The Chronicle
April 9th, 2013
The weekly student newspaper of The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York Visit us on the web at www.strosechronicle.com
Volume LXXXI Issue 28
Facebook Page Spurs Saint Baldrick’s Day Compliments, Copycats By ZACHARY OLSAVICKY News Editor It began with a popular collegiate pastime: procrastinating on Facebook. Resisting the urge to finish some homework, one College of Saint Rose student— whose identity remains a secret outside a group of four friends “sworn to secrecy”—saw a page where Virginia Tech students could anonymously compliment each other. “We all get stuck in our own worlds,” said the student, “and forget to appreciate those around us for all they do.” Thinking it would be a “good idea” for Saint Rose, the student set up a page called SaintRose Compliments. Little more than two weeks after being set up, the page has captivated students
and spawned a number of similar pages with a Saint Rose theme— though not all are appreciated by students at the college. SaintRose Compliments is one in a long line of compliments pages set up at colleges and universities around the world. The first compliments pages at Queen’s University, a 23,000-student school in Kingston, Ontario. Founded in early September of 2012, Queen’s U Compliments has added 5,000 friends—the maximum allowed on Facebook—and garnered media attention from outlets like Time Magazine and CBC. The compliments page at Saint Rose has yet to reach such a lofty number of friends—as of April 7, over 830 people were connected Continued on Page A7
The Persistence of Urban Poverty By SYDNEY PALUCH Contributing Writer
KELLY PFEISTER
Tess Leavay shaves her head in support of finding a cure for childhood cancer. Bottom left, Leavay sings “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables, accompanied by The Golden Notes, as the final pieces of her hair are shaved.
See Page A6 for More Photos From the Event News & Features
Arts & Opinion
Students learned of the contemporary issue of poverty and how it affects everyone at a panel discussion Wednesday, April 3. Occurring at the Hubbard Interfaith Sanctuary, the speakers first gave information about their personal connection to urban pov-
erty, then opened the discussion to questions. The panelists were Willie Baptist, author of The Pedagogy of the Poor and Scholar at the Poverty Initiative, Professor Risa Fausette, Professor Mark Ledbetter, and freshmen Waheera Mardah and Geneva McPherson. A standing-room-only crowd of Continued on Page A5
Sports
Preview for Garage to Glory. See pages A2
Saint Rose Camerata’s 10th Anniversary Celebration Finale Gala. See pages B12
Baseball back in the Bronx. See page D19
Making Math Meaningful with UNO. See pages A9
Twitter is the winner. See page C16
Student-athlete profile: Ryan Harper. See page D20
A2
The Chronicle
News
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
Garage to Glory:
Five Local Bands Competing for One Spot Come see your peers and St. Rose students perform their musical hearts out at St. Rose’s annual musical competition, Garage to Glory. The College of Saint Rose will be holding their fourth annual local music competition, Garage to Glory, on April 12, 2013 at 7 p.m. It will be held in the Communications Building at Jacks Place, introducing five local bands, each playing 15 minutes of their own music. The performances will take place in front of audience members, students, faculty and the judges, who will ultimately decide who the winner is. First place winners will receive a very professional music video and recording time in the St. Rose studio. On March 21, the competition dwindled down to ten bands, but only five can compete. Voting for the bands has been closed off as of Thursday, March 28. Fans have visited the Times Union Blog and voted for their favorite band to go through to the finals. The band “The Response Ability” has received the most votes, totaling in at 235, and is the first finalist announced for the competition. The remaining four finalists will be announced Thursday, April 4, and will be selected by a group of judges. Currently, the 10 semi-finalists are The Hearing Aides, The Meishlunday, The Primrose Path, Puddlejumper, Above the Flood, The Assortment of Crayons, Completely Over-Rated, Digital Dharma, Drew and the Grand Spectacular, and The Response-
Ability. All bands are required to be local unsigned talent, members must be at least 18 years old, they must play original music, and be able to perform on Friday, April 12, at 7 p.m. Michael Hickey, a senior Music Industry major at St. Rose was the drummer of the band “Between the Arctic,” who won last years’ Garage to Glory. Hickey explains what it was like; “It was a pretty exciting experience. I had played battle of the bands type shows before, and this was definitely the most extravagant thing
he was rooting for, Woods stated, “‘The Meishlunday!’ They are really good! And ‘Drew and the Grand Spectacular.’” While some may think that the competition can be easily won, hard work is a necessity, “We practiced quite regularly in preparation for the contest, but it was definitely well worth it, I'd say,” said Hickey. After winning the competition, “Between the Arctic” was able to use recording time in the St. Rose studio. “We ended up recording three songs and an interlude,” said Hickey. The band also just finished filming their music video for their song, “Hide and Seek”. Hickey states that the current bands should practice as much as possible, because the competition is tough. He also explains that a support system is greatly appreciated.“Students should go to support original music because their colleagues are some of the musicians performing in the competition.” Lauren Halligan, a Saint Rose senior Communications student, also attended the event in previous years and thinks it gives bands a chance to really put themselves out there. “Garage to Glory is a great opportunity for bands to compete on a local level and build a good reputation within the Saint Rose community,” said Halligan. Come support your fellow classmates, friends and students as they work their way out of the garage and toward reaching their musical goals. The night will be a fun filled event with original music, creative melodies and thoughtful lyrics. Watch as the intense musical battle plays out.
“It was a pretty exciting experience. I had played battle of the bands type shows before and this was definitely the most extravagant thing I had gotten the opportunity to compete in. Getting interviewed about the music and being videotaped while performing was also quite impressive, and of course mildly intimidating too.”
Michael Hickey
I had gotten the opportunity to compete in. Getting interviewed about the music and being videotaped while performing was also quite impressive, and of course mildly intimidating, too.” Matthew Woods, a sophomore Communications student at St. Rose, attended the event last year and had a great time. “There were many different bands with contrasting sounds and styles. It was fun to watch. This year should be no different,” said Woods. In response to being asked which band
COURTESY OF GARAGE TO GLORY
Plan your future DEGREE
GRADUATE ROSE SAINT A WITH
A WITH SE O R T SAIN ATE GRADU EE DEGR
click
By AMAL TLAIGE Contributing Writer
www.strose.edu/grad
Plan your future and make a graduate degree from Saint Rose your next step. Our graduate degrees and advanced certificates will provide the credentials you need to land your first job and launch your career. Most graduate students are placed in internships or field experiences where they acquire valuable hands-on knowledge of the working world. Small classes provide personalized attention from faculty in state-of-the-art facilities. For more information: 1-800-637-8556 grad@strose.edu
April 9th, 2013
News
Volume 81 Issue 28
Ruby Asian Bistro Brings Flavor to the Pine Hills
By JOHN JANITZ Layout Editor The Pine Hills is home to many different types of eateries, including Ruby Asian Bistro, which is coming up on its two year anniversary. Ruby Asian Bistro, a family owned business, has been serving Asian cuisine on 875 Madison Ave. since May 11, 2011. Its location is convenient for college students, who are only a short walk away. The restaurant is acclaimed by some area critics and food lovers alike. The food is decently priced,
with many items costing under $10. One popular special is the bento box, a meal that consists of four different menu items placed on a plate with built-in dividers. Customers who have eaten at the restaurant said they enjoy the food there. Ramiro Cortes, who lives in the area and orders from the restaurant often, said that it’s his favorite place to eat. The dish he likes the most is the sesame chicken with pork fried rice. Andrew Walters, who had last gone there for a birthday celebration, said that he enjoyed the experience. “I don’t normally eat sushi so
The Chronicle
The interior of Ruby’s that impresses many customers.
JOHN JANITZ
it was something different,” said Walters. “The food was good, too.” Manager Grace Sim said that there are several dishes that are well-liked. Teriyaki chicken, spicy tuna rolls, and pineapple fried rice are the meals most ordered by customers, said Sim. They also serve a unique drink called bubble tea. “Bubble tea is a very popular item on our menu,” said Sim. This tea is a beverage made from a combination of flavored tea and tapioca bubbles. The restaurant offers a variety of flavors such as classic, jasmine green tea, taro, mango, coconut, strawberry, honeydew, thai tea, and chai tea. The food is only one component of the bistro that attracts business. Several customers said that they love the interior of the building. The furniture is rustic and looks as if it is made from the parts of a forest. “I really liked the restaurant’s décor,” said Walters. “I thought the inside of the building was very inviting and welcoming.” The restaurant also has free delivery service. Cortes said that sometimes he is too busy to eat at the restaurant, so instead he orders food in and they deliver it to him for free. According to Sim, half of the restaurant’s customers order takeout. “I’ve never seen any place like this,” said Cortes. “It’s beautiful.”
Executive Editors Sunshine Osella ‘13 osellas452@strose.edu
News Editor Zachary Olsavicky olsavickyz977@strose.edu
Copy Editor Jenessa Matis ‘14 matisj311@strose.edu
Faculty Adviser Cailin Brown
Jackson Wang ‘14 wangj847@strose.edu
Features Editor Lauren Halligan halliganl567@strose.edu
Business Manager Courtney Carr ‘15 carrc047@strose.edu
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 Blaise Bryant Nicholas Buonanno Asia Ewart Andy Gilchrist Kellie McGuire Kevin Jacob Lauren Klose Sam Maxwell Lauren Sears Michael Smith M. William Smith Drew van der Poel
Head Photographer Kelly Pfeister ‘14 pfeisterk953@strose.edu
The Chronicle
A3
Calendar of Events
Tuesday, April 9 11 a.m. Thesis Statement Workshop Writing Center 4 p.m. MAPS ALB 109 4:30 p.m. CREST Colloquium Lally Symposium 6:30 p.m. Student Association Standish 7 p.m. G4G (Girls For God) Sanctuary 7 p.m. Theatre Guild Lima Basement 8 p.m. Outside the [Box] Lima Basement 8 p.m. Yoga Sanctuary
Wednesday, April 10 4 p.m. SEB Standish 4:30 p.m. - 6;30 p.m. International Teacher Panel Lally Touhey Forum 5 p.m. Environmental Club Community Service Office 5 p.m. Mid-Week Mass Sanctuary 7 p.m. Spectrum Standish 7:30 p.m. BASIC Sanctuary 8 p.m. Comedian Erik Griffin 8 p.m. Valerie Dee Naranjo Massry Thursday, April 11 1 p.m. Revisions Workshop Writing Center 2 p.m. Thesis Statement Workshop Writing Center 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. BASIC Coffeehouse Main Lounge 7:30 p.m. Interfaith Lectureship Hubbard Sanctuary 7:30 p.m. Frequency North Standish Dining Rooms Friday, April 12 10 a.m. APA Style Workshop Writing Center 6:15 p.m. Spring Semi-Formal Buses Outside of St. Joseph Hall 7 p.m. Garage to Glory IV Jack’s Place Saturday, April 13 6:30 p.m. Occupy Jack’s Place: Music Festival Jack’s Place 7:30 p.m. Saint Rose Camerata Massry Sunday, April 14 3 p.m. Flute Ensemble Concert 7:30 p.m. B.B. King Livestream Concert Lally Touhey Forum 7:30 p.m. Thesis Statement Workshop Writing Center Monday, April 15 10 a.m. Revisions Workshop Writing Center 4 p.m. Hearst Symposium St. Joseph Hall 6 p.m. “Citizen Hearst” Documentary St. Joseph Hall
8:30 p.m. CEC Lima Basement
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.
Official E-mail Address Chronicle@strose.edu
Submissions
Mailing Address The Saint Rose Chronicle 432 Western Avenue Albany, NY 12203
Advertising
Meetings
Policies
Meetings are held every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the CCIM 122, the PC Lab.
All articles, advertisements and Letters to the Editor are due by noon the Saturday prior to publication.
All advertising inquiries should be sent to Advertising Manager Caroline Murray at murrayc014@strose.edu. The Chronicle offers free black and white 5-by-3 in. ads to student-run organizations.
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.
News Q & A with Saint Rose Campus Security Officer Erica Watson
A4
The Chronicle
1. Which areas of our campus—or around our campus— require the most attention from a security standpoint?
“I would say the Partridge/ Madison, Partridge/Morris, and Partridge/O’Leary areas require the most attention because those are the areas that have a lot of foot traffic with students that live in dorms not directly on campus (Morris Hall & Brubacher Hall).” 2. What time of day do you work on campus? “I work the evening shift; 4-12.” 3. How long have you been a part of the security department? “I’ve worked for Saint Rose for 3 years.” 4. What is the most interesting experience you have had while on duty here at Saint Rose? “I can’t think of just one interesting experience I’ve had while on duty at Saint Rose.”
5. What background experience brought you to the security department? “I used to work as a loss prevention officer for a retail company. At that job, we worked hand and hand with customers and employees (most of whom were college students).”
6. What types of things do you do when you are working here? “I patrol campus, check buildings to make sure they are locked, provide escorts for students who don’t want to walk alone, grant access into buildings, respond to emergency calls, dispatching.” 7. What types of things do you do when you are not working here (hobbies)? “When I’m not working, I like to go shopping, I like to bake, dancing and reading.’ 8. What useful safety tip do you have for students? “My useful safety tips for students”:
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
-never walk alone -be aware of your surround ings; don’t let material objects distract you from paying atten tion (E.g.: cellphone/ipod) -Stay on streets that are well- lit and frequently used -Have security’s number: 518454-5187 9. Is there anything—in specific—you’d like students to know about the Security Department? “The students should know that their Security Department is is here for the safety and service of the students of Saint Rose. They should know that they can approach any security guard on campus and that guard will help them as much as possible.” 10. Do you have any suggestions for improving the Security Department or its services? “I don’t have any suggestions on improvements for the Security Department. I feel that our department is a strong group of individuals that put their best feet forward in protecting the students/staff of The College of Saint Rose”.
Security Officer Erica Watson.
KELLY PFEISTER
Chronicle Trivia Question of the Week
Question: Name the two bands Eric Tobin went on tour with after college? *Check past editions to find the correct answer
Submit answers to chronicle@strose.edu The first person to answer all the questions correct for five weeks will win a prize.
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
News
The Chronicle
A5
Discussion on Urban Poverty Continued From Page A1
both students and non-college students filled the sanctuary in eager attendance. “I’m formerly homeless,” said Willie Baptist. “I’ve worked all kinds of jobs and basically lived in poverty all my life.” Yet Baptist claimed he was not alone. “You can take my case and multiply it by millions. It’s a challenge on each one of us on what we are going to do about it.” As part of the Homeless Union Organizing Drive, Baptist had seen homeless families frozen to death, evicted, and given no provisions in government budgets. “Every year, 300 to 400 people die from being frozen to death: THIS IS AMERICA!” said Baptist. “Federal policy is committed to maintaining poverty in the United States,” said Professor Fausette of the Department of History and Political Science. She blamed the increase in income tax as one of the chief reasons for poverty. According to data presented at the discussion, since the beginning of income tax, individual income tax has increased whereas corporate income tax has decreased. “Data tells us something about priorities in this country,” said Fausette, “that’s welfare right there; corporate welfare.” Fausette also has a personal connection to poverty. “Mrs. Thompson was the lady who kept me and my brother from becoming homeless,” said Fausette, “but there isn’t always a Mrs. Thompson.” Sadly, there are even students at Saint Rose who need a “Mrs. Thompson.” Fausette recently had a student she was unable to mail exams to because the student did not have an address. She is not the only one. “I noticed that one of my students didn’t have a coat,” Fausette said, “so I said to her ‘Where is your coat?’ and she said, ‘I don’t have one’. She is a full-time student here at The College of Saint Rose.” Other students have been affected by poverty as well. “I’m
from New York City, the Bronx,” said freshman Waheera Mardah. “It changes completely from poverty-stricken neighborhoods to ones with doormen; you cross one street and it’s completely different.” Mardah’s high school was never able to afford college trips, although nearby schools were. “My high school shouldn’t have to be in a specific neighborhood to get the funding they need,” said Mardah. “For a city with so much wealth and so much “opportunity,” I wonder how these neighborhoods can be subject to such extreme levels of poverty.” Mardah was not the only student on the panel. “There is a lot of inequality going on because of poverty,” said freshman Geneva McPherson. “Why can’t we, being such a rich country, be able to provide what those people need?” Chosen to speak on the relationship between poverty and criminal justice, McPherson also brought the racial issue into the discussion. “Does everybody really have the equal opportunity to achieve the American dream?” she asked. Baptist had an answer
for her from his personal experience. “Unemployment reaches every community. Poverty knows no discrimination,” said Baptist. He claimed that although there used to be a racial element to poverty, it has become indiscriminate in the modern world. “This problem is starting to affect more whites,” said Baptist. “The racial question is the elephant in the room, but I really want to make that statement because it creates debate and discussion.” “Poverty is not a problem of scarcity, it’s a problem of abandonment,” said Baptist. “There is no reason that people should go hungry in the richest country in the world. We all sense that there are difficulties ahead, but it’s not going to get better unless we From left, Ken Scott, Saint Rose Community Services, and Willie Baptist, one of the panelists. make it better.”
Some of the panelists that participated in Wednesday’s discussion.
SYDNEY PALUCH
SYDNEY PALUCH
A6
The Chronicle
News
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
Saint Baldrick’s Day Photos By Kelly Pfeister
Dan Marchione feels out his newly shaved head.
Bryan Barry’s shaving process was sped up as two barbers shaved his head.
Allison Hoffman, left, and Allison Bruso hug after Tyler Keeno and MacKenzie Cohn were shaved.
Fiona Matthews reacts as she begins to get her hair cut.
Daniella Watson smiles as the first braid is cut.
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
News
The Chronicle
A7
Compliments, Confessions, and Crushes reading them,” but also to keep from students bothering them over the sources of compliments. They find it “funny” when people talk about the page unbeknownst to the student’s identity. “I giggle to myself the whole time. I’m such a bad liar too, so I don’t know how they don’t figure it out… but that’s alright by me.” For the student, their biggest hope is that people see “the impact that every person has on their daily life.” “Every little act and word makes a difference, especially those of kindness.” The operator of the compliments page, though uncertain if
Continued from Page A1 to the page—but the sudden number of friend requests and compliments left the student who ran the page “overwhelmed… in a good way.” The student sees a multiplier of sorts where students who are complimented send compliments in about other people. “It starts with one, and the kindness spreads. It’s contagious.” Since its initial burst, the student estimates around eight compliments are sent to the page each day. It isn’t difficult to keep up with, as the student explained, because they post compliments
“It starts with one, and the kindness spreads. It’s contagious.” Operator of SaintRose Compliments from their phone between classes and work. One surprise to the student— though it made sense to them in hindsight—was the number of compliments from faculty and staff submitted on the page. “The faculty make a huge difference here and they notice the impact their students are making just as much as they do each other. They aren't afraid to pat (students) on the back when there's a job well done.” Shortly after the page was founded, a handful of Saint Rosethemed pages popped up on Facebook, including one for ‘confessions,’ one for ‘crushes,’ and even one for ‘condiments.’ Offering students a chance to “spread the love and mayo,” Saint Rose Condiments was, according to its op-
ZACHARY OLSAVICKY
The cover image that greets students on the SaintRose Compliments page. erator, opened as a joke amongst friends. “It’s just to be silly and show how silly these pages are,” said the operator, who, like the student that runs the compliments page, wished to remain anonymous. The operator initially found the Compliments page to be “another cheesy attempt at generic messages,” but grew to appreciate it after receiving a compliment and “seeing the other [students’] reactions and how it brightened people’s days.” The student who runs the Compliments page estimated that, out of 100 or so compliments received, only three were filtered. The page stresses positivity, though not all copycats share the same focus. Saint Rose Confessions, created shortly after SaintRose compliments was founded, provided students with a chance to share, among the words of the site administrators, “weird, crazy, funny” confessions. But the site, whose administrators did not reply to a request for comment, received what was described in a post as “extremely hateful” messages. Its most recent post, on April 2, announced that it received a request to cease operations.
The student who runs the Compliments page felt “angry” when the first pages started to appear in the days after their page was set up. “I just didn’t want people to have a bad taste in their mouth for my page because of others.” The operator of the Condiments page described it as a “terrible” page. “It shows how immature some of our student body can be and how insensitive they are.” The operator of the Condiments page thinks part of the problem is that students are putting the message in the wrong forum. “We all gossip or share confessions, but it's a whole other ballgame to put it on the Internet so blatantly. It makes our student
body look trashy.” The student who runs the Compliments page thinks part of the problem stems from students submitting personal messages as public statements. “From my end, I know the people and I know they’re totally innocent comments. So they would be just comments that mean nothing, but because they're anonymous they come off with a completely different connotation.” The student did find that, as time passes, students are becoming “used to the idea of anonymity.” The student has no plans on unmasking their secret identity any time soon. Two factors influence their decision: granting students the ability to say things “with an unbiased eye to who’s
“Every little act and word makes a difference, especially those of kindness.” Operator of SaintRose Compliments these pages have staying power with students, appreciated the impact of the compliments. “It’s always nice to have some random positivity in your life.” Reach Zachary Olsavicky at olsavickyz977@strose.edu
Advertise with Us! Is your business looking to corner the college market? Perhaps advertising in The Chronicle would help you do that? Contact Advertising Manager Caroline Murray at murrayc014@strose.edu for rates and publication schedule.
News A8 Pine Hills Blog to Hold Neighborhood Meeting The Chronicle
By NEWSROOM A community meeting, sponsored by The Pine Hills blog and journalism students at The College of Saint Rose, will take place later this month at the Western Avenue library branch. The event will be held at the Pine Hills library on Tuesday, April 23. Community members have the opportunity to voice their opinions, thoughts, and concerns about the Pine Hills neighborhood. “There’s always something new to learn about, and I hope that as the blog continues, the Saint Rose journalism students keep delving into the interesting news happening in our neighborhood,” said Leah Golby, a Common Council member from 10th ward, who represents the majority of the Pine Hills neighborhood. Golby sees the Pine Hills Blog as a key member of the Pine Hills community. “The student reporters at the Pine Hills blog are doing a great job telling important stories of our neighborhood and our city,” said Golby.
April 9th, 2013
Council members like Golby often field calls from residents about problems with traffic, roads, properties, and quality of life in the neighborhood. The goal for The Pine Hills Blog community meeting is to help inform residents and interested people about what is happening in their community and to collect ideas. The Pine Hills blog provides information about the happenings in and around the Pine Hills neighborhood. Virginia Hammer, a member of the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association, said the Pine Hills Blog is a very good source and the students at The College of Saint Rose do a good job writing stories. “Many things have been covered, but there are many other stories that are interesting,” said Hammer. “If you can give us a sense of the kinds of things you’re looking for, we can help you out.” Hammer said she really likes seeing the Pine Hills Blog holding another meeting. “Everything you guys do is amazing,” said Hammer. “We really appreciate it.”
What’s Happening @ the . . . INFORMATION TABLES
A flyer distributed throughout the Pine Hills neighborhood to make residents aware of the meeting. The meeting will be beneficial to the neighborhood and the
Career Center RESUME COLLECTION
Summer Camp Jobs Camp Scully 4/9/13 EAC 11-2PM
Project 70 Business Internship (Mexico City) Reichmann International apply by 4/12/13 via eCareerCenter Job ID # 17029
Vista Fellow Vista Fellow 4/11/13 EAC 11-2PM
Guidance Counselor Ketchum-Grande School of The Charlton School apply by 4/12/13 via eCareerCenter Job ID # 17116
EDUCATION EXPO Graduating Students receiving NYS Certification & Alumni Polish Community Center Wed. 4/10/13 9:00-1:00PM
www.strose.edu/careercenter
career@strose.edu
Volume 81 Issue 28
Professional Dress & Bring hard copies of your resume!
518-454-5141
blog, said Anton Konev, a council member from the 11th ward, which includes part of the neighborhood. “Getting neighbors involved in reporting about their neighborhood can both generate more and better stories and raise the awareness about blog,” said Konev. Michael Huber, Interactive Audience Manager for timesunion. com, grew up in the Pine Hills neighborhood. He believes that the blog is good for the community. “The Pine Hills blog is a realworld example of how Saint Rose students are using technology and online media to cover their community,” said Huber. “They offer a hyper-local approach to coverage of the college’s surrounding community that serves its residents well. In some ways, the blanket coverage of Pine Hills is better than it had been in the heyday of newspapers.” There are multiple ways for people to bring issues to light,
such as calling and e-mailing their council members, petitioning, or attending and speaking at the common council meetings. “They already have direct access to their legislators,” said Jim Sano, Council Member of the 9th ward. “They have Neighborhood Associations, they can come to City Hall and have an open microphone for up to five minutes; I don’t think they have a lack of access to make their points of view known.” All are welcome to attend the meeting, which begins at 7 p.m. Light refreshments will be available starting at 6:30 p.m. The Pine Hills library is located at 517 Western Ave. For more information, email The Pine Hills Blog at thepinehillsblog@gmail.com. Event Info Location: Pine Hills Library Date: Tuesday, April 23 Time: 7:00 p.m.
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
News
A9
The Chronicle
Making Math Meaningful with UMO By REGINA IANNIZZOTTO Opinion Editor Math is one of the most feared words in the English language by students across the world. Math makes up so many aspects of our lives, and we do not even realize it. When we make change, draw pictures, and even when we move our arms; it all comes back to math. This is what the Museum of Math teaches its visitors, and what UMO, the Unified Mathematics Organization, is trying to show to the Saint Rose community. UMO began this past semester from just an idea. They have taken their ideas and put them into action to create a club for the math lovers of Saint Rose. Founded by Danielle Heidcamp and Christopher Lovell, the club hopes to show that math is not that monster everyone makes it out to be, but instead something fun. UMO took its first field trip to the corner of Fifth Ave. and 25th St. in New York City on Saturday. The Museum of Math, also known
as MoMath, is a small, two floor museum that is interactive and fun for everyone; from ages 5 to 95. This was proven from the first exhibit seen upon entering – the bicycle and tricycle with square wheels on a wavy surface. This exhibit had an 8-year-old and a 20-year-old giving each other ‘the eyes’ to see who would get to the bikes first. Every exhibit has a theme. There is a video fraction section, a geometric shape creation station, and an adding station, just to name a few. Every station is interactive and has a line of visitors waiting to challenge their minds. Upstairs, you can create shapes and learn about the shape you created by pulling the planes apart and rotating it on the screen. At this station, Heidcamp said, “I feel like Steve Jobs.” Overall, the thoughts on the trip were ‘It was a success.’ Jennifer Passage, club vice-president, said, “I think a lot of people got a lot of enjoyment out of the different manipulations that we were allowed to experiment with at the museum. It was very relevant,
UMO Member riding the square-wheeled tricycle at MoMath.
REGINA IANNIZZOTTO
Danielle Heidcamp and UMO Treasurer Elizabeth Edwards creating shapes at MoMath. considering in some of our math classes, we’ve experimented with and have been taught information
REGINA IANNIZZOTTO
in regards to one of the original founders of MoMath.” Passage’s five-year-old son, Ethan, who joined the group on the trip, said his favorite part was the bicycles. “They were fun and hard to move.” UMO member Enedina Maya, who became involved with UMO after Heidcamp and Lovell made an announcement to her class, talked about how nice it was to see students getting involved and being interactive with the MoMath activities. When asked if she would go back, she said, “Maybe, possibly. It was fun, but it was only two floors and you can do it all in one day.” However, if UMO does another trip, she said she would definitely join in. After the museum and the purchasing of UMO’s new stuffed mascot at the gift shop, the group was able to explore the city. Some went to a parade, some went to the Sixth Avenue Street Fair, some had lunch in the park across from the museum. Heidcamp
could not contain her happiness from the day. “This has just been such a great day.” UMO President Lovell was very happy with the outcome of UMO’s first trip. “I’m already trying to plan for next year and the museum is looking to expand so we’ll have a lot more to look at.” He is also trying to collaborate with the museum at Saint Rose. “I’m actually working on a large scale art display for the third floor of Albertus, which is where the math bulletin board is now.” These are not UMO’s only plans. Heidcamp also discussed possibly creating a professional development trip with UMO for next year. To find out more about UMO, check out their Facebook or their weekly column in the Opinion Section of The Chronicle. Their meetings are every Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Albertus. Reach Regina Iannizzotto at iannizzottor407@strose.edu
A10
The Chronicle
News
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
City Plans Fix on Bad Buildings By LAUREN HALLIGAN Features Editor The Albany community has made it clear that it wants a plan in action to deal with urban decay. A well-attended meeting was held Wednesday evening at the Main Albany Library on Washington Avenue to address the city-wide issue of vacant and foreclosed properties, and ideally find a solution to this suffering aspect of Albany’s urban landscape. A plan to redevelop Albany’s hurting housing stock was presented to the public Wednesday to encourage feedback from the community, something citizens were more than willing to provide. Particularly concerned with the Pine Hills, Virginia Hammer of the Pine Hills Neighborhood Association told the panel at the meeting ,“I don’t want to see new, ugly housing that takes away from the character of what makes Albany special.” Although County Legislature Majority Leader Frank Commisso made a proposal titled “Albany County Land Redevelopment Program,” specifications and a schedule for this plan still need to be set. “We need to cut the red tape,” said County Executive Dan McCoy. “We need to make it happen sooner than later.” The panel discussion, titled “Best Outcomes for Vacant Buildings” was hosted by The Council of Albany Neighborhood Associations. Affordable Housing Partnerships’s Louise McNeilly moderated the discussion in front of a standing-room-only auditorium full of citizens, local politicians, and legislators all interested in hearing the city’s plan to address the issue of unused buildings. Panelists at the meeting included Commisso, who explained and proposed his plan to the audience, McCoy, Michael Yevoli, the city’s Commissioner of Development and Planning,
LAUREN HALLIGAN
Michael Yevoli, the city’s Commissioner of Development and Planning, speaking during the meeting. who spoke of a pilot program entitled “Blight to Betterment,” through which a dozen buildings would be redeveloped with available funds, and Jeffrey Jamison, Albany’s new Commissioner of the Department of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance. Commisso said that his plan is still in draft form, and is open to revision. Commisso drafted a pamphlet, which was presented at the meeting, because “it was time that we step up to the plate and take action,” mentioning that vacant buildings are often “heavens for crime.” Yevoli later said that they often become unauthorized shelters for homeless, or at the least, eyesores for the community. “We’re undercapitalized,” McCoy said. One essential element that Commisso admitted the plan needs is “more involvement from developers with the know-how.” Commisso’s current plan would involve Habitat for Humanity and Touhey Associates as potential partners for redeveloping problem properties. A long time coming, Wednesday night’s proposal to eradicate decaying properties is Commisso’s intitiative to get a
movement in action, understanding that “This is not something that happens overnight.” McCoy said that there are currently 202 foreclosed properties in the city of Albany, and a total of 302 in the county, and that “most are in disrepair.” Albany Legislator Virginia Maffia-Tobler, who attended the meeting, and will eventually weigh in on the future of the plan, said before the meeting that Commisso’s
Habitat-for Humanity-sponsored plan “seemed to be that it was the best way to go for the land bank.” Feedback on Commisso’s plan was offered in abundance during the question portion of the evening. Carmela Triolo, a South End native on the “grassroots” Board of South End Improvement Corporation, said “we’re looking into different ways to get private money to leverage” rather than using all public resources. Triolo
A crowd April 3, 2013 at Albany Public Library.
also made it clear that more than just one or two private organizations should be obtaining properties to redevelop properties under this new plan. Commisso said the city has not ruled out eminent domain as a way to solve some of the building problems. The final portion of the meeting was devoted to planning the community’s next steps in making this plan a feasible and agreeable reality. The consensus was to create a forum for public participation in specifying this plan to meet the needs of a citizenry that wants to be involved. That forum should soon exist on the Web, but a domain name has not been established. A potential plan in which Albany County would appoint a local development corporation to act as a land bank was proposed in January. Under this corporation, foreclosed, abandoned, or blighted properties would be quickly overturned for redevelopment. Once a more specific plan is written up as a resolution, it will then go before the Audit and Finance committee, before being voted upon in Legislature. Reach Lauren Halligan at halliganl567@strose.edu
LAUREN HALLIGAN
News
A11 Preserve and Destroy Residents Caught Off Guard by Asbestos Removal April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
The Chronicle
By BLAISE BRYANT Staff Writer
shop that deals with custom window designs. The shop is located in Syracuse, said Griffin. Window sash replacement “I don’t have the additional and demolishing what’s left of $5,000,” said Lapishka. a boarded up building were disThe commission deals with a cussed at Wednesday night’s person lacking the financial funds Historic Resources Commission by giving a person, in this case, meeting held at City Hall. Lapishka, the opportunity to file At 355 Madison Ave. which for a hardship, said Vice Chairis part of Robinson Square, the man John Wagner. “We have to case centers around the approval go with what’s in our ordinance; of replacing the window sash to we’re not in business for us,” preserve the historical value of Wagner said. We have to go by the building. The cost alarmed our ordinance because it was an property owner Patricia Deguire- oath we swore to, plus it’s law, Lapishka said Wagner. “We can’t just ap“It will cost Robinson Square prove things because we want an additional $5,326,” said to,” he said. George Griffin of Bennett ConSome cases become tricky istracting. sues with the commission beThis is what the commission cause the neighboring buildings would like to see, said Rich Nich- have similar windows, which is olson, Senior Planner and staff why they are leaning toward the person on the commission. Origi- replacement of the window sash, nally, they wanted to replace the said Assistant Commissioner entire window, however; replac- John Myers. “Replacing the ening the sash gets rid of extra fram- tire window takes away from the ing that would reduce the size of historical value, and is something the window, and it does not match we can’t approve because of our the neighboring buildings, Nich- ordinance,” Myers said. The olson said. The reason for the commission will make a final de$5,300 sash is because the sash cision at their April 17 meeting. would be made at a mill workAt 230 Jefferson Street, it’s a completely different story. Property owner Suzanne Carrk is trying to get approval to demolish what’s left of the boarded-up building. “I just own the build in front, the two buildings behind it, and three across the way,” said Carrk. The plan is to pave over where the foundation was, and put a fence on the Jefferson side, Carrk. During the 1600s, a group of Indians captured and killed a Dutch man, giving the property some historical significance, Wagner said. No decisions on approving or denying requests were made beDERICK NOETZEL cause they didn’t have a Building located at 355 Madison Ave. quorum.
By JOHN JANITZ Layout Editor Gibbons Hall residents recently received an unexpected notice about asbestos removal from their building at The College of Saint Rose. The removal began on March 29 and concluded on April 4, one day ahead of schedule. Some 1,400-square-feet of debris and 250 linear feet of pipe insulation were expected to be removed from the basement of Gibbons Hall, according to a notice posted on the front and rear entrance of the building. Once the removal started, plywood boards were formed in the shape of a small tunnel around the entrance to the basement. There were several signs that were posted on the boards with warnings about asbestos and its connection to cancer. The College subcontracted this project to Neoplanta Restoration,
Inc. according to Paul Jenkins, a Resident Assistant for Gibbons Hall. The removal was scheduled to start on March 29, 2013, when students were leaving for Easter break, and end on April 5, 2013. “The poster went up Saturday sometime in the midafternoon,” said Jenkins. “It was very short notice.” When Jenkins was approached by three or four residents who were concerned, he went to Residence Life and talked with Joseph Pryba, Assistant Resident Director, about the matter. According to Jenkins, Pryba stated that there was a miscommunication between the contractor and the college. Residence Life was unaware that the contractor was required to post a notice as soon as the contract was agreed upon, so the notice went up before Residence Life had a chance to send the residents an informational email.
“It seemed sort of sudden,” said Michael Collins, who is a second floor resident of Gibbons Hall. “We got an email after they posted a notice.” According to the email sent out by Residence Life, the contractor and the facilities department at the college assured students that they would be safe living in the building during operation. Mike Smith and Joe Laino, first floor residents of the building, commented the idea of the removal happening while students still occupied the building. “The barrier was a bit impromptu,” said Laino. He also added that the workers looked experienced and did a good job during the removal. Smith, however, had different thoughts. “It was a bit disconcerting,” said Smith.
The asbestos removal process occured at Gibbons Hall over Easter break.
JOHN JANITZ
B12
The Chronicle
Arts
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
Saint Rose Camerata's 10th Anniversary Celebration Finale Gala By LAUREN HALLIGAN Features Editor The college's faculty chamber ensemble in residence, The Saint Rose Camerata, will soon be closing their 10th anniversary season, with a finale concert held at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 in the Picotte Recital Hall at Massry Center for the Arts. The event is free and open to the public. The camerata was formed in 2003 by The College of Saint Rose music faculty after years of informal faculty concerts and a group consensus to start a chamber music series.“The ensemble was created to provide a cultural arts center of classical chamber music for The College of Saint Rose community and the Capital Region,” according to the Camerata’s official website. The ensemble is led by Dr. Yvonne Chavez Hansbrough, Associate Professor of Music as well as Founder, Director, and Flutist of The Saint Rose Camerata. For the past 10 years, The Saint Rose Camerata has performed a series of classical chamber music annually, with programs of diverse styles, from both the baroque to modern eras. As described on the group’s website, “The members of the ensemble perform recognized masterpieces, unfamiliar gems and newly written works.” In their fifth and final concert of the year, “Dover Beach” for baritone and string quartet by Samuel Barber will be performed by a quintet, and will serve as the finale recital's program opener. Second, since the Camerata’s entire 2012-2013 concert season has been a tribute to Claude Debussy’s 150th Birthday, with performances of five favorite Debussy compositions, the final will be his iconic “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.” In addition to the traditional classical music, this year’s finale will also include a taste of the rock and roll king, Elvis Presley,
as depicted by Assistant Professor of Double Reeds, Sherwood Wise. “Dead Elvis,” for solo bassoon and chamber ensemble written by living composer Michael Daugherty is the “allegory of an Elvis impersonator,” as Wise described it. Wise will be dressed in a white, gold embellished Elvis costume for this number, while playing the song on bassoon. He has been practicing the piece since August. Though the music frequently calls for Elvis's vibrato style, Wise clarified “The piece, for the most part, doesn't sound like Elvis Presley music,” as it is meant to be a parody-piece with exaggeration of iconic elements of Elvis. Hansbrough teaches the unique composition in her music history class, and recognized that “It's something the students love.” Although it's different from the typical Camerata cover, Hansbrough saw it fit to perform something that students are enthusiastic about. Last on the program is a classic by Aaron Copland, entitled “Appalachian Spring Suite” for 13 players, a large performance group for the Camerata. Hansbrough said she had been wanting to have the Camerata perform “Appalachian Spring” for a long time. A 25 minute long composition, originally to accompany ballet, “I thought the season finale of our 10th anniversary season would be perfect timing.” With the Copland and Debussy piece requiring more than 10 instruments each, the program calls for 21 players total, a high for the Camerata, which usually plays in small trios or quartets. Music Industry professor Sean McClowry will be making his debut performance with the Camerata, playing double bass on “Dead Elvis.” Saturday's performance will also be a debut for Woodrow Bynum on baritone, David Ci-
ucevich on clarinet, and Charles Reader on percussion. A rare occurrence, student violinist Diana Ortiz will be performing with the Camerata on “Appalachian Spring,” which calls for four violin parts. Ortiz was requested by name by Hansbrough, who had previously seen her perform in student recitals. A junior, Ortiz is honored to be playing with the Camerata at this performance, at which she will play violin on “Appalachian Spring” alongside her professor, Amanda Brin. Thrilled to be playing with professionals as a student, Ortiz said, “The Saint Rose Camerata is characterized by their delicate, sensitive and
magic performances. The musicians of this chamber group are very passionate and serious in what they do,” noting that every concert is a unique experience. A handful of professional musicians will be guests to the Camerata's line-up Saturday as well. A first for the Camerata, a harmonium will be played Saturday night by Dan Foster, a guest who has performed with the group in the past. Although Wise's flashy costume may cause him to steal the show Saturday evening, throughout the program, “Everybody gets their moments to shine,” he said. Looking back on the season so far, “The audiences have been
wonderful,” said Hansbrough, noting that they've filled the Massry concert hall with over 350 people. A free reception sponsored by the Music Department will be held in lobby after the concert, at which the musicians will be able to mingle with the audience. The Saint Rose Camerata, generously funded by college’s School of Arts and Humanities and the Music Department, invites all to attend the finale concert Saturday and view their website at www.SaintRoseCamerata.org for more details about the group and their upcoming performances.
By LAUREN HALLIGAN Features Editor “The King of Blues,” the legendary B.B. King, will be performing at Saint Rose at a black tie gala to celebrate the fifth anniversary of its acclaimed Massry Center for the Arts. The sold-out benefit concert, titled, “An Evening with B.B. King,” will be held on Sunday, April 14 to a limited audience of 400 in the intimate Kathleen McManus Picotte Recital Hall. B.B. King has received 15 Grammy Awards over the past 50 years and has become an iconic and influential blues legend in the music world. He has previously given performances at the White House, The Olympic Games, and the Vatican. King is known for the smooth and seemingly vocal tone that comes from his guitar Lucille, as he has affectionately referred to each of his guitars since the 1950s. His unmatched guitar skills have been influential upon a countless number of famous players, such as Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Otis Rush, Johnny Winter and Albert King. In planning this monumen-
tal Saint Rose event, “We sent limited notices to our long time sponsors and supporters of the Massry Center and the College of Saint Rose, knowing that demand would be high for this concert,” said Massry Center for the Arts Programming Manager, Sal Prizio. “Through the enthusiastic response from sponsors and Honorary Committee we sold-out the concert in under a month.” Co-chairs Julie Massry Knox and Murray C. Massry put forth great effort with a volunteer committee to raise corporate sponsor funding support to bring B.B. King to the Massry Center for this special performance. The presenting sponsor for the evening, donating $25,000, is Tri City Rentals, which owns and manages apartment communities in the area. Other important sponsors for the event are Nigro Companies, St. Peter’s Health Partners, The Albany Academies, BBL Construction Services, The CloreKelly Group, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Franklin Hospitality Group, Kimberly Sanger Jones and E. Stewart Jones, Jr., and The University at Albany Foundation. Although numbers have not yet been calculated, “we will net
a significant amount of money,” Prizio reported. That money will be used to provide quality programming and educational programming at an affordable cost to the Saint Rose community and the area for the next years to come. The funds from this concert will be divided over the next few years to maximize the impact of the funds for the Massry Center. Sponsorship levels for the fundraising event are cleverly titled “Rock and Roll Blues Sponsor,” “Beale Street Blues Sponsor,” “Mississippi Soul Sponsor,” and “Delta Blues Sponsor.” A reception for attendees will be held prior to the performance with cocktails and gourmet hors d’oeuvres, as well as a post-concert coffee and dessert reception held in the Massry building. “When you take a great venue like the Massry Center and add a worldwide name like B.B. King, the enthusiasm for this event was overwhelming and businesses were quick to add their support,” said Prizio. There will be a free live streaming for students in the Lally Symposium as an opporutunity for students who otherwise could not attend.
Blues Legend B.B. King Coming to Saint Rose
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
Arts
The Chronicle
B13
Student Talk Show TTYL Focuses News for Today’s Youth By CHRIS SURPRENANT Arts Editor
thing that has always been one of Desorbo’s dreams. “I’ve always loved broadcast and newsThe popular texting acronym anchors, and I’ve always thought TTYL (Talk To You Later) is now that that’s such a cool job and felt more than just a way to end a con- that I could do that.” versation. New youth-oriented Desorbo is currently a model talk show, TTYL, tackles national with Wilhelmina and has always and world issues, as well as for- been modeling since she was four aying into celebrity gossip and years old. She has always been in pop culture. a position of interacting with the While the show covers an ar- public. When she was asked to ray of topics, its main function is join TTYL, it seemed like a perto educate. From local to national fect match. politics, as well as community “When I was in high school, I happenings, TTYL hopes that its always volunteered to do speechyouthful approach to news draws es when everyone else would get in a younger audience that might nervous. I feel like that’s where otherwise be left in the dark. I shine rather than fold. I’ve al“The goal of this show is to ways kind of had it in me,” Detalk about politics, current events, sorbo said. and pop culture and relate it to Producer Ayana Stafford said of our audience. Desorbo;“She We want people always shows “The goal of this to know what’s for every show is to talk about up going on in the shoot, she’s alpolitics, current world,” said ways on time, Ayana Stafford, events, and pop culture and she always producer of has a great atand relate it to our TTYL. titude, so she’s R e c e n t l y, made for this audience. We want members of the people to know what’s life.” show played One of the the role of so- going on in the world.” show’s other cial advocates, hosts, Brielle visiting MalSmith, has also Ayana Stafford com X Shabazz found TTYL to High School in be the perfect Newark, NJ. The high school had outlet for her own ambitions. “I had a bad reputation for a while, can tend to have an outgoing perbut it has undergone a myriad of sonality and it really comes out changes in terms of curriculum when I'm on camera. I'm very and atmosphere. TTYL’s rally was talkative in person, so being a a way for students to show their host where I'm discussing difside of the story and take pride in ferent topics is perfect for me,” their school. The rally was a re- Smith said. cent feature on the show, one of Being a show targeted towards many different topics the group young women in their 20’s, TTYL discusses. incorporates a variety of social “We talk about everything, media into their broadcasts. After from when the Trayvon Martin the show airs Mondays in Newcase was in the news, presidential ark, it is posted to its YouTube elections, to Beyonce. It’s really a channel, Leopard Stripes. Aside wide range of topics,” said Paige from being syndicated online, Desorbo, a junior Communica- TTYL engages with its viewers tions student at The College of through its Facebook, Twitter, Saint Rose. and Instagram pages. To make Desorbo, 21, is one of the four viewers feel like they are a part main hosts of TTYL. Being part of the show, a blog question of of a television show is some- the day is asked, and the title of
COURTESY OF LEOPARD STRIPES PRODUCTIONS
The cast of the youth-oriented talk show TTYL (left to right): Shalekiah Monique, Vanessa Contreras, Brielle Smith, and Paige Desorbo.
COURTESY OF LEOPARD STRIPES PRODUCTIONS
Paige Desorbo and Brielle Smith at one of the many functions covered by TTYL. MVP (Most Valuable Person) is awarded with each broadcast. “I think that social media 100 percent helps. I feel like our audience wouldn’t really see the show because it doesn’t air here [outside of Newark]. We definitely get our audience from social me-
dia,” Desorbo said. The focus on youth culture is something that Desorbo and her co-hosts think separates it from the rest of the talk show circuit. Smith perhaps summed it up best, stating, “There isn't a show where the opinions of young women are
valued. Society doesn't want to hear what young people have to say, but we're the ones controlling music, social media, fashion, and making certain trends popular. I believe TTYL is what's needed right now in television.”
B14
Arts
The Chronicle
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
Evil Dead Pays Tribute to the Original Film While Blazing Its Own
By M. WILLIAM SMITH Staff Writer
I recently had a conversation with a few friends in which we discussed what some of the best film trilogies of all time are. There were some obvious ones; some said Lord of the Rings, others were big fans of Christopher Nolan’s Batman, still others nominated Toy Story for their pick. All great choices, but mine would most likely come down to the original Star Wars trilogy, Sergio Leone’s “Dollars Trilogy,” and Sam Raimi’s incredible masterpieces of horror, comedy, action, and gore, Evil Dead. Evil Dead is a franchise that has been near and dear to my heart for a number of years, and each installment (1981’s The Evil Dead, 1987’s Evil Dead 2, and 1993’s Army of Darkness) does new things with the series, each going for a different tone that creates a wildly erratic, ridiculously fun time. To film a remake of such a beloved film as The Evil Dead (in my opinion, the strongest of the franchise, and one of the best horror movies ever made) is an
incredibly risky move, as it sets a director up for perjury from horror fans if it doesn’t live up to expectations. This isn’t the same as filming a remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday the 13th; there are so many terrible movies in those franchises already, one more won’t make a difference. But Evil Dead is, in my opinion, the holy grail of horror franchises, and I was as worried as anyone that the remake couldn’t live up to the series’ reputation of bloody, irreverent mayhem. Well, worry not! Evil Dead may not live up to the heights of the original films (to expect it do so would be asking for too much), but it is wildly fun and occasionally great. Though Sam Raimi’s distinctive touch is sorely missed, Alvarez proves himself more than capable of taking the franchise in a new direction. Evil Dead takes the series back to its roots, aiming to be a scary update more in line with the original film, rather than a cartoonish joyride of one-liners like the later sequels offered. What surprised me throughout the film was in how many original
Top of the Box Office April 2nd-9th 1. G.I. Joe: Retaliation 2. The Croods 3. Temptation 4. Olympus Has Fallen 5. Oz the Great and Powerful 6. The Host 7. The Call 8. Admission 9. Spring Breakers 10. The Incredible BurtWonderstone Source: RottenTomatoes.com
$40.5M $26.7M $21.6M $14.1M $11.7M $10.6M $4.9M $3.2M $2.8M $1.3M
JANE LEVY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
GAGE SKIDMORE/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Jane Levy (left) and Shiloh Fernandez (right) star in Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead. ideas Alvarez was able to bring to the table. The film does pay tribute to the original film on a number of occasions (and there’s at least one tribute to Evil Dead 2, as well), but the film is weakest when it spends too much time revering the old. It is the newer aspects of the film that make it work as well as it does. Alvarez creates new, tense situations with characters far removed from the ones in the original film (and most of them are actually far more developed characters, as well). Still, there isn’t a single character in the film that holds the film together quite like Bruce Campbell’s iconic Ash Williams. The acting is occasionally flat in the beginning of the film, but at a certain point, all the actors really need to do is
get scared, run, or act possessed, so it doesn’t really matter after a while. But the real star of the film is the visual effects team. Very little CGI was used in the film, with Alvarez instead relying on oldschool prosthetics, make-up, and good old-fashioned gore. Raimi’s original film is a masterwork of craftsmanship in this department, and it’s rare to see the studio blockbuster film that does away with CGI almost entirely. Part of what makes Raimi’s original trilogy great is its independent spirit, the idea that filming consisted of Raimi, Campbell, a camera, a house, and some buckets of blood. This being a studio-produced remake, that spirit is understandably lost in the process, but Alvarez makes up for it with
his own spirit. It’s clear in every frame of the film that Alvarez loves the original, and wants to do right by the franchise. By that standard, I’d say he succeeded. Evil Dead is a gory, intense, fun time that acts as a fine successor to the original trilogy while blazing out on its own distinctive path (and ironically, the remake of an old Sam Raimi movie might just be better than the movie Sam Raimi came out with this year, Oz the Great and Powerful). I’ll be eager to follow this iteration of the franchise wherever it ends up, and who knows? Maybe this will get the unfamiliar to seek out the original film, they’ll fall in love with it, and we’ll get a whole new generation of movie geeks. We could always use a few more, you guys. JOIN US!
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! We tweet weekly updates from our own little space in the Twitterverse.
Follow us @strosechronicle.
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
Arts
The Chronicle
B15
Hannibal: NBC’s Best Show in Years Tasty New Drama Serves Up Chills…Among Other Things
By ANDY GILCHRIST Staff Writer
ing and Bates Motel, Hannibal separates itself by its beautifully twisted direction and cinematogAmerica is obsessed with seri- raphy and its superior on-screen al killers. Throughout history, we performances. Despite, or perhave been shocked and horrified haps because of, its often extreme by the acts they commit, but sim- violence, this new iteration of the ply can’t look away when we hear Hannibal Lector story more than about them. They may be infa- holds its own against other televimous, but they’re still celebrities. sion shows and more importantly, Creatures like Ted Bundy, Ted it serves as a worthy successor to Kaczynski, John Wayne Gacy, the books and films these characand David Berkowitz have been ters are best known for. elevated to symbolic status for Based on the novel Red Dragtheir horrific crimes and on, by Thomas Harris, their eventual Hannibal serves downfalls. Ultias a prequel to “For its new series mately, there is the Lector saga, Hannibal, NBC has but a sense of comupdates fort in knowgone back to the well the story to the ing that these present day. and back to basics monsters have Criminal profilto tell the story of been captured er Will Graham and satisfac(Hugh Dancy) pop culture’s most tion in knowing is brought out of that they will fascinating serial killer: early retirement be punished for by Jack CrawHannibal Lector.” their deeds. ford (Lawrence Stories of Fishburne), Andy Gilchrist such beasts and head of behavthe police who ior sciences at hunt them have the FBI. Will been prevalent and popular in has a bizarre gift to empathize the media for decades. For its with every person, even murdernew series Hannibal, NBC has ers. He can analyze a crime scene gone back to the well and back and know the motivations of the to basics to tell the story of pop killer, recreating the crime in his culture’s most fascinating serial head in brutal detail. But this killer: Hannibal Lector. In a year ability is also a curse, for no one that has already seen the debut of could possibly imagine what hapserial killer shows The Follow- pens in his mind, the extreme lev Campus Playlist Compiled by Staff Writer Lauren Sears. The Chronicle will be asking students around campus what songs they currently are listening to: 1. “Suit and Tie” by Justin Timberlake featuring Jay-Z. Amal Tlaige likes this song because, “It’s a pretty good song to jam out to!” 2. “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore. It’s a personal favorite song right now because it is fun and one can work out to this song. 3. “Yeah” by Usher feat. Lil John and Ludacris. This throwback is being listened to by Chris Joseph because “I can groove to it!”
TABERCIL/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
ANTHONY040/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Hugh Dancy (left) stars as profiler Will Graham. Mads Mikkelsen (right) stars as the titular Dr. Hannibal Lector on NBC’s newest series, Hannibal. els of fear and horror his imagination brings him on a daily basis. Crawford needs someone to keep Will in check, someone to make sure he doesn’t go off the deep end. Enter Hannibal Lector (Mads Mikkelsen), respected psychiatrist and secretly the most dangerous psychopath of them all. Lector agrees to psychoanalyze Will and follow him a bit into the field, where he immediately begins to manipulate all the pieces on the board. It is inevitable that Will and Lector will clash and that eventually only one will be left standing, but until then, their collaborations and confrontations as they hunt down lesser villains will make for thrilling television. If all you know of Hannibal Lector is the classic 1991 film adaptation of The Silence of the Lambs, you won’t even recognize this version. We’re years away from Clarice Starling entering the FBI academy, let alone hunting down Buffalo Bill, so don’t expect to see her anywhere. Instead, we have Will Graham, a man on the edge who’s just a step away
from becoming just crazy as those he hunts. Dancy plays him to almost schizophrenic perfection, a man who clearly wants to help those in need, but is constantly terrified of what this will do to him. Mikkelsen, meanwhile, is a much different Lector than Anthony Hopkins, yet is just as evil. Even though the audience knows he is the worst killer of them all, the show only hints at it rather than stating it outright. Lector is never seen killing anyone, but is seen preparing and eating several meat-filled dishes, one in particular right after another body is discovered. The direction and cinematography of this very violent series also puts it above the rest. While many crime shows simply show blood being spilled without any substance behind it, Hannibal slows things down and takes a different approach. There is an almost artful way that violence is shown, which can be attributed to the depth of madness in the show’s villains. While Hannibal has more violence than almost anything else on TV, which makes
it often difficult to watch, the way it is presented is so striking that you often can’t take your eyes off the screen, no matter how badly you want to. But the most incredible piece of the show is the inside of Graham’s mind. At a crime scene, flashes of light move across his eye line as he removes other police officers and CSIs, then the corpses, and recreates the crime in all its gory detail. He watches as the victims are struck down and die slowly, narrating it to anyone who is listening back in the real world. Graham’s mind is incredibly perceptive and advanced and seeing inside it is truly unlike anything ever seen on television. NBC’s newest series Hannibal is the latest in a long line of serial killer-centric shows, but proves itself better than most due to its incredible talent and performances in front of and behind the camera. Though the books and films have already told us how the story will end, getting there will make for one of the most exciting and captivating rides on network television.
B16
Arts
The Chronicle
Kickin’ It With KJ: WOLF Edition
By KEVIN JACOB Staff Writer Welcome all to another amazing edition of Kickin’ It. This week not much has released besides Tyler, The Creator’s WOLF album. Besides reviewing that, I’m going to review an album that I’ve been listening to quite a bit of lately—Kid Cudi’s Man on the Moon II for a little bit of a throwback for you guys. Let’s get into it.
Tyler, The Creator: WOLF
Let me start off this review by stating that Tyler, The Creator is my dude. Definitely not the best rapper, but to me, Tyler is one of the more entertaining ones out there doing it today. My freshmen year I caught onto the OF wave and heard Tyler’s first album BASTARD. In my teenage angst it fit right in, and after letting it sit with me for a while, I found out that his second album, GOBLIN would be coming out that year. Again, for the time period I was in, GOBLIN got me through some pretty tough times. Now we find ourselves two years later. Tyler’s long awaited album WOLF is finally out. And it’s great. Where BASTARD and GOBLIN both were really hyped-out and anger-filled albums, Tyler
has kind of chilled out on WOLF. His emotions aren’t nearly as all over the place, and not only has his rapping gotten better, but the production has improved amazingly. WOLF starts out with its self-titled intro and you can already tell that this album’s going to be good. Then we have “Jamba,” which sounds a little Cool Kids-influenced and Hodgy Beats ripping his guest verse. Next we get “Cowboy,” a personal favorite of mine, and tracks such as “Answer,” “48,” and “Rusty” are all great tracks. Tyler even makes his own version of Eminem’s “Stan” with Colossus which is kind of creepy but very detailed. For me, “Lone” is the best song on the album. It shows Tyler at his
most vulnerable, talking about the death of his grandmother who died of cancer last year. Its jazzy beat is very grandiose in a sense. It’s the perfect finale to the album. The only songs I wasn’t fully into were “Awkward” and “Domo 23,” but besides that, the album is pretty flawless. Upon hearing the album, besides a very few select albums, this one makes you actually feel something when listening to it, whether it be anger, joy, sadness, etc. I haven’t heard an album in a while that’s made me feel that way when listening to it. WOLF will not only be Tyler’s breakthrough album to the mainstream, but it’s one of my favorite records so far this year. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Rating: 10/10
Throwback Album of the Week—Kid Cudi: Man on the Moon II
production makes the songs sound even more dangerous. “Don’t Play This Song” challenged his fan base to accept him without the drugs that he endorsed. This album had Cudder baring his soul and revealing pretty much all of his demons. You started to understand him more, in a sense. The best track on here,“The End,” had not only Cudi, but Chip Tha Ripper and GLC at their finest hour. They all spit fire on that track. In the end, this was a great album, and if you missed out on it when it first came out, you should
go check it out because this is true art right here, and Cudi’s new album, Indicud, is set to be released in the next couple weeks. Get hyped, because it’s sure to be a banger. Rating: 9/10
This album was vastly underrated. After the success of Man on the Moon I, fans expected more of the same, but Cudder took a bit of a left turn and was a bit more emotional on this one. It was a dark album, and many didn’t like that, but I for one loved it. Cuts like “Maniac,” “Ghost!” and “Mr. Rager” are amazing, and the eerie
That’s all we have this week for Kickin’ It. I have no idea what’s supposed to be coming out besides Indicud in the next couple weeks. But we’ll have to wait and see. Until then, keep listening and reading. Peace.
THE CHRONICLE IS NOW ON FACEBOOK! Keep abreast of news and events on campus as they occur. Find our Page by searching “The Chronicle at The College of Saint Rose.” Hope you Like It.
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
Kicking Up the Dirt Under
A Great Big Pile of Leaves By STEPHANIE VAUGHAN Contributing Writer This interview is abridged. Full interview available at www. strosechronicle.com
After chatting with members Pete Weiland, Tucker Yaro, Matthew Fazzi, and Tyler Soucy for a short time, it became clear that they have a go-with-the-flow outlook on life which seems to be working out pretty well for them. Drawing influences from Green Day’s Dookie, Weezer’s The Blue Album, along with bands like The Beatles and The Beach Boys, A Great Big Pile of Leaves’ melodic tunes have earned them spots on major tours, along with a strong and growing fan base. At the end of the day though, they really want you to give their band a chance to make you happy. The Chronicle:You’ve played tours with some big name artists like Motion City Soundtrack, Say Anything, and Hellogoodbye, yet you’ve also done plenty of smaller tours. What are some of the similarities and differences between larger and smaller scale shows that people might not realize? Fazzi: Every show you get a different crowd. For example, [playing] college shows could be really hit or miss with the energy that you get back from people. Sometimes [there are] people that are already in the scene who go to shows and are excited to see live music. Sometimes you get a college crowd where it’s like, “Oh there’s a band playing, I just showed up, I don’t really care and I’m just hanging out with my friends.” Fazzi: It’s a difference, too, if we are the headliner for the show or if we are the opening band. Every situation is just a little bit different from the next. When you’re the opening band, you are trying to win over new people. When you’re the headliner, [you hope] there are some people who are already stoked about the band and then it’s a different kind of energy, you get a little extra pumped to play for those people.
The Chronicle: How do you feel about online services such as Spotify and Pandora? Fazzi: It’s a double-edged sword. The royalty rate sucks on Spotify, it’s terrible, it’s not artist friendly. [However,] the idea that Spotify has all this really cool music that you maybe can’t even find other places is a really neat part of it. Yaro: People are just cruising around [online]. If they stumble across us, it’s not an opportunity for them to get it free where they otherwise would have paid for it, but the percentage of people doing that is so small. I feel like the majority of people are just stumbling across our music, so we do benefit from that. The Chronicle: When people are on Spotify or in a record store and they come across your album, why should people choose to listen to your music over everything else out there? Fazzi: Everyone has a different flavor and the hope is that they like our flavor. Our flavor happens to be happy rock music. We are a fun, nostalgic feeling happy rock band! The Chronicle: Would you then encourage people to continue buying physical music or is there another platform you feel is more beneficial to you as the artist? Yaro: It all works for us. Our biggest returns are always going to be direct digital sales, that’s going to be our highest profit margin. I think bands make the most money from fans coming to shows. Money aside, you want people to be listening to your band. Fazzi: A general exchange of energy is good, whatever that might be. If they go steal the record, then so be it; it happens. Hopefully, they’ll be pumped enough to come out to a show and buy a shirt or even come up and give us a high five and say “Hey, I stole your music and I like it and I paid to get in,” or something.
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
Opinion
The Chronicle
C17
Twitter is Bribing and the Winner Capitol Drama
By LAUREN SEARS Staff Writer
Twitter is better than Facebook for obvious reasons. The first reason being that tweets can be sent from anywhere, the second reason being that twitter is instant, and the final reason being that twitter gives access to people like celebrities that the average person would not have had before. During Superstorm Sandy, cell towers were down for days. One of the only ways people discovered important information was via Twitter. Twitter can be accessed as long as there is a Wifi connection available. EMS and first responders and government officials could post important information within seconds! This helped millions of people throughout the storm. My close friend lives in Babylon, Long Island near Long Beach, one of the hardest hit areas besides Staten Island and the Jersey Shore. The only way he could communicate for two weeks was via Twitter. He did not have cell service or enough power to use Facebook. The fact I knew he was safe and okay made me an even bigger fan of Twitter. Twitter also allows for instant interactions with family, friends, and celebrities all around the world. For example, I have three famous news reporters from the Tri-State area following me, as well as national brands. Greg Mocker of WPIX is the most famous of the three newscasters that follow me on Twitter.
When I lived in the city, I would watch PIX 11 News everyday at 10 p.m. He is a well-known reporter and is most famous for his segment called "On the Trail of Something Different," where every day he helps New Yorkers with problems, such as the MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority), DOT (Department of Transportation) and government issues. I started following Mocker on Twitter when I met him at a journalism event at my previous school. He has followed me since, and it is easy to interact with him. For example, during Sandy I wanted to know if St. John's was okay and what areas in Long Island were hit the hardest. After tweeting Mocker, I got an instant response. It relieved me to know that I found out about those areas fast. This allows me to have interactions that would be unimaginable years ago! Twitter is also international, which allows me to communicate with my two best friends who are abroad in Paris right now. Overall, Twitter is the clear winner in the social media game. It is fast, to the point, and instant. If you cannot come up with something meaningful or clever to say in less than 140 characters, then Twitter is not for you. Just remember with all social media sites, only accept people you know and be safe. Reach Lauren Sears at Searsl075@strose.edu Twitter: @laursea07
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER! We tweet weekly updates from our own little space in the Twitterverse.
Follow us @strosechronicle.
By KATHERINE BAKAITIS Staff Writer I love New York, but there is something seriously wrong with this state. Perhaps it is just the people running it (which it definitely is), but we are all floating in a sea of corruption because our ethical ship has sunk. We all know that corruption in government is not limited to New York, but we probably possess some strong magnet that attracts scandal at every turn. State Senator Malcolm Smith and his accomplices are not even a recent example of this corruption crisis! Just two days after Senator Smith was arrested last Tuesday, two NYS Assembly men were also detained for similar charges! A New York City prosecutor said that political corruption in the state "is indeed rampant." Indeed it is! Malcolm Smith, who has served at times as the state Senate’s Majority and Minority Leader since becoming a senator in 2000, was arrested in his Queens home at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. Republican New York City Councilman Dan Halloran and four other political figures were also arrested with him. Here is what happened: Senator Smith wanted to run for the NYC mayor on the Republican ticket, but since he is an IDC member in the Senate (a Democrat), he needed approval from five prominent Republican leaders in the five borroughs of New York City. This is where the bribing comes in. $80,000 in cash was promised or paid to Bronx County Republican Party Chairman Joseph Savino, and Queens County Republican Party Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone, who were both arrested last Tuesday. A criminal complaint said that in
meetings with a cooperating witness and an undercover FBI agent posing as a wealthy real estate developer, Smith agreed to bribe the five Republican leaders. "These are very serious allegations that, if true, constitute a clear betrayal of the public trust. As a result of these charges, I have made the decision to strip Senator Smith of his committee assignments and of his conference leadership position," said IDC Leader Jeff Klein. "By participating in the alleged scheme, Senator Smith breached the trust of the Independent Democratic Conference. I trust that the U.S. attorney's office will act expeditiously to resolve this matter and to ensure that justice is served," Klein's statement continues. "Finally, given the level of criminality alleged, I believe that Senator Smith should seriously consider whether or not he can continue to effectively serve his constituents." Here are the real damages broken down: The charges were bribery, wire fraud, and extortion. Along with Senator Smith and Daniel Halloran III, two Republican Party leaders from Queens and the Bronx, Vincent Tabone and Joseph Savino; and two officials in Spring Valley, a village in Rockland County, were also accused. Locations of the act included steakhouses, hotel rooms, parked cars and even Smith’s Albany office. And it was all for ballot access, a road project, a community center, politicians’ votes, and party endorsements. Now on to the latest embarrassment: the NYS Assembly. Last Thursday, Assemblyman Eric Stevenson was arrested in a bribery investigation in which another state assemblyman, Nelson Castro, co-operated against him.
Stevenson and four businessmen were charged in part with conspiring to pass a bill in the state legislature to protect a new Bronx adult center from competitors for three years to give the center a monopoly against other facilities that might want to offer meals, social activities and supervision for the elderly and disabled. What?! Castro, another Bronx Democrat, notified Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver that he was resigning Thursday. Silver called for the resignation of Stevenson as well, saying the charges he faced would be a "clear violation of the public trust and cannot be tolerated." "The allegations of public corruption by city and state officials revealed this week are appalling," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Thursday. "New Yorkers deserve a government that is as good as the people it serves and the events of the last few days fail this and every standard of public service." Spot on, Governor. Although all of this corruption is horrible, the fact that these wrong-doers (even if they are public officials) are being caught and prosecuted is just another example of our Democracy at work. If we were in Russia right now, or any other Semi-Authoritarian state, this would be a daily norm and there would be no punishment. Nevertheless, there is no denying that we are all in a hideous mess right now in New York. But just remember this: not all politicians are slime balls who only work to satisfy their own greed, some (however small that amount may be) actually work for us, the people. Reach Katherine Bakaitis at Bakaitisk161@strose.edu Twitter: KTattack
C18
The Chronicle
Opinion
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
UMO – We’re in a New York State of Mind This Week: Why do plants hate math?
Last week: How many eggs can you put in an empty basket? Answer: Only one; after that, the basket isn’t empty anymore. By DANIELLE HEIDCAMP UMO Saturday, April 6 2013 – UMO, Unified Mathematics Organization, embarked on their first trip to Manhattan to see the MoMath Museum. The interactive mathematics museum was proof that mathematics can be fun. Although the museum was geared towards children, there were people of all ages using the hands-on activities in the two-floor museum. The many activities included uses of cameras, video, computer systems, and even building blocks. There were brainteasers that stumped some of our students and animations that enlightened us. This field trip was great for mathematics majors, childhood education majors, and secondary education majors. Some of the activities on the top floor included a painting studio that related to polynomial function. Next to that was a computer that allowed you to manipulate 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional objects by rotating the light up knobs left and right to change the equation, which changes the shape of the object on the screen. Even the staircase incorporates mathematics in an interesting way. The staircase was a helix of multiplication. The helix had numbers listed 1 to 100. If you pressed the ‘3’ button on one panel and the number 6 on the other panel, the helix would light up the number 18; same if you press the number 9 on one panel and 9 on the other, the number 81 would light up on the helix. Once you hit the bottom of the stairs, the first thing you see is an interactive light up floor that shows light up points and spaces. The second floor is the location of the “Enigma Café” that had sev-
eral tables set up each with their own complex puzzles to solve. The MoMath museum also had an activity for fractals where two people in individual spots stood in front of a camera that recorded your motions. It recognized where the hands were and when projected on the wall, turned the end of the hands into tree branches. With different motions, the branches kept on expanding and moved with the motion of your body. There were different settings for the different seasons. One of the more popular ones seemed to be the spring and summer setting; it must have been the flowers that were blooming on the ends of the branches. The huge take away from this trip was both the interaction of children and adults. Upon looking around the museum, not only were the children engaged, but so were their parents. They were hands-on helping their kids and getting as much from the experience as the children themselves. As the day came to an end, Chris Lovell, UMO President,
UMO President Chris Lovell
made an announcement that the club had raised enough money through fundraising that we were able to make a donation to the MoMath Museum. The donation was from UMO to Dr. Joanne Powers. It is thanks to Dr. Powers and all of her help that this trip was made possible. A big thank you also goes out to Chris Lovell for orchestrating much of the details that enabled this trip to happen. As the weather becomes warmer and the semester comes to an end, UMO is starting to think about the next year. There are new ideas to promote the organization and fundraising options. The club will be talking about elections for next semester, planning the next meeting date, and planning days the organization will meet for next semester. As always, contact us if you have any questions, suggestions, or comments about the elections or other club activities. Reach Danielle Heidcamp at heidcampd075@strose.edu
REGINA IANNIZZOTTO
Girl 1 on bus to MoMath: “I’m not very good at protecting you.’ Girl 2: “No, you’re not. I would never trust you during a zombie apocalypse.”
*Girl Sneezes at MoMath* Guy: “Did you explode?”
Guy in CCIM: “You don’t need ears. Helen Keller didn’t and she was very successful.”
Guy 1 in CCIM: “Where did this come from?” Guy 2: “I don’t know. I saw it so I threw it at you.”
Guy in CCIM: “Mind your own business Security.” Girl:: “Isn’t it their job to not do that?”
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
Sports
The Chronicle
D19
Baseball is Back in the Bronx By LAUREN SEARS Staff Writer
April 1, 2013 marked the day that most Yankees fans have been waiting for: Baseball returning to the Bronx. Opening Day is always special for any team in the MLB, but for the Yankees this opening series versus none other than those Red Sox from Boston, marks a new chapter. The Bronx Bombers need to redeem themselves following the disappointing season of 2012. This offseason, Nick Swisher, Russell Martin, and Raul Ibanez all moved on to different teams, three key players that provided the Yankees with great service over the years, suddenly gone. I’m not going to lie, I was sort of skeptical about how the opening series against those Red Sox would go. The injury bug that came last season continued to
haunt the Yankees during Spring Training. Derek Jeter is still not playing, and the Yankees need their Captain back on the field. While playing for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, Mark Teixiera suffered a wrist injury. Curtis Granderson, another key player in the Yankee lineup, injured himself during a Spring Training game. We can’t forget to mention Alex Rodriguez; he is out with a hip injury until after the All-Star Break. The Yankees also gained some wonderful offseason additions to their lineup. Former Cleveland Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner, and former All-Star Outfielder Vernon Wells, have joined the Yankees. With all this being said, let’s talk about the important thing: The opening series versus Red Sox. Game one had so much potential for the Yankees. Their staff ace CC Sabathia got the start
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Andy Pettitte pitched very well for the Yankees in his first start against the Red Sox.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Vernon Wells has been hitting well for the Yankees.
against Jon Lester. CC was excellent last season, but he proved during Game one that he still needs to work on a few things. The Yankees ended up losing 8-2. Game two had Hiroki Kuroda pitching against Clay Bucholz. Kuroda only lasted two innings, due to a line-drive hitting his fingers, which gave him a contusion. After Kuroda’s injury, it went downhill for the Yankees. Their bullpen isn’t as strong as it has been in years past. The bullpen gave up three runs in the third inning and another run in the seventh inning. Clay Bucholz had a strong outing, which propelled the Sox past the Yankees. Game three, which was played Thursday, was the game I was looking forward to the most for
two reasons: 1. Andy Pettite was pitching, and 2. The Yankees needed to come back and prove themselves. Andy Pettite got the start for the Yankees, while the new off-season addition for the Red Sox, Ryan Dempster, got the start for Boston. The Bronx Bombers came out on fire, scoring in the seconnd inning off a deep left field single by Lyle Overbay, which brought Eduardo Nunez and Travis Hafner home. Then in the third, Brett Gardner hit a solo home run into right field. The hot hitting continued into the seventh inning when Francisco Cervelli, who was sent back down to the minor league last season, hit a solo home run to left. Andy Pettite had pitched brilliantly. He had a strong eight innings, and only
allowed one earned run. Whoever thought Pettite was washed up was clearly wrong. Then perhaps the best moment of the game happened in top of the ninth inning, baseball’s all time saves leader, Mariano Rivera came onto the mound for the first time since tearing his ACL last May. Rivera was outstanding and earned his first save of the season. The Yankees finally earned their first win of the season. Overall, the opening series left many questions unanswered. As the season goes on, the new players will adjust, and the veterans will come back from injury. However, I am almost positive that the Yankees will bounce back, because they aren’t called the “comeback kids” for nothing.
D20 Sports Ryan Harper Looks to Bounce Back from Injury The Chronicle
By JOSHUA NATOLI Sports Editor Injuries are no joke, particularly when they are sports related. An injury can hinder a player’s abilities for a few games, and sometimes an entire season. Just ask Ryan Harper, a starting pitcher on the Golden Knights baseball team. Last season in his first year as a starter, Harper suffered a torn ligament in his elbow and received Tommy John surgery, a procedure that required him to miss the entirety of this season. “I tore it in my second start last year throwing a pretty good game,” said Harper. “I threw eight and a third innings; I went out in the ninth and struck out the first guy, got two strikes on the second guy and threw a slider and felt a pop in my elbow.” The pop was something the 22
-year-old had never felt before. He let out a small scream which alerted the coaching staff to the problem. Harper did not think much of the injury at the time, and continued to pitch. As soon as he threw the next pitch, Harper knew something was wrong and walked off the mound. The injury came at such a pivotal point in Harper’s baseball career. Harper had just walked on to the team the year before as a closer. During that year, he set the school single-season record for saves with 10. Being a walk-on was something Harper felt required a lot more effort than usual; “When I tried out I really wasn’t expecting to make the team because I had been cut the year before as a freshman,” said Harper. “It was a weekend tryout, and I remember the last day of tryouts came and our pitching
April 9th, 2013
Volume 81 Issue 28
coach brought us out to the fence and said we were just gonna run for a half hour. Not everybody was in the best of shape and he said if you have to stop running just go home. So I ran as hard as a could for a half hour and I think he saw how hard I was working that he had to keep me.” Proving his worth is not something Harper shies away from. In high school, Harper was cut from his varsity baseball team as a junior. The next year, Harper was the very last player to make it. “Our coach told me I was the last person to make the team and that I might get a few scrap innings here and there and depending on how I pitched those, I might be able to pitch later on in the season,” said Harper. “By the end of the season, I was his ace and a starting pitcher.” Even though Harper pitched so
RYAN HARPER
Ryan Harper moved up to the starting rotation last year.
RYAN HARPER
Ryan Harper is currently on the road to recovery from Tommy John surgery after suffering an injury.
well his senior year, he was not able to pick up any scholarship offer. Baseball players usually pick up scholarship offers during their junior year of high school. This led Harper to choose The College of Saint Rose. The school has become sort of a family affair for Harper. His brother, aunt, uncle, and several cousins all went to Saint Rose as well. Even though the recovery from Tommy John surgery is a long journey, Harper is ready to step up to the challenge. During the course of Harper’s career, he has had to improve substantially at every level. The next level, however, will require the most improvement. Before last year’s season started, Harper took to
All-Stars Academy in the capital region to throw a bullpen session before baseball season started. “I threw for this guy who saw me throw only 50 pitches,” said Harper. “He asked me what my plans were for the summer and I said I was going to play in the Coastal Plains League and he told me after only seeing me throw 50 pitches ‘You’re not going to the Coastal Plains League, you’re going to be drafted by the end of this year.’” Those comments motivated Harper even more to improve his pitching, not only going forward for the Golden Knights, but his future endeavors in getting drafted as well. As for now though, that elbow needs to heal.