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132 YEARS IN PRINT VOL. CXXXI ISSUE XXXVI
THURSDAY | MARCH 1 | 2012
PEACE LOVE
Cats pounce all over Marquette in 72-61 rubber-match
ISRAEL Students could see harassment training REVENGE
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spotlight | 3
ANTHONY OROZCO | NEWS EDITOR
In effort to avoid anything that would resemble the career-tarnishing incident that threw Joe Paterno into public scrutiny, faculty and staff at the University of Cincinnati have been told to take a mandatory online harassmenttraining course. And soon, UC students might find the training as part of their homework as well. “The Office of Equal Opportunity has had the responsibility to ensure training and information regarding harassment,” said Teresa Murphy, interim director of UC’s Human Resources and Serviced Center, which presides over OEO. “We have actually done it on a smaller scale, for departments or units that needed the training … This is just a more formalized way to address the issue for all faculty staff and students.” Faculty and staff received an email earlier this month explaining they must complete the training by mid-March. In a memo from Provost Santa Ono issued to all deans Feb. 8, Ono asked faculty to complete the
Innovation to shorten hospital visit times
harassment training by March 15. In the memo, Ono alludes to harassment cases that have recently received national attention. “Recent news stories from Penn State and elsewhere demonstrate that many university employees do not fully understand their obligations to report instances of criminal or other improper conduct they witness or hear about,” the memo states. “Many employees don’t understand what constitutes … workplace harassment. The consequences of such misunderstanding are grave — for employees, for students and the institution.” Though Paterno’s scandal at BUTLER Penn State served as an example in the memo, Murphy said the training was not directly influenced by the ordeal. “The development of it would have occurred regardless of whether or not there were other incidents [of harassment] throughout the country,” Murphy said.
The development of the online harassment training initiative had been in the works since late 2010, said Sharon Butler, senior associate vice president of human resources, who worked closely with former director of human resources, George Wharton, on the initiative. “We took most of 2011 to choose a vendor, get the training together, get it implemented and get the communications together,” Butler said. UC has faced its own cases of harassment since the inception of the across-the-board online training program in late 2010. George Bishop, a political science teacher, was found guilty of stalking a student in February 2011. Former UC executive assistant Sandra Smith filed a harassment lawsuit listing UC President Greg Williams and former Executive Vice President Fred Reynolds as defendants. Smith alleged that Reynolds sexually harassed her and she was wrongfully terminated afterward. The case concluded when Williams and Reynolds were SEE TRAINING | 2
Med school funding goes down
PARTNERSHIP COULD LEAD TO TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION Innovations at UC to be spread via new agreement
LANCE LAMBERT | SENIOR REPORTER
KARA DRISCOLL | SENIOR REPORTER
The University of Cincinnati Division of Cardiology is at the forefront of innovative medicine, conducting an advanced clinical trial aimed to aid patients suffering from acute decompensated heart failure. Spearheaded by Dr. Myron C. Gerson, a professor in the medicine and radiology divisions of cardiology, the objective of the clinical trial is to compare the negative and positive effects of ultrafiltration treatment with standard intravenous diuretic therapy on heart function and blood flow. “We would like to better understand why it is possible to remove large volumes of fluid rapidly from patients with severe heart failure,” Gerson said. The typical standard of care to treat congestive heart failure is with a class of medicines called diuretics, which removes extra fluid through urination. Ultrafiltration treatment, very similar to a dialysis treatment, aims to remove excess fluid through an IV, Gerson said. Because the type of treatment removes the excess fluid rather rapidly, the patient’s duration at a hospital is shortened. Fluid retention is common in patients ailing from heart failure because of the high production of specific hormones, Gerson said.
GRAPHIC ILLUSTRATION BY GIN A. ANDO
BETHANY CIANCOLO | STAFF REPORTER The University of Cincinnati is jump-starting its marketing initiative to streamline innovative technology developed on campus. A new technology-commercialization accelerator was formed on Friday through a partnership between UC and Midwest EB5 Regional Center, a sector that encourages investment and works to stimulate economic activity. “It’s going to be a hub for commercialization activity at UC,” said Dorothy Air, associate vice president for entrepreneurial affairs and technology commercialization. “It’s going to focus on identifying commercially viable technology, assessing those technologies for whether they might be appropriate for a startup company, and then developing a commercialization strategy and facilitating the early work that needs to be done to advance the potential of that technology.”
SEE INNOVATION | 2 IN BRIEF
Big Boi, Kendrick Lamar to headline Spring Concert when where
Saturday, May 5 Sigma Sigma Commons
During the Rex Lee event Wednesday, Feb. 29, the Programs and Activities Council revealed the performers for the annual Spring Concert. Big Boi, member of hip-hop duo OutKast, and rapper Kendrick Lamar will perform during the free concert May 5 on Sigma Sigma Commons. In past years, the concert has touted headliners including T-Pain, Ludacris and N.E.R.D.
Spotlight Opinion Classifieds Sports
KARA DRISCOLL | SENIOR EDITOR
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ON THE MARKET Ono signs a partnership between the University of Cincinnati and Midwest EB5 Regional Center to get technology to market.
SEE COM | 2
Board of Trustees names new member
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COURTESY OF UC.EDU
Air, UC Provost Santa Ono and Terry Chan, president of Midwest EB5, signed a memorandum of understanding in which they decided on a funding structure and agreed to work together to make the accelerator operational. Midwest EB5 committed $500,000 to the project and the university committed $250,000, which will come from the Southern Ohio Creates Companies Pre-Seed Fund, a project that invests in technology companies dedicated to developing new ideas. Air said the goal of the accelerator is to conduct early stage development of the technology and advance its potential in order to garner the interest of outside funders. “The startup companies have the potential to create jobs. I think the activity level and the visibility of the accelerator is going to jumpstart the economic development of Short Vine,” Air said. “We have some pretty exciting innovation that goes on inside the university. The technologies that get developed are really very early stage, and some of them have huge potential. They’re still ideas and need some additional development in order to spin them out of the university.” Air and Chan, both members of CincyTech, agreed to the development of a partnership when Air’s idea seemed to mesh with the project Chan was working on. “Sometimes there’s no clear path on how to get [ideas] from white paper to a product that is useful,” Chan said. “We want to get some of the industry experts to the table so they can help us.” Air said the program is expanding its resources and network opportunities — which will be valuable to the university. “This is something that we have been thinking about for some time,” Air said. “The partnership with EB5 has created a pathway for this to happen. Some of these are game-changing technologies that have the potential to impact lives.”
Loss of state dollars and general funds cuts caused by the Great Recession of the recent years has prompted the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (CoM) to tighten ship and seek new sources of funding. CoM will reduce expenses by 3 percent for the 2013 fiscal year after facing future deficits and the loss of funding. The college will attempt to submit to more grants after seeing its 2011 — and soon to be 2012 — grant submissions falling beyond those submitted in 2008. “Our submission numbers are on the down side, what we really need to do is focus on grants,” said Lori Mackey, senior associate dean for operations and finance at CoM, as she spoke on the financial picture of the school in front of a large crowd Feb. 28 at medical college. “If you don’t submit for grants, you don’t get grants,” Mackey said. General funds and state appropriations for CoM 2013 fiscal year will be $37.9 million — down $7.9 million from the 2009 fiscal year. “Next year should be the last year of decrease,” Mackey said. “ The economy MACKEY is improving, we should be on the upside next year.” The college is also coping with a significant loss of endowment — going from $39.2 million in 2009 to $25 million in 2013. Currently 69 percent of CoM’s funding is coming from the National Institutes of Health — a federal funding source. “[CoM is] extremely reliant on federal funding,” Mackey said. “Shift in the coming years and look at funding that is not always federal.” The closing of the Department of Public Health and consolidation into other department along with cuts to CoM’s dean’s office helped the school weather the economic downturn, Mackey said. “Expense control, not fun to
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The University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees has gained a new member — former attorney, local arts advocate and leader, Geraldine “Ginger”Warner. Ohio Gov. John Kasich announced the appointment of Warner on Feb. 21. “I am extremely excited to see Ms. Warner transition into her new role,” said undergraduate student trustee Nick Hertlein. “The board is looking forward to welcoming her as she begins serving with them.” Warner will serve a nine-year term along with nine other trustees, including Cincinnati Enquirer publisher Margaret Buchanan and regional president and CEO of USI Insurance, Thomas D. Cassady.
Check out a slideshow from UC’s victory over Marquette
While Warner is not an alumna of UC, she is both a UC donor and a founder of the Harmony Fund at the College-Conservatory of Music. Along with being the recipient of the 2009 Ohio Alliance for Arts Education Award and The Cincinnati Enquirer 2001 Woman of the Year Award, Warner’s extensive list of qualifications include her advocacy for arts education and positions held on several art boards in the Cincinnati area. Additionally, Kasich appointed Warner the chairwoman of the Ohio Arts Council this past September. “Ms. Warner has a stellar reputation throughout the City of Cincinnati,” SEE TRUSTEE | 2
Plus an online exclusive about Cincinnati’s first black mayor.
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JOINING THE CLUB Gov. John Kasich has appointed Geraldine “Ginger” Warner to serve as a member on the University of Cincinnati’s Board of Trustees. And sports recaps of the week
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Weekend Edition March 1 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG
from dixon | 6
sam greene | Managing Editor
ZERO TO HERO Dion Dixon went from a bench warmer, to the team’s sixth man, to finally becoming one of the starters and one of the Bearcats’ leading scorers.
helping me.” Dixon grew up in a house full of women, which Cronin said probably led to him “being babied a little bit more than the average boy.” “I kid with him because he’s got a twin sister,” Cronin said. “I kid with him that she got all the toughness, and his mother babied him; so she gave me four [years]. She told me I needed to make him grow up and be hard on him, and it’s funny — she told me one time, ‘Coach, you’re doing good. I like him a lot better now,’ and we just laughed so hard.” Dixon has formed bonds at UC, not only with the players and coaching staff, but also with the fans, and, Wednesday night, he stepped onto the court at Fifth Third Arena one final time with both gratitude
Hertlein said. “She is well-respected for her contributions to various aspects of the community, especially in regards to the arts.” Currently, the board has only been apprised of Warner’s appointment, Hertlein said. Supplementary information about the new trustee will be provided at a later date, UC spokesman Greg Hand said. Warner will provide her credentials pertaining to the position. While the university is not involved in the selection of trustees, President
bench press at his position with 33 reps, but also ran a mediocre 5.01 in the 40-yard dash. Hughes only participated in the bench press, recording 28 reps. Neither of the Cincinnati defensemen particularly stood out at the combine and will look to improve their numbers at Cincinnati’s Pro Day set for Friday. As of now, draft gurus expect Pead to be taken in the second or third round of the NFL Draft, while Wolfe and Hughes are likely to hear their names called in rounds 5-7. The NFL Draft is set for Thursday, April 26.
FROM innovation | 1 “In heart failure, the body continuously produces high levels of hormones like norepinephrine, renin and aldosterone that result in a chronic accumulation of excess fluid that the heart and kidneys are not able to eliminate,” Gerson said. “Fluid can back up into the lungs causing severe shortness of breath.” Through the trial, the clinical trial team is exploring how ultrafiltration may be a more effective treatment for the illness due to fewer side effects and a quicker recovery period. “For reasons that have not yet been well explained, with ultrafiltration there is much less difficulty with the volume within the blood vessels becoming contracted, and therefore the kidneys continue to pull excess fluid off from around the ankles and in the abdomen,” Gerson said. Ultrafiltration removes excess fluid more rapidly and seems to reduce the rate of re-accumulation of fluid and rehospitalization, Gerson said. For the next two years, 30 patients will be involved in the clinical trial. However, getting to the point of a clinical trial was a tedious process, Gerson said. Clinical use of ultrafiltration was established by the “Ultrafiltration Versus IV Diuretics for Patients Hospitalized for Acute Decompensated Congestive Heart Failure [UNLOAD] Trial.”The study showed that early ultrafiltration produces great weight and fluid loss compared to IV
“[If] we win the National Championship and the Big East Tournament, that’d be amazing for me,” he said. “We’ve definitely got the drive; we’ve got the team. I think we should do it. We’re gonna keep workin’ hard. We should be able to do it.” Regardless of what happens in the coming weeks, one thing is certain; we’ll be seeing Dixon’s college career officially come to an end. “It’s gonna be sad to see him go,” Cronin said. Even though he’s leaving, there’s no doubt that he’s helped get this program back to a point where people are proud of UC basketball again; and for that, he’ll be remembered for years to come.
from trustee | 1
from combine | 6 well-deserved attention. At 5-foot 10-inches and weighing just below 200 pounds, NFL teams might be hesitant to make Pead their every-down running back, but his returning and receiving skills allow for other ways to utilize the UC back. “I feel like I’m an every-down back,” Pead said. Defensively, Cincinnati led the nation in tackles for a loss this past season with 21.5 belonging to Wolfe, and 11.5 accredited to Hughes. Wolfe finished 10th at the combine in
and pride for the program that has helped him to find his footing as both a basketball player, and as a person, who is now in a position to achieve his dream of playing professional basketball. It’s the fans, however, that Dixon says he is going to miss the most. “Just playing in here in front of these fans — it’s been great for me,” Dixon said. “As an athlete later on in my career, to see it get better, you know, and it’s packed houses now — it’s been amazing for two years. And just to see that we got it back to where it was — and I’m about to be out the door — it’s just crazy.” Even though Dixon’s time at Fifth Third Arena is now at an end, he said his career as a Bearcat is far from finished.
Greg Williams and board members have expressed their contentment with the appointment. “Ginger Warner, with her immense record of service to our community, will be a tremendous asset to our university board of trustees,” Williams said. “I look forward to working with her and benefitting from her extensive experience as an attorney, actively engaged volunteer and an advocate for the university.”
FROM TRAINING | 1 dropped as individual defendants, and the case was settled on undisclosed terms. The training is currently mandatory for UC faculty and staff, but finding a way to implement the training for students is still in the works, Murphy said. “One of the things we’ll be doing … is finding a way to disseminate [the training] so that all students would be required to complete the training as well,” Murphy said. “The overall goal is to put the knowledge in the hands of the individuals to know the process is if they are involved in [a case of harassment].” Utilizing the Internet rather than a classroom allows for the UC community to take the course when it is convenient for them. “This is nothing new for human resources,” Butler said. “[By using an online course,] we’re trying to get into the 21st century and do something that was easily accessible, and that we could check they were passing.“ There is currently no timeline for making the training a requisite for all students. The EOE will work with the Office of Admissions to create a means to make the training mandatory for students and able to track if students have completed the course. The course can be taken by students and faculty at http://training. newmedialearning.com/pwh/ucincinnati/.
diuretics, without adverse impact on kidney function, Gerson said. “It took many years to establish the ultrafiltration method in preparation for the clinical trial,” Gerson said. “The trial probably required at least five years for design, implementation, analysis and reporting.” While the trial aims to prove that ultrafiltration may be a more effective treatment, it also has the goal of investigating issues of treatment that are unexamined, Gerson said. “One aspect of this issue that has not previously been investigated is the question of whether the failing heart is better able to tolerate rapid fluid removal continuously with ultrafiltration compared to the use of intravenous diuretics,” Gerson said. The clinical trial is being conducted at a time when a solution to extended treatment is desperately needed. University Hospital is currently at full capacity, with no beds available. With patients waiting in the Emergency Department for a hospital bed, a treatment like ultrafiltration could expedite hospital stay time, Gerson said. “Heart failure is the No. 1 cause of admissions in the hospital in the ‘Medicare’ age population,” Gerson said. “A technique like ultrafiltration that can substantially reduce the length of a stay is of great importance.”
FROM COM | 1 do, but spend our money in ways that are value added,” Mackey said. ‘We ask in our budget to cut 3 percent, work with everyone and have a plan that is realistic and a plan that allows us to invest in ourselves.” Seeking more outside funding by focusing on increasing philanthropy is important, Mackey said. There are a few bright spots in the college’s financial report, as UC Health System funding has increased by $10 million from 2009 to 2013. With more than $208 million in expected payroll for the coming years, the school is hoping to add another 125-200 physicians for both academic and clinical work in the next few years. In the future the college hopes to use UC Main Campus enrollment system, to reduce cost and save money. “As we all know, change is slow,” Mackey said.
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Wednesday’s crossword solved
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1 Pointer’s pronoun 5 Supermarket stripes: Abbr. 9 Poe’s middle name 14 Hand-on-the-Bible utterance 15 Lassie 16 Take care of 17 Old-style bottle opener 19 “Are not!” retort 20 Afghanistan’s capital 21 Honoree of a D.C. monument at 1964 Independence Ave. 23 Treats, as squeaks 24 Yankee with a record 18 World Series home runs 28 Pen point 31 Bullfight shout 32 Puzzle (out), in slang 33 Idle of “Life of Brian” 35 Preschool basics 38 Charges at some booths 41 1995 Woody Allen film with a Greek chorus 44 Actor Davis 45 Vim and vigor 46 “__ dash of ...”: recipe words 47 Courtroom entry 49 Top-row PC key 51 Approximate fig. 52 Highest British military rank 57 Both Chaneys 58 Beverage cooler 59 Lindsay of “Herbie: Fully Loaded” 63 Connector with a slash 65 Cry evoked by the first parts of the answers to 17-, 24-, 41- and 52-Across? 68 Traffic problem 69 Wife of Osiris 70 Racing’s Grand __ 71 Fruit-filled treats 72 Deck chair wood 73 Deck chair piece
1 Sound heard around the clock 2 Sarcastic joke response 3 “... three men in __” 4 Tap idly with one’s fingers 5 “I’m not eating that!” 6 Dental care suffix 7 Double Stuf stuff 8 On the q.t. 9 Comparative words 10 Citrus-flavored refresher 11 Change the subject, perhaps 12 Lagoon surrounder 13 Oater omen 18 Ad-writing award 22 Canada hwy. distances 25 Modeling material 26 Skewered fare 27 Garage occupant 28 Animated clownfish 29 Van Gogh flower 30 Spare-no-cost type 34 Hangs loose 36 EMT’s procedure 37 Draws back, as in fear 39 Former Fords 40 Airplane assignment 42 Ready for a drive 43 __ Hashanah 48 Friend from France 50 Unruffled 52 Scruggs’s partner 53 Ancient Aegean region 54 Nail the test 55 Della of “Touched By an Angel” 56 Aerobatic maneuvers 60 Throw 61 Sri Lanka locale 62 First in line 64 Rotation meas. 66 Korean 27-Down manufacturer 67 Look for answers
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Weekend Edition March 1 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG
SPOTLIGHT
Promised Land Peace
PHOTOS BY LAUREN KREMER | CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
SUPPORT ACROSS CONTINENT More than 120 campuses throughout North America participated in Israel Peace Week from Feb. 27 to March 1. UC is one of its participants.
University of Cincinnati students observe Israel Peace Week
KARA DRISCOLL | SENIOR REPORTER University of Cincinnati students scribbled what peace means to them on small sheets of white paper. According to them, peace means “no war with Iran”, “accepting others despite our differences”, “compromising and giving a little to achieve something bigger”, “no nuclear bombs” and “coexistence and good relationships with everyone.” With the intent of promoting and spreading the idea of a peaceful Israel, colleges across the United States launched Israel Peace Week from Feb. 27 through March 1. Israel Peace Week is a grassroots campaign to counter anti-Israel propaganda with the simplistic and positive idea that Israel wants peace and is willing to make sacrifices for the ideal. In 2010, a group of four pro-Israel students developed the campaign to educate their campus peers about Israel’s efforts for peace. “To be pro-Israel is to be pro-peace,” said Bearcats for Israel President Judith Wertheim. Throughout the week, the Bearcats for Israel group organized a table of information in the Tangeman University Center to educate students about the cause. “We think it’s important to provide easy access to education about Israel Peace Week,” Wertheim said. “We have the Hasbara Fellowship Israel Peace Week handouts to explain a little bit more about what we’re about.” Hasbara Fellowship is a leading pro-Israel campus activism organization working with approximately 120 campuses in North America.
“It’s a program where leaders, like myself, go to Israel for about 10 days to meet with foreign ministers and reporters,” Wertheim said. “We’re taught the basics of everything that has to do with Israel and how to advocate for Israel on campus.” On Thursday, the group is presenting a film viewing of “Israel Inside” at 7 p.m. in McMicken Hall, Room 26. The film is an informative look at the innovations of Israel. Featuring and created by an Israeli Harvard professor, the man moves his family back to Israel and adventures ensue.
It’s less about the conflict and more about the solution. —RABBI ELANA DELLAL UC HILLEL JEWISH STUDENT CENTER
“The professor who created the film does a lot of research on what makes people happy and then he applied his research to the people of Israel,” Wertheim said. “It takes an interesting look at the innovation and spirit of the nation.” Additionally, Israeli Foreign Minister Uri Palti will be present throughout Thursday’s Bearcats for Israel activities. “He’s definitely seeing how Peace Week is viewed on campus,” Wertheim said. While the students’ commitment to peace in Israel is commendable, there is the realization that the nation faces a plethora of obstacles until they can reach a harmonious state. Palestinian terrorism remains one of the principal obstacles to peace, according to the Jewish Virtual Library. In 2011, nine civilians were killed and more than five injured in discriminate terror attacks. A security fence and several checkpoints act as a protection shield against terrorism for Israeli Jews and Arabs.
BEARCATS FOR PEACE Campus student organization Bearcats for Israel is hosting campus-wide Israel Peace Week Activites from Feb. 27 to March 1. Israel Peace Week is observed across the country.
“We’re committed to the support of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state with a secure and recognized bored and as a member of the family of free nations,” said Rabbi Elana Dellal of the UC Hillel Jewish Student Center. According to the Jewish Virtual Library, while Israelis seek peace, the need for Palestinian partners who are sincere about end violence is imperative to reaching the end goal of amity. “I think a large misunderstanding about Israel is that it’s viewed as Israel verses Palestine,” Wertheim said. “It’s a much larger conflict that includes neighboring countries and much more.” While the conflicts in Israel are complex and uneasily alarming, Bearcats for Israel wish to create a connection to campus. The group is excited to be doing activities on campus and they’re always looking for new members, Wertheim said. “UC students should want to educate themselves on a world issue,” she said. “They should want to know more than what is necessarily presented in the natural media setting.” Simply, students aren’t as informed about the conflicts in Israel as they should be, she said. And while they might see things in the news, media reports can be misleading occasionally, Wertheim said. “Honestly, it’s difficult to have a good understanding of all the problems in the Middle East because the history of it is so complicated,” said UC first-year exploratory student Katelyn Raby said. The Hillel is congruently committed to advocating for a time when all people can live in peace, Dellal said. “We know that peace can only come through sacrifice, compromise and a commitment to coexistence,” Dellal said. Wertheim urges students to know that the important fact about Israel is the desire for amicableness with all countries. “It’s less about the conflict and more about the solution,” she said.
For more information... On Thursday, the group is presenting a viewing of “Israel Inside” at 7 p.m. in McMicken Hall, Room 26. Israeli Foreign Minister Uri Palti will be present throughout Thursday’s Bearcats for Israel activities.
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Weekend Edition March 1 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG
FUTILE
FASHION COLLEEN
CELSOR
Manifest fashion destiny
I want to talk about fashion, mostly fast fashion — those cheap, trendy clothes that make you feel beautiful for a second. They fall apart or become outdated quickly, but it’s OK, because they are inexpensive. What is our cultural obsession with these clothes that nobody needs, made in the worst working conditions, in factories with little or no environmental regulation destined for a landfilll? Maybe it’s simply a corrupt manifestation of capitalism, or perhaps it reflects something about society as a whole. This infatuation with peddlers such as Forever 21 and H&M relates all the way back to the expansionist concept of “Manifest Destiny”. “Manifest Destiny” was a term coined former President James Monroe referring to the ability and right of white American settlers to expand across the continent. This term has come to mean that every American should be able to achieve whatever they want and are entitled to do so. What a nice idea right? But the white men moving westward and living their dreams, murdered and displaced Native Americans already living there. It implies that Americans are entitled to the best and can forget about the negative consequences. The entitlement component also suggests that we should not have to work for our piece of the pie and our sense of freedom, but that it is a basic human right. As it applies to fast fashion, “Manifest Destiny” means that we are all entitled to have as much crap as we want. In the same way that white settlers freely took land from Native Americans, we buy cheap clothes because we deserve them and they make us feel and look good. We go after things that are easy and have consequences we can mask. Instead of paying for quality, time is spent hunting for something that looks similar, but is made poorly. In turn, corporations want to generate as much profit as possible because they deserve to have money and turn a profit. Corporations that swindle people into buying things they don’t need, but manage to justify it because that’s how business works. All these self-serving, shortsighted behaviors come with a sacrifice. The things we want right now hurt the environment and affect the future of our planet. Those who work in manufacturing in other countries, though some would probably say they are lucky to be employed, receive low wages, are exposed to pollution and suffer intense psychological damage from such inhuman conditions. If it’s hard to relate to people in other countries or our planet as a whole, think about this: the ideas that fashion promotes are robbing us on a personal level as well. We are tricked into buying unnecessary things in hopes of achieving an ideal that doesn’t really exist. We have been told that buying more will make us happier but it in fact distances us from the humanist parts of life which yeilds happiness. That said, we live in a society that places value on having things. We are all taught to feel a sense of power and transformation through fashion. This makes the mall basically hell for anyone who likes fashion, but is conscious of the negative side effects. Cheap, trendy mall stores are awesome because they can help people who aren’t rich participate in fashion, but they are terrible because they promote over consumption, poor quality and waste. My solution: buy quality, responsible items. Research what you want instead of being lazy or cheap. Buy Doc Martens because they last forever instead of Steve Maddens that fall apart in a season. Or, go to the damned thrift store so you can get a bunch of threads you don’t need for not a lot of money and you give clothes a second life. Buying at thrift stores betters society since most thrift stores are affiliated with charitable organizations.
OPINION Prescription drug abuse major killer BRANDON WEINSTEIN | TNR CONTRIBUTOR The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claim there is a new epidemic sweeping across America and, unlike H1N1 or the West Nile Virus, and is part of an $800 billion global industry. The epidemic in question: prescription drug overdose. For the past decade, the death toll from prescription drugs has been on the rise and is steadily climbing, according to the CDC. It found that fatal overdoses caused by opioid pain relievers such as Vicodin, OxyContin and Percocet now exceed the annual number of deaths from cocaine and heroin use combined. University of Cincinnati visiting assistant professor Micheal Hegener agrees with the CDC’s claim that prescription drug overdoses
have reached epidemic proportions. “In Ohio, prescription drug overdose is the number one cause of accidental death,” Hegener said. “Kids can go right into medicine cabinets and get them.” He also stated that prescription drugs are just as dangerous as illicit drugs and are potentially as addicting. He said he believes one reason for the increase in fatal overdoses is due to prescription drugs being easier to access than their illicit counterparts. While the death rate from prescription drug overdoses has been rising, the CDC found that sales for prescription painkillers have also increased — quadrupling over the past decade. Like Big Tobacco, Big Pharma seems to be raking in cash from the hopelessly addicted. However, there are measures being taken to combat the ease in obtaining prescription drugs. Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP) serves as databases that
contain patients’ prescription histories. Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS) is the PDMP for the state of Ohio. Before pharmacists in Ohio dispense a prescription, they are required to view the patient’s OARRS prescription history, Hegener said. If any “red flags” appear, like patients are being medicated for more than 12 months or if they seem to be addicts, abusers or giving their prescriptions out to others, the pharmacist may deny filling their prescriptions. As for reversing the epidemic, Hegener said there needs to be “more education in the community” about the potential dangers of prescription drugs. He recommends patients take advantage of Drug Disposal Days at local police departments, where unused medications will be safely disposed to prevent them from being abused or misused. And as always, take prescriptions as directed by your physician and never share medication.
NOT ALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE EVIL
Haruka Nishimatsu loses millions on his commercial airline, so poor citizens can afford to fly.
LEVAR AFREH-MCDADE | TNR CARTOONIST
Mutated seeds, food poisoning America ADAM CROXTON | STAFF REPORTER A large, United States-based multi-national corporation is poisoning you — and the government is assisting in the process. Monsanto was originally formed as a chemical corporation, but quickly segued to a biotechnological firm in the ’80s, but is now responsible for 90 percent of the genetically modified organisms — GMOs — that consumers use daily, and unwittingly through its seed production. Monsanto’s GMO seeds make up a wide spectrum of the everyday diet, including: corn, grain sorghum, soybeans, cotton, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce and more. But the corporation has been associated with more than just GMOs; its history includes the introduction of Agent Orange, Aspartame and Bovine Growth Hormone, to name a few. Monsanto genetically modifies seeds for pest and weed-resistance. Of those modified for weed-resistance, the seeds are able to resist the best-selling herbicide on the planet — RoundUp, which Monsanto makes. GMOs are found in more than 70 percent of the food consumed in the United States, according to Department of Agriculture. Agent Orange, for the unfamiliar, was used in the herbicidal warfare program, “Operation
Ranch Hand”, during the Vietnam War. The use of Agent Orange caused debilitating diseases and mortality for millions of Vietnamese and thousands of U.S. troops. Aspartame, another Monsanto GMO, is created with the use of a bacterial enzyme. You may know Aspartame by it’s marketed names: NutraSweet and AminoSweet. This GMO sweetener can be found in many consumables, from diet soda to fruit drinks and chewing gum. Bovine Growth Hormone — rBGH — is another Monsanto creation. Peddled by Monsanto to dairy farms because of the increase in milk production it caused, rBGH was widely used in the U.S. Many might jump to the conclusion that “more regulation” on biotechnology should be implemented. This comes from the fallacy that government institutions are “there for our protection”. The facts, however, dispute this fallacy. It is a fact that products that contain GMOs do not have to label their products as containing GMOs. If government institutions are “there for are protection”, one might wonder as to why they deliberately avoid having products labeled “GMO”. They have argued, and still do, that this is because of the negative connotation associated with “GMO” products.
The “revolving door” between large corporations and government might shed some light to the real reason. Michael Taylor was a Monsanto lawyer before working as deputy commissioner for policy at the Food and Drug Administration. He then went to work for Monsanto as vice president for public policy, and has since returned to the FDA as President Barack Obama’s “Food Czar”. Margaret Miller, a researcher for Monsanto, went to work at the FDA as deputy director of the office of new animal drugs — her first job in this position was to decide whether or not to approve a report she wrote for Monsanto. This phenomenon isn’t specific to the Obama administration, as is evidenced by both former presidents Bush. Clarence Thomas was a Monsanto attorney, before being tapped by George H. W. Bush for the Supreme Court and Donald Rumsfeld, former secretary of defense under Bush, was president of Searle Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Monsanto. The reality that emerges is this: when government involves itself in any sector of the economy, the corruption expands exponentially. Big corporations infiltrate these regulatory bodies, and enact regulations that push competitors out of the marketplace, while benefiting their own business practices.
‘Big Brother’ now wears black and red Food, liberties now in UC administrative cross hairs As the war against free speech, tobacco and trans-fat wages onward, University of Cincinnati students who value their freedom of choice should watch their backs. Big Brother has been keeping an increasingly attentive eye on UC’s campus during the past few years. With each passing quarter, university policies constrain students more and more. It seems as though the fight to ban smokers on campus was just the tip of the iceberg. The fight to ban tobacco has been everpresent within Student Government for more than three years, and with new trans-fat and free speech laws garnering the support of UC bureaucrats, students might see their freedoms regarding what they eat, say and smoke face new limitations. It might seem cliché to voice concern over freedom in this country, but this is America, after all. But do we have a choice when it comes to how college bureaucrats choose to interpret our freedoms?
Turns out, there might still be hope. One week ago, a student group at the UC filed a lawsuit alleging the university has violated the First Amendment rights of students on campus with the university’s new “free speech zone” on McMicken Commons. STAFF This confines campus EDITORIAL free speech to a single locations, making it difficult for students to express their ideas. Apparently, Big Brother is not only watching — he is listening as well. Free speech isn’t the only thing the Big Brothers of our campus are concerned with lately, however. If passed, laws regarding the use of cigarettes, cigars, hookah and smokeless, oral tobacco would be banned on UC property and any food containing trans-fats (including food sold in restaurants and vending machines) would be prohibited. It is worrisome that UC would even consider these initiatives, since university property is,
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in fact, public property. If students want to choose not to smoke oncampus or to avoid transfats, it should be their choice to do so … isn’t that what America is all about? Our campus should be given a little credit, though. Popular on-campus dining options such as Chick-fil-A, Papa John’s, Subway and Burger King already cook with trans-fat free oils, and smoking has been banned in and around university buildings. Sure, these two initiatives might make our lives a bit healthier, but the real issue here is that they make choices for us. Like the free speech zone, they take pieces of our freedoms away. When it comes down to it, these policies wouldn’t just restrict our ability to pop fries, pass out flyers or puff on cigarettes. It would limit our freedom to choose as well as our freedom of speech, and whether or not you’re a smoker or a health-nut, that shouldn’t be OK.
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Weekend Edition March 1 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG
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Looking for an apartment? www. ucapartments.com Now available! 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments. Walk to UC. Newly renovated. www.ucapartments.com 513-300-0585. Now renting for the fall. uc4rent. com. 513-621-7032.
5 Bedroom House for Rent. Great Location on quiet street; 2 Blocks from Campus. Home Security System, New windows, Doors, Furnace, and Deck. Many custom built-ins. 2547 Vestry Ave (one block behind Deaconess Hospital) Available for August 1st school year. Always rents quick. 508-4001, 309-3032
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Now leasing for August. www.ucapartments.com. SIX-BEDROOM, THREEBATH, THREE-STORY HOUSE. Two blocks to campus. Just finished being COMPLETELY REMODELLED!! Eat-in kitchen with dishwasher, free laundry, A/C, ceiling fans, window blinds, free parking, cats welcome free, available beginning August, $2095.00. Call Jeff at 513-3795300. “gray5393@mailstation.com” No text messages, please. SPECTACULAR SEVENBEDROOM, FOUR-BATH, THREE-STORY. Remodeled house, two blocks to campus, 16’x20’ hardwood living room with fireplace. 16’x24’ eat-in kitchen with dishwasher. BONUS COMPUTER ROOM. Free laundry, A/C, ceiling fans, window blinds, two-car garage +additional free parking, cats welcome free. Available beginning August. $2095.00. Call Jeff at 513-3795300. “gray5393@mailstation.com” No text messages, please. FOUR-BEDROOM, THREE-BATH HOUSE. Three blocks to campus. Beautiful new eat-in kitchen with dishwasher. Restored hardwood floors, free laundry, A/C, ceiling fans, window blinds, PRIVATE DECK! Free parking, cats welcome free, available beginning August. $1495.00. Call Jeff at 513-3795300. “gray5393@mailstation.com” No text messages, please. FIVE-BEDROOM, THREE-BATH, THREE-STORY HOUSE. Three blocks to campus. Remodeled eat-in kitchen with dishwasher. Hardwood floors. Free laundry, A/C, ceiling fans, window blinds, free parking, cats welcome free.
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COMMUNITY Personal caregiver for intelligent, creative, active, physically disabled 54-year-old in Mason. No experience, flexible hours. Drivers license required. $10+/hour. 513564-6999 ext. 88990. If you used Yaz/Yazmin/Ocella birth control pills or a NuvaRing Vaginal Ring Contraceptive between 2001 and the present and developed blood clots, suffered a stroke, heart attack or required gall bladder removal, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Attorney Charles Johnson, 1-800-535-5727.
We are currently looking for parttime reps for business to business phone sales. The position pays an hourly plus commission. Perfect opportunity for college students who may be looking for a flexible work schedule. Call Scott today to arrange an interview. 513-244-6542. Keystone Bar & Grill is open in Hyde Park and we need hostesses. If you have an outgoing personality and thrive in a fast paced environment please apply at keystonebar.com or personally at 3384 Erie Ave in Hyde Park. Start immediately. Keystone Bar & Grill has two locations: 313 Greenup St. Covington, KY and 3384 Erie Ave. Hyde Park. We are currently hiring
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Weekend Edition March 1 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG
ARMCHAIR
FULLBACK JASON HOFFMAN
NASCAR, omen for doomsday
The 54th annual congregation of America’s best (at drinking MGD) and brightest (farmer’s tans) was more than just an auspicious weekend for the fastest men and woman to constantly turn left. This year’s Daytona 500 — the annual season kick-off for NASCAR’s elite Sprint Cup series — saw its fair share of oddities, meaning that the end of the world may, in fact, be near. To start off the weekend, the culmination of a twoweek-long tradition known as “speed weeks” saw Kyle Bush wreck his car twice and still push past Tony Stewart on the last lap en route to victory. This is strange for two reasons: First, Stewart rarely gets passed on the last lap of any race, especially one worth $1 million. Secondly, Bush’s M&Ms Toyota Camry crossed the finish line with a multitude of structural damage — an especially odd feature on a 2.5-mile track that requires perfect aerodynamics. Later in the weekend, Danica Patrick — the newest face of NASCAR — was wrecked by her teammate in the early stages of the “Drive4COPD 300” after she led the field in both practice and the qualifying round. Then came the chain of events that makes many NASCAR fans, myself included, think that this might have been the last time we see the good ‘ol boys and gal go fast and turn left in February. How did I come to this conclusion? God obviously loves NASCAR, yet the “grand daddy of them all” was rain delayed for the first time in its history. Not even the plethora of “In God We Trust” bumper stickers and “Jesus is my copilot”T-shirts could stop the more than 30-hour rain delay. When the race finally did start, lap two saw several of the series’ top drivers taken out following a 12-car pileup coming out of the tri-oval. Even Mr. “Five Time”, Jimmy Johnson, got collected up in the incident along with Patrick and her GoDaddy Chevrolet. Then came the weirdest of all incidents in recent NASCAR history. During a caution lap, Juan Pablo Montoya wrecked his No. 42 Target Dodge into a jet dry truck, causing an explosion and massive fire that delayed the race for more than two hours. If you didn’t get to see the wreck or the replays on ESPN, it was pretty comical seeing one of the best drivers in the world (Montoya won a championship in the world’s best racing series, Formula 1) lose control of his car and hit a slow moving truck that was nowhere near him. Reports are that Montoya’s car experienced a malfunction in the rear differential causing his tires to lock intermittently and slide out of control. I have been watching NASCAR for more than 23 years, and I have never heard of a rear end breaking, especially not like the three times it happened during Monday night’s race. Finally, the end of the race was the most boring in recent Daytona memory. It basically came down to Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth, teammates for Rousch/Fenway Racing, vying for the trophy. Unfortunately, they did nothing. Dale Earnhardt Jr. tried to make a move, but could only manage taking over second place from Biffle. So now the Sprint Cup series drives on to Phoenix, and maybe another weird weekend in what could lead to the end of NASCAR and the world, as we know it — as the Mayan prophecy is fast approaching. If the most religious of racing series is susceptible to the strange coincidences of upcoming doomsday prophecies, maybe we should all worry. Stock up on plenty of shelf stable foods and whatever alcoholic beverages you prefer, because things might start getting a little bumpy.
SPORTS FOOTBALL
Pead impresses at combine KYLE DAMON | TNR CONTRIBUTOR The University of Cincinnati had three standout players invited to the NFL Scouting Combine this past week — all with hopes of continuing their football careers in the professional ranks. Cincinnati running back Isaiah Pead, and defensive linemen Derek Wolfe and John Hughes were the three players to represent the Bearcats at the combine, looking to impress scouts before April’s draft day. Pead made the most out of the opportunity Sunday, clocking a 4.47 40-yard dash time — tied for fifth-best out of all 28 running backs. His 6.95-second run in the three-cone drill was fourth-best among all the backs. Coming off a season where he rushed for
1,259 yards and 12 touchdowns, Pead was named Big East Offensive Player of the Year in 2012, becoming the first UC player to ever win the award. Pead’s explosive play seemed to have translated at Sunday’s workout, with scouts praising his stamina, cuts and reliable hands. Sports Illustrated writer Tony Pauline wrote, “Pead’s running back skills were possibly the best of any ball carrier who took the field Sunday.” Thus far, Pead has flown mostly under the radar in the NFL draft process, but his MVP performance in January’s Senior Bowl and his impressive showing in the NFL Combine have begun to earn him some SEE COMBINE | 2
FIEL ART
IMPRESSING THE SCOUTS Former UC running back Isaiah Pead ran a 4.47 40-yard dash Sunday at the NFL Combine.
Neon Dion
Senior guard lights BRITTANY YORK | SPORTS EDITOR
In 2008, Dion Dixon committed to a University of Cincinnati men’s basketball team that was in desperate need of rebuilding. Having finished their 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons with losing records of 13-19 and 11-19, respectively, the Bearcats were far from the NCAA Tournament-caliber teams that the city once knew. Despite the losing record, however, Dixon — a three-star recruit from Chicago — affirmed his future with the Cats. Now — four years later — as Dixon’s career at UC comes to a close, the Bearcats have a winning record, have secured a first-round bye in the Big East Tournament, have brought UC basketball fans back to life and are on the brink of their second-straight season with a likely NCAA Tournament bid. Dixon has played a vital role in putting UC basketball back on the map, having averaged 11.6 and 13.2 points per game, respectively, in the past two seasons. “He came in as a guy who was a good athlete, but he’s really developed into a guy whose future after Cincinnati as a player — I think — is at point guard,”
up
Fifth Third Arena
said head coach Mick Cronin. “He’s really improved his ball handling, and his playmaking ability over his four years.” Considering that in his sophomore season Dixon played only 15.8 minutes per game and scored 4.9 points per game on average, it’s clear that he’s found himself on the court since his second season at UC; but Cronin says Dixon has matured even more as a person than he has as a player. “He’s learned a lot about fighting through adversity,” Cronin said. “He didn’t play a whole lot his sophomore year. You know, he had to go through that — that was something that wasn’t easy for him — but he realized, you know, ‘I gotta earn it,’ and he’s grown up a lot.” Dixon attributes much of that growth to Cronin, who has served as a father-figure to him throughout the course of his career as a Bearcat. “Coach [Cronin] has done so much for me, but I think the main thing that he’s done for me is help me become a man,” Dixon said. “On the court, that’s on me. But off the court, to becoming a man, growing up — [he’s helped by] just staying on me, giving me speeches about life, just SEE DIXON | 2
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SAM GREENE | MANAGING EDITOR
CINCY’S HOT HANDS Senior guard Dion Dixon jams in two of his 21 points during the second half of the 72-61 Bearcats win over the No. 8-ranked Marquette Golden Lions Wednesday night.