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ubspectrum.com
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Volume 64 No. 59
Making medicine a mission
Squire Hall evacuated amid small fire
WHAT’S HAPPENING
ONLINE
Butane torch left inside dental student’s locker causes basement fire Men’s baskeball team: Contenders or pretenders?
TOM DINKI
SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
A small fire in the basement of Squire Hall caused an evacuation of the building on Tuesday morning. A still hot butane torch left inside a locker by a dental student started the fire. Buffalo Fire Department arson investigators have ruled the fire an accident. University Police received a call that the fire alarm had went off from the Buffalo Fire Department at 11 a.m. Another dental student noticed smoke coming from the locker and used a fire extinguisher to put it out. “We got a call that there was locker on fire in the locker room of the basement,” said Deputy Chief of Police Joshua Sticht. “By the time we got there, a dental student had used a fire extinguisher to put it out … Luckily, someone noticed and took action.” Sticht said the building had to be evacuated, though, because of the heavy amount of smoke. “I couldn’t believe it,” Sticht said. “I’ve been to a lot of fires and this tiny little fire made so much smoke we had to evacuate the whole building.” The building was reopened at 11:34 a.m., but the basement, which includes the locker room, as well as labs, was closed the rest of Tuesday. “There’s quite a mess to clean up,” Sticht said. The butane torch had been used to practice dental reconstruction, according to UPD. Sticht said the student who left it inside the locker likely did not find out about the fire until much later. He also said it is unlikely the student will be held liable for the fire. “[They’re] not usually liable. Unless the fire started from the person doing something a reasonable person would think you shouldn’t do,” Sticht said. “This is just putting something back in a locker.” Sticht said none of the lab rooms were affected by the fire. email: news@ubspectrum.com
UB medical students save lives in Haiti SOPHIA MCKEONE STAFF WRITER On his first medical mission in Haiti, Vincenzo Polsinelli met a woman he will never forget. She appeared to be pregnant by her large round stomach, but after running some tests, it turned out what was filling her stomach wasn’t a baby, but fluid. UB’s Haiti Medical Mission is working to prevent the problems that arise when people don’t have access to health care from increasing. The mission is a five-day medical clinic in Fontaine, Haiti. It’s con-
Caroline Brotzki poses with some kids she assisted on UB’s Haiti Medical Mission, a five-day medical clinic in Fontaine, Haiti. It is conducted and fundraised by UB’s first year medical students through the Friends of Fontaine organization. Courtesy of Vincenzo Polsinello
ducted and fundraised by UB’s first-year medical students through the Friends of Fontaine organization, which is dedicated to supporting communitybased development in Haiti. “There’s no health care in Fontaine,” said Polsinelli, a second year student in UB’s School of Medicine and a Friends of Fontaine board member. “There’s no clinic at all. The closest clinic is in Pignon, a two-and-a-half hour walk or a 15-minute drive, but no one has a car and only a handful of people have motorcycles.” SEE HAITI, PAGE 6
Straight outta Buffalo Brimstone Blondes cover the Queen City in glitter and groovy jams GRACE TRIMPER STAFF WRITER
Brimstone Blondes is a glam-funk-surf-pop party. It’s almost as if Lou Reed and Talking Heads had a baby and made him go to parties at David Bowie’s house as a child. Odd is an understatement. “We acted odd, were the party squad / Back in the days where no such thing exist-
ed,” sang Matthew Danger Lippman, the lead singer and a sophomore at SUNY Purchase, in Brimstone Blondes song “Get Lifted.” Although formally founded in 2011, Brimstone Blondes have been making music together for six years. Lippman, Joey Rambell and Alex Mersinger, all graduates of City Honors in Buffalo, spent their middle school days hanging out at each other’s houses around the Queen City and banging out prepubescent jam sessions on instruments they barely knew how to play. Everything changed for them when Lippman saw indie/punk band Titus Andronicus live in 2010. SEE BLONDES, PAGE 4
Leading the choir
Acclaimed conductor Harold Rosenbaum balances multiple projects TORI ROSEMAN SENIOR ARTS EDITOR Every Wednesday, Harold Rosenbaum flies to Buffalo from New York City. He spends roughly 1,260 minutes on a plane every semester. Rosenbaum teaches music classes at UB and directs the UB choir on Wednesdays and Thursdays, then returns to his home in Westchester County where he lives with his wife, Edie, and conducts various choirs in the New York City area. He runs both The Canticum Novum Singers and The New York Virtuoso Singers, a professional choir. He established both choirs 41 and 27 years ago, respectively. After so many years, where does the passion come from? “I have not pursued it, it has pursued me,” Rosenbaum said. “I was driven to it. I had no choice – chorus was my instrument. I need to make music; 1,700 concerts later and that need is still there.” Rosenbaum has been singing since he was 7 years old, where he sang in the Sam Stern-
JUAN DAVID PINZON, THE SPECTRUM
Harold Rosenbaum is a distinguished conductor whose accolades are countless in number. He teaches at UB two days a week, only to fly back every Thursday to continue working on his various projects in New York City.
er choir and was a soloist. He pursued music through high school and then decided to pursue music study at Queens College. He had no knowledge of classical music before college, as he only focused on popular music. He began to take music theory classes, learning more about the composers that shaped the music he was passionate about. Rosenbaum began to consider conducting his senior year of college. He found himself disagreeing with the conductor’s interpretation of the music. In graduate school, he became the assistant conductor at Queens College where he realized he had found his calling. Soon after graduation he established The
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Canticum Novum Singers. The choir is a volunteer group only and performs music from all time periods. After years of success with that organization, Rosenbaum became a highly soughtafter conductor. He has taught at four universities including The Juilliard School and has conducted eight university choirs, seven church choirs, 10 synagogue choirs, two youth choirs and a senior adult choir. He is also writing two books and is heading Choralfest USA, an annual marathon concert for choruses all over the country.
SEE ROSENBAUM PAGE 2
Catch up on baseball and swimming
UB Council discusses campus renovations, student debt TOM DINKI SENIOR NEWS EDITOR UB used revenue from NYSUNY 2020’s rational tuition program to hire 277 new faculty members from the time of the plan’s inception in 2011 to the end of 2014. But the additional faculty may have limited space on campus. “The North Campus is more crowded, we’ve hired new faculty,” said President Satish Tripathi at a UB Council meeting Monday. “Our research portfolio has increased as well. The students need more learning space. We want to create more room.” Renovations and expansions for UB’s three campuses, as well as tuition rates and student loan debt, were discussed at the first UB Council meeting of the semester in Capen Hall Monday morning. Tripathi said UB is looking for $100 million from the state over the next five years to improve campus facilities and create “modern spaces.” The university recently began its Heart of the Campus initiative to make renovations on North, South and the downtown Medical Campus. The first step of the project is renovating the third floor of the Oscar Silverman Library in Capen. Construction is set to begin in April. “The project has already begun on a small scale, but there’s a lot more work to be done,” Tripathi said. SEE UB COUNCIL, PAGE 2
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Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Continued from UB Council, page 1 Tripathi said $15 million of capital project funds are set to go to South Campus, where the Graduate School of Education and the School of Social Work are set to move once the medical schools have moved to the downtown campus. Tripathi said this would help alleviate crowdedness and free up space on north campus. The renovations for South Campus were a specific concern for council members at Monday’s meeting. “What’s happening on the South Campus concerns us all,” said Jeremy Jacobs, UB Council chairman. “How are we going to sustain these great institutions we have here?” Tripathi said it’s critical UB gets money to renovate its older buildings, citing three water breaks in one week – including the incident that led to the power outage in Red Jacket Quadrangle in February that displaced 500 students for a night – as a reason why. “The facilities are very old,” Tripathi said. “Five hundred stu-
Continued from Rosenbaum, page 1 Although he’s best known for his work in the contemporary classical genre, Rosenbaum still maintains a respect for classical Baroque. “I would have to say my favorite composer to conduct is Bach,” Rosenbaum said. “He’s just head and shoulders above all the others spiritually.” Rosenbaum likes to tackle many projects and often manages multiple choirs at once. In one season, he was a conductor at both UB and Queens College, while simultaneously conducting five other non-university choirs in New York City. “Students singing in his
President Satish Tripathi (center), Provost Charles Zukoski (left), and UB Council Student Representative Minahil Khan (far left) at the UB Council meeting Monday in Capen Hall. The Council discussed rational tuition, as well as renovations to UB’s three campuses. TOM DINKI, THE SPECTRUM
dents had to be accommodated outside their living spot. Some of that is because facilities are in need of dire renovation.” Vice president of University Life and Services Dennis Black said requesting bonding funds through the Dormitory Authority State of New York is “one of the
options” UB is looking at for dormitory renovations. Tripathi also advocated on Monday for the rational tuition plan that limits SUNY campuses to $300 tuition increases annually. He said UB supports extending the program for another five years, which is set to expire at the
end of 2016. UB’s tuition is set to increase $300 annually for the next six years. “The tuition has been really affordable [under the rational tuition program],” Tripathi said. “Our students have one of the least amounts of debt. The national average is 50 percent more
groups, or studying conducting with him, are learning from a true professional, who has organized, rehearsed and presented hundreds and hundreds of choral concerts over the years,” said Jeffrey Stadelman, chair of the Music Department at UB. “His profile in that way is rather different from that of most university choral conductors.” Rosenbaum’s goal is to bring singers of all skill levels together and teach them to sing as one. Though he maintains a busy schedule, Rosenbaum’s family has always been most important. Rosenbaum has two daughters and three grandsons, all of whom he considers his proudest accomplishments. His wife often works with him as part of his staff, helping him maintain all of his organizations and keep his schedule up and running. “I do have help – not a full-
time staff, but people who help me do what I love to do,” Rosenbaum said. “My wife also shares my passion for music, which allows us to not only spend time together but to work together on projects that mean a lot to both of us.” His wife sings in The Canticum Novum Singers and has performed as a soloist. The conductor has collaborated with the New York Philharmonic, so he doesn’t keep his talents exclusive to choruses. He’s also worked with the Paul Taylor Dance Company, Bang on a Can and the Mark Morris Dance Group. Rosenbaum has conducted at big name theatres – Carnegie Hall, the Tanglewood Music Festival and the Siracusa Festival in Italy and continues to be a desirable conductor. He doesn’t let the accolades get
to his head. He loves to teach. “I love passing on my knowledge,” Rosenbaum said. “Students are eager to learn. I choose pieces that they can handle, and we conquer them together.” After years of success in conducting, Rosenbaum could not begin to recount his favorite moments. He’s been honored with numerous awards, including the Ditson Conductor’s Award from Columbia University in 2014 and the American Composer Alliance’s Laurel Leaf Award in 2008. He is the founder and director of the Harold Rosenbaum Choral Conducting Institute that’s held annually and sponsored by UB and Columbia University. “I would say my proudest career accomplishment is keeping a small arts organization alive for 42 years and maintaining The
… it means our tuition is affordable, and we’re preparing our students for the job market to be able to pay back the loans that they have, and we’re not pricing out our students.” Tripathi said UB students have a default rate of 4.5 percent on their loans, and that the national average is almost three times that. Provost Charles Zukoski said students should budget their money and be conscious of the student loans debt they’ll have to repay after graduation, and UB should help them do that. “Give up your cappuccino now because here’s what it’s going to cost you after you graduate,” Zukoski said. A. Scott Weber, vice provost for Academic Affairs, said he and Black are looking to improve academic career services by developing programs that identify students’ skills to find jobs after graduation – but not necessarily to help students pay their loans back. “That’s not our responsibility, but we’re telling students their skills that go beyond their disciplinary strengths,” Weber said. email: news@ubspectrum.com
Canticum Novum Singers and The New York Virtuoso Singers,” Rosenbaum said. “These organizations need grants, passionate performers and support from the community to stay active and we’re fortunate to be able to have these resources.” Over 40 years of conducting experience has shown Rosenbaum how much one person can accomplish when someone dedicates his or her life to a cause. He plans to continue at the same pace, conducting, directing and collaborating, until he’s physically unable to do so. His schedule forces him to travel, but the conductor doesn’t mind. He’d rather take the flights, enjoy his adventures and continue pursuing his passions while passing down his wisdom every day. email: arts@ubspectrum.com
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Wednesday, March 11, 2015 ubspectrum.com
Editorial Board EDITOR IN CHIEF
Sara DiNatale
MANAGING EDITORS
Rachel Kramer Emma Janicki OPINION EDITOR
Tress Klassen COPY EDITORS
Alyssa McClure, Copy Chief Anne Fortman Emma Fusco Natalie Humphrey NEWS EDITORS
Tom Dinki, Senior Ashley Inkumsah, Asst. Charles W Schaab, Asst. Katie Coleman, Asst. FEATURES EDITORS
Gabriela Julia, Senior Dan McKeon, Asst. ARTS EDITORS
Jordan Oscar, Senior Tori Roseman, Senior Brian Windschitl SPORTS EDITORS
Jordan Grossman, Senior Quentin Haynes James Battle, Asst. PHOTO EDITORS
Yusong Shi, Senior Kainan Guo, Asst. Angela Barca, Asst . CARTOONISTS
Harumo Sato Joshua Bodah
CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Jenna Bower Kenneth Cruz, Asst.
Professional Staff OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER
Kevin Xaisanasy Alex Buttler, Asst. Melina Panitsidis, Asst. ADVERTISING DESIGNER
Tyler Harder Derek Hosken, Asst.
THE SPECTRUM Wednesday, March 11, 2015 Volume 64 Number 59 Circulation 7,000 The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication, please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address. The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by MediaMate. For information on adverstising with The Spectrum, visit www.ubspectrum.com/advertising or call us directly at (716) 645-2452. The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 142602100
OPINION
3
Anonymity and idiocy go handin-hand Social networking app Yik Yak allows students to remain nameless, ends up allowing far worse Take away usernames and suddenly all bets are off – the wildly popular app Yik Yak is demonstrating just how powerful, and terrible, online anonymity can be. Yik Yak, a free app that operates somewhat like Twitter within a limited geographic radius, allows users within a shared space – like a college campus – to share ideas and comments anonymously. That anonymity undoubtedly boosts the app’s popularity – Yik Yak is the most frequently downloaded anonymous social app offered by the Apple Store. But it’s also incredibly problematic, as the opportunity to go incognito allows students to express their unfiltered thoughts with little chance of being directly responded to. And, unfortunately, those comments are often offensive, sexually explicit, racist, homophobic, misogynistic, threatening, and likely, any combination thereof. Because although many of the posts on Yik Yak are trivial, simply light-hearted comments or attempts to be humorous or insightful, these harmless posts are overshadowed by the horrifying. Essentially, if there’s a way to be offensive, “yakkers” will exploit it. If there’s a demographic to taunt, then it’ll be mocked on Yik Yak. If there’s an individual to bully, then the victim’s name will show up on the app. As reported by The New York Times, posts have included sexually demeaning comments about students and professors (who are often named – there’s no anonymity for the victims here), propositions of gang rape and threats of large-scale violence. Students at UB have joined in on this shameful trend, posting racist comments on Yik Yak in response to the Black Student Union’s solidarity march, making it clear that unity is in short supply on campus. UB’s feed is, unfortunately, no
ILLUSTRATION BY HARUMO SATO
different from what many college campuses are producing on the app – a string of offensive and over-the-top statements, revealing what students are willing to say under the guise of anonymity. What could have – and should have – been a fun tool for college students to commiserate about shared experiences and feel connected with their fellow students has instead turned into a devastating social experiment, revealing the power of namelessness and the depths of some students’ prejudice and cruelty. The dark turn that Yik Yak has taken was naively not predicted by its founders, Tyler Droll and Brooks Buffington, who created the app shortly after graduating from college. Ironically, Droll and Buffington were trying to encourage online equality, hoping that creating
Buffalo’s public housing projects play host to violence and fear Recent murders reveal failure and inflexibility of the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority Last August, when 14-year-old Raymond Patterson III was shot to death in Buffalo’s Kenfield-Langfield housing project, the need for increased security was apparent. But the incident, which stemmed from a fight between two teenage girls that resulted in three additional teenagers sustaining injuries, didn’t provoke any changes. Instead, the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority (BMHA) continued its contract with the City of Buffalo’s to provide police services to the projects after dissolving its own security force in 2010 to save money. Then, on Jan. 19 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – 19-year-old Dakym Reese was gunned down only 100 feet from his home in Shaffer Village, another BMHA housing
project. And yet again, BMHA did nothing. Reese’s death was the first homicide in Buffalo in 2015, but even that couldn’t sway the BMHA to value the safety of residents over profits. Now, the BMHA has the blood of a third teenager on its hands, as a 15-year-old was shot on Friday at the Kenfield-Langfield project. He survived, but will likely lose an eye. It goes without saying the current level of security in Buffalo’s housing projects is not sufficient – but the BMHA clearly isn’t listening to the gunshots on its properties. Residents are not safe. Bullets are flying and people are dying.
a network within a limited space and without usernames would generate an even playing field, one where all users could be assured that their posts would be widely read. Their intentions were admirable. But now, the founders need to take action to end Yik Yak’s reign as a promoter of vitriol. Currently, Yik Yak protects the anonymity of its users in all cases except those involving threats of mass violence – in those situations, the founders will cooperate with authorities. And certain keywords do generate a message warning users to reconsider their post, but that’s the extent of the monitoring. Yik Yak originated as a good idea. Now, a lack of basic decency (and in some cases, impulse control) has destroyed that, leaving many college campuses contemAll because the BMHA won’t reconsider its budget. In 2010, the BMHA dissolved its private security force as a costsaving measure, resulting in a reduced police presence in the housing projects. It cost the BMHA just $650,000 to contract the City of Buffalo for police services, saving the authority $2 million annually. Hiring a private security force would be costly. But it would also save lives. With a police force operating solely to patrol and protect the housing projects, there would be a consistent police presence in the project, rather than sporadic visits by Buffalo police, usually responding to crimes. Residents of the projects could rest assured the police in their area were there specifically to protect them – not just to arrest them or zip them up in a body bag – with training and objectives dedicated to the task at hand. Not only would there be an increased security presence, but officers would have the time to interact with residents individually, helping foster a safer community environment. In contrast, city police officers have a far wider range of responsibilities and concerns. Their train-
plating a ban on the app, as Yik Yak can be disabled on schools’ Wi-Fi networks. There is, of course, an argument to be made for free speech and against censorship. But an equally powerful case against targeted harassment and bullying, discrimination in all forms and the trivialization of deeply offensive language also can be made. The simplest solution, of course, would require students to simply grow a conscience. That seems to be an impossibility, so Yik Yak’s founders must find a way to protect free speech and anonymity while also ensuring that their app, created to promote a more democratic social network, doesn’t continue to generate an environment of ignorance, debauchery and hatred. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
ing has to be more varied, and their focus more widespread. Of course this is completely understandable for a force tasked with the challenging job of patrolling and protecting an entire city. But it’s also precisely why the BMHA should not maintain their current contract with the BPD. The force that works in the projects, called the Buffalo Police Housing Unit, has to respond to calls outside of the apartments, and residents have complained that the officers do not engage with residents. The arrangement clearly isn’t working and, in fact, it’s fatal. The BMHA is supposed to provide shelter to low-income city residents, but having a roof over their head doesn’t guarantee safety. Tenants have even resorted to sleeping their floors to avoid random gunfire. The people of Buffalo deserve to feel safe in their homes and communities, and the BMHA’s privileging of money over human lives is despicable. “Home” should mean shelter and safety, and right now, the BMHA apartments are hardly more than bullet-ridden walls. email: editorial@ubspectrum.com
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Continued from Blondes, page 1 “It really occurred to me that we could kinda pull ourselves together and actually become a band that plays shows,” Lippman said. “So around sophomore year [of high school] we started becoming a real band.” The band – which isn’t sure of the origins of its name (it either came from a Bible verse or a fever dream) – became an honestto-God band in 2011. They became a quartet when violinist, guitarist and fellow City Honors student Jacob Cohen joined a few years later. They began to play and record their music. Although their practice schedule is irregular since they all go to different colleges in New York, they’ve been able to push out strikingly different sounds since 2013. Brimstone Blondes’ 2013 debut EP When We Were Blonde delivers a lo-fi B-52sesque vibe with noisy surf-rock guitars, heavy bass-lines, deep lead vocals and some strings put in for a unique four songs perfect for any beach party. The band’s sophomore effort, the aptly named Age of Consent, displays a musical and lyrical maturity developed in the year since they released their first EP. They said the change came in part from a love for funk music and a newfound appreciation for Prince. “Sweaty funk jams became my passion,” said Mersinger, a bassist and SUNY Binghamton sophomore, about getting into Prince’s music. “Prior to that [my] bass playing was all very punk-based ... But after Prince-gate, my bass playing changed dramatically, more syncopation, more static harmonically yet much looser and unwound feeling. That change definitely changed the band’s sound, [and] it certainly helped push us in a different direction from where we were before.” Recorded late at night in a liquor store basement and released in August 2014, Age of Consent throws around a lot of different sounds, keeping the jangly guitars, rich vocals and deep bass characteristic of Brimstone Blondes, but exploring some new sounds and a variety of themes anyone can relate to. Tracks like “Get Lifted!” and “Do U Wanna Make-Out??” offer catchy punk playfulness reminiscent of The Rapture while “Afterparty” puts a unique spin on lyrics from R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix),” delving into the soreness of feeling out-of-place in the middle of a party with a slow, emotional Bob Dylan sort of sound.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
COURTESY OF KENYON PARKS
The Brimstone Blondes is a band with a B52s sound that unites members in various SUNY schools to make their music. The group grew up together but decided to take their music more seriously in 2010.
“I kind of view R. Kelly’s ‘Ignition (Remix)’ as this Rorschach test of a pop song because it’s so utterly upbeat and fun and poppy ... if you’re hearing ‘Ignition (Remix)’ and you’re not feeling it, [then] you’re not in the right place mentally,” Lippman said about writing “Afterparty.” “I guess that came from this experience of like being in the corner of a party and thinking of someone and feeling generally kind of weird and bitter and drunk, and then ‘Ignition (Remix)’ came on ... and I [remember] wondering, Woah, I wonder if I could challenge myself to turn that into some kind of sad bastard country song.” Age of Consent was the band’s first record released under its label, Admirable Traits Records. Michael Moretti, one of the founders of Admirable Traits Records, said Brimstone Blondes is a band he sees “going places.” “What really sold me on the Blondes was catching their show at The Ninth Ward in May 2013,” Moretti said in an email. “Matthew commanded a whole room that reminded me of a preacher in the Deep South delivering a sermon. His on-stage ‘persona’ and front man energy is incredibly impressive. It takes years and years to be comfortable and confident in your own skin
on stage and some established bands would KILL for that type of presence [sic].” The influence of pop legends like Miley Cyrus, Kanye West and Lil B the BasedGod as well as that of glam icons such as David Bowie and Iggy Pop comes through in the band’s aesthetic. Wearing dresses, leggings, corsets, animal print and lipstick, dancing around wildly and, according to one anecdote, interviewing bar attendees with a wooden dildo thrown onstage, Brimstone Blondes are indeed “shameless.” “I would say our newer songs are funner for everyone, crowd included. The ones where Matt can run around stage doing ... well I don’t know what to call it,” Rambell said. “Matt ... well he’s just absurd. And it works.” But they are more laid-back and refined in their shamelessness, explaining their self-bequeathed genre slacker glam. “I just love the brashness of modern hiphop and pop music,” Lippman said. “I’d say in terms of presentation I [owe something to] just any pop stars and rappers that are willing to, I don’t know, really, really go big, I guess. Really be shameless.” The release of their newest album hasn’t only shown a change in Brimstone Blondes’
THINK
STONY BROOK THIS SUMMER
sound. They’ve toured, been written about in a Barcelona music magazine and been played on the radio across the country. The band just got back from its winter tour and has shows in Ithaca, Purchase and Pennsylvania coming up this semester. They’re also working on booking shows for this summer and are planning on recording some new music before fall 2015. The Blondes’ music is available all over the Internet – Bandcamp and Spotify are just two of the band’s outlets. They also reissued a remastered version of Age of Consent on purple cassette tapes – including a bonus track not available online – which you can pick up at shows or on the Admirable Traits’ website. What a way to revel in those sparkly glamour vibes. “Brimstone Blondes are for the children,” Lippman said. “You hear us and you get deeply in touch with some past self that is sexy, and it is without gender or name. You transcend life and you become a beacon of glam-punk glitter sexuality. That is my promise to any listener of Brimstone Blondes.” email: arts@ubspectrum.com
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Continued from Haiti, page 1 The mission started with Polsinelli. He first heard of Fontaine when he was majoring in biology at Siena College in Loudonville, New York. Polsinelli had been looking for summer volunteer work the same time as Pierre-Louis Joizil was looking for volunteers to come teach English in his hometown of Fontaine, Haiti. Joizil was looking for volunteers at Siena after the 2010 earthquake destroyed his college and much of the city in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It was a 7.0 magnitude earthquake and killed more than 220,000 people, injured 300,000 and displaced another 1.5 million. Although $13.5 billion was raised to help rebuild the country and provide aide, disease spread through the nation. During his time at Siena, Joizil worked with the local Catholic church, Christ Our Light, to build St. Gabriel Middle-High School, the first-ever secondary school in Fontaine. Before this, students who wanted to further their education past sixth grade had to walk more than four hours round-trip to a secondary school in Pignon. After overhearing Joizil tell one of the priests at Siena about his plan to get volunteers at St. Gabriel’s, Polsinelli caught up with Joizil to express his interest. Interest quickly turned into commitment and Polsinelli took on the job of organizing the volunteer trip for a group of Siena undergraduates. Polsinelli took his first trip to Fontaine in the summer of 2012 and returned the following summer. Although Polsinelli said he had great experiences on his two trips to Fontaine teaching English, the complete absence of health care was something he couldn’t ignore. The woman with the large stomach suffered from what was most likely a heart defect. Her condition progressed past the point of the possibility for surgical repair. It was too late to save her, so Polsinelli made it his mission to treat people as early as possible. The closest hospital to Fontaine is in Pignon. But it is generally unaffordable for the people of Fontaine, who typically live on less than $2 a day, according to the Friends of Fontaine. This results in many people “toughing it out” instead of going to the hospital when needed, Polsinelli said. Following his second trip to Fontaine, Polsinelli started his first year in UB’s School of Medicine. He found himself in the right place to do something about Fontaine’s health care needs. In the first year of medical school, every student gets assigned a preceptor – a doctor they shadow and work with every other week. Polsinelli got assigned to David Holmes, director of
Global Health Education at UB. Polsinelli told Holmes about his experiences and the possibility of a spring break medical trip to Fontaine. Holmes himself had wanted to do something similar for a long time. The two started planning the trip and, after a large response from the students and fundraising activities, a group of first-year students in UB’s School of Medicine went on the first Haiti Medical Mission in April 2014. Over the week, the students were able to see 900 patients, according to the Friends of Fontaine. Their help ranged from being routine checkups to life-changing discoveries. While the students and doctors were too late to help the woman with the large stomach due to the untreated heart defect, they were able to prevent a young boy from someday being in the same position. An 18-year-old boy was one of the patients who went to the clinic for a check-up. “We listened to his heart, and noticed a murmur, a swooshing sound that wasn’t normal … I contacted some people in the country and I was able to get him an appointment with a cardiologist in another city in Haiti,” Polsinelli said. They ran some tests and it turned out he had a heart defect but is now being monitored. The boy will probably need surgery in a few years and when that time comes, Polsinelli and the other medical students will be able to fix it, Polsinelli said. Polsinelli will not be able to go on the mission this year because it is scheduled during the first-year students’ spring break. But one of the students going on the trip this year is Karina Vattana, a first year student in the School of Medicine, who said she is ready to have her “mind blown.” She is excited to make a difference, which is why she is in medical school in the first place, she said. “Med school is hard, and it is easy to burn out and lose sight of what’s important,” Vattana said. “It is important for us to remember that what we’re putting our hearts and souls into what will one day come to fruition and that we don’t have to wait for years to actually make a difference.” Friends of Fontaine and the UB medical students plan to keep making a bigger difference with every visit. Currently they are working to improve the health clinic in Pignon and develop a healthcare presence in Fontaine where for the majority of the year, no one is there but the locals. Despite the early stage of UB’s presence in Fontaine, Polsinelli is impressed with how hopeful the people of Fontaine are and looks forward to future medical students and volunteers being able to justify that hope. email: features@ubspectrum.com
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Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Warm weather jams
With spring around the corner, it's time for some new music to lift your spirits and to listen to while you bask in the sunshine. Check out the track “Warm Foothills” from alt-J’s (above) latest album. COURTESY OF FLICKR USER NRK P3
A playlist for the Vitamin D-eficient GRACE TRIMPER STAFF WRITER
Understandably, this spring is probably the most highly anticipated one in a long time. Spring doesn’t officially start until March 20, but maybe listening to some beach-worthy tunes will trick the weather into getting brighter a little bit early. It’s above 30 degrees – so toss your coat and listen to some sweet indie jams. “Sure as Spring” - La Luz Every song by La Luz makes you feel like you should be wearing cat eye sunglasses on a beach. The Seattle quartet crafts retro surf rock music that screams both “Girl power!” and “It’s so dang sunny outside!” With the word “spring” in the title, there’s no way this track won’t make you want to throw on some shorts and cruise around in a Corvette convertible. “Ice Cream” - Battles There’s nothing like eating ice cream on a nice warm day. Let this bright, offbeat song from experimental rock group Battles be the soundtrack to your next trip to Anderson’s (or Yotality - why not fool yourself into thinking you’re eating healthy?). “Warm Foothills” - alt-J This track from alt-J’s latest album paints a picture of a warm spring/summer day. The soft guitars, piano and whistling are like a gentle, sweet-smelling breeze - arguably the best part of spring. “No Waves” - FIDLAR This California garage-punk band loves to sing about getting drunk and skateboarding, which are both incredibly tempting as the spring semester progresses. “I want a perfect love on the sunset shore.” Me, too, FIDLAR. Me, too.
“Ya Hey” - Vampire Weekend The entire Modern Vampires of the City album is, in one word, fresh. This track offers catchy drum beats, ethereal synth and strings, layered vocals and a lot of that egg-shaped maraca thing all our music teachers used to have. Easy, breezy, beautiful Vampire Weekend. “Happy” - Best Coast It’s no secret that sunshine makes people happy. So does feel-good, lo-fi surf pop. “Yeah, there’s blood on the wall but I’m happy,” sings lead singer Bethany Cosentino. Nothing can ruin this good mood. “Another Sunny Day” - Belle and Sebastian Bright and infectious, Brit-pop group Belle and Sebastian’s music is made to be played on a record player. This 60s-esque song serves as the perfect soundtrack for spring cleaning or just dancing around your house with all the windows open. “Money” - The Drums In yet another beach tune, The Drums sing about being broke. As college students, we all can relate. Who cares, though? It’s nice outside. “Le Temps De L’Amour” - Francoise Hardy You might recognize this song from the scene in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom when the two kids do the twist on the beach in their underwear. “It is the time of love, / the time of friends and adventure,” sings Francoise Hardy (but in French). If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, throw on this song, grab some friends and dance on a beach with your clothes off. “Like or Like Like” - Miniature Tigers “I was wearing that dumb sweatshirt, I looked like a goon,” sing tween poppers Miniature Tigers in this airy indie tune. If you’re not in t-shirts and shorts at this point, you’re a goon. I don’t care if there’s still snow on the ground. email: arts@ubspectrum.com
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MSC 4-BDRM Apartment 3 minute walk. Appliances, redecorated immediate occupancy! $300/pp 716-691-5710, 9 to 5. 4,5,6 & 8 BEDROOM Remodeled apartment houses. 34 Apartments available located at University Buffalo Main Street Campus, off Englewood. Beginning June 2015: UB South Campus for @ $300/ bedroom plus utilities. Washers & dryers included. Contact bradengel37@gmail. com or Shawn at 716-984-7813 Check out our web-site: www.bufapt.com SPACIOUS 3-BDRM MERRIMAC. Well maintained. Washer/dryer, dishwasher. Off street parking. $735.00 716-998-2957 TIRED OF LOOKING AT THE SAME OLD DUMP??? Our nicest apartments rent now! Newly remodeled 1-4 person homes on W. Winspear, Englewood, Tyler, Heath and Merrimac. Amenities include O/S parking, whirlpool bathtubs, w/w carpeting, new ss appliances & free laundry. Live
the Sweethome life on South! Visit www. ubrents.com or call 716-775-7057 1-8 BEDROOM HOUSES AND APARTMENTS at UB South: dozens in prime locations on Winspear, Northrup, Highgate and more! Most have large bedrooms, hardwood floors, off-street parking & laundry. Local, responsible landlord with maintenance staff. Call, text or email Jeremy Dunn, (585)261-6609 or email Jeremy Dunn @ jgdunn2@msn.com HOUSE FOR RENT HOUSE FOR
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DAILY DELIGHTS sponsored by Collegiate Village Apartments Crossword of the Day
Wednesday, March 11, 2015 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK
HOROSCOPES
Edited by Timothy E. Parker March 10, 2015 KNICE TRY By Gia Kilroy
B I N E A I V E N I T
1 Some final resting places 6 Heston film “El ___” 9 Synagogue necessity 14 Alaskan boat 15 Lobsters-to-be, perhaps 16 Shun, as responsibility 17 Like a good shortstop 18 Hold the deed 19 More adorable 20 Medieval security person? 23 Preventer of forest fires? 24 Reliable riser 25 Bottom line 28 About 31 Casual eatery 36 Carmelo Anthony? 39 Chocolate substitute 40 Like some hands 41 Snow conveyances 43 Houston university 44 Historical memento 46 Removes lint from a sweater? 48 Quavering sounds 50 Paint can instruction 51 Hurricane core 52 Clumsy clod 54 “The Matrix” hero 56 Got exclusive store
Hoş geldin
Benvenuto
discounts? 64 Soak up knowledge 65 Music since the ’40s 66 MGM mogul 67 Absurd 68 Deception 69 New moon, e.g. 70 In shape 71 “To ___ is human ...” 72 “Yum!”
27 Vanilli’s lip-syncing partner 29 Kind of vaccine 30 Telltale signs 32 Hindu woman’s dress 33 Brief space of time 34 Stallone role 35 Corpulent 37 Top off a room 38 Work to shape a film 42 Undercover operation 45 Earned a dunce cap 1 Istanbul inhabitant 47 Replace in the sched 2 Arab League memule ber 49 “Cheers” character 3 Type of mart 53 Aesop’s specialty 4 Hanging loosely, 55 Brando’s birthplace as pants 56 Casino 5 Abdul-Jabbar’s tradeattraction mark shot 57 Indian 6 Humble one’s meal? bread 7 Corn 58 Coastal growing state raptor 8 Auto body damages 59 Dark film genre 9 “Poly” 60 Sincere follower flatterer? 10 Egg 61 Young hawk 11 Pro ___ (in propor- 62 Home on a branch tion) 63 Four’s 12 Yemen port inferior 13 Girl’s 64 Got the fire started pronoun 21 Players take them 22 Baby bear 25 Pants alternative, for some 26 Lead-in for “line” or “mine”
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歡迎
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Добро пожаловатьь
Willkommen
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Aloha
歡迎光臨 Bienvenue
Bienvenido
ARIES (March 21-April 19): A personal change will be in your best interest. View your situation realistically and do what’s best for you. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Offer assistance to someone who is having trouble grasping a skill required to get ahead. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Jump into action and get things going. Your original way of seeing and doing things will attract interest in what you are trying to accomplish. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Stick to what you do best. Don’t let criticism slow you down or ruin your self-esteem. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You’ve got what it takes to make things happen. Be the forerunner by making suggestions or setting up plans and events and you will enhance your relationships with the people who can influence your personal and professional goals. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Examine your financial matters. If you haven’t been happy with the investments you have or a deal someone has offered you, take time to renegotiate or make changes that can help you do better in the future. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): You are best to take control and stay on top of any situation with a business or personal partner that needs addressing. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Emotions will be difficult to contain. If you love someone, let him or her know. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You can make positive changes at home. Taking steps that will improve your living arrangements will enhance your love life. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Don’t feel pressured to do something you aren’t prepared for. Observe what others do, and you will get a better idea of the motives involved. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Take time to tie up loose ends. Go over your personal paperwork and look for opportunities that can lead to a higher income. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Don’t cut corners or someone will criticize you.
ACROSS
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Wednesday, March 11, 2015 ubspectrum.com
SPORTS
MAC TOURNAMENT PREVIEW
‘Cleveland is the reason’ Bulls prepare for MAC Tournament with championship aspirations
QUENTIN HAYNES
SPORTS EDITOR
Junior forward Justin Moss called a practice held after the men’s basketball team’s 92-88 loss to Toledo on Feb. 10 a “look in the mirror” moment for Buffalo. After a promising start to the season that included two competitive games against two of the top teams in the country, Kentucky and Wisconsin, the Bulls were just 6-5 in conference play after the loss to the Rockets. “We had to stop and think,” Moss said. “Did we want our season to be remembered for our games against Kentucky and Wisconsin, or did we want it to be remembered for our success? From there, we just took off.” A month and six wins later, Bulls claimed a MAC East division title, a share of the regular season MAC Championship and a triple-bye in this week’s conference tournament in Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. The No. 2 seeded Bulls (21-9, 12-6 MAC) will play a yet to be determined opponent Friday in the MAC Semifinals – meaning they’ll will need just two victories to claim their first ever MAC Tournament championship, as well as the program’s first ever NCAA tournament bid. The winner of the matchup between No. 7 Akron (19-13, 9-9 MAC) and No. 6 Western Michigan (20-12, 10-8 MAC) on Wednesday will advance to face No. 3
YUSONG SHI, THE SPECTRUM
(From left to right) Sophomore guard Shannon Evans, senior forward Xavier Ford, junior forward Justin Moss, junior guard Jarryn Skeete and junior forward Rodell Wigginton during a timeout in Buffalo’s 77-68 victory over Miami Ohio on Jan. 17. They will lead the Bulls into the MAC Semifinals on Friday after securing a triple-bye.
Kent State (21-01, 12-6) on Thursday. The winner of that game on Thursday will play Buffalo in the semifinal. Sophomore guard Shannon Evans, named to the All-MAC second team on Monday, said that the team’s “switch” occurred during a practice after the loss to Toledo. “After that loss, we decided to take a different mentality,” Evans said. “We took it old school – we prepared more, did all the little things again. We worked harder in practice and had to push each other to play harder. We stopped being so traditional and casual.” The Bulls lost their next game – a 75-74 last second loss to No. 1 seeded Central
Advance to the dance JORDAN GROSSMAN SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR
Last season, the women’s basketball team locked up a No. 4 seed and a double-bye to the Mid-American Conference Tournament Quarterfinals, but were upset by Ball State 74-60 in its first game. This year, the Bulls have again locked up a No. 4 seed and double-bye to the quarterfinals. But the team said it has learned from last year’s tournament. “We took it too lightly [last season],” said junior guard Mackenzie Loesing. “This year, we’re lucky enough to have that experience. We know that we’re going into the tournament and playing teams that might have some momentum. We didn’t think about that last year. We do get that rest and it will help us get have fresh legs. [The double-bye is] both a blessing and a curse, but we’re ready for it.” The Bulls (18-11, 11-7 MAC) will try to make a run to the NCAA Tournament starting on Thursday at noon when they take on the winner of No. 5 Western Michigan (19-11, 11-7 MAC) and No. 9 Central Michigan (13-17, 7-11 MAC), which will take place on Wednesday. The Bulls ended their regular season on a three-game winning streak with a 68-58 win over Kent State (5-25, 3-15 MAC). The final victory of the season propelled the team to a No. 4 seed and a first-round bye. Senior forward Kristen Sharkey was named second team All-MAC Monday, and lead the team with 14.3 points and eight rebounds per game. Sharkey, who will be making her fourth MAC Tournament appearance, said the team is ready to go this time around. “At this point, we’re coming together,” Sharkey said. “JoJo [sophomore guard Joanna Smith] is stepping up huge for us. Mackenzie found her shot. We also have the Defensive Player of the Year on our team. Defense will win basketball games.” Senior forward Christa Baccas was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year Monday and led the conference with 2.3 blocks per game and second in offensive rebounds with 3.5 per game this season. Head coach Felisha Legette-Jack said Baacas is a defensive stalwart and has been a factor in the paint on the defensive side of the ball. According to Loesing, defense is the most important part about winning a
Michigan (22-7, 12-6 MAC) – but then won six straight games in a row to close out the season. The Bulls seemed more active on the defensive side of the ball as they finished their season. In their last six victories, the Bulls allowed just one team (Bowling Green) to score more than 70 points against them and forced double digit turnovers in five of the six games. Junior guard Rodell Wigginton said the defense was the one area where the team improved the most towards the end the season. “By the end of the season, we were just everywhere on defense,” Wigginton said. “Rotations, forcing turnovers, stopping
key players – we made sure that we played good defense because our defense usually generated easy offense for us.” One player that has helped on the defensive side of the ball is senior forward Xavier Ford. In the 12 games since Ford entered the starting lineup, the Bulls give up 3.7 less points per game. Ford, like Wigginton, said that the defensive turnaround after the losing streak was vital to the team’s success late in the season. “We definitely got more active and it showed,” Ford said. “After that Toledo game where we allowed 92 points and a bunch of threes, we came into those next few games active and hungry on the defensive end. Our offense is our calling card, but the defense helped us get here.” As a senior, Ford said the last two seasons have been great for him and he has just one goal now – bringing home the MAC championship. “We’ve won the East division, now we have to win the conference tournament and make it to the NCAA,” Ford said. Head coach Bobby Hurley stood on the sidelines Monday as his team took free throw after free throw, with a miss resulting in a sprint up and down the court. While pushing his team, Hurley said he ultimately wanted his team to be “fresh” in Friday’s game. “It was a good practice,” Hurley said. “We wanted to be active, get the players back on the floor and just work with them a bit to get them back into that mentality after Friday’s game. We pushed them, but we want to remain fresh heading into Friday’s game.” Hurley said the team worked mostly on the “little things.” At this point in the season, Hurley said fine-tuning the team’s best attributes needed to be the focus during practices. The Bulls will play Friday in Cleveland for the right to go to the MAC Championship game. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m.
email: sports@ubspectrum.com
Bulls look to win tournament after last year’s early exit
YUSONG SHI, THE SPECTRUM
(From left to right) Senior forward Kristen Sharkey, sophomore forward Alexus Malone, freshman guard Stephanie Reid, Senior forward Christa Baccas and sophomore guards Karin Moss and Joanna Smith embrace one another in Buffalo’s 87-80 victory over Akron on Feb. 28. The Bulls are a No. 4 seed in the MAC Tournament.
MAC Championship. Loesing, who won MAC Sixth Player of the Year award Monday, said the team has been focusing on defense as of late because the team thinks the offense will fall into place if the defense is there. On offense, Legette-Jack praised Smith, who has averaged 17.3 points per game over the team’s current four-game winning streak. “We talk about Joanna Smith, who has done a tremendous job for us right now,” Legette-Jack said. “She’s playing at a highoctane level and has played tremendous for us down the stretch.” Legette-Jack said the team’s chemistry will be a factor in how well it plays in
Cleveland. At the beginning of the season, Legette-Jack said the team’s chemistry was good, but not there yet. Entering the final week of play, Legette-Jack said otherwise. “There were people in the locker room that didn’t belong there,” Legette-Jack said. “Those people aren’t in our locker room anymore. I like that the kids have taken ownership of their responsibilities. The people that are making mistakes are not afraid to say, ‘It was my fault.’” Sophomore guard/forward Rachel Gregory left the team in January with plans to transfer to another school. The team will play on Thursday at the Quicken Loans Arena in the quarterfinals
for the second straight year. The Bulls would need another three-game winning streak to play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. And if the team’s “oneness” is present, Legette-Jack said the team will have a great opportunity to advance to the big dance. “If we can connect with each other and continue with our oneness, this team will be special,” Legette-Jack said. “Our story is really fun to hear. But no one will hear it until we cut the nets down. Let’s make people hear our story.” Thursday’s tipoff is set for noon. email: sports@ubspectrum.com