The Spectrum Volume 63 Issue 14 by The Spectrum Student Periodical

Career Services highlights alternative post-grad jobs My Future Ex art exhibit draws students to Buffalo THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950

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Bulls host UConn, chase second straight win

Friday, September 27, 2013

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Volume 63 No. 14

‘ BACK< & FUTURE’ BEN TARHAN

Senior Sports Editor

Michio Kaku’s journey to finishing Albert Einstein’s final manuscript started in his parents’ garage. When he was in high school, Kaku built an atom collider that generated a magnetic field 20,000 times that of the earth, which is “enough to pull the fillings out of your teeth if you got too close to the machine.” “My poor mom thought I was crazy building all these gigantic machines in the garage,” Kaku said. “But it got me a scholarship to Harvard and that set me off on this great journey to find out what was in that book.” On Wednesday night, Kaku, a world-renowned physicist, futurist and popular science advocate, addressed a packed Alumni Arena as the inaugural speaker of the 27th annual Distinguished Speakers Series. He sat down with The Spectrum for an interview beforehand. Kaku believes science is not a luxury but “an engine to all the wealth you see around you,” and he has taken on a role in popular science to push this point. After graduating from Harvard in 1968 and receiving his Ph.D. from the University of California-Berkeley in 1972, Kaku has dedicated his career to popularizing science. He appeared in his first documentary, We Are the Guinea Pigs, in 1980 and has since appeared in many movies and TV shows. He has discussed topics ranging from parallel universes to time travel to UFO sightings. He

Michio Kaku discusses the effect of science over the next 100 years

Courtesy of Enid Bloch, UB Reporter Michio Kaku, a world-renowned physicist, futurist and popular science advocate, addressed Alumni Arena Wednesday night as the first speaker in the 27th annual Distinguished Speakers Series.

has also published seven books, including two New York Times Best Sellers, “Physics of the Impossible” and “Physics of the Future.” His next book, “The Future of the Mind,” is scheduled for publication in 2014. Kaku is currently a physics professor at CUNY City College. Kaku discussed physicists’ influence on the past through inventions like the laser and the

transistor but brought comedy to his talk as well, quoting Yogi Berra and Woody Allen, often evoking waves of laughter from the audience. Kaku also discussed his educational journey and what he thinks is wrong with the way physics is taught today. Kaku’s journey was inspired by his two childhood heroes: Albert Einstein and Flash Gordon.

He admired Einstein for his life’s work but enjoyed Flash Gordon’s portrayal of the future. It was Einstein’s unfinished manuscript that motivated Kaku to become a physicist. He wanted to learn not just how to read Einstein’s book, but also how to finish it. At the same time, he was in awe of the ray guns, starships, aliens and the technology of the future portrayed in the television

show “Flash Gordon.” “But then I began to realize that the two things are really the same – physics and the future,” Kaku said. “If you want to really understand the future – to get a time frame of what’s possible, what’s impossible, when might certain technologies come to fruition – you really have to have a grounding in physics.” SEE KAKU, PAGE 6

UB calls it ‘quits’ Stampede of events on its UB QUIT program helps students quit smoking – for good GABRIELA JULIA Staff Writer

Katie Cuartas, a freshman occupational therapy major, had her first cigarette at the age of 13. She started smoking cigarettes regularly when she was a freshman in high school, and it has been about a month since she quit. “[Smoking] is a temporary stress reliever, but I’ve found other methods to relieve stress in a healthier way,” Cuartas said. “Smoking cigarettes has definitely hurt my respiratory system, especially when I was swimming for my high school team. I constantly felt short of breath.” UB believes it has the solution to help students like Cuartas break the habit. Primary clinician Lisa Germeroth, a graduate student in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program, has created UB QUIT, a program that offers students a new way to quit smoking. So far, Germeroth said the program has had very successful results as approximately 85 percent of group members have become smokefree. Germeroth said she saw many students who wanted to quit smoking come through the Psychological Services Center, but the center never had a good recommendation of smoking cessation programs. Germeroth was eager to find a program based on up-to-date research that offered

Chad Cooper, The Spectrum

Graduate student Lisa Germeroth created UB QUIT, a new program at UB that offers students an effective and efficient way to quit smoking.

students the opportunity to quit smoking. The three-week program costs $65 and provides a combination of group therapy sessions and nicotine replacement treatment. During each group therapy session, clinicians – who are advanced clinical psychology students working toward their Ph.D. – prepare each participant for their “quit day.” SEE UB QUITS, PAGE 6

way for homecoming 2013 JAMES DRAGONETTE

Staff Writer

Student Association members are looking forward to a packed schedule of new events surrounding this year’s homecoming bash. SA, in conjunction with other on-campus organizations like UB Athletics, is on a mission to provide students with not only a better college football experience on game day, but also a more engaging Spirit Week and homecoming. SA officials are confident students will be receptive to the revamped schedule. Spirit Week, which costs around $15,000 annually, according to SA Entertainment Coordinator Marc Rosenblitt, will run from Monday to Saturday, when the football team will take on the Eastern Michigan Eagles at UB Stadium. SA will host a variety of events in and around the Student Union during Spirit Week, including games, giveaways, public-art activities, contests and a tailgating event come game day, all with the intention of bringing clubs and students together to promote school spirit. The tailgating events – which kicked off Sept. 14 in the Bulls’ home opener against Stony Brook – have been a joint venture between SA and other organizations, most notably UB’s athletic department, which has contributed roughly half of the $30,000 total cost of the Party at the Point tailgates, according to

Chad Cooper, The Spectrum

A variety of exciting events, including a breakdance session, took place at UB's first Tailgate Series event before the football team's home opener Sept. 14. In this photo, Brendan Tom, a senior communication major, does a backflip.

Rosenblitt. “Financially, it doesn’t break the bank,” said SA Vice President Lyle Selsky. “We’re getting a lot of bang for our buck with Athletics’ financial support as well.” Both sides contributed money and effort, Selsky added. By Friday, many of SA’s larger events will begin, most notably the annual Homecoming Carnival – a free event taking place beside Lake LaSalle. The carnival will feature rides, games, food and live entertainment, among other attractions, and will precede the pep rally, bonfire and fireworks display, which are scheduled to run until 10 p.m. The carnival is expected to cost SA around $45,000 to $50,000 this year, which is substantially lower than what it would have cost had other campus organizations not been so helpful in

funding the event, according to Rosenblitt. “We were able to get sponsorships from the office of Student Life, Alumni Association and university athletics,” Rosenblitt said. “They’ve all been very gracious and have given a combined total of about $12,000 to help us increase this year’s carnival.” For those looking to do something other than attend the carnival, the host of Discovery Channel’s “Cash Cab,” Ben Bailey, will put on a comedy show in Alumni Arena at 7 p.m. on Friday before he heads outside to help emcee the pep rally. The men’s soccer team will face off against the Bowling Green Falcons at UB Stadium at 7 p.m. on the same day. Students looking to watch the sporting event can look on as the Bulls seek a win against their first conference opponent this season. SEE HOMECOMING, PAGE 6

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Friday, September 27, 2013

CALL OF DUTY

UB Career Services aims to highlight alternative post-undergraduate jobs

JAMES DRAGONETTE

Staff Writer

Since the economic recession of 2008 and its effects on the U.S. economy, college graduates from many disciplines have found it much harder to find employment in their fields after leaving school, according to UB Career Services Director Arlene Kaukus. Many of these students came to college with ambitions of finding work strictly with a private-sector company after graduating. She said now, seemingly more than ever, there are not enough positions to satisfy the new group of graduates every year. Kaukus hopes some of these students take an opportunity to open up their field of vision when searching for work. She hopes students will see the benefits of working in the fields of public service and non-profit organizations. “There is such a focus, I think, generally with getting employment with a [company],” Kaukus said. “As somebody who had a 30-year career in non-profit before I came to work at [UB], one of the things I’m keenly interested in is opening up for students their view of ‘I could do a lot of amazing things in a lot of places.’” She thinks one of the best ways to make this transition to

employment in the public or non-profit sector is by engaging in public service through one of myriad organizations all over the country and world. UB Career Services Employee Relations Manager Judith Applebaum thinks working with public service organizations like WorldTeach and City Year can provide students and graduates with not only a sense of accomplishment from their work, but also a broad skillset they may not otherwise acquire. Applebaum said these experiences can give students skills that employers desire. “They’re wonderful, wonderful skills that you develop that can be very useful and make you very desirable over other candidates today,” Applebaum said. Public service can also provide participants with a new perspective on the world that is only attained by engaging in service in another place domestically or abroad, she added. Stephen Boyd, a 2007 UB graduate who majored in English, spoke highly about his time serving through WorldTeach – a non-profit, non-governmental organization created in 1986 in response to the global “need for educational assistance in developing countries,” according to its website. “Personally, I’ve learned quite a lot: about myself, my abilities as a teacher, how to adapt to a

foreign culture, how to travel safely, how to deal with culture shock and homesickness, and how to be patient in an environment I don’t understand,” Boyd said in an email. “I am hoping that these teaching experiences on my resume will give me a competitive edge over other applicants and that employers will see my dedication to helping others as a positive attribute.” Boyd spent a summer in Nambia and a year in Tanzania teaching information communication technology and English. He was grateful for the personal growth he experienced while teaching in Africa and also the skills he gained that future employers may find attractive. “I learned how to manage large groups of people, communicate in different languages, and be extremely flexible in facing challenging living environments so I think I’m capable of working in many difficult or fastpaced places,” Boyd said. Kaukus suggests students don’t know that public service and non-profit organizations value participants with experience and schooling in a variety of disciplines. This is something she is passionate about making known to the larger public. She thinks students don’t think about the business opportunities that are available in these fields. She wants students to bridge the gap between public service orga-

nizations and their own particular skills. “But I don’t think, generally speaking, people make that connection,” Kaukus said. “So I think putting that idea in front of students is really important because it opens a whole new sector of opportunities that they’re not even looking at.” Khadijat Olagoke, a 2013 Buffalo State College graduate who is working with the organization City Year, has opened her eyes to the possibilities of the benefits of working in the public sector. City Year was formed in 1988 by two Harvard Law School students “who felt strongly that young people in service could be a powerful resource for addressing America’s most pressing issues,” according to its website. One of these pressing issues the group is working on is the declining graduation rate in American high schools. Olagoke works as the “Team Leader” for other City Year volunteers at Public School 48 in the South Bronx area of New York City. She directs much of her efforts to managing the volunteers who work as tutors and mentors at P.S. 48. Olagoke takes on various other planning roles, in addition to her managerial duties. “Besides serving in the classrooms, this upcoming school year, we plan to open an after school program for the students

of P.S. 48 where the students can get homework help and indulge in extra-curricular activities,” Olagoke said in an email. “We also carry out community service events like painting murals in a school playground and planting gardens. In November, we plan to have a huge assembly in P.S. 48 about self-awareness and bullying.” Olagoke, an aspiring New York public defender, embodies Kaukus’ words. She has undertaken an educational role at City Year, which does not necessarily relate to her future career, but acknowledges the correlation between her work and her intended career in the legal field. “I decided to serve with City Year New York for the same reason I want to become a New York public defender; I want to help people and believe that everyone should be given equal and adequate access to all of life’s necessities,” Olagoke said. “This year it is education but for the rest of my life I want to help the public by giving them the best support and defense when needed regardless of their income and social class.” This broader and more open view of public service is what Kaukus would like to cultivate. She hopes more students will start to see the wide variety of options available to them outside the private sector. Email: news@ubspectrum.com

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EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Aaron Mansfield MANAGING EDITORS Lisa Khoury Sara DiNatale

OPINION

A suspicious opportunity for diplomacy United States should be cautious in negotiations with Iran

OPINION EDITOR Eric Cortellessa NEWS EDITORS Sam Fernando, Senior Joe Konze Jr. LIFE EDITORS Keren Baruch, Senior Sharon Kahn, Senior Alyssa McClure, Asst. ARTS EDITORS Max Crinnin, Senior Rachel Kramer, Asst. Felicia Hunt, Asst. SPORTS EDITORS Jon Gagnon, Senior Ben Tarhan, Senior Owen O’Brien PHOTO EDITORS Aline Kobayashi, Senior Juan David Pinzon, Asst. Daniele Gershon, Asst. CARTOONIST Jeanette Chwan CREATIVE DIRECTORS Brian Keschinger Haider Alidina, Asst. PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER Emma Callinan Drew Gaczewski, Asst. Chris Mirandi, Asst. ADVERTISING DESIGNER Haley Sunkes Haley Chapman, Asst. Ashlee Foster, Asst.

September 27, 2013 Volume 63 Number 14 Circulation 7,000

The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion, and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address. The Spectrum is provided free in part by the Undergraduate Mandatory Activity Fee.

ART BY JEANETTE CHWAN

For a long time now, Iran has been one of our fiercest antagonists. But with the recent election of President Hassan Rouhani, possibilities for a change in the dynamic may be emerging. A nuclear Iran has long been potentially the largest international threat. Former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had been open and vocal about his plans to develop a nuclear program. This coming from the same man – a head of government – who repeatedly denied the existence of the Holocaust. And he was clear in his intent to destroy Israel – fused with ripples of anti-Semitism. But now Rouhani admits to a holocaust – something former President Bill Clinton whimsically mocked during an interview with Piers Morgan. What does it suggest about the world we live in when a president is considered moderate for recognizing the actuality of the Holocaust? Nevertheless, it should be recognized that Rouhani has taken a step in the right direction – well, a baby step, maybe. But it

would not be a baby step for him to agree to allow us to enact oversight ensuring Iran has ceased its endeavor to obtain nuclear weapons and develop a program – something Rouhani has recently said he is open to negotiating in order for the United States to relieve our economic sanctions. These sanctions have been crippling Iran. Right now, inflation is around 25 percent, according to Reuters, and their unemployment rate is at 12.3 percent, according to the Statistical Center of Iran. These sanctions are meant to suspend the development of their nuclear energy program, which the supreme leader, Ayotallah Ali Khamenei, has insisted is peaceful. But many are highly skeptical and believe it is all a cover for making an atomic bomb. So, should our skepticism increase with Rouhani’s recent willingness to participate in dialogue? Hard to know. But the prospect of diplomatic solution to international conflicts should always be the preferred route of resolution. President Obama was right to say he

intends to seek out this option. He has directed Secretary of State John Kerry to pursue these negotiations with Iran’s foreign minister. Rouhani has indicated he believes they can “arrive at framework to manage our differences.” Suspiciously idealistic, yet plausibly practical, Rouhani’s words are worth exploring further. But with the prospect of opening negotiations, we should remain skeptical and sustain our pressure while reviewing possibilities for how to proceed. We think it makes most sense to show Iran we are serious about working with them to ease economic sanctions only under the condition there is a transparent and unobstructed mechanism for us to be sure they have terminated a nuclear program. With that in mind, we should only agree to ease any sanctions in increments. Little by little, step by step, in a way that says, “you have to earn our trust.” They also have to demonstrate a willingness to coexist with Israel. It is like child’s play: They don’t

need to like each other, but they have to find a way to get along. Rouhani has to give us concrete and definitive reason to believe that he will lead Iran in a new direction. If he is serious about improving the economy and quality of life in his country, he will have to establish a level of respect for the international community – a simple recognition of the humanity of his enemies. But what we need is not simple. It is complex and multifaceted. What is important is that Obama’s foreign policy encompasses awareness of the many forms of convolution in the Middle East, a complex set of guidelines to achieve a simple goal: stability in the region. The prospect of a nuclear threat is real and it requires careful and cautious action. The prospect of a diplomatic process to ending a nuclear threat will require the same. Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

Cruz control

Texas senator’s pompous behavior is an embarrassment

The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by MediaMate. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at (716) 645-2152. The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100

For 21 hours, in a period spanning from Tuesday afternoon to Wednesday afternoon, Senator Ted Cruz took narcissism to a new level. He has taken the effort to defund implementation of the Affordable Care Act – Obamacare – on his shoulders, and has led the right wing of the Republican Party on a self-destructive path. His eagerness to shut down the government in order to achieve an ideological ambition is more than just ill fated; it reflects a lack of genuine interest in pragmatic governance. There is no chance that President Obama and Congressional Democrats will concede over Obamacare. Nor should they – it was passed by Congress, signed into law by a president and deemed constitutional by a conservative Supreme Court. As long as Cruz and Tea Party Republicans insist on plunging ahead with a process that can only be characterized as inflicting pressure rather than following constitutional practice, the public should continue to express deep and dignified umbrage. And this should say something about who Cruz really is – someone willing to push the government into a shutdown in order to get his way, in order to hold his own party and the entire U.S. government hostage to his personal convictions.

Rep. Peter King (R-NY) has called him a “fraud.” And it is an utter facade when Cruz asserts that his actions are inspired by his deep concern for the public. In a recent profile in GQ, “The Distinguished Wacko Bird from Texas,” we get an image of self-absorbed pomposity, a level of conceit so enormous that consideration for others is comically absent. While a student – he went to Princeton for undergrad and Harvard for law school – he refused to study with students from the “lesser ivies.” Ah, a man of the people. Wherever he goes, he can be seen wearing his Princeton class ring. As Lawrence O’Donnell (a graduate of Harvard) pointed out on Tuesday night, hardly any graduate from that or any other Ivy League institution wears a class ring unless they desperately need you to know that they went there. But Cruz, the man who could induce the government into another manufactured crisis, sees it differently. In his interminable speech on the Senate floor, he likened allowing the implementation of Obamacare to appeasing the Nazis. He probably didn’t take the time to consider how ridiculous the comparison is. He’s too preoccupied with his own image. Part of his rationale for blocking the health care law is that it

must be stopped before Americans get hooked on “all its sugary substance.” In other words, we can’t let Americans have health care before they realize they like it too much. Even more egregious in his strategic efforts is his lack of contributing to the public’s desire for a willingness from Congress to collaborate. He thinks they would rather see absurdity propagated under the illusion of courage. Speaker John Boehner had in the past vocalized his belief that the course of action Cruz has engaged in would be unhelpful – an inept attempt to achieve the Republican Party’s goals. John McCain has echoed the same sentiment. But Boehner’s concession last week to allow the House to vote on defunding Obamacare ignored logic; thrusting us into this conflict is likely an act of political suicide. It was Newt Gingrich and Republicans that caused the last government shutdown in 1995-96, and it lasted three weeks. By the end, the public blamed the Republicans. Bill Clinton, whatever he may have been, was the president – and they had no right to shut the government down on him. Those who were around for that quandary remember the damaging impacts it had on the Republican Party at the time. And those who know their history

should be thoughtful enough to keep that in mind. Most Americans aren’t so partisan that they prefer a dysfunctional government to a functional government they disagree with. With all the problems the nation faces presently – immigration, gun control, high unemployment and an ongoing economic recovery – this mess that Cruz has dug us deeper in is a profound waste of time. A waste of time Cruz is gladly taking credit for – with a dignified sense of honor, and a mythologized sense of self. The word ‘narcissistic’ comes from Greek Mythology. Narcissus, whom after being rejected by the nymph Echo, fell in love with his own reflection – causing his inevitable demise. Cruz is leading his party into a downfall and rendering the American public exasperated – more than anything else, people want government to work. Right now, Cruz may relish being in the limelight – he’s the hero of a minority of extremist rightwingers. But when it’s all said and done, and this inevitably fails, there will likely be only one person still in love with him: himself. Email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

Friday, September 27, 2013 ubspectrum.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Unexpected serendipity

My Future Ex brings diverse groups of artists to Buffalo, gets students off campus ERIC CULVER

Staff Writer

Knee-deep in an abandoned warehouse filled with waste from a flower shop, installation artist Tra Bouscaren is looking for something beautiful. The 39-year-old Boston native uses any material he can find to make art. Bouscaren is one of 17 local, national and international artists currently participating in My Future Ex, an art exhibition organized by the UB Art Galleries. The exhibition consists of a series of shows and installments around Buffalo, the first of which opened Sept. 20. Those interested in viewing any of the work or interacting with the artists will have until Nov. 4 to experience the show. Sandra Firmin is the curator of the UB Art Galleries and has worked closely with Bouscaren to prepare the show. Firmin hails from Denver, Colo., but has lived in the Queen City for 10 years. The eclectic and diverse communities within the city – something she said she didn’t experience back home – have inspired Firmin in her efforts to bring interesting and relevant work to Buffalo. My Future Ex has proven to be the perfect opportunity. The show focuses on brief relationships with people, places and materials. In many ways, those who go to see the work will do so in spirit of its creation; brief interactions with the work and/or artists will mirror the work’s hasty creation. When asked to describe the show in one word, Firmin’s response was “unexpected,” and Bouscaren coolly added “serendipity.” Firmin and Bouscaren organized the show in an effort to expose the pockets of culture Firmin loves so much by inviting a diverse

Juan D. Pinzon, The Spectrum

My Future Ex is a UB Art Galleries exhibition that brings a diverse group of artists together across several locations in Buffalo. Curator Sandra Firmin encourages students to get off campus to see the work and explore the areas of Buffalo that have inspired the featured artists. group of artists who all embody different artistic styles, cultural influences and geographic communities. The goal is to attract a wide audience, exposing visitors to a flurry of work, all while encouraging students and residents of the city to step out of their dorms or comfort zones and enjoy art in different local areas. Though he has only been living in Buffalo for the past year, Bouscaren was able to do an installation art piece for My Future Ex while acquainting himself to the area and settling into a new home. Sixty-four-year-old Maureen Bartleet of Detroit, Mich., lives in Buffalo and owns Maureen’s

Wholesale Flower Market on Ellicott Street. Bartleet allowed Bouscaren to use a 4,000-square-foot area in the warehouse above her shop to do an installation art piece using only what Bourscaren could find. “He worked there for about seven months and used dozens of materials of whatever he found,” Bartleet said. Bouscaren has gotten to know the city much better by working on this piece, and he often wonders if he sees Buffalo as “a glass half empty or half full.” For him, the glass is half empty when looking at and reflecting on the dead space and abandoned or down-

trodden areas of Buffalo. Bouscaren considers it the artist’s job to “fill the glass” by reclaiming these spaces with creative projects. Bouscaren and Firmin are especially hopeful that students who live outside of the city on UB’s North Campus will venture out to see the work for this exhibition. They encourage students to seek a memorable experience not only with the art from the exhibition but also with the areas of Buffalo they will get to explore. My Future Ex creates two experiences of discovery in one effort. Shuttle buses will run from campus to the areas of the city where the art has been installed. One free

bus will run between North and South Campus to downtown and the East Side, and another will run will run between the downtown and East Side venues. “We try to provide the opportunity for students to go downtown, and they might be places that they normally don’t go to,” Firmin said. Some of the locations in Buffalo she recommends as hidden gems include Mutual Riverfront Park, Ohio Street and Genesee Street. Firmin hopes My Future Ex will make Buffalo look like a massive art gallery students and artists can share and enjoy. Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

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NOT JUST A GAMER, BUT AN ARTIST An inside look at Department of Media Study TA Sean Feiner Feiner said. “The ‘mom’s magazine’ account fit into one part of the performance so well because she created a nice comic relief. I felt like I had to use it.” Josephine Anstey, the DMS professor who works with Feiner, explained the class they teach together is entirely new and partially Feiner’s creation. She said he was instrumental in writing the syllabus for the class. “The material he has chosen to include is challenging,” Anstey said. “And because of his academic background, he has a good grasp of this sort of material. He’s very open to new ideas and does a good job of putting those two ideas – the fun of gaming and the social implications behind them – together.” Feiner is studying to receive a master’s of fine arts and a Ph.D. in teaching. He sees himself as a public school teacher in the future, but he never wants to give up doing art on the side. “I like to think of teaching as more of a long-term project than a job,” Feiner said. He offers advice to struggling artists or students unsure of their path. “Take advantage of the fact that so many tools are available,” Feiner said. “Thirty years ago, the video recorder was a big deal; today, you can be a painter but also do coding on a computer. Also, make it an everyday practice. The idea of ‘what is art?’ is totally destabilized, making it an open field for interpretation. People shouldn’t be so concerned about what defines an artist … just be one.”

VICTORIA ROSEMAN

Contributing Writer

While sitting in the peaceful atrium in UB’s Center For the Arts, few would expect to hear casual chatter about drag queens and fake mothers – especially from the mild-mannered Sean Feiner. Feiner is a teaching assistant who co-teaches Gaming, Gender and Society in UB’s Department of Media Study (DMS). The class focuses on social implications behind common video games and gender roles within them. Feiner’s knowledge of gaming and his outlook on its impact on society have made him popular amongst students. “[Feiner] is easy to talk to because we’re not as far apart in age as [I am with] the professor,” said Jayson Skiba, a senior media study major. “He knows so much about the games and is able to show me the other side of it.” Feiner said studying video games as serious objects is a completely new concept. His goal is to take students beneath the surface of how fun playing can be and show them how video games reflect the impact of our actions as a generation. Feiner considers himself a “gamer” – someone who plays video games rather frequently – and his experience in playing has led him to see these implications clearly. He points out the way women are portrayed in Grand Theft Auto, the popular video game series that released its newest installment on Sept. 17. Women in this game are often prostitutes who serve no substantive purpose. Feiner believes this is a statement about gender equal-

Brian Keschinger, The Spectrum

Sean Feiner, a teaching assistant who co-teaches Gaming, Gender and Society in UB’s Department of Media Study, has become popular amongst students because of his creative personality.

ity and how it can never truly be reached. His female students said they should be offended by this portrayal of women, but they play the game anyway. Feiner, a Long Island native, started college as an undergraduate at Brown University in the engineering program. He hated it. He described the experience as a “culture shock,” and he knew engineering was not where he belonged. He wanted to pursue his passions for teaching and the arts by taking a step into a new field: the study of gaming. “Games have diverse factions,” he said. “But at the same time, they’ve always been a safe space for me.” But it’s not all about games for Feiner.

He creates performance art that combines electronic music with theatrics, constructing an experience that goes beyond two-dimensional art. His last performance piece was a social commentary on the impact of television on society and the way it influences the lifestyles of viewers. “I don’t like things to be perfect, and that’s why I like creating these performance pieces,” Feiner said. “I can have creative freedom and enjoy making something knowing that the final product may not be perfect, but it’s mine.” His piece, titled “gURLs not gIRLs (Waiting for Taco Bell),” is filled with personified technology characters like “WiFi” and a melodramatic drag queen – both played by Feiner.

Thinking too much MEGAN WEAL

Contributing Writer

Album: MGMT Artist: MGMT Label: Columbia Records Release Date: Sept. 17 Grade: C-

Courtesy of columbia records

MGMT’s arrogance deserves applause. Unfortunately, the band’s self-titled album, MGMT, provides little room for a full understanding of why its conceited tenacity prevails – like the football player who has never played a match but is the

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first to tell everyone about his position. As a band, MGMT has always had a knack for experimentation – playing with almost every tone and genre within reaching distance. After a 3.5-year hiatus, fans expected a solid direction on its third album – a settling down into MGMT’s proper music nitty-gritty. What listeners are given is a mess. Don’t get me wrong – the album is a mess that’s laced with some nostalgic rhythms, big-drum sounds and playful aesthetic, but it’s still a mess.

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He can design these pieces in a couple of weeks using basic technology and help from friends because of his work ethic and creative mind. Feiner calls himself a “shy person” but is very comfortable when he is performing. He also utilizes social media in his art, especially Twitter. For one particular project, Feiner created a satirical “mom’s magazine” account that poked fun at the average suburban mother who uses the Internet. Feiner started the satire project as independent work, but he now finds he is incorporating the idea in many other projects. “When I was creating ‘gURLS not gIRLs,’ I knew I wanted to use many different characters and to incorporate elements of my past work into the project,”

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The opening track, “Alien tell the track is going to fail afDays,” is disappointing in its ba- ter the first 30 seconds. The lyrics sic pop sound that’s reminiscent and background sounds are strong of MGMT’s immature ‘this is our as lead singer Andrew VanWyndecision to live fast and die young’ garden sings his heart out about attitude, which was overused on its death, love and loneliness (the albums Time to Pretend and Congrat- three necessities for a predictable, ulations. As a track, it epitomizes overdone psych-pop song). The the album’s chaotic state through rhythm is a necessity that could complicated chord changes and a have resuscitated this track’s detepeculiar psych-pop-meets-mod- riorating heartbeat. ernism sound. If we take that song out of the As a single, I can find praise equation, the latter half of the alfor it; the song presents MG- bum can be commended. The MT’s desire to produce a sound band clearly begins to take a deepthat speaks to a musical niche. It er, more unpolished route. As far suggests band members are writ- as confusion goes, “A Good Sading music for themselves and their ness” will leave you scratching fans instead of aiming to top the your head with a what-did-I-justcharts. As a single, it’s accessible spend-five-minutes-of-my-life-lisand reminiscent, but as an album tening-to feeling bouncing around opener, it’s confusing and mislead- your brain. ing. To understand, and therefore Despite the disappointing start appreciate, the track’s pure brilof the album, there are some liance, it needs a couple of listens. tracks that showcase MGMT’s The same can be said about “Asstrong points. “Introspection” of- tro-Mancy.” But when the heady fers the listener a 21st-century combination of well-written lyrtake on the Bowie-esque, ’60s-sci- ics and dynamic rhythms sink in, fi sound whilst offering the listen- these two tracks really are worth a er advice on the search and accep- great deal of praise. tance of identity. Even with the MGMT is trying to do too strong rhythm and eclectic sound, much and be too many things in the song is tiring and strange in its one album. entirety. The whole album is too over “Your Life is a Lie” picks up thought. It’s a confusing mess of the remnants of how we used to un-corresponding tracks and preknow and love MGMT. The song dictability in the worst form. Ironis egocentric in its lyrics with a ically, “Plenty of Girls” seems to dominant, intricate cowbell sound address the problem that fails the that provides an interesting di- album in three lines: mension. The problem is there’s “The surgeon performs precise no jaw-dropping innovation and little cuts/ But he’s never perfect/ excitement. He’s thinking too much.” The tracks begin with interest Unfortunately, MGMT has takand hope, yet they seem to dwin- en solipsism to a new level with dle into the ‘nothing special’ cate- the album. Had it strove for true gory pretty quickly. music through imperfection, the “I Love You Too, Death” just band would have had a winner on doesn’t work. The rhythmic pulse its hands. But it didn’t. MGMT relied upon throughout the album is so weak that you can Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

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Friday, September 27, 2013

Continued from page 1: UB Quits “Quit day” is the day that clients decide they will no longer touch another cigarette. The clinicians help each participant prepare for his or her individual “quit day” by focusing on how to confront behaviors that correlate with smoking, such as drinking coffee or driving. A considerable amount of the time in treatment is also devoted to encouraging individuals to properly use nicotine replacement methods, such as a nicotine patch, gum and lozenges. Once a person reaches quit day, there are treatment sessions used as a review that also introduce new skills and ways to reward oneself. Germeroth said she looked into suggestions made by the U.S. Public Health Service for treating nicotine dependence when she was still creating the QUIT program to ensure the program provided the most cur-

rent research. Almost 29 percent of college students have smoked cigarettes, according to a 2009 survey by the American College Health Association. “Young smokers are more likely to become tobacco addicts and experience other long-term problems associated with smoking,” the survey noted. The study also showed that smoking greatly affects a student’s grades and social life and can lead to other drugs. The American Lung Association states that every day, almost 3,900 children under the age of 18 try their first cigarette. “Cigarette smoking during childhood and adolescence produces significant health problems among young people, including an increase in the number and severity of respiratory illnesses, decreased phys-

ical fitness and potential effects on the rate of lung growth and maximum lung function,” according to the American Lung Association’s website. Cuartas fell into smoking at a young age. Most adult smokers begin smoking as teenagers, according to the American Lung Association. “My mother, aunts, uncles and my father smoke cigarettes,” Cuartas said. “I’ve noticed that they really depend on cigarettes, making it so difficult for them to quit.” UB’s QUIT program is focused on providing the UB community with the proper guidance to live a smoke-free life. They are currently following up on participants to see their progression since the treatment has ended. “My main goal for the QUIT Program this year is to run one treatment program each month,”

Continued from page 1: Kaku In his lecture, he attributed the economic booms and busts of the early 19th, 20th and 21st centuries to physicists’ inventions of the steam engine and internal combustion engine and their contributions to computer technology. He discussed how each stimulated the economy but also contributed to the economic collapses of their times. His biggest point of emphasis was on the medical field, calling the 20th century “the century of physics” and saying the 21st century has the potential to be “the century of biology.” Through research, Kaku expects scientists to unlock what he believes to be the most mysterious object in our galaxy: the human brain. The Human Brain Project, an exhaustive research initiative to discover exactly how the brain works, is being funded by the United States and the European Union similarly to the way the Human Genome Project was. Kaku predicts the future will include organs that can be printed on demand with 3D printers using tissue samples from the patient who will receive the artificial organ. He said scientists have already been able to grow bladders that have been successfully transplanted. To illustrate this point, Kaku

showed a short video outlining the possibilities of future technology, not just in the medical field, but in other fields. Kaku also discussed the plummeting cost of computer chips. The cost of computer chips will be a penny, he said, which will lead computers of the future to become disposable, just like paper. He sees a world where everything is computerized, but the computer as we know it today will cease to exist. Instead, he predicts a world where people will interact with computers with their minds and all files will be stored on the cloud server. He spends much of his time at CUNY impressing his passion for science upon college students. Kaku believes that physics is taught “upside down and backward” to undergraduates. He rattled off a list of inventions that physicists have at least had a hand in creating, including the laser, transistor, television, microwaves, computers and the World Wide Web. But undergraduates sometimes take only one course in physics and never know about these inventions, he said. “Most of the world’s economy is structured around lasers and computers, but we never teach it that way,” Kaku said. “So I think

no wonder kids are bored stiff. No wonder they drop out like flies. No wonder they think that physics is totally irrelevant in their life, when actually we live in a physics-dominated world.” He also addressed how times have changed. “We graduate kids into the world of 1950,” he said. “We don’t live in 1950. Science has moved on, but we don’t prepare kids to live in the world of today, and that’s the fundamental problem.” He said the students of India and China are “lean and hungry” and they realize science is their “meal ticket.” Kaku said American kids don’t realize this. He advised every student to understand “they are sitting on a gold mine.” Jobs of the future will be more technical, and having a technical degree will be a crucial step in the direction of success, according to Kaku. Kaku closed his speech with a story about Einstein – one modern world-changer reminiscing on his role model. Email: news@ubspectrum.com

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On the day of the football game, Saturday, another Party at the Point will take place with two-time Grammy Award-winning musical group Kool & The Gang kicking off the celebration at 10 a.m. The concert will take place in the Stadium Lot. With a large variety of events included in homecoming, SA is hopeful that this year’s festivities will be the best to date. Selsky said much of the excitement stems directly from the influence of the new Party at the Point tailgates and Tailgate Concert Series. “There’s a lot more going on than there used to be,” Selsky said. “I think [the Party at the Point] will just get bigger and bigger.” The first new tailgating event Sept. 14 debuted with favorable reviews. The inaugural Party at the Point offered plenty of activities for both students and the general public to take part in. Besides a concert put on by Blues Traveler, SA’s event featured a live DJ, free food and beverages, a rock climbing wall, a zip line and a mechanical bull, among other things. “This is the first homecoming I can say I’m legitimately excited for because of everything that’s been going on,” said Jenna Schratz, a junior health and human services major. “The SA finally seems to have figured out what students actually want out of their school in terms of things to do, because the first tailgate was actu-

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ally a lot of fun.” Claire Brady, a senior speech and hearing science major, said she felt a sense of camaraderie surrounding the football team that was actually tangible. She said it made the recent game day leading up to the lengthy bout with Stony Brook more enjoyable. “[The Party at the Point] was a great way for all the students to get together and have fun before the game,” Brady said. “I’m definitely looking forward to the events to come.” SA and UB Athletics aim to create an experience more like those seen at other large schools, like the University of Michigan or Ohio State University, according to Selsky. “Especially if our team wins, [the Party at the Point] is going to get huge, so I’m excited,” Selsky said. The improvement of this desired “big-school” feel surrounding the football team is exactly what SA and the Athletics Department have wanted to cultivate amongst students, he added. SA officials are hopeful the busy itinerary surrounding homecoming will only add to this feeling. Selsky said SA has been able to put on these events while keeping its costs within what they believe is a reasonable range. The full schedule of homecoming events can be found on UB’s website. Email: news@ubspectrum.com

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Now, it made me realize I could have been Damon Janes. I never understood how detrimental head injuries could be. It’s not something you think about when a play happens. The long-lasting impact never affected my play because I didn’t understand; I couldn’t put it all together. Today, I question whether I’m experiencing post-concussion effects after experiencing five documented concussions. Following Damon’s death, I feel that parents are going to be mindful of their children even playing pee-wee football. I know that when I have children, I won’t let them play football. After what happened to Janes, I can’t imagine the tragedy that his family is going through. Such a young kid with a whole life ahead of him abruptly ended because of a game. Westfield-Brocton has announced it has canceled the rest of its football season in the wake of Janes’ death. They realized that a teenager’s life is more important than a game of tackles and touchdowns. It sounds obvious, but we don’t often think this way. We as a society must realize that Damon Janes’ life was more important than the game he played. Email: joseph.konze@ubspectrum.com

Continued from page 8: Scouting

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Continued from page 1: Homecoming

When I wasn’t playing center or longsnapping field goals, I was a ‘wedge buster’ on kickoffs. My job was to break up the front line of blockers protecting the kick returners. You had to be willing, no matter what, to sacrifice your body for the ‘big hit.’ Being a high-strung individual, I was a perfect fit for the position. Until one game. One single hit broke my once-fearless mentality. It was homecoming against our rival, Fairport, a game full of hostility. The only thing on my mind was running down the field and burying my shoulder into the chest of a Red Raider. But we wanted to surprise the opposition. We called a ‘freedom kick’ – a surprise play in which we would try to catch the opposing team off-guard. We would break huddle and immediately try to recover the onside kick. I was on the front lines. I lowered my head for a hit and my helmet connected with another player’s helmet. Though I can barely recall the play, I vividly remember getting up from the pile and feeling out of it. But it was an important game and I wanted to keep playing. And I did – not realizing the consequences that it could have led to.

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Germeroth said. “I wanted to be able to provide smokers with a program that will truly help them quit smoking and stay quit.” The QUIT program has been treating smokers for two semesters, and although the start of the program was gradual, it has been a very effective process, according to Germeroth. She said the nicotine replacements used in the program required a lot of time and research, and the group has recently gotten more funding from the Psychological Services Center than it got at its outset. Germeroth believes the recent boost in publicity will result in more frequent treatment groups, which will increase the program’s profitability.

Continued from page 8: Perspective

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Germeroth said. “Our schedule has been more intermittent in the past due to a lack of interested callers, which seemed to have come largely from the community not knowing about the services we offer.” Although she has never had personal experience smoking, Germeroth said she was motivated to help people quit smoking due to the lack of programs available in the Buffalo area. The program is available to everyone who is at least 18 years old, from heavy smokers – 10 or more cigarettes a day – to light smokers. The three-week treatment sessions will start the first weeks of October, November and December, and group sessions are held three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6-7:30 p.m. “I have long known how difficult it is for people to quit smoking,”

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The Bulls can’t thrive by airing it out all game; they’re going to need to establish an effective running game to get the offense’s engine going at full strength. It will be a tough task as Smallwood is one of the best in the country at his position. Prediction UConn 27, Buffalo 24 We haven’t seen enough of the Bulls to predict otherwise. Their first two losses against Ohio State and Baylor were expected, and although Stony Brook was a more demanding opponent than people thought, it shouldn’t have taken the Bulls five overtimes to beat the Seawolves. The Bulls need to put together a 60-minute performance against a competent but beatable team before we can predict them as favorites. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

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