Some schools offer ‘Zipcars’
Students could be just a couple clicks away from renting a
brand new MINI Cooper Convertible 2009 model for $11 an hour,
if a company such as Zipcar were to come to UT.
Zipcar users at schools where the system is in place, such as
Duke University, the University of Michigan and Yale
University, can swipe a card called a Zipcard to use a car for
a certain amount of time and then return it.
Stefanie, a Zipcar employee who said she could not provide her
last name due to company policy, explained the process of
joining the Zipcar program at participating schools.
“You sign up online at the Zipcar Web site, and you fill out
the application. It looks at your driving record, and it takes
about seven business days. When you sign up, you pick a plan,
either yearly or monthly,” Stefanie said. “The yearly plan
costs $50 yearly, and that’s the occasional driving plan.
There are many monthly plans that vary.”
Whether a student wants to go home for a few days or make a
quick run to the grocery store, Zipcar offers its student
users a way to get off campus without their own car.
“The maximum amount of time you can keep a car is four days
for one vehicle,” Stefanie said. “If you want to have more
than four days, you have to switch for a different vehicle. We
try to keep vehicles available for people.”
Zipcar offers a variety of cars, ranging from more expensive
models such as the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid to cheaper
ones, such as the 2009 Mazda 3.
“It’s really cars on demand,” Zipcar Chairman and CEO Scott
Griffith told CNBC’s Erin Burnett. “This is for people that
are primarily in cities that don’t want to own a car. Car
ownership is a hassle; it’s expensive. So we’re taking car
ownership and turning it into one hour at a time.”
Griffith explained how the car is accessed.
“We send a wireless message. Once you make your reservation
online using the Internet or your touch-tone phone, we send a
message to the car and you let yourself in and out using a
little [radio-frequency identification] card,” he said. “Then
you just get charged for that little bit of time that you’re
in the car. You park it; you walk away, and it includes
insurance. It includes the gas up to 180 miles per day while
you’re in the car.”
According to its Web site, Zipcar is on more than 100 college
campuses across North America.
The company accepts users who are 21 years of age, with an age
exception for college students.
“You have to be 21 years of age, unless you’re a university
student, and if you’re a university student, you have to go to
that university. You can only rent restrictively from the
university you go to,” Stefanie said.
At this time, there are no plans to bring Zipcar, or a similar
service, to UT, said David Wahr, the interim director of
auxiliary services at UT.
“We’re always looking for new services for the students, and
if there’s a demand out there, we may investigate it further,”
Wahr said. “I’ve been watching [Zipcar], but it’s not a first
priority,” he said.
“Our campus, being largely commuter in nature, most students
bring their own cars,” Wahr said.
Jordan Rantucci, a sophomore majoring in pharmacy, said
Zipcar’s services could be useful to some students.
“I think that program would help a lot of kids who are stuck
without a car,” Rantucci said. “If you lived in a dorm and
just needed a car for a weekend, that would really help.”
Though Zipcar may be beneficial to students who do not own a
vehicle, some students are concerned about the cost.
“Having rental cars up here could cost a lot more money,” said
Zach Fissell, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice. “If it
was a university-sponsored thing, like part of tuition, I
wouldn’t want it.”
Student assaulted near campus
In the early morning hours on Thursday, Toledo Police
responded to an off-campus felonious assault just south of
Main Campus on the 900 block of Elysian Avenue, according to a
timely warning issued by UT Police Chief Jeff Newton.
According to Newton, the male victim is a sophomore with an
undecided major enrolled part-time at UT. The victim was
reportedly involved in a “verbal altercation” with an unknown
person that resulted in the victim being stabbed in the back
and transported to Toledo Hospital with “non-life threatening
injuries.”
The suspect is described as a black male driving what may be a
blue Ford Taurus, according to the timely warning.
Growing a playoff beard
There are no groups of athletes more superstitious than hockey
players, especially during the playoffs.
A minority of players might not believe in the superstitions,
but during the Stanley Cup playoffs, every player abides by
them.
The players’ superstitions reach a point of near-obsessive
compulsive behavior. Most players eat the same meal before
every game, put their pads on in the same order every time and
avoid stepping on the lines while skating during warm-ups.
Some players wear the same socks and/or underwear throughout
the playoffs.
Wayne Gretzky refused to get a haircut on the road after
losing a game, and he always shot his first puck far to the
right of the goal during warm-ups.
Sidney Crosby won’t let anyone touch his stick after he tapes
it. Vincent Lecavalier won’t let his stick touch the ground
while off the ice. Ray Bourque changed the laces in his skates
every game, and Joe Nieuwendyk sprinkled baby powder on the
blade of his stick before every game. Patrick Roy always
talked to the goal posts.
The most common superstition is the playoff beard. Once the
playoffs begin, a player will not shave until his team is out
of the playoffs. This superstition is universally followed. If
a player shaved during a playoff run, he would likely be
shunned by his teammates.
The New York Rangers started the tradition in the 1980s. It is
followed by college and high school teams today.
In support of the Detroit Red Wings, I’ve decided to grow my
first playoff beard. I have never grown out a beard before. I
can’t stand facial hair. Part of it has to do with the
irritation, but it’s mostly because it makes me look
ridiculous.
It would help if my facial hair weren’t light blond. I could
grow a ZZ Top-style beard and it would hardly be noticeable.
Also, until recently, there was no hair connecting my mustache
to the rest of the beard, and today there is still very
little.
I’m going to look absurd, and my friends will be sure to
constantly remind me of that, but it’s a small price to pay to
support one of two of my favorite teams that hasn’t let me
down lately. The other is the Cleveland Cavaliers. While the
tradition is rooted to hockey, I’ll refrain from shaving until
both the Red Wings and Cavaliers are out of the playoffs,
hopefully each with a championship.
Throughout the playoffs, I will detail the progress of both
teams
and
the
growth
of
the
beard
at
Blogs.IndependentCollegian.com/AllSportsConsidered.
sure to post pictures from time to time.
I’ll
be
I might look like a hobo for the next couple of months, but
I’ll be too preoccupied with the playoffs to care.
– Jason Mack is the Sports Editor and a senior majoring in
communication.
Dance Marathon raises $50K
Students had the chance to relive the 1920s as they danced to
songs by musicians such as Irving Berlin on Friday at UT’s
Eight-Annual Dance Marathon.
Participants of Dance Marathon paid a $50 donation to undergo
16 hours without sitting as a charity event for St. Vincent
Mercy Children’s Hospital in downtown Toledo.
The first dance marathon at UT was held in 2002. Since then,
the program has raised more than a quarter of a million
dollars, said Steven Stransky, the director of public
relations for Dance Marathon and a junior majoring in
communication.
Each hour, participants learned a new part of a 16-piece line
dance, taught by the Choreography Committee for the marathon.
Tristanne Staudt, a senior majoring in international business
and member of the Choreography Committee, said the songs and
dances the participants learned were reflective of different
decades.
“We tried to pick songs that people would know and would be
excited to dance to that also went with the theme. This year’s
theme was ‘Dancing Through the Decades,'” she said.
In addition to line dance, participants learned hip-hop dance
moves, and there was also a salsa dance demonstration.
Though having to stand for 16 hours straight may seem like an
unbearable feat, several participants said they had a positive
outlook to keep them going.
“The motivation and energy of people around you keeps you
going,” said Marci Caryer, a senior majoring in speech
language pathology and member of the Chi Omega sorority.
There were many activities in which to participate, and not
being able to sit down for a prolonged period of time is not
hard if participants keep themselves busy, said Neil Horani, a
freshman majoring in biology.
Other activities included basketball, a tug of war, Twister
and various video games.
Some participants tried to forget how long they had been
standing.
“I refuse to look at the clock,” said Greg Smith, a member of
the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, after being on his feet for
six hours.
Participants were even provided with energy drinks to keep
them stimulated. If the excitement died down, it would rise
again when it was time for students to learn a new dance.
Many of the dancers said they participated in the marathon
simply to support a good cause, but others had personal
reasons.
“My little sister has a disability, so it hits closer to
home,” said Madchen Radke, a freshman majoring in nursing.
“Other people go to events to support her, so I figured I’d go
to something that supports other kids with disabilities.”
Many participants said they think Dance Marathon shows unity
in the UT community and provides a positive portrayal of
college students.
“It shows the UT spirit, that we came together for this cause.
It brings us all together,” Smith said.
There were a total of about 600 participants who signed up for
Dance Marathon this year, Stransky said. Participating
organizations in the event included UT’s National Honor
Society, Campus Crusade for Christ and a variety of
fraternities and sororities.
Caryer said the huge turnout shows UT students are passionate
about helping others.
“This isn’t something that people were forced into. This is
something we actually love,” Caryer said.
Devin Stowers, a junior majoring in communication and a member
of the Kappa Delta Rho fraternity, said it is important for
students to participate in Dance Marathon because it’s a huge
UT tradition, and it is a way for students to show they are
proud to be part of the UT community.
“Everybody thinks so little of college students. This shows
that students at UT want to give back,” Stransky said.
This year’s marathon grossed more than $50,000, which breaks
the record of last year’s marathon when $48,000 was raised,
Stransky said.
Tennis finishes season
The UT women’s tennis team finished the regular season on
Friday with a 6-1 win at home against Northern Illinois. The
Rockets will finish the season with the Mid-American
Conference Tournament, which starts on Thursday and will be
hosted by Bowling Green.
“Overall, we played pretty well and we will get back to work
on Monday in preparation for the MAC tournament,” Head Coach
Tracy Mauntler said on Friday after the match.
Junior Maha Guirguis and junior Martina Wodzinski dominated in
No. 1 doubles, winning 8-1 over Brooke Forsberg and Martina
Schnapp.
Senior Jenny Belsky and junior Nadia Zoubareva lost 8-6 in No.
2 doubles against Lilian Asuaje and Emily Rogers. The loss
tied the teams at 1-1 and meant the No. 3 doubles match
determined who won the doubles point.
Sophomore Ashley Frey and freshman Melissa Reynolds fell
behind quick in the No. 3 doubles match. Kathryn Friedlund and
Sara McLaughlin jumped out to a 7-2 lead and were just one
point away from securing the doubles point. Frey and Reynolds
fought back with seven-straight points to win the match 9-7.
Wodzinski easily controlled the No. 1 singles match, winning
6-1, 6-1 against Asuage. Guirguis shutout Friedlund 6-0 in the
first set and won 7-5 in the second set.
Frey lost 7-5 in the first set against Schnapp, but she won
6-4 in the second set and 6-1 in the third set to secure the
No. 3 singles match. Belsky also went three sets, winning 6-0,
4-6, 6-2 over Forsberg in No. 5 singles.
Zoubareva won 6-2, 6-0 in No. 4 singles. Reynolds had the only
loss of the day, dropping a 6-4, 6-4 match against McLaughlin
in No. 6 singles.
Annex area may become student
parking
In response to student concerns about the lack of parking on
campus, a new temporary gravel parking lot may soon be
constructed near the demolished Student Classroom Annex.
“One option would be to put a temporary parking lot in the
space where the Student Annex and the old power building and
the old armory will soon be demolished … so the choice would
be a nice, grassy extension of the mall or a temporary parking
lot,” said UT President Lloyd Jacobs in the latest edition of
the “A Presidential Perspective” video series that appeared on
the myUT Web portal on Tuesday.
Later that evening, Student Government President Greg Seifert
took an informal vote of student senators on whether they
would prefer a temporary lot or “green space.”
“On Tuesday, it looked like a fair majority would rather go
for a temporary parking lot,” Seifert said. “I just needed an
idea of what [student senators] thought. I didn’t think it was
necessary to pass legislation on it or anything. Ultimately,
it’s [the administration’s] decision, so I just needed a
little student feedback.”
Mike Abernathy, a sophomore majoring in finance, said he would
rather have a temporary lot over a green space.
“They need to do something about parking because they just
keep putting more and more classroom buildings there but there
is nowhere to park anywhere around,” Abernathy said. “[A
temporary parking lot] would make sense. There’s a lot of
times, anytime after 11 in the morning, it seems like it’s
impossible to find a spot, like, anywhere.”
On Friday, Seifert met with Michael Green, manager for
mechanical engineering at UT, and the two walked around the
property where the temporary lot may be constructed. According
to Green, the “temporary” lot would be made of gravel and
exist for no more than two years. The lot would be an
extension of the gravel lot currently used for contractor
parking. That “lay-down area” would then be expanded to
include the parking spaces formerly assigned to the Student
Classroom Annex, Green said.
“We’ll put some stone down there, too, and it will be one big
open gravel lot,” Green said.
Although Green said UT would need an architect to figure out
the actual space layout, he and Seifert estimated there is
enough space for somewhere between 50 to 80 student parking
spaces.
Jacquelyn Raker, a junior majoring in history, said she thinks
50 to 80 spaces would relieve some student stress caused by
the lack of parking, if the spaces had a time limit.
“It depends on how long they’re parking there. If people are
parking there all day, then probably not, because then it will
be just 50 to 80 more cars, but if it has a limit, then maybe
people using the library or [who] have class in these
buildings, it might work, but most of these cars stay here all
day,” Raker said.
According to Jacobs, both the green space and the temporary
parking lot would cost approximately the same amount. Due to
the existing lighting in the area, Green said it would not be
a great expense to the university to construct the lot.
“The downside is, it’s all gravel, but it’s a temporary thing,
but the nice thing is that … within a month, two months tops,
they’re going to have a temporary parking lot for students
right up there next to Carlson,” Green said.
Allison Bening, a senior majoring in history, said she would
support a temporary lot because parking is a big issue for
her, but she also sees the benefits of a green space.
“I don’t know; I mean, parking is a big issue, but, then
again, yeah they’re trying to green up the campus,” Bening
said. “So, I don’t know; that’s a toughie.”
Following the completed demolition of the Student Classroom
Annex and the ROTC building, Green said it would be a quick
process to construct the lot.
“We already have the lot there; I’ve just got to get the
demolition part out of the way and then do a little bit of
dressing up so that everybody knows where they’re supposed to
be parking,” he said.
According to Green, the temporary parking lot would be a
unique opportunity
parking.
to
relieve
students’
concerns
about
“Hey, the students ask for some temporary parking, and we can
give it to them real quick, so it’s a win-win for everybody
all the way around, but it’s going to be gravel; it’s not
going to be asphalt or anything too fancy,” Green said.
Whether the area becomes a temporary student lot or green
space, the land is ultimately the future site of two new
buildings, Jacobs said.
“Both of those ultimately would give way to, I hope, the
agriculture research building and a new science building some
time in the not too distant future,” he said.
Sports
funding
clubs
lobby
for
During a Student Government meeting last Tuesday, about 40
students from several UT club sports showed up to express
their concerns over a lack of funding.
There are 19 sport clubs at UT, and about 380 students are a
part of those clubs, according to Joe Bendix, assistant
director of intramurals, who acts as an adviser to those
clubs.
“I think it’s great that students are coming to talk about
what they think needs to be done at the university; that’s why
I’m here; that’s what I want to hear about,” said Interim Dean
of Students Michele Martinez.
She said while she appreciated that students took the time and
effort to attend the meeting and express their concerns, there
is a procedure for requesting funding.
“There is a process to ask for general fee dollars and … what
typically should have happened was sports clubs would have
come to me, because I’m the owner of their budgets, and said,
‘We have a problem. We need more money. This is how much we
need,’ and then, after looking at all the information and
doing an investigation, I would have come up with a number to
ask the general fee [committee] to increase my budget by X
amount in order to give them more money,” Martinez said. “In
the future, that’s what I would suggest.”
President of the Ice Hockey Club Greg Urig, a junior majoring
in mechanical engineering and one of the students who attended
the meeting, said their intentions at the SG meeting may have
seen by some as merely a demand for more spending money.
“I think part of the reason the meeting kind of got heated [is
because], I think, it’s coming across as we’re just looking
for a handout, and I’m sure there’s probably some people, some
athlete saying that … that’s what they’re here for,” Urig
said.
He added that if SG members are able to provide a voice for
extra funding, it would be a great opportunity for club sports
members to then help support future SG initiatives.
Martinez said the club sports members should discuss budget
problems in the right context.
“Any group can’t just come to Student Government and say, ‘Now
we want more money,’ and we change everything based on that,”
Martinez said. “We have over 250 student organizations, and
not all of them are funded, or some of them get nothing, like
$100, so all that needs to be put into perspective.”
Club sports receive a total of $42,000 per academic year, and
there hasn’t been an increase in the
according to Jeff Witt, director of the
Center, in an e-mail. He also said
organizations have received an increase in
four years.
past four years,
Student Recreation
no other student
funding in the last
Witt said the allocation is based on how many students the
club serves, the realistic costs of operation for the club and
how well it is doing – for example, the amount of activity,
following UT procedure, et cetera. If there’s a case where a
club under spent its budget, less would be given to that club,
and the extra money would be reallocated to other clubs.
Witt said the club sports are collectively the fourth largest
funded student organizations at UT, following Campus
Activities and Programming, which has the largest budget at
about $87,000, The Student Government Association and WXUT
88.3, UT’s college radio station.
Witt said although all the clubs were briefed at the beginning
of the school year about the options to fundraise, only four
sport clubs conducted any fundraising projects. The Ultimate
Disc Club organized one stadium cleanup, the Women’s
Volleyball Team held one tournament, the Wrestling Club held
two tournaments and the Hockey Club sold T-shirts throughout
the year. In addition to that, Witt said a few clubs received
donations from outside contributors and
Expeditions Club charged membership dues.
the
Wilderness
“Right now, we’re OK because of the fundraising, and we pay
dues and stuff like that too. But, in the long run, I don’t
see the club being in existence in five years if the funding
stays the same and nothing changes,” said President of the
Women’s Lacrosse Team Amy Komisarek, a senior majoring in
marketing and sales.
She added that traveling expenses are one of the biggest
concerns because there are not many teams they can play
against in the area.
“Lack of funding results in [fewer] games, less play for us,”
she said.
Komisarek added that each member pays $30 for a semester or
$50 for one academic year, depending on the member’s role in
the team.
UT’s Athletics and Cheerleaders receive $9,606,193, according
to the Fiscal Year 2010 Student General Fee Recommendation,
but Urig said club sports can provide many of the same
benefits as these programs.
“I think it’s overlooked as something that could generate
school spirit … same type of benefits that the regular varsity
athletics … generates,” Urig said. He said when the team
recruits players, they “sell the school, not the program.”
Urig said the Ice Hockey Club is trying to hire a head coach.
“We have tried to ask about different benefits that the
university can provide and help us with that, and we’ve been
shot down pretty much everywhere we turn,” he said.
While salary is the ultimate concern, he said he understands
that the university may not be able to offer a salary matching
the market value for a head coach. Urig said he approached the
university and asked for a reduced tuition rate for the
potential head coach if he or she wanted to pursue a master’s
degree, for example, while coaching the team.
“[We were told] no, because [a coach] is not officially an
employee of the school,” he said. Another option was to have
the coach’s room and board covered, but Urig said he did not
approach UT with the idea because he had been turned down
multiple times.
He has also considered trying to get employment at the Rec but
was told there is a hiring freeze.
“I don’t think there’s a whole lot to offer,” he said. “We can
keep trying, and I’ll definitely keep trying, but at this
point … this might be a good stepping stone.”
Each UT student pays a mandatory general fee, which may vary
depending on the program. For a majority of programs, students
pay $555.60 that goes toward the Student General Fee pot, and
according to the FY10 Student General Fee Recommendation,
there is $21,218,463 allotted in the budget.
“Typically, we don’t get that many more students, so when you
look at the pot of money, unless we were to get a lot more
students, really the pot of money doesn’t change, and in order
to give more money with the pot of money that we have, in
order to give more money to sports clubs or anyone else, we
have to take it from something else,” Martinez said. “All of
those things are vital to life on campus, and so I know that
these students are really passionate about the organizations
they are involved in, but there’s a broader picture; there’s a
whole university that has to be considered.”
Martinez said she sees the students reaching out for support
as a learning opportunity.
“While everybody has needs, there is only so many resources we
have at the institution, but I think specifically the General
Fee Committee, that’s made up of students, with all the
information in front of them, will make the right decision
based on what students need,” she said.
Five students, including SG President Greg Seifert, sit on the
General Fee Committee. Additionally, Senior Business Manager
for Student Affairs Marcia Culling and Martinez attend those
meetings to provide guidance.
Softball team drops three of
four games
The UT softball team fell to 6-31 overall in 4-9 in the MidAmerican Conference with a 1-3 record over the weekend in two
doubleheaders.
The Rockets were scheduled to host Akron yesterday and on
Saturday, but the schedule was changed to a doubleheader on
Saturday due to yesterday’s rain.
UT’s lone victory of the weekend was a 3-1 win over the Zips
in the first game of the doubleheader.
Lisa McLean led off the game for Akron with a single. She
stole second base and advanced to third on a bunt, but the
next batter popped out to end the inning.
Sophomore Kelly Hmiel recorded the first hit for UT with a
single in the bottom of the third inning, but she was picked
off for an out at first base.
Akron took a 1-0 lead with an RBI-double in the top of the
fifth inning. The Rockets responded with three runs in the
bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.
Freshman Jillian Spink and Hmiel both singled. Sophomore Kate
Ricchio followed with a triple to score both runners and give
UT a 2-1 lead. Ricchio scored when junior Mica Sanchez reached
on a fielder’s choice.
Hmiel was the only player with multiple hits in the game,
going 2-of-2 with one run scored.
Junior Hannah Rockhold pitched the complete game for UT to
improve to 4-13 this season. She allowed one run off five hits
with four strikeouts.
The Zips turned things around offensively in the second game
and Akron won 9-3.
Akron scored two runs in the first inning off a throwing
error. Sophomore Shana Szypka walked the next batter and hit
the following player to load the bases, but the next batter
popped out to end the inning.
Szypka was pulled after the first inning and was credited with
the loss.
Freshman Brooke Gates replaced her and retired three-straight
batters in the second inning, but she was replaced after
struggling in the top of the third inning. The Zips scored
four runs off five hits in the inning to take a 6-0 lead.
UT’s first hit came in the bottom of the fourth inning, and
they took advantage by scoring three runs. Senior Andrea Wabol
led off the inning with a single. She advanced to third on a
single by Spink. With two on and two outs, Gates hit a threeRBI homerun, her team-leading fifth of the season.
Akron scored three runs off four hits in the top of the sixth
inning to lock up the win.
The Rockets were swept at home in a doubleheader against Ohio
on Friday.
The Bobcats won 9-3 in the first game of the doubleheader.
Senior Brie Ford, junior Lacey LeVier and freshman Jill
Barnett each recorded two hits, but UT struggled to score,
stranding nine runners in the game.
Gates led off the second inning with a homerun, and LeVier had
a two-RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning for UT’s
runs. Gates struck out with the bases loaded in the seventh
inning to end the game.
Rockhold took the loss for UT, allowing seven runs off eight
hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings.
Melissa Bonner pitched all seven innings for OU and improved
to 8-6 with the win. She allowed three runs off nine hits and
three walks with two strikeouts.
The Rockets led for the first five innings of the second game
but lost 8-6.
UT took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. LeVier
had an RBI double, Gates had an RBI single, and sophomore Keri
Gallagher hit a two-RBI single for the runs.
The Bobcats tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth
inning, but UT regained the lead in the bottom of the inning.
Sanchez led off with a double and Ford followed with a homerun
for a 6-4 lead.
OU won the game with four runs off five hits in the top of the
seventh inning. The first two batters reached base in the
bottom of the seventh inning for UT, but the Bobcats retired
the next three batters to end the game.
The Rockets host Kent State in a doubleheader starting at 1
p.m. on Friday.
Rockets win
games at NIU
two
of
three
The Rockets held their spot atop the Mid-American Conference’s
West Division after winning two of three games this week at
Northern Illinois.
With the wins, UT improved their record to 16-18 overall,
including a 9-6 advantage over the MAC.
Sophomore Jared Hoying (6-14, 5 R, 2 HR, 6 RBI) and freshman
Ben Hammer (6-11, 4 R, 6 RBI) led a UT offense which scored 29
runs in the three-game series. Hoying and senior Jake Oester
(4-11, 5 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI) scored a team-high five runs in the
series.
The Rockets stumbled out of the gates with a 12-5 loss in the
first game of the series on Friday.
Oester (2-2, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI), sophomore Chris Dudics (2-5),
and junior Josh Wierzba (2-4, 2 RBI) led an offense that held
a 5-4 lead before the Huskies scored seven runs in the seventh
inning and added one more in the eighth for the 12-5 victory.
Junior pitcher Justin Collop (3-4) was saddled with the loss
after giving up six runs (five earned) on 10 hits in 6.1
innings of work. The UT bullpen allowed six runs (one earned)
on three hits and three walks in the final 1.2 innings.
Despite the loss Friday, the Rockets rebounded to take game
two from the Huskies 12-7 in the first game of a doubleheader
on Saturday.
UT’s offense led the way as all 10 UT batters had a hit in the
contest. Hoying (3-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI), Hammer (3-6, 2 R),
and Junior Tim Krofcheck (3-5, 2 R, 1 RBI) led the Rockets
with three hits apiece, as UT racked up 18 hits in the game.
Sophomore pitcher Matt Kuna (1-1) got the start and received a
no-decision after giving up six runs (two earned) on 11 hits
and four strikeouts in four innings.
Freshman pitcher Kyle Shaw (2-1) picked up the victory after
pitching 2.1 innings, allowing just one run on three hits.
Senior Jeff Cinadr lowered his team-leading ERA to 0.66 with
2.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing only two hits while
striking out two.
UT finished off Northern Illinois in the rubber match of
Saturday’s doubleheader with a 12-6 victory.
Hoying (3-5, 2 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI), Hammer (3-5, 2 R, 6 RBI), and
freshman Joe Corfman (3-4, 1 R, 2 RBI) each tallied three hits
as the Rockets racked up 12 runs for the second consecutive
game on 13 hits.
Junior pitcher Mike Inselmann (2-4) picked up his second
victory on the season after allowing five runs on nine hits
with six strikeouts in five innings of work. Sophomore pitcher
Matt Zahel finished off the Huskies with 1.1 scoreless innings
to pick up his seventh save of the season.
The Rockets return to action on Tuesday, April 21 at 5 p.m. at
Cleveland State.
Some thoughts
issue’
on
the
‘sex
After months of planning, failed attempts and empty wishes,
I’ve finally put together the IC’s first Arts and Life sex
issue. Now, the first question you may have is, “What would
possess you to create an entire issue revolving around sex?”
Well, it’s not that I’m some nymphomaniac perverted college
student; I just felt that it would be an exciting and
entertaining topic to cover.
Let’s face it: we’re in college and everyone’s doing it,
thinking about doing it or talking about it, so why not let
our paper explore a topic that’s already permeated our
thoughts. Although this is a first for the IC, the idea of a
complete sex issue is not a new concept. Since 2002, Yale
University has had a campus-wide sex week and many magazines
devote entire issues to the topic.
While I am excited to finally be finished with this issue, I
have to confess that I’m not 100 percent satisfied with the
final result. Sex is such a broad and wide-ranging topic that
with only two-and-a-half stories, I’ve only managed to scratch
the surface. But that’s not to say the topics I’ve selected
are mediocre or under par. Out of hundreds of possible topics,
the winners ended up being green sex toys, a one-of-a-kind
vibrator and bisexuality. Some of the runner-ups were college
students who use Viagra, sex addicts, the latest and greatest
sex toys, sex and plus size women, male prostitutes, sex
positions, cervical cancer, HIV/AIDS in young people and
college strippers. With so many choices, you can see how
difficult it was to narrow it down to three stories.
One of my favorite stories in this issue explores
environmentally friendly sex products and is an interesting
look at the latest trend of green sex toys and products slowly
gaining mainstream popularity. While doing research on the
topic, I discovered that the sex toy industry is highly under
regulated. Under the Food and Drug Administration, most sex
toys are listed as “novelty items,” which means they are not
intended for actual use and therefore aren’t strictly
monitored. Who knew the majority of sex toys were made with
harmful chemicals or created by environmentally harmful
practices? You would think products made exclusively for the
purpose of being inserted into the body would be one of the
most highly regulated industries but that is not the case.
While I’m in love with the topic, I must say this was somewhat
of a difficult article to write. With the concept being only a
little more than two years old, there are very few companies
that exclusively sell eco-friendly sex products.
On a side note: if there are any burgeoning entrepreneurs out
there, I’d definitely recommend looking into this growing
industry. The founder and CEO of Earth Erotics, a company that
sells green sex toys, said her sales have been in the black
since she started her business in 2007.
Although I went into the story exploring bisexuality with a
playful attitude, after talking with students and faculty, I
discovered that bisexuality is a very complicated issue,
especially for those who consider themselves bisexual.
It always fascinates me how we as a society feel the need to
place one another in these loosely defined categories to ease
our own fears and make ourselves comfortable with our own
ignorance. What difference does it make if a person loves men,
women, both or ants and rainbows for that matter?
After interviewing three bisexual students, (only one felt
comfortable sharing her identity and speaking honestly and
candidly about the topic) I’ve come to the conclusion that the
term “bisexual” is an enigma within itself, and I can’t
imagine the psychological stress someone who identifies
themselves as bisexual must feel.
Not to say that everyone who is bisexual is a victim, I just
think it must take a great deal of strength and self
evaluation to come to the conclusion that one is bisexual. But
why even give it name? Why can’t we just let people be their
amazing, fabulous selves without passing judgement?
While I doubt I’ve done anything groundbreaking with this
issue, I hope it inspires people to talk openly and honestly
about topics once deemed taboo. Hopefully, this isn’t our
first and last sex issue because there are so many more topics
and people whose sex-related stories need to be told. So, stay
tuned because there could always be a part two.
– Chevonne Harris is the Arts and Life Editor and is a senior
majoring in communication.
Good
vibrations,
sensations
better
You’ll never look at your iPod the same with the Naughtibod, a
revolutionary sex toy that combines the sounds of music with
the pleasures of a vibrator. The Naughtibod is a vibrator that
connects to an iPod, laptop, home stereo, iPhone or any other
music player and vibrates to the beat of the music.
The device comes with a three foot “freedom cord” that
connects the vibrator to the music device and has an
additional outlet for headphones.
The device can also be used as a traditional vibrator. It
comes with two detachable heads, one with an outlet for a
music device and another which controls the vibrator’s seven
speeds. The Naughtibod is made by OhMiBod and comes in four
colors: bubblegum (pink), licorice (black), blueberry (blue)
and green apple (lime green). The toy is made by OhMiBod and
is available online only.
Are you a terrorist?
The past few weeks, I have avoided writing about almost
anything political whatsoever. Why would I do such a thing?
Well, despite one of my majors being political science, I have
refrained from going into deep discussions about politics. I
have learned a lot in college (mostly outside of the
classroom), and one of the things I learned is that people who
talk about politics 24/7 are annoying.
Yes, I used to be one of those people. I thought I was Mr.
Ideologue and that everyone should hear my thoughts on every
issue. Then I met others like myself at this university and I
realized that I was obnoxious. Don’t worry, I still have
opinions, but I am more sparing with when I blurt them out.
Fortunately, I have 700 to 1000 words every Monday which I can
use as I please. But, this semester, I haven’t felt the need
to discuss the economy or President Barack Obama’s first 100
days all that much. No, there have been other things (more
important things) on my mind that I have decided to write
about.
I still watch CNBC and check the markets daily, I catch a
little of the garbage on the cable networks now and then, and
I get a daily dose of Yahoo! headlines. But the thing is, the
more I learn about the issues, the less I care to debate them.
No, it isn’t apathy, because I have opinions. But I can
finally see where others are coming from so that I don’t feel
the need to tear down their viewpoints.
I think there is a bit of a tendency in this country toward
extremism. If you agreed with George W. Bush, there were
people ready to ridicule you and make you feel dumb. If you
didn’t vote for the Obaminator, you might be a racist or a
stupid “redneck” afraid of change. Now, don’t get me wrong, I
am not a big Bush fan, but I sure didn’t vote for the O-Man.
See, it’s possible to be in the middle, not at one extreme or
another. Just because I don’t like Obama’s policies doesn’t
make me a staunch conservative or a die-hard Republican.
Things are rarely black and white.
Our federal government seems to be concerned about those who
disagree with its policies, and that’s a bit worrisome. The
Department of Homeland Security recently released an
“assessment” dated April 7 titled “Rightwing Extremism:
Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in
Radicalization and Recruitment.” Let me ask you a question. Do
you:
1. Oppose restrictions on firearms?
2. Oppose lax immigration?
3. Oppose the policies of President Obama regarding
immigration, citizenship and the expansion of social programs?
4. Oppose the continuation of free trade agreements?
5. Oppose same-sex marriage?
6. Fear foreign regimes?
7. Fear communist regimes?
8. Oppose one-world government?
9. Bemoan the decline of U.S. stature in the world?
10. Get upset about the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs going
abroad?
11. Have an anti-abortion bumper sticker on your car?
If you answered “yes” to any of the preceding questions, you
have the characteristics of a “right-wing extremist” according
to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and the
DHS. Our government even thinks that veterans are more likely
to be extremists because of their weapons training. I don’t
understand this. What about the thousands of police officers
and others who carry weapons? Why target servicemen? Also, the
report says to keep an eye on people stockpiling food.
However, many state and local governments suggest we stockpile
food in case of emergencies.
It just seems odd to me that there isn’t more discussion of
this report. There seems to be a double standard. So let me
get this straight … It is not acceptable to profile people of
Middle-Eastern origin when we know that there are terror cells
full of Middle-Eastern people forming within our own country,
but it is acceptable to profile those of us who are against
gay marriage and who support stringent immigration laws
without any data or intelligence to back it up?
Please note that I am not advocating profiling. I am afraid
people will jump all over me. Again, I am not advocating
profiling. Profiling is a tricky subject to approach, and this
is not the time I want to discuss such an issue. I am merely
pointing out that profiling happens more often than we think.
Back in the early part of last century, many ethnic groups
were profiled, including Germans and Japanese during World War
II. Also, when the government got tough on the mob, I wonder …
did they go after Italians or did they go after Norwegians?
Anyhow, the DHS is basically saying if you express that you’re
not a huge fan of the Obama administration, you are more
likely to be a terrorist than someone who agrees with the
administration. Now, it should be noted that the Bush
administration wasn’t very dissenter-friendly either, but two
wrongs don’t make a right. But fear not. We non-Obamamaniacs
have a hero in Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from
Mississippi. He is the top Democrat with oversight of the DHS,
and he said in a letter to Napolitano that he was
“dumbfounded” that such a report would be issued. He continued
with, “This report appears to raise significant issues
involving the privacy and civil liberties of many Americans —
including war veterans.”
I think maybe we all need to take a step back. Both parties
seem to be going to the extreme. Stories like this completely
turn me off to politics. Reading the comments left for my
colleagues on the IC Web site turns me off to politics. Seeing
the way people sigh whenever someone wants to debate abortion
turns me off to politics. It doesn’t matter if I write great
columns about why I don’t agree with government bailouts. All
some people will think is, “He doesn’t agree with Obama.” If
someone writes an article on why they are pro-choice, it
doesn’t matter. All some people will think, is “That person is
a baby-killer.”
— Anthony Russo is an IC Columnist and a sophomore majoring in
political science.