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December 5, 2007
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Opinions
Vol. 80 Issue #13
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Free Access to Ideas... Full Freedom of Expression
RIC PRIMARY
Photo Courtesy of Mike Shiel By Kameron Spaulding Anchor Editor Secretary of State Ralph Mollis referred to the Rhode Island College Primary held on campus on Wed. Nov. 28 as “the nation’s first.” If that is truly the case, then Barack Obama is the early leader in this campaign as he won with 40 percent of the Democratic vote. On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani won handily with almost 35 percent. Overall, it was a great event with some solid student sup-
port. The campaign rally on Tuesday night was full of opportunities for RIC students to learn about this important presidential race. Every candidate was represented at the event, yet some just seemed to walk away with it. The Ron Paul group was especially prominent. They had young people with signs outside and quite a few more walking around the event inside. They also had a large multimedia setup and seemed to draw quite a bit of attention. The Dennis Kucinich camp was out there rocking
RIC NSCS To Sponsor Drive By Paula Richer Anchor Staff “’Tis the season, everybody! That’s the spirit spreading through Rhode Island College’s chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (a national honors organization for highachieving students). This season, NSCS is holding its annual Women and Children’s Drive on campus to benefit local domestic violence shelters, and they’re asking us to chip in. From now through Dec. 20, we’ll see donation boxes in nearly every department hall on campus. Why not drop a little something in? The list of needed donations (posted with each box) includes the same kind of practical items we as college kids use; things like bus tickets, umbrellas, paper towels, bean bags, phone calling cards, batteries, hygiene products, mittens, packaged foods, and linens. The RIC students from the NSCS couldn’t have made it any easier for us to feel that warm and fuzzy rush that only giving can bring, so let’s show ‘em what we’ve got! If volunteering is your thing, the NSCS-ers are also planning an Arts & Crafts play date with the kids at Hasbro Children’s Hospital on December 21 as well as soup kitchen visits throughout the year. There’s a lot to do at these events and an extra pair of hands is al-
ways appreciated. Chapter President Sunny Intwala, a Biology major/Chemistry minor (who will enter Brown’s Med Program next year) and winner of last year’s National Merit Scholarship started RIC’s NSCS Chapter in 2006. He says of his decision, “After learning that there was not a single organization on our campus dedicated to scholarship, service and leadership for all members of the college…I wanted to start a chapter…to leave something behind. I wanted to start an organization that was focused on giving back to the community...that would carry on for hundreds of years.” It appears that they are well on their way. The RIC Chapter of the NSCS started with 67 charter members last year and they inducted 64 new members on Nov. 1, for a current total of 131 students. Membership is offered based on grade point average and class standing and its benefits include scholarships, leadership development, travel opportunities, and career resources. For more information about the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, visit www.nscs.org. To help out with our Chapter’s campus activities, contact Sunny Intwala at sintwala@cox.net. Happy giving, everyone!
the vote as well. “The peace candidate always wins” was the message preached at his table all night long. There were two common words that were used at almost every table: Facebook or Myspace. The extra focus on the Internet was apparent. Mike Reyes was one of the young Paul backers and, when asked where he learned about him, his response was quick and simple: “It was easy. I found his videos on Youtube and was hooked.”
Cont. on Centerspread
The Free, “Green” Alternative to $3 per Gallon
By Christina Morra Anchor Contributor
Patrick Keaney takes a unique approach to fueling his car and money is no object. He says, “I don’t care if I can save money. It doesn’t concern me. I just know I don’t want to burn foreign oil.” Fortunately for Keaney, he can fill his tank for free with just a few hours of manual labor. That’s because he converted his 1984 diesel Volkswagen Rabbit pickup truck to run on waste vegetable oil which he collects from local restaurants and then filters. “This is work. This is what I do.” But this isn’t what Keaney, 38, has always done. Raised in Boxborough, Mass., he graduated from Boston College in 1990. He worked as a journalist for a few years and then, in 2000, Keaney was campaigning for Ralph Nader when his friend, who owned the Hempest on Newbury Street, told him that a car fueled by hemp seed oil would be coming to the shop. “At this point in my life, I thought I was pretty hip,” says Keaney. “But there I was, looking at a car that ran on plants, and I just couldn’t believe that I had never heard of this before. I was completely blown away.” After some research, Keaney bought an old Mercedes Benz and started running it on biodiesel. It is made from renewable resources instead of fossil fuels. In 2004, he learned how to modify a diesel car to burn vegetable oil. In short, it requires installing a secondary tank
where the vegetable oil is heated until it is thin enough to power the engine. Keaney formed a team, GreenGreaseMonkey.com, and has been converting diesel cars, collecting vegetable oil, and making biodiesel ever since. In the next few months, Keaney plans to get the Brighton apartment building he owns running on the biodiesel he produces. He rents the rooms to five people with similar environmental interests. He has a vegetable garden in his backyard and a composting toilet in his basement. Yet Keaney remains realistic about what he’s doing. “I try to say whenever I can that this is not saving the world. We’re living in a couple of hundred years where there’s abundant energy sources due to geological factors that are totally out of our control, and we’re squandering it. Driving a veggie car is not helping matters. You’re doing less damage, but the reality is, we need a revolution.” Lorin Kinney, who transferred to Rhode Island College this semester, has been running on vegetable oil for a year and a half. “I had been interested in buying a diesel car for quite a while because I’d heard that they are far more dependable than gasoline engines and can last half a million miles without any huge trouble,” recalls the psychology major. “In the process of looking for a car,” he says, “I met someone in New Hampshire who was selling his in favor of a newer Mercedes diesel. He told me about the site GreaseCar.com.”
Cont. on page 3
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December 5, 2007
Ducey Student Media Center Student Union Plaza Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue Providence, R.I. 02908
Tidbits Anchor Meetings Every Wednesday, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Located in the Ducey Media Center. Defend Reproductive Rights Wednesday, Dec. 5, 12:30 p.m. in the SU Ballroom. Sponsored by RIC Women’s Studies, and ned Parenthood Men’s Basketball vs. Salve Regina Thursday, Dec. 6, 2007, 7:30 p.m. in the Murray Center. Open to the general public. RIC Music: Winter Choral Concert Friday, Dec. 7, 2007, 8 p.m. in Sapinsley Hall in the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts. $4 for students.
contacts & fine print General ...............401.456.8280 Advertising...........401.456.8544 Fax.....................401.456.8792 Web ...........www.anchorweb.org General Info .info@anchorweb.org The Anchor is student-run and published weekly during the academic year. Editorial decisions for The Anchor are made by a majority vote of its student editorial board. No form of censorship will be imposed by the college. Any material found to be unsuitable or unacceptable in the boardʼs opinion will not be published. The views expressed in The Anchor, unless otherwise noted, are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent those of The Anchor or of Rhode Island Collegeʼs faculty, administration or student body. The first copy is free. Each additional copy is $2.25. All rights reserved. Copyright © 2007, The Anchor. If you are a student organization and would like to have an event covered, please contact The Anchor at managing@anchorweb.org.
News
December 5, 2007
Page 3
THE ANCHOR
Writer Strike Hits Home By Kameron Spaulding Anchor Editor If you haven’t already noticed, many television shows popular with college students are gone. Due to the ongoing writers strike, fan favorites like Letterman and Leno are gone. With them goes The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Many more of your favorites are down to only a handful of episodes before their sets go dark as well. The negotiations have become ugly between the two sides of the arguments in the last few weeks. Some of the issues standing in the way of a new contract are key issues like DVD residuals, reality programs, and perhaps most importantly, new media such as the Internet. Over the last few years, the DVD market has become the largest pool of revenue for the movie studios. In April of 2004, the New York Times published a report that said the companies made $4.8 billion in DVD versus $1.78 billion at the box office. The writers saw very little of that money. The Writers Guild of America has stated that they want to see the DVD residuals doubled in the new contract. This would result in an increase from the current rate of four cents to eight cents per DVD. The major issue, however, is in regard to “new media.” New media is the largest growing part of the media industry. All of those Internet downloads, straight-toInternet content, streaming Internet programming, and video on demand on cable
By Kameron Spaulding Anchor Editor
and satellite television are included in this category. This form of media is expected by many industry insiders to be the main form of distribution in the near future. As of right now, the writers get nothing for all of that programming. The WGA is seeking a 2.5% residual from all new media sources. The effects of this strike are starting to
be seen already. The Office has run out of scripts and has gone to reruns. They are not alone. Law and Order will run out next week and Scrubs may never air its series finale. Local favorite Family Guy is also fresh out of episodes and will be going to reruns. With no end in sight, this strike could put all scripted programming off the air by
the end of January. A recent survey done by Pepperdine University revealed that “nearly two-thirds of the American public tends to side with the writers, one third are unsure, and only four percent sympathize with the AMPTP.” With all this support, it is likely that the writers will stand strong for a long time.
National College News
Oral Roberts Pres. Resigns
Berkeley Tree-Sit May Soon End
After dealing with lawsuits and accusations that he misspent university money to live a lavish lifestyle, the president of Oral Roberts University resigned on Nov. 23 after serving for 17 years as the school’s president. Richard Roberts is the son of the televangelist and university founder, Oral Roberts. The trouble started after three former professors filed a lawsuit last month that included accusations of a $39,000 shopping tab for Mr. Robert’s wife, Lindsay, at one store, a $29,411 senior trip to the Bahamas on the university jet for one of Mr. Roberts’s daughters, and a stable of horses for the Roberts children. Roberts has not been at the school lately as he has been on paid leave to fight the accusations. Right up to the point of his resignation, Roberts and his wife have both denied any wrongdoing. In a press release following his resignation, Roberts said “I love O.R.U. with all my heart. I love the students, faculty, staff and administration, and I want to see God’s best for all of them.” The professors that have filed the lawsuit also allege that Mr. Roberts had required students in a government class to work for the campaign of Randi Miller, a candidate in the 2006 Republican primary for mayor of Tulsa, Okla. Tim Brooker, one of the suing professors, accused Oral Roberts University of forcing him to quit after he had warned Mr. Roberts that requiring students to work on Ms. Miller’s campaign would cost the college its tax exempt status. The school will begin the search for a new President as soon as possible. Until one can be found, Executive Regent Billy Joe Daugherty will temporarily assume the president’s administrative responsibilities.
The University of California has won its court case giving them the right to oust a group of tree-sitters who have spent the last year living in the trees that are standing in the way of a planned sports center. The university wants to cut down over a dozen evergreen coast live oaks in order to build a $125 million training facility for its Golden Bears athletic teams. This has caused a few scuffles between police and tree-sitters. Campus officials recently placed a chain-link fence around the grove. A judge ruled last month that school officials would be within their rights to oust the protesters. In a press release about the ruling they did not comment on how campus police intends to get the people down but added that they are “not currently contemplating a forcible removal.” Many believe that this will all come to a head over the next month or two. Predictably, everyone on both sides hopes that it can end as peacefully as possible. There are a few other lawsuits in progress in relation to the new building and the protesters are hoping the future suits go their way.
GREEN, from front GreaseCar.com, based in Florence, Mass., sells kits that allow those who are mechanically-inclined to do the conversion themselves. “My mom’s boyfriend is a self-taught car mechanic,” says Kinney. “With his help, I got everything working. It’s pretty difficult without knowing a thing or two about engines.” Like Keaney, Kinney has also gotten others interested in gasoline alternatives. His mother recently bought a diesel car with the intention of converting it. He is also in the process of researching solar shingles which he would like to have installed on the house he shares with his mother in Warwick. However, he is still frustrated by how little is known about alternative fuels. Because gasoline engines use combustion and not compression as diesels do, they cannot be converted. Vegetable oil will not ignite with a spark plug. “Nobody seems to know that diesel is a fuel that cars can run on and is not the same as gasoline,” Kinney explains. “People ask me if I can help them convert their gasoline Honda to veggie oil.” “I would like a lot more people to know about it.” To learn more, come to the Alternative Energy Open Forum led by Pat Keaney and Dave Staunton of GreenGreaseMonkey.com. Tues., Dec. 4 at 7pm in Gaige Auditorium. Questions and ideas are welcomed. Food will be provided by Anthropos. Christina Morra has been driving on vegetable oil since May 2007.
Sports
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December 5, 2007
THE ANCHOR
Anchorwomen Hoops on the Ball By Sam Whitson Anchor Staff Last week, the Anchorwomen improved their season record to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the Little East Conference (LEC). Rhode Island College hosted the Wellesley Blue (Tues. Nov. 27) followed by the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Beacons last Saturday. On both dates, RIC was able to dominate the court for the win. Before last week’s games, the Anchorwomen had a 1-2 record. They were able to reach an even 2-2 after their faceoff with Wellesley. Sophomore forward Jennifer Knott (Narragansett, R.I.) scored a total 18 points and 9 boards, leaving her just short of a double-double in the game. By the close of the first half, the Anchorwomen took advantage of Wellesley’s 19 turnovers to lead the game with a 44-14 score. In the second half, the Blue succeeded in surpassing the Anchorwomen with 7 treys to take an 8 point lead at 32-24. However, the Anchorwomen pulled through in the end and finished the game with a 68-46 score. Along with Knott, the Anchorwomen were led by senior forward Sherri Heard (Coventry, R.I.) with 14 points and 7 boards. Alice Mullen, RIC’s sophomore guard from Saunderstown, R.I., logged 12 points, 5 boards, and 3 successful steals in addition to an assist and a block. Sarah Coughlin, senior point guard out of North Attleboro, Mass., posted a game-high 7 assists while junior guards Michelle McNamee (Cranston, R.I.) and Tyla Martin (Cumberland, R.I.) put in 9 and 8 points,
respectively. The Blue’s junior forward, Jessica Duff (Milton, Abingdon, United Kingdom), entered the game with a double-double average but could only score 8 points and 5 boards. Junior forward Julia Thomas (Concord, Calif.) logged a game-high 11 rebounds and Courtney Richter (Sinking Springs, Penn.) scored a team-high 10 points. RIC went on to host UMass Boston in an LEC match on Saturday (12/1) afternoon in The Murray Center. RIC started out the first half with a 20-16 lead but the Beacons were able to close the gap and leave the first half down by just 1 point, 36-35. After the half time break, the game continued and the Anchorwomen took control of the court once again. They muscled along to a 24 point lead to take the score up to 7054 with 4:03 left in the match. With the sounding of the buzzer, the game ended with a final score of 74-67 for the RIC win. RIC’s Heard aided Anchorwomen with her own double-double which included 16 points, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 steals. Martin led both teams after scoring 19 points with 4 boards, 2 steals, and 1 assist. The Beacon’s senior
guard, LaKeisha Tucker (Pawtucket, R.I.) posted a team-high 17 points and 4 boards alongside a steal for her team. Sophomore forward Caroline Ashe (West Roxbury, Mass.) scored a total of 15 points, including 3 treys. However, their efforts fell short with the loss; taking UMass Boston to a 2-2 overall record and 0-1 in the LEC. In upcoming action, RIC will be host-
ing Connecticut College on Thursday night, December 6 at 5:30 in the Murray Center. The Anchorwomen will also be heading to New Hampshire to face Keene State in their second Little East Conference game of the season.
The Year of the Freshmen By Kam Spaulding Anchor Editor If you have been watching college basketball at all you have seen one common theme: the Class of 2011 is running people over. Between the facts that this class has been one of the most hyped since they were in seventh grade and the new NBA draft rule this year, freshman are as good as ever. Every once and a while, a player comes along that just has “it.” No one can tell you what it is, but there is something special about them. They can play ball with the best of them, and they are just lightning rods for attention. When these players are on the court, all eyes go right to them. OJ Mayo is one of those players. The freshman at USC has gotten national attention since he was a seventh grader starting on a nationally ranked varsity team. And his game was been on down in So-Cal. He is averaging 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game for the 22-ranked Trojans. Then there is Michael “The Beast” Beasley, the Kansas State standout. Last year, Kevin Durant came out as the big star he is and won every award in the nation. This year, that guy is Beasley. The 6’ 9” small forward has been by far the most dominant player in college hoops; not bad for an 18 year old kid. Right now, he is putting up 27 points and 15 re-
bounds per game. If I were a college coach that could have any one of these freshman, there is no doubt it would be Beasley. After those two studs, you have another top-notch baller. His name isn’t as big as the first two but he is the player leading the nation in scoring. Eric Gordon is dropping in over 27 points for the Indiana Hoosiers. Gordon has always been known as a guard that could fill it up but this kind of play from a kid that is just learning what not to eat in the cafeteria is insane. He has moved up to number 4 on Chad Ford’s Big NBA Draft Board. Need I say more? But the talent doesn’t stop there. The top 6 players on the big board are all freshman. Players like Derrick Rose, DeAndre Jordan, Kosta Kufos, and JJ Hickson have all become some of best players in the country. I would love to see these kids stick around for another year or two but I would say that is a long shot. For now, all you can do is sit back and enjoy a crop of freshman better than anything we have ever seen.
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December 5, 2007
Sports
Page 5
THE ANCHOR
Cup-o-Joe By Joe Robillard Anchor Editor Joe hasn’t been this excited about basketball since that Jordan guy. The NBA’s a really great place right now. NCAA basketball is a really great place right now. The fact I can find at least four or five of their basketball games any given night is a really, really great thing (unless you’re one of my three yet-to-be completed term papers). If you told me last year that I’d be TIVOing Celtics basketball games I’d explain to you that I’m still new at recording television shows and sometimes I record things I have no interest in. This year, I actually MEAN to record their games. I study the team. Garnett scares the hell out of me, in the good way. Ray Allen, even though we can admit he’s a little bit annoying, is pretty nasty. Paul Pierce is like our little brother who finally made some friends. Up until this year he was just your little brother that looked alarmingly similar to Jay-Z, and never got to do cool things because he didn’t have any real friends. All of a sudden girls want to go to the prom with him, he has his own car, and he’s probably going to win an NBA Championship. All of a sudden I want to hang out with
Paul Pierce. Kendrick Perkins is kinda like that fat kid in high school who can get liquor, so everybody’s nice to him. As a result, he gets to win NBA Championships with Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. Also Kendrick has a skinny little fast friend named Rajon Rondo. Sadly, Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes had to move away to another school. The truth is these guys are fun to watch, really. The
whole league seems to have turned it around though. There’s a great mix of memorable superstar veterans and genuinely exciting young talent (I can’t even wait to see where OJ Mayo and Kevin Love end up next year). We can say this without Greg Oden even playing this year. Oh yeah, Greg Oden. To think, we were crying when we didn’t get him, and now we’re laughing at Portland. Poor Portland. If I were 14 now, I’d want to play in the NBA badly. I could never say that before Some other thoughts: I’m genuinely enthralled with Tuesday night’s Providence College/University of Rhode Island basketball game. It really should be a great match-up. URI’s only loss this year came to Boston College, which PC beat on Saturday. The Friars were up 24 in the BC g a m e , and then suddenly down 6 with just a minute left. I had the first seizure of my life. When I woke up,
they were cruising to a 98-89 overtime win, though, so I didn’t admit myself to the hospital. There’s a few good match-ups in this game. The URI big strong guys (Mbang, Daniels, Seawright) against PC’s big weak guys (Kale, Hanke). PC’s army of shooting guards (Efejuku, McKenzie, Williams, Curry if he’s healed) against URI’s one uber-nasty shooting guard (Baron Jr.). The difference in this game will be Geoff Mcdermott, though. If the Friars will be able to keep the paint under control at all, it will have to be with sharp play from the jack-of-all trades small forward. He can create space for the less-talented Friar bigmen underneath. He’s a serious triple double possibility, my bold prediction of the week. Anyway, hoping to be South Kingstown for the game Tuesday night. I plan on sitting in a URI section and rooting for the Friars loudly. I’ll probably get into a fight. I’m a dedicated fan. This article was going to address the BCS college football games. That’s really been scratched. It doesn’t make any sense. It hasn’t made sense in years. Until they just set up an 8-team-playoff, like the entire damn country wants, they’re not getting any press from me. I’m ecstatic to watch Hawaii play Georgia on Jan. 1, though. First to 60 points win that game.
December 5, 2007
ComicS
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Cont. on Centerspread Every candidate directed visitors to an online meet-up, a webpage, or a Facebook group. Perhaps the most important part of the event occurred at the quietest of all the tables. The Board of Elections had a table where you could register to vote. For a good part of the event, there was a line to do just that. Chris Roberts, a young man who registered, wasn’t even a RIC student, he just came for information. The BOE was also able to answer questions and provide any information relevant to voting and registration to the attendees. The voting day also featured a number of panel discussions. The first discussion was on women in politics that was preceded by a viewing of Running in High Heels. The film is a documentary on a woman running for state senator in New York. It also featured many great interviews with people on both sides of the political spectrum. RIC Professor Michelle Brophy-Bearmann moderated a lively discussion on the topic right after the movie. The other panel focused on how young people can become involved in politics. Both offered great chances for young
people to get involved in the political process. At 5pm, Secretary of State Mollis took the stage stating that the polls had revealed a “real close race, one that will allow you to see the value of a single vote.” That race was the Democratic Primary; Barack Obama topped Hillary Clinton by only six votes. Far behind them were John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich. Every candidate on the Democratic ballot got at least one vote and 78% of the voters chose to vote on the Democratic line. The Republican Party race was not nearly as close. Giuliani beat Mitt Romney by 16%. Romney was followed closely by John McCain and Ron Paul. One of the surprises of the night was Fred Thompson’s poor performance, coming in 6 on the Republican side. With 540 total voters, RIC was able to give a sampling of their opinion on this race. Brian Hull, one on the event’s planners, said that one of the goals of the primary was to get “people to think more about the campaigns and just think about this race.”
Photos Courtesy of Mike Shiel
Opinions
Page 12
December 5, 2007
THE ANCHOR
Be a Gentleman, Please!
By Paula Richer Anchor Staff
In our last issue, Bryan Salisbury asked the question: “Since when has being a gentleman made a person a sexist?” Apparently, some of Bryan’s female friends have informed him that certain gentlemanly behavior (such as holding a door for a woman or paying for her) is an act of putting her down by taking care of her, which insinuates that she can’t do it herself. While they certainly have a right to feel that way, I’d like to clarify something. Not all women equate gentlemanly behavior with sexism. I’m a self-proclaimed feminist who does her best to practice zero tolerance of sexism (and racism) whenever possible. Yet I don’t interpret a man holding a door for me as a put-down. I see it as a courtesy. It’s a respectful, thoughtful and considerate act that he may just as likely perform for the next person. While some feminists may grit their teeth at this, I’ll go one step further to say it actually makes me feel like a lady in the happiest, most celebratory sense of the word. I am, after all, different from a man (equal in value, make no mistake, but different). The heterosexual part of me is flattered when a man notices that. I’m not delicate (although some women are and that’s OK) and I’m not incapable of taking care of myself (although some women have been made to believe they are and therefore act accordingly) but there’s something about that chivalrous act that stirs a feeling of femininity in me that I really like. It reminds me that I am a little like a queen…a full-fledged counterpart to any king, of course, with equal social, political and economic power, but a woman of majesty nonetheless. So, Bryan, this is one act of kindness that I hope you and others like you never stop committing. The subject of paying for a woman, however, dredges up an entirely different and very complicated situation. As of this writing, the Women’s Bureau of the U.S. Department of Labor says that on average women’s salaries
All opinions in The Anchor are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Anchor. We urge all members of the RIC community to take advantage of The Anchor’s editorial pages and send us their opinions. We remain true to our motto “free access to ideas and full freedom of expression”. Submissions must be under or around 700 words. Since we receive so many letters each week, entries will be published based on relevancy and time sensitivity. All entries are considered and carefully read.
still trail men’s by about 20%. That means that we make only 80 cents every time you guys make a dollar. In all fairness then, I think men should pay for about 20% more of the bill. Well, it’s fair in theory, maybe…but what about in oh-soawkward practice? How do two people who are trying to get to know one another negotiate paying for that first dinner date or every date thereafter? I admit this is a conundrum, but I’ve got a suggestion. Most guys I know dilemma will reach for the bill the to bed. minute it lands on the table. Personal This is due to cultural condiPhoto Courtesy of definitions of femtioning that guys should pay beinism are almost as nucause our traditional social and family Casey Gaul merous as there are women systems have long rendered women economiand most women are in touch with their cally dependent on men. But now that women are firmly planted in the work force, I think we should offer to pay femininity in their own unique way. But that can confuse our share. I say when he reaches for it, let him, but add a lot of well-meaning partner-seeking men who are just that you’ll get it the next time. If the dating doesn’t last, trying to do the right thing. To all you gentlemen out you’ve only paid an extra few bucks. But if the dating there, I recommend you start by being exactly who you turns into more, you can discuss your salaries down the naturally are. Some women won’t like it but a lot of line, and then calculate what each of you should pay women will. And what better way to find out if the two based on that ratio. At that point, you’ve at least put that of you are a good match?
Bratz: The Overly-Sexual “It” Toy By Barry Nickerson Anchor Editor Television is, of course, a powerful marketing tool designed specifically to get you to crave what the advertisers want you to crave. Have you ever watched a baseball game and thought, “Damn, I could go for a taco?” How about feeling like having a nice cold beer (see Anchor Alemen) after an hour or two of football? That’s the result of the efforts of many marketing advisors designing commercials to make you want their product. With the holidays coming up, advertising towards children has pumped up on most television stations. The “perfect gifts” for the holidays have only been revealed recently (this is, of course, to prevent early, cheaper shopping—smart move, Hasbro). However, one toy that stands out as being outlandishly inappropriate is one that is marketed towards the youngest children—the Bratz dolls. Take a walk through Target (pronounced tar-shey by us poor college folk) and meander into the toy aisle. There’s the generic dress-me-up anorexic-thin Barbie who makes us all wonder how all her organs fit in such an outlandishly petite waist, vintage dolls that young mothers buy for their children just because they played with the same things as children, and, of course, aisles chock full of Bratz dolls. This isn’t to say that the “boys’ section” is any better but we’ll get to that later. For those of you who have never seen a Bratz doll before, it is basically a small child or infant figurine dressed in lingerie with huge lips, bulging eyes, a waist that makes poor Barbie appear obese in comparison, and implications of large feminine curves. Just think of an anime (Japanese animation) girl stealing her mother’s makeup and dressing herself up for a fun fetish night at Club Hell—or a trailer trash parent dressing their baby up in chains with garter belts linking to their diapers. Preschool children don’t dress themselves, dear Mom and Dad. How they held the infant down to put the eyeliner and mascara on, we may never know. Nevertheless, give the Bratz dolls a quick Google search. Knee-high boots, itty-bitty miniskirts, exposed midriffs and layer upon layer of makeup adorn these plastic figurines. At first, they draw to mind images of ice skating competitors, cheerleaders, and ballerinas but a closer look reveals the overly sexualized tone these dolls are given. What exactly are these dolls trying to teach children? These Bratz dolls (hell, even the name is “Bratz”— who wants their kid to be a brat, anyway?) actually do
have a few positive lessons behind their design. Their Web site (bratz.com) features little biographies about their dolls with many positive lessons to be found therein. Some include: eat healthy, don’t be afraid of your body, express your inner creativity, play around with what you wear (don’t just purchase mainstream clothing; fashion comes in all different forms), be yourself, and it’s okay to be different. These are the sorts of undertones that aren’t as blatant as the style of the dolls. However, one can’t really accuse the Bratz of ruining humankind; the Bratz dolls are not the cause for raising a generation of girls and boys that dress provocatively. The problem isn’t in one popular product; it’s everywhere in the media. Let’s take a stab at toys marketed towards boys and young men; you have to be either extremely muscular or hopelessly slim and use certain products to magically be surrounded by women. “Hooray for women everywhere; thank God I bought Axe deodorant, yes!” The issue isn’t so much about the generation of sexual acceptance. The problem lies in the flaunting and in-your-face smearing of sex that is influencing children today. I’m all for being very open about sex. I feel that Americans unnecessarily restrict and taboo much of human sexuality that should be freely expressed. However, there is a line that is being crossed with media marketing. Children should not be fed the mentality that they need to dress and behave sexually and be hopelessly thin and large-breasted in order to be considered fashionable and cool. I’d let my own children wear what they felt was appropriate for themselves, even if it means, yes, it’s time to give in to the Bratz craze; but what is the line? Is dressing infants in lingerie pushing it? Or is it okay to teach children to show off their bodies from the start? That’s an issue for the parents to decide. However, it’s not as though sexualizing children is a new thing. For most of humankind’s history, sex was open and communal and there was no lingerie to tease each other with. Only in written human history, and only in some cultures, has sex been this restricted, taboo thing. It’s not a toy Bratz doll that makes children sexual; it doesn’t cause STDz or AIDZ; it is human nature itself that creates the sex drive. No matter what people believe, humans
are creatures just like anything else in the world, born to make babies and keep the race going and/or to help each other in raising the next generation. In a world that is (hopefully) moving towards a liveand-let-live environment, instilling the drive for academic, personal, social and family health in children should be more important than trying to prevent them from finding out what they’re going to find out anyway. Maybe that’s what Bratz are all about. Is this all up to the parent in the end? As Americans, we’d like to think so. But in the end, who really knows? Barry Nickerson is a senior and a math major. He doesn’t play with Bratz dolls... that we know of.
Opinions
December 5, 2007
Page 13
THE ANCHOR
Read My Lips
Donovan Dining Center, Eat at Your Own Risk
By Adam D. Bram Anchor Staff The United States of America was built on immigration. Despite this fact, every few years we hear a stupid collective cry of “They took our jobs!” and that Congress has to deal with it somehow. I’m all for people coming into this country and for making it easier to do legally. However, there is one issue where I have to say something that might make certain immigrants mad. This country as we know it today was started by British colonists. As such, English is now the native and predominant language. If I could go back in time and save the Native Americans from their torment and make them and their language the rightful dominators of this country, I might just do it. But as it stands, English is the main language of this country. If you plan on living here, you need to learn it. Some people might call that racist. It’s not. It’s just common sense. If you plan on living in a country, or even visiting for an extended period, you absolutely need to learn the native language, or at least have a basic understanding of it. If you’re going to the US, or Britain, you need to learn English. If you’re going to Spain or Mexico, learn Spanish; French for France, Italian for Italy, German for Germany, Russian for Russia, Hebrew for Israel, Japanese for Japan, and so on. I’m not saying you should give up your native language altogether, just get a better understanding of the language of the country you’re going to be staying in. I know there are a lot of people here who don’t have the best grasp of English and get jobs in the food service industry where people get very specific. There are also a lot of English-speakers who look down on other languages and there are some who expect that yelling at a non-English speaker will elicit their understanding. The former need better teachers and the latter need to be slapped. Yes, it might be difficult to learn another language, but consider this. In Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and in surrounding countries, the average person will know four languages and smoke marijuana. It can’t be that hard if you dedicate yourself to it. To sum it up: People of other nationalities, if you plan on coming here, please get a decent grasp on English beforehand. People of the United States, if you plan on going anywhere else, get a good grasp of their language before you go. Everyone can use a little more knowledge in this world. Not motivation enough? Then let me tell you that there are a lot of people who find bilingualism extremely attractive. If that doesn’t get you, nothing will. Adam D. Bram is a staff writer/cartoonist for The Anchor. He has tried learning Hebrew and French with disastrous results, but feels justified in complaining to you as he does not plan on being anywhere near Israel or France anytime in the near future.
By Tek Ung Anchor Contributor Under the Public Records Act, the government is required to make certain records available for inspection to the public. With information systems becoming the standard these days, a lot of information is being published to the web. The RI Department of Health, which regulates restaurants and food establishments recently decided to put all of their inspection reports online for the public to view. The site http://www.health.state.ri.us/environment/foo d/inspections.php is very easy to use. All that is required is the establishment’s name. A quick search of Rhode Island College yielded a direct hit on the Donovan Dining Center. Another click brings up the complete report and a list of food safety violations. The dining center was cited on 16 violations. Some of the violations were facility related such as peeling paint or old ceiling tiles but the ones that concern me most were the serious ones where food contact was made. For example, for proper sanitation, a water temperature of 160 degrees is required. The Department of Health found that the dishwasher was only running at 120 degrees, missing a temperature test kit, and the utensils coming out were not sanitized. Among other violations are that the plastic disposal utensils were stored on an un-
clean surface, the ice scoop was thrown on top of a dirty ice machine after each use and reused, and my greatest concern is no air gap in vegetable sink. I have taken safety courses, including a few in food safety. Let me try to explain the last violation: In restaurants, all sinks cannot be connected directly to a drain. There must be a cut and you can usually see the water draining onto the floor into a food drain. The reason for this is in normal sinks there is a trap that holds water to prevent odor from coming, the water still in the trap can backwash or mix with the clean water and contaminate the clean water and the vegetables being washed in it. For vegetable washing sinks, the drain must be open to ensure that dirty water does not remain trapped behind. Food inspections are also not as stringent as they should be. The DOH notifies food establishments before their planned inspection visit. This gives the establishment time to clean and cover up some of the potential health hazards. Go to the DOH’s website to view the complete report and check out reports of your other favorite restaurants. I have personally seen poor handling of food at Donovan such as serving prepared foods without gloves, not changing gloves between serving and cleaning, and cross contamination between foods. Feel free to call the DOH Office of Food Protection at 222-2749 and they will come out investigate and issue citations as necessary.
Photo Courtesy of Mike Shiel
‘Tis the Season to Get Nasty By Andrew Massey Anchor Editor Well, it’s after Thanksgiving, and Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) have come and pass. You know what that means: it’s Christmas time! This is a time where we’re all supposed to hold hands and be merry in the spirit of the season. We are all supposed to hold each other and sing Christmas carols and be nice to each other. Oh, it is fun to see how America lies to itself. Here’s how Christmas time really is from the perspective of an American shopper and former cashier. From Black Friday all the way to Christmas Eve, there is little merriment or joy. The only time anyone holds my hand is to hold me back from getting the last Tickle Me Elmo. The only joy I see is the grim satisfaction people get from taking the open parking spot I was about to pull into at Wal-Mart. The only Christmas carols I hear are the ones piped in 24/7 into almost every radio station and into every retail store until every cashier knows every Christmas song by heart. There is no kindness in the month of December. All I see is a bunch of self absorbed and selfish idiots fighting over every gift they buy because if they do not get the gift, then they can’t improve their standing with the gift re-
ceiver. Let’s face it, December is the month we are all nasty to each other so we can make up for the kindness we will give on Christmas day. I know many of you are reading this and are screaming “SCROOGE!” at me right now. The truth is that I love Christmas. It gives me a chance to indulge on my friends when I otherwise would not have an excuse. I know
many other people like Christmas for the same reason but many do not. Don’t believe me? Next time anyone goes Christmas shopping, especially during the last week and a half before Christmas, watch the people. Watch how nasty they are to each other and tell me my observations do not have the faint ring of truth. People turn into monsters when Christmas comes around, especially the parents. Parents have to go out and buy their kids the latest and greatest gift so their
kid can play with it for a few weeks and then toss it into the corner and let it collect dust. People will get into shouting matches and even fights over the newest toys. The one thing I’m grateful for is that all the new video game consoles came out last year, so the fights over those will be few and far in between. Meanwhile, the kids know Santa is coming and will hound their parents for present after present. Most parents will tell them to wait until Christmas and, if their kid acts up, use the fact Santa is visiting as blackmail. However, some parents give in and buy the kids some extra presents early to shut them up. It is no wonder that our future generation is growing up so spoiled. I know if I even pulled half the crap that these kids pulled when I was their age, I would have gotten quite a bit of coal and probably a swift smack on my behind. My parents were smart enough not to spoil me. Simply put, do not spoil your kids this Christmas, it will benefit them when they get older. So people, to sum it all up, let’s be nicer to each other this Christmas season; it will make shopping go easier and prevent the cashiers from wanting to kill themselves every time they come into work.
Opinions
Page 14
December 5, 2007
THE ANCHOR
APPLE LETS THE LEOPARD OUT OF THE BAG By Casey Gaul Anchor Editor As some of you may be aware, Apple released the newest incarnation of its operating system, Mac OSX 10.5 (playfully codenamed Leopard) a few weeks ago. Along with a spiffed up look, Apple has provided us with several new (and possibly exciting) features. I updated my personal computer two weeks ago and now that I’ve gotten pretty used to Leopard, there are three features that got me particularly excited. The first of these is “cover flow.” If you’ve seen the iPhone commercials, cover flow looks like that feature that allows you to scroll side to side through CD covers to look at your music, except you can do that with the entire contents of your computer. Not only can you do that really cool, swishy, scrolling thing, you can also view any file (document, image, movie) without opening its application. You can also watch your movies this way without having to open their program. The second feature, named “Quick Look,” is linked into the above and allows you to enlarge, view, scroll through, and play any file.
The third cool feature is “Spaces.” This allows you to have multiple screens (up to 16 at a time) that you can cycle through according to what you need at any particular moment. When I first looked at it, spaces looked cool and I knew that someday it would be useful. I was doing graphic work for a friend the other night and, on a whim, I put it to use. I was instantly in love! I have Adium and random applications set to my first screen, a project in Illustrator on the second, my web browsers on the third, and another project in QuarkXPress on the fourth. Once I got used to the key commands, bouncing back and forth across these screens, or spaces, made organization and work so much more efficient. I didn’t have to worry about minimizing and moving things around on my screen. I have a 12 inch iBook as well, so screen space is minimal. Needless to say, I am completely smitten with Spaces. Aside from my favorites, there are a few more features that warrant mention. There are a bunch of neat things you can do with iChat (Apple’s instant messenger client which also includes audio and video chatting). For those of you who like to share things with your friends or co-workers, there is something called “iChat Theatre.” This allows you to quickly and stylishly share any photo, pdf, movie, or
file that you could open with quick look. For those collaborating on projects, there is “Screensharing.” Through iChat, you can actually be granted access or grant access to your desktop to whomever you’re chatting with. You can see, make changes, and even save on the other person’s computer. For those of us with too much time and a bad case of ADD, there are a number of mildly inane features to mention. This includes being able to change your background in iChat to pictures and movies. While this is cool, I have a sneaking suspicion that it’ll eat up bandwidth and potentially slow and decrease the quality of the video feed. There is also Time Machine. It’s a pretty nifty tool but is most useful to people who own desktop Macs or laptops that generally live on your desk. The use of Time Machine also requires that you own an external hard drive. What this program does initially is make a backup of your entire computer on your external HD. After that, it goes back in every hour and makes a backup of everything that has changed. The major upside of this is that if you lose something you’ve spent the past week
working on, you can fire up Time Machine and zoom back in time through your backups to the point before you lost that file and restore it. Additionally, you can use the search feature (Spotlight) to search through your backups and find things that have gone missing despite not necessarily knowing when you lost it. If your computer situation is such that it can spend most of its time on a desk connected to a HD, then Time Machine is the sort of amazing tool that can save you if an important file or the entire system should suddenly find itself destroyed. Last on the list of notable mentions of Leopard’s updates is the Apple mail program (aptly named “Mail”). Among other things, Mail makes setting up an email account and importing a preferred outside email client (such as Gmail) much easier. Datadetector and Notes are also pretty neat and deserve a look. Besides these, most of Mail’s new features are a little tedious and frivolous in my book. If you’re thinking about upgrading to Leopard (or Apple entirely) or don’t know yet know how to use most of the cool stuff suddenly available to you, I greatly suggest you visit Apple.com. From there, you can find plenty of information as well as a spiffy tour of Leopard video.
ROVING REPORTER By: Kellye Martin
:
This past Wednesday, RIC held a mock primary election to encourage students to vote. Do you feel that it is important for college students to vote? Why or why not?
Justin Lopez Economics 2009 It is important, as students, that our voices be heard. Hopefully we can change some things in this country.
Crystal Tavares Nursing 2011 Yes, I think college students should vote because we are the next generation and our votes matter.
Rodlyne Louis Social Work 2010 Yes, I feel that college students should vote because even though it might seem like we have no voice, if we all come to gether, we can make a differ ence.
Daniel Reeves Secondary Education – Biology 2012 I do think it is important for stu dents to vote because college students need to be represented in the nation’s decisions and ac tions. I think students know enough to know who should be president for the nation’s best interests.
Do you have a question you want answered? Send your question to photography@anchorweb.org
Lifestyles
December 5, 2007
Page 15
THE ANCHOR
Kwanzaa: A Celebration of Black Pride By Rodlyne Louis Anchor Contributor From Dec. 26, 2007 through Jan. 1, 2008, families all around the world will be celebrating Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is an African American celebration which focuses on the traditional African values of family, community, responsibility, and self-improvement. For seven days, candles will be lit; each candle representing a renewing of the promise to keep unity, love and peace alive in our communities. Families who truly celebrate will be decorating their households with objects of art, colorful African cloth, and fresh fruits that represent African traditions. There will be gifts exchanged each day between the families. Gifts must always include a book and a heritage symbol. Kwanzaa is not a replacement for Christmas nor is it a political or religious holiday. Kwanzaa is just a time of reminding African American people of their roots. Kwanzaa means “first fruits of the harvest” in the African language Kiswahili. Dr. Maulana Karenga popularized the word in 1966. Dr. Karenga included an extra “a” to the end of the spelling to reflect the difference between the African American celebration (Kwanzaa) and the true African spelling (kwanza). Kwanzaa has come to be observed by more than 18 million people worldwide Kwanzaa is based on the Nguzo Saba (seven guiding principles); each principle has a day during Kwanzaa devoted to it. The first of these seven guide principles is Umoja, which means unity. Umoja stresses the im-
portance of togetherness for the family and the community. The second principle is Kujichagulia, meaning self-determination. Kujichagulia expresses our common well-being in making decisions that are in the best interest of our family and community. Ujima, the third guiding principle, means collective work and responsibility. Ujima reminds us of our duty to the past, present, and future; that we have a role to play in the community, society, and the world. The fourth principle is Ujamaa. It means cooperative economics and reminds us to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together. The fifth principle is Nia; which means purpose. It expresses the importance to unite our careers so we can build and develop our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness. Kuumba (creativity) says to do as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it. The last principle is Imani. It means faith and it tells us to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle. Many people do not know the true meaning of celebrating Kwanzaa. To put it in simple terms, Kwanzaa is a celebration of black pride. Kwanzaa reminds us to be proud of where they come from and to always remember to keep unity, love, and peace among one another in order to make the world a better place for our people.
The Law of Attraction (Part 6 of 6) By Paula Richer Anchor Staff This may seem like the end but it’s actually only the beginning! I’ve given you a lot to think about in my reviews of the Law of Attraction books and DVDs. Here’s the quick rundown: The Secret (DVD), As You Think (book), What the Bleep? Down the Rabbit Hole (DVD), Abraham (DVD), and Creative Visualization (book). Are you psyched? Now it’s time to see if you’re ready to take another kind of leap. In an easy-to-read 70-pages, this next book invites you to take outward action using the powerful Law of Attraction to make substantial and positive changes in your life and to help others do the same. Are you ready? Here we go… Choice # 6: The Intenders Handbook (Tony Burroughs) The Intenders of the Highest Good are groups of people who gather regularly around the country (and the world) with the sole purpose of bettering their lives and the lives of everyone on our planet. They believe that dreams are made to come true and that each of us has the power to manifest our desires easily just by doing two things. The first is stating our intentions aloud every day. The second is joining with others in an Intenders Circle once a week. They claim great success awaits us if we can release our belief in scarcity and increase our belief in abundance. While it may sound too good to be true, it is really grounded in the Law of Attraction and the rewards are simply too great to ignore. For anyone who wants more for everyone, fun, success, love, money, health, joy, or peace on earth, this is the easiest way to make it happen. And everything you need to know to get started is in this little book. Let’s review the Law of Attraction. Put simply, we all attract what we think about, whether our thoughts are positive or negative, conscious or unconscious. Many of us believe that if we voice our resistance to things we don’t want, we will somehow keep them away. However, the exact opposite is true. The more we talk about the things we don’t want, the more they become
part of our “personal magnet sphere” and the more we will attract them into our experience. The same holds true for things we DO want. Therein lies the beauty of “Intending.” It’s good to remember, too, that this Law is always in operation within us, both as individuals and as a world community. The intention process involves making a statement that begins with “I intend…” and ends with whatever your heart desires. Clarity is very important here. The Intenders of the Highest Good have eliminated five words from their “intending vocabulary.” The words are: trying, hoping, wanting, to be, and not. These words keep desires away by either projecting them into the future (where they will always remain if that’s how the intentions are worded) or by stating the negative version of a desire (such as “I intend not to get sick”). It’s essential that we speak only in the present tense stating only positive versions of our desires. For example, “I intend that I am extremely healthy.” Yes, it’s really that simple. The author explains the power of stating these intentions aloud every day and of sharing them with like-minded people by joining together in an Intenders Circles once a week. There’s strength in numbers - our ability to attract what we desire increases when we’re supported by others. The Intenders Handbook tells you how to get started as a “mighty manifestor” and how to start an Intenders Circle of your own. Intenders Circles are all over the world (see their website), yet the state of Rhode Island is conspicuously absent! So why not start an Intenders Circle of your own right here at RIC? I invite you, as I have throughout this entire series, to imagine the possibilities! To purchase The Intenders Handbook or to start your own Intenders Circle visit www.intenders.com. Thanks for joining me in this starter course on the Law of Attraction. May you always intend your highest good and think well!
Haunted America: The USS Hornet By Robert Lefebvre Anchor Staff The USS Hornet is said to be one of the most haunted warships in the American Navy. It has been investigated by multiple magazines and television shows to see how genuine its hauntings are. Now permanently stationed in Alameda, Calif. as a museum, it stands as a memorial to those who served aboard it and those who may still be aboard. The USS Hornet was originally called the Kearsarge. After the CV-8 ship was sunk in the Battle of Santa Cruz however, the ship was renamed during its construction in honor of it, making it the eighth ship to be named Hornet. The new aircraft carrier was completed and launched in August of 1943 and was commissioned in November of that year. The Hornet played a critical role in World War II. Most of the ship’s major feats took place in 1944 and 1945. It aided in many attacks, including destroying enemy air fields in Iwo and Chichi Jima. She also took part in the Battle of the Philippine Sea where she launched strikes to attack Japanese fighter planes still on the ground. Hornet also attacked and raided many enemy bases and installations throughout the Philippine Sea and in Okinawa and Formosa. In February of 1945, she launched full-scale aerial assaults on Tokyo and supported the amphibious landing assault on Iwo Jima. Her greatest mission came on April 6, 1945, when she
launched aircrafts that helped sink the Japanese battleship Yamato, pride of the Japanese fleet at the time. In the following months, she aided in ground attacks and was caught in a typhoon. Naturally, this caused considerable damage to the ship. Afterwards, the Hornet was in action for a time in the Pacific. In September of 1947, she was decommissioned. The Hornet had earned seven battle stars for her service and even received a Presidential Unit Citation, an award for heroism in the face of an armed enemy. She had also destroyed or damaged over one million tons of enemy shipping and aircrafts. In 1953, the Hornet was recommissioned as an attack aircraft carrier. Throughout the fifties, it served as a support ship for government planes passing over the Pacific and was used for recovery missions. In the sixties, she had the honor of being the ship to recover Apollo 11 and 12. In 1970, she was decommissioned once more. In 1991, the Hornet was declared a National Historic Landmark. In 1998, she was converted into a museum which now stands in Alameda, Calif. Ever since being open to the public,
there have many reports of paranormal activity. The ship has even been open for overnights where Boy Scouts and other groups and organizations got to spend the night. Most of the reports of paranormal activity came from these excursions. There have been accounts of people seeing men in uniform walking through the ship and then suddenly disappearing to sudden winds blowing in open areas. An electrician who used to work aboard the ship by the name of Derek Lyon-McKeil recalls revisiting his ship. He said that he and the group he was with heard hatches opening
and closing like someone was roaming through the ship when nobody had left the group. Another man who was repainting the ship, Keith LaDue, remembered hearing voices of people talking about things like airplanes and their homes, and noises like people who were building something.
When he called out to the people, however, the voices and noises stopped. There have never been any stories of any specific people who served the Hornet who may be haunting it, making it a little harder to trace any haunting. Because of this, it is more of a generally haunted place. Still, a ship like the Hornet is very large. Being made almost completely of metal, it would echo and vibrate quite a bit from the sound of loud movement. But because it is a large ship, you could think you’re alone when it is indeed someone else of the living making the noises. Then again, the ship is very secure. Nobody is able to get on board without authorization. If you’re on board, somebody knows it, or at least someone should know. The USS Hornet is one of the most decorated warships in American history. It has seen many battles and been through much bloodshed. It is a tribute to those who gave their lives for their country. But if it truly is haunted, it can be assumed that those haunting the ship were killed during battle or possibly in accidents aboard the ship. Whatever the reasons, the Hornet stands in remembrance of World War II with others possibly still aboard who remember as well.
Best Decorated Dorm Room Contest TOP 10 Rooms will be featured in The Anchor
TOP 3 Winners will receive gift certificates to Bed, Bath and Beyond $100 First Prize $50 Second Prize $25 Third Prize
Results will be announced in next week’s issue!
Arts + Entertainment
December 5, 2007
Page 17
THE ANCHOR
Classifieds $900 Two bedroom Duplex apartment. 1.5 baths, gas heat, stove and fridge included. Washer and Dryer hookups available. 2 Parking spots, 1.5 miles to RIC. New floors. Mikegme@hotmail.com or 401-742-1143 ~~~ Greenville neighborhood — great location Large 1 bedroom — walk in closet, bay window, very sunny, ceiling fan, private entrance, new rug, lots of outlets. animals welcome ***no smoking**** parking/yard — kitchen & bath are new. Perfect for 1 or 2 college students to share bedroom, quiet and easy going...no partiers..pay month to month. Per month — 455. More details contact Karen @KK65661@aol.com
LOOKING UP By Alex Tirrell Anchor Editor Musical theatre fans may find a treat in store this Saturday with Looking Up – The Music of William Finn. Looking Up is a redressing of Elegies, a song cycle by William Finn, known for 1992 Tony Award winning Falsettos, and 2005 Tony Award winning The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Elegies was Finn’s response to the September 11th terrorist attacks and was written in memory of friends who had passed away (with several due to AIDS).
Shawn Bolduc, a RIC music major in his junior year, directs this production, which features the talents of Kaela Adams, Kristina Dasilva, Eric Desnoyers, Andrew Holder, Kevin P. Martin, Meagan McNulty, Justin Robinson, Ashley Rodrigues, Talia Triangolo, and Hayley Woodbine. Looking Up runs this Saturday only—December 8th at 2:00PM in Room 198 of the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts. The concert is free, but donations are encouraged. All proceeds go to benefit cancer research and the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance.
NEVER THE SINNER By Jessica Albaum Anchor Editor The true story of two deeply misguided boys will come to life on the stage of the Little Theatre from Thursday Dec. 13 through Sunday Dec. 16 in the form of Never the Sinner. Growing Stage, a student run theatre company, run by the Theatre Organization, will be producing the play. Never the Sinner will run for four performances at 8pm Thurs. thru Sat. with a 2pm matinee on Sunday. Laura Barlow, a Rhode Island College graduate student, is directing the John Logan play. A screenwriter, Logan has written such hits as The Aviator, The Last Samurai, and Any Given Sunday. Never the Sinner depicts the true story of two
boys whose lives went terribly awry. The boys, Leopold and Loeb, were inseparable even when it came to the murder of a 14 yr. old boy. Their relationship itself is as intriguing as the events portrayed in the play. Leopold and Loeb hired Clarence Darrow to defend them. Darrow spoke eloquently about capital punishment. This carries over as one of the many powerful themes in this well-written play. Aside from the death penalty, it touches on humanism and the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche. Admission to the adaptation of this infamous trial is free with a suggested donation. Come and see what Newhouse Newspapers called, a “Taut Compelling, Psycho-sexual Waltz.”
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Leopold and Loeb, the defendents in the famous trial which was the basis for Never the Sinner
Arts + Entertainment
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December 5, 2007
THE ANCHOR
Bob and Timmy’s Excels at First Bite By Nick Lima Anchor Food Critic The Federal Hill section of Providence is renowned for its selection of restaurants, ranging from the wide assortment of Italian restaurants found on Atwells Avenue to Asian, Mexican, and Mediterranean delights. When one mentions pizza on Federal Hill, they’re typically referring to the ever popular Caserta or Sicilia pizzerias, and unfortunately, Bob and Timmy’s Grille rarely crosses the tongue. Perhaps all for the better – Bob and Timmy’s Grille is a hidden pleasure, located just off of Atwells at 32 Spruce Street, and features some of the best wood grilled pizza on the Hill. In fact, Bob and Timmy’s identifies itself as the original wood grilled pizza place in the area, and with a menu featuring as many high quality items as it has, there can be little argument to the contrary. Like any Italian grille, Bob and Timmy’s features a diverse offering of salads, subs, calzones, and specialty pastas to compliment its pizza selection, with most of the dishes offered with a unique twist. The Hill Special, for example, contains grilled chicken, sun dried tomatoes, and wild mushrooms in a cream sauce of smoked Gouda, while the delicious Saturday Pasta features fresh spinach, artichokes, and sun dried tomatoes in a lemon
white wine sauce. We tried the Farfalle al Tomato, which had a large amount of bowtie pasta tossed with garlic, olive oil, and grated parmesan cheese topped with crisp diced tomatoes. It was a perfect follow-up to our enormous grilled chicken Caesar salad, marked by a delicious, mammoth cut of fresh grilled chicken, large croutons, and ample dressing on a bed of cut romaine. The salad, by itself, could have satisfied even the biggest of appetites, mostly by the size of its flavor alone. As a pizza joint, however upscale, Bob and Timmy’s lives and dies on the selection and quality of its pizza, and this is yet another area where the Grille excels. While a traditional pizza may be chosen with any number of gourmet toppings, the real treat lies with Bob and Timmy’s specialty and wood grilled varieties. The Great White Clam pizza is topped with baby clams, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan and Romano cheese, while their famous lasagna pizza includes spinach, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and an appetizing tomato sauce. For grilled pizza, Pizza I makes a fine choice for someone new to the style decked out with parmesan, Romano, and gorgonzola cheese with a pomodoro sauce and parsley. Every grilled pizza at Bob and Timmy’s is mouth-watering, with a soft, but somewhat tough thin dough that holds each of their ample
Golden Compass Points to a Hit By Jessica Albaum Anchor Editor This dark tale is appealing to people of all ages. The Golden Compass, which opens in theaters on December 7, allows people to escape to a different universe where anything can happen. The Golden Compass is based on a children’s novel by Phillip Pullman. The movie shows a world where humans wear their souls on the outside in the form of a daemon, an animal that represents them. Everything in this world is not as it seems, however. There is a magistrate who wishes to control everyone and begins to experiment on children. There is one girl that can save them: the girl who can read the golden compass, Lyra. The computer animation was breath-taking. The daemons and ice bears almost looked real; even the little hairs on their bodies moved naturally. The landscapes and detailed cities were a treat for the eyes. The witches were like ballerinas flying through the skies of this alternate universe. The all-star cast was also very impressive.
Most of them have acted in multiple blockbuster films. For those of you who are fans of James Bond or Lord of the Rings, you will also be pleased with the cast as it includes Daniel Craig, Ian McKellen, Eva Green, and Christopher Lee; all of whom played their respective characters with poise and commitment. The only newcomer to the silver screen was the star, Lyra, played by first time actress, Dakota Blue Richards. I would have never known this was her first film experience had I not seen the making of the movie. She was very honest in her acting. She meant everything she said and she blew me away. The only complaint I have is that I don’t feel that the movie ended with enough resolution. This makes a sequel seem quite likely. When I left the theater, I found myself wishing I had a daemon by my side. I recommend this movie to everyone. Whether one has read the book or not, I do not believe that they will be disappointed.
August Rush By Casey Gaul Anchor Editor Months ago, I went to the movie theatre and sat idly through unexciting previews; until one. The screen showed a huge windblown wheat field and the voice of a boy filled the theatre: “I believe in music the way most people believe in fair tales.” From that moment, I was hooked. The rest of the preview only cemented my determination to see this movie. I went into August Rush with enormous expectations and, in the end, I was not disappointed. The movie is a story about the fateful meeting between a rock guitarist and a Juilliard cellist, the orphaned son that came of their encounter, and the music that could bring them
all back together. A few plot elements and some of the dialogue could use some work, but all of the music was amazing and easily made up for any lacking elsewhere. All three main characters gave excellent performances. Perhaps the most surprising performance of all was that of Robin Williams in the supporting role of “the Wizard.” It was a role that I’d never seen him take before and he was extremely effective. The bottom line is that this movie left me very happy and practically buzzing. I recommend it to anyone who loves music or beautiful stories.
toppings with ease, making for a delectable combination of chewy flavor with every bite. Not only does the food at Bob and Timmy’s exceed all expectations, but the atmosphere and service match the quality of the menu. Our waiter was outstanding, offering perfect advice on wine and entrée selections, and bringing humor to our table at every visit. Even the atmosphere, although small and quaint, presents a quiet, intimate setting with comfortable surroundings. Federal Hill offers some true gems of restaurants, but Bob and Timmy’s is not your usual sort. As can be expected, dinner for two might get pricy, especially after drinks and hors d’oeuvres, but any expense is worth it for the quality of the experience you will enjoy. Bob and Timmy’s Grille is among the finest establishments in the state and should not be missed even by the most casual diner. Service: 5 / 5 Atmosphere: 5 / 5 Food: 5 / 5 Mozzarella Sticks: N / A Overall: 5 /5 FEDORAS
December 5, 2007
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La Fiesta Comes Alive By Sally Peixoto Anchor Editor The Rhode Island College Wind Ensemble performed La Fiesta on Friday Nov. 30 in Roberts Auditorium. The music and performance were mostly good and entirely intriguing. The performance opened with Joaquín Rodrigo’s Adagio Para Orquesta de Instrumentos de Viento, played by a small chamber ensemble. Next was Radiant Joy, the latest work by Steven Bryant. This piece had a detailed melody and had a steady rhythmic pulse in the foreground. The melody was found in some instruments that don’t often carry it—for example, the baritone saxophone holds it for a large part of the song. It’s great that a college band is playing such modern music, introducing the students and the audience to music that is still alive (so to speak) and not just clutching to the same stiff old “classical” repertoire. The third song, Gunther Schuller’s Nature’s Way, was another contemporary piece. In contrast with Radiant Joy’s interesting melody, Nature’s Way was atonal (without melody or even a key) and had a confusing rhythm. At least one audience member got physically sick from this song; which may be the reason for the stigma around the phrase ‘contemporary music.’ Luckily, the intermission followed in order to give everyone’s ears a rest. When the concert resumed, attention was focused to a small trio in the front of the band. Kirkpatrick Fanfare began with an Irish sound reminiscent of Danny Boy. The melody was fast-paced, upbeat and catchy; it seemed that the audience was unanimous about liking this one.
The concert concluded with the feature piece, La Fiesta Mexicana, by H. Owen Reed. Although it sounded obviously Mexican at times, it also occasionally sounded like a television news theme. The second movement, Mass, was delivered as the name would imply; complete with priest’s chanting and an Amen cadence. The first and third movements were more upbeat and had interesting rhythms (especially in the chimes). What stood out
most, however, was the intense bass drum that really spiced up the piece and made some audience members jump in surprise. Another interesting detail was a hidden band in one section. The director continued conducting but no one on stage moved as a brass fanfare blared from behind the scenes. Overall this was a fun concert. It is only unfortunate that there was not an even bigger audience.
Photo Courtesy of Mike Shiel
Rental Raves: A Fish Called Wanda By Adam D. Bram Anchor Staff This week’s film comes from the mind of Monty Python alum John Cleese who also stars in this Oscar-winning
comedy. I am referring, of course, to 1988’s, A Fish Called Wanda. Wanda (Jaime Lee Curtis, Halloween) and Otto (Kevin Kline, The Big Chill) are lovers who are posing as brother and
sister in order to scam British criminal Georgie Thomason (Tom Georgeson, No Surrender) out of the diamonds they stole together. When they get Georgie arrested, they find that he had moved the diamonds prior to his capture and left a mysterious key with his stuttering hitman friend, Ken (Michael Palin, Monty Python’s Flying Circus). In order to get the information, Wanda must try and seduce Georgie’s stuffy barrister, Archie Leach (Cleese). However, with Archie falling hard for her and Otto becoming increasingly insane, Wanda finds herself actually feeling something for her target. This classic comedy definitely has the Monty Python sensibility to it, which suits it just fine. It is full of wonderful and hilarious moments, including Ken’s disastrous attempts to assassinate an old woman who was a witness to the heist. Kevin Kline shines in the performance that won him an Academy Award. Cleese does his usual shtick of the straight man with a wild insanity just under the surface as brilliantly as usual. Curtis is beautiful and funny as always. Definitely be prepared for some silliness from this selection. It is a film that everyone needs in their collection. Also featuring: Maria Aitken (Bedroom Farce) and Patricia Hayes (Benny Hill). R. Rating: 5/5
Papa Roach Rocks Lupo’s By Jason Zhao Anchor Contributor High energy, mosh pits, drunks, fights, and security running through the crowd; what more can you ask for on a Tuesday night? How about all of the above, plus a great time at Lupo’s, and Papa Roach rocking the stage? According to the program, doors opened at 7 p.m. and the show started at 8 p.m. The odd thing was that half of the crowd didn’t even show up until around 9 p.m. Apparently, a lot of the people who went only cared about seeing Papa Roach. The first opening band was Meriwether. Their music was great but they didn’t really get the crowd going. This was mostly because half of the audience hadn’t arrived yet. The second band was 10 Years and they rocked the stage. In the middle of their set, a small group of people actually tried to start moshing. Overall, the opening bands did a great job but their sets were short. It seemed like there was more time spent waiting for bands to come on rather then the bands actually performing. Meriwether’s set was only about 25 minutes long and 10 Years’ set wasn’t much longer. Right at 10 p.m., Papa Roach came on and the audience went crazy. Mosh pits formed everywhere soon after the start of the set, people were screaming, drunks were acting even crazier than usual, and hands were in the air. The energy released from the crowd was unbelievable. Halfway into Papa Roach’s set, things got a little crazy; crazier then I would expect from a show on a Tuesday night at Lupo’s. The mosh pits quickly turned into fights where people were actually throwing punches and trying to beat on each other. The security people had their hands full breaking up the fights. It was impossible to count how many times I was stomped on the foot by the security people. Nevertheless, the show was still astounding. With a crazy audience, you know that the band was more then great. The overall performance of Papa Roach was awesome. They played many of their singles which made everyone happy. They ended their set appropriately with “Last Resort.”
Arts
Entertainment
RIC EVENTS Contemporary Music Ensemble “New York System” Wednesday, December 5, 2007 8 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the John Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts Johnny Cardinale Wednesday, December 5, 2007 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Student Union Ballroom Annual Art Club Auction Friday, December 7, 2007 Unspecified Time Bannister Gallery in Roberts Hall Winter Choral Concert Date: Friday, December 7, 2007 8 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts The State Ballet of Rhode Island: Coppelia Saturday, December 8, 2007 3 p.m. The Auditorium in Roberts Hall Concert Jazz Band Monday, December 10, 2007 8 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts
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Date -a- Theta, Win -a- XIN By Nikki Trombetti Anchor Contributor Have you ever wondered how much money you are worth? Well, Sigma Iota Theta and WXIN knew just how to figure it out and help a great cause at the same time. According to Chris Buonanno, Business Director of WXIN, the radio station wanted to “branch out and work with Sigma Iota Theta. We have always held our events off campus and we thought it would be nice to team up with another organization and hold an event on campus.” WXIN and Sigma Iota Theta held an auction to raise money for the Station Fund. Their slogan was “Date a Theta, win a XIN.” This event was held on Monday Nov. 26 in the Student Union Ballroom. The male list included Chris Buonanno, Levi Garrett, Nigel Evangelista, Mike Fratus, Nick Lima, Peter Hoey, Mike Mckenna, Tyler Patterson, Larry Cunningham, Dom Gianfrancesco, David Watson and Barry Nickerson. The female list included Jeannette Martinho, Keri Fuller, Anel Pichardo, Jen Watson, Marlena Medeiros, Tammy Poisson, Sade Richardson, Samantha Zeek, Mary Stahowiak, Katie Osman, Jennifer Almeida, Miranda Varr, Jamie Martin and Liz Butler. Each contestant had a song for their entrance and got to strut their stuff to get the high bid. Liz Butler raised $30, the highest of all the girls. For the guys, Mike McKenna also raised $30. This was the highest bid out of all the males. After everyone
sponsored by RIC’s radio station WXIN and Sigma Iota Theta. RIC Programming helped a lot with decorations and with setting up this event. $250 was raised at the auction alone. The final total for both the toga party and the event has not yet been announced.
was auctioned off, they had a date with their winner at a toga party on Thursday night. The toga party was held at Molly’s Pub on Academy Avenue. The money made off of the $3 cover charge was also donated to the Station Fund. This event was
Photo Courtesy of Mike Shiel
WELL THOUGHT-OUT TWINKLES FOR NOT-SO-LAZY EYES By Joe Roberge and Barry Nickerson Anchor Editors Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence celebrated 95.5 WBRU’s birthday bash by bringing current hit band Silversun Pickups to the state. Silversun Pickups, whose music is reminiscent of old-school Smashing Pumpkins, attracted a nearly sellout crowd. Fans of Daft Punk would have felt at home with opening act Triangle Forest. From hometown Providence, R.I., Triangle Forest combined elements of the electro, techno and rock genres to create something completely out-of-theordinary. Everyone in the three-piece band—including the drummer—played an electronic instrument of some sort. From plastic synth guitars to the vocoders, Triangle Forest turned Lupo’s into an electric dance party. New Jersey pop-rock band Steel Train took over the stage after Triangle Force. The band was—well—they were OK. There wasn’t anything that really set them apart from any other pop-rock band, other than their generally happy attitudes and overall bounciness on stage. However, Steel Train had their core group of fans that went mental as the band played. This was still a good show. By this time, the energized audience was ready for the main act of the evening—Silversun Pickups, from Los Angeles, Calif. This time last year, Silversun Pickups was a hardly-known indie band from SoCal. Starting this past winter, national radio stations began playing “Lazy Eye” off their first full-length album, Carnavas (2006, Dangerbird records). Since then, Silversun Pickups has become one of today’s most popular rock bands, having a new single off Carnavas, “Well Thought-Out Twinkles,” and several music videos, including one for “Kissing Families” off their EP, Pikul. Silversun Pickups began their act with “Well Thought-Out Twinkles,” which immediately got
the crowd’s full attention. Followed by “Dream at Tempo 119,” SSPU kept the crowd moving with hit after hit, constantly pouring layers of energy into the audience. After playing several songs off both of their albums, SSPU played “Kissing Families,” which started the chain of high-energy dance mayhem that built up to the mosh pit during “Lazy Eye,” their most popular song and the most aggressive of the evening. They ended with “Common Reactor,” the last track on Carnavas, then left the stage for a few minutes to tease the crowd as they chanted for an encore. After the cries for “one more song,” SSPU came out one last time to perform “Three Seed,”
“Creation Lake,” “Comeback Kid” and several other songs. Sadly, after the encore, we didn’t have an opportunity to meet the band (although we got to slip high-5’s to bassist Nikki Monninger and lead vocals/guitarist Brian Aubert). However, we all left feeling energized, knowing this was one of the best concerts of the year for Providence. Be sure to check out Silversun Pickups on their MySpace (www.myspace.com/silversunpickups)! If you know a band coming to Lupo’s in Providence soon and want to review it for the Anchor, contact the Arts & Entertainment editor at arts@anchorweb.org.
Photo Courtesy of Barry Nickerson