TNR 4.27.10

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THE INdependent student newspaper at the university of cincinnati

Vol. CXXX Issue 72

wednesday , april 28, 2010 delbert williams Blues player fuels his music with raw, personal emotions. page 3

war versus peace Aid for ROTC students raises question of aid for peacemakers. page 4

crosstown hardball Xavier takes game one 10-4, rematch set for Wednesday night. page 6

Darwinist defends atheist educators gin a. ando the news record

anna bentley | the News Record

heretic of heretics Michael Ruse hopes to somehow reconcile faith and science — which has both sides incensed.

In more than 40 years of writing books on evolution, Darwinist Michael Ruse has ruffled some feathers. Ruse, who is currently a professor of history and philosophy at Florida State University, made a stop at the University of Cincinnati Tuesday, April 27, to explain his unique view about atheism, evolution and religion — something that puts him in the crosshairs of both creationists and evolutionists alike. Ruse’s presentation, “Biology in the classroom: Should atheists be allowed to teach?” laid out his ideal situation: a

separation of science and faith. If achieved, it would not only rid some hostilities among influential scientists and religious figures. “I believe it is possible to reconcile religion with Darwinism,” Ruse said. “I’m not saying you should be Darwinian and I’m certainly not saying you should be Christian.” Although Ruse is an outspoken “skeptic” when it comes to religion, Richard Dawkins — a University of Oxford professor and poster child of publicly professed atheism — claimed Ruse’s outlook makes him comparable to Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister who signed a treaty with Adolf Hitler in an effort to avoid conflict.

Science and faith in themselves have been lumped together to the point in which both are classified as a religion — which undermines what science does, Ruse said. “What I find fascinating is either side’s unwillingness to look [at each other’s arguments] for five minutes,” he said. “I don’t think the conflict between science and religion is a God-given thing.” Ruse also explained how the Scopes Trial, which gained fame for its implications on the origin of humankind, was more so about the social strata in the South as opposed to whether or not creationism, intelligent design or evolution should be taught to students. see atheist | page 2

here comes lightning mcqueen, ka-chow!

briefs the greek divide when:

7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 29

where:

MainStreet Cinema

The first in a two-part series hosted by the United Black Student Association. A panel of black Greek members will answer questions and address concerns from the student body regarding the history, direction and future of black Greeks. For more information, call Anjylla Foster at 513-556-1177 or through e-mail at fosteray@mail.uc.edu.

pac spring concert featuring ludacris when:

8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 1

where:

Fifth Third Arena

Platinum recording artist Ludacris brings his southernflavored rhymes to Cincinnati as the headliner for PAC’s annual spring concert. Students must have a ticket and student ID to enter the show. Opening the show will be Warped Tour veteran and Canadian hip-hop group Down with Webster.

justin tepe | the news record

rounding turn three The Seventh Annual Bring Your Own Big Wheel race took place on Sunday, April 26. The race took its “drivers” down Cliff Drive behind the Krohn Conservatory at Eden Park.

Streetcar benefits scrutinized

texas hold ’em tournament when:

7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, April 30

where:

Tangeman University Center Catskeller

Local businesses unsure about economic boom chelsey billock the news record

Adjust your visors, flip down your sunglasses and put on your best poker face as UC’s finest gamblers square off in a Texas Hold ’Em poker tournament. Entry to the tournament is free, and prizes are awarded to the top finishers. For more information contact Ebahi Ejerekhile at 513-556-6115 or e-mail ejerekem@mail.uc.edu. anna bentley | the News Record

give me another David Rinderle, general manager at Mac’s, is ambivalent toward the streetcar.

index

1 News 3 Spotlight 4 Opinion 5 Classifieds 6 Sports

david schuler the news record

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“It can help or hurt,” said Travis Brinkman, owner of Chicago Gyro. “It can take people that are usually here downtown, or it can take people from downtown here.” Brinkman is hoping for the latter — that it brings individuals living downtown to Clifton. John-Michael Boggs, a manager at Christy’s Bier Garten on West McMillan Street, feels the location of the streetcar stop will play a large role in the amount of patrons it receives. “Quite possibly the closer you are to the stop the more of an advantage you have,” Boggs said. see streetcar | page 2

Israeli journalist analyzes Middle East tensions

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With proponents of the streetcar hailing the start of construction as an economic boost, local businesses are seeing it as both a blessing and a curse. A vote by Cincinnati’s city council Monday, April 19, allotted the project $2.6 million and allowed planners to tack 2020 as a year in which the system will be largely complete. The proprietors of Clifton Heights businesses Mac’s Pizza Pub, Chicago Gyro and Christy’s and Lenhardt’s are undecided on how it will affect them.

“I believe it will definitely help,” said David Rinderle, general manager of Mac’s. “Whether or not it helps Mac’s directly is unknown.” The majority of patrons to Mac’s are University of Cincinnati students that might find other places to go because of the streetcar, Rinderle said. “I think it will negatively affect us because they can go other places, including downtown, and be able to drink because they do not have to drive,” Rinderle said. Those same patrons, however, might also bring others to Clifton to what local fair it has to offer, Rinderle said. Other local business owners share these ideas.

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Gil Hoffman, chief political correspondent for The Jerusalem Post, analyzed the current state of U.S.-Israeli relations to University of Cincinnati students Tuesday, April 27. Hoffman attempted to shed light on the behind the scenes thought processes and decision making of the major players in present-day relations between the long time allies. Hoffman, who grew up in Chicago and graduated from Northwestern University, now lives in Israel and focuses on internal Israeli politics. He said he is optimistic about the current state of the country. “Israelis are more united than I’ve seen in a while,” he said. He gave some credit for these sentiments to current Israeli Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for leading and maintaining a broad coalition within the Israeli political world, shepherding a group that includes all parties except those on the extremes of the far left and the far right wings. Though Hoffman praised Netanyahu for unifying Israelis, he said Netanyahu, who was also Prime Minister in the late ’90s before losing power to Ehud Barak, has a messiah complex. “He believes he came back to power to save the Jewish people,” Hoffman said. Netanyahu is limited in his broad view of policy and relations, and that he only views success and failure and optimism and pessimism, through the prism of Iran, Hoffman said. Despite mild sanctions and immense international pressure to stop its march towards acquiring nuclear weapons, Iran’s leader, Mahmoud

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Ahmadinejad has not slowed its nuclear development efforts. President Barack Obama’s CIA director, Leon Panetta, visited with Netanyahu a few months into the administration and said that Iran was not a “major priority” for the United States. Netanyahu was troubled by this and immediately pushed Obama for a deadline and managed to get the United States to “reassess” its position on Iran, Hoffman said. The move resulted in the United States veering from a carrot on a stick policy with the Iranian government and deepened a rift between Obama and Netanyahu, despite Israel having a good relationship with the United States. “The dispute between the two of them is not shallow,” Hoffman said. “Both think the other is making huge mistakes.” see Hoffman | page 2

justin tepe | the News Record

mediator between nations Gil Hoffman, a journalist working in Gaza, speaks with the UC community.

TNR POLL

online exclusive

Will you frequent downtown more often due to the streetcar?

Check out reporter Chelsey Billock’s interviews with the managers of Mac’s, Christy’s and Chicago Gyro about the streetcar.

Looking for some experience or want to join the team? The News Record is hiring. Stop by the office, Room 509 Swift Hall, to pick up an application for the 2010-11 academic year.


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