The New Paltz Oracle, Volume 81 Issue XIII

NEW PALTZ ORACLE THE

HOOKAH HYPE PIPES UP

Volume 81, Issue XIII

oracle.newpaltz.edu

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Proposed hookah lounge ignites controversy concerning Planning Board policies See Story on Page 3 Editorial on Page 9

PHOTO BY ZAN STRUMFELD

Campus “Humans vs. Zombies” game decays as Nerf guns relegated to only daytime play

INSIDE THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE • A Look Inside the ‘Aerie’ ..........................Pg 4 • Hasbrouck Phase One Complete .............Pg 6 • SA Graphics Restructuring ......................Pg 6 • Senior Week Planning Continues ...........Pg 7

Story on Page 5 PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHOLICDADSONLINE.ORG

The New Paltz Oracle

University Police Blotter

Disclaimer: This is only a partial listing. For all incidents, please visit the University Police Department.

Location: SAB 12:23 - Employee reported that male student had nine water color paintings stolen from his studio area. Employee also reported that a female student had painting supplies stolen from her studio.

All property taken by perpetrators unknown.

established 1938

Pierce Lydon EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Julie Mansmann MANAGING EDITOR _________________

James Leggate NEWS EDITOR

Justin McCarthy FEATURES EDITOR

Zan Strumfeld

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Pete Thompson SPORTS EDITOR _________________

Felice Bernabo PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Alec Horowitz

ASSISTANT PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

Jon Aiello

CARTOONIST _________________

Maxim Alter Sunya Bhutta Pamela Vivanco Andrew Wyrich COPY EDITORS _________________

Elizabeth Damiano BUSINESS MANAGER _________________

Patrick Martz Kathryn Smith DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS

Emily Canty, Sarah Fine, Elexis Goldberg, Sarah Hurd, Michelle S. Kramisen, Emily Kurland, Chelsea LaDue, Becky Longley, Jessica Mingoia, Jesse Ordansky, Jessica Ostrow, James Petrich, Casey Quinlan, Danielle Quitoni, Michelle Ravit, Regina Rivers, Shawn Rubenfeld, Jordan Siwek, Alex Silverberg, Sam Speer, Alison Stevens, Emily Sussell, Ashley Thompson, Harris Wichard, Kelly Young

STAFF

Corrections

In the senate brief for issue issue XII, SA Executive Vice President Abe Uchitelle was quoted as saying he was advocating for gender neutral housing options on campus.

He was misquoted; he was in fact advocating for gender neutal bathroom facilities. We apologize for any confusion.

Incident: Criminal Mischief Date: 02/15/10 Location: BOH CDA reported that perpertrators uknown dislodged the water fountain from the wall on the 3rd floor.

Incident: Petit Larceny Date: 02/15/10

About The New Paltz Oracle The New Paltz Oracle is the official student newspaper of SUNY New Paltz. Our circulation is 3,000.

The New Paltz Oracle is sponsored by the Student Association and partially funded by the student activity fee.

The New Paltz Oracle is located in the Student Union Building, room 417. Deadline for all submissions is 5 p.m. on Fridays in The New Paltz Oracle office and by e-mail at oracle@newpaltz.edu.

All advertisements must be turned in by 5 p.m. on Fridays, unless otherwise specified by the business manager. Community announcements are published gratuitously, but are subject to restriction due to space limitations.

There is no guarantee of publication. Contents of this paper cannot be reproduced without the written permission of the editor-in-chief.

The New Paltz Oracle is published weekly throughout the Fall and Spring semesters on Thursday.

It is available in all residence halls and academic buildings, in the New Paltz community and online at oracle.newpaltz.edu. For more information, call 845-257-3030. The fax line is 845-257-3031.

The New Paltz Oracle holds assignment meetings every Sunday at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Building, room 418. Articles, photographs and illustrations are assigned to the pool of staff and contributors.

16:40 - Male student entered UPD to report that between the following times frames his paintings had been stolen 02/11/10 (21:30) and 02/12/10 (10:00) Incident: Petit Larceny Date: 02/16/10 Location: VH Male student reported that his unattended jacket was stolen from the first floor computer lab by perpetrators unknown.

Volume 81 Issue XIII

Incident: Disorderly Conduct Date: 02/16/10 Location: Hawk Drive Male student arrested for disorderly conduct when he approached police officers on foot patrol using obscene language.

Incident: Disorderly Conduct Date: 02/16/10 Location: Hawk Drive Male non-student arrested for disorderly conduct for urinating on public property.

SUNY New Paltz University Police Department Emergencies: 845-257-2222 www.newpaltz.edu/police

Five Day Forecast Friday, February 19

Index

News............................................... 3 - 7 Community Calendar........................ 8 Editorial.............................................. 9 Columns............................................. 10 James Leggate...................... 10 Pierce Lydon......................... 10 Letters................................................ 11 Cartoons........................................... 12 The Gunk................................ 1B - 8B The Deep End.................................. 8B Sports.......................................... 13 - 16

Flurries High: 37 Low: 26 Saturday, February 20

Partly Cloudy High: 38 Low: 23 Sunday, February 21

Don’t Be Shy!

Partly Cloudy High: 38 Low: 23 Monday, February 22

Visit us online at

oracle. newpaltz.edu Everyone is entitled to take one free copy of The New Paltz Oracle.

If you need additional copies, please contact the editor-in-chief at x3030 or at oracle@newpaltz.edu

Partly Cloudy High: 35 Low: 24 Tuesday, February 23

Snow Showers High: 34 Low: 26

The New Paltz Oracle

Pg 3

NEWS

Planning Board Oversight Upsets Residents

By Pamela Vivanco Copy Editor | Pvivanco57@newpaltz.edu

Residents are expressing tremendous concern in regards to the Village of New Paltz Planning Board’s decision to grant a Special Use permit to open up a hookah lounge at 184 Main St. Lisa and Anton Stewart, owners of the Awareness Shop at 180 Main St. and neighbors of the potential hookah lounge, believe that having a hookah lounge approximately 300 feet from the middle school is egregiously wrong. The Stewarts launched a Web site, stopthehookah.org, to raise awareness about the concerns of residents, which include the possible encouragement of smoking, second-hand smoking, health risks and late night noise in a residential zone.

Surrounding property owners are also angry because they said they were not given the opportunity to raise concerns before the Special Use Permit was approved on Aug. 4. Legal notices were not mailed to owners and according to Lisa Stewart, the advice of affected organizations was not considered at a public hearing.

“Normally the village has set precedence that all surrounding property owners would get a legal notice,” said Stewart.

“For the thirteen years that I’ve lived here, I’ve gotten legal notice, but not this time. It was overlooked.”

Stewart said she received three letters from the Planning Board about Main Course, located at 175 Main St., which opened around the same time that the hookah bar was being reviewed by the board.

Stewart said when she contacted the planning board and asked them why she did not receive a legal notice, they told her that sending a notice was not code but just courtesy.

Chair of the Village of New Paltz Planning Board Ray Curran said that this volunteer group generally does send a courtesy mailing to the adjoining neighbors.

“Unfortunately that did not occur in this case because we had just hired a new secretary and she was not made fully aware of this policy,” he said.

Like Stewart, Curran said he shares a lot of the same concerns and that board members were skeptical of granting the permit, but that legally they could not let these concerns influence their decision.

“We did not like the proposed use and particularly in that location,” he said. “We spoke at length about these concerns but ultimately could not find any legal basis for turning down the application.”

According to village Mayor Terry Dungan, businesses must have a “low impact” on the area when opened in the limited business district zone.

The planning board said they made a public hearing posting in a newspaper 5 days prior to the public hearing. But the Stewarts and other residents claim that it was only 4.6 days and part of a day does not legally count.

PHOTO BY ZAN STRUMFELD

Some residents are worried the hookah bar will influence local children to smoke.

“The only mistake we made was not people are working so hard to protect our reading the newspaper and not getting to youth and now we are going to put a smokthe planning board meeting in 4 days,” said ing lounge on their doorstep.”

Lisa Stewart. “But, we would have read the When Superintendent Maria Rice newspaper had we been given legal notice.” found out about the hookah bar plans, she Many residents are not against the wrote a letter to Curran expressing shock hookah business; they are just frustrated and disappointment over the planning with how the village went about granting board’s decision. In the letter, Rice said she the special use of permission. was “greatly concerned” by this decision “The adequate notice was not pro- and asked that the proposal be seriously vided,” said Anton Stewart. “It’s perfectly reconsidered because the business would legal, but it’s not really responsible to open be located “where so many young children a hookah bar right next door to a middle work and play every day.” school.”

New Paltz Youth Center Director Jim Dungan said he also believes that 184 Tinger said he agreed with Rice, saying Main St. is an inappropriate place because that putting this type of business in close it’s too close to the middle school. proximity to a school and youth center “One of the sentiments that were ex- would be inappropriate and irresponsible. pressed to me by somebody who was con“We struggle sometimes as a commucerned with this is that having this type of nity to send the right messages to kids and a business just contributes to the image that this would only make that goal more difNew Paltz is just a place where you go and ficult,” he said. get high,” he said. “The people who live Even though SUNY New Paltz stuhere and raise families here have a real con- dents understand the community’s concern with that.” cerns about the hookah lounge’s close Stewart said that youth organizers and proximity to the middle school, some said educators are working to discourage to- they would consider the hookah lounge a bacco use amongst teenagers, and that the welcomed addition to the village. opening of this business would be counter“Initially, I didn’t think about the efproductive. fects it would have on the community, but “You can’t even wear a Marlboro t- at the same time, I don’t think it should be shirt in the middle school; you can’t smoke shut down,” said second-year business maon school grounds,” she said. “All these jor Lauren Richards. “I think it fits in with

Thursday, February 18, 2010

the culture of New Paltz really well.”

As for the health risks of hookah, Richards argued that selling cigarettes at Convenient Deli and alcohol at bars and nearby beer distributors is also a risk.

“People are going to do what they want to do. It’s a personal choice,” she said. “If we’re going to close down a hookah place, we might as well close down convenient and the bars in town.”

Second-year communication disorders major Lauren Podstupka said that she wouldn’t mind not having a hookah place in New Paltz.

“I wouldn’t be disappointed if it didn’t open. It hasn’t been here before. It’s not like there was one and they shut it,” she said. “It would be cool to have it but I’ve done without it.”

As a former college student, Tinger said he understands the mentality of the students, but that concerns of residential families need to be considered in cases like this.

“I have come to realize that this is a thriving community and although the college is a piece of that, it is only a piece and there are thousands that exist here unrelated to the college,” he said. “Consider the wishes of those who have lived here for many years, raise families here, and plan to live here far beyond graduation day.”

The Stewarts have spent many years promoting the well-being of mind, body and soul but feel that a hookah lounge right next door to them will contradict their values. The Stop the Hookah organization is asking New Paltz residents to sign the petition to the mayor, Board of Trustees and Planning Board of the Village of New Paltz.

“We believe in democracy and it didn’t happen here. That’s why we believe if we petition the village, they’ll have to kind of step back and go through this process gain,” said Lisa Stewart. “That’s all we’re asking, we’re saying look ‘take back the permit that you granted illegally basically and allow the people who this is going to deeply affect…residents, children, parents, to have their voice back.’”

The Stewarts said that while they know Dungan expressed similar concerns, they believe that he is trying to distance himself from the situation as much as he can.

According to Dungan, because the Planning Board is independent of the Board of Trustees, the board has no role in notification regarding items on the Planning Board agenda.

Dungan said that as the village’s legislative body, the Board of Trustees is considering enacting notification requirements as part of the Village Code to ensure that such an oversight would not be repeated.

He hopes the proposal will be on the Village of Trustees agenda on Feb. 24.

Curran suggested that those who feel they could address questions regarding the hookah lounge fairly can seek to fill a vacant seat on the Planning Board.

Pg 4

NEWS

News Briefs

The New Paltz Oracle

‘Aerie’ Nears Completion

National In a highly anticipated grand finale to their mission, astronauts opened the shutters on the International Space Station’s new observation deck Wednesday and were humbled by “absolutely spectacular” views of Earth from inside the elaborate atrium of windows. ***** Sadie the Scottie was fully expected to reach the purple podium at America’s top dog show. She did, after two intruders turned the center ring at Westminster into their own platform.

Shortly before judge Elliott Weiss picked Sadie, a pair of well-dressed women walked into the big ring at Madison Square Garden and held signs over their heads that said “Mutts Rule” and “Breeders Kill Shelter Dogs’ Chances,” the latter a slogan popularized by PETA. ***** Dozens of students from a Rhode Island high school who skipped classes for a free breakfast at Denny’s got grand slammed with suspensions. ***** An officer who shot and killed a 200-pound chimpanzee last year after it mauled a woman has been denied an insurance claim for post-traumatic stress disorder because state law only applies to police shootings of people. ***** Prince Frederic von Anhalt-Zsa Zsa Gabor’s husband and a tabloid fixturesays he’s ready for his next role: governor of California.

On Wednesday, the flamboyant socialite said he and his lawyer will file candidacy papers at the secretary of state’s office in Sacramento.

World Briefs, pg. 5

The additions to the SUB are expected to be finished in time for Summer orientation.

By Julie Mansmann Managing Editor | Jmansmann60@newpaltz.edu

Construction of the addition to the Student Union will continue through June, and administrators hope the glass edifice will be open in time for the summer 2010 orientation sessions.

Work on the $13.4 million project began in December 2008, and now the enclosing of the glass on the building is almost complete. Since the ground broke, green design techniques and environmentally friendly processes were applied to the construction. Daylight harvesting will be implemented, as well as solar shading.

The facility will also feature low energy consuming light fixtures and water reduc-

ing plumbing fixtures. Recycled materials have also been used throughout the process.

Once completed, the glass edifice will feature new campus eateries, a connection to the Campus Bookstore, as well as conference rooms and a gaming lounge. There will also be a study area elevated in the building known as the “scholars perch.”

SUNY New Paltz President Steven Poskanzer has also made connections between the school mascot and the addition, referring to the edifice as the “aerie,” named after the mountaintop perch where hawks make their home.

The architectural design of the building was inspired by the natural topography of the nearby Shawanagunk mountains.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

PHOTOS BY FELICE BERNABO

However, according to Director of Facilities Design and Construction John McEnrue, many draw comparison between the edifice and the Louvre pyramid in Paris, France.

“It’s a diamond between the rough,” he said.

The project marks the most work that has been done to the 38-year-old Student Union other than past renovations to food service venues. Poskanzer said this is a welcomed change to the college’s landscape.

“It will be an exciting addition to the campus,” he said.

For more information about the Student Union addition, log on to newpaltz. edu/construction.

The New Paltz Oracle

Pg 5

NEWS

Nerf Guns Banned at Night

News Briefs World Taliban fighters are increasingly using civilians as human shields in the assault on the southern town of Marjah, an Afghan official said Wednesday as military squads resumed painstaking house-to-house searches in the Taliban stronghold. ***** Lindsey Jacobellis had to do it. Flying through the air toward the finish line, she reached down and grabbed her snowboard, a stunt similar to the showoff move that cost her a gold medal four years ago.

This time, it was all she could do to salvage something following another Olympic flub. Jacobellis wobbled after landing a jump early in a snowboardcross semifinal, couldn’t regain control and clipped a gate, ending her medal chances. *****

PHOTO BY FELICE BERNABO

President Nicolas Sarkozy is bringing a French plan to rebuild Haiti with him on Wednesday’s visit to the Caribbean country, a trip officials hope will usher in a new era between France and its former colony.

Police are concerned because the Nerf guns, such as the ones held by students here, are sometimes difficult to tell apart from real guns.

By James Leggate News Editor | Leggat06@newpaltz.edu

It’s a Friday night. The last few humans left alive on Earth are struggling to get across campus to their dorm. In their path: a horde of zombies, lusting for sweet human brains. The humans draw their guns as the zombies shuffle forward.

This is a scene that won’t be happening around campus anymore. The Humans vs. Zombies game, which first came to SUNY New Paltz last semester, is actually illegal because of a state law which prohibits the possession of a spring-gun or airgun on the grounds of any school. “Humans” carry Nerf guns, which use either springs or air pressure to fire foam darts to defend themselves against the “zombies.”

According to Chief Ray Bryant of the University Police Department, people complained about seeing the toy weapons on campus.

“Anyone that carries anything that resembles a weapon onto a college campus in the time that we live in is going to cause a problem,” Bryant said, citing incidents such as the Virginia Tech shootings and the recent case of a professor from Alabama who allegedly shot and killed three colleagues.

However, the game is still continuing. David Lustig, a first-year history major who organizes the game, said he is working with campus officials to get Nerf guns back into the game, but only during the day. Because it is difficult to tell the difference between a real and fake gun at night, officials insist

that the guns not be used in the dark. Instead, the Nerf guns have been replaced with socks.

“As long as the game gets back, I’m willing to go along with whatever they want to do,” Lustig said.

Bryant said that he is willing to work with the group because they have cooperated with the police ever since an officer on patrol warned a student who was carrying a Nerf gun to class.

“We want to get it ironed out and come up with something that will be beneficial to both sides,” Bryant said. The law states that the school can grant written permission to allow people to carry spring- and air-guns on their grounds.

To do this, Lustig said he will try to get Humans vs. Zombies approved as an official Student Association organization.

However, there already is a Nerf Club on campus which was approved last semester. Undeclared first-year student Kenji Kaneshiro started the club to modify the toy guns to shoot further and make their own foam darts, which are cheaper than store bought ones.

“I tried to go to David with that,” Kaneshiro said, “but he didn’t really respond to me.”

There have been Humans vs. Zombies games at other SUNY schools, including Oneonta and Oswego. Three SUNY Buffalo students were recently charged with possession of illegal weapons for having Nerf guns on their campus.

“Wherever you are, you have to use common sense,” Bryant said.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

But Sarkozy’s visit, the first ever by a French president to what was its richest colony, is also reviving bitter memories of the crippling costs of Haiti’s 1804 independence. ***** It turns out Egypt’s beloved boy-king wasn’t so golden after all — or much of a wild and crazy guy, for that matter.

“This is one sick kid,” Egyptologist Emily Teeter, assistant curator at the University of Chicago’s Oriental Institute, said after learning of the research.

It shows that, based on DNA tests and CT scans, Tut had a genetic bone disease and malaria, which combined with a severe broken leg could have been what killed him about 3,300 years ago at age 19.

Compiled from the AP Newswire

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NEWS

The New Paltz Oracle

Hasbrouck Renovates Facilities

By Andrew Wyrich Copy Editor | Andrew.wyrich63@newpaltz.edu@newpaltz.edu

Over winter break Hasbrouck Dining Hall began a four phase improvement plan that will continue in the coming semesters.

According to the general manager of Campus Dining Services, Ralph Perez-Rogers, Hasbrouck invited experts from their food provider Sodexo to conduct a “strategic analysis” of the dining hall. The experts specialized in catering, retail, brands, and resident dining and analyzed the food services across campus while making suggestions for improvements. Campus Dining Services sent out a survey last semester, which was coupled with advice from experts as part of a “master plan” the college hopes to implement.

The idea for this improvement developed over the last year when Campus Dining Services sent out a “17-minute survey” that 750 students filled out. Comments from this survey were read and used to create a plan for the future.

Perez-Rogers said that one of the questions in particular was important.

“We asked students where they were before lunch and after lunch,” he said. “By doing this we will be able to see where the biggest population clusters on campus are.” By seeing where most students are during the day, Campus Dining Services is hoping that they will be able to map out where potential dining options could be made in the future.

Results from the survey will be coming out within the next four weeks, and will be sent to the administration for review. Perez-Rogers said after the administration has had time to review the findings, Campus Dining Services and the administration will meet to see “which direction [they] head in.”

Over break, the improvements and differences in Hasbrouck were part of “phase one” of their plan. Changes included flatbread pizza, panini machines, self-serve waffle makers, as well as a push toward fresher products.

First-year undeclared student Laura Luengas said the pizza is “substantially better than last semester, the flatbread and new toppings are nice additions.”

“Everything is based on making things fresher and in constant rotation,” Perez-Rogers said.

Hasbrouck “revamped” many of its services over winter break. The Community Grill now focuses on preparing foods constantly, rather than making large quantities. According to Perez-Rogers, food is now cooked in smaller pans, making a

PHOTO BY ALEC HOROWITZ

The dining hall completed the first phase of the four-phase plan, which was based off student responses to surveys. constant rotation of food possible. By doing this, Hasbrouck hopes to keep the food fresher and more appealing to students. Burgers are now made fully dressed, and are able to be custom ordered if students want something different, and during breakfast, eggs are now cooked to order.

In addition to food services being renovated and changed, Rogers-Perez explained that an area for students to store their belongings was a major issue. According to Rogers-Perez thefts were becoming prominent last semester, and this led to the large cubbies being added upstairs. By doing this, Rogers-Perez hopes thefts will go down due to the cubbies being out in the open and visible to all.

The second phase of Hasbrouck’s renovation should come by the summer. Perez-Rogers said Hasbrouck hopes to introduce a “Biggie Sandwich” which would be a large deli sandwich on focaccia bread, which students could take a slice of, in addition to the small ready-made sandwiches which are currently available.

Next fall, Hasbrouck plans on completely redesigning

their deli section. While panini makers and new sandwiches have been added since winter break, Perez-Rogers said that the section will be undergoing a complete “re-configuring.”

The new Deli section will include a “tossed salad program” which would allow students to pick premade bowls of lettuce and add their own dressings as well as more Panini makers and waffle makers.

Rogers-Perez said that other possibilities include a “grab and go” section of Hasbrouck located downstairs. He cautioned however that nothing is imminent and that it was only “something they were looking into.”

The improvements were noticeable by students. First year undeclared student Ryan Patrick Hanrahan said that he feels the food has “improved substantially.”

“We’re going back to a focus on fresh food, cooked to order items and more customized batch cooking” Perez-Rogers said. “We hope to make resident dining more like a retail experience by having more fresh, cooked to order foods.”

SA Graphics Manages Expenses

By Maxim Alter Copy Editor | Malter42@newpaltz.edu

After a recent phase out, SA Graphics has begun minimizing management.

With changes to the department’s business practices on their way, those in charge within the Student Association are working to have more people reliant on the official print shop.

For some time now, students have been using a substitute print shop in the basement of the Haggerty Administration Building to meet their graphic-related needs for a smaller fee. The prices at this print shop are not free, but are much more

affordable, according to SA President Stephanie Samuel. In order to deal with this deviation of business, Samuel and others are working to change their current practices and encourage students to use the SA Graphics service.

“As of right now, the place is fully staffed and has two managers,” Said Samuel. “What makes SA Graphics better than the print shop is that we also design fliers and we do course packets for professors.”

There are two graduate students managing the print shop, one a Finance major and the other in Business Management.

Part of the management phase out plan

was letting go of the old director and giving the new graduate students in charge the role that she played.

“Her salary was not worth what we were paying,” said Samuel. “We are saving tons of money this way and [the graduate students] are also in charge of getting the word out to students about the resource.”

For now, a majority of the money invested in SA Graphics goes toward the rentals of the printing machines.

“We will never break even because of the high cost of them,” said Samuel.

“But business has been fair.”

Currently working on a new structure

Thursday, February 18, 2010

for SA Graphics for the upcoming years is SA Vice president of Finance, Yasmin El Jamal. At this time, El Jamal will not disclose her plans for the new SA graphics business model until she runs it by her fellow colleagues and makes a final decision.

“I still have to meet with the administration and run the idea by the SA Executive Board and the Budget and Finance Committee,” said El Jamal. “I have a couple of meetings set up for this week. Hopefully, we can all come to an agreement and restructure SA Graphics in order for us to serve students as best we can.”

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NEWS

The New Paltz Oracle

Haitian Alliance Sends Help Home

By Zan Strumfeld A&E Editor | Sstrumfeld34@newpaltz.edu

The recent earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12 has affected everyone in many ways. People have started gathering supplies, making donations and providing aid to those in need. On campus, SUNY New Paltz has created the Haitian Alliance in a way to support Haiti and do what they can to help the current disastrous situation. Christlie Julien, second-year management major, helped initiate the alliance and told The New Paltz Oracle all about it.

What exactly is the Haitian Alliance?

The Haitian Alliance is an organization that was created to address the issues that the people of Haiti are fighting with today. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and if it were not for this earthquake people would have never taken action to help. This organization is a helping hand towards the rebuilding of Haiti by raising money clothes, food and so much more.

How and why did you get involved in the Haitian Alliance on campus? What is your role ?

Well the alliance was an idea of a friend

of mine, Richard Jean-Louis. He is a first year here at SUNY New Paltz and he called me the day after the disaster with the idea. At the time I had gotten news that a few of my family members have been either hurt or were found dead. Therefore, the call from Richard simply pushed me to initiate the Haitian Alliance. Because there aren’t any positions on the committee yet, I consider myself to be a simple helper.

How were you affected by the aftermath of the Haiti disaster.

The aftermath of the Haiti disaster really hurt me. At first, I thought nothing of the earthquake because I had not known the impact of the quake. But when I found my mother crying in the kitchen I realized that this was big.

The endless contributions are remaking and revitalizing my country and I am very happy but I hope that it doesn’t stop there. I hope that people don’t donate five dollars and return to their lives as if nothing ever happened. I hope we continue with the action that we are taking.

What happened at the Haitian Alliance meeting? How was that brought together?

Well, I held the meeting in Gage Hall where the logistics were dissected. I told peo-

ple where the money, clothes, and food would be going. Then I planned who would be tabling and who would be helping with a benefit.

There were about 40 people in attendance that actually cared and were not forced to attend and I am sure that there were so many more people that wanted to be there but had other obligations to tend to.

There was a performance on Feb. 13 in SUB MPR. How did that go?

The Haitian Alliance hosted the “Haitian

By Association Benefit” the name came from one of the members of the committee who is not Haitian, Dierdra Hamilton. The name was important because it meant that anyone that wanted to participate did not have to be Haitian. They could know of a Haitian person or be friends of a person of Haitian descent. There were performances by a variety of talented students like The Daytrippers, Jackie and Ryan, Laneesha Bacchus, Voices of Unity Gospel Choir, Jasenka H., and so many more. We also had two outside performances by a member of Sigma Lambda Upsilon Sorority, Incorporated by the name of J. F. Seary and a dance group by the name of Battlefest who was featured in the show America’s Best Dance Crew. The Benefit

SA Plans Senior Fun

By Justin McCarthy Features Editor | Jmccarthy46@newpaltz.edu

With the cooperation of some campus groups, the Senior Committee has a number of projects in store for the graduating students this year. With the recruitment of first, second and thirdyear students, they hope to make a tradition of the campus-wide carnival, a senior ball and a job interview-themed fashion show they are currently working to implement.

According to Student Association President and chairwoman of the senior committee Stephanie Samuel, the first senior event, the “Dress the Part on a Student Budget” fashion show, is scheduled for March 25 and aims to show college students how to dress professionally.

“It was nice to see people supporting us,” said Vice President of Finance and senior committee member Yasmin El Jamal, who had just come back from the Woodbury Commons with other senior committee members to ask for donations from big companies such as Banana Republic and Eddie Bauer.

“The event is geared toward helping students get ready and prepared to go out in the real world.”

Both Samuel and El Jamal have stressed the importance of recruiting younger students to help with the

events so that they can continue them in the future. They hope that first, second and third-year students will continue to organize the events so that future graduating students can enjoy the celebrations of their hard work.

“I feel like this year requires the most work,” Samuel said of the new senior committee initiatives, “but as long as we lay the groundwork for future students, the project will improve over time.”

The Senior Committee is receiving assistance. Student Affairs, the Career Resource Center and a number of other groups and clubs on campus are helping them organize the events.

Other projects include a campuswide carnival that will take place on numerous quads and will have different themed sections. Students can expect to enjoy cotton candy, potato sack races, rock climbing and other activities that “make you feel like a kid,” said Samuel. The committee hopes to schedule the carnival for May 1. A senior ball is also being planned for May 21.

Many students are excited for the planned events “I think it would be a really fun way to bring seniors together before they graduate,” said Lisa Montanaro, a fourth-year T.V. production major.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

was spectacular.

In what ways are you helping Haiti; raising money/collecting supplies? How can we be sure where the supplies/money is going since some governmental funding may not necessarily go directly to Haiti?

We are raising money, collecting clothes, and collecting food. We are going through and organization by the name of ISOH/Impact. We chose this organization because we knew that governmental funding does not necessarily go to Haiti. This organization works with Double Harvest farm which is a center that has been in Haiti for years. Double Harvest focuses on the distribution of the clothes, food, and money.

How can students on campus get involved in this alliance or with helping Haiti in general? Where can they make donations?

At this moment we have taken a break on donations because the office and storage space is filled up. But we will be continuing very soon. If anyone would like to get involved, they should keep watch for our next GI meeting coming soon.

Pg 8

The New Paltz Oracle Pg 9

COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS “A Year with Picasso: A Reinterpretation of Major and Minor Works” February 20 5 p.m. at the Van Buren Gallery in New Paltz At 7 p.m. a sampling of Couteau’s poetry and prose which was inspired by Picasso and paris will be held. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.

Visit vanburengallery.com or call 845256-8558 for more information.

“The End of Suburbia” February 20 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Westchester “The End of Suburbia” documentary explores the American way of life and its prospects as the planet approaches a critical era, as global demand for fossil fuels begins to outstrip supply. For more information, contact John Bell at contact@transitionwestcher.org.

“Report Back from Copenhagen: What Did It Achieve? What Can We Do?” February 21 2:30 p.m. at Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries Hear Prof Richard Ottinger, Pace U. Law Environmental Center and Rev. Paul Mayer, Climate Crisis Coalition speak. Prime sponsor: Mid-Hudson Progressive Alliance and others. Contact: 845-838-2415 or 845-440-7345.

Learn about Life in Cameroon at the Gardiner Library February 21 4 p.m. at the Gardiner Library Gardiner residents George and Kathy Weiss will give a talk about life in Cameroon on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. in the Gardiner Library community room. George and Kathy recently traveled to Cameroon to visit their daughter Anitha who is living there and working for the Peace Corps. Come hear about life in this African country, see artifacts and photos from the trip, and sample some African food.

CAC/EMC Roundtable Forum February 24 7 to 9 p.m. at Farm and Home Center Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County Environment Program will be holding their annual CAC/EMC Roundtable Forum, an opportunity for CACs and the EMC to share information about recent successes and challenges, discuss common concerns, and prioritize goals for the coming year. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 845-677-8223 or e-mail vcb4@cornell.edu.

Meeting of the Central Catskills Collaborative February 25 6 to 8 p.m. at the Catskill Center The Collaborative will continue discussing Scenic Byway designation for the Rt. 28 corridor. Shandaken’s subcommittee will present their initial resource and asset inventory. Public input will be encouraged. For more information see www.catskillcenter.org/ whatsnew/pr_2009-27.html.

Swing Dance Extravaganza in Celebration of Black History Month and in Honor of Community Activist, John Flowers!

February 26 6:30 p.m. at the Poughkeepsie Tennis Club The Savoy tradition of the Lindy Hop continues to thrive. Come experience it on Friday, Feb. 26 at the Poughkeepsie Tennis Club. In celebration of Black History Month, check out an art form developed in Harlem in the 1920’s, ‘30s and ‘40s. You can dance the night away, watch the performance, take an intermediate level swing dance workshop and take a beginners lesson-no experience needed!

Fresh Dance Directed by Yoav Kaddar March 4 - 6 8 p.m. in McKenna Theater Fresh Dance, an annual production of the department of theatre arts uniting professional dancers, regional dance

companies, and students focuses on choreography and performance across a diverse spectrum of dance. It encourages opportunities for artistic collaborations between dance, music, theatre and other art forms. Tickets go on sale Feb. 22. $16 general reserved, $14 seniors and SUNY New Paltz student/ faculty/staff.

Community Playback Theatre March 5 8 p.m. at Boughton Place Community Playback Theatre presents Improvisations of Audience Stories.

For more information, call Toni Horvatin at 845-691-7795.

First Sunday Gallery Tour Carolee Schneemann: Within and Beyond the Premises March 7 2 p.m. at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art Join guest educator Kevin Cook on a tour of the exhibition Carolee Schneemann: Within and Beyond the Premises Sixth Annual Symposium on Energy: The Energy Highway April 16 8 a.m. at the The Links at Erie Villaget “Efficient, Secure, Reliable and Environmentally SensitiveTransmission and Distribution of Electricity” with Dr. Rhea Jezer, Chair at “The Links at Erie Village,” Fee: $40. For more information and to register go to: www. cazenovia.edu/energy The “Suit Yourself” Stipend Program Are you a senior interviewing for an internship, student teaching placement, or full-time employment opportunity? Apply today to win one of 30 “clothing awards” worth $200 to purchase professional attire for your interviews. For an application, go to www. newpaltz.edu/careers. The application deadline is February 26, 2010. For further information, contact the Career Resource Center in Humanities 105 at 845-257-3265.

To submit an announcement write down the name of the club/event, date, time and location. Then e-mail it to oracle@newpaltz.edu. All submissions are due by Sunday at 5 p.m. Submissions are printed at the discretion of the editor-in-chief.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

OASIS OASIS is a student-staffed counseling and crisis intervention center and telephone hotline. OASIS volunteers are trained and supervised by the Psychological Counseling Center to respond to anonymous telephone calls and walk-in requests for support, information and referral. Peer crisis intervention is provided in college-related areas such as academic stress, loneliness, sexual orientation, suicide, drug and alcohol-related problems, relationship and family conflicts.

OASIS, located in the Deyo Hall basement, room G13C, is open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. while classes are in session, and the extension is x4945.

HAVEN HAVEN of OASIS is the studentstaffed hotline and walk-in center, supervised by the Psychological Counseling Center. HAVEN volunteers provide support, information and referral for students who have been the target of rape, attempted rape or any unwanted sexual experience.

HAVEN is located in the Deyo Hall basement, room G13c and is open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. while classes are in session, and the extension is x4930.

Call or stop in when classes are in session. The 24-hour HAVEN beeper is 845-455-6093.

Campus Escort Call x3338 for an escort from anywhere on campus to anywhere on campus. 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. every night. Not a taxi service — for safety, not for the lazy!

Safe Rider Need a ride home from the bars?

We provide FREE rides home or back to campus please give me a call at 845-834-2213.

Facilities Management Having facilities related issues?

Please call x3301.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

The Gunk

Story on Page 4B

BACKGROUND PHOTO BY MYBESTDESKTOP.COM

For Campus Couples, NP is the Heavenly Option

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN MCCARTHY

Get “LOST” with Maxim Alter! See Page 5B PHOTO COURTESY OF WORDPRESS.COM

2B | FEATURES

The New Paltz Oracle

Survival of the Smartest

ELDREDGE EVOLVES STUDENTS’ MINDS FOR DARWIN’S BIRTHDAY

By Ryan Hanrahan Contributing Writer | N01941313@newpaltz.edu

On Feb. 8, the SUNY New Paltz Evolutionary Studies Program celebrated the 201st birthday of Charles Darwin. The evening began when the head of the Evolutionary Studies program, Professor Glen Geher, introduced the audience to renowned evolutionist Dr. Niles Eldredge.

Eldredge is the assistant curator in the department of invertebrate paleontology at The American Museum of Natural History, and graduated summa cum laude from Columbia College in 1965. He then enrolled in the university’s doctoral program while continuing his research at the museum. He completed his PhD in 1969 at Columbia University. Eldredge is also an adjunct professor at the City University of New York. His specialty is the evolution of mid-Paleozoic Phacopida trilobites, a group of extinct arthropods that lived between 543 and 245 million years ago.

Eldredge is a prominent critic of the teaching of creationism.

“It’s political and it’s not intellectual. It’s bad religion,” he said. “It’s asking teachers to lie to students who see through it anyway.

I think it’s the worse thing you can do for the quality of education in the U.S.” He said hedoes believe, however, that science and religion can coexist.

Eldredge gave a lecture entitled “Darwin: Discovering the Tree of Life.” Eldredge ad-

dressed the audience on Darwin’s life, including his childhood and his final days. Eldredge described Darwin as being “a man who was terribly curious about absolutely everything.”

Eldredge said Darwin hated school as a child, but loved the outdoors. As a young man, Darwin attempted to become both a doctor and a member of the clergy, but failed due to his love of nature over class attendance. It was during this time however, Eldredge said, that Darwin’s views of the natural world began to take shape with the help of mentors such as John Stevens Henslow and Adam Sedgwick. When asked why Darwin deserves so much recognition for evolution when countless others such as himself have contributed to the theory, Eldredge laughed and said “he got there first.”

Next, Eldredge described Darwin’s famous voyage around the globe on the H.M.S. Beagle, an experience which changed Darwin forever and inspired his book, “On the Origin of Species,” which changed the world. “[Evolution is] one of the greatest ideas of all time, and it teaches us we’re connected to the rest of life on earth,” Elredge said. “As Darwin would say, ‘There is grandeur to this view of life.’ I feel it‘s a wonderful, beautiful, very simple, clear-cut and obviously true idea.”

Eldredge hopes there will be a trend toward accepting evolution despite the many Americans who don’t believe it.

“It’s been a problem since before he’s

Charles Darwin’s 201st birthday was Feb. 12. been around, and the Bush years made it stronger, but now we have a president who claims to believe in it,” Eldredge said. “I love the U.S. but it has a strong tradition of anti-intellectualism, a lack of respect for organized systemic knowledge. I hope it changes.”

Third-year biology major Aruna Puthota

PHOTO BY FELICE BERNABO

felt Dr. Eldredge was an “amazing and dynamic speaker.”

“I definitely gained a better understanding of the roots of evolution and Darwin’s work,” Aruna said. “Learning about the life of Darwin in conjunction with evolution made science feel that much more personal.”

Reduce, Reuse, Recyclemania!

CAMPUS COMPETES IN CLEAN-UP COMPETITION FOR 2010

By Pete Thompson Sports Editor | Pthompson51@newpaltz.edu

It’s that time of year when recyclers on campuses across the country can rejoice, as RecycleMania 2010 kicked off on Sunday, Jan. 17.

The contest, running for 10 weeks until Saturday, March 27, is outlined on recyclemania.org as “a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities.”

Hundreds of schools compete and are ranked according to the best recycling rate, largest amount of recyclables per capita or total recyclables and least amount of trash per capita.

Although the rules remain the same and the university participated previously, this is not just another year in the contest for SUNY New Paltz. The school is upping its ante by collecting recyclables across the entire campus as opposed to prior years’ method of strictly residence halls.

“This year has been really great,” said New Paltz’s Assistant Director of Facilities and Operations Kim Nelson. “We’re highly focused on growing the numbers and getting the program to work.”

The university is now able to compete in the competition division with the subsequent-

ly higher numbers that the employment of the entire campus has brought. Fellow SUNY schools such as Albany, Binghamton and Geneseo, as well as neighbors Bard and Vassar have all chosen to compete this year too.

Enhanced goals require enhanced methods, however. So, a number of new techniques have been employed.

“It’s all part of a greater element,” said Director of Facility Operations and Maintenance Brian Pine, alluding to the importance of green thinking. “And it fits in with the overall facilities efforts we’ve put forth for recycling.”

Pine also made reference to the importance of recognizing one major component that makes our participation in the competition possible on a cross-campus level: the moving and trucking team. Previously covering only residence halls, the behind the scenes team must now travel to each and every building, weighing and collecting any qualifying bags of recycling.

“There was a lot of student involvement and there still is,” Pine said of the competition and general recycling customs. “RecycleMania is great for bringing awareness to students, but it augments efforts to improve recycling and raise the culture.”

Awareness is not only being used for

student participation, but also through it by means of third-year elementary education major Lauren Brois and the recycling club.

“I’m so glad to be involved with educating people about recycling, it really is very important,” said Brois. “Recycling saves energy, prevents pollutions, conserves resources, provides jobs, reduces the need for landfills and creates a closed loop system. Choosing to recycle is a simple step toward creating a sustainable society.”

With collections on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Brois said it is best to bring down your recyclables on either Sunday, Tuesday or Thursday night to avoid bin contamination; if a bin consists of more than 10 percent trash it is considered 100 percent trash, regardless of how many recyclables it contains. With keeping only a few simple facts known, the already skyrocketing numbers are sure to keep climbing.

“It’s pretty exciting to see the recycling rates increase so much, so fast. In the last week there was an increase of 2,963 pounds of recycling. The all-campus total from Feb. 7 to Feb. 13 was 5,525 pounds,” said Brois.

“That’s a lot of recycling, made possible by just having people recycle their stuff instead of trashing it.”

The cumulative numbers from the 2009

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Annual Recycling and MSW Report shed light on the increasing efforts as well. With a total of 3851.45 tons recycled, smaller divisions included 38.13 tons of commingled and separated recyclables (i.e. colored glass, aluminum and tin cans and plastics), 145.33 tons of newspaper and mixed paper and 14.72 tons of electronics, such as computers and televisions.

1,264 tons of construction debris was also recycled throughout the year, but Pine holds that in another category.

“To me the real meaty numbers of recyclables are the plastics and metals,” said Pine.

With such great initiative being taken all across the campus, it’s understandable for the entire effort to be a source of excitement.

Residence halls have been going head-to-head for four weeks now, and tallied weekly scores can be seen in various buildings such as in the Elting Gym or Humanities, where a life-size, 3D RecycleMania scoreboard will be in place on Tuesday, Feb. 23 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Students can also adorn their doors with door tags that automatically enter them in a contest every Wednesday for a Hawk Dollar prize.

“I’m so happy to see RecycleMania embraced by so many different campus organizations,” Brois said. “The RAs, hall governments and hall residents are all doing such a great job.”

FEATURES | 3B

The New Paltz Oracle

Hooked on Yarn

By Kaitlyn Day

Contributing Writer | N02212829@newpaltz.edu

This week I’ll be showing you how to single crochet or SC. The one thing to keep in mind when crocheting is when making the chain row, make one more chain than is needed because in crochet a stitch is dropped every round, including the first one.

Step 1: Insert hook into top loop and wrap yarn around hook from back to front and right to left.

Step 2: Insert hook into the loop and pull loop tight, but not too tight, around the hook.

PHOTO BY FELICE BERNABO

Students continue to celebrate with a discussion of “Black Economic Empowerment” in Lecture Center Room 104.

Tradition and Heritage Celebrated SUNY NEW PALTZ CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH

By Maxim Alter Copy Editor | Malter42@newpaltz.edu

Every year on campus, February is known not only for its chilly weather but also for a wonderful celebration of culture, people and events. Since 1926, the observance of Black History Month has been a part of our country’s spirit and tradition. Now more than half way over, SUNY New Paltz students have made it apparent that they aren’t missing out on any of the fun.

Since Feb. 1, many student organizations and clubs on campus have been keeping up with the month’s established practices while adding their own unique twist. According to Black Student Union (BSU) Vice President Krystal Miller, this year’s celebration consists of “five major events including a few co-sponsorships with other organizations of color, such as Men of All Nations United (MANU).”

Kicking off the month in proper black history tradition, the annual Martin Luther King Jr. celebration was held.

Taking place in front of the MLK Center and Lecture Center 102, the event was hosted by the Black Studies department,

MANU, Students Against Racism, BSU, Community Roots, Fahari-Libertad, Omega Psi Phi Inc, the Student Association for People of Color and Voices of Unity.

According to the event’s official Facebook page, the day’s festivities were focused on “the later years of Martin Luther King Jr., the newly elected President of the United States Barack Obama and a tribute to the late Coretta Scott King.”

There were also performances from Voices of Unity along with some spoken poetry related to the cause. Special guest speakers included Professor Kaba Kamene, Dr. Major G. Coleman and Pam Africa and friends.

On Monday, Feb. 8, there was a student run memorial service held for SUNY New Paltz’s beloved professor, Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis. There, students discussed important moments that they shared with her.

Following that, on Feb. 15, Professor Major G. Coleman hosted a program in Lecture Center 104 titled Black Economic Empowerment, which is also the theme of this year’s Black History Month.

During the last week of February, ac-

cording to VP of the BSU Krystal Miller, students will play “Black History Taboo, which we remade with important people, ideas and shows that impacted black culture.” This event will be held on Feb. 22 in the A-Lounge/kitchen of Shango Hall.

“This is my second Black History Month here at New Paltz,” said Miller. “I must say that Black History Taboo is my favorite event because we first debuted it last year. You educate the students in a fun and exciting way and prizes are a good incentive too.”

Last but not least, the annual Black History Month Dinner will be held in College Terrace on Feb. 28. The theme this year is the 1960s and will highlight Motown culture. There will be tabling in front of SUB 100 and with everyone invited, students are in store for a lot of fun.

“I really enjoy the dinners the Black Student Union hosts,” said third-year student Ty Belton, member of the BSU and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority. “The different themes allow us to remember our history and revel in the culture of that decade for at least one night. I am excited for this February.”

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Step 3: While holding onto the knot, wrap the yarn around the hook from back to front.

Step 4: Catch the yarn with the hook and pull the yarn through the loop.

If you really enjoy what you’re doing or have questions come to Le Knitty Gritty on Mondays at 4:30 p.m. in the foyer of the Sojoutner Truth Library.

4B | FEATURES

The New Paltz Oracle

Valentine’s Day in New Paltz MONEY M ONEY CAN’T CAN T BUY YOU LOVE; HAWK DOLLARS CAN

By Justin McCarthy

Although many SUNY New Paltz students are in long-distance relationships, couples in which both partners are students at New Paltz have found the town to be a romantic place to spend Valentine’s Day. With great restaurants, beautiful scenery and a plenty of places to snuggle with your sweetheart, the mid-February holiday can be enjoyed by all couples who spend it here.

“I wouldn’t say it’s the Paris of upstate New York,” said Lindsay Nimphius, a second-year undeclared student, “but it’s definitely got its charm.”

Nimphius and her boyfriend, Ryan Solomon, a fourth-year secondary education major, would know. They met just over a year ago at the Muddy Cup and have shared memorable times looking out at the view of Mohonk Mountain.

“Looking out there with her, that was an experience,” Solomon said, smiling at Nimphius.

The key to their relationship? Honesty, communication and a willingness to take part in each other’s interests.

“He drags me to Metallica, I drag him to Billy Talent,” said Nimphius.

They enjoyed their Valentine’s Day by eating dinner at the Ship Lantern Inn. He gave her flowers and brownies; she gave him breakfast in bed. Ironically, Solomon once lived in northern Westchester and now lives in Nassau County, and Nimphius once lived in Nassau County and now lives in northern Westchester.

Coincidences are common among New Paltz couples. Had Dean Engle, a first-year English education major, not been able to get the Paul Baribeau t-shirt he gave his girlfriend, he would have given her the same Otis Redding record that she ended up giving him.

His girlfriend, Madeline Kimlin, a third-year psychology major, met Engle outside of Rhino Records and started talking to him in their evolution class. She lives in New Paltz and he lives in Poughkeepsie, so the two can easily see each other even when school is not in session.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUSTIN MCCARTHY

The couple spent the holiday eating lobster at Kimlin’s parents’ house. They insist that lobster is the true secret to romance. Engle also gave Kimlin some film and two jars of jam, which seem to be her favorite of all the gifts.

They once had a band called QUARTERBACKS, but because band practice turned into kissing time, the two disbanded the group. The band didn’t put any strain on their relationship, however.

“It was more like the band was stressed and our relationship was really good,” Kimlin said.

Kimlin likes that Engle is “affectionate, engaging and symmetrical.”

Engle likes that Kimlin is “compassionate, supportive and extremely hot.”

It may be difficult to decide which couple is the cutest, but the couple with the longest relationship is undoubtedly Michelle Stack, who graduated last semester and is now working on getting her masters degree at New Paltz and Nick Cucolo, a fourth-year marketing major.

Stack and Cucolo met six years ago in eighth period biology class in at their high school in Suffolk County. Their high school yearbook titled them as “cutest couple.”

Things were rough for the couple when they first arrived in New Paltz. Cucolo first joined the fraternity Pi Alpha Nu and the stress in each other’s lives strained the relationship.

“When I was pledging, it was really hard,” Cucolo said.

But over three years later, the couple insists they rarely fight.

They enjoyed their Valentine’s Day by having dinner and going to the movies to see “Up in the Air.” As far as the future goes, Stack and Cucolo hear wedding bells in their future. But they plan to finish school before they make any big decisions.

With a 2-1 ratio of women to men, love may be hard to come by in this college town. But these six SUNY New Paltz sweethearts show that it’s not impossible.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LINDSAY NIMPHIUS

Thursday, February 18, 2010

PHOTO COURTESY OF JUSTIN MCCARTHY

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEAN ENGLE

Features Editor | Jmccarthy46@newpaltz.edu

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | 5B

The New Paltz Oracle

Getting

By Maxim Alter

Copy Editor | Malter42@newpaltz.edu

Season 6, Episode 3: “What Kate Does” With a stellar cliffhanger ending from the previous two-episode premier that had me begging for more, episode three had some serious shoes to fill.

Amidst all my built up anticipation for what I hoped would be another great hour of television, I was unfortunately left a little bit disappointed. Don’t get me wrong, it did a decent job wetting my pallet of “Lost” curiosity, but with such little time left for these so-called answers that I have been promised, this episode goes under the category of a cup half empty.

Before even watching last week’s “Lost,” the first thing that sparked my interest was the episode’s title, and what a good one it is. It says so much, but at the same time, tells me absolutely nothing, which was exactly how the plot was structured.

The episode opens with Kate’s parallel universe story, and no matter what reality she is in, the poor girl just doesn’t get a break. With her infamous bounty hunter fast on her tail, she hijacks a cab by gunpoint in an effort to escape her inevitable prison sentence.

The real twist is that sitting in this cab next to her is an innocent and pregnant Claire. Random? I think not. Of course, in this universe, neither of the two actually know one another.

Back in the present reality or whatever you want to call it, Jack and the rest of the survivors are held captive by the newly introduced temple “others.”

Sawyer, still depressed over Juliet’s death, decides to escape and return to his old Dharma Initiative home. Of

course, even after Sawyer warns her not to follow, Kate makes haste and starts tracking his steps. While all this is going on, Sayid, who we thought died in last week’s episode, has now magically sat up and started talking. That’s not even the weirdest part; the temple dwellers believe he is infected. For those of you who are already confused, throughout the series, the word infected has been thrown around a lot and has never really been explained. What is this infection? Sadly, we still didn’t find out. All we know is that, whatever it is, it changes you and makes you evil.

I look forward to seeing this new evil Sayid.

The story concludes with another appearance by Claire. However, Claire isn’t the innocent pregnant girl we saw in the parallel universe. In this reality, she is a jungle weary and gun-toting fighter. This was the part of the night where popcorn flew out of my mouth and hit my fellow viewer in the face.

“Finally!” I shouted. It has been two whole seasons since we have seen Claire after she mysteriously wandered off into the night and left her newborn baby behind. I cannot wait to find out where the hell she has been.

Season 6, Episode 4: “The Substitute” This last episode of “Lost,” titled “The Substitute,” was not only the best of this season, but the most fun I’ve spent in front of the TV in a while. In such a small time frame, we were not only able to get some juicy information about John Locke’s parallel universe back-story (which included Benjamin Linus as a European history teacher), but we finally got to dive head first into what this whole show is about.

“What if I told you I could answer the most important question in the world?”

Those are the words that echoed through my head after my weekly “Lost” encounter. The strangest part is that they are coming from the show’s villain. With a now dead and buried John Locke, the man walking around in what looks like his body is the shows central character and ultimate badass.

He not only has the answers to all of our crucial questions, but he is an unstoppable and extremely manipulative force. In this episode, he takes us along on his journey to break free and get off the island. In the process, we finally discover where the infamous numbers came from. You know, those numbers we learned about six seasons ago that have been showing up everywhere and haunting everyone.

Before I get ahead of myself, let me start at the beginning. The episode opens in a suburban street where our alternate reality John Locke is living.

He is greeted by his soon to be wife and seems reasonably happy. Prior to arriving however, he was introduced to spinal surgeon Jack Shephard and was

Thursday, February 18, 2010

offered a free consultation. In the parallel timeline, Jack and Locke shared somewhat of a rivalry, so it was nice to see a friendly atmosphere between the two for a change.

Back in the other reality, faux-Locke recruits a drunk and depressed Sawyer by promising to answer what everyone has been wanting to know for six seasons: why are they on the island? With nothing to lose, Sawyer agrees and follows. After a dangerous journey down a cliff and a near-death experience from Sawyer, they arrive at an old cave. This is when things got really interesting.

Hundreds of names are strewed along the walls and ceiling of the cave, with a majority of them crossed out. The ones that aren’t crossed out are the names of six main characters, each with a corresponding number. These were the names that I could make out: 4: Locke (John), 8: Reyes (Hurley), 15: Ford (Sawyer), 16: Jarrah (Sayid), 23: Shephard (Jack), and 42: Kwon (Sun or Jin). If you haven’t picked up on it yet, those are the numbers that Hurley won the lottery with in the first season and were written on the hatch door.

It turns out, Jacob, who we learn was the island’s immortal guardian, had visited each one of the main characters during some point in their life.

According to Faux-Locke, Jacob was a “numbers guy” and during his visits, he marked each character, sealing their fates so that no matter what they did, it was their destiny to land on the mysterious island. With a show like “Lost,” each answer comes with more questions and I can only hope the writers will keep up. With that said, bring on the next episode

6B | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The New Paltz Oracle

Howl With ‘The Wolfman’ This Weekend 1941 REMAKE IS SIMPLY DONE BUT A BLOODY GOOD TIME

By Kevin Mercado Contributing Writer | Kmercado55@newpaltz.edu Joe Johnston’s “The Wolfman” is an entertaining film full of blood, gore and great graphics. Although the plot of the movie seems to be all over the place, it is quite interesting to watch Benecio Del Toro turn into a very realistic werewolf.

In the film, Del Toro’s character, Lawrence Talbot, is an English actor who returns home after his brother’s disappearance.

After arriving in England, he finds out from his father, played by Anthony Hopkins, that his brother was brutally murdered. He soon discovers that his brother’s murder was not committed by a man but by a beast. In his desperate search to find the monster responsible, he is bitten and cursed with “the mark of the beast.”

Through his struggle to deal with being human and the Wolfman, he quickly becomes hunted. The town and inspector Abberline, played by Hugo Weav-

ing, start to hunt Lawrence after the public display of his transformation.

In the midst of it all, the movie is full of amazing special effects that really did the movie justice.

Although the movie contained many computerized effects, it kept a very familiar face from the 1941 version of “The Wolfman.”

Despite the familiar face, the movie’s storyline seemed too simple for a remake that, from the previews, seemed like a welcome back. So don’t expect much romance between the love interest Emily Blunt and Del Toro or background information about the character’s origin.

If you are looking for entertainment this weekend with a friend or a loved one, this little gothic old-fashion horror flick will do you good.

The movie is rated R for blood, horror, violence and gore. “The Wolfman” is just a simple movie with better CGI and definitely more blood than you have probably seen in any other werewolf movie.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB.COM

‘Wolfman’ features del Toro as a very realistic werewolf.

Team Teamwork Paves the Way for Game Remixes CLASSIC NOSTALGIC SCORES ARE MODERNIZED INTO MONSTER MASH-UPS

By Pierce Lydon Editor-in-Chief | Lydon47@newpaltz.edu It’s strange, but hip-hop and the finer parts of geekery have enjoyed a relatively successful relationship. Charles Hamilton has allied himself with Sonic the Hedgehog. RZA did music for Afro Samurai, a Black samurai voiced by Samuel Jackson. You would think that a musical style that, at times is so overtly macho it’s almost homoerotic, would not be favored by the socially awkward, bespectacled kinds of people we believe to be the only ones who play role-playing games. But somehow the marriage has birthed some pretty interesting projects such as Team Teamwork’s Vinyl Fantasy 7.

You may have heard of Team Teamwork on the blogosphere because of his first foray into mash-ups, The Ocarina of Rhyme, a mixture of beats mined from the N64’s first iteration of the Legend of Zelda series and rappers from Aesop Rock to Pimp C. With the success of that project, he moved to more conventional remixes. But then returned to the world of video games, this time drawing inspiration from Nobuo Uematsu’s incredible score from 1997’s “Final Fantasy 7,” arguably the greatest role-playing game of all time.

The album starts out a little slow with Kool Keith and Tom Waits kicking everything off over a beat from “The Prelude” but Jay-Z’s “Lucifer over the theme for The Mako Reactor is phenomenal. Interestingly enough the lyrics make sense in the context of the game! For instance, Jay-Z raps “Lord forgive him/ He got them dark forces in him/But he also got a rightous cause for sinning.” When the Mako Reactor theme is played Cloud (who has been poisoned by Mako a.k.a. the aforementioned dark forces) has joined an environmental terrorist organization to blow up the source of energy for the city which is oppressing the poor who live under it!

M.O.P.’s “Ante Up” is featured over a beat from the Battle theme. High energy rapping over possibly one of the most iconic scores from “Final Fantasy 7” make me wish that I could replace the regular score with this track. Again Team Teamwork matches lyrics with the

PHOTO COURTESY OF PUSHSQUARE.COM

It is obvious that Team Teamwork is both a fan of good hip hop and a fan of “Final Fantasy 7.” situation that is present in the game when the score is apply to the game we spent hundreds of hours playing. heard. “Them thugs you know, ain’t friendly/Them jewOther incredible tracks include MF Doom’s “Air” els you rock, make em envy/You thinkin’ it’s all good, on Barret’s theme (if I ever stop hearing Barrett’s voice you creep through a small hood/Goons comin up outta as Doom’s it’ll be a cold day in hell), Gucci Mane’s cut for your goods…” Of course, thugs aren’t friendly, “Stoopid” on the theme from Costa Del Sol (Gucci you are battling! The jewels you rock? Well obviously would definitely hang on that beach), and Dorrough’s we mean Materia or the little gems that power all magic “Ice Cream Paintjob” on the theme from the Gold Sauin “Final Fantasy 7.” And then you win a battle and you cer. My only qualm is that the phenomenal boss battle think you’re all good. But goons come up “outta cut for theme wasn’t usedand that I couldn’t find any referencyour goods” because there are random encounters and es to Red XIII or Knights of the Round. just when you think you’re good…..BOOM, goons.

Unfortunately, the RIAA wasn’t happy about this I could probably do this for every track. It is obvi- being given away for free and Team Teamwork has ous that Team Teamwork is both a fan of good hip hop taken this mix off his official site. Yet the Internet is an and a fan of “Final Fantasy 7” and that a lot of work incredible place and nothing is ever really gone forever, went into making sure that super nerds like me could especially when it has a such a dedicated fanbase. You think too much about this album and make everything can find it. Trust me.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT |7B

The New Paltz Oracle

Slip Into the Seat of Love

MINOR CONSTELLATIONS’ NEW EP BRINGS LOTS OF LAUGHS

By Sunya Bhutta

Copy Editor | Sunya.bhutta94@newpaltz.edu

Minor Constellations, first-year English education major Dean Engle, released his new EP “Loveseat” through Rack and Ruin Records on Valentine’s Day. The ukulele is back, along with the clever anecdotal tracks Engle is famous for writing. “Loveseat” is all about the embarrassing, hilarious and emotional adolescent moments of what happens when boy meets girl.

Engle begins the EP with “Travolta,” a song he sampled last semester when he played at the Cantina, so it’s already a fan-favorite in New Paltz. The song, which is about an unfortunate girl who strongly resembles actor John Travolta, is hysterical because you can only imagine what she looks like from the lyrics, “John Travolta is a handsome guy but I can’t say much for his feminine side.” But Engle shows some sensitivity toward her when he sings, “It’s really too bad she’s a nice girl besides this condition, the only dates she gets are with guys who really like Pulp Fiction.”

The second track, “China,” is adorable. Engle sings about his affections for a Chinese girl whose parents don’t like him. He sings, “I’ll never be Chinese, damn my European ancestry. . . I like to imagine I’d be met with elation, if I had merely been born Asian.” The lyrics are hilarious but what really makes his songs so catchy is how the playful rhyming attaches itself to his upbeat vocals and soft melodies.

The tracks “Scientist” and “Stalin” are more insightful and affectionate with slow mellow tones. “Scientist” is an imaginative mixture of science and romance which Engle admirably executes with his harmonious vocals while “Stalin” uses quirky wordplay like “we discussed our philosophies but I still couldn’t tell if you were into me.

Then you talked about Stalin and I could tell that I was fallin’ for you.”

The ukulele shines in the song “AC” but the story is too comically cute for me to give away, so make sure to give it a good listen.

The final track is called “Four,” which tells the tale of a girl who is dating four guys at once without the others knowing. The lyrics “I just don’t understand how I never saw the evidence; surely there would be some sign of quadruple male benevolence,” show Engle’s adept ability to write rhythmically with humor.

Make sure to download Minor Constellations’ new EP,

“Loveseat,” for free at myspace.com/ minorconstellations. Also, check out his most recent full length album, “Symmetrical Summer,” and all other releases which are free for downloading as well.

To hear him live attend Not-SoSilent Scudder on Friday, Feb. 26 where Minor Constellations will be performing in the main lounge at Scudder Hall along with Tom Christie, Kyle Miller, Greg Gondek and Rebecca Raider for a night of “acoustic sets from your favorite student troubadours.” The show starts at 8 p.m. and everyone is welcome to attend and bring friends.

Making Music History EMI Music has put the famous London recording complex Abbey Road on the market, where bands like The Beatles and Pink Floyd have recorded albums.

:: Solange Knowles is liking the indie-rock scene lately. She recently performed with Dirty Projectors at a NYC Fashion Week party.

:: Pavement have announced they will be headlining the Sasquatch! Festival in Washington in May. Other bands to perform are MGMT, Band of Horses, Broken Social Scene, Passion Pit and the Tallest Man on Earth.

:: John Mayer apologized for using a racial slur in a recent Playboy interview via a string of tweets yesterday.

“I am sorry that I used the [N-]word,” Mayer said to his 3 million-plus Twitter followers. “I should have never said the word and I will never say it again.”

:: PHOTO COURTESY OF DEAN ENGLE

Listen Bro w/ Coho’s Top 10 Picks of the Week

1. “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” - The Beatles 2. “Renegade” - Styx 3. “House of the Rising Sun” - The Animals 4. “La Grange” - ZZ Top 5. “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” - Pink Floyd

6. “Layla” - Derek and the Dominoes 7. “Caravan” - Van Morrison 8. “Mama I’m Coming Home” - Ozzy Osbourne 9. “American Pie” - Don McLean 10. “God of Thunder” - Kiss

List compiled by DJ Coho.

Their show is every Tuesday night from 8 to 10 p.m.

Only on “The Edge!”

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Yoko Ono performed with the founding members of the Plastic Ono Band at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on Feb. 16 with special guests like Eric Clapton, Bette Midler and Paul Simon.

:: Jay Leno may have beat Conan O’Brien in the battle of “The Tonight Show,” but one of the casualties of the late-night war may have been his bandleader Kevin Eubanks, who will reportedly leave the show to pursue other opportunities.

All information derived from Rollingstone. com, Pitchfork.com and Spin.com.

8B | THE DEEP END

The New Paltz Oracle

This Week in the Deep End:

Alex Spinney

NAME: Alex Spinney ART: Oil paintings, small graphite drawings and carved wood YEAR: Second-year graduate, M.F.A. candidate MAJOR: Painting/Drawing INSPIRATION: Art historical sources, naturalist studies and personal location photography FAVORITE ARTISTS: Gericault, Carravaggio, Patricia Piccinini, Kehinde Wiley and Marilyn Minter DREAM: To have a nice studio, and have time to work in it regularly. To teach college, get gallery representation and have time to pursue small obsessions of craft

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALEX SPINNEY, CAPTION BY FELICE BERNABO

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Pg 8New Paltz Oracle The

EDITORIAL

The New Paltz Oracle Pg 9

HEATED DEBATE IGNITES BURNING QUESTIONS Village residents and officials haven’t hesitated to express how they really feel about the hookah lounge set to open at 184 Main St. The business that doesn’t exist has been called everything from egregiously wrong to contributing to “the image that New Paltz is just a place where you go and get high,” and what have you. Setting impassioned Web posts and other angry words aside, we feel that the “stop the hookah” debate has shed light on inconsistent village policies regarding government notification of the Planning Board’s activity, and that this sloppy style of management should be better regulated.

As disgruntled business owners have pointed out, it is certainly ironic that the Planning Board members were having discussions about both the lounge and Main Course at the same time. As many as three letters were sent to neighboring shops about public hearings where the opening of the restaurant would be discussed, whereas the same owners report that they received no legal notification of the permit approval for the hookah lounge.

Whether you hone in on the fact that newspaper postings about meetings were posted for however many tenths of a day or not, the fact of the matter is there needs to be continuity within village policy. Representatives from the Planning Board have said that their notices were not regulated by law, but rather were sent out of courtesy. Why should village officials allow a group of volunteers decide to spread the word about important decisions that they are making as they see fit?

Although the Planning Board operates independently from the Board of Trustees, it is this body’s duty to oversee that residents and patrons are aware of the goings-on of the village infrastructure.

Arguing otherwise down at Village Hall would be a cop-out. These elected officials don’t really have the option of being completely hands-off when it comes to this kind of divisive village issue, as it is their job to serve their constituency rather than leaving them in the dark. Suggesting that business owners and concerned residents join the Planning Board after-the-fact is useless and a sign that these officials care more about trying

CARTOON BY JON AIELLO

to avoid scrutiny of their opinions about smoking than making village issues more visible. It doesn’t matter if a smoking lounge or day care center is coming to town; in any case, controversial or not, business owners have the right to know who’s moving in next door.

According to Mayor Terry Dungan, the Board of Trustees is considering enacting notification requirements as part

of the Village Code to ensure that such an oversight would not be repeated, with discussions possibly beginning at the board’s Feb. 24 meeting. This is a step in the right direction that seems overdue considering how foregone the hookah debate has gotten. However, we hope the board will follow through and have institutionalized regulations so that residents aren’t only made aware of decisions

handed down by the village by other residents again.

Editorials represent the views of the majority of the editorial board. Columns, op-eds and letters, excluding editorials, are solely those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the views of The New Paltz Oracle, its staff members, the campus and university or the Town or Village of New Paltz.

Letters to the editor can be submitted to oracle@newpaltz.edu or via mail to SUB 417 by Sundays at 5 p.m.

We ask that letters are no more than 250 words, for spacial limitation issues.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Pg 10

OPINIONS

The New Paltz Oracle

COLUMNS

Rebel Without A Hookah Pierce Lydon Editor-in-Chief Lydon47@newpaltz.edu I need someone to explain something to me. Actually, I need many people to explain many things to me, but right now smoking hookah has me utterly befuddled.

Partly because this is a vain attempt to write about something we’ve covered in this week’s issue. (Julie, you’re welcome.

Copy editors, yes you can leave this sentence in. Readers, isn’t this breaking the fourth wall, post-modernist approach to column writing starting to annoy you?)

Smoking hookah, as I understand it,

is basically just smoking tobacco through some phallic-shaped pipes attached to that ugly vase your aunt gave your mom for Christmas after her summer vacation to India or China. Instead of a small piece of cotton filtering the tobacco, the vase is partly filled with water.

You would think that smoking hookah would be healthier than smoking cigarettes. (I mean, water is healthy, right?)

Unfortunately, this is not the case. According to the World Health Organization, “a typical one-hour session of hookah smoking exposes the user to 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette.” Bummer, dude.

I could almost understand it if smoking hookah made you look cool. Plenty of people risk their health to look cool. Look at Evel Kienevel or almost anyone who smokes cigarettes for that matter (James Dean, Barack Obama, Cody Torlincasi).

Hookahs, rather than making anyone look cool, only succeed in making you more susceptible to fitting the standard college burnout stereotype. You picking up what I’m putting down? Righteous, man.

The only time I’ve ever seen a hookah work any sort of magic was at a party. One dude brought a hookah and for most of the party he sat around by himself smoking it. He was like a little tugboat of tobacco pumping out smoke ring after smoke ring.

Eventually, some girl took notice. He tried to teach her how to do it. Failed attempts and laughing ensued. Five minutes later, they left together! Fifteen minutes after that, he came back and was on his pipe.

Now I’ve discussed this with many people and given the vicinity of said female’s place of residence against the time it would take to walk to and fro, actual intercourse may have been impossible and considering that she didn’t come back with him, I like to think hookah boy’s pipes were compensating for his package.

Now on the subject of the actual hookah lounge that is opening, I don’t really care. I don’t think it’s as big a deal as it is being made out to be. Will middle school kids suddenly become taken with the practices of Indian aristocracy? Probably not.

Will the existence of the hookah lounge be a detriment to society? Not likely.

I think that any reason you have for smoking hookah you could apply to eating thus making eating a way more worthwhile activity. Smoking hookah is a communal activity. Boom, so is eating. Smoking hookah tastes good because the tobacco is flavored. Food tastes good. Eating: 2. Hookah: 0. Smoking hookah doesn’t make you fat. Sure it does: look at Jabba the Hutt.

Smoking hookah looks cool. Eating string cheese looks cool and is way more entertaining.

I want someone to tell me that I’m wrong. If you can prove to me that smoking hookah is worth my time and lung capacity, I’ll sit around with you, pipe in hand and foot placed firmly in mouth.

Pierce is a fourth-year journalism major.

He has been on The New Paltz Oracle for seven semesters. This is his first as dictator. This will ultimately be remembered as his first step toward journalistic domination. The Boss is what drives him to accomplish his goals and anyone who says that isn’t a good reason should just go listen to “Born to Run.”

All is Dumb in Nerf and War

James Leggate News Editor Leggat06@newpaltz.edu While working on my Nerf article this week, I kept finding myself going back to the

same thought over and over: this is stupid.

Nerf guns are fun. Though I don’t play in the Humans vs. Zombies game, my friends and I did spend a lot of weekends last year running around my house shooting each other. It was simple, stupid fun, and I’m glad everyone I lived with tolerated it.

Still, I do understand the safety concern.

Sometimes, some of them can look real, and college shootings do happen. Chief Bryant was even kind enough to show me a collection of weapons – guns and knives – that had been confiscated right here on the SUNY New Paltz campus.

Despite the occasional incident, a college campus is a place where responsible young adults live and learn. I like to think

that we students are a group of people who can largely be trusted to play safely.

However, the real problem here is not a silly law or campus violence; the problem is one of priorities.

Humans vs. Zombies takes place throughout the day, and as a result some students end up bringing their Nerf guns to class.

This is supposed to be a place where we learn.

When you show up to class toting some anti-zombie gear, it shows your professor that you are well-prepared for the imaginary apocalypse, but poorly prepared for learning.

Now, at this point I should reiterate: Nerf guns are fun. But I don’t think they be-

long in school. However, I (hypocritically!?) think that they should be legally allowed on school grounds.

Instead, I think that we would all be better off if we got rid of stupid laws, yet acted in a responsible way that proved we did not require stupid laws. Why can’t we just play with Nerf guns on weekends?

Maybe I’ve just gotten old and grumpy.

Yes, I have.

James is a fourth-year journalism major.

He has no plans for the future and is terrified.

Come write for

The New Paltz Oracle !

Our next story meeting will be held on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. in SUB 418 Thursday, February 18, 2010

The New Paltz Oracle

OPINIONS

Pg 11

OP-EDS Academic Ju-Jitsu in the ‘60s

By Henry Cavanagh

NOTE: As proof of having lived through the 1960’s, I offer this correction: I have lost two years off my own memory! In my last piece, I have myself becoming The New Paltz Oracle editor in 1968. Ira Fusfeld, now Kingston Freeman publisher and WAMC radio personality, was editor for most of that year. The rest of the entry is fairly correct.

The so-called “spring semester’’ of 1968 was over. After a short summer break, the new school year began. I say “year,” beginning in the “fall,” that is to say, August. Since I had enrolled into an “accelerated” (three-year) program in the the summer of 1964, New Paltz had experimented with the quarter system of four 16 week semesters; the trimester system; and may have been back on the usual two semester schedule by then. With each change, I seemed to lose credits. Living in town all year, the school calendar, with dorms closing and re-opening, was not my guide anyhow. My various apartments became “crash pads” for the stray dorm denizens who didn’t go home, or came up to visit during breaks.

Having just been awarded a coveted 4-F draft classification by successfully posing as a paranoid schizophrenic, I no longer had to take a full course load to dodge the draft. I had embarked on a strat-

Dear Editor, President Steven Poskanzer’s report regarding the Public Higher Education Empowerment and Inovation Act makes a number of unsubstantiated claims about the proposed Public Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act. Here are the facts about this legislation as the union sees them: - It provides SUNY with the full authority to raise tuition without legislative approval and to impose differential tuition, which is prohibited under current law.

- It eliminates current requirement for State appropriation of tuition and other SUNY revenues.

- It permits the university to lease campus properties, enter into contracts and variations of public/private partnerships with limited oversight.

- SUNY would be given the authority to

egy of taking just a few courses per semester, and mostly independent studies at that.

As an art major, one or two were not uncommon, but I gamed the system shamelessly. Still, it would take me almost five more years to graduate in this “accelerated program” of mine, partly due to the disruptions caused by the school moving the goalposts every few semesters. Years were lost evading the draft, and my accumulated credits hardly reflected the time put in. I had lost my Regents and merit scholarships due to my political activities, so I had to work and goto school. This was not uncommon. Since I was around town between semesters, there were few jobs; however, there was no competition. I strung together enough part-time work to live well, while a lot of my friends preferred to stay stoned.

I had a great job cleaning and sometimes managing The Academy Theatre, now long-lost, (above Barnaby’s). In those dim days, “Manny’s’’ was located where “Barnaby’s” now is. An “art house” owned by a former student, The Academy was my bread and butter for years, and the owner, Donald Bellinger, my great friend and famous town eccentric. I could always sign up for a couple of painting courses with simpatico instructors who would come to my house to review my work over lunch and wine, with their girlfriends and mine. Those guaranteed “As” would be the backbone of each semester. I had

gotten through the required and therefor hated General Studies Program with “As” and “Fs”. I was a willful student. Now, I could take whatever academic courses that took my fancy. My grades picked up, but my “curriculum vitae” looked checkered to say the least. I was not concentrating on a degree by taking education courses, art education being the only Art degree at the time.

Also, I had no plan to leave. I was having too much fun. I felt bullet proof.

As I had no career expectations, I was a free agent. No part of the institution had any leverage over me. I was a freak, but kind of a pet in the art department, knowing most of the faculty socially.

A continuing artistic endeavor was cartooning for The New Paltz Oracle. At times, mine was the only art work in the paper. It was a weekly fight with the administration over content, and a fight with the various editors to back me up. Remember, this was 1968. The whole country was beginning to unravel. Just to be clear, I was no revolutionary. I was being censored by the dean of students because my background drawing of a ceiling light looked like a breast. Dean Austen was willing to shut the paper down over it, and the then-editor was worried about a negative letter in his permanent record. That’s what I mean by “leverage.” Of course I re-drew the offending light fixture, and just to be certain, next to it I drew a sign

LETTERS

institute across-the-board tuition increases at 2.5 times the five year rolling average of the HEPI index.

- Differential tuition could be increased at SUNY’s discretion on top of the HEPI index cap and is not subject to any limitation or restriction.

- If these proposals are enacted, no current student or applicant could possibly know how university tuition decisions will affect their ability to pay.

- In that context, how can the governor and SUNY market this as a rational and predictable tuition policy?

- SUNY’s assertion that “flexibility” produces revenue from non-state and nonstudent sources is completely unfounded.

- This rhetoric gives the state the opportunity to walk away from funding SUNY operations.

- Tuition will be the main source of rev-

enue growth.

- SUNY promises to increase full-time faculty by 2,200 positions over the next 10 years. SUNY would have to triple tuition to achieve that objective. Its flexibility proposals give them that authority.

- SUNY should concentrate on preserving and increasing state aid.

- The proposal eliminates State appropriations for SUNY tuition and all other campus revenues except State aid.

- It permits SUNY to comingle tuition with other campus revenues and to spend those dollars without any oversight or limitation.

- This greatly diminishes accountability for SUNY’s spending decisions and virtually eliminates transparency of SUNY operations.

- In effect, SUNY would have the unrestricted freedom of the Research Founda-

that said: “This is not a breast.” Everyone was happy. The sign raised more questions than the offending drawing would have, and the censorship story circulated, with me as the hero.

As an artist it may have been easier, not needing to go from one institution (college) to another (a job). For most others, the arbitrary controls exercised by the college administration, and the student’s necessary submission to them, was probably good training for the job world as it was.

But not for long. The campus was rife with dissent, about national and campus issues as well. The weak president, Frost, and the overbearing Austen were soon gone. The replacement was a charismatic German immigrant, John Neumaier, a liberal’s dream.

Gathering the campus together, he told his dramatic story about suffering oppression and racism, and finally having to flee/Germany as a child, never to see his family again. Weeping, we all gave him a break, and things began to loosen up on campus without much actual marching (in the following years we were to hear this sad tale so often that it became kind of a here-he-goes-again-joke).

The ‘“Neumaier Era” had begun, much more attuned to the changes in the air, and more nimble in staffing to anticipate and accommodate the world that was about to turn up-side-down.

tion – which has been highly criticized for the secrecy of its operations.

- Repeals statutes requiring that contracts and other related transactions be approved by the State Comptroller and Attorney General.

- Approvals for leases and public/private partnerships would be subject to an Executive and Legislative board rather than oversight by the full legislature.

- Employee protection language is insufficient at best, making outsourcing possible.

The faculty at New Paltz should not be fooled again by smooth talk, false accusations and empty promises.

Peter D.G. Brown Distinguished Service Professor Department of Foreign Languages Vice President for Academics

Want to submit a letter or op-ed? E-mail us at oracle@newpaltz.edu !

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Pg 12

OPINIONS

The New Paltz Oracle

CARTOONS

Jon Aiello Cartoonist N01717845@newpaltz.edu Jon Aiello is an aspiring supersenior in the Asian Studies program at SUNY New Paltz.

His super-abilities include an uncanny memory for movie lines and a penchant for dirty jokes, neither of which have done

much to help his scholastic career.

Aiello enjoys cynicism, long scarves, 50s pinup girls and flan.

Jon dreams of one day breaking the glass ceiling faced by white males in the hibachi fry cook industry.

Do you have cartoons that you want to see printed in The New Paltz Oracle?

Send them to us at oracle@newpaltz.edu!

Sudoku courtesy of Spen Sky Sudoku Generator

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Pg 13

SPORTS

The New Paltz Oracle

Hawks Players of the Week For the Week Ending Feb. 21

Fourth-year middle hitter Jake Moore led the Hawks to the championship game in the Nazareth Tournament before falling to UC Santa Cruz by a score of 3-2 in the finals. Moore was outstanding in the tournament as the Hawks went 3-1 while defeating two top 15 teams in the country.

Moore’s totals for the tournament were 73 kills, nine service aces, 16 digs, 10 blocks and nine assists.

Fourth-year Steve Cozzolongo helped the Men’s Swimming team finish third at the SUNYAC Championship in the three-day tournament held at the Erie Community College pool. Cozzolongo won two races: the 100-yard backstroke and the 100yard butterfly. He was also part of the relay teams to finish second in the 400-yard medley relay and third in the 200-yard freestyle relay and 400-yard freestyle relay.

Wellness and Recreation Events and Activities Outdoor Pursuit Trips Rock Climbing: Saturday, April 10 - Top Rope Saturday, April 24 - Multi Pitch Horseback Riding: Saturday, April 17 Paintball: Sunday, April 18 Register for trips in room 220 in the Athletic and Wellness Center. Registration deadline is the Monday before each trip.

the following: body fat, weight, body size, flexibility, strength, blood pressure, cardiovascular, heart rate, nutrition, stress, lifestyle, disease risks and more.

It can produce an individual profile summary of yourself and e-mail it to you along with specific nutrition, wellness and workout recommendations.

Group Fitness Schedule Monday

Interested in Getting a Health Assessment?

If you want to know where you stand, health assessments are available using the Wellness and Recreation Center’s Polar BodyAge System.

It’s an assessment tool, which tells an individual how their chronological age compares with that of their “body age.”

The more healthy the lifestyle and the more fit you are, the lower the body age.

The Polar BodyAge System can assess

Tuesday

12 p.m.

Cycling with Corinna 3:30 p.m.

Absolute Abs with Bianca 6:30 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101 7:15 p.m.

Dance Groove with Elisa 7:30 p.m.

Cycling with Lauren N. 8:30 p.m.

Belly Dance with Amy 4:30 p.m.

BOSU Strength with Corinna 5:30 p.m.

Zumba with Jen 6:00 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101 7 p.m.

Jujitsu with Lauren, Room 101 7:30 p.m.

Willpower & Grace with Saara, Cycling with Starr 8:30 p.m.

Hip Hop Cardio with Danit Wednesday 7 a.m.

Cycling with Corinna 5 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101, Boot Camp with Bianca 6 p.m.

Cycle Strength with Lauren Z. Belly Dance with Amy 7 p.m.

Cycling with Stephanie Thursday 12 p.m.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Friday

Cycling with Corinna 5 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101, Zumba with Corinna 5:30 p.m.

Cycling with Starr 7 p.m.

Willpower and Grace with Saara 7:30 p.m.

Cycling with Jessica 8 p.m.

Hip Hop Cardio with Danit 2 p.m.

Dance Groove with Elisa 3 p.m.

Willpower and Grace with Shelbie 3:30 p.m.

Cycling with Starr 4 p.m.

Vinyasa Yoga with Lana, Room 101 4 p.m.

Boot Camp with Bianca

Pg 14

SPORTS

The New Paltz Oracle

King of the Croquet Court

By Pete Thompson

Sports Editor | Pthompson51@newpaltz.edu

Simply stated, Justin Berbig has been killing the croquet scene recently. He has been giving exceptional performances at a number of events and helping the New Paltz Extreme Croquet Society (NPCES) improve in number and technique.

With a number of achievements already under his belt, you’d think Berbig was a veteran of the sport. He’s actually far from it.

“I picked up my first croquet mallet in spring of 2007,” Berbig said.

It all started through the influence of friend and fellow NPECS Co-Founder Eric Turner who apparently found interest in the sport while cutting classes in high school. Turner then brought the game to New Paltz, where he, Berbig and a few friends living in Bevier Hall began playing every Saturday. By the next semester it became an official club. Since then, the club has only kept growing.

“I still think it’s amazing,” Berbig said of an informational meeting early in the semester, which yielded a turn-out of about 30 people. “It’s interesting because it started with two people messing around.”

Putting the society to the side, Berbig has been consistenly improving his personal game. Possibly his most impressive achievement, the fourth-year history major from Oyster Bay, N.Y. qualified and traveled to Mission Hills, Calif. from Nov. 8 to 14 to compete in the championship level of the USCA Nationals. Berbig then teamed up with Micah Beck of St. John’s University in Annapolis, Minn.

The two proved to be an undefeated team, winning the first flight of the doubles tournament. Beck and Berbig also won the first and second solo flights, respectively.

Accompanied by Co-NPCES Vice President Dave Cohen

PHOTO COURTESY OF NPECS

Fourth-year Justin Berbig competed in the championship level of the USCA Nationals in Mission Hills, Calif. and Randi Cudlitz, Berbig also traveled to the 42nd Annual Palm Beach Croquet Club Invitational from Jan. 18 to 23, where he took the top spot in the second flight for both singles and doubles, with his partner Pam Greiger.

Future plans include a national collegiate tournament in Pennsylvania in April and the USCA Team Club Championship.

They’ll be up against a number of teams, including one from the Caribbean that has enlisted about 40 players. Not to fear though, New Paltz has acquired its own help from the New York Cro-

quet Club, which did some fundraising in order for the school to participate.

Already well established, Berbig said he is willing to teach other about croquet in New Paltz.

“It feels really good to have such a big group of really motivated people who are willing to learn and play in a snowstorm,” he said of the group he hopes will carry on his legacy. “I would love to see the members of my club continue to play croquet after they graduate.”

Hawks Weekly Sports Update

By Andrew Wyrich Copy Editor | Andrew.wyrich63@newpaltz.edu

Men’s Basketball Feb. 16: The New Paltz Hawks fell to the visiting Oswego State 72-69 in the Hawk Center. The Hawks fell to 11-13 overall and 7-10 in the SUNYAC. Second-year guard Shereef Taylor scored 23 points and had five rebounds and five assists. First-year guard Nick Taldi had 17 points and Harris Wichard finished with 10 points. Jayquan Anderson had nine points and a game-high seven rebounds for the Hawks.

Feb. 13: The Hawks lost to the Buffalo State Bengals 83-69 in Buffalo. The Bengals pushed a late 15-3 run in the second half to edge the Hawks. New Paltz fell to 11-12 overall and 7-9 in the SUNYAC. Jayquan Anderson led New Paltz with nine rebounds and three blocks and a game-high 25 points while Harris Wichard added 21 points.

Feb. 12: The team fell to host Fredonia State 67-62 in overtime. The Hawks had four players score in double-digits, but the Blue Devils held off the Hawks to droped them to 11-11 overall and 7-8

in the league.

Feb. 9: Second-year guard Harris Wichard was selected as the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Player-of-the-Week for games ending Feb. 7.

Women’s Basketball Feb. 16: The team defeated the Oswego Lakers 59-44. The players wore pink shoelaces during the contest supporting breast cancer awareness as part of a “Pink Zone” event. Senior forward Carly Minehan led the Hawks with 13 points, and fourth-year guard Nicole Sarcone and sophomore guard Caitlin Irwin each had eight points. The Hawks improved to 15-9 overall and 12-5 in the SUNYAC. Feb. 13: The Hawks finished their road schedule by defeating the Buffalo State Bengals 63-53. Three New Paltz players scored in double-figures and the Hawks went on a 20-4 run in the second half to pull away from the Bengals.

Fourth-year guard Nicole Sarcone led the Hawks with 14 points and first-year forward Alexandra McCullough added

12 points. The Hawks improved to 14-9 overall and 11-5 in the SUNYAC. Feb. 12: The New Paltz defeated the Fredonia Blue Devils in double overtime, 77-76 to improve to 13-9 overall and 10-5 in the league. Maggie Farrell led the Hawks with 18 points, Alexandra McCullough finished with a solid 14 points and Maliqua Fisher added 13 points.

Men’s Volleyball Feb. 17: Second-year middle hitter Kevin Stross earned Player-of-the-Week in the North East Collegiate Volleyball Association (NECVA) honors for his outstanding play in the Nazareth Tournament. Stross racked up 55 kills and a hitting percentage of .598 aswell as adding eight blocks. Third-year middle blocker Jonathan Van Dyke earned rookie-of-the week honors in the NECVA after compiling 30 kills and a .439 hitting percentage. The team cracked the Top 15 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) with a ranking of #13.

The Hawks won six of seven games, including a six game winning streak, and

Thursday, February 18, 2010

finished second in the Nazareth Tournament.

Feb. 16: The New Paltz Hawks lost to No. 3 UC Santa Cruz in the Nazareth Tournament Championship game, which snapped their impressive six game winning streak. The Hawks fell to 8-5 overall.

Feb. 13: The New Paltz men’s volleyball captured their six straight win over cross town rival #10 Vassar College. The Hawks beat their rivals and advanced into the championship game in the Nazareth Tournament. The Hawks improve to 8-4 overall. Jake Moore led the Hawks with 16 kills and Daniel Liberto added 11 kills.

Feb. 12: The Hawks finished the first day of the Nazareth Tournament with a 2-0 record. In the opening round win the Hawks defeated the host No. 15 Golden Flyers, later in the event the Hawks defeated Eastern Mennonite University to improve to 7-4 overall. In the later game Jake Moore finished with a game-high 20 kills and Kevin Stross had 19 kills.

Jonathan Van Dyke added three blocks on defense.

The New Paltz Oracle

SPORTS

Pg 15

Mets and Yankees Off-Season Summary

By Andrew Wyrich Copy Editor | Andrew.wyrich63@newpaltz.edu

With Spring Training upon us, baseball fans can now emerge from their four month hibernation and fans will begin to follow their favorite teams once again.

Both of New York’s teams, the Mets and the Yankees, had goals they outlined at the end of their seasons last year and did or didn’t accomplish them over the winter months.

The Yankees made a major splash early in the off-season by acquiring center fielder Curtis Granderson during the Major League Baseball Winter Meetings in December. Granderson hit 30 home runs and had 71 runs batted in for the Detroit Tigers last season, which should translate well into Yankee Stadium’s tiny dimensions. However, Granderson’s average .249 is a question mark, as are his high strikeout totals throughout his career (141 last year). Granderson should slide nicely into the 5th or 6th slot in the Yankees batting order, and should hit a large (albeit inflated) amount of home runs.

The Yankees also added former Yankee Nick Johnson. Johnson spent time with the Washington Nationals and Florida Marlins last season, and hit eight home runs with 62 runs batted in, while hitting a respectable .291. Johnson will take over the designated hitter role that

Hideki Matsui held last season, and will likely bat second in the Yankees order. Johnson is known for two things: his ability to get on base, and his ability to land on the disabled list. Johnson’s on-base-percentage is fantastic; however, keeping Johnson in the lineup is key. Johnson has not played more than 150 games in a season, and only played in 133 last season.

The Yankees largest addition this offseason came as an early Christmas gift when the Yankees acquired starting pitcher Javier Vazquez on Dec. 23 by trading outfielder Melky Cabrera and two minor league prospects. The team needed to acquire a starter to match up with Boston’s lethal rotation. Vazquez’s 15 wins last season, and stellar 2.87 ERA for the Atlanta Braves were some of the best pitching numbers in the National League. However, many Yankee fans should keep in mind Vazquez’s last stint in New York, and a very long homerun hit by then Red Sox Johnny Damon.

Overall, the Yankees added to their already potent pitching staff with the addition of Vazquez, and adequately replaced the offense provided by Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui. However, their quest for another American League (AL) East title will not be as easy as it was last season. Their bullpen is riddled with overachievers and question marks, and the clubhouse presence of Damon will be missed. This

coupled with the strong additions Boston has made over the off-season should make things difficult for the Yankees. The AL East race will most likely come down to the final days of the season, and should be decided in the Oct. 1-3 series between the two rivals.

The Mets however, had a different and less productive off-season. The Mets started off the “hot stove” season strong by adding one of the premier free agents on the market, Jason Bay. Bay signed a four-year contract for about $65 million, with a vesting option which could push the amount to $80 million, and should quickly become the Mets cleanup hitter. The Mets claim that Bay’s swing will translate well to Citi Field due to his pull swing, which according to them will make Bay a perfect fit. Bay was an all-star last season for the Red Sox, and hit .267 with 36 home runs and 119 runs batted in. His power numbers should drop off slightly in Citi Field, but Bay should give the Mets a much needed power source in the middle of their lineup.

The Mets went into the off-season hoping to add a starter to their depleted starting rotation. However, after failed attempts to land premier free agent starters the Mets are now left with a free agent class containing a lackluster group of uninspiring scrapheap pickups including Jon Smoltz and Jarrod Washburn. The current crop of Mets starters does not inspire much hope in fans. Johan Santana is coming off of a season ending injury, Mike Pelfrey regressed after his superb 2008 campaign, John Maine continues to confuse fans with his potential, Oliver Perez is horrendous, and Jon Niese and Fernando Nieve are both giant question marks.

Omar Minaya, the Mets general manager, addressed the Mets glaring bullpen needs by signing risky, but high reward type players.

Kelvim Escobar and Japanese hurler Ryota Igarashi both were signed with hopes of them becoming a strong bridge to current closer Francisco Rodriguez. Escobar won 18 games for the Angels in 2007, and has been known to have electric stuff. If healthy, Escobar could be a lights out set up man. Igarashi is an import from the Japanese league, and was a solid reliever there. However the Mets have not had good luck when signing players from the Japanese league (Kaz Matsui) but Igarashi could be an exception.

Offensively, the Mets only “upgraded” by acquiring outfielder Gary Matthews Jr. from the Angels, and grossly overpaying to resign utility infielder Alex Cora. Matthews will compete with current backup outfielder Angel Pagan to fill in for injured centerfielder Carlos Beltran to start (and with the Mets luck finish) the season. The Mets also signed catcher Henry Blanco to be a defensive upgrade behind the plate.

The Mets could be a competitive team in 2010. The team is similar to the one that started the 2009 season, and Sports Illustrated picked them to win the World Series. The Mets have MANY question marks, but if the Mets remain healthy and their players realize their potential, they could be legitimate contenders and compete with the Phillies in the National League East.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

PREDICTIONS

98-74, No. 1 AL East Projected Lineup SS: Derek Jeter DH: Nick Johnson 1B: Mark Teixeria 3B: Alex Rodriguez C: Jorge Posada CF: Curtis Granderson 2B: Robinson Cano RF: Nick Swisher LF: Randy Winn/Brett Gardner

87-65, No. 2 NL East Projected Lineup: SS: Jose Reyes 2B: Louis Castillo CF: Carlos Beltran LF: Jason Bay 3B: David Wright RF: Jeff Francouer 1B: Daniel Murphy C: Omir Santos/Henry Blanco

SPORTS THE NEW PALTZ ORACLE

TAKING

FLIGHT Croquet club co-founder takes home national title

PHOTO COURTESY OF NPECS

See Story on Page 14

Mets, Yanks make off-season moves in preparation for ‘10

Column on Page 15

PHOTO COURTESY OF WORDPRESS.COM