The Saint Rose Chronicle April 19, 2011
Volume LXXIX Issue 24
Serving The College of Saint Rose Community in Albany, New York
Two Players Dismissed from Men’s Basketball Team
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Saint Rose Team Places Third at Regional Computing Conference Saint Rose students James Horner, Jan Nauert, Peter Bailie and Tiffany Knapp win accolades at conference contest By IAN BENJAMIN Photo and Layout Editor Recently, a team from Saint Rose composed of students James Horner, Jon Nauert, Peter Bailie and Tiffany Knapp (alternate) participated in a contest held at Western New England College in Springfield, Massachusetts. Of the 36 teams who competed in the contest the Saint Rose team placed third. The contest took place during the Sixteenth Annual Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges Northeastern Confer-
ence (CCSCNE-2011). The Saint Rose team had to complete six problems in three hours. The problems ranged in complexity and covered a variety of practical computer science applications including weight, cryptography and bioinformatics. According to Jonathon Nauert, “They’re [..] really hard computer science homework questions.” The contest began at 9 a.m. on Friday, April 15 and continued until noon. Slightly before nine all the teams were briefed on the Continued on page A2
Tulip Fest 2011 Approaches By MARISSA CRARY Staff Writer
Two of the athletes above will not be playing next semester.
According to Assistant Athletic Director David Alexander two players from the men’s basketball team at The College of Saint Rose are being released for NCAA violations. By SCOTT LAWSON Sports Editor At the beginning of each season, an athlete who wishes to participate in a college sport has a meeting with the team before practices even start. In that meeting, the players hear what the coaching staff expect of them and also what the NCAA expects
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of them. At the end of that meeting, players must sign their NCAA contracts stating that they know what is expected of them. However two athletes at Saint Rose have made a mistake that has cost them their athletic careers. Two players from the men’s basketball team are being re-
leased for undisclosed NCAA violations, according to Assistant Athletic Director David Alexander. After earning a bid to the 2011 NCAA Division II Tournament, some of the men on the basketball team were selected to submit to a random drug test before they Continued on page A3
Arts
Jennings Bans Outside Alcohol at Jackson Wang discusses Lupe Fiasco’s recent concert. Page B16 Tulip Fest. Page A4 Environmental Club and Women’s Chris Surprenant reviews Bowling Volleyball Get Down and Dirty in for Soup’s new album Fishin’ for Woos. Page B13 Washington Park. Page A5
WEQX, “The Real Alternative,” will once again be producing the main stage lineup for the 2011 Albany Tulip Festival. With the help of Mayor Jerry Jennings the station announced California rockers Cold War Kids will headline the show in Washington Park on Saturday May 7th. Opening support, beginning at 1 p.m., will be Vancouver indie artist Dan Mangan and at 2:30 p.m. the Sam Roberts Band, winner of Juno awards such a Rock Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. For over 7 years WEQX has
Opinion
worked with the city of Albany to present the main stage entertainment at the festival. “We try to find music that will be right for the event,” said Amber Miller, program director at EQX. Aside from being generally Continued on page A3
Sports
Opinion Editor comments on bake Baseball: Knights Fall Twice to S. New Hampshire. Page D20 sale tactics. Page C18 Women’s initiative member Abby Finkelman defends Planned Parenthood. Page C18
Knicks and Celtics set to renew rivalry in first round of NBA Playoffs. Page D19
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Regional Computing Conference Continued from page A2 rules, regulations and schedule in the Rivers Memorial Hall. They were then handed the problem sets and instructed to begin. From there the teams were split into three groups which proceeded to computer labs across campus, working as they walked. Arriving
at the lab the three person team clustered around a single computer with one member coding and submitted problems as they were completed as the other two figured. Problems were submitted as they were completed. The teams could submit problems written in either C++ or JavaScript; the Saint Rose team used both lan-
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April 19, 2011
guages in their answers. In the end the Saint Rose team placed third having finished four of the six problems with a time of approx. 4:25, beating out the next place team by seven minutes. The ranking was based upon problems completed and time of completion. Every problem was submitted as it was completed, so time of completion was calculated by adding the times from start to completion of each problem.
So, for example, the Saint Rose team approximately completed their first problem in 7 min. then their next problems at around the 50, 90 and 120 min. marks. These times add up to their final time of 4:20. The winners of the contest were announced at a dinner banquet on Friday night, where they were informed that they had placed third and would be receiving a cash prize. The team was sponsored by the Computer Science Department and was accompanied by the chair of the Department of Computer Science Ian MacDonald, assistant professors of computer science David Goldschmidt and Dee Gudmundsen. The conference included seminars on topics related to aspects of the com-
Volume 79 Issue 24 puter science field such as the Greenfoot program, open source applications, ALICE and Visual Logic. Dee Gudmundsen hosted a seminar with two other professors on the use of Visual Logic in introduction to computer science classes. Meanwhile, David Goldschmidt gave a presentation entitled “Injecting Computer Science into the K-12 Classroom” which was prepared by Brandon Milonovich and Judith O’Rourke. The conference’s primary speaker was a woman from Microsoft Research named Jane Chu Prey who discussed the need for and methods to raise the number of women in computing careers. Many other colleges from the region participated including Siena and Middlebury, which placed first and second respectively.
The Chronicle is Now Accepting Editor Applications If you are interested in applying for an editorship at The Chronicle please send your resumé and cover letter to chronicle@strose.edu or hand them to Executive Editor Rich Aviles at our weekly meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in CCIM 119, The Viewing Room. For more information about Editorships contact Rich Aviles at avilesr028@strose.edu.
Corrections Ian MacDonald Left-to-right: Saint Rose CCSCNE-2011 team members Peter Bailie, Jon Nauert, James Horner and Tiffany Knapp.
The Saint Rose Chronicle Staff
Executive Editor Rich Aviles avilesr028@strose.edu Class of 2011
In a Letter to the Editor entitled “Editor How Much Power is Too Much Power” Rachel Knight is stated as being the Vice-President of SEB, she is in fact the President of SEB.
Managing Editor Teresa Farrell farrellt691@strose.edu Class of 2011
Photo and Layout Editor Ian Benjamin benjamini528@strose.edu Class of 2012
Arts Editor Chris Surprenant surprenantc572@strose.edu Class of 2014
Assistant Editor Marissa Crary crarym393@strose.edu Class of 2011
Opinion Editor Leigh Ward wardl717@strose.edu Class of 2013
Advertising Manager Megan Caffrey caffreym374@strose.edu Class of 2011
Copy Editor Emily Robertson robertsone307@strose.edu Class of 2013
Sports Editor Scott Lawson lawsons408@strose.edu Class of 2014
Web Editor: Chris Pappis pappisc572@strose.edu
Contributors
Alison Lester - Sunshine Osella - Regina Iannizzotto - Amy Wheeler - Kelly Pfeister Scott Ramundo - Dan Fogarty - Sam Maxwell - Jackson Wang - Thomas Stamas
Faculty Adviser: Cailin Brown
Official E-mail Address: chronicle@strose.edu Mailing Address: The Saint Rose Chronicle 432 Western Avenue Albany, NY 12203 Meetings are held every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the Viewing Room, CCIM 119.
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
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Players Dismissed from Team Continued from page A1 could play in the tournament. Two players tested positive for substances prohibited by the NCAA. According to numerous sources, the results came after they were out of the tournament. This nonetheless resulted in their dismissal from the basketball team. It is included in the NCAA contract that at any point during the year, a drug test can be randomly administered. There is a list of substances that athletes cannot have in their bodies, and they must be provided a copy of the contract terms by the college so that they know what they can and cannot take. These terms do not only apply to the members of the basketball team, but also apply to other participants in athletics at Saint Rose. Freshman Ryan Donovan, a pitcher for the Golden Knights baseball program, confirms that he received the list of banned substances that he cannot have in
his system from the school. Players cannot have any traces of stimulants, anabolic agents, “street drugs,” peptide hormones and analogues, anti estrogens, beta-2 agnostics, diuretics, and other masking agents in their bodies as described by byline 31.2.3.4 in the NCAA Code of Conduct. The reason behind the tests is strictly to protect players from causing bodily harm to themselves and also to make sure that they do not have an advantage over other players. A failed drug test is enough cause for the NCAA to dismiss players from their athletic programs. This is eye opening to other athletes at The College of Saint Rose. “Hearing about a story like this really makes you come to understand that no matter who you are you're vulnerable to these tests and if you have taken a substance that has been banned you will have to suffer severe consequences,” Donovan said. “Unfortunately I am prohib-
ited from comment.....wish I could help you out but I can't...” said Assistant Coach Mike Long. He says that the NCAA tells him that he cannot talk about anything concerning the dismissal. However, a representative from the NCAA Public Relations office said that they can say no more than what the school tells the press. The Chronicle has approached several basketball players, the coaching staff, and the athletic department, all of whom declined further comments on the incident. Information on the substances for which the two athletes tested positive was unavailable by time of publication. On April 4 at 6:31 p.m., one player posted to his Facebook page, “The past is over. There are obvious consequences. But consequences are not who you are. They are just part of the journey to becoming the man God intends you to be,” in response to the athletes’ dismissal.
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Staged Readings Come and enjoy the work of Saint Rose playwrights. Staged readings of “Bitter Brunch” and “Figment,” two plays by English graduate students Jennifer Austin and Anne Dantz will be held April 19 at 7 p.m. in the Campus Theatre next to the CCIM.
Tulip Fest 2011 Continued from page A1 family friendly, bands set to play have a wide appeal. “The goal is bands that are relevant and exciting,” said Miller. In the past EQX has supplied bands such as Paranoid Social Club, Third Eye Blind, and Ok Go. Booking the actual bands is a balancing act said Miller, budgets and bands touring cycles need to be considered. “First and foremost we want to deliver a great live show,” said Miller. The addition of beer gardens to this year’s festival will be a change from past years. Attendees can purchase beer or wine for 4 dollars each and they must be consumed within the designated areas. Coolers will still be allowed for food and non-alcoholic beverages; however they may be inspected at any time throughout the event.
“I understand that from a patron standpoint this must be frustrating,” said Miller, “I’d rather go with the changes than no tulip fest.” Albany resident Alex Consler said her biggest concern about the festival is parking near her home on Lark St. “It’s easier for me because I live there but there are a lot of people driving around, possibly intoxicated.” All day Saturday WEQX will be broadcasting live from beside the main stage. Also Saturday you can catch They Might Be Gypsies, Teagan and the Tweeds, Matthew Carefully, Patti Rothberg and Wet Paint with Mark Greenberg and David Leatherwood on the amphitheater stage. After the festival comes to a close on Saturday, there will be the EQX Coors Light After Party
Tulips in Washington Park last year. at Jillian's of Albany featuring AWOLNATION, The Features and A Silent Film. The doors will open at 5:30 and there is free admission, this event however 21 and up only.
Performances set for Sunday include Blotto and Marrakesh Express, a tribute to Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young starting at 1:30 p.m. on the main stage, as well as Bryan Thomas, The Rodeo Bar-
rons, Black Mountain Symphony, and Sgt Dunbar & The Hobo Banned on the amphitheater stage beginning at 1 p.m.
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The Saint Rose Chronicle
Volume 79 Issue 24
April 19, 2011
Mayor Jennings Bans Outside Alcohol at Annual Tulip Festival By DEREK GIBBONS, NICK ZARRELLI, BRIAN HUBERT, MARLENA DIAZ AND WADE ABBOTT Contributing Writers Visitors at Washington Park mostly agreed Tuesday with the city’s decision to restrict alcohol consumption at this year’s Tulip
Festival. Folks interviewed by The Pine Hills blog said they understood why the city would limit drinking, but several still criticized the city’s motivation behind the ban. Kaitlyn Scanlon, of South Lake Avenue, attended last year and plans to attend this year. Scanlon understands why the rule
W. Abbott
was made, but believes it was for other reasons than safety. “It’s really about the money, said Scanlon, “because they are allowing alcohol, but now they are the ones that profit from it.” The new policy states that drinking alcoholic beverages can only occur within the limits of a beer garden after patrons obtain a wristband that requires age identification. No alcohol from outside will be allowed into the festival, and coolers will be opened and subject to inspection. At least some people think the new rules are related to the parade day melee last month. Mike Guidice, 30, from the Grand Street Mansion Neighborhood said the new rules send a message that Albany is not just a party destination. “People from all over the area come here and treat the city as a drinking hole,” Guidice said. “It would be nice to bring my kids here this year and not be accosted.” Elizabeth Clark, who lives
Megan McLean, 23, of the Garden Square Neighborhood.
Chronicle Editors Receive Service Award By REGINA IANNIZZOTTO Staff Writer In his opening speech on April 15, Dennis MacDonald explained what it meant to be the recipient of a service award at the College of Saint Rose. He explained what it meant to be proud of ones self and how to achieve greatness in little words. “We will be offering congratulations for the service that students have done for the community and beyond these walls, whether that is the city of Albany, the state of New York, or the United States of America.” When considering the word “service”, many words came to the minds of speechmakers. Attributes such as commitment, determination, and “super special” were cited as the traits which nominated these individuals. One line in Dr. Terri Ward’s speech, however, epitomized what it
meant to be a person of service. She explains that “character, commitment, and citizenship” are the three common threads between all those receiving awards. These descriptive words, as well as many others, are ones that pertain to each and every recipient, including a couple of the Chronicle’s own. Editors Richard Aviles and Chelsea Kruger were the recipients of The Chronicle Award presented by Cailin Brown. Cailin explains how these two students have reached out to the community in a big way. Before her early graduation in December, Chelsea worked as layout editor to the Chronicle. Cailin described how Chelsea redesigned the Chronicle and worked hard to present an edition just in time for the first orientation session last summer. “She is one of the most poised and patient editors I have ever
met,” says Cailin. Chelsea is now working for the Saratogian of Saratoga Springs. Richard Aviles has a “special talent of communicating with his staff,” explains Cailin as she praises his service to the paper and the Saint Rose community. She explains how his “leadership inspires his staff to experiment.” Before giving his award, Cailin said, “Students want to work with Rich and he, in turn, works for them.” According to Ann LeghornMcCracken, “It felt great” when she received the Special Recognition for the President’s Award for Leadership and the Student Association Representative of the Year Award. “…Saint Rose has given me a lot and the further involved I get in the campus community, the more I get back from it as well.” Students were not the only ones receiving awards last Fri-
W. Abbott Mike Guidice, 30, from the Grand Street Mansion Neighborhood.
on New Scotland Avenue thinks there is a direct correlation between the ban and Kegs and Eggs riots. “Albany is trying to keep their image clean, I think it’s important to ban alcohol this year.” Mayor Gerald Jennings instituted the alcohol ban to make the festival more family–friendly.
Dee McLaughlin has grown up in Albany, and has been attending the Tulip Festival since she was a little girl. At 36-yearsold with a child of her own, she said she supports the new policy. McLaughlin also expects people will find a way to drink outside the beer garden.
day evening. Brian Goepfrich presented an award to Dr. Anne Sheehan. Unfortunately, Dr. Sheehan was unable to attend but Brian still commended her on a job well done. He explained how she “instills the college’s motto of Passion, Knowledge, Purpose” into every one of her students and expressed how she will be greatly missed when she retires at the end of this semester. Diana Erban introduced Ann Wilkening by saying, “Maybe it’s the fact that she has more Facebook friends than I do,” but, “Ann definitely makes her presence known on campus.” Diana gave special praise to Ann’s work as the Director of International Studies, pointing out her strengths in coordinating each student’s study abroad experience and ensuring that every one of those students’ needs are taken care of. Although some award recipients were unable to attend, they were praised, applauded for, and
certainly not forgotten. Rachel Knight, for example, was praised numerous times for her service. She was a finalist for Teach America and has contributed over 400 hours as a tutor at the college. During the evening, many presenters addressed and commended all the recipients at once. Dr. Gregg Gross said it best with, “Wherever they go, wherever they are, they [emit] light that springs from their own illumination…from their optimism, their creativity, and their commitment and bottomless faith in goodness.” This is a general statement for every recipient of a service award. Every single one of the recipients were clearly proud of their work while they smiled from ear to ear as they returned to their seats from the podium. So how do you know people are happy with their work and the work of others? Just look at their smiles, because a smile says it all.
April 19, 2011
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Volume 79 Issue 24
A Conversation with Egyptian and Saint Rose Alum Mahmoud Abbas Upon the emergence of the Egyptian revolution Chronicle editor Ian Benjamin contacted Mahmoud Abbas, a Saint Rose alum living abroad in Cairo, Egypt. Abbas attended Saint Rose on a Fulbright scholarship and is now a professor of English at Al-Azhar University in Cairo. IB: What does your career working as an English teacher at AlAzhar entail? I work as an English teacher at the English language Resource Center at Al-Azhar University. I teach English to faculty who are interested in traveling to the US or any English-speaking country to do a PhD. IB: How did you get your job working at Al-Azhar University? I was a top student and universities in Egypt usually hire top students when they graduate IB: How does schooling in Egypt differ from American schooling? Student life in the US is busier than here. IB: When did you graduate/attend Saint Rose? Last year, I taught Arabic and took 4 classes at Saint Rose. It was a Fulbright Fellowship. IB: How has your life changed since before the Revolution, if at all? I feel I am free to express my opinion as the old regime used to stifle freedom of expression. IB: Did you take part in the protests? Did some of your students/ co-workers/friends? Why? I did not go to Tahrir Square as I left Cairo then to my hometown in Mansourah. I had to leave with my wife because it was not safe to stay in Cairo then as some looters and thugs started to frighten people in Cairo. I know a lot of people who participated in the demos including several friends. IB: Have your American coworkers returned to Al-Azhar?
Submitted Photo Saint Rose Alum Mahmoud Abbas in Albany, NY.
Yes, on April, 6th IB: What is your opinion of Hosni Mubarak's ouster? Is it for the worse? Is it for the better? I am very happy that the uprising managed to oust Mubarak. The old regime was very corrupt. I think it will be for the better but it will take time. IB: What is your opinion of the Muslim Brotherhood's role in the Revolution? They had a big role in the revolution. They are very organized and they can easily mobilize their followers. IB: There have been reports of bloody conflict between Muslims and minority Christians? Is this widespread? What are the reasons behind it? No none can deny the recent conflict between Muslims and Christians. There are a few people from both parties who do not peacfully coexist. I would not say it is widespread because there are a lot of Muslims and Christians co-
exist all over Egypt. Sometimes, the media plays a big role in exasperating the situation. When a normal quarrel arises between a Muslim and a Cristian, some media outlets tend to highlight it as a sectarian incident. What are your opinions on the speedy timetable for a new constitution? I support the speedy timetable for the constitution as this will help elect a new parliament and a new president soon and consequently power will be in the hands of a civilian government. The Chronicle would to take the time to thank Mahmoud Abbas for taking the time to respond to this inquiry. Also to be thanked is Professor Anne Sheehan, without whom the Chronicle could not have contacted Mahmoud Abbas.
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Calendar of Events Tuesday, April 19 12 - 2:30 p.m. Earth Week Event. St. Joseph’s Auditorium 4 - 6 p.m. Relay for Life Luminaria Tabling. Lima Lobby 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Adventure Club Meeting. SA Conf. Rm. 7 p.m. Two One-Acts from Saint Rose: “Figment” by Anne Dantz and “Bitter Brunch” by Jennifer Austin. The Campus Theatre next to the CCIM. 7 p.m. Tuba Concert. PRH in Massry 7 - 9 p.m. Phillip Done Speaks. Touhey Forum 8 p.m. Panel Discussion: Music in Newsprint. Sponsored by MEISA. CCIM 119, The Viewing Rm. 8 – 9:30 p.m. Tuesday Yoga for Students. Hubbard Sanctuary 9:30 - 10 p.m. Guided Meditation. Hubbard Sanctuary Wednesday, April 20 EARTH DAY 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Earth Day celebration. Campus Green 2:30 - 4 p.m. Science Colloqium. St. Joseph’s Auditorium 4 - 6 p.m. Relay for Life Luminaria Tabling. Lima Lobby 4:30 p.m. St. Rose Chronicle Meeting. CCIM 119 5 - 5:30. Catholic Mass. Hubbard Sanctuary 5 - 5:45 p.m. SEB general meeting. St. Joseph’s Auditorium 7:30 p.m. Open Mic. Jack’s Place in the CCIM 7:30 - 10 p.m. Hyperion String Quartet Concert. PRH in Massry 7:30 - 8:45 p.m. BASIC Weekly Meeting. Hubbard Sanctuary 7 – 8 p.m. SADD club meeting. SA Conf. Rooms 8 – 10 p.m. Karate Club meeting. Lima Basement Thursday, April 21 4 p.m. Environmental Club Meeting. 950 Madison 7:45 – 9:00 p.m. Identity Weekly Meeting, Standish Rooms 8:30 p.m. Philosophy Club. Main Lounge Friday, April 22 HAVE A WONDERFUL EASTER BREAK! If you have an upcoming event you would like to see in our weekly Calendar of Events, please e-mail Ian Benjamin at benjamini528@strose.edu.
Extended Library Hours During Final Exam Period Library Opens Library Closes
Sunday, May 1 Monday, May 2 Tuesday, May 3 Wednesday, May 4 Thursday, May 5 Friday, May 6 Saturday, May 7 Sunday, May 8 Monday, May 9 Tuesday, May 10
12 p.m. 8:15 a.m. 8:15 a.m. 8:15 a.m. 8:15 a.m. 8:15 a.m. 9 a.m. 12 p.m. 8:15 a.m. 8:15 a.m.
1 a.m. 1 a.m. 1 a.m. 1 a.m. 1 a.m. 9 a.m. 6 a.m. 1 a.m. 1 a.m. 1 a.m.
(Extended closing times appear in BOLD.) In addition, the Library meeting room (106) will be available during this period for quiet study.
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April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
Neighbors Clean Up Image By MIKE CARROLL Contributing Writer Residents of the Pine Hills braved the blustery wind for one goal – to beautify the neighborhood. It was part one of the annual neighborhood Spring cleanup, which focused as much on removing debris from the streets as it did on improving the public’s perception of the area. “We want to basically celebrate this area… so that people will think about moving back into the city,“ said Virginia Hammer co-chair of the Beautify Upper Madison Project. With the beginning of Spring,
comes the annual rite of cleaning up garbage that has been left in the area. “It’s kind of a tradition that after the snow melts… It’s just a good way to just start fresh in the neighborhood,” said Hammer. Saturday’s clean up focused on the areas of South Main Avenue up to South Allen Avenue, along with West Lawrence and Yates streets. Karen Noonan, a resident of the Pine Hills neighborhood for 20 years feels that this is an important area to begin the cleaning process because of the amount of traffic on the streets. “This is the face that people see as they drive
into town, this is usually the first look at the Pine Hills neighborhood,” said Noonan. Volunteers found themselves involved in a variety of activities. Pine Hills resident of 35 years, Bill Phillips, was one of the cleaners who were very busy. Phillips was willing to do whatever needed to be done to help in the effort. “I’ve been picking up trash from the shrubs, cigarette butts, sweeping the sidewalk, leaf raking left over from last year,” said Phillips. Jim Charles also was working hard to remove months of detritus from the sidewalks and streets. As he traveled around finding
John Hammer
Mike Carroll 14th Ward Alderman Joe Igoe helped to remove garbage from the neighborhood on Spring Cleaning day.
A stairwell next to CVS on Madison Avenue before and after clean-up. more areas to clean, one problem he continuously noticed was the excessive amount of cigarettes littering the ground. “We’ve got buckets around the city to throw things in, not too many cigarette butts find their way in those things though,” said Charles. One goal of the clean up was to make the area more inviting. Lisa DeThomasis, a parishioner at Saint Andrew’s church, had been raking and cleaning gardens. “By going down a street and having something clean and something welcoming, more people may be attracted to the area,” said DeThomasis. However, the clean-up has an impact much farther reaching than just removing garbage. An event like this can help to build a sense of community and pride in one’s neighborhood. “It’s important to take ownership in your neighborhood, and I think once you do, you begin to meet new neighbors, that you become more grounded and want to become more of a part of what’s happening,” said Noonan. Proactive activity was especially important in light of recent events in the area. “People get to know one another…they get to build a spirit among the community, a sense of us against troubles we might have,” said Charles.
“We’ve had a lot of bad press lately… I thought maybe we could lead by example. I’ve seen a few students walk by, I thought it was a good idea,” said Charles. Volunteers wanted to counteract the riot last month and make positive change in the area. They also said they hoped more students would help out in future clean-up efforts. While Saturday was a start, the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association’s mission has just begun. They will be hosting a second Spring clean up on Sunday, May 1 at 9:30 a.m. with volunteers meeting at Ridgefield Park and then dispersing into surrounding areas. The second clean up will focus more on what Hammer refers to as the “traditional student area.” Those interested in helping out can find information on the Association’s website at http://pinehillsna.org, or may attend the next Pine Hills Neighborhood Association meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the LaSalle School on Western Avenue. As this weekend’s clean up came to a close just after noon bags of garbage waited on the curb to be taken away. “If you put in just a couple hours a week, together we can really make a difference,” said DeThomasis.
April 19, 2011
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Volume 79 Issue 24
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Saint Rose’s Environmental Club and Women’s Volleyball Get Down and Dirty in Washington Park By HEATHER THIBDEAU Environmental Club Treasurer Springtime typically evokes images of warm, summer-like breezes, the sun on one’s back, and that faint whiff of grass poking up through the thawing ground. But, as there is a flip side to every season, spring is also the time of monsoon winds, torrential downpours, and copious amounts of mud. The Environmental Club and Saint Rose Women’s Volleyball team was treated to the latter this past Saturday (April 16th) during a volunteer project in Washington Park to kick off this week’s Earth Week celebration. Working alongside the city of Albany’s Master Gardener, Judy Stacy, about twenty Saint Rose students trekked through the abnormally (or was it expected?) cold, dreary weather to Washington Park’s Lake House, an exquisite building finished in the late 1920s alongside a glittering pond, hills, and gnarled trees, each with a story to tell. After receiving our supplies and catching a moment to warm up, we migrated over to the Moses statue to begin our preparations for Albany’s Tulip Festival. Held every Mother’s Day weekend, the Tulip Festival is a celebration held in Washington Park to welcome spring, but more importantly to celebrate Albany’s Dutch heritage as the nation’s oldest Dutch settlement (dating back to Henry Hudson’s visit in 1609 and the accompanying settlement five years later). According to Judy Stacy, by early May, Albany will have roughly 200,000 tulips (with 140 different varieties), 80,000 of which will rest in Washington Park. Yet as all of the volunteers eagerly awaited those tantalizing days in May, what were we to do
in the meantime, as the realities of April weighed down on us? For starters, we had to hedge, or clean up all of the weeds alongside the quads near the Moses statue. This involved taking a shovel near the chalked edge of the quad, slamming it into the ground, and maneuvering the blade so as to wedge the weeds and grass out. Then the removed pieces of earth were shaken to remove the excess dirt, placed in paper bags (to haul away), and raked to tidy up the area. In short, what we did was clean up the edges of the quads and remove the “invasive” plants that had taken root over the winter. In addition to the Saint Rose group, three or four other volunteers came to help out Judy, including one family and their toddler son. Overall, we were happy to help out, but I would be lying if I said that the process wasn’t several times harder due to the cold temperatures and cruel wind. We were all under the assumption as we walked over to the park at 8:30 AM that it would surely warm up and become the sunny, happy day we were all hoping. However, despite the fact that the weather never improved, we all knew that our hard labor was worth it, as we were helping to make a historic Albany tradition more enjoyable for everyone. (But next time we’ll wear more layers).
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Heart Space Yoga and Healing Arts to Host Open House
Logo design by Nick Parslow
By ADAM CLARK Contributing Writer An open house Sunday at Heartspace Yoga and Healing Arts will feature free yoga classes, dance and music. Classes and workshops for beginning and experts will include Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow, Essential Oils and African Dance . The event runs from 9:30 a.m. until 6:45 p.m. During an average week Heartspace hosts 27 classes offered by 21 different teachers. In total there are more than 120 classes available at the center. Special events and workshops are occasionally held in the two studio spaces there. Rooms are rented to four different licensed massage therapists, while one room is rented by a holistic therapeutic counselor. Currently the most popular classes include Jivamukti, taught by John Smrtic; Hot Yoga, with Jen Bettini; and TGIF Yoga with Sarah Peters. The center has launched a new website, expanded its email list and implemented an online account system. The owners have also introduced class pre-registration on the internet. A new logo has been released by the center, designed by Nick Parslow of Verdentity. “It conveys a sense of space that allows for openness, stretching beyond our boundaries, stability, strength, and lightness” said Andrew Kasius, one of the current owners. “These are qualities we seek to build in the practice of yoga.” Kasius hopes to offer an even wider variety of classes to the center, including meditation and pilates. He plans to attract more clientele, including children, seniors, and prenatal moms. Musical and educational events for the community are also on the
agenda. “Many of our clients and students live locally in the Pine Hills neighborhood, students, professionals, trades people. All types. There are also many who come from the region to take classes, including surrounding counties,” said Kasius. Robert and his wife Elizabeth are the fourth owners of the studio, which was originally housed in a small meditation room at 75 Willett St. and named Washington Park Yoga. The business was founded by Nancy Polachek on May 2, 1999. Polachek saw a need for a more intense style of Yoga in the Albany area since the only style offered at the time was the gentle Kripalu Yoga. The space quickly filled on Willett Street and moved to 747 Madison Ave., incorporating a more vigorous Ashtanga style of Yoga. “Originally I was the only teacher, offering 13 classes a week,” said Polachek. “Then Leslie Abraham joined me and others quickly followed. I ran the studio like a fine restaurant where I personally saw to every detail with a mother’s loving eyes.” In 2002 Polachek turned the studio over to Leslie Abraham. The studio was not sold, since she was honoring the yoga tradition that teachers of yoga and meditation should be financially independent of their students.
“This was a gift from the heart,” said Polachek. “Teaching yoga was and still is a joy to me, but I quickly learned that running a yoga studio requires endless administrative work and headaches. I realized I was happier just teaching,” said Polachek. She now teaches weekly yoga classes at the new Schenectady YMCA and Orenda Yoga studio, also in Schenectady, both of
April 19, 2011 which are walking distance from her home. Kasius hopes to offer an even wider variety of classes to the center, including meditation and pilates. He plans to attract more clientele, including children, seniors, and prenatal moms. Musical and educational events for the community are also on the agenda. “Many of our clients and students live locally in the Pine Hills neighborhood, students, professionals, trades people. All types. There are also many who come from the region to take classes, including surrounding counties,” said Kasius. Robert and his wife Elizabeth are the fourth owners of the studio, which was originally housed in a small meditation room at 75 Willett St. and named Washington Park Yoga. The business was founded by Nancy Polachek on May 2, 1999. Polachek saw a need for a more intense style of Yoga in the Albany area since the only style offered at the time was the gentle Kripalu Yoga. The space quickly filled on Willett Street and moved to 747
Volume 79 Issue 24 Madison Ave., incorporating a more vigorous Ashtanga style of Yoga. “Originally I was the only teacher, offering 13 classes a week,” said Polachek. “Then Leslie Abraham joined me and others quickly followed. I ran the studio like a fine restaurant where I personally saw to every detail with a mother’s loving eyes.” In 2002 Polachek turned the studio over to Leslie Abraham. The studio was not sold, since she was honoring the yoga tradition that teachers of yoga and meditation should be financially independent of their students. “ This was a gift from the heart,” said Polachek. “Teaching yoga was and still is a joy to me, but I quickly learned that running a yoga studio requires endless administrative work and headaches. I realized I was happier just teaching,” said Polachek. She now teaches weekly yoga classes at the new Schenectady YMCA and Orenda Yoga studio, also in Schenectady, both of which are walking distance from her home. Andrew Kasius
Current owners of Heartspace, Andrew and Elizabeth Kasius
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
Gas Prices Fuel Alternate Choices By JOURNALISM 1 Contributing Writers Two students from the University at Albany frequently ride their bikes to classes some 3.6 miles west to their uptown campus rather than pay for gas. “It makes me feel healthier,” said Chris Banach, who lives on Yates Street with fellow student Ben Knowles. Both are car owners, but they limit how much they use their cars, particularly Banach, who drives an SUV. “I try to walk as much as I can,” said Knowles. The roommates may be among a growing contingent of people finding alternative ways to get around. As gas prices at the neighborhood
Mobil station hit $4.05 a gallon this week, residents shared their views on how they choose to get around and why. Another student from the University at Albany has a car, but doesn’t use it – she takes the bus almost everywhere. Shaquana Hicks, 21, takes the bus instead because of the price of gas. She also parks on city streets instead of on the uptown Albany campus so she doesn’t have to pay for parking at school. Another city resident, Bob Umholtz of New Scotland Avenue, shops frequently at the Madison Avenue Price Chopper and makes use of the gas savings from his Advantage Card. By using the card at the grocery store, he gets
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What’s Happening @ the . . . EDUCATION EXPO
Career Center INFORMATION TABLE
Thursday, April 7, 2011 9-3PM Polish Community Center Washington Ave Ext
Opportunity for graduating students & Alumni who will have their certification by August 2011 to meet, greet & connect with local & out-ofstate recruiters.
money off his gas purchases. He saved 70 cents a gallon on gas recently. That discount, combined with the use of his Toyota Avalon Kelly Pfeister
Marganick Bien-Aiam thinks that the gas prices today seem to mirror those of the gas crisis of a few years ago. Gas has recently hit the $4.05 mark at the Mobile station close to Saint Rose.
US Army: Recruits 3/30/11 11-2PM in EAC NYS Troopers: State Police 3/31/11 11-2PM in EAC
Recruiting for: Teachers, School Counselors & Psychologists, Administrative Professionals and Speech-Language Pathologist’s
www.strose.edu/careercenter
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“LIKE” US For every “like” we receive on our facebook page prior to 4/1/11 the Career Center will donate $1/like to Relay for Life!
career@strose.edu
– which gets 30 miles per gallon highway mileage, and 20 miles in the city – helps him cut costs. He also tries to combine trips when he uses his car. “It reminds me of a couple of years ago,” said Marganick BienAiam, “There’s not much we can do. It’s unfortunate.” On the CDTA Thursday, riders told The Pine Hills blog why they use public transportation. The bus is easy to use, said Greg McShea, 20, and even though he will have a car next semester, he still plans to use the bus. “I cannot afford a car,” said Casey Homovich, who rides the bus to the University campus from near his Ontario Street apartment. The escalating prices have changed one student’s behaviors pretty drastically. “It’s ridiculous. I don’t drive anymore because of it,” said Amber Bagley. “I used to visit friends back home often, but I can’t do it anymore.” At the bus stop on Western Avenue and Partridge Street, Boyoung Kim, a South Korean exchange student at Albany waited for the bus Thursday. Kim
518-454-5141
doesn’t use a car and doesn’t see the need for one. She said the price of gas is just as high in Korea as here in the United States. Paul Bickel, proprietor at Paul’s Garage on Ontario Street, said his customers are getting more tune-ups, including oil and filter changes. Still, many customers still drive gas guzzlers, while others are switching to hybrids. One customer, Bickel said, has a Toyota Highlander V6 and a Highlander hybrid. He said that individual is returning the hybrid because the V6 gets better mileage. He doesn’t work on diesels or hybrids, he just inspects them “It’s unfortunate, and a little bit frightening,” said Tom Genovese. “It makes me wonder if it’s the beginning of the ‘big decline.’ Hopefully the cities will benefit though.”
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April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
First Lutheran Homeless RespiteTakes Seasonal Break By CHRISTINE KENYI Contributing Writer For the past 10 years First Lutheran Church has been the home of the Emergency Overflow Shelter providing a warm place for up to 19 individuals every night during the winter months. This week the church closes its shelter doors after another successful winter season. Those temporary occupants, though, now return to the realities of homelessness. According to the Homeless Action Committee, each year in Albany between 2,000 and 4,000 people are homeless, including several hundred who sleep outside on the streets. First Lutheran Church, the oldest Lutheran congregation in North America, was founded in 1649 and has been working to provide a solution to this problem for years. Many of the shelter occupants are referred by the Homeless and Travelers Aid Society. This is an organization that serves the New York State Capital District and works with all the homeless shelters in Albany. They make referrals to First Lutheran’s overflow shelter when all other shelters in the Albany area are full. Many of those taken in by First Lutheran are ineligible to stay at other shelters because of addictions, mental health, or behavioral issues. “We can’t shelter anyone who is under the influence of drugs and alcohol,” said Latrecia Miles, a senior case manager at the Homeless and Travelers Aid Society. This is the reason why the city of Albany had concerns about letting the shelter open in January 2003. The Board of Zoning Appeals refused to grant First Lutheran a permit amid fears that the shelter guests would cause trouble in the Pine Hills neighborhood. Despite this setback, the shelter opened and the city tookno further steps to stop them, especially since over the years
there have been relatively few incidents. Pamela Bullock, the program director of the shelter said its mission is to offer a safe haven regardless of the person’s circumstances as long as they are not a danger to themselves or others. The shelter houses up to 19 men and also allows transgender individuals to stay there, since these are populations that are not always served by existing homeless shelters in Albany. “What we do is give refuge for individuals; we offer them a hot meal that is provided by churches throughout the community,” said Bullock. She encourages her staff to treat occupants of the shelter as guests and emphasizes a sense of community and mutual respect. The shelter staff and its volunteers help the homeless with doing their laundry and offer a hot meal every night. Other activities include movie and card nights. “I think we give them back a sense of dignity and self worth here because we don’t treat them like homeless people. The most important thing I tell my staff is to treat them like you would guests in your home,” said Bullock. This season the shelter has given refuge to more than 180 different individuals who have used its beds and meals for three nights or more. There are also a few individuals who have used the shelter daily throughout the season. Now that winter is over, Bullock said that many of the people they serve will be left in difficult situations again. “Many of them will return to parks, get sleeping bags and sleep at the water front and go back to the streets,” she said. The reason for this is other shelters will not cater to homeless individuals that have addiction or behavioral problems. “Unfortunately there’s not too many places for this population to go. Do I worry about them? Yes,” said Bullock.
When in season, the shelter is supported by the Capital Area Council of Churches. Kitt Jackson, the administrative director of the Capital Area of Council Churches outlined their relationship with First Lutheran’s shelter as crucial for the continued success of the shelter. “We are essentially the sponsor of the shelter. We put notices out in our newsletter, we publicize their needs and make sure they are able to operate,” said Jackson. She attributed the continued success of the overflow shelter to many congregations in the area from places such as Clifton Park, Loudonville, Saratoga and many others. Congregational groups and families tend to prepare all the evening meals, and a group of dedicated staff and volunteers offer their time each night. Another vital comThe front of First Lutheran Church, which ponent is the fundChurch in the entire United States. raising efforts that the Capital Area Council of Churches facilitates in con- years. junction with other churches and “The men have always been regroups. Jackson cited examples spectful, it’s different from what such as the annual Bowl-a-thon I expected,” said Graver. “They that takes place in February at have formed their own commuthe Sunset Recreation Bowling nity, and they look out for each Lanes in Albany, and is organized other. It amazes me.” by students from SUNY Albany’s Both volunteers felt that givCorner Stone Protestant Campus ing their time to the shelter was Ministry. During last year’s event worthwhile because of the satis155 bowlers from 19 different faction that they got from being congregations came together and a positive force in someone’s life. raised more than $11,500. “My feeling is they are human Marilyn Graver and Dorothy beings just like everyone else,” Wimble, both members of Good said Wimble. Shepherd Lutheran Church in Bullock shares this view and Loudonville have been volunteer- emphasized another important ing at the overflow shelter for two service the shelter offers occu-
Christine Kenyi is the oldest Lutheran
pants is resources to improve their lives. The shelter refers its guests to service providers that provide options for employment, counseling, and health services, among other things. “Anyone is a paycheck away from being homeless. We have two triple Masters here; some of these guys had amazing lives. Life is just hard sometimes,” said Bullock. The shelter will close its doors today as the winter shelter season comes to an end and will celebrate another successful year with a large dinner for volunteers, supporters and staff.
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
Upsilon Iota Inducts 15 New Members By RICH AVILES Executive Editor The College of Saint Rose’s chapter of Upsilon Iota, the Communications Honor Society, brought in 15 new members in a recent ceremony, including the Chronicle’s Advertising Manager Megan Caffrey and Assistant Editor Marissa Crary. The gathering took place at the Carl E. Touhey Forum in the Lally school of education. Dana Lenseth, the current president of Upsilon Iota, lead the event and proudly introduced the newest members to the honor society. To be a full member of Upsilon, students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 along with a 3.25 within the Communications major. The new members to Upsilon Iota are Tom Bennett, Sean Osborne, Sable Eldridge, Nicola D’Errico, Megan Caffrey, Alison
Wilkes, Bobbie Ludwig, Candice Varetoni, Caroline Murray, Dana Lenseth, Marissa Crary, Marissa Salzone, MaryFrancis Stoute, Stephanie Schuyler, and Michelle Fazio. There are also new associate members that will be inducted as full members once they meet the grade requirements for the honor society. These individuals are Rachel Theall, Phillip Smith, Kristy Mekulik, David Alston, Caitlin Mason, and Angelina Calantjis. Vice President Marissa Crary was excited to be a new member and about the rest of her colleagues who were inducted last week. “Everyone’s participation has been great, I can only hope that the organization grows even more in the coming years,” said Crary. “And the faculty support has meant a lot to the officers and the other members also.”
Rich Aviles Vice President Marissa Crary and Secretary MaryFrancis Stoute speaking at the induction ceremony.
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Upsilon Iota President Dana Lenseth officially inducting the newest members into the Communications honor society. New members included the Chronicle’s own Marissa Crary and Megan Caffrey.
Rich Aviles Several new inductees to Upsilon Iota gathered in the Carl E. Touhey forum. To become a full member, one must have an overall GPA of 3.0 and a 3.25 in the Communications major.
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Take Back the Night On Thursday, April 14 the annual Take Back the Night rally against sexual harassment took place on the Campus Quad. The rally included tables, performers, a speech by Albany County Executive Mike Breslin and a candlelight vigil. All pictures are by The Chronicle’s Kelly Pfeister. Tables at Take Back the Night.
Albany County Executive Mike Breslin. The Clothesline Project.
Myles Clendenin
The Clothesline Project.
The Clothesline Project.
Heather Thibdeau examinig Clothesline Project shirts
The Clothesline Project.
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
arts
The Saint Rose Chronicle
Fishin’ ForWoos Gets A Few Bites By CHRIS SURPRENANT Arts Editor Bowling For Soup’s upcoming April 26 album, Fishin’ For Woos is just what one would expect from the group. Each track is fairly light and laden with pop culture references, with a little profanity sprinkled in for emphasis. The songs may come off as goofy at times, but the majority of them do a fair job at delivering a point. The album is surprisingly well done for a concept album (a rarity today), as each track is united by the themes of what it means to be young, especially in the twenty-first century. Most of the tracks focus in on the idea of either falling in or out of love, or just dealing with life’s trials, be they good or bad. In typical Bowling For Soup style, many of these ideas are delivered with wonderfully clever, tonguein-cheek lyrics. Particularly, the album’s fifth track, “Here’s Your Freakin’ Song” does a great job at describing frustration in those controlfueled relationships. With lyrics like, “You talk too much, you never shut up, everything I do for you is never enough. You snore, you drool, you talk in your sleep, won’t get a night’s rest until you’re six feet deep,” you can’t help but laugh, and maybe find a little truth in them. The band also does a great job with representing those days where nothing goes right with the album’s sixth track, “This Ain’t My Day.” It takes every clichéd idea about happiness such as “red letter days” and “stopping to smell the roses” and turns them upside down. They manage to take what would normally be an empowering scene, like taking a chance on something for the first time, and totally bash it with words like, “I went out on a limb and a little
birdie told me off.” It’s a lot of fun to listen to, because most everyone has had some sort of similar experience. Aside from the silliness, they do manage a song or two that can tug at the heartstrings. The song “What About Us” laments a relationship gone sour. It explores the way people continue to care about one another after a breakup, but how they are still unsure of where they stand. “What about the memories we boxed up? What about the days we gave away?” One of the more originalsounding songs, “Turbulence” manages to create a fairly positive picture of trudging through the hard times. It’s done acoustically, so it has a far different sound than any of the other songs on the album, which is a nice change of pace. It has a nice message in the lyrics, “We’ve all got our problems, but they’re just bumps in the road” and “we’re all just passengers, and we’re all just passing through our lives.” It’s a nice feel-good song. Though many of the songs on the album are pretty clever, there are some that just seem out of place. The song “Friends Chicks Guitars” patronize the listener with perceived “typical” thoughts of young people. The whole song revolves around nights spent partying with, well, friends, chicks and guitars. That’s fine, except for it is overshadowed by persistent lyrics about running out of beer, hence not being able to have any fun. Of all the songs, this one is not relatable, but rather comes off as adults trying to relate to what they think kids do with their spare time, rather than what actually goes on. Whether or not you’ve heard of Bowling For Soup, or whether or not you like them, you’ll want to give Fishin For Woos a try. The al-
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Cover of Bowling For Soup’s upcoming album, Fishin’ For Woos on April 26.
Ethan Miller, Getty Images Members of Bowling For Soup. bum provides a lot of “soundtrack to my life” kind of songs, with a lot biting cleverness. A good deal of the songs may sound similar
in arrangement, but they are definitely worth listening to for the crafty word play. If you’re looking for some catchy driving tunes
that you don’t have to invest too much in, throw out your line and catch Fishin For Woos.
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arts
April 19, 2011
L’Angelus, The Meislunday and The Sunny Side of the Street Band Play Jack’s Place On Wednesday, April 13 the band L’Angelus, The Saint Rose band The Meislunday and The Sunny Side of teh Street Band played Jack’s Place. the show began at 8:30 p.m. All pictures are by The Chronicle’s Kelly Pfeister.
Paige Rees of L’Angelus
Left-to-right: Paige Rees and Katie Rees of L’Angelus.
Left-to-right: Katie Rees and Stephen Rees of L’Angelus
Dean DiMarzaio of The Meishlunday
Volume 79 Issue 24
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
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The Saint Rose Chronicle
Left-to-right: Stephen Jenkins, Paul Jenkins and Michael Santoli
Thomas LaFond lead singer of The Sunny Side of the Street Band
The Sunny Side of the Street Band
The Meishlunday
Eric Margan Bassist for the Sunny Side of the Street Band
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arts B16 The Saint Rose Chronicle ‘The Show Goes On’ in Albany
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
By JACKSON WANG Staff Writer Last Wednesday night, Lupe Fiasco performed at the Washington Avenue Armory in front of a large crowd in Albany. Fiasco’s energy during the concert fed off into the crowd, getting everyone into his performance. Fiasco is one of the top hip-hop artists out right now and his new album, Lasers, is currently sitting sixteenth on the Billboard Top 200 albums. One of Fiasco’s top songs on the album is, “The Show Goes On”, which currently sits twenty-fourth on the Billboard Hot 100. Fiasco coming to Albany attracted a lot of people coming out to see him perform live at the armory. Fiasco opened up his show performing, “Shining Down,” which was one of his top singles in 2009. Fiasco performed many songs off his new album, Lasers, such as, “The Show Goes On,” “I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now,” “Words I Never Said,” and many more. Also, Fiasco performed many of his most popular songs from his past albums such as, “Superstar,” “Kick Push,” “Daydreaming,” and “Hip-Hop Saved My Life.” Fiasco also delivered a few messages to the crowd during the concert, trying to inspire many of the young people in attendance. But there was one message in particular Fiasco delivered that stuck with me, “Let’s make the American Dream, the American reality.” This was one of the best con-
Atlantic Records
Lupe Fiasco’s 2006 album Food and Liquor. certs I have ever been to. Fiasco put on one incredible performance that rocked the whole Washington Avenue Armory. Everyone in the crowd was getting into his performance and enjoying themselves. During Fiasco’s performance of, “I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now,” he was jumping up and down, throwing water into the crowd and getting everyone excited. Many people were singing along to it, while jumping up and down and throwing their hands up. The energy that Fiasco brought to the Armory was something I have never seen before at a concert. Plus, Fiasco’s live band made the show even better. They did a great job for Fiasco, and plus, I had the opportunity to
shake hands with his drummer after the show. Fiasco also performed a song called, “Scream,” that will be on a future album. He also announced that he would be releasing his next album, Food & Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, later this year. Fiasco ended the show with an encore performance of, “I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now.” Seeing Fiasco live in concert is something that I’ll never forget. What made this concert so great was the energy that he brought to it and the live band performing along with him. I would recommend that anyone go see Lupe Fiasco perform live in concert if they ever get the opportunity. It is something they will never forget.
Jackson Wang
Lupe Fiasco last Wednesday night at the Washington Avenue Armory.
Music, Restaurant and Movie Reviews If you are interested in writing music, restaurant or movie reviews for The Saint Rose Chronicle come attend a meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays in CCIM 119, The Viewing Room or send them to surprenantc572@strose.edu.
Jackson Wang
Lupe Fiasco’s performance at the Washington Avenue Armory.
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
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Annual IDENTITY Drag Show Every year the LGBTQ club on campus, IDENTITY, hosts a drag show. This year the event took place from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 14 in St. Joseph’s Auditorium. The entertainment starred drag ���t�r queen Diabolique and included many Saint rose student in drag.
Leigh Ward
Patrick DiDomenico (left) and Ryan Butler (right) during DiDomenico’s performance to “Umbrella.”
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Leigh Ward
Two time drag show winners Ann Leghorn-McCracken and Adrianna Gaeta.
Louis Pingotti (LuLu Sweets) and drag show host Diabolique.
Leigh Ward
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Easter Word Search ���t�r
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Word Bank �pr�l 24 Dr ����� ���t�r ��rd� ���tr� h�t b�n� P����v�r R���rr��t��n
1 Corinthians Butter lamb Easter bunny egg tapping hard-boiled eggs Pace Egg Plays Pomlazka Sunday roast April chocolate eggs eggs Hersheys Pascha potica April 24 Dr. Seuss Easter cards
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Answers to this week’s Word Search can be found on The Chronicle website: http://www.strosechronicle.com
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The Saint Rose Chronicle
opinion
Be The Bigger Man
Volume 79 Issue 24
The View From Venus Thoughts on Planned Parenthood
By LEIGH WARD Opinion Editor In many cultures throughout the world, food brings people from diverse backgrounds together. However, that is not apparent here at The College of Saint Rose. Bake sales provide clubs with an easy way to make relatively quick money to benefit their cause, plus, who doesn’t love homemade baked goods? I’m all for helping a good cause and I also love a good chocolate chip cookie, but when I heard about a bake sale that charges men more than women to make a purchase, it didn’t add up in my mind. The bake sale, hosted by Women’s Initiative, charged men a quarter more to buy anything from the table that was set up. “I asked them how much a cookie cost, because I was hungry, and they told me it was a dollar for me,” said Senior Rich Aviles. According to the Women’s Initiative page on the Saint Rose website, “The Women’s Initiative is committed to exploring the issues which concern both women and men on campus in our promotion of gender equality.” Let’s rewind for a second. “Issues that concern both women and men” and “promotion of gender equality” are the first phrases my eyes saw while scanning that paragraph. If the goal of the club is to promote gender equality, doesn’t making men pay more go against that wish? It just doesn’t make sense to me. Call me one of the guys, but I don’t see how going about promoting your club in that way paints a good image for women in any way, shape, or form. Trust me, I’m all for equal rights, but I can also take a joke that involves making sandwiches or being in the kitchen. I’m fiesty, but I brush snide comments off, especially if they don’t matter. As a fellow woman, I’m sort of
April 19, 2011
By ABBY FINKELMAN The Women’s Initiative
ashamed that my own kind would go about promoting themselves in this way. Not that I’m defending their reasoning or their actions that yield a “crazy” response from us women, but I’ve heard guys say that “girls are crazy.” To be honest, I’ll agree with that to some degree. There may be some truth to guy’s madness. I believe there is a difference between being “crazy” and being legitimately passionate about something. Often times those lines are blurred, which creates the stereotype that women are crazy. Let’s be real, of course we don’t live in a perfect world. We constantly deal with stereotypes and generalizations, but why
make it harder for ourselves? As I sit here writing this, I’m trying to think of every good reason for making men pay more for a bake sale item. What message is that sending out? If the goal of Women’s Initiative is to serve as a venue for “collaboration and solidarity among men and women”, then wouldn’t this action go against the mission statement? If it is vital for women to be “equal” in society, I think we should make it easier on ourselves. I’m not saying we need to succumb to being June Cleaver, but it definitely doesn’t do other females justice to fall victim to being labeled as crazy for such a small number of female’s actions.
Letters to the Editor The Chronicle accepts Letters to the Editor. If you have an opinion on a specific issue pertaining to Saint Rose or would like to respond to an article in The Chronicle you can send your Letter to chronicle@strose.edu.
Barack Obama has not done everything he said he would. Guantanamo Bay is still up and running (thriving, really; Khalid Sheik Mohammed is even going to be tried there), same-sex couples are still denied equal rights all over the place, huge corporations are still paying no taxes, health care reform was a joke--you get the idea. According the nonpartisan, Pulitzer Prizewinning site PolitiFact.com, he has actively broken 41 of his promises. As someone who cast a Democratic ballot in 2008 I am not impressed. But two weeks ago, during the negotiations to prevent the federal government from shutting down, he said 12 words that make me forgive him almost all of it. “Nope. Zero. Nope. Zero, John, this is it. This is it, John.” The “John” is Speaker of the House John Boehner, and the “zero” was the amount of funding for Planned Parenthood that the president was going to let be cut. The debate over federal funding for Planned Parenthood, and whether or not the Republicancontrolled House was going to be able to cut it has been fierce, inspiring petitions, letter-writing campaigns, and rallies all over the country (including in Albany). Even though Planned Parenthood receives only around $360 million a year (the federal budget is about $3.6 trillion), and even though only about 3% of what Planned Parenthood does is abortion-related, and even though it is banned from using federal money for abortions anyway, the Republicans have been determined to destroy it. But they didn’t. They’ve certainly destroyed other programs that help women, but, for now, Planned Parenthood stands. Some of you reading this may wonder why that’s such a good
thing. Well, if Planned Parenthood spends only 3% of its time providing abortions (not all locations do so, and in many states it remains virtually impossible to get an abortion), it must be doing something for the other 97% of the time. Here are a few of the ways in which it fills that 97%. Pelvic exams. Pap smears (which women need once a year). Confidential screening for STIs, for women and men. Birth control. The morning-after pill. Cancer screenings. The vast majority of these services will be provided to women who are poor, sometimes up to 150% below the poverty line. These services are provided at reduced cost, or free. If you don’t like abortion, it’s estimated that Planned Parenthood’s services prevent 620,000 unplanned pregnancies and 220,000 abortions every year. They find countless cases of cancer and STIs, which might otherwise go untreated. If you think these things don’t apply to you, look around at the nearest five women. At least one of them will use Planned Parenthood in her lifetime. One in five. And more than a few men, but this is column is called the View from Venus. And the view today is cloudy. We don’t have equal pay, we don’t have maternity leave, we don’t have childcare, we don’t have solid rape, “domestic” violence, or sexual harassment laws, and TV networks seem to think we’re primarily interested in wedding dresses. But, for the moment, we will have a place to get reproductive care when we have nowhere else to go, control over our own destinies, and the power to grow up and start our own TV networks.
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
sports
The Saint Rose Chronicle
Rekindling Old Flames By THOMAS STAMAS
Knicks and Celtics set to renew rivalry in first round of the Playoffs The NBA regular season has come to a close and the playoff teams and seedings are set. One of the more intriguing match-ups is the New York Knicks going up against the Boston Celtics. Earlier in the season prior to a Celtics-Knicks matchup at Madison Square Garden, Paul Pierce was quoted saying that the teams need to be matched up in the playoffs in order for the KnicksCeltics matchup to be considered a “rivalry.” Well Paul Pierce, here ya go. The Knicks will be looking to take their newly formed trio of Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Chauncey Billups deep into the playoffs starting with their first series against the Celtics. Many experts claim that the
Knicks have seemingly no chance of taking out Boston. The Celtics are looked at as a battle tested squad of veterans that clearly gel together as a team. Their trio of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett has already made it to the “promised land” that the Knicks are trying to reach. Boston is expected to take it to a whole new level come playoff time. Looking at last year, despite a number two seed, they were overshadowed in the East by LeBron and the Cavaliers and Dwight Howard and the Magic. The Celtics were seen as washed up and aging, but they took the East by storm as they made it back to the Finals. While the Celtics won’t slip under anybody's radar in the Playoffs this year, they are still practi-
NHL Playoffs By SAM MAXWELL With the NBA playoffs getting underway, the MLB coming into full swing, and the ongoing drama of the NFL lockout, the NHL playoffs are not at the forefront of the sporting world. Even though the NHL is the fourth most popular league in America, I think the playoffs are one of the most entertaining sporting events all year. For one, they are very unpredictable. Hockey is a sport where one player can literally single handedly win or lose a game for his team, more so than in football, basketball, and even baseball. A starting pitcher can only pitch once every three games in the playoffs. In hockey, a team can ride a hot goaltender through out the playoffs, as the Montreal Canadians did last year with Jaroslav Halak.
The Canadians went in to the playoffs as the eight seed, and because of Halak’s outstanding play, beating the number one seed Washington Capitals, and the number four seed Pittsburgh Penguins before losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern conference finals. The NHL playoffs also see some of the best atmospheres in all of sports. While hockey does not have the number of fans that the MLB, NFL, and NBA do, hockey does have some of the most devoted. And when playoff time rolls around, because hockey is played indoors, the noise can be deafening. Also, no other sport has as many “outs” as hockey does. Whether itbe “white outs” in Pittsburgh, “red outs” in Washington, or “orange outs” in Phila-
cally limping into the postseason. Sure, they are coming off a regular season finale victory against the Knicks (mainly played with bench players), but they have not been the same team since they traded Kendrick Perkins. They have been consistently blowing huge leads and losing to teams much inferior to themselves. This is obviously not how you want to end your regular season heading into the playoffs. But, to the Celtics credit, they are 4-0 against the Knicks this season. New York on the other hand is coming into the playoffs on a hot streak as they have posted a 7-2 record in their last nine games. They unfortunately dropped their last two games against the Bulls and Celtics, but these were both
without their full starting line-up active. After the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, things started a little bit choppy for the Knicks. Fortunately they caught fire at the end of the season to give themselves confidence going into the playoffs. With their trio of stars, the Knicks have managed to be ranked second the league in points scored per game. But, New York on average gives up roughly just as many points as they score, thus exposing their major weakness: defense. For the Knicks to take down the Celtics they will need to shootlights out through the entire series assuming their defense continues to lag. But with a Knicks line-up
delphia, it is really something to see. Even though the Stanley cup playoffs are very tough to predict, here is who I see advancing to the finals. Out of the eastern conference, I think the Washington Capitals will prevail. They made the switch to being a more defensive minded team, and no matter what sport you are talking about, defense wins championships. I think because of that switch in philosophy, and a guy named Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals will be too tough for the other seven teams in the conference to beat. I think their counterpart in the Stanley Cup finals will be the Detroit Red Wings. They have the most playoff experience out of all the teams in the field, and their core players have each won the cup before. Because of this, they know what it takes to get it done this time of year, and I believe that will help them reach the finals.
When it is all said and done, I think the Washington Capitals will be hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup. They have arguably the best player in the world with Ovechkin, and a strong group of players around him. Because of that, and
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full of shooters and scorers, this is not out of the realm of possibility seeing as the Celtics surely won’t be the only team taking their game to a higher level come playoff time. So, the keys for both teams are relatively obvious. The Celtics have to hold their leads once they attain them, and they cannot lag on defense against New York’s high powered offense; and the Knicks will have to catch fire throughout the series and consistently put their point total in the hundreds while stepping up their defensive game. With the Celtics aging stars hungry for another title, and the Knicks looking to once again establish themselves as an elite NBA team, this series should most certainly rekindle an old rivalry. Despite being a Knicks fan, I see the Celtics taking this series with their experience outmatching New York. Boston wins in six games.
their strong defensive play, they will too much for the Red Wings. No matter who makes the finals, the NHL playoffs are always an exciting and entertaining watch.
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The Saint Rose Chronicle
sports
April 19, 2011
Volume 79 Issue 24
Golden Knights Fall Twice to Streaking Southern New Hampshire
Junior right-hander Richard Egloff allowed just two earned runs and fanned nine in today's opener versus Southern New Hampshire.
By DAVID ALEXANDER The College of Saint Rose dropped both ends of a Northeast-10 Conference doubleheader to a streaking Southern New Hampshire squad this afternoon at Bob Bellizzi Field at the Plumeri Sports Complex. The Penmen have now won nine of their last 11 following today’s 5-1 and 5-0 triumphs against the Golden Knights (12-19/6-10 NE10). Southern New Hampshire benefitted from outstanding pitching by sophomore right-hander Derrick Sylvester and junior right-hander Brad Monroe who both went the distance. Sylvester fanned five and allowed just three hits in the opener, while Monroe scattered four hits and rung up 10 strikeouts, without allowing a walk, in the nightcap. The Penmen (18-15/6-7 NE10) scored three times in the third and then added two more runs in the ninth to take the first game. They then jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning of the finale, before wrapping a run in both the sixth and eighth frames around a pair in the seventh. Junior right-hander Richard Egloff and senior southpaw Da-
vid Batchelder both pitched well, but suffered tough-luck losses for Saint Rose. Egloff allowed two earned runs on eight hits and recorded nine strikeouts over the distance in the opener, while Batchelder gave up six hits and whiffed 11 throughout seven innings of work in the second game. Junior center fielder Justin Amador had a two-run double in the ninth, while junior catcher Kevin Spatkowski and senior first baseman Bobby Wronski had two hits apiece to lead Southern New Hampshire in the opener. Sophomore right fielder Jon Minucci belted a two-run homer over the left-center field fence in the seventh to highlight the Penmen charge in the nightcap. Senior center fielder Ryan Price finished 2-for-4 for the Golden Knights. Looking ahead, both teams have league games scheduled for tomorrow. The Golden Knights will travel to Assumption for a 12:00 pm doubleheader in Worcester, MA. Meanwhile, the Penmen are scheduled to visit cross-town rival Saint Anselm for a 2:00 pm date in Manchester.