The Ithacan Thursday, Sep tember 27, 20 12
Anti-Muslim video sparks violence and global debate
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Volume 80 , Is s u e 5
Ithaca College Muslims offer peaceful response to controversy
by Nicole Ogrysko Shawn Steiner/The ithacan
Ibrahim Alaguri/Associated press
Innocence of Muslims - Muhammad Movie - FULL HD
there should be a lot of people at student government events,” Pellegrino said.
See SGA, page 4
See Funding, page 4
David karp/Associated press
courtesy of stephanie lavallato
Senior Writer
While Islamic violence over a volatile antiMuslim video spreads in the Middle East, Ithaca College students, faculty and staff are combating violence by emphasizing moderate aspects of the faith. Members of the community agree that, while outrage over the video is to be expected, they are choosing a more peaceful path. “The Innocence of Muslims,” a short trailer for a yet-to-be released anti-Muslim film published on YouTube earlier this month, caused anti-American violence in Muslim communities around the world. The video sparked debate about widespread anti-Islam sentiment in the U.S. and forced some study abroad programs to reconsider sending students into now politically unstable areas. The video, which portrays the Islamic proph-
et Muhammad as a murderous womanizer and pedophile, suggests the foundations of Islam are falsehoods taken from the Bible and Torah. During the 14-minute trailer, Muhammad encourages his followers to kill and rape women and children in battle against those who will not convert to Islam. Violent reactions against the film began Sept. 11 when a mob broke into the Egyptian-American Embassy and killed J. Christopher Stevens, the American ambassador to Libya, and three staff members in the American Consulate in Benghazi. Since then, both violent and peaceful protests have spread across Islamic areas including Tunisia, Sudan, Lebanon, Yemen, Bangladesh, Qatar, Kuwait, Sudan and Iraq. Rachel Cullenen, director of study abroad at the college, said students do not tend to travel to the countries significantly affected
by the protests. She said there is no immediate concern about the safety of students abroad this semester. Lauren Heinz, vice president of communications for Semester at Sea, a program offered to Ithaca College students based at the University of Virginia, said the program opted to bypass their scheduled trip to Casablanca, Morocco, last Friday. The decision was a result of concern for students’ safety because of increased antiAmerican sentiment in Northern Africa and the Middle East. There are two students from the college currently participating in Semester at Sea. The college declined to release their names. “All of our itineraries are tentative; every port on every trip is constantly being monitored and could change,” she said. “It’s a complex decision
See Protests, page 4
SGA elections face drop in student involvement By Emily Masters Contributing Writer
The Student Government Association elections for Fall 2012 ended Saturday with lower participation than expected and five senate seats left unfilled. Junior Courtney Brown, vice president of communications for SGA, said 7 percent of the eligible student body participated in the elections. In fall of 2010, about 18 percent of eligible voters cast ballots for their chosen candidates. No information is available for fall of 2011. Senior Rob Flaherty, president of SGA, said 373 students opened the ballot, but only 245 had candidates to vote on, which depended on their grade and academic school. There were 186 freshmen, 45 seniors and 14 transfer students that voted. “[Voter turnout] was lower than usual,” Flaherty said. “It was
lower than expected, but it is not super surprising. The best way to boost voter turnout is to have a highly contested election.” Six students were elected into SGA, and five positions were left unfilled. Freshmen Elijah Breton, Attila Mendli, Dominick Recckio and Sean Themea were elected as the class of 2016 senators, Monique Peterkin as the class of 2013 senator and Katelyn Madison as the transfer student senator. Themea said he was disappointed by the low student involvement. “I believe that our class should know who they are voting for, what they are voting for and take the initiative to vote because we are representing them,” Themea said. During the platform presentations on Sept. 17, many candidates expressed concern over the small
Leveling up Students band together for video game-themed orchestra, page 15
From left, freshmen Elizabeth Pellegrino, Dominick Recckio and Attila Mendli presented platforms for the SGA senate Sept. 17 in IC Square. Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan
number of people in attendance. Freshman Liz Pellegrino acknowledged this in her platform. “Can I just say, there are not a lot of people here. I feel like
Senior Writer
In an effort to raise money for Ithaca College’s Annual Fund, and to implement the college’s IC 20/20 strategic plan, the Office of Institutional Advancement is reorganizing and realigning programs and staff this year. Chris Biehn, vice president of institutional advancement, said the board of trustees is preparing to announce an exact launch date and fundraising goal BIEHN said the for the campaign. “We're evaluat- college hopes to improve strategies ing the start date for fundraising. for a comprehensive campaign, which includes all the IC 20/20 priorities, and what that encompasses is funds for endowment, current operating [costs], some capital projects and the Ithaca College Annual Fund," he said. "They'll all be included in the campaign when it's launched." Three new directors in institutional advancement are at the center of the realigning of the office. Rob de la Fuente joined the college as the director of the newly renamed Ithaca College Annual Fund, Craig Evans ’84 serves as the new director of gift planning and Greg Kimbell is the new director of advancement. Biehn said the college’s fundraising and alumni advancement functions are now within one department. “The next step is creating the multiyear plan that will delineate what are the key goals that we need to accomplish each year in order, by 2020, to have a more comprehensive and stimulating program of alumni, students and parent engagement, and therefore a more successful fundraising program,” Biehn said. De la Fuente, director of the Ithaca College Annual Fund, joined institutional advancement in July. He replaced former Director David Wilkins, who died in a car accident in January. Prior to beginning his new position at the college, de la Fuente worked in the Division of Alumni Affairs and the Office of Volunteer Programs at Cornell University. This year, de la Fuente said, the Annual Fund will target young alumni who have graduated 10 or fewer years ago through its new program, Young Alumni Challenge. Their goal is for at least 1,000 young alumni to donate to the college , which would be an increase of 11 percent from the previous year. De la Fuente said institutional advancement hopes 38
design by emily fuller
By Shea O'meara
College targets young alumni for donations
Varsity Bid
College faces tough questions when selecting varsity sports, page 27
f ind m or e onl ine. www.t heit hacan.org
Digital first Costly online courses do not benefit students, page 12
[ T hurs day Bri ef ing]
2 The It hacan
Th ursday, S eptember 2 7 , 2 0 1 2
Nation&World Greek protest violence intensifies
Police clashed with protesters hurling petrol bombs and bottles in central Athens on Wednesday after an anti-government rally called as part of a general strike in Greece turned violent. Riot police used tear gas and pepper spray against several hundred demonstrators after the violence broke out near the country’s parliament. Protesters also set fire to trees in the National Gardens and used hammers to smash paving stones and marble panels to use as missiles against the riot police. About 50,000 people joined the union-organized march in central Athens on Wednesday, held during a general strike against new austerity measures planned in the crisis-hit country. The first large-scale walk-out since the country’s coalition government, formed in June, closed schools and disrupted flights and most services. Everyone from shopkeepers and pharmacists to teachers, customs workers to car mechanics joined the demonstration, seen as a test of public tolerance for more hardship after two years of harsh spending cuts and tax hikes.
Eleven killed in Mexican shootout
Mexican authorities say troops have clashed with an armed group near a church in southern Mexico, leaving 11 people dead, including a soldier and one woman. The Guerrero state prosecutor’s office says troops confronted the group in the town of Tepecoacuilco de Trujano, about 120 miles south of Mexico City. It says state police found 10 bodies in and around a chapel, in addition to the soldier who died in Wednesday’s shootout. The agency says two civilians were wounded, and says they apparently had been kidnapped by the group. It reports that weapons, vehicles and bags of marijuana were also confiscated.
Obama calls Libya attack terrorism
The White House said that President Barack Obama considers the deadly assault on the U.S. consulate in Libya a terrorist attack. White House spokesman Jay Carney said it is “certainly the case that it is our view as an administration, and the president’s view, that it was a terrorist attack.” Four Americans were
killed in the attack, including Chris Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya. Carney’s comments came after Mitt Romney accused Obama of failing to acknowledge what Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and other officials have said — that the attacks in Benghazi were acts of terrorism against the U.S. Obama has declined several chances to call the incident a terrorist attack. He said last week that extremists used an anti-Islam video as an excuse to assault U.S. interests. Carney, who speaks for Obama, had declared the violence a terrorist attack last week. Eight Republicans who head House committees sent a letter to Obama saying they were disturbed by statements from administration officials suggesting that the attack was a protest gone wrong rather than a terrorist attack. They said they would be willing to return to Washington from Congress’ nearly two-month recess if the administration scheduled another briefing on Libya.
Former Murdoch aides face trial
Rebekah Brooks, the former chief of News Corp.’s British newspapers, and Andy Coulson, the ex-communications chief for Prime Minister David Cameron, will face trial next September over allegations linked to phone hacking. Brooks and Coulson appeared in London’s Old Bailey court Wednesday for a hearing along with five other people charged in connection with the phone hacking scandal that originated at the News of the World tabloid and rocked Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. empire. The defendants, charged with conspiracy to hack voicemails, spoke only to confirm their names. A provisional trial date was set for September 2013. Former news editor Greg Miskiw, former head of news Ian Edmondson, ex-chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck, former reporter James Weatherup and private detective Glenn Mulcaire were in court, too. Ex-managing editor Stuart Kuttner — who was also charged — was excused from attending the hearing. They are accused of participating in a espionage campaign targeting hundreds of celebrities, sports stars, politicians and crime victims. Among the hacking targets was Milly
Masked messages
Men wearing masks of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, center, and Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are joined by a man in military garb carrying a toy gun during a protest outside the United Nations on Wednesday in New York City. MARK LENNIHAN/associated press
Dowler, a 13-year-old girl abducted and murdered in a case that drew national attention. Journalists allegedly eavesdropped on her mobile phone, listened to her voicemail messages, and deleted some of them in order to make room for more.
Suicide car bombers attack Syria
Two suicide car bombers struck Syria’s army command headquarters Wednesday, killing four guards and engulfing a key symbol of President Bashar al-Assad’s embattled regime in flames, state-run media and witnesses said. The twin blasts were followed by several hours of gun battles between rebel fighters and regime forces in downtown Damascus. A reporter for an Iranian TV channel also was killed by gunfire near the clashes, and a correspondent for another Iranian station was wounded. The brazen rebel attacks in the heart of the Syrian capital highlighted their determination to bring down Assad as the country’s civil war intensifies.
Syria’s unrest began in March 2011 when protests calling for political change met a violent government crackdown. Over the past few months, the rebels have increasingly targeted security sites and symbols of regime power in a bid to turn the tide in the fighting. Rebels from the Free Syrian Army claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s bombings.
Guinea’s $2.4 billion debt cleared
Officials in the impoverished West African nation of Guinea say two-thirds of the country’s foreign debt is going to be canceled. The move comes after Guinea qualified for heavily indebted poor country status, meaning that more than $2.4 billion of its debt now will be void. Guinea’s finances were left in ruins after nearly a quarter-century rule by Lansana Conte, who pillaged state coffers to make his family fabulously wealthy before his death in 2008.
SOURCE: Associated Press
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Th ursday, septem be r 27, 2012
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The I th a c a n 3
Speaker disputes Argentinian narrative by Patrick feeney Staff Writer
David Sheinin, a history professor at Trent University, questioned the Argentinian government’s historical narrative about the country’s indigenous populations and military in a lecture Monday night in Clark Lounge. Sheinin’s lecture, titled “The Plot to Modernize Indigenous Peoples: Rethinking Human Rights under Military Rule in Argentina, 1976-1983,” focused on the nation’s military dictatorship during the late ’70s and early ’80s. The event was sponsored by Ithaca College’s Latin American Studies program, in affiliation with the college’s history department and Cornell University’s Latin American studies program. About 30 students and faculty attended the event. Sheinin argued the dominant narrative of “heroic resistance” against the military dictatorship was a white, middle-class, urban narrative. This was perpetuated by outside groups such as human rights organizations. However, Sheinin said, it is not representative of other narratives from the indigenous peoples. “There is historical narrative that said the Argentinian dictatorship became a pariah state,” he said. “I want to suggest to you that this is not the case.” Sheinin spoke about the government’s atDavid Sheinin, professor of history at Trent University, speaks about his research on the modernization tempts to bring the indigenous populations of indigenous people and the role of the military in Argentina on Monday in Clark Lounge. under a national native identity. He also disalex mason/the ithacan cussed the questions of race and ethnicity, of it is ignorant, it is stupid, it is dumb and it’s a repoor indigenous versus middle-class, as well as published in November. Junior Kristin Leffler, who spent last spring flection of your identity.” European-native peoples in the dictatorship. Politics professor Patricia Rodriguez said the Sheinin said other questions, beyond the indica- studying in Cordoba, Argentina, said Sheinin’s questioning of the military’s intents and the opin- military dictatorship attempted to assimilate the tions of resistance, should be examined. indigenous population, a narrative different from “What were indigenous people thinking?” ions of the Argentinian people were significant. “The military dictatorship is a the ones illustrated by Sheinin. Sheinin said. “What was “The indigenous populations never had their very complex issue,” Leffler said. day-to-day life under “There is historic narrative that said “A lot of people take one side rights and their citizenship recognized,” Rodriguez the dictatorship? There’s with it, so it’s important to keep said. “That’s why they didn’t connect to all the other evidence of severe rethe Argentinian dictatorship became an open mind and really see the groups, like human rights organizations, that were pression, but there’s also motives for a lot of their actions.” complaining about the military.” evidence of different a pariah state. I want to suggest to Freshman Michael Falconieri said Sheinin’s take One of Sheinin’s main sorts of relationships you that this is not the case. ” points was that differing narra- on the Argentine situation was unique in compariwith the dictatorship.” tives about the dictatorship are son to the general history that is told. According to — David sheinin “He has almost a theoretical positive outlook often silenced. Sheinin’s website, his “The way that Argentines re- on the situation,” Falconieri said. “He wants to beprevious work on the nation of Argentina includes his 2006 book “Argentina member the past is that there is one reasonable lieve that the dictatorship was really looking out and the United States: An Alliance Contained.” His memory of the period,” Sheinin said. “If you do not for the human rights of the indigenous people of newest book, “Consent of the Damned: Ordinary remember the dictatorship in this way, if you Argentina, but at the same time he recognizes that Argentinians in the Dirty War,” is expected to be have any alternative memory of the dictatorship, it’s pretty much a complete failure.”
Construction approved for community complex by Hayleigh Gowans Staff writer
Ithaca Estates Realty, a local rental company, has received final approval from the Town of Ithaca Planning Board to begin construction of a community shopping complex building project near the Ithaca College Circle Apartments this fall. Evan Monkemeyer, real estate broker and community builder for Ithaca Estates Realty LLC, said the complex will house a fitness center, a bank and an Ithaca Bakery restaurant. Monkemeyer said that he hopes a restaurant will rent one of the retail property and can use the over eighty outdoor dining spaces he has planned. The project had been set to break ground in the summer of 2011, but it will now most likely start construction in early October. The complex should be ready to open by next fall, as long as they are able to obtain a building permit. The project has been considered since around 2005, Monkemeyer said. The complex, which is set to hold both residential and commercial spaces, will be located on the corner of East King Road and 96B. There are also plans for a paved walkway that goes from the back of the building to
the Circle Apartments. Monkemeyer said financial reasons and difficulty obtaining bank loans forced him to postpone the project, which he estimates will cost him close to $2 million. The original design for the project was estimated to cost more, but Monkemeyer said he decided to contract it himself to cut costs. Monkemeyer said he doesn’t have projections about project gains yet. In the original College Crossings design, Monkemeyer said, the building was supposed to be a commercial building with offices on top and businesses on the bottom. However, in the current design, the building, which will be more than 19,000 square feet, will have six commercial spaces on the main floor and a space for two four-or-five-person apartments. This makes it a mixed-use commercial and residential building. Sue Ritter, director of planning for the Town of Ithaca, said the project seems to be on track. “What’s required is getting site plan approval and special permits from the planning board to be able to have this mixed-use building,” Ritter said. “The next step really is for them to come to the town with a building permit.” One feature of the project that the
College Crossings, a community complex on East King Road and 96B, will include six commercial spaces and two four-or-five-person apartments.
Shawn Steiner/the ithacan
Town of Ithaca planning board liked was the plan to add a paved walkway from the back side of the location to the college, Monkemeyer said. He also said the walkway will begin at the College Crossings parking lot and will to the Circle Apartments, which will make it easier for students to commute to downtown. “It’ll give you pedestrian access from East King Road, in the Town of Ithaca, all the way to downtown,” Monkemeyer said. “It will be blacktop and smooth, so you can bicycle, skateboard or jog.” Junior Ian Vitkus, a resident of the Circle Apartments, said he thinks the project has potential to
be useful to the college community. “It could be a place to get stuff that’s actually close to campus that you don’t have to drive to,” Vitkus said. “Underclassmen don’t have to rely on the buses.” Monkemeyer said he hopes the project will benefit the South Hill community. He said he hopes to turn it into a more popular destination. “For the size of the project, I think it’s going to be Collegetown for South Hill,” Monkemeyer said. “It’s not going to be College Avenue or Dryden Road, not with six story high-rises. This is going to be a suburban look, a suburban feel, and it’s going to be a landmark building.”
College offers new Park grad program online by Sage Daugherty Contributing Writer
The Roy H. Park School of Communications has created a new graduate program that will be offered completely online, beginning Fall 2013. D e a n of the Park School, Diane Gayeski, said the new Master GAYESKI said the Park School will of Science offer the program degree the next fall. Executive Masters Degree Communications Innovation program, is designed for professionals already successful in the industry. “The program will kind of be a think tank with a master’s degree associated with it,” she said. “We see that we certainly have a wonderful reputation in undergraduate education, and we feel that we can serve not only our own alumni but also professionals in the field.” Gayeski said the program is designed for leaders in all communications professions across the globe who are responsible for designing, developing and managing the next generation of media innovation applications. The curriculum provides a foundation in research methods; media economics and business modeling; human perception and consumer behavior; communication product design; global leadership theories; and regulation while stimulating new ways of thinking. The program will utilize platforms like Sakai and other methods for online learning, Rob Gearhart, assistant provost for online learning and extended studies, said. Students and professors will not have to be online at the same time, Gayeski said. People will essentially be completing the program on their own time and fitting it into their other responsibilities. Applicants to the program are required to have a bachelor’s degree and at least five years of work experience, as well as letters of recommendation from professionals in the field. Applications for the program will be available online, but the majority of the incoming students will hear about the program through individual recruiting, Gayeski said. The college will announce the program to its alumni and will advertise through media companies, because many of these companies pay for graduate education for their employees, Gayeski said. Cory Young, associate professor of strategic communication, said the program also gives executives an opportunity to network with other people not necessarily in the same field. Young said she is excited by the prospect of teaching students from all over the world. “The most exciting challenge about this is I may not necessarily get to meet the person face to face,” she said. “I kind of like the idea of being able to teach someone who might live completely on the opposite side of the world.” For a complete version of this story visit http://theithacan.org/25305.
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4 The It hacan
Elections leave five empty seats SGA
from page 1
Flaherty said there was limited competition in this election because there was a small pool of candidates. There are five positions in the Senate that were not filled during this election, including two for the class of 2013, one for the class FLAHERTY said of 2014, though SGA one for the boosted its efforts, School of turnout was low. Health Science and Human Performance and a graduate liaison. “We’re working very hard to make sure those are filled,” Flaherty said. Senate positions will be filled through candidate applications and senate appointments during the year. Applications will be posted on the SGA website. “Typically, there are vacancies at the beginning of the year,” Flaherty said. “Sometimes we fill them. Sometimes we don’t. In some years we are more successful than others.” Recckio, another class of 2016 senator, said he is looking forward to taking on his new position. “I’m really excited to start working with Attila, Elijah and Sean,” Recckio said. “We’re definitely going to get the freshmen’s voice out. I will send information to all freshmen about the first freshman advisory board meeting.” Flaherty said SGA advertised the elections by contacting student organizations and asking to use their listservs to contact students. SGA also used social media and posters to advertise. “What’s kind of interesting is that we promoted elections harder this year than we did in years past,” Flaherty said. “It’s kind of the luck of the draw. If at the end of the day people don’t vote, people don’t run, there is only so much we can do.” SGA held an orientation for all new and returning members of SGA on Sunday. The group worked on teamwork skills and was introduced to the resources available to them. “SGA has a lot of internal mechanisms that can be daunting and a little bit overwhelming, so rather than throwing people into the fire right away, we try to get them warmed up a bit,” Flaherty said. At the orientation, senators wrote down some of their goals for the upcoming year. They also presented these goals before elections in their platform presentations, which included objectives such as improving the transfer student experience, changing on-campus catering policies and creating a tobaccofree campus. Themea and Recckio said they hope to be able to spark more interest in SGA among their constituents this year. “If we understand why they are not motivated [to vote], we can go from there,” Themea said.
Th ursday, September 2 7 , 2 0 1 2
Video sparks free speech discussion Protests from page 1
for us, and we decided to err on the side of caution because it’s an unpredictable scenario.” Hayder Assad, an Arabic lecturer and adviser of the Islamic Society of Ithaca College, said the society will not publicly address the video, because taking a stand on the divided issue would deepen the segregation between religious groups. However, Assad said the group would react if the provocation continued or if other religious groups did not reject it. “It’s best for our interest, Ithaca College and the United States in general, to calm things down and show this is not reflecting the true opinions of Americans, and whatever happened after [the reaction to the video] is not representing the true opinion of Muslims,” he said. Hayder said the video’s producers were wrong to provoke Muslims by attacking one of Islam’s most respected figures, and films should not humiliate or undermine religious beliefs, but responding with violence is not justified. “I don’t want to put myself as an extremist, and I don’t want to put myself as a indifferent — saying nothing,” he said. “I just can’t say anything.” Yasmin Hussein, the young leaders coordinator for the Muslim Public Affairs Council in Washington, D.C., said hate toward Islam has become normal in the U.S., and the video is a reflection of that. She said Muslims in America are not likely to protest violently against the film because the Muslim community is more focused on changing policy in the U.S. MPAC is currently working to integrate American-Muslim culture into media and Hollywood to change popular opinion about Islam. Hussein said there is no better place than a campus to help resolve misconceptions about Muslims in America. “Unfortunately all of this hate that’s happening in the world is spilling onto our college cam-
puses, and students are starting to feel that pressure,” she said. “How many of us have reached out to our colleagues or classmates that are Muslims and said, ‘Hey, these are the things I’m hearing on the news, can you help me understand it better?’” Senior Katie DeLuca, a member of the Islamic Society of Ithaca College, said students should be outraged because the video makes Hayder Assad, Arabic lecturer and adviser of the Islamic Society of Ithaca light of the fundaCollege, said campuses are good places to resolve Islamic misconceptions. mentals of Islam, but shawn steiner/The Ithacan violence won't solve every day the film remains online. the problem. In a speech to the U.N. General Assembly on “A lot of people assume all Muslims are terrorists, and anyone with any kind of headscarves or Tuesday, President Barack Obama condemned both covering are automatically Islamic terrorists,” she the video and anti-American violence, but he said said. “We’re trying to get the word out that Islam is democracies must protect the free speech that allowed the video’s release. not only a positive thing, but is a religion of peace.” Nakoula was on probation for past crimes and The video is not expected to be taken off the Internet because alleged filmmaker Nakoula had a court order not to use the Internet without Basseley Nakoula’s right to publish the film is permission when the video was released. He may have violated parole to upload the trailer without his protected by the First Amendment. On Sept. 17 the Pakistan and Bangladesh gov- parole officer’s permission. If found guilty, he may ernments blocked YouTube entirely after Google go to jail. Jeff Cohen, director of the Park Center for blocked access to the film in Egypt, Libya, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and other countries, according Independent Media, said the producers have a First Amendment right to publish, but there is to AlJazeera. On Wednesday, a Brazilian court in Sao Paulo no ethical justification for doing so. “Your content matters,” he said. “This is exhibit ordered YouTube to remove clips of the video. The court gave the video-sharing site 10 days to remove A of irresponsible media, and that’s the lesson stuvideos of the film or face fines of $5,000 a day for dents should learn.”
of Muslims' ignites Chain of reaction 'Innocence series of protests worldwide
Sept. 11
US Ambassador Chris Stevens is killed at the US consulate in Libya. Anti-American demonstrations break out in Egypt.
sept. 14
In Sudan, 10,000 demonstrators gather at the US embassy. Demonstrators set fire to the German mission and also attack the UK embassy.
Sept. 13
sept. 16
About 1,500 students pour onto the streets of Kabul to protest against the film. Libya announces the cumulative arrest of 50 suspects over the Benghazi killing.
sept. 19
French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo publishes cartoons of a naked Prophet Muhammad.
sept. 17
Demonstrations spread to Yemen, Iraq, Iran and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. More than 200 are injured when protesters stone the US mission in Cairo.
sept. 15
Two U.S. Marines are killed after Taliban fighters storm Camp Bastion in Afghanistan.
Pakistan and Bangladesh block YouTube, and Google blocks access to the film in Egypt, Libya, Malaysia, India, Indonesia and other countries. Washington threatens to close its embassy in Bangkok.
sept. 21
Western diplomatic missions and other institutions shut down across the Islamic world.
sept. 20
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation calls for international action against hate-speech. Iranian students chant "Death to France" because of French satire of the Prophet Muhammad. design by molly apfelroth
New directors to bolster college endowment Funding from page 1
percent of the senior class — the largest in college history — will donate to the Senior Class Gift, which is part of the Annual Fund. De la Fuente also said the Annual Fund is reevaluating how it approaches parents, alumni and other donors. “[We want to] make sure that we’re talking to you at the right time," he said. "If you’ve given a gift for the past 10 years, we’re going to try to acknowledge that in how we appeal to you." Through the Annual Fund, Biehn said, Institutional advancement hopes donors will give to the college as a whole, as opposed to specific departments or programs. “We are encouraging people to think more broadly about the college and to look at the plan as a way to connect the schools,” he said. Evans previously worked as the development director for Syracuse
University's Office of Gift Planning. Biehn said the college also wants to grow its endowment, which stands at about $200 million. “The larger the endowment, the more can come from that endowment,” he said. “We’re able to offer both scholarships and other financial awards to students. It also helps us maintain a competitive position in terms of faculty salaries.” Before joining the college in July as the director of advancement, Kimbell held several positions at the Division of Alumni Affairs and Development at Cornell University. The director of advancement maintains records on alumni and encourages them to get involved as admissions volunteers and speakers at college events. Though Kimbell said his department is not making too many changes related to IC 20/20, his division is looking into better methods to track and record alumni information. Biehn said institutional advance-
Rob de la Fuente, director of the Ithaca College Annual Fund, joined Institutional Advancement in July, replacing former director David Wilkins. Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan
ment also plans to develop an alumnistudent mentoring program, which will be launched next semester. “Students are paired with alumni to help them not only make decisions about planning their academic career and getting ready for
their career following graduation, but also to help them with personal choices that they may want to make and learning more about what the specific alumnus did while he or she was in college that positioned them for success in the world,” he said.
Th ursday, Septem be r 27, 2012
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Volunteers build sheds on quad Lindsay Perrelli Contributing writer
Ithaca College’s Habitat for Humanity chapter hosted a volunteer project on campus Saturday to build two sheds on the Campus Center Quad. The building project was a collaboration with staff and contractors from an affiliate in Corning, N.Y. The sheds were created to serve as an addition to houses that will be built during the spring by the Corning Habitat for Humanity. Samantha Yu, co-chair for Habitat for Humanity, said the two sheds are going to fit nicely with the houses Habitat will build later this spring. “I don’t know about the specifics of who the homeowners are, but it’s going to be a great addition for the houses to be built,” Yu said. The rainy weather Saturday morning did not make for good building conditions, but about 40 volunteers showed up, according to Heather Bissell, co-chair for Habitat for Humanity. Moe’s Southwest Grill donated food to the event, and live music from WICB helped make the rainy morning more enjoyable. “Without the music it would have been miserable in the rain,” Bissell said. Habitat has four main events throughout the year: Sleep out, Row for Humanity, the shed build and Habidash 5k, which is typically the biggest of Habitat’s events, Bissell said. “Our biggest event is usually the Annual Habidash 5k fundraiser, which is Oct 13th during alumni weekend,” Bissell said. “Last year about 50 people participated, but
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New York Times columnist discusses Trayvon Martin case by GERALD DOHERTY Senior writer
Dianne West, board member for Steuben County chapter of Habitat for Humanity, cuts wood for a shed build Saturday on the Fitness Center Quad. Ritza Francois/The ithacan
we hope for more this year.” Yu said the event was arranged as an opportunity to raise awareness and get students involved in the program. Those in attendance were able to become involved without the complications of transportation and time conflict, because normally the organization’s events are off campus. Attendees were also able to learn about Habitat’s mission and how to become involved in the program. “The open hours make it so that students can come and go as they please,” Yu said. “Since Habitat depends on outside funding for all projects, raising awareness can also help us fundraise for other meaningful events in the future.” Junior Angelique Ward, who attended the Habitat event, said as member of a Christian organization on campus she was eager to give back
to the Ithaca community. "We had about 10 volunteers there today, and we had a fun time putting together the shed,” Ward said. “Today was part of my effort to do more in our community, to be less 'me' focused and more focused on what others need.” The newly built sheds were transported to Corning later that day. Bill Wirz, construction manager for Habitat for Humanity in Corning, said the organization’s partnership with the college’s student organization will continue. “We’ve been working with Ithaca College for probably 10 years,” Wirz said. “IC was there for the first Blitz Build in 2007, and we are hopeful IC can be there again for the Spring Build.” The Spring Build is scheduled to take place during the spring semester.
Charles Blow, a New York Times visual op-ed columnist, gave a presentation at Cornell University titled “Journalism and Justice: The Trayvon Martin Case” on Thursday, focusing on opinion media coverage of the case. Blow’s speech began with a recap of the details of the shooting and its aftermath, including the circumstances of Martin’s stay in Sanford, Fla., George Zimmerman’s wrongful possession of a firearm as a watchman and the handling of the case by the Sanford police department. Blow said though it is a national tragedy when any person is murdered, the questions of justice surrounding the case elevated it to national discussion. “This case was about who is deserving of the presumption of guilt and innocence: the dead boy with the candy and the soda, or the grown man who shot him in the chest and is standing over his body with a gun?,” Blow said. Blow also talked about the rise of opinion journalism, which he said lead to a politicization of the Martin shooting by the media after comments were made by figures such as President Barack Obama, and activism on the part of people such as news anchor Rev. Al Sharpton. Blow said this led to ideological attacks on Martin’s character, and the case became about right versus left, rather than about a functioning judicial system. “Journalism, in its purest form, in its objective form, is not about
pursuit of justice. It is about pursuit of truth,” Blow said. Cornell freshman Michael Sun said he was familiar with Blow from his appearances on MSNBC’s “The Last Word” and he said, while he found the recap of the crime’s details “evident,” he appreciated the focus on media coverage. “I found the journalistic integrity points much more valuable,” Sun said. “I thought it delved a lot into questions of journalistic integrity and the increasing conflict we’re seeing with the polarization of our country, and a lot of the bias present in cable news media.” Susie Marion Kossack, an Ithaca resident, said she was motivated to come to the talk because of her involvement with the Shawn Greenwood Working Group, which pushed for investigations into the shooting of 29-year-old Greenwood in his van during a narcotics investigation by Ithaca police in February 2010. Blow said this case highlighted the role of diversity in media, as the traditional journalists he knew were writing about the case were young black men. He said he wondered what would have come of the case without these writers being in positions to cover the story. “They were writing about it in these very passionate, to me very personal, kinds of ways. And in my first column I also wrote about it in a personal and passionate kind of way, and I am unapologetic about that fact.” For the complete version of this story, visit theithacan.org/25123.
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Professor discusses European TV Kati Lustyik, an assistant professor of media arts, sciences and studies at Ithaca College, contributed to editing a collection of essays about the transformation of popular television in Eastern Europe. The book was also edited by Anikó Imre, associate professor and director of graduate studies at the University of Southern California, and Timothy Havens, associate professor of international television, critical theory LUSTYIK said the and cultural studies at book is based on the University of Iowa. her time growing The book, “Popular up in Hungary. Television in Eastern Europe During and Since Socialism,” was published Aug. 24 and examines the transition from a state-based programming system to a more Westernized type of broadcasting in Eastern Europe. Contributing Writer Justin Barwick spoke with Lustyik to discuss her experiences in New Zealand and discuss the details of the book.
KL: Unfortunately, it is very similar to what is shown in the United States. You can watch, for instance, Nickelodeon 24 hours per day. They have the Disney Channel as well. I was looking more specifically at children’s media than others … It is very flavorful as far as South Pacific Island influence, because Auckland is the largest South Pacific city. In a way it is very diverse, and in another way it is very Americanized.
Justin Barwick: What were some of the experiences you had while on your postdoctoral fellowship in New Zealand?
KL: I am Hungarian and I grew up in Hungary. This book is based on my growing up in Hungary, being educated in Hungary and working with scholars who have similar interests in the region. We thought that there was nothing written about television during the Communist era or since then, so we worked with countless numbers of scholars for this book. We are very excited to have a book that focuses not on political issues per se, but more like popular television.
Kati Lustyik: While still in graduate school I was going to attend a conference in Australia but had to stop in Auckland. I thought to myself, “I really want to come back here.” I started to look for jobs in New Zealand, which is really how this postdoctoral fellowship came about. I learned a lot about the culture of New Zealand and Australia. I studied Nickelodeon and the animation process of New Zealand while there. I also worked with a lot of scholars from the region, which helped influence the way I teach some of my classes today. JB: Is the programming on television in New Zealand different than what is shown in the U.S.?
JB: You worked with a show known as “bro‘Town”, can you tell us a little bit about that? KL: “bro’Town” is a little bit like “South Park.” It has South Pacific teenagers as main characters. It became a really popular show within a short amount of time. We researched where the show came about, where the funding came from and how much content it used from “South Park” or how much “South Park” served as a main source for their production. It was a fascinating show, and I highly recommend it to everyone. JB: What sparked your interest in this topic?
JB: Why do you believe it is important for students to learn about this topic? KL: I think it is a really good way for students and readers alike to get a better understanding of what kind of popular television programs were offered during that era. Also, it shows how that has changed with the programming today.
Raining cats and dogs
James Rada, associate professor of journalism at Ithaca College, shares a moment with his black lab, Laska, before the start of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals March for the Animals on Saturday morning in the F.R. Newman Arboretum at Cornell Plantations.
Durst Breneiser /The Ithacan
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College & City Professor speaks in Spain for business conference
Scott Erickson, professor of marketing law in the business school at Ithaca College, gave the keynote address at the 13th annual European Conference on Knowledge Management Sept. 6 in Cartagena, Spain. Erickson presented his speech, titled “Intelligence ERICKSON in Action” with his research partner, Helen Rothberg, professor of management from Marist College. Their book, “Intelligence in Action: Strategically Managing Knowledge Assets,” explores whether traditional methods of business theory are applicable to the modern business world.
County seeks members for local green councils
Tompkins County is in the process of finding new members to act as representatives for the Water Resources Council and the Environmental Management Council. The Water Resources Council provides guidance to the Tompkins County Legislature about addressing water issues, managing local water resources and supporting local governments in the implementation of water policy. The Environmental Management Council is the oldest citizen environmental advisory board in Tompkins County. Members work to resolve issues that affect natural resource management and protection as well
as promote environmental education and awareness. For more information about the Water Resources Council and the Environmental Management Council visit www.tompkins-co.org/news.
ALANA honors McAree during academic banquet
Brian McAree, former vice president of student affairs and campus life, was presented with the “You Make a Difference” award Saturday night at the annual African, Latino, Asian and Native American Academic Achievement Banquet in Emerson Suites. Before McAree MCAREE received his award, Malinda Smith, director of multicultural affairs, and Yolanda Clarke, director of academic enrichment services, read student reflections on the times McAree helped them in some way. Following the presentation, McAree thanked them for the honor and reflected on his time at the college. The academic achievement banquet honored students for their scholastic successes for the Fall 2012 and Spring 2012 semesters.
IC to provide workshops focused on elderly health
The Ithaca College Gerontology Institute and the Office of Extended Studies will offer three workshops this fall about issues facing the elderly. The first workshop, “Living Well
without Driving: A Community Approach to Senior Mobility,” will look into how the mobility services put in place in the community will help the elderly remain mobile and active even when they are no longer able to drive. The next workshop, “Evolving Health Care Models to Minimize Polypharmacy and Medication Errors in Aging Adults,” will focus on projects that are integrating technology with the medical and pharmaceutical communities to modernize elderly healthcare. The final workshop, “Aging with Disabilities and Quality of Life,” will focus on why it’s important to help disabled people keep in touch with their interests. It will explain how even though the elderly may need help doing ordinary tasks they should still be able to practice their hobbies. For more information about the workshops, visit www.ithaca.edu/ agingworkshops.
Music professor attends symposium in Boston
Sara Haefeli, assistant professor of music theory, history and composition, presented her research at the Harry Partch Symposium in Boston, Mass. Haefeli’s research focused on the musical relationship between HAELFELI composer John Cage and Harry Partch, composer and instrument experimentalist, during Partch’s career.
Public Safety Incident Log SEPTEMBER 13 V&T LEAVING A SCENE LOCATION: Grant Egbert Boulevard SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown vehicle damaged a traffic sign. Investigation pending. Master Patrol Officer Donald Lyke. FIRE ALARM ACCIDENTAL LOCATION: College Circle Apartment SUMMARY: Caller reported a fire alarm. The activation was accidentally caused by burnt food. System reset. Fire Protection Specialist Enoch Perkins. MEDICAL ASSIST LOCATION: Hilliard Hall SUMMARY: Caller reported a person sustained an ankle injury while walking on stairs. Person declined medical assistance. Master Patrol Officer Donald Lyke. MEDICAL ASSIST LOCATION: Academic Quad SUMMARY: Caller reported being stung by a bee. Person declined medical assistance. Patrol Officer Matthew O’Loughlin. FIRE ALARM ACCIDENTAL LOCATION: College Circle Apartment SUMMARY: Simplex reported a fire alarm. Activation caused by burnt food. System was reset. Security Officer George Whitmore. UNLAWFUL POSS. of MARIJUANA LOCATION: Clarke Hall SUMMARY: One person judicially referred for unlawful possession of marijuana. Master Patrol Officer Donald Lyke. CRIMINAL POSSESSION LOCATION: Emerson Hall SUMMARY: One person issued an appearance ticket for Town of Ithaca Court
for unlawful possession of marijuana and possession of weapons on campus. Further investigation to continue on other subject with criminal charges pending for criminal possession of a controlled substance. Both people judicially referred for several violations of the student conduct code. Patrol Officer Patrick Johnson. DRUG VIOLATIONS LOCATION: J-Lot SUMMARY: Two people were judicially referred for violating the drug policy, and one person was judicially referred for drug policy and failure to comply with directions. Master Patrol Officer Mark Denicola.
SEPTEMBER 14 UNDERAGE POSS. OF ALCOHOL LOCATION: College Circle Apartment SUMMARY: Caller reported a large gathering and underage drinking. Two people were judicially referred for underage possession of alcohol, having a multi-quart container, noise and providing false identification to a college official. Patrol Officer Matthew O’Loughlin. UNDERAGE POSS. of ALCOHOL LOCATION: College Circle Apartment SUMMARY: One person judicially referred for underage possession of alcohol. Patrol Officer Matthew O’Loughlin.
SEPTEMBER 15 ASSIST TCSO LOCATION: Route 96B SUMMARY: Officer reported assisting TSCO with a traffic stop. TCSO arrested one person for DWI. Master Patrol Officer Brad Bates.
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this WEEK
The music symposium was co-sponsored by Northeastern University and the New England Conservation of Music.
Tompkins County to offer flu vaccines to residents
The Tompkins County Health Department is providing flu vaccinations for adults over the age of 19. The seasonal flu vaccinations are available at the Tompkins County Health Department office at 55 Brown Rd. in Ithaca. To schedule an appointment for a flu shot, call the Health Department at 274-6616. For more information about the flu visit www.tompkins-co.org/flu.
Cornell Police to increase jaywalking tickets issued
Cornell University is increasing the number of tickets issued for pedestrians who are jaywalking in the Cornell or Collegetown area. The Cornell University Police Department are standing at busy intersections to issue warnings and hand out flyers to pedestrians and bicyclists who fail to comply with traffic laws. According to a Cornell press release, the Cornell Police will be issuing more tickets to jaywalking offenders because there were 37 personal injury accidents in the past two years. New York State Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee awarded Cornell with a $2,170 grant to fund the campus police’s campaign to decrease traffic law violations on campus this year.
thursday IC Dems Kick Off will begin at 7 p.m. in Textor 103. Constitution Day speech will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Park Auditorium.
friday Shabbat Services will begin at 6 p.m. in Muller Chapel. Shabbat Dinner will begin at 7 p.m. in Terrace Dining Hall.
Sunday Catholic Mass will be held at 1 and 8 p.m. in Muller Chapel.
Monday Chicken Wing Fling, hosted by the American Marketing Association, will be held at 7 p.m. in the Upper Atrium of the Business School. Karaoke with PODER will begin at 7 p.m. in IC Square.
Tuesday Faculty Council Meeting is at 7 p.m. in the VIP room in the Athletics and Events Center.
Wednesday Democracy Now! will host speaker and journalist, Juan Gonzalez, to discuss racial issues throughout history at 7:30 p.m. in Emerson Suites.
selected entries from september 13 to september 18
MEDICAL ASSIST LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Caller reported a person experiencing back pain and nausea. One person was transported to CMC by ambulance. Patrol Officer Patrick Johnson. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Officer reported a person had carved pictures into a door. One person judicially referred for indecent conduct and damaging college property. One person judicially referred for indecent conduct and harassment. Master Patrol Officer Brad Bates. DISORDERLY CONDUCT LOCATION: Circle Lot 7 SUMMARY: Complainant reported an unknown person egged a vehicle. Investigation pending. Patrol Officer Jay Vanvolkinburg. SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE LOCATION: Farm Pond Road SUMMARY: Complainant reported seeing a weapon in a moving vehicle. Unable to locate the vehicle. Investigation pending. Master Patrol Officer James Landon. MEDICAL ASSIST LOCATION: Terraces SUMMARY: Caller reported a person injured their shoulder while swinging on hand rails in Emerson Hall and requested an ambulance. Person declined medical attention from ambulance staff. Patrol Officer Patrick Johnson. V&T DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED LOCATION: Route 96B SUMMARY: During a traffic stop, the driver was arrested for DWI. Officer issued the
operator uniform traffic tickets for Town of Ithaca court for failure to stop at a red light, DWI, and DWI with BAC .08 percent or greater. Driver was also issued a campus summons for failure to stop at stop sign and was judicially referred. Master Patrol Officer Brad Bates.
SEPTEMBER 16 UNDERAGE POSS. of ALCOHOL LOCATION: Emerson Hall SUMMARY: One person judicially referred for underage possession of alcohol. Master Patrol Officer Brad Bates. FIRE ALARM UNDETERMINED LOCATION: College Circle Apartment SUMMARY: Simplex reported a fire alarm. Unknown cause for activation. System was reset. Patrol Officer Robert Jones. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF LOCATION: Campus Center SUMMARY: Caller reported an unknown person damaged a window. Officer determined the damage had already been reported. Patrol Officer Jay Vanvolkinburg. FIRE ALARM UNDETERMINED LOCATION: College Circle Apartment SUMMARY: Simplex reported a fire alarm. Unknown cause for activation. Unable to reset system. Environmental Health and Safety Officer was notified. Patrol Officer Robert Jones. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF LOCATION: Emerson Hall SUMMARY: Officer reported a person ripping paper off of a bulletin board. Person judicially referred for criminal mischief and failure to comply with directions. Master Patrol Officer Brad Bates.
SEPTEMBER 17 FIRE ALARM ACCIDENTAL LOCATION: College Circle Apartment SUMMARY: Simplex reported a fire alarm. Activation caused by burnt food. System reset. Master Patrol Officer Donald Lyke. MEDICAL ASSIST LOCATION: Athletics and Events Center SUMMARY: Caller reported two people were injured. One person sustained a nose injury and another received a cut above an eye while playing flag football. Both declined medical attention and a friend transported the person with the injured nose to CMC. Master Patrol Officer Donald Lyke.
SEPTEMBER 18 MVA LOCATION: F-Lot SUMMARY: Caller reported a two-car MVA. Patrol Officer Matthew O’Loughlin. FIRE ALARM ACCIDENTAL LOCATION: College Circle Apartment SUMMARY: Simplex reported a fire alarm. Activation caused by burnt food. System reset. Master Patrol Officer James Landon. For the complete safety log, go to www.theithacan.org/news.
Key cmc – Cayuga Medical Center DWI – Driving While Intoxicated V&T – Vehicle and Transportation MVA - Motor Vehicle Accident IPD - Ithaca Police Department TCSO - Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office
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Opinion
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editorials
Trading Bricks for Clicks
In embracing the growing trend toward online education, Ithaca College should not fear adding more classes and striving to make learning more affordable.
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he University of Phoenix, which focuses in online learning, is effectively the largest school in the U.S., with an enrollment of more than 300,000 students. Many higher education institutions are worried that the convenience and affordability of massive online courses may soon outweigh that of a traditional residential learning experience. But by emphasizing practical skills and a wellrounded experience more than just grades, an on-campus education is often billed as the better choice. The tools that make online classes so convenient — additional resources, practice questions, group forums — are underused by professors, even in regular classrooms. Integrating online elements is an important way to create a true, well-rounded educational experience. Tuition rates for online courses at Ithaca College are the same as for on-campus ones. The cost of one credit at the college is $1,232, meaning a typical three-credit course would cost $3,696. Online classes also still limit the number of students per class. However, Syracuse University, which charges a comparable $1,249 per credit hour, offers online credits for $679. Syracuse’s distance learning degree program offers students the opportunity to complete undergraduate degrees by taking courses online through the university. As Ithaca College expands its online courses with IC 20/20 it should take care to remain competitively affordable. Online education will certainly flourish no matter what higher education does to package itself with a neat, “better learning experience” tag. The college might be shaping initiatives based on online learning to compete and offer the best of both worlds, but it must make its prices comparable to other online classes.
Talking points
Low voter turnout for the recent Student Government Association election creates reason for concern regarding the level of upcoming national election participation.
SNAP JUDGMENT Room for debate
What issues should SGA focus on to improve campus housing?
Watch more Snap Judgments at theithacan.org.
“The SGA could give the RAs a little bit more money to give us more programs in housing. ” Kendall Griffin English Education ’15
“There are only two showers on a floor, and especially for girls, that’s definitely not enough. “
“SGA could really improve by making more events for people in the dorms so you can get to know people.”
ShaVante Dickey Psychology ’14
Morgan Eschenheimer Exploratory ’15
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ess than 7 percent of eligible students voted in the recent Student Government Association elections, even with the ability to vote online. When so few of Ithaca College’s students are voting in an election that decides their immediate futures, it raises the question of how weak involvement may be for the next presidential election. In the 2008 presidential election there was a 49 percent turnout for the 18 to 24 age group. To reach that number on campus, the SGA elections would have to draw seven times the current amount of voters. It is encouraging that campus groups, such as IC Democrats and IC Republicans, are making efforts to register students to vote. More efforts should be taken to ensure campus elections are met with the same level of participation. To do that, SGA needs to better publicize its elections, reaching students with more methods that communicate why voting is important. If checking a box online is too troublesome for students, what does that mean for how many might fill out absentee ballots or show up to the actual polls in November? Students should take advantage of SGA online voting, because the results determine the most immediate, direct influences for change at the college.
Ray Cheng Accounting ’16
“There could be Concerts in the housing. Why not use the lounges for smaller events?” Jeff Chilton Music Education ’14
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guest commentary
Political viral video warps Islamic history T
he flurry of events in recent weeks surrounding the 14-minute “Innocence of Muslims” video invites reflection on the manipulation of religious symbols for political ends. The deceptive portrayal of Muhammad and the consequent escalation of both anti-Islamic and anti-Western sentiments reveal how religion and politics are often closely intertwined. Amateurish at best, “Innocence of Muslims” is a biased and unflattering account of Muhammad’s life and character. Taking offense at these misrepresentations of a central symbol of their faith, some Muslims have responded violently. The generally unflattering portrayal does not reflect scholarly understanding. During his lifetime, Muhammad was widely esteemed, both inside and outside of his community. Those who opposed him did so because his religious message threatened their economic interests. Rather than command by force or threat of violence, Muhammad unified the many tribes of the Arabian peninsula under his rule by exercise of his considerable skills in conflict mediation and political leadership. Muhammad did not have an insatiable appetite for multiple sexual partners. Only after the death of his first wife did he take additional wives. Many of these subsequent marriages were motivated by political motives — alliances between families — and by justice concerns, providing financial and social security to widows. The intention of the misrepresentations in “Innocence of Muslims” is to tarnish Muhammad’s character, and it is to that disrespect that some Muslims have responded violently. What is particularly Islamic about the offense being taken? Why does it draw such violent responses from some? Some insight comes by looking at the role that Muhammad plays in Muslim piety. While mainstream Christian tradition views Jesus as divine and human, Muhammad was merely human. Like Jesus, however, Muhammad was someone one could look to as a perfect exemplar of faithful living. Notwithstanding the commercial success of the phrase, few Christians seriously ask: “What Would Jesus Do?” In contrast, Muhammad’s example is central to Muslim practice. In discerning how to live faithfully, a devout Muslim will look first to the Quran, and then to Muhammad for guidance. To have one’s model of human perfection depicted negatively, then, will cause offense.
Kari Beal
If the shoe fits, alter the stride
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Protesters from a social welfare organization march Wednesday in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The protest was in opposition of the anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims,” which ridicules Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.
A.M. Ahad/Associated Press
But three additional factors also help explain the extreme responses we’ve seen in some Muslimmajority countries. First, largely to thwart human tendencies to worship revered figures, Islam — a strict monotheistic tradition — typically disallows visual images of Muhammad. Second, Muslim-majority countries are in politically fragile states. Many continue to work out political restructurings following the Arab Spring that began two years ago. Others seek to position themselves in relation to American military power in the context of ongoing warfare in their region. This political instability leaves these countries particularly vulnerable to attempts by extremist groups to gain power. Third, all this happens in the context of an ongoing Islamic response to the challenges of modernity. Before the modern era, Muslim civilization generally surpassed the achievements of the West. Modernity has changed that relative positioning, leaving Muslim-majority countries with a political project enmeshed with a religious identity that is still being worked out. In “The Reluctant Fundamentalist”, Mohsin Hamid offers an eloquent depiction of the tension the love-hate relationship with the post-9/11 West
can evoke for Muslims from Muslim-majority countries. The main character, a young Pakistani man who had attended college in the U.S., tells his American interlocutor: “[I]n the stories we tell of ourselves we were not the crazed and destitute radicals you see on your television channels but rather saints and poets and — yes — conquering kings … And we did these things when your country was still a collection of thirteen small colonies, gnawing away at the edge of a continent.” I recommend this novel to anyone who wants to understand better the modern Muslim mindset. It would do one much greater service than the controversial video “Innocence of Muslims.” In the end, “Innocence of Muslims” and the violent response it has drawn seems more aligned with these political projects than with religion per se. Rather than focus so much attention on who produced this offensive and misleading video, we would do well to identify which Muslims are taking this opportunity to advance their particular political projects by responding violently. Nancy Menning is an assistant professor of world religions in the Department of Philosophy and Religion. Email her at nmenning@ithaca.edu.
guest commentary
Diverse feminism definitions draw on active voices
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ast week, the Ithaca College Feminists group planted themselves on the academic quad with a few whiteboards with the phrase “I Need Feminism Because…” written across the top. The purpose? To get people talking about the need for feminism and start a dialogue involving both women and men. The “Who Needs Feminism” campaign was started on Tumblr by a group of Duke University undergraduate students who realized that there was too much apathy toward the subject of feminism. The group found that too many people think we live in some sort of post-sexism world. The truth is, we don’t. In a time when legislators are attempting to block women from getting birth control, and women are still paid 70 cents for every dollar a man makes at the same job, feminism is more important than ever. What was encouraging to me was the enormous diversity of the people who came to share their reasons: muscular football players, women with dreads and gauges, stoner dudes and women in dresses and heels. It doesn’t matter who you
Health Pulse
Senior Brennin Cummings based her “I need feminism because” whiteboard message on the stereotypes in the Taylor Swift song “You Belong With Me.”
Shawn Steiner/The Ithacan
are — outdated gender roles hurt all sexes and all types of people. Seeing people stop to consider and articulate why equal rights were important to them opened up discussions about feminism and got me thinking about my own reasoning. Even though it was a small event, it got people talking and sharing their stories.
In society, femininity, or being girly, is depicted as weakness. We say we’re “different from other girls” because “other girls” are obviously silly and stupid, and we’re obviously smart! We say, “I don’t really have any girl friends. I just hang out with guys! No drama!” Women have internalized the idea that we’re weak and we will do anything to separate ourselves
from womanhood. I used to think the same way. Then I realized that I couldn’t sit here and pretend to be a feminist, while at the same time tearing down girls. I grew up with some amazing female role models — my mother and my grandma — who showed me how to be resolute, courageous, hardworking and kind. I absolutely knew better than to think women are weak; I was raised by the strongest women I know. So here’s my reason: I need feminism because I’m sick of girl-on-girl hate. We don’t live in a Taylor Swift world. There aren’t “cheerleaders” and “nerds” or “sluts” and “virgins.” The second we stop tearing each other down based on clothing or sexual activity, we can start building each other up and present a solid front against a society that doesn’t think we can make our own decisions. The notion that girls are silly or weak is nonsense and we know it. So let’s transcend the stereotypes and reclaim feminism. Brennin Cummings is a senior journalism major. Email her at bcummin1@ithaca.edu.
All opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The Ithacan. To write a guest commentary, contact Opinion Editor Kelsey Fowler at 274-3208.
any runners are ditching their sneakers and switching to thin-soled shoes that mimic the feeling of running barefoot. These extremely lightweight shoes were designed to give runners a proper stride and reduce injury, but without proper training they do just the opposite. Barefoot shoes soared in popularity after Christopher McDougall’s best-seller “Born to Run” was released in 2009. This book tells the story of an Indian tribe in Mexico whose members run extremely long distances — more than 400 miles — barefoot or with thin-lined sandals. Running enthusiasts wanted to join in on this phenomenon, but is everyone meant to run this way? Doctors are reporting many injuries from these minimalist sport shoes. One study found injuries occur when runners do not adjust their foot-strike pattern or when runners begin running or walking long distances without building up adequate muscles. Many people run with a heelfoot strike, meaning they land on their heels and push off with the rest of their foot. Running barefoot is supposed to help a person adjust to a forefoot strike. Researchers say a forefoot strike is less injury prone because there is less of an impact on legs and feet. Problems stem from when a person does not adjust their stride while wearing basic sport shoes. A study by The American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit fitness research group, found half of the runners who switched to barefoot running or minimalist sport shoes did not adjust their form to a forefoot strike, even after they were told to do so. The study compared 16 healthy female runners between the ages of 19 and 25. Their foot strike patterns were analyzed using three different methods: barefoot, Vibram FiveFingers shoes and regular sneakers. When the women were wearing regular running shoes, most had a heel strike and showed to have a high impact force. Only half of the women adjusted this strike to a forefoot pattern when wearing the Vibrams and running barefoot. Those who did adjust their strike experienced the lowest impact forces while running barefoot or with Vibrams, but women who did not experienced an impact almost twice as high as in regular shoes. Sales of minimalist sport shoes were up 41 percent in June, while regular running shoes were only up 15 percent. So far this year sales have totaled $31 million. So if you’re testing these shoes, don’t just jump on the bandwagon. Adjust your stride and take a slow, steady approach. Kari Beal is a senior journalism major with a minor in health. Email her at kbeal1@ithaca.edu.
1 4 The It hacan
Th ursday, S eptember 2 7 , 2 0 1 2
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Th ursday, Septem be r 27, 2012
The I th a c a n 1 5
play that funky music, game boy
New student-run orchestra performs music from video games The Ithaca College Gamer Symphony Orchestra is a twist on a traditional orchestra and performs musical scores from video games that are conducted by junior Michael Samson.
photo illustration by shawn steiner
By Jackie eisenberg assistant accent editor
A group of young musicians gather and fill the neat rows of chairs at Presser Hall in the Whalen Center for Music. The concertmaster begins the instrumental warm-up, raising his hands as a hush falls over the room. Suddenly, the orchestra bursts into the “Final Fantasy” prelude. Junior Michael Samson, a music composition and theory major, has organized an ensemble of about 30 members that plays music from well-known video games. After learning about a similar orchestra at the University of Maryland last year, Samson decided to form an orchestra at Ithaca College, called The Ithaca College Gamer Symphony Orchestra. “I was at a business meeting with [artistic director of the National Orchestral Institute] Jim Undercofler, and I went there saying, ‘I don’t know what to do with my career path,’” Samson said. “And he was like, ‘You know there’s a game orchestra at University of Maryland; you might want to get in contact with them.’ And that sort of started, ‘Well if they can do it, why can’t we do it?’” Last spring and part of the fall before, Samson began making preparations for the orchestra. He initially contacted UMD because he wanted to arrange for them, but after they turned down his request they offered to help him get started instead. “That was really the kick in the butt that I needed to be like, ‘OK, this is something that I can do and should
do and will do,’” Samson said. Samson said the goal of the orchestra is to bring a different type of music to a place where this music isn’t represented, and to do it in a serious way. “We’re here to fill a gap that I felt was present in the School of Music and in the school in general,” Samson said. “We’re not just a bunch of fanboys coming to play off nostalgia, we’re here to present serious music.” The range of video games for the first concert, tentatively scheduled for Nov. 11 in Emerson Suites, is mid ’80s to modern-day video game music. “Final Fantasy,” “Dead Space” and “Kingdom Hearts” are just a few of games that will be represented in the orchestra’s repertoire. “[It’s] a huge range and all the music is good, and it’s presented in an artful way and it has a place in game history,” Samson said. Samson said he welcomes nonmajors, though the orchestra consists mostly of music majors. “There’s plenty of non-majors involved, which I think is a great experience for the non-majors to become part of this,” Samson said. “I like that the ensemble is mostly majors because it gives the non-majors that are in it an opportunity to grow as musicians and to learn from them.” Samson began recruiting people in the music school by putting up flyers as well as making announcements in classrooms. He emailed professors who specialize in certain instruments to help fill positions for the orchestra
Senior Ally Kraus follows the conductor’s lead in the Ithaca College Gamer Symphony Orchestra’s rehearsal Sunday.
Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan
where they were lacking. “The group is actually getting slightly larger every week,” Samson said. “By our concert, [there’s] probably going to be somewhere around 40 members involved. Last rehearsal we probably had 30-something people there and it was a good size, and it was a good balance of sound.” For junior concertmaster Nils Schwerzmann, playing in the orchestra evokes nostalgia, having played these video games as a child. “It’s always been my passion to play this music,” Schwerzmann said. “I’ve been playing these games since God knows how long and just to finally be able to express all the feelings of my childhood through that [is nostalgic].” Though Samson has orchestrated the majority of the project, he is not working alone. He has two other conductors helping him out, junior Seth Waters, and grad student Tiffany Lu. “It was more nerve-wracking getting up to conduct than it was actually conducting because everyone just committed so much,” Waters said. Waters said he respects Samson and has enjoyed conducting for the orchestra because it’s fun for the musicians to play this sort of music. “[Samson] … helps put me on a track toward accomplishing what I need, should and want to accomplish,” Waters said. “It’s the perfect balance between structure and chaos. I’m pure chaos. It’s a lot of fun for me and I imagine a lot of fun for them playing music that they’re familiar with.” However, the search for an adviser
Junior Michael Samson conducts the Ithaca College Gamer Symphony Orchestra during rehearsal Sunday at Presser Hall. Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan
was a bumpy road, Samson said. He said the music professors he wanted to recruit expressed interest, but they didn’t want to attach their name to the organization because they were afraid of giving the string players tendonitis by adding more work to their schedule. Eventually, he discovered Sharon Stansfield, associate professor and chair of computer science. Stansfield said she thought the orchestra sounded interesting when Samson — who takes her Intro to 2D Game Design class — approached her, though she said she doesn’t physically contribute much to the group. “I know exactly how much importance music has to game development,” Stansfield said. “ Stansfield also said the orchestra will help the college feel more connected and that it will bring people together from different disciplines. “As a whole it shows the outside world we’re kind of a cohesive environment and that we’re not just separate and individual schools, but we all work together,” Stansfield said. Samson said he hopes to keep the orchestra as an ongoing club. “I’m trying to set it up so that when I leave, other people will be here to pick up what I’ve left them, so it’s not just Michael Samson’s orchestra — because it’s not,” Samson said. “It’s the Ithaca College Gamer Symphony Orchestra — it’s about us.” The Ithaca College Gamer Symphony Orchestra meets at 7 p.m. on Sundays in Presser Hall in Whalen.
Sophomore Karly Rockenhauser follows along on her sheet music while playing the violin with the orchestra.
Durst Breneiser/The Ithacan
[ a cc e ntuate]
1 6 The It hacan
Th ursday, S eptember 2 7 , 2 0 1 2
Internet explorer Staff Writer Sarah Kasulke tackles the complex World Wide Web in search of some funky trends. We will always cherish the things we loved when we were very stupid. Your first boyfriend was all wrong for you. The music you loved in middle school was unspeakably, objectively bad. Your favorite T-shirt when you were 8 didn’t fit right and featured a prominent SpaghettiOs stain. But none of that matters. Despite being a learned college student who’s deleted your first love’s cell phone number and has upgraded from SpaghettiOs to Ramen, you now look upon those early, bombastic loves with affection. You overlook the terrible text message breakup you had with that guy and reminisce about the time he bought you flowers for your birthday and, weirdly but sweetly, your mom’s birthday. Which is why I know you follow @YourAwayMessage. Because it reminds you of when you were very young and very, very stupid. But it also reassures you that everyone else was exactly as stupid as you were. Maybe worse. @YourAwayMessage is a Twitter account composed of generic “away messages” every 13 year old created while using AIM, AOL’s insanely popular instant messenger from the mid-to-late aughties. @YourAwayMessage is a loving but ruthless account of everyone’s middle school id. Death Cab lyrics, passive-aggressive pleas for texts and attention, and promises to “brb, mom needs comp” abound from tweet to shining tweet. It is just shy of having exactly one hundred thousand followers. Follow Kasulke’s blog, “Internet Explorer” online at www.theithacan. org/blogs.
Improving improv
Adam Higgins, known as “Apocalypse,” asks for audience participation during a performance by Mission IMPROVable, a 10-man comedy act, Thursday in IC Square. The group has been nominated for Campus Activities Magazine’s “Comedy Act of the Year” six times.
CARL Heyerdahl/the ithacan
video of
the
week
Green day’s lead vocalist throws more than a tantrum
X-Tina leaves “The Voice”
Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong had a tantrum after getting his set cut short for Usher at the iHeartRadio Music Festival on Friday in Las Vegas. Armstrong stopped his performance after he noticed a sign saying he only had a minute left. He then proceeded to go into an explosive rant, saying, “I’ve been around since f--king 1980-f--king 8, and you’re going to give me one f--king minute?” He added, “I’m not f--king Justin Bieber, you mother f--kers.” Since his meltdown, the rocker has checked himself into rehab for substance abuse, according to E! News. — Jackie Eisenberg
wtf!
celebrity SCOOPS!
innovative popcorn machine shoots snacks on command
Have you ever been bored eating popcorn? The Popinator is a voice-activated popcorn machine that launches one kernel into the user’s mouth after he or she says the word “Pop.” The Popinator detects where the sound comes from, and then its cannon shoots the kernel out. Made by Popcorn Indiana, the machine shoots kernels up to 15 feet away. The Popinator has a computer that makes its ability to detect where the sound is coming from accurately. The machine isn’t in stores yet, but a spokesman for Popcorn Indiana said it would be popular with gamers. “I love video games. I’m in the zone,” he said. It’s a concept that pops! — Jackie Eisenberg
tweetuntweet Just went through the Wendy’s drive thru, Kermit gave the girl working a kiss. #ladiesplease. — YouTube vlogger Jenna Marbles tweets about her trip to Wendy’s with her dog, Kermit. Marbles has more than four million subscribers to her channel.
It’s time to say goodbye to “The Voice’s” Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green. Both stars are leaving the show — though Aguilera is rumored to return in a later season — and are being replaced by Shakira and Usher. Aguilera mainly cited her upcoming album “Lotus” and its coinciding tour as reasons for leaving the show, saying, “I so enjoy being a coach to my team on ‘The Voice,’ and at this point in season three, all of us coaches have truly bonded.” The pop star said she is looking forward to the future. “In order to remain great coaches and to stay relevant, we have to go out and we have to still tour, see our fans one-onone. I have to feel creatively fulfilled in order for me to then do my job as a coach and be on that show.”
— Benjii Maust
Th ursday, Septem be r 27, 2012
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Internal progression Professor puts acting skills to test with influential one-woman show By Jackie eisenberg assistant accent editor
In The Reader’s Theatre production of “No Child,” a lone janitor mops the floors of an impoverished high school. A five-part choir fills the air with its joyous a cappella music, while the janitor sings quietly along with it. Written by Nilaja Sun, the onewoman play-within-a-play showing at The Space at Greenstar is an adaptation of Sun’s life as a tentative drama teacher at Malcolm X High School in the Bronx. Known throughout the play as Ms. Sun, she struggles to teach a sophomore class filled with belligerent children how to analyze and perform the play “Our Country’s Good” by Timberlake Wertenbaker. Cynthia Henderson, associate professor of theater arts at Ithaca College, portrays Janitor Baron, the teachers and all the students. Henderson is the founder of Performing Arts for Social Change, an organization that raises awareness for social causes through the arts. Henderson has performed in the one-woman show “Dorothy Dandridge: An Evening of Song and Remembrance” off-Broadway and is a member of Actor’s Equity. “In ‘Dorothy Dandridge’ I was just playing Dorothy,” Henderson said. “In this play it’s all different characters. It’s 16 human beings.” The characters she portrays in “No Child” include Shondrika, a particularly sassy student; the children’s nervous schoolteacher; Ms. Tam, the uptight principal; Mrs. Kennedy; and the rebellious student Jerome.
“The 16 different characters [I portray], there’s slight variations that I go through, either vocally or physically, or vocally and physically,” Henderson said. To portray the characters with little confusion, Henderson uses body language to represent each student. “Because I’m a singular person, it helps the audience know who’s speaking if there’s an idiosyncratic behavior for each person,” Henderson said. This is Henderson’s first production with The Reader’s Theatre and director Anne Marie Cummings. The pair only rehearsed together 12 times, but Cummings helped Henderson. “We just took little sticky notes, and we put them next to each character on these big poster boards so that the process wouldn’t seem overwhelming for one actress,” Cummings said. “Also in that process, we talked about their backgrounds, so doing that work is absolutely essential.” The show’s five-part gospel choir features Elisa Sciscioli ’03, Nikki Schwarz ’02, Travis Knapp ’07, sophomore Harmony Graves and Cornell University graduate student Shyla Foster. The choir, led by Baruch Whitehead, associate professor of music education, is not in the original off-Broadway show. “[Baruch] and I picked the songs,” Sciscioli said. “I primarily chose the spirituals. Then he started preparing the chorus and sort of handed it over. Anne Marie likes to add live music. She likes to have vocal musicians come in for each play.”
Cynthia Henderson, associate professor of theater arts, stars in The Readers’ Theatre production of “No Child.” The play, which follows a high school teacher’s struggles, will be showing from Friday to Sunday at The Space at Greenstar. Courtesy of the readers’ theatre
In the beginning, Cummings said, people were skeptical about the a cappella music, but she wanted that sound to help convey the story. “I knew in my heart that this play needed sound that speaks more to the emotional current in this play, because the subject is a very raw one, even to this day,” Cummings said. “So these are the voices of the people.” Sciscioli said there is a large
difference between performing in her band and performing in a play. “It’s really fun for me to be in a play because I’m a singer in a band, so it’s a different kind of show,” Sciscioli said. “And I haven’t really participated in theater since my time at Ithaca College.” Cummings said the pieces came together so well due to Henderson’s hard work and commitment.
“Directing is like a puzzle, you have to bring all the pieces together,” Cummings said. “I love working with actors who take direction, and Cynthia was able to take my direction from the first rehearsal to the very end.” “No Child” opened Wednesday at 8 p.m. and runs until Sept. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at The Space at Greenstar.
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1 8 The It hacan
Th ursday, S eptember 2 7 , 2 0 1 2
DC Comics pops with unfamiliar hero
thursday
by Robert Rivera staff writer
DC Comics’ “New 52” initiative is a twist on the superheroes audiences know and love. However, one unfamiliar superhero is released in “Batwing Issue Zero.” Batwing was a character created before the “New 52” in Grant Morrison’s 2010-11 series “Batman Inc.,” a series where Bruce Wayne tells the world he has funded Batman since he began fighting crime and is now going on an inter“Batwing” national tour to recruit DC Comics other masked vigilantes to reign as “Batman” across the globe. “Batman Inc.” ended once the “New 52” began. “Batwing Issue Zero” is an expansion on one of the recruits of Batman Inc., David Zavimbe, a police officer working in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Zavimbe’s past includes the death of his parents from AIDS and his abduction by the fictional Army of the Dawn to become a child soldier. This issue covers what happened to Zavimbe after he escaped the Army of the Dawn and went to a boy’s home for child victims of warlords. The first three pages show Zavimbe having a dogmatic sense of justice. He beats the other boys in the orphanage to a bloody pulp because of the beatings of local town girls. At first, his caretakers attempt to detain and quell his anger, but they understand that Zavimbe is unable to cope with disrespect and injustice, as they remind him of the crimes and senseless killing he was forced to commit as a soldier in his warlords regime. The story then skips forward, showing Zavimbe joining the police force. He becomes sickened at the corruption in the force when he sees officers secretly taking bribes from criminals. His extreme sense of justice combined with an attack on his former caretaker’s home prompts Zavimbe to become a masked vigilante, sweeping up crime in Tinasha. While he is able to hold his own against common criminals, meta-humans, humans with genetic
Jim Hull, an acoustic singer and guitarist, will perform as the final concert in the Sunset Music Series at 7 p.m. at the Six Mile Creek Vineyard.
friday 3rd Annual Little Apple Fall
Comic Book Review
Follies, an event hosted by The Rotary Club of Ithaca and The Savage Club, features more than 20 performances from singing groups and rock bands at 7:30 p.m. at the State Theatre.
Wolf’s Mouth 10-Minute PlayFest, an interactive play about a professor who struggles with agoraphobia, will be performed at the Schwartz Performing Arts Center at Cornell University. Admission is $4. David Zavimbe, DC Comics’ newest Batwing superhero, discusses with Batman why Batman chose him to become Africa’s version of the caped crusader. The “New 52” initiative includes more diverse heroes. courtesy of DC Comics
alterations that make them super-powered, become troublesome toward David’s cause. After suffering multiple injuries from the hands of meta-humans, genetically altered humans that have superpowers, which dwarf Zavimbe in size and strength. Writer Judd Winick concludes his run on “Batwing” by explaining what drives Batwing to be a crime fighter, which, while told in brief throughout previous issues, has never been as emotionally driven as “Issue Zero.” Winick encompasses not only a strong back story, but draws parallels with Bruce Wayne’s own beginnings as Batman, evoking both familiarity yet enough change to create a new story. The only negative aspect of Winick’s storytelling is that he makes it hard for new readers to jump into the comic. While “Zero Month” for DC implies that readers have read the
previous 12 issues, it still can be difficult for a new reader of the series to pick up on some of the topics covered, such as Zavimbe’s time as a child soldier. Artist Marcus To makes the art of “Batwing” his own through distinctive facial expressions of rage he draws on Zavimbe as he explodes with anger over the depravity in the Congo. To’s fighting sequences are realistic and well choreographed. They display Zavimbe’s tenacity as well as his timely reflexes as he fights meta-humans. Overall, “Batwing Issue Zero” displays great teamwork in artist and writer, and successfully expands on an up-and-coming centerpiece in the DC Comics Universe. “Batwing Issue Zero” was written by Judd Winick and illustrated by Doug Mahnke.
The Killers please listeners with superb fourth album by Jared Dionne Senior writer
The Killers and Coldplay have always been two bands that are brought up in the same sentence. Both groups’ albums consisted of pop rock interspersed with The Killers softer ballads. “Battle Born” Vertigo Records While Coldplay’s Our rating: album, “Mylo HHH Xyloto,” falls heavily on the pop end of the spectrum, The Killers returned with a decidedly Americana rock album coming in the form of “Battle Born.” Album opener “Flesh and Bone” flirts dangerously close with the pop aesthetic Coldplay has come to
Album Review
hot dates
worship. Pounding drums and crashing cymbals produce a track worthy of the world’s biggest arenas. “Miss Atomic Bomb” acts as an abridged history of The Killers’ discography, as it includes references to all of their previous studio albums. Highlights include an opening chord progression reminiscent of “Human” from the album “Day and Age,” a dusty love story like the band’s second album “Sam’s Town” and a guitar interlude that sounds remarkably similar to the riff from their biggest hit, “Mr. Brightside.” Naturally, it wouldn’t be a Killers album without an exhausting number of references to their hometown of Las Vegas, the desert or sentimentalism in general. The album’s name is a direct reference to the
Song of the Week “Spirit Indestructible”
The Love Song of R. Buckminster Fuller, a live music documentary, will be screened by documentarian Sam Green and will be accompanied by Yo La Tengo at 7 p.m. at Willard Straight Theatre.
Catherine Gale, a local jazz vocalist, along with a few guests, will perform at 8 p.m. at The Hangar Theatre.
sunday
The Little Farm Show, a musical about farming, will be performed by Tannis Kowalchuk and Brett Keyser at 3 p.m. at the State Theatre.
Fifth rock album ‘Hoobastinks’ by Taylor palmer Assistant Sports Editor
Courtesy of Vertigo Records
Nevada state flag. Even an enthusiastic Killers fans may find this now-cliché and expected subject matter a bit tiresome. Luckily, diversified instrumentals are enough to make up for the lyrical homogeneity. “Battle Born” shows The Killers have matured in the past eight years. Gone are the days of boys looking like girls and high school heartbreak. Instead, the band now chronicles struggling relationships and the challenges of everyday life.
Yesteryear’s Hoobastank was a powerful force in pop music. “The Reason” dominated airwaves and was stuck in the minds of everyone with a radio. This is a far cry from the Hoobastank of today, which offers little entertainment for even the most devoted fans. After taking a three-year break from making music, Hoobastank “Fight or the alt-rock trio Flight” released its fifth Open E studio album, Our rating: “Fight or Flight,” H its most compositionally lazy and least adventurous endeavor yet. From start to finish, the album is chock full of overdone hard rock tedium and boring power ballads. The opening song, “This Is
Album Review
Gonna Hurt,” is a track laced with static and fuzzy bass underneath dull lyrics. This snooze-fest is driven by lead singer Doug Robb’s incredulous growl, detaching the listener from the original, hard rock intent of the track. Hoobastank seems to spew out songs in a desperate attempt for some cash, making “Fight or Flight” a truly disappointing album from a once-popular band.
Courtesy of Open E Entertainment
quickies
Nelly Furtado
“Mirage ROck”
“Head Down”
The alternative rock band’s fourth studio album opens strong with the track “Knock Knock.” The catchy melody and upbeat drums give fans a fun tune to listen to in the car or to chill out to with headphones on.
The third studio album is a powerhouse record with solid tracks including “Run From Revelation.” The energetic track showcases singer Jay Buchanan’s voice and has a similar smoothness to Black Keys’ singer Dan Auerbach.
Rival Sons Earache Records
Band of Horses Columbia Records
The Spirit Indestructible Interscope Records Furtado comes back with a new track that reveals a more disappointing sound. The whine and auto-tune in Furtado’s voice creates an irritating track that is hard to listen to.
scan This qr Code with a smartphone to learn more aboUt Assistant Accent Editor Jackie Eisenberg’s pick for the song of the week.
saturday
courtesy of Columbia records
courtesy oF Earache Records
Compiled by jackie eisenberg
A ccen t
Th ursday, Septem be r 27, 2012
The I th a c a n 1 9
Sci-fi series plays on video game origin [ ‘Resident Evil: Retribution’ bores fans with unsatisfying plotline bY James Hasson
ticket stub
]
valid friday through thursday
cinemapolis The Commons 277-6115
staff writer
With its fifth film release, the “Resident Evil” series is competing with the likes of the “Harry Potter” and “Saw” series as one of the longest continuous franchises. Director and writer “Resident Paul W.S. Anderson Evil: demonstrates an enRetribution tertaining, though Screen rudimentary, action Gems film with “Resident Our rating: Evil: Retribution.” HH 1/2 The film begins in similar fashion to the earlier “Resident Evil” films. Alice (Milla Jovovich) wakes up in a mysterious location. After several zombie attacks, Alice finds herself imprisoned in a facility run by a rogue supercomputer intelligence called the Red Queen. Alice receives instructions from her old enemy Albert Wesker (Shawn Roberts) to meet up with a rescue team before an army of zombies and cloned soldiers, loyal to the Red Queen, kill humanity’s chance for survival. The cast performances feel like B-rated sci-fi action fare. Jovovich and the rescue team sent after her rarely show fear as they spout cheeky lines and blast or fight everything they see. Rain (Michelle Rodriguez) is the most fun to watch. Playing a series of clones within the facility, her personality shifts from a simple, nonviolent housewife to a cold-blooded, parasite-injecting super soldier. “Resident Evil: Retribution” is as simple a movie as they come. It follows the style of a video game
Arbitrage 4:50 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 9:25 p.m. and weekends 2:10 p.m., 4:50 p.m., 7:15 p.m. and 9:25 p.m.
Film Review
Killer Joe 5 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. and weekends 5 p.m. and 9:10 p.m. The Master 4:15 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. and weekends 1:30 p.m., 4:15 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Sleepwalk With Me HHH 1/2 5:05 p.m., 7:05 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. and weekends 2:40 p.m., 5:05 p.m., 7:05 p.m. and 9:15 p.m.
Alice (Milla Jovovich) takes down hordes of zombie armies and cloned soldiers after being imprisoned in a facility in “Resident Evil: Retribution.” Jovovich plays Alice in each of the five installments of the “Resident Evil” series.
Courtesy of Screen Gems
to a tee. The protagonist wakes up, is quickly thrown into a hostile situation and eventually receives instructions on how to escape. She then proceeds through numerous strange and exotic “levels” and fights various minions and “bosses.” The film represents these video game references in ceaseless action sequences. It is tracked on a video game-like CG map of the facility. The movie has an abundance of outlandish fights of superhuman characters flying through the air and gun battles involving hundreds of rounds of ammunition sprayed at various opponents. It even has a car chase and a few shots reminiscent of
a large-scale disaster film like “The Day After Tomorrow.” This rapid pace and nonstop violence can easily satisfy the action audiences, but can also leave other audiences bored. “Resident Evil: Retribution” serves as a stepping-stone after all the previous “Resident Evil” films. It is an absolute cliffhanger for the next film. This is implied in one of the film’s best shots, in which the camera zooms out on a razed Washington, D.C. The last survivors of humanity fortify a blasted White House while hordes of the undead swarm against barricades. “Retribution” leaves little time for story development or long scenes of character interaction. The
only exception involves a subplot with a cloned child Becky (Aryana Engineer). “Retribution’s” placement within this saga can make it feel like a stepping-stone and trailer for the final battle. The action is done well, but it’s likely to leave audiences unsatisfied, simply waiting anxiously for the final battle they want to see. “Resident Evil: Retribution” provides a cornucopia of violence and action. It may have a hollow story and characterization, but it gives the loyal fans just what they ordered. “Resident Evil: Retribution” was directed and written by Paul Anderson.
Violent movie glistens in 3D
Plot strikes out in baseball flick
By Rose Vardell
In the wake of Oscar-nominee “MoneyBall,” other baseball films have tried to step up to the plate. However, “Trouble with the Curve” strikes out. It does little to keep the audience engaged, and as a result it becomes dull and predictable. The plot centers on an elderly baseball scout, Gus (Clint “Trouble With Eastwood), who works for the the Curve” Atlanta Braves, looking for Warner Bros. Our rating: potential high school talent in H 1/2 the area. Throughout his long career, Gus has been highly regarded as one of the greatest scouts of his time. However, with old age and glaucoma starting to creep up on him, as well as a recent recruit not living up to his promise, Gus is being pressured out of his job with only three months left on his contract to prove himself. His daughter, Mickey (Amy Adams), visits with him in an attempt to reconnect with him and help him, despite the fact that he is reluctant to accept. During the visit she meets an up-andcoming scout, Johnny (Justin Timberlake), who begins to flirt with her and encourages her to break away from her work-oriented life. For the most part, the cast seems dull in this film. Eastwood gives emotion to his character, but for most of the film he plays a stereotypically grumpy old man, an act that literally gets old. Adams gives a heartfelt performance when trying to rebuild her relationship with Gus but provides the audience with few memorable moments to take away. The outliers in this cast are Timberlake, who, per usual, is charmingly sweet and moving, as well as Goodman, who
gives a convincing performance. The script, written by Randy Brown, proves to be predictable throughout, with few plot developments to take the audience by surprise. Likewise, the director, longtime Eastwood collaborator Robert Lorenz, fails to bring out much emotion at all from the cast, besides a few loving moments between Adams and Eastwood. The predictable plot and clichéd script combined with the generally boring performances from the cast produce a film that fails to connect with the audience. “Trouble with the Curve” is a film that will disappoint those expecting a home run because, in reality, the film ends up being more of a bunt.
“Dredd 3D” is wickedly cool. The sci-fi flick deserves the praise because of its cheesy oneliners and excessive violence. This movie is not for the faint-hearted, but for people who want to experience something fast-paced, gripping and gruesome — and “Dredd” certainly delivers. The movie takes place in Mega-City One. The people of the city are controlled by one source of law enforcement: The Judges. The cops of the city pos“Dredd 3D” Lionsgate sess the powers of judge, jury Our rating: and executioner. The hero of HHH 1/2 the film is Judge Dredd (Karl Urban), a cop who wears a permanent scowl and a helmet that never leaves his head. Together they take on a drug lord, Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), who distributes a drug called Slo-Mo. The side effects of the drug leave the user with the sense that time has slowed down into a state of bright lights. Some of the scenes that depict the effects of the drug are the most beautifully created moments in the movie, with breathtaking 3-D effects. These scenes are joined with remarkably crafted moments of bloodshed. In one moment a character plummets to certain death, and the blood splatter from the impact is conveyed with such enhanced 3-D effects that the violence turns from gore to gorgeous. The fast-paced design and eye-catching 3-D makes “Dredd” far from dreadful.
“Trouble With the Curve” was directed by Robert Lorenz and written by Randy Brown.
“Dredd” was directed by Pete Travis and written by Alex Garland.
Contributing writer
film Review
Film Review
From left, Mickey (Amy Adams) and Gus (Clint Eastwood) take a walk in “Trouble with the Curve.”
Courtesy oF Warner Bros.
Moonrise Kingdom 4:45 p.m., 7:20 p.m., 9:30 p.m. except Friday, and weekends 2:15 p.m. except Saturday, 4:45 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
regal stadium 14 Pyramid Mall 266-7960
Hotel Transylvania 1:30 p.m., 2:50 p.m., 3:20 p.m., 4:10 p.m., 5:20 p.m., 5:50 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7:40 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 10 p.m. Hotel Transylvania 3D 2 p.m., 4:40 p.m., 7:10 p.m., 9:30 p.m. Looper 1:10 p.m., 1:40 p.m., 4 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6:50 p.m., 7:20 p.m., 9:40 p.m. Won’t Back Down 1:10 p.m., 3:50 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 9:10 p.m. Dredd HHH 1/2 5:30 p.m., 10:35 p.m.
By JOSH GREENFIELD CONTRIBUTING writer
Robot & Frank HHH 7:10 p.m. and weekends 2:20 p.m. and 7:10 p.m.
Dredd 3d HHH 1/2 3 p.m., 8 p.m. End of Watch 2:10 p.m., 4:50 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 10:20 p.m. House at the End of the Street 2:40 p.m., 5:10 p.m., 7:50 p.m., 10:30 p.m. Trouble With the Curve H 1/2 1 p.m., 3:40 p.m., 6:20 p.m., 9 p.m. Finding Nemo 3D 1:20 p.m., 4:20 p.m., 7 p.m., 9:50 p.m. Resident Evil: Retribution HH 1/2 10:25 p.m. Resident Evil: Retribution 3D
HH 1/2
3:10 p.m., 5:45 p.m., 8:20 p.m., 10:40 p.m. Lawless HH 1/2 10:10 p.m.
our ratings Excellent HHHH Good HHH Fair HH Poor H
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for rent Lovely 6 bedroom house Pleasant 314/316, parking, big rooms. 5 bedrooms Green St. 4 bedroom house 214 Prospect. 6 bed 126 Hudson. All have parking included. Call after 2 p.m. 2925210 for 2013-14.
C l a ss i f i ed Beautiful house 311 Pleasant St. 4 bedroom also 1 studio apt in back, 2 bathrooms, big living room. Available for Aug. 2013. For more info and showings, call 607-339-5112 613 Hudson St. Beautiful 8 bedroom house with all the amenities — 3 kitchens, 3 living rooms, 4 bathrooms, free laundry on premises, free parking up to 8 cars. Available for next school year Aug. 2013. For showing call 607-339-5112
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Beautiful spacious 6 bedroom house, completely renovated, laundry and parking on premises, close to Commons. Avramispola@yahoo.com available 7/1/13 Beautiful 2/3 bedroom apartments fully furnished, washer/ dryer, easy on-street parking, available 8/6/13 $565 pp
2013-14 three bedroom downtown, 103 East Spencer St. Spacious, off-street parking, hardwood floors, washer and dryer, yard with BBQ grill, Internet available, furnished or unfurnished, close to the Ithaca Commons, Ithaca College and public transportation. $540 (for 3) or $475 (for 4) per person, includes heat and cooking gas. Available August 1, 2013. Call 607-279-3090 or email livingspaces1@msn.com. Pictures can be seen at
215-17 Prospect St. — 6 person house. 319 Hillview Pl. — 5 person house. 315-17 Hillview Pl. — 4 person house. Available August 1, 2013. Call 273-5370
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Brand new, 4 and 5 bedroom apartments, high
2013-14 four bedroom house, 1123 Danby Rd. Quiet and close to Ithaca College, off-street parking, furnished or unfurnished, hardwood floors, woodburning stove, large yard, patio with BBQ grill, garage, large dining room, Internet available, washer and dryer, dish washer, “we love pets.” $510 per person + utilities, available August 1, 2013. Call 607-279-3090 or email livingspaces1@msn.com. Pictures can be seen at ithacarent.net (top of home page) 2013-14 studio apartment 209 Giles St. Overlooking Six Mile Creek, furnished or unfurnished, carpeted, includes utilities, washer/ dryer, 24-hour on-street parking, close to Ithaca College, Ithaca Commons and public transportation, Internet available, “we love pets.” $720 includes utilities, available July or August 1, 2013. Call 607-279-3090 or email livingspaces1@msn.com. Pictures can be seen at ithacarent.net
WiFi, TV, laundry, parking. Must see! Call 279-1593 2, 3, 4 5 BR houses for 13-14 school yr, furnished, maintenance, parking free. Near IC entrances. Very clean, 11 mo. lease. Call 607-220-8779 1, 2, 3BR apts for 13-14 school yr. Utilities, cable, wireless, parking INCLUDED. Furnished, near IC entrances. 11 mo. lease. Call 607-220-8779
walk the site. College Crossings, LLC “The intersection of college and community.” 607-273-9300 www.IthacaEstatesRealty.com for rent.
Spacious 8 bedroom house, great location, 1 min
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walk to Commons, washer, dryer, dishwasher, large
house. Also 1 bedoom to share with 3 IC
bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, parking included.
students. Fully furnished, off street parking.
Avramispola@yahoo.com available 7/1/13
Call 607-592-0150
Everybody has issues ...
607-279-3090 or email livingspaces1@msn.com. Pictures can be seen at ithacarent.net (top of home page)
... we have a new one every week.
hardwood floors, dumpster, quiet, close to Ithaca College, basement suitable for entertaining, “we love pets,” furnished or unfurnished, Internet available, dishwasher, available August 1, 2013. $495 per person per month (4 people), $465 per person per month (5 people) + utilities. Call 607-279-3090 or email livingspaces1@msn.com. Pictures can be seen at ithacarent.net
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Varsity Blues College faces difficult decisions when approving varsity sports varsity
BY emily Hull staff writer
When the time comes to choose a new varsity sport for Bombers athletics, the college’s administrators must evaluate a multitude of strengths and weakness for each deserving candidate. After everything is considered, however, the final decision almost always comes down to suiting the college’s athletes or its resources. According to Ken Kutler, director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreational Sports, the college is adding women’s sports to comply with Title IX legislation. There are two ways to comply with Title IX, one being to base the college’s number of teams for each sex on the ratio of male to female students. The college has chosen to comply with the second method, which is to provide additional opportunities for the underrepresented sex in the athletics program. In the college’s case that would be women, because the number of female athletes is lower than male athletes. For a women’s sport to be approved, members of the team must first submit a bid to the Office of Intercollegiate Athletics. Next, it must receive a recommendation from the college’s Gender Equity Committee, which oversees aspects of the sport’s proposal in context of Title IX. Then competition at the varsity level in the region, the amount of local recruiting available for the sport and coaching availability are reviewed. After all of these factors are considered, the committee recommends a sport to President Tom Rochon, who makes the final decision. Sculling was recently approved as the college’s 27th varsity program. Kutler mentioned equestrianism, water polo, bowling and ice hockey as the other sports considered. The college plans to add a new women’s sport every three to five years for the time being to keep current with the athletic department’s demographics. When those sports are considered again three years from now, the committee will have to make a decision: Do we choose to suit our athletes or our resources?
SUITING THE ATHLETES Equestrian is one sport that already has capable athletes, but lacks the necessary facilities to compete. If the college approves the equestrian club team for varsity status, the decision would be made based upon the riders’ recent success, because there are no stables. The team of 25–30 placed 4th overall last year in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association regional competition, falling short to three established varsity programs: Cornell University, Nazareth College and Alfred University. The team sent 11 riders to regional in 2011-12, and three of those riders moved on to zones. Fifth-year senior Kathleen Burns, the club’s former treasurer, said consistent success has motivated the equestrian team to seek varsity status. “We have done great competitively against varsity teams. We are up to that standard, but we can’t quite crack that top three,” Burns said. “The sport is gaining popularity here and in our area. We deserve to have that chance.” Kutler said he understands the equestrian club can compete against the best programs in the Northeast. “In equestrian’s case it’s not even a question,” Kutler said. “Since I have been here it has been a very viable club. It competes against other schools that have varsity teams as well.” Despite its competitive successes, the team faces funding issues. Burns said the Office of Recreational Sports allocated $9,592 for the equestrian team for the 2011-12 school year, while the estimated cost for
PHotos by Rachel Woolf Design by emily fuller
running the club was $42,303.25. Burns also said team members paid dues to cover gas, equipment, lessons and food. These dues range from $600 to $800 per semester. Equestrian’s biggest obstacle is facilities, because there are no stables on campus. The club currently contracts with the If Only Farm in Freeville, N.Y., which is about 20 minutes from campus. Kutler said bringing the If Only Farm up to IHSA standards is where the problem lies. Three years ago, Kutler researched what it would cost to do such a renovation, and at that time the total was $100,000.
ADAPTING TO RESOURCES While the equestrian club has a group of talented riders, other possibilities for varsity consideration, such as water polo and bowling, are not currently organized clubs on campus. These sports may not have rosters, but they do have what equestrian lacks — suitable facilities for competitions. Starting a varsity sport without athletes may seem like an unorthodox strategy, but Kutler has proven successful in similar circumstances. Kutler was the director of intercollegiate athletics at Hartwick College from 1986 to 2003, and he initiated the addition of Division I women’s water polo. Kutler said Hartwick didn’t have a water polo club for men or women, and the lack of a traditional program meant Hartwick had to recruit heavily from outside New York State. In the 11 years since water polo was established, Hartwick has risen to compete against the nation’s elite programs. Last season, the Hawks defeated 10thranked University of Maryland in the Collegiate Water Polo Association Western championships. With the recent construction of the Athletics and Events Center pool, which measures 47,000 square feet, Kutler is considering the possibility of adding women’s water polo here as well. “It was the right thing for Hartwick to do that at the time,” Kutler said. “And it may be the right thing to do for Ithaca in the next three to four years.” Another sport facing the same obstacle is bowling. There is no organized bowling club or bowling alleys on campus, but there are many venues throughout the City of Ithaca available for use. The cost to rent one of those facilities for competitions and practice would be less expensive than renovating the If Only Farm for equestrian.
LESSONS FROM THE PAST The college has set a precedent for suiting both athletes and resources with its two most recent varsity approvals. Golf, which captured the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference title, was approved in 2009, even though the team had to rent the use of a course off campus. Sculling was approved this past summer, and though it only has one member, the resources at the new Ward Romer Boat House were already available. While the next decision for the compliance with the Title IX tenant isn’t for another three to four years, teams are already putting in their bids for consideration. Junior Samantha Robinson, captain and manager of the equestrian team, said promotion of these sports benefits students in more ways than one. “Competing at high levels provides a lot of opportunities. Scholarships become available,” Robinson said. “This gives us the potential to go somewhere, and this opens up doors for us.”
varsity
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between the lines
Nathan bickell
Trail blazers enjoy forest As I dash through the trails above campus, my senses are finely attuned to my surroundings. I hear my teammates breathing heavily in unison with me, I see each puddle or root that could throw off my stride, and then I smell the distinctive aroma of marijuana. Nearly every Monday for the past four years the men’s cross-country team and I have used the trail system of the South Hill Natural area for our weekly interval session. Our most common company in the woods is a small group of pot smokers. Our interactions are brief — the stoners tend to stare absentmindedly at us on the side of the trail as we run by. There is an unspoken code of mutual respect: As long as they stay out of our way and we don’t bother them everything is cool, man. I will not pretend there aren’t runners who smoke, and that there aren’t any potheads who also run, but when our paths briefly cross on Mondays we can be quite the odd couple. Runners in short shorts run for specific distances, in specific times, with specific rest in between intervals. The smokers with their baggy jeans don’t seem encumbered by any such restrictions. Their workout seems to be: walk around, smoke a joint, walk around, smoke another joint. Repeat until the weed is gone. Though our activities in the forest are quite different, the woods serve the needs of both the runners and the stoners. For the stoners, the woods provide a peaceful place to toke up and give cover from probing eyes of buzzkilling RA’s and Public Safety. As runners, the soft surface of the woods is easier on our legs than running on the roads or a track. The rolling hills, sharp turns and uneven footing make even the gnarliest cross-country courses seem tame. The South Hill Recreation Area is a great resource for the entire campus community, and the long-distance runners and pot heads should not be the only ones to take advantage of it. There are 365 acres of interconnected trails that traverse the forest. There may not be a scenic natural wonder like Buttermilk Falls, but the close proximity to campus means you can take a short hike after lunch and make it to a 2 p.m. class with no worries. As students we spend much of our lives sitting in temperature-controlled indoor rooms staring at the luminous glow of laptop screens. Trust me, actually walking through the forest is more rewarding than changing your Facebook cover photo to a pretty picture of trees. So go for a walk — or a run — while the weather is still warm. The woods are for everyone. Nathan Bickell is a senior documentary studies major. Contact him at nbickel1@ithaca.edu.
Th ursday, S eptember 2 7 , 2 0 1 2
Midfielder breaks into starting lineup By DaNielle D’Avanzo senior writer
It was a sunny day in Keene, N.H., as the men’s soccer team prepared to face off against Brandeis University in its season opener Sept. 1. Joining the starting lineup this season was sophomore midfielder A.J. Wolfanger. As the national anthem began to play, Wolfanger felt nervous and glanced over towards the bench. He had only been in the starting 11 once before — during his The men’s soccer freshman year — and it took team is ranked him a moment to convince last in the Empire himself this was real. 8 Conference with seven goals, but After seeing limited playit hasn’t lost in its ing time last year, Wolfanger last seven games. has become a solid member of the Bombers’ midfield in 2012. He has started every game for the Bombers this season and is arguably the team’s most improved veteran, according to Head Coach Andy Byrne. At the end of the 2011 campaign, Wolfanger said, he knew what he needed to work on to contribute more to the team this year. “The big thing last year for me was fitness,” Wolfanger said. “I would run up and down the field in about five seconds and I’d be ready to get a sub. I’d be out of breath.” Byrne said he worked on running workouts with Wolfanger in the offseason to help him improve his overall fitness. Wolfanger also participated in lifting sessions to build his strength. He said working with the coaching staff was very helpful because he was able to learn what types of exercises he needed to do to reach his fitness goal. “I would usually just run for a few miles, and I thought that would be getting in shape,” Wolfanger said. “Soccer’s a game of sprinting and stopping a lot, so with [Byrne] I ran a lot of sprints over the offseason, and that really improved my shape.” Byrne said increased endurance and strength has helped Wolfanger improve himself as a defender on the field. Wolfanger’s captain, senior midfielder Jack Shirley, said he has noticed Wolfanger has also improved his work ethic and focus during games. “He has been working extremely hard during practice so that’s what I’ve been very happy with,” Shirley said. “It’s something that I’ve noticed in the game that has been paying off for him. It’s great for him to come in and really hold down the middle with me.”
stat check
From left, sophomore midfielder A.J. Wolfanger dribbles past University of Scranton midfielder Michael Romano during the men’s soccer team’s 0-0 draw Tuesday afternoon on Carp Wood Field. durst breneiser/The ithacaN
Shirley said he and Wolfanger complement each other well in the center midfield. Wolfanger is left-footed while Shirley is right-footed, and Wolfanger plays more offensively while Shirley plays a more defensive role. Shirley said Wolfanger has been able to make more of an impact in the midfield this season. “He’s stronger on the ball now,” Shirley said. “I’ve also been very happy with the way he’s been winning balls in the air, so I can tell he’s bulked up a little bit, and it’s been helping us win those head
balls and 50/50s in the middle.“ Wolfanger has already made more offensive contributions this fall after converting his first career goal during the Bombers’ 3-1 win against Nichols College on Sept. 2. He said scoring the goal felt like an adrenaline rush and was a special moment for him. “Last year I never thought I’d really start, and I never thought I’d score,” Wolfanger said. “It’s really all I worked for my whole summer was for a moment like that.”
Newcomers fill holes in South Hill squad’s defense By Christian Araos staff writer
On a mid-September day, with a strong blowing down the South Hill, the football team’s defensive coordinator, Mark McDonough, stares at his defense as it goes over schemes for its Empire 8 Conference opener at Frostburg State on Saturday. He is efficient with his words, calling for quick, pre-snap adjustments. A scout team lines up across from a defense, a defense that has limited opponents with a conference-best 229 total yards per game this season. The Bombers’ successful, stingy defense comes despite the fact that two of the team’s leaders in tackles from last season, Joe Gilfedder ’12 and Spence White ’12, and three of the four members of the Bomber secondary, White, Mike Conti ’12, and Kevin Cline ’12, have all graduated. McDonough said the work done by those who replaced the graduating players has impressed him so far. “There were some questions about how the new guys would step up and how they would perform, and from a personnel standpoint they stood up and did an excellent job,” McDonough said. “There’s always work to be done, but as far as guys stepping into their roles and handling the workload, they’ve done a very good job.”
Union College fullback Tim Hersey, center, is wrapped up by the Bombers’ defense during the team’s 27-24 victory Sept. 15 at Butterfield Stadium. Durst Breneiser/the ithacan
Senior defensive end Skyler Schlenker is the most experienced member of the defensive line, having started all but one of the Blue and Gold’s last 13 games dating back to last season. Schlenker said
the defense’s 13 sacks in its first three games may be a sign of things to come. The linemen face a tougher challenge as part of McDonough’s 3-4 system. The linemen are aware
of the work that needs to be done to help the linebackers make the tackles. Junior defensive tackle Dan Sheldon said this awareness comes through mutual communication on the field. “A lot of what we do comes from collaborating as a group,” Sheldon said. “It’s mostly with the defensive linemen and the linebackers. It’s just knowing where you’re going and knowing where they’re going, so you stay out of their way.” Senior middle linebacker Will Carter leads the linebackers. After missing the first half of 2011 with an injury, Carter has begun this season strong with a teamleading 33 tackles. Even as the defensive captain, he is subject to McDonough’s rotation, which featured eight players in the linebacking corps last season and features a similar number of linebackers this season. McDonough said the deep rotation is ideal for the defense. “I’m in a good position of having a lot of depth, which I think fosters an environment of competition, and those guys have responded well to it,” McDonough said. “Everyone understands the best guy is going to play, senior or sophomore.” For the complete version of this story, visit www.theithacan.org/25121.
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New training method energizes Bombers BY haley costello staff Writer
To produce the best possible times on race day, rather than personal records during the week, the men’s cross country team has implemented a new training style that follows the motto, “The race is on Saturday.” This season, the men’s cross country coaches have decided to apply a new preparation method, which entails less volume and less intensity for team practices. Head Coach Jim Nichols said this decision came following a discussion among the coaching staff after evaluating last season’s results. “One of the things we did last year was we over-trained, and when we reviewed at the end of the season we found we didn’t perform at as high of a level on Saturday as we thought we might perform based on practices,” Nichols said. “So we decided to back off our intensity of weekly training and put a limit on the amount of volume on stress days to improve performance.” Nichols began as an assistant coach for the cross country team under former Head Coach Bill Ware when he came to the college in 1986. At the time, Nichols was also head coach of the men and women’s track teams. Because he needed to take care of the entire track team, Nichols did not have as much time to focus on the distance runners. Nichols said this caused him to sacrifice long runs and important training methods that would keep the team in shape for both track and cross country.
Six years ago, Nichols added former Bombers runner Eric Sambolec ’99 to the staff as the assistant coach to advance the training for the distance team. Sambolec now works as the distance coach on the track team as well, which allows him to use the same methods as they use during the cross country season to keep the team at the same level. Sambolec said the biggest decrease in volume is seen on the team’s interval training days. The average workout last year included four and a half miles of training at a fiveminute pace, but now the distance has diminished to about three miles at a five-minute and 15- second pace. Sambolec also said in addition to the cutback of distance and expected times, the team has also added lifting to the mix of exercises to avoid injury and to fit their new strategy. “Now we are reining them in with the running, and we are also adding more weight lifting to keep the team healthy,” Sambolec said. “The weight lifting also tires them out even more, so it helps to slow them down while running and avoids overworking.” Senior captain David Geary said the team is seeing results it has not seen in the past few years because of the changes. “It’s early, but so far we are seeing some really great results in both the weight training and running because we have more overall strength,” Geary said. “It gives us more resistance to injury, and we recover faster.” Nichols said the decrease in volume is an important decision for
Runners from the men’s cross country team run past the Athletics and Events Center during practice Friday. The team is adopting a new training style this fall that incorporates less intensity and less volume for practices. Carl Heyerdahl/the ithacan
all of the athletes, whether they are seniors or freshmen. This type of training decreases the amount of stress the athletes put on their bodies each day at practice, whether it is a long run or a difficult workout day. To contribute to the amount of rest they will have for the postseason, the team has also altered its schedule
to make sure they do not waste their energy too early. The team decided to scratch SUNY-Cortland’s Jack Daniels Invitational to conserve their energy for later in the season. The team will not compete again until the Hamilton Invitational on Oct. 6. Geary said he is optimistic about the potential outcome of
this years postseason, with a squad that should have fresh legs for the championship runs. “The progression that we are doing this year, as opposed to years past, gives us a better chance to feel good at the end of the year, which is really what it’s all about,” Geary said.
Look online for game stories from these sports: THURSDAY • 7 p.m. Women’s Volleyball at Keuka University in Keuka Park, N.Y.
FRIDAY • 12:15 p.m. Men’s and Women’s Cross Country at Lehigh Paul Short Run in Bethlehem, Pa.
SATURDAY • 10 a.m. Women’s Golf at Martin/Wallace Invitational in Cortland, N.Y. • Noon. Men’s and Women’s Cross Country at Cazenovia Invitational in Cazenovia, N.Y. • 1 p.m. Field Hockey vs. Washington and Jefferson at Higgins Stadium • 1 p.m. Men’s Soccer vs. Alfred University on Carp Wood Field • 1 p.m. Football vs. Utica College at Butterfield Stadium • 2 p.m. Women’s Soccer at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J.
SUNDAY • 9 a.m. Women’s Golf at Martin/Wallace Invitational in Cortland, N.Y. • 3 p.m. Women’s Tennis vs. Stevens Institute of Technology on Wheeler Tennis Courts
TUESDAY • 3:30 p.m. Men’s Soccer at Hobart College in Geneva, N.Y. • 4 p.m. Women’s Soccer at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pa. • 4 p.m. Field Hockey vs. SUNY-Brockport at Higgins Stadium
WEDNESDAY • 7 p.m. Women’s Volleyball at SUNY-Geneseo in Geneseo, N.Y.
Bold = Home game
The Ithacan
online | theithacan.org/sports
Emily fedor/the ithacan
3 0 The It hacan
S ports
Th ursday, S eptember 2 7 , 2 0 1 2
Upperclassmen take freshman under their wings by Alex Holt senior writer
For a varsity program that’s only three years old, the women’s golf team has already established a tradition of developing freshmen into talented players quickly. Last year alone the Bombers had five different freshmen on their roster, but the team was still able to capture both the Empire 8 and Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships. After a 2011-2012 season in which more than half of the roster was made up of freshmen, the Blue and Gold only have one new freshman this year, Taylor Reeves. In her first two tournaments with the Bombers, Reeves shot a 94 at the St. Lawrence Invitational and a 100 at the Empire 8 Championships, scores that exceeded the first-day cut limit. Senior Samantha Liberty attributed Reeves’ struggles to nerves and said Reeves has the potential to make a lot of improvements in a fairly short amount of time. “Those were her first two tournaments, so I think she had a little nerves in her, and she didn’t really know what it was like to compete in college,” Liberty said. “But I think she knows what to expect now from it, and I expect great things from her later in the season.” Bombers Head Coach Dan Wood attributed Reeves’ opening scores partly to her lack of familiarity with the courses. He also said while Reeves needs to improve her game in several areas, she does have a lot of ability. “She does have power, she hits the ball a long way and she does have the ability to hit some very crisp iron shots,” Wood said. “What she needs most of her work on right now is just a little better tempo and timing in her full swing and a lot of work on her short game.” Wood compared Reeves to senior Jackie Young, who also started out averaging scores in the 90s during her freshman season, but made enough improvement every year to
Freshman golfer Taylor Reeves finishes her tee shot during the golf team’s practice at the Country Club of Ithaca on Aug. 25. Reeves is the only freshman on the team this season.
durst breneiser/the ithacan
break into the Bombers’ starting five. Following that path, Wood thinks Reeves can improve by about three shots per year, which would make her easily among the Bombers’ top performers. Reeves first began playing competitive
golf while she was a student at Lakeland High School in Greenfield Township, Pa. Her school didn’t have its own girls’ team, like many of her Bombers teammates, so she played on the co-ed varsity team alongside an otherwise allmale roster that included her brother, Greg.
Reeves said the biggest difference she’s found between playing high school golf and college golf is the amount of preparation required. “It is more practice than I’ve ever had in high school,” Reeves said. “It’s a lot more dedication and I guess that’s been the hardest part.” While Reeves admitted it is difficult to be the only freshman on the team, she also said one of the things that’s made the transition easier for her has been the enormous amount of support and advice she’s gotten from her older teammates. “It is kind of difficult because there are no seniors who graduated, and then it’s kind of a plus one,” Reeves said about her role. “But it’s like having nine big sisters on the team.” Reeves said she’s gotten a lot of advice from her teammates but one of the most helpful tips isn’t even directly about golf at all. “The biggest thing has been time management,” Reeves said. “Try to get things done early. When you’re at practice, you want to focus on golf and not what project you have due the next day. Their biggest thing is being able to balance being on a team and being a full-time student.” Liberty, one of two remaining players from the Bombers’ original 2009-2010 team, said one of the best pieces of advice she’s given Reeves is to avoid being fazed or upset by a couple poor shots. “She knows how to handle her emotions, and she knows that sometimes you don’t have a great shot but it’s how you recover that makes it better and can help your score out,” Liberty said. But she’s a great competitor. She can grind out for those pars that she needs.” Reeves’ learning curve is still steep after competing in just two collegiate tournaments, but with nine older teammates she said she knows exactly where to look for guidance. “No one’s really elitist on the team,” Reeves said. “They’re really willing to help me out and help me improve, and if they’re more experienced, that’s all the better.”
[the buzzer]
Th ursday, Septem be r 27, 2012
The I th a c a n 3 1
sunday sous chef No good football game is complete without a tailgate party, and no good tailgate party is complete without some grub. This week, Staff Writer Emily Hull sent in one of her favorite Sunday dishes for your next tailgate party.
1 cup sour cream 1 cup of salsa, drained 1 can of chopped black olives 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup of sliced green olives
Carry on my wayward scrum
Freshman Tyler Kenney, center, breaks a tackle by a player from the University of Columbia’s B-side during the men’s rugby team’s scrimmage Saturday on the lower fields. The Bombers lost 12-0 in a matchup of rookie squads.
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1 bag of tortilla chips, Scoops preferred In a shallow glass or plastic 9x13 pan, layer ingredients in order. It can be served immediately or refrigerated, then served up to 2 hours later. Serve with the Scoops and enjoy!
by the
numbers
7
11
The number of riders the equestrian club sent to the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association regional competition last season. The number of shutouts for See story on page 27. the women’s soccer team in its first nine games this fall. See the game story online.
Durst Breneiser/the ithacan
the foul line
Weird news from the wide world of sports Streaking at public sporting events has been a hallmark of professional sports for years. From the Wimbledon streaker to Mark Roberts — the infamous Super Bowl XXXVII streaker who braved the security squad in Houston only to be tackled by New England Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham — these brave, barely dressed or nude men and women have put their permanent records on the line to bring a little spice to nationally televised sporting events. The most recent streaker in sporting news is a man named Mark Harvey, better known as the Baltimore Batman. Double B’s antics are well known in the Baltimore, Md., area and are becoming more prominent in the national consciousness. Last April, he ran across Camden Yards wearing nothing but skin-tight Batman-themed booty shorts, some shoes and a cape. Last week, the caped streaker struck again. In Sunday’s matchup between the Ravens and the Patriots, he ran out in a familiar outfit, sneaked by security and managed to sprint through the field for more than a minute, only to be subdued by about a dozen stadium officials. The Batman had a message painted across his chest urging people “Don’t be a bully, be a superhero.” This is in promotion of BiggerThanBullying, Harvey’s anti-bullying awareness group. The moral of the story? Want people to notice you? Take off your clothes.
ups and downs
—Taylor Palmer
NFL quarterbacks are always in a state of flux. One day a guy might be on fire, the next he’s riding the pine. Assistant Sports Editor Taylor Palmer says who is headed in which direction.
Second-Year Quarterbacks
Second-year quarterbacks went 4–1 last week with huge performances coming from Jake Locker and Christian Ponder. Locker threw for a career-high 378 yards in an overtime upset of the Detroit Lions, while Ponder orchestrated the biggest upset of the week as the Minnesota Vikings topped the San Francisco 49ers 24-13.
Rookie Quarterbacks This year’s fresh-faced, talented group of rookie quarterbacks were duds, finishing 0–5 in a week filled with high expectations. All four averaged just one touchdown a piece and only one, Andrew Luck, managed to hit the 300-yard mark. Ryan Tannehill completed less than 50 percent of his passes and threw more passes to the other team than he did into his own endzone.
Th i s I S ee
3 2 The It hacan
Th ursday, September 2 7 , 2 0 1 2
Senior Erik Caron, center, belts out “Devil’s Coming” and plays guitar for the Erik Caron Connection alongside bassist sophomore Gabe Lefferts, left, and drummer Alex Cano ’12, right.
Musical connection
The Erik Caron Connection rocked out on stage Saturday night at Kilpatrick’s Publick House. They played a three-hour set and debuted “Moonlight Dances.” They also played some more well-known hits, such as “Superman” and “Devil’s Coming.” Photos by shawn steiner Photo Editor
The band sold many CDs, posters, raffle tickets and other “swag” to raise money for an upcoming country-wide tour planned for this winter. The tickets were for a 50/50 raffle to win $50.
Senior Ryan Butler pauses from playing mandolin to clap along with the song “Secretly.” Butler joined the band last winter before they toured the Midwest.
Junior Sam Reibman plays saxophone during the concert. The band has been together for a year and is performing during IC Spirit Week’s closing event Oct. 12 on the Fitness Center Quad.