Vol. 61 NO. 29
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Friday, November 4, 2011
Occupy Buffalo Still Strong After One Month
Occupiers continue to stick together and stay together in downtown Buffalo.
SARAH AKERS Staff Writer The Occupy Buffalo movement doesn’t appear to be breaking camp anytime soon. Months after the initial Occupy Wall Street protest began in New York City, the local chapter, Occupy Buffalo, is still going strong. On Tuesday, the protestors will celebrate the one-month mark of their occupation of Niagara Square in front of City Hall. Despite the problems that other Occupy movements have had with authorities, Buffalo’s chapter has been arrest-free and violence-free since its inception. Group members claim that their numbers are growing, and they have been
Meg Kinsley /// The Spectrum
working hard to get their message across to City Hall and the local government.
ing lawmakers not to support large corporations that damage the economy.
Last Friday, 32 members of the Occupy Rochester movement were arrested for being in a public park. The following day, Occupy Buffalo members marched to indicate their solidarity with the movement.
Occupy Buffalo actively supports the Return to Prudent Banking Act of 2011, currently a bill in the U.S. Congress. The act would separate risky investment banking from commercial banking.
The group has held marches from Niagara Square to a downtown Bank of America location to protest national banking injustice. The group often holds meetings and “information sessions” about how to support its cause. Occupiers have brought requests to City Hall, asking the Buffalo Common Council to divest city money from Chase National Bank and urg-
The protestors have been busy in the last month. There are Occupiers on site at Niagara Square 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, the majority of people have to schedule their protesting around their work and school schedules. Many people camp out only on weekends or just drop in for a few hours when they have the time. “There is this huge façade being shown that none of us have jobs. Almost everyone here has at
The Game John B. Simpson is Still of Peace Being Paid By UB VILONA TRACHTENBERG Staff Writer
The document says the data is accurate as of Wednesday, and it lists Simpson’s official job title as “executive officer” in the president’s department. Simpson, formerly the president of the university, left UB last semester and was replaced by Satish K. Tripathi, who the document lists as making a state salary of $385,000 as “president.”
Jurs, an acclaimed sculpture artist of Scottsville, N.Y., displays her interpretation of chess in the Burchfield Penney Art Center through an exhibit called World Peace, which reinvents chess to represent many interpretations of peace and humanity.
Simpson’s additional pay was guaranteed in his contract, according to university spokesman John Della Contrada.
According to Nancy Weekly, Head of Collections and the Charles Cary Rumsey Curator at the gallery, Jurs uses ceramics in a bold way with the large-scale chessboard and eight foot pieces she produced.
The metaphor of humanity and struggle for peace is impressively represented throughout this exhibit. In a normal game of chess, the pieces on the opposing teams have the same structures but with
Like many students, Blake is worried about the future. Many agree that the 2008 downturn left the U.S. economy is in its worst shape since the Great Depression. The unemployment rate is at 9.1 percent as of August 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. By living and protesting outside of government buildings like Buffalo’s City Hall and financial institutions like Wall Street, the protestors hope they can effect real change.
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Gleeks Unite
of Information Law (FOIL) request for the 20 highest-paid state employees at UB.
In a normal game of chess, the king prevails and is the only one left on the board after many strategic and costly moves to the other pieces in the game. But, thanks to Nancy Jurs, the universal game of chess has morphed into a metaphor of peace and unity, where all the pieces band together.
“As a contemporary artist relating to contemporary issues, war and peace, I think the timing was right both in [Jurs’] career and for the museum and for the public to think about this,” Weekly said. “The timing too is nice because it encompassed 9/11; there are all different avenues that [one] could start related conversations, using this as a focal point or starting point.”
least one job. Most of us have two,” said Sydney Blake, a student at Frontier High School who balances school with her two part-time jobs. Blake spends her weekends camping out, and she drops in after school during the week.
Courtesy of Douglas Levere
LUKE HAMMILL Senior News Editor John B. Simpson currently receives the 16th-highest state salary at the University at Buffalo. But John B. Simpson no longer works at the University at Buffalo. Simpson’s annual full-time state salary is listed at $265,000 in a document provided to The Spectrum by the university’s Records Access Officer Brian Hines, who produced it in response to a Spectrum Freedom
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Weather for the Weekend: Friday: Sunny- H: 47, L: 32 Saturday: Sunny- H: 50, L: 37 Sunday: Partly Cloudy- H: 55, L: 47
“John Simpson’s compensation was approved by SUNY in 2004 when he was appointed to UB. His contract provided that he would receive up to two academic semesters of pay upon completion of his role as UB president,” Della Contrada said in an email. “Under this agreement, he receives a pro-rated annual salary for nine months, beginning on March 17, 2011, and concluding on Dec. 17, 2011.” That would put the actual compensation somewhere around $198,750 (three-fourths of $265,000). The Spectrum FOIL request was limited to state salaries. Top-level UB officials have been known to collect additional compensation from the University at Buffalo Foundation, Inc. (UBF), which “manag[es] gifts and grants on behalf of the university,” according to its website. UBF also includes UB Foundation Activities, Inc. (UBFA) and various other
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The UB Glee Club sings and dances it’s way to the top and attempts to break out of the stereotype that most Glee Clubs have. Hyun Seok Choi /// The Spectrum
LIZ WHITE Staff Writer In a room full of students belting out Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra, strutting their dancing prowess with moves like the Bernie, the sprinkler, the robot, the monkey, and the pelvic thrust, it’s almost impossible to believe that this a typical club meeting. Members of the UB Glee Club, however, prepares for upcoming rehearsal by singing, dancing, and listening to some of their favorite hits. The sounds of melodic warm ups – buzzing, humming, and tuneful tongue twisters - might confuse students passing by the SU Flag Room late at night. But this is just a normal routine for UB’s Glee Club. Jenna Dunlay, the UB Glee president and junior theatre major, walked into the Flag Room with a huge synthesizer in hand, ready to lead the club’s rehearsal. Not only does Dunlay teach the music, lead warm ups, run rehearsals, and help choose the music the club sings, but she also finds the time to choreograph most
songs, and run social events with other SA Clubs. “Glee is one of my top priorities, probably more so than my school work,” Dunlay said. As the girls worked on their choreography for the club’s upcoming Throwback Attack! Show –fthis Sunday in the SU Theatre at 6 p.m. – it was apparent that the club takes more than just hard work it takes dedication. The club is also about having fun, making friends, and expressing yourself. “I love to sing and dance,” said Naita Howell, a freshman accounting major. “I feel like I can express myself with people who like to do the same thing.” This is Howell’s first semester as a member of UB Glee, and according to her, it’s quite a different experience than being in a high school Glee club. She believes that at UB, the club members are able to have much more input into what goes on. In high school, students just sing whichever songs the teachers tell them to sing. Continued on Page 2
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Friday, November 4, 2011
Continued from Page 1: Occupy Buffalo Still Strong after One Month The City of Buffalo has been, for the most part, supportive of the cause. Most recently, City Hall voted to waive a $500 dollar permit fee associated with staying on city property. Some council members argued that sleeping in a public space is illegal, and that when the protestors eventually leave, they will leave behind ruined grass, and taxpayer money will be spent cleaning up after them. However, in Buffalo, authorities, including the government and police, have been sympathetic toward the cause. The protestors haven’t had problems with securing their right to protest, and they haven’t been worried about legal action forcing them to leave. In fact, they say that many police officers and fireman honk their horns as they pass the square, indicating their support for the group. “Hard-working Americans are working two jobs, living paycheck to paycheck, and barely making
ends meet. And that’s not right,” said Jamie Stewart, a Buffalo resident who lives and works just minutes from Niagara Square. Various cynics have criticized the Occupy movements for lacking clear goals and focus. The members of Occupy Buffalo acknowledge the confusion about the movement and invite cynics to come down to Niagara Square to find out the facts for themselves. Contrary to popular belief, the Occupy Buffalo movement does have a list of demands. The page-long list is a summary of what the occupiers feel are major problems facing Americans today. The list includes requests like taxing and inspecting corporations that refuse to manufacture their goods within the U.S., an end to outsourcing American jobs overseas, and an end to corporate welfare. The Occupy Buffalo protestors have ideas about
Continued from Page 1: The Game of Peace the two contrasting colors. However, in Jurs’ take on the game, each of the game pieces has its own identity, with no two pieces alike. The separation and uniqueness of each piece represents the different people inhabiting the world. Pieces called Valentine, Virtue, Endeavour, Bold, New Awakening, and Take a Seat change up the normal king, queen, pawn, rook, bishop, and knight outfit of the game. “Not having clearly divided sides add to the ambiguity of the idea of a game,” said Eric Evinczik, 44, of Buffalo. “It undermines the idea of having two sides.” According to Weekly, the pieces represent different wars and struggles throughout history with thoughtful references to Greco-Roman times, the burials of ancient Chinese warriors and other hints of various cultures and relics that are leftover from stone sculpture. “I think people have really enjoyed it and that it does leave interpretation open so that [one] really wants to examine the different elements of it,” Weekly said. “I think people have found it very stimulating.” Some of the pieces have torsos that look like armor, and some can be seen as pigs, and can be a reference to George Orwell’s
Animal Farm with the pigs ruling the state. Other features of the different sculpted pieces feature a variety of different dimensions and techniques including organic looking tree trunks, stacked stone, metal rivets, hearts, and armor, without the inclusion of actual figures. All different heights and levels of thickness, the pieces symbolize unique backgrounds, stories, and experiences that wars and people face, with some of the pieces damaged and torn to represent the struggle. The checkered pattern of the board is set in circular form and shows a worldly concept. The placement of the pieces also show the concept of peace. In a real game of chess, the objective is to battle the pawns and pieces and have the king slowly dominate the board. In this display, the pieces are scattered across the board with none eliminated. “[Jurs is] hopefully conveying the message that we hope that eventually the world could all be more united, there’d be less conflict, there’d be less difference, we’d have something to offer one another,” Weekly said. This exhibit will be on display until Jan. 29.
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The protestors at Niagara Square in Buffalo are aware that their demands will require time to take effect. They agree that they will be battling for reforms and regulations for years to come. “Realistically, I have no idea what to expect. I think that’s kind of what’s so cool about it,” Sch-
Critics question how a protest with no political affiliation or clear solutions for problems can even begin to change America’s political and economic structure. Though the group has a list of demands and protestors are voicing their opinions, it remains to be seen how far any reforms might go because of this movement. Despite the controversy and uncertainty of the movement, the Occupy Buffalo protestors have no intention of leaving. They are “winterizing” their camp in order to keep their movement going strong through the coming cold weather.
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Continued from Page 1: Gleeks Unite
affiliated corporations. They are private entities that are not subject to FOIL requests.
“Here I can sing whatever song I want,” Howell said. “I can express myself, so I’m more open,”
For example, Artvoice reported in August that Simpson’s state salary was only a fraction of his total compensation in 2009. UBFA’s 2009 IRS tax form (990) lists Simpson as one of its “highest compensated employees” and shows he received a total of $867,009 – including $225,560 from UBFA in “bonus and incentive compensation” – that year. The form is available at GuideStar.org, a website that “gather[s] and publicize[s] information about nonprofit organizations.” Adding the value of the UB president’s complimentary house at 88 Lebrun Road – listed at $91,681 by UBF-affiliated FNUB, Inc. in its tax form from the same year – results in a total compensation of $958,690 for Simpson in 2009. The Artvoice report suggested that the final number could be over $1 million. At UBF, the Compensation Committee “determine[s] compensation for the operating staff of the Foundation and its Affiliates,” according to ubfoundation.buffalo.edu. It is chaired by Angelo M. Fatta (also chairman of the UBF board of trustees), and its only member is the president of the university. That suggests that Fatta and Simpson himself are the ones who determined that Simpson gets $225,560 in “bonus and incentive compensation” in 2009. Additional Reporting by Rebecca Bratek and Madeleine Burns.
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“Simply the fact that we are here is a statement in itself. Whatever it gains, whatever specific things happen as a result, it’s a strong statement either way,” said Kurt Schneiderman, a Buffalo resident, stay-at-home dad, and artistic director of the Subversive Theatre Collective.
neiderman said. “It’s a movement that doesn’t have a simple goal; it’s much broader than can what be summed up by one agenda. There are a million things that ought to be achieved. There are any number of things [that] could be taken on that desperately need to change.”
Continued from Page 1: John B. Simpson is Still Being Paid by UB
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how they hope to accomplish these goals. They support and encourage many of the Occupy Wall Street plans to discredit large corporations. Saturday is National Bank Transfer Day, and the Occupy movements are encouraging everyone to take their funds out of large corporate banks and transfer them to local banks and credit unions.
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For the most recent show, each member submitted songs that they wanted to sing and, in a very democratic nature, they voted on what they think will work best as a group. The members work hard to pick songs and routines that are best for everyone. Matthew McHale, the UB Glee treasurer and a senior math major, said that he has an extreme love for performance and singing, but it’s mainly the club members that keep him coming back every week.
From hip-hop to country, Glee covers it all; It is not constricted to just Broadway hits. This Sunday’s concert will be an ode to throwback music and a break away from “Top 40s” music. The UB Glee club is not to be confused with Glee the TV show. They might share a name, but that doesn’t mean that the club acts like a high school soap opera. That is one thing UB students probably don’t understand, according to Dunlay. UB Glee won’t even touch a song that’s been sung on the show so that the club can keep its individuality, according to McHale.
“The people are fun. They’re not shy. They’re not afraid,” McHale said. “Some guys are afraid of showing their music side [because they think] ‘Oh it makes [me] gay.’ But [here] everyone loves what they do and we get along great because of it.”
“I guess people think we’re trying to be very much like the show,” McHale said. “But we want to be something different.”
The club manages to stay close, supportive, and entertaining despite the hectic rehearsals, which occur about three times a week.
“I think that when people think [of] Glee Club they think it’s cheesy and they think we’re all pregnant,” Dunlay said. “It’s crazy how much people have improved and how much people have come out of their shells. I definitely think that’s the best part.”
“It’s crazy fun. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, at least in school,” Dunlay said. “It’s hard work, but it’s hard work that’s not school work. [You see] people that have never danced before in their life busting out some crazy hip-hop s***.”
Students start out shy, but eventually become a part of the group and love what they’re doing, according to Dunlay.
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Opinion Friday, November 4, 2011
EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Matthew Parrino SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR James Twigg MANAGING EDITOR Edward Benoit EDITORIAL EDITOR James Bowe NEWS EDITORS Luke Hammill, senior Rebecca Bratek Sara DiNatale, asst. ARTS EDITORS Jameson Butler, senior Vanessa Frith Nicolas Pino LIFE EDITORS Akari Iburi, senior Steven Wrobel Veronica Ritter Keren Baruch, asst. SPORTS EDITORS Aaron Mansfield, senior Brian Josephs Scott Resnick, asst. Andreius Coleman, asst. PHOTO EDITORS Meg Kinsley, senior Troi Williams Nyeri Moulterie Alexa Strudler Satsuki Aoi COPY EDITOR Edward Benoit CARTOONIST Patrick Boyle WEB EDITOR Matthew Parrino James Twigg
PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER Andrew Angeles CREATIVE DESIGNERS Nicole Manzo Aline Kobayashi ADVERTISING DESIGNER Aline Kobayashi 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. November 4, 2011 VOLUME 61 NUMBER 29 CIRCULATION: 7,000 The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by both Alloy Media and Marketing, and MediaMate. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum visit www.ubspectrum. com/ads or call us directly. The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100 Telephone: (716) 645-2468 Fax: (716) 645-2766 Copyright 2011 Buffalo, N.Y. The Spectrum is printed by The Buffalo News 1 News Plaza Buffalo, N.Y. 14240 email any submissions to info@ubspectrum.com
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Re-affirming Failure Congress must stop wasting America’s time
People these days could use a little pick-me-up, especially any one of the 9.1 percent of Americans that are unemployed. The Republican controlled House of Representatives has the perfect plan to bolster the spirits of the American worker troubled by the bad economy. Obama’s jobs plan is on the table, and ready to put hard-working men and women back to work. Opponents have a better idea, and the story starts back in 1956. Before then, the national motto was unofficially E pluribus unum, a phrase still emblazoned on our money. The ’50s saw a rise in official government religiousness, with the Pledge of Allegiance being amended to add “under god,” as a kind of statement against the atheist Soviet Union. Soon our national motto was officially put into place, but not the old Latin phrase that perfectly demonstrates
Punishment is so much simpler when you’re a kid. You get caught, you get grounded and that’s pretty much the end of it. No complicated legal wording, no tricks. Unfortunately, the American justice system does not revere that level of simplicity Some people even get to do whatever they want, without consequence. Prosecutors, in some situations, are actually immune to damage suits. They are not held accountable for any trial related actions, no matter if what they did was illegal or not. They may be held liable for actions taken outside a trial, however, like falsely filing for a warrant. Now, a Supreme Court case seeks to widen that immunity past prosecutors, and give them to investigators. The circumstances that generated the case, though, prove to be a little more interesting than a simple legal argument.
Now in 2011, the motto has thankfully been affirmed once again, just in case anyone has forgotten. It may be a reasonable fear, because so many people are broke that they haven’t had any cash to see the motto in a couple years.
Republican lawmakers haven’t been quick to respond, but they really don’t have to because their ruse is easy to see. They’ve dedicated themselves to the destruction of Obama’s presidency without any regard for the damage they do to the rest of the nation. This is just a transparent attempt to waste time in order to make it look like Obama hasn’t done anything with his presidency.
“Our citizens need that kind of hope,” said Rep. J. Randy Forbes, sponsor of the most recent motto bill.
The clock is running out. Unemployment numbers have been hovering at unacceptable levels for too long, and Obama’s jobs bill has the potential to bring some much-needed relief to families across the nation.
If you noticed by now that none of that had anything to do with creating jobs or helping the economy, you’re
Most embarrassing for Republicans, however, is the fact that they railed against Democrats for bringing so-
In 2003, a practice of six Albany doctors were trying to open an outpatient surgery center and met strong opposition from Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, one of the local hospitals. The practice’s business manager, Charles Rehberg decided to do some digging. He found that the CEO of the hospital, a non-profit organization, was making three quarters of a million dollars. He also found that the hospital had a bank account in the Cayman Islands, a well-known tax haven, and that over $30,000 was spent on trips to there.
clear now that Paulk lied. Even the prosecutors admit that no crime was committed, and that Paulk never even went to the places where the fake assault happened. Paulk just listened to what the District Attorney said and he made up a story. Rehberg was facing up to 47 years in jail because of a lie. It’s clear from precedent that the DA is immune in trial situations, but what’s not so clear is if the investigator is immune from a civil suit for what he did.
Rehberg was rightly appalled by what he learned, and distributed the information around the city via faxes to community leaders. He was soon arrested for charges from telephone harassment to aggravated assault.
Arguments by Paulk’s attorney are flimsy at best. They say that he didn’t knowingly lie, but that he was told to do something by the DA and did it. Mothers around the nation are chanting, “If your friends told you to jump off a bridge…”
The investigator, James Paulk, told a grand jury about the work he did investigating the crimes, but it is
Then they say he does apply to the immunity rule, and that the grand jury testimony was enough like a trial
called “commemorative resolutions” to the floor when they briefly controlled the House and Senate. The “Cantor Rule” was supposed to encourage debate and legislation that has to do with real issues. Again, we’re stuck in the vicious cycle. The only way representatives think they can fix things is to defeat their opponents by any means, and the only way they can defeat their opponents is by sabotaging their policies and making them looks as bad as possible. America is tired of this, from both sides of the aisle. Not only are the unemployed depending on action by the government, but the entire world depends on our economy staying strong. Suck it up and get to work, Washington.
REBECCA BRATEK News Editor Occupy Buffalo – a local branch of the global protest against corporate wealth and greed – has been going on since Oct. 8 in Niagara Square. To date, it seems the group has accomplished nothing in the Buffalo realm. The occupiers are passive; there is no actual leader of the movement. Instead, everyone is equal, and everyone’s voice is weighted the same. Anyone is welcome – no matter skin color, religion, political affiliation, age, social status, etc. The movement is a hodge-podge mixture of anyone who has something to say against the “status quo.” The occupiers do not have a list of goals or things they wants to accomplish. The group has no demands, and it only wishes to inform the public about the disparity of wealth in the United States – the 99 percent that are oppressed by corporate greed versus the one percent that is reveling in wealth.
“I’m not turning the heat on in order to stand in solidarity with those occupying Niagara Square; I can’t occupy Buffalo myself, so this way we can pretend we’re living in the Square.” My father was clearly making fun of the movement and it got me thinking: it’s jokes like these that make me question the seriousness of the protest in Buffalo. Even though occupiers are in the Square 24/7, it seems that all they are
doing is staying for an extended camping trip; once in a while, they march to City Hall or Chase Bank. As of Nov. 1, the Buffalo Common Council waived the $500 permit fee that lets the occupiers take residence in the Square. Basically, they’re living in and ruining the grounds of the Square against city ordinances and on the taxpayers’ dime. The grounds are ruined – mud pits have taken the place of lush grass in the Square. The gardens have been stomped upon and tents populate the area, not to mention the amount of garbage generated by the occupiers living in the park around the clock. Council Member Joseph Gombolek Jr. told The Buffalo News he voted against the waiver not because of the message of the movement’s message, but rather because when the demonstrators leave, tax dollars will end up footing the repair bills. I feel like the occupiers, though nobly living in the cold, rainy, and soon-tobe snowy conditions in the middle of the city, really aren’t accomplishing much by setting up tents and sending out tweets. They aren’t generating the response you see from government in other Occupy branches, like Occupy Chicago or Occupy Oakland. I am a tax-paying, hard-working, law-abiding citizen (not to mention a college student who lives paycheck to paycheck) and I can’t help to feel that the occupiers are protesting a good message, but are going about it in the wrong way – passively on my, and other taxpayers’, dime. They ask the general public to support them and donate supplies – everything from food (including vegan meals) to tents and generators to manpower for washing dishes. If I barely can afford my own bills, how can I even think about donating to a cause that isn’t accomplishing anything? Until this movement can be organized enough to start generating change, I’ll gladly watch from afar, agreeing with the ideals and disagreeing with the actions. Email: rebecca.bratek@ubspectrum.com
to apply: the “close enough” argument. Paulk needs to be held accountable for his own actions. The justice system is effectively broken if someone is able to throw around their power and potentially ruin a person’s life just because some schmuck told them to. What’s most disappointing is the fact that the Court didn’t take up the issue of the DA being a liar and perjurer. The precedent has been set in the past, but the Supreme Court has every opportunity to overturn a previous decision. Nobody in this nation should be afraid of those in power. It’s what our nation was built on, it’s what our founding fathers designed our government to be like, and as long a rule like this is in place, the opportunity will be there. Power will be abused if we allow it.
The Medium is the Occupiers’ Message
Occupy Buffalo Falls Short
Recently, I was complaining about the lack of heat in my house, when my father responded:
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It gets really inspirational when in 2002, Congress decided to re-affirm the national motto, in essence telling future generations that they can’t change the original law. Congress really showed its courage by re-affirming the motto again in 2006.
not alone. President Obama agrees, and is now pushing congress to take action, and start working on legislation to combat unemployment.
Abusing political power should never be okay
The Facebook group includes a “To-Do List,” but I’m not so sure I can take this seriously; it includes ambiguous things, such as, “contact local media organizations and inform them of the event,” and “inquire regarding legality of sleeping in public parks in Buffalo.”
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the spirit of our democratic nation. Instead, our national motto became “In God We Trust.”
Abusing the System
Every day, the protesters hold a “General Assembly” meeting. These meetings are used to engage all of the protesters and get ideas on how to proceed with the movement. This may seem like a good and democratic idea, but proves very difficult in making decisions. Each proposal must be unanimously agreed upon, and anyone can block a proposal.
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LUKE HAMMILL Senior News Editor The Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement is not going to effect change tomorrow, next week, or even next month. (I wonder if any of the protestors will go home for the holidays.) It is true that they don’t have a list of demands. It is also true that they do not collectively subscribe themselves to any one concrete ideology, be it political, religious, or otherwise. It is true that the Occupy Buffalo, our local subset of the movement, has gained little, if any, national attention. People who think any of that matters are missing the point. In one of the most excruciatingly boring classes I ever took at UB, I learned about a Marshall McLuhan theory called “the medium is the message.” Finally, I’m putting that class to some sort of use; it’s helped me understand the OWS movement. (The moral: You’re paying for your education. You may as well pay attention. You never know when something might come in handy.) In short, “the medium is the message” means that the process by which we obtain information has a greater longterm effect than the information itself. Take YouTube as an example. A few videos go viral in YouTube’s infancy, and they get millions of hits. Years later, the original videos are forgotten, but the idea of a “YouTube sensation” is a part of our culture these days. Apply that idea to OWS. The protestors are smart not to embrace an ideology, present a clear list of demands, or elect a visible leader. The obvious reason for this is that the movement wants to remain inclusive to anyone and everyone who is dissatisfied with the current social, political, and economic climate (and there are people throughout the political spectrum who feel that way). But the true genius behind that decision relates to longevity. If the protestors did have clear demands and elect a visible leader, they could be immediately dismissed. Let’s say that they elected a college student as their leader and made their key issue the out-of-control college debt in
the United States. Within 24 hours, Bill O’Reilly would be yelling at him/her on Fox News and dismissing everything he/ she had to say. Politicians would come out for or against the leader’s position, they’d argue for a bit, and they’d choose to do something or nothing (probably nothing) about it. OWS would become a footnote. Without demands, political affiliations, or a leader, the pundits on Fox News are only left to nervously laugh, wondering, “Who ARE they, and what could they possibly want?” And maybe – just maybe – it’s high time for the pundits to stop knowing and start wondering. The Occupy Buffalo movement, just by existing, shows that there are also many people in Western New York who identify with the people in Zuccotti Park. That is an accomplishment in itself, and it is probably much more important than whether the Buffalo occupiers directly do anything else, as long as they stay in Niagara Square. Remember that this is a global movement; the mere presence of occupiers in different cities indicates to the politicians and media that the people are united in the feeling that nobody is listening to them. In journalism, we are told to “show” rather than “tell.” The occupiers would make good journalists. They aren’t “telling” what their demands are, and they do not pretend to have figured out the panacea to all the world’s problems. They are simply “showing” a bunch of people who are pissed off. And it’s bewildering the politicians and the media. This new “medium” – a bunch of pissedoff people who won’t go away – is the message, and that will effect more change than any traditional “message,” such as a list of demands.
Email: luke.hammill@ubspectrum.com
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Friday, November 4, 2011
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Weekend in Buffalo
A Fitting Farewell
Taking Back Sunday concluded their tour Wednesday night in Rochester.
JAMESON BUTLER Senior Arts Editor Everyone must have told all their friends because Wednesday night a sold out crowd made its way into Water Street Music Hall to catch a glimpse of a band that helped define a scene. Taking Back Sunday showed why they reign supreme in the scene Wednesday night as they concluded their tour in Rochester. The reunited original line-up of Taking Back Sunday has breathed some life into a band that seemed to have nothing left in the tank. The addition of John Nolan and Shaun Cooper seemed to give the remaining members of TBS a new lease on life. As the band took the stage, the crowd’s anticipation was electric and it lost control. When TBS strummed the opening chords to “El Paso” to open the set, it was apparent why TBS sold out the show. Main singer Adam Lazzara may not be swinging microphones around his throat any more, but he is still one of the best front men in music. The way he controls the crowd with his dance moves and tamed microphone tricks was dazzling. Lazzara not only had a great stage presence, but his vocals were impeccable. Lazzara poured his heart into the songs, causing the crowd to get more into the set. Lazzara did not steal the entire spotlight, however. Every member of TBS gave it everything they had. It might have been the last night of the tour, but every member performed as if it was the first night. Watching the band joke around on stage and
Alexa Strudler /// The Spectrum
genuinely having a good time was a delight to watch, especially since many TBS fans thought they would never see the original lineup together again. Guitarist John Nolan provided some bonechilling backing vocals. His back and forth with Adam Lazzara on stage was fantastic. The two vocals blended together to create a beautiful exchange that radiated throughout the venue. The opening act Bad Rabbits provided some funk before TBS took the stage. Bad Rabbits possess a unique sound that mixes funk with punk. Their distinctive brand of dance-punk got a portion of the crowd dancing, but almost everyone in the crowd was tapping their feet. Bad Rabbits have one of the highest energy live shows. As the band runs around on stage, it is evident that everyone in the group loves what they are doing.
Who: Vanessa Frith What: Victoria Sambunaris: Taxonomy of a Landscape When: All Weekend Where: Albright Knox Why: Get your weekly dose of art and American culture. Sophisticated and patriotic.
Who: Nicolas Pino What: SARPA’s Minicon When: Saturday at noon until Sunday at 10 p.m. Where: 1st Floor Baldy Why: Because UBCon is just too far away! MTG, DnD, Pkmn, and many more awesome abbreviated activities.
Who: Jameson Butler What: Badfish When: Saturday 7 p.m. Where: Town Ballroom Why: One of the best cover bands of all time returns to Buffalo. Although it is not actually Sublime, it is an excellent substitute. So roll up that spliff and catch the train down to the theatre district.
Battlefield 3 Suffers From Split Personality
The band danced around the stage and got the crowd amped up for a great night of music. By the end of the set, Bad Rabbits had everyone screaming their name. The Maine was direct support for the show. When The Maine took the stage, a deafening scream overtook the venue. They got the younger people in the crowd singing and swaying along. As The Maine blew through their 45-minute set, it was apparent why TBS brought them out on tour. Their style was clearly a derivative of TBS, both musically and in terms stage presence. When people started filing out of the venue it was evident that TBS still possessed the talent they did almost 10 years ago.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
DICE's Battlefield 3 provides excellent multiplayer and a sub par campaign.
JAMES TWIGG Senior Managing Editor Multiplayer Grade: ACampaign Grade: D Hectic and mundane. Entertaining and boring. Addictive and off-putting. Game developer DICE has somehow managed to encompass all of these descriptions in a single title. The latest shooter to hit the market, Battlefield 3, has an air of duality about it. On one hand is its impressive multiplayer, capable of entertaining players with gripping gameplay for months to come. On the other is its lackluster campaign that suffers from an underdeveloped plot and frustrating AI. Judging the game as one overall product is impossible to do. The straightforwardness of the campaign is so drastically different from the open-endedness of the multiplayer that it’s hard to believe the same company is responsible for developing both aspects. The game’s mainstay – the multiplayer – is a frenetic, adrenaline-driven experience that lives up to the Battlefield title in every sense of the word.
OPEN HOUSE November 19, 2011
ALBA LAW: THE ONLY LAW SCHOOL IN NEW YORK’S CAPITAL. Tour the campus. Meet professors, students and alumni. Take a sample class. Make connections.
After hopping into your first match you immediately notice the sheer size of it all. The maps are enormous – large enough to fit 24 players on consoles and up to a stunning 64 on PC. One map even has a mountainside drop-off that requires players to skydive off of to reach the next objective. Walking from one side of a map to the other takes an unreasonable amount of time and more often than not a sniper will pick you off before making it
halfway anyway. That’s where the vehicles come in. Battlefield 3 saturates the maps with enough wheels and wings to make sure that trekking across the crater-covered landscapes can be made relatively quick. All of the classics are back, including jeeps, tanks, helicopters, and of course, jets. When all of these modes of motorized mayhem are up-andrunning chaos and explosions reign supreme. But it’s not the size or vehicular madness that defines the multiplayer experience – it’s the teamwork. Every aspect of multiplayer – from the objectives to the classes – is designed to encourage cooperation with your teammates. For instance, while there are only two teams in a game, each team is split up into multiple four-man squads. Tossing out an ammo crate or a health pack – depending on your class – will yield points whenever a teammate makes use of them. But if a squad mate uses them your point total will be higher. This point system is what drives the game’s very effective leveling system. Everything you do in the game earns you points and those points earn you new weapons and upgrades. Whether it’s blowing up a tank, capturing an objective or even just laying down some covering fire, Battlefield 3 rewards you for playing how you want to play. Between its high-octane gameplay style and the huge amount of unlockable weapons and perks, Battlefield 3 will keep player’s coming back for months to come. Battlefield 3’s single player,
Courtesy of EA Games
however, fails to leave the same impact and will have players trying to forget it as soon as they finish. The biggest problem with the campaign lies in its storytelling. In traditional Battlefield fashion, the game switches perspectives from one soldier to the other throughout, but none of them are ever given any depth. The main villain is barely even provided with a motive. In a nutshell he’s a bad guy and wants to blow up some cities. That’s as deep as it goes. It doesn’t help that the single player suffers from problematic AI either. You have a squad with you for the vast majority of the game, but it might as well be firing blanks for all the use that it is. At instances during the campaign, friendly AI and enemy AI will actually stand directly across from each other firing fully automatic weapons and neither will die. Even the campaign’s gameplay seems to contrast with the outstanding multiplayer component. Where the multiplayer leaves you seemingly endless options to accomplish a task, the single player sends the player down a linear path and even forces them to take out enemies in a specific fashion. The dull campaign drags down the title and makes what should be a phenomenal game, merely a good one. This is easy to forgive, though, as the multiplayer is some of the best to ever hit the genre and is where the player’s main focus will likely end up anyway.
Email: arts@ubspectrum.com
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Life
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Friday, November 4, 2011
What UB Doin’ This Weekend? Jocelyn Girigorie Freshmen, undecided “Going to Chicago by plane to see my boyfriend Chase.”
Stephan Ortiz Senior, accounting major “Going to LSU Stroll Show, a major event at UB.” [Stroll Show is this Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Student Union Theater]
MARCENE ROBINSON Staff Writer
Rebecca Tong Freshmen, biomedical sciences major “Studying for my biology and chemistry test.”
Call In Dine In Take Out Catering Lunch Specials Patties
Carly Henry and Callan Jackson Junior, psychology majors “Elmwood for shopping and dinner, then Albright Knox – free!” [Entrance to the Albright Knox is free the first Friday of every month]
Show Me What You Got
Performers dropped out, ticket sales were low, and the event date was forced to change last minute.
Mon-Thurs (11am-9:45pm) Fri & Sat (til 10:45)
Alexa Strudler /// The Spectrum
Michael Harnedy Senior, history major “I plan on losing all my money at the craps table at Seneca Niagara Casino.”
Failure was in the cards for the Bangladesh Student Association’s (BSA) first ever talent show. But despite the adversity, the club pulled out a memorable event. On Tuesday the BSA hosted a talent competition. The crowd was made up of about 200 students from a variety of backgrounds. Performers did everything from dancing to singing and playing musical instruments. The event was initially scheduled for Oct. 29, but ran into stiff competition from Muqabla, a dance competition held by the Indian SA. “I don’t think anyone wanted to [buy both] tickets,” said Natasha Enam, BSA president and a senior nursing major. Adding insult to injury, three performers dropped out of the talent competition at the last minute. But the BSA, rather than canceling the show or having a break down, found three new acts to replace the dropouts and lowered the ticket prices from $5 to $1.
The last minute changes made by the BSA harvested a large crowd of students to the show, and a good portion of the SU theatre was filled with students.
right before the show began. He showed off his beat boxing skills of some popular songs with free-styling.
Andrew Liu, a senior psychology major, kicked off the show by singing to the crowd, accompanied by his acoustic guitar. He chose two popular songs, “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from the hit Disney movie Mulan, and Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance.” After warming up the crowd, Liu’s performance was followed up by Theresa Cervantes, a junior mathematics major, who played the piano. Her piece took a more soft and subtle approach than Liu’s, but it required every ounce of skill as her fingers rarely missed a note. Brandon Barnes, a communication then read a poem he wrote about the lives of college stustriving to succeed.
junior major, that hectic dents
Although he was not uled to perform, Epps, a senior the social sciences interdisciplinary program, auditioned
schedMarcus in
Trinnis Morrison, a senior sociology major, danced his way on the stage to his original choreography, laced with popular dances such as “The Dougie.” UB Zeal, a UB dance team affiliated with BSA and Indian SA, performed a routine that incorporated the use of batons that had caution tape as flares. After intermission, the show continued with an act that featured most of the BSA E-Board members wearing traditional Bengali dresses. A pair of dancers capped off the show, who had performed in Muqabla. Halfway through the duo’s performance, several members of the crowd decided to hit the stage, and in seconds the two dancers turned into a larger group of 10. While the up the hosts, Noor in
judges tallied scores, the two Rio and Arbad decided to join and entertain the audience. Rio showed off her belly
dancing skills to Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie,” and Noor sang and reluctantly did ”The Dougie” after the audience’s urging. Carl Ross, the international council coordinator for SA, was one of the judges for the show. He was proud of BSA’s success, especially because it was its first talent show. He liked the content of all the performers, and judged only on execution. “It takes a lot to get on stage and do anything,” Ross said. “No matter what kind of stage it is.” The talent show had three winners; Andrew Liu took third, earning a $25 Visa gift card, Marcus Epps came in second, and earned $50. UB Zeal took first place in the competition and was given a $125 gift card. Christa Mathew, one of the team captains from UB Zeal and a junior psychology major, was excited to have taken home first place. “It can get stressful sometimes, but it’s always worth it at the end of the day,” Mathew said. “Once you get on stage… it’s surreal.” Email: features@ubspectrum.com
Hyun Seok Choi /// The Spectrum
Who are you going to be? “A lot of my research is a reflection of who I am, where I come from, and where I am now. I know that if we focus more on the strengths of the marginalized, we can find better support to help them make it through.” Tomás Boatwright Teaching and Curriculum Doctoral Student
Join us for an open house on Saturday, November 19. The Warner School of Education at the University of Rochester offers graduate programs in:
Teaching Counseling Human Development Higher Education Educational Policy School Leadership Health Professions Education Part-time, full-time, and non-matriculated study available. *UDQWV DQG VFKRODUVKLSV DYDLODEOH WR TXDOLÀHG DSSOLFDQWV
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Friday, November 4, 2011
Page 7
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Visit ubspectrum.com/games for our online game of the week Also see the crossword and Sudoku answers from last issue
Crossword of the Day STEVEN WROBEL Life Editor
It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a…weather balloon. While many students spend their weekends partying, studying, and hanging out with their friends, one club at UB spent its weekend studying the outer realms of Earth’s atmosphere. UB Students for the Exploration and Development Space (UB-SEDS) is a club that sets its ambitions skyward to generate interest and activism in the community for any and all space-related topics, according to Sean Lyons, a senior aerospace engineering major.
Friday, NOVEMBER 4 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- You can make a new start of sorts today, but take care that you don't settle for the first idea that comes into your head. Consider options.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -- You may feel as though someone close to you is keeping something from you at this time. Don't let your curiosity get the better of you.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- What usually takes several people to complete can be done with only one or two today -- provided you have finished all necessary preparations.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -Practical considerations are likely to take up most of your day. See if you can't sort out a pressing financial puzzle.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- What used to be a sure thing may turn into a game of chance today -- but the odds are with you if you strike while the iron is hot.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- An aesthetic question must be answered before the day is out, but you don't want any conflict to arise because of differing tastes.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- You may inherit a problem from a family member, but it is now in the right hands. You know how to make the right changes.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- The time has come for you to fish or cut bait -- and the longer you take to make the final decision, the further behind the curve you'll be.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- You needn't approach any problem today in a timid, sheepish fashion. Meet them all head-on and you'll have the advantage.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- You'll be expected to impart certain key pieces of information to others today -- but you must make sure you know what you need to know.
Lyons was the project manager of the club’s High-Altitude Weather Balloon Project (HAWB). The project’s goal was to send a weather into Edited byballoon Timothy E. Parker November 4, 2011 the sky to measure temperature and GOOD AND EVIL By Paul Jenn atmospheric ACROSS pressure. In addition, the 46 Sticky stuff team wanted to capture pictures and 1 Yarn irregularity 47 They'll never get off the ground video footageit!" to document the trip and 5 "I called 48 Poetic homage measure the atmospheric 9 Highlander with land boundary 49 One who argues for the sake of arguing layers. 14 Become ho-hum 56 City of Light 15 "Ditto," in footnotes 57 Meat-inspecting grp. “This project is one for of the 16 "Duke of Earl," onemost chal 58 A user clicks on it lenging rewarding 17 Peakyet near Paterno feats of my 59 Checker's dance undergraduate career,” out Lyons 18 "... as they shouted withsaid. ___" 60 And others (Latin) “The("Rudolph" lessons I have lyric)learned and [the] 61 Flower through Florence success of this have given me 19 It's spun to project find countries 62 Egyptian symbols of life an noback course at this 20inspiration Trio brought to offered TV in 2011 63 Simon's verb university ever provide.” 23 Part of could a volleyball court 64 Relay-race sections 24 "The Man Who Fell to Earth" director Nicolas The launching of the balloon 25 Jabbed in the ribs, e.g. last DOWN Saturday, Oct. 22, was the culmina28 Diminutive whirlwind 1 A freelancer may work on it tion of you many of planning. The 33 "If ___hours knew" 2 Backing for plaster group hadtotoEve not only raise the funds 34 Cain, 3 Armbone to35take on this project,item but it also had Medicine-cabinet 4 Famous Irish stone to36develop the Center means by which to Mile High architect 5 ZIP code unit perform all the desirable 37 Blast-furnace productfunctions. 6 Not scheduled to play UB-SEDS procured 39 34th U.S. pres. $1,100 in funding 7 Hive population from sponsorships 40 Baker's need from local compa 8 Defames nies and from Sub Board I Inc. 42 Sunbather's desire 9 Entered a name and password 43 Reader of the future 10 Asserted without proof “The idea foraquarium this cameswimmer about in either 44 Colorful October or November of last year, when we saw a video of a father-andson team that sent an iPhone aboard a balloon and recovered it, becoming a temporary media sensation on many newscasts and newspapers,” said Andrew Dianetti, president of UB-SEDS and a junior aerospace
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- You can exGEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Your narcis- pect a long day, and how it begins will sistic tendencies may be on display for set the tone. Do what you can to mainpart of the day -- but fortunately there tain and promote a positive attitude. will be few to object to your attitude or behavior.
11 "American ___" (TV show) 12 Barbecue choice 13 "A Raisin in the Sun" star Ruby 21 Took by the hand 22 Fanciful idea 25 Momma's partner 26 ___ a million 27 Movie-set light 28 Westminster winner 29 College credits 30 Audio's counterpart 31 Back-of-book feature 32 Suspicious 34 Wicked 37 They read lines 38 "Go get 'em!" 41 Easily irritated 43 Not just one of the crowd 45 Debate subjects 46 Tokyo, formerly 48 Deformed circles?
49 Beginning of the day 50 Satie or Estrada 51 "The Thin Man" pooch 52 June 6, 1944 53 Real-estate measure 54 Chinese secret society 55 Adam's grandson 56 After-hours school grp.
Sudoku
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Sports
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ubspectrum.com
Occupy NBA Headquarters
Renovations at Alumni Arena Sure to Make Fans Happy BRIAN JOSEPHS Sports Editor
AARON MANSFIELD Senior Sports Editor After 27 years of existence, it was clear that Alumni
Arena was in need of some work. The scoreboard was malfunctioning, the lights were taking too long to heat up, and the speakers’ sound left a lot to be desired.
I can’t sleep. I’m having nervous breakdowns. I’m just not myself. I don’t have the NBA. To some, the above statement appears more ludicrous than Kim Kardashian’s divorce. At the same time, others can completely relate. I was just 8 when I fell head over heels for the National Basketball Association. Ah, my first love. I really didn’t know what I was getting into when I flipped on that 15-inch television in my kitchen. I had no idea of the hilarity that would ensue when I turned on the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. “Here is the man the crowd has waited to see: Vince Carter,” belted Marv Albert. True basketball fans know exactly what happened from there on out. Following five Carter dunks, endless jaws hitting the floor, and several shrieks from analyst Kenny Smith – like “Let’s go home” and “IT’S OVER!” – basketball had been changed forever. And so had I. I was in love with the NBA and there was nobody who could stop my love affair. The first email address I ever made was “NBAobsessor15” – with the 15 serving as homage to Vince Carter’s number. My password? “VinceCarterFan.” At 8, I had found my passion. I bought Carter’s jersey, as well as the jerseys of many other NBA players. Over time, I grew to love college basketball as well. March Madness is unlike anything else. You’ve got to love the top 25, raging student sections, and raucous upsets. Now I question which game I love more – professional or college – but I still have that soft spot for the NBA.
In short, UB’s home court was steadily becoming the antithesis of the athletic program’s forward progress. But that will all change during the arena’s winter season.
Manuel said that the addition of the upcoming centerdisplay and the scoreboards – which are already operating – are the two improvements fans have been asking for the most. The first two phases of the plans involve aesthetic and foundational enhancements for the arena. First, DiDonato and Associates reinforced the structure of the building.
Beginning in late-May, Alumni Arena started undergoing some major renovations in order to bring the structure up to the standard of competing schools. The approximately $6.5 million dollar project is a collaboration between UB Athletics, Planning & Design, and UB Facilities.
Alumni Arena’s new planned sound and lightning systems also hope to further entertain fans. Dampers, new acoustic panels, and amplifiers will be added to provide a crisper and more consistent sound. The new lighting systems will decrease operation cost and increased environmental efficiency, as the previous ones required as many as 15 minutes to warm up for use.
The remodeling plans have been in the making for years, but it wasn’t until recently that those changes were possible. The funds generated by private donors, ticket revenue, and the athletic department has put these plans into motion.
“I think our fans have responded positively at this point [of the process],” Manuel said. “I hope [the renovations] allow us to attract more additional season ticket holders and people who come to games on a more consistent basis.”
“I’ve heard so many times in my six-and-a-half years that we need to upgrade, but we’ve finally had the opportunity to do it,” said Warde Manuel, Vice President and Director of UB Athletics. “I’m completely excited about [the changes].”
The main gym isn’t the only place benefiting from the remodeling plans. The wrestling facilities in Alumni Arena’s basement have also been revamped.
The makeover consists of three phases. The plan will culminate in the unveiling of the new center scoring display. The new LED display, designed by Daktronics, will provide the audience with instant replays, live action, and animations. The eight-foot high, 14-feet wide display is the biggest addition to Alumni Arena, and it is scheduled to debut on Jan. 7 when the men’s basketball team plays against conference rival Kent State. Manuel is excited to see how the center display will add another dimension to the UB basketball experience. “I can’t wait to have the excitement of a game going on, and be able to pan the crowd of students, and to be able to grasp the excitement that’s going on in a certain game or a certain player,” Manuel said. The main gym has also been outfitted with new scoreboard displays at both ends of the court that will show individual statistics and scores. Seventy feet of LED scorer’s tables will be added to courtside, which will be supported by a new control room designed by Sports Display Systems and Audio-Video Corporation.
The remodeled facility is the program’s first major renovation since head coach Jim Beichner began his tenure in 1995-96. The new and improved area will be named after Ed Michael, the only coach to ever lead Buffalo to a national championship. The facility upgrades include a remodeled office, a more spacious fitness center, a new training table to treat injured wrestlers on the spot, and a newly installed video system to observe during practice. Beichner is grateful for the changes, as the new additions will be beneficial to his team’s training and will attract more recruits because of the facility’s aesthetic value. “For the 16 years [that I’ve been here]…when you walked into the facility it was like a dungeon,” Beichner said. “The first thing you see when you walk in is a beautiful new room with windows, and that makes a difference…I could see the light coming in from my office. Never in 16 years have I seen that. It’s mentally something that benefits you a lot.” After years of being slighted on funds, Beichner was
Bulls Finish Regular Season; Look to MAC Tournament
I don’t even remember who won the NFL lockout, or who got the better deal, or who was happy afterwards. I just know that I’m enjoying an NFL season – “the year of the passer” – for the ages right now. Give me the game. Give me dunks, 3-pointers, nightly matchups, and storylines. I want to see Dwight Howard send a shot into the 15th row. I want to see Kobe hit a clutch shot and LeBron, well…not. I want to see Blake Griffin take up three spots on Sportscenter’s top 10 plays. We can’t all get what we want. Maybe I won’t get to see NBA play at all this year. Perhaps there won’t be illustrious matchups on Christmas like Heat-Mavericks (what fan doesn’t want to see that?). Beyond the gift giving and family time, NBA basketball is the true catalyst that makes Christmas special for me – and many other basketball fans – every year. It’d be a shame to lose those games. If we’re being honest, the players and owners can get by without the NBA for one year. They all have plenty of money. But we – the fans – are the ones missing out. Someone make a compromise. Someone stop being stubborn and just give in. Rally with me, basketball fans. We don’t care about the bucks. Give us some ball.
Email: aaron.mansfield @ubspectrum.com
The ongoing Alumni Arena renovations were a long time in the making. Troi Williams /// The Spectrum
thankful that the donors showed support for the program with their huge contributions. The program amassed $340,000 within nine months to fund these renovations. “That means there are a lot of people out there that care about the University at Buffalo,” Beichner said. “The economy has been bad for quite a few years. We found people that are willing to donate $340,000 to help rebuild this facility because they care, and that’s huge.” Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
Bengals Give Bulls a Scare in Opening Exhibition Game TYLER CADY Staff Writer It was just an exhibition on the schedule, but losing to Buffalo State would have been a catastrophe for the women’s basketball team. The Bengals play in Division-III, but falling to them seemed to be a distinct possibility for much of the game. That didn’t happen however. Thanks to a second-half surge, the Bulls avoided the upset and won 80-67 over their cross-town foe.
I miss the big contracts, cocky attitudes, and absurd press. Sports fans know what’s going on right now in the league. They know the regular season was supposed to start this week, but it didn’t because of the NBA lockout. As if we didn’t get enough lockout nonsense from the NFL. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that I don’t care who wins. I don’t care if the owners get their way or the players get their pay.
Friday, November 4, 2011
“I think we took this team a little bit for granted,” said head coach Linda Hill- MacDonald. “We weren’t playing with the intensity we needed to [in the first half].” The first 30 minutes of the game were much closer than fans expected, as the teams spent much of the early part of the game trading baskets. The game was tied on a number of occasions including midway through the second half at 44 apiece. The Bulls didn’t take a double-digit lead until just eight minutes remained.
The Bulls fought Hartwick to a 1-1 tie in an intense season finale.
BEN TARHAN Staff Writer Fans came to Wednesday night’s men’s soccer match for two reasons: the pregame senior day festivities, and the celebration of the end of a surprisingly successful regular season. They stayed for the thrilling game that ensued. Although the Bulls had already clinched a postseason berth with a win over Florida Atlantic (5-7-2, 0-4-1 Mid American Conference) on Saturday night, Buffalo (8-7-3, 3-2-1 MAC) was looking to grab the second seed in next weekend’s MAC tournament with a win against Hartwick (5-5-5, 1-1-3 MAC). The Bulls had plenty of opportunities, but had to settle for a 1-1 tie. Junior midfielder Greg Mathers gave Hartwick the lead in the 33rd minute when he scored on a free kick from 25 yards out. The Bulls responded quickly and scored the game-tying goal less than 10 minutes later. Sophomore defender Jesse Andoh poked junior defender Matt Chereson’s cross past Hartwick goalkeeper Tom Buckner, evening the score at one goal apiece. The score remained tied until the final whistle. Both teams put the ball in their opponent’s goal box multiple times and had ample opportunities to score, but neither squad was able to capitalize. The Bulls’ defense was particularly stifling, absorbing attack after attack from the Hartwick offense. On almost every possession, the Hawks got the ball deep into Buffalo territory, but the defense kept finding ways to clear the ball out of the box and away from trouble. The strong effort was a good sign for a team tuning up for a deep run in the MAC tournament. The game was hotly contested throughout and highly emotional for each side. More than once, words were exchanged between the teams and the referee had to step in between two players on one occasion. Interim head coach Dave Hesch la-
Yan Gong /// The Spectrum
mented that the game got out of hand, citing a lack of focus by his team – an issue that the athletes must address before the MAC tournament. “We gave up too many stupid fouls all over the field; we just lost focus,” Hesch said. “I’m upset about it. We are going to sort that out this week. Come MAC championship time, that can’t happen.” The Bulls will spend the next eight days preparing for the MAC tournament, which will take place in Akron, Ohio. The Bulls will have to wait until Northern Illinois’ Saturday matchup (11-4-0, 3-2-0 MAC) against Hartwick to see if they will be the second or third seed. With anything except a Northern Illinois win, the Bulls will be in second place in the conference, a huge feat for the program. Hesch was adamant that his team was fighting for that No. 2 seed on Wednesday night, as they didn’t want to slow the pace with which they had played all season just because they had clinched the playoffs. Hesch looks to improve upon some fundamentals from the game against Hartwick moving forward, citing passing and trapping as two skills that need to be honed in the coming week, along with the Bulls’ ability to possess the ball. Hesch celebrated his seniors who were honored before the game in the senior day ceremonies. He commended senior defender Nate Woods’ effort in giving his all for the team and also praised senior forward Andy Tiedt as “one of the best players to come out of the Buffalo area in 20 years.”
However, the Bulls were able to pull away thanks in large part to senior guard Brittany Hedderson, who fueled a 30-12 run that put the Bulls ahead for good. Her 22 points were a game-high, and 14 of those points came in the second half. “I’ve had a lot of experience since freshman year, so I’m willing to help my teammates through the difficult times,” Hedderson said. “I’m just here to support my teammates and make the shot, or pass, or whatever the situation calls for.” Hedderson is the only returning starter from last year. Her experience makes her a valuable asset to this young team, as coach HillMacDonald thinks Hedderson is someone they can lean on this season. “She’s the player with the wealth of experience,” said Hill-McDonald. “She’s got a great basketball IQ, and gives [younger players] great advice.” Hedderson’s experience proved to be even more valuable in Wednesday’s exhibition, as three other key players were sidelined with injuries. Junior guard Nicki Hopkins and sophomore forwards Rachael Bantelman and Kristen Sharkey were all inactive. Hopkins’ injury is only a short-term one and she is expected to return to practice this week, but the other two will have a longer-lasting impact on the team. Bantelman is still a few weeks away from setting foot back on the court, and Sharkey will sit this season out. The injuries at the forward position forced other players to step up. The Bulls received a boost from the play of sophomore forward Nytor Longar. Longar was a force in the
The Bulls defeated the Division-III Buffalo State in a contest that remained close well into the game. Joonbum Park /// The Spectrum
paint with 19 points and eight rebounds, as her height was a huge advantage for Buffalo. Senior forward Beth Christensen added nine points and nine rebounds, while playing a team-high 35 minutes. Senior guard Teresa Semalulu was a big factor, as well, scoring 14 points. The Bulls also saw a significant amount of minutes from their five freshmen, but none were more impressive than forward Christa Baccas, who finished with eight points, six rebounds, and one thunderous block in 16 minutes of play. “We’re down post players right now,” HillMacDonald said. “This is a great opportunity for Christa and she stepped up to the plate tonight. She’s going to be a great player. I think she gave us quality minutes tonight, and she’ll definitely work herself into our rotation. There’s no doubt about it.” Baccas was one of three freshmen to play double-digit minutes for the Bulls. Freshman guard Valerie Majewski played 12 minutes, recording two points, and freshman guard Sloane Walton went scoreless in 10 minutes on the court. Every game will count starting next Friday, Nov. 11. The Bulls will open up their regular season schedule at Niagara to face another local opponent in the Purple Eagles. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
NFL Week 9 Preview SCOTT RESNICK Asst. Sports Editor
football for the past eight weeks, and the relationship is as blissful as it’s ever been.
For now, the Bulls can revel in the surprise success that the 2011 regular season has brought them, and work to give the graduating seniors one last swan song next weekend in Akron.
As recently as mid-August, football fans across the nation were struggling to come to terms with the fact that there may be a dark void in their Sundays this fall. The NFL lockout appeared to be never-ending, and for the first time, many fans took a moment to appreciate football and stopped taking it for granted.
This season has given us storylines galore; from the surprising revival of franchises in Buffalo and Detroit, to the emergence of rookie quarterbacks across the league, and finally to the sputtering performance of the self-labeled “Dream Team,” the Philadelphia Eagles (although as a diehard Giants fan, I better knock on wood after that).
The Bulls will face Northern Illinois, a squad they upset earlier this year in double overtime on the Huskies’ home turf. The Huskies will no doubt be looking to exact revenge on the Bulls.
It’s kind of like when your girlfriend threatens to leave you and you think, “Nah, she won’t do that.” But then she actually does, and you realize all along how much she meant to you.
As the NFL gets set to kickoff the second half of its season this weekend, what other dramatics can we expect from this athletic soap-opera?
Game time has yet to be announced.
Man oh man, how much can change in three month’s time.
Email: sports@ubspectrum.com
Fans have been reunited with their beloved
Go online to take a look at some marquee matchups on the slate for this weekend. Email: Scott.Resnick@ubspectrum.com