The Oswegonian 12-1-17 Issue by The Oswegonian

A4 Look back at major semester stories

Friday, Dec. 1, 2017 VOLUME LXXXXIII ISSUE XVVI SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com

Open source initiative seeks to lessen financial burdens Option to use freely available materials for classes could lower textbook costs for students Ethan Magram Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com Faculty at Oswego State are pushing to make educational materials more cost effective by encouraging the use of open source materials that could be freely used for little to no cost. The initiative is being pursued thanks to an $8 million grant given by the state of New York to SUNY and CUNY schools to encourage the use of open educational resources. These resources include textbooks among other kinds of educational materials, such as ebooks, lesson plans and infographics. Laura Harris, the online learning librarian at Penfield Library, is leading the charge to get faculty to adopt OERs for their curricula, as well as getting them to create their own. Her goal is to make OERs more widespread across academic departments at Oswego State. “We know that textbooks are super

expensive,” Harris said. “What we’re trying to do is encourage instructors here at least to investigate and see what’s out there for them to use.” The $8 million that has been given to SUNY and CUNY schools, according to Harris, goes toward grants awarded to professors who integrate OERs into their teaching. “We have five grants that were awarded last summer,” Harris said. “Some of them are still in progress.” One of the grants was awarded to Mya Brown, a professor in the theatre department. Brown is using the resources to create an online database for Shakespearean monologues. “We wanted to take it a step further than a typical monologue database,” Brown said in an interview with the SUNY Oswego News and Events page. “We didn’t find any that were just right for us.”

Kellsie Zacholl | The Oswegonian

See CHOICE, A4

Textbook costs can be prohibitive to students without much money, and classes using open source materials can help to solve the issue of “food or textbooks.”

Start Now partnership allows test run for college Rep. Katko introduces legislation Program allows students to attend JCC before coming to Oswego to combat opioid addiction problems Shenandoah Briere Chief Copy Editor news@oswegonian.com

A 2016 partnership, Start Now, has been created between Oswego S t a t e a nd J e f fe r s on C ommun it y College to help students make the academic and personal transition from high school to college easier. The goal of the program is for high school students from New York City to begin at a Start Now partnered community college, like JCC. After a year or two, dep e nd i ng o n w he t he r o r no t t he student decides to earn their associate degree and if they are a c a d e m i c a l l y s o u nd , t hey t he n would transfer to Oswego State for their bachelor’s degree. “Start Now was created to help expand access to higher education and to increase completion r a t e s ,” s a i d K r i s t i Ec k , c h i e f o f staff in the office of the president at Oswego State. Having both an associate degree and bachelor’s degree can elevate a student’s prospect of getting a job over the other possible candid a t e s s a i d S a n d r a M o n t a l vo , a n admissions counselor and Oswego State’s coordinator of Start Now.

The introduction of new legislation into both the House and the Senate will help fight the opioid crisis, Rep. John Katko’s office said. The bill, which is currently under review, is called H.R. 2851 or SITSA, Stop the Importation and Trafficking of Synthetic Analogues Act of 2017. A similar bill was introduced into the Senate. Katko’s office said the bill was introduced because Central New York has been the center of the epidemic. “Synthetic drug abuse is at an alltime high in Syracuse, and the SITSA Act would help law enforcement offi-

CONTENT

Winnie Blackwood Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com

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See START NOW, A5

Calendar...................... C2 Classifieds................... C6 Crossword................... C6 Contact Info................ A2 Laker Review.............. C1 News............................. A1 Opinion........................ B5 Sports........................... B1 Sudoku......................... C7

cials keep drugs off the street by making it easier to expand the list of illegal substances,” said Jeff Naft, the press assistant for Katko’s office. A 2015 report to the governor and New York State legislature found that opioid analgesic-related deaths increased 30 percent from 2009 to 2013. The report also said opioid-related emergency depar tment visits in creased 73 percent from 2010 to 2014. The SISTA Act states its intention is “to amend the Controlled Substances Act to clarify how controlled substance analogues are to be regulated, and for other purposes.” Part of the bill would create a Schedule A for

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Sports GENESEO PREVIEW

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Opinion BLACK FRIDAY SUCCESS

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Opioids are defined as opium-like chemicals that bind to one or more of the three opioid receptors in the body.

Laker Review HOPE FOR DC MOVIES

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Oswegonian.com MUDBOUND

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Angela A. Bogue, 31, was arrested at 5:40 p.m. on Nov. 20 for thirddegree criminal mischief following an investigation by the Oswego Police Department. Noah C. Ruel, 18, was arrested at 12:34 p.m. on Nov. 21 for an active bench warrant issued out of Oswego City Court. Desmond T. Parsons, 28, was arrested at 12:56 a.m. on Nov. 22 for third-degree criminal trespassing following an incident in which he violated a Restriction from Property form at Wal-Mart. Joshuah B. Hall, 23, was arrested at 1:58 a.m. on Nov. 23 for driving while intoxicated following a traffic stop for driving without headlights and taillights, a well as driving with an inadequate muffler.

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WEEKEND WEATHER Weather by Justin Sommer | Graphics by Mikala Thompson

Nicole M. Holland, 23, was arrested at 3:06 p.m. on Nov. 24 for petit larceny after an investigation conducted by the Oswego Police Department determined that she stole merchandise from the Oswego Wal-Mart totaling $70.70. Holland was transported to OPD where she was processed and released on an appearance ticket with a return court date of Dec. 7 at 9:30 a.m. to Oswego City Court. Aaron L. Vanvorst, 27, was arrested at 10:28 p.m. on Nov. 24 for forcible touching following an incident that occured on Nov. 3 within the city of Oswego.

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Friday

High: 41

Low: 29

Saturday

High: 45

Sunday

Low: 32

High: 45

Low: 32

The end of the workweek will be speckled with various kinds of precipitation ranging from rain on Thursday night to flurries on Friday and a mix of snow and rain on Saturday. This active weather is caused by a low pressure system moving in from the west with a cold front shortly behind it that will push through our area Friday night but leave us remotely dry for Saturday. We round out the weekend with ***Blotter information provided by conditions going back to wet and cold with temperatures the Oswego Police Department. topping out at 45 degrees.

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Nobody should have to choose between the textbook and basic needs.” -Laura Harris, Penfield Library Online Learning librarian, leader of OER initiative

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

Honors program to perform “Boeing, Boeing” Student-run production explores gender roles, relationships, stereotypes Jessica Wickham Copy Editor jwickham@oswegonian.com Nov. 29 through Dec. 3, the student honors production of the French farce “Boeing, Boeing” will portray a comedic take on stereotypes and changing expectations. The play, written originally by Marc Camoletti in the 1960s, is produced by Blackfriars, a student-run theatre organization, and the Oswego State theatre department. It is completely funded by Student Association, whereas other theatre productions are funded by departmental budgets. It tells the story of an arrogant Parisian man, Bernard, juggling three fiancees, one Italian, one German and one American. The honors production has been months in the making. Honors theatre shows are entirely student run, as opposed to the other theatre productions, which use staff and faculty for most of the higher positions. “This is the opportunity where they want as many students involved as possible to show what they can do and show they are capable of putting on a full production,” said Megan Hickey, theatre major and director for the production. Staff are involved in vetting the many positions, but beyond that, the intent is to leave it largely up to the students. “I think the most important thing is to find the balance between mentoring…[and] also ensuring that the best possible production comes together,” said Jennifer Knapp, interim theatre department director. Those involved in the show see the student involvement as beneficial to the show and to those who participate in any aspect of the play. “We see it as a badge of honor,” Knapp said. “Come to SUNY Oswego, where if you make the cut…you’ll get an opportunity that no other school is going to give you.” The production started as a student submission to the play selection committee in the theatre department. Knapp said the French farce was chosen because it was easier for students to handle with a small cast and fun comedic subjects. Once “Boeing, Boeing” was selected, students interested in directing had a certain amount of time to come in with their resume, cover letter and director’s concept, which includes what the play, characters and set will look like and what the message will be. Hickey said her concept was all about

challenging existing expectations. “That’s kind of what farce does,” Hickey said. “It takes human behavior and stereotypes, and they can point them out, and sometimes they can reverse them.” Though some characters start out as a one-dimensional stereotype, by the end of the play, many of the characters transform and adjust, showing how stereotypes are often wrong. “I think, for most of the characters, there is some sort of change in their attitudes of things,” said Jada Sterling, who portrays Gretchen in the play. “There are lessons learned on the show.”

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian The set in Tyler Hall portrays a character’s home.

Getting in touch with the dynamic characters was a growing experience for the actors, who are mostly non-theatre majors, but Hickey said it was well worth it. “I love how genuinely hard they’re working,” Hickey said. “To see how much better their skills are progressing just within a few months is a really fun time.” Rehearsals started for the actors about a month after they were chosen, and the schedule was every day from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Student actors worked with each other and their director to fully develop the characters through methods like tabling. Tabling involves a director sitting down with the actor for at least 30 minutes to ask the actor questions while they are in character. “It’s a very deep analysis of who your character is and becoming that person,” Sterling said. “I think that having an idea of where your character comes from has a huge impact on how you react to things on stage [and] how you carry yourself.”

The production itself was a long road with some drawbacks along the way. About three weeks before opening night, Hickey said one of the original actors quit for academic reasons, forcing her to find someone else last minute. Who they found turned out to be perfect for the role, she said. “The person we cast is amazing,” Hickey said. “He’s show-ready. Everybody says it was like a blessing in disguise.” Beyond the casting struggle, actors had to practice and memorize their lines, getting in touch with their characters while still keeping up with school work. “That was a struggle, but I feel like that’s going to be a struggle with any play that you do,” Sterling said. “There’s only six of us, so each one of us has a responsibility to the show.” Though actors have to portray characters set in the ‘60s, those involved said the content and subject matter is still relevant today, especially when it comes to the portrayal of gender roles. “You could say that there’s a lot of misogyny in the show, so obviously, that’s super timely right now,” Knapp said. Hickey said that the play also sends a message of getting along with others even when they do not have much in common. “I believe it’s relevant to anyone who interacts with someone who has a different background than they are,” Hickey said. Because of the setting, there is definitely a change in culture from the ‘60s to today that the audience will notice, Sterling said. “I think it’s very relevant to themes today in terms of relationships,” Sterling said. “If some of the things that happened in the show happened today, it would be a Title IX nightmare.” Though most of the show is intended to be a comedy, there is a certain portrayal that the audience may notice reveals some hard realities about modern American life. “Even though it tries to play with these stereotypes and these funny situations, they still spill out truth of how humans can genuinely interact with each other,” Hickey said. In all, students worked long hours to dig deep into the characters and put on the best show for the Oswego State audience. “To have students pull this off is pretty remarkable,” Knapp said. “It’s something to be proud of.” The play will be performed at the Tyler Hall Lab theatre at 7:30 p.m. from Nov. 29 to Dec. 2 with a 2 p.m. finale Dec. 3. Tickets are $15 for the general public and $7 for students at the walk-up window.

Laker Night: Yule Ball, 8 p.m., Friday at Funnelle Hall. Theatre presentation: “Boeing, Boeing,” 7:30 p.m., Friday in Lab Theater, Tyler Hall.

Master of Art Student Exhibition, 10:30 a.m., Saturday in Tyler Art Gallery.

Chamber Orchestra Concert, 7:30 p.m., Saturday in Waterman Theatre, Tyler Hall. Concert: College-Community Orchestra, 3 p.m., Sunday in Waterman Theatre, Tyler Hall.

Planetarium Show: “The Stars of Winter,” 7 p.m., Sunday in Shineman Center, Room 223.

Advanced Electronic Music Concert, 7:30 p.m., Monday in Tyler Hall, Room 11.

Movie: “Tickling Giants,” 7 p.m., Wednesday in Marano Campus Center, Room 132.

Stress Relief Gift Making, 7 p.m., Wednesday in Penfield Library.

Guest Recital: Eastman Trio, 7:30 p.m., Thursday in Sheldon Hall Ballroom.

ally by the U.S. News and World Repor t and Princeton Review. Oswego State President Deborah Stanley attended the meeting as a guest of the Senate for a review of the past semester at Oswego State. Stanley presented an increase in freshman and transfer applications since last year, that 682 students have received t h e E xc e l s i o r S c h ol a r ship, that the school had received the Excellence and Innovation Award in International Education a nd t h a t O s w e g o S t a t e has been ranked nation-

Oswego State President Deborah Stanley announced to the Sena t e p l a n s to c o n s t r u c t a new student activity center. Stanley said the project will cost about $2 million and will begin i n t h e s p r i n g . S u r vey s have appeared throughout campus to see what kind of chairs and tables students may want to be included in the center.

Student Association P re s i d e n t D a l to n B i s s o n announced to the Senate that Oswego State will be hosting the SUNY SA Executive Board this weekend. Bisson also encouraged senators to attend the 1,000 Words Campaign event.

Academic Affairs Director Robert Taglia presented plans to look into

the possibility of offering a reduced price for standardized test preparation courses before students take a test such as the GRE, MCAT, LSAT and GMAT.

Student Association swore in two new senators to the Senate: Khalia Hepburn and Randy Catterson. In the oath, both swore to represent their constituents’ issues that may be brought to their attention as senators.

A4 NEWS Look back at major stories of this semester Choice between textbooks, basic From prominent speakers coming to campus to SA resolutions needs could become thing of past THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

Alexander Gault-Plate News Editor aplate@oswegonian.com

The past semester at Oswego State has been a busy one. From the implementation of the Excelsior Scholarship to the Blue Route bus catching fire, the past 10 issues of The Oswegonian have covered many events on campus. The first issue of The Oswegonian for this year detailed how the Title IX office partnered with the Dean of Students office, permitting students and faculty to change the name the college would use when referring to them in official capacities. This change permitted students who do not go by their legal name, for any reason, to “encourage an environment for personal expression within community standards,” according to the Preferred Name Policy. In our following issue, released on Sept. 15, a story was published that covered how the administration alongside the Student Association, had sent a letter to Congress, urging it to reinstate the protections that people with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status received. “At SUNY Oswego, we care deeply about all our students and remain committed to securing the future of our students who, personally or through connections to loved ones, now face undeserved discrimination and life-changing ramifications from the decision to end the Delayed [Deferred] Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program,” the letter said. The following issue, on Sept. 29, had two major stories on its cover. The Federal Department of Education had just rolled back Title IX rules about sexual misconduct, namely how it was to be investigated by the schools. Placeholder policies are still in effect today, nearly two months later, which were meant to give more autonomy to the colleges in their handling of sexual misconduct. That same issue had a story about a bus fire on campus. The Blue Route bus, while on the West Side of campus, had encountered a mechanical malfunction that caused its engine to catch fire. None of the passengers or the driver were harmed in the fire, and no major incidents have been reported since, regarding Blue Route busses. The Oct. 6 issue detailed how Oswego University Police are cracking down on distracted driving. A statistic cited in the piece showed that 80 percent of cellphone owners cannot go one day without looking at their phones, and Oswego UP Assistant Chief Kevin Velzy said he feared the ban on cellphone use while driving would see the same fate as the requirement for seatbelts in a car, which is only followed by 91 percent of motorists since being instituted in

OPEN SOURCE from COVER

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian The Oswegonian is the student newspaper for Oswego State, published weekly on Fridays during the fall and spring.

the early 1990s. The Oct. 13 issue included the visit of Kate Fagan, a prominent sports media figure who spoke about her experiences as a gay woman in the world of athletics. Fagan also had spoken about her experiences with self-care and p res s ure management in the sports world. The Oswegonian’s Oct. 20 issue ran a story about how the Excelsior Scholarship, for many students, was not all they expected. “I was relieved and thought I was good to go and wouldn’t have to stress anymore, but ended up getting $81 each semester,” Randy Nguyen, a student said in an interview for that story. “I knew it was too good to be true.” On Oct. 27, the campus hosted its annual Louis B. O’Donnell Media Summit, where four media professionals sat down to talk about the modern issues facing media in America, moderated by a fifth media professional. The discussion remained professional and courteous for much of the summit, although one of the panelists, Bob Lonsberry, caught the audience off guard when he made a comment that Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the press secretary for President Donald Trump, had “too much makeup on.” That same issue also held another story, about the College Republicans' free speech ball. In a press release, cited in the story as well, the president of the College Republicans, Tyler Toomey said, “The event comes at a time where many students feel politically correct culture is destroying learning, inhibiting progress and limiting rights.” The ball had traveled all across the country, stopping in Washington D.C. before it came to Oswego State. The Nov. 3 issue had two major stories on its cover. One covered how Lakeside Commons had been adver-

tised by its marketing company illegally on SUNY property when solicitation on campuses in the system is illegal. The company issued an apology and said that it had asked its marketing company to cease this practice. Occasionally, however, the same truck that Oswego State administration had asked not to come onto campus is still seen driving around the streets of the school. That issue also detailed how SA had debated a proposed resolution to remove plastic cups from Oswego State dining halls. This erupted into argument about how the bill’s supporting documentation, namely the survey given about if the cups should be removed, was not done properly. That same resolution was covered again in the Nov. 10 issue, which discussed how the bill was again hotly debated. The debate got personal, and the topic of sharing senators' names on social media was brought up. As the resolution was being put together, the author, Omar van Reenen, directed students to their senators by listing their names and constituencies on Facebook. Some senators disagreed with the concern about posting names of senators online. “You are public servants. Your information should be public knowledge,” said Senator Connor Breese during the debate. “If you do not want to share your information to the public, then you represent no one but yourself.” The last issue of The Oswegonian, before this Dec. 1 issue, detailed the new Grand Challenges Project unveiled by Stanley this semester. The project seeks to tackle the issue of water access around the world by pooling the resources of each school of the campus to attack the issue in their own way.

Cutler Fund raises grant to Oswego State

Award expanded to $1 million for public justice department

Jamie Aranoff Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com One million dollars in total has been awarded to the public justice department through generous donations from alumnus David Cutler. “The fund, created in 2004, started with $100,000, and today in 2017 has increased to $1 million,” said Jaclyn Schildkraut, an assistant professor in the public justice department. Cutler, an Oswego State graduate of 1974, currently is the executive director of the Arapahoe Community Treatment Center in Englewood, Colorado. “He actually wasn’t even a graduate of the department of public justice, but has been very generous in terms of his donation to our department to be able to help our students,” Schildkraut said. Working for the treatment center, Cutler deals firsthand with many of the experiences students learn about in the public justice program. The treatment center’s mission is to advance corrections through innovative results that benefit and protect what we all serve, as stated on their website. While Schildkraut admitted she was not entirely sure why Cutler donated to the department, she inferred that it probably had to do with the line of his work. “He works in a human services capacity,” Schildkraut said. “Our discipline does have a human services component. I think his personal mission to better society certainly aligns with our department, and I

think that might have played into it.” Schildkraut’s bottom line was the gratitude and generosity from the department to Cutler. With the now $1 million fund, the department has big plans. “We do guest speakers. This year, we have John Michael Keyes from The I Love U Guys foundation, who will be coming in the spring for our school safety symposium,” Schildkraut said. “In the past, we’ve had Frank DeAngelis, who was Columbine’s principal with Christina Anderson, who was a Virginia Tech survivor. We’ve had victim’s advocates. We’ve had law enforcement representatives. We’ve had Tim Wise from the Black Lives Matter movement.” Schildkraut also mentioned that the fund allows for the department to take students on prison trips, led or sponsored by faculty members, state and regional meetings, national conferences, scholarships and an awards banquet. “Through my three years as a public justice minor, I have been very lucky to experience the various opportunities provided by the political and public justice departments,” junior Isabella Njimogu said. “For example, the public justice department encourages meetings between both professors and students to discuss law school prospects and informs all public justice majors and minors of upcoming internships throughout New York state.” She added that one of the greatest parts of the major was the opportunity for students to be open in their future careers. Schildkraut said as the fund increases, more can be done for students. “We have students that will go on to

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian The public justice department is the recipient of the Cutler Fund.

law enforcement and go on to become police officer or an official,” Schildkraut said. We have students that go to law school and become lawyers. We have students that go to graduate school and become social workers or teachers. We’ve had students go into becoming victim’s advocates or court security.” Schildkraut concluded with her gratitude on behalf of the entire department and what the entire fund allows for. “Our department is extremely grateful to Mr. Cutler for allowing us the opportunity to do as much as we do for our students. We would not be able to do any of that without his generosity,” Schildkraut said.

Harris said she is really excited about Brown’s project. “She and I have been planning it [the database] out on my whiteboard,” Harris said. “I’m really excited about this one.” Students are very excited for this initiative to be implemented in more classes. One student in particular is Matthew Danielsson, a sophomore computer science major. “It’s almost too good to be true; there has to be some kind of catch,” Danielsson said. “If there is none, I think it’s a great idea.” Danielsson believes that it would benefit students greatly in today’s age of technology. “With this new generation of students, they’d be more inclined to look for textbooks online anyway,” Danielsson said. Among colleges that have received state funds for OER grants, community colleges are the most active, according to Harris. Although some schools are further ahead in their initiatives than others, Harris feels that every SUNY and CUNY school is “in this together” in trying to provide cheaper class materials for students. “Each campus that’s involved with

this has a campus lead,” Harris said. “The campus leads meet every other week through a webinar; it is definitely, in my mind, a joint effort.” Harris explains that OERs could put burden on professors, making it a lot of work and effort to integrate them into their curriculum, but she hopes that they become more widespread and more adopted as time goes on. “We have a bunch of different tools that bridge to OER use,” Harris said. “I would encourage all faculty to at least consider this.” Harris considers this a social justice issue, as some families, she says, could use the $100 or $200 needed for a student’s textbooks and use it for food or other essentials. “There are people who say, ‘I can’t buy this textbook because I have to feed myself, have to feed my kid,’” Harris said. “Nobody should have to choose between the textbook and basic needs.” Harris is hopeful that OERs will be used more and wants students to be aware that they are available. “I want students to know that these things exist,” Harris said. “I think if instructors hear more about it from the people they’re teaching, then maybe they’ll give more attention to it.”

A5 NEWS Start Now allows students to bridge academic gap Oswego State University Police officers Time at JCC allows applicants to boost GPA, attend Oswego once raised commended for life-saving actions THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

START NOW from COVER Other students may take a few years off before transferring to a four-year school, and with an associate degree they can still look for job opportunities. The application process first includes high school students applying to Oswego State, but if they are not admissible for direct entry, they may be eligible for Start Now and can apply to JCC, Montalvo said. During their time in the Star t Now program, students are given tools to succeed, such as support from a Start Now coordinator and outlets like meetings and social events to interact with their fellow peers. Events are held both at JCC and Oswego State. “These events are designed to help introduce the Start Now stud e n t s to e a c h o t h e r, h e l p t h e m form friendships and bonds with each other and to familiarize them with SUNY Oswego prior to transferring to SUNY Oswego so they are ready to succeed in their courses when they enroll at SUNY Oswego,” Eck said. Cohorts are created for the students get to know one another and make the process of transitioning to Oswego State easier. “They get to build that relationship with one another, which is really helpful for when they are t r a n s fe r r i n g . T h e y ’ re n o t g o i n g into it alone,” Montalvo said. Start Now began in the fall of 2016 with a goal to have 25 stu-

dents enrolled at JCC for the first cohort, but they passed this number by having 26 students, Eck said. Four of those students have already transferred to Oswego State this semester. This fall, Start Now has surpassed their goal of having 30 students enrolled in their second cohort for a total of 54. “Star t Now has been ver y successful,” Eck said. Due to this success, the program is expanding to Onondaga Community College next fall, and a retention specialist will be added at JCC. Oswego State received $100,500 from the SUNY Improvement Fund for the expansion, Eck said. “The Star t Now students begin at a community college to gain the academic readiness needed to succeed at SUNY Oswego,” Eck said.

These students often find they really benefit from starting at a smaller environment where there are small class sizes and a lot of personalized attention from faculty and staff." - Sandra Spadoni JCC dean of enrollment

Kylik Williams, a sophomore, is one of the four students who has t r a n s fe r re d f ro m J C C to O s w e g o State so far through the program this fall. Williams said that attending a community college gave him an introduction to what is expected of a student at a university, but at the same time, the course load is not as demanding as it may be in a class at a four-year school. Williams has also learned balance, which he said probably would not have happened if he started out at Oswego State. “It’s nothing but a lovely introduction to a university,” Williams said of Start Now. “You ease your way there.” C o m i n g f r o m N e w Yo r k C i t y, Williams was skeptical of moving to a rural area, but he described J C C a s h i s “ r e t i r e m e n t h o m e ,” where life is not as crazy as the city. The small environment was comforting, and he viewed the people on campus as his family. “These students often find they really benefit from star ting at a smaller environment where there are small class sizes and a lot of personalized attention from faculty and staff,” said Sandra Spadoni, dean of enrollment at JCC. The program was also designated for students in New York City because many come to the area for schooling, Montalvo said. “The intention is specifically to target New York City for this program because there is so much unmet demand for higher education in New York City,” Spadoni said.

The SUNY Police Chiefs Association awarded three Oswego State University Police officers for saving the lives of two people on separate occasions. During the SUNY Police Chiefs A s s o c i a t i o n f a l l c o n fe re n c e a n d statewide award ceremony at Saratoga, New York, Nov. 13 to Nov. 16, officers Thomas Marrone, Kelly Thompson and Thomas Woodruff were awarded the Life Saving Award, an honor given to a member in the department who has saved someone’s life. “ I a m ve r y p ro u d o f e a c h o f f i cer [and] how they relied on their t r a i n i n g , e xe rc i s i n g g o o d j u d g e ment in a very stressful situation,” said University Police Chief John Rossi. Marrone was chosen as one of the recipients of the Life Saving Award for his actions on May

2 7 , w he n he s ave d t he l i fe o f a man who planned to jump off the bridge on Bridge Street in an attempt of suicide. Marrone pulled the man over the railing of the bridge and brought him into custody for a mental health evaluation, according to Rossi. Thompson and Woodruff were granted the Life Saving Award for their response on Nov. 8, 2016, to a man who had stopped breathing and whose heart had stopped beating. The officers administered CPR and used an automated external defibrillator. The man was transpor ted to the hospital and lived, according to Rossi. “This is an example of professionalism this depar tment is known for and reflects very well on all of our officers who would h a v e t a k e n t h e s a m e a c t i o n s ,” Rossi said.

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian University Police had three officers honored by the SUNY Police Chiefs for taking life-saving action.

A6 NEWS Mumps outbreaks on rise in Upstate New York THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

Photo Briefs Ke-Nekt hosts acclaimed jazz performer

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian

On Nov. 29, an acclaimed jazz drummer led a quartet of performers in a concert as part of the KeNekt Chamber Music Series. Hosted by Oswego State faculty member Eric Schmitz, drummer Matt Wilson played alongside Chris Lightcap on bass, Jeff Lederer on the saxophone and clarinet and Kirk Knuffke on the cornet, following a pre-concert talk by Schmitz. The quartet has played all over the world and has been together for 21 years. Wilson, who lives in New York,

has performed with many wellk no w n j a z z a c t s , s u c h a s H e r b i e Hancock, Elvis Costello, Kenny Barron, John Zorn, Wynton Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Pat Metheny, Bill Frisell and Hank Jones. Wilson has been a side man on 250 CDs for other performers, and released nine albums for Palmetto Records and been a co-lead on five additional albums. The quartet stayed and sat in on the Oswego State Jazz Ensemble on the night of Nov. 30, which is a big band style group for Oswego State.

Tyler exhibits masters candidates' artwork

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian

The Tyler Art Gallery is hosting an exhibition of the artwork produced by three Oswego State master of art candidates. The three artists, Suzanne Gaffney Beason, Jingyuan Duan and Sharon Souva all work with different mediums. Gaffney is a printmaker and used many forms of printing to make her artwork. Printmaking is defined as the activity or occupation of making pictures or designs by printing

them from specially prepared plates or blocks. Duan is an awarded multimedia artist, using technology like 3D model design and interactive devices, as well as painting, photography and sculpture in her works. Souva uses fabric in her artwork. She us es needle ar ts , which s he learned as a child, in her work. Souva has owned her own business in Syracuse for the past 15 years and is represented by multiple national galleries.

California shows solution with exemption-free, mandatory vaccinations

Jamie Aranoff Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com Thirty seven confirmed cases of mumps loom over Syracuse University’s campus and with 74 probable cases, the total is over 100 students with mumps, proving the illness is back with vengeance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mumps outbreaks are increasing despite the vaccination law which requires children in public and private schools, in daycare settings, college students and healthcare workers to be vaccinated. The CDC also reports that under the State School and Childcare Vaccination laws, all 50 states require children to be vaccinated against certain communicable diseases as a condition for school attendance. These requirements cover children attending both private and public schools, including child care attendance. Despite all of these regulations, there is a flurry of illnesses once believed to be extinct, making headlines as they pop up on college campuses and in schools and small towns nationwide. One of the main reasons for the spike in these illnesses is misinformation from the media, said Voices for Vaccine leader, Karen Ernst. Another reason for the less than rigid vaccination protocol which Dr. Alice Callahan believes is a generational issue contributing to the non-vaccination trend. “We've now enjoyed the benefits of vaccines for a few generations, and most of us have never seen a friend or family member sick with measles, mumps or rubella,

for example,” Callahan said. “My parents, on the other hand, remembered those diseases from their childhood. We also tend to overestimate the risks of the vaccines themselves, mainly because of stories spread through social media of children who had adverse reactions to vaccines.” According to the CDC, the mumps vaccine falls under the MMR vaccine, which protects against mumps, measles and rubella. The vaccination is recommended in three doses and the first should be administered between 12-to-15 months of age, dose two between the ages of four and six, and the final dose and booster during teenage and adult years. “In most states exemptions are given too easily for parents who oppose vaccination,” said Dr. Arthur Caplan, a professor of Bioethics at New York University. “Personal choice and religious exemptions often require nothing more than signing a piece of paper. There is no questioning, or challenge or even an attempt to talk a parent out of not vaccinating.” The Syracuse University lacrosse team had to cancel their fall season after a majority of both the men’s and women’s teams fell ill to the virus, according to recent reports by Syracuse.com.

Since the introduction of vaccinations, there is a 99 percent decline in mumps cases nationwide. However, the CDC reports have shown huge spikes in reported mumps vaccines jumping from 229 cases in 2012 to 5,833 cases in 2016, a 96 percent increase. One option states have to lower the mumps outbreaks is tightening the regulations and policies for required vaccinations. As of 2015, the state of California has passed a law banning personal and religious belief exemptions for vaccinations. As of Oct. 7, 2017, California has reported between 50 and 99 cases of mumps to the CDC as opposed to states with looser regulations such as Texas and New York which have reported over 300 cases. “California has shown us that it can be done and that it works to ensure more kids are protected, which in turn protects the population from preventable outbreaks,” Callahan said. “I think it's a reasonable step to take if we're seeing more outbreaks and other children are being put at risk, especially our most vulnerable kids with compromised immune systems.”

Rachel Futterman | The Oswegonian

Barlow seeks to attack opioid problems

Similar to Katko, Barlow sees opioid addictions as issue for CNY REP. KATKO from COVER controlled substance analogues. Analogues are drugs comparable to those already on schedules one through five, in that they act like, look like or are intended to have the same effect. With the passage of this legislation, the attorney general would have the power to add a synthetic analogue known to have a deadly chemical to the Schedule A list, making it temporarily illegal. It also provides for up to five years of research to be done on the drug, after which the drug can be added to other schedules if needed. Teresa Woolson, the founder of the VOW Foundation in Oswego County and advocate for opioid awareness, said the SITSA Act would do a tremendous amount of good. Woolson said when it comes to opioids,“ it’s the sale, the manufacturing, the distribution that is killing people.” Woolson lost her son, Victor, for whom her foundation is named after, to synthetic marijuana in 2012. She said had this drug been on the schedule A list, more lives could have been saved, including her son's. Woolson said one of the biggest obstacles in fighting the opioid epidemic is educating people. “Understanding and educating the legislators that need to know this, so that they can vote on this with all the information, that’s just the biggest thing,” Woolson said. “I’ve been to Albany and Washington. I haven’t gone on this particular bill, but I’ve gone in the past, and any time I meet with these legislators they’ll say things like, ‘Oh I thought this wasn’t a problem anymore’ or ‘Oh this is still an issue?’ or ‘Oh it’s not affect-

ing you know, my group,’ they’re passing over it as not important." Sen. Charles Schumer recently announced a new drug task force to combat the heroin and opioid problem in New York state, according to a press release. The news comes after Schumer received money from last year’s budget bill, which he used to form Drug Enforcement Administration heroin enforcement teams. The teams will also be sent to Charleston, Cleveland, Cincinnati, New Bedford and Raleigh. Schumer said the help from the DEA is much needed. “New York is getting an A-Team to help tackle the heroin and fentanyl epidemic, and it couldn’t come soon enough,” Schumer said in the press release. “I helped deliver the funds the DEA needed to create these teams because we are in urgent need of help, and a special heroin enforcement team will lend a major hand in the fight to end the opioid scourge.” Since 1999, opioid-related deaths, which include both prescription opioids and heroin, have quadrupled, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Oswego City, Mayor Billy Barlow is taking a different route to tackle what he said are two related problems. Barlow is looking to combat the poverty issues the city faces, which he said goes in hand with drug abuse. According to a 2017 Oswego Needs Assessment, 29 percent of people live in poverty. Recently, a request for proposal to find options the city can use to solve the poverty crisis was sent, Barlow said. There are four main aspects specifically

Barlow said the city wants to make better. These include child care, housing, transportation and implementing a service to provide people with the skills they need to find and maintain a job. Barlow said if these four critical areas are improved ,then the poverty situation will be better and therefore impact the drug problem in the city as well. “I think if we provide these programs that encourage people to find work, to stay in work, then they’re probably less likely to get in trouble, and I’m not just talking about drugs, I’m talking about generally speaking,” Barlow said. Another local Oswego resident Cori Welch started an addiction awareness group with another mother, Amy Pelow. The group is meant to provide a safe space for those addicted to or know someone struggling with addiction to talk openly, Welch said. Welch said there are many reasons for the opioid epidemic, from people using because of "emotional anguish," to getting addicted to opioid prescriptions because of medical issues. She said that one thing is for sure: this problem affects everyone. “I wish I had a solid answer to what needs to be done to fight this crisis,” Welch said. “Somehow, we need to be able to stop the drugs from coming into our country. We need to educate, starting at an early age, and not just for a year or two, it needs to continue. The public needs to know that this can affect anyone. There [are] no boundaries. The drugs do not care if someone is rich, poor, black, white or purple, educated, or not, or how well someone is raised. We need more access to treatment programs at a quicker pace.”

OPINION FUTURE OF BITCOIN

B5 Photo Provided By AIR FORCE ONE via flickr

VOLUME LXXXXIII ISSUE XVVI

Scoville’s Sentiments: SUNYAC Playoff Prediction

• www.oswegonian.com

SPORTS THE OSWEGONIAN

SPORTS FAB FRESHMEN

B4 Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

Two of Div. III men’s hockey’s best meet again No. 5/7 Oswego State, No. 6/7 SUNY Geneseo battle for edge in SUNYAC Friday night

Ryan Zalduondo Asst. Sports Editor rzaldundo@oswegonian.com

Luke Scoville Sports Editor lscoville@oswegonian.com

No. 1 SUNY Cortland Last season finish: SUNYAC First Round

SUNY Cortland returns a large portion of their roster, including two of their top scorers from last season in, James Morales, Justin Cooper. The duo of scoring from Morales and Cooper combined for 32.2 points per game. The Red Dragons lost in the first round of the SUNYAC Championships 61-59 to Buffalo State and we could possibly see them once again in this year’s tournament.

No. 2 Buffalo State

Last season finish: SUNYAC Semifinal Similar to SUNY Cortland, Buffalo State returns a good chunk of last year’s roster that, despite finishing 6th in the regular season standings, gave every team a headache to play against. Mike Henry returns, who scored 15.3 points per game for the Bengals. Sophomore Sir. Quintin Campbell received SUNYAC honors this week, as he was named Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.

No. 3 Plattsburgh State

Last season finish: Missed Playoffs Seniors Eli Bryant and Eric Mack combined for 28.7 points per game last season and are on a mission this season after just missing the playoffs at No. 7 in the SUNYAC standings. Notable wins last season for the Cardinals include sweeping SUNYAC runner-up SUNY Oneonta and a road win over SUNY Geneseo. Even though they dropped both contests to Oswego State, those losses combined for a 3-point differential. Outside of the Lakers, the Cardinals are the only other SUNYAC team to receive votes in the D3basketball. com preseason poll.

No. 4 Oswego State Last season finish: SUNYAC Champions

Even with the rough start and big loss of scoring production from last year’s senior class, the Lakers still bring back a good core from last season’s championship team. Seniors Ian Schupp and Jamir Ferebee are two of head coach Jason Leone’s favorite options. Tyler Pierre, when aggressive with his shot selection at the center position, has shown to put up big numbers with his rebounding ability on offense and defense. The Lakers still will need their potential unsung heroes Liam Sanborn and Tim Marshall to produce all season if they expect be back in the SUNYAC running.

No. 5 The College at Brockport Last season finish: SUNYAC Semifinal

Besides the return of last season and this season’s leading scorer senior Hamed Shamseldin, there were questions going into the season with who would be his sidekicks. The Golden Eagles have answered questions early with their 3-1 start, including an 89-83 win over No. 19 in the nation Hobart College. The trio of Justin Summers, Josh Nelson and Tyler Collins have opened the floor for the offense as they combine for nearly 35 points per game. They come in as the hottest team in SUNYAC with their current three-game win streak and a team to look at all season.

No. 6 SUNY Oneonta Last season finish: SUNYAC Runner-up

The other Red Dragons of SUNYAC lost two of the best players in the conference last season, but are off to a 3-1 start. With four players averaging double figures for SUNY Oneonta, their doubt of depth this season has been diminished. Dwayne Freeman and Matthew Boyd both expected to carry the load for the Red Dragons as they look to avenge losing in last year’s SUNYAC Championship.

In their first game off Thanksgiving break, the No. 5/7 Oswego State Lakers will have to face one of their toughest tests so far in the 2017-18 campaign with a road contest against conference rival No. 7/6 SUNY Geneseo at the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena. The break came at a good time for the Lakers, who are riding a four-game win streak, including two spirited conference wins on home ice during their last weekend of play against Buffalo State and SUNY Fredonia. “I think mentally for us heading into the last two weeks of school with papers and finals, that this break usually comes at a good time for us,” Oswego State head coach Ed Gosek said. The Lakers’ win over SUNY Fredonia was an emotional one, being down 3-1 and coming back to win 5-3. Coincidentally, this win mirrored a win that Oswego State had last season at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena against SUNY Geneseo. Following that win that put the Lakers at a record of 5-0-0, they rattled off five more consecutive wins on their way to being voted the top team in the country in both the USCHO.com and D3hockey.com polls. For the Lakers, they can only hope to replicate the results they found after the win over SUNY Geneseo. Oswego State has a similar scenario from earlier this season to draw experience from for their contest against the Ice Knights, with their 2-1 overtime loss on the road against the then-No. 9/10 Hobart College Statemen on Oct. 29. “There are a lot of things we have been trying to get better at,” Gosek said. “Repetition and developing good habits are the things we’re practicing. Our mentality is to get better each and every shift.” On the opposite side of the ice, SUNY Geneseo did not enjoy the same Thanksgiving break the Lakers did, with a road contest last weekend against Elmira College, who scored three unanswered goals to hand the Ice Knight’s their second loss of the season. The 7-2-0 Ice Knights are leading the SUNYAC with 10 points, four more than the Lakers. SUNY Geneseo has been the most sta-

Greg Tavani | The Oswegonian Cameron Berry (10) controls the puck around the net in the Lakers’ 3-2 win over SUNY Canton on Nov. 11. Berry scored in this game in the third period.

tistically impressive team in the conference heading into this weekend, leading in goals (39), assists (73), goals per game (4.33), goals against average (1.89) and save percentage (.925). Their two losses have come to inferior opponents, falling to teams who both have winning percentages below .500 in the Soaring Eagles and SUNY Fredonia. Something to note, however, is that both of these losses came away from the Ira. S. Wilson Ice Arena. On home ice, SUNY Geneseo has compiled a record of 5-0-0, including impressive wins over then-No. 13/14 Plattsburgh State and Buffalo State. In those five games, the Ice Knights have outscored their opponents by a to-

tal of 24-8 and did not allow more than two goals in any of those contests. The Lakers have only had two road games so far this season, the aforementioned loss to Hobart College and a win over SUNY Cortland. Oswego State tallied three goals against a weak SUNY Cortland team, but have yet to prove they can control a game on the road with limited opportunities. The two games these teams played against each other last season were both intense, high-scoring affairs that saw Oswego State come away with a win and a tie that helped them finish with the best record in the conference. The first game in Oswego was the 3-1

comeback that saw the Lakers win 5-3, while the second game featured the Ice Knights jump out to a 5-0 lead before Oswego State stormed back with five unanswered goals to send the game to an overtime period that resulted in a tie. Both teams saw major turnover in the offseason, but remain two of the most talented teams in the SUNYAC. “It’s all about our preparation,” Gosek said. “They’re a talented team, and I expect them to play well.” Both teams will attempt to gather two important conference points before the Lakers head back home on Saturday to take on The College at Brockport, while SUNY Geneseo hits the road for a contest against SUNY Cortland.

Men’s basketball point guard arrested; status with team looms Lakers seek new start, hope to shake off 1-3 record with trip down to Cortland Saturday Luke Scoville Sports Editor lscoville@oswegonian.com After speculation on the status oftransfer Romero Collier, it was discovered he was arrested on Oswego State campus and charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor charge, according to Oswego County Today. Collier allegedly entered an Oneida Hall resident’s room and forcibly stole a laptop on Nov. 17, the night before men’s basketball season opener in Elmira, New York. Oswego State Athletics Department released a temporary statement on the matter. “Due to the ongoing investigation, we cannot comment at this time,” the release read. Collier was projected to be the team’s starting point guard and play a significant role for the team this season. As the Lakers move on for now with their play on the court, Oswego State so far this season has not gotten off on the right foot. Their 79-69 loss to Nazareth College Tuesday night dropped them to a 1-3 record. This marks the Lakers’ worst start in the first four games of the season since the year 2000. “I just caution our guys and everybody that follows our team that right now, we’re not at a point where we can only focus on our record,” Leone said. “We’re at the point of the season where we’re fact finding and problem solving. And I think we’ll get there. I’m very confident in my team.” On the road at Nazareth College Tuesday, the Lakers trailed 46-27 at halftime as the Golden Flyers took advantage of what has been a lackadaisical Laker defense. The Lakers indeed found a pulse in the

second half after they cut the deficit to six points with over three minutes remaining, but the rally was too little too late. A start like this is not what Leone envisioned, but he knew this season, after losing three all-conference seniors from last season, would still be a work in progress with this year’s group. “The analogy I would give you is they’re used to sitting at the little kids’ table at Thanksgiving, and now, they’re sitting at the adult table, and there’s a lot more responsibility,” Leone said. “Our guys understand that. There’s acknowledgement there, and that’s the first step.” With the sluggish start behind them, they shift their focus toward “a new season,” as SUNYAC play starts Saturday with another road game at SUNY Cortland. The Red Dragons are not going to make it easy for the Lakers, as they are expected to be a top team in the conference with returning star players from last season. SUNY Cortland captains Justin Cooper, who was named First Team All-SUNYAC , and James Morales, named Third Team All-SUNYAC, headline their attack, with other returners such as Nicky Bonura benefitting the veteran group. “The reality is we have to do something about this,” Leone said. “We have to display a little more grit, a little more toughness, which we have in us. It’s just a matter of bringing that out.” Being victims of hot shooting performances from Elmira and Nazareth College, Leone emphasized and acknowledged their struggles on the defensive end. Opponents are shooting 48 percent from the field and 50 percent from the 3-point line against the Lakers. The Lakers still have had some bright spots. Senior Jamir Ferebee is averaging

19.8 points per game, which has come as no surprise for the second-year player who reached the 1,000-point mark for his collegiate career a few weeks ago in their opening weekend. “[Ferebee] is in a more prominent role. We modified some things offensively to fit his game,” Leone said. “He’s a very efficient player. It doesn’t take him a lot of shots to get his points.” Freshman Liam Sanborn has stepped in the starting point guard position with the unknown status of junior-transfer Collier. Given that role on short notice, Sanborn did not shy away from being aggressive in his first collegiate games, as he is currently second on the team in scoring. “When I knew I was starting, coach told me I only play good when I’m aggressive,” Sanborn confessed. “I’m shaky when I try to do too much and pass up my shots and start playing bad.”

Center Tyler Pierre has also been reliable for the Lakers, but has not been getting too many touches down low. Leone believes his hot start in the opening weekend influenced teams to game plan taking away his touches. “[Pierre] is a warrior. I’m so proud of the way he has improved,” Leone said. “Yes, we have to get him more touches, and hopefully, that will happen on Saturday.” Since Leone has taken over, the Lakers and Red Dragons have had plenty back-and-forth clashes and familiarity. In that span since 2011, Oswego State is 9-7 against the Red Dragons, which includes four SUNYAC playoff matchups, three of those being in the title game. “Our guys know that the two of us have probably been two of the most successful teams during my tenure here in the league,” Leone said. “I’m very confident my guys will choose the latter and we’re going to come out swinging.”

Katherine Zenteno | The Oswegonian Ian Schupp (1) and Ferebee (4) so far this season have combined for over 30 points per game.

Shore Report

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

SUNYAC Standings

Men's Hockey

Overall

Conference

Oswego Scoreboard

Women's Hockey

Points

Saturday, Nov. 25

Geneseo

7-2-0

5-1-0

Oswego State Brockport Fredonia

5-1-0

3-0-0

5-3-1

2-1-1

4-4-1

2-2-0

OSW:

Padden: 4 shots Samonek: 21 saves

4-4-0

2-3-0

6-1-1

2-1-0

WIL:

Brustad: 3 goals Loraas: 2 goals Cleroux: 28 saves

5-3-1

1-2-1

3-6-0

1-4-0

2-6-3

1-5-0

Plattsburgh Potsdam Buffalo State Cortland Morrisville

Men's Basketball

Overall

Brockport Buffalo State Cortland Fredonia Geneseo New Paltz Oneonta Oswego State Plattsburgh Potsdam

3-1 3-1 3-1 1-4 2-2 1-3

Women's Basketball

3-1 1-3 1-2 3-1 Overall

Brockport Buffalo State Cortland Fredonia Geneseo New Paltz Oneonta Oswego State Plattsburgh Potsdam

W3 W3

2-3 0-3 1-4 4-1 2-2 4-1 2-4

Women's Hockey (NEWHL)

0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 Conference

L1 L1 L1

0-0 0-0

0-0

0-0 0-0 0-0

Points

6-2-0

4-0-0

4-6-0

4-2-0

5-2-1

1-2-1

2-4-2

1-4-1

3-6-0

1-3-0

Plattsburgh Buffalo State Potsdam Cortland Oswego State

GEN: (7-2-0, 5-1-0) ELM: (4-5-1, 2-3-1)

BPT: (5-3-1, 2-1-1) CAS: (4-5-0, 1-5-0)

Sunday, Nov. 26

CAN: (2-5-0, N/A) FRE: (4-4-1, 2-2-0)

Men's basketball vs. Nazareth Golden Flyers Nov. 12, 2017

Chambers: 20 points, 8 rebounds Conoway: 6 points, 4 rebounds

OSW:

Green: 14 points Burgio: 14 points, 10 rebounds Stenglein: 10 points, 10 rebounds

Women's Hockey Friday, Dec. 1 @ 7:00 p.m.

OSW: (5-1-0, 3-0-0) GEN: (7-2-0, 5-1-0)

COR: (2-4-2, 1-4-1) OSW: (3-6-0, 1-3-0)

Men's Swimming & Diving

Women's Swimming & Diving

TBD

Friday, Dec. 1

OSW: (5-1) HAM: (1-1)

Jamir Ferebee

Tuesday, Nov. 28

Laker Athletes of the Week

Men's Hockey

Men's Basketball

CAN:

OSW: (6-0) HAM: (1-1)

Men's Hockey

WIL:

Quigley: 1 goal, 1 assist Brustad: 1 goal, 1 assist Clerouz: 33 saves

Ferabee: 22 points, 3 steals Schupp: 11 points, 6 rebounds

Friday, Dec. 1

Men's Hockey Saturday, Nov. 25

Czerwinski: 1 goal Ditonto: 29 saves

OSW:

7:00 p.m.

Around the SUNYAC Saturday, Nov. 25

OSW:

Ameele: 19 points, 6 steals Gantley: 11 points, 4 steals Winshausen: 7 points, 11 rebounds

L3 L2

Overall

OSW:

Friday, Dec. 1

L1 L1

0-0 Conference

Men's Hockey

L2 W1 L3

Sunday, Nov. 26

Upcoming Matches

L1 W1 L1 W1 L1 Streak

0-0

0-3 1-3

Women's Hockey

Monday, Nov. 27

Streak

0-0 0-0

Women's Basketball

Conference

2-2

Courtney Ameele

Men's Basketball Junior | Staten Island

Women's Basketball Senior | Palmyra

Ferebee delivered the best performance of his Oswego State career during the Lakers' Nov. 21 win over Clarkson University with a team-leading 24 points. In addition to hitting five of 11 shots from the field, the Staten Island native hit all 11 of his free throw attempts. Ferebee also led the team in rebounds with seven, minutes with 38 and assists with three. The junior's 24 points were the most he has recorded since transferring to Oswego State at the onset of last season.

In the Lakers' contest against Nazareth College, Ameele paced the team with 23 points on 8-17 shooting from the floor, which was two short of her career high. In addition to leading the team in points, she also led the minutes played category with 36 and tied for the team high in steals with one. Her six defensive rebounds were good for second on the team, as were her two assists. Ameele's 23 points accounted for over 62 percent of the teams points in the 66-37 loss.

FINAL

Team

Individual

27 42 69

FG %: 40.4 Fouls: 20 Assists: 8 Rebounds: 40 Turnovers: 13

Points: Ferebee- 22 Assists: Schupp- 3 Rebounds: Pierre- 10 Minutes: Pierre- 32 Turnovers: Ferebee- 2

46 33 79

FG %: 48.3 Fouls: 21 Assists: 17 Rebounds: 36 Turnovers: 11

Points: Green- 16 Assists: Stenglein: 8 Rebounds: Stenglein- 10 Minutes: Burgio- 36 Turnovers: Burgio- 4

SPORTS

FRIDAY, September 10, 2010

Each week, The Oswegonian Sports beat writers give you their thoughts on each team's upcoming weekend schedule.

Men'sBasketballatSUNYCortland

Luke Scoville Sports Editor lscoville@oswegonian.com

Ryan Zalduondo Asst. Sports Editor rzalduondo@oswegonian.com

After a disappointing start, Oswego State men’s basketball looks to rebound with SUNYAC play beginning this weekend at SUNY Cortland. It does not get much easier for the Lakers, as they face a dangerous Red Dragons team that returns reliable options from last season. The Lakers have good options of their own with upperclassmen like Jamir Ferebee, Ian Schupp and Tyler Pierre. Starting point guard Liam Sanborn has also done well in his freshman season, currently second on the team in scoring and minutes played. Tuesday night, the Lakers traveled to Nazareth College and struggled from the start as the Golden Flyers held a 46-27 lead at halftime. The Lakers did show life in the second half and cut the large deficit to just six points with over three minutes remaining after sophomore Tim Marshall caught fire. The Laker rally would come up short 79-69, but they still have plenty to build off of. For SUNY Cortland, they come off a loss themselves on Tuesday night to Ithaca College 86-84 after defeating their nonconference rival the previous week 70-66. The Red Dragons feature a veteran attack with captains James Morales and Justin Cooper, as well as Nick Bonura, who averages 16.3 points per game so far this season. Oswego State has played all of their games on the road so far, which can benefit them in this matchup. Although, with their tendencies so far of struggling on both ends of the floor in the first half, expect SUNY Cortland to pull off this one at home 86-80.

On Dec. 1, No. 5/7 Oswego State will face one of the toughest opponents they will see all season on the road against the No. 7/6 SUNY Geneseo Ice Knights. The Lakers are riding high off their 5-3 comeback win over SUNY Fredonia prior to Thanksgiving break and will have refreshed legs after two difficult wins over strong conference opponents. The Ice Knights are coming off a disappointing loss against an unranked Elmira College team that saw them allow three unanswered goals. Historically, these two SUNYAC powerhouses have had nothing but wild, high-scoring games when playing at the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena, and that should remain true this weekend. The most intruiging story to watch in this game is the coaching battle between Ed Gosek and Chris Schultz, two of the most accomplished coaches in the conference who have had countless memorable games against one another. In this contest between two of the most talented Div. III teams in the country, Oswego State should be given the edge because the experience Ed Gosek has in meaningful games, even on the road.

Ryan Zalduondo | The Oswegonian

The No. 5 Oswego State Lakers head into this weekend’s set of games on a four-game winning streak. This past week, the Lakers defeated Buffalo State and SUNY Fredonia at home in statement victories as SUNYAC play continues. This weekend, the Lakers will face the toughest test of their young season on the road against SUNY Geneseo. The Ice Knights are 7-2 this season, but are coming off a loss to Elmira College last Saturday. The Ice Knight's offense has been on fire this season, averaging over four goals a game. The Lakers goaltender will have a tough task ahead of him Friday night. Josh Zizek and the Lakers will have to put up their best offensive performance of the year when they face Geneseo. This is something the Lakers can do, as shown in last week’s games. The Lakers scored four goals against Buffalo State and five against SUNY Fredonia. Friday’s matchup between the SUNYAC’s best teams will most likely be a shootout and one in which Oswego State can prevail. Lakers win 6-5 in overtime.

Cole Parzych Editor-in-Chief cparzych@oswegonian.com Oswego State heads into the old barn of SUNY Geneseo, adding another game to the long list of contests between these two SUNYAC powerhouses Friday. SUNY Geneseo has two losses on the year to date, but both of those came when they were not playing in front of the lively crowd at Wilson Ice Arena. Oswego State was trampled out of the gates in the Jan. 21 meeting at SUNY Geneseo. They were able adjust and rattle off five unanswered goals in the final 27:08 of regulation time and eventually tie SUNY Geneseo. It is well known by now, but the Lakers do not have that same goal-scoring prowess they had in their holster a season ago. All five goals were scored by graduating seniors, and the only assist that was tallied by someone other than the class of 2017 was the defensive-minded Devin Campbell. One cannot expect too much offensive output from him, especially against a team that ranks first in the conference in goals for and against per game in the SUNYAC. Oswego State’s play in its own end has been the key factor in the 5-1-0 record the Lakers now sport. Even with David Richer and his 2.00 SUNYAC-leading goals against average starting in net, the Lakers’ re-worked offense does not match up well enough with the numerous weapons the Ice Knights have, including Conlan Keenan and his 31 goals in 36 career games.

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Each week, The Oswegonian Sports beat writers give you their thoughts on each team's upcoming weekend schedule.

Men's Hockey at SUNY Geneseo

Joe Porpora Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com

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THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

Ryan Zalduondo Asst. Sports Editor rzalduondo@oswegonian.com Tragedy, failure and heartbreak have been defining characteristics in molding the highly successful 12-year tenure of Chris Schultz as the head coach for the SUNY Geneseo men’s hockey program. Since being hired as the head coach prior to the start of the 200607 season, Schultz has led the Ice Knights to their most successful era in program history. Compiling two Frozen Four appearances, a SUNYAC title and the third most conference wins in that span, there is no question SUNY Geneseo has become one of the top Div. III men’s hockey programs in the country. “Initially, I wasn’t sure if I even wanted the job,” Schultz said. “But they offered it, and after talking it over with my girlfriend at the time, now my wife, I took it.” There have been three major events that have shaped Schultz’s tenure starting with their first run to the Frozen Four at the end of the 201314 season. On their road to being one of the four teams remaining in the NCAA tournament, a heartbreaking loss gave Schultz an added motivation tool to propel his team to heights they had never seen before. “It was one of the most extraordinary events you’ll ever see in college hockey,” Schultz said. The Ice Knights hosted Oswego State on March 8, 2014, for the SUNYAC championship, and the Lakers won by a score of 7-6 after scoring the winning goal with just 29 seconds

remaining. “Sometimes, if those losses come at the right time, it can be beneficial,” said Oswego State men’s hockey coach Ed Gosek. “That loss gave them their second chance.” SUNY Geneseo came off the heartbreaking loss to Oswego State and rattled off three straight wins until they fell 6-2 to St. Norbert College in the national semifinals. Though Schultz and his team fell short of their goal of winning the national championship that year, they learned valuable lessons that they would carry with them through tumultuous times over the coming seasons. On Jan. 17, 2016, Schultz would experience the most difficult event of his professional career following the murder of Matt Hutchinson, a senior defenseman. “It was a life-changing event,” Schultz said. “I didn’t know how the team was going to be, I didn’t know how I was going to be.” Following the shocking tragedy, the responsibilities for Schultz expanded from coaching to managing the emotions of his team and members of the SUNY Geneseo community. “I didn’t care about wins and losses at that point,” Schultz said. “We just wanted to win for Hutch.” Schultz’s composure through the weeks following the event garnered praise from his friendly rival, Gosek. “I can’t imagine,” Gosek said. “Having to manage the grief and manage everyone else’s grief being the leader of the program. It isn’t until you’re sitting around one day by yourself, and it all hits you.” In what could have been an easy

situation for Schultz and his team to fold on the season and lose sight of hockey, they rallied to go on a historic run. “We went on quite the run after he passed away,” Schultz said. “The boys just wanted to win for Hutch. They were so caring and passionate, and they would have done anything to make it right for him.” The Ice Knights would win their first SUNYAC title since the 200506 season and reach their second Frozen Four in three seasons, which was the most successful season in program history. “It’s fun getting to the top of the mountain, but it's extremely difficult to stay there,” Gosek said. “For [Schultz] to do that, it’s impressive.” Beyond his reputation as a great coach, Schultz has also developed a reputation as a great person among his SUNYAC coaching colleagues. Oswego State assistant coach Jon Whitelaw, a former Laker, was recruited by Schultz and talked about how the SUNY Geneseo coach has helped him. “He’s always been great with me,” Whitelaw said. “I know he’s done a great job over there. They’ve had some great success, brought in some great classes and made it to some Frozen Fours.” In a span of a few years that has seen more heartbreak than most programs see in decades, Schultz and his team have risen beyond the trouble and established themselves as a national power. Behind the veteran coach’s leadership, the SUNY Geneseo men’s hockey team is in a position to achieve success for years to come.

Women'sHockeyatSUNYCortland

Ben Grieco Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State women’s ice hockey team has had its fair share of struggles in the past couple of weekends. The team is going on four straight losses, most recently against Williams College on Nov. 25 and 26. In the latter game, the team lost 7-1, once again proving the scoring woes the team has faced throughout the season. After the most recent loss, the team is now averaging 1.6 goals per game with a 5.1 shooting percentage. In the goal crease, the Lakers’ Mariah Madrigal has missed three straight games after an injury suffered in the first game against Plattsburgh State on Nov. 18. Oswego State lost the game 4-0, after Amber Samonek replaced Madrigal. Both Samonek and Mikaela Ditonto received ice time in the weekend series against Williams College. In order to get back to the success that the Lakers had last season in the ECAC Women's West, they cannot rely on their goaltending to bail them out when their scoring is lower than average. Despite losing three of their top five scorers, replacements found their way to Oswego State. Olivia Ellis returned, along with additions of Emma Morisette and Jean-Marie Padden, both freshmen who have stepped up early. The Lakers face SUNY Cortland on Dec. 1 and 2 in another NEWHL weekend series. The Red Dragons are 2-4-2. Oswego State will have to take advantage of a team in a similar position as them to gain momentum heading into the winter break before the spring semester.

SPORTS B4 Campus Recreation Report: Strong freshman class abiding by leaders THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

Basketball, floor hockey closes Austin Tanner Contributing Writer sports@oswegonian.com Over the course of this semester, the intramural sports leagues have been filled with both intense competition and great sportsmanship. All of this was really displayed in the playoffs. The final leagues of the semester are officially over, with champions crowned in floor hockey, and basketball playoffs as the season comes to a close. Both the men’s competitive and the co-rec floor hockey leagues were the first to crown their champions after incredible seasons. In the men’s competitive bracket, No. 1 seed The Bueller Boys, made it all the way to the championship game and put their undefeated season on the line against No. 2 seed The Mighty Geese. Heading into the final game, The Bueller Boys had beaten their previous two opponents by six goals or more, while The Mighty Geese just barely slid past their opponents, winning by no more than three goals. It was a close-fought championship for each of the teams, but only one could come out on top. In the end, The Mighty Geese won the championship 6-5, ending The Bueller Boys’ undefeated season. In the co-rec recreational floor hockey league, another undefeated season was on the line as The Ugly Pucklings took on the Fussy Puckers. In their semifinal game, The Fussy Puckers barely came out on top with a 6-5 win over Fhock Wit Cha Boi. The championship game was a whole new beast, as The Ugly Pucklings showcased why they were the top team all season. Playing with enormous amounts

of dedication and sportsmanship in the game, The Ugly Pucklings took the championship 10-3 and ended their season with a 5-0 record. The co-rec competitive basketball came to a close, as No. 1 seed and undefeated The Ball Slappers took on No. 2 seed Hoopmixtape Co. Hoopmixtape Co. came to play in this one, leading the top-seeded Ball Slappers 27-21 at the half, but The Ball Slappers put up a good fight in the second half, coming back within three points down the stretch. In the end, the underdog would prevail, and Hoopmixtape Co. held onto their lead to win the co-rec competitive title by a score of 50-46. In the men’s competitive basketball League, the 20-Team playoff bracket has whittled down to the final four, including top-seeded Days in the East: Vol 3 taking on No. 4 seed Team Cyclones, and the surprise No. 7 seed We goin to the Ship taking on No. 3 seed Gaza Genocide. Despite defeating a tough No. 2 seed, Gaza Genocide was not intimidated by We goin to the Ship in their semifinal matchup. Gaza Genocide led 37-21 at halftime, led by their big man, Omar Service, who put his height to his advantage under the basket. In the end, Gaza Genocide came out on top 75-40. In the second semi final game, Days in the East: Vol 3 put their undefeated season on the line against Team Cyclones. It was a close game in the beginning as Team Cyclones led Days in the East: Vol 3 38-37 going into halftime. Days in the East: Vol 3 quickly turned their game around in the second half, and came out on top 72-64 to advance to the championship game against Gaza Genocide.

Photo Provided by Mic-Anthony Hay The Mighty Geese claimed the men’s competitive championship with a 6-5 victory over The Bueller Boys.

Lakers’ recent skid serves as learning experience in uprising scorers Ben Grieco Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State women’s ice hockey team saw a large recruiting class last season bringing in nine freshmen for the 2016-2017. Former Laker Jacquelin White was third on the team with 28 points and led the team in goals with 15. White was the only one of the nine to leave Oswego State, leaving the Lakers with her twin sister, Julieann White. This season, head coach Diane Dillon had the same mindset. She brought in seven freshmen, four of which having at least one goal, with Jean-Marie Padden notching a second goal as well. Emma Morisette leads all rookies with four points on the season. Besides Dillon, assistant coach Greg Haney always has a key part in the recruiting process. He and Dillon tend to split the process and this is his favorite part of the sport, getting to know the players and hoping they get to continue their passion for hockey at Oswego State, according to Haney. Both coaches said they have gotten what they expected out of these young players. “We knew they were going to show up every day, and they were going to be in good shape,” Haney said. “They have a great attitude and want to win some hockey games. They’re doing good in the classroom, so I think that’s slowly starting to trickle over.” From a majority of the freshman class, they primarily look up to seniors Olivia Ellis and Andrea Noss. Ellis was named captain this season and she also leads the team, along with Kate Randazzo, with six points. Despite an early injury, Noss has been a key player in the faceoff circle. “[Ellis] is our captain, and she’s a really good leader,” Leah Czerwinski said. “I think she’s someone everyone looks up to.” Dillon is hoping that the previous losses against Plattsburgh State and Williams College help teach the freshman class. The team faced three shutouts, along with a 7-1 loss against Williams College on Nov. 26. The Lakers lost 4-0 to the Cardinals twice, and the first game against the Ephs was a 5-0 loss. “One of the things we shared with the team is that we book challenging non-conference games on purpose. We have to be able to play with the better teams and different styles,” Dillon said. “I think for the freshmen, it was an eye-opener. It was pretty much a reality check of how much harder we have to work.” In the 7-1 loss, Czerwinski had the lone goal late in the second period against Williams College, after five straight goals from the Ephs. Morisette and Julieann White both had assists on the goal. “It was fun for her to get her first goal,

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian Senior Andrea Noss (24) embraces freshman Marrie-Padden (12) in Lakers 3-0 win over Buffalo State on Nov. 11.

They’re looking at the leadership of the team, trying to find direction in terms of what to do. What do we do after a tough road trip? It’ll be interesting to see how things go right after the weekend.” -Diane Dillon women's hockey head coach

first and foremost,” Dillon said. “It was an effort goal. She got to a rebound and buried it. I think that’s her style of play. She’s kind of following in the footsteps of our captain. They’re sort of cut out of the same mold, in terms of their approach to the game.” Earlier in the season, Dillon gave Padden a little more free reign in her offensive play to get used to the collegiate level style of play. However, she stated that the freedom might be pulled back a little now, in order to change general things on the team. “We were just letting her find her way, offensively, letting her work with the puck a little bit,” Dillon said. “We’re looking to possibly make some new combinations on lines to get a spark some place.” After the lull the Lakers have faced the past couple weekends, both Padden and Czerwinski agreed that they did not play their best. But they are looking forward to the conference games against

SUNY Cortland. “It can only go up from there. We’ve just got to keep working hard,” Czerwinski said. “We have two games this weekend, so hopefully we can sweep and get a good start when we come back from break.” All seven of the freshmen this season have gotten some ice time so far this season. Dillon believes they are all starting to know what the expectations are for both the game and the team. “They’re looking at the leadership of the team, trying to find direction in terms of what to do,” Dillon said. “What do we do after a tough road trip? It’ll be interesting to see how things go right after the weekend.” Dillon also expects big things from her freshman class over the next three years in their Laker careers. She believes both the defensemen and forwards have potential to be great in the upcoming seasons. “I think overall, they’re going to be a very seasoned sophomore group, and that only bodes well for the future,” Dillon said. “Being this young of a team and having that much time to play together each year should make this team stronger, and that’s what we’re hoping for.” The Oswego State Lakers take on the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons on Dec. 1 and 2. The Red Dragons are currently 2-4-2 on the season, after coming off of two conference losses against Buffalo State. The Lakers split the weekend against the Bengals earlier in November. The first game of the weekend matchup will be played at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena at 7 p.m. The second game will be played at Cortland with a 2 p.m. puck drop.

Cuomo prescribes ineffective treatment for opioid crisis

OPINION

Photo provided by The United States Marine Corps via Wikimedia Commons

Michael Reilly Circulation Director mreilly@oswegonian.com The opioid epidemic in this country has claimed the lives of enough people already. Now it is time to put a stop to the frequent abuse of perscription painkillers. Due to the unfortunate opioid crisis throughout the country, New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo has decided to put an emphasis on the dangers of the drug fentanyl by raising awareness. This effort involves adding $3 million more to an already $1.3 million anti-opioid public education campaign. The money being used for the campaign, known as “Hidden Fentanyl Kills,” will go toward advertisements and information cards that can be seen everywhere from social media to buses. The point of the ads is to stress the danger of the drug, prevention tips and guidance on how to respond to an overdose. One thing that people are unsure of is how much of an impact this will actually have on the prevention of fentanyl abuse. It is a lot of money to spend spreading a message many are already aware of. It is known that fentanyl and all opioid-based drugs are very dangerous. This is almost reminiscent of cigarette packs containing a warning label that says smoking can cause cancer. The campaign can certainly have a huge impact on raising awareness of the dangers of the drug, but it will not

necessarily stop people from using opioids, especially since the way many are introduced to these harmful substances in the first place is by being prescribed them by their doctors. An action the state should consider is a replacement of opioid-based prescription medicines with substances that are providing positive results elsewhere. According to an article in The Washington Post, a study done by the American Journal of Public Health has shown that the legalization of marijuana has resulted in a decrease in opioid overdose deaths. Another study done by the National Academies of Science, Medicine and Engineering has concluded that marijuana is very effective in treating chronic pain in adults. Another benefit of marijuana in contrast to opioids: it is not nearly as addicting, although it can be habit forming. There also is no known lethal dose, meaning an individual could not consume a large enough quantity of marijuana fast enough for an overdose to be possible. The bottom line is Cuomo and the state of New York should reconsider how that aforementioned $3 million should be used to approach its opioid crisis. While it is not a terrible idea, putting more emphasis on spreading a message many are already aware of may not be the best way to go. Taking into consideration the facts found in the studies of marijuana, it seems it would be safer to use the drug that not only shows positive results and does not cause addictions or overdoses rather than one that does.

Bitcoin currency represents future for investors, consumers

Photo provided by Jason Benjamin via flickr People who invested in Bitcoin years ago hope to continue reaping the rewards of the first cryptocurrency.

Bageot Dia Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Bitcoin is finally going mainstream, sort of. Unfortunately, since people did catch on early enough, they would be millionaires by now. Fortunately, people can potentially make up for that. No joke. This is Bitcoin. Bitcoin is the world’s first major cryptocurrency, with a worldwide payment system that works without an administrator pulling the strings. To simplify, it means no banks and no government regulation holding down what people can do with their money. People own the Bitcoin they receive, and with it all nice and snug in their digital coin case, too. Merchants for the currency are on the rise. It is pretty amazing. As an anonymous exchange, international payments are free from subjugation as well. But that is beside the point, because Bitcoin is making strides. Bitcoin made histor y on the inves tment front for surp as s ing the $10,000 mark for the first time in its short existence. Bitcoin was founded in 2009 under the veil of zeros and ones. The guy behind the payment system, Satoshi Nakamoto, is theorized to either be a group of people or one of the richest individuals on the planet, owning at least 1 million Bitcoin with an estimated $10 billion value. People can assume Nakamoto stays anonymous for that reason. But it was not always so difficult to cash in on the digital bread. For most of Bitcoin’s life, it found

itself as the trade route between drug dealers and their customers, helping the dark web relish in illegal activity only complimented further by detestable acts of sexual exploitation. People refrained from mentioning this. That is, until Bitcoin started rising in value earlier this year. Prior to late 2016, Bitcoin was not valued very high. In the first half of 2017, there happened to be a mass exodus of currency, as people sold their Bitcoin in droves, finding sweet deals in the value it provided them, which, according to NASDAQ, ranged at about $2,000 in April per Bitcoin, increasing later. This was nowhere near reminiscent of the older days when 50 Bitcoin got someone a pizza. The money meant something now. It is a pretty sick prospect to consider. Imagine if those numbers keep rising. Currently, the estimated value of one Bitcoin is about $10,444. The sharp spike is estimated to continue, so much so that the banks are getting involved. According to Forbes, there are reports of banks already taking measures to halt Bitcoin’s potential in the global market. China, for example, had banned cryptocurrency exchange outright due to rising Bitcoin usage. It is fairly obvious why big banks and big government would want Bitcoin to suffer, because it means they would save themselves from potential financial fallout. It is difficult to not see the benefits one can reap from Bitcoin as the currency of our new digital age. Why choose to pay silly fees or talk to tellers that clearly hate their jobs to take care of someone’s money? People own all the cash they accumulate through a neat and comfy digital system.

Internet freedom hangs in balance Private companies could soon control what information we access Erin Newell Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

Lawmakers across the country are struggling to deal with prescription pain medication’s addictiveness.

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

One worry among many with Donald Trump’s presidency becoming increasingly pressing is the net neutrality rules. In 2015, millions of people advocated for the Federal Communications Commission to add in net neutrality rules that keep the internet free and open, thus allowing people to share and have access to information of their choice. By having these rules, big cable providers such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Spectrum are not legally able to speed up, slow down or block any websites one would want to use. Net neutrality has been a concept that people do not often think about because it has always been something in place. Trump’s FCC chairman, Ajit Pai, however, wants to change this. Pai wants to abandon Title II, which is what gives internet users the freedom they are accustomed to while on the web, and return to the FCC’s Title I. It is considered to have light, but still regulated, control of the internet. Essentially, Pai would be giving control to the internet companies that had previously violated net neutrality before the FCC had its current rules in 2015. This would have a severe negative impact on internet users, as well as cable companies, in manys ways. One way is that monster companies would be able to block their customers from competitors’ websites or content that they did not like or agree with. Fundamentally, the companies would be able to control who is heard and who is not. Many risks of media con-

glomeration go hand-in-hand with that of net neutrality. The primary disadvantage of conglomeration is that bad or ugly news about parent companies often goes unnoticed because the news stations are owned by that parent company. The same will be true if net neutrality disappears, except this time, it is the internet, so it is even worse. Imagine trying to look up a scandal that was tied to perhaps Verizon and not getting the information needed because all news negatively portraying Verizon is blocked. That is bad for consumers and bad for freedom. Huge companies would be impacted because they would be able to make themselves into even bigger powerhouses

than they already are by further limiting their customers’ choices. O f t e n , m a n y p e o pl e w ho fe e l they do not have a strong voice in society like the LGBTQ community, minority religious groups or people of color use the free internet as a way to reach out to one another. This could all be put to a halt if Pai successfully destroys the net neutrality rules. Clearly, this will have both a strong but likely negative impact on the consumer and make large cable companies even more powerful in society than they already are.

The infamous buffering symbol will become much more familiar if current net neutrality rules disappear.

Merge could corner media market When telecom giants unite, cable monopolies are real possibility Ethan Magram Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com The AT&T and Time Warner merger is dangerous for media consumers and the media industry and shows that companies are not only money-hungry, but are also paying as much as they need to gain control over content. According to Bloomberg News, AT&T Inc. is coming close to finalizing a deal to acquire enter tainment company Time Warner – not to be confused with Time Warner Cable, the satellite cable service – for about $86 billion, which would allow AT&T rights to all Time Warner properties, such as HBO, TBS and TNT, which hosts NBA broadcasts. This acquisition would give AT&T, the nation’s second-largest wireless carrier, complete control over these brands and potentially be able to make them exclusive for AT&T customers. If this happens, AT&T would have leverage over consumers that want to watch “Game of Thrones,” “The Sopranos,” the NBA, “Westworld” and so much more. This deal is incredibly similar to Comcast’s acquisition of NBCUniversal in 2011, one that the Department of Justice had many concerns about with regards to antitrust matters. The DOJ is concerned about this deal too and the fact AT&T could increase prices for Time Warner content or could use an increase in price as leverage over other satellite cable companies that keep their customers by providing Time Warner channels. Consumers, especially non-AT&T customers, should be incredibly concerned about this deal. As of late, the DOJ under Attorney General Jeff Sessions is expected not to block this deal, which would mean that subscribers of other satellite providers may be forced

Photo provided by Luismt94 via Wikimedia Commons Headquartered in Dallas, AT&T is already the world’s largest telecommunications company according to Forbes.

to pay more for their subscriptions, due to AT&T increasing prices for other providers to carry the channels. This acquisition would prove to be incredibly dangerous for consumers, especially since AT&T could favor its own customers or force customers of other satellite or cellular providers to switch to AT&T, giving them a marketplace advantage. This deal proves that content is becoming much more powerful than the means of consuming it. As mobile and internet-enabled devices add to the amount of ways one can watch TV and other media, the way in which one consumes it is becoming much less important. Media companies, such as AT&T, are now realizing that controlling the content and its price can control the consumer and give them an advantage in the marketplace. The days of being forced to have a cable

or satellite subscription with the right price and the right channels is over, and now that media distribution is less black and white, tech conglomerates are moving to have control over a consumers’ favorite TV shows to make the most money. The idea of the content becoming the most important factor to these companies also proves that digital media consumption is becoming the most prevalent medium in today’s world and gives a better picture for the direction in which the media industry is heading. With traditional distribution companies, such as AT&T and Comcast, making moves to acquire entertainment companies, the media industry is obviously looking to distribute to as many consumers as possible in this period where consumers are becoming more unpredictable.

Results from last week’s poll

OPINION OPIATE INITIATIVE

B5 Photo provided by NYS OASAS via flickr

OPINION

VOLUME LXXXXIII ISSUE XVVI • www.oswegonian.com

“Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.”

SPORTS RIVAL COACH SUCCESS

B3 Photo provided by SUNY Geneseo

FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

STAFF EDITORIAL

RESTAURANT CHAIN REACTION

What is your favorite or least favorite Christmas song? “I absolutely love Mariah Carey’s ‘All I want for Christmas is You.’”

Noah Blake broadcasting, junior “My least favorite is ‘I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.’”

What used to be some of America’s favorite restaurants are now beginning to disappear. The push for small business and the stereotypical millennial love for obscure and trendy independent restaurants are putting chain restaurants unfairly out of business. Applebee’s parent company, Dine Equity, signaled its intent to permanently close between 40 to 60 Applebee’s restaurants during the first quarter. Fortune.com predicts the number to be even higher in 2017 with roughly 105 to 135 locations being closed. Applebee’s is not alone. Friendly’s has removed multiple locations, including restaurants in the Capital District area. Chain restaurants on the whole are taking a hit as consumer preference shifts away from the

recognizable favorites. A restaurant should not be judged by how many of them there are. Rather than condemning chains for their success and multiple locations, consumers should appreciate that it offers them a greater chance of visiting a quality eatery no matter where they may be. The issue at hand is not only the increased support for independent restaurants but customer gravitation toward more quick-serve eateries, such as Panera Bread. According to a USA Today article, customers find the quick service and perceived “healthier options” to be more appealing than the once-popular casual, sit-down dining chain restaurants. Chain restaurants not only offer good

IN THE OFFICE

Time to take “Christ” out of Christmas?

Commercialism has replaced religion as reason for season a year in which hyper-sensitivity and political correctness run rampant. One cannot do or say anything without getting a flood of scrutiny about how offensive they are being or how outdated the term they just used is. According to a PEW Research Center survey, about 9 in 10 Americans say they celebrate Christmas. It is safe to say that almost all Americans are celebrating Christmas When one says, “Have a merry Christmas,” they are assuming that the other person celebrates the holiday, which is not a totally absurd assumption to have. They are not saying that Hanukkah is a lesser holiday, or that no family celebrates Kwanzaa. They are simply saying “happy holidays” in their own terms. According to the same PEW survey, 81 percent of non-Christians in the U.S. also celebrate Christmas. How can that be? If they do not follow the religion, how dare they celebrate that holiday? It is the birth of Jesus Christ, our lord and savior, and is to be taken very, very seriously. The truth of it all is that only 51 percent

Chantel Vactor psychology, junior “Favorite has to be ‘Hallelujah.’ Least: “Baby it’s Cold Outside.’”

Rafael Ventura biochemistry, sophomore “I like ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ by Mariah Carey.”

quality food, but are also able to offer a wide variety that will pacify even the pickiest eater in the group. At the end of the meal, it is more likely that the bill will be a little smaller at a chain restaurant. Eateries like Applebee’s and IHOP have been the staple comfort food restaurants for many people. These shifts are causing them to decrease the number of locations they are able to offer. What used to be a simple tradition to drive to your favorite local chain now may turn into a fairly lengthy road trip of an hour or so due to these shutdowns. You do not miss something until it is gone. As these locations close, people are soon going to realize they had taken some of America’s favorite chains for granted.

Dominick Lioto Laker Review Editor dlioto@oswegonian.com “Have a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!” This phrase was coined in 1699 by an English admiral in an informal letter he was writing. Since then, the phrase has been used by millions of Americans to quickly and courteously say, “I hope you have a great holiday season.” It is closing in on the 2017 holiday season,

still look at Christmas as a purely religious date, while 32 percent look at it as more of a cultural holiday. Sure, in technical terms, those people are wrong. But, in the highly commercialized, mega-company that is the United States of America, they are right. Christmas advertisements start months before actual Christmas Day. These companies push their deals onto consumers, and a large number of holiday movies revolve around the concept of Christmas Day with the family. Almost every TV show, whether it is a critically acclaimed drama or a lowbudget comedy, use the holiday as a plot device or just something to simply shake up the program. The way we are today is not the way we were even five years ago. People seem to simply care less about some things, but a lot more about certain things. Like words. If you celebrate something other than Christmas, or nothing at all, and somebody says “merry Christmas,” just take it as a wish for a happy holiday season. It is not meant to wage a war against religious preferences.

Hidden costs in Black Friday deals

Compulsive shopping spoils spirit of giving

Jan Rodriguez public justice, sophomore “Favorite, ‘Dominick the Donkey.’ I Think it’s comical and a twist on classics.”

Lucas Grove philiosphy, junior

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Derek Smith Opinion Editor dsmith@oswegonian.com Many thought the online retail industry’s rapid insertion into our everyday shopping routines would turn Black Friday into a craze of the past. Deal-obsessed shopaholics would no longer need to camp outside Best Buy on Thanksgiving afternoon because a better deal could be delivered right to their door. Though the videos of department store scrums over electronics are entertaining, we thought, at last folks could finally spend more precious minutes with their families because gifts could be purchased from the recliner. Alas, these hopes merely represented our undying trust in technology and our unwillingness to accept an addiction to consumerism. According to Adobe Digital Insights, online shoppers spent nearly 17 percent more money on Black Friday than last year. One might think this meant fewer people rushed to stores and malls. Nope. A data analytics firm, ShopperTrak, found that foot traffic in actual stores decreased less than 1 percent from the same time in 2016. So, while internet shopping on Thanksgiving and Black Friday definitely increased as expected, people were still heading to the malls before the leftovers were cold. These findings present a grim reality for the future of our shopping obsession, phone addiction and family get-togethers. Instead of using internet retail as a reason to stay home, folks are both scrolling through deals

Photo provided by Gridpop via Wikimedia Commons Despite record online sales, department stores still filled up with customers on Black Friday.

Tip of the hat... ◊....to open source teaching materials. ◊....to the Start Now partnership. ◊....to Christmas music.

while spending time with loved ones and still choosing to go to stores. Holiday time would be better spent if only one of these shopping strategies was considered necessary by the shopaholics. If the disappearance of treasured holiday time with friends and family is not enough to convince people to cut down on big box retail shopping for a few days, perhaps the negative effect on local business is. As more and more shoppers flock to giant retailers like Wal-Mart and Amazon, local businesses who cannot afford the same price-slashing luxury are squeezed and the Christmas shopping experience is lost. Christmas giving will no longer be about finding unique items like the

Red Ryder BB Gun that Ralphie spots at Higbee’s in “A Christmas Story.” The supposedly happy season will continue devolving into a months-long, cutthroat competition for expendable gadgets. Christmas shopping is a fun addition to the lights, music and general cheeriness of the most wonderful time of year. Black Friday, for its excitement, has been a fun part of that tradition for some time now. It becomes destructive however, when the thrill of shopping comes at the expense of shared company with friends and family. Christmastime may lose some of its chaos if we resist the temptations of competitive shopping.

◊....to Black Friday mania. ◊....to Gov. Cuomo’s misguided spending on opioid addiction awareness. ◊....to the proposed elimination of Net Neutrality rules on the internet.

Wag of the finger...

INSIDE

Christmas Movie Guide

‘Justice League’ gives DC fans hope for future

C4 Gerwig’s spectacular

directorial debut

FRIDAY Dec.1, 2017

FRIDAY, Dec.1, 2017

The first teaser trailer for “The Avengers: Infinity War” finally dropped. This is what the entire MCU has been building up to since 2008’s “Iron Man.” Get ready for some box office records to be smashed.

LAKER REVIEW

r r and ovely e v o d e h credib be watc that can still works. It is ins. lm fi a r 14 year ery joke 3): This is ELF (200 same day and ev holiday classic fo a the again in able and has been re-watch HOME ALONE (1990): The first film is a certified classic. Great premise, great villains, an iconic poster child, but it is sad to say that after “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York,” they fell off.

The “Game of Thrones” ” creators are “not actively nworking on their co troversial project, “Con te federate.” The alternam fro o als a, history dram on HBO, would focus if what would happen vil the South won the Ci n War and what moder e. day slavery would be lik

Netflix is to resume of production on “HousethCards” next month wi isout Kevin Spacey repr t ing his role of Presiden Frank Underwood.

de Check out the first episo t as dc Po d of The Review Boarm/lreview .co on Oswegonian

A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983): This is the movie that plays 24 hours straight on TBS on Christmas day. If this list only had one movie suggestion, this would be it. movr’s Hanukkah it has le d n a S m a d t 02): A st, bu film on the li Y NIGHTS (20 EIGHT CRAZ e worst critically rated ry memorable songs. th ve ie is probablyreat moments and some g ly some tru tt isn’t a Chris r a th ie v o m s y genre fo Christma 84): This is a lassic beyond the holida director of 9 (1 S IN L M E GR ac the his movie is y written by mas movie. Ts and was coincidentall many reason ,” Chris Columbus. “Home Alone any orks on so m ous w ie v o m is 989): Th is hilari VACATION (1 ct, the family dynamic S A M T IS R H e l. C a Chase is perf ss the origin levels. Chevy the few sequels to surpa and is one of

RUDOLPH THE RED-NO tion films of the 1960s are SED REINDEER (1964): The stop-mo“Rudolph” is probably th a staple among Christmas movies, and music and the aged looke most famous of them all. Between the of the film, it truly is hear twarming.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

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‘Justice League’ finally shines light on DC Universe Dominic Rizzi Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: “Justice League” is half directed by Zack Snyder (“Sucker Punch”), and the other is directed by Joss Whedon (“The Avengers”). It marks the perennial coming together of heroes that DC and Warner Bros. have been trying to get together in the five years since the release of “The Avengers.” In the film, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck, “Live by Night”) and Diana Prince (Gal Gadot, “Wonder Woman”), in the wake of Superman’s (Henry Cavill, “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice”) death, must band together with Barry Allen (Ezra Miller, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”), Victor Stone (Ray Fisher, “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice”) and Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa, “The Bad Batch”) to save the world from the invasion of Steppenwolf (Ciaran Hinds, “Silence”) and his Parademon hordes, who seek to conquer the earth. Now, it has been no secret that in the five years it has been since the release of “The Avengers,” Warner Bros. has been trying desperately to put together a cinematic universe to compete with Marvel.

They have achieved very limited success, however, as the mixed reviews for 2013’s “Man of Steel” caused them to wait three more years before releasing the double whammy that was the critically despised duo of “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Suicide Squad.” However, a much-needed house change at Warner Bros., plus the added bonus of “Wonder Woman” being universally praised across the board, saw a very different outlook going into this movie, one which spelled a much more positive future for the universe. Perhaps it was because they brought on Joss Whedon or because of the new executive team in charge finally decided to take three steps back and actually trust the creators they bring on board. Either way, they finally decided to stop trying so hard to be Marvel, and the movie, despite all its flaws, is a legitimately good, wellmade film that is well written, well acted and surprisingly enjoyable. The one thing viewers have to give Warner Bros. credit for above all else is their casting, as in addition to Gadot and Affleck (who is light years better in this than he is in “Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice”), all three of the new additions do a great job with their parts. Miller, Fisher and Momoa are all thoroughly enjoyable to watch. Each one of them gets the

perfect amount of screen time to make them have arcs, and they are all so fully fleshed out. The scenes where it is the five of them together make for some of the best scenes in the film, as Whedon proves once again that he knows how to write superteams bouncing off one another. In terms of standouts, cast wise, it is easily the last one audiences ever would have pegged going in, and that is Superman, of all people. This is not a spoiler; everyone who saw “Batman vs. Superman” knew he was coming back to life. He steals every single scene he is in for the simple fact that within a few scenes in one movie, Whedon is able to accomplish what Snyder could not accomplish in two movies: giving him some personality. It truly is amazing how far a few wellwritten lines, some actual emoting and not constantly brooding goes. Of course, story wise, this movie is nothing new. Anyone who saw the trailers for this movie can figure out that the plot here is literally the same as “The Avengers.” The heroes have to get the thing before it opens a portal and lets another CG army take over the world. The movie is so enjoyable, though, that the bland plot and lousy visuals are not really as much a bother as one would think. At the very least, it is consistent. Easily the worst part about this

movie is the villain, and at this point, that is to be expected when it comes to these movies. Aside from the fact that he looks like a character straight out of a “Mortal Kombat” game, this guy is just another bland, forgettable villain who is just the next in a long line of villains who want to take over the world. Despite the movie’s flaws, “Justice League” is an enjoyable movie that does not feel like a product. It spells a bright future ahead of the DC universe that may, in fact, keep them

around longer than Marvel, simply for the fact that they are choosing to make their movies autonomous and not focus on the interconnected universe, which, at this point, is what they need to do. Really good acting and well-written characters are what make this movie, and it really is refreshing to finally see some actual justification as to why one can now like these characters, rather than simply hiding behind the fact that people finally get to see these guys on the big screen.

Image from Warner Bros. UK via YouTube.com Affleck has recently expressed interest in stepping away from the DC films.

Audiences of all ages are going coo coo for ‘Coco’ Jessica Wickham Copy Editor jwickham@oswegonian.com

Rating: When Disney Pixar released “Inside Out” in 2015, audiences were sure Pixar was on top of its game again. Then came “Good Dinosaur,” “Finding Dory” and “Cars 3,” and viewers were disappointed to say the least. Now, with “Coco” in theaters, some audience members may think it will be just as much of a let-down, but one viewing will assure them that “Coco” is a return to form for the studio that was a true innovator in the world of animation. A fair warning to those sick of “Frozen” fever: there is a 20-minutelong short full of Olaf antics preceding the theatrical release of Pixar’s latest masterpiece. For those that might punch a wall if they hear “Let It Go” one more time, bring some earplugs or show up 20 minutes late to miss the torture.

Image from Disney Pixar via YouTube.com Pixar’s latest is a massive success for fans and beat “Justice League” in the box office.

The story of “Coco” is set on Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos, translated to Day of the Dead, a holiday which celebrates the Mexican tradition of welcoming spirits of relatives back to visit their families in the living world for one day of the year. It is a festive, colorful holiday filled with alebrijes (colorful statuette spirit guides), papel picado (colored cut

paper), marigolds and other traditions that are well represented in the Pixar film. The main character, Miguel, is voiced by Anthony Gonzales (“Icebox”), who plays a Mexican boy on an adventure through the Land of the Dead to find who he believes is his late great-great-grandfather, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt,

“Doctor Strange”), the movie’s famous Mexican singer. Much of the cast, including the protagonist, are of Latin American descent, whether they are playing living family members or dead relatives who are now clothed skeletons in the afterlife. The plot, unlike the cultural elements and cast list, is a little bit harder to get behind right away. At first, the story seems to follow a boy living in a house that has banned music in a true “Footloose” style that seems just as ridiculous of a premise as the ’80s classic. Once Miguel ends up in the Land of the Dead, he meets Hector (Gael García Bernal, “Salt and Fire”), a nearly forgotten skeleton who agrees to help him on his quest, which creates the often-overused dynamic of two characters forced together by selfish interests who later end up loving each other. Pixar may have used what are typically predictable elements to drive the plot, but as the film progresses, audiences are thrown one surprise after another that will make them both clench their now-broken

hearts and scream in shared agony with the characters. The character development, relatability and original plot is as emotionally riveting as “Inside Out” in a unique way that does not seem repetitive. One last important thing to praise Pixar for is its attention to animation detail. Those who are more privy into animation challenges will notice a few milestones, including the accuracy of the guitar playing and the realness of the movements of the Xoloitzcuintli dog, Dante, a hairless breed believed to be guides to the underworld in Mexican culture dating back to Aztec times. Whether it is with the characters, culture, plot or animation, every viewer will find something to love and adore about Pixar’s “love letter to Mexico.” With two more Pixar sequels in store next year, it is nice to have a break in between sequel overload for a truly original adventure story with a message of family sure to hit everyone right in the heart.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

‘Lady Bird’ appears to be debut of next iconic filmmaker Claire Cunningham Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating:

From the mind of critically acclaimed actress Greta Gerwig (“20th Century Women”) comes “Lady Bird,” a semi-autobiographical coming of age film that she wrote and directed. The film hosts a star-studded cast including Saoirse Ronan (“Brooklyn”), Lucas Hedges (“Manchester By the Sea”), Laurie Metcalf (“Getting On”) and Timothee Chalamet (“Call Me By Your Name”), and they are sure to be some of the finest Oscar bait of the season. The movie focuses on Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Ronan), a high school senior in Sacramento who strives to go to college in New York, a goal that is nearly unattainable due to poor grades and well, being poor. She has a turbulent relationship with her mother

(Metcalf), who tries to support her family with tough love and working constantly. In her directorial debut, Gerwig crafts the perfect movie. The film, set in 2002, manages to fit the time period while also telling a timeless story. In a post-9/11 world, the stakes were high, people were more cautious, and many longed for connection, which they knew could so easily be cut off. Gerwig also captures the lower class realistically. The director wrote the screenplay, which is utterly astonishing. Lady Bird and her family are complicated. Nothing is black and white, the characters are flawed and the stories are genuine. While the story focuses on Lady Bird, every character in the movie has their own individual problems, often more crucial than hers. These subplots are not the focus, though, to spotlight Lady Bird’s teenage selfishness. Gerwig does not shy away from the drama. The movie is a comedy, filled

with great one-liners such as, “I haven’t told a lie in two years” and “I respect you too much to touch your boobs.” The movie is perfectly paced and exciting. There is never a dull moment. Because of Gerwig, the film is a great representation of the teenage spirit. Metcalf is wonderful as Marion, Lady Bird’s mother.

As a nurse in a psychiatric hospital, she tries to balance her demanding job with her even more demanding family. Metcalf is stunning in her role. With every character in the movie, they are complicated, and Metcalf takes her character’s complication and brings forth something everyone can under-

Image from A24 via YouTube.com Gerwig has been in the indie world for years, but “Lady Bird” will push her into mainstream.

stand. The character, though sometimes an antagonist to her teenage daughter, is nuanced. The audience cannot help but empathize with her. Two-time Academy Award nominee Ronan is a triumph. Although the actress is 23, she perfects the role of an almost 18-year-old girl. To start, her pink hair, acne scars and spot-on American accent make her fit the part. It is her acting, reactions, fights with her mother and relationships with friends that make her seem genuine. Ronan made the role so complex and interesting. Lady Bird is selfish, weird, and somewhat imperfect, but Ronan is perfect in the role. With the Oscars around the corner, “Lady Bird” is sure to grab a few nominations and maybe even wins. It is the only movie on Rotten Tomatoes to have the highest amount of positive reviews; it maintains a 100 percent on their website. The movie is a revelation.

Bernthal finds role he was born to play in ‘The Punisher’ Dominick J. Lioto Laker Review Editor dlioto@oswegonian.com

Rating: Frank Castle, The Punisher, has always been a controversial character for Marvel Comics. He was created by Gerry Conway, John Romita Sr. and Ross Andru and first appeared in “The Amazing Spider-Man” issue 129 from February 1974. The character is now one of the company’s flagship properties, but his brutal nature is still hard for some comic fans to stomach. Castle’s origin in the Marvel TV universe differs from his comic book origin. In the books, Castle’s family is brutally murdered by the mob in Central Park. As a Marine Corps Scout Sniper, his hand-to-hand combat skills, use of guerrilla warfare and no remorse when it comes to murdering helped The Punisher wage a one-man war on crime. He murders, kidnaps, tortures, extorts and punishes any criminal that

crosses his path, and he believes that is the only way to rid this world of them and his pain. Jon Bernthal (“Wind River”) showed fans he had what it takes to be The Punisher d u r i ng t he s e c o nd s e a s o n of “Daredevil,” where Castle crossed paths with Matt Murdock’s Daredevil (Charlie Cox, “The Defenders”) and forces Murdock to take a look at his values and what they really mean. Bernthal was the best

part of “Daredevil” season two. The courtroom scene where Castle finally stands trial is the single greatest moment of both seasons of the show. V i e w e r s d o no t g e t to s e e Castle take down a bunch of bad guys or torture anybody, but they get to see him truly emerge. “Any scumbag, any lowlife, any maggot piece of s*** I put down, I did it because I liked it. Hell, I loved it!” Finally, Bernthal is at the head of his own series. He is

Image from Netflix via YouTube.com Bernthal truly humanizes Frank Castle, a character many think of as a shell of a man.

an actor that deserves to be in anything he wants and he is truly great. He captured audience’s attention with his short-lived role as Shane on “The Walking Dead” and has not slowed down. The TV series changes Castle’s origin slightly. Instead of his family dying at the hands of the mob, this time, it was his own government and those close to him committing the betrayal. Everything else about The Punisher stays true. For a heartless murderer, Bernthal brings depth and sensitivity to the character. “The Punisher” connects with the aforementioned “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Iron Fist,” “Luke Cage” and the buildup of them all, “The Defenders.” Most of these series were lacking in a lot of areas and felt very drawn out due to Netflix’s 13-episode seasons. Developing the show around the actual values and mentality of Castle instead of focusing on creating just another superhero story helped “The Punisher” succeed where the others could not. They started

at the foundation and worked their way up, which is what they should have been doing all along. Showrunner Steve Lightfoot (“Hannibal”) revolved a majority of this story around the fact that Castle was exmilitary and the complications our veterans face when re-entering the real world. Castle was overseas, involved in top-secret assassination missions. He helped Daredevil face The Hand when he returned and then took on his personal battle of avenging his family. Castle always had a war to fight. He never had to focus on his own issues before now. The season ends on a beautiful note of Castle opening up to a support group. “The Punisher” does not feel like a superhero show whatsoever. It feels more like a crime and political action thriller than anything else. It is brutal, bloody, almost unbelievably cringe worthy at points, but still has the most heart and personality out of any of the other Marvel-Netflix shows available.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

T-Pain proves he has talent beyond autotune on ‘Oblivion’ Mary Katherine Moylan Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: “Bartender” artist, T-Pain, released his fifth studio album, “Oblivion.” Known primarily for his contemporary R&B, T-Pain shies away from what he has done so well in past songs like “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper)” and “Buy U a drank (Shawty Snappin’).” Featuring artists like Chris Brown, Tiffany Evans, Mr. Talkbox, Manny G, Black Youngsta, Ty Dolla $ign, NeYo and Roberto Cacciapaglia, T-Pain has a decent lineup regarding selected talent. For those who are looking forward to smooth vocals, they are missing out for the most part, as “Oblivion” focuses more on rap than R&B. “Somebody tell me who died / And made you boss.” Coming on strong in the first track of “Oblivion” with “Who Died,” T-Pain establishes

that he still is on top and his brief absence while working on “Oblivion” does not change a thing. With evoking lyrics toward fellow artists that are topping the charts like Migos and Future, T-Pain tries to clarify that he was the original root for today’s hits. “Now these n***** busy trynna erase all that / Ain’t that a b****? (boot!) / I did everything for the culture / At gun point, with the mask off / But I ain’t cry about it, I ain’t lie about it / I just kept working my a** off / Now all of a sudden everybody figured out what I was sayin’ back in ‘05.” “Classic You” with T-Pain, featuring anyone else, would most likely be an R&B hit. However, with featured artist Chris Brown (“Forever”), who has lost most of his respect in the music industry since assaulting fellow R&B artist Rihanna (“Work”) back in 2009, the romantic lyrics fall flat. “That’s classic you, oh (you, that’s my h**) / You be mob-

bin’ in this b**** (yeah, in this b****) / You be vibin’ in this b**** / Zero f****, baby, you don’t give a s*** (yeah).” Originally intended to be released on “Oblivion,” “Classic You” was leaked by “music mafia” back in August. Attempting to keep with the times with “P**** On the Phone” is a poor crack at a catchy tune. It is focused solely

on the likes of sex and abruptly insensitive lyrics. From there, within the next two minutes, T-Pain manages to create a nearly comical and harsh track that is plainly crude. “Ouuh yeah I see you (See you) / But I’m just tryna see what’s underneath that white beater / The neighbors gon’ think I’m a wife beater / So when you hear that / Baby I

Photo provided by Eva Rinaldi (https://goo.gl/Vsqu2z) via flickr The “Bartender” singer flaunts his musical diversity in his newest album, “Oblivion.”

need ya.” “Textin’ My Ex,” on the other hand, is a beat-heavy R&B track that features Tiffany Evans. “But this unknown number, this is all you / Even though this ain’t right / I’ll give it to you, I won’t think twice / Didn’t mean to hurt you / Just hope your new girl don’t catch you texting your ex.” Focusing on loneliness and the familiarity of old relationships, T-Pain rekindles an old love in the song as well as his well-known R&B vocals, which leave the listener conflicted between the morals and talent featured in the song. With references throughout the 16-track album that are just a little too outdated for today’s audience, T-Pain also lacks sensitivity when it comes to degrading lyrics and current culture as well as featured artists. Although he has provided a good attempt at rap, it is best that he sticks with the R&B sound he took so long to perfect.

‘Call of Duty: WWII’ servers crashing ruins game for many Louis Algiere Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: “Call of Duty: WWII” brought back bare-bones gameplay that fans have been clamoring for since the series adapted exo-suits in “Advanced Warfare.” From the moment the World War II theme was announced, this year’s “Call of Duty” became one of the most anticipated

first-person shooters of the decade. Now that the game has been released, it is time to see if it met expectations. The good: The gameplay is fantastic. It is arguably the best it has been in the history of the series. The balancing is top notch, and an overwhelming majority of the weapons in the game are on even footing. Choosing what loadout to use comes down to the players’ personal preference, not “this is the only gun that works” that recent

Image from Call of Duty via YouTube.com “Call of Duty” remains one of the biggest gaming franchises since inception in 2003.

installments were plagued by. The campaign really highlights the gun balancing. Players find themselves cycling through dropped guns while they fight for survival. This year also marks the debut of squadmates with specific abilities, another fresh feature that adds to the game. Once their meter is full, the player can call on the special ability of their non-playable character squadmates, rangi n g a n y w h e re f ro m re c e i v ing more ammo to dropping a mortar strike on a designated area. Using these abilities at critical points during the c a m p a i g n o f t e n me a n s t he difference between success and rage quitting. There has been a shift in the video game industry over t he l a s t fe w ye a r s to move non-role-playing game titles i n a mo re a rc he t y p e - b a s e d gameplay direction. “Call of Duty: WWII” does this better than most other titles. This year, players chose a division f o r t h e i r s ol d i e r a n d e q u i p matching weapons for extra bonuses. Unlike other games

where the implementation of archetypes feels forced, this addition to “Call of Duty” feels natural and adds to the game. It makes sense that snipers hold their breath longer, armored units move slower and receive extra protection, etc. T h e b a d : T h e e x t re m e l y pop ular zombies mode has b e e n t w e a ke d g r a d u a l l y i n the last few installments of the “Call of Duty ” series, adding more and more easter eggs with each passing edition. Zombies in “Call of Duty: WWII” is a complete departure from what its predecessors established. In the past, it was a mode where everyone from casual to hardcore players could simply run a ro u n d a n d t r y to s u r v i v e . Now, there is a grocery list of objectives players have to complete to survive. This drastic change, while creative, unnecessarily altered a popular mode, creating mixed reactions amongst the gaming community. The ugly: The servers are horrendous. There is no way, nor need, to sugar-

coat it. The biggest mode i n “ C a l l o f D u t y ” i s o n l i ne multiplayer, and right now, their servers are making the game borderline unplayable. Forget the glitches players are exploiting in actual gameplay; right now, players cannot consistently get i n to g a me s , p ro p e rl y lo a d once in a game and remain in a lobby without the server crashing between games. The verdict: The gameplay itself is very good. The writing in the campaign is forgettable, but the new features make it wor th a full run-through. Zombies is a hit or miss depending on personal taste. All of this is irrelevant, however, because the servers are atrocious. When the servers are fixed, this will be a great game and a must-have for anyone who enjoys firstperson shooters. Until that happens, it is hard to justify paying full price for “Call of Duty: WWII” or consider it anything more than an average, disheartening video game experience.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

Dominick J. Lioto | The Oswegonian

Crossword Puzzle

Sudoku Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

Difficulty: Easy

Puzzle provided by boatloadpuzzles.com

Down 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Health clubs Gas holder Bridge maker Slippery fish Polite word Salary CIA employee Infrequently Tennis' ___ Sampras

10. 11. 17. 20. 22. 24. 25. 26. 28.

Related Exited Memory loss Stallion's mate Side by side Kind Corp. head Precious stone Begins anew

29. 30. 33. 36. 38. 40. 42. 43. 44.

Vapor WSW's opposite Chimed All ___! Seesaw Result Cheeky Top cards Invitation letters

For this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crossword answers go to:

Oswegonian.com/lreview

Difficulty: Hard

Across 1. Sharply sloped 6. Used to be 9. Bear's foot 12. Wall board 13. Grow old 14. Supplement 15. Right ___ 16. Molded dessert 18. Enjoy the slopes 19. Constitution change 21. Apollo agcy. 23. 2,000 pounds 24. Lettuce variety 27. Highway sign 31. Sly look 32. Browning's "always" 34. Penn or Connery 35. Seoul's country 37. Artist Henri ___ 39. Lincoln's nickname 41. Cool! 42. Rectory 46. Capone and Pacino 49. Bliss 50. Fortuneller's card 52. Race an engine 53. Regret 54. Additional 55. Recipe unit (abbr.) 56. ___ Plaines, Illinois 57. Put back to zero

45. Yes votes 47. Folk wisdom 48. Medical "at once!" 51 Hewing tool .

CLASSIFIEDS

FRIDAY, Dec. 1, 2017

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creative writing

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Ian Saunders | The Oswegonian

“I quit!” Rudolph shouts as he walks into the big man’s office. Santa looks up from his hot cocoa and copy of the North Pole Times. “What?” he asks. “I’ve been at this job for decades,” Rudolph goes on in frustration. “Every Christmas, I have to miss out spending the time with Clarisse and instead cart your huge butt through the sky just so you can commit breaking and entering into millions of households. It’s breaking the law, and I’m tired of being your accomplice! Not to mention, we don’t get paid. We do all the work, and you get all the credit.”

“Now Rudolph,” St. Nick reasons. “I don’t care what you say, Kringle,” Rudolph snaps back. “I’m not going back to that life. I train all year just to cart you around the world one night for no reward. It’s not right, and I won’t stand for it anymore. You can’t make me.” The big man sighs and shakes his head. Then, he chuckles. “Well, Rudolph,” he says. “At least let me give you a good send off.” He reaches into his drawer and pulls out a flask and two shot glasses. He pours a little of the whisky into each glass

and slides one over to Rudolph, who lowers his nose to sniff it. “To your retirement,” St. Nick says as he raises his glass. After a few hesitant glances, Rudolph drinks the shot with his tongue. “I have to say, old man, I didn’t expect this much civility,” Rudolph says once he’s swallowed it all. “I hope we can one day put this behind—” Without another word, Rudolph’s eyes roll to the back of his head, his body goes limp, and he crashes to the bar floor. “Poor Rudolph,” Santa says. “Don’t you know? No one quits at the the North Pole.”

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For Rent: 4-6 bedroom houses. Available June 1. Above-average student housing. Very homey. Coinless washer/dryer. Garbage, lawn, & snow removal available. Utilities included. Newly remodeled with hard-wood floors. Reputable landlord with many references. Call John Luber at 315-529-2475 BEFORE 9 pm. www.luberrentals.com

College Rentals. From 1-4 bedroom apartments and houses with including. CAC Manage. utilities, cable, Wi-Fi, and other amenities. Starting as low as $400 per student. Other housing and management available. We are signing leases for the 2018-19 school year. Call, text, or email CAC Management and Rentals, LLC. 229 W. 5th St., Oswego. Beca5107@twc.com. 315-870-4480. Quality Student Housing. 3,

4, 5, 8 bedroom houses. Close to campus. Free washer and dryer, snow removal and lawn care. 315-952-2902.

For Sale by owner. 2-3 bedroom house located in Sterling, about 20-25 minutes from campus. 1 ½ acres of land. Needs TLC but is move-in ready. Newer steel roof, new furnace, and many new windows. $40,000. Serious inquiries only. Sorry, no land contracts. Call or text 315-598-0676.

1935: Actor Woody Allen is born in The Bronx 1949: WKTV TV in Utica, NY, (NBC) begins airing 1953: Hugh Hefner publishes first edition of Playboy 1984: "Beverly Hills Cop" premieres in Los Angeles

Oswego Cinema 7 / Friday, Dec. 1 DADDY'S HOME 2

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JUSTICE LEAGUE

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THOR: RAGNAROK

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COCO

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THE STAR

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A BAD MOMS CHRISTMAS

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TO SEE ALL SHOWINGS, GO TO OSWEGO-7 CINEMA'S WEBSITE

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