The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892
Northern Iowan
Friday, October 1, 2010 Volume 107, Issue 10 Cedar Falls, Iowa northern-iowan.org
Opinion In defense of Bieber Fever Page 9
Football
Key conference match inhabits UNI-Dome Saturday
UNI graduate student hopes to restore Cedar Bend Savanna RACHEL ZIDON
Page 2
Is a college education worth it?
DAKOTA FUNK
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Whether it’s cutting down entire forests, bringing in invasive species, hunting animals to extinction or polluting rivers, we humans have a knack for harming whole ecosystems. What we’re not so good at is repairing the damage we’ve done. However, one woman is working to change that. University of Northern Iowa graduate student Mary Cox spent her summer working to restore the Cedar Bend Savanna, a 55-acre oak savanna situated in the north part of the Black Hawk Park Complex in Cedar Falls. Flooding, absence of grazing animals and years without natural fires have caused the CBS to become degraded. Oak savannas like the CBS have special ecological importance because they are a particularly rare ecosystem. These savannas fall between prairies and forests with “scattered trees and a
Is college education all that it can be? We spend all this money to sit in a classroom and absorb all the information in the hopes of getting a job someday, but is there more to college than just learning inside the classroom? According to a study sponsored by the College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, a college education gives students the chance to interact with others with others and to learn about independence, self confidence, job skills and critical thinking skills. The study also states that the most valuable part of a college education is its financial benefits. According to a report by the Chronicle of Higher Education, “Over the course of a 40-year career, the average college graduate earns about 66 percent more than the typical highschool graduate and those with advanced degrees earn two to three times as much as a highschool graduate.” The study also says the average salary of a college graduate who works yearround is $55,700, which is $21,900 more than the average salary of a high school graduate. “College is great for opening the mind and learning life facts, not just about getting a job afterwards,” said Amandajean Nolte, a University of Northern Iowa instructor of communication studies. She said college is more than just passing a test; it is about getting to know new people and experiencing new opportunities. “No matter what we’ve learned while we’re in college, it prepares us to do something else,” said Amy Rohrberg, an associate professor of theatre, when describing her college expe-
See SAVANNA, page 3
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARY COX
The Cedar Bend Savanna, located in the north part of the Black Hawk Park Complex in Cedar Falls, is in desperate need of restoration due to flooding, absence of grazing animals and years without national fires.
NISG establishes new chalking policy JESSICA SNOOK Staff Writer
JESSICA SNOOK/Northern Iowan
UNI students have been using chalking as a way to advertise, express opinions and let other students know about events for years. However, this year the chalking policy has undergone a change and become more strict.
A new chalking policy has been put in place as of Aug. 2010. The policy is meant to describe the expectations of students when chalking on sidewalks and to verify that messages agree with the law and university policy. Action will be taken if the policy is not adhered to. Those that feel the policy is being violated should contact the dean of students office at 273-2332 or the director of Maucker Union at 273-2256. Northern Iowa Student Government will then be contacted and may initiate disciplinary action against the offending student or organization.
Requirements of the policy:
• Chalking is permitted only in open areas that can be directly washed by rain. • Each individual chalking must bear the name or signature of the sponsoring organization or student and this must be legible. • Chalking is prohibited on all structures and vertical surfaces including the Campanile. • Overwriting, erasing, defacing or altering the chalking of another person or organization is prohibited. • The material used to mark the sidewalks must be watersoluble (sidewalk chalk). • The content of the chalking must adhere to the law and other university policies.
See COLLEGE EDUCATION, page 2
PAGE 2
NEWS Friday, October 1, 2010 northern-iowan.org
National News
Con artist who faked her way into Harvard sentenced to about four years JENNIFER SULLIVAN The Seattle Times
A Mountlake Terrace High School dropout who assumed the identities of at least three people to get into some of the nation’s most prestigious colleges and fraudulently collect more than $100,000 in student loans will serve about four years in a federal prison. Esther Reed, 30, conned her way into Harvard and Columbia universities and earned a spot on the U.S. Secret Service’s “eight most wanted” list by adopting the identities of several people after she left Washington state a decade ago. Among the identities that Reed assumed was that of Brooke Henson, a woman who vanished from a house party in Travelers Rest, S.C. in 1999. In 2007, Reed was indicted on several federal charges, including aggravated iden-
tity theft. She was arrested a year ago near Chicago. Lisa Henson, Brooke Henson’s sister, who spoke at Reed’s sentencing Wednesday in Greenville, S.C., asked the judge to impose the harshest sentence possible for dragging their family through the pain of hoping that Brooke had been found. “I don’t think she was sentenced long enough,” Henson said by phone Thursday. “When I made my statement (in court) she wouldn’t make eye contact with me.” Reed asked for mercy at her sentencing, contending she sought a made-up world to escape a difficult family life. “I was desperate to escape an environment I felt I could not survive,” Reed said, speaking in a strong voice as she stood before the judge in handcuffs, leg shackles
and red prison jumpsuit, her long, dark brown hair tied in a ponytail. Reed pleaded guilty to mail and wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and student loan fraud in August. She was also facing a Social Security violation charge, but it was dropped when she agreed to plead guilty, said W. Walter Wilkins, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. Reed will serve three years of supervised release after getting out of prison, Wilkins said. Reed requested that she serve her time in Pennsylvania so she could be close to a friend. “I have been involved in this case for almost two years now. We took it on like we would any other identity theft,” Wilkins said. “The scheme she was engaged in expanded from the East Coast the West Coast. She was very talented in assum-
ing a third-party’s identity.” Henson said Reed smiled and laughed in court on Wednesday, acting as if she had done nothing wrong. “She sly like a fox. She doesn’t want to face anybody who she has done wrong,” Henson said. During her nine years on the run, Reed had claimed to be a European chess champion and dated cadets from the U.S. Military Academy, according to police and court documents. She got a passport, passed a highschool-equivalency test, obtained an Ohio identification card, took an SAT test in California and was accepted to the School of General Studies at Columbia University-all by using Henson’s identity, according to grand-jury charging documents. Reed disappeared from the Seattle area in 1999 after pleading guilty to possession
of stolen property, including a book of her sister’s checks. She disappeared before she could be sentenced. Reed is no longer wanted in King County because her arrest warrant has expired. In February 2008, police in suburban Chicago tracked Reed to a motel after spotting a car she had been known to be driving. Though she initially provided an Iowa driver’s license with another woman’s name, Reed soon admitted her true identity. Reed also had fictitious marriage certificates, a birth certificate in her legal name and a Washington state driver’s license. She was arrested and turned over to Secret Service agents. In addition to the prison sentence, Reed was also ordered to pay $125,000 in restitution to several victims.
Office of Admissions to hold video contest
Do you bleed purple and gold? If so, you’ve got a 90-second opportunity to prove it. The University of Northern Iowa Office of Admissions is encouraging students to submit a video showcasing their “Panther Pride” to an audience of prospective students. Contest rules stress that the video must be appropriate to share on
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nizations she’s involved in. She also pays out-of-state tuition and she thinks the money she has to pay is worth the experience. When describing her college experiences, Meyers stated with gratitude, “I would do it all over again.”
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ly knew we wanted videos featuring current students who wanted to highlight some of their favorite things about being a Panther,” stated Warren. For more information, including official rules, visit www.uni.edu/ admissions or contact Warren by e-mail at bethany.warren@uni.edu.
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riences. Rohrberg knew she wasn’t grown-up when she started college and ended up dropping out after attending for three years. One of her favorite things about working at the university is watching students grow
started.” Lora Meyers, a senior graphic communication major, thinks college is a place to find who you are and to be challenged in ways you have never been challenged before. Meyers has had a positive experience here at the University of Northern Iowa because of the orga-
Northern Iowan Staff
continued from page 1
and develop as people. “When I see the students who come into my classes, everyone starts as something,” Rohrberg said. “But during the course of four or five years here at the university, we watch as the students develop into adults and a different kind of person than when they
Editorial Staff
COLLEGE EDUCATION
Entrants are encouraged to wear school colors and get friends involved. “Our office frequently receives comments from our visitors that it is the interaction with current students that sells campus for our prospective students and their families,” said Bethany Warren, admissions program assistant. “When the Office of Admissions made the decision to create a YouTube account, we immediate-
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the Office of Admissions homepage, Facebook page and YouTube Channel. All entries must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Oct. 9 to the Office of Admissions. Prizes include an iPod touch and gift cards of up to $100 to use at University Book & Supply. The prizes will be awarded to the top three entries. Winners will be contacted by e-mail and announced publicly on Oct. 18 via the admissions homepage and MyUniverse.
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The Northern Iowan is published semiweekly on Tuesday and Friday during the academic year; weekly on Friday during the summer session, except for holidays and examination periods, by the University of Northern Iowa, L011 Maucker Union, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0166 under the auspices of the Board of Student Publications. Advertising errors that are the fault of the Northern Iowan will be corrected at no cost to the advertiser only if the Northern Iowan office is notified within seven days of the original publication. Publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisement at any time. The Northern Iowan is funded in part with student activity fees. A copy of the Northern Iowan grievance procedure is available at the Northern Iowan office, located at L011 Maucker Union. All material is copyright © 2010 by the Northern Iowan and may not be used without permission.
NEWS Friday, October 1, 2010 northern-iowan.org
SAVANNA continued from page 1
grassy, herbaceous understory underneath,” according to Ryan Welch, outreach coordinator and multi-program assistant for UNI’s Tallgrass Prairie Center. “I hope that students will be inspired to also seek out ways to pursue things that they are passionalte about.” MARY COX UNI graduate student
“From an ecological perspective, oak savannas are a very bio-diverse ecosystem, but unfortunately are the Midwest’s most endangered major ecosystem, with only 0.02 percent left today. High biodiversity is a very important aspect of ecological health, and a healthy ecosystem in turn affects humans through ecological services such as erosion and flood control, habitat for wildlife that provide ecological services such as bees for pollination,” Cox said. After seeing the degraded savanna, Cox decided she wanted to work to restore
it. During the course of an internship with the Black Hawk County Conservation Board this summer, Cox, with the help of 36 volunteers, conducted a biological survey of CBS, created a photo monitoring system to document changes in the savanna and cleared brush piles. Cox said there is still much work to be done at CBS. “On the ground, I wasn’t able to perform a lot of actual restoration that will result in a more healthy savanna in the coming years. However, what I have been successful with is making people aware of this unique ecosystem who can help support its restoration in the future. I have also been successful in creating a direction for CBS’ restoration and have facilitated future work,” said Cox. Welch said that for students who often think of environmental causes far away from Iowa, the restoration of the CBS can be a more local cause. “(The oak savanna) is a rare ecosystem. Everyone talks about saving the rainforest. We’ve got something just as unique here at home.
The love of the land can start right here,” Welch said. Cox also said that her project could serve as encouragement to get involved in a variety of causes, including the environment. “I hope that students will be inspired to also seek out ways to pursue things that
PAGE 3 they are passionate about, be it the environment, social justice or any other interests that can make the world a better place. As I did, they may have to create their own path, but in the end the benefits to the student and the community often outweigh the difficult path. More
directly, UNI has various groups such as the Student Nature Society, which does this type of work for various natural areas, so UNI students can become a part of these groups or participate in the group activities that they sponsor,” said Cox.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARY COX
UNI graduate student Mary Cox has high hopes that her research efforts will be able to convince others that the Cedar Bend Savanna is deserving of restoration.
The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892
Features
Friday, October 1, 2010 Volume 107, Issue 10 Cedar Falls, Iowa northern-iowan.org
4
He said, she said: UNI gears up for Family Weekend activities, events Relationship advice By ANTHONY MITCHELL and KATIE HUNT
By ALLIE KOOLBECK Staff Writer
Relationship Columnists
Explore the German in you, see a magic show or gaze at the planets and stars. All this and more will be featured at the University of Northern Iowa’s Family Weekend this Friday through Sunday. Friday’s activities start off with Oktoberfest, sponsored by the College Hill Partnership, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the New Dry Run Creek Plaza on College and 20th Streets. German-style beverages and food, such as brats, will be served with the tunes of a polka band playing in the background. “I definitely want to check out Oktoberfest,” said Jennifer Miller, a sophomore English teaching major. “My friend’s dad used to always play polka music, so I want to hear it in person.” Families have a few different options for Friday night, each of which caters to different interests. These include: the UNI vs. Evansville volleyball game at 7 p.m. in the McLeod Center, the Orchesis and International Dance Theatre performance at 7:30 p.m. in Bengtson Auditorium in Russell Hall, and viewing planets and stars in the UNI Hillside Observatory from 8 to 10 p.m. On Saturday, all five colleges will have an open house
Q: What are the worst things you can say on a first date?
JULIE WHEELER/Northern Iowan
UNI students and their families can spend Family Weekend tailgating and attending the UNI football game vs. South Dakota State.
and different activities pertaining to each college. The College of Natural Sciences is hosting a chemistry magic show at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in McCollum Science Hall. Tours are also being held in the UNI Botanical Center and the UNI Museum. For a complete list of activities and tours, go to www.uni.edu/ familyweekend/calendar. “My family and I will
Student Voices
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A Quidditch match that was going on outside Bender Hall.
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I was studying late one night when a girl came up to me out of the blue and asked me to sign her t-shirt, so I signed.
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probably walk around campus and check out the College of Education open house since both my sister and I are education majors,” Miller said. Maucker Union is holding a Family Feast Tailgate from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the plaza. Hamburgers, brats, hot dogs, grilled chicken breasts, veggie burgers, potato salad, broccoli See FAMILY, page 6
He said: Choosing your words for a first date is kind of like picking your Pokemon before a battle. You have to think through every single choice to ensure success. Also, using dumb analogies like that on a first date is bound for disaster! In short, what you say on a first date comes down to common sense. Don’t get too personal, don’t monopolize the conversation and for goodness sakes stay away from politics! While that’s pretty easy to say, there are some elaborations I want to touch on. Forever the golden rule of first dates: do not talk about past relationships. Ever. Frankly, neither party wants to hear about this, and why not? This first date is about establishing this relationship, not reflecting on the last one that went sour. Another big one to avoid is anything too quirky. I’m not saying entirely shun your individuality, but bringing that up too quickly can throw people off. Trust me, being a KISS fan has not helped me in this situation, so take it from me! I also find it best to stay positive on a first date.
Specifically, don’t insult anything. For example, going out and saying the Green Bay Packers are terrible and then finding out that she and her family are big-time cheese heads can really make you look like a jerk. A much more serious example is avoiding politics, as I mentioned earlier. Going down the liberal bashing path when she’s a blue-stater (or vice versa) can cause some serious problems and a second date will most likely not be in your future. The granddaddy, number one thing not to say on a first date: “that’s what she said.” I cannot tell you the number of times I blew a charming streak on one of those, even if it was a good one. Wait at least until date number three to unleash that beast. She said: It’s next to impossible not to be nervous on a first date. The pressure’s on to make a great first impression, and you don’t want to mess up. As hard as it may be, try to relax and just focus on being yourself. Hopefully you’ll rememSee RELATIONSHIPS, page 6
What is the strangest thing you have ever seen on campus? Compiled by TESSA STOCKER
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As I was walking past Campbell Hall, I saw a guy singing karaoke out of his window to the people on the street.
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Two girls dancing on top of the mushroom sculptures outside of the Towers, in the rain!
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In front of the Union, I once saw two guys acting out a play about spaghetti dressed in pirate costumes.
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Cory Cypher
Ryan Alfred
Kayla Wilming
Ben Strouf
Tyler Smith
freshman, undecided
junior social science teaching major
freshman elementary education major
sophomore marketing and real estate major
freshman, undecided
FEATURES Friday, October 1, 2010 northern-iowan.org
PAGE 5
‘You Again’ filled with humorous cat fights, life lessons By EMILY HEYER
Film Critic
Superman has Lex Luthor, Luke Skywalker has Darth Vader, Harry Potter has Voldemort – and in the new movie “You Again,” Marni has her high school archnemesis, Joanna. Only, unlike the more famous good vs. evil duos, Joanna is marrying Marni’s brother. When Marni (Kristen Bell, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) comes home for her brother Will’s wedding, she finds out that his beloved fiancée Joanna (Odette Yustman, “Cloverfield”) is none other than J.J., the girl who relentlessly teased Marni in high school. Shenanigans ensue as Marni and Joanna learn the hard way that people change after high school. This film is funny, but it also has meaning. At the core, this film is about growing up and forgiving people. It shows
how something bad in high school can change one’s outlook – making them bitter or making them successful. In Hollywood’s version, both Marni and Ramona, Joanna’s aunt (Sigourney Weaver, “Avatar”), find success out of their hardships, while Joanna and Gail, Marni’s mother (Jamie Lee Curtis, “Freaky Friday”), learn that stepping on people to get to the top has consequences. All four women are successful for different reasons and in different things – but all because of their experiences in high school, whether they were popular or the punching bag. Bell does a wonderful job portraying the lonely highschooler and the grown-up success. She uses physical comedy to get laughs while reliving some of the worst days of high school life. Although her applique acne and braces are a little over the top, she nonetheless trans-
forms flawlessly into that cliché awkward, nerdy girl with ease. A relative newcomer to lead roles, Yustman is surpassed by Bell’s acting ease. She has the evil cheerleader down pat but can’t quite transform her character into the caring nurse she’s supposed to be. Until the end, she is almost completely unrelatable, with her perfect fiancée routine coming off as whiny and fake. The supporting cast, including Victor Garber (“Milk”), Kirsten Chenoweth (“Pushing Daisies”) and Betty White round out this film in both comedy and superb acting. This movie would be the perfect friend date, or with Family Weekend kicking off, a mother-daughter bonding date. It’s definitely not the most intellectually stimulating movie, but it’s funny, and it has a little lesson at the end. It’s a great easy-go-lucky film for a relaxing day.
SLAVEN VLASIC/Abaca Press/MCT Campus
Jamie Lee Curtis stars in “You Again.”
Panther Portraits
SCOTT KINTZEL/Northern Iowan
Members of the UNI Marching Band show their skills during the Panthers’ first football game vs. North Dakota State.
PAGE 6
RELATIONSHIPS continued from page 4
ber that it’s normal to have butterflies. Sometimes even the most confident smoothtalker can find themselves tongue-tied while on a first date. You’re in luck because I’ve been on first dates, talked to some friends and done some research. The following are topics you should avoid on a first date. 1. Do not bring up your ex under any circumstances. Even if he or she is on your mind, you don’t want to let
FEATURES Friday, October 1, 2010 northern-iowan.org them know it. That can be intimidating, and they’ll get the vibe that you’re not quite over that person. For example, “My ex used to say that!” or “You smell just like this guy I used to date!” 2. Avoid complaining. Whether it’s about your awful day or the restaurant or your busy schedule — nobody wants to take out someone who can’t relax and leave personal issues aside for five seconds. Plus, you’ll get annoying, and your date will probably assume it takes a lot for you to enjoy something. Talk about pressure.
3. Speaking of personal issues — pretend they don’t exist. I’m talking about financial, physical, and mental problems — or the weird obsession with your cat. Once you get to know someone, it makes sense to have in-depth conversations about your life. If you think about the small amount of time you’ve got on a first date, it’s probably nothing compared to all of the stories you’ve got. So, for your date’s sake, don’t overpower them with everything that’s going on in your life. 4. Opinions. It’s cool to be opinionated and know
what you believe in. However, sometimes these conversations can come on too strong for a first date. In some cases, political and religious beliefs are a dealbreaker. But are you really thinking marriage on a first date? My thoughts are that you’re looking to have fun and get to know someone better. Save these opinions for later — once you’ve decided whether or not you want to have a second date with this person. Above all, remember the point is to be impressive while being yourself. I’m going to leave you with some random
phrases that I’ve thought up pertaining to what not to say on a first date. Enjoy! First, if you’re desperate enough to search on the internet for things to say on a first date—don’t share that fact. For example, don’t say, “The next question on my list is…” No. There will be no list. Second, “Rob Pattinson is so sexy. Are you a Twihard?” Enough said. Third, “Do you have Facebook?” Um, are you a stalker? (If you are, don’t let them know you’re going to search for them.)
FAMILY continued from page 4
grape salad, chips, cookies, iced tea and lemonade will be served. There are also a few athletic events students and their families can attend on Saturday. The women’s soccer team plays against Creighton in Waterloo at 2 p.m., the football team plays against South Dakota State at 4:05 p.m. and the volleyball team plays at 7:30 p.m. against Southern Illinois. Freshman elementary education major Jill Horak plans to tailgate with her family and then attend the football game. “My parents are coming up with other parents from my hometown of Cedar Rapids,” Horak said. “We’re going to tailgate, and they’re going to make really good food for us to eat.” If the family is still hungry after the Family Feast Tailgate, visit the Piazza, where there will be a special dinner after the football game from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. On Sunday, the activities wind down. The women’s soccer team plays again in Waterloo at 1 p.m. against South Dakota and the Orchesis and International Dance Theatre performs again at 2 p.m. The Wellness Recreation Center will be open to students and families throughout the weekend, so everyone can play racquetball, take a swim or shoot some hoops.
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The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892
Opinion
Friday, October 1, 2010 Volume 107, Issue 10 Cedar Falls, Iowa northern-iowan.org
Blasphemy Day: ignore it ADAM HASELHUHN adamh@uni.edu
As many of you walk around campus you will see and experience what the University of Northern Iowa Freethinkers and Inquirers student group calls “Blasphemy Day.” You will read some of the chalkings and will without a doubt be offended by what you read. You will most likely associate what is written with hate speech and discrimination. Under the law and under their individual rights it is neither of these things. They have just as much right to display their beliefs on the sidewalk as you do to advertise your events. The goal they have is to prove that free speech is free speech, no matter what it entails. They want to get a rise out of you and they want people to challenge
and debate them on what they have written. I know for many who are hurt by what they read, this is the last thing they want to hear someone say to them. So my advice to you is simple: ignore it. Don’t take it seriously. You won’t change the minds of the people in this group. When you are showing your parents around campus this weekend and are walking past some of the vulgar statements, explain to them that what they see is not a representation of what UNI is like year-round. Tell them of the positive things that have happened here, such as the counterprotests of the Westboro Baptist Church. I give this advice because last year I was lucky enough to serve as student body president, and I heard the complaints and comforted the students who were so hurt by what was written. This week I had a very close family friend pass away. She was 52. It opened my eyes to how
much more there is to life than what we see in front of us at any given moment. Live life to the fullest and don’t waste an opportunity. Be happy with who you are and make sure to tell your friends and family that you care about them. And never be afraid to say what you believe. How on earth does this relate to Blasphemy Day? Because the one important thing we can learn from it is to not be afraid to say what you believe. Take it upon yourself to engage in civil debate with those that you disagree with. Participate in discussions in class. Go listen to speakers on campus and ask questions. Never stop asking questions. Every day you might learn something new. But keep an open mind and be willing to have your opinion changed. If you get offended by what is said, ignore it, because the chalk will wash away and then it is your turn to say what you think.
The greatest decision ever made
owners and had been shot in the eye, causing it to have to be removed. We were committed. And three months later, we know it was the NICK KROB greatest decision we ever made. The cats have acclimated well and now nickkrob@googlemail.com love each other and the apartment. We even had such a great interaction with the shelter When I was driving up to Cedar Falls with in Iowa City that my girlfriend now works a one-eyed cat meowing at the rain hitting the for the Cedar Bend Humane Society. But her windshield and an obese cat with half a tail employment at the shelter has brought many asleep in the backseat, I was nervous. My girlunintended consequences. friend and I had just hastily decided to adopt I hear of animals being put down nearly two cats to accompany our move into our first every day. And it is not an isolated event for apartment. We are 20-year-old college stuCedar Falls. According to the Humane Society, dents with small incomes, and an estimated 6 to 8 million cats we now had two more roomand dogs enter U.S. shelters mates. And they didn’t plan on When a perfectly each year. Of those, 4 million paying their share of the rent. healthy kitten is killed cats and dogs are put to sleep What if the cats don’t get each year in shelters across the simply because there along? What if they don’t like country. That means, at best, us? What if something hap- is no room for it, it only half of the pet population pens to them that we can’t breaks your heart. finds a home each year. And handle? All these questions the other half, usually despite were running through our good health and behavior, are put down. minds as the feeling of buyer’s remorse, to a This is not the fault of the shelters. Animal different degree, set in. With other purchases shelters across the country, despite their comyou can return them, or at least forget about mitment and care, are forced to kill loving them. For us, however, we were obligated to animals. It is simply an issue of practicality. these guys for up to 15 years. Shelters are most often low on money, resourcThings didn’t improve as we tried to sleep es, time and space. They do not ask for much the first few nights. While the fat cat we in return for the pets and most are non-profit named Rooney had no trouble sleeping (it’s organizations. Being nonprofit organizations his forte), the one-eyed cat we named Chester mean shelters rely on the help and donations Cheese demanded that we not fall asleep of others, which often leaves them struggling without him. You see, Chester was scared of to provide for the animals. the dark and scared of being alone. So guess It really is a sad situation that our animals what? Between his constant panic attacks, we are faced with. When a perfectly healthy kitten caught a few hours of sleep with the lights on. is killed simply because there is no room for it, Our original fears were only intensified. it breaks your heart. But there is only so much We purchased these cats from the shelter individual people can do. I would love to adopt in Iowa City and knew that under no condievery cat and dog that is facing euthanasia, tion would we return them. Chester was only 2 years old and had already had three different See ADOPT, page 9
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From the editorial staff
Technology overload How many times have you checked your email today? How about your Facebook? Your Twitter? Your cell phone? Or any other accounts or devices you may use? Do you ever feel like you’ll go crazy if you have to be away from your cell phone or computer for just a few hours? Or even minutes? If we had to guess, the answer would probably be yes. We live in a society where our eyes are constantly glued to our cell phones and computer screens. It seems we can’t go five minutes without wondering who has sent us a new text message, what’s the latest happening on the Facebook mini-feed or what new assignment our professor has sent us through email. Many students have a constant need for information, so we continuously divert our attention to our Facebook accounts and cell phones. In fact, in January 2010, American Facebook users spent an average of 421 minutes on Facebook per month, which amounts to more than 14 minutes per day. And let’s get real; for college students, this number is probably much higher. E-mail isn’t much better. In 2009, 90 trillion emails were sent over the Internet worldwide. That’s a whole lot of e-mail. For college students, it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed while opening your inbox to see the newest influx of messages. And let’s not forget about texting. According to the latest Nielsen study, the average American teen sends more than 80 text messages per day. College students can’t be far behind. But is this constant immersion in technology good for us? Or are we losing sight of what’s really important – our real lives outside the computer screen? By getting too involved with our digital lives, we can forget about some of the more precious things in life -- like a good conversation among friends, an engaging lecture by our professor or a home-cooked meal shared with family. Sometimes, we just need to get away from technology. We need to forget about the e-mails building up in our inbox, the friends we have requested on Facebook or Lady Gaga’s latest Twitter update. Sometimes, we just need to live our own lives. So our challenge to students is this: live in the moment. When you’re sitting in class, don’t be worried about what’s going on with Facebook or your cell phone. Immerse yourself in what’s happening right in front of you. Believe it or not, your teachers have something intelligent to tell you. This rule also applies outside of the classroom. Maybe you need a weekend away from technology completely. Give yourself some time to think and worry about your own life - not the lives of everyone on Facebook and Twitter. You might be surprised with the results. Yes, everyone needs a little “technology time” in their lives. If fact, technology is fun and useful -- why else would we use it so much? But sometimes, we need to take a step back and enjoy the moment. It might just help us keep our sanity. This editorial reflects the position of the Northern Iowan’s editorial staff: John Anderson, Leah Jeffries, Brad Eilers, Cassie Tegeler, Anna Schreck and Kari Braumann. All other articles and illustrations represent the views of their authors.
What do you think? Share your opinion by visiting www.northern-iowan.org
OPINION Friday, October 1, 2010 northern-iowan.org
Pop culture
In defense of Bieber Fever ANTHONY MITCHELL ayomitch@uni.edu
Justin Bieber: the Canadian wonder child that has seemingly stolen America’s heart with his youthful voice and looks. Teenage girls scream and flock at his very sight (his Video Music Awards performance attested to this) and get worked into a frenzy. Oh yeah, we are in full-blown Bieber Fever! However, there is an evergrowing movement of antiBieber. Not only that, but it’s getting nasty. Campaigns to send him to North Korea, flagging his YouTube videos as inappropriate (which is ironic considering Bieber was a YouTube nobody until he was discovered) and allaround negative vibes have been sweeping the interwebs as of late. While some of these campaigns are mildly amusing, I can’t help but notice that Bieber haters are completely missing the obvious here. I want to go on record saying I’m not a Justin Bieber fan, nor am I a fan of pop music in general, but I can observe this situation and know enough about the music industry’s past to know that this amount of negativity is a waste of effort. He is a teen idol. Teen idols have been around since the 1970s and are a direct byproduct of record companies. Here’s the formula: find a young, attractive male with a great voice and shove him immediately into the limelight. Once that voice changes or his popularity runs thin, it’s on to the next one. This strategy was brilliant in the long run. Record companies made a fortune by not only capitalizing on the popularity of a teen idol, but they got to multiply that fortune with all of the payola flying around during the era. Sure it destroyed as many careers as it made, but from a business standpoint, genius. Our generation changed this up even more. Think of the explosion of boy bands in the 1990s. It’s the same game all over again. Think of Hanson. Remember ‘MmmBop’? Remember the crying girls on TRL? History never fails to repeat itself and this obsession with young singers continues to flourish. So where do we channel all of this negativity? Right at the record companies. I can understand the frustrations of music fans. I can understand the disgust of seeing Justin Bieber’s face on Vevo while watching a White
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Letter to the Editor First of all, I’d like to applaud the University of Northern Iowa on its vision and efforts in creating the new Multimodal Transportation Center. It truly is a state of the art parking facility. Unfortunately, my admiration stops there. Apparently the “Students First” slogan that UNI touts so highly never came into any conversation with regards to who the facility is there to benefit. It is plain to see that there is a shortage of B parking spots on the north side of campus. It has become a daily ritual for students with B permits to troll the lots for any available slots on the north side. Meanwhile, approximately 90 percent of the nearly 180 metered spots on the upper levels of the MMTC go empty on a daily basis. UNI is only hurting the local business community, because most of us who fail to find spots head directly to the free 2-hour parking near the bookstore. As a concerned student I suggest to those who are responsible for the MMTC to please learn from their mistakes. Let’s truly put students first. We really would appreciate a facility that we actually got to use rather than simply pass through after parking behind it. Thank you, Dave Coltrain Liberal studies major
Make your voice heard. Submit a Letter to the Editor on our website: www.northern-iowan.org ADOPT continued from page 8
Genaro Moline/Los Andeles Times/MCT
Justin Bieber performs at the Nokia Theater, July 17, 2010, in Los Angeles.
Zombie video. I can understand the outcry that our intelligence is being insulted by this bubblegum pop. But let us pose a question amongst ourselves. Do you really think Justin Bieber, a 16-year-old kid from Canada, has any hand in this?
“
Here’s the formula: find a young, attractive male with a great voice and shove him immediately into the limelight. Once that voice changes or his popularity runs thin, it’s on to the next one. Let’s be real here. Most artists begin with some type of integrity. Whether they have a lot or a little just depends on the personality type. Once money and fame come into play, that integrity is lost. It happens to almost every artist. Record companies make money. They are a business. They are going to market anything that sells and right now that is Bieber Fever. If anyone else is to blame for this saturation, it would be the young teenage
girls that buy his songs off iTunes. If you dislike an artist, that’s fine, but personal death threats via YouTube comments (possibly the lowest form of communication known to man) are a serious waste of time. Support your bands and turn a blind eye if teen idols aren’t your thing. However, if it is any comfort to you, a teen idol’s lifespan is anywhere from two to five years. Very soon, Justin Bieber will probably be a thing of the past. To add insult to injury, escaping that gravitational pull is something of a feat itself. Look at the boy bands. Almost all of them ended up in the “where are they now” category. Justin Timberlake may be the only exception I can think of that could continue on with his career and not become obscure or a laughingstock. In short, all I’m saying is take a breath. If history has shown us anything, I think Pink Floyd said it best: it’s just another brick in the wall. If Bieber isn’t your thing, he’ll be gone soon. So chill out and let the YouTube comments board return to the angry trolling we all know and love.
but it is simply impossible. And that is why I stress the importance of others to help out. The most common solution, endorsed by Bob Barker, is to have your pet spayed or neutered. And I agree with that. But the pet population needs more than that. The fact is that, while the population would shrink with animal “fixing,” we already have a dramatic overpopulation of
animals that need homes. My plea is that if you have the means and desire to own a pet, adopt. I realize not many college students are in the same situation as my girlfriend and me, but if you know someone who could provide a loving home for an animal, encourage them to do so. I’m happy I did. Even if I have a cat whose lack of depth perception causes him to not be able to successfully jump anywhere.
The University of Northern Iowa’s student-produced newspaper since 1892
Sports
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Friday, October 1, 2010 Volume 107, Issue 10 Cedar Falls, Iowa northern-iowan.org
Key conference match inhabits UNI-Dome Saturday Tough competition continues for UNI Panthers and South Dakota State Jackrabbits By TIM GETTING
Sports Writer
Disregard the winloss records. When the University of Northern Iowa Panthers (1-2) and South Dakota State University Jackrabbits (0-3) take to the UNI-Dome Saturday, two of the Missouri Valley Football Conference’s top teams will be competing. Both schools have faced nothing but quality opponents in their first three games, and things won’t be getting much easier. The No. 17 Panthers are experiencing their most competitive schedule in recent memory this season. So far, UNI has faced two top15 Football Championship Subdivision opponents (No. 13 North Dakota State and No. 6 Stephen F. Austin) as well as a Football Bowl Subdivision foe (Iowa State). “When we looked at the schedule, I knew with the way that the schedule laid out, you could be very good five games into the season and not be very good on a win-loss sheet,” said UNI head coach Mark Farley. Meanwhile, SDSU has succumbed to a top-five FCS opponent (No. 5 Delaware), the MVFC leader (No. 23 Illinois State) and a top10 FBS opponent (No. 6 Nebraska).
SCOTT KINTZEL/Northern Iowan
UNI will host the SDSU Jackrabbits this Saturday at 4:05 p.m. inside the UNI-Dome. The Panthers lead the all-time series 25-17-2.
“Our records imply not two bad teams, but two teams that have played tough schedules (and) made some mistakes,” said SDSU head coach John Stiegelmeier. “I expect a good football game. Both teams pride themselves on playing football the way that it is meant to be played.”
The Jackrabbits began the season ranked No. 9 in the FCS and tout one of the nation’s best running backs. Senior Kyle Minnett is a nominee for the FCS’s offensive player of the year award and is coming off a 28-carry 122yard performance against Nebraska.
The Jackrabbits turned some heads last Saturday as they refused to let one of college football’s top programs pull away. Despite giving up 14 points in the second quarter, SDSU practically remained deadlocked with the Nebraska Cornhuskers throughout their 17-3 loss at
Memorial Stadium. A total of six forced turnovers from the Jackrabbit defense helped keep them in the game. A defense coming off such a performance could provide difficulties for the Panther offense. UNI has the FCS’s worst marks in terms of turnover margin, having See FOOTBALL, page 11
Panther Profile
Braun helps pave the way for No. 15-ranked Panther volleyball team By DRU JORGENSEN
Sports Columnist
The University of Northern Iowa volleyball team has been on a hot streak in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Panthers have 22 straight MVC regular season games. Coming off of two conference wins against Creighton University and Drake University, the No. 15-ranked Panthers have also won seven straight games. Volleyball is very much a team sport, but sophomore Amy Braun has made large contributions to the team’s success. Last season, Braun was named the 2009 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year. “It meant a lot to be MVC’s Freshman of the
Year last season, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and coaching staff,” said Braun. “They have become my second family and really helped me transition from high school volleyball to college volleyball.” Braun seems to be happy with the Panthers’ ranking. UNI climbed up one spot from No. 16 to No. 15 for this week’s polls. “It’s great for our program to receive recognition. However, we know in the end we have to work hard every day at practice and play hard every match,” said Braun. The Panthers have had some great wins this fall. UNI, which has a 12-2 record on the season, has beaten teams that were in the NCAA tournament last
season, including a big win over a ranked University of Minnesota squad on Sept. 4. “It gives us confidence knowing we can play at such a high level. However, we know it is a long season still and we have to keep working hard and getting better,” said Braun. Coming into the season, the Panthers had some great expectations and a bullseye on their back after competing at such a high level in 2009. “We only lost two seniors last year, so we have a lot of experience playing with one another. Our expectations are high for this year because we know we can play with anyone. We are a team that has a lot of fight in us and we never give up,” said Braun. The Panthers have
SCOTT KINTZEL/Northern Iowan
Amy Braun (center) was named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in 2009 and is one of the leaders on this year’s squad.
certainly been playing at a high level this season, especially in conference play with that 22-game regular season win streak. “The conference gamewinning streak means a lot
to us. The MVC is a very tough conference to compete in and is especially hard to go undefeated in. It was a great accomplishment last See PROFILE, page 11
SPORTS Friday, October 1, 2010 northern-iowan.org
FOOTBALL continued from page 10
unwillingly given up the ball on 11 occasions (seven within the red zone) while forcing just three turnovers of their own. The Jackrabbits have been experiencing similar troubles. Their -1.33 turnover margin is also one of the subdivision’s worst (No. 106), and, like UNI, the Jackrabbits are coming up empty-handed most of the time that they reach the red zone. “Our records imply not two bad teams, but two teams that have played tough schedules (and) made some mistakes.” John Stiegelmeier SDSU head football coach
“This game will come down to turnovers. Bottom line,” Farley said. UNI’s offense has out-gained each of their opponents thus far, averaging 409 yards per contest. At the same time, however, the Panthers are near the bottom of the national rankings in scoring offense, as they are scoring just 12 points a game on average. Sophomore running back Carlos Anderson is the FCS’s third best in terms of allpurpose yardage, but that stat has been overshadowed by the fact that he has fumbled four times in three games. Three of those fumbles, resulting in turnovers, occurred in the red zone. “(Carlos) is hard to tackle. You go back and watch the films of him from the last three games, and he’s making
a lot of plays for us, making the offense go. Yet he’s stalling the offense when the fumbles happen,” said Farley. Farley mentioned that fans could see redshirt freshman Zach Cutkomp and junior transfer Wilmot Wellington more often than usual Saturday but still has confidence in starting Anderson. “We’ll stay with Carlos. Carlos is our running back, and we’ll move from there,” he said. Questions of whether the Panthers will play one quarterback consistently Saturday still linger. Farley said that both Tirrell Rennie and Zach Davis’s performances this season have confirmed that both could potentially split time Saturday, given the appropriate circumstances. Davis injured his left shoulder last Saturday in Ames, but Farley expects him to be ready to play. While much talk has surrounded the Panther offense, the defense has been quietly compiling consistent performances, having not given up a second-half point in two games. Nonetheless, Farley expects more from his defensive squad. “For other groups that might be great defense, but for this group it’s good defense. It can get better,” he said. “I think the defense needs to score, I think the defenses needs to swing the momentum, and I think the defense needs to control the game.” Kick-off for Saturday’s game is 4:05 p.m.
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PROFILE continued from page 10
year and we hope to do it again this year,” said Braun. Having a great atmosphere on your home court can really help contribute to a great home record. “I love playing at home. We have such a great fan base that loves to support us. The McLeod Center is a fun environment to play in because it gets very loud and covered in purple and gold,” said Braun. Along with having great fans, having teammates you can depend on can really make a difference.
CASSANDRA HAYNE/Northern Iowan
UNI leads the MVC in both assists and kills, averaging 13.04 assists and 14.20 kills in the Panthers’ 14 matches this season.
“I love playing at home. We have such a great fan base that loves to support us.” Amy Braun Sophomore UNI volleyball player
“Our team chemistry is amazing. We get along so well on and off the court,” said Braun. “Our coaching staff and players are all one large family. It is an amazing program to be a part of because we care so much for each other,” Braun continued. Off the court, Braun likes to spend time with family and friends. She also likes to relax and watch movies. Her major is elementary education with minors in literacy and mathematics. She hopes to teach after she graduates and live somewhere that is reasonably close to her family. She also is currently reading the book, “The Shack,” by WM. Paul Young. The outside hitter from
CASSANDRA HAYNE/Northern Iowan
The Panthers return to action Friday against Evansville at the McLeod Center at 7 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear white to the game.
Lakeville, Minn., doesn’t do anything too crazy before games. “I don’t have any special routines before the match or pre-practice meal. I just relax before the game and mentally prepare for the match by being in the locker room and in the volleyball environment,” said Braun. Hopefully the Panthers can keep rolling throughout the season and into the postseason.
Black Hawks set to begin 2010-11 campaign Saturday By DUSTIN WOODY Sports Writer
The Waterloo Blackhawks begin their 2010-2011 United States Hockey League season on Saturday, Oct. 2 against archrival Cedar Rapids. The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders were one of the Black Hawks’ two preseason wins, and Waterloo also looks to improve on last season’s series versus the RoughRiders. The Black Hawks split the series 2-2-1, but Cedar Rapids took more points from the games, 6-5. Waterloo started off the 2009-2010 season 9-15-1, which was through more than 40 percent of the regular season, but rallied and won 17 of their next 23 games to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season. However, Waterloo was eliminated from the playoffs in the first round by the first-seeded Green Bay Gamblers, who then went on to win the playoffs. Waterloo in the past has attempted to schedule more
road games in the first half of the season so as to have more home games towards the playoffs, and this year’s schedule boasts 14 home games through the first half of the season, which has 60 games total. Thus, the Black Hawks have 16 home games after the midpoint of the season, including eight of 16 games in the month of March stretching into the second weekend of April, the end of the regular season. The Black Hawks are a relatively young squad, returning just nine players from last season’s team. Despite this, many players and fans have high hopes for the upcoming season. Some fans would be happy to just make the playoffs. Others hope to have a winning season. Yet others are just looking for wins over rivals, while still others are greedy and want to win the Clark Cup, the Anderson Cup and the Corridor Cup. The Clark Cup is awarded to the USHL playoff winner, while the Anderson Cup is
awarded to the team with the best regular season record. The Corridor Cup is a rivalry trophy between the Waterloo Black Hawks and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Seeing as the USHL has approved the re-addition of the Dubuque Fighting Saints, many fans are anxious to see what this year’s squads will provide for entertainment. Dubuque and Waterloo were fierce rivals when Dubuque was in the league some years back. Dubuque and Waterloo meet for the first time in Waterloo on Oct. 18. Following five other meetings throughout the year, Waterloo caps off the regular season at home with a home-and-home weekend, first with Green Bay on April 8 and Dubuque on April 9. Waterloo has four collegenight weekends, where students can get any ticket in Young Arena for just $7 with a valid student ID. The Black Hawks also have 14 Friday night home games and one Sunday home game, which means fans can take advantage
of the Black Hawks’ Family Four Pack. The Family Four Pack includes four blue zone season tickets (a $44 value in itself), four sodas, one large Domino’s pizza and one souvenir game program for just $44. The Black Hawks ticket office, located in Young Arena in downtown Waterloo, will be open for the following times: 11:30 a.m. until game time on game days, 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 11:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Fridays. That schedule is subject to change due to demand and weather. For more information on tickets, as well as anything else related to the Waterloo Blackhawks, visit the team’s website at www.waterlooblackhawks. com or join the Black Hawks on Facebook. You can find a recap of the Black Hawks’ preseason online at: http://www.northerniowan.org/sports
“Our main goal is to get better every day. We know that each match this year is going to be tough. We know we are a special group and we want to represent UNI by winning the conference and going far in the NCAA tournament,” said Braun. UNI will return to action this Friday against Evansville in the McLeod Center at 7 pm.
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SPORTS Friday, October 1, 2010 northern-iowan.org
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