Wednesday, March 2, 2011

By JEFF TATAYStaff Writer

The breathtaking performances of IU South Bend students and local talent were embraced with the support of a campus that never ceases to amaze

with its community spirit. The Titan Pro Open Mic Night was a huge success that drew nearly 70 people out of the warmth of their homes and into the Community Building at Student Housing. Zachary Duncan performed an excellent mix down at the mixer board while host Jeff Carrier kicked-off the night with a few jokes and a poem titled “Summer Time” which he wrote while listening to jazz music. The first act definitely continued in the “Summer Time” theme of Carrier’s poem as Ross Ford’s passionate lyrics and vocals set the place on fire. The response from the crowd was equal to Ford’s performance as they added to the flames with their shouts and cheers. Ford’s performance was followed by Grace Ball who honored the greatest archeologist of all time by playing the Indiana Jones theme song on her trumpet. Perhaps one day she will write a song in honor of one of IUSB’s greatest archeologists Dr. James VanderVeen. Ball was embraced by the amazing support of the audience who smiled with memories of Dr. Jones and Shorty. “Okie dokie Dr. Jones, hold on to your potatoes!” Another notable act that created a fiery response was Cardboard Cutout’s version of teenage heartthrob Justin Bieber’s song “Baby.” Blake Clay, the man behind Card-board Cutout is a one-man singer/songwriter acoustic guitar act. “I used to go to IUSB and a couple of friends invited me to come so I showed up,” said Clay. Check out what you missed by searching Cardboard Cutout on iTunes or Facebook. Psychological Illusionist Jon Werley showed up and hyp-notized random volunteer, Jurek Shultz, who could not remember how many fingers he had. Shultz was at a loss for words when asked to explain what happened on stage with Werley. After a moment of hesitation Shultz said, “He had me

count my ten fingers and as he did he whispered that I would miss the number ten. I legitimately could not say the number ten when I got to my tenth finger.” The audience saw a variety of original talent as the night went from poetry, archeology, rock, hypnotism and then to Christian rap as Arquelle Moore hit the stage with his God fearing freestyle, which mixed poetic verse with hip-hop and Jesus. Moore also lit up the night with his power-ful and inspiring voice. “I grew up singing and I started rapping when I was ten,” said Moore. “I always thought that I would be a musician. I just figured that this is where I need to be.” One act that would be sure to win American Idol was the beautiful voice and personality of Michelle Giden. “The first time I came to open mic night I knew I wanted to come back and sing. And so I did,” said Giden. “I’m glad that IUSB has something like this so that the students can express themselves artistically. The event was awesome!”

Indiana University South Bend’s Publication Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Inside this Issue

Spring Cleaning-Page 3

Green-FeetPage 8

Music Page 5

By: JOSEPH GRAFStaff Writer

IU South Bend has a new forum dedicated to the aspects of how we think and use information in the digital era. “InfoGlut!” will be presented on Wednesday, March 2 at 7:30pm in Northside Hall’s Recital Hall.

The presentation will be done by Mark Andrejevic, an associate professor in the de-partment of communication at the University of Iowa. He has authored the books Real-

ity TV: The Work of Being Watched and iSpy: Surveillance and Power in the Interactive Era. He has also written several articles on surveillance and media, and its role in society. The IUSB forum will explore how the role of information, surveillance, the internet, and other aspects of how media may invade one’s personal life. It will also explore topics such as political and demographical use of the information that is known about us as citizens, and how our willingness to use social networking sites and other digital forms of communication to establish our identities may either help or hurt our society.

Mark Andrejevic presents “InfoGlut!” at IUSB

Titan Pro open mic night showed strength of IUSB community

PHOTOS BY JEFF TATAY

The audience had a fiery response to Cardboard Cutout’s version of teenage heartthrob Justin Bieber’s song “Baby” at Titan Pro open mic night on Feb. 24.

“The first time I came to open mic night I knew I wanted to come back and sing,” said Giden.

2 Preface Wednesday, March 2, 2011

By MANDI STEFFEYStaff Writer

The South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestras will be playing in the Campus Auditorium on March 6 at 4p.m. This performance will consist of two groups, the South Bend Youth Concert Orchestra,

directed by Emilie Grondin, and the South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra, directed by Pete Collins.

The South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra (SBYSO) was founded in 1968, helping children across the Michiana area pursue their dreams of playing with an orchestra. The two groups within the program, the Con-cert Orchestra and the Symphony Orchestra, vary slightly due to levels of advancement within the musicians, with the Symphony Orchestra being the most advanced. Both groups are well prepared and equipped to put on a great show.The Concert Orchestra will perform first on March 6. They will perform “Swedish Rhapsody” by Hugo Alfven, “Pavane” by Gabriel Faure, “William Tell Overture (Abridged)” by Gioacchino Rossini, and “Radetzky March, Op. 228” by Johann Strauss Sr.The Symphony Orchestra will be performing “Academic Festival Over-ture” by Johannes Brahms, and the first movements of Franz Schubert’s “Symphony No. 8 in B minor,” and “Unfinished” as well as two dances from “The Three-Cornered Hat” by Manuel De Falla.If you want to watch this performance but are unable to attend the March

6 date, the SBYSO is also performing the same program in the Mishawaka Lion’s Club Fine Arts Series at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at Mishawaka High School.The IUSB performance has tickets for presale. They are $4 in advance and $6 at the door at the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts Box Office. Students and children receive tickets free of charge. For more information, visit arts.iusb.edu or www.sbyso.org.

The PrefaceThe Preface is the official weekly student newspaper of IU South Bend and is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters. The paper receives funding from the Student Government Association and through advertising revenue. The Preface is a student written, edited, and designed newspaper.

JESSICA FARRELLEditor-in-Chief

SAMANTHA HUNSBERGERManaging Editor

COURTNEY SEANORDesign Editor

HANNAH TROYERWeb Editor

COLUMNISTSRebecca GibsonKristine Bailey

STAFF WRITERSApril Buck

Rasonda ClarkKelsie Ferguson

Joesph GrafDoug Hubbard

Sarah NixonMandi Steffey

Jeff TatayKrystal VivianAllysa Winston

PHOTOGRAPHERSJeff Tatay

John Batliner

Direct all correspondence to: [email protected]

Email is the preferred contact method.

The PrefacePO Box 7111

1700 Mishawaka AveSouth Bend, IN 46634

Phone: 574-520-4553

Office Location:Student Activities Center

Room 220Phone: 574/520-4553

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Letters to the editor must be fewer than 350 words and include university affiliation and phone number for verification. Guest columns must be fewer than 600 words. All submissions become property of the Preface and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters will be read, but not printed. The Preface will only print one letter per author per month. Letters must be sent in electronic format sent to [email protected]. The Preface reserves the right to reject submissions. All letters must be received by 5 p.m. Thursday prior to publication for consideration.

Corrections policy. The Preface tries to insure the fairness or accuracy of stories that appear in the Preface and on its website. If an error should appear, please send an e-mail to [email protected] or call 574/520-4553. If a correction or clarification is necessary, it will be printed the next issue. Story ideas or suggestions. The Preface welcomes story ideas and suggestions. Contact [email protected] or call 574-520-4553. Submissions policy. All letters, guest columns and contributed articles become property of The Preface. The Preface reserves the right to reject or accept all submissions.

Advertising policy. The Preface reserves the right to refuse any ad based on subject matter or content. All advertising copy must be received by 5 p.m. Thursday prior to publication. Contact [email protected] for our media kit/advertising rates or call 574/520-4553 for more information.

COURTESY OF FLICKR.COM

Youth Symphony to play at IUSB

The South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra features a full instrumentation.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

The Preface is looking for an Editor in Chief for the 2011-12 academic year.

The new editor will assume duties in April and will retain the position until the end of April, 2012.

The Editor in Chief is responsible for the overall content of the newspaper, working with and managing the staffers, spending within budget restrictions and developing a plan to attract

and retain more student involvement and readership.

Applicants should send a letter of interest, stating qualifications and experience, to:Ken Klimek

IU South Bend Publications Board memberand Preface advisor

Interviews will be conducted after spring break in March.

If you have questions, please email Klimek at [email protected]


Spring into spring cleaningBeware of dust bunnies!

By MANDI STEFFEY Staff Writer

It is important to remember that as the seasons change, so do responsibilities. Melting snow means more than just warmer temperatures: it means getting that lawn-

mower out, cleaning the gutters, and unfortunately, SPRING CLEANING! Don’t worry, though, because spring cleaning isn’t the way it used to be. It’s not all about scrubbing the tile due to all the extra dirt that the snow tracked in—actually, one of the biggest parts of spring cleaning is “decluttering,” or getting rid of all of the useless junk you let build up over the long winter months. Many people let little things like a sled-filled garage go, simply because the freezing temperatures cause them to not want to do the work. Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to catch up on all the things you’ve been putting off, and a prime time to push out those winter blues and get ready for the summer months. There are some simple tips to help you achieve your goal, no matter how big or small.

1. Make a List This task, though simple, will

help you in more ways than you can imagine. This list should consist of which rooms you need to clean, what kind of cleaning products you will need for each room, and what little details around the house need special or extra attention (ex: washing curtains, cobwebs you’ve noticed, etc.)2. Regular Maintenance Maintenance is a large part of spring cleaning, just because it is some-thing that just needs to be done. This includes, but is not limited to changing air filters or cleaning all the leaves out of the gutter and the drainpipe.3. The Nitty-Gritty Since spring cleaning some-times is the only time someone really gets down to it, don’t ignore anything. Make sure you’ve thoroughly and fully checked your house top to bottom. No excuses: clean the oven, shampoo that carpet stain you’ve been ignoring, and wash the ceilings and the walls. Skipping over these some-what time-consuming and laborious chores will just leave you work later in the year when you want to be out of the house enjoying other things.

While it might already sound like a pain to even think about spring cleaning, every cloud has a silver lining: you don’t have to do it alone! There is no rule that says you can’t recruit your roommates, spouse, or children to help you with this large task. In fact, trying to do the whole thing alone may seem overwhelming and impossible. Af-ter all, if everyone in the house participates, the relaxing feeling of a clean house can be shared by all who inhabit it, making for a good start to the new season. So, roll up your sleeves, crank up the tunes, and get to work!

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Senior Katie Hacker, number 21 on the roster for the IU South Bend Titan women’s basketball team, is somewhat of an unsung legend on the

courts. As a hybrid position forward and center, she has helped lead the Titan women to impressive records and upset wins throughout her years on the squad. As she headed into her last game as a Titan on Saturday, she held the Titans’ all-time record for rebounds (841) and is second all-time in points (1,548) for her career stats at IUSB. “Truthfully, I didn’t expect it, but it’s always been two of my goals since I’ve been here at IUSB,” said Hacker. “I set goals before every season, and those two have always popped up when I’ve talked to coach Bruce. I’ve really tried to not concentrate on it, but be aware, and try to go after those goals.” One of the most important aspects of collegiate sports is learning from your time with the team, and using what you have learned to help you in both sports and life. While playing for the Titans, Hacker gained a few major insights from her experience. “The number one thing I’ve took away from my

experience playing with the Titans is just playing with a team,” said Hacker. “Just always being around them, always associating with them, and communicating with them both on and off the court. Teamwork is really the biggest thing, especially in our team this year.” Her emphasis on teamwork is apparent in her regards for her teammates. When asked to choose which teammate she liked to practice with the most, Hacker couldn’t narrow it down to one person. “I don’t think I can choose anyone. I think that for all our teammates we are definitely a practice team. We go hard for an hour and a half, get on and get off the court. That’s our coaches’ motto, so we all go hard during practice,” said Hacker. “I don’t think I can choose just one.” Even though this is Hacker’s senior year and last year as a player for the Titan squad, you may get a chance to see her next year if her wishes go according to plan. “Right now I plan on staying here at IUSB and coaching as an assistant on the coaching staff, and working on getting my masters in elementary [education],” said Hacker.

Women’s Athlete of the Month - Katie Hacker


y: JOSEPH GRAFStaff Writer

On January 18, 2011, the Federal Communica-tions Commission approved by a vote of 4-1 to the merger of the cable company Comcast and

the network NBC Universal. On January 28, the merger went into full effect. According to a press release from both Comcast and NBCU, Comcast will own 51% of the company, and NBCU will own 49%, giving Comcast the advantage in the deal. In the merger, Comcast pledged to provide more local news coverage, as well as provide more programming tar-geted for Spanish-speaking viewers. Part of the merger required Comcast to give up all man-agement rights to the popular video sharing website Hulu, which is owned by NBCU, News Corp., and Disney. Ac-cording to a release by the Department of Justice, “Com-cast must relinquish its management rights in Hulu, an OVD. Without such a remedy, Comcast could, through its seats on Hulu’s board of directors, interfere with the management of Hulu, and, in particular, the development of products that compete with Comcast’s video service. Comcast also must continue to make NBCU content available to Hulu that is comparable to the programming Hulu obtains from Disney and News Corp.” Though Com-cast is allowed to maintain an economic stake in Hulu, it has been cut out of any decision-making processes for the site, to attempt to ensure that it does not restrict any video distribution. Though many see this merger as a way to provide more in-depth programming for cable, internet, and the NBC network, there are many who say that this merger is un-healthy for the media, and is another step in the direction of a horrible monopolization of media that many predict-ed would happen one day. IU South Bend sophomore Alanna Mabry thinks that the merger may actually end up hindering the quality of NBCU’s programming. “I think that it was a bad idea on NBC’s part,” said Marby. “Their programming shows their creativity and their innovation, and I think that Comcast may try to hold them back.” Josh Silver, President and CEO of the Free Press, said by approving this merger, the Department of Justice has re-moved “the last obstacle to the unprecedented consolida-tion of media and Internet power in the hands of one com-pany… The merger further squeezes what’s left of independent, diverse voices from the television dial, lay-ing waste to President Barack Obama’s promise to reign in runaway media consolidation.” Silver, a believer in free speech and accurate, objection-able press goes on to say, “You should be afraid, and mad

as hell. The new Comcast will control an obscene number of media outlets, including the NBC broadcast network, numerous cable channels, two dozen local NBC and Tele-mundo stations, movie studios, online video portals, and the physical network that distributes that media content to millions of Americans through Internet and cable connec-tions.”

It has been said that those who hold the most influence have the greatest control over people. In our society full of countless websites, channels, radio stations, magazines, newspapers, and text messaging services, we are constant-ly bombarded by ideas, even if we don’t consciously agree with them or acknowledge them. It is safe to say the much of our culture, our beliefs, and our values are shaped heav-ily by the media’s portrayal of society. Though the merger of NBCU and Comcast is not a direct attack on our soci-ety, the amount of power that a media conglomerate with such a large consumer base holds is something we should all be aware of.

Samantha Nogueira Joyce, a professor in the communi-cations department, teaches her students of the power of media and it’s influence on politics and social values. She herself is not a fan of the power mergers that seem to hap-

pen constantly in today’s world. “Any type of centralized control over information, which is what huge media mega mergers essentially are, is incompatible with freedom and democracy,” said Joyce. “The monopoly over information, and over whose voices and opinions are heard, shared, highlighted and/or blocked, whether its done by the gov-ernment, or by private businesses is a hindrance to de-mocracy and freedom, two staples of the United States of America.” Throughout history, countries that have been monopo-lized by one major media company have been highly sus-ceptible to propaganda, because the competition that de-sires to publish the truth holds such a small portion of the consumer market, that their voices are more unlikely to be heard. “True democracies need a choice of views and ideas, and to be exposed to a truly diverse spectrum of ideas requires access to truly diverse and competing sources of information,” said Joyce. “Media consolidation is the opposite of this.” Though no one is directly accusing NBCU or Comcast of being propaganda agencies or intentionally publishing false information at the moment, the impending monopo-ly of the media market gives reason to many to be cautious of how much influential power the new company will have.

On January 18, 2011, the Federal Communications Commission approved by a vote of 4-1 to the merger of the cable company Comcast and the network NBC Universal. On January 28, the merger went into full effect.

Comcast and NBC Universal merge: is it good for media?

COURTESY OF: WWW.TOPNEWS.NET.NZ

Now Hiring Editors for 2011-12 Student Publications:

New Views on Gender, Analecta, Undergraduate Research Journal, History Journal

The Publications Board is now accepting applications for the position of Editor for each of our student journals: New Views on Gender, Analecta, the Undergraduate Research Journal, and the History Journal. Duties include: advertising for submissions, reading and deciding on submitted work to be included in the issue, finding and working with

an artist on the cover and design, creating a file of the final issue to send to the publisher, working with the publisher to make sure the journal is available in April, etc. This is a paid position: $600 stipend. Deadline to apply: March 23, 2011.

To apply, please submit a formal letter of application that describes your interest and experience. Email the letter to the faculty advisor of the appropriate journal:

For New Views on Gender, please contact Prof. Christina Gerken at: [email protected] Analecta, please contact Prof. Kelcey Parker at: [email protected]

For the Undergraduate Research Journal, please contact Prof. Peter Bushnell at: [email protected] the History Journal, please contact Prof. Lisa Zwicker at: [email protected]


By MANDI STEFFEY Staff Writer

Although it is a rarity to see music videos on televi-sion anymore, stations like MTV, MTV2, Fuse, and VH1 still do have time slots available for

them. Usually on these networks, we see things like reality TV shows, so when music videos are actually available for viewing, it’s best to pay attention. When you think of the term “music video,” what do you think? Most people would say that they envision a short, two to four minute mini-movie with a one-song soundtrack—and that’s ex-actly what they are. Music videos first became popular in the 1980s. In fact, MTV was put on the air in August 1981. On their first day of broadcast, they aired music videos like “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles, “Hold on Loosely” by 38 Special, and “Keep on Loving You” by REO Speedwagon. These videos were new and exciting at the time, and the whole concept of music videos back then was just to have a song accompanied by a skit-type or performance video. For example, “Video Killed the Radio Star” is a simple video, showing the musicians of The Buggles just playing their instruments while the song was being featured. After the crude and simple music videos of the very early days of the 80s, the whole concept of music videos began to change. Many musicians and recording artists took music videos as an opportunity to give more depth to their song and their image. On the same token, a lot of art-ists used music videos for activism purposes, encouraging people in the United States and around the world to listen and pay attention to the powerful, yet simple voice and image of change. This can be seen in an early Bob Dylan video for his song “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” in which Dylan simply sits and holds cards containing the lyrics to his songs. This video is known around the world for its simplicity and style. In today’s culture, music videos have changed drasti-cally. Throughout the mid and late 80s, the majority of music videos still stuck to the performance variety, occa-sionally branching out with some odd (though advanced for the time) special effects. The 90s brought out more

plot-driven videos like “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by grun-ge-rock group Nirvana. In this video, a clear message of angst and anarchy is being displayed, and this was made possible by new music video effects and styles of direction. Music videos like this one enabled artists of the 90s to take a political spin on their image. Since 2000 and up until today, the matter that comprises music videos has almost changed completely. While there are still some videos clinging on to the concepts of yesteryear, a lot of what can be seen today on the music networks might seem strange to older audiences. An example of a new video stirring up a lot of contro-versy is Enrique Iglesias’s “Tonight (I’m Lovin’ You).” While the song actually has another explicit title (lovin’ is replaced with another word), one would think the tamed-title version of the song would mean that the music video would be tamer—and it’s not. YouTube actually banned a racy version of the video and replaced it with something

that is supposedly less offensive, although in the video, you can still see Iglesias and his guest artist Ludacris bouncing around from semi-nude woman to semi-nude woman. In an AceShowbiz article, Iglesias stated his thoughts to MTV about the video: “It’s a tough song. What type of video do you make? What do you do? ... When I saw the video, it didn’t feel offensive. Although I saw the video and it’s a little out there, but I loved it. It’s almost like the guys’ fantasy. That’s what we wanted to create.” This might be fine with many viewers, but the racy video was initially banned for a reason. This is not to say that all videos today are full of racy things. Many new artists, like John Mayer, are promoting a more family-friendly type of music video. However, it all really just boils down to the preference of the viewer. There are many different kinds of music videos to be found all over television and internet, but it is up to you to decide which ones you will and will not watch.

Music videos: Have they changed?

COURTESY OF: IGOSSIP.COMComparing Nirvana to Enrique Iglesias, music videos have changed drastically in just a short time

By REBECCA GIBSONColumnist

In her book of short fiction, “For Sale By Owner,” Dr. Kelcey Parker, Director of Creative Writing, uses the rules of language and writing like advanced calculus.

She puts dimensions where there should be none, finding spaces folded out of seemingly flat planes, spaces that are always empty or wanting to be empty or wanting to retain the luxury of emptiness while being filled. These spaces are in your head—in her story “Maugham’s Head,” or in your womb—in “Domestic Air Quality,” or in your seemingly happy home—in the title piece, “For Sale By Owner” and in “The Complete Babysitter’s Handbook.” They are in silence—in “Possession” and in “I Heard a Fly Buzz.” They are in the pause between the word at the end of the sentence and the period—in “Falling.” They are dark and powerful, beautiful and deadly.

Such little acknowledgment is usually given to these spaces that, as a reader, finding one’s attention focused on them is intensely painful—a purifying, fiery pain that clar-ifies, as though emotions had been given the tools to write, and had formed themselves into her creations.Reading Parker’s work is like living the moment when you have inhaled and someone startles the breath out of you, and you have this air in your chest with no place to go, expanding inexorably outward. It’s like walking a Möbius strip or watching an erupting hypercube, or carefully tracing each arm of a fractal. In the usual course of a review, I would quote the stories to give you a taste of what they contain. I find that for this book, I cannot quote from it. Translating the words from its pages to this one would damage them, taking them out of context would cause the delicate matrix of their crystal-line structure to fail, imploding the pure enjoyment of reading them. Even though they are perfectly chosen, and

if seen one phrase at a time they would stand unaided, in context they exist only in relation to the words around them, and I cannot in good faith remove them from their proper places. All I can tell you is that if you enjoy complexity, if you like reading a story more than once to tease out each angle of its framework, then again to find more details, then again for the pure enjoyment of well written prose, you must, you must buy this book. And if you do one favor for yourself in this hectic semes-ter, take the time to go to Parker’s reading on March 8 at 7pm on the 5th floor of the Franklin D. Schurz Library. It will give you a chance to internalize Parker’s voice speak-ing her own writing, and you will forever read the book in her measured tones.

For Sale By Owner, a review


Manners and Mannerisms: (Don’t) have a nice day!By REBECCA GIBSONColumnist I am not a ‘nice’ person. I am many things, some of them pleasant—kind, generous, caring—but nice isn’t among them. In fact, I’ve never liked the term nice. To me, it implies a willingness to be a doormat, and a duplicity not found in the dictionary definition of the word. Think of it: when we use it, we very rarely use it with genuine good feeling. We say, ‘she’s so nice!’ when what we mean is she doesn’t deny anyone anything they want. We say, ‘that was nice of him’ when what we mean is that’s what he should have done anyway, and why should I make a big deal about it? Being wished a nice day can be, to my dislike of the word, anything from a momentary blip on the radar to a full out bomb of cynical angst, depending on the tone in which it is spoken. Yes, I know that it is a very minor thing, and I should just accept it and be quiet. And I would, but for the fact that there are so many other things one could say, that one could be wished. So many perfect words for nice that are not ‘nice.’ Dictionary.com lists 46 synonyms. In the ‘have a ____ day’ category, there are delightful, ducky, fair, fine, good, lovely, peachy, pleasant, and swell. In the ‘that looks ___’ category, you have attractive, be-coming, charming, favorable, inviting, nifty, pleasurable, seemly, and winsome. In the ‘she/he’s so ___’category, there are admirable, ami-able, commendable, considerate, cordial, courteous, deco-rous, friendly, genial, gentle, gracious, helpful, kind, kindly, polite, unpresumptuous, well-mannered, and one of my personal favorites, simpatico. Each of these has shades of meaning and value tragically missing from the word ‘nice.’ Each of these speaks to spe-cific traits, rather than being under the blanket whitewash-ing of nice. I even prefer terms that are more accurate, though less sweet, when it comes to comments or good wishes. “Have an overcast day!” “My, your hair is interesting…” or “That was very polite of you.” Wish me well, let me remain neutral in your thoughts, wish that I may fall down a hole, but please, don’t wish that I have a ‘nice’ day.

(Don’t) have a nice day!


Across America, there has been an ever growing movement to legalize the drug cannabis, more commonly known as marijuana, for both medi-

cal and recreational use. While the movement seemed to be going nowhere but to jail for decades, in recent years many pro-marijuana regulations, especially those re-garding medical marijuana use, have been signed into ef-fect all over the country. Indiana remains one of the states that outright prohibits the use or possession of marijua-na, even to those who have medical marijuana cards is-sued by other states. The question is, is Indiana ready for a change in marijuana policy? Ashley Henderson, a senior at IU South Bend, agrees with the principles of medical marijuana, but isn’t con-vinced that a policy legalizing its use would work out so well. “If a patient has a legitimate need for marijuana for medicinal purposes, I don’t think they should be denied of the use,” said Henderson. “But I think there needs to be a serious overhaul of the legal system to make sure that it doesn’t get into the wrong hands. I don’t think we, as a state, are ready for it just yet.” Chris Washington, also a senior at IUSB is familiar with the idea of medical marijuana legalization, as he wrote a persuasive speech on it for his speech class at IUSB. “I believe that all states will eventually turn to-wards allowing medical marijuana and recreational mar-ijuana. With the popularity of (California attempted le-galization law) Proposition 19, more and more states will follow suit and will try to pass bills similar to that of Cal-ifornia’s Proposition 19. It will eventually become a real-ity.” Medical marijuana and laws regarding the possession of the use of marijuana have been debated ever since they first appeared. While the first federal level prohibition of marijuana was put into effect in 1937, the first state-wide prohibition law that criminalized the possession and cul-tivation of hemp was passed in 1913 by California. Ironi-cally, California would become the first state to allow the use of medical marijuana, when 56% of voters in the state approved Proposition 215 in 1996. The law removed the state penalties on the use, possession, and cultivation of marijuana for those who have documented or verbal rec-ommendation from a physician that marijuana would benefit their health. Since 1996, 15 states have passed laws allowing the regulated use of medical marijuana. There is still a legal limit to how much marijuana you are allowed to possess and cultivate at a time under these laws. Certain cities have even passed medical marijuana laws even though their states have not, most interestingly including the na-tion’s capital, the District of Columbia (D.C.). In Cali-fornia, Proposition 19, which would have legalized (to an extent) the recreational use of marijuana, was defeated by a small margin of 53.5% to 46.6% on November 2, 2010. But just a month earlier on October 1, 2010, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation to reduce the penalty of possession for an ounce of mari-juana from a misdemeanor to an infraction. In Alaska, possession of up to an ounce, by anyone, is legally toler-ated. So with many parts of the country starting to shift in favor of decriminalizing marijuana, especially medical marijuana, how long will it be before Indiana jumps

aboard the ship? Or would a medical marijuana bill pro-posed in Indiana end up sinking like an anchor? Within the last few weeks, a new Indiana bill has been blowing wind into the medical marijuana sails. Introducing Indiana Senate Bill 192. Proposed by Sen-ator Karen Tallian (D-Ogden Dunes), the bill received its initial hearing on February 15. According to the Mari-juana Policy Project, “S.B. 192 will require the Criminal Law and Sentencing Policy Study Committee to evaluate Indiana’s marijuana laws, discuss alternatives, and make recommendations on: (1) what the appropriate marijua-na possession penalties should be (if any), (2) whether and how to implement a medical marijuana program, and (3) whether marijuana should be taxed and regulat-ed like alcohol.” On February 21, the bill was passed in the state senate by a vote of 28 to 21. The next step in the process will be for S.B. 192 to be heard by a committee in the Indiana House. If the House decides to acknowledge the bill, the Criminal Law and Sentencing Policy Study Committee will spend time over the next year looking into what laws regarding the criminalization of marijuana and possible use of medical marijuana should be reformed. Dante Decanini, a former IUSB student, supports the bill, and believes it shows great political progress. “I think that would be a step in the right direction. The benefits of medical marijuana use are evident and I believe crime rates in South Bend would be significantly less staggering if minor possession was decriminalized,” said Decanini. In regards to decriminalization, Decanini is very outspo-ken. “Somebody minding their own business and causing no harm does not need to be sent to jail for possessing a minimal amount of what already grows naturally from the ground.”

Medical marijuana may soon be legalized in Indiana

MANNER

ISMS

PHOTO BY JOHN BATLINER


By MANDI STEFFEYStaff Writer

We have approached the 1970s portion of “Old VS New.” Groovy! To-wards the end of the late 60s and into and through the 70s, artists got less political. Activism was still going on, but heavier rock and south-

ern rock was starting to make its debut. The two artists from the 70s we will be comparing to today’s artists exhibit the heavier and southern roots of rock: Led Zeppelin and Tom Petty (with or without the Heartbreakers).

“Lady Gaga VS Led Zeppelin”Gaga, whose musical career began in 2008, and Led Zeppelin, who got their start in 1969, might have more in common than one would think. Both have gotten a lot of recognition for their outfit choices, supposed drug use, and musical merit. Gaga has confused and entertained millions of people across the world and has gained a huge following, not only for her catchy music, but her choices in clothing and even lifestyle. While a lot of people could be put off by her, Gaga does de-serve credit because she does, according to her website, write her own music, which is something not a lot of musicians today can claim. Despite her popularity, a competition is still in play between her and older music like Led Zeppelin. Dubbed “the greatest rock’n’roll band of all time” by MOJO magazine, Led Zeppe-lin has made its mark on not only rock music but music in general. Guitarist Jimmy Page, who ranks ninth on Rolling Stone’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitar-ists of All Time,” has, like Gaga, instilled an image of talent and awe among fans. Led Zeppelin’s most notable songs, “Whole Lotta Love,” “Black Dog,” and the epic “Stairway to Heaven” have engrained into the minds of almost anyone who has heard them. For this reason, Led Zeppelin has earned the rights to win the contest against Gaga and virtually all other new music. Sorry Gaga, even though you topped the charts the past few years, Led Zeppelin was doing the same thing on advanced (that’s right, unreleased) orders of their records over 40 years ago. Case closed.

“Perry VS Petty”Tom Petty, who had a long-time relationship with his band, The Heartbreakers, has been writing and recording nonstop since 1977. Katy Perry, on the other hand, has only become famous recently, despite her lifelong attempts at singing and “making it big.” Katy Perry, believe it or not, has her roots in everyday gospel singing, which is not far off from Tom Petty’s base in down-home folky heritage. In addition to this, both artists play guitar and write their own music. What they don’t have in common, however, is the content of their music and lyrics; Petty’s songs usually consist of intelligent, catchy blue-collar rock that is easy to listen to, while Perry’s songs, one titled “Ur So Gay,” are full of a lot of exciting musical concepts with rather cliché, yet heartfelt lyrics that typically appeal to young teen-agers, although many ages are starting to listen to Perry due of her rising fame (which could be due to her Proactiv ads and colorful clothing choices). Neverthe-less, Tom Petty leaves us with some words of wisdom to decide who reigns su-preme for their music: “I’m frustrated by what I hear today. Maybe it’s not meant for me. Personally, I’m way too bright for a lot of the hip-hop lyrics to affect me. I’m much too smart to think that jewelry or how cool I am is really going to change much about my personality. If you’re dumb enough that it entertains you, have a great time. But I am seeking more than that.” Well put, Tom.So, who do you like the most? Cast your vote at www.iusbpreface.com.

The Old VS New: Comparing the music of yesterday and today

“The 70s”


By KRISTINE BAILEY Columnist

I can’t help looking down. Gazing at my winter boots, which are literally coming apart at the seams, I am stumped. They have lived a long and

useful life, keeping me warm and taking me places no matter the temperature or amount of snow. Now, with gaps and holes that let in wind and snow, they are done. As a conservation-minded shopper, I hate to buy new boots while the ones I have still work. Now, they don’t; but I don’t know what to do with them. I don’t know what parts of them, if any, can be recycled or reused. I don’t know what to replace them with, but I do know that I want something that can be recycled or reused. Plus, I want to invest in footwear not made in a sweatshop, not shipped halfway around the world, and not made of something toxic. Am I asking too much? For the time being, I have convinced myself that boots are not the top priority. With Spring Break draw-ing nearer, my priority is not new boots. I need flip flops! This purchase poses the same problems as the boots. Eventually, they will wear out and I will need to get rid of them – but how? Throwing shoes into the trash has never felt right to me, so this time I am planning ahead. I am looking for comfort and durability. More than that, I need to know that what I buy is not destined for the landfill. Why buy future trash? Worse than trash, flops made from plastic can leach chemicals such as endocrine-disrupting phthalate (DEHP) and toxic metals. Besides the more obvious environmental impacts, I want to know that the people who made the shoes are paid fairly. I want to know that my shoes have not traveled more than I have before they even reach my feet. Thankfully, there are now options for more eco-friendly flip flops. I could buy a pair that can be ‘repurposed’ into art, jewelry and toys by local artisans in Kenya. However, sending a pair of shoes to the other side of the world just to avoid waste seems, well, wasteful. I could purchase an all rubber pair, which I am assured are “the most comfortable natural rubber flip flops” I’ll ever wear. I can walk easily knowing they are 100% recyclable and biodegradable. This sounds great, but I don’t know anywhere around here that accepts used rubber shoes, and I won’t be tossing them into the compost pile that feeds my vegetable garden when I am done wearing them! Plus, these come from Thailand, and while they claim to fairly support their worker, that is a long distance to ship a pair of flops. Then, I have discovered Microplast. It is some new kind of plastic (yes, plastic). The flops are made in the U.S.A., are completely recyclable, and are even ‘vegan-friendly.’ When they wear out, after their guaranteed 2-year lifespan, the shoes can be shipped back to the manufacturer for recycling into new shoes. Although I can’t tell what workers get paid or the workplace conditions, the rest sounds pretty good. Thankfully, a little digging yielded several options for flip flops I can feel good about. Now, I even have some choices. Things are looking up!

Green Feet for the changing season

PHOTO BY KRISTINE BAILEY

Change the world with every step

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Wednesday, March 2, 2011