DAILY KENT STATER Thursday, January 27, 2011 • The independent student newspaper of Kent State University • Weather: Snow, HI 26, LO 24 LATEST UPDATES AT KENTWIRED.COM Sign up to receive breaking news updates from Kent State student media at KENTWIRED.COM Students, faculty and staff will soon be required to change their Flashline pass- word this spring, according to a Kent State press release. Improvements are being made to the system that man- ages the university’s pass- words. The improvements will strengthen security and make it easier for users to request password resets. “We’ve been working with many departments across campus as well as students, faculty and staff to ensure the upgrade goes as smoothly as possible this spring,” said Brendan Walsh, manager of security and access management, in the press release. When the new system launches, users will be asked to reset their pass- word and answer secu- rity questions. Once these steps have been completed, users can maintain their own account and password instead of calling the Kent State Helpdesk for support. The system will require an alternate e-mail address in case something goes wrong during initial set up. If users forget their password, this e-mail address will be used to help recover it. — Sidney Keith, technology reporter Flashline passwords will change WHO ARE THEY ? 0 20 40 60 80 100 DO YOU THINK USG IS A GOOD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STUDENT POPULATION AT KENT STATE? YES NO I HAVE NO IDEA WHO? A news correspondent conducted an unscientific survey of 180 Kent State students to answer that 14% 18% 50% 18% KSU named Tree Campus USA for third year PHILIP BOTTA | DAILY KENT STATER Omar Nemer, senior Honors College senator, works on his iPad during Wednesday’s USG meeting. The senators and directors talked about lobbying at The Ohio Statehouse March 16th for issues pertaining to Kent State. Student body unaware of USG existence, duties Caitlin Restelli [email protected]Daily Kent Stater The Undergraduate Student Government is a committee that stands before Kent State with the goal of representing the under- graduate student body as a whole. Every spring, students can vote in USG elections to decide which individual senator will represent their respective college and which nine directors will represent the entire student body. “The candidates in the elec- tions are elected by their peers,” said Justin Pierce, USG executive director and senior finance major. “They campaign with the intent that they’re going to represent their contingencies.” USG acts as a liaison between the undergraduate students and the administration. With this in mind, USG tries to incorporate stu- dent opinions and the students’ best interests when making decisions. However, some students know little about USG and what the organization is used for. Bran- don Verhovec, sophomore pre- accounting major and Amber Grieneisen, sophomore art educa- tion major, both said they knew of events, such as concerts, that had taken place at the university, but did not know USG was respon- sible for making them happen. Katie Johnson, junior pre-nurs- ing major, said she knew about the Flashfleet bike rental program last fall from working at The Quad desk area in the Honors College. “I would tell people about it, but I had no idea that it was USG who did it,” Johnson said. When USG takes on new tasks, it sends out sur- veys asking for student opin- ions on what it is doing. The most recent university-wide survey, which included under- graduate and graduate stu- dents, received a 5.71 per- cent response, “which I heard I really don’t know too much about the student government, so I don’t know if they represent me very well. BREANNA MASSI SENIOR NURSING MAJOR is pretty good,” Pierce said. Kim Reardon, junior pre-nurs- ing major, said she didn’t know what USG stood for or represent- ed. If she knew more about it, she said she would vote in the upcom- ing election to put her opinion in. Pierce said he frequently asks the college senators to be avail- able to their colleges by interact- ing with as many students as pos- sible, as well as obtaining student opinions. They talk about current issues happening within the col- leges, and they consult with stu- dents about events taking place. TURN TO PAGE 2 FOR MORE REACTIONS Students in Wright Hall reported two burglaries Tuesday between 9 p.m. and midnight. Two female students on the second and eighth floors left their dorm room doors propped open during the time of the burglaries. The students were using the dead bolt as a doorstop, and elec- tronics were taken from the room, according to a Flashline message sent to students Wednesday. Emily Vincent, director of media relations at Kent State, said students should always lock their doors. Michquel Penn, community resource officer at the Kent State University Police Department, said to also be alert at all times. “It only takes a second for some- one to snatch something,” Penn said. “Report unescorted guests. You know your neighbors. If you don’t recognize a person and they’re not with someone, that’s a sign you should report it. Make sure you remember all the details about that person. We are here to protect and serve you 24 hours a day.” The incidents are still under investigation. Police didn’t confirm whether they have any suspects. — Maura Zurick, safety reporter KSU Police warn not to use dead bolt as doorstop WRIGHT HALL BURGLARIES County plans for courthouse FILE PHOTO BY SAM VERBULECZ | DAILY KENT STATER The Arbor Day Foundation has named Kent State a Tree Campus USA uni- versity for the third year in a row. In order to receive this award, a university must not only express dedication to planting trees, but have committees and plans in place to care for campus trees. See USG, Page 2 See TREE, Page 2 See COURTHOUSE, Page 2 Max Hayden [email protected]Daily Kent Stater Plans are underway for the con- struction of a new Portage County Municipal Courthouse in Kent. Currently located at the corner of Water and Erie streets, the county has used the old railroad station as its courthouse for decades, Judge Kevin Poland said. But the limited space and old architectural founda- tion have left many employees in the building looking for improvements. Trees offer scenery and savings for students Julie Sickel [email protected]Daily Kent Stater Kent State’s trees provide many things for students. They offer shade on a sunny day, give homes to many native bird spe- cies and create attractive scenery across campus. Now they are also serving as a continued source of honor for the university. For the third straight year, The Arbor Day Foundation named Kent State a Tree Campus USA university. Tree Campus USA is a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Founda- tion. It honors colleges and uni- versities who promote urban forestry and environmental stewardship. Kent State was among 29 schools that received the award in 2008, and the first ever Ohio school to be named a Tree Campus USA university. “I think it’s great that we’ve won again,” said Heather White, manager of Campus Environment and Operations. “I have every intention of keeping (the project) going.” Other universities to win the award since Kent State include Youngstown State, Ohio Northern University and Kent State Stark. STEFANIE ROMBA | DAILY KENT STATER
Transcript
11
DAILY KENT STATERThursday, January 27, 2011 • The independent student newspaper of Kent State University • Weather: Snow, HI 26, LO 24
LATEST UPDATES AT KENTWIRED.COM Sign up to receive breaking news updates from Kent State student media at KENTWIRED.COM
Students, faculty and staff will soon be required to change their Flashline pass-word this spring, according to a Kent State press release.
Improvements are being made to the system that man-ages the university’s pass-words. The improvements will strengthen security and make it easier for users to request password resets.
“We’ve been working with many departments across campus as well as students, faculty and staff to ensure the upgrade goes as smoothly as possible this spring,” said Brendan Walsh, manager of security and access management, in the press release.
When the new system launches, users will be asked to reset their pass-word and answer secu-rity questions. Once these steps have been completed, users can maintain their own account and password instead of calling the Kent State Helpdesk for support.
The system will require an alternate e-mail address in case something goes wrong during initial set up. If users forget their password, this e-mail address will be used to help recover it.
— Sidney Keith, technology reporter
Flashline passwords will change
WHO ARE THEY?
0 20 40 60 80 100
DO YOU THINK USG IS A GOOD REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STUDENT POPULATION AT KENT STATE?
YES
NO
I HAVE NO IDEA
WHO?
A news correspondent conducted an
unscientific survey of 180 Kent State
students to answer that
14%
18%
50%
18%
KSU named Tree Campus USA for third year
PHILIP BOTTA | DAILY KENT STATEROmar Nemer, senior Honors College senator, works on his iPad during Wednesday’s USG meeting. The senators and directors talked about lobbying at The Ohio Statehouse March 16th for issues pertaining to Kent State.
Student body unaware of USGexistence, duties Caitlin [email protected]
Daily Kent Stater
The Undergraduate Student Government is a committee that stands before Kent State with the goal of representing the under-graduate student body as a whole.
Every spring, students can vote in USG elections to decide which individual senator will represent their respective college and which nine directors will represent the entire student body.
“The candidates in the elec-tions are elected by their peers,” said Justin Pierce, USG executive director and senior finance major. “They campaign with the intent that they’re going to represent their contingencies.”
USG acts as a liaison between the undergraduate students and the administration. With this in mind, USG tries to incorporate stu-dent opinions and the students’ best interests when making decisions.
However, some students know little about USG and what the organization is used for. Bran-don Verhovec, sophomore pre-accounting major and Amber Grieneisen, sophomore art educa-tion major, both said they knew of events, such as concerts, that had taken place at the university, but did not know USG was respon-sible for making them happen.
Katie Johnson, junior pre-nurs-ing major, said she knew about the Flashfleet bike rental program last fall from working at The Quad desk area in the Honors College. “I would tell people about it, but I
had no idea that it was USG who did it,” Johnson said.
When USG takes on new tasks, it sends out sur-veys asking for student opin-ions on what it is doing. The m o s t r e c e n t university-wide survey, which included under-graduate and graduate stu-dents, received a 5 . 7 1 p e r -cent response, “which I heard
I really don’t know too much about the
student government, so I don’t know if they represent me very well.
BREANNA MASSI SENIOR NURSING MAJOR
is pretty good,” Pierce said. Kim Reardon, junior pre-nurs-
ing major, said she didn’t know what USG stood for or represent-ed. If she knew more about it, she said she would vote in the upcom-ing election to put her opinion in.
Pierce said he frequently asks the college senators to be avail-able to their colleges by interact-ing with as many students as pos-sible, as well as obtaining student opinions. They talk about current issues happening within the col-leges, and they consult with stu-dents about events taking place.
TURN TO PAGE 2 FOR MORE REACTIONS
Students in Wright Hall reported two burglaries Tuesday between 9 p.m. and midnight.
Two female students on the second and eighth floors left their dorm room doors propped open during the time of the burglaries.
The students were using the dead bolt as a doorstop, and elec-tronics were taken from the room, according to a Flashline message sent to students Wednesday.
Emily Vincent, director of media relations at Kent State, said students should always lock their doors.
Michquel Penn, community resource officer at the Kent State University Police Department, said to also be alert at all times.
“It only takes a second for some-one to snatch something,” Penn said. “Report unescorted guests. You know your neighbors. If you don’t recognize a person and they’re not with someone, that’s a sign you should report it. Make sure you remember all the details about that person. We are here to protect and serve you 24 hours a day.”
The incidents are still under investigation. Police didn’t confirm whether they have any suspects.
— Maura Zurick, safety reporter
KSU Police warn not to use dead bolt as doorstop
WRIGHT HALL BURGLARIES
County plans for courthouse
FILE PHOTO BY SAM VERBULECZ | DAILY KENT STATERThe Arbor Day Foundation has named Kent State a Tree Campus USA uni-versity for the third year in a row. In order to receive this award, a university must not only express dedication to planting trees, but have committees and plans in place to care for campus trees.
struction of a new Portage County Municipal Courthouse in Kent.
Currently located at the corner of Water and Erie streets, the county has used the old railroad station as its courthouse for decades, Judge Kevin Poland said. But the limited space and old architectural founda-tion have left many employees in the building looking for improvements.
Kent State’s trees provide many things for students. They offer shade on a sunny day, give homes to many native bird spe-cies and create attractive scenery across campus. Now they are also serving as a continued source of honor for the university.
For the third straight year, The Arbor Day Foundation named Kent State a Tree Campus USA university.
Tree Campus USA is a
national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Founda-tion. It honors colleges and uni-versities who promote urban forestry and environmental stewardship. Kent State was among 29 schools that received the award in 2008, and the first ever Ohio school to be named a Tree Campus USA university.
“I think it’s great that we’ve won again,” said Heather White, manager of Campus Environment and Operations. “I have every intention of keeping (the project) going.”
Other universities to win the award since Kent State include Youngstown State, Ohio Northern University and Kent State Stark.
STEFAN
IE ROM
BA | D
AILY KEN
T STATER
Torrie Emanuel, freshman pho-tojournalism major, said she heard about USG during welcome week-end but hadn’t heard about it since. She said she thinks there should be more than one senator per college.
“It would be better to have more representation because it would lead to more student opinion,” Emanuel said.
When Pierce attends administra-tion meetings, he said he only gives his stance on current topics for the student body when he is confident enough that what he is passing on is what the student body wants. If he is a little unsure, he will withhold his opinion.
“It’s pretty daunting to give an opinion that’s representative of the whole student body,” Pierce said. “So I think myself; I’m fairly respon-sible with that.”
Andrew Albaugh, sophomore electronic media major, said he wished he knew more about what USG was doing.
“I would like the minutes avail-able to be more known, so I know where my money is going to,” Albaugh said.
As a whole, USG gathers biweek-ly at meetings open to the public Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in the Gov-ernance Chambers. Directors meet
every week. The minutes and a video of the meeting are posted on its website.
About four years ago, USG went through a review. Today, there are 25 sen-ators and directors, whereas there were previously nine directors and no senators.
By adding more representation in the student government, “I believe we’ve taken it to a different level,” said Donna Carlton, USG faculty advisor and assistant director of Cen-ter for Student Involvement. “Any time you have more representatives in such a large university, it brings in other student opinions.”
Carlton said that ever since these changes occurred, there seems to be more interaction between USG and the deans of the different colleges.
“It’s become a win-win,” she said. “Information sharing is so important at such a large place like this.”
Both Verhovec and Grieneisen said they did not know that one student represented their individ-ual colleges. After learning about USG, Verhovec said he thinks it’s a good idea to have representation.
Between balancing schoolwork, e-mails, extracurricular activities and USG work, “you just have to trust yourself and the fact you were elect-ed to represent,” Pierce said. “There’s always room for improvement. Everyone has a long way to go. The U.S. economy, the U.S. government, USG here at Kent State — everyone.”
Caitlin Restelli is the student politics reporter.
Page A2 | Thursday, January 27, 2011 Daily Kent Stater
Account executiveNicole Lade330-672-2585Broadcast and magazine representative Paul Gimmel330-672-2585Online representative Kevin Collins330-672-3251
The Daily Kent Stater recognizes the responsibility to correct errors that occur in the newspaper. When errors occur in the newspaper, corrections will appear in this space as promptly as possible.
tODaY’s eVeNts
Have an event you want to see here? Send it to [email protected] by Thursday the week before.
Go to KentWired.com to see the interactive entertainment calendar. the calendar covers entertainment events on campus and in the city of Kent.KeNt wireD.COm
n cooking demosWhen: 5 p.m. Where: Eastway Private Dining Room
n mlK Keynote speaker When: 2:15 p.m.Where: Student Center Ballroom
n phi sigma pi rush event When: 6:30 p.m.Where: Damon’s Grill
n usG comedy nightWhen: 7 p.m.Where: Rathskellar
n campus crusade for christ meeting When: 9 p.m.Where: Bowman Hall Room 137
n pride! Kent meetingWhen: 9 p.m. Where: Governance Chambers
n KaraokeWhen: 9 p.m. Where: Eastway Lower Lounge
mANONtheStreetAs a student, do you feel that the Undergraduate
Student Government represents your opinion?
“I feel that the stu-dent government represents us pretty good. I am busy as it is, and I feel like
lou Greco sophomore marketing major
Justin shreve sophomore computer science major
taylor Boylesophomore architecture major
“I really don’t pay attention to it that much. I’m too busy with homework and working to keep up with the student government.”
“I think they represent my opinion pretty well. If you know someone personally
Matt McGahagan sophomore business management major
“I think they do because we don’t have the time to tell them what we want, and I
they take the time to represent us, and I give them props for that.”
who’s on student government, you can easily approach them with comments or questions.”
From Page 1
USGWho are they?
Lefton seeks to renovate M.A.C. Center, Bowman and Satterfield halls Anna [email protected]
Daily Kent Stater
Kent State is moving ahead with improvement projects, despite failure to secure state funds for a campus-wide renovation.
Right now, the plans are to add more furniture to the entrance of the library, more tables with umbrellas in Risman Plaza, replace the leaking roof on the M.A.C. Center and make small-scale
improvements to Bowman and Satter-field Halls.
President Lester Lefton said the mon-ey for these projects comes from cam-pus enhancement resources that he has access to on an annual basis for repairs and improvements. People in the campus facilities and Kent State’s architects regu-larly meet with him to discuss what proj-ects “have to be done, need to be done and should be done,” Lefton said.
“It was really about getting the big-gest impact for any dollar expenditure,” Lefton said.
Tim Moerland, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, said he hopes to see more structural renovations to Bowman and Sat-terfield Halls soon. He said the buildings are used by thousands of students each day, and they need new windows and new heat-ing and cooling systems.
“It’s very rare that a student will spend their undergraduate career at Kent State and not have several classes in one or both of those buildings,” Moerland said. “They are high traffic areas, and both buildings are at, or past, the end of their service life, and they need help.”
But Lefton said those larger renova-tions will have to wait until the bond is approved by the Board of Trustees. The bond (i.e. loan) for campus renovations was not successful in getting through the state approval process last semester, and Gregg Floyd, vice president of Finance and Administration, said it will probably be tabled until after Gov. Kasich unveils his budget March 15.
“Given the change in leadership, it would be smart to coordinate that with the current leadership,” Floyd said.
The upcoming changes to Bowman
and Satterfield Halls will be smaller, including new chairs, tables and couches for the common areas in the buildings, Lefton said. He’d also like to see some computer kiosks and power strips added to help students study.
Lefton agrees the area has high traffic and hopes the projects will be completed before the end of the semester. He said he should have a final proposal for the proj-ects approved within the next few weeks.
“This is a highly used area where thousands of students go through there everyday and use that space. So it’s a good expenditure of funds,” Lefton said. “Quite honestly, as the semester rolls on, more and more students use it because more and more students study.”
Anna Staver is the administration reporter.
Renovations planned for academic buildings
Political prisoner demonstrations catch attention of many Caitlin [email protected]
Daily Kent Stater
The Kent Student Liberty Alliance is a finalist for an award from Students For Liberty for hosting the event of the year.
Last October, Kent Student Liberty Alliance constructed a political prisoner demonstration outside of the Student Center. The group received its nomina-tion for the SFL award in early January. SFL is a nonprofit organization that sup-ports student groups “dedicated to lib-erty,” according to its website.
“It was our first big event that we’ve ever done, so to be considered a finalist among all these other great universities and all of these great organizations was definitely a very good thing,” said Corey Moore, vice president of Kent Student Liberty Alliance. “It was an honor.”
The group will attend the Interna-tional Students for Liberty Conference Feb. 18 through 20 in Washington D.C. There they will learn how to become more effective activists. During the con-ference, an annual awards ceremony will
take place, where the group will find out if they won.
The winner will be determined by online voting, which is taking place until mid-February at http://www.sur-veymonkey.com/2011sflawards. Anyone can vote once a day.
Maggie Dickerson, president of Kent Student Liberty Alliance, came up with the idea to use political prisoners as the topic for the demonstration.
In late 2009, Dickerson saw Young American for Liberty groups building walls as demonstrations for the 20th anni-versary of the Berlin Wall demolition.
Dickerson said she thought to herself, “Oh, that would be sweet if we could do that with political prisoners.”
Moore, a freshman electronic media major, supported Dickerson’s idea because he had a personal connection with it. Moore said he continues to write regularly to Edward and Elaine Brown, two of the five political prisoners they referenced in the demonstration. He followed their story during imprison-ment and discussed it on the radio show, “News in a Nutshell.”
Everyone involved in the group helped decide which prisoners to use in the dem-onstration. Prior to this school year, the group lacked student participation.
“There’s increase in people who legiti-mately want to do stuff for our organiza-tion,” Dickerson said.
Moore said he credits Stacy Litz, a
Kent Student Liberty Alliance receives nomination to be finalists
Drexel University student, for helping them learn how to get more student involvement.
Moore said he thinks the demonstra-tion received a lot of positive reactions from students, but not a lot came from it. He has talked with the Browns, and they said there has been no increase in mail since the demonstration.
“At least I think the students were able to learn from what it was,” Moore said. “Learn that, hey, we have a real-ly high incarceration rate in the U.S., and a lot of these people haven’t done
anything wrong and haven’t done any violent crimes toward anyone and are being held for political reasons.”
Moore has been active with the orga-nization for about three years.
“I love liberty, and I love activism, and I just love being able to just get out there and make my voice heard and educate people,” Moore said. “That’s my biggest motivation.”
Caitlin Restelli is the student politics reporter.
“The current building is completely inadequate, and the physical facilities are lacking,” Poland said. “It’s too small, the basement floods, the roof leaks and all the employees seem to work on top of each other.”
But while employees like Poland have their minds on a bigger building, others hope a new courthouse will bring updat-ed work conditions.
“We only have around 200 people in here a day, so we may not need to go that much bigger,” said Jake Roman, a police officer who stands guard at the entrance of the courthouse. “Our equipment needs to be updated. We need new scanners.”
Although Roman favors new equipment, he is not opposed to a larger courthouse.
“We do need more room for holding cells,” Roman said. “The ones we have aren’t nearly enough.”
A large amount of money has already been accumulated for the new courthouse. Poland said around four years ago, several county judges created a fund to gain fees for the construction of a new courthouse in the future. A portion of all court fees, which are around $20 a case, have gone into the fund over the last four years, which has accumulated to nearly $2 million.
“The main thing I want people to know is the money is not coming from the county and residents,” Poland said.
Once a new location is picked, the city will issue additional construction bonds and the building will commence. There are two locations under consideration.
Poland said a spot located on East Main Street behind and including the Jimmy John’s building has already been appraised.
If that location is chosen, the current
Jimmy John’s sandwich shop will be demolished to make way for the new courthouse.
Poland said the second location being considered is an area located on state Route 43 where an abandoned shopping center now stands. The site has not yet been appraised.
Other issues facing the decision are whether or not they can be reached easily via public transportation and if a parking lot can be handicapped accessible.
Poland and other city officials have said they would like to keep a presence in downtown, but a location near or in the downtown area has yet to be found.
“We’ve encouraged the county to look for an opportunity to be a part of the down-town revitalization that is underway,” said David Ruller, Kent City Manager.
“I know that their architectural firm has shortlisted a couple of sites in the central business district,” Ruller said. “I’m optimistic that they’ll find something that will fit their current and future needs in downtown Kent.”
Poland said the county still has a while before a site is officially picked. Cost projections are still being discussed, and designs for the buildings are also still being drawn up.
“The city’s public safety director and I have offered whatever assistance we can to help the county evaluate their options and make a decision that is mutually ben-eficial,” Ruller said.
Poland hopes they will have a site cho-sen with construction starting within the next couple of months.
“The biggest decision when choosing a new location will be the cost,” Poland said. “It needs to be cost functional and cost effective. Only after we sort that out will we begin work on making a new courthouse a reality.”
Max Hayden is a public affairs reporter.
From Page 1
COUrthOUSeCounty plans for courthouse
In order to receive the award, a univer-sity must have five things: a campus tree advisory committee, a campus tree care plan, a campus tree program with dedi-cated annual expenditures, an Arbor Day observance and a service-learning project that engages the students, White said.
“Our goal is to promote and enhance trees on campus and their benefits,” said Jason Knowles, a certified arbor-ist and chairman of the Campus Tree Advisory Committee. “We’ve been pretty happy with the award and what we’ve done so far.”
The committee has attracted faculty members and students dedicated to envi-ronmental stewardship.
Brian Vick, the recycling coordinator on campus and a graduate student in business administration, is a member of the commit-tee. Vick has worked to spread awareness about the benefits of trees on campus.
“With proper tree care on campus, with the oxygen they give off and the shade they provide, if trees are aligned in the right positions they can actually give cost savings to the buildings on campus,” Vick said.
Last year for Arbor Day, the commit-tee monitored 10 trees around the Sto-pher-Johnson area to see the savings that would be amassed over extended periods of time through the life span of the trees. “As time went on, there was an exponen-tial increase, and savings-wise, we’re talk-ing thousands and thousands of dollars,” Vick said
In addition to the special projects Vick mentioned, the committee observes Arbor Day by supporting spring’s Recyclemania — a competition between residence halls on campus to see who can recycle the most within a 10-week period. The win-ning residence hall receives a tree to plant from the campus tree advisory committee. Last year Stopher-Johnson won the Arbor Day tree for the recycling competition, White said.
In the past, the committee completed its service-learning requirement for the Tree Campus USA award by giving trees and shrubs to volunteers from the Depart-ment of Biological Sciences to improve the health of the stream near the Student Rec-reation and Wellness Center.
The current service-learning project the committee has undertaken is work-ing with Oscar Valverde-Barrantes, a graduate ecology student, to establish an interactive tree walk across campus. The tree walk will provide an explanation of a tree’s species and cultural significance, if any, to campus, White said.
“I think we all take a sense of pride (in winning the award again),” Knowles said. “This is just another step of promot-ing trees and their overall value.”
Julie Sickel is a news correspondent.
From Page 1
treeSKSU named Tree Campus USA for third year
feel like we get well-taken care of.”
The main argument of the Tea Party is that America has fallen off the course our found-ers intended. They use the Constitution as the guiding light of their movement. The Tea Party’s relationship with the Constitution will be highlighted when Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia gives a speech regarding the Constitution to Tea Party leaders.
I am glad to see a renewed interest in our governing document. Every citizen should strive to understand the intricacies of the Con-stitution. In my opinion, it is one of the great-est things ever written. However, there are some things those on the right seem to forget.
The Tea Party has advocated on behalf of states’ rights, which is fine. The Constitution does protect the states; however, it also places the final word with the federal government. It states that “the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every state shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.”
This is the Supremacy Clause. The right sel-dom remembers that the Constitution was not America’s first founding document. Rather, it was the Articles of Confederation. The articles
DKS EDITORIAL BOARD
ABOUT THE OPINION PAGEThe Stater hopes to encourage lively debate about the issues of the day on the Opinion Page. Opinions on this page are the authors’ and not necessarily en dorsed by the Stater or its editors. Readers are encouraged to participate through letters to the editor and guest columns. Submis-sions become pro perty of the Stater and may be edited for mechanics, Associated Press style and length without notice. Letters should not exceed 350 words, and guest columns should not exceed 550 words.
Laura LofgrenFeatures team leader/A.L.L. editorLydia CoutréAssigning editorHannah PotesAssistant photo editor
VIEWour
DID YOU KNOW?
SUMMARY: Undergraduate Student Government does too little to market itself, and the student body doesn’t care enough to notice. Students need more
deliberate representation and a better knowledge of how USG works.
Our tuition money funds the Under-graduate Student Government. We vote its members into office. We need to hold
them accountable for fulfilling the responsibil-ity we have given them. Both the students and USG need to make sure the undergraduate body is being represented as it should be.
Right now, communication between the two happens rarely, if ever.
The blame lies with both parties.The biggest problem is that so many stu-
dents don’t even know what USG is.USG should do a better job of making its
name known to students. If its members want to truly represent us, being sure we know who they are should fall high on their priority list. While students know of its events, many don’t
NATE BEELER’S VIEW
know that USG is responsible for them. At the same time, students need to stop being so apa-thetic. This is our school and our money. Start caring about what is happening with both.
USG recently sent out a survey that received feedback from 5.71 percent of the student body. Justin Pierce, USG executive director, said he was happy with this number, as it is one of the bigger responses USG has received.
This is pathetic on two levels. One, more students should care enough to take a few minutes out of their day to respond to a simple survey. After all, USG is our link to the admin-istration. Two, USG should aim higher than that; they shouldn’t be content with such a tiny fraction of students sharing their opinions.
Because they spend so much energy and
time meeting with the administration, they risk losing touch with the student body. However, in USG’s defense, the student body is not that easy to stay linked to. Regardless, USG should pull back on meetings with faculty and start sitting down with students.
USG needs to do a better job marketing itself, and the student body needs to start caring more.
If you are interested in representing our student body, elected candidate applications are due to the Center for Student Involvement office by Feb. 9 at 5 p.m.
The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board whose
members are listed to the left.
Does USG really represent the student body?
What the Tea Party forgets about the Constitution
Kyle McDonald
Bryan Staul
“A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason.”
— J. P. Morgan
On January 27, 1888, the National Geo-graphic Society is founded in Washington, D.C., for “the increase and diffusion of geo-graphical knowledge.”
— history.com
created a weak central government and vest-ed power in the states — the result was chaos.
America was consumed by rebellion after rebellion. Since the federal government lacked the authority to tax, it left the country in finan-cial ruin, and the government was unable to fund a proper military, leaving America vul-nerable during a time of uncertainty.
The founders realized the need for a central authority and ultimately created the Constitution so that America could properly function. Another argument of the right is that President Obama’s policies, particularly the healthcare bill, violate the constitution. The right ignores the fact that there is indeed a constitutional basis for the healthcare bill.
This is the Commerce Clause, and it
gives Congress the authority “to regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States.” The healthcare system undoubtedly falls into this. The Commerce Clause and Supremacy Clause also have had a long history of rulings in the courts.
The issue of the states’ ability to push the federal government around was essentially settled during the Civil War, and we all know how that ended. The right needs to remem-ber the constitution is a complex and extraor-dinary document, and you cannot pick and choose which amendments support your political ideology.
The Constitution was written out of a fundamental need to create and perfect our great union and to provide proper balance. It was a realistic approach towards those who govern and the governed.
Our Constitution does not belong to a party; it belongs to every American.
Bryan Staul is a sophomore political science major and a columnist for the Daily
Where’s the beef, Taco Bell? What comes to mind when
you hear the words, “Taco Bell”? Right now many of you are
probably thinking something along the lines of cheap, yummy goodness or a late-night godsend for drunken munchies.
As of Tuesday, a class-action lawsuit against Taco Bell is claiming the company’s “ground beef” is a little lacking in the meat department. The Alabama law firm filing the suit claims that the fast food giant’s meat, classified as “taco meat filling,” actually contains less than 36 percent meat. Taco Bell is denying the accusation. For a product to even be classified by the U.S. Department of Agricul-ture as taco meat filling, it must contain at least 40 percent meat.
I’ll take one cheesy, double taco meat filling burrito to go, please.
I’m more amused than shocked by this news. I can recount hearing rumors as far back as grade school that Taco Bell uses meat one grade below dog food. While this rumor isn’t true, nobody in their right mind would claim Taco Bell’s food quality to be exceptional.
So then, what makes up that other 64 percent of Taco Bell’s meat?
According to the taco meat fill-er packaging, the meat contains the following: water, isolated oat product, salt, chili pepper, onion powder, tomato powder, oats (wheat), soy lecithin, sugar, spic-es, maltodextrin (a polysaccha-ride that is absorbed as glucose), soybean oil (anti-dusting agent), garlic powder, autolyzed yeast extract, citric acid, caramel color, cocoa powder, silicon dioxide (anti-caking agent), natural fla-vors, yeast, modified corn starch, natural smoke flavor, salt, sodium phosphate, less than 2 percent of beef broth, potassium phosphate and potassium lactate.
Now, I’m no nutritionist, but
it almost seems as though Taco Bell’s meat is healthier by decep-tion. Maybe Taco Bell is doing its customers a favor by substituting beef with oats. Most of the stuff on that ingredients list doesn’t sound too bad. There’s even soybean oil to keep that meat dust-free.
Remember though, I’m no nutritionist, and I’m probably wrong when speculating the healthier potential of Taco Bell.
Honestly though, do Taco Bell consumers really care what is in the stuff? I’ve always perceived eating fast food, especially Taco Bell, as an unspoken surrender of health concerns and dignity. It’s my guess the typical American fast food consumers really won’t care as long as the price of their burrito stays below a buck and tastes the same. Nobody goes on a Taco Bell diet to drop a size or two.
Personally, I gave up eating fast food garbage years ago, after numerous encounters of less-than-quality service. Don’t go assuming I’m a health nut, though. While I don’t eat fast food, I can’t say I make com-pletely healthy dietary choices. I’ll probably eat meat twice a day for the rest of my life and pizza every other day until I’m out of school. Instead of Taco Bell or McDonald’s, I’ve simply decided to sell my dignity to EuroGyro — at least they sell beer, too.
Kyle McDonald is a senior maga-zine journalism major and a colum-
“Justin Greene is the best play-er on that Kent State basketball team,” said Miami coach Charlie Coles Jan. 23.
And the defenders in the Mid-American Conference are taking notice.
Every game, the junior forward gets double-teamed under the net, making it harder for him to make the points he was scoring in the beginning of the season.
“[Greene is] capable of being a little more productive than he has been,” said Kent State coach Geno Ford. “Every time he gets it, it’s
like a convention in the lane.”
T o n i g h t ’ s g a m e a t B a l l State will be no different.
“When I got to college, my role expanded,” Greene said. “I’m probably the number one option for the double-team.”
While Greene said it is hum-bling to know he’s the other team’s biggest target, it does require patience and plenty of drills to handle it in every game situation.
Ford sets up one drill where the ball has to hit the post before any-one else can touch it, and Greene
must be double-teamed before he can shoot.
“The guys do a good job dou-ble-teaming me in practice and making it game-like,” Greene said.
Greene also has confidence in his teammates during actual game-time double-teams, knowing they will get his passes out and score.
Ford said Greene not only does well getting passes out when he cannot shoot, but he also learned to control his turnovers – something he struggled with in the beginning of the season.
With the ability to turn that negative statistic around, Ford said he is confident Greene can emerge from his current shooting slump.
Compared to other players,
Greene’s numbers aren’t bad, but Ford said someone with Greene’s reputation has a little bit more to live up to.
“If he misses a jump bucket, everybody can’t believe it ,” Ford said. “He sets expectations so high.”
Greene, who has just as high expectations for himself, has been putting in extra shooting time after practice to prevent a repeat at Buffalo.
“I haven’t been shooting a great percentage these past few games, so I’ve just been trying to work on my little hook shots and jump shots and finishes down low,” Greene said. “I want to make sure I still have the confidence to have those plays.”
Those plays will come in handy when the Flashes (12-7, 3-2 MAC) take on MAC West Division leader Ball State (13-5, 5-0 MAC), especially with Jarrod Jones leading the Cardinals with 15.7 points per game.
Greene said it’s always a good game when the two face each other.
While the Flashes sit in a three-way tie for first place in the MAC East, a victory tonight could solid-ify a solitary lead.
“The tough thing about our team is we’ve clawed our way back to being first in the division,” Ford said. “But we need some level of consistency. We have to be able to play with the same ball movement (from the Miami game).”
The Flashes hit the road with confidence after the 78-57 victory over Miami, but Greene said the team cannot get too cocky.
When the Flashes had a 2-0 streak going into the Buffalo game on Jan. 19, they fell 79-54.
Greene said as long as the play-ers aren’t too cocky before the Ball State game, Kent State should be able to hold its own and advance in the conference.
“This is a very huge game, and hopefully, the best team comes out a winner,” Greene said. “And hopefully that team’s us.”
Rachel Jones is a sports reporter for the Daily Kent State.
GREENE
MATT HAFLEY | DAILY KENT STATERSenior guard Jamilah Humes goes up for two against Northern Illinois University on Wednesday. The Flashes won in overtime 56-54.
Kent State’s Taisja Jones drops a career-high 36 points as the Flashes outlasted Northern Illinois in over-time 56-54 at the M.A.C. Center to improve to 15-4 on the year.
Coming off an overtime loss to Ball State Saturday, coach Bob Lindsay and the Flashes (6-1 MAC) found themselves in a very famil-iar situation Wednesday night.
“It feels good to have 36 points, but I wasn’t thinking about the points, I was just trying not to be 0-3 in overtime games,” Jones said. “So I just went out and played. I was dying, but I didn’t want to let my teammates down or anything because I knew they were looking for me to score.”
Of Jones’s 36, no two points were more important than her game-winning layup with 8 seconds of a tough steam by Jamilah Humes.
Her teammates were looking for
Jones all night, not just because she had the hot-hand, but because the team was ice cold all night long. Aside from Jones, the team shot a frightening 9-54 (17 percent) from the field and needed her effort in order to take this one.
As a whole with Jones, the team still shot an uncharacteristic 31.7 percent from the floor. On average, the Flashes usually shoot 44 per-cent per game, and the struggles of late can be blamed on the Flashes missing several open shots.
A frustrated Jones said she knows her team needs to do better if they want to compete at the level they know they are capable of.
“I feel like our offense isn’t doing too well right now,” Jones said. “Once again it’s me and Mimi (Humes), I don’t feel that anyone is stepping up to take the open shots or anything. They’re just passing it up and looking for us all the time, so I feel like our offense is dying.”
Even though the staple of this Flashes team is defense, the Hus-kies shot an impressive 52.2 per-
cent from the floor to keep them in the game. The Huskies’s biggest flaw was the 31 turnovers that they committed that lead to 23 points from the Flashes.
“This offensive performance is nowhere near what it needs to be,” Lindsay said. “We got wide open shots just about the whole game and just didn’t make them.”
Aside from Jones, Humes was the Flashes’s second lead-ing scorer with 12 points but was 5-19 from the field and looked frustrated all night. The Flashes’ bench only scored two points off the bench from Leslie Schaefer and only accumulated 20 points aside from Jones.
What the Flashes did right offensively is score in the zone they know best: the paint. Of the team’s 56 points, 30 were scored in the paint with some good passes. Senior guard Stephanie Gibson had five assists while Humes had six to help with the effort.
To tie the game into overtime, Jones was again the key factor by
hitting a pair of free throws to go up 49-48 with 1:10 left. The Hus-kies responded by going to the line themselves, but Kim Davis only sank one of two shots to tie the game with 58 seconds left.
After a pair of missed shots by both teams, Humes stole the ball before the Huskies could get a last second shot-off.
In the overtime period, the Flashes played their strongest defense of the game by only letting the Huskies take two shots during the 5-minute period.
“We didn’t play very smart today. We didn’t make many shots, and I’m very disappointed with the way we played offensively,” Lindsay said. “We gave them a reason to stay in the game, and you don’t do that in your own gym, but we’ll take the win.”
The Flashes will travel to Toledo Saturday to take on the Rockets (14-6, 6-1 MAC West) for a 12 p.m. tip that can be seen on Sports Time Ohio.
Matt Lofgren is the women’s basketball reporter.
Flashes go into overtime, come out on top
Men’s basketball to play Ball State; ‘best player’ prepares for challenge
Classified ads can be placed by FAX at (330) 672-4880, over the phone at (330) 672-2586 or by e-mail at [email protected]. If you fax or e-mail an ad, please be sure to include run dates, payment info and a way for us to contact you.
For information about placing a Display ad please call our offices at 330-672-2586 or visit us at 205 Franklin Hall, Kent State University. Our office hours are from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
By Nancy Black
Today’s Birthday (01/27/11) Give up the idea of “starving artist.” There are plenty of successful creatives in the world, and some of them make billions of dollars. Don’t measure your success by the balance of your checking account, but by the joy in your heart, your contribution to others and your peace of mind.
To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 7. Be confident in following your instincts. They’re pointing you in the right direction, and you know it. This supports a previous plan.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 6. You have big ideas and limited time. Don’t distract others with your enthusiasm. Share what’s so exciting over dinner, when they can listen.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) Today is a 7. You wish you could ease into changes, but they may be abrupt. At least check how deep the water is before diving in. Everything works out perfectly.
Cancer (June 22-July 22) Today is an 8. The changes you have in mind provide fortunate circumstances for family and social contacts. Do the ground-work yourself, and ask for assistance later.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is an 8. If you rush too fast to com-plete something, you may hurt yourself. Communicate the need for extra time. Take a deep breath, focus on the task at hand and take it slow.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 6. Reorganize your space to accommodate individual needs. Let each person choose decorating colors or new arrangements. A little paint goes a long way.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 6. You want to make significant changes, and a partner offers creative sug-gestions. The first step may seem painful, but stress relaxes as you move.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 6. Old habits die hard, but today’s a good day to change things up. You may feel some stress but see future opportunities everywhere. Dive in!
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is a 7. An emotional release leaves you feeling cleansed by the tide. Put a great new idea into practice as soon as you can. The results are virtually immediate.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 7. Team members need to draw creative threads together to finalize a project. If someone else takes charge, that works better for you. Relieve stress with treats.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is an 8. A personal habit could get in the way of creative communication. You don’t need to come up with all the ideas yourself. Group members contribute.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is a 7. Later in the day you feel fulfilled. Change was managed with little stress, and new opportunities open as a result. Stay in the flow.
horoscopeCOMEDY CLUB IN THE RATTCOME AND LAUGH...Thursdays 8pmFree to KSU studentsSponsored by USG Programming
Are you a Kent State student interested in entering a raffle for a chance to win a $200 book scholarship? Stop by the table in the Student Center Jan. 24-28 between 12-2 MWF or 5-7 TR to sign up!
THE PLACE IS RAY’S
RAY’S Tonight Drink Labatt’s $2.50 pints, 2.95 Talls, register to win a Labatt’s cooler and a Labatt’s chair — plus many other drink specials = RAY’S
RAY’S Tonight Drink Labatt’s $2.50 pints, 2.95 Talls, register to win a Labatt’s cooler and a Labatt’s chair — plus many other drink specials = RAY’S
CONNECT. ENGAGE. ACHIEVE.UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GOVERNMENT (USG)19 elected 6 appointed positionsAPPLICATIONS AVAILABLE - 226 KSCInfo: [email protected] or 330-672-3207
Franklin Square Deli Dispatch Just $8.00 Minimum—Evening Delivery 4:00-8:30 330-673-2942
WOW, IT’S THURSDAYLouisiana BBQ Pork at Franklin Square DeliUntil It is sold out...See Why!
Standing Rock Cultural Arts presents the
8th annual Standing Rock International Short Film Festival.
Saturday, January 29, 8pm at The Kent Stage: 175 E. Main St.
$10 general, $7 students/seniors, $2 off with this ad.
www.standingrock.net Tix available at
www.kentstage.org or at the door.
More info at 330-673-4970.
Spin Cycle LaundromatNow Open!Next to Evergreen Buffet
Spin Cycle LaundromatHome of the $1 Washers!
Spin Cycle LaundromatDrop Your Pants Here!
An awesome summer job in Maine! If you’re looking to spend this summer outdoors, have fun while you work, and make lifelong friends, then look no further. Camp Mataponi, a children’s summer camp, has positions available in Land Sports (lacrosse, soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball, field hockey), Waterfront (sailing, canoeing, waterskiing, life guarding, WSI, boat drivers), Ropes Course, Tennis, H.B. Riding, Arts & Crafts, Theater, Dance, Gymnastics, Video, Photography, Nurses, Maintenance, Cooking and more. Top salaries plus room/board & travel provided. Call us today, 561-748-3684 or apply online at www.campmataponi.com
PLAY SPORTS! HAVE FUN! SAVE MONEY!Maine camp needs fun-loving counselors to teach All land, adventure & water sports. Great Summer! Call 888-844-8080, apply: campcedar.com
$8-10/hour doing maintenance cleaning for office. As little as 6 hour/week. Must have reliable transportation. To apply call 330-338-3237 and schedule an interview.
House Cleaning Position, Days Only, Dependable, Honest. Start Immediately 330-389-1154
Club Energy dance music bar needs bartenders: 21 and over. Part-time. No experience. Apply 289 Darrow Rd. Route 91. Or call (330) 733-6863 after 3 PM. Or (330) 338-6934. Minutes from KSU.
Streetsboro Nanny Needed. In-home for two young girls. High
energy, flexible, well-educated. 30-40 hours per week. Call 330-618-7388
FOCUS ON SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMMING*A Student Organization Mini-Conference*Tuesday, February 16-10 p.m.All sessions in 313 Kent Student Center
Four hours. Four topics designed to help student organizations program more successfully.Topics:-Programming: Sweating the Small Stuff-Budgeting 101-Marketing: What You Need to Know-Understanding the Allocations Process
For questions or to sign up to attend, call the Center for Student
NO WATER BILL! NO GAS BILL!4&5 bedroom duplex available for Fall 2011Near campus and bus routeStarting at $350/month per bedroomCall Sweeney: 330-267-9336
Shrewsberry Rentals 4 and 6 bedrooms. 4 bedrooms $1475. 6 bedrooms $2,100. Trash, sewer, and recycling paid. 330-221-2881
Kent near downtown and campus 2 bedroom apartment, all utilities paid except electric, $350/bedroom + security deposit. (330) 676-9440
All real estate advertised herin is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” State and local laws forbid discrimination based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. If you feel you have been wrongfully denied housing or discriminated against, call the FHAA at 330-253-2450 for more information.
Efficiency and 1 bdrm apartments available now. Heat included! Call 330-678-0746
Hurry!!! Efficiency apartments still left. Call 330-678-0123
$100 OFF 1ST MONTH’S RENTKent: 2-3 bdrm spacious apt. move in nowCall 330-678-0823
NOW LEASING FOR FALL5,4,2,1 bedroom Houses.Efficiency. Good Location Near KSU.Call 330-734-8350
WHITEHALL EAST TOWNHOMES4/5 bedrooms, 3 bath CONDO. AFFORDABLE rent options with utilities included starting at $365/mo. Newly renovated, flooring, all appliances included, lighted parking and entrances, on the Campus bus line, near rec center. Get your group and call 330.689.8888. www.whitehalleast.com
For 2011-12: One Month Free Close to Campus 2 huge apartments, licensed, private parking, large yard, large front porch. 4 bedroom $1400/$350 each. 4/5 bedroom $1500, $300-$375 each. (330) 626-3957
KENT RENTALS 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses. Call Rich 330-730-4004.
University Townhomes and Whitehall East Townhomes
4/5 bedroom townhomes available for Fall 2011.
All utilities included, starting at $340. 440-336-6761
www.kenttownhomes.com.
Spacious 4&5 bedrooms houses with 2 full baths. Great condition, great location, A/C, W/D, dishwasher, deck, garage.
Several units available:-Deluxe 4/5 bedroom units. $360 per room. -All inclusive, $350 per room.
330-808-4045
Buckeye Parks Mgmt.Serving Kent for over 30 years2011-2012 Leases1,2,3,4 bdrm apts3&4 bdrm townhomes5,6 bdrm aptsSome include utilitiesPrices starting at $375 per room330-678-3047BuckeyeParksMgmt.com
Leasing for fall, newer 5 bedroom 2 bathroom house. Huge private yard, large deck, close to campus $1600/mo. Call Mike 330-554-3976
Leasing for Fall: South Lincoln St. Condo. 2 bedroom 1.5 bath. No pets, heat included. $725/mo. 216-524-0745
KENT/BRIMFIELD. Newer 3, 4, & 5 Bdrm duplexes. 1 car garage. $900-$1200 per month. 330-338-5841 or 330-329-1118 kentarearentals.com
Whitehall East Town HomesAKA “The New Town Homes”Whitehall Blvd. off SummitNow taking apps for Fall 2011*5b/3ba*All Appliances Included*Dishwasher, Washer, Dryer*Lighted Parking*Many units with all newer flooringRent plans starting at $290/person/monthAsk about the all-inclusive plansCall or text 330-990-4019www.whitehall-east.com
UNIVERSITY TOWN HOMES 4-5 bedrooms 2.5 baths W/D
Newly remodeled. ALL utilities included. $340/mo/bdrm.
www.university-townhomes.com 440-708-2372
HIDDEN PINES Town homes 4 bedrooms 2 bath. W/D.
ALL utilities included. $365/mo/bdrm
www.hidden-pines.com 440-708-2372
AVAILABLE FALL: UNIVERSITY TOWNHOUSE. 5 BDS, 2.5 BATHS, STOVE REFRIG, DISHWASHER, WASHER/DRYER, A/C. $250.00 PER PERSON ; WWW.JLCASTO.COM CALL 330-688-7040.
3 Bedroom, 2 bath condo for rent in Rootstown. Vaulted ceilings, 2 car garage. $1200/mo Call Kenny 330-608-6113
25 YEARS EXPERIENCE HOUSING KSU STUDENTS OFF CAMPUS
NOW LEASING FOR FALL ‘11-121, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments, duplexes, efficiency, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 bedroom houses. Located near and around campus on College, Columbus, Depeyster, Hall, Lake,
Lincoln, Linden, Lock, Mantua, Morris, School Summit,
University, Vine and Water streets. Check out our website
www.jkohlre.com for more information. You can also
stop by our office at 200 E. Summit, call us at 330-677-4722 or text us at 330-780-1274.
JACK KOHL REALTYProperty Management & Rental Office200 East Summit Street Kent, OH 44240Phone: 330-677-4722
Text: 330-780-1274
3 Bedroom house available for Fall. Great condition, full appliances, $375 bedroom 1, $350 per bedroom 2 and 3. Close to Campus 330-673-1225 www.kentstudentrentals.com 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 car garage, condo-styled duplex, on two acres, $1100/mo. 330-221-4533
Newer 4/5 Bedroom Duplex, Flat screen TV, WD, Air, Sun deck, Close to Campus, Yard & Firepit, $1300-$1500/mo. Website HTTP://web.me.com/allen291 Cell #216-536-3958 Email [email protected]
Townhouse condo in Brimfield: 3 Bedroom, 1.5 bath, eat-in kitchen, basement, attached garage. Minutes to KSU and NEOUCOM, $850. Townhouse apartments in Cuyahoga Falls: 2 bedroom, 1 bath, parking, basement, close to Rt. 8 and downtown, $625. Karen Donovan 330-633-5536 or 330-990-1661.
KENT 3 Bedroom, Dishwasher, Clothesdryer, $900/month, Trash&Water Paid, 330-310-6592
Rooms Available for Fall 1 block from campus. 224 South Willow Street. $350/mo. Includes ALL utilities incl. cable and internet. Non-Smoking House. Chris Myers 330-678-6984
Now Leasing for FALL, Beautiful newly redecorated 2 Bedroom duplexes and townhouse apartments, 1 Block from KSU, $350/student. 330-687-6122
SAVE $$$ Now leasing for Fall, Beautiful newly redecorated 3 bedroom duplex and 2 bedroom apartment $275/student 330-687-6122
UNIVERSITY TOWNHOMES, 4/5 bedroom, 2.5 bath, A/C, Washer/Dryer, available Fall 2011. $340 per month per bedroom ALL inclusive except cable/internet. 440-552-5840. [email protected]
University Townhome Roommate needed for spring semester with four girls. $285/month, all inclusive except cable/internet. 440-552-5840. [email protected]
2BR House $600, 3BR House $650, 732 Stinaff, Call 330-329-8004.
A must see! Large 5/7 bedroom house. Large bedrooms. Finished basement. Close to campus and downtown. Available August 1st. 330-620-7961
Remodeled, University Town Home, 5 BR, W/D, Dishwasher, 2.5 Baths, $275 per room, Will go fast, 330-808-4045
2 bedroom apartment, 1.5 Baths, central air, fireplace, attached garage, no pets, $650 + utilities, Cuyahoga Falls (330) 923-6401
Now Leasing for Fall, a beautiful newer condo, 2 large bedroom, 2.5 bath, double car garage, central air, backyard deck. $375/student. 330-
687-6122
ROOMMATE NEEDED NOW PRIVATE in nice 4 bedroom twinplex with three graduate guys. $400 all inclusive. 5 minute drive to KSU. Free Washer/Dryer. 330-714-0819
One roommate needed ASAP to share condo immediately. Rent at $285/month. 330.689.8888 www.whitehalleast.com
Daily Kent Stater Thursday, January 27, 2011 | Page A5
CLASSIFIEDSwww.KentWired.com
Page A6 | Thursday, January 27, 2011 Daily Kent Stater
When you first meet her, Debra-Lynn Hook is friendly and open. As you converse with her, you realize not only is she exactly what you thought, she is also extremely knowledgeable and willing to share her knowledge.
Hook is a syndicated writer and freelance photographer. Her column, “Bringing Up Mommy,” a play on the movie title “Bringing Up Baby,” has been picked up by several news-papers. She also makes a name for herself as a freelance photographer taking wedding pho-tos, senior portraits and photographing other events. She said two years ago her work was displayed as part of an art exhibit at Starbucks.
Hook said most of her photography work is Facebook-driven. She gets her photography jobs through Facebook advertising.
“I think (Facebook) is an amazing tool for marketing,” she said.
Hook is also unique as a photographer in that she is not a fan of Photoshop.
“I can’t make stories up,” she said. “I’ve always been somebody who wants to under-stand truth.”
When she was 7 years old, Hook wrote her first story and in seventh grade her teacher told her that her work would end up in Reader’s Digest.
“And I did make it into Reader’s Digest,” Hook said with a smile. “I really like words.”
When she was 19 years old, Hook said
she dropped out of college for a couple years and worked as a traveling photographer on the East Coast, photographing shriners and their families.
“I learned about composition, light and con-necting with people,” Hook said.
Hook eventually made it back to school, majoring in English, but then switched to jour-nalism on a teacher’s recommendation. She also took some photojournalism classes.
“I wasn’t a big fan of the darkroom,” Hook said, laughing.
Hook said she attended four different col-leges as her parents split up when she was a teenager. She and her mother moved from place to place. Hook worked her way through college by waitressing at bars, restaurants and even discos. She also said she found it easier to relate to students who also had to work their way through school than to those who didn’t.
“It’s really important in college to find some sort of social group you can attach to,” Hook advised.
Hook said she worked her way up to the biggest newspaper in South Carolina, and she always had a photographer with her on assignments. She eventually learned more about photography.
“It all came together at that point,” Hook said.
Hook said she was in newspapers for 15 years. She started writing her “Bringing Up Mommy” column when she was pregnant.
“My editor really liked it and ran it every two weeks, and then the syndicate picked it up,” Hook said.
Every two weeks, Hook still writes this anec-dotal column. She said her work is also picked up by blogs and sometimes USA Today online. She also has a blog of her own called “Get Up Offa That Thang.”
Hook, originally from New Orleans, said she and her family were brought to Kent because of her husband’s job as the chair of the political sci-ence department at Kent State. They have lived here 14 years.
“I’m the ‘trailing spouse,’ so they say,” Hook joked.
Hook has two sons, 22 and 13, respectively, and an 18-year-old daughter, who is a Kent State fresh-man. Hook admits some-times working and raising a family has been difficult over the years and that she has not worked in an office for 15 years.
“Sometimes I will go to Panera and spend eight hours there just to get out of this environ-ment,” Hook said.
Hook hopes to inspire feeling into those who see her work. She said she likes when her writing makes people cry because it means she touched them somehow.
“I like it when I validate the human condi-tion for someone else,” Hook said.
She also said her favorite part of her job is connecting with other people. She developed a friendship with the parents of a young girl who was raped and murdered when she cov-ered their story.
“I’ve developed a niche for going behind
the scenes and some of my best moments were when I transcended the line between journalist and subject,” she said.
Hook said she enjoys freelancing better than working under someone else.
“I prefer freelance because I’m the boss,” she said. “There’s something to be said for stability and regular paychecks, but I love living for myself.”
Despite her accomplishments, Hook is also extremely humble about her gifts and talents.
“I don’t ever want to pres-ent myself as more than I am,” Hook said. “Just because I wrote a column, doesn’t mean I have it figured out.”
Hook admitted she was concerned that her career
wasn’t as “lucrative” as somebody else’s, but she is pleased with her work.
“I have followed my passion,” she said. Hook acknowledged that it’s a difficult time
for students to enter the journalism world, but said there will always be a need for human interpretation of events.
“Continue to pursue (journalism) with the realization that you have to be ready for change,” Hook said.
Hook hopes journalists will maintain authenticity in their work.
“Don’t lose your ethics,” Hook cautioned. “It’s very important for journalism that we stay close to the truth.”
When a local music store dragged its feet on a part-nership with guitar designer and retailer Woody James, he and his investors opened a store of their own.
In May, the Ohio Music Shop moved into a new building located on Main Street in downtown Kent. The new store has a working bar and a stage where open mic nights and a prolific amount of jamming goes down.
Before gigs, James, along with his co-owner Jeff Fulkman (the Nash to James’s Young), steps out from behind the bar and into after-hours practices for OHIO – “the only authorized Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young tribute band,” James added.
But none of this matters today.It’s Tuesday morning and the mail just came.
James bends over a large package and cuts the face off with a box cutter.
Every eye in the store turns to the box like it was Christmas morning and Santa just delivered a gut-ted, water-damaged ‘57 Fender Bassman. Someone
lets out a whistle that starts high and ends low, as if foreshadowing James’s next statement.
“This will sell for 30 grand when I’m finished with it,” he says, turning the tweed treasure over on its front and peering into it with a flashlight.
“You know it’s the real deal when you can read the tube chart,” James says, doing just that. He points out the serial number and says that Stephen Stills is going to “freak when he sees this.”
“Auerbach (of Black Keys fame) was using one on Austin City Limit’s the other night,” he tells Fulkman. “That’s another one to call.”
No one is playing games at the Ohio Music Shop. They know their business like car mechanics rather than car salesmen. They look for tube charts.
“It’s different here,” said local musician Travis Bert, 29, between distorted bursts of classic rock riffage via a Marshall half-stack at the far end of the store.
“I like the atmosphere, and com-petition is great in an area like this,” Bert said.
In preparation for its show on Friday at the Akron Civic Theatre, OHIO decided that Tuesday’s prac-tice would be open to the public, “because we really want to make this a community thing,” James said. “Get people in here and let them know who we are.”
Over the next year, Fulkman and James want to entice the commu-nity with more entertainment nights (about three to four nights per week) and offer a glimpse into what it takes to be in a working band by continu-
ing to hold open practices before OHIO’s shows and hosting open jam nights. Also, the store is set to begin production of their all-tube Bulletproof line of guitar amplifiers, something that sets them apart from even the tallest of retail giants like Guitar Center.
Based on the number of musician-run instrument shop/bar/stage business models in the area, it is pos-
sible that some residents have already begun to figure out that Ohio Music Shop is no ordinary place, and OHIO is no ordinary tribute band.
Darius Carter, a senior business major at Kent State and hip-hop producer and artist, came to OHIO’s practice at the suggestion of a friend.
“Seeing them and how they each have their own unique part, but when they put it together it sounds huge…I want that,” said Carter, who just started learning to play guitar this year.
“Makes you realize the important element of dedi-cation and time that goes into something beautiful,” Carter said.
Maybe the pursuit of that beauty is why a group of seven grown men started playing other musicians’s material for money, and they’re still doing it six years and counting.
“Being in a working band is about surviving. We’ll be around until the gigs run out,” Fulkman said.
Maybe one day Darius Carter will be looking for that perfect sound, and first, he’ll check for a tube chart.
Ryan Young is a news correspondent.
The bandOHIO has been together for six years.
Woody James - Neil Young Jeff Fulkman - Graham Nash Steve Sanders - David Crosby Joe Vitale, Jr. - drums (father was the drummer for CSNY) Ken Margolis - keys Joe Morris - bass
There aren’t many places near campus to find live music and comedy. Stone Tav-ern, formerly Professors Pub on East Main Street, has all that and much more.
Louis DelBene, owner of the Stone Tavern, acquired the business and want-ed to continue the venue. The biggest difference customers of Professors Pub might notice about Stone Tavern is the cosmetic changes. Salvaged architecture and antique furniture were used to make the back bar, DelBene said.
The tavern’s walls, which used to be painted black, are now a creamy-yellow color and are set up for rotating art shows. DelBene said the paintings currently on the south and west walls were done by Briar Rantilla, a Kent State alumnus. Rantilla will be choosing the artists for the rotating art shows. Every 6-8 weeks, a new artist’s cre-ations will be displayed.
“The main goal is to promote art, cul-ture and music,” DelBene said.
He said he plans to have entertainment five nights out of the week. Every Monday night is stand-up comedy.
Starting Feb. 2, the tavern will feature
Wednesday Night with Bremmy James, a guitarist and vocalist for Akron-based band, The Unclean, where he will be mix-ing live music.
Every other Thursday, Square Records, located in Akron’s Highland Square, will be spinning vinyl and bringing in live, local music, DelBene said. On the other Thurs-day nights, Vinyl Underground Records in Kent will be doing the same thing.
On weekends, DelBene said he wants to bring in local, regional and touring acts. Though DelBene said he wouldn’t shy away from experimental music, all of what is played is going to “have an edge.” Rock, jazz and blues will all be featured at the tavern.
“It’s not going to be a battle of the high school bands,” he said.
The Stone Tavern will also be doing cross-promotional events with other ven-ues. Standing Rock Cultural Arts, held in the North Water Street Gallery, will also be shown in the Stone Tavern, said DelBene.
“My favorite part about this place is that it’s the only comedy showcase in Kent,” said Anthony Savatt, host of Monday night’s comedy stand-up.
The tavern is a place for new comedians to perform and experienced comedians to try their new material. Savatt said he sets the line-up ahead of time and prefers peo-ple he’s seen perform before. He is willing to allow new talent, but he must be con-tacted ahead of time.
“There’s never more than two first-tim-ers on the stage because I want to keep the
When it comes to jobs, pretty much everyone has one. For college students, that usually means something pretty boring. Not many are working at their ultimate dream job at this point in their lives, but whatever pays the bills works. Some people make sandwiches, and some people answer phones, but not many people take care of hundreds of thousands of bees.
Wes Stein is a junior at Kent State, and he is certainly not your average beekeeper. As a construction manage-ment major and thrower for the track team, he is obviously a very busy bee. Some days, he works from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at his internship for Cornice Com-pany Construction Managers. He then comes back to Kent for track practice, and later works at 101 Bottles of Beer on the Wall into the wee hours of the morn-ing. Somehow, Stein still has time for 17 credit hours in addition to all of that. But with all of this work experience, the hon-ey business remains his favorite—more specifically, his own honey business.
Stein’s Honey was established when he was 12, and Stein has been working there ever since. Bill Stein, Wes’s father, got involved in the business because his property in Norwalk, Ohio, had apple and peach trees that needed to be pol-linated. From there it just kept growing and growing, Stein said. This spring, Stein’s Honey will have 480 hives all around Huron County, each housing about 50,000 bees.
“At one point, we had about 52,000 pounds of honey in the house,” Stein said. The honey is sold to small, usu-ally family-owned grocery stores and
farmers’ markets across Northern Ohio, from Parma to Cleveland and all the way to Toledo.
Stein’s Honey does more than just what the name would sug-gest. “We also do pollination for apple orchards,” Stein said.
In order to produce more fruit, orchards will rent 100-150 hives from them in the springtime. Stein used to make candles from the beeswax, and one of their employees even makes lip balm. It is “like Burt’s Bees, only it’s ours. It’s called Steve’s Bees.”
So what exactly does the job of a beekeeper entail? Stein does everything from training new employees and har-vesting the honey to everyday hive maintenance. At this time of year, the hives are being medicated.
“You have to put medication on them so that way the bees can get through the winter better. We also feed them sugar water right now,” Stein said.
Pretty soon, the bees will be back to work.
“Bees produce spring into summer to early fall. They stop producing in the early fall,” Stein said.
There are two types of boxes used to store honey: brood boxes that stay out year-round and honey supers. The honey is extracted from the honey supers twice a year. The first harvest is around the fourth of July, and the second is near Labor Day.
“The second time we usually take off 30,000 pounds,” Stein explained.
Every beehive operates like a very structured business.
“There’s three main types of bees: worker bees, drone bees and queen bees,” Stein said.
He further explained that there is only one queen bee, and one percent of the bees are drones, which are the males. The majority of the hive is made up of
female worker bees. “The worker bees do everything
from protecting the hives to taking care of the baby bees when they’re young-er and collecting the honey. All the
drones do is just mate.” All of this is going on while the queen
bee lays eggs all day. Stein said bees are fully equipped for their jobs.
“Bees have two stomachs: a honey stomach and a regular stomach. The honey stomach is where they store the nectar until they get back to the hives.”
They also follow flight patterns, like their own little GPS device, so they never get lost on the way home. “Bees always remember to go back to their hives,” Stein said.
Even though they are interesting and undoubtedly intelligent, bees are not cuddly. No one will ever accuse them of that, especially Stein. Don’t be fooled by the netted beekeeping gear that you’ve seen on TV before because it does not prevent all stings. Stein has been stung around 300 to 500 times each year—multiply that by nine years, and that is way too many bee stings. (Around 2,700 to 4,500)
What was Stein’s worst experience? “I was stung on the eyelid once, and
it swelled my eye shut for a day.” Ouch.Maybe you’ve caught a glimpse
of Stein riding around campus on his motorcycle before, and maybe you’ve even had Stein’s Honey. However, you probably never guessed that the two were related. Next time you’re brows-ing for something sweet, don’t hesitate to try localized honey. It’ll keep you buzzing all day.
Natalie Moses is a features correspondent.
There’s a new tavern in town
quality of the show consistent,” he said.The tavern attracts enough comedians
that it generally will not feature the same people two weeks in a row, Savatt said. Local and touring comedians performed in the same building when it was Professor’s Pub, and Savatt said he plans to keep that
tradition going. “Comedians traveling from New York to
L.A. could pass through and we’ll try to get them to come here,” he said.
Rachel Hagenbaugh is a features reporter.
COTY GIANNELLI | DAILY KENT STATERAnthony Savatt performs his stand-up act at the Stone Tavern on Monday night. Savatt will host comedy night every Monday starting at 8 p.m. at the Stone Tavern, which is located on the corner of Main and Water Street.
Page B2 | Thursday, January 27, 2011 Daily Kent Stater
88
THE LAST ROYALS | Musica 8 p.m. | $8
ZACH DEPUTY with HAYDEn CALLing | Musica 8 p.m. | $10
LiSA LAmPAnELLi | Lorain Palace Theatre 7:30 p.m. | $59
STEEP CAnYOn RAngERS | Kent Stage 8 p.m. | $18 adv. $22 at the door
An EvEning Of CROSbY, STiLLS, nASH, & YOUng | Akron Civic Theatre 8 p.m. | $14
8th AnnUAL STAnDing ROCk inTERnA-TiOnAL SHORT fiLm fESTivAL | $10 general admin, $7 students
STAnDing ROCk | Open poetry with Maj Ragain
The MechanicThe RiteBiutifulFrom Prada to NadaKaboomSeconds ApartWhen We Leave
qUEEnS CLUb with LYSTRATA, POEmA AnD THE wHEnEvER PLAn | Musica 6 p.m. | $9
LEwiS bLACk | Warner Theatre-Erie, Pa. 8 p.m. | $34-64
thismonth JANUARYSpeciAlS
wATER STREET TAvERn$7 Miller Lite pitchers$3 Jack Daniels shots — you keep the shot glass$3.50 Orange Tootsie Pop Bombs$3 Apple Pie and Cherry Pie shotsTuesday: Ladies Night- DJ Donkis and $1 drink specialsThursday: $1 Bud Select bottles
CAjUn DAvE’SMonday: $6.50 1-topping, 8-slice pizzaWednesday: $8 Buttermilk fried chicken dinner with two sidesThursday: $2 tacosFriday: $9 BBQ platter
ZEPHYRBeer of the Month: Miller Lite ($2 pint, $7 pitcher)$2.50 Gin and Tonic
$3 Shots of Soko Lime$3 Cherry Bombs
RivERSiDE winEHappy Hour Every day 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.Mondays and Tuesdays: No corking fee
THE LOfTBeer of the Month: Miller Light ($1.50 mug, $7 pitcher)$8 Labatt Blue Pitcher
$3 All Stoli Flavors $2 Lemon Coke Vodka Tonic$3 Starry Night, Washington Apples$2.50 Bombs: Cherry, Pine-apple, Grape $3.50 Dr. Pepper Shot
bUffALO wiLD wingSBeer of the Month: Coors ($3 Tall)Thursday: $2 Margarita, $3 Long Island Iced Tea
AcAdemy AwArds NomiNAtioNs Who will take home an Oscar this year?
Best PictureBlack SwanThe FighterinceptionThe Kids Are All RightThe King’s Speech127 HoursThe Social NetworkToy Story 3True GritWinter’s Bone
Actor iN LeAdiNg roLe:Javier Bardem in “Biutiful”Jeff Bridges in “True Grit” Jesse eisenberg in “The Social Network” colin Firth in “The King’s Speech” James Franco in “127 Hours”
Actor iN A suPPortiNg roLe
christian Bale in “The Fighter” John Hawkes in “Winter’s Bone” Jeremy Renner in “The Town” Mark Ruffalo in “The Kids Are All Right” Geoffrey Rush in “The King’s Speech”
Actress iN A LeAdiNg roLe
Annette Bening in “The Kids Are All Right” Nicole Kidman in “Rabbit Hole” Jennifer lawrence in “Winter’s Bone” Natalie portman in “Black Swan” Michelle Williams in “Blue Valentine”
Actress iN A suPPortiNg roLe
Amy Adams in “The Fighter” Helena Bonham carter in “The King’s Speech” Melissa leo in “The Fighter” Hailee Steinfeld in “True Grit” Jacki Weaver in “Animal Kingdom”
ANimAted FeAture FiLm
“How to Train Your Dragon” chris Sanders and Dean DeB-lois “The illusionist” Sylvain chomet “Toy Story 3” lee Unkrich
ciNemAtogrAPhy “Black Swan” Matthew libatique “inception” Wally pfister “The King’s Speech” Danny cohen “The Social Network” Jeff cronenweth “True Grit” Roger Deakins
— mtv.com
directiNg“Black Swan” Darren Aronofsky “The Fighter” David O. Russell “The King’s Speech” Tom Hooper “The Social Network” David Fincher “True Grit” Joel coen and ethan coen
documeNtAry (FeAture)
“exit through the Gift Shop” Banksy and Jaimie D’cruz “Gasland” Josh Fox and Trish Adlesic “inside Job” charles Fergu-son and Audrey Marrs “Restrepo” Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger “Waste land” lucy Walker and Angus Aynsley
music (origiNAL score)
“How to Train Your Dragon” John powell “inception” Hans Zimmer “The King’s Speech” Alexan-dre Desplat “127 Hours” A.R. Rahman “The Social Network” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
VisuAL eFFects “Alice in Wonderland” Ken Ralston, David Schaub, carey Villegas and Sean phillips “Harry potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1” Tim Burke, John Richardson, christian Manz and Nicolas Aithadi “Hereafter” Michael Owens, Bryan Grill, Stephan Trojanski and Joe Farrell “inception” paul Franklin, chris corbould, Andrew lockley and peter Bebb “iron Man 2” Janek Sirrs, Ben Snow, Ged Wright and Daniel Sudick
writiNg (origiNAL screeNPLAy)
“Another Year” Written by Mike leigh “The Fighter” Screenplay by Scott Silver, paul Tamasy and eric Johnson; Story by Keith Dorrington, paul Tamasy and eric Johnson “inception” Written by chris-topher Nolan “The Kids Are All Right” Writ-ten by lisa cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg “The King’s Speech” Screen-play by David Seidler
What pushes students to do their best even when they’re at their worst? Who urges them to never give up? Inspiration, whether in the form of a person, place or pet, helps the students of Kent State believe in themselves and become the next generation of leaders.
Leaders don’t have to be famous. Alexandra Bodie, junior psychology major, said her biggest inspiration comes from her mom.
“She’s the strongest and most caring person I know,” Bodie said.
When Bodie was younger, she lived in Illinois. Her mother decided that it was best for Bodie to live closer to the rest of her fam-ily in Ohio.
“She had a great life in Illinois,
b u t s h e gave it up for me ,” Bodie said.
Anoth-e r h u g e inspiration for Bodie is music. Listening to Bayside, a p u n k rock band, helps her recover after a bad day.
“The songs I rock out to are about people treating you bad and rising above it,” she said.
Tyler Ross, freshman sports administration major, finds inspiration in many places. He not only goes to school, but also plays hockey and does stand-up comedy. To help with his comedy career, Ross listens to a lot of com-edy, grabs including Eddie Mur-
phy and M i t c h Hedberg.
When it comes to hock-e y, h i s family is his big-gest sup-porter, he said. He e n j o y s p l a y i n g because he knows his family enjoys watching him play.
“The same goes for my stand-up,” Ross said. He likes doing stand-up knowing that other people are having fun listening to him.
When Ross feels like giving up, he finds hope in the victo-ries. The wins in hockey or the cheers of the crowd make up for
the bad times, he said.Not everyone needs to find
inspiration through the lives of others. Kelsey Dybo, sophomore biology major, said that college is all about finding herself.
“As I get older, I want to build on what I want to be,” she said.
Other people’s lives aren’t the exact paths she wants to take. She wants to find her own. Dybo said sometimes a role model can unknowingly push his or her life-style on others. Because of that, some people end up striving to be something they can’t, she said. That doesn’t mean Dybo will nev-er find someone to look up to.
“I’m still looking for a person to be a shining light to me,” she said.
Rachel Hagenbaugh is a features reporter.
Students look to hobbies and family for inspiration
ROSSBODIE
Daily Kent Stater Thursday, January 27, 2011 | Page B3
99
For decades, Mark Twain has been one of the most beloved authors in the English language. Almost everyone knows the char-acters Tom Sawyer and Huckle-berry Finn and has read those books. However, now Mark Twain’s immortal words are in danger of being “modernized” so as not to offend people. Accord-ing to the New York Times, “Huckleberry Finn” will soon be getting a literary makeover by replacing the word “nigger” with the word “slave.” The n-word appears 219 times in the novel. I’ll be honest, I hate that word. I think it’s crude and derogatory, but I don’t think that it should be changed in “Huck Finn.” When Twain first published “Huck Finn,” it was 1884 – not long after the Civil War. African-Americans were no closer to gaining rights than they were before the war and a lot of people still looked down on African-Americans as second-class citizens. Twain was merely writing about his time period. I’m not condon-ing Twain’s use of the word, or defending it, but to change that word is to defile the book. Jim, the African-American in ques-tion and the person to whom that word is describing most of the time, is a beloved character. He’s not well-educated, but he is a good man, and Huck’s pro-tector in a sense, and Huck feels compelled to rescue him through the course of the novel. But in that time period, they would never be considered friends.
Twain’s novel is not the first to undergo such heat. Charles Dickens, whom I like even more than Twain, has come under heat for portrayal his of Fagin the Jew in “Oliver Twist.” Fagin is a thief and a scoundrel who could or could not be engaging in sex-ual acts with the young boys he recruits to join his gang of pick-pockets. Dickens’s defense was that, in those days, Jews were the ones most likely to engage in criminal activity, but that he bore no ill will to those of the Jewish faith. Nevertheless, Dick-ens later changed the last 15 chapters of “Oliver Twist” and removed any mentions of “the Jew.” But allow me to stress that was Dickens’s choice. Twain, on the other hand, is dead and cannot revise his work. To me, that makes this whole deal even
Adrienne Savoldi
more contemptuous because the author isn’t around to defend himself or his work.
Another famous instance of censorship involves Ray Brad-bury’s famous novel “Fahrenheit 451.” For years, Bradbury’s novel, ironically about censorship, was censored before he finally real-ized what was going on. He was understandably ticked.
Censorship to me is a dirty word, especially in writing. And in a book such as Twain’s, we can’t just rewrite history. There was slavery in Ameri-ca. (People did treat African-Americans with ridicule.) Jews in Dickens’s time suffered poor reputations, deserved or not. One of my favorite quotes from “Fahrenheit 451” describes this situation about books perfectly: “They show the pores in the face of life.”
Twain is probably turning in his grave to hear that his book may be rewritten. Let’s get real, people. Just because something offends you doesn’t mean it offends somebody else. I mentioned above that I don’t like the n-word, but it’s not my book. If the book bothers you, put it down and find another. As for those who have to read the book in school, it opens the floor for literary discussions about Twain’s — or any author ’s — time period, what they believed, what the historical context is and what some attributes of the character are. Expurgation is a sin against the written word. Leave “Huckleberry Finn,” and all books, alone because they are poignant in their own ways.
Don’t let the talking bears or colorful illustrations fool you this book is not for kids.
In “Squirrel Seeks Chip-munk,” author David Sedaris (“When You Are Engulfed in Flames,” “Me Talk Pretty One Day”) breaks free from his usu-al narrative nonfiction essays. Instead he has created what he dubs, “A Modest Bestiary.”
The book is comprised of 16 folktales in which animals are per-sonified and thrust into everyday situations. From alcoholic cats to rats with AIDS, Sedaris leaves no taboo subject untouched.
The title story tells of a squir-rel and his chipmunk girlfriend. They bond over a mutual hatred of dogs, but their inevitable dif-ferences and conflicting fam-ily pressures force the couple to end their relationship. Years later, the chipmunk reminisces about what went wrong.
In an interview on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” Sedaris explained that he chose animal characters because it eliminates the need for unnecessary description.
“I like that,” Sedaris said. “Brevity.”
And so he does. His stories here are much shorter and more focused than his past works. With each story averaging about five pages, the book is a quick read. But the genius of his writ-ing stresses quality, not quantity.
Sedaris has an amazing talent for capturing human absurdity in otherwise mundane life situ-ations. What’s more impressive is his ability to do this without a single human character.
The illustrations by Ian Fal-coner add another level of play-fulness to the book. They are all done in black and white with splashes of orange. Many of the pictures have the charm and charisma that Falconer brings to his popular children’s book series, “Olivia,” while others are simply disturbing.
The book always toes the thin line between comedy and obscenity. One story involving singing leeches living in an ele-phant’s rectum will either make readers bend over laughing or stop reading entirely. Those familiar with Sedaris’s writing will likely choose the former.
Readers will finish the book with a feeling that they are in on a pri-vate joke between themselves and the author. Some may wonder why more novelists haven’t tackled the
Sedaris puts childhood spin on serious topics with ‘Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk’
adult children’s book genre. But like Sedaris himself, “Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk” is a rare breed.
We’ve all seen our share of exorcism movies, so you know how evil the devil can be. And, l ike any handful of movies today, “The Rite” is based upon true events.
Anthony Hopkins portrays an exorcist in the movie, which opens in theaters Friday. Father Lucas Trevant (Hopkins) takes an American priest named Michael Kovak under his wing at the exorcism school in Rome, as Kovak doesn’t believe in the devil. Hopkins pushes possessed spirits out of his clients, begging them to reveal their identities. In some cases, his clients don’t survive.
M i c h a e l K o v a k ( C o l i n O’Donoghue) thinks Father Lucas Trevant’s clients should be seeing a shrink instead of an exorcist because he believes they are mentally ill rather than possessed by the devil.
This exorcism movie doesn’t include the typical 360-degree head spin, but it offers an eerie and dark experience. The effects
and makeup are phenomenal, especially when the devil rises to the surface of its victims. The victims’s faces begin to appear gray, and cracks form in their skin. The audience sees a whole new face when the devil starts to speak, and the victims’s eyes are no longer their original color.
Hopkins has played spooky roles before, like Dr. Hannibal Lecter in “Silence of the Lambs,” but this character brings his act-ing skills to new heights. The acting is great, and the movie moved along quite well – not bad for almost two hours long.
What set this movie apart from other exorcism movies I’ve seen is the unsuspecting dialogue Father Lucas Trev-ant brings in the middle of the movie that induces laughter in the audience – not something you see in movies like “The Exorcist .” Although Father Lucas Trevant takes his job seri-ously, he also brings a little light humor to the situation.
Besides the different types of dialogue, the direction is typical of an exorcism movie but with a great
‘The Rite’ breaks tradition of typical exorcism thriller
ending, as you will discover if you choose to see it. Directed by Mikael Hafstrom and written by Matt Baglio and Michael Petroni, “The Rite” will definitely enter-tain those who enjoy psychologi-cal thrillers – others, perhaps, not
so much. Father Lucas Trevant and Michael Kovak work well with one another as Kovak redis-covers his faith working with demonic spirits.
Kaylee Remington is a features correspondent.
THE DAILY KENT STATER | Add some color to this page while passing the time in class.
Page B4 | Thursday, January 27, 2011 Daily Kent Stater
1010
The songs I chose are songs I have listened to quite a bit over the last week. The lyrics are really easy to follow
along with, and I think at least one of these would be to your enjoyment
Sufjan StevenS Illinoise | “Chicago”
My brother had a CD in his car, and it had this song on it. I had to call and ask him whom the song was by because I loved it so much. I hope you do, too.
chriStina perri The Ocean Way Sessions | “Jar of Hearts”This girl knows how to stand her ground. My sister and I are always found blast-ing this song in the car. My favorite part of the song: “Who do you think you are/ runnin’ round leaving scars/ collecting your jar of hearts and tearing love apart/ You’re gonna catch a cold/ from the ice inside your soul/ so don’t come back for me/ who do you think you are.”
p!nk Greatest Hits...So Far | “Raise your Glass”P!nk just rocks, and I love everything she comes out with. I’m sure you can find yourself dancing in your car to this one…I have lately. It’s also on Billboard’s Hot 100 list. There’s a reason why.
elton john Madman Across the Water | “Tiny Dancer”I listen to a lot of different songs and this is probably one of my favorite Elton John hits. If anyone is a “Friends” fan, you will also know Phoebe Buffay sings a part of this song in an episode. She puts a different twist on the lyrics: “Hold
linkin park A Thousand Suns | “Waiting for the End”
This is a different song than all the other songs by Linkin Park, I believe. I love the lyrics, and it’s easy to follow the story that goes along with it.
O n e o f A m e r i c a ’ s m o s t famous comedians will receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Feb. 1.
Adam Sandler, whose new film, “Just Go With It,” will be released Feb. 11, is best known for his roles in “Happy Gilm-ore,” “50 First Dates” and “The Waterboy.” His f i lms have grossed more than $3 billion worldwide and his most recent film, Sony Pictures’ “Grown Ups,” is the highest grossing of his career, taking in more than $271 million worldwide, accord-ing to a Black Diamond Media, Inc. press release.
At age 17, Sandler first per-formed stand-up comedy at a Boston comedy club. From there on out, he began performing regularly throughout the state of Massachusetts while earning a degree from New York Universi-
ty. Sandler was spotted by Dennis Miller and recruited for the “Sat-urday Night Live” team, where he was a regular for five seasons.
Growing in popularity, Sandler went on to work in films with the likes of Drew Barrymore, Sylves-ter Stallone, Rosario Dawson, Seth Rogen and Jack Nicholson.
Sandler’s production compa-ny, Happy Madison Productions, has gone on to be a self-fulfilling prophecy for the actor and his partner, Jack Giarraputo. Happy Madison Productions has pro-duced “Click,” “The Benchwarm-ers,” “The House Bunny” and “Paul Blart: Mall Cop,” with “Zoo-keeper” next on the production list.
Tuesday, The Hollywood Walk of Fame will implement its 2,431st Star with the name “Adam Sandler” on it. Finally, one of America’s funniest stars gets his name pounded into the pavement.
