The Chronicle- January 15, 2013

The Chronicle

January 15, 2013

The weekly student newspaper of The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York Visit us on the web at www.strosechronicle.com

Plans in the Works For Rose Rock 2013

Volume LXXXI Issue 17

Students Spend Winter Break Volunteering in Washington D.C.

By JACKSON WANG Executive Editor While many students caught up on some extra sleep and spent time with old friends during winter break, a group of Saint Rose students and faculty members sacrificed a week of their rest period to volunteer in the nation’s capital.

Eighteen students and five faculty members went down to Washington D.C. earlier this

month to get a first hand experience of the thousands of homeless, working poor or seriously ill men and women in the city by helping out in meal programs and social service agencies.

Ten volunteers gave a hand at So Others Might Eat (SOME), an organization that provides meals, housing, medical care and other services to those who live in shelters and on the streets. SOME Continued on Page A2

Alumna Celebrates Two Decades of Practicing Law

By LAUREN KLOSE Contributing Writer

KELLY PFEISTER

Tomas Kalnoky, lead singer of the band Streetlight Manifesto, jams out on his guitar at Rose Rock 2012.

By LAUREN HALLIGAN Features Editor Although the semester is just beginning, waiting at the other end of the spring is the biggest annual Saint Rose festival, cre-

ated specifically for the students.

Rose Rock 2013, hosted by the College of Saint Rose Student Association, will be held on Saturday, April 27th on the Campus Quad.

The event is scheduled to oc-

News & Features

cur outdoors if weather permits.

However, if weather does not cooperate, the festival will be moved to the gym.

“This Rose Rock will be differContinued on Page A6

Twenty-six years ago, The College of Saint Rose had its first student enroll in a new joint degree program with Albany Law. Despite that the path had yet to be traveled, one student knew this was exactly the path she wanted to take.

This month Kelly Curro, née Kelly Evans, will celebrate 20 years as a practicing lawyer in New York state. Curro focuses

Arts & Opinion

on matrimonial and family law, working with divorce, custody, separation, as well as child and spousal support. Though her parents got divorced while she was still in college, Curro never expected to find herself practicing matrimonial and family law. Over the years spent working in a general practice, Curro found herself gravitating towards the family law cases finding herself enjoying working with her clients.

Continued on Page A4

Sports

Albany Police makes arrests for chain of robberies.

See pages A3

Django Unchained is bloody, brutal, brilliant.

See pages B7

Staff writer Sam Maxwell talks about the rookie seasons of Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck.

See page D15

Young Saint Rose alumna plans financial futures.

See pages A5

Finally a deal from Capital Hill.

See page C12

Golden Knights athletics looks for more success in 2013 .

See page D16

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The Chronicle

News

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

Service Trip in Nation’s Capital Continued From Page A1 serves over 1,000 meals a day.

Senior Kellie Maisenbacher was one of those altruists at SOME. She said the most surprising thing she saw down there were people who were her age and had a college degree living homeless. Maisenbacher said she was also moved by the passion some of the students showed.

“What was most touching to me during this trip was watching the change and the passion within all the students,” said Maisenbacher, who helped organize the trip. “We became a team and we worked through the issues.”

Another group of Saint Rose members worked at Charlie’s Place, a breakfast and social service program sponsored by St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Washington D.C., and at Food and Friends, an organization that prepares and delivers meals to people who are homebound due to HIV/AIDS, cancer or other life-threatening illnesses.

The rest traveled over to DC Central Kitchen to turn leftover food into meals for thousands of at-risk individuals.

Junior Enedina Maya was one of those helping out at a soup kitchen, where individuals came from Central and South America.

“I had the opportunity to talk to them about their lives and give them an opportunity to have a

“What was most touching to me during this trip was watching the change and the passion within all the students.”

Kellie Maisenbacher voice,” said Maya. “One must remember they are human just like us, they just don’t have a roof over their head, and it could be any of us at some point in life.”

This was her third trip down to the nation’s capital.

“I got involved my freshman year by taking a chance and then

fate decided I would go on this trip that would change my life forever from that point,” said Maya.

This is the 18th time this service trip has occurred, according to The College, which is sponsored by the Office of Spiritual Life. The students, which included three freshmen, three sophomores, eight juniors and four seniors, were all required to step out of their comfort zone for no class credit, but instead received the satisfaction of knowing that they will have helped make a small difference in the lives of human beings, said The College.

Students ended their trip by making a visit to the offices of Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Rep. Paul Tonko and Rep. Chris Gibson on Capital Hill, where they had a chance to voice their concerns on affordable housing and homelessness.

This helped many students understand affordable housing and homelessness better.

“I think that it is important, as a leader, to get the students of Saint Rose to understand the complexities of the issues behind homelessness,” said Maisenbach-

COURTESY OF KELLIE MAISENBACHER

Students spent the week volunteering at multiple food organizations. er, who’s a social work major.

“There is a huge stigma on the

“I got involved my freshman year by taking a chance and then fate decided I would go on this trip that would change my life forever from that point.”

Enedina Maya homeless population and I knew this trip would equip me with

the essential tools to stand up by learning the ways I can educate others on the deep issues of homelessness.”

This was one of the goals of the trip for Joan Horgan, director of campus ministry and program coordinator. To make students see the reality of homelessness and to have them ask questions about social justice and what can be done to improve life for those with the greatest economic challenges, said Horgan.

“The experience overall is hard to put into words but it is educational and eye opening and as college students this is an opportunity of a lifetime,” said Maya.

Reach Jackson Wang at Wangj847@strose.edu • Twitter: @TheJacksonWang

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COURTESY OF KELLIE MAISENBACHER

The group of 18 students and five faculty that traveled down to Washington D.C. during winter break.

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Contact Advertising Manager Caroline Murray at murrayc014@strose.edu for rates and publication schedule.

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

In Brief

News

from the register.

Then on January 9th at approximately 11:30 p.m., officers responded to Stewarts, located at 204 Henry Johnson Boulevard for a report of a robbery. When the officers arrived, the clerk told them that two men had entered the store and demanded money.

They stated that one of the men was armed with what appeared to be a shotgun or rifle. The clerk states that he was able to notify the police and that the suspects fled the store before getting any money.

The Albany police reported that, as a result of the continuing investigation and information obtained from the Stewarts robbery on January 9th, an officer conducted a traffic stop in the area of Central Avenue and Henry Johnson Boulevard at approximately 1:00 a.m.

Jahaad Heath, 22, of 11A Early Drive Watervliet and Aaron Jeffrey, 21, of 73 Linden Avenue of Schenectady were taken into custody as a result of the investigation.

Heath was charged with two counts of Robbery 1st, two counts of Robbery 2nd, and two counts of Conspiracy 4th for his role in the robberies at 123 Central Avenue and 204 Henry Johnson Boulevard.

Jeffrey was charged with three counts of Robbery 1st, three counts of Robbery 2nd, three counts of Conspiracy 4th, and three counts of Criminal Use of a Firearm 1st for his role in all three robberies.

Both men were arraigned in the Albany City Criminal Court and remanded to the Albany County Jail.

New Parking Regulations in Downtown Albany

The Chronicle

The Albany Police Department announced that beginning Tuesday January 15th, 2013, at 8:00 a.m. the City of Albany’s Residential Parking Permit System will go into full effect. The permit system has three designated residential Parking Zones within a three-quarter mile radius of the

Empire State Plaza.

Between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., motorists without a permit who choose to park on the designated streets may do so for only two hours. After this amount of time has passed, individuals without a permit must move their vehicle.

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Calendar of Events

Arrests Made for a Chain of Robberies in the City of Albany Albany police arrested two men Thursday morning for committing several armed robberies in the City of Albany.

According to the Albany Police Department, on November 12th at approximately 11:20 p.m., officers responded to Sham Candy and Grocery, located 123 Central Avenue for a reported robbery. When officers arrived, the clerk stated that two men had entered the store with what appeared to be a rifle or a shotgun and demanded money.

The Albany Police also reported that on December 28th at approximately 10:30 p.m., officers responded to Stewarts, located at 542 Central Avenue for a report of a robbery. When officers arrived, the clerk stated that two men walked into the store armed with what appeared to be a rifle or a shotgun and demanded money

The Chronicle

Violators of these new parking zones are subject to a parking ticket with a fine of $50.00 and a $15.00 surcharge.

For more information and maps on the Residential Parking Permit System go to www. albanyny.org

Executive Editors Sunshine Osella ‘13 osellas452@strose.edu

News Editor Zachary Olsavicky olsavickyz977@strose.edu

Copy Editor Searching for Applicants

Faculty Adviser Cailin Brown

Jackson Wang ‘14 wangj847@strose.edu

Features Editor Lauren Halligan halliganl567@strose.edu

Business Manager Searching for Applicants

Managing Editor Rachel Bolton ‘15 boltonr413@strose.edu

Opinion Editor Regina Iannizzotto ‘13 iannizzottor407@strose.edu

Advertising Manager Caroline Murray ‘13 murrayc014@strose.edu

Layout Editor / Videographer John Janitz ‘14 janitzj140@strose.edu

Arts Editor Web Editor Chris Surprenant ‘14 Christopher Lovell ‘15 surprenantc572@strose.edu lovellc083@strose.edu

Assistant Layout Editor Jennifer O’Connor ‘16 oconnorj984@strose.edu

Sports Editor Joshua Natoli ‘14 natolij477@strose.edu

Staff Writers Katherine Bakaitis Shawn Berman Nicholas Buonanno Anonio Caban Jaired Crofut Gigi Diffenback Kellie McGuire Kevin Jacob Sam Maxwell Rachael Pollack Lauren Sears Michael Smith M. William Smith Theresa Taylor

Head Photographer Kelly Pfeister ‘14 pfeisterk953@strose.edu

Tuesday, January 13 4 p.m. MAPS ALB 109 6:30 p.m. Student Association Standish 7 p.m. G4G (Girls For God) Sanctuary 7 p.m. Theatre Guild Lima Basement 7 p.m. Outside the [BOX] Lima Basement 8 p.m. Yoga Sanctuary Wednesday, January 14 3:45 p.m. Environmental Club Community Service Office 4 p.m. SEB Standish 5 p.m. Mid-Week Mass Sanctuary 7 p.m. Spectrum Standish 7:30 p.m. BASIC Sanctuary Thursday, January 15 3:30 p.m. Mind, Body, and Spirit The Counseling Center 6 p.m. Women’s Initiative Main Lounge Friday, January 16 Saturday, January 17 Sunday, January 18 10:30 a.m. Revisions Workshop Writing Center 11 a.m. APA Workshop Writing Center 6:30 p.m. College Mass St. Vincent de Paul Church 6:30 p.m. Math the Band, Kid is Qual (ex-Jack’s Mannequin member), Drew and the Grand Spectacular, Party Boat Jack’s Place Monday, January 19 5:15 p.m. Yoga Sanctuary

If you have an upcoming event you would like to see in our weekly Calendar of Events please e-mail chronicle@strose.edu.

ANY student can join The Saint Rose Chronicle The Chronicle is published weekly on Tuesdays during the academic year and once during the summer months. The Chronicle is published at the facilities of The Daily Gazette of Schenectady, NY.

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The Chronicle accepts Letters to the Editor from any party. We recommend that submissions not exceed 1000 words. Letters, columns, and cartoons published in this newspaper represent the opinion of the author, not necessarily that of The Chronicle.

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Two Decades of Law

Continued from Page A1

For the past three years, Curro has been part of a local association called The Collaborative Divorce Association of the Capital District. The association offers a new approach to divorces, trying to keep them out of the court systems and conduct them in a more civil way in order to give spouses the chance to have a more positive outcome through different techniques and tactics. The goal is to solve problems constructively instead of destructively. Curro uses this method in order to make her cases tailored or more personal for her clients both in court and out of court, rather than a typical “cookie cutter” approach some attorneys take to divorce cases.

She said divorce cases are an emotional process and she wants to make her clients comfortable.

Her most difficult cases are the ones where it is obvious that the case will never end for participants, particularly when they have children together. A case is never truly done when children are involved, so it is important for there to be good communication between parents for the children’s sake.

Curro is an associate attorney at Ianiello, Anderson & Sciocchetti, P.C. where she has been since September 2011. Before this, she practiced at Caplan & Caplan, P.C. from December 2007 until coming to her current position. She first began practicing law at the Law Office of Stephen A. Pechenik, when she graduated in August of 1992. In 1998 Curro became a partner of Pechenik’s firm along with two other attorneys, making it Pechenik, Walsh, Maier & Curro, P.C. From 1999 until December 2007 the firm was Pechenik & Curro, P.C. In the time before she became a partner at her first firm, Pechenik said Curro, “demonstrated her already proficient legal skills that developed to a point where she had gained an expertise, not only that but she had a good business

mind and was developing her own cliental.” He continued with how compassionate of a person Curro is and how pleasant and worthwhile it was when working with her.

Labeling herself as something other than a lawyer, Curro chose “advocate.” Something that she is extremely passionate about is autism awareness because of her son, who was diagnosed with disorder as a toddler. She is part of the local chapter of the Autism Society as well as the national chapter. President of the Special Education PTA for North Colonie School District, Curro helps other parents, and has received help from fellow parents herself when her son was first diagnosed. She believes it is important that parents understand and learn how to handle a child with autism.

Apart from the law firm and PTA, Curro finds most of her free time to be taken up by her son

“At the end of the day I don’t think anyone would say, gee, I wish I had one more case in my office, they’d say, gee I wish I had more time with my family.”

Kelly Curro Anthony Curro, taking him to the variety of sports he takes part of in the local community. Her greatest accomplishment in life has less to do with her job and more to do with her family, which is most important to her.

“At the end of the day I don’t think anyone would say, gee, I wish I had one more case in my office, they’d say, gee I wish I had more time with my family.”

Curro and her husband of 17

years, Anthony Curro, originally met through one of Curro’s best friends at college, who is Anthony’s cousin. The Reverend Christopher DeGiovine, who performed the wedding ceremony, said, “I saw how happy they were together and I was extremely happy that Kelly had found love.”

Anthony, a physical education teacher, works for the Watervliet Elementary School District and attended graduate school at The College of Saint Rose to earn his administrator certificate.

Their son, 11, was diagnosed at age 2 with a form of autism called Pervasive Developmental Disorder/Not Otherwise Specialized or PDD/NOS. He attends the Friday Knights program at Saint Rose run by Dr. Susan DeLuke.

DeLuke said Curro’s son, Anthony, always manages to make her smile.

Curro’s son has been involved with the Friday Knights program since he was in second grade, his favorite activity being yoga.

Curro’s favorite part about the Friday Knights program is the parents group that is offered. She finds the support group a chance to not only help other parents but a chance to connect with them to open up social opportunities for the children. During the Friday Knights Parent group, Curro is often called on to share information and experiences with other parents, being called a “strong mentor” by DeLuke.

“Kelly is a very important member of the autism community who has helped to educate both family members and professional. As professional there is much that we can learn from parents.

We are lucky to have her in the Capital Region,” said DeLuke Besides the Friday Knights program, Curro has attended her 20 year reunion at Saint Rose and been invited to attend Returning Officers of Student Association or ROSA events.

Back when Curro attended Saint Rose, she was involved in a number of clubs and organizations on campus. Residence As-

January 15, 2013

Kelly Curro and her son, Anthony. sistant her junior year and Vice President of the Student Association her senior year. One of her most memorable experiences at Saint Rose were the trips to Silver Bay where they had Student Association Officer Training. She was also active in campus ministry.

DeGiovine described Curro as “bright, intelligent, inquisitive, engaging, and fun,” someone who “was always treasured as a leader in the group.”

Curro always knew that she wanted to pursue a career in law.

“I choose Saint Rose because I knew I was planning to go to law school,” said Curro. Saint Rose with Albany Law created a program where students attended Saint Rose for three years before starting law school their senior year. She said that being the first to participate in the new program was a challenge because she only had three years to complete all

Volume 81 Issue 17

LAUREN KLOSE

of her liberal arts and major requirements, not allowing her the opportunity to take some of the more entertaining classes.

Though often busy with school work, Curro did have time for other activities at Saint Rose, including wiffle ball and kickball in the parking lot behind Lally and eating meals with her friends in the dining hall. Saint Rose played a big impact on who she is today and has her former academic advisor Sister Agnes Rose Burton to thank for keeping her on track.

Having grown close with more people in college then she did in high school, the friends she made at Saint Rose are the friends she looks forward to seeing and the ones that she will keep for life.

“I could have commuted but that was never really an option because I felt that I would miss out on an opportunity that makes the college experience totally unique.” said Curro.

News Young Saint Rose Alumna Plans Financial Futures

January 15, 2013

By BECKY WISNIEWSKI Contributing Writer Not everyone is capable of successfully planning their financial futures. However, one alumna from The College of Saint Rose is well prepared to tackle this remarkable line of work.

Katelyn Mockry, 26, completed her Saint Rose academic career in 2010 with a Master’s in Business Administration. Mockry is currently a senior financial planner for The Ayco Company in Albany. She provides financial

“Katelyn was quite honestly the best intern I can remember us having here in the 13 years I have worked for DASNY.” Todd Meyer planning to employees of Fortune 500 or very large companies. The names of these companies must be kept confidential for privacy reasons.

Mockry devotes her life to plan and educate her clients about retirement planning, cash-flow and life insurance.

Mockry’s most honorable accomplishment at work thus far at Ayco is her two promotions since she started two and half years ago. Mockry is very happy and proud of how far she has come in such a short period of time.

While Mockry is required to be an expert for her clients, she claims that she is her own expert when it comes to her life.

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“I’ve learned a lot,” said Mockry. As a financial planner for others, she has come to terms with her own financial status. Mockry gives an example of retirement planning. She says that saving and planning for retirement will benefit everyone in the long run – the earlier the better.

As with most careers, there are challenges. Mockry says that the most challenging part of her line of work is dealing with tough client situations such as debt issues.

“It can be challenging to help people get through,” she said. “It is a great feeling when you help someone change their situation for the better.” Mockry says that making a difference in her client’s lives is her daily accomplishment.

Mockry is well qualified for planning financial futures.

“I have received my Series 7 and Series 66 professional licenses by taking intensive exams for both. The Series 7 makes me a General Securities Representative, and the Series 66 makes me a Registered Investor Adviser Representative,” she said.

These professional licenses allow Mockry to sell and trade investments. They are essential for her job as a financial planner.

To help her prepare for the job, Mockry held an internship in 2009 with The Dormitory Authority. Mockry’s two supervisors during this internship, Tracey Raleigh and Todd Meyer, said Mockry was an extremely motivated, positive and hard worker.

“Katelyn is a breath of fresh air. She brought a lot of positive energy to our Unit,” Raleigh said in an e-mail. Mockry completed her work with limited direction from her supervisors.

“Katelyn was quite honestly the best intern I can remember us having here in the 13 years I have worked for DASNY,” Meyer said in an e-mail.

Mockry’s positive energy and

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hardworking personality not only enabled her to do her job well, but also to learn what it is like working in a financial career.

While a student at Saint Rose, Mockry was very involved.

Originally from Plattsburgh, NY, Saint Rose was a perfect fit for her because of the small, closeknit environment and friendliness of the people.

As an undergrad, Mockry was president of Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society, vice president and president of the Student Events Board, a tutor in the business program, a R.A and also played tennis for the Golden Knights.

Her favorite accomplishment from her busy undergrad lifestyle was her involvement with the Student Events Board. Mockry learned to plan and organize events and manage budgets. It gave her real-life skills and experience in planning and management, outside of the classroom.

Not only did Mockry have a pas-

“It is a great feeling when you help someone change their situation for the better.”

Katelyn Mockry sion for leadership, she was also able to apply her work to her career in the future.

As a graduate student, Mockry worked very closely with Dr. Severin Carlson, the dean of business in a grad assistantship. In 2009, she worked for the business department in helping with the brand new developmental program that requires students to do

BECKY WISNIEWSKI

Saint Rose Alumna, Katelyn Mockry. internships for the business programs. During this time, Mockry made the internship manual for this program.

Even after graduation, Mockry has not completed her time and service for Saint Rose. In September, she was appointed as part of the Alumni Association Board of Directors.

“I’m brand new, but I’m excited.” Mockry said. The board helps plan Alumni weekend in June and fundraise money for freshmen scholarships. It allows her to be a part of Saint Rose, without being an actual student.

When Mockry has time in her every-day life for hobbies, she

likes to stay fit and healthy.

She plays indoor soccer in a women’s league once a week at Afrims Sports in Colonie and Latham. Mockry also enjoys participating in 5Ks and benefit walks. She ran the Color Me Rad 5K this year on Sept 22nd. Mockry also did the Making Strides for breast cancer walk on Oct. 21st.

Mockry advises students to get involved on campus. She emphasizes to focus in: “whatever you have a passion for.” Mockry leaves current college students with this piece of advice: “If you don’t know what you’re going to do, it’s okay. You will change your mind.”

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Rose Rock 2013

Continued from Page A1

ent,” said Myles Clendenin, Director of Social Activities of The Student Association and the man in charge of planning this year’s Rose Rock in its entirety. For this year’s music festival, Clendenin is seeking out “a range of different types of music so that everyone has a chance to have fun.”

The original list of 28 potential artists included genres such as pop, rock, punk, country, rap, hip-hop, and reggae.

For Clendenin, the planning process for this event began during the summer of 2012. Interested in hearing from his audience, Clendenin created a Rose Rock 2013 Facebook page, where students would have the opportunity to post the genres of music or certain artists they wanted to bring to campus. Students could also post activity ideas in this space.

From these suggestions, two rounds of voting have already been conducted for potential talent at Rose Rock. From the initial top 28 potentials, the list was narrowed down to a top ten. The top ten artists were then voted upon

on Blackboard in an online survey in December. These studentsuggested artists were Vanessa Carlton, Secondhand Serenade, Hellogoodbye, New Found Glory, Augustana, New Boyz, Asher Roth, Jeremih, Kevin Rudolf, and Mayday Parade, one of whom

“This Rose Rock will be different.”

Myles Clendenin will be the Rose Rock 2013 headlining act.

With the voting results, Clendenin is currently trying to find a headlining artist that is appropriate to perform on campus. That official announcement will be made later in the semester.

“I appreciated the coverage of all the genres in the potentials …

as well as from today and from the past,” said Erica Cotten, a junior and art major. However, Cotten also noted that “For every potential list of Rose Rock … I think that they put names out there that will win in votes, but will never actually come to Saint Rose because we’re such a small school.” While much of the current potential list fits her musical interests, “I think our size kind of limits the amount of great experiences that can happen here,” she said. Cotten added that “It kind of puts false hope on Rose Rock.”

Unimpressed with past performances, she said “Rose Rock hasn’t blown my mind yet, and though I hope it does this year, I won’t be holding my breath.”

Sophomore and MEISA member Courtney Becker said “I think it’s cool they are trying to open it up to different genres so everyone can find something they like,” adding “but I feel that adding other genres takes away from the ‘rock’ of Rose Rock.”

For the musically talented on campus, the beauty of Rose Rock is that it provides an extraordinary opportunity to play along-

January 15, 2013

KELLY PFEISTER

The energy from the bands was contagious, as students danced to music by Uncle Joel’s Comb during Rose Rock 2012.

KELLY PFEISTER

Several activities were set up for Rose Rock 2012, like a photobooth, funnel cake and a bouncy slide. side some nationally-acclaimed artists. Demo hearings are also being planned, for which artists

“I appreciated the coverage of all the genres in the potentials … as well as from today and from the past.”

Erica Cotten

KELLY PFEISTER

Crowd surfing became a popular activity during Streetlight Manifesto’s time on stage at Rose Rock 2012.

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interested in a supporting act position can submit samples of their music, and other students will vote on which music they’d like to see perform at their campus

festival.

While much of the planning for Rose Rock 2013 is still in the works, many announcements from The Student Association will follow as the semester unfolds. For detailed updates on Rose Rock throughout the semester, please check facebook.com/ RoseRock2013.

Here’s the list of potential performers at Rose Rock 2013: -Vanessa Carlton -Secondhand Serenade -Hellogoodbye -New Found Glory -Augustana -New Boyz -Asher Roth -Jeremih -Kevin Rudolf -Mayday Parade Reach Lauren Halligan at Halliganl567@strose.edu

Arts B7 Django Unchained is Bloody, Brutal, Brilliant

January 15, 2013

By ANDY GILCHRIST Contributing Writer “I like the way you die, boy.”

This line, spoken by slaveturned-bounty-hunter Django in writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, describes not just Django’s hate for the man who beat his wife, but all African Americans’ fury over slavery, one of the darkest chapters in American history, and contemporary audiences’ love of violence. In his newest film, Tarantino attempts to confront the issue of slavery through a bizarre western-meets-exploitation style that, like most of his work, defies any genre and comes up with a film that is hilarious, disgusting, and extremely important.

The film opens with Django (Jamie Foxx) being rescued from slavery by German bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Schultz and Django come to an understanding: Django will help Schultz capture three brothers with bounties on their heads and in return, Schultz will help

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Django find and free his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington).

After collecting several bounties, they discover that Broomhilda was sold to the plantation of charming, yet sadistic, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), who enjoys watching slaves fight to the death. They devise a plan to enter Candie’s ranch, the comically-named Candyland, and run off with Broomhilda, but Candie’s head slave Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) suspects that “sumpthin’ up with these two,” putting the plan, and all of their lives, in jeopardy.

All films dealing with a national tragedy, such as the Holocaust or slavery, are guaranteed to be powerful and moving, and Tarantino’s is no exception. He holds nothing back, showing slaves being whipped, branded, and attacked by dogs. While some might find it odd, even offensive, that a white man tells a story about slavery, especially an exploitation-style one where a former slave seeks bloody vengeance on his former masters, Django Unchained treats

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Quentin Tarantino was at the film’s French premiere in Paris.

the painful subject with respect to those who suffered. It is Django’s revenge against the white man, while serving as an avatar for all current and former slaves and their descendants up to the present and beyond, that makes the film so affecting.

Yet, despite showing reverence for such a tender issue, Tarantino instantly makes the film his own.

First off, despite taking place in the Deep South, he mixes genres and presents it in the form of a 1960s Italian Spaghetti western, evident in the opening credits and music played over the first scene.

Even Django’s name comes from the protagonist of such a movie.

Secondly, like using a David Bowie song in his previous film, 2009s World War II epic Inglourious Basterds, he uses music from a different era and not only does it make the film more entertaining, but it accentuates the scenes they’re in as well.

Jim Croce’s “I Got a Name” from 1973 shows Django becoming more than just a slave and later, a unique mash-up of James Brown’s 1973 hit “The Payback” is spliced together with Tupac’s posthumous 2006 single “Untouchable” during the climactic shootout, elevating Django to near superhuman levels.

Third, the film showcases some of the best villains in recent memory. DiCaprio’s Calvin Candie is a charismatic Southern gentleman who enjoys violence; his reaction to discovering Django and Schultz’s plan, its rise from soft conversation to uncontrollable rage, is genuinely terrifying.

Jackson’s head slave Stephen, meanwhile, is Uncle Tom in the flesh. Having totally betrayed his people to the white authority, Stephen proves to be an even more twisted bad guy than Candie.

Both characters hold their own against previous sadistic Tarantino antagonists such as Vic Vega, Bill, and Hans Landa.

But it is the profanity and the violence within the film that will certainly be most talked about.

Since the film takes place in the

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The cast of Diango Unchained, Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson.

Deep South, the N-word is used as often as a person blinks. While such language may be off-putting to many viewers, it is only done in the spirit of historical accuracy.

Such lines have gotten Tarantino into hot water before, but here he has nothing to worry about as it fits in with the historical context of the story.

The violence meanwhile, is overt and frequent, or, business as usual for Tarantino. Django Unchained is especially bloody when compared to his earlier works, with the climactic shootout featuring geysers of blood exploding out of bodies already filled with bullet holes. It is so over the top it becomes comical, much like the climax of his earlier Kill Bill Vol. 1, and takes away a bit from

the seriousness of the story. Yet, Tarantino may be making a statement about modern audiences.

Will they allow such ultra-violence if it is from a former slave onto a slave owner? One cannot walk out of the theater without being in awe of the violence on screen, but also be amazed at the crowd’s cheers every time blood is spilled.

Tarantino’s Django Unchained confronts important issues with the respect they deserve. While it falls just short of his previous masterpieces, such as Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, it is still one of the most entertaining films of the year and an excellent addition to Tarantino’s filmography.

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Arts

The Chronicle

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

Kickin’ It With KJ: The Best Music of 2012

By KEVIN JACOB Staff Writer Welcome everyone, to another glorious edition of Kickin’ It With KJ. I know that we’ve all just come back to school and are getting situated so, I’m going to give you a glimpse of the old with my Best of 2012 list. Last year was a time for quality time for music, and it looks as if 2013 could be even better with some heavy hitters such as Kid Cudi, J. Cole, and possibly Eminem dropping new albums. Let’s start off the list.

Best Albums of 2012 1. Kendrick Lamar Good Kid, M.a.a.D. City: It came close between Good Kid and Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange for the best album of 2012. Kendrick just edged out Mr. Ocean in the end. Songs like “Money Trees” and “Sing About Me, I’m Dying For Thirst” shaped this album to end up being a potential CLASSIC. We’ll see if it holds up to that same status in a few years.

2. Frank Ocean Channel Orange: This album was, point-blank, the soundtrack to my summer. It’s just so damn catchy and good spirited. It’s an album you can kick back with. Songs such as “Sweet Life,” “Super Rich Kids,” and, “Crack Rock” are not only strong instrumentally, but vocally as well. With this album, Frank Ocean proves he’s the best R&B singer in the game right now.

3. Nas Life Is Good: This is also an album I bumped quite a bit this summer. Nas is one of the best rappers today and a long standing vet in the rap game. But one thing about Nas is that his albums always lack solid production to go with his rhymes. Fear not, because besides Illmatic, this is Nas’ bestproduced album. Nas rips the mic without missing a beat and proves that he still has it with tracks such as “Bye Baby,” “Queens Story,” and, “Black Bond”. “Stay” was one of the best songs I’ve heard all year.

4. Game Jesus Piece: The Game dropped his fifth solo LP towards the end of the year and proves that he’s saved the best for last. With a slew of high profile guest appearances and climatic-sized bangers, Game showed a lot of growth. And if you’re weary about this album, let me tell you, it’s way better then R.E.D. 5. Roc Marciano Reloaded: Flat out, Roc to me wins the Best Lyricist of the Year award. The man is the definition of what New York hip-hop is supposed to be: raw lyrics that seem almost cinematic at times with grimy beats and punchlines that’ll make you rewind the track on your iPod. Reloaded had it all, and that’s why it made my top five.

6. Tame Impala Lonerism: Out of all of the albums on this list, this is really the only rock album, and for good reason. It’s a really trippy, psychedelic rock album that kind of reminds me of The Beatles’ Revolver in a way. Very thorough album and a good listen all the way through.

7. Ab-Soul Control System: From tracks concerning social commentary to songs about getting ratchet, Soulo has it all and executes it almost perfectly. It’s another solid release from the TDE camp.

8. T.I. Trouble Man: Heavy is the Head: No Mercy was a step down for T.I., but he’s rebounded back to being the dope man that everybody loves. A mix of trap heavy tracks with laid back cruise jams make for a solid listen. Add in some great features from Andre 3000, ASAP Rocky, and Meek Mill, and the argument can come into the play that the king has reclaimed his throne once again.

9. Yuna Yuna: I don’t quite know how to sum up Yuna’s self-titled debut album.

It’s tender, sweet, and light hearted and with a couple of Pharell beats you could sum it up to be a fun pop record, which it is. But with the somber “Lullabies,” Yuna shows you her true diversity, and whether the song turns out to be happy or sad, it comes out to be gold regardless.

DUSTIN C. SMITH/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Kendrick Lamar’s Good Kid, M.a.aD. City tops the KJ’s list of best albums of 2012.

10. Beach House Bloom: Bloom just may be the best album that the duo has put out. The album is very dreamy, but in a good way. With lead singer Victoria Legrand’s airy vocals, you feel like you’re up in the clouds and the sun is beaming right on you with a slight wind. This album was great.

Honorable Mentions: • • • • •

Schoolboy Q Habits and Contradictions Odd Future Odd Future Vol. 2 Big K.R.I.T. Live from the Underground 2 Chainz Based on a TRU Story Oddissee People Hear What They See

CHRIS/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange was a close second for the best album of the year.

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

Best Music of 2012 (Cont.)

Best Mixtapes of 2012 1. Wiz Khalifa Taylor Allderdice: This mixtape to me was what a Wiz album should sound like. The Taylor Gang general spits some of his best bars and had some of the best beats of his career on this tape. Songs such as “MIA Wallace,” “Amber Ice,” and “Nameless” are just laidback bangers. For a mixtape, this killed.

2. Two-9 Two-9 Forever: This mixtape from the newcomers of Two-9 could be described as the word that summed up 2012…“Ratchet”. In all of its ratchet-ness, Two-9 shows not only a bit of lyrical ability, but their emotional songs are just as good as their more ratchet tracks.

This mixtape had something for everybody to enjoy.

3. Rick Ross Rich Forever: This was better than God Forgives, I Don’t, and it’s not even close. This should’ve been his album. Plus, it gave us one of hiphop’s most memorable lines of the year: “B---- you wasn’t with me shooting in the gyyyyym!”

4. Pro Era Peep the aPROcalypse: Yes, it’s spelled correctly. Before I get into why this mixtape was so dope, I wanted to say R.I.P. to Pro Era member Capital Steez who died on Christmas Eve. Gonna have a moment of silence for him……Now the tape. Joey Bada$$ shows off his crew Pro Era, and let me tell you, even though Joey (and at the time Steez) were the best of the pack, the rest of the crew actually has talent. Similar to Joey’s 1999 tape, this tape makes you feel like it’s the 90’s again where rapping actually took skill. Very impressive mixtape. (Full review soon to come).

5. Chief Keef Back from the Dead: To be straight up, 2012 was the year of Chief Keef. With heavy singles such as “I Don’t Like” and “Love Sosa,” the kid was ablaze upon the music scene this year.

As a Keef fan myself, I thought that his debut album Finally Rich was good. But, Back from the Dead is the best thing Keef has put out to date. Check it out.

6. Domo Genesis and The Alchemist No Idols: This project was hard. Domo’s lyrical ability has increased greatly and The Alchemist is always a sure thing on the boards. Add in some nice features by Earl Sweatshirt, Freddie Gibbs, and Prodigy, and you’ve got yourself a winner with No Idols.

7. A$AP Mob Lords Never Worry: A$AP Rocky showcased the rest of the gang on this mixtape and it was one that I really enjoyed. Although you probably won’t enjoy the whole group, you’ll definitely come away with having a better sense of what A$AP is really about. Side note: Ferg’s got next.

8. Action Bronson and Party Supplies Blue Chips: Action definitely had a breakout year with this project and his Rare Chandeliers mixtape with The Alchemist. Blue Chips was slightly better in my eyes, but both are definitely worth checking out.

Arts

The Chronicle

Best Songs of 2012

1. Wiz Khalifa “MIA Wallace”: Easily one of the best songs of Taylor Allderdice, This was my favorite and most played song of the year. Just so mellow.

2. Chief Keef “I Don’t Like”: Flat out this song is amazing. “Turning Up” to the max.

3. G.O.O.D. Music “Mercy”: I’m gonna bet that at least once in 2012 you bumped this. In most cases, you probably bumped it way more then once. It also had a breakout verse of a favorite artist of mine that goes by 2 CHAAAINNNZZZ. 4. Frank Ocean “Sweet Life”: Even though I can’t sing (at all) this is one that I just can’t help but singing when it comes on.

5. Rick Ross “Stay Schemin”: One of Ross’s biggest hits to date, and also brought us a betterthan-usual Drake verse. Add the coming out party of French Montana *Haaaaan* and you’ve got one of the best songs of the year.

6. Odd Future “Oldie”: Almost ten minutes long and everyone that performs on here kills it.

7. Nas “Stay”: One of the best tracks of the year comes from Life is Good. The

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jazzy soul sample caught me hard on this one. Nas is also spitting some real game on here. Very worthy of making this list.

8. Flatbush Zombies “Thug Waffle”: A little dark. A little funny.

An infectious hook. And it’s just something different.

9. Kirko Bangz ft. Paul Wall “Lettin’ Them Know”: This is my dark horse. For a while, there was a period where I couldn’t go a day without listening to this. Very smooth and just makes for a great tune to bang out of your car. It’s also Trill as hell.

10. Kendrick Lamar ft. Gun play “Cartoons and Cereal”: Kendrick brings dope bars as always. Gunplay’s the most emotional and vulnerable we’ve ever seen him. And that beat is SLAPPING. Hardest bass I’ve heard all year.

Reach Kevin Jacob at jacobk622@strose.edu • Twitter:@KJTheKing30 9. Big K.R.I.T. 4eva N a Day: This mixtape by K.R.I.T. was in some ways better than his debut album Live from the Underground. It had better beats, more heartfelt lyrics, and was just overall a better giving effort out of one of the best from the south.

10. Dom Kennedy The Yellow Album: Another mixtape that got some serious burn from me in this past year was Dom’s Yellow Album.

“My Type of Party,” “We Ball,” and, “Been Thuggin” made for some great jams to just kick back and party to.

Honorable Mentions: • Freddie Gibbs BFK • Flatbush Zombies D.R.U.G.S. • Mac and Cheese 3 French Montana • GrandeMarshall 800 • Joey Badass 1999

MY CANON/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Allerdice was one of 2012’s best mixtapes.

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The Chronicle

Arts

Abraham Lincoln: Husband, Father, President, and Vampire Hunter

By ALISSA PETSCHE Staff Writer Action, mystery, fantasy and history all rolled into one make Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter a must-see for those who enjoy something a little out of the ordinary. Despite the immediate laughter and dismissal of most moviegoers when they first saw the preview for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, those willing to suspend a certain amount of disbelief can appreciate this film. The truth is the film is based on a very smart book by Seth Grahame-Smith (Also the author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies).

The story centers on a secret diary kept by President Lincoln throughout his entire life starting with when a vampire killed his mother when he was a boy and following his subsequent decision to dedicate his life to avenging her death. It takes history and fills in the gaps with fiction.

A common criticism of books adapted for the screen is always, “The book was better,” but in this case Seth Grahame-Smith, the author, also wrote the screen-

play so it’s his vision of what the book should look like on screen.

While there are a few stark differences, they are necessary to fit the timeframe of a movie. In a book an author has pages upon pages to weave his tale with as much depth and explanation as he deems necessary where as on screen certain things are needed to move the plot along.

One of the biggest differences between the book and the movie was that in the book there was no main antagonist. In the movie the character Adam, “from whom all others are made,” was added as the antagonist and Lincoln’s greatest threat. The ending of the book and the movie differ greatly but are both excellent (I won’t share them simply to keep from spoiling it for anyone!). Aside from those two things most of the differences are fairly subtle and aren’t significant enough to really change the base of the story.

The movie was directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Director of Wanted and the vampire franchise Night Watch and Day Watch) so it goes without saying the fight scenes were extremely well-done and entertaining. They

were fluid and believable with just the right amount of gore. In one scene, Lincoln even chops down an entire tree in one axe swipe after prodding by his friend Henry Sturges (Dominic Cooper). That is followed by what I believe to be one of the greatest lines in the entire film delivered

by Cooper’s with chill-inducing perfection. “Power, Lincoln, real power, comes not from hate, but from truth.”

With a cast of fairly unknown actors, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter may not be grand enough to launch any careers, but it has certainly put a few more people on my list of actors to keep an eye on, mainly Benjamin Walker who plays Abraham Lincoln (an looks eerily like the former president), and Rufus Sewell who plays Adam and definitely has a future as a true Hollywood villain.

All in all, the movie is a fun flick that delivers on exactly what it promises: Abraham Lincoln kicking vampire butt. As long as you don’t go in holding the film’s premise against it and are willing to suspend belief for around two hours, you’ll have a blast with it.

MY CANON/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Benjamin Walker being prepped to play an alternate vampire-hunting version of President Lincoln.

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

I Can’t Believe You Watched That: My Top Seven Favorite Superhero Movies

By RACHEL M. BOLTON Managing Editor Over the past decade, Superhero movies have become a summer staple. They usually tend to be good fun or if we are lucky, thought-provoking. So here is a list of my seven favorite superhero movies.

7. The Amazing Spiderman (2012) I don’t know why this movie got as much hate as it did. I thought that it was better than the three previous ones combined. It portrayed Peter Parker’s origin story in a more realistic manner, showing the problems that come with being a superhero. Sure it had its plot holes, but hopefully the sequel will clear that up. Plus, this film has the best Stan Lee cameo of all time.

6. Iron Man 2 (2010) Robert Downey Jr. chews the scenery here as Tony Stark. The villains are rather okay, but his antics make up for that fact. My favorite moment is watching him fight Rhodie while Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” plays in the background. Pepper Pots is at her best here, showing that you don’t need to be a superhero to be awesome.

5. Thor (2011) Thor is my favorite hero from the marvel cinematic universe. He is not as bright as the rest of them, but ultimately well-meaning. It’s great fun watching him try to interact in our world with our pop tarts and horses. This film also introduces the villain Loki to the female population’s joy.

4. Mega Mind (2010) Super hero movies can get rather predictable after a while.

Mega Mind is a familiar tale with a perspective flip. Instead

of following the hero, we meet the hapless villain and his fish minion. It lovingly parodies the genre, while doing something new with it. Who doesn’t want to see the villain win every once and a while?

3. The Avengers (2012) This film was able to juggle all of its cast members without giving any one more attention than the others. The best part was watching all the characters that you have followed for several films interact with each other.

Director Joss Whedon was able to have conflict within the team without it becoming nothing but whining. The Avengers also made all of us look at shawarma in a new way.

2. The Dark Knight (2008) What else can be said about this film? The Dark Knight was brutal and you forgot you were watching a superhero movie.

I love the fact that it was brave enough to do things that a regular superhero movie would avoid—a thing that its sequel would forget with its own ending.

1. X-2 (2003) The second X-Men movie handled its ensemble cast better than it predecessor (and far better than its sequel would too). X-2 was darker with higher stakes, and shows what the characters can and can’t handle. I love this movie because it maintains the humor of the story, while having some very tense moments. It’s my favorite film, because it does not follow the traditional formula of a superhero film, and because it is not Wolverine who saves the day in the end.

Reach Rachel M. Bolton at boltonr413@strose.edu

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

Mid-Season Premieres for the Week of January 15th-21st January 15

9:00 Face Off SyFy

Arts

January 17

9:00 Anger Management FX

10:00 King of the Nerds TBS

10:30 Legit FX January 18

8:00 Fringe (series finale) FOX January 21

9:00 The Following (series premiere) FOX

NBC’s Deception Full of Mystery and Intrigue Yes, you killed Vivian Bowers. Or your roommate did it. Or maybe it was your colleague. It might as well have been any of you. That’s the sort of web NBC’s newest mystery spins. Deception lets us into the world of the rich and lets us in on a little secret: they’ve got problems, and a lot of them. Murder, corporate corruption, love-triangles, and mistaken identities—no one is who they say they are.

When wealthy socialite Vivian is found dead in her hotel room, her death is initially attributed to a drug overdose. After all, isn’t that what we’ve come to expect from the exceedingly well-off? FBI agent Will Moreno (Laz Alonso) thinks otherwise. Enlisting the help of Detective Joanna Locosto (Meagan Good), a former friend of Vivian’s, the pair sets out to prove that Vivian’s death was a homicide connected to a secret about her father’s pharmaceutical company. Of course, that’s easier said than done. Joanna must go undercover at the Bowers estate to investigate potential leads.

However, she is not immediately welcomed back with open arms. Vivian’s father, Robert, seems likable enough, except that he’s cheating on his second wife, Sophia. Seemingly unaffected, even relieved that Vivian is dead, Sophia sips her wine all day and lives to act the part of mother without much success. The Bowers children include Edward, a snake of a man who doesn’t trust Joanna one bit, bad-boy Julian, Joanna’s former love-interest, and Mia, the youngest girl with questionable maternity.

If this sounds like it bears any resemblance to ABC’s Revenge, you wouldn’t be far off. Deception can easily fall into the reemerging nighttime-soap genre a la Dallas. Yes, it deals with rich people doing very, very bad things, but that’s where the similarity ends.

Where Revenge seems to delight itself with campy villains and inyour-face decadence, Deception treats the wealthy Bowers like real people who just happen to have a lot of money. Beneath the veneers of designer clothing and imported furniture, the characters have more depth.

For the most part, each character is well-cast. Good’s Joanna is a heroine audiences will want to root for. Her connection and concern for Vivian is genuine, making her more character more than just someone plunked in the middle of things.

Robert (Victor Garber of Alias and Titanic) plays, as usual, a generally likable character who is flawed beneath his welcoming exterior. Garber seamlessly slips into the character’s skin, allowing audiences to see two sides of a vulnerable man.

Boozy Sophia Bowers is played with ease by Katherine LaNasa.

Here, she plays the expected role of evil stepmother, a role that can quickly fall into absurdity. Yes, she’s never seen without her wine glass, but her comments about Vivian are always serious with perfect hints of scorn. Anything more would make her a Real Housewife, which isn’t what this show needs.

Ella Rae Peck as Mia Bowers also stands out. Mia could have easily been another angst-ridden, unlikable, rich-kid brat. Peck handles the role with just the right

amount of teenage brooding and sarcasm, and adds a layer of sympathy on top to balance it out.

With solid acting comes a need for solid storytelling. While the premise of a cop undercover at the home of the social elite sounds great, it’s obvious it can only go so far. Joanna can’t remain a guest there forever. The trick is going to be carrying on the ruse past a few episodes and move the story into new territory, otherwise, no one is going to care who killed Vivian Bowers. Sustaining the intrigue while moving the plot along is going to be essential.

Fans of action-packed, fastpaced entertainment aren’t going to find it here. Deception is old-fashioned in the sense that it’s not rushing to tell the story to instantly gratify viewers, nor does it make its characters public displays of immorality. Rather, it drops small bits of information an episode at a time, making viewers beg for more. We want to see what lies beneath the Bowers’ facades, not relish in campy fluff.

While a bit of melodrama exists, it’s just enough to connect us with the characters instead of alienating us.

Deception might not be a television classic, but the potential exists. Surprise plot twists and unexpected discoveries are rampant, and that’s only in the first episode. With great acting and a complex, but not overly confusing storyline, it’s the kind of show you’ll want to see through to the end. Then again, things are never as they seem.

Reach Chris Surprenant at surprenantc572@strose.edu

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! We tweet weekly updates from our own little space in the Twitterverse. © Glenn Francis, www.PacificProDigital.com

Meagan Good, the star of NBC’s new mystery Deception.

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You Killed Vivian Bowers!

By CHRIS SURPRENANT Arts Editor

January 16

8:00 American Idol FOX

The Chronicle

Follow us @strosechronicle.

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Opinion

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

Finally a Deal From Capitol Hill

By KATHERINE BAKAITIS Staff Writer Headlining news pierced its way through media as we all tried to relax and enjoy our intersession break. Some of it was good (the world did not end on December 21), while other news was more tragic (the Sandy Hook massacre). Then, we had the “meh” moments breaking headlines, such as the fiscal cliff deal, or at least it seemed unimportant to some. Though the fiscal cliff talks may have seemed boring (and ridiculous) at times, the inevitability of falling over the cliff approached closer with each passing day. Naturally, Congress moved with their typical lethargic pace they are known for, despite the crippling aftermath it could have had on the lower and middle classes (and the economy itself).

A deal was eventually reached on the last day of December when a deal was due before January 1 – nothing like waiting until the last minute to do their job. When an employee in other jobs put off their work, they are put on a kind of probation period, or fired.

Weeding out the officials who do not do their job is not in the government’s fashion – it is up to us, the people, to fire them!

First things first; what is the fiscal cliff? I bet you all remember the installation of the Bush tax cuts during W’s terms in office. Well, they were due to expire January 1, 2013, and that meant taxes would be on the rise if Congress did not act on it. President

Obama’s plan is to alleviate the tax burden on the middle class by taxing the rich, people who make over $400,000 per year, even more so that lower income families do not lose much needed money. When people have more money, they spend more of it, and when that happens, the gears in the economy turn a little faster. Obama also proposed to cut 930 billion dollars in spending.

Speaker of the House, Republican John Boehner and the rest of his conservative minions had a different plan in mind. They proposed to raise taxes on people earning one million dollars over per year and have the tax rate lower than President Obama’s proposal. They also would plan to instill more spending cuts. So who’s plan is more correct? Neither proposal was going to completely work, so that is why they needed to comprise for a better strategy.

Actually, neither side really won. Republicans accepted higher taxes for the wealthiest Americans and Democrats accepted a higher threshold for how much income will face a higher tax rate. President Obama had to break his promise to raise tax rates on annual household incomes above $250,000 and individuals who earn $200,000.

Those incomes were the top 2% of earners in America, but the deal has left the U.S. with a new definition “wealthy”. Now, individuals who make $400,000 annually and families who take in $450,000 per year are considered

the top 2%. Unfortunately, the deal does not address an increase in payroll taxes. No legislation to address the fiscal cliff is expected to. Now, the cut on those taxes has expired. Americans earning $30,000 a year will take home $50 less per month. Those earning $113,700 will lose $189.50 a month. Although House Speaker John Boehner supported the bill, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, opposed it, as did most Republicans in the House. So while the Senate vote was an overwhelming 89 to 8, the House vote was 257 to 167. The vast majority of House Democrats supported the bill.

So that is what the entire hubbub was about. Despite all the fighting and media attention, and sighs of relief when a deal was reached, we may still face more fiscal cliffs in the possible near future. The deal delays a series of automatic cuts in federal spending, for two months. In the meantime, the Senate plan calls for $12 billion in new revenue and another $12 billion in spending cuts. These spending cuts are to be split between defense and nondefense spending. Just when you probably thought we were finished, Congress still needs to reach an agreement on how to handle the debt ceiling, and the continuing budget resolution.

Yes people, there is more fun just around the corner.

Reach Katherine Bakaitis at bakaitisk161@strose.edu

ATTENTION CLUB MEMBERS!

Would you like to have your club’s voice heard in The Chronicle? Contact Opinion Editor Regina Iannizzotto at iannizzottor407@strose.edu.

These are the Overheards that may not have made the deadlines for last semester. Don’t forget to keep an ear out and send those Overheards our way!

Guy in Centennial: “Wait, there’s a Today Show and a Tonight Show? Where’s the Afternoon Show?”

Guy in Centennial: “A hobbit is not radiant.”

Girl in Dorm: “Nascar is painful. I can’t stand watching things go around in circles.”

Girl in Lally: “I haven’t broken the law in a while. I should do that sometime. It feels good every once in a while.”

Girl on Quad: “What’s going on with that stool?

It’s fluffy. It looks like he’s sitting on a cloud.”

Girl in St. Joe’s: “Did you ever see a haunting in Connecticut? I didn’t shower for a week. Well, I did shower, but i made my sister come in the bathroom with me because I thought the shower curtain would suffocate me.”

Guy at St. Joe’s: “I kind of want to sit towards the back of the bus like in middle school. It’s where the cool kids sit, except I didn’t. I sat towards the middle.”

Girl Walking: “I can’t believe her car came with an iPad. I wish my car would just come with an eyepatch.”

Girl in Dining Hall: “I also would have had an automatic starter if my sister wouldn’t have been so paranoid and ripped the wires out with her bare hands.”

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

Opinion

Word Wheel

A Transfer’s Perspective A New Year, Clean Slate, New Chapter: Spring 2013

By LAUREN SEARS Staff Writer The New Year of 2013 is underway, or in other words, Christmas Break is over and the Spring Semester has commenced. Many people make New Year’s resolutions in hopes of obtaining a clean slate and a fresh start. Not only do I make New Year’s resolutions, but I take the time a week before the start of the new semester to write down semester resolutions, goals, and expectations for myself.

The first semester resolution/ goal/expectation is to stay organized. Academically I use a planner to write down assignments, important dates, etc. Since transferring to Saint Rose in the fall, I have become involved with five different organizations on campus. With that being said, my calendar filled up quickly and I often mixed up different events dates and times. In order to achieve this resolution, I went ahead and

bought a calendar for 2013 and put it in my organizations binder; that way I can write down events for every organization and see visually if a commitment overlaps.

My second resolution/goal/ expectation on the list is to explore more opportunities that are available on and off campus.

Such opportunities include community service, internships for the summer, volunteering in the Pine Hills Community, and helping students here at Saint Rose in the Writing Center. Learning what I have since I started college three semesters ago, there is nothing more valuable than using every resource and opportunity that comes your way through the college you attend.

My third resolution/goal/expectation is to put my new camera to good use. Taking pictures is something I love to do, especially when traveling back and forth to Albany every day. There is always an intriguing or beautiful image to capture; a picture is

worth a thousand words. I would also love to take glamour/fashion shots of my friends to start out with, and then start a photography business. Submitting pictures to The Chronicle will be a great start to fulfill this goal.

Finally, my last semester resolution/goal/expectation is to bring new and fresh ideas to all of the organizations I am involved in.

Now knowing how all of the organizations work, I think it is time for me to become more of a voice in each of them by expressing my ideas to my fellow peers.

A fresh start is something I look forward to every semester, and I cannot wait to start working on my resolutions and goals.

Happy New Year everyone, and best of luck with accomplishing your semester resolutions and goals!

Reach Lauren Sears at searsl534@strose.edu

www.puzzlechoice.com

Solutions available on www.strosechronicle.com

Positivity Word Search As the semester begins, take a moment to breathe deep and prepare yourself for the workload ahead.

Positivity Word Search

Regina Iannizzotto, Opinion Editor

By REGINA IANNIZZOTTO Opinion Editor

S U Y L U H N A A N I E

R E H S E R F E R O R E

S U P P O R T M I I E E

Adventure Appreciation Cherish Curious Encourage Lauren Sears’ agenda.

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H C R H E A R T Y T A E

T E R U T N E V D A Z T

R C I I U V N H T I F A

I H D O I N G S L C U V

U E N C O U R A G E N I

Funny Hearty Laugh Meditate Motivate

M R T A A I U U E R N T

P I U L I S S H R P Y O

H S U O I R U C I P U M

I H I V C P A T I A C N

Refresh Support Triumph Visualize Yes

Adventu Appreci Cherish Curious Encoura Funny Hearty Laugh Meditat Motivat Refresh Support Triumph Visualiz Yes

C14 Opinion A Lookback at Strose The Chronicle

January 15, 2013

Gun Violence and Mental Ilness

By ZACHARY OLSAVICKY News Editor

SAINT ROSE ARCHIVES

In 1955, four students were captured on camera at Triboro Hospital in Jamaica, NY (Long Island). From left to right, the nurses are Norma Szlias, Ann Roxbury, Dorothy Schlump, and Annmarie McKean. When there was a nursing program at The College of Saint Rose, students received clinical experience during their junior and senior years. They interned at numerous hospitals from around Syracuse to Long Island.

These included Saint Mary’s Hospital in Troy, Syracuse Memorial Hospital in Syracuse, Triboro Hospital in Jamaica (Long Island, NY), Trudeau Sanitorium (Saranac Lake, NY), and Central Islip State Hospital on Long Island. They also interned through the Visiting Nurse Association of Albany and the Albany County Health Department. The nursing program began in 1932. In 1942, it was altered to accomodate the need for nurses during World War II. This excelled the learning process and allowed the students to take their exams in their junior year instead of their senior year. The program ended in 1960.

(Courtesy of strose.edu and Reference Librarian Maria Kessler McShane)

A Look Back at Strose...

If you have any pictures of Albany or of saint rose from ten years ago or before, send them in with the location and date to chronicle@strose.edu!

Volume 81 Issue 17

Although media coverage of the mass murder in Newtown has died down, rhetoric in the political system surrounding the incident remains strong. Of the two topics that arose from the incident, gun access and mental health care, only gun control seems to remain a feature in the media narrative. While each has individual merit for action, a chilling combination of the two shows the need for action in both areas – and for constituents to demand that action.

Gun violence, particularly incidents involving semi-automatic weapons and other high-powered munitions, is clearly a problem in America. The rhetoric is also frightening at times, with a particular subset of gun owners worried that their weapons are at risk of being taken away by the federal government. The CEO of the NRA, Wayne LaPierre, claims President Obama is trying to “destroy the second amendment.”

What’s particularly chilling about the rhetoric is that it shares the same theme with Richard Poplawski, who in 2009 killed three officers of the Pittsburgh Police. Poplawski felt the Obama administration was infringing upon his right to own arms when, in fact, the President (marginally) expanded gun access rights.

It is worth noting that LaPierre made his statement years after the Poplawski shooting, and I do not mention it to draw personal ties between the two. But, for the CEO of the NRA (the National Rifle Association), an organization whose principles once focused primarily on gun safety, to say those things demonstrates an inability to grasp reality.

Mental health in America brings its own problems to the table. It is a field that is still a work in progress, although the trend seems to be moving in a positive direction. Institutionalization is on the decline and a new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of

Mental Disorders (DSM) comes out this spring. Things are far from rosy, though; per the Washington Post, almost a third of the country lives in areas where there are shortages of mental health experts, and many individuals who would otherwise be institutionalized have ended up in jail. The latter is less the problem of deinstitutionalization, however, as it is a problem of a failure of understanding mental health in the American legal system. I know from personal experience that mental health care helps, but often does not fulfill people’s needs as well as a physician can subscribe medicine to cure an illness.

Where the two collide is the darkest mark on both: firearmrelated suicides. Among all countries with data, the U.S. trails only Montenegro in per capita suicides by firearm. It is not difficult to understand why someone would shoot themselves in the head over any other suicide method: death by firearm involves aiming and firing at point-blank range, an act as physically simple as using a remote control. The sad truth is that each problem feeds off the other and both are problems that require strong action.

This is where I take issue with the sudden coverage of both topics: this is not news to those who were paying attention. These kids will die in vain if action is not taken, but that is the same result for all of the people who have died in past mass murders and guninduced suicides. Strong action could have and should have been taken to restrict firearm access in the past, but the political will was not there. With new legislative bodies meeting in Congress and statehouses across America, constituents will need to remain adamant about enacting real change for gun safety and mental health care. Otherwise, America will be resigned to the status quo in violence and illness Reach Zachary Olsavicky at olsavickyz977@strose.edu • Twitter: @zolsavicky

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

Sports

The Chronicle

D15

RGIII vs. Luck: First Edition

By SAM MAXWELL Staff Writer

However fair or unfair it is, Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck will always be mentioned in the same breath. Both play the quarterback position, and are seen as faces of their respective franchises even though they are just rookies, and are believed by fans as saviors. Many believe it was a toss up as to which of the two the Indianapolis Colts should have taken with the first overall pick in last year’s NFL draft. But now that both have completed their rookie campaign, it is clear as to who should have been selected first.

If you look at the statistics alone, you may think I was alluding to RGIII. He recorded 3200 passing yards, rushed for 815 yards (an obscene amount for a QB), and accounted for 27 touchdowns (passing and rushing) to just seven turnovers (fumbles lost and interceptions). On top of that, he had a passer rating of 102.4 which was good for third highest amongst quarterbacks who started 14 or more games.

When you compare those gaudy numbers to those of his counterpart Andrew Luck, the conversation should be over. While Luck did break the record of most passing yards by a rookie in a season with 4,374 yards, he accounted for 28 touchdowns (passing and rushing) to 23 turnovers (fumbles lost and interceptions). Also, his passer rating was a measly 76.5.

However, this is why statistics alone do not tell the full story.

While Luck did turn the ball over 16 more times that RGIII, he was also being asked to take more command of his offense than RGIII. Luck attempted 627 passes in his rookie season, fifth most amongst all quarterbacks.

RGIII 393 had pass attempts, 25th amongst quarterbacks. Luck almost completed as many passes, 339, as RGIII attempted.

Another aspect that should not be overlooked is the environment

both quarterbacks transitioned into. Griffin III went to a Washington Redskins team with a Super Bowl winning coach in Mike Shanahan, whose offensive strategy is run first, pass second. It is not coincidental that Washington had the number one rushing attack in the league this season averaging 169.3 yards per game.

Yes, RGIII was a large part of the rushing game, but by running the read-option offense, Griffin was put in more favorable passing situations because the defense did not know whether to play the pass or run. This opened passing lanes, and led to much easier completions.

Luck, on the other hand, had to replace one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history with a brand new offensive coordinator and head coach. If that wasn’t enough, then take into account the well-documented battle with leukemia that head coach Chuck

Pagano endured which forced him to miss most of the season.

Luck also did not have the luxury of having an elite rushing attack like RGIII. The Colts ranked 22nd in the league with 104.4 yards per game, which is the reason Luck had to attempt the fifth most passes in the league. Luck was the man on every play for the Colts, while RGIII could pick and choose his spots.

Finally, we come to the main reason why the Colts made the right choice between the twodurability. Andrew Luck is 6’4”, 234 lbs. If he were not a quarterback in the NFL I would guess he would be some sort of lumberjack. His body is built for the hits that quarterbacks take in the NFL. RGIII had surgery on his torn ACL and LCL last Wednesday. He initially suffered an injury to his knee on December 9th against the Baltimore Ravens, and then aggravated the injury

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Colts have appeared to win in the long-run by selecting Andrew Luck.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Robert Griffin III has ressurected the Redskins to playoff form, but injuries may harm his career in the future.

into a complete tear of the ACL and LCL last Sunday in the Redskins playoff game. This injury is now his second ACL tear, the first coming during his time at Baylor University in 2009. An ACL injury is a devastating injury to any NFL quarterback. However, it is especially devastating to RGIII because his game is predicated on his ability to run as well as pass.

Without the run game he is average at best. RGIII is now an injury liability, which is something you do not want the “future” of your franchise to be.

This season showed why the Indianapolis Colts made the right decision in last year’s NFL draft.

The Colts did the right thing in drafting the sure thing in Luck over the upside in RGIII. In gen-

eral, upside is a phenomenon that gets blown way out of proportion in sports. Give me a player that I know will be at least an eight every season for ten years over a player that may be a ten for two or three years but hasn’t proven anything.

That is why in sports, baseball especially, you can give away all the prospects you want, as long as I get a proven star in return.

I’ll take something I know over something I don’t.

What I do know is that in eight years Andrew Luck will still be playing at a high level barring any freak injury. What I don’t know is if RGIII will even be healthy for next year. Round one goes to Luck.

D16

The Chronicle

Sports

January 15, 2013

Volume 81 Issue 17

Golden Knights Look for More Successful 2013

COURTESY OF SAINT ROSE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

Both men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have gotten off to great starts.

By JOSHUA NATOLI Sports Editor As we all get settled back into our same old, but slightly different, routines on campus in 2013, Golden Knights athletic teams are looking to take advantage of the new beginning and turn in more successful seasons.

One team who seemed to be having no trouble at all on the court was the men’s basketball squad. After starting the season off hot with five wins without a loss, the Golden Knights have since fallen to 7-5 and 4-4 in the Northeast-10 conference dropping their last three contests.

What could be the cause of the recent decline?

A major reason is opponent’s points per game. During the fivewin stretch, opponents were averaging around 58 points against the Golden Knights. Since then, opponents are now averaging nearly 65 points per game.

Offense has never been an issue for the Golden Knights with three players; Andre Pope, Dominykas Milka, and Tyler Sayre.

All three are averaging double digits in scoring with Dan Mundweiler nearly matching them. The issue now is the ever-shrinking scoring margin between Saint Rose and their opponents. The

scoring margin, which was once hovering around fifteen points per game, is now 3.6. The rebounding margin is also an area of concern.

The Golden Knights are only averaging one and a half rebounds more than opponents. An increase in the margin will undoubtedly help the Golden Knights in the games to come by increasing their transition game, as well as leading to second-chance buckets. Their next game is Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. against Southern New Hampshire.

The women’s basketball team got off to a much different start than their male counterparts. After winning their first two contests, the Golden Knights lost their next six games, which now warrants them a 5-8 record and a 2-7 record in the Northeast-10 conference. The Golden Knights have however started their new year off favorably winning their first two games of 2013. In order for things to turn around into a successful season, the Golden Knights need to work on limiting opponents scoring while increasing their offensive efficiency.

Currently, the Golden Knights are giving up nearly four points in the scoring margin, while averaging .406 and .323 in field goal and three-point percentage respectively. Two of the biggest

changes that need to be made are free-throw percentage and turnovers. The Golden Knights are averaging just above fifty percent from the charity stripe and nearly 22 turnovers per game, while their opponents are only conjuring close to fifteen. The turnover issue is not only leading to buckets for opponents, but limiting scoring off turnovers for the Golden Knights. Their next contest precedes the men’s game on Wednesday at Southern New Hampshire at 5:30 p.m.

Both the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have been very successful this season and look to continue their dominance going into 2013. In the first action, the Golden Knights competed at the Hartwick Relays, where they placed second out of four competing teams.

They proceeded to win four more meets while only losing twice to both Hartwick and Southern Connecticut. A big contributor on the women’s side has been Caitlin Brauer. She has yet to finish any place lower than third this season, finishing in first place eight times.

For the men Joseph Krok has been very solid as well, only falling below third place three times.

Kyle Wilson has also paced the Golden Knights, placing first in five events and only dropping out of the top three twice. On the diving side, Ryan Butler, Dave Genender, and Matt Lisk have combined for four first place finishes and one finish outside of the top three. Next stop for them is the Northeast-10 Championships in New Haven, Connecticut starting on January 31st.

With a new year come new beginnings. These Golden Knights teams are all looking to rebound as the new semester gets going and take care of business on the court and in the water. Let’s see if they can all make some noise in the NE-10.

Reach Josh Natoli at Natolij477@strose.edu • Twitter: @JustJoshinYa845

COURTESY OF SAINT ROSE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

The women’s basketball team is looking to improve on a sub-par record.

COURTESY OF SAINT ROSE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

The men’s basketball team looks to get back to their early-season form.