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Arts & Life Review Television

The Office: U.K. vs. American

By Laura Crowley

The Office: U.K. vs. American

It may come as a surprise to fans of the American mockumentary “The Office” that the show is largely unoriginal. In fact, the American version that aired in 2005 is entirely an adaptation of the United Kingdom’s (U.K.) version that aired four years before.

For frequent viewers, the similarity between the two versions is stark. The invented paper business “Dunder Mifflin” is based on the paper business featured in the U.K. version, “Wernham Hogg.” While main characters such as Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute, Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly are clearly based off of the U.K. version, there are even strange similarities between minor characters such as Kevin, Meredith, Stanley and Ryan and the relationships they form with others.

Just as similar is the plot. Episodes from the American version, such as “Downsize,” “Performance Review,” “Hot Girl,” “Fire Drill” and “The Merger” are all also off of the UK’s “Downsize,” “Appraisals,” “New Girl,” “Stress Relief” and “Merger.”

Similarly, the romance between Tim Canterbury and Dawn Tinsley, or Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly, help to ground the otherwise playful plot. Likewise, the uncanny and nosy Gareth Keenan, or Dwight, in the American version, is similarly obsessed with the arrogant and infamous David Brent, or Michael Scott.

Scenes from the U.K. show are placed directly into the American adaptation. In both the American and UK versions, Jim puts Dwight’s stapler in a jello mold and forces him to eat the mold until he reaches his stapler. Both Dwight characters similarly obsess over bobble-headed figures, only Dwight obsesses over a bobble-head of himself while Gareth is drawn to “Dirty Bertie.”

While the two shows are strikingly similar, the American version has clearly gained more popular acclaim as it boasts seven seasons and 142 episodes, while the U.K. version has showed a mere two seasons and 14 episodes. This difference may be due to changes the American version implemented.

Perhaps the most noticeable change is the increased involvement of secondary characters such as Meredith, Creed, Kelly and Angela. Involvement of such characters allows for a plot that extends beyond the core cast and allows viewers to identify a variety of characters that frequent offices.

Also changed is the atmosphere. The U.K. version is held in a gray office building with poor lighting. While the American version is not far from that dismal setting, it is certainly more fast-paced, with shorter scenes and faster jokes.

Even though the American version has clearly gained more fame, the question remains as to which version is better. Critics attribute a higher success rate to the American version because of its play-it-safe use of fast-paced, generic jokes, while the U.K. version requires a more observant viewer to appreciate its dense wit. Decide for yourself by watching both versions online at www.hulu.com.

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Arts & Life

Fashion Week exposed

By Michelle Joline

Contributing Writer

The University campus may be filled with people wishing for warm weather and flip flops to finally be in season again, but New York City has been buzzing for the past few weeks in anticipation of trendy fall prints and chunky knitwear. New York’s 2011 Fashion Week commenced Feb. 10 and has everyone in the fashion industry wishing for a crisp fall day to test out the new trends from the top designers who have showcased their autumn looks.

The new styles of autumn are incorporating some of the great elements from last season—long, over-sized cardigans and knits—but this season does it with a pop of color, seen at Cynthia Rowley. We are seeing accent color this spring, and it seems that the trend is going to continue into the fall.

One of the major must-haves featured at fashion week is the “cute coat,” whether it be the ponchos featured by Alexander Wang, Wu’s stylized pea coats, or Steffe’s capes. These influences were seen throughout all the tents and have brought the 1970s to 2011; these looks are to die for … again. House of Harlow captured 1960s and 1970s influences in its designs, adding a mod chic element to the looks. Along with House of Harlow, Alice Ritter incorporated this hip element into her usually overly-feminine style with her chic but comfort-friendly coatigans. The heavy 1970s style wedge, made popular again this spring, is again current with Might and Magic VI for autumn, with high leather wedged boots and clogs, much to the dismay of girls fearing sprained ankles and embarrassing falls.

Many of us have been holding our breaths, praying that our paychecks haven’t gone to waste on the fake furs we bought this past season. It appears that we can breathe easy, since the fur accent was popular on the runways at The Row and Mandy Coon, adding an edgy but fun element to their looks. These weren’t the only designers who had a glamorous element to their designs: Alice + Olivia consistently have been dishing out the perfect cocktail dress for the past few years and again didn’t disappoint.

The inspiration was endless at this year’s New York Fashion Week, making everyone rethink their spring looks and wish they were one of the lucky ones to be sitting front row. We can still get the next best thing by visiting fashion blogs, many of the popular fashion magazine websites or even video from the runway shows. The University does have its own fashion blog through the Be Fashion Magazine website, where there are updates on new contemporary style.

It is obviously difficult to rock these looks on campus given the steep hills and unappealing 8 a.m. classes, but it will be a worthwhile sacrifice for fashion this coming fall.

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Arts & Life

People you may know

Maggie Schneiderman

People You May Know
“What do you like most or least about the University?”

Christian Kogler ’14
Major: Undecided
“P-Safe. Take it as you will.”

Blake Bartter ’11
Major: Economics (Marketing concentration)
“Everyone here gets so involved. So I’d say what I like the most is the legacy of students being
involved on campus as well as in the community.”

Derek Eckhart ’11
Major: Management
“I like the size of the school. It’s not so big that you don’t have the opportunity to get to know
the people outside of your close group of friends.”

Frances Ruppe ’14
Major: Biomedical Engineering
“I like how friendly everyone is!”
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Arts & Life Movies Review

‘The Fighter’ review

By Carolyn Williams

Staff Writer

“The Fighter” is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year. David O. Russell’s Lowell-based film about brother boxers Dicky Eklund and Micky Ward hits home and is well-acted and well-realized. But what really sets “The Fighter” apart from the dime-a-dozen genre of underdog sports stories is its heart. “The Fighter” has heart in spades.

The story belongs to Micky Ward, a road-worker moonlighting as a boxer, played by Boston native Mark Wahlberg. HBO has descended on Lowell to film a documentary about Micky’s older brother, Dicky Eklund (Christian Bale), a retired fighter best known for knocking down Sugar Ray Leonard. Called “The Pride of Lowell,” Dicky has deluded himself and his family into the belief that he’s about to make a comeback in the boxing world, when in reality he is slipping deeper and deeper into his crack addiction.

Overshadowed by his mother, his seven sisters and the brother he has always idolized, Micky has become a “stepping stone,” a boxer who is used to boost the other fighters higher. At 31, Micky’s career seems about over, and after a slump of rough losses, he ashamedly considers quitting the sport for good. But, his strong-willed new flame, bartender Charlene Fleming (Amy Adams), calls on him not to give up his life dream so easily. Their new relationship acts as a catalyst, pushing Micky to make a last go of his career.

The family, and most notably the matriarch, Alice (Melissa Leo), balk at Micky’s decision to break away from the pack with Charlene, whom they meet with unmitigated dislike. The seven sisters, though comical on the surface, are a picture of stagnation, and Alice, though painfully stuck in the past where Dicky is fighting and still on the straight and narrow, eventually redeems herself, proving herself more aware of the family’s issues than she seems.

As Micky attempts to reclaim his career, he simultaneously begins to develop greater self-confidence and to strengthen his relationship with the bold and compassionate Charlene. Dicky also begins to pull himself together, albeit from the inside of a jail cell. Micky, ever the peacemaker in his family, acts to pull all of his separate supporters together. As Micky moves toward a real shot at a title, his motley group of loved ones, disparate though they may be, rally together to support the new “Pride of Lowell.”

Predictably, “The Fighter” made a splash at the box offices and was received well by critics. It’s a lovable film and a story that’s easy to relate toy.

“’The Fighter’ was an amazing movie that consisted of a truly phenomenal cast who was brilliant throughout the entire film,” Lauren Bernard ’14 said.

The actors were certainly well cast. Mark Wahlberg delivers a solid lead despite being overlooked for the Oscar. The supporting cast received three nominations, though, and the film has also garnered the prime nominations for Best Picture and Best Director for Russell. Christian Bale’s stringy, squirrelly Dicky is endearing and heartbreaking, a good counterpart to Melissa Leo’s bawdy, awful mother Alice Ward. And Amy Adams’s departure from her normal sweetness and innocence (remember “Enchanted”?) is spectacular as well.

“The Fighter” deals with a lot of difficult themes, and the dead-end lives of Micky and his siblings are saddening.

“I thought it had a tragic, but fascinating commentary on the family dynamic and was well acted and filmed. I thought it was excellent,” Kate Wilsterman ’14 said.

The portrayal of Lowell, Massachusetts is unflattering, which serves to help the audience further comprehend the triumph of Micky Ward over younger, better ranked fighters. “The Fighter” is an uplifting, feel-good sort of movie, and it has plenty of heart.

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Arts & Life Columns Cooking Corner

Cooking Corner: French Omelet

By Emily Fry

French Omelet

Most people hesitate to make omelets because they are afraid to flip them, but this recipe is fail-proof since there is no need to flip it over. It makes a hearty breakfast or a delicious dinner. You can even change it up every time by trying different fillings; who knows what you can create! Happy cooking!

Ingredients:

Filling (if desired)

2 eggs

2 tbsp water

1/8 tsp salt

Dash of pepper

1 tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Prepare filling, if desired. I typically sauté over medium heat: 1/4 cup chopped zucchini, 1/4 cup chopped red pepper, one clove of garlic (chopped) and one chopped scallion, until the vegetables are soft. Then, still over the heat, I add about one cup fresh spinach and cook until the spinach has wilted. Keep the filling warm until ready to use.

2. Combine eggs, water, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Beat until combined, but not frothy, with a fork.

3. Heat an eight-inch non-stick skillet with flared sides over medium-high heat until hot.

4. Melt butter in the skillet. Add egg mixture to the skillet; lower heat to medium. Immediately begin stirring the eggs gently with a wooden or plastic spatula until the mixture resembles small pieces of cooked egg surrounded by liquid egg. Stop stirring. Cook for 30-60 seconds more or until the egg mixture is set and shiny.

5. If using filling, spoon the filling across the center. At this point I typically sprinkle my filling with grated parmesan cheese. With a spatula, lift and fold an omelet edge, folding the omelet in half. Transfer the omelet to a plate and serve.

Source: Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

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Featured Sports

Baseball looks to win league again

By Eric Brod

Senior Writer

To say the Bison’s run through the Patriot League Tournament last year, which that ended in a league championship and NCAA tournament berth, was unexpected would be an understatement. After an up-and-down 2010 regular season that saw the Orange and Blue finish with an underwhelming 25-35 record (7-9 in league play), the team rode the MVP performance of first baseman Doug Shribman ’11 to a Patriot League Championship.

Despite the losses of Andrew Brouse, Ben Yoder and B.J. LaRosa, the Bison return poised for another run at the league title. Much of the team’s success lies on Shribman, who was named to the Louisville Slugger All-American third team for the preseason. Last season, Shribman exploded for 21 home runs and 62 R.B.I.’s while hitting at a stellar .359 clip. During the tournament, he took his game to another level, belting seven home runs and driving in 16 runs in only six games.

Shribman feels that his dedication to preparation will be crucial for a repeat performance this season.

“You just have to continue to work hard and be ready for any pitch that could come at any time,” Shribman said. “It doesn’t really matter what pitch is coming because you still have to swing at good pitches to hit and take advantage of those opportunities. If you are working hard and maintaining your swing, then it doesn’t really matter how the pitcher throws to you.”

Also returning for the Bison are outfielders Drew Constable ’11 and Bob Donato ’12. The pitching staff also returns with a solid core, led by right-hander Jack Boehm ’12 and Dylan Seeley ’11.

Seeley believes the pitching staff is well-suited to help lead the team back to the NCAA tournament.

“As a pitching staff our goal is always to give our team a chance to win every game, and I believe we are very capable of that this year,” Seeley said. “Last year’s postseason run can give us a lot of confidence going into the year. A bunch of guys got good experience and pressure situations and were successful. Hopefully, that success will give us confidence to start off the season.”

The Orange and Blue will be tested early in the season. Today they travel to face James Madison in a four-game series, and next weekend they will compete against a tough Richmond Spiders team. League play begins April 2, when the Bison will host Lafayette for a four-game, two-day series. Regular season action concludes for the club with a four-game series against Army, and the Patriot League Tournament is set to kick off on May 14.

With a lot of expectations and accolades surrounding the 2011 Bison baseball team, anything short of an NCAA tournament berth will be considered a major disappointment.

“We just have to continue to work hard through the rough times, which inevitably come with any baseball season, and not let a rough game or two bring us down even farther,” Shribman said. “Last year we started playing poorly and it affected us for far too long mentally, so this year we have to do a better job of relaxing and just playing the game like we know we can.”

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Sports

Cohenca ’12 pulls off big win

By Chris McCree

Writer

The men’s tennis team dropped its third straight contest on Sunday night, losing to Penn State in University Park, Pa. Taking on a very talented Nittany Lion team, the Bison lost all three doubles matches and managed to win only one out of six singles matches. However lopsided the match may have been, the program took an important step forward as it saw Gregg Cohenca ’12 claim the team’s first singles victory against Penn State since 1986.

Coming off of a tough 7-6, 7-6 loss against Duquesne University last weekend, Cohenca won a grueling three-set thriller against Penn State’s No. 1 singles player Bryan Welnetz. Unfazed by losing the first set 5-7, Cohenca bounced back and won six straight games in the second set to even the match. His second-set momentum carried over into the third and he was able to knock off Welnetz 10-6 for the Bison’s one and only victory of the day. With the victory, Cohenca was named the Susquehanna Valley Limo Bison Athlete of the Week.

“It is important for us to take the positives out of a match, and seeing Cohenca compete at such a high level is very powerful,” Mark Malloy ’11 said.

Penn State was able to claim the remaining matches in decisive fashion. Other than Cohenca, the Bison were not able to win a set off of the Nittany Lions. The only other close match was the No. 3 doubles match, in which Josh Katten ’13 and Kelly Morque ’13 fell to Penn State’s Harry Seaborn and Bryan Welnetz by a score of 8-5.

Cohenca attributed the team’s struggle to pure intimidation.

“Going into this match we knew we were facing a strong and talented team,” he said. “I think we all started off the match a little nervous and that translated into us playing passively.”

Despite the score, the team doesn’t seem too discouraged by the loss.

“As a whole, I feel that the team competed at a high level. With Penn State being the best team we face all year, it is important for us to take away the positives from the match. We were aggressive at the net in doubles and applied pressure on our opponents in singles,” Malloy said.

The Bison will try for their first win of the season tomorrow as they play host to Georgetown at the West Branch Tennis Club in Williamsport, Pa. At this point in the season, the Orange and Blue seek to use Cohenca’s big win as a rallying point.

“He sparked a flame in our team,” Malloy said. “We can use his match as inspiration for our future ones. Each player on our team needs to bring more to practice and, as a result, will be better prepared for better teams in the future. I think that with more energy throughout our whole team, we will play at a much higher level come Saturday.”

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Sports

Women’s tennis loses

By Lindsay Regruto

Staff Writer

Despite a desire for revenge, the Bison women’s tennis team fell to Binghamton 7-0 in its second match-up against the Bearcats. With the loss, the Orange and Blue’s record dropped to 0-4 for the spring season.

“We’re having a bit of a rough start, but nothing really unusual for this time of the year,” Head Coach Rebecca Helt said. “We start off playing some of the strongest teams in the region and we look to those matches to identify where we need to work in terms of our overall match play.”

Even with a rough start, the Bison didn’t go down without a fight. Dumitrita Iepuras ’12 put up a fight in the second set of her singles match but ultimately fell 6-3, 7-5 to her Binghamton opponent. Lauren Rottkamp ’11 and Elizabeth Morgan ’14 gave Binghamton the toughest time at doubles but could not pull out the win, falling 8-5.

The Orange and Blue will have some time off the court to focus on the upcoming half of the spring season.

“This time of year we’re still making adjustments in the line-up, adjustments in our doubles teams, and just looking to get everyone healthy for the second half of the spring season,” Helt said.

The Bison will be back March 5 in New York against St. Bonaventure.

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Sports

Lady Bison win two huge games

By Eric Weiss

Senior Writer

The women’s basketball team got back to its winning ways this week, downing Holy Cross 68-52 at home on Saturday and then beating Lafayette 46-34 in a defensive struggle at home on Wednesday.

With a tape-to-tape win against the Crusaders, the Bison demonstrated just how dominant they could be. The trio of Rachel Voss ’13, Shelby Romine ’14 and Felicia Mgbada ’13 led the scoring attack for the Bison, all tallying in the double digits for points.

The first half of the game was all Bison as the Orange and Blue dominated play on both sides of the ball, never allowing Holy Cross to get into a rhythm. Early in the second half the Bison had built a solid 21-point lead, and the game looked all but put away.

“Some games you make everything while some games you don’t. Our game against Holy Cross just happened to be a great shooting night for us,” Voss said.

Holy Cross went on a 10-0 run and was able to narrow the score to 57-48. But Romine helped stem the tide though with a three-pointer of her own to silence the Holy Cross rally.

After the dust settled, the Bison came away with the win and some impressive statistics, making the Holy Cross game one of the best in their season. Voss ended as the points leader with 14, but Romine and Mgbada were both close on her heels with 13 each.

At home against Lafayette, the Bison built a comfortable lead of 9-0 in the first half and never looked back. The closest the Leopards would come to regaining the lead was 12-7 just minutes later, but the Orange and Blue built a comfortable 16-point lead with just under five minutes to go in the first half.

In the second half it was the same story for the Bison as they built a 21-point lead with just over 11 minutes to go in the contest.

Higham was the leading scorer for the home team, netting 11 points and 14 rebounds. The point totals were well spread for the Bison with almost all players seeing significant action.

The Orange and Blue will use these two games as building blocks as they head toward the Patriot League tournament, peaking at exactly the right time.

“At this point, our focus is finishing top four in the league in order to secure a home game in the first round of the tournament,” Voss said.

To accomplish this goal, the team’s next  three games will be critical. The Bison play at home against Colgate tomorrow, and on the road at Lehigh and at Army next week.

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Featured Sports

Men’s basketball continues to roll

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

Despite conceding an 11-point lead with four minutes to go, the men’s basketball team took advantage of a dominating performance by Bryson Johnson ’13 and fought back hard in overtime, outlasting a tough Lafayette Leopards squad, 74-69, on the road in Easton, Pa. on Wednesday night. The victory gives the Orange and Blue their 10th conference win of the season and leaves them one win or one American loss away from clinching the Patriot League regular season title.

Johnson had a career night, scoring 30 points, including five three-pointers and a perfect 11-11 from the free-throw line. Off the bench, Enoch Andoh ’12 added two key baskets down the stretch in overtime to pull away from Lafayette.

“It’s always a great feeling to be able to give your team a nice spark off the bench,” Andoh said. “Everyone, starters and reserves, kept their composure tonight. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to help us win with a couple of clutch buckets.”

Early on, Lafayette seemed unfazed by a Bison team that had a two-game lead in the Patriot League and had blown out most of its conference opponents. The Leopards scored the first five points of the game and held the advantage until the eight-minute mark in the half. The Bison and Leopards traded baskets for the rest of the first period, until a three-pointer by Johnson gave the Orange and Blue a five-point lead at halftime.

“Lafayette is a very well-coached team that when they execute their offense they are a very hard team to guard,” Bryan Cohen ’12 said. “The keys to winning this game [were] to really disrupt their offensive flow and motion offense by having great ball pressure and preventing the ball from entering the post. We had great practices this week at guarding their offensive sets and we [felt] very confident going into [the game].”

The Orange and Blue opened the second half with the first seven points, extending the advantage to 12. But every time the Bison jumped out to a big lead, the Leopards had an answer. Down by 11 late in the second half, Lafayette charged back with an 11-0 run to tie the game with just over a minute to go. Two missed free throws by Mike Muscala ’13 and an off-the-mark three-pointer at the buzzer by Johnson pushed a game that had seemed out of reach into overtime.

In overtime, Lafayette picked up right where it left off with a three-pointer in the first 10 seconds of the extra period. But three free throws from Johnson and the two baskets in the paint by Andoh sparked the Bison to a hard-earned victory over a tough conference foe.

“Going into Easton, we all knew that we had a big game ahead of us,” Andoh said. “But we were able to focus defensively, contain their key players and squeak out another road win.”

With the win, the Orange and Blue move within one game of securing home court throughout the Patriot League tournament. Despite the second-ranked American Eagles also winning Wednesday night, the Bison only need to win one of their final three games or the Eagles to lose just one to earn the regular season conference crown.

Looking to secure the regular season league championship, the Orange and Blue head to Colgate on Saturday for their final road game of the year. The Bison are looking for the same success that helped them beat the Raiders by 27 the first time they faced each other this season.

“It definitely feels good to be close to wrapping up the number one spot going into the conference tournament,” Cohen said. “However, it is only a stepping stone for our bigger goal of winning the Patriot League and going to the NCAA tournament. We are playing well as a team and we feel very confident going into the final stretch of the season.”