UBSPECTRUM.COM
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2017
Dead Treez exhibit speaks of death & dancehall CFA art exhibit explores gender roles and death through glitz and glam
VOLUME 66 NO. 31
SA announces Trevor Noah to appear at 2017 Comedy Series ASHLEY INKUMSAH
BENJAMIN BLANCHET ASST. ARTS EDITOR
Ebony G. Patterson uses glamorous accents such as glitter and sparkles to symbolize gender and death. Patterson, a Jamaican-born artist, created Dead Treez, an intricate exhibit that draws in viewers through lustrous, vivid hues. Patterson’s work opened on Thursday evening in the first floor wing of the UB Art Gallery in the Center for the Arts. The exhibit’s artwork is inspired by Jamaican-style dancehalls. Jamaica’s brightness and fluidity is exemplified in the gallery with the piece “Swag Swag Krew.” In a room plastered with green floral wallpaper, textured mannequins pose upon a square platform. “Swag Swag Krew” taps into the exuberance of dancehall clothing. Multi-colored garb and a myriad of chains are all on display. The mannequin platform features everything from alcoholic beverages to a small child driving a dazzling toy truck. Patterson was not present at the opening but expanded on the meaning of “Swag Swag Krew” in a recent interview with Karen Patterson, the exhibition curator at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. She said the piece isn’t dependent on the gender of the viewer but rather how he or she interprets the poses
and gestures of the mannequins. Rachel Adams, senior curator of exhibitions at the UB Art Galleries, takes interest in Patterson’s work and its consideration for gender, masculinity, the body and the black body. “I think Ebony is really talking about fluidity and sort-of making the invisible, visible and the fact that adorning yourself in some sort of way is totally fine as well as not adorning yourself,” Adams said. “She comes from a culture that is very much into fashion and dancehall. It’s loud, colorful and bright.” Patterson wants her artwork to make viewers think about how gender defines clothing. She removed gender labels associated with certain types of clothing, making it more difficult to determine what type of clothing is meant for each gender. She attributes her inspiration to her home in Jamaica, where tattooing and skin bleaching have recently become more popular. Her work symbolizes how skin color is another dimension of fashion. Joseph Frank, a graduate student in the Master in Fine Arts program, is a gallery intern at the UB Art Gallery. Frank assisted in preparing Dead Treez and helped dress the mannequins as part of the “Swag Swag Krew” piece. “There’s definitely a lot of commentary in this show being made about fashion as
How Trump’s presidency affects the arts MAX KALNITZ Professor David Schmid said it has been a long time since the U.S. had a president that “knows so little about the arts as Trump.” President Donald Trump has threatened to defund the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) completely since entering the Oval Office. Without these two agencies, funding for the arts in public institutions would be cut and students would have to pay for private art lessons. The NEA is the independent federal agency that promotes arts learning in public schools and colleges all across the U.S. through partnerships with the government and local agencies. The NEH provides grants and scholarships for public schools and colleges in the U.S. The organization aims to strengthen the teaching of arts across the country, facilitate research and provide access to cultural and educational resources in the arts. Schmid, a pop culture expert, addressed Trump’s plan and how it will affect the arts for the next four years.
KAITLYN FILIPPI, THE SPECTRUM
Jamaican artist Ebony G. Patterson’s exhibit Dead Treez gives a glamorized view on issues such as death, violence and gender.
“[Trump] doesn’t show any sign of realizing it’s a problem and if the Republicans go ahead and close the NEA and NEH, the U.S. will be in real trouble,” Schmid said. Trump has also put the Corporation for
Comedian Trevor Noah will headline the 16th annual UB Comedy Series in Alumni Arena on March 4, Student Association announced Friday. Undergraduate UB students can get free tickets to the show starting on Feb. 22. The Comedy Series is funded through the mandatory student activity fee of $104.75 per semester. Noah is best known as the current host of “The Daily Show.” He took over the hosting gig for the late-night show in 2015 as comedian Jon Stewart’s successor. “Trevor Noah overall responds to our generation in a positive light,” said SA president Matt Rivera. “Apart from him being hilarious, he is smart and challenges the script of everyday choices that we make as people, all while making us laugh.” Rivera said SA has a $60,000 budget for the Comedy Series this year. Rivera said SA entertainment director Natalia Alexandridi did a “great job” reaching out to Noah’s agent. Comedian Nick Offerman headlined the 2016 Comedy Series. Aziz Ansari, H. Jon Benjamin and Aisha Tyler have also performed at the Comedy Series. email: ashley.inkumsah@ubspectrum.com
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The artists’ antagonist SENIOR ARTS EDITOR
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
Public Broadcasting (CPB) on the chopping block. He aims to privatize the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) – two of the country’s premier platforms for the fine arts and media alike. The CPB donates 70 percent of its funding to more than 1,500 local TV and radio stations across the country. Schmid encourages people to think about other laws that might not seem directly linked to the arts that will in fact have a large effect
on the country’s artistic population. “Think about this – if they go ahead and repeal the Affordable Care Act, it doesn’t seem like it’ll have consequence on the surface,” Schmid said. “But consider all the freelance artists and writers that need a safety net in order to do their work. Generally, they’re a lot of college students and recent graduates that aren’t employed and they’re barely getting by as it is. It’ll prevent the work they want to do.” Robby Johnson, a junior communication major, commented that he thought the ban was “ridiculous.” “I think we’re going to start seeing a new type of art being made during the next four years,” Johnson said. “I could see more documentaries, rebellious music and really heavy political commentary and cartoons created, being inspired by Trump’s presidency.” Johnson explained that he remembers people being upset over environmental and foreign policies during George W. Bush’s presidency in the early 2000s. He said that while it may seem dark now, in the end everything “might not be as bad as it seems.” “People were upset when Bush got elected too. But the arts are what gives us a voice and no matter how hard Trump tries, he can’t completely take that away,” Johnson said. “Through films and songs people will express themselves.”
TROY WACHALA, THE SPECTRUM
Professor David Schmid voices his concerns with President Trump’s recent executive orders and how it is going to affect the arts and humanities over the next four years.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Monday, February 13, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
Dead Treez exhibit speaks of death & dancehall CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
well as gender,” Frank said. “Oddly enough, seeing that gave me some sort of insight into that being a part of the set-up.” Dead Treez is the first show that Frank helped set up. He finds it an unusual show, seeing as Patterson uses sculptural work as opposed to two-dimensional work. “Personally, I appreciate this approach. It’s colorful, bright, funny looking and there’s nothing too literal going on. The artist is addressing material that otherwise
might be a lot harder for people to confront,” Frank said. Aside from “Swag Swag Krew,” Patterson also represents death through tapestrybased floor pieces. “Wilted Rosez” is a set of three tapestries where unclear images of figures appear in opulent garments. The piece is located on the gallery’s floor and is reminiscent of a funeral. Sewn-together black roses cover the tapestry’s “dead” characters, which lay lifelessly amongst the patterns.
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Other tapestries, like “Root and Shrub” and “Root and Shrubz,” make similar representative waves. They portray the death of young people amongst unaccompanied toys like hula-hoops and trucks. The beauty of the tapestry, along with others in Dead Treez, shows viewers how death and violence is represented in social media. The artist mentioned in a past interview that the murder of a three-year-old in tenement housing inspired her. She said the way people share a bystander’s photos on social media is “very strange.” Patterson recognizes a dilemma in the strangeness and adds that without social media, “these people, these invisibles, would not be visible.” Patterson then started to think about “visibility and the Internet,” similar to the way bees view flowers. “The bee is attracted to the flower because of its coloring, because of its beauty and it isn’t until he gets in that he discovers if [it’s] the flower he wants,” Patterson said. “So you are attracted to the work because of its shininess, because of its prettiness, but it’s not until you get into the work that you start to realize that there’s something more.” Students who attended the opening admired the multiple pieces lying on the gallery’s floor. Emilee Yang, a sophomore pharmacy major, came to the gallery for the first time after her friends invited her. “I think the exhibit is pretty unique and I’m not really an art person so it’s new to
KAITLYN FILIPPI, THE SPECTRUM
Patterson’s piece “Swag Swag Krew” features textured mannequins on a square platform. She said she wants the piece to make viewers think about how gender defines clothing.
me,” Yang said. “I definitely like the roses, flowers and glitter. It just goes nicely together. The mannequins are colorful and pleasant to look at. It’s a great way to showcase it in a way.” Adams hopes Dead Treez will speak to Buffalo residents. “We have a pretty varied community in Buffalo and have a really big refugee population,” Adams said. “Ebony is from Jamaica and she lives in the United States now, but obviously this work is very close to her home culture. As a global campus, it’s something to really be aware of in bringing international artists to our campus and being able to showcase what they’re doing.” In addition to Patterson’s display on the first floor of the CFA, she will be visiting the building’s Black Box Theatre on April 12. Patterson will be speaking about her artwork alongside contemporary art curator Lauren Haynes. Dead Treez will continue to be on display in the UB Art Gallery through May 13. email: benjamin.blanchet@ubspectrum.com
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OPINION THE SPECTRUM
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NOT SO FREE SPEECH The irony of reviewing our rights in a time of restrictions
Who would have thought, say five years ago, that Americans would be struggling to hold onto basic rights that are outlined in the Constitution? Who could’ve predicted that the press will lose more access to political leaders by the day? Or that universities around the country are no longer a place of expression or learning? Who thought campus speakers would be restricted and trigger warnings would run rampant? Free speech on college campuses is important. How else are we supposed to exchange ideas or argue with each other? Restrictive rules ruin the purpose of the classroom – to learn. If certain topics, certain ideas or people are unable
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to properly speak, students lose an opportunity to learn. Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest is spearheading one battle down in North Carolina. He hopes to pass the “Restore Campus Free Speech Act” for North Carolina public universities. The policy would overturn any restrictive speech codes, discipline hecklers who deny others of their freedom of expression, require freshman orientation to include promotion of free expression and allow anyone who feels that their free speech rights have been infringed to sue the university. Forest calls free speech a “basic American freedom” and said that “no student or guest of a university should feel threatened to exercise their First Amendment right
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Monday, February 13, 2017 Volume 66 Number 31 Circulation 4,000 The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum, visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at 716-645-2152 The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 142602100
of free speech.” The idea that free speech has become a battle to fight is amazing in itself. Americans are entitled to that right. In case anyone forgot, the First Amendment also entitles us to freedom of religion, press, peaceful assembly and to redress grievances against the government. It does not feel like this Amendment is being upheld in a country with a travel ban and a President who is at war with the press. The Lieutenant Governor is just one of many fighting for basic rights. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued the White House over the immigration ban. The organization relies on “Guardians of Liberty,” or donors, to continue their work. The ACLU outlines basic freedoms on
their website and is comprised of lawyers and advocates to fight for civil liberties, including basic Constitutional rights. Students who have actively protested on campus have joined the fight in their own way. Large organizations can take on the federal government, but students can advocate for free speech. Students can attend events that feature speakers, or listen to that person in class with a different viewpoint, or write local legislators. We are fortunate enough to live in a country where basic freedom of practice and expression are guaranteed by our government. It is important to remain vigilant, though, when these rights are restricted. The foundation of our government rests in documents written hundreds of years ago, but is still vital to our lives today. email: eic@ubspectrum.com
Drawing the line between fun and destructive If it’s going to hurt someone, don’t do it
THE SPECTRUM
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Monday, February 13, 2017
When we start college, we try to figure out what kind of student we’ll be. Will we party every night? Only on weekends? Not at all? Where do we draw the line between having fun and being irresponsible? My parents are very against drug use, even drinking or smoking on occasion, probably because they want the best for me, like many parents do. I love them dearly and would never do anything to de-
liberately anger them, but we definitely have conflicting opinions about how I spend my weekends. If I get all of my work done and keep my grades up, I deserve to have fun in my spare time. I might get drinks with friends or go to a party. I might even smoke some weed or do what feels right in the moment – as long as I won’t regret it the next day. Life is all about balance and if I can balance my academic life and my social life, I think I’m doing something right. I’m responsible. I see no problem with doing something out of the ordinary, like trying some psychedelic drug or going out and meeting new people at a party. But partying doesn’t mean one thing; it’s definitely a spectrum for most students. Some may go to parties and stay sober, while others go out every weekend and get blackout drunk. When does too much fun become destructive? There is no definitive answer.
Show some love Valentine’s Day can be full of love, even when you’re single
SARAH CROWLEY SENIOR FEATURES EDITOR
Every holiday has its critics. There are the Christmas scrooges who need to watch Elf and be kept under close surveillance. There are sober, redhead-hating people who I’m sure St. Patrick’s Day is a living hell for. I think everyone can agree Easter kind of sucks: it’s cold, the food is lame and it’s a little weird that our spring break still revolves around a Christian holiday. But no holiday gets more unde-
served hate than the day of love. We get it, cynics, having other people’s happy relationships thrown in your face for 24 hours can be trying, especially if you’re not at a great place in your love life. It can be a hard perspective to have if you’re genuinely going through a hard time, and I don’t mean to be insensitive to heartbreak. But really, Valentine’s Day is an amazing holiday. Shame on all of us for taking it for granted. It isn’t about being in a monogamous, perfectly tidy, ideal relationship. I’m allowed to say that even though I’m in a relationship. If you’ve bought clearance Valentine’s Day chocolates (24 piece) and eaten that bad boy in a single sitting, alone, you’re allowed to pass along collective V-day wisdom. It’s a pink and red pick-me-up, streaking happily through an otherwise long, gray winter. Chocolate is suddenly more accessible than basic health-care and it’s a chance to show some love to everyone in our lives.
You could have a bad night and make a decision you’ll regret, but that’s one of the risks we take when we ingest conscious-altering drugs. I draw the line with the people I go out with. A good support system is important in all aspects of life, in the hard times and the fun times. Friends I trust by my side have gotten me out of some sticky situations and prevented me from doing things I might not do sober. Sometimes, making decisions with other people in mind keeps me grounded. If I want to do something stupid, I might think twice if it will affect someone I care about. Maybe that’s where we should always draw the line. Ask yourself how your actions will affect other people. If your actions are going to jeopardize a relationship with someone you care about, it’s definitely not worth it. If you can keep a selfless logic, then going out shouldn’t be a problem. I look at myself as if I’m a close friend of mine. I wouldn’t want to do something that could affect me long term. I’m perfectly OK with spending my Saturday in
bed completely hungover, as long as I can take on the week ahead. This might not be the case for everyone. Different drugs affect every person differently and it’s important to know where you fall. This knowledge comes with trial and error, so having a bad night is an unfortunate reality, but it is a great learning experience. A huge part of coming to college is taking time to absorb each mistake you made and move forward. But you have to keep your goals in mind along the way. Graduation is one of the first accomplishments you can claim solely for yourself, whether you leave with a 4.0 GPA or a 2.5. These four years are the first time you’re truly on your own. When you go out and drink or smoke or whatever it is you choose to do, keep this in mind and do your best to make good decisions. Your best won’t always work, but failure is one of the best ways to learn. So fail as many times as you need before you meet your final goal.
After chocolate, that’s the most important part. The love. I don’t say this to hurt my current boyfriend, but some of my most special Valentine’s Day memories were well before he entered my life. These moments made me realize how sweet this holiday can be, no matter what our relationship status looks like. One year stands out in particular; I was a senior in high school. I can’t remember the juicy details exactly, but some typical, awful “high school” type of thing happened to me involving a guy right before Valentine’s Day. To make an angsty situation worse, I was the only single friend in a tight-knit group of girls. You better believe I reminded everyone of this crime against humanity on a regular basis. So to recap: The guy I had nothing in common with didn’t want to marry me, I was tragically single at age 17 and, though most of the details are fuzzy, I’m 100 percent sure my mom didn’t buy me a chocolate heart that year. Guy Fieri himself couldn’t have concocted a more perfect recipe for a hormone-induced Valentine’s Day pity-party. But, knowing I was primed to have the worst Valentine’s Day
of my young life, my friend left a package of salted caramel chocolates in my locker alongside a “cheer-up” note, making fun of whatever guy I was upset over. It was that one simple but unexpected gesture that brightened my whole outlook. Suddenly, the guy who had threatened the integrity of my Valentine’s Day faded from my mind. I now had chocolate, so that wasn’t a problem and they were good chocolates, superior even to my long-time lover Russell Stover. But most importantly, I was reminded that I was loved, even if it wasn’t how I thought it was supposed to be. Valentine’s Day is like any other day, everything could be going wrong, but there are moments of love to be had if you remain open to them. This year, they might not come from some 6’ 3”, well built, charmingly bearded man who cares how you feel about equal pay and thinks football is overrated – and that’s OK. But the moments and chocolate are there to be had. So text your single friend to let her know you love her, call your mom, buy yourself some high-quality salted caramel chocolates and enjoy your V-Day.
email: lindsay.gilder@ubspectrum.com
email: sarah.crowley@ubspectrum.com
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FEATURES
Monday, February 13, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
Sexual health setback
How defunding Planned Parenthood can affect sexual health LINDSAY GILDER ASST. FEATURES EDITOR
Dylan Schlosser said defunding Planned Parenthood is a human rights violation. Schlosser, a first year graduate student in the School of Social Work, is studying to be a social worker. He said the defunding would negatively affect some of the people he works with, including college students who “face barriers accessing healthcare.” President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January to reinstate the “Mexico City Policy” – a policy that bans federal funds to organizations that perform abortions. Trump stated his opposition to abortion and the funding of Planned Parenthood during his campaign. “I would defund it because of the abortion factor, which they say is 3 percent,” Trump said. “I don’t know what percentage it is. They say it’s 3 percent. But I would defund it, because I’m pro-life.” Trump’s numbers are accurate – only 3 percent of the services the organization provides are abortions. Planned Parenthood has 650 affiliate health centers across the country. It provides sex education to 1.5 million people a year and prevents an estimated 579,000 unintended pregnancies a year. The services offer pap smears and breast exams, but the primary services are STD/STI testing and accessibility of contraceptives; about 4.2 million tests were provided in 2014. Planned Parenthood services approximately 5 million men and women a year – including UB students. Maddy Proper, a junior speech-language hearing science major, said she worries what would happen if women lose access to the services that Planned Parenthood provides. “I think that every woman has a right to decide what happens to her own body,” Proper said. “No one should be able to take that away from her.” A nurse from a local Planned Parenthood
branch, who asked to remain anonymous because she said the topic is too “controversial,” explained how defunding the organization would affect college-age women. “We treat everyone from the age of 20 to senior citizens, but the bulk of the women who come here are in their 20s and can’t afford insurance,” the nurse said. All UB international students and fulltime domestic students – undergraduate 12 credit hours and graduate 9 credit hours – must have medical insurance. The plan provides coverage for medical, mental health, preventive dental and prescription services. House Speaker Paul Ryan said Republicans don’t want to commit taxpayer funding for abortion and Planned Parenthood is “the largest abortion provider.” Ryan said this money would be better suited for funding community health centers, according to CNN. “What people don’t understand is that abortion is not federally funded, but birth control is and that is a big part of what people would be losing,” the nurse said. Women with no access to birth control sometimes seek out alternative and unsafe methods to terminate an unwanted pregnancy. Approximately 22 million women have unsafe abortions a year worldwide and 47,000 women die from complications, according to the World Health Organization. “We once had a woman come in who had no money for an abortion and had ingested a variety of pills to terminate her pregnancy, but did not end up succeeding,” the nurse said. “When she came in, she was still pregnant, but became very sick from all the pills she had taken.” Planned Parenthood provides other resources for women’s healthcare aside from its office services. Logan Bennett, a junior theatre design technology major, uses the mobile app Spot On. The app is a birth control and period tracker and is powered by Planned Parenthood. “The app reminds me to take my birth
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control every day and provides me with great information about my reproductive health and different side effects and symptoms I can experience,” Bennett said. “I would be pretty disappointed if I lost that; it’s a great resource.”
The Spot On app along with other services provided by Planned Parenthood may be threatened, but it will be a long and extensive process before going into effect. email: lindsay.gilder@ubspectrum.com
Fake news blurs lines between truth and fiction MADDY FOWLER ASST. NEWS EDITOR
Political science professor Harvey Palmer thinks the increased popularity of fake news is a “symptom of changes in the media market.” Social media has left many people unable to distinguish real news stories from fake news stories. Websites such as Facebook and Twitter allow virtually anyone to post content to a large audience. Social media gives the public easy access to fake news from unaccredited blogs and websites, which has caused a dissemination of lies, misinformation and conspiracy theories. Many UB students tend to get their news from social media. The Spectrum asked more than 200 students where they got their news last November and Facebook and Twitter were among the top three news sources. Fake news comes in a variety of forms. Satirical fake news sites such as The Onion post stories that can easily be confused for actual news. Biased partisan websites such as Occupy Democrats and Breitbart tailor their articles to fit certain political views. Sites like ConspiracyWire spread conspiracy theories based on unsubstantiated information. Sophia Rogillo, a freshman environmental design major, thinks mainstream news media is unreliable. “News media is not reliable because it’s funded by private corporations and enterprises with their own goals and objectives to make profits,” Rogillo said. Rogillo said she often gets her news from Facebook, Snapchat and other “easily digestible” sources. The Trump administration has accused media outlets such as CNN and The New York Times of publishing fake news. “After being forced to apologize for its bad and inaccurate coverage of me after winning the election, the FAKE NEWS @nytimes is still lost!” President Trump tweeted on Feb. 4. Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to President Trump, told conservative radio host
Michael Medved that the Trump administration will continue to use the term “fake news” to describe the media’s “monumental desire to attack a duly elected president.” Washington Post reporter Paul Farhi said people paint the media with too broad of a brush and dismiss mainstream media altogether rather than thinking critically about the information being presented. “’The media is essentially shorthand for anything you read, saw or heard today that you disagreed with or didn’t like. At any given moment, ‘the media’ is biased against your candidate, your issue, your very way of life,” Fahri wrote in a Sept. 2016 Washington Post article. People tend to be more trusting of sources that align with their ideology or partisanship over expertise or accuracy, according to Palmer. “The main obstacle is that it isn’t clear that the public wants accurate information. They’re more interested in information that aligns with their world views,” Palmer said. Distrust of mainstream media outlets is increasingly common.
“Journalism is in trouble. You can’t trust the mainstream [media],” said Divante Robinson, a sophomore media study major. Robinson prefers to get his news on YouTube rather than mainstream sources like CNN and The New York Times. Darby Swab, a graduate arts management student, said while she likes sources such as The New York Times and NPR, she trusts people “fighting the good fight” more. “I like to get news from people who have made it clear they are fighting for the truth, and I like to get it more from these individual people [rather] than the media. For example, people livestreaming and posting about protests that the media is twisting into a riot,” Swab said. Swab thinks liberal sources are more reliable than conservative sources such as Fox News, but “both sides can twist things.” “There definitely is liberal media that does the same thing, like saying GMOs are a government conspiracy,” Swab said. During the 2016 presidential election,
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Since the 2016 presidential election, President Donald Trump has posted numerous Tweets calling The New York Times, CNN, ABC and other sources “fake news.” UB students and professors also discuss what they consider “fake news.”
fake news stories generated more total engagement on Facebook than top election stories from 19 major news outlets combined, according to an analysis by Buzzfeed. While fake news has some influence on politics, it has “little effect in terms of persuasion,” according to political science professor Jacob Neiheisel. “You get these echo chambers where people who are already like-minded share things that they sort of agree with anyways,” Neiheisel said. But Neiheisel still thinks fake news may be able to mobilize people. “[Fake news] mobilized some of those folks and motivated them to come out to vote [in the 2016 presidential election] a little bit more than they would have otherwise,” Neiheisel said. In an extreme example of political mobilization, 28-year-old Edgar M. Welch of Salisbury, N.C., fired an AR-15 rifle at Comet Ping Pong on Dec. 4, 2016. Welch opened fire at the northwest Washington pizza restaurant after reading a fake news story that said the restaurant was harboring young children as sex slaves as part of a child-abuse ring led by Hillary Clinton. While no one was hurt, Welch’s actions reflect potentially dangerous consequences of fake news. Neiheisel thinks greater awareness about the existence of fake news will lead to increased skepticism and questioning of the reliability of sources. Sources are reliable if they are “consistent,” do not have misleading headlines and “help the average person to stand up and know how to make change,” Swab said. Neiheisel believes “greater suspicion of sources” is the key to minimizing the influence of fake news. “I think greater suspicion of sources will really cut down on [fake news’] efficacy and probably even its popularity going forward,” he said. email: maddy.fowler@ubspectrum.com
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT THE SPECTRUM
DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA ARTS EDITOR
V-Day is upon us. Whether you’re excited for the holiday, dreading it, or wholly disinterested will depend on your current relationship status and level of ironic detachment. This week brings us not only the holiday some of us think we are too cool to observe – seriously you think you’re the first person to think say it’s just “too commercial?” Just buy her some dang flowers – but also a new lineup of events and concerts to enjoy.
Tuesday, Feb. 14 Tammy Pescatelli – Helium Comedy Club Still looking for a fun Valentine’s Day date idea? Do you love to hear your special someone laugh, but aren’t funny enough to do it yourself ? Head to the Helium Comedy Club in downtown Buffalo for a few chuckles, courtesy of Tammy Pescatelli. Pescatelli made it big after landing herself in a top five spot on NBC’s television program “Last Comic Standing.” She has since gone on to appear on radio programs like Opie and Anthony and Jenny McCarthy’s Dirty, Sexy, Funny and TV shows like “The View.” Her most recent standup special “Finding
Your weekly collection of Buffalo’s sonic selections the Funny” was released in an exclusive deal with Netflix and is available to stream so check it out and see if you enjoy her stuff. General admission is $20 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
its sci-fi horror roots and adding a layer of social allegory about the AIDS scare. Admission to the 6 p.m. screening is free as are the popcorn and peanuts that are served to all.
Wednesday, Feb. 15
Thursday, Feb. 16
Thin Man Cinema Aliens Night – Thin Man Brewery
Lawrence – The Waiting Room
What better way to cleanse the palette of Valentine’s schmaltz than with these chestbursting sci-fi classics. Sigourney Weaver stars in the series as Ellen Ripley: crew member of the spacecraft Nostromo turned resident alien butt-kicker. Each installment of the trilogy is directed by one of the finest filmmakers of their respective times and add further dimensions to the franchise. Ridley Scott introduces horror to the sci-fi genre in the original “Alien.” James Cameron ups the ante and the action in “Aliens” removing much of the horror but making up for it in pure action. “Alien 3” is arguably the weakest of the trilogy, but is notable for being the directorial debut of David Fincher who bring the series back to
Siblings Clyde and Gracie Lawrence have been making music together since they were children. Just dropping their debut LP Breakfast, the soul-pop duo is embarking on their first headlining national tour and making a stop at the Waiting Room. The two blend their idyllic interpretation of pop music with old school soul, drawing on influences from The Beatles, to Beyonce, to Ben Folds. While Clyde and Gracie are young – 22 and 18 respectively – they have been in the entertainment business longer than some twice their age. Clyde was the youngest ever member inducted into the Songwriters Guild of America for his work on “Miss Congeniality” at the age of six. Tickets start at $13 and doors open at 7 p.m. while the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
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Monday, February 13, 2017
Saturday, Feb. 18 Hip Hop Karaoke – The Waiting Room Who wants to see a bunch of white people try to rap their favorite hip hop jams? You do. Of course you do. Hosted by the GLDN GIRLS, this 21+ event starts at 10 p.m. with free admission until 11 p.m. Make sure to get there early to sign up for your song. You don’t want to be the eighth “Bad and Boujee” of the night.
Saturday, Feb. 18 Whiskey Myers – Town Ballroom When Cody Cannon and Cody Tate formed Whiskey Myers in 2008, the band was relegated to playing on the back of flatbed trailers in East Texas. By 2011, the band had dropped their second album Firewater which debuted on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Inspired by Country artists like Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings and Southern Rock groups like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Whiskey Myers’ unique sound has brought them across the Mississippi and over the Mason Dixon to the Town Ballroom. Tickets start at $12 and the doors for the event open at 7:30 p.m. email: david.garcia@ubspectrum.com Twitter: @davidubspectrum
Ty Segall finds himself on self-titled album Instrumentalist’s ninth album features mix of all genres NICHOLAS CIERI STAFF WRITER Album: Ty Segall Artist: Ty Segall Label: Drag City Released: Jan. 27 Grade: A-
Ty Segall is not lazy. Though he has not yet hit the mainstream, it is not for lack of output. This self-titled record is Segall’s ninth solo effort in as many years. Segall’s solo efforts came after his membership in bands like Fuzz or his many collaborations with the likes of Mikal Cronin or White Fence. Since 2008, Segall has transitioned into an eclectic performer, generating buzz from his ability to sing, play guitar and drum at the same time. In addition to his eccentricities, Segall is also known for his particular fusion of psychedelic, garage and glam rock. The artist also has a penchant for wild experimentation, often reinventing his sound between records. Whether he’s working with folk music on records like Sleeper and Goodbye Bread, or creating crushing noise rock on Slaughterhouse, or fusing lo-fi and glam rock on Manipulator, you’re never sure which of Segall’s many
styles are going to take the front seat on each consecutive record. This is likely Segall’s most diverse record to date. The record flexes his songwriting muscles and wows listeners with just how many sounds he can pull together into a cohesive record. To examine each individual track on this record is a lot like looking at the rings in the middle of a tree, with each ring representing a different genre of music Segall has made in the past. The record begins with the track “Break a Guitar,” which is rife with flashy guitar solos and a distinct lo-fi crunch due to the production, courtesy of the infamous producer Steve Albini. The record also boasts the multi-phase track “Warm Hands (Freedom Returned),” which is an excellent testament to how incredible Segall is as a songwriter. The track is over 10 minutes in length and not one minute of it feels stale. The track moves through multiple phases of tone and tempo and conveys a powerful sense of catharsis with the artist’s impassioned shouts and breakneck tempo changes. Tracks like “Thank You Mr. K” and “Papers,” show how Segall doesn’t shy away from showing his weirder side on this record. The first track is a speedy garage rock
nightmare with an angular, sticky hook and some truly surreal lyrics. It’s also split in half by a short interlude of nothing but the sound of a porcelain toilet shattering. This album also has other, more conventional acoustic tracks. “Talkin’” is a rather tongue-in-cheek track about projecting one’s own insecurities onto others and “Orange Color Queen” is a very sweet, catchy ode to Segall’s girlfriend. Unfortunately, this record is not without its flaws. “Freedom” bears a lead guitar riff that sounds almost exactly like the Beck track “Threshold,” a track originally penned for the Scott Pilgrim vs. the World film soundtrack. “The Only One” and “Take Care (To Comb Your Hair),” sounded great but seem lackluster compared to some of the other tracks on the record, which leave them being slightly forgettable. The gamut of genres Segall runs on this record can be appreciated, but the occasional dramatic shifts in tone between each track can leave the record feeling inconsistent, or without focus. Segall does all of these styles justice, though some of these tracks would be better suited on a full album of a similar sound. Despite its flaws, this is an excellent record for the artist and marks an appropriate starting point for those looking to delve into
COURTESY OF DRAG CITY Ty Segall’s most recent release features a gamut of different genres spanning from glam rock to electro-rock.
his daunting discography. What album one moves onto after this should depend on what aspects of this record you enjoyed the most. For those who appreciate the intricate songwriting of tracks like “Warm Hands (Freedom Returned)” and “Orange Color Queen,” Manipulator would be the most logical record to listen to next. For those who appreciate the risks Segall takes on “Thank You Mr. K,” last year’s Emotional Mugger should satisfy that desire for experimentation. Alternatively, if you appreciate the heavy jams on a track like “Break a Guitar,” then Segall’s first self-titled record released in 2008 is your best bet. In an era where pop and hip hop dominate the charts, Segall certainly makes a strong case against the irrelevancy of rock music in 2017 with this self-titled record. email: arts@ubspetrum.com
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SPORTS
Monday, February 13, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
The Rundown This week in UB Athletics DANIEL PETRUCCELLI ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
Men’s basketball (13-12, 7-5 Mid-American Conference) Buffalo’s men’s basketball team continued its win streak this week when they picked up two more victories against the Northern Illinois Huskies and Bowling Green Falcons. They defeated the Huskies 65-45 on Tuesday night and followed that up with an 8874 win against the Falcons. Sophomore guard CJ Massinburg led the way Tuesday with 17 points. Sophomore forward Nick Perkins was the only other Bull to finish in double digits, putting up 11 points and also adding 12 boards. The scoring spread out more Saturday with four Bulls finishing in double digits. Senior wing Willie Connor had a standout performance with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Women’s basketball (16-7, 6-6 MAC) The women’s team suffered a tough loss Saturday as they fell to the Northern Illinois Huskies 89-80. The Bulls had their highest scoring output of the season but a 16-0 run by the Huskies to start the fourth quarter was too much to overcome. The team entered the final quarter up by five but fell behind after the run and never caught up. Junior guard Stephanie Reid was the biggest contributor of the night with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists. Junior forward Courtney Wilkins finished with a career-high 18 points.
Track & field The track & field team competed in the Spire D-1 invitational over the weekend. The team was extremely successful and broke three program records at the event. Senior Barrett Kemp got things started Friday when he broke the program’s 5000-meter record. He finished in 14:20.25, 18 seconds faster than his personal record heading into the event. Senior Joshua Gali found his way into the record book for the second straight weekend. After setting a program record in the 200-meter last weekend, he broke the program record in the 400-meter on Saturday. Gali kept up the momentum and along with his teammates, freshman Gyasi Morris, senior Craig Kaiser and junior Mitchell Moore, set the record for the 4x400 relay. Wrestling (8-5, 3-4 MAC) The wrestling team lost a hard fought contest this week when they visited the Northern Iowa Panthers. The Panthers have six wrestlers ranked in their weight class and five of them picked up victories in the 2216 win Friday. Redshirt sophomore 133-pounder Bryan Lantry entered the match as the No. 16 ranked 133-pounder in the nation. Lantry defeated the No. 10 wrestler in his weight class with a third period escape that gave him a 4-3 win. Redshirt junior 141-pounder Jason Estevez got his first MAC dual win for the season. Men’s tennis (2-3) Men’s tennis looked dominant in their victory over the Army Black Knights 6-1 Saturday. The Bulls went 2-1 in doubles to get the point and won all but one singles match.
The artists’ antagonist CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Trump’s recent executive orders have already affected the arts scene in the U.S. Iranian film director Asghar Farhadi will not be attending this year’s Oscars. His picture “The Salesman” was nominated for Best Foreign Film. Farhadi said after Trump’s recent travel ban executive order he wouldn’t have attended, even if there were not a travel ban. Schmid is concerned for the U.S.’s reputation after such drastic measures were tak-
en in the President’s first few days in office. “Try and calculate the impact it has on the reputation of the U.S., it’s very poor,” Schmid said. “Lots of protests are sparking over the travel ban, which is stopping some people from coming to the Oscars. Not only can celebrities not make it, but no more scholars, Fulbright and international students will want to come to the U.S.” Other students recognized that Hollywood and the White House often have had a healthy relationship during past presidencies. Mark Enobakhare, a sophomore aero-
Junior Vidit Vaghela fell in first singles in a match that went to a super tiebreaker. Freshman Hao Sheng Koay had a great performance in second singles and won in straight sets, 6-1, 6-0.
Women’s tennis (2-1) The women’s tennis team lost their first match of the season this week. The West Virginia Mountaineers won the match 4-3. The Bulls were able to capture the doubles point but lost in singles play 4-2. Sophomore Chantal Martinez Blanco won her match in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Freshman Anna Savchenko scored the other singles point for the Bulls after her match went to the third set where her opponent was forced to retire.
space engineering major, said he noticed a difference between Barack Obama’s relationships with artists versus Trump’s relationships. “I watched a little bit of his inauguration and I didn’t see many celebrities there in the crowd,” Enobakhare said. “I remember at Obama’s inauguration there was a ton of Alist celebrities and a huge lineup for his concert. And that just wasn’t the case for Trump.” The Spectrum asked UB spokesperson John Della Contrada if any upcoming performers would not be able come to UB as a result of the ban, but only students have been affected. As more people protest Trump’s execu-
LUCAS SMITH, THE SPECTRUM
Sophomore guard Dontay Caruthers takes a layup against Northern Illinois. Men’s basketball has been playing their best basketball of the season lately.
Swimming After a great performance last week in Cleveland, the Bulls swimming team had two members named the MAC swimmers of the week. Junior Hudson Carroll was named the men’s swimmer of the week after two individual wins as well as a win in the relay. Sophomore Julia Box was a co-winner on the women’s side. She also posted two individual wins along with a first place relay finish. email: daniel.petruccelli@ubspectrum.com
tive orders, donations to art organizations have increased in an effort to keep them afloat during his presidency. “When a value is threatened, lots of people flock to its defense,” Schmid said. “We’re going to see lots of artsy organizations that may have had trouble getting money now get a lot of donations as a backlash from Trump’s policies. People now realize we can’t take it for granted. Let’s see them put their money where their mouth is and someone in his organization may finally realize the lack of interest the president has in the arts.” email: max.kalnitz@ubspectrum.com
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8
SPORTS
Monday, February 13, 2017
THE SPECTRUM
COURTESY OF UB ATHLETICS UB PITCHER
Logan Harasta will start this season as the closer. Baseball America ranked him as the fifth-best MLB Draft prospect in the Mid-American Conference.
Wanting the ball UB’s lanky flamethrower Logan Harasta takes closer role with pro potential MICHAEL AKELSON SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
The first things that jump out when watching Logan Harasta are his height and his fastball. Harasta, a junior right-handed pitcher, is 6-foot-7 and his fastball tops out at 95 miles per hour and lives in the low 90s. He has all the tools. Respected prospect publication Baseball America ranked him as the fifth best MLB prospect in the MAC on their preseason list. With a good showing this season, he has a chance to be UB’s highest drafted pitcher since Robert Williams went in the
seventh round back in 1986. UB head baseball coach Ron Torgalski anticipates that Harasta will be selected in the first 10-15 rounds. But in baseball, tools will only get you so far. Harasta is turning into one of the conference’s most coveted pitching prospects not only for his physical tools, but also for his mentality. Torgalski named Harasta the closer for this season – one of the most pressurepacked roles in baseball. “He wants the ball,” Torgalski said. “There are guys that are real good that don’t want to be in those situations, they’ll shy away from it… and that’s something you
Editors take The Spectrum answers three questions from world of sports SPORTS DESK During men’s basketball’s current four-game winning streak, which Bull has been the most important? Michael Akelson, Senior Sports Editor: Blake Hamilton. Before the season, head coach Nate Oats said that he needs Hamilton to be a “first-team all-conference type player” if UB is going to win the MAC again. Hamilton may be on his way to picking up that honor. He has done it all for the Bulls this year and has been their best playmaker, running the point for large stretches of games. The Bulls struggled with teamwork and adapting to life without Lamonte Bearden early in the season, but Hamilton is the glue that holds it all together. When he’s at his best so is everyone else. Daniel Petruccelli, Assistant Sports Editor:
It’s the same answer for the win streak as it is for the whole season, Blake Hamilton. His scoring has been invaluable to the team and he’s taken on a good chunk of the ball handling responsibilities. He’s been the team’s leading scorer in three of the four games during the win streak. He stumbled against Northern Illinois and went 1-of-7 from the floor and also had seven turnovers but still managed to contribute eight boards and two steals. Thomas Zafonte, Assistant Sports Editor:
Blake Hamilton. Even with his turnover and shooting issues, Hamilton continues to show how versatile he is on the court. His performance against Central Michigan highlights his versatility with his 27 points, shooting 10-19, while also recording 12 rebounds and eight assists.
If Hamilton can continue with performances like this, the Bulls would be in much better shape to repeat a MAC championship. That is a big “if ” though, as Hamilton cannot seem to shoot consistently from the floor this whole season. But with four of his last five performances being solid outings, things are looking up for the Bulls and Hamilton. Which women’s basketball player will be most crucial to repeating in the tournament? Akelson: JoAnna Smith. At the end of the day, you can’t win if you can't score. It’s a delicate balance for women’s basketball this year. They are a team defined by their depth and everyone has a part to play. But Smith is the one head coach Felisha Legette-Jack wants carrying the load on offense and they don’t have anyone else who can score like her. Petruccelli:
Summer Hemphill is going to be a key factor for the Bulls down the stretch. The freshman Buffalo native has been on fire down low. She’s leading the team in rebounds and with Cassie Oursler struggling as of late, that will be extremely important come tournament time. Stephanie Reid and JoAnna Smith have been consistent most of the season and teams will be looking to stop the veterans in the MAC tournament. If Hemphill can capitalize and takeover in the paint, Buffalo has a good chance to repeat. Zafonte:
Stephanie Reid. She won the Bulls one already and she is the key to another. Reid has always been a major factor to team success, being a reliable playmaker and team leader. Those two qualities alone make her a pivotal part of the team. What will make her so cru-
don’t teach, a kid either has that or he doesn’t and Logan has that.” Harasta says he embraces the pressure because it brings out the best in him. The mental aspect of pitching is something Harasta has worked to progress since he arrived at UB. “When kids come in here they’re used to having success and when they get to this level and they start experiencing failure, a lot of times they don’t know how to handle it,” Torgalski said. “When he came in he was like that, he would give up a couple of hits and you could tell he was frustrated and beating himself up. As he’s grown older and he’s matured that’s gone away.” When he was a freshman, Harasta was the youngest starting pitcher on the Bulls staff. Like many young pitchers, he struggled with his mindset on the mound, but coming into his junior year, that’s no longer a problem. “I try to be really confident so that I’m making my pitches,” Harasta said. “If I make my best pitch and they hit the ball, that’s just baseball. I try to focus on what I can control rather than what else is going on around me.” Harasta is an exercise science major. He was named to the Academic All-MAC team last season and he feels that as a pitcher, the major helps immensely with his mechanics. “I’m really interested in the human body and how it moves and stuff like that,” Harasta said. “We’re learning about stuff like what creates stress on certain joints and it’s definitely helped me pitching wise.” For an athlete who’s pro potential is obvious, one would expect Harasta to be completely focused on making his MLB dreams come true. However, this past summer, he opted to skip out on playing in a summer baseball league because he wanted to take a class for his major that was only offered in the summer.
cial is her passing game. As the season progresses, Reid continues to find the right spot to dish the ball to. In the Bulls most recent game against Northern Illinois, Reid managed a double-double with 18 points and 12 assist. Performances like that will help the Bulls get back to their winning ways and another MAC championship. Should the Knicks part ways with Carmelo Anthony or Phil Jackson? Akelson: Both. I wish they could get rid of owner James Dolan too while they’re at it. The Knicks franchise has long been a mess, and this latest chapter is hardly a surprise. Jackson has been a disaster since joining the Knicks front office and Anthony has been in decline for a few years now. When Anthony first came to New York, he was one of the best scorers in the league, but has always been a me-first guy. In recent years, he’s developed into a better leader and team player, but Jackson has feuded with him from day one. In an alternate timeline where the Knicks aren’t a horribly-run franchise, Anthony may have aged into one of New York’s most beloved athletes ever. At this point, it would be best for him to just start over elsewhere. Neither Jackson or Anthony are worth the trouble they bring at this point. Time to start building around Kristaps Porzingis. Petruccelli:
Both. The team needs to hit the reset button and getting rid of both men is the best way to do that. Jackson is a great basketball mind but he’s been making a lot of mistakes lately. The way he has handled his relationship with Anthony in the media causes unnecessary friction for the whole organization. Anthony has not been any better for the team though and while he is still an elite scorer he will never be the leader of a championship team. It’s time for the Knicks to go into rebuild mode, send out the old and build around Porzingis. Zafonte:
Melo. To fire Phil Jackson now, after all the coaching and management turnover that
Although he is well aware of the hype building for him among scouts, he tries to shift his focus. He said he knows how difficult it is to make a career out of baseball, since most drafted prospects never make it all the way to the MLB. But there is belief among scouts and Harasta himself that there is still untapped velocity in his arm. As a tall, lanky kid, Harasta is still growing into his body. As a mid-week starter his freshman year, he was typically throwing in the 83-85 mile per hour range with his fastball. Now, he throws it in the low-90s with consistency. If he were to raise his velocity a few more ticks, the potential would be astronomical. It’s not very often a tall pitcher throws a fastball in the high-90s. Harasta received offers from big name schools like Boston College and Virginia Tech out of high school, but opted for UB because he felt they had a good strength and conditioning program here. “I was a pretty thin kid coming out of high school and I wanted to get into the weight room,” Harasta said. “[UB] had a great strength and conditioning program, all our guys are really physically fit and they know their stuff and I thought that was a good way to develop my career.” In addition to his fastball, his other “out pitch” is a slider that typically sits around the low-to-mid 80s. He also throws a changeup and curveball. Harasta studies the human body in his education. He understands that his physical tools must be developed and he knows how to develop them. Most of all, he has that one characteristic that not every physically gifted player possesses – in the highest pressure situations, he wants the ball in his hand. “Baseball’s a game of failure,” Torgalski said. “The guys that succeed are the guys that can overcome the failure and continue to compete.” email: michael.akelson@ubspectrum.com
Michael Akelson, Senior Sports Editor
Daniel Petruccelli, Assistant Sports Editor
Thomas Zafonte, Assistant Sports Editor
has plagued the Knicks since the start of decade would be disastrous. The Knicks need stability in the front office and after firing a head coach earlier in the season, they need it badly. Don’t get me wrong, Phil needs to get rid of the triangle. Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Brandon Jennings and Courtney Lee can’t not individually fill the role needed to run a successful triangle with Porzingis and Melo. Leaving the best possible option to losing Melo, clearing cap space and rebuilding the team around the talented core they have now. email: sports@ubspectrum.com