The Spectrum Volume 63 Issue 24 by The Spectrum Student Periodical

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

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Local shop encourages students to explore, travel

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New Persian Student Association forms on campus

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Hossain, new e-board aim to rebuild BSA’s reputation

Monday, October 21, 2013

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Volume 63 No. 24

BULLS DEFEAT MASSACHUSETTS JON GAGNON

FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT VICTORY

Senior Sports Editor

The football team had dominated in its past three games. The Bulls’ starters hadn’t played in the fourth quarter, as they had blown out opponents 116-26. On Saturday, it took a bit longer to bury Massachusetts. The Bulls entered the game as 21-point favorites – the largest margin in school history. They covered the spread and ousted the Minutemen (1-6, 1-2 MidAmerican Conference), 32-3, on Saturday in front of 18,707 at UB Stadium. Senior running back Branden Oliver broke UB’s career rushing record, senior linebacker Khalil Mack had his second pick-six of the season and the Bulls (5-2, 3-0

Oliver, Mack lead Buffalo to victory MAC) extended their winning streak to five. “It felt great [to achieve the record], but when it happened, I told everyone that that’s not the goal and we have to get this ‘W,’” Oliver said. Oliver led an otherwise-lackluster offense with 216 yards on a school record 43 carries. He passed Green Bay Packer James Starks as the program’s career rushing leader with 3,203 yards. “I don’t know if we’ll be able to let [Oliver] carry 43 times every week, but if he gets 216 yards and we keep winning, we’ll cer-

tainly keep that as part of the game plan,” said head coach Jeff Quinn. The win ties the program’s longest win streak in the modern Division I era and it extends a record six consecutive wins at UB Stadium. The Bulls’ offense didn’t score until early in the fourth quarter, but Mack got them on the board in the second. His 35-yard interception return for a touchdown gave Buffalo a 10-0 lead that proved to be the game-winning score. “[Mack] is worth the price of

Gene the Dancing Machine 78-year-old Eugene Piwko is a Buffalo dancing sensation

Senior receiver Fred Lee filled in as the Bulls’ No. 1 receiver and was a quality replacement for the Bulls’ star receiver. Lee caught a career-high eight passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. But as has been the case in weeks past, the Bulls’ defense demonstrated complete dominance. SEE WIN STREAK, PAGE 2

Rochester community commemorates friend, young entrepreneur Nicholas Arieno remembered as integral part of longboarding community

ERIC CULVER

Staff Writer

He greets guests and visitors at his front door with his 20-yearold Parakeet, Baby, sitting on his left shoulder. Eugene Piwko, 78, starts his day with smooth jazz and a freshly brewed pot of coffee. On the walls of the Buffalo native’s home are pictures of family and friends and homemade clocks, which he crafted himself throughout the years. During the day, Piwko relaxes at home, surrounded by his artifacts and memories of the past. But at nighttime, it’s a different story. After losing his wife to cancer in 2010, Piwko felt lost and confused, unable to move forward with a new chapter in his life. He went through serious bouts of depression, only to bring himself out of the darkness with the help of a close-knit Buffalo community and a series of dancing classes. Go to downtown Buffalo any night and there’s a chance you’ll encounter ‘Gene the Dancing Machine.’ Months after the passing of his wife, Piwko learned how to swing, salsa, tango and dance to

every ticket in that stadium,” Quinn said. “He’s been blessed with some skill level that very few people possess … in my 30 years of coaching, he’s the best player.” The play gave a boost to the Bulls, who had just witnessed two devastating injuries. Senior offensive lineman Jasen Carlson suffered a season-ending leg injury and was carted off the field. The following play, senior receiver Alex Neutz almost came down with a 40-yard grab before taking a hit to the head and dropping the ball – he left the game with a concussion.

Chad Cooper, The Spectrum Senior linebacker Khalil Mack (46) evades an offensive lineman on a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter.

JOE KONZE JR

News Editor

Eric Culver, The Spectrum Eugene Piwko is a Buffalo dancing legend. Through the hardship of losing his wife to cancer and despite his old age, “Gene the Dancing Machine” is popular for the good vibes he brings to the downtown Buffalo nightlife.

any beat that life plays for him. He reconfigured his life to a new rhythm. Piwko has gone out to bars and clubs every week since to show off his suave dance moves. On his way out the door, Piwko stops to look at a picture collage of his wife. After this last glance at his past, he sets out for a night of dancing, reborn into the fun-loving man whom many Buffalonians have come to adore. When a catchy tune catches his ears, it’s as if Piwko is under a rhythmic spell that he can’t es-

cape, and everyone else gets entranced. When Gene dances, everybody dances. First, his feet start a little shuffle from left to right. Then, he speeds up and gets his hips going. At that point, Piwko resembles a hula-girl dashboard figurine. The last ingredients are his franticly moving hands. He goes as long as he can, and when Piwko is tired, he puts his hands together to form a “T” for time out. SEE PIWKO, PAGE 2

Nicholas Arieno had a passion for longboarding. People in his hometown of Rochester say they often found him at the top of a hill – any hill – standing on four wheels and a long piece of wood. He rode around town with others in the local longboarding community and tried to spread his passion to as many people as possible. Arieno, who was found dead Sept. 22 in the basement of 93 Winspear Ave. near UB South Campus, was a freshman business major and aspiring entrepreneur. Arieno’s toxicology report has not been released, and his cause of death is not yet known. He spent as much time as he could longboarding, and those who know him say he was a genuine young man who had a vision for the future of the sport. He is also known as someone who was sincerely interested in feedback and could handle criticism.

Courtesy of Facebook Nicholas Arieno was an aspiring entrepreneur and a freshman studying business at UB. He was an avid fan of longboarding and ran his own company, Fleet Board Sports, with his best friend from high school.

Arieno was a graduate of Greece Athena High School in Rochester and was studying chain supply management at UB. Before graduating high school, he started a successful business with his best friend, Abhinav Garg. The company, which specialized in selling longboards and being environmentally conscious in its business, was called Fleet Board Sports. Arieno and Garg were finalists for the Saunders Scholars Bright Ideas Competition in part of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA). Garg declined an interview with The Spectrum but told WHAM Rochester he and Arieno “were like two peas in a pod.” SEE ARIENO, PAGE 2

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Student robbed at gunand knifepoint outside Hadley Village On Friday at 10 p.m., a student was robbed outside of 108 Hadley Village. Two males with a knife and handgun demanded a student handover his bag, which contained electronic equipment, according to UPD in a UB alert. The victim was not harmed. The suspects were white and wore black hoodies; they fled the scene on foot. Lieutenant Joshua Sticht of University Police (UPD) said the robbery was not a random act; the suspects targeted the victim. Sticht said the victim was trying to sell an iPod on Craigslist and a woman contacted the victim. Sticht said the victim divulged more personal information than he or she should have.

The victim then told the woman about other electronics he or she was trying to sell. The victim set up a time to meet the woman at Hadley Village, but the two male suspects showed up instead. Sticht urges students to be careful when giving strangers their information in transactions like this. He said students should never be alone in these meetings and should always make transactions in a public place. The robbery is still under investigation, but Sticht is confident that UPD will find the suspects. Anyone with information on the robbery can contact UPD at (716) 645-222. email: news@ubspectrum.com

Monday, October 21, 2013

Continued from page 1: Win Streak The ‘D’ kept the Minutemen out of the end zone, allowed just 247 yards of offense, forced three turnovers, six punts and a safety. “It’s a great feeling to be where we’re at and know that we have a defense that we can rely upon to keep people out of the end zone,” Quinn said. Senior Adam Redden led the unit with 12 tackles (two tackles for loss) and a fumble recovery and Mack finished with three tackles (two tackles for loss), an interception and a sack – which tied him for the school record (24). Mack’s two tackles for loss give him 66 in his career, which

is the third most in NCAA history. Sophomore quarterback Joe Licata threw for 167 yards and a touchdown and has now thrown a score in each of the Bulls’ seven games. Junior kicker Pat Clarke made 3 of 4 field goals with a long of 44 yards. The schedule picks up from here, as four of the Bulls’ final five opponents entered the season as legitimate conference contenders. Buffalo needs just one win in those games to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2008. Lee said the offense needs to get off to a faster start next

week but also took time to commend the Bulls’ ‘D.’ “The defense scored more points than we did in the first half,” Lee said. “We practice against them every day in practice and they are the best team we go against every week. I hate going against [the first-team defense] in practice.” Neutz’s status for next week is unknown, as is the status of senior end lineman Colby Way, who also left Saturday’s game. Next Saturday, the Bulls travel to Kent State (2-6, 1-2 MAC). Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Continued from page 1: Arieno When Arieno wasn’t on his longboard, he was either bouncing ideas off others in hopes of advancing his business or volunteering his time at a camp for children with diabetes. He was dedicated to helping those with diabetes because he had it. In 2010, he earned his Eagle Scout ranking in Boy Scouts of America. Dan O’Neil, a senior at Webster Thomas High School and member of Stranj Boards, met Arieno in December 2012 and heard the news of his death through a friend.

“I was honestly shocked,” O’Neil said. “I felt awful. He was way too young. It didn’t make any sense.” Arieno developed strong rapport within the longboarding community in Rochester. “He was always having a good time,” said Louis LaGambino, part of the Rochester longboarding community and a member of Stranj Boards, in an email. “He was never the person who needed to be encouraged to stay longer. [He] simply enjoyed spending time with people who shared his interests.” Arieno was also never judg-

typical, grumpy old man who has outlived his best years. Instead, Arkelian sees a man who is cheerful – a good role model. “I tell you what, though – I can sure as hell dance better than that Miley Cyrus girl from the VMAs,” Piwko joked. “I’ll outdance anyone in this county, city, state and/or country for however long it takes.”

Someday, Piwko hopes to produce his very own television show, “Do You Think You Can Dance With The Silver Fox?” He describes it as a show in which talented dancers would compete with one another across the nation to win prize money and their very own dance with the “silver fox” himself. Piwko sees it as a potential win-win for him and the City of Buffalo: it would provide him the chance to dance with the finest dancers the nation has to offer, while promoting the city as a hub for good moves. “Buffalo is a fine establishment; you have restaurants, popular businesses and bars that the rest of the country should acknowledge,” Piwko said. Piwko says he wants the “fine ladies of Buffalo” to be acknowledged as well. Piwko traveled the world when he was in the United States Marine Corps, but he always thought Buffalo had the prettiest ladies of all. “Believe me, I’ve been to Tijuana, California, Okinawa, Hawaii, Japan, and they sure as hell don’t compete with the girls from Buffalo,” Piwko said. Many see Piwko as the Buffalo equivalent of Bigfoot, or an urban myth – only witnessing him in action once, never to spot him again. Carlotta Rotini, 22, traveled to Buffalo from her home in Italy this past summer for a confer-

mental or put off by competing longboard businesses, according to LaGambino. Instead, Arieno saw the competitors as an opportunity to share information and learn more about the industry. O’Neil said Arieno was a fan of the sport’s camaraderie. “The biggest part of it was the whole community ideal,” O’Neil said. “I think Nick fell for that part of the sport because it brought together a lot of people.” email: news@ubspectrum.com

Continued from page 1: Piwko “I should have brought my scuba gear,” Piwko says, out of breath, with beads of sweat dripping from his head. Piwko thinks a man his age should have few responsibilities outside of dancing and having a good time. He encourages others of all ages to join him on his adventures through the Queen City. The elderly man is a legend of

sorts. Dave Arkelian Jr., 31, one of the head bouncers at Nietzsche’s bar on Allen Street, has noted Piwko as the most well known regular of the bar. Seemingly every time Arkelian is working, Piwko makes his way over to the door for a friendly conversation. To Arkelian, Piwko is different from the

ence at D’Youville College. Rotini met Piwko at a concert at the Buffalo Harbor. She was hesitant to approach him at first, but certainly didn’t regret it once she did. What made her laugh the most was Piwko’s nickname – Gene the Dancing Machine. “He’s a genius,” Rotini said. Amanda Markovich, the lead singer for Buffalo band Randle and the Late Night Scandals, has been acquainted with Piwko for the past year after meeting him at Gene McCarthy’s bar in South Buffalo during one of her band’s shows. Markovich admires Piwko’s general attitude toward life. She looks at him as a man who has “spunk,” one who can share all kind of stories with anyone he meets. The favorite story the two individuals share is the time Piwko proposed to Markovich mid-dance on the dance floor at Nietzsche’s. Markovich, overwhelmed by the cuteness of Piwko’s proposal, politely declined the offer. “She told me that she’d have to think on it,” Piwko said. “I told her, hell, you can take 20 years to think about it for all you want.” The 78-year-old dancing machine can wait – but he won’t sit around and let life pass him by. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

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Monday, October 21, 2013 ubspectrum.com

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

OPINION

The necessity of awareness Recent films on slavery insist we deal with past ART BY JEANETTE CHWAN

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 21, 2013 Volume 63 Number 24 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.

On Friday, the limited release of 12 Years a Slave, the new movie directed by the British filmmaker Steve McQueen, marked the third major film in the last two years that deals with the subject of slavery. Slavery is America’s largest wound. And with the exception of the television mini-series Roots in 1977 and several films, including Jonathan Demme’s Beloved – the adaptation of Toni Morrison’s novel in 1987 – never before has the issue been so thoroughly and repeatedly addressed through cinema. But now, it is a dominant theme in Hollywood – and 12 Years a Slave is galvanizing audiences and critics alike. David Denby of The New Yorker has called it “easily the greatest feature film ever made about American slavery.” Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post called it “a captivating study of humanity at its most troubled and most implacable [time].”

And it is a time that needs to be depicted accurately and comprehensively for audiences; people need to be educated on the period of our nation’s greatest shame – for we will need to confront it seriously if we hope to ever really reconcile it. Many remember the controversy surrounding Django Unchained last year. Even with all its outrageousness and humorous dialogue inappropriate to its subject, it ignited a much-needed conversation. Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln detailed the arduous and convoluted legislative process that propelled passage of the Thirteenth Amendment – which affected putting an end to slavery in America. But Quentin Tarantino’s film is what got people talking. The master craftsmanship that went into it cannot be overlooked, but the way it presented its themes took heavy material and reduced it to an adolescent’s sensibility.

And if what the critics are saying is true, 12 Years a Slave offers something that Django lacked: a solemnity, a desire to depict an intense and unflinching look at slavery without stylistic absorption – a desire to try to present it how it was. Slavery is such an important part of our history that we need movies like this. We, as a culture, rely on the cinema to provide us a mechanism to look at human experience. And it says something about human experience – in all its horror and potential for moral abandon – that slavery existed for as long as it did. What is problematic with many people is that they do not fully understand slavery. The use of the medium of film can be incredibly powerful for addressing this shortcoming. The power of images can be highly revealing – both physically and emotionally. For many, the experience of Django Unchained did provide an important insight – seeing was be-

lieving; the imagery made it real. Even for those who truly grasp what slavery is, seeing it on the screen changes and deepens the awareness to a level of higher understanding. We need movies like 12 Years a Slave. It is important that we have movies like this to educate the younger generations – and the older generations, too. All films deal with time and all films serve as time capsules. What films these last two years reflect is that filmmakers and audiences are now at a place where they are interested in dealing with the past – a past that is a dark chapter in American history. The more we delve deeper into this chapter, the more we will understand it, and perhaps the more we will understand the world we are living in now, too. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

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

The dangers of social media Facebook privacy changes affect our youth Facebook users can again feel leery of its privacy settings. It will now allow users ages 13-17 to share posts and information with people outside their friend network. And this is incredibly dangerous. But it is more indicative of an already pervasive problem for young people. In today’s world, it is already very easy to divulge information via the Internet. And young people today are of a certain generation – the Internet generation. We, as college students, were in middle school when MySpace emerged and participated in the changing atmosphere of communication through social media. What our generation has had to deal with are technological innovations that provide exposure for people to expose themselves. The problem for a certain age group is that they have not yet reached a developmental stage in which they are fully cognizant of the consequences of their actions. And when kids share posts on Facebook, they will often “selfreveal before they self-reflect,” as Jim Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, said on the PBS NewsHour. We think this is unequivocal, but, sadly, recent changes in Face-

book’s privacy settings only intensify this problem – it is a problem that is already there. Twitter has been growing rapidly in recent years and more kids tweet information that could one day be problematic to a potential employer. And on Twitter, only a select few have installed the privacy option; most users allow their tweets to be seen by anyone. As the presence of social media has become more ubiquitous in youth culture, a great deal of responsibility falls upon the parents to monitor their children’s actions. Parents need to explain to their children the way these outlets become a form of self-representation – it is an instrument that one can use to construct his or her own identity. Children are not aware of this and will often act on impulse. The presence of parents in their lives can be a huge factor in ensuring that some preventive action is taken that can help children stay clear of potentially self-destructive behavior. And it is also important to note that many specialists have deduced that these changes will help facilitate more cyberbullying. A middle-school-aged teenager might not realize the full im-

plications of using the word “retarded” or making a derogatory statement of some kind to a classmate. And it is well established at this point that abusive behavior on social media has induced suicide in some teenagers. Public schools (and all schools for that matter) should conduct courses that elucidate the effects of social media usage. If a class can help one child learn, and help him or her avoid harmful behavior, it would be a success. But what is important to note is that Facebook is making this most recent adjustment due to commercial imperative; they aren’t thinking about what is in the best interest of children. Facebook is not an ordinary business. As it plunged its way into a global presence, it realized one way it could accumulate more revenue – through advertisements. Advertisers like having this large network of people who will literally declare what they like and don’t like. And this enables them to gather a more acute collection of statistics. This most recent change elevates that marketing model. Few people believe allowing teens to share their information

with the general public is a good idea. Allowing teens to put out information that can be damaging to themselves or bullying to others, in a larger, public forum, makes the potential consequences much higher. It also enables online predators to keep an eye on children easier. For a long time, writers, philosophers and thinkers, in general, have wondered what exactly it is that causes a loss of innocence in young people. We don’t claim to have an answer to that age-old question, but we do believe the function of social media is making the age at which that occurs drop dramatically. As we continue to notice more and more adjustments (one commentator noted that Facebook’s privacy settings are like the weather – constantly changing) to our social media landscape, we should remember the impacts they could make on our youth. And executives at companies like Facebook should let that inform their decisions. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com

Monday, October 21, 2013 ubspectrum.com

LIFE, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Around the World in one shop The Fair trade store encourages students to explore cultural diversity, travel feeling CASSANDRA YOCHUM Staff Writer

Most students would probably shudder at the thought of managing and marketing a store while double majoring. Junior Todd Lozo, however, loves the experience. Lozo balances double majoring in psychology and linguistics with working at Around the World Imports in the Walden Galleria Mall. It is his passion for the store’s values that keeps him motivated. Around the World Imports seeks to do just what its name suggests: sell imports from all around the world. The products it sells vary from perishable cookies and confections, to sculptures and flags, to decals and more. Around the World Imports is different from the average store. It is a humanitarian experience that supports fair trade, cultural diversity and travel, Lozo said. He urges UB students to learn more about the world and to find a little bit of themselves inside of the shop. Originally located in Destiny USA – then known as the Carousel Mall – in Syracuse, Around the World Imports has grown from a small neighborhood shop to a chain store that now has a location in Buffalo. “We started small,” said Kevin Dabit, a co-owner and founder of the store. He explained that the store was primarily a small market, serving only a few customers. But its products, he said, are rare and oftentimes handmade, so they are irreplaceable. That is what led to the store’s increasing popularity. Kevin Dabit and Janet Jaworski, co-owners of Around the World Imports, travel all around the world searching for products and learning about different cultures. They work with cottage industries and different families in the countries they visit. When Dabit and Jaworski find products they are interested in buying, they often offer a family one or two years of income in advance. This could double a family’s income and keep their

KEREN BARUCH

Senior Features Editor

Daniele Gershon, The Spectrum Todd Lozo, a junior psychology and linguistics major, stands in Around the World Imports, where he is a manager, in the Walden Galleria Mall in Cheektowaga. Around the World is a humanitarian experience that supports fair trade, cultural diversity and travel, Lozo said.

children off the streets, they said. “We like to think of ourselves as philanthropists,” Jaworski said. Around the World Imports has three goals. The founders hope to spread the magnitude and understanding of fair trade, inform people of the significance of cultural diversity and encourage travel. Fair Trade USA’s website states: “Fair Trade goods are just that. Fair. From far-away farms to your shopping cart, products that bear our logo come from farmers and workers who are justly compensated.” Lozo believes that many American citizens have “blinders” on when it comes to learning about other cultures. “We are a nation of cultural diversity, so I think that understanding cultural diversity is imperative to understanding this country,” Lozo said. Without the awareness, Lozo believes that racism, bigotry and separatism will continue to plague communities around the United States. Around the World Imports’ employees are trained to be teachers in order to create a “ripple effect” with customers, Lozo said. The employees are coached

to have conversations with customers about the products in which they are interested. Each of the store’s visitors is given the unique experience of learning about the different cultures, products and nations around the world. The customers also get to contribute to the wellbeing of the items’ producers. “When a customer buys a product, we emphasize that they are helping support communities around the world,” Lozo said. “[We] not only make the customer understand the value of the product, but [we] also make them feel that their purchase is going to a greater contribution to the world.” Dabit is hoping to expand and take his stores to the West Coast. Around the World Imports can bring its customers to exotic places that they’ve never seen before, Lozo said. The store is adorned in elaborate kites and mood lighting provided by Himalayan salt lamps, which are natural ionizers. Many of the loyal customers have traveled all around the world, so they appreciate the shop’s products and values, Lozo said.

UB is now among the top 20 U.S. universities with international student enrollment, according to the school’s admissions website. Because of the immense ethnic culture these students bring, Lozo wants to start making students aware of Around the World Imports. Lozo suggests international students take a look at the store if they are homesick. The products, styles and home-like feel of Around the World Imports can provide a relaxing and educational experience. Dabit said people are all interconnected and the store can help students realize that the world is a very small place. “People want to feel like they’re contributing to something greater than themselves,” Lozo said. “With a school full of culture, there are bound to be students interested in a store that provides for its producers.” Lozo implores his fellow students to explore this eccentric shop the next time they are shopping at the Walden Galleria. email: features@ubspectrum.com

THE PRISM OF PERRY

Katy Perry releases her fourth album, Prism BRIAN KESCHINGER

Creative Director

Album: Prism Artist: Katy Perry Label: Capitol Records Release: Oct. 18 Grade: B Katy Perry’s perfectly titled fourth-studio album, Prism, is exactly that: a prism. It takes the usually narrow pop-genre and shows how diverse it can be. Perry’s Teenage Dream, which came out three years ago, was a tough act to follow. Despite receiving mediocre reviews, nearly half of the album ended up as top-radio hits. Though Prism doesn’t reach the caliber that was Teenage Dream, it comes close. Prism isn’t a pop revolution by any means, but it shows Perry did her homework and took queues from arguably some of the best pop eras and artists. Tracks like “Birthday” and “Walking On Air” have a resonating, late-’80s and early-’90s beat to them that immediately make you feel like grooving out. In the song “Dark Horse,” Perry sounds pleasantly similar to a young Britney Spears, but the song takes a modern approach by dropping a strong trap beat. Juicy J is featured on this track, but his verse is weak, which ultimately takes away from

Courtesy of Capitol

the otherwise great track. Another disappointing moment on the album is the shallow-sounding song “This is How We Do.” The repetitious song feels like a Ke$ha track in the sense that it’s catchy and breaks the fourth wall when Perry says, “No, no, no. Bring the beat back.” Yet, you can’t help but sing the chorus and bop to the beat.

Prism’s biggest downfall is its pacing. The first half of the album is loaded with the upbeat, catchy tunes while the tracks on the back half mostly take on a serious, darker tone. “Roar,” the album’s first single, is a solid kickoff to the album with its memorable centric theme. The entire front half of the album is that way – strong.

The back half is littered with tracks like “Love Me,” “By The Grace of God” and “Spiritual,” which are meant to be slower, emotional songs. Ultimately, they leave the listener with nothing but mediocrity. The split makes Prism feel like two separate albums. Most listeners will figure out which style of Katy Perry songs they like and will end up only listening to one half of the album. Amongst the lackluster tracks that populate the second half of the album, there are a few that are above mediocre, but only one is a standout. “This Moment” opens with a beat that might as well be a part of the soundtrack for the movie Drive. It becomes the only successful and emotionally invested track that Perry attempted to create with all the songs later on in the album. Prism shows how diverse pop music can be in tone and feel. Though every song isn’t a home run, Perry is able to display her stellar pipes on just about every track. The result is an increase of quality on even the most shallow of songs. Prism as an album is far from perfect, but Katy Perry fans will find the music good enough to leave them satisfied. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

It’s sad that as president of my sorority, I often have to beg people to participate in philanthropy events. Not because I’m in a group of apathetic and uncaring girls, but because, unfortunately, most people forget the feeling. They forget the feeling of unity. The togetherness that comes with walking just a few miles, surrounded by thousands of people who are all passionate about fighting for a cause. They forget the fulfillment that comes when a target monetary goal is reached and a group is able to donate thousands of dollars toward research and awareness for something they feel passionate about. What’s often forgotten is the sense of pride one feels after realizing his or her philanthropic efforts are paying off and actually affecting others. Finally, people forget the love that lingers in people’s eyes, actions and hearts when they are working together to make a change for the better of humanity. This past Saturday, I watched my sorority remember that feeling again. Three days before the breast cancer walk in Niagara Square, I told my sorority the event would be mandatory. I knew this would not be followed by positive responses, but I had hoped that, after all of the complaints, people would realize that philanthropic events should not be dreaded. I received endless text messages from people trying to get out of attending. Some asked if they could pay their way out of it. Others claimed it “wasn’t fair” to make them go. Many thought they had better places to be at 10 a.m. on a Saturday morning. It puzzled me that people were so unwilling to attend a walk that affects almost everybody. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, no matter what race or ethnicity, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 39,620 women will die from breast cancer annually, according to American Cancer Society. At least 10 girls in my sorority are related to someone who has battled breast cancer, yet not everyone was enthusiastic about attending Saturday’s event. Regardless, everyone changed their profile picture on Facebook to promote the walk and shared the link to our team’s donation site. Within 48 hours, we raised $990. I was beyond ecstatic and finally saw the girls in my group working toward raising money and spreading awareness. On the morning of the event, I was worried that people would not show up. I had hoped their efforts in raising money would translate into attending the walk, but I did not want to have my hopes too high. Upon waiting in the traffic surrounding Niagara Square and finding a parking spot nearby, I anticipated having to yell at girls who wouldn’t show their faces. I realized I was not giving my sorority enough credit. With just a little bit of a push, I saw the unity in my sorority; everyone was marching in pink through the streets of downtown Buffalo. SEE THE FEELING, PAGE 6

ubspectrum.com

Monday, October 21, 2013

Fourth time’s the charm

Despite tumultuous history, new Persian Student Association forms on campus MOHAMMED SHARIFF Staff Writer

Courtesy of Niyaz Pordel The Buffalo Iranian SA held a cards night Oct. 12 in UB’s flag room in the Student Union. This September, the Student Association recognized the group as a temporary club. It is the fourth Persian student association to be recognized by SA in the last 30 years.

Persian students on campus will once again have an opportunity to show the student body the beauty of their culture. This September, the Student Association recognized the Buffalo Iranian SA as a temporary club. It is the fourth Persian student association SA has recognized in the last 30 years. The first Persian SA formed in the 1980s, a few years after the Iranian revolution. It lasted around a decade, before being derecognized by the Student Association in the ’90s for inactivity. Niyaz Pordel, a biomedical science major and the club’s current president, said she is working hard to make the club permanent once more. She agreed with past club presidents that the inactivity of the club was due largely to the academics of involved members. There were too many international and graduate students in the previous clubs, and none of them had the time or motivation to get involved, she said. Pordel said she isn’t fazed by the derecognitions of the last three clubs. She is prepared to learn from past mistakes to build a stronger club, and she plans on holding events that bridge the gap

between American and Iranian cultures. “I believe that participation and cooperation are key factors to running a successful club,” Pordel said. “We do not want this group to be just for few years; we want [this] Persian group to be at UB as permanent, forever.” The club didn’t reform until 2002, under former president Pouya Goudarzi, who graduated in 2004 with a degree in business. “[The undergraduate Iranian students] really wanted a club … but no one wanted to do anything about it,” he said. “I took the leading charge and really got it going.” The club lasted two years under Goudarzi, who is now a real estate agent in Binghamton. He said he kept the club popular by holding social events and steering clear of politics. But the Persian SA failed to renew itself with SA after Goudarzi and was derecognized for the second time. Five years later, the club reformed under the name Buffalo Iranian Student Association. The club remained in its initial temporary status for six semesters – twice the amount SA allows. Temporary clubs can be granted an extension on their temporary status under “extenuating circumstances,” according to administra-

tive director of SA Mark Sorel. The SA handbook states, “a club cannot remain a temporary club for more than three semesters, unless they are granted an extension by the senate.” Sorel wasn’t sure what “extenuating circumstances” specified, but he said the club most likely never took the necessary steps to change from temporary to permanent. The club’s failure to take those steps, Sorel said, was indicative of its inactivity. Azin Bagheritar, a UB alumna and the club’s former treasurer, said the club had participation problems from the start and there weren’t enough motivated people involved. She rarely found the time to get involved herself, despite being on the club’s executive board. In 2011, the club once again failed to renew itself with SA, marking the third time a Persian SA was derecognized. Pordel hopes the new direction of the club will get more members involved, and she aims to keep it around for at least a few more years. The Buffalo Iranian Student Association is holding its next event, a movie night, Oct. 20. email: news@ubspectrum.com

FALTERING TO BREAK GROUND A new start for the Beyond Two Souls game review JORDAN OSCAR

Hossain leads new e-board, which aims to rebuild BSA’s reputation

Staff Writer

Platform: Playstation 3 exclusive Released: Oct. 8 Developer: Quantic Dream Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment Grade: B The first few minutes of Beyond Two Souls are proof that David Cage has finally created the opus he has always talked about – making a video game seem like an interactive movie. But the game rarely lives up to its potential. Beyond Two Souls is the tale of Jodie Holmes (Ellen Page, Juno) and Aiden, a paranormal entity that has been tethered to her since birth. The game takes place over the course of 15 years and follows Jodie from her traumatic childhood – where Aiden torments her –to her adult life, where she controls her paranormal protector. Her transformation from adolescence to adulthood is told through a series of non-linear vignettes, which jump around through different stages of her life. The first 10 minutes of the game follows a very young Jodie as she performs a series of tests using Aiden to spy on someone in another room, but then it jumps to her as an adult where she is helping a CIA operative uncover hidden documents in a sheik’s mansion. Despite being reminiscent of Heavy Rain – David Cage and Quantic Dream’s previous endeavor – Beyond Two Souls offers an entirely unique, dark, deep and emotional experience with its own set of problems. The story is laid out on a timeline, with each chapter marking an important moment within Jodie’s life. Although the way in which the story unfolds is a bit confusing at first, it creates an experience that is engaging from start to finish. Beyond Two Souls’ narrative also provides a refreshing take on how story and narrative within video games can be developed. Unfortunately, the lack of any linear structure within the story often undermines the game’s heavy emphasis on choices and consequences. Unlike in Heavy Rain, which progressed in a linear fashion and made the effects of each decision immediately clear, Beyond Two Souls’ structure

Bangladeshi Student Association

Courtesy of Quantic Dream

facilitates a narrative in which decisions feel forgettable and arbitrary at times. The only sense of an immediate impact on the story comes in the form of interacting with other characters. Conversation and interactions can have a significant impact on how any vignette unfolds, but not on the overall story; interactions become an experiment in pushing the boundaries and limits of each situation. As the game progresses, Jodie faces increasingly dramatic and important decisions that have a tremendous impact on the story. The player, however, won’t realize what the impacts of the choices are until the untimely ending of the game. Just like its predecessor, Beyond Two Souls features a multitude of endings and will require many play-throughs to discover how each ending is reached. In a similar fashion to character interactions, controlling Aiden can become another experiment in testing the game’s boundaries. There are parts of the game in which you can play poltergeist and terrorize people. These are some of the most enjoyable moments in the game, especially because the player can make Aiden go far beyond what Jodie tells him to do. As Aiden, players can manipulate objects, possess or strangle various people or simply travel through walls to explore. The boundaries of what Aiden can do and how he interacts with Jodie become some of the most interesting aspects of the game. Because he plays such a vital role, it’s annoying that control of Aiden is often taken away in service of the plot. Unlike controlling Aiden, controlling Jodie can feel cumbersome and slow. White dots on the screen indicate points of in-

terests, while button presses control actions and dialogue. Although the majority of the controls work well, the quick-time events (QTEs) do not. QTEs in Beyond Two Souls occur during combat; the game slows down and the player must press the analog stick in a way that matches the motion of Jodie’s body. If she is kicking toward her right, then you move the stick right, but if you move it the wrong way she gets hit. The problem with this system is it feels like a contrived way of prolonging the player’s interest, especially when it isn’t always clear what direction the player needs to move the analog stick to get the correct response. That being said, the QTEs bring a lot of tension into the experience. Visually, Beyond Two Souls is one of the most impressive looking games of this console generation. The meticulous detail brought into the game’s world keeps it feeling realistic, despite the paranormal events that occur throughout the game. It’s impossible to play the game without noticing the unparalleled voice acting and character animations by Page and Willem Dafoe (Odd Thomas) – who plays a father-like figure to Jodie who studies her from a young age. As a whole, Beyond Two Souls is an exceptional technical achievement in game development, but it feels like a missed opportunity to break new ground. Although the game delivers on the emotional weight of its story and has a refreshing take on narrative structure, it hardly outweighs the shortcomings of its plot and controls. email: arts@ubspectrum.com

Jackie Shi, The Spectrum (Left to right) Vice President Nabiha Ahsan, Historian Farzana Oishi, President Taz Hossain and Treasurer Fahim Joarder comprise the new executive board of the Bangladeshi Student Association.

CASSANDRA YOCHUM Staff Writer

The memory of the fireworks pushes her forward. Tazrin Hossain, a sophomore political science major, vividly remembers the New Year’s celebrations and warm nights she spent shooting off fireworks and watching them explode into thousands of shimmering pieces. New Orleans was her home. The community there was more than just another Bengali tie; it was her family. Now at UB, Hossain is searching for a new family in the Bangladeshi Student Association. The Bangladeshi Student Association (BSA) was once derecognized due to mismanagement and the overall lack of interest by members and the executive board. The club was re-recognized four years ago, but its return from tumult has been slow and challenging. Hossain is striving to keep the club afloat. She joined BSA as secretary last semester and saw the club’s potential. She stepped up and ran unopposed for the role of president this year. Hossain grew up in a Bengali community around New Orleans. The children with whom she grew up were more than just friends – they were like little brothers and sisters or older sib-

lings. For an only child like her, they became her home, her community and her family. “We were very close [and] dependent on each other,” Hossain said. Now, many of the members of her community back home have moved on and started their adult lives. Hossain realizes the importance of finding a similar close-knit community here at UB. Though she doesn’t think the club will ever replace her Bengali family back at home, she thinks BSA can help students feel like they are a part of a community – the way she once did. Some of the members are excited with the direction Hossain and the new e-board have taken. Shah Muhammad Abdullah Sayem, a sophomore architecture major, said the club is in strong condition and that the new e-board promotes all of the events in a “cool” way. “We have been much more involved in the SA this year than we have ever been,” said Fahim Joarder, a senior accounting major and the club’s treasurer. He joined BSA because he wanted to help develop the club for a sustainable future. SEE BSA, PAGE 6

ubspectrum.com

Monday, October 21, 2013

Continued from page 5: BSA

Continued from page 4: The feeling I saw the smiles and excitement; everyone felt like they were a part of something greater than themselves. As they wore Alpha Phi letters while singing and dancing to the music from the stage nearby, I saw my sisters finally start to remember the feeling. The girls in Alpha Phi, waiting in line for the food trucks to open and proudly wearing the stickers that were handed out to registered walkers, were having fun while spreading awareness for a cause so close to their hearts. It’s difficult for some to be college students while having to participate in out-of-class events. We all have work to do, we all have social gatherings to attend and many of us have jobs. I suggest, however, that every organization makes at least four philanthropy events each semester mandatory. Nobody can deny that they get the feeling upon helping others. It’s the steps toward raising the money and getting to the event that many struggle with. But there is nothing more powerful than the feeling that comes upon completion of a walk, Zumbathon or other philanthropic events. Nobody can say that they don’t feel the power that comes from standing in the midst of thousands of other people cheering to end society’s fight with breast cancer and raising enough money for research so we can finally conquer the disease. The love is too strong to deny and, sometimes, it just takes one little push to help people remember it. Give your organization, friends and family members that push – for the better of humanity and for the better of themselves.

Joarder and Hossain believe the first step is promoting the club and reaching out to all Bangladeshi students. So far, the events that they’ve carried out have been successful, including a dessert and lassi – a popular yogurt-based drink – night the club hosted recently. “I was expecting maybe 30 people, and 50-plus showed up,” Hossain said. The club is culturally diverse, and there are not a lot of Bangladeshi students involved, according to Sayem. He believes this could be due to the past issues within BSA. Joarder said the club is planning to advertise through the help of other international student associations, like the Orga-

nization of Arab Students and the Indian Student Association. He believes BSA can flourish with the help of these established clubs. Sayem said the club is a great way to learn about Bangladesh’s exciting cultural history. Even with the lack of Bangladeshi students, Sayem believes the club represents the culture well. “[I joined] because I wanted to represent my country,” Sayem said. He hopes students will take an active role in discovering what BSA has to offer. He believes all students should learn about the culture and history of different countries. BSA is planning several upcoming

events. The club will continue to put up its henna tables in the Student Union – in which students can have the designs drawn on their bodies – and there will also be a Halloween-themed design available during “Creep Your SA” Oct. 29 in the Union, according to Hossain. The club also plans to host a discussion with the UB College Republicans about Bangladeshi citizens’ conservativeness. Hossain encourages all students to come to the events and talk to her if they have any suggestions or questions regarding the Bangladeshi Student Association. email: features@ubspectrum.com

Continued from page 8: Oliver As a player, he has an insatiable work ethic; the coaches routinely say he is the strongest guy on the team pound for pound. Go watch him run up the hill at the old football stadium – with the sled his dad gave him dragging behind – and you’ll know what Bo is all about. His surprising strength gives Oliver the ability to drag linebackers twice his size for 4-5 extra yards – a skill he had before the injury and still boasts today. Fans saw it on display multiple times Saturday. As a person, Oliver is one of my favorite people at UB. He is reserved – a man of few words – but friendly. He is as

serious about his Christian faith as anything else – and he’s serious about a lot. Try getting him to respond to a question without first thanking “[his] lord and savior, Jesus Christ.” I’ll bet you can’t. I went to church once with him while writing a feature on quarterback Chazz Anderson in 2011. It was funny seeing Oliver in a different setting – as focused on his hymnals as he is on scanning a defense before a play. One thing is certain – Bo doesn’t mess around. In football, in faith, in anything else in life. He has had this me-againstthe-world mentality since he arrived in

Amherst; he was not highly recruited out of high school. In fact, no Division I school except UB wanted him. He has become Buffalo’s all-time rushing leader based on sheer work ethic and unmatched focus. Those are traits that have always transcended what he lacks in size. Perhaps now the scouts will start to remember. email: aaron.mansfield@ubspectrum.com

email: keren.baruch@ubspectrum.com

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Monday, October 21, 2013 ubspectrum.com

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