First Place Award Winners from the New York Press Association & American Scholastic Press Association
The Pace Chronicle Volume II, Issue XVIII
Inside News.........3,4 Feature...........2,4 Health...........5 Opinion.........6,7 Entertainment.....10 Sports.............11,12
News: Page 3
Alex’s Lemonade Stand
40 Acres: Page 7
New Standard
Health: Page 5
Pace University, Pleasantville/Briarcliff Manor, NY
www.PaceChronicle.com
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Saying Goodbye to Financial Aid Shawtime Moore
Featured Reporter Shawtime.J.Moore@Pace.edu
Every spring, bundles of anxious college students collaborate with their parents to gather the most recent tax documents, sit down and prepare to answer a series of questions intended to determine the financial aid they should receive the following semester. To many students the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), is the saving grace that allows them to attend the school of their choice. When the aforementioned is threatened, the livelihood of all college students receiving federal aid might be in jeopardy. In Feb. of 2011, the US government introduced the Budget Control Act as an amendment to the original Education Sciences Reform, which would substantially increase the national Debt Ceiling. The United States Debt Ceiling was written into law to limit the amount of national debt issued by the United States treasury. It was previously 16.394 trillion dollars in 2011 and had
Photos from fortscott.edu
How will your financial package change?
been reached yet again in 2012. Despite the Debt ceiling being reached in late 2012, the treasury allowed the US government to continue spending. The United States government then proposed two options; the first was an augmented budget plan that would substantially decrease spending and the second was to increase the Debt Ceiling by 700 billion dollars to cover the
The Future of Cecilia Levine
costs of the 2013 year. Congress could not come to a consensus by the March 1st deadline, so according to the American Tax Payer Relief Act passed in Jan. of 2013; there will be automatic budget cuts in a series of departments amounting to 85 billion dollars. The Republican Party believes that the cuts will reduce the deficit, and technically it will but
it will also decrease the amounts of jobs available for the American citizens. One of the major points of President Obama’s campaign for the 2008 election was to create jobs and lower the unemployment rate. In an interview with Professor Weishaus he explained “None of the private sector companies are really hiring, and if they are then the positions are low paying, have inadequate health benefits, and if available, little pension plans.” Because of this the United States government will be forced to spend more money to create jobs. So the efficacy of the budget cuts leaves citizens with a few unanswered questions. One of the sectors that will be majorly affected by the cuts is Higher Education and according to Professor of Economics, History, and Political Science, Howard Weishaus, if the Act is put into action it will largely affect the populations of college students at both Pace university and college campuses across the nation. “Within the 85 billion dollars that the SeContinued on Page 3 “Saying Goodbye to Financial Aid”
the Pace Perk
Feature Editor Cecilia.R.Levine@Pace.edu
Christopher D’Erasmo News Editor
Christopher.DErasmo@Pace.edu
Under Pressure Sports: page 11
Setters Beat Virginia State
As Pace’s master plan to redo the Pleasantville campus and sell off the Briarcliff campus approaches, many wonder what might be lost in the transition. Among the concerns of students lies the uncertain future of the Pace Perk, the student-run, late night eatery on the Briarcliff campus. A legitimate fear is that when Briarcliff residents get moved to Pleasantville, the Perk and all that it has to offer will be left behind. Luckily, that is not going to be the case. “There will always be a Perk,” said senior marketing major and Pace Perk employee Daniel Cassidy. “It’s what the students want.” There can be no argument strong enough to counter the fact that the Perk is a hit among both Briarcliff and Pleasantville students. From the minute that the cash register opens at 9 p.m. there is a line of people waiting to order.
Photo
from
The Pace Perk Cafe
Pace’s future duel-campus consolidation brings many opportunities for students and the Pace Perk.
Students hang out at the tables in the lounge, break their stress in a game of pool, play video games or watch television on the 50 inch screens and even play the piano. The upcoming Pleasantville move does not discourage staff at the Perk from renovating the current facility with newer technology, a broader menu and even special expansions. “If we can get the extra space in the storage room it could become a game room,” said Associate Professor of Marketing and Advisor and Chairman of
the Pace Perk Kathryn F. Winsted. “The Perk received a new turbo-shaft oven which allowed us to enhance our menu with additions like fries, tater tots, crispy chicken nuggets and better tasting pizza.” Though it is certain that the Perk will be coming to Pleasantville, the exact location remains undecided. The current location of the bookstore, the Environmental Center and the basement of North Hall are all potential settings though it will most likely be worked into the blueprint for the
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new Kessel. When the Perk finally arrives in Pleasantville it will be bringing desserts that Pleasantville students could only dream of getting in the Pleasantville cafeteria. These include anything form freshly made cakes to an assortment of brownies. Along with the sweets that the Perk will be providing, there are talks of new opportunities for students as well. “We are thinking of putting in a student run convenience store,” Continued on Page 4 “The Future of the Pace Perk”
Health
Feature
Page 2
Cecilia Levine
The Pace Chronicle
Club Feature: The 808’s
Feature Editor Cecilia.R.Levine@Pace.edu
The Far East Movement and Ke$ha chant “It’s that 808 bump, make you put your hands up,” in their collaboration in “Fly (Like a G6)”. And Andre 3000 understands the needs of his fan base“I know ya’ll wanted that 8-0-8, can you feel that B-A-S-S play?”. Bassnectar abuses the digits in their song titled “808 Track” in which they recite, “808 this and an 808 that” multiple times. Aside from Pitbull, who stays true to the 305, what’s all the hype with the 808? “An 808 is a drum machine,” said junior biology-psychology major and President of the 808’s, the Pace Step Team, Ijeoma Duru. That would make sense, considering the fact that after all 808 references, a catchy rhythm plays. The 808’s follow a similar pattern to the artists by dropping a beat after the numbers are mentioned. However, the team does not require a drum machine - or a numerical reference – in order to hit, clap or stomp out a rhythm of its own. “When Ijeoma and I worked in SDCA we would bond over step,” said junior English and education major Kim Walker. “We had heard that many attempts had
Phi
Sig
Emily Wolfrum
Feature Editor Emily.R.Wolfrum@Pace.edu
When asked to describe what makes a pair of super sexy legs, freshman business student Kevin Pereira had only one requirement: “Hairless. That’s it. Hairless legs.” While such male attendees may have been more partial to clean-shaven contestants than their female counterparts, both genders were invited to strut their stuff in Phi Sigma Sigma’s annual Sexy Leg competition last Friday. At stake was not only a hefty prize of a 100 dollars gift card, but also the reigning title of possessing Pace’s sexiest legs. The event, which ensured anonymity with draped sheets of paper covering each contestant’s top half, required each set of sexy legs to walk, run, and “slowmotion walk” for a panel of five judges. Brief biographies were read for each contestant, featuring
Photo from Kimberly Walker’s
Pictured above are the 808’s founders, Kim Walker, Ijoema Duru and Jessica Joseph practicing their choreography.
been made at organizing a step team but nobody ever got around to actually doing it.” The girls teamed up with their third founding member, junior childhood education major Jessica Joseph, to write up a constitution. In Spring 2011 the club was officially approved and active on the Pace Pleasantville campus. Their first debut was at the 2011 Students of Caribbean Awareness (SOCA) Fashion Show. “Performing for the first time was the best feeling,” said Joseph. The organization now has 15 members, both male and female
participants whose skill levels range from minimal to mastery. “Whenever we come up with a routine we break the steps into three different categories,” said Duru. “The hardest step is breaks into a medium difficulty step which can be further broken into the simplest form.” Simplifying advanced steps, and vice versa, allows for all members to partake in whichever skill level they are able. In addition to breaking down routines, the 808’s aim to break barriers with the Greek organizations, many of which are famed for
Showcases
provocative innuendos almost as revealing as the legs themselves. Offstage, a table of fraternity brothers near the front whistled and begged for encores, while apprehensive, yet very engaged freshman boys sat wide-eyed near the back. Sorority sisters filled the spaces in between, socializing and mouthing the words to every pop song that came on. Even engaged watchers bared all, donning their shortest skirts and highest heels and providing amusement at every corner. “People get a kick out of it. It’s really entertaining,” said junior childhood education major and Phi Sig fundraising chair Kristen DeRosa who helped planned the event. “There’s always new contestants and always something new to see.” Such new and thrilling things to see included raunchy popping, the arousing use of a pool noodle, and a very notable contestant’s wrestling outfit. “I was originally going to wear Calvin Klein underwear, but then
their impressive strolls. Strolling, similar to stepping, is a synchronized routine set to music, choreographed by the cultural Greek organizations. The 808’s and the Greeks find often that great beats come from partnership. “A lot of Greeks come to us to learn,” said Walker. “We teach them different steps that they can use or help them put certain moves into songs.” The 808s plan on hosting a Unity Step with some of the cultural, Greek organizations in the Fall 2013 as 50/50 event. 50/50 signifies the first 50 days and 50 nights of school in which organizations and clubs host programs regularly as a way to introduce themselves to new students. The Unity Step will allow Greeks to promote themselves through strolling and the 808’s will do the same through stepping. Step and stroll battles will take place, however, everyone will end with the same choreographed routine together. The 808’s have competed before and have come close to winning. They plan on competing again at the next Step and Stroll show and promise that this time they will place, if not win! The club meets every Wednesday at 9:15 in Miller 10 and 11. They encourage everyone to come and dance.
Sexy
I found this in my closet,” male winner Lee Hurlbert said, pointing to his form-fitting singlet. The freshman computer science major may have socked the competition, but admitted that his outfit was perhaps the only thing he actually planned, as he entered the Sexy Legs contest in the eleventh hour. “I actually signed up five minutes before the event started,” he said. “I heard a friend was doing it and I joined him. I didn’t even know there was money involved.” Female Sexy Legs winner and sophomore biology major Vitoria Bernardes, however, attributed her win to preparation and outfit consultation with her sorority sisters before the event. “It was a really fun event and lots of fun to participate in,” she said following her win. In addition to contestant preparation, from outfit to song selection, the Phi Sig sisters kept their legs busy making the event the stimulating success that it was. “A lot of preparation went into
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Legs
this,” said Phi Sig Vice President and junior business management major Alison Wu who worked with DeRosa on planning. “It’s an annual event, so the concept was already there, but we started preparing last semester, contacting contestants and judges, and hanging fliers and decorations before the event.” After seeing the affluence of last year’s col-“leg”-iate competition, continuing the custom wasn’t a long shot. “An alumni thought of it and it’s become a tradition,” said junior communications major Emily Riehle. “It’s a more creative take on a pageant or talent show and a good way to raise money for our group and philanthropy organization.” Proceeds from the Sexy Leg competition went towards Phi Sigma Sigma and its charity organization, the National Kidney Foundation.
The Future of the Pace Perk ... continued from page 1 said Professor Winstead. “There is also the possibility of food delivery.” If these possibilities are able to come to fruition then students will no longer be limited to trekking into town just for paper towels or paying for over-priced stationary at the bookstore. An on-campus convenience store would more easily facilitate last minute errands. The convenience of a delivery service would eliminate the lengthy waits for takeout
from corporate restaurants. Another facet to the Perk’s big move to the main campus is that the establishment’s convenience will offer another meeting place option to student organizations. “The Pace Perk can offer food services to those who have their events in their space,” said Winstead. “Organizations that buy the Perk’s food are offered a 20 percent discount”. The current Briarcliff location does not currently allow for a
convenient meeting place for all students. The hassle of the commute is likely to drive members away as opposed to bring them in, which is why clubs rarely meet on the Briarcliff campus, even with the discount. Hopefully, the new, more convenient location will allow both parties to benefit. Pace’s consolidation plans will allow The Pace Perk to better serve the students. The number of students that choose to socialize
at the Perk after the consolidation is expected to more than double. Although many loyal Briarcliff and Pleasantville residents may have doubts about the master plan and the big move, the benefits that Pace experience will undeniably outweigh any current reservations. Students will one day reminisce on the memories of The “Old School Perk” where Ramen noodles were a delicacy, over a bowl of penne a la vodka.
The Pace Chronicle Editorial Staff Ali Silver
Editor-in-Chief
Alexandra.R.Silver@pace.edu Tafasha Pitt Arthur Augustyn Managing Editor Layout/Web Editor Olivia Mapplethorpe Senior Copy Editor
Brian Keegan Copy Editor
Erin O’Gorman News Editor
Cecilia Levine Feature Editor
Samantha Finch Christiana Lloyd Entertainment Editor Health Editor Ebony Turner Opinion Editor
CJ Dudek Sports Editor
Operational Staff Christine Gramlich Business Manager Arthur Augustyn Distribution Prof. Michael Perrota Faculty Advisor mperrota@pacechronicle.com
Contributors Samantha Apicella Samantha.P.Apicella@pace.edu Asia Arnoux Asia.M.Arnoux@pace.edu Nicole Beresford Nicole.S.Beresford@pace.edu Christopher D’Erasmo Christopher.DErasmo@pace.edu Shawtime Moore Shawtime.J.Moore@pace.edu Sara Moriarty Sara.M.Moriarty@pace.edu Caroline Olsen Caroline.E.Olsen@pace.edu Jessica Paliswiat Jessica.A.Paliswiat@pace.edu Emily Wolfrum Emily.R.Wolfrum@pace.edu The Pace Chronicle is published by Trumbull Printing: (203) 261-2548 Written and edited by the students of Pace University, The Pace Chronicle is published weekly during the academic year. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of administration, faculty and The Pace Chronicle staff. The Pace Chronicle encourages responses to the opinions expressed herein, and welcomes letters and comments. The Pace Chronicle cannot guarantee publication of letters to the editor or unsolicited manuscripts, and reserves the right to edit or comment editorially on them. Appearance of an advertisement in The Pace Chronicle does not imply endorsements by the members of the editorial board, the advisor, or Pace University of the products or services offered. All photos and copyrights reserved unless otherwise indicated. Subscription and advertising rates available upon request.
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Health
The Pace Chronicle
Page 3
What’s Making News Beyond Campus? Erin O’GOrman News Editor
Erin.M.OGorman@Pace.edu JAPAN – March 11 was the two year anniversary of the tsunami and earthquake that devastated Japan. In the magnitude 9.0 earthquake, 19,000 people were left dead and more than 300,000 homeless. Heads bowed in remembrance throughout Tokyo and other towns to honor the victims who had passed on. In addition the county is working to clean up the radiation waste after a damaged nuclear plants reactors melted. So far no post-disaster energy strategy has been planned despite a change of government for the country in December. Angry evacuees have filed a lawsuit which requests compensation for their devastation; many of these people are still homeless, living in temporary housing or in shelters. Some however are afraid to return to their homes in fear of getting radiation sickness, according to an article on USA Today. The lawsuit is against both the government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company. If the victims win, they will each receive a payment of 625 dollars a month until all radiation is cleaned, something that could take years to complete. Source: USA Today SYRIA – On Saturday March 9 21 United Nations (U.N.) peacekeepers were freed after being held hostage for four days by Syrian rebels. With Syria’s fights with Israel, the peacekeepers had been there to monitor their ceasefire agreement. They were able to safely cross from Syria to Jordan after being released. On Wednesday March 6 they were captured and held in a village near southwestern Syria, not far from the Jordan border. The hostages who took them were from the Martyrs of the Yarmouk Brigades group and refused to release them until Syrian troops left the area, but the growing publicity of the event caused them to dissolve their requests and made arrangements to hand the peacekeepers over to the United Nations (U.N). A rescue attempt was made on Friday by a United Nations (U.N.) team, but the area was deemed too dangerous due to some shootings. Another rescue made on Saturday was abandoned due to the same reason. Source: USA Today USA – A series of small earthquakes occurred in southern California. Reports say it was felt in Sequoia National Park, Anza, and in Los Angeles. No serious injuries occurred, save for a broken window at Los Angeles Airport (LAX) and some queasy employees. The quakes were believed to go as deep as about seven to eight miles and happened in 20 minute intervals. The magnitude of them ranged from 2.5 to 5.2 and over sixty aftershocks were recorded. Source: USA Today
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
News
Gamma Sigma does Alex’s Lemonade Stand Christopher D’Erasmo News Editor
Christopher.DErasmo@Pace.edu
On Wednesday March 6, Gamma Sigma Sigma held a lemonade stand in the Kessel commuter lounge. The stand, called Alex’s Lemonade Stand, almost instantly drew attention from those who were walking by. When it came to creating the lemonade few knew how much was needed to go with the water that they had. One of the members even stated that they had never made lemonade before to her fellow Gamma Sigma Sigma members. The event is designed to raise money to help those with cancer get treatment for their disease. Gamma Sigma Sigma itself plans to match whatever it makes in the event. Alex’s Lemonade Stand is just one of five charities that Gamma Sigma Sigma affiliates itself with. The other four are the American Red Cross, the American Cancer Society, Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD), and March of Dimes, a charity that works to improve the health of mothers and premature infants. Senior biology major Cherelle Palmer is the service sorority’s president. “The turnout was high last
Photos by Christopher D’Erasmo/The Pace Chronicle Members of Gamma Sigma Sigma at Alex’s Lemonade Stand. year. This year we decided to do it earlier,” said Palmer. Most people didn’t understand what Alex’s Lemonade Stand stood for or what it was. “Alex’s Lemonade Stand was set by a girl who had cancer to help others like her,” said Palmer. To help increase sales Gamma Sigma Sigma also sold sugar cookies, brownies, and cupcakes. This was good because due to the cold weather fellow Pace students seemed more interested in getting a quick sugary snack then drinking cold lemonade.
Saying Goodbye questration will cover, there will be budget cuts in the area of Financial Aid and it will affect the Pell Grants and Student Loans” said Weishaus. The sequestration isn’t going to change anything immediately but according to Mark Stephens, the Director of Financial aid “The cuts to the programs mentioned above will not occur until the 2013-2014 award year. Therefore, current award year (2012-2013) funding will not be impacted.” It is reported that Pace does have an action plan in place to help minimize the effect on the students. “In anticipation of the cuts to SEOG and FWS, we have re-
to
According to the charity’s main webpage, alexslemonadestand.org, 4 year old Alexandra Scott, (the child who set up the lemonade stand was diagnosed with neuroblastoma . After returning from a visit to the hospital Alex decided to start up a lemonade stand to help others afford treatment. In her first stand, Alex raised two thousand dollars. Before long she had raised thousands of dollars and from then on held frequent lemonade stands. Soon, her story had spread and groups around the world held
Financial Aid
duced the maximum awards we will offer (in these funds) slightly, so that students who demonstrate financial need will still receive the funding but may receive just a few hundred dollars less.” Seeing that if implemented it will affect students directly, it is astonishing that most students are not involved. When asked Freshman Nursing Student Jordan White what her opinion on the subject was she responded “I’ve never heard of it because I don’t follow the news or politics.” It isn’t clear why more students aren’t directly involved. “As a peer a lot of us don’t really know what is going on and don’t know how we can help fix
...
their own lemonade stands and donated it to Alex’s charity. After she passed away in 2004 her family founded the Alex’s Lemonade Stand foundation, which to this day continues to raise money for pediatric cancer research. At the time of her death, she had raised more than a million dollars. Hopefully just like last year, Gamma Sigma Sigma’s event will have been able to raise substantial amounts of money for their cause.
continued from page
it,” said White. Professor Weishaus suggests that students first get more involved in their campus; this can be done by joining organizations, becoming a part of the different EBoards, and attending the weekly senate meetings held on Fridays at 12:15 p.m. in the Lienhard lecture hall. “I personally would no longer be able to attend school if they begin to do budget cuts in the Financial Aid department because I can’t afford it.” Said white. “ I would be forced to move back home and have to put off my plans of becoming a nurse until I was able to save enough money” This is the case for many stu-
1
dents, so the process of filling out the FAFSA every spring might no longer be a ritual for students that can’t afford to pay for college on their own, and instead of Feb. 15, being the national submission deadline it will be just a regular day like the times before college. In times like these most people would resort to a low paying job like those of the teenaged years, but an increasing amount of these basic jobs are requiring higher levels of education. So students are encouraged to get involved. One way to do so would be by attending the community meeting held Wednesday March 20 and asking questions, get involved in your future.
GREECE – The bankrupt government of Greece is now going to sell twenty eight state owned buildings in order to bring money into the government. These include tax offices, ministry buildings and the police headquarters located in Athens. This the government believes will bring in at least 39 million dollars. This privatization program is aimed at potential investors interested in buying the buildings. On Mon inspectors from the rescue creditors met with Greece’s finance, labor, development, and interior ministers. The inspectors also wish for the government to do a cutback on public sector staff. The unemployment rate in the country is very high, at least 27 percent due to the country’s recession which started in 2008. Source: USA Today
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Health Feature/Opinion
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Page 4
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Fans & Concerts:
Beware the Ides of March
Are Concerts Necessary in This Modern Music Age? Ebony Turner
Opinion Editor ETurner@PaceChronicle.com
Photos by Jen Acker
Students increase outdoor socialization when the weather warms up.
Cecilia Levine
Feature Editor Cecilia.R.Levine@Pace.edu
In addition to March 15 being the anniversary of the 44B.C. assassination of Julius Caesar, according to the Roman, lunar calendar, Idus Martais is a full moon. Although this year’s late-winter Sugar Moon will present itself on the 27, spring festivities will make their grand arrival closer to the Ides of March. With warmer weather comes greater square inches of skin exposure, louder music and a higher abundance of socializing. “People want to spend more time outside when the weather gets nicer,” said sophomore psychology major Shannon Blankschen. “It starts looking more like a real college campus.” The grass by the environmental center becomes an ultimate frisbee field and the volleyball pit behind North a functioning tanning salon by May. Between Hurricane Sandy, Nemo, and multiple cold fronts that kept students boarded up in the stale dorms, people are looking for every excuse to get outside and soak up the mild, March sun. “The houses become a real community again,” said senior criminal justice major, sociology minor and Townhouse RA Joey Cuccaro. “Students mingle outside more and get to know their
neighbors for the first time in months.” On most nights from late November to mid-March the Townhouses are bereft of any sign of life aside from laundry do-ers and the few stray souls making their way back from class. However, residents of dorms with hallways and communal bathrooms maintain a better connectedness throughout the year. Tolerable weather conditions are a necessity when it comes to neighborly bonding at the houses. “Residents will even move their furniture outside,” said senior biology major, chemistry minor and Townhouse RA Kelly Fisher. “Aside from just hanging out there is a ton of KanJam.” KanJam, a popular beachfront game, makes its appearance at the houses just in time to remind students that Spring Break is right around the corner. Until the sweet relief of vacation, Pace thrives on the hype of what is yet to come. The winter months have dwindled off and mid-March is off and running. It’s only a matter of time before Spring Break waves its checkered flag signaling for students to peek their heads through sunroofs and reassemble the dusty, wireless speakers. It’s Spring Fever, and Pace students plan on basking in the reemerged merriment. Beware, the Ides of March.
I was on my Twitter and saw a video on one of my favorite blogs of Rihanna’s tour rehearsal for her single ‘Pour It Up.’ I was thoroughly confused because the choreography was scarce and Rihanna was barely even singing much less dancing. I guess I’ve been spoiled when it comes to concerts and video of concert rehearsals. I’ve seen Beyoncé at work, practicing until her foot would bleed. I’ve seen Michael Jackson rehearse for tours until 3 a.m. in the morning, obsessing over one move. I’ve gone to Coldplay’s concert and, fortunately and unfortunately, can never hear another one of their songs without wanting to hear it live. I’ve been to a lot of concerts in my lifetime and one of the biggest deciding factors is whether or not I feel the music will sound better live. Often it must pass the car test and the club test, depending on the artist, but a true testimony to whether I am willing to spend money on the artist is rested on whether my love for their music will grow stronger should I hear it live. For Coldplay, I was sure that would be the case because I had a number of their songs that were performed live on my iPod. When I went to their show during the Viva La Vida tour, I was breathless. Every song and every note the band played sounded amazing live. I couldn’t hear their music anymore without thinking of how it sounded live. After that moment came MGMT. While I was moderately impaired for most of the show, I do remember hearing a lot of my favorite songs from them and it changed my listening experience with them forever. That is the point of concerts is to change your listening experience with the artist forever. You’re supposed to have a newfound respect for them musically, and not go to the concert for the sake of saying you went to see said artist live. It’s hard for me to understand why artists like Rihanna go on tour. I know she cannot sing well live, and I know her dance moves are limited whether there is a microphone in her hand or not. Artistically, Rihanna is not valuable as a live performer and in my eyes shouldn’t be heard outside of the club. Unfortunately, the cost of having an artist who
Photos from theobserver.com
Are we buying concert tickets for all the wrong reasons?
does not write, or produce their own music is trying to recoup the costs with tours. Such is the case with Rihanna, who doesn’t write or produce any of her music and whose profitable album sales are meant to pay off the cost of her albums. Yet a few of Rihanna’s tour dates are sold out, and I fear that that is not because people are selective in the same way I am but in the superficial way that I previously described. They don’t want to see Rihanna live because it’ll elevate their respect for her music or enhance their listening experience, but because it’s Rihanna. This logic only worsens the already terrible entertainment industry, which thrives on gimmicks and not talent. My aunt told me once about a time that she went to see Erykah Badu live for free at a park in Brooklyn. This was not when Badu first came out, but well into her career. I gasped when she began to tell me the story because I love her music and thought that this would be a great show to see live. She sighed as she began to ruin that dream of mine, telling me that it was one of the worst shows she’s ever been to. Her voice was cracking the entire show and she kept turning the microphone to the crowd so they would fill in the lyrics that she forgot. As a result, my aunt removed her entire album catalog from her iPod, except for her live album from 1994. It ruined her entire idea of who she was an artist, which rightfully so, is
what should ruin your idea of an artist. It pulls into perspective the amount of “help” they really need in the studio or is a testimony to how lazy and disrespectful they are to their fans for not giving them their monies worth. It shouldn’t be an artist’ personal life, relationship or personal choices that determine whether you listen to them or not, it should be their live presence because in the early days, that is what set the greats apart. Every major artist, from Donny Hathaway to Led Zeppelin had a live album, because they had a talent that could not be fully experienced in a studio. A lot of the artists of today shouldn’t even be heard outside of the car. Most of the artists, both hip-hop, pop and R&B only sound good in the club, the only reason why we arrived at this point is because of the way they are being marketed. Concertgoers are attending these shows because of the image and not the talent, and tour managers and record labels know this. That’s why Rihanna and many artists like her are seen as sustainable because our standards are so low. Fortunately for the record labels, a majority of their costs will be recouped because I don’t see our standards elevating any time soon. But for the sake of our pockets, I do suggest that we really think about the quality of the artist before we spend money on seeing them live – it could ruin their reputation more than it would help it.
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Health
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Page 5
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Health
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Caroline Olsen
Featured Reporter Caroline.E.Olsen@pace,edu
All over the world there are people dealing with different obstacles of life. Some have more traumatic experiences than others, but around 60 percent of adults in the United States have experienced some type of trauma in their life at one point or another. A factor that is different for each and every person is how he or she deals with this trauma and how he or she reacts to it. One result of extreme trauma is being diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress disorder, or more commonly known as PTSD. PTSD comes on by many different causes and its symptoms vary. There are different signs to diagnose this and various ways to treat it. This serious condition could be brought on by many different situations. Some of the situations
that might result in PTSD are serving at war, domestic abuse, assault, terrorism, and the most common one for college students, rape. Horrific events like rape bring on these stresses, which is why Post-Traumatic Stress disorder is also classified as an anxiety disorder. Everyone experiences different symptoms, partially depending on what incident brought on the disorder. The most usual symptoms are having nightmares, little interest in normal activities, feeling like you have no future, trouble sleeping, also having headaches, or fainting. Therefore, as for something like rape, this could even be the cause of someone dropping out of school. Diagnosing this disorder can sometimes be very difficult. As of right now, there is not an exact test to be done to tell whether what is effecting someone can be classified as PTSD. The first thing you will be asked is how long
you have had these symptoms. If it’s at least 30 days, there is then more of a chance of you being diagnosed with PTSD. Nevertheless, they will also need to limit out other possible disorders. If it is PTSD, there are a few things the doctor might tell you to do that can help including going to group therapy or taking medicine to reduce your anxiety and stress. PTSD is a very serious disorder that affects every aspect of someone’s life and could even risk putting his or her life in danger. This anxiety disorder can be extremely hard to diagnose and can take some time for a doctor to treat you. The symptoms must be evident for at least 30 days, and there are many symptoms that could be experienced with this disorder. If you feel as though you might be a victim of PTSD, be sure to see your doctor right away. Photos
from southshorehealing.com
Know the signs.
Under Pressure Jessica Paliswiat
Featured Reporter Jessica.A.Paliswiat@pace.edu
“Pressure pushing down on me, pressing down on you, no man asked for.” Everyone can relate to this lyric from the legendary band “Queen” because everyone feels burdened every so often; but for some high school students the band’s classic plays constantly like a broken record in their heads. Students experience everything from being physically ill to practicing personal superstitions when it comes to feeling the pressure. Recently, these pressures are beginning to be seen as the result of standardized testing. The stakes have never been so high to succeed academically. With the opportunities in the job market swindling down, competition amongst students to perform above and beyond has grown immensely. As standard tests flourish due to the demand for school districts to show the culpability of their students, children have become “sleep-deprived, overworked, and miserable,” according to the New York Times article entitle “Why Can Some Kids Handle Pressure While Others Fall Apart?” These pressures of achieving a good grade on exams that will reflect a student’s future academically and career-wise have even trickled down to ages as low as the third grade. Seven and eight year olds have become aware that how you perform in class reflect how smart you appear to colleges
Photos
from smsu.edu
What’s your pressure? and other higher education institutions. Shouldn’t third graders be focusing on what they actually want to be when they grow up instead of preparing for a career they don’t even know about yet? No student, no matter how young, should be feeling a burden like this because eventually it takes a toll on a child mentally and emotionally. On the other hand, some students perform much better under it. Competition and stress only benefit some students and that brings up the question of ‘why?’ Why does John score highly on standardized tests but Jane’s stomach gets in knots and she struggles to get by? Some justify this question with genetics and others may say it all has to do with how you were raised, but according to the New York Times article, that question can be answered by both
nature and nurture. Understanding why a child becomes stressed and learning how to deal with the pressure can help children compete. Sometimes the antidote isn’t the eradication of competition; it’s the usage of the right kind of competition. Chun-Yen Chang, director of the Science Education Center at National Taiwan Normal University, performed an experiment on 779 Taiwanese ninth graders who recently had taken the Basic Competency Test, which is a detrimental test that basically determines a child’s future. Chang analyzed every student’s COMT gene. It has an enzyme that clears dopamine from part of the brain where we “plan, make decisions, anticipate future consequences and resolve conflicts.” One variation of the gene removes dopamine slowly and the other removes it
rapidly. Studies have shown that people with the slower gene variation have a cognitive advantage only if there is no stress involved but when stress is involved, the gene reverses itself and the benefit is no longer there. Biologically, stress fills that particular part of the brain with an overflow of dopamine that the slower variation of COMT cannot remove fast enough. The brain, and essentially the person with this gene, breaks down. This was proven in Chang’s experiment. The students who had the slower COMT gene performed poorer than those students that had the faster one. “The people who perform best in normal conditions may not be the same people who perform best under stress,” Adele Diamond, a professor of developmental cognitive neuroscience at the University of British Columbia, says. People born with the fast-acting enzymes “actually need the stress to perform their best.” Psychologists have distinguished people as Warriors and Worriers because of this gene. The Warriors have the fast rate of depletion and the Worriers have the slower one. In actuality though, we receive one of the COMT genes from each parent. So most of our rates of dopamine depletion are never at a set number and it varies immensely between each person. Only a quarter of people are entirely Warrior and only another quarter is entirely Worrier; the rest of us have a mixture of both. Nurture justifies that under the
correct training and experience the Worrier can overcome pressure and begin handling larger amounts of stress at a time. Quinn Kennedy, a research psychologist at the Naval Postgraduate School, conducted an experiment proving this with Navy SEALs. Most of them were Worriers but still, under intense training, Worriers can be Warriors. Kennedy said, “through training, they can learn to manage the particular stress in the specific pilot training, even if it is not necessarily transferred over to other parts of their lives.” So for the students that do have the Worrier gene, it’s not about getting rid of or running away from the challenges that pressure them; it’s about continuously working on the challenge to get acclimated, especially if it is a recurring stressor. “Training, preparation, and repetition defuse the Worrier’s curse,” said the New York Times. It’s not down to a science. Some students stress out before test because they do have the Worrier gene and just haven’t had the proper or consist training to overcome the stress and pressure that standardized tests make them feel. This causes them to break, their stomachs to twist into knots, and to perform poorly on the exam. But through nurture and experience, Worriers can overcome this pressure and eventually succeed. Every individual student will make this adjustment in their own way and at their own pace, but nature and nurture both have something to do with the pressure.
Opinion
The Pace Chronicle
Page 6
If You’re Too Attractive, You’ll Get Fired Ebony Turner
Opinion Editor ETurner@PaceChronicle.com
Last December, an all-male Iowa Supreme Court ruled that it is legal for employers to fire an employee for being too attractive. The legal term used was “irresistible attraction,” and can be a terminable offense if the employer feels they cannot control their desires. The case arose after a dentist fired his dental assistant for being too attractive, and he and his wife felt the woman was a threat to their marriage. Neither the dentist nor the assistant acted on the attraction or engaged in any flirtatious behavior but the court ruled 7-0 nonetheless. The assistant, Melissa Nelson, worked for Dr. James Knight for 10 years and is married with two children. For the final year of her employment, Knight began making remarks to her, saying that is his pants were bulging, she should know her clothing was too revealing. In the last six months of her employment under Knight, they began texting about work and family life and in a text message he sent her he asked how often she experienced an orgasm. Not only did she not respond to the text message, his wife found out about the text messaging and ordered him to fire her. Knight brought Nelson in, with his pastor present, and told her that in the interest of his marriage and hers that he should end their professional relationship. Nelson’s husband met with Knight to reason with him to let her keep her job and Knight told him that he feared he would have an affair with her down the road. Nelson’s attorney tried to find Knight guilty of gender discrimination but the courts failed to recognize this as a viable defense given Iowa’s laws are based on “feelings” and not gender. However, this is a matter of sexism. Men would not be held to this same standard of termination and have never been terminated for being held responsible for another person’s inability to control their animal urges. Because women have al-
ways been a prime target of “you were asking for it” fodder, laws such as these can be voted on unanimously. The level of her attractiveness is irrelevant to the point that women shouldn’t be held responsible for a man’s inability to control his urges. Having women held legally under the expectation that they are directly responsible for how a man feels about them, especially when said feeling is unprovoked contributes to rape culture. Rape culture is apart of our society, and is defined as the attitudes and formalities in our society that contribute to the mistreatment of women. One of the behaviors in rape culture that is more than relevant to the Nelson’s case against her boss is victim blaming. Nelson is the victim in this case because she in no way provoked or purposefully drew the sexual urges from Knight. But she is being fired and held in the court of law as a jezebel because it is expected that a man’s ability to control his self is only as strong as a women’s ability to remain covered up. It absolves men of any real responsibility for their actions and their role in fair gender relations. A potential rapist or sexist can see this law and think it excuses them of victimizing a woman so long as she brings out an urge in him he can’t control. This law allows for any individual to use this Supreme Court holding as an excuse to treat a person unfairly for bringing out urges in themselves they can’t control even if it’s unprovoked. This is a dangerous law that contributes to this country’s tendency to demonize the victims and institutionally defend the victimizers. The work force is still a dangerous, sexist place for women to enter into, and this case proves that. Women have no real support when in a pool of a male dominated industry and are seen as invaluable assets that are disposable even with the shoddy defense used against Nelson. Our country has a lot of repairing to do, for the current generation and one’s to come.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
His Hard Truth: Eros
Dating
vs.
This is the simplest concept that I’ve touched on since beginning this column and yet for some reason, it just doesn’t seem as simple as it sounds. Technology, gender roles and general awkwardness seem to play a huge role in today’s dating scene resulting in some horrific situations. Our generation’s reliance on technology has made the casual date, almost impossible at this point. It’s turned into either two friends going out and not being dinner at all, or some huge romantic leap. Text messaging is probably the worst communication tool that causes this result because young adults are losing their social skills. We’ve all heard that we rely too heavily on social media and texting to communicate, but I think that this is a serious issue. There’s no way of conveying feeling through texting in order to show exactly what one means when they ask someone else to say; dinner and a movie. I’ll stop here and exclaim that there are no real feelings in emoji’s no matter how often you use them. What’s even worse involving technology is the aspect of social media and the way it works with gender roles. If you have a Twitter or keep up with your Facebook news feed, you’ll understand what I mean when I talk about the complaining from women involving their significant others. You can retweet and subtweet all you want about how you want to be with someone or how “forever alone” you’re feeling, and this applies to men too, but what generally happens is that women will wait around to be asked on a date instead of taking the initiative. Just because you and some guy text often, doesn’t mean that he realizes you have feelings for him and visa versa. I’ve always believed that it’s better to kill a situation that could never bloom into something positive, than drag on a situation that you’re questioning. Men are of-
Technology
ten oblivious to the feelings of others, especially when they’re not directly looking to get something out of the situation. Take some initiative and make the first move. Not only will you show your true intentions, but it’s a nice change of pace for most men to be the one who is wanted. I don’t think you should make yourself look desperate in any way or lose the upperhand (because that’s the only thing that keeps anyone truly confident in any relationship, the upper-hand), but just make enough of an effort to show that you’re interested and you want to know how interested they might be. Ladies, it won’t do any harm to ask a guy to go to dinner with you, I promise. The worst that will happen is that he says no and you’re embarrassed. Also, I promise that he’ll do his best to keep you from feeling embarrassed and if he doesn’t, you just saved yourself from a terrible relationship choice, anyway. The biggest mistake that you can make is to ask someone to go out through any sort of text. Because if the person you’re asking doesn’t understanding that you want to go on a real date, they’re not going to take it as a real date. You could end up going to a McDonald’s because they just thought you wanted dinner, not a date. Worse, they could play it off like they really want to go on a date to Mickey Dee’s because they don’t want a real date, and then you agree because you don’t see that you’re being blown off. The moral of the story is that young adults should really have some confidence and learn to show some emotion towards the people that they have any sort of feelings for. I see so many people post pictures or quotes like, “I’d rather live my life saying ‘I can’t believe I did that’ than saying ‘what if I did that’”, but it’s so rare that I see people actually living that way. Whether you’re a man or a woman, grow a pair.
Dear Fabolous and Emily & All Men and Women Like Them… Ebony Turner
Opinion Editor ETurner@PaceChronicle.com
I stopped feeling bad for rapper Fabolous’ baby’s mother Emily Bustamante a long time ago. Probably around the time during one of the season’s of VH1 series “Love and Hip-Hop: New York” when Emily was fed up with Fab’s disrespect and cheating and moved her son and daughter out of the apartment they shared. Her friend and fellow member of the co-dependent relationship club, Chrissy Lampkin, applauded her decision to let the relationship go for what seemed for good. She kept speaking of this newfound independence and that she would finally start her own life that doesn’t involve Fab. However, Emily already started off on the wrong foot by moving out of Fab’s apartment just to move into an apartment that he would be financing. Granted, she is still living without him, but she would still not be fully independent of him. In the following episode after the dramatics of her moving out into an empty apartment with nothing but a candle and wine, she tells the rest of the cast that she and Fab had recon-
ciled and she moved back in. I know with filming considered, there was probably a little over two weeks between episodes, but that is still relatively soon for someone to forgive eight years of ongoing disrespect. Emily signed up to be on the show because she felt that she had been supporting Fab and his career for years, but he never let her emerge from his shadows. In her own words, she has said that people did not even know he had a girlfriend all of these years which allowed him to act “as single as a dollar bill.” He has played a fatherly role to her daughter for the duration of their relationship and even share a son together. The relationship and even her pregnancy did not stop him from cheating. Later on in the season, the new cast mate and rapper Juelz Santana’s girlfriend, Kimbella, reveals that she slept with Fab while Emily was pregnant with their son. Rather than leaving Fab once and for all, she lashes out at Kimbella, his infidelities and disrespect personified. All this time I kept saying that Fabolous was a terrible man who was irresponsible in his treatment of women. He exploited their love for him
only to put them a comfortable enough place in his life for him to do whatever he pleases. His recent antics prove that the blame has been misplaced this entire time. Recently Fab posted a picture on Instagram of a naked woman with nothing but her thong on standing by a windowsill. The caption read, “Is that the Empire State Building, or nah?”. Emily responded on the comments in the photo asking if the lady in question was her. Her response was that Fabolous would never exploit her like that and that “her hair stay’s done”. I was laughing at her simply because, the father of your child who you’ve been with for eight years publishes a photo of another women and your response has the nerve to include an attack on the women? Fabolous exploit’s Emily daily with his disrespect for her, gallivanting other women around her and in public frequently, but you feel that is somehow better than him posting a photo of a naked woman on social media? Please. People only treat you how you let them. All these years, Emily has never required any respect, commitment or accountability on Fab’s part to get all of the benefits of a relationship from her. To ex-
Photo from mediatakeout.com Why Buy The Cow When You Get the Milk For Free?
pect him to treat her any better than the low standard she set from the beginning would be farce. He has no incentive to and no reason to because she’s never required one. Fabolous is a very insecure man whose behavior is only a manifestation of the mindset he has for women and for himself. He knows no better because it’s never been required of him to do better. As a result, he seeks out women with low self-esteem who feel that they must go above and beyond to keep a man that has no intentions of being kept. No woman should ever have to go to these lengths to keep a man, and your intentions for doing anything for a man should have nothing to do with keeping him. That
would mean there is a chance of him leaving, and that shouldn’t be a fear that an individual has if they are in a secure relationship. Ultimately, I hope for Emily’s daughter’s sake that her mother does not ever go back to Fab ever again. He has proven to her time and time again that he has no intentions of treating her with any respect. He has even said that he has no plans to marry her, or anyone either. This 35-year-old man is toxic and has no intentions of respecting you – move on. We’ve all been in a situation similar to hers both minor and severe but if you love yourself enough you won’t withstand anyone who doesn’t reflect that.
ealth HH ealth
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The Pace Chronicle
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Fpinion eature OOpinion
Ebony Turner
Featured Columnist ETurner@PaceChronicle.com
Are Michelle and Barack Obama the New Standard? What is 40 Acres and a MacBook?
Whether it’s the questionable news headlines on Fox News or when we walk into Kessel and see all the same kids sitting comfortably on opposite sides of the cafeteria, it’s time to stop ignoring racial issues within our youth with our 40 acres and a Macbook - a modernized compensation for the world in which we are forced to live in.
Ebony Turner
Opinion Editor ETurner@PaceChronicle.com
For decades, Black people have only had a few memorable mainstream relationships that were in the public eye. The one we all seem to refer back to as the ideal marriage are The Huxtables from “The Cosby Show.” They had the perfect balance that all marriages aspire to. Cliff and Clair were both successful professionals in their field – Cliff, an obstetrician and Clair, an attorney. They never see each other as their source for self-fulfillment. In many relationships, the partners get so lost in the relationship that they forget that before them, they were living and functioning human beings prior. They knew this and never treated their marriage as some 18th century arrangement where the women has no identity, backbone and is born to serve her man. Clair was the quintessential modern wife. She was a successful partner at her law firm, and mother to five children who always kept dinner on the table and her kids’ lunch pales packed.
Photo from jezebel.com Are Michelle and Barack Possible Because of the Huxtables?
She lived the life of a wife that was strong enough to know when to say when. Cliff respected Clair and didn’t feel so egotistical to play the role of the nurturer so that his wife can be immersed in her career. This relationship was on television 25 years ago, and the idea of a wife – a Black wife at that – to have such duality in her personal and professional life was unheard of for America. It was treated as such when critics described how “unrealistic” their marriage was during this era. It wasn’t realistic in the eyes of major media executives at NBC for a Black couple to be married with children and practicing law and medicine. Whether the mainstream media felt it was unrealistic
or not, Black people saw this marriage as the blueprint for us all to aspire to. That is not to say that Clair never felt exhausted fulfilling the responsibilities that she had to fulfill, but she realized that life is all about choices. She chose the life she lived as well as the people that are in it, so to treat it as anything more than a fact of life is ridiculous; she never asked for sympathy for the choices she made in her life. But she was never afraid to show humility. What we are lacking in Black families now is a sense of balance. The roles are either the man of the house and the housewife or the woman of the house and the stay at home dad. Either way, neither person is fulfilling their role or giving
just as much as they are taking. The Obama’s have filled the void for the modern Black family that was there once the Huxtables were off the air. Michelle and Barack were both practicing lawyers that graduated from Harvard Law School and met while at a firm they both worked at. While the amount of kids they share is far less than the Huxtables, Michelle and Barack have an aura that resonates from their relationship that shows that they have a balance. President Barack has clearly long since evolved career wise, it is clear that he and Michelle are equal parents. Much like Cliff and Clair, Michelle and Barack don’t subscribe to the Victorian family structure where the wife is subservient and backboneless. The role of a husband and wife is not meant to belittle or be selfserving. There aren’t many shows that highlight strong, Black couples that are successful and balanced in their ability to carry out family and professional. The only blueprint we have to turn to, which still isn’t much since both are fiercely private as Jay-Z and Beyonce. But they are not a realistic ex-
ample for most Americans, especially not for Black people. Yes, I am sure their dynamic seems functional and respectful but their careers and lifestyles are not at all average in our community. They both are not college educated and still are both respectably multimillionaires; if anything is unrealistic, should their relationship turn into a show, this would be something NBC executives would need to be worried about. The Huxtables and The Obama’s pre-White House are what we all should aspire to be. They are educated, respectful of their relationship, fair and able to accept their careers as a fact of life not something to complain about. I hope one day we can return to the days of The Cosby Show and have a series with that same blueprint on television. Our society is so obsessed with a fantasy none of us can live up to that we would see no real value in a faux-family that is attainable. The Obama’s are the closest we’ve got in this new decade to a couple that resembles a standard, and we should all be aspire to it.
Is the Parental Advisory Sticker Censorship? Ebony Turner
Opinion Editor ETurner@PaceChronicle.com
To think that the parental advisory sticker is a modern day invention is comedic. During the 80’s, which is when the advisory label was created, we were transitioning into our most progressive era in music and culture. Drug usage was rampant and accepted as a way of life for many artists in this era, and the music was a fierce cry out for help. Hip-hop was the ‘CNN’ for Black people as rapper Ice Cube aptly described it. But ironically hip-hop artists were not the first to bear the explicit lyric warning; it was Prince’s Purple Rain in 1984. A lot of rock music in the 80’s made the “Filthy Fifteen” list created by the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), a committee formed by parents and wives of the Washington, D.C. elite to combat the issue of violence, drug use and sex in music. They argued that the music was too accessible to children, making
it that much more difficult for parent’s to filter what it is they listen to. The label was created to give purchasers the option of knowing that an album has explicit lyrics. It’s intent was not to censor, but to give parents some kind of indicator for music that their children shouldn’t be listening to. Of course, many of the artists felt it was censoring them. Frank Zappa from the band The Mothers of Invention felt it “infringed on the civil liberties” of American people and music buyers across the world that were not underage. Zappa didn’t see how this protected children. However, what Zappa failed to realize is that without these labels, I’m sure that the state of our youth today would have happened much sooner had we not had the parental advisory sticker. Children shouldn’t listen to a lot of the music we hear today at all. It’s not age appropriate and, further more, they have their whole lives to know what it is these adults are talking about. Many of the artists that testified against Senate during the
hearings to put this law in place – a law that all 19 of the major labels at the time agreed to – grew up as children not having to worry about explicit lyrics. That was mainly due to the fact that the content of music during the early 40’s and 50’s had a subtly and coyness to it and America was much more conservative. We had a respect for the general public and our society enough to not need to be so implicit in the lyrics. They were creative, as artists are meant to be, and used their music to express that. As time progressed, the filter became nonexistent, and artist were lazy in their ability to express sex and relationships, or lack thereof without spelling it all out. How are parents supposed to keep their children from being overexposed to content they have no business hearing when the option to know the lyrics contain explicit lyrics is not available to them? In no way was the PMRC controlling what it is these artists were saying. As musicians, I am fully aware that they are highly
Photo from deviantart.com Is Parental Advisory Censorship?
sensitive about their music and don’t like to feel like their talent is being restrained. However, it is irresponsible of them to think that advisory labels censored them. It simply filters out the music so that the appropriate ears hear it. I couldn’t imagine a world today without that parental advisory label, and the youth of today have access to the music with advisory labels thanks to the internet.
Parents have to work overtime to keep the innocence of their children even with the label plastered across an enormous amount of the musical content in our nation. So to think that it censor’s artists in any fashion is ludicrous. Artists are able to say whatever it is they want to say, but they are so detached from their listeners that they are not aware of the consequences their lyrics have.
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The Truth About Reality Sara Moriarty Featured Repoter
Sara.M.Moriarty@pace.edu
In recent years, it is apparent enough that reality stars have been taking over television and the media. “I think it [reality television] is bogus,” said freshman psychology major Christina Miller. “They [reality show stars] don’t do anything and they get famous for it,” Miller continued. “Meanwhile people who make a difference never get recognition.” Reality shows, as we know them today, first began when the program “The Real World” began on MTV in 1992. However, the true beginning of reality TV was with a show called An American Family, a program that followed the lives of two ordinary Americans, Bill and Pat Loud, and their family. This show depicted the real lives of a real family (at least allegedly), whereas shows such as “The Real World” simply took people that had never met each other before and threw them in a house. Wildly popular, “The Real World” lead to the creation of many other shows, including Laguna Beach and The Jersey Shore. Reality game shows became popular; Survivor, The Bachelor, and Big Brother, are just a few examples of shows that took allegedly ordinary people and threw them together to compete in various television competitions to find love, fame, and money. When these reality shows filled with ordinary people all started out, the common factor was just that; the people weren’t famous. The people were pulled from the streets and had to audition. They were unknowns. But as these shows and the people in them gained popularity, this ceased to be the case (at least for the most part), and the level of actuality in reality television dropped and continues to drop today. Take a look at so-called “reality” television and “reality” game shows today. Game shows such as Dancing With the Stars and Survivor have been having seasons based on celebrities and former contestants who attained a B-list celebrity status by being on reality shows in years prior. The Jersey Shore cast, a prime example, attained a high level of fame from being on that show. Thus, spinoff reality shows were created, i.e., “Snooki and Jwoww” (among others.) These newer spinoffs are still considered reality, despite revolving around the lives of people who have already attained fame. The genre of reality television clearly no longer depicts lives of ordinary people. To make matters worse (and less real), there are many allegations that these shows are scripted. Even the Wikipedia.com definition of a reality show “is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations.”
The key word here is purportedly, which means allegedly. This definition attests to the fact that many people believe reality shows are scripted, and scripted shows cannot be deemed ‘real.’ Therefore, reality shows should probably just be called shows. It is simply “bogus,” as Miller stated. Reality television is clearly becoming based more so on celebrities than reality. Reality game shows such as Survivor have been featuring ‘All-star’ casts, in which a cast of former contestants or celebrities is used as opposed to a cast full of ordinary people hoping to win money or achieve fame. Dancing with the Stars, albeit a show that always featured different celebrities and never just ordinary people, is planning to have Lisa Vanderpump of the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” compete. Real Housewives, of course, is a show that takes women (some already somewhat famous, some not) living in wealth and luxury, and showcases their alleged real lives. Women from this popular Bravo show have attained some fame. It is understandable that many A-list stars may be too busy to appear on reality shows and reality contest shows. However, the fact that people that attained their stardom from appearing on various reality shows are being depicted on other shows continues to prove the point that reality is taking over the media, and maybe even society. “I think this cycle should stop,” stated Miller, regarding this issue. “You are giving people fame for absolutely nothing, and this is not a good message for kids,” Miller continued. “What kid actually wants to be a scientist these days? They just want to be famous. Some kids may even want to grow up to be Snooki.” Others argue that reality television, while ridiculous and probably not real, is still enjoyable. “I sometimes enjoy watching reality television,” said freshman nursing major Anabel Perez Valdez. “It is up to parents to control what children watch on TV; reality shows are not meant to be watched by children, so the cycle is harmless as long as parents control what the younger generation tunes into,” Perez Valdez continued. “That being said, I still agree that the amount of reality shows on television is quite ridiculous.” Many people enjoy watching reality TV, and Anabel makes a good point; parents can control what children watch. Is it really so bad to have an exorbitant amount of fake reality on television for adults to watch as the occasional guilty pleasure? Perhaps not. Even so, many still believe there is too much attention on reality stars. VH1’s slogan is “Not reality, actuality.” But many people would agree more with Miller. Not reality, “bogus.”
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Entertainment
Spring Fashion:
Preparing for April Showers Asia Arnoux
Nicole Beresford
Feaatured Reporter Asia.M.Arnoux@pace.edu
Photos
Featured Reporter Nicole.S.Beresford@pace.edu
from fashionmagazine.com
What will you be wearing this spring? We may still be reaching for our winter coats before stepping out in the morning, but the fashion world is always one step ahead. As the thick sweaters and dark shades become replaced with lightweight fabrics and bright colors, we can see that spring fashions will soon take over. This spring, it’s all about simplicity. Does that mean men should instantaneously reach for those oh so familiar khaki shorts, and their go-to white tee? And women should grab a plain tank and jean capris? Not at all! Rather, it means every piece should play an essential role to create that perfect look. “This spring I expect colors of all sorts for both men and women. Every piece you wear counts!” said freshman finance major Kevin Pereira For women, spring is the best season to show off your style. Even though the weather is a little too cold, it’s time to start dressing for spring. According to Seventeen Magazine, there are three key things you will need for this upcoming season. Pencil skirts are a must have in your spring wardrobe. Even though pencil skirts have been around since the 1950s, it’s been emerging back on the runways. They are good at giving your curves definition, yet they give off that professional look. You can add a pastel color top or, to go dramatic, a vibrant cropped top. There is nothing wrong with bringing some color into your clothing because neon colors are in this spring. Instead of wearing a plain white tee, boost it up with a neon yellow v-neck and a pair of light blue jeans. This sure
will make you stand out and look amazing at that. Stripes are making a major comeback this spring. It’s always good to have a least one item in your wardrobe that has stripes. You can always pair a striped top with some khakis for an instant spring look. Fashion is all about putting pieces together and putting your own individuality into them. Clothing isn’t the only thing that you will need this spring. Accessories are the key to making people turn heads. This spring, every girl should have a big chunky statement necklace. From a huge gold necklace to multi-colored gemstones to an edgy metallic piece, you know you have the best jewelry when it adds an instant glamor to your look. According to undecided major Catherine Byrnes, “I feel that bright color lipstick will be in this spring; you can always add a pop of color with a bright lipstick.” She wasn’t wrong. Instead of a nude color, add some excitement to your outfit and put on a bright red color. Sunglasses will never go away; this is the ultimate accessory for the spring hands down. Spring is all about color, so it’s only right to wear bright chic sunglasses. They make you look chic and you’re making a fashion statement, as well. Hair is definitely part of the accessories, because it’s one of the first things a person sees. For this spring, it’s all about dipdyeing your hair or trying ombre; either way you come out looking fabulous. A lot of celebrities will have their hair in either style and it gives their whole outfit’s look
glamour. Clearly there are some great styles in store for women as the spring season inches closer. However, women are not the only ones who have some thrilling shopping to look forward to. The fashion world has some exciting trends up its sleeve for men, as well. In men’s fashion this season, we can expect to see lots of solid colors, brights, and pastels. Some popular pastel favorites for the approaching months include spearmint, salmon, straw, watermelon, and limeade. However, the idea is to keep it simple, not dull. Fashion experts suggest mixing and matching pastels to one’s wardrobe. Men’s fashion this spring also places a particular emphasis on bright colors. Some of the top bold colors include bright red and yellow, orange, cerulean, and rust. Men can add one bright piece to their wardrobe for a splash of eye popping color. The top suggestion this spring is a pair of bright shorts. Other trends include lightweight blazers, jean jackets, loafers, and square sunglasses. In the workplace, men should wear light or medium grey suits, and spice it up with a bright color tie or pastel shirt. Freshman finance major Kevin Pereira seems to have the right idea. His go-to selections for the spring are “boat shoes, a nice belt, bright colored shorts, and a polo.” So save up your money and take that much needed trip to the mall. Soon enough we can be sure to see these styles all over our Instagram feeds and on our own real world models here at Pace.
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Samantha Finch
Entertainment Editor SFinch@pacechronicle.com
When it comes to being creative, artistic, or even channeling the inner concepts of our thoughts, each person finds that inspiration from different sources. Freshman criminal justice major Patrick Dooley has a passion for art classes, taking two courses in his first two semesters here. “I personally am not an art major, but I am currently trying to make art my minor before Pace rids the school of all art programs,” Dooley said. Despite the many changes that are now being introduced to the Visual Arts Department, Dooley wants to become an art minor so he can continue to hone his artistic skills while taking these classes. As an artist, Dooley works in many forms of art, including colored pencils and markers, but due to his attention to the small fine points of his art pieces, he prefers working in pencil. “I am someone who pays a lot of attention to detail and needs
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Artist Spotlight: Patrick Dooley every little line to be perfect,” Dooley said. It is this very precision, dedication, and commitment to his pieces that was applied to the work he considers to be his greatest accomplishment, a pencil sketch recreation of a photograph of him on top of a Sierra Nevada Mountain called Mount Warren. He considers this particular project his most accomplished piece because of how much time he spent making the images just right, including a near four hours on the shading alone in one particular corner. “I have never been obsessed with one particular thing like that before,” Dooley said. This same mindset is what Dooley applies to all he does, including other hobbies such as his academics, hiking, and swimming. Additionally, Dooley has been an Eagle Scout for seven years and can play the Ukulele. Dooley also believes that his artistic ability may run in his family, as his mother and sister are both able to create art pieces, mainly paintings. When it comes to the future,
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Photo by Samantha Finch/The Pace Chronicle Patrick Dooley working intently on his art piece. Dooley has many things he would like to try. However, he is the most interested in tattoo art. “Personally, I would love to learn how to tattoo,” Dooley said. “Most of my drawings are for friends who don’t want to pay the tattoo artist for the design work
so I’ll just be the one to do it for free. I actually intend on looking for somewhere to intern over the summer so that I am able to learn all that I can.” In the end, Dooley is an remarkable artist who can draw with amazing detail and bring his
characters to life through his dedication. Dooley’s work will be displayed in a project studio art show that will open on April 25. For more information on the show please contact Yvette Jones at yjones@pace.edu.
Oz, the Magical Mister
Photo from imdb.com Oz the Great and Powerful. Samantha Apicella
Featured Reporter Samantha.P.Apicella@pace.edu
If you want to go back to your days as a child, Oz the Great and Powerful is the movie for you. Based on the works of L.
Frank Baum, this film has a few differences from the original production. The movie opens in black and white Kansas during the year 1905. However, there is no Dorothy. Instead, there is the fraudulent magician named Oscar, a.k.a Oz (James Franco) pre-
senting a show with a new female assistant. After getting popcorn and other sorts of food thrown at him during an unsuccessful performance, the girl’s boyfriend goes after Oz. In the meantime, a ferocious storm is approaching the circus.
While running away from the girl’s boyfriend, Oz climbs into a hot air balloon and tells his assistant, Frank (Zach Braff), to cut the strings free. The balloon goes soaring into the sky and into the funnel of the tornado. Oscar soon wakes up in the beautifully colorful Land of Oz. The Land of Oz is just as bright and vibrant as the original. Flowers, waterfalls, trees, and all other sorts of nature shine with all hues imaginable; so much so that it gave me chills. Soon after, Theodora (Mila Kunis) appears in a crimson ensemble, and tight leather pants (no dress). She immediately demands a sense of intimacy with Oscar and to be his queen once he becomes the king. Oscar gladly accepts, being the ladies’ man and deceiver that he is. He knows fully well that he isn’t really the magical wizard. Upon meeting a flying monkey, Finley (Braff), and rescuing a precious porcelain doll (Joey King) from China Town, Oscar learns from Theodora’s sister, Evanora (Rachel Weisz), that he
must set out on a journey to kill the wicked witch. While setting out to do so, Oscar meets other interesting characters of Oz, including Glinda (Michelle Williams). He also comes to understand that nothing is as it seems. All in all, Oz the Great and Powerful is a must-see for anyone who appreciates the original film and would like to go back to his or her whimsical days as a child. The film has some clever plot ideas. Everything literally comes together in the end. Though Oscar seems lustful in the beginning of the film, he grows to learn that he needs to believe and be true to himself and the people that surround him. The main message of Oz the Great and Powerful is about believing. Every single one of us is magical if we accept our abilities. As Oscar says, “When you believe, anything is possible.”
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Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Sports
Setters Beat the Spartans CJ Dudek
Sports Editor CDudek@PaceChronicle.com
The sun may not have been out for the Setters when they faced the Spartans, but the baseball team was more than willing to win in the shade. Pace bested Saint Thomas Aquinas 4-2 earlier this week in West Harrison, New York. The win marks the first time the Setters have won at home this year, even though the game was not played at Finnerty Field. Pace was able to strike first in the bottom of the first inning when a wild pitch from the Saint Thomas pitcher scored junior business major Chris Gili from third to give Pace its first lead of the day. The Setters offense continued their campaign as senior criminal justice major Joe Solomeno lined a pitch right up the middle to score senior marketing major Charlie Glasso from third. Pace took an early 2-0 lead after the first inning. Glasso had another impact for the Setters when he came to bat in the bottom of the second inning.
Photo from CSI Photo The Setters won their first home game of the year. The West Harrison native drove a single to right field that brought in two more runs to give Pace an early 4-0 lead. While Pace got out to an early lead, the Spartans did achieve two moments of glory. The Spartans scored runs in the top of the sixth inning and in the top of the eighth to cut Pace’s lead in half. Yet Pace was able to hold off the Spartans to secure their second win of the
year. It was not just the offense that was on for the Setters. Pace’s pitching rained down fastballs and off-speed pitches like arrows from the sky. Junior English major Robert Rizzitelli turned in a strong performance through six innings of work. The Monroe native relinquished only four hits and gave up just one run on the afternoon
while striking out eight batters. While Rizzitelli took care of the first 23 batters he faced, it was freshman criminal justice major Josh Garran who quelled the Spartans in the game’s late innings. Garran picked up his first career save after an inning and two thirds of work. The Old Tappan native struck out two batters and relinquished only one walk with-
out giving up a hit to get the save. The pitching numbers looked like something out of a coliseum fight. Both the Spartans and the Setters struck out at least ten batters on the day. Although the Spartans and Setters took turns striking each other out, Saint Thomas Aquinas contended with runners on the base-paths far more than Pace did. Pace gave up just five walks between three different pitchers while the Spartans relinquished eight walks to Pace batters on the day. While the Setter’s pitching held the opposing offense to two runs on six hits, Pace’s offense broke through the phalanx that was the Spartans pitching. Pace tallied eight hits and also got two extra base hits from junior education major James Pjura and freshman nursing major Michael Viegas. With the win the Setters improve to 2-3 overall and have yet to play a game against a conference opponent. The Setters will defend their home diamond again against Concordia on March 12.
Setters Beat Virginia State CJ Dudek
Sports Editor CDudek@PaceChronicle.com
The Setters have yet to play a home game this season, but they were able to best another team on the road. Pace defeated the Trojans of Virginia State University 4-1 earlier in the week. The Setters have won four games in a row on the road compared to just one game played at a neutral sight. The Setters got their offense rolling in the top of inning number three. Junior business major Lana Buchbinder recorded an infield hit that scored senior psychology major Chelsea Shea and gave the Setters a 1-0 lead. Although Shea was the only player on either team to record an extra base hit on the afternoon, that did not seem to hinder the Setters offense. Pace was able to set the tone on the base paths throughout the game. The Setters pulled off the incomparable triple steal which resulted in sophomore business
management major Jeane Drury stealing home and gave Pace a 2-0 lead. In addition to the execution of the triple steal, there were six Setters who played the roles of base thieves. Freshman chemistry major Dzifa Avalime, sophomore criminal justice major Natalie Gellos, freshman communications major Katie Lange, junior biology major Kimberly Duffy, and Drury all recorded stolen bases for the Setters against the Trojans. The Setters were also the beneficiaries of miscues from Virginia State during inning number five. A wild pitch from Inez Hudson scored freshman chemistry major Dzifa Avalime to give Pace a 3-0 lead at the game’s halfway mark. Also, as freshman communications major, Katie Lange hit a ground ball to second base that was bobbled by the Trojans and enabled Gellos to score on the error. Pace’s offense was able to
Photo from CSI Photo The Setters beat the Trojans over the weekend. diversify their hit portfolio with everybody from the underclassmen to the upperclassmen getting a hit. The Setters allocated 14 hits on the day and also scored four times on the Trojans. Only two Setters did not get at least one hit on the afternoon. Leading the way offensively for the Setters was a pair of reliable bats. Drury recorded three hits and Avalime also had three base hits on the day.
The Setters pitching torched the Trojan offense throughout the game. Sophomore communications major Caitlin McCann tossed a three hitter and relinquished just one run in seven innings of work. McCann struck out five Trojans on the afternoon to bring her season total up to six in 2013. With the win, the Setters are now 5-1 overall and have yet to play a game against a confer-
ence opponent. Pace will have a little break in the season due to the cancellation of the Virginia Union University softball tournament. The Setters will put their four game road-winning streak on the line when they take on the Panthers of Adelphi University on March 19.
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Page 12
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Sports
Setters Charge Past Dominican CJ Dudek
Sports Editor CDudek@PaceChronicle.com
While Dominican College may be named the Chargers, it was Pace’s lacrosse team that raced out to a win. The Setters defeated the Chargers by a final score of 15-7 earlier in the week. Pace remains undefeated in lacrosse to date and has now won three games in a row. The first quarter belonged exclusively to the Setters as they notched five goals while simultaneously shutting out the Chargers. The first goal came from freshman media and communications major Frank Buffalino with 10:42 to go in the first frame. Pace continued their offensive roll in the first quarter with a fourgoal barrage from upperclassmen. These four goals came from senior business management major Matt Mirabito, senior accounting major Thomas Earl, and junior business major Matt Gebhardt. It was Gebhardt who scored twice in the first. Although Pace’s shutout was
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The Setters improve to 3-0. gone by the time the second quarter was over, Pace notched eight more goals to grab hold of a 13-1 lead. While Gebhardt, Mirabito, and Earl all found the net again in the second quarter there were five other Setters who scored for the first time in Pace’s biggest offensive quarter. Senior marketing major Vin-
cent Rini, graduate education major Ryan Group, junior education major Andrew Fritsch, junior business management major Ryan Valdez, and junior criminal justice major William Scioscia all found the back of the net in the second quarter. Pace also was able to secure the win thanks, in part, to unselfish play as a team. The Setters
tallied nine assists on the game compared to just four from the Chargers. Gebhardt lead the way for the Setters with four dimes on the day. While the Setters only found the goal twice more throughout the game, the offensive onslaught that occurred in the first two quarters was more than enough to secure the win.
Statistically speaking, Pace dominated in virtually every aspect of the game. The Setters outshot Dominican 42-23. Pace also won 15 face-offs compared to just ten face-off wins for the Chargers. Even though the Chargers saved 14 shots compared to just two from the Setters, that number stems from Pace’s dominance defensively. Junior finance major Marty Schnellenbach fielded nine ground balls by himself on the day. The Setters also fielded 46 grounders as a team compared to just 33 from the Chargers. Pace also had a strong game in net from three different goalies. Freshman business major Connor Brophy spent the most time for Pace between the crease and picked up one save on three shot attempts. The Setters also got a save from senior goalie Zak Pirro. With the win, the Setters now have a record of 3-0 and have yet to play a conference opponent. Pace will try to extend their winning streak on the road against Southern New Hampshire University on March 23.
Sports on the Side: Out of Bounds CJ Dudek
Sports Columnist CDudek@PaceChronicle.com
Dennis Rodman has more or less the same credibility when it comes to foreign diplomacy as an inmate in Sing Sing. This is a man that put on a wedding dress just to promote his book back in 1996. Rodman had an MTV show in which he interviewed guests from the comfort of his bed. Rodman has been to rehab, been caught driving whilst intoxicated, and been involved in multiple domestic violence incidents. Yet all of that outward lunacy pales in comparison to Rodman’s recent visit to North Korea for the purposes of ‘basketball diplomacy.’ Over the weekend, the madman of the midway met with the madman of east Asia, Kim Jong Un, and said “As a person to person, he (Un) is my friend.” To be fair, one has to put Rodman’s words in proper context. Many will misinterpret Rodman’s one-on-one meeting with Un as Rodman accepting Un’s rule of his people. In reality, Rodman’s inter-
Photo from cdn.straightfromthea.com This is the guy we want as a diplomat? action was just a fan admiring a great basketball player. Even though that fan is a ruler of a country and Un treated the hall of famer better than any of the citizens he is in charge of. It does not take John Kerry to tell you that, as a ruler of a country, Un has been far from exemplary. An article by BBCnews.com said that 3.5 million
people have starved to death in North Korea since 1995. And the U.S. is still technically fighting the Korean War because a peace treaty was never signed after the 1953 truce ‘ended’ the war. It is hard to figure out which is scarier, the fact that Rodman wants Obama and Un to talk about basketball, or that Rodman probably got closer to Un
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than anyone in U.S. intelligence in the last half century or so. Seriously, in a CNN.com article, former Assistant Secretary of State, Stephen Ganyard, told ABC News, “There is nobody at the CIA who could tell you more personally about Kim Jong Un than Dennis Rodman, and that in itself is scary.” It’s terrifying, actually. Nobody can take this meeting seriously because of the man who supposedly bonded with Un. Rodman gets his sanity questioned on a daily basis, and he is supposed to be the man who leads the U.S. to peace negotiations with an enemy government? That is simply not going to happen. Not every international sports story will be Invictus. If Un wanted to bring the citizens of North Korea together and better his nation through some form of basketball diplomacy, he’d have to actually feed his people first. While the principal of being the bigger nation and talking to your enemy may be noble, there are people in this world in which reason fails to reach them; and Un is one of those people incapable of reasoning. And Rodman very well may
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be a person incapable of fully grasping reason, himself. Although sports reporters from Chicago to San Antonio swear that Rodman has a good heart, most of them will not refute Rodman’s questionable sanity. If there is an athlete in the world who is to unify people for a cause, it is most certainly not a man who is regarded as one of the dirtiest players in NBA history. Though Rodman has been making a fool out of himself for his entire professional life, it was inconceivable to think belittling diplomacy was in his arsenal. Dennis Rodman having an affair with Madonna, sure that’s possible. Professional athletes making an ahole out of themselves happens every day. But to pretend that there was any kind of good that came out of two insane man vying for the President of the United States to talk with them about basketball is just plain dangerous. Now that Rodman has had his moment back in the spotlight, the men in the white coats can put him back in his straight jacket.