Fall 2013 Issue 24

Be free from gluten

Global Fiesta

Release rounds up the finest in Binghamton gluten-free dining, see page 10

MRC celebrates holidays around the world, see page 2

PIPE DREAM Friday, December 6, 2013 | Binghamton University | www.bupipedream.com | Vol. LXXXIV, Issue 24

AIDS festival promotes safe sex Speakers encourage students to get tested

Mandela Remembering

Nelson Mandela, South Africa's peacekeeper and former president, global icon dies at 95 in Johannesburg

Sodexo adopts Meatless Monday Dining halls offer more vegetarian options Jeremy Bernstein

Carla Sinclair Contributing Writer

News Intern

The third annual AIDS Awareness Festival helped to spread knowledge and prevention methods with performances, speakers, Chinese food and a whole lot of condoms.

The festival, held in Old Union Hall by the Charles Drew Minority Pre-Health Society, featured acts by KASA MODA, the Pappy Parker Players, the X-Fact’r Step Team and guest speakers from HIV/AIDS education organizations in Binghamton.

The event was held during AIDS Awareness Week to engage with both those infected and affected by the illness, and to spread awareness and prevention techniques.

“One of our biggest goals was to stress awareness throughout the skits and comedy and speakers. It was a celebration,” said Adedolapo Ogunleye, president of the PreHealth Society and a senior majoring in psychology. “Our theme this year is honoring those infected. I’m not, you may not be, but someone has a sister or a spouse or at least knows someone who is, so we’re all in it together.”

Prevention and accessibility were the focus of the event, and speakers noted that HIV infection could happen to anyone. Thomas Womelsdorf, a harm reduction specialist at the Southern Tier AIDS Program

This week, Sodexo at Binghamton University joined the nationwide Meatless Monday program.

For BU students, Meatless Monday simply means two extra vegetarian options at the entree station for dinner and lunch. The program was suggested to Sodexo by the IDEAS club.

Meatless Monday began in 2003 and is now present in 29 countries, according to Meatless Monday’s website. The website says that “skipping meat one day a week is good for you, great for your nation’s health, and fantastic for the planet … Going meat free on Monday helps increase fruit and vegetable consumption, supports hardworking produce farmers, and represents a fabulous platform for promoting meat-free products.”

Louis Vassar Semanchik, a member of IDEAS, said that animal cruelty is not the only reason to go meatless.

“We care about that, but our main message is that eating meat is an ecological catastrophe. It’s a disaster. There are water wastes.

It’s polluting waters, and it’s using resources and food that could be fed directly to people and instead it’s wasted producing meat,” said Semanchik, a junior majoring in biology.

According to Semanchik, it takes seven to 15 pounds of grain and 2,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef.

Sodexo Unit Marketing Coordinator Casey Slocum said

See AIDS Page 8

AP Photo

In this Feb. 13, 1990 photo, African National Congress leader Nelson Mandela gives the black power salute to 120,000 ANC supporters packing Soccer City stadium in the Soweto township of Johannesburg, South Africa, shortly after his release from 27 years in prison. South Africa’s president says on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013, that Mandela has died. He was 95.

Christopher Torchia and Marcus Eliason The Associated Press Nelson Mandela was master of forgiveness.

South Africa’s first black president spent nearly a third of his life as a prisoner of apartheid, yet he sought a to win over its defeated guardians in a relatively

peaceful transition of power that inspired the world.

As head of state, the former boxer, lawyer and inmate lunched with the prosecutor who argued successfully for

his incarceration. He sang the apartheid-era Afrikaans anthem at his inauguration and traveled hundreds of miles

See MANDELA Page 7

See MEAT Page 7

Indian International Student Union to host Tamasha Variety show to feature multicultural dances, fashion show and comedy skits Brendan Zarkower Contributing Writer Binghamton University’s Indian International Student Union (IISU) will host its annual cultural show, Tamasha, this Saturday in the Fine Arts Building at the Watters Theater.

Various student groups will be performing in this year’s “Ticket to Bollywood”-themed show.

Among the groups featured at the two-hour event are Binghamton Bhangra, Binghamton Masti, Quimbamba Latin dance team and

Cornell Tarana, an a cappella group.

There will also be five dance routines performed by BU students through the IISU. The IISU dances will include a variety of styles. Among these are classical, Garba, Moda and South Asian dance.

The club hopes to bring in a large audience as they have in past years.

The event is usually attended by about 300 people and is on pace to match that number this year; about 200 tickets have been sold, and another 100 are expected to be sold at the door.

“Generally Tamasha means ‘fun’ in

a variety of South Asian languages,” said Jonathan Varghese, president of the IISU and a senior majoring in biology. “That’s the energy of the show, a fun and loose time. We have high-energy dances, a vibrant fashion show and a comedic skit that is played throughout the show.”

There are more than 100 performers in this year’s show, over 50 of whom are members of the IISU. “We’re really excited to put on a great show for everyone,” said Asha Antony, a member of the IISU and a freshman majoring in biology.

“Everyone has been practicing really

hard. The show is a great way to spread Indian culture around campus.”

In addition to dance routines, Tamasha historically features a comedy routine in the form of a skit and a fashion show with traditional Indian clothing.

Tamasha is more than just the show at Watters Theater. The night before the show, there is a Tamasha banquet in the Appalachian Dining Hall. Additionally, there is an afterparty hosted by multiple fraternities.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and tickets will be sold at the door for $10. Presale tickets are $8.

The show is a great way to spread Indian culture around campus — Asha Antony BU freshman

NEWS

2

www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

Global Fiesta

MRC celebrates holidays around the world The event also included presentations of a dance by the Ballroom Dance Association, a PowerPoint on the Korean New Year This December, Binghamton and an exhibition of Thai boxing by University’s winter fiesta was opened the Thai Cultural Awareness Club, up to all cultural groups. during which the performer took The “Global Fiesta,” a celebration down multiple attackers who charged of holidays around the world that her on stage. was formerly known as the “Festival of Lights,” was held in the Mandela Room on Wednesday evening. In the past, the event only featured religious groups on campus. According to Nicole Sirju-Johnson, director of the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC), which hosted the event, the celebration was expanded this year due to requests from various student groups on campus.

— Jordan Asulin BU Junior This year’s event was held in honor of the victims of the typhoon that ravaged the Philippines, killing more than 10,000 people.

The night featured a moment of silence for those lost, along with The Philippine-American League the lighting of three candles that performed tinikling, a dance based represented life, peace and prosperity. off a Filipino bird that grabs rice “Regardless of why we celebrate from between bamboo shoots. The our particular holidays or traditions, dance involved two people hitting and we are able to see our similarities sliding bamboo poles on the floor in a through the light,” said Nayemai-Isis rhythm with two dancers who stepped McIntosh Green, the vice president of and jumped over and in between the multicultural affairs. poles.

Students from different “Since it’s a global event, I organizations gave presentations on wanted to share a little bit of Filipino winter holidays, including Christmas, culture,” said Michael Cariaso, one of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. the Filipino dancers and a sophomore

Nicolas Vega

Assistant News Editor

Free food, awesome entertainment — how could I say no?

majoring in mechanical engineering.

Jordan Asulin, a junior majoring in sociology, said that he liked the effort made by the MRC to increase the event’s inclusivity.

“I think [the addition of cultural groups is] definitely a good change,” he said. “Having cultural things and not just religious things is very important.”

Asulin added that he was impressed with the quality of the performances. “[They] were really cool,” he said.

“Everybody seemed to put a lot of effort in. It was an awesome night.”

Other groups that didn’t perform were also at the event, tabling around the perimeter of the room. One of these groups was Pi Delta Psi, an Asian-American cultural fraternity.

“We want to promote our culture and other peoples’ cultures,” said Jeremy Poserio, a member of Pi Delta Psi and a senior double-majoring in biochemistry and integrative neuroscience.

After the performances were finished and the candles were lit, audience members were allowed to hit the food tables, catered by the MRC, which featured a selection of dishes from different cultures around the world.

Asulin said that, given the opportunity, he would definitely attend the event again.

“Free food, awesome entertainment — how could I say no?” he said.

Tycho McManus/Staff Photographer

The Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) hosted the “Global Fiesta” Wednesday evening in the Mandela Room. Formerly known as the “Festival of Lights,” the “Global Fiesta” aimed to be a celebration of holidays and traditions around the world.

PAGE III Friday, December 6, 2013

Pipe Line

Relax-station

State News Edward Hopper painting sells for over $40M Edward Hopper’s “East Wind Over Weehawken” has sold for $40.5 million — an auction record for the artist.

The 1934 work depicts a streetscape of the New Jersey city across the Hudson River from New York. It had been in the collection of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. An anonymous telephone bidder purchased the work at Christie’s on Thursday. The pre-sale estimate was $22 million to $28 million. The painting captures the melancholy of post-Depression life in America. Hopper considered it one of his best works. Proceeds from the sale will go toward the creation of a new endowment at the academy for the purchase of artworks. The previous Hopper record was $26.9 million for “Hotel Window.”

NY registration drive for STAR property tax breaks Officials are trying to get more homeowners to register for New York’s STAR property tax break before the end-of-year deadline. State tax officials are providing direct assistance to homeowners in seven STAR registration locations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday. The centers will be in Albany, Binghamton, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Long Island. The STAR exemption averages $700 statewide.

All homeowners have to reapply for the benefit as part of an effort to weed out waste and abuse. State officials say 800,000 people still haven’t registered with the Dec. 31 deadline looming. More than 1.9 million homeowners have registered for basic STAR exemptions.

Tycho McManus/Staff Photographer

Karen Fuentes, a senior double-majoring in economics and English, along with Catherine Morales, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, participate in “RelaxSTATION” Thursday evening in the Old Union. The event, held by Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc., aimed to help students relax before the stressful final weeks of school begin.

National University News Two students arrested for harassment in hazing case Two students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have been arrested on charges of harassing a fellow student who reported hazing at the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports David Baird of Hendersonville was booked into the Knox County jail on Thursday. Kelby Cowan of Brentwood was arrested Tuesday.

Both were released Thursday on a $2,000 bond each. Baird and Cowan are accused of sending threatening, profanitylaced text messages to Andrew Preston, according to an arrest warrant. Neither Cowan nor Baird had a listed phone number. The messages were sent Nov. 23, a day after the hazing was reported to police. Last week, Pi Kappa Phi’s national organization said it would close the UT chapter, which already was on disciplinary probation after a spring hazing incident.

UNC fraternity suspended in wake of death A fraternity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has been suspended during an investigation into suspected hazing. The Alpha-Alpha Chapter of Chi Phi issued a statement this week confirming that it has been suspended from campus for alleged violations including alcohol use and inappropriate activities with new initiates.

The chapter is also under investigation by the fraternity’s national governing body. UNC Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Winston Crisp said the university has zero tolerance for actions that threaten the health or safety of students. Chi Phi pledge David Shannon of Charlotte fell to his death last year while climbing on machinery at a concrete plant. The 18-year-old had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit for driving when he fell.

Police Watch A lighter take on campus crime

In case of criminal mischief, break glass SATURDAY, NOV. 30, 11:18 a.m. — A case of criminal mischief occurred in Lot F, said Investigator Patrick Reilly of Binghamton’s New York State University Police. The victim, a 53-year-old female, parked her car in the lot earlier in the day, and when she came back, she noticed that the rear passenger window was broken. The doors were still locked in the car. Nothing seemed to be taken from the car. There are no witnesses at this time.

Time to step up your towling game TUESDAY, DEC. 3, 8:11 p.m. — Officers responded to a drug complaint in College-in-the-Woods’ Seneca Hall, Reilly said.

The smell of marijuana seemed to be permeating from a room in the hall. Officers approached the room that the smell was emanating from and noticed a towel under the door and the smell of freshly sprayed cologne in the air around the room. When officers were allowed into the room, they saw a small amount of marijuana residue and some rolling papers on the desk of the suspect, an 18-year-old male.

No charges were filed.

This Day in History Corrections Pipe Dream strives for accuracy in all we publish. We recognize that mistakes will sometimes occur, but we treat errors very seriously. If you see a mistake in the paper, please contact Editorin-Chief Christina Pullano at editor@bupipedream.com.

stabilizing: There's a killers song for that

December 6, 1865 The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, officially ending the institution of slavery in the United States.

A workout for your wallet TUESDAY, DEC. 3, 11:22 p.m. — A case of petit larceny occurred in the East Gym male locker rooms, Reilly said. A 19-year-old male put his backpack in his locker prior to working out but forgot to lock the locker. When the victim returned, he opened the locker to find that his backpack was not inside. After inspection, the victim found the backpack a few aisles away, and his pants, which housed his wallet, were missing. He found his pants a few more aisles over along with his wallet, where $100 was missing from the wallet.

There are no known suspects at this time.

So, uh, who pays for that car?

TUESDAY, DEC. 3, 11:54 p.m. — A hit-and-run occurred in Lot Y1, Reilly said. A witness called the police after seeing an SUV driven by a 21-year-old male hit another car while pulling out of his spot. The witness took down the license plate numbers and gave them to the police. The police proceeded to inform the 19-year-old male victim about the accident, which the victim decided was not serious enough to press charges, as he was confident in the drivers’ insurances taking care of the damages. The suspect claims that he did not notice the impact while pulling out of the spot. No tickets were issued.

“Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world.”

Nelson Mandela South Africa’s first black president, during his inaugural address. Mandela died Thursday at the age of 95.

I don' t think there's a killers song for that :destabilizing

www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

NEWS

4

Muggles make magic at Yule Ball

Photos Provided

Students gather in the Old Union Hall Monday night to take part in the second annual Yule Ball. The ball, held by the Binghamton University Bookworms, replicated a dance that is held on Christmas Day during the Triwizard Tournament in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”

"Harry Potter" fanatics compete for prizes, glory in Triwizard Tournament-based tasks Margaret-Rose Roazzi Contributing Writer

Muggles, aspiring wizards and witches alike gathered in the Old Union Hall for the second annual Yule Ball.

The magical event took place Monday evening and was hosted by the Binghamton University Bookworms. It was named after the Yule Ball, a dance that is held on Christmas Day during the Triwizard Tournament in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.”

Jenna Kimble, the president of Bookworms and a senior majoring in English, said the club wanted the event to be bigger than last year’s.

“Last year we put [a Yule Ball] on, but it was a lot smaller, so this year we decided to do it again,” Kimble said. “I got more clubs involved, and it was a lot of fun.”

As students entered the hall, they were given a trivia sheet written in

the form of a Hogwarts test. A prize was offered to the first contestant to correctly answer all the questions.

Four long tables in the middle of the room were decorated with the colors of the four Hogwarts houses: yellow for Hufflepuff, green for Paranormal Society.

Slytherin, blue for Ravenclaw and Also featured were magical treats red for Gryffindor. including cockroach clusters, Bertie Attendees dressed in their Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, werewolf favorite house colors or even in full costumes.

Prizes were awarded for the best costume at the end of the night, with first place going to Michael Hickey, a junior majoring in computer science. Hickey dressed as a Hufflepuff student, and the costumes ranged from generic Hogwarts school uniforms to — Aref Afshar Captain, BU Quidditch team specific characters from the books.

Along the side of the room, stations were set up for students to make buttons, mix their own potions, enter a raffle for Harry Potter goodies or have their tarot cards read by the Binghamton Area

Everybody here is having a good time

teeth and pumpkin pastries. The refreshments served included pumpkin juice and butterbeer.

The Binghamton Quidditch Team also made an appearance, showing attendees how to play muggle Quidditch. Players ran around the room on broomsticks trying to catch the “snitch” — a person with a small sack attached to a belt around his or her waist.

The event also included a Triwizard Tournament, during which contests reflected the tasks from the actual Triwizard Tournament in the book.

The first challenge was the dragon egg challenge, where contestants bounced balloons on wands across the room and then popped them, looking for clues.

The second was reminiscent of the challenge from the book where the champions had to dive into the Black Lake to retrieve an item that was stolen from them. It involved leading a blindfolded person across an obstacle course as a group.

For the third challenge, participants had to solve a series of riddles that described particular characters from the Harry Potter universe, and then find the Bookworms member dressed as that character to proceed.

The winners were Gryffindor team and Hufflepuff team, who found the Goblet of Fire after solving the final riddle.

Lyla Cerulli, a member of the Binghamton Quidditch Team, said she was pleased with the event’s

festivities.

“The Bookworms put a lot of effort into the Triwizard Tournament,” said Cerulli, an undeclared freshman. “It got people to work together within their different houses.”

Aref Afshar, captain of the Binghamton Quidditch Team, also said he had a great time at the ball.

“As [the Yule Ball] picked up, I really started enjoying myself, and Quidditch started doing its thing here,” said Afshar, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience. “Everybody here is having a good time.”

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www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

5

SUNY BEST dissects Affordable Care Act Michelle Catan examines Obamacare's effects on small businesses in Binghamton Carla Sinclair Contributing Writer

SUNY Business and Education Cooperative of the Southern Tier (SUNY BEST) turned its attention to the controversial Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its implications for small businesses, those they employ and the individual.

The presentation Thursday morning in the Binghamton University Downtown Center, given by NYS Small Business Development Center business adviser Michelle Catan, outlined how the health care revamp offered by the ACA affects small businesses and their employees.

SUNY BEST describes itself as a community-based group that promotes business alliances, information and outreach to existing businesses. In vein with its efforts to educate its partners, it hosted this event to describe how the changes implemented will affect the way small businesses and individuals deal with the health care policy.

The ACA, informally known as Obamacare, is a complete overhaul of the federal health care system, requiring every citizen to attain insurance either through his or her employer or through a virtual “exchange” or “marketplace”: HealthCare.gov, a website offering varying degrees of coverage.

Businesses with less than 50 full-time employees or 100 parttime employees are excluded from the employer mandate that requires that they provide health care. Businesses that fit this description qualify for tax credits. Currently, when they provide health care, employers can receive 35 percent of the cost of the premium insurance cost written off their taxes. The credit increases to 50 percent in 2014 through 2015 if the employer buys through the exchange.

However, these same businesses aren’t required to provide insurance, and in these situations it becomes the responsibility of the individual.

According to the individual mandate, beginning 2014, all individuals must be covered by insurance or face a yearly penalty of up to $695 per adult or $2,085 for a family by 2016.

The website is set up by county. Depending on where the individual lives or where his or her employer’s company is registered, different health plans are available.

For example, Tioga County offers Fidelis Care while Broome County

does not.

The ACA was created to combat the issue of rising health care costs and lack of insurance that left the country with about a 15 percent uninsured rate in 2011, which fell to 14.8 percent in 2012, according to the U.S. Census.

Broome County had an 8.2 percent uninsured rate in 2012.

Another issue ACA addressed was that children stopped receiving their parents’ benefits.

With the ACA, kids can stay on their parents’ plan until age 26, or 29 with an additional fee. This raised questions as to whether employers should offer individual or family health insurance plans.

The premium on some might be abnormally high because it would be simpler for children as old as 29, with a variety of controversial factors, to stay on their parents’ plan.

“The kids don’t have to be in college, or can be married, or can be making more money than the parent,” Catan said.

This loophole might prevent employers from offering family coverage. However, even with this in place, 6.6 million young adults gained coverage since ACA’s passing in late 2009. 150,000 of those have been in New York state.

Some of the required services in every policy are emergency services, prescription drugs, maternity and newborn care and rehabilitative services. Pediatric vision and dental are also required.

There are four “tiers” of coverage: Bronze, which covers, on average, 60 percent of expenses; Silver, covering 70 percent; Gold, covering 80 percent; and Platinum, covering 90 percent.

The higher the plan, the higher the premium, but the less out-ofpocket payment.

Catan listed organizations, including ones in Broome County like the Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center, that offer trained “navigators” of the system, including herself, to help both individuals and small business owners figure out which plan is best for them.

SUNY BEST’s presentation on the Affordable Care Act’s new policies and mandates on both small businesses and individuals was not only an outline of changes but also offered Southern Tier residents and businesses information and guidance through the process.

Janine Furtado/Assistant Photo Editor

NYS Small Business Development Center business adviser Michelle Catan speaks in the University Downtown Center Thursday morning. Catan outlined how the health care revamp offered by the ACA affects small businesses and their employees.

Obama Care Fast Facts 50% Businesses with less than 50 full-time employees or 100 part-time employees are excluded from the employer mandate requiring they provide health care.

$695 Beginning 2014, all individuals must be covered by insurance or face a yearly penalty of up to $695 per adult or $2,085 for a family by 2016.

6.6 million young adults gained coverage since ACA’s passing in late 2009. 150,000 of those have been in New York state.

6.6 Million

35%

Currently, when they provide health care, employers can receive 35 percent of the cost of the premium insurance cost written off their taxes. The credit increases to 50 percent in 2014 through 2015 if the employer buys through the exchange.

The ACA was created to combat the issue of rising healthcare costs and lack of insurance that left the country with about a 15 percent uninsured rate in 2011, which fell to 14.8 percent in 2012, according to the U.S. Census. Broome County had an 8.2 percent uninsured rate in 2012.

8.2%

There are four “tiers” of coverage: Bronze, which covers, on average, 60 percent of expenses; Silver, covering 70 percent; Gold, 80 percent; and Platinum, 90 percent. The higher the plan, the higher the premium, but the less out-of-pocket payment.

SUNY Albany graduate student explores the history of "N-word" Offensive word has roots in ancient expressions of royalty and holiness in Africa Joseph Hawthorne News Intern Ankhnun Ptaah, a graduate student from University at Albany studying Africana studies, described the symbolic importance of the “N-word” in American culture in his talk “The Etymology of Netger,” held in Lecture Hall 9 Monday night.

Ptaah explained the historical roots of the word “netger.” Despite its often negative associations, Ptaah said that the roots of the word originally meant something royal or holy. “Netger” was originally used to address pharaohs.

“N-G-A is actually a sacred word, it’s a symbol of spirituality, it’s something beyond its typical definition,” Ptaah said. “We can go to Angola

where ‘nga’ means king, we can go to Ethiopia where ‘negoos’ means king or emperor. We can go to India where the word ‘naga’ means snake or snake god.”

Ptaah described how the word devolved into a symbol of oppression.

“You have Romance languages like Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, and they come up with their own interpretations of N-G-A. You have nager, you have nigre, then you have neger, then it becomes negro, then it becomes nigger, nigger, nigger,” Ptaah said.

Ptaah compared the symbolism of the word to that of the swastika, which he said was a “holy symbol to the ancient world.” He described how the image of the swastika was coopted by Hitler to oppress and murder people.

“A picture speaks a thousand words, but a symbol speaks a thousand pictures,” Ptaah said.

“Every time Jewish people even see this image, they think of those horrific experiences that their ancestors had to suffer through.”

Ptaah said that all the struggles of slavery became intertwined with the “N-word.”

“When our ancestors are castrated, our women are raped, when they see their children taken away, when they’re shackled, thrown off boats, when they are thrust upon a religion, the first and last word they hear is ‘nigger,’” Ptaah said.

Unlike Nazism or the swastika, however, Ptaah said the word has again become popularized in spite of its dark history.

“I’m on the bus, going to

class, and I walk past a bunch of brothers of Indian descent.

I guess one was listening to a song that says, ‘My nigga, nigga, nigga this, nigga that,’” Ptaah said. “Even in my school now, you have brothers of Japanese and Chinese descent who are using the word because the word is put into the mainstream so much that even brothers and sisters from other cultures that inherit their own stereotypes.”

Ptaah said that students should not avoid cursing altogether but should understand the impact of the words they use.

“I’m not gonna lie, I curse too,” Ptaah said. “We just gotta start to think critically about how we use these words in our conversation and how we even address other words are powerful, words have meaning.

Once you put them out there,

they’re gone to the universe, you can’t take them back.”

Derrick Conyers, the vice president for academic affairs, who hosted Ptaah, said the event was necessary for students to discuss racial issues.

“It was important to bring out awareness about the N-word, that there are a lot of closed and shaded opinions,” Conyers said. “The event gave more opportunity to learn about African culture.”

He also said that a discussion about language was helpful with multiple reports of racial issues at Binghamton.

“We thought it would be appropriate to have an educational event,” Conyers said. “There have reports of racial slurs at Dillingers and from what I’ve heard, some slurs being used at Newing, so my office thought this could be

helpful.”

Many audience members agreed with Conyers.

“There are people on campus that use the word a lot; sometimes I even hear white students using it,” said Raul Cepin, a freshman majoring in sociology. “Students should really have more information and have some history of the word itself. It’s an issue that needs to be talked about.”

Words have meaning. Once you put them out there, they're gone to the universe — Ankhnun Ptaah SUNY Albany graduate student

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6

www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

HIV-positive panelists share stories Speakers talk to students about living with infection, dispel common misconceptions Habin Kwak Contributing Writer

Kendall Loh/Phoro Editor

A group of SOM students hold an E-Waste Collection Drive in the Rafuse loading dock in Dickinson Community. The student team won the $10,000 grand prize in Ernst & Young’s national “Your World, Your Vision” grant competition on behalf of the Bridging the Digital Divide Project.

Women Empowered Support Protect Educate Advocate and Know at Binghamton University (WE SPEAK BU) held their third annual “It Can’t Happen to Me” discussion panel Thursday in the University Union, where students heard the stories of three HIV-positive adults.

The purpose of the event was to clear up misconceptions about the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) as well as to inform students about preventive measures.

“I just want people to see HIV can affect anyone,” said Karlisa Crooks, president of WE SPEAK BU. Crooks, a senior majoring in anthropology, said the majority of the planning for the event involved getting HIV-positive adults to come and speak to students. Three HIV-positive activists answered the call and came to speak in front of the audience of approximately 30 students.

The event was divided largely into two segments. First, the three speakers Tony Ray, Corinthian Booker and Steven Holmes, took turns telling their life stories involving how and when they contracted HIV. Ray, 27, told the story of how he contracted HIV at the age of 17.

“My story is one of those ones you don’t actually get to

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hear that often,” Ray said. “I was infected at the age of 17.

The difference in my story is that growing up we knew a lot about HIV. Safer sex was always one of my practices. I went to college at fall and during my first semester I got really sick for a week. I didn’t get tested until I got back home that winter, which is when I found out.”

Ray, a public health worker, has been actively informing young adults about how to prevent contracting HIV ever since, traveling around the world to get the message out about HIV and how to prevent contraction of the virus.

Booker was the next to tell his story. He told the audience about the struggles he has faced since his diagnosis.

“I was born with HIV in 1987. I really didn’t understand it until I was 7; the doctors thought I was going to die. I experienced the worst you can experience about — I don’t want to say disease. My happiness, I’ll call it my happiness,” Booker said. “It made it very difficult for me to go to school. I was scared of what the next person was going to say.”

Booker, like Ray and the final speaker, Steven Holmes, is a public health worker and teacher who strives to inform young adults about HIV. “I know I can’t change the world, but at least I can change a community — or a hospital, teenagers, schools, anything!”

he said.

Holmes, 24, began by talking about his thoughts on living with HIV. “HIV does not define who I am,” Holmes said.

Holmes was born with HIV and raised by his grandmother.

“For a moment in time, I just blamed my mom a whole lot,” Holmes said.

The stories were followed by a Q-and-A that invited the audience to ask any or all of the speakers questions about HIV. One student asked what the most common misconception about HIV is.

“You can’t give people AIDS,” Ray answered. “Only HIV is possible to transmit; AIDs is a progression of HIV so there’s no way in hell anyone can give someone AIDS.” The speakers left their places at the front of the room to a standing ovation and were available afterward to talk to students in the audience.

I just want peoplet to see HIV can affect anyone — Karlisa Crooks WE SPEAK BU president

www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

Dining halls add options MEAT continued from Page 1 that the program is largely based on the desires of students.

“A lot of students have come to us in the past with concerns that they didn’t have enough vegetarian or vegan options. In fact, there are a lot of them, but they weren’t presented well or the students didn’t see the options,” Slocum said.

Toren DeRosa, a sophomore majoring in computer science, is a vegan, but says that there are not enough options.

“There is only one dining hall that has a vegan option, and it can get very repetitive,” DeRosa said. “Other dining halls have random vegan options, but it’s not a substantial meal. If you want to get a real meal, you have to come to CIW.” However, he acknowledged that Meatless Monday was a step in the right direction and offered some advice to people trying to cut down on their meat consumption.

“They should do it with an open mind,” DeRosa said. “Usually the food is a lot better than they think, but they will disregard it just

Our main message is that eating meat is an ecological catastrophe —Louis Vassar-Semanchik BU junior

because it’s vegan or vegetarian even though they haven’t ever tried it.”

Slocum said that the student population was generally excited about Meatless Monday, except one student who tweeted “F U Meatless Mondays.” Slocum tweeted back that Meatless Monday doesn’t that there is no meat, which, according to Slocum, the annoyed student re-tweeted.

Alex Mackof, an undeclared freshman, said there are some lesser known benefits to going meatless.

“I am open to the change because I like having varieties, and I don’t eat that much meat,” Mackof said. “The non–meat options are generally a lot less expensive than the meat options.”

For Sofia Degtyar, a freshman double-majoring in art and computer science, quitting meat might not be so easy.

“Growing up in Russia I ate lot of meat because it was one of the key foods in Russian cuisine,” Degtyar said. “I am really used to it, and it’s like a part of me now.

Meat is life. But yeah, I need to eat more vegetables.”

Many other Sodexo schools and hospitals are adopting Meatless Monday, according to Slocum.

Slocum also said that Meatless Monday falls into Sodexo and BU’s broader goals.

“President Stenger really wants to make sure that we promote health and wellness on this campus,” Slocum said. “At some point, we want to become the healthiest campus in the country.”

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NEWS

7

Nelson Mandela dies at 95 MANDELA continued from Page 1 to have tea with the widow of the prime minister in power at the time he was sent to prison.

It was this generosity of spirit that made Mandela, who died Thursday at the age of 95, a global symbol of sacrifice and reconciliation in a world often jarred by conflict and division.

Dressed in black, South African President Jacob Zuma made the announcement on television. He said Mandela died “peacefully,” surrounded by family, at around 8:50 p.m.

“We’ve lost our greatest son. Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father,” Zuma said.

“Although we knew that this day would come, nothing can diminish our sense of a profound and enduring loss.”

At times, Mandela embraced his iconic status, appearing before a rapturous crowd in London’s Wembley Stadium soon after his 1990 release from prison. Sometimes, he sought to downplay it, uneasy about the perils of being put on a pedestal.

He pondered the cost to his family of his dedication to the fight against the racist system of government that jailed him for 27 years and refused him permission to attend the funeral of his mother and of a son who was killed in a car crash. In court, he described himself as “the loneliest man” during his mid-1990s divorce from Winnie Mandela. As president, he could not forge

lasting solutions to poverty, unemployment and other social ills that still plague today’s South Africa, which has struggled to live up to its rosy depiction as the “Rainbow Nation.”

He secured near-mythical status in his country and beyond. Last year, the South African central bank released new bank notes showing his face, a robust, smiling image of a man who was meticulous about his appearance and routinely exercised while in prison. South Africa erected statues of him and named buildings and other places after him. He shared the 1993 Nobel Peace Prize with F.W. de Klerk, the country’s last white president. He was the subject of books, films and songs and a magnet for celebrities.

In 2010, Mandela waved to the crowd at the Soccer City stadium at the closing ceremony of the World Cup, whose staging in South Africa allowed the country, and the continent, to shine internationally. It was the last public appearance for the former president and prisoner, who smiled broadly and was bundled up against the cold.

He was confined to the harsh Robben Island prison near Cape Town for most of his time behind bars, then moved to jails on the mainland. It was forbidden to quote him or publish his photo, yet he and other jailed members of his banned African National Congress were able to smuggle out messages of guidance to

the anti-apartheid movement, and in the final stages of his confinement, he negotiated secretly with the apartheid leaders who recognized change was inevitable.

Thousands died, or were tortured or imprisoned in the decades-long struggle against apartheid, which deprived the black majority of the vote, the right to choose where to live and travel, and other basic freedoms.

So when inmate No. 46664 went free after 27 years, walking hand-in-hand with his then wife, Winnie, out of a prison on the South African mainland, people worldwide rejoiced. Mandela raised his right fist in triumph, and in his autobiography, “Long Walk to Freedom,” he would write: “As I finally walked through those gates … I felt — even at the age of seventy-one — that my life was beginning anew.”

Life, however, imposed new challenges on Mandela.

South Africa’s white rulers had portrayed him as the spearhead of a communist revolution and insisted that

Our nation has lost its greatest son.

Our people have lost a father

black majority rule would usher in bloody chaos.

Thousands died in factional fighting in the run-up to democratic elections in 1994, and Mandela accused the government of collusion in the bloodshed. But voting day, when long lines of voters waited patiently to cast ballots, passed peacefully, as did Mandela’s inauguration as president “Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world,” the new president said. “Let freedom reign. The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement! God bless Africa!

Thank you.”

With apartheid vanquished, Mandela turned to peacemaking efforts in other parts of Africa and the world and eventually to fighting AIDS, publicly acknowledging that his own son, Makgatho, had died of the disease.

Mandela’s final years were marked by frequent hospitalizations as he struggled with respiratory problems that had bothered him since he contracted tuberculosis in prison.

His three surviving children are daughter Makaziwe by his first marriage, and daughters Zindzi and Zenani by his second.

— Jacob Zuma President of South Africa

The NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering offers graduate programs in engineering, science and technology management that empower students to put ideas into action.

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www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

NEWS

8

AIDS Awareness Festival promotes safe sex Get Tested in the Binghamton area The number of people aged 13 years and older are living with HIV infection

208 State St., Binghamton

Broome County Health Department: free walk-in STD and HIV screening on Tuesdays

(15.8 percent) do not know they are infected. That's every 3 in 20 people infected with the HIV virus.

(STAP), outlined recent and upcoming treatment options for those infected. Donna — an HIV-positive woman who spoke at the festival — discussed what it was like to deal with both the disease and the stigma surrounding it.

“I’m a 52-year-old mother of two from a small town. I don’t fit any image you have of HIV-positive,” Donna said. “Yet here I am.”

One goal of the festival was to educate a demographic that is very susceptible to the disease. According to Real Education About College Health (REACH), people aged 13 to 29 accounted for 39 percent of all new HIV infections in recent years.

“I definitely think this kind of event is important on a college campus. It’s not done often,” Ogunleye said.

“Kids need to know their

225 Front St., Binghamton Henry Street

Route 201

Court Street

information, what’s really out there and their status. It’s been embedded in our heads since we were younger, ‘Don’t get AIDS, get tested.’ But kids now, in their prime time, aren’t doing it.”

The event also featured tabling by organizations such as SHADES, Rainbow Pride Union (RPU), the M4 Project, STAP, REACH and Identity Youth Center.

“Our main campaign right now is called ‘Facing AIDS,’” said Aisha Bowen, a REACH member and a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience.

“We’re trying to decrease the stigma around the illness.”

The evening was interactive, as audience members were brought on stage for improvisational sketches with the Pappy Parker Players, a comedy group. The proceeds of the $3 cover went to paying for the Pre-Health Society members’ trip to the annual

Student National Medical Association conference.

Dinner was accompanied by an HIV/AIDS trivia section with condoms as the prizes.

The condoms were not in short supply — bowls full of them overflowed on every table, with members of the Pre-Health Society constantly refilling them with Lifestyles, Trojans and Magnums for the ambitious. And for the unsure, RPU demonstrated on a cucumber in a crash course on how to put one on.

The festival was a night to educate, prevent and try to keep the healthy, healthy. But overall, it served to recognize those who have battled and overcome, eliminating the stereotypes surrounding the disease.

“HIV is just a small part of me as a person,” Donna said.

“And I am not going to let it determine who I am.”

Southern Tier AIDS Program: free anonymous testing on Mondays and Thursdays 122 Baldwin St., Johnson City

reet Baldwin St

AIDS continued from Page 1

M4 Project: free HIV/Hep C testing by appointment on Mondays and Tuesdays, walk-in on Thursdays

State Street

180,900

1,144,500

Front Street

Someone aged 13-25 contracts HIV every two hours.

Court Street

Tycho McManus/Staff Photographers

The third annual AIDS Awareness Festival was held in Old Union Hall Tuesday evening by the Charles Drew Minority Pre-Health Society.

KASA MODA, the Pappy Parker Players, the X-Fact’r Step Team and guest speakers from HIV/AIDS education organizations participated in the event, which aimed to engage with both those infected and affected by the illness, and to spread awareness and prevention techniques.

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RELEASE Arts & Culture

Binghamton puts the freedom in gluten-free It's a tough diet, but our city has a surprisingly diverse array of options for your needs Daniel Santos | Contributing Writer Whether you’ve been diagnosed with an allergy or an intolerance, or you’re simply a conscious eater trying to keep up with the latest food trend, you’ve probably heard of the gluten-free diet. Gluten is a type of protein composite found in many substances and foods, most notably flour, wheat, barley and rye. Eliminating such omnipresent ingredients may seem like a daunting task, but don’t fret! There are several gluten-free options available in the Binghamton area, and Release found the five most scrumptious gluten-free gems just for you.

1. Crepe Heaven 217 Main St. Offering crepes in a European-style, cozy environment, Crepe Heaven is a great place to go on a Sunday morning. To start off, try a bowl of peasant soup, made from ground beef and a variety of seasonal vegetables.

As for crepes, if you’ve got a sweet tooth, go for a Nutella crepe with some fresh fruit and a scoop of ice cream. If you’re in the mood for something a bit more savory, then try the Philly cheesesteak crepe. Either way, you can’t go wrong. Just be sure to call about 30 minutes ahead in order for the staff to prepare the gluten-free batter, since it needs to sit for a while to thicken.

2. Burger Monday’s Bar & Grille 23 Henry St. Gluten-free substitutes can taste really awful sometimes, but Burger Monday’s does it right with their gluten-free hamburger buns. Although all of their burgers are gluten-free, not everything else on their menu is, so if you’re unsure ask your server or a manager. To start off, go with some chips and dip, followed by the classic burger on a gluten-free roll.

And yes, the fries are glutenfree! They also offer a few gluten-free beers, including Red Bridge, if you’re looking to unwind after a hard day of not studying for finals.

3. Whole in the Wall 43 South Washington St. Whole in the Wall is the only restaurant in the Binghamton area certified by the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program, so you know these guys will definitely accommodate those on a restricted diet. They offer seven varieties of pesto, all of which are gluten-free. When looking at the menu, you’ll notice that all gluten-free items are marked with a “GF,” and any dishes that can be modified to be glutenfree are labeled “GFA,” making it simple to differentiate which dishes are safe to eat. Try the stir-fry with vegetables, made with gluten-free soy sauce, and add some chicken or shrimp if you’re feeling crazy.

File Photo of Whole in the Wall

4. Uno Chicago Grill 2503 Vestal Parkway East For a corporate restaurant, Uno has a surprisingly extensive and tasty gluten-free menu. If you’re looking for something low-calorie, the baked stuffed spinoccoli is only 500 calories and consists of a chicken breast stuffed with feta, mozzarella, broccoli, spinach, tomato and garlic. The pizza crust is also pretty tasty, and although they don’t specify on the menu, most of their toppings are gluten-free.

5. Lost Dog Café 222 Water St. Lost Dog has probably been mentioned in every restaurant list Release has ever done, and for good reason. Almost every dish at Lost Dog is delicious, and they offer plenty of gluten-free options. Much like Whole in the Wall, some dishes are inherently gluten-free, while others can be modified to be gluten-free. For an appetizer, go for the spinach and artichoke dip. If you’re feeling boring, try the rigatoni

alla vodka with gluten-free pasta.

If you’d like something a bit less cliché, try the Greek chicken, which is pan-seared with white wine, garlic, spinach, lemon and oregano, topped with feta cheese and served over brown rice. As for dessert, order the flourless chocolate torte or the fresh fruit cobbler, which changes daily and by season.

Being gluten-free can be really difficult at times, but if you search hard enough, there are options.

A helpful app to download is

Find Me Gluten Free, available for both iPhone and Android, which uses your location to find nearby gluten-free eateries. Also, be sure to confirm that when a restaurant claims it serves glutenfree food, it also prepares the food in a gluten-free kitchen. If you’re very sensitive to gluten, crosscontamination can be a real issue.

Regardless, eating gluten-free at Binghamton is very possible and oftentimes delicious. Happy eating!

'Angels' in Binghamton DCP stages one of America's greatest plays Samantha Steiner | Contributing Writer The Dickinson Community Players (DCP) have a track record of taking risks when it comes to selecting shows. This past October, they put on “Juvenilia,” which revolved around a threesome. Now, in perhaps their most ambitious project yet, DCP is taking on Part One of Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, “Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes.” “Angels,” which is seven hours long in its entirety, is divided into two parts: “Millennium Approaches” and “Perestroika.” This weekend, DCP will perform “Millennium Approaches,” which focuses on the intertwined stories of two couples, one gay and one straight.

“Millennium Approaches” is part historical drama. Joe Pitt, married to Harper, is offered a job in the Justice Department working for Roy Cohn, the lawyer who worked for Joseph McCarthy and famously helped prosecute Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for espionage. Ethel Rosenberg herself also appears, as a ghost.

Set in 1985, the play also tackles the AIDS epidemic — Prior Walter, a character in a relationship with another man, has the condition and suffers without proper care.

Truly encompassing America, the play’s settings range from the Bronx to a surreal Alaskan landscape. These sweeping scenes are ambitiously portrayed within the limits of a small cast and budget, especially according to director Tori Scalzo, a senior majoring in philosophy, politics and law.

“It was challenging, creating the show with Kushner’s image in mind while still being a DCP show with our black box minimalist charm,” Scalzo said.

The main characters cross after Joe Pitt finds Louis Ironson, who is in a relationship with Walter, crying in a courthouse bathroom. They strike up an unusual friendship after Ironson suspects Joe, who is married, of being gay himself.

Aside from the two couples, the show follows the stories of five other major characters, some of whom never interact with each other.

“There are never more than three people in a scene,” Scalzo said. “But for that reason, they interact on a very intimate level.”

Jared Gordon, a junior majoring in psychology, plays both Prior Walter, Louis Ironson’s boyfriend, and the anonymous character Louis cheats with in Central Park. Gordon said nearly every actor plays more than one role, which is one way DCP could stage a play with so many characters.

The themes of homosexuality and the AIDS epidemic naturally lend the play comparisons to “Rent,” which was performed as a Mainstage production only a few weeks ago. Assistant director Jonah Lipton thinks that “Angels” has more gravitas than “Rent.”

“Some people say it’s ‘Rent’ without the music, but that’s not this show,” said Lipton, a freshman majoring in actuarial science. “This is far more serious, it has far more depth especially and dealing with AIDS. It’s not about AIDS, it’s about people.”

Indeed, the show delivers something original and poignant. Kevin Gleeson, who plays Joe Pitt, remembered a powerful moment in the play that required two scenes to be played at the same time.

“There’s a part where two scenes are going on simultaneously, and the parallels are really powerful,” said Gleeson, a senior majoring in economics. “In one, my character collapses, and his wife runs offstage. In the other, the character Louis leaves Prior, and Prior starts to scream. Once Louis has left him, Prior says, ‘Everything hurts.’ That’s one of the darkest scenes.”

Gleeson understands that the depth of the characters makes the play such a challenge to perform.

“It’s hard to get into the shoes of characters like this,” he said. “I’m a straight guy trying to play a closet homosexual, and it’s some of the hardest work I’ve had to do as an actor.”

Nina Kozak, who plays Harper, sees a universal truth in the play that one can take away after the curtains fall.

“Prior’s sitting at his vanity applying makeup, and he finds a new lesion,” said Kozak, an undeclared freshman. “He says, ‘One wants, but one so seldom gets what one wants.’ People want to accomplish things, they want to live to their fullest potential, but things get in the way, things that are irreversible.”

Performances will take place in the Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center Multipurpose Room at 8 p.m. on Dec. 6 and 7, with an additional 2 p.m. matinee on Dec. 8. Tickets are $3 at the door.

“Angels in America: Millennium App

Where: Chenango Champlain Collegiate Center Multipurp When: Dec. 6 and 7 at 8 p.m. & Dec. 8 at 2 p.m Cost: $3

December 6, 2013 | www.bupipedream.com

RELEASE

11

'Love and Death' and everything in between Celebrating the films of Woody Allen by counting down our favorites In his film career of nearly 50 years, Woody Allen has positioned himself as an invaluable figure in world cinema. He started out as a stand-up comedian before establishing himself as a comedic filmmaker with classics like “Take the Money and Run” (1969), “Bananas” (1971) and “Sleeper” (1973). His movies bore the visual influence of previous filmmaker-comedians, like the Marx Brothers and Charlie Chaplin. As his career progressed, he created his own increasingly distinct style, particularly after working with cinematographer Gordon Willis in a nine-film streak from “Love and Death” (1975) to “The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985). Now with the directing of 44 full-length features under his belt, Allen’s personal stamp is evident regardless of genre. He’s just as adept with thoughtful and searingly emotional dramas, such as this year’s “Blue Jasmine,” as he is with his comedies. In honor of Allen’s career, we’ve polled ourselves on his best movies and come up with these 10 as standouts in his career.

Darian Lusk | Release Editor Jacob Shamsian | Assistant Release Editor Erik Bacharach | Assistant Sports Editor

1. “Annie Hall” (1977) All the peaks and valleys of modern-day relationships are precisely sculpted by Allen in his masterpiece. The quintessential romantic comedy, “Annie Hall” is so cleverly written, so sharp with its humor and so poignant that even as Allen’s character breaks the fourth wall and speaks into the camera, you forget you’re watching staged interactions. The chemistry between Allen and Diane Keaton transcends the screen, and their characters become people that we can not only genuinely relate to and empathize with, but also people that we all know in our own lives.

— Erik

Annie Hall MGM

Hannah and Her Sisters

MGM

2. “Crimes and Misdemeanors” (1989) Allen’s finest drama, “Crimes and Misdemeanors” thoughtfully explores man’s relationship with God and man’s ideas of success.

Sometimes, Allen finds doing the right thing is more important than happiness.

— Jacob

3. “Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986) While it may not top our list, “Hannah and Her Sisters” is one of my all-time favorites. Allen shares his take on the meaning of existence, the fine line between lust and love and the implications of life and death in this tapestry of brilliantly interwoven stories. While certainly a drama, Allen’s delightful charm and wit are still on full display here, and his blending of characters in the film is beautiful.

— Erik

proaches”

pose Room m.

Midnight in Paris

Sony

4. “Manhattan” (1979) This, in my eyes, is objectively Allen’s finest film, at least from a film school point of view.

It’s his most complete, his most beautiful and his most straightforward movie. If you love the New York City or old-fashioned romance, you will fall in love with this film from the second the iconic opening sequence begins.

“Manhattan” is a true classic.

— Darian

5. “Midnight in Paris” (2011) This movie appeared out of nowhere and got an Oscar nomination in 2011, the year that everyone was talking about Paris. (There was also “The Artist and “Hugo.”) “Midnight in Paris” is not as thematically mature as Allen’s other films, but it’s a lot of fun and one of his essential movies.

— Darian

6. “Zelig” (1983) “Zelig” is one of Allen’s greatest creations.

Allen stars as Zelig and is a human chameleon, changing his appearance to adapt to his surroundings.Amongdoctors,hemysteriously conjures a lab coat. Among black people, his skin darkens and his nose widens. But what makes “Zelig” a masterpiece is its heart and its construction. The movie is a mockumentary that follows Zelig for decades and inserts him into archival footage, “Forrest Gump”-style.

And then there’s Mia Farrow’s character, a doctor scorned by the medical establishment but who doggedly studies Zelig to understand his condition and who slowly falls in love with him.

— Jacob

7. “The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985) “The Purple Rose of Cairo” is arguably Allen’s most inventive film. The film blurs the line between fantasy and reality as the protagonist steps out off the screen and into the real world. As Allen’s love letter to cinema, this is a must-see for anyone who loves everything about the movies. Also, the ending will have you weak at the knees.

— Erik

8. “Love and Death” (1975) “Love and Death” is the best of Allen’s “early, funny” films — as Allen himself agrees.

He’s once again paired with Diane Keaton (his cousin and love interest) in an elaborate, smart and hilarious satire of Russian literature and European history. The movie’s title isn’t just a poke at grand Russian novel titles like “Crime and Punishment” and “War and Peace.” In 85 minutes, it seriously engages with the “to be or not to be” conundrum that Allen seems to always be grappling with. He is, as ever, a secret optimist: “I’d hate to blow my brains out and then read in the papers that they found something.”

— Jacob

9 & 10 (tie). “Match Point” (2005) = “Sleeper” (1973) Two very different movies, yet both completely deserve to be in the top 10.

“Matchpoint” is a total departure for Allen: It’s straight thriller. The film follows a pretty hot British love triangle and, while it’s slow burning, the finale packs a punch. “Sleeper” is one of Allen’s earliest films, in which he finds himself in a futuristic world fighting an oppressive government. If you have a free afternoon, hey, watch them both.

— Darian

Love and Death MGM

Batting the BU winter blues You may not know you have it, but here's how to beat SAD Odeya Pinkus | Contributing Writer

Kendall Loh/Photo Editor

Now that Thanksgiving has passed and snow has fallen, we officially have four months before spring’s sunshine makes Binghamton Instagram-worthy once again. For the most part, winter is appreciated for holidays, snowball fights, the Olympics and 25 days’ worth of feel-good ABC Family movies. However, even with all of these great things, wintertime also means less daylight, limited travel and a sky that is almost constantly a subtle tribute to “Fifty Shades of Grey.” It’s no wonder that every year around November people claim to develop the “winter blues.” As the last leaves fall, you can hear people complain about crankiness, change in attitude and just a general feeling of being down.

“I feel like when the weather is consistently gloomy, it takes a negative toll on my attitude and my personality,” said Christopher Smart, an undecided sophomore.

“I guess everyone is more closed off; everyone is really cold, literally and figuratively.”

Feeling depressed, lethargic or hopeless are just a few of the symptoms of this extremely common condition.

Called

winter-onset seasonal affective disorder (coincidentally abbreviated SAD), this condition rears its head once a year during the cold weather months. Those with SAD might be nervous, apathetic and prone to oversleeping and weight gain.

They might find that they are constantly craving carbohydratefilled foods, have much less energy than usual and have difficulty concentrating.

Since so many of those symptoms match depression symptoms, what makes SAD distinct? And more specifically, what is it about winter that can bring it on? Professor Brandon Gibb, the director of the Binghamton Mood Disorders Institute, said that SAD is most commonly attributed to a lack of sunlight. As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, people find themselves in the dark much more often. This can mess with your body’s natural rhythm, leading to such feelings of depression.

According to the Mayo Clinic, this disorder can be attributed to reduced levels of body chemicals.

Amounts of serotonin, a chemical linked to mood, can be decreased through less contact with sunlight, possibly contributing to SAD. Melatonin, a chemical

linked to sleep cycles and mood, is known to create disturbances in sleep patterns and disposition at the change of seasons, perhaps making this another great factor.

Another explanation for SAD is that the winter isn’t exactly the greatest inducer of social behavior. People tend to stay inside more and interact with others less. On a day that you might normally go to an event or go Downtown, you’ll be more likely to stay in due to impending bad weather.

“Being that it’s colder, I tend to be inside more,” said Joseph Rodriguez, a freshman majoring in integrative neuroscience.

“I’m not generally hanging out with friends. It makes me think more when I’m inside … and the time that I am outside is when I’m running to class or to the library.”

For those who suffer from this annual ailment, the beginning of winter can seem like the start of a long uphill trek. It’s important to note that just because it’s only seasonal, it’s no less serious than year-round depression.

Some treatments for SAD are the same used to treat clinical depression. These can include anti-depressants, psychotherapy and meditation, among others.

However, due to the specific

nature of this condition, there are some treatments that cater specifically to the change in sunlight and atmosphere. Light therapy is often used, where a patient sits near a special box made to emit something akin to outdoor light. While this solution has been known to be quick and effective, there are other options for those without access to such a treatment. There are many easy ways to improve your winter experience. Open curtains and blinds; allow sunlight in wherever you are. Exercise has been known to increase mood, so go for a run outside, getting some real sunlight and your daily workout in simultaneously.

We have to push through until April, when we can finally all revel in lax pinnies and flipflops. Winter has to last for three months, but seasonal affective disorder doesn’t. Nobody should have to suffer, so make the changes necessary to get you through the cold weather. In the blink of an eye, “#springhamton” will be here again!

If you or a friend need to speak with someone, the University Counseling Center can be reached at 607-777-2772.

— Kayla Harris contributed to this report

RELEASE

12

December 6, 2013 | www.bupipedream.com

A moving drama in a season of blockbusters Rich Kersting | Staff Writer When it comes to going to the movies, it’s easy to get caught in the buzz of the big, exciting blockbusters.

Honestly, it’s how the cinemas survive. I certainly don’t mean to dissuade you from seeing films like “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” but sometimes you’re hungry for a different kind of movie. Sometimes, ‘splosions and overdramatic love scenes are just too much for your little heart to handle. Sometimes, you want just an all-around good movie.

No sequels, no action scenes, just something that is actually relatable to you as a human. That’s “Philomena.”

“Philomena” is a British drama based on the 2009 investigative book “The Lost Child of Philomena Lee”

by Martin Sixsmith. The film is an emotional tale of a mother’s lifelong search for a son she never got to know, assisted by investigative journalist Martin Sixsmith, who hoped to turn the journey into a human interest story for publication.

The movie follows Sixsmith (Steve Coogan, who also co-wrote the screenplay) as he is presented with the opportunity of a lifetime: to help reunite a mother with her son.

Sixsmith soon meets Philomena Lee (Judi Dench), an old Catholic Irish woman who, as the story goes, got knocked up when she was a teenager and was forced to live with the nuns at a convent in Roscrea, Ireland, near

her father. At the convent, she was coerced into giving her son up for adoption to Americans she never met. All she was left with was a photograph. They didn’t even let her say goodbye.

Lee and Sixsmith, unable to find the evidence they needed from the unhelpful nuns, decide to set sail for America in hopes of finding her son.

Some of the most touching moments of the film had Lee discovering the wonders of the world, despite her advanced years.

Sixsmith is depicted as a worldly man who has since lost the joys of travel to the plague of routine; Lee is an old Irish woman who’s excited at every turn. During her first time in the United States, Lee is amazed at the portion sizes of the meals and simply in awe of the breakfast buffet she finds at the hotel they stay at while in D.C. It’s so heartwarming to see someone so excited over the little things that many people take advantage of every day. Lee is very much like that grandmother that everybody always wanted.

The story also follows the spiritual growth of the two characters as Sixsmith, a self-proclaimed atheist, often questions how Lee, a liberalminded but devout Catholic, maintains her faith even after all that happened to her in the convent. While they both maintain their respective faith by the end of the film, there’s

The Weinstein Company

'Philomena' tells the story of a mother in search of her lost son who finds more than she expected

an observable softening of Sixsmith’s cynicism in the end.

Coogan and Dench deliver noteworthy performances that are quite rare in movies today. While “Philomena” isn’t a “Catching Fire,” it is still definitely worth your time and consideration. It’s a movie that will make you laugh, cry and praise.

Comics in the house at HPC Hinman Production Company always delivers on offbeat comedies and plays you’ll be surprised you hadn’t heard of yet. Such is the case with its latest offering, “Is There a Comic in the House?” There are, in fact, seven of them. Things get complicated quickly for these aspiring comics and their landlord, so if you’re a fan of cathartic laughter or landlord disputes, you’ll be a fan of this show. This Billy St. John original (St. John is most famous for being in “Mr. Deeds”) is worth the price of admission. “Is There A Comic in the House?” is a much better way to procrastinate for finals than scrolling through Facebook for two hours, so support your fellow students and check out this refreshingly original show. Curtains up!

“Is There a Comic in the House?”

Where: Hinman Commons When: Dec. 5 and 6 at 8 p.m.

Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Cost: $3

Daniel O'Connor/Staff Photographer

December 6, 2013 | www.bupipedream.com

PhD Comics

Baxter the Bearcat

FUN

13

Jorge Cham

Alex Leiss Our Aemittephagus Future #4

Seth Wegener

RELEASE DATE– Monday, August 13, 2007

School Pride Rock

Jared Auwarter

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS 1 Keep a Web journal 5 Same as always 10 Get rid of feathers, say 14 Corn Belt state 15 Bellini opera 16 Prepare for takeoff 17 Boring 20 UFO crew 21 G-men 22 Tell actors how to act 23 Scottish slope 24 Windshield glare reducer 25 Pop, affectionately 29 Elbow-wrist connection 33 Group cultural values 34 Words before king or mode 35 Au __: home helper 36 Pool tool 37 Quilting unit 39 __ Xing: crosswalk sign 40 First family father 42 University e-mail address ending 43 Lickety-split 45 Mother of Helen of Troy 46 Plentiful and cheap 49 Drops from the clouds 51 USN officer 52 Swelling reducer 55 “We want __!”: baseball chant 56 Arthur who played Maude 59 Confident words from a bettor 62 Take it on the chin 63 ’50s VP candidate Kefauver 64 Dull 65 Barely scratches (out) 66 Surrealist Max 67 Competent DOWN 1 __ one’s time: wait 2 Lummox

3 Nocturnal hooters 4 Kalamazoo lass of song 5 Open, as an envelope 6 Like some new lawns 7 “Battle Cry” novelist 8 Mornings, for short 9 Fancy-schmancy 10 Fledgling company 11 Can’t stand 12 Business VIP 13 Cleanser target 18 Big hairdos 19 “W” in the standings 23 “My man!”

24 Bath powder mineral 25 Sticker on a windshield 26 Piece that teaches technique 27 Leading in the game 28 It’s a fact 30 South American capital at 12,000 feet 31 Your sister’s daughter

32 Cosmetician Elizabeth 37 Dog show requirement 38 Server’s edge, in tennis 41 Not good things to have lost?

43 Build an extension on 44 __ favor: please (Sp.) 47 Cave comebacks 48 In the thick of 50 Good bond rating

52 Like inconsequential talk 53 One who’s at home on the range?

54 Different 55 Memo directive 56 Lamp insert 57 Subst. for the rest of the list 58 Arthur of tennis 60 Ukr. or Lith., once 61 Gp. with Cavs and Mavs

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

By Fred Jackson III (c)2007 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

8/13/07

8/13/07

OPINION Friday, December 6, 2013

Address: University Union WB03 4400 Vestal Parkway E. Binghamton, N.Y. 13902 Phone: 607-777-2515 Fax: 607-777-2600 Web: www.bupipedream.com

Fall 2013 Editor-in-Chief* Christina Pullano editor@bupipedream.com Managing Editor* Paige Nazinitsky manager@bupipedream.com

News Editor* Rachel Bluth news@bupipedream.com Asst. News Editors Davina Bhandari Nicolas Vega Geoff Wilson Opinion Editor* Michael Snow opinion@bupipedream.com Release Editor* Darian Lusk release@bupipedream.com Asst. release editor Jacob Shamsian Sports Editor* Ari Kramer sports@bupipedream.com Asst. Sports Editors Erik Bacharach Ashley Purdy Fun Page Editor* Kris Casey fun@bupipedream.com

Design Manager* Zachary Feldman design@bupipedream.com Design Assts.

Rebecca Forney Cari Snider Photo Editor* Kendall Loh photo@bupipedream.com Asst. Photo Editor Janine Furtado Editorial artist Miriam Geiger Copy Desk Chief* Victoria Chow copy@bupipedream.com Asst. Copy Desk Chief Natalie Murphy Lead Web Developer Willie Demaniow developer@bupipedream.com

Less Meat Mondays W

e applaud Sodexo’s Meatless Monday initiative while holding reservations.

Most troubling is the program’s name.

A greater misnomer would be hard to find.

Despite what Meatless Monday seems to so plainly mean, step into your local campus dining hall this Monday, and meat options you will find.

I.D.E.A.S. approached Sodexo officials about implementing Meatless Mondays, and we’re thrilled Sodexo took I.D.E.A.S. seriously. Dining halls now boast two additional vegetarian entree options on Mondays.

That’s great. We’re all for vegetarian options.

In fact, we like to think Pipe Dream played a role in the process. In these pages last semester, our

Editorial Board advocated for Meatless Mondays.

Then, we highlighted the environmental benefits of eliminating meat from your diet once a week. What was true then remains so; the meat industry’s practices are unsustainable and wrong.

Encouraging students to embrace vegetarian options is a noble move. But why call it “meatless” if meat will still be served? Is this a stage in a larger trajectory that aims to eliminate meat entirely on Mondays? I.D.E.A.S. told Pipe Dream about a proposal they had to possibly expand the program in a few years, making it so that one

dining hall per week would be totally meatless on a rotating basis. This is the kind of small change we should be making, an actual weekly commitment to being meat-free. It’s the kind of adjustment that even carnivores could swallow.

More variety and more choices couldn’t hurt, and undoubtedly, having more meatless options will sway a number of Sodexo diners to forgo their burgers once a week for some hearty vegetarian options. We’re in full support of this initiative, but we sincerely hope that this is the beginning and not the end.

System Admnistrator Daniel O'Connor Social Media Manager Keara Hill social@bupipedream.com

Views expressed in the opinion pages represent the opinions of the columnists.

The only piece which represents the views of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the Staff Editorial, above. The Editorial Board is composed of the Editor-in-Chief, News Editor, Opinion Editor, Sports Editor, and Release Editor.

Newsroom Technology* William Sanders tech@bupipedream.com

Business Manager* Zachary Hindin business@bupipedream.com Advertising Manager Stacey Troy Dan Weisberger

Memorizing for finals? There must be a better way America lags in international education rankings, let's change the course

Pipe Dream is published by the Pipe Dream Executive Board, which has sole and final discretion over the newspaper’s content and personnel. *Positions seated on the Executive Board are denoted by an asterisk.

Pipe Dream is published Tuesdays and Fridays while classes are in session during the fall and spring semesters, except during finals weeks and vacations.

Pipe Dream accepts stimulating, original guest columns from undergraduate students, graduate students and faculty. Submissions should be 400 to 500 words in length and be thus far unpublished. Columns and letters to the editor in response to something printed in Pipe Dream should be submitted before a subsequent issue is published.

Submissions must include the writer’s name and phone number, and year of graduation or expected year of graduation. Graduate students and faculty members should indicate their standing as such, as well as departmmental affiliation.

Organizational (i.e. student group) affiliations are to be disclosed and may be noted at Pipe Dream’s discretion.

Anonymous submissions are not accepted.

Any facts referenced must be properly cited from credible news sources. Pipe Dream reserves the right to edit submissions, and does not guarantee publication. All submissions become property of Pipe Dream.

Submissions may be e-mailed to the Opinion Editor at opinion@ bupipedream.com.

Ryan Tierney Contributing Columnist

It’s finals time. And we all know what that means: burying your head in a book and memorizing as many facts as fast as possible to get that A. And in a few months, 90 percent of what you learned will be lost forever to the depths of space and time. In one ear and out the other, or so they say.

Is this really the best way to learn?

Can we do better? With the United States finishing 36th in the annual Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)’s general education rankings, clearly, there is room for improvement.

For the sake of fairness, it must be noted that most of the top countries in this list were Asian (Singapore, China, etc.). Cultural, as opposed to structural, differences certainly play a large role in these students’ success. For instance, 80 percent of Japanese students say they disagreed or strongly disagreed that they put off difficult problems in school. Procrastination seems to be a part of the education culture in

America; many of us wait until the last minute to do work.

With that said, is it possible to invoke the same sense of passion in Asia here? To do so, several changes need to be made in regards to how students learn. First, teachers should assign more projects, and meaningful ones at that. Taking the time to thoroughly investigate an issue helps students learn and retain information better than rote memorization. Everyone remembers projects from elementary school or junior high, but one would be hard-pressed to find students who recall specific information from their tests.

Projects are also more applicable to “real life” jobs, where an employee has to gather information and put together a solution or presentation.

Another key modification could be an increased focus on interactive learning, also known as the Socratic method.

Harvard physics professor Eric Mazur read a journal report by Arizona State University professor David Hestenes that found students had the same misunderstandings of physics before and after taking introductory courses.

Hestenes found that they improved in understanding and answering test questions effectively, but failed at applying those teachings to real-world scenarios.

Mazur conducted a simple experiment: He gave a 10-minute lecture on a specific topic. When he began to have students apply that topic to real-world examples, they were dumbfounded. However, once he allowed them to talk to one another, within three minutes they clearly gained an understanding of the concept.

Mazur found that students are more likely to reach one another than a professor is. He concluded this was due to the fact that professors know what they are teaching. In other words, professors often do not remember what it’s like to learn their field of choice, since they know it so well and have been teaching it for so many years. But a student knows how to fill in the blanks with another student since they just learned said concept recently. Mazur is now world-known and has concluded that interactive learning triples a student’s understanding of content.

Another simple way to improve education is to increase spending on education. It’s no coincidence that states

that spend more money on education fare better. Generally speaking, this is what often makes the education received in the northeast better ranked than southern states. Higher salaries attract better talent; it’s a simple component of capitalism that proves true again and again.

Perhaps we have fallen behind in education because we got too comfortable. After all, America was at the top of the world for the last 100 years.

We aren’t used to having competition, but it’s coming fast. Now is the time to make some changes. As a society, the barrier between the classroom and the real world needs to be diminished. Teachers need to grow with the times, and students need to demand more of their teachers. Fill out those surveys, and fill them out honestly.

Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask a peer for assistance. He or she may help you more than your professor ever could.

Professors often do not remember what it’s like to learn their field of choice

— Ryan Tierney is a senior majoring in accounting.

www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

OPINION

15

Facebook makes you depressed and annoying Take a Quit posting: studies show more time online leads to greater unhappiness Ezra Shapiro Columnist

Facebook sucks. It literally sucks our lives away. It makes us feel worse about ourselves. It allows you to judge others from afar while making you feel inadequate. Study after study has shown the social media site’s negative effects.

A University of Michigan experiment, for example, showed that more time on Facebook meant more unhappiness for users. The average user spends 30 hours a month on the site, and you can be sure college kids are on it a hell of a lot more; minute differences in online behavior — say, uploading too many pictures — can make people dislike you as a person.

I’m hardly alone in disliking Facebook. A May report from Pew showed that 94 percent of teenagers

dislike the site. But, like all those people, my time gets siphoned away by mindless scrolling, chatting and updating.

Why we are on Facebook is understandable. It’s human to want to know what others are doing and to show others how you’re doing. It’s not always a bad thing, either. If you got a new job, great! If you want to share a funny story, pictures from an amazing vacation or something cool you found online, great!

The occasional update — which, in social media terms, means once or twice a day — that is uplifting, interesting or otherwise contributes something positive to those who see your post, is welcome. People want to see that stuff.

But there’s another side of Facebook that seems to proliferate.

It’s people desperate for attention or maybe who just don’t get why the site exists. It makes sense, too — Facebook’s for attention, and pity is a form of attention too.

Still, I don’t want to hear every

detail of your horrible day, or worse, some vague hint of how terrible you’re feeling.

Actual tragedies are an exception — commemorating the loss of a loved one, letting people know you’ve been in an accident; that’s fine. By doing so, you build a larger base of support, which does make you feel better.

But do I really need to hear about your concussion or some stupid song lyric about your boy problems?

Worse yet is the mundane. I don’t care if you finished a chapter in a book or about the paper you have to write. It doesn’t impact me.

I get that people want attention, but not all attention is good. People like you less if you clutter their News Feeds with inane or negative posts.

If you’re on Facebook for friends, do

them a favor and stop posting stupid shit.

Facebook will always, I think, make you a little lonely.

Even positive things do that — if your friend’s having a great vacation and you’re not, that’s a little sad.

If your friend gets a girlfriend but that girl happens to have been your girlfriend, that sucks.

That, though, is life — it’s kind of a zero sum game. Facebook’s making our disparities more obvious, but it’s not fundamentally changing anything. Honestly, how much do you actually like that friend who just comes over to whine about his or her problems anyway?

Do I really need to hear about your concussion or ... your boy problems?

— Ezra Shapiro is a senior double-majoring in political science and history.

Newspapers are not going to read themselves Students don't take advantage of news publications that cover campus Jake Ethé Contributing Columnist

The Binghamton University Student Association is a truly notable group. If you look closely, you can see the members’ arms extending into the smaller channels of our academic lives. Their practices are often imperceptible, and their inclinations toward organizing the metaphorical “spine” of our education at BU can make them feel invisible to those who aren’t involved.

Here’s a test: On any weekday morning, walk into your nearest dining hall. Scan the environment. If you look closely, you’ll notice a stack of The New York Times fresh from print. They’re provided to us daily,

as BU students. Each day the piles are restocked by an employee of the SA, and like clockwork, all the news that’s fit to print finds its way to our fingertips.

First time you’ve ever noticed them? Don’t feel bad — you aren’t alone. Here’s the second test: Walk into that same dining hall in the evening. You’ll see the stack of still-present papers festering in their metal stands. The pile will be considerably shorter, but the stack won’t be depleted. The remaining papers will brandish this sort of knowledgeable anxiety; they appear to be teeming with this passion to know and share and develop, but instead find themselves in this limbo of simple existence — stagnant and bare.

This sensation isn’t unique to a stack of unread papers. As students, decoding our purpose as thinkers, learners and civic

We can go our whole natural lives without noticing the beauty of indecision.

participants yields larger existential questions more appropriate for an upper-level philosophy class.

Fitting ourselves into the daunting framework of global citizenry and study can leave us feeling as minute as scattered drops of ink across a single page of Wednesday’s Times.

Constant questioning can drive us crazy. Why are we here at BU? What are our obligations as students of this world? What are our duties as global citizens?

Don’t answer those. They aren’t meant to be answered — at least not yet. As there remains beauty within the simplicity of a tightly sealed package of freshly printed papers, so too is there beauty in the innocence of indecision. Each step, if ever so meager, that we take across this campus in our years here will work toward forging the answers to those questions. Even if never answered, the very essence of our journey is sure to illuminate the path that awaits.

So here’s the third test: Rather than pondering our purpose as global students and citizens, let’s first become better ones. Walk into your dining hall tomorrow and pick

up a copy of the Times. Make an SA member smile. Scan through it, and find something interesting. Read it, cut it out and hang it on the wall of your room. Pick up Pipe Dream and do the same. With this, you’ve already reached the tipping point on the way to answering those openended questions. You’ve sought to become globally aware — and it isn’t the reading or the cutting that did it. It was the conscious decision to reach down into the pile of papers to relieve some of their anxiety, relieving some of your own in the process.

We can go our whole student lives without noticing the beauty of a newspaper. We can go our whole natural lives without noticing the beauty of indecision. Let’s recognize this beauty and start to take steps toward the end of this road. If we never find it, that’s okay. We’ve sought to become better global citizens, and as far as my imagination can reason, that’s why we’re here. So grab a coffee, pick up a paper and let’s stroll.

— Jake Ethé is a freshman majoring in political science.

Don't read books, read Pipe Dream

holiday from your cellphone Embrace your friends, your apps and emails can wait Rachel Wasserman Contributing Columnist

While I think that it is totally important to have a cellphone, I don’t think that we need to be as attached to our phones as people in contemporary society have become. When the first mobile phone came out, it was huge. You couldn’t possibly put it in your pocket, and it was not a fashion statement.

Today, technology has advanced enough to make cellphones bite-sized and as stylish as you want them to be.

Take the newest iPhone as an example.

It is now sleeker than ever, and it comes in three different colors. Apple has also created an iPhone 5c, which comes in a variety of colors as well, and has made it one of the most expensive accessories that we have — not to mention the cellphone cases that are available. Apple has created a case that is made out of leather and costs about $100. To me, that seems like way too much money for a cellphone case, but some people look at it as a necessary sacrifice to look fashionable.

Our society has become so obsessed with technology that some people can’t function for a day without using their phones for texting, games and most of all, social media. Facebook, Twitter and other social media apps are running the lives of students and some adults. I think that this holiday season, it would be a good idea to take a step away from the technology and concentrate on the friends and families that are right in front of you and not on a screen.

Instead of sending Snapchats and Vines to your friends, why not grab a cup of coffee or go ice skating? There are so many things to do outside of the home and dorm, and it seems like so many of us have forgotten about them. There are many ways to have fun without having to update your status. Other people across the world don’t need to know what you’re eating, drinking or doing. It is okay to just have good old-fashioned fun and keep that between you and the people you were with.

I am just as guilty as everyone else when it comes to being attached to my phone, but I think that during this period of the year it is very important to take a step back and look at everything that we have around us. Thanksgiving just passed, and we were able to think about all that we were thankful for, and my cellphone wasn’t on the list. So this holiday season, I am going to work on making the things I am thankful for my priority rather than my phone.

— Rachel Wasserman is a junior majoring in English.

In other words

‘‘

I've known Bill Bratton for more than a decade — he is one of the most knowledgeable and effective people in American law enforcement, and the right choice for New York City Police Commissioner.

’’

New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, weighs in on Mayor Elect Bill de Blasio's appointment for NYPD Commissioner on Thursday

SPORTS

16

NFL

Welcome to the 10th week of Pipe Dream NFL Picks! Every week, Pipe Dream sports editors and one guest will attempt to correctly predict the outcome of four upcoming games of their choice, selecting one prediction as a LOCK. Getting the LOCK correct earns you three points, while getting it wrong costs you one.

The other three games are worth one point each, and there is no penalty for wrong guesses on these. Ties give you a half-point. Erik maintains his lead atop the standings despite scoring zero points, leaving the guest behind in a secondplace tie with Ari at 15. Ashley picks up the rear with 13 points. If you want to submit picks, email sports@bupipedream.com.

Pipe Dream Picks Erik 19-17 Erik 17-18-1 Guest 12-24 Ashley 13-23

www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

22 15 15 13 SPORTS EDITOR

Ari Kramer’s Picks

LOCK: Seattle (+2.5) over SAN FRANCISCO It’s a different game in San Francisco’s house, but can’t forget Seattle’s thrashing back in September.

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Erik Bacharach's Picks

LOCK: NEW ENGLAND (-12) over Cleveland The Browns shouldn’t have to play on the road. It’s just not fair.

NY JETS (-3) over Oakland While they should start tanking, the Jets are so frustrating, they can’t even lose when they have to.

Cleveland (+12) over NEW ENGLAND I know Erik’s going to pick the opposite, so this would be a nice way to make up ground.

Miami (+3) over PITTSBURGH With coach Mike Tomlin a no-threat to interfere, the Dolphins will run all over the Steelers.

Buffalo (+2.5) over TAMPA BAY Tampa’s cold again.

Carolina (+3) over NEW ORLEANS Cam can.

DENVER (-12) over Tennessee I need one favorite in here.

LOCK: DENVER (-12) over Tennessee Denver is very good at football. #Manningboyz

LOCK: Dallas (+1) over CHICAGO I’d pick the Boys over Denver right now. Aside from my bias and their effectiveness (except in rushing…), they made Thanksgiving fun, and that’s a feat.

NY Giants (+3) over SAN DIEGO Admittedly, it’s not the best season to be a Giants fan. But last week’s win (however weirdly the game ended) has spirits back up, and another victory would be a welcome distraction from my impending SantaCon hangover.

NEW ORLEANS (-3) over Carolina This should be a hell of a game, and who doesn’t have a crush on Cam Newton? Still, despite the beating they took last week, the Saints haven’t lost a home game yet. WHO DAT? Kansas City (-3) over WASHINGTON The 3-9 Redskins just won’t pull it off. According to Toronto’s crack-smoking mayor, RG3 is faking healthy and should sit a few out. Let’s listen to the experts here.

GREEN BAY (pk) over Atlanta Rodgers will probably not be back, and Matt Flynn’s put up as many TDs as INTs, but I just need the Falcons to lose right now.

TAMPA BAY (-2.5) over Buffalo Mike Glennon vs. E.J. Manuel? I’ll take Glennon and his rookie record-setting 13 touchdown passes.

Detroit (+3) over PHILADELPHIA Stafford should snap that streak.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Christina Pullano's Picks

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR

Ashley Purdy's Picks

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SPORTS

www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

17

Bearcats trail most of way en route to loss at Cornell Binghamton shoots 52.4 percent from field, but 24 turnovers lead to 27 Big Red points E.Jay Zarett Pipe Dream Sports

Turnovers marred the Binghamton women’s basketball team’s performance Wednesday night, and the Bearcats couldn’t overcome their mistakes.

Cornell led most of the way en route to a 63-55 victory, dealing Binghamton (1-6) its second straight loss.

“I thought in the first half we played a lot more aggressive,” Binghamton head coach Nicole Scholl said. “Second half, we were a lot more passive. The big key for us was the number of turnovers.

Looking at the stats sheet, 24 turnovers for us gave them 27 points, and that really kind of says it all.”

The Bearcats got off to a hot start in the first half, converting three of their first four shots to take an early 7-2 lead. But two jumpers by Cornell freshman forward Nia Marshall and a basket by freshman guard Kerri Moran cut the Binghamton lead to one at 9-8, the last time BU would hold an advantage the rest of the way.

Cornell (5-3), led by senior Shelby Lyman’s seven points, went on a 13-5 run to open up a 2113 lead over the Bearcats with 10

minutes remaining in the first half.

Two free throws by junior forward Sherae Swinson trimmed the lead to six before another Cornell scoring spurt stretched the difference to 3121.

But Binghamton would respond before the halftime buzzer sounded, as a mid-range jumper by sophomore forward Morgan Murphy brought BU to within eight and jump-started the Bearcat offense. After back-to-back baskets

by Binghamton, senior forward Julia Barac scored Binghamton’s sixth consecutive point with one minute left in the first to shrink Cornell’s lead to only four. BU would head to the locker room trailing, 3329, with the momentum swung in its favor.

“For us we just stepped up our defensive pressure and intensity,” Scholl said. “We had some better looks at the basket with that. We trapped a little bit and just got a little more aggressive and were able to hit some shots.”

Whatever momentum the Bearcats had before halftime quickly dissolved with the start of the second. A Marshall layup and a 3-pointer by senior guard Stephanie Long increased Cornell’s lead to 3829 after the first five minutes of play.

A jumper by Swinson pulled the Bearcats to within six, but BU would

not come any closer in the second half. Cornell’s lead ballooned to 13, at 60-47, before a mini Bearcat scoring outbreak cut the lead to eight, 63-55, right before the final horn.

“We made a good push,” Scholl said. “We cut it to four at one point in time. We just couldn’t get over that hump of getting that extra stop and getting that extra look at the basket.”

Despite being outscored by eight points, the Bearcats shot a better percentage from the field than Cornell. Binghamton connected on 52.4 percent of their field goals and 50 percent from beyond the arc, compared to the 40.4 and 33.3 percent marks posted by Cornell. However, Binghamton’s 24 turnovers dwarfed Cornell’s 11. The Big Red was also able to add nine second-chance points to BU’s two.

Senior guard Stephanie Jensen’s performance was a bright spot for the Bearcats. She scored a careerhigh 17 points, including five 3-pointers.

“With Cornell set in the zone defense it opened up some shots for Steph, and she was able to knock them down,” Scholl said.

The Bearcats are set to return to action Saturday against St. Bonaventure. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at the Events Center.

BU vs.

BU @ Cornell

St. Bonaventure DATE

Dec. 7 LOCATION

Events Center

Xindi Tian/Contributing Photographer

Junior forward Sherae Swinson tacked on eight of Binghamton’s 55 points in the team’s loss to Cornell.

TIME

63

55

2:00 p.m.

Wrestling set for pair of weekend home matches

By the Numbers

4

Senior guard Stephanie Jensen’s career-high point total in women’s basketball’s 63-55 loss at Cornell

62.5%

Team-high pins for junior heavyweight Tyler Deuel after the Journeymen Duals

Men’s basketball’s shooting percentage in the second half of its 74-70 win over Mount St. Mary’s

68%

17

Colgate’s 3-point shooting percentage (15-of-24 shooting) in the Red Raiders’ 93-64 win over men’s basketball

24

The number of turnovers committed by the Bearcats, compared to the Big Red’s 11, in their 63-55 loss at Cornell

6-of-6 Freshman guard Yosef Yacob’s clip from the free throw line in the last seconds of regulation to seal Binghamton’s victory over Mt. St. Mary’s

39

Jeff Twitty Contributing Writer Coming off its first win of the season against George Mason last weekend, the Binghamton wrestling team will hope to establish a streak when it hosts Princeton and Rider this weekend.

The Bearcats (1-3) picked up their victory during the Journeymen Duals last weekend, rebounding for a 21-14 win after dropping matches against nationally elite programs North Carolina and NC State. Despite the losses, senior 197-pound Cody Reed and junior heavyweight Tyler Deuel put up strong performances for the Bearcats, with Reed taking each of his three matches in a two-point decision and Deuel earning a tech fall and a pin in his pair of wins.

BU’s first opponent, Princeton (2-0), will make its second trip to Binghamton in the past month coming off a sweep of Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) rivals Drexel and Army. The Tigers’ 21-14 and 21-15 wins were secured by sophomore heavyweight Cole Lampman, who took each of his two matches in a one-point decision.

When the team participated in the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open on Nov. 10, they sported five placewinners to the Bearcats’ three in the non-team scoring event. However, in the teams’ meeting last season, the Bearcats walked away with a 23-12 road victory. This season, Princeton also returns the

141-pound Adam Krop, an AllAmerican hopeful who placed third at the Bearcat Open after missing last season due to a torn ACL. “We knew it would be a challenge coming in,” BU head coach Matt Dernlan said of joining the EIWA. “We’re making gains. We need to make sure we’re not repeating mistakes … but we’ve gotten better each time out.”

On deck for BU is No. 23 Rider (4-1). Though no longer a conference opponent, after the Colonial Athletic Association cut its wrestling program, the Broncs will be the second national top-25 team the Bearcats compete against this season, with Cornell being the first, at No. 6.

Rider’s sole loss of the season was delivered by No. 1 Penn State, 32-8. Two Broncs did oust their opponents, with sophomore 149-pound Curt Delia taking his match, 6-4, in overtime and junior 184-pound Clint Morrison winning by tech fall, 17-2.

“We will have to be competitive [in both matches],” Dernlan said. “Every guy has to have the attitude to win. We have to match these guys.”

In the last meeting between the Broncs and the Bearcats, Rider came out with a 19-15 win. This time, Binghamton’s looking to cool Rider’s hot start and put the brakes on a team that’s been successful on the road.

Though the matchup between these two squads no longer has conference implications like it has in years past, it will give the Bearcats

yet another chance to make a name for themselves in the national polls, a name that would improve the team’s standing as it goes to the Midlands Championships at Northwestern University later this month.

BU’s match against Princeton is set for 1 p.m.

Saturday, with the match against Rider directly after, at 3 p.m. Both will take place at the West Gym.

BU vs.

Princeton DATE

Dec. 7 LOCATION

West Gym TIME

1:00 p.m.

BU vs.

Rider DATE

Dec. 7 LOCATION

West Gym TIME

3:00 p.m.

SPORTS

18

www.bupipedream.com | December 6, 2013

Just enough

Michael Contegni/Staff Photographer

Sophomore guard Jordan Reed notched 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds en route to BU’s win over Mount St. Mary’s.

Bearcats fend off Mountaineers' comeback for second win of season Ari Kramer Sports Editor

FINAL SCORE

74

70

BU UP DATE

Nov. 16 LOCATION

Events Center TIME

2:00 p.m.

The Binghamton men’s basketball team had something to prove on Wednesday night.

Just three days removed from a 29-point loss to Colgate at the Events Center, head coach Tommy Dempsey hoped his Bearcats would display resiliency at Mount St. Mary’s.

They did just that and thwarted the host’s valiant comeback effort for a 74-70 win in Emmitsburg, Md. “When you have a young group that gets beat up like that at home and embarrassed, as a coach you’re always looking to see what your kids are made of,” Dempsey said. “I think tonight, more so than anything, the thing that I took the most from it was we were focused. We were energetic. We were together. We were ready to go, and we put on a good performance.”

That performance nearly failed to translate into a tick in the win column, though.

The Bearcats (2-6), who snapped a four-game skid with the victory, had seen their 19-point lead all but evaporate in the last six minutes of the game.

A 3-pointer by Mountaineer senior guard Julian Norfleet with 1.6 seconds left trimmed Binghamton’s advantage to 7270.

But BU freshman point guard Yosef Yacob calmly buried a pair of clutch free throws to seal the deal.

“Out of every timeout on a full court inbounds, everything was drawn up to get the ball in his hands,” Dempsey said. “I figured he’d be our best guy to ice it at the line.”

Yacob went a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe en route to scoring 18 points for the Bearcats, who shot 53 percent from the field and 6 of 10 from long range. He wasn’t perfect, though, as Mount St. Mary’s turned the freshman over nine times.

As a team, Binghamton coughed up the ball 23 times.

Several of the turnovers came on careless mistakes of every variety. The Bearcats traveled.

They stepped on the baseline.

Even without a defender in the vicinity, they lost the handle out of bounds.

“I thought where we did handle the press we normally got a good shot,” Dempsey said.

“But there were times where we

made some careless plays, so it’s tough.”

Through the first 33 minutes of the game, Binghamton’s turnovers didn’t catalyze fastbreak scoring opportunities for Mount St. Mary’s. But down the stretch, the Bearcats fed the ball to the Mountaineers in positions to score, most notably when Norfleet intercepted Yacob’s inbounds pass for a layup to cut the gap to seven with 1:33 left.

Dempsey called timeout with the hosts carrying all the momentum on a 17-5 spurt.

“I just wanted to make sure we got the inbounds right and that we got the ball on the floor,” he said. “If we turned over that inbounds right after that score, I thought that really could have been a big swing.”

The Bearcats successfully inbounded the ball, and as the shot clock wound down, Yacob found sophomore guard Jordan Reed for a backbreaking alleyoop.

The Mountaineers still wouldn’t surrender, but they couldn’t get over the hump.

“They played in the Northeast Conference Championship last year. It’s a heck of a win for us,” Dempsey said. “Despite their record, this is a team that’s going

to win a lot of games.”

Freshman point guard Marlon Beck II led Binghamton with 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting.

He buried four of six treys, including the shot that put the Bearcats ahead, 59-40, with 6:50 remaining.

Reed finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. He shot 6 of 12 from the field and 5 of 5 from the foul line.

Coming off the bench, freshman forward Nick Madray scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the first doubledouble of his career.

For Mount St. Mary’s, Norfleet posted a game-high 26 points.

The Bearcats will return to game action on Saturday, when they’re scheduled to face No. 4 Syracuse. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at the Carrier Dome.

“It’s a heck of a win for us. Despite their record, this is a team that’s going to win a lot of games” — Tommy Dempsey BU head coach

For updates on Binghamton basketball, follow @BingBBallBlog on Twitter.

SPORTS

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Turnovers hurt BU in loss Page 17

Friday, December 6, 2013

AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH

Bearcats fend off Mount St. Mary's comeback for second win of season

See Page 18

Michael Contegni/Staff Photographer