Making Strides

Jason Cytacki
Editor-in-Chief

More than 1,200 individuals braved the chilly Michiana weather Saturday to take part in the  Annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk held on the IU South Bend Campus. 

 The walk is organized by the American Cancer Society with a dual purpose.  “Today’s walk not only raised funds to fight breast cancer, but it also worked to raise awareness of several issues that affect breast cancer in this country,” said Cindy Kovacik, regional executive director of the American Cancer Society, Great Lakes Division. 

 According to the press release, “over $100,000 was raised for breast cancer
research and local education and support programs.”

 The 5 K walk/run drew a diverse crowd.  Both young and old composed the massive group that gathered on Ruskin Street at the start of the walk.  Some came to honor a friend, family member, or co-working who survived Breast cancer, or to remember a loved one that lost their life to the disease.

   The team “Pam’s Pride” walked in honor of their friend, Pam Seifert, a breast cancer survivor, who also made the walk.  “A beautiful day. There’s lots of great camaraderie” stated Mary Donigan.

 This was IUSB nursing student Elizabeth Pierce first time running the event.  “I’ve been doing as many 5ks as I can.”  She also was participating in the memory of her mother’s mother-in-law and a friend’s wife who had recently just died from breast cancer. 

 Cold weather did not damper the spirits of most participants.  “It was fun, cold, but fun,” said Linda Gaiser.  “We’re planning for next year.”

 The walk was the second time for the “Pink Pirates.”  Stephanie Gallagher, a Pink Pirate, pointed out that it was “a different route this time, it took us through more of the neighborhoods.”  She added that there was a lot of “good spirit around. 

 According to a press release, almost 41,000 women nationwide will die of breast cancer this year. Statewide, 4,680 Hoosier men and women will be diagnosed with the disease this year and 900 Indiana women will die. The incidence and mortality rates among minority populations are much higher.

Donations can be made online at the official event website,
Ww.cancer.org/stridesonline For more information anytime, call
toll free 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit ww.cancer.org.

Apartment Hunting?

Zorina E. Jerome
Staff Writer

 It will be some time before the dorms are built at IUSB. Until then, the traditional student has the option of either staying at home with his or her parents, student housing, or venturing out into the real world and finding an apartment.

Choosing the right apartment is an important task. As a student, one must consider what they can afford, how far of a commute it will be to and from school, and whether or not to have a roommate. Getting a roommate will reduce living expenses in half and ought to be an option to consider. However, it is up to the individual to decide if he or she prefers to live alone. 

There are several apartment complexes that have three or more bedrooms available. However, most of the apartments that are closer to the campus offer 1-2 bedrooms. 

Location and affordability is a key factor in apartment hunting, though it is suggested that the future tenant take time to look at various apartment complexes and the amenities to determine what type of environment would be best for his or her lifestyle. Some complexes have a club house, a pool, fitness room, balcony or patio, carport, central air, and even a washer and dryer unit that is included in the apartment. On the other hand, some do not, although most complexes include appliances and have 24-hour on-site maintenance. Usually tenants pay rent and electric. Security deposits range from $300 to the agreed upon monthly rent. Cats and dogs are allowed in a few apartments and the units range from 600-1241 square feet in size. 

Students and even faculty members can arrange a tour with the apartment complexes listed by setting an appointment.

  

Apartment	Price Range	Bedrooms	Distance	Traveling Time	W/D Unit	Phone

 

IUSB Gamers Unite: The New Dungeons and Dragons Club

Robert L. Francis Jr.
Staff Writer

 When you think of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D), what comes to mind? Images of social outcasts huddled around a game board wearing left over Halloween costumes?

 According to John Higgins, D&D Game Master (GM), nothing could be further from the truth.

 “It’s all grownups playing pretend with rules,” said Higgins.

 Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game that allows you to escape the real world for an afternoon or evening. As a player, you can be anything you like depending on the scenario agreed upon by the group.

 To play, you use dice and rule books to generate a character. The GM then puts you and your character through a series of adventures and battles to reach your objective or goal.

 “I’ve been a GM for a long time,” said Higgins. “I learned that there has to be a balance between rules and character.”

 A good GM knows just how tough to make the scenario in order to keep the players hooked, according to Higgins.

 You don’t have to buy the D&D books or bring the ones you already own. The group has a small library of books and is more than willing to help anyone generate a character and learn the game.

 “I’ve never had to bring my own books,” said Dan Tuholski. “We’ve got them all here.”

 Worried about having to use a fake voice or looking silly acting out the action? Acting and costumes are not necessary and the game is open to anyone.

 D&D is played by a diverse group of people ranging from professors to high school students; librarians to soldiers.

 The D&D Club consists of GM John Higgins, Dan Tuholski, Alex Ehret, and John Herowy and meets in the Greenlawn cafeteria/lounge on Saturdays from 12-5 p.m.; sometimes longer if the game is especially good.

 If you’re interested in the D&D Club, contact John Higgins at jack_daniel_327@yahoo.com.

Fierenz: A New Face in Rock

Alma D. Gomez
Staff Writer

After a long day of class, you walk over to your car and notice a small piece of paper stuck in your windshield. While you’re wondering what it could be, you notice most of the cars around you have that same paper in their windshields. It catches your curiosity and as you read the first line, you see the word ‘Fierenz’. This small piece of paper is actually an invitation to see Fierenz.

 

What is Fierenz, you ask yourself?  Fierenz, pronounced “Fear-enz,” is actually a local band from Goshen, IN. Its members are Nick Whitehead (drums), Evan Kehr (bass and vocals), Nate Kehr (vocals and guitar), and Cam Yoder (guitar and vocals). The band began in 2004 and was founded as Aphotic by Nathan Kehr, Evan Kehr, and Anthony Garber. Then, in late 2005, the trio added Cam Yoder.

In January 2006, the band recorded their first E.P. titled Fortunately for you… It was then when Fierenz started getting recognition; among them friends, fans, and show opportunities. Five months later, they recorded an untitled demo which received several plays on the radio in the Indiana and Michigan rock stations as well as college stations. Two months passed and Fierenz was once again in studio recording; this time, their first full-length record entitled Asystole.

Asystole consists of 11 songs written and arranged by Fierenz. All lyrics are written by vocalist and guitarist Nathan Kehr. Their debut album has a feel of alternative rock and alternative metal. The band defines their style as an “atmospheric yet heavy mix of in-your-face hard rock and alternative metal that emphasizes all aspects of their music and all members of the band as individual musicians.” In this record, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone. The record starts with a mellow rock song called “DXO” but then moves to “Derelecta” for a faster song. My favorite is number eight, titled “Only in Sleep.” It’s a soft song with great lyrics that I think makes the song even better.

 

To take a closer look at Fierenz’s music, you can go online and check them out at myspace.com/fierenz. I promise you won’t be disappointed. There, you’ll be able to listen to three of their songs from their debut album, such as “Derelecta”, “Only in your Sleep,” and “Gunslinger.” You can also find more updated information on the band as well as their upcoming shows and how to get a copy of their CD.

Fierenz’s next show will be at the Twilight Records Showcase at the Portage VFW in Portage, MI on October 20 at 4 p.m. They are also looking to tour in the spring of 2007, so go out there and show your support to “keep the rock alive!”

“Sold Out Vending Machines?”

It’s Tuesday Oct. 10 and I’m sitting in Greenlawn trying to study for my E304 class. I realize I am in need of caffeine, in fact I’m jonesin’ for it real bad, hands are shaking
as I type. OH, but look, the Coke machine is “Sold Out” and so are all the other ones
within a mile radius of Greenlawn. It was the same last Thursday, the Tuesday and the
previous Thursday before.

I don’t know whether students on Mondays and Wednesdays are benefiting from full
machines or are suffering the same as I am nor for that matter whether IU’s other campuses are suffering the same way, but I think it’s time some questions are raised about the situation. Why can’t Coca Cola keep these machines filled? Have they done such a good job addicting us to their product that supply cannot keep up with demand? Is the supply of their product being held up some how, like due to a trucker’s strike, a flood, hurricane, or blizzard? Or, is it because Coca Cola has a strangle-hold monopoly on the IU campuses and could care less about customer satisfaction? (The likely reason). This even though they are making a killing, overcharging us for a product we all know we can get somewhere else sometimes at half the cost. I know, I know we are paying for the convenience, delivery, electricity etc., Blah, Blah, Blah. What good is paying for all that when there is nothing in the machines to purchase?

I’m sure I am not the only student on campus frustrated by this situation and wondering
what’s being done about it. Maybe it’s time for IU to reconsider its contract with Coca
Cola and to open up the campuses to a true competitive market and allow all soda
manufacturers to vend their products on them. I truly don’t know the best answer, maybe
the Preface can find out.

By the way, don’t tell me to drink the coffee to get my caffeine fix at least with the
“hit and miss” filled machines I know I’m getting a product that tastes the same every
time I purchase it. The vending machine coffee taste like the cup it’s served in and I’d
rather drink the water from the campus drinking fountains before I’d drink coffee from
the vending machines, but that’s a topic for another time.

Rick Kiefer
BS Secondary Education 2002
and Grad Student

The Who Back on Tour

Sarah Stefaniak
Staff Writer

 While the buzz has been going on about it for quite some time, The Who is now in full swing in the middle of their reunion tour. Roger Daltrey and guitar legend Pete Townshend have once again joined musical forces for this tour.

 Beginning their career in the mid 60s, it’s no surprise that The Who is still around today. Being one of the most influential bands of their time and to this day, The Who forced its way into the music scene with an eclectic group of musicians and some very unique music. During their career, The Who has released several albums, including live albums and many singles. Some of the more popular of these singles are “My Generation,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” and “The Kids Are Alright.” The Who also came away with the rock opera, Tommy.

 The Who has dealt with a lot of setbacks in their career, such as the death of drummer Keith Moon in 1978 and the group disbanding in the early 80s, but that hasn’t stopped front man Daltrey and guitarist Townshend from getting back together for yet another tour.

 If you are lucky enough to get tickets for this tour, or if you can afford them, The Who will be coming to Grand Rapids, MI on December 5, and Columbus, OH on December 11. The tour, which began last month in Philadelphia, will continue to run until December, with the last U.S. show in Columbus.

 If you can’t make it to a show, you can pick up the band’s new album Endless Wire which is due the end of this month. This is the first studio album the band has released in nearly 25 years.

IUSB EXCEEDS VOTER REGISTRATION EXPECTATIONS

Robert L. Francis Jr.
Staff Writer

“Voter registration is the first step toward active involvement in the electoral process. In 2006, we’ve already topped our 2004 registration record and are determined to continue the momentum through Election Day.” -Elizabeth A. Bennion, IU South Bend
You have probably seen them in the hallway at Wiekamp and other buildings, those lonely looking volunteers manning the table to get students to register to vote. But apparently they were not all that lonely.

Working from St. Joe County to Cass County in Michigan the volunteers got 500 people to register. This exceeds the best hoped for goal of 400 registration cards completed by 100.

“I am coordinating a national voter registration drive on 70 campuses. I hoped that our campus would serve as a model for other campuses,” Bennion said.
School administrators, professors, and students at over 70 colleges and universities will register young voters using a mix of peer-to-peer outreach, encouragement from professors, email, and direct mail.   Having already reached 116% of their campus goal, IU South Bend is in the running for the $1000 first prize, $500 second prize, or $250 third prize for collecting the highest percentage over goal. They face stiff competition from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, a campus that achieved 133% of its total goal in a single weekend orientation session for students moving into campus housing. Bloomsburg is currently the leading campus, having already achieved 144% of its campus registration goal.” The press release stated.

“I am thrilled that IU South Bend has set the bar for campuses nationwide,” professor Bennion said happily.

Working with professor David Nickerson of Notre Dame, professor Bennion will work with AASCU to track which techniques register the most state college students and is most likely to result in a vote being cast on Election Day.

“AASCU’s project is part of Young Voter Strategies’ nationwide, a non-partisan effort to register 350,000 voters in 2006. “State colleges and universities could be goldmines for nonprofits and political campaigns reaching out to register young voters. More than six million students attend state schools in the U.S., many on campuses with tens of thousands enrolled,” said Heather Smith, Director of Young Voter Strategies. “Coming out of this project, we’ll have data to help create a comprehensive toolkit for future state college registration projects.”

To build on 2004, the Young Voter Strategies project will register 350,000 18-29 year olds nationwide through innovative Internet, email, and mobile phone strategies, streamlined peer-to-peer outreach, presentations by high school teachers and college professors, and creative outreach by musicians.  Each group will focus on a specific subset of 18-29 year olds, such as single women, community college students, students at public four-year colleges, African-Americans, young Latinos, Evangelical youth, and high school seniors” the press release stated.

Halloween Fun

Terrie Phillips
Campus News Editor

It’s that time of year again; the time when we celebrate the day of the dead also known as Halloween. For about a month, people clear the shelves of individually wrapped candies, costumes, costume accessories, and decorations. 

As Halloween slowly creeps in on us, there are some things that we can only do this time of year. Since some of you are under the legal age to drink (also for students with families), this one is for you. 

Hayrides: Hey, who doesn’t like getting on a trailer filled with hay with a bunch of strangers, bumping along behind a tractor? For those of you who enjoy this type of thing, Bendix Woods is the place to be on October 20 and 27. The hayride costs $5 per person for public rides.  

From WSBT’s webpage [wsbt.com/events/4246511.html]: “Tractor-drawn hayrides on Friday, October 13, 20, and 27. A park interpreter will lead a night hike on the trails of Bendix Woods beginning at 7 p.m. The hike starts from Raccoon Run Trailhead near the campfire site. Food and beverages available for a small charge. For more information, call 574-654-3155.”

For those of you who really enjoy haunted mazes and cannot wait until the last weekend before Halloween: In Wanatah, IN, the Corn Maze is owned and operated by Guse Christmas Trees and are open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. They have the haunted mazes on October 21 and 28. You can get directions at their website [gusechristmastrees.com]. 

They also have campfires, a corn box, cow train, hay jump, hay ride, and a pumpkin patch. You can contact them through their website listed above or by phone at 219-928-5966 or 219-733-9346. 

Some other attractions include the Niles haunted house, Thistleberry farm corn maze and pumpkin patch, the Elkhart Community Haunted House, the Harvest Festival, the Family Halloween Haunt, Pirate Party, Haunted Michiana: UFO’s Ghosts and Local Legends (October 21, requires pre-registration at 574-282-2647), Haunted Pirate Ship, and the Jonathan Thomas Asylum Haunted House. All of these events can be found online by typing in the name of the event.

Scorsese and Nicholson Return with The Departed

Steve Lotter
Staff Writer

 Martin Scorsese is back with a vengeance. In his latest crime caper, The Departed, Scorsese returns to his winning ways that brought us classics such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas.

 From frame one to the end, The Departed is like a thrilling roller coaster ride of emotions, never letting us go and making us happy that we waited in line. Jack Nicholson plays the hardened Irish mob boss looking to infiltrate the Boston police department with one of his own; a young gun played with ferocity by Matt Damon. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Boston police department is looking to do the same with the Nicholson’s group but with a young cop who has family ties to the Irish mob played by Leonardo DiCaprio.

 The three leads are all strong, with an especially gripping performance from DiCaprio as Billy Costigan. He is in the most overwhelming position throughout the film, having to pretend he is a killer when he’s not and most importantly, having to act opposite the always stellar Jack Nicholson.

 Nicholson is evil, even devilish. His every move, word, facial expression is wondrously crafted with fire and intensity. Nicholson may be pushing seventy, but he is still a force to be reckoned with in the film industry and gives his young counterparts a run for their money. His presence in the film is two-fold. He can be your best friend or your worst enemy, yet you’re never able to predict his next move.

 Much of the film feels like the ultimate chess match between two equal opponents. Brilliant casting choices with Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and Mark Wahlberg, fill out the rest of the cast as cops. It has been some time since I have seen a movie that has kept me guessing all the way until the end. The Departed makes the audience feel smart and in the know for most of the film, but is not too shy to smack them across the face with a thrilling surprise just when you least expect it.

 The film feels shorter than its 152 running time would have you believe. I never stopped to look down at my watch, which seems to be asking a lot from a film these days. Direction wise, Scorsese has never been sharper and his editing has never been crisper. The film is based on the Hong Kong blockbuster Infernal Affairs, released in 2002 and borrows from many of the elements that made the film such a success in its native country. 

The Departed is currently playing at both Showplace 16 and Movies 14. It is rated R for bloody violence, dirty sex, and bad words.

Bleachers Pub & Grub and Phoenix Bar & Grille

 Adam Gallippo
Student Life Editor

 

Last weekend my friends and I decided to bypass South Bend and check out some places in Mishawaka.

So in this issue, you’re going to get a two for one.

The first place we checked out was Bleachers Pub & Grub. This place definitely had a different vibe. Different vibes can be good. Here, it’s average.

When you enter Bleachers you have two choices: music to the right or pool tables and air hockey to the left. This place doesn’t have the conventional sports bar feel, which is ok.

If you turn left you’ll find, if my memory is still kosher, eight pool tables. Sharks, this is your haven.

Turn right and one thing stands out: karaoke. Every night, Bleachers has karaoke setups which is an interesting draw for some patrons.

At first, the whole karaoke thing didn’t rub off on me. It’s only a matter of time, however, before you want to sing the Nirvana that’s running through your head as you listen to some guy butcher “Return to Sender.”

If it wasn’t for the karaoke section, Bleachers would be a 2 out of 5 run of the mill pool hall. But the karaoke section was where it was at. It was fun. That’s where all the younger people were.

As far as everything else is concerned, the service was average and the imports were decently priced ($2.50 Dos Equis was a bonus). It was fun, but just average aside from the karaoke gimmick.

However, I do like a good gimmick. Bleachers Pub & Grub gets 3 Heart-Shaped Box’s out of 5.

Now to the Phoenix Bar & Grille. This will be concise.

The only positive I can think of with this place is the overall layout. You know I’m digging when that’s the lone positive.   It has a nice small, classic bar style though.

Here’s the rest. The Phoenix was dead. It attracted an older audience which is ok, but it lacked balance.

I was in a good mood after Bleachers’ drunken karaoke and within 20 minutes, this place killed whatever buzz I was working on.

They had a live band and no cover charge which usually sets the tone for a good time, but the band stunk, the people behaved like proverbial wallflowers, and the atmosphere was drab.

There were a couple waitresses that would get drinks for you, but it wasn’t necessary in a place that small.

All in all, this is a bar you could go to if you wanted to do something mellow with a small group of friends. Good luck with the conversation while the band wails away to Styx greatest hits.

If you like going to bars to meet new people or to have fun drinking with a large group of friends, then this isn’t the place for you.

When I think back on the Phoenix, I think of all the things they could do differently.

The Phoenix Bar & Grille gets 2 “I should have stayed at Bleachers” out of 5.

---