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Editorial Cartoon: Correctness

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:54:44 -0500

by Andrew Rees, Jamie Douglas

“I don’t mean to get all P.C., but I think we should start looking for a white friend.”

Our Not Too Distant Neighbor

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

An interview on North Street.

by Michael Conti


"Derek" takes time to acknowledge the love he has for his block. He is conflicted by financial aspirations, but sees his life wrapped inside the attitude and reputation of his friends.
Michael Conti

The city of Rochester is a place that I have tried my best to call home. This summer, I came to know and care for a group of students in a youth intervention program who met in downtown Rochester. The program, which I photographed for, is designed to help kids my age remove themselves from gang related activities.

It was through this program that I began to understand how a large part of the city lives. While they may seem like minorities on the news, a hefty 23.4 percent of Rochester’s families are living below the poverty line.

One of the most special experiences I had was with a 25-year-old student who will be referred to as “Derek” to protect his identity. As one of the older members of the program, a drug court mandated his attendance. Dealing drugs and gang associations had brought him criminal charges, and this group was his last chance before heading to a state penitentiary.

When I first met students like Derek, they would ask if I was in college. When I said I went to RIT, a typical response would be, “where’s that?” For many, the prospect of college is not an option.

On a Wednesday night, we talked for a few hours in his neighborhood, behind the backlit glow of the waning streetlights and the liquor store. In the northeast side of the city, Derek opened up about a lot of perceived differences between us, most notably our upbringing, our education and different communities. He had recently gotten into a fight over “disrespect.” After I told him I would not have reacted the way he did, he emotionally defended his actions.

Derek: That’s one part of me that hasn’t left yet ... They got to jump me, shoot me, stab me, cause I’m not gonna stop. Especially if I’m in an area that’s not mine. When I leave, I’m going to leave on a stretcher. It’s a sad thing to say, but I’m not going to let anybody do whatever they want to do to me. That goes for the police ... whatever. I’m going to pop on them. For real. I don’t care where I am.

Michael: Does the area you’re in make a difference on how you react in that type of situation?


Looking across the empty lots in his neighborhood, "Derek" reveals that scholarship is still important to him.
Michael Conti

D: You know, it might be different. If I’m going to RIT and I’m going to school there. I’m thinking like, “Well, maybe this guy is going through a lot of things ... maybe this dude don’t understand me. I’m going to let him slide. Anybody around here? I’m not going to let nobody slide.

M: Why is that? Were you always so quick to react?

D: Back in high school was when I first started fighting. I got suspended a lot, kicked out. I was always changing schools, going in between my families in Kentucky and New York. I got kicked out of school four times, not due to violence, not due to drugs. And the funny thing about it, all the classes I was getting kicked out of, I was getting B’s and A’s.

But I could never complete anything, so my transcript said I was getting F’s. So I just stopped caring. I started coming in high. Coming into school with drugs. Coming to school, going to sleep.

M: Why were you getting kicked out of class if you had A’s and B’s?

D: My father was a hustler and a pimp, but he always educated his kids. He would tell me, “You always got to question everything. Cause everything they always tell you in school is not the truth. It’s a lie. It’s just a curriculum they go off of.”

So one time, the teacher was talking about Christopher Columbus. She said Columbus discovered America. I said, “Well, miss, what I learned is that you can’t discover something that’s already found ... Christopher Columbus didn’t discover America. The Native Americans were already here.” She knew I was right. She looked me up and down and said, “You’re wrong! Well you’re wrong!”


The promise of easy money makes the drug trade seem like a lucrative career. When it is linked with supporting family members, it becomes something that is hard to give up.
Michael Conti

I said, “Ma’am no I’m not. I’m telling the truth and you know I’m telling the truth.”

I would get sent to the principal’s office. Every time these problems came up, my father told me to ask questions.

M: What else did your dad ask you to question?

D: My father always asked me: Why do you only learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X, and the dude that invented peanut butter? They teach you about these four people. How come they never go deeper than these four people? So I brought up Marcus Garvey. I got suspended for that. Did you know no one really teaches about Marcus Garvey in public schools in America?

He had black people thinking about self-reliance. Depending on ourselves, our own black businesses.

M: I’m not sure what to think. You were kicked out for asking questions?

D: I’ve never been to college, but I’m not a dummy. I’ve always been a reader. I only made it to the 11th grade. But if you put me in your surroundings, I guarantee you I’ll catch on. I know how to read. I know how to comprehend. I read everyday. I don’t care if it’s a newspaper, a magazine, I watch news, I pay attention, I soak it up. When I was getting kicked out of school, my dad wasn’t getting mad at me. I was getting B’s. My lowest grade was in Math, which was a C.

What really killed me, I asked them ... this is what got me kicked out, ... I said, “Why is black history only taught for one month? I’m not trying to discriminate, but history is history. Teach history, don’t teach a month of this history and the rest of that history, let’s know about all history.” The teacher looked at me up and down and sneered at me ... I think she wanted to say “you fucking nigger.” I seen it in her face. But I kept pushing her.

You can take anything from me. You can take anything from me. You can’t take my mind. You can’t take my sanity from me. You can’t take my intelligence. You can’t take what I know. You can lock me up for 90 years, but I still got my mind. I will never let anybody have my mind.

M: Is the youth intervention group a good place for your mind?

D: Folks in that group don’t understand me. I feel like I’m surrounded by ignorance.


Young adults considered by the authorities to be "negative influences" are some of "Derek&039;s" best friends. Their troubles with the law may trap "Derek" by association.
Michael Conti

Kids can’t be ignorant. You know what the word nigger means? Illiterate, dumb. This is the word nigger. Ignorant, like you can’t comprehend and read. You could be a nigger, anything you do that isn’t using your brain. If I call you my nigga, I got love for you. But anybody can be a nigger. Fuck the shade of the skin. Incoherent: that’s what I consider a nigger.

M: What about your neighborhood? Are you surrounded by ignorance here?

D: Like, they say “you hang around negative people” ... but I wanted to get deeper than that. You’ve seen the negative I been around, but they treat me no different even if I don’t hustle or smoke with them. They’re family to me. I can’t leave them.

You can be around the most negative people all you want. You seen it for yourself, Mike. Everybody welcomed you over once they realize what you were about. All of those right there that greeted you with open arms, they’re “negatives.”

But, my patience is running thin. I’m 25, I can’t go back to school and sit there for four or five years. If I could, if I could, promise to God, if I could start all over again I would be 14 again. It would be a breeze.

Accessing RIT

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

What it’s like in a wheelchair.

by Stephen Leljedal


Joanna Eberts

While this issue may tackle the wide varieties of racial, sexual, and economic minorities on campus, there remains a group that is commonly overlooked: The eight students who require a wheelchair for conveyance. This reporter simply asked, “Is it hard for these people to live a normal life at RIT?”

“No, not at all,” stated third year Graphic Media major, Michael Bloomfield. Born three months premature, Bloomfield was the unfortunate victim of a pure oxygen incident that gave him cerebral palsy, thereby confining him to a wheelchair for life. Even though having such a disability might lead other people to think that he’s got it bad here, Bloomfield is quite happy with his situation.

“The entire community’s been very flexible. As a whole, RIT is very open and accepting in terms of working with people with disabilities,” said Bloomfield. In his time here, he cannot recall any major social rifts between disabled and non-disabled students, and almost all of his professors have been very understanding concerning any academic accommodations for his classes.

Speaking of accommodations, Bloomfield also talks highly of the Disability Services office, an RIT division designed to assist student with special physical needs. “Everybody associated with Disability Services has been very helpful, positive and willing to work with any member of the RIT community. Whenever an issue arises in relation to Disability Services ... things have always been dealt with very quickly and efficiently,” said Bloomfield. From alternative testing locations, to extra test-taking time, to earlier class registration and classroom needs, the office makes sure that people like Bloomfield are academically comfortable at RIT.

Director of Disability Services Susan Ackerman described her job modestly, “I wouldn’t say that my office really provides any services, really ... My job is to make sure students with disabilities aren’t discriminated against and ... that the accommodations students need are in place.”

Despite the help from Disability Services, there are locations at RIT that remain inaccessible. The large ramp that splits the second level of the James E. Booth Fine Arts building and the Frank E. Gleason building, if unassisted, is impossible to maneuver in a wheelchair. Lecture halls like the George Eastman building’s room 2000 can only be accessed by two small sets of stairs. For Bloomfield, the entrance doors found in the same building are one of the tightest fits for wheelchair access on campus.

Regardless of these issues, Bloomfield would suggest only a few small changes be made to make RIT more accessible. Wider rows between desks and the maintenance of automatic door buttons are little things that would simplify day-to-day activities for physically challenged students.

“Ultimately,” stated Bloomfield, “I don’t regret my decision to come to RIT at all. My time here has had its ups and downs, but that’s the nature of life.” Despite some structural imperfections on campus that occasionally remind him otherwise, he doesn’t feel any different at all. “My handicap makes no difference to me. I’ve been in a wheelchair all my life,” he said. Like everyone else, Bloomfield will go on living his normal routine and try to survive the hectic week ten.

Cricket

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

The coolest sport you know nothing about.

by Sam McCord


Michael Conti

What comes to mind when you think of cricket? No, not the bug, smart guy. Try this on for size: cricket got its start in England about 400 years ago and has since spread to over 100 countries that play the game with an extreme dedication. Impressed? Yeah, I thought so. RIT Cricket club President Sunil Kollabhattula, a third year Manufacturing Engineering graduate student, relates the fever that he and the rest of the club share to “a religious activity.”

The cricket club consists of over 35 people whose diverse backgrounds include India, Australia and the West Indies. Their passion for the sport is so great that not even freezing rain can stop them from playing for hours every Friday (and sometimes even Saturday) on the RIT Turf Field. Just watching them is inspiring. They are spirited, with toothy grins evident on every face while taunts in Hindi are flung in the background.

The cricket club’s main goal is to spread the word about the sport, especially since it isn’t as popular in the United States. Americans familiar with the sport are quick to liken it to baseball. Cricket is faster-paced, action-packed and overall, simply more extreme. Joining the newly-converted cricket fanatics are students at the University of Rochester and Syracuse University; both have founded clubs on their campuses. In the event of an area league formation, you can look forward to seeing RIT represented well.

When playing, the cricket club doesn’t follow formal cricket rules. They change their positions at leisure and no one bothers to bring full suits of pads down to the field. Fortunately, this lack of protection doesn’t inhibit aggressive play. Bowlers can hurl the ball as fast as 90 mph, aiming directly at the batter’s shins. And if that’s not extreme enough to get your attention, just keep in mind that those rare but heart-stopping dives that your favorite baseball outfielder makes is a frequent highlight in cricket games, making it into a more edge-of-your-seat performance.

The weekends may be getting colder and wetter, but that won’t stop these die-hard athletes. If you feel like giving the game a try, just hang around the Turf Field, or the Gordon Field House (when it snows) and they’ll be glad to let you bat a few bowls. They’re always eager for more players, and want to spread awareness for their beloved pastime. Come on down to the pitch on Fridays at 8 p.m. Maybe you’ll emerge with a cool new hobby.


Michael Conti

Playing Cricket

Each cricket game is called a match, and each match is comprised of insert number here innings. Similar to baseball, each team alternates to score more runs than the other. The cricket pitch is comparable to a baseball field; however, the bowler (similar to a pitcher) and batsman stand on opposite ends of a rectangular area in the center called a paler strip with the fielders surrounding them.

The bowler chucks the ball towards the batsman who hits it and then sprints from one end of the paler strip to the other, scoring as many runs as he can before the ball is returned to the bowler. Cricket’s equivalent of a home run in baseball is an instantaneous two runs. Batters are dismissed or called out if a fielder catches their ball or if the bowler hits a wicket, which are poles in the ground that a batter must defend.

Once a batter is dismissed, a new teammate steps up to the challenge. This process repeats itself until there are no more remaining batters on that team. Afterwards, the teams switch positions, and the fielders get a chance to bat and best the other team’s score.

For professionals, this final number often breaks a couple hundred.

Editor's Note: Minority Report

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Sorting jelly beans.

by Andrew Rees

Jelly beans. I sat for 20 minutes and that was the best analogy I could come up with. People are like jelly beans. Jelly beans can be sorted a hundred different ways, by size, by color, by flavor, etc. Every time they get sorted, there will be inevitably be some group of beans that is smaller than the others. The minority beans.

In this issue of Reporter, we’ve identified those minority beans. We did our best to cover some of the obvious ones, i.e. ethnic (see “RIT Diversity”) and gender minorities (see “Women in Colleges at RIT”), but I think it’s important that we also look at some of those that have been glossed over.

I should say this: We didn’t get them all (specifically the Deaf community). For that, I’m sorry. But given the plethora of categories (social status, employment, wealth, etc.), I think we did a fairly good job.

As you’re flipping through these pages, consider the value of minorities. While on the surface they may appear to be a symptom of a flawed social system, minorities bring a unique perspective to the table (see “Not So New Kid On the Block”).

You can treat this issue of Reporter as a partial audit of RIT’s demographics, a glimpse at the cross section of RIT’s diverse campus. If you take nothing else away from this issue, remember this: In some way, everybody is a minority.

Andy Rees
Editor in Chief

Chris Rocks' Good Hair

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Movie raises questions, gives few answers.

by Chelsea Watson


Steve Pfost

It all started with his daughter asking why she didn’t have “good hair.” “I wonder where she got that from?” comedian Chris Rock states in his trademark high-pitched voice. And so, Rock leads us on a hair journey, focusing on the significance and abundance of what hairstyle has come to mean within the female population of the black community.

Being a member of this community, I could understand most of what the film was saying, but perhaps it would be an eye opening experience to the general public — a.k.a. white people. The pacing was fast but pretty random. Rock’s original goal of analyzing “good hair” got lost among various plots; the extremes that celebrities go to for looks, why black relationships are strained (really Chris?), the fun of hair shows, and how black women are “high maintenance.” While it felt like there was entirely too much going on, it was entertaining and I never found myself drifting focus.

Rock selected the right celebrities to give amusing commentary. Who knew that Raven Symone of the “Cosby Show” and Disney Channel fame was such a weave fanatic, startling not only Rock with her comments. Ice-T, Rev. Al Sharpton, and a host of others also provide entertaining commentary.

Rock begins by defining good hair in the African American community. For simplicity’s sake, he describes it as straight hair, or even simpler, “white people hair.” This may be up for debate beyond the scope of the film, but this is Rock’s documentary. The guests he features and his own perspective address this specific concern in adventurous detail.

This leads us to the process of how African Americans with naturally kinky hair (the majority do) transform it into long “white people hair.” The answer: sodium hydroxide, or relaxers. Various celebrities, along with beauty and barbershop customers, describe the process of getting their first relaxer in the film. The common conclusion is that it feels like your whole scalp is on fire. Rock brings in a chemist for a live demonstration to show the powerful and dangerous chemical effects of sodium hydroxide.

Seeing children as young as three with relaxers in their hair, answering Rock’s questions to the glee of their mother’s is especially unsettling. Common sense kicks in: why would black women do this if it’s so torturous? Here is where Rock had the chance to stay on task and explore why the black community does this.

But he doesn’t. He doesn’t delve into the history of oppression of African Americans, from slavery to the Jim Crow era, and what would lead some into imposing self-hate standards. From the field Negro, to house slave treatment, to the paper bag test and the cotton club; there is so much history leading into is the psychology of black values. In a culture that values eurocentric-features, there is need to make us see why we choose to imitate.

Rock doesn’t help the cause of untangling a painful past. Has Rock himself fallen under the long, wind-blowing hair beauty standard? Does he find it more appealing than those who have natural kinky hair? The women of the film obviously have, answering proudly that it’s their real hair. Rock doesn’t counteract the relaxed hair take with those who wear their hair natural. He doesn’t ruminate on the various natural hairstyles or comment on how beautiful they are. In fact, he features only one black woman who wears her hair naturally, actress Tracie Thoms, to give perspective.

Rock does find time, however, to discuss the weave, or human hair extensions. In one segment, Ice-T recalls the childhood memory of wondering how women’s hair would grow a foot over night. We are flown to India, where the weave hair often comes from. In a religious ceremony, men, women, and children’s heads are shaved off in exchange for the thanks and further blessings form the gods. The hair is unknowingly taken from these ceremonies and then processed and sent back to America for consumption — after one crucial part, checking for bugs. But Rock only grazes the surface of the topic, resorting to his distinct brand of humor as he compares the creepy hair company owner to the drug lord Scarface, because both measure in kilos.

Back in the states, Chris Rock conducts a Michael Moore-esque experiment as he tries to sell black hair to the Korean owned black hair shops in Crenshaw, California. In a sadly ironic moment, a female black worker in the shop with a disgusted tone explains that no one wants nappy hair. An equally ironic fact: the majority of black hair shops are Korean owned... another documentary entirely.

Throughout the film were randomly interjected facets of a hair show in Atlanta — a culture completely of its own. The hair show is held at an annual hair convention where hair products all over the country are available for consumers — a.k.a. a big money making machine. This is by far the most entertaining part of the film, but also would have been done better justice in a separate documentary. Other than adding to the film’s high-speed pace, these random interjections caused the film to lack focus.

The problem with Rock’s documentary is how it generalizes a whole group of people as one entity, rather than exploring the distinct qualities within it. I found that I couldn’t relate to any of the women buying weaves, as they were made fun of instead of humanized.

Will this entertain people? Yes, if anything for the same reasons as the success of Rock’s stand-up act. Will it change people? I highly doubt it. There are controversial spots; which are Chris Rock’s specialty. But the movie lacks the effort to investigate a serious issue with self-image. What’s the point of spending 10 dollars to laugh and not learn?

Avoiding Arranged Marriages

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

A few (helpful) tips for not tying the knot.

by Leanne Cushing


Kelvin Patterson

The self-directed future of women and men everywhere is in jeopardy from the ticking time bomb of an arranged marriage. Parental plans, old-fashioned expectations and religion can lead a couple into saying “I do,” when they really don’t. Hopefully, this short guide can help you, dear readers; avoid tying the knot with an undesirable spouse.

Use Protection

In this day and age, premarital sex is not only common but is generally expected. Some religious, personal or family values make abortion out of the question. So, if a woman gets pregnant, not only will she keep it, but a rushed marriage may also ensue to hide the sin of premarital porking. How can this shotgun wedlock be avoided? Only date illiterate orphans. This way, they can’t get bogged down with religion by reading the bible literally, and can’t develop any troublesome family values. Or... you could just use a condom. Remember! Wrap it before you tap it.

Say No to a Sugar Daddy

Not pointing fingers, but sometimes you run into someone and you can’t help but wonder, “What are you going to do after college?” To those of you asking yourself this: maybe you’re realizing it’s time to flash your charm at someone from a notoriously successful major. You can go out and find a nice lawyer, doctor or banker and woo them into a wedding. This may lead to financial security, but may also lead to unhappiness when your personal bank account is empty. To prevtent this scenario, change majors before it’s too late. At the very least, don’t sign the prenuptial.

Make Yourself a Turn Off

Whenever around parents or the planners of the arranged marriage, act rude and uncivilized. Don’t shave and casually mention a list of detestable traits or hobbies you have while you cut your toenails at dinner. If this doesn’t convince the spouse-to-be’s family that you’re not a good match, buy a bunch of cheap porcelain. Then when the families start talking about lots of children in the future, walk by and drop the porcelain and exclaim, “Oops! I’m so clumsy. I drop things all the time... I guess that’s why we can’t have nice things.” Clean and repeat, add in your own sound effects for emphasis. In the end, if you are the only single, non-relative around, try to mention health problems you may or may not have that are inheritable, such as Huntington’s, Cushing’s, and every-kind-of-cancer.

Don’t Get Born in Utah or Missouri

Maybe parts of these states are okay, but avoid the Mormon communities. Granted, only some groups in this population actually promise women to certain men (or take on multiple wives), but why would you risk it?

On the bright side, the divorce rate for arranged couples is relatively low. A marriage can be a beneficial asset to both people in many ways, such as health care benefits, a combined incomes and even a higher life expectancy.

Every romantic preaches, “go find love,” before getting tied into an empty or loveless marriage. If the pressure for an arranged marriage is coming from an obligation to keep your family happy, you might want to consider who the marriage is going to affect primarily: you.

Profiling on the Streets

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Racial profiling undermines society.

by Kelvin Patterson


Kelvin Patterson

Racial profiling doesn’t build a nation. It not only harms the person to whom it’s being directed, but it also affects the image of all law enforcement officers who don’t subscribe to this method of investigation.

To clarify, racial profiling is defined by Amnesty USA as instances: “when race is used by law enforcement or private security officials, to any degree, as a basis for criminal suspicion in non-suspect specific investigations. Discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, nationality or on any other particular identity undermines the basic human rights and freedoms to which every person is entitled.”

Getting hauled away by the police is a disconcerting thought for most college students - especially for something as silly as fitting a profile that is perceived as dangerous. If that profile is based off of physical features and attributes that can be confused with other minorities, the experience can be repeated countless times. This is observable in Rochester, a city with many noted cases of police discrimination. African Americans, and more recently, Arab Americans and Muslims, are more likely to be subjected to “random” selection in streets and airports.

Imagine sitting in a car with your friends. After a few moments of absent-minded conversation, you are surrounded by four patrol cars with red and white flashing lights filling the windows. You are then instructed by a hostile voice to step out of your vehicle and are accosted by another officer. Finally, without any explanation, you are handcuffed.

According to U.S. Newswire, 47 percent of all black males can relate to this story. I had a similar unfortunate occurrence happen to me and two other friends. We were arrested, detained and held without being read our Miranda rights, and in my case, without the right to make a phone call. We would later discover that the reason behind all of this was that someone reported to the police they were robbed by “three black dudes.” In this case, without any questions, the police were willing to violate the rights of the next three black men they saw. And before I knew it, tag. We were it!

There have been too many instances where people are arrested because of their complexion or because they look like “terrorists.” What is really “terrifying” is being violated by those who are supposed to protect and serve you. These days, it would seem as though they are serving and protecting their own interest, just covering up for their own inability to solve problems beyond their control.

Discrimination is based on perception. Just as minorities may be discriminated against police, minorities may unfairly project their fear upon all even-handed members of law enforcement. This further intensifies the situation, and will continually build until it erupts in violent outbursts like the Rodney King incident, the Oakland police riots, or the case of Henry Louis Gates Jr. To avoid these situations, we must encourage our police forces to be more sensitive, even in times of fear.

Infographic: Women in Colleges at RIT

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Ever wonder which colleges attract the most women?

by Justin Claire

Statistics as of 2008.

The major with the most women is Diagnostic Medical Sonography: 94.5 percent female
The major with the most men in it is Applied Networking and Systems Administration: 3.0 percent female

Album Review: Riceboy Sleeps

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

An unforgettable ambient album by Jónsi & Alex.

by Alex Rogala

Ambient 68 min

Dig It

Of all the cultural contributions Iceland has made to the world, one of the most beneficial has been its musical influence. Within the past 20 years, a steady stream of innovative music has poured out of Iceland, including bands like The Sugarcubes, Bjrk, Slowdive, Sigur Rs and mm. Although these bands vary in style, something about their music has transcended boundaries, emitting a surreal power that is almost as barren and beautiful as Iceland itself.

Among the most popular bands to emerge from Iceland is Sigur Rs (Victory Rose), a post-rock band known for their hauntingly powerful songs. In 2003, lead singer “Jnsi” or Birgisson and boyfriend Alex Somers created “Riceboy Sleeps” as an artistic venture, experimenting with various forms of visual art. However, as time went on, the duo began their foray into music, recently releasing their debut album, “Riceboy Sleeps.”

For fans of Sigur Rs, “Riceboy Sleeps” will be a pleasant surprise. The album encapsulates the same otherworldly frailty that initially won fans over; only here, it’s more condensed and prevalent. Guitars are eschewed in favor of lush strings courtesy of Icelandic quartet Amiina drowned in warm swaths of reverb. Jnsi and Alex naturally play off of each other, and the emotional impact their chemistry has on their music is drastic.

The album begins with “Happiness,” a somber yet hopeful string piece. The song slowly crescendos until the weight of the piece eventually leads it to collapse on itself, leaving the listener with a sea of static and the embers of a distant piano. Other highlights include the crackling warmth of “Atlas Song,” the choral “Boy 1904” (arguably the best track on the album), and the breezy, peaceful “Sleeping Giant.”

“Riceboy Sleeps” is the soundtrack of a faraway time that may be lost somewhere in the deep night of winter or the cool spring breeze. Not everyone will enjoy it, but for those who prefer an ambient sound, it will prove to be an unforgettable album.

For people who like: Sigur Rs, Ólafur Arnolds, Enya, and Stars of the Lid

The Morning Shift

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

An early Saturday with FMS.

by Steve Pfost


Steve Pfost

1. Rochester Institute of Technology Facilities Management Services employs over 225 people, including students, in order to maintain a clean and orderly university. These FMS workers are imperative to the operation of RIT, servicing 5 million square feet of building space and 1,300 acres of land.


Steve Pfost

2. Pat Pink, right, has been with FMS for two years while Norita Vargas, left, is a veteran having worked for eighteen years. The two FMS employees’ Saturday starts at 5 a.m. as they prepare to clean various buildings on campus.


Steve Pfost

3. “I guess you can say I have always liked working in big places,” said Pink, who worked previously at the Blue Cross Arena and the Greece Ridge Mall performing similar duties. Here, Pat walks through the men’s bathroom of the Ritter Arena preparing to clean the sinks and toilets.


Steve Pfost

4. Vargas, right, and Pink, left, empty trashcans in the RIT sports medicine examination room. “I just love everything about my job,” says Vargas “I’m just happy I have one because it’s so hard, you know? I see people with a degree and they still don’t have a job.”


Steve Pfost

5. Pink sprays disinfecting cleaner onto the sinks inside the women’s bathroom in the basement of the Ritter Arena.


Steve Pfost

6. A fair amount of students are also employed with FMS. Chris Radnovich, a 4th year Computer Engineering major has worked for the service for over a year. Radnovich vacuums the rug in front of Grace Watson Hall early Saturday morning while a student sleeps on a couch.


Steve Pfost

7. The men’s hockey team played a game Friday night and has another scheduled for later in the evening. Pink empties the trash cans inside the men’s locker room.


Steve Pfost

8. Maria Roman is a shift supervisor inside the dorms on Saturday; she has been with FMS for three months. The early morning wake up combined with running from floor to floor, emptying mounds of garbage can be tiring, “especially when one of your student workers doesn’t show for work.” Roman sits to rest in the break room after taking care of her first half of duties for the morning.

Infographic: Fall 2008 Undergraduate Students

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

The undergraduate population gets broken down by ethnicity.

by Caitlin Shapiro, Kelvin Patterson


Kelvin Patterson

The Opportunities of a Global Village

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

A look at RIT’s latest housing project.

by Jessica Hanus


Chris Langer

Out with Riverknoll and in with the new “Global Village.” This is the future of the construction between Crossroads and the new Student Services/Innovation Center. RIT hopes that the commercial and residential spaces in this future complex will assist students planning to enter the international community.

“We want to prepare students for the global environment that they are going to experience when they travel overseas or study abroad,” said Mary Neidermaier, director of housing operations at RIT.

RIT plans to achieve their goals of spreading culture by having the residential and commercial locations represent different regions from around the world. They will do this through the use of decor, design, fabrics, colors and other aesthetic elements. They may even display work of photography students who have traveled abroad.

Global Village is the working name for a complex that will consist of a plaza and two residential buildings. These buildings are scheduled to open in the fall of 2010 and students can apply to be housed there during the prior spring quarter. While rates are not finalized, they will be competitive to University Commons and Park Point, according to Neidermaier.

The first level of the plaza will be where students have access to a wellness center, mail boxes for the west side of campus, and a convenience store selling items typically found in international markets. There will also be dining facilities like the popular franchise Salsarita’s, a bar offering beers and specialty drinks, and a Mongolian “Global Grill.”

On the upper floors of the plaza there will be housing units and an “entrepreneurial hall” with meeting spaces.

All of the housing in the plaza and residential buildings will be suite-style. Each suite will have bedrooms, a living room, two compartmentalized bathrooms, and some will have a kitchen. The residential floors will also have common areas and possibly a shared kitchen. A total of 414 students will be housed in these suites.


Chris Langer

While there will be international students in the Global Village, they will not receive priority. “The institute has an initiative to focus on the second-year student,” Neidermaier said. This priority is given to these students partially for retention purposes.

One student who is interested in this new global environment is Prateek Mathur, a third-year Bioinformatics student, originally from India. Mathur was president of the Organization for the Alliance of Students from the Indian Subcontinent last year and is now the group’s student advisor.

Although he lives off campus, Mathur plans to take advantage of the Global Village.

“I would still go there to enjoy all of the activities,” Mathur said. “It’s not like I have to live there to get all of the services they offer.”

Mathur perceives that these spaces will give international students something to relate to, as it is not just an event but a permanent part of RIT. It may also make it easier for international students to share information about their culture with friends and get more students interested in studying abroad.

Mathur concluded, “Just a small study abroad office trying to get this message across is harder than ... a whole global village telling them that there are more global opportunities, more global perspectives. Go out and explore them!”

Album Review: Love 2

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

A flawed album by AIR.

by Alex Rogala

Electronic Pop 46 min

Skip It

Despite the myriad of French Electronica duos, Air has always managed to carve a niche of their own. Since their 1998 debut, “Moon Safari,” a reputation has formed for the band’s unique brand of retro-futurism, vast knowledge of synthesizers, and knack for turning out catchy tunes.

However, their heavily experimental nature has often cost them and their third album, 2001’s “10,000 Hz Legend” is proof. The album was widely criticized for deviating from the formula laid out on “Moon Safari,” despite much of its forward looking and innovative content. This led Air to backtrack in style, forsaking much of their innovative experimentation which had given “10,000 Hz Legend” its charm.

“Love 2” is Air’s most recent effort and is the follow-up to 2007’s critically acclaimed “Pocket Symphony”. The album kicks off with “Do the Joy,” a driving rocker that harkens back to early Air with fluttering electric piano, creepy computerized voices, and an array of vintage synthesizers that bubble up from the ether.

The highlights of the album are top-notch, including the Serge Gainsbourg influenced “So Light Is Her Footfall,” the jazz fusion of “Tropical Disease,” and the airy ambience of “You Can Tell It To Everybody.” Yet the lows are equally low — the title track being a veritable train wreck.

“Love 2” isn’t all bad; in fact, many of the songs on the album are pleasant enough. However, they’re merely that. Very little stands out. The problem with “Love 2” isn’t the individual songs but rather it is the lack of an underlying theme or feeling. Air tries to accomplish way too much in way too little space. It often comes off as though the band read a book on hit-making and tried to cram every tip into each song. And although Air deserves more recognition, this certainly isn’t the way to gain it.

For fans of: M83, Boards of Canada and Stereolab

The Fight for Rights: How Far We've Come

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

How far the LGBT community has come and how far they’ve got left to go.

by Emily Bogle


Stu Barnes

Since 1994, the United States has been celebrating October as LGBT History Month. The month was chosen because National Coming Out Day, a major day already established in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community, is observed on Oct. 11. The first march to Washington D.C. by the LGBT community took place in 1979. The month recognizes a different gay icon a day and holds celebrations throughout.

The struggle for LGBT rights is currently raging, gaining state and nationwide approval. In Albany, Governor Patterson has placed marriage equality at the top of the state’s legislative agenda. Cory Gregory, a fifth year Electrical Engineering major and OUTspoken president (see sidebar), pointed to another bill that is currently in process called the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), which would help to prohibit discrimination within New York state based on race, creed, age, religion, nationality, sex or sexual orientation in employment, housing, education, credit and public services. These bills will improve LGBT civil rights in New York State by recognizing rights that grant equality for the LGBT community. With more education, gay rights activists hope to arrive at a broader level of acceptance.

While homosexuality has been accepted in previous eras, persecution and protest did not make itself clear until the 20th century. In 1924, Henry Gerber and six other men formed the Society for Human Rights, the first organization founded to promote gay rights in the United States. It was a short-lived affair; the police raided the founders’ home and arrested the seven men a few months later. The charges against the men were dropped, but the organization quickly folded. It was over 20 years until another organization promoting gay rights was created.

In 1950, Harry Hay, a gay man loosely connected to Gerber, formed the Mattachine Society in Los Angeles. The name was derived from the French group of masked performers, which was a play on how gay people are masked in public. The group’s two main objectives were to start a grassroots movement against anti-gay discrimination and to cultivate a gay community. Lesbians and gays would meet and speak openly about their experiences. Soon, Mattachine Societies began forming in cities across the country. The New York society was founded in 1955 but became noticeably active in the 1960s when it began publicly advocating for gay rights.

New York City was the site of a tremendous riot for gay rights in 1969. Police regularly raided bars serving predominately gay crowds, as it was illegal to solicit homosexual relations in the city. On June 28, customers who were removed from the Stonewall Inn, known as the gay bar in the city, began to mock and throw things at the police officers. Chaos erupted and riots continued for five days. The Stonewall is still in Greenwich Village and is a monument for gay history in this country.

The psychiatric community became involved in the progression gay rights when it removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973. It was important that homosexuality was no longer something that classified people as mentally unstable, or something cured through placement in a psychiatric unit.

Throughout the 1970s and 80s, openly gay public officials began to take office for the first time. Harvey Milk, the subject of the Academy Award winning film “Milk,” was elected to serve on the board of supervisors in San Francisco. Openly gay public figures proved that gay people were equally as competent as straight people. They were also role models for people who could not openly speak out about their sexual orientation.

In 1998, a tragic event affected gay communities everywhere and encouraged more outspoken demands for tolerance for homosexuality. On Oct. 12, Matthew Shepard, a gay student at the University of Wyoming, was tortured and killed in a hate crime. Two men targeted Shepard, offering him a ride home from a bar. They beat and tied him to a post in the open prairie, a reminder of the brutality that remained in the American psyche. He was discovered the next day and rushed to a hospital, but later died from complications from his injuries.

The Matthew Shepard Act was lobbied for and passed, expanding on the 1969 United States federal hate crime law. It was passed to Senate on Oct. 22, 2009, and signed into law by President Barack Obama on Oct. 28. It will increase funding in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes.

Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Iowa have legalized gay marriage, and New Hampshire will join that group in Jan. 2010. Many states have granted certain rights to gay people, even recognizing marriage if performed in another state or country. While surprises like California’s Proposition 8 may go against the change our country has witnessed in the past, it has not affected the determination of activists in the United States, or at RIT.

Supporting the Movement at RIT

On campus, OUTspoken is an organization dedicated to providing education and a way becomimg active in tackling LGBT issues at RIT. The organization formed about a year ago but has already held a speaker series to educate the community about various aspects of LGBT life.

Recently, OUTspoken partnered with ImageOut Film Festival to get films on campus — some of which were made free in order to have more students attend.

OUTspoken President Cory Gregory has worked to promote LGBT issues on campus. He believes that the gay civil rights movement in the country “is running slow, particularly in terms of marriage. At the end of last year there were a bunch of states passing laws accepting same-sex marriage. We thought New York would be with them and it was upsetting when it was not passed.”

Gregory mentioned a few LGBT community-related or sponsored bills that are currently in the New York State Senate, and he’s hopeful for a final “push for same-sex marriage.” Diversity, in all aspects, was something he stressed when discussing a current OUTspoken and Student Government project. The two groups formed a partnership and created a banner promoting diversity on campus where people were invited to sign their names and add painted handprints to demonstrate their support.

Movie Review: Batoru Rowaiaru (Battle Royale)

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Forty two junior high students fight to the death.

by John Howard

Action 114 min

Dig It

This film is a classic. No, a masterpiece. No, a clasterpiece. Japanese director, Kinji Fukasaku, serves up an action laced fight-to-the-death thriller, which is injected straight to your throbbing vena cava for an all-too-rare “This is effing awesome!” moment of moviemaking excitement.

Adapted from Koushun Takami’s novel of the same title, “Battle Royale” takes place in an alternative timeline on a remote, deserted island, mirroring some of the thematic elements of Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game.” Forty two junior high students (21 males and 21 females) are all fixed with tracking necklaces, basic survival essentials, and one weapon. A fictionalized Republic of Greater East Asia releases the students in a competition rewarding “the last one standing.”

We follow the students as they off each other one-by-one in violent and disturbing ways. All of which were tagged with Fukasaku’s signature death toll title cards. Although the setup seems slightly implausible and tiresome (“Saw VI” anyone?), Fukasaku’s abilities as a visual storyteller make “Battle Royale” feel fresh. Rather than victims, we are given characters with emotions and back-stories that are not forced, but embedded and showcased by a stand-up cast. For example, we delve into the love connection between Shuya Nanahara (Tatsuya Fujiwara) and Noriko Nakagawa (Taro Yamamoto). Every ounce of this film is used to its potential. The action is never stale and the amount of generous insight is fresh air to the genre.

In the end, perhaps the most important part of this Fukasaku installment is the scary truth of human nature: our ability to turn on ourselves. When stripped of everything but the instinct to survive, Takami’s characters return to the savage core of human existence and prove that we don’t necessarily need to look for vampires or paranormal activity to see the true fright around us.

Not So New Kids On The Block

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Older students at RIT.

by Alecia Crawford


Joanna Eberts

Every year over 2,000 incoming freshmen come to RIT just months after their high school graduation. The anticipation of college horror stories coming true puts many on pins and needles long past the first week of classes. However, not all freshmen share this humble beginning. Instead of leaving high school, some more mature students take time out of their career and away from their families to return to academics.

Fourth year marketing major Karen Whigham didn’t go through RIT’s Week of Welcome, however she knows firsthand exactly how important having a college education is. “When I first started back to school, I felt intimidated and overwhelmed,” said Whigham. “Not so much by the classwork, but by the college culture.”

Whigham started at RIT as a wife and mother of four, three of which she saw off to RIT. On top of taking 18 credits this quarter, Whigham works two jobs, takes care of aging parents and her home, tries to pay attention to her husband, and never seems to be off-duty as a mother to her four children. As if she has time for anything else, she still maintains social ties with her friends whom she considers a part of her support system while she finishes up her degree program.

With the economy so bad, going back to school is the only option, when 20-something-year-olds with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are taking the jobs the older generation once held. The way things are, suddenly 10 plus years of experience doesn’t matter unless it is paired with an expensive sheet of paper known as a bachelor’s degree. Many students can testify to this, as they see their parents are going through the same hardships. Whigham came to RIT to stand out from the competition by getting a degree to offset the “age factor” in employers’ minds.


Joanna Eberts

The age factor plays a role in defining exactly who the non-traditional students are at RIT. Most students see non-traditional students as people around their parents’ age. “Traditional students address me as they might address their parent, which has everyone acting a bit cautious,” elaborated Whigham.

So, what makes a traditional student? Our parents might say traditional students are lucky, eat a lot of pizza, party a lot, study a little bit, protest about current issues, don’t have that many responsibilities, and experiment to find themselves. It is arguable that both age groups have these things in common, but perceived differences deter conversation outside of class. Since over 80 percent of RIT students are traditional, most services, clubs and other programs are geared towards them.

“Non-traditionals come to RIT with a wealth of ‘real world’ experience,” said Whigham.

Whigham is president of Tigers Non-Traditionals, a support group for the non-traditional student. She started the club after fellow non-traditionals she knew attempted to come back for their degrees, but couldn’t finish. It wasn’t until she did research on non-traditional students for a professional business communication class that she found out how large the non-traditional student population was.

From here, the idea for the group really began to materialize. With help from fourth year Marketing major Quinn Schlegel, vice president and co-founder, and encouragement from Lecturer in Communication Susan Widrick, she presented the idea to the E. Phillip Saunders College of Business. Assistant Dean for Student Services of SCB, Kathy Ozminkowski, gave them the green light to start the group. Students from other colleges are able to join the group as well. Whigham stated “Knowing that there are others around this campus, who have the same concerns or questions that you do, can make you feel a little less isolated.”


Joanna Eberts

Non-traditional learners have also been getting some lime-light lately. NBC’s new prime time show “Community” highlights a group of traditional and non-traditional students going to community college in order to better their current situations. Through comedy and television morals, “Community” showcases that with a common goal, no matter at what stage of life, people can get along.

The non-traditional student experience isn’t just limited to middle-aged men and women. Many students choose to start higher education at a two-year school, eventually transferring to a four-year university.

Despite the challenges faced by non-traditionals and the tension between them and their younger counterparts, they persevere. After all, the desire to learn is timeless.

Restaurant Review: Sinbad's Mediterranean Cuisine

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

A good experience.

by Jackie Fingerhut

Dig It

719 Park Avenue
Rochester, NY 14607

Nestled in the quiet suburban neighborhood of Park Avenue, about a 20 minute drive from RIT, you’ll find Sinbad’s Mediterranean Cuisine. Specializing in foods made with natural ingredients, this restaurant is not one to pass up. After sampling far more items from the menu than should be consumed in one sitting, I left with a full stomach, a dent in my wallet, and the urge to return.

Although Park Avenue is lined with small shops, residential streets branch off of it at every block, making it seem as if Sinbad’s is situated in what was once someone’s home residence. Set back several feet from the street, the restaurant gives off a friendly appearance. After locating a parking spot (which took a good 10 minutes), it was a short walk to the restaurant.

Inside, I was immediately greeted with upbeat, yet traditional-sounding music. The seating area itself was small, and the walls were trimmed with mirrors; but the simple decor gave the whole place a welcoming feel. The wait staff was speedy and efficient, and the exposed kitchen area made the main dining room appear more open.

While all menu items are called by their native names, a description of each dish is provided so that one does not order blindly. Sinbad’s offers a nice variety of dishes including many vegetarian options and almost every type of stuffed pita imaginable. They also serve a wide variety of pizzas, salads and pastas. Items on the menu range from 3 up to 12, but entrees average at about 6. It’s the same price as many meals on campus but without the excessive grease and questionable content.

Their vegetarian chili wasn’t too spicy and was loaded with chunks of fresh veggies. For an appetizer, I ordered maza, (pita crisps stuffed with feta cheese, scallions, olive oil and spices) which was absolutely delicious. In fact, I wish I had ordered another plate. Their gyro pitas are about the size of a regular Quiznos sub and are packed with meat, veggies and a flavorful sauce. I also sampled the Sambusek (chicken, veggies, parmesan cheese and sauce packed in a pita), which was also mouthwateringly good. I wanted to order dessert, but I knew I couldn’t eat another bite.

Every item of food was fresh and full of flavor. The meats were tender and perfectly cooked. The service was fast and the waitresses were friendly. After over a month of mass-produced, greasy RIT food, Sinbad’s cuisine tasted like a tiny piece of heaven. I definitely plan on making a return trip in the near future.

Atheism and Religion on Campus

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

Two sides of the God debate.

by Viktor Nagornyy


Jack Reickel

Religion is a sensitive topic to some, but one that needs to be open for discussion in order to facilitate understanding. RIT is very religiously diverse, with Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists and Bah’ students forming communities of devotion on campus. In addition to religious representation, the institute has one non-religious group, the RIT Skeptics. Two of the more public groups, the Campus Crusade for Christ and the Skeptics spoke out in an interview about the RIT community and their involvement.

Joe Stevens, a fifth year Software Engineering major and president of CCC said, “I love dialogue about spiritual things, because it’s an important thing to think about, and I feel like people seldom do it on their own.” His campus group strives “to get a dialogue going.” Their mission, according to the CCC website is based upon Matthew 28:18-20.

The passage reads, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’”

They hold weekly meetings, to help students to “grow spiritually,” as well as small Bible studies to examine the word of God. CCC is getting ready to head to the Boston Winter Conference where they will “hear the word of God without distractions of daily life ... with other college students, powerful worship, and guest speakers that will encourage, challenge and empower your walk with Christ.”

On the other end of the spectrum, the RIT Skeptics are trying to “promote the use of and respect for reason and rationality in all aspects of student life on the RIT campus.” Ben Isserlis, third year Computer Science student and club president, added, “We differ from the religious groups on campus in that we don’t claim to have any special knowledge or direct message from a deity.”

This year they have held two lectures based on the idea of the separation of church and state, with renowned activists Michael Wenstein and Dan Barker. Weinstein’s Military Religious Freedom Foundation was nominated for 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, and Dan Barker is co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, which pursues public interest lawsuits to further its goals. The skeptics hold weekly meetings, allowing everyone to discuss many issues ranging from religion, science fiction, paranormal, and many other topics concerning skepticism and rationality.

Trevor Key, a member of CCC noted, “Blind acceptance of Christianity or any other religion is not something that we promote, and the Skeptics are a healthy addition to the campus dialogue.” Religious groups on campus try to work together to promote conversation and discussion in order to promote healthy exploration of human mind and beliefs. “I have worked with the religious communities a lot in the previous year as I sit on the Interfaith Student Council. While I disagree with their beliefs, we can all respect each other’s opinions. Last year we had a discussion on the question of whether or not you can be moral without God,” said Isserlis.

When asked about RIT’s religious landscape, both parties had similar views. Stevens and Isserlis agreed that people would much rather talk about something else than religion.

According to 2008 American Religious Identification Survey, the number of Americans unaffiliated with any religion rose from 14.1 percent in 2001 to 15 percent in 2008. “The U. S. population continues to show signs of becoming less religious, with one out of every five Americans failing to indicate a religious identity in 2008,” according to the survey. “The challenge to Christianity in the U.S. does not come from other religions but rather from a rejection of all forms of organized religion.”

At Your Leisure

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0500

OMG Furries.

by John Howard


Ben Rubin, Jamie Douglas

Stream of Facts

The Florida School for the Deaf and Blind was where Ray Charles attended grade school from 1937 to 1945 and where he learned the Braille system of MUSIC notation.

In Indian MUSIC, the sitar is native to the subcontinent’s tradition, but through efforts of classical musician, Ravi Shankar, the instrument made its way to the WEST in the 1960s.

In 2001, a Walmart in Morgantown, WEST Virginia, was relocated due to a strong protest against using the chosen location which was on a Native American BURIAL site.

Before the Japanese Edo Period (1603-1867), the BURIAL of a body was the family’s decision, which usually meant dumping the body in shallow graves called sutebaka or in a RIVER.

Along the Hudson RIVER, Saint Frances X. Cabrini of Italy acquired 450 acres to use for an orphanage a year after she had been sent to work with U.S. IMMIGRANTS by Pope Leo XIII.

The most IMMIGRANTS to enter the U.S. in a single year through Ellis Island was 1,285,000, contrasting with 1991’s total number of 1,827,167 FOREIGN immigrants.

The FOREIGN film leader, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” received 10 Oscar nominations and is the first non-American made film to gross over 100 million in the U.S..

U.S. immigrants from China and India account for 33 percent of the Silicon Valley business founders to establish a TECHNOLOGY-based company since 1995.

The Japanese, a world lead in TECHNOLOGY, are 20 percent more likely to look robots in the eye than each other during a CONVERSATION.

Phone CONVERSATION, according to an American Time Use Survey of 2008, takes a minimum average of eight minutes each day; women with 11 minutes and men with four.

Reporter Recommends

Golden Dragon Acrobats
For one day only on Saturday, November 7, the Golden Dragon Acrobats will be appearing at the Wadsworth Auditorium at SUNY Geneseo. Through their vibrancy and skillfulness in performance, this group has come to be known as the premiere Chinese acrobatic touring company. Their acts combine Chinese tradition with precision strength, blazing costumes and technical dance moves, along with and modern beats and stage production. The contributions of big names such as impresario Danny Chang and choreographer Angela Chang, help bring Golden Dragon Acrobats past the point of a mere stage show and to what many describe as an art form. Go for the show and stay for the Geneseo party scene. Tickets are 16 and can be purchased from the Student Association Ticket Office. Phone: 585.245.5873.

For video footage of the Golden Dragon Acrobats, visit http://goldendragonacrobat.com.

Overseen and Overheard

Car bumper in G lot.

“Then she told me her parents were hit by a deer, and I was like ‘that’s not really how it works, but okay.’”
- Male student in the Louise Slaughter Center for Integrated Manufacturing Study atrium.

Two Java Wally’s baristas scoping out competition at Artesanos.

Male in mid-forties wearing business attire scoring free laundry in Gleason laundry room.

Send your Overseen and Overheads with the phrase “Overseen and Overheard” in the subject line to leisure@reportermag.com. Now accepting cell phone pics!

Word of the Week

Endogamy n. marriage within a specific group as required by custom or law

In “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” Ian must be baptized in ordered to be accepted by Toula’s father who is a strong believer of endogamy within the Greek culture.

Definition taken from http://merriam-webster.com.

Quote

“If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.”
- Malcom X