The Spectrum Volume 61 Issue 41

Vol. 61 NO. 41

ubspectrum.com

Friday, December 9, 2011

Life Beyond the Hardwood Former basketball star returns to studies at UB AARON MANSFIELD Senior Sports Editor Mark Bortz is nearly seven feet tall.

Bald head. No eyebrows. Big biceps.

Students see the peculiar looking giant and think “monster,” but their opinions might change if they met the charismatic graduate student.

If only they knew he was a star on one of the best teams – and biggest disappointments – in UB sports history. They probably wouldn’t judge his odd look if they knew he suffered from a rare disease. Imagine if those onlookers knew Mark’s dream led him to a continent far away from his new wife and two loving parents – who were both diagnosed with cancer.

His playing career was exceptional.

His story? Unforgettable.

The journey back to Buffalo Seven years ago, heads would turn as Bortz passed by. He was one of the most recognizable people on campus. As he walks the same steps he did then, he still gets the stares.

But students these days only see the off-the-court version of Bortz. They don’t see the gritted teeth, furrowed

Former Bulls center Mark Bortz has a special place for UB and Buffalo in his heart - it's where he met his wife.

Meg Kinsley /// The Spectrum

For Sean Polan, music was just a part of growing up.

His dedication to music has caused him to flourish into a musical mutitasker.

From an early age, Polan, a senior vocal performance major, was exposed to all sorts of music, which has guided him toward becoming a broad musician. He is an avid singer, as well as a player of the piano, harp, and organ.

“Probably the oldest memories I have of music are of my grandfather singing to me when I was a child,” Polan said. “Every night he would sing to me Irish lullabies and different folk tunes. We would sing wherever we went, even when we were doing things like grocery shopping. I didn't realize how important music would be to me until I started spending time with my grandmother, though. She was an extraordinary pianist and she began to show me some things on the piano.”

Jennifer Polen, his aunt, reflects on Polan's younger years when he was starting to learn the tricks of the musical trade. She has commended him on his improvements and developments as a musician.

“My first memory of Sean and his music was him singing along to Andy Williams and insisting that he was a better singer than Andy Williams,” Jennifer said. “In fact, he was truly dreadful…At least he doesn’t suck now.”

wife was at home).

He used to own an unmatched level of ferocity, a level so intense that he was considered a demon on the basketball court. Students in 2011 see the laid-back, easygoing scholar.

He’s back in the same place, but his priorities are different.

He was seeing the world and living his dream life (but he decided there were more important things in life than basketball).

The former standout athlete – who is most recognized for his all-conference play on the 2005 men’s basketball team that lost to Ohio in the MidAmerican Conference championship game – is back at UB to earn his Master’s degree in business administration after overcoming copious challenges in his basketball career.

The amiable center starred on arguably UB’s best basketball team of all-time, and returned to his studies this year following seven years of professional basketball in seven different countries.

Honestly, he loved his life.

He was a local celebrity – known as “The White Ghost” – who won two championships in Uruguay (but his

He was getting paid to play the game he loved 24/7 (but his family was devastated by cancer).

At first, everything was going according to plan overseas for Bortz, but troublesome times soon followed.

Bortz was a rookie in Turkey in 2006, but he was cut from his first professional team. Then he developed alopecia – a medical condition in which hair is lost from some or all areas of the body, often called “spot baldness.”

Then disaster struck. His mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and she needed surgery right away.

Outside of his mother’s predicament, nothing fazed Bortz. He was cut from his team, but he responded with a firm: “it’s just basketball.”

His hair loss? He’s able to laugh at himself, shaving his head completely and even describing his look as “Mr. Clean.” But his mom’s cancer really got to him.

Continued on page 4

Chasing Dreams

Music in His DNA SOPHIE TRUTER Staff Writer

brow, and signature wristband which always accompanied him on the court at Alumni Arena. Rather they see an infectious smile, subdued demeanor, and argyle sweater.

Hip-hop, poetry, and an unshakable passion

always listening to music and always asking me, ‘who’s that, mommy? Who’s singing that?

What does that mean?’ and those kinds of [questions] in terms of the words,” Saunders said. “To me, he’s the lyricist.”

AKARI IBURI Senior Life Editor

He roams the streets of New York City for hours, decoding the world around him through poetic prose. The beating of his feet on pavement is the metronome to the lyrics that flow in his head.

From his hometown of Brooklyn to the streets of the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Akin Walker snakes through the corners of his favorite places to find inspiration for his words.

Walker, a senior English major, has been writing lyrics and poetry since the age of 9. He has been striving toward his vision of becoming ‘Darth Dream’; the name he calls himself and what will be his stage name as a professional hip-hop star.

Sweet_ness 7 Café, located on Buffalo’s West Side, has served as a melting pot of diversity and a catalyst for change in the surrounding area.

Akari Iburi /// The Spectrum

Walker was raised in a musicoriented family. His older brother played guitar and his god brother is pursuing a rap career, as ‘Deevious,’ in Atlanta, Ga. Walker’s mother, Andrea Saunders, danced professionally alongside Michael Jackson and Diana Ross in ‘The

Wiz,’ and performed for awardwinning choreographer Michaels Peters in several shows.

Walker’s involvement with music was inevitable.

“I do have a memory of [Akin]

Growing up, Walker always kept journals and rewrote lyrics to songs by artists such as Jay-Z and Backstreet Boys. When he was 15 years old, Walker joined a poetry group at Benjamin Banneker Academy high school. The support and feedback he received from the group encouraged him to take his writing seriously.

“I’m an introvert so I definitely have a lot of time to think,” Walker said. “I just write about anything and everything that goes on in my life. Even as a kid I would write about stuff that [went] on in my life. That’s always Continued on page 6

UB Faculty And Staff Working to Keep Native Americans in College

There is more to Polan than just his musical talents; he is also involved in realms of theatre. While he has changed from a musical theatre major, his interest in theatre still influences his music tastes.

“I love playing show tunes. I grew up listening to Phantom of the Opera, Godspell, Mame, everything and I still love it today,” Polan said, “I also love Irish music. There is something about it that speaks to the part of me that loves fantasy. The music is sometimes mournful and sometimes joyous beyond belief. I love the extremes.”

Kevin Westermann, a senior business and English major with a music theory minor, is a close friend to Polan. He believes Polan’s interest in the theatre world is one of his most eccentric traits.

Continued on page 2

UB is attempting to increase the enrollment of Native American Students.

JESSICA BRANT Special to The Spectrum Karlee Bigtree grew up on the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian reservation, located about six hours away from Buffalo. While her sister became a teenage mother, her own mother was battling with substance abuse. Bigtree was the first in her family to graduate with a high school diploma.

Next spring, she will also be the first to graduate with a degree from college.

UB student, Sean Polan, is working toward a career in music and teaching, while improving his skill and helping his community learn the basics of music and instrument playing.

Courtesy of Sean Polan

Weather for the Weekend:

Friday: Snow Shower- H: 34, L: 21 Saturday: Partly Cloudy- H: 28, L: 25 Sunday: Sunny- H: 36, L: 30

d

The junior business major and president of the Native American Peoples’ Alliance at UB has had her share of adversity. That’s why she plans to return to her reservation after graduation: to use her degree to help others who face

adversity in her community.

“I heard an expression once: red on the outside, white on the inside. ‘Like an apple,’ I hear people say on the reservation. ‘Yeah you look Native, but you’re going to change by going off the reservation,’” Bigtree said. “But I didn’t change. I’m still tied to my community and my culture. That was always my goal: to go back to my community after I graduate.”

Native American college students attending SUNY colleges have stories similar to Bigtree’s, but not all end with an optimistic outlook. Native American students have the highest college dropout rates of any other minority in the SUNY system, a trend that campus organizations and faculty at UB are working to reverse.

Junghyun Kim /// The Spectrum

That includes Dr. David Patterson, assistant professor in the School of Social Work and director of the Native American Center for Wellness Research. Patterson spoke to a colleague on the scholarship committee at the university in 2006, expressing concern about finding students to apply for the Morris K. Udall scholarship, a merit-based scholarship open to Alaska Native or Native American students studying fields related to health care or tribal policy.

“Since this person [on the scholarship committee] had been at UB for 10 or 15 years, she has never been able to get native students to apply for her scholarship. That sort of set the ball rolling of, ‘What is going on with the native population here at UB?’” Patterson said.

I N S I D E

Continued on page 2

Opinion * 3 Life * 10,11 Arts * 12,13 Classifieds / Daily Delights * 15 Sports * 16

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Continued from page1: UB Faculty And Staff Working to Keep Native Americans in College

Continued from page1: Music in His DNA “I’d say the quirkiest thing [about him] is his fascination with the Renaissance Fair,” Westermann said.

“He has a costume and everything.

He's even convinced me to get in the spirit and dress up on more than one occasion. His quirks are infectious, sometimes.”

During Polan’s transition between majors from the music theatre department to music performance, Westermann noticed a change in Polan’s confidence as he has improved over the years, gaining momentum through support from professors.

Tony Arnold, an associate professor of singing for the department of music, has taught Polan voice for three years.

Polan is a member of BABEL, an experimental vocal ensemble led by Arnold.

“Sean has worked hard, and has never turned away from a challenge,” Arnold said. “He has a good musical ear, which he has extended and improved through his work as a vocalist. Sean is never afraid to risk failure, even in a public setting. The range of Sean's empathy in performance shines through, and he makes progress through the courageous act of risking failure publicly.”

Polan has made a big impression on not just his teachers but the Buffalo community as well.

He began teaching music after being approached by a woman from his church that requested he instruct her how to play the harp. Although he had never taught music before, he soon found himself reaching out to numerous students, both instrumentally and vocally.

Friday, December 9, 2011

His experiences have sparked a passion in Polan as he hopes to continue his studies and graduate with a master’s degree in music education.

“I have always wanted to be a teacher and I think that it suits me,” Polan said. “I had some tough teachers, but I loved each one of them because they helped me learn so much. I want to do that for other people. I love seeing when a person gets something, like a difficult passage or a new technique.

And the fact that I [am] able to help them learn that makes me feel great.”

While investigating, Patterson uncovered some unsettling statistics from data collected over a 30-year period. Fifty-seven percent of Native American students at SUNY schools drop out before obtaining a degree.

He also discovered that UB’s admissions department was looking to match the minority retention of other public universities. He proposed one possible solution: create a Living and Learning Center in the Red Jacket dorm building on campus.

Under Patterson’s direction, the Red Jacket Living and Learning Community Center, to be launched in the fall Polan also enjoys sharing his own of 2012, will allow incoming Native musical talent on stage in front of a freshmen to find each other, dorm and crowd. Working with two local church socialize with each other, and study choirs, he utilizes his passion for together throughout their undergradugroup ensembles to expand his own ate careers. A variety of resources will talents. be offered, including scholarships and study abroad opportunities. Living and “When you hear voices singing toLearning Community models – such as gether, the sound that it produces is the UB Undergraduate Academies, a amazing,” Polan said. “You can hear program that brings together faculty, this buzz when things are in perfect staff, and students with common harmony and I find it cool.” research interests and areas of study – are proven to increase GPA scores, colArnold has high hopes for Polan’s fulege retention rates, and overall college ture career in music and teaching. His experiences, according to Patterson. ability to take initiative have already set him a part form a lot of undergrad- “Support [for Native students] needs to uate students, according to Arnold. be provided from recruitment to graduation. There needs to be this complete cycle, where it’s uninterrupted,” Pat“I think the responsibility he has terson said. “The Living and Learning taken on for his two church jobs is Center can help fill in those gaps.” an important first step in a diverse musical career,” Arnold said. “[They] The Center can especially help stuwill undoubtedly be a patchwork of performing, teaching, and leading in a dents who are leaving their reservations for the first time to attend variety of capacities.” college, according to Patterson.

Email: features@ubspectrum.com

“It’s a culture shock. Especially coming from the Akwesasne reservation, which is really prideful in where you come from and being Mohawk essentially… then you come to a university and you’re one out of thousands, and that’s kind of taken away,” said Beynan Ransom, a graduate student in the

department of civil, structural, and environmental engineering and a member of the Native Graduate Student Association. “It’s a foundational part of who you are, but then you’re put in an environment where that means nothing.”

But it does mean something, according to UB admissions advisor Amanda Casali. She developed the Native American Outreach Day program in November 2009 as a means of recruiting local Native high school students to UB. Each year, prospective students are invited on campus to tour facilities such as the Intercultural Diversity Center and to attend the annual Native American Bazaar, a cultural celebration showcasing traditional dances, storytelling, and other important aspects of Native culture.

“I hear positive remarks from the high-school counselors who bring the students, and I typically go to them for feedback. I have seen that we do receive applications from students that attend the event, and many do enroll here,” Casali said.

One of her goals in establishing the program was to assure Native students that they are not alone. Another was to teach them the power in having a degree.

“I can’t get them through college if they’re not in college,” Casali said.

Since Casali began working in the admissions office in 2009, she has helped to more than double the number of Native students who enroll. In 2009, over 50 students enrolled at UB. Last year, 371 Native students applied to the university, and about 150 of those students enrolled.

But why don’t they stay?

The fear of a stripped identity and a weak support system are two of several reasons why Native American students

get discouraged from continuing on in their studies at a university or enrolling at a university at all, according to Casali. In some Native communities, pursuing a higher education is looked down upon, as it removes the individual from tradition. Many students thus succumb to the pressure exerted by friends and family to remain on the reservation.

Rebecca, a sophomore psychology major who did not want her last name published, sometimes can not help but to feel detached from her Cattaraugus reservation, the Seneca Indian Nation, located about 45 minutes south of UB. “[The elders] kind of don’t ask you to help out with tribal ceremonies or anything if you’re not going to be there. I still go when I can, but when I do, they kind of look at me like I shouldn’t be there because I abandoned them,” Rebecca said. “I still go to ceremonies to show that I still want to be involved.”

Despite a handful of resources that await Native students once they arrive on campus, Patterson firmly believes that more can be done on the university’s end in order to ensure that they are guaranteed the optimal college experience. “[The problem of Native retention] is complicated. There’s really no silver bullet to this, so my idea was that you’ve got to start with something,” Patterson said. “If the university is serious about keeping minority students in school, they need to put some resources into the system [like the Red Jacket Living and Learning Community Center]. A little bit of momentum matters.”

Full disclosure: Jessica Brant is the vice president of the Native American Peoples’ Alliance.

Email: features@ubspectrum.com

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Opinion

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Friday, December 9, 2011 EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR IN CHIEF Matthew Parrino SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR James Twigg MANAGING EDITOR Edward Benoit EDITORIAL EDITOR James Bowe NEWS EDITORS Luke Hammill, senior Rebecca Bratek Sara DiNatale, asst.

Lisa Khoury, asst.

ARTS EDITORS Jameson Butler, senior Vanessa Frith Nicolas Pino LIFE EDITORS Akari Iburi, senior Steven Wrobel Veronica Ritter Keren Baruch, asst.

SPORTS EDITORS Aaron Mansfield, senior Brian Josephs Scott Resnick, asst.

Andreius Coleman, asst.

PHOTO EDITORS Meg Kinsley, senior Alexa Strudler Satsuki Aoi Troi Williams, asst.

Nyeri Moulterie, asst.

CARTOONIST Patrick Boyle WEB EDITOR Matthew Parrino James Twigg

PROFESSIONAL STAFF OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR Helene Polley ADVERTISING MANAGER Andrew Angeles CREATIVE DESIGNERS Nicole Manzo Aline Kobayashi ADVERTISING DESIGNER Aline Kobayashi The views expressed – both written and graphic – in the Feedback, Opinion, and Perspectives sections of The Spectrum do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial board. Submit contributions for these pages to The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union or news@ubspectrum.com. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit these pieces for style and length. If a letter is not meant for publication please mark it as such. All submissions must include the author’s name, daytime phone number, and email address.

The Spectrum is provided free in part by the Undergraduate Mandatory Activity Fee. December 9, 2011 VOLUME 61 NUMBER 41 CIRCULATION: 7,000 The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by both Alloy Media and Marketing, and MediaMate.

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The Spectrum offices are located in 132 Student Union, UB North Campus, Buffalo, NY 14260-2100 Telephone: (716) 645-2468 Fax: (716) 645-2766 Copyright 2011 Buffalo, N.Y. The Spectrum is printed by The Buffalo News 1 News Plaza Buffalo, N.Y. 14240

Perry Breaks His Political Back

MARA DECKARD Special to The Spectrum

To most university students in the U.S., it is no secret that perspectives and ideas vary in different regions of the country, from the conservative South to the liberal North, or from the innovative urban centers to the traditional values of rural towns.

Views on different people also vary by region. The same people who are embraced with equality in American cities may face intolerance and discrimination in smaller towns.

We’ve all heard the stories, those horrors of small town America: tales of a student whose classmates will not work with her because she is not American, and her teacher refuses to

Pick and Choose

Christianity is not under attack

Boasting an overly masculine jacket in what seemed like an attempt to seem more rugged and manly, Rick Perry’s campaign officially committed seppuku on Dec. 6 by posting a 31-second campaign ad on YouTube.

Obviously attempting to appeal to Christian conservatives, the content of the ad was simply Perry against a rustic background talking.

The content of the ad is too stupid to embellish upon.

“I'm not ashamed to admit that I’m a Christian, but you don’t need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.”

In one smooth motion, Perry plunged a political dagger into the gut of his campaign by dehumanizing gay people.

For the entirety of the video, it seemed like an incredible doppelganger for Perry just hilariously making bigoted and false statements.

Unfortunately it was not a poignant satire.

Perry actually thinks that gay people

openly serving in the military is an evil on par with religious oppression.

Being religious is one thing. Nobody in their right mind would demean someone else for holding a personal belief, and guiding their own lives on it.

Perry’s ad is obviously the death throes of a floundering campaign, but the notion of “Obama’s war on Christianity,” and Christians not being able to practice religion openly is one that won’t go away any time soon.

Maybe Perry has been living under a rock for the last 60 years. Christmas is arguably the most widely celebrated holiday in the United States.

Schools have fun with it, we get time off from classes for it, and the whole country is decorated with yuletide cheer.

Somehow, the issue morphs into children aren’t able to pray in school.

Yet another notion that is unfounded.

Children can pray whenever they feel like it in school; the school just can’t force children to pray. Where is the big confusion?

When every single president, the vast majority of congressmen and government officials have been Christian, the argument that Christians are

being oppressed falls on deaf ears.

Christian conservatives try time and time again to create a false dilemma when the government doesn’t go along with everything they want.

Unfortunately, that’s not how our constitution works. Perry wants to claim that faith is what made our nation great, but the founding fathers have a slightly different take.

It’s clear, not only from the Constitution, but from other documents of the time like the Treaty of Tripoli, that the United States is not based on any religion.

Religion doesn’t give you a free pass to be bigoted. The bible says many things that would be considered absolutely deplorable by anybody today. Do Evangelicals really think that slavery should be brought back because the bible says it’s cool?

Obviously not, because that’s morally wrong. That same logic should be applied to gay rights. Just because the bible says it’s OK, it doesn’t follow that you then get to be a huge dick.

No matter your religion, race, creed or any other distinction, you are responsible for your own actions. Being a bigot is included.

According to Plan B FDA recommendation was sound

Parents would love to assume that their children are little cherubs, blissfully traversing the earth spreading joy and happiness to all like baby Jesus.

Sadly, this is almost never the case, although it would be nice.

Teens especially have a knack for getting in trouble, and sex is one of the easiest ways to get in a lot of it.

Sex is not talked about very openly with children in this country. It seems like every time a sex-ed class is started up in an area that didn’t have it before, a new controversy erupts over whether or not we are too open with our teens about sex, and the idea that we shouldn’t talk about sex is reinforced.

He’d be painted as if he was writing the permission slip for every kid in the U.S. to go to his or her friend’s house for an orgy.

Soon after the recommendation, the Department of Health & Human Services director Kathleen Sebelius decided to kill the recommendation.

She cited the well-known differences between the teen brain and the brain of a reproductively capable 11-yearold.

The application by the FDA would have approved Plan B for both.

Health and safety should be the major concern of the FDA no matter what, but this decision flies in the face of well-researched science and evidence.

This same debate opened up after the Food and Drug Administration recommended that the Emergency Contraceptive pill, Plan B, become over the counter, without age restriction.

Arguments that say the health effects aren’t clear yet are extremely flimsy.

Side effects for infrequent use are very mild, and don’t share the same effects as estrogen-based contraception because it has none.

Obama must have thought of the political atomic bomb this would set off if he had authorized the recommendation. Considering the fact that the election year is about to begin, the fodder for his opponents would have been deadly.

Possible interactions have also been singled out as a reason to keep the morning after pill prescription only.

Parents say they want to make sure that their children are not taking something that might interact with their other medications.

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Xenophobia

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help; a Muslim woman who becomes the targets of threats or hatred because of her religion; a man who is rejected by a Christian community for being homosexual.

acter does not vary terribly much between races and religions, and yet so often we focus on our subtle differences and insist on rejecting “the other.”

These are some of the nightmares of intolerance that exist in small town America. And, perhaps, it’s understandable. Citizens in rural settings are not often exposed to fantastic education systems or people who are different from themselves, so perhaps this level of xenophobia is natural?

Is this really the type of behavior that a few of us are willing to enact, and more of us are willing to tolerate, on a university campus?

It might be, if that were the case.

However, each of these scenarios didn’t happen in the “conservative south” or “rural America” – they each occurred at UB, and each within the past few weeks.

This type of blatant discrimination baffles me. My time in college has led me to travel abroad and spend a good deal of time with refugees in the U.S. My favorite part of interacting with the international community is being reminded that people are so utterly the same. We all fear, love, joke and learn in similar ways. Human char-

Buffalo, as the second largest city in New York State, has been trying to reclaim its former rust-belt glory.

Really, there is no reason that it shouldn’t: Buffalo has a fantastically diverse population, accessibility to education, and some wonderful research institutions.

With the numerous universities and resources that Buffalo has to offer, the city has the potential to prosper as a center of progress and research.

But what progress can be made without tolerance? Does not the liberty to live one’s life as he or she sees fit, with the basic freedoms of being able to practice one’s own religion, choose the person he or she loves, and take pride in his or her ethnicity, repre-

By this logic, however, almost every over-the-counter drug should become prescription only. Many drugs sold without prescriptions could interact badly with medication, yet they are not singled out. Why? Because there is no sexual implication when you go to buy Tylenol.

During his campaign, Obama promised to lead this nation not by politics and dogma, but by science and proof.

Approving Plan B would have been the prime opportunity to prove that, and his administration dropped the ball.

For entirely political reasons, a reasonable contraception method will be harder to attain than an abortion in some states.

EDWARD BENOIT Managing Editor

OK Evangelical Christians, it’s time you and me had a talk. See, there’s something I think you just don’t understand – something you don’t quite “get.”

No, I’m not going to talk about seventh grade science, or first grade logic, or what the part about “separation of church and state” in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution means, so don’t worry.

I’m here to talk about what a “choice” is, and why it is you, Evangelical Christians, who do a lot more “choosing” in regard to “morals” (those being sarcastic quotation marks), lifestyle, and adherence to the Bible than all those sinning homosexuals you seem to have such a problem with.

Let’s start off with the “choice” of being gay. Now, I could cite any number of scientific reasons why this is completely and totally f***ing wrong, but I know science isn’t exactly your guys’ thing, so here’s a (somewhat humorous) alternative: If being gay is a choice, than that means either 1.) you have, within your conscious control, the ability to start being attracted to and sexually aroused by members of the same sex, or 2.) you’re always aroused by and attracted to members of the same sex, and you just choose not to act on those impulses.

If either of those is the case (according to your own logic, one must), then I have a proposition for all the male homophobes in the audience: I cordially invite you for a night of red-hot gay sex with yours truly so you can prove your point about homosexuality being a “choice.” I offer this not because I’m gay (by birth, by choice, or otherwise), but because I know I won’t have any takers because the flimsy logic you Evangelicals use to justify your own closed-minded hatred of other human beings is full of crap, and even you know it.

Though this makes for an unbelievably awkward segue, let’s now talk about the Bible. I admit, the Biblical sanction against homosexuality in Leviticus 18:22 is pretty clear-cut, just like the Biblical sanctions against eating shellfish (Leviticus 11:10), wearing clothes woven of two types of material (Leviticus 19:19), and allowing women to speak publically or wield authority (1 Timoth 2:12). StrangeMiddle ground can be reached, rather ly, though, I don’t see any of you guys than simply pretending to take a protesting outside Joe’s Crab Shack, or hard stance on teen sex by solely bombing the men’s section of JC Penny’s, denying the whole request. The HHS or trying to stop Michele Bachmann’s could have required it to be given increasingly disastrous and embarrassonly after being explained proper us- ing presidential bid. age by a pharmacist, or made it fully available at Planned Parenthood And though I obviously don’t know for clinics in part with some explanation sure, I strongly suspect an unquestioned on proper use. endorsement of those absurd verses Whatever the case may be, we need to get over our fear of teenagers having sex. It shouldn’t be encouraged, but ignoring it will never make it go away.

wasn’t part of the IVCF’s illegal “basis of faith” agreement, when the bit about condemning homosexuality clearly was.

So, Christians, what gives?

Allow me to answer that for you, or at least give my own take on the matter. I’m absolutely convinced that the Evangelical condemnation of homosexuality has nothsent all that political freedom must ing to do with wishing to follow every guarantee? How can a community line and letter of the Bible, because if it or society take pride in itself if it did than you’d all be forcing women to neglects the basic human rights of its cover their hair in public (1 Corinthians people?

11:4-16) and putting adulterers to death (Leviticus 20:10, Leviticus 21:9, DeuterAdditionally, in ignoring the thoughts onomy 22:22). But you’re not. and ideas that are different from our own, we lose diversity in perspective.

Instead, it’s got everything to do with Narrow-mindedness does not make a cherrypicking your ancient holy book to good avenue for progress. justify your own ass-backward prejuUB is a wonderful institution, full of dices. students from diverse perspectives and backgrounds. Everyone at this You’re the ones doing the “choosing,” not institution is given the advantage of homosexuals. education and exposure to different people. These advantages could Nowhere is this more apparent than the contribute to a progressive and openyour stances on things like abortion and minded university community if we birth control, which have no Biblical are willing to reject intolerance. sanction for or against them at all. But, again, it’s got nothing to do with the In the twenty-first century, xenoBible – it’s got everything to do with the phobia is not in, and it is the young fact that people exercising sexual agency generation of future professionals and holding sovereignty over their own who need to embrace diversity and bodies offends your backward, puritanirefuse to tolerate discrimination in cal sensibilities. any form.

Email: mdeckard@buffalo.edu

What are you thinking?

Tweet it! @UBSpectrum

Hey, you know what it does say in the Bible that I’ve never seen even one self-righteous, self-proclaimed “devout” Evangelical do? “Sell your possessions, and give alms” (Luke 12:33).

Maybe all you “devout” Evangelicals should do that instead of imposing your twisted, hypocritical, self-serving, Bronze-aged hatred on other human beings.

Email: eabenoit@buffalo.edu

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Friday, December 9, 2011

Continued from page 1: Life Beyond the Hardwood anything going on in her life.

His mother survived the surgery, but Mark’s family would soon face more trials. In 2009, Mark’s great uncle, Eugene, was diagnosed with lung cancer and consequently passed away. Then in 2010, doctors removed a tumor from the left cheek of Mark’s father, Alan, and discovered it was cancerous.

Mark couldn’t sit back any longer.

“I don’t want to lose my parents – I got a little bit selfish,” Bortz said. “I started thinking about what I could do to help them. I couldn’t care less what happens to me down the road, but I want to keep them around as long as possible.”

He didn’t just think about helping his parents; he took action. In the summer of 2010, Mark worked incessantly to raise money for The Ride for Roswell – an annual bike ride fundraiser put on by the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, which raises money to aide in preventing and curing cancer.

His team raised over $2,000 dollars, with Mark raising more than half of it and being named to Roswell’s “Extra-Mile Club.” Mark hates talking about himself, and said he doesn’t want to be considered “somebody special;” thousands of people raise money for Roswell Park.

His parents both described themselves as blessed, because Mary Bortz has not had a recurrence and Alan is in high-quality condition in his clash with cancer. Still, the family has been completely wrecked by the second-largest killer in the U.S. (according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention).

“It’s an ongoing battle,” Mary Bortz cleared her throat and paused for a few moments, noticeably struggling with the words. “Because just when you think you’re safe…” she paused again. “Something else comes up. It’s something I can’t really talk about.”

He said he came home because of his family, but his parents live in Michigan – about a six hour drive from Buffalo.

So why did he come home? Well, that’s simple. “I understand Buffalo is his new home,” Mary Bortz said. “Because he has the love of his life there.”

That’s Erin Bortz, Bortz’s wife and significant other ever since he met her at UB. They took a class together and one day she approached him in the

Student Union. Eventually they sat next to each other in class and Bortz took her on a few dates.

Erin brought her best friend along on the first three dates because she was afraid he’d turn out to be “a typical athlete,” but once she trusted him, she fell in love with his comedic personality, colossal frame, and charming nature.

They were married in August 2009. Erin stayed home for her high school teaching job and Mark had to spend the first two years of their marriage away, playing basketball.

“I don’t think too many of us can do that,” Alan Bortz said.

Everything compounded. Bortz didn’t want to be out of the country if his family had another run-in with cancer. He wanted to be with his wife. He wanted his family.

Bortz always decided year-by-year if he’d play basketball again; he never knew how many years he wanted to play. Erin Bortz was ecstatic when he finally decided to retire after last season.

“It’s surreal,” she said. “I knew I wanted him home and I knew I wanted to be with him forever, but I wasn’t sure if it was ever going to happen.”

Just don’t get one thing twisted: Bortz could still play if he wanted to. His parents watched all his games, and they said they’d never seen him perform at a higher level than he did in his last season.

Mark didn’t want to retire. In fact, he said he wanted to play until “the wheels fall off.” But his family was just more important.

“Basketball is a part of me, but it doesn’t make me who I am,” Mark said. “It’s just one piece of the puzzle.”

2005: the tip-in He has never watched the replay. He never will.

One of the most well-known moments in UB sports history is one of the most devastating moments in UB sports history. That instant – they call it “the tip-in” – lives in infamy.

The year was 2005. Bortz was a senior, an allconference performer on the men’s basketball team.

The senior class – guys like Bortz, Turner Battle, and Danny Gilbert – had played with each other for

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four years, and they’d improved every year.

After a 23-10 regular season, the Bulls marched through the conference tournament en route to the championship game. The squad had set Buffalo abuzz with hope that the Bulls might have enough talent to secure the school’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament.

For the vast majority of the MAC championship game, that prophecy was fulfilled in storybook fashion. The Bulls led a young Ohio squad by 19 in the second half and Bortz and his comrades appeared well on their way to the tournament. However, that youthful Bobcats squad fought all the way back to force overtime.

Battle, who is currently an assistant coach on the men’s basketball team and was the 2005 team’s defined leader (Batman to Bortz’s Robin), hit a go-ahead shot with 11 seconds remaining. UB fans will never forget what happened next.

“Before the [Ohio] shot even went up, I thought for sure we were going to win,” Bortz said. “Okay, we’ve got this.”

As former Ohio guard Jeremy Fears came up the sideline and shot the ball, Bortz leapt in an attempt to reject the shot. He was thinking: “This is it. I’m going to block the shot.” It floated just over his fingers and bounced off the rim.

“I turn around and see [former Ohio forward Leon Williams] tip the ball in and I hear the buzzer,” Bortz said. “It was the most gut-wrenching feeling.

We felt like it was our time. It was heartbreaking.”

Though the team fell short of the NCAA Tournament, the Bulls did clinch the university’s first-ever birth in the NIT, college basketball’s secondary postseason tournament. The men’s basketball team has only been to one conference championship game since then, losing to Akron in 2009. The players that were freshmen on that team are now seniors.

Bortz is still hurting and he hates knowing that play is the most memorable of his Buffalo career, but in the end, it just motivated him. He said the two championships he won in Uruguay were unbelievably sweeter and meant so much more to him because of “the tip-in.” The Bulls’ fairytale season fell just short, but there was redemption for Bortz.

That team was something special. Now that Mark is back in Buffalo, he often spends time with his former teammates and keeps in regular contact with Witherspoon.

Though Battle was the hero of that 2005 team, he said he looks up to Bortz (and not just literally). And though Witherspoon was Mark’s coach, he even learned a few things from the towering 28-year-old.

“Mark is an amazing person,” Witherspoon said. “On top of his ability as an athlete, he’s an extremely caring, thoughtful person. He puts a lot into everything he does – especially into trying to be helpful. He’s someone we’re privileged to have in our community. We’re thrilled.”

One of Witherspoon’s words – caring – is a word that succinctly describes Bortz. His mother recalls his high school days when he was the star of the team. Mark would always give the ball to the lesser-skilled players so they could score when his coach would bring in the benchwarmers late in games. He refused to shoot.

He’s also a captivating joker. Mark’s dad said: “I think there might be a place for him in life someday for stand-up comedy.” That entertaining attitude – he doesn’t believe in taking himself too seriously – is one that helped him handle his alopecia.

He wasn’t too worried initially. He just thought his hairdresser nicked him with the clippers. Then he started noticing more hair falling off, until he realized it was a serious problem.

“It was difficult for him at first, and then he really embraced it,” Erin said. “He shaved his head and almost developed this character when he was playing overseas. The fans loved his whole character – slapping the floor, the dunks, the sweatband.”

Hence, the 6-foot-10 bald Caucasian received the nickname: “The White Ghost.” He adored it.

The future

That very same argyle sweater-wearing giant is quite the character.

Mark is currently working on his degree in business administration, but he’s not entirely sure what he wants to do with it. He worked with an agency named Pro Partner Sports Management when he was a professional athlete. He’d like to be involved in some capacity with that organization, or become an agent, or do something along those lines. He wants to be involved with basketball; he still loves the game.

His siblings call him “Tiny.” He’s the third of five children, and his family adores him. The kids always fought over who got to sit next to “Tiny.”

He began playing basketball when he was in fifth grade, because his sister started playing and his family went to all her games. That older sister, Michelle Bortz (30), played college basketball, and so did Bortz’s younger brother, Nicholas Bortz (24).

They are simply a basketball family. Many schools were recruiting Mark throughout high school, but his parents knew UB was the right one right away.

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“When we met [men’s basketball head coach Reggie Witherspoon], the whole family took to him,” Alan said. “We just fell in love with him right from the

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start. We knew that was where Mark was going to end up going.”

But in actuality, he doesn’t really know what he’s going to do. All he knows is he has his family. As far as Mark Bortz is concerned, that’s all he needs.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

Friday, December 9, 2011

Page 5

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Page 6

Friday, December 9, 2011

Continued from page 16: Bulls’ Bench Explodes to Ground Purple Eagles Watt had 10 points, seven rebounds, and two blocked shots – he’s now only one block away from a tie for second place on UB’s all-time list. The glaring stat for Watt, however, was five turnovers.

MAC’s best rebounding team and their success continued against the Purple Eagles. The Bulls outrebounded Niagara 47-34 and seemed to frustrate the Eagles’ big men on the glass all night.

Senior guard Zach Filzen finished with a game-high 16 points, but that total could have been a lot higher had he been a bit more accurate from beyond the arc. He was feeling it from deep and the Niagara defense was allowing him to get his shot off throughout the game. It may have been the multitude of open looks that had Filzen a smidge off the mark on 75 percent of his three-point attempts.

Sophomore guard Auraum Nuiriankh made his first career start in place of Barnett, who suffered a minor leg injury against the Bonnies. Nuiriankh scored five points and grabbed six rebounds in 16 minutes for the Bulls.

been a natural talking thing for me.”

is something that really matters.”

Meaning behind lyrics and reaching out to others through words were always elements that Walker has strived for through his music.

The eight-song EP featured a sound that fused beats from popular music with Walker’s authentic lyrics.

The opening song, “Force Theme,” played music from the Star Wars soundtrack.

“He was talking in full sentences when he was 2 years old,” Saunders said. “For me and my experience with Akin, it’s always been about the communication. It seems to me that that’s what he has always been about.”

The Bulls are back in action on Saturday night when they host Youngstown State Oscar Moreno, a senior history (6-2) at 7 p.m. at Alumni Arena. major, is a DJ and has been a friend of Walker’s for six years. Moreno The Bulls entered the game as the Email: sports@ubspectrum.com strongly supports Walker’s ambitions and appreciates the message behind his rhymes.

Continued from page 16: Hedderson’s Career Night Sparks Much-Needed Win It wasn’t enough.

The turning point came with 1:07 remaining when Hedderson nailed a clutch shot over her defender, giving the Bulls a 57-54 lead. An ensuing Canisius turnover led to another Hedderson bucket which put Buffalo up by five with 30 seconds to play.

Canisius guard Jen Morbito nailed a three to pull the Golden Griffins within two points when an intentional foul sent Buffalo sophomore guard Margeaux Gupilan to the line. She calmly swished two free-throws making it a two-possession game.

It was only fitting that Hedderson was fouled in the waning seconds of the game. She went to the line and sealed the deal for the Bulls.

“I am really proud of the effort our team came out with tonight,” said head coach Linda Hill-MacDonald. “This win was really important for us because I think there were some games that we feel we let slip away and we can’t get those back.”

Hedderson also received a major contri-

bution from her teammates, as Buffalo had four players finish in double figures in rebounding. The Bulls amassed 54 rebounds, which was their most in a game since grabbing 54 boards on Dec. 1, 2007.

Senior forward Beth Christensen and sophomore forward Nytor Longar both pulled down 10 rebounds respectively, while freshman forward Christa Baccas and senior guard Teresa Semalulu grabbed 11 boards each. Semalulu’s 11 rebounds marked a career-best for the senior. Longar just missed a doubledouble with nine points, and she added a career-high four steals.

“Our rebounding down the stretch and our ability to take care of the ball allowed us to get a big win,” Hill-MacDonald said. “But there is still room for improvement. We’re still going to work on rebounding because we set a bar tonight at 54 rebounds, so we now know we can get over 50 rebounds a game.”

The Bulls will hit the road and take on a powerful St. Bonaventure team (7-1) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m.

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

“I feel that his songs could be applied to everyone and their whole life,” Moreno said. “Everyone has a struggle…and it’s when you can connect that to music, that’s magic. It just reminds you that no matter how bad you got it, somebody else could be worse.”

After coming to UB, Walker found people to share his enthusiasm for music with. As his artistic exploration grew, he discovered others who shared a passion for the arts.

During their freshman years at UB, Walker met David Sanford, a senior mathematics major, and Wyatt Maker, a senior media studies major.

The three recently collaborated to produce Walker’s first EP, Chasing Childhood: Episode I – Journey Through A Dream, which released in March 2011. Sanford worked with Walker to format and edit all of the tracks while Maker sang in some of the songs.

“One thing that I’ve noticed about his writing is that it’s not just rhyming for the sake of rhyming,” Maker said.

“There’s got to be substance to it and the things that he has written down

“His critical eye for quality, in terms of rap music, is very high,” Maker said. “I’d say that he knows what’s good and what’s not so that he knows how to bring that into what he’s trying to do or what we’re trying to collaborate on.”

The name of Walker’s hip-hop persona is a combination of his fascination with Darth Vader, the antagonist in Star Wars, and the connection he has always felt with the troubled character. Walker describes it as “Darth as in Vader, Dream as in sleep.”

Even Darth Vader’s original name, Anakin Skywalker, rings a familiar tune to Akin Walker. “[Darth Vader] was driven mad by love and there’s a whole bunch of stories out there that you can reference [where people are] being driven mad by love,” Walker said. “I’m definitely driven by a love of art and a love of want[ing] to push the envelope and be productive in art. I’m definitely driven by the culture that I grew up in and hip-hop as a whole.”

Although others thought Walker’s first EP was good, he was not fully satisfied with the final product.

“Everyday, I’m trying to figure out who it is I am and who I’m going to be. I think that is one of the most important pieces of life,” Walker said. “Knowing yourself is the most important process of that and I think everyday, I’m striving toward that.”

Walker said that the release of the EP taught him to make sure he is absolutely ready before he releases

another. He plans to work on two projects – an EP and full-length album – and hopes to release them early next year and in summer 2012. “[His style is] almost like an oldschool style; not in the way that he delivers, but his content,” Sanford said. “He talks about stuff that really isn’t talked about in mainstream music today, like talking about having crushes on celebrities and things like that, things that anyone can relate to.”

Walker, Moreno, Sanford, and Maker all share a positive perspective on the future and what it has to offer.

As artists with compatible views and complimentary ideas, the group expresses its loyalty for each other through the words of Jay-Z, “If everyone in your clique is rich then your clique is rugged. Nobody would fall because everyone will be each other’s crutches,” according to Sanford.

“I think once we both mold our craft into something a little greater, he could be a very popular artist in the future,” Sanford said. “If we’re very diligent, within the next five years, I think he could be someone big.”

Since high school, Walker felt he had a message to share with the masses and he won’t stop reaching to achieve his dreams until he has done exactly that.

“What I see is somebody that has been committed to it. That’s one of the things that really struck me; that he stayed with it and continues to stay with it,” Saunders said. “He’s always stuck with what his dream is and that’s something that I like about Akin; that he’s committed to it.”

Email: features@ubspectrum.com

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News

ubspectrum.com

Friday, December 9, 2011

Page 7

The Medical Community Embraces Social Networking SARAH AKERS Staff Writer

If you get sick over the winter break, try tweeting at a doctor.

Dr. Philip Glick, a professor of surgery, pediatrics, and obstetrics and gynecology at UB and an attending surgeon at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo, says that medical professionals have a place in social networking. He recently co-authored an article for the Bulletin of the American College of Surgeons in which he supports medical professionals using the Internet to pass on accurate medical information to patients.

But Glick also wishes to reach fellow medical professionals via social networking platforms.

The medical community can use social networking to communicate new ideas, insights and practices. Posting pictures and information to Twitter, personal blogs, and similar sites allows doctors to discuss medical problems and developments on a global scale.

“We are using social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to connect with each other, and, more uniquely, to connect with figureheads in science and medicine that we would otherwise have no chance

of ever interacting with,” said Rachel Ailotta, the president of Polity, the student government within the School of Medicine.

“For instance, on Twitter, we are able to follow and join in on live international journal clubs, with members from the scientific community and medicine from all over the world directly interacting and sharing medical information.”

The unique learning relationship between practicing medical professionals and medical students has been advanced and expanded through social networking. Generally, medical students in the past only had the opportunity to learn under the professors at their own universities. Social networking, though, has expanded the circle of education for today’s medical students, Ailotta explained.

“A surgeon’s greatest legacy is his or her trainees,” Glick told the UB Reporter. “And a lot of the training consists of passing on information, lessons learned, and wisdom to the next generation. Twitter allows us to dramatically scale up our ability to do this.”

Glick and Aliotta both agree that patients, too, benefit from their doctors being online.

The availability of medical

The presence of doctors on sites like Twitter is a relatively new trend – one that medical students and personnel hope will grow.

“The fact remains that more and more patients are seeking health care advice from the comforts of their own home by using the Web,” Aliotta said.

“Doctors must embrace the use of social media to some degree, or we risk being left out of some very important conversations with patients: those that help serve them better, as well as those that can prevent them from further harm.”

Doctors are breaking into the social media scene by joining twitter.

Courtesy of UB Reporter

information on the Internet has led to an increase in patients “self-diagnosing” with sites like WebMD. In order to communicate more effectively with these patients, doctors have gotten in on the online conversation.

“I see way too many patients who have been misinformed because of the Internet,” said Cindy Messina, Dr. Glick’s administrative assistant. “‘Googleing’ can definitely lead you down the wrong path. I definitely support Dr. Glick’s idea of getting online and providing patients with the information they need more directly.”

for

The hope is that using the Internet to communicate directly with patients will encourage them to seek out professional advice rather than tips they can find with Google.

But because of federal regulations regarding doctor-patient confidentiality, the issue of using social media to discuss medical problems is a delicate subject.

The unease many professionals are feeling can be avoided as long as doctors take necessary precautions to protect their doctor-patient confidentiality, according to Glick.

Email: news@ubspectrum.com

News Briefs

Military Flexes Its Muscles as Islamists Gain in Egypt On Wednesday, Egypt’s military rulers said they would control the process of writing a constitution and maintain authority over the interim government to check the power of Islamists who have taken a lead in parliamentary elections.

In a briefing aimed at Washington, Gen. Mukhtar al-Mulla of the ruling council affirmed that the initial results of elections for the People’s Assembly do not

represent the full Egyptian public, in part because well-organized factions of Islamists were winning in the elections.

The opinion of the People’s Assembly is welcomed because it doesn’t have the power to impose anything the public doesn’t desire.

The makeup of the Parliament doesn’t matter because it will not have power over the constitution.

Homicides Occur in New Orleans When New Orleans police found Brenting Dolliole’s battered body on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, he was simply John Doe. Meanwhile, his family thought he had gone missing.

The family of Brenting Dolliole learned two days later that he was dead.

Dolliole, who was 22, was the 175th homicide victim in New Orleans this year, a tally that matches the previous year’s homicide count. Since Dolliole’s death, there have been eight more victims, including two men shot dead in a pickup truck, two shot dead in a sedan and another shot on the street in broad daylight.

WNY Selected to Receive Development Funding from State Western New York was selected Thursday morning as one of four regions around the state in a state competition for a share of a $200 million pot of economic development funding.

When a separate funding pot is included, the five-county region will receive a total of $100.3 million as a “best plan” award winner, though it is not yet decided which specific projects proposed for the region will be funded.

At $103.7 million, the central New York council will receive the most in cash grants and tax credits, followed by the northern country at $103.2 million and Long Island at $101.6 million. Be the first to circle this article and come into The Spectrum’s office in 132 Student Union, and receive a free t-shirt. Western New York placed fourth among the four winning groups in funding levels.

Two Shot Dead at Virginia Tech Two people, including a police officer, were shot dead at Virginia Tech University on Thursday afternoon. The suspect remains at large.

The shootings are the latest incident of violence at Virginia Tech, where a student in 2007 killed 32 people and wounded 25 others before committing suicide.

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Page 8

Friday, December 9, 2011

THE SPECTRUM SPORTS DESK Aaron Mansfield, senior Brian Josephs Scott Resnick, asst.

Andreius Coleman, asst.

PRODUCTION DESK “INSOMNIACS” Editor in chief, Matthew Parrino Senior Managing Editor, James Twigg Managing Editor, Edward Benoit Editorial Editor, James Bowe Creative Designer Nicole Manzo Creative Designer Aline Kobayashi

ADVERTISING Andre Angeles, Advertising Manager Mark Kurtz, Asst. Ad Manager Danielle Fox, Asst. Ad Manager Ricky Clark, Senior Account Executive Michael Magmafici, Senior Account Executive Account Executives: Dip Paul Jason Carville Jessica Crowley Kristi Wu Nick Grecco Aline Kobayashi, Ad Designer Jody Biehl, Advisor Helene Polley, Office Director

OLD NEWS DESK Madelleine Burns, senior Steven Wrobel Rebecca Bratek

Friday, December 9, 2011

Page 9

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STAFF FALL 2011 ARTS DESK Jameson Butler, senior Nicolas Pino

LIFE DESK Akari Iburi, senior Steven Wrobel Veronica Ritter Keren Baruch, asst.

PHOTO DESK Meg Kinsley, senior Alexa Strudler Satsuki Aoi Troi Williams, asst.

Nyeri Moulterie, asst.

NEW NEWS DESK Luke Hammill, senior Rebecca Bratek Sara DiNatale, asst.

Lisa Khoury, asst.

Life Page 10

ubspectrum.com

Friday, December 9, 2011

Chuck The Deuce Up! Ode to The Spectrum STEVEN WROBEL Life Editor I never expected to see goodbye columns in the middle of the year in The Spectrum. I really had never expected that I’d be the one writing it.

If you’ve never been a part of The Spectrum, you have no idea how difficult this column is to write or why it’s even worth writing.

Even my parents, who I can count on calling me if they don’t hear from me by 9 p.m., even if they know it’s a production day, still are baffled by my dedication to an extracurricular that has absolutely nothing to do with my plans to go into nursing.

However, one thing they forget is that The Spectrum is my big school family. There’s fighting, there’s crying, there’s laughing, and there’s games.

When something happens, you can guarantee everyone in the family is going to find out. All of this happens while trying not to piss off Papa Parrino.

And if the editor in chief is the papa, the desk each of us work for would be our siblings. I’ve had the honor and privilege of working for both News and Life desks this semester and have made some friendships that will never go away. We’ve fought and

screamed at each other. But at the end of the day, I know we’ll hug it out with love.

The things I have learned from this paper are things that can never be taken away. I can now properly use a semi-colon and do so proudly. I know better how to analyze writing pieces. I know I’m not always going to get what I expect from others, but I sometimes just have to make it work.

I’ve realized that sometimes you can’t be everyone’s friend and need to be a little intense sometimes to get your point through.

And I’ve learned the importance of taking time off. Which brings us here.

The Spectrum is something I love with all my heart. I’ve stayed up to the wee hours of the morning, stressing over an article that I have to finish…only to find out the next morning that I forgot to attach the file to the email.

But I have to step away from it to make time for what I know my future hinges on. You can guarantee that I’ll still be spending some of my free time in Student Union 132.

‘Til next time, Speccys! I shall miss you all!

Email: steven.wrobel@ubspectrum.com stevenwr@buffalo.edu

AKARI IBURI Senior Life Editor This ode is to my peers who never give up.

Who spend hours in the office; a fluorescent filled box, Eyes glued to computer screens next to piles of coffee cups, Focused and dedicated, working hard around the clocks.

From late night antics with swinging baseball bats, To being there for each other when long days took their toll, I’m so thankful I was able to work with such talented writers.

But I’m leaving The Spectrum, with all its good times and laughs I’ll miss the energy, the work, the people, the trolls.

I won’t ever forget these days, and the people who have made my life brighter.

The Spectrum is an adventure I’ll always remember. Before I wrote for the paper, I never realized how big of a production it was to put it together every other day. Since being a part of this dedicated team of students, I respect their enthusiasm and appreciate what they are able to pull together.

It always upsets me to hear some of the negativity students across campus have to say about the final product.

Working for the paper has been one of the most intense, yet rewarding,

things I have done in my college career. I can’t count the all-nighters, pounds of coffee consumed, or the collective hours I’ve spent on just one article. But the life lessons I’ve learned and the relationships I’ve built by being here were completely worth it.

It will be strange going back to the rhythm of college before The Spectrum came into my life. I can’t imagine a Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday where I don’t walk into room 132 Student Union.

I can’t thank everyone enough for all of the support they have given me.

I was a rookie, jumping from staff writer to senior editor in just one semester. It was a tough transition, and without my peers I wouldn’t have been able to make it.

I appreciate all the time we’ve shared together and I’m sad to go.

But The Spectrum has made a lasting memory for me, and though this is ‘goodbye,’ I’m sure I’ll find ways to weasel back into the office somehow!

Thank you again, everyone, for all that you’ve done. You are amazing people and I’ll miss working with you all.

Email: akari.iburi@ubspectrum.com

Cigarettes Burning Holes in Wallets MARCENE ROBINSON Staff Writer

Every time I’m cashing out at CVS, I happen to notice the wall of cigarettes behind the cashier that all cost somewhere around $10.

If I had to cough up a fresh Hamilton every time I bought a new pack, I would hand out the meanest “hell no” UB has ever seen to anyone looking to bum a cigarette. The cost of cigarettes alone should be reason enough for students not to smoke.

This is not some rant about how smoking is bad for your health or about the number of people that still smoke on campus. We have all heard that story too many times; and the truth is a lot of things are bad for people to consume besides cigarettes.

I personally believe that anti-smokers are wrong for pushing their lifestyle and beliefs on their counterparts that choose to light up due to health reasons. However, I will always side with the anti-smokers for the simple sake of the money that it drains from people’s wallets.

New York is the most expensive state to smoke in, with a hefty state tax of $4.35 per pack, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.

Also, for those that live in New York City, the tax takes an even higher jump to $5.85 a pack. With these taxes, the average cost of a pack is raised to $9.20, and $11 for our NYC residents.

For the pack-a-day smoker, that adds up to $64.40 a week and $3,348.80 a year. That’s a huge chunk of change.

College is a period of time where it is socially acceptable to be broke. It is the norm to live off of packs of Ramen noodles and to check your budget before making any purchases over $10.

Few students work full time and the majority of us have a part time job where we work a few hours a week in between classes.

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That $65 you saved by not buying cigarettes could be used toward purchasing gas or even food that isn’t the cardboard-tasting pizza served on campus.

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The $3,000 a year could be spent on a solid used car, apartment rent, or on the loans that begin to haunt students by their senior year.

With New Years just around the corner, there will be a boatload of people claiming that they want to quit smoking as their resolution. Smoking is not an easy habit to kick, so instead of being inspired by health reasons, I recommend you look to the gaping hole in your wallets. That will be enough motivation to quit.

Email: marcener@buffalo.edu

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Sweet Culture and Community

VILONA TRACHTENBERG

The food also makes Sweet_ness 7 stand out.

Everything from the breads to the quiches to the pastries are organic, and all the meat comes from local, grain-fed animals, with no chemicals used in any of the food. Moran wants customers to know what they eat and to know where their food comes from.

Staff Writer

The rustic, brown, wooden floor came from an old house on the West Side. The sturdy, high-arching ceiling that forms the infrastructure was once a part of the Art Voice building on Main Street. The teal chairs belonged to the Colored Musicians Club.

Moran doesn’t just want others to buy local to help businesses prosper, but also does it herself.

She purchases locally grown and produced food to help local businesses, such as her own, thrive. She purchases a good portion of food for the café from local grocery stores Guercio’s and Lorigo, family businesses that have supported the neighborhood for years.

Sweet_ness 7 Café has bits of Buffalo built in, and the people inside can feel it.

“It’s a feeling of community…you never know exactly who you’re going to see in these tight compact communities and that’s what draws people and that’s what draws me,” said David Torke, who authors a blog about preservation and urban issues about Buffalo’s East Side.

She also believes in community responsibility and is using the café as a meeting point and a way to help others. For instance, she wants to include immigrants who make up a large part of the West Side population.

The café begins and ends with Prish Moran, its pioneer, owner, and muse. The blonde haired, blue-eyed entrepreneur has worked to create a destination spot of the café with her always-cheerful smile. With her hands being the main tool for design, she took a run-down, desolate building and transformed it into an eclectic art space covered in murals she painted.

Moran encourages people from all over the city to come and experience the culture that is present on the West Side. With café-goers ranging from artists and photographers, to politicians and musicians, the diversity and popularity of the café continues to rise. The café has proven so popular that Moran has even opened a second location on Parkside as well.

Although the café is a high-spirited locale now, it was born out of sadness. Moran saw and purchased the haunted house-like building on the corner of Grant and Lafayette just a month after her son was killed in a car crash. Her son had just moved back to the U.S. from Florence, Italy and had bought a house on Parkdale Ave., a block from where the café now stands. Stunned by her loss, she wandered the streets near his house, and was given a sign.

“My mind was able to just feel the sun and the spring,” Moran said. “And then the craziness of my mind that I’m able to still look at a building and say ‘Oh what an awesome building. Why is that all boarded up in graffiti?’”

Moran saw the building as a reflection of hope, and a beacon of optimism to go on even after her loss.

The building spoke to her and she bought it on a whim. She transformed the building transformation into an embodiment of her hope. Her work has helped transform Buffalo’s West Side.

Starting in August 2008, Moran, an artist and restorer, worked every weekday to revamp the building. Enlisting the help of many local craftsmen, retired people, and high school interns, the city was scoured for objects to refurbish the café.

They refinished the floors, and scrapped off the thick black and orange paint that coated the ceilings and walls. The arduous process of removing 60 years of trash helped uncover the building’s intrinsic beauty. The work was tedious, Moran said, but it was a cathartic adventure. The café opened that December with an inviting welcome sign.

Almost immediately, the café supplanted a community vibe and became a sensation as one of the hippest cafés in the city. As a result of the successful independent business, the real estate prices of buildings near the café tripled, according to Moran, and realtors use the café as a model for new businesses.

In 2008, the first Christmas the café was open, Moran started a “Share The Love” fund, which asked café-goers to donate money for immigrants and other disenfranchised people who were trying to establish themselves in Buffalo. The café also collects coats and boots to give to immigrants and shares leftover food from the end of the day. The $12,000 check that is donated from the café does not bear its name. Rather it is signed “love, Buffalo,” as proof that the whole city contributes.

Sweet_ness 7 Café, located on Buffalo’s West Side, has served as a melting pot of diversity and a catalyst for change in the surrounding area.

Vilona Trachtenberg /// The Spectrum

New businesses, such as the Westside Stories bookstore, have opened nearby in the past year because of the luminosity of the revamped area. The increase in people who meander through the West Side, as a result of Moran’s endeavor, has acted as a positive catalyst to the area.

“You can’t and shouldn’t ever have to explain a dream to anybody, but the fact that other people got it immediately and that it’s turned into what it is now, I feel extremely blessed,” Moran said.

Moran’s dream for the café was to provide a European atmosphere. Moran realizes people want to go to Europe to experience history, and Moran wanted to give the café that historical atmosphere. The café building has 100 years of history, and she wanted to make it feel its age. More people are drawn to Buffalo because of the café, and customers tell Moran that they feel like they’re in Europe.

“People love this neighborhood because this was the most vibrant part of the city for decades, so many of those people still come in every weekend from the suburbs because they have a great memory of Grant. St.,” Moran said. “I’m happy that I was able to create a space that they feel comfortable to come back to.”

Along with this style, Moran wants customers to experience eclectic personality, artistic flair, and dedication to her adopted city.

On the wall inside the café, Moran painted a mural of the street outside the window. She also painted the decorated brick, and the colorful floral Tibetan design painted on the bar.

Moran’s 14-year-old daughter designed the tables with colorful fabric patterns that make no two tables alike. Each table is its own mini-mural with a compilation of artistic ideas and colors.

Moran wants the café to feel like home and displays pots and pans in cabinets, kitchen supplies in wicker baskets, utensils in mugs, and plates matched with saucers as if one were in their own kitchen.

“I know [people] come here because this is what they believe in,” Moran said. “What makes a city rich and colorful and interesting is the arts.”

Courtney Imbert, a regular customer who worked for Rich Products on the West Side, comes because it makes her feel part of the community.

“My favorite part about it is the atmosphere because it’s a great gathering place,” Imbert said.

The workers also add to the positive atmosphere with their jovial remarks and casual manner. They prepare food in an open bar area and talk and joke with customers, and each other. The workers don’t just give the food to customers, but they also address people by their names and ask how they’re doing. The customers also recognize and talk to each other when they walk in, and the café is the arena for fellowship and the spread of knowledge and news.

“I think it’s attracting people to linger in the neighborhood a little bit more and go to places that are within walking distance of the café where maybe they would have just not only have driven by those stores,” Imbert said.

Phil Durgan, who has worked at the café since August, believes customers like the local, less commercial, and old world feel of the place.

“I think people really [enjoy] something that’s not pretentious. It’s not super popular but yet it is still popular; it’s got that underground kind of vibe to it,” Durgan said. “I think that a lot of people come here because of that.”

As an artist and traveler, Moran looks for inspiration through photography in magazines for new craft ideas. Though she did not know it at the time, the photograph used to paint the mural on the outside of the building depicts the god of happiness, which is also displayed in a holy city in Thailand.

Moran deems the painting of that mural as fate and as the magic of art. She painted it before the café opened and almost immediately after the café opened, immigrants from Thailand and Burma started gathering around it.

As these immigrants noticed her mural, they were overcome with jubilation and tears, rubbing the wall every time they walk by. To Moran it seemed that the mural was a welcome mat for the immigrants’ new home, and, specifically for one woman.

“She found a piece of her city in Buffalo and knew she was in the right place,” Moran said.

Owning multiple cafés, revitalizing neighborhoods, and charity work is not enough for the everdynamic Moran. She is also working on restoring a local church, right next door to the café, into an international food market and bazaar for local immigrants. Moran’s goal is for immigrants to gain a sense of hope and to have jobs through cooking their own cultural foods in Buffalo. She realizes it is a difficult plight for newcomers to leave their homelands and start new lives, and wants to give them the opportunity and venue to succeed.

Moran, ever humble, attributes her success to others, never to herself. Her workers, she says, make the café a success. The immigrants and people who help others make giving easy, and her children and workers provide the inspiration. She feels blessed and lucky.

Email: features@ubspectrum.com

Arts Page 12

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Best of 2011: Jake’s Movie Picks

JAKE KNOTT Staff Writer

ocy, and hilarity. These three abused employees plan the execution of the world’s worst bosses, and successfully make a respectable full-length film about it, which deserves an award in itself.

BEST ACTION MOVIE: Hanna

Our Idiot Brother also deserves first place because of its ability to be hilarious and an overall great film. Paul Rudd (How Do You Know) leads as the clueless Ned. This hipster is so oblivious that he sells drugs to a fully suited cop, who Ned even knows personally. Ned has a wacky family reunion with his three sisters, who don’t show Ned any admiration. While his siblings mock his intelligence, Ned eventually proves to be the one with the least amount of personality problems.

A superbly sharp thriller, Hanna reminds moviegoers that action scenes can contain gruesome, relentless deaths that actually make sense.

Viewers will be entertained while following the story of the 16-year-old title character, Hanna (Saoirse Ronan, The Way Back), educated in Courtesy of Focus Features the highest degree of assassination. She is trained by her father, Erik (Eric Bana, The Time Traveler’s Wife), in the arctic wilderness of Finland. This adolescent weapon trudges on a deadly mission across Europe, with only the dedicated intelligence agent, Marissa (Cate Blanchett, The Last Time I Saw Michael Gregg), in her path.

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

BEST SUPERHERO MOVIE: Captain America: The First Avenger

BEST ANIMATED MOVIE: Cars 2

Pixar is currently the two-year running animated champion at the Academy awards. This year will probably increase it to three. Cars 2 significantly surpassed its 2006 predecessor Cars with a full-blown action extravaganza. This adventure follows racing star Lightning McQueen (Owen Courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures Wilson, Midnight in Paris) and his freewheeling pal Mater (Larry the Cable Guy, Mater’s Tall Tales) on an unforeseen international espionage thrill-ride. Director John Lasseter (Cars) exploits his delight in animated adventures, having already introduced the world to classics like Toy Story and A Bug’s Life. Kids will no doubt adore the funny characters and intense action scenes, while adults will be equally entertained by explicit scenery and awesome scenes that will probably create dear childhood memories of playing with racecar toys.

This year has been the mother load of superhero movies, ranging from the remarkable X-Men: First Class, to the notso-remarkable Green Lantern.

Although First Class ranks as a close second, this year’s title goes to the long-awaited Captain America: The First Avenger. Chris Evans (What’s Courtesy of Paramount Pictures Your Number) suits up as the red, white, and blue super-soldier who fights alongside U.S. troops in WWII. Not only did veteran director Joe Johnston (The Wolfman) generate a first-rate superhero adventure, the audience is given an effective view of a 1940s superhero world. Captain America is not your generic cap-and-mask superhero, but is instead portrayed as a soldier loyally fighting for his country.

WORST PICTURE OF 2011: Conan the Barbarian

BEST SCI-FI MOVIE: Super 8

BEST PICTURE OF 2011: The Tree of Life

Steven Spielberg (Real Steel) introduced Hollywood to the alien classic E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial. Now, almost two decades later, he has collaborated with J. J. Abrams (Star Trek) in a film about a group of amateur-filmmaking kids who accidentally document proof of alien activity Courtesy of Paramount Pictures in their small, Ohio town in 1979. What first appears as an uninteresting rally of clichés will wow audiences with the charm of a Spielberg kids’ story and the intensity of an Abrams thriller. These diverse story elements combine with eye-dazzling visual effects to make for an excellent sci-fi cinematic experience.

BEST COMEDY (TIE): Horrible Bosses and Our Idiot Brother

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Courtesy of The Weinstein Company / Hyde Park Entertainment

Horrible Bosses unquestionably makes the most laughs out of any 2011 comedy. The combination of Jason Bateman (Paul), Charlie Day (Going The Distance), and Jason Sudeikis (A Good Old Fashioned Orgy) somehow outdoes The Hangover’s team in ridiculousness, idi-

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Although not a great film overall, PA3 will definitely be the most effective in horrifying its audience. Set as a prequel to the first two installments, PA3 involves the haunting of a family of four’s home. All of the ghostly acts in the film appear realistic enough to be creepy, and will haunt the minds of many viewers for a while.

This rebooted Conan the Barbarian is nothing but irrelevant and boring decapitations.

The story unfortunately follows the unnaturally jacked Conan (Jason Momoa, Game of Thrones), who is indeed a barbarian, a fact he proves with his acting. Conan chooses to slaughter countless bad guys Courtesy of Lionsgate after his father (Ron Perlman, Season of the Witch) and the rest of his village are butched. This movie basically made two mistakes. The first was killing Perlman after roughly 20 minutes of screen time. The second mistake was being filmed.

No film has ventured this deep symbolically since cinema-legend Stanley Kubrick directed 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s difficult to summarize the premise of The Tree of Life in a paragraph, as it hastily scopes the youth of Jack (Sean Penn, Fair Game) bearing with the stringent Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures ruling of his father (Brad Pitt, Moneyball) in the 1950s. But this film travels way beyond that.

As Jack reminisces about his past, Academy Award-nominated director Terrence Malick (The New World) expresses his theory on the possible origin and end of the existence of life. Malick forces his viewers to question their own lives, as Jack questions his own after his brother’s tragic death. Pitt performs in the opposite position he had in A River Runs Through It, instead being the stern father who believes he has all of the answers that life has when, truthfully, he doesn’t. No human does. That is what Malick proves in this magnificent film.

E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com

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SCARIEST MOVIE: Paranormal Activity 3

Friday, December 9, 2011

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Let Lady Gaga Help You Shed the Pounds Speaking of Jay-Z, hip-hop is an excellent motivation tool for anyone trying to get into shape. A good beat is easy to move with and rap lyrics don’t tolerate any weakness. It’s like having your own personal Eminem scream into your ear to put up a few more bench presses.

JEFF STONE Staff Writer

Fat season is officially here.

With all the Halloween candy, Thanksgiving gravy, and Christmas cookies, counting calories is impossible. The best way to stay in shape isn’t to just go to the gym, it’s to rock out while you’re there.

As important as stretching and hydration are, workout playlists are just as essential to help sculpt the body of a Greek god that everyone hopes to attain. Although no one has exactly the same taste, there is some music that just gets people pumped. There is a reason the same songs get played over and over at sporting events.

What does make good workout music, though? Sure, it’s a matter of preference but it’d be kind of psychotic for someone to get their blood flowing by listening to slow ballads.

Let’s do first things first though. It’s obvious, but I need to point out that the best song to work out to is by far “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga…and nothing really even comes close. Even the toughest metal-heads and the GTLer’s at Alumni Arena can agree that the best muscle to exercise while listening to “Bad Romance” isn’t your biceps or pectorals, but your gluteus maximus.

Lady Gaga definitely isn’t the most masculine music; in fact I always lower the volume because, to be honest, I’m kind of afraid someone will hear her through my headphones.

“Bad Romance” isn’t the only single by the hit machine that is Lady Gaga to get someone going. The almost techno beat and soaring vocals to “Born This Way” and “Poker Face” are incredibly exhilarating.

The key to a solid workout playlist is variety. It’s unhealthy to spend too much time in the gym so make a nice long playlist and shuffle that baby like crazy. It’s amazing how well Jay-Z fits in next to Metallica when you’re pushing through those last few minutes on the treadmill.

I can only speak for myself here, but hip-hop also gets the testosterone pumping.

Testosterone leads to aggression and, as good as he is, who would you rather take a swing at than that puny little white boy Mac Miller? (Full disclosure: this article is being written by a puny little white boy.)

R. Kelly is also a hugely underrated artist for the sake of working out. The R&B crooner is definitely creepy, but Kells is also surprisingly inspiring.

I swear I burn an extra 500 calories every time “I Believe I Can Fly” or “Ignition” comes on.

There’s too much other great hip-hop to mention, but by no means is it the only motivating music. Hard rock and punk intertwine surprisingly well with acts like Biggie and underground bangers such as Freddie Gibbs. I’m getting fired up just writing about this stuff.

Andrew W.K. is a name most people may not recognize, but his songs are incredibly popular. Every song is a wall of metal that’s impossible to not head bang along to. Even jazz fans will be psyched when they hear “Party Hard” or “She Is Beautiful.”

Classics like “Juicy” and “Enter Sandman” still do the trick, but anyone looking for that extra burn that’ll have them sore for a few days needs to find their own pick that will surprise them every time. My recommendation is “Brothersport” by Animal Collective.

It’s a bouncy track that speeds up and slows down, ideal for a set of pull downs.

Remember, there’s no reason to feel guilty about pouring on the extra gravy as long as you have that playlist designed to held shed the pounds.

Hopefully a few well-picked songs will be the motivation to get off the couch.

I bet Hercules probably listened to “Big Pimpin’.”

Email: jstone5@buffalo.edu

The Spectrum Gift Guide: Tech, Games and Comics JAMESON BUTLER & NICOLAS PINO Senior Arts Editor and Arts Editor Computer Tech: On the college budget: iTunes Gift Card Providing apps, music, movies and television for all who fear to venture into the realm of piracy, iTunes can be the perfect gift for that audiophile on your list. Plus, with monetary denominations in every amount under the sun, this holiday season can cost anywhere from $15 to $500.

Getting a gift: Motorola Droid Razr – $199.99 Sporting a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, this latest Droid device may just be the best one yet. Other features include: 1080p HD video capture, an 8-Megapixel camera that bests most point-and-shoots and an app store that doesn’t run on corruption, the Droid Razr is a must have on every phone connoisseur’s holiday wishlist.

Santa’s Wish List: Apple iPad 2 – Starting at $599.99 With the entire App Store at your fingertips this iOS tablet brings all of the comforts of your home Mac with you on the go. From word processing, to photo sharing, Apple’s new iCloud service keeps every aspect of your life in sync anywhere, anytime. While, Apple’s iProducts aren’t the cheapest tech on the shelves this holiday season, their reliability, usability, and expertly honed first-party applications more than makes up for the price difference.

Games: On the college budget: Infinity Blade II – $6.99 After the demons of exams are over and the monstrous pile of assignments has been slain, college gamers should take a swing at the biggest iOS game of the holiday season, Infinity Blade II. Players will hack and slash their way through the horde using only their quick wits and faster fingers.

Getting a gift: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception – $59.99 PlayStation 3 owners got an early gift this year in the form of Naughty Dog’s third iteration of their quasiIndiana Jones epic, Uncharted 3. Noted for its award-winning plot, thoughtprovoking characters, and incredibly precise motion capture technology, Uncharted 3 may not represent the next generation in video games, but it comes darn close.

unique

Santa’s Wish List: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Collector’s Edition – $149.99 Wintry wastes and demonic dragons take center stage in Bethesda’s longawaited addition to the Elder Scrolls series. With an improved perk system, increased map size, and countless quest refinements, Skyrim is on a mission to quell both dragons and any title that could’ve won a “Game of the Year” Award.

Comics: On the college budget: Justice League No. 1-3 – $12-16 While the fat-cats on Wall street can afford the luxuries of every comic this holiday season, impoverished comic aficionados will be more than satisfied with Geoff Johns and Jim Lee’s reboot of the classic series. Endearing and nostalgic, JL should be a permanent pull-list item of any comic collector, if only for its mainstream appeal.

Getting a gift: Ultimate Spider-Man Collection – $50+ With nearly 1,000 pages of reading material to parse through, Bendis’ ultimate work has finally come to trade. To answer the burning question now: yes, it was well worth the wait. While the Ultimate Universe’s Parker has passed-on to the great cobweb in the sky, this hefty volume is a tribute to the 10 Amazing years of the team at Marvel have invested in the character.

Santa’s Wish List: All 52 of DC’s No. 1’s – $200+ What better way to celebrate the holiday season than to spend time with DC’s 52 new-and-improved characters? Bats, Supes, Lantern and more all got a 21st century facelift, and while some issues pale in comparison to the mighty pens of Grant Morrison, Scott Snyder, and Geoff Johns, with 52 very different issues, there’s an undiscovered gem around every corner.

Music: On the college budget: The Black Keys – El Camino – $9.99 The Black Keys broke into the spotlight with last year’s Brothers, which won Best Alternative Music Album at the Grammy’s last year. The duo returned to the studio to give their fan’s what they really wanted for Christmas…more music. This album is another album for these bluesy rockers to be proud of. This should be at the top of the list for any music lover.

Getting a gift: Ultimate Ears 600vi Noise-Isolating Headset – $119.99 Headphones break on a regular basis for music aficionados. That’s why you can never have too many pairs. Ultimate Ears are comfortable and have the best sound quality out of any ear buds. Don’t go spend an obnoxious amount of money on a pair of headphones that are only popular because some over-the-hill rapper attached his name to it.

Santa’s Wish List: The Smiths: Complete Super Deluxe Boxset – $599.99 One of rock ‘n’ roll’s biggest names is releasing everything they have done in one giant collection. Now you can listen to Morrissey as he intended people to hear him. Along with every album comes the band’s documentary Complete Picture and 27 7-inch singles.

Talk about a music junky’s wet dream.

Movies: On the college budget: Horrible Bosses – $14.99 This is by far the funniest movie of the year. Charlie Day (Going the Distance), Jason Bateman (Paul), and Jason Sudeikis (A Good Old Fashion Orgy) create one of the best comedic trios to have graced the silver screen in a long time. Any fan of films will greatly appreciate this title sitting on their DVD shelf.

Getting a gift: Harry Potter: The Complete eight-film Collection – $79.99 This generation grew up with the young wizard and now the whole cinematic epic is available in one collection. Jump on your broomsticks and grab this for the special muggle in your life, as it’s sure to bring some magic into his or her life. If you want to spend time with someone this holiday season, be forewarned: this will glue someone in front of the TV for hours Santa’s Wish List: United Artists 90th Anniversary Prestige Collection – $432.99 This is for the most hardcore of movie experts. This collection comes with 90 of the best movies ever made. From 12 Angry Men to Hotel Rwanda, every classic is in here. This will be the best gift for a movie buff for years to come because it will take several years to watch the whole thing.

Email: arts@ubspectrum.com

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Visit ubspectrum.com/games for our online game of the week Also see the crossword and Sudoku answers from last issue

Crossword of the Day STEVEN WROBEL Life Editor

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s a…weather balloon.

While many students spend their weekends partying, studying, and hanging out with their friends, one club at UB spent its weekend studying the outer realms of Earth’s atmosphere.

UB Students for the Exploration and Development Space (UB-SEDS) is a club that sets its ambitions skyward to generate interest and activism in the community for any and all space-related topics, according to Sean Lyons, a senior aerospace engineering major.

Lyons was the project manager of the club’s High-Altitude Weather Balloon Project (HAWB). The project’s goal was to send aEdited weather by balloon Timothyinto E. Parker December 9, 2011 the sky to measureHEAVEN temperature andBy Harper Dantley KNOWS atmospheric pressure. In addition, the ACROSS

team wanted to capture pictures and 1 Helen Keller's org.

42 Sister in a convent video footage to document the trip and 5 Adidas competitor

43 Sewer rodents measure atmospheric boundary 9 Casual the conversations

45 They're radio-active layers.

14 Burn to a crisp

47 Superman's emblem 15 Scientology founder Hubbard

48 "While" lead-in “This project is one of the most chal16 Michelle's predecessor

49 Need a doctor lenging yet rewarding feats of my 17 Seville snack

50 "Taiwan" attachment undergraduate said.

18 Heavenly hit career,” from theLyons '50s

52 Heavenly journey for Sojourner “The lessons I have and [the] 20 "The doctor ___" learned

58 Athens' ancient rival success of this project have given me 21 Get ___ for effort

60 "Wednesday's child is full of ___" an Defends inspiration no side course offered at this 22 one's

61 Course of action university could ever provide.”

23 Heavenly tennis player

62 Heavenly NFL Hall of Fame quarterback 26 ___ Vicente, Brazil

64 Gold medal-winning skater Kulik TheAbility launching of thegood balloon last 27 to discern

music 65 Make a nuisance of oneself Saturday, Oct. 22,block was the culmina28 Basic building

66 Hot-dog stand supply tion of many hours The 31 One paid to play of planning.

67 Woodworker's tool group had to not only the funds 34 Oz Scarecrow's lackraise

68 Struggles for air to take on this project, butcount it also had 36 Supreme Court justice

69 Suit to ___ (fit perfectly) to develop the means by which to 37 Second-person person

70 "Windows to the soul" perform the desirable functions.

38 Spaceall aliens

UB-SEDS procured $1,100 in funding 39 Navy noncom from sponsorships from local companies and from Sub Board I Inc. “The idea for this came about in either October or November of last year, when we saw a video of a father-andson team that sent an iPhone aboard a balloon and recovered it, becoming a temporary media sensation on many newscasts and newspapers,” said Andrew Dianetti, president of UB-SEDS and a junior aerospace

FRIDay,DECEMBER 9 FROM UNIVERSAL UCLICK

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Concentrate on issues that are centered on you -- especially health and mental well-being. Don't neglect yourself at this time.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) -- Nothing may have come of your involvement in the past, but now circumstances are different and you can have a major impact on things.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- You can get a great deal today -- but be willing to share this unusual development with those around you when the time comes.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) -- You're determined to dig up as much information as possible, even though you may come face to face with something unsavory about yourself.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- You can have more for less today -- but it will take some quick thinking to repeat yourself in this way.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) -- Being careful is, to you, something quite different from what another thinks it is -- but you'll have to come to some agreement eventually.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Trying to keep another in the dark can only turn around and affect you in a negative way. Play it straight; follow the rules.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) -- Involve your friends in the search you are now conducting and you'll not only benefit yourself, but them as well.

DOWN 1 When Ophelia drowns, in "Hamlet"

2 Action-flick staple

3 Rabbit fur

4 Planet discovered in 1781 5 European plantain

6 Afghani's neighbor

7 Singing nymph of the Rhine 8 Aardvark's tidbit

9 Santa ___, Calif.

10 Child's word-guessing game

11 Saintly archbishop of Canterbury

12 Cheshire cat's hangout 13 "Do the Right Thing" pizzeria

19 It rarely has more than one part 24 Kemo ___ (the Lone Ranger)

25 Jousting weapon

29 Burden of proof 30 Department store department 31 Funeral fire 32 Leonine bellow

33 Bests, intellectually 35 Character set for computers 40 Misrepresentation 41 ___ buco (veal dish) 44 Saddle attachment 46 Lopsided win 49 Dumb-ox connector 51 The ___ State (New York's nickname) 53 You can take them in stride 54 "If a tree falls in the forest and ___ ..."

55 Calm, as fears 56 Cause for celebration on the job 57 Center-to-quarterback transitions 58 Pirate's booty 59 Large burrowing rodent 63 Wharton achievement

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) -- You can give others what they want -- but you're going to want something in return. You're not likely to encounter any serious objections.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Don't respond to an unexpected business development in a way that clouds your judgment and prevents necessary adjustments.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Others may claim that your behavior is unfair in some ways, but when your true intentions become clear they are sure to change their tune.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- You may feel the pressure building at this time, but you can relieve much of it by doing that today which you actually most want to avoid.

Sudoku

buffalo’s premier student housing buffalostudenthousing.com

Sports Page 16

ubspectrum.com

Who is Truly Better: Kobe or Lebron? Bulls’

Friday, December 9, 2011

Bench Explodes to Ground Purple Eagles Men’s Basketball Trivia

Buffalo’s bench outscores Niagara 39-5 on Wednesday night

BRAD PARKER Staff Writer

To politicians, “The Great Debate” often refers to a close presidential election in which both candidates possess great leadership, responsibility and a knack for demonstrating their personal strengths. For NBA aficionados like myself, the basketball terminology for “The Great Debate” can be translated into two names: Kobe Bryant and Lebron James.

Bryant and James are two of the NBA’s rarest commodities.

Despite a seven-year age difference, Kobe (33), and Lebron (26), are very similar players. They both want to be the best.

Kobe started off slow in the pros, averaging only 7.6 points per game and starting only six games his rookie year. But he earned himself a reputation as a high-flyer by winning the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest in dramatic style.

Then Kobe matured.

During the 2000-01 season, Kobe led the Lakers to a championship alongside star center Shaquille O’Neal while averaging 28.5 points per game.

He was quickly becoming my favorite athlete. Kobe and Shaq would go on to win two more championships in consecutive years.

Flash forward to present-day 2011. At the age of 33, many would agree that Kobe Bryant has passed his prime.

He has evolved from a pompous, self-minded offense-oriented player into a multi-dimensional charismatic floor general whose unselfishness has distinguished him as the ultimate team player.

And the scary part is Kobe is not even close to done.

Then came Lebron James.

Today, Lebron James is looked at by many as the best player in the world.

A never-before-seen combination of power and speed, Lebron has the skill of a Kobe Bryant, size of a Karl Malone, and the basketball IQ of a Magic Johnson all rolled up into one – “The Chosen One.” Now take all of that ability and speed it up a little.

Add some finesse to that Malone fadeaway jumper, a little gusto to that Kobe drive, and an extra no-look pass for Magic’s sake and you are left with – the future.

Lebron is also known for his tendency to draw fouls. He has the gifted ability to control his 6-foot-8-inch, 265-pound frame especially when confronted by a defender on a fast break. Rarely will he commit an offensive foul because of his knack for contorting his body to avoid the defender and staying in the air long enough to get a shot off. That’s what makes him special. He has an arsenal of weapons and at times seems invincible.

So who truly is better?

I say Lebron James.

If a player’s career is based on championships, then yes, Kobe is better. With that being said, I believe that Lebron’s overall game is much more diverse than Kobe’s. Kobe is a great player and I do believe that he’s a better perimeter shooter than James, but Lebron can do a lot of everything. He has a plethora of tricks up his sleeve that he can go to when the time calls.

Even Lebron’s defense has taken major leaps and bounds over his short career. Lebron still has many things to work on, like his inconsistent jump shot, which would improve if he stops fading away as often as he does. If Lebron works on some minor tuneups, he will be virtually unstoppable and mark my words: The Miami Heat will win the NBA championship in this long-awaited season.

Valid arguments for both Lebron James and Kobe Bryant can prove that either one is the best. Whether it’s Kobe’s leadership and experience or Lebron’s once-in-a-generation talent combined with his strength, smarts and quickness. One thing is certain: the NBA is in great hands and at 33 and 27 years of age, it is scary to imagine that both of these supernatural athletes will be around for years to come.

I am going to leave it up to you. What do you think? Who really is better?

Email: sports@ubspectrum.com

MATTHEW PARRINO Editor in Chief

play is a weakness and Watson feels his team just needs to continue working to improve its press break.

Senior forward Dave Barnett is sick of hearing people tell him to be more aggressive offensively. So sick, in fact, that he decided to do something different on Wednesday night – look to shoot.

“We practice seven on five, we just have to stay composed when teams press us,” Watson said. “We’ve got to just be better. The press is something we have had challenges with this season but…we’re going to get better at it.”

Barnett couldn’t have picked a better game to channel his aggressive mindset. That’s because his three 3-pointers in the game – including a game-winning trifecta in the final minute – helped the Bulls (5-2) win, 82-74. Buffalo had to overcome 18 turnovers and numerous Niagara (3-6, 0-2 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) runs fueled by the home court advantage NU fans provided in “Taps” Gallagher Center.

“I’ve been in the gym every day practicing on my own,” Barnett said.

“Before I hit that shot I told our one manager Jordan Hutt, if I get the ball I’m nailing this thing.”

Barnett led a bench effort for the ages, as the Bulls outscored the Purple Eagles 39-5 off the bench – 32 of those points came in the first half.

Senior forward Titus Robinson and junior guard Tony Watson helped Barnett spark the Bulls.

Robinson had his best game of the season, finishing with a season-high 12 points and three rebounds. He was active on both ends of the floor and his energy helped him finish two three-point plays at critical times in the game. Watson continued his streaky shooting. He hit three huge 3-pointers en route to 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

Witherspoon explained after the game how helpful it is to have two starting-caliber players coming off the bench.

The Purple Eagles are the first team to score over 70 points against the Bulls this season. That stat is extra shocking considering the struggles that Niagara sensation freshman guard Juan’ya Green went through shooting the basketball.

Green scored a career-high, school freshman record 35 points in a loss to Fairfield, which earned him MAAC Rookie of the Week honors. He shot 5 of 8 from three-point range and must have been feeling good from distance.

Senior forward Titus Robinson's play of the bench helped spark the Bulls on Wednesday night.

Alexa Strudler /// The Spectrum

“You need guys that can come off the bench: to look at what’s going on in the game and then be able to go in and either start a fire or be able to put one out,” Witherspoon said.

“They’re fully capable of doing that on a regular basis.”

The Bulls’ inability to handle the Purple Eagles’ full court press was a major issue that nearly allowed Niagara to come back and steal the game. With just about nine minutes remaining, a 12-point lead, and what seemed like complete control of the game, the Bulls turned it over six times in less than four minutes.

Niagara got as close as two points before Barnett inserted the three-point dagger with 56 seconds remaining.

Witherspoon doesn’t think his guard

Continued on page 6

on to score 22 second-half points en route to a career-high 31. The outburst surpassed her previous careerbest of 25 points, which came back on Dec. 17, 2009 against Youngstown State. She also added five rebounds, three assists, a block and two steals.

Senior guard Brittany Hedderson has been everything for the women’s basketball team this year. She’s been the playmaker, the scorer, the rock.

The veteran led her squad onto the floor Wednesday night against Big Four rival Canisius hoping to bounce back after a disappointing five-game losing streak.

Hedderson needs just four points to become the 20th player in school history to score 1,000 points for her career.

After being blown out at home against Wright State (5-3) by 27 points one week earlier, a rejuvenated Buffalo squad put the losing streak to rest as the Bulls (3-6) defeated Canisius (3-4), 62-57. The win came despite a 27-8 Canisius advantage in the all-time series.

“I think the accomplishment will be more of a reflection on my teammates rather than me,” Hedderson said. “Since my freshmen year, I’ve always had the team’s support and I have fallen into my role where my teammates create for me and get me the ball.”

The victory wasn’t easy.

Hedderson opened up the second half connecting on a 3-pointer to even the score at 28 apiece. She then converted on a jumper to give the Bulls a two-point advantage. The Bulls nursed a 42-40 lead with 7:25 remaining when Hedderson connected on back-to-back 3-pointers, giving Buffalo an eight-point cushion.

Hedderson was the only Bulls player to hit a 3-pointer on the night.

The Bulls would need to combat a strong Canisius front line featuring last year’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, sophomore forward Jamie Ruttle, and the MAAC leader in field goal percentage, junior forward Ashley Wilkes.

Both teams got off to a rocky start, combining to shoot 7-for-29 from the floor midway through the first half. The shooting woes continued throughout the half, as Canisius grabbed a three-point advantage going into the locker room. The Bulls

The women's basketball team got a convincing Big 4 win over Canisius thanks to a career scoring night for Brittany Hedderson ending its five-game skid.

Spectrum File Photo

finished the half shooting a miserable 29.4 percent from the floor, but the Golden Griffins were unable to capitalize, and shot an even worse 28.1 percent.

Then the Brittany Hedderson show began.

After a solid nine-point first half, a determined Hedderson would go

Despite Hedderson’s exhilarating scoring exhibition, Canisius remained in the game behind clutch shooting from Ruttle. She also had a career night, finishing with a personal-best 20 points.

Continued on page 6

Winter Break Preview

Men’s Basketball

Dec. 10 vs. Youngstown State at 7 p.m.– After nearly succumbing to Niagara’s press on Wednesday, the Bulls will host a Youngstown State team that has only allowed 60 points per game.

Dec. 20 at Brigham Young at 9 p.m.

– Buffalo’s near-upset of BYU was spoiled by nationally-renowned talent Jimmer Fredette last year. Will a Fredette-less BYU still be enough against Buffalo?

Dec. 28 at Temple at 7 p.m. – Temple currently has four players scoring in double digits, meaning that Buffalo will need a team effort to beat this foe.

Jan. 4 vs. Buffalo State at 7 p.m. – The Bulls’ tune-up game before the open of the Mid-American conference season.

Jan. 7 vs. Kent State at 7 p.m. – Kent State is the most lethal team in the MAC. The 6-1 Golden Flashes knocked the Bulls out of last year’s MAC tournament.

2) What is the Bulls’ record against Big Four opponents over the past decade?

15-9 3) What is Buffalo’s largest Division-1 road win?

It won 84-55 against Dayton on Nov. 30.

4) What was the Bulls’ best season record?

They went 23-10 (11-7 Mid-American Conference) in the 2004-05 season.

5) When was the last time Buffalo started 4-1?

2005-06 6) Who is the first player in Buffalo history to have 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, and 400 assists?

Turner Battle, current assistant coach.

7) What was the only year Buffalo went undefeated in one season?

It went 15-0 in 1930-31.

8) Three single-season records were To say he went cold is an enormous broken last year. What were they? understatement. He couldn’t buy a Senior guard Zach Filzen broke the bucket from beyond the arc, going 0 record for 3-pointers made (110) and of 8 for the game. He finished with 16 attempted (267), while guard Byron points on 4 of 20 shooting – he went Mulkey broke the record for most steals 8-for-8 from the free throw line.

(85).

The dynamic duo of senior forward Mitchell Watt and sophomore forward 9) Who is Buffalo’s all-time leader in blocks?

Javon McCrea didn’t put up the scorKelvin Robinson with 148, but senior ing stat line that fans have become forward Mitchell Watt is just 20 blocks accustomed to, but the pair’s defenaway from beating the record. sive effort was noteworthy. Buffalo had the size advantage inside and it 10) Where does Reggie Witherspoon showed throughout the game. stand in all-time wins as a Buffalo head coach?

McCrea finished with only six points, He is at third place with 164. Len T. but the reigning Mid-American Serfustini (1956-70) leads with 206.

Conference Freshman of the Year had 13 rebounds (10 defensive), three blocked shots, and two steals. He was active on the defensive end, even challenging Niagara guards near midcourt on hedges.

Hedderson’s Career Night Sparks Much-Needed Win BRAD PARKER Staff Writer

1) How many times did Buffalo go over 20 wins in a season?

Three times: 2004-05, 2008-09, 2010-11.

Scouting Youngstown State

2010-11 Record: 9-21 (2-16 Horizon League) Current Record: 6-2 (1-1 Horizon League) Buffalo Record: 5-2

Youngstown State Last Game: Won 69-35 over Fredonia State Buffalo Last Game: Won 82-74 over Niagara All-time series: 14-12 Youngstown State Two Players to Watch: Sophomore guard Kendrick Perry The Penguins’ second-year starter leads his team in points, steals, free-throw attempts, and free-throw percentage. In other words, he is aggressive on offense and pesky on defense. At 6-feet tall he’ll be a nuisance for sophomore guard Jarod Oldham to contain. Perry’s seasonhigh 28 points came in Youngstown’s first game of the season.

Junior forward Damian Eargle Native to the city of Youngstown, Eargle is a lanky forward and the returning Horizon League blocks leader from last season. Already this season, he is averaging over four per game with 35 total in the Penguins’ first eight games. He is light for his height, so how he holds his own in the paint with the Bulls frontcourt will be a key factor in the outcome of the game.

Game Notes:

Women’s Basketball

Wrestling

Dec. 10 at St. Bonaventure at 4:30 p.m.

– The Bonnies are also part of the Big Four, but they are in a different league.

They are the only team with a winning record out of the four.

Dec. 10 vs. Central Michigan at 1 p.m. – Buffalo will look to get its season back on track against Central Michigan.

- Buffalo prides itself on rebounds and the Penguins enter into this game trailing their opponents by just under one rebound per game.

- Youngstown State shoots the 3-pointer Dec. 18 vs. Bloomsburg, Gardner-Webb, at a higher percentage than its opPitt-Johnstown @ Niagara Community ponents and they have a five percent Dec. 20 at Howard at 7 p.m. – Buffalo College at 11 a.m. – The Bulls’ level of advantage over the Bulls. defeated Howard last year, 86-63. Will competition steps down a notch in this - Buffalo looks to cut the deficit to one this year have the same results? four-team meet. game as Youngstown has a two-game lead in the two programs’ history Dec. 22 vs. Oakland at Noon – The Jan. 2 vs. Binghamton at 7 p.m. – Buffalo against each other.

Bulls’ final home matchup until Jan. 11. will host a Binghamton team that featured

six nationally-ranked wrestlers coming Prediction: Dec. 29-30 at Cyclone Challenge – Bufinto the season. falo was clearly outmatched in its last Andreius Coleman trip to a tournament (World Vision Jan. 7 at Edinboro at 7 p.m. – Buffalo Asst. Sports Editor Classic). The Bulls face weaker competi- narrowly beat Edinboro, 18-16, last year. tion at the Cyclone Challenge, but will However, this year’s Edinboro is a different that equate to a win? team. It is now currently ranked 16th in Buffalo has lost one game at home the nation by WrestlingReport.com. already, and Youngstown poses a similar Jan. 4 at Ohio at 7 p.m. – Buffalo will threat to the Bonnies. As has been the face a worthy opponent in its MAC Swimming and Diving case with the Bulls this year, turnovers opener. are the greatest disparity between them Jan. 13 at Niagara at 1 p.m. – Buffalo will and other teams, and the Penguins Jan. 7 at Miami (Ohio) at 4:30 p.m. – travel north to face a struggling Niagara guards are as young as Buffalo’s, but Senior guard Brittany Hedderson will squad. The Purple Eagles’ men’s squad is have a positive turnover margin this meet her match in guard Courtney 1-4, while their women’s squad is 1-7. season. This one might go into overtime.

Osborn, in this matchup against the RedHawks.

Jan. 14 at Binghamton at 2 p.m. – The Buffalo - 75 Bulls’ final meet before facing three Youngstown State - 73 straight MAC opponents.