Pipe Dream Fall 2012 Issue 25

Bearcats battle Michigan

Winter Wonderland

Binghamton's mens basketball team takes on #3 ranked team in the country

SAPB hosted the fourth annual Frost Fest Sunday in the old union

PIPE DREAM Tuesday, December 11, 2012 | Binghamton University | www.bupipedream.com | Vol. LXXXII, Issue 25

How do you Rank?

Overall I think it’s set up pretty well. Some of the questions/ answers were hilarious and the ranks are pretty accurate.

It blows because it arbitrarily ranks things based on stereotypes

Why do I care? This means nothing to me — Lillian Zhang Sophomore majoring in psychology

— Steve McKown Senior majoring in anthropology

— Sam Kozhebrodsky Junior majoring in art history

Nia Pellone/Assistant Photo Editor

Michael McGuinn, left, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering, and Ethan Taubman, a junior majoring in financial economics, started Rank BU.

What began as a juvenile ploy to rank the attractiveness of female students at Binghamton University quickly evolved into Rank BU, a website that compares all things BU — from bars and fraternities to living communities and SA-chartered clubs — with a single stroke of the keyboard.

BU juniors Ethan Taubman and Michael McGuinn began developing ideas for the website Rank BU before Thanksgiving break. Since its Nov. 30 launch, the site has attracted more than 3,000 visitors from along the East Coast and roughly 10

countries in Europe.

McGuinn, who is majoring in mechanical engineering, said they designed the site to be “an insider’s guide to Binghamton.”

“When we came up with the idea, we were thinking about it in terms of freshmen,” McGuinn said. “It would be written by students, for students.”

The site allows students to compare various aspects of life at BU, including fraternities and sororities, club and Division I sports teams, and student groups, as well as bars and restaurants Downtown. Visitors to the site rank each category based on a variety of criteria, with questions ranging from “Which community is more studious?” to “Which sorority is easier?”

Debate team rounds out quality semester Having traveled more students than ever to out-of town tournaments, being ranked competitively against top-tier schools and jump-starting a debate program at Binghamton High School (BHS), the Binghamton University Speech and Debate team can head home happy from a successful semester.

Joe Leeson-Schatz, who has

directed the team since 2001, said 49 students traveled to tournaments this year — already a jump from the 32 who traveled over the course of last year.

“We did a little more outreach this year than we have done in prior years,” Leeson-Schatz said. He said the team changed their focus from being solely competitive to being “more about the way in which we benefit the University holistically.”

Chabad of Binghamton’s attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most dreidels spinning at one time took a downward spiral Monday evening, as they fell roughly 35 dreidels short.

The world record is 732 dreidels, and although Chabad’s Dreidel Spin-Off attracted 900 people to the Mandela Room throughout the night, only 749 people stayed when it was time to break the record an hour after the doors opened. And of the 749, only

Taubman and McGuinn said the site could be useful for student groups to see how they compare with one another, but that it will mostly just spark some friendly competition.

“Some people may make informed decisions based on what parties to go to based on the rankings, or what bar to go to based on the rankings, but it’s mostly for entertainment,” McGuinn said.

The pair got the idea for the site from an equation Taubman wrote to rank girls based on looks and personalities, but they quickly grew tired of rating females based on arbitrary 10-point scales using

about 700 were able to keep their dreidels spinning for the required 10 seconds.

“Even though we didn’t break the current world record, we brought together a tremendous amount of people from the Binghamton community, including students, faculty, and community members,” said Lucy Schwartz, Chabad major program coordinator. “It was a fun event and it was wonderful to be able to celebrate giving over $10,000 to charity with so

In the midst of a gray period for Binghamton University’s Greek Life, where police raids on fraternity parties foreshadowed the closing of two chapters, all 54 remaining chartered Greek organizations collaborated to throw “Black & White,” a large, alcohol-free party to prove Greek life is about more than drinking.

The event, which took place on Friday night in the Old University Union, was advertised on its Facebook page as “the biggest frat party Binghamton has ever seen” and as “the best party of the year.”

Students began streaming into the Mandela Room at 9:30 p.m. — many wearing their best monochromatic outfits — and by 10 p.m. the party was underway.

Zach Stein, former Interfraternity Council president and a member of the recently de-chartered Alpha Chi Rho, organized the event and DJed for the evening, despite the status of his chapter.

“We want to show people that we’re responsible and that we’re men and women, not frat-boys and girls,” Stein said. “We want to show that we’re mature and what we can have a good time — the Greek world doesn’t revolve around alcohol.”

Stein, a senior majoring in anthropology, said the chapter’s closing did not affect his involvement with the party.

“I decided that myself and my fraternity was no more important than Greek Life as a whole,” Stein said. “That’s why I decided to continue with this event. It has nothing to do with the loss of the chapters. This has been in the works for a long time. We want to promote a good image in light of the things that happened last semester and, I guess, now this semester. We want to show that we’re a strong, united

Jonathan Heisler/Photo Editor

Students wait to spin dreidels as part of an attempt to break a world record. The event, hosted by Chabad, was supposed to start at 6 p.m. on Monday, but did not get underway until 6:45 p.m.

BU students take time out to warm up at Frost Fest

Binghamton University’s Student Association Programming Board held its fourth annual Frost Fest on Sunday.

Following a “Wintertime in New York City” theme, the Mandela Room, Old Union Hall and Tillman lobby were transformed into a winter wonderland. The festival featured an ice sculpture of the NYC skyline and notable street signs like 42nd Street and subway lines

— Anthony Aguiar BU Senior

Students were given the opportunity to engage in winterthemed activities, provided by both the SAPB and over fifty student groups. Featured activities included a Build-a-Bear station where students created their own furry friends, a life-sized snow globe photo booth, temporary airbrushed tattoos and more.

Students even had the opportunity to have their caricatures by a Binghamton Alum John Edbongfed, class of 1997. The student groups provided opportunities to decorate holiday treats like cookies and ginger bread houses.

Free food was offered from a variety of local providers such as Nezuntos. Lupo’s offered their signature speedies, while

Delta Sigma Pi (DSP) and Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) played cupid for a good cause on Saturday, hosting a date auction to raise money for Superstorm Sandy Relief.

The members of the professional business and prelaw fraternities hosted “Project Cupid,” and according to Lindsay Horne, DSP Harpur liason and co-organizer of the event, they raised over $400.

From serenades to back flips and splits, the auctionees fluffed their feathers to show off their talents to potential bidders.

Co-hosts Dominic Bianco, DSP president, and Lauren Nevidomsky, PAD rules chair, tried enticing the crowd to bid by offering to pose for a picture with their date.

“It will be your first memory together,” Bianco said. “Your first and best.”

Jaclyn Newman, an event organizer and a member of PAD, joined forces with Horne to organize the date auction.

“It felt good to plan this whole thing and to give all the money to a good cause,” Newman said. “It went really well and I think everyone had a good time.”

Newman said the auction was an entertaining way to raise money for a good cause.

“It was successful because it was interactive and everyone was able to be involved,”

Jazzman’s provided holiday themed cupcakes, breads and coffee.

Although there was not a Frost Fest concert like last year’s featuring rap artist Wiz Kalifa, a big-name star was not missed this year. Binghamton groups filled the void with special performances held on the Radio City Music Hall stage.

Entertainment was provided by the Binghamton Crosbys, Harpur Jazz Ensemble, Kaskeset, and Steve Labreque’s Wild Ride who added more cowbell to the day’s festivities.

In addition to the live performances, WHRW held their radio programs live from Frost Fest. Anthony DeGelorm, a.k.a.

WHRW’s DJ Lorm and a senior majoring in biochemistry, said he had a great time DJ’ing at Frost Fest.

“It’s actually more fun to DJ in front of a crowd, especially when you have the ballroom dance team jamming to the beats,” DeGelorm said. “Getting to see all of the positive energy that I put out to me is the most rewarding part.”

In addition to enjoying his onlocation radio show, DeGelorm said he thought Frost Fest was awesome.

“I think it’s great that the university has events like this that help bring the students together and help to showcase a lot of the student groups we have,” DeGelorm said. “Plus all the free stuff is just wonderful.”

Many other Binghamton student groups also showed their skills off on the Radio City Stage.

Binghamton Break Dancing, Binghamton Bhangra Team, Binghamton Ballroom Dance Team and the Hula Hooping Club were just a few of the many organizations to perform.

Newman said.

Jonathan Eng, a freshman, impressed the crowd by playing guitar and singing, eliciting an audience member to shout, “Just take my credit card!”

The BU Dance Team provided entertainment, opening with an energizing dance routine.

Auctionees were sold for “Greek dollars,” where five “Greek dollars” equaled one actual dollar. The highest bid was 310 “Greek dollars” on a three-for-one special, featuring Bianco, DSP financial vice president Sujay Cherin, and Justin Wu, DSP scholarship and awards vice president.

“I paid $60 for four men,” joked Zach Feldman, a sophomore double-majoring in classical civilizations and philosophy, politics and law.

“And I didn’t know any of them.”

Horne said the three-for-one finale was the best part of the evening.

“The ending act with my three pledge brothers was the best,” Horne said. “It was the perfect ending to the night.”

Max Caesar, PAD philanthropy chair and a senior majoring in history and economics, said the date auction was a good night.

“It [was] the right combination of social gathering and public embarrassment to be entertaining,” Caesar said.

Anthony Aguiar, a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said he enjoyed this years Frost Fest.

“The hula hoop club was absolutely fantastic and awesome to watch they were my favorite part,” Aguiar said. “I got free food and did a build-a-bear and that was equally as awesome.”

Despite being close to finals, there was a great turnout, as student took advantage of the great free weekend fun.

Mallory Stein, a junior majoring in English, said Frost Fest was a good study break.

“Frost Fest was a great way for students to take some time off before finals and enjoy free food and activities,” Stein said.

Jonathan Heisler/Photo Editor

John Edbongfed, class of 1997, draws caricatures of Katja Anuth, Michelle Chan and Monica Chappidi, all sophomores, at the 2012 Frost Fest in the Old University Union on Sunday afternoon.

Taylor Larose, a freshman majoring in biochemistry, receives an airbrushed tattoo Sunday afternoon as part of Frost Fest in the Mandela Room.

Jonathan Heisler/Photo Editor

Brian Kittner, top, a junior doublemajoring in accounting and finance, and Dominic Bianco, bottom left, a senior majoring in accounting, get auctioned off by Lauren Nevidomsky, a junior double-majoring in management and political science, during Delta Sigma Pi and Phi Alpha Delta’s Date Auction Saturday night in the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center. The money raised from the date auction went toward helping the victims of Hurricane Sandy.

Conduct this

Pipe Line SBDC offers business training course The Binghamton University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will offer a small business training program at 224 Water Street in Downtown Binghamton. Over three consecutive Wednesdays, from Jan. 9 to Jan. 23, participants will learn the tricks of the trade from professionals on how to assess, plan, start up and operate a business. Classes will run from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day. Participants will discover how to predict business success, how to finance and market products and services, and how to comply with government regulations. This program is designed to benefit startup and existing businesses.

Protesters file lawsuit to combat Vassar culling About two dozen people waved signs in front of Vassar College Sunday to protest the planned shooting of deer at the college’s 500-acre farm and ecological preserve. The college said the deer population must be decreased because the animals are eating too many plants and tree saplings. It also culled deer two years ago to protect the preserve from deer damage. The California animal rights group In Defense of Animals and two Poughkeepsie residents have filed a lawsuit in state court to stop the shooting. The suit claims a state environmental review is required before the hunt can take place. The college plans to place bait to lure deer so sharpshooters can kill them from tree stands in January.

Siena College survey shows support for fracking Two new surveys on hydraulic fracturing found that many people who live in New York City and the suburbs approve of drilling in parts of that state. Siena College said that a poll of 822 registered New York voters taken in late November found 50 percent of respondents in suburban areas support drilling in upstate portions of the state, while 32 percent are opposed. In New York City, 41 percent of those surveyed support upstate drilling, while 29 percent are opposed. The poll didn’t break out particular suburbs or upstate areas.

New York has had a moratorium on fracking since 2008, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo has suggested that it be allowed in five upstate counties near the Pennsylvania line, far from New York City, its watershed or major suburbs.

Four accuse “Elmo” puppeteer of sexual abuse Another man on Monday sued the former Elmo puppeteer who resigned amid sex abuse allegations, claiming the voice actor befriended him in Miami and promised to be a father figure before flying the teen to New York to have sex with him. The alleged victim is now the fourth to accuse Kevin Clash, who resigned from “Sesame Street” last month after 28 years. The three legal actions filed so far have been civil cases seeking financial compensation. Sexual abuse allegations against Clash triggered a media frenzy last month.

He quickly denied the first claim, which was recanted the next day. But Clash then resigned after a 24-year-old college student, Cecil Singleton, sued him for $5 million, saying the actor engaged in sexual behavior with him when he was 15.

Man charged in subway rider’s death blames voices The man who police say pushed another man to his death in front of an oncoming New York City subway train said he was high on drugs and trying to combat voices in his head.

Authorities have charged 30-year-old Naeem Davis with second-degree murder in the Dec. 3 death of 58-year-old KiSuck Han. According to Davis, Han had grabbed his arm and threatened him earlier. He said he was coaxed into shoving Han by voices in his head that he couldn’t control. Davis said he didn’t attempt to pull Han to safety because “it happened so fast” and he was “under the influence,” and says he didn’t mean to kill him.

Jonathan Heisler/Photo Editor

The Binghamton University Symphony Orchestra performs Saturday afternoon in the Osterhout Concert Theater under the direction of conductor Timothy Perry. This was the orchestra’s final concert of the fall semester.

This Day in History

4chan strikes again

December 11th 1946

TIME magazine’s Person of the Year online poll was the latest subject of a 4chan attack — by manipulating voting values, 4chan hopes to elect Kim Jong-un to the No. 1 people’s choice, and spell “KJUGASCHAMBERS” with the first letter of each candidate’s name. The phrase is a nod to Chamber 22, a concentration camp near the border of Russia and China.

The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is established

Did you know....

In September 2012, Canadian authorities seized 600 barrels of maple syrup that were stolen from a Quebec facility. The stolen syrup was reportedly worth $30 million CAD. Quebec produces 70 to 80 percent of the world's supply of maple syrup

Stressed over Finals?

Heres a joke to cheer you up How do pigs talk?

Swine Language!

What’s a cats favorite button on the DVD remote??

Paws!

Rank BU surpasses 200k clicks

Just in time for the holiday shopping season, demonstrators protested sweatshops and the mistreatment of workers in America — a major part of large retailers’ bottom line — at Town Square Mall in Vestal Saturday.

Members of Students Organizing Against Reynolds (SOAR), Justice Will be Served! and Ain’t I a Woman!? campaigns encouraged shoppers to boycott Wal-Mart, Reynolds and Pactiv companies for their mistreatment of workers. They used picket signs, chants and a megaphone to get their message across.

“We are supporting the protest today because Binghamton students sent letters to Wal-Marts all over the country and to Wal-Mart headquarters asking them to stand with women workers especially during this holiday season, and take Reynolds products off their shelves,” said Doreen Wang, an organizer from Ain’t I a Woman!?. “Wal-Mart is one of the biggest distributors of Reynolds products.”

Wang said the owner of Reynolds Packaging Group, Graeme Hart, represented all of the practices the protesters were trying to fight.

“He has factories all over the United States, and I don’t think people really know how he’s been part of a big effort to shut down organizing efforts by workers all across the country,” Wang said. “Wal-Mart is one of the biggest distributors of Reynolds products. And actually, letters were sent to Costco and other stores, and Wal-Mart was the only one to not respond.”

In the crowd of 70 protesters, nearly half were representatives from organizations in New York City. Wang Wan Zhen, a Chinese worker from a Pactiv factory in New Jersey, spoke about factory conditions through a translator.

“They force us to work overtime many hours, we don’t even have time to go to the bathroom, we don’t have time to eat our lunch or our food,” she said. “We’re coming together because a lot of people now, whether it’s office workers or people from different industries, are also forced to work overtime.”

Samantha Fox, a graduate student studying sociology at Binghamton University, said she wanted to inform people about these companies’ practices.

“I think events like this are mostly about getting the word out and mostly getting people to recognize there is an issue, and particularly with a labor issue which can sort of resonate with a wider population,” Fox said. “I came to the rally today to support the Pactiv workers and because, as a graduate student, eventually I’m going to be on the job market, and the same sorts of issues that have led to overwork in the Pactiv factory I’m going to face in the job market, in relation to overwork.”

Wang said she believed the event was successful based on the reactions of passing people and cars.

“I think a lot of customers were very supportive,” Wang said. “We could just tell from the beeping of the cars and the waving.”

Kai Wen Yang, an event organizer from SOAR, said a diverse group of people attended.

“I thought it went well, a lot of people showed up,” said Yang, a graduate student studying sociology. “You got professors here, you got some union members here, you got students here, residents, you got someone who worked in a nearby Wal-Mart who came up and said ‘hi’ to us.”

One observer, David Moses, doubted that sweatshops are as pervasive of a problem as protesters claimed.

“If there’s such things here in the U.S. where are they?”

Moses said. “If you guys know where those are at, why don’t you turn them in and shut them down?”

Student organizers expressed hope that this event would help launch other campus activism.

“That would be in the long run, of course,” Yang said.

“That’s why we have the Students Organizing Against Reynolds.

We want to continue to organize on campus and off campus to attract more students and local residents and people interested to eliminate sweatshops. This is just the beginning, we want to keep attracting more students.”

“attractiveness” and “funness.”

“It was so that we could figure out why less attractive girls are more desirable,” said Taubman, who is majoring in economics.

Taubman and McGuinn originally considered using the equation to rank girls against one another, but scrapped that idea for one they thought would go over better.

“We didn’t want to become the most hated kids on campus,” McGuinn said.

Taubman and McGuinn used the algorithm from the movie “The Social Network,” called the Elo rating system, for the website.

Taubman kept his answer clear and concise when asked if he thought that Rank BU could reach the same level of fame as Facebook: “No.” Rank BU is not Taubman’s first run with website designing. He coruns a web development company with his brother called Rochester Computer Consulting Company, which hires college students to do programming.

“I’ve been doing web development for a year and a half now, so I thought it was about time

that I make something that a lot of people use,” Taubman said.

Taubman and McGuinn spent less than $20 on the domain name and hosting charges for the website, which has racked up more than 210,000 votes so far.

“We thought it was going to be a joke amongst our friends, but it spread like wildfire,” McGuinn said.

Sam Kozhebrodsky, a junior majoring in art history, thought the site represented the different categories well.

“Overall I think it’s set up pretty well,” Kozhebrodsky said.

“Some of the questions/answers were hilarious and the ranks are pretty accurate.”

Andrew Sinelov, a junior majoring in economics and a member of BU Club Ice Hockey, said he was happy to see his team ranked as the No. 1 “Most Respected Club Sport” on campus.

“We work hard to have a good image around campus — we try to do things as professionally as possible” Sinelov said. “It makes me proud that people acknowledge the amount of work we put in both on and off the ice.”

Other students put less stake in

the rankings’ accuracy.

“It blows because it arbitrarily ranks things based on stereotypes,” said Steve McKown, a senior majoring in anthropology. “Not enough diversity in the questions.”

Lisa Dillon, a sophomore majoring in biology, said she thought the majority of people who vote are the people and groups involved.

“I feel like the people at Binghamton are not the type to

community.”

And other Greek-affiliated students praised the effort.

Samantha Elmes, a member of Phi Sigma Sigma, said that the intention was good, but that the timing could have been better.

“I definitely understand it, and I think that we do need to come together and get together more often and create a better image for Greek Life,” said Elmes, a senior majoring in psychology. “But at the same time it’s kind of a bad time for us to have to be here on campus of all places. I mean, if this is our free time, I’m sure that right before finals campus isn’t the place that we want to be. And if it is, we should be studying.”

The party organizers were strict about their no-alcohol policy: bouncers at the door checked bags and purses for alcoholic beverages, and they sniffed the contents of juice and water bottles to make sure that nothing was smuggled in.

Daniel Richmond, a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, who worked as a bouncer for the event, said that he did not find a single person who tried to sneak in alcohol or who showed up intoxicated.

“It kind of surprised me,” Richmond said. “I thought more people would be trying to bring in liquor. I thought my job would be harder, but it was really pretty easy tonight … This shows that Greek life can do things without alcohol.

We can have fun and throw things that don’t involve alcohol, especially because it’s been getting us into some problems lately. It’s like a fresh start that shows we’re striving for a different image.”

Morgan Appel, the Panhellenic Council adviser who supervised the event, said she was impressed by what she saw.

“I think I’m most excited because this is a student initiative,” Appel said. “It’s not something that the administration said should happen. This was a student-run initiative. They all planned it themselves and we said we’d support them however we can. And they really ran with it and owned it. I’m really glad that they did it.”

Appel stressed that students should know that parties can be fun even without alcohol.

“We really wanted to make it feel like a party and not like a prom or high school dance,” Appel said.

“We’ve got the black lights going and we’ve got the punch and water pong. We want to make it feel like a good time, and hopefully students

will buy into other events as the semester goes on.”

Students gave mixed reviews about the party itself. Michael Glisci, a senior majoring in psychology, felt that there was too little inter-organization interaction.

“I feel like the [problem] was that everyone went to their own group,” Glisci said. “There wasn’t any real mixing.”

He said the alcohol-free environment may have contributed to the subdued atmosphere.

“I think the [lack of alcohol] definitely had something to do with the atmosphere,” Glisci said.

“I’m sure almost everyone came in thinking it was just going to be some lame, on-campus thing because of the lack of alcohol.”

Amy Ghattas, a member of Phi Sigma Sigma and a senior majoring in biology, was also underwhelmed by the party.

“If you’re going to throw a dance on campus, you should put more work into it,” Ghattas said.

“Better decorations, more snacks, more stuff to do. Games and events and stuff would be good … It felt like a middle school dance, it was very awkward and boring. Late Nite was more fun than this.”

Molly Gendelman, a junior majoring in English, agreed.

“If you’re going to try and

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Behind the scenes

really care what the survey actually says,” Dillon said.

Taubman said he is open to feedback for Rank BU, and encouraged the site’s users to use its comments section to suggest additional categories to be ranked.

replace alcohol, you should do it with things people want,” she said.

Former IFC president Stein said he does not know what role he will play in the Greek community going forward.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” he said. “I’m hoping to stay involved. I’ve done a lot of work for this school and this community. I hope that they believe at this point that I’m a valuable member of the Greek community.”

However, he insisted that he remains committed to repairing the image of Greek Life on campus and to bringing safe, fun events to Binghamton University students.

“We’ll see what the feedback from this is,” Stein said. “If the people liked it then we’ll have more. If not, then we’re back to the drawing board and we’ll think of something else.”

Alex Liu, the IFC presidentelect and a junior majoring in philosophy, politics and law, acknowledged that the party was at times lackluster, but said it was an important step for Greek Life moving forward.

“This is only a first attempt at Greek Life coming together,” Liu said. “It was a great event that ended earlier than it should have.”

Toy drive succeeds as record fails The Speech and Debate team invited more students to practice and meet with coaches to improve their public speaking and debating skills, which resulted in more students becoming interested in competing, according to Leeson-Schatz.

The team reached out to help students off campus too, helping to boost the BHS debate team from three to roughly 20 students.

“Our goal is actually to have them compete this spring semester at high school tournaments,” Leeson-Schatz said.

Trevor Reddick, captain of the debate team and a junior double-majoring in English and philosophy, said he looks forward to working with the high schoolers to build their program.

“Lots of students from our team have met with [BHS] students and we are devoted to developing the infrastructure to create a great program to help integrate the local community,” Reddick wrote in an email.

Masakazu Kurihara, an international transfer student from Japan, said he heard about BU’s Speech and Debate team while studying at Ohio Northern University.

“During my study in Ohio Northern University, I researched about debate teams in U.S. and checked out the National Debate Tournament Ranking,” said Kurihara, a sophomore in the Individualized Major Program, in an email. “I figured out that Binghamton University is always ranked within top 10, and a tuition is affordable for me, so I decided to

come here.”

Despite their success this semester, Leeson-Schatz said the team still struggles to remain competitive with a $40,000 to $50,000 budget, competing against schools working with a half-million dollar budget for travel alone.

“We’re very good at stretching the value of the dollar, but it means we have to make tough decisions,” Leeson-Schatz said.

He said more funding would allow the team’s varsity program to flourish without undercutting people who are looking just to gain more experience.

“Most people at Binghamton don’t have prior debate experience, which is one of the unique things about our program,” Leeson-Schatz said.

The team receives $19,000 from the Student Association, with additional funding from the BU President’s Office, the Dean’s Office, the English and political science departments and an endowment.

Leeson-Schatz said that though the team could use more support, they have been fortunate to receive the money they have from the various departments and offices.

“It is not that the University hasn’t been supportive of us,” he said. “We’re one of the few organizations that hasn’t been cut over the last few years.”

Reddick said the team works to make up the funding for the program and travel costs to tournaments, which he said can cost between $1,000 and $4,000.

“Between our tournament that we hosted in September and judging at high school tournaments we are raising about $12,000,” Reddick said.

— Kara Dinowitz BU sophomore

many people.”

The record attempt began 45 minutes later than the time listed on the event’s Facebook page, thanks to a drawn-out procession preceding the event — during which many people walked out — featuring administrators, the lighting of a large menorah, a Binghamton Crosbys performance and a speech by Rabbi Levi Slonim, who would routinely pause to loudly “shush” attendees over the microphone.

“Rabbi Levi was particularly unbearable,” said one member of Chabad’s general board, who requested anonymity. “He attempted to treat a room of 700 students, faculty members, and community members — many of whom have nothing to do with Chabad — as if they were children at an elementary school assembly.”

Although Chabad did not break the world record, they set a personal record by raising $10,548.95 for their annual toy drive, more than any other charity campaign by a Jewish student group on campus.

“No matter how you spin it, if you can give, you make this a better and brighter world,” Slonim said.

Kara Dinowitz, a sophomore

majoring in English, said an important part of Hanukkah is to “publicize the miracles” and she said the event was a success in that aspect.

“I am so proud of the amount of Jewish pride which was present in that room as we lit the candles, and it was really amazing to be a part of over 700 students taking time out of their finals week to celebrate Hanukkah together and have fun,” Dinowitz said.

“Also we reached our goal for the toy drive so we are sharing the miracle of Hanukkah with kids who really need it!”

Jonathan Heisler/Photo Editor

Natalie Lamb (left), a junior majoring in biology, and Gabrielle Maire, a junior majoring in neuroscience, spin dreidels on Monday night as part of an attempt to gain entry into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Chabad’s Dreidel Spinoff aimed at breaking the previous World Record of spinning 732 dreidels at the same time.

Avett Brothers: The Carpenter

Staff Columbia Records

Nathan Partridge | Release A typical Avett Brothers album runs the gamut across more key moments in life than many of the group’s fans have even lived through.

From love and loss to fear and abandonment, these are songs played by worn, lived-in hands, written by men who have driven the longest roads and come back home in the end.

As the Avett Brothers grow in their popularity and scale, their songs become wiser and more refined, resulting in one of their greatest albums to date.

The most noticeable thing about “The Carpenter” is that, frankly, it is a pretty happy album. Gone are the laments of lonely young men stumbling through their unsteady lives; they are replaced by songs of closure, of moving on for good. Scott and Seth Avett both sound like they have finally

found some kind of stability, and instead of leaving them without the inspiration that comes with strife and pain, it has left them with new perspective and sagacity.

Songs like “Live and Die,” “I Never Knew You” and “Pretty Girl from Michigan” are profound reflections on the men the Avett Brothers once were, complete with failed attempts at love, worry for the future and the restlessness that drives all small town kids to impossible journeys and life on the road. For the first time, as Scott sings in “The Once and Future Carpenter,” they realize that these things are all parts of being human. They are what it means to be alive. The first song on the album ends with a simple creed: “If I live the life I’m given, I won’t be scared to die.” It is an enlightened idea, one to live by.

Music Beat is a weekly subsection of Release that highlights current music, features local bands and revisits artists from the past.

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Screaming Females: Ugly Emily Mancini | Release

Frank Ocean: Channel Orange Don Giovanni Records

If you’re looking for 2012’s most powerful, innovative, guitar-heavy and all around kickass album, it’s gotta be “Ugly.” The New Jerseybased punk trio Screaming Females didn’t hold back at all when they released their fifth studio album with the help of notorious producer Steve Albini. The group, featuring Jarrett Dougherty on drums, King Mike on bass and Marissa Paternoster on guitar and vocals, has come a long way from their humble origins in the DIY New Brunswick basement scene.

“Ugly” immediately sets itself apart from the rest of the Screaming Females’ discography, from the clean-cut choruses of “It All Means Nothing” to the energetic crescendos of “Leave It All Up to Me.” “Ugly’s” sound is also notably smoother and crisper, a result of Steve Albini’s influence as well as the band’s advanced musical skill, which has improved in leaps and bounds since their first self-recorded album “Baby Teeth.” Overall, the sound is uniquely Screaming Females but with something extra, a twisting together of classic punk and rugged, down-and-dirty rock that you can’t hear anywhere else. Truly one of 2012’s musical gems, “Ugly” delivers an entirely new type of punk that’s at once jarring, gritty, forceful and rugged — once you’ve experienced it, you’ll find yourself begging for more.

Title Fight: Floral Green Kieran Mcmanus | Release

Odd Future Records

Darian Lusk | Release To me, “Channel Orange” represents the struggle to face and rise above the mess that is day-to-day life. There’s so much going on in Frank Ocean’s head that he’s getting down on paper, from sexual exploration to social commentary, and projects that ambitious don’t exist

anymore. This is Frank Ocean in this moment, capturing everything that he can in one spiritual odyssey, and it’s not dense or grandiose, it’s simple and strikingly beautiful. As we undergo a hip-hop movement, an R&B comeback, a year when everyone is putting their hearts on staff paper, 2012 belonged to Frank Ocean.

I was a little underwhelmed by 2012. But one album that definitely caught my attention was Title Fight’s “Floral Green.” Packed with raw, real instruments and testosterone, both of which have been absent in much recent music, “Floral Green” was a breath of fresh air this year. A hardcore punk band out of nearby Kingston, Pa., Title Fight surprisingly managed to make it to No. 69 on Billboard’s Top 200 with the record. I was never a fan of hardcore, but “Floral Green” is something else. The album doesn’t have whiny vocals or indecipherable screaming, as many recent hardcore-associated acts appear to have to those

unaccustomed to the genre. Front man Ned Russin’s vocals are intense but also audible, making the record more accessible to new fans. With catchy songs like “Leaf,” “Like a Ritual” and “Secret Society,” intense tracks like “Make You Cry” and delicate pieces like “Head on the Ceiling Fan,” Title Fight demonstrated their broad range of talent and further launched their career with “Floral Green.” “Shed” was a solid debut album, but “Floral Green” has gained Title Fight respect from critics and created world tours after they started up as an unknown small town punk band just a few years ago.

If you want a break from EDM or the constant battle of who can make the most obscure music,

give “Floral Green” a listen. It’s definitely something different.

And if you’re a fan of Jawbreaker or Kid Dynamite, you’ll love their influence in “Floral Green.” So if

SideOneDummy

you want to see punk come back, pick up a copy, see one of their crazy live shows and support the scene.

Fiona Apple: The Idler Wheel...

Grizzly Bear: Shields

Jonathan Finkelstein | Release Fiona Apple – “The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than The Driver Of The Screw And Whipping Chords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do” It’s easy to think of Fiona Apple as the frail, unpredictable brat that called popular culture “bullshit” at the VMAs 15 years ago. Since then, few artists have articulated the complex, emotional static of their own minds like Apple has. She has released only four albums in those 15 years, and each time has ripped open her chest to reveal her aching heart. This year, we got “The Idler Wheel …,” her most devastating, rewarding release to date.

Songs like “Every Single Night” and “Daredevil” are recorded documentations of Apple’s fast-firing synapses that can’t be tamed by anyone, while “Periphery,” “Regret” and “Left Alone” are worldweary, angry responses to the songstress’s realization that Hell really is other people.

Compositionally, Apple has never been so minimal, but this stark atmosphere is what makes her musical poetry so effective. In her rawest moment

Kenneth Herman | Release

By no means is “Shields” a perfect record … no single track is as accessible or transcendentally beautiful as the song “Two Weeks” on “Veckatimest.”

Instead, “Shields” does away with the dollops of reverb and hushed vocals that characterized 2009’s “Veckatimest” with 10 of the band’s most direct and concise songs yet. Stripped down vocals, modest instrumentation and

on “Werewolf,” Apple describes herself as a newly formed, lonely volcanic island, but in sharing “The Idler Wheel …”

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this year, Apple has connected herself to anyone who dares to listen.

inventive compositions comprise “Shields.”

The Brooklyn group seems well adjusted in stripping their seamless blend of indie, baroque pop and folk down to its basics. Ed Droste’s vulnerable yet soaring vocals, Daniel Rossen’s innovative and jazz-nuanced guitar work, Chris Taylor’s polished production and Christopher Bear’s complex and tasteful percussion make “Shields” one of the finest albums of 2012.

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But condemning this entire city is an insult to all of us, students and townspeople alike. The gag reflex with which we respond to this city means we see every part of it as repulsive; our time Downtown is time spent wearing shit-colored glasses.

It’s true, there are places that could use touching up. But this city also abounds with gift shops, cafes, parks and restaurants that would be just as at home in New York City. Laveggio’s has the best coffee some of us have ever had. First Friday features incredible art and events every month. And the park that loops under the bridge along Riverside is a great place to catch the sunrise or just get some fresh air.

The point is, there are some great places lurking around Downtown. Are they hard to find?

Well, that depends; how hard are you looking?

For most students, especially the freshman and sophomores who, by living on campus, can avoid all that perceived nastiness until the weekend, the answer to that is, “Not very hard. Because

Binghamton’s gross.”

Therein lies the problem. As much as there may be areas of Binghamton that should be avoided, students should be seeking out the places that shouldn’t be. To some extent, the reflexive avoidance of looking and walking around Downtown is changing by necessity. With the increasing popularity of 20 Hawley and Twin River Commons, hundreds more students will be living in close proximity to the heart of the city.

They will experience its essence on a day-to-day basis and whether they like it or not, they will have to find the good places to eat and hang out and become a part of their city.

And the urge to live Downtown is definitely real: most Downtown housing is already full. It’s somewhere students want to be, but on the city’s part, there should be more of a concerted effort to improve the ambiance it gives off. Walking Downtown should be a pleasant experience, not one spent dodging the walking dead.

There’s been somewhat of an effort to improve

the aesthetics of the Downtown area already — construction to upgrade the infrastructure, sprinkle verdant islands, and knock down old buildings is ongoing. But it’s happening too slowly and in too concentrated an area. And, there’s one area, small as it may be, whose improvement would massively improve the ambiance of the entire Downtown: the Metro Center. That little plaza behind the bus stop is dilapidated and unused. If it was instead renovated into a student-friendly, sparkling new complex, students would flock to it.

Improving our relationship with this city is a mutual process. Students need to take the initiative; they need to explore, to seek out places they’ll want to spend time. So too, the city and campus should be advertising the great things that already exist and building new ones that are readily apparent. Binghamton isn’t just a city we should live in, it’s a city we should bring to life.

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Belcher's suicide a chance to reverse a stigma Suicide.

Just typing that word, saying it out loud or reading it elicits too much fear, too much anguish and too much anger.

Jovan Belcher was not a “coward.”

He was a man and he was suffering.

On Saturday Dec. 1, the Kansas City Chiefs’ linebacker, Jovan Belcher, killed himself after shooting and killing his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, in front of their 3-month-old daughter.

The outrage was stifling.

Belcher, a highly respected and admired pro football player, had committed murder and, regardless of his status and fame, should be chastised just like anyone else.

But what Belcher did after he killed his girlfriend is what needs to be focused on. Belcher’s suicide changes

this tragedy from a heartless act to a cry for help, and we should learn from Belcher instead of just labeling him a cold-blooded killer.

Suicide is not a light topic, but that does not mean it should be taboo.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, every 13.7 minutes, someone in the United States dies as a result of suicide.

Every 40 seconds, someone, somewhere in this world, commits suicide.

In 2010, 38,364 Americans committed suicide.

Those numbers are not small. They are significant statistics, and we should not feel ashamed or embarrassed to talk about them.

By ignoring Belcher’s final act, we are further embellishing the stigma that is associated with suicide and mental illness and we are further distancing ourselves from those suffering. We should learn from it, talk about it and not live in fear of it.

By no means should Perkins’ name be dismissed, because what Belcher did to her is horrific and wholly unacceptable. But both Perkins and Belcher deserve our sympathy and our

respect.

After the tragedy, Kevin Powell, a former Real World star and presentday writer and activist, wrote an article in response.

After many were quick to call Belcher a coward, Powell argued that what Belcher was going through was certainly anything but cowardly.

Belcher was struggling with financial problems, relationship issues and specifically, Powell wrote, with the unyielding stress of maintaining his perceived masculine identity.

The reactions Powell received were harsh and offensive, so he started a Twitter feed to respond to all feedback.

One tweet said, “I get the idea that you are actually sticking up for someone who murdered his wife.”

Powell responded with, “That is absolutely untrue. I do not condone violence, and I hope for peace and love toward all. But as someone who has overcome personal challenges in grappling with violence and anger, I know that there are some serious issues around manhood and mental illness that we are not fully addressing as a nation. We need to start talking about how to help those in need.”

Powell is right.

Belcher’s poignant and disturbing actions should not be condoned, but they should not be disregarded either. Instead of avoiding the complex reasons that drove Belcher to commit murder-suicide, we should have the courage to learn from this tragedy and help others in similar situations.

May both Jovan Belcher and Kasandra Perkins rest peacefully, and may the rest of us learn to accept what we can’t always understand.

— Julianne Cuba is a junior majoring in Chinese.

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Zachary Hindin Kimberly Bower

Christmas is here. This time, avoid the pink bows and Hot Wheels Holiday consumerism has been in full swing since before Black Friday, but as the countdown to Christmas, Hanukkah and other winter holidays nears its end, the stakes to find the perfect gifts for your loved ones have been raised.

discounts and markdowns this holiday season.

The Swedish version of the toy company’s annual Christmas catalog depicts a girl holding a Nerf gun and a young boy playing with a baby doll. The images are meant to reflect Sweden’s new crackdown on gender inequality and provide opportunity for both children and parents to engage openly with sexuality.

The gender-neutral catalog is the first of its kind, both for Sweden and the toy conglomerate, and is already making progress in breaking gender stereotypes.

One catalog portraying gender-neutral Embracing the gift-giving fever, images will not be sufficient to change companies have also increased their antiquated notions about gender and advertising, bombarding baffled personal sexuality. However, the small step made Santas with commercials and catalogs by TOP-TOY, the company that runs Toys advertising their products. The recent “R” Us retail stores in Northern Europe, Toys “R” Us catalog controversy in is groundbreaking in generating new Sweden, though, proves that some perceptions about the messages children companies are providing more than just accept when they receive certain gifts.

Besides being the season of giving, Christmas also happens to be the season of indoctrination. Many parents and child advocates don’t realize that in purchasing toys that carry heavy connotations of gender and sexuality, such as doll houses or Hot Wheels sets, they are in fact perpetuating notions of gender which have been sanctioned by tradition, culture and even the government. By instilling such narrow

views about sexuality and gender at such a young age, children are forced to condition themselves if they don’t fit into rigid gender categories, which can present harmful consequences as they mature.

The truth about gender is not as rigid and defined as our culture makes it appear. The lines between gender and sexuality are blurred, and the variations that exist within each should be enough to consider re-evaluating how companies and media that cater to children present notions of sexuality through their products.

Particularly in our “sex sells” culture, American retailers have a responsibility to respect their buyers and not place gender bias or emphasis on their products. This policy should not be targeted solely toward children who are discovering their sexual identities, but also to adults who have long established

their sexualities and gender specificity.

Parents and other adults must also shoulder the responsibility of teaching young children that sexuality and gender are not compartmentalized strictly into male or female and heterosexual or homosexual. By teaching children to be more accepting about the nuances of sexuality, children will be better prepared not only to embrace their own sexuality, but others’ as well.

So this holiday season, as you search the aisles or the Internet wondering what to get your younger siblings or your next-door neighbor, don’t consider their gender. Consider their interests.

Think about their personality. Most importantly, consider what you’re saying to them with what you give them.

— Ashley Branch is a junior majoring in English.

When they come for you Out of all the movie genres, the horror movie is the most frustrating. It tends to be the easiest movie to turn to complete crap in an instant.

movie should have. But if one thing goes wrong or one element falls through, the whole thing crumbles to the ground. As soon as the thought “wow, this is stupid” occurs to the viewer, the experience is ruined.

Imagine the countless number of horror movies that seemed promising at first, but at the introduction of a new element, the entire movie went belly up.

For instance, when the monster, who was hidden and mysterious Allow me to explain. before, is all of a sudden shown in When watching an action full light, it turns out to be rather movie, there is a pretty acceptable lame. Boom, ruined. The movie is degree of nonsense that can be no longer scary, and redemption stomached before deeming the is impossible. movie unwatchable. Other genres are similar, in that they can get away with being only partially good and still remain watchable.

Now consider the horror movie.

A great horror movie does more than just provide the occasional jump or shock. It should instill a pervasive sense of despair and fear in the watcher, one that captivates and excites (since it is not real). This is how “The Ring” felt for me when I first watched it as a kid. I was absolutely terrified; my mind was It’s interesting how many blown. times the revelation of the When most of us watch a monster can ruin the movie. horror movie, we hope to be Some of the most popular scary scared. Simple, yes, but therein movies are those in which you lies the problem. Actual fear, never actually see anything. rather than just a series of jumps Consider “The Blair Witch from sudden noises and visuals, is Project” or “Paranormal Activity.” difficult to provoke with media.

The fear component of the The creation of such fear movie is implied. In “The Blair requires a fine-tuned delivery of Witch Project,” you never see visuals, plot and various other the witch, but you fear her. Her subtleties that a good horror absence from the screen is crucial,

Finals period in its worst form is nothing short of academic bulimia. We consume as much as we feasibly can, desperately trying to cram a semester’s worth of studying and memorization, only to purge everything into thin blue books over a few hours.

Once that knowledge is flushed out, you’re likely to never look back.

Indeed, it’s the most absurd period of the academic semester.

We have cumulative exams worth a third or half of our grade, sometimes more. You’re scavenging your room for notebooks from September. That

class you may have been blowing off for six weeks suddenly has a 15-page paper due in four days.

You realize you never got around to getting your own calculator or calc textbook, but now nobody can lend you one.

This isn’t learning, that’s for sure. In ways, this intellectual bulimia disgraces real growth, which takes discipline over time; we know that. But to examine how finals affect our lives solely through an academic lens is confining. Finals week is a highly ritualized, holistic practice. We can look at how finals impact our lives along several dimensions.

One of the most noticeable shifts finals evokes in our lifestyles is in our sleep patterns.

Pulling all-nighters, studying from sunset until an exam the next day, becomes common practice. We’ll get together in groups, or fly solo, struggling to keep our eyelids pried and

and at one point, during a frantic sprint through the woods, both the characters and viewers believe they see her for just a moment.

And it’s terrifying. Similarly, in “Paranormal Activity,” the presence of the demon is implied by the fear of the characters and the strange activity around the house.

Maybe the best horror movie is the one that is construed in such a way so that the fear component is derived from the imagination of the audience, rather than forced from the director’s idea of a scary visual. Some movies are able to get away with creating fear explicitly through visuals. For those who have watched “The Ring,” the majority probably agree that the image of Samara crawling out of the well is profoundly terrifying, as are many other moments in the film.

Children are much less picky in this way, and they will likely be frightened by the presentations of most horror movies, but for a mature audience, more is necessary. Most of us aren’t afraid of absurd monsters and exaggerated demons anymore.

The entire genre has been plagued by a massive number of bad movies, and many people are apprehensive to see new horror films because of that trend. Maybe we will see directors moving more toward the minimalistic approach, creating the idea and the setting and leaving the fear component up to the audience.

— Michael Marinaccio is a senior majoring in management.

focused on the notes in front of us.

One must wonder: at what point is this practice no longer productive? When your body reaches a certain level of exhaustion, it would be better for you, your health and even your grade on the test, to give your brain the rest it needs.

Your eyelids twitching are a sign that they don’t want to be open anymore — or that you’ve taken too much MDMA. What good is memorizing the causes and effects of the Treaty of Versailles if you spend the twohour test period with your head on the table?

In general, time management during finals week is a challenging exercise. We have two to three hours of stress followed and preceded by large chunks of essentially unstructured time.

These voids are full of potential, but also incredibly dangerous.

Who do you call when you think there’s a burglar in you house? Who do you call when you get in a terrifying car accident? Who do you call when you need protection? For most of us, the automatic response when we feel endangered is to call the police. We are taught from early on that police officers are our protectors, and more often than not, they are. But like always, there are exceptions to this rule.

driving.

He drove along Rt. 6 at about 35 miles per hour when police placed spiked strips on the ground to stop Robert’s car.

He finally pulled over.

What ensued was the most horrifying night of Robert’s life.

Robert was severely beaten by police officers and tased countless times. At one point, a trooper broke his fist by hitting him in the face. For this, Robert was charged with aggravated assault of a police officer.

The troopers hog-tied him and threw him in the back of their vehicle. Robert endured hours of torture and had to be taken to the hospital multiple times for the injuries he sustained.

As unbelievable as this story sounds, it is true. There is proof.

Sometimes, police officers can be the bad guys.

March 8, 2010 began like any other day for Binghamton alumnus Robert Leone of Vestal, N.Y. The weather was beautiful, and his zest for life was at an all-time high.

As a lover of nature and the outdoors, Rob decided to get into his car and drive. All he wanted was to enjoy another fine day.

Unfortunately for Rob, his day took a drastic turn.

That evening, upon his return, Robert was signalled by Pennsylvania State Troopers.

He didn’t pull over. Maybe it was the euphoria of his day, Police or the knowledge that he cameras hadn’t done anything wrong, act. So but Robert simply continued Youtube

Best case scenario: you have the discipline to balance studying, eating (healthily), sleeping (enough, though not excessively) and, if you’ve really got selfcontrol, some exercise.

But let’s be realistic. I won’t deny that it was finals week spring semester freshman year that I finally caught up on the first three seasons of “Lost.”

I’ve never heard anyone say, “Hm, that final isn’t for six days — now is the perfect time for me to start studying in advance

witnessed this shocking act of police brutality. They have heard Robert’s pleas. They have heard Robert’s screams. They have heard Pennsylvania State Troopers respond, “You’ve got a long f—— night ahead of you.”

And he did.

Throughout that night, Robert was tased into unconsciousness, beaten with a baton, pepper sprayed and physically assaulted by the police multiple times. Today, two years later, he suffers from broken ribs that did not heal properly, head trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.

He was incarcerated for two years, and the officers involved in the incident have yet to be charged.

Some say it is human nature to abuse power, but when do we say enough? The best time to make a change is at the present.

If you want to help Robert and his family, take the time to write a letter to the Justice Department demanding the investigation of the Robert Leone case. Robert once walked the same halls as we do now. He used the same water fountains and sat in the same classrooms.

He is one of us, and we must help him.

Letters can be sent to: Angela Washington Justice Department Patrick Henry Building 601 D Street NW car dashboard Washington, DC, 20530 captured the entire far, about 835,000 — Nesh Pillay is a senior viewers have majoring in English.

so I’m not stuck cramming the night before!”

And it is our less-thanperfect time management which leads to bizarre and unhealthy consumption patterns. Last year’s finals week I went through 2.5 Jazzman’s coffee cards, no joke. I was on a first-name basis with the baristas. Plus, just like molly before Spring Fling, Adderall prices suddenly skyrocket and everyone’s dealer seems to be out.

Finals week does have some positive elements, especially the camaraderie it evokes. I think it’s safe to say that if you’re in the Glenn G. Bartle Library past 2:30 a.m. you know you’re in the big leagues. If you find yourself in the Pods during those early morning hours, every peer is suddenly an ally in the collaborative effort to show your finals who’s boss.

A real sense of community develops as knowing smiles and

friendly nods are shared.

We could also look at how we speak to each other. Few are the conversations that exceed this standardized formulation: How are your tests? You know, and yours? Did you hear that so and so doesn’t have any finals? Yes. Let’s hate them for it. OK. I find that if it isn’t a fact or essay idea we need to know for an exam, our brains have a hard time processing it in a sensible manner. Coffee. Exhaustion.

Blue Books.

My favorite element of finals, though, is the refugee factor.

For the students who pack air mattresses, coffee makers, cereal boxes and changes of underwear and camp out in Bartle Library for days at a time, I salute you.

— Michael Snow is a junior majoring in philosophy.

RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

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Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

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ACROSS 1 Blue or brown follower 5 Rubik creation 9 Dalmatian marks 14 City north of Carson City 15 Jet-black gem 16 It’s prohibited 17 Valley girl’s “Ick!” 20 Senator Hatch 21 Wagon pullers 22 Hard to hold 23 Donizetti aria “Regnava __ silenzio” 25 Storyteller 27 Cliché framed above many a hearth 33 Finance major’s deg.

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4 Rectangular game piece 5 Holy animal?

6 Mile or meter 7 Eight bits 8 Breathe out 9 MA and PA 10 School play prop 11 Philharmonic reed 12 Kit thing 13 Discman maker 18 Foe 19 Yves’s girlfriend 24 Table section 26 Bank feature 27 “They’ll Do It Every Time” cartoonist Jimmy 28 Star Wars letters 29 Hard-to-find guy of kids’ books 30 “Love Story” costar 31 Land where Moses died 32 Goofs 33 Internet opinion piece 34 2008 Libertarian presidential candidate 38 Elvis classic

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46 Old French capital?

49 Put in stitches 50 Recognition 51 New York tribe 54 Grows up 55 Electrical unit 56 Hip bones

58 Prefix with sol 59 Blueprint 61 Slam dunk site 62 Govern, or word that can follow the first word of the four longest puzzle answers 63 Rehab admission 65 When the French fry?

66 Expert ending?

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

By Jack McInturff (c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

03/25/09

03/25/09

Dyami Starks’ 25-point first half led Bryant University to a 78-56 rout of the Binghamton University men’s basketball team on Saturday afternoon, prolonging the Bearcats’ search for the elusive first road win.

Binghamton (2-8) opened in a 2-3 zone defense, which Starks promptly exploited by burying his first six 3-point attempts.

Bearcats head coach Tommy Dempsey said he likes the zone because it mitigates the pressing concern of his team’s lack of depth by reducing fouls, but Starks forced the first-year coach to alter his game plan and switch to a man-to-man defense near the midway point of the first half.

But even then, Starks could not be stopped until the second half.

“About halfway through [the first half] when we switched to man, we had a couple pretty good defensive possessions against him and he was just raising up, hitting fallaways,” Dempsey said.

“It was a shooter in the zone, and we really had no answer, and unfortunately the first half got away from us a little bit.”

Starks’ onslaught helped Bryant (5-3) to a 51-30 halftime lead, which it would extend to a game-high 30-point advantage with 11 minutes left in the contest. But Starks, a sophomore transfer from Columbia University, did not score a single point in the second half.

“The best thing that

happened to us was halftime to cool [Starks] off a little bit,” Dempsey said. “And then we were able to come out and limit his shots in the second half.”

With Starks unable to sustain his dominance into the second half, Binghamton kept Bryant at bay. But the damage had been done, and the Bearcats could not stage a comeback.

“At halftime we were down, and I was nervous that it was going to get really ugly,” Dempsey said. “I thought our guys dug in, showed pride, shut [Starks] out in the second half. If I was going to take a positive from [the loss], it was that.”

Freshman guard Jordan Reed led Binghamton with 15 points and eight rebounds, while senior guard Jimmy Gray had 14 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The Bearcats’ quest for their first road win only gets harder, as they are set to face off with University of Michigan in Ann Arbor tonight. Ranked No. 3 in the AP Top 25 poll, the Wolverines (9-0) have a fine blend of length, athleticism, quickness and shooting.

AP All-American Trey Burke, a sophomore point guard, leads the team in scoring with 16.9 points per game. Burke has also been an efficient distributor, registering 7.1 assists to 2.4 turnovers per game. His 49.1 percent shooting percentage is the lowest among Michigan’s top-six rotation

Jonathan Heisler/Photo Editor

Senior guard Jimmy Gray scored 14 points Saturday at Bryant, but the Bearcats, who will play Michigan tonight, lost, 78-56.

players, and the Wolverines as a team have scorched the nets thus far to the tune of a 51.5 percent field goal percentage.

“You’re playing against a team that has a chance to win a national championship, so you’re playing against one of the true elite teams in the country, if not the best team in the country,” Dempsey said. “So I think you

just get yourselves prepared, you go out there and compete. You enjoy the experience of playing on national television against one of the best teams in the country.”

The Big Ten Network (Time Warner channel 814) will air the game, which is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at Michigan’s Crisler Center.

Men's basketball @ Bryant

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By the Numbers

2 The Bearcats have two wrestlers, Donnie Vinson and Nate Schiedel, who rank in the top six in their respective weight classes.

Tommy Dempsey does not beat around the bush. If something is true, he knows and says so.

Ari Kramer

62 Jasbriell Swain scored a career-high 26 points in Monday’s loss to Niagara.

25 The men’s basketball team allowed Bryant’s Dyami Starks to score 25 points in the first half of Saturday’s loss.

5 After committing 18 firsthalf turnovers at Buffalo on Saturday, women’s basketball lost the ball just five times in the second, holding on for its first win of the season.

Assistant Sports Editor

No one — perhaps with the exception of the Bearcats themselves — thinks Binghamton University can upset University of Michigan tonight at the Crisler Center.

The Wolverines, ranked No. 3 in the latest AP Top 25 poll, are legitimate national title contenders, and, let’s face it, the Bearcats’ chances of even having a Cinderella run through the America East remain bleak at this point.

So when Dempsey discussed tonight’s game, he essentially said he hoped his team would not find itself on the wrong side of a rout.

“Our best doesn’t mean we’re winning, but we’ll need to do our best to even be competitive,” he said.

I’m sure some Binghamton

faithful won’t like those comments from their coach, steadfastly maintaining the idea that a coach should always say his team can win — whether the opponent is Broome Community College or Michigan.

But that’s what makes Dempsey so great. He’s the polar opposite of Mark Macon, who would frequently give convoluted answers in a circuitous manner.

And what one has to realize is that Dempsey hasn’t waved the white flag — that’s an item he will never possess. He still has his players prepared with the mindset that they can learn and benefit from playing a team with such national cachet, a Michigan team that was a trendy Final Four pick in the preseason.

“You’re playing against a team that has a chance to win a national championship, so you’re playing against one of the true elite teams in the country, if not the best team in the country,” Dempsey said. “So I think you just get yourselves prepared, you go out there and you compete.”

Michigan head coach John

—Tommy Dempsey BU head coach

Beilein plays just seven players for more than 10 minutes per game, but he has one of the nation’s best cores. Known commodities Trey Burke, a preseason AP All-American, and Tim Hardaway Jr. are off to torrid starts. Jordan Morgan has been productive, and freshmen Glenn Robinson III, Mitch McGary and Nik Stauskas

have been as good as — if not better than — advertised.

Stauskas, perhaps, has been the most impressive. Robinson has the athleticism and McGary has the motor, but Stauskas, the least heralded of the bunch, has the pure jumper. He has converted 60.5 percent of his 4.2 3-point attempts per game and ranks third on the team with 13.7 points per game.

Dempsey has said he wants to play more zone in response to his team’s lack of depth, but as we saw on Saturday, a hot shooter can thrive against such a defense. If the Bearcats show their 2-3 zone tonight, they’ll essentially dare one of the country’s hottest shooters to shoot — a lot. And, making matters more unfavorable, Burke, Hardaway and Robinson can also capably bury shots from deep.

But the Bearcats would still face many mismatches in their man-to-man defense. Burke is quicker than any Binghamton guard, Hardaway is longer than any Binghamton guard and McGary is more of a bull than any Binghamton forward.

Those are facts. After all, there has to be a reason that

Michigan is ranked No. 3 and Binghamton isn’t.

But those facts won’t keep the Bearcats from competing tonight. Dempsey will never wave a white flag, and as we’ve seen early on, his players have espoused his every demand.

They’ll take the floor ready to compete.

The Bearcats won’t beat Michigan — if they do, mark it down as the national upset of the year — but they won’t roll over either.

BU @ Michigan December 11 Crisler Center 7 p.m.

TV: Big Ten Network

BEARCAT BRIEFS Reed earns AE Rookie of the Week

By Ari Kramer | Assistant Sports Editor For the second time this year, Jordan Reed has been named America East Rookie of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.

The freshman, who first earned the honor on Nov. 19, averaged 20.5 points and nine rebounds in losses to Monmouth University and Bryant University last week. Even after posting a season-low 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting against the Bulldogs, the 6-foot-4-inch guard still leads the America East in scoring (18.3 ppg). He also sits atop the conference in rebounding, averaging 10 boards per game.

According to head coach Tommy Dempsey, Reed will have to learn to adjust as opponents begin to focus their

efforts on stopping him. But developing an ability to adjust likely won’t happen instantly, as talented as Reed may be.

“He’s going to have some frustrating nights because … I think a lot of the scouting reports will be designed to frustrate him,” Dempsey said. “And he’s a freshman — that’s a lot to put on a young guy.”

Nonetheless, Reed has established himself as one of the early favorites for America East Rookie of the Year. Jameel Warney of Stony Brook University and ESPN Top 100 recruit Maurice Watson Jr. of Boston University will likely stand as Reed’s main competitors for the award.

Keegan named third-team All-Northeast Region

By Megan Brockett | Sports Editor Following a record-setting senior season, Jake Keegan has been named third-team All-Northeast Region by the National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America (NSCAA).

The forward finished the season ranked No. 28 in the country in goals per game with 0.61 and No. 32 in points per match with 1.44, both good for second best in the conference. He received first-team

All-Conference honors last month for his performance.

After recording 11 goals and 29 points, Keegan closed out his career atop Binghamton University’s Division I era record books in goals (28) and points (69).

Keegan becomes one of 12 BU players to receive NSCAA All-Northeast Region honors since 2003, and the first since Kyle Manscuk in 2010.

McKenna and Zdanowski sweep weekly AE awards

By Megan Brockett | Sports Editor Freshman Brian McKenna and sophomore Devin Zdanowski were named America East Swimmer and Diver of the Week, respectively, last week to earn the Binghamton University men’s swimming and diving program a sweep of the Conference’s weekly awards. The duo propelled the Bearcats to their first dual win of 2012-13 at Canisius College on Dec. 3.

McKenna captured gold in the 50 free and 100 free at Canisius and was a member of the first-place 200 free relay team that broke the Canisius pool record

with a time of 1:26.55. The day prior at Bucknell University, the freshman took first in the 50 free.

Zdanowski’s AE Diver of the Week honors were the third of his career. The sophomore posted four total wins on the weekend against Bucknell and Canisius, recording the Conference’s secondhighest point total in the three-meter board on Saturday and the secondhighest point total in the one-meter board the following day.

Binghamton captures first dual wins over weekend

When Matt Dernlan took over as head coach of the Binghamton University wrestling team, he faced the tall task of replacing Pat Popolizio and trying to duplicate the former coach’s success. And this weekend, Dernlan and the Bearcats (2-6) took another step toward that goal, beating Princeton University and Boston University to earn their first two wins in dual matches.

But Dernlan deflected the idea that earning his first win as Binghamton’s coach was the most important piece of the weekend.

“It felt good, but more importantly, it was good to see the guys fight from top to bottom and compete hard,” he said.

Saturday, in a dual meet that came down to the last few matches, the Bearcats prevailed against Princeton (0-6) at Dillon Gym, winning their final three matches. The final score was 23-12.

Down 12-10 going into the 184 lb. weight class match, the Bearcats needed a win from redshirt junior Cody Reed to secure a victory. And in comefrom-behind fashion, Reed stepped up and beat freshman Scott Gibbons in overtime, 7-5.

Senior 197-pound Nate Schiedel, currently ranked sixth in the country, and sophomore heavyweight Tyler Deuel then went on to techfall their opponents, earning

the Bearcats their first win of what has been an excruciatingly difficult start to a season.

— Matt Dernlan Binghamton head quote

Other wins on the day came from 125-pound senior Patrick Hunter, thirdranked 149-pound redshirt senior Donnie Vinson and 165-pound redshirt freshman Vincent Grella.

“I knew it was going to be a dog fight,” Dernlan said.

“We won all the crucial matches we needed to, and I’m glad the effort was there to bring us out on top.”

The following day, the Bearcats traveled north for a conference matchup against Boston University (2-1) at Case Gym. Winning six of 10 matches, Binghamton earned a 26-13 victory.

Senior 133-pound Derek Steeley finished his weekend on a positive note, defeating junior B.J. Suitor by major decision. The most surprising

After opening the year with eight straight losses, the Binghamton University women’s basketball team secured its first win of the season on Saturday, topping University at Buffalo, 65-60, at Buffalo’s Alumni

File Photo

Cody Reed secured a come-from-behind victory in overtime on Friday to push the Bearcats to their first dual win of the season.

and impressive performance of the weekend, though, came from Grella, who defeated sophomore Mitchell Wightman by a score of 2-1. Coming into the weekend, Grella had been winless in dual matches, but now stands at 2-4 on the season.

Dernlan said Grella stepped up this weekend, more than any other Bearcat.

“He was there for us all weekend when we needed him most,” Dernlan said.

Arena. Two days later, though, the Bearcats’ chances at a new kind of streak would come to an abrupt end as Binghamton fell to Niagara University at home, 63-57, on Monday night.

In Saturday’s game, Binghamton sophomore forward Sherae Swinson and junior guard Jasbriell Swain led

Jonathan Heisler/Photo Editor

Binghamton beat Buffalo on Saturday to earn its first win of the season, though it would fall at home to Niagara two days later.

Hunter, Reed, Vinson and Schiedel also had winning weekends. The Bearcats’ two nationally ranked wrestlers, Vinson and Schiedel, remain undefeated on the season, accumulating 54 of the team’s 89 points in dual meets.

The Bearcats are off until Dec. 29-30, when they are scheduled to participate in the 50th annual Ken Kraft Midlands Championships at Northwestern University’s

BU (1-9) in scoring with 11 points each. Swain also collected nine boards to go along with a season-high five steals.

BU head coach Nicole Scholl said she was happy her team ended its losing streak.

“I thought they came out and played hard,” she said. “We have had some close games that we’ve been unable to finish out so it was nice to finish this game out with a win.”

Aided by six Binghamton turnovers, Buffalo (1-9) blazed out to a 17-7 lead early in the first half.

But Swain willed the Bearcats back into the game by sparking a 12-3 run in which she forced a pair of turnovers and connected on an open jumper to knot the game at 20 midway through the first half. There were three ties from that point until freshman forward Morgan Murphy scored a basket to put BU up 28-26 at intermission.

Binghamton extended its lead to 36-30 with over 12 minutes left in regulation, but Buffalo would not go away quietly. The Bulls trailed BU by one, 51-50, after junior guard Margeaux Gupilan connected on a 3-pointer.

BU junior guard Vaneeshia Paulk kept the Bulls at arm’s length with a 5-0 run of her own to push Binghamton’s lead to 56-50.

Buffalo continued to put the pressure on the Bearcats. Gupilan, who finished the contest with a gamehigh 20 points, connected on another 3-pointer to bring the Bulls to within one, 61-60, with seven seconds left in regulation.

But Binghamton managed to ice the game at the free throw line by going 4-for-4 in the waning seconds.

After committing 18 turnovers in the first half, BU turned the ball over only five times in the second half. Binghamton also outrebounded Buffalo 43-29.

Against Niagara (4-4) Monday night, Binghamton fought back

Wrestling @ Boston University

26

from an early 12-point deficit in the first half but couldn’t complete the comeback.

—Nicole Scholl BU head coach

“It was frustrating tonight,” Scholl said. “I thought we let one slip away and we had our chances at it. Give Niagara credit, they kept fighting the whole game and started off the first half well. I thought overall we played a great second half, we came out with the same energy we had up at Buffalo with our win up there and now its just matter of us being more consistent.”

After two lead changes and three ties to begin the first half, the Purple Eagles pulled away with a 12-0 run to create separation en route to a 35-22 halftime lead. Swain accounted for half of the Bearcats’ points.

“Everybody knows that I am a defensive player,” Swain said. “I was

13

just able to help my teammates, and they put me in positions where I could score.”

In the second half, Binghamton’s defensive intensity put the wheels in motion for a 17-4 BU run that would tie the game at 39 at the 12:39 mark.

Swain and senior guard Mallory Lawes accounted for eight of the Bearcats’ 17 points during that stretch. Junior guard Stephanie Jensen hit a 3-pointer to put Binghamton up 42-41, but Niagara surged ahead with a 9-2 run.

Niagara fended off the Bearcats by converting its foul shots down the stretch.

“This group is still hungry … and especially being a young group, the experience they’re getting right now in non-conference is exactly what we need,” Scholl said.

Swain finished with a career-high 26 points on Monday, and Murphy chipped in with 14 points and 7 boards.

“I definitely believe that this team is better than its record,” Swain said. ”I feel like we have a problem putting two halves together. The only game we did that was against Buffalo and we came out with a win. So once we are able to put two halves together then this season will [get better].

Binghamton is scheduled to face Syracuse University this Saturday at the Carrier Dome. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.

Women's basketball @ Buffalo

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SPORTS

BU falls at Bryant Page 16

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

BACK ON TRACK

Wrestling picks up first wins of the year, topping Princeton, Boston University

See Page 19 Brad Blansky/Staff Photographer