You probably have little knowledge of, or care for, the political policies of the electric company FirstEnergy. Assuming that’s true, you probably also don’t know about FirstEnergy’s sudden and drastic power play that was recently thwarted in the Ohio Statehouse.

After the recent elections, FirstEnergy began lobbying the governor and other Republican leaders in the state to suspend Ohio’s Energy Efficiency Standard, which was passed several years ago by a bipartisan statehouse under the Strickland administration.

The standard, or Senate Bill 221, mandated that large public utility companies reduce their demand over a 15-year period.

This standard was created to address concerns regarding the projection of peak demands and the worry that, years down the road, drastic and expensive measures would have to be taken in order to address energy supply.

The standard went through a rigorous political, practical, public and scientific process over a two-year period. The process was undertaken in public, over a long period of time, with all parties involved at the table — which is what we should expect of good governance.

This past fall, however, FirstEnergy endeavored to suspend the standard in the darkest backroom imaginable, and at a time when there was little-to-no chance of public hearings or expert testimony.

This effort failed, because FirstEnergy was met with considerable resistance from environmental groups throughout the state, and from both Republican and Democratic members of the Statehouse.

Though this effort failed, it is one that we should be extremely concerned with, because FirstEnergy will be attempting this move again next year. The Energy Efficiency Standard is a very good thing. Yes, it is a mandate which may be a concern to conservatives out there, but the standard itself benefits the people of Ohio.

The standard protects consumers from the volatile energy market. This is because efficiency is the cheapest type of energy on the market. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) reports that it costs around 2 to 3 cents per kilowatt hour, whereas the next-cheapest energy source, natural gas, hovers around 6 to 8 cents per kilowatt hour. The standard slowly reduces demand over a 15-year period by mandating that utility companies offer programs and support for their customers, in order to reduce demand. If demand is protected from sharp spikes, then prices stay low.

By law, no energy program can be taken on by utility companies without the approval of PUCO. The law also mandates that for every dollar spent on efficiency programs, there must also be no less than a dollar’s worth of benefits to the consumer.

The standard, however, also has protections and safeguards for utility companies and large industrial energy consumers in the form of an opt-out. They can apply to opt out of the mandated standard if they can demonstrate to PUCO that they are implementing their own successful efficiency programs.

In addition to an opt-out, they can also enter a PUCO-run cost-recovery program. However you look at Ohio’s Energy Efficiency Standard, everyone wins.

The standard doesn’t cost utility companies, and it keeps prices down for consumers by utilizing the cheapest energy resource we have, which is efficiency.

There will be much more to say about this topic in the coming year, but it is of the utmost importance that everyone be aware of this issue. FirstEnergy is notorious for opposing the Energy Efficiency Standard for no other reason than pure profit.

The Energy Efficiency Standard is good for all Ohioans, and for the United States. If we ever want to achieve the lofty goal of energy independence, we must start with efficiency.

I never really cared enough to make New Year’s resolutions. What’s the point of pretending that I’m going to change, I figure, when I have that little voice in the back of my head telling me that I’ll never follow through? So this year, I’m going to put out my resolutions to the world so that everyone can hold me accountable.

1. First and foremost, YOLO.

I will be taking a more philosophical approach to this idea. I think of YOLO as “You only live once, because then you die.” It doesn’t mean “Get crazy and party your life away.” It means that you only get one chance to get things right in this life. I can see the Big Man standing at the pearly gates and banishing me to the underworld. I will say “But…why? I lived my life the fullest.” And he will say: “…YOLO.”

2. I will stop making fun of people with lisps.

I know it’s mean. People with lisps can’t help it. It’s not like they choose to sound like a sprinkler. But for some reason, it really bothers me. It’s nails on a chalkboard to me. I keep looking at your mouth, trying to figure out exactly how it happens, but it remains a mystery. So this year, I vow to accept people with speech impediments and to refrain from judging them silently in my head.

3. I will quit smoking.

This has been a long-running resolution plan. Every year, it seems, I decide to quit — but then I quit quitting. It’s just more fun to smoke. And because of my former views on YOLO, I always said I’d wait until I got older to quit. I was recently told that a friend of a friend, who hasn’t smoked in 20 years, had been diagnosed with small-cell lung cancer, which can only be caused by smoking. That was enough to scare me straight. I am putting down the cancer stick and picking up a carrot, or something.

4. I will work out.

I really don’t like sweating in front of people. I’m one of those people who sweats on their face. I am also extremely unhealthy and out of shape for a 21-year-old (please see previous resolution).

My solution is to get an elliptical for Christmas. That way, I can sweat in my own house and not have to feel gross.

5. I will familiarize myself with the entire discography of Billy Joel.

BJ is one of the best songwriters of our generation, if not the best. His songs span decades and hold within their lyrics the secrets of the world. Learning all of his songs will make me a more interesting person at parties and will help me understand the history of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

6. I will stop being nice to people at my job.

I believe that everyone needs a bit of a wake up call, when it comes to retail etiquette. Just because I’m a sales associate who’s technically getting paid to be there does not give you the permission to treat me however you want.
Slavery was abolished, lest we forget.

Just because you want something does not mean that it will be on sale. So, in hopes of teaching people how to treat others, I will stop being nice, and I will treat people the exact same way that they treat me.

If you’re offended by my attitude, too bad: that’s just a nice big taste of your own medicine. This leads me to my next resolution.

7. I will donate at least my spare change to any organization that asks me.

Where I work, we ask people as we ring them out if they would like to donate to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. For those of you who don’t know, St. Jude’s treats any child, no matter their financial situation. This hospital is completely funded by donations. According to the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital website, it costs $1.8 million per day to run, and that money comes primarily from public donations.

When I ask if someone wants to round up their transaction total to the nearest dollar, time and time again people say no and refuse to donate even 30 cents. What harm is it, really, to give my spare change to the Salvation Army, or to give a dollar to St. Jude’s? Every penny adds up, and every penny could help someone in need. I will stop being stingy and do my part as a healthy human being.

8. I will not get road rage.

I mean, really, what’s the point? I know that the people I’m yelling at can’t really hear me, so why bother? When I wish their firstborns to burn in the fiery pits of hell and that their lower jaws fall off, the only thing I’m getting, I think, is bad karma. I vow to keep my blood pressure, and my middle finger, down.

So there it is. You can all hold me accountable for my actions. The New Year will bring with it a new me — that is, if we all make it past Dec. 21.

Come March, Akron’s men’s basketball team will likely need a marquee win to highlight their resume heading into the postseason.

The chance for that all-important victory could come as early as Sunday, when the Zips travel to Omaha to take on No. 16 Creighton.

“It’s not going to be easy by any means, but we feel like we have the team to play with (Creighton),” said head coach Keith Dambrot.

Momentum is on the Zips’ (4-2) side, as they are coming off of three straight victories, including an 82-77 (OT) win over the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.

The Creighton Bluejays’ (7-1) only slip-up came last Wednesday at home, in an 83-70 loss to the Boise State Broncos (6-1).

The match-up between two top mid-major programs may hold weight three months from now, but for Dambrot, it’s all about Sunday afternoon.

“Winning teams figure out ways to win,” said the nine-year head coach.

The Zips have used a combination of new and familiar faces to score at least 82 points in each of their last three contests.

No player has averaged more than 12.2 points per game, but four players have produced double figures: veterans Alex Abreu, Zeke Marshall and Brain Walsh, and freshman Jake Kretzer.

Kretzer is coming off of his biggest contribution in an Akron uniform. He made his 2-for-5 day count last Sunday, scoring all of his eight points in overtime. Two clutch 3-pointers were followed by two successful free throws in the final seconds to seal the win.

“Our teams don’t change much from year to year,” Dambrot said. “They just change numbers.”

In his last season in a Zips jersey, Marshall has produced career highs in almost every significant category.

His 12 points, 7.8 rebounds and 60.7 percent from the field are all career-bests. His average of 4.5 blocks per game is not only his best production to date; it also puts him third in the nation.

“Ultimately, I want to get in better position so I can be ready to go to the next level,” Marshall said. “I want to improve every part of my game that I can.”

Creighton will travel to in-state rival Nebraska (6-1) on Thursday, where they will rely on their standout junior, Doug McDermott, to fuel them offensively.

The 6-8 forward ranks 17th in the nation in scoring (21.3 points per game) and has the ability to score both inside and behind the arc.

The rest of the squad has followed McDermott’s hot shooting: at 53.1 percent, they are second in all of college basketball.

Junior forward Ethan Wragge (10.9 points per game) and senior center Gregory Echenique (10.4 points per game) are the only other Bluejays averaging double figures.

Creighton is ranked third in the latest mid-major top 25 poll, with the Zips trailing at 16 (College Insider).

There are over 300 organizations at The University of Akron that provide students with the resources and experiences necessary for post-graduation agendas.

“Becoming involved at the university provides students with a feeling of connectedness, resume-development opportunities, and the chance to meet a host of people,” said UA civic engagement coordinator Allison Doehring.

So the question is, why are there no rooms packed with eager, determined students battling for spots in these groups, especially when, more than ever before, employers are looking for students with real-world experience?

Although in the past year at UA there has been an increase in organizational participation, more than half of the student body has not taken advantage of the variety of programs offered at the university.

Could it be that students are just not aware of the incredible benefits of getting involved?

The best way to get students to understand the benefits of involvement is not to tell them, but to show them.

This year, the Akron chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) enlisted the help of the university chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) in planning and putting on an annual community service event.

The PRSA Nonprofit Pro Bono Day is a one-day event hosted by the Akron PRSA where PR professionals provide free services to local nonprofit organizations.

“We see our annual PRSA Nonprofit Pro Bono Day as an investment in our community,” said Gretchen Fri, Akron PRSA board member and event chair.

Members of the university PRSSA chapter jumped at the opportunity to assist with this event. Not only did they receive real-world experience, networking opportunities, and resume-building material; they
were also able to give back to the community.

“One of the best things a communication student can do is to get involved with PRSSA,” said Christine Boyd, a public relations professional from Neomed. “It is an opportunity to learn about how public relations operates in the real world and to network with public relations professionals who could be your future employers.”

“Intern and volunteer as much as you can,” she said. “Employers need new hires to come with a base level of understanding. The more experience you have, the better chance you will have in landing one of those open positions.”

The 2012 Nonprofit Pro Bono Day outweighed the successes of all previous years, and the university PRSSA chapter was invited back to help with next year’s event.

“This opportunity was beneficial for students to gain and observe real world experience,” said Abby Griffiths, UA student and PRSSA member. “Seeing it in action gives you a better experience than sitting in the classroom ever will.”

Students avoid on-campus organizations for a variety of reasons, but there is no question that the pros of belonging to one overshadow the cons.

The hundreds of student organizations offered at UA are resources for your future, so take advantage of them. Be one step ahead of your competitors, and that open position will belong to you.

For more information about the programs offered at The University of Akron, visit uakron.edu/studentlife/source.

A great era in Zips soccer ended on Nov. 25 with an early exit from the NCAA tournament.

Head coach Caleb Porter coached his last game at The University of Akron in a technical tie with Creighton that ended with the Bluejays edging out the Zips in penalty kicks.

Porter will move to the Major Leagues in 2013 to coach the Portland Timbers.

His seven-year tenure at UA proved to be the ultimate resume for coaching in the MLS.

Porter, the sixth head coach in UA men’s soccer history, graduated from Indiana University in 1998 and started coaching at UA in 2006.

He brought with him an attack-oriented system that proved to work well at the collegiate level.

In his seven seasons, he amassed a career record of 123-18-17.

In 2009 and 2010, he led the team to back-to-back College Cup finals.

In 2009, he was the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Coach of the Year.

He and his team brought UA their first national championship in any sport with a 1-0 victory over Louisville to cap off the 2010 season.

Porter went on to coach the men’s national under-23 soccer team in the off-season, from 2009 to 2011. He was selected because of his reputation and his ability to develop young talent.

In his tenure, he has sent 14 Zips to the MLS. In 2011, seven Zips were selected in the MLS draft, five of which were first-rounders, which is a league record.

Porter will join Darlington Nagbe — former Zip, All-American striker, Hermann Trophy winner, and the former No. 2 pick in the 2011 draft — on the field with the Timbers in 2013.

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has come closer and closer to returning to the field after a solid week of practice.

Roethlisberger, who has missed the past three weeks due to a shoulder injury received in a Nov. 12 game against the Kansas City Chiefs, hopes to return to play against the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

“I’m getting there,” he told ESPN.com. “I’ve got to talk to (Steelers tight end) Heath Miller. He’s my barometer.”

The Steelers are down to their third-string quarterback Charlie Batch, with second-string quarterback Byron Leftwich out with an injury as well.

Batch, who struggled against the 4-8 Cleveland Browns on Nov. 25, rebounded and helped the Steelers defeat the Baltimore Ravens last weekend, 23-20.

Batch threw for 276 yards against the Ravens, including one touchdown and one interception.

According to ESPN.com, Roethlisberger threw 3 to 4 passes in each practice period.

He said that he experienced a little bit of pain on the field.

“I thought it was a positive day for Ben,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told ESPN.com. “He threw the ball around both vertically and horizontally. I thought the ball had good velocity.”

Tomlin has not yet named Roethlisberger the Steelers starting quarterback Sunday against the Chargers.

The Steelers offense will take the field on Sunday in hopes that Roethlisberger, and not Batch, will be under center.

The Cleveland Browns are on a two-game winning streak for the first time since weeks two and three of the 2011 NFL season.

On Nov. 25, the Browns (4-8) defeated their arch-rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers.

They also beat the Oakland Raiders this past Sunday, which ended their 12-game losing streak on the road.

Browns fans are thrilled to be on a two-game winning streak.

“I’m impressed with the Browns, and I look forward to the continuing progress and development of the rookies,” said University of Akron student Greg Hyde.

This coming Sunday, the Browns will face the Kansas City Chiefs, who have also had their struggles this season.

Because of injuries to starting quarterback Matt Cassell, backup quarterback Brady Quinn finally got to see some time behind center. He hadn’t played in a game for two years.

Many Browns fans joke that the Chiefs are the old Browns.

Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel was the old Browns head coach a couple of years ago; Chiefs running back Peyton Hillis was a Browns running back from 2010 to 2011; and Quinn played backup to quarterback Derek Anderson from 2007 to 2009.

“The new Browns are looking good enough to beat the old Browns,” Hyde joked.

With their playoff hopes still up in the air, the Browns are eager to give their fans a victory and increase their winning streak to three.

The Browns haven’t been on a three-game winning streak since 2009, when they ended their regular-season schedule on a four-game winning streak, including a victory over the Steelers for the first time in six years.

On Sunday, the Browns will take the field and try to earn their fifth win.

The last time they had five wins in a season was in 2009, when they went 5-11.

They will host the Chiefs on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Food, family, friends and the spirit of religious traditions make up the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. The traditions stretch back thousands of years and serve as a time of reminiscence for practicers of the Jewish faith. Commonly associated with Christmas, Hanukkah is in fact a holiday with few similarities to its Christian counterpart.

On Wednesday, Dec. 5, the University of Akron HeeBroos hosted a reception dedicated to Hanukkah on the top floor of the Student Union.

Various Jewish foods, such as latke, were served with a side of sparkling cider; and the room was decorated with menorahs, dreidels, and other holiday themes. Students and faculty alike congregated in the room to celebrate a holiday that has been observed by their families for generations.

Hanukkah stems from the Hebrew tale involving the rededication of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem. According to legend, a one-day supply of oil meant to provide light to the temple miraculously lasted for a total of eight days after the Jewish people took the temple back.

Hanukkah is a living commemoration of this event, and the lighting of the menorah symbolizes the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days.

“Hanukkah isn’t one of the major Jewish holidays, but it is still important,” said Andria Kaplan, UA graduate student and treasurer of HeeBroos. “The message of Hanukkah is to remember the triumphs of the Hebrews.”

According to Craig Libman, another graduate student and member of HeeBroos, Hanukkah is also about perseverance and gathering.

“What I love about Hanukkah is being able to see my family and friends and to celebrate with them,” Libman said. “This holiday reminds us all that our ancestors fought through a lot and overcame oppression, so it inspires us to be determined.”

“Hanukkah helps us remember who we are as people,” said Mikha’el Vimont, vice president of HeeBroos. “It’s a combination of secular and religious values that make up the holiday and allow Jews and non-Jews to celebrate together.”

The HeeBroos is a growing on-campus community that promotes Jewish life and provides opportunities for Jewish students to participate in religious traditions such as Shabbat and various holidays such as Passover and Hanukkah.

A third annual Hanukkah Reception will be held next year at around the same time. Plan a visit and see for yourself what Hanukkah is truly about.

Imagine being a child on a train headed for a foreign country, and having to endure the journey completely alone.

Nearly 10,000 Jewish children faced this reality at the start of World War II as they were sent out of Nazi Germany, Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia, without their parents, to safety in Great Britain.

Many of the children never saw their parents again.

Vera Schaufeld recalled her experiences of the Kindertransport on bbc.co.uk.

“We all leant out of the carriage window, and my parents waved white handkerchiefs,” she said. “I didn’t know that would be the last time I would see any of them alive.”

At 8 p.m. on Dec. 12, “The Stories of the Kindertransport” will open in the Sandefur Theatre in Guzzetta Hall. The play is scheduled to run from Dec. 12-16. On Dec. 12, 13 and 14, performances will begin at 8 p.m., and on Dec. 15 and 16, there will be performances at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Director Alex Funk said these stories needed to be told. He is currently pursuing his degree in theatre arts and said that he chose to direct this play because he acted in the production in high school and fell in love with it.

“It has such a powerful message about humanity, and it reminds us that we can come together to help each other in times of great need,” Funk said.

Playwright Diane Samuels was inspired to write “The Stories of Kindertransport” in 1989, when she was a young mother and pregnant with her second child.

“I saw a TV documentary commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Kindertransport, showing how 10,000 children, mostly Jewish, had come over to seek refuge in England from Nazi-occupied Europe,” she said on her website, dianesamuels.com. “I was struck at once by the ways in which parents and children struggled to deal with this desperate parting.”

Samuels used “to dedicate the play to the 10,000 ‘Kinder’ who left Europe over 70 years ago,” according to her website.

However, now she sees that “by entering the exceptional experience of those children who caught the trains to safety when many of them, like Eva (a character in her play), were too young to bear it, a crucial connection can be made with the clinging child inside us all that never wants to let go, no matter what.”

“The Stories of Kindertransport” is about humanity and family, Funk said.

“I think that humanity is one giant family, and what happens to one of us affects all of us,” he said. “As families, we may not like everyone, but we love everyone anyway, because we share something in common. That commonality is that we are all human. If we work together, we can solve anything that comes our way.”

The message that Funk wants to resonate with his audience is “that sense of commonality and a sense of family. That even though we are different, we can still thrive together.”

Production stage manager Amanda Miller has worked tirelessly in preparing the show for its debut.

“Audiences can expect to travel through a range of emotions,” Miller said. “There are moments of utter despair and moments of joy and excitement. I hope that they leave the theater with a feeling of hope. While we are telling the story of a very sad part of our world’s history, the story is meant to show that the kindness of the human race can be able to overcome our trials.”

Nici Romo has worn several hats to help bring this production to life. She produced and acted in the production.

“We have been talking about this show for a long time,” she said. “It’s bittersweet to see it finally take form. I am also the president of Theatre Guild, and this show kicks off our season, so on a business level, I really want it to do well. I think that this is a show that will leave a lasting impression on our audience.”

Romo said “The Stories of Kindertransport” is unique.

“This show is also made up of monologues from real people, and there is also a fictional story. I think the marriage of the two is really fun. I hope that people take away the fact that good things can happen in horrible situations.”

The cast consists of 22 actors, including children.

Josie Reynolds, an actress from Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts, plays one of the children, Vera, who rode on the Kindertransport and was adopted by a woman named Ms. Rainford when she arrived to England.

“I hope the audience will take away the fact that this really was going on in the world at that time, and that there were kids that died, ranging in age from infants to teenagers,” Reynolds said.

Actress Jovana Bukvic found the show to be a very interesting experience. She said that she had a difficult time speaking with a German accent that her role required and found herself slipping into a Russian accent.

“I play a character who is a mother, which is something that I have yet to experience, so all of my character choices are being drawn from those with my own mother, and other women that have children,” Bukvic said. “This is completely different from using your own life experiences.”

Emma Picht, another actress from Miller South, plays the part of Gisi. Funk acted with her over the summer in the Ohio Shakespeare Festival at Stan Hwyet and asked her to be in his production.

Picht, 13, said that she connects with her character through their mutual love for music. She has been playing the violin since she was around five years old. She is eager to play for an audience next week when the show opens.

University of Akron English professor Dr. Michael Schuldiner teaches Holocaust literature and said it is important to continue to tell the stories of the Holocaust.

“The Holocaust was a watershed event,” Schuldiner said. “It taught us, and continues to instruct us, that despite the progress that has taken place, we are still very poor specimens of what we like to think of as ‘humanity.’ By keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive, we are hopefully preventing future genocides tomorrow.”

It’s been such a fun semester, with both disappointing and exciting times.

It was disappointing to see our football team not have the successful season that we were all hoping for, but I think they have stepped into the right direction. While they finished their third straight year with a record of 1-11, they are definitely able to compete in games.

The women’s soccer team had a disappointing season, but the men’s soccer team had another terrific year. The surprising news of head coach Caleb Porter’s imminent departure to Major League Soccer did put a bit of a damper on the start of the season, but the team didn’t disappoint us. They won the MAC championship and advanced into the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, they were unable to win the national championship. But they still had an excellent season.

We will see how our basketball teams end up. Considering how well both are playing, it looks to be an exciting season. The women’s basketball team is showing how well they can compete after last year’s disappointing season; they have a 6-1 record so far. The men’s team, with all-star Zeke Marshall, is bulldozing over any team that gets in their way.

Unfortunately, this is my final issue as the sports editor of the Buchtelite. I have had so much fun voicing my opinion and encouraging students to show support. I also enjoyed analyzing all of our teams as well as professional football, and explaining why I thought we were losing and what we needed to do to get better. Sure, our teams came up short a lot of the time over the semester, but that made me appreciate the wins even more. I hope that head coach Terry Bowden will turn this team around, and I will continue to follow Akron Zips football for years to come.

I wish all students the best of luck as finals week approaches, and I hope that all students enjoy
their break.

We’ll see you in 2013!

Go Zips!