TNR 5.10.12

132 YEARS IN PRINT VOL. CXXXI ISSUE LI

THE NEWS RECORD THURSDAY | MAY 10 | 2012

OLYMPIC DARK SIDE OF THE DERBY HOPEFULS spotlight | 3

sports | 4

City: Domestic partners to get benefits MADISON SCHMIDT | STAFF REPORTER

The city of Cincinnati contributed its support to members of the gay community May 2 after a measure passed 8-1 to offer benefits to employees’ domestic partners.

Republican Councilman Charlie Winburn was the only member of city council to oppose the measure.

Councilman Chris Seelbach — the city’s first openly gay council member — promised when elected to ensure health insurance that is equally fair to same-sex couples.

He made it so to homosexuals in Cincinnati as well as members of the University of Cincinnati’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Center.

Now, Cincinnati is one of an estimated 200 cities or counties in the United State to extend health insurance to same-sex couples.

“It’s really exciting to have such a progressive candidate as Councilman [Seelbach] to lead the battle of gay rights,” says LGBTQ Center volunteer Jerod Weber.

Members of University of Cincinnati’s LGBTQ were enthused as well by the measure, Weber said.

“It’s actions like these that promote Cincinnati for young people to live in a likeable place that will not discriminate them for who they are,” Weber said.

“It diversifies from the once-thought conservative city of Cincinnati.”

However, some, like Phil Burress,

president of Sharonville-based Citizens for Community Values, do not approve of the movement and have threatened to go to court with beliefs that benefits for domestic partnership violate Ohio’s 2004 Marriage Amendment.

There is a difference between a domestic partnership and a marriage, Weber said.

The amendment only recognizes the union of a man and woman in marriage in a legal stance, whereas the new measure specifies on the recognition of domestic partnership — which are not federally recognized unions, Weber said The measure passed last week during SEE BENEFITS | 5

FILE ART | THE NEWS RECORD

LOVE AND LAW LGBTQ allies are pictured. Cincinnati City Council approved extending health insurance benefits to same-sex partnerships May 2.

Foreign students praise UC

Study says TASERs can stop hearts

KELSEY KENNEDY | TNR CONTRIBUTOR

A new study on the potential lethality of Tasers has further charged the contentious debate over the device’s use.

The study looked at eight cases involving the use of the TASER X26 ECD — the standard model used by law officials. Seven of those cases resulted in death, said Douglas Zipes, author of the study and a professor at Indiana University’s Krannert Institute of Cardiology.

Zipes’ study concluded the shock from a Taser can lead to cardiac arrest. It was published April 30 in Circulation — the American Heart Association’s journal — and is the first scientific peer-reviewed study to reach such a conclusion.

“It’s a very important study,” said Alphonse Gerhardstein, a civil rights attorney in Cincinnati who has represented multiple clients that have had a Taser used on them. “It underscores the dangers of chest shots with a Taser.”

But Taser International Inc. — the company that manufactures the stun devices — has voiced several complaints with Zipes’ study.

“There have been 3 million uses of TASER devices worldwide, with this case series reporting eight of concern,” said Steve Tuttle, vice president of communications for Taser. “This article does not support a cause-effect association and fails to accurately evaluate the risks versus the benefits of the thousands of lives saved by police with TASER devices.”

In October 2009, Taser International advised law enforcement officers to avoid shooting suspects in the chest and instead aim for the lower torso.

But Gerhardstein said that he questioned the effectiveness of the warning.

“The legal issue will be whether Taser’s warnings were effective in accurately describing the risk and properly warning the users of that risk. Taser is not off

The University of Cincinnati has been ranked as a premiere destination for international students studying in the United States, according to a recent survey.

On International Student Barometer — a voluntary survey sent to 20 U.S. universities and more than 200 schools worldwide — UC scored first in the following categories: virtual learning, campus buildings, internet access, sports facilities and faculty advising.

“We’re just one of 238 other schools throughout the world that had students participate in the survey this year,” said Ron Cushing, director of UC International Services.

The survey is run by i-graduate — a British company measuring student satisfaction data worldwide.

This data is crucial to UC and its international student community, Cushing said.

But while positive feedback is rewarding, negative feedback is always most important, he said.

“We like to see what we’re doing well, but the things that we’re not doing well are equally important, and it helps us make some changes,” Cushing said.

International services works hard at improving the standard of living for their students, Cushing said.

There are approximately 2,600 international students at UC and dozens of student groups catering to different cultures and backgrounds.

The department has spent the past five years making UC a more global institution by recruiting students internationally and implementing the necessary things to make them feel welcome and for them to have a positive experience, according to ISB survey responses.

“Not only are those categories great, but other categories are awesome too,” said Yongho Kwon, a fourth-year economics exchange student from Yonsei University in South Korea.“[UC’s] advisers and professors are really nice and patient. The decision to come to UC is one of the best choices I’ve ever made in my life.”

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Opinion Spotlight Sports Classifieds

RYAN HOFFMAN | SENIOR REPORTER

SAM GREENE | MANAGING EDITOR

EDUCATION AT STAKE Tim Stevenson, center, a member of UC Students for Obama, voices his disapproval of a Stafford Loan interest rate spike, coming July 1, on McMicken Commons Wednesday.

FEELINGS OF

BETRAYAL Students outraged over loan interest-rate hike, Ohio Sen. Portman’s voting decision SCOTT WINFIELD | NEWS EDITOR The weight of student loans is about to get heavier, and students at the University of Cincinnati are speaking up.

UC students, joined by President Barack Obama’s Ohio press secretary, Jessica Kershaw, spoke out Wednesday against Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and the voting down of a Congressional bill which would have prevented interest rates on federal Stafford loans from doubling.

Members of UC Students for Obama — a student group actively working to ensure Obama’s re-election in the fall — voiced their concerns about Stafford Loan interest rates doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent, a hike set to take effect July 1 after the defeat of House Bill 3826 in a 5245 vote. The increased interest rates will only affect loans taken out after July.

“It was a punch to the stomach for me,” said Na’Kiima Reid, a third-year political science and liberal arts student receiving both subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans. “I depend on those loans to pay for education — my living.

But my story is not one that is unique. There are thousands of other students that are in my place.

I think everyone deserves an opportunity for [higher] education.”

There are currently 22,104 UC students receiving aid from Stafford loans, and an interest rate of 6.8 percent would cost students an average $1,000 more per year, said Sen. Sherrod Brown, when he visited UC May 3.

“This isn’t fair,” said Reid, a member of UC Students for Obama. “[Congress is] not looking at the longevity and the future of our country — we are the future.”

Another member of UC Students for Obama, second-year computer science student Tim Stevenson, said he sees the increase as an impediment to youth in transition from being students to functional adults and

contributing to the American economy.

“I’m paying for [my education] by myself like many students across the country,” Stevenson said. “If I was not able to take those federal loans, I wouldn’t be able to go to college. This bill is causing our education system to go backward — it’s causing higher education to become a luxury that not many people would be able to afford.”

“By doing that, you’re causing more people to end with a high school education and then get a menial job to pay the bills instead of progressing, instead of creating, instead of actually becoming part of a competitive [global entity].”

Kate Beltramo, a second-year anthropology and archaeology student with a communications minor, voiced her outrage over Sen. Portman voting to reject the congressional bill.

“Honestly, I don’t even know how this is a debate,” Beltramo said. “I don’t understand how so many Republicans have decided that doubling the interest rate isn’t as big as an issue as it really is. They know the numbers; they have to. It’s not like it’s a lie.”

“Sen. Rob Portman will be getting a phone call from me,” she said. “He is speed dial No. 5 in my phone.”

Kershaw echoed Beltramo’s sentiments on behalf of the Obama campaign.

“We’re here to highlight some of the real voices behind the debate in the United States Congress over quality, affordable higher education,” Kershaw said. “This shouldn’t be a fight. I think the president is looking for partners in Congress to work with him on behalf of our nation’s future.”

Stevenson said he, like other students enrolled at colleges and universities across the country, just wants a fair opportunity to better himself and be able to contribute to the U.S. economy.

“What we’re not asking for is a handout, but what we are asking for is the American opportunity that we have been told about time and time again,” he said.

Portman’s office could not be reached for comment as of press time.

LANCE LAMBERT | SENIOR REPORTER

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PHIL DIDION | SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER

SHOCK AND AWE The TASER X26 ECD, formerly used by UCPD, is said to cause cardiac arrest, according to a disputed study.

Reds funding UC Clermont baseball field

THURSDAY

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SEE TASERS | 5

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SAFE AT HOME Reds CEO Bob Castellini and right fielder Jay Bruce announced funding for a new field for the UC Clermont Cougars baseball team last week.

Thanks to a monetary donation from the Cincinnati Reds, traveling away for home games is a thing of the past for the Clermont Cougars baseball team.

Reds CEO Bob Castellini and Reds right fielder Jay Bruce announced at a news conference last week in Batavia Township that the Reds Community Fund would pay for the construction of Brian Wilson Field for the University of Cincinnati Clermont College (UCC) baseball team.

Beginning in March 2013, the Cougars will play ball and practice on their new field after spending the last several years traveling from Batavia to Blue Ash to play homes games.

The field will serve as a memory of Brian Wilson, a Reds scout who died at the age of 33 in June 2006, after suffering a heart attack. Bruce was joined by Drew Stubbs, Logan Ondrusek and Sam LeCure, all players who were scouted by Wilson. “[Wilson] was a very big part of my life and a huge part of me being here today,” Bruce said. “I

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know he would want these kids to have an opportunity to play on a field like this and be able to continue what they love to do.”

Speaking at a March 2011 Clermont County Chamber of Commerce luncheon, Castellini pledged the Reds would become more active in the county.

“How wonderful, the new field benefits the students and the 35 baseball players on the team, who play with no scholarships, but play because they love the game,” said Gregory Sojka, UCC dean.

SEE REDS | 5

2

Weekend Edition May 10 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG

MONEY

TALKS

GREG

ZUCCARO

Economy coming on stronger

Investing is a great idea for any person from any walk of life.

Making the most of the time value of your money is a smart thing to do. After all, the banks where you keep your money make use of the time that your money sits there.

When it comes to investing, most people don’t know where to start. With the economy and the market coming out of a recession, some days it would seem that stashing your savings under a mattress would beat a run on your bank.

Once you peel away the skepticism, however there is real opportunity to make money from investing in bull and bear markets.

The best place to start is to do, as they say in the business, your due diligence.

This means to take the time to research different venues and strategies and determine how much money that you want to leverage. The first rule on the street is to never invest money that you need tomorrow.

Money you would use for food, paying bills, and so forth you never want to invest.

It is important to remember that any investment, no matter how sound, does carry liability. For instance, during 2002, dubbed the “Year of the Scandal,” people had retirement funds and large amounts of stock in companies like WorldCom, which was rated by analysts to be the best on Wall Street. WorldCom went bankrupt very quickly due to the telecommunications bubble bursting as well as accounting fraud. The moral of the story is, every investment venture has risk but that shouldn’t stop you from trying.

There are two sound options to consider when you take your savings and try to invest. One would be to go to an established brokerage firm or bank, like Charles Schwab, and have a financial planner or fund manager invest it for you.

In my opinion, mutual funds tend to deliver the best return on principal because the manager of the mutual fund will invest your money in a pool of other investors’ money and the manager spends all day watching trends and has experience in hedging options and trading stocks and other securities.

The second way to invest, which is a little tougher but a little more fun, is to manage your own trades. I recommend finding a discount brokerage and trade online. The days of yelling and grabbing stubs of paper are over.

With online discount brokerages, this can be done very easily and cheaply. Cheap online discount brokerages like ShareBuilder and TradeKing are what I would recommend.

Consider buying stock in established companies that have a sustained competitive advantage and that are leaders in their industry. Buy stock in a company like Apple and hold the stock for months or even years and collect dividends.

A riskier approach, but a way to make a lot of money quickly, is to buy and sell options — contracts that are derivative financial instruments, which, in essence let you speculate on which way a stock will move.

For instance, if you buy a call option for a certain company, you are betting the stock of a company will move above a certain price, called a strike price.

Another investment strategy is to set up a margin account. This will allow you to borrow money from the brokerage to really increase your stake in a given investment opportunity.

You can “short” or sellto-close in which you sell a stock that you do not own. The brokerage loans you the money “on margin” and when you do this you are anticipating that the share price of said company will fall. When the price falls, you buy back or “cover” your short and the difference between the price you sold the stock on margin and the price you bought it back is yours after you pay back the brokerage. This is a riskier investment strategy and should be exercised with caution and be used by more experienced investors.

OPINION Beyond Coal demands inspire action KAYLA MCKINNEY I recently read an article in The News Record April 30, entitled “Above and Beyond” which focused on the Beyond Coal campaign at the University of Cincinnati.

I felt strongly motivated by this article and the students’ efforts to push the administration away from dirty energy.

It’s socially and economically sound as well as beneficial to the environment to discontinue the burning of coal.

The American Lung Association recently named Cincinnati the 8th worst in the country for air pollution.

This has drastic effects on the health of our citizens and our environment.

I also learned in the article that UC has been spending

millions of dollars on coal every year, LETTERS TO m o n e y that could THE EDITOR be spent into the research and implementation of clean energy.

Also, it was recently announced that the city of Cincinnati has decided to “dump Duke Energy” and implement clean energy to the city through the aggregation of energy.

I believe UC has no excuse to continue the usage of dirty energy when they can follow in the footsteps of their own city.

Kayla McKinney is a secondyear environmental studies student and co-president of Leaders for Environmental Awareness & Protection (LEAP)

JEFF MECKSTROTH

of sustainability when it comes to energy.

It looks like the administration is being slightly counter productive in the way they spend their money.

I therefore, feel it is time that we as a student body play hard ball and get the UC administration, namely the President to begin talks to get renewable energy on our beautiful campus.

Beyond Coal set May 11 as a date for when they would like a response but is not holding its breath.

I hope that other students join me, the rest of the environmentally conscious student body and the Beyond Coal group to make sure May 11 is not a date to be overlooked.

As a UC student it has been great to see all that the environmental activist groups have done on campus in the past year.

Apparently the first boiler at the coal powered power plant on the east campus has been scheduled to be retired, something I had been supporting for a while now and the groups, mainly Beyond Coal, to get the second boiler retired by 2019 if not sooner.

The groups really brought light to the environmental impacts of coal and other non-renewable resources.

According to a recent article about Beyond Coal, “seven out of 10 prospective college students support the use of clean energy and consider sustainability when choosing a school.”

If what the previous article says is true — and I believe it is — UC should embrace the idea

Jeff Meckstroth is a third-year environmental studies student at the University of Cincinnati.

IF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA DIDN’T FLIP, HE MIGHT HAVE FLOPPED

DREW SHENEMAN | MCT CAMPUS

Anarchists ruin message, useful discourse CRAIG NEIMAN | TNR CONTRIBUTOR If there’s one thing the lunatic fringe of any movement is capable of, it’s grabbing attention.

That’s exactly what a group of black-clad Anarchists did on May Day (May 1) when they broke off from an Occupy Seattle protest and proceeded to smash the windows of shops, all the while spray painting anarchist “A” symbols and anti-capitalist messages.

In the modern world, home to the 24-hour sensationalistic cable news cycle and user-generated content through social media networks, the images of this riot spread with haste. Hey, they got everyone’s attention. Must mean they accomplished their mission, right?

No. The anarchists did a great job of representing some of their extremist kin, but they miserably failed at making a positive change to the national discourse regarding the Occupy movement.

Judging by the haphazard execution of the riots, I doubt the anarchists even care about what happened in Seattle.

These anarchists have their own agenda and little interest in the somewhat more reasonable demands of the Occupy movementat-large — banker accountability, tax reform, etc.

Try explaining this to cable news channels however, and the goals become less attainable.

Through the media’s policy of “sensationalize first, ask questions on a low-rated late night program later,” it is able to package these stories as to create association with the ongoing political movement.

The Occupy movement has carried on since Occupy Wall Street began, so why was the anarchist riot, a loosely related incident, the event that brought Occupy back into the public eye?

Simply put, rioting makes a much better story than a group of college students sitting around in a drum circle. The problem with the extremist fringe’s attention-grabbing ploys is that they tend to shift the discourse to their own violent actions and away from the overall cause of their associated, far more evenhanded movement.

Occupy organizers decried the anarchists’ actions as antithetical to their cause, but the damage was already done. Those who perceive Occupy members as uneducated hoodlums had their opinions validated after seeing the images of one particularly ill-informed anarchist goon; decked out in a fresh pair of Nikes, he smashed the window of the Seattle Nike Town store and spray-painted “Death to Capitalism” on the ravaged store (don’t tell him what Capitalism’s death will do to his wardrobe).

Despite the loose connection, the Occupy movement has allowed these anarchists to

shift the discourse away from their message and towards the violent acts committed on May Day. The obvious problem with the shift in discourse is that we are looking at a group that has little to no relationship or interest in the actual Occupy cause.

The anarchists have a lot in common with fringe members of the Tea Party (something both sides would no doubt vehemently deny) in that their atrocious actions detract from the larger, much more reasonable movement.

Simply substitute smashing windows with hurling racial slurs and you get the idea of how extremist sects of the Tea Party ruin the image of the group.

If there is any lesson to be learned from the May Day rioting, it is that we must learn to identify who is truly representing a movement.

We need to focus on the message, and who the true carriers of that message are. In this case, the anarchists clearly have nothing to do with Occupy. They simply have used it as a springboard for their own publicity.

They successfully used violence to shift the discourse away from the original message of the Occupiers.

It is up to us to watch the actions of extremist groups — and the news coverage they receive — with a critical eye so we might keep the national political discourse civil and productive.

Korean troubles beyond diplomacy’s grasp CHRIS ETTER-MILLARD | TNR CONTRIBUTOR North Korea is once again at the center of international news headlines.

South Korean government officials accused the reclusive rogue state of intentionally jamming the GPS systems of numerous commercial flights in South Korea as well as airlines around the world. Similar cases of GPS signal jamming have been traced back to Pyongyang in the recent past, therefore, blame was immediately placed on the North.

North Korea has successfully developed and implemented the use of highly sophisticated vehicle-mounted jamming systems, a disturbing revelation for both world leaders and international security analysts alike. Considering the systems capability of disrupting signals from substantial distances, it’s a reasonable state of distress.

This is particularly troubling news in light of the recent North Korean attempt to test a long-range missile. Though the attempt was unsuccessful, the effort points to their ambitious pursuit of increased military capabilities.

North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un is set to carry on the legacy of his father and predecessor, Kim Jong-il, with the continuity of an aggressive and hostile foreign policy approach and an active quest for nuclear proliferation. In fact, Kim Jong-il has been quoted in his final will, telling his son to “make peace, [and] build more weapons.”

Given North Korea’s numerous threats to obliterate its neighbor to the south, and its perception of an imminent national security threat from the United States, a more militarily capable North Korea would hold serious security implications for both the Korean

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peninsula and the Asia-Pacific region.

Relations between the U.S. and North Korea have been shaky over the past two decades but affairs became increasingly strained in 2003, when North Korea withdrew from the NonProliferation Treaty.

Conditions worsened again in 2009 with the breakdown of the Six-Party Talks. In terms of improved relations, little progress has been made.

The latest GPS incident is another clear indication of North Korea’s unwillingness to comply with international norms and guidelines. If the indictments prove factual, responses from North Korea and The United States will be interesting to see.

At this stage in the game, prospects for effective diplomacy and dialogue, and the eventual normalization of relations with North Korea look grim.

SPORTS EDITORS BRITTANY YORK JOSH MILLER OPINION EDITOR JASON HOFFMAN

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3

May 10 | 2012

SPOTLIGHT

A true story of American triumph and near tragedy on display at the Kentucky Derby

TUNNEL OF DESPAIR The tunnel leading Churchill Downs patrons from the sanatized world of the paddock and grandstands to the legendary den of ill repute known only as the infield. It was here where Bouchard, Gomes and Cold would later lead the mob in patriotic chants of “USA! USA! USA!” for no particular or discernable reason.

Story: Anthony Orozco and Jason Hoffman | The News Record Photos: Anthony Orozco

On the morning of Sunday, May 5, “Jonathan Cold” explained to his small friend “Benicio Gomes” that making bad decisions always leads to the most interesting of experiences.

Gomes chuckled, nearly disregarding the comment. Not until 13 hours later, after narrowly escaping death at the stained hands of a legion of addicts, would he come to find the truth in those words.

A series of bad decisions always begins with the best of intentions, and the Kentucky Derby always begins with stepping through the pearly gates of Churchill Downs.

Serving as the Bluegrass State’s yearly enema, a flow of the lowest and highest of classes surges in through these gates only to be expelled hours later, dragging out with them their putrid disappointments and rancid hungers.

The security at the gates checked only for drugs and weapons. Luckily for the attendees, they did not check for basic self-respect.

The unrelenting sun beat down on the crowds of career gamblers, degenerates and the lost few wondering why they even came.

The El Dorado-like lure of unrestrained depravity and the ever-fleeting chance of banking on the ponies drew in dregs from around the nation.

In their Sunday best — draped in a veneer of some sort of class — the infield swarmed with the drunken, sweltering bodies of the unrestrained masses.

Shirtless men and soon-to-be shirtless women wandered the seatless tundra of littered beer bottles and ripped betting slips.

Shoulders of seersucker suits were shaded by the obligatorily audacious hats

worn by the wealthy and those disguised as wealthy. Personal space became a distant memory as the perfumed, sweating bodies crammed near the paddock to catch a glimpse of the animals that carried not only a small foreigner on thier back, but also “a big win” for the thousands in attendance.

As Gomes not-sosoberly climbed atop the shoulders of Cold, the spit from a slurred mix of Spanish and Portuguese landed on the neatly manicured necks of those below him. The well-to-do patrons, who had thought the drunken peons had been successfully relegated to the infield, found out very quickly that was not the case.

“Como vai voce? Eu gosto as brasileiras!” the tiny Gomes said as the affluent stared in horror at the prospect that a Mexican, who was not riding a horse, had snuck in among them.

Perched atop broad shoulders, Gomes was acknowledged by disgusted faces and rearward glances from the jockeys about to mount their steeds hoping to cash a paycheck come Monday.

A diet of $11 mint juleps and barbarian-style smoked turkey legs fueled the mindless debauchery. The situation was about to devolve into a soup of primal meandering in the fashion of their hunting and gathering ancestors.

***

“Michael Bouchard,” dressed as Rodney Dangerfield circa “Caddyshack” and Gomes began a guttural chant in the filthy, crowded piss den that barely resembled a bathroom — one that echoed throughout Churchill Downs

PLACE YOUR BETS ”Michael Bouchard” [top] sips water, replenishing fluids lost to the heat and miles of walking the grounds of Churchill Downs. Hordes crowd the infield betting windows hours before post time for the 138th Kentucky Derby [above].

in a patriotic drunkenness that could tear ear lobes apart for miles.

“U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!” The army of drunken slobs revived the war cry that rang through earlier that day for a man that can only be described as the human embodiment of the land of the free, “America.”

His eyes glazed over by a cocktail of alcohol and some other substance, America wobbled his way through his fellow citizens fighting gravity and his brain’s inability to put one foot in front of the other — draped in his flag, speaking to none, looking for some sort of salvation.

Bouchard and Gomes pushed their way to a beer stand, where they found Cold ordering an overpriced beverage from a woman whose face was smeared with the essence of disdain. They could hear the echoes faintly over the crowds of people.

“U-S-A, u-s-a, u-s …”

GATES OF HELL “Michael Bouchard” and “Jonathon Cold” [above] stroll toward Gate 10 of Churchill Downs nine hours before the Derby. “Benicio Gomes” [below] holds one of the signature drinks of the first race in the Triple Crown — Kentucky’s legendary mint julep.

***

As the race had ended and an immense wave of people trudged toward the exits, the three adventurers mistakenly followed botched directions and were forced to traverse the mob to get back to where a shuttle driver had promised a ride to safety.

They thought their race was over.

A golf cart delivered them to a block party populated by pawns of every race.

Folks of all races wined and dined, the music blared, and sun took its welldeserved rest. But when the sun goes down, the beast truly comes out.

Cold had been threatened with violence from white supremacists as he invited them to fraternize with the black hosts of the block party.

Gomes was in the dancing arms of two women. Bouchard had long since retired to the hotel to rest — then the nightmare took hold.

They left the party, ate some fare and encountered the extortionist piloting a van for the return trip to their hotel. What had been previously promised to be a complimentary hitch to the flophouse, however, turned into a pinch for no less than $40 to escape.

The bad decisions began to roll in. Fast and furious.

“Take us back, this is bullshit,” Cold said to the extortionist.

After being rebuffed, the decision was made: “It’s only four miles back to the hotel. We’ll just walk.”

Back at the block party, Calvin, an awkward, yet unimposing man, promised a ride and persuaded the duo to follow him.

A brief jaunt later and the men arrived at a house where Calvin said he knew someone with a car.

They were greeted by the old souls who had long since given up on what most categorize as a normal life — their dreams went up in smoke.

The crack house was dimly lit and an offering of a ride suddenly turned into a request to settle unpaid debts for their tour guide, Calvin the crack head.

“Where’s the money, Calvin?” the elderly black woman asked, situated in

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a rocking chair. “They ain’t gonna pay for you, you best get on.” Calvin stepped out to hit the pipe one more time, and the journey continued back onto the streets of Louisville’s West End. Several blocks later, as Calvin apologized and offered safe refuge at his “chill spot,” it was clear the situation had gone sideways — more decisions had to be made.

Gomes was posted to the rear of the formation, anxiously awaiting a change of scenery. Suddenly, a crowd of more than 50 lost souls appeared less than a block away and the situation was dire.

Calvin pushed on, hoping the duo would be lured into the abandoned building where unknown horrors awaited.

The pair, however, was cunning.

Cold pushed Gomes into the convenience store and ordered him to call a taxi.

“Don’t come out until the cab gets here,” he said. Guarding Gomes’s young life, Cold awaited the inevitable onslaught as a group of hungry street walkers approached.

What seemed like hours later, the latemodel Crown Victoria squealed its tires into the nondescript pump station.

The two-man platoon leapt into the taxi as if fleeing Fallujah — their tired bodies and battered minds were headed for safety.

The next morning they rose with hangovers and a renewed vigor for their second chance at life and an understanding that even the worst of decisions sometimes lead to positive outcomes.

“U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!”

4

Weekend Edition May 10 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG

SPORTS

ARMCHAIR

FULLBACK JASON HOFFMAN

Jets will be ruin of Tim Tebow Thank you, New York Jets, for ensuring America’s fascination with Tim Tebow will be short lived.

We live in strange times, you see, and if anyone has the wherewithal and lack of coaching foresight to protect the newest, shiniest golden goose of marketing for a team most of America wants to hate, it’s you, “Gang Green.”

Tebow is an icon for the religious factions, bringing hoards of otherwise civilized beings to their local coliseum or big screen to consume the barbarous rage that occurs on Sundays for seven months annually on Sundays — and you’re going to ruin that.

The “Tebow 3:16” signs weren’t enough, and neither was the craze that hit Twitter — I wanted to see how far the fanfare would go before this circus of stupidity found its resting place somewhere outside Fort Wayne, Ind., or some other lonesome rest stop.

All along, nobody who actually understands football thought Tebow would amount to an all-pro quarterback who could lead a franchise to the Lombardi Trophy, but you have now clinched said prophecy, and I appreciate it.

Right around Halloween, when the weather grows bitter and the concussive collisions reach a fever pitch in the harsh cold of the New Meadowlands Stadium, I will watch as one of football’s true good guys gets carted off the synthetic field in New Jersey — probably the result of a hit from an otherwise nameless player relegated to the bottom of the roster totem pole for some struggling team.

The dream will be over, and his political career will be right around the corner.

Tebow is a national treasure of sorts. He makes the money most philanderers and patrons of seedy strip joints would willingly throw life and limb at to attain, yet delivers inspirational sermons on Easter and helps build villages in South America in his spare time — this is a man we should cherish as a society, but I want to see him fail. Not because he is a bad person.

I wish folks everywhere possessed a modicum of his commitment to bettering the world around him, but the world’s ritualistic desire for gluttony consumes most — rather because the media circus and ridiculous idolatry surrounding his NFL arrival and miraculous victories detracted attention from his glaring weaknesses.

Leading an NFL franchise from behind center is something few in this world could ever do.

Tebow possesses the moral fortitude necessary to carry John Elway’s daughter away from the proverbial alter, and the leadership men would follow into the worst of battles, but he posses the worst throwing motion to ever win a playoff game.

My 13-year-old cousin could have hit Demaryius Thomas in the open flat and let his 4.4-speed win the playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The point is, the Jets stumbled drunkenly into an opportunity to capitalize on New Amsterdamand head coach’s bravado and will now be the resting place for Tebow’s NFL career.

Tebow’s mass appeal might sell jerseys and tickets, but his time playing on Sundays is nearing its end thanks to an inept special teams coach and franchise willing to do anything to make a marketing buck.

The argument in favor is that Tebow could be a better version of Brad Smith, a quarterback converted special teams and wildcat formation player, but he’s not as fast or agile as Smith.

Smith also throws a better ball than Tebow ever will, but Smith doesn’t sell tickets — the golden child fills seats.

Maybe he will prove me and all the other doubters wrong, but I wouldn’t hold my breath, Tebow fans. For those of you Bearcat and Buckeye fans waiting to see Tebow crumpled in a heap of humanity only to be carted off the field motionless, your time has come.

Prepare yourself for the overwhelming outcry to “make the game safer” after the chosen one suffers a severe concussion, Jets’ coaching staff. It’s going to be all your fault.

For more prognosticating from Hoffman, check out the sports and opinion pages at the award winning www.newsrecord.org

SWIMMING & DIVINING

Swimmers aim for Olympics

Wede and Scherpenberg to compete in Charlotte

JAMES SPRAGUE | CHIEF REPORTER Two University of Cincinnati swimmers are continuing their pursuit of the 2012 Olympic trials this weekend in Charlotte.

Sophomore Joe Scherpenberg and senior Josefin Wede, both members of the UC varsity men’s and women’s swim teams, are competing in the 2012 USA Swimming Charlotte Ultraswim Grand Prix for an opportunity to earn a berth in the 2012 United States Olympic Swimming Trials in June.

The meet, which takes place May 10-13, features some of the best swimmers in the U.S., including former Olympic gold medalists Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Natalie Coughlin.

For Scherpenberg, a Cincinnati native, it’s a chance for him to reach the times

JOSEFIN WEDE & JOE SCHERPENBERG

needed in his events — the 100 and 200 meter backstroke — to compete at the Olympic trials.

“I would love to represent UC at the Olympic trials,” Scherpenberg said. “To get the time standards [needed], this is one of the last meets I can get that at.”

Scherpenberg — who finished 12th in the 100-meter backstroke and 13th in the 200-meter backstroke individual events at the Big East championships in February — is facing some stiff competition for those two events in Charlotte, with both Phelps and Lochte also participating in the 100-meter backstroke.

“After [the Big East championship], I took a week off, then I was back in the pool full-time working for this meet,” Scherpenberg said.

UC head swim coach Monty Hopkins, a 1978 graduate of UC, has been overseeing both Scherpenberg and Wede’s training for the event, Scherpenberg said.

“He’s really been working us hard,” Scherpenberg said. “All my improvements are because of him and the rest of the coaching staff.”

Wede’s goal is the same as Scherpenberg’s, he said — a spot at the Olympic trials while making the university proud.

“Even though she is an outgoing senior, she still has really big goals,” Scherpenberg said. “She wants to represent UC even beyond graduation.”

FILE ART

CHASING THEIR DREAMS UC swimmers Josefin Wede and Joe Scherpenberg will compete at the 2012 USA Swimming Ultraswim Grand Prix in hopes of getting one step closer to the 2012 Olympics.

CINCINNATI REDS

CHRIS LEE | MCT CAMPUS

MAKING HIS MARK After an untimely wrist injury derailed a promising 20122 debut, Cincinnati Reds’ rookie shortstop Zack Cozart has come out firing on all cylinders early in 2012, as he leads MLB rookies in several statistical categories.

Cozart setting bar for MLB rookies MICHAEL WYLIE | STAFF REPORTER

“Hitting leadoff or two-hole, our job is to get on base for Joey [Votto], Jay [Bruce] and Scott [Rolen],” Cozart said. “It makes it easier on us For Cincinnati Reds rookie shortstop Zack Cozart, hitting in the leadoff spot has knowing that we’re going to get some pitches been the biggest adjustment of his first full to hit, and when we get on base, they’re going to knock us in.” big-league season.

Along with his hot start at the plate, Cozart With the heart of the order hitting behind has solidified an already stellar infield defense, him, Cozart is off to a fast start in his new role committing just two as the leadoff hitter. errors in his first Cozart entered 25 games with some Sunday’s game against spectacular plays to the Pittsburgh Pirates go along with it. leading all National The rookie League rookies in runs shortstop said he takes scored (16), extra base pride in his defense hits (12), total bases (45), and feels that it’s the and multi-hit games (8).

—ZACH COZART reason he has been “It’s been a little CINCINNATI REDS SHORTSTOP able to make it where adjustment, because he is today.

I think I hit leadoff “That’s my most important job anyway,” only 20 or so games in the Minor Leagues,” Cozart said. “Hitting is a secondary thing in Cozart said. “I hadn’t really done it, but so far my opinion. I feel pretty good out there, and if I feel comfortable there. I’m not changing my the pitchers trust me and I keep making all the approach or anything.” plays, I’ll continue to feel pretty good out there.”

The 26-year-old Cozart relishes the fact he In the 13 games that Cozart has batted has been successful in his new role, especially leadoff, the Reds have a record of 9-4 and when it comes to getting on base and providing IN BRIEF average 3.8 runs per game.

IN BRIEF an opportunity for his teammates to drive him Cozart’s MLB debut came last June, and in for runs.

It’s been a little adjustment...I feel comfortable there. I’m not changing my approach or anything.

he was on his way to becoming the everyday shortstop before a wrist injury shut him down for the rest of 2011.

With the help of conditioning coach Matthew Krause, Cozart worked hard in the offseason to report to spring Training healthy enough to take over as the Reds’ starting shortstop.

Working alongside second baseman Brandon Phillips has helped Cozart become more sound at the shortstop position, and Phillips said he loves helping his teammate out.

“I was a rookie once too, I came up through the Minors as a shortstop and had guys like Omar (Vizquel) teach me to play defense,” Phillips said. “[Cozart] has tremendous upside, and I feel that we have one of the best middle infields in all of baseball.”

After taking Sunday’s contest against the Pirates and winning two out of three against the Brewers, Cozart and the Reds are now two games above .500 (16-14) and just three games behind the defending World Series Champions St. Louis Cardinals With his new role and a bright future, Cozart could be the first Reds rookie since Scot Williamson in 1999 to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award — he would also be the first Reds’ shortstop in franchise history to garner the award.

UC track earns three individual titles

JOSH MILLER | SPORTS EDITOR

The University of Cincinnati men’s and women’s track & field teams combined to earn three individual titles this past weekend at the Big East Outdoor Track & Field Outdoor Championships at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Fla. Senioir Michelle Elby, took home first place in the women’s pole vault, as she cleared a final height of 12 feet, 5 inches.

Elby edged out a very competitive field — including UC freshman Emily Clay [5th place] — which saw nine different competitors clear the 12-foot mark.

Senior Jasmine Cotten continued her exceptional 2011-12 campaign — in which she was named the Most Outstanding Field Performer at the Big East Indoor Championships — by winning the heptahalon.

Cotten finished the event with a total of 5,422 points, edging second-place finisher and fellow Bearcat Kaitlyn Good by just short of 200 points.

Senior Brian Zimmerman was the lone men’s representative to take home first, as his toss of 216 feet, 5 inches was enough to earn the victory in the men’s javelin throw.

Kathy Klump — who was named the Most Outstanding Track Performer at the Big East Indoor Championships — ran a career personal best in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 4.7 seconds, only to finish third by less than two tenths of a second.

UC’s track & field team will be in action again this weekend at the Cardinal Twilight Track Meet in Louisville, Ky., which will serve

FILE ART

BIG EAST ACCOLADES Michelle Elby, Jasmine Cotten and Brian Zimmerman have all earned individual league titles at the 2012 Big East Outdoor Track & Field Championships this past weekend. as the final preparation for those moving on to the preliminary round of the NCAA Championships, which will be held in Jacksonville, Fla. The NCAA finals are set to take place at Drake University.

SPORTS.NEWSRECORD@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5909

5

Weekend Edition May 10 | 2012 NEWSRECORD.ORG

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All apartment rental/sublet advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap or familial status, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.

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Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis.

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Now leasing for August. www.ucapartments.com.

Now available! 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments. Walk to UC. Newly renovated. www.ucapartments.com 513-300-0585.

3 bedroom, 2 full bathrooms, balcony, quiet cul-de-sac available August 1. $1385/month.

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One and two bedroom available August 14th. Go to uc4rent.com for a virtual tour. Call 621-7032

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.

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.

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BEDROOM, 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 513379-5300. “gray5393@mailstation. com” No text messages, please.

One, two, three, four bedrooms and studios. Walk to UC. FREE UTILITIES! Hardwood, laundry, dishwasher, parking. $430-$685 $870 Deposit special with approval.

Call 513-651-2339 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.

Available beginning August. $1695.00. Call Jeff at 513-3795300. “gray5393@mailstation.com” No text messages, please.

Completely renovated 4 Bedroom Apartment. Hardwood floors. At UC shuttle bus stop. Very large bedrooms with ceiling fans. Two refrigerators. Access to a deck. Free Cable, Internet, and Water. Call 513325-9824 for more information.

Beautiful 3 bedroom apartment available for August rental. Located on Graham Street right across from Bellevue Park. 513-378-7919 or virtual tour at www.qcr4rent.com.

University Investments apartments and houses for rent. 1 through 6 bedrooms. 513-403-2678.

FROM BENEFITS | 1 Queercat Pride Week, a campus-wide promotion of gay pride “was one more reason to fire us up and fight for equality,”Weber said.

When there are so many rallies, protests and laws that discourage a person, it’s nice when there is finally a law promoting gay rights, Weber said.

UC’S LGBTQ Center’s mission statement states: “The center facilitates LGBTQ visibility by promoting and enhancing understanding, acceptance,

and awareness regarding LGBTQ issues.”

With this in mind, Weber believes that it’s important the student body keeps up with city council and the changing policies that are occurring.

“Although there is no direct relationship between schools versus the new partner benefits, the new measure promotes Cincinnati as a more liberal and better place to be if there is more acceptance and freedom for everyone to live in,”Weber said.

FROM TASERS | 1 the hook by any means.”

Gerhardstein is currently representing the family of Everette Howard — the 18-year-old who died shortly after receiving a single shock-cycle from a University of Cincinnati police officer’s Taser outside of Turner Hall August 2011.

Howard’s death led to an investigation of the incident — which is currently ongoing — and an evaluation of every Taser used by UCPD. “To my understanding, they have not been redeployed since they were sent to be evaluated,” said Michael Cureton, chief of police and director of public safety.

While all the Tasers have been tested and cleared, their use will be suspended until the investigation of the incident is completed, Cureton said.

Gerhardstein said that the Howard family will not take any legal action until the results of the autopsy and the investigation are finalized.

FOR RENT For Rent 1,2,3, and 5 bedroom apartments available. Visit merlinproperties.net or contact 513678-6783 (Tony).

1 and 3 bedrooms available. Visit www.cdproperties.org 3 carpeted bedrooms, 2 baths, newly renovated. Updated kitchen with new appliances. Off street parking, on site washer and dryer, pets allowed. $1,125 per month.

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Penklor.com. Tenants, student rentals.

EMPLOYMENT Certified lifeguards and activity specialists - gymnastics, soccer - and male group counselors needed for a fun, outdoor summer day camp in Cincinnati. Six week session begins June 18th-July 27th, Monday-Friday 9:30 AM-3:30 PM. Contact Camp Wildbrook 513-9312196 or campwildbrook@cinci. rr.com.

NOW HIRING MARKETING REPS/APPOINTMENT SETTERS. NEAT, CLEAN, MOTIVATED, WITH DEPENDABLE TRANSPORTATION. P/T AFTERNOON & EVENINGS. PAID TRAINING + BONUS. 513-351-7770.

Needed right now. Campus ambassadors and manager, great products, pay, perks, fun and benefits! Contact Michael at 602759-9153, email holdemtex55@ hotmail.com today!

100% medical school tuition! Join the Navy’s Health Professional Scholarship program! $2,088 for up to 48mos, up to $20,000 sign-on!

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EMPLOYMENT HYDE PARK WINE & SPIRITS. Part time & full time help wanted, 15-20 hours per week. Flexible schedule.

Apply in person at 2719 Madison Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45209.

FRITO LAY is hiring part-time team members for our West Chester, Ohio distribution center! Part-time opportunities start at $14.20 per hour. Please go to our website to submit an online application. www.fritolayemployment.com.

Take advantage of a great financial opportunity and taste the success!

Please- no walk-ins, phone calls, or resumes accepted in person. Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V)

FROM REDS | 1 Wilson Field will be built minutes from UCC campus at the Batavia Township Community Center, after township officials agreed to support construction.

“We applied to the Cincinnati Reds Community Fund, and they selected us to receive a new field,” Sojka said. “The Cincinnati Reds are a first-class organization.”

The construction of the facility could cost as much as $100,000 and

will include dugouts, lights and other fixtures. “[Bruce] is a country boy from Texas, he liked that we are located in a rural town,” Sojka said.

After construction is finished, the new field will host the Reds Rookie Success League — a two-week baseball camp hosted every July for children whose parents cannot afford to send them to camp.

FROM ZUCCARO | 2 should be exercised with caution and be used by more experienced investors.

Analyzing ratios, like the price per earnings (P/E) will let you know if a stock is over or under valued. Also take a look at the income statements and balance sheets for different companies and compare them with similar companies in the same industry.

If you see a company in strong financial health investing in it may be a good idea. I do not recommend betting on funds such as the United States Gas Fund or Natural gas because there are many factors which influence the price of the fund

EXPLOSIVE IDEAS OPINION.NEWSRECORD@GMAIL.COM

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and even if gas prices are going up at the pump that doesn’t necessarily mean the price of the fund will go up.

I also do not recommend investing in U.S. Treasury bonds because the interest rate set by the Fed is so low right now that it will take years to see any type of significant return on investments from T-bonds.

Whatever your method of investing might be always assume the risk and do your due diligence.

It’s your money and it doesn’t grow on trees, so be careful and make the most of it.