The Spectrum. Volume 59 Issue 43

By CHELSIE HINCKLEYAsst. City Editor

Student Association Presi-dent Ernesto Alvarado met with members of SA clubs, the student body and others associated with SA last night to discuss the previous year,

the year ahead and what is currently going on within the walls of the organization. Alvarado’s speech began with memories of SISH Coor-dinator Nicholas Orrange, who passed away in a one-car accident on Jan. 14. Following his comments on Orrange’s character, he led a moment of silence in respect of his late coworker and friend. The focus of the meeting was to discuss strides SA

has made during its run this academic year, including the 24-hour busing system, movement toward advocating for students on tuition hikes, concert series, distinguished speakers, relating students to UB athletics and better connecting students to the campus and SA in particular. As far as the future goes, Alvarado has plans he thinks

Inside:Arts and Life ........... 5Classifieds ........... 11Opinion .................... 3Sports .................. 12This Weekend ........ 5

h t t p : / / w w w . u b s p e c t r u m . c o m

The SpectrumFriday, January 22, 2010 Volume 59 Issue 43An independent student publication of the University at Buffalo

see STATE page 6

M A Y N A R D L E A V E S B U F F A L O P a g e 1 2 | S T U D E N T L O S E S F A M I L Y I N D I S A S T E R P a g e 6

Weather:

Fri: 38° high / 22° low

Sat: 39° high / 30° low

Sun: 47° high / 36° low

Clinton Hodnett / The Spectrum

Left: SA President Ernesto Alvarado informed students about the past, present and future of the Student Association late Thursday evening.

See Page 12See Page 5

see GREEN page 4

Alvarado sheds light on both past and future of SA

Clinton Hodnett/ The SpectrumMany students are being forced to put their dreams of being a nurse on hold. Some are even giving up completely.

Nursing dreams shattered

J O E I N W O N D E R L A N DTravel down the figurative rabbit hole

in the new comic mini-series

BAXTER RESIGNS SUB BOARD, I POST On Thursday, Sub Board I, Inc. notified employees that Nicholas Baxter resigned from his post as treasurer from the organization. Anto-nio Roman, who is currently SA’s assistant treasurer, will replace him. Neither the organization nor Baxter could be reached for comment on the matter.

E-mail: [email protected]

WANTED The Spectrum is looking for next year’s editor in chief.

Are you interested?

The position, which is only open to under-graduate students, requires a great deal of time,

commitment and professionalism for a publication that is going on its 60th year on this campus.

Any student who has any questions can stop by 132 Student Union to talk to Stephen Marth, the current editor in chief. Interested parties can also e-mail him at stephen.

[email protected] or call him at 716-645-8560.

Letters of intent must be submitted to him by Friday, January 29 at 5:00 p.m. They

will only be accepted through e-mail.

All candidates will meet with the paper’s editorial board in a closed session at a later date and

will be elected after an interview process.

By ADRIAN FINCHSenior Life Editor

Recycling one ton of paper can save 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water and conserve the amount of electricity needed to power an average household for f ive months. But that’s obvious, right? Taking those extra few steps to the recycling bin isn’t any more difficult than stroll-ing to the fridge and grabbing out a Yoplait, yet most of us opt out of it anyway. Chris Llop, a senior elec-trical engineer major and director of the Student Association Environmental Department, has made it his mission to make the world a better – and greener – place. “We have a set amount of

resources and there’s no way that you can argue that if we use up all of our resources, they won’t be gone [in the future],” Llop said. SA Environmental works to educate students on becom-ing more environmentally friendly and living ecologi-cally responsible lives, as mapped out in the Climate Action Plan. Led by the UB Environmen-tal Stewardship Committee and established by President John B. Simpson, the CAP was drafted last year, stating that UB is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, creating global change and reaching climate neutrality by 2030. In 2007, Simpson signed the American College and University Presidents Climate

Commitment, demonstrating UB’s dedication to reducing its GHG emissions by creat-ing measures to reduce or completely eliminate them.

With the UB 2020 plan already put in place and aiming to expand the overall

Rumblings of a green initiative

Clinton Hodnett/ The SpectrumSA Environmental will kick off the nationwide recycling competition RecycleMania to raise student awareness and create an environmentally friendly campus.

see NURSES page 4

Program faults result in student uproar

By CAITLIN TREMBLAYCampus Editor

Janice Grant, a junior intended nursing major at UB, is desperately looking for a new school, a new major and a new career. “I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Grant said. “I’m just really confused and disheartened.” Grant is just one of 300 undergraduates at UB who may not be able to graduate on time, or at all, with a nursing degree. On Tuesday, the UB School of Nursing announced to its intended majors via e-mail that it would no longer be accepting applications into the major for the fall of 2010. “The basic program is already at capacity, given the number of freshmen admit-ted a few years ago, and

expanding the program is not an option at this time due to budget cuts,” said David Lang, director of student affairs for the UB School of Nursing. When the news broke, there was a surge of anger among the students who were hoping to apply for the major when the application opened on Feb. 1. “All my prerequisites are done. I transferred to UB from Brockport specifically for the nursing program and now I can’t get in. They don’t even know if I can get in next year,” said Amber Wood, a sophomore. “When I talked to the [School of Nursing] when I was transferring, they told me that while the program is competitive, if I maintained or raised my GPA I would get in, and now I can’t. I feel like UB didn’t hold up their end of the bargain.”

Grant feels similarly, espe-cially since there’s been a projected critical shortage of nurses by the year 2020. “We’re not even being allowed the opportunity to apply, which means I’ve wasted almost two years and a lot of money,” she said. “I feel

like we’ve been strung along. They didn’t even notify us in time to make other plans.” Grant is alluding to the fact that the last date to drop classes without finan-cial liability was Friday, Jan. 15 and that it’s also too late to transfer to another

nursing school. “It wouldn’t be so bad if they had given us time to make other plans, but they didn’t,” Grant explained. “They weren’t upfront with us.”

S E N T T O K E N TThe men’s basketball team was lost on the road at Kent State.

2 The Spectrum January 22, 2009

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3 The SpectrumJanuary 22, 2009

OPINION

JANUARY 22, 2009VOLUME 59 NUMBER 43CIRCULATION: 10,000

The views expressed — both writ-

ten and graphic — in the Feedback,

Opinion, and Perspectives sections

of The Spectrum do not necessarily

reflect the views of the editorial

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The Spectrum reserves the right

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The Spectrum is provided free by the Undergraduate Mandatory Activity Fee

Editorial Board

Editor in Chief Stephen Marth

Managing Editors David Sanchirico Jennifer Lombardo Matt Mosher

Editorial Editor Jacob Shillman

Campus Editors Caitlin Tremblay Brendon Bochacki, asst.

Amanda Woods, asst.

City Editors Jennifer Good Chelsie Hinckley, asst.

Lauren Nostro, asst.

Arts Editors Christopher DiMatteo, senior

Eric Hilliker Jameson Butler, asst.

Vanessa Frith, asst.

James Twigg, asst.

Life Editors Adrian Finch, senior

Shane Fallon Rachel Lamb Jessica Brant, asst.

Jessica DiGennaro, asst.

Sports Editors Andrew Wiktor, senior

Matt Parrino Joe Paterno Luke Hammill, asst.

Christy Suhr, asst.

Photo Editors Katie Carlett, senior

Samantha Hicks Clinton Hodnett

Copy Editor Meghan Farrell

Graphics Designer Rafael Kobayashi

Professional Staff

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Administrative Assistant Helene Polley

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Web EditorAndrew Muraco

Creative Directors Christopher Caporlingua Daniel Tcharnyi, asst.

The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by 360 Youth.

The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus,

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Telephone: (716) 645-2468. Fax: (716) 645-2766.

Copyright 2010 Buffalo, N.Y.

The Spectrum is printed by Buffalo Newspress PO Box 648,

Buffalo, NY 14240-0648.

Hiphopopotamus Every radio I’ve owned for the past 10 years has been broken; they all play the same songs over and over again. I bring each radio to every repair shop I know and ask why every FM radio I own has broken-record syndrome. The repairmen always ignore me and go back to listening to their iPods. Not only are songs overplayed, they lack deep, and sometimes underlying, messages. This especially holds

true for “rap” stations. One of my favorite things to do is sparking one, turning on some old Jay-Z and letting the hi-hats and

kick drums pulsate through my headphones like an irregular but

rhythmic heartbeat. On the suave beat, Sean Carter reveals his once-private life as a high

school dropout and crack dealer to an appreciative group of listen-

ers that still continues to grow. “Suckin’ me in like a vacuum, I remember/ tellin’ my family I’ll be back soon, that was December/ Eighty-five then, Jay-Z rise ten years later/ got me wise, still can’t break my underworld ties.” This song, “Politics as Usual,” was on Reasonable Doubt, Jay-Z’s first album. Then 25 years old, the Marcy Houses resident recorded the masterpiece when he was an ener-getic, aspiring lyricist with no thoughts of headlining Coachella or marrying “the hottest chick in the game.” He had a story to tell, and people listened. Reasonable Doubt released in 1996, when storytelling, political rhetoric and tales of the daily grind and under-ground were still prevalent in the rap game. Artists like Mobb Deep, Nas, Gangstarr, A Tribe Called Quest and Geto Boyz started to paint the picture of a lifestyle so many of us could never imagine. Their songs meant something. “Juicy” was a true ashy-to-classy tale that not only chronicled Biggie Smalls’s amazing climb up from a rank similar to the untouchable level in a caste system, but also told kids residing in the most dire of living situations that there was hope. Even Freeway, far from a lyrical genius, was narrative and made strong statements. In “What We Do,” he pro-posed a catch-22 that many people were experiencing. The song speaks about a job that many view as a sin, but is the only option for others.

David SanchiricoManaging Editor

For a state that was the proving ground of democracy, it sure threw the country for a loop with Tuesday’s election results. Massachusetts, a place where Democrats greatly outnumber Republicans, filled Ted Kennedy’s vacant Senate seat with Republican Scott Brown.

With Brown, the Republicans have 41 seats in the Senate, which now grants them the ability to block legislation.

Can the Democrats get anything right?

Winning elections isn’t the strong suit of this party and, as of this year, even with a majority in both houses in the United States Congress, the Democrats can’t pass legislation. It’s deeply concerning.

Brown’s surge in the polls came when Democratic candidate Martha Coakley was on vacation. The gaffes are repeated over and over again by the Democrats.

Coakley went on vacation because she didn’t think she could lose.

It doesn’t take a political expert to under-stand the current mood of the country and to assume an election is won even in a Democratic stronghold such as Massachusetts due to her featureless and mind-numbing campaign.

To make matters worse, Coakley indirectly stated that she had better things to do than meet voters in the cold. Quite frankly, this entire cam-paign reeks of no innovative ideas or energy.

The Democrats deserved to lose.

To examine the results in a wider scope, this election delivers a serious body blow to the agenda of President Barack Obama. The famed health care bill is under serious suspicion.

Brown stands against the federal bill, but he supported an analogous law in Massachu-setts that requires every state resident to buy insurance. In the federal matter, however, Brown believes the bill will cost too much.

But health care isn’t the only bill in trouble. Other domestic measures being debated include a cap and trade bill to limit green-house gases and immigration reform bill that would allow millions of illegal Americans to be brought into the fold as citizens.

The reason why such surprising results came from Massachusetts is because the Democrats have failed in two core issues.

According to the American people, the Democrats have failed to create new jobs and keep citizens from losing their homes.

A team of economists isn’t needed for politi-cians to wake up to the fact that if people lose their jobs, they generally lose health insurance soon after. The president sat on the sidelines as Republicans took control of the debate.

Really, the only lesson to take away from the Massachusetts calamity is that the Democrats better wake up. Maybe they needed a slap in the face. This isn’t to say that Americans are in love with the Republican Party and doesn’t necessarily mean big victories for the Republi-cans come the November midterm elections.

But voters want to see actual change – not to mention the backbone promised by Demo-crats during the previous election. President Obama is still popular but has taken some hits.

The storm clouds are definitely gather-ing for this November. The Democrats need to get their act together.

Mass shockDecoding Massachusetts’s Senate election

Paterson finally gets one right.

Along with his proposed budget plan, which was announced on Tuesday, the governor of New York will allow more self-rule for universities, freeing them from Albany.

The goal of the plan is to allow the SUNY schools to better compete with other universi-ties nationwide. Over the years, many campus presidents have had to check in with the state government in Albany for a wide variety of things, such as buying supplies with tuition.

This is no longer the case.

It is interesting, though, granting schools the ability to be elastic in their own planning and budget decisions. It was only a year ago that the UB 2020 Flexibility and Economic Growth plan was put before the state legislature.

Paterson seems to have taken a large chunk of that plan, which was specifically aimed at allowing the University at Buffalo to acquire funds for a major expansion, and applying it to the whole SUNY system.

The only barrier to the proposal is get-ting the entire legislation on board. Many members of the legislation failed to vote on the UB 2020 Flexibility and Economic Growth Plan because they felt that the other SUNY schools were left out.

That shouldn’t be a problem this time around.

But it isn’t all roses; if the plan is adopted, there is a concern that as tuition increases, the schools might actually price out certain students. Many times, tuitions are raised due

to such factors as inflation, energy costs, labor contracts and even major building plans.

But there are some other nice abilities for schools if the plan is passed, such as the opportunity to lease property and enter public-private partnerships for expansions without making the students pay for it.

SUNY is shedding the shackles of the tradi-tional increases that have taken many students and parents by surprise. Allowing universities to increase tuition in reasonable increments helps students to better plan their finances.

Not to mention the fact that SUNY schools will have a better grasp of their budgets and can improve their academic offerings and campus facilities without having to always check in with state officials.

Different approaches are expected to any flexibility the state grants on tuition rates by campus or program. For example, CUNY is expected to consider tuition not by campus, but by academic program. It will focus on programs with higher costs due to laboratory needs and specialized faculty.

The power to be more economically flexible is a tremendous gift, but it also comes with a price tag of being reasonable and responsible to the students who attend these schools.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said it best: “You can have power over people as long as you don’t take everything away from them. But when you’ve robbed a man of everything, he’s no longer in your power.”

Schools should take that into consideration when asking for more from students.

SUNY autonomyPaterson proposal allows colleges to determine tuition

Mama’s boy I’d like to think that as a 20-year-old in my junior year of college, I’m no longer completely dependent on my parents’ aid to get by, but I know that’s not the truth. I’m reminded of it a little more every time I make empty promises to pay them back with money we both know I don’t have. I’m a mama’s boy and I’ve been one all of my life. I’m probably a papa’s boy, too, but I don’t think I like the sound of that. Since grade school, my parents have been

behind me with every major decision of my life, always in support of whatever I wanted to do – where I went to high

school, what sports I wanted to play and who I wanted to hang out with.

I suspect they’ve had to bite their tongues at some of the steps I’ve chosen to take, but they’ve

never done anything more than give me advice and allow me to

make my own decisions. I could not have possibly made it to the position I’m in today without their (often overbearing) support, and it’s about time I admit that. This is probably starting to sound a little bit like an acceptance, I’d-like-to-thank speech, but in the words of Robert Downey, Jr., “If you start playing violins, I will tear this joint apart.” Any homework question I’ve needed help on or paper I’ve needed looked over, my dad has been there, usually with a greater concern about the issue at hand than myself. Anytime I’ve ever noticed I’m starting to wear the same shirt three or four times a week, my mom has been more than willing to do some shopping for me. I’m starting to actually wonder, though, if it might be a cause for concern that I’m nearly incapable of buying my own clothes. I had a feeling that their parental tendencies might have eased up a bit when I moved out of the house and they found things other than my wellbeing to occupy their time, but that was hardly the case. One week into my first semester at Geneseo, I found myself receiving care packages with enough junk food to last me a month and, more often than not, a 12-pack of Coors light. I certainly had some questions about the legality of send-ing alcohol through the mail to an underage person, but I

Brendon BochackiAsst. Campus Editor

see BOCHACKI page 8

see SANCHIRICO page 4

A S YOU ARE RE ADING THIS , YOUR FUTURE IS SLOWLY DISSIPATING INTO NOTHING .

But there’s hope.

JOIN THE SPECTRUM!IF YOU’RE INTERESTED IN WRITING, PHOTOGRAPHY, BROADCAST ON UBTV OR LONG WALKS ON THE BEACH,

YOU’RE IN LUCK! WE’RE LOOKING FOR YOU!And we’ll offer you three credits in ENG 394, just because we love you.

So register. Right now. You have until 10:59 p.m. tonight. Or your parents will consider you a failure.Don’t let them down. Don’t let US down.


Nursing students feel cheated

NURSES from page 1

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The UB Music Department presentsthe first three concerts of the

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Brentano String Quartet Friday, Jan 22nd

Daedalus Quartet Monday, Jan 25th

Borromeo String Quartet Tuesday, Jan 26TH

all concerts: 7:30pmin lippes concert hall

in slee hallon UB’S Amherst Campus

tickets/info: (716)645-2921,

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Lang attributes the short notice to the university calendar. “We always count on students leaving the program for either aca-demic or personal reasons, but this year that didn’t happen,” Lang said. “Fall grades are not available until Jan. 4 and then it took us time to review the record of the 400 students who are already in the program. We didn’t finish the review process until [Jan. 15] and we sent the notice out [Jan. 19] because of the long weekend. We worked as diligently as possible.” Grant is not sure if she believes this excuse. “[The School of Nursing] said they [closed the application] because they accepted too many freshmen two years ago. If they accepted that many students two years ago, how could they have not foreseen this? They should have taken into account that students wouldn’t

drop out of the program, especially now when nurses are needed more than ever,” Grant said. “They should have known this would happen way before now and they should have given us more notice. It’s absolutely ridiculous.” In an attempt to rectify the prob-lem, the School of Nursing has closed its application for the fall and will no longer be accepting freshmen directly into the school. “All freshmen will have to come in as intended nursing students, take prerequisites and then apply,” Lang said. Grant and Wood feel that this is a fair way to run things and that this should have always been the process. “[Acceptance] into the program should be entirely based on GPA within the prerequisite require-ments. It’s the only fair way to do it,” Grant said. Despite feeling that the school is pursuing an adequate solution, stu-dents still feel left in the cold — left

only with options that will cost them more time and, more importantly, more money. “We’re advising students to either take more classes and apply again next year if we have space or to pursue another major and then apply to our accelerated program,” Lang said. “They aren’t perfect options and we’re expecting students to transfer, but it’s all we can advise right now.” Wood is planning on transferring, but Grant isn’t sure what she will do. Both are hoping to take action against the School of Nursing to receive a tuition refund for this semester since the notice came after the financial liability date. “I will demand my money back,” Wood said. “It’s ridiculous. We were all promised the opportunity to at least apply and we can’t even do that. It’s disgusting.”


campus and population by nearly 40 percent, the CAP’s goal is to reduce the university’s carbon footprint and its impact on the environment in the future. Some of the potential outcomes of the CAP include the establish-ment of additional park and ride lots, designation of more parking lots for carpooling and creation of a university transit pass pro-gram with Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority. SA Environmental plans to be an active voice in spreading awareness to the student body about the CAP and the effects that living a green life can have for not only UB, but also the world. “The more students that know about what UB is doing … the more people that can hold UB responsible for the CAP,” said Michael Alcazaren, a junior aerospace and mechani-cal engineering major and assistant director of SA Environmental. In an effort to represent the student body and their concerns for the state of UB’s environment, SA Environmental has recruited volunteers for the upcoming RecycleMania event. RecycleMania is a nationwide university recycling competition that takes place over a 10-week period. Schools keep track of who collects

the largest amount of recyclables per student, who collects the largest total amount of recyclables and the least amount of trash, and who has the overall highest recycling rate. At the end of the competi-tion on March 27, winners will be announced and the recycling champions will be given an inscribed award and recognition at a future event. Last year was UB’s first time participating in the competi-tion, ending with an 18 to 25 percent recycling rate. “We’re trying to improve recycling on campus. Right now we’re at a 35 percent recycling rate, but we’d like to get to 50 percent,” said Jim Simon, environmental educator for UB Green. “But why stop there?” This time around, Llop and his team decided to participate in not only RecycleMania, but also a competition between UB and five other SUNY schools: Bingham-ton, Fredonia, Albany, Brockport, and New Paltz. SA Environmental has planned various recycle-related activi-ties and is accepting volunteers to help in its efforts. On April 24, in celebration of Earth Day, the department will be hold-ing an event called Mt. Trashmore, where garbage will be piled in a vis-ible area with accompanying signs to show what the pile would look like if

students had recycled it instead. Partnering with SA Environmen-tal, UB Green will be hosting events throughout the competition and semester. On Wednesdays, the envi-ronmental office will host “Caught Green Handed,” where volunteers will walk around campus searching for those who are recycling to award them a prize. “[UB Green] works with students and faculty to educate and to make changes … we are a resource and try to help other organizations on campus to be green,” Simon said. Alcazaren believes that each student can make a difference in the environment by doing things such as using a water bottle instead of purchasing bottled water or printing documents on discarded paper found in the recycling bins. “Even taking the stairs up one floor [can help],” Alcazaren said. “If you spend five minutes waiting for an elevator, you’re wasting so much energy and you could have gotten there faster if you had just taken the stairs.” And if stairs are out of the picture, just do what Simon says. “Recycling is one of the most vis-ible and easy ways to have a positive environmental impact … it’s so easy to do to make a difference,” he said.


Every little bit helpsGREEN from page 1

“Don’t you know cops’ whole pur-pose is to lock us down / And throw away the key? / But without this drug shit your kids ain’t got no way to eat,” the Philadelphia rapper told the world. And now? Well … aside from dancing and blaming mistakes on a bottle of 80-proof Burnett’s vodka (none of us can afford Grey Goose right now), rappers don’t inspire us to do anything. Maybe I just like the rough, rigid and sometimes heartbreak-ing recordings, and maybe artists nowadays are more optimistic and just want to forget about their previ-ously desperate lifestyles. But to me, no lyrical skill or originality is needed to make it big anymore. There are artists like Common, Joe Budden, Lupe Fiasco and Raekwon who still write songs with reason and meaning, but their

works don’t receive any rotation by focus group-dictated radio stations. Want to hear what you sound like on the radio? Here’s what you do: think of the highest amount of metaphors possible – doesn’t matter if they’re relevant to the “issue” dis-cussed in the song – add the catchiest sample you can find, and make sure you refer to some kind of drink or dance move so females will play it at pregame parties before heading to Mojo’s to hear the exact same song 10 more times. A u t o - t u n e i s s t r o n g l y recommended. Even Jay-Z has adjusted to the current formula, basically losing the flame that sparked the rapper to record a gritty Reasonable Doubt 14 years ago. During “On to the Next One,” the now 40-year-old rapper rapped, “No, I’m not a Jonas Brother, I’m a grown up / No, I’m not a virgin, I use my cojones.”

And this came from one of the better rap albums of 2009. If the dude still had any balls, he’d pull out another Reasonable Doubt and change the way we look at rap … again. But right now, the game is an embarrassment. In the 1990s, people viewed rappers as the untalented stepsons of James Brown, John Coltrane and Michael Jackson. Imagine how these critics view today’s hip-hop role models. The Billboard Chart is saturated with watered-down baby makers like “I Invented Sex” and “I Get It In,” along with money-motivated tunes like “Money to Blow.” The decline started years ago, but will continue if simple-minded artists continue to flood the charts with simple-minded songs.


Auto-tune is strongly recommendedSANCHIRICO from page 3


Representin’ the 90s After a nice, relaxing Christmas with my family, I returned to Buffalo full of anticipation to finally play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with my friends online. As I frolicked in through my side door and laid my bags on my bed, something felt amiss. I surveyed my room to find that my Xbox 360 was taken from my house while I was back in my hometown of Rochester. So over the past few weeks, I’ve had the free time to reminisce about systems past. The more I think about it, the 360 might have the graphics, but it does not have my heart. Sure, killing virtual terrorists is almost as fun as killing real terrorists, but I don’t think anything will be as fun as Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. That is, hands down, the best game ever created. My friends and I spent about three years of our lives glued to the television rescuing Princess Peach. And the other games for SNES were just as addic-tive as Mario. Have you ever heard of The Lion King game? Yeah, memories of that game still visit me in my dreams. Ever since the mid-2000s, it seems there have been more busts than successful games that live up to the hype. Just think about it: the Madden games haven’t been good since the PlayStation 2. The high-resolution graphics are ruining video games. It’s nice to play a game that looks like a movie, but no games have the replay value that SNES games do. As video game production companies start con-centrating on graphics more and more, they stop caring about the gameplay. Nowadays, all games seem to have same general plot, just with different characters and guns. A perfect example of this phenomenon is Left 4

ARTS & LIFE

Jameson ButlerAsst. Arts Editor

see BUTLER page 8

By ERIC HILLIKERArts Editor

Blood and stuffing flow from the paved streets from Teddy Bear Lane to Starbase Lane. The war had been won, and the terrible armies of Lord Death are poised to conquer the world. The only hope for the forces of good is a diabetic teenager named Joe. Spinning from the madcap mind of comic genius Grant Morrison is the new Vertigo series, Joe the Barbarian. Described by Mor-rison as “Home Alone meets Lord of the Rings,” Joe puts a trippy, modern spin on the classic fantasy genre made up of the likes of Alice in

Wonderland and Oz. Joe the Barbarian tells the story of Joe, an average teenager who suffers from diabetes. Joe endures the same problems that most teenagers face: bullies, being in a moody rut for most of the time and extreme loner vibes. Joe’s typical life takes a turn when he starts to suffer from some abnormal visions. His hallucinations twist his home into a strange fantasy world, but are these stemming from his diabetes or is he really seeing these wonders come to life? Either way, Joe is dragged into a great war of good and evil when his toys come to life and warn him that the armies of evil are approach-ing. Joe must team up with an unusual batch of allies, which includes his pet rat-turned-samurai, if he is going to survive and save the day. Joe the Barbarian echoes classic children’s

fiction, filtered through the mad mind of Mor-rison. This is a modern tale, similar to those of Alice and Dorothy, but with a psychedelic twist for a new day and age. One great standout of Morrison’s script is the description of the world that he creates in such a short amount of page work. In the final pages, Morrison transforms a normal bedroom

into a fantastical, dreamlike world. Morrison is a master of building tension and dread. The tension mounts at a wicked pace as Joe arrives at his quiet home and is dragged into the fantasy world, which culminates in the hor-rifying sight of the now-living toys. It is scary to

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF JOE

Courtesy of DC ComicsSamurai rats, living toys, dwarves that live in pipes and Batman: welcome to the world of Joe the Barbarian.

By JOHN HUGARStaff Reporter

Ditching the baby talk album titles, Spoon comes back to con-tinue their success with their newest effort, Transference. After years of struggling on the indie circuit, Spoon reached the big time in 2007 with their album Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. If there’s any justice in the world, then Transference will be just as popu-lar as their previous offering. The album features everything Spoon does well. While it may not have anything as catchy as “The Underdog” or “You got Yr. Cherry Bomb,” it does boast eleven solid, consistent tracks that make for an overall delightful listen. The first single, “Written In Reverse,” is quintessential Spoon. Combining the punk sen-sibilities of their early years with the infectious power-pop of their later efforts, it summarizes their entire career and reminds you

just how great they really are. Another standout track is “Out Go the Lights,” which is the clos-est they’ll ever come to a power ballad. Britt Daniel softly sings, “You walked into the ballroom like/ the call for wind and rain was right/ and all the heads spin left to right/ and then out went the lights.” The lyrics grow repetitive in “The Mystery Zone,” but it manages to hold on, as listeners never get tired of hearing Daniel sing the title phrase in his fake British accent. The only downside, if any, of Transference is the fact that it’s not quite as diverse as Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. While their previous album was the most varied thing they’d ever done, featuring everything from reggae to post-punk to power-pop, the tracks on Trans-ference tend to blend together. It feels like a homogenization of all their previous styles, and they seem to have stopped exploring other avenues.

Still, this is a very strong album, and proves that Spoon has the capacity to be a major musical force for years to come. They are talented songwriters, and Transference is their most self-assured album yet.


Reminder of the past

W E E K E N D I N B U F F A L OWho: Vanessa FrithWhat: Local ShowcaseWhen: Friday 6 p.m.Where: Xtreme WheelsWhy: You never know, your next favorite band may be just beyond the next snowbank.

Who: Eric HillikerWhat: Hey You: A Tribute to Pink FloydWhen: Saturday 7:30 p.m.Where: The Historic Riviera TheatreWhy: The chances of the real Pink Floyd getting back together are zero to none, so this could be the next best thing.

Who: Chris Di MatteoWhat: Disney On Ice presents Princess ClassicsWhen: Various times Friday through SundayWhere: HSBC ArenaWhy: It will show you a tale that is as old as time, in a whole new world. Plus you get to see seven midgets on ice skates.

A-

SpoonTransference

Merge RecordsJan. 19

Courtesy of SpoonSpoon continues to roll with great albums with their latest, Transference.

Aliens vs. Predator Developer: RebellionRelease Date: February 16 Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Few things in sci-fi strike fear into the hearts of aging nerds across the globe like the Xenomorphs and Predators brought to life in the classic Alien and Predator franchises. With their new game, Aliens vs. Predator, the game designers at Rebellion are looking to implant that same fear into the hearts of a new generation, like an alien embryo into your chest. Fortunately, the game is nothing like the movie. Aliens vs. Predator gives gamers the choice of playing as an Alien, a Predator or a Colonial Marine. Each character has its own unique style and separate full-length single player campaign. Playing as an Alien will require the use of stealth tactics to get up close and personal to score a kill. Running

across ceilings and pulling your prey through gates is guaranteed to provide an endless amount of fun for anybody. The Predator will most likely have similar gameplay mechanics to those of the Alien. Stealth will be a large factor to its style, but its infamous shoulder-mounted cannon will more than likely give it an edge over the insect like Aliens. Colonial Marines will play more like the traditional first-person shooter experience, but with a survival horror twist similar to that of the Resident Evil series. So make sure to pick up your copy and see how long you can survive.

Mass Effect 2Developer: BioWareRelease Date: January 26Platforms: Xbox 360, PC

Mass Effect, released in 2007, met with instant praise from both fans and critics alike, selling over 1 million copies within its first three weeks. The game went on to win both the “Best RPG” and “Game of the Year” awards. But crafting an awe-inspiring sequel can be a tricky thing. Fans were all expecting it to be bigger and better in every aspect of the game. Fortunately, BioWare, the devel-opers of the series, were up to the challenge. Everything from how it looks to how it plays has been improved. Whereas the first game gave the player four different weapon types to select from, Mass Effect 2 boasts 19 deadly choices. This includes a class with a feature that will allow players to kill the same

enemies over and over again. This time around, enemy AI may be down, but they’re not out. After being mortally wounded, your opponents will now continue to pull themselves along the floor and continue to fight. Graphically, the game looks beautiful. Its textures are smooth and character animation appears flawless. There’s no denying that this is one game that’s going to be as much fun to look at as it is to play. Mass Effect 2 is undoubtedly destined to be one of the top games of 2010, so if you fancy yourself a gamer, this is one that you don’t want to miss out on.

Bioshock 2Developer: 2K gamesRelease Date: February 9Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

With Bioshock 2, 2K Games is submerging gamers yet again into the vast underwater city of Rapture in their follow up to the 2007 “Best Game” winner. However, things aren’t the same this time around. In the first game, players assume control of a plane crash survivor who happens to come across the decaying world of Rapture. Once inside, the player is made to fight for his life against enemies known as splicers, and other more intimidating foes affec-tionately referred to as Big Daddies. In Bioshock 2, however, the player steps into the diving boots of a Big Daddy – the first of its kind, in fact. This gives the player an opportunity to eviscerate their opponents with the Big Daddy’s weapon of choice, the drill.

Alongside being able to screw over — quite literally — some irritating splicers, players can now mix and match plasmids. Plasmids are abilities that allow you to shoot fire, electricity or even live bees from your hands. Who wouldn’t love to send a swarm of flaming bees at their enemies? Nobody, that’s who. In addition to the long awaited campaign, Bioshock 2 is also sport-ing an all-new multiplayer complete with several different variants. If you were a fan of the first game, then make sure to get your hands on a copy of Bioshock 2 on February 9.

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By AMANDA WOODSAsst. Campus Editor

For many UB students and Buf-falo residents, the devastation from last week’s earthquake in Haiti may seem worlds away, but for others, the tragedy hits closer to home. Samarth Joseph, a Haitian-born Ph.D. student in the Department of Geography, lost 15 family members in the earthquake. “My parents live in New York City, but many very close family members, including aunts and uncles and cousins, were killed,” Joseph said. “I knew them and even stayed with them last April when I was in Haiti doing economic development research for my dissertation.” She received devastating news from other family members who don’t expect to survive. “I’ve received texts from family members living in and near Port-au-Prince. Three haven’t been found yet,” Joseph said. “One told me the smell is terrible, bodies are being burned and says he is dying because there is no water, no food. Although the aftershocks have subsided, he told me people are still shaking inside. It is an awful, awful situa-tion, as we know.” Joseph’s fiancé, an electrical engi-neer, was injured in the earthquake and is unable to leave Haiti. “He was supposed to visit me through May, but a minor paper-work issue held up his departure,” Joseph said. “Then the quake hit and the problem can’t be resolved now because of the destruction of records and offices. I have to help him, too.” She hopes to initiate an interven-tion on her fiancé’s behalf through contacts in Washington, D.C. Joseph originally planned to travel to Haiti to help family members and distribute solar cookers from Solar Liberty Foundation in Williams-ville to people in need. However, according to Paige Mecca, executive

director of Solar Liberty, Joseph cancelled her trip because of con-cerns about getting in and out of the country with the equipment. Despite Joseph’s change of plans, Solar Liberty will continue to con-tribute to the Haitian relief effort. Mecca, an alumna of UB’s law school, said that the organization still plans to transport the solar cookers to Haiti. “A lot of people are scavenging for cooking oil … so the solar cooker would eliminate the need for that,” Mecca said. Mecca explained that the cookers contain a device that alerts users when the temperature has reached 160 degrees and the bacteria have been killed. Solar Liberty plans to collaborate with Partners In Health and use a solar identification system to aid the wounded. It also intends to purchase pre-packaged food for the famished population. Mecca encourages people to donate to Solar Liberty’s efforts through the Web site. Its efforts require 1,000 solar cookers, priced at $100 each.

“We need to purchase expensive electrical equipment that will power the solar cookers,” Mecca said. Solar Liberty is not the only Buf-falo-based organization that plans to reach out to Haiti. Andre Fili-atrault, a UB civil and environmental engineering professor and director of the Multidisciplinary Center for Earthquake Engineering Research (MCEER), is traveling to Haiti with the Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group (AIDG) to determine the structural stability of hospitals and warehouses in Port au Prince. According to Donald Goralski, the senior program officer of Business Development and Strategic Partner-ships and MCEER, Filiatrault and his colleagues are fully prepared for their undertaking. “Members of the AIDG-MCEER Haiti Earthquake Engineering Relief Mission possess structural and earthquake engineering know-how to help determine the safety of the damaged structures,” Goralski said. “Several members have experience

UB reaches out to Haiti

Courtesy of UB News ServicesUB student Samarth Joseph was planning on going to Haiti to help her family, but the dangers have kept her in Buffalo.

will improve the coming years at UB. It hopes to increase student awareness by bringing back UBTV in conjunction with The Spectrum and making information more acces-sible to students through broadcast. Alvarado also commented on how this will help clubs obtain more involvement in their activities because they can publicize events through use of commercials. SA wants to hold an open town meeting with the University Police to answer any questions students may have and make the police more relat-able to the student body. Alvarado believes this will help close the gap between the police and students. The environment has become a big priority to SA, and for the first time, it has established an environmental department within the organization. The focus of this group will be to work toward “greener” practices

inside SA and to promote environ-mentally friendly options on campus. After Alvarado’s initial speech, SA officials opened the floor to a ques-tion and answer period. Juan Carlos Gutierrez, a freshman undecided major, asked Alvarado how he plans to uphold a promise made during his campaign in which he discussed closing the gap between students and the SA. “Freshmen and transfer stu-dents have no idea about SA,” said Guiterrez. “What else will you do to close the gap between the SA and students?” Alvarado discussed many key things SA is attempting to do to solve this problem, including the transfer of Visions from print to online, the SA mentorship program and monthly e-mails detailing upcoming events. “Our main goal is to reach the students,” Alvarado said.


By ASHLEY HIRTContributing Reporter

The words “cash” and “college” go hand-in-hand. Students dread upcoming tuition increases as they reach an all-time high. SUNY will increase its tuition 2 percent next year, but that is small in comparison to California’s 32 percent hike. These daunting figures put a strain on many students’ pockets, but the Student Support Services program is here to help at colleges across the nation. “Our mission is to help students achieve their goals, while they’re here at UB and upon graduation,” said UB Director of Student Support Services Jennifer Morrison, Ph.D. “Specifically, our objectives are to help students remain enrolled at UB,

remain in good academic standing, and earn their bachelor’s degree.” The current economic crisis has made some students eligible for SSS assistance that had not been eligible in the past due to their annual family income slipping well below the U.S. poverty level. Once a student is enrolled, he or she is in the program for the entirety of his or her undergraduate years or until the student requests to leave. The U.S. Department of Education funds SSS, and for those who qualify, the available opportunities are endless. “SSS enrolls students who are first-generation, lower income, or students with disabilities,” Morrison said.

Funding college dreams

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see something as comforting as toys turned into refugees on the run. The slow buildup of terror is effec-tively juxtaposed with the calm and decompressed storytelling style that Morrison utilizes for the story. He is able to explore Joe’s mundane life while still creating an intriguingly melancholy mood for the open-ing. The tone meshes well with the extraordinary events toward the end. A slight problem with the opening of Joe the Barbarian is Joe himself. Joe is a character that has been seen many times over. Although it may be keeping with the tradi-tion of other classic tales to use the angst-ridden teenage outsider

template, it is nothing new. This lack of originality is a disappointment, considering that Morrison has made old characters like Superman and Batman seem fresh and new. The great thing about many of Morrison’s works is that he is usually paired with amazing artists. Their talents are often on par with his wild imagination and high concepts, making the products a joy to read. This is still the case with Joe; artist Sean Murphy is the true star of this comic. Murphy captures both worlds of Joe the Barbarian beautifully. He is able to get into Morrison’s head and create stunning panels. Murphy’s skills are often underutilized and underrated in the comic world, but Joe pushes his talents to the limits

and shows his true potential. In a story with such sparse dia-logue, Murphy’s strong art really helps the plot advance and flow wonderfully. One of the best parts of the issue is the string of pages that are dialogue-free. During this portion of the comic book, Murphy gives a tour of Joe’s home, giving it a unique, timeless look with ’70s and ’80s décor. Joe the Barbarian is sure to be a hit for both Morrison and Murphy. Joe is a highly imaginative story that pays tribute to the classical works of the genre. This is a comic book that is not to be missed by fans of Morrison or great comics.


Dead (both one and two). The graph-ics are amazing, but it is not nearly as fun as Zombies Ate My Neighbors, which also has a difficulty that rivals a lot of new games. And even the sports games were better on SNES. To this day, WWF Royal Rumble is the best wrestling game, and I doubt there will ever be a wrestling game that can even come close to matching it. But the best sport game of all time is, without a doubt, NBA Jams. This classic basketball game is still the most fun you can have while playing basketball. The game is so beloved that the rules are even preserved through drinking games played on many college campuses. The only game that can even contend with Super Mario World is yet another Mario game. The ever-popular Super Mario Kart expanded on the most popular franchise in

the world and couldn’t have made a better game. Super Mario Kart is still one of the best games in the series, and one of the best games ever created. It doesn’t have any of the mind-blowing graphics that most games have nowadays, but Super Mario Kart blows them all out of the water. I do not care if the characters are little walking stick figures; it’s a video game and it doesn’t need to look like real life. Also, who doesn’t miss fixing their game by simply blowing on it? No red ring of death, no overheated engines – just merely blow the dust out of the cartridge. But I’m sure there is no going back. I might as well sit back and enjoy all the terrorist-killing, alien-slaughtering, car-flipping action the new generation systems have to offer.


figured I wouldn’t risk the packages stopping by asking them. The arrival of one of “Mama Bochacki’s Pack-ages,” as they came to be known, was always a pretty momentous occasion on the dorm floor, so I didn’t want to ruin it for everyone. In my opinion, the clearest expres-sion of their complete support for me (and my complete dependence on that support) came after the first semester of my sophomore year. After having slowly grown more cer-tain over three long semesters that my first college wasn’t the greatest fit for me, and having changed majors twice to no avail, I decided I wanted to take the next semester off. With no real plan and no inten-tion of going back to college, my parents allowed me to drop out and move back home for the better part

of a year. I worked part time and did little else. With my parents’ encouragement, I got back into school this past Sep-tember with a much better sense of direction than before. I find myself sometimes wonder-ing if my parents’ support has robbed me of some kind of rebellious, adoles-cent urge to revolt, as I can’t think of anything I would have actually had to revolt against. But I know such accusations are senseless. They’ve had the best intentions for me my whole life. With my graduation from college, I know their aid will surely begin to dwindle, and I’ll be forced to start living my own life. Thinking about such a time though, one question concerns me more than any – who is going to buy my clothes for me?


Beer in care packageBOCHACKI from page 3

Lack of originalityJOE from page 5

conducting engineering investiga-tions following previous devastating earthquakes.” Goralski points out that MCEER has been dispatched after previous earthquakes, but the nature of this mission is different. “[Previous assignments were] typi-cally focused on gathering data that can be used to improve the stability of structures and infrastructure in future earthquakes,” Goralski said. “This mission is truly a relief mission. It will result in speeding much-needed aid to the people of

Haiti in these most challenging of times.” Goralski enumerates the chal-lenges the team is likely to face in Haiti – the suffering population in their midst, disease and civil unrest, and the possibility of earthquake aftershocks. Despite this, he believes Filiatrualt and his colleagues are well prepared and courageous. “They have taken every precaution possible and have chosen to leave the comforts of home to help bring some comfort to others,” Goralski said. “[This is] very noble of them.”


Well prepared and courageousHAITI from page 6

By JESSICA DIGENNAROAsst. Life Editor Once graduating seniors walk through those double doors of Alumni Arena, what greets them is the challenge of finding a job. And then there’s the debt – the heaping amount of student loans that they accumulated while consumed by the stresses of college. Ken Ilgunas was faced with these predicaments in the spring of 2006 after he earned his bachelor’s degree from UB in English and history. Spending his freshman year at a private university, Ilgunas racked up $32,000 in student loans as an undergraduate and was lucky to

find adventurous ways of paying it off, like working as a lodge cleaner and tour guide near the Arctic Circle and as a backcountry ranger for the National Park Service. It took working two and a half years for Ilgunas’s debt to finally disappear. So when he enrolled in the graduate liberal studies program at Duke University last spring, he vowed to earn his degree debt-free – and he knew it would take some crafty thinking. Ilgunas decided to buy a van – a $1,500 Ford Econoline he found on Craigslist, to be exact – and made it his humble abode. “Living in a van was my grand social experiment. I wanted to see if

I could afford the unaffordable – an education,” he said. Ilgunas has been living in the van that he parked on campus since Janu-ary 2009, and he claims to live quite comfortably there. “I cook on a backpacking stove that runs on propane canisters,” he said. “I sleep in my backseat, which turns into a bed. I have tinted windows, shades, and sheets that give me privacy, [and] I shower and shave at the gym.” Ilgunas says the Carolina winters aren’t nearly as challenging for a van dweller as the frigid Western New York ones would be. It was about 10 degrees during the coldest night spent in the van, although he says there was nothing that he couldn’t handle

with his sleeping bag and heavy-duty thermal underwear. “I knew a guy in the Alaskan Arctic who outfitted his Chevy Suburban with a woodstove that permitted him to sleep in temperatures as low as 60 below,” Ilgunas said. “If he could do it in the Arctic, I knew I could do it in North Carolina.” Afraid of getting caught, Ilgunas kept his living arrangement a secret until an essay he wrote for a travel-writing class found its way on the online news site salon.com. Almost overnight, the ‘van man’ was transformed into a semi-famous cultural oddity. Media outlets

UB grad becomes Duke’s ‘Van Man’

Spectrum File Photo

Ken Ilgunas


Recieve academic assistance

SERVICES from page 6

began showing interest in Ilgunas’s experiment and he was even offered compensation for his story to be told on Inside Edition – an offer he respectfully declined. When the news of Ilgunas’s living arrangements finally reached the administrators at Duke, he was sur-prisingly allowed to stay. “Apparently, I’m not violating any campus parking laws,” Ilgunas said. Dennis Black, vice president of stu-dent affairs at UB, says the question of a student making a campus parking lot their permanent home is not one he has considered at any length. “Our primary concern is student health and safety and we would view the question first from that perspec-tive – what are the state, local and campus standards, and does the situation comply or violate the stan-dards?” he said. “Next, we would work to find more appropriate hous-ing with the student [and] explore on- and off-campus opportunities for living that are safe, healthy, and promote educational achievement.” From his ’94 Econoline sitting in a Duke parking lot, Ilgunas says that fame hasn’t affected or bettered his life in the slightest – although he has gotten a book deal, which he says is still in the works.

As an aspiring writer, Ilgunas believes the opportunity to tell his story and reach out to those in similar circum-stances is one he will likely pursue. “My situation is not [such an] anomaly,” Ilgunas said. “It’s actually quite typical. Students today unflinch-ingly go tens of thousands of dollars in debt without thinking about the consequences. When restricted by debt, we’re forced to accept jobs that don’t necessarily befit our character or education. Passions and dreams must be postponed. And a postponed dream is, well, no more than just a dream.”

The ‘van man’s’ advice? Think out of the box, just as he did. “There is no sacred set of laws that says this is the only way to live. Shatter the formula and invent your own,” Ilgunas said. “Buy a van, hitchhike, do that thing you’ve always dreamt of doing but haven’t because it seemed strange or crazy. Live simply and wisely. Get out of debt. Follow your dreams rapaciously – if you don’t do it this lifetime, then when will you?”


Home is a ’94 Econoline van

VAN MAN from page 8

After the student is enrolled in SSS, he or she meets with an adviser who will work closely with the student during the student’s time at UB. SSS advisers can spend more time with their students than a depart-ment adviser, thereby developing a close relationship with the student and the student’s goals for his or her college career. Another bonus to this program is the ability to borrow a laptop from SSS. Students report that this service is a big help, according to Morrison. Currently, students may rent out a laptop for five weeks. “Honestly, I can’t choose only one part of the program that is the best,” said Melody Fredo, a junior pharma-cology and toxicology major. “I have used many services, which have been extremely helpful, such as the free voucher to take a Kaplan prep course, free advising and tutoring, and the available grant aid.” The students not only receive academic assistance to aid them with their studies, they also have the opportunity to take part in cul-tural programs. These programs include plays, dance performances and horseback riding. “SSS has planned a number of academic and cultural events for the

spring semester, along with oppor-tunities for community service and simply socializing with other stu-dents,” Morrison said. “Our biggest event in the spring is the SSS cel-ebration of graduates, where all the students are invited to share a meal and hear about the accomplishments of the graduates.” Other students have completed their undergraduate years and, with the assistance of SSS, have been accepted into dental, medical, phar-macy, law and graduate schools. “We help students in their search for graduate schools and explore different school’s Web sites to learn about admissions criteria and funding opportunities,” Mor-rison explained. SSS helps students write their personal statements and obtain letters of recommenda-tion. When professional schools require interviews, high-achieving students receive assistance with their travel budget. “The staff is very friendly and their door is always open for any question and advice,” said Hieu Nguyen, a UB dental student. Fredo encourages anyone who is interested in SSS to stop by the office, located in 215 Norton Hall, to take advantage of the numerous benefits.


By JESSICA BRANTAsst. Life Editor

The Student Union was full of life as students stopped by to join in on the festivities at the Carnival of Hope event presented on Thursday by UB Against Cancer. The event was a kick-off cele-bration for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser, which is in its sixth year at the Uni-versity at Buffalo. This year’s relay will be held March 27 and 28 in Alumni Arena. All money raised will go to the Amer-ican Cancer Society to be used for specialty-patient services and cancer education, awareness, and advocacy. UB’s Relay for Life is the largest in Western New York; last year it hosted 181 teams, over 1,500 par-ticipants, and raised over $62,000 dollars, according to Stacie Waddell, a staff partner for UB Against Cancer and the American Cancer Society. “We already registered over 40 teams and raised almost $5,000. Our goal is $82,000,” Waddell said. For Waddell, Carnival of Hope was the perfect name to enthuse students passing by in the Union, encourage them to register their campus club or

group for Relay for Life, and to create an overall joyful and light-hearted atmosphere. “We chose ‘Carnival of Hope’ so that [registered teams] can utilize that for inspiration for day-of fund-raisers,” Waddell said. “If teams want to sell candy apples or hire a clown to make balloon animals to raise money, then they can do that. It makes [fundraising] more fun.” Each registrant received a free water bottle, cotton candy, and information pamphlets about the American Cancer Society. UB Against Cancer also handed out hope bracelets, picture frames, flyers, and notebooks to students as well. The carnival featured a “Joust Out Cancer” ring, where students could joust to the death – in friendly spirits, of course. David Monastra, a senior busi-ness major, registered with the UB Tae-Kwon-Do team because the club knew very little about Relay for Life and the carnival presented an opportunity to learn. Monastra was also able to apply the day’s theme to his own experiences. “I’ve never done it before, but it seems like it’s for a very good cause,” Monastra said. “You can’t walk into a

Tae-Kwon-Do match thinking you’re going to lose. Hope gives you that positive attitude.” Amelia Vangellow, a freshman nursing major and Advocacy Co-Chair for UB Against Cancer, does not want students to be deceived by the name of the fundraiser. “A lot of people think that at the relay, you’re just going to be walking around a track all night,” Vangellow said. “But we have a lot of other really fun events and activities planned throughout the night.” “The relay goes overnight because cancer never sleeps, and neither do [the teams] at Relay for Life,” Wad-dell said. The event opens with a survivor lap led by local cancer survivors. The opening ceremonies are then followed by performances by live bands, dancing, and games. The goal, Waddell explains, is to keep at least one person from each team on the track at all times throughout the night. Getting involved with UB Against Cancer has made Vangellow more aware of the events that are on campus, such as Relay for Life. She now immerses herself in the cause and devotes a tremendous amount of time

to spreading cancer awareness and getting others passionate about it too. “[My involvement] started when my mom was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer last year,” Vangellow said. “So this is my first year doing the [Relay for Life] event … I’m really excited about it. A lot of people at UB don’t even know we have [this event].” Waddell is also hopeful that through events like Relay for Life, students will be informed about what the American Cancer Society has to offer, such as free lodging for cancer patients, counseling pro-grams, and free transportation to

and from facilities. “I think that for me, I have to believe that every day raising awareness and raising money will help someone find treatments easier. [With] more options to cure people, then they can become survivors,” Waddell said. “If [soci-ety] didn’t have hope, we wouldn’t be where we are now.” To register for Relay for Life or to learn more about UB Against Cancer and the American Cancer Society, visit www.relayforlife.org/universityatbuffalo.


By BRENDON BOCHACKIAsst. Campus Editor

Based on recent studies at the Uni-versity at Buffalo, it seems that caffeine might have quite a different effect on children than it does on adults. Jennifer L. Temple, assistant professor of exercise and nutrition sciences, has overseen a number of novel experiments that are starting to shed light on the very under-researched topic of caffeine use in children. With an average individual con-sumption of 200 mg per day in the US, it is not a surprise that the effects and dangers of caffeine on adults have received a great deal of atten-tion from the research community. However, no such consideration has been given to those same effects on children.

“When we look at the literature, there’s a lot of research on the safety of caffeine and the effects of caffeine, but most of [the research involves] adults,” Temple said. “There’s very little information out there about how caffeine affects children. The assumption has been that children will respond [similarly] to adults, but we don’t know that. Children are very different from adults in a lot of ways, including the fact that their brains are still developing.” Consequently, Temple is carrying out some basic tests with caffeine on subjects between 12 and 17 years old. One such test monitored how dif-ferent doses of caffeine affected the blood pressure, heart rate, and hand tremors of the subject. A number of unexpected results were seen in the study, the most significant of which were differences that existed across

the gender line. “What we saw is that in males, there was a dose-dependent increase in their blood pressure, which is what you expect,” Temple said. “So as the dose got higher, the blood pressure got higher. Females seemed to be resistant to caffeine; we saw very little change in blood pressure with increasing doses of caffeine.” Male-female dissimilarities also existed in regard to the self-reported claims made by the subjects about the psychological effects the caffeine had on them. “Kids report how the caffeine makes them feel,” Temple said. “Boys tend to report that they use caffeine because it gives them a rush, makes them feel high or gives them a burst of energy. Girls don’t report that at all.” According to Temple, such gender

differences have not been reported in adults. “I have not found a paper that has shown sex differences in adults when it comes to caffeine, although I’m very reluctant to say that no one has ever done it,” Temple said. “It could be that I just haven’t found it yet.” In another study that Temple per-formed, males also showed a greater motivation than females in obtain-ing more caffeine. Such a result, however, could be explained by the fact that males reported a stronger subjective sense of wellbeing and pleasure from the caffeine than the females. This would give more of an incentive to obtain more. An additional find during the research came in the preliminary data collected for one of the experi-ments. The subjects of the study were required to report their total daily

caffeine consumption. The average consumption came out to be about 50 mg per day, an amount much lower than they had anticipated. “We were surprised,” Temple said. “We thought it would be higher because there is a lot of information out there saying kids are starting to consume more caffeine, especially with all the energy drinks and fla-vored coffee drinks that are popular with kids.” According to Temple, their test subjects may not be giving an accu-rate estimate of the total population. Temple has a couple more studies she plans to perform under the cur-rent grant, which is up in a year and a half. She is already in the process of submitting a proposal to the National Institute of Health for more funding.


Courtesy of Ken IlgunasKen Ilgunas in front of his permanent residence – a 1994 Ford Econoline he found on Craigslist.

A celebration full of hope

Clinton Hodnett / The SpectrumStudents registered for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event at the Carnival of Hope Thursday, hosted by UB Against Cancer.

Kids and caffeine


‘Came out and took their hearts’

MBBALL from page 12

Lost a winnable game

WBBALL from page 12

RUST STOP RUSTPROOFING

Still, head coach Linda Hill-Mac-Donald refused to place the blame on the officiating. “If we did things well enough or consistently enough, then a call or two doesn’t make a difference,” Hill-MacDonald said. “[The calls that the referees make] are factors beyond our control, so we just don’t worry about them.” The real problem stemmed from Kent State’s strong shooting in the final 20 minutes and the Bulls’ inability to get stops on defense. “We didn’t do the things that we needed to do defensively in the second half. It was tough, especially because they shot over 50 percent from the field in the second [half ],” Hill-MacDonald said. “We just lacked consistency. We played well for 20 minutes, but we need to be able to play hard the entire game.” Buffalo dictated the tempo in the first half. The Golden Flashes were concerned with limiting Brown’s impact on the game, which opened up space for other players to shine. Hedderson erupted for 17 first-half points and helped the Bulls jump out to a seven-point lead at the half, 33-26. Things looked good for Buffalo at the start of the second. Brown scored the team’s first eight points and proved to be too much for Kent

State’s defense to handle. Despite only scoring four points in the first half, Brown went off for 21 points in the second and finished the game with 25 points and seven rebounds, ending her double-double streak at seven games. Hill-MacDonald had only praise for her six-foot star. “It’s such a joy [to have Brown on the team] and she’s such a pleasure to coach. She’s a coach’s dream,” Hill-MacDonald said. “She prac-tices hard and, in everything she does, she brings her top effort. Kourtney brings her A-game to practice every day and she’s able to repeat it in games because each time she steps on the court, she plays the same way.” Buffalo did a good job of taking what the defense gave it and showed that it has multiple players who are able to score big – four, to be exact. To go along with Brown’s 25, Hedderson contributed 19 points, junior forward Jessica Fortman added 14 and freshman Abby Dowd rounded off the scoring with eight. But a well-rounded team effort was necessary to achieve vic-tory, and a lack of defensive stops hindered the Bulls. Buffalo let a winnable game slip away and will look to make sure that doesn’t happen this Saturday when the team faces off against Northern Illinois. “Every game is important for us,” Hill-MacDonald said. “We need to go into Northern Illinois confident. They’re playing well, they play con-sistently from one half to the other, and they’ve got a point guard who is extremely quick and extremely adept both offensively and defen-sively. It’s a key game for us because it’s the first game we play against a Western [Division] opponent.” Tip-off is slated for 3 p.m. and will be broadcast on 1340 WLVL Radio.


was to make sure we joined some sort of league so we could connect to other colleges,” said club Vice President Kathryn Przybyla. “Most of the sports clubs on campus are part of a league, anyway. We were probably one of the only ones that weren’t. So we joined the Tennis On Campus program. We filled out our information on their Web site and they sent back tournament and contact information for almost any college club team in the country.” Before joining Tennis On Campus, UB Aces was limited to holding its own intra-club tournaments. The club held an open mixed doubles tournament at the beginning of the school year and an open singles tour-nament at the end of the year. These events will still be held, but the new USTA-sponsored events will be the main part of the club’s schedule. Last semester, UB Aces partici-pated in its first Tennis On Campus event when the club traveled to SUNY Geneseo. The teams com-peted in 10 singles and four doubles matches. Cornell University then contacted the Aces about setting up a meet sometime this semester. On Feb. 20 and 21, the club will travel to Syracuse University to compete in the USTA Campus Cham-pionship’s Eastern Sectional Event. A victory in Syracuse would qualify the team for a spot in the 64-school USTA National Campus Champion-ship tournament. The Aces have come a long way since the club was first created over three years ago.

“In 2006, Alea Conte played for the varsity team,” said club President Drew Puleo. “It was a little too much of a commitment and it took too much time out of her schoolwork, so she decided to create the club. She had a lot of friends that played before in high school and weren’t quite good enough for the [varsity] team, but still wanted to play.” The Aces hold meetings in the Student Union and practice at the Indoor Village Glen Tennis Center in Williamsville. While there is no cost to join the club, there is a $5 fee at each practice to cover facility charges.

Puleo estimates that there are between 30 and 40 very active members of the club, but 50 to 80 members show up irregularly. There is no tryout or prior experi-ence required to join the Aces, and members’ skill levels range from beginner to advanced. “We want to have a place where anybody can come – any level player,” Puleo said. “We have players up to the college varsity level [and] all the way down to beginners. We want to offer a place to play competitively.”


offensively or defensively,” Wither-spoon said. Senior guard Rodney Pierce also saw his streak of consecutive games with 20-plus points come to an end at eight games. He scored just four points and went 1-for-8 shooting from the field. The star guard also turned the ball over six times and was nonexistent on the defensive end. Kent State head coach Geno Ford attributed Pierce’s lack of scoring to his team’s defensive strategy that focused on shutting down Buffalo’s leading scorer. “We switched on ball screens with him, so it was probably eight or nine guys who ended up guarding him,” Ford said. “When a player that’s that good has a bad game, it’s probably that they were just off. He didn’t shoot the ball well.”

The Bulls did have solid perfor-mances from senior guard Calvin Betts and forward Max Boudreau. Betts scored 14 points and went 7-for-10 from the free throw stripe. Boudreau contributed a team-high 15 points off the bench as a reserve. Chris Singletary led the Golden Flashes with 18 points and six others scored in double digits. Anthony Simpson added 11 points and col-lected seven rebounds. The first half started out slow as both teams combined for just 17 points over the first seven minutes. Buffalo shot a miserable 33 percent from the field, and Kent State shot 44 percent. With the game still in the balance, Betts swooped in for a layup to pull Buffalo within two points with 2:52 remaining in the first half. Kent State responded with an 8-0 run to finish off the half, leading to a 34-24 halftime lead.

The second half belonged to Kent State as it hit 10 of its first 11 shots and began the half on a 22-10 run. Buffalo’s attempt at a comeback never came to fruition as the Golden Flashes extended their lead to as 39 points. Kent State put on a shooting dis-play in front of the home crowd, hitting 74.1 percent of its shots from the floor and nailing 10-of-14 from 3-point land during the last period. Kent State guards Tyree Evans and Randal Holt chipped in 11 points off the bench while hitting three 3-pointers each. “We just came out and took their hearts,” Evans said. Buffalo looks to bounce back from this loss as it travels to play Ohio (9-9, 0-4 MAC) on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.

Email: [email protected]

will present itself to Sanchez and the Jets again. This year, however, is not the year for Gang Green. The next quarterback, Peyton Manning, is in his 12th season with the Indianapolis Colts and just won his fourth NFL regular season MVP this year. Manning is also looking for his second Super Bowl victory. It will be déjà vu for Manning if the Colts take down the Jets; Indy would head back down to Sun Life Stadium in Miami for Super Bowl XLIV. The game was played there just three years ago when Manning earned his first championship ring

after defeating the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. But Manning has already had his time to shine in the Sunshine State. This year, it’s somebody else’s turn for the spotlight, and I think that someone is Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints. Brees has excelled in New Orleans and virtually lifted the city from the depths of its darkest days after Hur-ricane Katrina. In his first season with the Saints, Brees led the team to the NFC Championship. Three years later, Brees and the Saints are again one win away from a Super Bowl appearance. This season, Brees completed

363-of-514 passes for 4,388 yards and 34 touchdown passes. He finished an NFL-best 70.6 comple-tion percentage and had a 109.6 quarterback rating. I would like to see the 31-year-old get a Super Bowl win under his belt at this point in his career, because the opportunity may not come along again. Sorry to all of you Favre, Man-ning, and Sanchez fans, but I am pulling for Brees and the Saints to host the Lombardi Trophy in Miami on Feb. 7.

Email: [email protected]

Players of all levels can joinACES from page 12

Brees deserves spotlightSUHR from page 12

Courtesy of UB AcesThe UB Aces co-ed club tennis team recently joined the ranks of the USTA’s Tennis On Campus program.


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see WBBALL page 10

SPORTS

No silver lining in loss to

Golden FlashesChristy ShurAsst. Sports Editor

see ACES page 10see SUHR page 10

T H E B L I T Z

The Buffalo Bills announced late Wednesday night that Vice President of Pro Personnel John Guy has been relieved of his duties. Guy joined the organization in 2001 and was a candidate to become general manager this offseason before owner Ralph Wilson, Jr. chose Buddy Nix. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said earlier this week that the team would pick up the 2010 option on head coach Wade Phillips. On Thursday, however, Dallas announced that Phillips has signed a three-year extension through 2012. According to NFL reporter Jason LaCanfora, the Oakland Raiders have reached out to Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh to spark his interest in becoming the team’s next coach. While the Raiders have not officially fired current head coach Tom Cable, it is believed that owner Al Davis plans to relieve Cable of his duties within the coming weeks.

Conference Championship schedule:Sunday, Jan 24New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts 3 p.m., CBS Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints,6:40 p.m., FOX

S I D E L I N E SDuval hired as director of

sports performance

Director of Athletics Warde Manuel has announced the hiring of Zachary Duval as Buffalo’s director of sports performance. “We are excited to bring someone to Buffalo with Zach’s experience and proven ability to maximize a student-athlete’s potential in the areas of strength and conditioning,” Warde said in a press release. From 1995-2002, Duval worked in Nebraska’s strength and con-ditioning program, including a six-year stint as the Cornhuskers’ football strength coach. The school won two national championships during Duval’s time there. Duval is coming off a year as director of athletic performance at Creighton University.

Roosevelt shines at East-West Shrine practice

Former Bulls standout wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt is catching the eyes of NFL scouts and executives as collegiate all-star games begin this week. Buffalo’s most prominent wideout has come into the spotlight during practices this week as a member of the east squad for the annual East-West Shrine Game. Roosevelt caught every pass that came his way on Tuesday afternoon and showed explosiveness off the line of scrimmage and a distinct ability to get separation from defensive backs when lined up in the slot. Top NFL executives in attendance included Bill Parcells of the Miami Dol-phins, Tampa Bay head coach Raheem Morris, Kansas City head coach Todd Haley and Jacksonville Jaguar duo Gene Smith and Jack Del Rio. The 2010 East-West Shrine Game will be played this Saturday at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.

Upcoming Events

SaturdayMen’s Tennisat Brown, 12 p.m.Wrestlingat NYS Intercollegiate Champion-ships, 12 p.m.Men’s Swimming & Diving vs. Miami (Ohio), 1 p.m.Women’s Tennisvs. St. John’s, 1 p.m.Track & Fieldat Cornell Upstate Challenge, 1 p.m.Men’s Basketballat Ohio, 2 p.m.Women’s Basketballat Northern Illinois, 3 p.m.SundayMen’s Tennisat Bryant, 9 a.m.Wrestlingat NYS Intercollegiate Championships, 12 p.m.

By ANDREW WIKTORSenior Sports Editor

The first half belonged to sophomore guard Brittany Hedderson. The second half belonged to junior forward Kourtney Brown. But the game belonged to the Kent State Golden Flashes. Despite strong individual performances and a nine-point second half cushion, the Bulls (5-13, 1-4 Mid-American Conference) were unable to close out the contest and fell to Kent State (10-7, 3-2 MAC) by a score of 68-66. Buffalo held the lead for most of the game, but the Golden Flashes made a push late in the second half and tied the game with 3:16 left to play. With 1:09 left in the contest, the Bulls found themselves up one, 66-65, after a three-point play from Brown. On the ensuing possession, Kent State’s Taisja Harris went to the free throw line and knocked down both shots

to give her squad a one-point lead. The Bulls then turned the ball over and the Golden Flashes found themselves at the charity stripe yet again. This time they went 1-of-2 and took a two-point lead with 24 seconds to play. Buffalo was unable to con-vert on its final possession as Hedderson’s jump shot fell short and the Golden Flashes grabbed the rebound. Kent State proceeded to run the clock out to grab the victory. Throughout the contest, there was a large discrepancy in free throw attempts. The Golden Flashes went to the line 15 times during the first half, whereas the Bulls didn’t visit the charity stripe once. Buffalo finished the game just 7-for-8 from the free throw line. Kent State went 18-for-25 during the contest and knocked down some pivotal foul shots late in the game, propelling the team to victory.

By MATTHEW PARRINO and CHRIS LAWSports Editor and Staff Reporter

Nothing has been able to slow down the men’s bas-ketball team lately. Entering Wednesday’s showdown at Kent State, Buffalo had won four-straight games and seven of eight contests overall. The winning streak came to an abrupt halt, however, as the Bulls (10-5, 3-1 MAC) fell to the Golden Flashes (11-7, 2-2 MAC) by the lopsided score of 89-54. With the loss, however, the team did keep alive another streak: Buffalo has never won a game at the M.A.C. Center. Head coach Reggie Wither-spoon wasn’t pleased with his team’s lack of cohesiveness. “Every team is a bad night away from being really poor,” Witherspoon said. “I think we played bad for a reason. We didn’t play together offensively. We didn’t have good movement and didn’t trust each other.

Usually when there’s a margin of defeat like this, it’s a combi-nation of things.” Kent State combined a

superb defensive effort with a near-flawless display of shooting to shut down the streaking Bulls.

“They played great tonight and we didn’t play very well,

Flawless Flashes beat down Bulls

By LUKE HAMMILLAsst. Sports Editor

Division I student-athletes on Buffalo’s men’s and wom-en’s tennis teams aren’t the only ones in school who are competing at a high level on the tennis court. UB Aces, a co-ed club tennis team, recently took a big step forward when it became involved with the United States Tennis Associa-tion through its nationwide Tennis On Campus program. The program is designed

to provide a system of net-working and competition for college students across the country who are interested in playing tennis without the rigors of a varsity program. It currently includes over 500 college campuses and over 30,000 students. The club ’s of f icer s joined the program in an effort to expand the club’s competitive options. “After we got elected this summer, one of our main goals

M AY N A R D L E AV E S B U F FA LOBy DAVID SANCHIRICO and ANDREW WIKTORManaging Editor & Senior Sports Editor

Football head coach Jeff Quinn announced Thursday afternoon that sophomore quarterback Zach Maynard has left the Buffalo football program. “I’m very disappointed in Zach’s decision to leave our program prior to getting to know our coaching staff,” Quinn said. “That being said, we are only interested in guys that are passionate about being a Buffalo Bull in our football family. In line with our ‘Next Bull In’ philosophy, we will not let this deter us from our goal of playing for championships.” According to Phil Kornbut, Maynard and half brother Keenan Allen, a top high school safety prospect from Greensboro, N.C., will be visiting Clemson this weekend. In the report, Maynard’s mother, Dorie Lang, said Maynard decided to transfer because of the coaching change, among other things. Maynard finished last season with 2,694 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Stay tuned to The Spectrum and www.ubspectrum.com for the latest information as the story unfolds.


Courtesy of Kent StateMax Boudreau led the Bulls with 15 points in Wednesday’s 89-54 loss to Kent State.

Brees-ing to a championship

As my roommates and I lounged around watching television and enjoying our Monday off, my channel surf-ing landed us on highlights of the Cowboys/Vikings divi-sional playoff game. While my roommates voiced their disinterest in my choice to watch football, I argued that as a sports writer, I needed to be up to date on the latest NFL news. Though my roommates might have had a problem watching football, they didn’t have a problem joining me in debate over the potential Super Bowl champion. I’ll be the first to admit that I really haven’t been paying much attention to the NFL play-offs since my beloved Miami Dolphins lost their chance at postseason play. But one thing I have noticed about the playoffs this season is that the four remaining contenders have something in common. Each team has received standout play at the quarterback position – a position where great play is necessary to achieve success. Here’s a look at the four signal-callers that will take the field this weekend with hopes of earning a Super Bowl berth. Nineteen-year veteran Brett Favre leads the NFC’s second-seeded Minnesota Vikings. At 40 years old, Favre is play-ing exceptionally well. He threw 15-of-24 for 234 passing yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday’s 34-3 divisional rout over the Cowboys. Favre is on his way to possibly the best postseason of his long career. Winning the Super Bowl would be a great story to end the season – and possibly his career – but Favre already has one Super Bowl ring. Does he really need another one? But hey, maybe we would finally see him retire. There’s a gunslinger left in the mix who was finger-painting in preschool when Farve was taking his first snap in the NFL. In his first season, rookie Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets is looking to lead a team that just barely edged its way into the post-season to an unlikely Super Bowl berth. Sanchez is in a vastly differ-ent place in his career from his three veteran counterparts, yet has a chance to make his-tory. If the Jets can advance past this weekend and earn a Super Bowl win, Sanchez would become the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to win the championship. Though that would be a game worth seeing, there is no pressure on Sanchez for a win right now. At 23 years old, Sanchez has his whole career ahead of him. I’m sure the chance for a Super Bowl ring

UB Aces teams up with USTA

Spectrum File PhotoAlthough the women’s basketball team held a nine-point lead against the Kent State Golden Flashes, they crumbled late defensively and were unable to pull off the road win, falling 68-66.

see MBBALL page 10

Documents

The Spectrum. Volume 59 Issue 43