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Sports

Army snaps Bison win streak at nine

By Greg Stevenson

Senior Writer

The men’s basketball team entered its contest on Saturday at Army on a nine-game winning streak, but it was the Black Knights who looked like the streaking team, scoring 90 points en route to a 20-point victory over the Orange and Blue. The defeat was only the second for the Bison since December, and it ended their quest for a perfect season in the Patriot League.

The Black Knights fired right out of the gates, showing the first-place, undefeated Bison that they had come to play. Tied at 17 eight minutes into the game, Army went on a 13-2 run for an 11-point lead, one the Orange and Blue would challenge but never overcome.

Army went into the locker room at the intermission with an eight-point advantage, having shot over 60 percent from the field.

“Army came out the gate shooting very well from three,” G.W. Boon ’11 said. “They also made a lot of hustle plays that we are accustomed to making, and that was the difference in the game.”

In the second half, the Bison traded baskets with the Black Knights, keeping the game close until the 10-minute mark. Army proved to be too much for the Orange and Blue, pulling away late for the 90-70 victory.

“They shot very well from the perimeter and were able to get these open looks in transition and from dribble penetration,” said Mike Muscala ’13, the leading scorer and rebounder for the Bison this season.  “We weren’t making the right defensive rotations, which left them a lot of open shots, and when they did miss, we didn’t do a good job of getting rebounds.  They played with more intensity than us from start to finish.”

Muscala controlled the paint on both ends of the floor for the Orange and Blue. On the offensive side, he tallied 20 points despite drawing many double- and triple-teams from the Black Knights.

Defensively, Muscala grabbed nine rebounds and recorded three blocked shots. His presence underneath the basket forced Army to shoot from the perimeter, which proved to be the difference in the contest.

Cameron Ayers ’14 registered 17 points, while Bryan Cohen ’12 and Joe Willman ’13 scored 11 each, but these individual performances were not enough to overcome Army’s potent attack from three-point range.

“In almost every Patriot League game that we had played up until the Army game, we were able to get off to a good start, and if the shots weren’t dropping, we were able to get defensive stops,” Muscala said.  “Every time we got something going for us on offense against Army, they answered on the other end, which we could never overcome.”

The Bison entered the Army game having won 13 of their previous 14 contests, including dramatic victories over Richmond, one of the nation’s best teams, and rival Holy Cross, thanks to last-second baskets by Muscala. The nine-game winning streak the Bison took into the contest versus Army had been the fifth-longest in the country.

The Orange and Blue begin the second round of Patriot League play Saturday night at home versus a Navy team they beat by seven earlier this season.

“The Army game was simply a bump in the road,” Boon said.  “We may not end up with a perfect conference record, but we still have the opportunity to be an excellent team.  It gives us a chance to highlight some of our weaknesses and attack those deficiencies in practice. Our team will only become stronger from the game at Army.”

Categories
Sports

Bison shine over break

By Rob Duffy

Editor-in-Chief

Since many readers of The Bucknellian likely did not closely follow Bison sports over winter break, here’s a recap of some of the most notable things that happened, and an explanation of why you should be excited:

5. Dec. 22 – The Bison men’s basketball team, playing strong as they have whenever they’ve faced a big opponent this season, nearly upset Boston College. Although the Orange and Blue eventually lost 84-80, the game was a thriller. The Bison, who led by as much as 17 in the first half, tied a school record with 15 three-pointers, also setting a record for the most threes Boston College has ever given up. The game showed that the Bison clearly have what it takes to play competitively against major conference opponents.

4. Jan. 2 – Mike Muscala ’13 took a long inbounds pass and hit a turnaround, fadeaway jumper from 16 feet as time expired to give the Bison a come-from-behind win at Richmond. It was the team’s biggest non-conference victory of the season, coming against a powerful Atlantic-10 Spiders squad that was at the time the only team to have defeated current-No. 11 Purdue.

3. Jan. 12 – The Bison dominated American, who had been picked in the Patriot League preseason poll to finish first in the league, 75-60 on American’s own court. Muscala had 33 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocked shots for the Bison, who never led by less than 10 after the halfway point of the first half. The win showed that the Bison could successfully carry the hot streak they were riding into the league games that really mattered.

2. Dec. 30 – The men’s basketball team was not the only Bison squad to accomplish big things over the break. Kevin LeValley ’11 became the first Bison wrestler ever to win an individual title at the Midlands Championships, a prestigious event attended by this year by 44 teams. LeValley, who won his five matches by a combined score of 56-9, was at the time ranked third in the nation in the 149 lb weight class. He has since fallen to No. 6 after losing to current-No. 4 Mario Mason of Rutgers on Jan. 14, but his 22-1 record is still remarkable.

1. Prompted largely by the success of the basketball team, the University saw a huge surge in school spirit from its students and fans. The basketball team’s run was certainly worth getting excited about. In a 14-game stretch lasting nearly two months, the Bison only lost once, and even that loss was in a well-played match against a powerful opponent. Their nine-game winning streak was the fifth-longest in the nation, and their 6-0 Patriot League start put them solidly in front. As a result, the Sojka Psychos became more enthusiastic as they have in years, packing the stands and cheering loudly, even in games such as the team’s blowout of Colgate. Hopes were high that this team could return the Bison basketball program to glory. School spirit has made even the most insignificant games a true joy to experience.

The Bison’s win streak was snapped last weekend against Army, but as Bison fans, we must do everything we can to keep it alive, even if more setbacks come in the future. We must continue to be enthusiastic about our teams, no matter what might happen down the road. We should not limit it to just basketball or even basketball and wrestling, but should carry it into all Bison sports. As fans, whether the Bison win the Patriot League is largely out of our control, but the quality of our fan experience is up to us. If we can preserve the winning, hopeful, enthusiastic attitude we possess now, the season for all Bison sports will be worth remembering, no matter what the final scores or standings may be.

Categories
News

News Briefs

Government looks to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

This fall, the Senate fell two votes short of repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” discriminatory policy, also known as DADT. The policy was instituted by former President Bill Clinton in 1993 and prohibits the military from questioning troops about their sexual orientation, and enforces the discharge of anyone who admits to being lesbian, gay or bisexual. DADT has led to the expulsion of over 13,000 troops and has discriminated against those who are trying to serve the United States.

Seventeen years later, President Barack Obama, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, former Secretary of State General Colin Powell, the military, and U.S. troops have all shown support their support to finally repeal the policy.

The Pentagon Study, a survey completed by military personnel and family revealing their views of gays serving in the military, discovered that the repeal of DADT would have a low effect on military effectiveness. To make this repeal possible, senators who will cast their votes need to see the nation’s support. They have began to ask citizens to take three minutes out of their busy lives and write their letters to http://my.barackobama.com/LTEonDADT today.

Four Loko Declared Public Health Concern by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has declared the alcoholic beverage Four Loko, and all similar caffeinated alcoholic beverages, a public health concern. These alcoholic beverages do not meet the FDA’s standards for safety. The drink has four main ingredients: taurine, guarana, caffeine and alcohol, which is the equivalent of drinking five beers/shots, five cups of coffee and over 600 calories all at once. The combination can cause alcohol poisoning, increased anxiety and panic symptoms, extreme mood swings, hyper-vigilance and paranoia. According to an e-mail to University students from Linda Locher, interim Dean of Students, one University student reported drinking 2.5 cans of Four Loko (12 beers/shots) in one hour and had a BAC of .40, the level that breathing and heart function begin to cease.

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is asking beverage distributors to stop carrying the sugary, caffeinated malt liquor drinks completely. The local Pennsylvania community has started working with local alcohol vendors to stop selling the product to the community in order to prevent University students from running into any more problems due to this drink.

Correction

In the Public Safety Log in last week’s issue, it was published that two sexual assaults occurred on November 14, 2010, but the incidents took place on October 30, 2010 and November 5, 2010. The Bucknellian used the dates that the crime log was issued instead of the day when the incident occurred.

Categories
News

Health Services encourages vaccines

By Courtney Bottazzi

Writer

University Health Services urges students to receive annual flu shots and the Gardasil vaccination to help prevent both men’s and women’s chances of contracting flu, swine flu, HPV or genital warts.

The proximity of a campus community can create the perfect breeding ground for viruses and bacteria, especially after a break to go home, said Dr. Don Stechschulte, director of Student Health Services.

“One to two weeks after reconvening there will be another spike. You may come back with different viruses and bacteria that you have never seen before,” Stechshulte said.

A study showed that it took exactly 13.6 days of a campus community coming back together after a vacation period for there to be another spike in disease, Stechshulte said.

“Everyone should get the flu shot this year because it contains vaccines to fight off both the H1 and H2 strands,” Stechschulte said.

The H1N1 strand was the cause of the swine flu epidemic last year. In addition to the flu shot, Stechschulte urges staff, faculty and students (especially juniors and seniors) to look into the TDAP vaccine. Students may have received the vaccine for whooping cough during childhood, but recent studies show that it does not last an entire lifetime.

TDAP is a booster shot that contains the Tetanus vaccine as well as extra protection against whooping cough. The flu shot and TDAP are easily accepted as vaccines suitable for men and women, but Gardasil is usually not.

“This summer the HPV vaccine is now available for men. You can eliminate being a carrier—won’t get it, won’t give it,” Stechschulte said.

Stechschulte has spoken to three fraternities about this virus. The improved Gardasil vaccination can prevent four types of the human papillomavirus.

HPV can have a physical effect on male bodies—genital warts, Stechschulte said. Studies have shown that in most cases, certain strands of the virus have been cleared and will not have a lasting effect. Other strands of HPV can cause cervical cancer or genital warts.

“The most common form of transferring [HPV] is unprotected sex,”  Stechschulte said.

By wearing a condom you reduce the risk of giving or receiving HPV but there is still no guarantee because the virus can be transmitted through any type of compromised skin contact surrounding the genital area, he said.

Health services can provide flu shots, Gardasil shots and Pap tests and will not notify patients’ parents without the students’ explicit permission.

“I got the Gardasil shots when they first came out. I wasn’t sure if there would be side effects later on but I decided it was worth the prevention,” said Chelsea Straus ’12.

Categories
News

Public Safety Log

Tuesday, Nov. 23

CRIMINAL MISCHIEF

Farm Lot: Under investigation.

LOST PROPERTY

Marts Hall: Report filed.

THEFT

Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library: Under investigation.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT

Roberts Hall: Under investigation.

ALARM/INTRUSION

Elaine Langone Center: Cause unknown.

Wednesday, Nov. 24

ALARM/FIRE

Swartz Hall: Caused by cooking.

Thursday, Nov. 25

SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE

Sunflower Child Care Center: Report filed.

Friday, Nov. 26

No incidents reported.

Saturday, Nov. 27

ALARM/FIRE

Swartz Hall: Caused by cooking.

ALARM/INTRUSION

Elaine Langone Center: Cause unknown.

ALARM/FIRE

Bucknell West: Caused by cooking.

Sunday, Nov. 28

ALARM/INTRUSION

Ellen Clarke Bertrand Library: Employee activated.

Monday, Nov. 29

ANIMAL COMPLAINT

Financial Aid: Report filed.

The Public Safety Logs are now available online: http://www.bucknell.edu/script/PublicSafety/LogList.asp.

Categories
Arts & Life

Harry Potter Spell Guide

By Courtney Flagg

News Editor

For those Muggles who are less educated in the Wizarding Arts, The Bucknellian is providing you with a simple yet informative basic spell guide.

Accio (Summoning Charm): A common charm used to summon an object (potentially over a large distance). In the Triwizard Tournament, Harry uses Accio to summon his Firebolt during the First Challenge.

Confundo (Confundus Charm): A charm, arguably abused by Harry and his friends, that causes the victim to become easily confused and prone to follow simple orders without thought. During Quidditch tryouts in Harry’s sixth year, Hermione casts a Confundus Charm on Cormac McLaggen.

Expecto Patronum (Patronus Charm): A charm that conjures an incarnation of the caster’s innermost positive feelings. These incarnations take the form of a “Patronus” and protect the caster from, most commonly, Dementors. A full-fledged Patronus takes the form of an animal that is typically significant to the witch or wizard casting the spell. Harry’s Patronus takes the form of a stag while Dumbledore’s Patronus takes the form of a phoenix.

Expelliarmus (Disarming Charm): The spell used to disarm another witch or wizard, typically by causing the opponent’s wand to fly out of reach. When cast with enough power, the spell can throw the victim backwards. Harry’s go-to spell is Expelliarmus.

Impervio (Impervius Charm): A spell that repels certain agents and outside forces, such as water. During Quidditch games on rainy days, Hermione would cast the Impervius Charm on Harry’s glasses so he could better see the snitch.

Levicorpus: A spell, created by Severus Snape, in which the victim is flipped upside-down and dangles by his or her ankles. While in Gringotts in Bellatrix’s vault, Hermione casts Levicorpus on Harry to lift him up and aid him in stealing the Cup of Helga Hufflepuff, a known horcrux.

Petrificus Totalus (Body-Bind Curse): A spell used to temporarily bind the victim’s body in a position similar to that of a soldier at attention. The spell does not restrict breathing or eyesight but typically causes the victim to fall to the ground. In Harry’s first year, Hermione uses Petrificus Totalus to prevent Neville Longbottom from stopping the trio from leaving the common room.

The Unforgivable Curses

Avada Kedavra (The Killing Curse): A curse that causes instant death to the victim. The curse leaves no trace of injury and is accompanied by a jet of green light and a rushing noise. The only known survivor of the killing curse is, you got it, Harry Potter himself.

Crucio (Cruciatus Curse): A spell that inflicts unbearable pain on its recipient. The extreme pain is unique to each person and is known as a popular form of torture among the Death Eaters. The pain has been described as being similar to the sensation of one’s bones catching on fire as well as the head being split open without sedation. In Malfoy Manor, Bellatrix uses Crucio to torture Hermione.

Imperio (Imperius Curse): A spell that causes the victim to obey the spoken or unspoken commands of the caster. The feeling of casting the spell, as described by Harry, is similar to controlling a marionette through a wand. It is extremely hard to resist the effects of the curse but (surprise!) Harry Potter has done it.

Categories
Editorial Opinion

Editorial

This week Public Safety made the Crime and Fire Safety Logs available online—a move we commend as a step in the right direction toward making the University more aware of incidents on campus. Though the online publication of the logs makes the information more accessible and transparent, we believe omissions render the logs useless and unless students actually make an effort to view the logs, their online availability is worthless.

Having a database of incidents available online is especially useful for community members seeking timely and accurate information. Instead of waiting until the weekly publication of the log in The Bucknellian, students, faculty and staff can view the information as soon as it is updated.

The log currently contains 60 days worth of logs, in accordance with the Clery Act. Downloadable PDF files containing a list of incidents report the nature, case number, dates of report and occurrence, location and disposition. The availability of information will provide concrete facts for the generalizations and rumors that currently float around campus. It will also allow students to take preventative measures.

Still, the individual reports in links make the data unwieldy. To make true progress, Public Safety should consider making a searchable and compiled database available. This will provide the campus with a more holistic view of crime trends as they occur.

Omitting data from the log page, however, will skew the conclusions its readers will reach. The logs should be full accounts of the reported crimes. Moreover, even if students are concerned about privacy or believe that reporting a crime will emotionally compromise them, we urge students to report all crimes, especially sexual assault. Omissions, whether edited or unreported, create an inaccurate portrayal of actual crime on campus.

Public Safety will also begin posting a link to the log page through the Message Center Digest. While we applaud Public Safety’s efforts to inform the campus community about the page in this manner, few students thoroughly read the digest and even fewer will read and click on the link.

The Bucknellian will continue to publish a compilation of the Public Safety Crime and Fire Safety Logs weekly. But for those who require timelier reports, the online publication of the logs represents a worthwhile endeavor that should be expanded in the future.

Categories
Arts & Life Featured

BDC concert to feature student choreography


By Katie Monigan

Arts & Life Editor

Although the Department of Theatre and Dance staged its Fall Dance Showcase just four weeks ago, there’s plenty of dancing on campus again this week—this time with a twist.

This weekend’s show will be performed by the Bucknell Dance Company (BDC), a group of around 25 students who auditioned and began work for this show in September.

The show features three student-choreographed pieces, three choreographed by faculty members and one choreographed byStephanie Yezek ’08, who is currently dancing professionally in the Washington, D.C. area.

The show’s dances are all conceptually deep and substantial in length—most are six to 10 minutes. The show features three student pieces, which have been developed throughout the semester with the help of members of the dance faculty.

The “twist” to this show is that it actually focuses more on the theater aspect of dance. “We’re fortunate to have professional costume, set and lighting designers for the show. It adds a rich aspect and allows for much more developed, cohesive ideas,” faculty director Kelly Knox said.  Each faculty member mentored a student choreographer for the entire process, working with them to create a style and helping to express their ideas more clearly.

“[My piece] explores the false impression that we have solved problems associated with diversity of mind, race, religion, etc.,” Liz Burdick ’12 said of her piece, “Illusion.” With the help of costume designers, she has incorporated bands as both costume and prop for conceptual expression. The dance is split into three considerably different sections that each explore a different side of illusion.

Fellow student choreographers Mikaela Soto ’12 and Kelsey Tangel ’11 created pieces entitled “Fulfill” and “Outwardly Gazing,” respectively. Knox described Soto’s piece as “truly lovely” and described Tangel as “really quite talented.”

Not surprisingly, the students are also incredibly thankful for the opportunity they have been given by choreographing for this show. “It was unbelievable that at 21 years old I was able to choreograph my own work on such talented dancers, with a lighting design team, costume designer and three dedicated professors to help support me every stage of the way,” Tangel said.

In addition to the student pieces, each of the three dance faculty members—Knox, Er-Dong Hu and Dustyn Martincich—have choreographed pieces of their own. Hu’s piece should be noted for its set— elaborate and custom-made to “frame” dancers for his family portrait-themed dance.

The dancers themselves have for the most part rehearsed weekly for each dance. Each dance generally has five to eight performers, and there are seven dances, so there is considerable overlap within the 25-dancer company. Tangel, a four-year company member, said it is a “truly amazing program” and that it was “avenue for self discovery” during her time at the University. She considers her fellow dancers and the dance faculty her family away from home and is very thankful for what the program has offered her.

The show has required an immense amount of time and effort, but all involved have no regrets. “Choreographing a main-stage piece has been super challenging, with a lot of in and out of the studio work. My dancers are stunningly beautiful and have worked so hard. They’re always willing to try anything I throw their way; they’ve made this complex process an absolute joy, and the faculty have offered unrelenting support, guidance and creativity every step of the way,” Soto said.

The BDC performs this Friday and Saturday at 6 and 8 p.m. in Harvey Powers Theatre. Tickets are available for purchase at the door.

Categories
Arts & Life Columns Cooking Corner

Cooking Corner: Oatmeal Raisin Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Emily Fry

Staff Writer

Oatmeal Raisin Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

If you’re stressed studying for finals, and need a little break, why not make some cookies? It will give you a study break, and then while you’re studying you’ll have a nice treat.  Happy baking!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups peanut butter

4 1/2 cups rolled oats, mixed with 2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup M&Ms

1 cup raisins

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.

2. Beat in eggs, vanilla and peanut butter until well-blended.

3. Stir in oats, baking soda, M&Ms, raisins and chocolate chips.

4. Make one-inch balls, place three inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.  Flatten to two-inch diameter.

5. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes.

Categories
Opinion

Capitalism key to resolving Korean conflict successfully

By Chris Giglio

Opinions Editor

North Korea’s shelling of the island of Yeonpyeong last week has tested U.S. policy in the region.  The United States must honor its long-time defense alliance with South Korea in a way that does not provoke a nuclear-powered state with close ties to China to further hostile action.

So far the response from both the United States and South Korea has been one of military deterrence.  We’ve seen deployment of more weapons to the island of Yeonpyeong, a promise from South Korean president Lee to retaliate for any future aggression and the deployment of a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier to the region.

In many ways a military response is justifiable.  Could you imagine if the United States was bombarded by artillery?  Furthermore the latest attack follows the sinking of a South Korean naval ship, which killed 46 sailors and which is widely blamed on North Korea.

Still, while a military response is justifiable and should definitely play a role, it is not what will ultimately solve the problem.

What needs to be addressed is the backwards, quasi-communist ideology in North Korea that has been forcefully entrenched by the Kim regimes.  This past summer I had a glimpse of this ideology when I visited the North Korean World Expo pavilion in Shanghai.  In this pavilion, meant to display the countries’ cultural achievements, I saw Cold War era films of marching soldiers hailing the “Dear Leader” as a divine ruler. The Kim Regime has proposed that North Korea stands under constant threat from a barbaric and chaotic outside world.  Because of the “ideological education” and repressive measures put in place, many, if not most, North Koreans believe this mantra despite the years of famine and violence they have been subjected to.  The key lies in changing this perception, thereby eroding the government’s justification of its often irrational and violent actions.

There are many ways to begin implementing this change but the most effective way is to promote the quasi-capitalist system that is already slowly beginning to emerge in North Korea.  Because of the extreme poverty North Korea faces, it has recently allowed people to begin selling products in the streets, and the police no longer crack down on illegal markets.  This is a small step in the right direction, but if further promoted, a quasi-capitalist society like the system in China could open North Korea to the world.

The hope is that this would both alleviate the extreme poverty in North Korea and begin to challenge the established principles in the country.  As revealed by Wikileaks earlier this week, China has much to gain by stabilizing North Korea and should therefore be willing to promote these measures.  With Kim Jong-Un set to succeed his father, this may be the perfect time to institutionalize change in North Korea.

By having a more balanced response to North Korean hostility, we can prevent an escalation of violence and help kick-start a very troubled State.