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Buffalo, New York www. ubspectrum .com
The independent student publication of the University at Buffalo
W EDN ESDAY EDI T ION December 1, 2010 Volume 60 Issue 36
Armed Robbery on South Campus UB Student Robbed at Gunpoint Outside SBI Safety Shuttle AMANDA JONAS Asst. News Editor
A student at UB was held at gunpoint in the Hayes Annex of South Campus at 6:29 p.m. on Monday night next to an SBI shuttle. The suspect, a black male, approximately 21 years old, and 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10, pointed a silver handgun at the victim and ordered him to hand over his cell phone and wallet. The victim borrowed a passerby’s cell phone and reported the robbery, according to the University Police Department. Although UPD was on the scene within two minutes, students were not notified of the incident until at least an hour after the student was held up. UB Alert is a free service provided by UB that sends out e-mails and text messages to students and faculty regarding on-campus emergencies. The service, which students must sign up for online, is set into motion when either UPD or a senior administrator decides that students’ safety is somehow in danger and requests that University Communications sends out a message. UB Alert sent out a mass text message at approximately 7:38 p.m. warning students that a robbery took place in the “vicinity of [the] Hayes Annex on the South Campus.” Illustration by Aline Kobayashi
The UB Alert text message was joined by an e-mail that was sent out at approximately 7:37 p.m. alerting the UB community of the robbery and providing a description of the suspect’s clothing. University Communications was not notified to prepare a message until 40 minutes after the crime occurred. “We [notified them] 40 minutes into the [incident],’’ said UPD Chief of Police, Gerald Schoenle. “We had to verify what [information] we had because the description [of the suspect] changed.” According to Schoenle, the lag in alerting students was to ensure that the UB Alert message contained the most accurate information. However, UB students feel that waiting over an hour to send out an alert that an armed robbery had taken place is unacceptable. “I think that the [UB Alert notification] was sent out kind of late,” said Mary Kate Connors, a sophomore speech pathology major. “I think [UPD] is a little slow [at alerting students]. You only see them once in a while and this isn’t the first [crime] to happen.” Students also expressed concern over the discrepancy between the UB Alert messages that were sent out, the police report, and an official news release issued Tuesday morning. The suspect was seen running toward Winspear Avenue, according to the UB
Alert message. The official complaint report, however, stated that the suspect fled to the Health Sciences Library. UPD sent out an official news release on Tuesday, suggesting that the suspect ran off campus toward Main Street by the Main Circle. This sort of conflicting information is common with initial reports, according to Schoenle. “[A discrepancy] is pretty common when you get first reports. [When] we sent out those initial warnings we are trying to get the message out to people and a lot of times after the investigation [we find out more information],” Schoenle said. “Even our description was in fact a lot better in the final [release] we sent out because we had the chance to have to victim sit down and think about it a little better.” Schoenle admits that because there are conflicting reports as to where the gunman headed, UPD is not completely sure of his actual route. “We are not 100 percent sure where he went, but we do have video of him running off of campus,” Schoenle said. “My guess is that he ran to Winspear [Avenue] and then ran off on the sidewalk to Main Street.” A security camera stationed on South continued on page 2
Muggle Quidditch Takes Over Buffalo ELVA AGUILAR Staff Writer
The latest installment of the Harry Potter movie saga has had its fans forgetting about Muggle responsibilities and diving headfirst into Potter mania. Some camped out at movie theaters for the midnight release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Some students were seen around campus in Hogwarts apparel, but others have taken Harry Potter to another level, bringing the game of Quidditch out of the books and into Buffalo parks. QC Buffalo, the unofficial Quidditch club at UB, was started in the spring of 2010 by members of an already-existing Quidditch team in Buffalo, Ives Pond. In 2008, recent high school graduates, including now junior electrical engineering major Michael D’Angelo, thought of the idea for QC Buffalo. “We came together originally as a group of friends, and we’ve managed to continue our growth and maintain membership through word of mouth between friends,” said D’Angelo, the president of QC Buffalo. The game is broken down into two teams with three chasers (or forwards), two beaters (or defenders), one keeper (or goaltender), one seeker, and one snitch (or neutral player). QC Buffalo now serves as the non-competitive club in Buffalo and is open to all those who may be curious about the game of Quidditch. However, this year QC Buffalo plans to compete in a tournament it is hosting with Ives Pond as part of the Buffalo Winter Florious Festival in collaboration with Buffalo Rising. The teams plan to invite seven International Quidditch Association teams to compete in the first Winter Quidditch Tournament. Ives Pond currently has 21 members, with more than half being UB students, and competes in tournaments including the Quidditch World Cup in New York City. Recently, Ives Pond made it to the quarterfinals at the fourth annual World Quidditch Cup. QC Buffalo has 41 members that regularly attend practices, according to D’Angelo. The teams have had their fair share of naysayers, but that has not gotten in the way of the teams’ progression. In past months, both teams have gained a massive amount of media coverage that has brought them
offers for sponsorship and ideas from documentary filmmakers. “Most people are put off by the idea that we play a sport where we simulate flying by running around on a broom and look like idiots, but that is one of the things that makes Quidditch even more fun,” D’Angelo said. According to D’Angelo, those who were initially skeptical about the game became members of the club and haven’t looked back since. “I get a lot of strange looks when I tell people I play Quidditch, but I cannot find a single person in our club that stopped playing for dislike of the game,” D’Angelo said. “I would like to suggest to all of your readers to try playing. Every single one of them would have fun.” Quidditch has created a small community in Buffalo for those who gather at Ives Pond in Tonawanda on Sunday afternoons. The teams have also built friendships with other Quidditch players at the University of Rochester and the University of Pittsburgh. Both the Ives Pond team and QC Buffalo hope that Quidditch becomes a nationally recognized sport by associations such as the NCAA in future years. For more information, visit the QC Buffalo Facebook page or contact D’Angelo. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
Courtesy of UB Quidditch
Clinton Hodnett /The Spectrum
WikiLeaks Heads an “Attack” on the American Government Julian Assange, founder of the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks, revealed the contents of 241 U.S. embassy cables on Sunday, leaking the documents exclusively to The New York Times, Der Spiegel, The Guardian, El País, and Le Monde. Besides being labeled an “attack” on American integrity, the leak has also been called one of the largest sets of confidential documents to be released into the public realm. WikiLeaks defended its decision to release such records by proposing that the documents will provide a much-needed glimpse into U.S. foreign involvement around the world.
Over 250,000 documents have been disclosed, dating as far back as 1966 and continuing until February of this year. These documents contain communications between 274 embassies, as well as within the State Department. About 15,000 of the cables were classified as “secret,” leaving government officials in an uproar. This leak presents an unparalleled look into American political and diplomatic progression, addressing foreign and domestic governmental proceedings while offering forthright portrayals of world leaders. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
On the top bar: Tangled photo Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios and DaemonsMovies.com
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Inside:
opinion — 3
arts & life — 5
classifieds — 11
sports — 12
The Spectrum Wednesday , December 1 , 2010
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Armed Robbery on South Campus continued from page 1
Campus captured an image of the suspect, wearing baggy grey jeans, a grey hooded sweatshirt, and a blue NAPA racing jacket, leaving the scene of the crime and heading toward Winspear Avenue. AT&T was able to track the victim’s cell phone and located it on Kenmore Avenue. “We have a lot of different cameras on campus. You can see the clothing but you cannot see the face. We have a really good clothing description,” Schoenle said. Students, however, are worried that their safety is affected by the police’s uncertainly as to where the suspect went. “Basically the guy got loose,” said Angel Diaz, a sophomore business major. “You want to be safe and to know exactly where to go or where not to go.” Rebecca Novick, a sophomore business major, lives in Clement Hall on South Campus and wishes that the reports told students exactly where the suspect ran. “I would definitely say that [knowing exactly where the robber went is important],” Novick said. “I want to be [told] to avoid certain areas.” Connors is confused by the conflicting police accounts. “How do you get three different stories? That doesn’t make any sense,” Connors said. “How are you supposed to know [where it happened]? [UPD] should be more specific when it comes to something like that.” Although many students feel that this is a regular occurrence on South Campus, Schoenle disagrees. “[It’s a] rare event for something like this to happen on South Campus,”
Schoenle said. “It has at least been a couple years since we had a robbery on South Campus. I would encourage students to be cautious and use the SBI escort services. It is always better to be with someone else than to walk alone. This student was walking alone. Be cognoscente of your surroundings. There will be extra patrols on the afternoon shift for the rest of the semester. “ UPD reported a vehicle stolen at gunpoint from the Sherman Lot on South Campus at 5:33 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2009. In the press release from that incident, UPD reported that there was not a continuing threat to the campus community because the suspect had immediately left campus. However, students feel that even extra patrol cars may not be the right solution to the problem of security around South Campus. “I have seen [UPD] cars around, but there are some times where I have been walking and [I have thought] that if I were to be held up right now I would be helpless and there would be nothing I could do,” Novick said. Additionally, students feel threatened that these events are occurring earlier in the evening, especially since many undergraduate classes end at 9:40 p.m. “It happens every few months and there is something wrong with that,” Connors said. “I’m surprised at the hour. It’s one thing if it’s 3:30 in the morning, but this was so early. Next semester, I am going to have a class that gets out at that time, too, and it scares me. I think the police should be around all the time.” E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
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On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate passed (by a 73-to-25 vote) legislation that would grant much greater power and responsibility to the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.), a federal organization that in recent years has focused more on the regulation of drugs and other medical products than food safety. The changes called for in the legislation were motivated primarily by a series of major food recalls in the past few years that sickened thousands across the nation. The bill would give the F.D.A. the authority to demand food recalls, a power that it did not possess under the Bush administration. The legislation will also increase the number of required inspections for food processing plants, concentrating on the production of “high risk” foods. Which foods would be classified as “high risk,” however, remains uncertain. While both the House and the Senate are in favor of major regulatory food safety changes being implemented, their respective proposed bills differ significantly. The House version calls for federal funding of the required plant inspections and less leniency concerning the rules it will set out. The Senate version does not include funding for inspections and is far more moderate in its expectations from food companies. Although Senate-House disagreements could prevent the bill from passing, it is likely that a compromise will be made and a revised, less strict version will be implemented. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
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Opinion 716.645.8566
Editorial Board Editor in Chief Andrew Wiktor Managing Editors David Sanchirico, senior Luke Hammill Amanda Woods Editorial Editor Jeff Pelzek News Editors Lauren Nostro, senior. Brendon Bochacki, asst. Amanda Jonas, asst. David Weidenborner, asst. Arts Editors James Twigg, senior Jameson Butler Vanessa Frith, asst. John Hugar, asst. Nicolas Pino, asst. Life Editors Jennifer Harb, senior. Katie Allen, senior. John Connelly, asst. Steve Neilans, asst. Sports Editors Matt Parrino, senior Jacob Laurenti Chris Rahn Brian Josephs, asst. Photo Editors Clinton Hodnett, senior Renee Huo Megan Kinsley. Karen Larkin, asst. Sam Zakalik, asst. Web Editor Adam Cole Copy Editor Meghan Farrell Graphics Designer Aline Kobayashi
Professional Staff Business Manager Debbie Smith Administrative Assistant Helene Polley Advertising Manager Marissa Giarraputo Advertising Designer Christopher Lonzi Creative Director Jeannette Wiley
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 spectrum-editorial@buffalo.edu. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style or length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it clearly as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number and e-mail address.
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DECEMBER 1 , 2010 VOLUME 60 NUMBER 36 CIRCULATION: 10,000 The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by 360 Youth. 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 2010 Buffalo, N.Y. The Spectrum is printed by Buffalo Newspress PO Box 648, Buffalo, NY 14240-0648.
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College Papers Continue to Jump Off The Stacks In The Shadow of Digital Media
JAMESON BUTLER
Long Live Print Journalism
In the broad realm of journalism, hard copies of the news seem to be on the way out. Freshmen come to college each year with shiny new technology that is supposed to make the exchange of information much faster and more convenient. A kindle, an iPad, and new smartphones with 4G speed and instant messaging are all newfangled gizmos without which many of us would feel disconnected and wanting for information. But college newspapers remain strong on their respective campuses. The Spectrum circulation staff still puts out 10,000 hardcopies of its thrice-weekly newspaper on the UB campus despite heavy online support for our publication. The reason is: students are still reading. We will not flatter ourselves and say that it is because our newsroom is dishing out the most intriguing and hard-hitting news stories. Letters to the Editor are sparse because the only pieces that seem to be worth responding to are the ones that spark controversy or that fall short of a perfectly written piece. College newspapers are popular because they are culturally relevant to their readership and because they sit neatly outside classes, where students who arrive early can delve into a student story without committing to anything costly or too lengthy. Fans of hardcopies ourselves, The Spectrum editorial board believes in not only the aesthetic/romantic appeal of having the news sit on your lap, but the integrity and the sense of permanence with which a hardcopy delivers the news. In other words, digital media can change its mistakes and broadcast journalism is here and then gone;
print media takes responsibility for itself every time it sets ink to wood pulp. But we also acknowledge that print sources will not hold fast to media proliferation in the rising of the digital tide. To advocate for that which is less convenient in America is to truly go against the grain, because we know how much Americans love their free time. It doesn’t mean that we are not worried. Citizen journalism, and the international blogosphere, often pollutes the Internet with poisonous opinions and unsubstantiated “facts” in a frenzied online media free-for-all. It scares us that personal and political blogs are media through which many Americans sometimes get their information and where many go to decide for whom to vote. This is unfortunately why major publications have been forced to give away their daily news online, charging membership only to view the archives. Many will only go to the websites when something catastrophic happens. But even as the Internet and technology chip away at everyone’s attention span, we know that the people who truly care about the news will continue to subscribe to print copies of news media. We think that print media will never completely die, mostly because many of us will actively try to resuscitate its important pulse. But it is not necessarily that the two modes of media, digital and print, need to war against each other; in the future, it will be increasingly important that the two modes work cooperatively.
First Amendment Violation Targets Islam Islamophobia Gives Heed to Foul Play The state of Oklahoma voted to uphold a law that would exclude consideration for Islamic and international laws in state court decisions. Having no applicable cases in the past where the integration of Islam or international law was a problem, many onlookers shrug their shoulders and ask: what’s the point? The United States Constitution already forbids the integration of church and state, and that codicil seemed to do the trick for a few hundred years. This time, it seems that conservatives in Oklahoma really want to make sure that them Muslims ain’t fratrinizin’ with their country. It is clearly a problem created in the anxious mind of an Islamophobic South, where fearmongering against Muslims is becoming a sick obsession. Daily, more credit is given to politicians and public figures who advocate for Muslim hating and who continue to badger a mostly innocuous religion. In that sense, it seems that it is instead another religious group involving itself in state law matters: the Christian right.
It presents us with a frustrating paradox when one group, in the majority, decides to discredit another under the pretext of preventing the same crime that they are in the midst of committing. In other words, the only culprits in this case are the Islamophobic Christians who are trying to use the law to satisfy their anxieties. Not only is it an injustice to Muslims, but numerous politicians have used this ubiquitous fear to conduct smear campaigns against opponents in political races. Cory Williams, an Oklahoma house representative, received flak when his Republican opponent sent out mail fliers with a photoshopped image of Williams next to a shadowy Muslim figure; the back of the flier read that Williams was an accomplice to “an international movement, supported by militant Muslims and liberals.” Such child’s play does not even deserve an intelligent response. To exploit popular fear and ignorance as a political weapon is completely unethical, and it often leaves The Bigger Man
LETTER TO THE EDITOR To Whom It May Concern: I am writing in response to Dave Johnson’s 11/19 piece on the ban of Four Loko in New York State. While I generally found the article to be interesting and informative, my jaw nearly hit the floor when I read the quote from doctorate student Matthias Schmid. In reference to the tribulations caused by Four Loko, Schmid is quoted as saying: “We had a huge increase of drunk underage people, and a lot of women were affected likely due to the sweeter taste masking the alcohol.” …What? I had no idea that my possession of two X chromosomes made me unable to taste the presence of alcohol when it’s mixed into a sugary beverage. How very imperceptive of me. While it’s true that Four Loko came under fire because its sweet flavors make it easy to drink without tasting
with the short end of the stick. Fanatical mobs that buy into their political nonsense seem to be in it for the opportunity to blame their problems on easy targets. It defies the old-time notion of fair politics when the only way that one feels that they can win is to lie, as they round up fickle American minds to pursue their reactionary agenda. It becomes difficult to believe that our country’s leaders believe in such angry smear campaigns while they can walk past their household mirrors, into which they might have gazed to see the real problem. But to make this a political problem would only continue to subtract from the issue at hand: that Muslims are being blackballed and ridiculed for their religious beliefs. They currently make films that begin with even more subtle oppression against a religion, and then there is a holocaust. We should continue to leave religion out of the law, as it clearly states in the First Amendment; that means you too, Christianity.
the alcohol, not a single publication has claimed that this aspect of the drink poses a particular risk to women. Actually, most of the outrage was over the fact that the combination of caffeine with fruity flavors masking a high alcohol content poses a danger to inexperienced drinkers, such as young college students who don’t always know how to imbibe safely. The drink was further accused of producing “fun” flavors and colorful packaging as a way of marketing to children. But none of these arguments made any mention of women engaging in alcohol abuse via Four Loko at a higher ratio than men. To suggest that female college students are less able than their male counterparts to taste alcohol in sweet beverages- and therefore practice safe drinking- is uneducated and frankly rather sexist. I personally make a point to be aware of the alcohol content in anything I drink, as do many of my female friends. One is not predisposed to drink irresponsibly due to one’s gender; that is a decision made on the part of the individual.
THE WORD AROUND CAMPUS Although not quite as raunchy as Generation’s personals once were, these are voices of UB students who have something to say. If you want to be heard, too, write us a blurb online at ubspectrum.com. Some of the wittiest remarks will appear in the paper in no particular order. (Edited for grammar.)
> How has it become socially acceptable for capable people to use the handicapped door buttons? Honestly, you look like a lazy P.O.S.
Arts Editor
BAH, HUMBUG! It’s the most wonderful time of the year, so make sure you have plenty of money or else the spirit of Christmas might be lost on you. The days when all you wanted for Christmas were your two front teeth are dead and gone. Now, all people want for Christmas is a LED television and a new car. As I lay comatose on my couch after the copious amounts of turkey I consumed Thursday night, this country’s oniomania pushed me to the edge. Every channel had a surfeit of mind-numbing advertising, all in an effort to clean out the viewers’ bank accounts. “Buy this,” “Door buster savings,” “Only $200.” A person’s brain can only take so much consumerism before it explodes. When did Christmas transform from spending time with your family and loved ones into total materialism? I must have missed that memo. Americans have been brainwashed into spending every last penny they possess in an effort to show people how much they care. I remember when all it took was a nice phone call or, if you were feeling fancy, a greeting card to brighten someone’s holiday. Now it’s about spending hundreds upon thousands of dollars to try and prove your love. When looking back at past Christmases, which is remembered more? A holiday where you got exactly what you wanted or the year that you got nothing? Nine times out of 10 the year you ended up disappointed is the one that leaves a lasting impression. When the perfect present isn’t under the tree, it ruins the whole holiday. continued on page 10
JOHN HUGAR
Asst. Arts Editor
Can’t We All Just Get a Keg? This week marked a very important milestone in my life. Why? Because as of now, I am less than a half year away from my 21st birthday. I know what you’re thinking. How could anyone be so excited to start drinking that they’re counting down six months in advance? What kind of pathetic soul am I? Quite simply, I’m a college student. See, I think it’s silly to tell people between the ages of 18 and 21 that they’re too young and immature to drink. If anything, people in this age group are the ones who could use a drink the most. Think about it. People between the ages of 18 and 21 can generally be divided into three groups: continued on page 10
Correction:
In our last issue before Thanksgiving break, the volleyball picture on page 12 had the wrong photo credit. Benny Higo actually took the shot. We apologize for our mistake. I understand that quotes from students in The Spectrum don’t necessarily represent the opinions of the paper’s staff, but by printing such ludicrous statements you effectively play a role in spreading ignorance and sexism. Everyone is obviously entitled to his or her own opinion, but offensive remarks with no substantiated evidence to back them up have no place in a publication which is supposed to represent the student body of this university. It is my sincere hope that the next time a student makes an ill-mannered remark in an interview, you will consider how it will reflect upon the 29,000 other UB students before making the choice to print it. Sincerely, Allison Funk Letters to the Editor are not edited by the staff at The Spectrum. They are run as-is.
> How did you (The Spectrum) grant someone the title
of Sports Editor who wrote an article suggesting that men should date women less intelligent than them? Nevertheless, how could you allow for this garbage to be published? Not only is the topic idiotic, but the body of the writing is extremely poor.
The Spectrum Wednesday , December 1 , 2010
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Jacob’s Hall
Meg Kinsley /The Spectrum
Bloomberg Businessweek Ranks MBA Program For the First Time For the first time, Bloomberg Businessweek has included the UB School of Management in its rankings of MBA programs. Additionally, the UB undergraduate business programs were ranked 97th in a similar study. The School of Management ranked 57 in the biennial ranking, joining over 20 other schools in the ranking’s second tier. About 740 students are enrolled in the graduate programs at the School of Management. Seventy-five programs were eligible to be ranked. The rankings were based on student satisfaction (45 percent of the total ranking criteria), corporate recruiter satisfaction (45 percent), and an intellectual capacity (10 percent), based on the number of articles published by each school’s faculty. Arjang A. Assad, dean of the School of Management, acknowledged the merit of the Bloomberg Businessweek rakings, but also emphasized that the ranking does not cover a few other important details. “While we realize the importance of rankings for the reputation of the school, we do not rely on rankings as a tool for improving quality,” Assad said. “New additions to the curriculum, such as our MBA LeaderCORE program, ensure that our graduates will ‘hit the ground running’ upon graduation and make an immediate impact in their place of work.” Some undergraduate students at the School of Management feel that the program and school still have a few major deficiencies, such as overcrowding and understaffing. According to Assad, however, the challenging financial environment has not allowed the School to implement all the changes necessary, but proper funding, a larger faculty, space, and maintaining the same strong initiative remain important objectives. E-mail: news@ubspectrum.com
at Hofstra, I open minds Fugen Neziroglu Psychology Dr. Fugen Neziroglu is a Hofstra graduate and a professor of psychology. As director of the renowned Bio Behavioral Institute, she includes Hofstra student interns and graduates on her staff. She works with clients who suffer with OCD-type disorders such as hoarding, body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders and cutting.
A graduate degree gives you a real advantage — in a competitive marketplace and in your chosen career – by providing you with the tools to advance in your field and shape your future. Hofstra’s programs in education, health and human services, business, communication, and the arts and sciences prepare our students for professional careers and are highly ranked in publications such as The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report, among others. Here, you’ll find your edge and succeed in whatever field you choose. Top-ranked programs. Renowned faculty and small classes. A worldwide network. Get ready to succeed.
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Disney Does it Again ANGELA VIZZI Staff Writer
Movie: Tangled Release Date: Nov. 24 Grade: A-
Courtesy of De Line Pictures
Christina Aguilera gets her strip on in her new movie, Burlesque.
Burlesque Made Boring ANAM AHMED Staff Writer
Grade: CIt’s the oldest story in the book. In fact, it’s so old, it borders on embarrassing. Ali (Christina Aguilera, Entourage), a wholesome, blueeyed, blonde, small-town girl, goes to Hollywood in order to find fame and fortune. There she faces the impossible dilemma of having to pick between a hotshot city man (Eric Dane, Valentine’s Day) and a sweet Kentucky farm boy (Cam Gigandet, Easy A). On top of all that, she has to find a way to convince an aging diva, Tess (Cher, Gentlemen Broncos), that she is worth mentoring. Poor dear. When she does finally get her lucky break, we discover that she’s also very talented and that this talent is the solution to everyone’s problems. How fortunate that she came into their lives when they needed her the most. Sarcasm aside, Burlesque really is a two hour-long music video. It’s like the time Britney and Madonna released a single together, but longer and slightly less desperate. There are feathers and pearls and rhinestones galore, and you have to admit Cher and Aguilera present in style. Props go to costume designer Michael Kaplan for making burlesque look classy. Aesthetically, at least, the film is pleasing. But that’s just it: back in the day, burlesque shows were never this classy. Tess’ “Burlesque Lounge” is an odd cross between a Vegas casino and Hogwarts’ Room of Requirement. It seems to miraculously expand to fit dozens of dancers even though the club is so small that it only has one clothing rack backstage for the dancers’ costumes. There’s no sex and no nudity, and the film has a meager PG-13 rating. Since when did burlesque clubs promote family values? This is not to say that Aguilera needed to be resurrected to make this movie realistic, but it would have been nice to see Aguilera and Cher at least try to act. The roles aren’t just tailor-made for them, they pretty much are them. That’s not vaudevillian at all; that’s MTV. The film revolves around Ali’s desire to make it big in the burlesque business. Kristen Bell (You Again) plays her rival, Nikki, and she has been cast in an antagonistic role, contrary to her reputation. What’s even more surprising is that she does it rather well. Nikki’s resentment for Ali slowly festers, and when Ali calls her a drag queen, this resentment only peaks. They must not have a lot of drag queens on the farm Ali grew up on. Yet, this is not the only ridiculous moment in Burlesque; rather, it’s a typical one. It just never ends. Neither of the protagonists can act, but you have to give them one thing; they sure can sing. It is impossible to deny that they are both vocal powerhouses, and the duets between Cher and Aguilera are powerful enough to satisfy both fan bases. The choreography is neither complex nor interesting enough, and the film appears merely to be a prop to showcase the divas’ talents rather than an attempt to test them. The soundtrack is the only thing that saves it. Bell finally gets to make use of her musical theater major and gives an unexpected performance that will either go unnoticed or land her a guest appearance on Glee. Hopefully debut director Steve Antin’s next film will have more to offer, and Burlesque can be chalked up to a beginner’s blunder. If there even is a next film, that is. E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com
Disney continues its virtually unblemished track record for producing entertaining, family-friendly fun with its newest animated film Tangled. Tangled is based on the Rapunzel fairy tale. The plot begins when baby Princess Rapunzel receives healing powers from a magical flower. Mother Gothel (Donna Murphy, Ugly Betty) kidnaps the baby from her palace in the middle of the night and locks Rapunzel in her hidden tower in order to remain young. Rapunzel (Mandy Moore, Grey’s Anatomy) is now a teenager whose hair has grown long enough to reach the bottom of the tower she is kept in. Having been locked away for her entire life, she is curious of the outside world, and her one dream is to see the floating lanterns that are always flown on her birthday. One day, the notorious thief Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi, Chuck) climbs the tower in order to escape from two bandits who are chasing him. Rapunzel takes him captive and strikes a deal with the charming thief to take her to see the floating lanterns, beginning an exciting adventure. With a talented and well-cast team of vocalists, the characters seem to come alive on screen with the help of some impressive 3-D animation. Levi embodies the role of the egocentric bandit Flynn Rider with pitch-perfect skill. His charismatic and over-the-top character provides many moments of laughter throughout the film as he attempts to disarm various characters with his signature “smolder” and charming devil-may-care attitude. However, as the film progresses audiences will find the softer side of Rider to be just as endearing. Moore’s sweet and childlike voice is perfect for Rapunzel, who seems naïve and helpless at first but proves to be a thoroughly modern and headstrong heroine. Her singing voice also lends itself well to the Disney format and many of her songs, especially the opening tune, are sure to be hummed by little girls for days on end. Murphy lends her wonderfully over-the-top Broadwayesque voice to the film’s villainess. Murphy’s less-than-subtle
performance gives the character everything a Disney villain needs: fierce bravado, extreme wickedness, and a penchant for breaking into big vocal numbers. While the main characters are well done and entertaining, the show-stealer of the film is the horse, Maximus. The spe e ch les s character’s hilarious mannerisms and facial expressions provide the film with many entertaining moments. Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Starting out with a deep hatred for Flynn, he later proves to be a loyal and extremely lovable character and the most memorable of the movie. The filmmakers did an excellent job mixing comedy and emotion as the film progresses. Slapstick comedy is most dominant in the beginning of the film, with Rapunzel’s frying pan weapon providing many laughs early on. However, the film begins to open up toward the end and gives the audience several emotional heart-on-its-sleeve moments. The combination provides for an extremely well-rounded story. With sweeping landscapes, a beautiful and moving lantern display, and an exciting flood sequence, the animation in the film proves to be simply stunning, and the 3-D aspect subtly enhances the charm and beauty of the film by adding depth and nuance. With only a few moments of noticeable 3-D gimmicks, the filmmakers opted for a “less is more” mentality and the end result is breathtaking. However, while the 3-D aspects of Tangled are beautiful, not much would be lost from the film as a whole if the viewer were to opt for the cheaper 2-D version. Equal parts hilarious and touching, Tangled is an entertaining and heart-tugging ride that is sure to have something for the whole family. E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com
West’s New Album Appallingly Good LUKE HAMMILL Managing Editor
Artist: Kanye West Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Label: Roc-A-Fella Release Date: Nov. 22 Grade: AKanye West is the New York Yankees of music these days. Nobody is more polarizing – people either love him or hate him. Many have criticized Kanye because of his arrogant behavior and enormous ego, but his new album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, shows yet again that his microphone skills and musicality are not to be disputed. Kanye has ventured back toward hip-h op territory after 2008’s experimental 808s & Heartbreak, which featured auto-tuned singing rather than rapping. However, don’t expect to hear those old-school Kanye beats with a sped-up soul sample, a funky bassline, perhaps a piano plink here or there, and some tight drums. Though Kanye is rapping again, the influence of 808s is readily apparent– the beats are more like orchestral compositions than simple loops, and the sampling is subtle rather than blatant. The songs are more thought out as well. Kanye seems to have gotten bored with the standard verse-hook-verse format that dominates hip-hop (and his first three albums). These new developments, the odd new cover art (gone is Kanye’s trademark chipmunk),
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Courtesy of Roc-A-Fella
the more serious and universal lyrics, and the album’s accompanying 35-minute short film make it clear: Kanye isn’t just making rap music any longer. He’s making art. Nowhere is this more evident than on the first track, “Dark Fantasy,” which also happens to be the album’s best. The song careens between a carefully layered chorus of voices singing a refrain (“Can we get much higher?”) and a menacing beat with some classic Kanye West rhyming. Kanye sounds rejuvenated, and he shows he hasn’t lost his flare for clever and introspective lines: “The plan was to drink until the pain over / But what’s worse, the pain or the hangover?” Other impressive tracks include “So Appalled,” which features solid guest spots from Pusha T and Prynce Cy Hi, and “Monster,” which probably has too much bass for your car and showcases the most impressive verse on the album (it’s not from Kanye or Jay-Z; it’s from unlikely candidate Nicki Minaj). Although the album drops off a bit toward the end, its last track is another standout, and it’s not even really a song. Entitled “Who Will Survive in America,” it’s Kanye’s take on poet Gil Scott-Heron’s “Comment #1.” As the poem was
originally recorded in 1970, it is striking how relevant it remains today, and it ends the album in true Kanye fashion: outspoken, blunt, brash, honest, conflicted, emotional. The album does have a few drawbacks. The hook of “Hell of a Life” sounds like Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man,” and it’s rather awkward – Kanye could have saved an above-average beat had he thought of a more original melody. Instead, the song is probably the album’s worst. Additionally, the album suffers a bit from supporting its own massive weight. Excluding the short interlude and outro, the average song is about 6 minutes long, and though there are some moments of comic relief (Chris Rock provides one), the album’s themes are largely serious or even brooding. Gone is the Kanye West who gave us “Gold Digger,” “Slow Jamz,” and “The New Workout Plan.” If My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy has one flaw, it’s that it is missing one of these fun, lighthearted Kanye songs to balance with its more serious productions. With that said, it’s still the best mainstream hip-hop album that’s come out this year. E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com
Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise ASAL NASSIR Staff Writer
Every minute, 161 people around the world die from AIDS, according to the United States Agency for International Development. What’s worse is that there is no cure. World AIDS Day will be celebrated Wednesday in the Student Union. Created in 1988 by the World Health Organization, the event is meant to raise awareness, tackle prejudices and stop the spread of HIV. The campaign boasts a “light for right” campaign this year, meant to represent universal access to human rights. “Our event is UB’s version of the international event. It reminds all of HIV prevention and care for those who have been infected,” said Jane E. Fischer, director of SBI Health Education. “It reminds us to continue to look for a cure.” Despite much improvement in technolog y and healthcare, AIDS still claims over two million lives every year around the world, and over half are young children. Unfortunately, many people continued on page 7
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The Spectrum Wednesday , December 1 , 2010
The Spectrum Wednesday, December 1 , 2010
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Stop AIDS, Keep the Promise continued from page 5
do not have access to proper healthcare due to the economic conditions of their countries. According to the Joint United Nations Programs on HIV/AIDS, the incidence of HIV has fallen by over 20 percent over the last 10 years. About 56 countries have stabilized the rate of new HIV infections. Although this number might be promising, there is a still lot of work to be done. “Every 30 minutes someone dies of AIDS,” said Ashley Dixon-Rolston, assistant supervisor of SBI. “It is very important for people to get tested.” Over 41 million people currently live with HIV all over the world. Approximately one million Americans live with HIV; however, one fifth are unaware that they carry the disease. Therefore, it is very important for sexually active students to be tested. “It is serious. In some places of the world, one out of two people are infected with HIV. It is a real viral infection,” Fischer said. “You don’t know who is infected, so you have to take preventative measures.” The campaign encourages participants to print their own photos and write messages telling the world why they want to fight the AIDS epidemic. Participants are also encouraged to upload their pledge to social network sites like Facebook and Twitter to help promote awareness on Wednesday.
Handlebars to Handle Prostate Cancer
SBI and Health and Wellness offer free condoms because many studies have shown that college students are likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors. Additionally, other factors play a role in the potential spreading of HIV. “Just because of biology, there are different risk factors – for example, samesex partners. There are purely biological factors,” Fischer said. “We want to make sure that everyone has the ability to protect themselves.” SBI encourages students to be tested. Free testing will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. in the SU in an enclosed, private space. Students will be able to get the result in 20 minutes and will be able to meet with trained health counselors in a confidential room. The test is also available at Michael Hall by appointment. Panel testing is also available throughout the year. The test costs $10 and checks for other sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia and gonorrhea. For students who suspect an infection or need immediate results, Michael Hall also offers rapid tests. Students are protected under HIPAA privacy laws. “It is totally confidential. I take those laws seriously and I make sure that everyone that works for me does,” Fischer said. Fischer explained that although many students do choose to get tested, there is a stigma that prevents others from doing so. However, early detection is very important in terms of treatment. “In case someone is tested positive, the earlier you get treated, the longer your quality of life and life span,” Fischer said.
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give back to our community and and get involved with charitable causes,” Balon said. “Much like the commitment to run or walk for charity, the men of Handlebar, Fu Manchu, Pencil, Walrus – what- Movember commit to growing a mustache for 30 ever form it’s in, the mustache is making a comeback. days and get donations in their support.” The campaign originated in 2003 as a joke to Chris Balon, vice president of the Graduate Management Association (GMA), founded and decided bring the mustache back among a group of friends to participate in “Movember,” an international cam- in Melbourne, Australia. Although no money was raised that year, the “Mo Bros” were paign to raise money inspired by efforts to raise money for the Prostate Cancer for breast cancer and realized the Foundation (PCF) and potential that a mustache-growing LIVESTRONG. Joined campaign held. by approximately 20 other men in the GMA, Therefore, in 2004 the men the students have focused on raising awareness for embarked on the musprostate cancer, the number one tache competition. cancer affecting men. Four hundred thirty-two more men joined the “Chris Balon just cause and raised a total of $55,000 came to me and said, for the PCF of Australia. ‘what do you think of this? Is this cool?’” From that year on, the competisaid Dana Szcepaniak, tion has grown substantially. Now, vice president of UB’s Movember has a presence in the charter of the National United States, the United Kingdom, Association of Women New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, South MBAs (NAWMBA). “So Africa, the Netherlands and Finland. far we’ve raised almost Last year, 255,755 “Mo Bros” and $1,000 just by e-mailing “Mo Sistas” raised over $42 million faculty, e-mailing our for Movember’s charitable partners relatives or [from peraround the world. sonal donations].” The PCF works toward finding Photograph by Alex McCrossen Although Movember Tim Shanahan took home the prize for “Best better treatments and ultimately a itself is a campaign, the Overall Mustache.” cure for prostate cancer. As one of GMA and NAWMBA the most deadly cancers if not caught have transformed it into a competition. The early, the need for enhanced options is of the utmost NAWMBA judged the men based on best mustache, importance. most ridiculous mustache, creepiest mustache, and “Cancers that affect men are unfortunately not most fundraised Tuesday at Huckle Buckets, located given as much publicity today, but are becoming at 3047 Sheridan Drive. The winners won prizes more and more of an issue for men everywhere,” such as a Moe’s gift card, an official Movember Balon said. “[The competition] provided UB MBAs Mustache trimmer, and a grooming kit. E-mail: features@ubspectrum.com with a great opportunity to raise awareness and The rules are simple: start clean-shaven on Nov. funds for cancers that affect men and have fun doing 1 and grow out the mustache for the entire month. it.” “The GMA is always looking for new ideas to Recently, PCF funded research at the University Courtesy of worldaidsday.org of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Arul Chinnaiyan M.D., Ph.D. Call for Low Low Rates!! www.citya1drivingschool.com WWW.AUDIOMOTIVECREATIONS.COM and his colleagues identified the ★CITY A1 DRIVING SCHOOL, INC.★ fusion of two unrelated genes unique 6 Hrs. POINTS / INSURANCE REDUCTION to prostate cancer. Currently, the REMOTE STARTERS Beginners and Brush Up Driving Lessons team is working to develop a system Register By Phone For All Locations CAR AUDIO that would identify molecules that would inhibit such binding, which Tel: 570-7230 or 875-4662 VINYL GRAPHICS would slow or stop the progression www.citya1drivingschool.com AND MORE... of prostate cancer. 5 Hrs. N.Y.S. REQUIRED COURSE $30 HELD @ LOCATIONS: * 271 KENMORE AVE (NEAR UB SOUTH CAMPUS) Due to the specificity of the Mon 4:30pm WALK IN , Wed 4:30pm WALK IN, Sat 10:00am WALK IN 716.783.7480 gene, it would be a good target for HID FF O % 10 TRANSIT, 2ND FL) LOCKPORT — Tue: 4:30pm WALK IN ’S WITH THIS * 7 MAIN ST (1 LIGHT809FROM cancer-killing therapies. The devel1167 NIAGARA FALLS BLVD. COUPON ABBOTT RD (SOUTH BUFFALO) - By APPT. * opment of such treatments would be IF WE CAN’T TEACH YOU, NO ONE CAN! revolutionary in determining the best AUDIOMOTIVE CREATIONS Serving all Buffalo, Niagara & Suburbs way to treat, and potentially cure, forms of prostate cancer. In the U.S., Movember also funds LIVESTRONG, which is an organization founded by Lance Armstrong, one of the world’s best cyclists, that provides support to young adults battling and surviving cancer. WWW.AUDIOMOTIVECREATIONS.COM To contribute to the cause, go to Movember.com and donate to the UB Mustache Society. REMOTE STARTERS Senior Life Editor
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AMANDA JONAS
Asst. News Editor
Gone But Not Forgotten I was homeschooled until high school. Insert joke about being Amish and/or inbred here. Homeschooling had its perks: lots of cross country trips to Gettysburg and Washington D.C. and lots of flexibility to read, study and write. Homeschooling
also had its downfalls, however, and I feel like those affected me more acutely than others. Homeschooling left me extremely naïve and socially inept when I entered high school. When I was at home decorating VHS tape recordings of George W. Bush’s inauguration with handmade patriotic stickers, my peers were having sleepovers and hanging out at the mall. When I was crying over a black and white Cary Grant romance, my peers were watching things like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. When I wore a scrunchie, a Winnie the Pooh t-shirt, a long jean skirt, and
some sort of horrible clog to school on dress down days, my peers were sporting Juicy suits, North Face jackets and True Religion premium denim jeans. While all these revelations came as great shocks to me as I entered “the real world,” one thing shocked me the most. My lack of cable television prevented most exposure to the outside world. Instead of tuning into MTV on weekends, I would watch classics starring famous men of the days gone by like Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, William Holden, Spencer Tracey and Clark Gable. I grew up thinking that every man was a gentleman. I thought that it was natural for doors to be opened, chairs
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to be pulled out, and chivalry to be a standard practice. Did I ever have that one wrong. While I must have known as a young girl that when I was old enough to date, not all men would ravish me with compliments and fling themselves in front of bullets for me or ask politely for a goodnight kiss, I was in for the shock of a lifetime when I started dating. While men used to be polite, courteous gentlemen with girls they were interested in, now all girls have to look forward to is a whistle, a “Hey shortie,” or a smack on the ass. Last year, I went on a date with a 28 year old. Considering his age, I thought that he would be versed in dating etiquette. After showing up about twenty minutes late, he proceeded to seat himself without so much as offering to pull my chair out. He then ordered first and spent the rest of the date checking his Blackberry and bragging about his long list of accomplishments and qualities. When the bill came, I made an offer to pick up the tab, as it is the polite thing to do even if you don’t really expect the other person to make you pay. Without a moment of hesitation, my date readily accepted my offer and reminded me to tip well. As I drove away from my date from hell, I received a phone call from prince charming himself, who asked me, and I quote, “I know that you probably had the most amazing time of your life on this date. But if later tonight you are thinking about writing on my Facebook wall that you really like me, and that you
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E-mail: amanda.jonas@ubspectrum.com
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want to have sex with me or go out with me again, please send it to me in an inbox instead so my girlfriend doesn’t find out.” I’m not asking to be treated like a princess. I don’t need to be constantly swept off my feet and I am strong enough to open my own car door. However, it’s the simple gesture of offering to pay for dinner or saying something nice to a girl that doesn’t involve the words “titties” or “ass” that goes a long way. A few weeks ago, my best friend and I were standing outside of Blue Monk one night when the bar happened to be full to capacity. A group of older men in front of us in line began talking to us and showing us pictures of their kids as we waited in the cold. One by one the bouncers started letting people in, they motioned for my friend and me to go ahead, telling us that “chivalry isn’t dead.” Maybe it isn’t dead. Maybe I just need to widen my horizons and start dating senior citizens. Quite possibly, though, girls are just as much to blame as boys are. For as many times as a guy has slapped my butt while I was out, I’ve rarely ever slapped him back or said anything. When you don’t make an effort to treat a boy like a gentleman, he probably isn’t too inclined to treat a girl like a lady. I guess the moral of the story is, men, act like gentlemen, and parents, don’t homeschool your kids.
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The Spectrum Wednesday, December 1 , 2010
A Week in Ink: Issue No. 11
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NICOLAS PINO Asst. Arts Editor
JLA / The 99 Issue No. 2 In a time of mass hysteria and alltoo-common misconceptions, publisher Teshkeel Comics seeks to change the way the West sees the Islamic faith through a well-orchestrated ink and panel production. The 99 are the fruit of that labor – a coalition of Muslim superheroes that emulates the American-born franchise, The Justice League. The 99 puts a unique spin on a superhero concept, as members of the group have all come into possession of a fabled Noor Stone of Islamic legend. This issue’s plot follows the JLA as Bruce Wayne’s plan for a technological masterpiece city under construction crumbles under the Middle Eastern might of Rughal, an age-old enemy of the 99. Sadly, the 99’s attempt at a Western Courtesy of DC Comics comic is rather forgettable, as the artwork is just as bland as the comic’s lackluster plot. While this is only the second issue in the story arc, DC and Teshkeel comics should look to bring something new to the table for this culturally diverse cast of characters. The experimentation with different cultures’ values is one that should be applauded and revered, though based on the 99’s plot thus far, it seems a tad bit frivolous. The Invincible Iron Man No. 32 Tony Stark has always lived in the lap of luxury. Buying everything from the latest gadgets to the fastest cars to even small islands, Stark has never been deprived of anything he desired. That was the Tony Stark the Marvel Universe knew until recently, when a series of events financially crippled him. Now he is forced to struggle in the hyper-competitive technology industry and start his multibillion dollar company all over again under the new company name, Stark Resilient. The Iron Man being cast as “the comeback kid” seems strange at first, but writer Matt Fraction’s plot of this titanic struggle easily pulls the reader into this rather bizarre twist of fate. The plot is one Courtesy of Marvel that is both inspirational and iconic of the super hero spirit, an embodiment of the challenges of having great responsibility. “Iron Man No. 32” begins with the demo of Tony Stark’s latest hybrid car, part of his line of clean energy products for a sustainable world, being destroyed by Hammer Tech, the longstanding rival of Stark Industries. Stark is forced to fend off swarms of drones from his only viable product, all while stopping S.H.I.E.L.D. from stepping in for damage control. “The Invincible Iron Man No. 32” is a definite pick-up this week. The plot is well developed and the team-up of Iron Man, War Machine, and Pepper Potts’ new suit, Rescue, has a dynamic unlike any before. Watching Stark struggle is both inspirational and heart wrenching, as Fraction captures every minute detail of the pressure Stark is feeling in the most astounding of ways. God of War No. 5 Amid the blood, gore, and entrails that typically compose any conversation about the God of War series, one aspect that is often overlooked is the deep, overarching plot line of the origin of Sparta’s greatest warrior. While Kratos’ family is seen throughout the first game, little is known is about the current God of War’s home life, and for the first time, writer Marv Wolfman illuminates the shroud of Kratos’ life before he reached god status. Issue No. 5 contains the climactic moments that the series has been building toward. Kratos puts everything on the line to save his beloved daughter. In doing so, he sacrifices more than he intended as many of his Spartan warriors fall under his comCourtesy of Wildstorm Comics mand, a shame he will live with for the rest of his days. Art in the ink and panel God of War series is exactly what the players of Sony’s hit franchise have come to love and respect. Dark and brooding, yet gory and grotesque, the comics have done justice to the world that game designers worked so hard to create. With only a single issue left in the series, the champion of Ares must overcome a titan to reach the home of the gods before a rival champion wins and Kratos’ daughter succumbs to a deadly virus. The bar is high and the risks are great, but the aspiring God of War will surely fight his way through the beast and reach Olympus just in time to treat his rival to a Spartan special. E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com
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The Spectrum Wednesday , December 1 , 2010
10
BAH, HUMBUG!
Can’t We All Just Get a Keg?
I am not one of those people that have the “Keep Christ in Christmas” bumper sticker, nor do I really care about the religious aspect of the holiday, but why does every depiction of a happy holiday include countless amounts of gifts? The holiday in the United States has become nothing more than another excuse for corporations to shove needless merchandise down our throats. During this month every year, almost without fail, I always feel as though I am disappointing people. Since I am a poor college student I do not have very much money to spend on presents for people; let alone provide presents that cost more than $10. The real spirit of Christmas wouldn’t care, but since Americans are so hell-bent on cleaning out their accounts over this holiday, it makes me feel as though I am letting people down since I have very little to offer. I should not feel bad for trying to spend time with my family on a holiday, but the way this country spends relentlessly makes it very difficult to not feel guilty for showing up empty handed. Money-hungry companies have started to make Christmas like Valentine’s Day: a holiday with no real meaning that is only celebrated in order to increase companies’ revenue.
college students, people who joined the workforce straight out of high school, and military servicemen. College kids are stressed out for obvious reasons. There’s always an exam coming up, and if there isn’t, you’re probably about to get one back. College students are always frantically writing papers, desperately hoping for a good grade. More importantly, they know that if they don’t get a good grade their future could be at stake. Maybe they’ll lose a scholarship, maybe they won’t get into the grad school of their choice, or maybe their grades will slip so low they won’t be allowed to continue attending college. Quite simply, it’s a lot of stress. The kind of stress that could make someone really go for a beer. Now, think about all the people between the ages of 18 and 21 who never went to college. They have it even worse. Think about it; there’s a lot of reasons why someone wouldn’t attend school. Maybe they didn’t have the money, maybe they didn’t have the grades, or maybe they went for a semester and they just couldn’t handle it. Or, in the harshest reality of all, maybe they had a child with their significant other, and they had to get a job in order to support their family. In any of those cases, a young person is being faced with a difficult situation. A situation far more stressful than anything even the most dedicated college kid has to go through. As a result, there’s a good chance these people, too, could go for an ice-cold brew right about now. Finally, think about the people serving in the military. Admittedly, the argument of “if you can fight in a war, why can’t you drink” is a bit clichéd, but that doesn’t make it any less true. The people fighting wars for us are the bravest citizens our nation has. To tell them they cannot have a drink is just silly. My point is this: people between 18 and 21 aren’t as immature as they seem. They might be young, but in many cases they have maturity thrust upon them by the difficult decisions life forces them to make every day. With all the hard choices and difficult decisions they have to face on a regular basis, to tell people in this age group they can’t legally have a drink just seems ridiculous to me. In a few more months, I’ll turn 21, and this will no longer be an issue for me, but even then I’ll still believe in my heart that the drinking age should be 18. When young high school grads of all career paths can come together, have a few beers, and complain about how stressed out they are without fear of being arrested, that will be a great day for America.
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E-mail: jameson.butler@ubspectrum.com
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Disappointing Season Ends in Typical Fashion continued from page 10
booster.” Davis led another drive down the field, putting the Bulls in position to tie the game. However, with just over a minute remaining, Davis went back to pass and was flushed from the pocket, causing him to fumble the ball. Akron recovered and ran out the clock to hold on for the victory. “These kids have played hard; they’ve given effort,” Quinn said. “Again the turnovers hurt us, the penalties, the missed tackles, all the things that can get you beat in this game. You just can’t afford to make those mistakes and come out and win in the Mid-American Conference.” The loss marked the end of the road for the senior class, a group that has helped the program reach heights it has never seen before. With eight tackles in the game, senior safety Davonte Shannon became the program’s all-time leading tackler. Shannon finished his career with 461 total tackles, breaking the 14-year old record of 455 held by former Bulls great Craig Guest. He is also the career leader in solo tackles with 258. “It’s tough not being able to win the last game that you will ever play as a senior,” Shannon said. “I cherish every moment I had out there, every play, every opportunity I had to play out there with these fellas in the locker room. I love every single one of
them… It’s been a fun ride.” Among the seniors playing in their final game was running back Ike Nduka, whose 88 rushing yards against the Zips is the most by a Bulls back all season. Like Shannon, Nduka is grateful for his time spent in blue and white. “I’m sad,” Nduka said. “A lot of these guys are like my brothers, a lot of them look up to me, and I look up to a lot of them. We inspire each other.” With two extra points in the game, Principe finished his career with the most points scored in school history. The senior totaled 265 points in his four years with the Bulls. Since winning their first conference game in early October against Bowling Green (2-10, 1-7 MAC), the Bulls losing streak has left a bad taste in the mouth of Quinn at the end of his first season with the team. “I want these young men to understand this is unacceptable and that this isn’t good enough,” Quinn said. “We’re not going to go through this again. You have got to work hard, you have to be more determined, and you have to come together in order for you to win football games.” E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
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The Spectrum Wednesday, December 1 , 2010
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Bulls Look For Success On The Road MATTHEW PARRINO Senior Sports Editor
While most students enjoyed turkey and stuffing with family and friends over Thanksgiving break, the men’s basketball team hit the road to start its longest stretch away from Alumni Arena this season. The Bulls (3-2) split the two games. First, they clobbered Big Four rival Canisius (2-2), 81-64, and then they lost a 58-54 downto-the-wire game to Indiana State (3-3). Senior point guard Byron Mulkey continues to be the facilitator for the Bulls. His performance in both games virtually dictated the final outcomes. Against Canisius, Mulkey scored a career-high 23 points in the win and was the catalyst for the Bulls on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the senior has pestered opposing offenses all season and currently leads the nation in steals with 4.6 per game. In the game against Indiana State, Mulkey got into early foul trouble, and the Bulls seemed to lack the energy that has catapulted them to several big wins this season. Bulls head coach Reggie Witherspoon relies heavily on Mulkey for many reasons. “His leadership is important to us as well as his play,” Witherspoon said. “The young guys have to learn from his leadership and learn from his competitiveness in practice. He’s well-conditioned and can play a lot of minutes.” The overall development of the team is very important when looking at wins and losses at the end of the season. The youth movement on the Bulls this year makes things difficult at times, especially on the road. “We’re trying to arrive at a level
where we can play every game the way we practice,” Witherspoon said. “Our team is so young that if we get a few guys in foul trouble we become even more young. It’s tough to survive that.” Next up for the Bulls is Army (4-2) who, according to Witherspoon, has no problem scoring the basketball. For the season, the Black Knights are shooting 44 percent from 3-point range, which raises some concerns for Witherspoon and his staff. Closing out on shooters will be of the utmost importance in this contest as the Bulls have shown early on that they struggle when being forced to play from behind. Junior shooting guard Zach Filzen has really stepped up this season and is playing hard on both ends of the floor. He is leading the team in minutes played per game (34), points per game (15), and 3-point field goals made (15). The Bulls will need Filzen to have a big game offensively to help combat the shooting barrage they are sure to face on Wednesday night. In the two losses this season, Filzen has struggled from the field, making only 7-of-26 shots from the field. One of the more puzzling parts of Buffalo’s season thus far has been the poor play of junior forward Titus Robinson. The third year player has dealt with foul problems and occasionally seems to disappear at times on the floor this year for the Bulls. Robinson is only playing 14 minutes per game and has been outplayed by freshman upstart Javon McCrea. In five games this season, all starts, Robinson is only averaging 2.4 points per game and 1.6 rebounds. These numbers are down from last season when he averaged 5.8 and 3.7, respectively. He also has the lowest field goal percentage on the team (29 percent).
NFL Trivia 1. Who is the current NFL rushing leader this season? Arian Foster, Houston Texas. 1147 yds.
2. Which team holds the record for the most points scored in a Monday Night Football game this season? Philadelphia Eagles- 59 points
3. What is Peyton Manning’s largest losing margin at home this season? Manning lost by 22 points in Week 12 (San Diego Chargers 34-Indianapolis Colts 14).
4. Who has thrown the most interceptions in the 2010 season? Brett Favre has 17 this season.
5. This season, which player became one of 18 players in history to record four interceptions in one game?
DeAngelo Hall in Week 7 against the Chicago Bears.
6. Who has accumulated the most passing yards for the 2010 season? Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos, 3370 yds.
7. Which team currently has the most points for the 2010 season? New England Patriots- 334 points.
8. Which team currently has the longest streak for losing seasons? Detroit Lions (since 2001).
9. Which active quarterback has the lowest career completion percentage this decade? Derek Anderson with 52.9 percent.
10. Which is currently the most contested division in the league?
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CAREY BEYER
Staff Writer
Fight the Good Fight
Clinton Hodnett /The Spectrum
Mitchell Watt (21) and the men’s basketball team split a pair of road games over break, topping Canisius and losing to Indiana State. The Bulls will take on Army in West Point, N.Y. on Wednesday night.
In the Bulls’ last game, Robinson did show some signs of life as he scored four points and grabbed two rebounds in 17 minutes. He looked more active on the floor and seemed to regain some of the confidence that has been so obviously absent. The play of Robinson will be key for the Bulls as they battle Army because of his experience and ability. When right, he is able to make big plays and change the complexion of a game. Witherspoon knows his team
Disappointing Season Ends in Typical Fashion
will have to be firing on all cylinders to take out Army. “Over 70 percent of games in Division I college basketball are won by the home team,” Witherspoon said. “A lot of that is being able to settle your mind down and [having the ability] to control momentum shifts. Both games we lost we were in foul trouble [which doesn’t help].” Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Christl Arena. E-mail: sports@ubspectrum.com
Quinn. “You put a lot of time and effort into playing this great game, and you expect to be rewarded with a sense of accomplishment in winning, and if you don’t, it hurts.” The game seemed all CHRIS RAHN but over before sophomore Sports Editor quarterback Jerry Davis got the Bulls going late in the fourth The longest losing streak quarter. in college football this With 2:44 remaining in the game, season was snapped last Davis orchestrated a 71-yard drive, which Friday afternoon. ended when freshman wide receiver Alex However, the Bulls’ Neutz caught an 18-yard touchdown (2-10, 1-7 Mid-American pass to bring the Bulls within eight Conference) skid will conpoints. tinue into next season. Neutz finished the game with five Buffalo fell 17 yards catches for 88 yards and two touchdowns. short of sending its seniors The strong effort capped off a solid first out with a come-fromseason for the young receiver. In the final behind victory in their final two games of the season, Neutz seemed game of the season. Akron to develop a rapport with Davis as he (1-11, 1-7 MAC), losers of their racked up 200 yards on 12 receptions. previous 11 games, bested the On the ensuing kickoff, senior Bulls, 22-14, extending kicker A.J. Principe gave the Bulls life Buffalo’s losing streak to when his onside kick was recovered by seven. freshman defensive back Okoye Houston “It’s a very disat the Bulls 38-yard line. appointing way to “We had a two minute [offense] going,” end a year that has Neutz said. “Quick plays, the defense was been up and down, caught off guard, so we were and certainly it’s a Clinton Hodnett /The Spectrum terrible feeling that The football team finished its first season under able to capitalize on short I have, our coaches head coach Jeff Quinn in disappointing fashion passes and big passes, and the Friday afternoon, losing to previously winless onside kick was a momentum have, and all of our on Akron by a score of 22-14. The Bulls finished 2-10 players have,” said in Quinn’s first year. continued on page 10 Bulls head coach Jeff
Have you ever met a person that really needed a good punch in the face? Andre Johnson has. We have all met those people. They run their mouths and get in your face, and all you can do is try your hardest to keep your cool. On an everyday basis, it’s easy to block these people out. You grit your teeth and move on with your life, but imagine that it is this person’s job to hit you repeatedly for three hours. The fight between Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson and Tennessee Titans cornerback Cortland Finnegan has sparked controversy in the National Football League about how such altercations should be viewed and dealt with. In the aftermath of Sunday’s game, many analysts denounced the event as appalling and were in shock at what they had watched. Why? Sure, fights in the NFL are a rarity. The worst that we usually see is two groups of players being separated by referees during pregame, as words are shouted back and forth. Recently, it seems that spitting has become popular as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with an opponent. But is it really that hard to understand why two players would come to blows during a game? Fighting may be unheard of in the NFL, but it has its place in other major sports. All sports fans are familiar with baseball’s bench-clearing brawls. Yes, these occurrences are frowned upon by the league, but when they happen, there is usually nothing more than a couple of ejections for the instigators and the world keeps turning. The most obvious example of fighting in sports is hockey. Fighting is so prevalent in hockey that it is actually considered part of the game. There has been talk recently of the National Hockey League banning fighting, but there has never been any large-scale support for the rule change. Hockey players, just like football players, are paid to hit each other for the entirety of play. There is already animosity between opponents merely because they are competing against each other. Adding physical contact to this can only lead to emotions boiling over. Players that pride themselves on pushing their opponents over the edge make this even worse. In real life, we have four-letter words for these people but in the sports world, we call them Cortland Finnegan. Finnegan is infamous around the league for being a dirty player. He has been accused of everything from runof-the-mill trash talk to eye gouging. Sunday’s game against the Texans was no different. The battle throughout the game between Finnegan and Johnson was decidedly physical. The two had been getting at each other every time they lined up to play. Both players were guilty of late hits and not-so-legal contact, and it eventually broke down to Johnson taking off Finnegan’s helmet and punching him repeatedly in the head. Good for him. Analysts can talk all they want about how players should hold their standards higher than the average person, and fans can jabber all they please about what a disgrace fighting in football is. But the fact is that it’s a game based on hitting. Would we feel different if Johnson threw a Hines Ward-style block that broke Finnegan’s jaw just because it was “within the rules?” Probably, but it was still pretty great to see Finnegan get put in his place. E-mail: ccbeyer@buffalo.edu
AFC South. Houston Texas and Tennessee Titans are within one game of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Indianapolis Colts.