be moving to a location that receives more foot traffic. “The first floor of the library may seem a little out of the way,” Fracchia said. “Muller is a main hallway.” Sophomore Alexandra Romanet, a peer career adviser for Career Services, said she also thinks the busy halls of Muller will help bring more students to Career Services. “Students will see us even passing by their classes or going to the Bookstore, just walking around,” she said. A key upgrade for Career Services will include an enlarged library, giving Career Services the ability to have presentations in the center instead of in classrooms or Campus Center, according to Fracchia. The renovated center will also include three plasma televisions — two inside the library and one outside in the hallway to advertise Career Center events — and three mock interview rooms. Construction began in midFebruary and has progressed on schedule, according to project manager Jeff Paddock. The construction workers are beginning to do the finishing work, he said.
This year’s focus groups concerning residential experiences found that students are frustrated about losing their lounges. Lounges in all the residence halls, except Terrace 13, were turned into dorm rooms to house the surplus of first-year residents last year. Sophomore Kelly McKenna said she was frustrated that lounges are occupied, and she has no place to escape to in her building. “I feel so trapped in my room; it’s like living in a box.” she said. “When it comes to being home, it’d be nice to have another place to go.” The hour-long focus groups, which are held every other spring by the offices of Residential Life and Judicial Affairs, began April 7 and will end today. Beth O’Neill, area coordinator of Residential Life, said the purpose of the groups is to learn what students would like to see improved. Ron Trunzo, associate director of Residential Life and Judicial Affairs, said he has heard a lot of feedback from students who are frustrated because of the lounges. “Students feel that they need that as an additional place to study and gather,” he said. In an April 14 focus group for students living in Emerson Hall and the Quads, three participants, including sophomore Caroline Hughes, said they wanted a cardswipe system that would allow all on-campus students to gain admittance to any residential building. Hughes said she has no problem spending an hour of her time to make the campus a little bit better. “You do hear a lot of talk [from students], and they’re looking for action,” she said.
County given energy grants By Rebecca Webster Staff Writer
Construction in Muller Center nears completion for Career Services to move into the space formally occupied by Information Technology Services. Brittany forrest/The Ithacan
“They’ll soon begin carpeting and hanging doors,” Paddock said. The space currently occupied by Career Services will house the art history and anthropology departments. Renovation on the space should begin May 17 and is expected to be finished in time for this fall. Improvements for the art history and anthropology departments will include more separation of the classrooms and offices of the two departments and a shared seminar classroom.
“The biggest benefit is that they’re adding an extra seminar classroom that we’ll be using for a lot of our mid- and upper-level classes,” said Jack Rossen, associate professor and chair of the anthropology department. When the construction is finished, a number of departments and services will have upgraded their physical locations to better serve students, Fracchia said. “It’s a win for everybody,” Fracchia said.
Six municipalities within Tompkins County are set to receive more than $1.2 million in stimulus funding for clean energy projects as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Colleen Ryan, spokeswoman for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, said the municipalities include the cities of Caroline, Danby, Dryden, Ithaca and Lansing, the city of Ithaca and the village of Lansing. “The projects that are involved are for municipalities [and] the needs that they have to reduce their energy costs,” Ryan said. One of the bigger projects will happen in Ithaca, where almost $400,000 will be used to complete lighting and heat system upgrades. Herb Engman, town supervisor, said the money will go to the Wastewater Treatment Plant in Ithaca. Edward Marx, commissioner of planning for the Tompkins County Planning Department, said getting grants for such facilities like the Wastewater Treatment Plant is a huge advantage for a large portion of the county.
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4 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Students reflect on Brownstein’s career marty from page 1
Ithaca College in 1970. “I was going to leave two years ago,” he said. “I raised the question in a couple of my classes, and they all smiled at me in their devilish student way and said, ‘Take it to the next zero.’” After retiring this semester, Brownstein said, he is ready to embark on new adventures. He said he plans to move to Portland, Ore., to be closer to his sister. “For a long time, I’ve had the desire to seek more urban space,” he said. Brownstein said his students have helped shape his life for 40 years. Remembering the post-Vietnam War era when he first began teaching, Brownstein said students played a more active role in campus governance, including involvement on the hiring committees for faculty. He said he was one of the first faculty members hired that way. “I always felt a particular obligation to honor the wishes of all students, so I casted my career in a more student-centric direction,” he said. Over the years, more students began to recognize Brownstein’s devotion to them. In 1983, a few students asked him to be the faculty adviser for a Model United Nations team they were forming on campus. The team, which started with 16 in 1983, has now grown to 28 students. “[Model U.N.] changed my career,” he said. “I am very proud of the spirit and the intensity of the intellectuality that cycles around these students.” Senior David Korenthal, a head delegate of Model U.N., has been a part of the team for three years. He said Brownstein will be missed but that his legacy will last forever
through the organization. “[Model U.N.] is his child,” he said. “It’s sad to see him go, but at the same time, he’s worked hard, and he deserves [to retire]. Marty will be around if not physically, then spiritually forever.” Last week, Evan Axelbank ’05, former student and teaching assistant of Brownstein’s, came to campus to sit in on one of Brownstein’s last classes. Axelbank, now a reporter for WROC-TV in Rochester, N.Y., said he draws from Brownstein’s lessons every day. “Sometimes I’ll be writing, and I’ll start to say something that was one of his big ‘no no’s’,” he said. “He has what is called the BS detector that’s supposed to go up when you think you’re being lied to.” Students are not the only members of the college community who have been impacted by Brownstein. Asma Barlas, professor and program director for the Center for the Study of Culture, Race and Ethnicity, said Brownstein persuaded her to accept a teaching offer in a one-on-one meeting they had in 1991. “It’s difficult to imagine the politics department without Marty; he’s been such a presence there,” she said. “I wouldn’t want [anyone] to feel like the only role he’s played in the department has been as a teacher.” Outside of the politics department, Frank Musgrave, professor of economics, is Brownstein’s political opposite. Musgrave, a self-assigned conservative professor, is also retiring from the college. He has worked with Brownstein for 40 years. Earlier in their careers, Musgrave and Brownstein hosted multiple local radio and television programs in Ithaca where they debated politi-
Marty Brownstein speaks to his Media and Politics class last Thursday in Park Auditorium. Brownstein is the adviser of the college’s Model U.N. team, which has grown to 28 students this semester.
shayna Dunitz/THE ITHACAN
cal and economic events. “What I enjoyed about him was that he would invite me to his classes, knowing I had a different opinion, maybe even for that purpose,” Musgrave said. Brownstein described himself and Musgrave as the political “odd couple.” Brownstein said he enjoys intellectual debates like the ones he’s had with Musgrave. “Frank and I, who clearly have significant
Left photo: Associate professor of politics Marty Brownstein, top left, poses with other faculty in the politics department at Ithaca College in 1975. Right photo: Marty Brownstein, far left, the adviser of the Model U.N. team, stands with the Ithaca College Model U.N. team in 1990.
file photos/the cayugan
differences in our politics, understand that we’re toilers in the same vineyard and we want the best for our students,” he said. “It’s more than fitting that Frank Musgrave and I leave in the same year.” Brownstein’s influence can be seen across Ithaca — even in the form of food. At Hal’s Delicatessen and Sandwich Shoppe on North Aurora Street, anyone can order a “Marty Brownstein Nova Scotia lox and toast breakfast.” Sandy Kuntz, one of the owners of the delicatessen, said the breakfast has been on the menu for more than 20 years. “Marty is a really great customer,” she said. “He comes in almost every morning with his paper and eats his breakfast.” As his last semester at the college comes to an end, Brownstein said he will miss teaching his students. “It’s not about traditional education or book-focused education,” he said. “It’s about learning-by-the-seat-of-your-pants education.” Once the discussion was over, Brownstein glanced around Park Auditorium at his class of students and simply said, “I’m good,” as they began to file out of the classroom. The dialogue-driven class is just a few of the things Brownstein said reflects his distinctive style of teaching — one that will be remembered for years to come. “If the inmates were allowed to run the asylum, good things would happen,” he said.
London Center reacts to disaster volcano from page 1
Rachel Cullenen, director of the Ithaca College Office of International Programs, said if the cloud continues to delay flights in the region, the school would be forced to reschedule the flights of hundreds of students who are currently abroad. However, Cullenen said she doesn’t expect the situation to affect their return in May. “At this stage, nobody has made any plans to make significant changes to [their travel plans],” Cullenen said. “People are standing by, willing to help if and when it’s needed to the extent that we’re able to, but if a student is trying to fly somewhere and no flights are taking off, then they’re kind of going to have to bide their time.” As far as the cost of delays and flight cancellations, Cullenen said the college’s insurance plan only covers students’ health. While students are welcome to take out additional travel insur-
ance, she said most programs don’t cover issues involving natural disasters. Administrators would have to decide whether the school would cover these costs for students, she said. Junior Lauren Strassman, another student at the London Center, is also experiencing ruined travel plans and indefinitely delayed flights. In hopes of traveling while the weather was nice, Strassman said, she scheduled many weekend trips for the end of the semester. With her plans for this coming weekend in jeopardy, Strassman said it’s unfortunate the situation might get in the way of her plans. While Strassman said she was lucky enough to book her flights on airlines that are offering refunds, Rochon, who was visiting the London Center at the time of the volcano, said he will not be compensated by the airline. “The airline sees the volcano as an act of God for which they are not responsible,” Rochon said in an email. “We are just maintaining our-
selves here, washing out clothes as needed ... and, of course, having the London Center very close to our hotel means there is a home base from which we can work.” Rochon was originally scheduled to fly out of London on Monday, but his flight has tentatively been rescheduled for Saturday. Though he has missed several meetings and a speaking engagement, Rochon said he is happy to have the chance to spend more time exploring the London Center and meeting faculty. “We have an extraordinary program in London, and I have the opportunity to see that in greater depth than I would have done with the quicker visit as originally planned,” he said. With the increase in seismic activity, some scientists are concerned that the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull will trigger the eruption of the Katla volcano nearby, but the major question at hand is whether those who have been waiting or those with scheduled flights will receive prior-
Ash rises from the volcano in Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull glacier Monday. Some Ithaca College students are experiencing travel delays because of the volcano. Brynjar Gauti/associated press
ity once airways are cleared. If those passengers whose flights have been cancelled are given priority, flights scheduled for this weekend could be delayed regardless of flying conditions, the AP reported Tuesday.
Cullenen said the situation is inconveniencing students, but no one can be blamed. “It’s not our fault, it’s not the students fault, it’s not anybody’s fault,” she said. “It’s a situation that needs to be dealt with.”
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Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 5
Senior ends college with satisfying results By Michelle Skowronek Accent Editor
When studying for midterms, sending e-mails to other students, organizing fundraisers and applying for jobs fill up senior Allison Walker’s plate, she doesn’t get stressed. She gets busy. “I really enjoy being very busy,” she said. “And I really like the feeling of knowing I am helping someone else.” Walker, a business administration major, wants to make the most of her final year in college. Aside from being the president of Women in Business, one of the captains of
Standout Seniors School of Business
Allison Walker the women’s club Frisbee team and the manager of the Student Service Team for the School of Business, Walker is paying for every penny she spends at Ithaca College. “The value of my education is much greater because it’s really in my own hands,” she said. “I’m the person who hands in my tuition check in the spring. I’m the person who feels the emptiness inside when my bank account goes from $7,000 to zero.” Though financially Walker is not supported by her family, she is
emotionally. After Walker’s mother went blind about 13 years ago, when her retinas tore, Walker said no one has been more inspirational than her “Super Woman” mom. “She is very self-motivated,” Walker said. “She cooks dinner for my family every day, she goes to the grocery store, she does most of the shopping, and she does it without any inkling of nostalgia for what her life was.” Patricia Davis, Walker’s mother, said she might have inspired her daughter but that sometimes Walker still needs a little guidance. “There’s only seven spots for classes [in high school], and Allison would be enrolled in nine [classes],” Davis said. “She’s always on the go. She’s always involved, and she’s always been that way.” Being “on the go” all the time can sometimes bring stress for Walker, but the one thing she can rely on to take her mind off of academics is Frisbee. Walker joined the women’s club Frisbee team as a freshman. “I walked on to the first practice, and I was terrible,” she said. “But I decided to stick with it.” Now, she runs practices for the club. Walker said her commitment to the team could be stressful, but she said she loves the two-to-threehour practices three days a week. Walker’s friend and teammate senior Annie McNally said it’s easy to see Walker’s dedication to the team on and off the field. “She’s very organized, very
Watch a video of Allison Walker working and playing Frisbee at theithacan.org/ go/10walker.
Senior Allison Walker, a business administration major, attends a Women in Business meeting March 29 in the business school. Walker, president of the Women in Business club, is also captain of the women’s club Frisbee team.
Michelle Boulé/The Ithacan
driven, and she doesn’t like to waste time,” McNally said. Watching Walker progress into the talented player she is today was amazing, McNally said. “She’s so passionate about it,” McNally said. “Everybody is a terrible player when they start. More than anything else the hard work she put in got her where she is in an unbelievable amount of time. She’s going to be one of the best female players I have ever met.” McNally and Walker joined the team their freshman year. McNally said she was surprised to see the organized Walker in such a laidback sport. “I always thought it was weird that Allison had involved herself in this sport that was not necessarily as
competitive as you would think she might like,” McNally said. On the field, Walker is known for her intensity, but in the workplace she is known for her productivity. Walker is the assistant to Catrina Decker, administrative assistant in the School of Business, and the manager of the Student Service Team. Decker said while Walker is responsible for handling the tedious tasks of e-mailing students and organizing meetings, she never lets on about the other work that is on her to-do list. “If I were involved in everything she is doing, I would just be freaking out all the time,” Decker said. “Allison is not. She’s like, ‘OK, this is what we have to do. Let’s do it.’” Walker said though she loves be-
ing involved in so many things, she wishes she was better at using her creativity in her work. “I had an internship this past summer, and my boss had his Ph.D. in psychology,” she said. “And he described my personality perfectly. He said I can run with any idea, but I can’t make the idea myself.” Walker, who hopes to attend graduate school at the University of Memphis next year and eventually become an executive director for a company, said she does it all with one goal in mind — results. “The problem with me is that I have so many things that I want to do that I can’t possibly do all of them,” she said. “But I really like the idea of being able to see the results of my work.”
6 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
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Writer studies race issues Vijay Prashad, professor of international studies at Trinity College, will be giving a presentation titled “The American Lenin” 7 p.m. Monday in Klingenstein Lounge as part of the Race and Immigration discussion series hosted by the Center for the Study of Culture, Race and Ethnicity. Prashad is an awardwinning author of 11 books. His most recent, “The Darker Nations: A Prashad said People’s History of the fieldwork has shown him new Third World,” was picked perspectives. by the Asian-American Writers’ Workshop as the Best Nonfiction Book of 2008. His studies focus on international policy and race relations. Staff Writer Lauren Barber spoke with Prashad about his research and upcoming visit to the college. Lauren Barber: You did fieldwork in India as part of your doctoral work. What was that experience like? Vijay Prashad: I traveled around and lived with different communities. I was born and raised until my teen years in India. For me, to go and spend a couple of years in India was extremely powerful. I was in my early 20s. I never lived in India by myself like that. To do it with communities I didn’t really know anything about — extremely poor communities — [has] really shaped who I’ve become. Fieldwork is a remarkable experience. It puts its mark on you. Some of the things I look back on with fondness and nostalgia, but some of it was hard. All of it was extremely beneficial. LB: How has fieldwork influenced you? VP: I don’t believe in just equality or opportunity. I believe in much more than that. People need to have their right to have dig-
nity. Then I spent two years with people who struggled with dignity. It gave me a sense of importance of what I believe in and how difficult the road is. There are some very vicious people who benefit from denying people dignity. I don’t think I ever fully understood that until I saw it from the point of view of being oppressed. LB: What will you address during your Race and Immigration discussion? VP: I’m interested in why it is that people who write about race in the United States are not also interested in concepts from imperialism. I’m interested in the relationship between race inside America and imperialism. I’m going to go over the writings of W.E.B. DuBois, who was very interested in the relationship between Alabama and Ethiopia, for example. He saw there was a necessary relationship. I want to revise that interest and those aspects and put them in a framework. LB: What is the most interesting topic you have researched and written about? VP: It’s what I’ve been continuing to write about: the reason why two-thirds of the world’s people live in near poverty and why one of every five people on the planet lives in a slum. That question of why that is so continues to interest me. Every 11 minutes, another person enters a slum. It’s really miserable. LB: What do you enjoy most about teaching people what you’ve learned in the field? VP: You get to meet people who are forming their ideas about the world, and you are given the opportunity to help them along. I had some superb teachers when I was younger. Because I got so much out of them, I recognize how important it is to play that same kind of role.
Protesting amid celebration
Sophomore Chris Zivalich leads a group of students protesting the Israeli Independence Day celebration Monday on the Fitness Center Quad. The protest group marched to show their support of Palestine and the demilitarization of the West Bank and Gaza.
andrew casper/The Ithacan
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College & City Seniors to showcase art at the Handwerker Gallery
Ithaca College seniors’ artistic work will be showcased from 5 to 7 p.m. today in the Handwerker Gallery in Gannett Center as part of the opening reception of the 2010 Senior Student Show. Curated by senior art history major Kristina O’Connor, the exhibition will feature the work of 33 students from the Department of Art and the Department of Cinema, Photography and Media Arts. The show, which runs through May 9, highlights the array of contemporary art practices from students at the college. All Handwerker Gallery events are free and open to students, faculty, staff and the public. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact Josh Turk at jturk1@ithaca.edu. For more information, call the Handwerker Gallery at 274-3018 or visit www.ithaca.edu/handwerker.
Cornell brings veterinary program to Hong Kong
Cornell University and the City University of Hong Kong have signed a memorandum to collaborate and create the first veterinary medicine academic program in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, according to a Cornell University press release. Under the prospective collaboration agreement, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine would provide in-depth and ongoing advice and guidance to City University in the planning, establishment, operation and eval-
uation of the new school. The first class of 30 students will enroll in the program in 2012, increasing the student class size to 50 by the time the first graduation takes place. The courses will be taught in English and are expected to match up with the veterinary education standards adopted at the world’s leading institutions of veterinary education. Already endorsed by the City University’s Management Board and Faculty Senate, the proposed project will provide students with an education that meets international standards as well.
Cayuga wine trail to hold annual wine celebration
The Cayuga Lake Wine Trail’s 18th annual Wine and Herb Festival will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. tomorrow and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, then later in the month from April 30 to May 2. Guests will receive a souvenir wine glass, a plant carrier and 16 herb or vegetable plants sponsored by Dickman Farms of Auburn, N.Y. On each Saturday of the event, two east side wineries, Long Point and King Ferry, will offer special early bird breakfast treats at 9 a.m. Each winery will give participants a different herb or vegetable plant to sample and will serve wine paired with a dish containing that herb or vegetable. Participants are eligible to win prizes from Aurora Inn, Courtyard by Marriott in Ithaca, Experience! The Finger Lakes and Discovery Trail. Advance tickets are $35 per individual or $50 per couple. Des-
ignated driver tickets are also available. Tickets at the door cost an additional $5. To order tickets in advance, call the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail office at 800-684-5217, go to www. cayugawinetrail.com or visit any Wegmans store.
Professor awarded grant to study gender in history
Vivian Conger, associate professor of history, has been awarded an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship at the Library Company of Philadelphia and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Conger will use her monthlong residence to continue her research project, titled “The Worlds of Deborah Read Franklin and Sarah Franklin Bache: A Transgenerational Exploration of Gender in Revolutionary and Early Republic Philadelphia.” In her project, Conger argues that historians have written a plethora of biographies examining every aspect of Benjamin Franklin’s seemingly iconic life — except those parts that involve his wife and daughter. In her study, Conger also seeks to refine the questions asked about the extent to which the politics and culture of the era were infused by specifically gendered relationships.
Club increases awareness of mental health issues
The Ithaca College chapter of Active Minds recently organized a student discussion panel in an effort to start discussion about mental health among students. Five members of the organization led the first panel April 12, and
Public Safety Incident Log APRIL 5 CASE STATUS CHANGE LOCATION: East Tower SUMMARY: Officer reported a person was issued an appearance ticket for the Town of Ithaca Court for seconddegree menacing that occurred March 26. Master Patrol Officer Erik Merlin. CASE STATUS CHANGE LOCATION: Office of Public Safety SUMMARY: Officer reported a person who was identified for verbally harassing another person March 23 in the Circle Apartments. Person was judicially referred. Sergeant Terry O’Pray. AGGRAVATED HARASSMENT LOCATION: Hilliard Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person sent unwanted messages by computer and phone. Investigation pending. Sergeant Bill Kerry. SAFETY HAZARD LOCATION: Smiddy Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported cleaning an acid spill. Area cleaned. Master Patrol Officer Erik Merlin. PLACING FALSE BOMB LOCATION: L-Lot SUMMARY: Caller reported people set off multiple plastic bottle bombs. Investigation pending. Master Patrol Officer Bruce Holmstock.
APRIL 6 MVA/PROPERTY DAMAGE LOCATION: U-Lot SUMMARY: Caller reported a two-vehicle
MVA. Minor damage found to vehicle, and owner declined to file a report. Officer assisted parties in exchanging information. Patrol Officer Brad Bates. HARASSMENT LOCATION: R-Lot SUMMARY: Caller reported being verbally harassed by unknown subjects April 5. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Dirk Hightchew. V&T VIOLATION LOCATION: Circle Lot 6 SUMMARY: During a vehicle traffic stop, the driver was issued uniform traffic tickets for Town of Ithaca Court for aggravated unlicensed operation and no seat belt. Campus summons issued for speeding in zone. Patrol Officer Brad Bates.
APRIL 7 LARCENY LOCATION: Circle Lot 5 SUMMARY: Caller reported that an unknown person had stolen a bicycle. Complainant later reported that the larceny was unfounded. Patrol Officer Mark Denicola. FOUND PROPERTY LOCATION: Unknown Location SUMMARY: Set of keys found and turned over to Public Safety. The owner was unknown. MVA/PROPERTY DAMAGE LOCATION: N-Lot SUMMARY: A caller reported a twovehicle MVA. Report taken. Patrol Officer Brad Bates.
shared their own experience with mental health issues that included depression, anxiety and anorexia nervosa. Following the presentation, the group fielded questions. By creating a forum to discuss these issues outside the classroom, the organization hopes to lessen the stigma surrounding counseling services, remind students that mental health issues can affect anyone and encourage struggling students to seek help. For more information, e-mail jfraiol1@ithaca.edu.
Gardening land available for rent through Cornell
Cornell Garden Plots, located on Freese Road, off Hanshaw Road near the Dyce bee lab, has plots available for rent. Each garden plot is 20-by-25 feet, and costs $20. Participants can rent as many gardens as they would like. The gardens are plowed, fertilized with manure and disked. All plots have access to water and composted manure on site. Gardeners must bring their own garden tools, though there are wheelbarrows available to transport composted manure. To obtain a garden, visit http:// people.ccmr.cornell.edu/~sachse/ cu_gardens/ or send a self-addressed envelope to: Cornell Garden Plot Committee, P.O. Box 871, Ithaca, N.Y., 14851. Include a name, address, phone number, e-mail address and the desired number of plots. Distribution day is from 9 to 11:45 a.m. Saturday in 102 Thurston Hall, on the engineering quad at Cornell University.
County historian to show historic photo collections
The Tompkins County Public Library will host county historian Carol Kammen for a discussion of her latest book, “Tompkins County, New York, Images of Work and Play,” tonight from 5 to 6 p.m. in the BorgWarner Community Room. Kammen, a former senior lecturer at Cornell University and longtime historian, will be joined by colleagues who contributed to the book for a slideshow and discussion about the book-writing experience. “Images of Work and Play” chronicles the everyday life of Tompkins County residents through a collection of photographs gathered from organizations, public collections and personal albums. For more information, call Carrie Wheeler-Carmenatty at 272-4557 extension 248, or visit www.tcpl.org.
NewsWatch 16 awarded best newscast in Northeast
NewsWatch 16, Ithaca College’s student-run TV news station, was named the Best All-Around Television Newscast in the Northeast region for 2009 by the Society of Professional Journalists. The broadcast received the First Place Mark of Excellence Award on April 10 at the SPJ’s Region 1 spring conference at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. The show now goes on to compete against the winners in the other 11 SPJ regions for the national Mark of Excellence award, which will be announced at SPJ’s national conference Oct. 3 to 5 in Las Vegas.
selected entries from April 5 to April 11
MEDICAL ASSIST/ILLNESS RELATED LOCATION: E-Lot SUMMARY: Caller reported a person possibly having a seizure. Person transported to CMC by ambulance. Patrol Officer James Landon. UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF ALCOHOL LOCATION: Rowland Hall SUMMARY: One person judicially referred for unlawful possession of marijuana. Patrol Officer James Landon.
APRIL 8 SAFETY HAZARD LOCATION: Grant Egbert Boulevard SUMMARY: Caller reported a vehicle leaking hydraulic fluid. A small amount of fluid was cleaned from the pavement. Fire and Building Safety Coordinator Ronald Clark. BURGLARY LOCATION: Circle Apartments SUMMARY: Caller reported a person entered and stole a backpack and jewelry. The person was unknown. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Brad Bates. FOUND PROPERTY LOCATION: Visitor Lot SUMMARY: Cell phone found and turned over to Public Safety. CCV/UNAUTHORIZED POSSESSION LOCATION: Farm Pond Road SUMMARY: Officer reported a vehicle with a fraudulent parking permit. One person judicially referred for fraudulent use of a parking permit. Patrol Officer Brad Bates.
APRIL 9 UNLAWFUL POSS. OF MARIJUANA LOCATION: Rowland Hall SUMMARY: Two people judicially referred for unlawful possession of marijuana. Patrol Officer Jeffrey Austin.
APRIL 10 ASSAULT LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Caller reported receiving a third-party report of a person who may have been injured by a known male. Person was transported to CMC by ambulance. Investigation pending. Sergeant Ronald Hart. HARASSMENT LOCATION: Williams Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported that a person made unwanted comments. Investigation pending. Sergeant Ronald Hart. CCV/IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF ALCOHOL LOCATION: Hilliard Hall SUMMARY: Person transported to CMC by ambulance and judicially referred for irresponsible use of alcohol. Patrol Officer James Landon.
APRIL 11 CRIMINAL TAMPERING LOCATION: East Tower SUMMARY: Caller reported a person removed the cover off a door card reader. The person who tampered with the card reader was unknown. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer James Landon.
CCV/IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF ALCOHOL LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Caller reported a person passed out. Person was intoxicated and was judicially referred. Sergeant Ronald Hart. CCV/IRRESPONSIBLE USE OF ALCOHOL LOCATION: Grant Egbert Boulevard SUMMARY: Officer reported an intoxicated person. Person declined medical assistance and was judicially referred. Patrol Officer James Landon. CRIMINAL TAMPERING LOCATION: West Tower SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person maliciously discharged a fire extinguisher. Investigation pending. Sergeant Ronald Hart. UNLAWFUL POSS. OF MARIJUANA LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Officers found people in verbal argument and in possession of marijuana. One person judicially referred. Patrol Officer Dirk Hightchew. For the complete safety log, go to www.theithacan.org/news
Key cmc – Cayuga Medical Center CCV – College Code Violation DWI – Driving while intoxicated IFD – Ithaca Fire Department IPD – Ithaca Police Department MVA – Motor vehicle accident RA – Resident assistant SASP – Student Auxiliary Safety Patrol V&T – Vehicle and Transportation
Opin ion
10 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
editorials
a necessary upgrade
Recent housing proposal demonstrates college’s commitment to preventing last year’s campus housing complications
A
fter dealing with an unprecedented influx of students last year, Ithaca College has decided to take steps to accommodate anticipated student housing issues in the upcoming years. Last fall began with the construction of a new dorm building and other rearrangements of campus housing much to the frustration of the campus community. Presenting this new proposal a year and a half in advance is a step in the right direction, allowing the college to have a plan ready in case similar housing issues occur. The proposed plan will result in the addition of nine new buildings to the Circle Apartments complex with about 106 additional parking spaces. The new housing is a marketable option for future students and reduces the need for students to move off campus. The apartments will also provide a housing lifestyle that is attractive to students ready to move out of the dorm room, but still wish to live on campus. Allocating funds to the construction of residential buildings is a useful investment. But the college should begin focusing on renovating the academic department spaces on campus as well. While the school has begun relocating the Office of Career Services and restructuring the art history and anthropology department, more work remains. The Park School of Communications has classrooms that have not been renovated in years, and classrooms in Friends Hall could also benefit from a much needed upgrade. The housing proposal is a fiscally sound plan for the college and its students, but additional renovations to academic buildings should also be included in future plans.
saying goodbye
SNAP JUDGMENT Saving the planet What are you doing for Earth Day this year?
Politics professor Marty Brownstein retires from position after 40 years
A
fter serving Ithaca College for four decades, associate politics professor Marty Brownstein will retire at the end of this year. With his retirement, the college will bid farewell to one of its most respected and wellloved faculty members. Brownstein offered many courses throughout his career and focused on creating an environment where students led the classroom experience. Outside of class, Brownstein always responded to student queries and requests, setting a strong example of how student-faculty relationships can positively affect a student’s learning experience at the college. Brownstein was also responsible for essentially reviving the Model United Nations team at the college after beginning his adviser position in 1983. Brownstein has taken the team from a club to family, leaving large shoes for the next adviser to fill. Brownstein will leave Ithaca once he retires, but his legacy remains within the bonds he’s developed with department colleagues and community members. Brownstein has seen the college through renovations and leadership changes; he is a walking history of the college legacy. The Ithacan wishes Brownstein well in his postretirement life and thanks him for his devotion and contributions to the college.
Watch more Snap Judgments at theithacan.org.
“I didn’t know it was coming up ... . i’ll just act in my own small way and won’t be doing anything grand-scale.” joe killeen ’13 televisionradio, video production
“I am going to the shaleshock event at noon and then probably doing the garden cleanup.” Nancy webster ’10 sociology
“I won’t be doing anything. if there’s something on campus it’ll be cool to check that out.” andy fry ’10 english
“i’m going out to see the movie that comes out on earth day.” eulalie walklet ’13 outdoor Adventure leadership
Speak your mind. Write a letter to the editor ithacan@ithaca.edu
250 words or less, e-mailed or dropped off by 5 p.m. Monday in Park 269
The Ithacan Lindsey hollenbaugh editor in chief Allison musante Managing editor archana menon opinion Editor Jacqueline Palochko Acting news editor aaron edwards Acting news editor michelle skowronek accent editor whitney faber assistant accent editor
“I’m going to the earth day event on the quad.” katie jones ’11 Drama
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Opinion
Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
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Guest commentary
Foreign investments often prove harmful F
progress report
By patricia rodriguez
ollowing up on journalist Naomi Klein’s visit to Ithaca College and her mention of the recent earthquake in Chile and problems with “shock” therapy-style reconstruction, it may be timely to discuss in greater depth what the presence of American and other foreign corporations in Chile have meant to the country and its people. People often assume that bringing economic development to developing nations is a good way to tackle poverty and other problems, without considering the ways in which it can be bad. After a violent U.S.-backed coup d’etat by military forces against democratically-elected Salvador Allende on Sept. 11, 1973, neoliberal economics took strong root in Chile and then in much of the developed and developing world. During and after the authoritarian rule of General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1989), the obsession of Chilean political elites (even center-left parties) with maintaining a favorable investment climate for economic growth at all costs led to opening the country to foreign companies, free trade deals and a development model based on exports and heavy extraction of natural resources like timber and copper. Though poverty has diminished, this has been at the cost of environmental damage and citizenship rights. Ecological damage, such as the decimation of native forests and contamination of wild lands, has only been addressed via executive-dominated institutions that ensure the “fast-track” approval of corporations’ own environmental impact assessments. Hundreds of indigenous families have been displaced or forced to sell their lands to multinational corporations, with explicit approval of the government. Chile’s most important resources are now controlled by multinational corporations or by the domestic elites, in a repeat of earlier eras. The seven largest timber — mostly eucalyptus and pine — companies in Chile, which include U.S.-owned Simpson Paper and Scott Paper, own 2 million hectares of land, while the indigenous have painstakingly managed to recover 32,000 hectares through direct activism since the early 1990s. The problem is likely to intensify. Newly elected president Sebastián
Nuclear policy still needs work
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From left, junior Morgan Ewing chats with Patricia Rodriguez on Monday in Rodriguez’s seminar on Latin American Politics. Rodriguez also teaches a Politics and Society course this semester.
graham hebel/the ithacan
Piñera, a businessman from a rightist political party, already proposed a bill to Congress that delineates substantial tax breaks for businesses that take part and certainly profit in the reconstruction efforts. Besides increasing the levels of inequality in the country, the manipulation of institutions by political elites seeks to depoliticize the citizenry. Yet indigenous and other groups have mounted diverse protest strategies and alliances with other non-state actors, including human rights groups, environmental groups and academics, in order to uphold the rights they have obtained throughout their struggles. Though the alliances are difficult at times, this citizen activism thrives on the autonomous political agency of groups that challenge the profound inequalities that exist in Chile. This bottomup activism is also seen in the struggle of 30,000 Amazonian indigenous from Ecuador against U.S. giant Chevron/Texaco for the huge water, air and
land contamination from its crude oil extraction in the Ecuadorian jungle during a span of three decades (1964-1990s). This battle is currently being fought in national and international legal arenas and has involved a number of alliances between the indigenous and global environmental organizations, human rights lawyers and social justice advocates against a powerful conglomerate of corporate representatives of Chevron in the U.S. Though the connections between our own lives in the developed world and the indigenous, environmental and social justice struggles in Latin America and elsewhere are not so easily grasped, they are there. By raising awareness and dialogue about these matters, we can hope to one day address them better. patricia rodriguez is an assistant professor of politics. E-mail her at prodriguez@ithaca.edu.
Guest commentary
Hip-hop lyrics indicate homophobia in industry
H
ip-hop is routinely criticized for its explicitly sexist, misogynistic and homophobic environment, particularly evident in its lyrics. In one song, Eminem declares, “Bitch I’ma kill you … you ain’t nothing but a slut to me,” while in another song, raps, “You faggots keep eggin’ me on till I have you at knifepoint … Hates fags? The Daniel haack answer’s yes.” Lyrics about “bitches and hoes” dominate mainstream hip-hop, and artists who have recorded homophobic music include Cypress Hill, DMX, Ice Cube, Ja Rule and Jay-Z. Much of these trends are reflective of wider societal values and stem from long-standing structural intricacies. However, with such virulent degradation against women and gay people commonplace, where are individuals who exist at the intersection of this antagonism, such as gay and bisexual women, left? Arguably the most disenfranchised in commercial hip-hop, queer women operate on a tenuous framework in their performance and consumption of and representation within the culture. A glance at most homophobic lyrics indicates that the bigotry is primarily focused on the idea that male homosexuality is incongruous
Zach tomanelli
Hip-hop duo God-Des and She released its latest album, “Three,” in fall 2009. The duo is one of the few lesbian hip-hop acts in the industry. courtesy of audible treats ltd.
with the machismo conceit of hiphop. However, female homosexuality is also negated, perceived as a threat to masculinity either via a rejection of sexual advances or a willingness to confront and challenge men’s dominance. According to academic Tricia Rose, “women who are considered too independent, tough or powerful are negatively labeled as lesbians.” Here, “lesbian” is rendered as an insult showcasing clear homophobia, while the fear of a “strong woman” indicates a misplacement of sexual roles in which any woman not submissive is deigned wrongful. The best example of masculin-
ity challenged by the lesbian identity within hip-hop came via Queen Pen. In her 1997 song, “Girlfriend,” she raps, “If that was your girlfriend, she wasn’t last night,” and positions herself as the dominant suitor in a lesbian relationship, warning male counterparts in a discourse that mirrors their own braggadocio and misogyny. Other successful female rappers are subject to rumors about their own sexual orientations. Missy Elliot mocked such rumors in the lyric, “I heard the bitch [Missy] … started f--ing with [female rapper] Trina,” before warning people to “stop talking about who I’m sticking and licking /
Just mad it ain’t yours.” Progressions in commercial hip-hop attitudes have allowed lesbian and bisexual women to coexist with the culture’s masculine ideal, however, only as fetishized sexual entertainment for men. An examination of lyrics suggests that only traditionally feminine-appearing lesbianism is acceptable, and bisexuality is far more preferred to a rigid lesbianism. In “Late,” Kanye West asks, “What would you do for a Klondike bar, or two dykes that look Christina Milianlike?” Here, the “dykes” are positioned as conventionally attractive women who sleep with women but would also sleep with men. The consistent lyrical abuse of lesbian and bisexual women and the absence of any openly queer mainstream female hip-hop artists are worrisome, and the record industry is largely to blame. However, the growing success of popular underground lesbian hip-hop acts like Midwest transplants God-Des and She could mean the tide is shifting. This vibrancy of so-called “homohop”culture and the increasingly positive treatment of gays and lesbians by some popular male and especially female hip-hop artists suggests the potential for a more welcoming mainstream attitude to lesbian and bisexual women in hip-hop. daniel haack is a senior integrated marketing communications major. E-mail him at dhaack1@ithaca.edu.
All opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The Ithacan. To write a guest commentary, contact Opinion Editor Archana Menon at 274-3208.
resident Barack Obama has received his share of criticism in this column, and rightfully so. However, he deserves credit for his recent actions to curb the threat of nuclear weapons, but room for improvement remains. The 1991 Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty, which reduced U.S. and Russian nuclear arms, expired in 2009. Obama continued the disarmament initiated by the treaty by signing an updated agreement April 8. The new treaty will not take effect unless the Senate ratifies it with a two-thirds vote. These days, one has a better chance of tracking down a unicorn than getting 67 votes in the Senate, but let’s assume eight Republicans exercise common sense. The agreement limits each nation to 1,550 warheads — an important decrease from current levels, but still enough weapons to destroy every speck of life on the planet. The president should be commended for this treaty, but if he were truly dedicated to a world without nuclear weapons, he would reduce America’s stockpile even further. In the latest Nuclear Posture review, the president made a number of welcome changes to our nuclear position. Most notably, he ruled out using nuclear weapons against any nation that abides by the U.N. nuclear nonproliferation treaty. This is a great step in that it limits the instances in which America would use a nuclear strike. However, the possibility of a nuclear attack on Iran and North Korea remains. This is an attempt to pressure those countries into joining the NPT, which presents a head-scratching contradiction. We are saying we can live in a world without nuclear weapons. Yet, we are using the threat of nuclear warfare to gain compliance from “outlier” nations. The U.S. should drop its “first use” policy in regard to all nations, including the outliers. Lastly, the president recently wrapped a summit addressing the containment of weapons-grade plutonium. The summit may have lowered the risk of terrorists gaining access to nuclear materials. For instance, Ukraine has agreed to get rid of its enriched uranium, and the U.S. said it will work with Mexico to convert fuel at Mexico’s nuclear research reactor to a grade of uranium unsuitable for nuclear weapons. However, none of the agreements made at the summit are binding, and their success is contingent upon nations upholding these promises. The president has a lot of work to do before he can claim any significant success on the nuclear issue. Nevertheless, he deserves credit for what amounts to measurable steps toward achieving a more peaceful planet. Perhaps he is finally starting to earn that Nobel Prize. zach tomanelli is a junior journalism major. E-mail him at ztomane1@ithaca.edu.
12 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
accent
The Ithacan 13
Calling all
S c i Com
zap
Local comic club to hold 35th annual convention
Boom whoosh
The Crimson Palm
Mr. Perfect
By Whitney Faber Assistant Accent editor
Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, stronger than a crashing tidal wave — superheroes are blasting into town. The Comic Book Club of Ithaca will be holding its annual comic book convention — called Ithacon 35 this year in recognition of its 35th consecutive year running — Saturday at the Women’s Community Building downtown. The event draws about 200 fans every year, who come to buy comic books from the 10 distributors who will be at this year’s show as well as see artists, writers and editors involved in the industry. This year the guest list includes Marvel Comics editor Steve Wacker, storyboard artist for “Wolverine” and “The X-Men” Mike Borkowski, and Marvel Comics writer Roger Stern. Carmela Merlo, co-coordinator of the convention, said Ithacon always promises to be a quaint but exciting event. “It’s relaxed but busy,” she said. “It’s busy in that there is a lot of interaction going on — fans chatting with guests, catching up with their work — but it’s relaxed in that it’s a small, comfortable, cozy little show.”
While a lot of comic book conventions in cities have strayed from comics to include video games and movies, Ithacon has remained strictly a comic book show. Bill Turner, one of the founders of the club and co-coordinator of this year’s event, said the club has never been interested in trying to include other media to draw more people to the show. “It’s really a small, fan-oriented show that we’ve been doing,” he said. “We never really tried to grow a lot, and we never were really interested in expanding beyond comics. We have just always been a comic book club. That’s just what we’re interested in.” Ithacon 35 is also a chance for young artists to get an introduction to the industry. Frank Cammuso, creator, writer and artist for the “Max Hamm: Fairy Tale Detective” series and “Knights of the Lunch Table,” is returning this year as a guest, but this is not his first time coming to the convention. He first came to Ithacon as a fan when he was 8 years old. Cammuso said he loved comics before he came to the show, but Ithacon introduced him to the idea of pursuing comics as a career. “I was blown away to actually meet the artists and writers and see their work,” he
said. “When you can see the guy sitting there drawing, you go, ‘Wow, someone’s doing that.’ Then something goes off in your head, and you say, ‘Well, I could do that.’ It’s a vehicle for the possibilities.” Cammuso said he has seen a change in the convention’s fans over the years. “In the past, it was more of a stereotypical crowd, but I’ve noticed more and more it’s all different people,” he said. “The more graphic novels are getting out there, the more people are getting interested in comics. You see a lot more families now. You see a lot more women. It’s not the small geek living in their mom’s basement.” A place where multiple editors and artists gather in one room, Ithacon 35 is also a chance for young artists to show their work to professionals and receive feedback. Storn Cook, a local comic artist who has attended the event as a guest for the past three years, showed his portfolio for the first time to Jim Shooter, former editor-in-chief of Marvel Comics, at Ithacon about 30 years ago. “He ripped it to shreds,” he said. “I needed to hear the harsh truths.” Cook said he tries to offer aspiring artists the same opportunity for constructive criticism. “[Artists] can be an incredible re-
source for you to get better because they will see things with a critical eye that your mom or dad are not going to be able to see,” he said. “[Becoming good] is not going to happen overnight. This can take a while, and that’s OK. I tell kids that.” Cook said Ithacon typically has a different feel than a lot of larger comic book conventions because people can enjoy their hobby, rather than be exhausted by the show. “You get to spend time with your peers in a lot more relaxed atmosphere,” he said. “When you go to the big conventions, it’s about selling yourself all the time. When you go to the smaller conventions, you can relax.” Tim Gray, one of the founders of the club and owner of Comics for Collectors on North Aurora Street, said having conventions like Ithacon 35 is also a chance to educate others that comics are more than just entertainment for children. “[We want] the media to come in and see that comics are more than just silly animals on a piece of paper,” he said. “It’s a little more sophisticated than that. We have had that struggle for many years to convince people that it’s pop culture, but it has some fine art too.”
zoom
pow wham Tim Gray, a founder of the Comic Book Club of Ithaca, pulls a book at his store Comics for Collectors.
Claudia pietrzak/The ithacan
Illustrations by Storn cook
Ms. Strange
[ a ccentuate]
14 The Ithacan
Hot or Not
Th ursday, April 22, 2010
This week’s hits and misses
Assistant Accent Editor Whitney Faber dishes about the delicious and way-toogreasy places for breakfast in Ithaca.
Hot
Waffle Frolic When it comes to eating breakfast, it’s all about the carbs, and Waffle Frolic is the perfect place in Ithaca to gobble them up. Located smack in the middle of The Commons, Waffle Frolic’s a great spot to fill up in the morning, or since it’s open until 2 a.m. on the weekends, fulfill those latenight cravings. There are so many options for waffle toppings that just about anyone can find something to their liking. From blueberries to Nutella, to bananas and whipped cream, even without the choice of eggs or bacon on the side, this place will have just about everyone in Ithaca frolicking happily through plates of waffles.
Lukewarm
State Diner There’s something about the classic ’50s diners that instantly make a person feel at home. The State Diner is just like those old-style restaurants, without the greasers and poodle skirts. The griddle is in the dining area instead of the kitchen, and the entire restaurant is covered in booths to settle in and munch on some bacon and pancakes. Though the eggs are usually a little greasier than mom would make ’em, and there are enough high-calorie foods on the menu to give even the fittest person a heart attack, it’s still a delicious way to start the day. Now all they need is a juke box to make this package complete.
Not
Mano’s Diner On the outside, this restaurant looks just like a diner should: booths, griddle, jam packets on the table. Then the food comes, and that’s where the trouble begins. The eggs are usually a little runny, and it looks like someone accidentally shrunk the toast. The one redeeming menu item is the omelettes. There are a lot of choices for fillings mixed with ooeygooey-cheesey goodness. The servers are friendly, adding that down-home charm. But overall, at this place, it’s better to just stick with a milkshake. If they can mess up toast, there’s no telling what they would do to French toast.
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Blazin’ though fashion
Urban Blaze mixes up Emerson Suites with their new-school hip-hop dance moves last Thursday at Maestro Production’s fashion show, “Empire Runway.” A group at Cornell University, Urban Blaze seeks to display hip-hop culture in a positive light through dance.
Graham Hebel/the ithacan
blog of
the
week
celebrity Blog explores patriotism with countries’ tasty treats
Kim’s kitty controversy
German sausage, French cheeses and Indian curry — the best thing about traveling is getting to taste all the scrumptious treats from other lands. And what better way to display the foods of the world than to use them to make countries’ flags? This picture blog displays these flags, but instead of using boring materials, the creator uses food. Japan’s red, blue and black is made with sushi. Italy is packed with spaghetti, tomatoes and basil leaves, making these flags look good enough to eat. — Whitney Faber
wtf
OOPS!
Bacon-flavored vodka breaks into drink biz
First, man created the wheel. Then he figured out how to go to the moon and back. Now, man has managed another incredible feat — bacon-flavored vodka. Truly an amazing creation, this beverage combines all that men love in life: bacon and alcohol. But this drink is not for the faint of heart. It’s for the he-men of this world — the kind of guys who need meat in just about everything they consume. For everyone else, this strange mixture might be taking meat to a place it should never go. The biggest problem with this creation, though, is it raises the question: What does a person mix it with? Bacon-flavored screwdriver, anyone? — Whitney Faber
quoteunquote
Every time she lifts her leg, I think another kid is going to fly out. Joan Rivers to the ladies on “The View” on April 13, on her fears when Kate Gosselin performs on “Dancing With the Stars.”
Lately, reality TV star Kim Kardashian seems to be in the tabloids just about every day. Whether she is starting a new relationship, getting into another fight with her sisters or participating in another risqué photo shoot, her life is always being documented by the paparazzi. But this time she’s battling more than family members — she’s also taking on PETA. Kim posted a photo Monday of herself in a low-cut cat suit holding a kitten by the scruff of its neck. PETA immediately fired away with fears of potential harm to the little fur ball. Apparently, the kitten was not hurt by the shoot and all ended well, but all this controversy could have been avoided. Oh, Kim, don’t you know if you’re mean to a kitty, it’s bound to come back and bite you? — Whitney Faber
a ccent
Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 15
Staying sober While some students stumble home after a Friday or Saturday night out, others are working into the early hours of the weekend. In the fourth installment of the “A Night in the Life” series, Staff Writer Alexandra Evans discovers what it’s like to be the man responsible for keeping the noise down, drunk students off the driveway and promote a fraternity, sober, on a Friday night.
T H G NI IN THE e f i l
A
BY Alexandra evans staff writer
While college students line the pathway into a frat house ready to drink and party, one student is having quite the opposite sober experience. Zachary Schwake is president of Cornell University fraternity Tau Kappa Epsilon. He knows what it’s like to ditch drinking for a night to watch his house get terrorized by a public party. As president, his duty is to serve as the sober monitor at “open parties,” or non-catered invite events that are open to non-Greeks. He said sober monitors’ primary concern is the safety of their guests. “They remain sober, and they patrol the area and make sure everyone is at a safe level, and if there’s any issues with people being overly intoxicated, they come to me or the social chair,” he said. “If anyone’s giving us trouble, we just throw them out.” As guests started to arrive around 10 p.m. Friday, Schwake made his way around the house, checking that TKE brothers were monitoring key locations: the entrance, the exit, the downstairs bar and the upstairs bar. By 10:45 p.m., the house was half-full with people clad in tribal costumes and war paint to accompany the party’s Amazon and El Dorado theme. Sober monitor Michael Knapp cracked open beers and handed them to guests, one right after the other. Knapp leaned over the bar and pointed at the dance floor, where clusters of people were drinking and socializing. “It will pick up pretty soon,” he said. Right on cue the music volume increased at 11 p.m., and the basement was suddenly
packed with people wall to wall. Once the house became crowded, Schwake walked outside and stood near the entrance by the monitors checking student IDs. “This is the longest line we’ve ever had,” he said One student, who was fed up with waiting, approached the president and begged for her group to be let in. “That line is not going anywhere, and you know it,” she complained. “We’ve even got five girls to one guy!” “I appreciate the ratio argument, but we’ve got to let in the amount of people we let out,” Schwake said calmly and redirected her back to the line. For Schwake, hosting open parties is not a good experience, especially because many don’t understand the rules that allow the fraternities to host big parties in the first place. His fraternity must abide by Interfraternity Council standards: There can be no common source of alcohol such as a keg, there must be one designated sober monitor for every 20 people in the house, and once the house reaches capacity of 250 people, they can only let guests in if others exit. He said, luckily, the IFC allows only three non-catered invite events per semester, which the frat only hosts for publicity. “Hosting them is not fun, but these are our main source of recruitment and sorority relations and just getting ourselves known on campus,” he said. “We have to do it to maintain that relationship.” Outside the TKE house, about half of the people in line already looked intoxicated. One guy broke free from his friends and jumped on a car in the parking lot.
“This party sucks,” he screamed and told everyone outside to come to his party instead. Schwake and another sober monitor ran to order the guy off the car, while Nicholas Callioras, the first and only Ithaca College student in the frat, shoved another drunken guy out of the door and to the end of the parking lot for arguing with other monitors. The president shook his head. “They come here and use our house and drink our beer, and they’re still disrespectful,” he said. Callioras said without sober monitors, parties would get out of control. “If there were ever a disaster like a fire or something, there would be no direction from somebody who had a sound mind,” he said. After campus police arrived stating they had a noise complaint and would shut the party down if the noise continued, Schwake said the night had reached the point where he had to be on his game. “[If the cops were to come in] and any under-agers were drinking alcohol, that’s when they put us on probation,” he said. That would mean no more parties at the TKE house for six, eight or 10 academic weeks, which would carry over to the fall
2010 semester. Schwake said he wishes more people would associate the Greek system with things other than partying. The frat’s neighbors include Cornell professors, so the frat tries to be respectful and keep the noise to a minimum. Schwake said open parties are only a speck in the range of events hosted by the fraternity. “My weekends are not impacted too heavily [from sober monitoring] since we have only three non-catered invite events a semester,” he said. “So most of the time is spent at smaller events that we can relax at.” Once the night reached 1 a.m., the music was sharply cut off and the lights were turned on, a cue for partiers to disperse. They did, and headed up the basement stairs and out the front door like cattle. While Schwake generally dislikes sober monitoring, he said it is interesting to be the sober person who witnesses the ridiculous things drunken people do. “As the night goes on, you can see hour by hour things getting a little shakier,” he said. “People do change a lot when they drink. It’s definitely entertaining. It makes up for not drinking sometimes.”
Top: Zachary Schwake, president of Tau Kappa Epsilon, watches as student partygoers approach the bar for a beer. Schwake stays sober for all open parties at the frat house. Left: Students wait outside TKE’s doors trying to get into the party. A group of girls tried to argue their way in, but Jon Zalaznick, another sober monitor, didn’t buy their case. Above: Stefan Jovic hands a woman at the party a beer. It was Jovic’s job to give out beer to people in the house, though as a sober monitor, he could not drink any himself. Michelle boulé/the ithacan
16 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Accen t
Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 17
Freshman creates Latino culture club By Conor Harrington Staff Writer
Latino freshman Melissa Cepeda came to Ithaca College feeling lost without a place to celebrate her heritage. She knew she had to create a LaIf you Join tino student “Poder” When: 7 p.m. association alternating on campus to Thursdays fill this void. Where: African“I felt Latino Society there was a room in West need for a Tower lobby club like this on campus because we are able to hold not only social events but political events as well,” Cepeda said. “I want Poder to be a place Latino students can call home.” There have been many student efforts in the past to create a Latino association, but most attempts have failed. It wasn’t until this year, when the freshman and her friends started to create an outlet for Latino students on campus. There are 295 Hispanic students and about 1,000 students who identify as unkown at the college this year, according to the Office of Institutional Research. Cepeda said she thought Poder was necessary for the Latino community at the college. After many suggestions for names, Cepeda settled on Poder: Latino Student Association. Meaning “power” in Spanish, Poder was the perfect representation for this new campus organization that began in December,
Cepeda said. The club now meets at 7 p.m. every other Thursday in the African-Latino Society room in the West Tower lobby. Patricia Rodriguez, vice president of Poder, said even though there is an African-Latino Society on campus, there is always room for more minority clubs. “ALS is a great organization for both the African and Latino communities, but we feel that the more minority organizations there are on campus, the more we can collaborate and celebrate culture,” she said. Cepeda said she believes Poder should be not only a social club for Latinos, but also a forum to educate Latino students and allow them to voice their concerns. “Our first meeting was just to let everyone get to know us,” Cepeda said. “We spoke about Latino students in college and the retention rates associated with them.” Freshman Eva María Touré, the community service chair of Poder, said she felt there was a definite need for a Latino organization at the college. She said she was excited to join Poder and knew the club would be a perfect addition to campus. “You could see people’s faces at the first meeting we had, and many people didn’t know there was this many Latinos on campus,” Touré said. “It’s not a big number, but it’s good enough so we can be together and be comfortable at Ithaca College.” Rodriguez said there was a void that needed to be filled for the Latino community on campus.
Students gather for the Poder meeting in the African-Latino Society room to talk about social issues facing people of Latino heritage in the United States. The organization was formed this year by a group of freshmen.
Graham Hebel/The ithacan
“Latinos need more representation on campus, and we need our issues to be out there,” Rodriguez said. Though Poder is just beginning, the club has demonstrated its promise of longevity with its commitment to Latino development on campus, Cepeda said. In February, Poder tried to educate people on Latino culture at its social event Bienvenidos in the ALS room with games, music and traditional Latino dances. Poder members also focus on different issues pertaining to Latino youth. At its general body meeting March 11, the club discussed the DREAM Act — which stands for Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors — an act that fights for the right of children of immigrants to
attend college. Rodriguez said the DREAM Act may not directly affect the college, but it affects the Latino community across the country. “It’s not that it affects us as individuals, but we’re more concerned with the immigrant population overall, and we know that it is affecting the Latino community nationwide, and we want to incite change in that,” she said. Poder members are committed to making the group a platform for community service outreach initiatives, according to Cepeda. They started by promoting Haitian and Chilean relief efforts by coordinating a meal signaway program in March. Touré said she wants to use her role to make Poder more of a presence in the Ithaca community.
“I want to focus on the people who are in the city of Ithaca and gear our events towards them,” Touré said. “There are a lot of farms 20 minutes from here where there are Spanish immigrants working, so we would like to do something with them.” In April, Poder plans on sending representatives to the Dominican Student Conference at Cornell University. This May, the club also plans to participate in the Annual Immigrants Rights Walk located in downtown Ithaca. Rodriguez said she hopes the club will remain active. “I’ve been here for four years and thought it was a really good idea,” she said. “I would like to see it progress and continue to grow even after I leave,” she said.
Band pioneers music genre Funk group My Dear Disco to rock out at Castaways The band My Dear Disco is no ordinary funk-rock band, pioneering their own genre of music they call “Dancethink.” Staff Writer Evan Johnson spoke with guitarist Robert Lester about the nature of “Dancethink,” the band members’ musical backgrounds and their vegetable oil-fueled bus. My Dear Disco will play at 9 p.m. April 27 at Castaways. Evan Johnson: Can you explain the concept of “Dancethink” music? Robert Lester: “Dancethink” is an idea that derived from a few places, one of which was an observation about the quality of the music we were writing. We came up with the term maybe three years ago when we were being presented with lots of questions about how we would describe our music. You can add endless genre names to what we do. “Dancethink” is an observation that the music we’re writing is made to make people move, but it’s made with consideration to how the music is written. Music can be as enjoyable on the dance floor as it is in headphones. It’s like having your cake and eating it too as a dance band. That’s also become a goal of ours. Giving it that label and developing that vocabulary for what we do also gave us something to strive for. It’s an easy way for us to categorize our efforts. EJ: Your songs are intricately orchestrated. How do you write and create such a highly polished piece of music for a group like My Dear Disco? RL: Most of our music is written fairly collaboratively. Our writing process is continuously undergoing evolution. One member will come to the band with a general sort of idea. It may be a chorus, set of changes or a bass line. And we’ll work together to flesh that out into individual
parts for each member. One thing that we’re very fortunate to have is all the band members have a high degree of sensitivity and awareness of musical awareness in general. We’ve all had some kind of musical training, which helps you understand where you belong in an ensemble. EJ: What was your musical education like before you became professional musicians? RL: It’s actually pretty eclectic across the band members. In college, several of the members were jazz majors. I know our bassist and our synthesizer/bagpipe player have jazz degrees from a school of music. Michelle [Chamuel, vocalist] and I have electronic music degrees. Our drummer was a classical percussionist. It’s pretty eclectic, and there’s a really broad appreciation for all kinds of music. EJ: You’ve been featured with artists like ZZ Top, Gnarls Barkley and The Roots. What’s that like? RL: It’s been a really interesting and eyeopening experience to be put on bills with really established artists. There’s definitely an element of approaching that situation a little bit starstruck. And it’s been really cool to see how much these epic figures are just people, too. They’re doing the same thing we are — they’re just doing it at a much further point in their career. It’s had a huge influence on us, to be put in situations where we’re just eating at the same table. EJ: You travel in a bus that runs on recycled vegetable oil. How does that affect your travel? RL: It’s a little bit more work because you have to cover sourcing. We’re getting [used vegetable oil] from restaurants before or after gigs. It’s been very helpful financially because it’s helped
From left, Mike Shea, Michelle Chamuel, Robert Lester and Tyler Duncan, the members of funk band My Dear Disco will play their style of music called “Dancethink” on April 27 at Castaways.
courtesy of My Dear Disco
us with fuel costs. It’s a pretty wild thing, and it’s true that not a lot of people are doing it. That’s probably because you have to get the system built into your vehicle. It’s a very liberating feeling to be traveling around the country and not have to worry about finding gas stations. We’ve had a lot of good luck with it. Last March we did a tour for about four weeks, and we did 5,000 miles, 4,800 of which we did on waste vegetable oil. EJ: What was it like working with Mark Saunders, a Grammy-nominated-producer? What effect did that have on your music? RL: It had a huge influence on our music. The side effects of working with Mark are still cropping up. Someone like that has such collaborative and creative involvement with great musical figures and has had a re-
ally crucial role in shaping the sound and impact of their music. He taught us a lot about how to create [and] have more of a pop focus and how to insert a higher degree of creativity alongside accessibility. EJ: Is there anything in particular that audience members should expect when they walk into Castaways for your show April 27? RL: They’re going to see My Dear Disco get onstage, amp it up and melt face. We’re a band that tries to provide high-energy and high-impact performances because we care about the music and connecting with people through it. There’s going to be a lot of dance music being made that will be supported by high-caliber musicianship.
Accen t
18 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Flaming Lips rock Big Red at concert
hot dates
thursday
by jared dionne staff writer
Swarms of college students, adults and hipsters flooded into Cornell University’s Barton Hall on Sunday night to witness one of the most well-known live bands deliver a sold-out performance at Big Red. Many concertgoers went decked out in full Flaming Lips garb. Some were dressed in costumes of a Powerpuff Girl, a strip of bacon and even a couple of bananas. These were only a couple of the eccentriciFlaming Lips ties that showed just who was Cornell a Lips veteran and who was a University newbie at the concert. The band came onstage to the thunderous cheers and applause of its adoring fans, waiting to pay homage to Wayne Coyne and company. The band did not simply walk out onstage, however. They were “birthed” by a woman depicted on the arcshaped lighting board at the back of the stage. There was no turning back from there, as drummer Kliph Scurlock removed his shoes to get comfortable. Whirling confetti, balloons, streamers and laser beams overtook the crowd, and that was just the first song. Lead singer Coyne encapsulated himself in an inflated hamster ball and rolled his way around the crowd, much to the amusement of those keeping him aloft. Coyne set high expectations for the crowd in front of him. “Let’s see if we can be the second most legendary show,” he said, referencing the 1977 Grateful Dead performance at the same location. The crowd erupted with screams and cheers, demonstrating its willingness to accept the challenge. Throughout the performance Coyne danced and spun around the stage as he fed off the emotion of the crowd. His vocals captured a realness and spiritual essence that captivated the audience. It felt as though he was singing to each person individually, which was a nice change from listening to music on a CD. Coyne’s voice, which is somewhat stifled on the band’s studio material, surged from the speakers with tenacity and power.
Sour Boy, a hard-rock trio from Vermont, will perform at 9 p.m. at Castaways on Inlet Island. Admission is free.
friday
Live Review
Lead singer of the Flaming Lips, Wayne Coyne, entertains the crowd with oversized balloons and powerful vocals Sunday in Barton Hall at Cornell University. Audience members begged for two encores. Courtesy of gamy wong
Steven Drozd’s background vocals provided an ethereal sheen on top of Coyne’s, as his falsetto soared high into the rafters of the World War I airplane hangar. Drozd masterfully wielded his half-a-double-neck guitar and slammed away at the blacks and whites of his keyboard, adding to the intensity of the performance. Coyne preoccupied himself by stabbing stray balloons with his guitar and leading the crowd in floor-shaking choruses as attendees reached toward him with an insatiable desire for arena rock. The band charged through fan favorites “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” “She Don’t Use Jelly” and “The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song.” Concertgoers readily took up the choruses of these Flaming Lips’ mainstays as Coyne smiled down on his captivated audience with approval. “Be as ridiculous and emotional as you like,”
commanded Coyne. One of the highlights of the show was the band’s first encore. The band took to the stage once more with openers Stardeath and White Dwarfs to play a noteworthy rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Eclipse,” from “The Dark Side of the Moon.” The other highlight was during the second encore when the band played a heart-wrenching version of “Do You Realize??,” which was voted the official rock song of Oklahoma — where the band originally formed. The night reached an emotional high as all hands were in the air groping for the plumes of confetti that descended upon the masses. Coyne thanked the audience profusely and seemed visibly moved by the uproarious response the band garnered from the gracious crowd. If it was not the second most legendary performance at Barton Hall, it was pretty close.
Electro-pop band’s album borrows from other tunes by TJ Gunther staff writer
Sweden seems to be known for two things: Ikea and electro-pop music. Swedish group The Radio Dept. uses The Radio lo-fi aesthetics, fuzzy Dept. “Clingsynths and clean guiing to a tar licks to craft an Scheme” album brimming with Labrador catchy hooks and Sweden warm feelings. Our rating: The Radio Dept., HHH named after a gasstation-turned-radio-repair-shop in Sweden, likes to take its time between releasing records. After 15 years and only two records, it marks its return to the musical world with “Clinging to a Scheme.” In the time the band has been in-
Album Review
active, its music really hasn’t changed much. The sound comes across as more natural and less electronic, but the lo-fi vocal recordings and song structure are the same. What has changed is the musical environment. Since its last release, the dream-pop-centered band has seen its genre explode with the success of Washed Out and fellow Swedish group jj. But The Radio Dept. works. It fits perfectly alongside these groups, instead of sitting on the fringes of indie-pop. “Clinging to a Scheme” shows the band maturing in sound, but also conforming. The Radio Dept. once seemed content to write the music it wanted, but now the band sounds as though it borrows heavily from newer groups. The band sounds like it is influenced by its genre more than by its aspirations. The Radio Dept. does handle the genre well, though. The syncopated
Forever Young, IC After Dark’s latest event that will include finger painting, musical chairs and free food, will go from 9 p.m. to midnight in IC Square. Admission is free. Mutron Warriors, a funk/Afrobeat/soul band from the Ithaca area, will perform at 10 p.m. at The Nines in Collegetown. Admission is $5 at the door. Ecstatic Dance Ithaca, a dance troupe focused on selfexpression and physical freedom, will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Community School of Music on The Commons. Admission is free.
saturday
Salsa Survival, a dance lesson with Michael Luis of Palante, will go from 9 to 9:45 p.m. at Oasis on Danby Road. Admission is $10 for adults and $8 for students.
sunday
Atrevete y Muevete Showcase, a compilation of the Latin dance group’s routines from the semester and music from local Latin band El Rumbon, will go from 2 to 4 p.m. in Emerson Suites. Admission is $3.
Punk mixes with rock on CD by Isabel Braverman staff writer
Courtesy of Labrador sweden
percussion, layered synths and clean guitar sounds come together to create pop gems. The vocals sound distant and distorted, thanks to the poor production quality characteristic of lo-fi music and the mixing. The Radio Dept.’s “Clinging to a Scheme” would have been astounding two years ago. Unfortunately, because of a saturation of dream-pop in the past 12 months, the album will be lumped into an exploding genre and forgotten with the next musical fad.
AM Taxi, a rock band hailing from Chicago, produced a new album filled with catchy rock and punk anthems. The band lists The Clash and The Police as its musical influences. Though the sound is similar, AM Taxi is trying a little AM Taxi too hard on this “We Don’t album to be dieStand a hard rockers. Chance” Virgin Really, the band Our rating: is more compaHH1/2 rable to Green Day’s newer stuff or Good Charlotte. AM Taxi’s newly released single, “Fed Up,” is catchy, but the standout song on the album is “Dead Street.” It has an awesome opening guitar riff and
Album Review
drum beat while chronicling the drug culture of today’s adolescents. With funny lyrics such as, “With a bar tab bigger than Jesus,” the band clearly has some experience with its topic. For an album with memorable and innovative lyrics, “We Don’t Stand a Chance” pushes an underlying political messages that will definitely inspire a younger crowd.
Courtesy of virgin
quickies “Emotion & Commotion”
Palomino Banjado Records
Coheed & Cambria Sony
Jeff Beck Rhino Records
“Palomino” is a surprisingly catchy American bluegrass album. The first track sets the pace for the rest of the album with a foot-tapping beat and catchy chorus.
“Year of the Black Rainbow” is the prequel to the group’s four concept albums over the past eight years. It also stands on its own as a great progressive rock album.
This album demonstrates why Jeff Beck is one of the greatest guitarists in the history of rock. It features classic guitar solos with vocals from popular artists. courtesy of rhino Records
“Tramped by Turtles”
“Year of the Black Rainbow”
courtesy of Sony
courtesy of Banjado records
compiled by haley davis
Accen t
Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 19
Action scenes prove film can ‘Kick-Ass’ [ Cinematography and sound design bring graphic novel to life By Elisha Male
ticket stub
]
valid friday through thursday
cinemapolis The Commons 277–6115
Staff Writer
Comic book buff Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) wants to save the country from pointless violence. So he takes to the streets with a mask, a green and yellow scuba suit and a distinct lack of superpowers. Matthew Vaughn’s “Kick-Ass” is a visually striking and well-edited superhero satire weighed down by gratuitous violence. The film follows Dave, a high school student, who spends his time wandering the streets as Kick-Ass, the powerless, masked superhero whose sole “Kick-Ass” duty is to help Lionsgate people. Kick-Ass Our rating: gets in way over HHH his head when he meets masked vigilantes Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage) and Hit-Girl (Chloe Moretz) — a vengeful father-and-daughter duo who are trying to take down the city’s corrupt drug lord. The first half of the film stays true to Mark Millar’s original graphic novel, but “Kick-Ass” fans will be disappointed to see that the darkness and realism of the original comic book doesn’t carry over into the second half. The ending will seem fine to people unfamiliar with the novel, but fans of the story will find the second half “Hollywoodized,” with more action sequences, clichés and happy endings. Though it didn’t stay true to the story, “Kick-Ass” proves its loyalty to Millar’s original work through the use of fresh, bright imagery. Tilted, camera angles make the moving images look like the pictures in a comic-book
8 1/2 Sunday 1:00 p.m. Crazy Heart HHHH 9:30 p.m. and Weekends 4:30 p.m. Creation 7:15 p.m. and Weekends 2:15 p.m. The Ghost Writer HHH1/2 7:05 and 9:20 p.m. and Weekends 1:00 and 4:15 p.m.
Film Review
The girl with the dragon tattoo 6:50 and 9:30 p.m. Weekends 1:00 and 4:15 p.m.
From left, Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson), known as Kick-Ass, and Mindy Macready (Chloe Moretz), known as Hit-Girl, pose, waiting for their next foe to battle. They are combining forces to fight crime without the help of superpowers. courtesy of Lionsgate
pane. There is even a sequence when the film literally descends into the pages of a comic book. Bright colors also provide an ironic contrast to the dark narrative. Instead of using the cliché method of surrounding the villain in darkness, Vaughn puts the villain in an environment of orange and red tones. Carefully placed props — like the two paintings of guns pointed at each other in the drug lord’s office, hinting at a final duel — add hidden elements of irony and foreshadowing in each scene. These colorful scenes make the images in the film more engaging. An expertly placed range of music also contributes to the film’s success. The dynamic soundtrack contains
songs that appeal to any musical taste, ranging from traditional action film scores to popular hip-hop songs. Since every song is different, the soundtrack never becomes boring. The action sequences make this film stand out. Unlike most superhero films, “Kick-Ass” uses a different strategy for every action sequence. One battle sequence switches from slow-motion to fast-motion, while another scene takes place to the beat of a strobe light. Though the film is incredibly violent, the violence is presented in new ways so that it remains interesting. Halfway through the film, “KickAss” loses its focus and becomes hypocritical. The first half appears to
‘Prophet’ reveals crime in prison
“Kick-Ass” was written by Jane Goldman and Matthew Vaughn and directed by Matthew Vaughn.
Characters bring comedy to funeral By James Hasson Staff Writer
By Quinton Saxby staff Writer
Twenty minutes into Jacques Audiard’s “A Prophet,” prisoner Malik El Djebena is faced with a terrifying decision. Unwillingly contracted to commit murder, he must kill or be killed. “A Prophet” forces viewers into an awkward position, as they watch every detail of this brutal murder in a small prison cell. Blood coats the walls, and Malik (Tahar Rahim) places the weapon, a razor, in the dead prisoner’s hand. He uses his shirt to soak up the blood “A Prophet” pooling on the prison floor. Why Not The complex and brutal Productions nature of the film reflects Our rating: Malik’s own confused perHHH1/2 sonality. Malik begins this journey a victim of a corrupt system and ends a hardened criminal. Rahim captures this transformation with great maturity. The film’s brutal depiction of a young man’s descent into violence gives viewers little room to empathize with a young, naive and complex character. It is not clear whether Malik is guilty of the crime he committed outside of prison, and unlike many prison films, it doesn’t really matter. The film devotes little time to reflecting on Malik’s life before his six-year sentence. “A Prophet” rejects a cliché moral lesson, as well. The irony within the narrative is clear: A prison system purported to rehabilitate produces criminals instead. The film deals with issues of moral ambiguity and guilt. More than two and a half hours in length, “A Prophet” gives viewers plenty of time to observe Malik in his claustrophobic and dirty prison cell. The film is compelling because it does not offer viewers an easy answer regarding Malik’s
be a satire exploring good versus evil, but the second half descends into gratuitous violence, oddly placed comic relief and cliché endings. The whole reason the character Dave dressed himself up as Kick-Ass was to put an end to purposeless violence; yet the film thrives on pointless bloodshed. This film’s soundtrack and cinematography make it stand out from other graphic novel adaptations. As the title suggests, “Kick-Ass” is a bold, violent and in-your-face film that might not be Oscar-worthy, but it won’t leave audiences feeling disappointed.
complicity in these crimes. This film is not a story about the triumph of the human spirit. The intricacy and ambiguity of “A Prophet” make the film all the more frightening — these criminals seem devoid of moral conscience, and the story shirks conventional prison movie clichés. Audiard portrays violence realistically and unflinchingly. The camera does not shy away from uncomfortable moments of brutality. The cinematography is gritty and cold, allowing Audiard to portray a small prison culture of corruption and tyranny. The white concrete walls of this run-down prison seem especially intimidating and dilapidated. After two hours viewers feel choked and spent from being trapped in a world where physical force and intimidation trump moral strength.
The death of a family member is no laughing matter. But family reunions can be. “Death at a Funeral” combines wild characters and insane antics to make this funeral funny. “Death at a Funeral” introduces audiences to a myriad of characters connected to Aaron’s (Chris Rock) deceased father. As the family shows up, tensions and complications arise between brothers Aaron and Ryan (Martin Lawrence) and former lovers Elaine (Zoe Saldana) and Derek (Luke Wilson). “Death at a Funeral,” based on the 2007 film of the same name directed “Death at a by Frank Oz, reproduces Funeral” the original film scene for Parabolic scene. With the exception Pictures Inc. of an African-American Our rating: cast in the new release verHH1/2 sus the British cast in the 2007 version, the movies are carbon copies. Rock is fine when his character is under stress, but otherwise he acts with a blandness that hardly resembles a mourning son. The strong writing is carried over from the original film. There are moments when the movie resorts to sillier jokes, such as literal potty humor. But the kooky characters and their ridiculous stories make “Death at a Funeral” funny. Though this is a formidable recreation, this film loses most of its credit because of its lack of originality. This film has been done before, and a person doesn’t need to see both to appreciate the story.
“A Prophet” was written by Thomas Bidegain and Jacques Audiard and directed by Jacques Audiard.
“Death at a Funeral” was written by Dean Craig and directed by Neil LaBute.
Film Review
Film Review
Malik El Djebena (Tahar Rahim) walks through prison, a place that causes his moral corruption. courtesy of Why Not Productions
Greenberg 7:10 and 9:25 p.m. and Weekends 2:10 and 4:25 p.m. Mother 7:10 p.m. and Weekends 2:10 p.m. North Face 9:30 p.m. and Weekends 4:30 p.m.
regal stadium 14 Pyramid Mall 266-7960
Alice in wonderland HHHH 12:45 p.m., 6:10 p.m. The Back-up PLan 1:10 p.m., 4:20 p.m., 7:10 p.m., 9:40 p.m. Clash of the titans HHH 1:20 p.m., 4:10 p.m., 6:50 p.m., 9:25 p.m. date night HHH 12:10 p.m., 2:20 p.m., 4:40 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 10 p.m. death at a funeral HH1/2 12:25 p.m., 3:10 p.m., 5:25 p.m., 8 p.m., 10:20 p.m. hot tub time machine HH1/2 1:15 p.m., 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 9 p.m. how to train your dragon HH 12 p.m., 3 p.m., 5:35 p.m. kick-Ass HHH 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 4:50 p.m., 6:40 p.m., 7:50 p.m., 9:50 p.m., 10:30 p.m. The last song H1/2 12:50 p.m., 3:40 p.m., 6:20 p.m., 9:10 p.m. The losers 12:40 p.m., 3:20 p.m., 5:45 p.m., 8:20 p.m., 10:40 p.m. oceans 2:45 p.m., 5 p.m., 7:20 p.m., 9:30 p.m.
cornell cinema 104 Willard Straight Hall 255-3522
For more information, visit http://cinema.cornell.edu.
our ratings Excellent HHHH Good HHH Fair HH Poor H
Cl a ssi f ied
20 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
for rent
for rent
for rent
for rent
An Apartment with no hassles. Hudson Heights Studio Apartments are located next to IC. We are renting for the next school year 2010-2011 $560/m starting June 1-August 15th, 2010. We will also rent a few fall term (6 months July-December) at $750/month. The rent includes: furniture, all utilities, parking, garbage and recycling, with laundry rooms on the complex. Call Clif at 607-273-8473 cell 280-7660 for an appointment. Web site www.hhithaca.com.
Spacious 3 BR. Apts. on The Commons, one of them remodeled. Includes Heat. Furnished and for fall 2010. Call 607-272-7441.
CITY VIEW- FALL 2010 Studio, 1, 2 & 3 BDR’s, Elevator, intercom, high ceilings, Dishwashers, laundry, Internet. Parking available. 607-273-9462 www.ithacarenting.com.
8bdrm. house. Large rms. Furnished; 3 1/2 baths; laundry rm; parking. Available in Aug. $3,160 plus. 222 S. Geneva. Call CSP at 277-6961.
3 Bedroom. 2 Living Rooms. 1.5 baths. 205 Prospect St. Remodeled, furnished, fresh paint. 450+. No pets. Free parking. Call 339-1450 or 339-8167. Ask for Tim, John or Harry. Now renting for 2010/2011 2- 8 bedroom apartments and houses in South Hill and Downtown. Call today or visit our Web site at: certifiedpropertiesinc.com Certified Properties of TC, Inc. 273-1669. Very nice 2 Br. apt with hardwood floors, dishwasher, deck, washer/dryer, storage, etc. Large yard and parking. Quiet, scenic property convenient. ALL utilities inc. Contact: KM723W@yahoo.com 900 mo. 1 Bedroom Apt. on Hudson St. Available June 3, 2010 $590 plus utilities 273-3931. Commons West Studio, 1, 2 & 3, bedrooms Elevator, laundry, intercom, Highspeed Internet. 607-273-9462 www.ithacarenting.com. Nice Three Bed Apt. Downtown Furnished 900+ for info call 607-339-5112.
Twenty-Two Windows, 2 bedroom, eat-in kitchen, hardwood floors, furnished, includes major utilities, laundry, off-street parking. IthacaEstatesRealty.com or 607-273-9300. Country Cottage, 2 bedroom, furnished, 2 baths, eat-in kitchen, patio, deck, fireplace, radiant heat, off-street parking. IthacaEstatesRealty.com or 607-273-9300. One Bedroom, furnished, bright and warm, new furnishings, includes major utilities, full bath, laundry, off-street parking. IthacaEstatesRealty.com or 607-273-9300.
Ithaca Commons Mini-studios, mini-kitchen, TV lounge, laundry. $455 up. 607-273-9462 www.ithacarenting.com. BEST DOWNTOWN ROOMS Big, bright, mini-kitchen. Free Internet & 50” HDTV in lounge Laundry, parking. 607-273-9462 www.ithacarenting.com. Large 3 BR located downtown Available August 3, 2010 Parking, pets welcome 273-3931.
SOUTH HILL 4 BR HOUSE CONVENIENT TO IC & COMMONS. Parking, furnished, 2 full baths, d/w, w/d & deck $525+/person. For appt 607-227-6237. 212 South Geneva Street Unfurnished Studio - $550 Plus Unfurnished 1 Bedroom - $750 Plus 214 Prospect Street Furnished 4 Bedroom - $550 Per www.rentingithaca.com for info. 2 Bedroom Apt. on Hudson St. Available June 3, 2010 $950 plus utilities 273-3931. THE IVY 111 S. Cayuga Street Spacious 3 bedroom, 3 baths Elevator, laundry, A/C 607-273-9462. www.ithacarenting.com.
Forest home 2 bdrm apt. over empty garage. New rugs, large deck, use of washer/dryer, basement below. 1 mile to campus across from Cornell Plantation. $875. Contact John at 209-770-0452 or at johncsundell@yahoo.com. NEW LISTINGS! Two and Three bedroom apartments, just renovated at 513 S. Aurora Street (South Hill, 4 blocks from Commons) Excellent condition, free parking. Available late May or June 1. Visit PPMhomes.com. 1 bdrm apt Grad student, no smoking 5 min to campus private entrance furnished utilities inc. 272-0059 Clean, quiet, half block Bus stop.
3 Bdrm apt, Downtown, new, large washer and dryer in apt. E-mail for pic or more info info@ctowrentals.com 607-330-2442 $1,320.
SUblet 1123 Danby Rd. Furnished home w/ backyard and grill. Looking for a sublet in June and July 2010. Up to 3 BDRs available. $410/month. jpatti1@ithaca.edu or call 631-525-1784.
Employment Mystery shopper. Work 2-3 hours per week from your PC around your schedule. Earn a p/t or f/t income. We are currently searching SERIOUS HOMEWORKERS. Earn $3,000 - $5,000 per month. Experience required. E-mail at Albert2job@aol.com for details. COLLEGE PRO PAINTERS IS NOW HIRING Full-time summer job Working outdoors Earn 3k-5k 1-800-32 PAINT www.collegepro.com.
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Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 21
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22 The Ithacan
dilbert®
Thursday, April 22, 2010
sudoku
By Scott Adams
Medium
Hard
8 5 7 6 1 2 8
2 5
9 7 2 5
7
9
2 6 3 2 6 5 1 8 7 7 8 4 7 5 6 2 9 8 4 Medium
8 5 7 6 1 2 8
3 8
1 4 2
Hard
2 5
9 7 2 5
7
9
2 6 3 2 6 5 1 8 7 7 8 4 7 5 6 2 9 8 4
2 4 3 8 7 6 9
5 1 9 2 4 1 8
3 8
5 1
7 4
1 4 2 6 7 answers to last week’s sudoku Easy
3 8 1 2 7 4 5 9 6 1
2
3
4
5
12
13
15
16
18
6
26
27
31 34
28
29
45
46
32
35
36
38 41
11
20
25
33
10
22
30
40
9
17
19
24
8
14
21 23
7
37
39
42
43
47
48
44 49
50
51
52
53
54
55
crossword ACROSS 1 Mare’s offspring 5 Lhasa 9 Galleon cargo 12 Bone below the elbow 13 Cave dwellers 14 Flightless bird 15 Airhead 16 Fragrant flower 18 Square-dance calls (hyph.) 20 Farewell 21 Always, to the bard 22 “We - not amused” 23 Piqued 26 Wins over 30 Slammer 31 Cloudy 32 FBI man 33 Seeing the sights
36 38 39 40 43 47 49 50 51 52 53 54 55
Medium
7 6 5 3 9 8 4 2 1
2 4 9 5 1 6 7 3 8
5 9 6 8 3 1 2 7 4
8 3 4 6 2 7 9 1 5
1 2 7 4 5 9 8 6 3
9 7 3 1 4 5 6 8 2
4 1 8 7 6 2 3 5 9
6 5 2 9 8 3 1 4 7
4 7 6 8 3 2 1 9 5
8 5 1 4 9 7 3 2 6
3 2 9 6 1 5 7 4 8
1 8 2 3 7 9 6 5 4
9 3 4 5 2 6 8 1 7
5 6 7 1 8 4 2 3 9
2 9 5 7 6 1 4 8 3
7 4 8 2 5 3 9 6 1
6 1 3 9 4 8 5 7 2
By United Media
Card game - Sumac of Peru Kind of tent Sandal part Cutting short Gets together again Churchill successor Tunnel blaster River deposit “Betsy’s Wedding” star Pale gray Roach and Linden Kind of pilot
DOWN 1 Cartoon hunter surname 2 Mixed bag 3 Diligent insects 4 More indolent 5 Loathe 6 Forks over 7 RR terminal 8 Prized statuettes 9 Former science magazine 10 Learning method 11 Vacation destination 17 Think-tank output 19 “L.A. Law” regular 22 Rifle range command 23 Well-chosen 24 Recent (pref.) 25 Safari animal 26 Burrow
27 28 29 31 34 35 36 37 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 48
Leader of the flock Where the lion roars Hog’s abode Chromosome material O’Neal of films Bratty Cause a blister Optimistic Military bases Tijuana Ms. Decades “Ask Dr. -” Steeple feature Groundless Buntline and Beatty Tiny fly Pablo’s aunt
answers to last week’s crossword S E A T A L V I N G L A D E L I V I OBOE D ME N S A A R T WO R E P E E S T AG R N E T D I AMON A RM WE B E A NO
P U N D I T K I D D E D
U T T A E C K T E M G A T T E D ME D C E A L MA P R E
D E T E R S
S L K E I E
A R E A N R A T I Z E E RN
B I T T Y E N E
sports
PLAYING THE FIELD Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 23
Freshman standout takes on many roles for softball team
Clockw ise fro m more A nnmar top: From le ft ie Fore nza du , freshman Biondi Jen Bio ring a slides game ndi ca safely March selaer lls off in 2 to seco Polytec sopho7 at danie hnic In nd in t lle d’A Kostrinsk h s y Field t e Blue itute o vanzo Biondi /T . a n Marc m h 27 a nd Gold’s win he Ithacan April 7 akes contact t Kostr o v e r at Kost d R in uring ensksy Da rinsky Field. S the Bomber nielle D’AvanFzield. Biondi s o h ’ / e t lo h w s e ent 2-f m or-7 in s to SUNY-Co Ithacan over R akes a throw rtland enssela to seco Andre the double on er Poly n h technic d in the Bom w Buraczenskeader. i/The bers’ d Institut Ithaca o e on M n arch 2 ubleheader s 7 weep a t Danie K o s lle D’aVa trinsk y Fie nzo/T he Ith ld. acan
By Casey Musarra Sports Editor
Before freshman Jen Biondi steps into the batter’s box, just like most hitters, she goes through a routine. But unlike most hitters, her routine is a little unorthodox. She snags the bat with each hand on opposite ends and reaches her arms back until she touches her bat to her backside — all without bending her elbows. She appears to dislocate her shoulders before swinging her arms around to a hitting position. “We always joke around with her, ‘Do the elbow thing, do the elbow thing,’” senior Katherine Wilson said. “She’s got a good sense of humor about that for sure.” Biondi tends to leave her sense of humor off the field, though, with her stats showing the seriousness she puts into the game. As of Tuesday, Biondi is hitting .345 with two home runs and 16 RBIs. Long before putting on a Bombers’ uniform, though, Biondi said she did not even know Ithaca College had a softball team. “The first time I was here, the people showing me around said there wasn’t even a softball team, so I had no idea that there was even a team,” she said. Biondi said Ithaca was always her No. 1 choice because of its atmosphere. “I wasn’t going to base my college decision off of softball, but it ended up [working out that way],” she said. Biondi just recently switched her major to occupational therapy after starting out as a psychology major. She said after learning
about occupational therapy in a psychology course, it seemed like a more interesting route. “I had no idea about what O.T. was until I actually got here,” she said. “This year I was taking a psych class, and they were just talking about O.T. I asked [sophomore Erinn Jacobi] — because she’s in the O.T. program — I asked her a couple of questions about it, and I decided to switch.” On the field, Biondi is considered a five-tool player, as she hits for average and power, displays excellent speed, and throws and fields well. Coming into the year, Biondi said she was nervous but said she thought back to her freshman year of high school to gain confidence. “I remember my freshman year when I was in high school I hit horribly and it was just because I was so nervous,” she said. “But now that I’m here, I knew that I could do that again. I knew that I could have confidence in the beginning because I wanted to be successful this year.” Despite being nervous starting her high school softball career, Biondi was named Star Ledger Player of the Year both her junior and senior years. Biondi brought that confidence she gained from high school to college. She is one of only four Bombers to start in every one of the team’s 30 games. In the Bombers’ 18 games since spring break, Biondi has played at least one game at four different positions — each spot in the outfield and shortstop. While she’s seen time at each position, she’s predominantly been the Bombers’ center fielder, with 14 starts there since the team’s trip to Florida. Biondi, who has been playing softball for as
long as she can remember — starting with tee ball when she was about 5 years old — never played in the outfield before this year. Listed as a shortstop/second baseman, the middle infielder has needed to make the adjustment based on the rest of the Blue and Gold’s lineup. But with her natural athleticism and speed, she’s developed a quick first step, which is the most important part of playing the outfield.
Biondi, who is double-jointed, performs an unorthodox routine before heading to the plate.
allison usavage/the ithacan
“It’s been hard, but I actually really like the outfield a lot,” she said. “I’ve been learning a lot.” Keith Heinemann, Biondi’s softball coach at Morris Knolls High School in Denville, N.J., said even though she was a four-year starting shortstop in high school, he’s not surprised that she has adjusted to the outfield so well. “She picks up things fast,” he said. “She’s very coachable. You don’t have to explain things over and over to her. She’s a student of the game. She can go out there and do it with her athleticism. She tracked balls well as an infielder.” Biondi tends to be very quiet and goes about the game with seriousness. Junior Kait Dolan said Biondi always has focus in her eyes. “She’s pretty intimidating out on the field with her little batting stance,” Dolan said. “She’s all business when she’s out on the field.” Off the field, it’s another story. Dolan said Biondi is a “complete goof ” who always makes everybody laugh with her stories, such as the one behind her high school nickname. During a high school basketball game, Biondi was waiting to be announced, when suddenly she heard them call, “Jean Bodeen.” She hesitated, but laughed it off and got up. The nickname has stuck ever since. When she steps up to bat, the Bombers constantly yell, “Let’s go, Jean Bodeen.” Whether it’s her or her alter ego at the plate or in the field, the Bombers can count on Biondi. “She’s always been coming up clutch this year,” Wilson said. “If you need someone to do it, when she’s up to bat you kind of breathe a little easier. You’re like, ‘All right, Jen can do it.’”
Sports
24 The Ithacan
The inside Pitch Cory Francer
Taking the boy out of Boston
A
s a Massachusetts native, Patriots’ Day, otherwise known as Marathon Monday, is one of the most important days of the year. Schools and businesses close and streets are blocked off across the region as Bostonians crowd the course to catch a glimpse of the athletes. Being away from Boston the past four years, I’ve been forced to catch only brief glimpses on TV of the world’s most famous marathon and the other events that go along with the day. It was always a favorite tradition of mine to get tickets to the Red Sox game — the only morning start time of the season — that Monday with my dad and rush out of the gates at the end of the game to see the runners pass through Kenmore Square. Though I haven’t been in Boston for the marathon in years, it still amazes me how many great stories of human triumph appear every year. The biggest headline this year came from Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot obliterating the course record with a jaw-dropping time of 2:05:52. Strangely enough, he was not the first Kenyan named Robert K. Cheruiyot to win the race, as unrelated Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot is a four-time winner. But the marathon has never really been about who comes in first. Instead, what has always really mattered are the stories of people overcoming what seems like insurmountable odds to complete the 26-mile course. It’s impossible to miss the father-son tandem of Dick and Rick Hoyt who have now run 28 marathons together. Rick has suffered from cerebral palsy his entire life and is still able to compete in marathons all over the world by having Dick push him the whole way in a wheelchair. The sight of them still completing the marathon together is one of the most heartwarming in all of sports. South African Ernst Van Dyk won his record ninth Boston marathon for men’s wheelchair. Van Dyk, born without legs, truly proves that it is possible to overcome one of life’s biggest challenges, holding the course record in Boston. He has also earned wins in the New York City and Los Angeles marathons. Similarly to Team Hoyt, Team Noah is now making waves in the marathon community, participating in the race to benefit the Noah’s Ark foundation, which aims to improve the lives of disabled adults. Linda Zack pushed her 31-year-old son Noah in a wheelchair for all 26 miles of the race, showing just how important Noah’s cause is. Clearly, Marathon Monday means a great deal more than getting out of school and watching a daytime Red Sox game. The 114-year-old race through Boston is one of the most important and inspiring sporting events we have. Cory Francer is a senior sport studies major. Contact him at cfrance1@ithaca.edu.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Squad set to take on conference foe By bryan shay staff writer
After a miserable start to the season, the baseball team now finds itself in the middle of a playoff race. Winners of five of their last six, the Bombers head into the biggest weekend series of their season. Back-to-back doubleheaders with St. John Fisher The Blue and College should go a long way Gold have in determining who wins struck out their the Empire 8. Both the Caropponents 152 dinals and Bombers sit atop times to their the conference with records own 102. of 6–2. At just 11–12, Ithaca has yet to surpass .500 this season as the team fell to No. 21 University of Rochester 5–2 in 11 innings on Tuesday. The Bombers will travel to Pittsford, N.Y., on Saturday to face off against a 20–9 Fisher team that has won 12 of its last 13 games. But this does not scare senior captain Tom Fishback or the Bombers, who were originally selected to win their 10th straight Empire 8 crown in the preseason coaches’ poll. “They should be worried about us,” Fishback said. “If we come out and play with the intensity we have had in the last six games, that intensity is really going to separate us.” After averaging just more than five runs per game in its first 17 games, the Bombers’ offense has truly started to get in sync. Over its last six games, Ithaca is 5–1 and has averaged nearly 10 runs a game. Head Coach George Valesente said the team’s offensive improvements have been all about putting in the extra time with Hitting Coach Frank Fazio. “Our hitters have been getting extra work with Coach Fazio, and the results have showed,” Valesente said. “It hasn’t just been more work, but it’s been conscientious work to improve things that were going wrong.” But if the Bombers are to keep the bats rolling this weekend in Pittsford, it will have to be against a Cardinal pitching staff that has allowed less than four runs per game in its last nine contests. Fisher’s pitching this season has an astounding team ERA of just 3.88, the best in the Empire 8. Cardinal Head
stat Check
Freshman Matt Keller slides headfirst safely into home plate in the baseball team’s 10–2 win over Cazenovia College on April 13 at Freeman Field. The Bombers are currently on a four-game win streak. Andrew Buraczenski/The Ithacan
Coach Brandon Potter said his pitching staff has done a great job keeping games close. “Our pitching staff is mentally tough,” Potter said. “We are an experienced team who has been there before. They just keep working at it until they get the result they want.” For the Cardinals, close games have been the story of their season. Seventeen of their 29 games have been decided by two runs or less, and of their nine losses, seven were by just one run. Potter said his team still has a lot to work on, and they are not quite at the point he wants them to be come season’s end. But much like the Bombers, the Cardinals have
hit their stride at the perfect time of the season, just before the biggest weekend to date for both teams. “This is a very important series,” Valesente said. “It looms large. I would imagine whoever does well will have a leg up on a playoff bid.” For Fishback and his three fellow senior teammates, a successful weekend on the road at Fisher could erase the doubt placed on this team after its poor first half of the season. “One thing that this team does really well is that we take things personally,” Fishback said. “Right now we have the right mentality to go in there and take four.”
Bombers prepare for run at Empire 8 tournament By casey musarra Sports editor
Coming into the 2010 season, the softball team had a few goals in mind, but before the Bombers could look down the road, their first goal was to clinch the Empire 8 regular season title. With a 9–1 conference record, the Blue and The Bombers take on Utica Gold sit in first College in a place just ahead of doubleheader Alfred University at 1 p.m. — the only team Saturday at in the Empire 8 Kostrinsky the Bombers have Field. faltered to. “Obviously that could come back to haunt us if they continue to win the rest of their games because it could potentially mean that they could host,” senior Caitlin Ryan said. “As long as we win the rest of our games, we should be OK.” The Blue and Gold have played four more conference games than the Saxons, but with a 5–1 record in the Empire 8, the teams remain essentially tied. Despite the loss to Alfred, the South Hill squad is confident it can rebound, win out and solidify its No. 1 seed heading into the final four games of the Empire 8 season. This weekend, the Bombers take on Utica College on Saturday at home before hitting the road to take on Elmira College on Sunday in Elmira, N.Y. “We have to [win],” Head Coach Deb Pallozzi said. “Right now Alfred and us are tied. We both have one loss, so if we lose anything and
Next up
Junior captain Allison Greaney throws a pitch during the Bombers’ 5–0 win over Rochester Institute of Technology on April 11 at Kostrinsky Field. Danielle D’Avanzo/The ithacan
they win out, we don’t host. Every win right now is critical.” While the team has shown that it loves to play at home with a 7–3 record at Kostrinsky Field, the Bombers have fared almost as well on the road at 6–2.
“We’re confident either way, so it doesn’t really affect us,” Ryan said. “Obviously we like playing at home, but we can play on the road just as well. I don’t think it really makes that big of a difference to us.” In the Bombers’ six-game win-
ing streak, each win came in a doubleheader sweep over an Empire 8 opponent, including two victories over St. John Fisher College, who the Bombers fell to in the Empire 8 tournament final last season. “We were so pumped up for that Fisher game as we always are,” senior Katherine Wilson said. “We hate Fisher, so we always have to beat Fisher. That was huge, and that was big momentum going into Sunday, too.” Fisher was picked to win the conference in the preseason coaches’ poll, but the Cardinals currently sit in third with a 6–4 Empire 8 record. With hosting the Empire 8 tournament being the next goal in mind for the Blue and Gold, Pallozzi said the competition is tough heading down the stretch. “They’re all good,” she said. “[Nazareth College] has great pitching. Fisher has great pitching. Anything can happen in the Empire 8, as we’ve seen the last two years in a row we’ve gotten upset in the finals.” With those upsets on their mind, the Bombers want to put themselves in the best position to win, which, according to Wilson, is playing at Kostrinsky Field. “There’s nothing like playing on your home field, especially a highadrenaline tournament like that where everyone wants to win because a lot of people in the Empire 8 are so competitive,” she said. “Everyone wants that spot for regionals, so having that little bit of a home-field advantage definitely helps.”
sports
Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 25
Meshing at midfield Three freshmen find strengths and boost offensive production By Kevin McCall Staff Writer
While the focus was deservedly on the seniors during Saturday’s pregame ceremonies at Carp Wood Field, three freshman midfielders have contributed just as much to the women’s lacrosse team’s success during the 2010 regular season. The trio of freshman midfielders, Tracy Rivas, Michelle Avery and Kim Armbruster, has combined for 42 goals and 51 points through 13 games. The threesome also contributed to the Bombers locking the top seed in the Empire 8 Conference and earning the right to host the Empire 8 tournament May 8 and 9. Senior attack Kylie McClure said the three players have stepped up and played like they have years of experience under their belts. “They haven’t missed a beat from the get-go in the fall, and they play like they’re seniors,” she said. McClure’s classmate and midfielder Lauren Fitzgerald said the team was excited to have them because of their relentless pursuit, which allows them to play well on the field both collaboratively and individually. “They work hard, they’re fast and they’re aggressive, and that’s what’s important in the draw circle at the midfield,” she said. Rivas said playing midfield for a Division III lacrosse program requires balancing aggression with fundamentals. “Each transition, I man up and try to get that extra aggression on while focusing on the details,” she said. Rivas is proof that big things can come in small packages. Listed as 5 feet 2 inches tall, she is the shortest player on the roster, yet she was able to net five goals in the win over nationally ranked Stevens
Institute of Technology. Rivas said Avery boosted her confidence during the offseason. “In the beginning I was a little bit timid, but once we started the season and began to improve so much, all three of us were able to circulate that confidence,” she said. “Michelle just kept telling me, ‘Tracy, you’re unstoppable, and you can just push through people.’” Avery said her own confidence continues to grow as the season goes on. She has started in 12 games and scored the game-winner against conference foe St. John Fisher College. She said working on off-ball movement and positioning has allowed her to improve from game to game. “Moving without the ball is as important as being able to cradle the ball so you can open up for a scoring chance when you receive a pass from behind the cage,” she said. Armbruster said she brings physicality to the game that mixes well with Rivas’ speed and Avery’s positioning. She said this developed from them competing against one another in one-on-one shooting and free position drills in front of the net. The three freshmen fire shots from inside the 8-meter arc and practice passing from different angles, switching between offense and defense. Armbruster said the added physicality wears down opponents during games and usually allows for more offensive opportunities for the Blue and Gold because the opposing team commits fouls out of frustration. “A lot of times the yellow card on the opponent can give us the opportunity to score and be more effective from the midfield on the offensive attack,” she said. Head Coach Karen Hollands said
From left, freshman midfielder Tracy Rivas fires a shot as Alfred University senior Amanda Sullivan looks on in the Bombers’ 15–2 win Friday at Carp Wood Field. The Blue and Gold will host the Empire 8 tournament this year. Danielle D’Avanzo/The Ithacan
with the tremendous depth on the South Hill squad’s roster, no player can afford to be settled in her role. “I always tell the team, ‘Don’t focus on being a starter, focus on being a finisher,’” she said. “The three of them do that well.” Avery said she was thankful for her starting role early on, and as far as the future goes, she said she, Rivas and Armbruster are taking the season one step at time. “Starting as a freshman is something to never take for granted,” she said. “We’re just fighting to maintain the starting positions and taking it one game at a time.”
William Smith College vs. Ithaca College – April 20 Ithaca 16, William Smith 7
William Smith #2 Lucy Johnson #9 Rosie Scheibel #11 Marissa Potter #13 Brittany Callaghan #14 Cassie Findlay #17 Callie Frelinghuysen #19 Molly Fitzgerald #3 Katie Dexter #12 Kathleen Ragan #23 Emily Leahy
s ists ts ts al in o go ass po sh
Ithaca
s ists ts ts al in o go ass po sh
2 2 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
#4 Alison DeCirce #10 Michelle Avery #12 Katie Hurley #13 Kylie McClure #23 Nicole Borisenok #1 Tracy Rivas #3 Kimberly Armbruster
2 0 4 4 2 3 1
MIN
#50 Jesse Wilson
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2 3 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0
4 3 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 1
GA Saves
60:00 16 7
1 1 0 1 2 0 1
MIN
#30 Courtney Dowell
3 1 4 5 4 3 2
3 1 6 7 4 7 1
GA Saves
60:00 7
8
Source: Sports Information
Blue and Gold face nation’s best By Chris Lotsbom Staff Writer
When track and field fans rank the best outdoor competitions in the nation, a couple of meets come to mind. The Prefontaine Classic, honoring former Olympian Steve Prefontaine, in Eugene, Ore., and the Adidas Grand Prix in New York, for being part of track and field’s professional circuit, are sure to be on the list. But topping them all is the oldest and most historic meet in America: the Penn Relays. Several members of the women’s track and field team will be making the trip to compete at the historic meet, held at the famous Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania, beginning today and running through Sunday. Every year since 1895, the Penn Relays draw many of the best track and field athletes — high school, college and professional — to Franklin Field. This year alone, more than 22,000 athletes will be competing. For 18 of the best Bombers, Franklin Field will play host to one of the biggest meets of the season. One of the final competitions before the New York State Collegiate Track Conference and Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships, this meet is where the Bombers will aim to run, jump and throw their best, looking to earn or improve upon their qualifying marks for the NCAA Championships. In addition to participating, the South Hill squad is excited to experience the meet atmosphere — a little reward for all the hours of practice the athletes have put in over the past few months.
“Penn Relays is always great,” junior Marcia McCord, who will be participating in the 4x100, 4x400 and sprint medley relays, said. “Everyone is out there to have a good time and run fast. You can’t mimic the atmosphere — or the deep-fried Oreos [sold at the meet]. The first time I went, it was a lot to take in. I was surprised to find that people come from all over just to run on that weekend. In those three days, there’s a lot of talent bustling through the stands.” McCord said it’s a humbling experience because the athletes don’t know who they will encounter. “You could bump into a Division I NCAA champ or sit 5 feet from [former U.S. Olympian] Justin Gatlin and not even know it,” she said. The meet also gives the Bombers a chance to see how they fare against some of the best collegiate teams in Division I, II and III. “Being at the meet alone, in an environment with thousands of talented athletes was a great experience,” junior Ashley Dlubac, who competed at the meet last year, said. “You get to watch people from all age levels and divisions compete.” This year, the Bombers will get to see the best in the world compete. World record holder in the 100- and 200-meter dash and gold medalist in Beijing at the 2008 Olympic games, Usain Bolt of Jamaica is set to compete in the 4x100-meter relay as part of the USA vs. The World competition. When McCord, Ithaca’s 100-meter record holder, found out that “Lightning” Bolt was competing, she was excited.
Freshman Kerry Tkacik makes it over the bar during the high jump event Tuesday at the Ithaca Quad Meet at Butterfield Stadium. Tkacik tied for first in the event with a jump of 1.62 meters.
Andrew Buraczenski/The ithacan
“He has made such an impact on the sport in the last few years,” McCord said. “I’ve honestly never seen so much diversity in an athlete that competes at the national level. He’s amazing.” Also competing as a professional in the Olympic Development Women’s 5,000-meter race will be Amanda LoPiccollo ’04, who now races for the Syracuse Chargers Track Club. Aside from all the action going on at the meet, the Bombers will have to remain fo-
cused on competing at the highest level in their respective races and events. Looking at the meet as one that will prepare her for the upcoming championships, senior Melanie McCormick said the only key difference is the competition. “I’m looking forward to racing against incredibly talented runners,” McCormick said. “When you race against runners that are better than you, you can only get better.”
sports
26 The Ithacan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Blue and Gold’s relay team builds unity on track By Tim Mcquade staff Writer
With depth and talent, the relay squad is one of the strongest pieces to this year’s dexterous men’s track and field team. “On the relay, it hurts to have one weak person,” sophomore Doug Koury said. “But this year, when I hand it off to the next person, I know that they will run as fast or faster than me, so that really helps.” Koury, juniors Jeff Wetmore and Max Orenstein, and freshman Chris Mastrosimone make up the Bombers’ relay team. “Previous years we have had some good relays,” Wetmore said. “But we have replaced a few people with strong athletes. Chris is a strong freshman this year. Doug has really stepped up. We have gotten faster as a team overall.” Since the outdoor season began, the relay squad has had three first-place finishes and one third-place finish, but the relay members said injuries have hindered the team from reaching its true potential. “So far this year we really haven’t all run together,” Orenstein said. “Chris was injured, Doug was injured, so all of us have not peaked at the same time at any point this season.” Still, all of the relay members have had strong individual performances this spring. Orenstein has qualified for the Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships in the 100- and 200-meter individual dashes and the 400-meter relay. Wetmore will also join Orenstein at the ECAC Championship in each of those events. Koury and Mastrosimone earned ECAC qualifying honors in the 400-meter dash as well as the 400-meter relay. One thing that has helped the members succeed is the friendly competition that has developed among them. “At the end of a 400-meter relay we are all sprinting even though we are tired because we
From left, freshman Chris Mastrosimone hands off the baton to junior Max Orenstein in the men’s 4x100-meter relay Tuesday at the Ithaca Quad Meet at Butterfield Stadium.
andrew buraczenski/the ithacan
are competing against each other and against other teams,” Mastrosimone said. “It helps a lot to be competing against each other.” Wetmore said friendly competition is key to developing chemistry during the season. “[The relay team] creates a friendly com-
petition atmosphere, and that competition really pushes us during the meets,” he said. “You need to have good competition within the team further on in the season to push you to perform well and win at meets.” Koury said the relay team stands out from
Look online for game stories from these sports: TODAY
• 9 a.m. Men’s and women’s track at Penn Relays in Philadelphia
TOMORROW • 9 a.m. Men’s and women’s track at Penn Relays in Philadelphia
SATURDAY
• 8 a.m. Men’s and women’s crew at Williams College vs. Bates College, Marist College and the Coast Guard Academy • 1 p.m. Men’s lacrosse at Hartwick College • 1 p.m. Softball vs. Utica College at Kostrinsky Field • 1 p.m. Baseball at St. John Fisher College • 1 p.m. Women’s lacrosse at Nazareth College
SUNDAY
• 10 a.m. Men’s and women’s track at Cornell Big Red Invitational • 11 a.m. Men’s and women’s track at New York State Collegiate Track Conference Decathlon Championship at the University of Rochester • 1 p.m. Softball vs. Elmira College at Kostrinsky Field • 1 p.m. Baseball at St. John Fisher College • Noon. Men’s tennis vs. Alfred University at the Ithaca College Tennis Courts
monday
• 10 a.m. Men’s and women’s track at New York State Collegiate Track Conference Decathlon Championship at the University of Rochester
tuesday
• 3 p.m. Softball at SUNY-Oneonta • 4 p.m. Women’s lacrosse at the University of Rochester • 4 p.m. Men’s tennis at St. John Fisher College
Wednesday
• 3 p.m. Softball vs. Cornell University at Kostrinsky Field • 4 p.m. Baseball vs. St. Lawrence University at Freeman Field • 4 p.m. Men’s lacrosse at Alfred University Bold = Home game
The Ithacan
online | theithacan.org/sports
danielle d’avanzo/the ithacan
the rest of the team because not only do runners compete against one another, but they also have to compete for one another. “You have standards to live up to for being on the relay team,” Koury said. “You aren’t running for yourself, but you are running for your teammates.” Orenstein said even though the relay team has had strong performances so far, they have not performed at the level they should. “We’ve been winning races because we have four really fast kids,” Orenstein said. “But for the way we should be running, we aren’t doing well at all. We are about a second and a half off of where we thought we should be right now, so that is a little disappointing.” Even though the relay team hasn’t reached its full potential, the four members have developed team unity. The older members provide experience, and the younger members have stepped up beyond their years. “Definitely having upperclassmen as a support group has helped,” Mastrosimone said. “They have helped me a lot with running forms and off the track as well.” After graduating Chris Covino ’09, a member of the 400-meter relay team, at the end of last season, the Bombers needed to fill a spot on the relay team. The remaining relay runners were surprised that a freshman could step up and fill that void. “Chris has asked us for advice this year, and he has proven he is a good part of the relay team,” Koury said. With its depth, team unity and constructive team competition, the relay runners believe this spring could be promising. “We have the potential to be All-American,” Orenstein said. “It’s hard to get to the NCAA Championship and be All-American, but we have the potential to do that. We came into the season believing that, and we still believe that now.”
[the buzzer]
Thursday, April 2 2 , 2 0 1 0
The Ithacan 27
where we stand
1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
W
L
6 10 10 7 10 8 11 13 4 10
Win% .375 .588 .556 .458 .286
women’s lacrosse
Ithaca Stevens RIT Nazareth St. John Fisher
5 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Ithaca RIT St. John Fisher Stevens Utica
1 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Baseball
W 4 8 7 5 1
L 3 1 3 4 7
Win% .571 .889 .700 .556 .125
Putting a spin on it
From left, Cornell University Frisbee team senior captain Katie McKenney defends as junior Stephanie Piech makes a catch Saturday at Appel Fields during the Women’s Ultimate Upstate N.Y. Sectionals at Cornell University.
andrew buraczenski/the Ithacan
by the
softball
Nazareth Stevens RIT St. John Fisher Ithaca
W 8 7 7 10 2
L 2 3 3 0 7
Win% .800 .700 .700 1.000 .222
Empire 8 Standings/Overall Records
numbers
18
12
The number of games freshman Michelle Avery has started for the women’s lacrosse team. See story on page 25.
The number of athletes on the women’s track and field team who will compete at the Penn Relays today through Sunday. See story on page 26.
the foul line
Weird news from the wide world of sports
To become a member of the exclusive “40/40 club,” a player must hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season. But for Boston Red Sox first baseman David Ortiz, getting into the club has involved stealing more than second base. Hip-hop mogul Jay-Z recently sued Ortiz for naming his Dominican Republic nightclub after Jay-Z’s 40/40 Clubs, a chain of sports bar lounges. Jay-Z claimed that Ortiz’s use of a non-trademarked set of spelled-out numbers — Ortiz’s club is named “Forty-Forty” — has brought “marketplace confusion” and damaged his business. With it looking like Ortiz will have to change the name of his nightclub, and the fact that he has stolen a total of 10 bases in his 14-year career, Ortiz may have to abandon his pursuit of the 40/40 club both on and off the field. – Andrew Weiser
play of the week Kylie McClure Senior Women’s lacrosse On Saturday, McClure scored three goals in the Bombers’ 17–2 victory over visiting Elmira College at Carp Wood Field. With that win the Bombers secured the top seed in the Empire 8 playoffs and will host the tournament May 8 and 9 at Carp Wood Field.
ten-game scoring streak McClure has scored in 10 consecutive games for the Bombers and recorded at least one goal in 12 of the team’s 13 games this season. McClure is third on the team in scoring with 27 goals and has contributed six assists for 33 total points this season. McClure has recorded seven multipoint performances this season. In the Bombers’ 15–2 win on Friday against Alfred University, McClure became the 16th Bomber to reach the 100-goal milestone. McClure has scored 107 goals and dished out 30 assists as a Bomber, while shooting .460 percent from the field.
they saidit
Oh my God, Chipper [Jones] and [Brian] McCann ... . Why did it have to be those guys? Can’t they give me a break or something? Colorado Rockies pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez on pitching a no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday and facing their No. 2, 3 and 4 hitters in the ninth inning. Jimenez’s no-hitter is the first in franchise history.
28 The Ithacan
photo finish Capturing the Bom bers at their be s t
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Throwing it down
Junior Brian Turnbull throws the javelin during the men’s track and field team’s meet Tuesday at the Ithaca Quad Meet at Butterfield Stadium. Turnbull placed second in the event with throws of 49.24 and 47.29 meters. The Bombers won nine events as they took on SUNY-Delhi, Herkimer County Community College and SUNY-Cobleskill in the four-team meet. Andrew Buraczenski/the ithacan