The Spectrum Volume 63 Issue 23 by The Spectrum Student Periodical

EDITORIAL: Tripathi wrong to avoid addressing Heights Nash leads movement on campus for human rights

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT PUBLICATION OF THE UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO, SINCE 1950

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Way handles class workload, D1 football demands

Friday, October 18, 2013

AMANDA LOW

Laugh Out Lyle DANIELE GERSHON, THE SPECTRUM

SA vice president works joyfully, thoroughly despite obstacles

footsteps and even going beyond [where] his father had gone. And it’s a real honor to his father, too.” Despite the hardship, Selsky has tackled his passions at UB headfirst. After becoming SA vice president – and interim president when Nick Johns resigned on Sept. 18 – Selsky went beyond

his duties and, at the same time, remained a source of morale for the SA office. Selsky grew up in Ardsley, N.Y., – in Southern Westchester County – where he met his childhood friend Eric Shear. Shear said Selsky has remained the same “goofball” since they met.

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Volume 63 No. 23

Asst. News Editor

A picture of Po from KungFu Panda sits on Student Association Vice President Lyle Selsky’s office door. The panda is posing in kung-fu fashion, but instead of Po’s face, there is a photo of Selsky grinning, complete with a drawn-on green mustache. SA Treasurer Siddhant Chhabria said Selsky has been known as “Kung-Fu Panda” ever since they started working together. With Selsky’s goofy nature, curly “fro” and physique, Chhabria said Selsky fits the bill of a panda’s image. The nickname stuck, and the office memorialized it with the picture on Selsky’s door. Much like Po, Selsky’s charisma and goofy nature are evident to those who know him. His office is constantly filled with SA staff asking questions or just looking for conversation. Beyond the silly reputation, Selsky is efficient and dedicated to his work and passions. In the winter break of Selsky’s freshman year, his father passed away from a heart attack. Selsky said it was very sudden and it didn’t sink in until a long time after. When this happened, his mother, Nancy Selsky, said her son was “courageous and he really rallied.” Instead of taking time off from school, Selsky stayed with his studies and continued to be strong, she said. Selsky said, growing up, his father instilled leadership qualities in him. “He’s doing what his father did,” Nancy said. “His father took on some leadership roles in his lifetime, and I just feel like Lyle is following in his father’s

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“You’ll never see him smiling normally in a picture; he’s always like that goofball making some ridiculous face,” Shear said. They met in first grade, and after Selsky moved away the following year, they stayed friends through summer camp. Shear remembers a moment from camp that he said describes Selsky.

“We had this Australian girl come, and she said that she had to be friends with Lyle when she saw him,” Shear said. “On the first day, he was sitting in a lawn chair, reading a book, holding a pocket watch and listening to smooth jazz … that’s Lyle in his natural habitat.” Selsky’s easy-going attitude in social settings comes from his role as a stand-up comedian. His first show was in high school in front of his peers. He expanded his talent by performing at bars and clubs. “I like talking, and one of the things that can happen is, I don’t recognize what I’m saying half the time and sometimes it’s just really goofy and really funny, so I decided to run with it,” Selsky said. Nancy said, at the time, she wasn’t aware of her son’s standup comedy routines in high school. One day, she was flipping through the channels on TV and came across Selsky doing a bit on an area channel. She didn’t expect to see that, and she said Selsky is always surprising her. “I always say, ‘I would love to be a fly on the wall and see him,’” Nancy said. “He did some standup in high school and didn’t tell me about it.” After getting involved with SA, Selsky said he doesn’t have as much time to focus on stand-up comedy, but he’d love for it to be his future career. James Dybiz, Selsky’s childhood friend from Eastchester, N.Y., said Selsky became popular in high school through the eccentric roles he would play in theatre. Selsky was involved with many afterschool activities and even picked up the piano, trumpet and viola. SEE SELSKy, PAGE 2

Led by defense, Bulls look for fifth straight win

Move on up a little higher

UMass to take on formidable challenge: scoring on Buffalo ‘D’

Author David Sedaris makes the CFA tremble with audience’s uproarious laughter

OWEN O’BRIEN Sports Editor

The football team faces Massachusetts on Saturday under similar conditions to when the teams faced off last year – the Bulls are hot, bearing a win streak. This season, however, the Bulls are looking toward a potential MidAmerican Conference Championship, rather than salvaging an already lost season. The Bulls (4-2, 2-0 MAC) return to UB Stadium looking to stretch their win streak to five games when they take on the Minutemen (1-5, 1-1 MAC). UMass is fresh off just its second MAC victory since joining the conference last season. Buffalo has outscored its opponents 116-26 in its last three contests. The Bulls’ defense has been dominant, forcing at least three turnovers in the last four games (14 total). “Honestly, our defense is the toughest defense I’ve ever played against,” said senior wide receiver Fred Lee. “I’ll look at the tape and be like, ‘I don’t know if I want to play against our defense.’” The turnovers have allowed the Bulls’ offense to score via advantageous field position. Buffalo’s offensive drives have begun with the ball in its opponent’s territory eight times in 39 possessions over the past three games. In more than half of their possessions (20 of 39), the Bulls have started a drive at their own 35-yard line or better.

JORDAN OSCAR

Staff Writer

Courtesy of Thom Kendall Photography

Sophomore receiver Tajae Sharpe leads UMass’ offensive unit in catches, yards and touchdowns.

“Our defense just continues to create opportunities for our offense and then our offense feels a big part of that responsibility to put that ball into the end zone,” said head coach Jeff Quinn. The Minutemen defeated Miami Ohio (0-6, 0-2 MAC) 17-10 last Saturday. UMass sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle had his best game of the season, racking up 249 passing yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target in the victory was senior tight end Rob Blanchflower, who had five catches for 98 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver Tajae Sharpe has been the team’s most consistent vertical threat with 35 receptions for 331 yards and three touchdowns this season.

The Bulls’ pass rush – led by seniors Khalil Mack and Colby Way – has caused nightmares for opponents all season. UMass, however, has been able to contain powerful pass rushes all year, allowing just four sacks despite facing a difficult schedule. Buffalo has seen a huge spike in attendance this season – with each of the first three home games totaling at least 20,000 fans for the first time in UB Stadium history. The Bulls have responded the improved environment, winning their first three home games of the season and the last five at home dating back to last season. Lee has noticed the difference playing at UB Stadium this season versus years past. SEE FOOTBALL, PAGE 2

The audience was pleasantly surprised when David Sedaris stood in front of them and read from a handful of newly written and unpublished works. The first story of the evening, “Move On Up a Little Higher,” was about being a gay teenager in the seventh grade. As he read about peeing his pants and wishing he had a fan to blow the puddle under another student’s desk, the audience burst into hysterical laughter. The critically acclaimed, bestselling comedic author wrote Me Talk Pretty One Day and, most recently, Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls. He began his 40-city tour Wednesday night at the Center For the Arts (CFA) and had the audience roaring with laughter within a few minutes. Anne Mulrooney, a junior English major, said the first story was her favorite part of his performance because she found it easy to relate to when thinking about her junior high school experiences. In addition to dealing with his experiences as a gay teenager, the story dealt with the death of his guinea pig, his hatred for gym class and running as the campaign manager of the student president. Sedaris described how his mother would comfort him

Courtesy of Lilja Hronn Helgadottir

David Sedaris’ effortless humor, wit and personality kept the CFA audience content throughout his show.

by allowing him to cook dinner for the family. Before moving on to the next tale, Sedaris took a few minutes to talk about what aspects of each story he enjoyed the most. As he read the first two stories from his unpublished work, he jotted down notes and occasionally reread lines or phrases that didn’t come out right the first time, like he was editing with the audience. SEE SEDARIS, PAGE 2

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Continued from page 1: Selsky Dybiz, however, thinks Selsky started to thrive once he came to UB. “I feel like he really found himself in college because the lifestyle that he had in Eastchester was somewhat limiting to him,” Dybiz said. “Being away and independent in college gave him the freedom to really experiment with parties and true socialization and it flourished under him.” Nancy, who is a UB alumna, said she knows, considering the size of the school, how hard it is to find a niche at UB. She is impressed with how thoroughly Selsky has immersed himself in the school. “I don’t want to give him a swelled head, but I told him I’m proud of him, but maybe he doesn’t know how much,” Nancy said.

Chhabria works with Selsky every day and said Selsky has an infectious presence in the office. “People can connect with him really well, and that’s the kind of people we need in this office,” Chhabria said. “I can keep saying good things about the guy but, it’s like, you have to actually be there to notice what kind of a guy he is – one of a kind.” During Johns’ resignation, Chhabria said Selsky helped ease the office’s atmosphere and never let the stress get to him, though he was occupying the roles of vice president and interim president. They worked together on logistical matters, but it was Selsky’s work ethic and dedication that helped them all get past the distraction. When asked if he considered running in this fall’s elec-

tion for the new president, Selsky answered, “No shot in hell.” He feels that being the bridge between SA clubs and administration is what he is best suited for. Selsky, a fifth-year senior double majoring in history and economics and minoring in political science and education, said he might go into education after graduating if stand-up comedy isn’t an option, but he is still figuring his future out. “At the core, I’m a pretty simple person,” Selsky said. Despite his stressful responsibilities, Selsky has remained steadfast and comprehensive in his work. And, like Po, he has shown there is always room for a laugh. email: news@ubspectrum.com

Continued from page 1: Football “It’s amazing [seeing the stadium so crowded],” Lee said. “I can remember some games when our parents were the only people at the games and a few [members of the] media.” Way was awarded MAC East Defensive Player of the Week after his three-sack performance last Saturday, which helped Buffalo to record its first road shutout (33-0 over Western Michigan) since 1965. Two seniors, wide receiver Alex Neutz and running back Branden Oliver, both achieved ‘firsts’ for Buffalo football last week. Oliver became the first UB running back to record 14 100-yard games in a career and Neutz became the first receiver to catch a touchdown in each of the first six games of the season. “Years ago, we knew this day was coming,” Lee said of Buffalo’s success. “We didn’t quite know when, but we knew it was coming.” The pregame festivities begin at 1:30 p.m., with a concert from Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in the stadium parking lot. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at UB Stadium, and the game will air on ESPN3.

Predictions: Buffalo (-21) vs. UMass Aaron Mansfield @aaroncmansfield (4-2): Buffalo – I’m going to go with the Bulls blowing out lowly teams until they give me reason not to.

Owen O’Brien @owenobri (5-1): Buffalo – I would be surprised if UMass finds the end zone once. For this reason, I’m taking the Bulls.

Ben Tarhan @BenTarhan (3-3): Buffalo – UMass isn’t much better than Western Michigan, and the Bulls are at home this time.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Continued from page 1: Sedaris Sedaris’ second story was entitled “An English Lesson.” It used Sedaris’ expansive travel experiences as an outlet to discuss overly used and pointless travel mannerisms. For example, a hotel employee asked him how his trip was going. Instead, Sedaris told the employee, “Why don’t you ask about my godchild?” Talking with the employee about his godchild didn’t quite get the rise out of her that he expected, so he told her that his godchild had cancer. This finally prompted the engaging discussion he had been hoping for. Inspired by Sedaris’ attempts to learn different languages as he traveled to new countries so he could “cross it off his list,” “An English Lesson” was a theoretical travel guide for foreign businessmen. It was packed with small anecdotes about Sedaris’ travels, conversations he has had all over the world and the differences of cursing in various countries. His final story of the evening, “Company Man,” was recently published in The New Yorker. Sedaris is known for writing hilarious stories based on his personal life and family, and “Company Man” is no exception. This story deals with the woes of being a middle-aged man and coming to terms with his increasing age. Many audience members were nodding their heads in relation and appreciation of the dilemma. As he read each story, Sedaris interjected personality into each character. In “Company Man,” when his sisters came to visit him for Christmas, Sedaris acted out each role. This was used to devastating effects when Sedaris discussed his sister’s prescription-

induced sleepwalking and eating habit, which, among other things, caused his sister to eat poinsettia leaves and turtle food. After he was done reading the story, Sedaris read some select passages from his diary. These are not the average “dear diary” passages one might expect, but short and sidesplitting anecdotes about Sedaris’ experiences. One “diary” entry was a satire of pro-life posters, which often claim what a baby can do at various stages during development. Sedaris joked about a three-weekold fetus holding a miniature tennis racket or signing checks. The diary entries were one of the evening’s highlights but served as a perfect ending to the 90-minute show. They encapsulated Sedaris’ effortless humor, wit and personality. When he was done reading from his diary, he took questions from the audience for 10 minutes about how he got into writing and the places he wanted to travel. Sedaris then spent the next two hours talking with fans and signing their books. Members of the audience thought he made his writing come alive with his voice. “If you read any of his essays, you’ll be chuckling for a year,” said Caroline Mulrooney of Rochester, who came to see the show with her daughter. Sedaris continued his tour Thursday in Baltimore, Md., and Friday in Washington, D.C. The next performance in the CFA will be the Rocky Horror Show on Friday at 7 p.m. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

Jon Gagnon @jgags15 (4-2): Buffalo – The Bulls would have covered this spread in their last three games and all those teams were better than UMass.

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EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Aaron Mansfield MANAGING EDITORS Lisa Khoury Sara DiNatale OPINION EDITOR Eric Cortellessa NEWS EDITORS Sam Fernando, Senior Joe Konze Jr. Amanda Low, Asst. 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 Ashlee Foster, Asst. Tyler Harder, Asst.

October 18, 2013 Volume 63 Number 23 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. 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) 645-2452. The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100

OPINION A presidential evasion

Tripathi wrong to avoid addressing Heights neighborhood Last week, in his State of the University address, President Satish Tripathi gave another of his now infamous cookie-cutter speeches. He talked a lot of fluff about UB 2020 and its progress, and he talked a lot about the future. And as important as the future is, it is also imperative to deal with the issues pertaining to here and now. In a speech lasting about 30 minutes, Tripathi didn’t mention the controversy surrounding the University Heights neighborhood once. Not a single word. With such a large portion of the student body living around South Campus and with such a large level of complaints continuously emerging about the conditions there, it would be responsible to at least mention it. Instead, we heard the same speech we have heard many times before. We, The Spectrum, have heard his scripted, prepackaged speech since he has become president. But we follow him avidly. The average student probably has no idea what his words consist of – and this doesn’t derive solely from apathy or students’ lack of paying attention. This has a lot to do with the fact that Tripathi doesn’t really say anything. Our reporter covering his speech last Friday was intent on finding students present in Slee Hall to comment and respond. But he couldn’t find any – no students appeared to attend. But why would they? “Every day, we continue to elevate our university in excellence, impact and stature,” Tripathi said. “As we realize this vision, we are bringing the eyes of the world to UB and to Buffalo as a leading site for innovative research and discovery.” Yeah – exciting stuff. What students want from a president is someone with whom they can find a connection – someone they can relate to on simple levels. Yet, they want the president to embody a persona worthy of their respect – someone who can be inspiring. As George Will once wrote in The Washington Post, “Americans want presidents to understand and connect with ordinary people, but not to be ordinary.”

ART BY JEANETTE CHWAN

This notion applies to presidents of collegiate institutions, too. And students want the president of their university to understand them. What UB students can’t understand is how Tripathi doesn’t understand the problems of the Heights – or his need to play a role in trying to fix them. Beyond Tripathi’s lack of charisma, he just doesn’t make an effort to converse with students. In a recent profile in The New Yorker, John Sexton, president of NYU, is depicted as someone who will initiate random conversation with students he sees around campus. If he sees a young person smoking, he will approach him or her and say, “What can I do to make you stop?” Do you think Tripathi cares if any UB student harms nearly every organ in his or her body by smoking?

With too much focus on development and the future – UB Provost Charles Zukoski has suggested students should be happy if the school improves its standing as their degrees will gain more material value later – there should be more attention paid to what’s happening at the university in the present. Tripathi is running UB as if it were a business. Well, imagine if a CEO told his company he was raising all this money to make all these improvements only for the company to be better after they all retired. The future of this university is important – and we like seeing efforts made to improve it. But the plight of current students cannot be ignored – and certainly not as egregiously as this administration has ignored the South Campus neighborhood.

When President Obama gives his annual State of the Union, he acknowledges the areas in which the country could see improvement. Can you imagine if he failed to mention the economy once in his last address? That is exactly what Tripathi did. He completely evaded one of the most important problems our students face. And it is time for the students – the ones who are directly impacted now by university policy – to let our president know we have had enough. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

Addressing the playing field

Affirmative action should be maintained but restructured On Tuesday, affirmative action reappeared before the Supreme Court. Only months after they ruled on the issue last session, they are revisiting it this week, as they prepare to decide on the constitutionality of a state amending its constitution to prohibit consideration of race or sex in its public universities. Affirmative action has garnered much controversy since its conception, impelling a host of mixed feelings in many. And that is understandable – it likely means you are thoughtful and attempting to think critically about this issue. And while the current system in place within many institutional structures is not perfect, it is important that the issue is addressed in at least some fashion. A state should be afforded the right to determine its own policies – but it does not have the right to remove federal policies that have been signed into law by the legislature and deemed constitutional by the Supreme Court. Affirmative action policies are designed to ensure diversity and equal opportunity, and it is pivotal that they are enforced in

specific states – especially where a history of discrimination cannot be ignored – and each state should be held to the same standard. The voters of Michigan say affirmative action practices should be removed from their public institutions; the problem lies in it being a misconception that it is entirely their prerogative. A state may govern itself but it must abide by the laws and rules prescribed by its federal legislature, especially ones that work to expand “equal protection under law.” In a 7-1 decision that came out in June, the court upheld the practice of affirmative action policies to ensure diversity in higher education institutions, but it also insisted on “strict scrutiny” of how these policies are implemented. This decision, however, will depend on the court’s ruling of how a state may interfere with this process. The amendment forbidding affirmative action was passed by 58 percent of the state’s voters in 2006, and it propels the question of whether voters can alter the practice entirely and influence the verdict

of elected officials on the matter – after the court has made its ruling. The part of the amendment in question is what says the state’s public colleges and universities “shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.” We do not buy the argument that ensuring a quota of students of certain minority categories is an unfair practice. Though many students gain admissions to universities through affirmative action, just as many gain admissions through legacies and privilege. Racial variety is just one of the many factors that a college should aspire to encompass. And these candidates who are granted acceptance are not unqualified – they are considered within a specific pool. It is important that the benefit of education is available to as many people as possible in this nation – and affirmative action is a way of continuing us along that trajectory. But race, gender, ethnicity, etc. are not the only aspects relevant

here. Students of lower socioeconomic status are in a dire position of adversity when it comes to finding ways to gain access to higher education establishments. More efforts should be initiated to ensure they have the opportunity to pursue a degree – by providing mechanisms to help them afford it. This issue of equal opportunity is more than just a race issue – it is a cultural issue. And in order to make our culture the strongest it can be, we have to make sure we find ways to strengthen as diverse a group of people as possible. A country works best only when its people are given a chance to succeed in it. As the Supreme Court considers this decision, they should remember their previous rulings and maintain the progress we have made thus far. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

LIFE, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, October 18, 2013 ubspectrum.com

Amnesty International: A powerful force Nash leads movement of students on campus fighting for human rights KEREN BARUCH

Senior Features Editor

Andrew Nash, a junior speech and hearing sciences major, traveled to the Ecuadorian Andes the summer before his senior year of high school. He taught indigenous children – preschool through second grade and high school students – English, music, art, physical education and math. These children were born and raised in the Andes Mountains; they lived in small cinderblock homes with their potato and cabbage fields growing on the steep faces of the mountains, according to Nash. He said some of the students were coming to school just so they could eat a few times each week. They often came from families of 17 children; not all of them could be fed. The children never looked like they were struggling, though. They loved coming to school. They smiled while playing soccer and eating lunch together, he said. Two of the high school girls told him that they wanted to go to college – one wanted to be a veterinarian and the other a computer scientist. He knew they would never have this opportunity because of their circumstances. This affected him the most, he said. While the children gained worldly knowledge from Nash, he gained something different from them: inspiration. He was beginning to learn about himself. This was his first step toward becoming the person that he is today: president of Amnesty International, a temporary club at UB. Amnesty International is the world’s largest human rights organization. UB’s club is just a chapter of the umbrella organization; the club hopes to bring awareness to UB and the Buffalo community about the hardships people face worldwide, including in the United States. Nash, along with his executive board and the rest of the club, hopes to promote action amongst people in the community. Inspiration Many things have motivated Nash to pursue his ambitions. Upon completing his summer work in South America, Nash went back to his home in Pawling, N.Y., – located by the border of New York and Connecticut – and began an Amnesty International chapter in his high school. Being in South America made a lot of the struggles others face more real and visible; he was determined to continue his philanthropic work when he got back home. That Christmas, his group sold lollipops and raised enough money to supply each child in the summer school program with a guinea pig – a traditional dish in the South American Andes. Nash knew he had to continue his efforts when he graduated from high school. He got to UB and realized how much opportunity and potential he had on campus, he said. He joined Amnesty International, and though the club was smaller and he did not know much about it, its presence grew over time. Each week, the group discusses current events and topics such as gay rights, Edward Snowden,

Courtesy of Andrew Nash

Andrew Nash, a junior speech and hearing sciences major, traveled to the Ecuadorian Andes to teach indigenous children English, math, art and physical education. This trip inspired him to stand up for human rights and to serve as the president of UB’s Amnesty International club.

Courtesy of Andrew Nash

“Amnesty’s mission includes all of us, and I believe that it is fundamentally important to aid those who aren’t as fortunate in their circumstances,” Nash said.

the Syrian conflict, women’s access to education and more. Some of these topics affect Nash personally. “As I came to college, I grew to learn more about myself,” Nash said. “During college, I had come out as gay – something that I had struggled with for quite some time at home. It was the LGBTQ community and the support of my friends here at UB that made things work out well. I owe a lot to UB and Buffalo actually. My experience up here in WNY has opened my eyes to so many things.” Nash comes from a conservative family, who are “quite opinionated on thinking being gay was unnatural,” he said. This was a major factor in his struggle. Nash felt confident enough after his freshman year of college to come out. The first person he told was his best friend’s mom. She was open and supportive, but he still had not told his parents. Once he met his boyfriend, Jason, he wanted to come out to his family. “I called [on] a Saturday afternoon after volunteering downtown,” Nash said. “I started it off with, ‘So, mom and dad, I met someone here at school...’ And my dad immediately interrupted with, ‘Did you get someone pregnant?’ So I was like,

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‘Well, you definitely don’t need to worry about that!’” It was a relief and surprise that his parents were accepting and supportive. He was able to express his sexual orientation to his parents with some comic relief. Because Buffalo has helped Nash truly find himself and has taught him so much, he does as much as he can to do the same for others in the area, he said. After reading the book Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, and seeing the related PBS documentary about the oppression of women and girls in developing countries, Nash felt a strong desire to support women worldwide. He became interested in UB Girl Effect, a club on campus with the mission to “raise money and awareness to underprivileged girls in less developed countries and to advocate for these young girls into becoming well-rounded women in their own countries and ultimately the future of our society,” according to its Facebook page. Nash believes education about the struggles women face daily is crucial; he hopes to spread this education by attending Girl Effect’s meetings and events and discussing women’s rights at Amnesty International’s club meetings.

Action In March, Amnesty International participated in an activity that particularly stuck out to Nash. He said it’s his favorite event to date. The club teamed up with a Christian-based organization, Journey’s End, whose mission is to “welcome refugees without regard to ethnic origin or creed and to assist them to become healthy, independent, contributing members of the community,” according to its website. A refugee family from Somalia had just arrived in Buffalo. Journey’s End gave Amnesty International a list of things needed in order to supply a house. From living room furniture to Clorox wipes, the list stated it all. Over the course of a few weeks, members of the club collected materials through donations. They were not told exactly when they would be putting these materials to use. Andy Cammarata, community liason at Journey’s End Refugee Services, called the members of the club and told them they had one week left to collect all of the goods. She gave them a description of the family. On a Saturday morning in March, the seven-person family from Somalia went grocery shopping and Amnesty Interna-

LIBERTY YELLOW

tional got to work in their crummy house. “They had already seen the house, but only knew it as barren,” Nash said. “We fully furnished it and got everything ready for them.” Upon their arrival to the house, the members of the club got to meet the people whose lives they had just touched. “Oh boy,” Cammarata said. “All of our families are surprised, overwhelmed [and] grateful when a home is prepared for them; it is a humbling experience for them and for the volunteers.” It was like Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Nash said. The club also engages in more subtle activities, such as sending letters to inundate world leaders about freeing prisoners of conscience. Most recently, the group championed the release of the members of Pussy Riot in Russia. “We don’t receive responses from the world leaders – they respond with action after thousands of letters and emails inundate them,” Nash said. “We don’t expect Putin to be posting us back anytime soon because of our Pussy Riot letters. But I don’t think we’ve gone unnoticed. We’re a small club, but we have a great message.” Looking forward Autumn Baldwin, a senior business major and vice president of Amnesty International, said the club hopes to continue with its efforts to focus on human rights awareness. Baldwin said her favorite event thus far was JAMnesty – a concert dedicated to promoting human rights. The club partnered with the LGBTQ to bring the band Lucius to perform. All proceeds were donated to a local LGBTQ service. She hopes to have another concert like this one in the spring. “Being a member has made me more knowledgeable about things happening internationally,” Baldwin said. “Not only that, but I feel spurred to action to take a stand for people who are denied any basic human rights, justice or freedom. No matter where I end up working, I’ll always be passionate about equality and freedom of expression and involved with Amnesty and other human rights organizations.” Nash believes UB is a great place for relaying messages. He said growing up in the United States often makes people unaware of the vast suffering going on in the world. He said that it takes moments when you engage in building a better life for someone else and realize that you can make a difference, to rid of that immunity. “Amnesty’s mission includes all of us, and I believe that it is fundamentally important to aid those who aren’t as fortunate in their circumstances,” Nash said. “We have an exciting year ahead of us full of incredible opportunities, and I love all of it.” What Nash loves most about Amnesty International is that every little contribution combines into one powerful force, he said. He encourages students to become part of that force. email: features@ubspectrum.com

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Friday, October 18, 2013

CAN’T CUT IT Rodriguez’s latest installment a directionless farce

Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

ERIC CORTELLESSA

Opinion Editor

Film: Machete Kills Studio: Quick Draw Productions Release Date: Oct. 11 Grade: C With Machete, Robert Rodriguez (Spy Kids: All the Time in the World in 4D) exercised his penchant for trashy B-movie exploitation style with a combination of burlesque humor and outrageous, hyperbolic violence. With Machete Kills, he exhausts his own method, making stylized hyperviolence as dull as the blade his lead character utilizes with mastery. Danny Trejo (Pendejo) reprises the eponymous role of Machete, an indestructible, primal force of nature who used to be a Mexican federal agent and has now been recruited by the president of the United States (Charlie Sheen (credited as Carlos Estevez), Scary MoVie) to save the world. A deranged terrorist and parttime humanist revolutionary – experiencing multiple personality disorder – Mendez (Demian Bichir, Dom Hemingway) is one of the largest international threats there is; he has had the implementation of an explosive device connected to his heart to hold the world hostage to the

rhythm of its own beat – if his heart stops, a nuclear missile automatically gets launched toward Washington. But it doesn’t take the unraveling of its primary plotline for Machete Kills to initiate the bloodshed; within minutes into the film, the carnage erupts. The sensationalist splatter of human body parts occurs rapidly amidst a raunchy backdrop of choppy, gratuitous spectacle. The movie is designed to be tawdry – and it thinks that’s where it can derive its charm. With the exception of a few moments of clever, whimsical dialogue and action so implausible it incites a self-deprecating selfawareness one can momentarily appreciate, the film fails miserably at satire – too immersed in the very things it tries to poke fun at. At times, Rodriguez playfully skewers genre movies with an amusing sense of ironic composition. In recent years, the auteur filmmaker has earned a reputation that has made his films a place actors have perplexingly found attractive. And here, we see that manifest in a cast so star-studded it leaves you puzzled how so many of these actors signed up to occupy such small roles in an overall piece of narrative illogic.

Editor’s note: This article is satirical and is not meant to be taken literally. Dear Carson, As a junior at UB, I can finally say that I am comfortable with where I am. Getting used to this campus and my life here wasn’t easy – it took me two years – but my home away from home really does feel like home now. I have a lot of friends whom I go out with regularly, I’m doing well in my major and I even have a new girlfriend. Sounds like my life is complete, right? Not quite. Something is missing. I want to be a part of something bigger than myself – bigger than a group of friends that may never get the chance to spend time together out in the “real world” after college. My girlfriend is great, but I’m talking about a thirst for camaraderie with a group of people who share a unique vision for their individual futures and the future of America. I want connections that will make a difference in my life as I move forward with building a résumé and trying to find a career. With the history of corruption in the Student Association, I have no interest in getting involved there. I’d never join a fraternity because I have yet to find one that impressed me beyond feats of beer consumption and bedpost notch-counts. The Spectrum is an option, but do I really want to be a journalist? Guide me toward the best group that calls Buffalo home. Sincerely, Brotherless Dear Brother, We all know what it feels like to be alone. I sense that even within a close group of peers or alongside this tramp you call your lady, you feel a strong sense of disconnect with the world and, more directly, this campus. You need not feel this way. You are right about the groups you mentioned. With the very real pros-

SEE MACHETE, PAGE 6

pect of Sam McMahon losing this popularity contest known as a presidential election, who could ever restore faith in the Student Association? As for The Spectrum, let me be clear in saying I do not consider myself a true member of that team. I am the reason The Spectrum has any semblance of a dedicated readership. If he didn’t provide me with this platform to save America’s youth from mainstream seduction, or have such large biceps and a charming smile, I’d tell Editor in Chief Aaron Mansfield what The Spectrum really is – a wasteland for English majors who think journalism is the only alternative to teaching after college. It is – but still, The Spectrum is an uncool, overachieving, grammatically over-correct, pompous group of maggots sucking at the puss of this university’s festering pockets of decay in hopes of finding a “good” or “inspirational” story. Get over yourselves. Joining a frat is incredibly mainstream – maybe not at an Ivy League school, where prestige and connections are bountiful, but certainly at this university. There is one society, however, that you should keep an eye out for: one so secret, I cannot tell you much about it. Similar to the University of Virginia’s Seven Society or Yale’s Skull & Bones fraternity, this society is UB’s best-kept secret. Rumor has it that it, too, consists of seven members who are sworn in within the crypt of Baird Point’s cement platform. You know that locked door that goes down below there? That’s where this group meets; and that,

my friend, is where you will find connections that date back to the founding of this university and reach far across the global power grid – and I don’t mean electricity. Membership in this society will ensure your family’s place in American history as well as a future of riches and power for yourself. Only these seven members know the inner-workings of the group, and those who are amongst them have yet to reveal any age-old secrets. Don’t get your hopes up, but if you get a tap on the shoulder this fall from a group of six men looking for a brother, be prepared to answer what may be the most important question of your life.

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Friday, October 18, 2013

Knocking the socks off of breast cancer Women’s lacrosse team aims to make a difference through fundraising JAMES DRAGONETTE

Staff Writer

Around 39,620 American women will not see 2014 because of breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. This fall, a group of determined UB students is hoping to help curb these figures by raising and donating funds to a number of breast cancer charities. The UB women’s club lacrosse team is starting a fundraising campaign, selling midcalf athletic socks – available in pink with a black lacrosse stick or black with a ribbon – for $10 a pair. The proceeds will serve two purposes: help the team raise money to donate to a relevant cause and make strides toward funding a trip to playoffs in the spring. The team aims to aid two foundations in particular: Boarding for Breast Cancer and Nancy & Friends Fighting Cancer, Inc. – a foundation started by the late mother of Ashley Infantino, a junior communication major and team treasurer. Infantino, whose mother passed away when she was 9, is not the only team member who has personally been affected by breast cancer. “Breast cancer has drastically impacted so many lives on our team – more than half of our girls,” said Courtney Hanusch, a senior psychology major and team president. “There are plenty of girls on our team that have been affected by it – someone knows someone.” This year alone, 232,340 women in America will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. The team’s personal connections to the disease are not the sole reason its executive board chose to support breast cancer. Hanusch believes the campaign can help give students a

Nick Fischetti, The Spectrum

This month, the UB women’s club lacrosse team is fundraising, selling mid-calf athletic socks. The proceeds will serve two purposes: help the team raise money to donate to breast cancer awareness charities and make strides toward funding a trip to playoffs in the spring.

better perspective on the world around them and their place in it, especially given the timing in the year. “It’s crucial to do it this month opposed to other months – this is the month that the NFL makes it big,” Hanusch said. “So we want to take the awareness from everything and bring it to the college campuses because, a lot of times, college kids get lost in their studies and all that. But I think we do have to ground ourselves and realize, ‘Hey, a lot more is going on than what we’re focusing on.’ It doesn’t hurt to pay it forward.”

Along with aiding the fight against breast cancer, the team hopes to use some of the proceeds to fund their trip to playoffs this spring. “We never go to playoffs; we get invited every year, but we never go because of our budget,” Hanusch said. “Depending on how much we make, really, we’re hoping to split 50/50.” Hanusch, who hasn’t had a chance to compete in playoff competition since she arrived at UB, hasn’t made a final decision regarding this partitioning of funds yet. The decision depends on how much money is raised,

seeing as the club’s primary focus is breast cancer, she said. “Our focus is to donate to the foundations,” Hanusch said. The team’s aim is aided by the fact that this sock sale is the first major fundraiser the team has ever devised and initiated, Hanusch said, calling it “a brand new thing.” Emma Callinan*, a junior communication major and team secretary, said club members have made attempts in previous years to raise money for the team and similar causes, but those attempts never came to fruition.

Administrative barriers, timeliness and the woes of a young executive board created obstacles for the team, making it difficult for these efforts to gain legitimate traction, Infantino added. This year’s returning e-board wants this season to be different. “[Last year], we wanted to have a big tournament, but again, money and time, that just wasn’t feasible,” Infantino said. “So we really chose the next best option.” Selling the socks, which students and community members alike could buy, “was a no-brainer” to Infantino. Hanusch hopes the sock sale will be successful enough throughout the semester to help show the student body that even small groups of students, like club sports teams, can have an impact on their community and society in general. “Varsity teams are great, but they’re just as great as club teams, and club teams don’t get recognized for the work that they put in,” Hanusch said. “I know lacrosse is a great organization, so that’s what I want to do before I leave, is show everyone how awesome it is.” Hanusch is looking for the cultivation of this legacy out of her senior year, to be able to make an impact on a cause so relevant to her and her team. “Before I [leave] UB, I wanted to do something drastic, something big,” Hanusch said. “I need to know that something was done.” Those interested in ordering socks can look around campus in the coming days for banners containing ordering information; they can also contact the e-board members directly. *Emma Callinan is the advertising manager for The Spectrum. email: news@ubspectrum.com

Orange lipstick

Continued from page 5: Machete

A guide to autumn day-party outfits

The cast includes: Cuba Gooding Jr. (Lee Daniels’ The Butler), Mel Gibson (Get the Gringo), Antonio Banderas (Justin and the Knights of Valor), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), Jessica Alba (Escape from Planet Earth) and Lady Gaga (The Simpsons). Sheen graces the screen in his play-hard, party-hard persona as POTUS – and it reminds you what world you’ve entered when 10 minutes into the movie, the president drinks from a shot glass. Gibson doesn’t enter the plot (if you want to call it that) until the second half of the picture, as he is discovered as the creator of the missile launcher wired inside Mendez. He is a billionaire with the aspiration of wreaking havoc on planet earth – which he plans to euphorically witness watching from outer space. Gibson’s naughty demeanor actually works well in the role; he has a knack for conveying a sicko with deleterious intentions – hard to imagine where he gets it from. The film itself is wedged in between two coming attractions for future films of Rodriquez’s – a sequel to this sequel. It’s called Machete Kills Again… In Outer Space! and it promises to deliver casting again some of the usual players we have already grown accustomed to in this series. If Machete Kills is a worn-out piece of dreck, and if the history of sequels taking a series downward continues to hold true, the next installment promises to be another yawn inducer. Even when it seems fun, it fatigues every particle of its amusement by refusing to practice any technical restrain. It is an overemphasized, overindulgent, overdone work of exploitation. And for all its inces-

KEREN BARUCH

Senior Features Editor

Combat boots, thigh-high stockings, a cropped white top, denim overalls and orange lipstick. From the bottom up, this look screams, “trend.” Buffalo’s weather has been bipolar this fall; one day, students are wearing winter jackets and heavy leggings around campus, and the next, they’re wearing denim shorts and tank tops. You should rock the specific look I mentioned in the first sentence of this article on those not-so-chilly days. The outfit is too put-together and unique to wear to class, though. So, if you’re attending a day party, a concert or any daytime event in 65-70 degree weather, this is a golden choice. It’s the perfect season to experiment with outfits for a variety of reasons. Heavy jackets are unnecessary, so you don’t have to worry about spending three hours putting together an outfit that’s covered by a pea coat or winter jacket. The weather is nice, so you can get away with experimenting with shorts and long-sleeved shirts or long pants and summery tops without being judged. It’s technically fall, so if you wear those pantyhose, thigh-high stockings or hippie-style head-

bands to cover your ears, you can still pull off wearing sunglasses. This outfit was a complete experiment and it received nothing but positive results (and some dirty looks, but I like to take those as compliments rather than intense judgment from others). I wanted to see if I could pull off denim overalls from Urban Outfitters – I pushed that experiment a little bit further by pairing the overalls with stockings attached to thigh-high socks. I debated between floral combat boots and plain black ones and went for the latter option so I could put together the outfit with a chunky gold necklace, sunglasses from the dollar store and orange lipstick, of course. The overalls cost me $50 and the tights were $16, both from Urban Outfitters. The overalls are one of the few things that I’d ever purchase for full price – I’m usually an avid sale-rack shopper – but I wanted to make sure I wore them before they become overrated. The oversized, round sunglasses cost me 99 cents at the Dollar Tree, the boots were on sale for $99 from Nordstrom Rack, the necklace was $3 from a random street vendor in New York City and the orange lipstick was $4 from CVS. I’m sure you can find each of these items for a cheaper price; buying a pair of old denim jumpsuits from a thrift store and cutting them into shorts can easily make the overalls for a cheaper price, and combat boots are sold for a cheaper price at stores like Forever 21 and Steve Madden. Experiment season is in. Make sure you’re rocking those out-

DANIELE GERSHON, THE SPECTRUM

fits you’ve always wanted to rock and you’re mixing and matching. If you want to tie your entire look together and you’re going to a day party, or anywhere that requires you to hold a beverage, have a Mason Jar in hand. Something about those jars just makes anyone look twice as cool as they would have without the jar. Fill it with mojito mix and some mint leaves and your beverage will be as in style and attractive as your outfit. Put this look together with a splash of confidence and a smile and you’re golden, gals! email: keren.baruch@ubspectrum.com

sant packing, it has everything but a message; it’s all style and no substance. Rodriguez has a lot of fun with the endless homage to Star Wars throughout the picture, but Star Wars, whatever it might be, has content embedded in its flair. Style isn’t there for its own sake; it’s there to convey meaning. When exploitation films work, they do so because they have purpose. For instance, Melvin Von Peebles’ Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song really has something to say. And for all its reverence for tradition, Machete Kills seems to forget that key ingredient. And that is its fatal flaw. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

Friday, October 18, 2013 ubspectrum.com

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