C E L E B R A T I N G 1 0 0 Y E A R S
1 9 1 6 — 2 0 1 6
A L B A N Y S T U D E N T P R E S S
T U E S D A Y , J A N U A R Y 2 6 , 2 0 1 6 I S S U E 1 3 A L B A N Y S T U D E N T P R E S S . N E T
By CONNOR MURPHY & NICK
MUSCAVAGE
Duker used his computer software to illegally enrich themselves for hundreds of millions in the early
2000s, according to court documents that the Albany Student Press reviewed.
Deep has refused multiple times to comment on the allegations for this story beyond what is in court papers.
Purple and gold balloons sailed into the sky Oct. 8, 2015 after the
University at Albany announced the largest donation ever received by the school— $10 million for the naming rights to the school’s $18 million football stadium, courtesy of the Bernard and Millie Children’s
Foundation (BMCF)
With the money committed to
UAlbany’s Athletics Department through the private, not-for-profit
University Foundation, President
Robert J. Jones took to the press conference podium with excitement, as he announced the size of the donation twice.
“That sounds good rolling off my tongue,” Jones said, according to Mark
Singelais’ report in the Albany Times
Union.
What Jones didn’t mention at the press conference was that UAlbany graduate and BMCF co-creator
William Duker went to prison and was disbarred in the late ‘90s for defrauding the Federal Deposit
Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the
Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC), two national financial regulatory agencies. This was all while serving as attorney for the federal government.
Jones also didn’t mention that
Duker, along with nationally known lawyer David Boies, have been on the defense of a decade-long lawsuit over alleged intellectual property theft, among other charges.
The plaintiff in the case is former
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Professor John Deep of Cohoes. He went to Albany County Court in 2005, alleging that Boies’ law firm and
Deep Background
Deep invented a peer-to-peer music sharing service called Aimster that turned into a source of constant legal problems for him. He was brought to court on multiple charges, including copyright infringement in a suit brought by the Recording Industry
Association of America (RIAA) in
2000.
The law firm Boies, Schiller, &
Flexner, LLP (BSF) had experience in these sorts of cases, defending high profile companies in cases such as the Napster case. BSF’s Albany office eventually went on to represent
Deep and his company BuddyUSA, which was created to oversee the
Aimster software. BSF lawyers George
Carpinello and Adam Shaw took defensive leads in the RIAA case.
Things become less clear at that point. One of Deep’s vital allegations in his 2005 lawsuit was that Duker acted as additional legal aid with
BSF, and as a line of communication between him and Boies through several alleged conference calls. The problem, Deep wrote in the original complaint, was that “although [he] knew that William Duker was a lawyer, defendants did not tell [him] that Duker had been suspended or disbarred and served time in prison as a
Please see
STADIUM page 8
Connor Murphy / Albany Student Press
Tom and Mary Casey Stadium was the $10 million name bestowed on the stadium that overlooks Bob Ford Field. The donation was made by the Bernard and Millie’s Children
Foundation.
in the institute from not only the UAlbany community, but also the general public and the accomplished writers who visit the institute, the NYS Writers
Institute is looking to digitize their already established Visiting
Writers Series. By participating in this series, the writers discuss their work and provide their audience with an excerpt from their latest novel.
“This is a really exciting time for the institute,” Kennedy said.
“So many new things are going on, it’s kind of a renaissance.”
Kennedy, the founder and executive director of the Writers
Institute, believes that making these discussions available to the
Source: albany.edu
William Kennedy is the founder of the
NYS Writers Institute.
By LINDSEY RIBACK
As he celebrates his 88th birthday,
William Kennedy reveals a new direction for the New York State
Writers Institute here at the University general public on its YouTube page, https://www.youtube.com/ user/NYSWritersInstitute, will allow the institute’s online site to become more like a magazine.
Visitors to the site will be able to not only access the actual discussion showcasing the writer, but additional interviews or work done by the author as well.
“The subject matter will dictate how we do it,” said Kennedy. The of Albany.
To retain and expand interest Please see
KENNEDY page 3
SUNY adjuncts deserve better.”
It ran from Jan. 10 through Jan.
23 in the Capital Region, Buffalo, Long Island, and Ulster and
Dutchess counties.
“I think it’s a difficult topic to discuss openly,” Tolley said.
“We’re just suffering in silence.”
She said that while most contingent professors feel they can’t talk with their students about what they’re going through, this ad and other campaigning will help raise awareness for them.
Tolley thinks that the connection between low wages and
Source: Screengrab from UUP’s commercial video
Rebekah Tolley was one of three adjuncts featured in
UUP’s new commercial campaign.
By MADELINE ST. AMOUR increased tuition is especially important for students to hear, since that’s the “missing link” many don’t realize exists.
Contingents are faculty that are hired on a non-permanent basis, like visiting assistant professors. Adjuncts fall under the category of contingents and are paid on a per course basis.
If you’ve watched TV since being back on campus, you might have noticed a familiar face on the screen.
Rebekah Tolley, a fine arts professor at the
University at Albany, is featured in a commercial created by United University Professions, the bargaining unit for SUNY.
The commercial, which runs for 30 seconds, features three SUNY adjunct professors talking
The per course minimum pay for UAlbany adjuncts is $2,800, and they’re allowed to teach two classes. Since this comes out to a belowpoverty level income for the year, many travel between campuses to teach more than two about their accomplishments, followed by a narrator’s voice saying, “Nearly one-in-three highly qualified SUNY faculty are adjuncts.
Many paid so little, they struggle to make ends meet. Yet students pay more than ever before. classes or work other jobs to make ends meet.
Mike Lisi, the communications director for
UUP, said the union “wants to help get the word out and help these people who deserve better.” When asked why the union chose now to start this ad campaign, Lisi said the issue
P R I N T E D B Y T H E T I M E S U N I O N , A L B A N Y , N E W Y O R K — A H E A R S T C O R P O R A T I O N N E W S P A P E R

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
EDITOR: KASSIE PARISI
THEASP.EIC@GMAIL.COM
5
By RUSSELL J. OLIVER
The University at Albany and the local area has tons of great events to look forward to this semester. From festivals to sports to great musicians visiting the city, there are a bunch of activities to do during your free time this spring.
1
As with every semester, UAlbany has many great sports to watch. The basketball season is already underway, so expect games to continue into the upcoming weeks of school. Shereesha Richards was recently selected as a 2015-16 Senior CLASS Award Candidate for Women’s Basketball. Richards is currently the program’s all-time scoring leader, passing the 2,000-point mark. On the UAlbany men’s team, Peter Hooley recently said in a Times Union article that he plans to break the shooting slump that he’s been in this semester.
Hooley was chosen to be captain of the team for the third consecutive season.
2
The New York State Museum holds events throughout the year that involve and benefit the community. This spring they are holding two events:
NY in Bloom and Canstruction. NY in Bloom will be celebrating its 25th anniversary next month from Friday,
Feb. 19 to Sunday, Feb. 24. The event encourages members of the region to build floral displays that they place throughout the museum. The museum does this to get the community excited about the upcoming spring. Later in the year is Canstruction, which is a local food drive that collects cans that are later built into
“canstructions” that are put on display at the museum. At the end of the event all cans are donated to food pantries around Albany. Canstruction takes place this coming
March.
3
ParkFest has surprised students each year with musical artists performing on campus for a minimal student fee. Held in SEFCU arena, the concert has hosted hit musicians such as 2 Chainz, Future, J. Cole, Nas, and
Source : Wikimedia.com
Tulips displayed in the form of a star during one of the Capital District’s annual Tulip Fest. Tulip Fest is held on
Mother’s Day weekend.
Flo Rida. The artists aren’t usually announced until a few weeks before the event. In 2014 tickets sold out in a matter of eight hours due to a lack of a ticket purchase cap. Tickets are free for students.
4
One of Albany’s most popular events is Tulip Fest, which is held in May on Mother’s Day weekend.
The festival often has live music, entertainment, vendors, fine art, and thousands of tulips in bloom across
Washington Park. They also have numerous local vendors selling their own food and beverages. This year’s Tulip
Fest will be Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8. It’s always a great festival to celebrate with your friends or family, and it’s a great way to celebrate the end of Final’s
Week!
5
Albany has always been a great place for musicians to stop in for a performance, and it’s no different this year. Albany is bringing in the rock this year with
Bruce Springsteen, O.A.R., and Jackie Greene. First in town is Springsteen, bringing along his E Street Band performing at the Times Union Center on Feb. 8. O.A.R. will make an appearance at the Palace Performing Arts
Center on Feb. 11 and the next night Jackie Green will be performing at the Egg on Feb. 12. Find tickets at www.albany.org/events.
Source : UAlbany Athletics Facebook Page
Peter Hooley returns to the basktball court this year for his final season as a Great Dane.
Pete Dzintars / Flickr
Above: The New York State Museum, located across from the Empire State Plaza, is a fun time for all ages.
Unlawful Possession of Marijuana
12/10/2015
Roadways
A male subject was found to be in possession of marijuana and was arrested.
Fraud on
Transportation without
Pay
12/10/2015
Roadways
Report of a male student that did not pay for a taxi ride. Referral was made.
Criminal Possession of Marijuana
12/10/2015
Indian Quad
Three male students were found to be in possession of marijuana and referred for same.
Public Lewdness
12/10/2015
Alumni Quad
Report of a male subject urinating in public in front of a female student.
Medical Incident
12/10/2015
Indian Quad
Report of female student with abdominal pain. Transported to hospital.
Unlawful Possession of Marijuana
1/16/2016
Dutch Quad
Two male students were in found to be in possession of marijuana. One male student was arrested.
Burglary
1/16/2016
PE Complex
Report of stolen laptops from SEFCU Arena store by unknown subject.
Driving while
Intoxicated
1/16/2016
Roadways
A male subject was found to be driving while intoxicated and arrested for the same.
Unlawful Possession of Marijuana
1/16/2016
Roadways
A male subject was found to be in possession of marijuana and arrested for the same.
Petit Larceny
1/16/2016
State Quad
Report of a stolen bicycle
Forged Certificate
1/16/2016
Roadways
A male subject was found to be operating a motor vehicle with a forged inspection sticker.
Registration
Suspended
1/16/2016
Roadways
A male student was found to be operating a vehicle with a suspended registration and expired license.
Forged Certificate
1/16/2016
Roadways
A male subject was found to be operating a motor vehicle with a forged inspection sticker.
Property Damage
1/16/2016
Empire Commons
Male student locked himself out of his suite and broke the door to regain entrance.
Drug Complaint
1/19/2016
Dutch Quad
A female student was found to be in possession of marijuana and referred for the same.
Check a Vehicle
1/19/2016
Roadways
Verified driver was a student. Scene cleared.
Drug Complaint
1/19/2016
Indian Quad
Report for the odor of marijuana referrals made.
Incapacitated Person
Taken for Treatment
1/19/2016
Indian Quad
Report of male student found to be highly intoxicated. Transported to hospital.
Maintenance Problem
1/19/2016
Other
Maintenance Problem.
Possession Forged
Instrument
1/21/2016
Podium
Report of nine forged licenses mailed to a male student. Referral was made.
Unlawful Possession of Marijuana
1/21/2016
Indian Quad
A female student was found to be in possession of marijuana and paraphernalia.
Mentally Ill Person
Taken Into Custody
1/21/2016
State Quad
Highly intoxicated male student found having possible mental health issues.
H A V E A N E W S T I P ? E M A I L U S A T T H E A S P . E I C @ G M A I L . C O M

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
EDITOR: RUSSELL OLIVER
THEASPNEWS@GMAIL.COM
By RUSSELL J. OLIVER
The winter can be a very dull and cold time of year, especially in areas with such unpredictable weather patterns like New
York. With months of cold and snow it’s easy to stay inside for prolonged periods of time to avoid the icy chills. This leads to some people becoming more isolated during the winter months, losing touch with friends and not having the same lifestyle they normally would. This can cause what is known as Seasonal Affective Disorder.
“Seasonal Affective Disorder affects people the same way that we think about clinical depression,” said Joyce Dewitt-
Parker, the coordinator for consultation at the University at Albany.
Dewitt-Parker explained that some symptoms of SAD are fatigue, sleeping more than usual, sadness, and losing
Mark Schmidt / UAlbanyphotos.com
The University at Albany campus covered in snow. To avoid feeling down this season, make sure to get some light. interest in activities. Craving foods is also a symptom, which can be difficult for people during the holiday season. While people with clinical depression suffer at different times of the year, those with SAD only suffer during the winter months.
“SAD can be a problem because it affects us when we have less sunlight, when it’s cold outside and you’re not out as much in the summer,” Dewitt-Parker said. “Typically people are most affected from the end of
October, before we shift our clocks, until we shift our clocks back again in the spring.”
According to “Psychology Today,” it’s estimated that more than 10 million
Americans are affected with SAD in the
United States - primarily located in the
Northeast. Outside of that, 10 to 20 percent are diagnosed with a more mild form of
SAD, known as “winter’s blues.” The illness tends to begin around the age of 20. SAD is more common the farther north you live.
As prevalent as the disorder can be, there are many ways to counterattack the symptoms. Doing things like going outside and staying active is beneficial. Getting as much sunlight as possible is also crucial.
“That’s why one of the best treatments for
SAD is light therapy,” said Dewitt-Parker.
“That’s basically daily exposure to very bright artificial lights during the months that people are most affected.”
Getting less sunlight means a lack of exposure to Vitamin D, which can be harmful to our bodies. Eating healthy is also important for those who suffer from
SAD. Having a balanced diet and eating hearty foods such as fruits and vegetables is important. People with this disorder can also isolate themselves during the cold months.
“We suggest one way to manage SAD is to spend more time with family and friends, being active, and seeing a psychologist if a student has considered that they might have seasonal affective disorder,” said Dewitt-
Parker.
Those suffering from SAD this winter may be feeling fewer symptoms because of the lack of snow and chilly temperatures this year.
“People are able to get out a little more because the weather has been better,” said
Dewitt-Parker. “It is getting a little light and so for people who have SAD many of them are finding a relief from that.”
Dewitt-Parker urged students to come to the Counseling Center rather than selfdiagnosing themselves. They could speak to a psychologist and get diagnosed for SAD.
“In terms of how we feel here, it should be no different for someone to seek help and support if they are feeling depressed or anxious, than if you were to see a physician because you have a sore throat or the flu,” Dewitt Parker said. “It should be no different.”
Continued from Page 1 institute will either post a Q&A, an interview or the author’s reading of his or her own work.
The executive director explained that the institute has posted past discussions on its
YouTube channel which have close to half a million views, but he hopes that increasing the amount of videos and the subject matter in them will increase the views tenfold.
According to their website, the Writers
Institute, which began in 1984, has since welcomed over a thousand accomplished writers, performers and filmmakers, including Nobel Award and Pulitzer Prize winners.
Due to university wide budget cuts,
UAlbany had to cut its funding to the institute in 2008, but this did not hinder its ability to host accomplished writers. Now instead of the university paying writers to visit, their publishers tend to bear the costs.
“Publishers have decided we are a very good stop on a book tour for a number of writers and they pay for their visits,”
Kennedy said.
Co-sponsorships have also made it relatively easy for the university to host the
writer, explained Kennedy. By working with other groups within the university, like the business and communications departments, the institute is able to bring in writers or scholars in specific disciplines which may appeal to a wider audience.
Kennedy’s influence on the institute is not only from a founder’s position, but as a participant as well. The Albany native is an accomplished writer who has published over
10 novels, as well as two screenplays and two theater plays.
He is currently working on a few new books, one of which he explained will move through several different eras that are significant in U.S. history.
“It’s a very unusual book for me to be writing, but it sounds like it’s going to be fun for me,” he said.
Over the years, Kennedy has used his hometown and the history behind it as a setting for many of his works. On
Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m., Kennedy will be presenting a slideshow of various photographs of Albany that he has accumulated over the past 50 years at the
Albany Institute of History and Art. At this event he will discuss how he has used these photographs to inspire his fictional works.
Continued from Page 1 dovetails well with the Fight for 15 - the push for $15 minimum wage. He also said that there’s an over-reliance on adjunct professors now more than ever.
Tolley echoed this sentiment, saying that the situation has “become more direr now.”
She also said that UUP’s contract expires in
June, so the union’s contract negotiations are coming up in the spring.
“Getting broader support will help us,” she said.
Tolley said she was asked to be in the commercial because she’s been active in the union and she’s one of the adjuncts who’s not afraid to speak out on the issue. The other two adjuncts were William Lee from
SUNY Cortland, who says 192 students took his course in one semester, and Bentley
Whitfield from SUNY Farmingdale, who says he has an advanced degree from Columbia University and won SUNY’s Excellence in Teaching Award.
Lisi is hopeful that this ad will help contingents gain a more sympathetic ear from school administrators.

EDITOR: KEVIN MERCADO
OPINIONS.ASP@GMAIL.COM
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
Davidlohr Bueso / Flickr
The 2016 Oscar nominations are to predominately white actors and other players in the film industry. There has been controversy over the Oscars being too “white” and not properly representing other races and religions.
By JONATHAN MILLER
T his month, the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences announced many of its expected nominees, such as Leonardo DiCaprio for “The Revenant” and Saoirse Ronan for “Brooklyn.” An unexpected controversy arose, however, from the announcement.
Many have weighed in on the issue of the nominations’ complete lack of diversity in almost all categories. #OscarsSoWhite was a Twitter hashtag started last year when the Oscars had a similar lack of diversity. The hashtag resurfaced almost instantly this year.
Director Spike Lee and actress Jada
Pinkett Smith publicly voiced their concerns, saying that they will not be attending the Oscars. The most ironic part of this year’s issue is that the Academy
Award President, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the first African-American woman elected president of the Academy, was in charge of announcing the nominees. Although she has communicated her disappointment,
Isaacs said she would like to “acknowledge the wonderful work of this year’s nominees.”
The backlash for the lack of diversity this year is not surprising, since there were films released that featured a predominantly black cast. “Straight Outta Compton” and
“Creed” made the rounds in the awards circuit, garnering only one nomination each
(for their white screenwriters and actors).
The one non-nomination that was personally disappointing was the omission of Idris Elba for “Beasts of No Nation.”
It was a performance that was almost guaranteed a nomination and many, including myself, thought Elba would win.
It was not only the African-American community that was completely snubbed.
Other unacknowledged nationalities ranged from Indian to Asian-American. The only
Hispanic person to be nominated in any major category was “The Revenant’s” director, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
Other nominations that would have broken barriers for stereotypical nominations were the two leads of the undervalued film, “Tangerine.” Both leads,
Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, a Hispanic actress, and Mya Taylor, an African-American actress, could’ve filled in the gaps in diversity that the Academy so desperately needed, but those nominations could have meant so much more. Both actresses are transgendered women, which is a topic that has been heavily depicted on both the small and big screens in the last couple of years.
Eddie Redmayne, deservedly nominated this year for playing a transgendered man, is the complete opposite in reality. The two nominations for “Tangerine” would have been a right step in the direction of accepting a different kind of community that has been misrepresented for years.
There was a choice that the Academy had. They could have nominated Jennifer
Lawrence for the fourth time, who will most likely get another four nominations in the next 10 years, or nominate one of the leads of “Tangerine,” who frankly, unless there’s a change in the Hollywood system, will never see an opportunity like this again.
Since the Academy’s main demographic is predominately white and over 60, many don’t find it hard to believe that there is a sense of conservative thought behind the scenes.
“The White BET awards” was a tweet that the Oscar’s new host, Chris Rock, wrote. It’s safe to bet that Chris Rock will have a plethora of material to work with in regards to race on Feb. 28. All the backlash seems to be aimed at the Academy for their decisions, and those people should be taking the blame themselves.
This is an issue that involves every segregated award. There have been fewer white nominees in the BET awards than black winners of the Academy Awards.
Every nationality and gender has their own award ceremony that, arguably, are biased since they only nominate and award certain people based on their race and gender, which is an issue that people are expressing about the Academy.
The Academy might have more history and prestige than the BET awards, but in conjunction with recent issues, it’s important to note that if there was ever a need for diversity, it is now, and it needs to start with all award shows accepting performers based on the material itself.
By KEVIN MERCADO T
“The measure clarifies that individuals ‘in the business of selling firearms’ register as licensed gun dealers, effectively narrowing the so-called ‘gun show loophole,’ which exempts most small sellers from keeping formal sales records,” CNN writers Eric Bradner and Gregory
Krieg reported.
Obama has made a point that people have been discussing for what seems like an eternity. We need to find a way to prevent random acts of gun violence, and perhaps creating a more rigorous background check won’t be the finite solution to this problem, but it is a definite step in the right direction.
“We have to be very clear that this is not going to solve every violent crime in this country,”
Obama said as a prelude to his speech the following day. “It’s not going to prevent every mass shooting; it’s not going to keep every gun out of the hands of a criminal.”
A problem like gun violence is not one that can be solved overnight, and Obama is very clear on that. However, it is a problem that we can’t ignore. In his speech, Obama mentioned how Republicans try to sweep this issue under the rug.
According to the CNN article, “Obama hammered congressional Republicans for opposing measures like expanded background checks as he called on Americans to punish them at the polls. He defended his actions to strengthen background checks for purchasing guns, answering critics who say the measure would not make it harder for criminals to obtain firearms.”
I am firmly on Obama’s side on this one. It seems as though
Republicans are not at all for stricter background checks or stricter gun control laws in general because they want to easily own weapons to hunt and kill game.
However, I think it is important to note that Obama is very surely not saying that there should be a restriction or ban of guns in the
United States, but he is saying that something needs to be done.
In his speech he referenced the infamous Sandy Hook shooting and how the massacre was essentially a catalyst for this move to enforce a stricter background check. He was clearly emotional when he brought up
Sandy Hook and went on to say,
“Every time I think about those kids, it gets me mad.”
According to Michael D. Shear and Eric Lichtblau, writers for
The New York Times, “Mr.
Obama will hire more personnel to process background checks in a timely manner, direct officials to conduct more gun research, improve the information in the background check system, encourage more domestic violence prosecutions and order better tracking of lost guns.”The article mentioned that the law will make it simpler for states to provide mental health information for the background checks. This could be the difference between selling and not selling a gun.
This movement will most definitely re-hash the congressional conversations regarding the 2nd Amendment.
However, Obama made it clear that this new law is not to outlaw or prevent the owning of a gun, but to determine who is most sound and sane to purchase a firearm.
It’s a law to keep an eye out for and only time will tell if it truly makes a difference when it comes to gun violence.
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS
1916—2016
Kassie Parisi
Editor-in-Chief theasp.eic@gmail.com
518-225-5759
Madeline St. Amour
Managing Editor production.asp@gmail.com
518-369-5505
Russell Oliver
News Editor theaspnews@gmail.com
Celia Balf
Sports Editor sports.asp@gmail.com
Julia Day
A&E Editor artsent.asp@gmail.com
Kevin Mercado
Opinions Editor opinions.asp@gmail.com
Keith Heesemann
Business Manager asp.advertising@gmail.com
Advertise in the ASP:
Keith Heesemann
Business Manager asp.advertising@gmail.com
The Albany Student Press is published Tuesdays from September through
May by the Albany Student
Press Corporation, an independent, not-forprofit organization.
Advertisements, as well as letter and column content, do not necessarily reflect the opinion of ASP staff.
All unsigned editorials are written with the approval of the editorial board.
The ASP is a registered trademark of the Albany
Student Press Corporation which has exclusive rights to any materials herein.
Contact the ASP for information and publication schedules:
Newsroom:
Campus Center 326
Email: theasp.eic@gmail.com; production.asp@gmail.com
Phone:
518-225-5759 www.albanystudentpress.net
F O L L O W U S O N T W I T T E R : @ A L B S T U D E N T P R E S S

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
ASSISTANT EDITOR: DANIEL PINZON
OPINIONS.ASP@GMAIL.COM
By KAYLA POPUCHET
W ith the ever-growing Islamophobia spewing from the mouths of everyone from rightwing politicians down to citizens, World
Hijab Day is much more than a celebration of a symbol of a Muslim woman’s devotion to Allah. It is a reminder to other Hijabis that they should never be ashamed of who they are and what they believe. It is a reminder to non-Muslims that the hijab isn’t a symbol of hate and violence, but rather of love and peace.
The backlash against this festive day seems to be coming from the non-intersectional feminist community who believe the hijab oppresses the liberties of a women to be themselves and enforces misogynistic views that modest women are superior and more Godly than other women.
While everybody is entitled to their opinions, it is detrimental to the feminist movement when feminists argue against Muslim women making a personal choice to wear a hijab. There are plenty of women who choose to show their devotion to Allah in another form and reject wearing a hijab, and then there are women who believe that that is what has been asked of them so they will willingly do it out of their love.
Fashion designer Nabaallah Chi writes for World Hijab
Day: “I realized that Hijab made me focus on my inner self more. Some people think that veiled women are oppressed, but I feel more empowered than ever, even though I did struggle to come to terms with it at first.”
There does not seem to be anything easy about covering your head everyday for the rest of your life and then facing others out in the open, so while it is still not my faith, I find it admirable and even inspiring to see how many women sacrifice a part of themselves that does not affect anyone else.
Beyond the exclusion and bigoted nature of nonintersectional feminism comes the blatant bigotry of non-Muslims.
Islam is the second largest religion in the world, according to a 2012 Pew Research Center report, even though it’s the youngest. According to both the International Security’s dataset and Scott Shane, journalist for The New York Times, the threat of a terrorist attack by far right-winged extremists is greater than the threat of jihadist extremists. Yet we are an increasingly anti-Muslim society, fearing that Islam is somehow more dangerous than Christianity or Judaism, anuarsalleh / Flickr
On World Hijab Day, women across the globe don the Muslim headdress in solidarity in support of the symbol that the HIjab has on Islamic faith. even as mosques are burned and Hijabis are targeted.
World Hijab Day helps the underrepresented and hated community that happens to be one of the largest religion in the world, all the while pointing out the racist and sexist power structure of the Western world and how most of the power lies in the hands of the few who do not represent the masses.
We are constantly told when it comes to police brutality to not judge all cops by the actions of some, even though cops are not fixing the issues in their own community and apathy is just as evil as the oppressor. However when it comes to minority groups, the vast majority look for excuses to justify their own bigotry and no longer utter their tireless mantras.
Days that appreciate individual groups are some of the only times these groups get proper representation, so I give my regards to all Hijabis and hope for the safety of all Muslims on this day.
By DANIEL PINZON C
It has been established in our day and age that sex sells. And so far, society has used the bodies of women to make money. So why can’t women use their own bodies?
People are quick to shame the women who are sex workers, yet disregard the men who indulge in them.
Let us acknowledge the men who go out of their way to give money for sex acts and willfully pursue such favors.
No one is forcing a man to go to a strip club, however it’s obviously the fault of the feminine wiles that a stripper possesses that makes a guy lose control and get a lap dance.
Women have been branded by fragile sexuality. They are either too sexual or not sexual enough. Cardi B breaks the constraint on women and embraces harmful words such as “hoe,” “thot” and
“slut.” She owns up to it, and acknowledges that being overly sexual is not abnormal for women.
She embraces these harmful words and creates an empowering definition for them. She is advising women not to give men power over them, especially sexually, and to use their appeal as an advantage.
If anything, men have been praised for being overly sexual. Why can’t women be the same thing?
“I’m not telling girls to just be a hoe and suck dick every single day, give their vagina to everybody. What
I’m trying to say to girls is don’t let these guys be in your head,” Cardi B said in an interview with Complex.com.
She acknowledged her previous job at a supermarket saying, “I went [to strip] and it was just so amazing to me. In one day I made more than a week’s pay.”
Cardi B also doesn’t shy away from her origins. She acknowledged her upbringings in the
Bronx and takes pride in her non-affluent background.
So what if she doesn’t speak English in a pristine manner? The reason she speaks with an “accent” is due the fact that she grew up in a place where people speak like that. The ghetto has its own vernacular, and that shouldn’t be shamed.
Of course, professionalism has its own vernacular. She is not intimidated by that.
She keeps true to herself and carries herself high.
She brings attention to how ghettos are different from the rest of society because society isn’t inclusive, thus making the ghetto its own subculture.
People associate poor education with sex workers, which is not necessarily the case. On top of her being a stripper, Cardi B’s ghetto accent has given reason for people to label her as stupid. But, Cardi B has a high school education and attempted going to college.
She’s playing the game of entertainment and she’s building her way to the top.
She has an audience that continues to grow.
Anyone can judge, yet only few do research. Cardi B has used stripping as a means to escape domestic violence - stripping made her enough money to support herself and leave the abusive relationship.
According to a VladTV.
com interview her escape was
“stripping, getting my own money and leaving, how was
I gonna leave if I only made
200 dollars every week?”
Was there a better solution to her problem? Others may think so, but to her this was the best solution and it proved to be an effective one.
People have to do what they have to do in order to survive.
And using sex appeal to do so shouldn’t be frowned upon.
It’s also important to mention that human trafficking, or taking people out of their own free will and forcing them to perform sex acts, doesn’t represent all sex workers. If a person consciously and willingly decides to be as a sex worker, so be it.
F O L L O W U S O N T W I T T E R : @ A L B S T U D E N T P R E S S

EDITOR: JULIA DAY
ARTSENT.ASP@GMAIL.COM
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
By ELI ENIS
When it comes to origin stories, most bands start with some sort of long-winded ramble about how their previous bands fell through, or how their members just started playing together for fun and it developed into something serious. There isn’t anything wrong with those sorts of answers - the reality of most band formations is that they’re rather boring.
However, when a band tells their origin story with unfiltered honesty and says, “We all think it’s really cool to go to strangers’ houses, smoke weed, and look through their video game collections,” it immediately flags them as something special.
Along with that beautiful string of words, the members of Prince Daddy &
The Hyena- vocalist/guitarist Kornelious
P. Jenkins, guitarist Cameron Handford, bassist Zakariya Houacine, and drummer
Alex Ziembiec- eagerly talked about alien abductions, Smash Bros, and their new music. The gang was sprawled throughout the dark confines of a “well-worn” utility van after their set in Rochester in late
December.
Soon after forming in late 2014, the band self-released their debut EP “Skip
Cutscenes! Blow Loud!” and began playing house shows around the East Coast, building a reputation in their home city of
Albany for high energy performances. Less than a year later, the band released their first proper EP “Adult Summers” via the rising
Connecticut label Broken World Media, which is owned by Derrick Shanholtzer-
Dvorak of The World is a Beautiful Place
& I am No Longer Afraid to Die. Broken
World Media has released a slew of notable emo/punk/indie albums over the past few years by bands such as Sorority Noise,
Rozwell Kid, Old Gray, Soda Bomb, and many of TWIABP’s own releases.
P. Daddy said Broken World has really helped their band by “hooking us up with really nice people” and “showing us the people who don’t know who Prince Daddy is, but know who Broken World is,” said
Houacine and Jenkins, respectively.
In regards to the release of “Adult
Summers,” Handford said,“We hadn’t had music in so long and we knew the album wouldn’t be coming for a while ‘cause we wanted to record it really nice. So we just recorded the EP with our friend Drew to hold people over.”
“We wrote our full length before we wrote Adult Summers. We wrote Adult
Summers in like two to three days,” added
Jenkins.
The long-awaited full-length, set to be released this spring via Broken World, was recorded by Joe Reinhart, guitarist of emo alums Algernon Cadwallader and up-and-coming indie rockers Hop Along.
The record will be titled “I Thought You
Didn’t Even Like Leaving.” While the band describes their sound as “Fuzzy Weezer with influences of early-2000s broken
Gameboy Advance noises” and “Cereal on the couch watching ‘Ed, Edd, n Eddy’” rock, the members had less-than-ridiculous things to say about the album.
“It’s winter versus summer. If ‘Adult
Summers’ is summer, then imagine this is winter. It’s still fuzzy and punky but it’s way darker,” Houacine said.
“Besides a couple songs, it’s more straightforward and less sporatic,” said
Ziembiec.
“It’s more of a pop record but it’s still crazy and loud and energetic,” said Jenkins.
Like “Adult Summers,” P. Daddy agreed that fans should expect their Weezer, Green
Day, and Jeff Rosenstock influences to bleed through. Their knack for humorous self-deprecation is something that set
“Adult Summers” apart and the new record is sure to contain a similar approach lyrically, but with a darker edge to it.
Jenkins said that “Adult Summers” is
Source: Prince Daddy’s Facebook Page
Throughout the interview, Prince Daddy repeatedly mentioned how close the four of them are as friends. about “Partying, smoking weed, beaches and aliens,” whereas “I Thought You Didn’t
Even Like Leaving” tackles “Depression, anxiety, my couch, dependency, laziness, and manic depression.”
“I feel like it’s just a lot of shit that everyone deals with. Growing up and turning into a different type of person.
Realizing everything does not work out perfectly,” said Houacine.
P. Daddy capture their vivacious live aesthetic on recording and paired that with lyrics as laughable as they are (worryingly) relatable. It’s enough to make them a worthwhile checkout on both Bandcamp and the live circuit. In their eyes, however, the real distinction between them and other bands is their unearthly ability to munch.
“No one can eat like we can eat. It’s pretty embarrassing actually,” said Jenkins.
Source: collider.com
Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu (left) and Leonardo DiCaprio (right) in the middle of filming a scene for “The Revenant.”
By THOMAS KIKA
With an impressive 12 nominations and a strong performance at the box office so far, “The Revenant” is looking like the film to beat at this year’s Academy
Awards. History is in the film’s favor as well: director
Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s previous films, “Babel” and
“Birdman,” were major Oscar-contenders in their day, and the movie-going public is eager to see star Leonardo
DiCaprio take home his first Oscar after years of stellar work as one of Hollywood’s foremost leading men. While the film is a thrilling and beautiful piece of work, in the end
“The Revenant” lacks substance.
Based loosely on the novel by Michael Punke, which was itself loosely based on true events, “The Revenant” follows Hugh Glass (DiCaprio), a rugged frontiersman and hunter, as he and his half-Pawnee son, Hawk, help a fur trading company navigate the wilds of Montana. After a fierce encounter with a mother grizzly leaves Glass mortally wounded, he is left in the care of John Fitzgerald
(Tom Hardy), a greedy and hateful trapper. This is unclear to me. Fitzgerald, keen to be rid of him, kills Glass’s son and leaves Glass in a shallow grave, where he presumes
Glass will die. However, Glass is a stronger man than
Fitzgerald knows, and with revenge in his heart he begins crawling his way back to the trading outpost across miles of rough and wintery terrain, bent on killing the man who took everything from him.
There is no denying that “The Revenant” is a beautiful film. Iñárritu reteams with his “Birdman” cinematographer, Emmanuel Lubezki, and the two have crafted a film full of striking natural vistas, dizzying camerawork, and savage set-pieces. Iñárritu infamously insisted on shooting the film exclusively in natural light – taking a page from the master Terrence Malick – which, though it meant they could only shoot for a couple hours a day, has resulted in a distinct and organic look that often borders on ethereal. The visual style accomplished in “The
Revenant” easily tops the all pomp, no circumstance, onetake style of the long-winded “Birdman.”
Still, while the robust visuals are among the film’s biggest triumphs, they also tend to be in line with the film’s most prominent shortcomings. “The Revenant” is a film full of savage beauty, but it doesn’t get much deeper than that. The film’s cinematography is never not striking, but a lot of the film’s compositions have little to add to its story.
Iñárritu employs a lot of the long takes that he explored with “Birdman,” but they add nothing to the audience’s understanding of the story and characters, so it often just feels like he is showing off. Perhaps the frequent emptiness of the film’s visuals is a symptom of its simple story, which can be summed up as “A Tale of Revenge and Survival… and Not Much Else.”
M I S S T H E S H O W ? R E A D A B O U T I T O N L I N E A T A L B A N Y S T U D E N T P R E S S . N E T
Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance also draws major attention to “The Revenant,” and while his commitment and intensity are as impressive as ever, his Hugh Glass is a fairly one-dimensional character. He is driven by little more than rage, and the script never calls for him to be anything other than intense. Looking just at the physical feats involved, DiCaprio’s performance is mind-blowingly good, and the highly-publicized lengths he went to for the role (eating raw bison liver, slipping into a dead horse carcass) are commendable. Still, it is far from the most fleshed-out performance of the year, and it is not even the best performance in the film. That accolade goes to Tom
Hardy, who makes John Fitzgerald one of the more nuanced scumbags to grace the screen in 2015. Fitzgerald is a real bastard, deceitful and bigoted, but in some key scenes we glimpse a surprising sense of honor within him.
To call “The Revenant” one of the best films of 2015 would be to severely overrate it. Many of the year’s best, like other Best Picture nominees “Mad Max: Fury Road” and “The Martian,” blend excitement with depth in a way that the “The Revenant” never manages consistently. Still, a film with such a distinct look and intense pace can hardly be called bad, and in fact, it is quite good. It just might not be all it is being made out to be. Go in expecting something like an arthouse summer blockbuster and you will be in for a treat.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
EDITOR: ELI ENIS
ARTSENT.ASP@GMAIL.COM
By LEOBIANNY HILARIO
Not many people sit in history class thinking, “What if
Shakespeare lived a cool, double life?”
Not many people, that is, besides Giacomo Calabria, who explores this undiscovered world in his new novel
“License to Quill.”
Calabria, who works under the pen name Jacopo della
Quercia, is a prominent writer in the Capital Region, serving as a scholar with the New York Council for the Humanities. Some may recognize Jacopo from his articles on the humor website Cracked.com. He was also featured in The New York Times bestselling book “You
Might Be a Zombie and Other Bad News.” His work has also appeared in Reader’s Digest, BBC America, CNN
Money, Slate, The Huffington Post, the International
Screenwriters’ Association, and academic publications offered by schools like Princeton University. Jacopo released his first novel, “The Great Abraham Lincoln
Pocket Watch Conspiracy,” in 2014.
Jacopo attempts to rewrite history as an action thriller in his new book “License to Quill,” a James Bond-esque spy thriller starring people only heard of in history class. This book shows a perspective of William Shakespeare and
Christopher Marlowe like never seen before, with quickon-your-feet sarcasm and a great sense of humor.
The first impression “License to Quill” is a sense that it may be overwhelming with all of the factors that come into play. The novel engulfs readers with its setting (it takes place during the Gunpowder Plot), the historical figures, boundless action, Macbeth, spies, and humor.
While it is a lot to take in, once immersed in the story it is easy to understand and it flows effortlessly because of how well-written it is.
“License to Quill” was written in Albany during the notoriously cold winter of 2014-15, and the novel was released this past December. The following interview with
Jacopo della Quercia delves into the novel’s beginnings, character development, and inspiration.
Albany Student Press: How did you get the inspiration for your character’s personalities?
Jacapo della Quercia: Just about everybody has their own opinion of what these figures are like. The advantage that came to writing these people is we have so much writing on their humor and opinions, and what I try to do is imagine what life was like for them as an ordinary person. The best resource I had for that, in terms of how to write those characters, was the University at Albany’s own
[author and former faculty member] William Kennedy.
I try to separate my characters’ spoken words from their written words, and I try my best to show that these people were not statues or women in paintings. They were people who were not too different from you and me, and just like you and me, they can find themselves in extraordinary situations.
ASP: Do any of your characters resemble people you know in real life? Are some events in the story based on experience?
JDQ: I’m delighted to say one of UAlbany’s professors appears in the acknowledgments, Dr.
Gylne Griffith, who I describe as a very towering friend. I don’t want to say specifically which character I based on him, but for those who read the book and know him, they might be able to picture him towering above the rest of the crowd. But for most of my characters based on historical figures, I try to do my best to imagine what they’d do in the situations they’re put into.
ASP: Your specific writing style can be classified as historical fiction, but do you see yourself branching out to any other genre?
JDQ: It’s so interesting because I don’t see myself narrowed to any particular field. I just try to write what I like to think I am best at, but I also like to experiment and see what my limitations are. I am curious to see what else I can do, but it’s not so much about what writing style. It’s more about offering something unique to whatever genre I’m writing in.
ASP: Is there anything you found challenging while writing the book?
JDQ: I can say with a heavy heart that it was just physically exhausting to write this book. With my first book, “The Great Abraham Lincoln Pocket
Watch Conspiracy,” the challenges were more Source: Jacopo della Quercia mechanical, such as ‘Can I even write a novel?
Can I deliver this on time?’ With my second book
The cover of spy thriller “License to Quill.”
[“License to Quill”], I still did not know how to write a book in terms keeping track of my own health. I spent way too much time sitting and writing and not enough time exercising. It started to take a physical toll on my body.
I really needed to physically rescue myself, and I was determined to use this experience in my novel. I punish
William Shakespeare, I make him sick in the story. That was me trying to make the best of what was the worst of times writing the novel.
write. In many cases it’s people who doubt this basic truth that abstain from the art, so if anyone reading this is unsure about starting, to quote Dante: “The secret to getting things done is to act!” Just take a stab at it. If you have any questions about anything, please track me down.
I’m on Twitter all the time, so please contact me. I want to help other writers because I would not be here right now with a book to discuss unless other writers had helped me.
ASP: Do you have any advice to aspiring writers and/ or your readers?
JDQ: Anybody can be a writer. If you can live, you can
“License to Quill” was released in December of 2015.
For those interested in history and literature with a humorous twist, this book is worth a read. Visit Jacopo’s website at PocketWatchConspiracy.com or follow him on
Twitter at @Jacopo_della_Q for more information.
By JULIA DAY
Three English creative legends including David Bowie,
Lemmy Kilmister, and Alan Rickman passed away from cancer at the start of the new year. Despite their passing, the impact they have left on the music, television, and film industries has been monumental.
David Bowie
David Robert Jones, known as David Bowie, passed away from liver cancer on Jan. 10 at the age of 69. Born in London in 1947 with a natural inclination towards music and arts,
Bowie was inspired by rock and roll pioneers Elvis Presley and Little Richards. Following school he chose to pursue his passion professionally, a decision that would forever change the world of rock.
His self-titled debut album “David Bowie” was released in
June 1967, the same day The Beatles released their critically acclaimed album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” and was considered a commercial failure.
Bowie’s fourth and fifth albums, “Hunky Dory” in 1971 and “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” in 1972 are what put Bowie permanently on the map, having finally perfected his signature art rock and glam pop sound. The rest is rock and roll history. Through a career spanning four decades Bowie would go on to produce
25 studio albums, all diverse and unique using his fusion of progressive rock, new wave, and pop styles. Bowie ended his career with “Blackstar” which was released only two days before his death.
Bowie further pursued his love of the arts by acting in several films, including his role in the 1986 fantasy film
“Labyrinth,” and acting in the Broadway production of “The
Elephant Man” in 1980.
He leaves behind his wife of 24 years, Somali fashion model Iman, as well their 15-year-old daughter Alexandria.
Like the works of Presley and Little Richards that had inspired him, Bowie’s work has and will continue to inspire future generations of musicians to come.
Lemmy Kilmister
Ian Fraser Kilmister, known as Lemmy, passed away from cancer on Dec. 28 at the age of 70. Born in Staffordshire in
1945, Lemmy was inspired by the The Beatles and learned how to play guitar to their album “Please Please Me.”
Throughout the ‘60s and early ‘70s, Lemmy joined several local bands including the Rainmakers, Motown sect, the
Rockin’ Vickers, Sam Gopal, and Opal Butterfly. He also worked as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix for a brief time.
Lemmy performed as a bassist and vocalist for the space rock band Hawkwind from 1971 until 1975 when he was fired from the band following his arrest on drug possession.
Following his dismissal, Lemmy formed his own band titled Mötorhead, acting as the group’s bassist, singer, and songwriter. The band’s sound has been noted for its use of heavy metal, hard rock, and serving as a foundation for early punk.
Mötorhead spiraled into the spotlight with its successful second and third albums “Overkill” in 1979 and “Bomber” the same year. Over the course of their career, Mötorhead would go on to record 22 studio albums, 10 live recordings,
12 compilation albums, and 5 EPs, selling over 15 million albums worldwide. Their last album, “Bad Magic” was released in August 2015. Although the band has had many members through the years, Lemmy is noted as being the only consistent member present during the band’s career.
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, fellow musician Ozzy Osbourne remembered his friend, stating
“There’s a big hole in the music industry as far as I’m concerned…There goes a hero for me.”
Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman passed away from pancreatic cancer on Jan.
Sources: rogerebert.com, zumic.com, pagetopremier.
14 at the age of 69. Born in London in 1946, Rickman’s father passed away when he was only eight years old. Living with his mother and three siblings, Rickman took up a career as a graphic designer following college, citing it as a more stable career for him at the time than pursuing acting.
After having success as a graphic designer, Rickman made the decision to go back to school to pursue his dream of acting and attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art for two years. From there he joined numerous theater groups including working for the prominent Royal Shakespeare
Company. During the early ‘80s he appeared in several BBC produced television shows and films.
In 1988, Rickman was cast as German organized crime villain Hans Gruber in the wildly popular action film “Die
Hard.” He is also widely known for his role as professor and wizard Severus Snape in the “Harry Potter” series.
He has starred in films including “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves,” “Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny,” and
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.”
Although being typecast as an antagonist, Rickman’s career has actually encompassed a wide variety of genres. He has starred in numerous romantic films including “Truly, Madly,
Deeply,” “Sense and Sensibility,” and “Love Actually.” He is also known for his role as Alexander Dane in the sciencefiction comedy “Galaxy Quest,” as well as voice acting
Marvin the Paranoid Android in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”
Rickman leaves behind his wife Rima Horton, whom he started dating in 1965 at the age of 19 and stayed together until his death. A highly skilled actor and well respected by fellow co-stars, Rickman’s presence is sure to be missed.
His last two films “Eye in the Sky” and “Alice Through the
Looking Glass” will be theatrically released later this year.
Other deaths this year include The Eagles guitarist Glenn
Frey, “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams” star Dan
Haggerty, Nat King Cole’s daughter and singer Natalie Cole, country singer Craig Strickland, and Celine Dion’s husband and manager René Angélil.
M I S S T H E S H O W ? R E A D A B O U T I T O N L I N E A T A L B A N Y S T U D E N T P R E S S . N E T

EDITOR: MADELINE ST. AMOUR
PRODUCTION.ASP@GMAIL.COM
TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
Source: Screengrab from UAlbany’s YouTube page
Duker and company watch as President Jones announces the gift UAlbany received from the Bernard and Millie Children’s
Foundation. From right to left: Mary Casey, Sharon Duker, William F. Duker, William “West” Duker (Duker’s son) and Milana
Kuznetsova (the latter Duker’s girlfriend).
Continued from Page 1 convicted felon in connection with a scheme to overcharge the federal government.”
Vincent Bonventre, an Albany Law
School professor specializing in Appeals
Court cases and legal ethics, said that legal fraud is the practice of giving dishonest advice to someone that harms them as a result.
“Nobody has an obligation to disabuse everybody of every irrational thing they may think, but if there’s good reason to think that somebody is a lawyer and you know that person is relying on advice you’re giving because they believe you’re a lawyer, you’ve got an obligation to tell them, ‘No, I’m not,’” Bonventre said.
Shaw, representing the Albany BSF office, denied most of what Deep has alleged in court since 2005.
“Boies, Schiller moved to withdraw from representing [Deep] and [his] companies,”
Shaw said in a phone interview, “because he was lying about his activities with the companies.”
Along with many lawyers from BSF’s defensive team in Deep’s lawsuit, Shaw makes the distinction that Deep and
BuddyUSA are different entities, with the company rather than the person in actual ownership of the Aimster software. Stock records from 2001 show Deep owning a majority of shares in BuddyUSA.
This points to Deep having the potential final say in most corporate transactions, although Deep alleges there were protections and offsets written into the contract to protect the interests of Boies and Duker. Shaw and BSF argue against most of Deep’s 2005 allegations, citing the statute of limitations, which states in these types of cases that the crime and the lawsuit can’t be separated by more than three years. The defendants also maintain in testimony that Deep is lying.
“The cases were built upon falsehoods,” Shaw said.
Bonventre said, “It is very, very, very difficult for me to believe that someone like David Boies would not make it clear if he was advising somebody to get advice from Duker, I would imagine —I’m confident that David Boies would have made clear that Duker is not a lawyer.”
He went on, “David Boies is not a hack.
David Boies is an eminent lawyer. He’s one of the great lawyers; he’s not going to pull crap like that. No, not from anything I know about him. Everything I know about him is about as good as a lawyer as you can be. The other people who I know in that firm — the same thing.”
Boies himself made four appearances in court over the case in 2012. In these appearances, Deep and Boies crossexamine each other, arguing over nearly every fact in the case.
In one exchange with Boies crossexamining Deep, the alleged conference calls are examined exhaustively. Deep concedes that he and Boies rarely talked on these calls. One thing he does claim happened nearly every day during the
RIAA case, however, was a meeting with
Duker. Deep claims that Duker made conference calls once a week for two years to Boies on his behalf.
Duker himself never appeared in court, according to records. Deep said in a 2009 court appearance, “Now I have not to my knowledge conceded that Mr.
Duker was not served… obviously, he’s not responding to anything, but I have not conceded that he was not served.”
A Tale of Two Lawyers
In 1987, Duker co-founded the Duker
& Barrett law firm and garnered a reputation for being a penny-pincher, according to sources quoted in a 1997
Wall Street Journal article.
The New York City-based firm picked up an assignment Boies passed along in 1990 to represent the FDIC and the
RTC. The legal team sought damages for those scammed by Michael Milken.
The so-called “Junk Bond King” agreed to a settlement of more than $1 billion with the government. Duker’s firm then investigated the failure of CenTrust Bank in Miami, with the primary target being
CenTrust’s law firm at the time, Paul,
Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison
(Paul Weiss).
According to Paul M. Barrett’s article in the WSJ, Duker recommended that the FDIC sue the firm for millions in damages. Boies at the time was quoted as saying, “We all would have been happier if nobody associated with us was adverse to Paul Weiss.”
While Duker attempted to hold Paul
Weiss accountable, he simultaneously engaged in fraudulent practices himself, amassing a fortune in the process.
According to the FDIC, Duker defrauded it and the RTC of about $1.4 billion.
In 1993, with persistence from Duker’s firm, Paul Weiss agreed to pay $45 million to the government, while never admitting any wrongdoing, according to the article. Duker’s targeting of highprofile law firms had paid off.
According to an FDIC press release from 1997, Duker’s firm was earning up to $5 million annually during the scheme and he received up to 80 percent of the payments.
The FBI found that Duker & Barrett was overbilling the banking agencies for his services by cooking the work hour books. The FBI’s accusation alleged that
Duker had been “making handwritten notations on draft bills that directed the firm’s office manager to increase the hours reported for individual attorneys, generally by one to four hours per day.”
Duker pled guilty and was sentenced in
1997 to a 33-month prison term, of which he only served 16 months. He was fined
$7,500 to enter programs administered by the U.S. Probation Office, and he paid the federal government $2.58 million under a settlement agreement in criminal restitution and civil damages, according to the case docket.
Duker was also disbarred and forbidden to practice law in any form. According to sworn testimony from Boies, the lawyer and the disbarred remain good friends to this day.
A Second Chance
UAlbany officials took Duker’s past into account before they accepted the $10 million donation, according to Fardin
Sanai, vice president for University
Development and executive director since 2007 of the University at Albany
Foundation — the private arm tasked with handling the university’s donations.
“We are well aware of his past,” he said. He said the Foundation applauded
Duker when he gave the $25 million to
Albany Medical Center “because one of our alums doing it — it was wonderful.”
Sanai was also listed as a senior vice president for development at Albany
Medical Center in 2006, and Duker’s wife
Sharon was appointed to the hospital’s
Board of Directors in 2014.
Sanai gave a personal analogy related to Duker’s conviction: “I’m from Iran. I was born and raised there—and you guys are seeing all the pictures of ISIS and everything—if you do something wrong there, you steal something, they cut your arms off.”
He continued, “You know why they do that? So that you’d be ashamed for you for the rest of your life that no one will talk to you, you will be disassociated; you’d be an outcast. I think that one of the things
Source: Screengrab from UAlbany’s YouTube page
An aerial view of the stadium.
that makes us different in this country is about people giving people second chances. It’s about redemption.”
“He’s trying to do something good,”
Sanai said.
John Deep disagrees in his court claims.
His allegation is that while Duker and
Boies aided him during his RIAA case, they simultaneously deprived him of his beneficial ownership in the software and shares of BuddyUSA by spreading his interests thin. They did this through investments, without his knowledge, into a plethora of small companies and LLCs that Duker, Boies and others close to the pair were involved with.
When confronted with questions of
Duker’s history of litigation, Sanai said,
“You go to the School of Business, we have Goldman Sachs’s name on it,
Deloitte, you know how many litigations they’re a part of every day? So it’s a fact of life when you are dealing with that kind of business…other than the federal case, he hasn’t been convicted of anything else.”
Paul Miesing, Ph.D and professor at
UAlbany specializing in business ethics, talked about the potential motivation behind the donation, “I don’t know why
[Duker’s] donating to a state university.
Those kind of big bucks you would expect to go to Harvard…We’re a worthy cause and we do well, but these are huge amounts for us.”
Miesing sees the donation as an example of utilitarianism (greatest good for the greatest number) rather than
Machiavellian.
“The ends I’ll say won’t justify the means, but he’s using it for a good cause,”
Miesing said. “If it was not for him, we wouldn’t really be able to beef up what’s important and valuable to the state of New
York.”
A Donor Examined
UAlbany is not the only thing Duker has spent his money on. Duker purchased a $30 million penthouse in New York City as “an investment and not as a personal residence,” according to real estate reports. According to various boating news outlets, Duker is also designing his latest yacht: a 230-foot vessel named
Sybaris, for the ancient Greek city that amassed riches and became famous for its hedonism.
The only found court record containing
Duker in his own words was in a twosentence e-mail to John Deep. Deep wrote a letter to Boies on upcoming lawsuits, with a carbon copy attached for Duker.
“I wish you would not,” Duker’s response reads. “He did a big favor for you and me.”
Apart from the $10 million donation to name the stadium and the $25 million donation to Albany Medical Center in its history, BMCF’s latest tax records from
2013 indicate the not-for-profit’s assets at just over $30,000.
BMCF did not respond to multiple phone calls. Duker and members of his family likewise did not respond to phone calls and requests for interviews.
P R I N T E D B Y T H E T I M E S U N I O N , A L B A N Y , N E W Y O R K — A H E A R S T C O R P O R A T I O N N E W S P A P E R

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
EDITOR: CELIA BALF
SPORTS.ASP@GMAIL.COM
By LAMYA ZIKRY
The men’s lacrosse preseason started on
Monday, Jan. 18 and the men are preparing for the spring 2016 season.
The team captains for this season are
James Burdette (JR), Derrick Eccles
(RSR), John Maloney (SR), and Blaze
Riorden (SR). Both Eccles and Riorden are second-year captains.
On Monday they met for the first time since fall-ball for a conditioning test and practice. On Wednesday they were outside again for the first “official” practice of the spring— bundled up on the icy John Fallon
Field, they got after it.
“Preseason has been awesome. I love our attitude. Our effort today [Jan 20] was outstanding. We had a very high tempo practice these first couple days. The guys came back in good shape and were very excited about what the prospects of this year bring,” Head Coach Scott Marr said.
For the lacrosse team, the conditioning test is to gage where they stand coming out of winter break. From there the practices are planned appropriately to improve their conditioning.
The conditioning test was 12,110-yard sprints. The team has to run the 110-yards in 18 seconds and they have 42 seconds to run back. This is done a total of 12 times.
Marr said it was really cold and windy the day they did the test, so the wind made it difficult, but the results were great.
“It’s been cold but good. A lot of people came back in shape, people’s sticks are sharp, and we look pretty good. A lot of people are starting to step up with the absence of last year’s lost leadership so it’s been good,” Eccles said.
Part of stepping up is being in shape.
“Lacrosse is a lot of running so you have to be in really good shape and we had some guys fail the run test so they’re working out at 7 a.m. every morning to get some extra running in to be prepared for the season,” senior goalkeeper Blaze Riorden said.
The lacrosse preseason consists of a lot of conditioning and team bonding.
They even did yoga together to mix it up.
Riorden says that battling the cold elements has been a challenge, but they still keep coming out and putting in good effort.
So far, Marr is happy with what he’s seen.
“It’s a good start with a very high tempo and a lot of energy,” he said.
One change this season is the absence of a Thompson on the team. For the lacrosse program this opens up the chance for new leadership to step up.
Riorden thinks that the dynamic will be different but they’ll still be able to put together wins as a team.
“It will definitely be different because you don’t have a go-to guy in clutch situations. We don’t have a guy right now where were like we want the ball in his stick when it comes to a big play. We’ve got Connor Fields who can score but it will be different as far as sharing the ball across the field,” Eccles said.
Source: UAlbany Athletics
The cold doesn’t stop UAlbany lacrosse players from enjoying their first official spring practice.
Source: UAlbany Athletics
UAlbany Lacrosse Coach Marr huddles the team together to end practice.
By TROY FARKAS
When Shereesha Richards scored on a putback layup with
8:43 remaining in the fourth quarter of a blowout win against the University of Vermont on Jan.
9, everyone was staring at her, and she wasn’t quite sure why.
It was because Richards, University at Albany’s star senior forward, had just scored her 2,000th point as a Great Dane — a feat that had previously never been accomplished by any player in the history of UAlbany women’s basketball. She was told the day before the game that she was approaching the milestone, but she didn’t know how many points she needed to score that game to reach the mark.
“I didn’t know. That’s something I try not to think about,” Richards said. “I don’t want to know how much I am away from making a record or breaking a record.”
The 2,000 point mark is one of many milestones reached by Richards, who is in the final season of one of the best careers in America
East women’s basketball history. She also holds the record for most America
East Player of the Week honors, bringing home 20 of the awards since her freshman year at UAlbany.
The native-born Jamaican, who played her high school ball at Atlantic Christian (N.J.), was honored prior to a Jan. 15 game at
SEFCU Arena against the
University of Maine for her scoring achievement.
“It was pretty cool, having everyone cheer for you and applaud you for your accomplishment,” Richards said. “It was just a great feeling to see everyone excited for my accomplishment and congratulating me on reaching that milestone.”
When UAlbany Head
Coach Katie Abrahamson-
Henderson landed Richards four years ago, she knew she was getting a top talent, but couldn’t possibly have predicted Richards would become the player she is today.
“I wanted to start crying. I feel like a proud parent,” said Henderson, known as Coach Abe to her players. “Watching her go through four years and already scoring that many in just the second game inconference is pretty amazing.”
Abrahamson-Henderson, whose husband comes from Jamaica, noted the importance of Richards’ roots, saying she knew Richards would be a “really tough and humble” player based on what she already knew about the work ethic of people with ties to the island country.
“She is the hardest worker on our team. She never quits,” Abrahamson-Henderson said, now in her sixth season leading the Great
Danes. “We never have to turn her up and say ‘go harder’.”
For most high-volume scorers, it takes a lot of shot attempts
Shereesha Richards scored her 2,000th point on Jan. 9, 2016 against the University of Vermont. to put up big scoring numbers.
That isn’t the case for Richards, who averages 23.6 points per game while shooting 56 percent from the field. She holds the top two scoring games by America
East players this season, putting up 41 points in a mid-December game against UC Davis, as well as a 34-point performance against
Maine. The 6’1” Richards also averages nine rebounds and has recorded eight double-doubles this season.
Despite the accolades, Richards doesn’t play for personal glory, according to those who know her.
“I love being [Shereesha’s] teammate,” said point guard Zakiya Saunders. “She is not selfish about anything or cocky. She is just great.”
“Her team loves her. They would get the ball to her every single second,” Abrahamson-
Henderson said.
It is that kind of camaraderie that makes a successful basketball team, especially one like the
UAlbany women, who sit atop the
America East Conference with an unblemished record of 6-0 in the conference.
They are led by the highoctane scoring duo of Richards and junior guard Imani
Tate, who chips in 18 points per game for the Danes.
The ride is almost over for Richards, who will graduate this spring with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. It’s very rare for a basketball player from the
Capital Region to end up playing basketball professionally. But for a player of
Bill Ziskin / UAlbany Athletics
Richards’ caliber, the idea isn’t too far-fetched. She is a two-time America East
Player of the Year, and she also received an honorable mention last year when the
Associated Press announced its annual All-America teams.
The Great Danes traveled to California in December to play in the Women of
Troy Classic with hopes of showcasing Richards’ talent to WNBA scouts. Richards hopes she impressed.
“I was able to perform well,” Richards said. “They were able to see me, and I somewhat made a name for myself.”
Those scouts witnessed her 41 points against UC
Davis and saw her score 33 against USC.
“I feel really blessed. I didn’t know that she was going to be this good,” Abrahamson-Henderson said.
D I D Y O U M I S S T H E G A M E ? C A T C H U P A T @ S P O R T S _ A S P

TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016
ALBANY STUDENT PRESS
EDITOR: CELIA BALF
SPORTS.ASP@GMAIL.COM
@SPORTS_ASP
By CELIA BALF
The University at Albany Great Danes versus the Stony
Brook Seawolves is always a battle worth the hype. The
Peter Hooley shot from last year is sure to ring a bell.
The Great Danes-Seawolves rivalry is one that dates back years. This year the football teams made their conference game into a competition for the “Golden Apple,” another effort to feed this rivalry and distinguish which school is better at sports. Since it’s basketball season, the rivalry is now as fresh as Coach Abe’s suit each game.
UAlbany Women’s Team > Stony Brook Women’s Team
On Thursday night, UAlbany’s women’s basketball team continued their winning streak to seven games while halting Stony Brook’s winning streak in a 73-54 win at
SEFCU Arena. Stony Brook was on a nine game winning streak going into the game against UAlbany only to be completely shut down by Imani Tate’s 29 points and a standout defensive effort by the Great Danes. Richard’s surpassed her milestone of being the highest scoring women’s basketball player at UAlbany and become the highest scoring women’s basketball player in the Capital Region. Richards
(16 pts, 10 rbs) and Saunders (10 pts,
13 assists) each earned double -doubles last night.
Before the game began Stony
Brook had few statistics over
UAlbany, but one they did have was rebounding. Stony Brook’s percentage was 41.4 percent and UAlbany’s was
37.8 percent - the Great Danes were able to out -rebound Stony Brook
38- 22.
For Coach Abe, and any great coach, it is the defense that wins games. “Everyone will talk about the offense, we talk about defense, that was the game plan,” she said.
M 64-47
W 69-59
M 51-50
WINS
2014-2015
M 59-56
Jonathan Peters / Albany Student Press
UAlbany’s women’s team broke Stony Brook’s nine game winning streak last Thursday with a 73-54 win at SEFCU Arena.
W 68-64
UAlbany held Stony Brook’s key player
Brittany Snow to 16 points. The UAlbany women’s basketball team will face Stony
Brook again on Feb. 17 and, if one thing is certain, the atmosphere will be tense.
UAlbany Men’s Team < Stony Brook Men’s
Team
The UAlbany men’s basketball team faced Stony Brook last year in the America
East Championship game, where the game arguably was in Stony Brook’s favor, yet
Hooley’s shot sunk in, and the rest is history.
History, however until this past Friday night where Stony Brook beat the Great Danes
69-63 in an emotional and close game up until the final minute. Stony Brook had been playing incredibly well up until this game, and remains undefeated in conference (6-0) and (14-4 overall.) This is the UAlbany men’s team second loss in conference. They fell to Maine earlier this month. This game had Coach Brown and his team pumped up and ready to go. Hooley finally got his pep back in his step and was scoring big baskets in the games leading up to Stony Brook.
Unfortunately for the Danes, Jameel
Warney and the Seawolves are pretty impressive and unbeatable right now. When all three of UAlbany’s key perimeter players are on (Peter Hooley, Ray Sanders and Evan
Singletary) they are hard to beat, even Brown says so, however even when all three had a double-digit game like they did on Friday
(Hooley, 13, Sanders, 14 and Singletary,
14) Stony Brook still found a way. UAlbany will host UMASS Lowell (7-12, 3-3 AE) on
Wednesday night in SEFCU Arena where they will try to get back on track and prepare to face Stony Brook again on Feb. 17, except this time with the comfort of their home court.
WINS
2015-2016
W 73-54
M 69-63
D I D Y O U M I S S T H E G A M E ? C A T C H U P A T @ S P O R T S _ A S P