Monday, April 4, 2016
Volume 98
Issue 19
Campus Life
Sports
World News
Entertainment
The Big Event
Overheard at EC
Arctic Ice Melting
Batman/Superman
Review of Eli Young Band. Page 5
Weird things heard around campus.
Page 6
Discussing the quickly melting ice on our planet.
Review of the new movie!
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EC Celebrates Autism Awareness “Why are all the lights Blue?” “Because April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day!”
Student models in the annual austism awareness fashion show. Photo by Giovanna De Loca ’17 By Michelle Insalaco ’18 Contributing Writer
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n honor of Autism Awareness Day, Elmira College Student Alumni Council’s Autism Awareness Committee led the college community in spreading awareness and acceptance. Last year the committee heard many concerns about the charity to which they were donating to, Autism Speaks. For those of you who do not know, there is a huge controversy centered around Autism Speaks. The issues with this organization include but are not limited to: 1. There is no one with Autism on the Board of Directors. This quote from the Autistic Self Advocacy Center summarizes why this is unaccept-
able: “An organization that fails to include the people who they are ‘serving’ in meaningful leadership positions is unacceptable. NAACP run by white people wouldn’t be alright; NOW run by men would be unacceptable; and an Autism organization without autistic leadership is not okay.” 2. Their budget and their research. Their budget does not do much, since only 4% of their funding goes towards the families with autism. And 44% goes towards research. I personally agree with the majority of the population impacted by this who feel like this isn’t right. Plus that 44% for research? That’s for prevention and causation. Sure it’s fine to want to figure out the cause. But think of this in a different light. By encouraging the preventative side of research, it is ultimately sup-
porting the abortion of a fetus in the name that it is better to abort than have a child with Autism. Why isn’t the research going towards quality of life? 3. As I was looking up more statistics and such I actually feel sick now. Autism Speaks funded a project called Autism Everyday. The woman speaking in the video is a director of the Autism Science Foundation and what she spoke about is absolutely disgusting. She discussed committing murder and suicide because of her autistic daughter; she only refrained because she had a “normal” child as well. They also funded “I Am Autism” which stated: ““I am Autism... I work faster than pediatric AIDS, cancer and diabetes combined... you have no cure for me... I will
See AUTISM Page 2
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Campus Life Autism
From Page 1 plot to rob you of your children and dreams. The truth is, I am still winning and you are scared.” Those three reasons are enough for me to not want anything to do with Autism Speaks. So the committee listened to the campus community and we changed who we donate to. This year the committee decided to give back locally. We decided to give directly to the Elmira School District: Classrooms for Children with Autism. This year we held two events: a Kick Off Party, as well as our annual Fashion Show. Our Kick Off Party took place March 31st from 7-10 PM in Mackenzie’s. At this event, we had a lot of activities to do and we even brought back our famous blue cupcakes. It was a really great turn out, and we are so thankful for everyone who came out to support us! The next day was our fashion show. This year we worked with Plato’s Closet for our clothes, and two of the student models involved included Waeya Lin ‘16 and Chelesa Turnbull ‘16. The theme for this fashion show was Denim, and it ended up being absolutely wonderful. Since we couldn’t have done it without them, we would like to give a special thank you to Dining Services for letting us use
the upstairs Dining Hall! Thank you again to everyone who supported us this year! Without you we wouldn’t have been able to raise so much in two days; all the proceeds will be directly helping the Elmira School District: Classrooms for Children with Autism to get them items that will help
Photo by Matt Hoyt ’17 their future and learning. If you want to get involved next year join Student Alumni Council they meet at 5:15PM in Tifft Lounge and/ or email sac@elmira.edu!
Interested in writing for the Octagon? Becoming a staff writer? Contributing your thoughts on just one event or topic? Interested in becoming an editor for one of our sections? Contact octagon@elmira.edu for more information!
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Autism Awareness
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Big Event:
Eli Young Band with Austin Moody Opener
Photo by northtexan.unt.edu By Haley Brown ’17 Campus Life Editor
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he Big Event this year went in a different direction than usual. Rather than a DJ and techno music, Elmira went country. We invited Austin Moody and Eli Young Band to come perform at First Arena on Friday, April 1st. Even though the arena was less than packed, everyone there sported their plaid, cut off shorts, and cowboy boots… for better or for worse.
Photo by glassjarphotography.com
Austin Moody opened for Eli Young Band, and you could see his perfectly sculpted man bun all the way from the bleachers. He sang a variation of songs, from “Ring of Fire” by Johnny Cash to “Sangria” by Blake Shelton. There were only two or three original songs from Austin Moody, but those that we heard were deep, meaningful and fun songs that people in the crowd could dance to. After his hour long set, the main act came onto the stage. Smoke rolled over the equipment as Eli Young Band started their set with some of their original songs. Earlier in the week, I talked to bass player, Jon Jones on the phone briefly, and the man seemed so down to earth and relaxed in demeanor. His demeanor on the phone definitely translated over to his performing as well. He played his white bass guitar so calmly, as if there weren’t a thousand people staring at him, but that’s show business. Mike Eli, the lead singer, came out strong, singing with his scratchy voice and all his might to give Elmira the show of their lives. We later found out that the scratch to his voice was because of his daughter giving him a cold, but he pursued the hour and a half long set with only a little difficulty.
Throughout the concert, Mike would talk to the audience, telling stories of his favorite times in life, and what each song meant to him. He told us about how if he didn’t go to college, his dad would kick his butt and so he went to college. A week in, and he made the Eli Young Band. The concert worked well, even with Mike taking constant water breaks to revive his voice. I give him total props for performing with almost no voice, and the whole band carried themselves well all night, even coming back on for an encore performance of around three songs. He showed us a new song that won’t even be available until their next album release, which was an honor to hear. The song was beautiful, and I believe it will hit the top of the country charts. This change of pace for the Big Events team definitely worked in their favor. I think this particular concert brought in a lot of the students who don’t go to the techno music. If the Big Event team wants to keep up the changes in music, I think it would benefit them, especially to reach a diverse crowd. Some years should be rock, some should be pop, and some should be country or other styles, depending on the student body at that time. Congratulations to the team for putting on this concert! Please know that everyone appreciates all of your hard work, and we can’t wait to see what comes next.
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Overheard at EC story. Also, “Continue with your ple in your I think you have a sta It’s just knee. Oh, nevermind. thread.”
“Are lilies related to palm trees?” “Did you really just ask that?” “They just really look like palm trees!”
“If I were a shape, I “If you were a man, “If you were a type of would be a rhombus. “You haven’t what position would ” you’d wood, I think “Do you even know w synced up to hat you want me in?” y.” mahogan be a rhombus is?” “The wind keeps blow “ us yet?” I ’v g e in ak d m s e it’ “Yeah, it’s a parallelo d c ided again ing an st “My uterus cold! ks ee ch tt bu y s m h o gram that’s trying to w e r i n g .” be a There’s such a draft! I wants to be “ E e v th e diamond.” to r d se ? po ” ex ry ve feel
“Where d o you thin k I could go to to get m y toenail fix ed?”
independent.
” “That bug drives me nuts. It never dies. It’ s always here, right by “I have a new pet that light.” peeve: the sound your water bottle “If you were a type of Mac & just made.” Cheese, what would you be?”
elements today…”
b kind.”
“The Spongebo er h h it w x le se “Ah, very absorbent.” “She wants to schedu ” s. ay rd u s and Sat husband. Wednesday ole “I thought she was going to deh w a to ay d p m u h g “ That’s takin fend herself, but then she just ” l. ve le new Tweeted it.”
“It just seemed like a strokable moment.”
Top EC Yaks
” “I like old man candy.
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Students Celebrate Multicultural Center Opening By Hope Levy ’16 Contributing Writer
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ow would you define diversity? Merriam Webster claims diversity is an instance of being composed of different elements or qualities. There is a fair amount of information in that definition that can be unpacked, and the exploration of diversity and inclusivity is a large aspect of the goals of the Multicultural Center’s Student Advisory Board, shortened to MCCSAB. On Wednesday, March 30, the MCCSAB held a grand re-opening of the Multicultural Center on student’s terms. The board was created through an alliance of multiple diversity clubs on campus, including VUE’D, PRIDE, International Student Organization, Women and Gender Studies, Active Minds, Hillel, and others. They aim to raise awareness and provide resources for multicultural students on the Elmira College campus, and in their goal of creating a safe campus, fight to end discrimination at Elmira College. At the opening, which over 20 students and members of the faculty attended, there was music, cupcakes, empanadas donated by Spanish Club, and varying discussions on diversity and how to celebrate it. Advised by Dr. Martha Easton, Dr. Allyson Graf, and Dr.
Photo by Giovanna De Loca ’17 Alexa Yesukevich, the MCCSAB is a student initiative to take back #OurEC. Since the opening, students have been taking pictures of themselves with signs explaining why they need the MCC. The rationales ranged from “heteronormativity sucks” to “we are all human, and all deserve love and respect.” The formation and opening of the Multicultural Center under the Student Advisory Board serves as a reclamation of the center by the students, for the students, and for the betterment of the Elmira College campus as a whole.
Club Spotlight: Christian Fellowship
By Ellie Knapp ’16 Contributing Writer
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hristian Fellowship (CF) is an on-campus club that aims to encourage every member of the Elmira College community to explore, discover, and deepen a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is made up of an eclectic group of individuals from all types of majors and backgrounds that come together every week to share and learn from each other. Each week brings a music-centered worship experience and a discussion of biblical topics based on a yearlong theme. This year’s theme, Look Up, Look In, Look Out, focuses on how
to live a thriving Christian life by first recognizing who God is, encouraging change in your personal life, and sharing the good news. Throughout the year, CF has various campus and club events like Operation Christmas Child (OCC), the Coffee House, and a mission trip to Honduras. OCC puts together over a thousand boxes of Christmas presents to send to children all over the world. The Honduras Mission Trip takes a group down to rebuild schools and minister to people in need, and the Coffee House is a campuswide event that combines the musical talent across campus with coffee. CF welcomes any and all who are interested in fellowship and being a part of something much bigger than themselves, whether they know anything about Christianity or not!
Time:
Fridays at 6:00 PM
Location:
Term I & II – Tifft Lounge Term III – Stephen’s Lounge
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Christian Fellowship Attends BASICcon 2016
Photo by Sonia Gwaneza ’16 By Nicole Gentile ’16 Editor-in-Chief
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uring Term 1 and Term 2, Christian Fellowship attends a conference in Rochester called BASICcon. BASIC (Brothers and Sisters in Christ) is an organization that has spread to a number of college campuses, spreading the word of Jesus into the lives of students. Every year they host two conferences where groups of college students on fire for Jesus get to come together, worshipping and learning as a family. This past weekend five students from Christian Fellowship attended the conference; due to Housing Selection, Dance Marathon, and the Big Event, only a small number of students could attend, all seniors. As it happens, BASICcon this year focused heavily on purpose, which applies so directly to seniors, who tend to be terrified of what comes next in life. The first speaker, Nick Nilson, was a pastor from Texas who spoke on the idea of “Wet Feet.” He knew that humor was the way into our hearts, and so he brought up the passage in the Bible where Jesus is washing his disciples’ feet (John 13: 3-5). As most people know, feet are not a person’s best attribute, and during Jesus’ time, feet weren’t covered in socks and sneakers, so they were even more disgusting than they are today. The fact that Jesus kneels before each of the 12 disciples - even Judas, the one who will soon betray him for 30 pieces of silver - and washes their feet speaks volumes about Jesus’ character. The disciples didn’t deserve have Jesus clean their feet, but Jesus came to serve, and so it never mattered what those men did and did not deserve. At the end of his message, Nilson said to the crowd, “Your feet are soaking tonight.” They’re soaking in grace and love, even though we have messed up and made a number of mistakes in our lives. Nilson was the only speaker on Friday night, but his words resonated with the crowd of college students and stuck with us
all as we worshipped afterwards. Nilson managed to get right to the heart of the most basic insecurity we all have: we’re too messed up for God. Well, so was Judas, but Jesus washed his feet anyway. The hope in that message stuck with us all. The next morning students got to pick from two different speakers; all the Elmira students decided to go and hear Sam Distefano, since she will be speaking at Christian Fellowship this Friday at 6 PM in Tifft Lounge. Sam is currently an advisor of a BASIC club at LeMoyne College, having just recently graduated from SUNY Geneseo. Her sermon focused on finding your purpose. She outlined three keys steps: 1. Know who you are. 2. Know that it’s not all about you. 3. Identify your God-given passion. The first step is perhaps the hardest, since, especially as college students, we tend to struggle to find out who we are. What is our identity? Where do we find our identity? She stressed that we need to place our worth in Christ, not worldly things, since the world will disappoint us. We have to recognize that we are children of God. Then, we must acknowledge that it’s just not all about us. She discussed the body of Christ, using the metaphor of a can opener and wooden spoon working together to make spaghetti sauce. It was a new and effective approach to explaining the body of Christ - the can opener can’t stir the sauce, and the wooden spoon can’t open the can! It seems so ridiculous to look at it that way. It’s the same with us, as people - we all have our own, individual purpose, and God is going to use us to touch others’ lives. The lastly, you have to know what you’re passionate about. God gave you those passions, and so you should probably be using them.
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BASIC
From Page 10 Nilson spoke again after that, also focusing on purpose with the message title: “Hold it Down.” He acknowledged the pain that we tend to go through as young adults. We all have struggles, secrets, deep pains that we don’t know how to handle, hurts we sometimes don’t think can ever be healed. But Nilson said that we just have to keep “holding it down.” Keep on, even when it sucks. He said, “The longer you wait, the greater your miracle will become.” Being in the dark right now is horrific, but the longer you live in the dark, the brighter the light becomes. God will bring us through the pain. Always. The last speaker of the weekend was Havilah Cunnington, who is a pastor at Bethel Church in California. Havilah spoke twice on two distinctly different messages: the first on purity, the second on peace. In her first message she spoke on identity in Christ, and how that relates to purity. God is going to use us, no matter where we are in life. And on purity she spoke about how Christians are kind of afraid to talk about sex, and how ridiculous that can be. She was very open about a topic most Christians are incredibly closed about. She noted that God created sexuality, so he isn’t scared of it (something I think we can forget sometimes). And so often in today’s society shame is attached to sexuality, and God didn’t create sex to shame us. In fact, sex is a deep worship of God. It was a very interesting topic, and I appreciated the fact that she blunt and honest with us. The second message spoke on peace, something again that college students tend to struggle with. Her main point was that Satan is constantly trying to steal our peace - every time we stumble he is right there, trying to make us feel inadequate. And what he doesn’t steal, he persuades us to give up ourselves. At that thought, the crowd began to murmur; it was so true.
Then she spoke about an experience with her son, who fell out of a 2-story window when he was younger. He was rushed to the hospital, and had to go for a scan. Blood was gushing out of his mouth, and he was absolutely terrified. The hospital staff told her that she had to calm him, talk to him, and keep his head steady. She related this back to God. She said, “What kind of mother would I have been if I had looked at my son and said, ‘This is why you don’t jump on the bed!’” And that’s often how we see God - a scolding parent who will walk away when we screw up. But parents aren’t like that, not in the storms, the hurts, the pains. Parents are by your side, keeping your head steady. God is no different. Sometimes we need to face storms; it builds character. But God isn’t just letting us go into on our own. He isn’t going to leave us when things get tough. When asked, Jessica Brower ’16 said this about BASIC: “BASIC was amazing as always. It refreshed me and gave me greater peace and hope about embarking on this adventure of ‘adulting’ after graduation, knowing that God will be with me every step of the way. Ellie Knapp ’16 noted that “There is adventure everywhere you look. Where one person sees a run down, poorly lit, frightening hallway, another sees the chance for adventure. That’s my experience at BASIC. Literally.” Like every year, BASIC was a powerful experience. We danced, we sang, we learned, we cried, we hugged, we spent too much money on merchandise, walked too far in the snow for crappy fast food, and loved every minute of it (except maybe that walk in the snow...). As a senior myself, I’m sad to say this was my last BASIC, but I don’t think I could have asked for a better one to go out on. If you’re interested, please stop by Christian Fellowship this Friday at 6 PM in Tifft Lounge!
Active Minds Takes the Kognito Challenge By Rachel Alibozek ’17 Staff Writer
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ave you ever had a friend that seemed like they needed help, but you didn’t know what to do? Well, now you can with Kognito. Active Minds has begun the month long challenge of training students and faculty in mental health awareness, and our numbers grow every day. Active Minds at Elmira was one of the first colleges to get a large group of people to be trained, along with advisors and a mental health counselor on campus. For that, we thank everyone who participated not only to help Active Minds, but to also help him or herself with awareness. This also gives the participant a certificate, and the ability to put the training on their resume for any employment.
The challenge will still be running until April 26th, and we encourage everyone to participate. It will help you to see a real life situation of someone in college who is struggling, and why you should be worried. In every situation, there is feedback on how to further pursue a conversation with someone who is even just stressed. When people are strug-
gling in life, it is important to have a friend to talk to, especially if that friend knows how to help reduce the stigma of therapy, which seems to be the biggest stigma of mental health on this campus. No one should be afraid of therapy. If you break a bone, you aren’t afraid to go to the health center to get physical therapy to heal. Why should it be any different for
Photo by twitter.com your brain? By taking the Kognito challenge, you’ll be helping yourself find out the signs of depression and how to talk to someone. You’ll find that they address the stigma of therapy, and why you shouldn’t be afraid to seek help. Be active, be mindful, take the challenge here: activeminds.kognito.com.
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Roaming Reporter Question: What is your favorite Spring activity?
Ellie Knapp ’16: “Picnics!”
Jess Brower ’16:
“I like being able to go horseback riding for the first time after all the winter weather.”
Liz Roosa ’16:
“Being able to watch sports outside.”
Mary Preston ’17:
“Ignoring the fact that I have school work to do and eating ice cream outside.”
Emily Daigneault ’17:
“Just walking around campus when it’s sunny out makes me so happy! I also love going in the fountain with my friends while listening to music and reading a book!”
Alli Woodard ’18:
“My favorite springtime activity is
running around and letting everyone know that I’m happy because it’s spring... Which means winter is done for a while. [Also,] spreading the liberal agenda.”
Kelly Thomas ’17:
“Dismantling the patriarchy. In shorts and flip flops.”
Sarah Adriance ’16:
“Smelling daffodils and dreaming of air conditioning.”
Patti Ann Little ’19:
“Jumping on the trampoline!! [grin emoticon].”
Nathan Edwards ’18: “Drinking iced coffee.... And destroying my enemies’ hopes and dreams.”
Lydia Calabro ’18:
“ Rolling down the hill in front of the puddle while making fart sounds.”
Emmalee Smith ’18: “Reading outside. If I have a free afternoon, trying to sit in the shade and follow it at the sun moves. Also eating my lunch at a picnic table.”
Laura Butts ’18:
“Throwing Alli Woodard into the fountain.”
Nicole Gentile ’16:
“Reading outside... because I’m a complete nerd.”
ALUMNI ANSWERS Fabiola Rico ’15:
“Hunting squirrels and letting their bodies in front of people’s doors.”
Alex Hood ’15:
“Sketching trees outside for drawings!”
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Sports
Henderson’s Famous Shot Named 2016 GEICO Play of the Year By Liz Roosa ’16 Sports Editor
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ans of the Elmira College men’s basketball team will remember the shot from last December when Justin Henderson ‘16 sank a three-quarter court buzzer beater for a 62-59 comeback victory over Endicott College. After six weeks of voting the results are in and Henderson’s shot made Play of the Year. The shot appeared in the first round of voting and Elmira fans quickly pushed it into the final round. Fans voted again for the final round as Henderson’s shot went up against four other weekly winners and lofted it to the top. The play was shown in front of a
nationally televised audience during the special on Saturday, March 26th. It can be sure that Henderson will be remembered for one of the greatest plays in the
Photo by the Department of Athletics Elmira program history.
Women’s Lacrosse Nabs First Empire 8 Win Against Houghton
Photo by the Department of Athletics By Liz Roosa ’16 Sports Editor
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t was a good day for the Soaring Eagles on March 29th when the Elmira College women’s lacrosse team hosted the Houghton Highlanders at the Campus Field. The Eagles claimed their first Empire 8 conference win of the season 11-8. Moorea Spoljaric ‘16 got things started for the Soaring Eagles less than a minute into the first half when she scored unassisted. The Highlanders responded a minute and eleven seconds later to tie the game at one. Just under five minutes and thirty seconds later Spoljaric struck again, scoring unassisted to reclaim the lead. Only twenty-three seconds later she struck again upping the lead to 3-1. The senior attack-midfielder wasn’t done yet and extended the lead to 4-1 less than five minutes later. Eight minutes and three seconds later Marisa Carr
got on the board for Elmira assisted by Spoljaric. One minute and forty seconds later she struck again, assisted by Spoljaric for a second time. With 2:31 remaining in the first half Spoljaric closed out the scoring for the half 7-1, unassisted. The Highlanders opened up the scoring in the second just under four and a half minutes into the half. Fifty-eight seconds later Spoljaric responded with an assist from Laura Powell ‘16. Twenty-one seconds later Sarah Hughson ‘18 extended the Soaring Eagles lead unassisted. A minute and thirty-five seconds later the purple and gold struck again with a goal from Kylie Connell ‘17, unassisted. Houghton cut into the Eagles’ scoring spree but Hughson followed up with a final Elmira goal. Houghton mounted a comeback in the final ten minutes, scoring five times but they fell short and Elmira walked away victorious, 11-8. Lindsay Wargo ‘17 made 11 saves for the win.
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Leach’s Hat Trick Not Enough Against Nazareth
By Liz Roosa ’16 Sports Editor
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t was a tough game for the Elmira College men’s lacrosse team as they hosted the Golden Flyers of Nazareth
Photo by Liz Roosa ’16
College at Campus Field on Saturday March 26th. The visiting 15th nationally ranked Flyers walked away victorious 17-4. The first quarter was undeniably in favour of the Flyers. They scored nine straight goals in the quarter. They went on in the 2nd quarter to extend their lead to double digits before the Soaring Eagles got on the board to cut the lead back. Elmira’s first goal of the game was scored by TJ Leach ‘16 and assisted by Skyler Pradelski ‘16. Nazareth managed to score three more times in the first half but their offensive momentum had def-
Photo by the Department of Athletics initely slowed thanks primarily to the Elmira defence and goaltending. The third quarter again began scoring with a Nazareth goal but the next goal was Elmira’s. Leach put in his second goal of the game unassisted. The Flyers responded in the final seconds of the third quarter. It was the Soaring Eagles who opened up the scoring in the fourth quarter. Leach completed his hat trick 1:55 into the quarter assisted by Ollie Heitkamp ‘18. Pradelski followed up at the 4:57 mark of the quarter assisted by Anthony LaRusso ‘17. However the Soaring Eagles’ momentum fell short and the Flyers managed two more goals in the final few minutes of the contest. Cam Prior ‘17 made 21 saves in the loss.
NHL Report: Current Playoff Picture By Liz Roosa ’16 Sports Editor
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Photo by shstigertracks.com
t’s getting down to the wire and some teams have now begun clinching spots in the playoffs. Here’s this week’s NHL playoff picture. These standings are as of March 30th. Beginning with the Western Conference’s Central Division the Dallas Stars sit in first in the division for the fourth week in a row and have guaranteed themselves a
playoff spot. They have 101 points and a 46-22-9 record. The St. Louis Blues have retained second place in the division again and clinched a playoff spot with 101 points and a 46-22-9 record. In third again this week with their playoff ticket punched is the Chicago Blackhawks with 95 points and a 44-26-7 record. In the Pacific Division the LA Kings are on top again this week with a guaranteed
See NHL Page 15
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Baseball Swept by St. John Fisher
By Liz Roosa ’16 Sports Editor
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aturday, March 26th wound up being a rough day for the Elmira College baseball team. The Soaring Eagles hosted the Cardinals of St. John Fisher College at Dunn Field in a doubleheader but the Cardinals dominated both contests, winning the first 4-1 and the second 9-0. Elmira started well enough, getting on the board in the first inning of the first game. Bryce Plante ‘18 made it to second base thanks to some Cardinal error followed by Dylan Bellinger ‘17 advancing to first with a walk. Both of them advanced a base apiece on a pitch from the Cardinals.
Photo by the Department of Athletics Conor Bawiec ‘18 hit an infield single that advanced Plante across home plate. That was unfortunately Elmira’s last run of the game. St. John Fisher didn’t get on the board until the third inning to tie the game at one. The fourth inning saw the Cardinals earn 3 more on two plays. The second game saw the Cardinals starting early, taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning. They added another run in the second followed by three more in the third. Despite several good set-ups the Soaring Eagles were unable to advance across home plate. St. John Fisher added a run in both the sixth and seventh innings to finish the game at 9-0 and complete their sweep.
NHL
From Page 14 playoff spot, 95 points, and a 45-26-5 record. The Anaheim Ducks remain in second, nabbing a playoff spot with 94 points and a 42-23-10 record. The San Jose Sharks are still in third place and headed to the playoffs with 92 points and a record of 43-28-6. No change in the wild cards for the Western Conference this week although neither wild card team has secured a playoff spot yet. The Nashville Predators currently have 91 points with a 39-2513 record. The Minnesota Wild have 87 points and a record of 38-28-11. In the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division the Tampa Bay Lightning have kept the top spot with 93 points and a 44-27-5 record. The Boston Bruins remain in third with 88 points and
a 40-29-8 record. The Florida Panthers have kept second place with 93 points on a 4225-9 record. The Metropolitan Division is led yet again by the Washington Capitals, the only team in the Eastern Conference with a guaranteed playoff spot. The team has 113 points courtesy of a 54-16-5 record. Again in second place is the New York Rangers with 95 points and a 43-24-9 record. Third place again belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins with 94 points and a 4325-8 record. Like the Western Confer-
ence there was no change in wild card lineup this week. The Philadelphia Flyers have 87 points and a 37-25-13 record while the New York Islanders have 91 points with a 41-25-9 record.
Photo by therealsportszone. wordpress.com That’s the latest standings for the NHL. Check back next week for updated standings, points, and records.
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World News The Arctic Ice is Melting Fast
Photo by National Geographic By Rachel Leben ’19 Staff Writer
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his winter in the Arctic Sea the maximum water level reached and all time low; it was record breaking. The warm temperatures this winter is the cause of this unfortunate record, federal scientists reported Monday. Ice covered a maximum of 5,607 million square miles of the Arctic Ocean in 2016 says The National Snow and Ice Data Center. This number is 5,000 square mile less that 2015. The size difference between 2015 and 2016 is roughly the size of the entire state of Connecticut. To make matters worse, in the past 30 years the size change has been over the size area of Texas and California combined. These records go back to 1979 when satellite images started recording ice measurements. Walt Meier, a NASA scientist said that this year did not break the record much but it is a warning for years to come.
Walt Meier helped calculate the data. In the summer the record may grow. The summer minimum is more of a concern then the winter. Julienne Stroeve, a data center scientist, explains that “winter temperatures over the North Pole were 19 degrees warmer than normal, while other parts of the Arctic ran 4 to 11 degrees warmer than normal.” The data center chief said in a recent press release “I have never seen such a warm, crazy winter in the Arctic.” Meier said there were such high temperatures that the Barents Sea was “pretty much close to ice-free for almost the whole winter,which is very unusual.”Stroeve explains a controversial theory that the melting ice will change the jet stream pattern and bring extreme weather to the U.S. Pennsylvania State University climate scientist Michael Mann said, “[this is] just the latest disturbing data point in a disturbing trend wherein climate changes are happening even faster than we had forecast.”
Cavefish Found Able to Walk on all Fours By Rachel Leben ’19 Staff Writer
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n Thailand, a species of cavefish has been discovered and documented by scientists. What makes this fish so interesting is that it has been documented walking and climbing waterfalls in a similar matter to four-footed creatures such as salamanders. Researchers are calling this a huge revolutionary breakthrough. Brooke E. Flammang, an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at NJIT, explained that the fish contained anatomical features similar to a group of beings called tetrapods. Tetrapods are four-limbed vertebrates, which also include amphibians and reptiles. “What these fish do,
in complete darkness, is stick to the rock and climb waterfalls, completely underwater,” Flammang said. While there are other fish known to walk on land, scientists say there is no other fish quite like this cavefish. Its use of the tetrapod-like features makes it unique. “The pelvis and vertebral column of this fish allow it to support its body weight against gravity and provide large sites for muscle attachment for walking,” Flammang said, “From an evolutionary perspective, this is a huge finding. This is one of the first fish that we have as a living species that acts in a way that we think they must have acted when they evolved from a fluid environment to a terrestrial environment.”
Photo by phys.org
April 4, 2016
Page 17
Opinion English: You Should Know It
By Nicole Derosia ’17 Staff Writer
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t still amazes me how many people with English as their first language do not actually know English. Of course, we all make errors every now and then, but by now, everyone should know the difference between a vocative comma and an Oxford comma. Here are a few other rules and uses of the English language that people, having learned English as a primary language, should know. The clause. Reading the latter, did you realize that it was not a complete sentence? For a sentence to be complete, it must contain at least one clause. A clause contains within the structure a subject (a noun) and the action of that subject (a verb). Understanding clauses is incredibly important, and that understanding will help with a lot of other grammar
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rules of the English language. The semicolon is a beautiful thing. It’s great because it adds more meaning to writing than both a comma and a period. The semicolon is used to separate two independent clauses, meaning that they would also be able to be separated by a comma, or stand on their own as complete sentences. However, by using the semicolon, it implies to the reader that those two clauses are more closely related to each other then they would be if separated by a period. Think of it as if the second clause completes the thought of the first clause, but could do it on its own if need be. They are also useful for longer lists. There are words in the English language that sound the same, but are used in different situations, and frankly, people should understand the differences by now. Here are a few examples: be and bee; there, their, and they’re; and two, to, and too. Then, there are words such as then and than, neither and either, and affect and effect that are used in completely different situations, yet people seem to think are interchangeable. I hate to say that I’m that person who will correct you if you say, “Me
Photo by deviantart.net neither,” instead of, “Me either.” Either is used when there is a choice offered between two things. Neither is used to deny both things at once. There is a subtle difference, but an important one. Finally, the thing that irks me the most is the misunderstood difference between the vocative comma and the Oxford comma. Here’s a statement to consider, “Let’s eat, Grandma!” I’m sure that many believe that the comma used was an Oxford comma, and they would be incorrect. That, my friends, is a vocative comma. These commas are used to separate the rest of the sentence from a person who is directly addressed. An Oxford comma if completely different. A vocative comma is necessary, while an Oxford comma is not. An Oxford comma is used in a list to separate the list from the word “and” indicating the end of the list. However, it is NOT necessary to always include this comma. While it is obnoxious to expect people to understand certain elements of English, such as the subjunctive mood (yes, a mood, not a tense), there are elements that people should know. A great way to do this, and the way I learned about English, is to read! Reading always helps, and will teach you things about English that you always knew but couldn’t put a name to. Knowing English may seem like an unnecessary skill with things like the Internet and Spell Check, but your employer will be impressed when you can tell them the difference between “who” and “whom.”
April 4, 2016
Page 18
The “Mona Lisa” is Overrated By Nicole Derosia ’17 Staff Writer
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was lucky enough to be have been able to travel abroad in high school. My junior year, I went on a two-week exchange trip to Moissac, France, located just north of the Pyrénées. For the last four days of the trip, we traveled north and stayed in Paris. One of our bigger stops while there was the Musée du Louvre. We took the tour that allowed us to see the most popular and historical pieces in the museum. Among the pieces we saw, one of them was, of course, the Mona Lisa. I was more than excited to be able to see this iconic painting, and couldn’t wait until the tour led us there. Boy, was my excitement for nothing. And it wasn’t the painting’s fault, but the situation. When you go to see the Mona Lisa, you first enter a giant room in the middle of the museum. In the middle of this room is a random wall. On the other side of the wall, all by itself, is the Mona Lisa painting. It was completely encased by bullet-proof glass, apparently in case someone felt the need to shoot a painting. It was then roped off, twenty feet from the painting. Not only was there twenty feet between the painting and the rope, but there was another thirty feet of people surrounding that rope (it was a big room)! To actually be able to see the painting, I had to weed-whack my way through these people with my elbows to get to the rope. That was quite the exercise. Once I got there, I realized the painting was only 2’6”x 1’9.” It was small. I got to the rope only to not be able to see the painting because it was so small. I them attempted to take a picture multiple times,
Photo by astedominicos.blogspot.com but ALL of them were blurry because it is very hard to take a good picture when you have thirty feet of people on all sides knocking you around like bumper cars. After being violated by tons of people, fighting to get to a small painting that I could neither see nor take a picture of, I decided it was time to get out of there. So, needless to say, my experience with the Mona Lisa was not a good one. I did, however, thoroughly enjoy the sculptures, especially those of Venus de Milo and Winged Victory of Samothrace. So my recommendation to you is, visit the painting because it is historically significant, but so are all of the other pieces there. Take a look at the sculptures, especially those of the Greek and Roman gods, as well as popular artwork from the Renaissance. Hopefully your visit to the Mona Lisa will be better than mine.
Why New York Weather is the Worst By Nicole Gentile ’16 Campus Life Editor
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’ve lived in New York all my life, and still, at 22 years old, I am just not used to the crazy weather here. For example, let’s take a look at this past winter. It was so mild! We had hardly any snow, and I only recall one really bad day of ice-slush-snow on campus (the day you needed a canoe and ice skates to get around... I don’t think anyone has forgotten that day). Outside of that, though, the winter was relatively nice. It hardly even got that cold. Then spring came. The first day of spring was a miserable mess, feeling far more like winter than spring. Even though the week before had felt like spring, and the week after warmed
up... the week of was miserable. Now we’re in April - finally - and you would think that after a mild winter, spring would be absolutely beautiful. And some days it definitely is. And then some days it snows, and it’s just a very confusing thing. When I leave my room in the morning, I have no idea what kind of weather to expect: snow, rain, 80 degree heat. The weather is crazy in other places, too, but it just feels like New York
Photo by pintrest.com has gotten out of control. I just wish the world would pick a season and stick to it!
April 4, 2016
Page 19
Entertainment EC Buzz:
5 Reasons Monday is a Struggle By Alyssa Wilson ’17 Entertainment Editor
1. Lack of sleep
The weekend is generally considered a time to catch up on the sleep that you don’t get during the week. Except for the times that your friends invite you to hang out with them and stay up all night. There comes a time when you must choose priorities. Take those 8 hours of sleep you used to get once upon a time in high school? Or do college things like pigging out and watching Disney movies? (Disney movies always win…)
2. There are 5 long days to get through before the weekend
That Monday moment when you realize that this is only day one of a stressful week is the moment that you wish you were back in bed, curled up to make up for that lack of sleep. That moment usually comes the minute you roll out of bed, but remember, you’re one day closer to the weekend! Life just becomes an endless cycle of waiting around for Friday when you hit college.
3. You’re forced back into reality
The weekend is a beautiful time to escape from the real world. You can spend all of Saturday sleeping, reading, or watching movies (unless you want to be a productive college student and actually do homework). Embrace those two days of pure joy
Photo by silverjames.com
Photo by lovethispic.com when college isn’t the first thing on your mind. We all need that break! The saddest moment is when Monday rolls around to remind you that you do indeed have a test, or a quiz, or some club meeting that you somehow got sucked into. There’s no hiding under the blankets from Monday.
4. Monday tests
There are those professors that hate you. They’ve been to college, remember the pain of tests in general, and yet, they choose to ruin a weekend by giving you a test on Monday. There is no struggle like hoping you spent enough time out of bed studying throughout the weekend. And there’s really nothing worse than having a test the day you come back from a week break.
5. The homework you put off for the weekend is still there
Although it’s nice to relax and recharge over the weekend, it’s also nice to not have to worry on Monday because you’ve put your entire life on hold since Friday. It’s terrible when you’re sitting in class, listening to your professor talk about everything due this week, then realizing that you’ve done absolutely nothing for the past three days. On the bright side, Friday is not too far off!
April 4, 2016
Page 20
Movie Review: Batman vs. Superman
Photo by telegraph.co.uk By Nicole Derosia ’17 Staff Writer
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POILER ALERT! Marvel has been all over making movies for the past few years, introducing new characters every so often to build the ultimate Avengers team according to the Marvel comics. It seems that DC is now trying to catch up, and has recently released Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice on March 25. This movie was a continuation of Man of Steel, released in 2013. Man of Steel was released to introduce a modern interpretation of Clark Kent as Superman. BVS is simply a continuation of this film. The film begins with the origin of Batman and the deaths of Bruce Wayne’s (Ben Affleck) parents. It then jumps to several years later, when Superman (Henry Cavill) battles Gener-
Photo by screencrush.com
al Zod of his home planet of Krypton. The battle, which desolated the city of Metropolis, also destroyed Wayne Enterprises in Gotham, as well as killing thousands of people, including many that Bruce held dear. From that moment on, Bruce decided that he would avenge his friends and all that died by killing Superman. Several years later, Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) gains access to the wreckage of the ship from Krypton, as well as the remains of the stone kryptonite. With the kryptonite, Luthor plans to create weapons to keep Superman in check. When Bruce discovers that Luthor is about to have the stone in his possession, he plans to steal it. However, Clark Kent (also Henry Cavill) catches wind of this, and attempts to delay the theft. Tensions rise between the people of Metropolis and Gotham with Superman, leading to ultimately more death to set him up for prosecution. In an attempt to get back at Superman and Batman for some kind of personal vendetta, Luthor kidnaps Clark’s mother and offers a ransom: he can have his mother back if he brings Lu-
thor the head of Batman. Superman sets out to find Batman, with no intention of killing him; Bruce has other plans however. And so they battle, and just as Batman was about to kill Superman, they come to a truce and decide to work together to save Martha. Once saved, they discovered that Luthor had one more trick up his sleeve, and created a monster using the wreckage of the ship that could only be destroyed by kryptonite. Superman and Batman, along with the help of the randomly appearing Wonder Woman work together to bring down the monster. However, Superman dies in the process. This film is a lot darker than Superman films in the past. It focuses on the negative relationships between the characters, as well as death of the innocent and violent revenge. The film ended up focusing a lot less on the quarrel between Batman and Superman, and more on the origins of the Justice League. It introduced Wonder Woman, and hinted at the development of characters such as the Flash, Aquaman, and the Green Lantern. The film was very busy, trying to accomplish many things as once, and probably should have been split up more. Batffleck was a pleasant surprise; the casting choice seemed unusual, but the part was portrayed well. This movie can go one of three ways; either you will love it, hate it, or remain neutral. Check it out and see for yourself.