the spectrum. volume 59 issue 46

By CHELSIE HINCKLEYAsst. City Editor

New York’s railroads are getting a getting a $151 million facelift. On Thursday, President Barack Obama offered $151 in federal stimulus money to begin the process of creating a high-speed rail line con-necting Niagara Falls to New York City. The 110-mph trains would cut travel time from

Buffalo to Albany to 3.5 hours and from Buffalo to New York City to less than six hours. The package – the eighth largest in the country – is considerably less than the $4.7 billion New York lawmakers were hoping to receive. It’s also less than the $3.2 billion lawmakers say they need to create the high-speed track, station and bridge. “This is not everything we wanted, but it’s a good start,”

said Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-NY. “It shows that the administration has a good mindset toward reaching our ultimate goal: a high-speed rail line from Niagara Falls, through Buffalo, Utica and

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

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

The SpectrumFriday, January 29, 2010 Volume 59 Issue 46

see HOME page 2

see TRAIN page 2

B R I N G I N G C A N C E R T O T H E M A T S P a g e 1 2 | A P P L E C O N T I N U E S P L A N S F O R W O R L D D O M I N A T I O N P a g e 9

Weather:

Fri: 16o high / 6o low

Sat: 17o high / 9o low

Sun: 27o high / 17o low

Photo courtesy of Railway Technology

Right: A high-speed train may soon be coming to Buffalo.

See 2See Page 5

T O U G H D E F E A TThe Bulls couldn’t hold on Thursday night against Ball State.

see CENTRIE page 4

Buffalo-Niagara region to receive transportation funding

Local housing organization finds new home

C A P I S B A C KThe All-American hero returns

to fight the forces of evil.

Norbert Ogiba / The SpectrumHousing Opportunities Made Equal has received a grant to assist the renovation of an architecturally significant but vacant building downtown.

An independent student publication of the University at Buffalo

LAST CALL

The Spectrum is looking for next year’s editor in chief. Are you interested?

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

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

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

[email protected] or call him at 716-645-8560. Letters of intent must be submitted to

him by Friday, January 29 at 5:00 p.m. They will only be accepted through e-mail.

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

will be elected after an interview process.

By BRENDON BOCHACKIAsst. Campus Editor

Students and professors alike have united in their support for Craig Centrie, professor of Ameri-can Studies. Due to the far-reaching budget cuts proposed for SUNY and UB, several of Centrie’s Latino Studies course offerings, popular among his students, are in danger of being cut. Upon hearing of the prospect of Centrie’s classes being cut, Dr. Ruth Meyerowitz, professor of American Studies, was quick to form a petition that called for the preservation of Centrie’s position.

“We got notice from the Dean’s office that they were considering cuts, so we decided to go into classes the next day and try to get some signatures from students who might be affected by the cuts and would want to keep professor Centrie at the current number of classes he is teaching,” Meyerowitz said. According to Meyerowitz, Cent-rie is idolized by both his students and colleagues for his broad under-standing of the subject matter of his classes, his affability with stu-dents, and his dedication to the department.

Petition formed against Centrie’s course cuts

By LAUREN NOSTROAsst. City Editor

Buffalo’s dedication to local sustainable housing and equal housing opportu-nities has surpassed its 15 minutes of fame after the pre-miere of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. As a result, a local orga-nization has received a grant to assist the renova-tion of an architecturally signif icant, but vacant, building downtown. Housing Opportunities Made Equal has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. From the grant, $20,000 will be utilized for the Home for HOME Proj-ect and $5,000 will provide free training for landlords in 2010. HOME is a non-profit, membership-based civil rights organization, which has led the struggle for fair housing in the Buffalo-Niag-ara region since 1963. According to its Web site, HOME’s mission is to ensure the people of Western New York an equal opportunity to live in the housing and

communities of their choice through education, advocacy, the enforcement of fair hous-ing laws and the creation of housing opportunities. The Home for HOME Proj-ect carries a price tag of $2.7 million, including $2.2 million already raised from govern-ment funding commitments for the apartment portion. The organization has reached 75 percent of its goal of $500,000 for its offices and the foundation grant will be applied to this part of the project. New York State Housing Trust Fund, the City of Buf-falo, the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York, the Mar-garet L. Wendt Foundation, M&T Bank Charitable Founda-tion and the Mulroy Family Foundation were all major supporters of the project. Since its authorization in August 2008, HOME’s Capital Campaign has raised around $376,000, leaving $124,000 before it can reach its goal. According to Scott Gehl, executive director of HOME, the Home for HOME Proj-ect began in 2005 when the

Courtesy of Craig CentrieStudents and professors alike have united in their support for Craig Centrie, professor of American Studies.

2 The Spectrum January 29, 2010

‘It is a good start’

TRAIN from page 1

Syracuse, to Albany and south to New York City.”Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-Fair-port, felt the same way. “I was hoping for [$500 million], but I’m happy with what we got,” Slaughter said. “They’re not going to start it and not finish it, and I’m going to make sure of that.” In addition to the train lines, the stimulus money will be used to create a third track between Roches-ter and Batavia, the construction of a second track between Schenectady and Albany and track improvements between Albany and Montreal. The Depew and Rochester train stations also will be renovated to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act. The funds are part of an $8 billion package offered by the Department of Transportation as part of the American Recovery and Reinvest-ment Act to spur a nationwide high-speed intercity passenger rail service. “Through the Recovery Act, we are making the largest investment in infrastructure since the Interstate Highway System was created, put-ting Americans to work rebuilding our roads, bridges, and waterways for the future,” Obama said. “That investment is how we can break ground across the country, putting people to work building high-speed rail lines, because there’s no reason why Europe or China should have the fastest trains when we can build

them right here in America.” If built, the fast trains would be a boon to students commuting home on breaks. “It would be very convenient for me, since I live on Long Island,” said Gregory Quackenbush, a freshman biomedical science major. “Flying home every break is very expensive and a bus ride is very long.” Senator Kristen E. Gillibrand, D-NY said the funding was great news for New York. “While I am pleased that New York is included in the first round of funding, we need more investments for New York,” Gillibrand said. “I will keep fighting to make sure New York gets more high-speed rail fund-ing in future rounds.” Obama has promised $13 billion toward a high-speed investment. In addition to the $8 billion that was announced on Thursday, $5 billion will be coming through the annual budget process. The U.S. Transportation Depart-ment is also expected to provide additional funding to the high-speed rail effort, which they call a top priority.

Additional reporting by Stephen Marth, Editor in Chief

E-mail: [email protected]

organization began to explore the possibility of acquiring a building for use as both the organization’s offices and affordable housing. Now the project is no longer just a dream. The organization has found its headquarters in a vacant building at Main and Ferry St. “We sought a location in the City of Buffalo, on a major public tran-sit route, in a community which would be both geographically and psychologically accessible to the very diverse clients who come to HOME for help from all parts of the Buffalo-Niagara Region,” Gehl said. “We also believe that this project, located at a major gateway to the Linwood-Oxford and Cold Springs neighborhoods, will … serve as a cat-alyst for community development.” Designed by architects Charles Gordon and Robert Conway, 1542 Main St. and the adjourning new addition is expected to hold 10 new housing units, including four two-bedroom and six one-bedroom units. These affordable housing units will all be certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The proceeds from the grant will also contribute to free landlord training in 2010. HOME provided paralegal counseling to more than 2,100 landlords and tenants last year about their rights. The training program will cover such topics as finding and keeping good tenants, safety and crime pre-vention, leases and security deposits,

the danger of lead, raising rent and what to do when the landlord-tenant relationship doesn’t work out. “In our experience, the majority of landlords will comply with the law if only they understand what it is,” Gehl said. The grant will merge HOME’s fair housing knowledge and train-ing capabilities with various elements of the Community Foun-dation of Greater Buffalo’s Wipe Away Lead Program. CFGB is a public charity holding more than 800 different charitable funds, large and small, established by individuals, families, nonprofit agencies and businesses to benefit Western New York. “The Foundation is dedicated to helping donors make the most of their generosity,” said Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, president and CEO of CFGB. According to Dedecker, the Foun-dation has worked with HOME in the past and was impressed with the results HOME has had in serving people living in low-income commu-nities and helping them to become more self-sufficient. “We saw this grant as a way to ensure their continued presence and to sustain their work moving for-ward,” Dedecker said. “Their work renovating and ‘greening’ 10 units in an existing building in the City of Buffalo aligns with the goals of our Western New York Environmental Alliance and their shared agenda for action in our regional environment.” The Foundation hopes the

landlord training provided by HOME will further CFGB’s Wipe Out Lead campaign as well by educating land-lords on lead-safe painting and repair practices. The campaign is a collaborative effort of civic, nonprofit, religious and business leaders to join forces on an education and outreach campaign. According to Dedecker, the cam-paign has helped 500 children and made 80 homes lead-safe by pro-viding free supplies and labor to qualifying homeowners since last May. The campaign has also trained homeowners, landlords, and volun-teers on lead-safe painting and repair processes. The foundation hopes that the Home for HOME project will provide a model to help continue the renais-sance of Western New York. “As the third poorest city in the country, Buffalo is plagued by many problems, including aging housing stock, dilapidated and abandoned properties and a population that lacks the tools and resources to be truly self-sufficient,” Dedecker said. “HOME is addressing all of these challenges through their work in the community, and now in the restora-tion of their new home.”


Project no longer just a dream

HOME from page 1

THE SPECTRUM HAS A TIP LINE, IT’S (716) 791 - SPEC GIVE US A CALL.

3 The SpectrumJanuary 29, 2010

OPINION

JANUARY 29, 2010VOLUME 59 NUMBER 46CIRCULATION: 10,000

The views expressed — both writ-

ten and graphic — in the Feedback,

Opinion, and Perspectives sections

of The Spectrum do not necessarily

reflect the views of the editorial

board. Submit contributions for

these pages to The Spectrum

office at Suite 132 Student Union or

[email protected].

The Spectrum reserves the right

to edit these pieces for style or

length. If a letter is not meant for

publication, please mark it clearly as

such. All submissions must include

the author’s name, daytime phone

number and e-mail address.

The Spectrum is provided free by the Undergraduate Mandatory Activity Fee

Editorial BoardEditor in Chief Stephen Marth

Managing Editors David Sanchirico Jennifer Lombardo Matt Mosher

Editorial Editor Jacob Shillman

Campus Editors Caitlin Tremblay Brendon Bochacki, asst.

Amanda Woods, asst.

City Editors Jennifer Good Chelsie Hinckley, asst.

Lauren Nostro, asst.

Arts Editors Christopher DiMatteo, senior

Eric Hilliker Jameson Butler, asst.

Vanessa Frith, asst.

James Twigg, asst.

Life Editors Adrian Finch, senior

Shane Fallon Rachel Lamb Jessica Brant, asst.

Jessica DiGennaro, asst.

Sports Editors Andrew Wiktor, senior

Matt Parrino Joe Paterno Luke Hammill, asst.

Christy Suhr, asst.

Photo Editors Katie Carlett, senior

Samantha Hicks Clinton Hodnett Norbert Ogiba, asst.

Rob Schulz, asst.

Copy Editors Meghan Farrell Laura Neese

Graphics Designer Rafael Kobayashi

Professional StaffBusiness Manager Debbie Smith

Administrative Assistant Helene Polley

Advertising Manager David Vogt

Advertising DesignerChristopher Lonzi

Web EditorAndrew Muraco

Creative Directors Christopher Caporlingua Daniel Tcharnyi, asst.

The Spectrum is represented for national advertising by 360 Youth.

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

Buffalo, NY 14260.

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

Copyright 2010 Buffalo, N.Y.

The Spectrum is printed by Buffalo Newspress PO Box 648,

Buffalo, NY 14240-0648.

Why you should care Despite The New York Times being offered free to students, it’s easy to overlook the headlines about issues in other states and say, “How does this affect me?” For instance, when the results of the Massachu-setts election to replace the late Ted Kennedy came in on Jan. 20, it was easy to brush the news aside

and decide it was not worth your time. We’re college kids in New York; why should we care about

what happens in Massachusetts? In all honesty, as

caught up on current events as I try to be, I thought that

exact same thing … but the more I thought about

it, the more I realized how important it is – to all of us.

That’s why today, in our first-ever news column, I’m going to explain to my college audience why national events matter. They matter to me, they matter to you, and they matter to the kid dozing off in the back of World Civilizations. I’m going to tell you what CNN won’t – why you should care. And I’m going to do it in plain English. The people in Massachusetts turned out in record numbers on Tuesday for the senate vote. Replacing a senator is a big deal, especially one as tenured and experienced as Ted Kennedy was. Think of it this way: Imagine your mother, the rock of your household, was suddenly unable to be that way anymore. The responsibility of running things smoothly is given to your father, but he can’t work a dishwasher or turn on the washing machine, and he has never been in a grocery store. Things would go downhill fast unless he got some help. Ted Kennedy is like your mother, and once he was gone the state of Massachusetts had to scramble to come up with a plan and a new election. The election came down to two candidates: Scott Brown, a Republican, and Democrat Martha Coakley. Brown carried 52 percent of the vote to Coakley’s 47 percent.

Generally, when the current President of the United States walks up to the podium, a good speech is on the way. In his first State of the Union address on Wednesday, the president tried to recapture the magic of his “yes-we-can” campaign after one year in office.

President Obama delivered a long, unabashed and somewhat cautious speech that appealed to the entire political spectrum. His approval ratings are down in the 50 percent range and efforts to reform the health care system have stalled.

There was, however, more of a fighter attitude evident in his language when he said, “I don’t quit. Let’s seize this moment – to start anew, to carry the dream forward, and to strengthen our union once more.”

So instead of alternating his course or tactics, he basically remained the pragmatist whom this newspaper chose to endorse back in November 2008. All the policy promises are great, from a jobs bill to a stimulus package and health care reform, but he failed to give the American people a battle plan or even a time frame.

Concerning the economy, he offered proposals for student loans, tax credits for child care and tax cuts for small businesses. These specific initia-tives helped former President Bill Clinton turn the economy around.

But until the economy rebounds strongly enough for the unemployment rate to decrease, these poli-cies will have no effect. Such giveaways are unlikely to help diminish Americans’ growing sense that this is an administration more focused on making liberal dreams a reality – like universal health care – than creating and securing middle-class jobs.

Many Americans are deeply concerned by the

ever-growing deficit. The Congressional Budget Office gave a warning this week that the deficit will reach $1.3 trillion this year.

But the president’s response was another lesson in having it both ways. His promise to freeze non-security discretionary spending for three years was meant to reassure people who worry about a poisonous legacy of debt.

But once military spending, government-provided health insurance for the poor and the elderly and Social Security are taken out, less than a fifth of the budget is left to freeze.

President Obama even tried to tackle the grow-ing divide between Democrats and Republicans, reminding the collective United States Congress that America needs true leadership.

He said, “Just saying no to everything may be good short-term politics, but it’s not leadership. We were sent here to serve our citizens, not our ambitions. So let’s show the American people that we can do it together.”

The State of the Union is generally meant to answer questions, not to leave Americans with more. Is President Obama ready to take the gloves off and fight for the toughest pieces on his agenda — health care, limiting influence of lobby-ists, cap and trade for carbon emissions?

Time after time, the answer is unequivocally a yes. But there was no indication of how or when it’s going to be accomplished.

He could have implored the House of Represen-tatives to pass the Senate health care bill, which is better than nothing; he himself could have reached across the aisle to Republicans offering compromises.

The president chose neither.

Absorbing the State of the UnionPresident Obama underwhelms the nation

Caitlin TremblayCampus Editor

Just a friendly reminder With threats such as the 2012 prophecy, global warming, the Democrats losing the Massachu-setts election and Jersey Shore looming over our heads, the apocalypse is looking more and more real each day. But deep down, each and every one of us knows how this world will meet its demise. And no, it

won’t be from a giant comet or some massive tidal wave due to melting ice caps. It will be because of the hordes of the flesh-eating undead

zombies. Fortunately, George A.

Romero, alongside various other directors and game companies, have provided

the public with several ways in which to mentally

prepare ourselves for the inevitable infection. As humanity pushes pharmaceuticals and bio weapons more and more into the future, a zombie outbreak is becoming more likely. If you want to survive, you have to be prepared. First things first – you have to stockpile supplies. Naturally, this means various weapons capable of destroying a human brain, along with a healthy cache of ammunition. When choosing your weapon, remember that there are a vast amount of household objects with the ability to dispatch the living dead. Baseball bats, frying pans or even a two-by-four are all premium choices. Blunt objects may be effective, but they’re hardly the most efficient. If you want to minimize risk, you’re going to need a trusty firearm. A shotgun’s wide spread and brute force make it an ideal choice. Just as important, if not more so, than the weap-ons is water. All the firepower in the world can’t save you from dehydration. So it’s an absolute neces-sity to have a large supply of portable H2O handy at all times. Going hand in hand with the water is food. You

James TwiggAsst. Arts Editor

see TREMBLAY page 4

see TWIGG page 4

College libraries – the thought evokes images of cathedral-like buildings housing row upon row of books and dimly lit tables full of students diligently studying.

But talking a stroll into the libraries around the University at Buffalo, one might instead find a long line for printing or not enough space to study in Capen or Lockwood libraries.

There is no question that the university is on the precipice of change. President John B. Simpson is the man and the plan is UB 2020. It’s time UB gets an overhaul.

Recently, the UB student body has taken to social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to let the administration know the state of the libraries is unacceptable.

Yes, change is coming, and it’s about time. Libraries should be a continual focus of a uni-versity, not only updated once every ten years.

After all, students come here to learn. Really.

One of the biggest problems with the school libraries is that they have a total of 2,500 comput-ers for a student population of 30,000 students. Many school officials cite the growing number of students with laptops, so the need for more workstations doesn’t make sense, given the extensive work to improve wireless connectivity around campus.

But the school officials probably don’t know what it’s like to have to pack up your laptop during a bathroom break from studying because it might get stolen in the middle of Capen Library. This little routine might then lead to a student losing his or her study space.

The noticeable additions of informal learn-ing spaces give the impression that the school wants more study spaces. These spaces have comfy chairs and power strips to encourage students to bring their own computers to campus. But how can anyone get real work done when

other students are racing through the halls to get to class?

Don’t forget that the libraries can be pretty messy after students spend countless hours work-ing. It’s bad enough when people are socializing in the library, but having to clean up after people just to get a place to study is a bit silly.

Not to mention the ridiculously long waits students need to endure when wanting to print out class notes before class. The student printing program iprint@UB is supposed to mitigate this problem, but it isn’t even compatible with Mac laptops.

It would certainly be naive to think immediate action will occur. But it strikes a nerve when a university with such run-down libraries wants to become a world-class research institution.

The reality is that UB needs to revamp the libraries, giving them more space for students to study and more computers for work to be done. The library is, for many undergraduate students, a home away from dorm.

What does it say when students can’t find places to study in the library during finals week? Adding insult to injury, the third floor of Capen library has rows of empty shelves. That space could be converted to another desperately needed study center.

There are, without question, positive aspects of the UB libraries. They house 3.7 million books, 578,000 e-books and a vast archive of scholarly journals. But everything, after a while, needs a facelift.

It is just disheartening to see UB try to revamp the school in one fell swoop instead of incremen-tal changes over the course of the long haul.

Help is on the way for the libraries. UB 2020 can deliver the effective change the students are seeking.

But will it? Only time will tell.

Library disarrayStudents need better facilities

Opinion continues on Page 4 with a Letter to the Editor


Pray for help

TWIGG from page 3

Centrie is significant in the Latino community CENTRIE from page 1

More arguing, less problem solving

TREMBLAY from page 3

WANNA WIN $1,000?GO TO...

YOUTUBE.COM/CANISIUSSIFETO FIND OUT HOW!

Ivanlli Scolari, a Latino Studies minor, believes that the course cuts will be extremely detrimental to the entire program. “It would be a shame [for the courses to be cut], being that he’s so knowledgeable about the subjects,” Scolari said. “He relates to everyone in the class. I just think it would be a disservice, cutting someone who offers so much to the college and the students. Even if he was replaced by someone else, we would not get the same kind of experience.” Scolari, along with many of his classmates, would be in a problem-atic situation if the classes were to be cut. Because many of the classes are required for the Latino Studies

minor, and since they are usually offered only once a year, Scolari might not be able to get his require-ments done without postponing his graduation. “Everyone in the class was think-ing, ‘Now how do I finish my minor?’ because the courses for the minor are not offered every semester, but the courses that are offered are taught by him,” Scolari said. The only other option for these students would be to take the classes at another school. Centrie is a significant figure in the ever-growing Latino community beyond the university. He is the executive director and curator at El Museo, a non-profit Latino visual arts museum on Allen Street. Centrie would also be a very advantageous

presence in UB 2020 plans. “He has a lot of visibility in the community,” Meyerowitz said. “His strengths meet a lot of the strengths that UB is trying to highlight in the UB 2020 proposal – what they call strategic strengths.” Meyerowitz speculated that the dean’s office might not have been aware of just how influential a figure Centrie was when the cuts were proposed. At a budget meeting held this past Friday, Jeri Jaeger, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was presented with the petition, signed by 57 students. Jaeger was surprised by the opposition. “She was impressed that there was such strong student support and that the students came from so many

different majors,” Meyerowitz said. “So I think they were very impressed and they are probably going to think about it.” The final meeting regarding the cuts will be held sometime in the near future. The petition is continu-ing to gain signatures, and the entire Latino Studies program is hopeful that it will have an impact on the deliberations concerning Centrie. “The big thing right now is not to lose him,” Meyerowitz said. “He brings a lot to the campus and to the students, so we’re really trying to keep him.” To sign the petition, e-mail Meyerowitz at [email protected].


According to CNN reports, Brown’s shocking win was fueled by the 2.1 million independent voters who leaned toward Brown and his political experience. Now, with Brown about to take his new seat in the Senate, what’s next? Well, for college students, homo-sexuals and a handful of other demographics, this was a huge elec-tion. With Brown occupying a seat in the Senate, the Democrats have lost their filibuster-proof majority. This means that important legisla-tion like health care reform and gay marriage could be put on hold for the foreseeable future. Any college students who are graduating in the next two years are in danger of being kicked off of their parents’ health care plan, or if they’re no longer planning on being students, they will lose their health insurance completely, leaving them to shop around or go without. Homosexuals will probably not receive their right to marriage and the problem of immigration will

continue to be a hot topic of senate debate with no solution in sight. Massachusetts might seem like some far away land in New England that most students only learn about when World Civilizations II covers the American Revolution, but the state’s special senate election affects all of us, and it affects us heavily. Obama needed the election of a Democrat to help his health care and education reforms pass. Now, these reforms, along with gay marriage and many other pressing issues, are all at risk. Now that a Republican is in office, there’s going to be more arguing and less problem solving, which isn’t good for anyone. This is especially true for those of us about to embark on our own out in the post-gradua-tion real world. I guess all we do now is wait and see what happens.


have absolutely no way of knowing when the next time you’ll come across a zombie-free grocery store will be. Until you are able to find one, rationing your food stocks should be a top priority. For anyone who has ever seen a zombie film, you should know to avoid heavily populated areas. For some reason, actors in these films deem it wise to wander the streets of cities overflowing with zombies. But if you happen to live in a city – let’s say Buffalo, for example – then being able to escape to the safety of some country home isn’t all that likely. Instead, make do with what you have. Get upstairs and stay there. If at all possible, you should destroy the stairs, but if the stairs happen to be metal or concrete, that’s not happen-ing. Your next best bet is blocking both the stairway and the door to where you and your fellow survivors have sought refuge. Once you’ve made it to safety, you can try building a signal and pray that someone sees it and saves you. However, once the infection has begun to spread, chances of this happening will be slim to none. Making it out of Zombieville intact won’t be an easy feat. You have to be willing to make sacrifices. If a zombie infects one of your fellow survivors, then I’m sorry, but he or she is now a player for Team Zombie and needs to be dealt with as such. With the world descending deeper into the thresholds of hell as the years wear on, it’s only a matter of time before we’re all tearing each other to shreds. This is merely a friendly offering of advice, so ignore it if you wish. But when you become a mindless, brain-munching fiend, don’t come crying to me, ’cause I’ll blow your f****** head off.


To the editor, On Wednesday, The Spectrum reported on a newly surfaced plan presented to the NFTA towards an increase in ridership. As an informed off-campus student, well aware of the fact that we pay three times for transportation (once for a parking spot for the car that you may not have, another for the downtown orange line shuttle that is scarcely available and then again for the NFTA Metro that you actually take to class each day), I am prepared to call for the support of a UB student body proposal. While I do understand that this transportation dis-cussion is not new, now is the time to begin to seriously consider investments in the NFTA for maximal return for the student body, the university and the region. Is it possible, and I do ask this question with caution, that we (the students) could inspire our institution to inspire change in the way that our region does transpor-tation. As the premier research institution of Western New York, is it not our social responsibility to open our minds and hearts to the concerns of the greater com-munity (as our engineers have committed to in Haiti). In such it may be possible that our green initiatives, lead by all star student advocates in the likes of Emily Bauer, spill over into the NFTA board of commissioners office. Could we, as a student body, be the innovators of access to opportunity via transportation in a region that (in action) rejects the very development it preaches? While I have become disenchanted in the fight against nationwide student complacency, I do hope that our own money matters inspire us to call for change.

The opinion of Buffalo State College students on the matters of the NFTA is of no value as they receive service in a package deal with the NFTA. One University at Buffalo student, in assessing the simplicity of this proposal, mentioned that the cost adjustments as well as increased frequency on popular routes should increase ridership. Another student admits that he is not a frequent rider but is rather a recreational one who would like to see the Metro run longer hours. “One concern I have,” a female UB architecture stu-dent claims, “is the NFTA Metro rail ticketing system. On nights that I am arriving to the lab on a day pass that I purchased at 6:00pm (and end up pulling an all nighter), I am approached and hit with a $55 fine during the morning ride home. Maybe a 24 hour ticket should replace the day pass.” The aforementioned concerns provide but a small span of reason for which our voices need convene on matters of transportation and access. We all know the story of our existence out here at the Amherst campus; the best that we can do as students is inspire access to opportunity that flows both ways. If anyone is serious about engaging the NFTA and the University in serious conversation please Facebook me, if not then we shall leave the issue of transportation to the next generation.

Carpe Diem,David RoseSenior urban and public policy [email protected]

L E T T E R T O T H E E D I T O R

Subsidizing the NFTAWhy the ‘Simplified System’ will not be enough

Advertise !Call The Spectrum

Advertising at (716) 645 - 2152


Comics

C+Captain America

Reborn

ARTS & LIFE

see AMERICA page 7

see DAYTONA page 7

see SNL page 7

By RACHEL LAMBLife Editor

What has a NASCAR race, tons of beaches and more abandoned bikini tops than Joe Francis’s personal collection? Daytona Beach, Fla. – this year’s Student Association spring break destination from March 6 to March 14. In accordance with Break-away Tours, SA is offering students a tropical getaway and a chance to be with their friends on spring break. “This is relatively new,” said Lauren Skompinski, man-ager of public relations for SA Entertainment. “I don’t remember [the SA] having a spring break trip in the four years I’ve been here.” According to SA President

Ernesto Alvarado, the orga-nization had a spring break trip a few years ago and it was highly successful. He believes that UB students should be able to go to somewhere with a fun environment where they will be safe. “We chose Daytona for its historical base as a spring break destination … and because it’s financially afford-able for students,” Alvarado said. “Because [the SA] is offering it, it will most likely feel more legitimate for stu-dents instead of some random corporation coming in.” As people are starting to think of where they would like to go for that blissful week, the SA is finding that its roster is quickly filling up. According to Skompinski, at least a few hundred are

signed up already. The SA is offering rates of $229 per person in a five-person room at Plaza Ocean Club Hotel in Daytona for six nights. If students want to travel down to Florida by bus, the rate is $449 per person in a five-person room. If students find themselves in groups of four, the addi-tional cost is $50. Groups of three are an additional $100 and groups of two have to shell out an extra $200 per person. The Plaza Ocean Club boasts pools, beaches and an exciting downtown area. “We chose to work with Breakaway Tours because they offer a variety of activi-ties that are available for students every day and night,” said Alvarado.

According to Alvarado, students can go on day trips to places like Orlando, pool parties and surfing lessons. At night, students are able to attend a VIP party at different nightclubs. “I’m excited about the VIP thing that they offer,” said Maddy Guszcza, a junior exer-cise science major. The main points that the SA and students are stressing are that it’s convenient, cheap and fun for UB students. “I knew that I wanted to go somewhere on spring break, and it’s super cheap,” said Jenna Darron, a junior exercise science major. “If they didn’t have it, I probably wouldn’t go anywhere.” Darron would like the SA to

Gettin’ down and dirty in Daytona

T H I S W E E K E N D I N B U F F A L O

Who: Chris Di Matteo

What: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.and Saturday, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Where: Main Build-ing, Medaille College

Why: Because it will show you how you turn into a monster after drinking some of that secret solu-tion… Plus you need some culture.

Who: Jameson Butler

What: The Swellers

When: Saturday, 6 p.m.

Where: Mohawk Place

Why: Although it may be a day off from their tour supporting Motion City Soundtrack and Set Your Goals, The Swellers will not disappoint as they headline a great evening of pop punk.

Who: James Twigg

What: Anti-flag

When: Sunday, 6 p.m.

Where: Town Ballroom

Why: What better way to celebrate the State of the Union address than by rocking out to some of the most anti-establishment punk out there today?

By ERIC HILLIKERArts Editor

The living embodiment of America returns to the pages of Marvel in a bombastic mini-series: Captain America: Reborn, a rip-roaring action romp through the Marvel Universe. Two years ago, writer Ed Bru-baker killed Captain America. After being arrested for resisting the government in a superhero civil war, a sniper bullet cut him down on courtroom steps – all orchestrated by his arch-nemesis, the Red Skull. His death sparked a long journey of espionage, intrigue, and redemp-tion for Cap’s ex-sidekick, Bucky, which ended with

the supposed death of the Skull and allowed Bucky to take over the mantle of his mentor. Bucky would continue to protect the world as the new Captain America. Flash forward a few months later; the Red

Skull has returned to finish his plan that was implemented years ago. At the center of the evil plot is the resur-rection of Steve Rogers (the original

Captain America) and a large invasion force made up of Nazi supermen, diabolical

mad scientists, and obscene weapons of mass destruction. Now Captain America and the rest of the

heroes of the Marvel world must stop an array of super villains. The heroes traverse across the Marvel landscape, from the castles of Dr.

Doom to the flying fortress of an evil spy organization, in a non-stop voyage of action-packed scenes that all lead to an epic conclusion in front of the Lincoln

Memorial. Normally, Brubaker’s Captain

The return of an icon

By MATT WEBERStaff Reporter

Since the players do not even care about the Pro Bowl, there is a need for a high-caliber sporting event this weekend. Luckily, Lorne Michaels and the crew at Saturday Night Live are there to pick up the slack. Saturday Night Live will postpone its typical antics and perform a special

at 9 p.m. this Sunday. SNL funnymen Jason Sudeikis and Will Forte will host SNL Presents: Sports All-Stars. The two-hour special will look back at some of the funniest sports sketches in SNL’s impressive 35-year history, with memorable performances by legendary athletes, including Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Peyton Manning. A skit where Forte and

Sudeikis, who are in their eighth and fifth season of SNL respectively, play ESPN Classic sportscasters, which is bound to be a success. The two feed off each other hilari-ously and instinctively work well with one another. “For some reason, Jason and I didn’t really write together until a couple of years ago, and once we started

By JAMES TWIGGAsst. Arts Editor

When most people think of talented musicians, they forget to look right in their own backyards – which is exactly where you will find the up and coming pop-punk-sters of The Mixtape. Buffalo has given rise to some of the best bands in recent times, including both Every Time I Die and The Goo Goo Dolls. And now, with their memorable hooks and stick-in-your-head lyrics, The Mixtape is poised and ready to be the next 716 band to hit the scene. Incredibly catchy and fun to listen to, The Mixtape is a pop-punk band with influ-ences of hardcore sprinkled in for good measure, which is shown via the breakdown in their song, “A New Direction.” So whether you’re looking to jump up or throw down, these rising stars have what you’re looking for. The group is comprised of five locals: vocalist Josh Szary, guitarist Justin Juz-dowski, drummer Jeremy Shields, bassist Ben Cansdale and guitarist Trevor Wirth. However, this wasn’t always the lineup. “The Mixtape started in April of 2008 with Josh and myself and we originally had two songs that were up. One was a super catchy electro-acoustic song and one was full band,” Juzdowski said.

“When it came time to play shows in June, we decided we’d be better off with a full band, so we asked [Ben, Trevor and Jeremy] to fill in for it and we just ended up keeping them. So we’ve been

playing since June 2008 as a full band.” For the guys of The Mix-tape, being able to play together is practically a

Sunday Night Live

Dana Edelson / NBC

Will Forte and Jason Sudeikis return to the world of sports hilarity with SNL Presents: Sports All-Stars.

Courtesy of Marvel Comics

Captain America is back and ready to beat some Nazi scum.

Show your Buffalove

Courtesy of The Mix TapeThe Mixtape prove that you don’t have to look very far to find good music.

see MIXTAPE page 8

Courtesy of Ines YehDaytona Beach, Fla. has beautiful beaches, exciting nightclubs and many of your friends for spring break.

6 The Spectrum January 29, 2010A D V E R T I S E M E N T

get your own

visit our on-campus leasing office now open in the commons, suite 205

all private bathrooms

uvsweethome.com 716.689.5800 | 283 AmericAn cAmpus Dr


Suffers from pacing problemsAMERICA from page 5

see DRIVERS page 8

FOLLOW THE SPECTRUM

http://www.twitter.com/ubspectrum

Call for Low Low Rates!! www.citya1drivingschool.com

NYS Required 5 hr class

Tel: 570-7230 or 875-4662

LOCATION 271 KENMORE (NEAR UB SOUTH CAMPUS)Mon 4:30pm, Wed 4:30pm, Sat 10:00am

5Hr Class Cost $30.00 Walk-Ins Welcome7 MAIN ST. (1 LIGHT FROM TRANSIT, 2ND FL) LOCKPORT — Tue: 4:30pm

Serving all Buffalo, Niagara & Suburbs

★CITY A1 DRIVING SCHOOL, INC.★

www.citya1drivingschool.com5 Hrs. N.Y.S. REQUIRED COURSE

Walk Ins Welcome

6 Hrs. POINTS / INSURANCE REDUCTIONHeld Sat. 1/23/10 @ 2:30

www.citya

1drivin

gschool.com

IF WE CAN’T TEACH YOU, NO ONE CAN!

10% OFFWITH THIS

COUPON

6 Affinity Lane • Buffalo, NY 14215>> GPS…391 Eggert Road • Buffalo, NY 14215 <<

www.CVWNY.com • 716-833-3700

BRRR!

BUFFALO STUDENT APARTMENTSBUFFALO STUDENT APARTMENTS

> Gated Community - on over 50 acres> FREE heat, internet and cable!> FREE shuttles- to campus, Wegmans, Galleria Mall and more!> Spacious apartments including bedrooms with private baths> Fully Furnished- with a washer and dryer in each apartment> Roommate Matching- based on your preferences> Rent Deferral Program- use your financial aid to help pay your rent> Student Center with indoor basketball court, fitness center, stand up tanning, computer

lounge, WiFi, HD gaming center, HD movie theater and an outdoor pool/grill area.> Stuff to Do- check out our website for this month’s event calendar

Project2:Layout 1 1/18/10 8:27 AM Page 1

go somewhere like Cancun, but is happy to go anywhere in March. “I’ll go as long as it’s somewhere warm,” Darron said. “Anywhere away from here.” SA started taking deposits in November, but it did not get much of a response. “Students were not receptive, because who starts thinking about spring break in the middle of their

finals?” Skompinski said. Instead, SA has decided to remove its deposit date and is still accepting the $75 down payment. “This is probably the last year that I’ll be able to go,” Guszcza said. “I can’t wait for this road trip with my friends.” Additional information about the trip and booking information is found on www.sa.buffalo.edu.


Still accepting down paymentDAYTONA from page 5

writing stuff together … I [couldn’t] believe there was ever a time when we didn’t write together because it is so enjoyable,” Forte said. But For te a nd Sudei k is aren’t the only ones behind the scenes throwing together great side-splitting skits. “It’s a joy to write with Will, and also our friends John Solomon and John Lutz … because it is effort-less, and we laugh a lot on the way,” Sudeikis said. Forte points out that it is one thing to meet a sports superstar, but having one on the show is a completely dif-ferent experience entirely. Actors can come and go, but typically ath-letes that host the show have made a name for themselves. “I’m meeting a person who will go down as one of the legends of their sport, and it is really exciting,” Forte said. “Charles Barkley was so much

fun … he’s always been such a fun character … everything that comes out of his mouth is so funny.” Of course, when Forte and Sudeikis are playing their sports-caster characters, Twinkle and Stink, they are not dealing with legitimate athletes; however, they are still responsible for putting together a somewhat legitimate play by play while in character. Keeping a straight face is no easy task when such hilarious lines are being delivered. “My favorite part of the sketch is the period in between when Pete Twinkle delivers the sponsor jingle … and when he caps it off with ‘Tampax,’” Forte said. “I wish that lasted forever.” For any sports fans out there, or anyone who is partial to getting his or her sides split, tune into NBC on Sunday at 9 p.m.


Meeting legends is excitingSNL from page 5

America is a much more grounded spy story blended with crime and noir motifs. Here, Brubaker ditches the gritty roots of the series and flips the tone completely, presenting the mini-series in a much different light. The author creates a larger-than-life story that encapsulates nearly every-thing and everyone that was involved since issue one of Brubaker’s story. Brubaker’s larger scope works wonders for the mini-series. For an event as big as the return of the legendary Captain America, nothing short of a larger-than-life tale would suffice. This is especially evident in the latter parts of the series, when a giant battle spectacle takes place in Washington D.C. These scenes pro-vide pure, unadulterated superhero joy – like flying giant robot heads and evil metallic dictators. Reborn does not hide its superhero colors. Although it is a great change of tone for the series, Brubaker some-what falters with the new change of pace. He excels at his darker stories

such as Criminal and Incognito, but it is easy to tell that the epic superhero tale is not his usual forté. Reborn also suffers from the pacing problems that hamper the overall effect of seeing the returned Rogers. The beginning seems much more like the usual Brubaker spy stories, but slowed to a snail’s pace. It is somewhat jarring to be thrust from slow burn mystery story to grand blockbuster. The pacing problems continue right up to the end. After such an enthralling final battle, the end feels rushed and anticlimactic. The disappointing ending really hurts the impact of seeing the now-alive Captain America. Another problem that Brubaker had was juggling a large cast. His run on the X-Men suffered many times because of this. Due to the even larger cast of Reborn, the problem is exacerbated. While a nice portion focuses on Rogers, the rest of the cast does not have significant panel time and most of the characters get lost in the shuffle.

Joining Brubaker is A-list artist Bryan Hitch, whose art is ideal for Reborn. His cinematic style is pitch-perfect for the mini-series’s grand scale. Hitch is the best when it comes to fully illustrating the epic scale of superhero fights. Not only that, but Hitch is also able to come up with excellent character design works, especially the ghoulish forces of the Red Skull and Dr. Doom. Captain America: Reborn is far from perfect. It suffers from many storyline problems, but nonetheless, it is an entertaining adventure. Fans of Brubaker’s long-running Captain America series can’t miss the return of this American legend.


By JESSICA DIGENNAROAsst. Life Editor

Early one morning last March, a vehicle swerved into a garbage truck’s path. The impact sent its 20-year-old driver airborne. He landed in the middle of the road and died immediately. Tim Strampfer, a sophomore Eng-lish and psychology major, was in his second semester at UB when he heard this news of his friend Anthony’s passing. Strampfer had just returned from his hometown in Long Island and spent his 19th birthday with Anthony and a few others. Five days later, his friend was gone. “It tore my world up,” he said. “I couldn’t believe it.”

It was never determined exactly what caused Anthony’s fatal crash, but Strampfer said he wouldn’t be surprised if alcohol was involved. Michael Mulé, a former restau-rant manager and bartender, thinks he knows the reason why so many Americans drive drunk. “A lot of [patrons] would say, ‘No, I have to work tomorrow and I need my car.’ That’s where the idea came from – people needing their cars in the morning,” Mulé said. Over the years, he has called cabs for countless tipsy patrons of his bar. Eventually, Mulé came up with the idea of a service that provided both customers and their vehicles with a safe ride home. After months of research and planning, Designated

Better than a taxi ride

Norbert Ogiba / The SpectrumThere are many smart alternatives to driving while intoxicated.


Distinct experience

DRIVERS from page 7

Looks for ways to inspire people through musicMIXTAPE from page 5

dream come true. Their abilities have gained them access to a lifestyle only a select few are able to experience. “We went on tour this summer and it was the most surreal feeling ever. We met so many new people … hung out in cities we never thought we’d be in – it’s just endless fun and at the same time you get to experi-ence something not everyone does,” Juzdowski said. Even though the band has only been playing together for less than two years, they have already built quite the resume. The Mixtape has played alongside several impres-sive acts including Plain White T’s,

Sparks the Rescue, Mandy K and The Summer Set. “My favorite [show] was the Jingle Ball that we co-headlined with Let-terset in December. So many kids came out to see us; it was really cool looking into the crowd and seeing that many faces,” Shields said. Juzdowski, however, favors another show. “For me, it was definitely The Summer Set because we got to hang with them after and they invited us to a party and stuff, so it was a good time. They’re real chill kids,” Juzdowski said. Despite the excitement that the band’s lifestyle generates for them, they never take it all for granted. To

them, it’s the people who surround them that make their life what it is. “We always stick with just one word … family. We’re all about loving and being happy and this band is more of a family than anything. We all call each other’s parents and we all hang out constantly, never fight. It’s all about family for us,” said Shields. When it comes to their music, the band doesn’t rely upon clichés and the same old shtick to write their material. They find inspiration from everything around them. “We always try to write something that people can associate them-selves with, so I suppose drawing on real life situations [comes] out as

the biggest influence in our lyrics,” Shields said. “We’re always looking for ways to inspire people through our music, so we try and make the good side of things shine through.” Whether it be their next catchy single or a slow acoustic number, the band doesn’t cut corners. They put themselves into their music com-pletely and give it everything they’ve got each and every time. “We love every song just the same [and] we put the same effort into writing one as we do them all, so we genuinely can’t pick one out. As far as the most meaningful, I’d say ‘The Phoenix’ because it’s about our friend’s death,” Juzdowski said. As of now, The Mixtape is hard at

work on their next project. “We’re actually in the studio right now finishing up our new EP, entitled Simplicity. It’s going to be an eight-song EP and we’re really stoked on how it’s turning out so far,” Shields said. “As far as tours, we’ve been offered two for this summer; we’ll have to see which one works out the best for us.” Interested readers can visit them online at http://www.myspace.com/themixtapebuffalo and listen in.


Drivers of Buffalo was born. Now 16 months old, DDOB offers a distinct experience when compared to a taxi service. When a call is made to the company, two uniformed driv-ers are dispatched to a customer’s location. One driver takes the caller and any passengers home in their own car, with the other driver fol-lowing behind them. Mulé says what sets DDOB apart from a cab company is the customer service. If a caller desires, a driver greets him or her inside the location and escorts the caller to his or her car, much like a limo service. DDOB also offers discount student rates and with a proper I.D., UB stu-dents can be taken from Chippewa to North Campus for a flat rate of $49. To South Campus, it will cost them $35, and from Main Street to North Campus, it’s $30. Mulé is also working with the university to begin accepting Campus Cash. “It’s just a more comfortable expe-rience than taking a cab,” said Mulé. “You are in your own car, jamming out to your own tunes. And then there’s the convenience of having your vehicle there [when you’re out] to leave your belongings in.” All of DDOB’s 40 drivers undergo extensive background checks and driver safety training. According to Mulé, they are in it for more than just getting people from point A to point B. “Our drivers are all good guys – we have a lot of college students and even some volunteer firefighters who work for us,” he said. “They’re a dif-ferent breed of people who take the issue of drinking and driving more to heart. They are not just taking people to their destination – they’re literally taking drunk drivers off the road.” Gerald Schoenle, chief of Uni-versity Police, says his department makes approximately 70 DUI arrests a year and supports programs like DDOB to reduce the chances of stu-dents driving while intoxicated. Strampfer agrees that if more individuals knew of such services, there would be a lot fewer DUIs. “People worry about leaving their cars places and they don’t want to place the burden on someone else to take them to their car in the morn-ing, so they rationalize it in their heads that they’re okay to drive,” Strampfer said. But Strampfer’s past has taught him exactly what is at stake. “[When you’re young], you think that nothing can happen to you, but that’s not the case,” he said. “Your whole future can be messed up in one night – or you could lose your future completely. Dropping a couple bills to possibly save your own life and the lives of others is worth it.” For more information, visit www.ddobny.com



Buffalo outshoots Ball State 79 - 40 despite lossMBBALL from page 12

senior guard Sean Smiley took over and made the next eight points for the Bulls to close the gap to 66-65 with 1:46 left. The crowd of 1,781 erupted and Ball State head coach Billy Taylor called a time out with hopes of ending the Buffalo run. After the time out, the Cardinals took the shot clock down to single-digits before sophomore guard Randy Davis inserted the dagger into the Bulls with a 3-pointer from the top of the key to insure the win. Davis and freshman standout Jauwan Scaife couldn’t be stopped

from long distance. The two com-bined to shoot 9-for-13 from the field and made all nine 3-point baskets for the Cardinals. Witherspoon went into the game knowing his team would be hard pressed to knock off Ball State. “They’re a team that doesn’t usu-ally get blown out,” Witherspoon said. “They’re going to keep fighting and they fought long enough until we got ourselves into a situation where we started to play with a bit to much desperation. We have to get back to playing a complete game.” Senior forward Max Boudreau had a big impact off the bench for the Bulls. He scored 15 points and

grabbed eight rebounds, six of which were on the offensive end. The senior combo of Smiley and senior guard Rodney Pierce struggled in the game, shooting a combined 28 percent from the field and just 17 percent from downtown. Pierce thinks the offensive strug-gles will be fixed only after the team starts playing better defense. “We just have to get back to play-ing better defense,” Pierce said. “That brings rhythm on offense and then guys have to know, when they’re open to shoot it.” The post game statistics mirrored a different game than the one that took play. Buffalo won the turnover

battle 25-6 and outshot the Cardinals 79-40, yet lost its first home game since a Nov. 24 loss to Canisius. Witherspoon wondered after the game if stats like that would ever be possible again. “I don’t know if you’ll ever see that again,” Witherspoon said. “We had twice as many offensive rebounds as them and a quarter of the turnovers they had. It’d be hard to stage it. It’s almost impossible to do.” Sophomore big man Jarrod Jones played tough down low for the Car-dinals and scored 14 points and brought down six rebounds. Guard Terrence Watson added eight points and nine rebounds for Ball State,

which finished with four players in double figures. Taylor was relieved to get a tough road win, especially coming off two tough losses. “Buffalo is a tough place to play,” Taylor said. “Reggie always does such a great job preparing his kids and they play so hard and with so much passion.” With almost no time to recover, the Bulls head back on the road for a Saturday afternoon battle with MAC foe Northern Illinois Huskies. Tip off is set for 1 p.m.

Email: [email protected]

By JAMESON BUTLERAsst. Arts Editor

The design of the iPad may cause many people to brush it off as an overpriced iPod Touch, but it is much more than that. Steve Jobs, creator of everything Apple, revealed the next giant leap forward for his company and tech-nology on Tuesday. Building off similar technologies used in the ever-popular iPod Touch and iPhone, the new iPad delivers a swift kick to the testicles of modern netbooks. The iPad is Apple’s first tablet computer and the buzz swirling around it rivals the anticipation that was in place for the initial release of the iPhone. Starting at $500, the cost is more reasonable than other Apple computers. At its base, the iPad is a computer, and what is a computer if you can’t use the Internet? With the iPad, a user can hop on the interwebs through either Wi-Fi or 3G. Now the 3G may be on AT&T, but the price for using the network is mind-blowing in itself. For just $14.99 per month, a person can get 250 MB of 3G data on the iPad. For slightly more – $29.99 a month – the user can enjoy as much data as his or her little heart can endure. That is about half the price of using an ordinary netbook. Oh, and AT&T is throwing in free use of all its Wi-Fi hot spots. One of the coolest groups of apps for the iPad is iWorks. The group contains a word processor, Key-note (presentations), and Numbers (spreadsheets), which have all had a major facelift in preparation of the iPad’s release. This feature of the iPad is going to be groundbreaking. Having text automatically move around a picture that is added to a document is just the tip of the iceberg for iWorks. The Keynote app makes produc-ing presentations a breeze. From formatting a picture to changing the different animations for each slide, Keynote uses the touch

screen to its advantage and makes everything a breeze. The whole iWorks package for Macbooks costs almost $100, but for the iPad, each application is $9.99. Another major feature that Apple has added to the iPad is the eBook store for iTunes. Great features include the updates the bookstore makes to the browser when it adds new books and the range of books it offers. Many of the major publishers have already signed up to be a part of it, including Penguin Books and Macmillan Publishers. The gaming aspect has also been re-vamped for the iPad. Electronic Arts, one of the biggest producers of games for mobile devices, has already begun production on games for the iPad – most notably, a version of Need for Speed. Not only do the graphics look phenomenal, but the gameplay seems as though it could even rival gaming heavyweights like Sony and Nintendo. Even though Google might be in the process of building a phone with its operating system on it, it was not too busy to fabricate an application for the iPad. With Google Maps available for iPad, getting lost is next to impossible and searching for attractions has never been so easy. Users can even get street view on the iPad in case they really can’t find what they’re looking for. These are just the applications that have been made within the past couple of weeks. One can only try to imagine the amount and quality of applications that will be available for the iPad in a few months. Additionally, Apple showed the world that it’s as green as a Granny Smith by giving the iPad a battery life of up to 10 hours when being used and up to a month when it is asleep. Even though it seems like some-thing straight out of a science fiction movie, the iPad has just arrived and it is one of the most innovative advancements in recent memory. E-mail: [email protected]

Apple reveals future of technology

Courtesy of Apple

Introducing the iPad: Apple’s latest hot item and next step in global domination.

By NICOLAS PINOStaff Reporter

Dark Void had the potential to blast itself into the spotlight, but instead it plunges into the dark. Void takes a cool idea and makes a game out of it. Although a jet pack-driven game sounds solid, it tends to be riddled with buggy controls and junky gameplay that show through in the final product. The game attempts to employ a cover system (a feature that allows you to hide behind aspects of the terrain), which is a good decision. Yet it tends to confuse the character as he stumbles to the closest ruined pillar that is reminiscent of cover. It seems as though the only time cover actually matters is in the vertical shooting arenas, of which there are far too many in Void. These sequences strangely resemble a whack-a-mole game; an alien pops up, he gets shot and another takes his place. Repeat this process 500 times and before long the player will be at a stage of drawn-out aerial combat, after which the game will return to its vertical combat staple. This combat wouldn’t be so atro-cious if it weren’t for the fact that it’s extremely disorienting, as the quick evasive maneuvers that must be made to avoid death can really mess up the gamer’s concentration. What’s worse is that the boost on the jetpack feels about the same speed as the game’s protagonist’s normal flight speed. It’s certainly no Millennium Falcon. But the man has a jet pack; is a little speed too much to ask? The other major downfall of this game is its lack of weapon sup-port. There are only six weapons in the game – seven, if the jet pack

counts. This wouldn’t be a problem, except that each weapon can only be upgraded two times. Nintendo’s Mega Man 2 had more weapons in it than this game does. Lastly, the shelf-life of this game is brief, around three to four days. There’s little to no replay value, and without a multi-player, this sub-par game can’t even be shared among friends. Generally, the game was tedious and a struggle to get through at the best of times. Although this isn’t the worst game in history, it certainly won’t be remembered for long. The game has about three to four awe-inspiring moments within the seven to eight hours of mostly disappointing gameplay. The first memorable scene occurs in the opening tutorial, involving Will, the protagonist, with a fully upgraded jet pack, bringing down some of the Watcher horde. Another surprisingly stunning sequence occurs at the first activation of the jet pack jump, when the player jumps off a cliff. Even with the game’s stylized

graphics, there are points when some shoddy rendering is apparent. Graphically, the game just doesn’t do justice to the world it’s portraying. Developer Airtight Games is a relatively new Microsoft offshoot with potential to be the next big game developer; that is, if it wouldn’t base its games around one exceptional feature. Going back in gaming history, one of Xbox’s major titles of 2003 was Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, a rather arcade-style flight simulator. Perhaps Airtight Games is paying homage to its cult classic hit and attempting to add to the overwhelming collection of shooters on the market. Either way, Dark Void just doesn’t make that $60 price tag worth it. If the idea of a jet pack just sounds too appealing not to try, this game can be a brief distraction until Mass Effect 2 hits the shelves.


Capcom creates another void

Courtesy of CapcomEven futuristic jet pack gameplay can’t save Dark Void from mediocrity.

By JESSICA BENNETTStaff Reporter

WBFO 88.7 FM has made some major changes to its programming lineup. Sadly, this means a farewell to the Wednesday Night Concert series, which was a unique way to introduce Western New Yorkers to new music. The station’s On the Border Wednesday Night Concerts will continue performances until Feb. 17. WBFO’s Wednesday Night Concert series started in October 2007. The series takes place on South Campus in Allen Hall on Wednesday nights and is broadcast live at 8 p.m. “The focus of the Wednesday Night Concerts has always been to showcase the richness of talent and diversity that exists in the Buffalo music scene,” said Dee Adams, talent producer for WNC. “Original music is abundant and exceptional in this city and region, and WBFO saw an opportunity to capture that.”

The series not only supports musi-cal artists, it also gives them a chance to add to their live performance experience. With the series, listeners get a chance to hear new under-ground music. Adams chooses a different local band each week to play and discuss the Western New York music scene. “Choosing bands, for me, has been no easy job,” Adams said. “I really wish the series was continu-ing because there are still so many bands I’d like to see get the chance to perform live on the air. I’d like to acknowledge and thank all of the incredible acts that have been featured on the program over the span of the series. Without their dedication and boundless talent, the Wednesday Night Concert series would have not been such a success.” WBFO is a major public service of the University at Buffalo and is the most listened-to radio station in Western New York. WBFO radio

station is located on the second floor of Allen Hall on UB’s South Campus. The Latin Jazz Project will be On the Border’s next performance on Jan. 27. Although the series will not end for almost another month, many community members and listeners of the series are sad to see it go. “I know that WBFO is doing the right thing for the overall future of the station,” Adams said. “The weekend blues programming will remain, which I’m really thankful for, too.” Although the series is coming to a close, many are proud that it was a success. “We are all sorry to see it go, but I think we’re all really proud to have been a part of it,” Adams said. “It’s sure to remain a high point in the history of our incredibly diverse music scene in Buffalo.”


WBFO concert series ending soon


132 Student UnionSUNY at Buffalo

Amherst, NY 14260(716) 645-2152

Fax: (716) 645-2766http://www.ubspectrum.com

The SpectrumA D V E R T I S I N G

10,000 copies per issue

30,000 prospective readers per week

Free ad design

Professional and reliable account executives

Times WeeklyTHREE

Copies Per IssueTEN THOUSAND

Distributed

FREETo Students

... you do the math

Parker refuses to feel sorry for himselfCANCER from page 12

How popular will it be in 10 years?PARRINO from page 12

Bulls outshot from floor, behind arc and from charity stripeWBBALL from page 12

SPECIAL EVENT PARKING NOTICE Celebrating the Life and Legacy of

William R. Greiner Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Beginning at 7:00 A.M. on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 the Lake

LaSalle parking lot and the Stadium lot will be closed and reserved

(through 5:00 P.M.) for guests of the Celebrating the Life and

Legacy of William R. Greiner event, scheduled for 3:00 P.M.

At 5:00 P.M. the parking lot will reopen for the university

community.

These arrangements conform with the Special Events Parking

Plan approved by the Offices of the President, Provost, Vice

Presidents, and the campus negotiating units.

RUST STOP RUSTPROOFING

component of the UFC also plays a crucial role in the popularity of the sport. The NFL has just recently started to play games in different countries, possibly following the blueprint set forth by the UFC dating all the way back to 1997. But the question remains, how

popular will this sport be in the United States 10 years from now? I don’t think we have seen even a glimpse of how popular the sport will become, but taking over the top spot seems unlikely. To take control of the sports land-scape in this country seems a bit too lofty of a goal, even for White, a man who is known for making crazy

promises and following through with them. In the meantime, let’s all just enjoy being a part of the defining moments of a sport that hopefully will reach the potential its fan base hopes for.


up his fight. He is currently involved in a spe-cial treatment trial and receives an injection to combat the cancer every three weeks. As he fights on, he continues to work hard every day. On top of being the construc-tion manager for the Kraft Group in Foxboro, Mass., he coaches wres-tling at Franklin High School in Franklin, Mass.

His character never went unno-ticed while he was here at Buffalo. “[Parker] was one of those regular guys who you meet and instantly like,” said head coach Jim Beichner. “He can talk to anybody, he’s a happy, friendly guy, and he just gets along with everybody… Sometimes people exaggerate about a person’s charac-ter when they go through something like this, but I’m not exaggerating. He’s just a great guy.” Parker refuses to feel sorry for himself; instead, he empathizes with others who are in a similar situation. “Anytime you have cancer, you’re going to see other people with it,” Parker said in a press release. “To see the kids, who you know are sick, just get out of their car, grab their crutches and get going into the doctor’s [office] with smiles on their faces because they don’t know any better, it gives you a bit more perspective.” After hearing the devastating news this past summer, two of his former teammates, Joe Muscarella and Mickey Moran, took the initia-tive to create a fundraising event that would both enlighten people about melanoma cancer and raise money for Parker’s own cause. Though the idea began locally, it has spread throughout the state. The

New York State Collegiate Coaches Association plans to adopt the Take-down Cancer idea and hopes that all 23 state universities will hold this event at their school annually. “It’s going to be bigger and better every year,” Beichner said. “And it all started with two young men from our program.” The wrestling team appreciates every donation it’s received so far and hopes to see a packed Alumni Arena on Saturday in support of not only Parker, but for all of those who are fighting cancer. The event precedes the Bulls’ matchup against the Ohio Bobcats. “We’re hoping to have a lot of fun,” Beichner said. “We’ve got tre-mendous auction items and we’re wrestling Ohio University, so we’re excited to get strong support for our match. We also want to raise a lot of money.” They’re on the right track. So far, thanks to many private dona-tions and raffle tickets, the program has raised over $13,000, more than expected. The money will be distributed between Carly’s Club in Buffalo, NY, the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Boston, Mass., and the Parker family, whose insurance may not cover all costs. There will be a $3 cover charge

to enter the event. Raffle tickets cost $10 each and can be purchased at the ticket office in Alumni Arena. The first place prize is a 50-inch Samsung Plasma HD television. Parker isn’t the first UB athlete to combat cancer. Track and field senior thrower Jake Madonia successfully defeated synovial sarcoma – soft tissue cancer – and never skipped a beat while doing so. He didn’t miss much school and was never absent from practice. Despite having a hole in his foot, Madonia still qualified for the 2008 Empire State Games, although he was unable to compete. Madonia, who fought through tough times, won the 2009 Giant Steps Award for his courage and commitment. Although he was expected to redshirt this year in order to fully recover, he pushed through the tribulations and, so far this season, has been competing with his teammates. When he heard about the event, he immediately showed his full support by donating $1,000 to the cause. Most people don’t have $1,000 to donate, but if you want to help, buying a raffle ticket is an easy way to support the cause.


times in the extra period as both teams traded points. Buffalo jumped out to a four-point lead but Toledo responded with a 3-pointer from Jessica Williams. After a costly turn-over, Tanika Mays knocked down two clutch free throws to lift the Rockets to a one-point advantage. Buffalo faltered late in overtime and was unable to capitalize on opportunities. Freshman guard

Abby Dowd missed two off-balance shots that would have given the Bulls the lead and, instead of leaving Alumni Arena on a high-note, the team headed to the locker room with its third-consecutive loss. A major concern for the Bulls this season has been turnover ratio. While the team dished out 16 assists, committed 21 turnovers to finish minus-five on Wednesday. Despite 18 turnovers, Toledo finished the game plus-three.

The Bulls were also outshot from the floor, behind the arc and from the charity stripe. Their productivity simply wasn’t good enough and the Rockets were able to capitalize on their opponent’s mediocre play. “I’m proud of our kids,” said Toledo head coach Tricia Cullop. “Sometimes you have to find a way to win. I thought down the stretch our players made some stops, some baskets and some free throws when they had to. This was a

hard-fought contest.” Mays tied her career-high with 28 points and also grabbed nine rebounds. Melissa Goodall also reached double figures, scoring 16 points and snatching nine rebounds. Naama Shafir nearly recorded a triple-double after finishing with nine points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. Still, no individual topped Brown, who finished with 30 points and 18 rebounds. It was her second 30-point

performance of the season and the fourth of her career. She also added three blocks and three steals on the defensive end. Hedderson scored 22 points and finished with five assists and three steals. The Bulls look to snap their losing streak when they visit the Western Michigan Broncos on Saturday at 2 p.m.


By JENNIFER HARBStaff Writer

With the stressful task of manag-ing school, work and a social life, many students can’t find the time to stay involved in the community and campus life. Luckily, UB’s Center for Student Leadership and Community Engagement has done all the work for them by creating Saturdays of Service to help students find volun-teer work. “Students were looking to do ser-vice … mainly students who weren’t part of an organization or a club, so they didn’t have anyone to go with or the transportation to [get] there,” said Terri Frysh, CSLCE’s commu-nity engagement coordinator. “ For students who are looking for opportunities to volunteer in the community, CSLCE presents a workshop each month on various social issues, like women’s rights and environmental problems. After each workshop, students can

register on the Web site to volunteer the following Saturday with a local organization relating to the topic. Frysh believes that attending a workshop on a social problem that students will be working to fix adds to their experience.“The workshops help to inform stu-dents about social issues and train [them on] how to help,” Frysh said. “They put a little more meaning behind volunteering.” On the first Saturday of each month, Frysh has secured a place-ment for UB students to work with Habitat for Humanity. Students can register on CSLCE’s Web site, leadership.buffalo.edu, to volunteer and sign up for free transportation. “We’re just giving the students what they want,” Frysh said. “[Habi-tat for Humanity] was a popular event and there was a demand for one-time volunteer opportunities.” The next workshop will be held on Feb. 16 and will focus on welcoming

students who aren’t Buffalo natives into the community. Those in attendance will work with the International Institute, an organization that helps families new to the Buffalo area. When CSLCE was first created, its primary goal was to promote leader-ship, but three years ago it realized the role community service would play in students’ lives and began focusing on providing volunteer opportunities with Saturdays of Service. CSLCE also works to provide other services to students throughout the year, such as Real Experience and Leadership Mentoring – a leadership and mentoring program. Students can shadow a leader in the Buffalo community for a day to gain the skills he or she utilizes on a daily basis. “REALM is a really popular pro-gram in this office,” Frysh said. “We try to have around 50 to 75 mentor-ships each semester.” CSLCE will also be partnering

with the Student Association on April 10 for UB Getting Dirty – a widespread cleanup of the University Heights area. It will also sponsor students who wish to get involved in UB Pride and Service Day on April 27 – an event right before finals where students do their part to make both North and South Campus clean and safe communities. For those interested in partici-pating in Saturdays of Service or additional volunteer opportunities, visit CSLCE’s Web site or stop into the office in 235 Student Union to speak with a staff member. “We recognized that volunteerism is one way students can learn leader-ship skills, as well as give back to the community and become an active citizen,” Frysh said. “It is impor-tant to provide the opportunities to develop those necessary skills.”


Sign up and show up


Attention Buffalo

Students

833-3700

COLLEGIATEVILLAGE

www.CVWNY.com

833-3700

FreeHeat - Internet - Cable - FitnessTanning - Gym - Lounge - WiiPool Table - Shuffleboard - X BoxMovie Theater + Fully FurnishedPrivate Baths - Washer and Dryer

C L AS S I F I E DSCLASSIFIED ads may be placed at The Spectrum office at Suite 132 Student Union, Amherst Campus. Office hours are from 9:00 - 4:00 p.m. Monday thru Friday. Deadlines are Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 12:00 for display and 2:00 p.m. for classifieds for the next edition. Weekly rates are $10.00 for the first ten words and 75¢ for each additional word. All ads must be paid in advance. The ad must be placed in person or send a legible copy of the ad with a check or money order for full payment. No ads will be taken over the phone. The Spectrum reserves the right to edit any copy. No refunds will be given on classified ads. Please make sure copy is legible. The Spectrum does not assume responsibility for any errors except to reproduce any ad (or equivalent), free of charge, that is rendered valueless due to typographical errors. Please call 645-2152 for any additional information.

HELP WANTED

AT T E N T I O N Y O U N G WOMEN ages 18-19 years! The University at Buffalo Research Institute is look-ing for young women ages 18-19 to volunteer for a study of teen alcohol use and social behavior. Earn up to $50 for answering questionnaires and par-ticipating in an interview. Confidential. Please call 887-3344 for more infor-mation.

APARTMENT FOR RENT

1,3,4,5,6,7 & 8 BED-ROOM homes available. Go to daveburnette .n et o r ca l l D ave @ 716-445-2514. PRIME LOCATIONS: Win-spear, Northrup, Merri-mac, Tyler, Englewood & more! For 2 to 10 people. Many in excellent condi-tion! Experienced landlord l ives in the neighbor-hood. Call Jeremy Dunn ( 5 8 5 ) 2 6 1 - 6 6 0 9 o r [email protected].

MERRIMAC 3,4,6,8 bed-room, updated kitchen, b a t h , d i s h w a s h e r & laundry. $270 per per-son. Available June 1st, 716-308-5215.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED for the 2010 academic year. Great 1 to 8 bed-room houses & apart-ments. Near south cam-pus. Off-street parking, laundry, dishwashers & much more! Please call: Andy to schedule a show-ing, 716-308-4881.

S E A R C H I N G F O R A n e w h o m e ? www.luxuryaptswny.com.

32 REMODELED APART-MENTS to choose from. 3,4,5,8 bedroom apart-ments located at Univer-sity Buffalo Main Street campus off Englewood beginning June ’10. $250 to $275 per bedroom plus utilities. Washers & dryers included. Con-tact [email protected], 301-785-3773, or Shawn 716-984-7813. Check out our website: www.bufapt.com.

AMHERST/ 1-BDRM lower available now! Immacu-late, appliances & air 863-5781, 873-3756.

HEATH & MINNESOTA – Totally renovated 3-4 large bedrooms, 1.5 baths & off-street parking. Appliances included, stove, refrigerator, washer & dryer. Available June 1st, 716-570-6062.1-1 BDRM AVAILABLE now! $500/ mo. includes heat, water & garbage. Spacious with many updates. Call Matt now at 716-438-7720 these won’t last!!3 & 4 BEDROOMS. Newly renovated near UB South & North, 510-5517, 884-1727.2-BDRM – APPLIANCES, carpet, $495+, walking distance to South Campus, 884-7900.4-BDRM. GREAT layout, large rooms, hardwood floors, parking, laundry & security system. $250/ per-son+ security, 716-578-5296.4-BDRM, GREAT layout, large rooms, hardwood floors, laundry & secu-rity system. $265/ person+ security, 716-830-3226.3 BEDROOM MERRIMAC. Washer & dryer, off-street parking/ $675.00, 716-877-0097.x

HOUSE FOR RENT

RonYoung.com. HOUSES, apartments, p ictures, room sizes. [email protected], 833-6322.

1,3,4,5,6,7 & 8 BEDROOM homes available. Go to daveburnette.net or call Dave @ 716-445-2514.

PRIME LOCATIONS: Win-spear, Northrup, Mer-rimac, Tyler, Englewood & more! For 2 to 10 people. Many in excel-lent condition! Experi-enced landlord lives in the neighborhood. Call Jeremy Dunn (585) 261-6609 or [email protected].

5-BDRM/ 2-BATH , 15 Heath St. All private park-ing, all appliances, secu-rity available June 1, 2010. $320 shared uti l i t ies. 716-432-7125 . Great , great house!!!!!!!

EVERYTHING YOU NEED for the 2010 academic year. Great 1 to 8 bed-room houses & apart-ments. Near south cam-pus. Off-street parking, laundry, dishwashers & much more! Please call: Andy to schedule a show-ing, 716-308-4881.

HEAT H, ENG LEWO O D & Minnesota steps from Main St. 3,4,5 & 6, master bdrms, 2 full baths, free stove & fridge, washer & dryer, off-street park-ing, $225 - $275. Avail-able June 1st. Hurry, the good ones go fast! 716-570-6062.

3,4,5,6,7,8 BEDROOM HOUSES , South Cam-pus, laundry, parking, dishwashers, $275/ pp, 870-8100.EGGERTSVILLE . House fully furnished. Fits 4 people. Includes finished basement, laundry, TV, shared l iving room & 5-minute drive to North/ South Campus. $1,000.00, 716-912-8177.SOUTH CAMPUS 2-6 bed-rooms, rates vary. $196 -$345/ room, Nick @ 716-446-1213.

ROOM FOR RENT

SOUTH CAMPUS $310/ m o . , i n c l u d e s u t i l i -ties, Internet, laundry & furnished. Nick @ 716-446-1213.

HOUSE FOR SALE

NORTH CAMPUS & 990. Great 3-bdrm, w/ den, 2 ½ baths, AC, deck. $189,900. F i rs t C a p i ta l Re a l t y, 634-9294.

UNCLASSIFIED (misc.)

MALE EXOTIC DANCER available for ladies. Low rates. Call Mr. Brodie @ 716-445-6852.


see MBBALL page 9

see CANCER page 10

SPORTS

Taking down cancerMatthew Parrino

Sports Editor

see WBBALL page 10see PARRINO page 10

T H E B L I T Z

NBA commissioner David Stern announced on Wednesday that Washington Wizards guards Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crit-tenton have been suspended for the remainder of the season. The ruling comes over a month after the two men were involved in an altercation in which they drew unloaded handguns on each other in the Wizards’ locker room. Arenas has agreed not to appeal the punishment while Crittenton is in discussions with the players’ union on how he could challenge the ruling.

Arizona Cardinals quarter-back Kurt Warner will address the media on Friday regard-ing his future in the National Football League. The assumption around the league is that the 38-year-old will retire after a 12-year career. Warner hinted at retirement last week when he told ESPN’s Ed Warder that the game was no longer fun. Warner led the St. Louis Rams to a Super Bowl win in 2000 and was the game’s MVP. He was voted to five Pro Bowls, won two NFL MVP awards and is only the second quarterback in history to throw more than 100 touchdown passes for two NFL teams.

The New York Yankees have agreed to a one-year contract with 35-year-old free-agent outfielder Randy Winn on Wednesday. The former San Francisco Giant hit .262 in 149 games last season and was an All-Star in 2002 while on the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The signing has likely brought an end to Johnny Damon’s career in the Bronx. Damon’s 2009 base salary of $13 million was seemingly too expensive for the Yanks’ budget. New York’s projected payroll on opening day is estimated at $205 million for 18 players. ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports that Damon is trying to engage in talks with the Detroit Tigers and Cincinnati Reds as possible destinations.

Kentucky’s reign as the nation’s top-ranked team has likely ended before it even started. Just two days after the Wildcats drew the No. 1 ranking for the first time since 2003, un-ranked South Carolina handed Kentucky its first loss of the season. Devan Downey scored 30 points for the Gamecocks in South Carolina’s 68-62 win while Wildcats freshman sensation John Wall had 19 points for the Wildcats. Ironically, President Barack Obama cautioned Kentucky on Tuesday afternoon to keep its focus and play with passion when he called to thank the team for raising money for Haiti.

Top-ranked Serena Williams advanced to her fifth Aussie Open final with a win over Li Na of China on Thursday. The defending champion defeated Na 7-6 (4), 7-6 (1), in the semifinal to set up a match with German Justine Henin in the finals. Henin defeated Zheng Jie in the semis, 6-1, 6-0 in just 51 minutes. It was the most lopsided semifinal at the open since 1982.

The future is here…

maybe “[The Ultimate Fighting Championship] will be the biggest sport in the world by 2020,” said UFC President Dana White in a press confer-ence late in 2009. That’s a pretty bold state-ment by a very bold individual. Realistically, does White really think the UFC is going to one day be bigger than the National Football League in this country? He absolutely does. While I’m not prepared to go that far, I do think that mixed martial arts is on the rise and, in terms of combat sports, has moved ahead of boxing as the top dog in America. On July 11, 2009, UFC gen-erated 1.72 million pay per view buys with UFC 100. For White, his Super Bowl had arrived. The biggest event in boxing was on Nov. 14, 2009, when one of the sports’ headliners, Manny Pacquiao, beat Miguel Cotto. The final number was 1.25 million buys, which fell just short of the UFC by less than 50,000 buys. Excitement and length are two reasons the sport of mixed martial arts has taken off as much as it has the past few years. The fights are usually quick, as a bout consists of three five-minute rounds, with championship matches lasting five rounds. Smaller gloves that have less padding result in more knockouts and add greater excitement overall. Different forms of martial arts such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, wrestling, muay-thai and kickboxing enhance the sport even more. “The Octa-gon” makes for an interesting environment where anything can happen inside the caged ring. Also, the people involved in the UFC, such as White, matchmaker Joe Silva and the ownership combination of brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, know what they’re doing. The UFC attracts only the best fighters in the world. If the fans want to see a fight, White and company do anything and everything to make it happen. Boxing, on the other hand, tends to delay its main events. Fans across the world have been anxiously waiting for the promised Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather super fight. The fight looked to be a “go” before both camps, in my opinion, sabotaged the fight for unknown reasons. No one can force two guys to fight in boxing, but that isn’t the case in the UFC. T h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l

By ANDREW WIKTORSenior Sports Editor

The women’s basketball team has found itself free-falling down a slippery slope filled with late-game collapses and overtime defeats this season. Buffalo has struggled to bounce back from losses and has fallen victim to three losing streaks – the longest of which lasted seven games. Wednesday night, the Bulls (5-15, 1-6 Mid-American Con-ference) suffered their second consecutive overtime loss, 69-67, to the Toledo Rockets (16-4, 6-1 MAC). The Bulls had now dropped three-in-a-row and are currently tied for last place in the MAC East Division. Head coach Linda Hill-M ac D on a ld r em a i ne d optimistic despite having to endure another heart breaking defeat. “I am pleased in the way we fought back tonight, espe-cially in those late minutes of

the second half,” Hill-Mac-Donald said. “Unfortunately we came up a little short in the end, but tonight proved to us that we can play with the best teams in the league.” The Bulls were down by 14 points in the second half before junior forward Kourt-ney Brown and sophomore guard Brittany Hedderson helped Buffalo storm back and force overtime. The duo combined for 52 of the team’s 69 points and became the first two Bulls to score 20 or more points in the same game since Nov. 28, 2008. Buffalo found itself trail-ing 40-26 five minutes into the second half. Thanks to tough defense and strong ball movement, the Bulls went on an 18-4 run to tie the game at 44. Although the Rockets answered with an 11-3 run, the Bulls kept their compo-sure and rallied back to tie the game at the end of regulation. The score was tied four

By ANDREW WIKTORSenior Sports Editor

What: Fundraiser / Cancer Awareness Event Where: Alumni Arena Main GymWhen: Saturday, Jan. 30 @ 1 p.m.

Wrestlers rely on their instincts to take down their opponent on the mat. But what do you do when you’re involved in an internal fight where grappling doesn’t matter? Jeff Parker would tell you to never quit. This past summer, around the fourth of July, Parker, a University at Buffalo alumnus

who was a member of the wrestling team, went to the doctor because he felt a pain inside his neck. After going through many tests, the doc-tors determined that he had melanoma – the most danger-ous type of skin cancer. He quickly had surgery to remove the cancer and, after finishing chemotherapy, looked as though he had won the battle. Unfortunately, the cancer spread to other areas of his body and melanoma is now threatening his liver. Despite the bad news, Parker refuses to g ive

Overtime unkind Basketball

Australian OpenWomen’s Singles

By MATT PARRINOSports Editor

After giving up 188 points in two games, the men’s bas-ketball team returned home with hopes of tightening up its defense and breaking out of a slump. The Bulls (10-7, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) played better defensive Thursday night but extended their season-long losing streak to three, falling to the hot shoot-ing Ball State Cardinals (10-9, 4-3 MAC), 75-69. Even though the Bulls played better on the defen-sive end, head coach Reggie Witherspoon realizes the team needs to be better. “We still have to do better defensively and our guys

know that,” Witherspoon said. Utilizing a 9-for-11 perfor-mance from 3-point range, the Cardinals overcame 25 turnovers to hold off a late run by the Bulls. With all hope seemingly lost for Buffalo, sophomore forward Titus Robinson started a 10-0 run for the Bulls with a powerful dunk with 3:49 remaining in the game. The slam came after an offen-sive rebound by Robinson and energized a Bulls’ squad that looked tired for the first 36 minutes. “We looked like we didn’t have enough energy to get the ball to the rim,” Witherspoon said. “It’s disheartening.” After the Robinson dunk,

Bulls continue skid against Cardinals

Tim Ho / The Spectrum

Despite coming back from a 14-point second half deficit, the women’s basketball team could not finish the job in overtime.

Samantha Hicks / The SpectrumSophomore forward Titus Robinson catapulted the Bulls on a 10-0 run with this dunk but it wasn’t enough to help them in the end.

the spectrum. volume 59 issue 46

Documents

t i o n p

n c e r t o t h e

e c o n t i n u e s

h t t p

n s f o r w o r

t o u g h d e f e

u b s p e c t r u

p i s b